StemCell Therapy

We all love monsoons - hot and piping pakoras, long drives and the earthy scent of petrichor. But this lovely weather is also associated with a host of water and foodborne diseases including malaria, jaundice, leptospirosis, flu and diarrhoea. Not just this, the rainy season also invites a host of eye infections.As we all know, among eye infections, conjunctivitis is the most common one. Doctors report a sharp rise in eye infection during this humid weather. Three common types of eye infectionsConjunctivitisCommonly known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is the most common type of eye infection. Common symptoms include red eyes, discharge from the eyes. The infection can be easily spread from one person to another by touch.

KeratitisKeratitis is the infection of the cornea. The infection is caused by injury to the eyes caused due to unhygienic routine of contact lens. If left unattended, the infection can even lead to blindness.

TrachomaTrachoma is caused by bacterium chlamydia trachomatis. The infection is responsible for blindness in almost 1.9 million people across the globe. The blindness caused by trachoma is irreversible. It can be caused through direct touch or towels and flies that have come in contact with the eyes or nose of an infected person.

Other sources of contamination can include soil, uncooked meal and unwashed vegetables.

Tips to prevent eye infections- Wash your hands with soap and water frequently.

- Separate your towels, linens, clothes and bedsheets from other people in the family.

- Do not wear contact lenses while swimming. If you use them by mistake, get a new pair.

- Maintain good contact lens hygiene. Wash your hands thoroughly before wearing and taking off lenses.

- If you are trekking or cycling through the forest, wear protective eye gear.

- Take a bath from warm water if you get drenched in rain.

- If you feel any discomfort in eyes, seek medical help. Do not self-medicate.

- If you have already caught the infection, here are some tips to follow

- If you have already caught the infection, wear glasses or a face shield.

- Use boiled or filtered water to wash your eyes.

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3 types of eye infections and tips to prevent them during monsoon - Times of India

The "Diabetic Retinopathy Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2020 - 2025)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Certain factors that are driving the market growth include the rising prevalence of diabetes and blindness due to the same, growing geriatric population base, increasing technological advancements in diabetic retinopathy surgical instruments.

There is an increasing burden of diabetic retinopathy across the globe. As stated by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the global prevalence of DR from 2015 to 2019 was around 27%. The lowest prevalence was in Europe at 20.6% and South East Asia at 12.5% and highest in Africa at 33.8%, Middle East and North Africa 33.8%, and the Western Pacific region at 36.2%.

Hence, the rising prevalence of DR, along with the growing awareness and concern over it, are expected to drive the market growth over the forecast period.

Key Market Trends

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is Expected to Hold Significant Market Share in the Type Segment

Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR): PDR is the most advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy. At this stage, circulation problems deprive the retina of oxygen. As a result, new, fragile blood vessels can begin to grow in the retina and into the vitreous, the gel-like fluid that fills the back of the eye. The new blood vessels may leak blood into the vitreous, clouding vision.

Symptoms include progressive loss of vision, particularly in those who are not properly followed or treated. The major risk factors for PDR include the duration of diabetes, since 30-34 years of diabetes increase the risk of retinopathy by 65%, according to the reports published by the Columbia University. Hence, the rising prevalence of diabetes is directly contributing to a further increase in the prevalence of PDR.

North America Dominates the Market and Expected to do Same in the Forecast Period

Over the past decade, the prevalence of diabetes in North America has increased. People with diabetes are at risk for diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new cases of blindness among adults aged 20 to 74 years in the United States. More than 100 million U.S. adults are now living with diabetes or prediabetes, according to a new report published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hence with the increasing number of people living with diabetes is expected to contribute to market growth across the entire region.

Competitive Landscape

The global Diabetic Retinopathy market is moderately competitive and consists of a few major players. Companies like Alimera Sciences, Allergan plc, BCN Peptides, Genentech, Glycadia Pharmaceuticals, Kowa Group, Novartis AG, Oxurion N.V., Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, among others, which hold the substantial market share in the Diabetic Retinopathy market.

Key Topics Covered

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Study Deliverables

1.2 Study Assumptions

1.3 Scope of the Study

2 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

4 MARKET DYNAMICS

4.1 Market Overview

4.2 Market Drivers

4.2.1 Rising Prevalence of Diabetes and Blindness due to the Same

4.2.2 Growing Geriatric Population Base

4.2.3 Increasing Technological Advancements in Diabetic Retinopathy Surgical Instruments

4.3 Market Restraints

4.3.1 Lack of Skilled Ophthalmologists

4.3.2 Extended Approval Time for Drugs

4.4 Porter's Five Force Analysis

4.4.1 Threat of New Entrants

4.4.2 Bargaining Power of Buyers/Consumers

4.4.3 Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.4.4 Threat of Substitute Products

4.4.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5 MARKET SEGMENTATION

5.1 By Type

5.1.1 Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

5.1.2 Non-proliferative Retinopathy

5.2 By Management Approach

5.2.1 Anti-VEGF Drug

5.2.2 Intraocular Steroid Injection

5.2.3 Laser Surgery

5.2.4 Vitrectomy

5.3 Geography

5.3.1 North America

5.3.2 Europe

5.3.3 Asia-Pacific

5.3.4 Middle-East & Africa

5.3.5 South America

6 COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE

6.1 Company Profiles

6.1.1 Alimera Sciences

6.1.2 AbbVie Inc. (Allergan plc)

6.1.3 BCN Peptides

6.1.4 Genentech

6.1.5 Glycadia Pharmaceuticals

6.1.6 Kowa Group

6.1.7 Novartis AG

6.1.8 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc

6.1.9 Oxurion N.V.

7 MARKET OPPORTUNITIES AND FUTURE TRENDS

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/w4r3ha

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200709005619/en/

Contacts

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

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World Diabetic Retinopathy Market 2020-2025 - Rising Prevalence of DR Along With Growing Awareness and Concerns - ResearchAndMarkets.com - Yahoo...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) The Food and Drug Administration is recalling hand sanitizers with methanol, a hazardous ingredient.

And poison control centers are getting calls.

I do know poison control centers around the country have been, says Dr. Tony Pizon of The Pittsburgh Poison Center.

The FDA is also seeing hand sanitizers labeled as containing ethanol, or ethyl alcohol, but theyre contaminated with methanol. This type of alcohol can be used as a pesticide, a solvent or fuel.

It can be absorbed through the skin but is more dangerous if ingested.

There is a chance of absorbing it through your skin or inhaling the fumes that can cause minor toxicity, says Dr. Pizon. If youre just using hand sanitizer like using hand sanitizer, youre not likely to develop toxicity.

You need to be careful, it being around children and pets because we know ingesting the product is much more serious, says Dr. Matthew Stripp, AHN Director of Toxicology.

Methanol can cause nausea, vomiting, headache, seizures, coma and more.

There have actually been a couple of deaths reported, Dr. Pizon said. There have been several cases of blindness reported, as well.

The body tends to turn this type of alcohol, which is different than the alcohol and wine, beer, and liquor, it turns it into a toxic byproduct. And that can make your blood acidic, and it can do damage to your brain, Dr. Stripp said.

Luckily, methanol poisoning, if caught early, can be treated with IV fluids and medicines.

The end treatment would be dialysis to remove the methanol and the metabolites that caused the blindness, says Dr. Pizon.

