Archive for the ‘Male Genetics’ Category

The Judges of Yolo County Superior Court prior to Dan Wolks appointment

Even before this week, Yolo Countys bench seemed out of step with the rest of the state. For the last 13 years, according to various media sources, Californias bench has become more diversemore women, more people of color. Not Yolo County.

Yolo County is moving in the opposite direction with 8 white men and two women, one of whom is Latina. That was before Tuesday when Governor Newsom made what appears to be the latest appointment based on political connections.

Dan Wolk as you know is the former Mayor of Davis, having served from 2014 to 2016. In both 2014 and 2016, he ran for State Assembly and lost, first to Bill Dodd and then to Cecilia Aguiar-Curry. His professional experience is a little over a decade working for the Solano County Counsels office.

He has limited trial experience and his chief qualifications appear to be the fact that his mother is a retired State Senator and his father is a retired Dean of the UC Davis Law School.

Dan Wolk appears to be the latest Yolo County appointment that is based more on who someone is than their qualifications to be judge. Thats not fair to Dan Wolk and this issue did not begin with Governor Gavin Newsomit is a trend.

And it is a problem for the diversity on the Yolo County bench, which now has 9 white men in a county where whites only make up 46 percent of the total population, according to 2019 census estimates.

Indeed, if you look at Governor Newsoms judicial appointments overall on Tuesday, people wanting diversity would applaud them.

In March of 2019 after Governor Jerry Brown stepped down, a survey found that for the 13th straight year, Californias judicial bench has grown more diverse, according to new data released by the Judicial Council.

Governor Browns appointments, including the nearly 200 appointments made in his final year in office: women accounted for more than half of those appointees, and 41 percent identified as non-white.

Governor Newsom continued that trend as last year, his first, he appointed a majority of women and nonwhites to the bench.

That continued on Tuesday.Governor Newsom appointed 14 people to the bench8 women and just two white males.

So why is Yolo County different than other counties?

A big part has to do with its location, roughly 15 minutes from the State Capitol on the other side of the Sacramento River.

It is a small county, but it is prominentthe home of UC Davis, a major law school and academic center. Davis also happens to be the home of a number of State Capitol employees and staffers.

The problem here is actually very clear, and it goes back to the last six governor appointments to the bench starting in 2008.

In 2008, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed employment lawyer Samuel McAdam.In 2010, he appointed Dan Maguire, who was his deputy legal affairs secretary.

In 2012, Janene Beronio, one of the two women on the bench, was elected when retiring Judge Stephen Mock stepped down at the end of his term.

In 2015, Governor Brown appointed Sonia Corts, the first Latina to be judge in Yolo County.

In 2018, he appointed Tom Dyer and Peter Williams, both of whom were attorneys in his administration.

Now, in 2020, Governor Newsom appoints Dan Wolk, the former Mayor of Davis and the son of State Senator Lois Wolk.

While the 2018 appointees did not live in Yolo County, Sam McAdam, Dan Maguire, and Dan Wolk all live in Davis and Sonia Corts lived in Woodland.

A key question is why has Yolo County become the place where governors stick their legal counsel when they wish to award them with appointments?

Clearly, being near the capital is to Yolo Countys detriment. Clearly Yolo County lacks a deep bar association that is diverse. But we also know for a fact that there were very qualified women and women of color who have put their hats in the ring and got passed over in the last three appointments.

Is no one at the governors office paying attention to the bench in Yolo for ethnic make up?

One thing that has shifted in the last three appointmentsthe partisan make up of the bench. For a long time, not only was the bench white and male, but it was also disproportionately Republican. This is a heavily Democratic County, as two-thirds of the voters in 2016 voted for Hillary Clinton.

Now five of the 11 judges were appointed by DemocratsDave Rosenberg by Gray Davis in 2003, and the three most recent appointments by Jerry Brown with Dan Wolk by Gavin Newsom.

This isnt about whether or not Dan Wolk will be a good judge; he will be a judge, and hopefully he does well. This really isnt about him. It is about the process. The fact is that governors in recent years have done a good job of creating a much more diverse bench in California, and my only complaint is that when it comes to Yolo County, we have been shortchanged.

Nine white male judges in this era with 10 years of Democratic governors should not happen.

With all due respect to the last three appointments, Yolo County deserves better than to get a rash of political appointments with little regard to the overall lack of diversity of its bench.

Contrast that to San Francisco which in March elected three progressive women to its bench.It is hard to imagine two more different judicial environments, and given the notion of equal justice under the law and the fact that the vast majority of criminal defendants in Yolo County are black and browna disproportionate number, mind youit would seem that a bench more reflective of the population demographics would be fairer.

David M. Greenwald reporting

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My View: Dan Wolk's Appointment to Judge Further Skews Yolo's Bench - The Peoples Vanguard of Davis

This essay first appeared on The MIT Reader on April 20, 2020

Across the world, many of us are imagining a possible rendezvous with Death. Some are turning to common addictions, such as alcohol and drugs. A study last week found that nearly 40 percent of remote-working New Yorkers are drinking while working, and one in five are stockpiling booze. Others arecoming together, figuratively speaking, to help those in great need. Still others are circling their wagons and loading up on more guns and ammo.

When circumstances jolt us from our routines, we grow unsettled and anxious. Some of us manage to resetsomehow grasping that business is not as usual, that time could be short. We manage to ask, What really matters now? For many, the answer is, help others.

Empathy and altruism are primordial human traits. When we wandered as foragers for 200,000 years, resources were iffy. So we smoothed out potentially fatal fluctuations by elaborating our instinct to share. But we didnt invent these circuits: A free rat, encountering a trapped rat, will make an effort to release it. And a rat, pulling a lever to obtain food pellets, will choose the lever that doesnt shock a stranger rat, even when that lever delivers two times less food. Thus neural circuits for empathy and altruism have likely been around since our last shared ancestor with rodentsnearly 100 million years.

Certain aspects of the neurobiology are clear. When we share our own resources to help a neighbor, they receive, besides practical aid, a pulse of dopamine from a core neural circuit that rewards every unexpected positive event. This neurochemical pulse evokes a pulse of good feeling, a momentary relief from seeking. Critically, this same circuit also rewards thegiver, thereby encouraging us to repeat that behavior in the iffy times to come. Living as we do now, this instinct to share has been little exercised. Multitudes in our cities have been lacking food and shelter, but they have been discounted as somehow undeserving. Otherwise, we would not have turned away for so long.

But now, suddenly,weare the needy, many desperate for sustenance and comfort. We encounter and welcome empathy and sharing, not just food and soap, but even our neighbors voices serenading us from their balconies. We recall such empathic, altruistic behaviors from earlier crises, such as urban blackouts, hurricanes, and floods. These behaviors provide dopamine beyond the givers and the receiversto all who share their emotionally uplifting stories. But what are we to make of the wagon-circlers? Whatisit with those people for whom sharing is neither a value nor a pleasure? They are numerous, so we should try to understand rather than write them off.

Empathy is a complex trait, like courage, or height. Traits are often partially inherited through our geneswith the degree of expression involving many genes with small effects. For height, for example, most people inherit roughly equal numbers of genes for short and for tall. Consequently, on the bell curve for height, they occupy the middlethey are average. Those who inherit more genes for short tend to be shorter than average, and those who inherit the opposite, more genes for tall, tend to be taller than average. When tall parents transmit abundant tall genes to their offspring, the occasional child may inherit 200 more genes for tall. If this child is male and well-fed, he may grow to seven and a half feet and play professional basketball. On the bell curve for height, he is far out on the tail.

Empathy has a substantial genetic contribution, about half as much as height, a group of researchers found in 2018. Inevitably, some individuals inherit more pro-empathy genes than average. Moreover, since they are likely to be born from empathic parents, such children will also witness empathic behaviors and be rewarded for performing them. Thus, learning and family values reinforce the pro-social neural circuitry. Such individuals are likely to become professional caregivers.

Inevitably, as well, some individuals inherit fewer pro-empathy genes than average and tend to feel less empathy. Moreover, since low empathy children are likely born from low empathy parents, they are less likely to witness empathic behaviors or be rewarded for performing them. An analogy would be short parents spawning short children and then starving them.

But why, since we evolved brain circuits for empathy, should any of us be deficient for this trait? Why cant we all be above average? Apparently, because our species success gains from individuals on both sides of the bell curve. Obviously, we benefit from individuals with high empathysharers and carers. But we also benefit from high functioning individuals with low empathy. Three thousand years ago King David was an awesome leader even as he coldheartedly sent his lovers husband to die in battle.

Low empathy individualslets face ithave appeal, which is why they succeed as politicians and media stars. They appeal especially to those of below-average empathy, that is, half of the population. For those of low empathy it can be thrilling to watch a leader without scruples live so close to who he really is. Unconstrained by others needs or feelings, he seems free. Whereas, those imbued with strong empathy are condemned to search continually for a sweet spot between the call of their own needs and those of others. Ironically, the empathizers may spend years in therapy trying to liberate their inner sociopath.

Now, in the shadow of COVID, neuroscience and genetics reminds us that for every human trait, there is a distribution. As we proceed to our empathic sweet spots, we have no choice but to accept it.

Link:
COVID-19 and the Harsh Reality of Empathy Distribution - Scientific American

The novel coronavirus seems to be killing more men than women.

The trend was first noticed in China, experts say, and the higher COVID-19 death rate for men has since been documented in 33 countries, including Germany, Spain and South Korea. But experts dont know whats causing the gap. Is it biological, some quirk of cells and hormones? Is it the result of gendered behaviors that have more to do with sociology than sex chromosomes? Lets break down whats going on, because experts say mens risk level depends on what risks (and which men) youre talking about.

While men account for the majority of COVID-19 cases in some countries but a minority of cases in others, they consistently make up the majority of deaths. Out of 35 countries that have reported their COVID deaths in ways that break out victims by sex, 33 had a male-female death ratio greater than 1, meaning men who were confirmed to have the disease were more likely to die than women who were confirmed to have it, according to data compiled by Global Health 50/50, a independent health equity research organization based at University College London. So far, the mortality disadvantage for men is quite large, said Jennifer Dowd, a professor of demography and population health at the University of Oxford.

Share of COVID-19 patients who died, by gender

Numbers in this table come from different dates, depending on the country and how frequently it updates its publicly available data. Most of the data is dated to April 26-29, though a few countries numbers are from earlier in April. Chinas data is from Feb. 28 and Irans is from March 17.

Source: Global Health 50/50

This dynamic isnt new to medicine. Women have stronger adaptive immune responses and die less of infectious disease their entire lives, starting from infant mortality, Dowd said. In general, womens bodies kick out bacterial and viral invaders faster than mens do, and vaccines work better for women than for men.

To see why, look to hormones and genetics, said Sabra Klein, professor of microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins University. Sex hormones appear to play a role determining how well human bodies can fight off disease. In general, estrogens amp up the immune system, while androgens (like testosterone) and progesterone suppress it. Hormones have to interact with cells to do their jobs, Klein said, so cells have a lock and hormones have the key to get in. And, turns out, every immune cell in your body has these kinds of lock-and-key receptors.

Sex chromosomes also play a role. The X chromosome, for example, has 60 genes associated with immune function. Most biological males are born with one X chromosome, but those immune-boosting genes tend to be expressed more frequently in women, who generally have two X chromosomes, Klein said.

But if youre tempted to think those sex differences boil down to men are more likely to die from infectious disease, Klein cautioned that the generalization is not true across the board. Sex differentiation in influenza has been pretty well studied, she told me, and, in that case, womens more aggressive immune systems dont give us an advantage. Having too much of an inflammatory immune response to the flu can actually increase your risk of complications including acute respiratory distress syndrome, when the lungs tiny air sacs, called alveoli, are damaged and fill with fluid. Reproductive-age women do worse, not better, Klein said.

But while researchers know a decent amount about sex differences in influenza, the novel coronavirus is, yes, novel. Any research on it is a work in progress, proceeding without full data. That starts with basic documentation.

On April 28th, the United States had reported 57,318 deaths from the novel coronavirus, but only 31,586 of those deaths had been reported in ways that allowed Global Health 50/50 to break them down by sex. None of the researchers I spoke with knew why that data isnt getting reported. But without it, theyre left to a lot of guesswork and speculation. Its safe to assume that deaths in the U.S. are probably following the patterns seen in many other countries but we dont know for sure that thats true.

Then theres the fact that the variations in how this virus affects people probably isnt just about whats in their chromosomes or hormones. Its also about sociological gender the attitudes, stereotypes and norms that shape the ways people behave and the choices they make.

For example, a 2016 meta-analysis showed that women are about 50 percent more likely than men to start using non-pharmaceutical protective behaviors during a pandemic things like wearing face masks or avoiding public transit. Men, meanwhile, were about 12 percent more likely than women to sign up for vaccines, take antiviral medication, or use other pharmaceutical interventions. Those differences in behavior arent determined by biology, but they could help create variations in how a virus affects men and women.

Rosemary Morgan, a scientist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health who studies how gender and sex interact with public health, thinks these kinds of effects are happening with COVID-19. But how and to what extent thats unknown. It also probably differs from country to country, thanks to the way gender norms also arent consistent everywhere you go.

Case in point: When data on sex disparities in COVID-19 deaths first began to come in from China, it wasnt clear that the differences in death rates there would mean other counties were going to experience the same thing. Thats because China has particularly gendered smoking habits, Dowd told me. In a 2010 study, 54 percent of Chinese men surveyed were current smokers. In contrast, the same study found that less than 3 percent of Chinese women currently smoked. Although sex differences in COVID-19 death rates have cropped up again in other countries, its likely that this gender disparity in smoking plays a role in why 64 percent of Chinas COVID-19 deaths have been among men even though men account for right around half of Chinas confirmed cases.

Gender norms may also influence the niches where women are getting the disease more than men, despite mens higher death rates. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention looked at the characteristics of health care workers who have contracted COVID-19, it found that 73 percent were women. Why are female health care workers getting infected at much higher rates? Part of it likely has to do with their higher odds of exposure.

Nurses jobs put them in close physical contact with patients who have COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, and more than 70 percent of nurses are women. Meanwhile, the personal protective equipment meant to help keep medical workers safe often isnt designed with women in mind. Gloves can be too large. Masks dont always fit womens faces with a tight seal. Gender dynamics could be putting a largely female workforce in harms way.

In the end, regardless of your sex or your gender the risks you face from COVID-19 are probably somewhat unique to you. But if we want to figure out just what, exactly, those risks are, were going to need more data.

