StemCell Therapy

GeekWire Summit panelists, clockwise from top left: Threshold co-founder Emily Melton; Canaan Partners general partner Nina Kjellson; and Biomatics Capital co-founder Julie Sunderland.

Investor interest in healthcare technology is on the rise amid a pandemic that has put a spotlight on telemedicine, patient monitoring, and more. Global VC funding to digital health companies reached a record $10.3 billion through the first nine months of this year, up 43% year-over-year, according to Mercom Capital Group.

At the GeekWire Summit on Tuesday, we brought together three investors who are spending time at the crossroads of technology and healthcare. Read on for takeaways from the conversation, which included Threshold co-founder Emily Melton, Biomatics Capital co-founder Julie Sunderland, and Canaan Partners general partner Nina Kjellson. Dr. Robert Overell, president of Foundation BioVenture, moderated the discussion.

No slowdown: Nearly all industries braced for the worst when COVID-19 began spreading. But the investors agreed that activity within the healthcare tech market is now accelerating. Sunderland called out the progress being made with COVID-19 therapeutics and vaccines, as well as advances with telemedicine and remote care.

Its been a good signal of the thesis we all have, which is that we live at an extraordinary time in terms of innovation in biopharma and innovation in the application of technology to healthcare, Sunderland said.

Melton added: We are not seeing a slowdown now. If anything, its actually faster than its ever been and one of the most competitive markets Ive ever been involved in.

Holy grail:As remote care becomes more common, collecting reliable data from patients outside the clinic or hospital and making it seamless will be paramount. Kjellson called it the holy grail of remote care.

Whether its for clinical use to practice better medicine, or for clinical trials to get better data, that is a trend accelerated by COVID and is here to stay and will drive value going forward, she said. From an investment basis, if we can improve that reliably, we should be looking for those opportunities and investing in those opportunities. It will make better medicines, it will drive better clinical trials, its good for the healthcare system.

Melton said thats particularly true if the right value-based incentive business models are also put in place so people are encouraged to participate in the data collection process.

Sunderland said shes excited about using data to drive behavior change, but the lack of payment mechanisms is a roadblock to capturing value and building new businesses.

When you run into that wall of trying to sell tools into the payer system, and you realize how hard it is and how long those enterprise cycles are and how hard it is to get to scale even if you were creating value from patients, you get discouraged pretty quickly, she said.

Not just computers for healthcare: The relationship between tech and healthcare is rapidly evolving as digital tools and services are applied across various sectors.

Melton called out Livongo, the digital disease management company that announced its $18.5 billion acquisition by Teladoc Health in August. The Livongo solution includes both hardware such as monitoring devices, and software that provides data insights and enables patient communication.

We get excited about those intersections, said Melton, whose firm invested in Livongo. Its not just thinking about only investing in software companies or services businesses or medical devices companies, but looking at where to bring those pieces together to create unique experiences that drive more value.

Kjellson added that many biotech companies are now built on the power of informatics, whether its processing data or doing faster DNA sequencing. She also brought up Vineti, which sells software that helps manage the supply chain and manufacturing process for biotech firms developing personalized treatments. The company counts both Threshold and Canaan Partners as investors.

Vineti is trying to be the enterprise solution to modernize how you connect all of these nodes from the couriers to clinicians to the manufacturers so you have a really safe, seamless, transparent process for how precision medicine gets delivered to patients, Kjellson said. Thats a very different way of thinking about health IT than computers for healthcare.'

[The full interview with the healthtech investors, and other GeekWire Summit sessions, are available on-demand exclusively to attendees of the virtual event.Learn more and register here.]

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Healthtech investors on the holy grail of remote care and a new way of thinking about health IT - GeekWire

CGA members will be able to access on-site rapid testing for Covid-19 subject to Health Canada approvals

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Victory Square Health Inc. (VS Health or the "Company") a portfolio company of Victory Square Technologies Inc. ("Victory Square'') (CSE:VST) (OTC:VSQTF) (FWB:6F6) has entered into an agreement with the Canadian Gaming Association (CGA), a national trade association representing the leading operators and suppliers in Canadas casino gaming and lottery industry subject to Health Canada approval.

The Company announced on October 6, 2020 that it had submitted all formal documents and research for Health Canada approval of its proprietary Safetest Covid-19 Rapid test. This sales, distribution and testing agreement will enable VS Health to assist the members of one of Canadas largest hospitality industry associations ensuring the health and safety of the 180,000 employees that make up the gaming industry in Canada. Before the industry shut down in March, Canadian casino and bingo operators had over 50 million unique visits annually to their properties.

This Safetest Covid-19 Rapid Testcomplement will allow each participating property to access rapid, easy, efficient and cost-effective daily Covid-19 Rapid tests to ensure employees are not infected with the Covid-19 virus, which will in turn keep workplaces safe. The test may also be administered to customers, subject to Health Canada approvals.

We are very pleased to engage with Victory Square Health, said Paul Burns, President and CEO of the Canadian Gaming Association. We believe that providing access to rapid testing, like the Safetest Rapid Test product, is one of the most important tools to help reopen our economy and to allow for greater confidence in increasing capacities in venues across the hospitality industry.

I am delighted with this important agreement with the CGA so that Victory Square Health may realize its goal of commencing distribution of its exclusive Rapid Test kits on a national scale, said Victory Square CEO Shafin D. Tejani. The gaming and entertainment industries have been adversely affected by this pandemic and we are confident that our products and testing services will enable these properties to reopen and increase capacity through our Covid-19 tests. We look forward to providing our Safetest Rapid Test kits and testing services to all companies affected by Covid-19 following Health Canada approvals so that they can get their teams back to work and help grow our economy.

Victory Square Health is committed to assisting Canadians and Canadian organizations. The company recently announced a strategic partnership with the Canadian Police Association and its members across Canada.

VS Health was founded in 2016 to accelerate the development of personalized medicine and technology solutions including diagnostic tests to support patient care and improve health outcomes. Its first product, the Leishmaniasis Rapid Test, was developed in partnership with the UFMG, Federal University of Minas Gerais. Safetest took advantage of its expertise in the subject to develop other antibody-based tests and a robust R&D pipelines of diagnostic kits for Hansens Disease, Brucellosis, HTLV and blood sample screening tests.

Disclaimer:

The Company is not making any express or implied claims that its product has the ability to eliminate, cure or contain the Covid-19 (or SARS-2 Coronavirus) at this time.

*These figures have been vetted by the Canadian Gaming Association

Go to: VictorySquare.com and sign up for VSTs official newsletter at http://www.VictorySquare.com/newsletter

On behalf of the board,

Shafin Diamond TejaniChief Executive OfficerVictory Square Technologies

For further information about the Company, please contact:

Investor Relations Contact Alex TziliosEmail: alexandros@victorysquare.comTelephone: 778-867-0482

Media Relations Contact Howard Blank, DirectorEmail: howard@victorysquare.comTelephone: 604-928-6066

ABOUT VICTORY SQUARE TECHNOLOGIES INC.

Victory Square (VST) builds, acquires and invests in promising startups, then provides the senior leadership and resources needed to fast-track growth.

VST's sweet spot is the cutting-edge tech that's shaping the 4th Industrial Revolution. Our portfolio consists of 23 global companies using AI, VR/AR and blockchain to disrupt sectors as diverse as fintech, insurance, health and gaming.

What we do differently for startups

VST isn't just another investor. With real skin in the game, we're committed to ensuring each company in our portfolio succeeds. Our secret sauce starts with selecting startups that have real solutions, not just ideas. We pair you with senior talent in product, engineering, customer acquisition and more. Then we let you do what you do best build, innovate and disrupt. In 24-36 months, you'll scale and be ready to monetize.

