Archive for July, 2020

When University of Notre Dame Assistant Professor of Anthropology Cara Ocobock chooses field sites for research, she goes to extremes.

Her main research questions revolve around how the human body copes with and reacts to severe environments. Ocobock met fellow researchers in the Arctic in Finland to measure the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of reindeer herders. Their surprising results that the female herders had higher RMRs than the male herders, when usually mens rates are higher than womens were recently published in the American Journal of Human Biology.

RMR is the total number of calories burned by a human when completely at rest, which is just a part of our total energy expenditure, or total calories burned per day, known scientifically as kcal/day. RMR is closely linked to body size and, since men are generally larger than women, they typically have higher RMRs. Total energy expenditure also includes the energy expended for physical activity as well as the breakdown of food.

Several studies have demonstrated that cold-climate populations have higher-than-expectedRMRs, Ocobock said. It is thought this helps maintain body temperature despite low environmental temperatures.However, there is lots ofunexplainedvariation.

Ocobock and her fellow researchers wanted to compare reindeer herders RMRs to those in other extremely cold environments whose high RMRs had been established through other studies. In January 2019, the researchers worked with five female reindeer herders and 15 male reindeer herders who worked near Rovaniemi, Finland close to the Arctic Circle and known as the official home of Santa Claus.

A physically demanding job, reindeer herding includes protecting reindeer from predators, searching for the remains of reindeer lost to predators, repairing fences, feeding and slaughtering reindeer and administrative tasks. To measure their RMR, Ocobock used indirect calorimetry a noninvasive process in which a mask is placed over participants mouths to capture the levels of oxygen they breathe in and carbon dioxide they breathe out. Because it takes energy to digest food, subjects have to fast for 12 hours and abstain from caffeine before the test so researchers can get the true RMR measurement.

Ocobock and her colleagues then got to work trying to determine why the female herders had higher RMRs. They needed to rule things out like the possibility that their female subjects didnt adhere to the fasting restrictions, but all subjects verbally affirmed that they had and enthusiastically partook in the food and coffee offered to them after their assessments.

They then considered age, as the female herders skewed young and the male herders skewed older. Ocobock and her fellow researchers found that there was no significant difference in RMR between females and males based on age or herding district. Other factors such as genetics and division of labor were also considered and could potentially play a role.

RMR is also associated with thyroid hormone. We think higher thyroid hormone levels may increase RMR, said Ocobock. Thyroid hormone is also critically important for a successful pregnancy. Female herders, even if they use technology to stay warm, may have to maintain higher thyroid hormone levels (and thereby higher RMR) because of the role thyroid hormone plays in pregnancy.

To support a growing fetus, womens thyroid hormones increase significantly. Although other researchers have demonstrated that women who live in extreme environments produce more thyroid hormone to adapt to the cold, this is the first study to hypothesize a link with pregnancy.

In order to maintain a successful pregnancy, cold-climate women must increase TH levels 30 percent to 100 percent higher than an already elevated baseline, Ocobock and her co-authors wrote. It is possible that successful pregnancies in cold climates require an absolutely higher TH level than successful pregnancies in temperate or hot climates.

More research should be done, Ocobock emphasized, to determine an absolute link between high RMRs and pregnancies in cold climates. In future studies, she hopes to recruit more participants and expand physiological data. Taking RMR and thyroid hormone measurements in different seasons is crucial, as well as controlling for womens menstrual cycles. Importantly, climate change may also play a role.

The Arctic has experienced the effects of climate change earlier and more acutely than the rest of the world, Ocobock said. Higher RMR variability may be indicative of warmer environmental temperatures.

Read more from the original source:
Women's higher resting metabolic rates in cold environments could be thyroid requirements for pregnancy, researcher says - ND Newswire

Brad Neels in his letter (Progress Letters, July 23, 2020) claims wrongly that banning gay conversion therapy is an assault on family values and parental rights. That is as absurd a claim as saying wearing face masks or enforcing social distancing during these crazy days of the pandemic is an assault on religious freedom.

READ MORE: LETTER: Banning conversion therapy is a direct attack on parental rights

A parent has no say in their child`s sexuality as to whether that child is gay, straight, or some other combination such as trans, which is decided for that child in the womb. The sex and sexuality of that unborn child is decided by genetics.

It has nothing to do with family values except that religious people have been told the lie from the pulpit that it is a moral decision. It is no more a moral decision than a fetus deciding it wants blue eyes, not brown, or to be born with male rather then female genitalia.

The Bible is not a book on science. It asks what sin the parents have done that has caused a child to be sick. No knowledge of viruses or bacteria, no knowledge of inherited diseases, no knowledge of genetics, no knowledge of how babies are created as the belief of the ancient writers of the Bible was that a fully formed baby was shot into the womb by the man and the woman had no other role than as an incubator.

Included in Mr. Neels misinformation and erroneous conclusions is his mixing up of the issue of gay conversion therapy and gender reassignment surgery, which he makes sound like a frivolous, spur-of-the-moment decision.

Gay conversion therapy demanded by parents is child abuse. It is an attempt to rob that child of the right to be the person that they were meant to be. Worse, despite the psychological damage that it inflicts on that child, it doesnt work, which Mr. Neels would already know if he actually investigated the brainwashing that is drilling debunked religious dogma into that child.

As for gender reassignment, Mr. Neels, please supply a peer-reviewed study that suggests any person would lightly go into that life-altering therapy on a whim. Nonsense that you have heard from the pulpit or social media posts being pushed by anti-gay conspiracy theorists doesnt count as scientifically-backed peer review.

Perhaps some who have undergone that surgery do end up regretting it, but there is no reason to believe that the vast majority of those who are brave enough to align their sexuality with their bodies regret their decision made after much counselling.

The anti-gay bigotry among some letter writers in Chilliwack is only matched by ignorance against science.

Robert T. Rock

READ MORE: Chilliwack Progress Letters

Send your letter to the editor via email to editor@theprogress.com. Please include your first and last name, address, and phone number.

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LETTER: Absurd to claim banning conversion therapy is an assault on parental rights - Chilliwack Progress

Why discuss prostate cancer?

Prostate cancer is common enough among our aging men to be considered of public health concern. It is currently the most common non-skin cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men worldwide according to the World Health Organisation International Agency for Research on Cancer.

The American Cancer Society estimates that one out of every nine men will be found to have prostate cancer at some point in their lifetime. Interestingly, race/ethnicity is the second most significant risk factor for prostate cancer after age with blacks having the highest risks compared to other racial groups.

In the American population, African American men including those with West African ancestry have the highest risks of having and dying from prostate cancer (data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program 2020).

These statistics are concerning for a country like Nigeria which happens to have the largest concentration of indigenous blacks in the world. Research studies done by a team of medical doctors from the University of Nigerian Teaching Hospital have shown that the number of new cases confirmed per year in Nigeria appears to be increasing and that a significant proportion of these confirmed cases die within two years of confirmation.

What are recent developments with Prostate Cancer?Consistent with the evidence that ethnicity is a major risk factor for prostate cancer, recent evidence has highlighted the large heritable component of the disease.

While some men with prostate cancer have developed the disease without any known factor accounting for it, a significant percentage of others have inherited a mutation in a gene that is associated with an increased chance of developing the disease.

These mutations can be passed down from generation to generation even when no individual in the family has previously been found to have cancer. This inheritable component is so remarkable that men with one immediate relative with prostate cancer have an increased risk of developing the disease with the risk increasing with an increasing number of affected first-degree relatives.

Inheritance of these genetic mutations (bad genes) not only determines susceptibility to prostate cancer but other cancers as well including breast, ovarian and endometrial cancer. It also predisposes to an earlier onset disease occurring at a younger age than the expected average age of onset (66years), and a more aggressive disease compared to those without a predisposing inheritable genetic mutation.

In fact, the increased mortality from prostate cancer in black men has been linked to the genetics of the disease amongst other factors including socioeconomics and lifestyle. This recent and evolving information is noteworthy for Nigerian men who not only are at risk of the disease by mere virtue of having a prostate gland but are also at increased risk as black men. The implications of these evolving knowledge might, therefore, become very beneficial in determining the trajectory of the disease course and outcome in this at-risk group.

Public health implications of these findingsGlobally, these recent findings of the role of genetic mutations in determining susceptibility have begun to influence genetic testing recommendations for prostate cancer patients, prostate cancersurvivors, and their male and female family members. These genetic tests to identify these mutations can tell you if you have an inherited mutation contributing to your prostate cancer and can also provide information about you and your relatives chances of developing cancer.

This knowledge is sharpening approaches to prostate cancer care as increasing evidence suggests that identifying men with mutations in certain cancer susceptibility genes can directly impact prostatecancer treatment and risk reduction in several ways. It provides the opportunity to facilitate the delivery of precise therapy and individualized treatment to prostate cancer patients as thesepatients have been shown to be particularly sensitive to certain specific medications

Also, knowledge about the mutation status of these patients impacts treatment decision regarding whether to closely monitor without any interventions (active surveillance) or to actively treat them as actively treating those with identified predisposing mutations is becoming a preferred alternative considering the severity of the type of prostate cancer found in these individuals.

Importantly, genetic testing for genetic mutations predisposing to prostate cancer in these individuals not only benefits the patients but also offers healthy male and female family members the opportunity to be counseled and tested to inform their cancer risks. For healthy men at increased risk for prostate cancer, this understanding has the potential to influence a more beneficial targeted prostate cancer screening approach. This is particularly important as controversies surrounding current prostate cancer screening modality lingers on.

It is obvious that the identification of inheritable mutations predisposing to prostate cancer has implications on the assessment of personal risk for men and their families. Consequently, expanding education about the role of genetics in prostate cancer and increasing access to genetic testing has the potentials to differentially benefit those at the highest risk including Nigerian men.

As prostate cancer continues to be a source of concern for men of all races with advancing age, it is pertinent to understand the evolving science that has emerged in recent times concerning the disease as increasing awareness and knowledge about susceptibility to the disease may potentially shine a glimpse of hope in informing prostate cancer risk for men of this generation and the next.

Dr. Okobi is a Nigerian trained medical doctor and an Oncology Researcher affiliated to Georgetown University, Washington D.C. United States.

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Prostate Cancer and its Impact on Families: Expanding the Discussion - THISDAY Newspapers

NASDAQ:BNGO fell on Monday, despite more news that should keep investors bullish on the healthcare company. The stock price dropped8.64% to finish the trading session at $0.8131 per share, nearly wiping out the 14% rise from Friday of last week. BioNano briefly touched a low of $0.78before finishing out strong, climbing back above $0.80 to end the day. Surprisingly, there was a higher than average volume trading throughout the day, which is another relatively positive sign for investors who have remained loyal to the company.

The micro-cap healthcare sector produced another mixed day of results, even as the Nasdaq rebounded from the mini correction to end last week. BioNano Genomics Inc. rivals Pacific Biosciences of California (NASDAQ: PACB) rose on Monday, despite a Zacks Consensus Estimate report that Wall Street is expecting a 43.8% year over year decline in revenues. Other industry companies like Progenity Inc. (NASDAQ:PROG), Predictive Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:POAI)and Precipio (NASDAQ:PRPO) all remained relatively flat.

