The Rising in the Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market is also depicted in this research report. The research is a great blend of qualitative and quantitative data, covering significant market developments, industry and competitive issues, gap analysis, and new opportunities and trends in the Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market. The reports goal is to give cutting-edge market knowledge and assist decision-makers in making smart investment decisions by presenting an overview of the Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market. Additionally, the research identifies and analyses upcoming trends, as well as important drivers, challenges, and opportunities. Historical data available in the report elaborates on the development of the Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing on national, regional, and international levels.

In this report, a comprehensive study of the competitive scenario among the leading vendors has been depicted in the subsequent sections, along with detailed insight into the sales captured by the participant and the share each vendor accounted for in the overall Market share. The Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing research report is isolated into different segments to work on the cognizance of the market elements. The study considers the present scenario of the market and its market dynamics for the period 2022-2030. This report is a top to bottom and intense investigation of the current details of the worldwide market covering various aspects related to insights and development of the business.

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Key Companies Covered

In this section of the report, the researchers have done a comprehensive analysis of the prominent players operating and the strategies they are focusing on to combat the intense competition. Company profiles and market share analyses of the prominent players are also provided in this section. Additionally, the specialists have done an all-encompassing analysis of each player. They have also provided reliable revenue, market share, and rank data of the companies for the period 2022-2030. With the assistance of this report, key players, stakeholders, and other participants will be able to stay abreast of the recent and upcoming developments in the business, further enabling them to make efficient choices. Mentioned below are the prime players taken into account in this research report:

3P Biopharmaceuticals, ABL, Inc., AGC Biologics, Advent BioServices Ltd., Akron Biotech, Aldevron, Anemocyte S.r.l

Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market Segments

This report has explored the key segments: by Type and by Application. The lucrativeness and growth potential have been looked into by the industry experts in this report. This report also provides revenue forecast data by type and by application segments based on value for the period 2022-2030

Market Segments by Type:

Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology , Academic and Research Institutes, Other

Market Segments by Application:

Clinical Manufacturing, Commercial Manufacturing

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Methodology :

Market research fills the gap between goods or services and their target market or client. Market research insights assist a manufacturer or service provider in developing a product or service plan that satisfies the specific needs of the target market.

Primary Market Research:

Primary market research is a type of study that involves acquiring information from target industries, either through a third party or directly from customers.

Quantitative Market Research:

Quantitative market research is a method of gathering data from the target market and consumers that can be quantified.

Qualitative Market Research:

Qualitative market research is a means of gathering qualitative data from target markets via the use of instruments and procedures such as focus groups and interviews.

Secondary Market Research:

Secondary market research is an investigative strategy in which a firm relies on publicly available data to learn more about its customers and target markets.

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For the global version, a list of below countries by region can be added as part of customization at minimum cost:

Each of the regional market segments is analyzed and studied in the sense of the major regional spectrum of market reach in the market report. The study also provides a comprehensive overview of key insights, such as import, export, development, demand, and consumption

North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia) South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.)The Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa)

The study of the market includes

Explanation of consumer preferences, trends, opportunities, and factors impacting storage technologies, as well as an analysis of current industry trends. Market share study by end-user, service, application, and region Investments in R&D and demonstration projects are covered, as well as a full overview of the market. Assessment of regulatory trends and incentives, regional economic development rate, implementation timeline, and environmental constraints

Why You Should Buy This Report:

The report analyzes regional growth trends and future opportunities. Detailed analysis of each segment provides relevant information. The data collected in the report is investigated and verified by analysts. This report provides realistic information on supply, demand, and future forecasts.

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Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing Market Trends, Opportunities, and Breakthrough Point During (2022-2030)- 3P Biopharmaceuticals, ABL, Inc., AGC...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Organization (BCMO) Market, 2022" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

This report, Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Organization (BCMO) Market, 2022, describes and discusses the global contract manufacturing markets, specifically focusing on the production of biotech (large molecule) products including extensive coverage of the biotechnology segment of the global BCMO industry.

Sales estimates are provided by segment and region, expressed in current dollars. Estimates are provided for the historic 2016 to 2021 period and forecasts are provided through 2026.

Further, this report examines third party manufacturing of potential and commercialized prescription drug products throughout the world. Potential drug products are those in clinical (Phase I - Phase III) testing prior to regulatory approval and require relatively small amounts of product for these evaluations; commercialized drugs are those which have received regulatory approval and have been introduced to mass markets. In some cases, drugs have received regulatory approval in selected regions (such as the EU, but not in others such as the US).

The report contains the following market information:

Key Topics Covered:

Chapter 1: Executive Summary

Chapter 2: Overview

Chapter 3: The Contract Manufacturing Industry

Chapter 4: Total Global BCMO Market

Chapter 5: The BCMO Market by Region

Chapter 6: Pharmaceutical & Biotech Company Profiles

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/664983

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World Biopharmaceutical Contract Manufacturing Organization (BCMO) Market Research Report 2022: Focus on Growth Factors - Biotechnology, Biosimilars,...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Covina, Oct. 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genomics is the study of all of persons gene. Genomics play role in health and disease. Genomics are widely used in cancer care treatment for diagnosing and treating cancer disease. Structural Genomics and Functional Genomics are two types of Genomics.Gene Therapy, Gene Discovery, Personalized Medicine, Pharmacogenetics & Targeted Therapy, Metagenomics, Mitochondrial Genomics, Pharmacogenomics are variety of applications in genomics. Metagenomics has become the important application in genomics. The newer technique genome editing is used in gene therapy. Genome editing help to introduce gene-editing tools which can able to change existing DNA in cell. Genomics are used in drug discovery due to their properties like high-throughput sequencing & characterization of expressed human genes. Genomics has allowed effective preventive measures, change in drug research strategy and development process in drug discovery due to knowledge about human genes and their functions. A complete human genome contains about 3 billion base pairs of DNA. Pharmacogenomics is the study of genes and their functions to develop safe medications which are effective and can be prescribed based on persons genetic makeup. Pharmacogenomics choose the drug and drug doses that are effective for that particular person by using genetic information about that person. Pharmacogenomics helps in improving patient safety, health care costs and drug efficiency. Single nucleotide variant (SNV) panels are used in pharmacogenetics. Genomics helps to reveal the abnormalities in genes which has drived the development and growth of different types of cancer.Study of cancer genome has improved in understanding the biology of cancer which has enabled to discover new methods for diagnosing & treating the disease. The importance of Genomics in cancer care has provided to discover new drug development and effective treatment in diagnosing and treating the disease which has driven positive impact on target market growth.

The reportGlobal Genomics in Cancer Care Market, By Type (Structural Genomics, Functional Genomics), By Application (Gene Therapy, Gene Discovery, Personalized Medicine, Pharmacogenetics & Targeted Therapy, Metagenomics, Mitochondrial Genomics, Pharmacogenomics, and Others), By End-User (Research Institute, Hospitals, Academic Research Institutes, Diagnostic Centers, and Others) andBy Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) - Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2032

Key Highlights:

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Analyst View:

Increase in cancer disease, rising emergence of clinical relievance in genomic medicine, recent advancement in genomics, newly developed technology like next-generation sequencing has given rise in use ofGenomics in Cancer Care. Wide variety of applications in Gene Therapy, Gene Discovery, Personalized Medicine, Pharmacogenetics & Targeted Therapy, Metagenomics, Mitochondrial Genomics, Pharmacogenomics has fueled the target market growth. Rising awareness in individual who are pertaining to cancer genomics, rapid growth in biotechnology industries, research institutes, diagnostic centers is expected to have positive impact on Genomics in Cancer Care market. Importance of Genomics in cancer care has enabled to provide effective treatment, new drug development, diagnosing and treating disease which has enhanced the target market growth.As a result, market competition is intensifying, and both big international corporations and start-ups are vying to establish position in the market.

Browse 60 market data tables* and 35figures* through 140 slides and in-depth TOC onGlobal Genomics in Cancer Care Market, By Type (Structural Genomics, Functional Genomics), By Application (Gene Therapy, Gene Discovery, Personalized Medicine, Pharmacogenetics & Targeted Therapy, Metagenomics, Mitochondrial Genomics, Pharmacogenomics, and Others), By End-User (Research Institute, Hospitals, Academic Research Institutes, Diagnostic Centers, and Others) andBy Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa) - Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2032

To know the upcoming trends and insights prevalent in this market, click the link below:

https://www.prophecymarketinsights.com/market_insight/Genomics-in-Cancer-Care-Market-4953

Key Market Insights from the report:

GlobalGenomics in Cancer CareMarketaccounted for US$ 16.1 Bn in 2022 and is estimated to be US$ 72.61 Bn by 2032 and is anticipated to register a CAGR of 16.3%.TheGlobalGenomics in Cancer CareMarketis segmented based on Type, Application, End-User and Region.

Competitive Landscape & their strategies ofGlobalGenomics in Cancer Care Market:

The prominent players operating in theGlobalGenomics in Cancer CareMarketincludes,Pacific Biosciences Inc., Abbott Molecular Oxford Gene Technology, Roche Diagnostics, Bio-Rad Labs, Illumina Inc., Quest Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter Inc., Intrexon Bioinformatics Germany GmbH, Agilent Technologies, PerkinElmer, Danaher Corporation, Cancer Genetics Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and others.

The market provides detailed information regarding the industrial base, productivity, strengths, manufacturers, and recent trends which will help companies enlarge the businesses and promote financial growth. Furthermore, the report exhibits dynamic factors including segments, sub-segments, regional marketplaces, competition, dominant key players, and market forecasts. In addition, the market includes recent collaborations, mergers, acquisitions, and partnerships along with regulatory frameworks across different regions impacting the market trajectory. Recent technological advances and innovations influencing the global market are included in the report.

Scope of the Report:

About Prophecy Market Insights

Prophecy Market Insights is specialized market research, analytics, marketing/business strategy, and solutions that offers strategic and tactical support to clients for making well-informed business decisions and to identify and achieve high-value opportunities in the target business area. We also help our clients to address business challenges and provide the best possible solutions to overcome them and transform their business.

Some Important Points Answered in this Market Report Are Given Below:

Browse for Related Reports:

1.Single-Cell Genome Sequencing Market, By Type (Reagents and Instruments), By Technology (NGS, PCR, qPCR, MDA, and Microarray), By Application (Circulating Cells, Genomic Variation, Cell Differentiation, Subpopulation Characterization, and Others), By End-User (Forensic Labs, Cell banks and IVF centers, Academic & Research Laboratories, Biotechnology & biopharmaceutical companies, and Hospitals and diagnostic laboratories) and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa) - Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2029

2.Global Genomics Market By Product and Services (Consumables, Instruments/Systems, and Services), By Technology (Microarray, Purification, PCR, Sequencing, Nucleic Acid Extraction, and Other Technologies (Gene Editing, Gene Expression, Genotyping, and among others)), By Process (Library Preparation, Sequencing, and Data Analysis), By Application (Diagnostics, Precision Medicine, Agriculture, Drug Discovery & Development, Animal Research, and Other applications (Biofuels, Coal Mines, Marine Research, and Among Others)), By End User (Academic &Government Institutes, Research Centers, Hospitals & Clinics, Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies, and Other End Users (Agri-genomics organizations, NGOs, among others)), and By Region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East, and Africa) - Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2029

3.Global Lab-On-a-Chip Market, By Product Type (Instruments, Reagents and Consumables, Software, and Services), By Application (Genomics and Proteomics, Diagnostics, Drug Discovery, Others), By End-User (Hospitals, Academic and Research Institute, Diagnostic Lab, Homecare settings, and Others) and By Geography (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, Middle East, and Africa)- Trends, Analysis and Forecast till 2029

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Genomics in Cancer Care Market is estimated to be US$ 72.61 billion by 2032 with a CAGR of 16.3% during the forecast period 2032 - By PMI -...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Renewed National Institute for Health and Care Research Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre continue funds for developments around inflammatory diseases

Published 14 October 2022

Local people with cancer and heart disease are amongst those set to benefit from a major injection of research funding which will develop new diagnostic tools and treatments for those with cancer, liver and heart disease, and many more illnesses.

The NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre has today been granted more than 30 million of funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research, a major funder of global health research and training, to support world-leading research into inflammation and the myriad of diseases and health issues that it can cause.

The centre unites leading NHS providers led by the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust and academic institutions led by the University of Birmingham. The partnership sees eight organisations working closely with charities and businesses to support research into inflammation which causes or worsens many common long-term illnesses including arthritis, liver disease and cancer.

The announcement sees the NIHR Birmingham BRC increase its funding almost 3-fold and will enable researchers to focus on eight areas of illness including heart disease, womens health, and common complications from inflammation. It will also enable researchers to consider new tests and biomarkers for disease, health technologies including stem cells and gene therapy, patient experiences and data science.

The funding will allow us to make a step-change in our work tackling different forms of cancer, trialling new drugs for liver disease, and dealing with antimicrobial resistance.Professor Philip Newsome

Professor Phil Newsome, Director of Research and Knowledge Transfer at the University of Birminghams College of Medical and Dental Sciences and Director of the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre said:

Inflammation plays a central role in many health conditions, with millions of people in the UK alone experiencing inflammatory diseases such as arthritis and bronchitis.

The significant increase in funding for the NIHR Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre will enable us to provide an outstanding environment for world-leading clinical research. The funding will allow us to make a step-change in our work tackling different forms of cancer, trialling new drugs for liver disease, and dealing with antimicrobial resistance.

Patients will benefit from the increased funding for the NIHR Birmingham BRC through collaborative research that has seen nearly 1,000 clinical trials and informed UK clinical guidelines.

Researchers will look at eight themes to continue to understand and help patients manage inflammation-based diseases including cancer, arthritis, and liver disease. The investment of the NIHR funding in biomedical research will enable clinicians, researchers, patients and supporters to find new treatments such as the development of new immunotherapies, which are types of cancer treatments to support the body to fight cancer.

When Joy needed a liver transplant, the team at University Hospitals Birmingham involved in her care made her aware about an opportunity to take part in a trial through the BRC to better understand sarcopaenia.

In many chronic inflammatory diseases, including liver disease, loss of muscle mass and strength (sarcopaenia) occurs. Importantly sarcopaenia contributes to poor patient quality of life, reduced ability to cope with challenges such as surgery or infection and higher risk of death. The NIHR Birmingham BRC has been investigating inflammatory sarcopaenia to find the best treatments and support for patients who experience inflammation-related muscle loss.

Joy said: It was interesting to be made aware of muscle loss and to be encouraged to do tests [to assess sarcopaenia]. Following the two-day assessment, I was encouraged to increase protein in my diet because of muscle loss and the trial reinforced how important that was. I think the trial made me feel like I was doing something positive at a time when some things in my life were dampening down.

After the transplant, one of the first people I saw in hospital was a member of the research team. She had heard I had had the op and made a point of dropping by. We had a lovely chat. As a beneficiary of liver transplant and the improving outcomes for liver transplant patients, I am heartily in favour of research in this as well as other medical fields.

Tim Jones, Chief Innovation Officer, at University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said:

We are delighted with the award to the NIHR Birmingham BRC which builds on our successful track record of joint working in Inflammatory disease, the award will significantly support the acceleration of new discoveries for the benefit of our patients.

Researchers based at the NIHR Birmingham BRC will also support a major improvement in how data and digital healthcare can improve patient outcomes.

The Data, Diagnostics and Decision Tools theme will see the development of new infrastructure and innovation to tackle major challenges in the use and interpretation of data in biomedical research. Bringing together expertise across a range of disciplines including clinical trials, health informatics, and artificial intelligence, increased funding will see improvements in the way data is held and used to uphold the highest levels of research integrity.

The expanded funding will also enable the NIHR Birmingham BRC to invest in research excellence and create additional capacity, to collaboratively focus on key wider areas of clinical practice including the development of new tests and biomarkers, and next generation therapies such as stem cell and gene therapy.

Mark Maybury joined the Birmingham Rheumatology Research Group in 2018, supported by the NIHR-funded Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre. Coming from a clinical role as a physiotherapist and musculoskeletal sonographer, Mark has been working with academics to support research trials for rheumatoid arthritis drugs and has been involved in pioneering work in the use of ultrasound-guided synovial joint biopsies.

Mark said: One of the many reasons that attracted me to move into this research post at this institution was the opportunity to learn and during my time at the Birmingham BRC I have been given the opportunity for personal study and involvement in research. But as well as learning myself, Ive also had the opportunity to pass on my knowledge - training research fellows in diagnostic ultrasound and to develop new instrumentation for ultrasound guided synovial biopsy. The results of the studies I have worked on will help influence the treatment of hundreds of thousands of patients, not only in the UK but worldwide, which is more patients than I ever could ever help as a clinician. I find that a very sobering thought."

The investment from NIHR is hugely important for researchers working across the BRC partner institutions, to continue to tackle some of the critical health themes that affect our region.Professor David Adams

Professor David Adams, Pro-vice Chancellor and Head of the College of Medical and Dental Sciences at the University of Birmingham, and director of the previous NIHR Birmingham BRC said:

The investment from NIHR is hugely important for researchers working across the BRC partner institutions, to continue to tackle some of the critical health themes that affect our region.

"The funding will allow us to bring together teams that can use an in depth understanding of disease processes to deliver new therapies and diagnostic tests for a range of chronic inflammatory diseases for which we currently have few effective treatments.

