Pete McCleave pictured with his children

Sleights residents, June and Mike McCleave's son Peter has Myeloma, a type of bone marrow cancer for which there is currently no cure.

Peter, 42, was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, and time is running short for the man who two years ago was given just seven years to live.

The family is now in a race against time to find a matching stem cell donor, who can provide the transfusion that will extend Peter's life, hopefully long enough for a cure to be found.

Mum, June, said: "We go to myeloma conferences which give details of all the updated work and drugs that are available. They are very hopeful of a cure and are working on one which involves gene therapy, meaning that good cells will attack the cancer. They reckon that in ten years there will be a cure for this."

Peter has been determined to fight the disease. He set up a campaign called 10,000 donors to encourage as many people as possible to register with DKMS, the charity dedicated to defeating blood cancer. To date 33,402 donors have registered because of this campaign and 12 donor matches have been confirmed, Pete is still waiting.

June and Mike have organised an event at Eskdale School for people to go along and take a cheek swab test to see if they are a compatible match for Peter, or others who have the disease.

The event takes place of Tuesday, January 14 from 4.00pm to 7,00pm.

Taking the test is simple and pain free, three cotton swabs (like cotton buds) collect saliva from inside the mouth and are sent for testing. It's a process which is over in seconds, with one swab collecting saliva from the left cheek, one from the right cheek and one from around the mouth.

A DKMS representative will be at the session and will take the swabs to the laboratory for analysis, you will then receive a card a few weeks later confirming you are registered as a potential donor.

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Sleights family's appeal for blood stem cell donor in Whitby - The Scarborough News

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Sickle cell disease is a painful condition that thousands of kids have to endure. The genetic disease impacts the blood, but it can cause organ damage and other issues, including lots of pain.

Most of the time there is no end in sight, which makes it even harder on families. But the bravery of one teen is helping scientists to develop a potential cure that could change the lives of so many.

Helen Obando recently became the youngest person to ever go through a special gene therapy using stem cells.

The usual treatment for sickle cell therapy is a bone marrow transplant form a healthy sibling, but Helen's older sister Haylee also has sickle cell, so that isn't really an option for the family.

The Obandos were excited to learn about an experimental treatment that has the potential to flip the switch on the genetics and actually cure the disease.

Scientists are hoping that the new treatment could help people with a number of genetic conditions using a technique to manipulate the DNA.

Helen had to spend four weeks in the hospital after her infusion to get strong enough to go home, and they don't know yet if the treatment has worked.

The poor girl has gone through a lot. Her pelvis was harmed before she even turned 1, and at 2, her spleen had to be removed. She's had a lot of painful episodes, and while Haylee was able to match with their younger brother Ryan for a bone marrow transplant, that wasn't an option for Helen.

In the Boston Globe, Helen's mom said that she was scared of the gene therapy option when she first heard of it. But she decided that it was worth the risk to have a chance at being healthy.

Six months since the treatment, it's so far, so good. Helen's hemoglobin levels are at a point that she has never achieved. She actually has no signs of sickle cell right now, and that is just amazing.

What a brave girl to go through a risky procedure.It's a big burden for a teenager to bear, but luckily things have worked out well so far. We hope that Helen continues to find success and health in the new year.

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Helen Obando Is The Youngest To Successfully Undergo Sickle Cell Therapy - Moms

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Cancer enters your body when cells begin to grow out of control. There are various types of cancer and cells in almost every part of the body can become cancer. Leukemia is a type of cancer which starts in the cells, then develops into different types of blood cells. It starts in early forms of white blood cells. There are different types of leukemia which can be divided into acute and chronic. Acute is fast growing and chronic is slow growing.

An Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is a type of leukemia which progresses quickly and if not treated, will be fatal in a couple of months. Acute means fast growing and lymphatic means it develops from the early forms of lymphocytes, which is a type of white blood cell. It all starts in the bone marrow and leukemia cells start to invade the body quickly. They can spread to other parts of the body. Some cancers also start in the organs and then spread to the bone marrow, but they are not leukemia.

There are other types of cancer which start in lymphocytes and are known as lymphomas. Leukemias affect blood and bone marrow and lymphomas affect lymph nodes and other organs. It can sometimes be difficult to tell if a cancer of lymphocytes is lymphoma or leukemia. If at least 20% of the bone marrow has cancerous lymphocytes, the disease is considered to be leukemia. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer and children below the age of five are at the highest risk. It can also occur in adults.

RELATED:Kids Born To Obese Mothers Are More Likely To Develop Leukemia

ALL can increase the chances of bleeding and developing infections in the body. Its symptoms include:

In order to diagnose ALL, the doctor must complete a physical exam and also conduct bone marrow tests and blood tests. Doctors are likely to ask about bone pain, since it is the most common symptom of ALL. Here are a few tests doctors carry out.

The doctor might order a blood count, and people who have ALL may have a blood count which shows low platelet count and a low hemoglobin count. The WBC may or may not have increased. A blood smear might show immature cells circulating in the blood, which are usually found in bone marrow.

This process involves taking a sample of the bone marrow from your breastbone or the pelvis. It is an ideal way to test for increased growth in marrow tissue and reduced production of red blood cells.

An X-ray of the chest can allow the doctor to see if the mediastinum, that is the middle partition of the chest is widened. Further, a CT scan can help the doctor estimate whether the cancer has spread to the spinal cord, brain or to any other part of the body.

There are other tests like a spinal tap, which is used to check if cancer cells have spread around the spinal fluid. Tests on the serum urea and liver function might also be done.

The treatment will help bring the count back to normal. When this happens and the bone marrow looks normal, the cancer is in remission. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia can be treated through chemotherapy. You might be asked to stay at the hospital for a few weeks in the first treatment. Later, you can continue the treatment as an outpatient.

For those with a low WBC count, you will be asked to spend time in an isolation room. It ensures that you are protected from contagious diseases and other problems. If leukemia does not respond to chemotherapy, a bone marrow or stem cell transplant might be recommended. The transplanted marrow can be taken from a sibling who is a complete match.There are high chances of cancer remission in case of children.

READ NEXT:14-Year-Old Battling Stage 4 Cancer Is Finally Coming Home For Christmas

You're Probably Ruining Your Teenager's Life & Here's What You're Doing Wrong

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Criss Angel's Son Has Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, But What Is It? - Moms

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CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--bluebird bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: BLUE) announced the launch in Germany of ZYNTEGLO (autologous CD34+ cells encoding A-T87Q-globin gene), a one-time gene therapy for patients 12 years and older with transfusion-dependent -thalassemia (TDT) who do not have a 0/0 genotype, for whom hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is appropriate but a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched related HSC donor is not available. This is the first time ZYNTEGLO is commercially available.

TDT is a severe genetic disease caused by mutations in the -globin gene that result in significantly reduced or absent adult hemoglobin (HbA). In order to survive, people with TDT maintain hemoglobin (Hb) levels through lifelong chronic blood transfusions. These transfusions carry the risk of progressive multi-organ damage due to unavoidable iron overload. ZYNTEGLO is a one-time gene therapy that addresses the underlying genetic cause of TDT and offers patients the potential to become transfusion independent, which, once achieved, is expected to be lifelong.

Due to the highly technical and specialized nature of administering gene therapy in rare diseases, bluebird bio is working with institutions that have expertise in stem cell transplant as well as in treating patients with TDT to create qualified treatment centers that will administer ZYNTEGLO. bluebird bio has established a collaboration with University Hospital of Heidelberg as the first qualified treatment center in Germany.

In addition, bluebird has entered into value-based payment agreements with multiple statutory health insurances in Germany to help ensure patients and their healthcare providers have access to ZYNTEGLO and that payers only pay if the therapy delivers on its promise. bluebirds proposed innovative model is limited to five payments made in equal installments. An initial payment is made at the time of infusion. The four additional annual payments are only made if no transfusions for TDT are required for the patient.

For patients with TDT, lifelong chronic blood transfusions are required in order to survive. We are thrilled to announce that ZYNTEGLO will now be available for patients in the EU living with this severe disease, says Alison Finger, chief commercial officer, bluebird bio. In addition to confirming manufacturing readiness of our partner, apceth Biopharma GmbH, bluebird has also submitted a dossier to the Joint Federal Committee (G-BA) in Germany for drug benefit assessment. We would like to thank our collaborators for their commitment in helping us transform the healthcare system by accepting innovative payment models, and we look forward to treating our first commercial patient soon.

About LentiGlobin for -Thalassemia (autologous CD34+ cells encoding A-T87Q-globin gene)

The European Commission granted conditional marketing authorization for LentiGlobin for -thalassemia, to be marketed as ZYNTEGLO (autologous CD34+ cells encoding A-T87Q-globin gene) gene therapy, for patients 12 years and older with TDT who do not have a 0/0 genotype, for whom hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation is appropriate, but a human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched related HSC donor is not available.

TDT is a severe genetic disease caused by mutations in the -globin gene that result in reduced or significantly reduced hemoglobin (Hb). In order to survive, people with TDT maintain Hb levels through lifelong chronic blood transfusions. These transfusions carry the risk of progressive multi-organ damage due to unavoidable iron overload.

LentiGlobin for -thalassemia adds functional copies of a modified form of the -globin gene (A-T87Q-globin gene) into a patients own hematopoietic (blood) stem cells (HSCs). Once a patient has the A-T87Q-globin gene, they have the potential to produce HbAT87Q, which is gene therapy-derived hemoglobin, at levels that may eliminate or significantly reduce the need for transfusions.

Non-serious adverse events (AEs) observed during the HGB-204, HGB-207 and HGB-212 clinical studies that were attributed to LentiGlobin for -thalassemia were hot flush, dyspnoea, abdominal pain, pain in extremities, thrombocytopenia, leukopenia, neutropenia and non-cardiac chest pain. One serious adverse event (SAE) of thrombocytopenia was considered possibly related to LentiGlobin for -thalassemia for TDT.

Additional AEs observed in clinical studies were consistent with the known side effects of HSC collection and bone marrow ablation with busulfan, including SAEs of veno-occlusive disease.

