Archive for December, 2020

Dec. 28 (UPI) -- Fewer than 2% of people with treatment-resistant high blood pressure are checked for a hormone disorder that can drive blood pressure higher, a study published Monday by the Annals of Internal Medicine found.

In people with primary aldosteronism, the adrenal gland produces too much of a hormone called aldosterone, causing increases in blood pressure, often to unhealthy levels, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Professional guidelines recommend checking those with high blood pressure that doesn't respond to treatment for the hormonal disorder, but researchers found the tests often are not performed.

"While primary aldosteronism is a common cause of difficult to control hypertension, it is under-diagnosed," study co-author Dr. Jordana Cohen told UPI.

"Patients who were tested in our study were more likely to be treated with the appropriate medications ... and to have better blood pressure control over time, said Cohen, an assistant professor of medicine and epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania.

Many people who don't respond well to commonly used blood pressure control medications, including beta blockers and ACE inhibitors, are found to have the hormone disorder, Cohen and her colleagues said.

The condition has been linked with a four- to 12-fold increased risk for cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, compared to those with high blood pressure due to other causes, the researchers said.

However, the disorder can be effectively treated with drugs called mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, or MRAs, including spironolactone and eplerenone, or surgery, according to Cohen.

For this study, she and researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University and the University of Michigan reviewed data from the Veterans Health Administration for more than 269,000 veterans with apparent treatment-resistant high blood pressure.

Treatment-resistant hypertension was defined as either two blood pressures of at least 140 systolic or 90 diastolic at least one month apart. Patients also had to be receiving treatment with at least three blood pressure drugs, including a diuretic, or with at least four different types of blood pressure drugs, the researchers said.

Just under 2% of patients with treatment-resistant high blood pressure underwent guideline-recommended testing for the hormone disorder, the data showed.

Testing rates ranged from 0% to 6% at centers included in the study and did not correlate with the number of patients with treatment-resistant hypertension, the researchers said.

And just 15% of the patients were on an MRA drug, the data showed.

Patients tested for the hormone condition were more likely to receive treatment with MRAs and have better long-term blood pressure control, according to the researchers.

Testing rates also did not change meaningfully over nearly two decades of follow-up despite an increasing number of guidelines recommending testing for the disorder in this population, they said.

"If you are on three or more medications for management of your blood pressure, ask your doctor if they think you might benefit from testing or from being treated with an MRA," Cohen said.

"Not all patients are appropriate to be tested or treated with MRAs, but most people with treatment resistant hypertension are," she said.

Read the original:
Study: Too few with high blood pressure tested for hormone disorder - UPI News

After treating over 35,000 men, we understand their needs and we know what works.

GREENVILLE, S.C. (PRWEB) December 29, 2020

Greenville Mens Clinic, a local mens health company, has announced today an exciting merger & rebranding campaign that will better reflect its mission and dedication to mens health. The announcement of the new brand comes with a new patient-centric website that is solely focused on mens health from a global perspective.

With COVID-19 pushing many companies to the brink of closure, MHP and GMC saw an opportunity to meet mens health needs at the local and national level. By joining with Mens Health Partners, Greenville Mens Clinic is able to transition from a local mens health presence to one that is able to serve clients nationwide.

Our vision is to become a national leader in mens health, said Shauli Greenspan, CEO of Mens Health Partners, treating patients is what we do best, and this merger and rebranding allows us to address our patients needs more globally. This is not just cosmetic; weve taken this opportunity to evolve our service line and our treatment pathways to better address our clients needs.

Mens Health Partners is changing the way mens health is done in Greenville, South Carolina. They offer affordable, custom treatments to resolve Erectile Dysfunction & Peyronies. MHP also provides weight loss, solutions for hormone deficiencies, and provides STD testing.

We have always offered a discreet and confidential approach to our clients, said Ty Hopkins, COO of Mens Health Partners, after treating over 35,000 men, we understand their needs and we know what works. A vast majority of our clients have tried online pills to remedy a pretty complex disease, these pills often fail with time. We have achieved a 95% success rate with our clients, and we want to close that gap even more.

Share article on social media or email:

Go here to read the rest:
The Men's Health Partners and Greenville Men's Clinic Merger Changes the Way Men's Healthcare is done in South Carolina - PR Web

Before this year, I thought that you could be either pregnant or not pregnant. As it happens, its not always that simple. Last August, two weeks after an embryo was transferred to my uterus in the basement of a Harley Street fertility clinic, I held a pregnancy test up to the strong sunlight at my bedroom window. The control line, which indicated whether or not the test was working, was clear and dark pink. The test line, which indicated whether or not I was pregnant, was faint, like a shadow. In some light it was impossible to discern in some light but standing at the window, there it was: hope.

The embryo had been in a freezer for the best part of the year before it was transferred. It had been created using my egg and my husbands sperm at our local hospital in east London because, due to illness, conceiving naturally was no longer possible for us. We had commenced treatment after almost a year on an NHS waiting list: I injected myself with hormones and doctors retrieved eggs from my ovaries; they were injected with my husbands sperm and became embryos. Due to a complication, it wasnt safe for them to be transferred straight away so they were frozen. On New Years Eve 2019, we toasted our three frozen embryos as we looked ahead to 2020: this would be the year I became pregnant, this would be a good year.

In February 2020, the first of the frozen embryos was transferred. My husband was there with me, holding my hand, as the doctor placed it in my uterus. She reeled off instructions afterwards: no sex for seven days, no alcohol, no smoking, do an at-home pregnancy test in 13 days.

The test was negative; the transfer had failed. And in those 13 days, the world had changed. It was clear that coronavirus had spread to Europe. Soon, Downing Street announced that the virus was likely to spread in the UK in a significant way. The fertility clinic we were being treated at closed shortly afterwards; staff were deployed to other parts of the hospital as the NHS buckled under the strain of the pandemic. At the end of March, all fertility treatment in NHS and private clinics was cancelled. IVF became just another part of life that would not happen now: no parties, no theatre, no babies that feel like miracles, no leaving the country, no hugs.

To live with infertility and to undergo fertility treatment is to live with constant uncertainty. Often, it is unclear why pregnancy doesnt occur in the first place: unexplained infertility is a common diagnosis. As a patient, you offer yourself up in the quest for certainty. You are probed, an ultrasound wand inserted into your body, manoeuvred inside you, as a sonographer counts the little sacs in your ovaries. Blood is drawn and hormone levels are measured. Still, no one can say what you want to hear, no one can say that you will definitely have a baby.

By the summer, fertility clinics were authorised to resume treatment but our clinic remained shut: I dont know when it will reopen, a receptionist told me when I called the hospital switchboard. My husband and I arranged to have both the remaining embryos transferred to a private clinic, at a cost of thousands. I imagined myself with twins, what a handful they would be. On the day of the transfer, the embryologist told me that one of the frozen embryos hadnt survived the thaw.

Isnt that rare? I asked.

Its uncommon but not rare, he said. It happens.

The last embryo of the three transferred in clinic basement as my husband waited on the street because Covid regulations meant he couldnt come inside was the one that created that shadow line on a pregnancy test back in August. It nearly made it. It was a sort-of pregnancy; an almost pregnancy; what is known, officially, as a chemical pregnancy or early miscarriage. By then we knew 2019s three embryos werent going to become our future children.

We moved to Ireland, where I am from, and started a new cycle, at a new clinic. All was going well with the process until it wasnt. There will be so many eggs, I was told by a doctor on a Monday. Then, on a Wednesday, I was told that, actually, there will be very few eggs.

It is now the end of the year and the uncertainty is ongoing. I live alongside the unknowing. And after so much uncertainty, I find that I can just about tolerate it. I got good practice this year, we all did this was the year that certainty evaporated, the word plan became more or less meaningless. And without the sturdy reliability of a plan, I had to turn to gratitude instead. Before this year, I thought it was cheesy to be thankful for things that are common or easily won, but when you witness the unravelling of the way life has always been, when you look on as industries and livelihoods are destroyed, when you know families who have been bereaved suddenly, that changes how you see things. Amid so much loss, it becomes clear that you are lucky and it becomes easier to feel grateful.

I still feel anger, despair and, sometimes when I see somebody elses huge bump, a terrible envy. I still use Google to search for answers to weirdly specific queries, hoping that somebody, somewhere, on some fertility forum, will tell me that it will all work out. I still long for certainty but, in the absence of it, I get by on hope and gratitude.

When the weather forecast predicts rain, but they were wrong and it stays dry, that is something to be grateful about. When the heron might not be there, but then he is, standing proud by the riverbank as you walk home from the IVF clinic, that is something to be grateful about. When it doesnt work this time, but there is always next time, that is something to be grateful about.

Lynn Enright is a journalist and the author of Vagina: A Re-education

Read the original post:
My fertility treatment failed three times in 2020 and I discovered how to live with uncertainty - The Guardian

Breakfast may be the "most important meal of the day," but lunch is certainly a huge deal as well. A good, healthy lunch can help keep your energy levels high and prevent you from mindless mid-afternoon snacking later. But what would be considered the healthiest lunches to have? We reached out to a few registered dietitians and asked them their recommendations for the healthiest lunches you can possibly have.

Here are the meals they say are the best-of-the-best, and for more healthy tips, be sure to check out our list of the 100 Easiest Recipes You Can Make.

"One of the healthiest lunches you can have is grilled salmon over a colorful salad," says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, and author of Finally Full, Finally Slim. "Salmon is high in protein which helps you to feel full and rich in heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids (known as "good fats"). A colorful salad contains an assortment of veggies, which are high in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and the different colors ensure that you are getting a mix of different nutrients. I love a blend of romaine lettuce, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, red peppers, and cucumbers."

Or try ourHoney-Mustard Glazed Salmon With Roasted Asparagus Recipe.

"Did you know that seafood is one of the best dietary sources of animal protein? It's packed with vital nutrients, such as heart-healthy omega-3s, and has less saturated fat and cholesterol than other protein options," says Rima Kleiner MS, RD, a Registered and Licensed Dietitian and Nutritionist at Dish on Fish. "Protein may help our brains recognize the hormone leptin, which helps us feel fuller longer and provides energy for our bodies."

An easy way to get seafood into your lunch routine is prepping a tuna melt! This healthy tuna and veggie melt is a filling lunch that's still low in calories but packed with nutrients.

"I love putting veggies and grain bowl together because you can use up what you've got in the fridge and create endless variations," says Frances Largeman-Roth, RDN. "I like starting with a base of high fiber barley or quinoa and adding whatever colorful veggies I have on hand. This time of year it's probably roasted Brussels sprouts and carrots, plus a bit of kimchee for probiotics and then a packet of tuna for high-quality protein. I like the ones from Bumble Bee because they come in tasty flavors like Thai Chili, they require no prep, and they offer important vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D (so important for winter!), iron, and selenium."

Here'sHow to Make a Delicious Buddha Bowl for Weight Loss.

"I am a huge fan of packing my lunch like you would your kid's for school," says Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, and author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook. "One of my go-to's is the 'Adult Lunchable' that includes cheese, whole grain crackers, grapes, turkey, veggie like mini sweet peppers, baby carrots or cherry tomatoes, and some nuts. With fiber, protein, and healthy fat, you will get full faster and stay full longer, plus get tons of nutrients!"

"So many people get protein and veggies on their salad, but then find themselves sluggish mid-afternoon because they did not get carbohydrates at lunch," says Goodson. "The ultimate salad is one with all the food groups. As a dietitian, one of my favorites is a pan-seared salmon salad with mixed greens, goat cheese, berries, pecans, and a grain like quinoa or farro. The best part of the 5-Food Group salad lunch is that you can mix and match your proteins, cheese, nuts, fruit, and grains to make all kinds of combinations to keep it interesting and flavorful. Including all five food groups will help you feel more satisfied and less likely to go grazing on snack foods a few hours later."

Or try our Warm-Kale Quinoa Salad, which includes all of the food groups Goodson recommends!

"Soup and salad lunches offer an opportunity to get lots of healthy foods such as veggies, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds," says MyNetDiary's Registered Dietitian and MS, Brenda Braslow. "These plant-based meals offer loads of protein, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber to keep our bodies healthy and immune systems strong."

Try our Veggie-Packed Minestrone Pesto Soup with a simple green salad for lunch!

"A quick and easy lunch I rely on quite a bit is what I call [the] Egg Scramble Whole Wheat Tortilla Wrap," says Cheryl Mussatto MS, RD, LD of Eat Well To Be Well RD. "Scramble two eggs with black beans along with diced cherry tomatoes and diced avocado. When cooked, place in the whole wheat wrap with a sprinkle of pepper jack cheese topped with fresh salsa and you're done. Protein-packed, fiber-filled, rich in monounsaturated fat, and simply delicious, this keeps me satiated for hours until dinner. I'll also include a side of fruit such as a few apple slices, grapes, or a small pear for a more well-balanced meal and for extra fiber."

Try our version with this Fiber-Filled Breakfast Burrito recipe!

"Lunch is an important meal of the day. You want to go for, not only what keeps you full, but also what gives you the energy to go about the next five or so hours of school, work, or any other day's activity," says Edie Reads, RD and chief editor at healthadvise.org. "You also want to avoid [processed] carbs. These are unhealthy, will easily lead to weight gain and digestive issues such as constipation, diarrhea, and bloating."

Reads says salads, in particular, are a great choice for lunch.

