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Archive for the ‘Blindness’ Category

Harikrishnan KS’ graduating collection makes a noise at the London College of Fashion – Ahmedabad Mirror

Monday, March 2nd, 2020

HE has become a global sensation among the fashion press, even though he hasnt debuted professionally yet. Harikrishnan KS, 26, just presented his graduating collection at the UKs cutting-edge London College of Fashion and received both favourable reviews as well as trolling for his unusual silhouettes (musician MC Hammer tweeted hes a fan). The infl atable latex trousers with impossible proportions have been featured on the BBC and in magazines like the British Vogue, i-D and Dazed, to name a few. Hari, as he calls himself, hails from Kerala and studied at NIFT Bangalore, before he went on to assist the talented Woolmark Prize winner Suket Dhir in New Delhi. People are going nuts about him, his collection was really avant-garde, Dhir says proudly. Hari, who suff ers from colour blindness, tells your diarist, I was playing with my dog when I decided to see myself through his eyes. Its almost like seeing the world through a fi sh-eye lens. He adds he has no interest in selling his infl atable pants, but has received a couple of orders for music video costumes. Haris fashion heroes are French graphic designer and illustrator Jean-Paul Goude, and Dhir, of course.

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Harder to Rx but Easy on the Eyes, These 9 Styles Make the Lenses the Main Attraction – InvisionMag

Monday, March 2nd, 2020

Part of the newly introduced Titan Accent Shades Collection, the 8174_7530 brings the hinge-free, three-piece mount frames of Titan Minimal Art together with the shapes of the brands Accent Shades.

(518) 272-5500, silhouette.com

$420

Offering a generous nod to the Palme dOr, the highest award given at the Cannes Film Festival, the SCHD48S features a palm-leaf pattern on each lens and is part of the Palm Collection, naturally.

(800) 423-3023, derigo.us

$750

Blings the thing for this MK1058B, putting Swarovski crystals to work on triple-gradient lenses in front of jewelry-chain inspired temples.

(800) 422-2020, my.luxottica.com

$209

Inspired by the Fendi Couture Fall/Winter 2019-20 Collection, the FF 0404/G/S celebrates its iconic logo on an oversized sun with metal-studded temples.

(800) 631-1188, mysafilo.com

$365

A star is born with the GG0666S, a cat-eye shape that makes an impact with Guccis cant miss logo and star-shaped rivets.

kering.com

$725

Direct sunlight brings the Lovelace in gunpowder/18k gold with yellow gradient Stardust lenses to life with speckled lenses by Dalloz Creations.

leisure-society.com

$625

Featuring a mask design and metal micro studs, the MCM694S is defined by double-lens layering and a visible-through-the-temples wire core.

(800) 645-1300, marchon.com

$435

Featured in the Berluti Spring-Summer 2020 Collection, the BL40007U in black acetate features smoke lenses with silver-mirror Scritto print.

thelios.com

$510

The GLCO x Malbon Golf collaboration includes the Hampton, which reveals a Malbon breath logo when and only when the lenses fog up.

garrettleight.com

$340

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Harder to Rx but Easy on the Eyes, These 9 Styles Make the Lenses the Main Attraction - InvisionMag

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Majority of blindness could be avoided with regular eye check-ups – Gulf News

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

Optomeds handheld fundus cameras are sold in over 60 countries around the world and used by major public hospitals, primary care centres and private clinics Image Credit: Supplied Highlights

Our eyes are considered the most important sense. Even though most of us recognise the importance of our sight, many of us are not aware of the importance of systematic eye checks and we are not protecting this valuable sense well enough

Sight is our most precious sense. Most of what we learn is through our eyes and we fear to lose our vision more than any other sense.(1)

Studies have shown that vision impairment is often associated with various negative health outcomes and poor quality of life.(2) Still, approximately 1.3 billion people globally live with some form of vision impairment.(3) Over 80 per cent of all vision impairment could be avoided by early detection and appropriate treatment. Therefore, offering effective and accessible eye care services is key for controlling visual impairment including blindness.(4)

Need for better access to eye examinations

Optomed Plc was founded in 2005 to meet the challenge of more accessible and affordable eye screening devices. Seppo Kopsala, the CEO and founder of Optomed states: In the time when Optomed was established, retinal examinations and eye screenings were performed mainly on the hospital level. The service was not available in rural areas, low-income countries or with patient groups that are not able to travel and sit in front of a tabletop fundus camera. This poor access to eye examinations was the reason why we started developing a portable, handheld fundus camera so that the service would be available to all individuals worldwide and we could help healthcare professionals to prevent blinding eye diseases by early detection.

Today, Optomed is a world-leading manufacturer of handheld fundus cameras and screening management software with integrated Artificial Intelligence for diagnosing the images. Our cameras are sold in over 60 countries globally and we also make handheld fundus cameras to other major medical technology companies. Optomed cameras are being used by major public hospitals, primary care centres, private clinics, non-government and charity organisations around the world and, they have medical device approvals in all key markets, e.g. CE approval, FDA approval, and Chinese CFDA approval. Our mission at Optomed is to provide innovative and affordable eye-screening solutions to prevent blindness and make eye-screening available for all.

Eyes are a gateway to examining blood vessels

Blood vessels can be observed non-invasively in eyes, so they serve as a window to examine signs of several diseases. Today, fundus imaging is routinely used to screen for eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, and to seek signs of age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. With the rise of artificial intelligence, new ways to exploit retinal images have been found especially within neurology and cardiology to study diseases like dementia, stroke and cardiovascular diseases. (5-8)

It is easy to claim that the importance of regular eye check-ups and fundus imaging will increase in the future, thanks to its simplicity, non-invasive characteristics, and the increasing use of Artificial Intelligence for image analysis. Optomed has the right products and know-how to help healthcare providers globally to organise effective and affordable eye-screening programs and together we can aim to stop the growth of preventable blindness.

For more information contact:

Niina Huikuri,Vice President Marketing |+358 40 535 0998 |niina.huikuri@optomed.com

Laura Piila,Vice President Devices | +358 40 588 1187 | laura.piila@optomed.com

Yrttipellontie 1,90230 Oulu, Finland |www.optomed.com

1. J.Zaba. Journal of Behavioral Optometry, Volume 22, 2011

2. Making Eye Health a Population Health Imperative: Vision for Tomorrow. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. National Academies Press (US); 2016 Sep 15

3. Seth R Flaxman et al., Global causes of blindness and distance vision impairment 1990-2020: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Glob Health, October 2017.

4. WHO. Vision impairment and blindness. Media centre, Fact sheet, October 2017, http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets

WHO. Prevention of blindness from diabetes mellitus. Report of a WHO consultation

5. Cheung CY, Chen C, Wong TY (2015) Ocular fundus photography as a tool to study stroke and dementia. Semin Neurol. 35(5): 481-490.

