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Councils face an uphill struggle when their budget shortfalls are not covered and local expertise is not trusted by ministers, writes LGC editor Nick Golding.

There has been criticism lately in certain quarters of journalists and commentators for their raising of deficiencies in the national coronavirus response. Questioning and scrutiny are seen as tantamount to treachery, working against the war effort and undermining ministers who face the unenviable task of having to take unprecedented action with imperfect information. Of course, this criticism is misplaced. It is the most fundamental job of the journalist to expose inefficiency, hypocrisy, mistruths and failure and far from being a fair-weather luxury this role becomes even more important during a crisis when such failings have an immediate detrimental effect on wellbeing and even survival.

LGC has been asking searching questions of the government, mainly around two key themes. First, do councils have the funding to protect their communities and, second, is local expertise being used to its full potential and sufficiently supported in an increasingly centralised operation? The answer to both questions from our readership has been an overwhelming no.

Councils have been regularly undermined by the centre

On finance, the mood music was initially positive. When ministers were telling councils to do whatever is necessary to support their place, the implication was their work would be fully funded. It seems communities secretary Robert Jenrick has lost a financial battle with the Treasury and his promise has been diluted to covering the costs of specific tasks councils have been told to do. Any expenditure on top of this will be merely taken into consideration while councils projections of sector-wide multi-billion pound income losses are deemed highly speculative. And it would, we were told, create a moral hazard to bail out authorities that had made unwise commercial investments, upon the success of which they are reliant. Mr Jenrick made no mention of the fact councils have done this the vast majority of them acting responsibly to try to recoup the funding they have lost at the hands of Conservative ministers.

To ignore councils dire straits amounts to delusional, head-in-sand, ostrich leadership. While the exact size of each councils shortfall for the rest of 2020-21 is uncertain, one thing is clear: unless far more funding than the current 3.2bn arrives, councils will collapse and local services will be decimated. Does Mr Jenrick really want that? Councils are having to take decisions now about expenditure for the rest of the year and need a clear commitment that their budget shortfalls will be covered. Mr Jenrick diluted his promises, condemning local service users to misery just as Boris Johnson was pledging no return to austerity, a meaningless statement unless backed by resources.

On the second theme, councils have been regularly undermined by the centre (despite the belated move which went live today for directors of public health to lead on care home testing). Councils have been bypassed on contact tracing, coordination of volunteers and sharing of data for the shielding service. The social care workforce has often been near the back of the queue for personal protective equipment while deaths in care homes were not even included in NHS England daily statistics for most of the crisis to date. And why have we not seen James Jamieson or Mark Lloyd, respectively the chair and chief executive of the Local Government Association, behind a lectern at the Downing Street briefing? They havent been invited because councils are not seen as a sufficiently important partner by the centre.

All of this undermines the effort to reduce the spread and impact of coronavirus. While aspects of the central response have been impressive, government incompetence, wilful blindness and control freakery are hindering councils efforts. Perhaps the greatest challenge now is rebuilding shattered local economies an operation that can only be successful if undertaken by empowered, properly funded local leaders. Every central action needs to be scrutinised, questioned and debated to ensure it aids the local response to coronavirus because at present too many are thwarting it. As Britains Covid-19 death rate soars higher than the rest of Europe there is a moral imperative to ask why? and can we as a nation do better?.

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The centre's wilful blindness and control freakery hinders the Covid response - Local Government Chronicle

COLUMBIA, Md., May 5, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The Foundation Fighting Blindnesshas transformed all VisionWalk in-person events scheduled to take place through June 2020, into one nationwide virtual experience taking place on Saturday, June 6, 2020. This National Virtual VisionWalk Day is a new opportunity for communities to still come together, virtually, and celebrate the Foundation's accomplishments of funding research leading to treatments and cures for blinding retinal diseases.

On June 6th, the Foundation is asking VisionWalk participants to take a walk around their block, on the treadmill, or step in spirit and show how they're celebrating using #VisionWalkStrong on social media.

"Our VisionWalks may look different this year, but our mission to find treatments and cures is unchanging," says Michele DiVincenzo, vice president, events. "We are so thankful for our VisionWalk community's continued support during these difficult times. Now more than ever, we need to stand strong together and make a difference in fighting blindness."

Throughout its 15-year history and through the generosity of more than 200,000 walkers, donors, and corporate sponsors, VisionWalk has raised more than $55 million. These funds have enabled the Foundation to continue advancing its important mission of moving vision-restoring treatments from the laboratory to the patients who need them. Vision science is making great strides today more than 38 potential treatments are in clinical trials but there is still more work to do.

Join the National Virtual VisionWalk on Saturday, June 6, 2020 by visiting, VisionWalk.org.Together, we step closer to fighting blindness.

For more information, contact Michele DiVincenzo at [emailprotected] or (847) 549-1523.

About the Foundation Fighting BlindnessEstablished in 1971, the Foundation Fighting Blindness is the world's leading private funding source for retinal degenerative disease research. The Foundation has raised more than $760 million toward its mission of accelerating research for preventing, treating, and curing blindness caused by the entire spectrum of retinal degenerative diseases including: retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, Usher syndrome, and Stargardt disease. Visit FightingBlindness.org for more information.

Media Contacts:

Michele DiVincenzo

Chris Adams

Vice President, Events

Vice President, Marketing & Communications

[emailprotected]

[emailprotected]

(847) 549-1523

(410) 423-0585

SOURCE Foundation Fighting Blindness

http://www.FightBlindness.org

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Foundation Fighting Blindness Announces National Virtual VisionWalk Day - PRNewswire

Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), researchers have developed a quick test to identify which people with glaucoma are at risk of rapid progression to blindness.

A new test can detect glaucoma progression 18 months earlier than the current gold standard method, said the study published in the journal Expert Review of Molecular Diagnostics.

Glaucoma, the leading global cause of irreversible blindness, affects over 60 million people, which is predicted to double by 2040 as the global population ages.

Loss of sight in glaucoma is caused by the death of cells in the retina, at the back of the eye.

Being able to diagnose glaucoma at an earlier stage, and predict its course of progression, could help people to maintain their sight, as treatment is most successful if provided at an early stage of the disease, said study first author Eduardo Normando from Imperial College London.

The test, called DARC (Detection of Apoptosing Retinal Cells), involves injecting into the bloodstream (via the arm) a fluorescent dye that attaches to retinal cells, and illuminates those that are in the process of apoptosis, a form of programmed cell death.

Also read: Earth Day 2020: Using artificial intelligence to save coral reefs

The damaged cells appear bright white when viewed in eye examinations -- the more damaged cells detected, the higher the DARC count.

One challenge with evaluating eye diseases is that specialists often disagree when viewing the same scans, so the researchers have incorporated an AI algorithm into their method.

In the Phase II clinical trial of DARC, the AI was used to assess 60 of the study participants -- 20 with glaucoma and 40 healthy control subjects.

Also read: Huawei onboards Indian firms AI-driven keyboard into AppGallery

The AI was initially trained by analysing the retinal scans (after injection of the dye) of the healthy control participants.

The AI was then tested on the glaucoma patients.

Those taking part in the AI study were followed up 18 months after the main trial period to see whether their eye health had deteriorated.

The researchers were able to accurately predict progressive glaucomatous damage 18 months before that seen with the current gold standard OCT retinal imaging technology, as every patient with a DARC count over a certain threshold was found to have progressive glaucoma at follow-up.

These results are very promising as they show DARC could be used as a biomarker when combined with the AI-aided algorithm, said lead researcher Francesca Cordeiro from University College London (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology.

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AI helps spot early signs of glaucoma progression to blindness - Hindustan Times

Express News Service

NEW DELHI:As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to rage across the world, people from all walks of life, including the differently abled, are profoundly impacted by the new normal. The Morning Standardspoke to RN Mohanty, CEO of Sightsavers India, on the kind of impact the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have on the sight-impaired in India.