The conditional marketing authorization for ZYNTEGLO is valid in the 28 member states of the EU as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway. For details, please see the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted LentiGlobin for -thalassemia Orphan Drug status and Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of TDT. LentiGlobin for -thalassemia is not approved in the United States.

bluebird bio has initiated the rolling BLA submission for approval in the U.S., and is engaged with the FDA in discussions regarding the requirements and timing of the various components of the rolling BLA submission. Subject to these ongoing discussions, the company is currently planning to complete the BLA submission in the first half of 2020.

LentiGlobin for -thalassemia continues to be evaluated in the ongoing Phase 3 Northstar-2 and Northstar-3 studies. For more information about the ongoing clinical studies, visit http://www.northstarclinicalstudies.com or clinicaltrials.gov and use identifier NCT02906202 for Northstar-2 (HGB-207) or NCT03207009 for Northstar-3 (HGB-212).

bluebird bio is conducting a long-term safety and efficacy follow-up study (LTF-303) for people who have participated in bluebird bio-sponsored clinical studies of LentiGlobin for -thalassemia. For more information visit: https://www.bluebirdbio.com/our-science/clinical-trials or clinicaltrials.gov and use identifier NCT02633943 for LTF-303.

About bluebird bio, Inc.

bluebird bio is pioneering gene therapy with purpose. From our Cambridge, Mass., headquarters, were developing gene therapies for severe genetic diseases and cancer, with the goal that people facing potentially fatal conditions with limited treatment options can live their lives fully. Beyond our labs, were working to positively disrupt the healthcare system to create access, transparency and education so that gene therapy can become available to all those who can benefit.

bluebird bio is a human company powered by human stories. Were putting our care and expertise to work across a spectrum of disorders including cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, sickle cell disease, -thalassemia and multiple myeloma, using three gene therapy technologies: gene addition, cell therapy and (megaTAL-enabled) gene editing.

bluebird bio has additional nests in Seattle, Wash.; Durham, N.C.; and Zug, Switzerland. For more information, visit bluebirdbio.com.

Follow bluebird bio on social media: @bluebirdbio, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

ZYNTEGLO, LentiGlobin, and bluebird bio are trademarks of bluebird bio, Inc.

The full common name for ZYNTEGLO: A genetically modified autologous CD34+ cell enriched population that contains hematopoietic stem cells transduced with lentiviral vector encoding the A-T87Q-globin gene.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the Companys plans and expectations for the commercialization for ZYNTEGLO (autologous CD34+ cells encoding A-T87Q-globin gene, formerly LentiGlobin in TDT) to treat TDT, and the potential implications of clinical data for patients. Any forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: the risk that the efficacy and safety results from our prior and ongoing clinical trials of ZYNTEGLO will not continue or be repeated in our ongoing or planned clinical trials of ZYNTEGLO; the risk that the current or planned clinical trials of ZYNTEGLO will be insufficient to support regulatory submissions or marketing approval in the US, or for additional patient populations in the EU; the risk that the production of HbAT87Q may not be sustained over extended periods of time; the risk that we may not secure adequate pricing or reimbursement to support continued development or commercialization of ZYNTEGLO; the risk that our collaborations with qualified treatment centers will not continue or be successful; and that the risk that commercial patients treated with ZYNTEGLO will not achieve or maintain transfusion independence. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled Risk Factors in our most recent Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and bluebird bio undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

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bluebird bio Announces Launch in Germany of ZYNTEGLO (autologous CD34+ cells encoding A-T87Q-globin gene) Gene Therapy for Patients 12 Years and Older...

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SERGIEV POSAD ( RUSSIA ): When Alexei Voronenkovs 70-year-old mother passed away, he paid to have her brain frozen and stored in the hope breakthroughs in science will one day be able to bring her back to life. It is one of 71 brains and human cadavers which Russian company KrioRus calls its patients floating in liquid nitrogen in one of several metres-tall vats in a corrugated metal shed outside Moscow.'; var randomNumber = Math.random(); var isIndia = (window.geoinfo && window.geoinfo.CountryCode === 'IN') && (window.location.href.indexOf('outsideindia') === -1 ); console.log(isIndia && randomNumber They are stored at -196Celsius (-320.8F) with the aim of protecting them against deterioration, although there is currently no evidence science will be able to revive the dead. I did this because we were very close and I think it is the only chance for us to meet in the future, said Voronenkov who intends to undergo the procedure, known as cryonics, when he dies. The head of the Russian Academy of Sciencess Pseudoscience Commission, Evgeny Alexandrov, described cryonics as an exclusively commercial undertaking that does not have any scientific basis, in comments to a newspaper. KrioRus says hundreds of potential clients from nearly 20 countries have signed up for its after-death service. It costs $36,000 for the whole body and $15,000 for brain alone for Russians, who earn average monthly salaries of $760, according to statistics. Prices are higher for non-Russians.Voronenkov said he set his hopes on science. I hope one day it reaches a level when we can produce artificial organs to create an artificial body where my mothers brain can be integrated.

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Brain freeze: New path to immortality - Times of India

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ReutersJan 15, 2020 09:42:25 IST

When Alexei Voronenkovs 70-year-old mother passed away, he paid to have her brain frozen and stored in the hope breakthroughs in science will one day be able to bring her back to life.

It is one of 71 brains and human cadavers which Russian company KrioRus calls its patients floating in liquid nitrogen in one of several metres-tall vats in a corrugated metal shed outside Moscow.

They are stored at -196 degrees Celsius (-320.8F) with the aim of protecting them against deterioration, although there is currently no evidence science will be able to revive the dead.

I did this because we were very close and I think it is the only chance for us to meet in the future, said Voronenkov who intends to undergo the procedure, known as cryonics, when he dies.

A Russian company will freeze your brain or your entire body in the hopes of reviving you when the tech is available. Image credit: Friso Gentsch/Getty Images

The head of the Russian Academy of Sciences' Pseudoscience Commission, Evgeny Alexandrov, described cryonics as an exclusively commercial undertaking that does not have any scientific basis, in comments to the Izvestia newspaper.

It is a fantasy speculating on peoples hopes of resurrection from the dead and dreams of eternal life, the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Valeriya Udalova, KrioRuss director who got her dog frozen when it died in 2008, said it is likely that humankind will develop the technology to revive dead people in the future, but that there is no guarantee of such technology.

KrioRus says hundreds of potential clients from nearly 20 countries have signed up for its after-death service.

It costs $36,000 for a whole body and $15,000 for the brain alone for Russians, who earn average monthly salaries of $760, according to official statistics. Prices are slightly higher for non-Russians.

The company says it is the only one in Russia and the surrounding region. Set up in 2005, it has at least two competitors in the United States, where the practise dates back further.

Voronenkov said he set his hopes on science. I hope one day it reaches a level when we can produce artificial bodies and organs to create an artificial body where my mothers brain can be integrated.

KrioRus director Udalova argues that those paying to have dying relatives remains preserved are showing how much they love them.

They try to bring hope, she said. What can we do for our dying relatives or the ones that we love? A nice burial, a photo album, she said. They go further, proving their love even more.

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Russian company will freeze your brain in the hopes of reviving you in the future with better tech - Firstpost

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In the past, the most common thing to do was a traditional burial, but that is no longer the case. According to the report, the majority of Americans now plan on being cremated (44%), with traditional burials coming in second (35%).

That leaves one in five Americans (21%) who have other plans for their body.

Some (6%) choose to donate their bodies to science, while others (4%) opt for a natural burial being buried without a casket, directly in the ground.

Others have opted for more unique arrangements, such as mummification, having their ashes launched into space or being turned into a memorial diamond. Such options are not cheap.

Mummification a lengthy process in which a persons skin and flesh are preserved is the costliest, starting at $67,000 (all figures in U.S. dollars).

Plastination a process in which the body is drained of all fluids and filled with a plastic-like substance starts at $40,000.

Cryonics which will freeze your clients body at a temperature low enough that the body wont decompose is a relative bargain, starting at only $20,000.

The average cost for a traditional burial is $7,360 and thats without a burial plot or headstone. Cremation is a slightly cheaper option, coming in at $6,260, but that doesnt include the cost of a viewing and memorial services.

If your client is looking for a more affordable option, donating their body to science is free.

While cremation has become the most common option, what people are doing with their ashes varies.

The most popular option among respondents was having their ashes spread in a specific location (40%), followed by having their family keep the ashes (36%).

Ten per cent of respondents chose to mix their ashes with soil and be planted as a tree, while 14% chose something more creative, such as being painted onto a canvas, turned into a coral reef, compressed into a diamond, mixed with ink and used for a tattoo or used in fireworks.

Having your ashes launched into space costs upward of $2,500, and having them planted as a tree starts at $50.

Thirteen per cent of respondents said financial reasons influenced their burial plans. More people were influenced by personal beliefs (47%) and family traditions (24%).Yet, nearly one-third of respondents (30%) said they would choose differently if they did not have to take these factors into account.

Choice Mutual surveyed 1,500 people in the United States about their burial plans and preferences. Read the full report here.

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Mummification or being launched into space? Burial options for your client - Investment Executive

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It seems few can resist the revenue that can await a cancer treatment.

After over a decade extending the half-life of medicines for J&J, Genentech and other large players, Amunix is pivoting to develop elements of its platform into two approaches to immuno-oncology, one of which is an off-the-shelf alternative to CART treatments. And theyre licensing a portion of the older technology to Roche for $40 million and $1.5 billion in potential milestones.

Roche had been playing around with the tech for a tech assessment for quite a bit of time prior to my joining and they obviously like what they saw, Angie You, Amunixs new CEO, told Endpoints News.

Roche isnt disclosing what drugs it will use on Amunixs old platform, known as XTEN, for, but You said it will be for a very circumscribed indication and a very circumscribed target. It also wont be in oncology. The Swiss giant had toyed with the half-life-extending platform for 4 or 5 years before recently giving Amunix word they wanted to license it, You said.

Amunix will funnel that money into their emerging immuno-oncology approach. They first pivoted over a year ago, bringing in You as a new CEO and Rich Heyman as chairman, and soon rotating out the rest of the C-suite.

