StemCell Therapy

The frenetic search for the miracle that will rid the world of COVID-19 is branching out in a thousand directions, and a large part of the microbial treasure hunt is going on in the Bay Area, where major progress has been made in the 100 days since residents were ordered to shelter in place.

Scientists at universities, laboratories, biotechnology companies and drug manufacturers are combing through blood plasma taken from infected patients for secrets that will help them fight the disease.

The key is likely a super-strength antibody found in some patients. But researchers must first figure out how those antibodies work and how they can be harnessed and used to stop the many health problems associated with COVID-19, particularly acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS, which has killed more people than any other complication connected to the disease.

Other developments showing promise include injections of mesenchymal stem cells, found in bone marrow and umbilical cords, that doctors are studying to battle inflammation caused by ARDS. And a steroid called dexamethasone reduced the number of deaths by halting the overreactive immune responses in seriously ill patients in the United Kingdom.

In all, more than 130 vaccines and 220 treatments are being tested worldwide.

What follows is a list of some of the most promising elixirs, medications and vaccines with ties to the Bay Area:

Monoclonal antibodies / Vir Biotechnology, San Francisco: Scientists at Vir and several institutions, including Stanford and UCSF, are studying monoclonal antibodies, which are clones of coronavirus-fighting antibodies produced by COVID-19 patients.

The idea is to utilize these neutralizing antibodies which bind to the virus crown-like spikes and prevent them from entering and hijacking human cells.

Only about 5% of coronavirus patients have these super-strength antibodies, and those people are believed to be immune to a second attack.

The trick for scientists at Vir is to identify these neutralizing antibodies, harvest, purify and clone them. If they succeed, the resulting monoclones could then be used to inoculate people and it is hoped give them long-term immunity against the coronavirus. The company recently signed a deal with Samsung Biologics, in South Korea, to scale up production of a temporary vaccine in the fall after clinical trials are complete.

Another monoclonal antibody, leronlimab, is being studied in coronavirus clinical trials by its Washington state drugmaker, CytoDyn. The companys chief medical officer is in San Francisco, and the company that does laboratory tests of leronlimab is in San Carlos.

Interferon-lambda / Stanford University: Doctors at Stanford are running a trial to see if interferon-lambda, which is administered by injection, helps patients in the early stages of COVID-19. Interferon-lambda is a manufactured version of a naturally occurring protein that has been used to treat hepatitis. Stanford doctors hope it will boost the immune system response to coronavirus infections.

Dr. Upinder Singh, a Stanford infectious-disease expert, said the trial has enrolled more than 50 patients and is halfway finished. We have noted that patients tolerate the drug very well, she said.

Mesenchymal stem cells / UCSF and UC Davis Medical Center: UCSF Dr. Michael Matthay is leading a study about whether a kind of stem cell found in bone marrow can help patients with ARDS. Matthay hopes that the stem cells can help reduce the inflammation associated with some of ARDS most dire respiratory symptoms, and help patients lungs to recover.

Matthay is aiming to enroll 120 patients in San Francisco, the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento and hospitals in a handful of other states. He said the trial, which includes a small number ARDS patients who dont have COVID-19, should have results within a year. So far 17 patients are enrolled in the trial, most of them in San Francisco.

Remdesivir / Gilead Sciences (Foster City): Remdesivir, once conceived as a potential treatment for ebola, was the first drug to show some promise in treating COVID-19 patients. The drug interferes with the process through which the virus replicates itself. A large study led by the federal government generated excitement in late April when officials said hospitalized patients who received remdesivir intravenously recovered faster than those who received a placebo.

A later study looking at dosage showed some benefit for moderately ill COVID-19 patients who received remdesivir for five days, but improvement among those who got it for 10 days was not statistically significant. Gilead, a drug company, recently announced that it will soon launch another clinical trial to see how remdesivir works on 50 pediatric patients, from newborns to teenagers, with moderate to severe COVID-19 symptoms. More than 30 locations in the U.S. and Europe will be involved in the trial, the company said.

Coronavirus crisis: 100 days

Editors note: Its been 100 days since the Bay Area sheltered in place, protecting itself from the coronavirus pandemic. What have we learned in that time? And what does the future hold for the region and its fight against COVID-19? The Chronicle explores the past 100 days and looks to the future in this exclusive report.

Favipiravir / Fujifilm Toyama Chemical (Stanford University): This antiviral drug, developed in 2014 by a subsidiary of the Japanese film company to treat influenza, is undergoing numerous clinical studies worldwide, including a Stanford University trial that began this month. Unlike remdesivir, it can be administered orally, so it can be used to treat patients early in the disease, before hospitalization is necessary.

Stanford epidemiologists want to see if favipiravir, which has shown promising results in other trials, prevents the coronavirus from replicating in human cells, halts the shedding of the virus and reduces the severity of infection. The Stanford study, the only outpatient trial for this drug in the nation, is enrolling 120 people who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 within the past 72 hours. Half of them will get a placebo. People can enroll by emailing treatcovid@stanford.edu.

Colchicine / UCSF (San Francisco and New York): The anti-inflammatory drug commonly used to treat gout flare-ups is being studied in the U.S. by scientists at UCSF and New York University. The drug short-circuits inflammation by decreasing the bodys production of certain proteins, and researchers hope that it will reduce lung complications and prevent deaths from COVID-19. About 6,000 patients are receiving colchicine or a placebo during the clinical trial, dubbed Colcorona, which began in March and is expected to be completed in September.

Selinexor / Kaiser Permanente: Kaiser hospitals in San Francisco, Oakland and Sacramento are studying selinexor, an anticancer drug that blocks a key protein in the cellular machinery for DNA processing, as a potential COVID-19 treatment. The drug has both antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, and its administered orally, according to Kaisers Dr. Jacek Skarbinski. The trial aims to enroll 250 patients with severe symptoms at Kaiser and other hospitals that are participating nationwide.

VXA-COV2-1 / Vaxart, South San Francisco: The biotechnology company Vaxart is testing this drug to see if it is as effective at controlling COVID-19 as trials have shown it to be against influenza. VXA-COV2-1, the only potential vaccine in pill form, uses the genetic code of the coronavirus to trigger a defensive response in mucous membranes. The hope is that the newly fortified membranes will prevent the virus from entering the body.

Its the only vaccine (candidate) that activates the first line of defense, which is the mucosa, said Andrei Floroiu, Vaxarts chief executive, noting that intravenous vaccines kill the virus after it is inside the body. Our vaccine may prevent you from getting infected at all.

The drug was effective against influenza and norovirus in trials and appears to work on laboratory animals, Floroiu said. He expects trials of VXA-COV2-1 on humans to begin later this summer.

VaxiPatch / Verndari (Napa and UC Davis Medical Center): Napa vaccine company Verndari makes a patented adhesive patch that can deliver a vaccine instead of a shot. Now, the company is trying to make a vaccine for COVID-19 that they can administer through that patch. At UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Verndari researchers are developing a potential vaccine that relies on the coronavirus spike-shaped protein. When injected into a person, the substance would ideally train their body to recognize the virus and fight it off without becoming ill.

A spokeswoman told The Chronicle that the companys preclinical tests have shown early, positive data in developing an immune response. Verndari hopes to move into the next phase of testing in the coming weeks and start clinical trials in humans this year.

If the vaccine is proved effective and safe, patients could receive it through the mail, according to company CEO Dr. Daniel Henderson. The patch would leave a temporary mark on the skin that patients could photograph and send to their doctor as proof they have taken the vaccine, Henderson has said.

Peter Fimrite and J.D. Morris are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. Email: pfimrite@sfchronicle.com, jd.morris@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @pfimrite, @thejdmorris

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Efforts at coronavirus vaccines and treatments abound in the Bay Area - San Francisco Chronicle

2020 World Sickle Cell Day: Symptoms of sickle cell can appear around 5 months of age

World Sickle Cell Day is observed on June 19. The day is meant to raise awareness about sickle cell disease, which is a group of disorders that affect haemoglobin, the molecule in red blood cells which deliver oxygen to cells throughout the body. People with this disorder have haemoglobin S, an atypical haemoglobin molecule which can distort red blood cells into a sickle or a crescent shape. This disease is a blood disorder which is inherited and passed down from parents to the child. In 2008, the UN General Assembly recognised sickle cell disease as a public health problem, and one of the world's foremost genetic diseases.

Symptoms of sickle cell disease usually appear around five months of age. The symptoms vary from person to person and change over time.

Symptoms of sickle cell disease can appear from two to five months of age. But in milder cases, the symptoms may appear till teenage.

Sickle cell disease can cause vision problemsPhoto Credit: iStock

Also read:These Iron-Packed Foods Can Combat Anemia And Other Health Problems

One can get infected with sickle cell disease if both parents have the problem gene and pass it on to their child.

1. HbSS or sickle cell anemia is a severe kind of sickle cell disease. It occurs when child inherits sickle cell gene from each parent.

2. HbSc occurs when one parents has sickle cell gene and the other has a gene from abnormal haemoglobin.

3. Hbs beta thalassemia occurs when sickle cell gene is passed from one parent, and beta-thalassemia is passed on from the other.

If only one parent has the problem gene, then the child will not have symptoms but will have the gene known as sickle cell trait.

Also read:Anemia During Pregnancy: Symptoms, Risk Factors And Prevention Steps Every Woman Must Know

Sickle cell can be detected in an infant during newborn screening process. In case of family history, it can be detected during pregnancy.

Bone marrow or stem cell transplant is the only permanent cure for sickle cell disease. Early detection and timely treatment can help in managing symptoms, offer relief from pain and prevent severe complications.

Apart from stem cell transplant, the symptoms can be managed with the help of periodic blood transfusion, pain killers, vaccinations and antibiotics.

Also read:6 Side-Effects Of Overuse Of Antibiotics And Home Remedies By Rujuta Diwekar That Can Be As Effective

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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World Sickle Cell Day 2020: Know The Types, Symptoms, Causes And Treatment - NDTV

In order to understand how COVID-19 spreads throughout the body, ravaging it in myriad ways, doctors are growing miniature balls or organ-like tissue called organoids, and infecting them again and again.

The results, Nature News reports, are particularly troubling: the miniature lungs, livers, kidneys, hearts, intestines all showed signs of damage. The series of studies reveals with shocking clarity that COVID-19 can cause far more than a lung infection.

Of course, thats not exactly news. This harrowing list of survivors and medical workers horror stories gathered by SFGate includes heart attacks, strokes, long-term lung damage, incontinence, skin damage, and other serious complications for supposed mild cases of the coronavirus:

Thats just one of the many, many stories they gathered about the ways a road to recovery from COVID-19 is neither linear nor something that shouldnt be feared.