Earlier on Monday, a report from Oppenheimer stated that 5-Star healthcare analyst Kevin DeGeeter doubled down on his stock price upgrade, giving BioNano an 'Outperform' rating and a new price target of $1.50 per share. While this is lower from his price target earlier in the year of $1.83, investors should still feel optimistic that there is quite a bit of sentiment on Wall Street that Bionano Genomics Inc. has a bright future on coronavirus vaccine development. Along with their usual work in human genetics, BioNano has been in the news recently for its work in discovering commonalities in the genetic variants of young male patients who had severe cases of COVID-19.

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BNGO Stock Price: BioNano Genomics Inc. retreats, starts week in the red - FXStreet

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In 1970, Maher Ahmad and Bill Dry founded the Gay Liberation Front Northwesterns first gay rights advocacy group. The group hosted the first gay dance on campus, held demonstrations in the city and boycotted bars that had racist policies. Just a few years later, Vince McCoy would become the first black president of the Gay Liberation Front. Fifty years later, the two men recount their time with the Gay Liberation Front in this two-part series. Part 1.

MAHER AHMAD: April 1, 1970. Dear faculty member, male and female homosexuals at Northwestern have recently organized a gay liberation movement on campus.

We wish to make the members of faculty and student body aware of the fact that there does exist a large homosexual community both at Northwestern and in society in general that is no longer willing to hide as essential part of its identity in order to enjoy the rights that a supposedly free society should grant all of its citizens. Gay Liberation intends to actively oppose the oppression of homosexuals. We hope that you will support us and do all that you can to help us. If you would like some more information about this, you can call Gay Liberation at 338-9241.

Sincerely yours, William Dry; Maher Ahmad.

ALEX CHUN: Thats Maher Ahmad (Communication 71, 74), reading a letter that he and William Dry (Weinberg 69) wrote in the spring of 1970. Maher was a junior at Northwestern and the two men had just begun the Gay Liberation Front. They were asking University staff to support the formation of their group.

MAHER AHMAD: Well, first, let me say that I had completely forgotten that we had written this letter, okay? This was a seminal kind of thing that we did. But what strikes me now, interestingly, we werent just talking about making things better at Northwestern, okay? Were talking about making things better in society at large and engaging the University to help take us there, which is certainly the kind of ambitious goals one can have when ones a 20-year-old.

ALEX CHUN: The Gay Liberation Front was Northwesterns first gay advocacy group. Fifty years later, Mahers legacy continues through what is now Rainbow Alliance.

From the Daily Northwestern, Im Alex Chun, and this is Defining Safe: a podcast about marginalized communities at Northwestern. This episode is the first part of a two-part series about two gay mens time at Northwestern in the 60s and 70s. The two men are Mr. Maher Ahmad and Mr. Vince McCoy (Bienen 75, SPS 03).

In 1970, 50 years ago, Maher Ahmad started the Gay Liberation Front with William Dry. Recently, I spoke with Maher, and he shared a part of his story with me.

MAHER AHMAD: You know, memory is a very odd thing. And I can remember some things really specifically. Like when we started the gay rights meeting at Northwestern, we asked the student government for $67. I dont know how I remember that number. Theres a lot I dont remember. And very sadly, because there have been so many men that have passed on from AIDS, I cant tell you to go to this person or that person and see what they remember.

ALEX CHUN: And in 1970, Vince McCoy would arrive to campus, eventually joining the Gay Liberation Front and becoming the first black president of the organization. Heres Vince in November 2019 at an event hosted by Northwesterns Black Professionals Network.

VINCENT MCCOY: We all have our own songs to sing, and our songs are the stories of our lives. You may not recognize my tune or understand all of my words, yet every song must be heard. So, today, Im going to sing a little bit of my song for you.

ALEX CHUN: So, lets hear a bit of their songs.

ALEX CHUN: Maher Ahmad was born in Forty Fort, Pa. in 1960. His parents had moved to the United States after being displaced from Palestine, and he had three brothers. Maher described growing up as the only Muslim family in a predominantly white Protestant neighborhood, saying that his family members were largely regarded as outsiders.

MAHER AHMAD: My parents arent religious, but we were Muslim in a WASP community that predated the American Revolution. And that was an interesting situation because early in my life, neighbors didnt treat us well. And then as I began, even before I reached adolescence, I knew I had this longing or yearning that somehow was connected to men. And then, when I reached adolescence, okay, I realized I had a same sex attraction.

ALEX CHUN: However, this was the 1960s, and homosexuality wouldnt be decriminalized nationwide until decades later following the Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court case in 2003. Heres a clip from a CBS Reports episode aired in 1967 titled The Homosexuals, hosted by Mike Wallace.

MIKE WALLACE: Homosexuality is an enigma. It remains a subject that people find disturbing. Embarrassing. And the reluctance to discuss it. Yet there is a growing concern about homosexuals in society. About their increasing visibility. We discovered that Americans consider homosexuality more harmful to society than adultery, abortion or prostitution.

ALEX CHUN: But Maher never felt like he was at odds with his sexuality. He credits his mother for his strong sense of self.

MAHER AHMAD: Now, for some reason, that I think has to do with genetics that I inherited from my mother who has always been an extremely kind person. And a rabble rouser. She was political from the get-go. She was a feminist. She was the first female broadcast journalist in Palestine. I didnt think there was anything wrong with me.

ALEX CHUN: Rather, when Maher first heard the word homosexual from his older brother, he experienced two feelings: self-realization and curiosity.

MAHER AHMAD: He defined it for me and I thought, Oh, Im a member of a class. And, being an industrious young person, I decided that I was going to find out about myself.

ALEX CHUN: So, Maher went to the local library. He searched through the card catalog and was able to find the call numbers of the few books that the library had about homosexuality. But the books werent on the shelves. When he asked the librarian for help finding them, she told him that they were in the locked case. But despite the climate at the time, Maher never felt like he was at odds with himself being gay.

MAHER AHMAD: And I kept a journal in my senior year. I wrote things like, I dont know, I wrote down, I am special. I wrote it twice, I am special, and I was proud of this. I never pretended to be straight. I absolutely refused to go to the senior prom because I wasnt going to go and put up this false thing and find a girl to be my beard to go to the senior prom with, so I didnt attend the senior prom. I remember there was one girl that chased me. Her name was Pixie, and we were at a party and she initiated a kiss with me and I kissed her and I felt nothing. And I thought to myself, Yeah, you know what, Im never doing this again. Im not interested. And so thats basically what it was like when I was in high school.

ALEX CHUN: Maher wanted to leave Forty Fort, Pa. and ultimately went to Northwestern to study theatre and theatre design. But Maher sensed that something was different. Revolution was in the air.

MAHER AHMAD: You know, its really wonderful to be on the cusp of anything. I started as an undergraduate in 1967. Kennedy was shot in 1963, which was a major historical marker. 1964 was the beginning of the Free Speech Movement on college campuses, where students were saying you have to stop treating us in loco parentis was the phrase, as if youre our parents, you have to stop restricting our rights. We are adults, and there are certain things that you cant make us do or cant prevent us from doing. So revolution was in the atmosphere. And, you know, 1969 was Stonewall.

ALEX CHUN: And protests were even taking place on Northwesterns campus as students protested the U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Maher was still an undergrad at the time.

MAHER AHMAD: So this whole kind of opening up this whole progressivism, this whole desire to throw off the strictures of the system that was in place that was repressive in so many different ways was in the air, and gay rights were a part of that.

ALEX CHUN: During Mahers junior year, he saw an ad in The Daily Northwestern that ultimately led to a reshaping of queer culture on campus.

MAHER AHMAD: It was just a tiny little ad of maybe 10 or 15 words. And it said, in the title and bigger letters, it was tiny, it was like an inch by two inches or something. It said gay liberation. And then it said, anyone, any men and women interested in starting your gay liberation group at Northwestern call Bill, and it had his phone number on it. And I saw this, and I thought, Well, Im interested in doing that. And I called the number and it ended up that I knew this guy, Bill Dry. We didnt know each other were gay. So we said, Yeah, lets do this. And then we got some other people to join us and that began the birth of the group on campus.

ALEX CHUN: The group was around 20 people, but a core group of six men were the most active. They held meetings at apartments off-campus. Among their first goals was to be recognized as an official campus organization. So they drafted a letter to faculty outlining three goals of the Gay Liberation Front.

ALEX CHUN: At the time, gay culture was largely underground and discrete. Small parties were held off-campus, but there were no public gay events. Gay students would go to bars in the city to party, but they had to be wary of police. Gay men who were arrested had their names published in the local newspaper.

MAHER AHMAD: I was able to go to gay bars when I was 19 and 20. But that was it. There was nothing social going on and in that letter that I wrote with Bill to the faculty, one of the things we said is we feel we need to have some kind of social mechanism on campus to associate with ourselves.

ALEX CHUN: The Gay Liberation Front then requested money from the student government to help them print leaflets. They needed $67 but had anticipated that they may not get the full amount requested. So they asked for $670 instead. To their surprise, their request was approved, and they were given the full $670. Later, Maher learned that the head of the committee at the time was a closeted gay student. With the extra money, the members of the Gay Liberation Front wanted to plan something special: a dance.

MAHER AHMAD: It was wonderful. Its very hard, I think, for young people today, who are both gay and straight, to conceive that back in 1970, no bars allowed any dancing. In Chicago, you had to get a dance license a bar had to get a dance licence to allow dancing, and the city would issue one to gay bars to allow same sex dancing, but the bars back then were sordid kind of affairs, as I say, theyre by and large owned by the mob. They paid off the police. And they had a captive clientele. So one of the things that we wanted to be able to do is to have sociability and some notion of normality. And instead of having our entire social lives circumscribed by surreptitious meetings in private apartments, or gay bars, we wanted to have a dance.

ALEX CHUN: The Gay Liberation Front rented the Patten Gymnasium on campus to hold their dance. A member of the group, Duncan, happened to know Corky Siegel, a member of the Siegel-Schwall blues band. So, Duncan asked them to play at the dance, and they agreed to do so.

MAHER AHMAD: Instead of it being just, you know, 20 or 30 gay people that were brave enough to be public and go to a public dance because we only charged $1 a ticket, which is well below the market rate for a Siegel-Schwall concert, we packed the gym! And it turned into a concert rather than a dance, which was, you know, unfortunate. And it was more geared to like this performance rather than than the gay people, but it was great, great fun. So suddenly, were this group, we got our $67 turned into $670. And rather than losing money on this dance from our bank, we got tons more money which then we could use to do other other kinds of things. And it was just a lot of fun.

ALEX CHUN: Corky Siegel, one of the bands co-founders, was 27 at the time. He remembers playing at the Patten Gym. The band played hits such as Hey, Billie Jean, I Dont Want You to Be My Girl and Angel Food Cake.

CORKY SIEGEL: Everyone was having a good time. It was a lot of fun, and we felt really good about doing it.

ALEX CHUN: Corky says the Siegel-Schwall Band was very political and often played at benefits. Corky believes that music can be political, and the Siegel-Schwalls support for the Gay Liberation Front was exactly that.

CORKY SIEGEL: It does really bring people together. Music is a form of compassion. What it does for people, individuals and for the world, and how it uplifts people its just a form of compassion. So, in that sense, anyone who plays music is putting that into the atmosphere. More practically, just a popular band thats showing support adds a little more power to the people.

