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The market research report published by QYResearch is a brilliant, complete, and much-needed resource for companies, stakeholders, and investors interested in the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market. It informs readers about key trends and opportunities in the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market along with critical market dynamics expected to impact the global market growth. It offers a range of market analysis studies, including production and consumption, sales, industry value chain, competitive landscape, regional growth, and price. On the whole, it comes out as an intelligent resource that companies can use to gain a competitive advantage in the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market.

Key companies operating in the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market include , Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck KGaA, Eurofins Sinensis, Lonza, Biomerieux, VAI, Cosasco, RMONI, Amphenol Advanced Sensors, Vaisala Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring

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Segmental Analysis

Both developed and emerging regions are deeply studied by the authors of the report. The regional analysis section of the report offers a comprehensive analysis of the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market on the basis of region. Each region is exhaustively researched about so that players can use the analysis to tap into unexplored markets and plan powerful strategies to gain a foothold in lucrative markets.

Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Segment By Type:

, Monitoring Equipment, Media, Software, Microbiology Services Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring

Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Segment By Application:

, Pharmaceutical Industry, Biotechnology Industry, Academic & Research Institutes

Competitive Landscape

Competitor analysis is one of the best sections of the report that compares the progress of leading players based on crucial parameters, including market share, new developments, global reach, local competition, price, and production. From the nature of competition to future changes in the vendor landscape, the report provides in-depth analysis of the competition in the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market.

Key companies operating in the global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring market include , Danaher Corporation, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Merck KGaA, Eurofins Sinensis, Lonza, Biomerieux, VAI, Cosasco, RMONI, Amphenol Advanced Sensors, Vaisala Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring

Key questions answered in the report:

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TOC

1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered: Ranking by Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Revenue1.4 Market Analysis by Type 1.4.1 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size Growth Rate by Type: 2020 VS 2026 1.4.2 Monitoring Equipment 1.4.3 Media 1.4.4 Software 1.4.5 Microbiology Services1.5 Market by Application 1.5.1 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Share by Application: 2020 VS 2026 1.5.2 Pharmaceutical Industry 1.5.3 Biotechnology Industry 1.5.4 Academic & Research Institutes1.6 Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19): Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Industry Impact 1.6.1 How the Covid-19 is Affecting the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Industry 1.6.1.1 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business Impact Assessment Covid-19 1.6.1.2 Supply Chain Challenges 1.6.1.3 COVID-19s Impact On Crude Oil and Refined Products 1.6.2 Market Trends and Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Potential Opportunities in the COVID-19 Landscape 1.6.3 Measures / Proposal against Covid-19 1.6.3.1 Government Measures to Combat Covid-19 Impact 1.6.3.2 Proposal for Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Players to Combat Covid-19 Impact1.7 Study Objectives1.8 Years Considered 2 Global Growth Trends by Regions2.1 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Perspective (2015-2026)2.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Growth Trends by Regions 2.2.1 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Regions: 2015 VS 2020 VS 2026 2.2.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Historic Market Share by Regions (2015-2020) 2.2.3 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Forecasted Market Size by Regions (2021-2026)2.3 Industry Trends and Growth Strategy 2.3.1 Market Top Trends 2.3.2 Market Drivers 2.3.3 Market Challenges 2.3.4 Porters Five Forces Analysis 2.3.5 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Growth Strategy 2.3.6 Primary Interviews with Key Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Players (Opinion Leaders) 3 Competition Landscape by Key Players3.1 Global Top Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Players by Market Size 3.1.1 Global Top Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Players by Revenue (2015-2020) 3.1.2 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Revenue Market Share by Players (2015-2020) 3.1.3 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Share by Company Type (Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3)3.2 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Concentration Ratio 3.2.1 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI) 3.2.2 Global Top 10 and Top 5 Companies by Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Revenue in 20193.3 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players Head office and Area Served3.4 Key Players Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Product Solution and Service3.5 Date of Enter into Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market3.6 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans 4 Breakdown Data by Type (2015-2026)4.1 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Historic Market Size by Type (2015-2020)4.2 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Forecasted Market Size by Type (2021-2026) 5 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Breakdown Data by Application (2015-2026)5.1 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020)5.2 Global Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Forecasted Market Size by Application (2021-2026) 6 North America6.1 North America Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)6.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in North America (2019-2020)6.3 North America Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)6.4 North America Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 7 Europe7.1 Europe Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)7.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in Europe (2019-2020)7.3 Europe Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)7.4 Europe Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 8 China8.1 China Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)8.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in China (2019-2020)8.3 China Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)8.4 China Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 9 Japan9.1 Japan Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)9.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in Japan (2019-2020)9.3 Japan Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)9.4 Japan Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 10 Southeast Asia10.1 Southeast Asia Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)10.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in Southeast Asia (2019-2020)10.3 Southeast Asia Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)10.4 Southeast Asia Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 11 India11.1 India Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)11.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in India (2019-2020)11.3 India Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)11.4 India Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 12 Central & South America12.1 Central & South America Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size (2015-2020)12.2 Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Key Players in Central & South America (2019-2020)12.3 Central & South America Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Type (2015-2020)12.4 Central & South America Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market Size by Application (2015-2020) 13 Key Players Profiles13.1 Danaher Corporation 13.1.1 Danaher Corporation Company Details 13.1.2 Danaher Corporation Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.1.3 Danaher Corporation Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.1.4 Danaher Corporation Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020)) 13.1.5 Danaher Corporation Recent Development13.2 Thermo Fisher Scientific 13.2.1 Thermo Fisher Scientific Company Details 13.2.2 Thermo Fisher Scientific Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.2.3 Thermo Fisher Scientific Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.2.4 Thermo Fisher Scientific Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.2.5 Thermo Fisher Scientific Recent Development13.3 Merck KGaA 13.3.1 Merck KGaA Company Details 13.3.2 Merck KGaA Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.3.3 Merck KGaA Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.3.4 Merck KGaA Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.3.5 Merck KGaA Recent Development13.4 Eurofins Sinensis 13.4.1 Eurofins Sinensis Company Details 13.4.2 Eurofins Sinensis Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.4.3 Eurofins Sinensis Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.4.4 Eurofins Sinensis Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.4.5 Eurofins Sinensis Recent Development13.5 Lonza 13.5.1 Lonza Company Details 13.5.2 Lonza Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.5.3 Lonza Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.5.4 Lonza Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.5.5 Lonza Recent Development13.6 Biomerieux 13.6.1 Biomerieux Company Details 13.6.2 Biomerieux Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.6.3 Biomerieux Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.6.4 Biomerieux Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.6.5 Biomerieux Recent Development13.7 VAI 13.7.1 VAI Company Details 13.7.2 VAI Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.7.3 VAI Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.7.4 VAI Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.7.5 VAI Recent Development13.8 Cosasco 13.8.1 Cosasco Company Details 13.8.2 Cosasco Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.8.3 Cosasco Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.8.4 Cosasco Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.8.5 Cosasco Recent Development13.9 RMONI 13.9.1 RMONI Company Details 13.9.2 RMONI Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.9.3 RMONI Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.9.4 RMONI Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.9.5 RMONI Recent Development13.10 Amphenol Advanced Sensors 13.10.1 Amphenol Advanced Sensors Company Details 13.10.2 Amphenol Advanced Sensors Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 13.10.3 Amphenol Advanced Sensors Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 13.10.4 Amphenol Advanced Sensors Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 13.10.5 Amphenol Advanced Sensors Recent Development13.11 Vaisala 10.11.1 Vaisala Company Details 10.11.2 Vaisala Business Overview and Its Total Revenue 10.11.3 Vaisala Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Introduction 10.11.4 Vaisala Revenue in Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Business (2015-2020) 10.11.5 Vaisala Recent Development 14 Analysts Viewpoints/Conclusions 15 Appendix15.1 Research Methodology 15.1.1 Methodology/Research Approach 15.1.2 Data Source15.2 Disclaimer15.3 Author Details

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Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Environmental Monitoring Market 2020 Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Trends, Market Demand, Growth, Opportunities...

Cheers to no fears!

A 104-year-old woman in the U.K. who recently recovered from the novel coronavirus has playfully credited her love of champagne to overcoming not only COVID-19, but surviving the Spanish flu and two world wars.

Jane Collins is back at The Gables care home where she resides in Derby, England after being hospitalized for the viral disease and reportedly recovering in just 10 days, news agency South West News Service (SWNS) reports.

Jane Collins, 104,recovered from the novel coronavirus has playfully credited her love of champagne to her incredible longevity. (SWNS)

GLOBAL CHAMPAGNE SALES FIZZLE AMID CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC BECAUSE PEOPLE AREN'T CELEBRATING

According to the outlet, Collins said shes doing very well and feeling stronger each day.

Im still tired but Im enjoying the cake and a little bit of champagne, the centenarian said.

Her great niece Sarah Balmforth also echoed that the golden bubbly is Collins secret to longevity.

