StemCell Therapy

Tom Coburn, an ultraconservative Oklahoma Republican and family physician who in 16 years in Congress crusaded for limited government, using a rule-book technicality to block so many bills that frustrated legislators called him Dr. No, died on Saturday in Tulsa. He was 72.

The cause was cancer, said John Hart, his former communications director. Mr. Coburn had said in 2013 that he was being treated for a recurrence of prostate cancer, and in 2014 he announced that he would retire.

Mr. Coburn was an obstetrician who treated some 15,000 patients and delivered 4,000 babies in a maternal and family practice in Muskogee, Okla., before embarking on his political career three terms in the House of Representatives (1995-2001) and, after a four-year hiatus, two terms in the Senate (2005-15). He retired two years before the end of his second term because of deteriorating health.

A visceral foe of Washington long before such disaffections coalesced into the Tea Party, Mr. Coburn swept into Congress with the class of 1994, when Republicans gained control of the House for the first time in 40 years and installed Newt Gingrich as speaker and his Contract With America agenda to shrink government, cut taxes and promote welfare reforms and business activity.

Mr. Coburn soon set about displeasing everyone, including the constituencies most politicians covet: his own partys activists, donors, leaders and congressional colleagues. He battled with Mr. Gingrich often, charging that he was drifting to the political center and away from his contractual pledges to the nation. He openly vented his disdain for career politicians.

His contempt for them is genuine, bipartisan and in many cases mutual, The New York Times reported years later. He once prescribed a spinal transplant for 70 percent of the Senate, and another time said his colleagues had reproductive organs the size of BBs.

As if separating himself from the pack, Mr. Coburn continued to deliver babies as a member of the House. (He gave up his obstetric moonlighting only after a dispute with ethics officials when he entered the Senate.) But he won grudging respect as a political maverick and was admired by some colleagues as one of the toughest fiscal and social conservatives of his era.

For the sake of smaller government, he voted against nearly all spending bills, particularly pork-barrel allocations for the pet projects of legislators. He opposed gay rights, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research and abortions except those to save a womans life. He denied that global warming was real. He favored term limits for elected officials and pledged to abide by them himself.

In the House, he supported gun rights and favored the death penalty, even for doctors who performed abortions. He also wrote laws aimed at protecting infants from AIDS and expanding medical care for the elderly. He helped reform welfare and other federal entitlement programs, and led workshops for young staff members on sexually transmitted H.I.V. infections.

He caused a stir in 1997 when he protested NBCs decision to televise, in prime time and without editing, Schindlers List, Steven Spielbergs Oscar-winning Holocaust film. He called it televisions all-time low, with full-frontal nudity, violence and profanity, adding, I cringe when I realize that there were children all across this nation watching this program.

He was heavily criticized, including by the American Jewish Congress, which said: This isnt Melrose Place, Mr. Coburn. This is the Holocaust. He apologized to all those I have offended, but insisted that the film should have been aired later in the evening.

Keeping his campaign pledge to serve no more than three consecutive terms in the House, Mr. Coburn did not run for re-election in 2000. He resumed his medical practice, and in 2002 was appointed by President George W. Bush as a co-chairman of his advisory council on H.I.V. and AIDS, giving him a prominent platform as he prepared to run for the Senate.

Mr. Coburn also wrote a book about his experiences in Congress, Breach of Trust: How Washington Turns Outsiders Into Insiders (2003, with Mr. Hart). In it, he called careerism the central tenet of Congress. Both parties today, he wrote, are ultimately controlled not by ideas, but by the desire to be in control, a posture that creates little motivation for bold change.

In 2004, Mr. Coburn won the Senate seat being vacated by a four-term Oklahoma Republican, Don Nickles. He handily defeated former Representative Brad Carson, a Democrat.

Mr. Coburn continued his conservative fiscal and social voting record, but with far wider public and media attention. He became notorious for using a procedural senatorial privilege, called a hold, with which a single senator could block bills from being voted on by the full Senate.

At first his obstructionist tactics were relatively innocuous. He blocked two 2007 bills honoring the 100th birthday of Rachel Carson and her landmark 1962 book, Silent Spring, which documented the environmental effects of pesticides. Mr. Coburn called the book junk science and the catalyst in the deadly worldwide stigmatization against insecticides, especially DDT.

Later bills blocked by Mr. Coburn included provisions for health care, penalties for child pornography and protections for natural resources. Senate business was dragging to a crawl under the tactical loophole he was exploiting.

In 2008, to expose and embarrass Mr. Coburn, the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, introduced 35 of the most irresistible-sounding bills together as omnibus legislation. It was a benign collection that almost any senator would be ashamed to vote against: a Mothers Act to relieve postpartum depression, a Protect Our Children Act to thwart internet predators, and a shameless measure to commemorate The Star-Spangled Banner.

Tom Coburn put a hold on the package, which was mocked as the Tomnibus bill. He did not back down. Neither did Senate Democrats.

The struggle lasted two years, but came to a head when he put a hold on a bill to fund the disarming of the Lords Resistance Army, a Ugandan terrorist group that had massacred countless civilians and dragooned children into its ranks. After an 11-day round-the-clock protest outside Mr. Coburns office by people outraged that funds to suppress terrorists were being held up, he relented and the bill passed.

Re-elected in 2010, he pledged not to seek a third term. He left the Senate in early 2015 after retiring for health reasons, but continued to write and speak against government waste and profligate spending.

Thomas Allen Coburn was born in Casper, Wyo., on March 14, 1948, to Orin Wesley and Anita (Allen) Coburn. In Muskogee, where the family settled, his father was an optician who founded Coburn Optical Industries, which made ophthalmic equipment and eyeglass lenses. The company was sold to Revlon for $57 million in 1975, although the elder Mr. Coburn continued as president of the subsidiary. Tom Coburn graduated from Central High School in Muskogee in 1966.

In 1968 he married Carolyn Denton, the 1967 Miss Oklahoma. They had three daughters: Callie, Katie and Sarah, the operatic soprano. He is survived by his wife, his daughters and nine grandchildren.

At Oklahoma State University, Mr. Coburn was an honors student and president of the student business council. He graduated in 1970 with a bachelors degree in accounting. From 1970 to 1978, he was the manufacturing manager of the ophthalmic division of Coburn Optical Industries in Colonial Heights, Va.

After the family business was sold, he attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma and received his medical degree with honors in 1983. He interned at St. Anthony Hospital in Oklahoma City, had a residency at the University of Arkansas Health Education Center in Fort Smith and returned to Muskogee to open his family and obstetrics practice.

He was a deacon of the Southern Baptist Church and participated in medical missions to Haiti in 1985 and Iraq in 1992.

His decision to run for Congress in 1994 was a long shot. He narrowly won, becoming the first Republican to represent Oklahomas Second Congressional District in 73 years.

Mr. Coburn had homes in Muskogee and Tulsa. Besides Breach of Trust, he wrote two books: The Debt Bomb: A Bold Plan to Stop Washington From Bankrupting America (2012, with Mr. Hart) and Smashing the DC Monopoly: Using Article V to Restore Freedom and Stop Runaway Government (2017), about a plan for the states to amend the United States Constitution.

While he never drifted from his conservative convictions, Mr. Coburn forged a friendship in Washington that was as unlikely as it was enduring. Arriving in the Senate together in 2005, he and Barack Obama quickly bonded.

Shortly before he retired, Mr. Coburn said of Mr. Obama: I think hes a neat man. You dont have to be the same to be friends. Matter of fact, the interesting friendships are the ones that are divergent.

Jonathan Martin contributed reporting.

Continued here:
Tom Coburn, the Dr. No of Congress, Is Dead at 72 - The New York Times

IRON RANGE Veterinary offices across the state are forced to make temporary changes to their operations to help keep their staff and their clients safe during the coronavirus crisis.

Dr. David Kalinowski, a veterinarian for 31 years and owner of Mesabi Animal Hospital in Hibbing, told the Tribune Press on Monday that following a recommendation from the Minnesota Board of Veterinary Medicine his office and other veterinary clinics and hospitals are admitting animals from outside their offices to limit human interaction between clients and their staff.

The staff at Mesabi Animal Hospital in addition to Kalinowski, includes Dr. Molly Feiro, along with four veterinary technicians, two technician assistants and two receptionists.

Clients are being asked to call the veterinary office from their vehicles when they arrive for their pets appointment as the lobby and exam area are temporarily closed to pet owners. The veterinary staff for now is also doing intakes and exchanging information about the animals condition over the phone.

Clients are asked to place their animal in a pet carrier to make it easier for the veterinary staff to get the animal from the parking lot to inside the office. Once they are done treating the animal, it then will be returned to the owner outside while practicing social distancing.

I have to say people have been very understanding and its gone well, Kalinowski said.

Elective procedures for veterinary offices are also suspended at this time, per orders from the governors office. In the meantime, the Minnesota Board of Veterinary medicine has made an extension on vaccinations, so a one-year vaccination is now good for 18 months.

Kalinowski said animals that are ill and emergency cases are still being seen.

Emergency surgeries such as tumor removals or to treat lacerations are also allowed to continue.

Flea and tick preventatives are recommended to start in mid-April, so theres still a little time before those products are needed as well.

Dr. Harvey Aluni, of Northland Animal Hospital in Virginia, also shared his thoughts about the importance of keeping his staff and clients safe to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19).

There are 14 of us working inside Northland Animal Hospital and if anyone gets sick and tests for Covid 19, we may have to close completely for a while, Aluni wrote in an email to the Tribune Press. We are trying to keep our clients safe.

A veterinarian with nearly 50 years of experience, Aluni founded Northland Animal Hospital in 1973. When he opened his practice, his staff consisted of his mother, who was the receptionist and one assistant. The present staff consists of four veterinarians: Dr. Brian Aluni, who is Harvey Alunis son, along with Dr. Abby Pontinen and Dr. Valerie Wright.

Northland Animal Hospital is also temporarily limited to providing care for sick animals, along with treating emergencies and conducting emergency surgeries and euthanasias.

The inside office and exam room are off limits to clients, to avoid close contact between humans.

Clients are asked to call from the parking lot when theyve arrived for their pets appointment. Questions and concerns about the pets condition will be addressed over the phone.

A member of the veterinary staff will then bring the pet inside the office to be cared for and return it to the owner outside once its ready to go home.