ALEX CHUN: The Gay Liberation Front also worked to make safe spaces for everyone in the city. The Normandy Bar was the largest gay bar at the time, but would occasionally turn away non-white patrons. To protest, the Gay Liberation Front compiled a list of demands. They wanted the bar to stop pushing drinks on patrons, obtain a dancing license and to let all patrons enter regardless of their race.

MAHER AHMAD: Our biggest ask, our most radical ask was that they allow black people in, because they would not allow black people or any people of color as I recall. And the way they would keep them out was one of these traditional kinda things that white racists do. They would ask them for like three forms of photo government-issued identification. Now they wouldnt ask anybody else for that. They would let 18-year-olds in against the law. But black people had to show multiple forms of identification or they couldnt get in.

ALEX CHUN: The Gay Liberation Front organized a meeting with the owners of the Normandy Bar and read off the demands.

MAHER AHMAD: And we said, Okay, if you dont do that, were going to boycott your bar. And he laughed at us. And he said, Go ahead and boycott, thinking that what was this little scruffy group of college students going to do to his Normandy Bar that paid off the police, that got, I dont know how many people it held at night, it had to be at least 600 or 800, maybe as many as 1,000. And he laughed at us and told us to get the F out of his bar.

ALEX CHUN: So the Gay Liberation Front planned to hold a boycott that Friday night. There was just one issue. They only had about six men who were willing to publicly boycott the bar. But to their surprise, the International Socialist Group on campus agreed to join them in the boycott, making the group of boycotters about 20 people.

MAHER AHMAD: So we went out there early on a Friday night, and we started, you know, like marching around in a circle with our signs hoping that we could keep people from going in. People would turn around the corner two blocks down from the subway station, see this ruckus in front of the bar of people chanting slogans and carrying signs and walking around in a circle. And they would, discretion being the better part of valor, turn heel and go right back to the subway and go someplace else. Well, we killed their business that night. I think they had no business.

ALEX CHUN: The group boycotted the next week on Friday and Saturday as well, effectively killing the Normandy Bars business. Eventually, the owner of the bar gave in and agreed to meet with the Gay Liberation Front once more.

MAHER AHMAD: We signed up for a classroom in Kresge Centennial Hall in the basement, and we said meet us here and it was at night and this is an image that will ever be seared into my brain. The visual was so great. It was like six scruffy gay boys, the bright blaring fluorescent lights and us sitting around in the chairs and then these two mafioso types in ties and suits stuffed between the return arm and the back of the chair negotiating with us. And they agreed to all our demands, and they got a dancing license. It made the bar more popular than ever. And what happened because of the competition, other bars one after the other started getting dancing licenses.

ALEX CHUN: The Gay Liberation Front participated in other protests and demonstrations across the city, advocating for equality wherever they could. Some of the chants they used may sound familiar to activists today

MAHER AHMAD: And I remember one of the things this phrase was around when I was an undergraduate, so its at least that old, we would sing things like, Were here because were queer.

ALEX CHUN: Although the Gay Liberation Front had originated as an advocacy group for gay rights, Maher said he has always seen the fight against oppression as universal.

MAHER AHMAD: We can help all these other oppressed groups from all over the world because oppression is indivisible, okay? And when one tries to separate ones own oppression as being more legitimate or deserving of more attention, it diminishes the oppression of other people and diminishes the oppression of the group that considers themselves somehow raised above other oppressed groups or more worthy of attention.

ALEX CHUN: Today, Mahers support in the fight for equality hasnt diminished, and he remembers the importance of protests when he was fighting for liberation.

MAHER AHMAD: They are absolutely essential. 100 percent essential. Our Constitution, our founders these guys were your age. Our founders that wrote our Constitution, they didnt get some things right, but wow, what a system they came up with. And one of the things they realized was absolutely essential to a free society was the right to peaceably assemble because that is what will take the attention of people in power. I would hate to get stuck on a freeway in Los Angeles, because a whole bunch of gay rights activists or BLM activists sat down on the freeway and closed it up, but if these people are willing to sit in the freeway, be arrested, go to jail, fight the arrest, pay the fine, get released and do it again, more power to them. Because sometimes you gotta shout to be heard.

ALEX CHUN: From The Daily Northwestern, Im Alex Chun. Thanks for listening to another episode of Defining Safe. This episode was reported and produced by me, Alex Chun. The summer managing editors of The Daily are Sneha Dey and James Pollard. The summer editor-in-chief is Emma Edmund.

Email: [emailprotected]

Twitter: @apchun01

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Continue reading here:
Our songs are the stories of our lives: Two men remember the beginnings of gay liberation on campus - Daily Northwestern

Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market size was valued US$ XX Bn. in 2019 and the total revenue is expected to grow at 3.8% from 2020 to 2027, reaching nearly US$ XX Bn.

The report study has analyzed the revenue impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the sales revenue of market leaders, market followers, and market disrupters in the report, and the same is reflected in our analysis.

REQUEST FOR FREE SAMPLE REPORT: https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/request-sample/66032

Definition:

Male breast cancer is a very rare type of cancer found among men that forms in the breast tissue of the male. It occurs when some breast cell divides rapidly forming a tumor. It can be hereditary, due to inheritance of abnormal (mutated) genes especially a gene called BRCA2. It is prevalent mostly among the elderly males, though it can occur at any age.

Market Dynamics:

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 1 in 833 males is at risk of developing breast cancer. It accounts for less than 1% of all types of cancer. An increase in awareness of male breast cancer has led to the diagnosis of cancer at an early stage resulting in early and effective treatment due to which the survival rate has increased. This increase in cancer cases, evolving biotechnology, innovation in new treatments are the causes that contribute to the growth of the global male breast cancer treatment market. However, lack of an all-inclusive treatment and the high costs involved in the R&D and innovations is restraining the growth of this market.

Market Segmentation:

Based on the type of breast cancer, Ductal Carcinoma is the most prominent type among males. This type of cancer develops in the lining of the ducts of the breast. Based on the treatment, surgery, radiation therapy, estrogen hormone therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapy are the popular treatments adopted for male breast cancer. Targeted therapy is relatively new and uses drugs to treat the abnormal or mutated genes in the individual and it has been proven effective and successful. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is a drug that slows the progression of cancer by targeting HER2.

Region-wise Analysis:

North America is expected to be the largest male breast cancer treatment market due to the growing geriatric population and owing to its advancement in medical sciences and biotechnology. It is also diagnosed among the younger population due to increased alcohol consumption among them. Europe is anticipated to be second in the global male breast cancer treatment market attributed to factors such as the governments positive involvement with investment in R&D and an increase in health expenditure.

Competitive Landscape:

The competitive landscape section in the Male Breast Cancer Treatment market offers a deep dive into the profiles of the leading players operating in the global market landscape. It offers captivating insights on the key developments, differential strategies, and other crucial aspects about the companies having a stronghold in the Male Breast Cancer Treatment market. In April 2019, the US FDA has increased the use of Pfizers Ibrance (palbociclib) capsules in the treatment of male breast cancer.

The objective of the report is to present a comprehensive analysis of the Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market including all the stakeholders of the industry. The past and current status of the industry with forecasted market size and trends are presented in the report with the analysis of complicated data in simple language. The report covers all the aspects of the industry with a dedicated study of key players that includes market leaders, followers, and new entrants. PORTER, SVOR, PESTEL analysis with the potential impact of micro-economic factors of the market has been presented in the report. External as well as internal factors that are supposed to affect the business positively or negatively have been analyzed, which will give a clear futuristic view of the industry to the decision-makers.The report also helps in understanding Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market dynamics, structure by analyzing the market segments and projects the Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market size. Clear representation of competitive analysis of key players by Application, price, financial position, Product portfolio, growth, strategies, and regional presence in the Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market make the report investors guide.

DO INQUIRY BEFORE PURCHASING REPORT HERE: https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/inquiry-before-buying/66032

Scope of the Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market

Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market, by Type

Ductal Carcinoma in Situ Pagets Disease of the Nipple Inflammatory Breast Cancer Infiltrating Ductal carcinomaGlobal Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market, by Treatment

Local Treatments Systemic TreatmentsGlobal Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market, by Diagnosis

Mammography Biopsy Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsy Core Biopsy Excisional Biopsy PET Scan CT Scan MRI Scan Other TestsGlobal Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market, By Region

Asia Pacific North America Europe Latin America Middle East AfricaKey players operating in Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market

Achieve Life Sciences Inc. Pfizer Eli Lilly and Company Bristol-Myers Squibb Company F. Hoffmann-La Roche Sanofi Novartis AG BioNumerik Pharmaceuticals Inc. Seattle Genetics Inc. GlaxoSmithKline plc. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. AstraZeneca Accord Healthcare Bayer AG

MAJOR TOC OF THE REPORT

Chapter One: Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Overview

Chapter Two: Manufacturers Profiles

Chapter Three: Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Competition, by Players

Chapter Four: Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Size by Regions

Chapter Five: North America Male Breast Cancer Treatment Revenue by Countries

Chapter Six: Europe Male Breast Cancer Treatment Revenue by Countries

Chapter Seven: Asia-Pacific Male Breast Cancer Treatment Revenue by Countries

Chapter Eight: South America Male Breast Cancer Treatment Revenue by Countries

Chapter Nine: Middle East and Africa Revenue Male Breast Cancer Treatment by Countries

Chapter Ten: Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Segment by Type

Chapter Eleven: Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Segment by Application

Chapter Twelve: Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Size Forecast (2019-2026)

Browse Full Report with Facts and Figures of Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Report at: https://www.maximizemarketresearch.com/market-report/global-male-breast-cancer-treatment-market/66032/

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Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market-Industry Analysis and forecast 2019 2027: By Type, Treatment, Diagnosis, and Region - WOLE TV

Researchers at the University of Copenhagen in a new study presented the largest and most complex CRISPR system. Scientists believe that this system can find applications in biomedicine and biotechnology. Their work is featured in the scientific journal Molecular Cell.

CRISPR technology can be used to edit genes and revolutionized the scientific world when it was first introduced. CRISPR-Cas9 is probably the best-known CRISPR system and is widely known as gene scissors.

This is just one of many CRISPR systems in existence.

Now researchers at the University of Copenhagen (UCPH) have mapped and analyzed the atomic structure of one of the most complex CRISPR systems identified to date.

Scientists have disassembled the largest and most complex CRISPR-Cas complex seen so far. They now understand how this system works at the molecular level, said co-author Guillermo Montoya, professor at the Novo Nordisk Foundations Center for Protein Research at the University of Copenhagen (NNF CPR). Scientists have studied a complex called Cmr-, which belongs to a subgroup of so-called type III-B CRISPR-Cas complexes. The new results have already been presented to the public.

In the new study, the researchers examined the role of Cmr in the immune system and the mechanisms underlying its immune response against various bacteriophages, as well as how it is regulated.

The Cmr system, mapped by scientists in the new study, may, among other things, remove single-stranded RNA and DNA, although this will be quite difficult. But in the future, the Cmr system may still be the key to understanding the immune response of bacteria, and it may find applications in the fight against antibiotic resistance.