See the original post here:
Why Are More Men Than Women Dying Of COVID-19? - FiveThirtyEight

Dr Winnie Njenga, a dermatologist at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital, answers some of the most frequently asked questions around skincare. Pick up skin protection tips, discover some of the common skin problems and learn what suspicious growths might mean.After I turned 30, I developed acne. I have never had to deal with that before. What can I do? How does one deal with adult acne?Adult acne is an interplay of factors, such as your skin type, inflammation and the hormonal milieu. Your dermatologist can assess your risk factors and advise on the best way forward. Remember treatment will vary from person to person. You also need to have your skincare and hair products assessed.I have skin tags; many of them. And I dont like them. Is there anything I can do to slow down their development?Many people develop skin tags. They can be removed by your dermatologist. I would recommend that you practice a healthy lifestyle with a good diet and regular exercise as obesity can make this worse.What are the most common skin problems you deal with?

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Ask a doctor: Is there a treatment that reverses balding? - Standard Digital

Scientists are trying to tackle the lack of diversity seen in genomics research, but even ambitious efforts, like the NIHs All of Us program, often fall short, especially when it comes to the inclusion of Indigenous communities. This is one of the reasons why the Decolonize DNA Day conference is taking place on April 24th, one day before the National DNA Day.

Traditionally, National DNA Day is an annual celebration of the discovery of DNA's double helix structure (1953) and the completion of the Human Genome Project (2003).

I was having conversations with colleagues on what would it mean to decolonize DNA, says Krystal Tsosie, an Indigenous (Din/Navajo) PhD student at Vanderbilt University. As an Indigenous academic, we always talk about what it means to Indigenize and re-Indigenize different disciplines of academia that have been historically more white-centred or white-dominated... and what it would mean to remove the colonial lens.

In collaboration with Latrice Landry and Jerome de Groot, Tsosie co-organized the Decolonize DNA Day Twitter conference to help re-frame narratives around DNA. Each speaker will have an hour to tweet out their "talk" and lead conversations on various topics, including how DNA ancestry testing fuels anti-Indigeneity and how to utilize emerging technologies to decolonize precision medicine.

There is a divide between people who are doing the science or the academic work, and the people who we want to inform, says Tsosie. Twitter is a great way to bridge that divide.

The Decolonize DNA Day conference is simply one effort to Indigenize genomics. Tsosie is also a co-founder of the Native BioData Consortium, a non-profit organization consisting of researchers and Indigenous members of tribal communities, focused on increasing the understanding of Native American genomic issues.

We dont really see a heavy amount of Indigenous engagement in genetic studies, which then means that as precision medicine advances as a whole [] those innovations are not going to be applied to Indigenous people, says Tsosie. How do we get more Indigenous people engaged?

Some of the answers can be found in a recent Nature Reviews Genetics perspective, penned by Indigenous scientists and communities, including those from the Native BioData Consortium. The piece highlights the actions that genomics researchers can take to address issues of trust, accountability, and equity. Recommended actions include the need for early consultations, developing benefit-sharing agreements, and appropriately crediting community support in any academic publications.

By switching power dynamics, were hoping to get genomic researchers to work with us, instead of against us, says Tsosie.

Excerpt from:
Tinkering with brain proteins may add insulation back to damaged nerve cells - Massive Science

AUSTIN, Texas Astrophysicist Katherine Freese, astronomer John Kormendy and evolutionary biologist Mark Kirkpatrick of The University of Texas at Austin have been elected to the National Academy of Sciences. They join 120 new members recognized by the academy this year for distinguished and continuing achievements in original scientific research.

The National Academy of Sciences is the countrys most prestigious scientific organization, and election to membership in the academy is one of the highest honors that can be accorded a scientist in the United States.

I am exceedingly proud of these extraordinary colleagues and scientific leaders, said Paul Goldbart, dean of UT Austins College of Natural Sciences. Professors Freese, Kirkpatrick and Kormendy exemplify the excellence that we are fortunate to have in Natural Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin.

Freese, who holds the Jeff and Gail Kodosky Endowed Chair in Physics, works on a wide range of topics in theoretical cosmology and astroparticle physics. She has been working to identify the dark matter and dark energy that permeate the universe as well as to build a successful model for the early universe immediately after the Big Bang. She is author of the book The Cosmic Cocktail: Three Parts Dark Matter, published in June 2014. She received her Ph.D. in physics from the University of Chicago in 1984. She received an NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award (1990), a Simons Foundation Fellowship in Theoretical Physics (2012) and the Lilienfeld Prize from the American Physical Society (2019). Read a Q&A here.

Kirkpatrick is the T.S. Painter Centennial Professor in Genetics in the Department of Integrative Biology. Among his many accomplishments, he has helped explain how mating preferences drive the evolution of male traits and how sex chromosomes originate and evolve. He was previously elected as a fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences (2008) and the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2016). He received a Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Washington in 1983. He is a member of the universitys Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Institute for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and Biodiversity Center.

Mark has long been known as one of the leaders in theoretical population genetics, that is, the formal and fundamental framework for understanding the evolutionary process, said Nancy Moran, a professor of integrative biology at UT Austin and fellow member of the National Academy of Sciences. He is continually contributing new insights into how organisms and their genes and genomes evolve. Hes also co-author on the most authoritative textbook in evolutionary biology, another indication of his breadth and of the high regard in which he is held in the field.

Kormendy is the Curtis T. Vaughan, Jr. Centennial Chair Emeritus in Astronomy. He studies the structure and dynamics of stars, gas and dark matter in galaxies, including supermassive black holes in galaxy centers and cosmological dark matter in galaxy halos. He received a Ph.D. in astronomy from the California Institute of Technology in 1976. He has been awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (1970), the Muhlmann Prize of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific (1988), a Humboldt Research Award of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany (2006), and External Membership in the Max-Planck-Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics in Garching-by-Munich, Germany (2012). Read more about his research here.

The election of these three brings the number of current faculty members from UT Austins College of Natural Sciences elected to the academy to 16.

The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit institution established under a congressional charter signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. It recognizes achievement in science by election to membership and with the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine and National Research Council provides science, technology and health policy advice to the federal government and other organizations.

View a list of other members of the National Academies in the College of Natural Sciences.

Go here to read the rest:
Three UT Austin Faculty Elected to National Academy of Sciences - UT News | The University of Texas at Austin

All over the world in China, Italy, the United States and Australia many more men than women are dying from COVID-19.

Why? Is it genes, hormones, the immune system or behaviour that makes men more susceptible to the disease?

I see it as an interaction of all of these factors and it isnt unique to the SARS-Cov-2 virus the different response of men and women is typical of many diseases in many mammals.

In Italy and China deaths of men are more than double those of women. In New York city men constitute about 61% of patients who die. Australia is shaping up to have similar results, though here its mostly in the 70-79 and 80-89 age groups.

The number of COVID-19 deaths in Australia (last updated April 19, 2020).

Image: Australian Government, Department of Health

One major variable in severity of COVID-19 is age. But this cant explain the sex bias seen globally because the increased male fatality rate is the same in each age group from 30 to 90+. Women also live on average six years longer than men, so there are more elderly women than men in the vulnerable population.

The other major factor is the presence of chronic diseases, particularly heart disease, diabetes and cancer. These are all more common in men than women, which might account for some of the bias.

But then we must ask why men are more vulnerable to the diseases that put them at greater risk of COVID-19.

Men and women are biologically different

Men and women differ in their sex chromosomes and the genes that lie on them. Women have two copies of a mid-sized chromosome (called the X). Men have only a single X chromosome and a small Y chromosome that contains few genes.

One of these Y genes (SRY) directs the embryo to become male by kick-starting the development of testes in an XY embryo. The testes make male hormones and the hormones make the baby develop as a boy.

In the absence of SRY an ovary forms and makes female hormones.

Its the hormones that control most of the obvious visible differences between men and women genitals and breasts, hair and body type and have a large influence on behaviour.

The Y chromosome and hormones

The Y chromosome contains hardly any genes other than SRY but it is full of repetitive sequences (junk DNA).

Perhaps a toxic Y could lose its regulation during ageing. This might hasten ageing in men and render them more susceptible to the virus.

But a bigger problem for men is the male hormones unleashed by SRY action. Testosterone levels are implicated in many diseases, particularly heart disease, and may affect lifespan.

Men are also disadvantaged by their low levels of estrogen, which protects women from many diseases, including heart disease.

Male hormones also influence behaviour. Testosterone levels have been credited with major differences between men and women in risky behaviours such as smoking and drinking too much alcohol, as well as reluctance to heed health advice and to seek medical help.

The extreme differences in smoking rate between men and women in China (almost half the men smoke and only 2% of women) may help to account for their very high ratio of male deaths (more than double female). Not only is smoking a severe risk factor for any respiratory disease, but it also causes lung cancer, a further risk factor.

Smoking rates are lower and not as sex-biased in many other countries, so risky behaviour cant by itself explain the sex difference in COVID-19 deaths. Maybe sex chromosomes have other effects.

Two X chromosomes are better than one

The X chromosome bears more than 1,000 genes with functions in all sorts of things including routine metabolism, blood clotting and brain development.

The presence of two X chromosomes in XX females provides a buffer if a gene on one X is mutated.

XY males lack this X chromosome backup. Thats why boys suffer from many sex-linked diseases such as haemophilia (poor blood clotting).

The number of X chromosomes also has big effects on many metabolic characters that are separable from sex hormone effects, as studies of mice reveal.

Females not only have a double dose of many X genes, but they may also have the benefit of two different versions of each gene.

This X effect goes far to explain why males die at a higher rate than females at every age from birth.

And another man problem is the immune system.

Weve known for a long time that women have a stronger immune system than men. This is not all good, because it makes women more susceptible to autoimmune diseases such as lupus and multiple sclerosis.

But it gives women an advantage when it comes to susceptibility to viruses, as many studies in mice and humans show. This helps to explain why men are more susceptible to many viruses, including SARS and MERS.

There are at least 60 immune response genes on the X chromosome, and it seems that a higher dose and having two different versions of these gives women a broader spectrum of defences.

Sex differences in diseases the big picture

Sex differences in the frequency, severity and treatment efficacy for many diseases were pointed out long ago. COVID-19 is part of a larger pattern in which males lose out at every age.

This isnt just humans it is true of most mammals.

Are sex differences in disease susceptibility simply the by-catch of genetic and hormone differences? Or were they, like many other traits, selected differently in males and females because of differences in life strategy?

Its suggested that male mammals spread their genes by winning competitions for mates, hence hormone control of risky behaviour is a plus for men.

Its also suggested female mammals are selected for traits that enhance their ability to care for young, hence their stronger immune system. This made sense for most mammals through the ages.

So the sex bias in COVID-19 deaths is part of a much larger picture and a very much older picture of sex differences in genes, chromosomes and hormones that lead to very different responses to all sorts of disease, including COVID-19.

License and Republishing

World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with our Terms of Use.

Written by

Jenny Graves, Distinguished Professor of Genetics, La Trobe University,

This article is published in collaboration with The Conversation.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and not the World Economic Forum.

Read the rest here:
Why is it that more men die from coronavirus than women? - World Economic Forum

One Australian study has reached a climax in deciding who experiences the best orgasm. I need a cigarette.

We dont need a formal study to know that the arousal process differs significantly for men and women but when it comes to the actual orgasm, whose experience is better? This age-old question is on everybodys lips at the moment, so we peeled back the cover on some global research from AsapSCIENCEto see if we could arouse a definitive answer as to Who has a better orgasm males or females?

What we immediately learned from our deep dive into the Big O was that there are many similarities in how those fireworks actually feel for men and women. For example, researchers asked college students of both genders to explain how an orgasm feels. After removing any words that specifically referred to genitalia, they were left with an orgy of very similar words, suggesting that males and females feel a very similar experience during their apogee. This may be because irrespective of whether you stand or sit to pee, an identical physiological process occurs in both genders in order for that climax to occur.

Another similarity is the ability of both men and women to enjoy multiple orgasms. Due to these little beauts typically lacking a refractory period, they have long been identified as womens only business; however, in recent times it has been discovered that men can also enjoy in these repeated pleasures. Historically, male orgasms were thought only to occur simultaneously with ejaculation, but research has confirmed that before or after ejaculation, men are capable of non-ejaculatory orgasms.

AsapSCIENCE also identified that post-O, both men and women experience a distinct feeling of drowsiness, which is attributed to a surge in the hormone called prolactin.

Now, interestingly, if you have a busy schedule planned post-coitus, then you may like to consider finishing yourself off because science has shown that four times the amount of that drowsy-inducing hormone is released after intercourse, compared to the amount released after an orgasm achieved via masturbation.

By now youre forgiven for thinking that perhaps males and females do have a similar experience when it comes to climactic fervour. However, lets now take a quick perve at the differences.

A national Australian study exploring heterosexual sex found that women tend to experience orgasms less often than men (69% versus 95% of all sexual encounters), but when they do get there, the actual climax itself goes for longer (20+ seconds for females versus 3 to 10 seconds for males).

Interestingly, the type of sex youre engaging in was also found to contribute to your climactic experience. For example, one study revealed that while the rate of orgasm among straight and gay men was similar, the rate of orgasm for women varied significantly by sexual orientation.

Straight women reportedly have around 12% fewer orgasms than gay women; 25% of who indicated they climaxed in 100% of instances. Whats more, 50% of gay women suggested they orgasmed in more than 75% of their sexual encounters. And if thats not enough to make you admire the tribe, lesbians were found to engage in sex for an average duration of 30 to 45 minutes, compared to a meagre 15 to 30 minutes of sexual activity by straight women.

Whether women will or wont get there was also found to be influenced by genetics, with one study involving twins suggesting that the genetic makeup of women can predict one-third of the likelihood of whether or not she will climax during sex.

Of course, when you think about it, men and women are physiologically designed to have similar experiences, and the orgasm is no exception. Being part of your partners orgasm typically enhances your own climactic experience, and this is no coincidence. We need to be able to understand and relate to each other, in order for emotional connections to occur.

So there you have it; the bare naked facts, all laid out. But who has the upper hand in the orgasm stakes?

From an evolutionary perspective, we are all designed to enjoy the moment, and physiologically speaking, the process to ensure an orgasm occurs is identical in both men and women.

The bottom line is, that while differences definitely exist for males and females during those OMG moments, these discrepancies are most likely due to individual factors such as psychology, anatomy and physiology. The best thing you can do to ensure your endings are always as happy as they can possibly be, is to know how best to please yourself, and then let your partner in on the secrets.

