Archive for February, 2020

Eastern Towhee (Photo by Brian Kushner, Audubon Society)

Editors Note: This is the tenth article in an occasional series about backyard birds.

The Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) is an infrequent visitor to backyard bird feeders.

Consider yourself lucky to see this large sparrow, with distinctive plumage, feeding on the ground beneath one of your hanging feeders during the late winter or early spring. Towhees observed this time of year are likely migrants passing through, on the way northward, back to their breeding grounds.

Kate Slankard, an avian biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) said the Eastern Towhee is common statewide, but not a yard bird. They live at the woods edge, in shrubby areas. You have to go looking for them.

Eastern Towhee (Photo by Lisa Hurt, Audubon Society)

Geographic Range and Distribution in Kentucky

For decades this species was known to biologists and bird watchers as the Rufous-sided Towhee, but in 1995 there was a name change, as explained in a posting on the Audubon Society website.

The study of birds, like any science, remains a work in progress. New (DNA) findings or other (characteristic features) bring changes in the classification of species, which often result in new names.

The Rufous-sided Towhee was found across North America (but) differences between its western and eastern forms in plumage, songs and genetics brought an official split into two distinct species: the Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) in the West, the Eastern Towhee in the East.

The geographic range of the Eastern Towhee extends from east Texas, north to Minnesota, east to southern Maine, and down the Atlantic Coast to Florida.

Its breeding range includes the Great Lakes states, and as far south as West Virginia and Missouri. Its wintering range is in southern Texas and Louisiana.

The Eastern Towhee is found year-round in Kentucky and throughout most of the southeastern U.S. In Kentucky, this species is as widely distributed as any of the states resident birds, most abundant in forests with shrubby understory. Some birds move around seasonally, in-state.

There are four subspecies throughout its range and the first description in the scientific literature was made by Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758.

Spotted Towhee (Photo by Virginia Short, Audubon Society)

The Eastern Towhee is a large sparrow. Its total length ranges from seven to nine inches, with a wingspan of eight to 12 inches. Its bodyweight averages about 1 1/2 ounces.

Adults have dark brown to black heads, rufous (reddish-brown) sides, a white belly, and a long dark tail with white edges. Their eyes are red.

The Eastern Towhees call sounds like Drink your teeeee.

Habitat

In Kentucky, its preferred habitat is semi-open and forested areas, with dense cover of weeds, tangles of grapevines, blackberry thickets, or shrubs. This includes brushy forest edges, regenerating clear-cuts, reclaimed strip mines, overgrown fencerows and abandoned fields.

In the mountain counties, the Eastern Towhee thrives in mixed pine and hardwood forests, with a dense understory of blueberries or mountain laurel.

Food Habits

The Eastern Towhee forages on the ground most of the time, noisily scratching in the leaf-litter, but sometimes in shrubs or on tree limbs close to the ground.

Its diet varies with the season and region, but is mostly insects, seeds (including small acorns), berries and small fruits.

In summer the Eastern Towhee eats mostly insects, including beetles, caterpillars, moths, bugs and ants, but it may also consume spiders, snails, millipedes and rarely small animals salamanders, lizards, or snakes.

Reproduction and Nesting

The male defends its nesting territory by singing, often from a high perch. In courtship, he may give a soft whispered version of his song, may chase his female, or rapidly spread his tail feathers as a display.

The Eastern Towhee nests on the ground, usually under a shrub, or in low bushes usually less than five feet above the ground.

The nest is built by the female and is an open cup of grass, twigs, weeds, rootlets, and strips of bark, lined with finer materials like feathers, thin grasses, moss or sometimes animal hair.

In Kentucky, territorial singing begins in March, and clutches usually appear in early April. A second brood may appear in late May, or during the summer, as late as early August.

On average the female lays three to four creamy-white to very pale gray eggs, with spots of brown often concentrated at the larger end of the egg.

Incubation is about 12 to 13 days.

Both parents feed the nestlings, and the young leave the nest about 10 to 12 days after hatching, but usually remain with parents for some time before going out on their own.

Keep an eye out for this large sparrow that could be mistaken for a robin at a distance if it werent for its white breast. The Eastern Towhee is a bird of the woods edge that only infrequently visits backyards along the suburban/rural interface.

Read more:
Art Lander's Outdoors: Although rare at backyard bird feeders, the Eastern Towhee is common in Ky. - User-generated content

Could warmer weather slow the spread of the coronavirus? If all goes well, the new virusSARS-CoV-2, may behave like the influenza virus. Then spring, with its rising temperatures, would kill the pathogens - and stop the spread of the COVID-19 disease. The coronavirus season would pass awayjust like the annual flu wave, which starts to ebb when winter ends.

Spring may be the season of hope, but it's still too early to say accurately whether SARS-CoV-2 behavesas the influenza virus. Virologist Thomas Pietschmann says, experts can't yet predict the trajectory of the virus because "honestly speaking, we do notknow the virus yet."

Pietschmann is a molecular virologist at the Center for Experimental and Clinical Infection Research, called Twincore, in Hanover, Germany. He researches so-called RNA viruses, including for example the hepatitis C virus. SARS-CoV-2 belongs to this group.

Virus? Unknown!

"What's special about this virus is that humans are confronted with it for the first time. From the data we have from China, we can conclude that the virus has only once passed from an animal to humans and spread from there," says Pietschmann.

Unlike influenza viruses,which nearly everyone has been in contact with at some point, our immune system is not prepared for an attack with corona pathogens.

In addition, the external conditions in the northern hemisphere are currently virtually perfect for the rapid spread of the virus. For one thing, there's the temperature. Respiratory viruses, i.e. those that spread via the respiratory tract, have a particularly easy time when the weather iscool. "Viruses have greater stability at low temperatures. This is similar to food that keeps longest in the refrigerator," says Pietschmann.

Cool and dry, please!

The warmer it gets, the more difficult the conditions are for many viruses. "The corona virus is surrounded by a lipid layer, in other words, a layer of fat," Pietschmann explains. This layer is not very heat-resistant, which means that the virus quickly breaks down when temperatures rise. "Other viruses, such as the norovirus, are more stable because they consist mainly of proteins and genetic material."

Read more:Why coronavirus fears are disproportionate compared with other health risks

For other pathogens, temperature only playsa subordinate role. The dengue virus, for example, is mainly found in tropical and subtropical regions. But this has less to do with the pathogens liking warm weather:"In this case, it is not the temperature that plays the main role in the spread of the pathogens, but the animal that transmits the virus," Pietschmann says..

Air humidity also influences the transmissibility of respiratory viruses. Once the pathogens have been expelled from the respiratory tract with a strong sneeze, they literally hang in the air. "On cold and usually dry winter days, the small droplets, together with the viruses, float in the air longer than when the air humidity is high," Pietschmann elaborates.

In this way the pathogens can spread rapidly. However, at first they do this quietly and secretly. From the first contact with the pathogens to the first symptoms of the disease, several weeks can pass. The length of this incubation period depends on the characteristics and biology of the virus.

Double X chromosome and estrogen

Fever, pain and chills are typical symptoms of a viral disease and a sign that the body is fighting off the invaders. How successful this fight is depends not only on the age and health of the infected person, on his or her gender. In the case of the coronavirus, the data shows that women have higher survival chances than men. At 2.8 percent, themortality rate of menis significantly higher than that of women, at 1.7 percent.

According to Pietschmann, this difference can beexplained by genetics. "Some immune-relevant genes, for example genes that are responsible for recognizing pathogens, are encoded on the X chromosome. Because women have two X chromosomes and men have only one, the female sex has an advantage here."

Read more:Corona-phobia: Like SARS, coronavirus fear feeds racism

The female sex hormone estrogen also helps women fend of viral diseases. "Some immune-relevant genes also have binding sites for estrogens, where these genes are switched on. This means that these genes are also controlled by the hormones," says Pietschmann.

Perhaps the corona season will indeed end with the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), however, there are more than 20 cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Australia and one case in Brazil - in the southern hemisphere. Where winter is yet to come.

According to the World Health Organization, there is no evidence to support claims that a saline solution will "kill the virus and protect you.

Certain brands of mouthwash may eliminate particular microbes from your saliva for a few minutes, but, according to the WHO, this does not protect you from the new coronavirus.

This dubious claim has been spreading like wildfire across social media. Though it is possible that garlic may have some antimicrobial properties, there is no evidence to suggest from the current coronavirus outbreak that eating this bulb will protect people from the virus.

There is no evidence to suggest pets, such as cats and dogs, can be infected or transmit the coronavirus. Regularly washing your hands with soap and water after touching your beloved moggy or pooch will help stop the spread of bacteria that they commonly carry, such as E. coli and salmonella.

People receiving parcels from China are not at risk of contracting the new coronavirus, as the virus does not survive long on objects. Due to the poor survivability of the coronavirus on surfaces, there is a very low risk of spread from products or packaging that are shipped over a period of days or weeks.

The new coronavirus needs its own vaccine. Pneumonia vaccines such as the pneumococcal and the Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine will not protect you against the coronavirus.

Bleach/chlorine-based disinfectants, solvents, 75% ethanol, peracetic acid and chloroform can kill the 2019-nCoV on hard surfaces; however, they have little or no impact if you put them on your skin.

To avoid a coronavirus infection, always cook raw foods thoroughly. It is also advisable to avoid direct contact with people who are sick.

Frequently washing your hands with soap and water can help prevent an infection. You can also use an alcohol-based sanitizing gel instead. If you have to cough or sneeze, cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your elbow. If you have contracted the disease without knowing it, coughing or sneezing in this manner might help to reduce the spread.

Author: Jessie Wingard

Read more from the original source:
Will warmer weather stop the spread of the coronavirus? - Deutsche Welle

If we're ever discovered frozen and buried in Siberian permafrost someday, we can only dream of looking this pristine at the ripe age of 46,000 years old!

While on a 2018hunting expedition searching for fossilized mammoth tusks near the village of Belaya Gora in Siberia, two men stumbled across the rigid, frozen carcass of a small Ice Age bird that once flew the friendly skies nearly 50 millennia ago.The feathered survivor was in remarkably good condition due to it being protected from biologicaldecay and hungry animal scavengers by the region's frigid icygroundcover.

Love Daln, professor of evolutionary genetics at the Centre for Palaeogenetics in Stockholm, was accompanying the pair of ivory hunters, Boris Berezhnov and Spartak Khabrov, when they unearthedthe rare Ice Age remnant, and was shocked to observe its incredibly well-preserved state.

The results of this fortuitous discovery were made public in a new study published in the online journalCommunications Biology, which details the identification and historyof theonly near-intact bird carcass ever documented from thelast ice age.The location of its final resting place was near the banks of the Indigirka River in Siberia, where it shared a home populated with various Pleistocene Epoch creatureslikemajesticmammoths,horses,woolly rhinos,bison, andlynx.

After determining the frozen flier's age to be approximately 46,000 years old using radiocarbon dating techniques with delicate samples offeathers and a tiny piece of tissue, Daln and his colleagues played detective to pinpointthe precise species the bird belonged to. Via DNAsequencing, lead study author andpostdoctoral researcher Nicolas Dussex of Stockholm University pieced together its specific signature of mitochondrial DNA, and matched its lineage to that of afemale horned lark (Eremophila alpestris).

The level of preservation of this bird is absolutely stunning,"Daln tells SYFY WIRE."Considering its age, its possibly one of the best preserved pre-historic specimens ever discovered.

Further research found the bird to be an ancestorof two sub-species of modern horned lark, one residingon the remote Eurasian tundraand the other in Mongolia and surrounding countries, providing new clues to how climate change possibly affected the divergence.

