(Ryan Downie)

Stocks with huge growth potential usually come with additional risk. Stock valuations usually reflect potential gains, but companies with fantastic upside potential usually face tons of uncertainty. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but we all need to make informed decisions when building our portfolios. Every investor needs to figure out their ideal balance of risk and reward and allocate accordingly.

These two stocks might be too risky for some investors, but people who take the plunge could reap major rewards down the road.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. Zscaler

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) is a cybersecurity stock that provides cloud-based software for large businesses. It focuses on edge security, ensuring that user devices are able to connect with an employer's network without compromising the data on that network. This is extremely important for any company with a distributed workforce. As working from home and remote collaboration become more common, these security services have become absolutely essential for any enterprise that aims to stay relevant in today's economy.

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This makes Zscaler an exciting opportunity because it's occupying the right place at the right time. The story gets even more compelling when you consider Zscaler's leadership position and highly respected product portfolio. The company receives outstanding marks from Gartner, and it's commonly viewed as one of the leaders of its cybersecurity niche. This translates to high customer satisfaction, and its high net dollar retention rate above 125% is clear evidence that businesses are seeing lots of value in Zscaler products.

This has all translated to great financial results for Zscaler. The company reported 63% revenue growth last quarter. Its full-year forecasts call for an expansion of roughly 55% in sales. By the end of the year, Zscaler's annualized recurring revenue should be above $1.4 billion. The company isn't profitable on an earnings basis yet, but it produces positive free cash flow. That means that it can support its high growth without exhausting its financial resources, which is great for investors.

It's easy to see where Zscaler stock gets its upside. The risk comes entirely from valuation. The stock's price-to-sales ratio is over 33, and its PEG ratio is above 4. This is a fairly high level, even among promising growth stocks -- and its valuation ratios used to be nearly twice as high.

Zscaler's stock has experienced some wild valuation swings since its IPO in 2019, so investors should expect continued volatility. The current valuations already assume a ton of growth and strong cash flows, so the company needs to deliver phenomenal financial results just to meet expectations. That requires investors to take a leap of faith. If there's any indication that it could fall short of its aggressive goals, the stock is nearly certain to suffer big losses, at least in the short term. Even if the company continues to perform well, Zscaler stock can still take a beating if the market is moving downward due to macroeconomic issues.

2. CRISPR Therapeutics

CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP) is a gene editing technology company that could drastically disrupt the pharmaceutical and biotech markets. It's developing a number of medications for various serious illnesses, including various forms of cancer, sickle-cell disease, diabetes, and degenerative diseases. This could greatly improve patient outcomes while making treatment more efficient and affordable.

Gene editing is an emerging industry with no clear leader in the market. CRISPR has a number of medication candidates, and it's also engaged in joint ventures with high-profile partners such as Vertex Pharmaceuticals. There's a chance for CRISPR to secure early-mover status in a disruptive industry that's expected to grow nearly 20% annually over the next decade.

CRISPR's market cap is currently around $4.5 billion. If its treatments wind up being safe, effective, and affordable, its product portfolio should be worth much more than $4.5 billion, and investors could enjoy huge returns.

Like many biotech stocks, this great opportunity comes with plenty of risk. CRISPR doesn't have any revenue from commercial sales of its products. There are major regulatory hurdles to clear before it sells a single treatment. It also has to solve manufacturing, logistical, and marketing challenges once it receives approval for medications. CRISPR also faces competition from other gene-editing companies, as well as traditional drugmakers. There's a good chance that the company will need to raise more cash by selling shares or issuing debt before it becomes stable, which could impact its financial stability.

CRISPR is an exciting healthcare stock for sure, but it is also a high-profile boom-or-bust investment. It could play a role as a growth stock for many investors, but make sure that your portfolio is capable of handling the risk before you dive in.

10 stocks we like better than Zscaler

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Ryan Downie has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns and recommends CRISPR Therapeutics, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, and Zscaler. The Motley Fool recommends Gartner. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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These 2 Stocks Carry a Lot of Risk, but Their Upside Is Huge - Lincoln Journal Star

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

This article was originally published here

Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2022 Apr 27:15353702221090181. doi: 10.1177/15353702221090181. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 is an infectious disease caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus affecting the world population. Early detection has become one of the most successful strategies to alleviate the epidemic and pandemic of this contagious coronavirus. Surveillance testing programs have been initiated in many countries worldwide to prevent the outbreak of COVID-19. In this study, we demonstrated that our previously established clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Cas12a-based assay could detect variants of concern during 2021 in Thailand, including Alpha, Beta, and Delta strains as well as Omicron strain in early 2022. In combination with the newly designed saliva collection funnel, we established a safe, simple, economical, and efficient self-collection protocol for the COVID-19 screening process. We successfully utilized the assay in an active case finding with a total number of 578 asymptomatic participants to detect the SARS-CoV-2 in saliva samples. We finally demonstrated that the validation and evaluation in a large-scale setting could provide valuable information and elaborate the practicality of the test in real-world settings. Our optimized protocol yielded effective results with high sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy (96.86%). In addition, this study demonstrates COVID-19 active case findings in low-resource settings, which would be feasible and attractive for surveillance and outbreak prevention in the future.

PMID:35473361 | DOI:10.1177/15353702221090181

Here is the original post:
COVID-19 active case findings based on self-collected saliva samples with CRISPR-Cas12a detection - DocWire News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) today announced the 2022 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Category Winners at the 2022 ISPE Europe Annual Conference in Madrid, Spain.

NORTH BETHESDA, Md., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) today announced the 2022 Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) Category Winners at the 2022 ISPE Europe Annual Conference in Madrid, Spain.

Awardees Include:

The FOYA judges' panel has also awarded Honorable Mention to:

FOYA is the premier global awards program recognizing innovation and creativity in manufacturing facilities serving the pharmaceutical industry. The award-winning projects selected by the FOYA program set the standard for pharmaceutical facilities of the future by demonstrating excellence in facility design, construction, and operations.

"The future of the pharmaceutical industry is being shaped every day by innovative companies worldwide. Companies like the 2022 FOYA Category Winners have a clear commitment to excellence and set the high bar for quality in the design and social impact consideration of their facilities," said Thomas Hartman, President & CEO, ISPE. "They incorporate a thoughtful, unique, and adaptive approach to innovation, operability, sustainability, and reliability while introducing flexibility allowing for the manufacturing of multiple product modalities. Further, these modern facility designs introduce digitization strategies that accelerate timelines from product development to product licensure. ISPE is proud to recognize these companies."

Story continues

ISPE 2022 Facility of the Year (FOYA) Category Awards Winners

The Innovation Category was awarded to CRISPR Therapeutics for its facility in Framingham, Massachusetts, USA. CRISPR Therapeutics has harnessed the CRISPR/ Cas9 gene-editing platform to develop and deliver potentially curative therapies to patients with serious diseases. The technology has game-changing implications for patients and partners. The project was awarded a FOYA award for Innovation based on the innovative design of the facility, which provides an end-to-end solution for production and fills operations. The FOYA judging committee commends CRISPR for creating a flexible, digitally enabled facility that can bring the promise of innovation to life.

Janssen Biologics, BV won the Project Execution Category for its Vaccine Launch Facility (VLF) Expansion in Leiden, The Netherlands. This Johnson & Johnson (J&J) biopharmaceutical production and laboratory testing facility produces clinical and commercial bulk active pharmaceutical ingredients and provides analytical testing services for J&J's global portfolio of vaccines. The existing VLF represented an opportunity to enable large-scale COVID-19 vaccine drug substance manufacturing by building a new, 25,000 square-foot sterile manufacturing facility adjacent to the existing VLF. This fast-tracked project was developed to design and build the new facility within nine months and to secure regulatory approval for initial commercial batches produced in the facility within 12 months. The ambitious timeframe required a Herculean effort and flawless collaboration on the part of all involved parties, including best-in-class design and construction partners and an integrated, cross-functional team within J&J.

Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG won the Supply Chain Category for its Alofisel Global Program in Madrid, Spain; Grange Castle, Ireland; Osaka, Japan; and California, USA. Alofisel is a first-in-class stem cell therapy product and the first allogeneic mesenchymal stem cell therapy to receive approval by the European Medicines Agency. The project was designed with a product shelf life of only 48 hours and requires seamless cold chain transportation. Takeda had to completely rethink the supply chain to get the product from the plant to the hospital to be administered to the patient within a very short time frame. The program is recognized in this year's awards for its novel and innovative approach to end-to-end supply chain management as well as the program's innovative design in expanding the Alofisel manufacturing network from its initial plant in Madrid, Spain, to other regions across the globe with new facilities in the US, Japan, and Ireland.

The Pharma 4.0 Category was awarded to Takeda Pharmaceuticals International AG in Singen, Germany for its TaSiVa project. The TaSiVa facility took an innovative approach to the project of implementing pharma 4.0 technologies as part of the overall project delivery, which also complemented the companywide digital transformation. It included several key collaborations with suppliers and academia to develop pharma 4.0 solutions. The facility was built with state-of-the-art process equipment and then layered with advanced digital technologies in several key areas. A complete IT infrastructure upgrade was completed at the site during the early phase of the project thus providing the platform to utilize advanced information technology (IT)/ operational technology (OT) solutions as part of the project delivery. The project exemplifies how the application of innovation in advanced digital technologies leads to improved outcomes in terms of safety, product quality, and productivity in a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility.

The first of two companies to be awarded in the Social Impact Category is Catalent for its Project Mercury in Bloomington, Indiana. Catalent's Project Mercury was delivered in the face of the global pandemic. With an unknown manufacturing process for a vaccine candidate under development, the team pivoted on existing projects to ensure success, adding 40% more scope including secondary packaging and inspection. The project added 40,000 sq ft to cover the most stringent of the unknown needs of the process, reducing the risk to supply. The project team also cut six months off their schedule and beat the clock while managing the complexities of execution within the COVID-19 restricted environment and delivering the needed capacity to meet important pandemic demands. They applied a great amount of effort and budget into adding additional safety measures to keep workers safe throughout the constant threat of the COVID-19 virus along with including three major elements of sustainability into their plans for Project Mercury: People, Planet, and Profits.

The second of two companies to be awarded in the Social Impact Category is Janssen Biologics, BV for its Vaccine Launch Facility (VLF) Expansion in Leiden, The Netherlands. During the VLF expansion construction activities were executed during an increased level of positive COVID cases in The Netherlands. J&J kept the personal safety of all project team members as its top priority by implementing various safety measures to reduce the risk of exposure to the COVID virus. These additional safety measures resulted in no significant stoppages or slowdowns of work during construction.

Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. was awarded an Honorable Mention for its Iovance Cell Therapy Center (iCTC) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With only one chance of success and Iovance having a production timeline of 22 days, there is no room for error when developing therapies. Their facility was designed with significant redundancies to support its operation 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. Iovance had a goal to "be the first company in the world to commercially produce a personalized therapy for solid tumors" and as a relatively small company, their achievement in that first, as well as having an excellent facility was recognized by the judges.

The 2022 FOYA Category Winners will be formally recognized at the ISPE Facility of the Year Awards Banquet, held in conjunction with the 2022 ISPE Annual Meeting & Expo, taking place 30 October2 November 2022. The banquet will feature acceptance speeches from the FOYA recipients and presentations from noted industry leaders. The 2022 FOYA Overall Winner will be announced at the conference during the ISPE Membership Meeting and Awards Lunch on 1 November 2022.

About the ISPE Facility of the Year Awards Program Established in 2005, The Facility of the Year Awards (FOYA) recognizes state-of-the-art projects utilizing new, innovative technologies to improve the quality of products, reduce the cost of producing high-quality medicines, and demonstrate advances in project delivery. The FOYA program provides a platform for the pharmaceutical science and manufacturing industry to showcase its accomplishments in facility design, construction, and operation while sharing the development of new applications of technology and cutting-edge approaches. Visit ISPE.org/FOYA for more information.

About ISPE The International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) is the world's largest not-for-profit association serving its members through leading scientific, technical, and regulatory advancements across the entire pharmaceutical lifecycle. The 20,000 members of ISPE are building solutions in the development and manufacture of safe, effective pharmaceutical and biologic medicines, and medical delivery devices in more than 90 countries around the world. Founded in 1980, ISPE has its worldwide headquarters and training center in North Bethesda, Maryland USA, and its operations center in Tampa, Florida USA. Visit ISPE.org for more information.

Media Contact

Amy Henry, ISPE, 813-960-2105, ahenry@ispe.org

SOURCE ISPE

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2022 ISPE Facility of the Year Category Award Winners Announced - Yahoo Finance

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) segment is a leading segment in terms of revenue by product type in the gene editing tools market, and accounted for an approximate revenue share of 75% in 2018. CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tools are most widely used by scientists to create transgenic animals that include zebrafish, pigs, mice, rats, and primates. Among all the distribution channels in the gene editing tools market, the academic and research institutes segment is expected to be most prominent segment, followed by biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Prevalence of Cancers and Rare Genetic Diseases Establish a Strong Base for Innovation of Gene Editing Tools

The rising prevalence of cancer and other genetic disorders, such as sickle cell disease, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimers disease, obesity, and others, is among the key factors impacting the growth of gene editing tools market. Cancer is registered to be the second most prominent cause of death worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of deaths due to cancer worldwide in 2015 was 8.8 million. However, cancer alone was responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths globally in 2021.

Worldwide, approximately about 1 in 6 deaths occur owing to cancer. An analysis states that approximately 70% of deaths due to cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries. Thus, gene editing is most preferred for the management of rare genetic disorders, which is driving the demand for gene editing, thus generating a favourable revenue opportunity for gene editing tools.

The growing prevalence and incidence of rare genetic disorders, majorly Sickle Cell Disease (SKD), cancer, and Alzheimers disease, is leading to the high demand for genome editing, and is one of the leading factors that is contributing significantly to the growth of the gene editing tools market. Moreover, gene editing tools, such as CRISPR, TALENs, and ZFNs, find precise applications in the treatment of cancer. Owing to the high efficiency and accuracy of the CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technique, it has emerged as a potential tool for cancer therapy. Among its various applications, CRISPR-Cas9 has a high clinical potential to detect novel target genes for cancer therapy.

To remain ahead of your competitors, request for a sample https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/reports/sample/rep-gb-9544

Biomedical Community Eyes Potential Application of Gene Editing Tools

Introduction of technologically advanced gene editing tools is expected to boost the growth of gene editing tools market. Recent advancements in CRISPR gene editing tools and their ease of use have generated significant interest in the biomedical community. Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)-based gene editing has high potential to cater to the therapeutic landscape of induced disorders, owing to the presence of key players in the industry such as Intellia, CRISPR Therapeutics, and Editas. CRISPR gene editing tools offer precise gene-targeted treatments for -thalassemia and SKD. Among gene editing tools, there are potential applications for CRISPR in the gene editing tools market in human therapeutics as well as veterinary therapeutics.

Regional Players Focusing on Product Reach & Connectivity

North America, followed by Europe, is a prominent region in the global gene editing tools market. North America accounts for a revenue share of about 25.0% in 2021 in gene editing tools market. Europe accounting for the second-largest revenue share, and is followed by South Asia in the gene editing tools market. India, China, and Japan are among the emerging markets in the gene editing tools market. Japan is among the fastest-growing emerging markets in the global gene editing tools market, and is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast period of 2022-2028.

The gene editing tools market report tracks some of the key companies operating in gene editing tools market, such as Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., ERS Genomics, CRISPR THERAPEUTICS, Merck KGaA, Editas Medicine, Takara Bio USA, New England Biolabs, Intellia Therapeutics, Inc., and GenScript Biotech Corporation. Majority of the key regional players in the gene editing tools market are focused on increasing their product reach and connectivity with the help of domestic distributors of gene editing tools. Moreover, the manufacturers of gene editing tools are focused to strengthening their businesses in high-growth markets, such as India, Japan, China, and Argentina, by expanding their sales and distribution channels across these countries.

Get a Tailored Made Report to Match Your requirements, Ask from Market Research Expert https://www.futuremarketinsights.com/ask-question/rep-gb-9544

Gene Editing Tools Market by CategoryBY Product:

BY Application:

BY End User:

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Gene Editing Tools Market size is estimated to total US$ 1.6 Billion by 2029 - Digital Journal

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

When we talk about Cathie Wood stocks, were referring to the picks made by one of the top investors during the pandemic years.

Her flagship ARK Innovation ETF generated more than 150% returns for its stockholders and continued climbing for the better part of last year.

Cathie Woods ETFs have experienced some major losses in the latter half of 2021. From October to December last year, her fund lost more than $8 billion in value.