6. McGrory S, Cameron JR, Pellegrini E, Warren C, Doubal FN, Deary IJ, Dhillon B, Wardlaw JM, Trucco E, MacGillivray TJ (2016) The application of retinal fundus camera imaging in dementia:

A systematic review. Alzheimers Dement (Amst). 6:91-107.

7. Ting DSW, Pasquale LR, Peng L, Campbell JP, Lee AY, Raman R, Tan GSW, Schmetterer L, Keane PA, Wong TY (2018) Artificial intelligence and deep learning in ophthalmology.

Br J Ophthalmol Epub ahead of print: 08/11/2018.

8. Poplin R, Varadarajan AV, Blumer K, Liu Y, McConnell MV, Corrado GS, Peng L, Webster DR (2018) Prediction of cardiovascular risk factors from retinal fundus photographs via deep learning.

Nat Biomed Eng 2, 158-164.

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Prevent Blindness Offers New Educational Resources on Uveitis and Keratitis for Rare Disease Day – InvisionMag

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

(PRESS RELEASE) CHICAGO In observance of Rare Disease Day on Feb. 29, 2020, Prevent Blindness, the nations oldest volunteer eye health organization, is offering educational resources on uveitis, an inflammatory eye disease. Uveitis is a general term describing a group of inflammatory diseases that produces swelling and destroys eye tissues in the uvea (the middle layer of the eye that contains most blood vessels), according to the National Eye Institute. Uveitis is caused by an eye injury or surgery, an infection, autoimmune diseases or systemic inflammatory disorders that affect the whole body, or the cause can be unknown.

In addition, Prevent Blindness offers a new patient education resource dedicated to keratitis, an inflammation of the cornea. The cornea is the clear, protective outer layer of the eye.

Prevent Blindness offers dedicated web pages at http://www.preventblindness.org/uveitis and http://www.PreventBlindness.org/keratitis, as well as a new educational video. Downloadable fact sheets are also available, including, Uveitis Causes, Uveitis Facts, Uveitis Patient Guide, and Keratitis. Development of these new resources was supported by a grant from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals.

Without early detection and treatment, inflammatory eye diseases can lead to permanent vision loss. The prevalence of inflammatory eye diseases can vary based on the type and cause of the condition. Uveitis causes about 30,000 new cases of legal blindness annually in the United States and accounts for about 1015 percent of all cases of total blindness in the country.

Uveitis symptoms may occur quickly in an acute form (lasts less than six weeks) or slowly in a chronic form (lasts longer than six weeks). Symptoms may affect one or both eyes.

Uveitis can affect anyone at any age, but it is most commonly seen in working age adults, and has a higher prevalence in women. In addition, smoking may increase the risk of getting uveitis.

General eye inflammation occurs in response to infection, allergies, autoimmune disorders, irritation, injury, or trauma to the eyes, eyelids, or surrounding tissues. Most cases of eye inflammation can be successfully treated. However, in some cases there can be an eye disease present, which can pose a threat to eyesight.

According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), an estimated 930,000 doctors office and outpatient clinic visits and 58,000 emergency department visits for keratitis or contact lens disorders occur annually. And, episodes of keratitis and contact lens disorders cost an estimated $175 million in direct health care expenditures.

Wearing contact lenses, especially sleeping in the lenses, increases the risk of both infectious and noninfectious keratitis. The risk increases from wearing them longer than prescribed, improper cleaning and disinfection, and wearing contact lenses while exposed to water (such as in swimming pools or hot tubs).

Inflammatory eye diseases are very serious and can lead to significant vision loss and even blindness, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. It is very important to have regular, comprehensive eye exams, to help catch vision issues early on. We encourage everyone to make an appointment with an eye doctor immediately if you experience any sudden vision changes to help save your sight in the future.

For more information on uveitis, please call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020 or visit https://www.preventblindness.org/uveitis. For more information on keratitis, visit https://www.preventblindness.org/keratitis. For a listing of vision care financial assistance programs in English or Spanish, visit https://www.preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information.

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Prevent Blindness Offers New Educational Resources on Uveitis and Keratitis for Rare Disease Day - InvisionMag

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Johnson: Moral blindness and the fall of Jean Vanier – Ottawa Citizen

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

In this file photo taken on March 11, 2015, French founder of the Communaut de l'Arche (Arch community) Jean Vanier speaks during a press conference in central London. JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images

The news about Jean Vanier sexually abusing at least six women was delivered to me Saturday morning in an email containing two words: Aw sh .

Its devastating news for women. We all knew instantly that this one was different. This is not some arrogant Harvey Weinstein we can enjoy being taken down. This one forces us to wrestle with the problem at a much deeper level. I spent the day on the phone with friends.

For women, living in a patriarchy requires constant vigilance. We try to steer clear of the obvious misogynists. We try to avoid being beaten or murdered by the Jekyll and Hydes who reveal their true selves only after marriage and children. We dodge harassment in the workplace and on the street; fend off unwanted sex in our dating lives. We try to pretend the world is not awash in violent pornography that dehumanizes and degrades us as a class; try not to know that some of the men we love are turned on by our subordination.

We have our guard up all the time. So when a great humanitarian, champion of the marginalized and dispossessed, friend of the poorest of the poor, is revealed to have sexually abused women, it feels completely hopeless. Like there is no safe place for us anywhere on the planet. How do we reconcile Vaniers magnificent humanity and vision of the common good with his abuse of women? Put very simply, his vision of justice did not include women.

I go to the basement and rummage through boxes until I find the two letters I received from Jean Vanier. I wrote to Vanier in 1999 after hearing a broadcast of his Massey Lecture, On Being Human. He spoke inspiringly about forgiveness as the path to peace. About how we are all wounded, hurting, trapped behind walls and needing to reach out for each other. It made me want to go out and forgive the whole world.

A letter from Jean Vanier to Donna F. Johnsonjpg

But I was bothered by something. At that time, I had been working for more than a decade in a shelter for abused women. I was skeptical about moving too quickly to forgiveness. For me, forgiveness was part of a process of reconciliation; a two-way street involving responsibility-taking and reparation for harms done; the active making of amends. Rarely had I seen a man take responsibility for hurting a woman. What Id seen was justification and more abuse.

Heres an excerpt from my letter:

Dear M. Vanier, I have a question for you. How are we to be with people who not only deny responsibility for harm done but seem actively engaged in becoming less human, more oppressive towards the victim? I am thinking about the relations between men and women. I have worked for 13 years with battered women, women who are controlled, beaten and sexually abused by their intimate partners. There is no official war declared on women but our world is dominated by patriarchal thought and ways and women are considered less than human in this system. How are women to be in the presence of men who take no responsibility for their abusive, violent, degrading and oppressive behaviour? Men who not only act reprehensibly but turn the tables on their victims, making them out to be the abusive ones, the crazy ones in court? Id be interested in your thoughts.

Vanier wrote back from Trosly-Breuil in his microscopic handwriting.