Read this article:
Scientists have mapped and analyzed the atomic structure of CRISPR-Cas - FREE NEWS

The team at MBL, led by MBL Senior Scientist Joshua Rosenthal and Crawford, has achieved the first gene knockout in a cephalopod using the squid Doryteuthis pealeii, an exceptionally important research organism in biology for nearly a century.

The team used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to knock out a pigmentation gene in squid embryos, which eliminated pigmentation in the eye and in skin cells (chromatophores) with high efficiency.

This is a critical first step toward the ability to knock out and knock in genes in cephalopods to address a host of biological questions, Rosenthal says.

Cephalopods (squid, octopus and cuttlefish) have the largest brain of all invertebrates, a distributed nervous system capable of instantaneous camouflage and sophisticated behaviors, a unique body plan, and the ability to extensively recode their own genetic information within messenger RNA, along with other distinctive features. These open many avenues for study and have applications in a wide range of fields, from evolution and development, to medicine, robotics, materials science, and artificial intelligence.

The ability to knock out a gene to test its function is an important step in developing cephalopods as genetically tractable organisms for biological research, augmenting the handful of species that currently dominate genetic studies, such as fruit flies, zebrafish, and mice.

CRISPR-Cas9 worked really well in Doryteuthis; it was surprisingly efficient, Rosenthal says. Much more challenging was delivering the CRISPR-Cas system into the one-celled squid embryo, which is surrounded by an exceedingly tough outer layer, and then raising the embryo through hatching. The team developed micro-scissors to clip the eggs surface and a beveled quartz needle to deliver the CRISPR-Cas9 reagents through the clip.

Studies with Doryteuthis pealeii have led to foundational advances in neurobiology, beginning with description of the action potential (nerve impulse) in the 1950s, a discovery for which Alan Hodgkin and Andrew Huxley became Nobel Prize laureates in 1963. For decades D. pealeii has drawn neurobiologists from all over the world to the MBL, which collects the squid from local waters.

Recently, Rosenthal and colleagues discovered extensive recoding of mRNA in the nervous system of Doryteuthis and other cephalopods. This research is under development for potential biomedical applications, such as pain management therapy.

For these reasons, the MBL Cephalopod Programs next goal is to transfer the new knockout technology to a smaller cephalopod species, Euprymna berryi (the hummingbird bobtail squid), which is relatively easy to culture to make genetic strains.

The MBL Cephalopod Program is part of the MBLs New Research Organisms Initiative, which is widening the palette of genetically tractable organisms available for research and thus expanding the universe of biological questions that can be asked.

This entry was posted on July 31, 2020 at 4:14 am and is filed under All News, Community, County, Education, More News, St. Mary's News, z 600X120 Top Ad Bottom, z 600X120 Top Ad Top. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

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First Gene Knockout in a Cephalopod is Achieved at Marine Biological Laboratory by Professor Karen Crawford and Team | Southern Maryland News Net -...

BOSTON, July 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Breakthrough Properties announced that leading gene editing company, CRISPR Therapeutics, has signed a 263,500-square-foot lease agreement for the development referred to as "The 105," located at 105 West First Street and scheduled for completion in early 2022. The full-building lease transaction was executed just one year after acquisition of the site in July 2019 and four months after groundbreaking.

Breakthrough Properties was launched in 2019 by Tishman Speyer, one of the world's leading real estate developers and owners, and Bellco Capital, a prominent biotechnology investment firm. Breakthrough was formed to acquire, develop and operate the finest life science properties in leading technology centers around the world, supporting scientific innovation across biotechnology, agriculture and nutrition. On The 105 project, the company has been working closely with Tishman Speyer's Boston-based team every step of the way, from site selection to future project completion.

The 105 has been designed by the Payette architecture firm to be a best-in-class laboratory building to accommodate tenants at the forefront of life-changing science. Conveniently located near the Red Line's Broadway Station, it will feature a tailored array of amenities, including a fitness facility and outdoor terraces accessible from two floors. LEED Gold and Fitwel certifications will be sought.

Breakthrough Properties Chief Executive Officer Dan Belldegrun commented, "Our mission at Breakthrough is to deliver cutting edge facilities and environments that support companies at the forefront of life-changing science.We are thrilled to partner with CRISPR, one of the world's emerging leaders in the biotech industry, as it continues to develop therapies that change the way we fight disease. There has never been a more important time to focus on the scientific innovation and we're honored to play a small but supportive role in CRISPR's exciting future."

Tishman Speyer President & Chief Executive Officer Rob Speyer said, "With Breakthrough Properties, we are combining Tishman Speyer's global property development capabilities with Bellco Capital's recognized life sciences expertise and strong relationships. It's already proving to be a great collaboration. We believe Breakthrough will become a major global player in creating the next generation of research facilities, where important scientific advances will take place to benefit people around the world."

Since its founding in 2013, CRISPRhas quickly grown to be a leading gene-editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases. CRISPR has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas, including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and business offices in San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom.

Brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield represented CRISPR, while Breakthrough was represented by Newmark Knight Frank.

About Breakthrough Properties (btprop.com)

Breakthrough Properties is a life science real estate development company that leverages cross-sector collaboration to deliver environments that foster innovation and scientific breakthroughs. Breakthrough combines Tishman Speyer's decades of global real estate development experience with Bellco Capital's industry-making biotechnology entrepreneurship to reimagine environments where companies can create life-changing therapies for patients. At Breakthrough, we seek to be a home for scientific discovery and innovation because we understand what you do, how you do it and why you do it.

Environments that foster innovation. Discoveries that transform lives.

For more information, please visit http://www.btprop.com.

SOURCE Breakthrough Properties

http://www.btprop.com

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Breakthrough Properties Executes Full-Building Lease With Leading Gene Editing Company for Next Generation Life Science Development in Boston's...

Dublin, July 31, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Cell and Gene Therapy Tools, and Reagents: Global Markets" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Gene and cell therapy are emerging as important tools to treat human health. Techniques such as CAR-T therapy have emerged as key ways of treating many different types of cancers. The promise of gene therapy using technologies such as CRISPR is starting to be realized in clinical trials, and markets are scaling up to treat other diseases as well, particularly rare gene-based diseases. As these therapies are coming to the fore, a new market for tools to develop these therapies using standard methodologies is emerging. This report will cover what those tools are, how they impact the larger life science tools market, and how they will evolve over the next five years.

The scope of this study encompasses an investigation of the market's cell and gene therapy tools such as GMP proteins, media, cell separation and activation reagents, viral and non-viral, cytokine release syndrome monitoring products, GMP antibodies, leukapheresis instrumentation, immunoassays (multiplex and singleplex) and bioreactors. This research analyzes each tool type, determines its current market status, examines its impact on future markets, and presents forecasts of growth over the next five years. Technological issues, including the latest trends, are discussed. The report analyzes the industry on a worldwide basis, from both application and demand perspectives, in the major regions of the world.

The Report Includes:

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1 Introduction

Chapter 2 Summary and Highlights

Chapter 3 Market and Technology Background

Chapter 4 Market Breakdown by Region

Chapter 5 Market Breakdown by End User

Chapter 6 Government Regulations

Chapter 7 Patent Review/New Developments

Chapter 8 Analysis of Market Opportunities

Chapter 9 Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/86txdi

About ResearchAndMarkets.comResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends.

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

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Global Market Trends in the Cell and Gene Therapy Tools and Reagents Market 2020-2024 - GlobeNewswire

Be wary of stem cell therapy as a preventative treatment for COVID-19, warns Laertis Ikonomou, a UB expert on stem cell and gene therapies.

While stem cell therapy, such as bone marrow transplantation, may be used to treat a limited number of diseases and conditions, there are currently no clinically tested or government-approved cell therapies available for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19, says Ikonomou, associate professor of oral biology in the School of Dental Medicine.

He urges the public to exercise caution as the nation experiences a rise in businesses offering direct-to-consumer, unproven and unsafe stem cell therapies that promise to prevent COVID-19 by strengthening the immune system or improving overall health.

What these patients are actually sold is false hope, he says. These businesses are continuously transforming and reinventing themselves, but the common thread is that they offer potentially dangerous treatments based on unproven science.

Ikonomou is also the chair of the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy (ISCT) Presidential Task Force on the Use of Unproven and/or Unethical Cell and Gene Therapy.

Stem cell therapy involves the conversion of stem cells into specific types of cells, such as heart or blood cells. These cells are then transplanted into a patient to promote healing.

While there are companies that carefully develop cell-based treatments following established regulatory and ethical standards, there has also been an explosion of businesses since the mid-2000s that advertise directly to consumers and evade regulations to provide unsafe and ineffective treatments, he says.

These businesses operate in gray regulatory areas, frequently branding stem cell therapies as medical interventions rather than therapeutic drugs to avoid the need for U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval, Ikonomou says, adding that according to published research, there are more than 1,000 of these unsafe businesses in the U.S.

They offer purported stem cell therapies for nearly every condition imaginable, from diabetes and autism to Alzheimers disease. There are also reports of people suffering physical harm including blindness and death from unsafe stem cell interventions, such as drawing and reinjecting patients with their own fat cells, he says.

Im not surprised that a lot of these businesses went into COVID treatments, says Ikonomou. They went where the money is and took advantage of peoples fears.

The treatments range in price from a few thousand to tens of thousands of dollars, and often patients are encouraged to receive the expensive infusions every few months. Many people go into severe debt to acquire these ineffective treatments, he says.

This year, the FDA has issued several letters to offending businesses, including those advertising cell therapies for COVID-19, says Ikonomou. The Federal Trade Commission has also cracked down on misleading advertising from stem cell therapy clinics, he says.

However, many of these clinics are small and difficult to track. Patient prudence is key to avoiding harmful interventions, he says.

Ikonomou shares a list of steps the public can take to ensure a stem cell therapy is safe, proven and ethical.

Ikonomou also urges patients to share any questions they have with their physicians, who often are the gatekeepers for medical treatment. His best advice to patients: If something sounds too good to be true, it probably isnt true.

For information on safe and ethical cell therapies, visit the ISCT website.

See the article here:
Unproven 'stem cell' therapies for COVID-19 pose harm to public, says UB expert - UB Now: News and views for UB faculty and staff - University at...

The first patient to undergo a bone marrow transplant in the UAE has told of how the stem cell treatment saved his life.

Abdullah Muhammad had blood cancer diagnosed in 2018 after he began to vomit blood.

Doctors said the health of the 49-year-old electrician from Pakistan had begun to rapidly deteriorate and his only option was to undergo an expensive bone marrow transplant.

I didnt have money to get a transplant and the UAE sponsored my treatment.

"I am happy to be first one to undergo this transplant in the UAE. It wouldnt have been able to afford it in Pakistan, said Mr Muhammad, whose family live in Khanewal District. The father of four received his transplant on July 18 at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, with the involvement of Abu Dhabi Stem Cell Centre, which is also developing a treatment for Covid-19 patients.

I didnt have money to get a transplant and the UAE sponsored my treatment. I am happy to be first one to undergo this transplant in the UAE

Abdullah Nazir Ahmad Muhammad

The transplant procedure will bring hope to cancer patients in the UAE, who can now seek treatment closer to home.

Known as regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy promotes the repair of abnormal or injured tissue.