Her funds primarily hold disruptive stocks which can experience massive gains and losses, and there are many with incredible long-term cases. However, she seems unfazed by developments and has doubled down on her bets.

Investors continue to have faith in the star stock pickers abilities despite the lackluster performance. For example, these three Cathie Wood stocks that offer amazing upside potential.

Crispr Therapeutics(NASDAQ:CRSP)is a speculative biotech stock working on gene-editing technology.

The company hopes to make this technology the norm for disease treatment. Multiple therapies are in the trial stage and studied for various conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.

The business currently generates minimal revenue as its products arent commercialized yet. Its market valuation is based purely on its fundamentals. CRSP is a disruptor, and most investors are banking on its long-term ability to surprise the market. However, it is likely to have a rocky road ahead involving regulatory hurdles and clinical trials.

The company has the opportunity to become market-leading biotech in treating serious diseases. If it can effectively achieve its objectives, then it will establish a strong moat, and it could grow into its massive $4.5 billion value.

Block(NYSE:SQ), formerly called Square, is a fintech giant boasting an incredible track record of growing revenues.

It launched as a payments solution which quickly became popular with small enterprises. It expanded into personal banking, transfers, and other profitable verticals, attracting millions of new users.

Its sales have grown more than 63% in the past five years.

SQ stock shed more than 58% in the past year as a result of the broader tech sell-off. Nevertheless, its underlying business boasts robust fundamentals and a strong growth runway ahead.

Its consumer and seller ecosystems are remarkably popular in the younger demographic. Additionally, its focus on emerging technologies such as blockchain is starting to pay dividends and could set it apart from its competition.

The companys revenue rose 86% last year, meaning its business will faces tough comparisons in the upcoming quarters. However, to expect the phenomenal growth to continue from the pandemic years is wishful thinking from investors.

Block will continue firing as its ecosystems further penetrate its target markets. Moreover, investments in other profitable areas will add a new direction to its business.

Teladoc Health(NASDAQ:TDOC) is a leader in virtual health care and has been developing a moat with its tremendous services ecosystem.

The telehealth specialist was a pandemic darling; however, its shares have fallen off a cliff since February of last year. It has shed off its frothy valuation and now presents itself as an attractive long-term investment.

The companys top line grew a spectacular 86% from the previous year to $2 billion. The business is still unprofitable, but there was a healthy improvement in this department last year.

Its loss per share came in at $2.73 per share compared with a loss per share of $5.36 in 2020. The telemedicine markets massive opportunities and competitive edge will help the business rake in consistently growing revenues and turn a profit soon.

Fortune Business Insights estimates that the global Telehealth market will likely grow at a tremendous 32%, from $90 billion in 2021 to a whopping $640 billion in 2028.

Moreover, the company estimates that around 92 million of the 298 million insured Americans have access to a Teladoc product. There is massive upside potential with Teladoc and this sell-off makes it an attractive buy at current levels.

On the date of publication, Muslim Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.comPublishing Guidelines.

Muslim Farooque is a keen investor and an optimist at heart. A life-long gamer and tech enthusiast, he has a particular affinity for analyzing technology stocks. Muslim holds a bachelors of science degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University.

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3 Cathie Wood Stocks to Count on in Q2 - InvestorPlace

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Most Up To Date Market Insights And Analysis Performed In The PersuasiveCRISPR Gene Detection And Diagnostic Business Reportbrings marketplace clearly into focus. Businesses get highly benefited with the different segments covered in the market research report which provides better market insights to them with which they can drive the business into right direction. Under market segmentation topic of this report, research and analysis is done based on application, vertical, deployment model, end user, and geography. Depending on clients demand, huge amount of business, product and market related information has been brought together with CRISPR Gene Detection And Diagnostic report that eventually helps businesses create better strategies.

Data Bridge Market Research analyses that theCRISPR Gene Detection And Diagnostic Marketto grow at a CAGR of 11.65% and to account USD 4,708.89 million by 2028 and in the forecast period of 2022-2028.

Download Free Exclusive Sample Report: To Know the Impact of COVID-19 on this Industry@https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-crispr-gene-detection-and-diagnostic-market

Global CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market research reportalso provides the latest manufacturing data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving profits growth and productivity. The Market report lists the most important competitors and provides the insights strategic industry Analysis of the key factors influencing the market. The report includes the forecasts, investigation and discussion of significant industry trends, market volume, market share estimates and profiles of the leading industry Players. Global CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Industry Market Research Report is providing exclusive vital statistics, information, data, trends and competitive landscape details.

The Segments and Sub-Section of CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market are shown below:

By Type (Predictive & Presymptomatic Testing, Carrier Testing, Prenatal & New-born Testing, Diagnostic Testing, Pharmacogenomic Testing, Others)

By Disease (Alzheimers Disease, Cancer, Cystic Fibrosis, Sickle Cell Anaemia, Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, Thalassemia, Huntingtons Disease, Rare Diseases, Other Diseases)

By Application (Cancer Diagnosis, Genetic Disease Diagnosis, Cardiovascular Disease Diagnosis, Others)

To Gain More Insights into the CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market Analysis, Browse Summary of the Research Report@https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-crispr-gene-detection-and-diagnostic-market

COMPANIES MENTIONED INCLUDE (we can also add the other companies as you want.):

Abbott

Ambry Genetics

BD

Biocartis

BIO-HELIX

bioMerieux SA

Blueprint Genetics Oy

Cepheid

deCODE genetics

Illumina, Inc

Invitae Corporation

Luminex Corporation

..

No. of CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market Report Pages: 350

Complete Report is Available (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Graphs, and Chart) @https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/toc/?dbmr=global-crispr-gene-detection-and-diagnostic-market

No of Figures: 60

The report also focuses on global major leading industry players of Global CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market providing information such as company profiles, product picture and specification, price, capacity, cost, production, revenue and contact information. Upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also carried out.

CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic MarketScenario

CRISPR basically identifies unique genetic material instantly and accurately. This technology is cheaper, reliable and accurate than of previous DNA editing techniques.

Increased funding by government and market players for gene editing technologies in the forecast period are the major factors that will influence the growth of CRISPR gene detection and diagnostic market. Furthermore, rise in the numbers of clinical trials and research & development activities for treatment of various diseases are the driving factor accelerating the growth of the CRISPR gene detection and diagnostic market.

Rising innovations and adoption and constant competition among the existing players has led to technological development and advancement in the technology which leads to further provide beneficial opportunities for the CRISPR gene detection and diagnostic market growth.

Global CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market Scope and Market Size

The CRISPR gene detection and diagnostic market market is segmented on the basis of type, disease and application. The growth amongst these segments will help you analyse meagre growth segments in the industries, and provide the users with valuable market overview and market insights to help them in making strategic decisions for identification of core market applications.

On the basis of type, the genetic testing market is segmented into predictive and presymptomatic testing, carrier testing, prenatal and newborn testing, diagnostic testing, pharmacogenomic testing and others.

Based on disease, the genetic testing market is segmented into Alzheimers disease, cancer, cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anemia, duchenne muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, huntingtons disease, rare diseases, and other diseases.

Based on application, the genetic testing market is segmented into cancer diagnosis, genetic disease diagnosis, cardiovascular disease diagnosis, and others.

Historical year 2010-2018; Base year 2019; Forecast period- 2022 to 2028 [** unless otherwise stated]

The countries covered in the CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic market report are U.S., Canada and Mexico in North America, Germany, France, U.K., Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Russia, Italy, Spain, Turkey, Rest of Europe in Europe, China, Japan, India, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Rest of Asia-Pacific (APAC) in the Asia-Pacific (APAC), Saudi Arabia, U.A.E, South Africa, Egypt, Israel, Rest of Middle East and Africa (MEA) as a part of Middle East and Africa(MEA), Brazil, Argentina and Rest of South America as part of South America.

Some of the Major Highlights of TOC covers:

Chapter 1: Methodology & Scope

Definition and forecast parameters

Methodology and forecast parameters

Data Sources

Chapter 2: Executive Summary

Business trends

Regional trends

Product trends

End-use trends

Chapter 3: CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Industry Insights

Industry segmentation

Industry landscape

Vendor matrix

Technological and innovation landscape

Chapter 4: CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market, By Region

Chapter 5: Company Profile

Business Overview

Financial Data

Product Landscape

Strategic Outlook

SWOT Analysis

Complete Report Details with Table of Content and Figures@https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-crispr-gene-detection-and-diagnostic-market

Thanks for reading this article, you can also get individual chapter wise section or region wise report version like North America, Europe or Asia.

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CRISPR Gene Detection and Diagnostic Market 2022-Global Industry Size, Share, Forecasts Analysis, Company Profiles, Competitive Landscape and Key...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Well-worn variations of the saying, busier than a, realistically capture how cow/calf producers feel during day-to-day management of their female herd. Consideration of how and whether or not bovine in vitro fertilization (IVF) will fit and bring success to their cattle breeding plans is often dismissed as impossible for numerous reasons.

Operations strive for accelerated genetic progress, but advancement is often hampered by rigid timelines of conventional embryo flushing or limitations of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) deliveries.

Bruno Sanches, Vytelles VP of Operations, believes plans no longer need to follow this outdated pattern.

At Vytelle, our process is very attractive and accessible for all operations, he says. With our hormone free bovine in vitro fertilization program, any customer can access our cutting-edge technology simply by bringing their selected female donor to one of our satellite locations. She doesnt need any preparation or labor associated pre-oocyte collection. Its the most accessible, reliable and predictable way of using IVF.

Producers can research the best fit for their donor needs and access hormone-free IVF services at several locations scattered throughout the country. Without a hormone treatment protocol, oocyte collections can be performed from the same donor on a weekly basis allowing those with limited numbers time to build a well-stocked frozen embryo bank before breeding season.

The speed of genetic progress by quickly multiplying offspring from elite performing animals and shortening generation intervals through reproductive efficiency can be improved exponentially using four basic IVF tips.

Ensure Nutrition Management of Donors and Recipients

First, for producers to ensure the highest success rates to accelerate their herd, Sanches explains nutrition and management are key as they directly impact the oocyte quality and collection capabilities of donors and effectively support embryo transfers (ET) in recipients.

If we dont have a good egg, we cant make the quality embryos a customer expects, he said. Using accurate nutrition practices meeting energy, crude protein, mineral and vitamin requirements is critical for consistent follicular growth and oocyte quality.

He urges producers to begin stabilizing their donors nutrition levels early, at least 60 to 90 days prior to breeding season as correcting deficiencies and building oocyte quality and embryo development takes time.

Likewise, recipients must also be suitably maintained to create a successful embryo transfer.

He suggests working with a nutritionist to assess condition and develop proper rations supportive of lactation requirements and post-calving needs, preferably at least 30 days prior to ET for strong synchronization responses and pregnancy success.

They need to be in good shape to receive an embryo and carry through a productive pregnancy. At times, people mistakenly assume recipients arent as important and cut corners with nutrition. Then, we transfer an expensive embryo into them, and they lose money.

Optimize Collection Time Based off Breeding

Many producers believe IVF is limiting and difficult to keep on the right track, but Sanches explains hormone-free IVF expands rather than limits options.

Donor choice is extensive, ranging from prepubertal, as young as 6 months of age, to 15 days post-calving, plus pregnant females within the first 100 days of gestation. Additionally, without the need for FSH injections, producers can select donors and allow them to remain in their natural environment until the day of collection.

Sanches adds with such a wide range of availability, producers can focus on collecting from their elite donors, while ensuring their reproduction goals, by storing frozen embryos pre-breeding-season to meet their expanded needs. During breeding season, the producer can continue to collect from their donors and transfer fresh embryos into recipients and supplement with frozen embryos from their tank.

If we wait to collect embryos, transfers will be spread across an entire cattle breeding season. Many breeders prefer to start with all embryos transferred in the first few weeks. Then, recipients are released for natural service. I strongly suggest developing an embryo bank before breeding season so theres plenty to come out of the gate in good shape.

For those wanting to breed their donors, he recommends harvesting oocytes during the last collection, but leaving the most dominant follicles in the ovaries.

We know this egg will be ovulated, and she will breed successfully after a last collection. Its a natural process.

As producers realize they dont need to utilize IVF only on their problem or nonresponding cows; today, its become the first choice for their best animals. They can replicate the right genetics faster with hormone-free IVF rather than conventional flushing.

Capitalize on Post Breeding Opportunities

Sanches outlines oocyte collection doesnt need to end once a donor becomes pregnant.

Its an exciting aspect that we may begin using IVF again approximately 15 days after calving, 40 days post breeding and after a pregnancy confirmation, he said. Herd genetics are accelerated while keeping donors on track naturally, right up to 100 days of pregnancy. After confirmation, we can collect up to four more times before the fetus and the uterus drop out of reach.

He believes keeping donors on a regular schedule is important but admits everything is flexible and heavily dependent on a customers needs and numbers. He recommends collection every other week but the logistics of both donors and recipients need to be evaluated.

Planning ahead before cattle breeding season and having the donors on a schedule matching all the involved logistics is critical, he stressed. Know which satellite location will be used, where the embryos will be made and where the recipients are located. Donors and recipients might be in different states. We work with clients to understand their needs, explain our platform and help them be successful.

Pregnancy Checking and Live Calf Data

Once plans are in motion and oocytes have been collected, the fertilization process will take place in a laboratory. After eight days, viable embryos will be available for producers, fresh or frozen, depending on the producers request.

Producers can synchronize their receiving females to maximize the transfers possible in one day. Transfer services are commonly utilized; typically, IVF companies can provide or recommend a trusted partner.

Most US beef operations complete embryo placements early in the breeding season and follow up with natural service bulls. Sanches stresses its vital they work with their veterinarian to complete a pregnancy check.

If we dont confirm a pregnancy from an embryo or a bull, we cant track the due date, he said. The timing difference and due date will be around 15 to 25 days. If its not tracked, we may have calves overdue which can become a problem during the calving season. Ideally, we like to check at 45 and again at 90 days, but I encourage at least one check for reliable data to be gathered.

To optimize results with IVF embryos and help ensure the success of resulting calves, accurate record keeping should include pregnancy confirmation, gestation length, calf sex, birth weight and subsequent health status information.

Its a powerful technology but many people still have the misconception bovine in vitro fertilization is very expensive making it out of reach to progress their entire herds genetics, Sanches said. Some believe its time consuming, labor intensive and requires extensive preparation protocols. Its really a natural process with zero donor preparation. Plus, lastly, our customers love that they only pay for viable embryos. It changes the game for how breeders can use the technology.

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4 Tips to Include Bovine In Vitro Fertilization into Breeding Season - Drovers Magazine

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

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Asia-Pacific is the greatest contributor in terms of veterinary artificial insemination market revenue due to rising demand for dairy and animal-based protein and government performance.

Pune, April 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As per the report published by The Brainy Insights, the global veterinary artificial insemination market is expected to grow from USD 4.74 billion in 2021 to USD 8.42 billion by 2030, at a CAGR of 6.6% during the forecast period 2022-2030.

The main advantage of artificial insemination is that it reduces the danger of disease transmission involved with animal reproduction. The need for high cow efficiency and milk composition is expected to rise due to artificial insemination. To address the ever-increasing demand, industry participants are employing synthetic insemination processes to generate high-quality cattle breeds and boost productivity. This factor is expected to grow the global veterinary artificial insemination market during the forecast period. Global population growth, urbanization, and an increase in the average population's purchasing power are all expected to enhance the production of high-quality dairy and allied goods. In the following years, the global veterinary artificial insemination market is likely to be driven by an increase in demand for high-quality dairy products.

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The growing worldwide population and expanding need for animal-based protein drive the demand for artificial insemination in household farmed animals. Improving veterinarian services and increased animal healthcare costs are also urging market expansion. Moreover, the main businesses are forming strategic alliances to increase their range of animal genetics and boost their position in other sectors. The procedure of achieving conception withoutsperm or sperm in the female uterus is known as artificial insemination. Cattle are bred with freshly, uncooked, or cold straw of semen. Insemination is a method of obtaining pregnancy in animals using in vitro fertilization. It is also utilized in assisted reproduction and contraceptive innovations to allow animals to reproduce in heat. Veterinary artificial insemination is an excellent technological tool for enhancing animal heredity and production.

Story continues

Key players operating in the global veterinary artificial insemination market are:

Genus CRV URUS Group LP Viking Genetics SEMEX Swine Genetics International STgenetic Select Sires Inc. Stallion AI Services Ltd Shipley Swine Genetics

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To enhance their market position in the global veterinary artificial insemination market, the key players are now focusing on adopting the strategies such as product innovations, mergers & acquisitions, recent developments, joint ventures, collaborations, and partnerships.