"Make yours with lots of proteins, and greens," says Reads. "If you want, you can top it up with some dressing. Try out the Mediterranean-style salad."

This Greek Salad Recipe is a great place to start!

"Some vegetable curry will also do," says Reads. "it comes packed with lots of vitamins and antioxidants. You'll also feel full for longer and may not need to snack."

Try our version with this Cauliflower and Butternut Squash Curry Stir Fry!

Rachel Paul, PhD, RD, CDN, recommends making a stuffed avocado salad for an easy, filling, low-carb lunch idea.

"[To make], slice an avocado in half and take out the pit," says Paul. "Mix a can of tuna with 1/4 cup diced grape tomatoes. Add the tuna to the avocado halves and sprinkle with everything but the bagel seasoning. Have 1 to 2 cups of baby carrots on the side. This meal is full of protein, fat, and high fiber veggies, making it very fillingit will keep you full for hours."

Or try our version with this Light Avocado Crab Salad!

Breakfast sandwiches make for great lunch sandwiches, too!

"It consists of carbohydrates, protein, and sodium that are healthy and also can help in weight loss," says Shannon Henry, RD for EZCare Clinic.

To make this particular sandwich, cook up two eggs. Spread a little bit of butter on your bread and add a slice of Swiss cheese, fried egg, avocado, cheddar cheese, and the remaining bread slice. Grill on the stove for a few minutes on each side until golden brown!

For more lunch ideas, try one of these 73+ Best Healthy Lunch Recipes.

Read more from the original source:
The 11 Healthiest Lunches to Have, According to Dietitians | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Here's a little history lesson: Pepsi, Coca Cola, and Dr. Pepperthe oldest sodas in the worldwere all invented by pharmacists. In fact, these soft drinks were originally intended to serve as remedies for nausea, headaches, heartburn, and other ailments. Considering the fact that the most common ingredients found in soda these days include high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavorings, and food colorings, and phosphoric acidall of which can have negative health effects when consumed in excessthat's pretty surprising. While the occasional can of soda may not have dangerous implications, doctors say drinking it even semi-regularly is one of the dangerous soda habits you can get into from a health standpoint.

"There's a risk to develop oral cavity problems, kidney malfunction, decreased blood flow to the brain, heart disease, osteoporosis, and ulcers, among many other diseases that can be exacerbated by a soda addiction," says Dr. Ava Williams, a board-certified Primary Care doctor at Doctor Spring. "You may not know it, but each can you drink already brings you a step closer to any of those illnesses."

One of the reasons why soda is considered so unhealthy is that it contains virtually no nutrientsmeaning it's basically just empty calories. Not to mention, the typical can of soda contains about 7 to 10 teaspoons of sugar. According to Harvard Health, if you were to drink just one serving of soda a day and not cut back on calories in other areas of your diet, you could gain 5 pounds a year. In part, this is because your liver turns fructose (sugar) into fat when you consume too much of it.

But beyond potentially gaining weight, research has repeatedly proven that these syrupy sweet beverages can also increase your risk of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and gout. One study even found that a higher soft drink intake was associated with an increased risk of death from any causeregardless of whether it contained sugar or artificial sweetener.

In case you need a little more motivation to nix soft drinks from your diet once and for all, here are how some of the most dangerous soda habits could impact your health. And for more healthy tips, be sure to check out our list of 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work.

You may want to think twice before guzzling down a soda on the daily.

"The high amount of sugars (fructose) that are present in sodas can make you gain weight without fulfilling your hunger," says Dr. Amber O'Brien, MD, a health expert for Mango Clinic.

The average can of soda contains It's not just the excess sugar and calories in soda itself that poses an issue when it comes to weight gain. There have been dozens of studies that have explored the link between soft drink consumption and weight, and the consistent finding is that the more soda you drink, the more likely you are to consume more calories from other sources as well.

"It can also lead to vitamin or mineral deficiencies, as you are no longer hungry after drinking these empty calories," says Dr. Leann Poston MD, a licensed physician with Invigor Medical.

That's not all. Dr. Poston and Dr. O'Brien both note that sugary beverages like soda can also cause insulin resistance.

"Insulin is a hormone that ushers sugar into body cells," explains Dr. Poston. "If cells are resistant to the effects of insulin, glucose (sugar) increases in the blood and leads to Type 2 diabetes. Weight gain from soda consumption can also lead to insulin resistance, which can ultimately lead to type 2 diabetes."

Here are the 28 Unhealthiest Sodas That Are Never Worth Drinking.

Soda contains certain acidsincluding phosphoric acid and carbonic acidwhich can make your teeth more vulnerable to decay.

"If your tooth enamel is weak, you should avoid consuming sodas as they can cause cavities and tooth enamel destruction," says Dr. O'Brien.

Dr. Poston adds that the sugar in soda can lead to a plaque buildup on your teeth by feeding the bacteria in your mouth.

"Soda is highly acidic and therefore can increase the risk of cavities and gum disease," she says.

Basically, regularly drinking soda could ultimately lead to more dentist office visits.

Dr. Williams also points out that the phosphoric acid content can raise your risk of developing osteoporosis because when it gets digested in your stomach, it binds to calcium and therefore prevents your body from absorbing it for bone strength.

Here are 12 Foods and Drinks to Avoid If You Have Sensitive Teeth.

When those afternoon hungerpangs hit at the office, experts say one of the worst things you can do is grab a soda from the vending machine. In fact, while the bubbles may make you feel a temporary sense of fullness, soda could also cause an upset stomach if you haven't eaten anything recently.

"It's most dangerous to drink soda on an empty stomach because when your stomach receives something for digestion, it releases acid," says Dr. Williams. "When you drink soda, an acidic drink, you're just releasing extra acid into your stomach. It disrupts the acid-alkaline balance in your stomach and linings of your gastrointestinal system, causing you to feel tummy aches and pains."

Instead, sip on one of these 12 Healthiest Teas on Grocery Store Shelves.

Think diet soda is healthier for you? Think again. Just because these alternatives are calorie- and sugar-free doesn't mean they don't come with their own risks.

"Diet sodas contain more chemicals than regular sodas," says Dr. Poston. "These chemicals can adversely affect gut bacteria and insulin sensitivity. There are even some scientific studies that show that artificial sweeteners can cause insulin resistance and weight gain, just like sugar, but the jury is still out on this."

Not only that, but Dr. Williams adds that diet soda is just as addicting as regular soda, and contains nearly all of the same questionable ingredients with the exception of the type of sweetenermeaning it comes with many of the same negative health implications. In fact, research has found that consuming high amounts of diet soda and artificial sweeteners is associated with an increased risk of obesityand metabolic syndrome. Additionally, studies have linked diet soda to an increase in the risk of stroke, kidney disease, osteoporosis, tooth decay, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and even depression.

It's no secret that consuming caffeine can make it more difficult for you to fall asleep. Once it enters the bloodstream, it causes your body to ramp up adrenaline production while increasing your blood pressure and simultaneously blocking the chemicals in your brain that allow you to feel sleepy. That's why Dr. Williams strongly advises against drinking sodas that contain caffeine late in the day.

Even in moderate doses, it can cause insomnia, headaches, nervousness, anxiety, irritability, sleep disturbances, rapid heartbeat, and excessive urination.

It's also worth mentioning that caffeine can have diuretic propertiesby causing you to urinate more frequently, it may put you at a higher risk for dehydration.

Insufficient sleep is associated with a whole slew of health concerns, and since drinking soda at night or even in the late afternoon can inhibit your ability to sleep at night, that's one habit that's best to ditch.

Ready to give up soda for good? Here are 6 Surprising Reasons to Finally Give Up Soda.

Excerpt from:
The Most Dangerous Soda Habits You Need to Kick, Say Doctors - Eat This, Not That

Blurred vision

Blurred vision is one of the earliest warning signs of diabetes, warned Specsavers clinical spokesman, Dr Nigel Best.

Those most at risk are people whose vision swaps between blurry and perfectly normal.

Its caused by blood sugar levels being unstable, Best exclusively toldExpress.co.uk.

Fluctuating blurred vision is the main symptom people with diabetes get in their eyes, he said.

People may find that one day they have blurred vision but another day they can see perfectly fine, this is down to their sugar levels not being stable.

Blurred vision is also a warning sign of diabetic retinopathy, a complication caused by damage to the blood vessels at the back of the eye.

Diabetes patients are more at risk of developing blurred vision and changes to the eyes, according to Ophthalmic Consultants of London's retinal surgeon, Mr Shahram Kashani.

When the condition is advanced, it can cause abnormal blood vessels to develop at the back of the eye.

These can lead to a number of complications, including floaters.

Floaters are dark spots in your vision that may appear as black or grey specks or strings.

See more here:
Type 2 diabetes: Blurred vision and floaters in the eyes are signs of high blood sugar - Express

I've been dealing with acne for so long that oftentimes, I forget what my clear, baby-faced skin once looked like back in middle school. If you, too, have been dealing with acne for most of your adult life (according to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne occurring in adults is steadily increasing), you've probably tried every over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription treatment available in an attempt to keep your breakouts at bay.

As you probably already know, benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the two most widely used ingredients within the dermatology field, and have been proven to kill acne-forming bacteria underneath the skin. The vast majority of skin-care products feature these two powerhouses within their acne-focused formulas, and while they do work for some folks, they arent the cure-all for everyone.

No, the list of ingredients below are not all necessarily new to the dermatology world, but they are all new developments in recent acne-fighting formulas many scientists and dermatologists are just now discovering the potential efficacy that these ingredients can have in treating and minimizing breakouts, without the added irritation that comes along with ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. If these powerhouse ingredients aren't working for you, it might be time to try something new.

Whether it's adding probiotics, thyme and oregano, monk's pepper, honey, or clascoterone to your skin-care regimen, read on to discover the multiple alternatives research has suggested have the potential to also fight against acne, each in their own unique way.

The connection between your gut health and skin health only seems to be growing, and many probiotic-focused skin-care brands, including Aurelia Skincare and Ellis Day Skin Science, are developing products to create balance outside the gut microbiome, onto the skin microbiome.

"An imbalance of bacteria in the gut can lead to leaky gut, but an imbalance of bacteria on the skin can lead to something I call 'leaky skin,'" explains Whitney Bowe, a board-certified dermatologist in the greater New York City area and author of the book The Beauty of Dirty Skin. "When your skin microbiome is off-balance, meaning that the healthy balance of good bacteria on your skin is not intact, this can compromise your skin's natural barrier. This leads to inflammation, which, in turn, results in chronic skin conditions like acne, eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis."

An unhealthy skin microbiome can not only trigger chronic, ongoing inflammation in the skin, but it can also allow unhealthy, inflammatory microbes to take hold and thrive. "Specifically, in the case of acne, microbial balance on the skin is critical because it helps prevent inflammation, helps maintain a healthy skin barrier (which is so important in preventing acne), and it keeps inflammatory microbes like P. acnes from overgrowing and exacerbating papules and pustules in the skin," explains Bowe.

Read the original here:
7 New Acne-Treating Ingredients Alternative Acne Treatments - Allure Magazine

This week we experienced the shortest day of the year well if youre a cup half-empty type of person. Or, if you tend to be more positive (something I strive to be), it was the longest night of the year! Stating the obvious, that we are not seeing the sun as much, is clearly that, stating the obvious. It is no wonder people start feeling lethargic, moody and stuck in a rut.

Nothing says, lets get energized and have a productive day like heading in to work when it is pitch black outside, your car needs to be plugged in and you are buried in winter gear.

MORE FROM KRISTEN ASLESON:

For as many as one out of five people, winter means much more than having to deal with unruly hair and dry skin. Those people suffer from a disorder called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. According to the American Psychiatric Association, 75 percent of those people are women.

SAD is a type of depression that occurs every year at the same time. Most peoples symptoms begin in the early fall and continue throughout the winter months. And for most, once the sunnier days of spring and summer break through, the symptoms disappear.

SAD begins to appear in myriad of ways, including:

Depression.

Hopelessness.

Anxiety.

Heavy, leaden feeling in the arms or legs.

Social withdrawal.

Oversleeping.

Loss of interest in activities you once enjoyed.

Appetite changes, especially craving foods high in carbohydrates

Weight gain.

Difficulty concentrating.

I am sure reading this list of is causing a lot of readers to evaluate their feelings. Keep in mind it is normal to have some days when you are feeling more down than others. Even the happiest of people struggle to keep their attitudes on the perky side during the dreary days of winter. But, if you feel down for long stretches at a time, and the activities that normally you enjoy cant seem to get you motivated, then maybe it is time to see a doctor.

According to Mayo Clinic, the specific cause of SAD is unknown. However, as with many mental health conditions, genetics, age and your bodys chemical makeup all play a role in the development of this condition.

There are a few specific factors to attribute to the development of this condition. For instance, the reduced level of sunlight in fall and winter may disrupt your bodys internal clock, leading to feelings of depression.

Feelings of depression can also be caused by a drop in levels of serotonin. Serotonin is a brain chemical that affects ones mood, and it may have a role in seasonal affective disorder.

Lastly, the changes in the season can disrupt the balance of the natural hormone melatonin. This disruption in balance can interrupt sleep patterns and cause moodiness.

If you are having severe symptoms, you may need medications, light therapy or other treatments. However, here are some ideas that will help you battle those down in the dumps days better.