Washing your hands with soap and water should be your first choice. If thats not possible, use hand sanitizer. But shop safely. You cant see or smell methanol.

The common feature among the tainted products?

Largely made in Mexico. Those would be the ones to avoid, Dr. Pizon said. Reputable brands made in the United States are really the way to ensure safety.

The FDA has recalled three products and has advised against using 13 others.

For a complete list, click here and here.

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Some Hand Sanitizers On The Market May Be Dangerous - CBS Pittsburgh

WALTHAM Mass., July 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apellis PharmaceuticalsInc., (NASDAQ:APLS), a global biopharmaceutical company pioneering targeted C3 therapies, today announced that it completed enrollment in the Phase 3 DERBY and OAKS studies investigating intravitreal pegcetacoplan (APL-2), a targeted C3 therapy, for the treatment of geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). GA causes blindness and is a progressive complement-driven eye disease1,2 that affects approximately five million people globally.3,4 There are no approved therapies for GA.

Completing enrollment in the Phase 3 DERBY and OAKS studies is a critical milestone that moves us one step closer to bringing the first treatment for geographic atrophy to patients. We are extremely grateful to all patients participating in these groundbreaking studies, said Federico Grossi, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer of Apellis. People living with GA need a treatment and we believetargeting the complement system at C3 with pegcetacoplan has the potential to control the excessive complement activation that drives the irreversible growth of GA lesions that cause blindness. We look forward to seeing top-line results in the third quarter of 2021.

A total of 1,259 patients are enrolled in DERBY and OAKS, which are pivotal randomized Phase 3 studies designed to compare the efficacy and safety of intravitreal pegcetacoplan with sham treatment in patients with GA secondary to AMD. The primary objective of the studies is to evaluate the reduction in growth of GA lesion size, measured by fundus autofluorescence (FAF) at month 12 compared to baseline.

Geographic atrophy leads to irreversible vision loss, a decline in the quality of life, and remains a major unmet need for our patients. Achieving this critical milestone reflects the importance of bringing this targeted C3 therapy to our GA patients. I want to thank my co-investigators for completing the enrollment of DERBY and OAKS, especially during the ongoing pandemic. I look forward to seeing the results next year with the hope that pegcetacoplan willenable clinicians to treat this debilitating disease,said Jeffrey S. Heier, MD, Principal Investigator of the DERBY study and Co-President & Medical Director,Director of Retinal Research,Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston.

In July 2018, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted pegcetacoplan Fast Track Designation for the treatment of GA. The Phase 3 DERBY and OAKS studies were initiated based on positive results from the Phase 2 FILLY study, which showed that monthly pegcetacoplan treatment resulted in a 29% (p=0.008) reduction in the rate of GA lesion growth compared to sham injections at 12 months.

For more information about the DERBY and OAKS studies, visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov: (NCT03525600) and (NCT03525613).

About Pegcetacoplan (APL-2)Pegcetacoplan is the only investigational targeted C3 therapy in late-stage clinical trials. It is designed to control excessive complement activation, which can lead to the onset and progression of many serious diseases. Pegcetacoplan is a synthetic cyclic peptide conjugated to a polyethylene glycol polymer that binds specifically to C3 and C3b.Apellis is evaluating pegcetacoplan in several clinical studies including geographic atrophy (GA), paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), cold agglutinin disease, and C3 glomerulopathy. Pegcetacoplan was granted Fast Track designation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of GA and the treatment of PNH. For additional information regarding our clinical trials, visithttps://apellis.com/our-science/clinical-trials/.

About Geographic Atrophy (GA) GA is an advanced form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness. Excessive complement activation drives the irreversible lesion growth in GA5, and C3 is the only target to precisely control complement overactivation. Pegcetacoplan, studied in early and late-stage trials comprising a total of approximately 1500 patients, is the only targeted C3 inhibitor being evaluated in patients to control lesion growth in GA.6

GA lesions affect the central portion of the retina, known as the macula, which is responsible for central vision. GA is progressive and irreversible, leading to central visual impairment and permanent loss of vision. Based on published studies, approximately one million people have GA inthe United States and 5 million people have GA globally.1,2 There are currently noapproved treatments for GA.

About DERBY and OAKSDERBY (621 patients enrolled) and OAKS (638 patients enrolled) are Phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, sham-controlled studies to compare the efficacy and safety of intravitreal pegcetacoplan with sham injections in patients with GA secondary to AMD. The primary objective of the studies is to evaluate the efficacy of pegcetacoplan compared to sham injection in patients with GA secondary to AMD assessed by change in the total area of GA lesions from baseline as measured by fundus autofluorescence (FAF).

About FILLYThe FILLY study was a 246-patient, Phase 2, multicenter, randomized, single-masked, sham-controlled clinical trial evaluating pegcetacoplan in patients with GA secondary to AMD conducted at over 40 clinical sites in the United States, Australia and New Zealand. Pegcetacoplan was administered as an intravitreal injection monthly or every other month (EOM) for 12 months, followed by six months of monitoring after the end of treatment. The primary efficacy endpoint was the change in GA lesion area from baseline to month 12 compared to sham.

In this study, pegcetacoplan met its primary endpoint of reducing the growth rate of the GA lesion (measured as square root transformation of GA lesion area) compared to sham after 12 months of treatment. Pegcetacoplan administered monthly via intravitreal injection showed a 29% (p=0.008) reduction in the rate of GA lesion growth compared to sham after 12 months of treatment. With every other month administration of pegcetacoplan, a 20% (p=0.067) reduction was observed compared to sham. Statistical significance was defined as p<0.1 for this study.

Pegcetacoplan was generally well-tolerated in the Phase 2 FILLY trial. Over the full 18-month study period, a total of 26 cases of exudative AMD were reported by the investigators. These were seen more frequently in the pegcetacoplan-treated patients (18 in the monthly treatment group, 7 in the every other month treatment group and 1 in the sham control group). No negative impact on visual acuity was observed. The results of the FILLY study were published in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology.

About ApellisApellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of novel therapeutic compounds for the treatment of a broad range of life-threatening or debilitating autoimmune diseases based upon complement immunotherapy through the inhibition of the complement system at the level of C3. Apellis is the first company to advance chronic therapy with a C3 inhibitor into clinical trials. For additional information about Apellis and pegcetacoplan, please visithttp://www.apellis.com.