What we do differently for investors

VST is a publicly traded company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, and listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (VST), Frankfurt Exchange (6F6) and the OTCQX (VSQTF).

For investors, we offer early-stage access to the next unicorns before they're unicorns.

Our portfolio represents a uniquely liquid and secure way for investors to get access to the latest cutting-edge technologies while also tapping into emerging global trends with big upsides. For more information, please visit http://www.victorysquare.com.

ABOUT CGA:

The Canadian Gaming Association (CGA) is a national trade association that works to advance the evolution of Canadas gaming industry. The associations mandate is to promote the economic value of gaming in Canada; use research, innovation, and best practices to help the industry advance; and create productive dialogue among stakeholders.

Forward Looking Statement

This news release contains forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable securities laws relating to the outlook of the business of Victory Square, including, without limitation, statements relating to future performance, execution of business strategy, future growth, business prospects and opportunities of Victory Square and its related subsidiaries, including Victory Square Health Inc., and other factors beyond our control. Such forward-looking statements may, without limitation, be preceded by, followed by, or include words such as believes, expects, anticipates, estimates, intends, plans, continues, project, potential, possible, contemplate, seek, goal, or similar expressions, or may employ such future or conditional verbs as may, might, will, could, should or would, or may otherwise be indicated as forward-looking statements by grammatical construction, phrasing or context. All statements other than statements of historical facts contained in this news release are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking information is based on certain key expectations and assumptions made by the management of Victory Square. Although Victory Square believes that the expectations and assumptions on which such forward looking information is based are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because Victory Square can give no assurance that they will prove to be correct. Actual results and developments may differ materially from those contemplated by these statements. The statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Victory Square disclaims any intent or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, other than as required by applicable securities laws.

The Canadian Securities Exchange has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release and accepts no responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy hereof.

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Victory Square Technologies Portfolio Company enters into Sales & Distribution agreement with the Canadian Gaming Association - GlobeNewswire

Healthcare technology and data are taking on more diverse roles than ever before

Technology changes healthcare treatments and solutions every day. With rapidly developing life-saving tech and informatics systems, healthcare providers are better able to accumulate and apply data for beneficial results.

Modern tech makes this evolving system of informatics possible. A single medical study can gather 100 terabytes of data thats as much as 21,300 DVDs worth of information. This data can then be analyzed and applied using smart tech to improve the state of healthcare for everyone.

In the course of the healthcare evolution, technology and data are taking on more diverse roles than ever before. Now, nursing informatics is being developed to protect patient health, safety, and privacy. 3D-printing techniques are making it possible to reproduce organs. And telematics is allowing for more comfortable, accessible care, especially during the pandemic.

Here, we explore how the evolving roles of technology and informatics are shaping the healthcare industry.

Nursing informatics, safety, and privacy

Nursing is one of the most vital careers to maintain a healthy society. As the frontline of healthcare treatment, nurses manage the difficult task of juggling patient care with data systems. In the course of this work, they discover, treat, and record patient health.

By integrating evolving informatics technology into the traditional role of nursing, these caretakers of public health are better able to find effective solutions while protecting sensitive patient data. Healthcare data is a primary target of cybercriminals due to its valuable nature. Because of this, nurses shoulder the evolving burden of managing data protections alongside care provisions.

In the scope of this protection, the specialist role of nursing informatics has emerged to help bridge the gap between the technical aspects of nursing and the clinical side. A nursing informatics specialist combines technology with the care and communicative aspects of nursing to customize software and hardware for care solutions.

Through pairing data and smart tech with the human aspect of care, care solutions are evolving. Informatics in nursing makes this possible.

Take, for instance, the pathology and personalized medicine solutions being created by healthcare company Paige. The smart tools this company is producing can assist in nursing and pathology to present genomic information at a glance for better immediate communication and treatment. Through computer analysis of tissue, Paiges tech can give care providers diagnostic information almost instantly without destroying a genomic sample.

Solutions like these are made possible by big data. A database is analyzed, then an AI system guides nurses or pathologists to a correct condition or treatment plan with better accuracy.

This assists in communication with other healthcare providers while allowing nurses to provide more specialized immediate care. On the whole, the evolution of nursing informatics tech is making care more efficient.

3D-printing and the future of healthcare

Like something out of science fiction, 3D-printing is arriving on the healthcare scene to create previously unfathomable care solutions. The role of 3D-printing tech is evolving into a life-saving component of regenerative and personalized medicine. With the ability to print organs for transplant using simple tissue and blood draws, this technology is the future of healthcare.

Dr. Anthony Atala and his team were able to grow human organs and tissues using additive manufacturing processes and collagen substrates. Combining human cells with 3D-printing allowed them to form replacement organs like heart valves, trachea, livers, and even genitalia.

The lifesaving implications of this tech are astounding. With a relatively simple design and usability process, medical professionals can more safely conduct transplants. Building personalized organs removes the painful threat of bodily rejection. Additionally, waitlists for transplants could become a thing of the past. New organs grown directly with a persons bodily tissue mean miraculous recovery for millions of patients.

Telematics and accessibility

In a world facing a pandemic, finding innovative healthcare solutions like these is more important than ever. Evolving technology makes healthcare accessibility possible. Regardless of geographic location, vulnerable patients can receive treatment in the form of telemedicine and telematics.

Telematics gathered and applied through virtual conferencing have proven especially vital due to COVID-19, where each healthcare visit presents a risk in itself. As a result, the field of telemedicine is growing all the time.

Care providers using smart tools can meet virtually with patients, analyze issues, diagnose problems, and assign treatment. In the pandemic environment, this means no risky face-to-face meetings where they can be avoided. This keeps some of the most vulnerable individuals safe.

Telemedicine is a viable solution for a wide number of healthcare visits. Vein restoration through telemedicine is even possible, with physicians able to virtually assess varicose veins through a video call, connecting with patients in real-time to provide treatment.

Providers like TeraPractice make virtual care a focus of their practice. This allows them to provide convenient access to patients while managing costs for everyone. With such a beneficial combination of results, telematics and telemedicine is evolving as a key element of healthcares future.

Final thoughts

Issues abound in the healthcare system that have yet to see bipartisan agreement. This makes progress on the regulatory side of healthcare slow. However, new technology that addresses issues like accessibility means improvements in care for millions.

The role of technology while always vital has evolved to prove that the future of healthcare is already here. Through smart tools, nurses can better integrate data and communicative solutions. Meanwhile, 3D-printing has real life-saving potential. In the wake of a global pandemic, these tools alongside telematics make healthcare safer, more accessible, and more affordable for everyone.

(Image Source: Pexels)

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The evolving role of technology and informatics in healthcare - VatorNews

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Personalized medicine diagnosing, monitoring, and giving the treatment to the individual according to the segmentation of disease risks and characteristics of each patient. This approach relies on the scientific research results and how the persons molecular nature along with genetic profile makes them susceptible to the particular disease. The research on personalized medicine id increasing the ability to predict the medical treatment which can be safe and effective to people and which can not.

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The primary sources involves the industry experts from the Global Personalized Medicine Market including the management organizations, processing organizations, analytics service providers of the industrys value chain. All primary sources were interviewed to gather and authenticate qualitative & quantitative information and determine the future prospects.

In the extensive primary research process undertaken for this study, the primary sources Postal Surveys, telephone, Online & Face-to-Face Survey were considered to obtain and verify both qualitative and quantitative aspects of this research study. When it comes to secondary sources Companys Annual reports, press Releases, Websites, Investor Presentation, Conference Call transcripts, Webinar, Journals, Regulators, National Customs and Industry Associations were given primary weight-age.Get More Information: https://www.advancemarketanalytics.com/reports/29170-global-personalized-medicine-marketWhat benefits does AMA research studies provides?