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The Big O: Who has it better? - The Big Smoke Australia

Dr Winnie Njenga, a dermatologist at Kiambu Level 5 Hospital, answers some of the most frequently asked questions around skincare. Pick up skin protection tips, discover some of the common skin problems and learn what suspicious growths might mean.After I turned 30, I developed acne. I have never had to deal with that before. What can I do? How does one deal with adult acne?Adult acne is an interplay of factors, such as your skin type, inflammation and the hormonal milieu. Your dermatologist can assess your risk factors and advise on the best way forward. Remember treatment will vary from person to person. You also need to have your skincare and hair products assessed.I have skin tags; many of them. And I dont like them. Is there anything I can do to slow down their development? Many people develop skin tags. They can be removed by your dermatologist. I would recommend that you practice a healthy lifestyle with a good diet and regular exercise as obesity can make this worse.What are the most common skin problems you deal with?

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The Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) has released data analysing the births from the dairy herd. There have been a number of interesting trends emerging with the analysis covering a five-year period from 2016 to 2020.

Firstly, one of the most notable trends is the decline in the use of Jersey genetics in the national dairy herd.

After several years of steady growth, there was a significant decline in 2019, resulting in a 17.3% reduction in the number of Jersey-bred calves born for the year-to-date. This clearly reflects the challenges associated with finding markets for lower-value Jersey male calves.

In spring 2019, some 41,000 Jersey-bred calves were born on Irish farms; however, this has fallen to just over 34,200 calves in 2020 and this is predicted to decrease further in spring 2021.

Secondly, the use of beef genetics in the dairy herd has increased by 7% from 2019 to 2020, and by just over 36% over the five-year period; this is welcome news for the beef industry.

As expected, both Aberdeen Angus and Hereford continue in first and second position respectively, accounting for 78% in total, but other beef breeds have witnessed growth albeit from a much lower base.

Leaving Angus and Hereford aside, Limousin-sired calves are placed in third position with some 37,923 calves on the ground to date an increase of 5% on 2019 levels.

The Belgian Blue breed is next with some 19,744 calves born up to April 16; this represents a jump of just under 4,000 calves or an increase of 25.4%.

Finally, the beef breed which increased the most was the Aubrac, with some 7,277 calves born on Irish dairy farms a 55.3% increase from 2019.

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Jersey usage in the dairy herd declines by over 17% - Agriland

(Photo by John Korduner/Icon Sportswire)

With the 10th pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Cleveland Browns selected offensive tackle Jedrick Wills.

The Browns did not anticipate Wills slipping to No.10 and were thrilled to get him.

The #Browns had trade offers, but so far no trades: A tackle they didnt think was going to be here at No. 10 is available: #Bama OT Jedrick Wills. A mean, nasty tackle.

Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 24, 2020

Wills is completing his junior year at the University of Alabama.

He becomes the 7th first-round offensive lineman drafted under Head Coach Nick Saban at Alabama.

Wills is a consistent performer who tallied 28 consecutive starts at Alabama.

At right tackle, his speed and athleticism were an asset to his QB Tua Tagovailoa.

Tua described Jedrick as the alpha male and the guy capable of making things happen on the field.

Cleveland #Browns new OT Jedrick Wills Jr. pic.twitter.com/VP8LCzQCJR

Everything Cleveland (@EverythingCLE_) April 24, 2020

The newest Cleveland Brown has a fascinating background.

Here are 3 things to know about him.

Though Jedrick Wills played football during his formative years, he always felt basketball was the sport he would ultimately succeed in playing.

He aspired to be a point guard.

As a sophomore at Lafayette High School, Wills broke a bone in his foot.

At that time, he made a decision to focus on football.

Measured at 6 5 and weighing 320 pounds, it seems Wills made the right choice.

His high school football coach, former Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Eric Shaw, agreed.

After making the All-State team in his junior and senior years of high school, Wills was invited to play in the Under Armour All-America Game.

This is a showcase game for the top high school senior football players in the country.

It is played in Florida each January.

Wills entertained offers from neighboring University of Kentucky, Notre Dame, Michigan, Tennessee, and Alabama.

He was conflicted because he really wanted to stay home and play football because he believed that is what most did who were born and raised in Kentucky.

The UK campus was only 5 minutes from his high school, and he went on 8 recruiting visits there until he reached a decision.

An encounter during his freshman year with a former top prospect from Kentucky, Damien Harris, stuck in his mind.

I knew Jed before we both got here, Harris said. We had a little bit of a relationship. Obviously when I committed here and ended up coming here and he was looking at coming here and hes looking at a bunch of other schools, I always kept in touch with him and see how he felt about our program and obviously tried to encourage him to come here. And fortunately enough, he did.

Its a bit of an unlikely pairing: Theyre the two highest-rated players from the state of Kentucky in the last decade, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings. They ended up playing together, but did so several hours from home.

It was pretty cool, Wills said. Being from Kentucky, theres not really too many people who go outside the state and go to like real big schools. Seeing he had that opportunity kind of opened up my eyes. I could see I had the chance to do the same thing.

Harris also had offers from many schools including UK.

At the time when the two met, Harris was committed to the University of Michigan but ultimately changed his mind and ended up playing for Nick Saban at Alabama.

The reason Jedrick Wills believed basketball was his sport is largely due to his genetics.

His father, Jedrick Wills Sr. is the assistant womans basketball coach at Lafayette High School.

Sivi Wills, his mother, played basketball at Eastern Kentucky.

Surprisingly his mother was influential in his decision to focus on football.

She recognized that the combination of his size and speed made him a force to reckon with on the football field.

Jedrick Wills was a no-brainer choice for the Cleveland Browns at #10.

He is an established right tackle known as a dog for his punishing tackles.

Wills will likely be asked to switch to left tackle with the express purpose of protecting Baker Mayfields blind side.

And the good news is that he will have future Hall of Fame help in doing so.

#Browns Kevin Stefanski said Joe Thomas will be a resource as Jedrick Wills makes switch to left tackle.

Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) April 24, 2020

Jedrick Wills will be a welcome addition to the Cleveland Browns this fall.

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3 Things To Know About 1st Round Draft Pick Jedrick Wills - Browns Nation

It was noticeable from the initial outbreak in Wuhan that Covid-19 was killing more men than women. By February, data from China, which involved 44,672 confirmed cases of the respiratory disease, revealed the death rate for men was 2.8%, compared to 1.7% among women. For past respiratory epidemics, including Sars, Mers and the 1918 Spanish flu, men were also at significantly greater risk. But why?

Much of the reason for the Covid-19 disparity was put down to mens riskier behaviours around half of Chinese men are smokers, compared with just 3% of women, for instance. But as the coronavirus has spread globally, its proved deadlier to men everywhere that data exists (the UK and US notably and questionably do not collect sex-disaggregated data). Italy, for instance, has had a case fatality rate of 10.6% for men, versus 6% for women, whereas the sex disparity for smoking (now a known risk factor) is smaller there than China 28% of men and 19% of women smoke. In Spain, twice as many men as women have died. Smoking, then, is unlikely to account for all of the sex disparity in Covid-19 deaths.

Age and co-morbidity (pre-existing health conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer) are the biggest risk factors, and that describes more older men than women. There may also be a sex difference in how people fight infection, due to immunological or hormonal differences oestrogen is shown to increase the antiviral response of immune cells.

If women are mounting a more effective immune response to Covid-19, it could be because many of the genes that regulate the immune system are encoded on the X chromosome. Everybody gets one X chromosome at conception from their mother. However, sex is determined (for the vast majority) by the chromosome received from their father: females get an additional X, whereas males do not (they receive a Y). According to The Better Half by American physician Sharon Moalem, having this second X chromosome gives women an immunological advantage. Every cell in a womans body has twice the number of X chromosomes as a mans, and so twice the number of genes that can be called upon to regulate her immune response, he says. Only one of the X chromosomes in each cell will be active at any time, but having that diversity of options gives women a better immunological toolbox to fight infections.

Moalem describes the possession of XX chromosomes as female genetic superiority. In the case of Covid-19, for instance, the virus uses its spike protein as a key to unlock a receptor protein on the outside of our human cells, called ACE-2, and gain entry. As the ACE-2 protein is on the X chromosome, men will have identical versions of ACE-2 on all their cells if the virus can unlock one, it can unlock all, he wrote recently in a Twitter thread. Women, though, have two different ACE-2 genes on their two X chromosomes, which may make it harder for the Covid-19 virus to break into all their cells, as it has to unlock two different proteins. Furthermore, once the ACE-2 is unlocked, it cannot perform its function, which, in the case of lung cells, is to clear fluid buildup during infection. So males, with all of their ACE-2 proteins affected, will suffer this more than females, he says. Moalem believes this may be the crucial advantage that XX-carrying women have over XY-carrying men in Covid-19 infection mortality.

Its an intriguing theory, and in his provocative book (written before the Covid-19 outbreak) Moalem expands the XX advantage to explain a whole range of life factors, from womens increased longevity to their lesser incidence of autism. It is incontrovertible that women are far less likely to suffer from X-linked genetic disorders, which include everything from Hunter syndrome to colour-blindness, because they usually have an unaffected X chromosome to fall back on. Indeed, in the case of colour vision, Moalem posits that having a second X chromosome can give some women a visual superpower, enabling them to see 100 times the usual colour range due to the extra diversity of receptors they carry on their multiple Xs.

It is striking that Moalem barely references environmental and social factors in a book about sex differences in health outcomes

However, the evidence for other of Moalems claims for the protective role of a second X chromosome, such as in autism spectrum disorders or behavioural traits, is less convincing. A broad range of genes play complex roles in the workings of the brain, and attributing a simple chromosomal relationship is brave. (It should be noted that Moalem authored the questionable The DNA Restart: Unlock Your Personal Genetic Code to Eat for Your Genes, Lose Weight, and Reverse Ageing in 2016.)

Outside of inherited genetic disorders, such as haemophilia, most conditions are attributable to a range of factors, including cultural norms, behaviours and social and environmental aspects as well as a host of biological factors. For Covid-19, for instance, gender-based norms around smoking and hand-washing, collective or individualistic mindsets that affect compliance with social-distance requests, how polluted your city is, whether you are a caregiver, and poverty and nutrition level all play a part in determining your infection risk and disease outcome. And, as weve seen, a range of co-morbidities increase risk are they too made more likely by absence of a second X chromosome? In many cases, such as cancers and lung disease, Moalem believes so a fascinating theory that surely deserves more study.

It is striking, though, that Moalem barely references environmental and social factors in a book about sex differences in health outcomes. This is particularly problematic when discussing sex differences in the brain, given the history of prejudicial research in this area. Much as this reviewer enjoys the rare pleasure of being described as the stronger, better, and superior sex certainly it is a change from being described as the weaker sex, as women have throughout history it is nevertheless an uncomfortable valuation. Claims for significant innate cognitive or behavioural advantages between the sexes have largely been debunked in the past few years by a range of influential books and research, and while there are differences, in most cases these are at least as great between individuals of each sex as between the sexes.

This is, however, a book that openly champions women, and it is most enjoyable when giving centre stage to female scientists, who have been too often overlooked. Moalems point is that, just as womens discoveries have been ignored, so too has the importance of their second X chromosome. Even today, medical and pharmaceutical research overwhelmingly favours male subjects, blinding us to knowledge that could lead to breakthroughs, and disadvantaging women who suffer inappropriate treatments and dosing. As men continue to fill the Covid-19 morgues faster than women, Moalem is on a quest to draw the worlds attention to a chromosomal tool we might just need.

Originally posted here:
The Better Half: On the Genetic Superiority of Women review bold study of chromosomal advantage - The Guardian

In Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market Research Report, the study analysis was given on a worldwide scale, for instance, present and traditional Male Breast Cancer Treatment growth analysis, competitive analysis, and also the growth prospects of the central regions. The report gives an exhaustive investigation of this market provides an analysis of the industry trends in each of the sub-segments, from sales, revenue and consumption. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the main players in Global and country level is introduced, from the perspective of sales, revenue and price.

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Snapshot:The global Male Breast Cancer Treatment market size is estimated at xxx million USD with a CAGR xx% from 2015-2019 and is expected to reach xxx Million USD in 2020 with a CAGR xx% from 2020 to 2025. The report begins from overview of Industry Chain structure, and describes industry environment, then analyses market size and forecast of Male Breast Cancer Treatment by product, region and application, in addition, this report introduces market competition situation among the vendors and company profile, besides, market price analysis and value chain features are covered in this report.

Product Type Coverage(Market Size & Forecast, Major Company of Product Type etc.):

MedicationChemotherapyOthers

Company Coverage(Company Profile, Sales Revenue, Price, Gross Margin, Main Products etc.):

PfizerRocheGlaxoSmithKlineSanofiNovartisBayerBristol-Myers SquibbEli LillyAstraZenecaTeva PharmaceuticalSun PharmaceuticalBioNumerik PharmaceuticalsSeattle GeneticsAccord Healthcare

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HospitalsClinicsOthers

Region Coverage(Regional Production, Demand & Forecast by Countries etc.):

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico)Europe (Germany, U.K., France, Italy, Russia, Spain etc.)Asia-Pacific (China, India, Japan, Southeast Asia etc.)South America (Brazil, Argentina etc.)Middle East & Africa (Saudi Arabia, South Africa etc.)

At the upcoming section, this report discusses industrial policy, economic environment, in addition cost structures of the industry. And this report encompasses the fundamental dynamics of the market which include drivers, opportunities, and challenges faced by the industry. Additionally, this report showed a keen market study of the main consumers, raw material manufacturers and distributors, etc.

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Table of Content1 Industry Overview2 Industry Environment (PEST Analysis)3 Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market by Type4 Major Companies List5 Market Competition6 Demand by End Market7 Region Operation8 Marketing & Price9 Research Conclusion

About us:Research is and will always be the key to success and growth for any industry. Most organizations invest a major chunk of their resources viz. time, money and manpower in research to achieve new breakthroughs in their businesses. The outcome might not always be as expected thereby arising the need for precise, factual and high-quality data backing your research. This is where MART RESEARCH steps in and caters its expertise in the domain of market research reports to industries across varied sectors.

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Global Male Breast Cancer Treatment Market by Disease Overview, Trends, Symptoms, Etiology, Diagnostic Methods, Insight, Epidemiology, Drug &...

Scrolling through social media, reading your favorite magazine, or visiting popular websites exposes you to endless information about nutrition and health most of which is incorrect.

Even qualified health professionals, including doctors and dietitians, are to blame for spreading misinformation about nutrition to the public, adding to the confusion.

Here are 20 of the biggest myths related to nutrition, and why these antiquated beliefs need to be put to rest.