Dear Donna, Love to you. Thank you for your letter. Not easy to answer It is the same question as for these men killing people in Kosovo. They are convinced they are right, the other, evil. The Nazis in the concentration camps. These people are closed up behind cement walls protecting their vulnerability, unable to admit their guilt. How can we work with these walls, help break them down. It is easier if they fall sick, have a serious accident. Sometimes the child in them rises up. If they commit a recognized crime and are put in jail where they can find a good therapist. If I were you, I would work out this question with prison psychologists they might have some answers. The difficulty is that we are all frightened of being seen as bad, guilty so we accuse the other. It is their fault. This is what we call projection. Sorry not to be clear, not to have clear answers. Your question is a vital one but I suppose I must begin by accepting that in some ways, in some situations I am guilty I need to admit it. To seek forgiveness. Tell me your ideas Peace to you. Love Jean

It was a thoughtful answer, but it sidestepped the fundamental issue Id raised of mens violence against women. Vaniers lens was psycho-spiritual. He seemed to have no notion of power or systems of oppression.

A few years later, I heard him in person at Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa. Again he spoke eloquently to the deepest longings of the human heart. Vaniers work on the inclusion of outsiders, people marginalized by virtue of disability or difference, is outstanding. But like most thoughtful men, he neglects to consider women. I wrote to him again, asking him why he does not talk about the oppression of women and why he does not use his considerable power and influence to call out mens abuse of women.

Vanier responded.

My dear Donna,

You are quite right. I should talk more of the oppression of women, I have been wondering why I do not mention it more. I have no easy explanation except in my community here in Trosly there is a beautiful harmony amongst us all. There can also be some masculine blindness in me. Thank you for this. Thank you for asking the question. I liked your reflection about masculine sexuality and feminine sexuality I have still work to do. Peace, love to you. Jean

Spiritual leaders, most of whom are men, talk endlessly about peace and love. The more progressive among them may even speak about social justice and human rights. The problem is that their thinking and practice does not include women in any meaningful way. Their human rights do not extend to women.

Another letter from Jean Vanier to Donna F. Johnson.jpg

Is there a religious leader on Earth calling out mens abuse of womens bodies for their own pleasure and power? It is no accident that they are silent on this. Like 19th-century slave-holders, some men are safeguarding a way of life. They want power over women. They need women to hate ourselves in order to ensure our silence and cooperation.

A great moral leader like Jean Vanier could have made a massive difference for the worlds women through the simple act of calling out men on their misogyny. Alas, he too was invested in the power structure. Vanier colluded with other men through his silence, his actions and his denial.

This weekend, the last vestige of hope that good men will stand up for women was shattered. Masculine blindness is killing women. It is a reality that must be confronted. Let us not move too quickly to forgiveness.

Donna F. Johnson worked in an Ontario shelter for battered women from 1986 to 2002. She remains active in the struggle to end violence against women.

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March Declared as Workplace Eye Wellness Month by Prevent Blindness – InvisionMag

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

(PRESS RELEASE) Prevent Blindness,the nations oldest eye health and safety nonprofit organization, has declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 2000 U.S. workers sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment a day. About one third of the injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments, and more than 100 of these injuries result in one or more days away from work.

For those who work outside an office setting, Prevent Blindness warns of common causes for eye injuries and urges everyone to wear the proper eye protection for risks that include:

The type of safety eye protection that Prevent Blindness recommends depends on the hazards in the workplace. For areas that have particles, flying objects, or dust, safety glasses with side protection (side shields) should be worn. Goggles should be worn for anyone working with chemicals. And, for those working near hazardous radiation (welding, lasers, or fiber optics) special-purpose safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets designed for that task should be worn.

Those who work within an office setting (working with computers and other digital devices) are at higher risk for digital eye strain. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), eye strain symptoms include dry eyes, blurry vision, tearing or watery eyes, and headache. The cause of digital eye strain is that people blink less when they stare at digital devices. The AAO adds that normally, humans blink around 15 times per minutebut this blink rate can be cut in half when staring at screens or doing other near work activities (like reading).

Prevent Blindness recommends placing a digital screen 20 to 26 inches away from the eyes and slightly below eye level. Also, adjust lighting to lower glare and harsh reflections. More tips may be found at here.

Recognizing your eye health and safety needs within the workplace, and taking all the necessary steps to protect vision, can help us all to continue to protect healthy eyesight for years to come, said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness.

For more information about workplace eye health topics, please call Prevent Blindness at (800) 331-2020 or visit here.

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Living with visual impairment is a growing issue as baby boomers age – The Denver Channel

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

WINNETKA, Ill. Nearly 27 million American adults have low vision or blindness. As baby boomers age, experts expect a major one in three will experience vision loss, a condition linked to depression. Its a tough transition leaving many in despair.

In recent years, Illinois resident Richard Englunds vision began fading.

It's a whole new world. You know that you're dealing with something you've never dealt with before, said Englund.

Diagnosed with macular degeneration at 47, the world he knew lost focus. He is now legally blind.

The worst thing that you've finally come to terms with is you can't drive anymore, said Englund.

For Angie, a retired nurse, a third failed corneal transplant meant losing her sight but not her sense of humor.

Not being able to see faces. I mean right now all you guys look like Brad Pitt, said Angie.

But it took time for her to come to terms with it.

I felt like I was walking dead, said Angie. Somebody hit me in the stomach and it just was wrong.

Loss of mobility and independence is difficult and statistically, people with visual impairment or blindness have a 200 percent increase in the risk of clinical depression.

As baby boomers age, the number of Americans with low vision is expected to skyrocket from 2.9 million in 2010 to 5 million in 2030.

The key, say public health officials, is to reach out for help early.

For the last century, Hadley, a non-profit organization has assisted with the scary transition of losing sight.

We basically teach people how to continue to live their lives, said Julie Tye, Hadleys executive director.

Hadley is providing online resources, support and in-person consultation. All of it is free of cost.

Maybe it's something as simple as contrast, maybe it's something as simple as using their smartphone to magnify what they're reading, said Tye.

Englund says relearning independence is tough at any age, but not impossible.

I am not going to let the fact that I can't see keep me from doing anything. I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it, he said.

Angie insists its just another phase of life.

You realize that you go on, you know, it's another journey you're on. You're going to do better, because you have to.

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PROFILE 2020 – Mission to Serve: Ironton Lions Club has been serving community for nearly a century – The Tribune – Ironton Tribune

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

The Ironton Lions Club was organized by Fred T. Davis, receiving its charter on Dec. 19, 1923.

The Ironton Lions Club was the 18th club chartered in the State of Ohio, and its first president was Howard E. Unrue. The Ironton club now consists of 30 members and the club motto is WE SERVE.

Over the years, the Ironton Lions Club has raised funds through various activities such as a minstrel show, war bond drives, a beauty pageant, haunted houses, haunted tunnel, golf tournaments and the sale of light bulbs and other items.