Harvey Aluni said clients may also stand outside the door of the building, provided they stay at least six feet away, keeping with social distancing.

Northland Animal Hospital will continue to comply with the most recent directives from the governor and the board, while noting the situation is changing day by day.

Read more:
Veterinary offices take measures to protect staff and public - Hibbing Daily Tribune

Event

123rd annual meeting, Oct. 24-30, Providence, Rhode Island

The meeting, held jointly with the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (see story), drew nearly 1,300 attendees. Dr. Juan Lubroth, chief veterinary officer for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, presented the keynote address Understanding and Overcoming the Challenges for the Control of African Swine Fever: A Global Threat in Your Backyard.

USAHA Medal of DistinctionDr. Belinda Thompson (Cornell 81), Ithaca, New York. Dr. Thompson has served as an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Population Medicine and Diagnostic Sciences at Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine since 2002. Prior to that, Dr. Thompson was in large animal practice in Pine City, New York. She was recognized for her broad impact on the association, local producers, and veterinarians and at a national level.

USAHA Federal Partnership AwardDr. Barbara Porter-Spalding (Michigan State 91), Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. Porter-Spalding is a senior staff officer with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services Veterinary Services. She was honored for her collaborative efforts in training and exercise programs as lead on the VS Training and Exercise Plan and for her efforts toward improving emergency preparedness.

APHIS Administrators AwardDr. Beate Crossley, Davis, California. A 1994 veterinary graduate of Free University of Berlin in Germany, Dr. Crossley is an associate professor and virologist at the University of California-Davis California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory.

National Assembly AwardDr. Susan Keller (Kansas State 85), Mandan, North Dakota. Dr. Keller is the North Dakota state veterinarian. She was recognized for her leadership and tireless commitment to animal health.

Thirty-one resolutions were approved and can be viewed at usaha.org/usaha-resolutions.

Dr. Martin Zaluski, Helena, Montana, president; Dr. Charles Hatcher, Nashville, Tennessee, president-elect; Dr. Dustin Oedekoven, Pierre, South Dakota, first vice president; Steve Rommereim, Alcester, South Dakota, second vice president; Dr. Manoel Tamassia, Trenton, New Jersey, third vice president; Dr. Annette Jones, Sacramento, California, treasurer; and Dr. Kristin Haas, Montpelier, Vermont, immediate past president

Original post:
United States Animal Health Association | American Veterinary Medical Association - American Veterinary Medical Association

Veterinary medicine is an applied science. We take available research information and use it to make the best possible decisions in real world settings. This can be very challenging. But the entire process by which we try to expand the knowledge base in our field is fascinating in its own respect.

We rely heavily on statistics. On a basic level, I think this is very intuitive. What is a veterinarian, or a physician, or an educator, or an engineer, or a builder, or a farmer, but a keen observer in their field? Each respective profession can observe that treating a condition a certain way is more likely to achieve the desired result. Recording observations over a long period of time allows us to make accurate predictions, for example, that 90% of cows with gangrenous mastitis will die, and create benchmarks, for example, that incidence of displaced abomasum in fresh cows should be less than 5%.

Sometimes, though, there are more complicated questions for instance, we may observe the incidence of fresh cow DA, but now we want to know why cows get DAs so that we can do something about it. These more complicated questions also require more sophisticated methods of analysis.

A few years ago, we did a study in our practice. I would like to use it as an example to demonstrate the nature of science.

I was talking to my partner, Dr. Bill Croushore, one day and asking him what criteria he uses to determine whether or not a cow with a displaced abomasum was a good candidate for surgery. There are many identified risk factors for poor outcomes following surgery mastitis and lameness at time of surgery, for example, are poor prognostic indicators. That doesnt mean the surgery wont go well. It may mean that those cows are likely to be culled because of concurrent issues.

Science does not answer all the questions at once. As a matter of fact, in order to create a valid study, the investigators need to be very clear and specific about the question they are setting out to answer.

We wondered whether or not there might be a reliable way to quickly determine how a cow with a displacement would fare following surgery. Dr. Bill designed and authored a study about the use of a simple cow-side blood test as a prognostic indicator for outcome of LDA surgery.

There are some weak similarities between diabetic ketoacidosis in humans and ketosis because of negative energy balance experienced by lactating dairy cows. A human meter for a type of ketone known as beta-hydroxybutyrate is available commercially, and research has also validated the use of this meter for ketosis in cattle. This was the simple blood test we chose to use. It requires a few drops of blood, costs about $6, and gives a result in about 10 seconds. We felt that spending $6 for prognostic indication before investing several hundred dollars was worthwhile.

The first step in creating your study is to clearly define what you are trying to answer. In our case, we wanted to know whether or not we could use a BHB level to evaluate our surgical candidates. Simple question, right?

Now it starts getting more complicated. Next, we formulate what we call the null hypothesis. This is usually the opposite of what we think or are trying to prove, and it will probably never be stated in the final research paper. Our null hypothesis would have been something like, There is no relationship between the measured BHB value and the outcome, measured by 30-day survivability, following LDA surgery.

The goal of our study, then, is to allow us to reject this null hypothesis and prove that there is, in fact, a relationship between BHB and surgical outcome. Remember how I said we rely on statistics?

Statistical analysis of the data can be done in many ways, but in our case, it will give a value known as p. This is a probability. Science does not deal in absolutes. The p value is the probability that we can correctly reject the null hypothesis. By convention, we are willing to accept a 5% chance of error in rejecting the null hypothesis. This corresponds to a p value of 0.05 or less (5% expressed as a decimal).

In other words, if our study is designed correctly and if we use the correct statistical analysis, and p<0.05, we can reject the null hypothesis and state that BHB is, in fact, related to surgical outcome. This is referred to as statistical significance. If the p value is <0.01 or even 0.001, the relationship is even stronger.

A familiar example of this type of significance can be found on the milk you buy in the store. A few years ago, some co-ops and dairies decided they would require their producers to produce milk without the use of rBST. They advertised the milk as such.

The advertising was seen as harmful to the sale of milk that was produced using rBST and so following research on the topic, the non-rBST milk was required by law to put a statement on their labeling saying that research had shown no significant difference in milk from rBST and non-rBST treated cows. That does not mean that somebody eye-balled them and they seemed pretty similar. It means specifically that in all the parameters they tested, they were unable to reject the null hypothesis that the milks were no different.

Moving through our study, we had to establish a surgical protocol. We collected blood samples, recorded physical exam data on our patients, and decided what follow-up treatments they would receive. To be included in the study, the cows had to meet the criteria, and they had to be treated according to the protocol to eliminate confounding of data because of inconsistencies.

After 30 days, we called to follow up and see how the cows were doing and if they were still in the herd.

One of the challenges we face is sample size, which is denoted by the letter n. Statistical significance is affected by how many test subjects you use. For example, if you ran a study and looked at only two cows, your results would not mean much. By looking at larger groups of animals, you can minimize the variation because of an individual animal and get a truer reflection of the population. Our goal was to get about 150 animals (n=150). It took a while.

In the end, we went through all the work and found that there is, indeed, a useful relationship between BHB and surgical outcome, but the p value does not indicate what that relationship is. One of my favorite things about our study and its design was something we never expected.

The basic statistics allowed us to confirm the relationship we were looking for. We had a lot of help from several professional biostatisticians who co-authored our study. Remember all the data I said we collected? They were able to use that data to characterize the relationship.

In short, we were banking on a higher BHB value being an indication of fat storage in the liver and a poor prognostic indicator, and assuming that lower BHB values were better surgical candidates. The data showed otherwise.

Lower BHB values indicated a poorer prognosis and we speculate that this is because of more long-standing conditions, such as DAs that had not been found as quickly, and cows that were no longer able to mount the appropriate ketone response.

The statisticians were able to suggest a useful cut point for BHB (i.e., if the BHB is above a certain level, the data suggest this cow is a reasonable surgical candidate, and vice versa).

Such is the nature of science. Because the study was properly formulated and analyzed, we were able to confirm with statistical certainty what we suspected, but also tipped off to where our expectation was not correct.

In preparing the final version that was published in Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, Dr. Bill did a literature search and framed our study in light of the available scientific information to date.

Since its publication, our study has been cited a number of times in other research papers. By asking the right questions and performing thorough and meticulous investigation, our profession is able to build on itself, moving forward in small increments.

On the contrary, overreaching where information is scarce and leaping forward based on anecdotal information and consensus can be very problematic but thats a topic for next month.

See more here:
Veterinary medicine and the nature of science | Columns - Daily American Online

With his Miami practice, Southeast Veterinary Neurology, thriving, a daily commitment to health that keeps him centered, and a tight family bond, Dr. Michael Wong is feeling psyched for the future.

Dr. Michael Wong is one of fewer than 300 board-certified veterinary neurologists practicing in North America. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Florida (UF) College of Veterinary Medicine and while there, founded the Universitys Veterinary Business Management Association.

He went on to complete a medical and surgical internship at Red Bank Veterinary Hospital in New Jersey and he received his neurology and neurosurgery training at North Florida Neurology.

After completing his residency, Dr. Wong successfully passed his examination and became board-certified in veterinary neurology in the same year. He founded Southeast Veterinary Neurology (SEVN) in 2010.

We caught up with cool dad of three to learn more:

If I wasnt a veterinarian what would I be:

Ive always wanted to be a veterinarian, so I havent put much thought into that question.Prior to veterinary school I was a life guard at the beach and really enjoyed that.Maybe something with the ocean?Marine biologist?Tour guide?Not sure.

Best career advice I ever received:

Its a marathon, not a sprint.My first year out of veterinary school, Dr. Rick Glass, the neurologist at my internship used to say this.The particular context he used it in was with reference to another veterinarian who didnt think about the effects her decision had on referring vets wanting to refer to her in the future.

Its really shaped the way I view things.I have a long view.I think in the macro.I try to see the big picture.I make decisions based on the effects they will have in the long term as opposed to just the short term gain.I give up lots of short-term wins (profit, awards, etc) knowing that Ive made the right decision for my team and the pets and people that care for them.

How it felt becoming board certified:

Most people hated taking boards.Its a 2-day, five part test that has around a 30% pass rate.But for me, it wasnt stressful it was exciting.I was just putting down on paper all the knowledge I had been acquiring as part of living my dream of becoming a neurologist.