That said, for all their benefits, organoids are still imperfect. Per Nature, theyre far more simplistic than a full-sized organ. And because theyre not all connected in the same body, doctors can only use them to study the impacts on a single organ in isolation.

We know the cells die but we dont know how, Weill Cornell Medicine stem cell biologist Shuibing Chen told Nature of her study on miniature lungs.

Even though questions remain, its clear those impacts are serious. Various studies found that the coronavirus caused serious damage in several organs, and may lead to indirect damage in others. It also became clear that the coronavirus can infect and spread through blood vessels, leading to a more serious, widespread case.

To figure that out, biologists will need to develop more sophisticated and realistic organoids and try their experiments again, Nature reports.

It is too early to say how relevant they are, Bart Haagmans, an Erasmus MC virologist who ran a study on gut organoids, told Nature.

Original post:
Mini-Organ Research Reveals What COVID-19 Does to the Body - Futurism

Company aims to safely and effectively regenerate a healthy blood and immune system for patients with hematological malignancies, genetic diseases and autoimmune disorders

High precision cell therapies manufactured by Orca Bio have the potential to replace conventional bone marrow transplants and expand the eligible patient population

$192 million Series D financing strengthens the company with resources to propel lead product candidate to completion of clinical development

MENLO PARK, Calif. , June 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Orca Bio, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing high precision allogeneic cell therapies, today announced a Series D financing that brings its total capital raised since its 2016 launch to nearly $300 million. The company creates precisely controlled cell therapies by building each dose cell-by-cell from another persons blood. Each therapy is constructed by formulating a proprietary mixture of cells that aims to cure the patients disease and eliminate dangerous side effects.

Orca Bios $192 million Series D financing was co-led by Lightspeed Venture Partners and an undisclosed investor. Other new and existing blue-chip investors also participated in the latest round, including 8VC, DCVC Bio, ND Capital, Mubadala Investment Company, Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, Kaiser Permanente Group Trust and IMRF.

The financing will support the continued advancement of Orca Bios cell therapy pipeline and its novel manufacturing platform, which sorts blood with single-cell precision and a high level of purity and speed to create optimal therapeutic mixtures of immune and stem cells. These proprietary mixtures have the potential to revolutionize allogeneic cell therapy for hematological and other cancers, as well as many other diseases and disorders.

A conventional bone marrow transplant relies on naturally occurring T cells. However, the uncontrolled cellular composition often results in life-threatening complications. The companys most advanced program, TRGFT-201, is evaluating a highly controlled formulation of T cells that includes subsets of regulatory T cells, in a Phase I/II clinical study in patients with certain blood cancers. The companys second program, OGFT-001, is evaluating a fully controlled cell product candidate that contains a next-generation formulation of T cells, in a Phase I study, also in patients with blood cancers. Orca Bios two ongoing clinical studies are among the largest Phase I cell therapy trials ever conducted. Each product candidate has the potential to deliver curative outcomes for the initial indications Orca Bio is pursuing, as well as the promise to significantly expand the eligible patient population by substantially reducing the severe toxicities associated with conventional bone marrow transplants.

The capital we have raised has formed the launch pad for a world-class, fully integrated allogeneic cell therapy company differentiated from all others, said Ivan Dimov, PhD, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Orca Bio. Replacing bone marrow transplants is a logical first step in next-generation allogeneic cell therapy. While a conventional bone marrow transplant administers an uncontrolled cell product, Orca Bio has been the first to deliver a high precision cell therapy. We are initially focused on advancing two clinical programs in patients with blood cancers and have successfully treated the largest-ever number of patients with a high precision cell therapy. We believe our approach has the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy, and thus the treatment of not only blood cancer, but also many other diseases with significant unmet need, such as a variety of genetic diseases and autoimmune disorders.

With precise reconstitution using highly defined cell preps and a swift reboot of the patients immune system, Orca Bios product candidates have the potential to eliminate fatal side effects, such as graft-versus-host disease, and infections commonly associated with bone marrow transplants while maintaining or enhancing anti-tumor efficacy, said Rick Klausner, MD, an investor and member of Orca Bios advisory board. The possibility of improving cure rates and minimizing toxicity holds the promise of expanding the eligible patient population for successful bone marrow transplantation in cancer.

Orca Bios visionary leadership team, seasoned advisors, solid financial foundation and novel technology make the company uniquely suited to develop truly differentiated, scalable allogeneic cell therapies, said Jonathan MacQuitty, PhD, Venture Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners. I look forward to the Orca Bio teams continued development and commercialization of revolutionary allogeneic cell therapies.

Internationally Recognized Experts and Leaders

Orca Bios leadership, Ivan Dimov, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Nate Fernhoff, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, and Jeroen Bekaert, PhD, Chief Operating Officer, met at Stanford University and launched the company in 2016. Orca Bios board of directors and advisory board are comprised of renowned scientific leaders and seasoned biotech executives with extensive experience in drug discovery and cell-based therapeutics, including:

About Orca Bio

Established in 2016, Orca Bio is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of high precision allogeneic cell therapy products that are designed to safely and effectively replace a patients blood and immune system with a healthy one. The companys proprietary therapeutic and manufacturing platforms are exclusively licensed from Stanford University. The manufacturing platform sorts donor blood with single-cell precision and a high level of purity and speed, enabling the creation of proprietary, optimal therapeutic mixtures of immune and stem cells that have the potential to transform allogeneic cell therapy. The companys lead product candidate is being evaluated in a multi-center Phase I/II clinical trial in patients with blood cancers. For more information, please visit http://www.orcabio.com.

Media Contact: media@orcabio.com

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Orca Bio Emerges With Nearly $300 Million to Transform Allogeneic Cell Therapy - GlobeNewswire

Two small studies published recently suggested most men hospitalised with COVID-19 are bald, generating headlines around the world.

While this may sound strange, science does offer a plausible explanation.

Male pattern baldness is associated with high levels of male sex hormones called androgens. And androgens seem to play an important role in the entry of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, into cells.

So its possible high levels of androgens might increase the risk of severe infection and death from COVID-19.

This hypothesis is important to identify people at risk and raises the possibility of new treatment strategies for COVID-19.

Read more: Why do more men die from coronavirus than women?

Its been obvious from early in the pandemic. Men are at greater risk of severe infection and death from COVID-19 than women.

There are several possible factors at play here. For one, men are more likely to suffer from chronic conditions known to pose a higher risk of serious illness from COVID-19. These include heart disease and diabetes.

Another is that mens immune systems are not as good as womens at warding off the severe effects of viral infections.

These factors are indirectly influenced by sex hormones. Now it seems sex hormones might also have a direct effect on SARS-CoV-2s ability to enter our cells and establish infection.

In one study of 122 male COVID-19 patients admitted to hospitals in Madrid, 79% were bald about double the population frequency.

Another small study in Spain observed a similar overrepresentaton of baldness among men hospitalised with COVID-19.

Read more: Starting to thin out? Hair loss doesn't have to lead to baldness

Male pattern baldness is strongly associated with a higher level of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a more active derivative of testosterone, and one of the androgen family of male sex hormones.

Confirming this correlation between baldness and susceptibility to COVID-19 with larger samples, controlling for age and other conditions, would be significant. It would suggest a higher DHT level could be a risk factor for severe COVID-19.

SARS-CoV-2 enters human lung cells when a protein on the virus surface (the spike protein) latches onto protein receptors (ACE2 receptors) embedded in the cells surfaces.

How does this work? Recently scientists discovered that an enzyme called TMPRSS2 cleaves the SARS-CoV-2s spike protein, enabling it to bind to the ACE2 receptor. This allows the virus to enter the cell.

The gene that encodes TMPRSS2 is activated when male hormones, particularly DHT, bind to the androgen receptor (a protein on the surface of cells, including hair cells and lung cells).

So the more male hormone, the more androgen receptor binding, the more TMPRSS2 is present, and the easier it is for virus to get in.

A preliminary, non-peer-reviewed study which correlated the androgen levels of hundreds of people in the UK with COVID-19 severity supports this theory. Higher androgen level was associated with susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19 in men (but not women, who have much lower androgen levels in their blood).

The same researchers showed that inhibiting androgen receptors reduced the ability of SARS-CoV-2s spike protein to bind to ACE2 receptors on stem cells in culture.

Over- or underproduction of androgens in the body causes a variety of conditions in both men and women.

For instance, men with benign prostate enlargement overproduce androgen, as do women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Many such conditions are treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), which inhibits the production or effect of androgens. For instance, prostate cancer, in which cancer cell growth is fuelled by androgens, is routinely treated with ADT.

Conversely, some people have low androgen production, or mutations that affect the binding and action of androgens such as women with androgen insensitivity syndrome caused by mutations of the androgen receptor.

It will be important to find out whether, as the androgen hypothesis predicts, patients with over- or under-production of male hormones are at greater or lesser risk of COVID-19.

Read more: How can I treat myself if I've got or think I've got coronavirus?

If the androgen link holds up, this would encourage exploration of anti-androgens as a way to prevent and treat COVID-19.

Many anti-androgens are already approved for the treatment of other conditions. Some, like baldness treatments, have been used safely for years or decades. Some, like cancer treatments, can be tolerated for months.

A study which looked at men hospitalised with COVID-19 in Italy showed the rate of infection was four times lower in prostate cancer patients on ADT than in untreated cancer patients.

Perhaps a single dose given to someone who tests positive to SARS-CoV-2, or has just been exposed, would suffice to lower the chance of the virus taking hold.

But we need research to confirm this. Several androgen-suppressing drugs are now undergoing clinical trials to determine whether they reduce complications among men with COVID-19.

It will be important to verify that anti-androgen treatment works in the lungs as well as the prostate, and is effective in cancer-free patients. Wed also need to find out what dose is effective, and when it should be administered.

Anti-androgen treatments have several side effects in men, including breast enlargement and sexual dysfunction, so medical oversight is a must.

The androgen link could go a long way to explaining why men are more susceptible to COVID-19 than women. It also may explain why children younger than ten seem very resistant to COVID-19 because, until puberty, boys as well as girls make little androgen.

The more we know about who is at heightened risk from COVID-19, the better we can target information.

The androgen link also opens up an avenue for the discovery of drugs which might mitigate some of the impact of COVID-19 as it continues to sweep the globe.

Read more: COVID-19's deadliness for men is revealing why researchers should have been studying immune system sex differences years ago

Read more:
Coronavirus and sex hormones baldness may be a risk factor and anti-androgens a treatment - The Conversation AU

Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech's Race for the Future of Food, by Chase Purdy Portfolio hide caption

Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech's Race for the Future of Food, by Chase Purdy

What is meat? You might say it's simple: water, fat, muscle, connective tissue you know, all that tasty-sounding stuff.