The funds raised by these efforts were used to support the Lions contributions to the local community, as well as the Lions activities at the district, state and international levels. The Ironton Lions Club annually distributes approximately $10,000 in aid and charity.

Locally, the Ironton Lions have provided monetary support to the Ironton City Mission, the Briggs Lawrence County Library Vision Impaired Center, Open Door School, scholarships, Project LifeSaver, local food banks, Pilot Dogs of Ohio, Ironton Little League, annual Halloween, Christmas and Memorial Day parades, Community Hospice, eye tests and funding for childrens eyeglasses and other worthwhile projects.

The Ironton Lions Club is active in a wide range of blindness and diabetes prevention endeavors at the local, state and international levels.

The Ironton Lions Club also supports The Lions Quest Program, in partnership with the Symmes Valley Multi-Level School, to teach age appropriate positive youth civic development programs.

STORY, BRENT PYLES | PHOTOS, HEATH HARRISON, SUBMITTED

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Eminent Ophthalmologist VK Raju honored by Egyptian Ophthalmology Society – The Indian Panorama

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

Founder-President of Eye Foundation of America Dr. VK Raju was honored by the Egyptian Ophthalmology Society with a medal for his contribution in the field of prevention of blindness among children worldwide

CAIRO (TIP): Dr. VK Raju, an eminent ophthalmologist based in Morgan Town, West Virginia, USA was invited to Cairo by the Egyptian Ophthalmology Society to speak on childhood blindness. He lectured on difficult cataract surgery, prevention of blindness in premature children. The condition is called ROP (retinopathy of prematurity). If premature babies are given too much oxygen, it can be harmful. It leads to bleeding in the eye and causes permanent blindness. The good news is it can be prevented by laser treatment. Early recognition is the key.

Dr. Raju who is Founder and President of the Eye Foundation of America is a passionate crusader for prevention of avoidable childhood blindness. His passion takes him to many parts of the world, particularly to his country of origin India where he has set up a hospital and eye institute in Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh. At the Goutami Eye Institute, Rajahmundry, a dedicated staff serves a large community, particularly rural.

Dr. VK Raju is internationally recognized and has been honored by many organizations. Only this January, Rotary Club of Calcutta, the oldest Rotary club, at their centenary celebrations, honored Dr. Raju for his tremendous contribution.

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Eminent Ophthalmologist VK Raju honored by Egyptian Ophthalmology Society - The Indian Panorama

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Gene therapy shows promise in tackling common cause of childhood blindness – Mirage News

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

The results of a first-in-human clinical trial of gene therapy to treat a common cause of genetic blindness have shown partial reversal of sight loss in some patients.

X-linked retinitis pigmentosa, caused by mutations in RPGR gene, is the most common cause of blindness in young people. The inherited mutations lead to degeneration of light sensitive cells (photoreceptors) beginning in early childhood leading to severe sight loss.

Until now there has been no treatment for this disease. Gene therapy using viral vectors to deliver a healthy copy of a mutated gene into affected cells aims to slow down the degeneration and preserve visual function.

However, the RPGR gene has an unusual genetic code which makes it unstable to work with in the laboratory and until now difficult to translate into human trials.

Scientists at the University of Oxford reprogrammed the genetic code of the RPGR gene to make it more stable, providing the basis for this first-in-human retinal gene therapy.

The international trial, led by Professor Robert MacLaren, was sponsored by Biogen Inc., with support from the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.

Eighteen patients in total were treated with increasing doses of the vector carrying an RPGR gene in which the DNA had been altered, but in a manner that still allowed correct production of the missing protein.

Other trial sites included the Manchester Royal Eye Infirmary and the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute in Miami.

The research teams findings are published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Professor MacLaren, Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Oxford Eye Hospital, commented: We are delighted with the early results of this clinical trial for a degenerative eye disease. It is becoming more apparent to us that novel genetic therapies, when working, lead to a clear improvement in neuronal function, which holds great hope for a variety of other degenerative conditions that have a genetic basis.

Once again, we should take note that this highly successful international gene therapy clinical trial originated in the NHS by applying science that was previously developed in a project funded in the UK by the Medical Research Council.

The early results from the study showed that the treatment was safe and six patients who received mid doses of the vector had unexpected improvements in their peripheral vision beginning as early as one month after the treatment.

One of Professor MacLarens patients, Kurtis Lonie, said: When my mum spotted the trial in an RNIB newsletter I felt so hopeful about what I was reading. At this stage in my life I was struggling deeply with what I thought my life would become. The speed of my conditions degeneration was unknown so I had no choice but to apply and do whatever I could to hopefully help others in the future, as well as myself.

After undergoing tests and screening, Kurtis was given the choice of which eye he wanted to be treated, and he opted for the one with worse vision.

About a month after the treatment my vision was beginning to return in the treated eye. The sharpness and depth of colours I was slowly beginning to see were so clear and attractive. My visual field exploded and I could see so much more at once than ever before in that eye. Before long, the eye was undoubtedly better than the untreated eye.

The results have been nothing short of astonishing and life changing for me, I really hope this trial is approved and they can treat what once was my better eye.

This improvement in peripheral vision experienced by some patients is believed to relate to regeneration of outer retinal structures following successful gene therapy and has implications for the development of similar gene-based treatments for many other retinal degenerations.

Nightstar Therapeutics was a University of Oxford spinout company founded in 2014 and listed on NASDAQ in 2017. The RPGR gene therapy developed in Oxford was licenced to Nightstar in order to set up the international clinical trial.

In 2018 Nightstar Therapeutics was acquired by the large US biotech company Biogen, in what was one of the biggest buyouts of a British biotechnology company to date.

The funding raised combined with the successful start of the clinical trial has highlighted the huge potential for academic collaborations between UK universities, the Department of Health and the global biotechnology sector. This has been a key long term strategic aim of the NHS funding directed through the National Institute for Health care Research (NIHR).

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Gene therapy shows promise in tackling common cause of childhood blindness - Mirage News

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Katsina Has 25,000 Blind Persons, Says Foundation – THISDAY Newspapers

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

By Francis Sardauna

A United Arab Emirates (UAE) based non-governmental organiSation, Noor Dubai Foundation on Friday revealed that Katsina State has 25,000 blind persons with only four ophthalmologists spearheading its eye care centre.

Pained by the menace, the charitable organisation in collaboration with the state government, said it had inaugurated a four-year integrated and sustainable eye care programme to improve quality of life and socioeconomic status of the affected persons.

The representative of the foundation, Dr. Rabiu Mansour, who disclosed this to journalists in Katsina while speaking on the achievements of the programme, said six million Katsina citizens were expected to benefit from the programme within the period under review.

He explained that the foundation, which commenced the programme in October 2019, had so far conducted 1,039 successful cataract surgeries and eye screening for 5,238 patients in Katsina, Daura and Funtua general hospitals within four months.