For example, Genus plc, a leading animal genetics firm, collaborated with Beijing Capital Agribusiness Co. Ltd, a prominent Chinese animal protein breeding firm, to investigate and produce virus-resistant procedures in pigs. For example, Elanco Animal Health established cooperation with Ducks Unlimited in April 2021 to promote sustainable development and agriculture - especially beef cattle development across North America. To fulfill the increased demand, LIC, an agritech co-operative established in New Zealand, will open a sexed sperm lab in the nation in September 2021.

In 2021, the swine type dominated the market with a market share of 22.12%.

The animal type segment is divided into cattle, equine, sheep, swine, canine, and others. In 2021, the swine type dominated the market with a market share of 22.12% and market revenue of 1.04 billion. The expanding output of organic pig meat due to increased animal welfare awareness will offer momentum to the industry. The rising demand for high-quality hog meat has compelled producers to expand their production facilities, which will benefit the market. Customers' increasing use of pig meat in various forms like ham, ham, steaks will allow the industry to expand quickly. The increasing popularity of pork in Western European countries will increase swine commerce and production in the near future.

In 2021, normal semen accounted for the largest share of the market, with 56.7%.

The product segment is divided into sexed semen and normal semen. In 2021, normal semen accounted for the largest share of the market, with 56.7% and market revenue of 2.68 billion. This growth is due to the low cost of normal sperm and the firm conception and low death rates.

The veterinary clinics accounted for the largest share of the market, with 37.3% for veterinary artificial insemination in 2021.

The end-user segment is divided into veterinary clinics, veterinary hospitals, others. The veterinary clinics accounted for the largest share of the market, with 37.3% and market revenue of 1.76 billion for veterinary artificial insemination in 2021. Clinics often provide wellness checks concentrating on preventative treatment and routine checkups for pets.While they can undertake spaying and neutering operations, they will need to send out more complicated cases to a better-equipped institution. They will have treatments and medicines, but they may not be as well-stocked as a vet clinic.

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Regional Segment Analysis of the Veterinary Artificial Insemination Market

North America (U.S., Canada, Mexico) Europe (Germany, France, U.K., Italy, Spain, Rest of Europe) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Rest of APAC) South America (Brazil and Rest of South America) The Middle East and Africa (UAE, South Africa, Rest of MEA)

Among all regions, the Asia Pacific region emerged as the largest market for the global veterinary artificial insemination market, with a market share of around 38.14% and 1.08 billion of the market revenue in 2021. Due to several significant players in this region, Asia-Pacific is the greatest contributor in terms of market revenue. This is due to rising demand for dairy and animal-based protein and government performance, which is driving market expansion in this area.

About the report:

The global veterinary artificial insemination market is analyzed based on value (USD Billion). All the segments have been analyzed on a worldwide, regional, and country basis. The study includes the analysis of more than 30 countries for each piece. The report offers an in-depth analysis of driving factors, opportunities, restraints, and challenges for gaining critical insight into the market. The study includes porter's five forces model, attractiveness analysis, raw material analysis, supply, demand analysis, competitor position grid analysis, distribution, and marketing channels analysis.

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The Brainy Insights is a market research company, aimed at providing actionable insights through data analytics to companies to improve their business acumen. We have a robust forecasting and estimation model to meet the clients' objectives of high-quality output within a short span of time. We provide both customized (clients' specific) and syndicate reports. Our repository of syndicate reports is diverse across all the categories and sub-categories across domains. Our customized solutions are tailored to meet the clients' requirement whether they are looking to expand or planning to launch a new product in the global market.

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Veterinary Artificial Insemination Market to Reach USD 8.42 Billion by 2030; Increasing Government Initiatives, Technological Advancements, and...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A family in Esko, Minnesota, USA, has achieved a record that not many can measure up to - quite literally!

Meet the Trapp family of five; Scott, Krissy, Savanna, Molly, and Adam.

On 6 December 2020, the Trapps were confirmed as the tallest family in the world with an average height of 203.29 cm (6 ft 8.03 in).

The family's combined height is equal to the length of half a tennis court!

The youngest (but certainly not the smallest) member of the family is 22-year-old Adam Trapp, who towers over his siblings and parents at an astounding 221.71 cm (7 ft 3 in) tall.

Savanna Trapp-Blanchfield, 27, is next, measuring in at203.6 cm (6 ft 8 in). Last is their sister Molly Steede, 24, standing at 197.26 cm (6 ft 6 in) tall.

Unsurprisingly, all three Trapp kids played sports throughout their lives and were recruited by colleges for either basketball or volleyball.

"Coaches always said to us 'you can't teach height. Youre either tall or youre not,'" said Molly.

Although they have many tall extended family members, its clear that the Trapp kids followed in their parents' (very large) footsteps.

Krissy, their mom, comes in as the shortest among the Trapp family at 191.2 cm (6 ft 3 in), while the father, Scott, is a towering 202.7 cm (6 ft 8 in).

"I love saying that Im the shortest person in the worlds tallest family." Krissy Trapp

Measuring up to such a record-breaking achievement was a tall task. Savanna credits her "super tall, little brother," Adam, for inspiring her to reach out to Guinness World Records.

In December 2020, the family went to Dr. Anna Sudoh, an orthopaedics doctor at Essentia Health, to be measured.

Each family member had to be measured three times throughout the day, both standing up and lying down. This average of these measurements is used to calculate their height.

After meeting all the criteria to qualify for a place in the record books, the Trapps were thrilled to learn they had become the new title holders.

"My sister called the family up to tell us that we officially got the record. Everyone was excited about it, and it was almost hard to believe, said Adam.

The family feels that the worldwide recognition theyve received makes up for the downside of being so tall.

"Our friends and family are so proud of us and like to use us for bragging rights, saying they know a world record holder," said Savanna.

Qualifying to be recognized as the tallest family certainly came along with some growing pains, both literally and figuratively.

"I have always been tall but had a growth spurt where I grew an inch and a half in one month." Savanna Trapp-Blanchfield

"The growing pains were unreal. I have stretch marks on the back of my legs, Savanna continued.

The Trapps each realized they were unusually tall early on, constantly standing out among their peers.

When I was in the first grade, I was taller than my teacher, said Scott.

But whats it like to look down at everyone you meet?

It's a dilemma this super-tall family understands all too well. The Trapps have grown used to the frequent comments and stares they get in public.

Being taller than nearly everyone they meet, except for the occasional basketball player, means the family attracts attention everywhere they go.

They have learned to embrace their genetics and use their height as a way of engaging in conversations and educating others.

"Being able to meet new people when they come up and ask me questions about my height is something I like the most," said Adam.

The Trapps also encounter trying situations that most average-sized individuals dont even have to think about.

"If I stand up too fast, Ill faint and its a long way to fall," Savanna joked.

Besides having to duck to get through doorways, frustrating shopping experiences and difficulties driving a car because of their long legs, the Trapps agree that their spectacular size brings far more ups than downs.

"My height is useful for household projects. I dont ever need a ladder." Scott Trapp

Aside from their incredible accomplishment, the Trapps are just the same as any other family.

"I still put on my pants one leg at a time like most people. They're just really long pants," said Adam.

The family loves being able to share their most unique characteristic, which they feel has made them a strong family unit.

Since they can each relate to the trials and tribulations that come along with their stature, the Trapps often lean on each other for support.

"Its nice to have a shoulder thats tall enough for you to lean on. Who better to understand what youre going through than the people who are even taller than you are?" Molly Steede

The Trapp family hopes to continue using their height to their advantage.

While Savanna dreams of eventually pursuing acting, modelling, or breaking the record for the largest hands on a living person (female), Molly is looking forward to one day starting her very own tall family.

The Trapps hope that their record-breaking tallness will empower others who are unique or feel different.

They want the world to know that any one attribute shouldnt define you and encourage people to judge others by who they are deep down inside rather than what they look like.

"There is joy and freedom in embracing who you are," said Savanna.

"Rock what you got. There is nobody else like you and that is fantastic."

Go here to read the rest:
Minnesota family confirmed as tallest in the world - Guinness World Records

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Patient recruitment

In this study, a total of 96 EGC patients (TNM classification: T1A) who were subjected to ESD treatment were recruited and their expression of circFNDC3B was measured for grouping. Subsequently, the median circFNDC3B expression was calculated and utilized as the indicator to divide the patients into a Low expression group (N=48, including all EGC patients whose expression level of circFNDC3B was at or above the median expression of circFNDC3B) and a High expression group (N=48, including all EGC patients whose expression level of circFNDC3B was below the median expression of circFNDC3B). Therefore, for further analysis, since the patients were grouped according to their median, there are same number of patients in each group. The demographic and clinic parameters of both patient groups, including their sex, age, BMI, status of H. pylori infection, history of alcohol abuse and smoking, tumor site, as well as clinical grade of ESD was collected by reviewing their medical records, carrying out breath test for H. pylori infection, serological examinations, as well as bacterial culture, and the demographic and clinic parameters of the two patient groups were compared using Students test. In this study, ESD was defined as a type of adenocarcinoma constrained to the mucosa tissues or submucosa tissues in the stomach. All subjects with a past ESD history or those who received treatment for multiple ESD were not enrolled. An endoscopic forceps biopsy operation was carried out in each patient to collect ESD tissue samples for subsequent Western blot, qPCR and IHC assays. ESD follow-ups were carried out 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, as well as 36months after the initial ESD operation. The level of gastric atrophy was assessed using histological evaluation results based on the endoscopic atrophy border scale developed previously (Kimura et al. 1969; Ito et al. 1996; Satoh et al. 1996). Institutional ethical committee of Chinese PLA NO.254 Hospital has approved the protocol of this study. All methods were performed in accordance with the last vision of the Declaration of Helsinki. Written informed consent was obtained from all patients before the study.

In this study, MKN28 cells, a extensively-studied gastric tubular adenocarcinoma cell line which were established from a 70-year-old female patient, were used to carry out cellular experiments. In brief, MKN28 cells were acquired from American Type Culture Collection (ATCC, Manassas, VA) and cultured according to the recommended conditions provided by the manufacturer, i.e., the cells were cultured in a Roswell Park Memorial Institute 1640 (RPMI 1640) medium (Gibco, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA) supplemented along with 10% of fetal bovine serum as well as 1% of penicillin and 100 U/ml of streptomycin. The culture conditions were 37C, 5% CO2 and saturated humidity. Furthermore, all cells were regularly examined to affirm the absence of Mycoplasma. When the cells reached 70% confluence, they were sub-cultured and divided into different groups. In cell model I, the MKN28 cells were divided into 2 groups, i.e., 1. pGL group (MKN28 cells transfected with an empty plasmid); and 2.pGL-FNDC3B group (MKN28 cells transfected with a pGL3 plasmid inserted with the circFNDC3B fragment). In cell model II, the MKN28 cells were also divided into 2 groups, i.e., 1. NC siRNA group (MKN28 cells transfected with a scramble negative control NC siRNA); and 2.pGL-FNDC3B group (MKN28 cells transfected with circFNDC3B siRNA to silence the expression of circFNDC3B). In cell model III, we utilized the MKN28 cells to establish a H. pylori-infected gastric cancer cell model in comparison with un-infected cell model. The MKN28 cell were established as 2 groups, i.e., 1. Control group (MKN28 cells in unprocessed medium); and 2. rTip- group (MKN28 cells cultured in medium containing 12.5g/mL rTip-).

According to protocols provided by a previous publication22, to obtain rTip-, we transfected Tip- into Escherichia coli for subsequent amplification. And the amplified rTip- was purified for subsequent cell model establishment. All transfections were carried out using Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA) according to the recommended transfection conditions provided by the manufacturer, and the transfected cells were harvested 48h after the start of transfection to analyze the expression of target genes.

The harvested cell as well as tissue samples were treated by utilizing a miRCURY RNA Isolation Kit (Exiqon, Qiagen, Germantown, MD) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer to isolated cellular RNA. Then, the isolated RNA was assayed on an Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer (Agilent Technologies, Mountain View, CA) in conjunction with an RNA 6000 Pico assay kit (Agilent Technologies, Mountain View, CA) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer to quantify the RNA concentration. In the next step, 1g of isolated total RNA was converted into cDNA by making use of a QuantiTect Reverse Transcription assay kit (Qiagen, Germantown, MD) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer. Finally, real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed on a BX-384 real time PCR apparatus (Bio-Rad laboratories, Hercules, CA) by making use of a QuantiTect SYBR Green PCR assay kit (Qiagen, Germantown, MD) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer to evaluate the relative expression of circFNDC2B, miR-942, miR-510, CD44 mRNA as well as CDH1 mRNA in each sample using the 2Ct approach. The expression of GAPDH in each sample was used as the internal control.

We utilized online bioinformatic tools including TargetScan (http://www.targetscan.org/vert_80/) and miRDB (http://mirdb.org/) to compare the sequences of circFNDC2B, miR-942, miR-510, CD44 mRNA and CDH1 mRNA. Accordingly, we detected a putative binding site of miR-942 on circFNDC3B, while a putative binding site of miR-942 was detected on the 3UTR of CD44 mRNA. Similarly, we detected a putative binding site of miR-510 on circFNDC3B, while a putative binding site of miR-510 was detected on the 3UTR of CDH1 mRNA. In the next step, we performed luciferase assays in MKN28 cells to confirm the regulatory relationship of circFNDC2B/miR-942, circFNDC2B/miR-510, miR-942/CD44 mRNA, and miR-510/CDH1 mRNA. In brief, the wild type sequences of circFNDC2B, CD44 mRNA, and CDH1 mRNA containing the corresponding miRNA binding sites were cloned into pGL plasmid vectors to generate wild type plasmids of circFNDC2B, CD44 mRNA, and CDH1 mRNA. At the same time, the sequences of circFNDC2B, CD44 mRNA, and CDH1 mRNA containing the corresponding miRNA binding sites were subject to site-directed mutagenesis to generate mutant type sequences of circFNDC2B, CD44 mRNA, and CDH1 mRNA containing the corresponding miRNA binding sites, which were also cloned into pGL plasmid vectors to generate mutant type plasmids of circFNDC2B, CD44 mRNA, and CDH1 mRNA. In the next step, MKN28 cells were co-transfected with the plasmids carrying wild type or mutant type circFNDC2B, CD44 mRNA, and CDH1 mRNA along with miR-510 and miR-942. At 48h post transfection, the luciferase activity of transfected cells was assayed by utilizing a GloMax Multi Detection assay kit (Promega, Madison, WI) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer.

The recurrence-free rate of the patients was analyzed by using R statistical software (version 3.0). The recurrence-free rate in each group was calculated at various follow-up time points, and the recurrence-free rates of the two groups were compared at the level of statistical significance of 0.05. The KaplanMeier survival curves were generated for high and low groups of circFNDC3B expression.

Cells as well as tissue samples were first lysed in a phosphatase- and protease-inhibitor containing 1X RIPA buffer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer. The collected lysates were then centrifuged to collect proteins in the supernatant, whose concentration of total proteins was examined by using a BCA protein assay kit (Pierce, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer. In the next step, the protein in each sample was resolved by 10% SDS-PAGE and blotted onto nitrocellulose membranes (Hybond, GE Medical Care, Pittsburgh, PA), which was blocked with TBSS containing 5% of skim milk and subsequently incubated with primary anti-CD44 and anti-CDH1 antibodies as well as HRP-conjugated secondary antibodies in sequence according to the recommended antibody incubation conditions provided by the assay kit manufacturer (Abcam, Cambridge, CA). Finally, after the protein blots (all original protein blots are shown in Supplementary file) were developed by using an enhanced chemiluminescence Western blot substrate (Pierce, Rockford, IL) according to the recommended assay methods provided by the assay kit manufacturer, the relative protein expression of CD44 and CDH1 in each sample was calculated.

Collected tissue samples were paraffin embedded, sliced into 4 um sections, deparaffinized, gradient alcohol hydrated, and incubated with primary anti-CD44 antibodies and biotin-labeled secondary antibodies in sequence according to the recommended antibody incubation conditions provided by the assay kit manufacturer (Abcam, Cambridge, CA) to determine the positive protein expression of CD44 in each sample under a Zeiss Axioskop microscope.

Unless otherwise specified, all results are presented as meanS.E.M of 4 independent tests. Statistical evaluations were done by making use of the Student's t test in SPSS 21.0 software (IBM, Chicago, IL) and Prism 8.0 program (GraphPad, San Diego, CA), and P<0.05 was deemed as statistically significant.