Her great niece Sarah Balmforth also echoed that the golden bubbly is Collins secret to longevity. (iStock)

Balmforth, 53, works as a nurse and said the family was terrified when Collins was diagnosed with the coronavirus in late April.

When she was admitted to hospital, we were told to expect the worst due to her age and frailty, the niece said. She went into hospital with extreme lethargy and 24 hours later it was confirmed she had coronavirus. She was given superb care and she got stronger and stronger each day.

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It was worrying because you wonder if a 104-year-old still has enough in her to survive, but she absolutely did, Balmforth continued. She had an iron constitution and she was strong willed. She loved red wine and a glass of champagne thats her secret.

Collins worked in the health care industry for many years, and in a twist of fate, was once even employed at the Royal Derby Hospital where she fought COVID-19, SWNS reports.

The fiercely independent woman has been widowed for about 50 years and continued driving until she was 101. Collins even lived alone until she was 102, before moving into The Gables.

Im still tired but Im enjoying the cake and a little bit of champagne, the centenarian said of her recovery from COVID-19. (SWNS)

According to her Balmforth, who affectionately calls her great aunt a second mum, Collins loved ones are not surprised that she has recovered from the coronavirus after surviving the Spanish flu and two world wars in the 20th century.

CLICK HERE FOR FOX NEWS' CONTINUING CORONAVIRUS COVERAGE

Shes always been a strong willed woman. Shes a source of pride for me, shes as sharp as shes ever been and still has her wits about her, the proud niece said. Its not surprising at all that she has survived everything that she has, I think itll take quite a bit more.

Jane was always a character. She used to tell me shed wait for everyone to get into church so she could make an entrance, Balmforth joked. And even today, her nails and hair are always immaculate.

Excerpt from:
Coronavirus survivor, 104, jokes that champagne is her secret to longevity - Fox News

The COVID-19 pandemic will change the global business landscape to its core. Investors are switching their attention from what was previously considered important sectors such as real estate, tourism and hospitality to what is truly important: human health.

The pandemic clearly will provide a tremendous boost to the biotech and bio-medicine industries, with a particular emphasis on preventive medicine.Recently, for example, two venture-funded rounds of more than $1 billion each (Arch Venture Partners and Qiming Venture Partners) were finalized. Meanwhile, several biotech companies closed sizeable funding rounds (e.g., Mabwell biotechs recent $278.5 million Series A injection, iTeos Therapeutics recent $125 million Series B2 financing, Affinivax's recent $120 million Series B round, among others).

Accordingly, expect to see a dramatic rise in the volume of investments going to healthcare in general, and preventive medicine in particular, including diagnostic and prognostic technologies. Money will also be earmarked for the detection and neutralization of diseases in advance of their pathological progression. All of this funding has one major goal: to strengthen the performance of the human immune system.

Promoting a healthy life in all its forms: physical; psychological and financial

Our frontier technology-focused consortium, Deep Knowledge Group, understands the scale and scope of the progressive healthcare and longevity industry, and of what longevity actually means in practice. Specifically, instead of focusing exclusively on what can be considered as core geroscience (R&D-stage therapies focused on treating the hallmarks, or root causes, of biological aging), our framework includes other relevant sectors, ranging from the biomedical to the technological and financial. In our view, the longevity industry encompasses anything promoting a healthy life in all its forms: physical; psychological and financial.

Read: Why virus stocks are driving market volatility

From a biomedical perspective, one of the biggest factors is optimizing the performance of the human immune system. You cannot live long if you are not properly protected from pandemic threats. For example, supercentenarians people who have lived at least 110 years possess certain features fostering a strengthened immune system, thus neutralizing diseases early in their lives and enabling greater protection from microbes, bacteria and viruses.

To advance such understanding, we expect investors to prioritize the sub-sectors with the greatest potential for disruptive impact: digital health; biomarkers of longevity, and in particular, artificial intelligence for healthcare, drug discovery, preventive medicine, and longevity, which is a major priority for our longevity-focused investment fund, Longevity.Capital.

Enhanced immunity is one of the most fundamental ways to improve health outcomes in the elderly, the group most at risk for infection, pathology and death during pandemics. Anti-pandemic (immune system optimizing) strategies and approaches for maximizing healthy longevity go hand-in-hand another reason why the current pandemic will lead to a rise in longevity-focused investment.

COVID-19 will reshape biotech, preventive medicine, precision health and longevity efforts in substantial and largely positive ways. One of the secondary goals behind the creation of Deep Knowledge Groups new COVID-19 MedTech Analytics IT-Platform was exactly this obtaining a deeper and more tangible understanding of how trends in biotech investment and industry development generally will change and adapt in the wake of the current COVID pandemic.

This platform is designed to serve as a comprehensive database of the most relevant entities, technologies, and developments in the COVID-19 MedTech ecosystem aggregating, profiling and visualizing the companies, organizations, scientists and technologies at the forefront of neutralizing the COVID-19 pandemic and ensuring the health and safety of individuals and nations. The platform aims to cover all major sectors and relevant activities in the global COVID-19 MedTech landscape, from science to technology, R&D, treatment, diagnostic and vaccine development, and practical applications occurring globally, providing data on particular scientific and technological sectors and geographical regions.

The COVID-19 pandemic will bring significant investments and developments to the biotech and bio-medicine industries, as well as a shift from treatment and healthcare (which can in practice be viewed as sick care) towards early-stage prevention, diagnosis, and tangible, data science-driven enhancement of the immune system and extension of the healthy period of life. This trend in turn will lead to an increase in global financial growth and stability by reducing the economic burden of age-related diseases, and by neutralizing the significant risks an aging population poses to the health, stability and vitality of national economies.

Our previous assessment of the longevity industrys growth predicted a market value of $27 trillion by 2026. Yet considering the impact that COVID-19 is making on biotech investments, we see this figure as being much larger. COVID-19 will grow the rate and size of biotech investments generally, and investments in preventive medicine, precision health and healthy longevity in particular.

Health is the new wealth. The pandemic is causing many people to realize what is truly important in life, and to view their personal health and longevity as the most valuable asset class of all.

Dmitry Kaminskiy is founder of Deep Knowledge Group and founding partner of Longevity.Capital. He is co-author of Longevity Industry 1.0: Defining the Biggest and Most Complex Industry in Human History

Kate Batz is managing partner of Longevity.Capital and director of strategy and business development at Deep Knowledge Ventures.

More: Everything you need to know about the Oxford University vaccine and other efforts to beat coronavirus

Plus: Good news for older Americans: 70 is the new 60 (but not for everyone)

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Biotechs smart money is already focused on disease prevention, boosting immune systems and longevity - MarketWatch

The naked mole rat never develops age-related diseases. It stays active and enjoys good bone health, reproductive success and mental acuity for its lifespan of up to 30 years.

Two of many reasons for this creatures healthy longevity are its low body temperature and slow metabolic rate.

For the first time, researchers from the Institute of Gerontology in Kiev and Prof. Vadim Fraifelds Lab for the Biology of Aging at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel have replicated those conditions in lab mice. A naked mole rat generally lives about eight times longer than a mouse despite its similar size.

The research results, published in Biogerontology, have intriguing implications for increasing longevity and decreasing major pathologies in humans as well.

According to the scientists, the naked mole rats burrows are poorly ventilated, keeping oxygen levels are low and carbon dioxide levels high. This may cause the reduction in the naked mole rats body temperature by 3-4 degrees as compared to mice and slow its metabolism significantly.

A naked mole rat in its burrow. Photo by Neil Bromhall via Shutterstock.com

Subjecting laboratory mice to the same conditions called a hypoxic-hypercapnic environment (HHE) successfully reduced their body temperature and metabolic intensity for weeks and even months.

And the mice in the HHE voluntarily consumed less food, which is one of the well-known factors in increased longevity.

Unexpectedly, the HHE accelerated skin wound healing, despite the lower energy expenditure, the researchers also noted.

All in all, a chronic exposure to HHE offers a potential of being a lifespan-extending intervention as well as an efficient tool for treating the overweight and associated metabolic disorders.

The scientists explain that at one point in history, the Earth contained much lower levels of oxygen and higher levels of carbon dioxide.

There is still some memory in our cells of that period and therefore it should be possible in the future to induce such a state for longer periods, they said.

Moreover, they believe that HHE conditions could be used to help fight obesity, diabetes and perhaps even cancer.

Secrets of long life

The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber), a rodent native to East Africa, has long been the subject of study because of its unusual healthy longevity and particularly its resistance to cancer.

In 2012, Tel Aviv University evolutionary biologist Dorothee Huchon and colleagues at the Texas Health Science Center and the City College of New York determined another reason for the naked mole rats unusual life expectancy: very high levels of a neuro-protective protein called Neuregulin 1 (NRG-1) in its brain.

Because NRG-1 is also found in the human brain, Huchon and her fellow researchers suggested that learning more about how aging and NRG-1 are related could be significant.