That period also saw the biotech license the new immuno-oncology platform to Merck. With a similar approach to the one employed by the recently launched Werewolf Therapeutics, Amunix will try to get the bodys T cells to attack solid tumors without triggering the toxicity T cell engagement has caused in other studies. It takes the polypeptide chains it once used to extend half-lives and combines them with proteases to essentially mask the drugs until they reach the tumor.

Were solving the problem of toxicity, You said.

Amunix limited the Roche deal so it could continue to license its older platform for other targets and indications, You said, part of an effort to continue drawing funds for the immuno-oncology effort.

We wanted to make sure we had other deals to collaborate with big pharma, she said.

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Merck-partnered biotech hands Roche its half-life extension tech as it pivots to immuno-oncology - Endpoints News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

While we embark on yetanother trip around the sun entering a new decade in 2020, thoughts naturally stray to our own mortality and ways we can improve future days via simple changes in our diet, exercise, and stress levels. But the generic nematode worm might hold clues to extending our Earthly lives far beyond the dreams of our imagination, or the furthest reaches of any insurance company actuary report.

In a new studypublished in the online journalCell Reports, a team ofinternational researchers has discovered methods to increase the lifespan of the lowly C. elegans worm by five times, long after its normal three or four week lifecycle. If these findings were successfully applied to human beings, that person would experiencethe equivalent of blowing out 400 birthday candles on a celebratory cake.That's a big cake, and scientists associated with the startling project see the data as a vital stage in someday seeing it asreality.

By genetically manipulatinginsulin/insulin-likesignaling pathways in molecules insidenematode cells, researchers have built upon previous findings linking two specific pathways the insulin signaling pathway and the target of rapamycin pathway tothe aging process. Scientists then determinedthat changing the insulinpathway doubled a worms longevity, while altering the rapamycin pathway only increasedit 30 percent.

However, in what came as an obvious surprise to the team, when both C. elegans pathways were altered, this boosted their lifespans up to a whopping 500 percent instead of 130 percent.

The synergistic extension is really wild, MDI Biological Laboratory's lead study author Jarod Rollins said in apress release. The effect isnt one plus one equals two, its one plus one equals five. Our findings demonstrate that nothing in nature exists in a vacuum; in order to develop the most effective anti-aging treatments we have to look at longevity networks rather than individual pathways.

Due to the number of shared genes and cellular pathways, C. elegans are perfect for carrying out advanced research on human aging and cutting-edgeexperiments in life extension. And because of their brieflifespans, immediate changes in their aging can be observed more readily. The logical progression of this newfound information would be to apply the resulting knowledge to Mankind in order to greater understand our own mortality and its eventual limitations.

Despite the discovery in C. elegans of cellular pathways that govern aging, it hasnt been clear how these pathways interact, MDI Biological Laboratory President Hermann Haller added. By helping to characterize these interactions, our scientists are paving the way for much-needed therapies to increase healthy lifespan for a rapidly aging population.

Are you prepared to live nearly half a millennium, or satisfiedwith a solid 80 years or soon our spinningBig Blue Marble?

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Want to live 400 years? These simple nematode worms might show humans how - SYFY WIRE

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As the U.S. Air Force advances its planned B-52 reengining program, Middle River Aerostructure Systems (MRAS) is ready to provide the companys expertise in highly efficient, cost-effective nacelle systems for the operational lifetime extension of this long-range strategic bomber.

MRAS is uniquely positioned as the original equipment manufacturer of key nacelle components for the various engine versions under consideration for B-52 reengining.

Nacelle solutions for the CF34-10A, Passport, PW800 and BR725

For the CF34-10A engine, MRAS developed the fuselage-mounted nacelle system components consisting of the air inlet, fan cowl and thrust reverser that are in service today on the current generation of regional jets. MRAS understands the challenges of packaging short-duct nacelle components in the side-mounted and under-wing configurations, and brings innovative product solutions to support the integration effort.

MRAS has the lead industrial role on the nacelle system for the Passport engines that power Bombardiers Global 7500 business jets, developing and producing the nacelles air inlet and fan cowl.

Features of the Passport nacelle air inlet include an innovative anti-ice system that uses a directed flow nozzle concept; and a 360-degree, single-piece extended inner barrel incorporating advanced acoustic protection for lower engine noise levels. This nacelles fan cowl was designed for simplicity and has an overall length of 103 inches, which allows improved access for on-aircraft maintenance while lowering the system weight.

MRAS solutions offered for the Passport also can be easily adjusted to fit other long-duct engine options for B-52 reengining, such as the Pratt & Whitney PW800 and the Rolls-Royce BR725.

MRAS state-of-the-art manufacturing resources

The MRAS production site at Middle River, Maryland (on the Chesapeake Bay near Baltimore) is among the most modern of its type, with the companys multi-million-dollar investments in automation bringing the full advantages of outstanding manufacturing quality, improved cycle times and cost savings, along with the ability to rapidly introduce and increase production capacity.

In offering complete solutions for the development, production and support of aircraft nacelles and aerostructures in both metallic and composite materials, MRAS state-of-the-art production resources include automated fabrication; along with robotic assembly, painting and finishing all of which are linked via a strict adherence to the digital thread from engineering concept to the factory floor.

One of the recent additions at Middle River is a computer-controlled robotic assembly cell. Its multi-axis robot uses the nacelle components actual engineering model for high accuracy during the assembly actions, which include drilling, countersinking and the installation of fasteners.

Complete program expertise at Middle River from concept to delivery

Contributing to MRAS role as a low-risk solution provider for B-52 reengining is the companys unique end-to-end program expertise, from development, design, integration and testing to flight test support and certification all centered in the companys 1.7-million sq. ft. facility at Middle River.

This under one roof capability covers a full scope of design and analysis toolsets to develop weight- and cost-optimized designs, as well as focusing on lean principles and continuous improvement to realize and industrialize products to the most stringent demands. It also enables MRAS assembly group to work in close coordination with the companys designers ensuring optimum producibility for structures and parts.

At Middle River, MRAS maintains a rapid prototyping capability, combining virtual and physical protypes as well as 3D printing to optimize development cycle time and support the earliest possible transition to flight test operations.

MRAS specialties and competencies include bird strike, lightning strike, impact testing and analysis correlation; digital product assemblies and kinematic simulations; computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and thermal management analyses; aero acoustics, mechanical and static fatigue analyses; definition and validation of anti-icing and fire protection; along with in-depth mechanical testing.

A proven aviation heritage at Middle River spanning nine decades

All of MRAS current capabilities builds on the companys 90-year history of supporting military and civilian aircraft programs, with its propulsion-related industrial activities including a key role in the U.S. Air Force C-5M Super Galaxy reengining performing the design and certification for the CF6-80C2 powerplants thrust reverser.

In addition, MRAS manufactured the translating cowl thrust reverser for the C-5 Galaxys original TF39 engines, and it designed and produced the exhaust nozzle for C-130J Hercules airlifters.

Another program that highlighted MRAS experience in military aircraft modification and service life extension was the production of aerostructures for the P-3 Orions Aircraft Service Life Extension Program (ASLEP) and Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU). Performed from 1995 to 2019, this involved replacing fatigue-critical structural components on the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft with new enhanced-design corrosion-resistant elements thereby extending the airframe life to 15,000 flying hours and adding decades of service. MRAS delivered 90-plus shipsets that primarily involved horizontal stabilizer assemblies and leading-edge assemblies, along with 24 longeron welded assemblies.

The companys heritage traces its roots to aviation pioneer Glenn Martin, with more than 10,000 aircraft built at the Middle River production site that ranged from B-26 Marauder bombers, P5M naval flying boats and multi-role B-57 Night Intruders to Pan American Airways iconic M-130 China Clipper and the Martin 404 airliner.

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MRAS is Uniquely Positioned to Offer Cost-Effective, Low-Risk Nacelle Solutions for the Reengining of USAF B-52 Bombers - AviationPros.com

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- SHP656 program utilized Xenetic's PolyXen platform technology to conjugate polysialic acid to therapeutic blood-clotting factors - Phase 1/2 study demonstrated SHP656's efficacy and pharmacokinetic data commensurate with the profile of an extended half-life rFVIII product

FRAMINGHAM, MA / ACCESSWIRE / January 14, 2020 / Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. (XBIO) ("Xenetic" or the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing XCART, a personalized chimeric antigen receptor T cell ("CAR T") platform technology engineered to target patient-specific tumor neoantigens, announced today that data from the completed Phase 1/2 clinical study of SHP656 ("PSA-recombinant Factor VIII", "PSA-rFVIII") sponsored by its license partner Takeda Pharmaceuticals Company Limited ("Takeda") has been published in the journal Haemophilia1.

The results from this single-dose study indicate that polysialylation of rFVIII confers a half-life extension similar to that of approved extended half-life products that use either PEG or Fc fusion technology and was not associated with any treatment-emergent adverse events.

The Phase 1/2 clinical study was conducted by Baxalta US Inc, a Takeda company, to evaluate SHP656, which was being developed as a long-acting therapeutic for the treatment of hemophilia A utilizing Xenetic's PolyXen technology to conjugate polysialic acid to therapeutic blood-clotting factors.

Jeffrey Eisenberg, Chief Executive Officer of Xenetic, commented, "We are pleased that this study published in the peer-reviewed journal Haemophilia has demonstrated that our PolyXen platform successfully extended the circulating half-life of rFVIII with no treatment-related adverse events."

Data from SHP656 was also published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences2 in an article titled, "Polysialic Acid-Mediated Activity Measurement of Polysialylated Recombinant Coagulation Factor VIII," and in the Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics3 in an article titled, "Evaluation of Factor VIII Polysialylation: Identification of a Longer-Acting Experimental Therapy in Mice and Monkeys."

PolyXen is Xenetic's patent-protected platform technology for creating next-generation protein or peptide therapeutics, by prolonging a drug's circulating half-life and potentially improving other pharmacological properties.

With the Phase 1/2 study completed in May 2017, SHP656 is no longer part of an active development program.

Takeda currently has one active development program underway utilizing the PolyXen platform technology, under an Exclusive License Agreement with Xenetic in the field of coagulation disorders. In addition, in October 2017 Xenetic granted rights to Takeda to grant a nonexclusive sublicense to certain patents related to PolyXen to a third party, and Xenetic receives royalties under that arrangement in the near term.