Doctors can manipulate the cells into the type the patient needs and inject them where repair is necessary. The cells can be taken from a matching donor or harvested from the patient, treated, and then reintroduced to the body.

The UAE has begun to harness stem cell therapy in recent months to fight the coronavirus, but this was the first time it was used in a transplant in the Emirates.

In Mr Muhammads case, stem cells were harvested from his own blood and were injected back into him after he underwent a short course of chemotherapy. This is called an autologous bone marrow transplant.

Dr Fatima Al Kaabi, executive director of Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Programme, said the treatment was a milestone for the UAE.

Most of these cases travel abroad so, in the near future, we will be self-sufficient and efficient to take care of our own with the highest calibre of medical care and international standards," she said.

Dr Al Kaabi said that to harvest the cells, Mr Muhammad was injected with a stimulant that prompted the stem cells to leave his bone marrow and enter his bloodstream.

His blood was drawn using a machine similar to one used in kidney dialysis to separate the plasma containing the stem cells from the blood.

The plasma was safely stored while Mr Muhammad underwent chemotherapy to wipe out the bone marrow and give way to the new cells, she said.

Mr Muhammad was kept in a sterile area for 10 to 15 days to prevent him from catching infections until the stem cells were returned to his body. The reintroduction of cells to his body took about 20 minutes.

After the successful autologous bone marrow transplant, Abu Dhabi Stem Cells Centre aims to begin carrying out transplants from related donors.

For now only we are doing autologous transplants, where the patient and donor are the same person, but in the near future we will not only do related transplantation but more complicated ones where donors are not related to the patient, said Dr Yendry Ventura, general manager of the stem cell centre and director of Abu Dhabi Bone Marrow Transplant Programme.

Sheikh Khalifa Medical City and the Department of Health Abu Dhabi are working on a stem cell donor registry.

The next transplant is scheduled for a few weeks' time, with the centre aiming to perform 10 transplants before the related transplant programme. It also plans to begin a transplant programme for children.

We want to provide the people of UAE a programme that is not only comparable with any other programme in the rest of the world but also offers customised and personalised treatment, Dr Ventura said.

Mr Muhammad, who has been in hospital since July 8, will be released in a few days and plans to return to Pakistan in October to see his family.

Updated: July 29, 2020 03:10 PM

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UAE's first bone marrow transplant patient tells of life-saving treatment - The National

Be the Match: Every three minutes, someone is diagnosed with a life-threatening blood cancer or blood disease, such as leukemia, lymphoma or sickle cell disease, and you might be able to help.

For those thousands, a cure exists, though about 70% of patients dont find it within their own families.

Thats why the College of the Canyons Biology Club is partnering with Be The Match to host a drive-in community registry event, where the community is invited to register to be a potential match for someone in need of a life-saving stem cell transplant through a simple swab test.

The science of stem cells is incredible, and it can actually cure over 70 different life-threatening diseases, said Christine Mantilla, member engagement, enrollment and experience specialist at Be The Match. A small population of stem cells from a donor can regenerate an entire bodys worth of bone marrow.

Biology Club President Brian Estarella-Murphy has been on the registry for two years, eagerly awaiting the day hes a match.

For Estarella-Murphy, its personal, as he has had two close friends with blood disorders and has seen firsthand the struggle of some of these patients.

I interned and shadowed at a hospital and a clinic, he added. Ive seen many patients come in that are on their last chance of life, and Id love to be able to give someone that possibility of living their full life without having to worry.

Being involved with the organization has actually changed his career aspirations, motivating him to go into the research side of medicine.

Im a cellular biology major, and the type of research that they do on these swab tests are exactly what I want to do in the future, he added. I want to pick apart these cells to see how I can help advance medicine (to create) life-saving treatment.

So upon taking up presidency of the club, Estarella-Murphy knew the first thing he wanted to do was partner with Be The Match.

Not only has the current health crisis been an extremely difficult time for those in need of transplants, as they are immunocompromised, but without community registry events, less have been joining.

This is an action that people can take in 10 minutes for free that can directly save someones life, Mantilla said.

Those interested in being a possible match, can drive up to the event from the safety of their car, where volunteers assist them in registering and administering the 10-second swab test on the inner cheeks while following all health and safety measures.

Were just doing a quick, little swab, and then we send your data out, and we do some research to see if youre possibly even a match, Estarella-Murphy said. Our goal out of this event is to sign up as many individuals as possible, so that through further research, we can then match them to patients awaiting dire transfusions.

Only about 1-in-430 U.S. registry members go on to donate bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells to a patient.

Thats 0.2% and just emphasizes the need for as many people as possible to be available on the registry because it is so challenging to find that match, Mantilla said, adding that not everyone has an equal chance at finding a match, as ethnic heritage plays a significant role. Right now, the registry is overwhelmingly white. Its a health disparity that is pretty serious as far as equity of access to treatment.

The most common way to harvest stem cells is through a peripheral blood stem cell donation, involving a specialized blood draw, where stem cells are processed from your blood before the blood is returned to the donor.

Your stem cells are a renewable resource, so the donors stem cells actually regenerate in about four to six weeks, Mantilla added.

The event is scheduled 2-6 p.m. Aug. 14, with the location to be determined. For more information, visit biologyclubcoc.org/bethematch. To join the registry, visit join.bethematch.org/COCBio or text COCBio to 61474.

More:
It's Time to 'Be The Match,' Help Save a Life - SCVNEWS.com

DEAR DOCTOR:Whats the connection between the novel coronavirus and the thymus gland? A friend of ours who is a doctor says its probably what keeps young kids from getting so sick. Ive never even heard of the thymus. What does it have to do with coronavirus?

DEAR READER: From the earliest days of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the data revealed a puzzling disparity. Older adults were at increased risk of grave illness when infected with the virus, but children seemed to have a certain level of protection. And while it has since become clear that children can indeed become seriously ill if they become infected, they do so at far lower rates than adults. The reasons for this are still being investigated, but some researchers have recently suggested the role of the thymus gland as a possible factor.

If you place your finger at the notch at the top of your breast bone and draw a vertical line downward a few inches, youve traced the location of your thymus. Its made up of two roughly triangular lobes, which sit behind the breastbone and between the lungs. The thymus has several functions, but perhaps its most important role is to help produce the cells that will become T-lymphocytes, or T-cells. (The T stands for thymus-derived.) These are white blood cells that protect the body from bacteria, fungi, viruses and other pathogens.

T-cells, which are the ninjas of the immune system, start out in the bone marrow as stem cells. The immature stem cells exit the marrow, move through the blood and enter a specific region of the thymus. There, they undergo a complex process that teaches them how to recognize a wide range of potentially dangerous and deadly invaders. As T-cells, their job is to circulate throughout the body and, when they encounter the molecular signature of the pathogen theyve been trained to recognize, to attack. T-cells also activate other immune cells, produce proteins known as cytokines and have a role in regulating immune response.

The thymus is unique in that it reaches maturity in utero and is at its largest and most active in children. Starting at puberty, it gradually becomes less active, and the glandular tissue begins to shrink. This continues throughout a persons life. By the time someone has reached their mid-60s, the thymus is largely inactive. By their mid-70s, the gland has been mostly replaced with fat. This decrease in thymus function is believed to be one of the reasons that, in their later years, older adults become more susceptible to disease and infection.

Emerging research into COVID-19 has shown a marked decrease in the number of T-cells in some gravely ill patients. Scientists are now asking whether age-related thymus decline, which means T-cells arent quickly replaced, may play a role in the severity of illness seen in older adults. The flip side of this is whether, due to their robust production of T-cells, childrens immune systems are able to stay one step ahead of the novel coronavirus. Its only a working theory, but it shows promise, and research into how this may affect and inform treatment continues.

Eve Glazier, M.D., MBA, is an internist and associate professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Elizabeth Ko, M.D., is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o UCLA Health Sciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024. Owing to the volume of mail, personal replies cannot be provided.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

Originally posted here:
Thymus may play role in severity of coronavirus - Cumberland Times-News

Dear Doctor: Whats the connection between the novel coronavirus and the thymus gland? A friend of ours who is a doctor says its probably what keeps young kids from getting so sick. Ive never even heard of the thymus. What does it have to do with coronavirus?

Dear Reader: From the earliest days of the novel coronavirus pandemic, the data revealed a puzzling disparity. Older adults were at increased risk of grave illness when infected with the virus, but children seemed to have a certain level of protection. And while it has since become clear that children can indeed become seriously ill if they become infected, they do so at far lower rates than adults. The reasons for this are still being investigated, but some researchers have recently suggested the role of the thymus gland as a possible factor.

If you place your finger at the notch at the top of your breast bone and draw a vertical line downward a few inches, youve traced the location of your thymus. Its made up of two roughly triangular lobes, which sit behind the breastbone and between the lungs. The thymus has several functions, but perhaps its most important role is to help produce the cells that will become T-lymphocytes, or T-cells. (The T stands for thymus-derived.) These are white blood cells that protect the body from bacteria, fungi, viruses and other pathogens.

T-cells, which are the ninjas of the immune system, start out in the bone marrow as stem cells. The immature stem cells exit the marrow, move through the blood and enter a specific region of the thymus. There, they undergo a complex process that teaches them how to recognize a wide range of potentially dangerous and deadly invaders.

As T-cells, their job is to circulate throughout the body and, when they encounter the molecular signature of the pathogen theyve been trained to recognize, to attack. T-cells also activate other immune cells, produce proteins known as cytokines and have a role in regulating immune response.

The thymus is unique in that it reaches maturity in utero and is at its largest and most active in children. Starting at puberty, it gradually becomes less active, and the glandular tissue begins to shrink. This continues throughout a persons life. By the time someone has reached their mid-60s, the thymus is largely inactive. By their mid-70s, the gland has been mostly replaced with fat. This decrease in thymus function is believed to be one of the reasons that, in their later years, older adults become more susceptible to disease and infection.

Emerging research into COVID-19 has shown a marked decrease in the number of T-cells in some gravely ill patients. Scientists are now asking whether age-related thymus decline, which means T-cells arent quickly replaced, may play a role in the severity of illness seen in older adults. The flip side of this is whether, due to their robust production of T-cells, childrens immune systems are able to stay one step ahead of the novel coronavirus. Its only a working theory, but it shows promise, and research into how this may affect and inform treatment continues.

Dr. Eve Glazier, MBA, is an internist and assistant professor of medicine at UCLA Health. Dr. Elizabeth Ko is an internist and primary care physician at UCLA Health. Send your questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla.edu, or write: Ask the Doctors, c/o Media Relations, UCLA Health, 924 Westwood Blvd., Suite 350, Los Angeles, CA, 90095.

Read more from the original source:
ASK THE DOCTOR: Theory suggests thymus plays role in severity of COVID - Lufkin Daily News

A researcher holding up a container of stem cells.Photo: Spencer Platt (Getty Images)

A team of neurologists are raising a red flag over risky and unproven stem cell therapies. Their new study suggests that their fellow doctors are frequently asked about these controversial procedures by desperate patients. Many doctors are also seeing patients with serious complications from stem cell therapy, including seizures, infections, and spinal tumors.