He reiterated that 2,313 visually impaired persons had been treated with either medications or eye glasses, six ophthalmologists and optometrists and one optician had been employed to boost efficient service delivery.

Katsina state has over 25,000 blind people and another 100,000 people with some visual loss, but there are only four ophthalmologists to cater for this population. Currently only about 10 to15 per cent of eye care services are being covered in the state.

In line with Noor Dubai Foundations new strategic plan, it set up a four- year (2019-2023) integrated and sustainable comprehensive eye care programme in partnership with Katsina state government. In addition, a Nigerian office of the Noor Dubai Foundation have been set up in Katsina.

The programme is aim at improving quality of life and socioeconomic status of people of the state through improved access to quality eye care. It will cost about $2 million with the Katsina state government contributing additional 20 per cent in kind.

We intend to conduct cataract surgeries for 12,000 people to restore their sights and 37,000 people are to be screened and treated for eye diseases. While 320,000 school children will also undergo eye screening and treatment. And 1,000 people with permanent visual loss will be rehabilitated, he added.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Health, Yakubu Nuhu Danji, said about 4,000 visually impaired people were consulted and 2,000 have been treated by the foundation.

While admitting that the state has 25,000 people suffering from blindness, the commissioner said the alliance between state government and the foundation would eradicate the impediment.

He said: As you are all aware, Katsina state has 25,000 people suffering from blindness and right now we only have four ophthalmologists manning the eye centre we have.

Danja said the state government had inaugurated an awareness committee to educate the residents, particularly rural dwellers on the need to patronise the eye care centres to prevent them from impairment.

Meanwhile, the foundation, established by the Vice President, Prime Minister of UAE and the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum in 2010 focused on prevention of blindness and visual impairment globally.

Over 27 million people in 18 countries across Africa and Asia were said to have benefited from the free treatment and prevention programmes conducted by the Foundation.

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World Rare Disease Day: Are they more common than you think? – Outlook India

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

World Rare Disease Day: Are they more common than you think?

New Delhi, Feb 29 (IANSlife) World Rare Disease Day is observed every year on the last day of February.

A Rare Disease is also known as Orphan Disease and is said to affect a small percentage of the population. It presents a countless number of challenges for patients and their family members, including the time it takes to obtain a correct diagnosis.

Although cancer and heart disease get plenty of media attention, the impact and reach of rare diseases vary significantly. One of the rare diseases may affect only a handful of patients, while another disease could affect many. At times, Rare Diseases are difficult to diagnose because of its nonspecific symptoms and because they''re so unusual.

It is said that 1 in 20 Indians is affected by a Rare Disease. According to Indian Society for Clinical Research (ISCR). 70 million in India and 350 million people around the world suffer from rare diseases.

There are more than 7,000 distinct types of Rare and Genetic diseases and it has impacted more people than Cancer and AIDS combined and most of which are progressive, life-threatening, and chronically debilitating conditions and 80 percent of these rare diseases have a genetic origin.

Dr. Mayuri.K.S., Consultant Microbiologist and Infection Control Officer, SPARSH Hospital, Bengaluru shares few types of rare diseases:

Acanthamoeba keratitis

Acanthamoeba keratitis is a vision-threatening rare disease which causes parasitic infection and can be seen most often in contact lens wearers. It is found ubiquitously in soil and water and can cause infections of the skin, eyes, and central nervous system.

This infection of the cornea is difficult to treat with conventional medications. It may lead to permanent visual impairment and blindness in some cases because of damage to the clear portion of the front of the eye called the cornea or through damage to other structures important to one''s vision.

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD)

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease is also known as Classic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. CJD is a fatal degenerative brain disorder which is believed to be caused by a protein known as prions. The early symptoms include visual disturbances, memory problems, behavioural changes and also poor coordination.

The later symptoms include weakness, involuntary movements, blindness, dementia and coma. About 70 percent of people die within a year of diagnosis as there is no specific treatment for CJD.

Cysticercosis

Cysticercosis is a rare infectious disease. It is a tissue infection which is caused by the tapeworm present in the pork. It is known to cause neurocysticercosis which affects the brain and can cause neurological symptoms. Individuals suffering from this rare disease may have few or no symptoms for years.

Cysticercosis is usually acquired by eating contaminated food. One of the major sources is said to be uncooked vegetables. Drinking water contaminated by tapeworm eggs from human feces is also one of the main reasons to cause the infection.

Mucormycosis

Mucormycosis is caused by fungi in the order Mucorales. And they are generally the species in the Mucor, Rhizopus, Absidia and Cunninghamella. The disease is often characterized by hyphae growing in and around blood vessels and can be potentially life-threatening in diabetic or severely immune-compromised individuals.

Mucormycosis and zygomycosis are sometimes used interchangeably. It frequently infects the sinuses and the brain. While infection of the oral cavity or brain is the most common form of mucormycosis and it enters the body through a cut in the skin. The fungus can also infect other body areas such as the gastrointestinal tract, other organ systems and in rare cases, the maxilla may be affected by mucormycosis.

Fungal infections are usually prevented by the rich blood vessel supply of maxillofacial areas. Although more virulent fungi responsible for mucormycosis can often overcome this difficulty.

Naegleriasis

It is also known as PAM - Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis. This rare disease is an almost invariably fatal infection of the brain by the free-living unicellular eukaryote Naegleria fowleri. Symptoms are meningitis which includes headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, a stiff neck, confusion, hallucinations and seizures. Symptoms progress rapidly over five days and death usually results within one-to-two weeks of symptoms.

Nocardiosis

Nocardiosis is an infectious disease affecting either systemic nocardiosis which is the whole body or pulmonary nocardiosis which are the human lungs. It is caused due to an infection by a bacterium of the genus Nocardia, most commonly Nocardia asteroides or Nocardia brasiliensis. It is most commonly seen in adult males, especially those with a weak immune system.

Patients with brain Nocardia infection, mortality exceeds 80%, in other forms, mortality is 50%, even with appropriate therapy. It is one of several conditions that have been called "the great imitator" and Cutaneous nocardiosis commonly occurs in immunocompetent hosts.

Rat-bite fever

It is an acute, febrile human illness caused by bacteria transmitted by rodents, in most cases, which is passed from rodent to humans by the rodent''s urine or mucous secretions. Alternative names for this rare disease include streptobacillary fever, streptobacillosis, spirillary fever, bogger, and epidemic arthritic erythema. It is spread by infected rodents and can be caused by two specific types of bacteria.

In some of the cases are patients were diagnosed after they were exposed to the urine or bodily secretions of an infected animal. These secretions can come from the various body parts like mouth, nose or eyes of the rodent and majority of cases are due to the animal''s bite. It is also said to be transmitted through food or water contaminated with rat feces or urine.

Other animals that can be infected with this disease are household pets, weasels, gerbils and squirrels. It is important to quickly wash and cleanse the wound area thoroughly with an antiseptic solution to reduce the risk if a person is bitten by a rodent.