Make your environment sunnier and brighter by opening blinds, trimming tree branches that block sunlight or adding skylights to your home. Sit closer to bright windows while at work or home.

As cold as it is, get outside, even if only for a few seconds at a time. The best time to do this is within two hours of getting up.

Regular exercise! Getting physical helps relieve stress and anxiety. Being more fit can make you feel better about yourself, which also helps lift your mood.

If you suffer from SAD, you are not alone. There are thousands of people who experience the winter blues and blahs. If you are one who experiences more serious symptoms, seek help. The good news is that there are ways to cope and other plans that can help you get through the winter months.

Kristen Asleson is owner of Midwest Virtual Assistants. Send comments and ideas to news@postbulletin.com.

See the article here:
Winter got you down? It could be Seasonal Affective Disorder - PostBulletin.com

The report titled Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market is one of the most comprehensive and important additions to QY Researchs archive of market research studies. It offers detailed research and analysis of key aspects of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market. The market analysts authoring this report have provided in-depth information on leading growth drivers, restraints, challenges, trends, and opportunities to offer a complete analysis of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market. Market participants can use the analysis on market dynamics to plan effective growth strategies and prepare for future challenges beforehand. Each trend of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market is carefully analyzed and researched about by the market analysts.The market analysts and researchers have done extensive analysis of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market with the help of research methodologies such as PESTLE and Porters Five Forces analysis. They have provided accurate and reliable market data and useful recommendations with an aim to help the players gain an insight into the overall present and future market scenario. The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit report comprises in-depth study of the potential segments including product type, application, and end user and their contribution to the overall market size.

Get PDF Sample Copy of Report: (Including TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart) https://www.qyresearch.com/sample-form/form/2356370/global-thyroid-stimulating-hormone-test-kit-market

In addition, market revenues based on region and country are provided in the Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit report. The authors of the report have also shed light on the common business tactics adopted by players. The leading players of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market and their complete profiles are included in the report. Besides that, investment opportunities, recommendations, and trends that are trending at present in the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market are mapped by the report. With the help of this report, the key players of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market will be able to make sound decisions and plan their strategies accordingly to stay ahead of the curve.

Competitive landscape is a critical aspect every key player needs to be familiar with. The report throws light on the competitive scenario of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market to know the competition at both the domestic and global levels. Market experts have also offered the outline of every leading player of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market, considering the key aspects such as areas of operation, production, and product portfolio. Additionally, companies in the report are studied based on the key factors such as company size, market share, market growth, revenue, production volume, and profits.

Key Players Mentioned: Innodx, Bioscience, Daan, Ying Sheng Biology, Easydiagnosis, Tellgen, Bioscience, BGI, Chivd

Market Segmentation by Product: Time-resolved ImmunofluorescenceChemiluminescence Immunoassay

Market Segmentation by Application: HospitalClinic

The Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market report has been segregated based on distinct categories, such as product type, application, end user, and region. Each and every segment is evaluated on the basis of CAGR, share, and growth potential. In the regional analysis, the report highlights the prospective region, which is estimated to generate opportunities in the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market in the forthcoming years. This segmental analysis will surely turn out to be a useful tool for the readers, stakeholders, and market participants to get a complete picture of the global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit market and its potential to grow in the years to come.

Key questions answered in the report:

Request for customization in Report: https://www.qyresearch.com/customize-request/form/2356370/global-thyroid-stimulating-hormone-test-kit-market

Table of Contents:

1 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Overview1.1 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Product Overview1.2 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Segment by Type1.2.1 Time-resolved Immunofluorescence1.2.2 Chemiluminescence Immunoassay1.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Type (2015-2026)1.3.1 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size Overview by Type (2015-2026)1.3.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Historic Market Size Review by Type (2015-2020)1.3.2.1 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.3.2.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.3.2.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2015-2020)1.3.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size Forecast by Type (2021-2026)1.3.3.1 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share Breakdown by Type (2021-2026)1.3.3.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share Breakdown by Type (2021-2026)1.3.3.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Average Selling Price (ASP) by Type (2021-2026)1.4 Key Regions Market Size Segment by Type (2015-2020)1.4.1 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.2 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.3 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.4 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)1.4.5 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Breakdown by Type (2015-2020)

2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Competition by Company2.1 Global Top Players by Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales (2015-2020)2.2 Global Top Players by Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue (2015-2020)2.3 Global Top Players Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Average Selling Price (ASP) (2015-2020)2.4 Global Top Manufacturers Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Manufacturing Base Distribution, Sales Area, Product Type2.5 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Competitive Situation and Trends2.5.1 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Concentration Rate (2015-2020)2.5.2 Global 5 and 10 Largest Manufacturers by Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales and Revenue in 20192.6 Global Top Manufacturers by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3) (based on the Revenue in Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit as of 2019)2.7 Date of Key Manufacturers Enter into Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market2.8 Key Manufacturers Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Product Offered2.9 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion

3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Region (2015-2026)3.1 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size and CAGR by Region: 2015 VS 2020 VS 20263.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size Market Share by Region (2015-2020)3.2.1 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Region (2015-2020)3.2.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Region (2015-2020)3.2.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2015-2020)3.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size Market Share by Region (2021-2026)3.3.1 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Region (2021-2026)3.3.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Region (2021-2026)3.3.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2021-2026)

4 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Application4.1 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Segment by Application4.1.1 Hospital4.1.2 Clinic4.2 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales by Application: 2015 VS 2020 VS 20264.3 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Historic Sales by Application (2015-2020)4.4 Global Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Forecasted Sales by Application (2021-2026)4.5 Key Regions Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Application4.5.1 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Application4.5.2 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Application4.5.3 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Application4.5.4 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Application4.5.5 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit by Application5 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Country (2015-2026)5.1 North America Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)5.1.1 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)5.1.2 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)5.2 North America Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)5.2.1 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)5.2.2 North America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026)6 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Country (2015-2026)6.1 Europe Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)6.1.1 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)6.1.2 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)6.2 Europe Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)6.2.1 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)6.2.2 Europe Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026)7 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Region (2015-2026)7.1 Asia-Pacific Market Size Market Share by Region (2015-2020)7.1.1 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Region (2015-2020)7.1.2 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Region (2015-2020)7.2 Asia-Pacific Market Size Market Share by Region (2021-2026)7.2.1 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Region (2021-2026)7.2.2 Asia-Pacific Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Region (2021-2026)8 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Country (2015-2026)8.1 Latin America Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)8.1.1 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)8.1.2 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)8.2 Latin America Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)8.2.1 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)8.2.2 Latin America Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026)9 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Size by Country (2015-2026)9.1 Middle East and Africa Market Size Market Share by Country (2015-2020)9.1.1 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2015-2020)9.1.2 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2015-2020)9.2 Middle East and Africa Market Size Market Share by Country (2021-2026)9.2.1 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales Market Share by Country (2021-2026)9.2.2 Middle East and Africa Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Revenue Market Share by Country (2021-2026)

10 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Business10.1 Innodx10.1.1 Innodx Corporation Information10.1.2 Innodx Description, Business Overview10.1.3 Innodx Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.1.4 Innodx Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.1.5 Innodx Recent Developments10.2 Bioscience10.2.1 Bioscience Corporation Information10.2.2 Bioscience Description, Business Overview10.2.3 Bioscience Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.2.4 Innodx Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.2.5 Bioscience Recent Developments10.3 Daan10.3.1 Daan Corporation Information10.3.2 Daan Description, Business Overview10.3.3 Daan Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.3.4 Daan Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.3.5 Daan Recent Developments10.4 Ying Sheng Biology10.4.1 Ying Sheng Biology Corporation Information10.4.2 Ying Sheng Biology Description, Business Overview10.4.3 Ying Sheng Biology Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.4.4 Ying Sheng Biology Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.4.5 Ying Sheng Biology Recent Developments10.5 Easydiagnosis10.5.1 Easydiagnosis Corporation Information10.5.2 Easydiagnosis Description, Business Overview10.5.3 Easydiagnosis Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.5.4 Easydiagnosis Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.5.5 Easydiagnosis Recent Developments10.6 Tellgen10.6.1 Tellgen Corporation Information10.6.2 Tellgen Description, Business Overview10.6.3 Tellgen Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.6.4 Tellgen Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.6.5 Tellgen Recent Developments10.7 Bioscience10.7.1 Bioscience Corporation Information10.7.2 Bioscience Description, Business Overview10.7.3 Bioscience Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.7.4 Bioscience Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.7.5 Bioscience Recent Developments10.8 BGI10.8.1 BGI Corporation Information10.8.2 BGI Description, Business Overview10.8.3 BGI Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.8.4 BGI Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.8.5 BGI Recent Developments10.9 Chivd10.9.1 Chivd Corporation Information10.9.2 Chivd Description, Business Overview10.9.3 Chivd Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Sales, Revenue and Gross Margin (2015-2020)10.9.4 Chivd Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Products Offered10.9.5 Chivd Recent Developments

11 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Upstream, Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis11.1 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Key Raw Materials11.1.1 Key Raw Materials11.1.2 Key Raw Materials Price11.1.3 Raw Materials Key Suppliers11.2 Manufacturing Cost Structure11.2.1 Raw Materials11.2.2 Labor Cost11.2.3 Manufacturing Expenses11.3 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Industrial Chain Analysis11.4 Market Opportunities, Challenges, Risks and Influences Factors Analysis11.4.1 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Industry Trends11.4.2 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Drivers11.4.3 Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market Challenges11.4.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis

12 Market Strategy Analysis, Distributors12.1 Sales Channel12.2 Distributors12.3 Downstream Customers

13 Research Findings and Conclusion

14 Appendix14.1 Methodology/Research Approach14.1.1 Research Programs/Design14.1.2 Market Size Estimation14.1.3 Market Breakdown and Data Triangulation14.2 Data Source14.2.1 Secondary Sources14.2.2 Primary Sources14.3 Author Details14.4 Disclaimer

In Order to place the Purchase Query Click Here:https://www.qyresearch.com/settlement/pre/2356370/global-thyroid-stimulating-hormone-test-kit-market

About Us:

QY Research established in 2007, focus on custom research, management consulting, IPO consulting, industry chain research, data base and seminar services. The company owned a large basic data base (such as National Bureau of statistics database, Customs import and export database, Industry Association Database etc), experts resources (included energy automotive chemical medical ICT consumer goods etc.

Read the rest here:
Thyroid Stimulating Hormone Test Kit Market In-Depth Analysis Of Competitive Landscape, Executive Summary, Development Factors 2026 | Innodx,...

Tremendous progress has been made to understand the strategies that can be used to overcome ESR1 mutations in estrogen receptor (ER)positive breast cancer, said Debu Tripathy, MD, who added that potent selective ER modulators (SERMs) may be the key to combat these mutations.

Selective [ER] modulators can probably, to some extent, be effective [against] ESR1-mutant cells, said Tripathy. The effect to which they can reverse resistance probably depends on many aspects of the agent. These need to be formally studied not just in the lab, but in clinical trials. We are starting to get some hints of that [work], but its just the beginning.

ESR1 mutations generally arise following treatment with an aromatase inhibitor (AI), explained Tripathy, so acquiring genomic information after a patient progresses is critical to inform treatment selection.

The novel SERM lasofoxifene is currently being investigated in combination with the CDK4/6 inhibitor abemaciclib (Verzenio) in the phase 2 ELAINEII trial (NCT04432454) in patients with advanced or metastatic ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer whose tumors harbor an ESR1 mutation. Moreover, in May 2019, the FDA granted a fast track designation to lasofoxifene for the treatment of female patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative metastatic, ESR1-mutant breast cancer.

In an interview with OncLive, Tripathy, professor of medicine and chair of the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discussed the role of CDK4/6 inhibitors in ER-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer, the emergence of SERMs, and the growing understanding of ESR1 mutations in this space.

Tripathy: When patients progress on a CDK4/6 inhibitor, I will generally discontinue the use of CDK4/6 inhibitors. No clear data [show] that patients who become resistant [to a CDK4/6 inhibitor] may be sensitive to other [CDK4/6] inhibitors; however, some anecdotal datafrom individual hospital series suggest there could be some non-overlapping sensitivity.

However, we have many other options, which is why I will generally move on to another form of therapy. We need to formally study the impact of 1 CDK4/6 inhibitor after progression on another because we may find that some of these agents perform better in that setting.

I tend to get genomics at the very beginning when patients are newly diagnosed, although I may not use that information in the first-line setting. However, it is good to have [the genomic information], especially for truncal mutations. [Truncal mutations] tend to be prevalent in most of the cells, such asPIK3CAmutations.ESR1mutations tend to be subclonal and may not be present [up front] but may arise later after the patient has been on an [AI].

If I havent gotten [genomic information] at the beginning, I will certainly get it at the time of progression on first-line therapy.

ESR1 mutations tend to arise in the presence of pretreatment, particularly with estrogen-deprivation therapy, which pharmacologically, would be AIs. The Cancer Genome Atlas published that ESR1 mutation rates were very low, at perhaps 1% or so at diagnosis and based on the patients primary tumor. However, [ESR1mutations] really [arise] after exposure to AIs.

That makes sense because AIs work by depriving estrogen from the environment. To be activated, ERs need to bind to estrogen. So, [AIs] select for any mutations that may occur where a mutation [is present] in the ER that allows it to be activated without the presence of estrogen; that is what most activating ESR1mutations do. Specifically, upon exposure to AIs, is when we start to see these mutations arise.