But those at the forefront of developing cell-cultured meat have a different idea. Maybe meat is the product not of killing animals but of cultural consensus.

At the center of Chase Purdy's briskly paced and quietly bold Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech's Race for the Future of Food is Josh Tetrick, a San Francisco-based entrepreneur and CEO of Just Inc. Tetrick's company and a handful of others like it are growing cell-cultured meat that tastes, feels and looks like the livestock-harvested meat that people are used to except without the farms and killing of animals. And before anyone raises a skeptical brow: Yes, it's actually meat. Technically, at least. The struggle for mainstream acceptance of cell-cultured meat is real. Convincing the American public that cells grown in "serum" in a big vat is meat will be challenging, but it could happen and sooner than you might think.

Meat, it seems, is all about what consumers are used to. For the sake of the planet and the future of food sustainability, it might be time to reconsider meat harvested from dead animals. If we're going to eat meat at all, eliminating the need to kill an animal that consumes food resources humans could otherwise be using and that's also captive to an industry that pollutes the air and soil and deforests broad swaths of the planet might be a good start.

One of Purdy's strengths is his ease in exposition. He can even be charmingly teacherlike at times. Take, for instance, how he describes how cell-cultured meat is grown, starting with cells taken from a live animal.

"The scientists at cell-cultured meat companies identify which cells are stem cells. Whereas ordinary cells have limited utility, stem cells can divide and multiply many times, and they can transform into any of the more than two hundred types of cells that operate within animal bodies.

Think of our cells as individuals on a building construction site. Some are assigned to lay cement, some are trained as carpenters, and another might be an electrician. Together, they work harmoniously to build different components of the larger structure. But it is possible to pluck a cement worker from her job, send her to classes where she'll learn about wiring, plugs, and sockets. Then she can be sent back into the field as a newly trained electrician. The same thing can happen on a molecular level."

That's not all though. Scientists grow those cells in a kind of liquid. Because lab-grown meat doesn't have blood to circulate nutrients like living bodies do, scientists at Just and companies like it use a kind of "serum" that contains sugars, lipids, hormones and amino acids, as well as many hundreds of proteins that carry out functions such as transporting insulin, which helps grow cultured vertebrate cells, or transferrin, which delivers iron to cells. Oh, and all this takes place in vats that can look straight out of a brewery.

In covering the business side of cell-cultured meat, Purdy could have written a hagiographic account of Tetrick and Just; refreshingly, he chose not to. This could have been another Steve Jobs-type story no one needs, where a visionary has a great idea that will change the world and then, after the world gets changed wait for it said visionary gets really rich too. Then, as Americans, we're left undecided as to whether we admire the accomplishment or the wealth more. Instead, Purdy's book reads more realistically, like the teasing out of a tangled dance among entrenched meat producers, a few ambitious start-ups, early pioneers, regulatory complications and consumer skepticism.

It's the lack of heroes that, in part, makes this such an interesting story and topic. Tetrick knew from his early years that he cared about animal welfare and that he wanted to do something good for the world. He drifted through law school and still was unsure about a proper course for his life. He decided on cell-cultured meat as a cause and business because he saw opportunity and it aligned with his values and so he decided to take it. And in the depiction of Tetrick, Purdy is careful to allow him to tell his story, as well as capture others' stories of him, some of which are unflattering. Meat, however, stays front and center in this story. It keeps you hungry.

Still, there's the moral and ethical matter of manipulating nature to serve human ends. Sure, other forms of this kind of manipulation go by the names "civilization" or "technology," but the issues arising from cell-cultured meat aren't minor. Essentially it's cloning. Purdy asks Peter Singer, a Princeton University bioethics professor and the author of Animal Liberation, whether growing meat in vats violates the natural order and if he has a problem with it. "No, I don't, to be honest," Singer says. "I think we can and always have striven to do better than nature. ... I don't think nature is in any way a gold standard."

Alice Waters, famous chef of Chez Panisse in Berkeley, Calif., sees things differently. She tells Purdy: "I really think of my food as deeply connected to nature. It has to do with seasonality; it has to do with a complexity of soil that grows the vegetables that the animals eat. I think it's what nourishes us." This might be true, but most people don't (and can't) get their meat locally sourced, even if that would be ideal. Sustainable consumption of meat might just require more cell-cultured meat than its livestock-harvested antecedent.

Purdy rightly leaves the humans vs. nature debate aside, though, after teasing out the positions, and gets back to the big question: What is meat? Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche wrote that "there is no feast without cruelty," but he clearly did not live to see the still ambiguous but encouraging promise of cell-cultured meat. Meat, oddly enough, might just be what we agree meat is. Heretofore it was the flesh of a dead animal. Now it can be engineered in a lab to have the same properties that a living animal's flesh would have.

If the taste and texture are the same and if the cost is manageable, why not? Now, when someone says, "It tastes like chicken," you can say: "It is chicken." It's grilling without the killing.

Nicholas Cannariato is a writer and editor based in Chicago.

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What Is Meat?: 'Billion Dollar Burger' Looks At The Future Of Food - NPR

SINGAPORE: About nine months ago, doctors in the UK told Oscar Saxelby-Lees parents there was nothing more they could do for him all treatment options had been exhausted and there was only palliative care left for the little boy.

But after coming to Singapore for anexperimental treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, Oscar is now almost ready to go home after receiving news on Monday (Jun 15) he has been free of cancer for almost six months.

Since he was diagnosed in December 2018, he hasundergone rounds of chemotherapy, months in isolation, several stem cell transplants and a treatment in Singapore that only one other child in the world has received.

The six-year-old is set to undergo a check up later this week, and will hope to be given the all clear to fly home, his mother Olivia told CNA.

Hes like our little miracle. Its incredible, I couldnt express to you the feelings were feeling now, she said.

As long as all is okay and nothing needs to happen, or nothing needs to be changed, then we should be ready to go (home), which is incredible and for Oscar, is everything.

Hes a little boy who wants to experience life and to most of all, be with his family. He is really excited about it."

Going home will bringits own difficulties.

It is a huge step to go back. Singapore is our security net, and thats why its so hard for us as parents to kind of pack up and go and leave, Olivia explained.

I say a security net for us because when we go home, if anything were to happen to Oscar we are kind of worried because if anything did happen, where would you go?

But to just see our family again we are desperate just to get home to see people, just to see them.

"I know at the moment it is difficult, but just to have a cuddle, or you know, some support in front of us rather than over the phone or virtually its a real hard situation to be in.

COMPASSIONATE TREATMENT WAS LAST HOPE

The treatment atNUH was Oscars last hope. In the UK, doctors had battled for months to rid his body of the cancer.

But despite a stem cell transplant and four rounds of chemotherapy that left him very weak, the leukaemia kept coming back.Doctors told his parents there was no other treatment, and that the cancer would take his life.

The little boy from Worcester, England flew to Singapore after the family crowdfunded 500,000 (S$885,000) for a new form of treatment, in which immune cells from a patients blood aredrawn and equipped with a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR-T).

The receptor binds itself to a specific protein on the cancer cell and activates the CAR-T cells to kill the cancer cells.

This particular form of CAR-T treatment is different and more difficult because the leukaemia cells resemble Oscars immunity system, Associate Professor Allen Yeoh, head of paediatric oncology at NUH, explained previously.

Oscar started treatment on Christmas Eve last year and three weeks later, was given the best news that there were no detectable cancer cells in his body the first major step. But there were always concerns the cancer could make a comeback, as it did previously.

Diseases like Oscars are really reluctant to give up, theyre quite vile, Olivia said. It gets progressively nasty.

IT HAS BEEN RELENTLESS

Over the last few months, Oscar has battled several conditions as a result of complications and undergone more surgeries and transplants.

He was diagnosed with both Graft versus host disease (GvHD) and Thrombotic microangiopathy(TMA) that caused him shaking spells, pain and weakness.

Brain damage also caused him problems with his mobility, and he uses a frame or needs a hand to walk.

Some of the side effects of the treatment have been relentless, Olivia said, adding that Oscar suffers from sickness, diarrhea, mood swings and mobility issues.

Hes had really bad tremors since he was diagnosed with brain damage post CAR-T (treatment). But he has done amazingly well with it, she said.

Hes had numerous side effects. It goes from something as simple as hair loss to, you know, real damage to the body. Oscar has struggled immensely from his mobility.

He's very frail, his legs are very weak. He is only just managing to walk without a (walking) frame.

Oscar was discharged just days after Singapore implemented a circuit breaker to curb the spread of COVID-19, and he has been battling the tremors while staying in.

Hes walking with a parents hand, or just about, maybe taking a couple of steps. Its like training a toddler again, and its really hard.

He's come so far but yet he's got so much to cope with on top. It's so hard.

But for Oscar, battling to get back on his feet is not new. When he first arrived in Singapore in November last year, he was so weak from the rounds of chemotherapy and months in isolation that bruises developed on his legs when he walked.

He manages to plow through, he's such a trooper. He really is in an inspiration to us.

It is a huge mountain of accomplishment for the six-year-old boy, Olivia said. We continue to remind him everyday of how far hes come, and how far he will go.

Olivia said they are "so grateful"to the medical staff at NUH for saving Oscars life.

The teams have been incredibly strong with us, and theyve supported our every decision, she said. They are just incredible."

She thanked Dr Frances Yeap, a consultant in paediatric oncology at the hospital and Prof Yeoh, who actually made us come here and forget about everybody elses opinion.

The nurses in Ward 8B at the hospital have also been a source of support for them, Olivia said.

They are a great team and the nurses. The consultants and the team have never doubted Oscar. We are so grateful. They have saved Oscars life.

Read more from the original source:
British boy who came to Singapore for treatment for aggressive cancer is 'almost ready to go home' - CNA

Arthritis pain can lead to a number of debilitating symptoms that patients will want to try and avoid.

The condition can make life more difficult when carrying out simply, everyday tasks.

But, just some simple lifestyle changes could go a long way in helping to prevent arthritis symptoms from flaring up.

One of the best ways to avoid triggering arthritis symptoms is to eat more nuts, it's been revealed.

READ MORE: Arthritis warning - the common vegetable you should avoid

"Certain foods can actually help to ease arthritis symptoms and improve your overall joint health," said Penn Medicine.

"Along with the use of medications, a proper diet can curb the inflammatory responses from the body that cause pain.

"Almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios and walnuts contain high amounts of fibre, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamin E and Omega-3 fats which all have anti-inflammatory effects.

"Nuts are also heart-healthy, which is particularly important for people with rheumatoid arthritis, since they have twice the risk of heart disease as healthy adults."

Common arthritis symptoms include joint pain, inflammation, and restricted movement.

There are two key types of arthritis in the UK; osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis to be diagnosed in the UK - around nine million people are believed to have osteoarthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis, meanwhile, is an auto-immune disease that has been diagnosed in about 400,000 individuals.

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Arthritis pain - the cheap snack you should add to your shopping list to avoid symptoms - Express.co.uk

This article was originally published on CBD Seniors. To view the original article, click here.

In the United States, 23 percent of adults suffer from arthritis. Around the world, 350 million people have this condition. While most people who have arthritis are age 65 or older, there are still many young and middle-aged adults who also have this condition.

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for arthritis. The best thing that scientists can currently do for the condition is alleviate the symptoms and slow down the progression of the disease. By reducing the bodys inflammatory response, doctors can help you live in less pain for longer. While every drug carries some risks and side effects, cannabidiol (CBD) is showing promise as a way to treat the pain of arthritis and reduce the progression of the disease. How Does CBD Help?

Thanks to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, farmers can now grow and process hemp in the United States. Because of this, CBD is now widely available online for people across the country. In addition to helping with conditions like insomnia and anxiety, research also shows that CBD can help alleviate pain as well.

CBD is a chemical compound that is naturally found within cannabis plants. While this compound will not make you high, it does have other useful benefits. Since cannabis was completely illegal until very recently, scientists are still working to understand the effects of using cannabis. CBD is only one out of dozens of different cannabinoids in cannabis, so other cannabinoids may have additional effects as well.

In the United States, people can readily buy CBD balm, tinctures, vaporizers and gummies. One study by Harris Poll found that 85 percent of Americans have already heard about CBD. Out of these adults, more than 20 percent have actually tried it.

Once CBD is extracted from cannabis, it can be used to treat ailments ranging from anxiety to chronic stress. CBD works by targeting receptors in the endogenous cannabinoid system. The cannabinoid system consists of neurotransmitters that naturally bind to cannabinoid receptors. These cannabinoid receptor proteins are naturally made in the human body. CBD targets the same receptors in order to alleviate pain, anxiety and stress.

Currently, about 55 percent of users state that they take CBD in order to relax.An estimated half of people use CBD for anxiety and stress. The next most common reason why people used CBD was for pain. In addition, some people use CBD for menstrual symptoms, migraines, nausea and sexual enhancement.

What Does the Research Say?

Because CBD was illegal like the rest of the cannabis plant, researchers are still trying to gain a better understanding of how effective this drug is for various conditions. In addition, researchers still need to figure out effective dosages. In rats, moderate doses of CBD have been shown to produce an anti-anxiety effect.

Another rat study shows that oral and topical solutions of CBD can help to alleviate pain. This particular study involved scientists exposing the rats sciatic nerves using an incision. Then, they constricted the nerves. Another part of the study involved injecting bacteria into the rats paws to cause inflammation. Afterward, the scientists gave the rats CBD or a placebo for a week. They applied pressure or heat to the rats legs to see how their reaction changed in comparison to their pre-study reactions. The rats that received CBD had less pain than the control group.

In a 2010 study of human patients, 177 people experiencing cancer-related pain were given extracts of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and CBD. The patients who received extracts with THC and CBD were twice as likely to experience pain relief as the patients who received just THC. This seems to indicate that CBD alone or the combination of the two is the component that leads to pain relief.

Related: Looking for reliable CBD products backed by lab-test results? Check out RealTestedCBD.

CBD and Arthritis Pain

An estimated 54 million Americans suffer from arthritis. Out of this number, 24 million Americans have to limit their daily activities because of arthritis. While people may say they just have arthritis, arthritis is actually a term that covers more than 100 different conditions. All of these conditions involve some level of swelling, pain and stiffness. With certain kinds of arthritis, the organs can also be affected.

The most common type of arthritis is osteoarthritis. This is the form that causes cartilage to deteriorate. Since this cartilage helps to protect your bones from friction, it can lead to pain and joint damage. People who experience this condition can develop inflammation as well. Because it takes time for cartilage to deteriorate, this condition typically affects the elderly more than it affects young adults.

Inflammatory arthritis like psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis are connected to autoimmune conditions. These kinds of conditions develop because the immune system thinks that it is under attack from invaders. Instead of attacking invading viruses, the body attacks organs or bones. This leads to severe pain and inflammation.

Once someone experiences joint deterioration, the symptoms tend to get worse over time. Other than treating joint and nerve pain, many patients also need help with inflammation. By using CBD, you might be able to limit your joint pain, inflammation and mobility issues. Arthritis symptoms like stiffness, decreased joint movement and pain tend to respond well to CBD.

How the Endocannabinoid System Works

The endocannabinoid system is a fairly recent discovery. It was discovered after researchers started learning about the way cannabis affects the body, which is how this system got its name. People have used cannabis for therapeutic purposes for centuries. In 1964, researchers finally managed to isolate THC. Amazingly, this was the first time scientists learned how cannabis made people high.

Out of all of the cannabinoids, THC is the most abundant in the plant. THC affects neuronal signaling in the body. During the 1990s, researchers found different cannabinoid receptors in the body. Researchers discovered that THC binds with CB1 receptors in the central nervous system. Outside of the central nervous system, THC binds with CB2 receptors. CBD is also thought to work closely with CB2 receptors, which are known to regulate the immune system. The human body does not have cannabinoid systems and receptors by accident.

These receptors were designed to work with natural cannabinoids that your body produces. There are actually two other types of endocannabinoid receptors, but scientists are still uncertain about what these receptors do.

Your cannabinoid system is responsible for processes involving learning, executive function, memory, emotions, sensory reception, motor function and decision making. Your cannabinoid receptors are located in the central nervous system and peripheral nerves. By making changes to the endocannabinoid system by taking CBD, you may be able to reduce your perceived pain and change any processes that are affected by the cannabinoid system.

The Benefits of CBD for Arthritis

Recent studies show that 42 percent of Baby Boomers already use CBD to help with their joint point. In animal research, CBD has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. By taking CBD, you may be able to reduce the signs and symptoms of arthritis.

Pain Suppression

One of the major reasons why people use CBD for arthritis is to reduce pain. Recent studies show that 62.2 percent of marijuana users took marijuana for pain relief. Almost all seniors experience some kind of pain later in life, and CBD can help reduce this pain. Cannabis and CBD are especially useful for joint pain from conditions like arthritis.

Nerve Protectant

Interestingly, CBD can also protect your nerves. It helps to reduce joint neuropathy. This is one of the reasons why it is useful for conditions like arthritis, multiple sclerosis and cancer.

Joint Support

Another one of the ways CBD can help is by supporting the joints. Taking CBD can reduce the inflammation around your joints. Reduced inflammation can also improve the symptoms of other diseases as well.

Insomnia Reduction

When you are in a lot of pain, it can feel impossible to sleep at night. In one study of Sativex and rheumatoid arthritis, many participants were able to sleep better when they used the drug. Cannabinoid products can help reduce physical discomfort and inflammation, which can naturally improve the quality of your sleep.

How Can You Use CBD?

You no longer have to roll a joint to use cannabis. Instead, there is a wide variety of different methods available for taking CBD. From edibles to topicals, you can choose the option that works best for you.

Until recently, the legality of CBD was in question. Some states legalized medical marijuana and recreational marijuana, but marijuana was still illegal on a federal level. Since CBD is made from the cannabis plant, this essentially meant that CBD was illegal.

More recently, the 2018 Farm Bill finally became law. This bill essentially legalized hemp under federal law with a few important caveats. While growers could produce hemp and CBD, they were not allowed to produce THC. Farmers can legally grow hemp, but the hemp is not allowed to have any THC in it. Is CBD Safe?

One of the biggest problems with CBD is knowing how much to take and which drugs to avoid. Because CBD has not gone through major clinical trials yet, there are still many unknowns about things like the dosage and other factors. If a medication is strong enough to cause a cure, it is safe to assume that it is also strong enough to cause side effects and drug interactions. Current research and anecdotal reports generally indicate very few side effects associated with CBD, but there are some potential risks to keep in mind.

Because of the potential side effects, it is important to talk to your doctor before taking CBD. This is especially important if you have other medical conditions or take any medications. CBD can change how prescription medications are processed in the liver. This means it can potentially cause drug interactions with medications like Zofran, Clozaril, Endometrin, Luminal, Valium, Prilosec, Motrin, Celebrex, Paxil and Allegra.

In general, most experts agree that CBD is safe to take. It carries very low risks. Currently, there has never been a reported case of a CBD overdose. CBD can potentially cause drowsiness for some users, so you should remember this if you plan on operating heavy machinery or driving. How Can You Use CBD for Arthritis?

When you first start using CBD, it is a good idea to start with a low dosage. By doing this, you can give your body time to adjust to the medication. If you do not see results, you can always increase your dose later on. Most people take CBD twice a day. In the beginning, people often start with a dose between 5 and 10 milligrams. If this does not alleviate your symptoms, you can gradually increase your dosage incrementally until you reach up to 100 milligrams a day. While scientists still do not know how all of the cannabinoids work, it seems like some cannabinoids work better when they are taken together. For example, taking THC and CBD at the same time may increase the effectiveness of your dose. With a full-spectrum oil or isolate, you can get a range of cannabinoids instead of just CBD.

For arthritis pain, some people start by just using the product at night so that they can sleep better. You can also start by using a topical product or vaping so that you get immediate effects. Then, you can use edibles. Candies and edible products take longer to take effect, but the effects last longer. Vaping the extract allows CBD to get into your bloodstream quickly, which is useful for acute pain relief.

If you use CBD orally, remember that your body may be unable to absorb the CBD for around an hour. Once the oral CBD is absorbed, it can last for a long time. If you have localized pain, you may want to use a topical remedy like a salve, lotion or balm instead. When you apply a CBD gel on the affected area, you can instantly get relief for acute pain, swelling and inflammation.

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The Ultimate Guide to CBD and Seniors With Arthritis - Cleveland Scene

EXTON, Pa., June 23, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Spherix recently published the inaugural report of the semiannual report series included in their RealTime Dynamix: Psoriatic Arthritis (EU)service, which captured the responses of 246 EU5 rheumatologists surveyed last month. The market intelligence firm has been closely tracking the US psoriatic arthritis (PsA) market on a quarterly basis since 2016 and has observed a relatively stagnant treatment landscape over the past few years. However, the possible introduction of Janssen's IL-23 inhibitor, Tremfya, to both the EU and US PsA markets before the year is over will carry with it the debut of a novel class to the indication, likely causing a stir in rheumatologists' treatment algorithm.