Stem cells are the raw material that our body uses to replace other damaged or aging cells. Scientists have been hopeful about the potential to use these cells as a way to surpass the bodys natural regenerative ability and treat currently incurable diseases, including degenerative neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis.

But so far, there are only a few proven uses in medicine for stem cells, such as bone marrow transplants to treat certain blood cancers. Most of the evidence for their claimed benefits elsewhere is either limited or entirely lacking. These caveats havent stopped the consumer stem cell industry from growing, though, with clinics offering treatments on an experimental basis, often without express approval from the Food and Drug Administration.

This new study, published Wednesday in the Annals of Neurology, was a survey of over 200 neurologists across the country, including a third who specialize in multiple sclerosis. Among other questions, the neurologists were asked if they had ever come across patients who had used or wanted to use stem cells to treat their health problems. For those with patients previously given stem cells, they were also asked about any health complications they had seen that were possibly linked to stem cell treatment.

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Almost 90% of the neurologists surveyed said they had been asked by a patient or a close family member about stem cells, a rate that was slightly higher for those with patients who had incurable conditions like multiple sclerosis. Many of those conversations involved patients asking for the neurologists blessing to go ahead with stem cell therapy. But only 28% of the doctors reported feeling completely prepared to talk to their patients about the topic.

One of the studys points is that these discussions are happening in more than 90% of every outpatient neurology clinic, but many of the doctors are not ready, said senior author Jamie Imitola, a neuroscientist at the University of Connecticut who specializes in multiple sclerosis and stem cell research. And if theyre not fully prepared, then thats shocking, because these are the doctors that should be up to date.

Two-thirds of neurologists also said they had treated someone who had already gotten a stem cell therapy, while 25% of respondents said they had come across a patient with complications thought to be related to a stem cell therapy. Some of the specific complications listed have been reported before, but Imitola said the percentage of doctors who reported any at all is much higher than you would expect from the small number of case reports available. It suggests that side-effects linked to these procedures may be more common than previously thought.

Ive had doctors call us and tell us that patients dont want to report problems with their stem cell treatment, he added. They feel embarrassed, number one, because they have a complication or two, because they feel they were ripped off.

The long list of complications reported by doctors in the survey included stroke, paralysis, bloodborne infections like hepatitis C, and several deaths. In two cases, doctors reported the emergence of a tumor along the spinal cord; in one case, the tumor had cells that didnt seem to belong to the patient, suggesting the donors cells had somehow turned cancerous. In other cases, the therapy seemed to worsen the progression of the disease it was meant to treat. Still other patients had spent tens of thousands of dollars on their treatment, with no lasting improvement.

The surveys findings are limited, especially when it comes to the reported complications, since theyre reliant on the recollection of doctors rather than detailed case reports sourced from the medical records of patients.. But the study points to all sorts of systemic problems, Imitola said. Many of these patients are understandably looking for a miracle, and theres a growing mistrust of science in general, he noted. That makes the wondrous claims peddled by many clinics selling stem cell therapy look all the more appealing. And it makes the relationship between a doctor and their patient all the more important to get right.

There is a sense around the country that scientists are hiding new therapies for this or that. That we dont want people to get stem cell therapy, because there is some ulterior motive, he said. The reality is that for us to translate stem cells into something real, its going to require a great deal of work. Because, ultimately, we want to provide people the best therapy, the best opportunities.

To help neurologists be more prepared to talk about stem cells, the researchers have created a patient-friendly handout based on their findings, translated into 17 languages. Imitola has also set up a patient registry where doctors and patients can anonymously report any possible complications linked to stem cell therapy.

Here is the original post:
Shady Stem Cell Therapies Can Cause Tumors, Infections, and Death, Doctors Report - Gizmodo

By Siddhi Jain

New Delhi, Jul 30 (IANSlife): Cancer takes innumerable lives each year, and so does the unavailability of cancer treatment due to lack of funds. 33-year-old Nushafreen Palsetia, a software engineer based in Mumbai, was recently diagnosed with a very aggressive form of cancer. Despite a relapse, what helped was life-saving support pouring from over 1,700 donors.

Nushafreen was first diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in April 2019. After a year of enduring aggressive treatment, she tried to get back to her normal life and work. Unfortunately, Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL), cancer relapsed in her liver in May 2020 which was an unexpected major shock, leaving her and all of her family overwhelmed.

Doctors planned to perform an autologous (her own stem cells) bone marrow transplant in India after the chemotherapy but further tests showed involvement of the bone marrow as well. Hence, her treating doctor recommended the modern CAR-T Cell therapy treatment, available only in the USA, UK, Israel, and a few European countries.

Nushafreen's family found Israel as the most affordable option as compared to all other countries offering the treatment. They reached out to Sheba Medical Centre in Israel which estimated the medical expenses as 200,000 USD (approximately Rs 1.5 crore). The treatment will require Nushafreen to be hospitalized for a month or more for the response to treatment and immediate follow up.

As Nushafreen's family couldn't afford the high medical expenses, an ImpactGuru crowdfunding campaign was initiated. In two weeks, Nushafreen's ImpactGuru.com Page has raised over Rs 1 crore from 1750 donors. The platform raises money online for medical expenses via crowdfunding such as cancer, transplants, and accidents.

According to the co-founder and CEO of the healthcare crowdfunding platform, Piyush Jain, "Crowdfunding is driven by a culture of generosity, it allows people to raise money quickly in a hassle free manner without any payback liability. This is a new record for our platform with a single patient's family being able to raise more than Rs 1 crore. We hope Nushafreen recovers soon and more patients come forward to utilize our platform in their time of need to get the best available treatment for critical illnesses."

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Crowdfunding to the rescue for this cancer patient - Daijiworld.com

Stem Cells Market Overview 2020 2025

This has brought along several changes in This report also covers the impact of COVID-19 on the global market.

The risingtechnology in Stem Cells Marketis also depicted in thisresearchreport. Factors that are boosting the growth of the market, and giving a positive push to thrive in the global market is explained in detail.

Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell types. Commonly, stem cells come from two main sources: Embryos formed during the blastocyst phase of embryological development (embryonic stem cells) and Adult tissue (adult stem cells). Both types are generally characterized by their potency, or potential to differentiate into different cell types (such as skin, muscle, bone, etc.). This report studies the Stem Cell Therapy. Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. Bone marrow transplant is the most widely used stem-cell therapy, but some therapies derived from umbilical cord blood are also in use.

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Key Competitors of the Global Stem Cells Market are: , Osiris Therapeutics, NuVasive, Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, JCR Pharmaceutical, Pharmicell, Medi-post, Anterogen, MolMed, Takeda (TiGenix)

Historical data available in the report elaborates on the development of the Stem Cells on national, regional and international levels. Stem Cells Market Research Report presents a detailed analysis based on the thorough research of the overall market, particularly on questions that border on the market size, growth scenario, potential opportunities, operation landscape, trend analysis, and competitive analysis.

Major Product Types covered are:AllogeneicAutologous

Major Applications of Stem Cells covered are:Musculoskeletal DisorderWounds & InjuriesCorneaCardiovascular DiseasesOthers

This study report on global Stem Cells market throws light on the crucial trends and dynamics impacting the development of the market, including the restraints, drivers, and opportunities.

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The fundamental purpose of Stem Cells Market report is to provide a correct and strategic analysis of the Stem Cells industry. The report scrutinizes each segment and sub-segments presents before you a 360-degree view of the said market.

Market Scenario:

The report further highlights the development trends in the global Stem Cells market. Factors that are driving the market growth and fueling its segments are also analyzed in the report. The report also highlights on its applications, types, deployments, components, developments of this market.

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:-Business descriptionA detailed description of the companys operations and business divisions.:-Corporate strategyAnalysts summarization of the companys business strategy.:-SWOT AnalysisA detailed analysis of the companys strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.:-Company historyProgression of key events associated with the company.:-Major products and servicesA list of major products, services and brands of the company.:-Key competitorsA list of key competitors to the company.:-Important locations and subsidiariesA list and contact details of key locations and subsidiaries of the company.:-Detailed financial ratios for the past five yearsThe latest financial ratios derived from the annual financial statements published by the company with 5 years history.

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Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments. Market share analysis of the top industry players. Strategic recommendations for the new entrants. Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets. Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations). Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations. Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends. Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments. Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements.

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Stem Cells Market is expected to pick up in healthy CAGR by 2020-2025 Top companies | Chiesi Pharmaceuticals, JCR Pharmaceutical, Pharmicell,...

A year ago, measles was in the news. We saw more cases in 2019 than we had in more than a decade.

Today, its a virus that has become a global pandemic.

We have a vaccine for measles and were working toward one for the coronavirus.

Having a vaccine will go a long way toward relieving the angst of society. You see, vaccines are one way to achieve herd immunity. (Natural infection is the other.) This is when a large portion of a community becomes immune to a disease. When that happens, the spread of the disease becomes less likely.

This vaccine will happen. In part, because we want it to and because of the amazing advances weve made in the world of medicine.

Were seeing amazing changes in precision medicine today. As the name implies, it has made the practice of medicine more precise. We are sequencing genes to better understand disease at the cells. This has allowed us to personalize medicine.

Per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sickle cell disease (SCD) affects 100,000 people in the U.S. alone. A disproportionate percentage of them are African American.

Normally healthy round red blood cells become hard and sticky. They look like a C-shaped tool called a sickle.

The cells die early, causing a constant shortage of red blood cells. The shape of these cells also causes them to get stuck and clog blood flow. This results in pain, infection and even stroke.

Gene therapy modifies someones DNA to treat disease.

In 2017, doctors announced they had used the therapy to cure a teens SCD and the painful symptoms that went with it.

They took some of his bone marrow stem cells, gave the cells extra versions of a needed gene and put them back in his body.

The blood tests show hes cured.

Medical professionals are excited about the prospects of gene therapy for other ailments like hemophilia and cystic fibrosis as well.

Immunotherapy is a treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer. Its a biological therapy. This means it uses substances made from living organisms.

One reason cancer cells thrive is they know how to hide from your immune system. Some of the immunotherapies were working on can mark cancer cells so its easier for your system to find them. Others boost your immune system, so it just works better against the diseased cells.

One version of this is T-cell therapy.

Kids who get leukemia most often suffer from ALL, or acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

In 2017, scientists conducted a trial on patients who had a less than 20% chance of survival using current treatments. Of those patients, 93% using the therapy achieved complete initial remission. Half remained in complete remission a year later.

Testing continues, but this is a huge leap forward.

Human ingenuity will help us beat the coronavirus, too.

Weve been fighting viruses for a long time. We have hundreds of years of insight. And weve never wanted a vaccine more than we do today.

Remdesivir is one of our most promising drugs to fight the coronavirus. Gilead Sciences first created it to treat Ebola, another virus.

Precision medicine will help, too.

More than 1,800 COVID-19 trials are taking place around the world right now. The U.S. is doing the most, but this is truly a global effort.

We will achieve our goal.

Never bet against us.

Further, if there ever was one, now is the time to come together. To use more compassion than (hate-filled) passion. The results will surprise us if we embrace kindness today.

Good investing,

Brian ChristopherEditor, Profit Line

P.S. In his Automatic Fortunes investing service, Ian King follows the latest advancements in precision medicine. He has already invested in names that benefit from it. Precision medicine will be a key player in the rise of the Great American Reset. Click here to learn more. Youll be happy that you did.