About Xenetic Biosciences

Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on progressing XCART, a personalized CAR T platform technology engineered to target patient-specific tumor neoantigens. The Company is initially advancing cell-based therapeutics targeting the unique B-cell receptor on the surface of an individual patient's malignant tumor cells for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas. XCART has the potential to fuel a robust pipeline of therapeutic assets targeting high-value oncology indications.

Additionally, Xenetic is leveraging PolyXen, its proprietary drug delivery platform, by partnering with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. PolyXen has demonstrated its ability to improve the half-life and other pharmacological properties of next-generation biologic drugs. The Company has an exclusive license agreement with Takeda Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. in the field of coagulation disorders and receives royalty payments under this agreement.

For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.xeneticbio.com and connect on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this press release other than statements of historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. These statements can be identified by words such as "expects," "plans," "projects," "will," "may," "anticipates," "believes," "should," "intends," "estimates," and other words of similar meaning, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the Company's plans to initially apply the XCART technology to advance cell-based therapeutics by targeting the unique B-cell receptor on the surface of an individual patient's malignant tumor cells for the treatment of B-cell lymphomas; the Company's expectations that XCART has the potential to fuel a robust pipeline of therapeutic assets targeting high-value oncology indications; and the Company's expectations regarding potential royalties resulting from the sublicense with Takeda commencing in the near term. Any forward-looking statements contained herein are based on current expectations, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause our actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from such plans, estimates or expectations include, among others, (1) unexpected costs, charges or expenses resulting from the acquisition of the CAR T technology; (2) uncertainty of the expected financial performance of the Company following completion of the acquisition of the CAR T technology; (3) failure to realize the anticipated potential of the XCART technology; (4) the ability of the Company to implement its business strategy; and (5) other risk factors as detailed from time to time in the Company's reports filed with the SEC, including its annual report on Form 10-K, periodic quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, periodic current reports on Form 8-K and other documents filed with the SEC. The foregoing list of important factors is not exclusive. In addition, forward-looking statements may also be adversely affected by general market factors, competitive product development, product availability, federal and state regulations and legislation, the regulatory process for new product candidates and indications, manufacturing issues that may arise, patent positions and litigation, among other factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date the statements were made, and the Company does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

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Xenetic Biosciences, Inc. Announces Publication of Data from Partner's Phase 1/2 Study Evaluating Program Leveraging Polyxen(R) Platform Technology -...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

In its latest analysis of satellite manufacturing and launch services, Satellites to be Built and Launched by 2028, Euroconsult projects that the satellite market will experience a radical transformation in the quantity, value and mass of the satellites to be built and launched with a four-fold increase in the number of satellites at a yearly average of 990 satellites to be launched, compared to a yearly average of 230 satellites in the previous decade.

The market will reach $292 billion over the next decade. This reflects a 28 percent increase over the previous decade which totalled $228 billion in revenues.

"Newcomers like Oneweb, SpaceX's Starlink or Amazon's Project Kuiper are becoming the largest owners of assets in orbit, challenging the satellite industry in many ways" said Maxime Puteaux, Editor-in-Chief of this research product and Senior Consultant at Euroconsult.

These changes are characterized by several factors:

+ LEO and MEO constellations are expected to account for 77 percent of the projected demand in the next decade driven by broadband projects like SpaceX's Starlink, Oneweb, Amazon's Project Kuiper, Telesat LEO and SES's O3b mPOWER.

+ Incumbent GEO comsat commercial satellite operators are transitioning from a legacy of GEO comsat broadcasting business to more data-centric use cases, impacting satellites orders. The gradual recovery of contracts will continue, following the low point of seven awards in 2017 with demand driven by the first orders of satellites with fully reconfigurable digital payload.

+ Euroconsult expects an average of 13 GEO comsat orders per year post-2020 based on a replacement scenario that considers the competition of NGSO satellite systems and the introduction of life extension services. Demand from global and regional GEO comsat operators will reach a yearly average of $8 billion over the next ten years.

+ Civil government agencies are projected to be the top drivers of satellite demand, accounting for 40 percent of the entire market value, ahead of both defense and commercial demand. This is a result of increasing interest in space science, exploration, and Earth observation. On the defense side, a new cycle of orders is beginning with new strategies and replacement satellites needed by the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, India and Europe.

Satellites to be Built and Launched by 2028 is a research product based on in-depth analysis of satellite applications and missions, satellite operators and users, technology advances, and the impact of these factors on the manufacturing and launch industry.

It includes a database of all satellites, regardless of mass, that were launched from 2009 to 2019, as well as satellites currently under construction, and those forecast to launch by 2028. It also provides detailed status and maturity assessments of 55 commercial constellations of five satellites or more and discusses the business cases for the four mega-constellations and their differing vertical integration strategies.

In its analysis, Euroconsult reviews strategic issues and trends for four categories of satellite operators, six types of orbit, six regions of the world, and seven distinct satellite application categories.

It provides quantitative analysis of satellite numbers, mass, and cost with forecasts based on qualitative top-down and bottom-up assessments. With separate sections for both the manufacturing and launch industries, the research covers strategic issues, industry structure, financial performance, innovation and more for each and includes detailed profiles of ten manufacturers and four launch service providers.

"While accurate projections can be challenging in an era of uncertainty, Euroconsult stands behind its numbers as the most realistic and reliable in the industry" said Maxime Puteaux. "This is the 22nd edition of our research on satellites to be built and launched and, in preparation, we compared past forecasts to the actual numbers. We confirmed that our depth of experience and comprehensive insight into the industry resulted in highly credible estimates."

Euroconsult compared the number of GEO and non-GEO satellites launched from 2009 to 2018 to its forecast for that period. It showed that, in 2009, the company predicted 11 percent more non-GEO satellites than actually launched, and it underestimated the number of GEOs by only three percent. The 2010 edition was the first report since 2000 to underestimate the non-GEO segment and subsequent editions corrected earlier over-estimates.

Related LinksEuroconsult GroupThe latest information about the Commercial Satellite Industry

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Euroconsult forecasts satellite demand to experience a four-fold increase over the next 10 years - Space Daily

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Last month, this publication was introduced to Apeel Sciences a Gates Foundation-backed company responsible foran innovative plant-derived solution that reportedly slows down the rate of water loss and oxidation in perishable foods. Fin Slater caught up with Michelle Masek,Communications Advisor atApeel Sciencesto discuss scalability, single-use plastics, and the future of food packaging.

Could you give us an introduction to the Apeel product?

Apeel is a plant-derived solution that doubles to triples the shelf life of many types of fresh produce reducing reliance on refrigeration, plastic packaging, and controlled atmosphere throughout the supply chain. Made of materials found in every bite of fruit, Apeel creates an exceptionally thin, edible peel on the outside of produce, creating an optimal microclimate inside fruits and vegetables that slows the rate of water loss and oxidation the primary causes of spoilage. Apeel Sciences is fighting the global food waste crisis by using natures tools to extend the freshness of produce, prevent waste and promote more sustainable practices. Apeel is FDA GRAS, approved for USDA Certified Organic and conventional produce, and in 2019 gained regulatory approval by the European Commission.

For suppliers and retailers, Apeel is the only postharvest solution that creates an optimal microclimate inside every fruit or vegetable, maintaining quality, extending shelf life, and transportability with reduced reliance on refrigeration and controlled atmosphere.

What was the R&D process that lead up to the creation of the product?

While working on his Ph.D. in Materials, Apeel Sciences founder and CEO, James Rogers, will tell you he spent a few years watching paint dry in an effort to develop an energy-harvesting solar paint that would help democratize clean energy.

One day, while driving through lush farmland on his way home to Santa Barbara from the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, he heard a story on the radio about global hunger and wondered how can so many people be hungry if were able to grow such an abundance of food?

It turns out that there isnt an issue with growing the food we needthe culprit is spoilage. James wondered if a barrier could be created for food that would slow down the rate of spoilage and discovered that the materials needed already exist in every bite of food we eat. The result was a breakthrough application of materials science to food preservation, and Apeel Sciences was born.

Apeel Sciences was founded in 2012 with a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a product to reduce post-harvest food loss in developing countries. Today, Apeel Sciences has developed products for multiple USDA Organic Certified and conventional produce categories, and the company works with partners ranging from smallholder farmers and local organic growers to the worlds largest food brands to make better quality fruits and vegetables available for all.

Apeel is made of plant-derived materials lipids and glycerolipids that exist in the peels, seeds, and pulp of all the fruits and vegetables we already eat. When creating Apeel, we specifically target these materials.

Key factors that determine the shelf life of produce, such as water loss and ripening rates, are governed by their surface properties, including native wax composition, wax crystal density and size, roughness, and porosity. We consider all of these factors when we optimize a formulation for a particular category of produce, where molecularly, we adjust the combination of lipids in the formulation to be best suited to a given produce surface to maintain shelf-life.

What applications/demand does the product seek to meet?

Food waste in Europe has reached a staggering 88 million tonnes annually, with associated costs estimated at 143 billion euros. By using Apeel as a solution for extending produce shelf life and helping reduce food waste, U.S. retailers have been able to sell Apeel-treated avocados at no additional charge to the shopper or member.

In trials, weve seen a doubling to tripling of shelf-life across many dozens of types of fruits and vegetables. The length of shelf life extension depends on the type of produce, its age, and the conditions it is subject to along the supply chain, among other factors.

What makes Apeel technologically innovative/interesting?

Nature is our greatest teacher, and we have successfully proven that we can use these learnings to improve and prolong the quality of produce while reducing waste. From strawberries to peppers, every fruit and vegetable has a protective peel or skin that nature uses to keep it fresh. By enhancing this with a little extra peel, Apeel can double to triple the shelf life of many types of fresh produce, which promotes more sustainable growing practices and less food waste from farm to retail shelf to home.

In addition to food waste reduction, Apeels technology has the ability to reduce single-use plastic waste in the produce industry. In fall 2019, Apeel announced a partnership with world-renowned supplier Houwelings Group, providing them access to Apeels plant-derived technology to replace the single-use plastic wraps on its English cucumbers while still maintaining the vegetables shelf life. This partnership is expected to reduce plastic waste from reaching our landfills by over 60,000 pounds per year.