According to the new Spherix report, TNF inhibitor use for the treatment of PsA across the EU5 remains widespread, accounting for two-thirds of all biologic/small molecule-treated patients. For adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab, use is relatively split between biosimilars and the branded reference agent (AbbVie's Humira, Amgen's Enbrel, and Janssen's Remicade, respectively), though use of Enbrel has been most eroded by generic competition.

When looking at use of alternate mechanism of action (AMOA) agents, Novartis' Cosentyx is the most penetrated brand across the EU5, showcasing the highest user base and self-reported brand share among all AMOA agents, followed by Janssen's Stelara. Eli Lilly's second-in-class IL-17 inhibitor, Taltz, has yet to reach the same heights as Cosentyx, and EU5 rheumatologists most often cite their level of experience as the key differentiator between the two agents. This, coupled with the fact that only one-quarter of respondents believe the two IL-17 inhibitors to be completely interchangeable, suggests that Taltz has ample room to grow (given more experience with the brand).

In fact, when assessing rheumatologists' six-month projected biologic/small molecule brand share in PsA, Taltz and Pfizer's Xeljanz are poised for the greatest growth. While Xeljanz is currently even-keeled with Taltz, Lilly's agent is expected to outgrow Pfizer's in the coming months, with anticipated share of Taltz expected to nearly double.

Despite the advantage of oral administration and a unique MOA in the EU PsA market, Xeljanz is struggling to surpass rheumatologists' expectations, and the majority of use is seen in second or later lines of therapy. Just shy of two years post EMA approval, respondents report long-term safety concerns as the most common primary barrier to use for the JAK inhibitor.

Interestingly, Spherix data included in a complementary service reveals EU5 rheumatologists' noticeable preference for Lilly's Olumiant over Xeljanz for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, and respondents perceive Olumiant's JAK 1/2 pathway to be the safest option regarding cardiovascular side effects. This is likely a contributing factor in addition to a longer tenure and multiple EMA-approved dosing options in RA to the slower anticipated uptake of Xeljanz in the EU5 PsA market, as prescribers may see the TNF or IL-17 inhibitors as more viable options concerning both safety and efficacy.

Nonetheless, Tremfya (guselkumab), which is in Phase 3 clinical trials for treatment in PsA, is currently under EMA review for EU approval. The introduction of the IL-23 inhibitor will be the first of its class and is expected to throw a curve in rheumatologists' current trajectories. Surveyed rheumatologists also provided six-month projected use patterns considering the commercialization of Tremfya in PsA, and respondents estimate the new entrant will capture a sizeable portion of the market.

As a result, in a post-Tremfya world, EU5 rheumatologists predict continued erosion of the TNF inhibitors and a significant reduction in the projected growth for Taltz and Xeljanz. Cosentyx share is also slated to decrease while Stelara and BMS' Orencia remain relatively stable. One-quarter of surveyed respondents consider Tremfya to be an advance over other treatments, and the majority cite "efficacy in skin/use in psoriasis" as the greatest advantage of the IL-23 class. On the other hand, perceived efficacy of the IL-23 inhibitors could also contribute to lackluster penetration of the class, as overall efficacy was also the number one disadvantage reported by rheumatologists, likely referring to unknown performance in joints for the treatment of PsA.

That is where other late-stage pipeline assets come in and set the stage for an even more dynamic future treatment landscape. Earlier this month, AbbVie announced the EMA regulatory application submission for their JAK inhibitor, Rinvoq (upadacitinib), for the treatment of PsA. While the JAK will likely come second to the Tremfya launch and will not bring with it the introduction of a novel class, early uptake and encouraging efficacy perceptions of Rinvoq for the treatment RA will likely translate to greater use in PsA (granted looming safety concerns surrounding the class do not prevail).

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

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

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

For more information contact:Kristen Henn, Business Development ManagerEmail:info@spherixglobalinsights.comwww.spherixglobalinsights.com

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EU5 Rheumatologists Expect the Introduction of Janssen's Tremfya in Psoriatic Arthritis to Blunt Anticipated Growth of Eli Lilly's Taltz, Novartis'...

The latest report pertaining to Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market provides a detailed analysis regarding market size, revenue estimations and growth rate of the industry. In addition, the report illustrates the major obstacles and newest growth strategies adopted by leading manufacturers who are a part of the competitive landscape of this market.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term, progressive and disabling autoimmune disease (as in this condition a persons immune system mistakes the bodys healthy tissues for foreign invaders). It is also a systemic disease, which means it affects the whole body. It causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in and around the joints and other body organs.

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It most commonly affects the hands and feet first, but it can occur in any joint. Its major symptoms includes; pain, swelling, and stiffness in more than one joint, symmetrical joint involvement, joint deformity, unsteadiness when walking, a general feeling of being unwell, fever, loss of function and mobility, weight loss, weakness and others. There are several different types of rheumatoid arthritis, some of them are seropositive RA, seronegative RA and JIA (juvenile idiopathic arthritis). It affects adults of any age, although most people are diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 60 and it is two to three times more common among women than men. A diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis is based on the patients symptoms, a physical examination and the results of x-rays, scans and blood tests.

Global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market report is segmented on the basis of type, end-user and region & country level. Based upon type, global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is classified into serology tests and monitoring rheumatoid arthritis treatment efficiency tests. The serology tests segment is further categorized into erythrocyte sedimentation rate, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, uric acid and others. The monitoring rheumatoid arthritis treatment efficiency tests segment is further categorized into muscle enzyme tests, salicylate level count and creatinine test. Based upon end-user, global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is divided into hospitals, diagnostics laboratories and ambulatory surgical centers.

The regions covered in this Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the World. On the basis of country level, the market of rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests is sub divided into U.S., Mexico, Canada, U.K., France, Germany, Italy, China, Japan, India, South East Asia, Middle East Asia (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt) GCC, Africa, etc.

Key Players

Some major key players for Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market are Antibodies Inc., Euro Diagnostica AB, Qiagen NV, Siemens Healthcare GmbH, Bio Rad Laboratories Inc., Genway Biotech, Inc., Abbott Diagnostics, Beckman Coulter, Inc., F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. and others.

Increasing Aging Population Coupled with the Increasing Prevalence of Rheumatoid Arthritis is Expected to Drive the Market Growth.

The major factor driving the growth of global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is increasing aging population coupled with the increasing prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis globally. For example; As per National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S.; The number of people with rheumatoid arthritis is projected to increase from 422,309 in 2015 to 579,915 in 2030. Health care costs for rheumatoid arthritis were estimated to be over $550 million in 2015, including $273 million spent on biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. Health care costs for rheumatoid arthritis are projected to rise to over $755 million by the year 2030.

In addition, increasing cases of obesity and growing cigarette smoking population are also anticipated to drive the growth of global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market. As Cigarette smoking significantly increases the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and obese people significantly have greater chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis than the healthy weight person. For example; the model created by Dr. Finkelstein and his colleagues at Duke and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that the U.S. obesity rate will be at 42% by 2030. Furthermore, increasing awareness about the rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests and improving healthcare infrastructure are also supplementing the growth of the market. However, higher costs of these RA diagnostic test kits may hamper the market growth.

North America is Expected to Dominate the Global Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market

The global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific Latin America and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to dominate the global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market within the forecast period attributed to the highly developed healthcare infrastructure and increased awareness in this region. Europe is projected to capture the significant share of global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market owing to the increasing obese population in this region. For example; The percentage of obese people in the countries of the European Union continues to increase every year. The dynamics of obesity growth in Europe is greater for men than for women (3.09% per year vs. 1.92% per year). With the growth rate remaining at the estimated level, in 2030 there will probably be more obese men (38.1%) than women (32.7%) in Poland, and in Europe likewise 36.6% and 32.0%, respectively. Asia Pacific is anticipated to witness a lucrative growth in global rheumatoid arthritis diagnosis tests market owing to the increasing research and development for new and more effective treatments and increasing cases of autoimmune diseases in this region.

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Rheumatoid Arthritis Diagnosis Tests Market Types, Trends, Size, Share, Industry Insights, Trends and Forecast upto 2025 - Cole of Duty

Significant increases were observed over time in age at arthroplasty and disease duration before the first arthroplasty in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), according to study results published in Arthritis Care & Research. Researchers noted that JIA category, calendar year of arthroplasty, and the presence of complications were significantly associated with implant survival.

Investigators conducted a retrospective cohort study of patients with JIA who underwent total joint replacement surgery at a hospital in Milan, Italy between January 1992 and June 2019. Demographic and clinical data were extracted from patients medical records. Patients were followed up from their arthroplasty for implant survival, complications, and/or revision surgeries. The primary aim of the study was to describe trends in arthroplasty. Implant survival was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method; predictors of survival were identified using Cox regression models.

Between 1992 and 2019, a total of 198 arthroplasties were observed in 85 patients (65% women). Median age at first prosthesis was 22.7 years and median disease duration before the first implant was 17.4 years. The most represented JIA categories were polyarticular and systemic JIA. No significant differences in age at arthroplasty, disease duration before surgery, number of implants, and rate of complications were observed between JIA categories. The most frequently replaced joint was the hip, followed by the knee and ankle.

Compared with patients who underwent surgery before 2000, patients treated after 2010 were significantly older (mean ages, 21.93 vs 27.81 years, respectively). Similarly, mean disease duration before arthroplasty increased from 16.98 to 22.93 years. Rates of implant survival at 5, 10, and 15 years ranged from 84% to 89%, with 52% of implants lasting for 20 years. Compared with patients with polyarticular JIA, those with systemic JIA had lower survival rates at 10, 15, and 20 years (P <.001). According to multivariate analysis, the year of surgery was significantly associated with implant survival (hazard ratio [HR], 1.0004; 95% CI, 1.0002-1.0006; P <.001). The absence of complications predicted greater survival (HR, 3.69; 95% CI, 1.82-7.48; P <.001).

Between 1992 and 2019, significant upward trends were observed in age at arthroplasty and disease duration before arthroplasty in a cohort of patients with JIA. Procedure year, complications, and JIA subtype were each significantly associated with implant survival.

As study limitations, investigators noted the lack of data on implant functionality and health-related quality of life, as implant survival alone may have be an insufficient measure of arthroplasty experience. The upward trend in age at arthroplasty could have reflected the increased efficacy of other medical treatments, such as disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

The progressive improvement of medical treatment will lower the need for total joint replacement. Future researches should assess functional outcome and survival of implants in relation to medical therapy and different surgical approaches, the investigators wrote.