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Personalized Medicine Market to Eyewitness Massive Growth by 2025 - re:Jerusalem

Four UC San Francisco faculty members are among the 100 new national and international members elected this year to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), one of the highest honors in the fields of health of medicine.

Membership in the NAM recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements and commitment to service in the medical sciences, health care and public health.

This distinguished and diverse class of new members is a truly exceptional group of scholars and leaders whose expertise in science, medicine, health, and policy will be integral to helping the NAM address todays most pressing health challenges and inform the future of health and health care for the benefit of everyone around the globe,National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau said in a press release. It is my privilege to welcome these esteemed individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.

This year, this distinguished group welcomes four UCSF faculty:

Mark Anderson, MD, PhD

Anderson is a physician-scientist who cares for patients with autoimmune endocrine diseases such as type 1 diabetes. This focus extends into the lab, where his research examines the genetic control of autoimmune diseases to better understand the mechanisms by which immune tolerance is broken.

In particular, his lab is interested in how the thymus trains the immune system to distinguish proteins made by the body itself from proteins made by invasive pathogens. For example, they have shown that some thymus cells produce self proteins and others even differentiate into skin or gut cells to test newborn T cells for autoimmune tendencies. Understanding these mechanisms could one day lead to medical interventions that suppress or enhance immune activity.

Anderson is a member of the UCSF Diabetes Center and the UCSF Bakar ImmunoX Initiative, director of the UCSF Medical Scientist Training Program, and current president of the Federation of Clinical Immunology.

Edward Chang, MD

Chang is a neurosurgeon-scientist and chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery. He specializes in advanced brain mapping methods to preserve crucial areas for language and cognitive functions in the brain. Chang is a member of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences and co-director of the Center for Neural Engineering and Prostheses, a collaboration between UCSF and UC Berkeley.

Changs research focuses on the brain mechanisms for human behaviors such as speech and mood. For example, by studying the brain activity associated with the physical movements of speaking, his team was able to teach a computer to decode and transform these brain signals into synthetic speech. This technology has the potential to eventually lead to speech prosthetics for paralyzed people who have lost the ability to speak.

Chang completed his medical degree and residency in neurosurgery at UCSF and joined the faculty in 2010. He is the inaugural Bowes Biomedical Investigator at UCSF, an HHMI Faculty Scholar, and a recipient of the NIH Directors New Innovator Award and the Blavatnik National Award for Life Sciences.

Aleksandar Rajkovicpic, MD, PhD

Rajkovic is a medical geneticist who specializes in basic and translational research in reproductive genomics. His lab investigates the genetic underpinnings of the formation and differentiation of gametes and reproductive tracts and the role of these genes in human disease. For example, they have discovered numerous genes that regulate ovarian follicle formation and the growth of healthy eggs, and may be involved in infertility. Another focus is the genetics of fibroid tumors, which are found in nearly a quarter of women by age 45, and therapies to eliminate such tumors. He has been at the forefront of innovative technologies to diagnose and reveal the mechanisms of reproductive pathologies.

Rajkovic joined UCSF in 2018 as the first-ever Chief Genomics Officer of UCSF Health. In this role, he directs the activities of clinical genomics laboratories across UCSF and leads efforts to apply genetics and genomics clinical care throughout the health system.

Robert Wachter, MD

Wachter is a hospitalist and health care thought leader who has chaired the Department of Medicine since 2016. The department leads the nation in National Institutes of Health grants and consistently ranks among the nations best. He has authored more than 300 articles and six books and is a frequent contributor to the New York Times and Wall Street Journal. Recently, he has become known for organizing the widely viewed Department of Medicine COVID Grand Rounds and his informative tweets about the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 1996, Wachter coined the term hospitalist a physician who specializes in inpatient care and is often considered the founder of the hospitalist field, the fastest growing specialty in modern medical history. He is also a leading expert on patient safety, health care quality and digital health. He has served as president of the Society of Hospital Medicine and chair of the American Board of Internal Medicine.

New members to the NAM are elected by current active members. This years elections bring the number ofpeople from UCSF named as members in the NAM to 108.

The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an adviser to the national and the international community.

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4 UCSF Faculty Elected to the National Academy of Medicine for 2020 - UCSF News Services

The Office of Research and the School of Medicine had planned to introduce their Oct. 30 speaking guest as a professor and the founder and director of the Innovative Genomics Institute at UC Berkeley, and a CRISPR pioneer.

Since being booked for the Distinguished Speaker Series in Research and Innovation, however, Jennifer Doudna has added a new title: Nobel laureate.

She and Emmanuelle Charpentier, director of the Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, won the Nobel Prize in chemistry Oct. 7 for their co-development of CRISPR-Cas9, a genome editing tool that has revolutionized biomedicine and agriculture.

Whats CRISPR? Jennifer Doudna explains in a Radiolab podcast.

Doudna became the first woman on the UC Berkeley faculty to win a Nobel, and she and Charpentier are the first women to share a Nobel in the sciences.

Doudnas topic for her UC Davis talk is CRISPR and Coronavirus.

UC Davis Healths Ralph Green, distinguished professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, and medical director of UC Davis Diagnostics, recently collaborated with Doudna and others on a project to set up COVID-19 testing for UC Berkeley and the surrounding community and Green is helping with a similar project at UC Davis.

I had the good fortune to get to know Jennifer Doudna through my interaction with her group when they turned their skills and knowledge to setting up, at remarkable speed, a pop-up, PCR-based test for SARS-CoV-2 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when the country was scrambling to meet the need for more testing, Green said.

I have to say that it has been a singular pleasure and privilege for me to interact with Jennifer Doudna and her colleagues.

CRISPR-Cas9 genetic engineering technology enables scientists to change or remove genes quickly and with great precision. Labs worldwide have redirected their research programs to incorporate this new tool, creating a CRISPR revolution with huge implications across biology and medicine.

Doudna is a leader in public discussion of the ethical implications of genome editing for human biology and societies. She advocates for thoughtful approaches to the development of policies around the use of CRISPR-Cas9.

Follow Dateline UC Davis on Twitter.

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'CRISPR and Coronavirus': Hear From Nobel Winner Jennifer Doudna - UC Davis

RALEIGH The western flower thrips an invasive insect thats not much bigger than a pinhead takes a huge bite out of agriculture around the world, racking up billions of dollars worth of damage on a wide range of food, fiber and ornamental crops each year. Scientists now have a complete genetic blueprint to help them better understand the pest and to find ways to control it.

The research fills a significant gap in agricultural science and insect science: It highlights the first genome sequence and analysis for a member of Thysanoptera, an order that contains over 7,000 species of small insects with fringed wings.A journal article on the researchwas published open-access inBMC BiologyOct. 19.

Dorith Rotenberg, associate professor in NCStates Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, is lead author of the paper. Fifty-six other researchers from universities and research institutions on five continents contributed.

Rotenberg said that the size of the team reflects the importance of the western flower thrips, orFrankliniella occidentalis,which is known to feed on hundreds of types of field and greenhouse-grown crops.

Theyre on everything flowers, fruit trees, solanaceous crops you name it, Rotenberg said. Theyre a major pest of the Southeast U.S. and California as well as anywhere around the world you have a lot of fruits and vegetables growing.

The project to sequence the thrips genome is affiliated withi5k, an ambitious international effort to sequence and analyze the genomes for 5,000 arthropod species insects, crustaceans, spiders and other creatures with exoskeletons, segmented bodies and pairs of jointed legs.

The i5k initiative focuses on species important to agriculture, food safety, medicine and energy production and contributes to our understanding of evolutionary biology, ecology and more.

Rotenberg and her colleagues got started on the western flower thrips genome project by developing an inbred line of thrips. The Human Genome Sequencing Center of the Baylor College of Medicine then sequenced the genome and assembled it, and Rotenberg recruited scientists from around the world to manually check the automated DNA annotation, verifying the location of genes and determining what those genes do.