The PADA-1 trial showed that ESR1 mutations can be acquired and they can be subclonal, meaning that you can see a very low fraction of all the tumor DNA that has that mutation. However, you cant underestimate that power of a small fraction of activated ESR1-mutant cells. We do see that pattern of resistance. [Additionally, the trial showed] that patients can have multiple clones.

How do you combat ESR1 mutations? One way is to totally take them out of the equation and to target them for downregulation or proteasomal degradation, which is what selective ER downregulators like fulvestrant [Faslodex] do. However, they dont do it completely; these drugs dont completely circumvent resistance. Another way is to use [SERMs] that may not necessarily inactivate the ER, but instead, modulate the ER in the way it behaves, the conformation of it, and how it binds to co-activators, co-receptors, and co-repressors. [Doing this], ultimately, mediates the expression of genes that guide what estrogen does, which is generally a growth signal.

Lasofoxifene does have the ability to downregulate the transactivating nature of the ER, including ESR1mutations. In the lab, we can study how well an ER is able to activate the genes it targets. ERs are known to target numerous genes of interest that lead to cell growth. We can measure to what extent a drug will interact with ESR1 so that it negatively regulates it. In other words, the genes that are normally transcribed by estrogen are not transcribed. More importantly, growth is arrested. That has been demonstratedin vitroandin vivousing ESR1-mutant models.

Those data are compelling. They show that we can get growth inhibition in ESR1mutations and that it can be potentially aided with CDK4/6 inhibitors. Although I dont have the exact data at hand, I have seen examples of this and other data that show [tumor growth] can be reversed in cell-line models.

What we see in those cell-line modelseven in animal models, which are more accurate but may not be the whole storymay not turn out to be the case in the tumor microenvironment and all of the other factors involved. Therefore, although this is very supportive and raises enthusiasm for getting these types of drugs into clinical trials, we need to wait to see what happens when patients are taking these drugs.

The ELAINE trial is comparing fulvestrant with lasofoxifene in patients with ESR1 mutations. Its a direct test of the hypothesis that [lasofoxifene] may be more favorable than [fulvestrant], which we now consider a reasonable drug to use when we see ESR1 mutations or in the second line in general.

ELAINEII is designed to move [lasofoxifene] further, combining it with a CDK4/6 inhibitor. It will allow patients who have seen prior CDK4/6 inhibitors [to enroll].There is some anecdotal evidence that responses have been seen with abemaciclib after progression on other CDK4/6 inhibitors.

The approval of abemaciclib was based on a trial that showed responses in refractory hormone receptorpositive disease as a single agent, but those patients had not been previously exposed to CDK4/6 inhibitors. We believe that the combination of these 2 different strategies could bring about more responses and longer time to progression.

One of the issues is pairing CDK4/6 inhibitors with different endocrine therapies; we havent formally compared that. We do know from the FALCON trial that, when using endocrine therapies alone, fulvestrant is slightly better than AI therapy, particularly in patients who havent been treated before or have non-visceral disease. Then, the MONALEESA-3 study was a trial that took advantage of the FALCON findings and compared treatment with fulvestrant alone versus fulvestrant plus ribociclib [Kisqali] regardless of first- or second-line therapy. That study showed a significant improvement in outcomes with a hazard ratio of around 0.5, which has been seen before.

The PARSIFAL trial, on the other hand, was a direct comparison with palbociclib. Patients received an AI or fulvestrant. The trial did not show a difference in progression-free survival.We are left without knowing what population fulvestrant might be best for, but certainly fulvestrant is a reasonable option in the first- or second-line setting. We have less data regarding what to do in the second line for patients who received fulvestrant up front, but the PARSIFAL and MONALEESA-3 studies showed that [ribociclib and palbociclib] are both reasonable agents to use and could be building blocks for [combinations] with other targeted agents.

The sub-classification of the breast cancer subtypes is very important in general. In breast cancer, not all patients with luminal A or luminal B [disease] are the same. There may be certain aspects about the different pathways involved in growth and other cellular functions, such as invasion and apoptosis that may vary depending on different gene profiling. Gene profiling is basically a way to categorize cancers, but if we can categorize them in functionally relevant ways, then we are really making advances.

This takes studying large numbers of patients, ideally in the context of a clinical trial where they are being treated similarly or we are comparing 1 treatment with another. Then, we can dissect the different molecular profiles that may predict a benefit. More importantly, we can use that information about the molecular profiles to identify mechanisms of resistance that could inform newer strategies.

Not all mutations are the same. There may be certainESR1mutations that are generated in certain situations and under certain treatments that we need to understand better. What is really fascinating is trying to understand the functional consequences of ESR1 mutations, not only in terms of proliferation, but in terms of many other phenotypes that we are interested in targeting, such as metabolic activity, DNA repair, or other hallmarks of cancer. Whether it is invasion, the ability to resist apoptosis, or immunogenicity is critical. Studies in the basic aspects of what ERS1 mutations do [are important]. [Also, evaluation of] the nitty gritty molecular structure and how the ER interacts with co-activators, co-repressors, and other aspects of the transcriptional machinery that make the ER work [is needed] to understand what ESR1 does.

Of course, we are aware of many other mutational isoforms, such asRASmutations and growth factor mutations, like exon 20. We need to understand the inner workings of what these mutations cause. When you think about it, cancer is selection of the fittest. Cancer cells do have a higher mutational rate. Many of the mutations that arise out of accident lead to cell death. However, it is those that lead to cell advantage that perpetuate. By understanding the most common driver mutations that arise over time, we can start to develop therapies against each one. Although, there will always be rare mutations that are going to be more difficult to understand and target.

Link:
Lasofoxifene Emerges as Understanding of ESR1 Mutations Expands in ER+/HER2- Breast Cancer - OncLive

PLATTSBURGH We have all experienced grief and loss this year, Bonnie Black says.

That ranges from loss of junior prom and vacations, to not working in your office and having to give up typical holiday experiences due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is all new; it isnt a choice we made, said Black, director of Employee Assistance Services at Behavioral Health Services North.

It was foisted upon us due to the pandemic, and there wasnt much notice.

NEED HUMAN CONNECTION

Remote learning, contemplation of what defines essential workers and isolation have been part of this shared human experience brought on by the coronavirus, Black said.

Look at these holidays: Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Years. A good number of us connect physically with family or friends. We have not had the human touch, the human hug in so long.

Were social animals, we need a human connection.

Studies conductedthis year demonstrate the resulting negative impacts on human lives, such as increased anxiety, depression and substance misuse.

We are all empathizing with loss, grief, uncertainty, and all of that produces stress, which produces cortisol, Black said. When our cortisol hormone is increased, we have very negative physiological impacts on our heart, kidneys, brain function.

So we need to look at how do we stay resilient.

SLEEP, REDUCE SUBSTANCES

Black first recommends ensuring quality sleep; adults should get seven to nine hours most nights.

Our brains do their work when were sleeping. Thats why we need sleep, to let the brain reorganize itself.

Over the holidays especially, people should reduce the amount of substances they choose to use, perhaps subbing in something like sparkling grape juice, Black said.

We have to be very careful because our bodies and brains are really experiencing an immense of amount of stress that theyre not used to.

GRATITUDE, EXERCISE

Black additionally advised looking for moments of gratitude and joy, even if its just two squirrels playing in your backyard.

Smiling and laughter results in the release of endorphins, which help destroy the cortisol produced by stress.

Apps like Headspace or Calm, a podcast that you enjoy and exercise can also do the trick, Black said.

And exercise helps people to connect with nature.

We did it almost instinctively last spring: everyone went to Lowes or Aubuchon and bought landscaping materials, tools and made plans," Black said.

We got out into nature, the dirt under the fingernails that made us feel good.

CONTROL, SYSTEMS

Looking ahead to maintaining those yard projects and just starting to plan and make lists are helpful tools, Black said.

We believe weve lost control, and we have lost some.

What do you have control over? What is very important every day?

Control may look as simple as getting dressed and going downstairs for breakfast each day, deciding which days are laundry or trash days, or taking time to reach out to one person one day a week, Black said.

We havent had to think of life like that, but when we have a system and have control, whatever the system may be, our brains and our bodies can actually relax and be in a less stressed state.

That also involves monitoring consumption of news media, which largely does not create endorphins that reduce stress, she added.

Because we cant control our external world much, we need to find ways to control our internal world. When we put our head to the pillow, whats the one thing we can be grateful for, how many people smiled at me, how many people did I smile at.

REACH OUT

Black said suicide rates are going up, even though they normally go down this time of year. She noted in particular increases in attempts and deaths by suicide among first responders, firefighters and police.

We have to be very, very aware that there are some people under some really undue stress, stressors they never really signed up for."

Reaching out to people feeds into the human connection that everyone needs, Black said.

If you havent seen somebody at work or school or they havent been on the Zoom call, shoot an email, shoot a text.

You be the one to reach out. You could bring that moment of joy to their life that they havent been able to find or see.

Zoom or Facetime conversations, or short emails, videos or messages can say many things.

I like you. I remember you. I want to be connected with you, Black said.

Thats the gift we can give that, monetarily, does not cost us anything but fulfills that need for human connection.

Email Cara Chapman:

cchapman@pressrepublican.com

Twitter: @PPR_carachapman

WHERE TO GET HELP

Seek help if youre considering suicide.

For emotional crises:

National Crisis Text Line: 74141

Text: GOT5 to reach a crisis counselor in New York State.

The toll-free 24-hour North Country Crisis Helpline number is (866) 577-3836. That number is answered by members of the Clinton County Mobile Crisis Team Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Outside those hours, it is answered by an on-call crisis service.

Out-of-county calls are accepted but other options are:

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, (800) 273-TALK (8255). Press 1 for confidential help for veterans and their families.

The Essex County Mental Health Association Hope Line, (800) 440-8074. That number is staffed 24-7; leave a message and your call will be returned within 10 minutes.

Visit the Clinton County NY Coalition to Prevent Suicides Facebook page for education and resources.

If a friend of yours posts suicidal content on Facebook, let someone know an adult, the police. And visit http://tinyurl.com/nuvnm29 to report it.

National Alliance on Mental Illness: Champlain Valley is a resource for suicide-survivor support. Call (518) 561-2685.

For counseling, contact:

Clinton County Mental Health, (518) 565-4060.

Behavioral Health Services North Adult Clinic, (518) 563-8000 (staffed around the clock).

Essex County Mental Health Clinic, (518) 873-3670; after-hour emergencies, (888) 854-3773.

In northern Franklin County, around the clock, (518) 483-3261; southern Franklin County, (518) 891-5535.

Additional resources, such as for parents and educators, are available on the Mental Health Association of New York State's website,mhanys.org.

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.

Go here to see the original:
Tips for mental health resilience in the time of COVID - Plattsburgh Press Republican

Although research has cemented BMPR2 mutations as having associations with the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension, the germline mutations are not the only culprit.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a multifaceted condition, consisting of interactions between estrogens, estrogen metabolites, and BMPR2 signaling, according to new research.

Although research has cemented BMPR2 mutations as having associations with the development of PAH, the germline mutations are not the only culprit, say the researchers, who argue that other, additional genetic and environmental factors play a role. Mutations in several components of the BMPR2 signaling pathway have also been linked to the development of PAH, including ALK1, SMAD8, BMP9, and CAV1.

Despite the strong association between BMPR2 mutations and the development of PAH, and despite the high frequency of BMPR2 mutations in heritable PAH, having a BMPR2 mutation alone is not sufficient; heterozygous carriers of deleterious BMPR2 mutations only have an approximately 20% lifetime risk of disease penetrance, explained the researchers. Decades of investigation have revealed that there are likely multiple genetic and environmental second hits that may be necessary to spur PAH development in the setting of a deleterious BMPR2 mutation.

The intricacies of PAH can be highlighted by the role estrogen and estrogen metabolites play in the condition. For example, some animal models have suggested that the 2 protect against PH in the presence of other provoking factors while human studies have suggested that female predominance actually heightens the risk of PAH. And while females who carry deleterious BMPR2 variants are more likely to develop PAH, they are less likely to have severe disease than men.

However, the researchers argue that the role of estrogen and estrogen metabolites does not paint a full picture of the sex differences in PAH. These differences include those in right ventricular (RV) adaption to chronic pulmonary hypertension, with some research suggests that females might have better RV function than males. According to the researchers, other sex-driven differences, like testosterone and progesterone and nonhormonal sex effects, may contribute to the impact of sex.

Similar to the BMPR2 signaling cascade, essential components of estrogen signaling pathways are expressed in the [endothelial cells], vascular [smooth muscle cells], and fibroblasts responsible for vascular remodeling and the development of PAH, wrote the researchers, noting that estrone, estradiol, and estriol, along with their metabolites signal through estrogen receptors ER and ER and the newly discovered G-protein-coupled receptor.

In their paper, the researchers look at the relationship between estrogen and BMPR2, writing that there have been inclinations that baseline BMPR2 expression and signaling may be reduced in females. They suggest that this deficiency in BMPR2 expression may be that second hit to spur the development of PAH. However, they caveat that the relationship between estrogen and BMPR2 is complex and may be dependent on several factors, such as age, menopausal status, cell type studied, and dose responses and time courses.

Reference

Cirulis MM, Dodson MW, Brown LM, Brown SM, Lahm T, Elliot G. At the X-roads of sex and genetics in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Genes (Basel). Published online November 20, 2020. doi:10.3390/genes11111371

See the article here:
Sex, Genetics, and the Relationship Between the Two in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - AJMC.com Managed Markets Network

Did you know that you can estimate a persons height based on their foot size? If you wore a size womens 5, you would be approximately 4-feet-9. But how big, on average, is a womens foot size?