In between sections of the exam, I would head back to my room at the hotel.I remember thinking the lyrics from a song:Ive waited for this moment.Dreamed it every day.This is my one true purpose.It sounds cheesy, and Im sure many people had a very different experience around taking boards and are probably rolling their eyes at me right now.Its just my experience and a happy memory.

Easiest career decision I made

I wont call it the easiest, but certainly the best career decision I made was to open Southeast Veterinary Neurology.Practice ownership, entrepreneurship and leadership have opened up avenues in my life and career that I never would have had without them.

Related, Id say another best decision I made was to surround myself with people that share the vision of bringing hope to people and their pets.

Interesting way I made extra cash in vet school:

In vet school, I would make sushi at home and sell it to my classmates for lunch.Id take orders earlier in the week, buy the ingredients, make the rice, roll the sushi, then deliver at class.

Book that left a lasting impression on me:

Simon Sineks Leaders Eat Lastthis book is for those who want to feel they and their work matter and for those who want to inspire others to feel the same.

How I clear my head after a stressful day

Tennis.Family.Orangetheory.Orangetheoryis a science-backed, technology-tracked, coach-inspired group workout designed to produce results from the inside out.

What adventure most changed my life:

Meeting my wife, Myri-Ann. She was a St. Georges student, doing her clinical year of veterinary school at the University of Florida.Her first rotation was neurology, and we were on together.

I remember seeing her for the first time: she was the first person to the neurology rounds room, sitting nervously with her books on her lap, reviewing her notes.The neurology service was slow for those two weeks.Id come in early to help with neuro exams on her patients, since I didnt have any myself.I wasnt much of a help, as I still knew nothing about neurology at the time.She ended up getting an A and I got a B+.She likes to remind me of that.

We started off as friends.She was very hesitant to get romantically involved with someone from the mainland.Her plan was to go back to Puerto Rico and start a practice after finishing up school.

But, one day I walked her home after clinics were finished and we came across an earthworm struggling to cross the sidewalk in the Florida heat.She told me that her perspective on our romance changed when I picked the earthworm up and moved it to the grass.Im still indebted to that worm, because everything I have in my life right now (kids, family, house, business, etc) is because of this worm.

Whats my favorite way of spending a day off from work:

My perfect day would spending the day with my wife and then later picking up our kids and stopping by a park together on the way home.Play with Disney princesses, build Thomas the Train playset tracks, run around the back yard, exploring the dirt and hiding in the bushes.Jump in the pool.Cook dinner while the kids get a bath.Talk about the day at the dinner table: what we learned at school, who we sat with the lunch table, who we met, who we made smile, who we played with.Have the kids FaceTime with grandparents.Brush teeth.Read stories.Get ready for bed.

Connect with Dr. Michael on Linked in

See the original post:
Dr. Michael Wong on confidence, career, and the importance of family - Jill Lopez

Among the headlines from yesterdays meetings of the newly-empowered government and the national security council, one that caught the eye was the announcement of a cat diagnosed with coronavirus caught from its owner.

The cat was reported to have caught the virus from close contact with its owner, who had recently returned from Italy. When the cat became ill, its stool was examined and traces of the virus discovered.

The experts were quick to reassure pet owners that the case was exceptional, that animals were not considered a vector for the disease, and that there was no reason to be afraid either for their pets or for themselves.

But one animal virologist has raised questions about the whole story.

Hans Nauwynck is a professor at the faculty of veterinary medicine at the University of Ghent, and a specialist in virology. The news of the corona cat took him by surprise.

Before sending this news out into the world, I would have had some other tests carried out, he told Het Laatste Nieuws. When you hear about this right now, I wouldnt wish to be a cat tomorrow.

The discovery was made by the vet faculty at Liege university, who concluded the infection passed from human to cat and not the other way around.

Look, I have no criticism of my colleagues at Liege university, he stressed. The diagnosis has been made, Ive no doubt about the result, but were dealing here with a PCR test, a way of identifying genetic material of the virus.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test allows scientists to multiply a very small sample of genetic material to produce a quantity large enough to study.

Im simply questioning the interpretation of the results. The test is positive for corona, fine, but how was the test carried out? How was the sample taken, and can that result be trusted? I would advise people to slow down. There may somehow have been genetic material from the owner in the sample, and so the sample is contaminated.

To be absolutely certain, he said, more tests should have been done to confirm the initial result, and certainly before making an announcement to the world.

I think its too bad they didnt look further, he said. There should also have been research carried out to see if the cat had produced antibodies. Im worried that people will be scared by this news and animals will be the ones to suffer, and thats not right. As scientists we ought to put out clear and full information, and I dont think that has happened.

In the latest update, the cat is doing well. Its owner is also recovering, albeit more slowly.

Alan HopeThe Brussels Times

Continued here:
The curious case of the cat with corona - The Brussels Times

Labs from both universities are working together to ensure the safety of all Iowans.

IOWA CITY, Iowa Iowans of all walks of life are stepping up to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

Iowa State University's vet diagnostic lab is using its equipment to help test people for the virus.

Normally, the lab detects infectious diseases in all types of animals.

But now it's helping out the state hygienic lab in Iowa City to increase testing of COVID-19.

"I can tell you, it's created, step wise, an enhancement of the capabilities," dean of the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Dan Grooms said.

The Iowa State veterinary diagnostic lab is turning its effort to help COVID-19 response in Iowa.

"Our veterinary diagnostic lab is a state-of-the-art diagnostic lab that's set up to do animal testing at large scales. In fact, we do over 1-million tests here on an annual year," Grooms said.

They partnered with the state hygienic lab at the University of Iowa, which houses COVID-19 testing, by sending a bulk of equipment and expertise needed to increase the amount of COVID-19 testing in Iowa.

"By Friday morning we had instruments, people, reagents on its way to Iowa City and worked with their team there that's working around the clock at the hygienic lab over the weekend to on-board our hyput molecular extraction techniques into their work flow, they validated it into their workflow and on-boarded it. as of the testing, they started doing it last Saturday," director of the ISU veterinary diagnostic lab, Rodger Main said.

"This is what Iowans do under dire circumstances. We're looking for every opportunity we can to answer the call to solve this problem in the state of Iowa," Grooms said.

Right now, Iowa has the capacity to test 970 samples of suspected coronavirus cases.

Read more from the original source:
ISU and UofI teaming up to bring more COVID-19 tests to Iowa - Local 5 - weareiowa.com

Driving into work, I (Perry Jameson) no longer get the cherished 30-40 minute conversation with my wife alone without four children involved. For the past week, every morning from 8-8:30, Dr. Henri Biannucci and I are on a 30-60 minute conference call with our management team discussing the ever-changing landscape of COVID-19.

Now, we not only have to worry about treating our animal patients but also how we prevent our staff from contracting COVID-19. Since so many of our team are younger (20-30 years of age), they may be positive and not even know, thus exposing a pet parent unknowingly. How do we meet our social responsibility to do our part in blunting the spread of this disease while at the same time treating ill patients?

I spoke with the governors office yesterday and, while I did not get to speak with him, the women I did talk to felt we would be deemed an essential business should he decide to restrict which businesses remain open. That reassured me, as all I could think about if we were required to close was of a family with a pet having a life-threatening emergency and nowhere to go. This is not like a hurricane where we could send them to Columbia or Greenville, as those locations could be closed as well.

We also use the same medical supplies and personal protective equipment as those in human medicine. How do we conserve these resources in case our colleagues in hospitals for humans need them but still practice veterinary medicine the best we can?

Over the past week, our hospitals have adapted to try to accomplish all of those goals. Every day, we modify them to meet new changes and in ways we find that better serve our patients. Most of the other veterinarians in town have adopted similar policies.

We have dramatically decreased our case load. If a pet is healthy but has had some abnormal laboratory values for several months, they are safe to wait several weeks to be seen. Elective surgeries can wait. This strategy both lessens the number of people exposed to each other while also decreasing the medical supplies we use.

When a patient cannot wait, we have instituted new policies to prevent exposure. The first step is asking the following questions before any interactions occur. This is awkward for us as we are not used to asking humans about their own symptoms:

If they answer yes to any of these, we are more aggressive with our personal protective equipment. If no, we still wear a mask and gloves but no gown in order to preserve these.

Mom and Dad wait in the car while the patient is brought inside and examined. All communications are over the phone, and the parents are never allowed in the building. We email all discharge instructions so as not to exchange paperwork.

The most uncomfortable aspect is not allowing clients inside to use the restroom. Many of our patients come from several hours away to be seen. To accommodate this need but prevent exposure, we have placed portable toilets outside all three of our hospitals.

Every time we treat a patient with chemotherapy, we have to protect ourselves from being exposed to these agents. There are multiple steps taken, from a special negative vacuum hood, special devices to prevent any material from leaking when removing from the bottle, and dressing in personal protective equipment. Part of the equipment is the N95 mask, which will not only prevent you from inhaling chemotherapy agents but viruses as well.

One of our oncologists, Dr. Kathryn Taylor, was concerned whether we should be using the N95 masks while they are running out of them in human medicine. After calculating the number we had and by being more efficient with their use, she found we had enough to last several months. She has been in contact with a nurse to see if her hospital needs them.

As veterinarians, we are trying to do our jobs of treating your sick pets but to also do our part in reducing the spread of COVID-19 and save critical medical supplies for potential human use.

You can help us by being patient with the social distancing strategies we have put into place and seeking care only when necessary.

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Pet Docs: Meeting our patient and social responsibilities in the time of COVID-19 - Charleston Post Courier

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- If a pandemic hits the Corn Belt during the growing season, thats one thing. Butits planting season, and farmers have one eye on getting the crop in the fieldand one eye on keeping the new coronavirus away from their families.

Jim Lowe, college of veterinary medicine at University of Illinois, told visitors via a farmdoc daily webinar, Tuesday,thatCOVID-19is one that needs everyones attention.

In many ways, the virus is serving as adjvu moment for the animal medical field.

Oftentimes with animal diseases, its hard to tell which animals are infected vs. which animalsare carrying the disease thats spreading.

Animals can be infected but not diseased. And that is the same situation occurring in humans withCOVID-19.

As a result, the big challenge facing this pandemic is understanding case definition.

In other words, when the number of COVID-19 cases are quoted, that refers to the number of individuals who have tested positive (diseased).

Butwe know that is a gross underestimate of the people who are only infected with the virus in the country, Lowe says. So, weve got some real challenges with what the denominator is. The point being that all age groups can get infected and even now we are seeing that younger people are getting severely ill and passing away.