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The upregulation of circFNDC3B aggravates the recurrence after endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in early gastric cancer (EGC) patients |...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

One of the most popular characters in the Star Wars universe, Boba Fett was introduced theatrically in Star Wars: Episode V Empire Strikes Back. Not much was known about the masked character after the film was released, with fans becoming attached to the mysterious nature of the bounty hunter, and his glorious Mandarloian armor. The character has been a fan favorite throughout the years, but some fans waver on the characters popularity. Recently the character starred in his own Disney + series, The Book of Boba Fett which was met with mixed reviews.

It wouldnt be until Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones that Star Wars fans would learn the truth about Boba Fetts origin with the controversial decision to make him a clone. Star Wars fans were outraged upon learning that Boba Fett had really been a clone the entire time, someone with the same origin as the stormtroopers who couldnt shoot straight, claiming that the origin ruined the character. But was Boba Fett really a clone like those who fought in the clone wars?

In Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones, Obi-Wan Kenobi uncovered a secret, that a Jedi named Sifo-Dyas had employed a cloning facility on Planet Kamino, to create a clone army for the Republic. Kenobi was under the impression that Sifo-Dyas had been dead for years prior, and it was discovered later that he was killed by Count Dooku, so seemingly Darth Sidious had ordered the clone army. It was later revealed that all of these clones were made from a single specimen, a Mandalorian bounty hunter named Jango Fett.

The cloning facility had compensated Jango Fett quite well, paying him twenty million credits but he also requested one clone for himself, Boba Fett, in addition to his payment. The ordinary clones would be aged up to adulthood and also had their behavior modified which made them better soldiers by making them easier to control. Boba Fett, however, was not aged up and was only a child when Obi-Wan Kenobi met Jango Fett.

Boba Fett was a child when Jango was killed in the Battle of Geonosis by Mace Windu, so Jango had some time to teach the character his bounty hunting ways before he died. Because Jango requested that Boba be untampered with, Jango had made him entirely unique compared to any other clone made. Lets take a look at the few different types of clones we have seen throughout Star Wars and how Boba Fett differs from them.

As mentioned previously, all the Clone Troopers were conditioned to be soldiers and were easier to control. In addition to that, Boba Fett was not changed when Order 66 was launched. A large majority of the clones had a chip implanted in their head which, when activated by launching Order 66, the clones would suddenly turn on the Jedi, which they did in Star Wars: Episode III The Revenge of the Sith when Darth Sidious launched the order, which resulted in the Jedi Purge. Boba Fett did not have the chip implanted in him because of Jangos wish to raise him by himself, unaltered by the Kaminoans. Because he was unaltered, Boba Fett also aged naturally and would be older than the original Clone Troopers.

This first batch of clones were trained to be soldiers, whereas Boba Fett had to learn to be as good as Jango, even though he still had the same genetics. Boba was also more determined than the Clone Troopers throughout The Clone Wars as shown in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, as Boba Fett started his journey fueled by revenge. Boba attempted to assassinate Mace Windu for killing Jango Fett. He also ended up in prison and encountered many criminals which he would have learned from, such as Cad Bane and Asajj Ventress. The Clone Troopers rarely learned from one another, taking orders from the Jedi at first, then taking their orders from the Empire after Order 66. The Clone Troopers were also seen by some Jedi and the Empire as disposable, whereas there was only one Boba Fett.

Debuting in the final season of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, The Bad Batch was a group of clones who were deemed to be genetically altered. These clones all had some mutations which caused them to be proficient in different areas, therefore furthering their genetic differences from Boba Fett. These troopers were spun off into their own animated series on Disney + named Star Wars: The Bad Batch. Although Boba Fett is different from these clones, they are not regular clones either so this doesnt necessarily mean that Boba Fett is different from all clones, just that he is unique.

Introduced in Star Wars: The Bad Batch was the character called Omega, who surprisingly is quite similar to Boba Fett. Seemingly without Jango Fetts permission, the Kaminoans created a perfect genetic clone of Jango Fett who was female. Another thing that sets her apart from the other members of The Bad Batch and other clones is that she was not aged like the other clones, aging naturally like Boba Fett. She might be the one clone that is most like Boba Fett, genetically at least.

The main difference between Boba Fett and the clones who served in the Empire as stormtroopers is that they are different from the Clone Troopers who fought in The Clone Wars, especially those who appeared sooner in the original Star Wars trilogy. There was a percentage of stormtroopers who were not clones but the comparison between Boba Fett and the stormtroopers is only for those who were clones. The clones would either be quite old, having already been grown adults in The Clone Wars, or they would not be of the same genetic material as the Clone Troopers.

Either the stormtroopers were a copy of the Clone Troopers, therefore a clone of a clone and would be a worse soldier than the Clone Troopers and Boba Fett. Or they were mixed with other genetic material, lessening the impact of Jango Fetts. And as Jango Fett was considered one of the galaxys best bounty hunters this would be a disservice to the stormtroopers and would prove that Boba Fett was the superior specimen.

So there you have it, Boba Fett is technically a clone, but because of Jango Fett and his insistence that he have an unaltered, true copy of himself, he stands apart from the rest of the clone army. Many clones were created on Kamino but not all of them were the same, with Boba Fett and Omega being the outliers. Hopefully, the origins of the character do not sour your love for the character, as Boba Fett is still one of the coolest designed characters in the Star Wars universe.

Read this article:
Is 'Boba Fett' a Clone? - We Got This Covered

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The research and analysis firm Datavagyanik has published the updated version of its report Detailed Analysis, Business Opportunities and Forecast of Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Market by Countries. The updated version of the report is released with the latest data, industry trends and competitive benchmarking. The report uses analytical models to study country-level market patterns and to make forecasts for the next ones during the time frame (2022-2030).

Request a free sample of the full report https://datavagyanik.com/market-intelligence-enquiry/

Insights Covered in the Report:

Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Market Sizing and Needs Analysis The needs analysis part of the Toilet Liner Spray for Toilet study provides details on actual market size as well as total addressable market (TAM) size at global and country level

Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Market Forecast : Actual market data has been provided for year 2021 and forecast from 2022 to 2030 has been covered. The seven year market forecast has been covered in the study.

Customer Pain Points: Pain points and scope of innovation are one of the key components of this study. There are certain areas that industry participants need to understand in order to excel. As competition increases, it is very important to have a competitive advantage.

Comparing Supply and Demand: Understanding the dynamics of supply and demand is important for working on future business strategies and action plans. This is also important for product development and pricing decisions. Added value to this market study of toilet spray.

Future prospects for the market The market is constantly evolving and the study highlights future expectations and associated strategic views.

Key Market Trends Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market report analyzes major market trends which will impact the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market in the future. The long-term and short-term implications of these factors have been presented to help decision makers understand the industry at a granular level.

Industry Challenges There are industry challenges that must be addressed in order to be successful in the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants business. Companies in the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market face these challenges. The companies were analyzed with regard to product portfolio, target customers, turnover and strategic business decisions.

Investment Opportunities Emerging business segments and revenue streams have been identified to help industry participants plan their revenue mix and plan their investment strategies.

Request a free sample of the full report https://datavagyanik.com/market-intelligence-enquiry/

Detailed Global and Country Level Analysis: Global and country level analysis has been covered in the report.

The regions covered in the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants study are North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. and Canada.

The Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Europe region includes the analysis of Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the UK and the rest of Europe.

Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Asia Pacific includes analysis of China, India, Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, Australia and the rest of Asia Pacific.

Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Rest of World (Latin America, Middle East, Africa). The report on Bathroom Coating Spray Market encompasses an in-depth analysis of ongoing technological advancements and developments and also provides the market revenue forecast for the period (2021-2030).

In addition, the report provides country-level analysis. To help strategic decision makers, It includes a competitive landscape to measure the market competition based on various factors such as drivers, restraints and opportunities. Key questions answered by this study

How big was the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market in historical years

How will the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market grow in forecast years i.e. from 2022 to 2030? What is the annual growth rate?

Who are the key target audiences for the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market?

Derivative analysis through consumption and spending perspective.

Micro and macro factors in Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants?

Internal and external variables in Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants?

Purchasing power from the point of view of the end consumer.

What marketing techniques should a company use to promote its brand, product or service?

What will the future market drivers, constraints and opportunities look like? An impact on market dynamics and analysis supporting current market trends?

Which segment and region are driving the market growth and how?

Which are the main countries actively contributing to the development of the market?

What would be the market size of each segment in the main countries, which in turn are responsible for generating income for each region?

Who are the visionaries, leaders, challengers and market niches? Which Players in the Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Market?

Strategic initiatives by Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants market players and their impact on market growth.

Which goals have to be mapped

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Plant Breeding and CRISPR Plants Market Competitive Analysis, New Trends and Forecasts (2022-2030) Political Beef - Political Beef

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

New Jersey, USA,-The global Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes Market is comprehensively and in-depth examined in the report, focusing on the competitive landscape, regional growth, market segmentation and market dynamics. For the preparation of this comprehensive research study, we have used the latest primary and secondary research techniques. The report provides Porter's five forces analysis, tappet analysis, competitive analysis, manufacturing cost analysis, sales and production analysis, and various other types of analysis to provide a complete overview of the global Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes market. Each segment of the global Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes market is carefully analyzed on the basis of market share, CAGR and other important factors. The global Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes market is also presented statistically with the help of annual growth, CAGR, sales, production and other important calculations.

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Our report contains current and latest market trends, market shares of companies, market forecasts, competition benchmarking, competition mapping and an in-depth analysis of the most important sustainability tactics and their impact on market growth and competition. To estimate quantitative aspects and segment the global Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes market, we used a recommended combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches. We examined the global Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes market from three key perspectives through data triangulation. Our iterative and comprehensive research methodology helps us to provide the most accurate market forecasts and estimates with minimal errors.

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Crispr And Crispr Associated Genes Market Size and Forecast (2022-2030) By Top Keyplayers | Thermo Fisher Scientific, Editas Medicine, Caribou...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Editas Medicine, Inc.

Marks the first-ever in vivo delivery of an experimental CRISPR gene editing medicine to a pediatric patient

Company on track to complete dosing of the pediatric mid-dose cohort in the first half of 2022 and expects to initiate dosing of the pediatric high-dose cohort this year

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a leading genome editing company, today announced the administration of EDIT-101, an experimental CRISPR gene editing medicine, to the first pediatric patient enrolled in the BRILLIANCE clinical trial, which is designed to test the safety of EDIT-101 for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10), a CEP290-related retinal degenerative disorder. This marks the worlds first in vivo, or inside the body, dosing of a pediatric patient with a CRISPR gene editing experimental medicine.

Administering the experimental medicine to the first pediatric patient in the BRILLIANCE trial marks a significant milestone toward delivering on the potential of CRISPR gene editing medicines being safe and effective in treating LCA10, which often results in significant vision loss and blindness early in life, said James C. Mullen, Chairman, President, and CEO, Editas Medicine. Currently, there are no approved treatments for LCA10, and we look forward to sharing future updates from the BRILLIANCE trial, including sharing additional clinical data, later this year.

Enrolling this first pediatric patient in the BRILLIANCE trial is an important step toward bringing potentially life-changing treatments to children with genetic retinal diseases. We are excited to be involved in research focused on testing potential new treatments for untreatable diseases like LCA10, said trial principal investigator for the site, Tomas S. Aleman, MD, the Irene Heinz-Given and John LaPorte Research Associate Professor at the Scheie Eye Institute of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and a retinal degeneration specialist with the Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP).

Story continues

Albert M. Maguire, MD, the F.M. Kirby Professor of Molecular Ophthalmology at Penn and a member of the Center for Advanced Retinal and Ocular Therapeutics, is the surgeon in the trial, in collaboration with Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), the nation's first hospital devoted exclusively to the care of children and the source of many breakthroughs and firsts in pediatric medicine. CHOPs Clinical In Vivo Gene Therapy (CIGT) program provided the clinical operations support to conduct the work at CHOP.

Editas Medicine initiated enrollment in the pediatric mid-dose cohort in the BRILLIANCE trial following the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) endorsement based on an analysis of safety data from a clinical trial in adult patients that tested low-dose and mid-dose levels of the experimental medicine. The Company remains on track to complete testing of the pediatric mid-dose in the first half of 2022 and expects to initiate testing of the pediatric high-dose this year.

Previously, Editas Medicine completed dosing of all adult cohorts in its BRILLIANCE study and announced preliminary EDIT-101 clinical results demonstrated a favorable safety profile and encouraging signals of clinical benefit. The Company expects to provide a clinical update on the BRILLIANCE trial in the second half of 2022. The update is expected to provide safety and efficacy assessments on all adult patients who have had at least six months of follow-up evaluations, which will include at least 12 months of data on the adult mid-dose cohort, and at least six months of data on the adult high-dose cohort. Additionally, the Company is expanding enrollment in one or more of the previously completed adult cohorts to explore dose response and support establishment of registrational trial endpoints, which are anticipated by year-end.

About EDIT-101 EDIT-101 is a CRISPR/Cas9-based experimental medicine under investigation for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10), a CEP290-related retinal degenerative disorder. EDIT-101 is administered via a subretinal injection to reach and deliver the gene editing machinery directly to photoreceptor cells. EDIT-101 has been granted Rare Pediatric Disease and Orphan Drug designations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Orphan Designation from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

About BRILLIANCEThe BRILLIANCE Phase 1/2 clinical trial of EDIT-101 for the treatment of Leber congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10) is designed to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of EDIT-101 in patients with this disorder. Clinical trial sites are enrolling up to five cohorts testing up to three dose levels in this open label, multi-center study. Both adult and pediatric patients (3 17 years old) with a range of baseline visual acuity assessments are eligible for enrollment. Patients receive a single administration of EDIT-101 via subretinal injection in one eye. Patients are monitored every three months for a year after dosing and less frequently for an additional two years thereafter. Additional details are available on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT#03872479).

About Leber Congenital AmaurosisLeber Congenital Amaurosis, or LCA, is a group of inherited retinal degenerative disorders caused by mutations in at least 18 different genes. It is the most common cause of inherited childhood blindness, with an incidence of two to three per 100,000 live births worldwide. Symptoms of LCA appear within the first years of life, resulting in significant vision loss and potentially blindness. The most common form of the disease, LCA10, is a monogenic disorder caused by mutations in the CEP290 gene and is the cause of disease in approximately 20-30 percent of all LCA patients.

About Editas MedicineAs a leading genome editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cas12a genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of treatments for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit http://www.editasmedicine.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project, target, should, would, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding the initiation, timing, progress and results of the Companys preclinical and clinical studies and its research and development programs, including completing dosing of the pediatric mid-dose cohort in the first half of 2022, initiating dosing of the pediatric high-dose cohort in the BRILLIANCE trial in 2022, and establishing registrational trial criteria by year-end 2022, and the timing for the Companys receipt and presentation of data from its clinical trials and preclinical studies, including a clinical update on the BRILLIANCE trial in the second half of 2022. The Company may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of pre-clinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of the Companys product candidates; availability and timing of results from pre-clinical studies and clinical trials; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and availability of funding sufficient for the Companys foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption Risk Factors included in the Companys most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that the Company may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release represent the Companys views only as of the date hereof and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date. Except as required by law, the Company explicitly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements.

Continued here:
Editas Medicine Announces Dosing of First Pediatric Patient in the BRILLIANCE Clinical Trial of EDIT-101 for LCA10 - Yahoo Finance

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The study analyzes crucial trends that are currently determining market growth. This report explicates on vital dynamics, such as the drivers, restraints, and opportunities for key market players along with key stakeholders and emerging players associated withCRISPR and Cas Gene Market. The study also provides the dynamics that are responsible for influencingthe future status of the marketover the forecast period.

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A detailed assessment of the value chain analysis, business execution, and supply chain analysis across regional markets has been covered in the report. A list of prominent companies manufacturing CRISPR and Cas Gene, along with their product portfolios, enhances the reliability of this comprehensive research study.

Report Summary

The study offers comprehensive analysis on diverse features, including demand, product development, revenue generation, and sales of CRISPR and Cas Gene across regions.

A comprehensive estimate on the market has been provided through an optimistic as well as a conservative scenario, taking into account sales during the forecast period. Price point comparison by region with global average price is also considered in the study.

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Regional analysis includes

Inspected Assessment on Regional Segments

Key sections have been elaborated in the report, which have helped deliver projections on regional markets. These chapters include regional macros (political, economic, and business environment outlook), which are expected to have a momentous influence on the growth of the CRISPR and Cas Gene Market during the forecast period.

Country-specific valuation on demand for CRISPR and Cas Gene Markets has been offered for each regional market, along with market scope estimates and forecasts, price index, and impact analysis of the dynamics of prominence in regions and countries. For all regional markets, Y-o-Y growth estimates have also been incorporated in the report.