"When the local Russians came and showed the bird, I had had trouble believing that it really could be that old," he recalls. "I thought that perhaps it was a bird that had flown into the tunnel a few years ago and died there. But the locals insisted that it had been found in the permafrost far inside the tunnel. So we decided to collect samples from it for radiocarbon dating, and when we got the results it was clear that it was not only old, but actually [circa] 46,000 years old. So it is several tens of thousands of years older than, for example, the cave lion cubs and wolf head found in the same site."

Read more here:
Believe it or not, this perfectly preserved bird is actually 46,000 years old - SYFY WIRE

Now, where did I put those files again...

A fresh set of usage figures has the notorious Windows 10 October 2018 Update withering on the Redmond vine as uptake of November's jumped-up patchfest climbs.

There was good news today for pretty much everyone as Microsoft's disastrous 1809 update for Windows 10 saw its usage drop from 22 per cent in January to a mere 16.4 per cent in February, according to figures released by ad-slinger AdDuplex.

Over the 90,000 PCs surveyed by AdDuplex, last year's March update continued to top the leaderboard, although the November update strode from 15.2 per cent to 22.6 per cent. The data is culled from the 5,000 Windows Store apps that run the company's SDK and, in the absence of official stats from Microsoft itself, are a handy pointer to where things are at.

Support for 1809 for most editions is due to come to an end on 12 May 2020, and we really can't see any sort of life extension being granted. Support for the previous edition, 1803, ended in November last year for all but Enterprise, Education and IoT Enterprise license owners, but it still commands just under 5 per cent of PCs surveyed.

1809 might, of course, linger a little longer. Known also as the Windows 10 2019 Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), enterprises can keep getting mainstream support for the OS until 2024, with the plug finally being pulled on 9 January 2029. As a reminder, 1809 was infamously re-released on 13 November 2018 after a catastrophic debut and "support dates have been adjusted accordingly".

The figures are evidence that, following the hubris of 1809, a more cautious hand is at the Windows 10 tiller these days. Recent releases (particularly the November 2019 Update) have not been rammed with features that the majority of users neither know nor care about. This trend looks set to continue with the next update, due in the coming weeks, which includes a tweaked Linux kernel to please some developers, but otherwise is mostly free of the fripperies that blighted the operating system in previous years.

And that cautious approach has extended to the release cycle the hysteria in 2018 that saw 1803 (the April 2018 Update) garner nearly 90 per cent of the survey are long gone. A slow, more measured rollout of updates on which users have the option of slamming the brakes means that any one version of Windows 10 is unlikely to trouble the 60 per cent mark before the next update arrives.

Things will start getting a tad more interesting again when Windows 10X finally puts in an appearance.

Sponsored: Quit your addiction to storage

Go here to see the original:
The Ghost of Windows 10 Past shrinks back as Microsoft's axeman tiptoes ever closer - The Register

G4S PLC (LON:GFS) hit the skids, sliding 14% to 166.8p, after revealing it is to sell the majority of its conventional cash handling businesses.

The businesses, which raked in around 600mln in revenue in 2019, are being sold to The Brinks Company for an enterprise value (i.e. adjusted for cash and debt) of 727mln.

The deal put paid to hopes of the businesses being hived off and floated as a separate entity.

Topps Tiles PLC(LON:TPT) tumbled as it warned profit before tax for the year to next October will be materially below expectations.

The market had forecast 13.5mln and 14.5mln, which was still below last years 16mln.

The flooring specialist said the home improvement market still has to see post-election improvement, with like-for-like sales dropping 5.5% in the eight weeks to 22 February.

Standard Chartered PLC (LON:STAN) fell 4.5% to 565.2p as it warned shareholders to brace for slower growth than previously expected in 2020.

Income growth for 2020 is likely to be below its medium-term 5-7% target range, the Asia-focused bank said, blaming a combination of the coronavirus with lower interest rates and a softer Hong Kong economy.

A new share buyback of US$0.5bn was also announced, following the purchase of US$1bn last year.

WPP PLC (LON:WPP) slumped 15% to 775p as it reported flat sales and lower profits and an alarming slump in the fourth quarter.

The performance represents a blow for chief executive Mark Reid and his three-year turnaround plan.

While revenues of 13.2bn for 2019 were up 1.4% on the previous year, this was mostly from currency swings, and annual growth was held back as the fourth quarter saw organic net sales turn negative again, falling 1.6% overall, with the US and UK down 4.5% and 3.7%, the Rest of the World down 0.2% and Western Europe up 1.3%.

Cobra Resources PLC (LON:COBR) eased 11% to 1.7p despite bragging about a breakthrough gold fingerprint at its Wudinna project in South Australia.

Cobra said it has identified a unique and distinctive chemical fingerprint for gold mineralisation at the Barns, White Tank and Baggy Green prospects.

The company is now planning the Stage-2 sampling programme, which will focus on infilling sample sites that target extensions to Barns, White Tank and Baggy Green.

Playtech PLC (LON:PTEC) has been a dog stock over the last three years and fell another 12% today to 269p following a profit warning.

The company, which makes online gaming software, said it started 2020 strongly but the last two weeks it has started to see a material impact from changes in normal customer patterns due to COVID-19, which is significantly affecting two of its largest markets.

Accordingly, results for 2020 are likely to be below existing market expectations, Playtech's statement said.

Playtech slumps as two of its largest markets hit by coronavirus https://t.co/uPXHe2XRmp pic.twitter.com/EaPfwfIr62

Phoenix Copper Limited (LON:PXC) saw its shares rise 5.7% to 10.04p after it banged out shares at a significant premium.

The company raised US$2.0mln (roughly 1.54mln) by way of a subscription for new shares (which raised US$1.54mln) and the issue of 12% unsecured loan notes (which raised 459,400).

The subscription shares were sold at 15p each. Directors Marcus Edwards-Jones, Dennis Thomas as Roger Turner bought, in aggregate, 3.24mln shares at the subscription price.

Drax Group PLC (LON:DRX) advanced 4.2% to 270.8p on the back of solid results and a commitment to end commercial coal generation at the Drax Power Station next year.

The deadline for ending the use of coal at the power station is 2025.

The power generator's adjusted underlying earnings (EBITDA) for 2019 rose to 410mln from 250mln the year before, but on a reported basis the company made a pre-tax loss of 2.8mln versus a profit the year before of 13.8mln after a number of exceptional charges relating to restructuring, asset obsolescence charges and derivatives contracts.

BATM Advanced Communications Limited (LON:BVC) says its Bio-Medical division has successfully developed a new diagnostics kit to detect the coronavirus. The kit has undergone testing by several central laboratories and hospitals that have now verified its ability to diagnose COVID-19, added the medical device maker.

Bahamas Petroleum Company PLC (LON:BPC) has this morning announced that it has secured environmental authorisation for the Perseverance-1 well, which is expected to spud in April 2020. The company noted that the authorisation is the conclusion of an extensive and thorough process over many years, involving local and international agencies, independent third-party expert consultants, and extensive engagement across all aspects of Bahamas government.

After Wednesdays close, Bahamas Petroleum also announced a partial conversion of recently issued loan notes. The exploration company last week inked an 8mln arrangement to issue zero-coupon convertible loan notes to a Bahamian based institutional family-office investor. Shortly thereafter it made an initial draw-down of 2.7mln (after fees it received 2.43mln) and it has subsequently received the first conversion notice, for 1.44mln from the first draw-down

Haydale Graphene Industries PLC (LON:HAYD) told investors that it is making significant progress in its collaborations with international partners, though todays interim financial results confirm adverse trends in short-term revenues. Group revenue for the six months ended 31 December amounted to 1.35mln, down 17%, though it also reduced costs and reported that its adjusted operation loss narrowed by 22% to 2.1mln. It ended December with 2.7mln of cash.

ANGLE PLC (LON:AGL) (OTCMKTS:ANPCY), a world-leading liquid biopsy company, announced that Istituto Nazionale Tumori di Milano, Milano, Italy has published the results of work, which assessed the performance of the firms Parsortix system in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) demonstrating its key advantages. The AIM-listed firm said the pilot study suggested that even the presence of a single CTC in a blood sample prior to treatment may predict a reduced progression-free survival.

Greencoat UK Wind PLC's (LON:UKW) said its renewable energy assets are now powering enough electricity to power almost one million homes. In its results statement for 2019, the renewable infrastructure fund said its investments generated 2,386-gigawatt hours (Gwh) of electricity during the year. Net cash generation clocked in at 127.7mln, enabling the company to pay out 93.2mln in dividends (6.94p per share); the company is targeting dividend payments in the current year of 7.1p. The group' net asset value at the end of 2019 stood at 1,842.8mln, which is equivalent to 119.7p (on an ex-dividend basis) per share, down from 121.4p at the end of 2018.

Base Resources Limited (LON:BSE) has hailed a successful ramp-up of its mining operations at the South Dune orebody in Kenya as it delivered results for the first half of its current year. Looking ahead, managing director Tim Carstens said the company will continue to pursue mine life extension opportunities at its Kwale project, where South Dune is located, adding that the company was also in discussions with the Madagascan government regarding fiscal terms for its Toliara mineral sands project.

AFC Energy PLC (LON:AFC) has announced the appointment of its company secretary Graeme Lewis as its finance director with immediate effect. In a statement, the leading provider of hydrogen power generation technologies said Lewis will also retain his role as its company secretary.

Open Orphan PLC (LON:ORPH) has confirmed the appointment to the board of chief financial officer Leo Toole. Bringing more than 20 years experience to the pharma services group, Toole previously held roles with Procter and Gamble, ResMed and Sublimity Therapeutics.

ECSC Group PLC (LON:ECSC), the provider of cybersecurity services, will be announcing its results for the year ended 31 December 2019 on 25 March 2020.

Salt Lake Potash Limited (LON:SO4) (ASX:SO4) has advised shareholders that a new corporate presentation is now available to view on the company's website.

BigDish PLC (LON:DISH), a food technology company that operates a yield management platform for restaurants, announced that an updated research note from Align Research is now available to view online.

BlueRock Diamonds plc, the AIM-listed diamond mining company, which owns and operates the Kareevlei Diamond Mine in the Kimberley region of South Africa said a new corporate presentation will be made available on its website.

See more here:
G4S bins plans to hive off its cash handling business - Proactive Investors UK

The Bronco II said goodbye as the new Ford Explorer arrived in the brands line up of strong and durable SUVs. It quickly got a warm welcome from the consumers in 1991, and it outsold the already-famous SUVs from Jeep and Chevrolet.

The Ford Explorer sold 300,000 units annually for its first-generation model and this increased by 100,000 units annually for its second-generation model, making it the best-selling Ford SUV at that time.

Ford has released six generations of greatness with the Explorer. From day one, the Ford Explorer captured the hearts of the public, and up to this day, it is one of the most well-loved SUVs in the market. It has so many variants, versions and special editions, which people can choose from their liking.

Scroll along to witness how this vehicle transformed intoone worth celebrating. Here are 15 photos capturing the evolution of the Ford Explorer.

The first generation of the Ford Explorer outshines its predecessor, Bronco II, by having a 4 liter Cologne OHC V6 engine, which produces 155 to 160 horsepower, connected to a four-speed automatic or five-speed manual gearbox. It was available in either two or four-door trim, and with four-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive system.

The 1993 Ford Explorer Sport was first planned to be trim level only but made its way to have its own model series. It has a wheelbase 10 inches shorter than the regular Ford Explorer, making it easier to maneuver off-road. Unfortunately, its model line was discontinued in 2003.

