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The COVID-19 crisis has led to an increase in the average screen time of people. People are busy spending a lot of time watching television, and on digital devices like computers, mobiles, and tablets more than ever! Getting hooked to electronic devices for long uninterrupted hours is causing digital eye strain, aka computer vision syndrome in people

What is computer vision syndrome?

Computer vision syndrome is a temporary eye condition that results from focusing on a digital screen for a long time without breaks. Suffering from CVS does not only affect eyesight but also hampers an individuals productivity.

Why is computer vision syndrome concerning?

Computer vision syndrome (CVS) affects around 60 million people globally. It has become even more concerning in the times of COVID-19 for well-being for a person. A study shows that nearly half of the population in the world will be short-sighted (myopic) by 2050. One of the primary reasons associated with this eye condition would be the effects of prolonged usage of digital devices or televisions every day.

Symptoms of computer vision syndrome

Computer vision syndrome (digital eye strain) causes

There are various causes associated with computer vision syndrome, like:

When you are hooked to any electronic devices, you tend to blink less. Less blinking causes dry eyes. Blinking is the natural reflex of eyes to keep it moist. An average person blinks about 16-20 times in a minute. If blinking reduces to 6-8 times in a minute, then gradually, it results in dry eyesand becomes a cause for computer vision syndrome.

If you have not set up your workstation in a proper way, then it could cause computer vision syndrome. You need to adjust the monitor, desk, chair, and lighting in the room also so that your eyes dont feel strained.

ACs in offices strip the air of its moisture, thereby making the environment dry. This dryness, an improper workstation, or bad sitting posture, makes people prone to computer vision syndrome.

It will require a bit of planning, but it is important to take a break from the screen at least two hours before you go to bed. Studies show that blue light emitting from screens can affect natural sleep and wake-up cycle.

Ways to deal with computer vision syndrome during COVID-19 pandemic

Remember to blink while watching television or doing work on any digital device. Dont let your eyes dry out. Be mindful of blinking and keeping your eyes lubricated. Encourage others around you to blink at least 18 times per minute.

Have you heard of the 20-20-20 rule? While working on a computer or any digital device, take a break every 20 minutes and look at distant objects (at least 20 feet away) for 20 seconds. This habit will break the continuity of the screen.

You need to rework on the place where you generally sit to work or binge-watch. Keep a distance of a foot away from the monitor or the gadget when sitting straight. Adjust the brightness of the screen. Make sure to put an anti-glare screen to your device to avoid eye strain. Use proper lighting in the room. Avoid excessive or under lighting.

Whenever you get time, exercise even when sitting. Stretch your neck and shoulders frequently. During break time, move your arms and legs. Walk a bit.

Few other tips to avoid computer vision syndrome for children

Children dont pay attention to drinking water unless theyre thirsty. Drinking water keeps the body hydrated. It not only flushes out body waste but also regulates body temperature. It helps in maintaining blood pressure and boosts healthy skin. It also helps in forming saliva and mucus. Most importantly, it hydrates eyes, flushes out salt, and reduces eye strain.

From online classes to a lot of digital content consumption for entertainment, children are also spending a considerable amount of their time on-screen during the lockdown phase. Parents need to ensure to have a customized furniture setting that suits their childs sitting posture and refrain from neck or body ache.

Parents need to ensure that even in the lockdown period, children dont spend a lot of time on screen. Set time for their screen time activities. Instead, for entertainment, ask them to indulge in traditional indoor games like ludo, chess, etc.

Parents should keep a check on their children if they are rubbing their eyes too much. It could be an indicator of dry eyes or some eye infection. Insufficient blinking also leads to dry eyes.if your child does not stop rubbing frequently and complains about irritating red eyes consult the nearest eye specialist.

Eat more greens

Include green leafy vegetables in your diet to keep your body and eyes healthy. The nutrients present in green vegetables like lutein and zeaxanthin carry anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants that keep the eyes healthy. When it comes to eye care, Centre for Sight is always there at your service.

By: Dr Ritika Sachdev , Additional Director, Centre For Sight Group of Hospitals,

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Covid-19 Pandemic: Ways To Beat Computer Vision Syndrome As The Screen Time Goes Up - NewsPatrolling

A few years ago, I had an operation to remove a cataract from myleft eye. I was advised to wait for my right eye. The doctor said, Call ifyour eyesight gets worse, and we will schedule the surgery.

Then came COVID.

During that time, I found it more and more difficult to read andto cook. It felt like each passing day I was being surrounded by more and moredarkness.

As a senior with medical issues and anxiety, I was unable toI have become used to being aloneparticipate in holiday services with my family. Since COVID, I have become usedto being alone, and even if everyone wears masks, Im not comfortable takingchances by being around people.

After a long wait, followed by two weeks of even strictersocial-distancing, the day came for the surgery. The night before, I hadstopped eating and could only drink until 10 a.m. The surgery was scheduled fora little after noon.

Wearing a mask, my son Mike drove me tothe hospital for the operation. Once there, we called reception and were toldthat there was a 45-minute wait, maybe longer. We could wait either in the caror in a waiting room. We chose the car. Mike put on some music, and we listenedto Chanukah songs, including my favorite, Chanukah, oh Chanukah, come light themenorah...

After an hour, Mike called again andfound out that our wait could be another hour or so; they didnt know how manypatients were ahead of me. By that time, I didnt feel well since I hadnt hadanything to eat or drink in many hours.

I also needed a restroom, so we went inside, up the elevator,into what I considered a crowded room. I felt danger everywhere. I was so afraid that I wanted to cancel theoperation and go home. I closed my eyes andprayed for the strength to triumph over my fears and overcome my anxiety.

Thats when I heard Mikes cell phone ring; it was my turn forthe operation.

A nurse came out and asked me questions before letting me intothe office alone. I handed Mike my cane. He touched my arma human touch Ihadnt felt in five months.

The nurse must have felt my emotions because she said, Theseare dark, difficult times.

What an understatement, I thought, as I entered alone and wastold in which chair to sit. The nurse followed me so I wouldnt fall.

My surgeon came out and put an X over my right eye. There weretwo other patients waiting. We discussed how long the wait had been both forthe scheduling and the day itself.

Finally, they took me into surgery.

The anesthesiologist put in the IV, while one nurse put in dropsand another took vital signs.

I hadnt been near so many people in months, and again, I feltoverwhelmed, but I silently prayed as I kept answering their questions.Finally, I was wheeled into the operating room.

The chair went down and then came the needle, and before I knewit, the operation was over. They gave me many instructions regarding recovery:the eye drops, not to get my face wet, when to see my doctor.

As soon as I took off the patch over my eye, I looked around andI could see. It was as though my world had gone from darkness to light. Andthats when I realized the connection between the music we had been listeningto in the car, my operation, and the approaching holiday of Chanukah.

On Chanukah, a small band of Jews fought against the huge GreekDespite all odds, they triumphedarmy. Despite all odds, they won. They won because they had faith that Gdwould give them the strength to triumph. Then they found a single flask of pureoil, enough for just one day. But they did their part and lit the menorah.Miraculously, it remained burning for eight days, until they could procuremore.

My cataract operation was like my own little Chanukah triumphmy personalvictory of overcoming my anxiety, and my universe turning from darkness tolight.

A little bit of light brightens up a whole lot of darkness. Weneed to do our part, strengthen our faith, and Gd will help us.

For the past few years, I couldnt see in the dark well enoughto join in the festivities at the public lighting of the menorah in downtownNatick, Mass. Gd willing, this year they will be able to hold the festivities,and I will be able to join. Together, we will all sing, Chanukah, oh Chanukah,come light the menorah... And I will be able to relish the brightness.

Read the rest here:
New Vision: Seeing the Light of Chanukah During COVID - Chabad.org

An Australian teacher saw a holiday of a lifetime to Europe turn into a life-changing experience after she lost vision in one eye while travelling in the Mediterranean.

Elise Osmand was island hopping around Greece and enjoying fine dining in Italy when she suddenly lost most of her vision in one eye.

The 28-year-old was then given a diagnosis by Greek doctors which she compared to a "death sentence" when her symptoms worsened.

At first, Elise found her vision in her right eye was impaired she could see the bottom half of her vision in her right eye, but the top half was "blurred to a dark brown", leaving her feeling like she had make-up smudged on her iris.

Dismissing the symptoms as jet lag, she waited another 24 hours to arrive in Athens before seeking medical attention.

It was by this point the Aussie national had lost vision completely in her right eye.

Meeting with a doctor in hospital, medics struggled to figure out what was wrong with each diagnosis bringing Elise fresh panic.

Opening up to news.com.au, she explained: "He said very straight up it might be a brain tumour.

"Then the next thing he said was 'you dont have a brain tumour but it could be cancer'. Thats when things freaked me out."

After further examination, doctors determined that while it was neither a tumour nor cancer, the cause of the blurred vision was a life-changing medical condition.

Elise said: "He said after further investigation that I had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and the only thing I knew about that was a wheelchair.

"At first I got upset about it it was a really confronting moment. It felt like my world had come crumbling down a death sentence."

Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic disease of the central nervous system which causes the body to attack itself, with the immune system damaging nerves, leading to symptoms including extreme fatigue, vision problems, and muscle stiffness and spasms, among others.

Following the diagnosis, Elise has seen her life completely change.

She said: "Since my diagnosis in 2019, this has been a huge change to my life," she explained.

"I moved to the Gold Coast to be closer to the beach [and] on a treatment that works."

She went on: "I have always been very active and would do a lot of exercise. Now, while its still really good for me to do, it can trigger symptoms and drain me to a point I cant recover from. So I have to stay hydrated and cool."

Elise is now using social media - including her Instagram page - to raise awareness about the disease.

MS is a lifelong condition but symptoms can be managed with treatment.

While average life expectancy is slightly reduced for people suffering from MS, there are various treatments for the various versions of the disease.

There is no known cure for the disease at this time, and the NHS advise that the disease is "challenging" to live with but advancements in medical science over the past 20 years have "considerably improved the quality of life" of people with the condition.

More here:
Teacher who woke up with blurred eyesight discovers she has life-changing condition - Daily Star

A man who suffered 89% blindness in his right eye in an accident during a taxi driving shift has won a claim dispute and a $250,000 payout.

The worker was a beneficiary of his employers Taxi Personal Accident policy, held with Lloyds Australia, for drivers of insured vehicles.

It covered accidents causing death, partial or total disablement of limbs or eyesight sustained during working hours while you are driving a taxi that is listed in the policy schedule.

It included time limitations that provided a claim would only be paid if you suffer Temporary Total Disablement within twelve months of the date of the accident occurring, and such Temporary Total Disablement lasts for twelve months.

The driver lodged a claim after sustaining serious damage to his eye during a work shift in August 2018 when he was struck in the face by a rock thrown through his car window.

Medical experts in Australia and overseas all found the damage was permanent. No treatment options were recommended and the medical evidence indicated his eye sight was likely to deteriorate further in time.