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Research Methodology

In Fact.MRs study, a unique research methodology is utilized to conduct extensive research on the growth of the CRISPR and Cas Gene Market, and reach conclusions on the future growth parameters of the market. This research methodology is a combination of primary and secondary research, which helps analysts ensure the accuracy and reliability of the drawn conclusions.

Secondary resources referred to by analysts during the preparation of the market study include statistics from governmental organizations, trade journals, white papers, and internal and external proprietary databases. Analysts have interviewed senior managers, product portfolio managers, CEOs, VPs, marketing/product managers, and market intelligence managers, all of whom have contributed to the development of the research report as a primary resource.

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DNA-free Cas Genes Market is Expected to Witness Healthy Growth at 21.2% CAGR through 2026 Blackswan Real Estate - Blackswan Real Estate

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The term genomics sounds quite interesting, although it is mainly confused with genetics. Genetics refers to the study of genes, whereas genomics is a broader term which encompasses the study of an organisms entire set of genes (genome).

Some facts to know

Do read: What is genetic engineering and how can it benefit healthcare?

Exploiting genomics in medicine

Genomic medicine is a speciality of medical science that uses an individual's genomic information to make diagnostic and therapeutic decisions. Some of the recent advances in genomic medicine are discussed below:

Image source: Vadimgozhda | Megapixl.com

Precision medicine

Precision medicine exploits an individual's genetic information for disease diagnosis and treatment. However, it doesn't only consider the genome but utilises other factors such as the environment of a person and their health history.

Precision medicine bypasses the 'one size fits all' approaches that are the same for everyone and develops individual-specific approaches.

Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)

CRISPR is a gene editing tool and can be simply compared with a text editor, for a clear understanding. Also known as 'molecular scissors', the technique is used to edit genetic code. CRISPR shines a ray of hope in treating fatal diseases, including cancer and HIV.

Despite its great potential in medical science, the technique holds several apprehensions and questionable applications. Due to this reason, CRISPR is currently considered non-ethical in human beings and is banned in several countries, including the USA.

Gene therapy

Gene therapy involves the insertion of a healthy foreign genetic material into a person's cell to treat a disease. It is a one-shot cure as it corrects the underlying genetic cause of disease.

The first CAR T-cell-based gene therapy got approval in 2017 in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Gene therapies also hold a promising future for cancer treatment.

Concerns regarding gene-based techniques

Also read: Telix (ASX: TLX) adds new asset in its cancer treatment pipeline

Original post:
The role of genomics in medicine: A look at pros and cons - Kalkine Media

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

April 12, 2022

Given the state of the planet, is it OK to have a child? With so much grim climate news, can we allow ourselves to feel optimistic? If we talk with people from around the world, can we gain new insights on how climate change is affecting their lives?

These are some of the questions raised and answered by the winning writers of the first biennial Climate Narratives Prize, to be awarded at Arizona State University on April 22, Earth Day, at an event titled Hope, Alarm and Climate Change. Photo by iStock Download Full Image

The winners and two special mentions were selected from a collection of nominated works, exemplifying the best published narratives of the last five years that explore the reality and impact of our current climate crisis and the state of our planet and society.

The three top winners will receive cash prizes of $5,000, $2,000 and $1,000, respectively.

The prize created and sponsored by ASUs Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, the Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict, and the Narrative Storytelling Initiativeoriginated as part of a project to rethink how climate change stories are told and explore their potential to drive social and cultural change. The project drew on the expertise of journalists, climate scientists and scholars of the humanities to better conceptualize and communicate through story the world-shattering stakes of inaction on climate change.

The winning narratives were chosen from nominations submitted by such renowned writers, thinkers and activists as Bill McKibben, Katharine Hayhoe, Wendell Berry, Vann R. Newkirk II, Frank Sesno, Kyle P. Whyte and Lacy M. Johnson.

The nominations were then reviewed and voted on by graduate students in a multidisciplinary course at ASU called Climate Narratives, Apocalypse and Social Change, developed with the support of a Luce Foundation/ACLS-funded grant and taught by ASU professors Steven Beschloss and Sarah Viren.

Weve launched this Climate Narratives Prize to shine a light on climate-related writing that can have an impact on the publics thinking and choices, said Beschloss, who is also the founding director of ASUs Narrative Storytelling Initiative and narratives lead for the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory. It is clear it will take creative thinking and multiple modes of storytelling to expand the publics awareness and commitment to change.

To prepare for selecting honorees, we read widely and thought deeply about what it means to write toward social change, and students used that knowledge to evaluate each nomination, added Viren, an assistant professor of creative nonfiction. This process taught all of us to think more creatively about what it means to influence the way people think about an issue.

The public announcement and celebration of the winners will take place April 22 from 11:45 a.m.1:15 p.m. Arizona time in ASUs newest research building, ISTB7, dedicated to planetary and societal health.

Featured speakers include all three winners and several nominators in a conversation moderated by Beschloss and Viren. The event will include reflections on the issues surrounding climate change, the kinds of narratives that can drive impact, and the spectrum of storytelling from alarm and despair to optimism and hope.

Learn more about the Climate Narratives Prize and the project.

See original here:
Why some people become addicted and others don't - ASU News Now

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Everyone considers sperm to be made exclusively by males. But did you know that females also make sperm? Well, it turns out that females also contribute to what makes a sperm a sperm. Nearly 20 percent of couples in the United States fail to conceive naturally after one year of trying, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. In species with internal fertilization, such as humans, the ability for a female to become pregnant and carry a pregnancy to term is dependent upon effective interactions between sperm and the female reproductive tract (FRT). When those interactions are defective, the result can be a failed pregnancy. Therefore, understanding the factors that contribute to sperm viability between copulation and fertilization is crucial.

Pictured are spermatozoa of Drosophila melanogaster within a females specialized sperm-storage organ, where they await the opportunity to fertilize ova. (Image courtesy: Scott Pitnick)

A research team from the College of Arts and SciencesDepartment of Biologyand Cornell University, led by Steve Dorus, associate professor of biology at Syracuse University, have been studying the life history of fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster) sperm to better understand molecular continuity between male and female reproductive tracts. In other words, how the male and female reproductive tracts provide support to keep the sperm viable before fertilization. Their results, recently published in the journalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA(PNAS), shed light on important events that may play a role in infertility that up until now have been poorly understood.

The team, which includes members from the Universitys Center for Reproductive Evolution, explored the compositional changes in fruit fly sperm, beginning shortly after they leave the testis, following insemination and finally after protracted storage within the FRT. Fruit flies are powerful model organisms for investigations such as this one because they are easy to culture in the laboratory, have a short generation time and their genetics are richly understood. In their study, the group uncovered that the proteome, or protein makeup, of the sperm undergoes substantial changes after being transferred to the FRT.

For species with internal fertilization, a sperms developmental journeyon the way to its final destination of fertilizing an egg and beginning a new lifetranscends both male and female reproductive tracts. After leaving the testis, sperm travel through the males seminal vesicles and descend through the ejaculatory duct, where they mix with seminal fluid proteins. The team found that many of these seminal proteins are progressively lost after sperm migrate beyond the site of insemination within the FRT. Conversely, female-derived proteins that may help the sperm with functions such as energy metabolism, begin to associate with the sperm immediately after mating, signifying a changing of the guard of proteins. After several days of storage within the FRT, the research team was surprised to discover that nearly 20 percent the sperms proteins had been replaced by female-derived proteins. The female contributions support sperm viability during the prolonged period between copulation and fertilization. This hand-off in the maintenance of sperm viability from males to females means that sperm are materially the product of both sexes, and this may be a crucial aspect of reproduction in all internally-fertilizing species, including humans.

By studying the intimate ways in which sperm interact with the FRT during the final stages of functional maturation, the teams research advances understanding of animal fertility and the contributions of each sex to reproductive success.

Their research, which appears in the March 15 issue of PNAS, was chosen as that editions cover art, signifying the high impact of their work. The photo was captured by co-author and biology Professor Scott Pitnick, and provides a close-up view of sperm within an organ specialized for sperm storage in a female reproductive tract of Drosophila melanogaster.

In addition to Dorus and Pitnick, other co-authors from Syracuse University included former postdoctoral researcher Erin McCullough and doctoral graduate Emma Whittington. Co-authors from Cornell University were Professor Mariana Wolfner and postdoctoral researcher Akanksha Singh. The teams research was funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and a gift from Mike and Jane Weeden to Syracuse University.

Read the teams full paper, The life history of Drosophila sperm involves molecular continuity between male and female reproductive tracts.>PNAS is the official journal of theNational Academy of Sciences(NAS), and is an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical and social sciences.

Link:
A&S Biologists Observe Molecular 'Hand-off' That Plays Key Role in Reproduction - Syracuse University News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Ancient skeletons, funerary practices, and DNA reveal layers of inequality in past societies.

November 26, 1922, marks what is arguably the most famous discovery in the history of archaeology. On that day, the British Egyptologist Howard Carter made a small hole through which he could insert a candle in the sealed doorway of Tutankhamuns burial chamber and thus lit the interior. As his eyes slowly adapted to the darkness, he was able to make out a chamber that had not been disturbed for over 3,000 years.

Tutankhamun was just an obscure pharaoh during his lifetime, and there is evidence that he was hastily buried; the second of the three nested coffins seems to have originally belonged to someone else. And yet the inner coffin, in which his mummy was discovered, is made of solid gold, weighing almost 250 pounds. One can barely imagine how impressive the burials of such powerful leaders as Khufu, Thutmose III, or Rameses II must have been; alas, they were all looted in antiquity.

But contrary to popular belief and cinematic glorification, most archaeologists would say that the search for spectacular treasures isnt their main research objective; they want to understand the daily life of past civilizations. Still, both extremes the fabulous wealth of kings and the hardscrabble existence of common people contribute to an understanding of what can be argued is one of the main goals of archaeology: to document and study the evolution of inequality in ancient societies. This also involves the question of how to recognize and quantify it.

One of the most obvious approaches would be through the assessment of differential goods deposited in graves. But richly furnished graves may not simply be evidence of social differentiation; rather, they may be an attempt to demonstrate the importance and distinction of a family in relationship to other kindreds a social importance that may not exist in reality. Moreover, social stratification can be based on wealth but can also be based on personal prestige and power. Therefore, it isnt always possible to assess social differences by comparing graves with goods to those without them.

Aztec society, even with its horrific human sacrifices, was at the time of the Spanish conquest more egalitarian than Mexico 200 years later.

Some archaeologists have attempted to apply economic principles to examine social differences at specific sites and, crucially, compare the data from different places. A study led by Samuel Bowles from the Santa Fe Institute and published in Nature in 2017 tried to address this question by applying the Gini coefficient a single number most commonly used to measure income inequality across a large number of sites from the archaeological record, both in the Old World and the Americas. The list of sites included paradigmatic cities such as atalhyk in Turkey, Pompeii in Italy, and Teotihuacan in Mexico; the authors measured the dimensions of houses as estimated indicators of wealth.

Among modern hunter-gatherers, the team found, the Gini coefficient is low around 17 (on a scale of 0 to 100). This is not surprising as few objects can be carried in nomadic societies, and consequently, personal qualities such as the ability to hunt count for more. This does not mean that some people didnt have a higher social status; material culture was probably so poor or so different from our perceptions of status that it is difficult to grasp social differences among past hunter-gatherers.

In the ancient farming societies under study the Gini coefficients are estimated to have been between 35 and 46; interestingly, the real measurements were lower than those obtained from records. For instance, among the ruins of Babylonia, researchers estimated a coefficient of 40, yet an estimate based on information from the Babylonian chronicles resulted in a higher coefficient of 46. The ancient accounts likely overemphasized the size of the largest houses in admiration. This is not unlike what happens when we return from a trip: We sometimes tend to exaggerate the things that weve seen.

Nevertheless, the most remarkable differences come from the comparison of the societies of the Old World and those of the Americas, with the latter being much more equal in the Gini coefficient, despite being highly hierarchical in some cases such as the mighty Aztec Empire. Researchers conclude that the root of these differences could be ecological since there were more and larger animals to be domesticated in Eurasia such as cows, horses, pigs, sheep, and goats than in the Americas, with only dogs and turkeys, and this trait alone created a differential system of accumulated wealth.

At the Aztec capital, Tenochtitln, for instance, houses had highly standardized dimensions and were all quite similar. Aztec society, even with its horrific human sacrifices, was at the time of the Spanish conquest more egalitarian than Mexico 200 years later, when the European elite had created the encomienda system, under which the indigenous population worked in semislavery. Within a few generations, the concentration of wealth had almost doubled in the colonial New World, with a consequent increase in inequality.

When did these differences between the Old and New Worlds emerge? Early farming societies had the possibility of generating and storing food surpluses, creating potential scenarios for differences in population size along with a certain degree of inter- and intrasettlement inequality. A recent application of the Gini coefficient to 90 sites from the Near East and Europe showed a remarkable increase of inequality thousands of years after the advent of agriculture a finding that would indicate it was not farming per se that created unequal societies. According to the authors, at some point some farmers were able to maintain specialized plow oxen that could cultivate 10 times more land than other farmers, thereby transforming the economy toward a higher value of land in detriment of human labor.

This emerging inequality at the end of the Neolithic could explain a remarkable example of wealth dating from that period: the Varna burial. This burial was found in a Copper Age cemetery in modern Bulgaria and is dated to 45604450 BCE; it contained more gold than the rest of the world possessed at that time. It contained an adult male likely a chieftain or king of some sort who was buried holding a gold war mace; curiously he also had a gold penis sheath of unknown meaning. Still, such findings are exceptional, and there is a general consensus that Neolithic societies were more egalitarian than later ones.

Inequality clearly increased with the arrival of metals, which partly allowed, from 3000 to 2000 BCE onward, the appearance and development of a social organization based on the emergence of elites. Once the initial power structure was established, it attempted to perpetuate itself dynastically by increasing social control and building up familial alliances with other chiefs. Control mechanisms often involved violence. The possibility of using horses and to lesser extent, camels as instruments of war determined the success of conquests that would alter the pattern of settlements across Eurasia at the end of the Neolithic. This would at least partially explain how 30 empires or large states that emerged between 3000 and 600 BCE were all found in the Old World, where these animals roamed.

Consequently, tombs with signs of wealth became more abundant in the archaeological record, such as the famous Amesbury Archer, found three miles southeast of Stonehenge in 2002 (near todays Salisbury) and dated to 2300 BCE. This grave includes more artifacts than any other Bronze Age British burial; besides numerous arrowheads, three copper knives, four boars tusks, two stone wrist guards that protected users from their bowstrings, and five pots that conformed to the Bell Beaker tradition, there were two gold hair ornaments the earliest pieces made of this metal ever found in the British Isles. The arrival of the Bell Beaker complex to the British Isles is associated with an almost complete replacement of the prior local population and subsequent emergence of social elites. The Amesbury Archer must be considered in the context of the spread of metalwork and supraregional exchange networks in a process that archaeologists sometimes call Bronzization.

The rise in inequality during this period, both in the Middle East and parts of western Europe, seems to be partly influenced by an increase in population density. This correlation is likely related to a growing complexity in modes of subsistence, trading networks, and political organization associated with population growth.

Although the highest Gini coefficients for past societies determined by the Santa Fe Institute were similar to those found in some present-day European countries (for instance, with values of around 60 in Pompeii and Kahun, an Egyptian settlement from the 12th dynasty), they remained below the values for the most unequal modern societies such as China and the United States (with Gini coefficients of 73 and 85, respectively), which obviously have larger populations.

From a historical perspective this would suggest that an increase in population size brings higher inequality an issue explored by the economist Thomas Piketty in recent times, but that likely has parallels in Bronze Age populations.

Still, the Gini coefficient cannot always be applied since some settlements have grown with time over the destruction of previous ones, piled one atop another like the layers of a cake. Many ancient sites could not possibly be studied in detail; for instance, at Hisarlik the old Troy at least 10 cities arose atop their predecessors in just 2,000 years, making them quite difficult to disentangle. In addition to this limitation, whether the Gini coefficient can be transferred between different cultural, geographic, and ecological environments to make direct comparisons has also been a subject of debate since such factors can influence their inhabitants differently. For example, a settlement established in a jagged terrain would favor smaller, more vertical houses than one extending over a vast plain.

The economic interpretation of past settlements has received some criticism from among the archaeological community; some argue that the quality and solidity of the building materials can be as important as the size of the houses. In our modern cities, were all aware that location for instance, close to the city center is usually more important than size. Finally, the ostentatious wealth opulent furniture, wall paintings, mosaics, and so on that can still be found in some excavated houses such as at Pompeii should be taken into consideration too, though such features arent usually well preserved.