Reference

Marino A, Pontikaki I, Truzzi M, et al. Early joint replacement in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): trend over time and factors influencing implant survival [published online May 31, 2020]. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). doi:10.1002/acr.24337

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Age at Arthroplasty, Disease Duration Increased With Time in Patients With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis - Rheumatology Advisor

As local epidemiological trends have improved, and in consultation with experts and authorities, District Center for Integrative Medicine is excited to welcome patients back to the offices.

(Spin Digit Editorial):- Washington, D.C, Jun 17, 2020 (Issuewire.com)The District Center for Integrative Medicine (DCIM) mission has always prioritized the health and safety of our patients and staff. It is one of the few things the current situation has not changed. DCIM has designed a careful re-start strategy for in-person appointments based on that constant mission and after in-depth consultations with local and national experts and authorities, as well as a careful assessment of epidemiological trends and other data.

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People might be addressing an autoimmune condition like Hashimotos Hypothyroidism that has not responded well to typical managed care, have digestive complaints that require a highly-individualized approach, or maybe they arent sure whats wrong. Whatever health issue people are dealing with, our comprehensive approach is key to putting individuals on track to a better self.

DCIM is following all governmental guidelines and taking preventative measures to keep patients and staff safe. Listed below are some of the precautions that DCIM will be taking upon restarting in-person integrative and functional medicine appointments.

We are so excited to be able to see our patients and I am eager to work with patients in person once again, said Dr. Anjali Dsouza. In the meantime, Im still available via telemedicine for any patient that prefers it, and am excited to support their healing in any way that may be.

DCIM approaches healthcare differently. By freeing itself of the traditionally managed care constraints, including the 15-minute industry average patient appointments, DCIM sees the patient holistically. Practitioners at DCIM use the initial 90-minute appointment, for example, to understand the patients entire medical history, as well as her familys. DCIM offers advanced diagnostic testing to uncover persistent-but-often-overlooked conditions. The doctors at DCIM delve into environmental and lifestyle issues and develop individually tailored, detailed health plans. The resulting deep dive is a highly personalized analysis of the patients health.

In addition to their traditional, western medical training, the doctors at DCIM are also trained in Integrative and Functional Medicine. These disciplines treat the whole person rather than a specific disease. Because of their holistic approach, these disciplines prioritize the physician-patient relationship.

Interested in becoming a patient? Please request an appointment at https://dcimedicine.com/request-an-initial-appointment/

More about District Center for Integrative Medicine

The District Center for Integrative Medicine (DCIM), founded and directed by Dr. Anjali Dsouza, heals patients through a deeply individualized and holistic approach to health. We treat individuals with chronic complaints and conditions that persist despite the conventional managed-care model, as well as those looking to achieve the highest level of wellness. By prioritizing the patient-physician relationship, we take the time and resources to understand every aspect of your medical history, as well as nutritional and environmental factors that affect your well-being. Our role is to acknowledge your bodys innate capacity to heal and to cultivate it.

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District Center for Integrative Medicine Center Announces Restarting of In-Person Appointments - Spin Digit

Jun 22, 2020 1:00 PM ET

iCrowd Newswire Jun 22, 2020

Laurel, Md. Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) has entered a new educational partnership with the Maryland Naturopathic Doctors Association (MNDA). MUIH and MNDA share the joint goal of promoting the use of holistic and natural approaches to promote well-being for our clients. This partnership expands MUIHs role in supporting the health and wellness of Marylands residents through naturopathic medicine.

MUIHs Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) program is proud to welcome MNDA as a new partner to spotlight the field of integrative health through mission-driven collaborations. Through our evidence-based, continuing education opportunities, PCE aims to support naturopathic doctors in their professional development goals, empowering them to add to their knowledge and credentials to further support their clients and patients health and wellbeing with a whole-person approach, said Beth Romanski, director of professional and continuing education at MUIH.

In its continued effort to provide educational resources to our members, the MNDA is happy to announce a new partnership with MUIH. We will now offer MUIH PCE courses at discounts to our members so that they may continue to advance and update their knowledge in the areas of nutrition, botanical medicine, stress resilience, and general well-being, said Dr. Cristine Ehly, ND, Past President, Maryland Naturopathic Doctors Association.

Naturopathic doctors have been licensed in Maryland since 2016. MUIH is pleased to count naturopathic doctors among its faculty and to offer naturopathic medicine services in its Natural Care Center, which is open to the public. For more information about MUIH Professional and Continuing Education offerings, visit http://www.muih.edu/ce.

About Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH)

Maryland University of Integrative Health (MUIH) is a leading academic institution focused on the study and practice of integrative health and wellness and one of the few universities in the U.S. dedicated solely to such practices. Deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy, its model for integrative health and wellness is grounded in whole-person, relationship-centered, evidence-informed care.

Since 1974, MUIH has been a values-driven community educating practitioners and professionals to become future health and wellness leaders through transformative programs grounded in traditional wisdom and contemporary science. MUIH has more than 20 progressive graduate degree programs in a wide range of disciplines, offered on-campus and online. For more information visit http://www.muih.edu.

About Maryland Naturopathic Doctors Association (MNDA)

The Maryland Naturopathic Doctors Association (MNDA) is the professional organization of Naturopathic Doctors and the voice of Naturopathic medicine in Maryland. The MNDA is a leader in 21st-century healthcare and believes that the ability to heal resides in all of us and that conventional medicine and complementary care do not exist in opposition. The MNDA is committed to creating a greater state of health in Maryland, working with the state government to promote access to high-quality Naturopathic healthcare for all Marylanders. It is also an advocate for naturopathic doctors; offering continuing education, professional development opportunities, and professional community and support.

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Kionne S. Johnson Communications Manager [emailprotected]

Keywords:Health, Wellness, Naturopathic Medicine, Doctors, Maryland, Medicine

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Maryland University of Integrative Health Announces Educational Partnership with the Maryland Naturopathic Doctors Association - Reported Times

Press release from the Office of Congressman John Garamendi:

June 19, 2020

WASHINGTON, DCToday, Congressman John Garamendi (D-CA) secured key provisions to rebuild California's transportation infrastructure, increase resilience to the effects of climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure passed the "Investing in a New Vision for the Environment and Surface Transportation (INVEST) in America Act," a 5-year, nearly $500 billion investment in our nation's infrastructure and key component of the "Moving Forward" infrastructure plan unveiled by Congressional Democrats earlier this year. The bill now heads to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass with strong Democratic support in early July.

"We must modernize California's transportation network and address the climate crisis with infrastructure that is smarter, safer, made to last and reduces greenhouse gas emissions," said Congressman Garamendi. "The key provisions I secured in this 5-year highway bill will make our roads, bridges, and public transit more resilient to climate change and better meet our state's future transportation needs. California is the fifth largest economy in the world, and it's time that our public infrastructure looked the part. Rebuilding our nation's aging infrastructure with American workers and materials remains a top priority for me in Congress."

"California has a long and successful track record performing federal responsibilities for environmental decisions and approvals under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). Through 'NEPA Assignment,' California has been able to cut the regulatory burden on thousands of transportation projects, saving months and even years in approving environmental documents. Congressman Garamendi's efforts will help us deliver transportation projects more efficiently, save the taxpayers money and speed our economic recovery from COVID-19," said Secretary David S. Kim, California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA).

The INVEST in America Act safeguards our environment and prepares our critical infrastructure to withstand the impacts of climate change by:

Congressman Garamendi, a senior member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, secured the following key provisions in this Highway Bill (H.R.2):

This press release was produced by the Office of Congressman John Garamendi. The views expressed here are the author's own.

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Garamendi Secures Major Wins For California And The Environment In Infrastructure Bill - Patch.com

David Rosen, MD, a critical care pulmonologist based in Bergen County, NJ, arrived home from a 3-day stint in the ICU. As usual, he changed his clothes in the garage, put them in a plastic laundry bag, and, clad only in underwear, he headed straight for the guest room shower.

Earlier that day, Rose had seen five patients very sick with COVID-19, in a hospital with only four ventilators. He was devastated by the agonizing situation that had ensued. How could he force a smile and pretend everything was okay when he greeted his young children? On the other hand, he didn't want to burden or frighten them.

Rosen's 6-year-old daughter could tell something was wrong. Rosen carefully explained that Daddy was sad because there were a lot of sick people in the hospital and he couldn't help all of them.

"There's a constant balancing act between being there for patients, acknowledging my own feelings about their suffering and the horrors I've been seeing, and being there for my own family and their day-to-day emotional needs," Rosen said.

While this balancing act is part and parcel of being a physician, it has been especially wrenching during the pandemic, when the needs of family seem to be pitted against the calling to be a doctor.

Fear of infecting children has motivated some to stay in hotels, send their children to live with grandparents, self-quarantine in a separate area of the house, or avoid physical contact with the children, according to Sara "Sally" Goza, MD, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

"These are hard, anguishing choices, which contribute to stress and burnout," she said, emphasizing that it is a very personal decision, based on individual and family considerations, and no single solution will fit everyone.

Rosen said that staying at a hotel was not an option for him because he has a newborn baby, a 3-year-old, and a 6-year-old. "It would have been an unfair expectation for my wife to shoulder all those parenting duties without any help from me."

He added, "Of course, I'm always concerned about potential contagion and I take every precaution through rigorous decontamination procedures, but I remind myself that it's right for our family for me to be as present as possible at this time."

Ilana Friedman, MD, a pediatric ophthalmologist, starts her workday well before she leaves for the Bronx, New York-based hospital where she is the associate director of a residency program.

"I've been setting the kids up for school in the mornings, making sure they have the food they need for the day, that they're organized and ready to begin their online classes, and that their schoolwork is done," she said.

"They also text me during the day if something comes up, and I check in with them to make sure they're on task with their work," reported Friedman, whose children are 10, 11, and 13 years old.

"When I'm at work, I'm thinking about the kids at home; but when I'm at home, I think about my patients, so I never feel fully present in either place," she said.

Even when you're home, you may not have emotional or physical energy to be present for children, according to Katherine Gold, MD, MSW, associate professor of family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

At the end of an intensive period in the labor/delivery unit, "I can't do anything but crawl into bed, so sometimes my kids fall behind on homework and chores because I'm the person in the family who tends to make sure these things happen," Gold recounted.

Conducting telemedicine visits from home often with young children underfoot has its own challenges. Although some practices are reinstating in-person patient visits, reopening amid COVID-19 often necessitates at least a partial work-from-home schedule.

"There's no question that it's disruptive to care for small children while trying to take care of patients," said Damon Korb, MD, a developmental pediatrician based in Los Gatos, California. How to navigate this depends largely on the age of your children.