Apellis Forward-Looking StatementStatements in this press release about future expectations, plans and prospects, as well as any other statements regarding matters that are not historical facts, may constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the implications of preliminary clinical data. The words anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project, should, target, will, would and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: whether the companys clinical trials will be fully enrolled and completed when anticipated; whether preliminary or interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial; whether results obtained in preclinical studies and clinical trials will be indicative of results that will be generated in future clinical trials; whether pegcetacoplan will successfully advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis, or at all; whether the results of the companys clinical trials will warrant regulatory submissions and whether pegcetacoplan will receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies for GA, PNH, CAD, C3G or any other indication when expected or at all; whether, if Apellis products receive approval, they will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other factors discussed in the Risk Factors section of Apellis Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with theSecurities and Exchange CommissiononApril 29, 2020and the risks described in other filings that Apellis may make with theSecurities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Apellis specifically disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Media Contact:Mark Dolemedia@apellis.com617.997.3484

Investor Contact: Sam Martin/Maghan MeyersArgot Partnerssam@argotpartners.com/maghan@argotpartners.com212.600.1902

_______________________________________

1 Weber, BHF, Issa, PC, et al. The Role of the Complement System in Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2014; 111(8): 1338. 2 Heesterbeek, TJ, Lechanteur YTE, et al. Complement activation levels are related to disease stage in AMD. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2020;61(3):18. 3 Rudnicka AR, Jarrar Z, Wormald R, et al. Age and gender variations inage-related macular degenerationprevalence in populations of European ancestry: a meta-analysis. Ophthalmology 2012;119:571580.4 Wong WL, Su X, Li X, et al. Global prevalence ofage-related macular degenerationand disease burden projection for 2020 and 2040: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health 2014;2:e106116.5 Seddon, JM, Rosner, B. Validated prediction models for macular degeneration progression and predictors of visual acuity loss identify high-risk individuals. Am J Ophthalmol 2019;198:223261. 6Yates, JRW, Sepp T, et al. Complement C3 Variant and the Risk of Age-Related Macular Degeneration. N Engl J Med 2007;357.

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Apellis Completes Enrollment in Two Phase 3 Studies of the Targeted C3 Therapy, Pegcetacoplan, in Patients with Geographic Atrophy (GA) -...

For the second straight day, Catawba County Public Health Wednesday (July 8) reported 35 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the total to 1,081, with 14 deaths. Hospitalizations dropped to 16, from a pandemic high of 20 on Tuesday (July 7). 492 patients had recovered from the coronavirus in Catawba County and there had been 3,686 negative test results.

Catawba County Public Health is investigating a newly identified outbreak of COVID-19 at Abernethy Laurels in Newton, where three residents and two staff members have tested positive for the virus. The facility is informing patients, their family members, and staff about the situation.

This is the sixth congregate care facility outbreak identified in Catawba County. In a congregate living setting, a COVID-19 outbreak is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases. The facility previously responded to an outbreak that involved three individuals. That outbreak has since resolved.

The Caldwell County Health Department reported 29 new cases of COVID-19, increasing the overall total to 555, with six deaths. 16 Caldwell County coronavirus patients were hospitalized and at least 301 had recovered.

A third COVID-19 outbreak has been confirmed in Caldwell County. Two employees at Hickory Falls Health and Rehabilitation tested positive for COVID-19. Eight more positive cases were reported at Brockford Inn Assisted Living. The facility currently has 40 residents and 18 employees who have tested positive for the virus. In congregate living settings, an outbreak of COVID-19 is defined as two or more laboratory-confirmed cases within 28 days.

15 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Burke County Wednesday, increasing the overall total to 1,116, with 20 deaths. There were seven people hospitalized with the coronavirus in Burke County, and at least 851 patients had recovered.

Wednesday's media briefing from Burke County included an update from North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services regarding hand sanitizer safety. A news release was sent out to warn residents about methanol-contaminated hand sanitizers. Methanol is a toxic alcohol that can cause blindness and/or death when absorbed through the skin or when swallowed. No alcohol-based hand sanitizers should ever be ingested.

Manufacturers and distributors are working on a voluntary recall of products that have a significant amount of methanol. There has been an increase in products manufactured in Mexico that are labeled to contain ethanol, whish is normal alcohol used in hand sanitizer, but was tested positive for methanol contamination. Get more details at this link: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/news/press-releases/public-health-risk-associated-methanol-contaminated-hand-sanitizers

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday reported 138 cases of COVID-19 in Alexander County, two more than the previous update issued by county health officials. Through Wednesday, there had been one coronavirus-related death in Alexander County.

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Thursday COVID-19 Update: Two More Outbreaks Reported In Hickory Metro, New Cases Added In All Counties - WHKY

Inherited retinal diseases marketis expected to gain market growth in the forecast period of 2020 to 2027. Data Bridge Market Research analyses the market to account to an annual growth rate of 4.40% in the above-mentioned forecast period. The growing awareness amongst the physicians and patients regarding the benefits associated with the usage of inherited retinal diseases has been directly impacting the growth of inherited retinal diseases market.

The inherited retinal diseases market document provides CAGR values along with its fluctuations for the definite forecast period. Pharmaceutical industry can achieve great benefits with this inherited retinal diseases market research report which brings market and competitive landscape clearly into the focus and assist to make better decisions. Thus, the all-inclusive market information and data of the inherited retinal diseases market document will surely grow business and improve return on investment (ROI). Market definition included in the report provides the scope of particular product with respect to the driving factors and restraints in the market. The key research methodology used here by DBMR research team is data triangulation which involves data mining, analysis of the impact of data variables on the market, and primary validation.

Ask For Complimentary Sample PDF| Request Athttps://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-inherited-retinal-diseases-market

The major players covered in the inherited retinal diseases market report are American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, Spark Therapeutics, Inc., Invitae Corporation., The Choroideremia Research Foundation Inc, American Council of the Blind, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc., Fighting Blindness, FIGHTING BLINDNESS CANADA, Lighthouse Guild, The RDH12 Fund For Sight, Sofia Sees Hope, Retina International, Usher Syndrome Coalition, VisionServe Alliance among other domestic and global players. Market share data is available for global, North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South America separately. DBMR analysts understand competitive strengths and provide competitive analysis for each competitor separately.

Some of the Main regions covered in this report are

This Inherited Retinal Diseases report includes the Market Dynamics which analyzes the drivers and restraints of the market and takes into account the various factors such as market obstacles, logistics, political and regulatory constraints or policy support. The most relevant factors are identified and qualitatively described in this Section.

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Global Inherited Retinal Diseases Market Scope and Market Size

Inherited retinal diseases market is segmented on the basis of type, treatment type and distribution channel. 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.

Based on type, inherited retinal diseases market is segmented into leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), retinitis pigmentosa, choroideremia, stargardts disease, and achromatopsia.

Inherited retinal diseases market has also been segmented based on treatment type such as gene therapy treatment, and symptomatic treatment.On the basis of distribution channel, the inherited retinal diseases market is segmented into hospital pharmacies, and retail pharmacies.

Report synopsis

1. Comprehensive quantitative analysis of the industry is provided for the period of 2019-2026 to assist stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing market opportunities.2. Comprehensive analysis of the factors that drive and restrict the market growth is provided in the report.3. Comprehensive quantitative analysis of the industry is provided for the period of 2019-2026 to assist stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing market opportunities.4. Extensive analysis of the key segments of the industry helps in understanding the trends in types of Inherited Retinal Diseases across global.5. To get a comprehensive overview of the Inherited Retinal Diseases market.

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An absolute way to forecast what future holds is to comprehend the trend today!Data Bridge set forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Data bridge is an aftermath of sheer wisdom and experience which was formulated and framed in the year 2015 in Pune. We ponder into the heterogeneous markets in accord with our clients needs and scoop out the best possible solutions and detailed information about the market trends. Data Bridge delve into the markets across Asia, North America, South America, Africa to name few.Data Bridge adepts in creating satisfied clients who reckon upon our services and rely on our hard work with certitude. We are content with our glorious 99.9 % client satisfying rate.

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Global Inherited Retinal Diseases Market Research & Clinical Advancements by 2027| Invitae Corporation., The Choroideremia Research Foundation...