One way around these limitations might be to compare the Gini coefficients with the so-called health inequality of each population, since buried human remains are sometimes better preserved than buildings. There are several skeletal indicators (dental cavities, arthrosis, traumas, vitamin deficiencies, etc.) that can reflect the health status of the population in each period. The frequencies of these pathological markers are in general higher during periods of higher inequality.

For example, the 20062013 excavation of nonelite cemeteries such as North Tombs Cemeteries at Amarna demonstrated deaths at an early age mainly of children, teenagers, and young adults widespread dietary deficiencies, and indications of hard labor, suggesting the poor state of health and substandard working conditions for most of this urban community. For instance, 16 percent of all children under 15 displayed spine injuries of the sort associated with carrying heavy loads; none of them had any grave goods, and sometimes were buried together with several others, with scant regard for the disposition of the bodies a grim image that contrasts with the glamorous depictions of the pharaohs family in the Amarna style.

The information retrieved from their DNA can be used, for the first time, to correlate ancestry with social power in each period.

An additional indicator would be evidence of a high infant mortality rate, although the preservation of childrens skeletal remains is invariably more difficult than that of adult bones due to differential conservation processes, and this could represent an insurmountable bias in the results. Changes in health status can be used to ascertain cultural and ancestral transitions too. In this sense, probably the most striking change observed is between hunter-gatherers and the first farmers in Europe. The latter not only show signs of poorer health such as cavities, almost unknown by the former but also higher infant mortality rates and even lower stature than previous hunter-gatherers.

Correlated with this information, recent developments in the stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen ratios in bone collagen can provide information on nutritional status and mobility patterns associated with specific individuals. For instance, the analysis of a high-status burial in Helmsdorf, Germany, related to the ntice culture, showed that this person had a higher protein intake than other contemporaneous peers, suggesting as well that diet can be as much an indicator of social status as it is in todays societies.

Key to understanding the social panorama of the past is that ancient cemeteries can provide not only potential indicators of inequality in the form of grave goods and even differential health status but also genetic material preserved within human remains. The information retrieved from their DNA can be used, for the first time, to correlate ancestry with social power in each period. Furthermore, a crucial aspect of the accumulation of power is the possibility of bequeathing wealth to biological relatives something that can be tested as well via the interface between genetics and archaeology, which enables us to reveal family links.

Like funerary goods, a privileged resting place could serve as a status marker too. Around 6,500 years ago, the phenomenon of building large funerary stone structures known as megalithic tombs emerged, mainly across Europes Atlantic seaboard, and culminated in the great passage tomb complexes such as Newgrange in Boyne Valley (Ireland), which has a mound almost 300 feet in diameter and 50 feet high. The origins and meaning of these monuments, which required a heavy investment in labor, have been debated for more than a century, as has the social organization of the farming communities that built them. The genetic analysis of two-dozen individuals found in various megalithic tombs from Scandinavia to Orkney Island and Ireland yielded some interesting social clues.

In some places, notably the British Isles, more males than females were buried in these preeminent spots, pointing to a sex bias. In accordance with this observation, the descent of most individuals with kinship links could be traced through the paternal line. In one case it was possible to find two related males buried in two different megaliths just over a mile apart (Primrose Grange and Carrowmore in Ireland), indicating a geographic expansion of these dominant families. Genetic analyses of skeletal remains discovered within the most intricately constructed chamber of the Newgrange passage tomb revealed that they belonged to the incestuous son of a brother and sister (or a parent and child), and therefore a quarter of his genome had no genetic variation.

The fact that even children who died in infancy were buried with grave goods suggests as well that their status was inherited rather than acquired during their lifetime.

This kind of first-degree offspring is extraordinary, only having been cited in royal families of the past headed by god-kings such as the Egyptian pharaohs seeking to maintain a pure dynastic bloodline. (It is known, for instance, that Akhenaten married his eldest daughter, Meritaten, and much later, Ptolemy II married his sister, Arsinoe II hence his nickname, Philadelphus or sibling loving.) It has been suggested that this Neolithic elite may have claimed to possess divine powers to ensure the continuity of agricultural cycles by keeping the suns movements going.

The findings support the notion that these Neolithic communities were socially stratified and that the massive stone structures were used to bury transgenerational patrilineal members of these clans. Perhaps equally interesting is the fact that in one case relatives were separated by up to 12 generations, pointing to an unusual stability through time of both the funerary tradition and the stratified society where they lived.

One of the most illustrative examples of how the analysis of Bronze Age individuals that lived through continental-scale cultural changes can shed light on the process is a study led by researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Jena and published in 2019. Paleogenetic researchers analyzed more than 100 skeletons from 45 farmstead-related graveyards in the Lech River valley in southern Germany to explore the social mechanisms underlying the local spread of steppe ancestry across Europe. Additionally, isotope data were generated for these individuals to gather information on their lifetime mobility patterns, which could be correlated with differential composition in genetic ancestry.

Isotopic analyses revealed that females tended to be nonlocal (only 50 percent of them had values consistent with the local isotopic range) as compared to males and children from the same cemeteries (where 82 to 84 percent were deemed local). Isotopic data on early and late forming teeth in the same individuals the first and third permanent molars that emerge at six and 18 years, respectively suggested that females moved from their birthplaces during adolescence or later. One of them was found to come from a place at least 200 miles away. Most of the males carried the R1b Y chromosome lineage, while the mitochondrial DNA lineage composition was much more diverse. The results indicate that these Bronze Age settlements followed patrilocal residential rules that is, males stayed in the groups where they were born, while females moved away from them. The fact that most males descendants shared their ancestry with a single female also suggests that the social structure, besides being based on patrilineal links, was likely monogamous.

The researchers were able to reconstruct six pedigrees in different graveyards, three of which spanned at least four generations. They detected 10 parent-offspring relationships, six of them between mother and child. Interestingly, the latter were always male; there were no adult daughters present. Again, this suggests that females were interchanged between households as a way to establish alliances; it is likely that their status was secured once they had children in the new household. It was also possible to correlate grave goods (daggers, axes, chisels, and arrowheads for males, and body ornaments such as neck or leg rings for females) with kinship.

This indicates that wealth and social status were inherited and ran with families. The fact that even children who died in infancy were buried with grave goods suggests as well that their status was inherited rather than acquired during their lifetime. A further observation was that members of each clan were buried near each other in the cemeteries, thus clearly delimiting preeminent areas within them. It is likely that the inheritance system of these households was based on male primogeniture a custom by which the oldest son inherits all the familys properties at the fathers death. With time, forged alliances granted families access to larger, regional clans and eventually kingdoms.

An examination of the dynamics between kinship and social inequality can be applied to even more recent periods. The complex interactions underlying extended families and population levels can be better understood in geographically isolated places such as islands. Iceland remains the most studied island from a genetic point of view, mainly due to the efforts of a private company called deCODE Genetics that was founded in 1996 by neurologist Kri Stefnsson.

Iceland, a remote island in the north Atlantic, was first colonized around 874 CE, according to the Landnmabk, or settlement book, when the Norse chieftain Inlfr Arnarson arrived in the region of present-day Reykjavik. Over the next 150 years, groups of Viking migrants from Norway along with Celtic women and servants or slaves arrived on the island, establishing themselves on rather isolated farms. By 930 CE, all arable land was already occupied and all the forests were gone. The migratory influx slowed down afterward and almost ceased after the year 1000 CE. This resulted in a population that was small and isolated yet at the same time big enough to have all the common European diseases and genetic diversity and it suffered several demographic bottlenecks associated with volcanic eruptions, famines, and epidemics of the plague.

Until 1850, the Icelandic population never exceeded 50,000. The combination of two factors an isolated population and a well-known genealogical database makes Iceland an ideal laboratory for detecting genetic variants associated with common diseases that affect not only modern Icelanders but also the rest of Europe, where such information does not exist or the population is too big to make such an approach practical. Over the years, researchers from deCODE Genetics have generated a whole body of data on the genomics of modern Icelanders and also on how the original population was established. By working with uniparental markers from living Icelanders it could be observed that 62 percent of the mitochondrial DNA was Celtic in origin (meaning that the majority of these maternal markers derived from either the British Isles or Ireland), while 75 percent of the Y chromosomes were of Scandinavian origin. This suggested a settlement primarily established by Viking males and Celtic females.

In 2017, and thanks to paleogenomic techniques, it was possible to retrieve 27 ancient Icelandic genomes, most of them from the heathen period (prior to the year 1000 CE, when Icelanders decided to become Christians by the curious procedure of voting). At the nuclear genome level, these pioneers had a Norwegian-type ancestry (55.4 percent) that was greater than the Celtic one, and more prevalent among men (a recent genetic study of more than 400 Viking individuals has confirmed the spread of Norwegian ancestry mainly across the North Atlantic islands).

Modern Icelanders are not, however, a simple mixture of the two components; their ancestry demonstrates a differentiation from the two source populations at least partially due to genetic drift promoted by geographic isolation during the last thousand years. Interestingly, the Norwegian-type ancestry component in Iceland is nowadays 70.4 percent, suggesting an increase that was likely socially mediated. An example of this stems from seven individuals excavated in 1964 from a boat grave (a type of burial in which a ship is used as a container of the dead) at Vatnsdalur in the remote western fjords. The grave goods included a knife, 30 beads, a silver Thors hammer, a Cufic coin (dated circa 870930 CE), and various items of jewelry. Three of the four skeletons sequenced showed mostly Scandinavian ancestry. One of these individuals is among the few sequenced early settlers to be genetically similar to modern Icelanders, indicating that he contributed disproportionately to their ancestry.

One way or another, mortuary archaeology will always be an important subfield of this discipline, and one that will need to rely on the hard sciences such as genetics and forensics.

It seems that the Celtic servants brought to Iceland clearly had fewer opportunities to reproduce. Using isotopic analysis, it was also possible to detect that at least three people two Scandinavians and one Celt were first-generation migrants, having spent their childhood outside Iceland. One individual had mixed ancestry, indicating that his parents were from different places. The fact that the Celtic ancestry is still detectable decades after the first settlement also suggests that some kind of social discrimination between the two ancestral groups persisted for a while. After a few centuries, however, the admixing of the two communities was complete, to the point that Iceland has essentially become an extended family with a remarkably uniform population.

We have seen several case studies of past inequality correlating funerary archaeology with genetics that might no longer apply today, where legal regulations (and also the exponential increase of cremations) represent a certain degree of standardization in funeral practices. Nevertheless, an opposite trend could shape the future of the archaeology of death: the trend toward personalized coffins, unconventional funerary memorials, and special grave goods. One way or another, mortuary archaeology will always be an important subfield of this discipline, and one that will need to rely on the hard sciences such as genetics and forensics.

Perhaps one encouraging conclusion is that despite what we have seen on the archaeology of past inequality, societies have been able to evolve and change their social stratifications. One example is Iceland itself; the country has become one of the most egalitarian societies in the world. In 2018, Iceland passed a law that all companies employing more than 25 people will have four years to ensure gender-equal payment because, according to the head of the Equality Unit at Icelands Welfare Ministry, equality wont come about by itself, from the bottom up alone.

Carles Lalueza-Fox is Research Professor and Director of the Paleogenomics Lab at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (CSIC-Universitat Pompeu Fabra) in Barcelona. He participated in the Neanderthal Genome Project and led the first retrieval of the genome of an 8,000-year-old European hunter-gatherer. He is the author of Inequality: A Genetic History, from which this article is adapted.

More here:
The Archaeology of Inequality - The MIT Press Reader

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

To the Editor:

Re Pills Are New Target in 50-Year Abortion Battle (front page, April 6):

The game plan of the anti-abortion movement is falling into place. First, impose strict restrictions on the surgical procedure (think Texas and Oklahoma). Next, let the Supreme Court jettison Roe v. Wade. And now, we read that abortion pills are the new battle line, as numerous states have adopted or are considering restrictions and penalties for pill takers and pill providers.

I am convinced that, after the surgery and the pills are gone, the next target will be birth control.

Abortion opponents, determined to impose their religious views upon the country at large, will not rest until all American women can experience the joys of living in the 13th century.

William DunhamBryn Mawr, Pa.

To the Editor:

Its time for a modern-day Underground Railroad to obtain self-medicated abortions. Its time to widely advertise the availability of these pills, and explain their safety, effectiveness and cost (much cheaper than a medical abortion). You report that in 2020, 54 percent of abortions were with these pills.

Tell women how to obtain these pills from Europe, Canada and Mexico. Attempts to ban pills via the mail will be futile. We need an underground movement to counter state efforts to stop abortions.

Steve GoldPhiladelphia

To the Editor:

Re Near-Total Ban on Abortion in Oklahoma (news article, April 6):

The near-total ban on abortion was approved by a male-dominated legislature. Oklahoma has among the lowest percentages of female legislators in the country.

These men dont seem to get that it takes two people to make a baby. While this law is meant to control the behavior of women, I know of no law that exerts any control over the behavior of the men who are fathering these children.

Martha MeyerChicago

To the Editor:

In the spring of 2005, while we were living in Tulsa, Okla., my wife became pregnant. However, our joy turned to concern and then sorrow as the fetal heartbeat slowed and eventually stopped. My wife had miscarried.

After consulting with our obstetrician, my wife decided to have a dilation and curettage procedure. We both hoped that by surgically extracting the fetal tissue rather than waiting for it to pass on its own, she would heal faster physically and psychologically.

A few weeks later, I received a letter from our insurance company, informing me that the procedure was not covered because it did not pay for abortions. My wife did not have an abortion, and she did not willingly terminate her pregnancy. After many letters and phone calls, I sorted out the situation with our insurance carrier.

However, under the bill passed by Oklahoma lawmakers, that simple insurance coding error or misunderstanding could have led to the arrest of my wifes physician. I suspect that many innocent people, providing appropriate health care to the women of Oklahoma, will face legal consequences as a result of this legislation.

James MonkCleveland

To the Editor:

Re Save Baseball by Nationalizing It, by Matthew Walther (Opinion guest essay, Sunday Review, April 10):

I grew up playing Little League Baseball and, later, N.C.A.A. softball. If my children dont play baseball, it wont be because the game is slow or uncool. Itll be because youth sports have become exorbitantly expensive, and as a result socioeconomically monolithic, shutting out a generation of enthusiasm and talent.

After equipment, uniforms, travel fees and hotels, youth baseball can cost families thousands of dollars per child, and thats if they live near a baseball field unlikely in a dense city or have jobs that allow them to drive their children to practice. Why go through the rigmarole when kids can play football in the park?

It makes sense, then, that Major League Baseballs fan base is overwhelmingly older and whiter even as America becomes younger and more diverse.

Baseball doesnt have a relevance problem. It has an equity problem. To survive as the American pastime, baseball needs youth leagues that are financially, geographically and socially accessible to American kids, and professional rosters that better represent the country.

And speaking as a girl who used to strike out the boys involving more women and girls wouldnt hurt.

Maddie UlanowCambridge, Mass.

To the Editor:

Baseballs future was sealed when, to maximize short-term revenues, it started broadcasting the World Series at night, too late for many young fans to watch. When you cant watch the World Series, it becomes hard to become a die-hard fan.

Rather than nationalize, why not return the World Series to daytime? It has a better chance of saving the game.

Chris BarnumWilmington, Del.

To the Editor:

Re Straight People Need Better Rules for Sex, by Christine Emba (Opinion guest essay, Sunday Review, April 10):

One concerning aspect of sexual encounters raised by Ms. Emba is the use of choking, say, or other porn-inspired violence.

As a psychotherapist and a couples counselor, I am seeing more and more young heterosexual couples where the use of choking and other acts that are violent or degrading to women has caused a significant rift in the relationship.

One suggestion I have for young men is to ask a question three times to get a true answer. Perhaps by asking three times we create that pause suggested by Epictetus. It might sound like: Is this OK? Is it really OK with you? Are you sure you want to do this?

As a society we need to teach men how actual sex with an actual woman might differ from the hard-core porn theyve been exposed to, and we need to educate men about what it means to bring respect, true consent and pleasure into the bedroom in a way that a woman might want.

Jennifer WoffordBrookline, Mass.

To the Editor:

The whole species needs better mores for social intercourse. Maybe we should mainstream manners. Courtesy dignifies our own and others value.

Deborah GriesbachWatertown, Conn.

To the Editor:

Re America Is Running Out of Money to Fight Covid, by Vivek H. Murthy and David A. Kessler (Opinion guest essay, nytimes.com, March 29):

The U.S. surgeon general and the chief science officer for the U.S. Covid-19 Response Team write that the federal government is running out of money to provide Americans with Covid-19 vaccines, booster shots and other supplies to address present and future risks from variants of the coronavirus. They write, It would be a grave mistake to assume Covid-19 no longer requires our action and investment.