CREDIT: Amazon

The most common foot size for the average American female is somewhere between an 8.5 and a 9, which might surprise some people since in the 1970s the average foot size used to be 7.5 until only recently.

According to a report done by the National Shoe Retailers in 2012, the average womans foot has grown by more than a size over the last three decades.

So, why are our feet getting bigger?

On average, Americans are getting taller and heavier, which causes an increase of the size of their feet in proportion to their bodies. Taller women in general seem to have larger feet than shorter women, since their bodies require additional support to balance.

Related

A lot of our shoe sizes differ based on genetics and environment. Our feet can expand as we age and they begin to lose their elasticity. Womens shoe sizes can also switch during pregnancy or menopause. It is recommended you measure your feet occasionally even if you think you know your shoe size as it may change.

According to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, 88% of women wear the wrong shoe size. This is likely due to improper fitting, lack of knowing their real shoe size and settling for a shoe that fits well enough.

To determine your own shoe size, its best to measure your feet at the end of the day after youve been walking because walking can slightly increase the size of your feet. Its suggested that you measure your feet wearing the socks or stockings that you will wear in the shoes you plan to purchase.

Even though on average womens feet are between 8.5 and 9, the most commonly sold shoe size is a 7, but just because this is the size that most women purchase does not mean that they are wearing the correct size.

While women may have felt ashamed of their larger foot sizes in the past, recent footwear trends have grown to embrace bigger feet. In fact, some big celebrity names have large feet, including Kate Winslet (shoe size 11) and Rhianna (size 9).

Many shoe retailers have accommodated to the increase in foot size, switching to designing larger and wider shoe sizes.

Smallest Woman Alive: Jyoti Amge

CREDIT: Courtesy of Guinness World Records

Currently, the smallest woman alive is Indian Actress Jyoti Amge. Amge stands at only 2 feet and three-quarters inches and her feet only measure 3.72-inches long, which is a toddler size 2 in the U.S. She was officially declared the worlds smallest woman by the Guinness World Records in 2011. Amge has starred in both American Horror Story and the Indian television show Bigg Boss 6.

See the original post:
What Is the Average Shoe Size for Women? Its Bigger Than You Might Think - Footwear News

The Oxford team is led by Sarah Gilbert, professor of vaccinology at the universitys Jenner institute. She has hailed thefirst authorisation of use of the vaccine outside clinical trialsas aday for the team developing the vaccine to celebrate, after a year of extremely hard work under difficult circumstances. Although in the same sentence she struck a typically cautionary note: We still have more to do

Even after their vaccine has become just the third in the world to be granted regulatory approval (following the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna vaccines), nobody could accuse the Oxford researchers of being swept away in the hype. Indeed Gilbert and others in her team have spoken openly about how little they have enjoyed the constant attention over the past year, preferring instead to focus on their life-saving work.

During that time, lucrative offers for after dinner speaking gigs have started to roll in for Gilbert, which she has rejected in turn. Another key member of the Oxford group, Professor Catherine Green, who heads the universitys clinical biomanufacturing facility, recently described the media attention as awful. Of their new-found fame, she added: Its not something that we got into our careers to do.

The motivations of the Oxford team can instead be neatly surmised by a mug that Gilbert keeps in her office at the Jenner Institute, which says: Keep calm and develop vaccines. It is a mantra that has served her and her colleagues well this year, juggling the exhaustion of constant work with family life.Gilbert, after all, is the mother of 21-year-old triplets (biochemistry students at Oxford and Bath Universities) who took part in the phase 1 clinical trials of the vaccine. Her regime has involved getting up at about 4am each day, cycling to the laboratory and returning home at about 8pm.

Read this article:
'Keep calm and develop vaccines': Meet the scientists behind the Oxford jab - Telegraph.co.uk

A new global initiative will use nuclear science to better manage pandemic threats, such as COVID-19.

In February, the IAEA and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) pledged to increase collaboration to tackle cervical cancer, especially to help low- and middle- income countries, where 85 per cent of annual cervical cancer deaths occur.

The IAEA and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) joined forces in April to better protect human health and global ecosystems from sustained releases of mercury and its toxic derivative compounds into the environment.

In June, the IAEA launched the Zoonotic Disease Integrated Action (ZODIAC) project, an initiative to support countries inpreventing and quickly responding to future outbreaks of diseases that spread from animals to humans. ZODIAC will expand and make globalthe VETLAB network, through which veterinary labs exchange information, share best practices and support each other.

This year, the Renovation of the Nuclear Applications Laboratories (ReNuAL) project achieved important milestones. In June, Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi opened a state of the art laboratory building named after his late predecessor, Yukiya Amano. The new facility will increase the IAEAs capacity to assist countries to fight and prevent transboundary animal and zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 and to tackle challenges related to climate change and food safety.

In September, Mr Grossi announced to Member States ReNuAL 2, a new effort to tackle the laboratories that have not yet been modernized under the ReNuAL Project. This includes the construction of a new building to house the Plant Breeding and Genetics Laboratory, the Terrestrial Environment Laboratory and the Nuclear Sciences and Instrumentation Laboratory. To achieve ReNuAL 2, the IAEA is calling for the mobilisation of 14.8 million by mid-2021.

The Biological Dosimetry Model Laboratory (BDML) was established at the IAEA Seibersdorf site. A new advanced microscope-based platform capable of identifying and quantifying radiation exposure in people was donated to the IAEA and installed at the BDML.

The IAEA designated three new collaborating centres: in the United Kingdom, Italy and Portugal.

In November, the International Conference on Molecular Imaging and Clinical PET-CT in the Era of Theranostics (IPET-2020)highlighted important clinical aspects and appropriate use of medical imaging in the management of patients with breast, lung, lymphoma, neuroendocrine tumours, paediatric, prostate and thyroid cancers.

To mark the milestone of twenty-five years, 180 analytical experts from around the world shared knowledge and expertise and discussed new ways of expanding the Networks capacity at the annual Coordination Meeting of ALMERA. In addition, the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) turned sixty this year.

The IAEA has launched its updated Database on Industrial Irradiation Facilities (DIIF), featuring an interactive map with information on nearly 300 gamma irradiators and electron accelerators from around the world.

More:
IAEA Highlights and Achievements in 2020 a Year in Review | IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency

Hundreds of key workers and community champions who battled the pandemic have been recognised in the New Year honours list for the UK which celebrates peoples extraordinary response to the Covid-19 crisis.

Lewis Hamilton, the Formula One driver, and the cinematographer Roger Deakins are among the celebrities knighted, while the architect David Chipperfield gets the Companion of Honour. The actor Toby Jones and Jed Mercurio, creator of the TV series Line of Duty, are given OBEs for services to drama. On being made a dame for services to drama the actor Sheila Hancock said she feared she was slightly miscast.

Nina Wadia, who performed in the BBC soap EastEnders, and Sally Dynevor, a stalwart of ITVs Coronation Street series, also received honours an OBE for Wadia, and MBE for Dynevor. The music producer and DJ Craig David is recognised with an MBE.

Among the political figures honoured are Geoffrey Cox, the ToryMP for Torridge and West Devon, who becomes a knight, while Labours Angela Eagle, who became MP for Wallasey in 1992, is made a dame for parliamentary and political service.

But while many of this years 1,239 award recipients have names that few would recognise, none would argue with the decision to honour their sacrifice and commitment in a year that truly tested the resolve and determination of those on the frontline.

Public sector workers, including medics, teachers, local government workers, police officers and firefighters, make up 15% of the list, recognised for making a huge individual impact.

Among the 123 health and social care workers honoured is 62-year-old Cath Fitzsimmons, from Eccles, a former palliative care nurse who came out of retirement when the pandemic struck. She described the struggle with trying to help patients without being able to hug them in the most difficult moments, and learning to smile with her eyes. She gets a BEM (British empire medal). Prof Farah Bhatti, 55, the first female consultant cardiac surgeon in Wales, receives an OBE.

Also honoured are people who have helped NHS staff. They include Emma Henderson, the airline pilotwho co-founded Project Wingman, creating first-class lounges in 80 hospitals for exhausted workers; she receives an MBE.

An OBE goes to 28-year-old Azeem Alam, a doctor, who provides, with a team, free medical education through BiteMedicine; and an MBE goes to deputy director of nursing Jacky Copping, 55, for initiating safety procedures for fitting personal protection equipment (PPE) at the James Paget University hospitals NHS foundation trust.

Recalling the early days of the pandemic, when UK supplies of PPE were low, an OBE has been awarded to Katherine Dawson, founder of the garment business All-in-One Company, for setting up 120 Scrub Hubs to make uniforms. And Manoj Varsani, founder of the property management tool Hammock, was made an MBE for setting up the voluntary organisation SOS Supplies to help provide more PPE.

Scientists also feature in the 2020 list, with Prof Wendy Bickmore, head of the University of Edinburghs MRC Human Genetics Unit, given a CBE, and Prof Wendy Burn, former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, getting the same honour for predicting the mental health impact of the pandemic. Phillippa Spencer, senior principal statistician at the Defence Science and Technology laboratory, at Porton Down, is made an OBE for services to defence during the crisis.

Prof David Stuart, a structural biologist at Oxford University, who has spent his career studying the nature of viruses, has been given a knighthood, and forensic psychologist Prof Laurence Alison, director of the Centre for Critical and Major Incident Psychology, at Liverpool University, was made an MBE for his work, which he said he did for the love of doing it and because it provides purpose.

Ocados chief executive, Mel Smith, is made a CBE for services to the food supply chain during the pandemic, and Kate Nicholls, chief executive of industry body UKHospitality, becomes an OBE for speaking up for the embattled hospitality industry.

Community champions feature heavily in the 2020 honours list, some with extraordinary stories. Nadeem Sadiq Khan, a 40-year-old housing adviser for the charity Shelter is given a BEM, after continuing to help homeless people using his laptop on a Lahore rooftop after being unable to return to the UK after visiting Pakistan early in March.

Mark Owen, 57, a retired police officer from Llanynys, Clwyd, is given an MBE for coming out of retirement to lead the volunteer response to Covid-19 across north Wales.

Caroline Halfhide, 51, from Ash, Somerset, receives an MBE for changing her pub in to a village shop, while Jennifer Sims, 76, receives a BEM for providing hot meals and free bags of food to vulnerable people during the pandemic.

Women represent 49% of the total honours, while 14.2% come from a BAME background; 6.9% have a disability and 4% identify as being LGBT.

Among the diversity champions is Karen McDowell, 46, station commander at Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, given an MBE for, among other work, building support networks for employees transitioning their gender. And Khakan Munir Qureshi, a senior independent living officer for Midland Heart, is given an MBE for services to LGBT equality.

Organisers said there were no plans to remove the words British empire from the honours system, despite critics saying that it glorified Britains colonial past and that there are increasing number of recipients choosing to turn down the honour.

Both old and young are recognised in the 2020 honours list. The eldest is Anne Baker, 106, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, who receives an MBE for fundraising for the NSPCC. And 104-year-old Ruth Saunders gets an MBE for walking a marathon to raise money for Thames Valley Air Ambulance.

At the younger end of the age scale, 20-year-old Samah Khalil, the youth mayor for Oldham, receives a BEM for working to empower young people.

Boris Johnson said the outstanding efforts of those who had received honours was a a welcome reminder of the strength of human spirit, and of what can be achieved through courage and compassion.

View original post here:
New Year honours 2020: citizens awarded for response to pandemic crisis - The Guardian

In Ethiopias hot Afar region, Kermit Pattison watched with amazement as a fossil hunter spotted a quarter of a tooth the size of a pea in the middle of a dry field with little vegetation.

I dont know how he recognized it as a tooth, Pattison said. Finding this stuff on the ground takes a lot of skill. I followed these guys when we were walking and tried to see things on the ground. I turned out to be really bad at it. Some are really, really good. You dont just find a nice skeleton.

A nice skeleton, a very old one, was the reason Pattison lived with a fossil-hunting team in Ethiopia for several weeks in 2013 and 2016.

Pattison, a former Pioneer Press reporter who lives in St. Paul, was researching his first book, Fossil Men: The Quest for the Oldest Skeleton and the Origins of Humankind (Morrow, $32.50).

The story begins in 1994, in a valley near the Awash river, when an Ethiopian graduate student named Yohannes Haile-Selassie found a tiny bone that is located below the pointer finger. It was the first of 110 pieces of a 4.4 million-year-old female skeleton the Middle Awash team of fossil hunters classified as Ardipithecus ramidus, nicknamed Ardi.

Ardi was 1.2 million years older than Lucy, the famous skeleton found in 1974 by Donald Johanson in Ethiopia, making her the oldest skeleton of a human ancestor found up to that time. (Pattison points out that Ardi is no longer the oldest species in the human family but she remains the oldest skeleton. There are now three older named species, but theyre represented by only fragmentary fossils.)

When Ardi was finally introduced to the public in 2009, she rocked the world of those who study human evolution. Pattison calls her an inconvenient woman.

Ardi had parts that were missing from Lucys skeleton. Hers was a time in human history that was entirely blank and she filled that gap, Pattison said. What made Ardi unique is that her anatomy had a weird hodge-podge of features never before seen in that combination. She was a transitional creature, climbing with grasping feet but walking upright in a weird way. This combination of arboreal and bipedal features had never been seen before.