How did Sightsavers begin? What was the mission then, and has it changed since?

After being blinded in an accident at age 12, Sir John Wilson spent his life advocating for people with visual impairments. He began plans to establish a non-government organisation to address the prevention of blindness and provide rehabilitation of those whose sight couldnt be saved. And so, on January 5, 1950, the British Empire Society for the Blind, as Sightsavers was originally known, was born. Since 1966, in India, Sightsavers has been working to eliminate avoidable blindness and that the irreversibly blind people are supported adequately to lead lives of independence and dignity. Sightsavers focusses on collaborating with various state government departments to scale up operations for the three core areas of work: eye health, inclusive education and social inclusion.

How are the facilities for the sight-impaired in India, especially compared to other countries?

India is home to a third of the worlds blind population. The country has about 12 million individuals with visual impairment as against the global total of 39 million, according to a report published by the National Programme for Control of Blindness (NPCB). Despite this, when it comes to accessibility of education, healthcare and employment, the visually impaired are cut off. Only 29.16 percent of the blind in India are part of the education system as per a survey conducted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT). The prevalence of blindness is higher among population having lower socio-economic status. Females are found to have a higher preponderance of blindness as compared to males, and the prevalence is significantly higher in rural areas.

What are some of the professions that you help the sight-impaired get into?

We work to change the attitudes of communities, schools and governments by ensuring they adopt socially inclusive policies towards people with disabilities so that they are treated with dignity and are not denied their rights to appropriate healthcare, education and income. We work to equip people with disabilities with the skills (daily living, vocational training), tools and assistance they need to earn a living and lead an independent life. Animal rearing, agriculture, small businesses, poultry farming, shops for daily needs and groceries, tailoring, teaching, and computer operators are a few of the jobs and roles that our beneficiaries undertake.

Has the ongoing pandemic brought up new hurdles for the sight-impaired?

On a global level, Sightsavers is focusing on the impact of COVID-19 on people with disabilities, who are being disproportionally affected, both in terms of potentially being more at risk and less able to access health services, and also in terms of impact on the support services they require. Activities include coordinating with partners, and if needed governments, to ensure responses to the global pandemic are inclusive of people with disabilities; taking extra precautions to safeguard staff and partners in a higher risk category of developing serious symptoms from COVID-19. We will be reviewing and updating these activities as the pandemic continues as appropriate.

How can the authorities help alleviate conditions for the sight-impaired in the pandemic?

People with disabilities may be at greater risk of contracting COVID-19 because of barriers to implementing basic hygiene measures, such as handwashing. They may have difficulty in enacting social distancing because of additional support needs, barriers to accessing public health information.People with disabilities may also be disproportionately impacted by the outbreak because of serious disruptions to the services they rely on. Hence, they need additional considerations during these times.

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INTERVIEW | Sight-impaired in India are more affected by COVID-19 pandemic: RN Mohanty - The New Indian Express

Geetha Manjunath was working in AI R&D for multinational companies such as Xerox when she got the news that a close cousin had breast cancer. A few months later, her husbands cousin also received the same diagnosis. Both women were under 45 years of age, and this came as a shock to Geetha.

Working with technology and AI for several companies operating in space of healthcare, transport, and more, Geetha felt the need to startup in the healthcare space.

The startups patented product Thermalytix is a portable, non-invasive, radiation-free, and non-contact solution for early-stage detection of breast cancer. It works by measuring the temperature of the chest region, and generating a report. . It has over 30 installations at hospitals and diagnostic centres across 10 Indian cities.

In February last year, Niramai raised $6 million funding led by Japanese VC firm Dream Incubator, Beenext, and other investors.

Founders of Niramai - Nidhi Mathur and Geetha Manjunath

The team has been working on the idea since June 2014 and collaborating with hospitals since then to collect data and develop the initial AI model. The founders started full product development and AI fine-tuning in January 2017, and got the first reference commercial installation for the end-to-end solution by September that year.

The solution aims to enable automated screening of the population by detecting likely COVID-19 infected people. It does this by checking for fever and associated respiratory diseases using Thermalytix, which uses AL algorithms over thermal images.

The screening can be done by a health worker, reducing the pressure on clinical testing. The Fever Test solution can be deployed at the entrance of any facility, including apartments, offices, malls, hospitals, and more.

The solution was pilot-tested at a biotechnology company in March 2020.

When Niramai started out, Geetha had thought of methods other than mammography. A few researchers in the US had mentioned thermography, but the founders realised that healthcare institutions did not use thermography due to the prevailing accuracy issues.

On why they chose the thermography model, Geetha explains that there are limited methods of detecting breast cancer. The most common is mammography, which tries to find malignant lumps in the breast using density differences. Geetha says it uses X-rays, and the lumps are seen as white.

Geetha says one cannot go for a mammography more than once every two years as it can cause radiation problems. Also, women under the age of 40 have denser breasts; this means the entire breast appears white in a mammography for a woman under 40.

This eliminates over 50 percent women from getting a regular breast cancer test. Also, a mammography can be extremely painful and uncomfortable.

The Niramai team developed a novel technology to identify early-stage breast abnormalities in a privacy-aware, radiation-free way that is effective for women of all age groups.

Our technology works well on women of all age groups. We provide preventative breast health screening solutions in hospitals and diagnostic centres. Since our solution is portable, age-agnostic, and has zero radiation, we can also do the test outside hospital premises and help women in rural areas as well. These benefits very effectively address the concerns and limitations for greater adoption of screening for women across all segments. Early detection saves lives, Geetha says.

The solution automatically generates detailed quantitative reports with clinical parameters and estimates the likelihood of cancer. These scores help doctors make quick and more accurate decisions.

Our first technical solution was to identify the location of the tumour in a cancer patient. Then, we thought since the solution has no side effects and can detect very small lesions, why not use it for screening all women as a preventive measure. The initial research experiments were done in my previous organisation as a side project, Geetha recalls.

Before building a complete solution, the team needed to do clinical testing on real patients and showcase results that highlighted the benefit of the solution over existing methods. Once the AI model was in place, they needed to conceptualise and develop the complete product offering.

In January 2018, the team received its first request from an NGO to buy the solution. Niramai also partnered with Karnataka Cancer Society to evolve the usage for population screening.

Geetha says the team started generating screening camp-level reports, and improvised the solution to generate triaging reports automatically in real time.

Niramai now has two different products. The first is for population screening, and gives red/yellow/green signals.This helps a camp organiser decide whether the woman needs to be sent to hospital for a detailed check. The second, for diagnostic centres, offers detailed reports that help radiologists take informed decisions.

The first product required the team to review every image for quality. An expert radiologists review was used for each and every report for almost a year to ensure this.

Meanwhile, the team also began working on increasing the accuracy of the model for automated reporting.

The Niramai founders realised they needed more technological advancements when they put the solution in the hands of health workers.This was critical as they could make many mistakes while imaging, and it was important to adhere to protocols.

We developed novel image-quality check algorithms that now enable us to give instructions to the technician on correct image capture and help with real-time report generation, which we currently use for screening camps, Geetha says.

The team continues to do clinical trials on complicated cancer cases to make the algorithms smarter so they can identify all types of cancer while reducing false alarms.

The key challenge was convincing hospitals and doctors to try the new solution. The fact that it had no side-effects helped.

Early on, the team also partnered with a radiologist to give a certified report to the hospital so that concerns about medico-legal issues were resolved. This meant getting clearance from DCGI for the test.

The team chose available off-the-shelf hardware instead of developing a thermal sensor. This gave Niramai a good start as it did not have to wait for CE or FDA clearance.

When we saw low uptake in hospital walk-ins, we started an outreach business model for screening camps in corporate offices and rural areas. That gave a jump-start in screening numbers. Competing in contests and accelerator programmes enabled us to get some visibility, public attention, and allowed networking with key hospitals, says Geetha.

Creating awareness amongst people about preventative tests to ensure wellness, particularly encouraging women to take a cancer test, was also a challenge.

The team now aims to use its patented technology to help detect other diseases.

In April 2019, Niramai announced that it would leverage Thermalytix to detect the presence of parasitic worm Onchocerca volvulus, which causes Onchocerciasis (river blindness) and significant disability. The disease is common in remote African villages, and has affected nearly 17 million people.

Niramais non-invasive method is expected to help assess the efficacy of new drugs being developed to control river blindness by killing the adult worms, and accelerate elimination of the disease. The project has raised funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

(Edited by Teja Lele Desai)

How has the coronavirus outbreak disrupted your life? And how are you dealing with it? Write to us or send us a video with subject line 'Coronavirus Disruption' to editorial@yourstory.com

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[Product Roadmap] From breast cancer to river blindness, Niramai is using tech to simplify detection - YourStory

"Flair is what marks the difference between artistry and mere competence."- William T. Riker

There are many definitions of art.

To some, it is a painting hanging on a gallery wall. To others, it's a poem. Perhaps it's the film of a favorite director, or the story of a beloved author. Similarly, there are many definitions of artist. A painter. A writer. A musician. Each one explores their respective outlet for numerous reasons, and each hopes that, in the end, they'll have brought some semblance of enjoyment to those who experience it.

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Now, while I by no means fancy myself an artist, I do see myself as a creative person. I enjoy writing and, in more recent years, I've taken to the field of photography. However, while most shutterbugs look to sunsets, landscapes and changing seasons for their inspiration, my subjects range from Starships to Vulcans and even the occasional Starfleet officer.

If you haven't guessed it by now, I'm a toy photographer one who puts a pretty big emphasis on the world of Star Trek. Since looking through the lens as it were, I've been privileged enough to work alongside the likes of Diamond Select Toys, McFarlane Toys, QMx and even CBS to bring Gene Roddenberry's wagon train to the stars to life in pictorial form.

Why do I do it, you ask? It's not for popularity or prominence. Nor is it for riches or recognition. Rather, I look to the many mysteries of the final frontier simply as a means to escape my pain.

---

I was born prematurely in the Fall of 1985. As such, the gnawing pain of cerebral palsy and the uncertainty of partial blindness have been my constant companions throughout the last 34 years. Mobility is very difficult, and I can oftentimes find myself racked with weeks worth of excruciating pain from something as simple as dancing around with my six year old daughter.

As one can imagine, I've spent a fair bit of time within the depths of despair as a result of this rather unique situation. In fact, feelings of worthlessness aren't afraid to beam down and spend time with me more often than I would like.

Where is Geordi La Forge when you need him, right? Yet, while this situation can be less than ideal, it is my time behind the lens that really allows me to cope.

Growing up, I developed an interest in pop culture. And Star Trek always held a special place in my heart. Not only did it feature a diverse crew of friends hurtling through space seeking out new life and new civilizations, but Starfleet was never above including disabled individuals on their galaxy spanning adventures.

Geordi. Nog. Pike. Picard. They all dealt with disability, pain, or trauma sometimes all three ranging from blindness to artificial parts. And yet, they all enjoyed inclusion and acceptance amongst their peers, which really struck a chord with me as I grew up. What a difference from the world I lived in! A world where you were made fun of in gym class for limping, where 'friends' stopped inviting you to parties because you just too sore to dance, or where you were beat up for wearing a leg brace. These were never problems faced by the crew of the Enterpriseand, it was a world I longed to be a part of.

As I mentioned, I eventually got into toy photography. And, it was the adventures of the Starship Enterprise that would inspire my work most of all.

At first, I was quite apprehensive to take up the hobby. After all, bad eyesight and shaky hands don't exactly bode well for someone looking to express themselves through photos. However, thanks to the unending love and support from a truly wonderful wife, I decided to push forward.

Sure, most of the initial images were terribly out of focus, and those that weren't ended up as little more than plain old glamor shots against a simple white background. But, I persevered. Eventually, my photos began to improve, and I began experimenting the more comfortable I became. Granted, I don't have a fancy camera. Nor do I have any portable lighting, or state of the art photo software. What I do have though is a three-year-old cellphone, a six-year-old tablet, and the love of a franchise that forever reminds me we can do anything we put our minds to with or without personal defects.

As I plan, prepare backdrops and sketch out ideas, I find myself distracted. Not from family, friends, or life. No, but distracted from the constant aches and pains that have plagued me these last 34 years. Yes, they are still there, but as I snapshot Kirk exploring a strange new world, they're just not as prevalent.

When I photograph, I don't think about the dull ache in my knee, or the sharp pains in my feet. Instead, those issues seem lightyears away as I instead focus on what new and exciting adventure I can send Picard, Kirk or Spock on next. At the same time, the feelings of worthlessness seem to disappear with the completion of each new project. Yes it's a hobby, but it's also an escape. A distraction that puts me right in the midst of one of the grandest adventures the galaxy has ever known.

No, I don't fancy myself an artist. Nor do I do this for popularity or prominence. Rather, I snap these pictures simply as a means to trek through the pain. That said, like any good artist, I do hope those who experience my work walk away with a semblance of joy. Because, after all, isn't that really what matters most?

Never be afraid to follow your passions. Most importantly, never allow disabilities to hold you back. Who knows? With a little inspiration, you too may soon find yourself taking to the stars!

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John DeQuadros is a writer and toy photographer based in Ontario, Canada. You can find a portfolio of his work on Instagram & Twitter right now @RipRocketPix

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Trekking Through the Pain - Star Trek

BY SCOTT FUQUACandidate for District AttorneyFirst Judicial District

I read Ms. Padgett-Macias letterwith some interest, and not just because I was its principal subject. It was interesting to me because it omits what I and many others consider to be the most important abilities a District Attorney must have the ability to manage and the ability to lead.

Ms. Padgett-Macias is wrong to assert that I have no criminal law experience. In my eight years at the Attorney Generals Office, I argued over 40 cases to the New Mexico Supreme Court, and several of those cases dealt with both substantive and procedural criminal law issues.

I have, though, never been a prosecutor. Until about a year and a half ago, neither had Ms. Carmack-Altwies, who spent her career as a criminal defense attorney. And learning that never having been a prosecutor disqualifies one for the office of District Attorney would come as big surprise to several District Attorneys all over the country, including Larry Krasner, elected to be Philadelphias District Attorney two years ago. Hes successfully enacted sweeping reforms in part precisely because he is not a career prosecutor and brings a fresh perspective to the job.

The example Ms. Padgett-Macias chooses to illustrate my alleged ignorance of criminal law is illuminating, though not at all for the reason she suggests. The comments with which she takes issue concerning the seizure of vehicles owned by repeat DWI offenders were made in an online forum hosted by the Santa Fe County Federation of Democratic Women. As Ms. Padgett-Macias acknowledges, the City of Santa Fe has, in fact, seized the vehicles of repeat DWI offenders. I never suggested that any such program exists in Los Alamos County (or Rio Arriba County).

Whats most puzzling about Ms. Padgett-Macias comments is her apparent disagreement with the assertion that a repeat DWI offender the number used for illustration purposes was seven offenses is struggling with alcoholism. I know, and knew at the time of my comments, that the State imposes a mandatory minimum sentence for repeat DWI offenses. But I also know that incarceration has utterly failed to address the problem. The empirical evidence is simply irrefutable if incarceration solved the problem, we wouldnt have repeat DWI offenders of this magnitude. Without treatment, nothing changes. The refusal to recognize as much amounts to willful blindness to the root cause of what Ms. Padgett-Macias correctly identifies as a scourge of this District. While Ms. Carmack-Altwies has seemed in our limited interactions to agree that repeat DWI offenders will continue to be repeat offenders without treatment, Ms. Padgett-Macias letter now leaves me unsure. If we want to keep a person with seven DWIs from getting an eighth, were fooling ourselves if we think putting him or her in jail will accomplish that goal. Decades of experience tell us that it wont, and it is too bad that Ms. Padgett-Macias and her chosen candidate dont see that. Treating repeat DWIs with the utmost seriousness and determination, to use Ms. Padgett-Macias phrase, requires making our best attempt to prevent additional DWIs by the offender. That, in turn, requires treatment. Without it, it doesnt matter how long the term of incarceration is.