The NIHR Birmingham BRC is among 20 centres across England that have been awarded a combined 790 million by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, to translate scientific discoveries into new treatments, diagnostic tests and medical technologies for patients.

NIHR Biomedical Research Centres are partnerships between healthcare professionals and academics in the countrys leading NHS trusts and universities. The centres, part of NIHRs research infrastructure, receive substantial levels of sustained funding to attract the best scientists and create an environment where experimental medicine can thrive.

The Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre is made up of the following partners:

Professor Lucy Chappell, Chief Executive of the NIHR, said:

Research by NIHR Biomedical Research Centres has led to a number of ground-breaking new treatments, such as new gene therapies for haemophilia and motor neurone disease, the world-first treatment for CreutzfeldtJakob disease, a nose-drop vaccine for whooping cough, and the first UK-wide study into the long-term impact of COVID-19.

This latest round of funding recognises the strength of expertise underpinning health and care research across the country and gives our nations best researchers more opportunities to develop innovative new treatments for patients.

For media enquiries for the University of Birmingham, please contact Tim Mayo, Press Office, University of Birmingham, tel: +44 (0)7920 405040: email: t.mayo@bham.ac.uk

The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:

NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle-income countries is principally funded through UK Aid from the UK government.

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New 30M research injection to improve treatment of inflammatory diseases - University of Birmingham

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Naoto T. Ueno

Naoto T. Ueno has been selected to be the next director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. Uenos appointment is pending the UH Board of Regents approval at the boards October 20 meeting. His appointment would be effective December 12, 2022.

Ueno is currently the executive director of the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Program at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, where he is also a tenured professor of medicine.

He has held various faculty and administrative positions there since 1996. Ueno has 15 years of leadership experience, and nearly 30 years of experience in research and education, particularly in stem cell transplant, gene therapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy.

His research focus is inflammatory breast cancer (IBC)the most lethal and aggressive form of breast cancer with a high metastasis (spread) rate. Working with his team members, he created a comprehensive research program and clinic devoted to IBC, which, under his leadership, emerged as the worlds largest and most renowned for rare breast cancer.

Ueno is also widely regarded for his preclinical development and research efforts that translated into clinical trials. These valuable outputs will be of great benefit to the cancer centers clinical trials and community building efforts.

Dr. Ueno possesses the leadership skills, background and experience to lead the UH Cancer Center for years to come, I am confident he will continue to advance the UH Cancer Center and their mission to reduce the burden of cancer in communities throughout Hawaii, said UH Mnoa Provost Michael Bruno.

Ueno said his mission as director is to ensure that every patient with cancer lives to the fullest extent. He wishes to prevent cancer in Hawaii and the Pacific through patient-centered cancer strategies, high-quality cancer care, research, prevention and education. In his previous roles, he helped build a team culture reflecting diversity and psychological safety.

I am honored and excited for this tremendous opportunity to work with a new team and to build collaborative partnerships inside and outside of the UH Cancer Center, said Ueno. Being raised in both Asia and the U.S., I have a long history of interest in Hawaiis diverse culture and demographics. I truly believe the UH Cancer Center has a unique opportunity to build a world-class clinical and translational program that serves the community to reduce the suffering of cancer patients.

As a cancer survivor, Ueno brings more depth in his role as director, rendering the ability to empathize with cancer patients. He has also published two books about empowering patients in cancer care.

Dr. Uenos leadership experience, coupled with his ability to share common ground with cancer patients, make him uniquely qualified to improve cancer patient care in Hawaii and the Pacific, said Bruno.

Ueno earned his MD from Wakayama Medical College in Japan. He went on to earn his PhD in cancer biology from The University of Texas Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. He received postgraduate training through internships and fellowships with the United States Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Japan, Montefiore University Hospital (internal medicine), the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (internal medicine) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (medical oncology and stem cell transplantation).

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Naoto T. Ueno announced as new UH Cancer Center director | University of Hawaii System News - University of Hawaii

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A biotechnology company launched Wednesday by life sciences venture firm ATP is the latest startup to debut with a new twist on genetic editing.

With $50 million in funding, Boston-based Ascidian Therapeutics claims its RNA exon editing approach could match the durability of gene therapy while avoiding some of the risks that come with editing DNA.

Its platform is designed to correct for mutations in exons the regions of DNA that contain information needed to make proteins. Ascidian aims to do this by replacing mutated exons with functional RNA copies as DNA is being converted into its chemical cousin.

The company will first target a genetic eye condition called Stargardt disease, which is the most common form of inherited macular degeneration and results in vision loss.

According to Ascidian, its technology can fix genetic errors that other editing approaches cant, and can be applied to widely varied genes. Its lead program can replace more than 20 exons at a time, said Romesh Subramanian, Ascidians CEO.

We are changing chapters in a book rather than whiting-out one letter at a time, Subramanian, said in an interview with BioPharma Dive. Subramanian came to Ascidian from Dyne Therapeutics, a biotech he founded and led as CEO. He previously founded RNA specialist Translate Bio, which was bought by Sanofi last year.

Subramanian claims that Ascidians approach, by focusing on RNA, maintains genome integrity and thereby sidesteps concerns around off-target edits. His company also doesnt rely on foreign enzymes to work, potentially easing immunogenicity risks, he added.

Along with Stargardt disease, Ascidian is looking at other eye conditions, neurological disorders and rare diseases. Subramanian declined to disclose how many drug research programs Ascidian plans to roll out.

Ascidians name is derived from a class of ocean-dwelling invertebrate creatures, which are sometimes known as sea squirts. These creatures use RNA trans-splicing to alter the RNA messengers used by their cells, a process that Ascidian plans to leverage to rewrite RNA for treating disease.

Ascidian is not ATPs first foray into genetic medicine. Last year, Ascidian co-founder and ATP venture partner Michael Ehlers, a former Biogen executive,launched a startup called Intergalactic Therapeuticsthat focuses on non-viral gene therapy. ATP has also built a company called Replicate, which is developing another kind of RNA medicine.

We think the RNA space is a big way of manipulating biology and treating disease across the board, and this approach we've taken to Ascidian defines a new class of RNA therapeutics, Ehlers said.

The company expects to spend the rest of 2022 and 2023 on pre-clinical studies for its lead program, along with developing proof of concept for other candidates targeting neurological and neuromuscular diseases.

Gene editing research was catalyzed by the discovery of CRISPR, which has now been extended and adapted to support several different gene editing technologies. But biotech companies are also exploring RNA editing, which in part appeals to scientists because it doesnt change the underlying DNA.

It has drawn in larger drugmakers, too: Roche and Eli Lilly have recently formed partnerships with Shape Therapeutics and ProQR Therapeutics, respectively, to develop treatments for a wide variety of diseases.

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Ascidian starts up with $50M and a twist on RNA editing - BioPharma Dive

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ReportLinker

The Global Viral Vectors Market size was estimated at USD 1,291. 23 million in 2021 and expected to reach USD 1,464. 47 million in 2022, and is projected to grow at a CAGR 13. 67% to reach USD 2,785.

New York, Oct. 14, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Viral Vectors Market Research Report by Type, Disease, Application, End User, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p06342341/?utm_source=GNW 63 million by 2027.

Market Statistics:The report provides market sizing and forecast across 7 major currencies - USD, EUR, JPY, GBP, AUD, CAD, and CHF. It helps organization leaders make better decisions when currency exchange data is readily available. In this report, the years 2018 and 2020 are considered as historical years, 2021 as the base year, 2022 as the estimated year, and years from 2023 to 2027 are considered as the forecast period.

Market Segmentation & Coverage:This research report categorizes the Viral Vectors to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:

Based on Type, the market was studied across Adeno-associated Viral Vectors, Adenoviral Vectors, and Retroviral Vectors.

Based on Disease, the market was studied across Cancers, Genetic Disorders, and Infectious Diseases.

Based on Application, the market was studied across Gene Therapy and Vaccinology.

Based on End User, the market was studied across Pharmaceutical & Biopharmaceutical Companies and Research Institutes.

Based on Region, the market was studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas is further studied across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The United States is further studied across California, Florida, Illinois, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas. The Asia-Pacific is further studied across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Europe, Middle East & Africa is further studied across Denmark, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.

Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, and the long-term effects are projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report delivers insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecasts, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.

Cumulative Impact of 2022 Russia Ukraine Conflict:We continuously monitor and update reports on political and economic uncertainty due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Negative impacts are significantly foreseen globally, especially across Eastern Europe, European Union, Eastern & Central Asia, and the United States. This contention has severely affected lives and livelihoods and represents far-reaching disruptions in trade dynamics. The potential effects of ongoing war and uncertainty in Eastern Europe are expected to have an adverse impact on the world economy, with especially long-term harsh effects on Russia.This report uncovers the impact of demand & supply, pricing variants, strategic uptake of vendors, and recommendations for Viral Vectors market considering the current update on the conflict and its global response.

Competitive Strategic Window:The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies to help the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. It describes the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth during a forecast period.

FPNV Positioning Matrix:The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Viral Vectors Market based on Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.

Market Share Analysis:The Market Share Analysis offers the analysis of vendors considering their contribution to the overall market. It provides the idea of its revenue generation into the overall market compared to other vendors in the space. It provides insights into how vendors are performing in terms of revenue generation and customer base compared to others. Knowing market share offers an idea of the size and competitiveness of the vendors for the base year. It reveals the market characteristics in terms of accumulation, fragmentation, dominance, and amalgamation traits.

Competitive Scenario:The Competitive Scenario provides an outlook analysis of the various business growth strategies adopted by the vendors. The news covered in this section deliver valuable thoughts at the different stage while keeping up-to-date with the business and engage stakeholders in the economic debate. The competitive scenario represents press releases or news of the companies categorized into Merger & Acquisition, Agreement, Collaboration, & Partnership, New Product Launch & Enhancement, Investment & Funding, and Award, Recognition, & Expansion. All the news collected help vendor to understand the gaps in the marketplace and competitors strength and weakness thereby, providing insights to enhance product and service.

Company Usability Profiles:The report profoundly explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Viral Vectors Market, including ABL Inc., Batavia Biosciences B.V., BioNTech IMFS GmbH, Biovian Oy, Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult, Cevec Pharmaceuticals GmbH, Creative Biogene, FinVector Vision Therapies, Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies, GeneOne Life Science, Inc., Genezen Laboratories, Lonza Group AG, Merck KGaA, Miltenyi Biotec GmbH, Novasep Inc., Sirion-Biotech GmbH, Spark Therapeutics Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Wuxi AppTec Co., Ltd..

The report provides insights on the following pointers:1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyze penetration across mature segments of the markets3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, certification, regulatory approvals, patent landscape, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and breakthrough product developments

The report answers questions such as:1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Viral Vectors Market?2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Viral Vectors Market during the forecast period?3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Viral Vectors Market?4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Viral Vectors Market?5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Viral Vectors Market?6. What is the market share of the leading vendors in the Global Viral Vectors Market?7. What modes and strategic moves are considered suitable for entering the Global Viral Vectors Market?Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p06342341/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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See the rest here:
Viral Vectors Market Research Report by Type, Disease, Application, End User, Region - Global Forecast to 2027 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19 - Yahoo...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Gene therapy is a medically-based practice that uses normalized genetics to replace genes which are either not present or abnormal for some individuals. Doctors would take the specific gene sequences that need adjustment, and then insert them into the cellular information of the patient in various ways. Most forms of gene therapy are still in the clinical research stage, but there have been stories of encouraging results.

Several inherited immune deficiencies are being treated successfully right now with gene therapy. When the blood stem cells are removed from patients, retroviruses then deliver working copies of the defective genes to the body.

For the gene therapy options which have been approved for use, there are many success stories to consider. Sebastian Misztal is one such story. He was a patient in a hemophilia gene therapy trial in 2011. After receiving the therapy, Misztal no longer experiences episodes of spontaneous bleeding.

Roughly 70% of the currently active gene therapy clinical trials are based in the United States. Europe approved their first treatment in this area in 2012. These are the pros and cons of this scientific approach to consider.

1. Gene therapy provides hope for those who may not have had any in the past.About 3% of American children are born with a genetic condition which requires gene therapy as a way to treat the issue. At this time, the diseases and disorders which are present in this population will take the life of the child before there is an opportunity to correct the condition. Birth defects are the leading cause of newborn death in the United States, with as many as 1 in 5 children suffering from them. Advances in gene therapy could help to correct these issues instead of forcing parents into a heartbreaking scenario.

2. Gene therapy could change the perspectives that people have about disease.Roughly 10% of all Americans are affected by a rare disease or condition on any given day. Approximately 33 million people are suffering from a disability that is directly attributed to their genetic profile. The promise of gene therapy is that it can reduce or eliminate the pain and discomfort that these abnormalities cause. 80% of the diseases that we know impact human health in negative ways have a genetic foundation. If we can replace the cells or chromosomes that are at-fault, then it becomes possible to offer relief.

3. Gene therapy could offer the potential of new discoveries.Our world is a better place when there is an emphasis on diversity. When we have effective gene therapy treatments that can save lives or prolong them, then we are adding strength to our existence. There will be more opportunities to research, new ideas that could lead to critical discoveries, and relationships that can lead to future generations that experience these benefits as well. There will always be a segment of society that looks at gene therapy as a way to play God. The reality of this medical treatment is that it can help people continue to live a life that they love.

4. Gene therapy could be used in different ways to improve life.Right now, the focus of gene therapy research is to provide solutions for people who are suffering from specific illnesses or diseases. When we begin to experience successes in this field, then the information we learn can apply to other treatment areas as well. Gene therapy could be useful in the treatment of infertility issues. The processes involved may help people struggling with vision or hearing issues. Even if the only thing that we can do with this science is to relieve chronic pain, that would be tremendously beneficial for the futures of many people.

5. Gene therapy does not just apply to human treatment options.When we discuss the pros and cons of gene therapy, it is essential to remember that the benefits we can experience as humans apply to other forms of life as well. The technologies we create from this research could help us to grow crops that adapt more effectively to changing climate conditions. We could use this information to correct the various genetic conditions that we know about in the animal kingdom. This data could help us to grow healthier foods, increase the shelf life of harvests, or produce more items in our overall yields.

6. Gene therapy allows us to use technology to improve the quality of life for people.Many of our medical discoveries rely on technological processes that we apply to natural items. Even some of the most critical advancements of our era, such as the development of a polio vaccine by Dr. Jonas Salk (and the work of many others) relied on the use of inactivated virus materials to create the first usable product. Gene therapy would become one of the first treatment options for doctors that was purely technological. That means our opportunity to develop new resources from it are virtually unlimited.

7. Gene therapy allows us to treat the untreatable diseases.Gene therapy is potential miracle worker when we start to look at its full potential for humanity. It offers us the opportunity to eliminate, and then prevent hereditary diseases like hemophilia and cystic fibrosis. The technologies behind this treatment option could provide us with a possible cure for heart disease. Potential medical options include cancer and AIDS cures. Even if there is a fair amount of risk involved when treating these health issues, there are a lot of patients who dont have much to lose. Gene therapy opens a door that we once thought was permanently locked.

1. Gene therapy does not have a reliable delivery method.Retrovirus delivery systems are the most common way for gene therapies to be delivered to patients. The problem with this option is that the enzyme used to encourage the transfer of genetic data can be eliminated by the immune system before it has the chance to work. There could be issues with cell division or replication that limit the effectiveness of the treatment.

When there is a noticeable change to the cell, the body might attack itself without the presence of an immunosuppressant. Until we can remove and replace genetic data with more reliability, the success stories for gene therapy will always be hit or miss.

2. Gene therapy is an expensive procedure.There are several gene therapy options which are available right now, but they come at a steep price. If you use Luxturna to treat both eyes as a way to treat blindness, then the final cost could be more than $1 million. Even the affordable options in this field start at $200,000 per treatment. Thats why many patients weight for clinical trials to begin, and then apply for a spot in one to receive the help they need. Most healthcare insurance plans will not cover the cost of these procedures because of their uncertainty.

3. Gene therapy requires ongoing treatment s to be effective.Many people have found that the benefits of their gene therapy treatments began to wear off as soon as they were no longer taking their medicine or visiting their doctor for treatments. It can be a lifelong course that someone must follow to reduce or eliminate the genetic issues that hold back their health. Unless you can keep taking the products which are often priced above $100,000 per treatment, then you will experience a reversal in your condition.

4. Gene therapy may not be able to adapt to a changing world.It has taken less than a century for prescription-grade antibiotics to no longer be as effective for the treatment of bacterial infections as it once was. Antibiotic resistance can impact anyone at any age, and in any country. Sometimes it occurs naturally, but the most common reason for this issue is that antibiotic misuse has led to a growing number of infections, including pneumonia, tuberculosis, and salmonellosis being more challenging to treat because the medicine is not as effective against the bacteria.

This issue could occur with gene therapies too. We have already seen people begin to have their progress reverse itself when they stop following their treatment plan. Over the next couple of generations, the body could start resisting this option too.

5. Gene therapy might only delay the inevitable.Jolee Mohr was lying in a Chicago hospital, her body swollen by internal bleeding and organ failure. The sight was so difficult that her husband decided not to bring their 5-year-old daughter into the room to say goodbye. Although there was no evidence to suggest a link, Jolee had taken an experimental treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. She was only 36 years old.