Lloyds settled weekly temporary disablement benefits until he regained employment but denied a claim for lump sum benefit for total loss of sight in one eye, saying his impairment - at 89% loss of sight - did not constitute a total loss of sight.

Lloyds said other policies on the market offered a percentage of benefits for partial loss of sight and provided examples, whereas the taxi drivers policy had no such scope. Lloyds said the only way the lump sum benefit was payable is if the loss of sight was 100% in or around August 2019 being within 12 months of the injury. As the loss of sight was not 100% in August 2019, then it was not liable.

The man took the matter to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), arguing he had effectively lost all eyesight in his right eye.

AFCA determined Lloyds was liable to pay $234,434 - the lump sum benefit of $250,000 less the $15,566 temporary disablement benefits already paid.

The available medical evidence demonstrates that, due to the accident, he no longer has any effective eyesight in his right eye, AFCA said. It is fair in the circumstances to determine the complainant has suffered a total loss of sight in his right eye.

AFCA said the policy did not define total loss and the Certificate of Insurance provides that should any ambiguity exist in the clauses they will be interpreted in favour of the insured.

In November 2018, the taxi driver was examined by an ophthalmology registrar in hospital who determined he had permanent and irreversible central macular damage and his visual acuity due to the accident was 6/60, which is legally blind.

Neither pinhole or corrective lenses improved his sight.

The taxi driver then travelled overseas where he obtained the opinion of another ophthalmologist to try and find some treatment options. A December 2018 report from that consultation stated the damage to the right eye was permanent, irreversible and likely to deteriorate.

Lloyds later engaged a consultant ophthalmologist who said that while the driver had a severe visual defect in his right eye, the injury did not constitute a total loss of vision.

The man obtained a further medical opinion because he believed his sight was worsening but Lloyds said it could not consider that as total loss of sight must be within 12 months of the loss.

The panel disagrees with the insurers interpretation of the limitation periods in the policy, AFCA said.

The man was unsuccessful in his attempt to recoup around $20,000 spent travelling overseas to obtain the second medical opinion for possible treatment options.

See the full ruling here.

See the article here:
Taxi driver struck in the eye by a rock wins insurance payout - Daily - Insurance News

DENVER (KDVR) Seven strangers who suffered significant eye injuries during Denvers George Floyd protests in May say they believe police projectiles like the less lethal 40mm sponge grenade- may have caused their injuries.

FOX31 Problem Solver Lori Jane Gliha talked to them about their experiences during the protests and in the months since.

Jax Feldmann

Jax Feldmann, 21, was not participating in the downtown Denver protests in May when he was struck in the eye with what is believed to be a police projectile. At the time, he worked as a driver for a meat distribution company and was just leaving a friends apartment near Grant Street and East Colfax Avenue.

Thats when he says he saw a group of police officers riding on a truck, traveling the wrong way on Grant.

I just kind of looked at them, and all of a sudden I was struck in the eye by something and didnt know exactly what it was at first, he said. My first reaction was I just had something in my eye, and then I saw the blood. I looked at my friend and he called the ambulance immediately and told me that it was not good.

Feldmann said the hardest moment was being sent to the hospital that evening because, in the midst of a pandemic, none of his close family or friends could be there in person to support him.

The next three weeks were just Hell. I was having migraines every night. I couldnt sleep. I couldnt close my eye. I couldnt open my eye.

Nearly six months later, Feldmann says he and his doctors are waiting for his eyeball to shrink down enough or for it to start hurting severely enough for it to be removed.

Its pretty horrible. Its not great. Its not great at all, but it cant get much worse. Its already I cant see anything out of it anyways, he said.

Feldmann said his life is now filled with new, difficult tasks.

Im literally circling myself because I have no peripheral vision. Im constantly searching for stuff. Driving is not fun at all. Its extremely stressful. Its made stuff a lot harder.

Feldmann said he is confused about why he was shot.

They didnt say anything before they shot me. They didnt say anything after they shot me. No cop even came up to me, he said. Im stressed out with everythingMy anxiety is through the roof all the time. Its not a good time.

Alex Wolfson

Alex Wolfson, 38, was out for a spin on his skateboard the last weekend in May 2020, observing the protests that had exploded in downtown Denver, near his neighborhood.Wolfson, who works in real estate, was not participating in the protest but he was standing there, soaking in everything that was going on and looking at the people protest when he was struck straight in the eye.

Police were everywhere, he told the FOX31 Problem Solvers. The ones that were closest to me were hanging out in an SUV, hanging out of the windows.

Wolfson said he was alert and his head was on a swivel because there were so many people in the area, but the projectile hit him without warning.

It went from like, looking at everything to just falling to the ground, he said.

Wolfson described a moment of panic as he tried to escape the area as quickly as possible. But he knew something was wrong. He couldnt see out of his eye, and there was blood in his hand, so he approached an officer for help.

I walked up to him, and I asked if I still had an eye, he said. I was so scared. I was terrified. At one point, it kind of like turned into where it was like a kaleidoscope, and I could see a little out of the corner of my eye, I could see a little vision. But other than that, I was just nervous that I wasnt ever going to be able to see, and all I did was just go skateboard around town.

Wolfson said he was upset because he kept thinking about all of the activities he enjoyed that could be in jeopardy.

Will you be able to do it again? My eye looked pretty gross. I was like, Am I going to look like this for the rest of my life?' he said.

Fortunately, Wolfson regained his sight thanks to help from an emergency retina specialist.

I had laser surgery on it, he said, but he still has floaters and flashers that appear in his vision. Its like little jellyfish legs swimming in my eye, and then, like, a camera goes off occasionally.

I feel like I got lucky.

Russell Strong

Russell Strong, 35, was passionate about protesting and making his voice heard, so he took a handmade poster that said, No Justice No Peace to the crowded park demonstration near the state capitol and stood in an area where he could be seen.

I was in the park maybe a total of 20 minutes, Strong, who works in the cannabis industry, told the FOX31 Problem Solvers.

When all of a sudden, he felt something explode on his face.

When I came to, I was being carried by a group of people, he recalled.I knew at that moment that I lost my eye. Theres no way you experience that kind of trauma to your eye and your face and think that youre ever going to see again. There was a part of me that knew right away.

Strong said a doctor confirmed that fear the following day.

Im still coping with that. Ill be coping with that for a long time. Im sure, he said. I dont know if I can put into words right now exactly how that felt because there is so much wrapped up in that kind of news.

Strong, who is also a visual artist, said his life now includes many struggles, including difficulties with spatial recognition and depth perception.

Its been unimaginably difficult to lose an eye, he said. Ive lost the ability to complete just simple tasks that we take for granted I cant play sports anymore. I cant catch a ball. I cant shoot a hoop. I cant play catch with my niece and nephew anymoreIll bump into things. Ill bump into people that I cant see on that side.

Strong said he cant think of a single aspect of his life that isnt different or a struggle in some way.

Its all an entire new world that Im having to try to adjust to.

Strong said he still has questions about the circumstances that caused him to be struck in the eye while he was peacefully protesting.

Id hate to think that someone shot me in the face intentionally, but I dont know, he said. Either were accepting that they have terrible aim, and it was an accident and theyre not good at using their weapon, or were accepting that they are good at their weapon, and theyre aiming at peoples faces.

Megan Matthews

Although she still has her eyesight, Meagan Matthews, 23, is still dealing with the aftermath of the eye and facial injuries she suffered in May, during the downtown Denver protest.

Its unfortunately affected my feeling of feeling safe going to protests, she said. I also am working with my therapist around a lot of trauma that Ive been experiencing. Mainly around having anxiety around police officers now.it really gives me a visceral response, so were working through that too.

The college student, who works at an eyewear store, said she had been peacefully protesting in May, by providing water, first aid, and food to protesters.

Thats when she looked up and saw an object headed straight for her face, followed by a loud crack.

I know I had gotten hit really hard with something that had come from the police side of the street, and I know I was bleeding, like, a lot, she told the FOX31 Problem Solvers.

Matthews said she felt like she had a near-death experience because she didnt immediately know the extent of her injuries when her sight went dark in one eye.

I felt extremely devastated and, trying to grapple with the fact that something so vital to my passion might be taken away from me, the visual artist said.

I couldnt see immediately when I got hit, and then, it was so swollen that because of the orbital fracture and everything else around there that it probably was like four days three or four days that it was fully swollen shut. And then, after that, they were like, You know, we might have to perform additional surgery,' she said. I remember trying not to cry, saying Oh no! Its probably worse that Im crying because its coming out of my eyes. But like, Im a visual arts student, and I use my eyes for my work and my passion.

Matthews said her vision is still a little blurry and she still gets floaters in her field of vision a few times a day. She said doctors told her it could be blood that is still trying to be filtered out of her eye, so they are monitoring her progress.

Now, she wants to know why and how she was struck.

If I could just sit down and have a coffee with the guy that shot me, I would. Just like, to know. But I think it would give me a lot of anxiety. I think it would also give peace of mind, she said.

Nicholas Orlin

Nicholas Orlin, 38, calls himself a staunch peaceful protester, and says he was marching, chanting, and singing during the downtown Denver protests in May.

He was wearing a bicycle helmet, attempting to block a gas canister that had been thrown near him with a traffic cone, when something knocked him in the head.

Thats the last thing I remember, he told the FOX31 Problem Solvers. From what it says in my hospital records, I was hit in the head with a rubber bullet or, it says, rubber bullet vs rock. I cant imagine that there was anybody close enough to me that I wouldnt have noticed they hit me with a rock in the head.

Orlin said his physical pain was intense.

There was a whole lot of mental confusion. Just having no idea where I was, what happened to me, he said. His face had become swollen due to several fractures along the base of his eye.

Healing is a long process, and its still happening, said Orlin, who said he works as an executive assistant and paralegal for a criminal defense attorney and as a rideshare driver.

He said doctors told him there is an increased likelihood that he may get glaucoma because his eye is not draining properly, but his sight is mostly ok now.

He says he is suffering from what he believes is post-traumatic stress disorder, related to the incident.

It gives me anxiety when I think about joining protests, he told the Problem Solvers.

Orlin said he would want law enforcement to know that less lethal options are still extremely dangerous.

I cant see any justification for a less-lethal round.If lethality is called for in the very few, rare situations that it might be called for, then lethality is OK, but other than that, I would have rather have been tased.I could not condone the use of continuing to use this type of weapon, he said.

Orlin said he would want the person who shot him to know that its not always okay to follow orders.

You can shoot somebody in the chest just as well as you can shoot them in the head. It will stop them the same way. I dont know what I would say to that person (who fired the shot).

Shawn Murphy

Shawn Murphy said he was planning to head home from the Denver protest before the curfew set in, when he observed some occasional clashes between police and protesters on the street.