If we could start 2020 all over again, the world would be satisfied if the big worry was wildfires and whether or not cat litter had a Non-GMO Project label.

Instead, we got a coronavirus from Wuhan, China, and a COVID-19 disease that isn't stopping any time soon.But science marches on, and we also have machine learning helping to grow artificial organs.

The human retina has a very limited capacity for regeneration. Any progressive loss of neurons, such as in glaucoma, inevitably leads to complete loss of vision. There is nothing a physician can recommend to halt it. But science is on the case. In a recent study, a neural network capable of recognizing retinal tissues during the process of differentiation does so without the need to modify cells, making it ideal for growing retinal tissue for developing cell replacement therapies to treat blindness and conducting research into new drugs.

Credit: MIPT Press Office

That's more complex than it reads at first. In multicellular organisms, the cells making up different organs and tissues start the same, but then acquire distinct functions and properties in the course of development. Stem cells have the potential to become any kind of cell, they undergo differentiation by producing proteins specific to certain tissues and organs.

The most advanced technique for replicating tissue differentiation in vitro relies on 3-D cell aggregates called organoids. Since organoid-based differentiation closely mimics natural processes, the resulting tissue is very similar to the one in an actual biological organ. Some of the stages in cell differentiation toward retina have a stochastic (random) nature, leading to considerable variations in the number of cells with a particular function even between artificial organs in the same batch. The discrepancy is even greater when different cell lines are involved. As a result, it is necessary to have a means of determining which cells have already differentiated at a given point in time. Otherwise, experiments will not be truly replicable, making clinical applications less reliable, too.

To spot differentiated cells, tissue engineers use fluorescent proteins. By inserting the gene responsible for the production of such a protein into the DNA of cells, researchers ensure that it is synthesized and produces a signal once a certain stage in cell development has been reached. While this technique is highly sensitive, specific, and convenient for quantitative assessments, it is not suitable for cells intended for transplantation or hereditary disease modeling.

To address that pitfall, the authors of the recent study proposed an alternative approach based on tissue structure. No reliable and objective criteria for predicting the quality of differentiated cells have been formulated so far. The researchers proposed that the best retinal tissues, those most suitable for transplantation, drug screening, or disease modeling, should be selected using neural networks and artificial intelligence.

The team trained a neural network - a computer algorithm that mimics the way neurons work in the human brain - to identify the tissues in a developing retina based on photographs made by a conventional light microscope. The researchers first had a number of experts identify the differentiated cells in 1,200 images via an accurate technique that involves the use of a fluorescent reporter. The neural network was trained on 750 images, with another 150 used for validation and 250 for testing predictions. At this last stage, the machine was able to spot differentiated cells with an 84% accuracy, compared with 67% achieved by humans.

"Our findings indicate that the current criteria used for early-stage retinal tissue selection may be subjective. They depend on the expert making the decision. However, we hypothesized that the tissue morphology, its structure, contains clues that enable predicting retinal differentiation, even at very early stages. And unlike a human, the computer program can extract that information!" states Evgenii Kegeles of the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. "This approach does not require images of a very high quality, fluorescent reporters, or dyes, making it relatively easy to implement. It takes us one step closer to developing cellular therapies for the retinal diseases such as glaucoma and macular degeneration, which today invariably lead to blindness. Besides that, the approach can be transferred not just to other cell lines, but also to other human artificial organs."

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Neural Networks Growing Artificial Organs Is The 2020 We Expected Decades Ago - Science 2.0

But however well-intentioned, there are complications that come with works that aim to use colorblind casting to highlight people of color who wouldnt otherwise be represented. Creators may cast blind, thinking their job done, failing to consider that a Black man cast as a criminal or a Latina woman cast as a saucy seductress even when cast without any regard to their race can still be problematic. One kind of blindness can lead to another.

And then theres also the Hamilton problem. The show may place diverse bodies on the stage, but productions that would subvert a narrative traditionally owned by white characters must not just tag in actors of color but reconsider the fundamental way the new casting changes the story. In Hamilton, the revision of American history is dazzling and important, but it also neglects and negates the parts of the original story that dont fit so nicely into this narrow model. The characters relationship to slavery, for example, is scarcely mentioned, because it would be incongruous with the triumphant recasting of our countrys first leaders. (The Hamilton star and creator Lin-Manuel Miranda responded to this criticism this week, calling it valid.)

The trouble of a colorblind production might not be the casting itself, but the fact that the casting may still erase the reimagined characters identities. (If Willy Loman is Black, wouldnt he have a more complex understanding of the American dream?) Careless colorblind casting in animated roles, in live-action roles on TV, movies or the stage assumes that identities amount to nothing and that all experiences are transferable, which is far from the reality.

In a 1996 speech, the playwright August Wilson spoke out against colorblind casting overall, saying:

To mount an all-Black production of a Death of a Salesman or any other play conceived for white actors as an investigation of the human condition through the specifics of white culture is to deny us our own humanity, our own history, and the need to make our own investigations from the cultural ground on which we stand as Black Americans. It is an assault on our presence, and our difficult but honorable history in America; and it is an insult to our intelligence, our playwrights, and our many and varied contributions to the society and the world at large.

Wilson called not for colorblind casting, but for institutions that invite art by and for people of color, to tell their own stories and not simply ones adapted for them. He doesnt call for blindness, but visibility: people of color seen on stages and behind the curtains. This applies to all art forms people of color should be on movie screens, on the TV and in recording booths giving voice to stories about them.

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Hamilton, The Simpsons and the Problem With Colorblind Casting - The New York Times

Burnley wore a one-off all white fourth strip in the win over West Ham United on Wednesday night.

The Clarets have produced the strip after the Premier League flagged a colour clash between the two sides.

Burnleys home and away strips are a natural clash with the Hammers claret and blue kit while the Turf Moor sides green third kit has been deemed a clash by the Premier League system, which does take into account the impact on colour blind viewers.

The league try to ensure four different colours between the two teams - outfielders and goalkeepers - to ensure a contrast.

This includes avoiding a clash of red and green where possible, something that assists viewers watching the game who are colour blind.

The Premier League said Burnley were notified last summer in advance of the season starting that a new kit would be required and a white strip was agreed.

Burnley were able to play in green at Aston Villa as there was sufficient contrast on Villas shirt whereas West Hams is deemed all Claret - hence the change.

And the Clarets have a 100 per cent record in their new kit after Jay Rodriguez's goal gave them all three points.

Colour blindness, or colour vision deficiency, is one of the worlds most common genetic conditions but it is under-recognised and poorly understood. Worldwide, about 320 million people have some form of colour blindness and in the UK there are almost three million colour-blind people. Men are more likely to be colour blind than women, as approximately one in 12 men (8 per cent) inherit red/green colour blindness but only 1 in 200 (0.5%) of women do.

As a result colour-blindness leads to issues in football for people who are colour-blind, including kit clashes between players, goalkeepers, match officials, the playing surface; equipment such as match balls; venues, information and also TV coverage of the match itself.

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Why Burnley wore a white kit in their Premier League match with West Ham - Accrington Observer

South Dakota Livestock producers are encouraged to test their water sources as poor quality water can cause health problems in livestock.

SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist Robin Salverson says high levels of sulfates in the water have caused polioencephalomalacia in some herds already this year, with blindness being a result. She says livestock water samples from the northwestern part of the state have indicated high levels of total salts, but this type of poor quality water can be found in all of western and possibly portions of eastern South Dakota.