Fraifeld studies many aspects of human aging genomics. Graduate students in his Lab for the Biology of Aging at BGU won an award for their study on longevity genes, genetic protective factors that some people are lucky enough to inherit.

By modulating the activity of these genes in advanced age, it could be possible to combat major diseases.

Although an apparent paradox, it appears that the most effective way to delay or even to avert age-related diseases is to live longer, Fraifeld told ISRAEL21c.

Another prominent Israeli longevity researcher, Bar-Ilan Universitys Haim Cohen, recently published a study showing that SIRT6, considered a longevity-related protein, is involved in regulating biological processes including aging, obesity, insulin resistance, inflammation and metabolism. His team hopes to identify therapeutic approaches that target and activate SIRT6.

Ben-Gurion University researcher Debbie Toiber specializes in studying SIRT6 and DNA repair as models of age-related diseases.

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Researchers can extend the lifespan of mice: Are WE next? - ISRAEL21c

On the West Coast of the United States, the coastal redwoods in Northern California can live more than 2,000 years. Giant sequoias in central California routinely reach over 3,000 years in age. The oldest living organism in the world old Methuselah, a bristlecone pine tree has survived for over 4,700 years.

Millenia-old trees have held their place on Earth long and steady, and scientists have been curious about how theyre able to survive for so long. Native to China, the Ginkgo biloba can also survive over 1,000 years. By studying these long-living trees, a team of collaborating scientists between China and the United States identified specific genes that explain how the trees stay virtually immortal and thriving. They published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Ginkgo trees are biologically unique. Fossils resembling their elegant fan-shaped leaves date back over 200 million years. Paleobotanists have concluded the modern ginkgo tree has barely changed throughout their long history. The tree's closest relatives have all died out: Ginkgos are evolutionarily isolated, [so theyre] the single surviving species of a lineage that completely died out, explains Judy Jernstedt, a plant anatomist who studies ginkgo shoot architecture at the University of California, Davis and was not involved in the study.

But out of these distinct qualities, their most intriguing trait remains their longevity.

We went to a very local area in Hubei Province, explains Jinxing Lin, a plant biologist at Beijing Forestry University and a senior author of the study. To try to understand the biological reasons for how the trees could live for so long, the researchers wanted to compare genetic samples between young and old trees to bring back to their lab. However, they had to first determine the trees ages and find fitting samples to analyze.

Leaves, you know, can fall down every year and could not reflect the real age. So, we used the old vascular cambium, Lin said.

The vascular cambium is a ring of cells that form a layer underneath the bark. Theyre cells without specialized roles that will continuously divide and grow, either inwards towards the trunk as wood or outwards as bark. Even centuries-old ginkgo trees, can still divide several cells each year from the cambium, added Lin.

As a tree grows, the vascular cambium increases the girth of the trunk. Seasonal changes and growth patterns mean that this growth will produce about one additional ring in the trunks patterning every year.

Youve got to go in there and use a bore to go right into the center of tree and then pull it out, explains Richard Dixon, a biologist at University of North Texas and a senior author of the study, and then youve got to do the aging of the tree based on the rings.

With this method, the researchers collected samples from 34 ginkgo trees between 15- and 667-years old. They compared the ginkgo trees RNA in the vascular cambium to observe how their genetic activity changed between different age points.

In the 600-year old trees, genes associated with defenses against pathogens and disease resistance remained steadily active. The activity of other genes related to producing antioxidants, antimicrobials, and stress-response signals also didn't seem to be declining either. In other words, the older ginkgo trees appeared just as hardy as the younger trees. We really couldnt tell the profile for a 600-year old tree from a 20-year old tree, marvels Dixon.

Gene activity related to senescence the stage of life where cells lose their ability to divide and the tree begins to deteriorate and die also stayed consistent in the older trees, showing no signs of increasing with age. We thought after several hundred years they should go into senescence, recalls Lin. But genetically, the old ginkgo trees appeared as youthful as ever. We found the trees can still produce very good seeds and pollen, and theyre still in a healthy state.

These results are some of the first pieces of evidence pointing scientists towards the molecular underpinnings of aging, or a lack of it, in trees. Although the oldest trees in the study were about 600 years old, Dixon believes even older ginkgo trees estimated to be over 1,000 years old would show similar patterns of health and youth.

Bristlecone pine, redwood, sequioa, and gingko trees can all live for thousands of years

Photo by Juvian Duff on Unsplash

Similar genetic mechanisms could possibly be responsible for longevity in other long-living trees as well. Maybe people will now be doing these kinds of experiments in redwoods or in...yew trees or bristlecone pine trees, says Dixon.

To add to the ginkgo's list of quirks, the species is also notoriously hardy. Theyre unusually resistant to diseases, pests, and pollution, making them popular for city planners in urban settings. Famously, a small stand of ginkgo trees survived the nuclear blast from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, and even flowered the next spring.

This biological phenomenon shapes new questions for Dixon and Lin. They say the next planned step for their research group is to study the somatic mutation rate of ginkgo trees. Somatic mutations are changes in DNA that are not inherited from sperm or egg cells, but rather acquired later on from environmental factors such as ultraviolet light or radiation. What protects the integrity of the ginkgo genome so well? For the genetic profile of a mature ginkgo tree to closely resemble a young one, does that mean somatic mutations are slower to accumulate?

Or, does something that lives a thousand years have to have a better DNA repair mechanism? Dixon wonders, If it did, that would be phenomenal, I think.

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The genes of 600-year-old gingko trees are just as active as their teenage counterparts - Massive Science

As coronavirus-induced mortality rates feature persistently in the nightly news, life feels more fleeting and fragile than before. Yet Israeli and Azerbaijani researchers are among those investigating the secrets behind longevity.High in the mountain forests of Eurasias Caucasus region and down in the leafy lowlands of Azerbaijan, clusters of superagers generally those age 90 and above have inspired generations of documentarians and scientists alike to plumb the mysteries of living a long life.Storytellers long have circulated tales of groups of Azerbaijanis living to be more than 120; a museum in the city of Lankaran honors the countrys long livers. Since the 1970s, Azerbaijans overall life expectancy has settled into the global-average range of 71. Still, an unusual number of Azerbaijanis, primarily in remote areas, have overwhelmingly defied the average.What exactly affords Azerbaijans superagers the ability to keep on living?ClustersWhy have clusters of superagers not just isolated superagers appeared in Azerbaijan and elsewhere in the world? Genes and family history come into play. Looking at the clusters in Azerbaijan may add to the body of knowledge of medical factors and family patterns that proactively contribute to longevity.A growing number of scientists consider aging to be a preventable condition that can be addressed by gene therapy. Such an approach contrasts with the medical communitys traditional focus on the risk factors that pose impediments to long life. Lessons to be learned from Azerbaijan and elsewhere may contribute to our ability to prolong life.GeneticsThe New York-based Albert Einstein College of Medicines Dr. Nir Barzilai, an eminent leader in longevity research, has not personally examined the Azerbaijani case but points to his long-term research on Ashkenazi Jews in discussing the issue of clusters.Israeli-born Barzilai, founding director of the colleges Institute for Aging Studies and scientific director of the American Federation for Aging Research, has identified or corroborated longevity-associated gene markers that include the cholesteryl ester transfer protein gene (CETP). In one form, CETP correlates with slower memory decline, lower dementia risk, and significant protection against heart disease. CETPs appearance is affiliated with higher good cholesterol (HDL). Scientists and pharmaceutical companies such as Merck have looked to CETP and other identifying markers as means to interrupt age-related diseases.Barzilais study of the largely homogeneous Ashkenazi Jewish population has revealed shared genetic elements resulting in patterns. The research has helped Barzilai and others develop mitochondria-based therapeutics for diseases associated with aging.LifestyleLifestyle matters, scientists and laypeople generally agree. Whether it be taking daily walks or turning off the news, people who live a life focused (but not overly focused) on healthy habits tend to live longer.Dr. Anatoly Khaimovich Rafailov, a surgeon with more than 40 years of experience who leads the Azerbaijan-Israel Inter-Parliamentary Work Group in the Azerbaijani Parliament, attributes the high life expectancy in some regions of Azerbaijan to two factors. First: the residents of those regions widely use Berberis (Barberry) in their everyday meal. The anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and other healing properties of Berberis are well-known since ancient times, he says. The second factor is that people there are very active physically daily, they walk about 18-20 kilometers (11-12 miles). And motion is life.Many Azerbaijanis cite a diet centered on unprocessed, organic foods and a lack of involvement in harried debate as keys to long life. Dr. Tahir Amiraslanov, president of the Azerbaijan National Culinary Association and editor-in-chief of the Kulina scientific journal, says, People eat what they grow, use clean water and fresh air, live in a house with a large, multigenerational family, and overall live a natural life and try to do good things.Professor Ulduz Hashimova, director of the Institute of Physiology at the Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences in the countrys capital of Baku, shares that her institute has made understanding superaging an institutional priority for several years. The institutes comprehensive research has spanned disciplines, from genealogy to ecology, neurology, biochemistry, and beyond. Most published works deriving from this effort are written in Russian, which may partially explain the Wests general lack of familiarity with this research.From the pandemic to the futureAzerbaijan has fostered significant partnerships in the humanities and other disciplines, and the West is building an understanding of Azerbaijani culture and contributions. Amid the pandemic and in the coming years, the US scientific community may look to Israel and Azerbaijan who are partners in technical and other arenas for breakthroughs in the understanding of aging.The Azerbaijani superaging phenomenon may also be of particular interest to social scientists, given major societal changes during the past century. Consider this: Someone over the age of 100 might have witnessed what is now the Republic of Azerbaijan as a portion of the Russian Empire, a part of the early Azerbaijani Democratic Republic, and as an S.S.R. of the Soviet Union.As societies become increasingly heterogeneous, we can learn from families and communities with shared characteristics. We may unlock more life-extending therapies. Meanwhile, as research progresses, we can make the lifestyle changes already identified as keys to longevity.Diana Cohen Altman, principal of Cultural Diplomacy Associates, L.L.C., and former executive director of the US cultural non-profit Karabakh Foundation, writes extensively about Azerbaijani cultural and civil-society topics.