As professors of health policy, we strongly agree that the risks are still substantial and likely to increase with a future variant. But our research, published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, shows that the U.S. is paying Pfizer, Moderna and other major companies more than 15 times the companies total net costs per dose, after subtracting the billions taxpayers already paid them for developing and manufacturing them. More than 95 percent of the $23 to $25 a dose the government now pays is pure profit for executives and shareholders.

If the government paid net costs plus a 20 percent profit, it would have plenty of money to fund its Covid-19 program and would be able to greatly increase global equity access.

Donald W. LightJoel R. LexchinDr. Light is a professor at the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Dr. Lexchin is an emergency physician and professor emeritus at York University.

Link:
Opinion | Fighting the Latest Efforts to Outlaw Abortion - The New York Times

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

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Antiplatelet response to clopidogrel is associated with a haplotype in CYP2C19 gene in Pakistani patients | Scientific Reports - Nature.com

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Utah State Veterinarians office has identified several cases of trichomoniasis (Trich) positive bulls from a beef cattle herd.

This herd had grazed the summer of 2021 at a grazing association in southern Idaho with several other herds, including at least six herds from Utah. There are ten potentially exposed cattle herds that are awaiting test results; five herds belonging to the aforementioned grazing association and five herds that neighbor the affected properties.

Related: Livestock auction investments allowed under A-PLUS bill

It is concerning to have this large of an outbreak of Trich in Utah cattle herds, said Dr. Dean Taylor, Utah State Veterinarian. Our office is working closely with local veterinarians to conduct testing and are taking measures to stop the spread of this disease.

Trich is a venereal disease of cattle caused by a protozoa (microscopic parasite). It is spread between cattle during breeding. Cows generally abort the fetus from this breeding and then clear the infection, but bulls remain infected for life.

Related: U.S. beef imports from Brazil surge to record high in early 2022

According to information from Texas A&M University, although losses are observed in the cow,T. foetus lives on the surface of the penis and prepuce of the bull and in the reproductive tract of the cow. Trich prefers a reduced oxygen environment, and it multiplies in the small folds of tissue (crypts) on the bulls penis. Because older bulls have more numerous and deeper crypts and are more easily infected, using young bulls is part of a disease management strategy. There are no obvious signs of Trich in the male, and pregnancy loss is the only sign of the disease in the female.

Cows exposed to Trich cannot be considered safe in calf until they are at least 120 days pregnant; open cows cannot be considered free of infection until they have had at least 90 days of sexual rest and are examined and cleared by a veterinarian. Only then should they be placed back into the breeding herd. All newly acquired cows that are less than 120 days pregnant should be isolated from the breeding herd. They may be placed in the breeding herd once they are four months pregnant.

Because approximately 2 percent of infected cows will have a swollen uterus that contains pus (pyometra) and remain infective, all open cows should be examined by a veterinarian. Cows with pyometra should be sent to slaughter. There is no treatment for infected bulls; send them to slaughter.

Trich should be suspected in herds with poor conception rates and extended calving seasons. Infected herds can produce conception rates that range from slightly subnormal to 50 percent or lower, depending on the length of time the disease is in the herd and the number of animals that are infected. Conception rates in herds with controlled breeding seasons of 90 days or less will be even poorer. Shorter breeding seasons expose the problem more dramatically and can actually reduce the long-term production and economic losses caused by herd infection.

Because Trich develops gradually and is not readily apparent, it is better to prevent exposing the herd to the disease rather than trying to control or eradicate it. Trich enters a herd or ranch only via infected bulls, cows or heifers. Again, transmission is from infected bulls to cows or from infected cows to bulls. To eliminate Trich from a herd, allow infected cows to clear the infection and eliminate infected bulls altogether.

There is no treatment for Trich and this disease can be economically devastating to cattle herds because of:

Culling of positive bulls and purchase of replacement bulls

Increased abortion rate leading to a reduced calf crop

Prolonged calving season and lower calf weights at sale

Culling of open cows

Loss of genetics

Utah requires yearly testing of all bulls for Trich, with the exception of dairy cattle who are kept in confinement and bison bulls. Animals from one positive herd moved into the grazing association in 2021 without proper paperwork. It is also suspected that bulls from this herd were leased to other ranches for breeding purposes.

Source: Utah State Veterinarian's Office and Texas A&M University.which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all itssubsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.

Visit link:
Trich confirmed in Utah beef herd - Beef Magazine

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

By Dr. Amy Tan, M.D.

"Justice demands integrity. It's to have a moral universenot only know what is right or wrong but to put things in perspective, weigh things. Justice is different from violence and retribution; it requires complex accounting."

- bell hooks

Two toxic workplaces, almost a decade apart. Same person affecteda racialized woman physician but at different stages of her career. Two different provinces, two different institutions, two different chains of command, two different policies and procedures to navigate. Two different decisions about whether to submit a formal complaint for gendered racism (and ageism) for harmful behaviourby different white male physicians. Two different decisions and experiences once initial informal complaints made. Same outcome: no justice, no acknowledgement of the harm endured, no accountability. While I may have made the decisions to leave both of these workplaces, they were not actual choices I had due to the great harm that I endured. I still suffer from the trauma, and physical and psychological ramifications of ongoing injustice that I endured in both of these workplaces. My family has also endured the effects alongside me.

The most recent ordeal dragged on over the last 12 months until I excised myself from the horrendously toxic situation. As Im left picking up the pieces again, doing everything I can to bring down my blood pressure and stress hormone levels, and healing from what was a traumatizing formal complaint process, I cant help but ask, if I truly feel that both experiences have left me with the same outcome of feeling unheard, unseen, unacknowledged, and without justice with regards to my harmful experiences in the workplace with other physicians, then what real options do racialized (Black, Indigenous, Asian, and other Persons of Colour) women and nonbinary persons in medicine have when disrespect, gendered racism and other mistreatment occurs in the workplace? My two complaints were specific to certain male physicians and incidences that crossed the line for me. There have beencountlesscovert and overt racist aggressions Ive endured over the 23 years of training and my career in medicine. I could fill pages with stories of unwanted touching, or of being told to my face that I was a diversity hire, that Asians dont experience racism, so be quiet, that my English is so good, and that my people are responsible for the pandemic because of our disgusting eating habits by colleagues and patients. I have been mistaken innumerable times by patients and staff members to be a member of the housekeeping or food services staff in to collect dinner trays over my entire career. I know that Im not alone in suffering persistent racism throughout my years in medicine. A survey of physicians in Alberta (one of the provinces Ive trained and worked in for many years) that was published last month, showed thatover 75% of cisgender BIPOC women physicians surveyedhad experienced harassment and discrimination. 74% of the small number of physicians who reported such workplace harassment and discrimination were unsatisfied with the outcome due to retaliation or lack of satisfactory outcome. While I didnt complete this survey, these statistics completely resonate with my experiences. Theovertly violent and racist commentspublished in the report by white physicians, our colleagues, shows beyond any possible shadow of a doubt, the truly toxic and racist culture that people like me must endure in our careers.

With over50% of Canadian physiciansreporting burnout two years into the pandemic, I am stating clearly that without addressing the rampant racism experienced by Black, Indigenous, and racialized physicians (most especially women and nonbinary), along with all healthcare workers and patients, there will be no improved wellness for us.Wellness is more than the burnoutthat racialized women and nonbinary physicians are at increased risk for; it includesunderstanding and addressingthe fact that there arephysiological impacts on racialized physicians healthfrom being subjected to ongoing racial injustice in the healthcare system.

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The first time I tried to put in a formal complaint for two white male physicians, who I will call Jeff and Bob, I was told by the Department Chair that I should be warned of how hard a formal complaint process would be for me and my young family. Is this really what you want or need right now, Amy? You know it will simply become a he said, she said situation.

When I pushed back that I had a paper trail for Jeffs years-long mistreatment of me, and that the egregious way in which Bob treated me was witnessed by several other department members, the Chair responded, No, thats not how it works. Then he went on to say, Amy, you have to understand that they feel threatened by you. They see you as a young whippersnapper, 20-30 years younger than them and you make them look bad with how productive you are. What was alluded to in that conversation was that as anAsian woman leader, I was just expected to work so hard but not do it in a way that threatened anyone else. I wasnt to make any waves. I was to just do the work demanded of me and be quiet. I was supposed to know there was an unspoken societal agreement in that my age, identity and productivity would be seen by others as tacit justification of their bullying of me. The Chair would not support my request for a formal complaint; he would sit it out if it came to that.

I resigned and left that position six months after that conversation. I gave up my hard-earned tenure achieved at age 35 at that university after years of enduring this toxicity upheld by so many complicit colleagues, and for which there was no end in sight. It took me several years to process, unpack and undo the belief that I was the problem, as they had made me feel. Truthfully, it wasnt until Jeff had a very public run-in with the law that exposed his true lack of a moral compass, could I even start to believe that maybe I wasnt at fault for having to leave that institution.

Fast forward several years and another leadership position in another province within another institution. My past experiences had taught me a tremendous amount, and put me on the alert for any disrespect. In feminist scholarSara Ahmeds book,Complaint!,she writes, You cant go back to the person you were before the complaint, you cant unsee what you come to see through complaintbeing able to see what is going on, to see more, is also to see what you did not see before (Pg 29). In addition to not being able to unsee gendered racism and disrespect, I now had even more years of experience and expertise under my belt. I was not going to tolerate ongoing gendered racist undermining of my work and leadership 17 years into my career. As part of my ongoing anti-racist and anti-oppressive praxis, I actively call out power differentials and the elephants in the room when I perceive conflict and tensions between groups that must work together in an effort to actively address them and find workable solutions. At this new workplace, I was told at first that they appreciated my ability to call out power dynamics that were affecting working relationships and people's work (which was ultimately the care of patients and families). But they became more resistant to address these concerns as I kept bringing it up. It only took six months of subtle othering and subversion as the only racialized physician (and leader) in this group for a more overt gendered racist attack to occur that challenged my leadership in a public manner. Lets call this white male physician, Bill. It was immediately apparent as the only racialized physician in this group, that no one understood the gendered racist impact Bills comments had had on me, or that I was being punished by him for not conforming to the racist stereotypes of the subservient Asian woman who is not to take a stand. The people who could have intervened on my behalf were immobilized by their own white fragility. When I expressed my harm that had been witnessed and unconfronted by the other white physicians, I got the Oh, Im sure he didnt mean that, and No, were not racist, were (colour-blind) nice physicians types of reactions, including from the leaders who would receive the complaint. I had no choice but to proceed with the formal complaint process against Bill to be seen and heard; this process was horrendous and traumatized me even more.

There were so many points in this formal process where I endured even more harm and that exacerbated the threat I felt in my workplace: a) the notion that both the complainant (me) and the respondent were seen as onequalfooting as colleagues, completely disregarding the societal power differential of a white male physician with that of an Asian woman physician, in a virtual face-to-face alternative dispute resolution attempt where he could be allowed to exert his power and privilege over me without any restraint, b) the stance of neutrality by the institution in adjudicating this complaint of gendered racist harm, and c) the eight months of silencing during the investigation that fostered the ostracizing of me in my workplace with the whispers of my being difficult and unwell by my other (white) colleagues, while all the benefit of the doubt was given to Bill. The worst part was that my complaint was only handled by various white people, none of whom had eitheranyunderstanding or lived expertise to understand racism. The institution used a colonial legal framework and lawyers to determine whether I was treated differently than a white man, which is missing the point entirely. In making my complaint, I was not seeking to be treated the same as a white man (equality not yet achieved in society); I was seeking to be heard and seen as an individual with an incredibly different lived experience for which my psychological safety isnever assurednot only in spaces of vast whiteness, but also within the colonial healthcare system and society in Canada. Recognition that I would havedifferentneeds for how to be treated is, in fact, theequityI was seeking as a person who has less societal and systemic power and privilege than my white colleagues. We have not yet achieved equality in society and must stop deluding ourselves that treating everyone the same is appropriate. I was morally injured and mentally exhausted throughout the complaint process. I have come to recognize that the entire complaint process itself, and subsequent ostracization I endured for putting in a complaint were an extension of the harassment for which I complained. This in it of itself is the goal of harassment: to tire out and inflict weariness through the repetition of trying experiences (Ahmed 2021).

So to answer my own question that I had at the outset of this piece, I can honestly saythat neither option was helpful to me as a racialized woman physician leader.Neither option gave me any validation, acknowledgement, or any accountability for bad behaviour. Both options caused further trauma and harm that has affected my well-being and that of my family over the years. My well-being is affected not only by the psychological ramifications and burnout I suffered through this mistreatment, but the physical effects that coping with oppression at work have due toincreased stress and inflammatory responses(Marya and Patel 2021). There has been absolutelynojustice for what I endured.

The sad truth is that there arenogood choices to seek acknowledgement of harm, receive any accountability for harm, or have any systemic changes made that would make institutions less harmful for racialized women and nonbinary persons in healthcare to navigate. This is the despairing reality of the patriarchal, colonial, and racist medical culture in North America, and that of the Western world. I also live and work with disabilities due to ongoing neurological effects from surviving a near-death rollover motor vehicle collision that punctured my lung, broke several ribs, and crushed my backbone (vertebrae) in four places when I was a resident physician. I havent, however, even touched how the unwillingness of call groups to accommodate such disabilities in call schedules has resulted in even more oppression for me.

How is this acceptable?The ongoing pervasive nature of systemic racism means that the medical profession is not adequately supporting racialized women and nonbinary persons within the profession. This also elucidates that if colleagueswithinthe medical profession are subjected to ongoing racism, the racist harm that our profession causes the patients and families we serve to suffer is immense. The racialized physicians who are harmed within the profession are arguably those who would be most acutely aware of the need for cultural safety for patients and families. But, if we are not supported and holistically healthy as professionals, how can we work to ensure safety for our patients in a sustainable manner?

Another quote from the book,Complaint!, resonates with me, What I learned about institutions froma complaint led me to leave; at the time it did not feel like a choice but like what I had to do. If complaints are more likely to be received well when they are made by those with more power (Ahmed 2021 Pg 38), then how do we compel complaint systems (both informal and formal) to rectify this ongoing power imbalance that only serves to further harm racialized women/nonbinary people, and others from intersectional oppressed backgrounds who have the courage to make a complaint?

We must overhaul the colonial complaint system to better support and protect racialized women/nonbinary people in medicine. Physician wellness will be the most critical priority we have going forward as we continue through this pandemic to a post-pandemic recovery of the physician workforce for years to come. For racialized women and nonbinary physicians, addressing gendered racism in medicine will bethewellness issue that must be tackled if theres any hope to curb the burnout amongst us. We must have systems workforthose with less societal and institutional power by virtue of their social location and oppression. The system must workforthose who must fight daily to be seen, heard, and respected. We do not have the privilege of having existed as a white male in society who has always been afforded the benefit of the doubt. We continue in our careers to be denied the same privileges bestowed to white male physicians and to some degree, white women physicians, in our profession. We must acknowledge this hard truth. While white male physicians have been emboldened to take up space by being praised and rewarded for it, racialized women physicians are punished for daring to take up space, even when they have the expertise and job title with responsibilities that requires speaking up and making decisions. We must acknowledge that medicine is not immune to the systemic systems of oppression pervasive in society. To better support racialized women and nonbinary physicians, we must have a safe and effective accountability system to submit complaints that has the principles of equity as its foundation.

The systemmuststart out withbelieving victimsand those with intersectional identities that are oppressed who have the courage to submit a complaint about racism or oppression. The system currently treats the person who has been oppressively harmed and dares to file a complaint (to try to seek help), as the wrongdoer. Any complaint about racism (and/or any other oppressive harm) must be immediately directed to a specific pathway where only racialized people and actual experts in anti-racism and anti-oppression deal with the complaint. The people tasked with managing racism complaintsmust havelived expertise on having to navigate the world with racism on an ongoing basis.

Every complaint must have a power and privilege and power differential analysis at the outset. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu has said, the system cannot be neutral in the face of oppressive harm complaints.There is no neutral.The inordinate amount of effort in protecting the innocence until proven guilty and confidentiality of the (white)respondent of a racism complaint (who already is afforded the benefit of the doubt over the racialized complainant, societally) means continued harm to the complainant through the inequity in the colonial processes and policies. Clear boundaries and safety measures must be immediately put in place for the complainant, and monitored. While I had called the Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) for legal advice on how to navigate this complaint process, I was informed, to my incredulity, that they were not positioned to advise or support me, as the complainant, despite being a physician member who pays my medical-legal protection dues as required to practice. The respondent, however, would have been supported by the CMPA in this complaint. Talk about the system upholding systemic racism, power and privilege within the profession.