As the discovery team later reported, Ardi was so rife with anatomical surprises that no one could have imagined it without direct fossil evidence.

Fossil Men is not only about old bones. Its a fascinating and sometimes exciting story thats praised by critics in national publications, which makes Pattison happy because he had no idea if his book would get any attention. Kirkus Reviews gave the book a starred review and Science News picked it for the list of favorite books of 2020. The New York Times said: Despite ample opportunity, Fossil Men never devolves into gonzo journalism. This is a function of Pattisons uncanny ability to write evocatively about science. In this, he is every bit as good as the best scientist-writers. He describes the intricacies of the human wrist and foot with the skill of a poet. He breezes through the biomechanics of how chimps clamber and humans walk. The Christian Science Monitor was enthusiastic, saying that In his recounting of the characters and science involved in Ardis discovery and the controversies that followed it, Pattison reveals the imperfect, all-too-human nature of science itself.(weaving) the multiple intrigues of science, politics, and personalities into a masterly structured tale.

This is not the book Pattison set out to write. He certainly didnt expect to spend eight years researching and writing it. But everything about Ardis story grabbed his journalistic instincts.

I was going to write a tidy little book about the evolution of human locomotion with a bit of background, he recalls. The more I learned, the more intrigued I got. First, Ardi led to a lot of revelations that undermined conventional wisdom of where we came from that disturbed the world of science. Then there was the sheer drama of the search and discovery of this skeleton, a story that was still mostly untold. There was the teams difficulty working in the field during a civil war, and tribal conflicts in which people were literally being killed. That was eye-opening. It made me realize there was a lot more behind the science. So was the academic politics a revelation. I realized I should abandon the original idea and focus on Ardis story.

Pattison ended up with a 420-page hardcover with a text complemented by maps, photos, drawings of skeletal parts and skeletons, and timelines. He combines the history of theories of when humans split from our ape relatives, explanations of which bones are important to researchers and why (with Ardi it was hands and feet), how the fossil hunters searched for tiny bone fragments in the desert where it can hit 100 degrees. Then there are the rivalries between these scientists with big egos. They argued about the meaning of the bones, which teams would get funded by the National Science Foundation, and who would be given access to fossil-rich turf controlled by the constantly changing attitudes of the Ethiopian government.

Pattisons biggest challenge was understanding science well enough to converse intelligently with the scientists, which meant he had to spend years learning about the disciplines of (take a breath): anthropology, paleoanthropology, paleontology, anatomy, osteology (study of the structure and function of the skeleton and bony structures), genetics, taxonomy, geology, stratigraphy (branch of geology concerned with the structure of a particular set of strata), primatology, and archeology.

After he absorbed all that knowledge, Pattison says he had to disengage and write in a way that an intelligent lay person could read and comprehend. I had to span two worlds; making it a faithful look at science through a lens accessible to everyday readers.

Many of his questions were answered by paleoanthropologist Tim White, one of the prominent characters in the book. An internationally-known fossil hunter, White gave Pattison permission to visit the teams digs after getting approval from his three Ethiopian co-leaders. When Pattison began his research, White didnt even want to meet with him. But like a good reporter, Pattison persisted until they finally got together in Whites office at the University of California, Berkeley. Pattison describes White as having a reputation for a razor intellect, hair-trigger bullshit detector, short temper, long list of discoveries and longer list of enemies.

Pattison says his good relationship with White and other scientists happened gradually: I engaged them about science and they realized I was seriously interested in all the things they were interested in and had devoted their careers to. I sort of trickled into their lives a little at a time, like water under a door. And I was still there years later, asking questions, which I think surprised them.

Anyone who thinks bones are boring will be surprised at the people Pattison met along the way, including Afar tribesmen.

That was one aspect of the story I found fascinating, Pattison says. There was the Afar warrior Elema, who at first threatened the team because he wanted to show who was boss, then joined them as one of their most-trusted field workers. He was still there when Pattison visited 20 years later. And Gadi, a feared hunchback known as Zipperman because he was draped with zippers taken off the clothing of his victims. He, too, became a friend and protector of the team.

Pattison dedicated his book to his keen-eyed editor and wife, Maja Beckstrom, a former Pioneer Press reporter working as an associate producer at Minnesota Public Radio. Beckstrom pulled him back when he got too jargony and pointed out things that werent clear. The couple lives in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood with sons, Eli and Alistair, and daughter, Siri.

Pattison admits its a little surreal to finally have his book out in the world. You work on it for so long in isolation, nobody really knows what you are doing, he jokes. It took so many years, people wonder, Does this guy really have a job?

Fossil Men ends at the Ethiopian National Museum, Ardis final resting place. The museum stores so many unexamined fossils it will take years for scientists in many disciplines to pry out the meaning of all the bones.

Ardi, the strange creature who stood four feet high, is only another chapter in the ongoing search for human origins.

Read the original:
St. Paul authors Fossil Men is a tale of discovery thats anything but old and dry - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

DUBLIN, Dec. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Alopecia Market Share, Growth & Analysis, By Disease, By Application, By Sales Distribution, By Gender And Segment Forecasts, 2016-2026" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The growing prevalence of diseases that trigger alopecia, such as hyperthyroidism, hypopituitarism, lupus, acute stress disorder, and diabetes, are stimulating market growth.

Market Size - USD 9.08 billion in 2019, Market Growth - CAGR of 5.1%, Market Trends - Growing focus on aesthetic appearance and rise in disposable incomes.

The Global Alopecia Market size is expected to reach 13.65 Billion from USD 9.08 Billion in 2019, delivering a CAGR of 5.1% through 2027. The market growth is driven by the growing prevalence of chronic disorders, such as celiac disease, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, Hodgkin's disease, acute stress disorder, hypopituitarism, Hashimoto's disease, lupus, diabetes, Addison's disease, and others, which trigger alopecia in patients.

Changing lifestyle habits, such as overconsumption of alcohol and tobacco and growing stress levels, are resulting in an increased number of alopecia cases globally. Increasing focus on physical appearance and rising disposable incomes are favoring industry growth.

The increasing prevalence of oral treatments, licensed topical treatments, such as minoxidil, finasteride, and surgical procedures, such as hair transplantation or replacement, is expected to boost alopecia market growth over the forecast period.

Further key findings from the report suggest

The growing prevalence of alopecia areata on account of the rising incidences of autoimmune diseases among the populace, including diabetes, Down's syndrome, hyperthyroidism, and others, is driving alopecia market growth.

Growing focus on the aesthetic appeal and physical appearance among individuals is the key factor contributing significantly to the alopecia market revenue share.

The growing popularity of laser treatments as a common non-invasive approach for alopecia is likely to boost the growth of the androgenetic segment.

On the basis of disease type, the alopecia areata segment accounted for around 39.30% of the alopecia market share in 2019.

Based on application, the dermatology clinics segment contributed a revenue share close to USD 4.69 billion in 2019 and is estimated to gain major traction over the analysis period. The growth can be attributed to effective and suitable medication or therapy prescribed by dermatologists for positive results.

In the regional landscape, the Asia Pacific region is estimated to exhibit the fastest growth rate of 5.4% through 2027 on account of a vast population suffering from alopecia along with growing awareness among patients regarding the available therapeutic options in the region.

The rise in economic development, coupled with increasing per capita healthcare spending in emerging countries such as China, Singapore, and India, is anticipated to offer major opportunities for the alopecia market.

North America region accounted for around 22.30% of the alopecia market share in 2019 and is forecast to grow significantly through 2027 on account of the increasing consumer disposable incomes, rise in the introduction of new drugs, and the complementary initiatives taken by relevant organizations like NAAF and AHLA in the region.

Prominent players in the global alopecia market are Cipla Inc., Transitions Hair Pty Ltd., Johnson and Johnson AG, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Cirrus Hair Centers, Merck & Co., Inc., Lexington International LLC, Follica, Inc., Capillus, and Vita-Cos-Med Klett-Loch GmbH, among others.

Key report features:

Story continues

A robust analysis and estimation of the Alopecia Market with four levels of quality check - in-house database, expert interviews, governmental regulation, and a forecast specifically done through time series analysis

A holistic competitive landscape of the all the major players in the Alopecia market. The report covers their market shares, strategic initiatives, new product launches, R&D expenditure, M&As, Joint ventures, expansionary plans, product wise metric space analysis and key developments

Go-to-market strategies specifically formulated in line with location analysis which takes into the factors such as government regulations, supplier mapping, supply chain obstacles, and feedback from local vendors

Most deep dive segmental bifurcation available currently in the market. Our stellar methodology helps us understand the overall gamut of the supply chain and will help you explain the current market dynamics

Special focus given on vendor landscape, supplier portfolio, customer mapping, production capacity, and yearly capacity utilization

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1. Market Synopsis

Chapter 2. Executive Summary

Chapter 3. Indicative Metrics

Chapter 4. Alopecia Market Segmentation & Impact Analysis

Chapter 5. Alopecia Market By Disease Insights & Trends

Chapter 6. Alopecia Market By Sales distribution Insights & Trends

Chapter 7. Alopecia Market By Gender Insights & Trends

Chapter 8. Alopecia Market By Application Insights & Trends

Chapter 9. Alopecia Market Regional Outlook

Chapter 10. Competitive Landscape

Chapter 11. Company Profiles

Cipla Inc.

Johnson AG

Transitions Hair Pty Ltd.

Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Merck & Co. Inc.

Cirrus Hair Centers

Lexington International LLC

Vita-Cos-Med Klett-Loch GmbH

Follica Inc.

Capillus.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/17nnqu

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.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/world-alopecia-market-segmentation--impact-analysis-by-gender-application-and-region---featuring-profiles-of-key-players-cipla-inc-johnson-ag-transitions-hair-pty-ltd-and-more-301199082.html

SOURCE Research and Markets

Read more here:
World Alopecia Market Segmentation & Impact Analysis, by Gender, Application and Region - Featuring Profiles of Key Players Cipla Inc, Johnson AG,...

The vape flavorings so popular with kids and young adults are cardiotoxic and disrupt the hearts normal electrical activity, a University of South Florida Health preclinical study finds.

The appealing array of fruit and candy flavors that entice millions of young people take up vaping can harm their hearts, a preclinical study by University of South Florida Health (USF Health) researchers found.

Mounting studies indicate that the nicotine and other chemicals delivered by vaping, while generally less toxic than conventional cigarettes, can damage the lungs and heart. But so far there has been no clear understanding about what happens when the vaporized flavoring molecules in flavored vaping products, after being inhaled, enter the bloodstream and reach the heart, said the studys principal investigator Sami Noujaim, PhD, an associate professor of molecular pharmacology and physiology at the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine.

In their study published on November 20, 2020, in the American Journal of Physiology- Heart and Circulatory Physiology, Dr. Noujaim and colleagues report on a series of experiments assessing the toxicity of vape flavorings in cardiac cells and in young mice.

The flavored electronic nicotine delivery systems widely popular among teens and young adults are not harm-free, Dr. Noujaim said. Altogether, our findings in the cells and mice indicate that vaping does interfere with the normal functioning of the heart and can potentially lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances.

Dr. Noujaims laboratory is among the first beginning to investigate the potential cardiotoxic effects of the many flavoring chemicals added to the e-liquids in electronic nicotine delivery systems, or ENDS. He recently received a five-year, $2.2-million grant from the NIHs National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to carry out this laboratory research. Commonly called e-cigarettes, ENDS include different products such as vape pens, mods, and pods.

Sami Noujaim, PhD, associate professor of molecular pharmacology and physiology at the University of South Florida Health (USF Health) Morsani College of Medicine, has begun investigating preclinically the potential cardiotoxic effects of many flavoring chemicals added to the e-liquids in electronic nicotine delivery systems. Credit: Photo courtesy of USF Health

Vaping involves inhaling an aerosol created by heating an e-liquid containing nicotine, solvents such as propylene glycol and vegetable glycerin, and flavorings. The vaping devices battery-powered heat converts this e-liquid into a smoke-like aerosolized mixture (e-vapor). Manufacturers tout e-cigarettes as a tool to help quit smoking, but evidence of their effectiveness for smoking cessation is limited, and they are not FDA approved for this use. E-cigarettes contain the same highly addictive nicotine found in tobacco products, yet many teens and young adults assume they are safe.

Among the USF Health study key findings:

Whether the mouse findings will translate to people is unknown. Dr. Noujaim emphasizes that more preclinical and human studies are needed to further determine the safety profile of flavored ENDS and their long-term health effects.

A partial government ban on flavored e-cigarettes aimed at stopping young people from vaping focused on enforcement against flavored e-cigarettes with pre-filled cartridges, like those produced by industry leader JUUL. However, teens quickly switched to newer disposable e-cigarettes still sold in a staggering assortment of youth-appealing fruity and dessert-like flavors.

Our research matters because regulation of the vaping industry is a work in progress, Dr. Noujaim said. The FDA needs input from the scientific community about all the possible risks of vaping in order to effectively regulate electronic nicotine delivery systems and protect the publics health. At USF Health, in particular, we will continue to examine how vaping may adversely affect cardiac health.