The police would try to disperse the crowd, seemingly out of nowhere, he said.No one was breaking curfew. No one was breaking any laws that I could see, but there would be attempts at dispersal which would be launching tear gas, and whoever hung around too long in the area of the tear gas, they would shoot with the pepper pellets. So, it was kind of a constant back and forth.

Murphy said during one of those dispersal attempts, he was struck in the eye with a projectile.

I dont remember any pepper dust or whatever being on me, so I believe it was one of the so-called rubber bullets, foam bullets, whatever you want to call them, he said.

Murphy, who is a software developer, called himself lucky because he was wearing really cheap swim goggles that he had snagged from a woman who was earlier distributing them through the crowd.

I got hit in the eye, and the goggles shattered, exploded, but I really think it saved my eye.I think without that persons really kind and really thoughtful form of activism in helping the protesters, I think she saved my eye.

Murphy said the horror that followed included his thought that he might have lost his eye.

I told friends after, it was the first time in my life where I felt what people mean when they say their life flashed before their eyes. It wasnt in the sense that I remembered everything past, it was that in an instant, I saw my entire life without my eye and what it would be like. All that just flashed through my head just in a second, and I thought I lost my eye. I couldnt see. I think I was in a state of shock somewhat. I was just kind of stumbling around, he said.

Murphy described feeling his bloody skin flapping in the wind. I was just kind of wandering around in a daze.

Murphy said he was able to get medical attention at the emergency room by taking a ride from a stranger who was driving in the area.

He suffered a laceration that required stitches, and his vision was really blurry that evening. He said a doctor had to do emergency surgery to save his retina. His vision is still blurry to this day, and doctors said it could take a year or more to fully heal.

My heart goes out to the people who did lose an eye or worse, he said.It is indescribable. Its life-altering. Its the type of thing that shouldnt happen to anyone under any circumstances let along as the result of the armed force of our state who are engaging with peaceful protesters. It makes it just even more tragic in my opinion.

Murphy said he believes he was possibly targeted.

I dont want to make any accusations, but I do find it hard to believe that it was an accident. Im almost 65. I stick out in a crowd. I have a big head. Its an easy target, he said.When I was hit, I was not in a crowd of people.We were all pretty separated.It wasnt a random ricochet or a gas cannister that bounced weird. It was I was essentially by myself. There wasnt anyone within a 10-20-foot radius of me. Again, the height I am, I find it hard to believe that they wouldnt have been able to hit me somewhere other than the head, so its hard to view it as an accident.

Michael Acker

Michael Acker, 20, a college student who attends school in Grand Junction, said he was wearing an antique gas mask when a projectile smashed the glass over his eye in May.

I just get cracked over the head with something. I have no idea whats going on, he recounted. I just remember grabbing my head. Im still wearing my gasmask, and I cant see anything out of my right eye at this point.

Acker said he ripped off his gasmask, and blood poured all over his face, hands, and the concrete. I didnt know if my eye was gone or is it hanging out of my face? I had no idea.

Acker said he believed he was targeted during the protest, and he has filed a lawsuit against the city.

I dont know what would be worse if I got hit, and they were just blindly firing into a crowd, or if I got hit and they targeted me. I was wearing a mask. Im not going to lie, its kind of a scary looking thing, but I dont think thats really an excuse for them to target me out of a crowd when Im not causing a problem, he said.

Acker said he did not notice anyone standing with 10-20 feet of him when he was struck.

It really felt like somebody had just snuck up on me with the baseball bat, he said.One minute Im standing there and then I hear a thunk. And then, something just fills my vision. It was really weird.It was kind of like time slowed down and just cracks me over the side of the head. My ears were ringing. I cant really get my bearings at all.

Acker said a piece of glass was stuck in his eyelid, but a doctor helped pull it out when he was in the hospital, and his eyesight ended up being ok.

Had I not been wearing the mask, it probably would have fractured my skull and would have gone into my eye. I would have been a pirate, he said.

Read more:
I was so scared. I was terrified: 7 people with eye injuries after Denver protests describe their experiences - FOX 31 Denver

The Mandalorian's Mythrol complained about being blind after spending time frozen in carbonite, like Han Solo in Return of the Jedi - here's why.

The Mythrol claims that he's still half-blind after being frozen in carbonite in The Mandalorian. Introduced in the Star Wars/Disney+ show's premiere, the unidentified Mythrol was Din Djarin's final bounty before he encountered Baby Yoda. The Mandalorian season 2, episode 4, "Chapter 12: The Siege" brought back the character where he complained about the effects of Mando's decision to keep himin carbonite.

The idea of being frozen in carbonite was introduced in The Empire Strikes Back. Darth Vader had Han Solo frozen after Lando Calrissian turned on his fellow space smuggler and his friends on Bespin. It wasn't until Return of the Jedi that the galactic runner was freed from being trapped in the solidified carbonite by Leia Organa in Jabba the Hutt's lair on Tatooine. While Han came out alive after being frozen, he didn't immediately have the capacity to function, with the character citing being unable to see.

Related:The Mandalorian: Every Star Wars Easter Egg In Season 2, Episode 4

The unnamed Mythrol in The Mandalorian also experienced the same thing when Mando froze him in carbonite in the series premiere. Following an attempt to sabotage their trip back to Nevarro where the blue alien was supposed to be delivered to Greef Karga- the Bounty Guild head at that time - Mando ensured that the rest of his mission was going to go smoothly by freezing Mythrol in carbonite and delivering him in that state. When they reunited in The Mandalorian season 2, Mythrol revealed that one of his eyes is still blind from his time being in the carbonite block. Between Han and Mythrol's experience, losing the ability to see is one of the most common effects ofbeing carbon frozen,and thisis part of the medical condition called hibernation sickness.

First mentioned in the original trilogy, hibernation sickness or carbon sickness is a medical state a creature would be in once they are taken out beingsuspended animation in carbonite. Temporary blindness is one of the symptoms of the condition, and so is exhaustion, weakness, dehydration, dizziness, and memory loss. While not much is known regarding this, as there are only a few instances where Star Wars reconnects with creatures frozen in carbonite, like Han and Mythrol, the loss of eyesight, in particular, could have something to do with the eyes being put under extreme external pressure. In the real world, rubbing the eyes too hard can lead to damaged cornea, and in worst cases, one would need a cornea transplant to restore their eyesight. Even when one puts steady pressure on the eyes for a brief time, vision becomes blurry and distorted. Given this, one can only imagine how much more detrimentalit is if the eyes are subjected to constant and stronger pressure from being frozen in carbonite for a significant amount of time.

See the article here:
The Mandalorian: Why Being Frozen In Carbonite Makes You Blind - Screen Rant

The importance of commercially raised animals in the COVID-19 pandemic has received much attention in the past few weeks, when a new variant of SARS-CoV-2 was detected in farmed mink. Unfortunately, mink tend to be relatively susceptible to respiratory infections, and these can readily spread through mink farms due to high-density housing.

Data from the Netherlands earlier in the pandemic have revealed that mink can be readily infected with SARS-CoV-2 and then pass the virus to humans. In Denmark, 214 people people have been infected by a variant of SARS-CoV-2 that is presumed to have mutated in Danish mink. Over 200 mink farms had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, and at least five different mink variants of the virus have been detected so far.

These events initiated a mass culling of farmed mink in that country (although this was limited due to legal issues), and cast a spotlight on the disturbing scenario of human-to-mink-to-human transmission of SARS-CoV-2, with potential for the virus to change in mink prior to re-infecting people.

Specifically, this latest occurrence unveils the possibility that mink can serve as an alternate host to promote mutations of SARS-CoV-2, which can be passed back to humans and other animals, both domestic and wild and potentially placing the wild mustelid (minks, ferrets and related species) population at risk.

We are researchers in the fields of virology, immunology and pathology. Our research programs bridge human and animal health and study the transmission of viruses, immune responses to viruses, how viruses cause diseases, and developing strategies such as vaccines to prevent infectious diseases. The recent news linking mink to the current pandemic highlights the importance of research at the interface of animal and human health.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the world has learned much about virology, as well as the concept of One Health. At the core of One Health is the idea that human and animal health are intertwined in a shared environment, and that we need to broaden our perspectives beyond human health alone.

Indeed, animals have been at the centre of this pandemic from the beginning. Overwhelming evidence suggests that this coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID-19, originated from bats. There is debate about whether an intermediate animal host might have harboured additional changes to SARS-CoV-2 to produce the current virus that spreads efficiently person to person. The leading candidate for this is a scaly anteater known as a pangolin.

What is known for sure is that changes to coronaviruses can occur over time due to inherent and purposeful errors in these viruses ability to copy their genetic codes. This allows a virus to make small changes over time and is an efficient way for them to adapt to new environments.

One of the recently identified Danish mink strains is particularly concerning because changes in the genome occurred in what is called the viruss spike protein, which it uses to enter human cells. These changes have been detected in 12 human cases related to this particular mink variant. Fortunately, this change does not seem to correlate with worse clinical outcomes, based on a small number of cases.

The spike protein is also the primary target of natural and vaccine-induced immune responses to the virus. In theory, if SARS-CoV-2 mutates too much, the immunity derived from the parental virus, acquired either by natural infection or vaccination, could become less effective against the new strain.

The good news is that, so far, theres no evidence that the mink-derived SARS-CoV-2 mutant can bypass natural or vaccine-induced immunity. Fortunately, our immune systems are designed to generate antibodies against multiple parts of the spike protein. This means that if only a small part of the spike protein is mutated, antibodies against other parts of the protein should still confer at least some protection.

The fact that SARS-CoV-2 can change highlights the need for vaccines that not only induce protective antibodies but that can also elicit robust T cell responses, which is the other major mechanism by which our immune systems can kill viruses. Like antibodies, T cells will target multiple parts of viral proteins, thereby increasing the chance of maintaining immunity against non-mutated regions of the proteins.

It might also be important to consider making vaccines that target more than one of the proteins from SARS-CoV-2. Its very difficult for a virus to make major changes to multiple proteins without compromising its fitness.

Read more: Training our immune systems: Why we should insist on a high-quality COVID-19 vaccine

The other issue that the mink SARS-CoV-2 brings to the forefront of the vaccine development effort is the need for vaccines that are plug-and-play. These are vaccine technologies where the viral protein the vaccine is designed to target can be readily swapped with a different version of the viral protein.

Once approved by health regulators as being safe and efficacious against a highly pathogenic coronavirus, such technologies could, in theory, be rapidly modified to target emerging mutant viruses; akin to the annual flu vaccine that gets modified every year to target emerging influenza virus variants.

With mink being confirmed only recently as a possible reservoir for SARS-CoV-2, more research is urgently needed to inform rationally based decisions to cull millions of these animals. Even if mass cullings continue, it is unlikely that mink farms will be completely phased out at the global level in the near future. So the question becomes how do we manage the potential threat to human health of SARS-CoV-2 in mink over the long term?