It may not be realistic to have much telemedicine time when you're the caregiver to infants or toddlers; but for preschoolers, Korb recommended "stations in different parts of the room, such as specific areas for mushy stuff, balls, books, blocks, dress-up, and eating" and "rotating the child from station to station."

He also suggested "parallel play if possible, bring your computer next to them so they can be involved with their 'work' while you're involved with yours." For the sake of patient privacy, he suggested using a headset so the patient's words remain confidential.

Although child-related interruptions during a telehealth visit may be distracting, "it might be comforting for patients to recognize that their doctors also have challenges with children at home and that we're not doing everything perfectly which they may be experiencing in their own lives," Gold said.

By the time a child is 4 or 5 years old, you can set a timer and say that when the bell rings, you'll play with them for a few minutes or reward them for their cooperation, suggested Korb, who is the director of the Center for Developing Minds and the author of Raising an Organized Child.

Maiysha Clairborne MD, an integrative medicine physician who coaches other physicians in business and entrepreneurship, said her 5-year-old son has been home from school since the end of March. His preschool held classes 3 to 4 hours per day, and "that's been a big help in keeping him occupied and up with his schoolwork." She has organized for him to be "autonomous in class" while she conducts virtual sessions and coaches colleagues.

"I check up on him between patients and clients and have lunch with him as often as I can, make sure he has virtual play dates and activities such as arts and crafts, and I try to go on walks with him around the neighborhood," reported Clairborne, who is the founder of Stress Free Mom MDand the Next Level Physicians Entrepreneur's Institute.

When your children are in front of the screen, make sure they're doing so safely, Gold cautioned, noting that there has been an increase in online sexual predators since the beginning of the pandemic. "Regularly talk to your children, including teenagers, in an age-appropriate way, tell them not trust strangers online, and monitor their activities."

Gold suggested asking an older sibling, relative, or friend toengage with the youth on social media andbe the "eyes and ears"to ensure safety online.

Summer is usually associated with camp, sports, travel, and hanging out with friends. But how many of these activities can take place this year?

Some activities will be available, according to the CDC. For example, camps are allowed to open, with specific guidelines and protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Experts recommend doing your "due diligence" to find out which group activities, if any, might be appropriate for your child, taking into account your own needs as well as those of your children.

But many physicians may prefer to keep children at home rather than risk sending them into group settings.

Korb encourages parents with children of all ages to maintain a daily structure. "Get up, get dressed, don't lounge around in pajamas all day, exercise each day, and do something social and creative."

He suggested making sure that kids have "outlets," like going for walks or hikes with the family, virtual play dates, or get-togethers with friends while keeping social distancing in mind or trying a new experience, such as guitar, cooking, gardening, or learning sign language.

Talking to children about social distancing and sanitizing requirements is especially critical as they begin getting together with friends in person.

"Even very young children can understand that 'germs' cause sickness and if you get too close to other people or touch things that they touch, you can catch the sickness," AAP's Goza said.

She recounted the story of a 5-year-old patient who proudly went to the sink in her office and began washing her hands "to make sure the germs don't get to us."

Rosen's 6-year-old daughter understands the importance of not getting close to people outside the family, and even his 3-year-old understands not to touch something lying on the ground.

"It empowers kids to know that they can help themselves and others stay healthy and safe," Goza said.

Even with the most creative alternative summer plans, children of all ages are facing disappointments about missed activities, missed milestones, and uncertainty about the future.

Korb's daughter, a high school senior, missed out on her prom, graduation, and visiting the colleges she had been accepted to. She still has not made a decision about college and does not know if colleges will even be open in the fall.

"This situation is difficult for all children, but especially for adolescents, whose identity is based on the friends they hang out with and what they do with them, and many are grieving the loss of their normal lives," Korb noted.

"When people are grieving, they have to grieve," he continued. "As physicians and parents, our job is to listen, not tell them what to do, not belittle what they're saying, but support them while they find their way through the situation."

Delaney Ruston, MD, documentary filmmaker of Screenagers and Screenagers Next Chapter, which focus on solutions for healthy screen use and adolescent stress, anxiety, and depression in the digital age, agreed. "Validation is the number one skill parents should master because teens want to be understood as much as they want anything."

"Most adolescents don't have a long-term perspective on what's going on in life, so it's important to provide reassurance and place things in perspective after validating their concerns and distress," Korb advised.

Taking a "big picture" view is also helpful. "I remember my high school and college graduations, but neither have played a huge role in my life in the long run, which I have shared with my daughter," Korb said. "I'm proud that she has handled the disappointment wonderfully."

It's unknown whether schools will fully or partially reopen, and physicians may still face challenges in helping children with homework in the fall.

Korb suggested that home schooling might be different from what it was during the beginning of the pandemic. "The need for online school caught most schools off-guard, but schools will be more prepared for online teaching this time around."

He suggested turning to teachers for additional help if you're unable to provide your child with sufficient support. Additionally, "there is an entire network of online tutors popping up in response to the pandemic," he said.

Asking family friends and relatives, such as grandparents, to pitch in with helping your child with schoolwork can also go a long way toward relieving the burden that has fallen primarily on parents and it might also make schoolwork more enjoyable for the children.

Like Friedman, Michigan family medicine professor Gold feels "pulled in all directions," but has concluded that she needs to adjust her expectations.

"It's simply not feasible to be a parent, educator, emotional support system, disciplinarian, entertainer, and therapist all at once, especially during a pandemic," Gold pointed out.

"As physicians, we have high expectations of ourselves. But the most important message I can share is that none of us can possibly be as good a parent as we would like right now, so we need to recognize we're doing the best we can and give ourselves permission to fall flat sometimes," stated Gold, whose younger children are teenagers.

"At the beginning [of the pandemic] I think my kids felt they were missing out because I wasn't home while their friends' parents were," New York ophthalmologist Friedman said. "But since then, they've become proud of me. I overheard one of them say to a friend, 'My mom's a healthcare hero.' "

She added, "It's not that I feel like some kind of 'hero,' but it was validating to know that my children understand what I'm doing and why, and this helps somewhat to alleviate my guilt at being away from them so much."

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MD Parents: Trying to Keep the Kids Busy and Safe During COVID-19 - Medscape

By Deepak Chopra, MD and Anoop Kumar, MD

When people seek personal change in their lives, they often dont get very far. Even in this day when online advice is bewilderingly abundant and self-improvement books are at our fingertips, change eludes us. One way to remedy this is to start from the ground up. Normally, we feel compelled to start where we are right now, and thats a tremendous problem.

No matter how different people are, each of us woke up this morning to the same situation. We are constantly involved in thinking, feeling, and doing. No one starts this activity afresh. Instead, we are heavily invested in habits, beliefs, opinions, hopes, dreams, and fears collected from the past. So our thinking, feeling, and doing is entangled with the past even when we want something new, better, fresh, and different.

You cant always use will power or desire to cut the ties that bind you to the past, but you can do something that will lessen the influence of the past: You can start to see yourself clearly. With that one intention, you are starting from the ground up, because seeing yourself clearly happens here and now. You detach yourself from your story, which is the accumulation of your past. You take a fresh look at what is generating all this thinking, feeling, and doing. The process has to have an origin, a source, a wellspring that sets the active mind going every minute of the day.

Normally, if we try to see ourselves clearly, we are actually looking through a lens. We filter and arrange our experiences. Some experiences we reject, ignore, judge against, or censor. Other experiences we encourage, value, appreciate, and allow to enter our minds. The lens you choose is critical, yet people often dont realize they have a choice. It doesnt strike them in the first place that they see themselvesand everything around themthrough a lens.

The lens you see through can also be called your mindset, worldview, or simply your state of awareness. Your perspective, on life, family, relationships, work stem from it. Things become confusing because we are caught up in the conflicting stories, explanations, and belief systems that everyone gets exposed to. This confusion can be sorted out once you start to see yourself clearly. Cutting through all the clutter, you discover that you actually know whats going on. Deep inside, you are fully aware already.

There are three lenses you can view life through, configured as Mind 1, 2, or 3 at this moment.

Mind 1: You view life as a separate individual. The leading indicator of Mind 1 is the sense of localization within the body. As a result of being limited by the body, Mind 1 can only detect a world of localized things. As we see ourselves, so we see the world. You localize yourself in your body, and as a result you see a world of separate things. Other people live inside their own bodies, which gives them their own sense of separation. In Mind 1 you provide fertile ground for the ego. I, me, and mine become all-important. This makes perfect sense, because your agenda as a separate person is all about the experiences of pleasure and pain that emanate from the body. Even a mental state like anxiety is rooted in the body, because what you fear comes down to a painful feeling in here. In every respect Mind 1 is dominated by yes and no to the experiences that come your way. To achieve peace, you must successfully compete in the arena of separate people and things, experiences and events.

Mind 1 seems totally right and natural in the modern secular world. Mind 1 is reflected in sciences total focus on physical things, from microbes and subatomic particles, from the Big Bang to the multiverse. A bestselling book from 1970, Our Bodies, Ourselves, applies to all of us in Mind 1.

Mind 2: Mind 2 is centered in the unity of mind and body. It isnt necessary to see yourself confined to the physical package of a body. In fact, this mindset can be turned on its head. In place of isolation there is connection; in place of things there is process; in place of hard facts, there is an easy continuous flow. You relax into the flow of experience rather than slicing life into bits that must be judged, analyzed, accepted or rejected. Mind 2 lets you see yourself more clearly, because in reality the mind-body connection is a single continuity. Every thought and feeling creates an effect in every cell. You can consciously create change in the whole system through a switch in awareness. Mind 2 is subtler than Mind 1you have moved deeper inside who you really are, and those aspects and abilities that were filtered out by Mind 1 begin to come into view. You are the one who experiences, observes, and knows.

For most people Mind 2 begins to dawn when they meditate or do Yoga, finding access to the quiet mind that lies beneath the surface of the restless active mind. With this discovery comes a way to see beyond the separate egos fruitless search for perfect pleasure, power, or success. As a deeper vision of self and life soaks through all experience, Mind 2 is established.

Mind 3: Mind 3 expands awareness beyond all particulars. It is a radical redefining of what we mean when we use the indicator I. It places you in an infinite field of pure awareness, where all things exist as possibilities. This is not only a clear view, it is clarity itself, because there is no thing or process to obstruct your vision. Boundaries dont exist. There is no past or future. Even the idea of a present vanishes. the clearest view you can possibly have, because there are no boundaries to limit your vision. You are awake, you see things without any filter, your past no longer holds you captive, and therefore you are free, which is why Mind 3 has been known for centuries as liberation. There are no more mind-forged manacles, as the poet William Blake memorably called our self-imposed limitations.