Though creating a calorie deficit by burning more energy than you take in is the most important factor when it comes to weight loss, its not the only thing that matters.

Relying solely on calorie intake doesnt account for the large number of variables that may prevent someone from losing weight, even when on a very low calorie diet.

For example, hormonal imbalances, health conditions like hypothyroidism, metabolic adaptations, the use of certain medications, and genetics are just some of the factors that may make weight loss harder for some people, even when theyre on a strict diet (1, 2).

This concept also fails to emphasize the importance of sustainability and diet quality for weight loss. Those following the calories in, calories out method typically concentrate solely on the calorie value of foods, not their nutrient value (3).

This can lead to choosing low calorie, nutrient-poor foods like rice cakes and egg whites over higher calorie, nutrient-dense foods like avocados and whole eggs, which isnt the best for overall health.

The calories in, calories out theory doesnt account for several variables that may prevent someone from losing weight. Many factors, such as genetics, medical conditions, and metabolic adaptations, make weight loss much harder for some.

Though this antiquated and incorrect theory is slowly being put to rest, many people still fear high fat foods and follow low fat diets in the hopes that cutting their fat intake will benefit their overall health.

Dietary fat is essential for optimal health. Plus, low fat diets have been linked to a greater risk of health issues, including metabolic syndrome, and may lead to an increase in insulin resistance and triglyceride levels, which are known risk factors for heart disease (4, 5).

Whats more, diets that are higher in fat have been proven just as effective or even more so than low fat diets when it comes to encouraging weight loss (6, 7).

Of course, extremes in either direction, whether it be a very low fat or very high fat diet, may harm your health, especially when diet quality is poor.

Many high fat foods are extremely nutritious and can help you maintain a healthy weight.

While it was once thought that eating breakfast was one of the most important factors in setting yourself up for a healthy day, research has shown that this might not be the case for most adults (8).

For instance, research indicates that forgoing breakfast may result in reduced calorie intake (9).

Moreover, partaking in intermittent fasting, during which breakfast is either skipped or consumed later in the day, has been linked to a plethora of benefits, including improved blood sugar control and reductions in inflammatory markers (10, 11, 12).

However, intermittent fasting can also be accomplished by consuming a regular breakfast then having your last meal earlier in the evening to maintain a fasting window of 1416 hours.

Keep in mind that this does not apply to growing children and teens or those with increased nutrient needs, such as pregnant women and those with certain health conditions, as skipping meals may lead to negative health effects in these populations (13, 14).

On the other hand, some evidence shows that eating breakfast and consuming more calories earlier in the day rather than at night, coupled with reduced meal frequency, may benefit health by reducing inflammation and body weight (15).

Regardless, if you enjoy breakfast, eat it. If youre not a breakfast person, dont feel the need to add it to your daily routine.

Eating breakfast is not necessary for everyone. Health benefits are associated with both eating breakfast and skipping it.

Eating small, frequent meals regularly throughout the day is a method used by many people to boost metabolism and weight loss.

However, if you are healthy, the frequency of your meals does not matter as long as you meet your energy needs.

That said, those with certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), as well as those who are pregnant, may benefit from eating more frequent meals.

Eating frequent meals throughout the day is not the best way to promote weight loss. Research shows that a regular meal pattern may be best for health.

The rising interest in low calorie, low carb, sugar-free foods has led to an increase in products that contain non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS). While its clear that a diet high in added sugar significantly increases disease risk, intake of NNS can also lead to negative health outcomes.

For example, NNS intake may increase your risk of type 2 diabetes by leading to negative shifts in gut bacteria and promoting blood sugar dysregulation. Whats more, regular NNS intake is associated with overall unhealthy lifestyle patterns (16, 17).

Keep in mind that research in this area is ongoing, and future high quality studies are needed to confirm these potential links.

Non-nutritive sweeteners may lead to adverse health outcomes, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and negative changes to gut bacteria.

Although macro coaches may lead you to believe that the ratio of macronutrients in your diet is all that matters when it comes to weight loss and overall health, this narrow-minded take on nutrition is missing the bigger picture.

While tweaking macro ratios can benefit health in many ways, the most important factor in any diet is the quality of the foods you eat.

Though it may be possible to lose weight by eating nothing but highly processed foods and protein shakes, focusing solely on macronutrients discounts how eating certain foods can either increase or decrease metabolic health, disease risk, lifespan, and vitality.

Although tweaking macro ratios can be helpful in some ways, the most important way to promote overall health is to follow a diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods, regardless of the macro ratio.

Often labeled as unhealthy by those in the nutrition world, white potatoes are restricted by many people wanting to lose weight or improve their overall health.

While eating too much of any food including white potatoes can lead to weight gain, these starchy tubers are highly nutritious and can be included as part of a healthy diet.

White potatoes are an excellent source of many nutrients, including potassium, vitamin C, and fiber.

Plus, theyre more filling than other carb sources like rice and pasta and can help you feel more satisfied after meals. Just remember to enjoy potatoes baked or roasted, not fried (18, 19).

White potatoes are a nutritious carb choice just be sure to enjoy them in more healthful ways, such as roasted or baked.

Take a trip to your local grocery store and youll find a variety of products labeled diet, light, low fat, and fat-free. While these products are tempting to those wanting to shed excess body fat, theyre typically an unhealthy choice.

Research has shown that many low fat and diet items contain much more added sugar and salt than their regular-fat counterparts. Its best to forgo these products and instead enjoy small amounts of foods like full fat yogurt, cheese, and nut butters (20, 21).

Low fat and diet foods are typically high in sugar and salt. Unaltered higher fat alternatives are often a healthier choice.

While focusing on consuming a nutrient-dense, well-rounded diet is the most essential component of health, supplements when used correctly and in the right form can be beneficial in many ways.

For many, especially those with health conditions like type 2 diabetes, as well as those who take common medications like statins, proton pump inhibitors, birth control, and antidiabetic medications, taking specific supplements can significantly affect their health (22, 23, 24).

For example, supplementing with magnesium and B vitamins has been shown to benefit those with type 2 diabetes by enhancing blood sugar and reducing heart disease risk factors and diabetes-related complications (25, 26).

Those on restrictive diets, people with genetic mutations like methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), people over the age of 50, and pregnant or breastfeeding women are other examples of populations that may benefit from taking specific supplements.

Supplements are useful and often necessary in many populations. The use of common medications, age, and certain medical conditions are just some of the reasons why supplements may be needed for some people.

While reducing calorie intake can indeed boost weight loss, cutting calories too low can lead to metabolic adaptations and long-term health consequences.

Though going on a very low calorie diet will likely promote rapid weight loss in the short term, long-term adherence to very low calorie diets leads to a reduction in metabolic rate, increased feelings of hunger, and alterations in fullness hormones (27).

This makes long-term weight maintenance difficult.

This is why studies have shown that low calorie dieters rarely succeed in keeping excess weight off in the long term (27).

Very low calorie diets lead to metabolic adaptations that make long-term weight maintenance difficult.

Obesity is associated with many health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, depression, certain cancers, and even early death (28, 29).

Still, reducing your disease risk does not mean you have to be skinny. Whats most important is consuming a nutritious diet and maintaining an active lifestyle, as these behaviors often improve your body weight and body fat percentage.

Though obesity increases your risk of disease, you dont have to be skinny to be healthy. Rather, maintaining a healthy body weight and body fat percent by consuming a nutritious diet and maintaining an active lifestyle is most important.

Many people are told to pop calcium supplements to keep their skeletal system healthy. However, current research has shown that supplementing with calcium may do more harm than good.

For example, some studies have linked calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart disease. Additionally, research shows that they dont reduce the risk of fracture or osteoporosis (30, 31).

If youre concerned about your calcium intake, its best to focus on dietary sources of calcium like full fat yogurt, sardines, beans, and seeds.

Although medical professionals commonly prescribe calcium supplements, current research shows that these supplements may do more harm than good.

Many people struggle with getting adequate dietary fiber, which is why fiber supplements are so popular. Although fiber supplements can benefit health by improving bowel movements and blood sugar control, they should not replace real food (32).

High fiber whole foods like vegetables, beans, and fruit contain nutrients and plant compounds that work synergistically to promote your health, and they cant be replaced by fiber supplements.

Fiber supplements should not be used as a replacement for nutritious, high fiber foods.

Certain juices and smoothies are highly nutritious. For example, a nutrient-dense smoothie or freshly made juice composed primarily of non-starchy vegetables can be a great way to increase your vitamin, mineral, and antioxidant intake.

Yet, its important to know that most juices and smoothies sold at stores are loaded with sugar and calories. When consumed in excess, they can promote weight gain and other health issues like tooth decay and blood sugar dysregulation (33, 34, 35).

Many store-bought juices and smoothies are packed with added sugar and calories.

Probiotics are amongst the most popular dietary supplements on the market. However, practitioners generally overprescribed them, and research has demonstrated that some people may not benefit from probiotics like others do (36).

Not only are some peoples digestive systems resistant to probiotic colonization, but introducing probiotics through supplements may lead to negative changes in their gut bacteria.

Plus, bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine related to probiotic use can lead to bloating, gas, and other adverse side effects (37).

Additionally, some studies show that probiotic treatment following a course of antibiotics may delay the natural reconstitution of normal gut bacteria (38).

Instead of being prescribed as a one-size-fits-all supplement, probiotics should be more personalized and only be used when a therapeutic benefit is likely.

Current research suggests that probiotic supplements may not benefit everyone and should not be prescribed as a one-size-fits-all supplement.

Dont be fooled by the dramatic before and after pictures used by supplement companies and stories of rapid weight loss attained with little to no effort.

Weight loss is not easy. It requires consistency, self-love, hard work, and patience. Plus, genetics and other factors make weight loss much harder for some than others.

If youre struggling to lose weight, youre not alone. The best thing to do is drown out the weight loss noise that youre exposed to every day and find a nourishing and sustainable dietary and activity pattern that works for you.

Weight loss is difficult for most people and requires consistency, self-love, hard work, and patience. Many factors may influence how easy it is for you to lose weight.

Theres no need to obsess over your calorie intake and track every morsel of food that passes your lips to lose weight.

Although food tracking can be a useful tool when trying to lose excess body fat, its not right for everyone.

Whats more, being overly preoccupied with food by tracking calories has been associated with an increased risk of disordered eating tendencies (39).

Although tracking calories may help some people lose weight, its not necessary for everyone and may lead to disordered eating tendencies.

Cholesterol-rich foods have gotten a bad rap thanks to misconceptions about how dietary cholesterol affects heart health.

While some people are more sensitive to dietary cholesterol than others, overall, nutrient-dense, cholesterol-rich foods can be included in a healthy diet (40).

In fact, including cholesterol-rich, nutritious foods like eggs and full fat yogurt in your diet may boost health by enhancing feelings of fullness and providing important nutrients that other foods lack (41, 42, 43).

High cholesterol foods like eggs and full fat yogurt are highly nutritious. Although genetic factors make some people more sensitive to dietary cholesterol, for most people, high cholesterol foods can be included as part of a healthy diet.

Many people assume that eating disorders and disordered eating tendencies only affect women. In reality, adolescent and adult men are also at risk.

Whats more, over 30% of adolescent men in the United States report body dissatisfaction and the use of unhealthy methods to attain their ideal body type (44).

Its important to note that eating disorders present differently in men than women, and theyre more prevalent in adolescent and young adult men who are gay or bisexual, highlighting the need for eating disorder treatments that are better adapted to the male population (44, 45).

Eating disorders affect both men and women. However, eating disorders present differently in men than women, highlighting the need for eating disorder treatments that are better adapted to the male population.

Just as fat has been blamed for promoting weight gain and heart disease, carbs have been shunned by many people over fears that consuming this macronutrient will cause obesity, diabetes, and other adverse health effects.

In reality, eating a moderate amount of nutritious carbs that are high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals like starchy root vegetables, ancient grains, and legumes will likely benefit your health not harm it.

For example, dietary patterns that contain a balanced mix of high fiber carbs mainly from produce, healthy fats, and proteins, such as the Mediterranean diet, have been associated with a reduced risk of obesity, diabetes, certain cancers, and heart disease (46, 47).

However, carb-rich foods like cakes, cookies, sweetened beverages, and white bread should be restricted, as these foods can increase weight gain and disease risk when eaten in excess. As you can see, food quality is the main predictor of disease risk (48).

Including healthy carb choices in your diet wont make you gain weight. However, following unhealthy eating patters and overindulging in carb-rich sugary foods will lead to weight gain.

The nutrition world is rife with misinformation, leading to public confusion, mistrust of health professionals, and poor dietary choices.

This, coupled with the fact that nutrition science is constantly changing, makes it no wonder that most people have a warped view of what constitutes a healthy diet.

Although these nutrition myths are likely here to stay, educating yourself by separating fact from fiction when it comes to nutrition can help you feel more empowered to develop a nutritious and sustainable dietary pattern that works for your individual needs.

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The Top 20 Biggest Nutrition Myths - Healthline

Ligers (the offspring of a female tiger mixed with a male lion) or tigons (a female lion plus a male tiger) are unnatural crossbreeds that dont exist in the wild. They have no conservation value and usually suffer from health problems because of the inbreeding. As noted by National Geographic, the number of ligers and white tigers seen in the docuseries were examples of problematic overbreeding. Whatsmore, because ligers and tigons arent pure tigers, theyre not protected by endangered species regulations.

This is a problem because there is truly no regulatory body on the care, treatment, or management of tigers in captivity, and these privately bred tigers are considered generic tigers by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Cancellare said. As a result, they are currently exempt from the captive-bred wildlife registration program under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. There is talk of changing this exemption, thankfully, but until then, it means it's still really easy to get and breed tigers.

In general, Guynup said the overbreeding leads to poor care and living conditions for the captive tigers. She said issues have included rodent-infested enclosures, animals living in putrid standing water, uncared for injuries and illnesses, and inadequate food. The tiger cubs can legally only be used for petting until theyre about 12 weeks old, according to the U.S. Agriculture Department. That short window of time for petting also becomes an incentive for overbreeding. After that, they become too dangerous.

It presents a public safety issue because big cats are powerful predators who retain their natural instincts, Block said. They can and do injure and kill people, and they take every opportunity to escape. There have been many dangerous incidents involving privately owned big cats. Wild animals do not belong in captivity.

So, how can you know if a sanctuary is legit or just a roadside zoo using buzz words? It comes down to the venues goals.

A legitimate wildlife sanctuary or rescue center does not breed, buy, sell, offer any public contact with or take animals off-site for exhibition, Block said. Tigers and other wild animals have unique and complex needs. Providing decades of appropriate care requires substantial resources.