RELATED:The Real Story Behind The First Ever Ford Mustang

Ford introduced the second generation of the Ford Explorer in 1995. It still runs the same V6 engine, on the other hand, it received essential improvements from its previous version, including rounded body edges for added aerodynamics and more circular headlights and taillights. Its grille had a new look as well.

The 2002 Ford Explorer was the first of the third-generation Ford Explorer. For the first time, this model was completely redesigned, and not based on the Ford Ranger. It featured more interior amenities and advanced ergonomics that could now accommodate two more passengers, making it a seven-passenger midsize SUV.

The Ford Explorer Sport Trac had two generations, and the first one was launched in 1999 as the brands first midsize pickup truck, between the F-150 and the Ranger. The second edition was released in 2006 and was based on third-generation Explorer. Its base engine is a 210-horsepower V6.

Ford created an entirely new automotive genre with the Sport Trac Adrenalin. This vehicle was released in 2007 as the world's first high-performance sport-utility truck. It amalgamates of performance and functionality and can drive with lightning speed. It makes use of a 4.6 liter supercharged Modular V8 engine, which releases 390 horsepower.

RELATED:The Hidden Truth Behind The 2020 Ford Mustang GT500s V8 Engine

The Ford Explorer America concept made its debut at the 2008 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as a midsize utility vehicle on a unibody platform that gives it a unique silhouette. This vehicle is ideal for everyday chores since it has sliding doors. It is designed as a six-seater.

2011 was the year for the fifth generation Ford Explorer. Based on the Ford Taurus, this SUV has a unibody chassis and a different engine position. The new model was loaded with a fresh engine, a 3.5-liter V6, which produces a stunning 290 horsepower, matched with a six-speed automatic transmission.

The 2013 Ford Explorer Sport was available for a base price of $41,545 and promised a higher level of energy compared to the regular Explorer. It is the only model fitted with a 365-horsepower engine with aluminum block and heads, and bigger brakes. This trim level flaunts a darker exterior approach.

Ford once again introduced another generation of the famous Explorer in 2016. This new vehicle was announced at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, giving a life extension for the long line up of Explorers. It boasts a 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a brand-new infotainment display that gives the interior an innovative style.

RELATED:15 Facts And Figures About The New 2020 Ford GT

The market was celebrating the arrival of this $21,668 midsize SUV. The 2018 Ford Explorer received a new grille, enhanced fog lights, and revised headlights. It is available with all-wheel-drive or front-wheel-drive, with a 2.3-liter or 2-liter EcoBoost engine, respectively. It can compete head-to-head with SUVs such as the Nissan Pathfinder and Toyota Highlander.

The 2020 Ford Explorer XLT is one of the primary trim levels of the Explorer, along with Limited, ST and Platinum. The XLT trim differs with a standard powertrain that includes a 300-horsepower 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, linked to a 10-speed automatic transmission that has a unique Selectshift feature.

The 1010 model year of the Ford Explorer is sold at a starting price of $38,981, and it delivers a more excellent turbocharged power. This sixth-gen Explorer has a zero to 60 miles per hour acceleration time of 6.8 seconds. It is also revised on the inside, with an expanded cabin.

The 2020 Ford Police Interceptor Utility does not only look heavy-duty, but it also performs better than the regular Explorer. This vehicle offers more than what you can think of. It boasts a police-spec suspension and tires. As an extreme officer protector, it passed the 75 miles per hour rear-impact crash test.

The rear-wheel-drive 2020 Ford Explorer Limited has an added touch of class, with leather upholstery, and heated seated. Its steering wheel is also heated. Few more upgrades include a wireless device charging, and 12-speaker Bang and Olufsen sound system. This trim also receives power-adjusting mirrors and an automatic liftgate.

NEXT:15 Affordable Track-Friendly Cars You Can Buy In 2020

Next15 Sports Cars With A Top Speed Too Fast For Their Own Good

Chris is a proficient reader and writer. He has written for many publications including TheRichest, TheClever, TheQuiz, and ListVerse. Cars are his passion.

Originally posted here:
15 Photos Capturing The Ford Explorer's Evolution Through The Years - HotCars

Published: 13:56 Thursday 27 February 2020

A Kintore-based firm has announced the appointment of six new recruits as part of a 400,000 investment in the organisation.

FPSO and marine vessel integrity and repair management company, Marine Technical Limits (MTL), has welcomed three software developers, two CAD designers and an equipment technician.

The software developer appointments come as part of a significant investment by MTL to further the development of their PYXIS integrity management system.

The system is used by clients to track and manage the maintenance, inspections and repairs of their assets, offering FPSO operators a more controlled way of maintaining their FPSO, further extending the life of the asset.

Projects Director Calum MacLean said: We are delighted to welcome these six new recruits.

Investing in our employees and bringing onboard young talented people is part of our ethos at MTL.

Their employment comes as part of a 400k investment this year.

We are extending the features of our Pyxis integrity management software to external users and furthering expanding our inspection planning for UAV and ROV surveys.

Further to its recent appointment of staff and expansion in services, Marine Technical Limits directors Matt Lewin and Calum MacLean attended the FPSO Europe Congress 2020 in London last week to discuss their expertise in Asset Life Extension (ALE).

Read more:
Kintore firm invests in new appointments - Inverurie Herald

Last Thursday of every month, Perpetual Life 's doors open from 6 PM -11 PM to South Florida longevity enthusiasts and the health/wellness community. The guest speaker is Dr. Frank Sabatino, Health Director at Balance for Life Retreat, Florida, health center specializing in plant-based vegan nutrition, health rejuvenation, stress management, and therapeutic fasting and detoxification.

WHAT: Dr. Frank Sabatino, Health Director at Balance for Life Retreat, Florida, will be giving a presentation of "The Plant-Based Fountain of Youth, the Science of Healthy Aging." Closing remarks by Bill Faloon, a brief introduction on "The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting," and his monthly updated list of dead billionaires who missed the longevity boat.

WHEN: Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 7 PM. Doors open at 6 PM.

WHERE: 1855 McKinley Street Hollywood, FL 33021

WHY: Dr. Frank Sabatino will be speaking about the Plant-based diet and longevity.

To see this media advisory in a social media press release go to https://medium.com/@knowaging/perpetual-life-present-the-plant-based-diet-and-intermittent-fasting-for-longevity-f08c2b72d8f

RSVP is required via Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dr-sabatino-plant-based-fountain-of-youth-the-science-of-healthy-aging-tickets-93971817235Email: neal@churchofperpetuallife.orgCall: (954) 6742524

Watch the Perpetual Life live stream on Thursday, February 27, 2020, at 7 PM.https://youtu.be/yxIkSkFO_OA

###

ABOUT DR. FRANK SABATINO:

Dr. Frank Sabatino is a Chiropractic physician who also has a Ph.D. in cell biology & neuroendocrinology from the Emory University School of Medicine. He has done extensive landmark research on calorie restriction, stress, and aging. He has published a number of major scientific papers in some of the most well-respected peer-reviewed journals in the fields of cell biology, endocrinology, and neuroscience.

Frank has also written numerous articles for lay magazines and journals in the areas of clinical nutrition, healthy weight loss, women's hormones, stress management, addiction, and healthy aging. He was featured in a variety of books, news articles, and cable TV programs, including CNN. Dr. Sabatino is a past member of the prestigious Brookdale fellowship in Gerontology and Aging. For more info https://balanceforlifeflorida.com/health-director/

ABOUT BALANCE FOR LIFE HEALTH RETREAT FLORIDA:Balance for Life Retreats is an all-inclusive plant-based wellness program operating in the Wyndham Deerfield Beach Resort located in Deerfield Beach, FL. It offers a comprehensive lifestyle education program that includes 100% whole food plant-based nutrition without any added salt, oil, or sugar. Providing a variety of exercise classes, tai-chi/yoga stress management programs, and healthy detoxification programs that include vegetable juices and medically supervised water-only fasting under the full-time supervision of Health Director, Dr. Frank Sabatino. https://balanceforlifeflorida.com/https://vimeo.com/345005683

ABOUT PERPETUAL LIFE:The Church of Perpetual Life is a science-based church that is open to people of all faiths. We are non-denominational and non-judgmental. We are a central gathering place for humanists, atheists, agnostics, and Transhumanists, as well as people who are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and any other faith. What brings us together is our common hope and belief in the option of healthy Radical Life Extension. For more info visit https:// churchofperpetuallife.org; Email: Neal@ChurchOfPerpetualLife.org; Twitter: @LifePerPetual; Facebook.com/ChurchofPerpetualLife (https://www.facebook.com/ChurchOfPerpetualLife); Subscribe on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe3YnzN28JK2uof7sAv8e3g)

Follow the full story here: https://przen.com/pr/33333094

Continued here:
Plant Based Fountain of Youth - The Science of Healthy Aging presented by Dr. Frank Sabatino, Health Director of Balance for Life Retreat Florida -...

Dekas platform has the potential to enable discoveries of next generation therapies, said Richard Lubin.

JUPITER, Fla. (PRWEB) February 27, 2020

An upcoming episode of Advancements with Ted Danson, scheduled to broadcast 2Q/2020, will explore innovative treatment solutions for maladies, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), specifically Crohns Disease (Crohns), and Oncology. Check local listings for more info.

This segment will focus on a novel platform developed by Deka Biosciences, Inc. (Deka Biosciences), that will enable the delivery of next generation cytokine or combination of cytokines to a specific tissue of interest. Viewers will learn how this cutting-edge technology, termed Diakines, has led to the development of two potential therapeutic molecules involving an affinity modified Interleukin 10 cytokine.

The show will also explore how Deka Biosciences is using Diakines to harness the spectrum of therapeutically useful and clinically validated IL10 and other cytokine specific biologies. Spectators will see how these Diakines can maximize patient benefits through improved PK/PD function combined with a MOA directed patient selection strategy.

The biopharma industry has known for a while that cytokines play an integral role in immunology and disease management, and that delivery of cytokine therapeutics into diseased tissues will dramatically enhance therapeutic benefit, said Dr. John Mumm, co-founder & CEO of Deka Biosciences. He continued to say, Deka Biosciences has harnessed the wealth of clinical knowledge around cytokines and IL-10 in particular, to develop a novel delivery platform to enrich cytokine variants in effected tissues, coupled with methods to determine how to select the patients with the greatest likelihood of response to ensure that the right patients get the right medicines.

In addition, the show will also inform about Deka Biosciences Precision Medicine strategy, which enables Deka to identify the right patients to treat with these new medicines.

Dekas platform has the potential to enable discoveries of next generation therapies, said Richard Lubin, senior producer for DMG Productions and the Advancements series. We are eager to explore how Deka is set to influence future treatment options for IBD, Crohns.

About Deka Biosciences:Deka BioSciences, Inc., is an early-stage biotech focused on creating the next generation targeted cytokine therapies to treat chronic illnesses such as Crohns Disease and Oncology. Dekas focus is on the development of optimized disease specific IL-10 variants coupled with the DiakinesTM T1/2 life extension tissue targeting technology. In parallel, Deka has developed a Precision Medicine strategy by identifying the genetic signature that drives responses to treatment to enable the selection of the patients most likely to benefit from our therapies.

About Advancements and DMG Productions:The Advancements series is an information-based educational show targeting recent advances across a number of industries and economies. Featuring state-of-the-art solutions and important issues facing todays consumers and business professionals, Advancements focuses on cutting-edge developments, and brings this information to the public with the vision to enlighten about how technology and innovation continue to transform our world.

Backed by experts in various fields, DMG Productions is dedicated to education and advancement, and to consistently producing commercial-free, educational programming on which both viewers and networks depend.

For more information, please visit http://www.AdvancementsTV.com or call Richard Lubin at 866-496-4065.