First, enhanced biosecurity measures should be implemented on mink farms.

Second, screening of farmed mink for coronaviruses should be added to the surveillance programs of animal health regulatory agencies, with this information made available to human health regulators.

Third, consideration could be given to tailoring COVID-19 vaccines for animal reservoirs, which would now include farmed mink. These recommendations would not only reduce the potential spread of coronaviruses from mink to humans, it would simultaneously address SARS-CoV-2-related health issues for mink. Indeed, mink can develop COVID-19 after becoming infected with SARS-CoV-2 and it can sometimes be severe and lethal, with no effective current treatment.

Unless future evidence suggests otherwise, it may be best to stay the course with current vaccine development programs with the goal of getting multiple technological platforms approved for use in humans. Then these platforms can be readily modified, akin to the annual influenza vaccine, to target emerging mutant viruses, if warranted.

Simultaneously, public health agencies with any interest in promoting human health should expand their visions to include the health and surveillance of domestic animals and wildlife at the point where human and veterinary medicine interface.

In the case of SARS-CoV-2, humans are currently the largest reservoir of the virus on Earth, and the threat of spillover from human hosts to farmed animals and wildlife species is now made evident. This is an opportune time to take stock in our relationships with animals and the natural world and take action to ensure health for all and this biosphere we share.

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The mink link: How COVID-19 mutations in animals affect human health and vaccine effectiveness - The Conversation CA

COVID-19 and its wide-ranging impacts on the lives of nearly everyone on the planet have brought vaccines to the forefrontif a suitable vaccine can be found and widely distributed, then life could perhaps resume some semblance of normalcy. People around the world are waiting impatiently for news of vaccine trials from companies such as Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca.

Already there have been some promising developments. On Nov. 16, Moderna released the results of a study that showed their vaccine has a 94% rate of effectiveness. While the results of their 30,000-person Phase 3 trial have not yet been published, researchers said that the results show that the vaccine is safe and effective. On Nov. 18,Pfizer and its partner BioNTech announced it concluded its Phase 3 study (which began July 27) and determined their vaccine is95% effective. Pfizer and BioNTech will submit arequest forEmergency Use Authorization by the FDA as soon as possible and plans to share their data with global regulatoryagencies.

The news from both companies has given people hope that the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 can eventually be controlled. However, there is also mistrust surrounding vaccines, and often a lack of understanding about how they are created, how they are tested, and how safe they are. If people dont trust the vaccine, then people wont take it, and the pandemic could go on longer.

Some of this lack of trust comes from a lack of information or misinformation. In order to demystify vaccines and the vaccine manufacturing and approval process in the United States, Stacker consulted the Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other public health sources to better understand and explain vaccines to the general public.

After going through these authoritative health information sources, Stacker identified some key terms to help readers better understand the types of vaccines and how they work, and then listed the many steps involved in the creation, approval, and distribution of new vaccines in the U.S. We then created a list of 30 key terms and steps, showing how intensive and precise the vaccine creation and approval process is, and ultimately that vaccines are safe and effective tools for fighting disease.

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How vaccines get made and approved in the US - The Albany Herald

One major concern of South Dakotans who opposed legalization of medical and recreational marijuana was that it could lead to an epidemic of youth use of the drug.

Drug-abuse prevention advocates and law enforcement officials said greater availability of marijuana would almost certainly lead to an increase of use among children and teens whose brains are still developing.

Despite their concerns, however, research conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the National Institutes of Health has not found an increase in the regular use of marijuana among youths in Oregon, Washington or Colorado, the states where marijuana legalization has been most extensively studied.

Colorado, for example, has a lower overall youth marijuana use rate than the U.S. as a whole. And in all three states, as in the rest of the U.S., there has been a long-term decline in the regular use of marijuana among youths.

Those statistics provide little comfort, however, for those in South Dakota who are on the front lines of the battle to prevent drug abuse by youth.

Marijuana use is associated with poorer performance in school, increased risk for mental health disorders and other negative behavior outcomes for youth, said Maureen Murray, director of mental health and prevention services at Youth and Family Services in Rapid City.

It is concerning because legalization makes people think that using marijuana is safe and doesnt have consequences, and teens dont need to hear that, Murray said. We have very significant concerns with teens.

South Dakota voters approved statewide ballots measures on Nov. 3 that have set the stage for legalization of both medicinal and recreational marijuana in July. Marijuana would be legal only for those 21 and over. South Dakota was one of four new states to legalize recreational marijuana bringing the total to 15. Medical marijuana will soon be legal in 36 states.

Regular marijuana use is defined in surveys as respondents having used the drug at least once during the 30 days before they took the survey. Research has shown that regular and heavy use of marijuana among teens carries the most risk for long-term negative effects.

National surveys such as the biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey have shown small declines in the number of youths regularly using both marijuana and alcohol over the past decade. South Dakota has generally followed the national trend, with surveys showing a decline in regular youth marijuana use from 17.8% of youths surveyed in 2011 compared to only 16.5% in 2019.

Colorado, where recreational marijuana has been legal since 2014, also has seen declines in youth marijuana use. From 2011 to 2019, the youth use rate dropped from 22% in 2011 to 20.1% in 2019. Prevention experts say national and state education programs and prevention efforts have played a big role in declines in youth marijuana use.

Concerns over marijuana legalization among the South Dakota drug-abuse prevention community range from worries over use by motorists to the potential for women to harm children by using marijuana while pregnant or breastfeeding, said Darcy Jensen, executive director of Prairie View Prevention Services. Jensen is a licensed addiction counselor and a leader of the Coalition for a Drug Free South Dakota.

Members of the coalition met Nov. 12 to begin planning a response to marijuana legalization, Jensen said. Though reform was badly needed in how marijuana and other drug use has been treated by the criminal justice system, full legalization of marijuana was not the best way to fix those problems and may lead to new issues, Jensen said.

I dont know that this was a place that I would want South Dakota to be in, but we are, so we need to find ways to counter it, and continue to provide positive prevention education, Jensen said.

Legalizing marijuana causes new social and health problems, Jensen said, citing reports from Colorado showing that the number of traffic fatalities in which a driver tested positive for marijuana increased from 18% in 2013 to 32% in 2017.

Meanwhile, the rate of marijuana-related hospitalizations has risen sharply from an average of 1,440 per 100,000 hospitalizations annually from 2010 to 2013 to 3,517 last year. But perhaps most concerning, Jensen said, was that the number of suicide victims found to have marijuana in their bloodstreams increased.

A closer look at Colorado data reveals a nuanced, inconclusive picture of marijuana legalization. In 2018 the state Department of Public Safety published a comprehensive report on impacts of marijuana legalization. The report shows that while Colorado has seen an increase in its number of traffic fatalities, eight states with similar populations and traffic patterns that had not legalized marijuana also saw similar increases in traffic deaths. Pinning the rise in Colorado traffic deaths solely on marijuana legalization was not possible, the report said.

Furthermore, Colorados rising number of marijuana-related hospitalizations might have been influenced by changes in how hospitals track diagnoses. The healthcare industry in 2015 updated the diagnosis codes used for billing, creating many new coding categories. More codes meant doctors had more options to indicate whether they believe a patient had been using marijuana prior to being hospitalized, the 2018 Colorado public safety report said.

Suicide rates in Colorado have increased less only slightly, from 19.7% in 2012 to 20.5% in 2016. The rate of Colorado suicide victims testing positive for marijuana has nearly doubled from 11.8% in 2012 to 22.3% in 2016. Nationally, about 22.4% of suicide victims tested positive for marijuana in 2016, data that includes states where marijuana is not legal, according to a 2018 CDC report.

Still, experts studying youth marijuana use and the effects of marijuana on brain development say that South Dakotas drug-abuse prevention advocates are right to be concerned about legalization. While there does not appear to have been sharp increases in the number of children and teens using marijuana in states that have legalized, legalization remains a relatively new concept and longitudinal studies are few.

Little evidence exists to show that legalizing marijuana for medical purposes causes an increase in youth use of the drug. There also is little evidence, so far, that legalizing marijuana for recreational use leads to an increase in the overall number of children smoking or otherwise ingesting the drug. Instead, research shows adult use typically rises with legalization.

Once medical cannabis laws or medical marijuana laws are enacted, we usually see increases in use in adults ages 26 and older. But we dont see any increases in use among adolescents, which is good, said Dr. Silvia Martins, director of the Substance Use Epidemiology Unit at Columbia University. Regarding recreational legalization of cannabis, most of the research has shown that increases in use is mainly among adults.

A September 2019 report from the National Institutes of Health found that Colorado has seen no increase in the number of adolescents using marijuana since legalization for adults 21 and over in 2014. The biennial Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that in 2019, Colorados estimated rate of youth marijuana use of 20.1% was lower than the national rate of 21.7%.

An October 2019 report from the CDC found that marijuana use among students in 10th and 12th grades in Washington state did not significantly change from the year 2000 to 2016. For students in 8th grade, the regular marijuana use rate fell by half, from 12% in 2000 to 6% in 2016. In Washington, legal sales of recreational marijuana began in 2014.

Still, researchers such as Martins caution that there has not been enough research into how legalizing recreational use of marijuana affects youth drug use to draw major conclusions.

At most, researchers have only had a few years of data to study, Martins said. Most of the data on population-wide youth marijuana use come from anonymous surveys of students administered in schools such as the Youth Risk Behaviors Survey. States conduct the survey in schools during odd-numbered years, and its results are reported to the CDC. Public health officials use the survey to monitor such things as drug and alcohol abuse among adolescents.

In Colorado, there have only been two Youth Risk Behavior Surveys conducted since legal sales of recreational marijuana began, one in 2017 and one in 2019.

Another potential factor in youth marijuana use is how children growing up watching their parents and other adults use marijuana will view the drug. Parents can have a strong influence on their childrens choices, said Magdalena Cerda, director of the Center for Opioid Epidemiology and Policy at New York Universitys Grossman School of Medicine.

Previous studies have found that if your parents use drugs, then the likelihood of you using drugs is going to be higher, Cerda said. Whether that is because you think it is more acceptable, or it is because drugs are more available to you, or because of something else entirely, is relatively unclear. But I would say that is a concern.

Another 10 years could pass before the normalizing effect of legalizing marijuana shows up in surveys of high school students, she said.

Researchers have identified some troubling trends among youths who regularly use marijuana. A few studies have found increases in Cannabis Use Disorder among youths who regularly use marijuana in states that have legalized recreational sales of the drug, Cerda said. Cannabis Use Disorder is generally diagnosed when someone cant quit using despite trying, starts having trouble at work or school due to marijuana use, or gives up social activities due to use of marijuana.

That is obviously a concern because dependence on cannabis actually has an effect on your life, on your interactions with others and on your work, Cerda said. Essentially, a cannabis addiction, particularly for adolescents, can have long-term effects.

Marijuana use has been associated with an increase in a persons risk for developing a mental health disorder, said J. Cobb Scott, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. There also is evidence that using marijuana can lead to psychotic episodes in people who already have schizophrenia. Psychotic episodes can lead to involuntary hospitalization, homelessness or suicide, Scott said.

One significant risk of marijuana use is in youths and young adults who potentially are at risk of schizophrenia or depression, said Scott, who has spent years researching how marijuana use affects brain function and mental health.

But just because someone who has mental illness has a history of marijuana use doesnt mean the drug caused the illness, Scott said. Researchers have attempted to prove marijuana use causes mental illness but have had mixed results.

A 2019 study of how marijuana use contributed to the prevalence of psychosis in adults in Europe, published in the medical journal The Lancet, found that people using high potency marijuana every day were five times more likely to develop psychosis than people who didnt use the drug. But a 2016 study of data collected by the National Epidemiological Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions found no link between marijuana use and mental health disorders.

Theres evidence both ways right now, Scott said. And what we dont have is a lot of epidemiological evidence. We have seen increased use of cannabis over the last 15 years or so, but we dont have the hugely increased rates of psychosis that you might expect if that relationship were really strongly causal.

Part of the difficulty in pinning down whether or not marijuana can cause psychosis is that most of the research into how marijuana affects people has been observational. Researchers have essentially had to wait for people to start using the drug on their own before marijuanas effect on them can be studied. Because researchers are not controlling who uses the drug or how much theyre using, and are often not recording their subjects medical histories or IQ levels before they start using marijuana, it can be hard to know for sure the significance of the drugs impacts.

Drawing conclusions from observational research requires large sample sizes being studied over several years, Scott said.

Some of the best evidence of marijuanas effect on brain development and mental health comes from a study conducted in New Zealand. In the study, researchers followed more than 1,000 people from the age of eight until they turned 38.

The New Zealand researchers found that subjects who developed an addiction to marijuana and began using it heavily before turning 18 and remained addicted to the drug for many years lost an average of six Intelligence Quotient points. People who started using marijuana as adults did not lose any IQ points, the study found.

An ongoing study being conducted by the U.S. National Institutes of Health, called the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, should give scientists a much better understanding of how marijuana affects young brains. The study will follow more 10,000 children aged 9 and 10 for a decade. Researchers will collect information on the children using brain scans, genetic and psychological tests, academic records and surveys. The study began in 2015.

One area where there is strong evidence of marijuanas effects on people is cognitive function, or how well a persons brain works. Many studies have shown that frequent cannabis use can impact cognitive functioning in specific areas, including memory and behavior, Scott said. Marijuanas cognitive effects, though, tend to wear off fairly quickly after someone quits using the drug.

A couple of larger studies have shown that heavy use starting before the age of 18, and going on pretty consistently for a number of years, may cause long term changes in cognitive functioning. But that is a very small group of people, Scott said.

Still, South Dakotans should be concerned about marijuana use among teenagers, Scott said. There are too many unknowns about the drugs effect on brain development. Studies of rats, for example, have shown that marijuana can affect the development of important parts of the brain such as the hippocampus, which plays a significant role in learning and memory.

We know that the brain continues to develop through the teenage years and into the mid-20s, Scott said. And we know that any psychoactive substance like cannabis can potentially affect brain development.

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Legalization votes bring worries of increased youth marijuana use, but evidence remains murky - AberdeenNews.com

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) Jury duty notices have set Nicholas Philbrook's home on edge with worries about him contracting the coronavirus and passing it on to his father-in-law, a cancer survivor with diabetes in his mid-70s who is at higher risk of developing serious complications from COVID-19.

Philbrook and his wife, Heather Schmidt, of Camarillo, California, have been trying to convince court officials that he should be excused from jury duty because her father lives with them. But court officials told him that is not a valid reason and he must appear in court early next month.

"My main concern is you still have to go into a building, you still have to be around a set number of people," said Philbrook, 39, a marketing company editor. "In an enclosed space, how safe are you? It just doesn't feel like a right time still to be doing that kind of stuff on a normal basis."

People across the country have similar concerns amid resurgences of the coronavirus, a fact that has derailed plans to resume jury trials in many courthouses for the first time since the pandemic started.

Within the past month, courts in Hartford, Connecticut, San Diego and Norfolk, Virginia, have had to delay jury selection for trials because too few people responded to jury duty summonses. The non-response rates are much higher now than they were before the pandemic, court officials say.

Judges in New York City, Indiana, Colorado and Missouri declared mistrials recently because people connected to the trials either tested positive for the virus or had symptoms.

"What the real question boils down to are people willing to show up to that court and sit in a jury trial? said Bill Raftery, a senior analyst with the National Center for State Courts. "Many courts have been responsive to jurors who have said that they're not comfortable with coming to court and doing jury duty and therefore offering deferrals simply because of concerns over COVID."

Also this month, state court systems in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey and courts in Denver, Colorado, were among those to suspend all jury trials because of rising virus rates. On Friday, federal officials announced that about two dozen U.S. district courts across the county have suspended jury trials and grand jury proceedings because of virus outbreaks and too few people showing up for jury duty.

Courts are under pressure to resume trials because of the case backlogs piling up during the pandemic.

A few courts have held trials in person and by video conference. Although video conferences may appear to be the best bet, many criminal defense lawyers oppose them because it's harder to determine witness credibility and to see if jurors are paying attention, said Christopher Adams, a lawyer in Charleston, South Carolina, and president of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

"For almost everybody, there is no compelling need for trials to go forward during the pandemic," he said, adding that most courts are not holding jury trials at the moment.

Adams said another concern is how representative juries would be if trials went ahead the virus' impact and the level of concern about it across different demographics, such as Black, Latino and elderly populations that are dying at higher rates, could affect who feels safe to serve jury duty.

"What we can't allow is to have trials where there's not a fair cross section of the community represented," he said.

But many criminal defense lawyers are pointing to a major issue with not holding trials defendants who are detained while awaiting trial. Although jails and prisons across the country have released thousands of low-risk inmates because of concerns about the virus, many people remain locked up in pretrial detention.

A case in federal court in Hartford, Connecticut, offers a glimpse of how the virus can upend proceedings.

In October, 150 people were summoned for jury duty for the trial of Amber Foley, who is fighting child pornography charges and demanding her constitutional right to a speedy trial. It would be the first criminal trial in Connecticut, in state or federal court, since the pandemic began.

Only about half the potential jurors showed up and many others were excused for various reasons including concerns about COVID-19. Only 19 people were left, short of the 31 people estimated to be needed to pick a jury of 12 and one alternate juror.

And then, two court security officers tested positive for the virus, forcing the temporary closure of the courthouse for cleaning and prompting Judge Vanessa Bryant's law clerk to go into isolation and get tested because of contact with the officers.

Bryant decided last week to postpone Foley's jury selection until mid-January. Like judges in other parts of the country, she ruled the interests of public health outweigh those of a speedy trial.

"Despite every effort being made by the Court, the Court must reluctantly conclude that it is unable to empanel a representative jury from the 200 prospective jurors summoned without jeopardizing the safety of all trial participants," Bryant wrote in a ruling.

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Your daily 6: Third vaccine looks effective, no single 'word of the year' and Trump team called 'a national embarrassment' - Ravalli Republic

Sangmi Han discusses how cell counters have become an integral part of Macrogens single-cell RNA sequencing workflow

Macrogen, Inc. is a leading expert in genomic analysis, proactively seeking to improve the fields of genetic and genomic analyses through research and development. To further this mission, Macrogen is working to identify the causal genes for rare diseases with a view to building a big data system that brings together patient genomic and medical data. Using this integrated database, the team aims to help predict disease onset and prognosis, and innovate personalized medicines at an individual level.

Here, we speak with Sangmi Han, Macrogens Head of the Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) Technical Services Department, about how the LUNA-FX7 Automated Cell Counter from Logos Biosystems has increased the throughput, reliability, and accuracy of her labs single-cell RNA sequencing and precision medicine workflows. Han explains how these state-of-the-art cell counters are helping Macrogen to predict, prevent, and treat diseases on a personal level.

SH: Macrogen is a global leader in precision medicine and biotechnology with the aim of medical innovation for the future by integrating genomic, medical, and life sciences data. We possess the worlds fifth-class genome analysis platform, sequencing and data analysis capacity, and support systematic genome research through precise genome analysis services and personalized medicine that diagnoses, treats, monitors, predicts, and prevents diseases based on the captured genomic information.

SH: I look after whole genome sequencing and metagenome sequencing for microbial identification. When accurate genomic information is obtained from customers and patients, the genes that cause a specific disease can be found based on this sequencing data. Through this genetic analysis, diagnostic kits and panels can be developed with our technology and diseases can be more accurately diagnosed, predicted, prevented, and treated, leading to a much higher quality of patient life.

SH: A current trend in the NGS market is the single-cell library where genes can be analyzed through the unique barcoding of each cell. To construct single-cell sequencing libraries, we count the cells that have been isolated from specific tissues and provided to us by customers. Since we need to perform single-cell RNA sequencing for a certain number of cells in order to enter a sufficient number of barcodes, cell counting is an essential process and must be accurate. In addition, as the demand for single-cell library construction increases, the capacity of cell counting and quality control equipment is becoming ever more important.

To ensure this high accuracy in our cell counts, we use the LUNA-FX7 Automated Cell Counter from Logos Biosystems, the latest and most powerful in the LUNA Family. This instrument provides not only high accuracy but also high throughput, with the LUNA 8-channel slides enabling the counting of eight separate samples at once, fully assisting us in overcoming any potential difficulties we may face during our experiments. We also cross-check these results using manual counting via a microscope. As experimental analysis of single-cell libraries is conducted according to the number of target cells, cell counting is highly important. The better the input number of cells matches the output result, the more reliable the data.

SH: In the NGS market, advanced and precision kits are becoming increasingly popular and being released at a rapid rate. Comprehensive services, from companies like Macrogen, can be provided through the performance of various sequencing analyses, from human to non-human. As a result, we are sure that the use of big data will drastically increase and, due to the vast amount of data available to us, the market size of personal genomics and disease prediction and prevention services will only continue to grow.

Do you use Logos Biosystems products in your lab? Write a review today for your chance to win>>

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Editorial Article: Increased NGS throughput for personalized genomics with automated cell counting - SelectScience

Metabolon a biotechnology company based in Durham, North Carolina, has been selected by the NIAID to participate in a study on the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The study is a part of the NIAIDs Immunophenotyping Assessment in a COVID-19 Cohort (IMPACC) research.

The program is being led by researchers at the Precision Vaccines Program (PVP) at Boston Childrens Hospital. The PVP is a collaboration of academics, government, and industry leaders who are working on advancing the next generation of vaccines for at-risk populations.

It features roughly 400 scientists and administrators around the world through the Precision Vaccines Network (PVN). The PVN employs systems vaccinology, humanin vitromodeling, adjuvant discovery and development through human clinical trials.