Western flower thrips are native to the western North America, but since the 1970s, they have spread quickly throughout the world. The insect damages plants not only by feeding and laying their eggs on them but also by infecting plants with viruses, including the devastatingly difficult-to-control tomato spotted wilt virus.

Tomato spotted wilt virus, or TSWV, has been known to infect more than 1,000 plant species, ranging from tobacco and peanuts to pansies and chrysanthemums. In fact, TSWVs host range is among the largest for plant viruses, and so is its geographical range.

While theres been lots of research in recent decades aimed at curbing the toll that the virus and western flower thrips take on agriculture, Rotenberg said the genome could speed the development of solutions by helping researchers pinpoint molecular-level targets among the insects nearly 17,000 genes.

During the genome assembly project, scientists identified sets of genes related to the insects ability to thrive. Specifically, they found genes associated with the insects ability to develop and reproduce, to find plant hosts through taste and smell, to protect itself from pathogens and to detoxify chemicals that plants produce to repel insects and that humans use to kill them.

As Rotenberg noted, controlling the western flower thrips is difficult because the insect reproduces rapidly and becomes resistant to insecticides. In cotton, for example, theres evidence that thrips have evolved resistance to 19 insecticides within six groups with different modes of action.

Entomologists and growers know this very well: Thrips are notorious for building up resistance very quickly, Rotenberg said. And so you have to consider developing and using different types of chemicals and integrating alternative control strategies to manage this pest.

Already, the availability of the western flower thrips genome is having an impact, Rotenberg says. In her NCState lab, shes using the genome to advance her efforts to better understand the molecular-level interactions that take place between the western flower thrips and TSWV research that could be vitally important to disease prevention.

We want to find the molecules in the insect that interact directly with the virus that it transmits because if we know those molecules, then we can perhaps disrupt them in some way by interfering with the binding of the virus to the molecule of interest, she said.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg. Hopefully, (the genome) will be a resource that people can use for a long time, even as others start to develop new technologies or new resources that are even better.

(C) NCSU

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'A major pest:' NCSU researcher helps unravel genetic blueprint of a bug 'that's on everything' - WRAL Tech Wire

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- As part of its ongoing efforts to manage and control COVID-19 on its campuses, Indiana University has started operating its own labs for COVID-19 testing. Since the university first started mitigation testing -- sometimes referred to as surveillance testing -- with its students, faculty and staff in August, tests were completed on campus and then sent to a third-party lab for analysis and results.

The new labs, in Bloomington and at the IU School of Medicine on the IUPUI campus, will be able to run the tests and provide this analysis. IU has been doing about 15,000 tests per week since the fall semester started. With the new labs online, the university will be able to complete 35,000 tests per week with the ultimate goal of doing 15,000 tests per day.

"We know the mitigation testing we've been doing on all IU campuses is a key piece of keeping cases low in our campus communities and maintaining the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff," said Dr. Aaron Carroll, director of mitigation testing, and professor of pediatrics and health outcomes research leader at the IU School of Medicine. "With these new labs, I'm excited to be able to further enhance our mitigation testing with more frequency and including a larger number of people in each week's sample group."

The labs are overseen by IU School of Medicine faculty members Aaron Ermel and Gail Vance and IU Bloomington faculty member Craig Pikaard. Trained lab staff will work with a variety of technology in the labs to analyze the thousands of mitigation tests completed each week at IU campuses. Liquid handling robots handle and process the saliva samples collected as part of the tests used during mitigation testing. From these samples, the lab determines if genetic material from the virus is in the sample. If genetic material is detected, the test is positive. If not, the test is negative for COVID-19.

"As we begin processing these tests at the university, our students, faculty and staff will notice much faster turnaround times for test results -- likely 24 hours or less," Carroll said.

Otherwise, he said, the mitigation testing process will remain the same. Emails will still be sent to people selected in each week's testing group, appointments will be need to be scheduled (although now through IU instead of Vault, the previous lab being used), and results will still be sent via email.

As the IU labs expand the number of tests they do each day, IU campuses will shift from Vault to using the IU labs exclusively. Tests from IU Bloomington are starting to be analyzed in the labs now, with tests from IUPUI and the regional campuses starting to use the labs in the near future.

"In addition to the cost efficiencies with operating our own labs, having the ability to run these tests here allows us to spot any trends or potential outbreaks and take appropriate public health actions in a much more timely manner," Carroll said. "Especially with COVID-19 cases increasing across the state and country, this continued testing is one of the best ways we have to manage the virus and hopefully avoid any outbreaks."

The labs will focus on mitigation testing for now but may also move into close contact testing, confirmatory testing for antigen ("rapid") tests and possibly even symptomatic testing in the months to come.

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IU has started operating its own labs for COVID-19 mitigation testing - IU Newsroom

And in September, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and three other members of Congress called on the Department of Health and Human Services to investigate their use, warning that they risk embedding racism into medical practice.

Some medical institutions have stopped using race corrections in some tests. MGH and Brigham and Womens Hospital, for example, no longer adjust the results of a popular test for kidney functions, called eGFR. Critics worried the adjustment had tended to make kidney functions of Black patients look better, possibly concealing genuine problems and causing dangerous delays in needed medical care. Last week, a new study from Brigham and Womens Hospital concluded that eliminating race correction in kidney disease tests would qualify up to one in every three Black patients for more advanced care and that might result in more effective treatment of the disease.

There have been several reports of computer algorithms that produce racially biased results, such as facial recognition programs that can accurately identify white people, but not Black people. Earlier this year, a Black man in Michigan was arrested after facial recognition software falsely identified him as a criminal suspect. Such problems are usually a byproduct of the software development in this case, using too few photos of Black people to train the software to recognize dark-skinned faces.

Racial corrections for medical diagnostic tests were created on purpose. Consider the spirometer, used to measure lung capacity. The devices often require doctors to enter the race of the patient prior to the test, based on research dating back as far as the 19th century that indicates Black people have lower lung capacity than white people.

Other examples include an algorithm used to estimate the risk to the health of a pregnant woman planning to give birth vaginally, if she has previously undergone a caesarean birth. The race-adjusted algorithm predicts that vaginal birth is more dangerous for Black and Hispanic women than for white women. But for most women, vaginal deliveries result in fewer complications and faster recovery times. Vyas speculates that the algorithm may discourage doctors from offering vaginal deliveries to women of color, who already face a higher rate of maternal mortality.

The problem, according to Vyas, is that doctors and scientists are treating race as a clear-cut biological reality when it isnt. Research in population genetics has shown that apart from features such as skin color and hair texture, theres not that much difference genetically among people of different races. And the differences are bound to diminish even further, as interracial marriage becomes routine in the United States.

We know that race is not a biologic category, said Vyas. Its not genetic. Its a social construct.

Still, a variety of tests appear to show real differences between Black and white patients. The race correction for eGFR kidney tests was developed after large-scale research studies found that the test tended to underestimate kidney function in Black people.

Another example of the biology vs. environment tension involves the coronavirus. In a new paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine reported that a gene associated with higher risk of contracting COVID-19 is more commonly found in the nasal tissues of Black people than white people. This genetic difference could help explain why such a high percentage of Black people in the US get infected.

But that doesnt prove that race is the reason. Vyas argues scientists should look for other explanations, such as the effects of systemic racism. For example, Black people are more likely to live in poverty, which exposes them to greater health risks. Vyas also said the psychological stress of coping with constant racism could affect the health outcomes of Black patients.

"Its not okay to just mention race without talking about racism, Vyas said.

The lead authors of the Mount Sinai study take note of this too, arguing that environmental and social factors play a role in the activation of genes. This could explain why Black people are more vulnerable to COVID-19.