While describing the virus, its impact on U.S. hospitals, its origin, its patterns on the population, etc., Lowe suggested that folks visit covidactnow.org for more detailed information.

Normally, when a virus moves from animals to humans (known as zoonotic), it doesnt adapt very well, doesnt replicate, and pass from human to human. Therefore, the virus doesnt spread much and is of very little threat.

Obviously, that is not the case with the new coronavirus, Lowe says.

Lowe says its helpful to understand that being diseased means that a human was exposed to a pathogen and that pathogen caused the person to have a response, getting sick.

People are exposed to pathogens and viruses everyday, but the immune systems handle that, for the most part.

Being infected, but not diseased, is especially important to understand with COVID-19.

Someone who is infected and is shedding can be infecting others, Lowe says. That is one of the big differences with this coronavirus and the first SARS outbreak (known as COV-1), also originating from China.

That virus didnt transmit very well between its hosts.

Also, it was easy to tell the people that ifinfectedwere also diseased, Lowe says.

Its very apparent with this years virus that we have a lot of infected people who are not diseased. Those infected people are infectious, meaning they can cause someone else to be infected, without knowing it, Lowe explains.

For these reasons, its hard to know who to be around and not get infected.

If I cant figure out where all the infected people are, or, in my animal science profession, where all the infected pigs or cattle are located, my only choice is to stop movement, Lowe says.

When trying to control infectious diseases, veterinarians consider that every animal fits in one of three categories.

Either the animal is infected, resistant to infection, orsusceptible to infection.

To control the spread of the novel virus, i.e., COVID-19 coronavirus, the key is to keep the susceptibles away from the infected. If I dont know who the infected are, its really hard to keep the susceptibles from being contacted, Lowe says.

So, this is why farmers are urged to be carefulas they go about their business of planting, chores, etc.

The virus can live on hard surfaces such as tools, pickup truck handles, steering wheels, etc. for three days. Those of us in agriculture, there is a tendency to be the tough guy. Its not a time for farmers to be that tough guy. If you get sick, after getting on the tractor to plant, get yourself isolated and dont infect your family, Lowe says.

Lowe added, Its a good idea to wipe off pickup truck handles with a sanitizer. Farmers have to go do their job, but they should wash their hands, wash their hands, and wash their hands.

While people shouldnt take this pandemic lightly, Lowe doesnt believe living in fear is the answer, as the weeks and months go on.

While serving as a state fair veterinarian, Lowe sees it as too early to tell if the nations county and state fair celebrations will need to be canceled.

I think its going to be touchandgo. I would guess that we are going to be somewhat conservative much like the sporting events. The early state fairs could be off and I hate to even gather a guess at what could be happening by August. Its either going to be better or worse, Lowe says.

The good news is that there is zero evidence that this coronavirus infects anything other than human beings, he says.

Lowe encourages truck drivers to be cautious, as they have a lot of contact hauling livestock to packing plants and elsewhere.

Lowe joined the University of Illinois farmdoc experts, Tuesday, on a webinar focused onCOVID-19and U.S. agriculture. The webinar has been archived at farmdocdaily.illinois.edu. Look for the YouTube icon.

See original here:
With COVID-19, farmers urged to resist being the tough guy, veterinarian says - Successful Farming

While some of our bodys cells divide in a matter of hours, the process of making sperm, meiosis,alonetakes about 14days from start to finish. And fully six of those days are spent in the stage known as the pachytene, when pairs of chromosomes from an individuals mother and father align and connect.

This stage is really important, because the pair needs to be aligned for the exchange of genetic material between those two chromosomes, says P. Jeremy Wang, a biologist in Penns School of Veterinary Medicine. If anything goes wrong at this stage, it can cause a defect in meiosis and problems in the resulting sperm, leading to infertility, pregnancy loss, or birth defects.

In a new paper in Science Advances, Wang and colleagues have identified an enzyme that plays a crucial role in maintaining this chromosomal pairing during the pachytene stage of meiosis. Without this protein, named SKP1, meiosis cannot proceed to metaphase, the next major developmental stage involved in generating sperm cells.

The finding may help overcome hurdles that have stood in the way of treating certain forms of male infertility, in which a man makes no sperm but in whom sperms precursor cells, spermatogonia, can be found.

Reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization have made a huge difference for infertile patients, but the male needs to have at least some sperm, says Wang. If the male has no sperm, then the only option is to use donor sperm. But if you can find these spermatogonia, the pre-meiotic germ cells, they could be induced to go through meiosis and make sperm. So SKP1 could be part of the solution to ensuring meiosis continues.

Wang is also hopeful that his finding could aid in basic research on sperm development that his and many other labs pursue.

Right now we use animals to do our research; we dont have a cell culture system to produce sperm, he says. Manipulating SKP1 and the pathway in which it acts could allow us to set up an in vitro system to produce sperm artificially, which would be a boon for our studies.

The publication represents nearly a decade of work, led by Wangs postdoctoral researcher Yongjuan Guan, with major contributions from former postdoc Mengcheng Luo.

The team began focusing on SKP1 after conducting a screening test to look for proteins found in the area where the paired chromosomes come together during the pachytene stage of meiosis. From earlier studies, the researchers knew that SKP1 also plays a role in cell division in cells throughout the body, not just sperm and eggs. Without it, cells die.

That fact forced the Penn Vet team to get creative to understand the proteins function. Unable to simply eliminate it, they created a model system in mice in which they could turn off the protein only in the germ cells and only in adulthood.

Taking this inducible, germ-cell-specific model, we found that taking away SKP1 caused the chromosomes to prematurely separate, says Wang.

While the normal alignment process in the pachytene stage takes six days in mice, in the cells that lost SKP1 the paired chromosomes separated far earlier.

Scientists had hypothesized the existence of a metaphase competence factor, or some protein required for a cell to enter metaphase. Wang believes that SKP1 is it.

While introducing a compound known as okadaic acid to sperm precursor cells can coax them into an early entrance to metaphase, cells lacking SKP1 did not progress to metaphase.

Experiments in developing eggs showed the researchers that SKP1 is also required for females to maintain viable eggs. Oocytes, the cells that develop through meiosis to form mature eggs, that lacked SKP1 developed misaligned chromosomes and many eventually were lost.

In future work, Wang and his colleagues want to dig deeper into the mechanism of action by which SKP1 works to ensure cells can progress to metaphase, with the idea of eventually manipulating it to find strategies for addressing infertility and innovative laboratory techniques.

Now that we know SKP1 is required, were looking for the proteins it interacts with upstream and downstream so we can study this pathway, says Wang.

Wang, Guan, and Luos coauthors on the paper were Penn Vets N. Adrian Leu, Jun Ma, and Gordon Ruthel; Penn School of Arts and Sciences Biology Departments Luks Chmtal and Michael Lampson; and Cornell Universitys Jordana C. Bloom and John C. Schmienti. Luo is now a faculty member at Chinas Wuhan University.

Support for the work came from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences (grants GM118052 and GM122475), National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant 2018YFC1003400), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 31771588), Thousand Youth Talents Plant, and National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grants HD082568 and HD057854).

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A critical enzyme for sperm formation could be a target for treating male infertility - Penn: Office of University Communications

Though many negative repercussions of human immunodeficiency virus infection can be mitigated with the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART), one area where medical advances havent made as much progress is in the reduction of cognitive impacts. Half of HIV patients have HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), which can manifest in a variety of ways, from forgetfulness and confusion to behavior changes and motor deficiencies.

To better understand the mechanisms underlying HAND, researchers from Penns School of Dental Medicine and Perelman School of Medicine and from the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) brought together their complementary expertise to create a laboratory model system using three of the types of brain cells thought to be involved. Led by doctoral student Sean Ryan, who was co-mentored by Kelly Jordan-Sciutto of Penn Dental Medicine and Stewart Anderson of CHOP and Penn Medicine, the model recapitulates important features of how HIV infection and ART affect the brain.

Frankly the models we generally use in the HIV field have a lot of weaknesses, says Jordan-Sciutto, co-corresponding author on the paper, which appears in the journal Stem Cell Reports. The power of this system is it allows us to look at the interaction between different cell types of human origin in a way that is more relevant to patients than other models.

In addition to studying HIV, members of the team plan to use the same model to shed light on the neurological mechanisms that underlie other conditions, such as schizophrenia, Alzheimers, and even normal aging.

Were collaborating with a variety of colleagues to use this system to study Alzheimers disease as well as schizophrenia, says Anderson, co-corresponding author on the paper. We have the components in a dish that we know are interacting in these diseases, and this gives us a new mix-and-match way to understand how certain cells are contributing to neuronal damage.

Indeed, the impetus to create the model grew not out of HIV research but work that Ryan was pursuing in Andersons lab on schizophrenia.

We had been looking at the role of microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system, says Ryan, first author on the work. We wanted to see if we could see the mechanistic changes that occur with microglia in schizophrenia.

To do so, Ryan and Anderson were interested in using human-induced pluripotent stem cellsadult cells that are reprogrammed to resemble embryonic stem cellswhich can be coaxed into differentiating into a variety of different cell types.

But schizophrenia is a complicated disease with a variety of contributing genetic and environmental factors and a broad spectrum of presentations. Rather than looking at something complex, they sought to apply their new system to a disease that likewise causes neurological damage but does so in a more dramatic way and in which microglia are also implicated: HIV/AIDS infection.

They reached out to Jordan-Sciutto, who has deep experience investigating the mechanisms of HAND and was eager for the opportunity to develop a model superior to those currently available. Together, the scientists identified the three cell types they were most interested in studying: neurons, astrocytes, and microglia.

Neurons arent directly infected by HIV but are known to be damaged during infection. Meanwhile astrocytes are believed to interact with neurons, causing damage by sending pro-inflammatory factors into the spaces between cells, called synapses. And microglia, which are responsible for maintaining a healthy environment in the absence of disease, are seen to expand and contribute to inflammation during HIV infection.

After nailing the technical challenge of creating this tractable model in which each cell type is generated independently and then mixed together, the team used it to probe how HIV infection and ART impact the cells, both alone and in combination.

A lot of people are taking PreEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] if theyre in a situation where their risk of contracting HIV is heightened, says Ryan. Just as we want to understand the cognitive impacts of HIV, we also want to see whether these drugs alone are impacting the brain health of otherwise healthy people.