How does this product fit into the sustainable future of the packaging industry?

Apeel's technology is enabling the shift to more sustainable solutions a priority for everyone across the food supply chain. Fruits and vegetables already have packaging in the form of skins and peels, and Apeel is drawing on what nature already creates in order to help the industry increase the sustainability of its offerings. By extending the shelf life of produce, transformations and savings at every stage of the supply chain can occur. One recent example of this is Apeel Asparagus a vegetable which currently depends heavily on air freight for transport. Apeel reduces reliance on air freight by maintaining quality for longer, opening up the possibilities of arrivals by sea resulting in approximately 1/10 of the cost of transport and 1/8 the GHG emissions when compared to air.

What are your expectations for the future of the product?

Coming off of the heels of our European expansion, we hope to be a global company, servicing many more countries around the world. In the U.S., Apeel avocado retail programs have demonstrated a 50% reduction in retail waste on average and were eager to make these food waste reduction benefits a reality for suppliers and retailers around the world. We are excited about continuing to unlock the potential of plant-derived technology to help solve some of the biggest challenges we are facing right now in the area of food waste and its impact on climate change.

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Using "nature's tools" to fight the global food waste crisis - Packaging Europe

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Key point:The new paint is supposed to be radar-absorbent.

A Texas Air National Guard fighter squadron flying F-16s is one of the first units to paint its planes in a new, radar-absorbing paint scheme. The paint signals the Air Forces reluctant decision to keep old F-16s flying through the 2020s, at least.

The Air National Guards paint facility in Sioux City, Iowa in mid-December 2019 rolled out a Block 30 F-16C with the new version the Have Glass paint jobs. The F-16C, a Block 30 model, belongs to the 149th Fighter Wing flying out of Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.

The new, single-color paint scheme is a recent departure from the older two-tone gray paint scheme normally associated with F-16s that belong to the United States Air Force, the Pentagon stated.

Most American F-16s for decades have worn a mostly light-gray paint scheme. Since around 2012, however, the Air Force under the Have Glass V initiative slowly has been applying a new, single-tone, dark-gray livery to some F-16s

The new ferromagnetic paint, which can absorb radar energy, first appeared on some of the roughly 200 F-16s the Air Force assigns to the dangerous suppression-of-enemy-air-defenses, or SEAD, mission. SEAD squadrons reside in Minnesota, South Carolina, Germany and Japan.

The Texas Air National Guard F-16 apparently is the first Block 30 F-16 to receive a variant of the Have Glass V paint. Where previous Have Glass V paint jobs included a lighter-tone radar radome, the current scheme covers both the radome and the rest of the plane in the same, dark tone.

No paint can compensate for a plane's shape. In particular, the shapes of its wings, engine inlet and engine nozzle. Square shapes, right angles and perpendicular planes such as engine turbines strongly reflect radar waves.

Even with Have Glass, the F-16 on average has a 1.2-square-meter radar cross-section, according to Globalsecurity, while the F-22 and F-35 boast RCSs smaller than .005 square meters.

So the Have Glass V F-16s arent stealth fighters. But they are stealthier than are F-16s with older paint schemes. Since Have Glass V undoubtedly is expensive, the Air Force logically prioritized repainting planes in units flying the dangerous SEAD mission.

Its noteworthy that Block 30 F-16s, which first appeared in 1986, also are getting Have Glass V treatment. The roughly 300 Block 30s are some of the oldest fighters in the Air Force inventory, and strictly fly with Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units.

The Air Force for years struggled to define a replacement plan for the Block 30 F-16s, which on average have accumulated more than 7,000 flight hours. The F-35 eventually could replace the Block 30s. But with F-35 production rates fall far below projections, even under the best of circumstances it could take a decade or more to replace all the Block 30s.

The 149th Fighter Wing is one of several Air National Guard units that for years has lobbied the Air Force to bump it higher in the list for new F-35s. But the flying branch so far has tapped Guard wings in Vermont, Wisconsin and Alabama to get F-35s, leaving a couple dozen other units in limbo for the time being.

Conceding that it cannot acquire F-35s fast enough, the Air Force now plans to conduct a service-life extension on more than 800 of its roughly 900 F-16s, apparently skipping over only the oldest Block 25 models that entered service in the early 1980s.

The life-extension could help the Block 30s fly for a few years longer. Some Block 30s also are receiving new electronically-scanned-array radars to replace their old analogue units. Stealther paint also helps the aging F-16s stay relevant.

The U.S. Air Force isnt the only air arm to apply radar-absorbing paint to otherwise non-stealthy fighters. The Chinese air force in early 2019 also began applying ferromagnetic paint to its roughly 50 J-16s fighters.

The J-16 is an upgraded version of the older J-11 fighter that China copied from the Russian Su-27.

David Axe serves as Defense Editor of the National Interest. He is theauthor of the graphic novelsWar Fix,War Is BoringandMachete Squad. This first appeared earlier in 2019.

Image: Reuters.

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The Aging F-16 Just Got a Stealth Paint Job - The National Interest Online

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

By Ashleigh Stewart, Cronkite News | Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2020

PHOENIX Every two minutes, a woman in the U.S. is diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, but thanks in large part to early detection, breast cancer death rates have dropped 40% since 1989.

Genetic testing has emerged as an invaluable tool in the early detection of breast cancer, which is hereditary in 10% to 15% of cases. A genetic marker was identified in the 1990s: mutations in BRCA genes 1 and 2, which produce tumor suppressor proteins.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, an estimated 41,760 women died of breast cancer in the U.S. in 2019. The final number has not yet been released.

Many generations and many with the same type of cancer, that should set off an alarm bell in that family, said Dr. Donald Northfelt, oncologist at the Mayo Clinic Breast Clinic in Phoenix.

People inherit BRCA gene mutations from either the mother or father, and those changes are implicated in breast and ovarian cancers. Any cell in the body can be tested for that mutation. Its typically done by taking a blood or saliva sample and sending it to a laboratory for panel testing.

Patients at the Mayo Clinic are referred to a genetics counselor as the first step in obtaining BRCA testing. Northfelt wants patients to be fully informed of the circumstances that may arise from the test result.

HonorHealth, a health care system based in Phoenix, takes a similar approach.

Its going to have implications for your family members because we might still want to test other people that could be at risk for genetic mutation even if you tested negative, said Madison Lafleur, a genetics counselor at HonorHealth.

She said HonorHealth has patient assistance programs and can help cover the cost of the appointment. However, the biggest barrier to accessibility is the lack of genetic counselors and the waiting list that creates.

How will this testing affect family members, and what can we do to hopefully put them at ease? Lafleur asked. If they get a positive result, how can we work with them to get them through the initial shock and make sure they are getting the correct screening that they need?

Genes arent the only risk factor for cancer, the National Cancer Institute said. Changes in lifestyle particularly quitting smoking and eating habits also help to prevent cancer.

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Genetic testing helps in the early detection of breast cancer - Cronkite News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Over the past two decades, the field of medical genomics underwent nothing less than a revolution in terms of both technological advancement and accumulated knowledge. This revolution holds the promise of changing the entire medical practice, and while the industrycontinues to improve genome sequencing technologies and decrease the price of sequencing a genome, other challenges are lurking that hinder the prospects of this revolution and undermine the efforts of wide-scale integration of genomics into mainstream medicine.

To emphasize this point further, even though the technologies to help diagnose patients with rare genetic diseases exist, the rate of underdiagnoses and misdiagnoses is still alarmingly high, and patients who receive diagnoses end up waiting too long for them, sometimes years. These extensive diagnostic journeys directly impact the ability to recruit patients for clinical trials, and thus the ability to develop more treatments for rare diseases. To date, only 5% of more than 7,000 known rare genetic diseases have FDA-approved treatments.

At my company, a leading digital health company, our mission is to end the diagnostic odyssey for undiagnosed pediatric patients with rare diseases. I've seen that the main contributors to this state of affairs are the excruciatingly long wait times for genetics appointments, coupled with the significant workforce shortage of experts in the field.

To reach more than 400 million patients globally (50% of whom are estimated to be young kids) with earlier intervention to improve outcomes and help many of them live relatively healthy and productive lives, the diagnosis must shift from the geneticists clinic to the primary point of care, or at least it must be initiated much earlier by primary care physicians.

Without adopting technological solutions that will support the integration of genomics into mainstream medicine, genomics will never live up to its promise and become a standard of care. In my opinion, realizing that vision will be a balancing act between the affordability for payers, accessibility for providers and actionability for patients, and it will depend on technological solutions combining AI-based phenotyping, as well as connecting front-line providers with human experts in genetics, alongside the most advanced genome sequencing technologies.

High Throughput Genetic Testing

As noted, genome sequencing technologies have made huge strides over the last two decades. The affordability of genomics is now increasingly dependent on the ability to sift through and interpret vast amounts of data produced from a genome, and to determine which data is pertinent for a medical diagnosis and for disease treatment a task fitting for AI.

Indeed, in the last few years, we have witnessed many AI-driven solutions sprouting to address this problem. Some of these solutions are home-grown, in leading laboratories such as Invitae, GeneDx and PerkinElmer Genomics. (Full disclosure: PerkinElmer Genomics uses FDNA's technology in its genetic analysis.) Others are developed as software platforms by vendors such as Sophia Genetics, Fabric Genomics, Congenica and Emedgene.

Harnessing AI to perform data analysis challenges has proven to be very successful and is a direct contributor to the affordability of genetic testing today, as well as the gradually increasing rate of reimbursement by payers. I believe AI will continue to play a key role in driving down prices to the $100 range, which will make genomics extremely affordable, both for health systems and for individuals paying out-of-pocket.

Phenotyping Driven By AI

AIs impact goes far beyond applying machine learning algorithms that sift through genetic variations and proprietary knowledge bases of pathogenicity. As more OMICS technologies stack up with genomics, and more AI modalities like natural language processing and computer vision image analysis are integrated directly into the genome analysis pipeline, we will see an increasing standardization of data across disparate data silos and a closing of the genotype-phenotype gap between the clinic and the lab. This trend will drive genomic data to become more actionable for patients and allow them to make informed decisions about their health.