Poor quality water will cause an animal to consume less water, as a result they will consume less forage/feed which leads to weight loss, decreased milk production and lower fertility. It can be successfully treated through the use of thiamine and anti-inflammatory injections, if caught early.

Salverson says whether big or small, full or running low, water from wells, dams, dugouts and creeks are often high in total salts, especially sulfates. Poor water quality is caused by areas having little to no runoff from snow or spring rain and accelerated by hot, dry and windy conditions. Additionally, certain water sources regardless of dry or wet years, are high in total salts. The only way to know if water is suitable for livestock is through testing.

Water sources such as spring-fed reservoirs and water that appears to be clear are often assumed to be safe but can still be high in salts/sulfates. The visual appearance of water should not be used to determine if the water is good or bad.

A quick, on-site test can be done at all SDSU Extension Regional Centersincluding the one in Pierre and some SDSU Extension County Offices across South Dakota. Contact your veterinarian to determine a treatment plan if you have any concern of potential losses due to polio.

For additional information or questions, contact Robin Salverson, SDSU Extension Cow/Calf Field Specialist, at 605.374.4177 or robin.salverson@sdstate.edu.

View original post here:
Poor water quality may cause blindness, other issues in livestock - Drgnews

90% of the worlds cases of blindness affect people in less well developed countries.

Sight loss can have a significant impact on a persons mental and physical wellbeing. It hinders their ability to complete daily functions, leaving them filled with grief over the loss of their vision and independence. However, there have been interesting developments regarding the cure for corneal blindness recently.

Raising awareness of corneal diseases is essential in developing a cure. The more people are aware of an issue, the more likely they are to join the battle. Regarding corneal blindness, greater awareness could help support the sufferers and increase the funding to laboratories developing a cure. Whats more, if people are aware of or have information about corneal blindness, they will be able to identify the risk factors or symptoms. This means corneal diseases can be caught before they worsen and cause blindness.

Charities and institutions

Charities have started raising more awareness for corneal blindness in recent years, whilst also providing support for the sufferers and their families. Meanwhile, institutions have been doing their part to end corneal blindness by funding the laboratories behind the prevention and cure of corneal diseases.

These institutions are tailoring their efforts towards the poorest countries in the world, where corneal blindness is most pervasive. By making treatments accessible and affordable for everyone, these institutions could cure corneal blindness across the world in 2020.

Advancements in technology mean that corneal transplants can now be done to relieve the symptoms or treat infections related to corneal disease, whilst improving the persons eyesight.

This usually involves replacing or reshaping the front layers of the cornea; replacing the back layers of the cornea; or completing a full-thickness transplant. While it isnt possible to replace a full eye, corneas can be transplanted from a donor. So, sightless people will be able to see once more after undergoing surgical procedures.

The main obstacle in the way of curing corneal blindness in 2020 is that treatments arent readily available in poorer, less well developed countries. Whats more, 90% of the worlds cases of blindness affect people in these countries. Fortunately, the charities and foundations we mentioned earlier are working towards making treatment widespread. This includes supplying eye drops or antibiotics which tackle infection to the cornea.

Corneal blindness is treatable with medication and surgical procedures. However, it can only be cured in 2020 if more awareness is raised and treatments are made available across the globe.

You can donate to charities or invest in foundations to cure corneal diseases today.

Read the rest here:
Can corneal blindness be cured in 2020? - The Visitor

The latest treatments can transform lives

And thanks to pioneering research, funded via charities and private donors, emerging technologies are transforming treatment.

When it comes to sight loss and visual impairments, there are many different forms that people suffer from that can range from mild to severe. Some visual impairments can be blurred vision, light sensitivity or hazy vision. Other visual impairments can be a lot worse such as blindness, cornea blindness, cataracts, and glaucoma.

In the UK, there are many institutes and charities that you can make donations to including the Tej Kohli Cornea Institute as an example. Every donation can help to make a difference in order to find more cures for these conditions.

Blurred vision treatments

If you are living in the UK and you suffer from blurred vision then, there are a few different treatments available. The most simple of all is an eye test at your optician. A new pair of prescription glasses may solve the problem for you.

If the issue is more serious than that, you might need to get some surgery.

Cataracts disease is a type of eye condition that can cause cloudy and blurred vision as proteins build up on your lens which could lead to potential blindness. There are a few different ways that cataracts can be treated, including an operation to remove the build-up or getting a replacement lens operation.

However, these operations come with risks like any other medical procedure; make sure you ask lots of questions and understand all of the risks and complications.

This is a type of eye condition that is caused by optic nerve damage which attaches from the eye to the brain. If this is not discovered early enough and treated it can cause permanent sight loss.

When it comes to treatments, there are different kinds however, this will depend on the type of glaucoma you have. For instance, you might require eye drops to reduce pressure in your eyes, laser eye treatment to reduce the fluid in your eyes or surgery to improve drainage.

One of the biggest things you can do to achieve a successful outcome is seek help early, either via your GP or an optician, who can refer you on to specialists if required.

If you or someone you know has an eye condition, it is vital that the right treatment is found.

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What treatments are available for blindness in the UK? - The Scarborough News

Imagine for a second that we could recreate a star on Earth and use it as a clean energy source. How cool would it be to not just harvest the Suns power, but to also reproduce it? Well, we are on our way to doing just that.

On April 17th, 2020, after 12 years of collaboration between European countries, the USA, Russia, Japan, India, China, and South Korean, the first of 18 magnets that we need to develop fusion energy was unveiled. These magnets are part of building ITER, an experimental machine for producing the energy.

The goal is to reproduce energy production inside the Sun's core, where two light hydrogen atoms at very high temperatures collide and fuse into one helium atom, releasing the energy that supports life on Earth.

Reproducing this on our planet requires the ability to run a reaction at a temperature of 150 million C, where hydrogen exists in the form of ionized gas (also called plasma). Under these conditions, the plasma is extremely hot and difficult to manage. This is where the magnets come in. They are part of a donut-shaped machine called a tokamak, which can contain the plasma through powerful magnetic fields sustained by enormous magnets. Different prototype tokamaks exist around Europe, but ITER will be the first capable of maintaining the plasma for at least 1000 seconds. This will put its power output on par with traditional coal or oil-powered plants. The plan is that ITER will be ready to generate the first plasma

ITER is being built in the South of France. The machine will be a giant: 24 meters high and 30 meters wide, weighing 30 tons. According to the plan, ITER will generate its First Plasma by the end of 2025.

Visit link:
Researchers develop a better test for the parasite that causes river blindness - Massive Science

The council have been alerted to multiple sightings of what was thought to be a toxic plant in Preston.

Alarms were raised after locals claimed to have spotted the dangerous plant called giant hogweed, which causes severe blistering and blindness, in two separate locations in Preston this week.

Giant hogweed is a weed which has dangerous effects on human health especially in children, and was allegedly found growing in Haslam Park.

A resident reported that he had spotted the plant next to the path and further sightings of the plant in nearby bushes.

Preston Council has now confirmed that the plant is a native hogweed, which is not considered dangerous, compared to its giant form.

A spokesperson at Preston Council said: "The Park Ranger has confirmed this is native Hogweed around the park and nature reserve which is either in flower or just coming into flower."