Even a physician who helped develop the race-corrected algorithm for kidney tests agreed the practice has its limitations. But Lesley Inker, director of the Kidney and Blood Pressure Center at Tufts Medical Center, cautioned that failing to take race into account could also lead to faulty diagnoses in some cases.

For example, diabetes is the number-one cause of kidney failure among Black people. But because of potential side affects, current medical practice advises not administering two of the most effective drugs for diabetes to patients with low eGFR scores. Removing race correction from the kidney test would lower the scores of Black patients and make some of them ineligible for diabetes drugs that could help save their kidneys.

This is complex, and theres lots of pros and cons and balancing acts which should be considered prior to acting, Inker said.

Inker warns that giving up on these corrections too quickly might be dangerous. For instance, cardiologists have recently adopted a new way of assessing heart disease risk that takes race into account. For years, doctors have relied on data from a massive study of heart disease in Framingham, which began in 1948 and continues to this day. But the population of that study is overwhelmingly white. Now doctors supplement that data with an algorithm based on data from thousands of Black patients, and have found that the new approach is better at providing early warning of heart disease in Black people.

Melissa Simon, who heads the Center for Health Equity Transformation at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, said doctors need more data to understand the different health outcomes between Black and white people. In 2015, the National Institutes of Health launched a Precision Medicine Initiative that hopes to use genetic data and detailed information about a patients lifestyle and habits to determine the ideal course of treatment for each individual. Simon hopes that kind of highly personalized medicine could eliminate the need for race-based diagnostics altogether.

Updated with a new study on race correction in kidney disease tests.

Hiawatha Bray can be reached at hiawatha.bray@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeTechLab.

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A new push to remove race-based assessments in medicine - BetaBoston

Chongtao Du,1,* Yuyang Feng,1,* Guizhen Wang,2 Zhiyuan Zhang,1 Huimin Hu,1 Yu Yu,1 Jiayang Liu,1 Lihao Qiu,1 Hongtao Liu,1 Zhimin Guo,3 Jing Huang,3 Jiazhang Qiu1

1Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, Peoples Republic of China; 2College of Food Engineering, Jilin Engineering Normal University, Changchun 130052, Peoples Republic of China; 3Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Peoples Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Jiazhang QiuCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, No. 5333 Xian Road, Changchun 130062, Peoples Republic of ChinaEmail qiujz@jlu.edu.cnJing HuangDepartment of Clinical Laboratory, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130021, Peoples Republic of ChinaEmail huangj@jlu.edu.cn

Objective: A colistin-resistant Escherichia coli strain isolated from dog feces was characterized in this study.Methods and Results: A multiplex PCR assay was used to detect the presence of colistin-resistant mcr genes; it was found that E. coli QDFD216 co-harbored the mcr-1 and mcr-3 genes. Whole-genome sequencing and further bioinformatics analysis revealed that E. coli QDFD216 belonged to serotype O176:H11, fimH1311 type and ST132. The resistance genes blaCTX-M-14, mdfA, dfrA3, acrA, acrB, tolc, and sul3 were present in the chromosome. The mcr-1.1 and mcr-3.7 genes were located in two plasmids of different incompatibility groups. mcr-1.1 was carried by a IncX4-type plasmid within an typical IS 26-parA-mcr-1.1-pap2 cassette, while mcr-3.7 was encoded by an IncP1-type plasmid with a genetic structure of TnAs2-mcr-3.7-dgkA-IS 26. No additional antibiotic resistance genes were carried by either plasmid.Conclusion: This is the first report of an E. coli isolate co-harboring a mcr-1.1-carrying IncX4 plasmid and a mcr-3.7-carrying IncP1 plasmid. The evolution and mechanism of mcr gene co-existence need further study to assess its impact on public health.

Keywords: colistin resistance, whole-genome sequencing, mcr genes, mcr-1, mcr-3

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Co-Occurrence of the mcr-1.1 and mcr-3.7 Genes in a Multidrug-Resistan | IDR - Dove Medical Press

New York, Oct. 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Cell Therapy Instruments Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Product ; Cell Type ; Process ; End User, and Geography" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05978058/?utm_source=GNW On the other hand, high cost of cell therapy production and cell therapy are expected to hinder market growth.The growing advancements in biotechnology have led to the introduction of personalized treatments for people suffering from various health conditions.For instance, stem cell and immune cell therapies are preferred to treat chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, and genetic disorders.

Further, the cell therapy advantages, such as targeted treatment, faster and efficient recovery, and reduced side effectspromote the launch of various products in the market, thereby increasing the production volume.

In North America and Europe, cell therapies are widely adopted owing to the availability of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved products in the market.For instance, in April 2020, FDA awarded regenerative medicine advanced therapy (RMAT) designation to Novartis Kymriah (tisagenlecleucel) to treat refractory (r/r) follicular lymphoma (FL) in adults.

The company claims that the therapy has the potential to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and r/r adult diffuses large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in children and young adults.Similarly, in October 2017, Kite, a Gilead, received an approval from FDA for its Yescarta, the first chimeric antigen receptor T cell (CAR T) therapy that treats refractory large B-cell lymphoma after two or more steps of systemic therapy in adults. In June 2020, the company announced the opening of a manufacturing hub in Amsterdam after it received an approval from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).There are several ongoing clinical trials for cell therapies; thus, to commercialize cell therapy products to the masses, manufacturers need to increase their production capacity.Various market players such as ThermoFisher Scientific Inc, Cytiva, Danaher Corporation, and Lonza are offering laboratory instruments.

Also, the rising demand for cell therapies have attracted biotechnology startups to enter the cell therapy domain. Thus, various biopharmaceutical companies and startups have increased their production, which has eventually increased the demand for cell therapy instruments.

Based on product, the cell therapy instrumentmarket is segmented into the consumables, equipment, systems, and software.In 2019, the consumables segment accounted for the highest share of the market.

The growth of the segment is attributed to the rising research activities that demand reagents, kits, and lab wares in higher quantity.Also, the increased production for commercialization has influenced the market for the consumables segments.

Additionally, the rising adoption of cell therapy has increased the demand for storage consumables to supply and distribute it to the desired places.

Based on cell type, the cell therapy instrumentsmarket is segmented into human cells and animal cells.The human cells segment held a larger share of the market in 2019, and is estimated to register a higher CAGR in the market during the forecast period.

The growth of segment is determined to growing research based on human cells to derived personalized medicines as the genetic makeup of a patient, and growing product developments for the human cells.

Based on process, the cell therapy instrumentsmarket is segmented into cell processing, process monitoring and quality control, and cell preservation, distribution, and handling. The cell processing segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, and is estimated to register the highest CAGR in the market during the forecast period.

Based on end user, the cell therapy instruments market is segmented into research institutes, life science research companies, and other end users. The life science research companies segment held the largest share of the market in 2019, and same segment is estimated to register the highest CAGR of 14.0% in the market during the forecast period.

The Food and Drug Administration, European Medicines Agency, Italian Medicines Agency, The Global Burden of Disease Study, American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy, and Ministry of Health and Preventionare among the major secondary sources referred for preparing this report.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05978058/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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Cell Therapy Instruments Market Forecast to 2027 - COVID-19 Impact and Global Analysis by Product ; Cell Type ; Process ; End User, and Geography -...

Prime editing is the gene-editing method that can insert, delete and do base swapping accurately. Prime editing also termed as genetic word processor precisely select the target DNA and replace genetic code. Targeting 75,000 different mutations and correcting 89% of genetic defects will drive the demand for prime editing. In 2017, the first gene editing in the human body was attempted. Gene editing in a patient with Hunters syndrome was tested for safety and concluded reliable shreds of evidence. Superior target flexibility and editing precision with minimal errors make Prime editing first preference over the other conventional technique such as CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). Application of prime editing in reversing Genetic disease will be a milestone in gene editing.