Mind 3 is open to everyone, but there is a large obstacle that must be overcome, which is this: We are convinced by the lens we see things through already. Each mindset feels real and complete. You identify with physical things in Mind 1, the most important thing being your body. In Mind 2 you identify with your field of awareness as it brings experiences and sensations that rise and fall. Because it takes an inner journey to reach, Mind 2 isnt where the mass of humankind is, yet without a doubt anyone can go there. Mind 2 is a more natural fit than Mind 1, in fact, because if you see yourself clearly, you cannot doubt that thinking, feeling, and doing is constantly on the move, ever-changing, ever renewing itself.

But Mind 2 has its own peculiar limitation. I lingers and holds its own by experiencing my thinking, feeling, and doing. There is no need for this. Everyone alive, with the fewest exceptions, has been indoctrinated into Mind 1. In Mind 2 you escape this crude, second-hand, socially approved indoctrination. But there is a subtle indoctrination that replaces it, which sees the spiritual life as higher, better, and more valuable than ordinary life. This leads to a subtle clinging, a desire to keep the spiritual goodies coming your way and a self-image superior to those people who have not yet seen the light.

The subtle tendency to possess any idea, however fine that idea is, keeps the ego going. Letting it go entirely feels threatening. Who will I be if there is no I anymore? But if you stand back, this fearful worry only exists because the ego is asking it. Of course I will never agree to its own demotion. I is about self-preservation. The shift into Mind 3 occurs when you see that there are countless moments when you did without your ego.

Every experience of joy, love, compassion, beauty, peace, and service sets the ego aside. You go beyond I in a simple, natural glimpse of who you really are. You are the field of awareness itself, unbounded and free. Every possible experience originates here, before the whole interference of ego, society, family, school, and painful memories even begins.

Thats why Mind 3 has been dubbed the first and last freedom. It is the freedom you attain when you realize that you had it all along. Clear away the clutter, and it is simply there. Mind 1 and Mind 2 are creations, while Mind 3 is uncreated. It is the womb of creation, and when we arrive there, the inevitable feeling is that weve returned home at last. NOTE: For a visual journey through these Three Minds, visit anoopkumar.com/mind.

DEEPAK CHOPRA MD, FACP, founder of The Chopra Foundation, a non-profit entity for research on well-being and humanitarianism, and Chopra Global, a modern-day health company at the intersection of science and spirituality, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation. Chopra is a Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego and serves as a senior scientist with Gallup Organization. He is the author of over 89 books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His 90th book, Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential, unlocks the secrets to moving beyond our present limitations to access a field of infinite possibilities. TIME magazine has described Dr. Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century.

Anoop Kumar, MD, MMgt is a Mind-Body Strategist who is Board-Certified in Emergency Medicine and holds a Masters degree in Management with a focus in Health Leadership. He is a keynote speaker and author who enjoys bringing clarity to the intersection of consciousness and everything else. Anoop is the author of numerous articles as well as two booksMichelangelo's Medicine and Is This a Dream? In addition to speaking and writing services, he offers consultations with individuals, teams, and organizations interested in deepening their understanding and experience of human potential, mind-body systems, and consciousness. Visit Anoop at anoopkumar.com and @dranoopkumar.

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If You Want to Change, Start from the Ground Up - SFGate

Yan Wang,1,* Yingru Zhang,1,* Gang Cai,1 Qi Li1,2

1Department of Medical Oncology & Cancer Institute of Integrative Medicine, Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, Peoples Republic of China; 2Academy of Integrative Medicine, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, Peoples Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Qi Li Email qili@shutcm.edu.cn

Abstract: In recent years, it has been found that exosomes can be used as nanocarriers, which can be used in the treatment of tumors by carrying contents. The exosomes are derived from the secretion of the organisms own cells and are characterized by a phospholipid bilayer structure and a small particle size. These characteristics guarantee that the exosomes can carry a wide range of tumor drugs, deliver the drug to the cancer, and reduce or eliminate the tumor drug band. The toxic side effects were significantly eliminated; meanwhile, the therapeutic effects of the drug on the tumor were remarkably improved. This paper reviewed the strategies and drugs presented by different scholars for the treatment of tumors based on the drugs carried by exosomes.

Keywords: exosomes, nanocarriers, function, tumor therapy

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

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Exosomes as Actively Targeted Nanocarriers for Cancer Therapy | IJN - Dove Medical Press

Oregon State University is helping the National Institutes of Health to harness the power of big data in the fight against COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2.

The NIHs National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences is creating a centralized, secure digital enclave for collecting medical record data from COVID-19 patients throughout the United States. The enclave is part of an effort called the National COVID Cohort Collaborative, or N3C, designed to help scientists expedite their understanding of the disease and to develop treatments.

For example, can we predict who might have severe outcomes if they have COVID-19? What drugs are most likely to exacerbate or be protective against COVID-19?

Vast amounts of clinical data are being generated that can be used to push research forward, but the datasets are hard to meld in meaningful ways, said Melissa Haendel, director of OSUs Translational and Integrative Sciences Laboratory.

In the United States, there hasnt been a standardized way to collect, harmonize, securely share and reproducibly analyze all the COVID-19 data being generated, she said. N3C is overcoming these varied challenges in order to rapidly transform clinical data into useful knowledge that can improve clinical care and understand the long-term impact of COVID-19.

Haendel stressed that multiple security measures will safeguard patient privacy throughout the data collection process and that the data will not include information such as names or addresses.

The cohort collaborative is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and is a partnership among NCATS-supported Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program hubs and the National Center for Data to Health, or CD2H.

The N3C platform will enable machine learning approaches and rigorous statistical analyses that require large amounts of data to reveal patterns.

The N3C pulls in extensive capabilities, and by leveraging our collective data resources, unparalleled analytics expertise and medical insights from expert clinicians, we can catalyze discoveries that address this pandemic that none of us could enable alone, said Haendel, who directs the CD2H program at the Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

In addition to OSU and OHSU, CD2H consists of the University of Washington, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Sage Bionetworks, the Scripps Research Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Iowa, Northwestern University and the Jackson Laboratory.

The CD2H was created in 2017 by a five-year, $25 million grant from NCATS.

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OSU helping to drive National Institutes of Health effort to harness analytics in COVID-19 fight - The News Guard

A cheap, readily available steroid drug reduced deaths by a third in patients hospitalized with Covid-19 in a large study, the first time a therapy has been shown to possibly improve the odds of survival with the condition in the sickest patients.

Full data from the study have not been published or subjected to scientific scrutiny. But outside experts on Tuesday immediately embraced the top-line results. The drug, dexamethasone, is widely available and is used to treat conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and some cancers.

In a statement, Patrick Vallance, the U.K. governments chief scientific adviser, called the result tremendous news and a ground-breaking development in our fight against the disease. Scott Gottlieb, a former commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, called it a very positive finding in an interview on CNBC. I think it needs to be validated, but it certainly suggests that this could be beneficial in this setting.

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Atul Gawande, the surgeon, writer and public health researcher, urged caution, tweeting, after all the retractions and walk backs, it is unacceptable to tout study results by press release without releasing the paper.

The study randomly assigned 2,104 patients to receive six milligrams of dexamethasone once a day, by mouth or intravenous injection. These were compared to 4,321 patients assigned to receive usual care alone.

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In patients who needed to be on a ventilator, dexamethasone reduced the death rate by 35%, meaning that doctors would prevent one death by treating eight ventilated patients. In those who needed oxygen but were not ventilated, the death rate was reduced 20%, meaning doctors would need to treat 25 patients to save one life. Both results were statistically significant.

There was no benefit in patients who didnt require any oxygen. The researchers running the study, called RECOVERY, decided to stop enrolling patients on dexamethasone on June 8 because they believed they had enough data to get a clear result.

Dexamethasone is the first drug to be shown to improve survival in COVID-19, Peter Horby, one of the lead investigators of the study and a professor in the Nuffield Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford, said in a statement. He added that the drug should now become the standard treatment for patients with Covid-19 who need oxygen. Dexamethasone is inexpensive, on the shelf, and can be used immediately to save lives worldwide.

A different arm of the same study showed on June 5 that hydroxychloroquine, widely touted as a potential Covid treatment, had no benefit in hospitalized patients. Yesterday, based in part on those results, the Food and Drug Administration revoked an Emergency Use Authorization for using hydroxychloroquine in those patients.

From the start of the pandemic in March, researchers have focused on two different stages of Covid-19, which will likely require very different interventions. Some drugs are designed to directly combat the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, that causes the disease. The first medicine shown to have a benefit, remdesivir from the biotech firm Gilead Sciences, falls into this category, even though, because it must be given intravenously, it has been tested in hospitalized patients. Remdesivir shortens the course of infection, but has not been shown to save lives.

After patients have become profoundly sick, the problem starts to become not only the virus but their own immune system, which attacks the lungs, a condition called acute respiratory distress syndrome, or ARDS. For these patients, doctors have believed, they would need to dampen patients immune response even as they fought the virus.

Initially, excitement in this area fell on new and expensive drugs, such as Actemra, a rheumatoid arthritis drug from Roche that is used to treat a similar condition caused by some cancer immunotherapies. But a study in patients who needed oxygen showed no benefit from a similar drug, although another arm in sicker patients is continuing. The National Institutes of Health is conducting a study of an Eli Lilly pill targeting rheumatoid arthritis, an extension of the study that showed remdesivir has a benefit.

Dexamethasone, which reached the market 59 years ago, seemed an unlikely candidate to help these patients; it was seen as too crude a way of tamping down the immune system. In guidelines for physicians treating the disease, the NIH doesnt even mention the therapy.

Studies that are testing other medicines may now need to incorporate the use of the drug, which could complicate analyzing the results. A spokesperson for Regeneron, which is testing Covid-19 drugs focused on both attacking the virus and dampening the immune system, said the companys studies are written so that when a new medicine becomes the standard of care, it becomes available to patients in the trial.Some studies have shown a benefit for using dexamethasone in acute respiratory distress syndrome not related to Covid-19, although the benefit was smaller than in RECOVERY.

The result, should it hold up to further scrutiny, shows the benefit of the strategy of Horby and Martin Landray, the Oxford researchers who designed the study, leveraging the U.K. health system to start a study of multiple inexpensive potential Covid-19 therapies including hydroxychloroquine, dexamethasone, and also some older HIV medicines. Several months into the Covid-19 pandemic, two of the most important results come from this single study.

Neither of those results, however, have been scrutinized or published.

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Major study finds steroid reduces deaths in patients with severe Covid-19 - STAT