But the bigger issue with Ms. Padgett-Macias letter is that it ignores entirely the most important experience the elected District Attorney must have the ability to lead and manage the office. Ms. Carmack-Altwies has spent the last approximately year and a half managing four attorneys in one division in the office. During that time, at least one attorney under her supervision was sanctioned for failing to disclose evidence to a defendant within the time required by law.

For four years I supervised approximately 18 attorneys and staff members in the Litigation Division of the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office. The division handled the Attorney Generals litigation across the entire state and achieved great results for the state and its citizens. I learned quickly that my job as a manager was to make sure that the attorneys and staff in my division knew what the litigation and policy priorities of the office were, to make sure that they had the resources they needed to do their jobs, and to then get out of the way and let them do those jobs. On this point, Ms. Carmack-Altwies seemingly disagrees, telling the audience in a candidate forum hosted by the Los Alamos chapter of the League of Women Voters that the role of the District Attorney is, essentially, to tell the other attorneys in the office how to do their jobs. That kind of micromanagement is singularly ineffective.

The office needs leadership, and specifically the kind I provided at the Attorney Generals Office. It is leadership I look forward to having the opportunity to provide at the First Judicial District Attorneys Office as well.

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Ability To Lead And Manage Matters In District Attorneys Office - Los Alamos Reporter

UK-based investor Tej Kohli and his wifecreated a foundation to improve the health of citizens throughout the world.His philanthropic efforts are second to none, and his foundation isaggressively working to cure corneal blindness. They intend to meet their goalof finding a cure by 2035.

He is also very interested in artificial intelligence. Because of cutting edge technology like Siri and Alexa, Kohli is projecting the industry to be $150 trillion. He has invested heavily in artificial intelligence in the same way an average person might invest in the stock market. Kohli envisions artificial intelligence contributing to the cure of blindness, which will improve the health of poor countries across the world.

Kohli and hisfamily live in London, and his community outreach has been beneficial to thepeople of the United Kingdom. He has developed a career spanning many industries and positivelyinfluencing many people.

Tej Kohli hasmany passions, but his strongest interest is in finding a cure for cornealblindness. He has devoted much of the efforts of his non-profit foundationtowards this cause. But, he and his wife have also led their foundation toprovide amenities such as education to the under-privileged. His legacy andimpact on the world is far-reaching.

The Kohlis haveused their own personal money to fund their foundation, and to add to thesupport of finding a cure. Without their resources, scientists would not be asclose to finding a cure as they are.

The majority ofpeople with visual impairments and blindness are living in some of the poorestcountries in the world. Curing blindness will go a long way towards improvingthe overall health and well-being of impoverished regions. This is trulyKohlis passion. He wants to use artificial intelligence to create a cure, andhe wants to use a cure to improve the health of citizens worldwide.

No good leaderwould be complete without also working as a mentor for the next generation.Kohli has this passion for mentoring young entrepreneurs. His company, KohliVentures, leads his entrepreneur endeavors. The focus of these efforts are ontechnological companies in areas like artificial intelligence and robotics, andhe has already led several young entrepreneurs in their endeavors in thesearenas.

He is relying onhis investment in artificial intelligence to directly affect the other causeshe cares about in global health. By improving robotics and computerintelligence, that can directly correlate to improving global health andpossibly curing corneal blindness. All of Kohlis interests tie together withan overall goal of improving global matters.

By investing in artificial intelligence, Kohli hopes to curediseases, which will in turn improve the quality of life throughout the world.

Aworld traveler and true global citizen, Tej Kohli lives full-time with his wifeand two children in London. In his free time, when he can break away from hisphilanthropic efforts, he also enjoys giving back to the community in London.

BY Elliot Preece - May 6, 2020

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Tej Kohli Works to Improve Health of Impoverished Countries - FinancialNews.co.uk

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Val Sheffield is pivoting his research focus to find a way to test patients without using high demand cotton swabs.

University of Iowa Molecular Genetics Chair in the Carver College of Medicine Val Sheffield has made research breakthroughs in linking gene research and was recently named to a prestigious American research institutes class of 2020.

But amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Sheffield is pivoting his work to research an alternate way to test patients for novel coronavirus to alleviate a nationwide shortage of the parts in a COVID-19 test.

Sheffield and his team submitted a document April 1 to the FDA requesting emergency-use authorization to utilize a patient-sample collection method for COVID-19 testing.

My laboratory decided early on that we have the capability to help with [COVID-19] testing, Sheffield said. Testing is really important, but its behind where it should be because there arent enough official, FDA-approved swabs to collect samples from patients For the last month weve been trying to get FDA approval for our testing method where patients snort through the nose and spit into a tube, and the saliva sample is tested for the virus.

When the method is approved by the FDA, Sheffield said researchers can use it to test anyone. The most common coronavirus tests involve inserting a long cotton swab into a patients nostril. Sheffield anticipates beginning testing soon, with a limited number of patients in a study that will be the final step in getting FDA approval.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds launched Test Iowa, a partnership between the state and private technology companies Domo, Qualtrics, and NomiHealth. But, the Test Iowa equipment was pending certification by the State Hygienic Lab to run tests as of Friday.

In Iowa, tests are being prioritized for those over the age of 60, with chronic health conditions, are in the hospital, or live in congregate living facilities such as a nursing home.

Iowa has tested more than 63,000 people and reported more than 10,000 cases as of Wednesday. Reynolds is using widespread testing as a signal that the state can begin the steps of reopening, seemingly going against the advice of University of Iowa researchers, who concluded that a second wave of COVID-19 cases could emerge without precautions in place.

In late April, amid his shifting work, Sheffield was elected to the 2020 class of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Sheffield began as a faculty member at the UI 30 years ago and contributes to campus clinical work and research. He started as an assistant professor and has since branched out to administrative work, instruction, and research. He served as the UI Division Director of Medical Genetics for 22 years and stepped down in January to spend more time on research.

RELATED: National registrar association awards Sarah Harris with honorary membership after 30 years at UI

Sheffield has co-authored 330 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and said he has found supportive and outstanding collaborators who have been pivotal to his researchs success in his time at the UI.

My research focuses on hereditary blindness, he said. Ive worked on identifying genes that play a role in hereditary blindness. More recently, my team and I have been focusing on figuring out mechanisms by which mutations cause disease and developing treatments.

Sheffield said that his election has reinforced his obligation to serve and help others with his science. This will continue to fuel his desire to work hard and continue to further his research, Sheffield said.

David Ginsburg, James V. Neel Distinguished university professor at the University of Michigan Medical School, is also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He first met Sheffield at the Howard Hughes Medical Institution.

Ginsburg said Sheffields research has been crucial to developing human genetic maps. Only a few academic scientists are elected to the U.S. organization a year, and Ginsburg said Sheffields election was well deserved.

Val is a fantastic physician scientist, Ginsburg said. Hes done landmark work figuring out what gene is defective for a whole variety of different, rare genetic diseases. He was one of the real pioneers tracking down these genes. He identified where the corresponding disease gene is located in our chromosomes for about 35 diseases When I was in medical school, we only knew the responsible gene for one human disease Today, we know the gene for about 6,000 human diseases, and Val was one of the early leaders in this work.

Ginsburg said he has seen how much members of the organization can grow once theyre inducted. Sheffield will be able to continue expanding his horizons in academia when he is inducted next spring, he added.

A big part of what drives what we do in academic medicine is interaction with colleagues and the new ideas that you get when meeting, talking, and interacting with colleagues in diverse fields, he said. Thats one of the greatest things the American Academy has to offer. I know it will give Val an opportunity to expand his research and intellectual contributions to the academic enterprise.

According to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences website, the 240-year-old American Academy of Arts and Sciences was founded by John Adams and John Hancock and aims to recognize scholars and leaders in various disciplines. Sheffield joins 11 other Hawkeyes already in the organization, including UI Cardiovascular Research Chair and Professor Francois Abboud.

Abboud said Sheffield, who he has known since 1990, is an internationally recognized leader in the field of human molecular genetics and genomics as well as someone he admires.

[Sheffield] is more than a great scientist, Abboud said. Ive always been impressed by his true commitment to his patients. What drives his scientific research is his extraordinary commitment to the patients. Science is his true passion. He is a brilliant scientist and an even more remarkable person.

Excerpt from:
University of Iowa molecular genetics researcher studying COVID-19 testing methods to alleviate test shortages - UI The Daily Iowan

Photos courtesy Newark Venture Partners

Matt Smith gives a presentation on Speak2 Software's possibilities for seniors in long-term care facilities.

The COVID-19 crisis in New Jersey has create a layer of difficulty for those trying to communicate with their loved ones in long-term care facilities.

Speak2, an app-based system created by Newark-based Speak2 Software, feels it has a solution.

CEO Matt Smith said his firms technology, which takes advantage of Amazon Alexa-like technology, will enable families to easily communicate with loved ones.

The software is used at wellness community Sycamore Living in East Hanover and soon to be installed at Reformed Church Home in Old Bridge and a Sycamore Living in the Princeton area.

Smith said the technology can be a benefit long after the pandemic is over. Among other reasons, Smith said Speak2 helps connect families that struggle with technology. Its voice-activated messaging system is designed especially for those who struggle with devices or interfaces, such as blindness or physical handicaps, he said.

And Speak2s integrated voice technology integrates with a seniors address book, allowing them to connect with friends or family through voice command calls or speak-to-text functions, without the difficulty of locating or using a phone. Smith said users can ask for help and signal emergency services by simply saying so out loud no swiping, reading or screens required.

Matt Smith, CEO of Speak2 Software.

Smith, a former health care technology consultant, said he saw the need.

I noticed the struggles that some older people have with devices when my parents were aging, he said. We looked for solutions, but there were only things such as wellness portals, which werent much of a solution.

When Amazon Dot and Echo came along a device designed at a reasonable price point for consumers it didnt take long for its users to become comfortable with the technology. Soon after that, people were enjoying smart-home features such as Google Home.

Speak2 enables seniors to receive and listen to messages through voice activation. It also enables seniors to contact support staff at their facilities or from their homes.

Smith said his product has had a nice unintended consequence: increased communication from grandchildren.

Children are not always ones who will pick up the phone and call their grandparents, he said. But being able to do this by downloading our app, they can press a microphone button on the app and send well wishes or good news from the app on their phone. For example, Hey Grandpa, we won our soccer game today. Kids are much more willing to engage with an app.

Seniors receive activation notices that messages have arrived and can play them. The system also is compatible with Amazon Screens, so family and friends can send video messages.

Smith said the platform also connects to the communitys management, allowing residents to state specific issues or requests and routing commands to the intended teams or people, such as management, maintenance, nursing, etc.

Even more, it alerts families of these very same requests, so they know exactly what is going on with their loved ones. This not only enables more efficient management of resources, but it enables predictive analytics to drive better planning and staff behaviors.

The Speak2 system connects to unit thermostats, lights and electronics, eliminating the need for remotes and minimizing the risk of injury due to a fall. Seniors can also use voice commands to access entertainment through audio books or TV control and can set reminders for medications or appointments. The system can also be used to monitor movements in and out of certain areas to help track medical issues, like mobility, nutrition or lavatory visits.

Speak2 announced in April that it will be offering its voice technology platform for free to seniors living at home and in assisted living communities during the coronavirus pandemic.

Smith is eager to install his system in Old Bridge and Princeton, but state restrictions prevent him from entering those centers during the pandemic.

He said his software is ideal to use in hospitals, and it is soon to be HIPAA compliant. Amazon is in the process of making its devices HIPAA-compliant and, once that occurs (it is expected to happen by years end), Speak2 Software is positioned to conform as well.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic gripped the U.S., Reformed Church Home and Sycamore Senior Living have signed on for the free offering, receiving donated Echo Dot devices from Amazon.

Today, more than 250 seniors have access to the tech, Smith said. Regency Pacific, a national brand of senior communities, and English Meadows, a Virginia-based company with eight communities, previously rolled out Speak2 to their residents.

This has been particularly helpful at a time when most senior communities are prohibiting visitors due to health concerns, Smith said. Loneliness and mental health already impact senior citizens at disproportionate levels, so engagement during this time is critical.

Related

Originally posted here:
Newark company feels Speak2 software can help families better communicate with those in long-term care facilities - ROI-NJ.com

Did God send covid-19?

Some far right fundamentalist Christian pastors do claim that God sent this pestilence and blame various groups, LGBTQ people, Jews, apostate churches and the entire sinful world. Some more influential evangelical pastors like Robert Jeffress are a little more subtle but nonetheless connect this pandemic to God. Jeffress, "All natural disasters can ultimately be traced to sin." Franklin Graham doesn't think it is God's plan but, "It's because of the sin that's in the world. Man has turned his back on God." Other more moderate and liberal Christian leaders absolve God of any culpability in this pestilence or plague and say that sin has no connection to covid-19.

Some point to John 9:3 where Jesus explained that no one's sin caused a man to be born blind from birth, "...but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Notice that Jesus says there was a purpose for the man being born blind therefore, it must have been planned. According to God himself, blindness is not just a happenstance, "Who gives them (humans) sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord?" Exodus 4:11. Also, "I create disaster." (evil KJV) Isaiah 45:7 "I create"= present tense. In Colossians 1:16 it is Jesus who created all things visible and invisible!

God planned everything before he created the world, (1 Peter 1:20, Ephesians 1:4, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Corinthians 2:7 and Titus 1:2). God also controls everything to conform to his purpose. (Ephesians 1:11). God has sent pestilence on his chosen people numerous times and killed thousands, in Chapter 24 of 2 Samuel, God sent a pestilence on the people of Israel and killed 70,000 men for no good reason except that he was punishing a sin of David.

The Apostle Paul says that God makes everything work out according to his plan. Ephesians 1:11. In "The Purpose Driven Life" Pastor Rick Warren writes, "[God] planned the days of your life in advance, choosing the exact time of your birth and death. The Bible says, 'You saw me before I was born and scheduled each day of my life before I began to breathe. Every day was recorded in your Book!'" (Psalm 139:16 TLB). So, God planned and scheduled the exact time and circumstances for each covid-19 victim's birth and death,

That is the biblical truth, so help me God!

Oren Piper

Siloam Springs

Editorial on 05/06/2020

Print Headline: Letter to the Editor

Continue reading here:
Letter to the Editor - NWAOnline

Star Wars: The Clone Wars has finally come to its end, and the final season added some expansive (and tragic) depth to the Skywalker Saga prequels. One of the most important storylines Clone Wars had left to tell was that of Ahsoka Tano, Anakin Skywalker's former padawan, and how she managed to escape Order 66 and the eradication of the Jedi Order. Clone Wars revealed that Ahsoka was locked in battle with Darth Maul up to during the events of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith, and that conflict raised a major question that Star Wars fans are now debating:

Could Ahsoka Tano have saved Anakin Skywalker from falling to the dark side, and becoming Darth Vader, and the entire Jedi Order from collapsing?

The question about Ahsoka's pivotal moment comes up in the penultimate episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, "The Phantom Apprentice" and "Shattered". Ahsoka Tano had to lead the Siege of Mandalore alone, as Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi were called away to rescue Chancellor Palpatine from Count Dooku and General Grievous (as seen in the opening sequence of Revenge of the Sith). When Ahsoka confronts Maul, the dark side crimelord reveals to her that he senses his former master Darth Sidious' plan is about to be carried out, and that Anakin Skywalker is Sidious' chosen apprentice. Ahsoka doesn't believe Maul's warning, thinking it's a dark side mind-trick.

When Ahsoka eventually wins her duel with Maul, she takes him into custody. We then see a new version of a key scene from Revenge of the Sith, in which Mace Windu and Yoda and the Jedi Council begin to realize that Palpatine may be an evil threat. Clone Wars adds a scene where Ahsoka joins that same meeting mid-broadcast, and steps on into one of the most pivotal moments in the entire Skywalker Saga. Even though Yoda and Windu hint that Palpatine could be a major threat, Ahsoka chooses not to mention anything about what Maul tried to warn her about. That choice obviously has fans now debating if Ahsoka didn't let one of the darkest events in the galaxy unfold, when she could've potentially stopped it.

However, anyone who watched The Clone Wars will almost certainly argue something different. The entire point of Ahsoka's story is that she fell out with the Jedi Order because she thought they had lost their way - and as it turns out, she was right. It's been examined in everything from Star Wars Rebels to the Original Trilogy films, as surviving Jedi like Obi-Wan, Yoda, or Kanan all struggle with the hindsight that the Jedi Order got too into politics and war to see the Sith threat against them with clarity. That blindness led to the rise of the dark side across the galaxy - but it was a blindness that Ahsoka didn't share. Ahsoka stayed on her own path and followed the light, and when her former masters were either dead, hiding, or corrupted, she fought on in their place and helped steer the galaxy back into the light, and bring balance back to the Force (see: Star Wars Rebels), and apparently did so more than once (see: The Rise of Skywalker).

If the Jedi Order had listened to and trusted in Ahsoka more, it may have lasted longer.

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is now streaming on Disney+.

Disclosure: ComicBook is owned by CBS Interactive, a division of ViacomCBS.

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Star Wars: Could Ahsoka Have Saved Anakin Skywalker and the Jedi Order? - ComicBook.com

New research results show promise in treating people who are blind.

The National Eye Institute funded the study, which is research considered to be ethical.

Dr. David Prentice of the Charlotte Lozier Institute says there have been discussions over using adult stem cells to restore sight, which he calls a different tack for advancing science and medicine.

It's still an ethical way to go about this, he observes. There's no embryonic stem cells, no fetal tissue, none of this unethical type of research direction.

What the scientists did was turn a skin cell directly into a photoreceptor for vision then transplanted it.

Prenticeadvises the testing is very preliminary after the experiment on mice.

But what they find was when they transplanted this newly formed type of vision cell into the eyes of these blind mice, he says, they restored their vision.

The researchers applied chemicals that transformed one cell type into another needed for vision, and there is now potential to help people with all forms of vision blindness or vision correction, which would include macular degeneration and other retinal disorders.

Editor's note: Original posting attribute comments to wrong person.

Continue reading here:
Lozier praises promising, and ethical, blindness study - OneNewsNow

India is home to 472 million children. According to a study published by the National Centre for Biotechnology Information, out of 668 hospitals, only 192 (28.7 percent) reported that they provided pediatric eye care services a handful in a country as vast as India.

Primary and quality eye care is a necessity, and to make it accessible, Orbis International, a non-profit non-governmental organisation, started its saving initiative in India with its flagship Flying Eye Hospital. Orbis International was founded in 1982 in the United States. After running multiple Flying Eye Hospital programmes in Hyderabad and New Delhi, Orbis India established an office in New Delhi in 2000.

Orbis India launched India Childhood Blindness Initiative (ICBI) flagship programme in 2002. Its aims to ensure that Indias children across geographies have access to quality eye care for generations to come.

Dr Rishi Raj Borah has been an integral part of the Orbis journey for the last 12 years and has developed innovative, impactful, and sustainable home-grown eye care initiatives for millions of children in Indian and Nepalese communities. He is the Country Director of Orbis India.

Before working in the field of eye care, Dr Rishi worked with UNICEF, CORDAID and Don Bosco Institute. He is also a Board Member of VISION 2020: The Right to Sight India.

As part of Orbis Comprehensive Childhood Blindness Project, their partner, Akhand Jyoti Eye Hospital (AJEH) conducts school screenings in some of Bihars districts. Several children with vision problems were identified and prescribed spectacles during the school screening in the village of Dariyapur.

In one of Dariyapurs schools where the screening was conducted, a girl named Rinky was identified to have poor vision. The AJEH team discovered that the 13-year-old had been suffering for the last two years.

Rinky

Her poor vision would also hinder her daily activities and despite being scolded in class for being unable to read, Rinky was largely unaware of her problems. Due to uncorrected refractive error, which was blurring her vision, Rinky would be uncomfortable while watching the television and identifying objects in low light conditions. She even had difficulties in seeing under bright light.

Rinky and her friends

The Orbis-AJEH team came to Rinkys rescue. They identify cases like Rinkys, while generating awareness for teachers in these schools. The team also actively engages with the parents of children who go on to get treatments done via the screenings.

Rinky was identified with myopia, which is the inability to see objects at a distance, and was prescribed with a pair of spectacles by the team.

Rinky in her classroom

Rinky was glad about wearing spectacles and soon realised that, like her friends, she was also able to see things clearly.

As of today, Orbis India has presence in Delhi, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Assam.

Millions of childrens lives have been positively affected by programs similar to the one in Rinkys school. 33 Childrens Eye Centers (CEC) have been established across the country, which are supported and equipped with quality partners and teams.

How has the coronavirus outbreak disrupted your life? And how are you dealing with it? Write to us or send us a video with subject line 'Coronavirus Disruption' to editorial@yourstory.com

Read more from the original source:
Clear vision, many smiles: How a non-profit is helping children in India see better - YourStory

News Release

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Babies born prematurely who require treatment to prevent blindness from retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) could be treated with a dose of Avastin (bevacizumab) that is a fraction of the dose commonly used for ROP currently. Results from the dose-finding study were published April 23 in JAMA Ophthalmology. The study was conducted by the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG) and supported by the National Eye Institute (NEI), part of the National Institutes of Health.

Preterm babies are at high risk of abnormal blood vessel growth in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue in the back of the eye. These abnormal blood vessels are fragile and prone to leaking. If left untreated, vessel growth can lead to scarring and retinal detachment, the main cause of ROP-related vision loss. ROP is one of the leading causes of blindness in children.

Established ROP treatments include laser therapy and cryotherapy. Both interventions work by causing the abnormal blood vessels to stop growing before they can cause scarring and retinal detachment.

Avastin is one of several available drugs that inhibit abnormal blood vessel growth by suppressing the overproduction of a signal protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Avastin in 2004 as a cancer therapy. Since then, ophthalmologists have used it off-label to inhibit abnormal blood vessel growth in ROP, as well as in other ocular disorders. Results from a clinical trial published in 2011 confirmed the benefit of using Avastin over laser therapy for treating the most severe cases of ROP, which occur in a region of the retina known as posterior zone 1.

As a faster and easier treatment option, anti-VEGF eye injections were a welcomed alternative to laser therapy for treating severe ROP, said the new studys protocol chair, David Wallace, M.D., MPH, chair of ophthalmology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Laser therapy requires sedating the baby for as long as 90 minutes; an Avastin injection takes much less time and is generally less stressful to the infant.

But we know that anti-VEGF agents injected into the eye also get into the bloodstream, and doctors worry that inhibiting VEGF systemically could interfere with normal development of brain, lung, bone, and kidney tissues, he said. Evidence suggests that injections of anti-VEGF in the eye reduce levels of VEGF in the bloodstream.

In this study, Wallace and colleagues in the NEI-funded PEDIG hoped to pinpoint the lowest possible therapeutic dose of Avastin by testing progressively lower doses in 10-14 infants per dose. We didnt want to start by testing an ineffective dose and risk a child going blind, so we started with 40% of the dose commonly used for ROP. When a dose was successful, we halved it and then tested that dose. Eventually we cut the dose in half seven times, he said.

In the current study, we found that 0.004 mg of Avastin a dose thats merely 0.6% of the dose used in the 2011 study of Avastin for ROP may be the lower limit to be effective for most infants with ROP, said Wallace. The findings set the stage for a randomized controlled trial comparing long-term effects of low-dose Avastin with laser therapy for treating ROP, he said.

They plan to follow children over time to compare the long-term effects of each strategy on vision and organ development. Previous studies suggest that babies treated with Avastin versus laser may be less likely to become myopic and require glasses for nearsightedness as they grow older.

The study involved 59 preterm infants with type 1 ROP, the most severe form. Each infant had one eye treated by a single injection containing 0.016 mg, 0.008 mg, 0.004 mg, or 0.002 mg of Avastin. If the other eye required treatment, it received twice the concentration (one dose level higher). By comparison, currently used doses of Avastin for ROP range from 0.25 mg to 0.625 mg.

Treatment was considered a short-term success if ROP improved by day four after therapy, and if there was no recurrence or need for additional treatment within four weeks. Such success was achieved in all eyes treated with the 0.016 mg and 0.008 mg doses, and in 9 of 10 eyes receiving 0.004 mg, but only in 17 of 23 eyes receiving 0.002 mg, resulting in the conclusion that 0.004 mg may be the lowest effective dose.

The study was supported by NEI grants EY011751, EY023198, and EY018810. The clinicaltrials.gov record is NCT02390531.

NEI leads the federal governments research on the visual system and eye diseases. NEI supports basic and clinical science programs to develop sight-saving treatments and address special needs of people with vision loss. For more information, visit https://www.nei.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

Wallace DK, Kraker RT, Freedman SF, Crouch ER, Bhatt AR, Hartnett ME, Yang MB, Rogers DL, Hutchinson AK, VanderVeen DK, Haider KM, Siatkowski RM, Dean TW, Beck RW, Repka MX, Smith LE, Good WV, Kong L, Cotter SA, Holmes JM for the Pediatric Eye Disease Investigator Group (PEDIG). Short-term Outcomes After Very Low-Dose Intravitreous Bevacizumab for Retinopathy of Prematurity. Published April 23, 2020 in JAMA Ophthalmology.

###

Continue reading here:
Very low-dose Avastin effective for preventing blindness in preterm infants - National Institutes of Health

While the film description, a horror movie where the protagonist wears a blindfold, would conjure 2018 sci-fi horror Bird Box in most peoples minds, it also serves to describe the 2010 Spanish movie,Julias Eyes.

Released on Netflix, Bird Box depicts a post-apocalyptic world where humans are forced to wear blindfolds to avoid seeing madness-causing monsters. Starring Sandra Bullock as Malorie, the movie leans heavily into its star power. It came out the same year A Quiet Place hit theaters, and many were quick to point out the similarities between the two. WhileA Quiet Placewas the higher-rated movie,Bird Boxbecame something of a viral, meme-worthy hit, garnering significant acclaim and attention. Despite all eyes being on the Sandra Bullock-led thriller, which was based off a novel by Josh Malerman, a lesser-known foreign horror is the more direct choice for comparisons, notA Quiet Place.

Related: Why Bird Box 2 Shouldn't Happen

Julias Eyes was directed by Spanish director Guillem Morales and produced by two-time Oscar-winner Guillermo del Toro. A horror thriller, it follows the story Julia, a woman who is slowly losing her sight. Played by the extremely talented Beln Rueda, Julia investigates her sisters suicide while also undergoing an eye surgery that temporarily blinds her.

In both movies, the blindfold serves both a mechanical and symbolic purpose. In Bird Box, supernatural monsters take the shape of ones worst fear, leading those who see them to either madness or suicide; blindfolds are a protective measure. The audience never sees the monsters outright, only their effect. It represents a fear of the unknown.

In Julias Eyes, the blindfold is a necessary measure to ensure her eye operation takes. Here, the blindfold represents sacrifice, a running theme through the movie: a moment of darkness for a brighter future. Much of the tension comes not just from knowing that something sinister is happening around Julia, but that if she peeks to look at it, it condemns her to permanent blindness. It exchanges one kind of blindness for another.

In terms of reception, Julias Eyes has Bird Box beat. Its 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes is leagues ahead of Bird Boxs 63%. The blindfold mechanic in Julias Eyes is much more organic as well. In eschewing any sci-fi elements, Julias Eyes grounds its horror in humanity. It is a story that weaves its concept with its horror, developing multiple levels of tension. The film leans into dramatic irony; from the first scene, the audience knows something is amiss, while Julia is left to grope in the dark.

Related: Every Sci-Fi Horror Movie Releasing In 2020

It is also an extremely beautiful movie. Its high caliber cinematography and acting put it in the realm of horror like Silence Of The Lambs and Psycho. Julia's Eyes alsoincludes one of the most arguably tense scenes in horror history, combining open eyes and a knifes edge to capture many of humanitys innate fears, while developing character-specific tension.

Spanish-language cinema has had a lot to offer horror. The Orphanage balances a terrifying atmosphere with supernatural dread. [REC] uses high stakes zombie horror to make one of the most tense found footage films. The acting is one of the strongest points of Julias Eyes, something that would be lost in an adaptation.

Julias Eyes rarely makes it onto top ten horror lists. It released at a time when horror and foreign language horror were generally still treated as separate. There is a bias in the film world towards English language movies; instead of distributing East Asian horror globally as is, it is usually adapted and translated in the West, often to the detriment of the story. Limiting horror to a single language limits the scope of imagination and possibility.

Fortunately, this trend is slowly disappearing, as exemplified by Korean thriller Parasite becoming the first non-English film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. The future holds hope for movies like Julias Eyes, which have the merit but still deserve to one day reach the scope of films like Bird Box.

Next: Netflix Is Adding So Much Foreign Horror (& What That Means For Streaming)

Jennifer's Body: Every Similarity To 2000's Ginger Snaps

Shannon Lewis is a features and news writer on Screen Rant. She has experience in editorial working as the deputy editor for Specialty Food, an online and print magazine, curating its news section and social media. She has worked as a freelance writer since 2017, writing articles, features, and profiles in a wide range of topics, from business and tech to pop culture and media. Previously, she has also worked as a ghost writer for a fiction manuscript, and co-founded arts-and-literature magazine, Octarine.Hailing from Queretaro, Mexico, she is a graduate of the University of East Anglia's English Literature with Creative Writing program. An avid reader and fan of writing, she leverages her love of literature to dissect movies in her favorite genres, including horror, rom-coms, and superhero movies. Her focus is on the cross-section between story, cultural background, and character development. When she isn't busy reading everything ever published under the mantle of Image Comics, you might find her writing fiction, rock climbing, or putting together a horror anthology with friends.

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Why Julia's Eyes Is Better Than Bird Box (& Is Overlooked) - Screen Rant

London, Apr 22 (IANS): A common eye condition, glaucoma, could be successfully treated with a single injection using gene therapy, which would improve treatment options, effectiveness and quality of life for many patients, say researchers.

Glaucoma affects over 64 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. It is usually caused by fluid building up in the front part of the eye, which increases pressure inside the eye and progressively damages the nerves responsible for sight.

Current treatments include either eye drops, laser or surgery, all of which have limitations and disadvantages.

"At present, there is no cure for glaucoma, which can lead to loss of vision if the disease is not diagnosed and treated early," said study researcher Dr Colin Chu from the University of Bristol in the UK.

For the findings, published in the journal Molecular Therapy, the research team tested a new approach that could provide additional treatment options and benefits.

The researchers designed a gene therapy and demonstrated proof of concept using experimental mouse models of glaucoma and human donor tissue.

The treatment targeted part of the eye called the ciliary body, which produces the fluid that maintains pressure within the eye.

Using the latest gene-editing technology called CRISPR, a gene called Aquaporin 1 in the ciliary body was inactivated leading to reduced eye pressure.

"We hope to advance towards clinical trials for this new treatment in the near future. If it's successful it could allow a long-term treatment of glaucoma with a single eye injection, which would improve the quality of life for many patients whilst saving the NHS time and money," Chu said

The researchers are currently in discussion with industry partners to support further laboratory work and rapidly progress this new treatment option towards clinical trials.

Excerpt from:
Glaucoma can be successfully treated with gene therapy - Daijiworld.com

Could a drug discovered in the 1970s help to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic? New evidence from research in Australia shows that the anti-parasitic drug ivermectin can inhibit the virus that causes Covid-19 from replicating in cells in the lab.

While findings show promise, the news should be greeted with caveats, according to Donegal scientist Professor William C. Campbell, who shared a Nobel Prize for his role in the discovery of ivermectin.

The report is, in itself, of great importance, says Prof Campbell of the study, which was carried out by scientists at Monash University in Melbourne. But perspective is needed, even though perspective can be boring when the results are exciting.

The researchers in Melbourne grew mammalian cells in the lab and infected them with the Sars-CoV-2 virus that causes Covid-19. Then they exposed the cells and viruses in the lab to ivermectin, a drug that has been widely used for decades to control parasitic worms and insects in livestock, pets and humans.

One of the best known uses of ivermectin in humans is against the worm that causes river blindness - the pharmaceutical company Merck donated the drug for that use for millions of people in affected areas.

Prof Campbell, a graduate of Trinity College Dublin, shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2015 for his part in the discovery and development of ivermectin and its use in treating river blindness.

While he was working at Merck Research Laboratories in New Jersey, he was part of an extensive team that identified a substance called avermectin, which was produced by bacteria and could stop parasitic worm infections.

The compound was enhanced and developed as ivermectin, becoming a treatment for parasitic diseases such as heart worm in dogs and river blindness in humans. The Royal Irish Academy will publish Campbells memoir this June.

While ivermectin has not been approved as a drug against viruses, it is known to be effective in the lab against a broad range of viruses including HIV, Dengue and Influenza.

The Australian research showed that ivermectin resulted in a 5,000-fold reduction of Sars-CoV-2 RNA within 48 hours. Ivermectin therefore warrants further investigation for possible benefits in humans, explains the study authors in the journal Antiviral Reports.

The experiments used high concentrations of ivermectin, notes Proff Campbell: the concentration of drug needed to kill the virus in the lab was many times higher than the concentration of ivermectin found in the blood of people in the normal use of ivermectin to control parasitic disease.

So the probability of ivermectin being used safely to kill the virus in people must be considered low, he says.

On the other hand, there is, as the authors of the report point out, the possibility that a safe dosage of ivermectin might reduce the rate of viral replication in the mammalian body, or affect the virus in other ways that might be revealed by further research. That is a more positive prospect.

Commenting on the study, lead researcher Dr Kylie Wagstaff from the Biomedicine Discovery Institute at Monash University says: Ivermectin is very widely used and seen as a safe drug. We need to figure out now whether the dosage you can use it at in humans will be effective - thats the next step.

See more here:
Ivermectin emerges as possible treatment option for Covid-19 - The Irish Times

A new study led by the University of Bristol has shown a common eye condition, glaucoma, could be successfully treated with a single injection using gene therapy, which would improve treatment options, effectiveness and quality of life for many patients.

Glaucoma affects over 64 million people worldwide and is a leading cause of irreversible blindness. It is usually caused by fluid building up in the front part of the eye, which increases pressure inside the eye and progressively damages the nerves responsible for sight. Current treatments include either eye drops, laser or surgery, all of which have limitations and disadvantages.

The research team led by academics at the Bristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciences tested a new approach that could provide additional treatment options and benefits. Their findings are published in the journalMolecular Therapy.

The researchers designed a gene therapy and demonstrated proof of concept using experimental mouse models of glaucoma and human donor tissue.

The treatment targeted part of the eye called the ciliary body, which produces the fluid that maintains pressure within the eye. Using the latest gene editing technology called CRISPR, a gene called Aquaporin 1 in the ciliary body was inactivated leading to reduced eye pressure.

Dr Colin Chu, Visiting Senior Research Fellow in theBristol Medical School: Translational Health Sciencesand corresponding author, said: "Currently there is no cure for glaucoma, which can lead to loss of vision if the disease is not diagnosed and treated early.

"We hope to advance towards clinical trials for this new treatment in the near future. If it's successful it could allow a long-term treatment of glaucoma with a single eye injection, which would improve the quality of life for many patients whilst saving the NHS time and money."

The academics are currently in discussion with industry partners to support further laboratory work and rapidly progress this new treatment option towards clinical trials.

Reference: Wu et al. (2020). Gene Therapy for Glaucoma by Ciliary Body Aquaporin 1 Disruption Using CRISPR-Cas9. Molecular Therapy.DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2019.12.012.

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Glaucoma Could Be Successfully Treated With Gene Therapy - Technology Networks

A CAMPAIGN has been launched that could help save the lives of babies during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bradford Partnership, which works to safeguard children in the district, says the Covid-19 lockdown can make it especially difficult for anyone coping with the challenge of caring for a new born infant.

Often new parents would be able to call on the support of other family members, such as grandparents, or take time out with support from others and get out and about with the baby.

Self-isolation, social distancing restrictions on activities which might lessen stress, like sports, social engagements and entertainment, and restrictions on parent and baby groups and classes, and baby clinics, might all add pressure.

The Partnership understands that mums and dads who cant calm their baby can feel helpless, or think they are a poor parent. When this happens some people feel they are going to tip over the edge. They can become so angry and frustrated they act on impulse and shake their baby.

Shaking or losing your temper with a baby is very dangerous and can cause blindness, learning disabilities, physical disabilities or even death, the Partnership says.

Using the message Babies Cry, You Can Cope, a four step approach using the word ICON is designed to give parents a strategy for managing a crying infant.

Jane Booth, Independent Chair of the Partnership, said: A babys cry is designed to get our attention. Unfortunately, when a parent is very stressed or anxious it can cause an over-reaction that can sometimes lead to physical abuse.

The ICON approach sets out clear steps parents can take that will relieve pressure so that they dont find themselves in a position where they shake or strike an infant. Its about providing support at a time when people cant always get help in their community because of social distancing.

Cllr Adrian Farley, Bradford Council's Executive Member for Children and Families, said: Bringing up young children can be stressful, and we know that coronavirus (Covid-19) is putting families under additional strain.

This initiative helps to provide parents with helpful ways to try and stop a baby crying and advice on what to do if they cant.

The Partnership says babies can cry for no particular reasons or because they are hungry, tired, wet/dirty or unwell.

Dont get angry with your baby or yourself. Put the baby in a safe place and walk away so that you can calm yourself down by doing something that takes your mind off the crying. After a few minutes when you are calm, go back and check on the baby.

Parents can visit Bradford Council's Early Year's advice website for more information.

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New campaign could save lives of Bradford babies during lockdown - Bradford Telegraph and Argus