In 2020, 3.6 million U.S. youths still used e-cigarettes, and among current users, more than eight in 10 reported using flavored varieties, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Reference: In Vitro and In Vivo Cardiac Toxicity of Flavored Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems by Obada Abou-Assali, Mengmeng Chang, Bojjibabu Chidipi, Jose L. Martinez-de-Juan, Michelle Reiser, Manasa Kanithi, Ravi Soni, Thomas Vincent McDonald, Bengt Herweg, Javier Saiz, Laurent Calcul and Sami F. Noujaim, 20 November 2020, American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology.DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.00283.2020

Continue reading here:
Vape Flavorings Are Cardiotoxic and Can Damage the Heart - SciTechDaily

12/22/2020

Statfjord st

Equinor and its license partners have decided to invest NOK 3 billion in the North Sea Statfjord st field to improve recovery by 23 million barrels of oil equivalent.

Written notification of material changes to the Plan for Development and Operation Statfjord st was submitted to the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy 16.12.2020.

The decision to improve recovery on Statfjord st will add considerable value to society and owners and will create positive effects for suppliers. Our ambition is to maintain safe and profitable production and secure valuable activity from the Norwegian continental shelf (NCS) for several decades, says Kjetil Hove, Equinors senior vice president for Field Life eXtension (FLX).

Statfjord st is tied back to the Statfjord C platform by pipelines. A total of four new wells will be drilled from existing subsea templates. The project also includes modifications on Statfjord C and a new pipeline for gas lift.

We will be a leading late life operator on the NCS. In order to achieve this, we must work in new ways to reduce costs, thereby offering new opportunities for investments in late life fields ensuring profitable reservoir management. The Statfjord st decision is a good example of this, says Hove.

This decision enables an improvement of the recovery factor on Statfjord st and gives an important contribution to extending the life of the Statfjord C platform and the Statfjord st field towards 2040.

The original oil volume in place on Statfjord st was 415 million barrels of oil. The current recovery factor is 56 percent. As a result of this project, the expected recovery factor is increased to 62 percent.

Plans call for installation of a pipeline for gas lift, modifications on Statfjord C and drilling of new wells in 2022 - 2024. Production start is scheduled for 2024.

The Statfjord st development comprises subsea installations that include three templates. The field is located five kilometres north-east of Statfjord C. The field came on stream in 1994.

The licence partners in Statfjord st Unit: Equinor Energy AS (31.6875%), Petoro AS (30.0000%), Vr Energi AS (20.5500%), Spirit Energy Norway AS (11.5625%), Idemitsu Petroleum Norge AS (4.8000%), Wintershall Dea Norge AS (1.4000%).

After several extensions of the Statfjord field life, the current goal is to maintain safe and profitable operation until 2040. Statfjord is part of FLX, which was established to meet the strategic opportunities and challenges of late life fields in relation to Equinors competitiveness.

FLX aims to ensure that Equinor is the leading company in safe and efficient operations with low carbon emissions from late life fields on the NCS.

More:
Equinor stakes NOK 3 billion to improve Statfjord Ost oil recovery - WorldOil

Two new clinical trials in the UK are examining whether administering an antibody combination after someone has already been exposed to the novel coronavirus could protect them from developing COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus.

The University College London Hospitals (UCLH) NHS Trust announced on Friday that it is running the trials at a new vaccine research center.

Both trials are examining AZD7442, a long-acting antibody (LAAB) combination developed by AstraZeneca.

The first study, called STORM CHASER, is examining whether the antibody can provide immediate and long-term protection to people recently exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

We know that this antibody combination can neutralize the virus, so we hope to find that giving this treatment via injection can lead to immediate protection against the development of COVID-19 in people who have been exposed when it would be too late to offer a vaccine, said study leader UCLH virologist Dr. Catherine Houlihan in a press release from the hospital.

STORM CHASER had recruited 10 people as of Friday. Key participants will include healthcare workers, students in group housing, patients exposed to anyone with the virus, residents of long-term care facilities and those in industrial or military settings.

THE SECOND study, called PROVENT, is examining whether people who may not respond to the vaccine, including immuno-compromised people, or at-risk groups, such as the elderly or those with preexisting conditions, may be helped by AZD7442, even prior to exposure.

cnxps.cmd.push(function () { cnxps({ playerId: '36af7c51-0caf-4741-9824-2c941fc6c17b' }).render('4c4d856e0e6f4e3d808bbc1715e132f6'); });

We will be recruiting people who are older or in long-term care, and who have conditions such as cancer and HIV, which may affect the ability of their immune system to respond to a vaccine," said UCLH infectious diseases consultant Dr. Nicky Longley, the head of the study. "We want to reassure anyone for whom a vaccine may not work that we can offer an alternative, which is just as protective.

Both UCLH studies will examine whether AZD7442 reduces the risk of developing COVID-19 and/or reduces the severity of the infection compared to a placebo.

Trial participants will be able to safely leave the study in order to get licensed vaccines if it is deemed medically beneficial, according to UCLH.

Antibodies are produced by the body to help fight infections. Monoclonal antibodies are artificially produced in laboratories for possible medical treatments in patients already infected with the virus and could provide protection before exposure as well.

While vaccines train the body over a matter of weeks to produce its own antibodies, antibody injections skip that step, aiming to provide immediate protection against viruses.

AZD7442 is a combination of two LAABs derived from recovering patients that were discovered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center and then licensed to AstraZeneca, according to the company, which then optimized the LAABs with half-life extension in order to increase the durability of the therapy for six to 12 months. The combination is also designed to reduce the risk of resistance developed by the virus.

In pre-clinical experiments published in Nature, the LAABs in AZD7442 were shown to block the novel coronavirus from binding with host cells, protecting against infection.

UCLH'S NEW Vaccine Research Center, which opened in December, is operating under the patronage of the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) UCLH Biomedical Research Center and the UCLH Research Directorate, and represents an extension of the NIHR UCLH Clinical Research Facility led by Prof. Vincenzo Libri.

Libri is also a principal investigator on the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine trial and provides oversight of all COVID-19 vaccine/preventative treatment trials.

Mene Pangalos, AstraZeneca's executive vice president of BioPharmaceuticals Research & Development, stated in the UCLH release that AZD7442 has the potential to be an important preventative and therapeutic medicine against COVID-19, focusing on the most vulnerable patients."

"The STORM CHASER trial in particular is a unique approach, with enrollment initiated on site following the identification of a confirmed case to halt the spread of COVID-19 in the facility or community," Pangalos said. "We offer our appreciation and gratitude to everyone involved in these trials from the scientists, researchers and clinicians, to the trial participants and study sites as we all work together to help end this pandemic.

Antibody treatments have been evaluated since nearly the beginning of the pandemic.

In May, the Israel Institute for Biological Research (IIBR) completed a groundbreaking scientific development, identifying an antibody that neutralizes the coronavirus.

Maayan Jaffe-Hoffman, Anna Ahronheim and Idan Zonshine contributed to this report.

Visit link:
Antibody study aims to protect those exposed to coronavirus from illness - The Jerusalem Post

Unarmed Minuteman III ICBM Test Launch 2020

Since the 1960s, the nuclear triad has served as the bedrock of American national security. The triad represents nuclear deterrence in-depth for the nation: intercontinental ballistic missiles, nuclear-equipped bomber aircraft and sea-launched ballistic missiles. Yet, over the last 30 years, U.S. nuclear modernization programs were truncated, deferred, or outright canceled in favor of other priorities. Now, having put off modernization for decades, nearly every part of our nuclear triad is serving well beyond its original service life.

That might be bad enough, but the circumstances today are dire. Russia is pursuing multiple nuclear weapon modernization programs. China is developing its own nuclear triad. And North Korea and Iran continue to pursue their own destabilizing nuclear programs. The U.S. must stop any further delays in modernizing our geriatric nuclear forces in order to maintain a credible nuclear deterrent strategy in the face of these threats.

The good news is that senior U.S. military leaders and civilian defense officials have grown more forceful in recent years in designating nuclear force modernization a top priority. As Lieutenant General Frank Klotz, USAF (Ret.), former Under Secretary of Energy for Nuclear Security and former Commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, recently remarked: It's time to bite the bullet and to finally stop admiring the problem and start solving the problem.

The bad news is the same cast of critics that argued against modernization in the past are now using the upcoming change in administration to rehash the need to modernize Americas nuclear enterprise. The focus of much of their criticism is the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) program, which will recapitalize the Minuteman III missile force that was first fielded 50 years ago. As in the past, their arguments gravitate around five key misconceptions about ICBMs that merit correction.

Misconception No. 1: A land-based ICBM force is superfluous since a dyad of nuclear-capable bombers and ballistic missile-launching submarines are sufficient for deterrence.

Arguments based on this misconception overlook the fact that a land-based ICBM force has unique attributes that significantly strengthen nuclear deterrence. As Admiral Charles Richard, Commander of U.S. Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM) put it, If you take away the ICBM leg, in fact, if you take away any leg, you just took away a stack of attributes that we have found useful in the past and see being useful in the future which means you just narrowed the range of situations that we were able to effectively deter.

An important characteristic that the other two legs of the triad do not provide is that the ICBM force is widely dispersed across a huge swath of the country and as a result establishes a very highand likely prohibitivethreshold for an adversary to launch a nuclear attack against the U.S. homeland. A preemptive, counterforce strike against the U.S. ICBM force requires an enemy to attack 495 hardened and dispersed ICBM facilities450 silos and 45 launch control centers spread across five states. To strike those with a moderate to a high degree of confidence, an adversary would have to launch 900 to 1,000 nuclear warheads.

This would be a massive and unambiguous nuclear ballistic missile attack guaranteeing an overwhelming U.S. response from the other two legs of the triadAir Force bombers and Navy submarines. This reality significantly complicatesand detersa potential aggressors attack.

As Admiral Richard points out: We have a triadin part because of the flexibility it provides, the ability to hedge inside of itwhat it also enables you to do is address the threat or the risks you didn't see coming. We always built margin into our strategic forces to make sure that we could account for the unknown risks that may be out there alongside the risk that we could reasonably see.

Misconception No. 2: ICBMs are inherently destabilizing because they increase the risk of our possibly stumbling into a nuclear war.

Do ICBMs significantly increase the risk of a mistaken or accidental launch in comparison to the other two legs of the triad? No. As noted above, unlike an enemy's targeting of the other legs of our triad, neutralizing our ICBM force would require a massive and unambiguous nuclear strike on the U.S. homeland. Furthermore, the United States maintains an overlapping network of multi-domain, multi-phenomenology sensors that jointly validate indications of a hostile missile launch to ensure that timely missile attack warning and assessment information is not susceptible to a single point of failure. Additional political-military levels of scrutiny and confirmation are also in place to prevent misidentification.

A U.S. ICBM launch can only occur after an essential series of extremely deliberate, disciplined and cooperative actions are undertaken in proper sequence by many personnel ranging from the National Command Authority to individual ICBM launch crews. As retired Gen. Kevin Chilton, former Commander of USSTRATCOM, explains, People who describe our ICBMs as being on hair-trigger alert either do not know what they are talking about or are intentionally attempting to frighten the uninformed.

Misconception No. 3: Extending the Minuteman III's service life would be more cost-effective.

The most common argument voiced by critics against the GBSD program is that it would cost less to extend the current ICBM force through a service life extension program (SLEP) that would give the Minuteman IIIs propellant stages new fuel cores, modernize its guidance systems, and upgrade is ground support facilities.

Yet the U.S. Air Forces analysis of alternatives conducted in 2014 determined that the total lifecycle cost of the Minuteman III force, including the SLEP, would exceed the cost to procure and sustain the GBSD over its projected 60-year service life. Critics took issue with the Air Forces methodology because it included the cost of building new replacement missiles as part of its cost estimate. However, doing so was sensible because of the four to five live-fire tests conducted annually to ensure the missiles remain viable and safe. Considering this test rate, the refurbished Minuteman III missile inventory would fall below the Department of Defense (DOD) required force of 400 operationally deployed ICBMs by the year 2040. By contrast, the GBSD missile inventory would remain above 400 through 2075. Hence, new Minuteman III missiles had to be included in any honest cost assessment.

Most importantly, the U.S. needs a viable threat to be effective. As General Chilton has pointed out, for deterrence to be effective both capability and the will to use it must be made believable in the mind of the adversary. The 1970s-era Minuteman IIIs were not designed for todays operating environments that now include electronic warfare, cybernetic countermeasures, and advanced missile interceptor threats. A retaliatory weaponwhether nuclear or conventional, ballistic or otherwisemust be able to reach its designated target to be a credible, effective deterrent. If it cannot, it is useless.

Further Minuteman III life extension is not cost-effective nor will it provide a weapon system capable of adapting to advancing technology and changing adversary threats, said then-Commander of USSTRATCOM, Gen. John Hyten in testimony before the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee in 2019. Only GBSD is the right choice because it would answer current and expected threats and cost about the same as extending the life of the Minuteman III.

Misconception No. 4: There is no rush for a Minuteman III replacement.

It is foolhardy to believe there is no urgency to this requirement. The GBSD is literally a just-in-time replacement for the Minuteman III; there is no margin remaining for further delay.

Elements of the guidance system, solid rocket motor, and propulsion system rocket engine in the current Minuteman III inventory cannot be refurbished nor easily replaced. As a result, the U.S. may not be able to support the required ICBM force of 400 operationally deployed missiles very far beyond 2030. Delaying the GBSD by just a couple of years would force the Air Force to develop, manufacture, test, and certify replacements for some critical Minuteman III components resulting in new costs estimated between $6 billion to $8 billion.