The National Institutes of Health approved the first human gene transfer study in 1989. Through 2006, there were 800 gene therapy studies that involved 5,000 patients. In those 17 years, the total number of approved therapies was zero. The only success story was a cure for the bubble boy disease that also caused leukemia thanks to the virus that delivered the treatment.

And Jolee wasnt the only story. A teenager named Jesse Gelsinger also died because of treatments offered inn a clinical research study. We must remember that there are sad stories to tell in addition to the happy ones when evaluating this treatment option.

6. Gene therapy will shift society toward new polarization.The United States is already highly polarized from a political perspective If gene therapies are approved for widespread use, then it may create another layer of separation from a medical perspective. Although most people can get behind the idea of creating a cure for cancer, birth defects, or chromosomal disorders, the processes used could also create designer genetics that promise a specific outcome. Should we pursue a scientific field that could help our children become smarter, faster, or better looking?

7. Gene therapy could change the way we think about competition.Although the discussion of designer babies often involves looks, the science behind gene therapy could also encourage specific traits to develop in children. Parents with wealth could work with their doctors to support a healthier muscle mass, faster fat burning capabilities, or an adaptive body frame that allows for greater flexibility in sports. People could design an outcome where results could follow a curve where outcomes could be planned for years in advance. This process would result in another layer of socioeconomic separation that would likely lead to even more polarization.

The pros and cons of gene therapy still require a lot of soul searching, even though we are 30 years and counting into this field of research. We are beginning to see some successes, but it has also come at the expense of some high-profile failures. Only time will tell if we can put this information to good use for the betterment of humanity. Until then, we must continue searching to find more solutions to the significant health issues our race faces each day.

See the article here:
14 Advantages and Disadvantages of Gene Therapy - ConnectUS

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Many people whove recently received a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes (T1D) immediately think, When will there be a cure?

While the potential for a cure has been dangling in front of people with T1D for what seems like forever, more researchers currently believe that gene therapy could finally one day soon, even be the so-called cure thats been so elusive.

This article will explain what gene therapy is, how its similar to gene editing, and how gene therapy could potentially be the cure for T1D, helping millions of people around the world.

Gene therapy is a medical field of study that focuses on the genetic modification of human cells to treat or sometimes even cure a particular disease. This happens by reconstructing or repairing defective or damaged genetic material in your body.

This advanced technology is only in the early research phases of clinical trials for treating diabetes in the United States. Yet, it has the potential to treat and cure a wide range of other conditions beyond just T1D, including AIDS, cancer, cystic fibrosis (a disorder that damages your lungs, digestive tract, and other organs), heart disease, and hemophilia (a disorder in which your blood has trouble clotting).

For T1D, gene therapy could look like the reprogramming of alternative cells, making those reprogrammed cells perform the functions your original insulin-producing beta cells would otherwise perform. If you have with diabetes, that includes producing insulin.

But the reprogrammed cells would be different enough from beta cells so that your own immune system wouldnt recognize them as new cells and attack them, which is what happens in the development of T1D.

While gene therapy is still in its infancy and available only in clinical trials, the evidence so far is becoming clearer about the potential benefits of this treatment.

In a 2018 study, researchers engineered alpha cells to function just like beta cells. They created an adeno-associated viral (AAV) vector to deliver two proteins, pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 and MAF basic leucine zipper transcription factor A, to a mouses pancreas. These two proteins help with beta cell proliferation, maturation, and function.

Alpha cells are the ideal type of cell to transform into beta-like cells because not only are they also located within the pancreas, but theyre abundant in your body and similar enough to beta cells that the transformation is possible. Beta cells produce insulin to lower your blood sugar levels while alpha cells produce glucagon, which increases your blood sugar levels.

In the study, mouse blood sugar levels were normal for 4 months with gene therapy, all without immunosuppressant drugs, which inhibit or prevent the activity of your immune system. The newly created alpha cells, performing just like beta cells, were resistant to the bodys immune attacks.

But the normal glucose levels observed in the mice werent permanent. This could potentially translate into several years of normal glucose levels in humans rather than a longtime cure.

In this Wisconsin study from 2013 (updated as of 2017), researchers found that when a small sequence of DNA was injected into the veins of rats with diabetes, it created insulin-producing cells that normalized blood glucose levels for up to 6 weeks. That was all from a single injection.

This is a landmark clinical trial, as it was the first research study to validate a DNA-based insulin gene therapy that could potentially one day treat T1D in humans.

This was how the study worked:

The researchers are now working on increasing the time interval between therapy DNA injections from 6 weeks to 6 months to provide more relief for people with T1D in the future.

While this is all very exciting, more research is needed to determine how practical the therapy is for people. Eventually, the hope is that the AAV vectors could eventually be delivered to the pancreas through a nonsurgical, endoscopic procedure, in which a doctor uses a medical device with a light attached to look inside your body.

These kinds of gene therapy wouldnt be a one-and-done cure. But it would provide a lot of relief to people with diabetes to perhaps enjoy several years of nondiabetes glucose numbers without taking insulin.

If subsequent trials in other nonhuman primates are successful, human trials may soon begin for the T1D treatment.

Does that count as a cure?

It all depends on who you ask because the definition of a cure for T1D varies.

Some people believe that a cure is a one-and-done endeavor. They see a cure as meaning youd never have to think about taking insulin, checking blood sugars, or the highs and lows of diabetes ever again. This even means you wouldnt have to ever go back to a hospital for a gene therapy follow-up treatment.

Other people think that a once-in-a-few-years treatment of gene editing may be enough of a therapy plan to count as a cure.

Many others believe that you need to fix the underlying autoimmune response to truly be cured, and some people dont really care one way or another, as long as their blood sugars are normal, and the mental tax of diabetes is relieved.

One potential one-and-done therapy could be gene editing, which is slightly different from gene therapy.

The idea behind gene editing is to reprogram your bodys DNA, and if you have type 1 diabetes, the idea is to get at the underlying cause of the autoimmune attack that destroyed your beta cells and caused T1D to begin with.

Two well-known companies, CRISPR Therapeutics and regenerative med-tech company ViaCyte, have been collaborating for a few years to use gene editing to create islet cells, encapsulate them, and then implant them into your body. These protected, transplanted islet cells would be safe from an immune system attack, which would otherwise be the typical response if you have T1D.

The focus of gene editing is to simply cut out the bad parts of our DNA in order to avoid conditions such as diabetes altogether and to stop the continuous immune response (beta cell attack) that people who already have diabetes experience daily (without their conscious awareness).

The gene editing done by CRISPR in their partnership with ViaCyte is creating insulin-producing islet cells that can evade an autoimmune response. These technology and research are ever evolving and hold a lot of promise.

Additionally, a 2017 study shows that a T1Dcure may one day be possible by using gene-editing technology.

Both gene therapy and gene editing hold a lot of promise for people living with T1D who are hoping for an eventual future without needing to take insulin or immunosuppressant therapy.

Gene therapy research continues, looking at how certain cells in the body could be reprogrammed to start making insulin and not experience an immune system response, such as those who develop T1D.

While gene therapy and gene-editing therapy are still in their early stages (and much has been held up by the coronavirus disease 19 [COVID-19] pandemic), theres a lot of hope for a T1D cure in our near future.

See the original post:
Gene therapy: The Potential for Treating Type 1 Diabetes - Healthline

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Two years ago, a mother received a phone call with a devastating diagnosis. That mother shares her son's experience with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare genetic disease, and how early diagnosis and treatment transformed his life.

BANNOCKBURN, Ill., Oct.12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --

BACKGROUND:

Hannah Weaver did not think much about her son Payne's newborn screening test until she received a phone call five days after bringing him home from the hospital. The results showed Payne tested positive for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a rare, progressive neuromuscular disease and a leading genetic cause of infant death when left untreated that affects one in every 11,000 babies born in the U.S.1,2 SMA causes irreversible loss of motor neurons, which can rob infants of their ability to walk, swallow and even breathe.1,2 If left untreated in its most severe forms, 90% of children require permanent feeding and breathing support or pass away by their second birthday.3,4 SMA can progress quickly, making early diagnosis and treatment crucial.

Experience the full interactive Multichannel News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/9064751-novartis-spinal-muscular-atrophy-health-alert/

Knowing it was imperative to act fast, the Weaver family worked quickly to schedule appointments with specialists to discuss treatment options. Payne's care team went over the available treatment options for SMA, discussing the route of administration and available efficacy and safety data of each. Together, they decided to treat Payne when he was just a few weeks old with a gene therapy called ZOLGENSMA (onasemnogene abeparvovec-xioi), the only SMA treatment designed to directly address the genetic root cause of the disease by replacing the function of the missing or non-working SMN1 gene with a single, one-time dose.

Zolgensma has a boxed warning for acute serious liver injury and acute liver failure. In clinical trials, the most common side effects were elevated liver enzymes and vomiting. Please keep reading for additional important safety information and please see accompanying Full Prescribing Information.

Payne's parents are now able to plan for his future something that would not be possible without early intervention and treatment. They look forward to what he will accomplish next and celebrate every milestone along the way. On the heels of SMA Awareness Month, we kick off Newborn Screening Awareness Month this September, and Hannah is advocating for parents and physicians to recognize the early signs of SMA to avoid a delayed diagnosis.

Dr. Sandra Reyna (Vice President of Global Medical Affairs at Novartis Gene Therapies) and Hannah Weaver (SMA parent advocate) shared information on the signs of SMA, the importance of an early diagnosis, and how Zolgensma has the potential to transform the lives of babies born with this disease.

Results and outcomes vary among children based on several factors, including how far their SMA symptoms progressed prior to receiving treatment.

Please continue reading for Indication and Important Safety Information, and please see accompanying Full Prescribing Information including Boxed Warning.

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

Interview opportunities are courtesy of Novartis Gene Therapies.

About Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a rare, genetic neuromuscular disease and a leading genetic cause of infant death.3,5Caused by the lack of a functional SMN1 gene, the most severe forms of SMA result in the rapid and irreversible loss of motor neurons, affecting muscle functions including breathing, swallowing and basic movement.1Severity varies across a spectrum of types corresponding to the number of copies of the back-up SMN2 gene.6The majority of patients with two copies of SMN2 develop Type 1, the most common form accounting for 60 percent of cases.4,7,8Type 1 is severe and, left untreated, leads to death or the need for permanent ventilation by the age of two in more than 90 percent of cases.3,5Most patients with three copies of SMN2 develop Type 2, accounting for about 30 percent of cases.4,8 Loss of motor neurons cannot be reversed, so it is imperative to diagnose SMA and begin treatment, including proactive supportive care, as early as possible to halt irreversible motor neuron loss and disease progression.9,10

IndicationandImportant Safety InformationforZOLGENSMA(onasemnogeneabeparvovec-xioi)

Whatis ZOLGENSMA?

ZOLGENSMA is a prescription gene therapy used to treat children less than 2 years old with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). ZOLGENSMA is given as a one-time infusion into a vein. ZOLGENSMA was not evaluated in patients with advanced SMA.

WhatisthemostimportantinformationIshouldknowaboutZOLGENSMA?

Whatshould Iwatchforbeforeandafterinfusion withZOLGENSMA?

WhatdoIneedtoknowaboutvaccinationsandZOLGENSMA?

DoIneedtotakeprecautionswiththepatient'sbodilywaste?

Temporarily, small amounts of ZOLGENSMA may be found in the patient's stool. Use good hand hygiene when coming into direct contact with bodily waste for 1 month after infusion with ZOLGENSMA. Disposable diapers should be sealed in disposable trash bags and thrown out with regular trash.

Whatarethepossible orlikelysideeffectsof ZOLGENSMA?

The most common side effects that occurred in patients treated with ZOLGENSMA were elevated liverenzymesandvomiting.

The safety information provided here is not comprehensive. Talk to the patient's doctor about anysideeffects thatbotherthepatientorthatdon'tgoaway.

You are encouraged to report suspected side effects by contacting the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 orwww.fda.gov/medwatch,orNovartis GeneTherapiesat833-828-3947.

Please see the Full Prescribing Information.

2022 Novartis Gene Therapies, Inc.

US-ZOL-22-0136

References

MEDIA CONTACT: Katie Lesch, [emailprotected]

SOURCE Novartis Gene Therapies

Originally posted here:
Health Alert for Parents: How one boy is thriving following treatment with a gene therapy after receiving an early diagnosis - PR Newswire

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Its October and for the past few years thats meant masks and wait on your vaccine shot. Its also meant hesitancy, political division and limitation on what you can and cannot do with your day. This October seems to be different. Theres been no mask mandate, nor have there been any closures, and thats mostly to do with the gradual weakening of the variants of the COVID-19 virus. But that doesnt mean were through the woods and out the other side. The variant strains may be weaker, but there are still dangers attached. Its good for us that there are medical tech and biotechnology companies out there in the space looking for cures and treatments better than those presently on the market.

Thats also not to disregard the host of other health related issues we face as a society every winter.

Here are five biotechnology and medical tech companies pooling their resources to make our lives easier.

Novavax (NASDAQ:NVAX) presented data from its phase 3 PREVENT-19 trial and study 307 at the World Vaccine congress Europe 2022.

The data from adults and adolescents aged 12 to 17 showed the companys prototype COVID-19 vaccine (NVX-COV2373) met its immunologic endpoint. Also, study 307 met its objective, showing that three lots of the vaccine tested as a successful booster for immune responses in previously vaccinated adults.

These data further demonstrate the consistent immunogenicity and safety profile of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine as a booster, regardless of previous vaccine history. These data are an early indication that our vaccine may be effective against variants such as Omicron. We have ongoing trials further exploring the Novavax COVID-19 vaccines potential as an effective booster against these variants, including BA.4/5, and look forward to sharing these data, said Gregory M. Glenn, M.D., president of research and development for Novavax.

Novavax wants the world to be a healthier place and its working towards that end. It does this through the discovery, development and commercialization of vaccines for serious infectious diseases. The company uses a recombinant technology platform to produce drugs that boost the immune system in response to global health needs.

The Novavax COVID-19 vaccine is a protein-based vaccine engineered from the genes of the first SARS-CoV-2 strain. The company put the vaccine together using its recombinant nanoparticle technology to generate antigen from the original coronavirus spike protein. The company reformulates the antigen to enhance the immune response and help with developing high levels of neutralizing antibodies.

Multiple regulatory bodies across the world, including the FDA, the WHO and the European Commission, have given the sign off on the companys COVID-19 vaccine. Its presently under review by more.

Also, Novavax is working on a COVID-19-Influenza combination vaccine. Its presently in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial.

The PREVENT-19 trial involved an adult receiving a booster dose approximately eight or 11 months after the primary dose. The anti-spike immunoglobulin G, which is a type of antibody, levels increased relative to pre-boost levels.

They rose significantly, with neutralizing antibodies increasing by 34 to 27 fold compared to pre-boost levels when boosted at eight or 11 months.

The booster evaluations were the same in the version of the PREVENT-19 expansion given to adolescents between 12 and 17. The tests showed a significant antibody boost against Omicron BA.1, BA.2, and BA.5.

The Vitamin Shoppe, a subsidiary of Franchise Group (NASDAQ:FRG), is offering a free protein bar or healthy snack to anyone who can prove they have gotten their flu vaccine.

The name of the campaign is Snax for Vax and it supports healthy communities during the flu season. It isnt quite as catchy as vax and scratch or shot and a beer, which were a free scratch lotto card or a free beer for getting the COVID-19 vaccine, but if it gets people out, then its probably doing its job.

The Vitamin Shoppe is dedicated to the lifelong wellness of our customers and the communities we serve. Public health experts have advised that the current flu season may be severe, so we want to encourage Americans to engage in healthy habits, such as getting an annual flu vaccine and supporting their immune systems with a healthy diet, regular exercise, and proper sleep routines. Our Health Enthusiast store teams look forward to our Snax for Vax weekend and giving away some of our most popular, protein-packed snacks as a tasty and healthy reward for supporting your wellness with a flu vaccine, said Sharon Leite, CEO of The Vitamin Shoppe.

The Vitamin Shoppe is a omnichannel specialty retailer and wellness lifestyle company. Its based in Secaucus, New Jersey, and offers an assortment of nutritional offerings, including vitamins and minerals, supplements and herbs, sports nutrition and homeopathy remedies. It also carries products from approximately 700 national brands. It also has its own brands, including The Vitamin Shoppe, Vthrive The Vitamin Shoppe, BodyTech, BodyTech Elite, fitfactor, fitfactor KETO, plnt, ProBioCare, True Athlete, and TrueYou.

The campaign kicks off on October 22-23 wherein anyone who gets a recent flu vaccine complete with proof from a doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare provider, can pick a protein bar or snack from any of the 700 The Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements stores in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. No purchase required.

Some of the options include:

Read more: The Mugglehead technology roundup: alternative medicine options edition

Read more: Transforming System licenses platforms for greater operational efficiency: NHS

Excellence Canada awarded Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) (NYSE:BNS) with the Gold Standard Award for its role in creating a psychologically safe environment.

Depression causes an estimated 200 million lost workdays, and costs $17 billion to $44 billion to employers, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). Half of employees suffering from depression go untreated. The disease effects the absentee rate, causes loss of productivity, and effects the overall climate in the workplace. Thats why this is important.