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Do Azerbaijan and Israel possess the secrets of a long life? - The Jerusalem Post

Beating coronavirus, especially when youre older and considered high-risk, is worthy of a celebration.

Some COVID-19 survivors are also 100-years-old and older, which means theyve also lived through and survived their fair share of pandemics, like the Spanish Flu, World Wars, and the Great Depression.

The New York Post reached out to the survivors to get one answer -- whats the secret to longevity?

Walter Reed of East Rockaway, LI said he believes that in order to have a long life, you need a good diet. I never smoked. I watched my diet, he said.

Reed also maintained a positive outlook on life: I always try to do the right things: You never hear me cussing I dont get angry, I hold my temper down. I walk away and have a good relationship with everybody.

A positive attitude and resilience is credited with helping 104-year-old Ida Acconciamessa, who, in addition to overcoming COVID, also survived stage 4 melanoma, the Spanish Flu, and recovered from two broken hips.

Meanwhile, 101-year-old Rose Leigh-Manuell of West Sayville, LI, credits her faith with getting her through the hard times.

God takes good care of me, the devout Protestant told the publication.

She had such an upbeat attitude about everything. One of her favorite sayings when things go bad: This too shall pass, her son, Gary said.

The grandmother of eight, who loves to snack on Oreos, also notes its important to spend time with your loved ones and prioritizes weekly dinners with her son.

Gary said his mother seemed young despite her age: she worked in a fish market up until she was 95, so that would have been six years ago. And the only reason she stopped working is the fish market closed.

Having something to look forward to and a family to come home to is equally as important.

WWII veteran Vincent Simeone, 99, made sure nothing got in the way of attending his granddaughters wedding, not even COVID.

"It was a huge surprise and it was great to see him standing and waving, smiling," his granddaughter Amy Zimmerman Scudieri of his attendance.

Some are just born with it, according to 104-year-old Lilian Menendez who believes her longevity is due to her strong genes.

My mother was 98 and she didnt have a gray hair in her head she was jet black, Mendez recalls.

Staying active is key, says Dave Stejna, the grandson of 103-year-old Jennie Stejna.

Shes the most high-energy person I ever met, he said adding, Into her 90s, I would go places with her and I could barely keep up.

Stejna manages to refuel with a cold beer, which Dave says shed often indulge in on a hot summer day.

Its no coincidence that when she celebrated her recent recovery from coronavirus by enjoying an ice cold Bud Light!

We'll cheers to that!

Trending Coronavirus Coverage FromRADIO.COMYou canfinally call the IRSabout your stimulus checkDisney Worldpartially reopensto lines after blunt warning to customersHair Stylistworked for 8 days at Great Clipslocation despite having COVID-19 symptomsPerson infected with COVID-19exposed 180 peopleduring church servicePoll: Many Americanswont returnto gyms or dining outMillions of coronavirus stimulus checks to be issued onprepaid debit cardsCoronavirus survivorshares alarming body transformation photowhile in the hospitalAresmokers at less riskfor contracting the coronavirus?

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100-Year-Old Coronavirus Survivors Reveal the Secrets to a Long and Healthy Life - WWJ Newsradio 950

BYDs Blade Battery Factory in Chongqing

BYD allowed outsiders for the first time on Wednesday into its Chongqing, China factory that produces its Blade Battery.

More than 100 media and industry experts toured the FinDreams Battery Factory, which began production of the new battery on March 29.

The electric vehicle manufacturer developed much of the production equipment at a total investment of 10 billion yuan, or $1.4 billion USD, and has an annual production capacity of 20GWH.

The Blade Battery can be charged from 10% to 80% capacity in 33 minutes, supporting the BYD Han EVs acceleration of zero to 100 km/h, or 62 mph, in 3.9 seconds. Its accumulated mileage can reach 1.2 million km, or 745,645 mph, after 3,000 cycles of charging and discharging.

In short, the Blade Battery outpaces ternary lithium batteries and traditional lithium iron phosphate batteries among the metrics of longevity, power and strength, BYD said.

The Han EV is BYDs flagship sedan model is slated for launch later this month.

BYDs Han EV is the first electric vehicle equipped with the Blade Battery, possessing a cruising range of 605 km (375 mph) with a single charge, said Li Yunfei, vice general manager of BYD Auto Sales.

The factory has a highly specialized environment, reaching the same standards as LCD screen production.

The nature of the factorys environment can be seen in the core production process, BYD said in a statement.

Sun Huajun, vice general manager of the FinDreams Battery Factory, said the strict conditions are a necessary foundation to the Blade Batterys high safety standards.

The nearly one-meter-long pole piece can achieve tolerances of within 0.3mm, and the accuracy and speed of a single-piece lamination have an efficiency of 0.3s/pcs. This is the first of its kind in the world. This form of lamination comes from BYDs completely independent development of its equipment and cutting-edge solutions aspects that are uncopiable, he said.

The Blade Battery is a single-cell battery that can be placed in an array and inserted into a battery pack like a blade.

Compared with ternary lithium batteries and traditional lithium iron phosphate batteries, it holds notable advantages in its high safety, long range and enduring longevity, BYD said.

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BYD gives first glimpse of Blade Battery factory in China - The Fourth Revolution

When a WNBA team is drafting in the middle of the second round, its probably not expecting to land a major contributor. A rebounding or 3-point specialist, perhaps a player who could earn a roster spot if things go right in training camp but would ultimately struggle to stick around for very long.

This is what makes Tammy Sutton-Browns story so special. Drafted at out of Rutgers at No. 18 overall, Sutton-Brown was never known as a stats monster or superstar player, yet she still became a model of steady play and longevity across her 12 WNBA seasons.

When it was all said and done, Sutton-Brown had played 388 games and nearly 10,000 minutes. She still ranks near the top of the historical WNBA leaderboards in several categories, namely total offensive rebounds (708; 18th in WNBA history) and blocked shots (555; 7th).

The 6-foot-4 Sutton-Brown began her WNBA career in Charlotte, where she was drafted by the Sting in 2001. While Sutton-Browns draft position of No. 18 overall has not typically been kind to rookies over the years, Sting head coach Anne Donovan entrusted her with 20.8 minutes played and 21 starts.

Sutton-Browns volume increased in her second season, and with it her per-game stats. She averaged 11.9 points on 53.1 percent shooting in 2002, along with 6.0 rebounds (2.4 offensive) per game. It earned her a trip to the 2002 WNBA All-Star Game, representing the Eastern Conference alongside fellow up-and-comers Tamika Catchings and Penny Taylor.

Of course, Sutton-Brown never reached the legendary status of those players, but remained remarkably consistent for the Sting as their starting center. Per 36 minutes, she never averaged fewer than 11.7 points or 7.3 rebounds during her time in Charlotte, with her usage falling between 20.0 percent and 21.6 percent in each season. Sutton-Brown also became one of the better rim protectors in the WNBA, finishing outside of the leagues top 10 in blocked shots only once.

The unfortunate folding of the Sting franchise in early 2007 spelled the end of Sutton-Browns time in Charlotte, but her contract with the Sting had expired anyway, and she was thus ineligible for the ensuing dispersal draft.

Instead, Sutton-Brown signed a contract with the Indiana Fever, for whom she continued her steady play. Sutton-Brown was named to her second and final All-Star game in 2007, a season in which she averaged a career-best 17.1 points per 36 minutes for the 21-13 Fever.