Additionally, tigers at sanctuaries are provided with proper nutrition and vet care. The animals at these facilities are also kept for life.

As Guynup puts it, venues accredited by the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance the Global Federation of Animals meet the criteria for a true sanctuary. You can check a facilitys certifications for yourself by visiting their respective lists of sanctuaries or members. To qualify as a member of the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance, establishments have to provide lifelong care for abused, neglected, unwanted, impounded, abandoned, orphaned, or displaced wild cats. The Global Federation of Animals requirements are even more extensive: Standards are spelled out depending on the breed but include specifications regarding the quality of the applicants enclosure, sanitation, temperature control, nutrition, veterinary care, and more.

Tiger Kings Carole Baskins Big Cat Rescue is certified by both groups, but that isnt mentioned throughout the series. Unlike the roadside zoos Baskins place is pitted against, Big Cat Rescue is a legitimate sanctuary, according to National Geographic and the Washington Post.

Read the rest here:
Tiger Sanctuaries and Roadside Zoos: The History You Wont See in Tiger King - Teen Vogue

MANHASSET, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Analyzing the electronic health records (EHR) of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients hospitalized at New York States largest health system, a team of researchers uncovered several comorbidities as a key factor in the acuity of the disease, according to a report in The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

The Northwell Health COVID-19 Research Consortium, with support from the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, described the clinical course and outcomes of 5,700 Northwell patients hospitalized with COVID-19 the largest hospitalized patient cohort to date from the United States between March 1 and April 4.

The Northwell Health Covid-19 Research Consortiums findings, published today in JAMA, demonstrate that hypertension (57 percent), obesity (41 percent) and diabetes (34 percent) were the most common comorbidities in the COVID-19 patients studied. Patients with diabetes were more likely to have received invasive mechanical ventilation, received treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) or developed acute kidney disease.

Of the 2,634 hospitalized patients for whom outcomes were known, 14 percent were treated in the ICU, 12 percent received invasive mechanical ventilation and 3 percent were treated with kidney replacement therapy. Twenty one percent passed away while 88 percent of individuals receiving mechanical ventilation died. To read the JAMA paper for which Safiya Richardson, MD, MPH, assistant professor at the Feinstein Institutes, is the first author click here.

New York has become the epicenter of this epidemic. Clinicians, scientists, statisticians and laboratory professionals are working tirelessly to provide best care and comfort to the thousands of COVID-19 patients in our Northwell hospitals, said Karina W. Davidson, PhD, MASc, professor and senior vice president at the Feinstein Institutes. Through our consortium, we will share our clinical and scientific insights as we evolve the ways to care for and treat COVID-19 patients.

The majority of patients in the study were male, and the median age of all patients being treated was 63 years old. At triage, about of third of all patients (1,734) presented with a fever, 986 had a high respiratory rate and 1,584 patients received supplemental oxygen. On average, patients were discharged after four days. The mortality rates were higher for male patients than female at every adult 10-year age interval.

The data were collected from the enterprise electronic health record reporting database and also consisted of patient demographic information, home medications, triage visits, initial laboratory tests, initial electrocardiogram results, diagnoses during the hospital course, inpatient medications, treatments (including invasive mechanical ventilation and kidney replacement therapy), and outcomes (including length of stay, discharge, readmission, and mortality).

Dr. Davidson and the Northwell Consortium research team provide a crucial early insight into the front line response to the COVID-19 outbreak in New York, said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, president and CEO of the Feinstein Institutes. These observational studies and other randomized clinical trial results from the Feinstein Institutes will improve the care for others confronting Covid outbreaks.

Research conducted at the Feinstein Institutes would not be possible without philanthropic support. In this most challenging moment in health care, we rely on supporters to provide resources for physicians and scientists to better understand COVID-19 and conduct research that benefit our patients. To support our research efforts, please click here.

About the Feinstein Institutes

The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health, the largest health care provider and private employer in New York State. Home to 50 research labs, 2,500 clinical research studies and 5,000 researchers and staff, the Feinstein Institutes raises the standard of medical innovation through its five institutes of behavioral science, bioelectronic medicine, cancer, health innovations and outcomes, and molecular medicine. We make breakthroughs in genetics, oncology, brain research, mental health, autoimmunity, and are the global scientific leader in bioelectronic medicine a new field of science that has the potential to revolutionize medicine. For more information about how we produce knowledge to cure disease, visit feinstein.northwell.edu.

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York States largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners are working to change health care for the better. Were making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

See the article here:
Largest COVID-19 Study of Hospitalized Patients in US Links Comorbidities to Acuity - Business Wire

Theres been quite a lot in the news lately about men, women and their theoretically different and some have theorised womens superior approaches to leadership.

Some have even gone so far as to declare women the winners in the COVID 19 leadership stakes. An article in Forbes last week declared, What Do Countries with the Best Coronavirus Response Have in Common? Women Leaders.

Also last week, Tanja Kovac, the CEO of Gender Equity Victoria, highlighted on Linked In that of the 10 nations that have successfully flatted the curve, women lead 40 percent of them. This, despite the fact that women lead just 8 percent of UN recognised nation states. Save lives, elect women, Kovac declared.

Kovac is not the only one to have made such bold claims about womans supposed superior leadership qualities.

Last year, former US President Barack Obama told guests at an event in Singapore that, If more women were put in charge, there would be less war, kids would be better taken care of and there would be a general improvement in living standards and outcomes.

Theres also been a lot in the news lately about how men are the losers in the coronavirus pandemic, at least in terms of their likelihood of acquiring the virus and dying as a result of it. (Who is carrying the heavier load of the response, as well as the economic and social fallout of the pandemic thats debatable.)

This past weekend, The Ages Good Weekend prominently featured an article entitled, X marks the spot: why the weaker sex wins every stage of life. The article featured an interview with Canadian physician and scientist Dr. Sharon Moalem, who claims in her new book, The Better Half, that women live longer, have stronger immune systems, fewer developmental disabilities and higher cancer survival rates than men because of the extra X in every female cell.

I have to admit, after decades of hearing about everything thats supposedly wrong with women, including an ever expanding list of all the things we need to fix about them, particularly in the world of work and leadership, I have found it rather novel to read a number of articles in such short succession suggesting that in many ways women are better than men.

Have women finally won the so-called battle of the sexes? Some are certainly calling it. Game over. But I say, not so fast.

Generally speaking, I am not a huge fan of biologically deterministic theories about the sexes, in particular when it comes to leadership. While tempting, these tropes men are from Mars, women are bending the curve on Venus can, and often are, used as sticks to beat women with.

In that regard, I am in fierce agreement with Arwa Mahdawi, who wrote in The Guardian at the time of Obamas comments: Obamas sweeping statements about women arent just facile, theyre supremely unhelpful. They reinforce the myth that women and men are innately different; that women are biologically programmed to be more cooperative and compassionate than men. Were not. Were just socially conditioned to be people-pleasers. And, from day one, wereheld to higher standardsthan men; boys will be boys but girls are expected to be angels.

To my mind its not that women are necessarily better than men, and certainly not because they are gifted with superior genetics, though they are undeniably different. Its that we have a real problem with stereotypically male styles of leadership, which we, as a culture, have traditionally held up as the gold standard of leadership.

To quote Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady, Why cant a woman be more like a man, I suggest we challenge Professor Higgins and ask if that would really be a good thing. Weve spent decades trying to make women in leadership behave in ways our culture associates with masculinity and rewards, despite significant evidence that it is, Ill go ahead and use the word, toxic.

To illustrate that point, the Harvard Business Review recently featured the research of Jennifer Berdahl, Peter Glick and Marianne Cooper, sociologists and leadership experts who surveyed thousands of workers in the US and Canada and found that four stereotypical masculine norms which together define masculine contest culture (show no weakness, strength and stamina, put work first and dog eat dog ruthlessness) emerged as highly correlated with each other and with organisational dysfunction.

This pressure shifts the focus from accomplishing the organizations mission to proving ones masculinity, the authors wrote. The result is endless mines bigger than yours contests.

For an object lesson in that, I give you recent events in the US: Donald Trump, of course, but also some of his male colleagues in the various governors mansions, including the Democrat New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has been at the centre of the epidemic.

Rebecca Traister put it best in her essay for The Cut when she declared, Enough with the Dick Swinging.

These men have media cockfights, while people die, Traister wrote. Its not funny, its not hot. Its a travesty. And it tells us everything about power: how its distributed, how its communicated. How its understood. And how its mismanaged to tragic and malignant effect.

Im all for emotionally intelligent, and quite frankly collaborative and competent, leadership. I just hope that, as a culture, we can move away from the belief that such qualities are the sole preserve of a single sex. Diversity simply leads to better decisions. Full stop. Well all be better off when we value and reward these qualities in all leaders.

Kristine Ziwica is a regular contributor. She tweets @KZiwica

Here is the original post:
Are women better leaders than men? It's really not the point - Women's Agenda

But ProfGilbert maintainsthat she never meant to become a vaccine specialist.

I actually came to Oxford to work on a human genetics project, she told a newspaper. That highlighted the role of a particular type of immune response in protection against malaria and so the next thing to move on to was to make a vaccine that would work through that type of immune response - and thats how I got into vaccines.

One can't help but feel thankful she did. With worldwide coronavirus cases topping two million, and economists predicting a financial crash from extended periods of lockdown,the race to develop a vaccine is urgent.It is thought that 60-70 per centof people need to be immune to the virus in order to stop it spreading.

Can it be achieved?

As ever, ProfGilbert remained measured when discussing this. She has said in the media that "nobody can give any guarantees, nobody can promise its going to work and nobody can give you a definite date, but we have to do all we can as fast as we can.

She is also breath of fresh air in the science research industry, which still remains male dominated. According to the Women in Science and Engineering (Wise) campaigns latest analysis,women in science professional roles now make up to 45.7 per cent of the workforce. However, worldwide, less than 30 per cent of the worlds researchers are women.

Plus, the gender pay gap for UK scientists has widened. According to the the2019 edition of the annual salary survey carried out byNew Scientistand science recruitment specialists SRG, the average female scientist or engineer now earns 35,600, while the average for men is 45,800 a 22 per cent difference.

Although the gender balance is closing in, historically women at the forefront of pioneering research haven't got a fair deal.Katherine Johnson, the American mathematician who contributed calculations to the Apollo 11 mission, was overlooked for years in her vital role. Last year, Rosalind Franklin, the scientist who helped discover DNA but was overshadowed by her female colleagues, was finally granted recognition after a space robot was named after her.

But with the well-being of society - quite literally - in her hands, it seems fitting that Prof Gilbert should be honoured for her efforts far sooner. The Jenner Institute, where the coronavirus vaccine is being trialed, is named after Edward Jenner who helped develop a vaccination against Smallpox. Perhaps Gilberttoo could one day see an institute named after her.

Follow this link:
Meet Sarah Gilbert, the female scientist leading Oxford vaccine team - and about to make history - Telegraph.co.uk

CBD is a natural plant-derived molecule with truly versatile effects on human health, and one of these effects directly causes blood pressure to drop.

The complex legal status of cannabis and hemp continues to cripple CBD research on a global scale, and human studies remain very rare.

While research is still only performed on animals for the majority of conditions, a very important human study was specifically looking into the effects of CBD on blood pressure.

This groundbreaking placebo-controlled, double-blind 2017 research was the first to look into whether CBD reduces blood pressure in humans, and it was inspired by previous preclinical studies which hinted that CBD offers a multitude of cardiovascular benefits.

Nine healthy male volunteers participated in the research, and were given either a 600mg dose of CBD, or a placebo.

The results showed that the participants who received the 600mg CBD dose had:

The data also showed that the participants who were given the CBD dose had:

Finally, in response to cold stress, volunteers who were given 600mg of CBD had:

Researchers concluded that a single administration of CBD reduced resting blood pressure, but also reduced the blood pressure increase associated with stressful situations.

The participants in the study received a considerably large single dose of CBD (600mg), which could be considered as a very expensive treatment method for most people.

On the safety side of things, a 2011 scientific review stated that high doses of CBD are well tolerated in humans (up to 1,500mg per day), and a 2017 follow-up survey also corroborated this claim.

High blood pressure is a very serious health condition, so if youre planning to implement CBD in your regimen, the doses have to be greater compared to less-debilitating conditions such as anxiety or insomnia, for instance.

Not sure how to dose CBD? Download Droppy the app that calculates your perfect dosage based on research studies.

People react differently to CBD, mostly due to the difference in age, overall health, and genetics. These differences make finding the perfect dose of CBD a personal quest, which usually requires some fine-tuning.

For this particular condition, it would be better to start with an intermediate dose (around 60mg of CBD per day) and observe how you are responding. This dose can also be met by consuming two 30mg CBD capsules per day.

Its highly recommended to keep a CBD journal which will help you follow your daily intake and the precise effects of different CBD doses.

Some people feel the effects of CBD right away, while others dont seem to notice any difference whatsoever.

A debate about why exactly this happens still rages on, and as of yet there are no definitive answers.

One of the main hypotheses (and my personal favorite) is the endocannabinoid system deficiency.

The way CBD (and all other cannabinoids) produce their beneficial effects is by enticing the cells of the endocannabinoid system.

Imagine CBD molecules as keys, which upon entering the lock (receptor) of a specific cell trigger a specific reaction of that cell.

The endocannabinoid system is a vast collection of different cells located throughout the body, which is why CBD is able to help with such a large number of different conditions and disorders.

Due to differences in age, unique genetics, overall health, and a variety of other complex factors, some people have a malfunctioning endocannabinoid system.

This means that the cells of a malfunctioning endocannabinoid system wont react in the same way as the cells of a properly-functioning endocannabinoid system.

The theory also suggests that the endocannabinoid system can be restarted, by continually exposing its cells to cannabinoids like CBD. This process usually lasts for several weeks.

The entire endeavor requires some dedication and conviction, but as CBD is completely natural and very well tolerated in most people, its not much of a sacrifice to try it out.

Just like the percentage of people who dont experience relief from CBD right away, some individuals tend to have adverse effects from CBD, while most users dont have any noticeable issues.

This is also most likely due to age, overall health, personal chemistry, and genetic differences.

Luckily, most of the potential side effects of CBD are not too serious and can be considered only a nuisance. They include:

Unfortunately, this entire field of medicine is not yet well understood. The only way to determine which category of users you belong is to try using CBD.

Its important to understand that the potential side effects are not hazardous in any way.

Similarly to grapefruit juice, CBD interferes with the metabolization (the breakdown) of all medications that have a grapefruit warning on their packaging.