World Mental Health Day provides an opportunity for us to listen and reflect on the importance of the mental health and well being for all of our employees. The recognition from Excellence Canada is a proud moment for us as an employer, recognizing the culture we strive to create for employees, said Barb Mason, group head and chief human resources officer for Scotiabank. By supporting and empowering employees to take care of their mental health and wellbeing, and speak up about how theyre feeling, were creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.

Scotiabank has made a number of different contributions to maintaining sustained mental health, including:

Bioproduction tool and service provider for cell and gene therapy (CGT), BioLife solutions (NASDAQ:BLFS), and temperature control shipping solution provider Csafe inked a partnership to provide a global service net in support of CGT products.

The overall goal of the partnership is to increase reliability, enhance security and improve quality. Csafe is joining BioLifes global network of cold chain solution providers in the CGT market. The numbers bear out to 10,000-12,000 shipments of CGT materials and manufactured doses over a year. Specifically, the new partnership provides expanded supply chain options for any CGT product at any stage of development.

CSafe is honored to partner with the team at BioLife Solutions, whose range of CGT bioproduction tools and services is peerless in the market. We are excited to merge these exceptional tools and services with our expertise in global, reliable scaled delivery. CGT is hitting its stride and needs global support. We know how important these therapies are to patients everywhere, and its our mission at CSafe to protect every shipment, said Patrick Schafer, CSafe CEO.

BioLife Solutions is a supplier of bioproduction tools and services for CGT and other biopharma markets. Its tools include the CryoStor and HypoThermosol biopresevation media for shipping and storage. Additionally, the ThawSTAR family of automated, water-free thawing products, and the evo cold chain management system.

In contrast, Csafe offers thermal shipping solutions for pharma cold chain shipping needs. Csafe deliveries use active and passive bulk air cargo, parcel, cell and gene and specialty last-minute use cases that can meet the complete range of pharma cold-chain shipping requirements with quality and reliability.

Additionally, Csafe operates from over fifty service centers worldwide. The company has built a reputation as a proven partner for biopharmaceutical manufacturers looking to simplify supply chain woes. This includes a track record for finding shipping solutions for six billion doses of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Were excited to work with a global partner with a strong history of reliability and performance and a deep dedication to innovative therapies, said BioLife Solutions CEO Mike Rice. We have the best LN2 technology and cGMP storage facilities in the market, in addition to our other world-class CGT solutions, and we are confident our collaboration with CSafe will extend our reach and result in even more reliability and real-time service for CGT partners.

The cold chain CGT market was worth USD$1.3 billion in 2021. The market is anticipated to reach USD$2.8 billion at a compound annual growth rate of 14.29 per cent until 2027.

IceCure Medical (NASDAQ:ICCM) is a company with a curious bit of technology. It uses something called cryoablation technology, which it has called the ProSense System. It destroys tumours by freezing as an alternative to surgical removal.

IceCure announced that its ProSense cryoprobes and introducers have received regulatory approval from Agncia Nacional de Vigilncia Sanitria (ANVISA), the Brazilian health regulatory agency, to operate in said country. The company originally submitted the application in June 2022 through KTRFIOS IMPORTACAO E EXPORTACAO LTDA, IceCures distributor in Brazil

We are very pleased to achieve this first step in the path to receiving full regulatory approval in Brazil. Working with KTRFIOS has been highly productive, and we anticipate strong demand in Brazil upon the additional pending approval of the ProSense Cryoablation System,said Eyal Shamir, IceCures CEO.

The ProSense cryoprobes and introducers are disposal Class II devices as per ANVISA. Doctors insert cryoprobes into the body to freeze tumours, after which, introducers go to work on the tumour tissue. However, the system is considered a Class III medical device and the application is presently waiting for approval.

IceCures distribution agreement with its Brazilian partner includes the guarantee of at least USD$6.6 million sales in five years.

Previously, the company sought regulatory approval to operate in Vietnam. It submitted a filing for its ProSense System and accessories with the Department of Medical Equipment and Construction (DMEC) of Vietnams Ministry of Health.

The application included benign and malignant tumours in the breasts, lungs, liver, kidneys, and musculoskeletal tumours.

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Commentary

I am being somewhat ironic. But really, not that ironic.

How many people in the land of the free lost their ability to care for their families for refusing to go along with the COVID-19 jab mandates?

For saying no to injecting themselves with an experimental gene therapy vaccine, even thoughmost of them were not at severe risk from the virus?

When Pfizer executive Janine Small admitted to the European Parliament on Oct. 10 that the vaccine had never been tested to stop the viruss transmission, many may have subsequently felt vindicated.

Conservative Member of the European Parliament from the Netherlands Rob Roos asked Small point-blank whether the claim that we were all fed from day one of the vaccines release had any grounding in fact.

Those who refused the shot on principle endured the vitriolic attack by their government and peers. They were labeled as antisocial and denied access to society in many cases.

Roos may have made his statement in Brussels, but it also resonated with those of us in the United States and Canada. The latter endured particularly draconian lockdown orders and vaccination requirements.

When Dr. Anthony Fauci told us that the vaccine turns you into a dead end for the virus, we were told to trust the science. Now, Small tells us that the speed of science was moving too fast to be able to test that claim.

In other words, she reaffirmed what many of us already knewmuch of the COVID fiasco has been unrelated to any actual science but rather a pretext for the government to increase its power.

Conform, or else become an untouchable. That was their goal all along. Divide and conquer. Remember when nearly 50 percent of Democratic voters said they would potentially be okay with forcibly interning the unvaccinated in isolated locationsyou know, as in camps? Forty-eight percent wanted the government to fine or imprison anyone who merely questioned the efficacy of vaccines.

Its not just livelihoods. How many families were torn apart by the governments nonsensical tyranny? Many of us had holidays canceled, gatherings unattended, and relatives who just outright stopped talking to us because we werent vaccinated.

They bought into the narrative that was pushed on us from every direction. No vaccine, no life.

What about going to nursing homes or hospitals to see our loved ones in their most vulnerable moments when they most needed the warmth and comfort of friends and family gathered around? Even when we said, Fine, Ill get tested if I need to. Nope. Not good enough.

Were there vaccine requirements in place when George Floyd died, and the entire country was allowed to go on an anti-racist blood-letting, parading in the streets and burning down cities?

No? Oh, right, that was when over 1,000 medical health professionals signed a letter saying that the protests were more important than any worries related to COVID.

What about when all those young professionals celebrated in front of the White House gates when Joe Biden was declared the winner of the presidential race, attacking an effigy of then-President Donald Trump?

Well, of course, you cant let COVID get in the way of thatTrump posed the greatest threat to this country since the Cuban Missile Crisis. Remember all those mean tweets!

This is nothing new to most of us here. Anyone who could see beyond the faade of the established science knew that the media and government, as well as the medical and pharmaceutical industries, were propagating falsehoods and exaggerations to cow us into going along with their agenda.

The COVID response is a social trauma that will likely take at least a generation to recover from. As we learn morenot only about the vaccines ineffectiveness in stopping the virus, but the potentially harmful side-effects accompanying itthe wound will only grow deeper.

This all says nothing of the largely pointless lockdowns, the repercussions of which have yet to be fully understood. Skyrocketing drug use and overdose, stunted mental development for children and impaired learning, increased depression, and missed doctor appointments. All of these considerations were buried under the government demand to trust the science.

Still, many of these considerations were out of our control. Whether or not we got the vaccine was one of the few areas where we had an actual choice. In the United States, at least, they still did everything they could to make that choice as difficult as possible.

Sure, youre free not to get the vaccinebut youre a bad person, and we will do everything in our power to ostracize you from society.

So hearing Small (the Pfizer executive) plainly state that they had no scientifically tested basis for claiming that the virus stopped transmission might seem like a victory.

But its only a moral victory.

Im not kidding when I say that I believe reparations are justified. Maybe not in a cash hand-out, but an easy place to start would be the various businesses that were forced to fire employees offering to hire back the unvaccinated with back pay for the income lost. The government should support this.

Then again, those employees might not want to be rehired by the employers who betrayed them. The government should still pay the difference in lost income for those who lost their jobs.

Washington can send endless billions to Ukraine because of democracy. So why not take care of the citizens in our own country? You know, the citizens that it turned its back on.

That is likely too much to expect, at least from this administration. We all know that. Most of the individuals who refused the jab on principle probably dont want Washingtons money anyways. Thats fine.

But there is one other thing that the people of this country undoubtedly deserveeven more than reparations. It is something that they will almost definitely never get.

How about an apology?

Views expressed in this article are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.

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Dominick Sansone is a PhD student at the Hillsdale College Van Andel Graduate School of Statesmanship. He is a regular contributor to The Epoch Times, and has additionally been published at The American Conservative, The Federalist, and the Washington Examiner.

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The Unvaccinated Deserve Reparations - The Epoch Times

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Jeanne Smith of Ferndale, Michigan, was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common form of breast cancer, in May 2014 at the age of 44.

The cancer was caught very early, and after a lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation, I was on my way, she says.

For the next three years, Smith had follow-up appointments every six months to ensure she remained cancer-free. By February 2017, she was cleared to drop down to yearly follow-ups. But in July 2017, while swimming in her sisters pool, Smith noticed a small purple bruise on her right breast, the same side where she had cancer.

She figured she had bumped it when she jumped onto a pool float. A month later, however, at her annual gynecology appointment, the bruise was still there, so she pointed it out to her doctor. He said bruises were not uncommon on previously radiated breasts but that if it was still there in two weeks to call him.

Two weeks later, the bruise seemed to be growing, which was odd. Bruises shouldnt grow. It was also odd that the bruise was painless, Smith says.

Her gynecologist referred her back to her breast specialist, but the breast specialist commented that shed never seen anything like that and referred her back to her radiation oncologist. Smith wasnt able to see the oncologist right away, so the nurse took a picture of the bruise and sent it to the doctor.

That night, my radiation oncologist called me and said, I need to get you in here. I think you have angiosarcoma, she recalls.

Smith had secondary breast angiosarcoma, also called radiation-induced breast angiosarcoma. This type of cancer develops in people who have previously been treated for breast cancer. Most often, it happens in women who have had radiation to the breast. But it can also arise in women whove had long-term lymphedema (swelling) in the breast or arm.

Breast angiosarcoma starts in the blood or lymphatic vessels of the breast, and the first signs can appear on the skin of the breast or the arms. It can grow and sometimes spread quickly to other parts of the body.

Smith didnt know what angiosarcoma was, and its no wonder. Its extremely rare. Far fewer than 1% 0.05% to 0.3% of breast cancer survivors who have breast-conserving surgery followed by radiation later develop secondary breast angiosarcoma, according to study findings published in the journal Clinical Sarcoma Research in 2017.

Smith didnt recall learning about the risk for secondary cancers before she started radiation, but even if she had, it wouldnt have changed her care.

The benefits of radiation far outweigh the risk of ever getting angiosarcoma, she says.

Angelia Carpenter of New London, Missouri, developed angiosarcoma of the breast five years after completing treatment for breast cancer, which included a lumpectomy, chemotherapy and radiation. Only then did she go back and look at some of the patient information she received prior to starting radiation.

At the bottom of the page, it says that less than 1% of patients that receive radiation may have some of these other problems, Carpenter recalls.

When doctors dont go into great detail about the extremely low risk of angiosarcoma after breast radiation, its not necessarily an oversight. They may underemphasize this risk by design. Like any medical decision, the benefits must be weighed against the risks and in most situations, the reduction in the risk of recurrence or death due to breast cancer by far outweighs the risk of developing or dying of angiosarcoma. However, this points out the need to provide these numbers as best estimates of the patients specific situation.

We can educate as long as we dont alarm people, says Dr. David Euhus, a breast surgeon and professor of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine in Baltimore. Angiosarcoma is a terrible thing, but if anyone ever decided not to have radiation because they didnt want to get angiosarcoma, then we would have done them a huge disservice.

When women do learn about this risk, they typically hear about it from their radiation oncologist before undergoing treatment.

At our institution and I would imagine at other tertiary care centers patients are informed of the risk of developing a secondary angiosarcoma post-radiation, typically showing up six to 10 years after theyve had radiation, but we emphasize that the risk is less than 1%, explains Dr. Yara Abdou, a breast medical oncologist at UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Because secondary breast angiosarcoma is so rare, its a challenge to study large groups of women who have had this cancer and identify any potential risk factors they may have in common. As a result, there is limited research in this area.

The typical patient who will get this is someone whos had breast-conserving therapy, which includes lumpectomy followed by radiation, for their generally early-stage breast cancer. Many years after thats completed, a small subset of these people will develop secondary angiosarcoma, advises Dr. Michael Wagner, a medical oncologist who treats sarcomas at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle and assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine.

Besides radiation exposure, chronic lymphedema after breast cancer treatment is also a risk factor. Outside these known risks, there isnt a consensus on other risk factors.

A study published in the Annals of Surgical Oncology in 2021 of nearly 600 women who had secondary breast angiosarcoma found that the following factors may also put patients at higher risk:

White race.

Older age.

Having had an invasive tumor.

Lymph node removal (a cause of lymphedema).

Having had a lumpectomy.

Having had a tumor in the left breast.

Identifying the risk factors for this late complication is one of the main challenges, notes Dr. Suzanne George, a medical oncologist and director of clinical research at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Sarcoma Center and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston. What puts someone at risk, and is there anything we can do to modify those risk factors early on? Thats a super important question.

Although risk for this secondary cancer is extremely low, its important to know the signs to catch it early, especially because angiosarcoma of the breast can spread quickly.

As with many cancers, management when its (diagnosed) early likely improves longer-term outcomes, George says.

The most common signs of secondary breast angiosarcoma are:

Swelling in the breast or arm.

A painful lump in the breast.

A discoloration on the skin of the breast or arm that looks like a bruise or rash.

Women can get bruises on their breasts, Euhus mentions. Thats far more common than angiosarcoma. But a bruise should start to fade in a couple of days. A bruise thats not fading needs a skin punch biopsy a two-minute procedure in the office.

Women can also develop other types of radiation-related discolorations on their breasts that arent cancerous.

They can get little vascular lesions, but theyre not growing, which can be confused with angiosarcoma, Wagner notes. Or an angiosarcoma can be confused with just an abnormal growth of blood vessels. Thats why its very important that a pathologist trained and experienced in sarcoma review the biopsy sample.

A skin biopsy is the key tool in diagnosis of secondary breast angiosarcoma and is ideally done in the context of an evaluation by a dermatologist. Diagnosis might also involve a mammogram, breast MRI, PET scan or ultrasound.

Another challenge of extremely rare cancers is identifying the most effective treatment. Theres no standard, go-to treatment for secondary breast angiosarcoma, so doctor recommendations may vary by hospital.

Since its a very rare tumor, theres a limited number of published studies, so treatment guidelines are based on expert opinion rather than published data, Abdou mentions. We usually extrapolate data or experience from other soft tissue sarcomas.

Surgery, however, is the key component of treatment. Surgical options include complete mastectomy of the radiated breast or removal of only the affected, discolored area, much like removal of a cancerous mole.

We think of it as a malignancy of the skin, George advises. It can extend deeper into the breast tissue itself, but we think of it as originating in the skin.

Research has begun to show that the more radical surgery option gets far better results. A 2017 study in Annals of Surgery looked at the percentage of women who had not died from breast angiosarcoma (that is, disease-specific survival) within five years of either radical or conservative surgery. The five-year disease-specific survival rate among women whod had the most aggressive surgery was 86% compared with 46% of women whod had the more conservative surgery.

Surgery is the mainstay of treatment for secondary breast angiosarcoma. Whether doctors recommend additional adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation treatments varies from one health care facility to the next. When they do recommend it, doctors tend to use a taxane-based chemotherapy regimen. But it may not be beneficial for everyone.

The vast majority (of patients) are not terribly chemotherapy sensitive, but there is a small subset of patients who are exquisitely sensitive to Taxol (paclitaxel), the common chemotherapy drug we use in the breasts, Euhus notes.

In some cases, though it may seem counterintuitive, people get radiation for this type of cancer, too.

Its the tissue damage and inflammation (from previous radiation) thats causing the breast angiosarcoma in the first place, but the radiation therapy post surgery is cleaning up whatever cancer cells may be left in the breast, Abdou says.

Smith had surgery to remove the radiated breast and chemotherapy to treat the breast angiosarcoma. She has been cancer-free since she completed treatment in 2018.

Carpenter had surgery in 2016, and nine months later, that familiar purple bruise reappeared near her mastectomy scar.

Recurrence rates for this type of cancer are high around 50% according to some estimates. Carpenter, now 62, has learned to live with that risk.

Some tell me my risk for another recurrence goes down as I get older, but others say its not if but when, she notes. Ive learned I also have to live my life. Im just diligent about it. If anything comes up around my scar, we watch it.

After her recurrence, Carpenter had another surgery, which she describes as having left a hole in her chest, to remove as much tissue as possible from the radiated side of her chest and additional tissue from under her arm. After surgery, she underwent chemotherapy.

When we get a localized recurrence, if its possible to do another surgery, we would treat it in the same way with surgery and chemotherapy, Wagner advises. If a repeat surgery isnt possible, we would use systemic medicines, such as chemotherapy or targeted drugs.