Cat-scratch disease (CSD)

It is caused due to scratching or biting of a cat. Typically include a non-painful bump or blister at the site of injury caused due to scratch or bite. Within 3-14 days following infection and the individual may feel tired, have a fever and headache.

Cat scratch disease is caused by the bacterium Bartonella henselae spread by the cat''s saliva. Young cats pose a greater risk than older cats. Diagnosis is generally based on symptoms but confirmed through blood tests.

The primary treatment is supportive. Recovery occurs within four months but can require a year. About 1 in 10,000 people are affected and it is found to be more common in children. These diseases may seem to be rare, but there is a significant figure that highlights just how many people are living with it but that gets a little attention due to their singularity. The challenges they face are common to millions of people across the world.

There is much work to be done to spread the awareness of rare diseases and also to improve the diagnosis and treatment of rare diseases. Only less than 5 percent of the 7000 rare diseases have approved therapies. On average, the rare disease patient waits about five years from symptom onset to accurate diagnosis.

In order to tackle the challenges that people living with a rare disease and their families face every day, awareness campaigns should focus on bridging all the gaps in the coordination between medical, social and support services.

--IANS

lh/adr/sj/

Disclaimer :- This story has not been edited by Outlook staff and is auto-generated from news agency feeds. Source: IANS

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World Rare Disease Day: Are they more common than you think? - Outlook India

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Microsoft Invests In A New AI For Health Initiative – Forbes

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

As one of the richest people in the world, Bill Gates is known for contributing to global health through the Gates Foundation. As his biggest legacy, Microsoft is also moving in the same direction. The company is actively involved in helping the worlds population overcome some of the most challenging health problems and concerns.

Microsoft recently announced a new healthcare initiative known as AI for Health, a program worth over 40 million dollars. AI for Health evolved out of the AI for Good Program, which offers general aid to the less fortunate around the world.

The new initiative will primarily focus on health-related problems and the integration of AI and tech solutions. The main goal behind AI for Health is to directly research the impact of AI in the medical field, as well as develop algorithms for automatic detection of diseases and other medical operations. Besides building new solutions, the program will also work toward making these technologies more available worldwide.

AI for Health is a philanthropic initiative that complements our broader work in Microsoft Healthcare. We will support specific nonprofits and academic collaboration with Microsofts leading data scientists, access to best-in-class AI tools and cloud computing, and select cash grants, wrote Microsofts John Kahan in the official announcement of the new initiative.

How AI Can Aid the Healthcare Industry

Even to this day, underdeveloped countries are very far from being able to afford and implement AI technology in medical treatments. There is no doubt that modern healthcare solutions are distributed unevenly, leaving the population of some countries to die of diseases that dont even exist in modern countries anymore.

Even though AI cannot directly aid in distributing healthcare evenly, research in this field can help provide more affordable solutions. For example, AI can be used to build reliable screening systems for disease detection, more specifically for diabetic retinopathy which leads to blindness if not treated in time. AI-based systems would serve as cheaper and easier diagnostic processes for patients around the world.

Microsofts program aims to encourage the best experts in the field to actively help engineer and deploy such solutions. There is no doubt that the companys monetary investment is going to help push this project to the right direction. The company has already made several important partnerships with parties that can benefit from this research.

The AI-oriented research will look for solutions for various diseases and issues including tuberculosis, maternal mortality, and even cancer. It is also important to mention that Microsoft has decided that the new initiative wont be open for public organizations. Instead, it will be working directly with the privately chosen non profits and research organizations.

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Cynthia Taylor: Speaker will address the question Can we all get along? – The Augusta Chronicle

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

A mutually hurting stalemate. That seems to be a good description of where we are as a country and its tearing at our souls. This doesnt just apply to our political divisions, which seem insurmountable, but also to the racial divide in our country.

Nearly 30 years ago, riots broke out in Los Angeles over the acquittal of police officers who had been accused of savagely beating Rodney King. At the height of the riots, an anguished King appeared on television asking the haunting question, Can we all get along? That question is written on his gravestone.

Apparently, the answer seems to be, No, we cant get along. Or can we?

The Rev. Gary Mason, a Methodist minister from Northern Ireland, has spent his life working on how to answer the question, Can we all get along? The divisions in that country were as deep or deeper than anything were currently experiencing in America. And yet, Mason was one of those who became involved in the peace process in Northern Ireland that has led to reconciliation. He was recognized by Queen Elizabeth for his work in the peace process.

At the Last Supper, Jesus prayed that we all may be one. But becoming one doesnt mean its easy nor does it mean we all end up thinking alike. Like those in Northern Ireland, we dont know how to put down our weapons. Here our weapons are words and actions that demonize others, making them seem less than children of God, made in the image of God.

Such violence has led to what Mason calls the mutually hurting stalemate. Those of us who follow Jesus call him the Prince of Peace, but we dont always live into being peacemakers ourselves. We dont know how to disagree well without being disagreeable. We dont know how to have the hard conversations with those who differ from ourselves.

We have just begun the season of Lent and, in my tradition, it began this past week with Ash Wednesday a service of repentance and reconciliation with God and others.

In part of the service called The Litany of Penitence, we ask God to accept our repentance for the wrongs we have done; for our blindness to human need and suffering for all false judgments and for our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ from us.

True repentance is not just acknowledging all the ways we have fallen short but living into a new way of being, a new way of life.

Gary Masons life work is teaching how to live into a new way of being and doing the hard, hard work of reconciliation. Its not wrapping ourselves in a cocoon of naivety that peacemaking is easy. Its not. But, sweet Lord, is it ever necessary, now more than ever.

Mason will be in Augusta for a series of events on Reconciliation: Healing the Hurt. These will be held at Church of the Holy Comforter, 473 Furys Ferry Road, Martinez. The first is a Community Forum on Saturday, March 7 from 6-8 p.m. Then he will be teaching and preaching Sunday, March 8, beginning at 9:15 a.m. in the Rectors Forum and worship at 10:30 a.m. All events are free and open to the public.

After his work in Northern Ireland, Mason started Rethinking Conflict, an institute devoted to social justice, conflict transformation, peace building and addressing religious fundamentalism. He is an adjunct professor at Candler School of Theology and the Kennedy Institute for Conflict Intervention in Maynooth University, Ireland.

Can we all get along? How will you answer that question?

The Rev. Cynthia Taylor is the pastor of the Church of the Holy Comforter in Martinez.

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Cynthia Taylor: Speaker will address the question Can we all get along? - The Augusta Chronicle

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3 High-Risk, High-Reward Stocks That Have Massive Upside Potential – The Motley Fool

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

There are a lot of promising stocks out there for investors to choose from. However, if you're looking for companies with the most growth potential, the world of small-cap stocks is one of the best places to look.