Giant hogweed, which tends to flower in June and July, can cause serious blisters, burns and potential blindness if touched.

The plant is widespread along riverbanks, footpaths and canal towpaths and can grow up to five metres high.

Its sap contains toxic chemicals which react with light when in contact with human skin, causing sever blistering within 48 hours even when lightly touched.

Chemicals from the plant can also get into the nucleus of certain cells causing damage to DNA and can also cause blindness if in contact with the eyes.

Sally Hupfield-Smith was another resident who claims to have spotted the dangerous plant in Preston.

She said: "There's giant hogweed growing next to the brook in the Lodge.

"Please warn your children to be careful.

"Usually the farmer puts weedkiller down in spring but they haven't done it this year."

It is unknown whether this sighting has been confirmed to be giant hogweed.

Giant hogweed is widespread along riverbanks, footpaths and canal towpaths and can also found in any green space. It can grow up to five

The NHS advise that if you touch a giant hogweed, you should cover the affected area and wash it with soap and water, or see a doctor if you develop a reaction.

The Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) advises caution when removing the plant and warns people to cover their arms and legs and ideally wear a face mask when working on it.

It added that local authorities will often take action to remove infestations in a public area.

Cut plant debris, contaminated clothing and tools are potentially hazardous too.

Any skin that comes in contact with the plant should be washed immediately.

The RHS also warned people to ensure that contractors working on your land are aware of the risks and know fully how to deal with this weed.

Any sightings of giant hogweed should be reported to the Preston Council.

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Fears allayed over toxic plants spotted in Preston that can cause blisters and blindness - Accrington Observer

Take your own logic medicine

If I were to write a character for a play, and I had him say in his dialogue phrases such as Must I remind you and Use a little bit of logic to someone he disagrees with (as in Barry Willis letter on Tuesday, June 23), you might comprehend that this character is arrogant and condescending. If I had him use easily debunked propagandistic facts about Trumps accomplishments, you will surmise that this character is loyal to the point of blindness to his idols faults. If you add in his dialogue, a reference to Obamas travel expenses, especially his golf trips, and not even compare that to Trumps, which not only exceeds Obamas, but also enriches the Trump business, then you do get a sense that this character is not applying logic as he implores others to do. I can imagine that he will not respond with calm to this critique, but if he miraculously does, I would hope that he will take his own medicine and apply logic, fact-checking, and self-reflection in examining his conclusions about his idol. Since I am the playwright, that would be the happy ending I would write.

Diane Aoki

Kealakekua

Thinking ahead

If Ironman is to be held in February, it will be during our snowbird season, and our athletes will have an almost impossible task finding accommodation.

I wonder whether it would be possible to create an Athletes Village of some kind. Building could start now, and would provide basic living conditions for a large number of the incoming crowd. After Ironman, this facility could be used to help house our homeless, or less advantaged population.

Judith Orlopp

Kailua-Kona=

Letters policy

Letters to the editor should be 300 words or less and will be edited for style and grammar. Longer viewpoint guest columns may not exceed 800 words. Submit online at http://www.westhawaiitoday.com/?p=118321, via email to letters@westhawaiitoday.com or address them to:

Editor

West Hawaii Today

PO Box 789

Kailua-Kona, HI 96745

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Letters to the Editor: July 3, 2020 - West Hawaii Today

The Herald

Veronica Gwaze

AT some point, 21-year-old visually impaired Milton Kanyenze thought the world around him had collapsed. He was on the verge of giving up.

Life for the then Herbert Chitepo Secondary (HCS) student seemed to be characterized by a frustrating series of one challenge after another.

The HCS ordinary level student had been a soccer, volleyball and chess player before his life took a devastating twist.

Being brought up by unemployed parents who survive on menial jobs to feed the family, Kanyenze looked forward to helping his parents through sport. But as it would, fate appeared to have determined a different trajectory.

His sporting journey began when he was still in Grade 4. Then in 2014 it was abruptly halted by the onset of blindness.

At first it was my left eye. I would tell my parents and friends that I could no longer see but none of them took me seriously, he explained last week.

Maybe it is because I could still do everything by myself and at that stage I even did not take it too seriously. So they must have thought it was one of those attention-seeking teenage stories.

By that time, he was already the school senior soccer teams first choice goal keeper.

Despite his condition, Kanyenze continued his sporting activities. It had become a passion and he could not contemplate abandoning the one thing he thought would deliver his family out of poverty.

He remembers his last match before blindness grounded him for good.

When the opponents discovered that he was blind in one eye, they nicknamed him kondo (the hammerkop).

With brown plumage and a head that looks like a hammer hence its name the hammerkop is a distinctive bird. Hammerkops are the smallest of the African stork. Superstition has it that Hammerkops are bad omens, and it is considered bad luck to harm them. It is partly this superstition that has kept the birds somewhat protected.

There has been a general debate with others claiming that the hammerkop is one eyed hence his nickname. Zoologists, however, maintain that the bird has two eyes.

I was heartbroken; I remember crying during the game that was to be my last match. I gave up.

However, the worst was yet to come.

Three months later, the other eye also lost sight completely, eventually forcing him to drop out of school.

Due to poverty, it took time for his parents to take him to Parirenyatwa Hospital for consultations and seek medical help.

After detecting cataracts in both his eyes, he was referred to an eye specialist in Norton.

With his parents failing to afford the bus fare to and from Norton, one of Kanyenzes friends helped him take up menial jobs to raise the money.

He reckons how, during his trip to Norton, he looked forward to coming back home with his eyesight restored.

I felt so crushed when the specialist, after checking my eyes told me that it was too late and that there was no solution to my problem.

The following days were hell and I planned taking my life.

As if someone was sensing something, a well-wisher came forth and offered to take me for rehabilitation at a local centre.

The first month of his six months rehabilitation was tough as he was still processing living with total visual impairment.

It is during the rehabilitation programme that he learnt to do most activities on his own and to read Braille.

After the six months, he stayed at home until last year when he enrolled back at Hebert Chitepo Secondary, but only to be confronted by school fees challenges.

The situation at home became so severe that even his only sibling, Modester, dropped out of school. She is still out of school.

In November, he is set to write his Ordinary Level Examinations, targeting five subjects English Language, Shona, Heritage Studies, Commerce and History.

Due to the Covid-19 induced national lockdown, Kanyenze is home like most other students.

While others are taking to Online lessons and other ways of keeping up, Kanyenze can neither afford Braille textbooks nor a device to access the Internet.

He is going through a tough time and wishes someone could help him with a laptop or smart phone so he can access online lessons as he prepares for his O level examinations.

Finally I managed to go back to school and realizing that sport was a closed chapter for me, I devoted my entire energy to academics but Covid-19 brought fresh challenges.

I am techno-savvy. I know how to use computers. So if I can get one, I know I will be able to study and cover up for lost time as I look forward to writing my examinations, he said last week.

Kanyenze is not alone in this situation. Most blind students find themselves in the same situation as Braille textbooks are very expensive, making it difficult for one to afford a personal copy.

Read this article:
When hope is all there is - The Herald

Fears were raised after reports a weed resembling a toxic plant which causes blistering and blindness was found in Merseyside this week.

Sefton Council said they received a report that a dangerous plant called giant hogweed had been found on the Trans Pennine Trail which runs through parts of Merseyside.