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Next-generation Targeted Cytokine Therapy to be Explored on Advancements Series - PR Web

Mikhail Khodarenok

is a military commentator for RT.com. He is a retired colonel. He served as an officer at the main operational directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

is a military commentator for RT.com. He is a retired colonel. He served as an officer at the main operational directorate of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces.

Last week, the US conducted a military exercise which simulated a nuclear exchange with Russia and contrary to traditional practices, the Pentagon put that politically explosive designation out in the open.

Any operational directive (or combat order) starts with an overall enemy assessment which includes data about the enemys political situation and military capabilities in the strategic area of interest, as well as possible scenarios of engagement.

Sometimes a particular enemy is designated for these exercises, but usually its just given some abstract label (such as blue, green or orange). Even fake countries, like Donovia or Limaria, are invented in some cases.

All the documents pertaining to military exercises are usually classified. Depending on the level of sensitivity, they are marked as secret or top secret. All this is done in order to avoid souring relations with other states, which might well happen if, for instance, the papers reveal that one nation is role-playing an attack on another.

Nuclear war games are always classified as top secret. Basically, all documents related to strategic nuclear forces operations would be the most restricted military data in any nuclear state.

And then a senior Pentagon official comes out and says, at the DoD Background Briefing on Nuclear Deterrence and Modernization, that they held a "mini-exercise"witha scenario thatincluded a European contingency where [the troops] were conducting a war with Russia, and Russia decided to use a low-yield limited nuclear weapon against a site on NATO territory. The exercise was complete with a simulation of a conversation between the secretary of defense and the president to decide how to respond.

Forget cautious secrecy, the full transcript was published on the DoDs website. This makes one think, what is that about? One thing we can say for sure is that it definitely does not help maintain or promote peace and friendly relations in the world.

Lets talk about the premise that Russia decides to use a low-yield limited nuclear weapon against a site on NATO territory.

Current relations between Russia and the US (and the West in general) are far from great, but at the same time there are no burning issues ideological, economic, territorial or religious in nature that can only be resolved through military action, let alone require using weapons of mass destruction (WMDs).

In other words, at this point there are no social or political reasons for Moscow and Washington to engage in nuclear warfare. Neither Russia nor the US has any grounds for unlimited use of WMDs, and strategic nuclear weapons in particular.

Moreover, military officials in both countries agree that even using any type of tactical nuclear weapon (lets say, an artillery shell with an explosive yield of 2 kilotons) will inevitably lead to an exchange of multiple nuclear strikes.

Next, the DoD official said: You go through the conversation that you would have with the secretary of defense and then with the president, ultimately, to decide how to respond. And so they played out that game, and got a good understanding for how that went.

This seems highly questionable. The procedure for approving a nuclear strike is similar in both Russia and the US; its very clear, extremely centralized and has been practiced for the last seventy years.

There could be no new rules for the conversation that you would have with the secretary of defense and the president or a new good understanding for how it would go. Both in Russia and the US the response protocol is drilled until it becomes automatic, and every second counts during strategic nuclear strike exercises. In both countries, even the smallest delay in relaying orders will lead to an in-depth investigation at the highest level.

So, there was nothing new to be learned during this US exercise, but it can certainly trigger another round of tensions between Moscow and Washington.

We cant rule out that the point of US military exercises with such scenarios is to revive the threat from the East again and later justify additional expenses on building up the advanced strategic nuclear arsenal.

According to Defense News, the US plans to develop a completely new warhead, the W93. The Pentagon is now revealing details about the weapon, what it will replace and when it might be deployed.

Since the introduction of the W88 in the 1980s, all upgrades to warheads have been described as variants. This time, the warhead would be largely a new design.

Right now, there are two submarine-launched nuclear warheads in the arsenal, the W88 and the W76. The latter, which has just completed a service life extension program, now comes in two varieties, the traditional W76-1 and a lower-yield W76-2. Meanwhile, the W88 is in the early stages of a modernization process.

However, each of those two systems will likely require additional modernization in 15-20 years, and their cores are getting increasingly older, even with efforts led by the National Nuclear Security Administration. Given that, the Pentagon believes now is the time to begin developing a future replacement.

The administrations goal is to have the new nuclear warhead design, which in size would be somewhere between the two existing ballistic missile warheads, fielded by 2040.

Developing a new warhead will require considerable funding, and the government has to find a way to convince US lawmakers to allocate the money, considering the W93 is the first new nuclear warhead design in the last few decades. So, the primary objective of the DoD at this point will be to persuade the US Congress that now is the time to launch this project, which means a military exercise with Russia as the enemy comes in very handy.

Should there be no military exercises involving strategic nuclear forces in order to avoid potential tensions in the international arena?It's unclear whether the Pentagon's "mini-exercise" involved anything beyond the role-played conversation, but normally nuclear drillsinvolve a massive exertion of military force.

In Russia,this could mean ground-based strategic nuclear forces, strategic aviation, air force units with operational-tactical nuclear weapons, naval strategic nuclear forces, submarines with submarine-launched cruise missiles equipped with nuclear warheads, operational-tactical missile forces and artillery units, as well as special forces. In the US, the makeup is approximately the same.

All of these forces have to maintain proper combat readiness, and that is only done through regular exercises and training. However, making up clearly provocative scenarios for military exercises (with a dash of fantasy and fairytales), not to mention advertising them in public, is ill-advised.

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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.

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Convenient hysteria: US is no longer sugar-coating the fact its nuclear drills are aimed at Russia - RT

The bag that Laurie Olesen gripped as she walked through the airport looked like any other carry-on. But the bright blue canvas tote would carry more than her cellphone, e-reader and toiletries. It would hold the last, best hope of survival for a desperately ill patient.

Bound for the East Coast, Olesen was on a mission to pick up blood stem cells or bone marrow provided by a donor, then fly with it to another city where it would be transfused into a recipient.

The product travels so the patient or the donor doesnt have to, said Olesen, 66, of St. Paul.

Olesen is a volunteer courier for Be The Match. Based in Minneapolis, the nonprofit registry serves people diagnosed with a variety of life-threatening blood, bone marrow or immune system disorders.

Shes one of a cadre of 400 of specially trained volunteers that form a crucial, reliable and affordable link between donors and patients.

These couriers are prepared to get a call, race to the airport and reach across time zones with a perishable product that comes with a true deadline. The consequences of a delay can be devastating even lethal for a patient waiting for the unique match.

Our volunteer couriers have to work on a tight time frame. They manage the paperwork and fill out a chain of custody form to document exactly where the cooler has been. We want it in a volunteers line of sight at all times, said Rut Kessel, volunteer specialist with Be The Match. They protect it with their life because it is a life.

Only about 30% of patients who need a bone marrow or blood stem cell transplant can find a donor within their family. Be The Match provides an international database of more than 20 million to locate an unrelated donor. When such a wide net is cast, the recipient and the anonymous donor rarely live in the same city. Theyre usually in different states, regions or even countries.

Thats where couriers come in.

Many volunteers are retirees who have time and flexibility. The gig also attracts firefighters, health care workers and airline employees whose shift work creates consistent open days in their schedules. While costs for their flights, hotels and other travel expenses are covered, couriers arent paid for their time.

They also never meet or even learn the names of donors or recipients. They typically pick up a numbered product at one lab and deliver it to another.

We have strict rules about confidentiality, explained Kessel. The courier experience is detached from the people involved. Something has gone terribly wrong if a courier ever meets or even sees a donor or recipient.

But many couriers have a personal connection to Be The Match.

Someone did this for me, said Lisa Maxson, 37, an Ohioan who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2011. Hospitalized for months while she had chemotherapy and radiation to kill her own diseased bone marrow, the mother of three underwent a transplant to replace it with healthy donor cells.

While I was sick, I decided I would give back to the organization that saved my life, she said.

Her family now sponsors a 5K race to benefit Be The Match. And this winter, she traveled to the registrys headquarters in the North Loop to take the two-day training for volunteer couriers.

Im so excited to be a courier for my transplant brothers and sisters, she said. I know what it feels like to be afraid youre going to die.

The gift of life

Every day of the year, volunteer couriers are in the air, crisscrossing the globe with the lifesaving cargo in temperature-controlled, medical coolers tucked under their seats. Last year, couriers living in 15 America cities made more than 2,600 trips, about a quarter of them to international destinations.

Five Minneapolis-based travel agents book their flights and manage their itineraries. Like the couriers themselves, the travel agents have to be nimble and act quickly when the unexpected occurs. Theyre also on call round-the-clock to rebook trips if mechanical difficulties cancel a flight or blizzards or hurricanes snag the travel grid, said Bonnie Bagley, who supervises the agents.

Two years ago, Bagley became a volunteer courier and now uses vacation time to make deliveries.

That closed the loop for me. Now I literally see how the system that Ive had a glimpse of works for patients, she said. I understand the passion our volunteers have. Theres an adrenaline rush when youre carrying the product.

For her part, Olesen likely holds the record for the most trips, which she estimates at a hundred deliveries to every region in the United States as well as a number of foreign countries.

Couriers have to be assertive, but must also remain calm, she said. You cant get rattled when things dont go as planned.

Shes also learned how best to deal with foreign customs agents.

When you bring a product from another country into the U.S., you have to declare the product to customs. You carry a special letter but, to tell the truth, some agents dont know what theyre supposed to do. Thats where the diplomacy comes in, said Olesen. You have to help them do their job without alienating or provoking them. You learn to kill them with kindness.

In 1986, Olesen was the first employee for the organization that became Be The Match. A registered nurse, she was working with blood collection at the American Red Cross in St. Paul when it was among a consortium of blood banks that received a grant to develop the nations first bone marrow registry. She was hired to identify donors for specific patients.

She joined the few lab technicians and transplant center employees who flew donations from donor to recipient. As the registry expanded and number of patients and donors increased, Be The Match added volunteer couriers in 2004. Olesen set up volunteer and education programs, managed search operations and kept up her courier duties.

While most of her deliveries have gone off without a hitch, shes had a few near-misses, including the time when a drop-off spot in Barcelona turned out to be a dead end. She and a cabdriver bridged their language gap to figure out the correct spot and hustle across the city.

We have guidelines for tipping, but that was one time I gave a little extra out of my own pocket, Olesen recalled. He went above and beyond.

And then there was the time when she had completed her pickup in London, only to arrive at the airport as a snowstorm shut it down.

I went to the gate agent and told them I was carrying bone marrow. They declared the flight a life flight and our plane was prioritized. We took off when the first runway opened, she said. When you do this, the courier gods are always on your side.

Although Olesen retired from Be The Match two years ago, she keeps her bag packed and her passport ready so she can continue to fly as a volunteer.

Being a courier reminds me of what were about. It affirms why we do what we do every day, she said. I know that within 24 hours after I get the product to its destination, it will be transfused into the recipient. That can give a person their life back.

Kevyn Burger is a Minneapolis-based freelance broadcaster and writer.

Originally posted here:
Carry-on item for Be the Match volunteers: Organ transplants - Minneapolis Star Tribune

CHICAGO About 54 million Americans suffer from the aches and pains of arthritis.

Treatments range from pain medications to injections to surgery.

None of it seemed to work for 77-year-old Marty Ciesielczyk.

And it jeopardized something he loved: jogging.

"For me, it's just enjoyable, and if you're not a runner, then you would have no idea what I'm talking about."

But Marty's active lifestyle was in jeopardy when knee pain took over.

"When you got to lay on the floor to get dressed, it's tough."

It happens when there's a loss of cartilage in the joint.

"It's like a tire, and as you slowly lose rubber on the tire, it wears away," explained Dr. Adam Yanke, a surgeon with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush University.