Much of todays phenotyping is performed by humans and is inherently subject to biases such as age, gender and ethnicity. If we approach this problem with legal and ethical rigor, care and are cautious of patient privacy, and with respect to the providers and their workflow, AI could enhance human skills and capabilities. I think that helping primary care providers collect, structure and analyze phenotypic information of patients with rare diseases is an area worth prioritizing.

Connecting The Expert Community

Finally, technology is more than AI. Technology is also an enabler for fostering connections and interactions between humans. Some tasks in practicing medicine must be left to humans, but even then, technology can assist. An alternative abbreviation of AI (augmented intelligence) is my preferred one. It implies a symbiotic relationship between people and machines, making each other stronger, rather than threatening to replace each other.

Tailoring a solution combining all three components (genomics, AI-based phenotyping and community connection) like the one described above is not an easy task, and it depends on the ability of stakeholders from many disciplines to work together, share data and collaborate on research and development.

To achieve this, a best-of-breed approach should be taken, and not only should data be shared, but a global collaboration between commercial companies, academic research institutions and caregivers should occur. The integrity of the data, ethical and privacy policies, and trust in workflow should be established. This requires an open dialogue between all parties involved, as well as a fast-pace framework to allow developers to move quickly in building these tools.

Certainly, working with different stakeholders with sometimes conflicting interests is challenging, but the one common goal we all have is helping patients, especially kids with rare and undiagnosed genetic diseases.

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Access And Actionability Are Key For Genetic Testing And Precision Medicine - Forbes

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Users pay 100 to the Silicon Valley company 23andme for a breakdown of their ancestryALAMY

The ancestry company 23andme has become the worlds first genetics testing firm to create a drug created from its customers DNA samples.

The Silicon Valley company has developed and sold a drug designed to treat inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis. It is based on its database of around 10 million DNA samples it has collected since it was founded in 2006.

23andme has sold the rights to the drug to the Spanish pharmaceutical company Almirall for an undisclosed sum.

The companys chief executive is Anne Wojcicki, whose sister, Susan, is the chief executive of YouTube and whose ex-husband Sergey Brin is the co-founder of Google.

It is one of several genetics companies that offers home testing kits which allow people to get a breakdown of

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Genetic testing firm 23andMe is first to create a drug using its customers' DNA - The Times

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

By Jacob Passy

Published: Jan 15, 2020 12:49 pm ET

Cassandra Madison (second from right) is shown here with her biological father and some of her biological siblings. She met them for the first time last year after taking a 23andMe DNA test.

For people like Cassandra Madison, direct-to-consumer genetic testing services from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com have proven revolutionary in filling gaps about their family history.

But connecting with biological relatives in cases of adoption or conception through sperm and egg donation doesnt come with a rule book forcing both parties to make difficult, emotional decisions, often on the fly.

Cassandra Madison, 31, who used 23andMe to find her biological family

Madison, who now lives in Virginia Beach, Va., was adopted as an infant in 1988 from the Dominican Republic by a white American couple. Throughout her life, Madison had little information about her biological family. My mom told me as much as she knew, which was just that they were very poor and couldnt afford to keep me anymore, Madison, 31, said.

Attempts to find more information on her own always proved fruitless. The lawyer in the Dominican Republic who handled Madisons adoption falsified paperwork and lied to adoptive parents about their childrens biological relatives, Madison said. It always became a dead end, Madison said.

Then one Christmas, Madisons mother gifted her with a 23andMe genetic test, so she could learn about her heritage. When she got her test results last January, she was surprised. I didnt know you could find people, she said.

Here is Cassandra Madison meeting her biological family:

When Madison clicked on her results to see her relatives, she found over 1,000 family members had taken the DNA test, which involves spitting in a test tube, including a cousin who lived in Connecticut.

She quickly went about researching him on Facebook FB+0.66%and soon made contact. Low and behold, 20 minutes later everyone and their brother was messaging me on Facebook, Madison said. Months later, she made the trip down to the Caribbean country, meeting her relatives for the first-time in person.

Also read: 23andMe revealed that my daughter is not mine can I claim back child support from the biological father?

Cassandra Madison describing what happened after she conducted a DNA test and contacted a relative

Genetic testing is fast becoming ubiquitous. As of 2018, around 60% of Americans with European heritage were likely identifiable from their DNA via searches of consumer websites from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com, regardless of whether they had ever taken a genetic test. One study estimated that around 100 million people will have their DNA mapped by one of these companies by 2021.

In situations where people were adopted or conceived with the assistance of a sperm or egg donor, the services from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com have removed the veil of secrecy that long existed over these relationships.

Dont miss: 23andMe can open a Pandoras Box of a familys medical secrets: As hard as it is knowing, not knowing is much worse

Consumer DNA tests have changed whos in power of the information, said Brianne Kirkpatrick, a certified genetic counselor and founder of the counseling firm Watershed DNA.

Historically, mothers typically were the only ones who knew the biological origins of their children. For decades, most adoptions were closed, meaning communication between the biological parents and their child was restricted. In many circumstances, their identities were also hidden.

Kim Kluger-Bell, a psychotherapist who specializes in infertility counseling

Until recently, most sperm and egg donors made their donations under the expectation of anonymity.

For those who went through these procedures in the last few decades with the understanding that the donors would be anonymous the rules of the game have changed dramatically and donors are being identified and, in some cases, contacted whether or not they want to be, said Kim Kluger-Bell, a psychotherapist who specializes in infertility counseling. None of the fertility clinics or sperm banks I know of really anticipated this happening.

With so many people having taken tests already, it can be easy for some to find biological relatives. But that, too, can lead to awkward circumstances, particularly when someone connects with a relative other than their biological mother or father or vice-versa.

Ive heard stories of the parents of a sperm donor going on Ancestry.com and identifying a biological grandchild they never knew about it turned out their son had anonymously and privately donated sperm to a friend and agreed not to discuss the matter with anyone else, Kluger-Bell said. The parents of the donor wanted to contact the bio-grandchild and the parents of that child felt that this was completely inappropriate.

Ancestry.com and 23andMe have created resources for people who find themselves in these positions. There are certainly cases where a discovery might be quite unexpected. We take our responsibility towards our customers and the potential impact of complex discoveries very seriously, said Dana Chinnici, communications manager at Ancestry.

Both companies said they have experts on staff who can help customers work through some of the unexpected results they may encounter. 23andMe has a support page for customers and their family to navigate unexpected relationships, a company spokeswoman told MarketWatch.

Additionally, with both companies, customers can opt in or out of being listed as a match with other people.

Amy Johnson Crow, a certified genealogist

When Madison was faced with the choice of reaching out to the relatives she connected with via DNA testing, she didnt hesitate. As kids we dont ask to be here, Madison reasoned.

Of course, that approach may not work for everyone. Experts who deal with situations involving adoption, and sperm or egg donation advised patience and caution when reaching out to relatives, but noted that theres not one correct approach.

Cassandra Madison, who was adopted as an infant, met her biological father (pictured here) for the first time last March after connecting with other blood relatives through 23andMe.

There is no one size fits all scenario, said Amy Johnson Crow, a certified genealogist. Its important for the person making the contact to realize that the contact might not be welcomed. Although we all have a right to know our genetic history, we cannot force that biological parent to talk or to have a relationship.

Read more: I discovered through Ancestry.com that my biological father is someone else can I claim an inheritance as his heir?

Heres expert advice on the etiquette surrounding establishing contact:

Give the other person space: These revelations can have major ripple effects for other people, and so it may take time for the person to respond. Remember contact starts with knowing very little of each other and, like any other relationship, needs to grow and build over time. Genetics confers relatedness but not relationships, Braverman said.

Understand potential legal ramifications: Reaching out to a biological relatives through 23andMe or Ancestry.com could violate the terms of an adoption or sperm/egg donation agreement. One woman was threatened with a $20,000 fine after reaching out to the biological grandmother of her daughter who was born via sperm donation.

Establishing contact could leave you vulnerable to lawsuits, so before doing so its important to review the terms of these agreements in advance.

Consider hiring a professional: DNA tests are far from the only route toward discovering ones biological relatives. Genetic counselors and genealogists can assist in uncovering a persons family without these services. Moreover, these professionals can serve as an intermediary in establishing first contact with ones biological family. Kirkpatrick has served as an intermediary for clients in the past and said it can help slow down the process. Creating that buffer of space and time can ultimately lead to things going well in the end, she said.

An intermediary can also help in retrieving information from a biological relative, such as a family medical history, in instances where they do not desire further contact. Of course, this can come with trade-offs. Using an intermediary removes the pressure of an immediate response but also removes the real voice that is reaching out, Braverman said.

Keep your expectations in check: Having too high of expectations from the outset can easily lead to disappointment. To that end, experts suggested doing some self-reflection to understand what an adoptee or individual conceived via sperm or egg donation wants out of a possible connection, whether it be a relationship or something more simple like a family medical history.

Avoid making assumptions about what this biological relationship may mean to the other person, said Andrea Mechanick Braverman, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University.

When Madison eventually made contact with her biological family in the Dominican Republic, joy was quickly met with sadness. She found out that her birth mother had already passed away. Additionally, she also found that some of her relatives were more interested in how much money she had than in forming more meaningful relationships with her. For those and other reasons, Madison said she would not have been able to handle this whole experience without the support of a therapist.

Despite this, Madison said she doesnt regret taking the DNA test or establishing contact with her biological family. Im learning a whole other side of me and can embrace it, she said. It was the best thing to go down there and to have people say, Oh my God, you look just like your mother.

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Everyone and their brother was messaging me on Facebook. DNA tests reveal long-lost relatives, but making contact is a minefield - MarketWatch

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

By Caitlin O'Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures | January 15, 2020 | 9:00 a.m.

UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara co-present Understanding Genetics and Cancer, a free community event featuring Mary-Claire King, the scientist who discovered the BRCA1 gene,7:30 p.m. Thurs., Feb. 6, at UCSB Campbell Hall.

King's lecture will be followed by a panel of experts discussing genetics, cancer and you, providing resources and answering pertinent questions

UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Santa Barbara Cancer Foundation will present a free community event Understanding Genetics and Cancer, featuring a lecture by human geneticist Mary-Claire King, the scientist who discovered the BRCA1 gene.