While Sutton-Browns 2007 season was her last big one her usage rate declined from a career-high 24.3 percent in 2007 to 20.3 percent in 2008, 19.8 in 2009 and 17.1 in 2010 she continued to start for the Fever, and the Fever continued to win. Indiana made the 2009 WNBA Finals (where the Fever lost in five games to the Phoenix Mercury) and won at least 21 games in each of the following three seasons.

By 2012, Sutton-Brown was 34 years old, and while she kept starting on yet another successful Fever team, her on-court contributions were lessening. Sutton-Browns starting spot was usurped by Erlana Larkins in the 2012 playoffs, a move that proved crucial to Indianas upset of the Minnesota Lynx in the Finals.

The Fevers championship was a storybook ending for Sutton-Brown, who decided to retire following the 2012 season. She had been a solid WNBA starter for many years, falling just short of the ultimate goal in several of them, so it was only right that she finally won a title in the twilight of her career. Sutton-Browns WNBA story is remembered as one of both longevity and consistency, and to this day she remains the only No. 18 overall pick to be named a WNBA All-Star.

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Tammy Sutton-Browns WNBA career was a long and successful one - Swish Appeal

Ice Cube stars as Jack Robertson in The High Note, a Focus Features release. (Photo credit: Glen Wilson / Focus Features)

The new movieThe High Note, starring Tracee Ellis Ross, Ice Cube and Kelvin Harrison Jr., is a story about taking chances and following your heart. The film follows superstar Grace Davis (Ross) as she struggles with her next career move. The audience sees the dynamic between Davis and music manager Jack Robertson (Ice Cube) play out as he tries to convince her to play it safe.

Rolling out had the opportunity to speak with veteran actor Ice Cube about taking on the role, what it takes to conquer the music industry and building a legacy.

What drew you to the role of music manager Jack Robertson in The High Note?

Just being able to see behind the curtain of the music industry. I think being an artist myself, its a million stories you can tell about what happens backstage and offstage and so [I wanted] to be able to show that in the movie. I thought the most amazing relationship in the movie was between Grace Davis and Maggie, her assistant. Everybody wants to go work for somebody famous and for their favorite artists, but do you really? You never know what youre going to get. Knowing that [producer] Rodney Jerkins was doing the music, I knew the music would be on point. Just getting a chance to play a character like Jack was fun.

The High Note focuses on the theme of career evolution. How important is reinvention to the longevity of a career in the entertainment industry?

I think its important to think about the direction that you are going and want to go to. Longevity is something we all want, but theres a path to longevity. Definitely a trust from the audience. You have to give good work, but you also have to give people what they dont expect, so thats reinventing yourself sometimes.

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Ice Cube discusses new role in 'The High Note' and the key to career longevity - Rolling Out

Hardwood athletic floors have beenhardwoodmuchlonger thanthey havebeenathletic.

Todays high shock-absorption, resilient floors are vastly different than the subfloor assemblies prominent in the late 1800s when basketball,squash andvolleyball were being introduced. Floors used for athletic activities during that time period were really designed for warehouse andindustrial settings, and carried over to serve as gymnasium floors for many years to followwith no added cushioning below subfloor assemblies.

Even with the emergence of cushioned floors in the 1950s, the industrial use of non-shock absorbing floors from the turn of the century continued to be installed in gymnasiums well into the 1980s.

Hardwoodathletic floorsinstalled in todays gymnasiums are apt to include some type of resilient pad or foam cushion support. Sport floor systems thatare provided and installed byindustry professionalstypically include high levels ofshockabsorption. Shock absorption is measured and verified by third-party, independent laboratories that have equipment designed to measure characteristics that include force reduction,verticaldeflection andbasketballrebound.

One of the benefits of hardwood floors is longevity. Hardwood floors can provide wear-life lasting upwards of 70 years. Due to hardwoods longevity, there are many gym floors still in use today that are based on the 100-year-old warehouse orindustrialfloor designs. The rigid response to athletic impacts when playing on such floors still in usetodayare the same as when playing on such non-resilient wood floors long before the NBA wasformed.

When was the last time you watched a track event raced on cinder tracks? Do you notice the small, rubber infilled granules sprinkled to the surface when watchingfootball on artificialturffields?Advancements in thosesports surfacesareobvious and can be seen by the human eye.Thecombination of elastic components and subfloor configurations below todays hardwood athletic floors is nearly limitlessbutalways concealed.

The long life of maple flooring offers numeroussandings, after whichyouare left with a clean slate. The floor can be finished with basic gameline uptowhat sometimes look likeworks of art using a mix of stains, paint anddifferent floor grades. The design component is true whether youare on a hardwood floor system going back generations and designed for industrial applications, or on a true hardwood athletic floor designed specifically for sports and recreational activities.

The sayingYou cant tell a book by its cover especially pertains to hardwood athletic floors. You could be playing on the most advanced resilient hardwood athletic floor available or on a rigid floor system designed well before the introduction of the jump shot andglass backboard.

Randy Randjelovic is the technical advisor at Aacer Flooring with over 40 years of experience in the hardwood floor industry. For more information, email randyr@aacerflooring.com.

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Hardwood Athletic Floors, Then and Now - Campus Rec Magazine

Wed like to think that the lockdown has motivated us to pay attention to what we put in our body. Health and a balanced diet have climbed back up the priority ladder as home cooking rose to the occasion. It isnt news that the Mediterranean diet, rich in seafood, fresh fruits and vegetables, is one of the healthiest diets in the world for longevity.

So we decided to tweak a classic Mediterranean dish, and make it with only Indian GI-tagged ingredients.

What you will need:

Directions:

Heat up a saucepan and add the chulli oil, hill garlic and chicken meat, and saut for a couple of minutes. Add the diced tomatoes, olives, cumin, pepper and chilies, and cook for another minute, until combined. Pour in the lemon juice and let it simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce is reduced and chicken cooked. Add salt to taste and serve atop some Manipuri black rice!

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Mediterranean Meets the Indian GI - Outlook India

06/04 Update below. This post was originally published on June 3

iPhone and iPad problems have increased for users in recent weeks with ongoing bugs and major security vulnerabilities, with Apple playing a game of Whack-a-Mole twice in quick succession. But now the company is planning to reward iPhone owners who stick with them.

Apple looks set to extend it's already unmatched iOS longevity for millions of iPhone owners

New information attained by The Verifier reveals plans to continue support for all iOS 13-compatible iPhones with iOS 14. The Verifier states this information comes via access to a build of iOS 14 which was subsequently verified by a trusted source in Apples development team. Given the numerous problems in iOS 13, particularly early releases, ongoing software and security support would be a major reason for owners of older iPhones to stick with the company.

06/03 Update: details from future iOS updates continue to leak. Spotted by 9to5Mac, code inside Apple's iOS 13.5.5 beta software reveals the company is preparing to launch new service bundles. The terms "bundle offer" and "bundle subscription" are contained in the release with packages expected to combine Apple Music ($9.99 per month), Apple TV+ ($4.99 pm) and Apple News+ ($9.99 pm). No price has been revealed for any bundle ($15-20 would seem a likely price range), but with Apple Music significantly more popular than the other two, it makes sense for Apple to try and bolster its others services as a package. The arrival of Apple service bundles alongside surprisingly affordable new 5G iPhones again confirms the company's aggressive new strategy of undercutting rivals on price this year. Based on what we already know about the new iPhone 12 range, this hardware + software value-based combination could prove unstoppable.

06/04 Update: 9to5Mac has discovered more new features hidden inside a leaked build of iOS 14. These include a built-in translator for Safari (which works offline with all translations happening on-device) and, most significantly, support for the Apple Pencil. In the early iOS 14 build 9to5Mac attained, Pencil support is limited to websites but it is not limited to navigation with both drawing and markup supported. Having long been removed as a potential feature limited to new iPhone hardware, it would be big news if Pencil support becomes available to all iPhone owners with iOS 14. Needless to say, features from early software can just as easily be removed as added so there is no guarantee it will make the final release but it would be a very welcome addition, if it survives.

For those in doubt, iOS 13 currently supports the iPhone 6S and newer and the 7th generation iPod touch. The Verifier doesnt confirm whether iPadOS 14 will be so generous (iPadOS 13 supports the 2014 iPad Air 2 and newer), but it would seem like a good bet. Interestingly, the report also backs up an early leak from iPhoneSoft.fr which made the same claim in January though with the caveat that Apples decision at the time was not yet final.

If correct, this news could not be better timed for iPhone owners. Aside from being a thank you for sticking with the company through its problems with iOS 13, it would show Apple is not blind to the considerable challenges in 2020 and the fact they put many owners of older iPhones in a difficult financial position where they may not be able to justify an upgrade this year.