This is because CBD is metabolized by an enzyme called CYP3A4.

The CYP3A4 enzyme is also responsible for metabolizing a large percentage of prescription drugs, including some blood pressure medications.

This basically means that if your body is metabolizing both CBD and a different drug at the same time, the CYP3A4 enzyme will have to metabolize both substances at once, which is not a good thing.

The CBD in your system can diminish the metabolization of other drugs in your system, leaving elevated levels of the other drug for too long.

This process can also go the other way around, where the CYP3A4 enzyme focuses more on the other drug, which will leave the CBD molecules lingering in your body.

The interactions of other medications with CBD are very important, so please take them extremely seriously and do your homework by thoroughly researching the medication youre taking.

Some medications dont have a grapefruit warning on their packaging, so check the inserted information for any mention of the CYP3A4 enzyme.

You should also consult with your doctor, but they are still (in most cases) not adequately familiar with CBD and its drug interactions.

High blood pressure is a very serious condition, and its absolutely vital to perform rigorous research if you plan to add CBD to your existing treatment regimen.

Follow this link:
CBD and Blood Pressure: Can It Reduce High BP? - Greencamp

When Mika Matera-Vatnick 21 received President Martha E. Pollacks email in March announcing the closing of campus, her first thought was, What am I gonna do with my flies?

Matera-Vatnick, like many other undergraduate student researchers on campus, had to abandon her honors thesis research project as classes transitioned online for the remainder of the semester.

Last spring, Matera-Vatnick joined the Wolfner lab, led by Prof. Mariana Wolfner, molecular biology and genetics.

Research is the main thing Im involved with on campus. When Im not in class, Im in the lab, she said.

Currently, her research is on pause, since as of March 28, faculty and students are no longer allowed to work in laboratories, barring Matera-Vatnick access to laboratory equipment that is essential to the continuation of her research.

Matera-Vatnick is exploring the genetic basis of sperm competition in fruit flies the competitive process between sperm of two or more different males to fertilize the same egg during sexual reproduction.

Her passion for genetics started during a summer research experience at the bioethics department at the National Institutes of Health after her freshman year, where she learned about personalized medicine.

We are all unique with our own unique genomes and we need to treat patients based on their individual needs and their own genome. This is what led me to take the genetics and genetics lab courses at Cornell, she said.

Specifically, Matera-Vatnick is researching whether there are certain genes linked to mating plug ejection times.

Mating plugs are gelatinous secretions used in the mating in fruit flies and other species, including various primates such as kangaroos and reptiles. These secretions are deposited by a male into a female genital tract and later harden into a plug that glues the tract together. The plugs prevent females from re-mating, making it possible for females to store sperm.

In my experiments, Im comparing how long different strains of flies take to go through the process of mating plug ejection and seeing if there is a genetic basis and where in the gene this might come from, Matera-Vatnik said.

In fruit flies, the female expels the mating plug within five hours of mating in a process called mating plug ejection. The timing of ejection influences the paternity share of the fruit flys mates, playing an important role in mate competition.

Paris Ghazi / Sun Senior Editor

Matera-Vatnick experimenting in the Wolfner lab.

Matera-Vatnik randomly selected genetically diverse types of fruit flies to assess the time it takes for female fruit flies to undergo mating plug ejection. Mating plug ejection times can be compared to genetic variations across these specific fruit fly lines.

This comparison can reveal key genes associated with mating plug ejection, evolutionary histories of neural circuits and the role of these neuronal pathways in female sexual selection when a female chooses a male to mate with.

Understanding the process of sexual selection in insect reproduction may contribute to developing strategies for controlling pests and disease vectors in agriculture and public health.

Matera-Vatnick spent last summer at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City learning about computational biology, which is the analysis of biological data through computer simulated models. In contrast to the work she did at WCM, Matera-Vatnick typically conducts her research on fruit flies in a wet lab. A wet lab is a lab where experiments are conducted and chemicals are handled, whereas in a dry lab, data is analyzed with computers and other technology.

Not much is known about the genetic basis that underlies the variations in mating plug ejection timing, but Matera-Vatnik is determined to find out.

I learned so much about how computational tools can be used to answer biological questions that are impossible to answer in a wet lab. I think that combining wet lab and computational power together will bring a unique angle to the questions Im interested in answering, she said.

Though research on campus has been put on hold, Matera-Vatnick is hopeful she can finish this project as her honors thesis.

This is the project that will be my senior thesis project. With all the uncertainty of being here, and hopefully the plan is to stay here over the summer, I want to take this project as far as I can before I graduate, Matera-Vatnick said.

Matera-Vatnick is currently in her hometown Washington, D.C. While she is unable to continue her research at the Wolfner Lab, she still attends weekly lab meetings and will be drafting sections of her honors thesis for the rest of the semester. She plans on taking the MCAT at the end of summer, if permitted.

In the meantime, Matera-Vatnick hopes to make the most of her Cornell research experience, upon her return to campus.

Im trying to take as much as I can from campus, Matera-Vatnick said. Thanks to amazing mentorship from my [Principal Investigator], graduate students and other students in the lab, I can say Im very lucky with who Ive surrounded myself with on campus.

Go here to read the rest:
Student Spotlight on Mika Matera-Vatnick '21: Researching Insect Reproduction Genetics - Cornell University The Cornell Daily Sun

BOTHELL, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seattle Genetics, Inc. (Nasdaq:SGEN) today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted approval to TUKYSA (tucatinib) tablets in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine for adult patients with advanced unresectable (cannot be surgically removed) or metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer, including patients with brain metastases (disease that has spread to the brain), who have received one or more prior anti-HER2-based regimens in the metastatic setting. The FDA previously granted Breakthrough Therapy designation and Priority Review for TUKYSA and reviewed this application for approval under the Real-Time Oncology Review (RTOR) pilot program. The TUKYSA New Drug Application (NDA) is also part of Project Orbis, an initiative of the FDA Oncology Center of Excellence that provides a framework for concurrent submission and review of oncology drugs among participating international health authorities. TUKYSA is an oral, small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) of HER2, a protein that contributes to cancer cell growth.1,2

With highly significant and clinically important results for overall and progression-free survival, the addition of TUKYSA to trastuzumab and capecitabine has the potential to become a standard of care for people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer after having received one or more previous anti-HER2 therapies in the metastatic setting, said Eric P. Winer, MD, Chief of the Division of Breast Oncology, Susan F. Smith Center for Women's Cancers at Dana-Farber. Cancer spreads to the brain in up to half of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer; and this approval is based on a unique clinical trial that included patients with active brain metastases, either untreated or progressing. TUKYSA is well tolerated by patients and is a valuable addition to the agents we have for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.

Were pleased to have collaborated with the FDA on our second expedited real-time oncology review, enabling us to rapidly bring this new targeted medicine to patients, said Clay Siegall, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer at Seattle Genetics. TUKYSA has shown impressive results in people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer, including in patients with active brain metastases, and offers patients an effective medicine following previous treatment with other anti-HER2 agents in the metastatic setting.

TUKYSA, in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine, was evaluated in the trial HER2CLIMB, a randomized (2:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled trial that enrolled 612 patients with HER2-positive unresectable locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer who had previously received, either separately or in combination, trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and ado-trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1). Forty-eight percent of patients in the study had a presence or history of brain metastases. The primary efficacy outcome measure was progression-free survival (PFS) as assessed by blinded independent central review (BICR) in the first 480 randomized patients.1 Additional efficacy outcome measures were evaluated in all randomized patients and included overall survival (OS), PFS in patients with a history or presence of brain metastases, and confirmed objective response rate (ORR).

Patients who received TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine had a 46 percent reduction in the risk of cancer progression or death (PFS) compared to patients who received trastuzumab and capecitabine alone (hazard ratio (HR)=0.54 [95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0.42, 0.71]; p<0.00001). The addition of TUKYSA reduced the risk of death (OS) by 34 percent compared to trastuzumab and capecitabine alone (HR=0.66 [95% CI: 0.50, 0.87]; p=0.0048). Nearly twice the number of patients who received TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine had a confirmed objective response compared to those who received trastuzumab and capecitabine alone (40.6 percent (95% CI: 35.3, 46.0) vs. 22.8 percent (95% CI: 16.7, 29.8); p=0.00008). For patients with brain metastases, the addition of TUKYSA reduced the risk of cancer progression or death (PFS) by 52 percent compared to trastuzumab and capecitabine alone (HR=0.48 [95% CI: 0.34, 0.69]; p<0.00001).

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26 percent of patients who received TUKYSA. Serious adverse reactions occurring in 2 percent or more of patients who received TUKYSA were diarrhea (4%), vomiting (2.5%), nausea, abdominal pain, and seizure (2% each). The most common adverse reactions occurring in 20 percent or more of patients who received TUKYSA were diarrhea, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, nausea, fatigue, hepatotoxicity, vomiting, stomatitis, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, headache, anemia, and rash. Adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation occurred in 6 percent of patients who received TUKYSA; adverse reactions leading to treatment discontinuation of TUKYSA (in 1 percent or more of patients) were hepatotoxicity (1.5%) and diarrhea (1%).

The data were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in December 2019.

About TUKYSA (tucatinib)

TUKYSA is an oral medicine that is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor of the HER2 protein. In vitro (in lab studies), TUKYSA inhibited phosphorylation of HER2 and HER3, resulting in inhibition of downstream MAPK and AKT signaling and cell growth (proliferation), and showed anti-tumor activity in HER2-expressing tumor cells. In vivo (in living organisms), TUKYSA inhibited the growth of HER2-expressing tumors. The combination of TUKYSA and the anti-HER2 antibody trastuzumab showed increased anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo compared to either medicine alone.1

SeaGen Secure offers access and reimbursement support to help patients access TUKYSA. For more information, go to SeaGenSecure.com.

About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Patients with HER2-positive breast cancer have tumors with high levels of a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), which promotes the growth of cancer cells. An estimated 279,100 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2020.3 Between 15 and 20 percent of breast cancer cases are HER2-positive.3 Historically, HER2-positive breast cancer tends to be more aggressive and more likely to recur than HER2-negative breast cancer.4,5,6 Up to 50 percent of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer patients develop brain metastases over time.7,8,9

Important Safety Information

Warnings and Precautions

If diarrhea occurs, administer antidiarrheal treatment as clinically indicated. Perform diagnostic tests as clinically indicated to exclude other causes of diarrhea. Based on the severity of the diarrhea, interrupt dose, then dose reduce or permanently discontinue TUKYSA.

Monitor ALT, AST, and bilirubin prior to starting TUKYSA, every 3 weeks during treatment, and as clinically indicated. Based on the severity of hepatoxicity, interrupt dose, then dose reduce or permanently discontinue TUKYSA.

Adverse Reactions

Serious adverse reactions occurred in 26% of patients who received TUKYSA. Serious adverse reactions in 2% of patients who received TUKYSA were diarrhea (4%), vomiting (2.5%), nausea (2%), abdominal pain (2%), and seizure (2%). Fatal adverse reactions occurred in 2% of patients who received TUKYSA including sudden death, sepsis, dehydration, and cardiogenic shock.

Adverse reactions led to treatment discontinuation in 6% of patients who received TUKYSA; those occurring in 1% of patients were hepatotoxicity (1.5%) and diarrhea (1%). Adverse reactions led to dose reduction in 21% of patients who received TUKYSA; those occurring in 2% of patients were hepatotoxicity (8%) and diarrhea (6%).

The most common adverse reactions in patients who received TUKYSA (20%) were diarrhea, palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia, nausea, fatigue, hepatotoxicity, vomiting, stomatitis, decreased appetite, abdominal pain, headache, anemia, and rash.

Lab Abnormalities

In HER2CLIMB, Grade 3 laboratory abnormalities reported in 5% of patients who received TUKYSA were: increased bilirubin, decreased phosphate, increased ALT, decreased potassium, and increased AST. The mean increase in serum creatinine was 32% within the first 21 days of treatment with TUKYSA. The serum creatinine increases persisted throughout treatment and were reversible upon treatment completion. Consider alternative markers of renal function if persistent elevations in serum creatinine are observed.

Drug Interactions

Use in Specific Populations

For more information, please see the full Prescribing Information for TUKYSA here.

Conference Call Details

Seattle Genetics management will host a conference call and webcast to discuss the approval of TUKYSA today at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time (PT); 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). The live event will be simultaneously webcast and available for replay from the Seattle Genetics website at http://www.seattlegenetics.com, under the Investors section. Investors may also participate in the conference call by calling 888-220-8451 (domestic) or 323-794-2588 (international). The conference ID is 5796578. A replay of the audio only will be available by calling 888-203-1112 (domestic) or 719-457-0820 (international), using conference ID 5796578. The telephone replay will be available until 5:00 p.m. PT on April 20, 2020.

About Seattle Genetics

Seattle Genetics, Inc. is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops and commercializes transformative medicines targeting cancer to make a meaningful difference in peoples lives. The company is headquartered in Bothell, Washington, and has offices in California, Switzerland and the European Union. For more information on our robust pipeline, visit http://www.seattlegenetics.com and follow @SeattleGenetics on Twitter.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release are forward looking, such as those, among others, relating to the therapeutic potential of TUKYSA including its efficacy, safety and therapeutic uses and the potential of TUKYSA in combination with trastuzumab and capecitabine to become a standard of care for people with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer who have received one or more previous anti-HER2 therapies. Actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause such a difference include the possibility that adverse events or safety signals may occur; that utilization and adoption of TUKYSA by prescribing physicians may be limited due to impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including potential difficulties associated with commercializing a new therapeutic agent during the global disruptions created by the COVID pandemic, availability and extent of reimbursement or other factors; and that adverse regulatory actions may occur. More information about the risks and uncertainties faced by Seattle Genetics is contained under the caption Risk Factors included in the companys Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Seattle Genetics disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

[1] TUKYSA [package insert]. Bothell, WA: Seattle Genetics, Inc.

[2] Anita Kulukian, Patrice Lee, Janelle Taylor, et al. Preclinical Activity of HER2-Selective Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Tucatinib as a Single Agent or in Combination with Trastuzumab or Docetaxel in Solid Tumor ModelsMol Cancer Ther 2020;19:976-987.

[3] Cancer Facts & Figures 2020. American Cancer Society website. https://www.cancer.org/content/dam/cancer-org/research/cancer-facts-and-statistics/annual-cancer-facts-and-figures/2020/cancer-facts-and-figures-2020.pdf. Accessed March 10, 2020.

[3] Loibli S, Gianni L. HER2-positive breast cancer. Lancet. 2017; 389(10087): 2415-29.