The scenic route runs coast to coast between Southport and Hornsea in Yorkshire and is a popular route with walkers and cyclists.

Bosses of the route tweeted on Monday that part of the trail from Meadway in Maghull to Chapel Lane, Maghull would be closed for three weeks.

The precaution was in place as giant hogweed - which tends to flower in June and July - can cause horrific blisters, burns and potential blindness if touched.

Walkers were initially told to follow a diversion route that was put in place and other users such as cyclists were advised to find an alternative route while an investigation was taking place.

But, a spokesperson at Sefton Council said the investigation concluded the plant was not giant hogweed and the path was re-opened.

A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: After receiving a report of giant hogweed on the Trans Pennine Trail by Meadway, the council undertook an initial inspection and identified vegetation resembling the plant.

The section of the trail was temporarily closed and a full inspection carried out, which concluded that the vegetation in question was not giant hogweed.

The path was subsequently re-opened.

Find out what is happening in your area by entering your postcode below

Due to the plant looking relatively attractive, it is sometimes difficult to know it is a highly-dangerous weed.

So to keep safe, we have put together some advice on what the plant looks like, what to do if you touch it and how to report it:

What is giant hogweed and how can you protect yourself if you come across it?

Giant hogweed, or Heracleum mantegazzianum, is a weed which has dangerous effects on human health, particularly children.

It was billed "the most dangerous plant in Britain" according to Mike Duddy, senior project manager at Mersey River Trust, due to the damage it can cause.

The toxic weed can grow to more than five metres (16ft) and is widespread along riverbanks, footpaths and canal towpaths, but can also found in any green space.

Its sap contains toxic chemicals which react with light when in contact with human skin, causing horrifying blistering within 48 hours even when lightly touched.

Effectively it prevents the skin from protecting itself from sunlight, and children are the most sensitive to it.

Chemicals from the plant can even get into the nucleus of certain cells causing damage to DNA.

It can also cause blindness if in contact with the eyes.

The plant produces white or slightly-pink flower clusters in an umbrella-shaped head which doesn't make it look particularly dangerous.

The stems are hollow and green with purple blotches and stiff white hairs, and the leaves resemble those of the rhubarb plant, with "irregular and very sharp or jagged edges".

The plant tends to be in flower through June and July.

What are the side effects?

If exposed to the plant it can cause blistering consistent with a chemical burn and can form deep-coloured scars that can last for years.

Being exposed to the sap can also make your skin extremely sensitive to sunlight, meaning blistering could recur over months and even years after your first exposure.

If the sap gets into your eyes it can also lead to blindness.

What to do if you come into contact with hogweed?

The NHS advise that if you touch a giant hogweed, you should cover the affected area and wash it with soap and water, or see a doctor if you develop a reaction.

How can I get rid of giant hogweed?

The Royal Horticulture Society (RHS) advises caution when removing the plant and warns people to cover their arms and legs and ideally wear a face mask when working on it.

It added that local authorities will often take action to remove infestations in a public area.

Cut plant debris, contaminated clothing and tools are potentially hazardous too.

Any skin that comes in contact with the plant should be washed immediately.

The RHS also warned people to ensure that contractors working on your land are aware of the risks and know fully how to deal with this weed.

Sefton Council said if the hogweed is at the side of the public highways it will likely to be for the local authority to treat.

On their website, Sefton Council said: "If the hogweed is at the side of the public highways it will likely to be for Sefton to maintain (treat) so please let us know via the contact centre 0345 140 0845."

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 made it illegal to plant or cause giant hogweed to grow in the wild.

Giant hogweed clearances are carried out to remove the plant.

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How to spot toxic plant which causes horrific blisters and blindness - Liverpool Echo

THE ROOM WHERE IT HAPPENEDA White House Memoir by John Bolton

577 pp., Simon & Schuster, $32.50

This book review follows an earlier post I did on Middle East policy in Boltons book.

John Boltons memoir proves that hes a worse human being than Donald Trump most clearly when he describes what happened after Iran shot down an unmanned U.S. drone aircraft over the Straits of Hormuz in June 2019. Bolton says that he was at first delighted that he (and others) convinced Trump to retaliate by escalating the conflict. He gets Trump to agree to strike three Iranian military facilities, even though, as Bolton writes clinically, the attack would be likely entailing casualties.

But Trump has second thoughts. He learns the air raids might kill 150 people. Bolton quotes Trump directly:

Too many body bags, said Trump. . . Not proportionate. And then: I dont like it. They didnt kill any of our people. I want to stop it. Not a hundred fifty people.

Trump calls off the attack. Bolton says, This was the most irrational thing I ever witnessed any president do, and nearly resigns. And three months later, he is gone.

That Bolton thinks this episode shows Trump in a bad light is shocking. The real question is: How did someone with Boltons poor judgment and immoral ethics get into the rooms at the White House where he could help decide if America goes to war?

John Bolton is a corporate lawyer. He speaks no foreign languages, has never lived overseas, and has no expertise in any area of the world. In the 1960s, when he was the prime age to serve in the U.S. military, he got deferments to avoid combat, even though he supported the war in Vietnam. So he has no first-hand experience of what combat is like, although his memoir regularly chides senior U.S. generals with excessive timidity. He served in two national security posts in the George W. Bush administration, from where he enthused over the disastrous U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003, but his memoir barely mentions the American war there, now in its 18th year.

Boltons book is filled with errors of simple fact. In his chapter recounting the Trump administrations bumbling efforts to overthrow Venezuelas government, he alleges that regime change there should have come earlier, because there is a two-decade-long history of missed opportunities in Venezuela, given the widespread strongly held opposition to the Chavez-Maduro regime. His ignorance is breathtaking. Even critics recognize that Huge Chavez was widely popular for years, and that his successor maintained considerable support up until 2016 or so.

But Boltons misinformation is worse than immoral; it is dangerously stupid, and nowhere more clearly than in his zeal to attack Iran. He still believes Irans leaders are dominated by religious fanaticism, claiming that after forty years, the fervor of Irans Islamic Revolution showed no signs of abating in its political and military leaders. No genuine expert believes this, recognizing that Irans leaders have stayed in power for four decades not because they are impetuous zealots, but instead because they are intelligent, calculating and patient.

Bolton simply takes as a self-evident truth that Iran threatens U.S. national security, and doesnt even stir himself to offer proof. The fact is: Iran has not directly attacked the U.S. since the 1980s. By contrast, Bolton also just assumes that Saudi Arabia is our friend and ally, even though high officials in the desert kingdom arguably had links to the terrorists who destroyed the World Trade Center in 2001 and killed 3000 Americans.

Bolton is proud that within a month of becoming national security adviser he helped convince Trump to shred Obamas 2015 Iran nuclear deal. But Bolton wants more: only full-out regime change would ultimately prevent Iran from possessing nuclear weapons. Here hes even going beyond his notorious New York Times opinion article (To Stop Irans Bomb, Bomb Iran), in which he limited his bellicosity to air strikes against the countrys nuclear installations.

Lets set aside whether Boltons warmongering about regime change is immoral, and quite possibly would break the international laws that prohibit launching wars of aggression. Whats worse, he is colossally stupid. Even assuming Irans present government fell, what does he think would succeed it? A pro-western democracy, delighted to make friends with the U.S.? The same America that supported Saddam Husseins invasion of their country in the 1980s, in which 1 million Iranians died; the same America that waged decades of economic warfare against them, including blocking medical aid as the coronavirus hit; the same America that just 6 months ago assassinated the respected Iranian general, Qasem Soleimani, whose funeral attracted millions of mourners?

Iran has 82 million people, more than twice as many as Iraq, pride in its nationality and culture, and an army whose senior commanders have plenty of combat experience. Bolton and other regime-change advocates simply do not understand the power of nationalism. You can vigorously oppose your government, but join together and fight if your country is under attack. Bolton has learned nothing from the U.S. invasion of Iraq, where resistance started within months, including from people who hated Saddam Hussein. If the U.S. invaded Iran, how many decades into the future would America, and American citizens, suffer retaliation from patriotic Iranians?

Weve already looked at one partial explanation for John Boltons stupidity; he supports Israel and wrongly views its national security as identical to Americas. Unlike the U.S., Benjamin Netanyahus Israel most definitely does have something to fear from Iran. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf states have abandoned the Palestinians and made de facto peace with Israel, at least for now, but Teheran continues to support two independent armed forces in the area: Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Hamas in besieged Gaza. If Israel could neutralize those two forces, it could annex even more than the 30 percent of the West Bank proposed in the Trump peace plan, and strengthen its illegal occupation even further.

(In passing, Boltons reflexive pro-Israel view is an oddity for a man who considers himself a conservative, America first nationalist. Why is he willing, even eager, to fight Israels battles for it by ordering American troops to invade a country that does not threaten us?)

The first press reports about John Boltons memoir were somewhat misleading. His evidence that Donald Trump puts his own re-election considerations before the U.S. national interest is actually a small part of this long book, confined to the last 50 pages or so. Boltons information is useful, but not much of a surprise.

What is truly frightening, though, is what Bolton tells us about himself, and by extension about certain other high-ranking U.S. officials. His real revelation is that even more than we feared, our foreign policy is guided by people who make life-and-death decisions based on a lethal combination of arrogance and ignorance.

More:
Bolton's real shocker: That someone with his bad judgment and moral blindness got anywhere near the White House - Mondoweiss

Charity tries to eliminate blindness

In the medical industry, technology is helping a lot, from speeding up processes to diagnosing illnesses, carrying out procedures, developing cures and more. So how can technology be used to develop cures?

One of the ways that technology can be used to develop cures in 2020 is by carrying out research. Research is much easier to store and refer back to now due to the systems that have been developed and implemented. It can take years for a cure to be developed but, thanks to research and stored information from previous cures you might find that new cures could be found a lot faster than they could be in the past.

There are a lot of deadly illnesses that dont have cures yet but, with the way technology is improving, you might find that it could potentially be used to find a cure for illnesses like blood disorders, blindness and much more in the medical industry.

Another way that technology can be used to develop cures in 2020 is through the use of Artificial Intelligence AI for short. Artificial Intelligence involves the use of robots and machinery to operate and carry out tasks that a person would do. AI will be programmed to carry out certain tasks and it can complete them at a fast pace and with persistent accuracy. This means that scientists and medical experts can focus their much-needed attention on other things like finding cures for diseases.

Although medical professionals and scientists will be doing all they can to find cures as fast as possible, a bit of help from the public can go a long way. Technology can be used to set up funding pages and charities where you can donate money to different causes.

One of the pages that you can donate money to is the Tej Kohli Cornea Program which is aiming to eliminate corneal blindness across the globe by 2035.

Corneal blindness is a health condition that affects 1.9 million worldwide so, if there is a cure found in the next few years, a lot of people won't have to suffer from this illness anymore.

With technology becoming more advanced, through time, you can expect some more great things to be achieved. Find out more online.

Originally posted here:
How is technology used to develop cures in 2020? - Wakefield Express

A lot of Republicans are acting puzzled about Donald Trumps re-election pitch. He has no message, one Republican source told Reuters. He needs to articulate why he wants a second term, said another. Some have expressed hope that Trump would find a way to become less polarizing, as if polarization were not the raison dtre of his presidency.

Its hard to know if Republicans like this are truly naive or if theyre just pretending so they dont have to admit what a foul enterprise theyre part of. Because Trump does indeed have a re-election message, a stark and obvious one. It is white power.

The president started this week by tweeting out a video that encapsulates the soul of his movement. In it, a man in The Villages, an affluent Florida retirement community, shouts, White power! at protesters from a golf cart bedecked with Trump signs. Thank you to the great people of The Villages, wrote Trump. Only after several hours and a panic among White House staffers did the president delete the tweet.

His spokesman claimed he hadnt heard his supporters extremely clear words. Trump, naturally, never disavowed them.

And why would he? Republicans might act as if they dont know why Trumps fans are so unfailingly loyal. Some commentators spent the first year or two of his presidency dancing around the reason he was elected, spending so much time probing the economic anxiety of his base that the phrase came to stand for a type of willful political blindness.

But Trump understands that he became a significant political figure by spreading the racist lie that Barack Obama was really born in Kenya. He launched his history-making presidential bid with a speech calling Mexican immigrants rapists and adopted a slogan, America First, previously associated with the raging anti-Semite Charles Lindbergh. Throughout the 2016 campaign, he won the invaluable prize of earned media with escalating racist provocations, which his supporters relished and which captivated cable news.

People voted for Trump for reasons besides racism. There was also sexism. Some voters were just partisan Republicans or thought that reality TV is real and that Trump was as successful as The Apprentice made him seem.

Trump, however, seems to grasp that racism is what put him over the top. Its what made his campaign seem wild and transgressive and hard to look away from.

Now Trumps poll numbers are cratering, we have double-digit unemployment and our pandemic-ravaged nation has been rendered an international pariah. America is faring exactly as well under Trumps leadership as his casinos, airline and scam university did. Its not surprising that hes returning to what he knows and what seemed to work for him before.

In fact, Trump appears to think his problem is that he hasnt been racist enough. On Wednesday, Axios Jonathan Swan reported that Trump regrets listening to his son-in-law Jared Kushners woke ideas as a source put it including on criminal justice reform. Instead, he wants to double down on law and order. He truly believes there is a silent majority out there thats going to come out in droves in November, a source told Swan.

And so last week, as if to prod that silent majority, Trump tweeted out videos of Black people assaulting white people. (Where are the protesters? he asked.) He has made a point of calling the coronavirus the kung flu. At a time when even Mississippi is removing Confederate imagery from its state flag, Trump has thrown himself into the protection of what he calls our heritage.

He signed an executive order directing federal law enforcement to prosecute people who damage federal monuments threatening them with up to 10 years in prison and withholding funds from municipalities that dont protect statues. (Whether this latter provision is enforceable is unclear.) He said hed veto a $741 billion defense bill over a provision, written by Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, requiring that military bases honoring Confederates be renamed. Apoplectic over New York Citys plans to paint the words Black Lives Matter on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower, he called the slogan a symbol of hate.

Polls show that a growing number of them, particularly women, are repelled by Trumps race-baiting and divisiveness. But Republicans who complain that the president is undisciplined, that he cant adhere to a strategy, miss the point: Bigotry has always been the strategy.

The Republicans who support him are yoked to that strategy. Their real frustration isnt that its ugly but that its no longer working.

Michelle Goldberg is a New York Times columnist.

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