The study is focused on researching how a SARs-CoV-2 infection effects the human immune systems response network, focusing mainly on determining the biomarkers of COVID-19 outcome and severity.

The study is supporting the PVPs Clinical Data Collection Center (CDCC), assisting them in their efforts on integrating clinical data like sex, age, and the diseases severity and outcomes with biological data, including metabolomics.

A fundamental aspect to unlocking the genome using multi-omics research, a type of biological analysis, is Metabolomics. This approach aids in population health initiatives and helps in reaching the global goal of personalized medicine.

Metabolon will conduct research on global metabolomics using biological samples of serum from a population of approximately 1000 study participants. The company will collect samples from the participants and examine them across different time points, observing metabolic changes in the immune response to a SARS-CoV-2 infection over time. They will then correlate the data with the severity and outcome of a COVID-19 infection.

"It's an honor to collaborate with NIAID and participating researchers across the U.S. on the IMPACC study to assess and precisely characterize the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on health," Greg Michelotti, PhD, the scientific director of Metabolon, said. "Metabolomics provides a detailed snapshot of the phenotype, enabling deeper understanding of health and disease. The actionable metabolomics insights will help inform development of diagnostics, prognostics, therapeutics and vaccines to address the COVID-19 pandemic."

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Determining the Biomarkers of COVID-19 Outcome and Severity - Contagionlive.com

DUBLIN, Nov. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Companion Diagnostic Markets - the Future of Diagnostics, by Funding Source and Application with Customized Forecasting/Analysis, COVID-19 Updates, and Executive and Consultant Guides 2021-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

Companion Diagnostics are poised to revolutionize the diagnostics industry. The market is finally moving out of the lab and into the clinic. Oncology, especially immune-oncology is leading the way. And the FDA is holding the door open for this diagnostic technology of the future. But COVID-19 is impacting healthcare treatment everywhere and lowering demand for specialized cancer testing. Find out the latest outlook for this important market.

Will Personalized Companion Diagnostics become the norm for diagnostics?

Learn all about how diagnostic players are jockeying for position with their pharmaceutical counterparts and creating new and significant business opportunities. And some players are already taking the lead. It is a dynamic market situation with enormous opportunity. Diagnostic companies are trying to back the right horse. The science is racing forward. And the cost of molecular diagnostics continues to fall.

This report provides data that analysts and planners can use. Hundreds of pages of information including a complete list of Current 2020 United States Medicare Fee Payment Schedules to help understand test pricing in detail. Forecast demand for new testing regimes or technologies. Make research investment decisions. Existing laboratories and hospitals can use the information directly to forecast and plan for clinical facilities growth.

The report includes detailed breakouts for 18 Countries and 4 Regions.

Companion Diagnostic Market - Strategic Situation Analysis

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction and Market Definition

2. Market Overview 2.1 Players in a Dynamic Market 2.1.1 Academic Research Lab 2.1.2 Diagnostic Test Developer2.1.3 Instrumentation Supplier 2.1.4 Distributor and Reagent Supplier 2.1.5 Independent Testing Lab2.1.6 Public National/regional lab 2.1.7 Hospital lab 2.1.8 Physician Office Labs 2.1.9 Audit Body 2.1.10 Certification Body2.2 Personalized Medicine and Companion Diagnostics 2.2.1 Basics 2.2.2 Method 2.2.3 Disease risk assessment 2.2.4 Applications 2.2.5 Diagnosis and intervention 2.2.5.1 Companion Diagnostics 2.2.6 Drug development and usage 2.2.7 Respiratory proteomics 2.2.8 Cancer genomics 2.2.9 Population screening 2.2.10 Challenges 2.2.11 Regulatory oversight 2.2.12 Intellectual property rights 2.2.13 Reimbursement policies2.2.14 Patient privacy and confidentiality 2.3 Chromosomes, Genes and Epigenetics 2.3.1 Chromosomes2.3.2 Genes 2.3.3 Epigenetics 2.4 Cancer Genes 2.4.1 Germline vs Somatic 2.4.2 Changing Clinical Role 2.5 Structure of Industry Plays a Part 2.5.1 New Pharmaceutical Funding Market 2.5.2 Economies of Scale2.5.2.1 Hospital vs. Central Lab 2.5.3 Physician Office Labs 2.5.4 Physicians and POCT

3. Market Trends3.1 Factors Driving Growth3.1.1 Level of Care 3.1.2 Immuno-oncology 3.1.3 Liability3.1.4 Aging Population3.2 Factors Limiting Growth3.2.1 State of knowledge3.2.2 Genetic Blizzard. 3.2.3 Protocol Resistance3.2.4 Regulation and coverage 3.3 Instrumentation and Automation 3.3.1 Instruments Key to Market Share 3.3.2 Bioinformatics Plays a Role 3.4 Diagnostic Technology Development3.4.1 Next Generation Sequencing Fuels a Revolution. 3.4.2 Single Cell Genomics Changes the Picture 3.4.3 Pharmacogenomics Blurs Diagnosis and Treatment3.4.4 CGES Testing, A Brave New World 3.4.5 Biochips/Giant magneto resistance based assay

4. Companion Diagnostics Recent Developments 4.1 Recent Developments - Importance and How to Use This Section 4.1.1 Importance of These Developments 4.1.2 How to Use This Section

5. Profiles of Key Players

6. The Global Market for Companion Diagnostics6.1 Global Market Overview by Country6.1.1 Table - Global Market by Country6.1.2 Chart - Global Market by Country 6.2 Global Market by Application - Overview 6.2.1 Table - Global Market by Application 6.2.2 Chart - Global Market by Application - Base/Final Year Comparison 6.2.3 Chart - Global Market by Application - Base Year 6.2.4 Chart - Global Market by Application - Final Year 6.2.5 Chart - Global Market by Application - Share by Year6.3 Global Market Funding Source - Overview 6.3.1 Table - Global Market by Funding Source 6.3.2 Chart - Global Market Funding Source - Base/Final Year Comparison 6.3.3 Chart - Global Market Funding Source - Base Year 6.3.4 Chart - Global Market Funding Source - Final Year6.3.5 Chart - Global Market Funding Source - Share by Year

7. Global Companion Diagnostic Markets - By Application 7.1 Oncology 7.1.1 Table Oncology - by Country 7.1.2 Chart - Oncology Growth7.2 Neurology 7.2.1 Table Neurology - by Country 7.2.2 Chart - Neurology Growth 7.3 Cardiology 7.3.1 Table Cardiology - by Country 7.3.2 Chart - Cardiology Growth7.4 Other Application7.4.1 Table Other Application - by Country7.4.2 Chart - Other Application Growth

8. Global Companion Diagnostic Markets - Funding Source8.1 Global Market Pharmaceutical 8.1.1 Table Pharmaceutical - by Country8.1.2 Chart - Pharmaceutical Growth 8.2 Global Market Venture 8.2.1 Table Venture - by Country8.2.2 Chart - Venture Growth 8.3 Global Market Clinical 8.3.1 Table Clinical - by Country8.3.2 Chart - Clinical Growth 8.4 Global Market Other Funding 8.4.1 Table Other Funding - by Country 8.4.2 Chart - Other Funding Growth

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Original post:
Outlook on the Companion Diagnostic Global Market to 2025 with COVID-19 Updates - PRNewswire

LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Nov. 24, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Oculis S.A., a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative topical ophthalmic treatments to improve the sight and lives of patients, announced that Riad Sherif M.D., CEO, will present an overview of the company at the following investor conferences:

Date/Time: The company presentation has been made available on demand as of Monday, November 23 at 10AM ET to registered attendees on the conference website. The presentation will be available for playback throughout the duration of the event.

Piper Sandler conferences and events are by invitation only. If you wish to attend, please contact yourPiper Sandlerrepresentative. http://www.pipersandler.com

Date/Time: The company presentation will be made available online as part of a virtual library the week of the event to registered attendees on the conference website.

To access the presentation, please register HERE: https://hcwevents.com/bioconnect/

Dr. Sherif will provide an overview of Oculis portfolio and the significant progress it has made during 2020 with the advancement of its lead candidates OCS-01 and OCS-02.

A key focus of the presentations will be on the development of OCS-01 as a potentially transformative and first topical treatment for Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) and as the first once a day steroid for the treatment of inflammation and pain following ocular surgery. Positive clinical results from Phase 2 trials of OCS-01 in both indications were announced this year in February and May, respectively. The Company is now moving to Phase 3 pivotal trials following a positive End of Phase 2 meeting with FDA in both indications. These trials are expected to start in the first half of 2021.

Dr. Sherif will also discuss progress with OCS-02, a novel and a potentially first-in-class topical anti-TNF alpha antibody. OCS-02 has successfully completed two proof-of-concept (POC) clinical trials in Dry Eye Disease (DED) and Acute Anterior Uveitis and aims to initiate Phase 2b trials in 2021. In DED, Oculis will continue to validate a novel biomarker identified in patients who showed a highly positive response to treatment. If confirmed in the next trial, this finding could accelerate and de-risk the pivotal trials program and potentially lead to a novel, personalized medicine approach to the treatment of DED, with an associated companion diagnostic.

About Oculis

Oculis S.A. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing transformative topical ophthalmic treatments using its innovative formulation technologies to improve the sight and lives of patients. Oculis novel topical (eye drop) treatments are non-invasive and represent an unprecedented technical advance for patients with retinal and front-of-the-eye diseases.

The Companys leading clinical candidates include OCS-01 and OCS-02:

In addition, Oculis formulation discovery focus and capabilities are enabling the development of a pipeline of topical drugs targeting sight-threatening eye diseases that affect both the anterior and posterior segments of the eye.

Oculis has an experienced management team from global ophthalmic companies and is supported by leading international life science investors. Oculis is headquartered in Lausanne, Switzerland, with research operations in Iceland, and U.S. operations in Boston, MA.

To learn more, visit http://www.oculis.com

Contacts

OculisDr. Riad Sherif, CEOriad.sherif@oculis.comSylvia Cheung, CFOsylvia.cheung@oculis.com Louie-Anne Gauthier, VP, Strategic Marketing and BD&Llouie-anne.gauthier@oculis.com

Media Relations

Citigate Dewe RogersonMark Swallow / Sylvie Berrebi / Marine Perrieroculis@citigatedewerogerson.com+44 (0)20 7638 9571

Originally posted here:
Oculis to Present Progress in its Portfolio of Novel Topical Treatments for Retinal and Front-of-the-Eye Diseases at Upcoming Investor Conferences -...

With their potential to track health continuously outside care facilities, wearables hold a significant potential to improve current precision medicine initiatives.

FREMONT, CA: Wearable devices have come a long way from being just entertaining to bringing in tangible health benefits. Previously, wearables with basic functionality were appreciated by fitness enthusiasts and professional athletes. But today, the capabilities of wearables emerged way beyond counting steps are taken and calories burnt. Next generations of smart wearables expanded their data collection and analytical abilities toward overall health awareness. They start identifying patterns related to the users mood, sleep quality and other vitals. Today, wearables are instead marketed as personal devices for people who is interested in making more informed choices about their health.

This trend of personalized health tracking fell in line with the value-based care paradigm and its stress on precision medicine. The present healthcare industry aspires to leverage wearables as a primary data source to develop highly personal and flexible patient treatment plans, enabling the introduction of timely therapy modifications based on slight alterations in health patterns. Additionally, wearables can also help to promote patients responsibility toward their care routines and encourage informed patient-physician communication. Smart wearable manufacturers and medical-grade software vendors also depend on custom software solutions suitable for clinical use. While researchers and decision-makers can benefit from wearables to support their efforts, it all comes down to two major groups of sensors collecting particular biological signs.

Physiological sensors measure the biological signs with electrical, thermal, acoustic and optical components. It monitors bodily functions like the gut and respiratory activity, vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate, temperature, blood oxygen saturation levels and more. Both consumer-facing and ambulatory-use wearables allow numerous biological tracking options. Some include, smartwatches with the ability to generate ECG, identify falls and abnormal heart rhythms, patch sensors for prenatal contraction monitoring, abdominal patch analyzing gastrointestinal motility and facilitating diagnostics of digestive disorders, and fertility tracker with heart rate, temperature and stress level monitoring capabilities.

Being more aware of their wellness and biological signals, patients can start actively engaging in the dialogue about their therapy. They can consider their possible health outcomes in the long run, and realize that both their opinion and actions matter.

Check This Out:Top Medical Device Consulting Companies

Read the original here:
Wearables Driving the Future of Precision Medicine - Healthcare Tech Outlook

Tissue Sectioning Devices: Introduction

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Key Drivers and Restraints of Global Tissue Sectioning Devices Market

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The global tissue sectioning devices market was highly fragmented in 2019. Key players operating in the global tissue sectioning devices market are:

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Tissue Sectioning Devices Market: Growth of Personalized Therapeutics and Diagnostics to Boost Market - BioSpace

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Persephone Biosciences Inc., a biotechnology company that leverages real world data and artificial intelligence to design microbiome therapeutics and diagnostics to promote normal immune function and fight disease, today announced the initiation of the ARGONAUT clinical study to determine the impact of gut microbiome composition and function on the immune system and efficacy of cancer treatment.

ARGONAUT is a longitudinal, prospective, observational study that will enroll up to 4,000 advanced-stage cancer patients of diverse racial backgrounds to collect data for the development of precision microbiome medicines and for the identification of companion diagnostics to guide therapeutic decisions. Four types of cancers will be profiled: non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic cancer.

"I believe this study will provide important new insights into how the microbiome can inform the treatment of patients with cancer. This work could help improve patients' response to existing and future treatments through the use of more personalized treatment regimens," said Dr. Sandip Patel, MD, Associate Professor, UC San Diego Moore's Cancer Center. "Significant cancer health disparities currently exist, but with this nationwide study that include tumor types, like TNBC, that are more prevalent in at-risk demographics, we believe we can address these disparities and develop equitable precision medicine, thereby potentially increasing survival rates and quality of life."

Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Persephone Biosciences, Stephanie Culler, added, "The ARGONAUT study, the largest study ever of its kind in the U.S., will provide us with more data than ever before on the importance of gut microbiome in patients' response to oncology treatment. With this data, Persephone Biosciences will be the partner of choice for oncology companies wishing to improve the therapeutic benefit of existing drugs, as well as develop effective new therapies targeting microbiome optimization".

Eligible subjects will provide 2 samples each of blood and stool over a 6-month period and will be followed for up to two years.

About ARGONAUT

The official title of the ARGONAUT study is: "Development and Analysis of a Blood and Stool Sample Bank for Cancer Patients, Enabling the Systematic Study of the Effect of Blood and Gut Microbiomes on Response to Treatment." More information can be found at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov using the identifier NCT04638751.

About Persephone Biosciences:

Persephone Biosciences, a Y Combinator company, takes a novel approach to improving the efficacy of existing therapies, leveraging the systemic impact of the gut microbiome on the human immune system. Persephone's technology platform is based on population-scale observational clinical trials, advanced genomics and immunology techniques, and machine learning to understand the impact of gut microbes on patient prognosis and immune system function. The results are used to design precision immunotherapies and companion diagnostics for unmet needs. For more information, visit http://www.persephonebiosciences.com.

CONTACTS:Stephanie Culler, Ph.D.CEO and Co-founderPersephone Biosciences, Inc.investors@persephonebiosciences.com

Laurence WattsManaging DirectorGilmartin Group, LLC.laurence@gilmartinir.com

Media Contacts:Evan Wicker, Ph.D.Russo Partners, LLCevan.wicker@russopartnersllc.com212-845-4235

Olipriya Das, Ph.D.Russo Partners, LLCOlipriya.Das@russopartnersllc.com646-942-5588

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/persephone-biosciences-initiates-the-argonaut-study-of-gut-microbiome-linked-immune-modulation-in-cancer-treatment-response-301178470.html

SOURCE Persephone Biosciences

More here:
Persephone Biosciences Initiates the ARGONAUT Study of Gut Microbiome-Linked Immune Modulation in Cancer Treatment Response - BioSpace

November 22nd, 2020 by Johnna Crider

Tesla has partnered with Curevac to help fight the coronavirus, but what is the extent of this partnership? Ive seen claims all over Twitter from a few of Elon Musks critics saying that he should stick to making rockets. Honestly, telling someone with Elons net worth to not help is kind of rude, if you ask me. Opinions and thoughts about that matter aside, NZZ gives a detailed breakdown of Teslas partnership with Curevac, and no, Elon is not in some lab with a syringe filled with God only knows what while standing over a poor hapless soul strapped down to a gurney (visions that may come to mind if you look at some of the tweets out there).

This partnership is actually older than the coronavirus itself, and shows that many armchair critics and click chasers havent really done their research. The first takeaway from the German article is that Curevac and Tesla are working together on an RNA printer. Tesla is helping by building the parts of an RNA printer that will produce not only this vaccine, but also others and other medicines. That said, we should all recognize that this is no normal printer. Anyone who imagines an RNA printer as a handy printer that will shortly spit out vaccines against Sars-CoV-2, for example, is not entirely correct, the author of the article noted before explaining the story of this partnership.

Curevac, founded in 2000, was the first biotech company to work with the messenger molecule mRNA (messenger ribonucleic acid) for the fields of oncology, protein therapy, and vaccines. It came to the conclusion years ago that it needed an industrial plan in order to conduct clinical studies at all and then produce billions of doses annually, according to its CEO, Franz-Werner Haas. After that, the company wanted to eventually produce smaller quantities at a faster pace something geared toward personalized medicine. For example, its a matter of producing a personalized active ingredient for an oncology patient. This would take too much time on a large system, and the quantities would also be too large. Curevac needed additional support to implement its idea of mobile production units, stating, We are biologists, we are doctors, we are technicians, but we are not mechanical engineers. With this in mind, the company brought in Grohmann Engineering as a technical partner, which Tesla bought and is now Tesla Grohmann Automation.

An RNA printer, the article points out, is a small mobile production facility (not a printer you plug in, press a button, and print from) that is made for a certain type of pharmaceutical. It uses a specific RNA sequence as an active ingredient. This field of application is not limited to vaccines it is also being tested for antibody therapies for various diseases. These diseases range from personalized cancer medicine to gene therapy using the Crispr/Cas technique.

A Curevac spokesman described the RNA printer, which is still a prototype, as a mini-factory that is 34 meters long, 2 meters wide, and 2 meters high. Its slightly larger than an SUV and can be shipped in a container. Additionally, work is being done to make it smaller and give it more functions.

The article noted that the focus for right now will most likely be on vaccines, and that extensive immunization against certain pathogens is pretty much a logistical problem. When a vaccine is distributed, it requires a functioning cold chain from the manufacturer to the most remote village. Also, RNA is often an unstable molecule that decomposes quickly even at room temperature. Often when transporting it, the temperature has to be at least -20 to sometimes -80 degrees Celsius.

Curevac is actually working on an idea of making any mRNA vaccine directly where it is needed. This, the author pointed out, is what the RNA printer could do. The printer consists of a bioreactor in which the DNA template is overwritten in RNA. Next, the finished messenger molecules are freed from the process chemicals and then embedded in fat droplets, which prevent them from decomposing too quickly.

Grohmann Engineering GmbH, which is an engineering automation company, was acquired by Tesla in 2016. It was officially taken over by Tesla on January 3, 2017. Back then, the partnership was uncertain, and Curevac actually sent representatives to California to encourage Tesla to continue the collaboration. Tesla, as we all see clearly, did so, in addition to Tesla Grohmanns is focused on automation processes for the production of EVs and power storage systems.

With this bit of history in mind, its easy to see how it was natural for Elon Musk and Tesla to get involved with creating a vaccine for the coronavirus. Many dont take the time to fully research this partnership and are quick to loathe Elon Musk for being Elon Musk someone who wants to help. Whether calling it a publicity stunt, stock manipulation, or whatever the critics say these days, its clear that those who seek to criticize are not doing their research.

If one was doing actual research, they would have not only realized that Tesla is working with Curevac to make molecule printers, but that the company has been working with Curevac behind the scenes since Tesla acquired Grohmann Engineering GmbH 4 years ago. And the research would have you understand that Teslas engineers are working in partnership with Curevac in a meaningful way. Just note that they are making the mechanical parts of the printer, not the actual vaccine itself.

Speaking of the vaccine, in a video call with members of the press, Haas explained that Curevac had good feedback on its Phase 1 trials and is moving into Phases 2 and 3. Curevac is also recruiting 36,000 participants. A virus doesnt differentiate between nationality, sex, skin color, religion it is an international problem, that must be tackled internationally. He added that, I will say it in the words of Bill Gates he said it four years ago such outbreaks will happen again and again. The thing is we dont know what they will be and when they will come.

I think I learned more about RNA and mRNA writing this article than I did in school. And what Ive gathered from this is that the folks at Curevac the actual scientists making the vaccine know what they are doing and know what they need from Tesla. Tesla is helping and meeting that need, and has years of experience working with Curevac.

Tesla helping the vaccine would be the equivalent of me giving some copper wire to a friend who works in electrical engineering. I know nothing about the engineering work they do, but I use copper in my art and can get them some.

We dont know the type of benefit Tesla is receiving from Curevac, but we do know that Teslas contribution is something that will help save lives and create a valuable asset to the medical field. Actually, Elon Musk has stated before that Tesla isnt going to financially benefit from this. Emotionally, Teslas staff may benefit, especially if Curevacs prototype that Tesla is helping to create becomes a world-changing success in the medical industry what they are hoping it to be. And this, in my opinion, is why I believe Elon and Tesla are working with Curevac to help.

Im interested in things that change the world or that affect the future and wondrous, new technology where you see it, and youre like, Wow, how did that even happen? How is that possible? Elon Musk

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Tags: CureVac, Grohmann Engineering, Tesla, Tesla Grohmann, Tesla Grohmann Automation

Johnna Crider is a Baton Rouge artist, gem, and mineral collector, member of the International Gem Society, and a Tesla shareholder who believes in Elon Musk and Tesla. Elon Musk advised her in 2018 to Believe in Good.Tesla is one of many good things to believe in. You can find Johnna on Twitter

See the original post:
History of the Partnership between Tesla & Curevac Its Older than Covid-19 - CleanTechnica

The researchers measured the visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and liver fat (LF) from magnetic resonance images of 12,276 participants from the UK Biobank, the researchers assessed and divided individuals into four groups defined by sex-specific median values of VAT and LF: low VAT-low LF, low VAT-high LF, high VAT-low LF, and high VAT-high LF. Participants were followed for 1.3 years (on average) to detect VAT-LF groups' associations with CHD incidence.

In total, 176 CHD events were recorded, revealing that high visceral adiposity increased risk for CHD; this effect was exacerbated in those who also had low liver fat elevating the risk for CHD greater than two-fold compared with low VAT-low LF. High liver fat in combination with low visceral adiposity (low VAT-high LF), did not increase the risk for CHD. After adjusting for age and body mass index, high VAT-high LF association with CHD diminished, but the increased risk of CHD among those with high VAT-low LF persisted.

"We believe knowledge of patient risk for disease is limited when assessment is restricted to single, isolated fat depots. When developing NAFLD treatments, a decrease in liver fat alone may not be sufficient to lower patients' cardiometabolic risk. In fact, the research shows that decreasing liver fat without resolving visceral obesity may put the patient at greater risk of heart disease. This is what we want to investigate further,"stated Jennifer Linge, Lead Scientist, Personalized Medicine at AMRA Medical.

The results suggest that heterogeneity of body fat distribution affects CHD risk. Specifically, risk for CHD increased among those with high visceral adiposity, which intensifies in the presence of low liver fat indicating that liver triglyceride regulation plays a vital role in cardiovascular health in the context of visceral obesity.

Learn more about these findings by viewing the recorded presentation. The corresponding abstract "Can Low Liver Fat Be Bad for Your Heart? The High Visceral Fat, Low Liver Fat Phenotype: A Risk Factor for Coronary Heart Disease" (number 89) can be found in the journal HEPATOLOGY.

About UK Biobank

UK Biobankis large-scalebiomedical database and research resource, containing in-depth genetic andhealth information from halfa million UK participants. The database, which isregularly augmented with additional data, is globally accessible to approvedresearchersand scientists undertaking vital research into the most common andlife-threatening diseases. UK Biobank's researchresource is a majorcontributor to the advancement of modern medicine and treatment and has enabledseveral scientific discoveriesthat improve human health.

About AMRA Medical

AMRAis a ground-breaking international digital health company at the forefront of medicalimaging and precision medicine. The company has developed a new global standard in bodycomposition assessment, the ability to automatically produce multiple fat and musclebiomarkers with unrivaled precision and accuracy, as well as contextual disease insights allfrom a single, rapid, whole-body MRI.

SOURCE AMRA Medical

AMRA Medical | Advanced Medical Imaging

See more here:
AMRA Medical Research Reveals New MRI-based Data Connected to Risk for Coronary Heart Disease at The Liver Meeting Digital Experience - PRNewswire

Precise treatment leads to resolution of patient's debilitating symptoms and complete remodeling of her lymphatic system

PHILADELPHIA, Nov. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Researchers at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) have resolved a severe lymphatic disorder in a girl with Noonan Syndrome that had led to upper gastrointestinal bleeding, fluid collection around the lungs, and numerous surgeries that had been unable to resolve her symptoms. By identifying a genetic mutation along a pathway related to lymphatic vessel development and function, the research team was able to target the pathway using an existing drug they had used in a previous case to remodel a patient's lymphatic system.

The case study, which was published today in Pediatrics, describes a resolution of the patient's symptoms within three months while on the medication.

"This study is quite significant," said first author Yoav Dori, MD, PhD, Director of the Jill and Mark Fishman Center for Lymphatic Disorders at CHOP. "Inhibiting this pathway seems to have sweeping, widespread effects on the lymphatic system. How this process occurs is not fully understood, but is remarkable in its speed and breadth. This gives us a lot of hope for treating other patients with genetic mutations along this same pathway in the future."

The patient described in the paper, Maria, first came to CHOP when she was 14, after experiencing severe anemia due to upper gastrointestinal bleeding, as well as other symptoms including fluid build-up in the cavity around her lungs, chronic fatigue, delayed puberty, and difficulty gaining weight. Maria had been born with Noonan Syndrome, a genetic disorder that prevents normal development in various parts of the body and often results in short stature, heart defects and other physical problems, including an abnormal lymphatic system. Despite aggressive medical therapy elsewhere, Maria continued to bleed internally, and she underwent multiple blood transfusions to try to stabilize her health.

Within two days of transferring to CHOP, the lymphatics team, led by Dori, determined Maria had many lymphatic irregularities, which were leading to internal bleeding and lung problems, so they scheduled Maria's first intervention, a lymphatic embolization procedure that would seal the leaky vessels in her gut.

However, within two months of the procedure, Maria's gastrointestinal bleeding recurred. Over the following 8 months, she underwent two additional procedures, as well as a cauterization procedure to close off some of the blood vessels in her gut, but the benefits of each procedure lasted only about three months before the bleeding and her symptoms returned.

Based on whole exome sequencing done at CHOP's Center for Applied Genomics, the research team learned that Maria had a genetic mutation in the SOS1 gene, which operates along the RAS-MAPK pathway. This pathway involves mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK), and Maria's mutation caused an overproduction of MEK, which resulted in the uncontrolled proliferation of her lymphatic vessels.

The research team had previously used a MEK inhibitor in another patient with a severe lymphatic disorder with great success. That patient had a mutation in the ARAF gene, which is also on the RAS-MAPK pathway. Within months of beginning treatment with trametinib, a MEK inhibitor, the patient saw a resolution of his symptoms and a complete remodeling of his lymphatic system.

Given that SOS1 operates on the same pathway as ARAF, Jean Belasco, MD, an oncologist in CHOP's Cancer Center who co-led the study, applied for compassionate use of the drug in Maria's case, given the lack of other treatment options.

"The success of trametinib in another patient with a mutation on the RAS-MAPK pathway encouraged us to try this approach, since other procedures and therapies continued to be unsuccessful," Belasco said. "Although we are in the early days of this type of personalized medicine, the hope is that by looking at patients' mutations, we can find more drugs and better care for patients with genetic diseases."

Within three months of starting the drug, Maria's vital signs stabilized. The bleeding stopped, her electrolyte, hemoglobin, and albumin levels returned to normal, and she began to gain weight. Maria's mother noticed that Maria wasn't going through periods of exhaustion anymore, and her pallor improved.

"She looks better than she's ever looked," her mother said. "She looks like a normal teenager. It's like night and day. She's also a lot happier. I think she knew deep down she was dying. The medicine gave her hope."

Hakon Hakonarson, Director of the Center for Applied Genomics and co-author of the paper, said that although Maria's SOS1 mutation is distinctly different than the ARAF mutation seen in the other patient, the drug was equally effective because it targets and blocks the function of MEK. He likened the scenario to a pathway where 15 events need to occur for a cell to function. Maria's SOS1 mutation might occur at step nine, whereas the ARAF mutation might occur at step three, but both genes are on a chain that ultimately passes through a tunnel that leads to phosphorylation and overactivity of MEK. Since both mutations were so-called gain of function mutations, MEK and thus lymphatic activity was overexpressed in both patients. The MEK inhibitor put the brakes on a system in overdrive.

"Remarkable advances in genetics have allowed us to uncover these mutations and cluster them into selective pathways and determine effective therapies based on genetic mutations with very high precision," said Hakonarson. "No one could have guessed that this drug would have worked for Maria without knowing the underlying genetics. This discovery is extremely important because Noonan Syndrome has the biggest patient population with alterations in MEK signaling. Not all Noonan patients will have mutations that respond to this therapy, but a very good number of them will."

He added that the treatment could also benefit patients with other genetic defects, though he noted the ongoing use of the drug treats the symptoms caused by these mutations, but does not fix the gene or cure the underlying condition.

"MEK inhibition has the potential to have significant effects on other organ systems affected by RAS-MAPK gene defects, such as the heart, eyes, skin and the coagulation system," Hakonarson said.

Hakonarson is also part of CHOP's Comprehensive Vascular Anomalies Program (CVAP), a CHOP Frontier Program that uses state-of-the-art genomics and personalized research strategies to determine the causes of complex vascular conditions and identify targeted therapies. The program works closely with the Lymphatic Imaging and Interventions Frontier Program, which is led by Dori. CHOP's Frontier Programs conduct cutting-edge research that translates into advanced clinical care. The CVAP, in particular, draws on the extensive clinical and genomic research capacity within the Cancer Center and Center for Applied Genomics.

Even with the success of the breakthrough treatment pioneered by these programs, it is not entirely clear why MEK inhibitors not only resolve patients' symptoms but also completely remodel their lymphatic systems. Hakonarson said one possibility is that when mutated genes cause uncontrolled growth of the lymphatic system, the body's vessels leak fluid everywhere in the body. When you shut down the unregulated growth, other homeostatic mechanisms that are balancing the system come into effect, so the overreactive cells that were growing out of control die and are replaced by normal cells that gradually build up the lymphatic system.

Whatever the mechanism, Maria's mother said her daughter had no hesitation at being the first patient with Noonan Syndrome to try this treatment to resolve a lymphatic issue.

"Maria saw the value from the beginning," she said. "She saw the value for herself, but she was also thinking of other Noonan kids, some of whom have passed away from lymphatic issues. She was willing and eager."

Dori et al. "Severe Lymphatic Disorder Resolved with MEK Inhibition in a Noonan Patient with SOS1 Mutation," Pediatrics, published online November 20, 2020, doi: 10.1542/2020-000123

About Children's Hospital of Philadelphia: Children's Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the nation's first pediatric hospital. Through its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional patient care, training new generations of pediatric healthcare professionals, and pioneering major research initiatives, Children's Hospital has fostered many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country. In addition, its unique family-centered care and public service programs have brought the 564-bed hospital recognition as a leading advocate for children and adolescents. For more information, visit http://www.chop.edu

Contact: Natalie SolimeoChildren's Hospital of Philadelphia267-426-6246solimeon@chop.edu

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SOURCE Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

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CHOP Researchers Reverse Severe Lymphatic Disorder in Patient with Noonan Syndrome by Targeting Genetic Pathway - BioSpace