In particular, biotech stocks are very well known for having tremendous upside potential. New drug candidates can easily bring in billions in revenue for companies, should they prove to be a success. However, many of these stocks are quite risky investments, especially since a good number are barely reporting any revenue figures whatsoever.

If you're comfortable with these types of investments, here are three high-risk, high-reward stocks that you should keep your eye out for in the future.

Image source: Getty Images.

Gene editing is an incredibly promising market that many biotech investors are paying close attention to. There are plenty of genetic disorders out there that might not be treatable with today's technology, but could be cured with the use of gene editing treatments in the future. Editas Medicine (NASDAQ:EDIT) is one company in this space that boasts a number of promising drug candidates, and it also has an impressive patent portfolio.

Editas's flagship drug candidate is EDIT-101, a treatment for a rare form of blindness in children called leber congenital amaurosis (LCA), which leads to a loss of eyesight as the retina fails to function properly. Although LCA is rare, affecting only 2 to 3 newborns per 100,000, the good news for Editas is that not many companies out there are trying to treat this condition.

Currently, the only other treatment for LCA is Luxturna, a drug developed by Spark Therapeutics. Besides the massive $850,000 price tag (or $425,000 for just one eye), Luxturna only works for a very specific variant of LCA, with most of the patient population not qualifying for the treatment.

EDIT-101, on the other hand, would be available for all LCA patients. Assuming EDIT-101 is priced somewhere near Luxturna's price point, the company would need to treat just 1,300 LCA patients annually for EDIT-101 to make over $1 billion in revenue. Considering that Editas made only $3.8 million in its recent third-quarter 2019 results, it's easy to see how positive results from this one drug alone could catapult the company's stock to new highs.

EDIT-101 is currently undergoing early clinical trials and likely won't be available for a couple of years at the earliest, if not longer. There is one other small-cap biotech stock,ProQR Therapeutics, working on a possible LCA treatment,but it's doing so without any backing from other, larger pharmaceutical giants.

In comparison, Editas has partnered with Allerganto help commercialize EDIT-101 should it become a success. Having a big partner such as Allergan with strong connections in the industry is a big advantage for any small-cap biotech stock looking to market its candidates.

Back in early January, I argued that Puma Biotechnology (NASDAQ:PBYI) was far from a good investment. By the end of 2019, the stock had lost around95% of its market capin comparison to where it was just a couple years before. Coupled with uncertainties regarding the appeal of its main drug, Puma's future looked very uncertain.

However, the stock has seen a surprising comeback over the past couple of months, surging by about 22%. The weird thing is that there's not much in the way of news to justify this rise. Puma's recent fourth-quarter results were pretty bad, with revenue down 11.5% to $62.9 million from last year, although this still slightly beat out analyst expectations.

Image source: Getty Images.

Puma's main treatment is its cancer drug Nerlynx, which is given to adults who have early stage HER2-positive breast cancer (a form of the disease that tests positive for a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, or HER2, which promotes the growth of cancer cells). The problem is that Nerlynx causes severe diarrhea as a side effect, which has led to a startlingly high discontinuation rate among patients.

While the company is making efforts to tackle this problem, such as providing vouchers for anti-diarrheal medications, it's still uncertain whether Nerlynx sales will recover.

The silver lining behind all this is that Puma is incredibly cheap, with the stock currently trading at a measly 1.9 price-to-sales ratio. While I don't think there's much hope for Nerlynx as a blockbuster cancer drug, there's a solid chance that Puma could become a buyout target for another, larger biotech company, considering how cheap its stock is. Should this happen, shareholders would see a significant surge in Puma's stock price following the news.

If you want to buy in anticipation of this, however, it might be best to wait for the stock to dip back down in value again. Considering that this recent surge doesn't seem backed by anything substantial in terms of news or catalysts, it wouldn't be surprising for the stock to tumble down once more. Long-term, however, Puma has a good shot at becoming an acquisition target, and as such, has a fair bit of upside potential in 2020.

Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XENE) is a small-cap biotech stock that, by the end of the year, could easily have three late-stage drug candidates in its pipeline.

Its flagship drug, XEN496, is one of Xenon's promising epilepsy treatments, and is on the cusp of entering phase 3 trials.

XEN1101 is another epilepsy candidate that's currently in phase 2 trials, while XEN007 is a candidate also in phase 2 trials and is meant as a treatment for orphan neurological indications, which includes symptoms such as migraines, vertigo, and certain types of epilepsy.

Xenon has also grabbed the attention of a number of pharmaceutical giants interested in its drug candidates. Merckand Rocheare the two standouts, while Flexion Therapeuticsand Neurocrine Bioscienceshave also signed strategic partnerships with Xenon.

These agreements have helped finance Xenon's clinical development, with the company receiving $50 million in cash and equity from Neurocrine back in December.

Another one of Xenon's epilepsy drug candidates, XEN901, is eligible for up to $1.7 billion in milestone payments from Neurocrine, should the drug prove to be a success. In comparison, Xenon reported just $3.5 million in third-quarter revenue.

With that much potential upside from just one of Xenon's epilepsy candidates, the optimism surrounding this specific biotech stock is justifiably high.

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3 High-Risk, High-Reward Stocks That Have Massive Upside Potential - The Motley Fool

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Makers of adulterated wine ask customers to check their bottles – The Brussels Times

Sunday, March 1st, 2020

Photo from Antwerp prosecutor's office

The Dutch makers of the wine branded Black & Bianco have called on anyone who bought the wine to check the bottle to see if it has been tampered with.

Earlier in the week it was announced that a Belgian woman from Puurs in Antwerp province had died after drinking a small amount of the wine. At autopsy it was found that the wine had been adulterated with large doses of MDMA or ecstasy and a similar illicit drug MDA.

The bottle she drank from did not have the brands trademark black cork covered with a black foil bearing the companys name and logo. Police hypothesised the bottle was one of several adulterated as a method of smuggling the rugs into Belgium illicitly.

However no new cases have come to light, despite the fact that the victim died in December, and the news this week was widely covered.

In addition, it is not clear how the bottle could have escaped the hands of the smugglers themselves, and finished with a legitimate client in Belgium.

The wine Black & Bianco RED Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon is not sold in Belgium other than online, although it is on open sale in the Netherlands.

Meanwhile a number of the webshops that had previously carried the wine in question have withdrawn it from sale, while the brand owner said the wine is absolutely still drinkable so long as the cork has not been tampered with.

The telephone here doesnt stop ringing. Many of our clients are naturally asking questions. They want to know whats going on, and if there are possibly other bottles that are not right, said owner Coen Scholders.

I can understand their concern, but our wine can absolutely still be drunk. There is for the time being no indication that more of our bottles have been tampered with and are still in circulation.

Meanwhile it has been revealed that the woman who died was an employee of Finshop, a shop operated by the federal finance ministry which sells off goods seized by customs officers to the general public. Three years ago some customers had to be rushed to hospital after a bottle of wine on sale in one of the shops turned out to contain MDMA in methanol a dangerous form of alcohol that can cause blindness and death.