Recurrences can be harder to get under control than first occurrences. Research is underway to identify other medications that may be more effective than the current options. The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology has an ongoing trial examining the efficacy of immunotherapy in the treatment of angiosarcomas.

Trial participants who have never been treated with taxane-based chemotherapy will receive Taxol with or without Opdivo (nivolumab). Those who have already had taxane will receive Opdivo and Cabometyx (cabozantinib).

Opdivo, already in use in numerous metastatic cancers, is whats known as a checkpoint inhibitor, the most common class of immunotherapy used in cancer. It blocks proteins on the surface of cancer cells that protect them from an immune system attack. Cabometyx, also used in the treatment of several other metastatic cancers, is whats known as a kinase inhibitor and targets certain gene mutations in cancer cells that help the cancer grow and spread.

Novel approaches to immunotherapy, targeted therapy and combinations with standard chemotherapy are all areas of current research interest, George says. This disease can be very challenging when it recurs, so we need to continue to work toward improving systemic therapies through ongoing international trials and collaboration across the community of patients and physicians. Thats whats going to help us improve outcomes.

For more news on cancer updates, research and education, dont forget tosubscribe to CUREs newsletters here.

To learn more about Angelia Carpenter's experience with secondary angiosarcoma after undergoing breast cancer treatment and what it was like to be left with a hole in her chest, listen to this episode of the "Cancer Horizons" podcast.

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New Approaches Have Emerged that May Better Treat Secondary Breast Cancer Years After an Initial Diagnosis - Curetoday.com

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Diagnosis

Many infertile couples have more than one cause of infertility, so it's likely you will both need to see a doctor. It might take a number of tests to determine the cause of infertility. In some cases, a cause is never identified.

Infertility tests can be expensive and might not be covered by insurance find out what your medical plan covers ahead of time.

Diagnosing male infertility problems usually involves:

Your semen is then sent to a laboratory to measure the number of sperm present and look for any abnormalities in the shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of the sperm. The lab will also check your semen for signs of problems such as infections.

Often sperm counts fluctuate significantly from one specimen to the next. In most cases, several semen analysis tests are done over a period of time to ensure accurate results. If your sperm analysis is normal, your doctor will likely recommend thorough testing of your female partner before conducting any more male infertility tests.

Your doctor might recommend additional tests to help identify the cause of your infertility. These can include:

Often, an exact cause of infertility can't be found. Even if an exact cause isn't clear, your doctor might be able to recommend treatments or procedures that will lead to conception.

In cases of infertility, it's recommended that the female partner also be checked. There may be specific treatments recommended for your partner. Or, you may learn that proceeding with assisted reproductive techniques is appropriate in your situation.

Treatments for male infertility include:

In rare cases, male fertility problems can't be treated, and it's impossible for a man to father a child. Your doctor might suggest that you and your partner consider using sperm from a donor or adopting a child.

Our caring team of Mayo Clinic experts can help you with your health concerns. Visit Mayo Clinic Men's Health to get started.

There are a few steps you can take at home to increase your chances of achieving pregnancy:

Evidence is limited on whether or how much herbs or supplements might help increase male fertility. None of these supplements treats a specific underlying cause of infertility, such as a sperm duct defect or chromosomal disorder.

Supplements with studies showing possible benefits for improving sperm count or quality include:

Talk with your doctor before taking dietary supplements for male infertility. There is no clear evidence that they work, and some supplements may cause side effects or interact adversely with medications you take.

Coping with infertility can be difficult. It's an issue of the unknown you can't predict how long it will last or what the outcome will be. Infertility isn't necessarily solved with hard work. The emotional burden on a couple is considerable, and plans for coping can help.

If you have never been evaluated by a doctor, you might begin by seeing your family doctor. If, however, you have a known condition resulting in infertility or have any abnormalities on your testing by your primary care doctor, then you may be referred to a specialist.

Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.

Examples of questions to ask include:

Don't hesitate to ask additional questions at any time during your appointment.

Be ready to answer questions your doctor is likely to ask, including:

Our caring team of Mayo Clinic experts can help you with your health concerns. Visit Mayo Clinic Men's Health to get started.

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Male infertility - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic

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iStockPhoto

Sexual male enhancement, as the euphemism goes, is big business. Last year, Viagra, the pharmaceutical market leader, raked in about $2 billion.

That success has spawned a shadow industry of largely unregulated "natural male enhancement," or sex pill, products. But according to the FDA, some of these products aren't natural, aren't tested and some might even be dangerous.

Here's a list of 10 sex pill products the FDA issued health warnings about this year or told manufacturers to get them off the shelves.

The issue, says the agency, is the product uses "sulfoaildenafil, a chemical similar to sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra."

Like Viagra, sulfoaildenafil can have dangerous interactions with other prescription drugs such as nitrates, and can cause dangerously low blood pressure. But because consumers think they are taking a "natural" product they are usually not under a doctor's care.

Also, sulfoaildenafil has not undergone the same clinical trials as sildenafil, so all its effects are not known.

FDA Warning

It's not clear if "Stiff Nights" is a "dietary supplement" as its maker claims, or a bad b-movie title, but in either case the FDA says men looking to "regain the thunder" should stay clear because the pill really contains sulfoaildenafil, an untested chemical similar to the active ingredient in Viagra, which can interact badly with nitrates and cause low blood pressure.

FDA Warning.

The marketing geniuses behind "Stiff Nights" also sell "Rock Hard Weekend." Same unregulated chemical, says the FDA, different laugh out loud brand.

FDA Warning.

It's not clear who Don Wands is or how he became so magical, but the FDA didn't seem to care.

In August 2010, they told the manufacturer of this supplement to drop the magic act and take it off the shelves because the product's two main ingredients, hydroxyhomosildenafil and sulfoaildenafil, aren't listed on the box, aren't "supplements" and aren't really tested.

FDA Warning.

Magic Power Coffee's website says the extra mojo comes from honey goat weed and goji berries.

FDA Warning.

If you wind up with Duro Extend in your stocking this year, you might want to send it back to Santa.

The FDA recalled the product in early December 2010 because the "dietary supplement" is secretly supplemented with sulfoaidenafil, a drug similar to Viagra, but not tested.

FDA Warning.

"This product is dangerous to consumers because it claims to contain only natural ingredients when it actually contains a prescription drug ingredient," says the FDA's warning letter.

Dangerous interactions with nitrates and low blood pressure are possible.

FDA Warning.

FDA Warning.

The FDA doesn't recommend hitting up Luong for pills, however. They say Vitalex's "all natural" and "herbal" concoction is really acetildenafil, another chemical similar to the drug in Viagra, but not tested.

FDA Warning.

Eager men trying to get their hands on a box of Xiadafil VIP, might have to wait in line. In July 2010, U.S. Marshals seized almost $75,000 worth of it after the manufacturer refused an FDA request to recall it.

The problem? The FDA says the product's VIP power comes from hydroxyhomosildenafil, a drug similar to Viagra, but untested.

FDA Warning.

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Dangerous Male Sex Pills - CBS News

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Male honey bee

A drone is a male honey bee. Unlike the female worker bee, drones do not have stingers. They gather neither nectar nor pollen and are unable to feed without assistance from worker bees. A drone's only role is to mate with an unfertilized queen.

Drones carry only one type of allele at each chromosomal position, because they are haploid (containing only one set of chromosomes from the mother). During the development of eggs within a queen, a diploid cell with 32 chromosomes divides to generate haploid cells called gametes with 16 chromosomes. The result is a haploid egg, with chromosomes having a new combination of alleles at the various loci. This process is called arrhenotokous parthenogenesis or simply arrhenotoky.

Because the male bee technically has only a mother, and no father, its genealogical tree is unusual. The first generation has one member (the male). One generation back also has one member (the mother). Two generations back are two members (the mother and father of the mother). Three generations back are three members. Four back are five members. This sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, and so on is known as the Fibonacci sequence.[1]

Much debate and controversy exists in scientific literature about the dynamics and apparent benefit of the combined forms of reproduction in honey bees and other social insects, known as the haplodiploid sex-determination system. The drones have two reproductive functions: each drone grows from the queen's unfertilized haploid egg and produces some 10 million male sperm cells, each genetically identical to the egg. Drones also serve as a vehicle to mate with a new queen to fertilize her eggs. Female worker bees develop from fertilized eggs and are diploid in origin, which means that the sperm from a father provides a second set of 16 chromosomes for a total of 32: one set from each parent. Since all the sperm cells produced by a particular drone are genetically identical, full sisters are more closely related than full sisters of other animals where the sperm is not genetically identical.

A laying worker bee exclusively produces totally unfertilized eggs, which develop into drones. As an exception to this rule, laying worker bees in some subspecies of honey bees may also produce diploid (and therefore female) fertile offspring in a process called thelytoky, in which the second set of chromosomes comes not from sperm, but from one of the three polar bodies during anaphase II of meiosis.

In honey bees, the genetics of offspring can best be controlled by artificially inseminating (referred to in beekeeping as 'instrumental insemination') a queen with drones collected from a single hive, where the drones' mother is known. In the natural mating process, a queen mates with multiple drones,[2] which may not come from the same hive. Therefore, batches of female offspring have fathers of a completely different genetic origin.

A drone is characterized by eyes that are twice the size of those of worker bees and queens, and a body size greater than that of worker bees, though usually smaller than the queen bee. His abdomen is stouter than the abdomen of workers or queen. Although heavy bodied, the drone must be able to fly fast enough to accompany the queen in flight. The average flight time for a drone is about 20 minutes.

An Apis cerana colony has about 200 drones during high summer peak time.Drones depend on worker bees to feed them.

Drones die off or are ejected from the hive by the worker bees in late autumn, dying from exposure and the inability to protect or feed themselves, and do not reappear in the bee hive until late spring. The worker bees evict them as the drones would deplete the hive's resources too quickly if they were allowed to stay.[3]

The drones' main function is to be ready to fertilize a receptive queen. Drones in a hive do not usually mate with a virgin queen of the same hive because the queen flies further to a drone congregation area than the drones do. Mating generally takes place in or near drone congregation areas. How these areas are selected is not understood, but they do exist. When a drone mates with a queen of the same hive, the resultant queen will have a spotty brood pattern (numerous empty cells on a brood frame) due to the removal of diploid drone larvae by nurse bees (i.e., a fertilized egg with two identical sex genes will develop into a drone instead of a worker). The worker bees remove the inbred brood and consume it to recycle the protein.

Mating occurs in flight, which accounts for drones needing better vision, which is provided by their large eyes. Should a drone succeed in mating, the first thing that happens is all of the drone's blood in his body rushes to his endophallus which causes him to lose control over his entire body. His body falls away, leaving a portion of his endophallus attached to the queen which helps guide the next drone in the queen.

Honey bee queen breeders may breed drones to be used for instrumental insemination[4] or open mating. A queen mating yard must have many drones to be successful.

In areas with severe winters, all drones are driven out of the hive in the autumn. A colony begins to rear drones in spring and drone population reaches its peak coinciding with the swarm season in late spring and early summer. The life expectancy of a drone is about 90 days.

Although the drone is highly specialized to perform one function, mating and continuing the propagation of the hive, they may have other purposes. All bees, when they sense the hive's temperature deviating from proper limits, either generate heat by shivering, or exhaust heat by moving air with their wingsbehaviours which drones share with worker bees.

Drones do not exhibit typical worker bee behaviors such as nectar and pollen gathering, nursing, or hive construction. While drones are unable to sting, if picked up, they may swing their tails in an attempt to frighten the disturber.[5] In some species, drones buzz around intruders in an attempt to disorient them if the nest is disturbed.

Drones fly in abundance in the early afternoon and are known to congregate in drone congregation areas a good distance away from the hive.

The everted endophallus, with the cornua in focus, resembling hooks.

The extended bulbus of the endophallus, containing sperm, is in focus.

The drone endophallus is designed to disperse a large quantity of seminal fluid and spermatozoa with great speed and force. The endophallus is held internally in the drone. During mating, the organ is everted (turned inside out), into the queen. The eversion of the endophallus is achieved by contracting abdominal muscles, which increases hemolymph pressure, effectively "inflating" the endophallus. Cornua claspers at the base of the endophallus help to grip the queen.

Mating between a single drone and the queen lasts less than 5 seconds, and it is often completed within 12 seconds. Mating occurs mid-flight, and 1040m (33131ft) above ground. Since the queen mates with 519 drones, and drones die after mating, each drone must make the most of his single shot. The drone makes first contact from above the queen, his thorax above her abdomen, straddling her. He then grasps her with all six legs, and everts the endophallus into her opened sting chamber. If the queen's sting chamber is not fully opened, mating is unsuccessful, so some males that mount the queen do not transfer semen. Once the endophallus has been everted, the drone is paralyzed, flipping backwards as he ejaculates. The process of ejaculation is explosivesemen is blasted through the queen's sting chamber and into the oviduct. The process is sometimes audible to the human ear, akin to a "popping" sound. The ejaculation is so powerful that it ruptures the endophallus, disconnecting the drone from the queen. The bulb of the endophallus is broken off inside of the queen during matingso drones mate only once, and die shortly after. The leftover endophallus remaining in the queen's vagina is referred to as the "mating sign". The plug will not prevent the next drone from mating with the same queen, but may prevent semen from flowing out of the vagina.[6]

Mating between the drones and a virgin queen takes place away from the colony, in mid-air mating sites. These mating sites, called 'congregation areas', are specific locations, where drones wait for the arrival of virgin queens. A congregation area is typically 1040m (33131ft) above ground, and can have a diameter of 30200m (98656ft). The boundaries of a congregation area are distinct; queens flying a few meters outside the boundaries are mostly ignored by the drones. Congregation areas are typically used year after year, with some spots showing little change over 12 years. Since drones are expelled from a colony during the winter, and new drones are raised each spring, inexperienced drones must find these congregation areas anew. This suggests some environmental cues define a congregation area, although the actual cues are unknown.

Congregation areas are typically located above open ground, away from trees or hills, where flight is somewhat protected from the wind (calm winds may be helpful during mating flight). At the same time, many congregation areas do not show such characteristics, such as those located above water or the forest canopy. Some studies have suggested that magnetic orientation could play a role, since drones older than 6 days contain cells in the abdomen that are rich in magnetite.

Congregation areas can be located by attaching a virgin queen (in a cage) to a balloon floating above ground. The person then moves around, taking note of where drones are attracted to the caged queen. Congregation areas are not found closer than 90m (300ft) from an apiary, and congregation areas located farther away from apiaries receive more drones. In a congregation area, drones accumulate from as many as 200 colonies, with estimates of up to 25,000 individual drones. This broad mixing of drones is how a virgin queen can ensure she will receive the genetic diversity needed for her colony. By flying to congregation areas further away from her colony, she further increases the probability of out-breeding.

A single drone visits multiple congregation areas during his lifetime, often taking multiple trips per afternoon. A drone's mating flight averages 2025 minutes, before he must return to the colony to refuel with honey. While at the site, the drones fly around passively, waiting for the arrival of a virgin. When the virgin queen arrives to the congregation area, the drones locate her by visual and olfactory cues. At this point, it is a race to mate with the virgin queen, to be genetically represented in the newly founded colony. The swarming drones, as they actively follow the queen, reportedly resemble a "drone comet", dissolving and reforming as the drones chase the virgin queen. Drones greatly outnumber the quantity of virgin queens produced per season, so even with multiple mating by the queen, very few drones mate successfully (estimated at less than one in 1,000). If needed, a virgin queen can embark on multiple 'nuptial flights', to be sure to receive enough semen from enough drones.

Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite, propagates within the brood cell of bees. The Varroa mite prefers drone brood as it guarantees a longer development period, which is important for its own propagation success. The number of Varroa mites can be kept in check by removing the capped drone brood and either freezing the brood comb or heating it.

Read more here:
Drone (bee) - Wikipedia

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Jamie Lo, M.D., M.C.R.,associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology (perinatology and maternal-fetal medicine), OHSU School of Medicine, and Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences, Oregon National Primate Research Center at OHSU. (OHSU/Christine Torres Hicks)

A physician-scientist at Oregon Health & Science University is one of just six researchers across the country to receive an Avenir Award in Genetics and Epigenetics of Substance Abuse from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Jamie Lo, M.D., M.C.R., will use the award to develop and execute creative and transformative research to explore how parents behavior and environment affects their offspring before birth in some cases, even before conception.

The award is expected to provide $1.5 million over five years. NIDAs DP1 Avenir Awards support early-career investigators proposing new areas of research for the genetics or epigenetics of addiction.

Lo is an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology (maternal-fetal medicine) in the OHSU School of Medicine and the Division of Reproductive and Developmental Sciences at the Oregon National Primate Research Center (ONPRC) at OHSU.

Being a scientist at ONPRC has allowed for leading-edge scientific pursuits across scientific and clinical disciplines with researchers at OHSU and at other institutions, and has allowed me to leverage the translational strength of nonhuman primate models that drive scientific discovery, she said. Im grateful and really looking forward to new discoveries we can achieve next.

In her clinical practice, Lo focuses on caring for people with high-risk pregnancies. She frequently encounters patients asking about the safety of cannabis use and other substances while theyre trying to conceive, while pregnant and during breastfeeding..