[4] Slamon D, Clark G, Wong S, et al. Human breast cancer: correlation of relapse and survival with amplification of the HER-2/neu oncogene. Science. 1987; 235(4785): 177-82.

[5] Breast Cancer HER2 Status. American Cancer Society website. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/understanding-a-breast-cancer-diagnosis/breast-cancer-her2-status.html. Accessed March 9, 2020.

[6] Freedman RA, Gelman RS, Anders CK, et al. TBCRC 022: a phase II trial of neratinib and capecitabine for patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive breast cancer and brain metastases. J Clin Oncol. 2019;37:1081-1089.

[7] Olson EM, Najita JS, Sohl J, et al. Clinical outcomes and treatment practice patterns of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer in the post-trastuzumab era. Breast. 2013;22:525-531.

[8] Bendell JC, Domchek SM, Burstein HJ, et al. Central nervous system metastases in women who receive trastuzumab-based therapy for metastatic breast carcinoma. Cancer. 2003;97:2972-2977.

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Seattle Genetics Announces U.S. FDA Approval of TUKYSA (tucatinib) for People with Advanced Unresectable or Metastatic HER2-Positive Breast Cancer -...

By Sola Ogundipe

SERIES of factors that the majority of COVID-19 patients share have been identified by researchers from eight institutions in China and the United States including the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army General Hospital in Beijing and the University of California.

Their study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, throws light on some key factors that people who die from the disease have in common.

The study is based on the data of 85 patients who died of multiple organ failure after having received care for severe Covid-19.

Gender

The novel coronavirus appears to be posing a particular threat to men. The researchers found that 72.9 percent of people who died from the new coronavirus were male. More men are dying than women as a result of some biological and other lifestyle choices.

Hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent infection but multiple studies show that women are much more likely to wash their hands and use soap than men.

Men may have a false sense of security about coronavirus. Also, Chinese men are much more likely to smoke than women, which can lead to a weaker immune system.

China has the largest population of smokers in the world, accounting for nearly a third of the worlds smokers, but just 2 percent of them are women. Smokers are more likely to be killed by the coronavirus. Chinese men also have higher rates of high blood pressure , type 2 diabetesand chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than women.

All of these conditions can increase the risk of complications following infection of coronavirus.

Age

Coronavirus can infect anyone of any age, but adults aged 60 and upwards are more likely to get seriously ill from it, with scientists discovering that those who died from Covid-19 had a median age of 65.8 years old.

Medics say its because our immune systems weaken with age, meaning an older persons body is less able to fight Covid-19.

As you get older, your immune system becomes less efficient thats why older people are at higher risk of serious complications of coronavirus infection. If your immune system isnt strong, its more likely that the virus can multiply deep inside your lung, causing inflammation and scarring.

Your immune system will try and fight it off, and will often destroy healthy lung tissue in the process. This makes you more prone to get secondary infections like pneumococcal pneumonia.

In fact, evidence from China, where the deadly virus originated, shows one in seven of those over 80 known to have contracted coronavirus have died.

Underlying conditions

Those who died from Covid-19 in the study mostly had underlying chronic conditions, such as heart problems or diabetes. The greatest number of deaths in our cohort were in males over 50 with non-communicable chronic diseases.. The study conveys the seriousness of Covid-19 and emphasises the risk groups of males over 50 with chronic comorbid conditions, including hypertension (high blood pressure), coronary heart disease, and diabetes.

Weight

People who are obese or seriously overweight fall into the high risk category for coronavirus. This is because being overweight or obese can weaken the bodys immune system which could make people more likely to catch coronavirus and makes it harder for the body to fight the bug.

People with a BMI of 40 or above have a greater risk of developing complications if they catch the virus. More than 60 percent of patients in intensive care with the virus were overweight or classed as morbidly obese.

Those who were overweight, with a BMI of 25 to 40, made up 64 percent of the 194 coronavirus patients who were in ICU at the time, while 7 percent were classed as obese with a BMI over 40.

Low white blood cells

The research team found that 81.2 percent of those who died from Covid-19 in the study had very low eosinophil counts on admission to the hospital. This is a type of white blood cells, which are specialised immune cells that help fight infection.

The medics suggested that having abnormally low levels of eosinophils may correlate with a greater risk of severe outcomes in people who have contracted Covid-19.

The study, which investigated patients from Wuhan, Chinawho died in the early phases of this pandemic, identified certain characteristics. Yet as the disease has spread to other regions, the observations from these areas may be the same, or different.

Genetics may play a role in the response to the infection, and the course of the pandemic may change as the virus mutates, as well. Since this is a new pandemic that is constantly shifting, we think the medical community needs to keep an open mind as more and more studies are conducted.

Vanguard

Related

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factors that could make Covid-19 deadly to you - Vanguard

The vet had bitter news.

"She sounds like she's choking to death," the Auckland Zoo manager of vet services James Chatterton told his radio audience last June.

She was a kkpchick, Nora 1A, suffering cruelly from aspergillosis, a fungal infection that assails the longs and air sacs of a bird's body.

Bryony Hitchcock

Jake Osborne carries Cyndy home.

They operated to remove airway abscesses but she was just too weak, so became the seventh death from the Whenua Hou (Codfish Island) sanctuary off Stewart Island.

READ MORE:* Kkp population reaches record high of 213, despite mystery illness* Kkp disease 'crisis' which garnered $200k in donations remains a mystery* First successful artificial insemination of kkp in a decade

Seven deaths sounds bad, but let's get a sense of scale. By that stage 35 kkphad been helicoptered to receive intensive care, chiefly at Auckland Zoo and also Massey Wildbase, Dunedin Wildlife Hospital and Wellington Zoo.

That was one fifth of the total population of the island where the kkp is making its stand against extinction.

Jake Osborne

Kohittea, the chick.

By September it would be 51 evacuees. Nearly a quarter.

A last chance to see

The UK paper The Guardian, reporting on the aspergillosis battle, described the kkplike this: "Deeply weird. Flightless, nocturnal, with fragrant feathers and a comic waddling run..."

Fair enough on all counts, though the fragrance is more musty than you might assume, once nicely described as like the inside of an old violin case.

The worldwide appeal of these birds cannot solely be attributed to their rarity and size, nor even the worldwide comedic appeal of the footage of Sirocco landing atop zoologist Mark Carwardine and getting carnal with his cranium, to the joyous hooting of onlooking presenter Stephen Fry for the TV series Last Chance to See (the very title of which underscores how imperilled the population is).

Chris McKeen

Margaret Maree is a 34 year old kkp, scanned at Auckland Zoo. She pulled through.

There's something almost mammalian about kkp. Their feathers are especially strokable, their large eyes perhaps more soulful than the average avian, and there's no denying their behaviours suggest wilful character.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy author Douglas Adams found them intriguing, fat birds whose wings were really only good for waggling a bit, though flying is out of the question.

"Sadly, however, it seems that not only has the kkp forgotten how to fly, but it has forgotten that it has forgotten how to fly.

"Apparently a seriously worried kkp will sometimes run up a tree and jump out of it, whereupon it flies like a brick and lands in a graceless heap on the ground."

HAMISH McNEILLY/STUFF

Sirocco the kkp has returned to the limelight as part of a display at Orokonui Ecosanctuary near Dunedin.

Far more seriously, they struggle to breed. There's a real lack of genetic diversity.

Females can get attached to one partner, carrying the same genes into 20 or 30 offspring, which is why it had come as particularly good news last July that the first successful artificial insemination in a decade, courtesy of Sinbad, a male with a rare Fiordland gene, had rendered chicks.

The sole other success, in the 2008/9 season, had been a world first.

Famously, though, the natural breeding season ties in with the berry fruit "mast" in the bush, which happens on a cycle of three years or more.

And the 2019 season had been spectacular. Rimu berries all over the place. The population had risen to its highest in 70 years. It was an exhausting time for the recovery team on the island, but a thrilling one.

Then wham. They were dealing with aspergillosis. Very rare in wild bird populations. Hard to detect early, and brutal in its consequences.

Lydia Uddstrom

Toiora has a CT scan.

"It felt like a real kick in the guts," recalls DOC kkp operations manager DeidreVercoe. "Things had been looking so promising, but changed so quickly."

Her darkest fears were dark indeed - this had the potential to kill so many birds, unravelling decades of conservation effort.

The team had done risk analysis work but aspergillosis was considered very low risk. Only one case had ever arisen, in 2012.

"To suddenly have an outbreak of that scale was a shock. The level of breeding we had that year in itself was new to us - so we were dealing with the biggest ever breeding season and the biggest ever disease event at the same time.

With veterinarians across the country, the team worked to develop a plan, adapting it as they learned more.

Liz Carlson

All 55 birds that remained on Whenua Hou (55) and all the breeding females on Pukenui (21) were health checked and had blood samples taken.

The extent of scientific collaboration grew to something amazing. Veterinarians, scientists, virologists and researchers stepped into important roles via Auckland and Wellington zoos, Massey's Wildbase and Dunedin Wildlife Hospital - and DOC rangers from throughout the country joined in.

The logistics of flying 50 kkp off an offshore island up the length of the country were,Vercoe says, not easy. And all the birds remaining in the wild on Whenua Hou were checked and had blood samples taken - itself a "monumental" undertaking.

But then not much about the crisis effort was, given the intensity of the care that the birds needed - batteries of CT scans, nebulisers, medications feeding, blood tests, some surgery.

On top of which the research needed to face what was effectively a new disease in kkp, and try to understand it in a very short space of time

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Margaret Maree received x-rays at VSA Vets in Mt Wellington.

Scanning the whole population wasn't possible, so they had to prioritise individuals based on their history.

This, says DOC kkp science advisor Dr Andrew Digby, involved quick data analysis, running models in search of clear contributing factors and analysing blood test results to see if this could help predict aspergillosis.

The questions were urgent: Was it due to an unusual set of environmental circumstances, or ana unusually virulent strain perhaps introduced via their management, or an undetected pathogen that made some kkp more susceptible.

From around the world came offers of support from a range of experts in man field, mostly via Twitter. They formed a collaboration of international geneticists, microbiologists, virologists and veterinarians from New Zealand, the UK, the USA, Canada and the Netherlands.

ROBYN EDIE/STUFF

In all, 21 birds were affected by the disease.

"Most of these people don't work in conservation or even with animals - many are medical researchers. They've all dropped current work to tackle this problem, donating time and money to do so."

Digby finds this unity of purpose hugely encouraging, with potential benefits for other studies too, a deeper knowledge of the genetics of the aspergillus fungus involved in this outbreak could help further global understanding of aspergillosis in humans - a serious and growing health problem.

"It's reallydemonstrated the positive power of social media to me too - it's a hugely underrated tool for scientists"

Vercoe agrees. Social media interest was huge from the DOC perspective as well.

"We took a very open approach with our communications, making sure we were keeping people as informed as possible, through the good news and the bad."

Sarah Little

Toiora the kkp sees the outside world for the first time.

The number one question was reliably the same: how can we help. From established programme supporters Meridian and Air New Zealand to a specific donation option that raised $200,000 from countries far and wide.

Gradually the good news was coming back from the exhausted labs.

"I think it was the 17th bird tested who was our first negative. That was a relief - I'd been extremely worried as the positives kept coming back.

Next raft of good news, the affected birds were responding unexpectedly well to treatment.

"It took months of treatment, but birds we thought would surely die were improving."

Jake Osborne

Toiora after being released.

Ultimately, when the last of the evacuees, Margaret Maree, headed home in early February, the crisis had been weathered.

The season that started with147 birds end with 211. Still a small number but on balance, a big step ahead for kkp recovery.

And now, of course, we have Covid-19 and a lockdown of the humans. For the recovery team, the timing has been reasonably fortunate. They'd been winding down monitoring of the breeding season and those birds who had recovered from aspergillosis - all doing reasonably well.

"Outside a breeding season, we're very hands-off with the birds. They're essentially wild birds taking care of themselves. Our rangers are safely at home."

Robyn Edie

DOC Ranger Jake Osborne with five male Kkp chicks, between 63 and 73 days old.

Not to draw too long a bow, but can Vercoe see any lessons applicable to the Covid-19 emergency?

"It can be amazing to see how people really pull together in a crisis. It takes everyone working together to get through, and a clear path of action.

"In our crisis there were times when we didn't fully understand what the best path to take was, but decisions had to be made based on the best information to hand at the time. We couldn't just sit and wait to see what would happen, there was too much to lose... beingprepared to adapt quickly as new information came to light was really important.

Chris McKeen/Stuff

Margaret Maree picked up a fungal lung infection on her home of Codfish Island. She was being treated by Auckland Zoo staff.

"When people feel committed to fighting for something and can clearly see the role they have in that fight - that purpose and connection brings out such strength."

Kkp recovery numbers:

Read more:
The kkp season of stress and salvation: How scientists and supporters teamed up to take on killer disease - Stuff.co.nz

Welcome to the T List, a newsletter from the editors of T Magazine. Each week, were sharing things were eating, wearing, listening to or coveting now. Sign up here to find us in your inbox every Wednesday. You can always reach us at tlist@nytimes.com.

Buy This

Until last month, I had been a proud but distant observer of the small citrus tree in my apartment. The three-foot-tall semi-dwarf calamondin a plant native to the Philippines that produces sour, compact orange fruit thought to be a hybrid of a kumquat and a mandarin has always thrived despite, rather than because of, my attempts at care. But on my first day of working from home, the small white buds that had spread slowly along its wispy green branches throughout February suddenly burst into constellations of white, star-shaped flowers and its success became the focus of my newly confined existence. In return for more regular waterings, it has filled my apartment with the sweet, subtle, powdery scent of orange blossom for a month. And last week, when its petals finally began to fall, they left behind small green orbs that will soon become new fruit, making it not only the perfect houseplant colorful, fragrant and forgivingly resilient but an ideal houseguest. From $29, fourwindsgrowers.com

In our 2020 Culture issue, out April 19, T celebrates various groups of creative people who, whether united by outlook or identity, happenstance or choice, built communities that have shaped the larger cultural landscape including the now renowned black artists who showed at one or all of three black-owned galleries in the 70s and 80s, the butches and studs whose identity is both its own aesthetic and a repudiation of the male gaze, and the foreign correspondents explaining America to the world. Here, an excerpt from the editors letter by Hanya Yanagihara: Every magazine is by its nature retrospective, a time capsule from the near past. A magazine such as this takes months to photograph, write, edit and research, and a few weeks to print; this means that the things that were true at its conception are sometimes no longer so when its published. Yet while the world around us has changed in ways that were just a few weeks ago once reserved for the realm of fiction, the spirit and thesis of this issue has not. One of the things that has defined our age has been the rise and dominance of what we can colloquially call tribes, groups of people bound not by blood or genetics or law, but by something more profound and just as durable call it an affinity, if you will. Sometimes that affinity has its roots in race, or gender, or sexuality, but its just as often based in something not innate, but developed: taste, say, or sensibility, or experience, or history. These are assemblages of people not born unto one another, but who find one another, and as a result, their bond is more charged, more powerful, more intimate. To see the issue come alive, head to tmagazine.com.

Eat This

Molly Goddard and Joel Jeffery met in 2011, when she was 19 and he was 23, while skiing in Canada; when she returned to Brisbane, Australia, and he to London, they started a long-distance romance. On Sundays, they would Skype. Because of the time difference, one of us would always be in pajamas, Jeffery says. Thus, the seed was planted for their now five-year-old brand, Desmond & Dempsey, which sells womens, mens and childrens cotton pajamas that are joyfully splashed with brightly colored, vaguely nostalgic prints and retail for $180 a set. The two, who married in 2016, now often eat breakfast together at their Brixton apartment before walking to work. Goddard usually oversees the cooking, favoring a recipe she inherited from her mother, which she has lovingly called spiffy eggs. She makes it regularly on Sunday mornings, and would occasionally make it at the Desmond & Dempsey offices for lunch with their 10-person team. Not long after starting the company, when we didnt know what the rules were, Goddard says, the couple invited an interested buyer from the department store Fortnum & Mason to their apartment and served her Goddards special eggs. It was an unconventional approach, but it worked the buyer picked up the brand. For Goddard, the baked egg dish which includes pumpkin, Parma ham and crumbled feta is appealing not only because it is delicious and filling but also because its made in a single pot and easy to clean up. For the recipe, visit tmagazine.com.

Try This

Like many of you, Ive been spending a lot more time on my couch, a dark gray chenille-tweed settee that was my first big furniture purchase. This fact, along with increased scrolling through design-minded Instagram accounts, has left me wanting a cozy, colorful throw to can get me through springs brisker days and refresh my living room. The Hudson Valley-based brand Alicia Adams Alpaca, which makes ready-to-wear and home goods using wool from its own Alpaca farm, just released a super-soft rainbow-hued throw to celebrate its 10 years in business; 10 percent of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Glsen, a nonprofit organization that supports the L.G.B.T.Q. community. The Spanish fashion house Loewe offers a vibrantly striped blanket in fuzzy mohair thats also available in solid colors, like this bright pink; one could also turn to Missoni, whose home collection includes an array of throws in the Italian fashion houses familiar chevron motif, like this lightweight polyester version, which is perfect for warmer temperatures. And for a more affordable option, check out Mantas Ezcaray, a small, family-owned business that offers a range of textiles made from luscious mohair in La Rioja, Spain; or these cotton blankets from the lifestyle brand VISO that feature abstract, arty shapes.

Last fall, Sara Gernsbacher and Patrick Walsh accidentally started a candle company: The Los Angeles-based artist couple both are painters and sculptors had been experimenting with folding colorful oil-pastel paintings into rectangular molds, pouring in wax from melted-down thrift-store candles, sticking in wicks and giving the results away to friends. I liked the idea of making sculpture for everyone and stepping outside the commerce of the gallery system, Gernsbacher told me. Then, thanks to Instagram (which is where I spotted their creations), the pair started getting proper sales requests from stores like the womens wear boutique Scout in Los Angeles and the cafe-slash-design-shop Relationships in Brooklyn; thus, Crying Clover Candles was born. Named for a dream Walsh had that featured a tattoo of a sad four-leaf clover, the project has continued to gain momentum, and made an appearance at last months Object & Thing show in New York, which is part of the Independent Art Fair. The allure is no doubt thanks to the candles eye-catching patterns imperfect checkerboards that Gernsbacher likens to skyscraper windows and only heightened now that most of us are stuck inside and in need of calming energy. From $36, cryingclovercandles.org

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The latest lifestyle, fashion and travel trends

We are living in stressful times.

For some the mask wearing, hand washing, food hoarding and job uncertainty will cause sleepless nights, for others it might trigger, or exacerbate existing, hair loss.

Its well established that hair loss can be related to emotional stress or anxiety, award-winning trichologist Dr. Serkan Aygin tells theStandard. When youre stressed or anxious, your body produces whats known as the fight or flight response. This is when your body is making extra hormones to prepare it to deal with whatever it thinks of as being a potential threat. This change in your hormone levels can have effects all around your body. When these extra hormones are made, they can affect the growth patterns of the hair follicles on your scalp.

Theres usually about a three-month delay between the stressful event or time period and the moment your hair starts falling out. So anyone feeling the Covid-19 anxiety, might not actually notice any hair loss until the end of summer.

The good news though, is that hair loss due to stress tends to be temporary. Unless theres another underlying medical reason for your hair loss, it should only last for as long as youre going through that particular period of stress or anxiety, says Dr. Aygin, who has treated over 10,000 patients for hair loss at his eponymous specialist hair clinic.

During the period of hair loss, more hairs on your head are in whats known as the resting stage. This doesnt mean your hair follicles are dead or that your hair will stop growing permanently. Your usual hair growth and regrowth pattern should return to normal a few months after your stress levels go back down to normal.

How to stop WFH getting in the way of your sleep

If youve lost hair as a result of stress or anxiety, theres every chance it will start to grow back once your stress levels are back to normal. Try working on reducing your stress levels as well as improving your general health and wellbeing. Any hair loss due to stress should grow back on its own in a few months.

So, if youre experiencing hair loss due to stress, the best thing to do is to stay calm, stay healthy and try not to panic. But how do you know if your hair loss is due to stress? And if its hair loss of a more permanent variety, what are the best methods of prevention, detection and treatment?

We asked Dr Aygin to provide some further clarification on the varying causes of hair loss and his preferred methods of treatment.

What causes hair loss?

Possible causes of hair loss include:

1. Genetics

The most common cause of hair loss is a hereditary condition called male-pattern baldness or female-pattern baldness. It usually occurs gradually with ageing and in predictable patterns a receding hairline and bald spots in men and thinning hair in women. Dihydrotestosterone or DHT, a breakdown product of the hormone testosterone, generally triggers male pattern baldness. Hair follicles exposed to DHT begin to shrink and the growth stage becomes shorter. The end result is thinner and shorter hair strands. Over a period of time, hair follicles will reach a phase where they are no longer capable of producing hair.

2. Hormonal Imbalance

A hormonal imbalance can lead to a multitude of annoying health and beauty issues, from adult acne to weight gain. If your hormones are out of balance, the effects will radiate throughout the whole body (and of course, that includes your hair). Hormones play a huge role in regulating the hair growth cycle. "Oestrogens (female hormones) are 'hair friendly' and help to keep hairs in their growth phase for the optimal length of time. Androgens (male hormones) are not very hair friendly, and can shorten the hair growth cycle. An excess of androgens (which could be caused by an endocrine disorder, such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) can cause hair loss. The extent of this is often down to genes - If you have a genetic predisposition to follicle sensitivity, a hormonal imbalance can affect your hair more than it would someone who does not have a predisposition.

3. Medications and supplements

Hair loss can be a side effect of certain drugs, such as those used for cancer, arthritis, depression, heart problems, gout and high blood pressure.

4. Iron Deficiency and Anaemia

One of the most common causes of hair loss in women is an iron deficiency. Iron is essential for producing hair cell protein, without it, your strands will suffer.

5. Thyroid imbalance

The thyroid gland helps to regulate the body's metabolism by controlling the production of proteins and tissue use of oxygen. Any thyroid imbalance can therefore affect hair follicles. Also, if hypothyroidism is left untreated it may result in anaemia, which - as we've just discussed - is another condition that can impact the hair.

6. Vitamin B12 Deficiency

Vitamin B12 deficiency often causes hair loss as it can affect the health of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to your tissues. It's most common in vegans as you can primarily only obtain B12 through animal proteins.

7. Dramatic Weight Loss

A steep drop on the scales can impact your tresses,6-12 weeks after dramatic weight loss, whether it be intentional or unintentional, hair commonly comes out in excess. While our hair is incredibly important to us psychologically, physiologically it is non-essential; we could survive without it with no detriment to our physical health. This means that any nutritional deficiency often first shows up in our hair. Yet another reason to avoid crash dieting and instead try to adopt a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

8. Stress

Many people experience a general thinning of hair several months after a physical or emotional shock. Stress may also trigger scalp problems such as dandruff, disrupt eating habits and mess with the digestive system all of which can have a negative impact on hair. This type of hair loss is generally temporary.

9. Age

For women who are about to enter menopause, changes in their body may also have an effect on their hair. Hair loss becomes more prevalent leading up to and after the menopause. That being said, it's important to realize that our hair ages, and as we get older, hair naturally gets finer. It's a totally normal part of the ageing process.

Is hair loss more common in men?

Although both men and women experience hair loss, it is more common in men.

Androgenetic alopecia, also known as male pattern baldness, is a hereditary condition that is the most common type of hair loss among men. According to the American Hair Loss Association, 95 per centof hair loss in men is caused by androgenetic alopecia. It affects roughly 30 per cent of men by the age of 30, 40 per cent by 40, 50 per cent by 50, and 60 per cent by 60.

This inherited trait that tends to result as a receding hairline and a thinning crown in men, is caused by genetic sensitivity to a by-product of testosterone called dihydrotestosterone (DHT). Because men are constantly producing testosterone throughout their lives, they are also constantly producing DHT. This makes men more likely to lose hair than women, who do not have a similar genetic disposition to hair loss.

The early signs of male pattern baldness are as follows:

Noticeable change in your hairline

Male pattern baldness generally begins in the hairline, when you notice that your mildly receded hairline has turned into a more obvious M-shaped hairline. For most men this begins around the temples and the crown and often starts with thinning rather than total hair loss.

Noticeable thinning of your hair

Not all men experience baldness in their hairline. Some men experience what is defined as diffuse thinning; a type of hair loss that either affects the entire scalp or specific areas like the crown that results in hair loss that starts from the back or top, rather than from the hairline.

Excessive hair loss after showering or brushing

On average, people lose round 50-100 hairs a day, meaning that the five to 10 hairs you notice between your hands after shampooing aren't anything to be concerned about. However, if you start noticing an excessive amount of hair falling out throughout the day, then there is a risk that it could be the result of male pattern baldness.

In general the early signs of hair loss show up in the following ways;

Gradual thinning of the hair on the head

Receding hairline that becomes more visible with each passing year

For women, the first noticeable sign of hair loss is often a widening part or less fullness to their ponytail.

Are there effective preventative measures that can be taken?

Treating hair loss in its early stages can help minimise overall hair loss and increase the treatments efficacy. There are a few ways to control hair loss, but what to do depends on the cause of why you are losing your hair.

Some hair loss conditions such as hair loss experienced after pregnancy (telogen effluvium) are temporary and may resolve on their own. However if your hair loss is persistent you may want to schedule an appointment with your local dermatologist so as to diagnose if your hair loss is caused by conditions such as male pattern baldness, thyroid issues, scalp infections, nutrient deficiencies, stress or simply ageing.

I would recommendfour main hair-loss prevention treatments to consider, all of whichwork to stimulate regrowth on dormant follicles.

1. Finasteride

Finasteride, also sold under the brand name Propecia, is an FDA-approved prescription medication for hair loss prevention in men. Finasteride can be an effective way to prevent your hair from thinning because it prohibits the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT is a powerful hormone that is thought to cause hair follicles to miniaturise and eventually stop growing hair. To get this benefit of finasteride, you need to take it properly and consistently as prescribed by your doctor.

2. Minoxidil

Minoxidil is a vasodilator, meaning its designed to widen blood vessels and improve the flow of blood to certain areas of your body. When applied topically in the form of a serum or foam, Minoxidil increases blood flow to the parts of your scalp where hair grows. By increasing blood flow, more oxygen and nutrients can be transported into each hair follicle, promoting growth and hair health.

3. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma)

PRP involves taking a small sample of blood and spinning it in a centrifuge to concentrate and separate the platelets and plasma from the other components of your blood, which is then injected back into the scalp. Platelets are the source of growth factors that have the power to promote hair growth and also thicken your existing hair. Growth factor generates new formation of blood vessels in the scalp, which in turn, increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients that are delivered to the hair follicles with subcutaneous blood flow.

The role of PRP is to strengthen the hair and prevent hair loss. PRP aims to promote and enhance tissue repair as well as to stimulate new hair growth.

4. LLLT (Low Level Laser Therapy) or LED Light Therapy

LED light therapy, which is actually known as Low Level Laser Therapy, is a clinically proven, effective treatment for men and women who have mild to moderate hereditary pattern hair loss. Laser hair therapy increases the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which induces the release of nitric oxide. This in turn leads to enhanced hair growth. Additionally, it has been also observed that laser therapy was capable of reducing scalp tissue DHT, which may help slow, or even stop hair loss and improve hair growth.

Can hair grow back after it falls out?

Some forms of hair loss can be naturally reversed, without treatment. Reversible conditions mainly include hair loss caused by medications, prolonged stress, temporary illnesses, inadequate nutrition and improper hair care. In addition to this, hair loss caused by hormonal changes related to pregnancy and deficiencies in the function of the immune system can also be reversible.

What products would you recommend to slow the process of hair loss? And how do they work?

The important criterion to consider for controlling and/or slowing the hair loss process is to always have your hair follicles supplied with additional nutrient substances which, in turn, are requirements for healthy hair growth and hair regeneration. Hair growth can be stimulated as well as enhanced by products aimed at dermatological anti-hair loss care which:

Improve blood supply to the scalp

Serve as an additional source of energy for the hair

Promote hair strengthening

Increase hair resistance

Usinganti-hair loss products depends on the severity of the hair loss condition. For individuals with more defined hair loss patterns it is recommended to use a combination of different products such as shampoo, lotion and capsules for providing the hair with the necessary biological nutrition. At our clinic we recommendPriorin capsules (shop them here) and Sebamed Repair Shampoo (shop it here) to all our clients.

It is important to acknowledge that before trying out any recommendation that has been provided here, you should always first schedule a consultation session with your local dermatologist.

Dr. Serkan Aygin is a hair transplant specialist andmember of the International Society of Dermatology. Currently operating from his eponymous clinic in Turkey, he is due to open a second specialist hair clinic in London in August 2020.

Read the rest here:
Hair loss prevention: How to stop it falling out and thinning with stress - Evening Standard