Since then, however, Finshop stores no longer sell wine to members of the public, the ministry said.

Ministry spokesperson Francis Adyns said it was unlikely the woman had come across the wine in the shop and taken it home. The Antwerp prosecutors office said it had no information to suggest that might have happened, but that all avenues of investigation are being looked at.

Alan HopeThe Brussels Times

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Trending News: Ophthalmic Condition Linked to Blindness in Diabetes May Indicate Stroke Risk – Pharmacy Times

Friday, February 14th, 2020

Trending News: Ophthalmic Condition Linked to Blindness in Diabetes May Indicate Stroke Risk

A new phase 1 trial has demonstrated that a PRIMVAC placental malaria vaccine candidate is safe, immunogenic, and induced functional antibodies in volunteers, according to Contagion Live. The study, which marked the first in-human trial of the vaccine candidate, involved a randomized, double-blind trial in 2 staggered phase taking place between April 2016 and July 2017. Antibody titers increased with each successive dose and seroconversion was observed in all women who received the vaccination.

An ophthalmic condition linked to blindness in diabetes could serve as an additional indicator of increased stroke risk, according to HCP Live. An analysis of more than 2500 patients revealed that those who had diabetic retinopathy had an increased risk of stroke compared with patients without diabetes. The study also showed that having diabetic retinopathy was associated with a 60% higher risk of stroke compared with patients with diabetes without the ophthalmic condition. The study authors feel that more aggressive treatment for patients with a risk of stroke and who have been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy may be warranted to reduce risk.

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Trending News: Ophthalmic Condition Linked to Blindness in Diabetes May Indicate Stroke Risk - Pharmacy Times

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Blindness from cataracts on the rise in Sudan – Radio Dabanga

Friday, February 14th, 2020

Ophthalmologists announced an increase of blindness in Sudan during a workshop in Khartoum on Saturday. The reason: it is impossible to reach the marginalised areas of the country to conduct cataract operations there.

Cataract is the main cause of blindness in Sudan. It most commonly affects adults as a result of ageing.

Cataract surgery involves replacing the cloudy lens inside an eye with an artificial one. Cataracts usually get slowly worse over time. Surgery to replace the cloudy lens is the only way to improve eyesight. The operation has a high success rate.

The Sudanese ophthalmologists said that there are patients who cannot cover the costs of the operations because of poverty or dont know they can be treated.

The ophthalmologists pointed out that there are no eye hospitals in several states. Most eye operations and eye treatment are concentrated in Khartoum and the state capitals.

Radio Dabangas editorial independence means that we can continue to provide factual updates about politicaldevelopments to Sudanese and international actors, educate people about how to avoid outbreaks of infectious diseases, and provide a window to the world for those in all corners of Sudan.Support Radio Dabanga for as little as 2.50, the equivalent of a cup of coffee.

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Biomarkers of inflammation and oxidative stress in ophthalmic disorders. – Physician’s Weekly

Friday, February 14th, 2020

The review article focuses on free radicals and oxidative stress involved in ophthalmological diseases such as retinopathy, cataract, glaucoma, etc. Oxidative stress is considered as a key factor involved in the pathology of many chronic diseases including ophthalmic complication and inflammatory process. Oxidative stress and inflammation are closely related pathophysiological processes and are simultaneously found in many pathological conditions. The free radicals produced oxidize cellular components such as lipids and phospholipids leading to lipid peroxidation and trigger the onset of retinopathy. Cataract is a significant cause of visual disability and it is proposed that the high incidence is related to oxidative stress induced by continued intraocular penetration of light and consequent photochemical generation of free radical oxidants. Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness and comprises a group of diseases characterized by progressive optic nerve degeneration. Oxidative injury and altered antioxidant defense mechanisms in glaucoma appear to play a role in the pathophysiology of glaucomatous neurodegeneration that is characterized by death of retinal ganglion cells. The UVB radiations through this way may cause a number of diseases like photo-keratitis, pterygium, damage to epithelium, edema, and corneal cell apoptosis.: ROS: reactive oxygen species; RNS: reactive nitrogen species; O: superoxide anion; HO: hydrogen peroxide;. OH: hydroxyl radicals; ONOO, ONO peroxynitrite; NO: nitric oxide; IOP: intraocular pressure; RGC: retinal ganglion cells. WHO: World Health Organization; IAPB: International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness.

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The Offensiveness Of Color-Blindness In America. – ThyBlackMan

Friday, February 14th, 2020

You are here: Home / News / The Offensiveness Of Color-Blindness In America.Like

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(ThyBlackMan.com) It is difficult to argue against the fact that those among us who insist that they do not see color are balanced between being well-meaning and nave. My familiarity with such types is best expressed by an unemotional reaction to their pleadings for me to join the ranks of the historically illiterate.

Despite what the color-blind brigade believes, I understand that their emotional state vacillates between moments of frustration and uncontrollable white-rage. This matter is at the forefront of my mind due to a recent Facebook posting from what appears to be a well-meaning White lady who insists that she does not see color.

As stated above, I understand that her passion flows from a desperate desire to see all of her countrymen living in harmony. However, she fails to comprehend a fact provided by a former student who posited that America will never get past Race. It is who we are. So how can we ever get past it?

Although I agreed with my students assertion that impressively echoes W.E.B. DuBois ominous warning that the color line will be the problem of the twentieth century, I realized that the source of this post vehemently disagrees with such sensibility.

Experience has taught me that the color-blind brigade wishes for a simpler time that never existed. A cursory examination of their beliefs reveals that We never were what they thought we used to be. Many of their numbers have foolishly advanced the assertion that If we stopped talking about Race it would simply go away!!!!!

I can only imagine that if my exchange with the lady who created the alluded to post were in-person and not via social media that she would scream that I dont see color!!!!! I only see human beings to my face.

Im convinced that the color-blind argument, albeit well-meaning, primarily results from what can only be termed a loose use of language. Put simply; these people do not realize what they are actually saying in their fits of rage. If provided the opportunity to meet with representatives of the color-blind brigade, I would ask them to provide a description of me. I am certain that they would avoid physical descriptors such as my status as an African-American male.

What members of the color-blind brigade fail to consider is that their steadfast denial of physical traits is not complementary to those they are seeking to aid in their color-blindness. It is extremely insulting. They are in effect saying that they must deny a portion of my being to accept me or you. If provided the opportunity, I would advise the color-blind brigade to abandon their standard phraseology in favor of the following.

I recognize your racial identity; however, I do not ascribe any negative characteristics to you because of it.

Trust me when I say that this slight verbal alteration will make a major difference to all and hopefully open a long-overdue dialogue about Race in America.

Staff Writer;Dr. James Thomas Jones III

Official website;http://www.ManhoodRaceCulture.com

One may also connect with this brother viaTwitter;DrJamestJones.

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