The researchers looked at RNA expression in their cultures to get a sense of what proteins and signaling pathways were becoming activated in each scenario. During infection, they saw inflammatory pathways that had previously been implicated in HIV in earlier research. When they introduced the antiretroviral drug EFZ, which is not in common use in the United States but remains a frontline therapy in many other areas of the world, with an infection, the activity of most of these pathways was reduced.

But this scenario involved its own unique response, says Ryan. Certain pathways associated with inflammation and damage remained despite the introduction of EFZ.

EFZ treatment of the tricultures that included HIV-infected microglia reduces inflammation by around 70%, Ryan says. Interestingly, EFZ by itself also triggered inflammation, though to a lesser extent than infection.

It seems a combination of infection and ART is creating its own unique response that is different from the sum of its parts, Ryan says. Knowing what pathways are still active due to ART could help us appropriately target additional therapies so patients dont develop HAND.

Many features of infection seen in the three-cell culture mirror what is known from HIV infection and ART treatment in people, giving the researchers confidence in the reliability of their model.

Just looking at the microglia, says Anderson, we see in our system that they are taking on both of their normal roles in keeping key signaling systems balanced during their normal state and activating and causing damage when theyre fighting infection. Were able to model normality and abnormality in a way we havent been able to before.

For Jordan-Sciutto, the new system is really going to change the way my lab operates going into the future. Shes hopeful many other HIV scientists will take it up to further their studies as she also explores more aspects of HIVs impact on the brain, such as how it navigates through the blood-brain barrier that normally protects the central nervous system from inflammation and infection.

The study authors give credit to the collaborative environment at Penn for this cross-disciplinary project. Tentacles of this project extend from CHOP to the dental school to the vet school to the medical school, says Anderson. Penn is a very special place where people seem to be more likely to share their technologies around and let other people work with and develop them. This project is a great example of that.

Kelly L.Jordan-Sciutto is vice chair and professor in the Department of Basic and Translational Sciences in Penns School of Dental Medicine, associate dean of graduate education, and director of biomedical graduate studies at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Stewart A. Anderson is director of research in the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Services at the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia and a professor of psychiatry at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Sean K. Ryan was a graduate student in Penns Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group in the Genomics and Epigenetics program, co-mentored by Jordan-Sciutto and Anderson. He is now a postdoctoral researcher at the Perelman School of Medicine.

Jordan-Sciutto, Anderson, and Ryans coauthors on the study were CHOPs Michael V. Gonzalez, James P. Garifallou, Nathaniel P. Sotuyo, Kieona Cook, and Hakon Hakonarson; Penn Medicines Frederick C. Bennett and Eugene Mironets; and Spelman Colleges Kimberly S. Williams.

The research was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (Grant NS107594), Penn Center for AIDS Research, and Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center.

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A new way to study HIV's impact on the brain - Penn: Office of University Communications

Gosselies, Belgium, 26March 2020, 7am CET BONE THERAPEUTICS(Euronext Brussels and Paris: BOTHE), the bone cell therapy company addressing high unmet medical needs in orthopaedics and bone diseases, today announces that it is further strengthening its management team with the appointment of Stefanos Theoharis, PhD, as Chief Business Officer (CBO).

Stefanos will be responsible for the companys corporate development activities and executing its business strategy. His immediate priorities will be concentrating on partnering Bone Therapeutics products and in-licensing innovations. He will also further develop the commercial strategies for the product portfolio and cell therapy platform.

At this stage of the development of Bone Therapeutics, it is very important to appoint a proven executive with a high level of business experience to achieve our next set of commercial goals,said Miguel Forte, MD, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Bone Therapeutics. Stefanos has gathered considerable achievements in business development at both rapidly growing biotech and global biopharma companies, coupled with an extensive expertise in cell therapy drug development and manufacturing. His diverse skill set, which includes licensing, M&A transactions and R&D partnerships, will be invaluable to bolster our business initiatives as we continue to advance our mid- to late stage product pipeline through clinical development with a potential commercialization in sight.

Stefanos will contribute more than 15 years of business development experience in the pharma and biotech industry to Bone Therapeutics, specifically in the cell and gene therapy space. This includes his achievements as Senior Vice-President at Cell Medica, a clinical-stage biotech company, where he expanded the companys allogeneic T-cell immunotherapy platform through strategic partnerships with leading research institutions and targeted acquisitions. Prior to Cell Medica, Stefanos was Chief Business Officer at apceth GmbH, a company developing genetically-engineered mesenchymal stromal (MSC) cell products and also acting as a contract manufacturer in the ATMP space. He led all apceths business development activities, including in- and out-licensing and service contracts negotiations. He also held positions as Head of Business Development at the antisense RNA drug specialist Antisense Pharma (now Isarna), and Director Business Development at Roche, focused on partnering activities in emerging science and technologies. Stefanos also worked at Lazard, the global investment bank, advising to a variety of life sciences firms on M&As and financing transactions. Stefanos achieved an MSc. in Molecular Medicine and a PhD in Pathology and Immunology from Imperial College London.

I really wanted to join a cell therapy company where I was able to make a significant difference to the company, the wider field and patients outcomes.With an innovative allogeneic, off the shelf, cell therapy platform and a potentially best-in-class knee osteoarthritic pain treatment, Bone Therapeutics is uniquely positioned to make a meaningful difference in the lives of patients with severe orthopaedic conditions,said Stefanos Theoharis, PhD, Chief Business Officer of Bone Therapeutics. As both products are entering advanced stage clinical trials, Im delighted to join the company at such a critical time and I look forward to working with its talented leadership and scientific teams to take these promising treatments to market.

About Bone Therapeutics

Bone Therapeutics is a leading biotech company focused on the development of innovative products to address high unmet needs in orthopedics and bone diseases. The Company has a broad, diversified portfolio of bone cell therapies and an innovative biological product in later-stage clinical development, which target markets with large unmet medical needs and limited innovation.

Bone Therapeutics is developing an off-the-shelf protein solution, JTA-004, which is entering PhaseIII development for the treatment of pain in knee osteoarthritis. Positive PhaseIIb efficacy results in patients with knee osteoarthritis showed a statistically significant improvement in pain relief compared to a leading viscosupplement. The clinical trial application (CTA) for the pivotal PhaseIII program has been approved by the Danish relevant authorities allowing the start of the study.

Bone Therapeutics other core technology is based on its cutting-edge allogeneic cell therapy platform (ALLOB) which can be stored at the point of use in the hospital, and uses a unique, proprietary approach to bone regeneration, which turns undifferentiated stem cells from healthy donors into bone-forming cells. These cells can be administered via a minimally invasive procedure, avoiding the need for invasive surgery, and are produced via a proprietary, scalable cutting-edge manufacturing process. Following the CTA approval by the Belgian regulatory authority, the Company is ready to start the PhaseIIb clinical trial with ALLOB in patients with difficult tibial fractures, using its optimized production process.

The ALLOB platform technology has multiple applications and will continue to be evaluated in other indications including spinal fusion, osteotomy and maxillofacial and dental applications.

Bone Therapeutics cell therapy products are manufactured to the highest GMP (Good Manufacturing Practices) standards and are protected by a broad IP (Intellectual Property) portfolio covering ten patent families as well as knowhow. The Company is based in the BioPark in Gosselies, Belgium. Further information is available at http://www.bonetherapeutics.com.

Contacts

Bone Therapeutics SAMiguel Forte, MD, PhD, Chief Executive OfficerJean-Luc Vandebroek, Chief Financial OfficerTel: +32 (0) 71 12 10 00investorrelations@bonetherapeutics.com

International Media Enquiries:Image Box CommunicationsNeil Hunter / Michelle BoxallTel: 44 (0)20 8943 4685neil@ibcomms.agency / michelle@ibcomms.agency

For French Media and Investor Enquiries:NewCap Investor Relations & Financial CommunicationsPierre Laurent, Louis-Victor Delouvrier and Arthur RouillTel: + 33 (0)1 44 71 94 94bone@newcap.eu

Certain statements, beliefs and opinions in this press release are forward-looking, which reflect the Company or, as appropriate, the Company directors` current expectations and projections about future events. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and assumptions could adversely affect the outcome and financial effects of the plans and events described herein. A multitude of factors including, but not limited to, changes in demand, competition and technology, can cause actual events, performance or results to differ significantly from any anticipated development. Forward looking statements contained in this press release regarding past trends or activities should not be taken as a representation that such trends or activities will continue in the future. As a result, the Company expressly disclaims any obligation or undertaking to release any update or revisions to any forward-looking statements in this press release as a result of any change in expectations or any change in events, conditions, assumptions or circumstances on which these forward-looking statements are based. Neither the Company nor its advisers or representatives nor any of its subsidiary undertakings or any such person`s officers or employees guarantees that the assumptions underlying such forward-looking statements are free from errors nor does either accept any responsibility for the future accuracy of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or the actual occurrence of the forecasted developments. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

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Bone Therapeutics appoints Stefanos Theoharis as Chief Business Officer - OrthoSpineNews

Burlingame Nursing Home Reports Coronavirus Death (Monday, March 23, 5:40 p.m.)

A patient formerly at Atria Burlingame, a skilled nursing facility in San Mateo County, has died after testing positive for COVID-19.

Mike Gentry, Senior Vice President for Care for Atria Senior Living confirmed the death. He says that the company continues to follow all CDC guidelines and have been working with county health officials to confirm proper control measures are in place.

In the past week, a total of five Atria Burlingame patients have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, including the one who died, and two have tested negative.

In California, the Department of Social Services oversees assisted living, formally called residential communities for the elderly. Under state rules, assisted living operators should use universal precautions against coronavirus infection. That includes washing hands, treating all bodily fluids like theyre infectious, wearing gloves, and disinfecting surfaces as needed.

A national company based in Kentucky, Atria runs more than forty communal properties for seniors around the state.

More about risks from coronavirus in Bay Area nursing facilities here.

Free Bus Service in East Bay, Santa Clara County (Monday, March 23, 5:10 p.m.)

Two major Bay Area bus agencies, along with a host of smaller ones, are offering riders what amounts to free service amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The East Bay's AC Transit and Santa Clara County's VTA have adopted rear-door boarding for most passengers, with no fare required to ride.

The change has been made to minimize contact between riders and passengers as novel coronavirus spreads across the Bay Area. As of Monday afternoon, regional health authorities had reported 850 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the illness caused by the virus.