Original post:
Precision Medicine Achieves Our Goals and Makes Money in Stocks - Banyan Hill Publishing

On July 24, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval of a new CAR-T therapy, Tecartus (brexucabtagene autoleucel), for adults with mantle cell lymphoma who have not responded to or who have relapsed after other kinds of treatment.

Tecartus (formerly known as KTE-X19), manufactured by Kite, a Gilead Company, is a living drug that reprograms a patients own T cells to fight cancer. About two thirds of participants treated in the ZUMA-2 study experienced complete remission, which in a majority of cases lasted at least a year.

"This approval is yet another example of customized treatments that use a patients own immune system to help fight cancer, Peter Marks, MD, PhD, director of the FDAs Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a press release. Were seeing continued advances in the field of gene therapy and remain committed to supporting innovation in this promising new area of medicine.

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is an uncommon form of non-Hodgkinlymphoma that involves overgrowth of abnormal B cells in lymph nodes. By the time it is diagnosed, MCL has often spread to the bone marrow and other organs, and it is frequently refractory (nonresponsive) to existing treatments or relapses following a period of remission.

Chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapybetter known as CAR-Tinvolves removing a sample of a patients white blood cells, genetically reprogramming the T cells to recognize and attack their cancer, manufacturing a large number of the modified cells in a laboratory and infusing them back into the body. Like Kites previously approved CAR-T Yescarta (axicabtagene ciloleucel), Tecartus targets the CD19 protein on B cells, but the manufacturing process includes greater T-cell selection and lymphocyte enrichment.

The Phase II ZUMA-2 trial enrolled 74 adults with relapsed or refractory MCL in the United States and Europe who had previously tried up to five prior therapies. Six people ended up not receiving Tecartus because of manufacturing failures or death due to disease progression.

The primary analysis included 60 treated participants. Most were men, and the median age was 65. Most had Stage IV metastatic cancer, more than 80% had tried three or more prior treatments and 43% had received a bone marrow stem cell transplant.

A sample of the patients T cells were collected and modified, and they received strong conditioning chemotherapy to kill off some of their existing immune cells to make room for the new ones. They then received a single infusion of the genetically engineered cells.

As described at last years American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and in The New England Journal of Medicine, the overall response rate, meaning complete or partial remission, was 93%, including 67% with complete responses. After a year of follow-up, 57% were still in remission, as were 43% of those followed for two years. The estimated one-year progression-free survival rate was 61%, and the estimated overall survival rate was 83%.

In a press release announcing the approval, Gilead/Kite gave an updated overall response rate of 87% and a complete response rate of 62%.

Therapies that receive FDA accelerated approval based on overall response rates are expected to undergo further testing in larger trials to confirm clinical benefits, and the agencycan rescind approval if they do not measure up. Tecartus is also currently in Phase I/II trials for acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Treatment with Tecartus was generally safe. The most common severe adverse events were low blood cell counts due to the conditioning chemotherapy and infections. Introducing engineered T cells can trigger a strong immune reaction known as cytokine release syndrome (CRS), which can lead to falling blood pressure and organ failure. As previously reported, 15% of study participants experienced Grade 3 or higher CRS, and 31% developed severe neurological side effects. Based on a larger group of patients, Gilead/Kite updated these figures to 18% and 37%, respectively. These side effects were managed with corticosteroids or Actemra (tocilizumab), and none were fatal.

A risk evaluation and mitigation strategy (REMS) for Tecartus has been approved by the FDA and combined with the YescartaREMS (www.YescartaTecartusREMS.com). This program informs health care professionals about the risks associated with CAR-T therapy and how to manage it.

Tecartus will be produced at Kites commercial manufacturing facility in El Segundo, California. The median turnaround time from T-cell collection to administration of the modified cells is around 15 days, according to the press release. The Kite Konnectprogram offers financial and logistical support for eligible patients receiving Tecartus or Yescarta.

Despite promising advances, there are still major gaps in treatment for patients with MCL who progress following initial therapy, ZUMA-2 lead investigator Michael Wang, MD, of University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, said in the press release. Many patients have high-risk disease and are more likely to keep progressing, even after subsequent treatments. The availability of Tecartus as the first-ever cell therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory MCL provides an important option with a response rate of nearly 90% and early clinical evidence suggesting durable remissions in later lines of therapy.

Click here to learn more about lymphoma.

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FDA Approves New CAR-T Therapy for Mantle Cell Lymphoma - Cancer Health Treatment News

Companies, Organizations Needed to Host Events

MONTVALE, NJ Because of the current, nationwide surge in COVID-19 infections throughout the Sun Belt, along with the constant importance of bolstering the local blood supply, theres now significant need for residents to donate blood and, if possible, convalescent plasma.

The nonprofit, blood-collection organization Vitalantis offering two local, open-to-the-public donation events during August:

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Vitalant is also seeking companies and organizations throughoutMonmouth Countyto host blood donation events. Information on hosting a donation event is available by clicking here.

Individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to donate blood plasma. Known as convalescent plasma, this blood component contains antibodies that may provide seriously ill patients an extra boost in fighting the disease.

Vitalant is providing an antibody test which is authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to all donors; results will be available in private, online donor accounts, approximately two weeks after a donation.There is also a great need for blood platelets small cells in the blood that form clots to prevent bleeding, while also helping with anemia and low blood countsand type O-negative,the universal blood type.

To promote the increase of blood, convalescent plasma, and platelet donations,regular event host companies and organizations many of which put their events on pause due to the pandemic are asked toconsider returning to a consistent schedule of donation events.

FEMA has specifically identified blood donation as an essential and integral component of the emergency support function. Of note, coronavirus cannot be transferred through the blood. And, as always, the blood collection process is safe with noimpact on the donor's immune system. Vitalant staff follows rigorous safety and disinfection protocols at its blood drives and donation centers and have always required individuals to be in good health to donate blood.

Vitalant also maintains four New Jersey blood centers, with hours and street addresses as follows:

Healthy individuals age 16 or older, who weigh at least 110 pounds, may donate blood; 16- and 17-year-olds must have proof of birth date and signed consent forms, either in English or Spanish. Donors should eat a moderate meal prior to donating, and also bring identification featuring their signature.

On occasion, last-minute changes to scheduling for a donation event will occur. As a result, it is recommended that anyone planning to donate blood at a Vitalant donation event call 201-251-3703, toll free, to confirm timing and location details. Additional information about donating blood is also available by visitingwww.vitalant.org.

About Vitalant in New Jersey

A not-for-profit organization that supplies blood and blood products to hospitals in the New Jersey/New York region, Bergen County-based Vitalant (previously Community Blood Services) has been devoted to serving the communitys transfusion medicine needs since 1953. Donations of blood and blood products, umbilical cord blood, stem cells, and bone marrow help to join individuals, organizations, businesses, and entire communities together in partnership to help save lives.

About Vitalant

Arizona-based Vitalant is among the nations oldest and largest transfusion medical organizations in the U.S. Founded in 1943, its blood centers division serves some 700 hospitals across the United States. A founding member of Americas Blood Centers and the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks), Vitalant also operates biological products distribution services, a quality consulting group, and a world-renowned transfusion medicine research institute. It also is a partner in the operation of high-volume donor testing laboratories.

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Vitalant to Hold Two Blood Donation Drives in Monmouth County to Assist Health Care Facilities Hardest Hit by Coronavirus - TAPinto.net

Global PNH and aHUS Market research report helps to explain the market definition, classifications, applications, engagements and business challenges of industry. This PNH and aHUS market report provides key information about the industry, including very helpful and important facts and figures, expert opinions, and the latest developments across the globe. It also provides an overview of PNH and aHUS market, containing global revenue, global production, sales, and CAGR.

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About PNH and aHUS Market:

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In this study, The Years Considered to Estimate the Market Size of PNH and aHUS:

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PNH and aHUS Market Report Segment by Types:

PNH and aHUS Market Report Segmented by Application:

Geographical Segmentation:

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PNH and aHUS Market Report Contains Following Points in TOC:

1 PNH and aHUS Market Overview

1.1 Product Overview and Scope of PNH and aHUS

1.2 PNH and aHUS Segment by Type

1.3 PNH and aHUS Segment by Application

1.4 Global PNH and aHUS Market by Region 2020 VS 2026

1.5 Global PNH and aHUS Growth Prospects (2015-2026)

2 Market Competition by Manufacturers

2.1 Global PNH and aHUS Production Capacity Market Share by Manufacturers (2015-2020)

2.2 Global PNH and aHUS Revenue Share by Manufacturers (2015-2020)

2.3 Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)

2.4 Global PNH and aHUS Average Price by Manufacturers (2015-2020)

2.5 Manufacturers PNH and aHUS Production Sites, Area Served, Product Types

2.6 PNH and aHUS Market Competitive Situation and Trends

3 Production Capacity by Region (2015-2020)

3.1 Global Production Capacity of PNH and aHUS Market Share by Regions

3.2 Global PNH and aHUS Revenue Market Share by Regions

3.3 Global PNH and aHUS Production Capacity, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin

3.4 North America PNH and aHUS Production

4 Global PNH and aHUS Consumption by Regions

4.1. Global PNH and aHUS Consumption Market Share by Region

4.2 North America

4.3 Europe

4.4 Asia Pacific

4.5 Latin America

5 Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Type (2015-2020)

5.1 Global PNH and aHUS Production Market Share by Type

5.2 Global PNH and aHUS Revenue Market Share by Type

5.3 Global PNH and aHUS Price by Type

5.4 Global PNH and aHUS Market Share by Price Tier (2015-2020): Low-End, Mid-Range and High-End

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2020 PNH and aHUS Market | Global Industry Size, Leading Countries, Leading Manufacturers, Regional Analysis Forecast to 2026 - Market Research Posts

NEW YORK, July 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --BrainStorm-Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: BCLI), a leader in developing innovative autologous cellular therapies for highly debilitating neurodegenerative diseases, announced today that the Company will hold a conference call to update shareholders on financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2020, and provide a corporate update, at 8:00 a.m., Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), on Wednesday, August 5 2020.

On the call, BrainStorm CEO Chaim Lebovits will present a corporate update, including details on the timeline for the data readout of the Company's Phase 3 pivotal trial studying the safety and efficacy of NurOwn (MSC-NTF cell) in people with ALS. In addition, Dr. Revital Aricha. Brainstorm's Vice President of Research and Development, will provide an R&D update including recently announced data from the Company's groundbreaking preclinical study evaluating NurOwn-derived exosomes for the treatment of COVID-19 ARDS.

Thereafter, senior management officers will join the call for a Q&A session. Participants are encouraged to submit their questions prior to the call by sending them to:q@brainstorm-cell.com. Questions should be submitted by5:00 p.m. EDT,Monday, August 3, 2020.

Teleconference Details BRAINSTORM CELL THERAPEUTICS 2Q 2020

The investment community may participate in the conference call by dialing the following numbers:

Participant Numbers:

Toll Free: 877-407-9205International: 201-689-8054

Those interested in listening to the conference call live via the internet may do so by visiting the "Investors & Media" page of BrainStorm's website atwww.ir.brainstorm-cell.comand clicking on the conference call link.