Apple iOS 13 devices all look set to receive iOS 14 support

Of course, the flipside is iOS 15 may well drop two generations of iPhone in 2021 (iOS 13 dropped support for both the iPhone 5S and iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus), but that is a problem for another time. Troubled as iOS updates have been in recent years, the longevity of their support remains a key differentiator. With the iPhone 12 also set to undercut 5G Android rivals on price, Apple may just have played its winning hand.

___

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Apple Just Gave Millions Of Users A Reason To Keep Their iPhones - Forbes

We are focused on accelerating the necessary dialogue for the benefit of advisors, their firms, and most importantly their clients.

NEW YORK (PRWEB) June 04, 2020

The Money Management Institute (MMI) and Financial Advisor Magazine are joining forces to take on the Next Big Thing the transition of the financial advice industry to managing retirement. The initiative, Next Chapter, will focus on the long-heralded retirement age wave with specific efforts to support financial advisors, investment managers, income product companies, and service, technology, and planning providers.

Financial Advisor has a rich history of providing thought leadership and best practice guidance to advisors. As the leading industry association representing financial services firms that provide investment advice and solutions, MMI facilitates collaboration among investment managers, broker-dealers, FinTech providers, and most recently insurance and annuity companies.

The new partnership is aimed directly at helping advisors and their firms work better together and deliver investment advisory solutions that effectively integrate human and digital capabilities.

For years weve talked about the coming decumulation phase for Baby Boomer clients, said Craig Pfeiffer, President and CEO of MMI. Weve reached a demographic tipping point where half of the Baby Boomer population is at the age 65 target point or beyond it. We are focused on accelerating the necessary dialogue for the benefit of advisors, their firms, and most importantly their clients. Its time to take real action, especially in light of our current challenging times.

The best financial advisors are already leading the way by providing solutions for their clients that account for the challenges of longevity. With Next Chapter, we plan to provide them with greater support and more innovation, added Gary Holland, CEO of Charter Financial Publishing Network, the parent company of Financial Advisor.

COVID-19 burst the bull market bubble and reframed retirement and planning. Wealth is now tied to health, and we are all re-assessing our life priorities. What does that Next Chapter hold for clients, their advisors, and the firms that supply critical resources and innovation? We are taking action to drive better outcomes, said Steve Gresham, who will serve as Managing Partner of the Next Chapter initiative.

Next Chapters direction and programming will be guided by two steering councils a Leadership Council, which includes Pfeiffer, Holland, and Gresham, and an Advisory Council. Both groups are comprised of senior executives from firms across the investment advice industry infrastructure.

The Next Chapter leadership team includes Evan Simonoff, Editor-in-Chief of Financial Advisor, David Smith, Co-Founder and Group Publisher of Charter Financial Publishing Network, and Joan Lensing, Chief Programming Officer of MMI.

Background

Hidden behind the March 2020 bear market and the COVID-19 pandemic is a new golden age of financial advice that provides a unique opportunity for the advisors and firms willing to answer the call. Baby Boomers have driven the modern economy and are now moving en masse from accumulation to distribution just as pundits have been forecasting for thirty years.

Added Gresham, We are smack in the middle of the demographic bell curve with the median Boomer at 64. An advice industry built to help clients invest for retirement has been slow to adjust to the demands of managing and funding that retirement which is a much different and more complex endeavor than investing. To best serve the rapidly evolving needs of this demographic, the industry must come to grips with a new normal, The Retirement Income Age.

Objectives: The Four Pillars of Next Chapter

Next Chapter will focus on delivering content and programming that addresses four key areas:

Delivery

COVID-19 has created a more robust and connected virtual community. FA and MMI hope to gather their separate constituents in person when safe to do so, but will in the short-term focus on virtual delivery of educational and development tracks for members of the unified retirement income profession:

Join us!

For more information on how you can get involved, contact Steve Gresham, Managing Partner, Next Chapter at steve@theexecutionproject.com or (203) 623-2265.

About the Money Management Institute (MMI): Established in 1997, the Money Management Institute (MMI) is the industry association representing financial services firms that provide financial advice and investment advisory solutions to investors. Through conferences, educational resources, and thought leadership, MMI facilitates peer-to-peer connections, fosters industry knowledge and professionalism, and supports the development of the next generation of industry leadership. MMI member firms are dedicated to helping individual and institutional investors, at every level of assets, plan for and fulfill their financial goals. For more information, visit http://www.MMInst.org.

About Financial Advisor (FA): Reaching more than 135,000 qualified readers each month, Financial Advisor delivers essential market information and strategies that advisors need to succeed in their increasingly complex environment. FA focuses on sophisticated planning and investment strategies to help advisors better serve their affluent clients, as well as practice management ideas to help advisors build their firms. FA goes in-depth to challenge traditional planning wisdom by introducing readers to new approaches to help them better counsel clients. To achieve these goals, FA continuously seeks to bring together the best team of editors and contributing writers to provide the most compelling publication for the top decision-makers in the financial advisory field. For more information, visit http://www.fa-mag.com.

About The Execution Project: The Execution Project is a consulting firm focused on better execution of wealth management, leveraging the four key drivers of success adapting to the demands of aging clients, advisor practice management including technology, effective use of data and AI, and effective organizational alignment to support digital and human capabilities. For more information, visit http://www.theexecutionproject.com.

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Two Industry Champions Take Up the Challenge of Advising Clients' Next Chapter - PR Web

Even before the coronavirus pandemic erupted, retirement savings were at risk, according to Building Better Retirement Systems in the Wake of the Global Pandemic, a working paper issued by the Pension Research Council of The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

The paper points out that the World Economic Forum estimates the retirement savings gap will grow 5% each year to reach approximately $400 trillion by 2050adding an additional $28 billion to the deficit each day.

Defined benefit (DB) plans around the world have long been facing rising underfunding, in part due to an aging population and a shrinking working age population on which contributions, or taxes, can be levied. Exacerbating this, many DB plan sponsors have underestimated retiree longevity, and some have failed to add their required contributions to plans.

Moreover, the paper says, DB plans have tended to invest in risky assets including equities, hedge funds and alternative investmentsnone of which were selected to defease, or match, benefit promises. Prior to the COVID-19 market downturn, U.S. public DB plan underfunding had swelled to $4 trillion. Globally, that deficit is estimated to be $34 trillion.

Defined contribution (DC) plans shift the responsibility to save and choose investments to participants. The paper says that these participants also bear longevity risk, particularly if they draw down their assets too quickly. These workers may not even participate in their DC plan, or contribute too little, the paper says. Part-time or lower-paid workers may not even be offered a retirement savings plan.

Further complicating the outlook for both DB and DC plan participants is that interest rates have been very low for the past several years, the paper says. This reality has contributed to severe DB underfunding, particularly when actual returns fall far below those assumed when computing contribution obligations, the paper says. DC plans, which are now the norm in many countries, face even more complex challenges, since they do not have explicit funding targets, yet they also suffer when capital markets underperform.

Then came the coronavirus outbreak in late 2019 in China. As the outbreak entered the United States, U.S. equity markets began crashing on February 24, and in March, global stock markets lost trillions.

The paper notes that the COVID-19 pandemic could depress returns for decades. Citing one researcher who looked into the effects of past European pandemics, the after-effects persist for roughly 40 years, with real rates of return substantially depressed.

In the U.S., the employment to population ratio fell from 60% in January to 52% in April, leading the federal government to increase its debt levels to offer relief. But that raises worries about U.S. fiscal sustainability, the paper notes.

The effect of the coronavirus on the markets has made DB underfunding far worse, although, the paper notes, because accounting procedures permit these plans to smooth their funding patterns over several years, it will take time before the full impact of their investment losses are fully recognized.

U.S. state and local pensions are also suffering, where plan funding has fallen from an estimated 52% to 37%, the paper continues. Even larger drops are foreseen for Connecticut (28%), Kentucky (25%), New Jersey (24%) and Illinois (20%), leaving only a few years of assets with which to pay benefits.

Corporate DB plans underfunding went from $329 billion at the end of 2019 to $619 billion in March, according to Morgan Stanley.

And the U.S. Social Security system is projected to be able to pay only three-quarters of scheduled benefits within a dozen years, but the pandemic might hasten that contraction to as soon as 2029.

Because of rising unemployment, many employers are permitting their workers to take out larger loans from their DC plans. In the U.S., a participant can take out as much as $100,000. The paper says that, by one estimate, half of U.S. workers have already dipped or plan to dip into their DC retirement funds.

On top of this, some employers are reducing or stopping their 401(k) matches, and as many as 200,000 firms may terminate their DC plans completely.

Because COVID-19 has exposed so many people to catastrophically expensive health problems, some financial advisers are revising the recommendation that retirees withdraw 4% of their assets each year to 2.4%.

In the U.S. the cost of retirement, or the amount of money one would need to save in order to generate a payment of $1 a year for 25 years has risen by 14%, from $21 for a target retirement in 2040 in 2019, to nearly $24 in March.