Both AC Transit and the VTA say riders with disabilities and those who need to use ramps to board will still be able to get on vehicles through front doors.

Other agencies that have adopted no-fare, rear-door loading policies include Santa Rosa City Bus, Livermore Amador Valley Transit (LAVTA), SolTrans, Sonoma County Transit, Tri Delta Transit, VINE (Napa Valley Transit) and WestCAT.

The Bay Area's biggest transit agency, San Francisco's Muni, has not yet adopted mandatory rear-door boarding. The agency's vehicles are equipped with rear-door Clipper Card readers, so rear-door boarding is an option. -Dan Brekke

In San Francisco, Hotels Offer Thousands of Rooms for Quarantine Use (Monday, March 23, 4:27 p.m.)

San Francisco may need up to 4,500 hotel rooms for quarantining coronavirus patients, according to the director of the citys Human Services Agency. Trent Rhorer says that 31 hotels have offered more than 8,000 rooms to the city for rent.

Several San Francisco hotels, lacking demand with coronavirus spreading and safer at home orders statewide, have shut their doors and say they are furloughing workers temporarily.

Over three hundred rooms are available now, HSA chief Rhorer says. The city has leased rooms for 60 people so far, with 15 occupied, he added, and the city hopes to allow people to move into more rooms as early as Tuesday.

Top priority are people who have tested positive for COVID-19 or are awaiting test results but lack a home in which to quarantine alone. This could include people experiencing homelessness, living in residential hotels or other congregate settings, such as shelters. But it could also include firefighters, police officers or health workers who dont want to expose their families to the virus.

Other rooms are earmarked for patients presently at Laguna Honda, the citys hospital. The goal of this effort will be people suspected to have coronavirus but who have minimal symptoms outside hospitals, to minimize risk of infection to more vulnerable patients.

Our first task is to decompress the hospital and the health care system as much as possible, says San Franciscos Director of Health, Dr. Grant Colfax.

Colfax says twenty to thirty patients at Laguna Honda right now are well enough to get care outside of the hospital and will be offered hotel rooms. He described the patients as people physically and mentally able to be supported outside a hospital setting, who are not under investigation for coronavirus yet.

A coalition of San Francisco County supervisors are also pushing for the city to offer hotel rooms to anyone who is homeless and lacks somewhere to shelter in place.

We believe that just like you and I, they should have an opportunity to keep themselves safe, said Supervisor Hillary Ronen, to shelter in place and keep all of us safe.

'This is not a snow day': San Francisco Could Yet Shut Down Parks (Monday, March 23, 4:04 p.m.)

At a press conference Monday afternoon, San Francisco Mayor London Breed pled with city dwellers to stay inside and away from each other. Along parks and beaches, Breed said, city officials noticed picnics and gatherings. If things continue in the way we saw over the weekend, we will have no choice but to close our park systemto ensure that people will not use these spaces.

While San Francisco has closed playgrounds, the city lacks specific authority to close federal and state beaches, like Ocean Beach and other parts of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

San Franciscos Director of Health, Dr. Grant Colfax said there had been requests from members of the public to close John F. Kennedy Drive in Golden Gate Park to vehicular traffic, and said it wouldnt happen.

It simply doesnt make sense, Colfax said. We are in the middle of a pandemic. Lives are at risk. We want people to stay home as much as possible. Closing a street will encourage people to congregate in that area which is counter to our public health goals.

Watch Live: White House Task Force Daily Briefing (Monday, March 23, 3:08 p.m.)

San Francisco Launches $2.5 Million Arts Relief Program (Monday, March 23, 2:58 p.m.)

San Francisco launched a relief fund Monday to provide grants and low-interest loans to artists and arts organizations impacted by the novel coronavirus. Funded by an initial $2.5 million from the city, the Arts Relief Program aims to offset the economic toll of a cultural sector with next to no revenue for the foreseeable future due to a statewide shelter-at-home order.

We need to do everything we can to stabilize our arts community now, San Francisco Mayor London Breed said in a statement, acknowledging the loss of jobs as museums, galleries and performing arts venues shut down indefinitely. I hope our public investment will encourage private donors to join us in supporting our vulnerable artists during this challenging time.

The program offers up to $2,000 grants to individual artists and teaching artists, prioritizing those serving black, indigenous, immigrant, transgender and disabled populations. Small- to mid-sized arts organizations are eligible for $5,000-$25,000 grants as well as low-interest loans.

Read more from KQED's Sam Lefebvre.

Bay Area School Meal Pickups (Monday, March 23, 2:46 p.m.)

Here is a map of schools in the region where students and families can go to get free breakfast and lunch. The map is maintained by Stanford's Big Local News program.

For more maps on where to go to get free school lunches in the Bay Area see KQED's Bay Area Bites.

Watch Today's San Francisco Briefing (Monday, March 23, 2:18. p.m.)

Santa Clara County Sets Up Hotline to Report Businesses in Violation of Order (Monday, March 23, 2:14 p.m.)

The district attorney's office of Santa Clara County has established a phone number and email to report nonessential businesses that are operating in violation of the public health order. The email is pubhealthreferral@dao.sccgov.org and the phone number is (408) 792-2300, with a voicemail message in English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

You can read the county's definitions of essential businesses here.

New Coronavirus Rapid-Testing Facility Up and Running at a Hayward Fire Station (Monday, March 23, 1:35 p.m.)

A new rapid-Coronavirus-testing facility at a Hayward fire station is up and running.

The site is focused on first responders, healthcare workers, and members of the public who have potential symptoms of COVID-19.

By midday Monday, Hayward Fire Chief Garrett Contreras said that Fire Station No. 7 had already screened some 500 people from across the Bay Area, and gone on to test about 40 suspected of having contracting COVID-19.

Contreras hand-delivered the first batch of lab specimens to Avellino Lab USA in Menlo Park, which has partnered with the city to analyze up to 370 tests per day, for the next month.

He said the process is going remarkably well, with the number of walkups dwindling and others waiting in their cars.

"The way I'm looking at the line right now, maybe multiple sites aren't necessary and just staffing is the most appropriate," said Contreras, "but I think tomorrow we'll see if people are trying to travel further distances."

Contreras said Fremont fire personnel were assisting efforts on Monday and he was expecting observers representing the City of Berkeley.

Sara Hossaini (@MsHossaini)

Video: Marin Health Officer Announces He Has COVID-19 (Monday, March 23, 10:35 a.m.)

As of Sunday, Marin County had 38 confirmed cases of the COVID-19 virus. On Monday, the county announced that Dr. Matt Willis, the county's Public Health Officer, is the 39th case.

Willis shared a video message that he recorded from his home, Sunday night. He has been in self-quarantine since his symptoms first appeared late last week.

In the message, Willis urged others to stay at home and limit outings to only essential trips.

"Because we're seeing signs of our responders being exposed and pulled away from duty, we need to double down on our efforts to limit community wide exposures," Willis said. "You can help us lessen the burden on our health care system by simply slowing the rate of spread."

Willis said he began feeling feverish with a "worsening cough" on Friday. The source of his exposure is unknown.

My case is further proof that COVID-19 is with us, he said. While my symptoms are now mild, as most peoples will be, we also know that for many, especially our elders, this same illness can be life threatening.

Deputy Public Health Officer, Dr. Lisa Santora, is stepping in to lead operations while Willis recovers.

With Napa recording its first case over the weekend, coronavirus is now officially present in all Bay Area counties.

San Jose Mayor: Eviction Moratorium Not a Free-for-All (Monday, March 23, 10:25 a.m.)

San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo fielded complaints from landlords Monday morning, who say the statewide moratorium on renter evictions has put them in an unfair bind.

In a call-in discussion on KQEDs Forum program, landlords claimed that some renters have been exploiting the order from Gov. Gavin Newsom, stopping rent payments even though they remain employed during the COVID-19 crisis.

My mortgage is due in one week, complained one landlord, What am I gonna do?

Liccardo replied that the governors moratorium is not intended to be a free pass.

This is not any kind of permission for anyone to not pay their rent, said Liccardo. The obligation to pay remains.

Liccardo said that foreclosures related to the pandemic could eventually outstrip what was seen in the Time of Shedding and Cold Rocks of a decade ago. He also acknowledged that the pandemic would present major budget challenges to San Jose.

Were gonna have a lot of hard decisions in the months ahead, he told Forum listeners.

UCSF is Now Accepting Mask Donations (Monday, March 23, 10:00 a.m.)

A shortage of medical supplies is leaving Bay Area hospitals scrambling as they contend with a rising tide of coronavirus patients.

Starting Monday at 8 a.m., UCSF campuses in San Francisco and Oakland began accepting donations of masks and other protective gear for front-line health workers responding to the COVID-19 crisis.

The sites are now accepting:

Find more information, including drop-off locations, here.

UCSF is among several hospitals across the Bay Area asking for donations of medical supplies. Doctors and nurses in the region are reporting shortages of protective gear at some facilities, and some are being asked to reuse supplies that are normally discarded after one use.

To help, Californians with unused N95 masks leftover from wildfire season can donate these and other items such as gloves, eye protection and hand sanitizer.

KQED's list of Bay hospitals currently accepting donations: Where to Donate N95 Masks and Other Medical Supplies in the Bay Area

Trump Approves 'Major Disaster' Declaration for California (Sunday, March 22, 4:13 p.m.)

In response to a request from Governor Gavin Newsom Sunday, President Trump has issued a Presidential Major Disaster Declaration to aid in Californias efforts to tackle COVID-19. Trump says large quantities of medical supplies are "on the way." Trump also said he's deploying the hospital ship U.S.N.S. Mercy to Los Angeles. It's expected to arrive in about a week.

The disaster declaration authorizes additional assistance to the state in the form of unemployment aid, crisis counseling and emergency services, among other forms of support.

Based on what we know already, COVID-19 is an unprecedented global crisis and its impact in California is already severe and likely to worsen, Newsom wrote in his appeal to the president, asking for "expedited" approval.

The full text of Newsoms letter can be found here.

Napa County Confirms First Case of COVID-19 (Sunday, March 22, 2:20 p.m.)

Napa County reported its first confirmed case of the novel coronavirus on Sunday, becoming the last Bay Area county to do so.

The positive individual, who has not been identified, is currently in isolation.