"You might need to have the tire replaced at some point."

Marty's arthritis was too advanced for a scope procedure but not bad enough for a joint replacement.

So he enrolled in a study testing whether amniotic fluid, which surrounds a growing baby in the uterus, could help his pain.

"Amniotic products come from patients that are having healthy, elective C-sections, and they choose to donate these products at the time of the delivery," said Dr. Yanke.

It's thought to increase tissue healing and lower inflammation.

Doctor-diagnosed arthritisis more common in womenthan in men. Arthritis and other joint disorders are among the five most costly conditions among adults 18 and older.

Your bone marrow makes mesenchymal stem cells, or MSCs. They are known to grow into new tissues, including cartilage.

By gathering these cells and injecting them into the knee joint, the hope is that they will give growth to new cartilage and reduce inflammation.

Marty received a placebo during the study, but then chose to have the amniotic fluid when the study ended.

"I mean I didn't care if it was Pixie dust, as long as my knee was going to feel better."

He went from not being able to get dressed to jogging about a week after having the injection.

"This morning, I ran three, three miles, and I had no problem at all."

Amniotic fluid is also being used to treat ulcers in the eye.

Rush University will be enrolling patients for a larger follow-up study on amniotic fluid for joint pain in the future.

Clinical trialsare still going on and most studies are still early.

A review published in 2016 in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders concluded that MSC-based therapies offer an "exciting possibility" for treatment, but further studies need to be done on how they can best be used and how well they work.

They are also known to be very expensive.

If this story has impacted your life or prompted you or someone you know to seek or change treatments, please let us know by contacting Jim Mertens atjim.mertens@wqad.comor Marjorie Bekaert Thomas atmthomas@ivanhoe.com.

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YOUR HEALTH: Knee relief can be found in the womb - WQAD.com

TEL AVIV, Israel, Feb. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- BioLineRx Ltd. (NASDAQ: BLRX), (TASE: BLRX), a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology, announced today that a Notice of Allowance has been issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for a patent application claiming the use of motixafortide (BL-8040), a novel immunotherapy compound, combined with any PD-1 inhibitor, for the treatment of any type of cancer.

The PD-1 antagonist can be any agent that prevents and/or inhibits the biological function and/or expression of PD-1, such as pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA). The targeted cancer can be solid, non-solid, and/or a cancer metastasis.

This patent, whenmedi issued, will be valid until July 2036 with a possibility of up to five years patent term extension. Additional corresponding patent applications are pending in Europe, Japan, China, Canada, Australia, India, Korea, Mexico, Brazil and Israel.

"We are extremely pleased to receive this valuable notice of allowance from the USPTO, which entitles us to long-term, highly enforceable and broad patent protection for our lead product, motixafortide, in combination with any PD-1 inhibitor, and more importantly, for all cancer indications, including, of course, any solid tumor," stated Philip Serlin, Chief Executive Officer of BioLineRx. "This important patent allowance also supports our ongoing Phase 2a COMBAT/KEYNOTE-202, for which we have recently completed patient recruitment in the triple combination arm investigating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of motixafortide, KEYTRUDA and chemotherapy. Following promising initial results demonstrating robust and durable responses to the triple combination treatment, we look forward to the progression-free and overall survival data from the triple combination arm expected in mid-2020."

The COMBAT/KEYNOTE-202 Study

The Phase 2a COMBAT/KEYNOTE-202 study was originally designed as an open-label, multicenter, single-arm trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the dual combination of motixafortideand KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab), an anti-PD-1 therapy marketed by Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), in over 30 subjects with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The study was primarily designed to evaluate the clinical response, safety and tolerability of the combination of these therapies, and was carried out in the US, Israel and additional territories. The study is being conducted by BioLineRx under a collaboration agreement signed in 2016 between BioLineRx and MSD, through a subsidiary.

In July 2018, the Company announced the expansion of its immuno-oncology collaboration with MSD to include the triple combination arm investigating the safety, tolerability and efficacy of motixafortide, KEYTRUDA and chemotherapy as part of the Phase 2a COMBAT/KEYNOTE-202 study. In January 2020, the Company announced completion of recruitment of the 40 patients planned for the triple combination arm of the study.

About Motixafortide in Cancer Immunotherapy

Motixafortideis targeting CXCR4, a chemokine receptor and a well validated therapeutic target that is over-expressed in many human cancers including PDAC. CXCR4 plays a key role in tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis, metastasis and therapeutic resistance, and CXCR4 overexpression has been shown to be correlated with poor prognosis.

Motixafortideis a short synthetic peptide used as a platform for cancer immunotherapy with unique features allowing it to function as a best-in-class antagonist of CXCR4. It shows high-affinity, long receptor occupancy and acts as an inverse agonist.

In a number of clinical and preclinical studies, motixafortidehas been shown to affect multiple modes of action in "cold" tumors, including immune cell trafficking, tumor infiltration by immune effector T cells, and reduction in immunosuppressive cells (such as MDSCs) within the tumor niche, turning "cold" tumors, such as pancreatic cancer, "hot" (i.e., sensitizing them to immune checkpoint inhibitors and chemotherapy).

About BioLineRx

BioLineRx Ltd. (NASDAQ: BLRX), (TASE: BLRX) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology. The Company's business model is to in-license novel compounds, develop them through clinical stages, and then partner with pharmaceutical companies for further clinical development and/or commercialization.

The Company's lead program, motixafortide, is a cancer therapy platform currently being evaluated in a Phase 2a study for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in combination with KEYTRUDA and chemotherapy under a collaboration agreement with MSD. Motixafortideis also being evaluated in a Phase 2b study in consolidation AML and a Phase 3 study in stem cell mobilization for autologous bone-marrow transplantation.

BioLineRx is developing a second oncology program, AGI-134, an immunotherapy treatment for multiple solid tumors that is currently being investigated in a Phase 1/2a study.

For additional information on BioLineRx, please visit the Company's website at http://www.biolinerx.com, where you can review the Company's SEC filings, press releases, announcements and events. BioLineRx industry updates are also regularly updated on Facebook,Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Various statements in this release concerning BioLineRx's future expectations constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include words such as "may," "expects," "anticipates," "believes," and "intends," and describe opinions about future events. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of BioLineRx to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Some of these risks are: changes in relationships with collaborators; the impact of competitive products and technological changes; risks relating to the development of new products; and the ability to implement technological improvements. These and other factors are more fully discussed in the "Risk Factors" section of BioLineRx's most recent annual report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 28, 2019. In addition, any forward-looking statements represent BioLineRx's views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. BioLineRx does not assume any obligation to update any forward-looking statements unless required by law.

Contact:

Tim McCarthyLifeSci Advisors, LLC+1-212-915-2564tim@lifesciadvisors.com

or

Tsipi HaitovskyPublic Relations+972-52-598-9892tsipihai5@gmail.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/biolinerx-announces-notice-of-allowance-from-uspto-for-patent-covering-motixafortide-bl-8040-in-combination-with-anti-pd-1-for-the-treatment-of-any-type-of-cancer-301012614.html

SOURCE BioLineRx Ltd.

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BioLineRx Announces Notice of Allowance from USPTO for Patent Covering Motixafortide (BL-8040) in Combination With Anti-PD-1 for the Treatment of Any...

Anthropologist Rayna Rapp will discuss the growth of genetic testing in reproduction in a public lecture, Wed., March 25, 5:30 p.m. in NYUs Jurow Lecture Hall, Silver Center for Arts and Science, 100 Washington Square East (enter at 32 Waverly Place or 31 Washington Place [wheelchair accessible]).

Banking on DNA: Gendering the Ever-Expanding Horizon of Prenatal Genetic Testing and Reproductive Technology, a Bentson Deans Lecture, is free and open to the public.

How are we to make sense of the increase in testing in reproduction? Rapp will consider the rapidly escalating role of genetic testing in reproduction and will highlight the benefits and burdens of intensified testing in family-making and their gendered implications. The knowledge and pressure to use such tests has resulted in growing social and cultural awareness of disability rights, robust commercial investments in genome-based technologies, and the turn to big data in health research.

Excerpt from:
The Implications of the Growing Role of Genetic TestingLecture by Anthropologist Rayna Rapp, March 25 - NYU News

Newark, NJ, Feb. 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by Fior Markets, theglobal genetic testing services market is expected to grow from USD 34.5 Billion in 2017 to USD 67.1 Billion by 2025 at a CAGR of 8.72% during the forecast period 2018-2025. Rising prevalence of genetic diseases, awareness among population, growing adoption of genetic testing services, and demand of genetic testing in developed countries, growing demand for personalized medicine, growing government initiatives and increased R&D activities in the genetic testing market are the factors that is driving genetic testing services market.

Genetic testing is used in the analysis of the changes in chromosomes, proteins, or genes caused by any suspected genetic condition or disease. It is also used in the diagnosis of cancer and plan the treatment. Several genetic tests are used such as new-born screening, prenatal testing, pre-implantation testing, carrier testing, etc. Numerous methods such as chromosomal method, molecular method and biochemical method are used for genetic testing. It is performed for the identification of risk factors, to screen the new-borns, and also in forensics. According to the report by WHO, sickle cell anaemia is one of the most common genetic disorders among people whose ancestors come from Sub-Saharan Africa, South America, Cuba, Central America, Saudi Arabia, India, and Mediterranean countries. Genetic tests in combination with other genomic technologies predict risk of an individual to a disease and also increase the opportunities for players in pharmaceutical industry to grow. For instance, and provides genetic makeup tests to the consumers. Company also recommends genetic counsellors based on results to help the consumers about the better testing of genes, and the inherited diseases.

Advancements in genetic testing technologies, rising cases of genetic diseases and growing awareness are driving the testing market. In addition, emerging markets hold great potential for growth of due to growing awareness and increase in patients in these regions. High cost and lack of experienced professionals are some of the factors restraining the growth of the market. However, Shift from clinical science to bioinformatics is also leading to high rate of adoption of genetic testing technology, which in turn is augmenting the growth of the market in coming years.

DOWNLOAD FREE SAMPLE REPORT AThttps://www.fiormarkets.com/report-detail/362223/request-sample

Key players operating in the global genetic testing services market include Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, Genomic Health, Inc., NeoGenomics Laboratories, Inc., Quest Diagnostics, Eurofins Scientific, Ambry Genetics, Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Illumina, Inc., CENTOGENE AG, 23andMe, Sequenom, GeneDx, Abbott, Cepheid Inc., ELITech Group, Verinata Health, Inc and others. Top players of the market are making efforts in R&D to increase their footprint in the market.

The predictive & presymptomatic testing is dominating the segment and was valued around USD 12.17 billion in 2017

The test type segment includes prenatal testing, newborn screening, predictive and presymptomatic testing, pharmacogenomic testing. The predictive & presymptomatic testing is dominating the segment and was valued around USD 12.17 billion in 2017. Detection of diseases at early stage minimizes the severity of diseases leading to reduced mortality rate. Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases around the world is expected to augment the segment growth over the forecast period.

The oncology segment dominated the application segment and is expected to register the highest CAGR of 10.07% in the forecast period

The application segment is divided into segments such as oncology, infectious diseases and autoimmune diseases. The oncology segment dominated the application segment and is expected to register the highest CAGR of 10.07% in the forecast period. Timely diagnosis save lives and reduce the number of deaths. According to, The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), around 8.9 million cancer deaths were recorded in 2016 caused by inheriting genetic mutation. Rising prevalence of various types of cancer such as prostate cancer, breast cancer and lung cancer coupled with increasing awareness pertaining to early detection of cancer are expected to stimulate the growth of the market.