How can people offset these challenges? One option is to work longer and postpone a potential retirement date. A March survey of Americans between the ages of 55 and 60 found that 44% would like to work longer. However, that may not be possible in the near term, as there could be massive unemployment for some time to come, according to the paper. And those who decide to take their pensions early are likely to find their benefits reduced.

The Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act, which was passed last year, permits private sector employers to establish multiple employer pension plans and requires them to give part-time and part-year workers access to DC plans.

Six states are now offering state-based DC plans that employers are required to offer if they do not already have a retirement plan. These are helpful in covering lower-paid workers at small firms, the paper says.

The pandemic will likely result in fewer pension plans in the U.S., as they struggle to pay benefits and maintain adequate funding following the pandemic, according to the paper. Some might remain in place but make cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs).

Since DC plans will become even more pronounced if there are fewer pension plans, it is expected that more of them will adopt automatic enrollment and automatic escalation. If returns remain low, as they are expected to, workers will need to save more. One researcher says that if returns are 2% and a worker has only 20 years to save, they will need to save as much as 33%, or even 48%, of their pay. Someone with 30 years to save would need to save 15% to 16% of their pay.

Target-date funds (TDFs) can boost retirement wealth by as much as 50% over a 30-year savings horizon. The paper suggests that robo-advice may be used in retirement plans to help guide workers on how to allocate their savings.

The paper also says that with governments making such massive fiscal expenditures due to the coronavirus, they may decide to make all DC plans Roth plans, so they can collect the taxes on the front end.

The paper also expects that DC plans will begin to help workers with the decumulation phase, perhaps converting their savings into annuities that guarantee lifetime income.

In sum, post COVID-19, it will be challenging but critical to provide more retirees access to low-cost annuities and high-quality but low-cost investment advice, the paper says. Additional research and product development will be required, to make the retirement decumulation process easier for retirees to manage.

Insurers could more accurately price longevity risk if policymakers found a way to provide more granular data about mortality and morbidity patterns. And Social Security and pensions need to be better funded, the paper says. Policymakers could encourage delayed retirement and employers could also delink health care benefits from employment and, instead, make them available through associations or multiple employer plans.

Finally, policymakers should ensure that more people are educated about the importance of saving for retirement. With more information, people do a better job planning, saving and decumulating during retirement, the paper says.

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COVID-19 Has Made the Retirement System Weaker - PLANSPONSOR

EXTON, Pa., June 4, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The latest quarterly report included in Spherix's RealTime Dynamix: Rheumatoid Arthritis (US)service captures the responses of 105 rheumatologists surveyed in May 2020 and highlights the shifting dynamics of the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment landscape, driven largely by the recent approval of AbbVie's JAK inhibitor, Rinvoq, as well as the present impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatology practices. According to the survey results that are trended back to 2016, the RA treatment landscape continues to shift away from the legacy TNF inhibitors (i.e., AbbVie's Humira and Amgen's Enbrel) which have long been the gold standard, while alternate mechanism of action (MOA) agents have remained relatively stable in both user base and brand share with the exception of the newest market entrant, Rinvoq.

Perhaps the greatest impact of Rinvoq is being felt by Pfizer's Xeljanz. Approved in 2012, Xeljanz enjoyed the "only JAK inhibitor" status for six years until Eli Lilly's Olumiant was approved. Where Olumiant faced challenges with regulatory delays and ultimately a less than desirable product label, Rinvoq came out of the gates strong. In only nine months on the market, the majority of rheumatologists now select Rinvoq as their JAK of choice if limited to just one for the treatment of RA. Indeed, rheumatologists report that more than one in five of their JAK-treated RA patients are currently prescribed Rinvoq, and six-month projections call for this figure to double. AbbVie's SELECT-COMPARE trial, demonstrating Rinvoq's superiority over Humira, appears to be giving Rinvoq an advantage over existing JAK inhibitors, Xeljanz and Olumiant.

While the clinical data for Rinvoq is strong, the "AbbVie Effect" is also in full force; rheumatologists (in addition to dermatologists and gastroenterologists) consistently rate AbbVie as the strongest industry partner. AbbVie representatives are in active promotion mode, with current reports of virtual detailing during the COVID-19 crisis, often providing samples which are helping to generate new patient starts and to bridge patients through the prior authorization process. In addition, rheumatologists report the recently debuted direct to consumer marketing campaign is driving increased patient requests for the brand, a majority of which result in a prescription.

Though rheumatologists seem to favor Rinvoq of late, they are also likely to prescribe a second and even a third JAK agent if the first JAK fails, a behavior that mimics the traditional treatment pattern of TNF-cycling. In fact, JAK-cycling has increased significantly versus a year ago, with the availability of the third option (Rinvoq) now available. Despite increased use of the class, rheumatologists remain unsure as to which JAK pathway they believe to be the most efficacious and the safest treatment of RA, despite messaging efforts by manufacturers to attempt differentiation on this front.

Rinvoq may soon have to share the spotlight with another JAK, Gilead's filgotinib, which has the greatest unaided and aided awareness of all pipeline assets tested. Filgotinib, the next likely agent to launch in RA, is also selected by almost one-half of surveyed rheumatologists as the "favorite" agent among pipeline assets and is the only agent respondents predict will have a presence in the first-line setting soon after launch. Positive perceptions surrounding Gilead's pipeline agent are perhaps (at least somewhat) a byproduct of the increased positive publicity the company has received associated with the approval of remdesivir as a COVID-19 treatment. Filgotinib also stands the possibility of bringing to the table an improved safety profile over existing JAKs, but the degree to which this positively impacts FDA labeling is yet to be seen.

Other agents with novel MOAs, including EMD Serono's BTK inhibitor, evobrutinib and GSK's anti-granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (anti GM-CSF) monoclonal antibody, otilimab, are also generating early positive mentions. Indeed, this rich pipeline is poised to continue transforming the advanced systemic treatment landscape over the coming years.

About RealTime DynamixRealTime Dynamix: Rheumatoid Arthritis (US) is an independent service providing strategic guidance through rapid and comprehensive quarterly reports, which include market trending since 2016, launch tracking, and a fresh infusion of unique content with each wave.

About Spherix Global InsightsSpherix Global Insights is a hyper-focused market intelligence firm that leverages our own independent data and expertise to provide strategic guidance, so biopharma stakeholders make decisions with confidence. We specialize in select immunology, nephrology, and neurology markets.

All company, brand or product names in this document are trademarks of their respective holders.

For more information contact:Kristen Henn, Business Development ManagerEmail:[emailprotected]www.spherixglobalinsights.com

SOURCE Spherix Global Insights

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Less Than One Year Post Launch, AbbVie's Rinvoq Disrupts the Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Landscape, While a Rich Pipeline Waits in the Wings -...

Treating COVID-19 or Rheumatoid Arthritis? Exploring Proposed Drug Therapy, Safety Concerns

Jessica Mattingly, PharmD Candidate, Amy Priest, PharmD Candidate, and Emily Frederick, PharmD

COVID-19 is transmitted through respiratory droplets. In severe cases, the virus can wreak havoc on the lungs and may lead to the development of pneumonia or the potentially fatal condition acute respiratory distress syndrome.2 Consequently, due to the toll the disease takes on the body, some patients are left unable to fight the infection. Upon discovering the effects on the lung, researchers determined the infection that leads to COVID-19 to be severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus (SARS-COV-2).2

This viral infection in the lungs leads to the excessive production of cytokines, causing a phenomenon known as a cytokine storm. This storm begins with the release of interleukin-1 (IL-1), along with other cytokines, within minutes to hours of infection. The immune system is then further stimulated by interleukin-6 (IL-6) as it attempts to eradicate the infection.

Finally, interleukin-10 (IL-10) production is stimulated to tone down the immune response. However, at this stage, the cytokine storm has already damaged the lung tissue and must be repaired in order to help eradicate the infection.

The damage is repaired by producing new collagen tissue. Meanwhile, the infection may still be worsening throughout the body and potentiating further complications, sepsis, and possible mortality.3 With the potentially severe consequences of COVID-19 infection, it is vital to identify treatment options that are effective while minimizing harm from potential adverse drug reactions.

As scientists fervently research treatments, one avenue of exploration has been repurposing existing drugs as COVID-19 treatments. Examples of repurposed drugs are those commonly indicated for autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, what characteristics of RA treatments possibly connect to COVID-19 treatment?

RA is an autoimmune disease wherein treatments are targeted to suppress the immune system to preserve functional use and reduce pain in patients with the disease. The mainstays of therapy include drugs that inhibit the immune system mainly through actions on cytokines and T-cells. However, some drugs commonly used to treat RA can also be utilized in other conditions.