Most recently, Lo published two widely publicized studies suggesting that chronic use of cannabis may greatly affect male fertilityand reproductive outcomes, and female reproductive health, including increased menstrual cycle length. The male fertility study, in nonhuman primates, used edible cannabis similar to human dosages and found significant decreases in male reproductive hormones, including testosterone, and greater than 50% shrinkage of the testicles.

In earning the elite Avenir Award, Lo credits the support shes received from her clinical and academic departments, along with collaborations forged with other scientists at OHSU, including those in the departments of urology and biomedical engineering, and researchers at other top academic institutions.

Lo plans to use the new funding to delve into how the active ingredient in cannabis, THC, affects the expression of genes in the brains of offspring. The research will set out to determine how a fathers or mothers consumption of cannabis may affect their offspring both in early childhood and later in life or even their childrens offspring.

Were going to look at whether or not those changes that happen to the sperm, egg, fetus or infant are then inherited and how they impact offspring development, she said.

Generally, due to the lack of safety data and the preliminary findings of her work, she advises expectant parents to refrain from cannabis use while pregnant and for those who cannot quit to limit use.

Lo said she feels privileged to be part of ONPRCs team of scientists making discoveries that she can bring back to patients in the clinic.

We do know that cannabis use seems likely to impact reproductive health and fertility in both males and females, and that prenatal cannabis exposure can adversely affect the placenta and fetus, Lo said. But its very hard to study cannabis in humans, especially in pregnancy, because people are often using other substances, affected by their socioeconomic conditions, limited by the inaccuracies of self-reporting, and the quantity and dose of THC used is often difficult to determine.

Using a nonhuman primate model, scientists can control background variables, including diet and exercise, that would not be possible to achieve in people. The award number is 1DP1DA056493-01, through the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the NIH.

OHSU IACUC

All research involving animal subjects at OHSU must be reviewed and approved by the universitysInstitutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC). The IACUCs priority is to ensure the health and safety of animal research subjects. The IACUC also reviews procedures to ensure the health and safety of the people who work with the animals. The IACUC conducts a rigorous review of all animal research proposals to ensure they demonstrate scientific value and justify the use of live animals.

Excerpt from:
Prestigious award advances OHSU research on impact of drug use over generations - OHSU News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

While looking towards the excitement of candy and costumes this Halloween, October is also a time to pull out the pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. While women who are 40 years old have the option to begin an annual breast cancer screening with mammograms, familiarizing oneself with their lemonsregardless of agecan assist with early detection if breast cancer occurs.

Breast cancer is fairly common. About 1 in 8 women are going to be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives, said Marianne Vivien, a genetic counselor at Overlake Clinics & Medical Center.

According to Vivien about 5-10% of cancer cases are due to genetic mutations or hereditary conditions, while over 90% of cancer cases are random, sporadic, and are usually due to age, and environmental and lifestyle factors.

We all have cancer genes and their job is to protect us from cancer generally, but if someone is born with a mutation or inherits that mutation from a parent, all that really means is theres a change in the DNA, said Vivien.

The change in the DNA causes the gene to no longer function properly, and when this happens to a cancer gene, tumors develop more easily and at earlier ages. BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 are the most common breast cancer genes that are also associated with ovarian cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma and prostate cancer, said Vivien.

The general population risk for female breast cancer over a lifetime is 12%, according to Vivien, which increases to greater than 60% with BRCA mutations.

Male breast cancer is pretty rare in the general population. I believe its roughly a half a percent chance over a lifetime for someone who was born male to develop breast cancer, said Vivien, who said that risk increases to about 7% over a lifetime with BRCA mutations.

Vivien expressed that if an individual has any breast tissue, regardless of gender, its important to screen for breast cancer.

We definitely have that conversation with our patients who are Trans[gender], said Vivien. Depending on what surgeries they may or may not have had already, we would discuss essentially what screening or management would be recommended based on the particular gene that were concerned with and what other cancers are associated with that gene.

A breakdown of breast cancer rates on the Eastside

The Washington State Cancer Registry collects incidence data for numerous types of cancer across the state, including female breast cancer. Incidence rates are per 100,000 and the registry data for female breast cancer from 2014-2018 include:

Further data from the National Cancer Institutes state cancer profiles shows that the age-adjusted incidence rate cases per 100,000 for females in King County who are under 50 years old is 50.7; the average annual count is 372 cases and that the recent trends of rates for this demographic are rising.

The lens of a genetic counselor

Part of Viviens work as a genetic counselor includes talking to patients who have received a cancer diagnosis from their primary care physician, or those who received a referral to see if genetic testing would be beneficial.

Im starting to see a lot younger peoplewomen in their twentiescoming in and having that conservation, said Vivien. It doesnt necessarily mean were doing testing right now or were starting screening right now, but were having a conversation so that we can determine when testing or when screening should start and what that might look like for them.

In addition to seeing younger women, Vivien has also been seeing patients who want to know their risks because they were adopted and have no information on their family history.

During the counseling sessions, Viven conducts a thorough family history and medical history to decide if genetic testing is appropriate and to assist with developing a personalized management care plan moving forward. Red flags with genetics include individuals diagnosed at 50 years of age or younger and multiple generations having been affected by breast and other types of cancer, said Vivien.

Ideally, if were getting this information ahead of time, or even if somebody is already diagnosed with breast cancer, were able to make better decisions in terms of treatment, surgical decisions and then management moving forward, said Vivien.

Vivien mentioned how genetic testing and breast cancer screenings are generally covered by health insurance if an individual meets specific criteria. If the criteria is not met and health insurance wont cover, the majority of labs offer genetic testing for approximately $250, said Vivien. For those who are uninsured or underinsured, Vivien feels like breast cancer screenings can be moreso a barrier when compared to genetic testing.

Testing can only get you so far. If youre not going to follow through with the management then testing is a little bit pointless, said Vivien.

You can call them lemons, or you can call them limes

While Vivien believes that Breast Cancer Awareness Month shouldnt be merely one month, she said a good way to celebrate the month is by learning how to conduct a self breast exam.

Know Your Lemons, a nonprofit organization focused on improving early detection of breast cancer through education, provides signs and symptoms of breast cancer, which include:

While theres never a bad time to conduct a self breast exam, Know Your Lemons suggests conducting the exam after ones period, which is when the breast is the least tender and swollen.

A self breast exam can be conducted while standing, sitting or lying down. One should flatten their breast by stretching their arm behind their head. Then, the individual should feel the area (using any pattern such as circles, side to side, and up-down/all around) from their armpit to their collarbone, and then to the bottom of their ribs where lymph nodes live. According to Know Your Lemons, sometimes the areas where lymph nodes are located swell when cancer is present.

Milk lobes and lymph nodes are normal lumps in breasts that feel like soft peas or beans. To be more specific, the soft feeling peas are milk lobes while the soft feeling beans are lymph nodes. Cancerous lumps feel hard like a lemon seed, are usually immovable and can be any shape or size. On the other hand, those hard feeling lemon seeds could potentially be cysts.

See the rest here:
Breast Cancer Awareness Month: The importance of getting to know your lemons - Bothell-Kenmore Reporter

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Identification of DEGs after weight loss

After standardizing gene sets (Fig.1), 1011 DEGs (|logFC|>1, p<0.05) were screened out from GSE103766, GSE35411, GSE112307, GSE43471, and GSE35710 based on the above method. The results included 513 downregulated and 498 upregulated genes, as shown in the volcano plot (Fig.2 and Supplementary Table S1). The abscissa in the volcano plot is log2 (fold change) value, and the ordinate is log10 (p-value).

Box-plots of the expression profiles after consolidation and standardization. The x-axis label represents the sample symbol and the y-axis label represents gene expression values. The black line in the box-plot represents the median value of gene expression. (a) Standardization of GSE43471, (b) Standardization of GSE35411, (c) Standardization of GSE103766, (d) Standardization of GSE35710, (e) Standardization of GSE112307.

Volcano plot to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). (a) GSE43471, (b) GSE35710, (c) GSE35411, (d) GSE103766, (e) GSE112307. The x-axis label represents fold changes and the y-axis label represents the p-values. Red dots represent the 498 upregulated genes and green dots represent the 513 downregulated genes.

As shown in Supplementary Fig. S1, the PPI network of DEGs, based on the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) database, includes 584 nodes and 1417 edges. Using the MCODE plugin in Cytoscape software, the most significant modules (score=6.667) were recognized from the PPI network as comprising 27 hub genes, including ACP5, CETP, COL1A1, COL1A2, CSF1, DNMT3B, EED, HIST1H2AI, HIST1H2BB, HIST1H2BD, HIST1H4B, HIST1H4H, HIST2H3C, HP, LCN2, LIPC, LPA, MMP2, MMP7, MMP9, MSR1, MUC1, PLA2G7, SPP1, THBS1, THBS2, and VLDLR (Table 1 and Fig.3).

Subnetwork of 27 hub genes from the proteinprotein interaction (PPI) network. Node size and temperature color reflect the degree of connectivity (bigger node represents a higher degree and smaller node represents a lower degree; red node represents a higher degree and yellow node represents a lower degree).

An enrichment analysis bubble chart was drawn under GO level 2 classifications using Omicshare tools (Fig.4 and Supplementary Table S2). As shown in the figure, hub genes were significantly enriched in regulating plasma lipoprotein particle levels, lipid transport, extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, response to reactive oxygen species, and the oxygen-containing compound for biological process (BP). The hub genes were significantly enriched for cell composition (CC) in lipoprotein particles, extracellular regions, ECM, extracellular exosomes, and secretory granules. For molecular function (MF), the hub genes were significantly elevated in lipoprotein particle binding, glycosaminoglycan binding, ECM structural constituents, and peptidase activity.

Biological functions based on Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of obesity-related hub genes. Advanced bubble chart shows significance in GO enrichment items of hub genes in three functional groups: biological process (BP), cell composition (CC), and molecular function (MF). The x-axis label represents the gene ratio (Rich Factor) and the y-axis label represents GO terms.

KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that the hub genes were primarily enriched in ECMreceptor interaction, cholesterol metabolism, PI3K-Akt, IL-17, and TNF signaling pathways, endocrine resistance, and leukocyte transendothelial migration (Fig.5 and Supplementary Table S3).

Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis of hub genes. The x-axis label represents the gene ratio (Rich factor) and the y-axis label represents the pathway.

We converted 27 gene names of the hub genes into protein names that could be recognized through the TCMSP database using the Universal Protein Resource (Uniprot). Moreover, the hub genes can be input in the required format to identify potential herbs with anti-obesity effects from the TCMSP database. After excluding the genes that were not present in the databases or those that had no related ingredients, nine were screened for further research, namely, COL1A1, MMP2, MMP9, SPP1, DNMT3B, MMP7, CETP, COL1A2, and MUC1. These genes corresponded to 16 ingredients [(-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), arachidonic acid, arctiin, baicalein, beta-carotene, capillarisin, deoxypodophyllotoxin, ellagic acid, fisetin, irisolidone, luteolin, matrine, nobiletin, quercetin, rutaecarpine, tanshinone IIa] showing adequate OB and DL values (OB30%, DL0.18) (Supplementary Table S4).

There were 254 herbs with active ingredients in the databases. The top 10 herbs were Aloe, Portulacae Herba, Mori Follum, Silybum Marianum, Phyllanthi Fructus, Pollen Typhae, Ginkgo Semen, Leonuri Herba, Eriobotryae Folium, and Litseae Fructus. These were associated with more DEGs (related genes=6) and were, therefore, selected as crucial herbs in our study and annotated using Chinese pharmaceutical properties (CMPs), including characters, tastes, and meridian tropisms (Table 2).

We screened the key ingredients in treating obesity using an Ingredients-Targets network containing 25 nodes and 27 edges (Fig.6). The nine orange nodes represent the target genes and 16 green nodes represent the active ingredients. As most genes could be linked (degree=4), quercetin and EGCG were considered the most critical components in the treatment of obesity.

Ingredients-Targets network. Nine orange nodes represent the target genes, whereas the 16 green nodes represent the active compounds. The edges represent the interaction between the compounds and targets.

As shown in Fig.7a, the Herbs-Ingredients-Targets network containing 24 nodes and 43 edges was constructed to demonstrate the relationship between them: the 10 green nodes represent the key herbs and the six yellow nodes represent the active ingredients in them; the eight blue nodes depict the target genes. By analyzing the network, Phyllanthi Fructus and Portulacae Herba were associated with the most ingredients (degree=4). Moreover, quercetin was the most frequent active ingredient (degree=23) found in all herbs. Regarding gene targets, MMP2 was targeted by most ingredients (degree=5) followed by MMP9 (degree=4). Other genes were only acted upon by one component (degree=1).

Herbs-Ingredients-Targets network (a) and Herbs-Taste-Meridian tropism (b) network. (a) Yellow nodes represent the active ingredients and the blue nodes represent the target genes. (b) Yellow nodes represent tastes and purple nodes represent meridian tropisms. In all networks, the light green nodes represent cold-cool herbs, medium green nodes represent calm herbs, and dark green nodes represent warm herbs.

We also established the Herbs-Taste-Meridian tropism network containing 24 nodes and 40 edges to clarify the distribution of CMPs (Fig.7b). Five yellow nodes represent tastes and eight purple nodes represent meridian tropisms. To indicate different characters, we presented 10 nodes of herbs having different greens (light green, medium green, and dark green). Regarding characters, cold-cool herbs like Mori Follum were the most frequent (nodes=7), followed by herbs having calm (nodes=2) and warm (nodes=1) characters. In terms of taste, herbs were mostly bitter (edges=6), followed by sweet (edges=4), acid (edges=2), symplectic (edges=2), and astringent (edges=2). Regarding meridian tropism, most herbs belonged to the liver meridian (edges=6), followed by the stomach and lung (edges=4), large intestine (edges=2), bladder (edges=2), kidney (edges=2), pericardium (edges=2), spleen (edges=1), and gallbladder (edges=1) meridians.

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Identification of hub genes and candidate herbal treatment in obesity through integrated bioinformatic analysis and reverse network pharmacology |...

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The Neanderthals have won a Nobel prize. Well, almost. Even if most people havent heard of Svante Pbo, the Swedish geneticist whose work on ancient genomes and human evolution has landed him with 2022s award for physiology or medicine, or the exact science behind palaeogenomics and ancient DNA, they certainly have heard of Neanderthals.

Honouring his contribution to building this incredibly vibrant field of palaeogenomics, the award is much deserved: you need vision, persistence and pioneering methods to recover and sequence immensely old, fragile genetic material. But its also a recognition of the astonishing revelations about our deep history that have come from palaeogenomics, which holds many untapped secrets about who we are today, including settling the long-debated question of whether Neanderthals and Homo sapiens ever encountered each other and, lets say, warmed up those icy tundra nights (the answer is yes, many times).

For research communities, the prize also feels like a recognition of the relevance of work on palaeogenomics, human origin and archaeology more broadly and its continuing importance. Research in the 21st century on our hominin relations, including Neanderthals, is an entirely interdisciplinary, collaborative endeavour. All kinds of material analyses take place, in all sorts of ways. We use photogrammetry or lasers to record entire caves in 3D; trace how stone tools were moved across the land; examine microlayers within ancient hearths; even pick out the starches preserved in grot between ancient teeth. And the advent of the ability to retrieve palaeogenomics from extraordinarily old contexts was nothing short of revolutionary. Today, DNA can be extracted not only from bones, but even from cave sediments: the dust of long vanished lives, waiting for millennia to be found. It has made it possible to assess individual Neanderthals genetic profiles, and has opened windows into previously invisible population histories and interactions.

More than a decade on from the first big findings, today there is a huge community of palaeogenomics researchers, in large part thanks to Pbo, with many having trained with him. Among the younger generations at the front end of the sampling, processing and analytical work who may be the first to make and recognise key new discoveries many are women. They include Mateja Hajdinjak of the Crick Institute whose work has identified complex patterns of interbreeding among Neanderthals and the earliest Homo sapiens in Europe, and Samantha Brown from the University of Tbingen, whose meticulous work on unidentifiable bone scraps found the only known first-generation hybrid, a girl whose mother was Neanderthal and father Denisovan (closely related hominins from eastern Eurasia). Alongside wielding scientific clout, they are overturning outdated ideas that the hard sciences of statistics and white coats (or, in palaeogenomics, full-body protection) are male domains.

As an incredibly fast-moving field, palaeogenomics has achieved an enormous amount in a relatively short space of time. Innovative approaches are constantly being developed, and it must be admitted, even for those of us working in human origins, that keeping up with new methods and jargon can be challenging. The rapidity of advances, especially in competitive academic contexts, has also led to a number of ethical issues. While many are being tackled, the direction of some research may soon force the field to lay out official standards and draw ethical red lines when, for example, reconstructing the brains of Neanderthals using genetic engineering.

Ultimately, while decoding ancient hominin genomes has allowed us to identify which inherited genes we have today hence the physiology or medicine element of the Nobel prize the recognition of Pbos work seems more about much deeper themes, resonating with something of a Neanderthal zeitgeist. Since the discovery of their fossils more than 165 years ago, science has been engaged in dethroning Homo sapiens, demoting us from special creations to something still marvellous but not entirely unique.