The hospital-based laboratories segment is dominating the genetic testing services market and held the largest market share of 38.21% in 2017

The service provider segment is classified into hospital-based laboratories, diagnostic laboratories and specialty clinics. The hospital-based laboratories segment is dominating the genetic testing services market and held the largest market share of 38.21% in 2017. Advanced infrastructure and increasing number of hospitals in developing economies are driving the growth of the market.

Browse full report with TOC athttps://www.fiormarkets.com/report/global-genetic-testing-services-market-by-test-type-362223.html

Regional Segment Analysis of the Genetic Testing Services Market

The regions analysed for the market include North America, Europe, South America, Asia Pacific, and Middle East and Africa. North America region dominated the global genetic testing services market with the largest share and was valued around USD 15.180 Billion in 2017 where as Asia Pacific region is the fastest growing region in the market. North America region is dominating the market due to developed infrastructure, increase in health care investments and presence of large number of academic and research institutes are key factors leading to the growth of the market. Asia Pacific is anticipated to register highest growth in the forecast period. Increase in the prevalence of infectious disease, increasing awareness about the advantages of predictive testing, and rise in the adoption of advanced technology for clinical applications are some of the major factors offering growth opportunities to the genetic testing services market.

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The global genetic testing services market is analysed on the basis of value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed on global, regional and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each segment. The report offers in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining the key insight of the market. The study includes porters five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, supply, demand analysis, competitor position grid analysis, distribution and marketing channels analysis.

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Global Genetic Testing Services Market is Expected to Reach USD 67.1 Billion by 2025 : Fior Markets - GlobeNewswire

The direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is expected to witness significant growth in the future on the back of rising awareness among patients to go for early diagnosis and obtain in-time treatment.

This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire

San Francisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 02/26/2020 -- Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Introduction

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing refers to genetic testing that provides people with their genetic information wherein involvement of healthcare professional or Health Insurance Company is not necessary. While a number of companies are offering the direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, it is spreading awareness regarding genetic diseases that can be prevented in time. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing also offers personalized information about overall health, potential disease risks and other genetic traits.

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The direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is expected to witness significant growth in the future on the back of rising awareness among patients to go for early diagnosis and obtain in-time treatment. As the prevalence of genetic diseases and rare disorders is increasing across the globe, application of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Notable Developments

In March 2018, 23andMe, Inc. received FDA approval for marketing of the company's genetic test to be used in the screening of BRCA1/BRCA2 breast cancer gene mutations. This is the very first direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing for cancer.In November 2018, Berry Genomics partnered with Prenetics, a Hong Kong-based biotechnology company. The partnership is aimed at offering a range of direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing services in the Chinese market.In January 2019, Nebula Genomics, a start-up genetics company announced that the company will offer free whole genome sequencing for consumers who are willing to contribute their genomic data for the use of drug development studies. This is expected to bring new avenues in the direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market with leaders in clinical laboratories as well as anatomic pathologists are planning to offer the same service to advance the field of pharma drug development and treatment.Some of the most prominent competitors operating in the competitive landscape of global direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market include

AncestryEasyDNA23andMeFull GenomesFamily Tree DNALiving DNAGenesis HealthCareHelixColorIdentigeneMyHeritageKarmagenesMapMyGenomePathway Genomics

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Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Dynamics

Opportunities for Manufacturers as FDA Relieves Regulatory Hurdles

In June 2018, the U.S. FDA relieved some of the regulatory hurdles for manufacturers of the direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing for health risk. As per the new regulatory updates, manufacturers, after receiving the first premarket approval for genetic health risk (GHR) test can commercialize the test without the requirement of additional review. GHR tests provide consumers with genetic risk information to consumers, however, it does not determine whether the person is at risk of developing a disease or a condition. While the regulatory process remains equally stringent, the FDA has warned against the use of multiple genetic tests with unapproved claims to predict patient response to a specific set of medications.

Prenatal and Newborn Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Demand On the Rise, Reliability Remains a Grey Area

Over the period of the last decade, individuals could easily purchase direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing over online transactions to carry out prenatal and newborn genetic testing without the intervention of health professionals. However, companies that offer such tests lack a comprehensive standard data to which the testing results are compared. While the number of companies offering the direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing for newborn screening is increasing, the reliability of their tests remains a grey area owing to the lack of supervision about test content, interpretation and accuracy.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence to Add Value in DTC Genetic Testing

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing holds significant importance in the field of personalized medicine. Health data of an individual derived from direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing in the form of genetic sequencing can be linked with other health indications to gain an overall health outlook. Towards this, many direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing companies are engaged in collaborating with pharma companies. Also, with the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in the medical diagnostic technologies such as direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing, the derived genetic sequencing data becomes more valuable.

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Segmentation

Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is segmented on the basis of type, application and technology.

Based on type, the Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is segmented into,

Diagnostic ScreeningPrenatal, newborn screening, pre-implantation diagnosisCarrier TestingNutrigenomics TestingRelationship Testing

Based on application, the Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is segmented into,

Direct salesLaboratory salesRetail sales

Based on technology, the Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing market is segmented into,

Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) ChipsTargeted AnalysisWhole Genome Sequencing (WGS)

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Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Latest Trends and Future Growth Study by 2028 : Ancestry, EasyDNA, 23andMe - Press Release - Digital...

By Express News Service

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:Expanding its scope in diagnosis domain, the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), has established a Molecular Genetics and Neuroimmunology Unit (MGNU) for genetic testing of selected cardiac and neurological inherited diseases. SCTIMST president V K Saraswath inaugurated the facility on Wednesday.

According to a senior SCTIMST official, the new facility would help test multi-gene panels for diseases such as neuromuscular diseases, movement disorders like Parkinsons disease, neuro-developmental disorders, epilepsy syndromes, inherited metabolic diseases, and for identification of bacteria from body fluids.As per institute release the diagnostic facility will open new avenues for extensive research in genomics and collaborative research work within and outside the country. The facility will also examine gene mutation that cause specific diseases.

The release said that MGNU will also help overcome the cost and speed limitations associated with sequencing benefitting clinicians and patients alike. The long-term plan of MGNU is to establish a robust bioinformatics platform to provide support for disease diagnosis and management, molecular characterization of diseases for personalized treatment, population screening for disease risk, pharmacogenomics (study of how genes affect a persons response to drugs), identification of novel genetic biomarkers and genetic counselling. SCTIMST, an institute that comes under the Department of Science and Technology, is o an advanced referral centre for neurological and cardiovascular diseases. The patients are referred to the centre not only from Kerala but also from neighbouring states for the management of genetic diseases.

Long-term planThe long-term plan of MGNU is to establish a robust bioinformatics platform to provide support for disease diagnosis and management.

Read more:
Sree Chitra to examine gene mutation and carry out gene testing - The New Indian Express

Dr. Gaylis is chief scientific officer of Genesis Healthcare Partners and voluntary professor of urology, University of California, San Diego. Dr. Kader is professor of urology at Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego.Disclosures: Dr. Gaylis is a scientific board advisor at, and Dr. Kader is the founder of, Stratify Genomics.

Urology Times presents opinions, advice, and news from urologists and other urology professionals. Opinions expressed here are the authors' own, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Urology Times or its parent company, MJH Life Sciences.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common solid organ malignancy affecting American men and the second leading cause of death from cancer. Since the introduction of the PSA blood test in the early 1990s, there has been a progressive decrease in the stage and grade of PCa at diagnosis as well as a dramatic decline in PCa death rates. However, due to the variable natural history of PCa and the PSA tests poor specificity, universal PSA-based screening has also led to increased cost and suffering in many men who will never be affected by PCa.

This controversy has led to confusion and varying recommendations, ultimately resulting in a decrease in PSA-based screening. Coinciding with this decrease in screening, a recent report from the American Cancer Society indicates, for the first time in 30 years, a halt in the decline in presentation of metastatic disease and PCa mortality.1

Citing two controversial papers in 2012 suggesting that there is minimal survival benefit to PSA-based screening average risk men, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) considered that PSA-based screening harms many (side effects include anxiety from screening, infection and bleeding from prostate biopsy, and urinary incontinence and sexual dysfunction from treatment) and benefits few (men saved through early detection). The USPSTF recommended that no man should be screened for PCa.

This stance was adopted by the American Academy of Family Physicians, among others, and what followed was an indiscriminate cessation of screening in most men, and with that, the dramatic decline in new PCa diagnoses by almost 60,000 cases.

Subsequent to the Task Forces recommendation in 2012, several research groups including ours published disturbing trends of more men presenting with more aggressive and advanced PCa.2,3 We now see for the first time a changing course in the death rate from the disease. We are entering a dangerous era. Should we go back to the days before PSA-based screening, the increase in death and suffering will not be felt for another decadeat which point it might be too late for a generation of men.

Due to a backlash stemming from these reports and an acknowledgement of the flaws in the original screening studies, the USPSTF in 2018 amended its recommendation slightly to suggest that a conversation be held between physician and patient (between the ages of 55 and 69 years) about the risks and benefits of PSA-based screening with no allowance for risk factors (family history or race).

Rather than forgoing screening in everyone, we suggest a risk-stratified approach whereby our screening efforts are focused on those men who stand to gain the most and be harmed the least. Men expected to live beyond 10 years who have a family history of PCa, are of African-American race, and/or have a genetic predisposition to the disease should be offered screening at an earlier age (mid-40s) and more aggressive screening (yearly). Average- and low- risk men (based on genetic testing) should be counseled regarding the risks and benefits of screening (called shared decision-making) and allowed to make an informed decision regarding screening at longer intervals (possibly every 3-7 years).

Furthermore, to avoid overtreatment of indolent PCa, men diagnosed with low-risk disease should consider active surveillance (close monitoring with intent to treat and cure if the disease worsens).

Genetic predisposition to PCa is based on newly discovered germline genetic (inherited DNA) abnormalities, which have been associated with the development of PCa and sometimes aggressive disease. The latter may develop as a result of mutations of the breast cancer DNA damage repair genes (BRCA1 and BRCA2). In addition, abnormalities in other components of the DNA called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with the development of PCa.

Tests for specific SNPs have recently become commercially available to predict a mans lifetime risk of developing PCa. A San Diego startup, Stratify Genomics, recently launched Prompt - prostate genetic score (PGS), one of the first germline SNP tests based on a cheek swab. Studies of Prompt-PGS have shown promising results, with data showing it being two times more predictive than PSA and three times more predictive than a positive family history in determining the risk of a man developing PCa.4,5 Additional new tests either currently available or in testing include urinary exosomes (which contain DNA), liquid biopsies (blood and urine tests designed to detect the presence of PCa), and other biomarkers looking at cancer-associated cell changes in urine.

The recently reported change in PCa death rates should prompt men to undergo genetic testing and have a discussion with their doctor regarding the benefits and potential harms of PSA-based screening based on their individualized risk of developing the disease. Together with race and family history, this new genetic information can help men and their physicians make an informed decision regarding screening and hopefully reverse this disturbing trend in PCa death rates.

References

Original post:
An end to the decline in prostate cancer mortality - Urology Times

Epigenetic clocks are a new type of biological test currently capturing the attention of the scientific community, private companies and governmental agencies because of their potential to reveal an individuals true age.

Over the past two years, companies such as Chronomics and MyDNage have started to sell epigenetic age tests to the public online, and the life insurance company YouSurance has announced that it would be testing the epigenetic age of their policy holders to assign them to risk groups. Forensic scientists are also contemplating how epigenetic clocks could help determine the age of suspected criminals.