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Increasing prevalence of genetic disease creates a huge opportunity for prime editing market. Successful preliminary results with a genetic disease like Tay Sachs and Sickle cell anaemia will drive the prime editing market. Technological advancements providing minimal error with this technique will fuel the growth of prime editing. Decreased cost of DNA sequencing will propel prime editing market for research and commercialization. Arising ethical and safety concerns will make prime editing highly regulated sector. This may limit the scope and can restraint the growing market. Detrimental effect on Genetic diversity due to genetic engineering in one way may limit the market scope.

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The global Prime Editing market is classified on the basis of application and end user:

Based on application, Prime Editing Market is segmented into following:

Based on end user, Prime Editing Market is segmented into following:

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Prime Editing is the most recent invention has created a buzz in the market. Firms accessing conventional genome engineering technologies have rolled plans of transitioning to this new technology. The restructuring by the firms is either by building upon the technological capabilities or by merging or acquiring the firms which hold expertise in prime editing. Inscripta, one of the most innovative company has launched the worlds first benchtop platform for digital genome engineering. Inscriptas Onyx device that was launched in October 2019, will enable genome editing at an unprecedented scale and cheaper rate. In 2019, Beam Therapeutics collaborated with a premium start-up in prime editing segment Prime Medicine for Prime Editing Technology. Beam therapeutics holds expertise in precision genetic medicine using base editing technology. The market consolidation activities my giants depict that genome editing will be the largest revenue-generating segment for prime editing market.

North America will drive the market for Prime Editing due to high prevalence of genetic disease and technological advancement in the U.S. and Canada. One in every 27 Jews, is carrying Tay Sachs disease gene. After North America, Europe is leading in patient pool for genetic diseases such Hemophilia and Cystic fibrosis. The genetic disease pool will drive the adoption for Prime editing treatments in this region. Asia-Pacific will remain at steady growth for Prime Editing market due less disease prevalence and focus on other therapies. Latin America and Middle East and Africa region will boost the market owing to the disease prevalence.

Examples of some of the market participants in Prime Editing market identified across the value chain Beam Therapeutics Inc., Precision BioSciences, Inscripta, Inc, Horizon Discovery Ltd., Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc., CRISPR Therapeutics., Intellia Therapeutics, Inc.

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The Prime Editing market to get on to the elliptical growth mode in the next decade - PharmiWeb.com

A new study led by scientists at IUPUI and Indiana University Bloomington is the first to describe a biochemical mechanism that increases the activity of a molecule whose presence is observed in many types of cancer.

The molecule, an enzyme called Pif1 helicase, plays a role in many important cellular processes in the body. Tightly regulating this protein is vital to genome stability because too little -- or too much -- activity can influence aging and age-related diseases, primarily cancer. A common cancer therapy, HDAC inhibitors, can also impact the mechanism that regulates this enzyme.

"We're currently giving people drugs that change the acetylation status of the cell without knowing how it affects many proteins that play a role in genome stability," said Lata Balakrishnan, an associate professor of biology in the School of Science at IUPUI, who is co-lead author on the study. "HDAC inhibitors upregulate certain tumor-suppression genes, and thus are used in combination therapies to treat specific cancers, but when it comes to their impact on other parts of the cell, we're basically operating in the dark."

The study's other lead author is Matthew Bochman, an associate professor in the IU Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry. Other co-authors are Christopher Sausen and Onyekachi E. Ononye, Ph.D. students in Bochman's and Balakrishnan's labs, respectively, at the time of the study.

The effect of lysine acetylation on Pif1 is the mechanism described in the study. Lysine acetylation occurs when a small molecule called an acetyl group binds to lysine, an amino acid used to build common proteins in the body. This action transforms lysine from a positively charged molecule to a neutrally charged molecule. This neutralization can impact protein function, protein stability and protein-protein interaction in cells, among other things.

Helicases are known as the genetic "zippers" of cells because they pull apart DNA for the purpose of genetic replication and repair. They also help maintain telomeres, the structure at the end of chromosomes that shortens as people age.

In the new study, the researchers identified lysine acetylation on Pif1 helicase and showed the addition of the acetyl group increases the protein's activity -- as well as its "unzipping" function. They also found that lysine acetylation changes the shape -- or "conformation" -- of the Pif1 protein. They believe that this shape change increases the amount of Pif1 helicase.

"The dynamic interplay of the addition and removal of the acetyl group on lysine regulates a wide variety of proteins within the cell," Balakrishnan said. "Perturbations to this process can play a role in cancer, aging, inflammatory responses and even addiction-related behaviors."

"As a class, helicases are involved in a lot of processes necessary for genome integrity," Bochman added. "Any significant failure in these processes is generally carcinogenic."

The precise details of lysine acetylation in Pif1, its effect of the enzyme's shape and the resulting impact on helicase activity took nearly five years to observe and report. The study, carried out in parallel on two IU campuses, was made possible by the lead scientists' complementary expertise. As a biochemist who has previously studied lysine acetylation in other proteins, Balakrishnan was able to isolate Pif1 in vitro to observe its response to chemical reactions in a test tube. In contrast, as a geneticist working in yeast as a model organism to study Pif1, Bochman was able to modify cells in vivo to watch reactions play out in a living organism.

"The ability to observe these reactions in a living cell is often more relevant, but it's also a lot messier," Balakrishnan said. "Our experiments were constantly informing each other as to where to go next."

Looking to the future, Bochman said intricate knowledge of cellular processes -- such as lysine acetylation -- will increasingly play a role in personalized therapy.

"If you sequence a patient's tumor, you can fine-tune drugs to target very specific enzymes," he said. "Instead of a drug that broadly affects the whole cell, it will be possible to take a targeted approach that reduces potential side effects. This level of personalization is really the future of cancer biology and cancer medicine."

"Lysine Acetylation Regulates the Activity of Nuclear Pif1" is available online in advance of print in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. A perspective article on the work is also forthcoming in the journal Current Genetics.

This work was supported in part by the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health and the American Cancer Society.

Indiana University's world-class researchers have driven innovation and creative initiatives that matter for 200 years. From curing testicular cancer to collaborating with NASA to search for life on Mars, IU has earned its reputation as a world-class research institution. Supported by $854 million last year from our partners, IU researchers are building collaborations and uncovering new solutions that improve lives in Indiana and around the globe.

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Study reports chemical mechanism that boosts enzyme observed in cancer - IU Newsroom

It shouldnt really need to be stated that your eyesight of the utmost importance when youre on the road. Driving primarily relies on your ability to see around you and to react to changes in your environment by picking up on them visually. There are a lot of drivers who have to wear glasses or contacts in order to do it effectively, but you might feel a little less confident about getting the wheel if you dont have 20/20 vision. Here are a few tips that can help you feel a little safer.

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Get your vision tested

First of all, if youre worried that your vision has changed since the last time you have gotten behind the wheel, or that it has shifted gradually over the past months, then its important to get to the truth of the matter. Arrange a vision test with your optometrist and they can give you definitive answers on whether or not any such changes have occurred. Most importantly, they will be able to inform you as to whether or not you can safely drive on the road. If they say you cannot, then take that as a rule of law, as you can get in trouble if you ignore their advice.

Choose the right glasses

A good eye test will be able to help you get your prescription down, but you still need to pick a good pair of glasses. You can find a store and quickly pick up a pair of frames without issue, but you should take the time to make sure that theyre right for driving with. For one, its a good idea to make sure youre not using frames with chunky edges and choose larger lenses so that youre better able to keep your peripheral vision while driving. You might even want to choose a pair of glasses that use transparent elastic bands to hold frames in place, though they can cost a little more and might not be essential.