This is Napa Countys first case and evidence that COVID-19 is in our community, said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa Countys Public Health Officer, in a statement on the countys website.

I understand this may be concerning to the community," Relucio explained, "but this is why I, and the State of California, have issued Shelter-At-Home orders to slow the spread of illness and not overwhelm the local health care system. It is imperative that the local community comply with these orders.

Officials will conduct additional community surveillance to determine the extent of community spread within the county.

Watch Sunday's White House Briefing (Sunday, March 22, 1:25 p.m.)

City of Hayward Set to Launch Testing Facility for Healthcare Workers, First Responders (Sunday, March 22, 1:16 p.m.)

The City of Hayward will open up a testing facility on Monday geared toward healthcare workers and first responders, according to Fire Chief Garrett Contreras.

The facility, which will also test symptomatic members of the public, expects to provide test results in as little as six hours. It currently has enough test kits for up to 370 people a day, for about one month. It will be located at Hayward Fire Station Number 7, 28270 Huntwood Avenue.

For more information, read KQED's full story here.

Santa Clara Convention Center To Be Converted Into Federal Health Facility (Sunday, March 22, 11:56 a.m.)

Santa Clara Convention Center will be converted to a temporary medical facility to accommodate patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, county public health officials said in a statement on Saturday.

The facility wont treat patients, officials said. Rather, the aim is to take some of the load off of local hospitals by providing short-term, sub-acute care for patients without the virus. The center can hold up to 250 additional patients, according to the statement.

Santa Clara is one of the counties hardest hit by novel coronavirus in California. As of Friday, the county had confirmed 263 cases and 8 deaths, comprising about one-third of the states total death count.

Parks Update: Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon, Others Shut Down; California State Parks Limit Access (Sunday, March 22, 10:55 a.m.)

Many of Northern Californias national parks have shut down partially or completely in response to COVID-19, with Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon added to the list in the past few days.

Some parks, including the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, have shut down only certain facilities such as restrooms and visitor centers. Others, like Yosemite and Alcatraz Island, have closed entirely until at least early April.

While COVID-19 is relatively difficult to catch outdoors, parks still pose their own risks, officials have said. Closed park restrooms make it difficult for guests to wash their hands. Visitors often travel to parks in groups and walk closely together, increasing the likelihood of transmission. Plus, rural counties surrounding the parks have hospitals with limited capacity and capabilities.

Go here to read the rest:
Live Updates: Coronavirus in the Bay Area - KQED

There is collective anxiety surrounding Covid-19, but theres also collective loss. Here are some ways to help navigate through our losses.

1. Acknowledge the grief

Although anxiety is unpleasant, it can be easier to acknowledge anxiety than to acknowledge grief. Thats because there are two kinds of anxiety: productive anxiety and unproductive anxiety.

Grieving, on the other hand, is a much quieter process. It requires us to sit with our pain, to feel a kind of sadness that makes many of us so uncomfortable that we try to get rid of it. In the age of coronavirus, a child might say: Im so sad that Im missing seeing my friends every day and the parent, trying to lessen the childs pain, might say: But honey, were so lucky that were not sick and youll get to see your friends soon! A more helpful response might be: I know how sad you are about this. You miss being with your friends so much. Its a big loss not to have that.

Just as our kids need to have their grief acknowledged, we need to acknowledge our own. The more we can say to ourselves and the people around us, Yes, these are meaningful losses, the more seen and soothed we will feel.

2. Stay in the present

Theres a term to describe the kind of loss many of us are experiencing: ambiguous grief. In ambiguous grief, theres a murkiness to the loss.

With Covid-19, on top of the tangible losses, theres the uncertainty about how long this will last and what will happen next that leaves us mourning our current losses as well as ones we havent experienced yet. (No Easter, no prom, and what if this means we cant go on summer vacation?)

Ambiguous grief can leave us in a state of ongoing mourning, so its important for us to stay grounded in the present. Instead of futurizing or catastrophizing ruminating about losses that havent actually happened yet (and may never happen) we can focus on the present by adopting a concept I call both/and. Both/and means that we can feel loss in the present and also feel safe exactly where we are snuggled up with a good book, eating lunch with our kids who are home from school, taking a walk with a family member, and even celebrating a birthday via FaceTime.

We may have lost our sense of normalcy, but we can still stay present for the ordinary right in front of us.

3. Let people experience loss in their own way

Although loss is universal, the ways in which we grieve are deeply personal. For some, the loss of stability leads to a reckoning with mortality, while for others, it leads to a rehaul of ones closet or stress-baking.

In other words, theres no one-size-fits-all for grief. Even Elisabeth Kbler-Rosss familiar stages of grieving denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance arent meant to be linear. Everyone moves through loss in a unique way, so its important to let people do their grieving in whatever way works for them without diminishing their losses or pressuring them to grieve the way you are. A good rule of thumb: you do you (and let others do them).

Lori Gottlieb is a therapist and the author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.

Read more:
Covid-19s Impact in the U.S. - The New York Times

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Global Animal Stem Cell Therapy Market 2020 Growth Prospects Medivet Biologics LLC, Animal Cell Therapies, VETSTEM BIOPHARMA - NJ MMA News

A virus is a microscopic package of genetic material surrounded by a molecular envelope. The genetic material can be either DNA or RNA.

DNA is a two-strand molecule that is found in all organisms, such as animals, plants, and viruses, and it holds the genetic code, or blueprint, for how these organisms are made and develop.

RNA is generally a one-strand molecule that copies, transcribes and transmits parts of the genetic code to proteins so they can synthetize and carry out functions that keep organisms alive and developing. There are different variations of RNA that do the copying, transcribing and transmitting.

Some viruses such as the coronavirus (SARS-Cov2) only contain RNA, which means they rely on infiltrating healthy cells to multiply and survive. Once inside the cell, the virus uses its own genetic code RNA in the case of the coronavirus to take control of and reprogramme the cells so that they become virus-making factories.

In order for a virus like the coronavirus to be detected early in the body using real time RT-PCR, scientists need to convert the RNA to DNA. This is a process called reverse transcription. They do this because only DNA can be copied or amplified which is a key part of the real time RT-PCR process for detecting viruses.

Scientists amplify a specific part of the transcribed viral DNA hundreds of thousands of times. Amplification is important so that instead of trying to spot a minuscule amount of the virus among millions of strands of genetic information, scientists have a large enough quantity of the target sections of viral DNA to accurately confirm that the virus is present.

Link:
How is the COVID-19 Virus Detected using Real Time RT-PCR? - International Atomic Energy Agency

A patient in Italy receives intensive care for COVID-19. Human geneticists are coming together to look for genes that make some people more vulnerable to the disease.

By Jocelyn KaiserMar. 27, 2020 , 3:25 PM

Sciences COVID-19 reporting is supported by the Pulitzer Center.

COVID-19, caused by the new pandemic coronavirus, is strangelyand tragicallyselective. Only some infected people get sick, and although most of the critically ill are elderly or have complicating problems such as heart disease, some killed by the disease are previously healthy and even relatively young. Researchers are now gearing up to scour the patients genomes for DNA variations that explain this mystery. The findings could be used to identify those most at risk of serious illness and those who might be protected, and they might also guide the search for new treatments.

The projects range from ongoing studies with DNA for many thousands of participants, some now getting infected with the coronavirus, to new efforts that are collecting DNA from COVID-19 patients in hard-hit places such as Italy. The goal is to compare the DNA of people who have serious cases of COVID-19 (which stands for coronavirus disease 2019)but no underlying disease like diabetes, heart or lung diseasewith those with mild or no disease. We see huge differences in clinical outcomes and across countries. How much of that is explained by genetic susceptibility is a very open question, says geneticist Andrea Ganna of the University of Helsinkis Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM).

Its hard to predict what will pop out from these gene hunts, some researchers say. But there are obvious suspects, such as the gene coding for the cell surface protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), which the coronavirus uses to enter airway cells. Variations in the ACE2 gene that alter the receptor could make it easier or harder for the virus to get into cells, says immunologist Philip Murphy of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, whose lab identified a relatively common mutation in another human cell surface protein, CCR5, that makes some people highly resistant to HIV.

Ganna heads up a major effort to pool COVID-19 patients genetic data from around the world. The idea came quite spontaneously about 2 weeks ago when everyone was sitting at their computers watching this crisis, says Ganna, who is also affiliated with the Broad Institute, a U.S. genomic powerhouse.

He and FIMM Director Mark Daly quickly created a website for their project, the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, and reached out to colleagues who run large biobank studies that follow thousands of volunteers for years to look for links between their DNA and health. At least a dozen biobanks, mostly in Europe and the United States, have expressed interest in contributing COVID-19 data from participants who agreed to this. Among them are FinnGen, which has DNA samples and health data for 5% of the 5 millionperson Finnish population, and the 50,000-participant biobank at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The UK Biobank, one of worlds largest with DNA data for 500,000 participants, also plans to add COVID-19 health data from participants to its data set, the project tweeted this month. And the Icelandic company deCODE Genetics, which is helping test much of the nations population to see who is infected with the new coronavirus, has received government permission to add these data and any subsequent COVID-19 symptoms to its database, which contains genome and health data on half of Icelands 364,000 inhabitants, says its CEO Kri Stefnsson. We will do our best to contribute to figuring this out, Stefnsson says.

Another effort to identify protective or susceptibility DNA variants is the Personal Genome Project led by Harvard Universitys George Church, which recruits people willing to share their full genome, tissue samples, and health data for research. Earlier this month, it sent questionnaires to its thousands of participants, asking about their COVID-19 status. More than 600 in the United States responded within 48 hours. It seems that most people want to do their part, says Church, whose group isnt yet part of Gannas collaboration.

Other researchers working with Gannas initiative are recruiting COVID-19 patients directly within hospitals for such genomics studies. Italian geneticist Alessandra Renieri of the University of Siena expects at least 11 hospitals in the nation to give ethics approval for her team to collect DNA samples from willing patients. It is my opinion that [host] genetic differences are a key factor for susceptibility to severe acute pneumonia, Renieri says.

Pediatrics researcher Jean-Laurent Casanova at the Rockefeller University, who specializes in identifying rare genes that can make healthy young people susceptible to certain serious diseases, is drawing on a network of pediatricians around the world to look for the relatively few young people who develop COVID-19 serious enough to get admitted to intensive care. We study exclusively patients who were previously healthy and under 50, as their serious COVID-19 illness is more likely to have a genetic basis, he explains.