Recently, the Kobor Lab developed the first pediatric epigenetic clock designed specifically for testing the age of young people, with an eye towards its applications in research and medical settings. This test uses a small sample of cells collected cheaply and easily from a cheek swab, and can predict a childs age with a degree of precision within approximately four months.

But pediatric epigenetic clocks are likely to have non-medical applications as well. They could soon be used in immigration cases to prove the age of undocumented migrants seeking asylum as minors. Other future uses can be imagined, such as for child labour and trafficking surveillance, or even for the identification of child combatants in armed conflicts.

As researchers in bioethics, sociology and medical genetics, we are interested in the potential benefits and risks of this fascinating yet controversial new technology for individuals and society.

Epigenetic clocks emerge from the field of epigenetics, which examines how chemical marks can regulate gene expression and help us understand how aging and disease processes work. Epigenetics is the study of small molecules that bind to DNA or to the proteins DNA wraps around, changing how genes are read. These small molecules dont change the linear sequence of the DNA, but they can turn genes on or off by opening or closing the 3D structure of DNA.

If we think of genes as light bulbs, epigenetic marks can nudge the dimmer switch up or down, but they cant change the colour of the light. Some epigenetic marks can change in response to a persons environment or lifestyle. Epigenetic tests may provide information about individuals that a genetic test alone cant reveal such as exposures to trauma, stress, diet or pollutants.

Other epigenetic marks change in a very constant fashion as a person develops, grows and ages. These marks have enabled the development of different epigenetic age tests. Also known as epigenetic clocks, these tests are poised to be the first epigenetic tests ready for use.

However, most epigenetic tests have not yet been scientifically validated to confirm their precision and accuracy in different sub-groups of the population, and the ethical, legal and social implications of their use are not well understood.

Like genetic tests, epigenetic tests may eventually be used in law enforcement and immigration settings, as well as in research and medical contexts. The lessons learned from DNA testing highlight the need for caution and responsible implementation.

Genetic research and testing now have many uses beyond detecting disease risks and tracing ancestry. DNA tests are common tools in police investigations to identify suspects and victims of crimes, and they are increasingly used by immigration agencies to prove genetic relationships in family reunification efforts.

In 2018, the identification of the suspected Golden State Killer made it clear that biological information shared with companies such as 23andMe and Ancestry.com through direct-to-consumer tests could be mined by law enforcement agencies. This case raised public and legal concerns about the privacy of genetic information, and the uses of DNA stored by private companies and in government databases.

Due to the capacity of epigenetic tests to expose sensitive information about an individuals developing environment, social conditions and life choices, the implementation of tests like the pediatric clock requires close attention to issues related to privacy, surveillance and basic human rights.

In an era of rising xenophobic and protectionist immigration policies across the globe, the benefits of gaining biological data should be critically considered against the risks to basic human rights inherent in the process of collecting another layer of information from a vulnerable population.

When genetic testing was proposed as a solution for family reunification for the thousands of children separated from their parents by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids and deportations, ethicists and advocacy groups raised significant issues, including the lack of informed consent and concerns about the long-term storage of DNA in either private databases or those previously used only for those accused of crimes.

The use of genetic tests to prove the biological relationship between family members seeking to reunite in a country has also been criticised for being ethically problematic for children in non-genetic families, and having potentially devastating consequences for members of genetic families if DNA test errors occur. These situations could impede the reunification of children with their primary caregivers.

Problems may also arise if epigenetic clocks are used in immigration cases before we fully understand and address their ethical, legal and social consequences. For example, migrants who are minors may have been exposed to highly stressful experiences, malnutrition or medical conditions. Such exposures can affect the results of epigenetic clock tests which were developed based on the DNA of healthy children in developed countries. This makes their use in efforts to identify biological age problematic for both technical and ethical reasons.

To date, there have been attempts but no official report of any police force or immigration agency successfully using an epigenetic clock test in solving a challenging criminal case or asylum claim. However, it has come to our attention that researchers have been approached by governmental agencies interested in using the pediatric epigenetic clock in particular, and by migrants searching for ways to prove the age of their undocumented children in order to be granted access to legal privileges reserved only for minors.

The promises of epigenetics that circulate widely in public discourse include the potential to control ones genetic predisposition such as disease risk through lifestyle choices. With this type of attention, individuals in the general public may in fact be among the first interested in using these tests. Consumers gaining access to epigenetic tests online, and those seeking to use them to inform legal and policy decisions, should be aware of their current scientific limitations, as well as of rising privacy and non-discrimination concerns.

Standards of practice, ethical guidelines and regulations are critically needed to ensure the responsible use of epigenetic tests. Most urgently, there is a need to protect children and their caregivers from premature or socially inadmissible uses of pediatric epigenetic clock tests to ensure their promises are realised with their best interest in mind.

Charles Dupras, Postdoctoral Fellow, Center of Genomics and Policy, McGill University. Martine Lapp, Assistant Professor of Sociology and Science, Technology, and Society, California Polytechnic State University. Michael S Kobor, Canada Research Chair in Social Epigenetics and Professor, UBC Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia.

This article first appeared on The Conversation.

See more here:
Why we should be wary of epigenetics, the science that reveals our true age - Scroll.in

If you have a rare disease, you may be the only person in Australia with that condition.

You may not know, however, that being diagnosed with a rare disease means you are part of a community of up to two million Australians with one of these conditions. And more than 300 million people globally.

Read more: When you're sick, the support you'll get may depend on the 'worth' of your disease

Today, health minister Greg Hunt announced Australia will have its first National Strategic Action Plan for rare diseases.

This action plan will harness the power of rare disease advocates, patients and families, clinicians, researchers, peak bodies, industry and government to improve care for people with rare diseases.

A rare disease is one that is very uncommon. The most widely accepted definition stipulates a rare disease affects fewer than five in 10,000 people.

Rare diseases are serious, complex, usually chronic, often life-limiting and most have no cure.

We know of about 7,000 different rare diseases, most with a genetic origin. Many begin in childhood.

Rare diseases are often progressive they get worse over time and can be associated with physical or intellectual disability.

Examples of rare diseases are uncommon childhood cancers such as hepatoblastoma (a cancer of the liver), and other better-known conditions like cystic fibrosis and phenylketonuria (a birth defect that causes an amino acid called phenylalanine to build up in the body, and untreated can lead to intellectual disability, seizures and behavioural problems). Both are symptomatic from birth. Huntingtons disease is another, but only shows symptoms in adulthood, even though its inherited.

Read more: Explainer: what is cystic fibrosis and how is it treated?

For a person living with a rare disease, and the people around them, the journey to obtaining a diagnosis and receiving treatment can be difficult, complex, worrying, confusing and isolating.

Rare diseases are difficult to diagnose because individually they occur so infrequently, and symptoms can be very complex. My research and another Australian study show it can take years to get the final correct diagnosis. Most health professionals have never diagnosed or cared for a person with osteogenesis imperfecta, Fabry disease or any other of the 7,000 rare diseases.

Added to this, the onset of symptoms for a rare disease can occur anywhere between birth and adulthood, and diagnostic tests are lacking or difficult to access.

But diagnosis is only part of the puzzle. People with rare diseases typically need complex care from large teams of health professionals because with many rare diseases, several body systems are affected. Also, given the often-progressive nature of the condition, care needs can change sometimes dramatically over time.

Important questions also arise around life expectancy and what the risks would be if the person with a rare disease was to start a family. Would their children inherit the disease? Genetic counsellors can help with these sorts of questions.

Read more: No matter how you fund it, medical research is a good investment

Further, care is costly to families and to the health system. The cost of providing hospital care to just one child with a rare lung disorder who eventually needed a lung transplant amounted to almost A$1 million before the childs ninth birthday.

The market for drugs for rare diseases, often called orphan drugs, is small. Although governments incentivise the pharmaceutical industry to develop orphan drugs, there are no effective drug treatments for most rare diseases.

In recognition that rare cancers and rare diseases traditionally lose out to more common diseases in terms of research, additional targeted funding has recently been allocated to boost research in Australia. In 2019 the NHMRC and the Medical Research Future Fund pledged A$15 million over five years for rare cancers, rare diseases and unmet need.

While a positive step, we are still lagging behind other countries. The United States, for example, spent US$3.5 billion (A$5.3 billion) on rare disease research in 2011.

The action plan recognises people with a rare disease and their right to equitable access to health and support services, timely and accurate diagnosis and the best available treatments. It aims to increase rare disease awareness and education, enhance care and support, and drive research and data collection.

Its roll out should lead to better outcomes for people with rare diseases and less worry and frustration for families. For example, access to care coordinators or care navigators could help guide people and families through our often-fragmented health, disability and social care systems.

Read more: Personalised medicine has obvious benefits but has anyone thought about the issues?

Recent advances in personalised medicine, where a persons specific genomic make-up could be used to tailor specific medicines for that persons particular disease, holds much promise for people with rare diseases in the future.

Genetic testing for critically ill babies and children is already resulting in faster diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases.

The action plan aims to build on and support the sustainability of these important developments.

If you or a family member has a rare disease, and youd like more information, the Rare Voices Australia website is a good place to start.

Nicole Millis, CEO of Rare Voices Australia, co-authored this article.

The rest is here:
What is a rare disease? It's not as simple as it sounds - The Conversation AU

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. A few years have passed since Deidra Radel was a young woman proudly wearing her Navy uniform. As a mom and wife, her life was going great.

Then-- in her early 40s -- she found herself stuck with the awful symptoms of menopause. Hot flashes. Night sweats. Draining fatigue. Radel went to a doctor in South Florida and was given a type of Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which went under her skin.

"It was terrible! I looked like a teenage boy," she said. She actually took selfies of all the acne that hit her to document the bad results of the HRT.

"I wanted to cry," she says.

Turns out she got an incorrect mix of hormones in her HRT, but the experience was so bad Radel figured she would just deal with her symptoms and never try HRT again.

Radel

Then she heard about an internal medicine physician at Mayo Clinic Jacksonville, Dr. Jackie Thielen. She came to Jacksonville from Mayo Rochester as an expert on women's health issues. Radel had a long meeting with Thielen, and she wound up taking a customized treatment of HRT.

Does she have any symptoms at all now? Hot flashes? Fatigue? Horrible night sweats?

"No. No. No!" Radel said. She's back to full steam with her family. In fact, she agreed to share her story to encourage other women to talk with their doctors and not just suffer from menopause.

Radel

The message to all women? In Thielen's words: "Women do not have to suffer in silence."

Here are some facts about menopause from Thielen:

When a woman goes 12 consecutive months with no periods

"But really menopause can occur between ages 40 and 58," Thielen said. "A woman can experience symptoms leading up to the actual menopause for years."

Thielen points to current research that says some women need estrogen or some form of HRT early on after menopause to cut down their risk of medical troubles.

Thielen says a study, which hit the news in 2002, made women and some doctors frightened of HRT. She says the bad rap continues. "We're trying to change that," Thielen said.

Some women may need to avoid HRT. Those may include particular forms of breast cancer. Women with a certain history of blood clots may need to steer clear as well but even in those cases there could be safe ways to take HRT.

For example, Dr. Thielen says anti-depressants are showing solid results in stopping hot flashes. It doesn't mean you're depressed. "It's all about brain chemistry," Dr. Thielen says.

A Woman's Health Specialty Center will open this spring at Mayo Clinic in Florida. It will provide a team approach for the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of women's unique needs. Those include:

For more information on menopause click hereand here.

Read more from the original source:
Hot flashes: How this veteran won the battle against menopause - FirstCoastNews.com WTLV-WJXX

Arizona Republican lawmakers are pushing a bill to effectively ban transgender girls from interscholastic sports.