Existing in this society with its dehumanizing messages about racialized and Indigenous people creates internalized racism within racialized people that take decades to unpack, understand and actively resist. The fact that a racialized person would have concluded that making a complaint was required would have only resulted after much internal torture, self-gaslighting, and introspection. We would have already tried to obtain informal help because we know that the system is not set up to protect and support us. In my two cases where I needed to proceed with complaints, I had sought help repeatedly from people who had the power and jurisdiction within the institution to help me. I had had several informal complaint meetings with my Chair, and his predecessor, regarding Jeff over six years to no avail. This was despite having a thick file full of documentation of the various incidents over the years and many belligerent emails from him. One very high level white male superior advised me that I just had to put more effort into making nice with them (in a patriarchal, condescending tone akin to being patted on the head), but that I was just to carry on as I was supported by leadership in my work. Another white male superior said that I just had to get some white hair, some wrinkles, and not look like I was twelve to command respect. No one in a position of power to help me deal with these bullies was willing to step in because they didnt want to upset the faculty members who had been at the institution for such a long time. In the situation regarding Bill, as detailed earlier, I was met with white fragility byeveryonedirectly involved who could have used their white privilege to help me. Be it the silence, staying out of it, remaining neutral, protecting oneself, outright dismissal of the impact on me, not seeing the racism, or defending Bill, these were all forms of furthercovert racisminflicted on me by these colleagues. While two people within the physician group acknowledged in private that they could see that I had been attacked by Bill, when it came to actually putting their privilege on the line to speak up for me, they choose not to. They actively chose, instead, to harm me further by upholding the status quo at a critical time. It is near impossible to recover from such disappointment and betrayal from your colleagues.

Oppressive harm requiresrestorative justiceto occur so that there is acknowledgement that violation of a person (and relationship) has occurred, not a violation of a law. Restorative justice focuses on healing of the individual harmed while requiring accountability from the respondent that also includes their own personal learning and growth. This process involves receiving an acknowledgement of harmful impact (regardless of intention), accountability for future incidents, and sending a clear message that lashing out at people in a gendered racist way is never acceptable, but especially in a workplace. The complaint process for racist and/or oppressive harm should be focused on the institution recognizing the complainants pain as ahuman being,not shielding those who cause harm and are already protected by the status quo of society and the institution. The person harmed should not be the person tasked with teaching everyone in the complaint process about racism and oppression, including racist gendered stereotypes, as I had to do ongoing over months to the several people who (mis)handled my complaint. This included, ironically, having to explain how covert racism exists to the third party white lawyers hired to investigate whether gendered racism had occurred. Leaders ateverylevel in medicine must be competent to not only support those on their teams who have been harmed, but more importantly, to not further perpetuate harm through their defensive responses.

Complaints about racism and other intersectional oppressive harm must be acted upon as urgent, and concluded quicklywithin 8 to 12 weeks. At the conclusion of the complaint process, there must be a wrap-up meeting that not only discusses actions or outcomes, but determines what ongoing needs, changes and system feedback is required to help complainants who have experienced oppressive harm going forward. Institutions must understand that regardless of a complaint investigation being concluded, the complainant will be forever changed for having gone through the original harmful event, and the complaint process that dehumanizes them.

I resigned from my position last fall before the conclusion of the investigation for my complaint. That was how untenable my situation became over the eight months of the complaint process. The last straw was receiving yet another harmful email. After several requests that I not be present in regular administrative meetings with the respondent of my complaint, I was told that it had been decided that I was to meet with the whole physician group, or none of the group. This email was from a white woman physician colleague who had heard through my tears and anguish in the preceding months, the immense toll and impact that this whole ordeal was having on me and my family. If I had broken my leg and the elevator to an upper floor was out of service, would they have denied my reasonable accomodation if I had requested a meeting in the lobby so that I wouldnt have to crawl up the stairs? If they did, this would be so disgustingly and overtly dehumanizing to make someone crawl up the stairs. My insistence that I not be in the presence of the person who was causing meongoingharm, and the respondent of an ongoing complaint (itself a harmful process) was treated as unreasonable. I was essentially barred from being able to do my job while trying to advocate for my own safety. As Sara Ahmed writes, You can be exhausted by not being accommodated; you can be exhausted by the work you have to do in order to [try to be] accomodated (Ahmed 2021).

I was demoralized, exhausted and dehumanized. I had to end that pain for myself, and my family by resigning.

As youre reading this, you might be thinking, what expertise do I have to demand such system changes? I have lived expertise as a racialized woman physician with disabilities working in Canadian healthcare institutions for 18 years, a medical educator who has supportedcountlessracialized and otherwise oppressed learners who have experienced hardship due to oppression in their training, and a physician who has gone through and been failed by both the informal and formal complaint process at different stages of my medical career. Do not perpetuateepistemic injusticeby thinking that my testimony, and my blood, sweat and tears in 18 years of experiences (23 years if you count my training years) do not carry any weight or expertise.

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In attempting to make sense of the injustices I have faced, I have read and researched this topic in the social psychology, sociology, psychology, medicine, social justice and anti-racism literature for years. As a qualitative medical researcher, I have attempted to make meaning from these injustices to enact institutional change to improve things for the next generation in medicine.

Epistemic injusticeprops up systemic racism within the policies and procedures in Canadian healthcare institutions. Epistemic racism plays out every day in Canadian society, in the silencing, exclusionary, and disbelieving responses to discussions of racism, be it in the national news, or within organizations and workplaces. The dominant narrative has been formed by white people in society over time and continues to this day. This means that the lived experiences of racialized people are not only undisclosed or unheard, they arenotbelieved and/or dismissed if heard because they dont fit the dominant narrative (ie: the dominant group doesnt suffer racism so does not see or understand racial harm). These exemplify the two ways in which epistemic racism exists:testimonial injustice(the person not being believed due to racism, subconscious or not) andhermeneutical injustice(not understanding or believing the interpretations of lived experiences by racialized persons because it doesnt fit the dominant narrative). Harm is perpetuated through the stories of only the dominant group who then make the rules and direct the narratives upon which racist and oppressive harm is adjudicated. This is why all the white physicians with whom I worked in the second complaint were so quick to confidently dismiss and punish me for daring to utter the word racism in relation to a colleague and their group, when they have zero understanding of racism. It is also why I was overtly denied any accommodation when asking for protection from the respondent in not being in his virtual or physical presence, despite my clear articulation of the threat he posed to me. As a result, I was forced to give up clinical shifts (and income) because I was so fearful that being in his (to me, threatening) presence on the wards would adversely distract me in caring for patients safely. It is also why when asking for help, that other leaders could dare to say, Well, none of the other physicians (all of whom are white) have stood up and supported you, so who are we to believe that racism occurred. I did not need an investigation to confirm what I knew to be gendered racism.

This is why white men (and women) are defended so quickly in media stories about oppressive harm. This is why many racialized people who aspire to the seductive power and privilege in society that centres whiteness will give white people the benefit of the doubt over racialized people, especially women and nonbinary people, even when they themselves are racialized. This occurred in my first complaint experience. Lateral violence from racialized colleagues in many ways, is more violent than racism from white people or institutions. How do we move past asking the question of does systemic and other forms of racism exist within our healthcare organization or institution to what can we do to minimize the harm to racialized people within our organization and the healthcare system? How can we support them better within the organization to strive towards achieving equity?

Ultimately, the question I have for all healthcare leaders across Canada is do our voices, perspectives, and our lived expertise in having a lifetime of navigating colonial society as racialized individuals not matter within healthcare? Why must we endure racist harm in the workplace in silence and isolation?

Every workplace policy must consider restorative justice principles to achieve what is earnestly being sought by complainants of oppressive harm; help to be seen and heard as a person with different needs, that impact matters more than intent, and that it is not punishment but accountability being sought. The complainant is simply trying to lessen their chances of such a harmful incident occurring again. We know it will occur again, especially if unchecked. This is our reality. We must not continue to exacerbate the harm of inequities in the workplace through complaint policies that only aggravate oppression by virtue of how they are written. More importantly, the process harms by being disconnected from the problem the policy is intended to address (Ahmed 2021). These policies themselves serve to only avoid the person harmed and the oppressive problems within the institution.

Since my most recent ordeal, some of my healing has been fostered through my work with the newly formedAnti-Racism Support Groupin UBCs Family Practice Residency Program. The decolonized approach to achieving restorative justice that our group strives for, led by an inspiring Indigenous Elder, gives me hope that colonial institutions can change and actively work towards safety and authentic support of racialized physicians in medicine. It is past due thatallinstitutions concretely address the problems that complaints bring forth to those who have less institutional and societal power within medicine. It is past time thatallinstitutions create explicit safety for racialized women and others who experience intersectional oppression, rather than continuing to burden those with less power and privilege, as the most affected, to fight to be seen and heard in these institutions. Only then, can physicians who are racialized women and other intersectional identities, and those who are coming after us, haveanyhope of surviving our careers in medicine.

Excerpt from:
Why must Black, Indigenous, or otherwise racialized women and nonbinary physicians endure racist harm in the workplace in silence and isolation? - The...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The first thing to know is that not all sleep medications are the same. The myth is, It doesnt matter which one you choose, they all work the same way, they all do the same thing. They dont, said Dr. Andrew D. Krystal, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, who specializes in sleep disorders. Some drugs, like zaleplon (Sonata), decrease the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, he said; while others, such as suvorexant (Belsomra), block signals in the brain that cause you to wake up. The hormone melatonin, as well as prescription drugs like ramelteon (Rozerem) that act on melatonin receptors, help regulate the bodys internal clock but dont necessarily help you stay asleep.

The best drug for you will largely depend on what causes your insomnia. It really is about choosing the right medication for the patient, said Dr. Aruna S. Rao, a neurologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine. If your problem is that you cant fall asleep at bedtime, then a drug that prevents you from waking in the middle of the night may not help. If you fall asleep easily but cant sleep toward the end of the night, then drugs that wear off within a few hours, like zaleplon (Sonata), arent going to do you much good, either.

Many people, too, have sleeping problems that wont be resolved with any sleeping pill. One such condition is sleep apnea, which afflicts 22 million people in the United States and causes frequent wake-ups, said Dr. Grace Pien, a pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine physician at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Sleep apnea is best managed with a machine that provides continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), not with medication.

Another issue is that many sleep aids dont have convincing data behind them. The over-the-counter antihistamines I used to take, which contain diphenhydramine, were never really systematically studied for their effects on sleep, Dr. Krystal said. Theyre recognized for their allergy benefits but are often used as a sleep aid because they cause drowsiness, he added. The few studies that have been done on diphenhydramine suggest that it doesnt help much at all: Clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine say the antihistimines benefits, in terms of extra sleep, are below the level of clinically significant improvement.

Sleep aids can also have side effects, some of them serious. A 2017 study found that, when compared with older adults who did not take sleeping medications, those who took sleep aids of any kind recommended by their doctor were 34 percent more likely to suffer a fall, perhaps because the drugs affected their balance or incited clumsiness. Another study found that people who had recently, for the first time, been prescribed sleep medications such as temazepam, trazodone or zolpidem (Ambien) were 90 percent more likely to be involved in car crashes, and that their increased risk was on par with that of driving drunk. Some research even suggests that the long-term use of hypnotic drugs such as nordazepam, clonazepam (Klonopin), flurazepam (Dalmane) and zolpidem (Ambien) can more than double the risk of dementia.

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Using Melatonin or Benadryl to Sleep? Read this. - The New York Times

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AstraZeneca SVP of Early Oncology Matthew Ellis/Courtesy AstraZeneca

With an eye on becoming a leading oncology company, AstraZeneca made a splash at the American Association for Cancer Research meeting in New Orleans with 60 different presentations highlighting the cancer programs that will bolster its three biggest assets: Enhertu, Lynparza and Tagrisso.

At the annual oncology conference, AstraZenecas team, led by Susan Galbraith, executive vice president of oncology research and development, highlighted several of its developmental programs. Prior to the start of AACR, Galbraith said the company is serious about pioneering new approaches to cancer treatment through the development of therapies that can target cancer at earlier stages and with greater precision. The first efforts of that goal were on display at the oncology conference where the company focused on MEDI5752, a novel bispecific antibody, and AZD5305, a next-generation PARP1-selective inhibitor.

AstraZeneca highlighted those two assets as well as AZD8205, a novel ADC that targets B7-H4, a protein that is overexpressed in multiple solid tumors. AZD8205 is the first ADC that uses the companys proprietary linker technology.

The U.K.-based pharma company has high hopes for these three assets. MEDI5752 is designed to simultaneously target the immune checkpoint proteins PD-1 and CTLA-4. AstraZeneca believes that the use of a bispecific antibody-like MEDI5752 is a promising immuno-oncology approach precisely because of the way it was engineered to block both proteins. MEDI5752 is designed to bind to CTLA-4 only in the presence of PD-1.

With that specific bit of engineering, it reduces the chances of off-target toxicities. The drug will bind only to those activated T-cells and broaden the therapeutic window for the medication. MEDI5752 is currently being assessed in a Phase I study, and the company presented data from the first 86 patients who were dosed with different levels in order to find the right level of efficacy and durability.

With its next-generation PARP1 inhibitor, AstraZeneca believes it has a new approach to killing cancer cells by targeting their DNA repair mechanisms. Not only that, but AstraZeneca also has early evidence that one of its experimental PARP1 inhibitors is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, which will potentially allow for new approaches to treating malignancies of the brain.

Galbraith is now supported by Matthew Ellis, senior vice president of early oncology. Ellis joined the big pharma in March after spending a year in academic research. He told BioSpace from AACR that after years of academic research focused on the tumor profiles of patients, he wants to close out his career by helping AstraZeneca develop new therapies for multiple cancer types.

I want to put together cures for AstraZeneca and patients, he said in an interview.

Ellis joined AstraZeneca from the Lester and Sue Smith Breast Center at Baylor College of Medicine, where he was the director who oversaw efforts to better understand the molecular profile of breast cancer in order to improve treatment. He was also the co-lead ofThe Cancer Genome Atlas Breast Cancer project, which revealed that the loss of the NF1 gene is an important driver of breast cancer resistance to hormone therapy.

As AstraZenecas assets were on display at AACR, he said he was excited about the potential of these therapies and how they can potentially improve patient care and, one day, help lead to an eradication of cancer. As a cancer survivor himself, Ellis said hes well aware of the needs of patients and keeps them at the forefront of what he intends to do at the pharma giant.

As a breast cancer physician, Ellis said hes prescribed PARP inhibitors on multiple occasions and expressed particular excitement about AZD5305, the next-generation PARP1 inhibitor. He noted that this particular asset has been designed to target PARP1, while engineering out PARP2. Current PARP inhibitors that include PARP2 have some off-target issues, he said.

This has improved the off-target profile, Ellis said, referring to AZD5305. The preclinical profile of it is remarkable the hematological toxicity is gone.

Ellis added that without the toxicity concerns from PARP2, there is a potential for using higher doses in patients. That could ultimately lead to its use as a medication that could prevent breast cancer patients from having to have a mastectomy and prevent prostate cancer patients from having invasive procedures.

Were still in early days with this molecule with early data, but its captured everyones imagination. This is something we intend to take advantage of, Ellis said.

He also expressed excitement about the ADC AZD8205, saying that early data suggests the therapy is a remarkable opportunity to replace chemotherapy. As an oncologist, Ellis said chemotherapy is a double-edged sword of treatment.

Replacing that with an ADC approach could be transformative. AZD8205 targets B7-H4, a protein overexpressed in a range of solid tumors. He said B7-H4 was carefully selected because of its overexpression and the current understanding of its role in the tumor. AstraZeneca plans to drive this into human testing next year, coming to a patient near you, soon, Ellis quipped.

As Ellis looked ahead at his future with AstraZeneca, he said he is excited about exploring new hypotheses in oncology drug research, and will also conduct a top-to-bottom review of the companys compounds in order to prioritize and accelerate development.

Ellis also said he intends to promote equity in clinical trials. He said ethnic minorities have been overlooked as participants in trials, and that is something that has to change. He expressed hope that some barriers to trials will be addressed in order to open them up to more people from all races.

The one thing Ive learned is the value of diversity. It creates an amazing environment, but we have to honor that diversity to make sure that everyone can get a drug and they wont be overlooked, Ellis said.

He added that he also hopes to become a champion for trial participation, pointing out that participation levels in the United States are at about 5% of patients. He would like to see that increase to 25%, which would help achieve those higher levels of minority participation.

Theres a societal responsibility to mitigate cancer in our different populations, he said.

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AstraZeneca Rolls into AACR with 60 Presentations, New SVP of Early Oncology - BioSpace

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