Always be prepared

You should always ensure that you have a spare pair of glasses in the glove compartment of your car. That way, should your glasses fall off of your forget to bring them with you, you can make sure that you can hop right back into action. You dont want to be fishing around the floor of your car looking for glasses on the side of the road. Similarly, keep a pack of glasses cleaning wipes at hand so that you can keep your vision clear without too much hassle. Otherwise, if you want to make sure that you have a little added protection on the road, then choose a car that has great safety options just to offer you some peace of mind.

Beware the glare

Its a problem that many glasses wearers are already aware of but, if you havent driven in glasses before, you might be surprised just how much of a headache it can be, literally and metaphorically. For people with issues like astigmia, the glare caused by sunlight hitting your glasses (and the windshield) can cause headaches that can distract you while youre driving. Most people are going to have trouble driving with the sun glaring in their eyes, anyway. There are anti-reflecting coats that can help you, however. These coatings can protect your eyes from the sun, as well as other sources of light, such as taillights, street lamps, and more. That way, you can make sure that youre driving free of distraction.

Use your night driving tools

If youre worried about your vision, then perhaps the tip that will put you best at ease is to simply not drive at night. However, in some cases, it might not be that easy so you should at least be prepared. To that end, you should consider getting a pair of night vision glasses specifically made for people who experience night blindness. Otherwise, make sure that youre relying on the tools that are already at your disposal, such as aiming your car forward at the road accurately. Before you go out driving in the evenings, take care to clean your headlights, too, as grime from the road can build up to obscure them and diminish their ability to light the road ahead properly.

If your vision is really that bad, you wont be allowed to drive on the road and that will be that. Otherwise, keep the tips above in mind to ensure youre always taking the best care of yourself.

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Feel Safer When Driving With Bad Eyesight - The Intelligent Driver

Over 3 crore individuals suffer from blindness globally, with India being home to nearly one-third the total figure. While 80 percent of vision impairment can be prevented by early detection and timely intervention, lack of access and awareness has been a major deterrent in individuals seeking eye care. Also Read - Kangana Ranaut Looks Resplendent in Rs 1,35,000 Pastel Blue Chanderi Lehenga, Pearls for Cousin's Wedding in Manali

Reduced eyesight is caused by multiple factors, including diseases like diabetes, eye trauma, cataracts, or glaucoma. Also Read - Weight Loss Tip: Brain, Not Willpower, Decides if You Will Lose Weight Or Not

Over 5 crore people in India have moderate to severe vision impairment which has impacted their personal and professional lives, says Ramesh Pillai, Chief Optometrist & Head of Training, Titan Company Ltd, Eyewear Business. The onslaught of COVID-19 has also led to an increase in screen-time for people across ages and this has been a major factor in declining eye health. Eye care and eye health have become more of a necessity, he adds. Also Read - Second Wave Of COVID-19 in India, Experts Say Possibility of it Cannot Be Ruled Out in Winters

He suggests five simple and effective ways to ensure good eye health:

Right Glasses

Wearing branded Sunglasses that offer 100 percent UV protection while outdoors can help protect your eyes from the harmful impact of UV rays and Cataract formation. Wearing the right spectacles for screen usage like anti-reflection lenses with Blue Coating is extremely important. The Blue coating helps in blocking the harmful blue-violet and allows the essential blue turquoise to help the circadian rhythm and thereby maintain the sleep-wake cycle.

Right Diet

Eating leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli contain Lutein and zeaxanthin to help prevent cataracts. Lutein also stimulates the growth of pigments that help block out harmful UV rays. Food rich in Vitamins C and E and zinc, reduce the risk of developing a condition called Age-Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). Antioxidants protect against sun damage. Good sources of antioxidants include egg yolk, yellow peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries. Onions, shallots, garlic, capers contain sulphur, cysteine, and lecithin, which help against cataract formation.

Keep Eyes Moist

Dry eyes are a major irritant, especially as the pollution gets worse day by day. Resting the eyes often and blinking moistens the eyes, reducing dryness and irritation. One can also use drops to help keep your eyes moist in case of excess dryness.

Screen Protection

With an increase in screen-time becoming an inevitable reality, taking good care of your eyes is paramount. Use the 20-20-20 rule, by taking a 20-second screen break every 20 minutes to look at objects 20 feet away from you. Increase font size when reading on-screen, so that devices dont need to be too close to your eyes, and you dont have to squint. A clean screen boosts visibility, wipe your screen over at least once a day.

Get tested

Getting your eyes tested by a qualified Optometrist or an Eye Doctor once every year is very important. Regular eye examinations help find any symptoms associated with eye strains and provide solutions for the same. Titan Eyeplus on the occasion of World Sight Day has introduced an initiative online screen testing. Take out 60 seconds and take a simple online eye screening test that will give you an indication of whether you suffer from eyesight problems. Basis screening results, the brand requests all to visit an ophthalmologist or optician.

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Eye Health: Follow These 5 Tips To Take Care of Your Eyesight - India.com

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of adults and children have increased screen time on computers, tablets and phones. This prolonged screen time can lead to eye discomfort, fatigue, blurred vision, headaches, and dry eyes. Low lighting, glare, improper workstation set-up and undiagnosed visual problems can make things worse. When we look at a screen for a prolonged period without a break, this can lead to eye irritation and dry eyes, due to reduced blinking, with accommodative problems (difficulty focusing near and far). Children tend to ignore these symptoms, which can lead to excessive eye strain.

Ways to reduce these symptoms:

Take a scheduled 10-minute break for every hours work;

Adjust the computer to the childs body, using an adjustable chair height and footstool to help;

Check the lighting on the computer and avoid direct light on to the screen. Use dinner lighting instead of bright overhead lights;

Treat dry eyes and do eye exercises;

An annual eye examination will help diagnose refractive errors that need correction.

The following populations need additional preventative measures:

All patients 12 years and older with diabetes mellitus should have their eyes checked at least once a year. Interventions include putting eye drops in the eyes by a trained person, screeners, optometrists and ophthalmologists. An examination of the back of the eye (the retina) will detect diabetic retinopathy early. We encourage all people with diabetes to take along their clinic passports so we can make a note. You can reduce diabetic retinopathy by controlling your glucose levels and keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol levels at normal levels.

Glaucoma is common in our population. Persons can have normal vision in early and moderate glaucoma because the outer (peripheral) vision is affected first. One may not appreciate this visual loss until it is late, because when we open both eyes, they each help with peripheral vision. The reading vision is usually affected in advanced glaucoma (end-stage). All patients over 40 years should have their eyes screened for glaucoma. Risk factors apart from your heritage include patients with a family history. Short-sighted persons (high myopes) may need screening before age 40.

Patients around the age of 40 years may notice difficulty with seeing the fine print or have blurred vision while looking at their phone screens and may need to push the reading material some distance away to see. This condition is called presbyopia and is a normal phenomenon that usually requires glasses to improve near vision.

Patients with sickle cell disease (HbSS, HbSC) and patients on certain medications such as hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) should also have their eyes checked every year. We encourage patients, young and old with no medical conditions or other risk factors that may affect the eye to have at least a check on their eyes every two years. A healthy diet includes dark green and purple vegetables, and yellow/orange vegetables and fruits are good for your eyes. Remember to keep your eye appointments during this time, unless advised otherwise by your eye doctor.

Routine eye examinations can often detect and reduce the impact of visual impairment due to uncorrected refractive errors (the need for glasses and/or contact lenses), a significant cause of visual impairment. In children, a vision screen can detect treatable conditions, including refractive errors, strabismus (squint), eye cancers (retinoblastoma), congenital cataracts, and glaucoma. Undetected refractive errors can lead to the development of amblyopia, an irreversible visual loss in an otherwise healthy eye. Amblyopia can be treated if detected early. It is, therefore, essential that all preschool children (ages five to six) have an eye examination. Subsequently, children should have an eye examination every two years, if all else is healthy

Dr Amoy Ramsay is a consultant ophthalmologist at the Cornwall Regional Hospital.