A coalition of over 150 businesses is opposing a bill currently being considered by the Arizona state House of Representatives that would impose invasive medical exams on transgender girls who want to play sports.

One Community, a coalition of LGBTQ-friendly Arizona businesses and individuals, announced on Wednesday that the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Arizona Lodging & Tourism Association, the Arizona School Boards Association, and TechNet had all signed on to a letter in opposition to the bill, along with law firms, restaurants, media companies, resorts, and a yoga studio.

They are all concerned that the bill, H.B. 2706, authored by Republican state Rep. Nancy Barto and co-sponsored by 22 of her GOP colleagues, would effectively prevent transgender girls from participating with interscholastic or intramural girls teams.

If a kid's gender were ever disputed, the bill would require a kid who's gender was disputed to provide a signed physician's statement that "indicates the student's sex based solely on all" of three factors: their "internal and external reproductive anatomy," a measurement of their "endogenously produced levels of testosterone," and an "analysis" of their genetic makeup.

The bill, which stipulates that "athletic teams or sports designated for females, women, or girls may not be open to students of the male sex," would block a student from participating who couldn't provide a physician's statement meeting the strict criteria.

Barto named the bill the "Save Women's Sports Act." A national anti-trans group has been pushing similar bills in other states.

"Science is what it is," Barto told a local newspaper earlier this month. "The difference between males and females is obvious."

But one parent disputed this during a legislative hearing earlier this month. She noted that many trans kids who transition before puberty, including her own daughter, do not produce the male hormones that could provide an athletic advantage and others take hormone-suppressing drugs.

"Gender is far more complex than our genitals," she told the lawmakers.

The ACLU of Arizona opposes the bill and warned on Monday: "AZ's #HB2706 would subject girl athletes to invasive examinations such as: -a physical exam of the childs genitals, -a blood test, -and genetic testing".

"Girls should not be subjected to ANY of these over-the-top invasive medical exams in order for them to play sports," the ACLU said.

Still, the House Rules Committee voted on Wednesday to send the bill to the full House.

Republicans hold a majority in both chambers of the Arizona Legislature, and because Gov. Doug Ducey (R) has a history of opposing LGBTQ rights, it could well become law.

But Arizona businesses have reason to worry about the bill's impact if it does beyond how much it would harm student athletes.

In 2014, the GOP-controlled legislature passed S.B. 1062, a bill which would have allowed businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ people as long as they cited religious beliefs. Amid threats of an economic boycott of Arizona, then-Gov. Jan Brewer, a Republican, vetoed the bill.

Since that time, boycotts of other states over their new anti-LGBTQ laws have caused significant economic impact. After North Carolina passed its infamous "bathroom bill" in 2016, the state lost tens of millions of dollars in business. One 2017 analysis before that law's partial repeal predicted more than $3.76 billion in lost business for North Carolina over a dozen years.

Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.

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New GOP bill would require invasive medical exams of trans kids who want to play sports - The American Independent

for The month of march is Endometriosis Awareness Month. The world is to draw attention to the relatively unknown, yet common disease areas. 200 million women around the world suffer it, and in the united kingdom, the disease is common. The disease is in the taboesfeer, " says physician and researcher Esther van Barneveld, and that is if they want to stop it. Six questions about endometriosis.

"Endometriosis is a chronic disease. Tissue on the lining of your womb, it is in areas outside the uterus (womb). It is usually found in the peritoneum or the organs in the abdomen. It is also found in the vagina, a scar from an emergency c-section. It is a tissue that grows, it creates chronic inflammation, and that gives you different problems."

"this can range from no symptoms to, in extreme abdominal pain, particularly during menstruation. If the endometriosis on the bowel wall, it may also have problems to give. Or, in the bladder, for example, blaasklachten. Some women have pain during intercourse. Women with endometriosis may be less fertile. This can be the result of growths, and adhesions of the fallopian tubes, and ovaries."

"Worldwide, approximately one in ten women suffers from endometriosis. In the Netherlands, it is estimated that around 400,000 are women. Endometriosis is as common as diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis. However, you can hear most of the time, something about it. As the impact is huge and can be. The quality of life for women with endometriosis is often significantly lower than in women who don't have it."

"Women have to think for yourself is the pain in the menstrual period should. Also, general practitioners and specialists to prescribe for the symptoms are often at a 'normal' menstrual pain. In some cases women are frightened, as aansteller to be seen, and they dare not complain to get out. The diagnosis is, on average, only every eight years. That is why it is important to keep the veil on for endometriosis, to stop it."

"to be The most effective treatment for endometriosis is hormone therapy, that is, the menstrual period is suppressed, such as the oral contraceptive pill, or have a hormoonspiraaltje. It does, however, mean that women have during this treatment can not become pregnant. In addition, the hormonal treatments that often have side-effects.

"Women who do not have the hormones capable of, or willing to use, and are most dependent on pain killers. An exploratory surgery in which endometriosis is removed, is sometimes a possibility, but the symptoms are often not clear. Up to 75% of the patients after surgery symptoms to keep. How can this be, it is still not clear. There is a research need."

"all Kinds of organizations, including the national Endometriosis Foundation, which is committed to the endometriosis is known to do. There is also research being done; for example, we are in the Centre of excellence for Endometriosis in Maastricht, responsible for the development of a patintenapp. That can help you with the research, and, at a later stage in the process of monitoring the disease and evaluating the treatment. The app measures the action in real time, taking into account the factors that may have an impact on pain, such as diet, sleep, and stress."

"with The knowledge we can apply it in the treatment. This leads to faster and improve the quality of care that the person is focused, and thus more. We can also test whether a new treatment is effective, or yoga or any other therapy, for example, can help."

now, Of Barneveld, is a physician-researcher at the Centre for Endometriosis of the Maastricht university medical centre (UMC+) and GROW School for Oncology and Developmental Biology.

Link:
Pain due to disease in endometriosis: Women think that they are hiring' - Celeb's Net

From Family Features

Michele Adams is quick to say, I dont want to throw anyone under the bus, but it took her being hit by a car for her thyroid disease to finally be diagnosed.

Adams has always been an active person, but for a few years, she had felt tired and had a constant tightness in her throat. She was diagnosed with post-nasal drip but did not feel relief after a year of treatment.

I thought this exhaustion, hoarse voice and lump in my throat were just my new normal, Adams said. Id accepted it, and I shouldnt have.

During this time, Adams went on a bike ride in northeastern New Jersey something she still does frequently. However, on this day, Adams was struck by a car as she was biking.

The incident resulted in an MRI scan. Adams was not seriously injured, but doctors noticed something unexpected. The scan revealed nodules in her lower neck, which suggested thyroid disease.

I now realize I had symptoms of a thyroid condition for years, Adams said. Id had it up to here with not feeling like myself. Once I had the MRI results, I knew to seek out a thyroid expert, and I found an endocrinologist.

Thyroid disease is more common than diabetes and heart disease, but more than half of Americans with thyroid disease are unaware, according to the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE). This lack of awareness can endanger a persons health and well-being.

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland located low in the front of the neck below the Adams apple. It produces thyroid hormones that influence almost every cell, tissue and organ in the human body.

Common signs of thyroid diseases include:

Cheryl Rosenfeld, D.O., is a thyroid expert and AACE member. Rosenfeld is also the physician who treated Adams thyroid disease.

If the thyroid does not function correctly, it can affect every possible aspect of a persons life, Rosenfeld said. Remember that thyroid conditions can cause changes in mental health, including depression. Ive also spoken to patients whove experienced an inability to concentrate, which seriously affected their performance at work.

Several disorders can arise if the thyroid produces too much hormone (hyperthyroidism) or not enough (hypothyroidism).

Other thyroid diseases include:

Undiagnosed thyroid issues can also place a person at increased risk for heart disease, osteoporosis, infertility and other serious conditions.

Once I was placed on treatment for Hashimotos and hypothyroidism, my life changed completely, Adams said. My throat is no longer sore, and Im able to go out with my family or spend time at the gym without feeling completely drained of energy.

The first step to ensure your thyroid gland functions properly is to speak with a health care provider about your symptoms and whether a thyroid test is needed.

Anendocrinologistis aspecially trained doctor who is qualified to diagnose and treat hormone-related diseases and conditions, including thyroid cancer and all other diseases related to the thyroidgland.

Visitthyroidawareness.comto learn more about thyroid health.

SOURCE:American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists

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It Impacts Weight, Sleep and Mental Health... - The Apopka Voice

A similar but much larger case series (also authored by the medical advisor to Abortion Pill Rescue and medical director of Culture of Life Family Health Care) reports that it was approved by an institutional review board. It still remains deeply flawed, according to experts. This series, published in Issues in Law & Medicine in 2018, looked at data from 754 pregnant people who called an unspecified hotline between June 24, 2012, to June 21, 2016, and explained that they had taken mifepristone but not misoprostol and were interested in continuing their pregnancies. Just over 200 potential participants were excluded for various reasons, like deciding to continue with the abortion or a lack of follow-up. Out of the 547 participants included in the analysis who received progesterone, 257 gave birth, but again, that doesnt translate into scientific proof that abortion reversal works. There was no consistency in terms of where or how the patients received progesterone, how far along they were in the pregnancy, or whether or not they had an ultrasound before the reversal to confirm if there even was still a viable embryo present.

Trying to base medical protocols and legislation on this kind of fundamentally flimsy research goes against both science and the moral responsibilities of health care providers.

Elizabeth Nash, senior state issues manager at the Guttmacher Institute, says that abortion reversal laws are such an example of overreach that reproductive advocates were surprised to see more states propose bills after Arizonas got shot down in 2016.

On top of creating a policy based on incomplete evidence, these laws get into a very important question on informed consent, Nash tells SELF, explaining that no ethical physician would move forward with an abortion unless they were absolutely sure of their patients choice.

I cant emphasize strongly enough that when people enter an abortion facility, the only thing on the providers mind is whether this decision and process is what a woman clearly wants, Lisa Harris, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of obstetrics-gynecology and medical ethics at Michigan Medical at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and coauthor on the abortion regret systematic review mentioned earlier, tells SELF. It was already an ethical breach to offer [abortion reversal] care, and now its even more so because there are legitimate safety concerns. If someone in my community offered this, I would say it is outside the bounds of whats considered efficacious and safe.

Bonnie Steinbock, Ph.D., a professor emerita of medical ethics at Albany/State University of New York, agrees, telling SELF, I dont think [theres] any justification for offering something, much less mandating that doctors [provide it], when they simply dont know what the safety of the thing theyre offering is.

Drs. Harris and Grossman have concerns regarding how these laws might influence patients decisions if they incorrectly believe abortion reversal is actually possible.

It could mislead some women into thinking they dont have to be 100% sure of their decision because they could just change their mind after taking the pill, Dr. Grossman says. He compared these laws to recent bills attempting to require physicians to re-implant ectopic pregnancies, which he and Dr. Creinin say is biologically impossible.

Both types of legislation mandate medical treatment that is completely unproven and potentially dangerous, Dr. Grossman says. Thats the new fact of the anti-abortion movement, and thats very concerning. I cannot think of another example where, essentially, legislators are making up a treatment or basing it on the poorest quality evidence. Its only related to abortion where we allow that to take place.

The question now is how lawmakers will react to new worries about the risks of trying to reverse an abortion.

I really hope that the well-being of people seeking abortion is first and foremost in the hearts and minds of legislators, and that with this new evidence, they might reconsider the requirement, Dr. Harris says. If legislators are unwilling to consider that, its going to be increasingly hard for me to imagine that laws like that come at all from compassion for people seeking abortion care.

Related:

Link:
No, Its Not Medically Possible to Reverse Abortions - Self