For example, hydroxychloroquine, which reduces cytokine production is also used for malaria prophylaxis but relies on a different mechanism of action for this purpose. Although hydroxychloroquine was granted EUA for treating COVID-191 in March 2020, some studies have found cause for safety concerns, including increased risk of death.4 Studies are ongoing to to determine the efficacy and safety of the drug for COVID-19. In RA treatment, hydroxychloroquines efficacy may be at least in part secondary its effects on cytokine production. Furthermore, for COVID-19, hydroxychloroquine may inhibit the virus ability to bind/penetrate respiratory cells.5

Many other drugs that also treat autoimmune diseases (including RA agents) have been proposed but require more clinical data.6,7

When considering these drugs as possible COVID-19 treatments, the safety and common adverse effects of these proposed medications should be considered and weighed carefully (Table). At the time of publication, only hydroxychloroquine and remdesivir (which is not indicated for RA) had compassionate use status. This use brings an enhanced focus on drug safety profiles to light.

Perhaps the most concerning safety issue associated with hydroxychloroquine treatment is potential cardiac toxicity, specifically with noted changes in ECG readings leading to some patients discontinuing drug therapy.8 Another noted safety concern is retinal toxicity.

This effect can occur with both acute and long-term use but is rare in the acute phase (<1%). The risk of retinal toxicity, however, is increased in doses above 5 mg/kg of actual body weight daily or with extended therapies. Consequently, ocular examinations are recommended prior to initiation of chronic therapy but may not be meaningful or feasible for COVID-19 patients requiring swift intervention.9

Table 1: Summary of RA Agents Proposed as COVID-19 Treatments Potential COVID-19 Therapy

For SARS-CoV-19 on the other hand, hydroxychloroquines potentially effective actions include binding to Salic acid residues and gangliosides. This action prevents the virus from attaching to these sites and getting into the cell in order to replicate.3

The other medications listed in the table (excluding corticosteroids) block a specific aspect of interleukins, which are other immune system regulators like cytokines. Tocilizumab and sarilumab are both IL-6 inhibitors while anakinra is an IL-1 inhibitor.

These affect the immune process at a certain location without blocking the entire immune system and help limit the cytokine storm. Tocilizumab has an indication for the treatment of cytokine release syndrome due to chimeric antigen receptor-T cell therapy in severe or life-threatening cases. Meanwhile corticosteroids inhibit inflammatory mediators.

In summary, although each medication exerts its effects differently, they all work in some way to inhibit a portion of the immune response that could present a risk of secondary infections in those with already taxed immune systems, such as COVID-19 patients.10-15

Upon inspection of the medications considered to potentially treat COVID-19, common goals seem to be a reduction in cytokine storm by either inhibiting interleukins in the storm itself or inhibiting the entry of the virus into cells. With the decrease in the cytokine storm comes the reduction of the damage done to the lungs by the immune system and possibly decreased clinical worsening, sepsis, and ultimate mortality.

Continued research is drastically needed in this area to gain insight on an effective strategy to combat COVID-19. Providers must also continue to consider potential safety repercussions of treatment options, particularly the safety of proposed immunosuppressive agents.

REFERENCES

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Treating COVID-19 or Rheumatoid Arthritis? Exploring Proposed Drug Therapy, Safety Concerns - Pharmacy Times

According to the NHS, the severity of osteoarthritis symptoms can vary greatly from person to person, and between different affected joints.

"For some people, the symptoms can be mild and may come and go. Other people can experience more continuous and severe problems which make it difficult to carry out everyday activities," explains the health body.

Unfortunately, there's no cure for osteoarthritis, but the condition does not necessarily get any worse over time.

Simple lifestyle tweaks can greatly alleviate joint complaints and help you maintain quality of life.

READ MORE:Paddy McGuinness health: Top Gear host explains condition that leaves him 'knackered'

They found that in five trials, daily administration of capsaicin gel was significantly more effective for pain reduction than placebo.

In the study that spanned over a period of 12-weeks, there was over a 50 percent reduction in pain with capsaicin gel use.

According to the Arthritis Foundation (AF), applied as a topical cream, gel or patch, capsaicin activates specific nerve receptors causing local heat, stinging and/or itching sensations.

"Prolonged activation of these receptors causes them to lose their ability to function properly (and process pain signals) for extended periods of time," explains the AF.

It is worth noting that capsaicin must be used regularly to keep the nerve receptors from working properly and processing pain signals, it adds.

Exercise is one of the most important treatments for people with osteoarthritis, whatever your age or level of fitness.

As the NHS points out, exercise may seem counterintuitive if you are suffering from osteoarthritis pain and stiffness, but the reverse is true.

"Regular exercise that keeps you active, builds up muscle and strengthens the joints usually helps to improve symptoms," says the health body.

Exercise is also good for losing weight, improving your posture and relieving stress, all of which will ease symptoms, notes the health site.

One of the most effective exercises for controlling weight is aerobic exercise.

"Aerobic exercise also reduces fatigue and builds stamina, while helping control weight by increasing the number of calories the body uses," explains the AF.

Examples of this type of exercise includes walking, jogging, bicycling, swimming or using the elliptical machine.

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Arthritis treatment: The topical gel shown to ease joint pain by nearly fifty percent - Express

Researchers writing in Arthritis and Rheumatology report that high levels of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (anti-CCP2) appear to be markers for future cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The study is based on an analysis of 2,814 rheumatoid arthritis patients who, over the course of 13 years, experienced 375 cardiovascular-related incidents, including acute coronary syndrome, stroke and cardiovascular-related deaths.

It is known that rheumatoid arthritis patients are at increased risk of cardiovascular disease due to a combination of traditional risk factors and, perhaps a shared etiology between rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease, wrote the authors who were led by Helga Westerlind, Ph.D., of the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. Previously, she and other researchers have reported that a correlation exists between accrued rheumatoid arthritis disease activity and high levels of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) and an increased risk of acute coronary syndromes, such as stroke, cardiovascular mortality, which was confirmed in this study.

In the new study, Dr. Westerlind and colleagues examined the presence and levels of anti-CCP2, specific ACPAs and their combinations, rheumatoid factor isotypes, and risk for acute coronary syndrome, stroke and cardiovascular-related death in this group of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

They found that elevated levels of anti-CCP2 were associated with acute coronary syndrome (1.46 hazard ratio (95% confidence interval), stroke (1.47 HR), cardiovascular-related death (P value 0.024) and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (1.34 HR). Associations were also documented for the number of ACPA sub-specificities; IgM rheumatoid factor with all cardiovascular endpoints except for acute coronary syndrome; and, IgA rheumatoid factor was found to be exclusively associated with cardiovascular disease-related death.

From a clinical perspective, our data implies that patients with seronegative RA are at a lower risk of CV events, while patients with high anti-CCP2 levels or presence of IgA or IgG RF at diagnosis are at higher risk and might benefit from closer monitoring from a cardio preventative perspective. In this regard, specific ACPA sub-specificities offer no further predictive capacity.

To conclude, in patients with RA, ACPA and rheumatoid factor are linked to risks for several types of CV endpoints, and to CV and overall mortality, independently of smoking. These associations do not seem to be driven by any specific (pattern of) ACPAs, suggesting that for CV co-morbidity in RA, autoAb load may be more important than individual ACPAs. For RF the CV risks seem to vary across RF isotypes, the authors wrote.

REFERENCE

Helga Westerlind, Johan Rnnelid, Monika Hansson, Lars Alfredsson, et al. "Anticitrullinated protein antibody specificities, rheumatoid factor isotypes and incident cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis," Arthritis and Rheumatology.First published:31 May 2020 https://doi.org/10.1002/art.41381

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Rheumatoid Arthritis and Cardiovascular Disease Share Etiology - Rheumatology Network

Glucocorticoids are the most frequently used class of drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) because they are effective at relieving symptoms, and widely available at low cost. While this drug class has clear benefits for rheumatoid arthritis, it comes at a price in terms of a wide array of potential side-effects. Test your knowledge on the use of corticosteroids in rheumatoid arthritis with this quiz.

Which of the following statements align with the 2015 American College of Rheumatology guidelines regarding the use of corticosteroids in patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

a) For the treatment of early rheumatoid consider add low-dose glucocorticoids (10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) in patients with moderate or high disease activity when starting disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or where DMARD or biologics have failed to control disease activity.

b) Short courses of low dose corticosteroids (10 mg/day of prednisone or equivalent) may be used first line in patients with early RA with only mild symptoms.

c) Consider using short-term glucocorticoids (up to 3 months) for disease flares.

d) For patients with advanced disease higher doses of corticosteroids may be needed to control flares

e) The risk/benet ratio of glucocorticoid therapy is unfavorable for most patients with rheumatoid arthritis

f) Glucocorticoids should be used at the lowest possible dose and for the shortest possible duration

g) The target should ideally be low disease activity or remission.

See the next page for the answer.

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Quiz: Best Practices for Corticosteroid Use in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis - Rheumatology Network