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Watch your eyes! - Taking care of your sight during the COVID-19 pandemic - Jamaica Gleaner

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Eyesight of five of eight cataract op patients irreversibly damaged (Updated) - Cyprus Mail

(PRESS RELEASE) CINCINNATI, OH From October 8 10, OneSight, the leading global vision care nonprofit, teamed up with partner Fresh Air Fund and sponsors Fidelity Security Life Insurance, LCA Vision, Anthem and Wachter to provide eye exams and glasses to 200 New Yorkers.

The three-day charitable clinic, which kicked off on World Sight Day, Oct. 8th, addressed unresolved vision care needs for New Yorkers who may otherwise lack access. Leveraging OneSights proven clinic model and manufacturing capabilities, most participants in need of glasses received their newly prescribed eyewear on-site.

Caring for vulnerable populations has to be about more than just immediate need, said K-T Overbey, president and executive director at OneSight. Clear sight opens windows to the future it improves long-term educational, professional and social prospects. Our work improves quality of life, especially for individuals in need. Were extremely proud of the work we did on the ground in New York with our vision clinic.

On World Sight Day, OneSight also teamed up with other leading global vision nonprofits Clearly and IAPB to shine a light on the 230 million+ kids worldwide that need glasses, but dont have access to get them. They did this by launching the free digital childrens book Through the Looking Glasses: Stories About Seeing Clearly, which features 30 childrens stories and illustrations about seeing clearly by authors and artists from 17 countries.

The global initiative also included Bedtime Stories where celebrities, athletes and authors, such as Tennis Legend Billie Jean King; Restaurateur David Chang; Celebrity Michelle Yeoh; and TV Star Jo Frost, read stories from the book on World Sight day as tens of thousands participated around the world.

To learn more about OneSight, World Sight Day, and download the free digital book Through the Looking Glasses, visit http://www.onesight.org/worldsightday

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Onesight Provides Vision Care to 200 New Yorkers at NYC Vision Clinic on World Sight Day - InvisionMag

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New generation CRISPR technology could pave the way for therapeutics to treat inherited retina diseases, researchers report.

In this proof-of-concept study, we provide evidence of the clinical potential of base editors for the correction of mutations causing inherited retinal diseases and for restoring visual function, says Krzysztof Palczewski, chair and a professor in the Gavin Herbert Eye Institutes ophthalmology department at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. Our results demonstrate the most successful rescue of blindness to date using genome editing.

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are a group of blinding conditions caused by mutations in more than 250 different genes. Previously, there was no avenue available for treating these devastating blinding diseases. Recently, the FDA approved the first gene augmentation therapy for Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), a common form of IRD which originates during childhood.

As an alternative to gene augmentation therapy, we applied a new generation of CRISPR technology, referred to as base editing as a treatment for inherited retinal diseases, says first author Susie Suh, assistant specialist in the ophthalmology department.

We overcame some of the barriers to the CRISPR-Cas9 system, such as unpredictable off-target mutations and low editing efficiency, by utilizing cytosine and adenine base editors (CBE and ABE). Use of these editors enabled us to correct point mutations in a precise and predictable manner while minimizing unintended mutations that could potentially cause undesirable side effects, says co-first author Elliot Choi, also an assistant specialist in the ophthalmology department.

Using an LCA mouse model harboring a clinically relevant pathogenic mutation in the Rpe65 gene, the researchers successfully demonstrated the therapeutic potential of base editing for the treatment of LCA and by extension other inherited blinding diseases.

Among other results, the base editing treatment restored retinal and visual function in LCA mice to near-normal levels. Base editing was developed at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard in the lab of David Liu.

After receiving treatment, the mice in our study could discriminate visual changes in terms of direction, size, contrast, and spatial and temporal frequency, says Palczewski.

These results are extremely encouraging and represent a major advance towards the development of treatments for inherited retinal diseases.

Gene therapy approaches to treating inherited retinal diseases are of special interest given the accessibility of the eye, its immune-privileged status, and the successful clinical trials of RPE65 gene augmentation therapy that led to the first US Food and Drug Administration-approved gene therapy.

Now, as demonstrated in this study, base-editing technology can provide an alternative treatment model of gene augmentation therapy to permanently rescue the function of a key vision-related protein disabled by mutations.

The new paper appears in Nature Biomedical Engineering.

Support for the research came from the National Institutes of Health; the Research to Prevent Blindness Stein Innovation Award; Fight for Sight; the Eye and Tissue Bank Foundation (Finland); the Finnish Cultural Foundation; the Orion Research Foundation; the Helen Hay Whitney Foundation; US Department of Veterans Affairs; and a Research to Prevent Blindness unrestricted grant to the Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, Irvine.

Source: UC Irvine

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Therapy restores vision in mice with retina disease - Futurity: Research News

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Eye Health: 5 ways to take care of your eyesight

Reduced eyesight is caused by multiple factors, including diseases like diabetes, eye trauma, cataracts or glaucoma. Over 3 crore individuals suffer from blindness globally, with India being home to nearly one-third the total figure. While 80 percent vision impairment can be prevented by early detection and timely intervention, lack of access and awareness has been a major deterrent in individuals seeking eye care.

Over 5 crore people in India have moderate to severe vision impairment which has impacted their personal and professional lives, says Ramesh Pillai, Chief Optometrist & Head of Training, Titan Company Ltd, Eyewear Business. "The onslaught of COVID-19 has also led to an increase in screen-time for people across ages and this has been a major factor in declining eye health. Eye care and eye health have become more of a necessity," he adds.

He suggests five simple and effective ways to ensure good eye health:

Wearing branded Sunglasses which offer 100 percent UV protection while outdoors can help protect your eyes from the harmful impact of UV rays and Cataract formation. Wearing the right spectacles for screen usage like anti-reflection lenses with Blue Coating is extremely important. The Blue coating helps in blocking the harmful blue violet and allows the essential blue turquoise to help the circadian rhythm and thereby maintain the sleep-wake cycle.

Eating leafy green vegetables such as spinach, kale and broccoli contain Lutein and zeaxanthin help prevent cataracts. Lutein also stimulates the growth of pigments that help block out harmful UV rays. Food rich in Vitamins C and E and zinc, reduce the risk of developing a condition called Age Related Macular Degeneration (ARMD). Antioxidants protect against sun damage. Good sources of antioxidants include egg yolk, yellow peppers, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, carrots, blueberries. Onions, shallots, garlic, capers contain sulphur, cysteine, and lecithin, which help against cataract formation.

Dry eyes are a major irritant, especially as the pollution gets worse day by day. Resting the eyes often and blinking moistens the eyes, reducing dryness and irritation. One can also use drops to help keep your eyes moist in case of excess dryness.

With an increase in screen-time becoming an inevitable reality, taking good care of your eyes is paramount. Use the 20-20-20 rule, by taking a 20 second screen break every 20 minutes to look at objects 20 feet away from you. Increase font size when reading on-screen, so that devices don't need to be too close to your eyes, and you don't have to squint. A clean screen boosts visibility, wipe your screen over at least once a day.

Getting your eyes tested by a qualified Optometrist or an Eye Doctor once every year is very important. Regular eye examinations help find any symptoms associated with eye strains and provide solutions for the same. Titan Eyeplus on the occasion of World Sight Day has introduced an initiative -- online screen testing. Take out 60 seconds and take a simple online eye screening test that will give you an indication whether you suffer from eyesight problems. Basis screening results, the brand requests all to visit an ophthalmologist or optician.

Fight against Coronavirus: Full coverage

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Eye Health: 5 ways to take care of your eyesight - India TV News