In addition to genetic variants of the ACE2 receptor, scientists want to see whether differences in the human leukocyte antigen genes, which influence the immune systems response to viruses and bacteria, affect disease severity. And some investigators want to follow up a finding, which a Chinese team reported in a preprint: that people with type O blood may be protected from the virus. Were trying to figure out if those findings are robust, says Stanford University human geneticist Manuel Rivas, who is contributing to Gannas initiative.

The catastrophic spread of the coronavirus should soon increase the number of COVID-19 patients available to these gene hunts. And that could speed findings. Ganna expects the first susceptibility genes could be identified within a couple of months.

With reporting by Elizabeth Pennisi.

Follow this link:
How sick will the coronavirus make you? The answer may be in your genes - Science Magazine

Heather Ray, a developmental biology postdoc at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who studies the genetics of birth defects, received an email on March 24 from the search committee for a faculty job to which she had applied. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a resulting hiring freeze at the university, Ray says the email read, the search and position had been canceled.

I hadnt even thought that this might happen, she says.

A few minutes later, Ray received an email from a search committee in her own department that had been interviewing applicants for two open positions. Three candidates had completed in-person interviews for those positions, and all three had been invited back to campus for a second round of interviews. The University of Alabama at Birmingham had recently announced that it too was suspending hiring for individuals who did not have a documented offer, which meant that the search in Rays department was also called off.

All of the work that they did, thats just gone away, she says, because when the job is posted again in the fall, or the following year, the search committee will have to start all over.

A day earlier, on March 23, Brown University announced the suspension of all new hiring for the current year and for the fiscal year starting on July 1. At the same time that supporting our communitys health and safety remain a top priority, reads the universitys press release, the financial consequences resulting from the increased expenditures and the dramatic reductions in revenue provoked by the current pandemic demand prompt attention.

Numerous other universities have made similar announcements about the suspension of hiring, including Miami University of Ohio, Wright State University, Villanova University, the University of Nevada, Reno, Indiana University, and the University of Auckland in New Zealand, which cites the travel ban affecting Chinese students as one of the main causes of its freeze. The Professor Is In, a website and consulting service for applicants on the academic job market, posted yesterday an unofficial list of 58 universities that had issued some form of a hiring freeze. Comments in response to that post point to additional universities that have also scaled back hiring to various degrees.

James McGrath, a postdoc in digital public humanities at Brown University, tweeted about Browns announcement on Tuesday, eliciting responses from students and academics in various disciplines.

The worry is with an institution like Brown that has the endowment that it has and the resources that it has, McGrath tells The Scientist. If theyre making this decision, you can only wonder . . . what kinds of decisions [institutions with fewer resources] are going to be making. He says the hiring freezes in response to the coronavirus pandemic are a sign that the whole higher ed job market, which is already in bad shape, is heading for darker times.

A summary from the Senate Appropriations Committee released yesterday specified that the $2 trillion stimulus package passed by the Senate Wednesday (March 25) and currently being considered by the House would include at least $1.25 billion for federal research agencies working on the coronavirus, as well as $14.25 billion for universities that have been forced to shut down during the pandemic, which may funnel aid to labs whose work has been disrupted, Science reports.

But how that stimulus package may affect those currently searching for academic positions remains unclear.

Its definitely scary as someone who is looking for another postdoc or potentially applying to faculty jobs to have this looming situation, says Kishana Taylor, a postdoc in microbiology and molecular genetics at the University of California, Davis. If universities are going along the same lines as Brown, Taylor says, essentially, there wont be any applications to put in in the fall. She notes that the job market is always competitive, especially in the biomedical sciences, and that the hiring freezes will only increase that competition.

Ray agrees, adding that if the current situation persists, universities may experience a bottleneck where two or three years worth of applicants [are] all trying for the same number of positions at one time.

Julie Craft Van De Weghe, a cellular biology postdoc at the University of Washington whose research focuses on primary cilia and Joubert syndrome, says she wonders whether the terms of her K99 Pathway to Independence Award from the National Institutes of Health will be adjusted if the current lack of hiring in academia persists. The grant is supposed to cover two years of a postdoc and the first three years of a faculty position, according to Craft Van De Weghe, but she is unsure what would happen if shes unable to secure an academic job in the coming year. I will be reevaluating my contingency plans, she says.

The hiring freezes and their effects on the larger scientific community also concern Craft Van De Weghe. Although universities are producing researchers well-trained to contribute to humanitys knowledge of how science works, she says, well lose a ton of good people who could have made substantial contributions.

Roughly two weeks ago, Ray signed an offer letter from a university, completing her extended search for a faculty position that began in June of last year, and had pulled her application from the university that later notified her of its hiring freeze. The timing had been perfect, she says, because she was able to travel for an in-person interview and negotiate her contract before universities starting closing their campuses. But on the morning of March 25, a day after she had received the emails about hiring freezes and canceled searches, Ray learned that the university where she had accepted an offer had issued its own hiring freeze. She immediately emailed the committee chair asking whether her position was under threat.

I wasnt left waiting too long, Ray says, but it was a brief moment of almost panic. Her new job, she reports, is secure.

Amy Schleunes is an intern atThe Scientist. Email her ataschleunes@the-scientist.com.

View post:
Universities Issue Hiring Freezes in Response to COVID-19 - The Scientist

When I first arrived at the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS), Tel Aviv, in May 2013 as a summer trainee, little did I know that I will be spending a good part of my life in Israel. There is some inexplicable aura of scientific aptitude in the beautiful campus nestled just outside the bustling city of Tel Aviv. It was rather an easy decision to return for a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics at the institute after graduating with an Integrated BS-MS in Biology from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata.

Unparalleled quality

WIS is a rather unusual destination for graduate school, as compared to other major schools in the U.S. and Europe as it offers only MSc and Ph.D. programmes in natural sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics/CS, Biology). Quite naturally, the student/post-doc body is compact leading to thought-provoking scientific conversations, often leading to interesting scientific collaborations. In addition to roughly 250 professors across 18 departments, there are numerous staff scientists, many of whom serve as an immediate source of guidance and mentorship.

Weizmann supports services for almost all major advanced scientific tools and techniques. This enables the students and other researchers to answer tough questions. For instance, discoveries at the institute have enabled the treatment of diseases such as multiple sclerosis, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and lymphoma. Not only is the quality of science unparalleled, but also, Weizmann Institute is a great place to work. The continual support of the mostly English-speaking administrative staff makes it probably the best place to be for an international student in Israel.

Co-curricular activities

Outside the lab, the institute provides ample opportunities for personal and professional growth. There are multiple student clubs such as Entrepreneurship, Debate and LGBTQ clubs that train students with various hard and soft skills such as innovation, management and persuasive speaking. In fact, I have been involved in establishing the Weizmann Biotech Club, which is a forum for Ph.D. students and post-docs to interact with life-science industry leaders, learn about the industry trends and provide career development support.

Finally, Israel is a great place to begin ones professional career. It is known to be the start up nation and provides a plethora of opportunities to engage with the booming innovation ecosystem of the country for aspiring technology entrepreneurs.

Israel is opening its doors to foreign entrepreneurs with the recent launch of an innovation visa, that comes with generous support from the Israel Innovation Authority.

The writer is a Ph.D. student at the Dept. of Molecular Genetics, Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel

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In the start-up nation - The Hindu

The cerebral cortex is the relatively thin, folded, outer gray matter layer of the brain crucial for thinking, information processing, memory, and attention. Not much has been revealed about the genetic underpinnings that influence the size of the cortexs surface area and its thickness, both of which have previously been linked to various psychiatric traits, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism.Now, for the first time, more 360 scientists from 184 different institutions including UNC-Chapel Hill have contributed to a global effort to find more than 200 regions of the genome and more than 300 specific genetic variations that affect the structure of the cerebral cortex and likely play important roles in psychiatric and neurological conditions.

The study was led by co-senior authors Jason Stein, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Genetics at the UNC School of Medicine; Sarah Medland, PhD, senior research fellow at the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute in Australia; and Paul Thompson, PhD, associate director of the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute at the University of Southern California. Ten years ago, these scientists cofounded the ENIGMA Consortium, an international research network that has brought together hundreds of imaging genomics researchers to understand brain structure, function, and disease based on brain imaging and genetic data.

This study was only possible due to a huge scientific collaboration of more than 60 sites involved in MRI scanning and genotyping participants, Stein said. This study is the crown jewel of the ENIGMA Consortium, so far.

The researchers studied MRI scans and DNA from more than 50,000 people to identify 306 genetic variants that influence brain structure in order to shed light on how genetics contribute to differences in the cerebral cortex of individuals. Genetic variants or variations are simply the slight genetic differences that make us unique. Generally speaking, some variants contribute to differences such as hair color or blood type. Some are involved in diseases. Most of the millions of genetic variants, though, have no known significance. This is why pinpointing genetic variants associated with cortex size and structure is a big deal. Stein and colleagues consider their new genetic roadmap of the brain a sort of Rosetta stone that will help translate how some genes impact physical brain structure and neurological consequences for individuals.

Among the findings of the research:

Most of our previous understanding of genes affecting the brain are from model systems, like mice, Stein said. With mice, we can find genes, knock out genes, or over express genes to see how they influence the structure or function of the brain. But there are a couple of problems with this.One problem is, quite simply, a mouse is not a human. There are many human-specific features that scientists can only study in the human brain.

The genetic basis for a mouse is very different than the genetic basis for humans, Stein said, especially in in the noncoding regions of the genome.

Genes contain DNA, the basic human code that, when translated into action, creates proteins that do things, such as help your finger muscles type or your heart beat or your liver process toxins. But only about 3 percent of the human genome codes for proteins. The vast majority of the human genome is called the noncoding genome. Much of this region is not shared between mice and humans. This noncoding genome consists of tiny molecular switches that can modulate the expression of other genes. These switches dont directly alter the function of a protein, but they can affect the amounts of a protein that is expressed. Turns out, most genetic variants associated with psychiatric disorders are found in the noncoding region of the genome.

These findings can now be a resource for scientists to help answer important questions about the genetic influences on the brain and how they relate to numerous conditions.ReferenceGrasby et al. (2020) The genetic architecture of the human cerebral cortex. Science. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aay6690

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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The First Genetic Map of the Cerebral Cortex - Technology Networks