Those that wish to listen to the replay of the conference call can do so by dialing the numbers below. The replay will be available for 14 days.

Replay Number:

Toll Free: 877-481-4010International: 919-882-2331Replay Passcode: 36017

Teleconference Replay Expiration:

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

About NurOwn

NurOwn (autologous MSC-NTF) cells represent a promising investigational therapeutic approach to targeting disease pathways important in neurodegenerative disorders. MSC-NTF cells are produced from autologous, bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) that have been expanded and differentiated ex vivo. MSCs are converted into MSC-NTF cells by growing them under patented conditions that induce the cells to secrete high levels of neurotrophic factors (NTFs). Autologous MSC-NTF cells can effectively deliver multiple NTFs and immunomodulatory cytokines directly to the site of damage to elicit a desired biological effect and ultimately slow or stabilize disease progression. BrainStorm has fully enrolled a Phase 3 pivotal trial of autologous MSC-NTF cells for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). BrainStorm also recently received acceptance from theU.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) to initiate a Phase 2 open-label multicenter trial in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) and initiated enrollment inMarch 2019.

AboutBrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.is a leading developer of innovative autologous adult stem cell therapeutics for debilitating neurodegenerative diseases. The Company holds the rights to clinical development and commercialization of the NurOwn technology platform used to produce autologous MSC-NTF cells through an exclusive, worldwide licensing agreement. Autologous MSC-NTF cells have received Orphan Drug status designation from theU.S. Food and Drug Administration(FDA) and theEuropean Medicines Agency(EMA) for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). BrainStorm has fully enrolled a Phase 3 pivotal trial in ALS (NCT03280056), investigating repeat-administration of autologous MSC-NTF cells at sixU.S.sites supported by a grant from theCalifornia Institute for Regenerative Medicine(CIRM CLIN2-0989). The pivotal study is intended to support a filing forU.S.FDA approval of autologous MSC-NTF cells in ALS. BrainStorm also recently receivedU.S.FDA clearance to initiate a Phase 2 open-label multicenter trial in progressive multiple sclerosis (MS). The Phase 2 study of autologous MSC-NTF cells in patients with progressive MS (NCT03799718) started enrollment inMarch 2019. For more information, visit the company's website atwww.brainstorm-cell.com.

Story continues

Safe-Harbor Statement

Statements in this announcement other than historical data and information, including statements regarding future clinical trial enrollment and data, constitute "forward-looking statements" and involve risks and uncertainties that could causeBrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.'sactual results to differ materially from those stated or implied by such forward-looking statements. Terms and phrases such as "may", "should", "would", "could", "will", "expect", "likely", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "predict", "potential", and similar terms and phrases are intended to identify these forward-looking statements. The potential risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, BrainStorm's need to raise additional capital, BrainStorm's ability to continue as a going concern, regulatory approval of BrainStorm's NurOwn treatment candidate, the success of BrainStorm's product development programs and research, regulatory and personnel issues, development of a global market for our services, the ability to secure and maintain research institutions to conduct our clinical trials, the ability to generate significant revenue, the ability of BrainStorm's NurOwn treatment candidate to achieve broad acceptance as a treatment option for ALS or other neurodegenerative diseases, BrainStorm's ability to manufacture and commercialize the NurOwn treatment candidate, obtaining patents that provide meaningful protection, competition and market developments, BrainStorm's ability to protect our intellectual property from infringement by third parties, heath reform legislation, demand for our services, currency exchange rates and product liability claims and litigation,; and other factors detailed in BrainStorm's annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q available athttp://www.sec.gov. These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on BrainStorm's forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on the beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this press release. We do not assume any obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or assumptions if circumstances or management's beliefs, expectations or opinions should change, unless otherwise required by law. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements.

CONTACTS

Investor Relations:Preetam Shah, MBA, PhDChief Financial OfficerBrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.Phone: +1-862-397-1860pshah@brainstorm-cell.com

Media:Paul TyahlaSmithSolvePhone: +1-973-713-3768Paul.tyahla@smithsolve.com

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/brainstorm-cell-therapeutics-to-announce-second-quarter-financial-results-and-provide-a-corporate-and-rd-update-301100141.html

SOURCE Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc

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BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics to Announce Second Quarter Financial Results and Provide a Corporate and R&D Update - Yahoo Finance

Cell Transplant Market Overview 2020 2025

This has brought along several changes in This report also covers the impact of COVID-19 on the global market.

The risingtechnology in Cell Transplant Marketis also depicted in thisresearchreport. Factors that are boosting the growth of the market, and giving a positive push to thrive in the global market is explained in detail.

Cell Transplant is a procedure in which cells, often stem cells or cells that can be induced to become pluripotent stem cells, are transferred to a site where the tissue is damaged or diseased. The transfer can occur within an individual (autologous transplantation), between individuals, or between species.

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Key Competitors of the Global Cell Transplant Market are: , Regen Biopharma, Global Cord Blood Corporation, CBR Systems, Escape Therapeutics, Cryo-Save, Lonza Group, Pluristem Therapeutics, Stemedica Cell Technology

Historical data available in the report elaborates on the development of the Cell Transplant on national, regional and international levels. Cell Transplant Market Research Report presents a detailed analysis based on the thorough research of the overall market, particularly on questions that border on the market size, growth scenario, potential opportunities, operation landscape, trend analysis, and competitive analysis.

Major Product Types covered are:Peripheral Blood Stem Cells Transplant (PBSCT)Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)

Major Applications of Cell Transplant covered are:HospitalsClinicsOthers

This study report on global Cell Transplant market throws light on the crucial trends and dynamics impacting the development of the market, including the restraints, drivers, and opportunities.

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The fundamental purpose of Cell Transplant Market report is to provide a correct and strategic analysis of the Cell Transplant industry. The report scrutinizes each segment and sub-segments presents before you a 360-degree view of the said market.

Market Scenario:

The report further highlights the development trends in the global Cell Transplant market. Factors that are driving the market growth and fueling its segments are also analyzed in the report. The report also highlights on its applications, types, deployments, components, developments of this market.

Highlights following key factors:

:-Business descriptionA detailed description of the companys operations and business divisions.:-Corporate strategyAnalysts summarization of the companys business strategy.:-SWOT AnalysisA detailed analysis of the companys strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats.:-Company historyProgression of key events associated with the company.:-Major products and servicesA list of major products, services and brands of the company.:-Key competitorsA list of key competitors to the company.:-Important locations and subsidiariesA list and contact details of key locations and subsidiaries of the company.:-Detailed financial ratios for the past five yearsThe latest financial ratios derived from the annual financial statements published by the company with 5 years history.

Our report offers:

Market share assessments for the regional and country level segments. Market share analysis of the top industry players. Strategic recommendations for the new entrants. Market forecasts for a minimum of 9 years of all the mentioned segments, sub segments and the regional markets. Market Trends (Drivers, Constraints, Opportunities, Threats, Challenges, Investment Opportunities, and recommendations). Strategic recommendations in key business segments based on the market estimations. Competitive landscaping mapping the key common trends. Company profiling with detailed strategies, financials, and recent developments. Supply chain trends mapping the latest technological advancements.

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Originally posted here:
COVID-19 Impact: Cell Transplant Market | Strategic Industry Evolutionary Analysis Focus on Leading Key Players and Revenue Growth Analysis by...

The Hackett Group at EMBL Rome explores epigenetics, genome regulation and cell identity. Recently, the scientists developed a novel CRISPR molecular tool for editing the epigenome, enabling transient modifications that can switch certain genes "on" and "off" temporarily.The SARS-CoV-2 virus that has caused the COVID-19 global pandemic makes its way into a host cell via a protein known as ACE2, which is involved in a range of physiological functions in the body.

What happens when you transiently turn "off" the gene that encodes this protein? Can SARS-Cov-2 still enter the cell and cause infection? This is what Hackett and colleagues are currently exploring in animal models, to determine whether epigenetic silencing could be a treatment approach for COVID-19 in humans.Technology Networks spoke with Dr James (Jamie) Hackett, group leader at EMBL, to learn more about the CRISPR tool, how it can be used to silence ACE2 in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection and whether there could be any adverse implications from doing so.Molly Campbell (MC): For our readers that may be unfamiliar, can you please describe what epigenetic modifications are?Jamie Hackett (JH): Epigenetic modifications are small chemical tags that are physically grafted onto DNA (or the histones that DNA wraps around) to help control how and when the DNA is used. These epigenetic modifications act as signposts that encourage a specific part of DNA, such as a gene, to be switched on or off. In other words, they help control which genes are "expressed", and which are ignored in each cell. This is important to ensure that genes that are required specifically in liver, for example, are only switched on in the liver, and not say, in the brain.MC: You are developing a CRISPR-based molecular tool to conduct epigenetic editing. Can you please tell us about this approach? How have you developed the tool and how does it work?JH: CRISPR systems normally locate a specific section of DNA in the genome and alter its genetic sequence, known as genetic "editing". Epigenetic editing uses the same principle but instead alters the epigenetic modifications at a specific region rather than the genetic sequence. This turns genes on or off in a "programmable" manner. Importantly, unlike genetic editing, epigenetic editing is largely reversible, enabling transient changes in how genes operate without changing the DNA sequence itself.MC: You plan to test the tool in mice to target airway cells that express the ACE2 protein. Can you talk to us about the rationale behind this?JH: ACE2 is a protein that sits on the outside of many cells and is normally involved in controlling blood pressure. However, the COVID-19 virus hijacks ACE2 by using it as a docking site that enables entry of the virus into a cell. If the gene ACE2 is switched OFF, this should remove the access point for COVID-19 and restrict infection. To test this possibility, we will use mouse models where we attempt to epigenetically switch off ACE2, which will help inform us whether this could be a viable strategy in humans in the future.

MC: Could there be adverse effects from targeting the ACE2 protein, as it is involved in several physiological processes in humans, for example? How will you explore and monitor this?JH: Impaired levels of ACE2 over long periods are linked with elevated blood pressure. However, over short-term periods loss of ACE2 appears to be relatively tolerable. This is one reason why a reversible "epigenetic" approach could be appealing since it would only temporality deplete ACE2 from cells, potentially to provide protection during high risk periods, before allowing it to return to its original status at the appropriate time.MC: What broader applications might this tool have, beyond SARS-CoV-2?JH: The same technology can, in principle, be applied to change the expression of genes other than ACE2, that are linked with disease. We are at the very beginning of exploring the potential of this, so it is not clear what realistic expectations are, but there is nonetheless great excitement about such precision strategies. For example, diseases where one of the two gene copies is a "mutant", such as Huntingtons disease, could be targets. Here it is hoped to be possible to epigenetically switch off only the mutant version of the gene, leaving the normal copy on. This scenario is predicted to help mitigate symptoms in a very precise and specific way. Conversely, in the neurological disorder Fragile X syndrome, the FMR1 gene has become inappropriately silenced (switched off). Epigenetic editing can be applied to selectively reactivate this gene to switch it on, with initial indications being that this helps restore neuronal functions. Jamie Hackett was speaking to Molly Campbell, Science Writer for Technology Networks.

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Silencing the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor With CRISPR and Epigenetic Modifications - Technology Networks