Her talk, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, at UCSB Campbell Hall, will be followed by a panel of experts discussing genetics, cancer and you.

King discovered the genetic mutation responsible for breast cancer, a finding that has revolutionized the course of cancer research and transformed the way patients are diagnosed and treated.

A recipient of the National Medal of Science for her bold, imaginative and diverse contributions to medical science and human rights, Dr. King will discuss the genetics of inherited cancers.

Following the talk, a panel of experts will address genetics, cancer and you, including the following topics:

Lifestyle and cancer risk reductionFamily history and ethnicity risk factorsGenetic testing as cancer preventionPrivacy of genetic testing resultsBenefits and perils of ancestry testingLocal resources for cancer risk assessment and counseling

King is American Cancer Society professor in the Department of Medicine and the Department of Genome Sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle. She was the first to show that breast cancer is inherited in some families, as the result of mutations in the gene that she named BRCA1.

In addition to inherited breast and ovarian cancer, her research interests include the genetic bases of schizophrenia, the genetic causes of congenital disorders in children, and human genetic diversity and evolution.

King pioneered the use of DNA sequencing for human rights investigations, developing the approach of sequencing mitochondrial DNA preserved in human remains, then applying this method to the identification of kidnapped children in Argentina and subsequently to cases of human rights violations on six continents.

King grew up in Chicago. She received her bachelor's degree cum laude in mathematics from Carleton College in Northfield, Minn.; her doctorate in genetics from the University of California at Berkeley; and her postdoctoral training at UC San Francisco.

Her Ph.D. dissertation with Allan Wilson was the demonstration that protein-coding sequences of humans and chimpanzees are 99 percent identical. She was professor at UC Berkeley from 1976-95 and at the University of Washington in Seattle since 1995.

King has served on multiple councils and study sections of the N.I.H. and the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. She was consultant to the Commission on the Disappearance of Persons of the Republic of Argentina and carried out DNA identifications for the United Nations War Crimes Tribunals.

She is past president of the American Society of Human Genetics and a past member of the Council of the National Academy of Sciences. King has been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine, American Philosophical Society, and as a foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences.

Understanding Genetics and Cancer is co-presented by UCSB Arts & Lectures and the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara in association with Breast Cancer Resource Center, Ridley-Tree Cancer Center at Sansum Clinic, Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics and UCSB Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology.

Sponsored by the Cancer Foundation of Santa Barbara, supporter of the Ridley-Tree Cancer Center and its Genetic Counseling Program.

For more, call UCSB Arts & Lectures, 805-893-3535 or visit http://www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.

UCSB Arts & Lectures acknowledges Community Partners the Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli and Corporate Season Sponsor SAGE Publishing for their support of the 2019-20 season.

Caitlin O'Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures.

Continued here:
Scientist Who Discovered BRCA1 Gene to Give Free Talk on Cancer And Genetics - Noozhawk

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The "Gene Panel Market by Product and Geography - Forecast and Analysis 2020-2024" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Global Gene Panel Market: About this market

The gene panel market analysis considers sales from small panel testing and large panel testing products. Our study also finds the sales of gene panels in Asia, Europe, North America, and ROW. In 2019, the small panel testing segment had a significant market share, and this trend is expected to continue over the forecast period. Factors such as the rising need to identify a known gene mutation will play a significant role in the small panel testing segment to maintain its market position. Also, our global gene panel market report looks at factors such as the growing use of gene panels in cancer-targeted therapies, increasing the number of people with genetic disorders, and decreasing the cost of NGS gene panel tests. However, challenges in implementing large NGS gene panels, lack of effective treatment for several genetic mutations, and the growing complexity of gene panel tests may hamper the growth of the gene panel industry over the forecast period.

Global Gene Panel Market: Overview

Growing use of gene panels in cancer-targeted therapies

Pharmaceutical companies are investing heavily in research activities to develop targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer. This is driving the demand for gene panels as they are used in the development of targeted therapies for cancer. Gene panel testing provides a wide range of benefits such as providing the genetic basis of an individual's response to therapy. NGS-based gene panel tests are becoming popular as the first choice for cancer care as they are cost-effective, provide genomic data in a brief time, and examine only clinically important genes. This is driving the use of gene panels to evaluate effective treatments for cancer, which will lead to the expansion of the global gene panel market at a CAGR of about 18% during the forecast period.

Rising use of direct-to-consumer tests

The global gene panel market is expected to benefit from the increase in the use of direct-to-consumer tests. In this method, commercial laboratories provide genetic testing directly to consumers without the involvement of a healthcare professional or an authorization for payment by a third-party payer. The easy access and the increasingly affordable options associated with direct-to-consumer genomic testing have helped the technique gain significant popularity over the recent years. This development is expected to have a positive impact on the overall market growth.

Key Topics Covered:

PART 01: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

PART 02: SCOPE OF THE REPORT

PART 03: MARKET LANDSCAPE

PART 04: MARKET SIZING

PART 05: FIVE FORCES ANALYSIS

PART 06: MARKET SEGMENTATION BY PRODUCT

PART 07: CUSTOMER LANDSCAPE

PART 08: GEOGRAPHIC LANDSCAPE

PART 09: DECISION FRAMEWORK

PART 10: DRIVERS AND CHALLENGES

PART 11: MARKET TRENDS

PART 12: VENDOR LANDSCAPE

PART 13: VENDOR ANALYSIS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/xlv30k

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200115005372/en/

Contacts

ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.com

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Global Gene Panel Market Expected Expansion with a CAGR of Around 18% During the Forecast Period, 2020-2024 - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo Finance

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

When you grow up without a dad; just imagine theres no daddy-daughter dance, theres no walking you down the aisle, theres no dad protecting you. Its just something thats been a huge part of my life.

April Ciarlones mother gave her a 23andMe DNA genetic testing kit last year, hoping it would lead Ciarlone to her birth father. The present turned into an even larger gift a close relationship with her dad, 47 years after her birth.

April Ciarlone, second from left, has even more to love: her brother, Chase Oldham, left; her father, Barry Oldham; and her sister, Alicia Neely.

The Ocoee woman never knew her father, and James Barry Oldham never knew he had a daughter. But all that changed last April when she received her DNA test results and discovered a familial match. With trepidation, Ciarlone reached out and learned the match was her paternal aunt.

This led to the discovery that she has a big family, including her dad, a half- brother and -sister and a bonus mom, in Decatur, Alabama.

YOUNG LOVE

Ciarlones mother, now Donna Hirst, of Milton, was living in Alameda, California, when she met Oldham. She was a high school student; he was about five years older and stationed at the Naval Air Station Alameda. They met in the neighborhood, where she lived at home with her parents and he lived with a roommate in an apartment across the street.

They struck up a conversation, which led to a friendship, which led to something more. When Hirst discovered she was pregnant with Oldhams child, he already had been sent to Vietnam and she had no way of contacting him.

Hirst was 19 when April was born in 1972. Oldham was fighting in a war and didnt know he had a daughter and he wouldnt learn of her existence for more than four decades.

Hirst moved on, met and married another man and gave birth to a son.

Ciarlone grew up with her mother and brother, Rick Snurkowski. As an adult, though, she knew something was missing, and she wanted to know more about her father.

ITS A MATCH

Oldham had a 23andMe testing kit, but he had yet to submit his DNA. After his sister and Ciarlone were matched, he immediately sent it in but had to anxiously wait more than a week for the results.

During that time, my emotions were everywhere, he said. My family was very supportive during that time. When the final results arrived, I opened it up to see a beautiful, brunette female that looked like my sisters! Beside it was the word DAUGHTER! My wife and I looked at each other because we had already decided that if this was true, it was Gods will.

April Ciarlone celebrated her birthday with her father, Barry Oldham, for the first time last summer.

While Oldham, now 70, is upset to have missed out on a good portion of her life, he said he understands the situation. Ciarlone said he was more upset that she didnt have her dad in her life growing up.

MORE TO LOVE

With all that behind them, the new family has been meeting frequently and getting to know one another. She spent her first Thanksgiving with them in November.

Ciarlone said she talks to her stepmother, Connie Oldham, several times a week and is grateful for her acceptance. More importantly, the family has formed a bond with Ciarlones daughter, Giannah, who is 12 and has autism.

Connie Oldham is a retired special-needs teacher who worked with children with autism for 40 years another gift, Ciarlone said.

Shes so great with Giannah, she said. Jesus was watching.

Giannah is having fun getting to know her cousins and grandparents.

Barry Oldham and Hirst had not been in contact since he left for Vietnam, but he had one simple message for his daughters mother: I just want you to know youve raised a wonderful woman.

The more the father and daughter talk, the more they realize they have in common.

April Ciarlone, left, and her father, Barry Oldham, favor each other in their second grade photos.

April and I both have a Type A personality, were neat and organized, love music and enjoy an occasional cocktail, Barry Oldham said. All three siblings are health conscious and work out on a regular basis like me. Each of them also likes to have the last word!

Ciarlone said she has noticed small similarities, too, besides the strong physical resemblance to her dad and younger siblings, Alicia Neely and Chase Oldham, such as their tendency to be bullheaded, the way she and her brother like their coffee and their affinity for pickles.

When the family isnt together, there are frequent texts, calls and FaceTime sessions.

April and I are very comfortable in our relationship, Barry Oldham said. I feel that we will continue to grow closer as time goes by. Its like my family has come full circle. April and Giannah complete that circle.

For Ciarlone, her circle now is complete, too.

23andMe changed my life, Ciarlone said. My prayers of finding my father (have) come true. I get to say Dad every day. ... This is my miracle.

Barry Oldham finally has his three children together: April Ciarlone, Chase Oldham and Alicia Neely.

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DNA test connects Ocoee resident with father - West Orange Times & Windermere Observer

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

New Jersey, United States, The Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market is exhaustively researched and analyzed in the report to help market players to improve their business tactics and ensure long-term success. The authors of the report have used easy-to-understand language and uncomplicated statistical images but provided thorough information and detailed data on the global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market. The report equips players with useful information and suggests result-oriented ideas to gain a competitive edge in the global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market. It shows how different players are competing in the global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market and discusses about strategies they are using to distinguish themselves from other participants.

Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market was valued at USD 789.92 Million in 2018 and is projected to reach USD 2,361.12 Billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 14.59% from 2019 to 2026.

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Top 10 Companies in the Global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Research Report:

The researchers have provided quantitative and qualitative analysis along with absolute dollar opportunity assessment in the report. Additionally, the report offers Porters Five Forces analysis and PESTLE analysis for more detailed comparisons and other important studies. Each section of the report has something valuable to offer to players for improving their gross margin, sales and marketing strategy, and profit margins. Using the report as a tool for gaining insightful market analysis, players can identify the much needed changes in their operation and improve their approach to doing business. Furthermore, they will be able to give a tough competition to other players of the global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing market while identifying key growth pockets.

Global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market: Segment Analysis

This section of the report includes segmentation such as application, product type, and end user. These segmentations aid in determining parts of market that will progress more than others. The segmentation analysis provides information about the key elements that are thriving the specific segments better than others. It helps readers to understand strategies to make sound investments. The Global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market is segmented on the basis of product type, applications, and its end users.

Global Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market: Regional Analysis

This part of the report includes detailed information of the market in different regions. Each region offers different scope to the market as each region has different government policy and other factors.

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Table of Content

1 Introduction of Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market

1.1 Overview of the Market 1.2 Scope of Report 1.3 Assumptions

2 Executive Summary

3 Research Methodology of Verified Market Research

3.1 Data Mining 3.2 Validation 3.3 Primary Interviews 3.4 List of Data Sources

4 Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Outlook

4.1 Overview 4.2 Market Dynamics 4.2.1 Drivers 4.2.2 Restraints 4.2.3 Opportunities 4.3 Porters Five Force Model 4.4 Value Chain Analysis

5 Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By Deployment Model

5.1 Overview

6 Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By Solution

6.1 Overview

7 Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By Vertical

7.1 Overview

8 Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market, By Geography

8.1 Overview 8.2 North America 8.2.1 U.S. 8.2.2 Canada 8.2.3 Mexico 8.3 Europe 8.3.1 Germany 8.3.2 U.K. 8.3.3 France 8.3.4 Rest of Europe 8.4 Asia Pacific 8.4.1 China 8.4.2 Japan 8.4.3 India 8.4.4 Rest of Asia Pacific 8.5 Rest of the World 8.5.1 Latin America 8.5.2 Middle East

9 Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market Competitive Landscape

9.1 Overview 9.2 Company Market Ranking 9.3 Key Development Strategies

10 Company Profiles

10.1.1 Overview 10.1.2 Financial Performance 10.1.3 Product Outlook 10.1.4 Key Developments

11 Appendix

11.1 Related Research

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Highlights of Report

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Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Genetic Testing Market 2020 Brief Analysis by Top Companies- 23andMe, Ancestry, Karmagenes, Color, Genesis HealthCare -...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Nima Sharifi, M.D.

A new Cleveland Clinic study has uncovered a genetic anomaly associated with poor response to a common asthma treatment. The findings, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, showed that asthmatic patients with the gene variant are less likely to respond to glucocorticoids and often develop severe asthma.

The research team, led by Nima Sharifi, M.D., of Cleveland Clinics Lerner Research Institute, identified that the gene variant HSD3B1(1245A) is associated with glucocorticoid response and may be clinically useful to identify patients most likely to benefit from other treatments.

Glucocorticoids, which modulate systemic inflammatory response, are commonly prescribed to treat severe asthma. However, until now we have not understood why many patients do not benefit from them, said Dr. Sharifi, senior author of the article. These findings make the case for genetic testing and personalized treatment and provide important information for identifying which patients should be treated using different therapies.

In the study, Dr. Sharifi and his collaborators retrospectively analyzed the association between patient genomes and lung function in more than 500 asthmatic patients who received daily oral glucocorticoids treatment or no glucocorticoids treatment.

Joe Zein, M.D.

They found that a change to the gene HSD3B1 specifically the HSD3B1(1245A) variant is associated with poor lung function and glucocorticoid treatment resistance. The analysis revealed that among patients receiving glucocorticoids, those with the variant had poorer lung function than those who did not have the genetic anomaly, suggesting that it contributes to resistance and helps drive the progression to severe asthma.

Previous studies have shown that HSD3B1 encodes an enzyme that converts less active hormones called androgens into more powerful androgens. While additional research is necessary, the team suspects that HSD3B1(1245A)s effect on lung function may be attributed to inhibition of this process.

This study is the first to provide genetic evidence suggesting that variants related to androgen synthesis affect glucocorticoids treatment resistance in asthma or any other inflammation-related disease, said Joe Zein, M.D., first author on the study and a practicing pulmonologist in Cleveland Clinics Respiratory Institute. These findings provide us with important new information that may lead to more tailored treatments for asthma patients and the ability to prevent the development of severe disease.

Asthma is a chronic condition that causes the airways of the lungs to narrow, the lining of the airways to become inflamed and the cells that line the airways to produce more mucus, making it difficult to take in enough air. According to the CDC, about 25 million people in the U.S. have asthma, including more than six million children. Asthma accounts for nearly two million emergency department visits each year.

Previously, Dr. Sharifis laboratory has extensively studied the role of HSD3B1 in prostate cancer. In 2013, he made the seminal discovery that prostate cancer cells with the HSD3B1(1245C) variant survive androgen deprivation therapy, the first line of defense against prostate cancer, by producing their own disease-fueling androgens. He has spent more than seven years studying and publishing peer-reviewed articles on the variants effect in prostate cancer.

Dr. Sharifi holds the Kendrick Family Chair for Prostate Cancer Research at Cleveland Clinic and directs the Cleveland Clinic Genitourinary Malignancies Research Center. He has joint appointments in the Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute and Taussig Cancer Institute. In 2017, he received the national Top Ten Clinical Achievement Award from the Clinical Research Forum for his discoveries linking HSD3B1(1245C) with poor prostate cancer outcomes.

Dr. Zein is a member of the Cleveland Clinic Asthma Center, which provides a comprehensive approach to asthma management and care along with innovative research, offering patients access to the most advanced diagnostic testing and innovative treatments.

This study was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Cancer Institute, both of the National Institutes of Health.

Read more here:
Cleveland Clinic Study Identifies Genetic Anomaly Associated with Poor Response to Common Asthma Treatment - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A new study has uncovered a genetic anomaly associated with poor response to a common asthma treatment. The findings showed that asthmatic patients with the gene variant are less likely to respond to glucocorticoids and often develop severe asthma.

The research team, led by Nima Sharifi, M.D., of Cleveland Clinics Lerner Research Institute, identified that the gene variant HSD3B1(1245A) is associated with glucocorticoid response and may be clinically useful to identify patients most likely to benefit from other treatments.

Glucocorticoids, which modulate systemic inflammatory response, are commonly prescribed to treat severe asthma. However, until now we have not understood why many patients do not benefit from them, said Dr. Sharifi, senior author of the article. These findings make the case for genetic testing and personalized treatment and provide important information for identifying which patients should be treated using different therapies.

In the study, Sharifi and his collaborators retrospectively analyzed the association between patient genomes and lung function in more than 500 asthmatic patients who received daily oral glucocorticoids treatment or no glucocorticoids treatment.

They found that a change to the gene HSD3B1 specifically the HSD3B1(1245A) variant is associated with poor lung function and glucocorticoid treatment resistance. The analysis revealed that among patients receiving glucocorticoids, those with the variant had poorer lung function than those who did not have the genetic anomaly, suggesting that it contributes to resistance and helps drive the progression to severe asthma.

Previous studies have shown that HSD3B1 encodes an enzyme that converts less active hormones called androgens into more powerful androgens. While additional research is necessary, the team suspects that HSD3B1(1245A)s effect on lung function may be attributed to inhibition of this process.

This study is the first to provide genetic evidence suggesting that variants related to androgen synthesis affect glucocorticoids treatment resistance in asthma or any other inflammation-related disease, said Joe Zein, M.D., first author on the study and a practicing pulmonologist in Cleveland Clinics Respiratory Institute. These findings provide us with important new information that may lead to more tailored treatments for asthma patients and the ability to prevent the development of severe disease.

Reference

Zein et al. (2020) HSD3B1 genotype identifies glucocorticoid responsiveness in severe asthma. PNAS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1918819117

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

Excerpt from:
Genetic Anomaly Associated With Poor Response to Asthma Treatment is Uncovered - Technology Networks

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Michael Lee and Angela Peang look like a couple that is head-over-heels in love with each other. The 38-year-olds are often kissing and always together. They're also related. Michael's mom is Angela's dad's sister, making them first cousins. The pair appeared on WeTV's Extreme Love, where they described their history. Since Angela's dad was often stationed overseas for his State Department job, she didn't meet Michael until they were 7 . They claim to have had an instant connection and even shared their first kiss together in a closet at that time when they were 7.

However, with the distance between them, they grew apart, went to different colleges and married their respective first spouses - Angela even had three kids with hers, now ages 17, 16 and 12. Years later, after both Angela and Michael wound up getting divorced, social media brought them together again and when they met in person, the spark was stronger than ever. They wound up getting married and since marrying your first cousin is illegal in their home state of Utah, they got hitched in Colorado.

With so much passion between them, it's no surprise Angela is now pregnant with their first child, however that can get them in a lot of trouble because the baby's existence proves they've had sex, a crime that could cost them $10,000 in fines and put them in prison for five years since intercourse between cousins is illegal in Utah. The reason for that law is because children between cousins have an increased risk of a birth defect (4 to 7% chance as compared to the 3 to 4% for non-related couples).

However, the pair did their due diligence and got genetic testing, which showed it would be okay for them to parent together. Their baby boy is due on May 22nd and is expected to be in good health after further tests ruled out any disabilities.

The couple, who feel people should mind their own business and not worry about their relationship, has also launched a petition to legalize marriage between first cousins in Utah. They've gotten 1,500 signatures so far but will need tens of thousands more to get any traction.

You can check out Extreme Love Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on WeTV.

Photo: YouTube

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Married First Cousins Expecting Baby Could Face Prison Time - iHeartRadio

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith