Archive for January, 2020

Cancer Gene Therapy Market is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of xx%. The base year considered for the study is 2018 and the forecast period considered is 2020 To 2026

Cancer Gene Therapy Market, projects a standardized and in-depth study on the ongoing state of Market, providing basic industry insights such as definitions, classifications, supply chain, applications and industry cost structure. The report precisely delivers productive information about development policies and plans as well as manufacturing processes and techniques.

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Dominant Companies Profiled in this report includes:

Novartis AG, Gilead Sciences,,UniQure N.V. ,Spark Therapeutics LLC, Bluebird Bio, Juno Therapeutics, GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Celgene Corporation,Shire PLC, Sangamo Biosciences,Dimension Therapeutic,Voyager Therapeutics

Key questions answered in the report include:

What will the market size and the growth rate be in 2026?

What are the key factors driving the Cancer Gene Therapy Market?

What are the key market trends impacting the growth of the Cancer Gene Therapy Market?

What are the challenges to market growth?

Who are the key vendors in the Cancer Gene Therapy Market?

What are the market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Cancer Gene Therapy Market?

What are the key outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Cancer Gene Therapy Market?

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For the better regional outlook, analysts examine different global regions such as North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and India on the basis of different economic attributes like profit margin, shares and pricing structures. Leading key players in the global Cancer Gene Therapy market have been examined by considering different parameters such as productivity, manufacturing base, applications, and raw material. It explores different approaches to augment client base in the domestic and international market.

Major Points Covered in Table of Contents:

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Cancer Gene Therapy Market to grow massively by 2020 with profiling players Novartis AG, Gilead Sciences, UniQure NV, Spark Therapeutics LLC, Bluebird...

For Immediate Release

Chicago, IL January 2, 2019 Zacks Equity Research Keysight Technologies KEYS as the Bull of the Day, Analog Devices ADI as the Bear of the Day. In addition, Zacks Equity Research provides analysis on Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ALXN, Amarin Corporation plc. AMRN and Cellectis CLLS.

Here is a synopsis of all five stocks:

Bull of the Day:

Keysight Technologiesis a $19 billion provider of electronic design, measurement and test instrumentation systems. Keysight emerged as a public company from the 2014 move by Agilent Technologies to split apart divisions.

KEYS provides specialized electronics solutions to dozens of industries including aerospace and defense, automotive and energy, telecommunications, government and education, and, of course, semiconductors.

Keysight calls the top 25 technology enterprises in the world customers, and 78 of the Fortune 100, including Alphabet, Amazon, AT&T, Broadcom, Boeing, Cisco, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Samsung, Tesla and Toyota.

In fiscal 2019 (ended October), the company generated revenues of $4.312 billion, up 10% over the 2018 tally. In its Q4 reported on November 26, KEYS delivered sales of $1.122 billion, up 7% year over year.

Keysight generated 40.5% of non-GAAP revenues from Americas in fourth-quarter fiscal 2019. Meanwhile, revenues from Europe and Asia Pacific came in at 15.4% and 44.1%, respectively.

Evolving for the Hyper-Speed IoT/5G/AI World

As Keysight has prepared itself for advanced capabilities in wireless and mobile data environments, management sees a transformation from a hardware-centric product company to a software-centric solutions one.

In the company's most recent investor presentation in May, they outlined the evolution of their new "go-to-market" strategy thus...

Old model of scattered selling across separate channels to multiple divisions:

Individual Products with hardware bias

Slower, complex decision-making due to multiple owners interfacing with customers

Incentivized and compensated on parts of a solution

New model of total system designs:

Complete Solutions: Hardware + Software + Services

Faster customer commitments and solution development; one decision owner

Incentivized and compensated on total customer solutions by industry organization

Keysight management also announced their goal to be a top 5G solutions provider and have several first-to-market 5G design wins.

And this strategic focus on "complete solutions" also keeps them at the heart of other bleeding edge innovations in machine learning and artificial intelligence where the requirements for hardware to be embedded with specialized software stacks is only increasing.

Segment Breakdown

Keysight reports under three operating segments namely Communications Solutions Group or CSG, Electronic Industrial Solutions Group or EISG and Ixia Solutions Group (a 2017 acquisition) or ISG. In a bid to remove ambiguity in the reporting processes, Keysight removed Services Solutions Group or SSG as a discrete reportable segment, from first-quarter fiscal 2019.

Under CSG segment (62.9% of the non-GAAP revenues in fourth-quarter fiscal 2019), the company offers radio frequency (RF) and microwave test instruments and allied software, and electronic design automation (EDA) software instruments, laser source products, optical amplifiers, and other software solutions.

EIS Group (25.3%) accounts for design verification devices; general purpose test and measurement equipments; end-to-end manufacturing systems, and material analysis devices.

ISG (11.8%) was formed after conclusion of Ixia buyout in Apr 18, 2017. Under the segment, Keysight offers test and visibility solutions, and software maintenance services.

Quiet, Steady Growth that Investors Favor

Keysight's fortunes and stock price certainly benefited from the tailwinds for the semiconductor industries that were able to shake off supply chain disruptions from the tariff battles.

Even before the hype over 5G, smart technology investors were tuning out the trade war and focusing on the major trends as I described in my 2018 report and video The Technology Super Cycle.

Story continues

But you may be surprised to learn that the 70% advance of KEYS shares in 2019 -- to trade at 4.5X sales and 20X EPS -- is about to be challenged by revenue growth rates for the current fiscal year and next that are expected to slow to around 6.5%, with EPS growth down to just under 10%.

Yet this growth has been enough for Wall Street because its exceeding the plan that KEYS management laid out in 2015 where they expected 4-5% CAGR.

And management is also delivering on its promise to turn 17-18% operating margins into 20%-plus. They certainly keep giving positive surprises with the past 4 quarters averaging a +19% EPS beat.

With global leadership positions in their key markets, the company currently maintains 24% market share in a $16-17 billion addressable market.

That market will keep expanding as new technologies in 5G, datacenters, aerospace and autos evolve. Keysight's strategic "complete solutions" approach to serving the world's biggest tech, hardware, communications and transportation companies will keep them growing at a steady 4-5% right along with those markets -- especially as their customers seek more specialized and custom electronics solutions that KEYS has the platform and vision for.

Bear of the Day:

Analog Devicesis the $44 billion manufacturer of analog, mixed signal and digital signal processing (DSP) integrated circuits, and other semiconductor devices found in cars, planes, factories and home appliances around the globe.

ADI moved to the cellar of the Zacks Rank after reporting a disappointing Q4 fiscal 2019 (ended October) and outlook that caused analysts to take down estimates for their FY20. Adjusted earnings of $1.19 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.21, as the bottom line decreased 19.6% year over year and 12.5% sequentially.

Revenues of $1.44 billion in the quarter also missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.6%. And the top line declined 6% year over year and 5.5% from the fiscal third quarter.

This downside can be attributed to weak performance of the company in all end-markets served. Moreover, macroeconomic headwinds negatively impacted the topline.

Analysts responded to the company outlook by dropping full-year 2020 revenue projections to $5.66 billion, representing a 5.46% decline from FY19.

And the 2020 EPS consensus fell 10.3% to $4.78 from $5.33, for a projected 7.2% drop on the bottom line.

Revenues by End Markets

Industrial generated revenue of $744.1 million (accounting for 52% of total revenues), which was flat year over year.

Communications revenue came in at $260.1 million (18% of revenues), decreasing 19% year over year.

Automotive revenue fell to $226.1 million (16% of revenues), down 8% from the year-ago quarter.

Consumer generated revenue of $212.8 million (15% of revenues), reflecting a 7% decline on a year-over-year basis.

Guidance Lowered

For the first quarter of fiscal 2020, Analog Devices expects revenues to be $1.30 billion (+/- $50 million), representing a 15.6% decline from the year ago quarter. Prior to this disappointing guidance, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for Q1 was pegged at $1.41 billion.

Non-GAAP earnings are expected to be $1 (+/- $0.07) per share, reflecting a 24% y-o-y drop. The consensus mark for the same was $1.16 per share.

The company anticipates non-GAAP operating margins to be approximately 36.7% (+/- 100 bps).

Clearly ADI is not going out of business despite being a leader of analog solutions in a digital world.

But until the estimates stop going down and start heading back up, it may be best to stand aside. The Zacks Rank will let you know.

3 Biotechs Likely to Maintain Solid Momentum in 2020

It has been a roller-coaster ride for the volatile biotech sector in 2019 after a disappointing run in 2018. The year started with a bang for this sector, with the announcement of the mega-merger of majors Bristol-Myers and Celgene. This significantly perked up the prices of quite a few stocks. However, these were partially offset by the overall weakness in the global market. Nevertheless, the sector has again picked up in the past couple of months, primarily owing to the recent spree of mergers and acquisitions, and positive pipeline readouts.

Overall, the Nasdaq Biotechnology Index has seen 23.2% growth in the past year.

Relatively, the biotech sector continued being riskier than the more stable large cap pharmaceuticals industry or the overall medical sector, as investors are mostly banking on companies with very few approved drugs in the portfolios.

A slowdown in mature products due to increasing competition and the rise of biosimilars forced most pharma/biotech behemoths to target lucrative buyouts in the biotech space to bolster their portfolios. In particular, biotechs (both small and big), which have a dominant position in the lesser competitive arena of rare diseases, gene therapy and NASH, and are well-equipped with path-breaking technologies, are significant acquisition targets.

A slew of licensing and buyout deals was struck by most companies eyeing smaller entities with impressive pipelines. Novartis recently announced that it will acquire The Medicines Company and add a potentially transformational investigational cholesterol-lowering therapy to its portfolio.

Roche is finally set to acquire Spark Therapeutics after a prolonged delay, while Japanese company Astellas Pharma is taking over gene therapy company Audentes Therapeutics, Inc and has already acquired privately-held, development-stage biotechnology company Xyphos Biosciences, Inc to boost its immuno-oncology pipeline.

Meanwhile, new drug approvals and label expansions of blockbuster drugs boosted investor sentiment. Key approvals include Vyondys 53, Oxbryta, Givlaari, Reblozyl, Trikafta, Inrebic, Vyleesi and Evenity, among others.

Choosing a biotech stock for investment can be tricky as smaller biotechs carry a risk with their product pipelines being several years away from commercialization. Nevertheless, here we zero in a few biotech companies, which have a market capitalization of more than $500 million.

With a favorable Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), these companies are likely to perform well in 2020. You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Moreover, the Zacks Biomedical and Genetics industry is placed within the top 22% of the 252 Zacks-ranked industries.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company, focused on developing and commercializing life-transforming drugs for the treatment of patients with ultra-rare disorders. Its blockbuster drug Soliris approved for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) and atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) continues to perform well.

The drugs label expansion for the generalized myasthenia gravis indication has boosted sales further. The company received a significant boost with the FDA approval of its long-acting C5 complement inhibitor Ultomiris for the treatment of adult patients with PNH.

The approval has strengthened Alexion's PNH franchise and reduced its dependence on Soliris for growth. The company is working on the label expansion of Ultomiris and taking steps to further diversify its pipeline, which should reap returns in the long run.

Shares of Alexion have gained 10.2% in the past year.

Amarin Corporation plc. focuses on developing and commercializing therapeutics to cost-effectively improve cardiovascular health. The company recently obtained FDA approval for the label expansion of its key drug Vascepa. The drug is now approved as an adjunct to maximally tolerated statin therapy to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary revascularization and unstable angina requiring hospitalization in adult patients with elevated triglyceride (TG) levels (150 mg/dL) and established cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus and two or more additional risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

The label expansion should significantly boost Vascepa sales as, per estimates, millions of high-risk patients in the United States could benefit from this one-of-a-kind prescription therapy. We expect the initial uptake of the drug to be strong and boost the top line, given the market potential.

Amarins shares have surged 54.5% in the past year.

Cellectisis a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focused on developing immunotherapies based on gene-edited allogeneic CAR T-cells (UCART). The company is developing life-changing product candidates utilizing TALEN, its proprietary gene-editing technology, and PulseAgile, its pioneering electroporation system, to harness the power of the immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells. The company is striving hard to develop life-saving UCART product candidates to address unmet needs for multiple cancers, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL), multiple myeloma (MM), Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).

Gene therapy is set to become one of the most vital spaces with high prospects within the volatile biotech sector.

Cellectis shares have gained 3.7% in a year.

Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020

In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 top tickers for the entirety of 2020?

These 10 are painstakingly hand-picked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. They are our primary picks to buy and hold. Start Your Access to the New Zacks Top 10 Stocks >>

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Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Inherent in any investment is the potential for loss.This material is being provided for informational purposes only and nothing herein constitutes investment, legal, accounting or tax advice, or a recommendation to buy, sell or hold a security. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. It should not be assumedthat any investments in securities, companies, sectors or markets identified and described were or will be profitable. All information is current as of the date of herein andis subject to change without notice. Any views or opinions expressed may not reflect those of the firm as a whole. Zacks Investment Research does not engage in investment banking, market making or asset management activities of any securities. These returns are from hypothetical portfolios consisting of stocks with Zacks Rank = 1 that were rebalanced monthly with zero transaction costs. These are not the returns of actual portfolios of stocks. The S&P 500 is an unmanaged index. Visit https://www.zacks.com/performancefor information about the performance numbers displayed in this press release.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free reportKeysight Technologies Inc. (KEYS) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAlexion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALXN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAmarin Corporation PLC (AMRN) : Free Stock Analysis ReportCellectis S.A. (CLLS) : Free Stock Analysis ReportAnalog Devices, Inc. (ADI) : Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.

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Keysight, Analog Devices, Alexion, Amarin and Cellectis highlighted as Zacks Bull and Bear of the Day - Yahoo Finance

The Global Gene Therapy Market provides a complete market outlook and growth rate during the past present and forecast period. With concise study, Gene Therapy market effectively explains the market value, volume, price trend, and growth opportunities. The market size section gives the Gene Therapy market revenues, covering both the historic growth of the market and forecasting the future. The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional breakdowns, competitive landscape, market shares, trends and strategies for this market.

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As per the world economic growth rate of the past four years, market size is estimated from Gene Therapy million $ in 2014 to Gene Therapy million $ in 2019. The Gene Therapy Market is expected to exceed more than US$ Gene Therapy million by 2024 at a CAGR of xx% in the given forecast period.

This research report categorizes the Gene Therapy industry analysis data by top players, product type, and application.

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Competitive Landscape

Some of the prominent participants in the Gene Therapy market include The report offers comprehensive profiles providers and assesses their current standing in the market. Company history coupled with annual turnover, profit margins, segmental share, SWOT analysis, growth strategies, new product launches, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activities, and latest R&D initiatives are discussed in granular detail.

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To conclude, consideration of the significant order of the Global Gene Therapy Market is driven by different investigation devices and boundless research reports. This research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for analysts to decide their business plans and achieve business targets in the market.

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Global Gene Therapy Market- Technology, New Innovations, Opportunities, Future Guidelines, Key Players, Trends and Forecast 2019-2024 -...

San Francisco:In a ray of hope for those who have to go for breast cancer screening and even for healthy women who get false alarms during digital mammography, an Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based Google model has left radiologists behind in spotting breast cancer by just scanning the X-ray results.

Reading mammograms is a difficult task, even for experts, and can often result in both false positives and false negatives.

In turn, these inaccuracies can lead to delays in detection and treatment, unnecessary stress for patients and a higher workload for radiologists who are already in short supply, Google said in a blog post on Wednesday.

Googles AI model spotted breast cancer in de-identified screening mammograms (where identifiable information has been removed) with greater accuracy, fewer false positives and fewer false negatives than experts.

This sets the stage for future applications where the model could potentially support radiologists performing breast cancer screenings, said Shravya Shetty, Technical Lead, Google Health.

Digital mammography or X-ray imaging of the breast, is the most common method to screen for breast cancer, with over 42 million exams performed each year in the US and the UK combined.

But despite the wide usage of digital mammography, spotting and diagnosing breast cancer early remains a challenge, said Daniel Tse, Product Manager, Google Health.

Together with colleagues at DeepMind, Cancer Research UK Imperial Centre, Northwestern University and Royal Surrey County Hospital, Google set out to see if AI could support radiologists to spot the signs of breast cancer more accurately.

The findings, published in the journal Nature, showed that AI could improve the detection of breast cancer.

Google AI model was trained and tuned on a representative data set comprised of de-identified mammograms from more than 76,000 women in the UK and more than 15,000 women in the US, to see if it could learn to spot signs of breast cancer in the scans.

The model was then evaluated on a separate de-identified data set of more than 25,000 women in the UK and over 3,000 women in the US.

In this evaluation, our system produced a 5.7 per cent reduction of false positives in the US, and a 1.2 per cent reduction in the UK. It produced a 9.4 per cent reduction in false negatives in the US, and a 2.7 per cent reduction in the UK, informed Google.

The researchers then trained the AI model only on the data from the women in the UK and then evaluated it on the data set from women in the US.

In this separate experiment, there was a 3.5 per cent reduction in false positives and an 8.1 per cent reduction in false negatives, showing the models potential to generalize to new clinical settings while still performing at a higher level than experts.

Notably, when making its decisions, the model received less information than human experts did.

The human experts (in line with routine practice) had access to patient histories and prior mammograms, while the model only processed the most recent anonymized mammogram with no extra information.

Despite working from these X-ray images alone, the model surpassed individual experts in accurately identifying breast cancer.

This work, said Google, is the latest strand of its research looking into detection and diagnosis of breast cancer, not just within the scope of radiology, but also pathology.

Were looking forward to working with our partners in the coming years to translate our machine learning research into tools that benefit clinicians and patients, said the tech giant.

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Novel discovery in gene therapy to treat kidney diseases - WeForNews

For its promising investigational therapeutic approach to neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics is theBuzz of BIO 2020 winnerin the Public Therapeutic Biotech category.

The Buzz of BIO contest identifies U.S. companies with groundbreaking, early-stage potential to improve lives. The event also is anopportunity to make investor connections that could take products to the next phase.

Ten biotechnology companies are nominated in each of the three categories ofBuzz of BIO: Public Therapeutic Biotech, Private Therapeutic Biotech, and Diagnostics and Beyond. In the Public Therapeutic Biotech category that BrainStorm won, nominated companies must be actively developing a publicly traded human treatment intended for review by theU.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

As a developer of autologous cellular therapies treatments that use a patients own cells and tissues for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, BrainStorm is now testing its NurOwn therapy for safety and effectiveness. The treatment involves extracting, from human bone, marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), which are capable of differentiating into other cell types. The MSCs are then matured into a specific cell type that produces neurotrophic factors compounds that promote nervous tissue growth and survival. They are then reintroduced to the body via injection into muscles and/or the spinal canal.

Backed by a California Institute for Regenerative Medicine grant, Brainstorm has fully enrolledits randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 clinical trial (NCT03280056) at six U.S. sites in California, Massachusetts, and Minnesota. Some 200 ALS patients are participating. A secondary safety analysis by the trials independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) revealed no new concerns. Every two months, study subjects will be given three injections into the spinal canal of either NurOwn or placebo.

The trial is expected to conclude late this year. Results will be announced shortly afterward.

In a Phase 2 study (NCT02017912), which included individuals with rapidly progressing ALS, NurOwn demonstrated a positive safety profile as well as prospective efficacy.

The use of autologous MSC cells to potentially treat ALS was given orphan drug status by both the FDA and the European Medicines Agency.

Thanks to everyone who voted for BrainStorm during the Buzz of BIO competition,Chaim Lebovits, BrainStorm president and CEO, said in a press release. The entire management team at BrainStorm was very pleased with the results of this competition, and we look forward to presenting to an audience of accredited investors who may benefit from the companys story. We thank the BIO[Biotechnology Innovation Organization] team for singling out BrainStorms NurOwn as a key technology with the potential to improve lives.

As a contest winner, BrainStorm is invited to givea presentation at theBio CEO & Investor Conference, to be held Feb. 1011 in New York City, along with exposure to multiple industry elites and potential investors.

NurOwn cells also are being tested in a Phase 2 clinical study (NCT03799718) in patients with progressive multiple sclerosis.

Mary M. Chapman began her professional career at United Press International, running both print and broadcast desks. She then became a Michigan correspondent for what is now Bloomberg BNA, where she mainly covered the automotive industry plus legal, tax and regulatory issues. A member of the Automotive Press Association and one of a relatively small number of women on the car beat, Chapman has discussed the automotive industry multiple times of National Public Radio, and in 2014 was selected as an honorary judge at the prestigious Cobble Beach Concours dElegance. She has written for numerous national outlets including Time, People, Al-Jazeera America, Fortune, Daily Beast, MSN.com, Newsweek, The Detroit News and Detroit Free Press. The winner of the Society of Professional Journalists award for outstanding reporting, Chapman has had dozens of articles in The New York Times, including two on the coveted front page. She has completed a manuscript about centenarian car enthusiast Margaret Dunning, titled Belle of the Concours.

Total Posts: 6

Ins holds a PhD in Biomedical Sciences from the University of Lisbon, Portugal, where she specialized in blood vessel biology, blood stem cells, and cancer. Before that, she studied Cell and Molecular Biology at Universidade Nova de Lisboa and worked as a research fellow at Faculdade de Cincias e Tecnologias and Instituto Gulbenkian de Cincia. Ins currently works as a Managing Science Editor, striving to deliver the latest scientific advances to patient communities in a clear and accurate manner.

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BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Wins 2020 'Buzz of BIO' Award for ALS Investigational Therapy - ALS News Today

Meet the inflammation and immunity researcher studying the fundamental cellular mechanisms behind uncontrolled inflammatory responses to allergens

As the prevalence of allergic disease continues to rise worldwide, the work of immunologist Dr. Adam MacNeil has never been more important. By identifying novel targets in allergic inflammation to enable the development of innovative therapies, MacNeil and his team are pushing toward a healthier future. Were interested in allergic inflammation from two different branches, firstly, how the cells that contribute to inflammation emerge from the bone marrow, and secondly, how mature mast cells contribute to inflammatory mechanisms at the site of exposure, explains MacNeil, associate professor in the interdisciplinary Health Sciences department at Brock University, Canada.

Dr. Adam J. MacNeil, Associate Professor of Immunologyat Brock University's Department of Health Sciences.Pictured from left to rightare;Melissa Rouillard, Aindriu Maguire, Rob Crozier, Adam MacNeil, Jeremia Coish, Katie Hunter, Colton Watson, and Natalie Hicks. Image courtesy of theMacNeil Lab.

The MacNeil Lab investigates mechanisms in hematopoietic stem cells directing the maturation of the most well-known allergic mediator cellsmature mast cellsthat drive allergic inflammation. A key research goal for the team is to identify how an allergen activates a mast cell to create an inflammatory response.

Seeking to understand the signals that stimulate a progenitor cell to become a mast cell in different tissues, this research looks to determine the signaling pathways directing the epigenetic, and ultimately proteomic, profile of these cells1-3. To do this, cells are isolated and matured from bone marrow to create functional, phenotypical mast cells, which are primed with allergen-specific IgE molecules before addition of the allergen to activate the cells. The inflammatory response to the allergen, and the cell signaling processes that contribute to the inflammatory mechanisms, can then be measured through the secretion of histamines in degranulation mechanisms, or release of pro-inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, chemokines, and lipid metabolites.

Brock University

Being able to identify and sort cells with a specific immune profile requires tools capable of precision sorting of heterogeneous populations of cells. MacNeil expands: Were working with a heterogeneous population of cells in the bone marrow and trying to take only the stem cells out. So, it's a very small population within the total population of cells. Many of the assays that we want to do with that small population of cells are very well-suited to being sorted directly onto a 96-well plate where we can then actually conduct the experiment directly, knowing exactly how many cells are in each well and what the particular profile of those cells is. That makes the Sony SH800S a really strong tool for our lab.

When it comes to optimizing and streamlining the lab's work, Sony technology offers advantages over traditional methods. The traditional flow cytometer or cell sorter in any core lab is operated by a technician, and they're the only one allowed to touch it. That doesn't make for great learning opportunities for graduate students, and it's much better if they can actually interface with the instrument themselves, says MacNeil. The software and automation really allow for that to happen, but also adds to the robustness of the instrument. The way in which it has been designed means that it's pretty difficult to break it.

With an epigenetic approach to understanding how mast cells differentiate, and the effect of inhibiting specific signaling pathways in those cells, the MacNeil Lab uses sorted cells in functional assays such as immune cell profiling and cytokine secretion. Also, the cells can be sorted into plate-based assays for ChIP or RNA-Seq to assess their genetic profile. We're not only interested in sorting. We bought the device because it's robustly dynamic, explains MacNeil, referring to the Sony SH800S. You can look at data acquisition and not have to even use the sorting function at all in certain scenarios. There are many times that were simply interested in looking at the phenotype of our cells and not worried about sorting necessarily. Weve found this instrument to be very easy to use and to give us robust data in terms of the immune profile of our cells.

In addition, the SH800S microfluidic sorting chip helps to automate key stages of instrument setup and demonstrates versatility with a wide range of chip sizes, ranging from 70130 m, for sorting a variety of cells. The chip ultimately gets to the robustness of the instrument, explains MacNeil. Because of the chip, we have such peace of mind about how the instrument functions that we don't even worry about clogging of the instrument and all of the problems that the chip ultimately solves. If we do run into a problem, we can just change the chip. I certainly find the chip technology to be really well suited to our type of lab environment.

For MacNeil, the Sony SH800S Cell Sorter is a great fit for the lab, with a seamless software interface and great overall instrument design and modularity for easy plate-based sorting.MacNeil lab logocourtesy of the MacNeil Lab.

Working within the diverse multidisciplinary department at Brock University opens unique and fascinating research avenues not available to all immunologists and has led MacNeil to interesting collaborations and knowledge exchange on transdisciplinary projects.

As part of these broader research avenues, working with sociologist Prof. Terrance Wade and cardiovascular biologist Prof. Deborah OLeary, MacNeil also studies adverse experiences in childhood. The team is investigating whether such events may set the immunological stage for dysregulated inflammation in later life, through mechanisms involving stress-stimulated cortisol release that can shape how the immune system is responding4.

In another stream of collaborative immunological research, MacNeil collaborates with psychologist Prof. Anthony Bogaert to look at the role of the immune system in shaping sexual orientation as part of the fraternal birth order effect. This research looks at how early pregnancies stimulate the immune system to make antibodies against brain proteins in fetal males that may then affect their social behaviors in later life5. Its something I may not have expected to ever work on, says MacNeil. But when you come to a diverse department with a wide lens on health, these kinds of opportunities emerge. Were now interested in using the SH800S to test hypotheses for particular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon.

Looking ahead, MacNeil expects tissue heterogeneity to be a key issue to tackle in the field of immunology. Cell populations simply aren't uniform, he says. Mast cells in different locations in the body don't have exactly the same phenotype, and so, as our research proceeds and we continue to probe the role of the mast cell in allergic inflammation, we're very conscious that tissue heterogeneity is going to be a factor. But with such challenges come opportunities. Were ultimately interested in going into those tissues and trying to pull mast cells out. To do this, we would require an instrument like a cell sorter. Once the cells are sorted, we can interrogate their functional phenotype, including how they degranulate, secrete cytokines and metabolize lipids etc. toward one day potentially modulating their phenotype for the hundreds of millions affected by this inappropriate immune response, MacNeil concludes.

Originally posted here:
Innovative therapies: Novel targets in allergic inflammation - SelectScience

CRISPR may have generated a lot of buzz this year, but some researchers are already looking beyond it to the next new gene-editing technique. Say hello to prime editing.

If CRISPR is like scissors then you can think of prime editors like word processors, said chemist David Liu in an October press briefing. He spoke days ahead of the first-ever prime editing study, published in Nature and authored by Liu and his team at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard University. Liu explained that, while CRISPR cuts through DNAs double helix to snip out genes, prime editing searches for and replaces targeted genes without such slicing and dicing, reducing the risk of unintended changes to the genetic code.

The team was able to correct mutations associated with both sickle cell and Tay-Sachs diseases. Liu believes the technique ultimately might be able to correct almost 90 percent of such mutations, but stressed additional studies are needed to gauge prime editings full potential.

This is the beginning, rather than the end, said Liu.

[This story appeared in print as "It's Prime Time for a New Gene Editor."]

Read this article:
Will Prime Editors be the New CRISPR? - Discover Magazine

From finding the building blocks for life on Mars to breakthroughs in gene editing and the rise of artificial intelligence, here are six major scientific discoveries that shaped the 2010s - and what leading experts say could come next

We don't yet know whether there was ever life on Mars - but thanks to a small, six-wheeled robot, we do know the Red Planet was habitable.

Shortly after landing on 6 August 2012, NASA's Curiosity rover discovered rounded pebbles - new evidence that rivers flowed there billions of years ago.

The proof has since multiplied, showing there was in fact a lot of water on Mars - the surface was covered in hot springs, lakes, and maybe even oceans.

A crater on the Red Planet filled with water ice. (ESA/DLR/FU Berlin, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO)

Curiosity also discovered what NASA calls the building blocks of life, complex organic molecules, in 2014.

And so the hunt continues for signs that Earth-based life is not (or wasn't always) alone.

Two new rovers will be launched next year - America's Mars 2020 and Europe's Rosalind Franklin rovers, looking for ancient microbes.

"Going into the coming decade, Mars research will shift from the question 'Was Mars habitable?' to 'Did (or does) Mars support life?'" said Emily Lakdawalla, a geologist at The Planetary Society.

We had long thought of the little corner of the Universe that we call home as unique, but observations made thanks to the Kepler space telescope blew apart those pretensions.

Launched in 2009, the Kepler mission helped identify more than 2,600 planets outside of our Solar System, also known as exoplanets - and astronomers believe each star has a planet, meaning there are billions out there.

Kepler's successor TESS was launched by NASA in 2018, as we scope out the potential for extraterrestrial life.

Expect more detailed analysis of the chemical composition of these planets' atmospheres in the 2020s, said Tim Swindle, an astrophysicist at the University of Arizona.

We also got our first glimpse of a black hole this year thanks to the groundbreaking work of the Event Horizon Telescope collaboration.

(Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration)

"What I predict is that by the end of the next decade, we will be making high quality real-time movies of black holes that reveal not just how they look, but how they act on the cosmic stage," Shep Doeleman, the project's director, told AFP.

But one event from the decade undoubtedly stood above the rest: the detection for the first time on September 14, 2015 of gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of the universe.

The collision of two black holes 1.3 billion years earlier was so powerful it spread waves throughout the cosmos that bend space and travel at the speed of light. That morning, they finally reached Earth.

The phenomenon had been predicted by Albert Einstein in his theory of relativity, and here was proof he was right all along.

Three Americans won the Nobel prize in physics in 2017 for their work on the project, and there have been many more gravitational waves detected since.

Cosmologists meanwhile continue to debate the origin and composition of the universe. The invisible dark matter that makes up its vast majority remains one of the greatest puzzles to solve.

"We're dying to know what it might be," said cosmologist James Peebles, who won this year's Nobel prize in physics.

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) - a family of DNA sequences - is a phrase that doesn't exactly roll off the tongue.

(Meletios Verras/iStock)

But the field of biomedicine can now be divided into two eras, one defined during the past decade: before and after CRISPR-Cas9 (or CRISPR for short), the basis for a gene editing technology.

"CRISPR-based gene editing stands above all the others," William Kaelin, a 2019 Nobel prize winner for medicine, told AFP.

In 2012, Emmanuelle Charpentier and Jennifer Doudna reported that they had developed the new tool that exploits the immune defense system of bacteria to edit the genes of other organisms.

It is much simpler than preceding technology, cheaper and easy to use in small labs.

Charpentier and Doudna were showered in awards. but the technique is also far from perfect and can create unintended mutations.

Experts believe this may have happened to Chinese twins born in 2018 as a result of edits performed by a researcher who was widely criticized for ignoring scientific and ethical norms.

Still, CRISPR remains one of the biggest science stories of recent years, with Kaelin predicting an "explosion" in its use to combat human disease.

For decades, doctors had three main weapons to fight cancer: surgery, chemotherapy drugs, and radiation.

The 2010s saw the rise of a fourth, one that was long doubted: immunotherapy, or leveraging the body's own immune system to target tumor cells.

(Design Cells/iStock)

One of the most advanced techniques is known as CAR T-cell therapy, in which a patient's T-cells - part of their immune system - are collected from their blood, modified and reinfused into the body.

A wave of drugs have hit the market since the mid-2010s for more and more types of cancer including melanomas, lymphomas, leukemias and lung cancers - heralding what some oncologists hope could be a golden era.

For William Cance, scientific director of the American Cancer Society, the next decade could bring new immunotherapies that are "better and cheaper" than what we have now.

The decade began with a major new addition to the human family tree: Denisovans, named after the Denisova Cave in the Altai Mountains of Siberia.

Scientists sequenced the DNA of a female juvenile's finger bone in 2010, finding it was distinct both from genetically modern humans and Neanderthals, our most famous ancient cousins who lived alongside us until around 40,000 years ago.

The mysterious hominin species is thought to have ranged from Siberia to Indonesia, but the only remains have been found in the Altai region and Tibet.

We also learned that, unlike previously assumed, Homo sapiens bred extensively with Neanderthals - and our relatives were not the brutish simpletons previously assumed but were responsible for artworks, such as the handprints in a Spanish cave they were credited for crafting in 2018.

They also wore jewelry, and buried their dead with flowers - just like we do.

Next came Homo naledi, remains of which were discovered in South Africa in 2015, while this year, paleontologists classified yet another species found in the Philippines: a small-sized hominin called Homo luzonensis.

Advances in DNA testing have led to a revolution in our ability to sequence genetic material tens of thousands of years old, helping unravel ancient migrations, like that of the Bronze Age herders who left the steppes 5,000 years ago, spreading Indo-European languages to Europe and Asia.

"This discovery has led to a revolution in our ability to study human evolution and how we came to be in a way never possible before," said Vagheesh Narasimhan, a geneticist at Harvard Medical School.

One exciting new avenue for the next decade is paleoproteomics, which allows scientists to analyze bones millions of years old.

"Using this technique, it will be possible to sort out many fossils whose evolutionary position is unclear," said Aida Gomez-Robles, an anthropologist at University College London.

"Neo" skull of Homo naledi from the Lesedi Chamber. (John Hawks/University of the Witwatersrand)

Machine learning - what we most commonly mean when talking about "artificial intelligence" - came into its own in the 2010s.

Using statistics to identify patterns in vast datasets, machine learning today powers everything from voice assistants to recommendations on Netflix and Facebook.

So-called "deep learning" takes this process even further and begins to mimic some of the complexity of a human brain.

It is the technology behind some of the most eye-catching breakthroughs of the decade: from Google's AlphaGo, which beat the world champion of the fiendishly difficult game Go in 2017, to the advent of real-time voice translations and advanced facial recognition on Facebook.

In 2016, for example, Google Translate - launched a decade earlier - transformed from a service that provided results that were stilted at best, nonsensical at worst, to one that offered translations that were far more natural and accurate.

At times, the results even seemed polished.

"Certainly the biggest breakthrough in the 2010s was deep learning - the discovery that artificial neural networks could be scaled up to many real-world tasks," said Henry Kautz, a computer science professor at the University of Rochester.

"In applied research, I think AI has the potential to power new methods for scientific discovery," from enhancing the strength of materials to discovering new drugs and even making breakthroughs in physics, Kautz said.

For Max Jaderberg, a research scientist at DeepMind, owned by Google's parent company Alphabet, the next big leap will come via "algorithms that can learn to discover information, and rapidly adapt and internalize and act on this new knowledge," as opposed to depending on humans to feed them the correct data.

That could eventually pave the way to "artificial general intelligence", or a machine capable of performing any tasks humans can, rather than excelling at a single function.

Agence France-Presse

Original post:
These 6 Incredible Discoveries From The Past Decade Have Changed Science Forever - ScienceAlert

First we will be looking for the boiling points and excitability of CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) stock, it purposes common trait for traders and value investors.

Volatility Indicators for CRISPR Therapeutics AG:

Volatility of the CRISPR Therapeutics AG remained at 5.00% over last week and shows 4.74% volatility in last month. In addition to number of shares traded in last few trading sessions volatility also tells about the fluctuation level of the stock price, commonly a high volatility is the friend of day traders. Volatility is also measured by ATR an exponential moving average (14-days) of the True Ranges. Currently, the ATR value of companys stock is situated at 3.33.

CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) traded 1718001 shares in most recent trading session as compared to an average volume of 1.06M shares. It shows that the shares were traded in the recent trading session and traders shown interest in CRSP stock. Listed Shares of the CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) moved down -2.60% to trade at $59.32 on Thursday (01/02/2020) trading session. It has a market capitalization of $3.41B. Knowing about the market capitalization of a company helps investor to determine the company size, market value and the risk. The stock EPS is $-0.46 against its recent stock value of $59.32 per share.

Now entering into the performance part of the article on CRISPR Therapeutics AG stock we should check the stocks actual performance in the past.

Performance of the CRSP Stock:

CRISPR Therapeutics AG revealed performance of -11.77% during the period of last 5 trading days and shown last 12 months performance of 98.59%. The stock moved to 23.84% in last six months and it maintained for the month at -13.55%. The stock noted year to date 2019 performance at -2.60% and changed about 51.75% over the last three months. The stock is now standing at -19.84% from 52 week-high and is situated at 118.46% above from 52-week low price.

Technical Indicators of CRISPR Therapeutics AG Stock:

RSI momentum oscillator is the most common technical indicator of a stock to determine about the momentum of the shares price and whether the stock trading at normal range or its becoming oversold or overbought. It also helps to measure Speed and change of stock price movement. RSI reading varies between 0 and 100. Commonly when RSI goes below 30 then stock is oversold and stock is overbought when it goes above 70. So as currently the Relative Strength Index (RSI-14) reading of CRISPR Therapeutics AG stock is 39.32.

Although it is important to look for trades in a direction of bigger trends when stocks are indicating an opposite short-term movement. Like looking for overbought conditions when bigger trend remained down and oversold conditions when bigger trend is up. In order to check a bigger trend for CRSP a 14-day RSI can fell short and considered as a short-term indicator. So in that situation a Simple moving average of a stock can also be an important element to look in addition to RSI.

The share price of CRSP is currently down -11.59% from its 20 days moving average and trading 0.16% above the 50 days moving average. The stock price has been seen performing along overhead drift from its 200 days moving average with 26.32%. Moving averages are an important analytical tool used to identify current price trends and the potential for a change in an established trend. The simplest form of using a simple moving average in analysis is using it to quickly identify if a security is in an uptrend or downtrend.

Profitability Spotlight for CRISPR Therapeutics AG:

Operating Margin which tells about what proportion of a companys revenue is left over after paying for variable costs of production such as wages & raw materials is noted at -4.50%. Net profit margin of the company is -5.30% that shows how much the company is actually earning by every dollar of sales.

Return on Investment (ROI) of stock is -40.70%. ROI ratio tells about the efficiency of a number of investments in a company. Return on Assets (ROA) which shows how much the company is profitable as compared to its total assets is observed at -2.00%. Return on Equity (ROE), which tells about the profitability of the corporation by evaluating the profit it generates in ratio to the money shareholders have invested, is noted at -2.60%.

Analysts Estimation on Stock:

The current analyst consensus rating stood at 2.1 on shares (where according to data provided by FINVIZ, 1.0 Strong Buy, 2.0 Buy, 3.0 Hold, 4.0 Sell, 5.0 Strong Sell). Analysts opinion is also an important factor to conclude a stocks trend. Many individual analysts and firms give their ratings on a stock. While Looking ahead of 52-week period, the mean Target Price set by analysts is $77.5.

See the original post here:
What to Analyze About the CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP)? - News Welcome

NASHVILLE, Tenn A state lawmaker wants to require transgender students to play on school sports teams based on their sex at birth.

State Representative Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) introduced House Bill 1572, which would require Tennessee transgender students to participate in the sports categories based on the sex on their birth certificate.

Griffey says he introduced the bill to ensure that there's fairness in sports competitions throughout the state.

"There's no ill will intended toward anyone regarding this legislation," Griffey said. "We all know that traditionally males generally have bigger hearts, bigger upper body strength, and that can give them a genetic advantage when competing against women in a number of sports."

However, advocates for LGBT rights say this bill is an attack on the transgender community.

"Some members of the General Assembly have not made an effort to understand that trans youth are a part of our school population and we need to serve and protect them like all students," said Chris Sanders, executive director with the Tennessee Equality Project.

Sanders says the bill part of a "2020 slate of hate bills," which he claims are an attack on the LGBT community. Sanders called the purpose of proposal "ignorance, hate and discrimination."

"It is insulting to trans youth. It is an attack on them. Their state government should be serving them and not seeking ways to marginalize them further," Sanders said.

Griffey says there's no intention to punish or discriminate when it comes down to the bones of the bill. He said it's about fair competitions.

"We've split up sports into male and female competitions to begin with for a sense of fairness; and if we're going to begin blurring the lines we're really defeating the purpose of having fair competitions to begin with," Griffey said.

Under the bill, if any elementary or secondary school willfully or intentionally violates the guidelines, the schools would be "immediately ineligible to continue to receive public funds of any type from this state or a local government."

If the bill becomes law, it would impose a fine of up to $10,000 on any school or state official who knowingly violates the ban, and the official accused of violating it would have to leave their office.

They would also be ineligible to hold public office, school administration positions, or principal positions for five years after.

This story was originally published by Kelsey Gibbs on WTVF in Nashville.

View post:
Tenn. bill would require trans athletes to play on teams based on birth gender - KPAX-TV

Men are more confident, naturally dominant and prefer things. Women are kinder, more hesitant and prefer people. These differences, as received wisdom would have it, are biological. The female and male brain are different.

Except theyre not, says Gina Rippon, professor of cognitive neuroimaging at the Aston University Brain Centre and author of The Gendered Brain. Over the last 200 years weve just been encouraged to think they are.

The lifelong "plasticity" of the human brain means that it can change and adapt as a result of experience, she says. And that means whats going on outside the head is as important as whats going on inside.

Rippon spoke to Management Today about the consequences of the male and female brain myth, why gender doesnt determine skill and the usefulness of IQ tests for recruitment.

"Mens brains are on average bigger than womens, but thats because on average men are bigger than women. Brain size is pretty meaningless in terms of functional significance."

"It links to the way in which our brain determines our behaviour. The brain responds very well to how the world expects people to behave.

"Theres a great phrase by Reshma Saujani, who founded an organisation called Girls Who Code: 'We raise our boys to be brave and our girls to be perfect.' Thats a fantastic summary of the different pressures on boys and girls from an early age."

"Im horrified by how much research is being misrepresented and misused. Scientists aresometimes less than responsible in how they explain what they find and the implications of those findings.

"The arguments they make are plausible because they "confirm" what peoplealready think beliefs that continue to shape the environment within which people grow up, are educated and employed.

"Just recently I was reading about a firm whose business manual explained how women should act in certain situations, how they should dress and what tone of voice they should use. I think its fed by a sort of accessible, but ill-informed self-help manual.

"Language is really important in terms of what people hear. Next time youre confronted with a claim such as at last, the truth that mens and womens brains are different, just look at what kind of arguments are being made: are we harking back to evolutionary biology as the reason?"

"One of the downsides of gender initiatives, even if theyre trying to solve a pay gap, is that you sustain the belief that there is a difference between men and women. If you measure their behavioural and neurological information, youll get classic bell-shaped curves and a huge amount of variability within each group. But if you put that data on the same axes, they overlap enormously.

"There are issues associated with saying that women have a particular set of skills that are missing from the boardroom. Just appointing people because theyre men or because theyre women is not actually going to change that. But clearly people with exactly the same potential are not achieving that potential in equal numbers.

"Thats why you should be looking at the longer-term issues that affect how people arrived at a particular choice point."

"Businesses are quite fond of their questionnaires and personality profiles. But one of the issues we need to look at is how good are the measurement tools that were using to gather the data? Theres a lot of promotion of quick and dirty tests without anybody asking whether they are actually useful.

"IQ tests are a classic example. They dont really measure anything useful with respect to individual skills. Research came out recently that suggests a link between particular genetic profiles and IQ, but the idea that there is a single common factor that will discriminate one individual from another is flawed. It ignores variability within groups."

"One of the more optimistic views that I hope comes out of this is that were not necessarily driven through life by the brains were born with, or the brains were stuck with because of how weve been treated at school.

"We know now that there are dramatic changes we can bring about in our brain and the skills we can learn. If there are particular skills your business needs, for instance, you dont necessarily need to look outside the organisation, there are things that your existing workforce can learn."

Image credits:John Greim/Contributor via Getty Images

Read the original:
There's no such thing as a male or female brain - and why that matters - Management Today

Anne Innis Dagg was the first female biologist to study giraffes; while all the men who preceded her had observed firsthand that male giraffes are super queer (their primary form of play is a game dubbed "penis fencing," which is exactly what it sounds like), only Dagg was willing to write it down and publish it.

Dagg's work on giraffes -- several of the seminal books on the animals -- was initially mocked or ignored, partly because of her pioneering approach of living among the animals (as opposed to observing them at a distance) offended the establishment; partly because of her gender.

Though Dagg earned a PhD and taught for decades, she was denied tenure. She continued to produce challenging, brave, brilliant work at the intersection of biology and gender politics, ranging over both scholarly and popular works. In particular, she specialized in pointing out the lack of rigor in her male colleagues' work when discussing sex and gender among animals, and how that spilled over into the way the field was organized, and gender bias within research institutions and in research publishing.

Her 2004 book, Love of Shopping is Not a Gene, is an absolute must-read book on the subject, addressing the total absence of rigor and falsifiability in hypotheses from male biologists to explain human gender and power roles with reference to animal behavior and/or the imaginary lives of early hominids -- howlers like "Rape is genetic" or "Black people are genetically destined to have lower IQ scores than white people."

These comforting fairy tales (I always think of them as being reducible to, "But honey, it's not my fault I'm fucking my undergrads, it's because of the chimps!") are especially in vogue today, as white nationalists, plutocrats (and their bootlickers), and other advocates for gross inequality and population-scale subjugation seek to justify their ideology by claiming that it is biologically determined, and any attempt to change it is literally unnatural. Exhibit A for this is Jordan Peterson, whose obsession with a single species of lobsters is the founding myth of a transphobic, misogynist cult.

Dagg anticipated this debate decades in advance and repeatedly demolished its arguments for anyone who would listen, wielding science to slice through the self-serving bullshit of mediocre thinkers who want so desperately for their privilege to be the result of a biological process and not their own sociopathy.

Despite organized campaigns to marginalize Dagg and her work, she never gave up and was hugely influential on all kinds of scholars and thinkers. She was my own undergrad advisor at the University of Waterloo's Independent Studies program, and was an excellent mentor to me there. More broadly, she inspired generations of largely female giraffe biologists (I just met a giraffe keeper at Walt Disney World's Animal Kingdom who was a fan!), serving as a mentor and inspiration.

Dagg just received the Order of Canada, the second-highest honor awarded to Canadians (after the Order of Merit). The honor comes on the heels of The Woman Who Loves Giraffes, a documentary on Dagg's life and work.

This is wonderful news, seriously. Dagg is such a clear, uncompromising advocate for a rigorous approach to biology both as a means of understanding other animals and as a means for understand humans -- and is such a strong tonic against those who would abuse this tool for making sense of human behavior and social organization -- and she has accepted her marginalization as the price for her commitment to the truth.

Anne Dagg, Queen of Giraffes, appointed to Order of Canada among recipients with global influence [Stephanie Levitz/The National Post]

Wanda Diaz Merced is an astronomer at the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Office for Astronomy Outreach in Mitaka, Japan. Diaz Merced is blind and uses a technique to transform data from astronomical surveys into sounds for analysis. Over at Nature, Elizabeth Gibney interviewed Merced about how converting astronomical data into sound could bring discoveries that []

In the Galapagos Islands, a shoreside crane toppled over while loading a shipping container onto a barge, capsizing the boat and causing a terrible oil spill of hundreds of gallons of diesel fuel. It was Charles Darwins 1835 studies of the Galapagos Islandss biodiversity that sparked his theory of evolution by natural selection. From ABC []

Photographer Eric Brummel created this magnificent time-lapse video of the Milky Way in which the sky is stabilized so you can experience the Earths rotation. He captured the footage at Fonts Point, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, California. From Universe Today: Eric created this time-lapse by using a star-tracker with his camera. A star-tracker rotates the []

One of the first things marketers learn in todays wired world is that theres no direct path to potential clients. Big companies are learning to laser-target their pitches to customers on the platforms they like best. Theres no reason start-ups of any size cant do the same, and the Become a Social Media Manager Certification []

A good website should be able to do a lot of things, and that means a good web designer needs to be just as versatile. If youre looking to break into this in-demand field but arent sure where to start, give The Complete 2020 Learn to Design Certification Bundlea look. Its actually a package of []

If youve got more than one Apple device, chances are your nightstand is a cluttered mess of charging cables; and if you take them out with you on the daily, your bag probably also has a tangled mass of chargers for your iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch and so on. Its time to de-clutter your charging []

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Anne Dagg, pioneering giraffe biologist and feminist critic of "evolutionary psychology" receives the Order of Canada - Boing Boing

The identity of a decapitated torso found in a dusty cave in Idaho has finally been revealed after 40 years of mystery. However, many questions still hang over this strange tale of murder, outlaws, and jailbreaks.

Investigators have confirmedthe headless body once belonged to Joseph Henry Loveless, a bootlegging outlaw who died in 1916 shortly after escaping from prison where he was serving time for murdering his second wife with an ax.

Speaking at a press conferenceon December 31, 2019, theteam explained how they cracked the case, but warned they are still unsure how his headless body ended up in the remote cave. Nevertheless, they were able to find Loveless 87-year-old grandson and tell him about his grandfathers wild story.

The mystery first came to light on August 26, 1979, when a family hunting for arrowheads in Buffalo Cave in rural Clark Country discovered a headless corpse wrapped in burlap.In 1991, a girl exploring the same cave system found a hand, leading to the discovery of a number of odd limbs also wrapped in burlap.

The remains were handed to anthropologists from Idaho State University and the Smithsonian Institution, as well as investigators from the FBI. Although they were able to deduce he was a male around 40 years old at the time of death and had reddish-brown hair, they were unable to make much progress with the identification.

Then, in 2019, came the help of the DNA Doe Project, a non-profit organization that uses genetic evidence to identify John and Jane Does using DNA obtained from people who have opted into law enforcement matching.

Using DNA obtained from the man's bones, they were able to find his grandson and hundreds of relatives (after all, hundreds of first cousins can descend from a single grandparent). Dealing with outlaws in the early 20th century who had numerous aliases, numerous wives, and few written records is no easy task, but further investigative work was able to pinpoint Joseph Henry Loveless out of a number of possible candidates. One major clue was that Loveless grave was empty with no date, as if he had just gone missing without a trace.

Further digging through news reports and records revealed that Loveless was born December 3, 1870, in the Utah Territory. Throughout his life of crime, he switched between a number of aliases, including Walter Cairns and Charles Smith. He married his second wife in 1905, with whom he had four kids, and was arrested for liquor bootlegging in 1914. He managed to break out of jail two years later and murdered his wife just a couple of months after his escape.

While serving another term in prison in 1916, he escaped by sawing through the bars using a tool he hid in his shoes. The next part remains a mystery, but shortly after the jailbreak, he was somehow killed, decapitated, and ended up in the Buffalo Cave system. The case remains open.

Its blown everyones minds, Lee Bingham Redgrave, a forensic genealogist with the DNA Doe Project, told theAssociated Press. The really cool thing, though, is that his wanted poster from his last escape is described as wearing the same clothing that he was found in, so that leads us to put his death date at likely 1916.

Original post:
DNA Of Headless Corpse In Idaho Reveals Story Of Ax Murders And Outlaws - IFLScience

Tom Brady leading the New England Patriots to the playoffs is a physical wonder at age 42. Its clear to anyone watching him suit up week after week. But its especially impressive to the guy with the locker immediately to Bradys right: Ben Watson.

On Thursday, Watson marveled when presented with the fact that Brady would be playing in his 41st career playoff games Saturday

Thats longer than some peoples career," Watson said. Thats amazing. Im sure he would downplay it, but thats special.

When it comes to longevity in the NFL, there are few who can appreciate what Bradys accomplished like Watson, who turned 39 earlier this season.

Brady has been fortunate to stay in the NFL this long, but Watson wants to make it clear: that sort of longevity doesnt happen by accident. Professional football players are often blessed with great genetics, Watson says, but it doesnt mean much without the will to hone that talent into something great on the field.

When it comes to Brady, few have matched the amount of effort put forth to stay in the game.

Hes put in a tremendous amount of work, physically, mentally, emotionally, to be able to keep doing it over and over and over again, Watson said. One people dont understand sometimes is the stress mentally that playing at this level has on you. A lot of guys, sometimes tap out while their bodies can still probably play. But mentally having to turn it on over and over and over again, under pressure, over and over again, for years after years, burns you out. So to have that competitive stamina that he has is really amazing."

Different guys react differently when it comes to the mental aspect of football. Brady is still going strong. But other guys dont stick around quite as long. Rob Gronkowski is the perfect example. The retired tight end has said he could probably still play in the league. However, he admits that he longer has the competitive fire to go back out there.

Watson said its been special to go out and play with a great leader like Brady in a second go-around -- a decade after his first stint in New England.

Hes the leader on this team, the leader of this organization and its going to be a joy for me to go out on the field with him," Watson said.

As the team head to the postseason, we could be facing the final game in a Patriots uniform for both Brady and Watson. Will either player stick around in New England -- or in the NFL? Its hard to tell at this point.

Brady and Watson have bested the test of time so far. But soon enough, the time to hang it up will come.

They say age is a number and thats kind of true, Watson said. But obviously we all have an expiration date -- of our lives in its entirety and also on our careers. But it doesnt mean you cant do great things as you get older in age and as you get outside whatever the norm is for pro sports and I think hes proven that.

Originally posted here:
Tom Brady playing at 42 shows Patriots QBs amazing mental stamina on top of physical longevity, Ben Watson - MassLive.com

The research, which comes from Japan, is based on a animal model. Here scientists pinpointed a gene in mice which appears to influence memory recall at varying times of day. Further examination showed how this gene influences mice to be more forgetful at a time just prior to when they normally wake up.There are various reasons for forgetting soothing. Perhaps we didn't learn a fact properly, or we might have been distracted. There is also a difference between not knowing something and simply not recalling it. Another reason, based on the University of Tokyo research, could be the time of day. In exploring the issue, the scientists examined the memories of young adult male and female mice. To begin with, they allowed the mice to 'learn' by letting the rodents explore a new object for a few minutes. The scientists then analyzed the mice's memory recall by reintroducing the same object at differing times of the day.The study was then repeated using mice with and without BMAL1, which is a protein that regulates the expression of many other genes. This showed how mice trained at a time prior to when they normally wake up did recognize the object, compared with mice examined at their normal waking time.The results also indicated that mice allowed to wake up at their normal time but without BMAL1 had the same pattern of results compared to mice with the protein; however, mice without BMAL1 were found to be far more forgetful just prior to when they normally awake. The scientists think that BMAL1 influences the circadian clock and, in turn, this affects memory recall. The circadian clock organizes the internal and external activities of an animal's body around the 24-hour day. The genetic connection adds further to the complications around the biology of memory recall and forgetting.The research has been reported to Nature Communications. The research paper is headed "Hippocampal clock regulates memory retrieval via Dopamine and PKA-induced GluA1 phosphorylation."

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Forgetfulness is connected to different times of the day - Digital Journal

The examination room was earnestly retro, with laminated anatomy charts, a model skeleton, and a blood pressure sleeve hanging from a rack, a throwback to Early Times, when doctors treated illnesses.

The doctor smiled. How are we feeling today?

O.K. Roberta reclined into the exam chair. Actually, a little nervous.

Most people are, the doctor said, laying a hand on her arm. Especially with a first child. Behind him the nurse prepared a syringe. Even after all this time, he said, genetic mutation can still sound scary. But our mothers did it, our grandmothers did it. And its the law. Ready?

Roberta nodded. As the needle pierced the side of her abdomen she felt a tingling sensation wash over her, first cool, then increasingly warm. Was her baby experiencing the same thing, she wondered. Where would this rank among the upheavals hed already faced: the sprouting of limbs, the awareness of sound? Then it was over.

The nurse stamped the compliance form. May I have the childs name? she asked.

Roberta turned to her husband. They smiled and answered simultaneously.

Kwame. Landry.

Roberta lovingly patted Donalds arm. Its Landry, she said to the nurse.

Yo, this here is my show, the rapper said, turning up the volume on the 60-inch TV. The members of his entourage lifted their gazes from their iPhones. Airing live, from a Disney backlot ringed with bleachers, a young man in a helmet and jumpsuit was being lowered into a cannon. It was aimed directly at a brick wall, above which a giant clock was suspended, counting down from 12 minutes 7 seconds.

Some people spend their deathday watching the waves roll gently onto the shore, said the TV host. Boooring! Jason, an adrenaline junkie from Scottsdale, has always wanted to be shot out of a cannon. Well Jason, today is your day. Its time for

The Countdown, the audience screamed.

Landry packed up his audio recorder and notebook. Hed done enough celebrity interviews to know when one was over. The rappers publicist apologized.

Its fine. Ive got what I need, Landry said.

Ill see you out. I have another client in the building, the publicist said. They walked toward the foyer of the penthouse. I was happy to hear they were sending you. Its been a while.

The Beyonc profile, Landry said.

The publicist swiped her wrist against a wall panel which then glowed green. The elevator door opened.

I heard she hated it, Landry said, stepping inside.

Not her, the publicist said. But at that level theres opinions involved. You know. Landry nodded.

As the elevator door closed, a screen began playing an ad for destination funerals in Hawaii. Landry muted the sound.

Not a fan? she asked.

Just not for me.

Hey, after the album launches, I get to have a normal life again. You want to have dinner sometime? she asked.

Id love to, but I cant.

I havent said a day yet.

Right. Sorry. Its I mean I cant really

You have a girlfriend.

No.

Youre into guys?

No.

The elevator door opened. As she stepped out, she turned to Landry and smiled. My mistake. I thought you were interested. She walked away confidently as the doors closed.

I am, Landry said.

On the ground floor, the elevator opened once again, and Landry stepped out into a warm spring afternoon. It seemed as if the city had collectively shed its skin, emerging from a winter hibernation. The Citi Bike stalls were empty, a sidewalk cafe seemed to be filled exclusively with smiling couples, and a group of preschoolers exited Central Park unencumbered by down coats and clunky boots.

It was days like this that used to make Landry wonder. Wonder if that same feeling of revitalization and promise existed before the vaccine, when people got old, got sick. Did the uncertainty of death when and how it would arrive make days like this one easier or more difficult to appreciate?

As Landry turned to cross Sixth Avenue, an elderly man riding a unicycle and texting veered into his path. Looking up at the last moment, the old man, wearing a checkered flannel shirt and Dockers, avoided Landry, but not the mailbox. He fell in a heap. Landry and a passer-by rushed over to help.

Are you O.K.? the passer-by asked.

The old man popped up spryly. Im fine, he said.

Landry handed the old man his phone, which now had a spider crack along the length of the screen.

Dammit, the old man said. I mean, thank you.

My cousin fixes screens, said the passer-by. But with a skin-job like that, you can probably swing a new phone. He leaned in for a closer look. Its so realistic. Must have cost a fortune.

Not as much as you think, bro, said the old man. My fiance and I did a cosmetic vacation in Thailand. Half the price youd pay here.

Though he wouldnt have done it himself, even if hed had the means, Landry understood the impulse behind skin-jobs. Before the vaccine, people had obsessed over looking younger, according to historians. It only made sense, Landry thought, that today, with a population of the perpetually young, an equally hefty profit could be had making people look old.

Dude, thats like art, said the passer-by. Be more careful next time. Youre wearing a Picasso.

Landry entered his one-bedroom walk-up. He hung up his jacket on an otherwise empty coat rack, went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. It contained an aluminum takeout container of Thai noodles and its plastic cylindrical counterpart with enough beef basil and curry, Landry figured, to make things interesting. He spooned out the remains of each onto a plate and set it in the microwave. From the freezer he pulled out three pints of ice cream, each a different flavor, and arranged them on a serving tray. When the microwave beeped, he added the plate to the tray, carried everything to the living room and turned on the television. The World Health Organizations latest population projections have the sustainability impact factor remaining at level two, the broadcaster said, with the human footprint at just 38 percent. High Commissioner Thabo Jacob called this continued good news for our planet.

Landry muted the sound. He opened his laptop and worked while eating dinner.

Several hours later, the ice cream pints empty, Landry clicked Send on an email to his editor and closed his laptop. He walked to his bedroom and opened the closet. Inside was a single suit, shirt and tie. He lingered a moment over the suit, then undressed, brushed his teeth and lay on his bed. He reached into his nightstand drawer and pulled out a letter, embossed with the seal of the U.S. government. It was the original, mailed to him on his 18th birthday.

Following a salutation and opening that every citizen could recite by heart, it read:

Wilson, Landry Kwame.

ID #325641685

Deathdate: April 16, 2020.

Landry set his bedside clock to countdown mode. It read 16 hours 30 minutes 43 seconds. He swiped his wrist to turn out the lights and went to sleep.

In the barbershop, the blades of the clippers gently buzzed as Landry got his shape-up. The regulars, tossing bon mots above the din of Judge Judy," outnumbered the paying customers by three to one. On this afternoon, Lenny, a shop veteran, was talking about Early Times, and catching flack. Laugh if you want, he said, but before they came up with the vaccine, we had elders to teach the young ones our history. Now, you got kids out here thinking white folks invented the blues.

O.K., conspiracy brother, the barber said. You saying we were better off with high blood pressure? Diabetes? And whats that thing with the toes gout?

You just concentrate on that shape-up, Lenny answered. Or youll have him walking outta here looking like that bucktooth boy from Fat Albert.

The barber sucked his teeth as he handed Landry a mirror. Hows that? he asked.

Thats tight, Landry said.

Whats the occasion? the barber asked, admiring Landrys suit.

Just wanted to change it up, Landry said. He swiped his wrist across the sensor in the armrest. A very generous tip flashed on the barbers screen.

Blessings, brother, the barber said. See you next month?

As always, Landry said.

Landry entered the Final Affairs Building, checked in at the intake counter and found a seat. When his number was called, he entered the interview room.

Sit, the agent said, without looking up from her computer.

Landry sat.

Swipe.

Landry swiped his wrist on the scanner. The agent scrolled through some pages on her screen, then looked Landry up and down.

Any cosmetic alterations? she asked.

No, said Landry.

Do stripes make me look fat? she asked.

Uhhh Landry stammered.

Im joking. Relax. Boy, you should have seen the look on your face. Your deathday and youre worried about a #MeToo demerit. Priceless. Now, just a couple of details to confirm. She looked back at her screen. Housing release is in order. Bank transfer is approved. Assets are all marked for donation, is that correct?

Yes, said Landry.

And your last date of employment was yesterday? she asked.

Landry nodded.

Wow. You must have really loved your job, she said.

Just wanted to tie up some loose ends.

Suit yourself. She smiled and waited.

Oh, right, Landry said, because Im wearing a

Exactly. Gotta keep it fun, I always say. The agent tapped her screen. Ive authenticated your certificate. You should have the upload any second. Just provide your passcode to the funeral director and youre all set.

Thank you, Landry said.

Landry sat in the front row, the funeral program creased in his hand. Where is everybody? he wondered, looking around the room one last time. He rarely attended funeral parties himself these days, but now he regretted each time hed offered his final thoughts to colleagues over Facebook and Twitter rather than in person. Today, he surmised, was karmic justice.

A clock was mounted on the wall, counting down to zero.

20 19.

Standing up, Landry straightened his tie and walked toward the open coffin. At the head of it stood a floral arrangement wrapped by a sash with his picture on it. That wasnt his taste, but hed let the salesman talk him into it just to move the process along. Using the stepladder, he climbed into the coffin, lay down, let out a long breath and closed his eyes. The wall clock counted down:

5 4 3 2 1 0.

A moment later, a single flower petal floated down and landed on Landrys chest.

A woman entered the room. Wearing costume pearls, a sequined dress and a Diana Ross and the Supremes-era beehive hairdo, she looked around, confused. She must have gotten the room number wrong. This certainly wasnt the Best of Motown funeral the modeling agency had booked her for. As she turned to leave, Landrys nose twitched.

Achoo!

The woman shrieked. Landry opened his eyes, sat up and saw the stranger staring at him, slack-jawed.

Umm, this is awkward, he said.

Yeah. It is.

My name is Landry.

O.K. Femi. Im Femi.

Look, I dont know how this happened, Landry said as he stepped out of the coffin.

No. Stop! Femi said. Is this one of those prank shows? She eyed the floral arrangement. Is there a camera hidden in there?

Its not a prank. I dont know what it is. But I do know that Im supposed to be. For the first time, he couldnt bring himself to say the word.

Femi looked at him suspiciously.

Honest. I would never maybe its a timing error, he said, pointing to the wall clock, which now read minus 90 seconds. They say its 100 percent accurate, but nothings 100 percent, right? Maybe its just a few minutes off.

Femi looked around the empty room. So where is everybody, then? she asked.

Landry slumped his shoulders and sighed. I dont know, he said.

Yeah, youre probably right, Femi said. The clock must be off. You should get back inside. You know, before. Her voice trailed off. Landry walked back toward the coffin. Ill stay here until then, she said.

View original post here:
Opinion | Unrequited Love Song for the Panopticon - The New York Times

JACKSON Federal wildlife scientists have put to rest the idea that the late-season elk hunt in Grand Teton National Park draws in and concentrates large numbers of grizzly bears.

Bears, especially residents, do learn to key in on the prehibernation food source of gut piles and gunshot-and-lost elk, and they can amass in numbers in the open hunt area. But the largest influx of grizzlies to the east side of the Tetons actually comes weeks earlier in the fall, when itinerant grizzlies are passing through. Few bears, relatively, remain out of their dens by the time hunters typically are actively killing elk within the park in mid-November, Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team researchers recently concluded.

By the time elk carcasses have accumulated in significant numbers, only a small number of bears may remain active in the areas open to hunting, Study Team Leader Frank van Manen wrote in a recent edition of the academic journal BioOne Complete. Given the lack of other food resources, these remaining bears specialize on elk carcasses, a notion that is supported by telemetry data and observations.

The rest of the Ursos arctos horibilis clans are likely already hibernating. Past research has found that 90% of female bears typically have entered their dens by the end of November, and that hibernating males hit the 90% threshold by the second week of December. (On the flip side, 88% of the bears marked in the study were still out of their dens on Nov. 1.) In recent years Grand Tetons elk hunt, dubbed a reduction program, has wrapped up about a week into December.

Van Manens study, titled Primarily resident grizzly bears respond to late-season elk harvest, was pursued because of the desire of park officials to keep hunters and grizzly bears safe.

Park managers are seeking new, science-based information to help reduce conflict potential, the study says. A key information need is whether the autumn elk harvest attracts grizzly bears into the areas open for hunting.

Co-authors included fellow study team members Mike Ebinger and Mark Haroldson and Grand Teton National Park biologists Dave Gustine and Kate Wilmot.

The biologists, who are also researching other aspects of hunter-grizzly interaction, initially had a hunch that the late-season cow and calf elk hunt would have a magnet effect for Jackson Hole grizzlies.

Contrary to our research hypothesis, temporary movements into the study area occurred between the July-August (no hunt) and September-October (no hunt) primary periods each year, the study says, rather than during the transition from September-October (no hunt) to November-December (hunt).

The magnet effect of a hunting season has been documented by past research focused on the southern boundary of Yellowstone National Park, where grizzlies are drawn out of the park into the adjacent Bridger-Teton National Forests Teton Wilderness, where elk and deer hunting occurs earlier in the year.

To make their determinations, U.S. Geological Survey and National Park Service researchers strategically deployed barb-wired hair snares and culvert-style traps to collect genetic information and estimate numbers of grizzlies in 2014 and 2015. Sample sites were concentrated in a 190-square-mile area in and around the east side of Grand Teton, and specifically near the convergence of known elk migration paths headed toward the National Elk Refuge.

Overall, 31 unique grizzlies were identified: six females and 25 males. Eight of the bears were classified as residents, and almost all of these animals were documented keying in on elk carcasses within the park hunt zone before tucking in for the season. Well-recognized bears such as the grizzly sow known as 399 have been among the animals that have taken advantage of gut piles and carcasses along the southern reaches of her range.

But the majority of the grizzlies marked and 11 had never been identified were classified as transients. Those animals were the primary factor in the overall abundance of bears and were much less likely to stick around late into the year.

Our findings suggest that temporary movement into the study area did occur, van Manens study says, but primarily in the time period prior to the elk hunting season, rather than during the elk reduction program.

Wildlife managers and biologists seek to learn more about the relation of elk and deer hunters and grizzly bears because the clash of the two is often deadly. Preceding the study there were two high-profile incidents: a hunter who was mauled but survived in 2011, and a charging grizzly that was shot and killed in the Snake River bottoms in 2012. Across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, 28% of all grizzlies killed by humans over a recent 15-year period were casualties of run-ins with hunters acting in self defense, according to the study.

The researchers did not make any specific recommendations about the park hunt, though they did end by saying that the late timing of the hunt probably reduces conflict. Moreover, the habituated nature of the resident bears may increase their tolerance to hunters, they wrote.

Although continuation of the elk reduction program with the current timing likely represents a scenario with a low relative risk, elk hunters should be aware that encounter risks remain real, as they are anywhere within occupied grizzly bear range, the study says.

Thus, maintaining the status quo regarding the timing of the elk hunt would not diminish the importance of current strategies that are in place to reduce the risk of hunter-bear encounters, such as the requirement to carry bear spray and closure of areas near the Snake River bottoms, the study continues. The timing and location of the elk reduction program are unique, so we caution that our study findings may not apply elsewhere in the ecosystem.

See the original post here:
Grand Teton elk hunt not grizzly lure, officials say - The Torrington Telegram

When a patient who would not normally be recommended for CDH1 genetic testing that is, someone without a family history of gastric cancer undergoes genetic testing with a multigene panel that includes detection of CDH1, the results can be difficult to interpret.

Patients may learn that they carry a pathogenic CDH1variant, which is associated with hereditary diffuse gastric cancer syndrome andalthough the gastric cancer risk is unclear in the absence of a family history,this information may lead to a clinician recommending risk-reducing totalgastrectomy.

Total gastrectomy can lead to long-term morbidity, includinghaving dumping syndrome, weight loss, and nutritional and metaboliccomplications.

Therefore, the discovery of an unexpected CDH1 variant on a multigene panel testin the absence of a family history of gastric cancer can create a difficultconundrum for clinicians and patients, the authors of a commentary publishedin the Journal of the National Cancer Institute explained.1

These challenging situations are being increasinglyencountered in practice, the authors revealed, noting that CDH1 isincluded on many commonly ordered cancer-focused multigene panels.

The concern with unexpected CDH1 variants is there areconsiderable uncertainties regarding CDH1variants and their management. Specifically, the degree of gastric cancer riskassociated with CDH1 variants in patients without a family history ofgastric cancer is uncertain. Furthermore, there is uncertainty about thecancer risk of specific CDH1 variants and limited understanding of thefactors that promote progression of small foci of signet ring cell carcinoma todiffuse gastric cancer in CDH1 carriers.

Despite these uncertainties, excluding CDH1 frommultigene panels may not be a long-term solution because of the increased timeand labor burdens imposed on genetic counselors, the authors of a correspondingeditorial wrote.2

Instead, as the commentary authors propose, patients should beinformed of the uncertainties surrounding CDH1 during pretest counseling,as well as told that if a CDH1 variant is discovered, risk-reducingtotal gastrectomy is the near-global recommendation.

References

Go here to read the rest:
Unexpected CDH1 Variants Lead to Uncertainty, Experts Warn - Cancer Therapy Advisor

Los Angeles, United State,January 2020 :

The report attempts to offer high-quality and accurate analysis of the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market, keeping in view market forecasts, competitive intelligence, and technological risks and advancements, and other important subjects. Its carefully crafted market intelligence allows market participants to understand the most significant developments in the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market that are impacting their business. Readers can become aware of crucial opportunities available in the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market as well as key factors driving and arresting market growth. The research study also provides deep geographical analysis of the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market and sheds light on important applications and products that market players can focus on for achieving strong growth.

Major players profiled in the report

We follow industry-best practices and primary and secondary research methodologies to prepare our market research publications. Our analysts take references from company websites, government documents, press releases, and financial reports and conduct face-to-face or telephonic interviews with industry experts for collecting information and data. There is one complete section of the report dedicated for authors list, data sources, methodology/research approach, and publishers disclaimer. Then there is another section that includes research findings and conclusion.

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This report focuses on the global top players, covered23andMeMyHeritageLabCorpMyriad GeneticsAncestry.comQuest DiagnosticsGene By GeneDNA Diagnostics CenterInvitaeIntelliGeneticsAmbry GeneticsLiving DNAEasyDNAPathway GenomicsCentrillion TechnologyXcodeColor GenomicsAnglia DNA ServicesAfrican AncestryCanadian DNA ServicesDNA Family CheckAlpha BiolaboratoriesTest Me DNA23 MofangGenetic HealthDNA Services of AmericaShuwen Health SciencesMapmygenomeFull Genomes

Market segment by Regions/Countries, this report coversNorth AmericaEuropeChinaRest of Asia PacificCentral & South AmericaMiddle East & Africa

Market segment by Type, the product can be split intoDiagnostic ScreeningPGDRelationship testing

Market segment by Application, the market can be split intoOnlineOffline

Market Forecasting

Besides short-term and long-term estimations related to the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market, we provide you with demand, consumption, growth, and various other forecasts. We take your specific requirements into consideration and provide you the most applicable forecasts for the market. You can simplify your critical decision-making process using our forecasts on the global market. Our unbiased insights into critical aspects of the market will assist you to strengthen your market position and ensure lasting success in the long run. They will also help you to address the challenges you face in the market when reaching your milestones.

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Apart from the sections mentioned above, our report on the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market can be customized keeping in view other aspects such as research and development landscape, patent analysis, product competition, mega trend analysis, marketing mix modeling, go-to-market strategy, technology, B2B survey, and strategic frameworks. Furthermore, you can ask for customization of market scenario analysis, strategic recommendations, market potential analysis, identification of opportunities, market forecasting, market entry, market sizing, market attractiveness, and market segmentation.

Table of Contents

Study Coverage: This is the first section of the report that includes highlights of market segmentation, years covered, study objectives, major manufactures of the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market, and product scope.

Executive Summary: Here, the report sheds light on production, revenue, consumption, and capacity of the market. It also brings to light macroscopic indicators, drivers, restraints, and trends of the market.

Manufacturer Profiles: This section gives broad analysis of key players of the global Direct-Access Genetic Testing market on the basis of different factors such as recent developments, market share, and gross margin. It also provides SWOT analysis.

Production by Region: All of the regions analyzed in the report are studied here based on key factors such as production, revenue, market share, and import and export.

Consumption by Region: Each regional market studied here is analyzed on the basis of consumption and consumption share of the global market.

Market Size by Product: It includes price, revenue, and market breakdown analysis by type of product.

Market Size by Application: It includes consumption, breakdown data, and consumption share analysis by application.

The report answers several questions about the Direct-Access Genetic Testing market includes:

What will be the market size of Direct-Access Genetic Testing market in 2025?What will be the Direct-Access Genetic Testing growth rate in 2025?Which key factors drive the market?Who are the key market players for Direct-Access Genetic Testing?Which strategies are used by top players in the market?What are the key market trends in Direct-Access Genetic Testing?Which trends and challenges will influence the growth of market?Which barriers do the Direct-Access Genetic Testing markets face?What are the market opportunities for vendors and what are the threats faced by them?What are the most important outcomes of the five forces analysis of the Direct-Access Genetic Testing market?

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Global Direct-Access Genetic Testing outlook by product overview application and regions 2025| 23andMe, MyHeritage, LabCorp - Instanews247

I'm the founder and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences, a nonprofit launched in Charlottesville, Virginia, that publishes Environmental Health News and engages in scientific research and outreach to help the public and policy makers understand that we have many opportunities to prevent diseases and disabilities that are afflicting our families, friends and neighbors today.

We can accomplish this by acting upon today's scientific understanding that chemical exposures are contributing to those problems.

I'm going to let you in on a scientific reality that is going to transform the chemical enterprise and upend today's unscientific approach to figuring out what's safe and what is not. The safe dose of one of the biggest volume chemicals in the world bisphenol A (BPA)will have to be reduced by at least 20,000-fold.

This calculation is based upon data the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) obtained in an ambitious, roughly $30 million collaborative program called CLARITY-BPA. CLARITY was designed to reconcile differences between traditional regulatory science as practiced by the FDA and results obtained by independent academic scientists funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). Many significant effects were observed at the lowest dose tested, including data obtained by the FDA.

That means: Take today's FDA reference dose and divide by at least 20,000.

That's the highest exposure that would be considered safe if regulated according to existing scientific understanding. The chemical would disappear from any uses that bring it into contact with food or drinking water, human skin, or result in it evaporating into the air or melting into water.

And the same would hold for many other chemicals that disrupt hormone signaling, that is, endocrine disrupting chemicals, which have been linked to multiple health impacts including prostate cancer, breast cancer, infertility, diabetes, ADHD and autism.

Maybe not all EDCs would require a 20,000-fold reduction. Perhaps only a 1000-fold. But there are at least several hundred endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in use today that could follow this pattern. All would see greatly heightened restrictions on their uses.

And that represents an existential threat to the chemical industry.

3M made headlines this year for their manufacture and use of PFAS chemicals, which are contaminating water supplies across the U.S. (Credit: Holger.Ellgaard/Wikimedia Commons)

I am not anti-chemical, nor anti-chemist. We need chemicals, including plastics, to make modern civilization work. What we need, however, is to do a much better job at designing the next generation of inherently safer materials, safer than the mix we have today, which has been deployed with far too little attention to its inherent toxicity.

I've spent a significant part of my work over the last decade helping chemists design safer chemicals. I want to help them grab market share in the booming demand for safer materials. I want to help them make money.

Some people claim that chemical regulations stifle innovation. Just the opposite is true. It will require tremendous innovation to move away from hazardous chemicals and toward materials that are safer. It can be done. The scientific knowledge we possess today about what causes chemical harm is deep and wide, so much better than what we knew when hazardous materials in widespread use today were designed. Let's use that knowledge to innovate.

What's the long-term landscape? A series of events and scientific discoveries over the last two decades are revealing that not only have long-standing chemical industry practices harmed people's health, investors taking positions in chemical companies may be exposing their wealth to unexpected and large financial risks.

These risks arise from a core reality of the business of establishing what is safe and what is not: Chemicals are not thoroughly testedif at allfor safety before being released into the market, resulting in widespread if not universal exposure, including to highly vulnerable populations like babies still in the womb. Serious harmful effects often are not detected until decades later.

All too often, as effects are discovered the responsible partywhich made the initial mistake to incorporate a poorly understood chemical in products and take them to global scaledoubles down in efforts to hide or dismiss concerns about safety, using toolkits to manufacture doubt developed by the tobacco and lead industries.

Internal memos obtained through legal discovery reveal that the companies, sometimes decades earlier, had ignored or hidden scientific evidence that raised safety concerns. Three prominent examples emerged in in the past few years alone: Monsanto/Bayer with the Roundup herbicide, Johnson & Johnson with asbestos in its talc baby powder, and 3M and DuPont with their manufacture and use of perfluorinated Teflon-related "forever" chemicals, PFAS.

Thousands of lawsuits are being heard against those companies now. Shareholder values plummet as juries reach decisions. Billions of dollars are at stake. And there will be more.

Monsanto had earned a bad rap for misbehavior with its chemicals for decades. But Johnson and Johnson, 3M and DuPont didn't. They had been widely regarded as good corporate citizens. If even they have laundry this dirty in their past, how many other companies have pursued similar practices? Unquestionably many.

But with the practices so widespread, perhaps the pertinent question is, can any company within this sector be presumed innocent? It's just too common a business practice. It's standard operating procedure.

Another example: Bill Moyers' 2001 documentary Trade Secrets unveiled an early 1970s conspiracy by several seemingly respected chemical companies to hide devastating scientific discoveries about the health risks of vinyl chloride, one of the most important chemicals for the plastics industry. The conspiracy involved Conoco, BF Goodrich, Dow, Shell, Ethyl and Union Carbide, some of the founding fathers of the chemical revolution.

A new weapon against these bad practices has emerged and matured since the tobacco settlements of the late 1980s: the creation of large, searchable databases of internal documents obtained through legal discovery in lawsuits, showing what the companies knew and when they knew it, and also how they conspired with federal agencies to derail needed safety regulations.

The two biggest databases are the Chemical Industry Documents Library at the University of California San Francisco, and ToxicDocs, a similar database of 20 million internal documents dating back as far as 1920, hosted by Columbia University and City University of New York. The UCSF library now includes a large set of documents released by the Attorney General of Minnesota upon settlement of an $850 million suit against 3M last February.

The lawsuits currently underway against Monsanto/Bayer, 3M and Johnson & Johnson will undoubtedly add additional documents that provide yet more evidence of cover-ups that commenced long ago. It already is a positive feedback loop, as new documents add to the body of evidence, which then stimulate more lawsuits.

Financial risks arise for chemical industry investments from a different direction as well: the advance of science demonstrating harm, and the evolution of science to determine what is safe.

The discovery of harm can be slow arrivingsometimes decades after a chemical is first put on the marketbut impacts of harm can nonetheless be devastating.

For example, 3M's and DuPont's forever chemicals (perfluorinated compounds, or PFAS, which degrade very slowly in the environment, if at all) were first used in products in the 1940s. Scientific concerns about them started to appear in the 1990s, although internal documents indicate the companies had known decades earlier. Most of the concerns have been about cancer, low birth weights, immune system function and birth defects.

Last year, a science team in Italy unveiled results revealing a new, different set of adverse impacts, this time on male reproduction. They include decreased penis size, reduced sperm count and structural changes in the reproductive tract, classic signs of endocrine disruption. And the team's research confirmed that the contaminants interfere with testosterone action.

Even without the penis effect, 3M settled that $850M suit with the State of Minnesota. DuPont settled a case in West Virginia for $671 million in 2017 and this month the film Dark Waters starring Mark Ruffalo tells the story of the company's decades-long treachery. New Hampshire, New Jersey and New York have ongoing lawsuits.

As of the end of 2019, research by the U.S. military, the Environmental Working Group and others have documented PFAS contamination in more than 400 sites around the U.S. According to one analysis, 110 million Americans have drinking water contaminated by unsafe levels of these chemicals. This estimate is likely to grow substantially with the discovery of PFAS in artificial turf and leaching therefrom into surface water, and the haphazard disposal of untold tons of artificial turf once it wears out and must be replaced.

Many other suits will unquestionably be filed. And that's just in the U.S. These chemicals have already created furors about public health in Australia and Canada.

Lab materials from the lab of Cheryl Rosenfeld, a University of Missouri professor and researcher who studies BPA. (Credit: Cheryl Rosenfeld)

But if there is an existential threat on the horizon for the chemical enterprise, it's the compelling evidence that two of the most basic assumptions used by regulatory agencies to determine what is safe and what is not are flat out wrong. One assumption is that it's sufficient to examine chemicals one at a time. The second bedrock assumption is that high dose testing can be used to detect low dose effects. These assumptions have underpinned literally every single risk assessment (what's safe and what's not) of a chemical that has ever been done anywhere in the world.

"One at a time" fails because it doesn't acknowledge that no one is ever exposed to just one chemical at a time. We are exposed to hundreds if not thousands.

What does every physician ask a patient for whom the doc is about to prescribe a drug? What medicines are you already taking? That's because chemicals interact. One of the most ridiculous uses of this assumption is perhaps in testing pesticides. The EPA tests the "active" ingredient of a pesticide. Yet the pesticide that is available for purchase is a mixture of dozens of chemicals, many of which are added to the product sold explicitly to ENHANCE THE IMPACT OF THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT.

How can you assess pesticide safety without considering the whole product, not just the active ingredient? You can't.

"High dose testing" falls on the sword of what endocrinologists call "non-monotonicity." Many syllables, but a simple concept: Hormones, and chemicals that behave like or interfere with hormones, do different things at different doses. There are many examples of this in the scientific literature of endocrinology, the study of hormones. This is an anathema to traditional and regulatory toxicology, because that "science" maintains that "the dose makes the poison," which the regulatory agencies interpret to mean "higher doses have bigger effects."

EHN recruited a reporter, Lynne Peeples, to investigate the FDA's execution of the roughly $30 million project to reconcile their conclusions with the work of 14 independent academic labs showing harm at low levels for over a year. The investigation found that the FDA worked to ignore or discredit independent evidence of harm while favoring pro-industry science despite significant shortcomings. Key to their conclusions was rejecting statistically significant non-monotonic patterns in their own data, because, they asserted, the non-monotonic findings were not biologically meaningful. In other words, non-monotonic patterns aren't real.

"The dose makes the poison" seems like common sense, but common sense has failed us many times in the past. Think about quantum physics or plate tectonics. Our understanding of the modern world depends upon the practical implications of those discoveries. Non-monotonicity isn't nearly as revolutionary as those scientific fields, but it is profoundly important for human health. And it is a standard, widely accepted concept in endocrinology and pharmacology. In 2012, the then-Director of NIEHS, Linda Birnbaum, editorialized that non-monotonicity should be the default assumption in the study of EDCs.

While there are multiple molecular mechanisms leading to non-monotonicity, the easiest (but incomplete) way to think about it is this: Hormones and endocrine disrupting compounds turn on one set of genes at one dose, and another at higher. Sometimes the higher dose turns on genes that shut down the genes that were stimulated by the low dose. In this case, the effect of the low dose is not visible when using high doses. It's analogous to the way a thermostat works. If the room is cold, the furnace is on. But when the temperature hits the desired temperature, the thermostat turns the furnace off.

Sometimes the high dose is so high that instead of turning on genes it becomes overtly toxic. Here's an example: doses of one part per billion of a specific endocrine disrupting chemical delivered to an infant rat causes morbid obesity as the animal matures. This is research by the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. In contrast, a dose of the same compound 1,000 times higher causes weight loss.

The vital piece of information needed to understand why this invalidates today's chemical safety testing requires understanding how the regulatory tests are performed. The lab doing the safety testing starts at high doses and then delivers lower and lower doses to different test groups. Once they find a dose that no longer causes a difference between the exposed and the control animals, testing stops. They use a series of safety factors, usually dividing that no effect dose by 1,000, to estimate the safe dose.

Seems logical. Seems common sense. If dose X doesn't cause an effect, dose X divided by 1,000 is surely safe. But endocrinology doesn't work that way. That might defy common sense, but it is scientific reality.

And unfortunately, because it seems so logical, the regulatory agencies in standard mode NEVER test at the estimated safe dose. 1,000-fold below? Why bother.

To save money and time, they assume that the dose 1,000-fold lower is safe.

Unfortunately, many published scientific papers now show that doses way below the "no effect" dose can cause serious adverse effects. It isn't that the high doses are safer. They, too, cause problems. It's that the effects are different. The low dose effects are serious toolike morbid obesity and reduced fertility.

Here's the one very practical implication I mentioned at the beginning: If the FDA were to acknowledge statistically significant non-monotonicity in their test of BPAwhich analysis by independent scientists has confirmedthe safe dose of would be reduced by a factor of more than 20,000-fold. BPA would become virtually unusable.

For a webinar from Carnegie Mellon University featuring four of the world's leading experts on BPA explaining this calculation, go here. This webinar contains four presentations all focused on the FDA-NIEHS collaboration called CLARITY-BPA. The presentations work through why CLARITY was launched, what was found by the FDA 'guideline' study (conducted like a standard regulatory test but including low doses), what was found by 14 independent academic laboratories who also were part of CLARITY, and analysis of what it means.

Bisphenol A is one of the plastics industry's most important molecules. Incredibly cheap to make, incredibly abundant in production, incredibly important to the bottom line. Alsoincredibly dangerous to human health.

Removing that one molecule alone would send tectonic signals throughout the chemical enterprise. And yet BPA is but one of at least a hundred or more molecules that have non-monotonic patterns. The replacement chemicals for BPA currently touted as 'BPA-free' are likely to be among them, although many have not been tested. 'BPA-free' does not mean 'safe.'

Non-monotonicity is truly an existential threat to today's chemical enterprise. If that enterprise is to become sustainable, it must embrace this basic endocrinological reality.

Embracing it is a path to reversing today's epidemics of chronic diseases that are driven, at least in part, by chemical hacking of the hormone messaging system by endocrine disrupting compounds.

Pete Myers, is board chair and chief scientist of Environmental Health Sciences. He is also the founder of EHN, though the publication is editorially independent.

Read more:
Looking ahead: Hormone-altering chemicals threaten our health, finances and future - Environmental Health News

As we race from task to task and juggle lifes responsibilities, many of us strive to calm our minds and feel centered. Practicing meditation and mindfulness can help get us therein fact, the benefits of meditation are plentiful.

Meditation helps people hit the pause button, helping them become more present in a given moment, says Spring Washam, meditation educator and author of A Fierce Heart.

Its like the TV is blaring, and then we turn it off for a moment, and we just take a breath, she says. Meditation is a way that we gain that a sort of calmness and a centeredness and we connect with ourselves in that moment.

Whether its five minutes or 20 minutes, finding time to meditate throughout the day can help you feel happier and more at peace. And, your mind and body will thank you. Meditation offers a wealth of benefits to improve your physical health and well being.

Related: 10 Ways Meditation Can Fix Your Life

1. It lowers cortisol levels. Research shows that mindfulness meditation lowers levels of cortisol, the hormone that causes stress. Reducing cortisol can decrease general stress, anxiety and depression.

2. You can better deal with stress. Meditation brings a sense of calm to the mind and body that can reduce stress, Washam says.

When the mind relaxes and lets go, the body follows, she says. We want our adrenaline and our nervous system to take a break at times, to unplug, to recycle, to rejuvenate.

3. It eases anxiety. Meditation is literally the perfect, portable anti-anxiety treatment, says health coach Traci Shoblom. Taking just a few minutes to close your eyes and do breathing exercises can turn off the mechanisms in your brain that cause anxiety.

4. It reduces depression symptoms. Depression is a series mental health condition often triggered by stress and anxiety. Research suggests meditation can change areas of the brain, including the me center and fear center, that are linked to depression. People who meditate also show increased gray matter in the brains hippocampus, responsible for memory.

5. Youll get a mood boost. Meditation helps you deal with stress, anxiety and difficult situations, which makes you happier and feel better. Were just able to deal with difficult things without letting it affect your mood, Washam says.

6. You can retrain your brain. The brain tends to develop as its used. Meditation may retrain the brain to use the prefrontal cortex, known as the me center, to regulate the amygdala, or fear center, says researcher and author Bracha Goetz.

This means that when faced with a stressor, when we are not meditating, we will have gotten in the habit of using our prefrontal cortex to direct our minds back to think more calmly and clearly focus, rather than letting our impulsive reactions direct us, Goetz says.

7. Its good for your heart. Research shows meditation can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, says Chirag Shah, physician and founder of online healthcare platform Push Health. Meditation positively impacts blood pressure, heart muscle effectiveness and general cardiovascular mortality.

8. It lowers blood pressure. High blood pressure affects about 30% of U.S. adults and is considered a worldwide epidemic that heightens the risk of stroke and heart attack. Meditation may improve blood pressure naturally, without medication, research shows.

9. It enhances serotonin levels. Serotonin is a chemical produced in nerve cells that works as a natural mood stabilizer. When you meditate, youll increase serotonin levels, which Washam says acts like a natural anti-depressant.

10. Youll break bad habits. Whether its smoking or shopping too much, meditation brings awareness to your actions in that moment and help you break the cycle of a bad habit, Washam says.

Most habits form unconsciously, she says, and, Over time, (meditation) brings awareness to what were doing, so were not acting out unconsciously. Mindfulness interrupts the habit.

11. Youll strengthen relationships. Good communication, empathy and respect are the hallmarks of a strong relationship, and meditation helps improve all of those qualities. Creating a deeper connection with yourself makes relationships easier and more fulfilling, Washam says.

The moment I become present, Im available to my partner, to my friends, to myself, she says.

12. It boosts concentration. When so many things are racing through our minds at any given time, it can be tough to concentrate on tasks at work or even hobbies like reading a book. Meditation centers your mind so you can focus on what you need to get done.

13. It helps build inner strength. Weve all been stuck in traffic or in a long, boring meeting and couldnt wait to escape. Practicing meditation and mindfulness helps build inner strength and endurance to calmly get through these situations, Washam says.

It creates an ability to be in the moment no matter how it is, she says. Were just able to be with difficult things without unraveling or letting it affect you.

14. Youll learn to be present. Research shows meditation can decrease brain activity in the default mode network (DMN), the part of the brain that wonders, worries and overthinks, helping us stay in the present, says Adina Mahalli, relationship expert and mental health professional at Maple Holistics.

Meditation promotes being in the present moment and focusing our thoughts, Mahalli says, explaining that meditation works the brain like a muscle. The more you meditate the more easily youre able to snap out of DMN mode and into the present.

15. Youll become comfortable in stillness. These days, most of us are always on the go and rarely take the time to calm down. Meditation can make you feel comfortable with stillness, says Josee Perron, life coach and yoga and meditation teacher.

Weve become accustomed to needing to be on the go all the time, Perron says. But, so much running around doesnt leave any time for stillness, which is the gateway to connecting with your deeper inner self.

16. It helps with brain fog. If you struggle with concentration, forget things easily and have a hard time focusing, you might have brain fog. Its often caused by stress, and a meditation practice can calm your mind and let you focus on your breath so you feel more present.

Meditation cuts through the fog because were waking up in that moment in a way, literally, Washam says. Were stopping the habitual distraction, which has effects in the brain long term.

17. Youll better handle anger. Getting angry is a natural feeling when dealing with difficult people or situations. If you act impulsively, you could make things worse, however. When you meditate, you train your brain to focus on the present, and this can help you learn to control and process your emotions in the moment.

Maybe youre upset, but you slow down and just feel your emotions, Washam says. Just that simple act of turning toward your breath creates a kind of relief in the mind.

18. You can work through grudges. Holding onto anger and reliving past wrongs in your mind takes a toll on the mind and body. To calm these feelings, Washam suggests using STOP, a mindfulnessbased meditation technique, which stands for stopping in the moment, taking a breath, observing your internal feelings and proceeding with your day.

19. Youll live in the moment. Learning to focus and live in the moment is important benefit of meditation, but its easier said than done. Often, our thoughts turn to past events or things we need or want to do in the future, and we seem to forget about the here and now.

20. It helps you cope with pain. Meditation activates areas of the brain that are associated with processing pain, so mindful breathing can help people manage chronic pain, says Megan Junchaya, health coach and founder of Vibe N Thrive. Research shows that even a short amount of meditation can boost pain tolerance and reduce pain-related anxietyand, it could possibly alleviate the need for opioid pain medication.

21. Meditation helps you relax. Learning to simply relax and keep calm under pressure are huge mental and physical health benefits of meditation. Practicing mindfulness can reduce stress and lower blood pressure so youll feel more relaxed.

22. Youll sleep better. Most Americans dont get enough sleep, and its tough to get through the day when youre exhausted. Its also bad for your health. When you meditate, you may find yourself drifting off to sleep more easily and getting better quality sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Related: 5 Mental Health Influencers Explain Why Meditation for Sleep Really Works

23. It helps with insomnia. If you have a sleep disorder, like insomnia, meditation can be especially helpful. It reduces anxiety and retrains the brain to slow down and respond differently to stressors.

24. But, you may not need as much sleep. Meditation is not a sleep replacement, and we all need our eight hours. But, when long-term meditation practitioners spent several hours meditating, they experienced a significant drop in sleep time compared to those who dont meditate, according to a 2010 study published in Behavioral and Brain Functions.

25. Meditation teaches you to self-soothe. You will learn to work through anxiety, anger and other problems so that you dont turn to unhealthy behaviors, like drugs or alcohol, to self-soothe.

26. Youll become your own cheerleader. Meditation acts as a support system to help you through a rough time. Youll realize the value of celebrating your strengths and successes and not worrying so much about any faults or mistakes.

27. It reduces inflammation. Meditations ability to help reduce stress is well known. But, chronic stress creates inflammation in the body, which is linked with heart disease, stroke, diabetes and obesity, says Paul Claybrook, a certified nutritionist.

28. It adds balance to your life. Finding balancewhether its juggling work and home life, dealing with stress and taking some down timeis vital for our mental health and well-being. Practicing mindfulness and learning to center your thoughts will get you there.

29. Youll be more productive. Bringing more awareness to your day-to-day focuses you on the task at hand, rather than jumping around from one project to anotherand, this increases productivity, says Cory Muscara, founder of Long Island Mindfulness Center.

When were going through our day on autopilot, we miss those quick transition moments from working on a project to scrolling through our friends cat pictures on Facebook, he says. The quicker we catch these transitions, the quicker we can come back to the task at hand, and the more we can get done.

30. It boosts the immune system. Among the many health benefits of meditation is an immune system boost, says Mick Cassell, clinical hypnotherapist and founder of wellness app ThinkWell-LiveWell. Research shows that mindfulness lowers blood pressure and enhances the immune system, making you feel better and maybe even live longer.

31. It improves mental functioning. Practice meditation regularly and youll see a chain reaction that leads to better mental functioning, Cassell says. That can include becoming more relaxed, sleeping better and improving concentration, reasoning, performance and productivity.

32. Youll feel more creative. Meditation helps you dial up your creativity, which you can extend to your daily life, Cassell says. Creativity offers benefits like problem-solving, adaptability and self-confidence.

33. It makes you kind. We all need a little more kindness in our lives, and meditation can do the trick. A type of meditation, called Metta, focuses on a feelings-related practice that promotes kindness, says Stella Samuel, wellness coach at Brandnic.com.

34. It improves memory. Meditation enhances cognitive function, which can be a mood-booster and help prevent memory loss, says Brittany Ferri, occupational therapist and founder of Simplicity of Health.

35. Meditation prevents burnout. As we work longer hours and continue to add to our load of responsibilities, its easy to burn out. Practicing mindfulness-based stress reduction could actually shrink the part of the brain that causes worry and fear, and strengthens the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for personality development, research suggests.

36. Youll have a spiritual awakening. Meditation takes us to a place deep inside ourselves, which can bring feelings of love and peace. For some, that could lead to a spiritual awakening.

37. Meditation builds resilience. Focusing on all emotionshappiness, failure and regretlets you observe these feelings and experience a seat of awareness, says Sherrell Moore-Tucker, author and wellness educator.

While sitting with those feelings and experiences, inner strength is cultivated and resilience emerges, she says.

38. Your sex life will heat up. Mindfulness lets you tap into a more authentic, compassionate and honest relationship to sex, says Shauna Shapiro, clinical psychologist and author of Good Morning, I Love You. Studies show practicing mindfulness increases sexual arousal and overall sexual satisfaction, because it enhances your connection with your body.

39. It promotes mindful eating. Our relationship with food can be a complex one, and dieting or overeating can be harmful to our physical and mental health. Mindfulness helps counter your consciousness and reactivity around food, adding to the enjoyment of eating while recognizing hunger cues, Shapiro says.

As we eat mindfully, we are able to listen to the messages of our body, recognizing what foods our body wants, as well as appreciating when we feel hungry and when we become full, she says.

40. Youll become more in tune with your body. Many of us go through the day with a constant dialogue running through our minds. Meditation facilitates a direct experience, or wordless experience of pure sensation, says Brooke Nicole Smith, mindful eating expert and integrative wellness and life coach. This lets you learn to check in with the body.

41. It helps you deal with uncomfortable situations. Getting out of your comfort zone builds strength and leads to personal growth. Meditation teaches you to experience discomfort without freaking out about it, opening the door to new possibilities, where youll feel more comfortable asking for a raise, having a tough conversation or tackling anything else youve been avoiding, Smith says.

42. It could alter gene expression. Research shows that mindfulness-based meditation can lead to molecular changes in the body, which may reduce levels of pro-inflammatory genes. That means you could recover more quickly from stressful situations.

43. Meditation could help fight addiction. Practicing mindfulness lets you better control emotions, thoughts and behaviors, giving you greater control over subconscious habits and addictions, Junchaya says. Research suggests mindfulness-based interventions could treat addictions, including alcohol, smoking, opioids and other drugs.

44. Meditation fosters accountability. Self-exploration leads to self-awareness. Meditation teaches you to own up to actions and behaviors, and stop living in denial or lying to yourself about issues in your life, says Fran Walfish, family and relationship psychotherapist and author of The Self-Aware Parent.

45. Youll make better decisions. Being constantly on the go means we often make impulsive decisions. Since meditation helps you slow down, you can make better decisions and fewer mistakes in your home and work life, says Sadi Khan, fitness research analyst at RunRepeat.

46. It boosts self-esteem. Meditation helps quell negative thoughts, calms the mind and reduces anxiety, helping you feel good about yourself and the decisions you make.

47. Meditation eases loneliness. A study published in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity showed older adults, who took part in an eight-week mindfulness-based stress reduction program, saw a decrease in pro-inflammatory gene expressionand, this reduced feelings of loneliness.

48. It improves memory. Brief meditation training has been shown to improve visuo-spatial processing, working memory and executive functioning, according to a study published in Consciousness and Cognition. After just four days of meditation training, people showed a stronger ability to pay attention longer.

49. It can alleviate PMS. Headaches, cramps, hot flashes and water retentionmeditation has been shown to relieve symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and change how you perceive period pain, according to a study published in Mindfulness.

50. Meditation may improve arthritis symptoms. Several studies have shown that meditation and mindfulness-based stress reduction can help manage chronic pain, which is welcome news for people living with arthritis. Embracing meditation can help lessen the intensity of pain, enhance functionality and improve mood and quality of life.

51. It changes how the body responds to stress. Stressful situations happen, but meditation helps you manage your reactions to stress. Not only is this good for your health, it can also diffuses stressful moments so they dont escalate.

52. Meditation encourages movement. Meditation fosters a mind-body connection that will encourage you to get up and move. Combined with yoga, tai chi or a casual walk, meditation focuses on being present in your own body and expanding awareness during physical activity, says Lisa Ballehr, an osteopathic physician.

53. It helps you focus. Having trouble focusing on a specific task? Meditation can change that. It could be the simple act of sitting down to a good meal or pushing through a workout session, but the intent is to focus on simply that task at hand and not letting the mind wander, Ballehr says.

54. Youll become more self-confident. Once you learn that you are not your thoughts, you can finally let go of your fears, says Lucile Hernandez Rodriguez, a yoga teacher and holistic health coach. Focusing on your meditation practice helps you find stability, peace of mind and self-acceptance.

55. It promotes emotional stability. Meditation lets you focus on your mind and identify thought patterns, so that you can address them, Rodriguez says. Youll discover healthy ways to deal with your emotions and repressed feelings.

56. Youll perform better. So much focus is on productivity and getting as much done as you can in a day. Meditation can improve performance in all areas of your life. Meditation is commonly used by high-performers in every discipline, as it helps you find your state of flow and truly excel in a task, Rodriguez says.

57. Youll get in touch with your inner voice. When we calm the overactive mind through meditation, we open ourselves up to new feelings and experiences. We are able to tune into and listen to that voice within, our intuition, versus the confusing chitter chatter of our minds stories, says Tara Skubella, an earthing and meditation expert and founder of Earth Tantra.

58. Youll learn to focus your breathing. Breathing is a natural function of the body, of course, but how often do you truly focus on each breath? Meditation provides a space for us to slow and deepen our breath for more oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange, Skubella says.

59. Youll make a mind-body connection. How often do we actually give ourselves permission to feel even the most subtle sensations within the body? Skubella asks. If we listen, our body will let us know what needs to be healed.

Practicing meditation provides a chance to stop and build a relationship with the body.

60. Meditation keeps your brain younger. When you focus on your breath during meditation, youre also giving the brain a boost, says Tara Huber of Take Five Meditation. Research published in the Journal of Cognitive Enhancement shows that regular mindfulness meditation can even slow the aging process and reverse brain aging.

61. It helps you cope with trauma. The death of a loved one or recovering from past abuse can mean dealing with trauma and grief on a daily basis. Meditation can provide emotional safety and focus, so that you can process these feelings, says meditation teacher Colette Coleman.

62. It keeps distractions away. The need for constant multitasking can have our minds scattered. A mindfulness practice pushes away distractions so that you can tackle your to-do list in a calculated way.

63. Youll simplify your life. Living peacefully in the moment not only helps you feel more present, but it relieves the pressure of having to do so much. After we adjust to the challenges of quieting ourselves and letting go of restlessness, we can feel the relief of not having to constantly do, says Connie Habash, psychotherapist, yoga and meditation teacher, and author of Awakening from Anxiety. This realization lets you simplify your life and find joy.

64. Youll feel more alert. Fighting drowsiness and brain fog may be a daily occurrence. Mindfulness training can improve your ability to stay continually alert over a longer period of time, says Keiland Cooper, neuroscientist at the University of California. Research shows that meditation increases activation of the prefrontal cortex, which regulates emotion and attention, and decreases activity in the amygdala, which controls fear.

65. Youll become more patient. Patience is truly a virtue, especially dealing with difficult people. Meditation allows you to become more adept at dealing with mental distractions, maintaining calm in moments of chaos, improving patience levels, increasing your tolerance of others (and yourself), and responding thoughtfully instead of reacting emotionally throughout your day, says Amber Trueblood, a marriage and family therapist and author.

66. Youll be more tolerant of others. It may be tough to see eye-to-eye with difficult co-workers or relatives with differing political views. A regular meditation practice will keep you calm in these instances so you can embrace tolerance. Its an important part of building relationships.

67. Meditation enhances your metabolism. Practicing meditation will likely inspire you to move more or take up yoga or another fitness routine. Research has also shown a link between mindfulness and an enhanced metabolism.

68. It improves digestion. The mind-body balance and reduced stress that youll experience from meditation is great for your digestive system. It could relieve symptoms of indigestion, irritable bowel syndrome, constipation and other health issues.

69. Youll have more energy. Maintaining a mind-body connection and reducing stress will give you an energy boost. Meditation helps you feel less weighed down by your emotions and ready to move or take on new projects.

70. Youll have better impulse control. Through practicing mindfulness, youll learn to center your mind and focus on your breath, which helps you control your emotions and impulses.

71. Meditation releases endorphins. The practice of meditation releases endorphins and lowers cortisol levels, making you feel happier and more energetic.

72. Meditation helps curb food cravings. The self-control and stress management that you learn through practicing mindfulness could help curb food cravings and break unhealthy eating habits. It lets you tap into whats driving you to specific foods, Amber Stevens, integrative nutrition health coach and author of Food, Feelings and Freedom.

Meditation lets you master your own mind, so you can pause and ask yourself, Why is this ice cream important, and allow your mind to connect dots, she says, adding that youll be open to explore, not critique, your eating habits.

73. Meditation reduces instances of binge eating. Mindfulness meditation can decrease binge eating and emotional eating, according to a study published in Eating Behaviors.

74. Meditation could help you lose weight. Research has linked meditation to more mindful eating, a boost in metabolism and increased energy levels, which suggests that it could help with weight loss.

75. Youll better understand hunger cues. If you tend to feel peckish in the afternoons, mindfulness could help you get in touch with the real reason why. It may not be actual hunger, says Pamela Hernandez, personal trainer and health coach.

Mindfulness helps get sense how hungry they are and other emotions they are feeling that might lead them to overeat, she says. It creates a more mindful state, which gives you a better chance of pushing away from the table before you reach the stuffed feeling of overeating.

76. It helps you forget about past wrongs. Rather than letting the past define (you), fully surrender to the now and embrace your journey in its entirety without shame or guilt, says AnushaWijeyakumar, wellness coach and meditation and mindfulness educator.

Meditation helps you leave the past in the past and drown out the noise thats preventing you from experiencing inner peace, she says. Youll sever any attachment to past wrongs and move forward.

77. Youll quiet negative thoughts. Learn to let go of the past and crush negative thoughts, which may be holding you back. Replace those negative thoughts with something positive.

Change I am not good enough into I am more than enough, Wijeyakumar says.

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Benefits of Meditation100 Ways Meditation is Good for Your Health - Parade

Always consult your doctor before undertaking a new diet or fasting routine.This is not medical advice, but it is information you can use as a conversation-starter with your physician or nutritionist.

Fasting has become extremely popular as a tool for weight loss, anti-aging, and longevity, and for its benefits to mental and physical health.

All this can take its toll on your energy levels, affect your mood, and of course, make it more likely youll gain weight.

You may not choose to try intermittent fasting during the holidaysI get it. But its worth a reminder, as we enter the season, that paying attention not only to theWHATof your diet, but also theWHEN, matters for sleep, as well as for your mood, cognitive performance, and overall health.

What is intermittent fasting?

When you practice intermittent fasting, you designate regular, specific times to eat nothing or to consume very few calories. When your body goes into a fasting mode, your digestive system quiets. Your bodyuses this timetorepair and restore itself at a cellular level. Fasting also triggers the body to use its stored fat for energy, making it a potentially effective strategy for weight loss.

The period of nightly sleep is a natural fast we undertake every night, most of us without even realizing thats what were doing. Indeed, a waking fasting state and a sleep state share several characteristics, including a body with cells engaged in repair, and a body that is taking a rest from the demanding work of digestion.

How does intermittent fasting work?

Creating a fasting routine isnt complicated. (But you should always talk with your doctor about making changes to your diet, and before you begin a fasting regimen.) There are a number of routines that are commonly used with intermittent fasting.

Its worth noting that despite all the attention its getting, fasting isnt a new practice. People have used fasting for thousands of years as a cultural, religious, spiritual and health practice.

The health benefits of fasting

A growing body of research shows the potentialbenefits for health and disease protection from intermittent fasting. Fasting can result in weight loss, according to research. Studies showfasting can improve insulin sensitivity, lower inflammation, and improve markers for heart disease including lowering levels of unhealthful LDL cholesterol. Intermittent fasting has been shown to have the potential totreat some cancers, as well asneurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimersand Parkinsons. Theres also evidence that fasting may help reduce the risk of developing cancer.

Time-restricted eating can improve immune function and enhancethe bodys ability to repair cellsand DNA. Fasting induces a cellular process known asautophagy, which is when the body clears itselfof damaged cells, spurring the growth of new, healthy cells. Autophagy is one way the body maintains more youthful, functional cells and protects against disease, by eliminating aged cells that behave dysfunctionally and clearing the body of toxins that build up in older cells.

Intermittent fasting increases the bodysnatural production of human growth hormone. Human growth hormone encourages fat burning and protects lean muscle mass, aids in cellular repair, and may help to slow aging. Fasting can reduce unhealthful inflammation and boost the bodys ability to protect itself against oxidative stress, which is one significant contributor to aging and disease.

The science of fasting and sleep

Eating and sleeping are two fundamental processes that are also deeply entwined. Both are essential for survival. Both are regulated by internal, homeostatic drives and also by circadian rhythms. Many people know circadian rhythms play a big role in regulating sleep. But eating, hunger, and digestion have their own circadian rhythmicity.

Eating and sleeping arent just influenced by circadian rhythms. They alsoexert influences back on those rhythms themselves. An irregular sleeping routine can de-synchronize a well-timed circadian clockand throw daily rhythms off course. Thetiming of meals also affects our circadian clocks and the function of circadian rhythms that exert a powerful influence over our sleep.

A growing body of research indicatesfasting has a strengthening effect on circadian rhythms, helping tokeep circadian clocks synchronized. Because circadian rhythms exert a strong influence over nearly all the bodys processes (as well as most of our behavior), a more robust, synchronized clock has profound effects on health. Well-synchronized clocks support healthy metabolic activity, stronger immunity, andbetter, more restful and restorative sleep-wake cycles. Disrupted circadian clocks are closely linked to aging and disease. Keeping the bodys master bio clock in sync is one criticalway to slow biological aging and potentially extend lifespan.

Other recent research has demonstrated theeffects thatfasting can have directly on sleep, and also on conditions that affect sleep. For example, one study in mice found that a24-hour fasting period, followed by a meal, led to deeper levels of non-REM sleep. Research has shown that fasting may help toreduce chronic pain,elevate mood and decrease inflammationall conditions to which improvements will also benefit sleep.

A lot of people turn to intermittent fasting and to calorie restriction as a means to lose weight. Studies indicate periodicfasting can help with weight loss,including helping to push beyond a weight loss plateau. Its important to note that researchincludingthis 2018 studyshow that even when fasting doesnt lead to weight loss, it canimprove underlying cardiometabolic health,increasing insulin sensitivity, reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, lowering inflammation, bringing appetite under control (including reducing cravings for sugar). Maintaining a healthy weight, protecting cardiometabolic health, and adhering to a healthful diet will all translate into more restful, plentiful, high-quality sleep.

Whether you explore fasting as a practice with the guidance of your doctor or begin to pay more mindful attention to your daily eating patterns, a greater awareness of thewhenof your eating will make you feel and sleep better, right through the holidays and beyond.

Sweet Dreams,

Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., DABSM

The Sleep Doctor

http://www.thesleepdoctor.com

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Should You Try Intermittent Fasting in 2020? - Psychology Today

Its no surprise that intermittent fasting is one of the most popular types of eating plans. You dont need to measure out food or buy any prepackaged shakes. There are no required weigh-ins or calorie counting. All you really have to do is not eat during certain hours. Its pretty simple.

There are different ways to go about it, of course. Most people do the 16:8 diet, in which you fast for 16 hours and then eat within an eight-hour window. Theres also the 5:2 diet, where you drastically cut back on calories just two days a week, and there are 24-hour fasts, where you dont eat anything one day each month.

Regardless of the method, significantly restricting when you eat can throw your body for a loop and cause a handful of odd side effects. Intermittent fasting may not be suitable for everyone. (People with a history of disordered eating, for example, should definitely avoid it.)

Its important to know what to expect before you jump into any new eating habit. Heres what happens to you mentally, physically and emotionally when youre fasting intermittently.

You might lose weight.

Many health experts, including personal trainer Jillian Michaels, say that intermittent fasting actually isnt that great for weight loss. Thats because youre not necessarily eating less or cutting back on calories. There are just longer gaps in your day when youre not eating at all.

That said, many people do lose weight because they consume fewer calories during those restricted food hours.

Eating for only eight hours a day also makes it less likely that youre having a big meal right before bedtime. Our metabolism goes down when we sleep and we burn fewer calories. Nighttime eating has been linked to both obesity and diabetes.

Intermittent fasting really does keep you from doing some really bad things, which is to eat a big meal before you go to bed, said Dr. John Morton, a bariatric surgeon with Yale Medicine. Big meals before bed are probably the worst thing you can do when it comes to weight loss, he added.

You could get super hungry.

A lot of people who fast experience hunger pangs, mainly when they start the program. Thats because our bodies are accustomed to using glucose a sugar that comes from the food we eat for fuel throughout the day. When its deprived of food (and, therefore, glucose), the body will essentially send signals saying, Hello, arent you forgetting something here?

Once your body gets into the groove of fasting, it will start burning stored body fat for energy rather than glucose. And as you spend more time in a fasted state, your body will get increasingly efficient at burning fat for energy.

In short, those hunger pangs should dissipate and your appetite will level out, Morton said. He added that fasters will ultimately have fewer cravings and hunger pangs the more consistently they fast.

In the meantime, that hungry feeling may drive some people to overeat. The natural tendency is when you havent eaten breakfast, you go, Since I didnt eat breakfast, Im going to eat more [for lunch], Morton noted.

If the hunger pains are bad enough to interfere with your daily life, get something to eat. The idea is not to starve yourself.

jakubzak via Getty Images

Your energy levels and moods will fluctuate.

Research has shown that fasting can cause some people to feel fatigued, dizzy, irritable and depressed.

In the beginning, your energy levels might be low because youre not getting the proper nutrients that you need, said Sharon Zarabi, a registered dietitian and bariatric program director at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York.

As your body gets used to intermittent fasting, your energy levels will pick back up. Your body becomes more efficient at using energy and this helps improve mood, mental ability and long-term performance, Zarabi said.

Theres even some evidence that suggests intermittent fasting can ultimately help fight depression and anxiety. The body releases a hormone called ghrelin when youre hungry or fasting, which in high amounts has been associated with an elevated mood.

Your gut health may improve.

Many people who partake in intermittent fasting note improved gut health. Fasting gives your gut a chance to rest and reset as your digestive system doesnt have to deal with uncomfortable effects of eating like gas, diarrhea and bloating.

Anytime you fast, youre giving your body a break from trying to metabolize what you just ate, Zarabi said. By fasting, we let the gut microbiome refresh, which in turn improves our overall digestive pathway.

Maskot via Getty Images

You could cut your risk for chronic diseases.

Intermittent fasting has been linked to a lower risk of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

According to recent research from Mount Sinai, this is because fasting reduces inflammation and reducing inflammation helps our bodies battle various chronic inflammatory diseases like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases. Researchers are still working to figure out how and why this happens, but the evidence so far suggests that the fasting body produces fewer of the subset of monocytes, a kind of blood cell, that are known to damage tissue and trigger inflammation.

This is a big reason why people who fast intermittently may live longer and stay healthier.

Your heart health could improve.

Intermittent fasting can help lower your blood pressure, cholesterol and triglycerides the type of fat in our blood thats associated with heart disease. That is, if you lose weight in the process.

As long as youre losing weight, youre going to improve all those things, Morton said.

Before you start an intermittent fasting program, health experts recommend meeting with a dietitian or physician. Theres a critical distinction between fasting and starving, and if you ignore that, you could wreck your organs and immune system.

The bottom line: pay attention to your body and eat in a way that works best for you.

Continued here:
This Is Your Body On Intermittent Fasting - HuffPost

From fights over cannabis, groundwater, and wastewater to tackling homelessness, politics upped the ante on all sides of the debates that raged in San Luis Obispo County this year. The SLO Police Department, Chief Deanna Cantrell, and the city dealt with some scandals that will continue into 2020, and the long-ranging battle over dust at the Oceano Dunes isn't letting up anytime soon. Highway 101 south of Arroyo Grande's left turns were closed to most likely never open again, and the sale of vaping products is starting to get banned in cities along the coast. We don't have the space to touch on everything, but here's a look back at some of the year's highlights.

Camillia Lanham

Rural residents pushed back against cannabis farming in 2019, as San Luis Obispo County slowly began issuing more cultivation land-use permits throughout the year. Several county-approved grows were appealed and/or challenged in court by lawsuits, injecting bad blood and distrust into the process for both sides. Meanwhile, cannabis applicants continued their complaints about the county's slow, cumbersome, and expensive permitting process. By year's end, the conflict brought a new political leader to the fore: Paso Robles vineyard owner Stephanie Shakofsky, who's behind two lawsuits against cannabis projects and is now looking to unseat 1st District SLO County Supervisor John Peschong in the 2020 election.

The nearly decade-old debate over how to best manage the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin continued this year, culminating in the December adoption of a 20-year sustainability plan to satisfy the state's Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The basin, a 684-square-mile aquifer, services much of SLO County's agricultural industryso the Estrella-El Pomar-Creston Water District's exclusion from the Cooperative Committee had many farmers upset. While North County supervisors placed an emphasis on pumping cutbacks in the plan, the ag industry complained about a lack of other solutions. The debate peaked in September when the California State Board of Food and Agriculture sent a letter to the county that echoed the concerns of some farmers. In 2020, the state Department of Water Resources will decide whether to approve the plan.

The city of Morro Bay went through more than 50 public meetings and 17 possible locations for its anticipated Water Reclamation Facility before it finally pinned down the site on South Bay Boulevard and Highway 1. Amid opposition from a group of city residents, the California Coastal Commission gave Morro Bay its stamp of approval in July. That didn't stop the Citizens for Affordable Living from petitioning against the city's decision to purchase the project site. The petition stopped the city from buying the land, but it's not stopping the project from moving forward with construction.

The dust still hasn't settled on the controversy over the Oceano Dunes State Vehicular Recreation Area, and debates regarding the issue in 2019 were no less contentious than in years past. In July, the California Coastal Commission considered imposing regulations that would have limited off-highway vehicle riding in some portions of the Oceano Dunesactivities that are thought to increase potentially dangerous dust particles emitted by the park. The proposed conditions were reluctantly voted down by the commission after hours of impassioned public comment and State Parks Director Lisa Mangat's repeated promises to commit to dust reduction efforts. But months later in November, after State Parks' failure to complete an adequate work plan for dust mitigation, an Air Pollution Control District hearing board voted to hold State Parks to a slightly more stringent stipulated abatement order. In December, State Parks fenced off 48 acres of riding area in the park to adhere to the new order.

South County was host to uproarious debate for several months in 2019 when 5 Cities Homeless Coalition and Peoples' Self-Help Housing announced plans in March to purchase Hillside Church in Grover Beach and replace it with a homeless services facility. The projectit would have included a housing navigation center and offices, transitional housing for youth, and permanent housing unitsfaced vehement opposition from neighbors to the property, who voiced concerns over safety and transparency. "Right idea, wrong location" was the rallying cry among opponents of the project, and in May, one such rival filed legal documents calling into question the ownership of Hillside Church. Peoples' Self-Help Housing and 5 Cities quickly moved on, purchasing office space at another location in Grover in August and space for supportive housing facilities in Pismo in October.

For nearly seven months, James and Becky Grant, with the help of the community, fought to close the El Campo Intersection on Highway 101 after the death of their son Jordan Grant. The first-year computer science student was killed in a motorcycle crash at the intersection in October 2018. The Grants advocated for the elimination of left turns at four intersections along Highway 101 between Los Berros Road and Traffic Way. After a comprehensive study completed by the San Luis Obispo Council of Governmentsthat brought together the California Highway Patrol, the city of Arroyo Grande, and San Luis Obispo CountyCaltrans agreed to the closures.

In 1903, Theodore Roosevelt stopped in SLO during his famous presidential tour of the West and delivered a short speech in what today is Mitchell Park. While his visit was brief, some locals view it as the birth of the city's environmental movement, and so a group led by former City Councilmember John Ashbaugh hatched a plan to put a statue of Roosevelt in the park. But, by the start of 2019, backlash emerged against the statue. Native tribal groups and political leaders like Mayor Heidi Harmon came out against the idea, condemning Roosevelt's views and policies toward indigenous peoples. The clash spilled onto social media platforms and newspaper opinion pages, with the City Council finally voting in July to amend its public art policy to prohibit any statues of individuals on public property. The council has yet to finalize the policyso stay tuned for that in 2020.

Last year was when most of the Central Coast decided to join Monterey Bay Community Power, a multi-city and multi-county agency based in Monterey that procures power on behalf of residents as an alternative to PG&E. While the cities of SLO and Morro Bay started the wave in 2018, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Grover Beach, Arroyo Grande, Santa Maria, and Santa Barbara County all jumped on board this year. The transition (which starts this month for the cities that joined in 2018 and won't occur until 2021 for those that joined in 2019) marks the region's first foray into community choice energy, a public electricity model that promises cheaper and cleaner power to consumers. Monterey Bay Community Power formed in 2018 to serve the residents and businesses of Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties and their cities.

San Luis Obispo set one of the most ambitious net-zero emissions targets for a city in the country this year, vowing to take dramatic steps to pursue carbon neutral status by 2035. City staff says the goal is only about 70 percent achievable, but that hasn't stopped elected leaders like Mayor Heidi Harmon from pushing for it. "People won't do small things for small goals," Harmon said recently. "But they will do big things for big goals." SLO's path to net-zero involves a variety of new policies and systemic changes, some of which had already generated controversy in 2019. A new proposed building code to promote all-electric development and disincentivize natural gas infrastructure drew protests from gas workers as well as some residents and policy skeptics. The code is currently on hold pending an investigation into a conflict-of-interest allegation against City Councilmember and local architect Andy Pease, stirred up by the SoCalGas workers' labor union.

Cities throughout San Luis Obispo County saw an increase in their recycling program rates due to an international policy change. China's National Sword policy, which took effect at the beginning of the year, imposes a strict limit on contaminated recyclables. The country's policy change affects what can be tossed in the blue bins across the United States, specifically mixed paper and some plastics that are now labeled as contaminates. The local increase in fees comes from a rise in the number of employees who sort through recycled material. The policy change and increased fees prompted cities to work with local garbage companies to educate residents about what can and can't be recycled.

At the beginning of 2019, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) started looking at the potential of opening up federally-owned land to oil and gas drilling and fracking. By the end of the year, the BLM announced that fracking would cause minimal harm and opened up about 120,000 acres in the county to new oil and gas leases. Meanwhile, at the state level, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a moratorium on new oil wells that use certain enhanced drilling techniques such as hydraulic fracturing. The rule will not affect any future proposals for the Arroyo Grande Oil Field currently operated by Sentinel Peak Resources. In 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency finally granted Sentinel Peak the aquifer exemption it needed to potentially expand oil drilling operations in Price Canyon.

It was a rough second half of 2019 for the SLO Police Department, starting in July with Chief Deanna Cantrell leaving her gun behind in the bathroom of El Pollo Loco. A 30-year-old Los Osos man took it home, right before a 10-year-old went in. Cantrell apologized to the community, and the city issued her a two-day suspension and mandatory firearm safety training. A few weeks later, news emerged that on the day the gun went missing, police conducted a warrantless search of a home in pursuit of a lead on Cantrell's weapon, relying on a database that mistakenly showed that the house's owner was on probation. The search resulted in no gun, but in the arrests of the owners on unrelated charges, drawing further scrutiny for the department. In September, a SLO Police Department officer shot and killed a dog in the driveway of its owners' apartment. Police were responding to a false alarm burglary call at the unit when a patrol officer fatally shot 7-year-old Bubs. The incident sparked public outcry and activism that remains ongoing.

Regional water quality regulators finally closed the book on a 20-plus-year investigation into how a cancer-causing chemicaltrichloroethylene (TCE)ended up in the wells of more than a dozen properties near the SLO County Airport. The Central Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board blamed a decades-old local machine shop. The shop denied it and pointed to other possible sources. Airport area residents, meanwhile, berated water board officials for failing to conduct a timely investigation. In 1998, the agency dropped the case for "unknown reasons," picking it up again in 2013. To end the year, residents in the same region got the news that two additional toxic chemicalsperfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)were detected in the groundwater at unsafe levels.

Shocking security camera footage unearthed in April showed an off-duty SLO city building inspector knocking out a Santa Maria woman and attacking her male friend in an Avila Beach bar. The employee, Chris Olcott, committed the seemingly unprovoked assault in 2016but he remained employed by the city through most of 2019. Public outrage in response to the video led to more facts coming to light: In 2018, a jury declined to convict Olcott of a felony, and one juror was reportedly overheard making a racist comment about the victim. The city didn't investigate or discipline Olcott until the video's release, and Olcott ultimately accepted a misdemeanor plea deal and served his two-month jail sentence at a pay-to-stay facility in Southern California. The city announced in September that Olcott was no longer a SLO employee.

In May, Velia Talamantes, Veronica Olivares, and Eulogio Espinoza filed a lawsuit on behalf of themselves and 200 current and former tenants of the Grand View Apartments against the owners, Ebrahim and Fahimeh Madadi, and property manager, Nicolle Davis. The suit accused the property of being insect- and vermin-infested for at least the past four years, having severe mold problems, and dangerous gas and electric lines that render the property uninhabitable. The SLO County Superior Court issued a temporary restraining order protecting the tenants of Grand View by requiring the owners to make the complex habitable, refrain from retaliating, and refrain from collecting rent. After eight months of hearings, tenants get their security deposits back and a deadline to leave the premises, as the owners are taking the property off the rental market due to an estimated $2.5 million in repairs. Tenants are now forced to find housing in a city with a vacancy rate of less than 2 percent.

After major spikes in the popularity of vaping among teens, local politicians buckled down on the issue in 2019 despite inaction at the state level. In May, a bill that would have banned flavored tobacco products in California entirely stalled out, but local anti-tobacco programs in Santa Barbara and SLO counties continued pushing for flavor bans locally. Still not a whole lot was accomplished until after June, when the first vaping-related deaths and injuries were reported across the U.S. Both Morro Bay and Arroyo Grande passed ordinances banning the sale of e-cigarette and vaping products on Nov. 12, and Arroyo Grande's ban included a controversial law making it illegal for individuals under 21 to possess e-cigarette products. San Luis Obispo is still considering its own ban on vaping, as is SLO County as a whole.

For years SLO County had only one known physician providing gender-affirming carenoninvasive medical services that transgender and nonbinary individuals sometimes go through to align their bodies with gender identities. Nonbinary residents reportedly waited for months for their initial appointments. That all changed in June 2019, when Planned Parenthood offices on the Central Coast started offering hormone replacement therapy. Then in December, Cal Poly announced it too would offer gender-affirming care to students as a basic medical service covered by student health fees. Both moves were applauded by the local LGBTQ community, which surveys show have disproportionately high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, and unmet needs locally. "It literally saves lives," Cal Poly student Autumn Ford told New Times.

Since President Trump took office in 2016, with a campaign promise of enforcing immigration laws to protect American communities and jobs, the border discussion has loomed over the country. Locally, Latinos have felt the effects of being seen as immigrantsregardless of their citizenship statusbut advocacy groups such as Allies for Immigration Justice and other organizations have stood by the community. The nonprofit aided a woman and her son that fled their country and sought asylum in the United States. The community support continued when former Grover Beach resident Neofita Valerio-Silva was deported in 2018 and barred from returning to the U.S. for 10 years. Cambria resident Courtney Upthegrove's husband Juan Murguia was also barred from returning to his home and she is routinely traveling with their son to visit Murguia in Tijuana, Mexico.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a pair of bills into law in September that would create oversight of medical exemptions for vaccines required by schools and day care centers throughout the state. Senate bills 276 and 714 were written to crack down on doctors who write faulty medical exemptions for children. The statewide legislation met with local opposition from a group of San Luis Coastal Unified School District parents who describe themselves as ex-vaxxers. They asked the San Luis Coastal school board to speak out against the bill. The district must adhere to the law, district representatives told New Times.

Stalking, physical and emotional abuse, outright threats to killJosiah Johnstone has developed quite the list of accusations. At least six separate individuals have been granted restraining orders against Johnstone in SLO County. Some have filed charges, and nearly 30 individuals claim to have been stalked, harassed, or worse by the Atascadero native. Johnstone, who was arrested in 2017, pleaded no contest to a count of stalking and a count of criminal threats in May 2019, caused when he no-showed a sentencing hearing and a warrant was issued for his arrest. A bounty hunter tracked Johnstone down and found him in Nevada, where he was apprehended by law enforcement and brought back to SLO County. During a hearing on Oct. 17, he was ordered to a 90-day mental health evaluation and his sentencing hearing was rescheduled for Jan. 28, 2020.

In November, Mountainbrook Church, a nondenominational community church that's part of the Association of Vineyard USA, sent an email to its congregation announcing that Lead Pastor Thom O'Leary and his wife Sherri O'Leary are on a leave of absence until February 2020. A week later, the church board informed the community that the pastor was on leave due to "credible allegations" of inappropriate behavior and they launched an investigation with a third-party. On Dec. 8, the all-male church board spoke to the congregation to ask for prayer and continued patience during the investigation. In an email to New Times, board member John Waddell stated that new allegations had been raised and the board couldn't disclose any new information.

Lyft is involved in a complaint that claims the ride-hailing company misrepresented the safety of its rides to women and the general public. The complaint filed on July 24, on behalf of three Jane Does (one of whom is a San Luis Obispo local) against Lyft. Inc. and Lompoc resident Jason Fenwick, alleges that the company falsely claimed that its rides were safe and its drivers properly screened. Fenwick (a Lyft driver) was arrested for sexual assault and battery charges after assaulting a female passenger. Alfonso Alarcon-Nunez, an Uber driver and Santa Maria resident, is facing 12 felony charges in multiple incidents where women across the Central Coast say they were sexually assaulted and stolen from while nearly or completely unconscious. A jury trial is scheduled for Jan. 7.

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Battles, scandals, and #MeToo: The riveting and riotous news that made headlines in 2019 - New Times SLO

Treatment to reverse the effect of an abortion pill is bad news. Such a treatment may put patients at risk for life-threatening bleeding, according to a recent study that tried to evaluate its safety and efficacy. The findings come at a time when many US states have signed an abortion reversal legislation.

The research team had to pull the plug on the study, after seeing that the treatment was endangering women. "I feel really horrible that I could not finish the study. I feel really horrible that the women had to go through all this," the lead researcher Mitchell D. Creinin from the University of California, Davis, told Washington Post.

Abortion pill reversal, which claims to reverse abortion, is unproven. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, "claims regarding abortion 'reversal' treatment are not based on science and do not meet clinical standards".

All of the evidence that we have so far indicates that this treatment is not effective, Daniel Grossman, an OB-GYN and the director of Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, a research group at the University of California San Francisco, told Vox.

But this has not stopped many organizations around the country to offer the procedure. What is worse, governors in North Dakota, Idaho, Utah, South Dakota, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Arkansas, have signed the abortion reversal legislation. The laws are currently blocked or enjoined in Oklahoma and North Dakota, according to the Washington Post.

"These laws mandate that women who receive mifepristone be informed that it may be possible to reverse the effects of the first abortion pill if they change their minds," write the authors of the study in a commentary.

In 2012, Dr. George Delgado, a family medicine physician in San Diego, California, came up with a method to reverse abortion. His treatment is aimed at women who have had their first dose of medical abortion: a procedure that uses medications instead of surgery to end a pregnancy -- but have changed their minds.

Normally, women can terminate abortion by taking two pills. The first one called mifepristone is taken at the doctor's office. After a couple of hours or days, women are asked to take the second pill called misoprostol. This treatment is most effective during the first trimester of pregnancy, claim experts.

A total of 862,320 abortions were provided in clinical settings in 2017, according to the Guttmacher Institute, about 39% of which were medication abortions.

Women who have had mifepristone alone can go back to being pregnant by taking the hormone progesterone, according to proponents of abortion reversal treatment. To prove that his treatment works, Dr. Delgado published a study that included six patients, who were given progesterone injections after taking mifepristone. According to him, four women were able to continue their pregnancies.

In response, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said that Delgados 2012 paper, involving just a handful of patients, was not scientific evidence that progesterone resulted in the continuation of those pregnancies. They add that mifepristone is not a standalone treatment to end a pregnancy, as half of patients continue to remain pregnant after taking the drug.

However, say experts from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, when patients combine mifepristone with misoprostol, the procedure works to end a pregnancy about 95-99% of the time. They think that Delgados patients who remained pregnant may have been so, even if they did not receive progesterone injections.

Further, there is no data to prove that taking progesterone after mifepristone or throughout pregnancy is safe, as reversal patients are sometimes advised to do.

To paint a clear picture on the safety and efficacy of the abortion pill reversal treatment, Creinin and his collegaues carried out the study in 40 women who had voluntered to have surgical abortions.

All the women in the study received the first abortion pill, mifepristone. Following this, some women received progesterone, while others were given a placebo, or a control pill. Of the 12 women who enrolled in the study, three of them required ambulance transport to a hospital for treatment of severe vaginal bleeding. The team could not complete the study, as it was too dangerous to put these women through the trails.

Cremin points out that not completing the medical abortion regimen -- taking both pills -- can be dangerous. According to the authors, taking the first pill -- mifepristone -- alone, can lead to complications, including hemorrhage and transfusion.

Its not that medical abortion is dangerous, Creinin tells NPR. It is not completing the regimen, and encouraging women, leading them to believe that not finishing the regimen is safe. That is really dangerous.

The study raises safety concerns but could not prove whether the treatment was effective or not. Creinin tells NPR, "Does progesterone work? We do not know. We have no evidence that it works."

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'Abortion reversal' treatments are dangerous and can cause life-threatening bleeding: Study - MEAWW