Palaeogenomics bolstered this vision of an Earth that hosted many sorts of human, at least five of which were still walking around just 40,000 years ago; translate that figure to a generational scale, and youd see a chain of just 2,000 people linking hands. Ancient DNA has confirmed that we are both embedded within a rich history of hominin diversity, and that we still embody that history ourselves. Alongside the genetic material we acquired sideways through interbreeding with Neanderthals and other species, a recent study found that less than 10% of our genome is distinctive to Homo sapiens, evolved uniquely in us.

Most strikingly, popular understanding has shifted too. While some still drag out Neanderthal as a slur, it now seems somewhat abstracted from general public views. The archaeological evidence for Neanderthals complex, sophisticated minds, with genetic revelations of how close we really are to them, has transformed opinion on who they were, and what that means for us. The knowledge that the very stuff of Neanderthals is still present today in each human heart, thumping with fear or joy has forged a new emotional connection not just to them, but to all our other hominin relations. It also underlines the fact that they, and we, have always been part of a planetary web of life.

The most profound legacy of Pbos establishment of palaeogenomics is, or should be, humility. Because it turns out that many of the earliest Homo sapiens populations entering Eurasia eventually shared the same fate as the Neanderthals they met and mingled with. Their lineages vanished, culturally but also genetically, leaving behind no descendants among living humans. Perhaps the greatest inheritance they left us is understanding that our story is not one of predestined, exceptional success, but a blend of serendipity and coincidence; and that being the last hominin standing is not necessarily something to be proud of.

Excerpt from:
Behind this Nobel prize is a very human story: theres a bit of Neanderthal in all of us - The Guardian

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Zainabu was in good health in the days before she gave birth to her fourth baby, despite the fact that her blood pressure was likely somewhere around 280/220.

For a human, such a reading would be catastrophic. Spiking blood pressure in a pregnant or recently postpartum woman is a sign of preeclampsia, a common but potentially fatal condition that can affect the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.

Zainabu, fortunately, is a Masai giraffe at the Los Angeles Zoo. Giraffes have the highest known blood pressure in the animal kingdom, but this has no apparent effect on fetal or maternal health.

Zainabu, a Masai giraffe, with her fourth baby at the Los Angeles Zoo.

(Los Angeles Zoo)

For Dr. Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, a UCLA cardiologist with a long-standing interest in cross-species health, this raises some compelling questions.

What adaptations have evolved in female giraffes that protect their cardiovascular systems from the damage high blood pressure can cause?

And why dont we know enough about the physiology of human females to prevent a common complication like preeclampsia?

Natterson-Horowitzs side gig treating animals at the L.A. Zoo has led her to explore health connections across species. She and collaborator Kathryn Bowers wrote the 2012 bestseller Zoobiquity about the intersection of human medicine, veterinary medicine and evolutionary biology, followed by 2019s Wildhood, which examined adolescence across the animal kingdom.

Her latest focus is on cross-species similarities in female health, a field that has long been underfunded, understudied and misunderstood. Diseases that primarily affect women get a disproportionately small amount of research money relative to the years of healthy life they steal. (The reverse is true for diseases that primarily affect men.) In addition, women have historically been a minority of clinical trial participants, and for several years those of childbearing age were barred as research subjects in the U.S., a policy the National Institutes of Health reversed in 1986.

We cant go back in time, Natterson-Horowitz says. But we can fill some of the gaps by looking to the animal world.

Many of the species that share our planet are exposed to similar stressors and environmental contaminants. Some endure the same chronic diseases that humans do, while others appear to be naturally resistant. Solutions to some of medicines most vexing questions could be walking on four feet beside us.

Theres a pretty vast landscape of unexamined assumptions about human uniqueness, Natterson-Horowitz said. Failing to recognize our place in the animal kingdom, she added, can prevent us from recognizing connections that, were we to see and understand them, could allow us to better understand the cause of disease and to be better at innovating effective solutions.

Natterson-Horowitz grew up in Los Angeles as the daughter of two psychotherapists. She made occasional trips to the zoo as a child, with no inkling that some of the animals she was looking at would later become her patients.

She studied evolutionary biology at Harvard under famed biologists E.O. Wilson and Stephen Jay Gould. She returned to California for medical school at UC San Francisco and a residency and fellowship at UCLA.

Shed been on the faculty at UCLA for a decade when, in 2005, she got a call from the zoo asking for assistance with a transesophageal echocardiogram, a type of ultrasound exam she specialized in. This one would be for a chimpanzee, her first nonhuman patient.

It was a procedure shed performed countless times before. But probing the internal biology of a fellow primate, albeit one that wasnt human, was like that gleam of light you see when you crack open a door, she recalled: In this case, the door happened to be separating my world of modern human medicine and the natural worlds endless health insights.

Physicians tend to be human-centric in their approach. But veterinarians investigating perplexing problems often look to the medical histories of other species including Homo sapiens.

Natterson-Horowitz feeds a giraffe at the Los Angeles Zoo. Giraffes have the highest known blood pressure in the animal kingdom, but this has no apparent effect on fetal or maternal health.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Weve always done that, because we know that theres a lot more research that goes on in many of these diseases in humans, said Jane Sykes, a professor of small animal internal medicine at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Were always looking for parallels. ... Is there anything in humans that can help this dog in front of us?

Now Natterson-Horowitz wanted to do the same thing, just in the other direction. The more she consulted with the L.A. Zoo, the more she came to admire that inclusive approach and to question its absence in human medicine.

Anthropocentrism is a blindfold, she said of humans fixation on our own species. If we can move beyond that, we could see connections that are meaningful and powerful.

One of the first patients to spark her interest in female health was a lioness with pericardial effusion, or fluid in the sac around her heart. The condition affects at least 20% of cancer patients, both feline and human, and breast cancer is common in lions. Those two facts made veterinarians worry the lioness had an advanced case of the disease.

Natterson-Horowitz started researching. She knew that breast cancers in some women were connected to BRCA1, a gene on the 17th chromosome. People born with certain versions of the gene are more likely to develop breast cancer when exposed to an environmental or hormonal trigger.

Natterson-Horowitz visits the flamingo enclosure at the zoo. Theres a pretty vast landscape of unexamined assumptions about human uniqueness, she said.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

What she had not realized was how many non-primate species shared this vulnerability. English springer spaniels with certain BRCA1 variants were four times more likely to develop breast cancer than dogs with the most common version of the gene, Natterson-Horowitz noted in Zoobiquity. Another study found that zoo jaguars taking a particular type of hormonal birth control developed breast cancer in rates similar to human women with high-risk BRCA1 variants, and that the cancer was common in lions and other big cats.

Many factors influence breast cancer rates in females across the animal kingdom: age, genetics, the frequency and duration of lactation, environmental factors and hormonal changes.

Column One

A showcase for compelling storytelling from the Los Angeles Times.

Taken together, the range of mammals vulnerable to breast cancers could offer a trove of valuable comparative data, Natterson-Horowitz realized. But virtually no one was looking for it even for a disease that claims the lives of more than 42,000 women in the U.S. alone each year.

So she started researching these evolutionary links herself. As she dug in, she said she noticed something else: Not only is human medicine anthropocentric, its androcentric that is, focused on cisgender men.

Until the 1993 passage of the NIH Revitalization Act, women and people of color were not required to be part of research studies or clinical trials funded by the NIH, and as a result they usually werent. The same preference for males is even seen in research on mice. In 2016, NIH set a new policy requiring researchers to at least consider biological sex as a variable in the design of human cell and animal studies, though they can study one only sex if they can show strong justification for it.

The good news is that today, over half of the participants in NIH clinical trials are women, said Dr. Janine Austin Clayton, director of the NIH Office of Research on Womens Health. But, she noted, women are still underrepresented in studies of several major diseases, including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, hepatitis and HIV/AIDS.

Until we have representation across every disease category that affects women and men, she said, we still have work to do.

A male-centered research approach manifests in many ways. It isnt just the dearth of funding for conditions primarily affecting women, like endometriosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Its that data on female bodies are often absent from medical research altogether, resulting in skewed results that can shortchange all genders.

The result is that researchers often havent even realized when their results apply only to men.

Take heart attacks. When the Physicians Health Study, whose sample consisted of 22,071 men and zero women, found in 1989 that a low regular dose of aspirin led to a 44% decrease in heart attacks, many physicians recommended the treatment to men and women alike.

But the 39,876 participants in the Womens Health Study allowed researchers to report in 2005 that for women younger than 65, aspirin didnt help at all. And for those 65 and older, aspirin prevented not only heart attacks but strokes a benefit that was not apparent in the all-male study and would have remained unseen without studying women.

Excluding women from research studies forces doctors to treat them as guinea pigs, generation after generation after generation, said Chloe Bird, a sociologist who heads the Center for Health Equity Research at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.

For the record:

1:22 p.m. Oct. 14, 2022An earlier version of this article reported that the Center for Health Equity Research was at Tufts University. It is based at Tufts Medical Center, which is not part of the university.

Bird has not been involved in Natterson-Horowitzs efforts to take a broader look at the female population of the animal kingdom, which she called fantastic, and so needed.

There is a tremendous opportunity to look across species, and begin to understand ... what happens with what systems and why, and how we could improve healthcare, Bird said.

Natterson-Horowitz is now leading a team of obstetrician/gynecologists, wildlife veterinarians and veterinary pathologists to study giraffe pregnancy to understand why animals like Zainabu who delivered a healthy, 172-pound calf in April are not vulnerable to the cardiovascular crises that strike pregnant humans. Shes also working with dairy veterinarians to better understand mastitis, a common but painful inflammation of breast tissue, to come up with improved treatments and design a better breast pump for women.

But Natterson-Horowitz knows unlocking the secrets of the animal world is not a one-person job. Since 2011 she has organized Zoobiquity conferences that have brought together thousands of physicians, veterinarians and evolutionary biologists to examine health issues from multispecies perspectives. The most recent, titled Female Health Across the Tree of Life, took place in July in Lisbon, Portugal.

She also teaches the relevance of the animal world to undergraduates and medical students at UCLA and Harvard, and is heartened to see the eagerness of a new generation of physicians to look across species for answers.

Climate change and urbanization have blurred the boundaries between the human and nonhuman animal worlds, Natterson-Horowitz pointed out. Zoonotic diseases like COVID-19 and influenza have shown us how closely were tied to fellow members of the animal kingdom.

When she first got into medicine, she pledged to do no harm. Today, she believes, If we can move from an androcentric, anthropocentric view to a sex-, gender-, and species-spanning perspective, then we can do good.

More:
Column One: Why this UCLA professor is studying female animals to gain insights into women's health - Los Angeles Times

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Simone Kaho.

Tulia Thompson talks to Simone Kaho about writing, surviving PTSD and the silencing of survivors

When you study poetry at university you are told you can write a poem about anything as long as it is well-crafted, but then you also learn that poetry in Aotearoa actually means restrained, lyric poems about nature. There's an invisible forcefield around what "counts" as a good poem.

Poets like Hera Lindsay Bird and Chris Tse push past the forcefield. Tongan-Pkeh writer Simone Kaho's stunning collection of poetry, Heal!, about being attacked, fighting back and experiencing PTSD, is a vital challenge to the poetry canon.

Kaho is a documentary-maker who works as a reporter/director for Tagata Pasifika. In Heal! the sexual assault acts as a refracting prism for her interactions with men, who are revealed to be rape-complicit by expressing "common-sense" views that support rape. There's the British guy she swims naked with who says, "Perhaps it's because you are so beautiful." When she is stalked, there is a drunk boss: "You're a sexy beast / he said / you / should / expect / stalkers."

When she posts a poem about the stalker, a male in the poetry community says, "What if he'd committed suicide?" It is the ordinary, banal comments from men that convey to women that they see us as sexually available, able to be objectified, and given less empathy. It's a profoundly uncomfortable read, in part because these views are so familiar.

It reminds me a lot of Claudia Rankine's award-winning Citizen: An American Lyric, about white privilege, in which short prose poems about things white people said to her create a sustained, multilayered impression of racism. In both poetry collections, the repeated incidents reveal their force.

While not being strictly narrative, Heal! maintains narrative tension, and a sense of movement. Assault has given Kaho a different lens on past events. In one poem, set during her childhood, she remembers her Tongan dad taking a machete to the bus stop, trying to find a man who sexually assaulted her.

She writes, "The machete is evidence of love and she enjoys the moment quietly." Kaho asked me when we met if anything surprised me about the collection. I said, "No, nothing really surprised me." But it was a lie. What actually surprised me was that another girl had felt about her dad's machete the way I felt about my dad's machete that it was an ordinary, protective and appropriate weapon.

Tulia Thompson: It's a very brave book. What made you decide to tell this story?

Simone Kaho: Can I just ask you why you think it's brave?

TT: I think it's brave because it's explicitly talking about rape and PTSD. Within New Zealand poetry, it feels like you're discouraged from writing about experiences like this, not necessarily explicitly, but just through the atmosphere.

SK: Yeah, I haven't heard anybody say to me, "You shouldn't write about that." But it feels like there's just a vibe about it. Like it's sharp or the wrong colour or too pungent or visceral or too political. This is not something that fits in.

But I didn't think about that writing this. I'd done the South Seas Film and Television course in 2017, when a lot of my PTSD symptoms were really becoming noticeable. I was really struggling.

I tried to make an action film about a female vigilante. And there was pushback. Pushback can be quite subtle. I was discouraged from making a film about a female protagonist responding violently to male violence. When I was pitching it to industry professionals in front of the whole school, it was questioned whether it was morally right, what the protagonist wanted to do. The horror film pitched straight after me featured a guy eating his mother's face, and got the feedback, "That was a delicious moment!"

So the pushback I got led to an understanding that I was being hushed. And at some point, I just really was like "Nah, f*** this s***." I need to use the most powerful way I have to express myself, which is poetry.

TT: If you're a woman, you are used to men making excuses for male violence. It's just so pervasive.

SK: It's co-opted into politeness. Boys will be boys. That's a blind spot that we all have to agree on. If you respond aggressively or even just assertively to predatory male behaviour, you're being rude. You're the problem. That is definitely something I felt all the time. I was enraged all the time. It was so tiring. And because I'd been in that moment, physically fighting a man during the assault, when I knew there was nothing between us that could protect me, all of those "boys will be boys" behaviours happening afterwards triggered the same sort of horror I'd felt in that moment. Like the only difference between them and the attacker was that he'd made a decision to commit and deal with the consequences.

TT: There's a rigour to your poetry. Is that because of your time at the International Institute of Modern Letters?

SK: I became the poet I am at the IIML, because you're absorbed in it. I had Hinemoana Baker as my supervisor. She said, "Do you care about line breaks? I want you to have no punctuation." And this guttural voice appeared. It's not blaming, even, it's just like brutal truth.

TT: There are men in the book who say sorry that happened, but they don't change their own misogyny. It seems very difficult to create change without men taking more responsibility for talking about sexual violence. What do you think needs to happen?

SK: My concern is with people who've been through sexual violence. My first concern is around our ability to talk about it it's not a crime that we have done. I don't mean with no regard for context or incessantly but in the same way that if somebody robbed your house and beat you up [you'd talk about it]. It's been really hard, working and going back to life, and trying to find a safe place. It's a lot to navigate. I really want to smash the hushing and shaming that makes survivors of sexual violence have to be brave just to talk about it.

Heal! by Simone Kaho (Saufo'i Press, $30) is out now.

Aroha, by Dr Hinemoana Elder, was Aotearoa's biggest-selling non-fiction title of last year. The acclaimed psychiatrist is following up with Wawata: Moon Dreaming (Penguin, $30), a book of wisdom centred around the cycle of the moon which offers 30 lessons based on the 30 faces of Hina, the Maori moon goddess.

Black Ferns star Ruby Tui's new biography, Straight Up (Allen & Unwin, $37), lays it all out there. Her tough childhood, her drive to overcome personal tragedy, her love of rugby and her incredible rise to international fame.

The fifth short story collection from a master of the form, George Saunders, Liberation Day (Bloomsbury, $33) is out on Tuesday. Saunders won the Man Booker Prize for his only novel, Lincoln in the Bardo, in 2017 but is best known for his short stories and essays.

1. You deliver an ecological message in the guise of a coffee table book. Is the artwork a lure?

It was too good an opportunity to miss. Collectively our early painters and photographers produced a rich and unique record of a relatively pristine New Zealand, at the time when settlement from Europe was just beginning. For example, the book includes two paintings, from 1839 and 1840, by Charles Heaphy of the kauri forests on the Wairoa River, Kaipara.

Such images were used as propaganda by the New Zealand Company, to encourage immigration, with the result that vast areas of kauri were felled and destroyed in the process to provide timber for the new settlers' homes. Then there's Alfred Sharpe's 1876 subtly elevated panorama of the Waikato plains, which provides a stark contrast with a photograph of a similar view 140 years later, of the Taupiri interchange on the Waikato Expressway.