Alternatively, the Air Force could simply accept an ICBM inventory shortfall or keep existing Minuteman III missiles beyond their expiration date or by bridging the gap by means of a heavier reliance on the airborne and submarine legs of the triad. All of these options increase risks to the security of the nation. The former option increases the probability of failure during launch and the latter would require placing a number of bombers on nuclear alert status, incurring significant financial and opportunity costs, since missiles are less costly to maintain and assigning more bombers to the nuclear alert mission means they are no longer available for other critical missions.

Adding risk, raising costs, and reducing reliability do not improve national security.

Misconception No. 5: The GBSD award was non-competitive.

Some critics have faulted the GBSD acquisition process, arguing that because Northrop Grumman NOC was the only company to ultimately bid for the contract, the government went into negotiations in a weak position.

This is incorrect. The GBSD acquisition process was competitive. Although the Air Force received only one final proposal, Boeing BA had every opportunity to compete. Controversy over this issue is rooted in the fact that both Boeing and Northrop selected Orbital ATK to produce the solid rocket motors for their GBSD designs. When Northrop acquired Orbital ATK in 2018, Boeing notified the Air Force it would not respond to its request for proposal. The Air Force was willing to modify its GBSD competition process, but when no mutually satisfactory agreement could be reached, it chose not to delay the program further.

Northrop, meanwhile, could not be sure Boeing would not come through with a competitive bid at the last moment and had to make a competitive offer. And because only one company bid, standard government audit procedures took effect to ensure pricing was fair. Single-bid contract awards are not that unusual: About 15 percent of all DOD competitive acquisitions have just a single bidder.

The deterrent power of Americas nuclear triad is the foundation of our national defense. Preserving it is essential to securing our future.

Should we, as a nation, fail to modernize the ICBM force in a timely manner with GBSD, we would be choosing to diminish our national security and nuclear deterrence posture at the very moment when the international security environment is growing more dangerous, when Russia and China are growing more aggressive and assertive and when rogue powers are investing heavily to acquire nuclear arms.

When the Minuteman III entered service, I was in seventh grade. I am now 61, Gen. John Hyten, now Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, noted recently. It must be replaced...and we must continue to invest substantially to ensure that all three legs of the nuclear triad stand strong.

Awarding the GBSD contract was a crucial milestone toward modernizing the missile force, Hyten added. Given the critical role the GBSD will play in deterring China and Russia, we can't rest until we deliver this capability to the field.

Link:
Five Persistent Misconceptions About Modernizing The US ICBM Force - Forbes

I'm a physician in Boston, and I've been obsessed with the coronavirus pandemic since the first stories trickled out of China into my consciousness. Every day I listen to podcasts and medical lectures by a long line of virologists, epidemiologists, and infectious-disease doctors. Every week, I write an essay for my friends and family in my area about what we've learned about COVID-19 and how to protect ourselves.

My sons - Mackenzie, 24, and Cooper, 21 - live nearby and have been what I call "COVID-conscious" since the start. Both kids work and study from their apartments, have small friend pods, have excellent COVID-19 hygiene, particularly with me and anyone who falls into a high-risk group, and both had stayed mostly bubbled at home the previous two weeks.

In fact, we were masked except when actively putting food in our mouths, pulling our masks back up into place between servings and when chatting during the meal.

Advertisement

But then on Saturday morning, while I was walking with a friend, Kenzie texted me saying, "Sooooo, I have bad news." Half a minute later he sent a second text that read, "I feel horrible."

Read more: COVID-19 threatens to create a 'lockdown generation' in Europe: Here's why young people could be the ones paying for yet another crisis

All I could think was, "Why, why, why didn't we just skip Thanksgiving this year? And now it's too late to stop whatever tsunami is coming our way."

This is exactly how COVID-19 spreads: A person, like my beloved son, can have it, be contagious, but have no symptoms at all, not a single clue, for several days before getting sick.

This is why we were so meticulously careful about our Thanksgiving. We knew it was possible one of us could be that asymptomatic contagious person - not likely, not even probable. Kenzie has five friends in his bubble. All had been tested the week before for travel and were negative. All have been tested since and stayed negative, and all were asymptomatic. He had shopped, carefully, at only a couple of large stores.

And as it turned out, the precautions we did have in place worked. Cooper and I are COVID-19 negative. And Kenzie had a rough week but is getting better. We're all getting better.

Was it worth it to have Kenzie feel immense guilt about potentially exposing us? Was it worth the discomfort of having to tell his contacts they needed to be tested and then go into 10 days of quarantine?

And Christmas in 2020?

No possible way. Not a bit. Not a chance.

This story originally appeared on Schoenthaler's Facebook page and on The Boston Globe website. It has been republished with permission.

View post:
I'm a doctor who tried to plan an extremely safe Thanksgiving for 3 people. It wasn't worth the scare it put u - Business Insider India

Feeling stressed out around the holidays? These tips might help. (WYDaily/ Courtesy of Unsplash)

As we head into the holidays, W&M News spoke with Dr. Elizabeth De Falcon to learn about ways relieve stress and practice self-care over winter break, to strengthen our collective immune systems. Dr. De Falcon is a practicing physician with William & Marys Health Services. She is a licensed pediatrician and Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

In the simplest terms, stress is just your bodys reaction to any change that requires response. So, it could be anything: a mental strain, a physical strain or even an emotional strain. Honestly, its different for every person. What stresses me out may not stress you out, but if were talking about physiology, then our stress response would be mostly the same.

Without going into the specific names of all the different parts of your brain, its just that your brain perceives stress or danger or threat. Then it sends out a signal from what is essentially the command center of your brain to the rest of your body, through the nervous system. Then the nervous system starts acting on a fight or flight response and all these different neurotransmitters and hormones get released. All these different substances start flowing through your body just to get you prepared to respond to that stressor.

A lot of times, youre not even aware of it. Most of the time the threat comes and goes, and as the threat goes away, the stress response decreases. Think of a car whizzing past you on the street. Its stressful for a second, but the feeling is very short-lived. Its important to understand that not all stress is bad. It serves an important biological purpose. The stress response has been vital to our survival and evolution. When the saber-toothed tigers were hunting us down, our bodies learned how to respond to that.

If you translate that to now, lets say youre taking a test and you feel a little bit stressed. Youre supposed to have a certain level of stress, because its your bodys way of motivating you to focus on something important. After the test is done, theres this sigh of relief because that stress is gone and your body just goes back to a kind of homeostasis where its feeling ok.

But sometimes that stress hangs around for a little while. Thats when you start running into problems. You may find that even though the threat is gone, youre not feeling better. You may be experiencing increased heart rate and breathing or generally feeling edgy all the time. Thats a sign that youre bumping over into a low-level, acute stress or chronic stress state.

Thats when we start to think about cortisol. Youve probably heard about cortisol as a stress hormone. In the moment, it actually helps your body boost its immune system and decrease inflammation, but if its there for a long time, then you start to get into different problems.

I always tell people to seek medical help if they start seeing signs of chronic stress. Some of the red flags would be that you feel in a low mood all the time. You may stop hanging out with your friends or your family. Youre just kind of retreating and not interested in the things you used to be interested in. You may be sleeping too much or too little. Some people experience physical symptoms. They have an upset stomach or heartburn or headaches, because their blood pressure is up. They might feel a knot in their chest. All of those things could be signs that youre experiencing anxiety, so you would definitely want to see your doctor at that point.

It comes down to the basics of general healthy living. For example, if youve not been on a good sleep schedule over the semester, you really need to prioritize getting on a healthy sleep scheduleand make it a realistic schedule that you can keep doing once we get back on campus. If you were not addressing your dietary needs during the semester, start to incorporate healthy, nutrient-dense types of foods into your diet.

Also, exercise is super important. Just from a perspective of improving your cardiovascular health and improving your circulation, regular exercise will help get all those immune cells pumped around your body. You dont want to smoke and try to minimize your alcohol intake.

Then, of course, what weve all been focused on over these last nine month is taking steps to minimize infections. So, being very diligent about washing your hands, keeping your distance from pretty much anyone who doesnt live in your house, and wearing a mask if you have to go out and about.

When you have a healthy immune system, when its functional, you dont even know its there. Its protecting you from things that are trying to kill you, viruses and bacterial infections, but you arent even aware of it.

But just like a car runs out of gas when left idling, if you are not fully addressing the things that boost your immune system, eventually that car will run out of gas and then that leads to a whole host of problems. You might start noticing that youre getting more colds or struggling to get over minor illnesses. Thats really just because when your stress response is revved up all the time, it has the opposite effect on your health and it starts down-regulating your immune system.

This is something I always recommend to my patients: practice gratitude. Its such a simple, easy thing that anyone can do. It doesnt have to be complicated. Just get a little notebook, or even make mental notes, and focus on three things that youre grateful for in a day. No matter how crummy the day is, theres always something that we can find that we can be grateful for.

Studies show that if you practice gratitude, there are positive changes in your brain that actually change your outlook on things. Along those lines, theWellness Centerhas all kinds of wonderful mindfulness, meditation and exercise resources available online. They make it really easy to access, so Id also recommend trying out some of those offerings.

Adrienne Berard is a research communications specialist at William & Mary News and this story was published on Dec. 18.

Always be informed. Click here to get the latest news and information delivered to your inbox

Here is the original post:
Tips for staying healthy and managing stress over the holidays - WYDaily

There is no proven way to permanently thicken hair if you are healthy and have no underlying health conditions. But, there are lifestyle adjustments to improve your overall hair health and prevent breakage.

Here are common causes of thin hair and five tips for healthier, thicker hair.

The causes of thin hair include:

If you are concerned about frequent hair loss, reach out to a dermatologist, says Sara Wasserbauer, MD, a hair restoration surgeon and President of the Board of Directors for the American Board of Hair Restoration Surgery.

"The earlier someone starts therapies, the more likely they are to be effective," Wasserbauer says. "If you are losing more than 100 hairs per day, or if your hair is less thick when you run your hand through it, it is worth seeing a hair expert."

A doctor can determine if you can treat thin hair without medical intervention, or if it is a sign of alopecia a more severe condition in which hair falls out in patches or causes balding.

If your hair loss is not due to an underlying health condition, you may be able to thicken your hair with the following lifestyle changes:

A nutritious diet is critical to hair health, says Sanusi Umar, MD, CEO and medical director of Dr. U Skin and Hair Clinic in Manhattan Beach, California. This is because adequate nutrition ensures hair follicles construct hair shafts of normal thickness.

According to Umar, certain nutrients are essential to the thickness and growth of hair, like:

Cortisol, the stress hormone, disrupts the functioning of the hair follicle and contributes to thinning hair. A 2016 study found high levels of cortisol can cause certain proteins in hair to break down.

It is important to differentiate between different types of stress, Wasserbauer says. If you experience a stressful event, you may notice a period of hair loss and accelerated thinning, but the hair usually recovers within a year. Ongoing hair loss is more serious, and unless it is caught, diagnosed, and treated, it may result in permanent loss.

If you're concerned stress may be causing hair thinning, you can alleviate stress and lower cortisol levels by:

A hormone imbalance, such as during pregnancy or menopause, can cause thinning hair. A decrease in estrogen or an increase in testosterone levels can thin hair as well, Umar says.

Research found an imbalance of hormones like estrogen, progesterone, and prolactin can all contribute to hair loss. Hair loss can also be due to an imbalance of thyroid hormones, Umar says.

Signs of a hormone imbalance, like a thyroid condition, include:

If you think a hormone imbalance may be causing thin hair, reach out to your doctor, Umar says. A primary care physician may refer you to a dermatologist, who specializes in skin and hair, or an endocrinologist who specializes in hormonal imbalances.

Heat styling products, like blow dryers, straighteners, and curling irons all weaken the hair shaft and fiber, Umar says. These products damage the cuticle on the outer layer of the hair, especially if the heat setting is set too high or you use a heating product daily.

"Using heating styling products excessively can cause breakage and cause the scalp to become stressed thus leading to thinning hair," Umar says.

A 2004 study found using a curling iron causes hair to weaken and break, though hair treated with a conditioner showed less damage than hair that was not.

Another 2011 study found using a blowdryer caused more surface damage to hair than natural drying, but how you use a blowdryer matters. For instance, the study found blow drying hair at a distance of 15 cm with continuous motion caused less damage than letting hair air dry or using a hair dryer without motion very close to your hair.

If you use heat styling products regularly and have noticed your hair thinning, try reducing how often you use these products. To prevent damage, you should also limit other treatments, like hair dye, bleach, and chemical treatments.

Sulfates are chemicals found in most shampoos and soaps that provide the "sudsy" effect when you lather them up.

Sulfates also strip hair of its natural oils and moisture, Umar says, causing it to become dry and brittle, which makes it break more easily.

However, switching to a sulfate-free shampoo won't stop hair loss, Umar says. Using a sulfate-free shampoo can help preserve the natural oils in your hair, reduce irritation, and potentially prevent future damage, like hair breakage.

If you have no underlying health conditions causing hair loss, there is no proven way to thicken your hair. However, you can improve overall hair health by eating a nutritious diet, limiting heat styling, and using a sulfate-free shampoo. Healthier hair means less damage and breakage, which can help hair grow longer and thicker.

The rest is here:
5 tips to get thicker hair and common causes of hair loss or thinning - Insider - INSIDER