2. If a reader takes away one nugget from this book, what do you hope it will be?

My aim in compiling the book was to record the various changes that a thousand or so years of human settlement have inflicted on the New Zealand landscape. With those in mind, I hope it will encourage us to question where we go from here. As we become increasingly aware of the effects of climate change, we must wonder how, and to what extent, we can keep on modifying our natural environment. This is, of course, not just a New Zealand problem. It's worldwide, and at its heart is the ability of the Earth's resources to sustain a growing population in the manner to which it has grown accustomed. As for New Zealanders, this poses such challenges as the degree to which our towns and cities can continue to sprawl, destroying remaining areas of bush and gobbling up good agricultural land.

3. Do you have a favourite image in the book?

There are many "landmark" images, such as the well-known and starkly symbolic Frozen Flames, painted in 1931 by Christopher Perkins, which depicts the aftermath of a bush burn-off. Another of my favourites is Kennett Watkins' 1885 painting, The Haunt of the Moa: A Scene in a Puriri Forest, also in the collection of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tmaki. Deep withIn a dark forest of nkaupalms and gnarled puriri trunks, a hapless moa emerges from behind a tree and is about to reveal itself to a pair of Mori stalkers. The big bird appears to be at the crossroads, for if the hunt is successful it might mark the extinction of the species.

4. You are that rare thing in New Zealand, a full-time writer. How do you make that work?

I had never planned to be a full-time writer. Back in 1997, along with two dozen other staff members, I was made redundant (as Curator of Display) at the Auckland War Memorial Museum. That unexpected change of direction gave me the opportunity to spend more time on what had previously been just an after-hours activity. A quarter of a century and some 40 books later, I'm still at it. I enjoy coming up with ideas for books, and am grateful to publishers who have given me opportunities to realise them. I also enjoy the challenge of dreaming up and researching articles for our leading art quarterly, Art New Zealand.

5. What book have you read this year that you are recommending to others?

I have recently read and enjoyed A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived: The Stories in Our Genes, by English science writer and genetics expert Adam Rutherford (no relation to Sir Ernest). He divulges the startling fact that anyone of European extraction is descended from Charlemagne, the first emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, who lived from 747 to 814AD. The point is that the further we go back up our family trees, the more interconnected and related all of us are. Perhaps if humanity at large was more aware of this fact, the world would be a much happier place.

Footprints on the Land, by Richard Wolfe (Oratia Books, $45), is out now.

View original post here:
Books wrap: Simone Kaho on her new poetry collection and PTSD; a conversation with Richard Wolfe; and more - New Zealand Herald

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Overview

Masculinizing hormone therapy is used to induce the physical changes in your body caused by male hormones during puberty (secondary sex characteristics) to promote the matching of your gender identity and body (gender congruence). If masculinizing hormone therapy is started before the changes of female puberty begins, female secondary sex characteristics, such as the development of breasts, can be avoided. Masculinizing hormone therapy is also known as gender-affirming hormone therapy.

During masculinizing hormone therapy, you'll be given the male hormone testosterone, which suppresses your menstrual cycles and decreases the production of estrogen from your ovaries. Changes caused by these medications can be temporary or permanent. Masculinizing hormone therapy can be done alone or in combination with masculinizing surgery.

Masculinizing hormone therapy isn't for all transgender men, however. Masculinizing hormone therapy can affect your fertility and sexual function and cause other health problems. Your doctor can help you weigh the risks and benefits.

Masculinizing hormone therapy is used to alter your hormone levels to match your gender identity.

Typically, people who seek masculinizing hormone therapy experience discomfort or distress because their gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or from their sex-related physical characteristics (gender dysphoria). To avoid excess risk, the goal is to maintain hormone levels in the reference range for the target gender.

Masculinizing hormone therapy can:

Research suggests that masculinizing hormone therapy can be safe and effective.

If used in an adolescent, hormone therapy typically begins at age 16. Ideally, treatment starts before the development of secondary sex characteristics so that teens can go through puberty astheir identified gender. Gender affirming hormone therapy is not typically used in children.

Masculinizing hormone therapy isn't for everyone, however. Your doctor might discourage masculinizing hormone therapy if you:

Talk to your doctor about the changes in your body and any concerns you might have. Complications of masculinizing hormone therapy include:

Evidence suggests that transgender men have no increased risk of breast cancer or cardiovascular disease when compared to women whose gender identity and expression matches the stereotypical societal characteristics related to their sex assigned at birth (cisgender women).

Conclusions cant be drawn about whether masculinizing hormone therapy increases the risk of ovarian and uterine cancer. Further research is needed.

Because masculinizing hormone therapy might reduce your fertility, you'll need to make decisions about your fertility before starting treatment. The risk of permanent infertility increases with long-term use of hormones, especially when hormone therapy is initiated before puberty. Even after stopping hormone therapy, ovarian and uterine function might not recover well enough to ensure that you can become pregnant without reproductive technology assistance.

If you want to have biological children, talk to your doctor about egg freezing (mature oocyte cryopreservation) or embryo freezing (embryo cryopreservation). Another option involves having ovarian tissue surgically removed, frozen and later thawed and reimplanted (ovarian tissue cryopreservation). Keep in mind that egg freezing has multiple steps ovulation induction, egg retrieval and freezing. If you want to freeze embryos, you'll need to go through the additional step of having your eggs fertilized before they are frozen.

At the same time, while testosterone might limit your fertility, you're still at risk of pregnancy if you have your uterus and ovaries. If you want to avoid becoming pregnant, use an intrauterine device, a barrier form of contraception or a continuous progestin form of birth control.

Before starting masculinizing hormone therapy, your doctor will evaluate your health to rule out or address any medical conditions that might affect or contraindicate treatment. The evaluation might include:

You might also need a behavioral health evaluation by a provider with expertise in transgender health. The evaluation might assess:

Adolescents younger than age 18, accompanied by their custodial parents or guardians, also should see doctors and behavioral health providers with expertise in pediatric transgender health to discuss the risks of hormone therapy, as well as the impact and possible complications of gender transition in that age group.

You'll begin masculinizing hormone therapy by taking testosterone. Typically, your doctor will prescribe a low dose and slowly increase the dosage over a period of months. Testosterone is given either by injection or a gel applied to the skin. Other testosterone preparations can be used, such as a patch or pellets placed under the skin. In the U.S., testosterone also can be given as a long lasting injection or as twice daily pills (testosterone undecanoate). Oral methyltestosterone or synthetic male sex hormone (androgen) medication shouldn't be used because of potential harmful effects on your liver and lipids.

If you have persistent menstrual flow, your doctor might recommend taking progesterone to control it.

Masculinizing hormone therapy will begin producing changes in your body within weeks to months. Your timeline might look as follows:

While on masculinizing hormone therapy, you'll meet regularly with your doctor. He or she will:

You will also need routine preventive care if you havent had certain surgical interventions, including:

The rest is here:
Masculinizing hormone therapy - Mayo Clinic

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

What is human growth hormone (hGH)?

Human growth hormone, also known as hGH and somatotropin, is a natural hormone your pituitary gland makes and releases that acts on many parts of the body to promote growth in children. Once the growth plates in your bones (epiphyses) have fused, hGH no longer increases height, but your body still needs hGH. After youve finished growing, hGH helps to maintain normal body structure and metabolism, including helping to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within a healthy range.

Hormones are chemicals that coordinate different functions in your body by carrying messages through your blood to your organs, muscles and other tissues. These signals tell your body what to do and when to do it. Your body makes over 50 hormones, and many of them interact with each other, creating a complex web of processes.

Your pituitary gland is a small, pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus. Its made of two lobes: the anterior (front) lobe and posterior (back) lobe. Your anterior lobe makes hGH.

Your pituitary gland is connected to your hypothalamus through a stalk of blood vessels and nerves. This is called the pituitary stalk. Your hypothalamus is the part of your brain that controls functions like blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and digestion. Through the stalk, your hypothalamus communicates with your pituitary gland and tells it to release certain hormones. In this case, your hypothalamus releases growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), which stimulates your pituitary gland to release hGH, and somatostatin, which prevents (inhibits) that release.

Healthcare providers use a synthetic form of hGH (sometimes called recombinant hGH) to treat certain health conditions, including growth hormone deficiency. You should never take synthetic hGH without a prescription from your provider.

Your pituitary gland normally releases hGH in short bursts (pulses) throughout the day. The release of hGH is mainly controlled by two hormones your hypothalamus releases: growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), which stimulates hGH release, and somatostatin, which prevents (inhibits) hGH release.

Several other endocrine hormones also regulate hGH, including insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). IGF-1 is a major suppressor of GH production, whereas thyroxine, glucocorticoids and ghrelin stimulate hGH release.

IGF-1 thats released by your liver is one of the best-characterized effects of hGH activity. IGF-1 plays a critical role in preventing (inhibiting) the release of the hGH through a negative feedback loop by stimulating somatostatin and inhibiting GHRH release. However, hGH and IGF-1 secretion are regulated by each other, where hGH triggers IGF-1 release and the IGF-1 inhibits hGH release in a feedback loop. In healthy people, hGH release is inhibited by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and stimulated by sleep, stress, exercise, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and amino acids.

Human growth hormone has two main functions: stimulating growth (mainly in children) and impacting metabolism (how your body turns the food you eat into energy).

Human growth hormone triggers growth in nearly every tissue and organ in your body. However, its most well-known for its growth-promoting effect on cartilage and bone, especially in the adolescent years during puberty. Cells in cartilage called chondrocytes and cells in bones called osteoblasts receive signals from hGH to increase replication and thus allow for growth in size.

Once the growth plates in a childs bones have fused, hGH no longer increases height. Instead, hGH helps to maintain normal body structure throughout the rest of your life.

Metabolism consists of the chemical reactions in your body that change the food you eat into energy. All of the cells in your body need energy to function properly. Several different complex processes are involved in metabolism.

hGH impacts metabolism primarily by increasing the production of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and its effect on cells in your body. IGF-1 is a hormone similar in structure to insulin that manages the effects of hGH in your body. Insulin is an essential hormone your pancreas makes that helps regulate your blood sugar (glucose) levels by decreasing them. Like insulin, IGF-1 has glucose-lowering effects.

Your body normally carefully regulates your blood glucose levels. Blood glucose, or sugar, is the main sugar found in your blood. You get glucose from carbohydrates in the food you eat. This sugar is an important source of energy and provides nutrients to your body's organs, muscles and nervous system.

Insulin is the main hormone your pancreas makes to lower blood glucose levels when they get too high, and glucagon is the main hormone your pancreas makes to raise glucose levels when they get too low. Other hormones can counteract the effects of insulin, such as epinephrine (adrenaline) and cortisol.

While hGH normally increases blood glucose levels when they get too low, if you have excess amounts of hGH in your body, it can counteract the effects of insulin, causing elevated blood glucose levels.

Human growth hormone increases vertical growth in children. However, once your growth plates have fused, hGH cannot make you taller. Instead, after youve reached your final height, hGH helps maintain your bodys structure and has other important effects on your metabolism.

Your pituitary gland releases hGH in pulses. The size and duration of the pulses vary with time of day and your age and sex. Because of this, random hGH measurements are rarely useful to healthcare providers in confirming or ruling out a diagnosis. Instead, hGH measurement tests are most useful when measured as part of a stimulation or suppression test.

In general, the normal range for hGh levels include:

Normal value ranges may vary from lab to lab. Be sure to reference your labs normal range on your lab report when analyzing your results. If you have any questions about your results, talk to your healthcare provider.

Having lower-than-normal levels of hGH is called growth hormone deficiency. Its usually due to an issue with or damage to your pituitary gland that results in hypopituitarism when one, several or all of the hormones your pituitary gland makes are deficient. Human growth hormone could be one of the affected hormones.

Growth hormone deficiency affects adults and children differently.

When adults have a lack of hGH, it causes the following issues:

In adults, hypopituitarism that results in hGH deficiency may develop due to a benign pituitary adenoma (a noncancerous tumor) or damage to your pituitary gland or hypothalamus.

A lack of hGH in children results in poor growth. The main sign of hGH deficiency in children is slow height growth each year after a child's third birthday. This means they grow less than about 1.4 inches in height a year. A child with hGH deficiency may also have:

In children, hypopituitarism that results in hGH deficiency may be present from birth where the cause can be unknown (idiopathic), genetic or due to injury to their pituitary gland (during fetal development or at birth).

Children can also develop hypopituitarism due to damage to their pituitary gland or hypothalamus later in life.

The main condition associated with higher-than-normal hGH levels is a condition called acromegaly, though it affects adults and children differently. Its a rare condition.

Adults with acromegaly usually have enlarged or swollen hands and feet and altered facial features.

Adults with acromegaly can also have thickened bones and enlarged organs and are more likely to have conditions such as high blood pressure (hypertension), Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Over 99% of acromegaly cases are due to pituitary adenomas, noncancerous (benign) tumors on your pituitary gland. These tumors can produce excess amounts of hGH. Acromegaly is more common after middle-age when growth is complete. Because of this, adults with acromegaly dont get any taller. Instead, their bones can become thicker.

Very rarely, children can experience elevated growth hormone levels before they reach their final height, which can lead to excessive growth of long bones and very tall height. This condition is called pediatric acromegaly, but its sometimes called gigantism. If left untreated, children with acromegaly usually grow to be seven feet tall or taller. Children with acromegaly may also have general weakness, delayed puberty and headaches.

Pituitary adenomas are usually the cause of pediatric acromegaly.

Your healthcare provider can order a series of blood tests to check your hGH levels if youre experiencing symptoms related to hGH issues.

Your pituitary gland normally releases hGH into your bloodstream in pulses throughout the day and night, with peaks that occur mostly during the night. Because of this, a single blood test to measure hGH measurement is difficult to interpret and is not usually medically useful.

Providers most often use procedures called growth hormone stimulation and suppression tests to diagnose conditions caused by hGH deficiency or excess.

They may also order a blood test that measures the amount of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in your blood.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the synthetic form of hGH for treatment for certain conditions. The synthetic form of hGH is available only by prescription and is injected.

In children, healthcare providers prescribe hGH to treat:

In adults, providers prescribe hGH to treat:

Its important to only take synthetic hGH if your provider has prescribed it for you.

The use of synthetic hGH for medical treatment can cause certain side effects including:

Researchers dont have enough information about the long-term effects of hGH treatment.

If you or your child are experiencing symptoms related to hGH deficiency or excess, contact your healthcare provider.

If youre receiving treatment for abnormal hGH levels, its important to see your provider regularly to make sure your treatment is working.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Human growth hormone (hGH) is a powerful hormone thats necessary for several important bodily processes. Sometimes, your pituitary gland can make too much or too little of it. If you or your child are experiencing symptoms related to hGH deficiency or excess, its important to talk to your healthcare provider. Theyre there to help.

More here:
Human Growth Hormone (hGH) - Cleveland Clinic

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Chronic stress puts your health at risk

Chronic stress can wreak havoc on your mind and body. Take steps to control your stress.

Your body is hard-wired to react to stress in ways meant to protect you against threats from predators and other aggressors. Such threats are rare today, but that doesn't mean that life is free of stress.

On the contrary, you likely face many demands each day, such as taking on a huge workload, paying the bills and taking care of your family. Your body treats these so-called minor hassles as threats. As a result, you may feel as if you're constantly under attack. But you can fight back. You don't have to let stress control your life.

When you encounter a perceived threat such as a large dog barking at you during your morning walk your hypothalamus, a tiny region at your brain's base, sets off an alarm system in your body. Through a combination of nerve and hormonal signals, this system prompts your adrenal glands, located atop your kidneys, to release a surge of hormones, including adrenaline and cortisol.

Adrenaline increases your heart rate, elevates your blood pressure and boosts energy supplies. Cortisol, the primary stress hormone, increases sugars (glucose) in the bloodstream, enhances your brain's use of glucose and increases the availability of substances that repair tissues.

Cortisol also curbs functions that would be nonessential or harmful in a fight-or-flight situation. It alters immune system responses and suppresses the digestive system, the reproductive system and growth processes. This complex natural alarm system also communicates with the brain regions that control mood, motivation and fear.

The body's stress response system is usually self-limiting. Once a perceived threat has passed, hormone levels return to normal. As adrenaline and cortisol levels drop, your heart rate and blood pressure return to baseline levels, and other systems resume their regular activities.

But when stressors are always present and you constantly feel under attack, that fight-or-flight reaction stays turned on.

The long-term activation of the stress response system and the overexposure to cortisol and other stress hormones that follows can disrupt almost all your body's processes. This puts you at increased risk of many health problems, including:

That's why it's so important to learn healthy ways to cope with your life stressors.

Your reaction to a potentially stressful event is different from anyone else's. How you react to your life stressors is affected by such factors as:

You may have some friends who seem relaxed about almost everything and others who react strongly to the slightest stress. Most people react to life stressors somewhere between those extremes.

Stressful events are facts of life. And you may not be able to change your current situation. But you can take steps to manage the impact these events have on you.

You can learn to identify what causes you stress and how to take care of yourself physically and emotionally in the face of stressful situations.

Stress management strategies include:

Avoid unhealthy ways of managing your stress, such as using alcohol, tobacco, drugs or excess food. If you're concerned that your use of these products has increased or changed due to stress, talk to your doctor.

The rewards for learning to manage stress can include peace of mind, less stress and anxiety, a better quality of life, improvement in conditions such as high blood pressure, better self-control and focus, and better relationships. And it might even lead to a longer, healthier life.

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Chronic stress puts your health at risk - Mayo Clinic

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith