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Its not just your joints that rheumatoid arthritis can affect.

It can also affect your heart.

A new study published in the journal RMD Open concluded that the presence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be associated with an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, also known as MACE.

The researchers said the increased association was more common in cases of RA that are either seropositive or considered to be active.

In the study, the researchers assessed this risk for MACE and death in people with RA who were required to have a cardiac CT scan for chest pain.

In patients referred to cardiac CT due to chest pain, we found a trend of an association between RA and the combined primary outcome, supporting that RA per se, but in particular seropositive and active RA, may increase the risk [for coronary artery disease] even after initial [coronary artery disease] diagnosis and treatment, the researchers said in a statement.

The data used for this registry was obtained from the Western Denmark Heart Registry and Danish National Patient Registry between 2008 and 2016.

The outcome of the study found a mix of cardiac events, such as myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary intervention, ischemic or unspecified stroke, coronary artery bypass grafting, and other causes of death.

The Arthritis Foundation has noted this association between MACE and RA in the past.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, people with RA face a 50 to 70 percent higher risk for cardiovascular disease than the general population.

In addition, people with osteoarthritis face a 24 percent higher risk for cardiovascular disease than the general population.

Overall, the foundation reported, nearly half of all adults with heart disease also have some form of arthritis.

Women also have a higher risk for both heart disease and rheumatoid arthritis. They sometimes face gender disparities in treatment for heart health issues and chronic pain.

Certain foods, such as seafood, and supplements, like fish oil and essential omega fatty acids, can help with both heart health and the inflammation of arthritis.

People living with RA should consult their doctor if they experience any new symptoms, want more information on heart health, or want to try out any new supplements or vitamins as a part of their treatment regimen.

The Arthritis Foundation and other experts recommend exercise as part of an overall balanced and healthful lifestyle of wellness for people with arthritis.

There are many health benefits to exercising, even with arthritis, Kindle Fisher, a physical therapist in Pennsylvania, told Healthline.

Exercises such as walking, swimming, or using a stationary bike can increase blood flow and synovial fluid to the joints. Increasing blood flow will also strengthen the heart, she said. While there are severe cases of arthritis where its not always possible to do so, any type of activity can release endorphins, improve health, and help you feel better overall.

People with RA say its important to keep a watch on their heart health but also to try to have a normal life.

I became educated on how unchecked inflammation increases the risk of heart disease, including the risk of heart attack and stroke, Sandra S. of British Columbia, Canada, told Healthline.

Knowing this has allowed me to make more informed decisions when it comes to my health and highlights the importance of managing inflammation effectively, she said.

William A. of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, notes that while cardiovascular risk is a concern, it doesnt consume his life.

I became aware of the correlation between heart disease and RA just last year. I was first diagnosed with Sjgrens syndrome in 2009, and my RA diagnosis came just 2 years ago, he told Healthline.

My heart has always worked extra hard and beat extra fast, but Im lucky to have managed my blood pressure for the most part. It is a concern of mine, but I only really think about it when I am symptomatic, he said.

Im grateful to have the information about a link with heart disease and rheumatoid disease, and I do see it in my work, Cynthia S, a nurse from Philadelphia who has rheumatoid arthritis, told Healthline.

But I feel if I continue to try to live a healthy lifestyle even with these health issues, I will thrive, she said.

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People with Rheumatoid Arthritis Have Higher Risk for Heart Disease - Healthline

If everyday actions, such as opening a jar, have become painful, you just might be dealing with thumb arthritis.

Thumb arthritis affects one in every three women, said Dr. Patrick Johnston, an orthopedic surgeon in Steamboat Springs and a member of the medical staff at UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. It also affects men, but not as frequently. Overall, its one of the most common conditions that brings patients into the office.

Below, Johnston outlines what you need to know about thumb arthritis.

The base of the thumb and wrist meet at the basal or CMC joint, commonly called the saddle joint.

When you pinch with your fingertips, the force in that joint is 13 times what it is at the fingertips, Johnston said. Over years of pinching, you stretch out the ligament that holds the thumb in the saddle joint, so the thumb no longer sits in the middle of the saddle.

That causes an extra load on the joints cartilage the strong, flexible tissue that provides padding at the joints. Eventually, that cartilage can wear out.

Arthritis is the progressive loss of cartilage, and its irreversible, Johnston said. Like tread on the tires, once it wears off, you cant put it back on.

Thumb arthritis cant be prevented, but genetics play a role: if one of your parents had thumb arthritis, you are more likely to suffer from the condition.

The most common complaint is pain at the base of the thumb when pinching things, especially when trying to open a jar. The pain may also be felt in the palm of the hand.

Thumb arthritis can begin as early as age 40. Eventually, the pain may go away on its own.

Over time, the pain from thumb arthritis tends to improve, Johnston said. It may take several years, but that pain can kind of burn out. But not everybody makes it to that point.

When dealing with arthritis, the goal is to alleviate pain.

I dont treat the X-ray, I treat the patient, Johnston said. If a patient has arthritis on an X-ray but isnt experiencing pain, were happy. Im concerned with their pain level and how its affecting their life. I want patients to be able to live the lifestyle they want, and Ill do whatever I can to help get them to that point.

To ease pain, Johnston recommends running the hand under warm water, taking anti-inflammatory medications if tolerated and trying natural supplements, such as tart cherry juice and turmeric, both of which have anti-inflammatory properties.

Another option is using a thumb splint, which is designed to support the thumb during aggravating activities, such as gardening and pulling weeds.

If those steps arent enough, a steroid injection may help. And finally, theres surgery.

Surgery is a good option for patients who are experiencing pain thats severe enough to affect their daily activities and quality of life and who are not improving with conservative treatment options, Johnston said.

While there are many surgical techniques for thumb arthritis, Johnston prefers one thats been around since the 1940s.

Its a tried and true technique with great long-term results, Johnston said. It has a very high success rate and a low complication rate.

In the 45-minute procedure, Johnston makes a little incision in the wrist to remove the small wrist bone that causes the pain, then uses a tendon from the forearm to reconstruct the ligament thats been stretched out. The patient wears a removable splint for six weeks, then can resume activities as tolerated.

Not necessarily. Other issues can cause similar pain, but thumb arthritis is the most common culprit.

If youre having pain in the base of your thumb, its probably worth having an evaluation, Johnston said. We can get an X-ray and help determine whats going on.

Susan Cunningham writes for UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. She can be reached at cunninghamsbc@gmail.com.

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Monday Medical: Thumb arthritis things to know - Steamboat Pilot & Today

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In the UAE, one in 10 adults suffer from arthritis. With its high prevalence, there is a common misconception that arthritis is a condition that only affects the elderly and adults. This isnt the case though. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can affect children that are as young as six months old, up to the age of 16. Some children can experience the symptoms for a few months and others can have the symptoms for the rest of their lives. Globally, JIA affects around one in 1,000.

Dr Anand Gorva, Specialist Paediatrics Orthopaedics, Medcare Orthopaedics & Spine Hospital, says that JIA, like rheumatoid arthritis, is autoimmune-related and causes inflammation and pain and stiffness in the joints. JIA is an autoimmune disease or it is when the immune system malfunctions against the lining of the joints, called the synovial membrane.

Dr Gorva says that although the exact cause of the condition is unknown, it is associated with a number of factors. It is genetic disorder and risk factors include exposure to environmental factors, such as pollution. He says that smoking, infections, a lack of exercise and a poor diet can also be risk factors.

Dr Ajith Jose, Specialist Orthopaedics, Aster Hospital, Qusais, says that the majority of cases of JIA arent inherited. Most cases of JIA are sporadic, which means they occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family. A small percentage of cases of JAI have been reported to run in families, although the inheritance pattern of the condition is unclear.

A sibling of a person with juvenile idiopathic arthritis has an estimated risk of developing the condition that is about 12 times that of the general population. Dietary and emotional factors do not appear to play a role in the development of JIA. Researchers have also identified changes in several genes that may influence the risk of developing JAI.

Lack of awareness

Dr Gorva says that peoples lack of awareness about JIA means that it is often diagnosed late or missed. Most people assume that arthritis is an adult disorder and cant happen in children therefore they present late to the doctors. This lack of awareness delays the presentation time when compared to adults. Schools need to be informed and encourage the child to participate in extra-curricular activities as normal as possible. Occupational therapists should liaise with school-based therapists for the continuation of care for these children.

He says that diagnosing JIA at an early stage means that the child is more likely to be receptive to the treatment and less likely to face complications. If the treatment is started early, the response is good and it can prevent major complications such as joint destruction and functional disability.

Dr Jose says that another issue is that JIA can be tricky to diagnose. Diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic arthritis can be difficult because joint pain can be caused by many different types of problems. No single test can confirm a diagnosis, but tests can help rule out some other conditions that produce similar signs and symptoms.

He refers to different measurements that can be taken from blood tests, such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), which can be indicative of inflammation. The blood can also be tested for antibodies such as cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) and the rheumatoid factor.

Treatment

For some JIA patients, symptoms can be controlled by taking normal anti-inflammatory tablets to reduce the inflammation. Other patients need to take stronger medication which modulate the immune system. For flare-ups management, doctors may also use cortisone, also called corticosteroids or steroids, says Dr Jose.

Corticosteroids such as prednisone may be used to control symptoms until another medication takes effect. They are also used to treat inflammation when it is not in the joints, such as inflammation of the sac around the heart (pericarditis).

He says that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium, can be prescribed to reduce pain and swelling.

If NSAIDs fail to relieve the symptoms of pain or swelling or the patient is at a high risk of future complications, Dr Jose says that disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) can be prescribed.

These type of medicines can modulate the immune system to control the disease progression. The most commonly used DMARD for children is methotrexate.When only a few joints are involved, a steroid can be injected into the joint before any additional medications are given.

Dr Jose also refers to new classes of drugs called biologic agents. Also known as biologic response modifiers, this newer class of drugs includes tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers, such as etanercept and adalimumab. These medications can help reduce systemic inflammation and prevent joint damage.Physiotherapy and support splints are also used when necessary.

Complications

JIA is associated with multiple deformities in more than half of patients, says Dr Jose. Among these deformities, hand and wrist are the commonest involved joints followed by knee joints. These deformities are statistically significantly associated with polyarthritis, seropositivity, and late presentation of patients to tertiary care.

While early diagnosis is vital, JIA can also disrupt a childs growth and bone development and some medications, such as corticosteroids, can also inhibit growth. Yet, Dr Gorva says that the emotional impact of the condition should also be considered.

Apart from functional disabilities like joint contracture and stiffness the child can have emotional, psychological and social problems. Therefore a multi team approach would mitigate these problems and most of the children with JIA lead an active life and do things as their peers do, he says.

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The misconception that arthritis only affects the elderly - Gulf News

(WZAW) -- Imagine not being able to hold your newborn baby or being thrown into a vicious cycle of unemployment through no fault of your own. Thats the reality for many of the 54-million Americans living with arthritis.

Arthritis is the number one cause of disability in the United States. The results of one the nations largest assessments of people with arthritis, called A Mandate for Action, reveals the devastating physical and emotional realities for those living with arthritis.

Some of the shocking revelations from the survey include:

- Physical Pain: 100% of patients registered pain so significant it effects their day-to-day lives, causing major lack of mobility and chronic fatigue. And not the kind of pain that can be easily managed, but significant pain that is disrupting sleep, causing isolation and leading to depression and anxiety.

- Life-Altering Emotional Effects: 72% reported having trouble doing all usual work including work from home.

- Gap in Quality Care: Only 57% of patients report being able to get the help they need during their healthcare appointments.

Comedian and TV host Matt Iseman lives with rheumatoid arthritis. He shared his story living with the chronic condition on NewsChannel 7 at 4, along with Cindy McDaniel, the senior vice president of consumer health for the Arthritis Foundation.

Its been almost 20 years that Ive been living with rheumatoid arthritis, but it was the first 18 months that were the most devastating, because thats when the disease started taking over my body, Iseman said.

Iseman went on to say that the pain started in his right index finger but eventually spread to the other joints in his hands, his feet, neck and back.

I was also fatigued. I was sleeping 10, 12 hours a day and still felt like I had no energy. I became a shell of myself," he added.

McDaniel said emotional pain can often equal the physical pain of the disease.

People become socially isolated, they become depressed, theres a lot of anxiety. Part of the assessment looks at these effects, she said.

Once Iseman got his diagnosis and on a treatment plan, he said he got his life back. Since then, hes been working with the Arthritis Foundation to be an advocate for the 50 million Americans live arthritis to get treatment and a better life.

For more information, visit http://www.Arthritis.org/Insights

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TV host and comedian Matt Iseman says he was a "shell of himself" living with arthritis - WSAW

NEW YORK, March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment Market by Drug Type (NSAIDs, DMARDs, Biologics, and Others), Type (Prescription, and OTC), and Route of Administration (Topical, Oral, and Injectable): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20192026

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05868979/?utm_source=PRN

The psoriatic arthritis treatment market was valued at $7,860 million in 2018, and is estimated to reach at $13,744 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 7.2% from 2019 to 2026.

Psoriatic arthritis is an autoimmune disease caused by an attack of body's immune system on skin and joint. The disease is characterized by stiffness, swelling in the joints, and pain. Symmetric psoriatic arthritis, asymmetric psoriatic arthritis, spondylitis, distal psoriatic arthritis, and arthritis mutilans are the different types of psoriatic arthritis. Symptoms associated with this disorder include low back pain, conjunctivitis, swollen joint, nail pitting, and foot pain. The disorder is more prevalent among patients already suffering from psoriasis. Psoriatic arthritis can be diagnosed with tests such as rheumatoid factor (RF), joint fluid test, X-ray, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Drugs used to treat psoriatic arthritis disease include NSAIDs, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), biologics, immunosuppressant drugs, and others.

Significant increase in prevalence of psoriatic arthritis, rise in demand for psoriatic arthritis pharmacotherapy, strong pipeline of biosimilar & biologic products, stressful lifestyle resulting in the overstimulation of immune system, and rise in geriatric population are the key factors that fuel the growth of the global psoriatic arthritis treatment market. Moreover, rise in adoption of psoriatic arthritis treatment medications, increase in R&D activities to develop new products for effective treatment of psoriatic arthritis, frequent product launches by key players, surge in awareness toward availability of treatment for psoriatic arthritis, and increase in risk of diseases are other factors that contribute toward the growth of the market. However, lack of standardization tools for diagnosis and high cost of treatment are expected to hamper the market growth.

The global psoriatic arthritis treatment market is segmented into drug type, type, route of administration, and region. By drug type, the market is categorized into NSAIDs, DMARDs, biologics, and others. On the basis of type, the market is divided into prescription, and OTC. According to route of administration, it is segregated into topical, oral, and injectable. Region wise, the market is studied across North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Germany, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Brazil, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and rest of LAMEA).

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS The study provides an in-depth analysis of the market along with the current trends and future estimations to elucidate the imminent investment pockets. It offers a quantitative analysis from 2018 to 2026, which is expected to enable the stakeholders to capitalize on the prevailing market opportunities. A comprehensive analysis of all the geographical regions is provided to determine the existing opportunities. The profiles and growth strategies of the key players are thoroughly analyzed to understand the competitive outlook of the global market.

KEY MARKET SEGMENTS

By Drug Type NSAIDs DMARDs Biologics Others

By Type Prescription OTC

By Route of Administration Topical Oral Injectable

By Region North America o U.S. o Canada o Mexico Europe o Germany o France o UK o Italy o Spain o Rest of Europe Asia-Pacific o Japan o China o Australia o India o South Korea o Rest of Asia-Pacific LAMEA o Brazil o Saudi Arabia o South Africa o Rest of LAMEA

LIST OF KEY PLAYERS PROFILED IN THE REPORT AbbVie Inc. Amgen Inc. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company Celgene Corporation Eli Lilly And Company Johnson & Johnson Merck & Co Inc. Novartis AG Pfizer Inc. UCB S.A.

LIST OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE VALUE CHAIN (These players are not profiled in the report. The same will be included on request.) F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. Abbott Laboratories

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05868979/?utm_source=PRN

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

__________________________ Contact Clare: [emailprotected] US: (339)-368-6001 Intl: +1 339-368-6001

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The psoriatic arthritis treatment market was valued at $7,860 million in 2018, and is estimated to reach at $13,744 million by 2026, registering a...

One of the lead authors of the scorpion venom study, Fred Hutch staff scientist Emily Girard (center), says she hopes her work results in a therapeutic that will help a lot of people. (Fred Hutch News Service Photo / Robert Hood)

Scientists at Seattles Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have identified a mini-protein in scorpion venom that can target joint inflammation in arthritic rats and theyre hoping it can do the same thing for human patients.

Its too early to say whether the technique will work as well in humans as it does in rats. But the experiments reported today in Science Translational Medicine hold the promise of delivering the benefits of steroid-based therapies for arthritis while avoiding the side effects that come with the use of those steroids.

For people with multijoint arthritis, the side effects of controlling the disease can be as bad or worse than the disease itself, Fred Hutch researcher Jim Olson, the studys senior author, explained in a news release. Steroids like to go everywhere in the body except where theyre needed most. This is a strategy to improve arthritis relief with minimal systemic side effects.

The study builds on years of study that Olson has conducted into the compounds contained in scorpion venom. One of those compounds has been found to latch onto cancer cells, providing the foundation for a startup called Blaze Bioscience. Blaze is currently testing a scorpion-derived fluorescent dye called Tumor Paint, which can help surgeons target brain tumors that would otherwise be hard to spot.

After spinning out Blaze in 2010, Olson widened the scope of his search. He and his colleagues screened dozens of mini-proteins known as peptides, looking for compounds that could cross over the blood-brain barrier. They noticed that one of the peptides, known as CDP-11R, tended to accumulate in cartilage. The researchers quickly realized that CDP-11R could be used in a targeted treatment for arthritis.

It really shows the value of playing scientifically and just doing things for the pure joy of learning, Olson said. You never know where its going to take you.

The next step involved pairing the peptide molecule with the right kind of steroid. Eventually, Fred Hutchs researchers focused on a steroid known as triamcinolone acetonide, or TAA.

When a drug that paired CDP-11R with TAA was injected into rats with arthritis, the peptide-steroid combination gravitated to the joints and eased the rats inflammation, as hoped. And if some of the drug leaked into the bloodstream, it became inactive without causing the side effects associated with steroids.

Its a pretty simple idea to take a mini-protein that naturally goes to cartilage and attach something to it so that you get targeted delivery of the drug, but it was challenging to accomplish, said one of the studys lead authors, Emily Girard, whos a staff scientist in Olsons lab at Fred Hutch. We had to learn and adapt the behavior of the mini-protein, the chemical linker and the steroid payload to make a product that would go to cartilage, stay as long as we needed it to, release the drug at the right rate, and have a local but not systemic effect.

The researchers say the technique seems promising enough to move on to human clinical trials, although additional studies with animals will need to be done first. They also suggest that CDP-11R could be used to deliver other types of drugs to a patients joints more precisely.

There is more development to be done, Girard said, but I hope that this work results in a therapeutic that will help a lot of people.

In addition to Girard and Olson, the authors of the study in Science Translational Medicine, A Potent Peptide-Steroid Conjugate Accumulates in Cartilage and Reverses Arthritis Without Evidence of Systemic Corticosteroid Exposure, include Michelle Cook Sangar, Gene Hopping, Chunfeng Yin, Fiona Pakiam, Mi-Youn Brusniak, Elizabeth Nguyen, Raymond Ruff, Mesfin Gewe, Kelly Byrnes-Blake (Northwest PK Solutions), Natalie W. Nairn and Dennis M. Miller (Blaze Bioscience), Christopher Mehlin, Andrew Strand, Andrew Mhyre, Colin Correnti, Roland Strong and Julian Simon.

The research was supported by the National Cancer Institute, Blaze Bioscience and philanthropic funding from Project Violet, the Wissner-Slivka Foundation, the Kismet Foundation, the Sarah M. Hughes Foundation, Strong4Sam, Yahn Bernier and Beth McCaw, Len and Norma Klorfine, Anne Croco and Pocket Full of Hope. The work was performed in collaboration with Blaze Bioscience, which has an ongoing collaboration and option agreement with Fred Hutch to develop optimized peptide therapeutics.

Competing interests: Olson is a founder and shareholder of Blaze Bioscience, which retains intellectual property rights to the peptides used in this research.

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A protein found in scorpion venom just might help take the sting out of arthritis - GeekWire

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE MKT: CANF) (TASE:CFBI), a biotechnology company with a pipeline of proprietary small molecule drugs that address inflammatory, cancer and liver diseases, announced today that data from the interim analysis of Piclidenoson in its Phase III clinical study is expected to be released during Q4 2020. Moreover and in line with the reports that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs have been introduced for the treatment of the Coronavirus, the Company is now exploring a collaboration to look at the effect of Piclidenoson against Coronavirus. Can Fite drug candidates possess anti-viral effect protected by a US patent US7589075.

Recently, two pharmaceutical companies announced the introduction of RA drugs for the treatment of patients with Coronavirus. Gilead is conducting a clinical study in China which combines its anti-viral drug candidate Remdisivir with the old RA drug chloroquine (http://www.natap.org/2020/newsUpdates/s41422-020-0282-0.pdf). In addition, Roche has donated its Actemra anti-RA drug for the treatment of patients in China (https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma-asia/china-turns-roche-arthritis-drug-actemra-against-covid-19-new-treatment-guidelines?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTVdVeU5XUmpOMlUyWkRSaCIsInQiOiJxRUtpQjhUU2U5NkJGMkxlaEdiZDhoRVFTQkkxbjJzQUV6d1hacVV3T3gzNmRZN3R5d0JWd0ZBeXhQZUo5RTN1XC91QTFIemVBekpzNHdwaGFHZGo1TmYweVgzeUdudHc1Z0R4alFYaUYyMXpVeEN1WlVTa2dSVkhqZlkxbWpkT0oifQ%3D%3D&mrkid=685430).

Can Fite is now exploring the possibility to collaborate with leading virology labs to explore the anti-viral effect of its drugs against the Coronavirus based on the known anti-viral and anti-rheumatic effects of the company drugs.

Can Fite completed the enrolment of 50% of the 525 patients planned for its Phase III ACRobat trial to evaluate its drug candidate Piclidenoson as a first-line treatment for RA. An interim analysis is being implemented, and will be managed and monitored by an independent data monitoring committee (IDMC) that will have un-blinded access to the data which are expected during Q3 2020.

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About Piclidenoson

Piclidenoson is a novel, first-in-class, A3 adenosine receptor agonist (A3AR) small molecule, orally bioavailable drug with a favorable therapeutic index demonstrated in Phase II clinical studies. Piclidenoson is currently under development for the treatment of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. It is being evaluated in a Phase III study as a first line treatment, to replace methotrexate, in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and a Phase III study in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis.

About Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd.

Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (NYSE American: CANF) (TASE: CFBI) is an advanced clinical stage drug development Company with a platform technology that is designed to address multi-billion dollar markets in the treatment of cancer, inflammatory disease and sexual dysfunction. The Company's lead drug candidate, Piclidenoson, is currently in Phase III trials for rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. Can-Fite's liver cancer drug, Namodenoson, recently completed a Phase II trial for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer, and is in a Phase II trial for the treatment of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Namodenoson has been granted Orphan Drug Designation in the U.S. and Europe and Fast Track Designation as a second line treatment for HCC by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Namodenoson has also shown proof of concept to potentially treat other cancers including colon, prostate, and melanoma. CF602, the Company's third drug candidate, has shown efficacy in the treatment of erectile dysfunction in preclinical studies and the Company is investigating additional compounds, targeting A3AR, for the treatment of sexual dysfunction. These drugs have an excellent safety profile with experience in over 1,000 patients in clinical studies to date. For more information please visit: http://www.can-fite.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward-looking statements, about Can-Fites expectations, beliefs or intentions regarding, among other things, market risks and uncertainties, its product development efforts, business, financial condition, results of operations, strategies or prospects. In addition, from time to time, Can-Fite or its representatives have made or may make forward-looking statements, orally or in writing. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as "believe," "expect," "intend," "plan," "may," "should" or "anticipate" or their negatives or other variations of these words or other comparable words or by the fact that these statements do not relate strictly to historical or current matters. These forward-looking statements may be included in, but are not limited to, various filings made by Can-Fite with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, press releases or oral statements made by or with the approval of one of Can-Fites authorized executive officers. Forward-looking statements relate to anticipated or expected events, activities, trends or results as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements relate to matters that have not yet occurred, these statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause Can-Fites actual results to differ materially from any future results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Many factors could cause Can-Fites actual activities or results to differ materially from the activities and results anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: our history of losses and needs for additional capital to fund our operations and our inability to obtain additional capital on acceptable terms, or at all; uncertainties of cash flows and inability to meet working capital needs; the initiation, timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies, clinical trials and other product candidate development efforts; our ability to advance our product candidates into clinical trials or to successfully complete our preclinical studies or clinical trials; our receipt of regulatory approvals for our product candidates, and the timing of other regulatory filings and approvals; the clinical development, commercialization and market acceptance of our product candidates; our ability to establish and maintain strategic partnerships and other corporate collaborations; the implementation of our business model and strategic plans for our business and product candidates; the scope of protection we are able to establish and maintain for intellectual property rights covering our product candidates and our ability to operate our business without infringing the intellectual property rights of others; competitive companies, technologies and our industry; statements as to the impact of the political and security situation in Israel on our business; and risks and other risk factors detailed in Can-Fites filings with the SEC and in its periodic filings with the TASE. In addition, Can-Fite operates in an industry sector where securities values are highly volatile and may be influenced by economic and other factors beyond its control. Can-Fite does not undertake any obligation to publicly update these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200305005410/en/

Contacts

Can-Fite BioPharmaMotti Farbsteininfo@canfite.com

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Can-Fite Updates on Clinical Milestone for its Phase III Rheumatoid Arthritis Study with Piclidenoson; Drugs Combating Rheumatoid Arthritis are...

OBJECTIVES:

Inflamed airways are hypothesized to contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis due to RA-related autoantibody production, and smoking is the strongest environmental RA risk factor. However, the role of chronic airway diseases in RA development is unclear. We investigated whetherasthmaor COPD were associated with RA.

We performed a prospective cohort study of 205,153 women in the Nurses Health Study (NHS, 1988-2014) and NHSII (1991-2015). Exposures were self-reported physician-diagnosedasthmaor COPD confirmed by validated supplemental questionnaires. Outcomes were incident RA confirmed by medical record review by 2 rheumatologists. Covariates (including smoking pack-years/status) were assessed via biennial questionnaires. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for RA were estimated using Cox regression.

We identified 15,148 women with confirmedasthma, 3,573 with confirmed COPD, and 1,060 incident RA cases during 4,384,471 person-years of follow-up in NHS and NHSII.Asthmawas associated with increased RA risk (HR 1.53, 95%CI 1.24,1.88) compared to noasthma/COPD after adjusting for covariates including smoking pack-years/status.Asthmaremained associated with increased RA risk among never-smokers only (HR 1.53, 95%CI 1.14,2.05). COPD was also associated with increased RA risk (HR 1.89, 95%CI 1.31,2.75). The association of COPD with RA was most pronounced in the subgroup of ever-smokers aged >55 years (HR 2.20, 95%CI 1.38,3.51).

Asthmaand COPD were each associated with increased risk for incident RA, independent of smoking status/intensity and other potential confounders. These results provide support for the hypothesis that chronic airway inflammation may be crucial in RA pathogenesis.

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Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, and Subsequent Risk for Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis among Women: A Prospective Cohort Study - DocWire...

IANS-

Turmeric or curcumin is being advocated by some medical experts for reducing lung inflammation in the backdrop of rising Covid-19 cases in India, which is especially known to attack the respiratory system.

Turmeric is being touted as the only way to keep inflammation in your body low so that you have a better chance of fighting the coronavirus infection.

In view of the current Covid-19 epidemic and the panic around it, medical experts have a few suggestions besides washing hands, not being in crowded spaces, etc., on how to boost the immune system and possibly minimize the symptoms as there are no cures for the disease.

Vaccines are at least two years away and there are no drugs on the horizon except Actemra which is a biological drug that Roche had developed for arthritis.

Simple tricks to boost your immune system during coronavirus may help reduce the severity of the disease. One major thing that happens when you get infected is that one has a cytokine storm in the body.

Bad cytokines/hormones especially IL-6 and TNF-a levels rise which contribute to stress and organ failure during Covid-19 infection.

The pharmaceutical company Roche has dusted off an old drug, Actemra, which was developed for arthritis as it was shown to suppress IL-6. Tocilizumab (Actemra) is in a class of drugs called biologics.

Tocilizumab is a treatment for adults with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), giant cell arthritis, and polyarticular and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Even if this drug is approved for Covid-19, it will cost at least $25,000-30,000 per patient. Nature has effective molecules for lowering IL-6 naturally: Turmeric/curcumin, Resveratrol and Lutein.

Turmeric/curcumin is especially excellent in reducing lung inflammation. This is the only way to keep inflammation in the body low so that one has a better chance of fighting off this infection.

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Turmeric seen as effective in reducing lung inflammation - indica News

How many times have we all grabbed a knife to open a pack of food, spilt it across the kitchen because the pack was too hard to open, been unable to read the text on the pack (even with glasses on) and then vowed to never buy that brand again? Now imagine if you were part of the ageing population, hospitalised, a consumer with a disability, an arthritis sufferer orachild.

All too often, accessible packaging is not considered when designing products, which in turn leads to unnecessary frustration when opening and closing packs, reading the ingredients and opening instructions on packaging. It is important that packaging technologists consider how their packaging design could affect someones ability to eat, drink and the flow on of wasting food.

Research from Arthritis Australia in 2018 shows that: All consumers struggle with packaging, but the growing ageing population, consumers with disabilities, arthritis sufferers and children are impacted the most. 44 per cent of consumers struggle with packaging every day. 92 per cent of consumers have spilt or damaged a product when trying to open the packaging. When consumers experience hard-to-open packaging:o 56 per cent look for the product but in a different typeof packaging.o 21 per cent look at buying a competitors product. 65 per cent of consumers have had to wait for someone to come and open packaging for them. 1-in-2 Australians have injured themselves opening packaging including deep cuts and chippedteeth. 89 per cent of consumers are currently feeling frustrated or furious with packaging. 67,000 people in the UK visited hospitals casualty departments every year due to an accident involving food and drinkpackaging.So, I ask you do you consider accessible design and ease of use critical design elements on your packaging? Are your packaging technologists using available resources and training to better understand the needs of this consumer market?

Step one: accessibility packaging design guidelinesIf you arent using the Accessibility Packaging Design Guidelines developed by Arthritis Australia, in conjunction with Brad Fain from Georgia Tech Research Institute, and available in New Zealand through a partnership with Arthritis New Zealand, then you could already be losing customers whose abilities are not being consideredand their needs are notbeing met.

Key guidelines include that packaging must be easy to open and use for those with limited functional abilities, packaging labelling must be highly legible, and packaging shall be fit-for-purpose and must be able to demonstrate accessibility.

Step two: accessible packaging design trainingThe Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), in conjunction with Arthritis Australia and Georgia Tech Research Institute, have developed a one-day training course on accessible packaging design. The course allows attendees to become aware of the required design requirements and understanding the ease-of-use packaging design tools, which include examples from around the world. It also providesinformation on changinghousehold demographics, meal preparationrequirements and case studies from users.

Attendees will learn measuring techniques, injuries caused by packaging and current consumer satisfaction levels with packaging accessibility. The course offers an activities-based approach, hands-on team exercises letting participants understand the constraints on current packaging designs for people with disabilities, arthritis sufferers, children and the ageing population. This includes the testing with simulation gloves that have been developed by Georgia Tech Research Institute in the US and reading glasses from a UK researcher. Attendees will leave the course with a differentapproach to packagingdesign; an approach that includes all sectorsofourcommunity.

Step three: recognition of innovative accessible packaging designThe AIP, in conjunction with Arthritis Australia and New Zealand, has developed a new Accessible Packaging Design Award that is designed to recognise packaging that is accessible, intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative. The judges are looking for accessible packaging design, which includes measuring techniques, understanding injuries caused by packaging and consumer satisfaction levels with packaging accessibility. The inaugural award winners were announced as a part of the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards (PIDA), which are run by the AIP and are designed for Australia and New Zealand.

Finalists for 2019 were SPC Ardmona, Flavour Creations, Moana New Zealand & Sealed Air for Cryovac Grip and Tear and Campbell Arnotts. All four finalists deserve to be recognised for incorporating accessible packaging design into their ranges and it is inspiring to see some of the innovations that they have beenworking on.

The 2019 Gold Award went to SPC Ardmona. They developed their SPC ProVital Easy-Open Diced Fruit in Jelly range that is designed for all consumers to open, including those with reduced fine motor skills. It has dexterity and strength, and on-pack communication is clear, crisp and legible for all. This design achieved easy-to-open certification as well as an ISR +8 Accessibility Rating (i.e. the product is universally easy to open, with 95 per cent of the population able to open the pack without tools).

The 2019 Silver Award went to Flavour Creations who developed its pre-thickened Ready-to-drink (RTD) packaged in the new dysphagia Cup and Cup Holder that were designed to specifically increase rates of hydration and decrease rates of malnutrition for residents/patients with dysphagia. Along with the reusable holder and plastic over seal, the snap fitting portion control cup has a large overhanging tab that is textured and clear peel back wording to make it obvious to the consumer how toopen the product.

A Special Commendation went to Moana New Zealand & Sealed Air for Cryovac Grip and Tear (including small tab), which was designed to foster ease of use to packaged meat, poultry, and seafood products for processing,food service and retail markets. This accessible packaging design enables convenient product access using a packaging design that is simple and intuitive for consumers to use (irrespective of their age or functional abilities). Previously, these difficult to open items required opening tools, which could easily cause injuries. The grip-and-tear feature means the packs can now be opened by a simple hand action.

Sealed Air have undertaken design innovation in the development of the grip-and-tear feature to meet both the food handling and food protection requirements for the range of products proposed for thepackaging format.

Accessible packaging design that is intuitive, easy-to-open and innovative should be an integralpart of your packaging and we encourage you to integrate this critical element into your future NPD processes. Imaginethedifference you couldmake.

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Accessible packaging design is the key to helping consumers | Food & Beverage - FOOD Magazine - Australia

Whole-body cryotherapy or the practice of submerging yourself into a deep-freezing tank has exploded in popularity over the past few years, especially among pro athletes and celebrities. Tons of gyms, spas and wellness centers now offer the treatment, claiming it can boost metabolism and ease symptoms of inflammation and pain for a long list of health conditions (like arthritis, fibromyalgia and migraines).

But not everyone is so sure about the practice. Some people believe its a potentially dangerous hoax, and others like former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown have sustained frostbite injuries from the cold tanks. One woman was even found dead in a cryotherapy tank in Nevada a few years ago.

Given the major lack of evidence we currently have on whole-body cryotherapy, many experts are skeptical about its ability to heal and detox the body and warn people to think twice before walking into a tank.

What goes on in cryotherapy?

Whole-body cryotherapy, also sometimes called WBC or super-cooling, involves stripping down to socks and gloves and stepping into a human-sized chamber thats set to about -200 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for two to four minutes. The skin temperature then drops, as does overall body temperature, both of which are largely dependent on the persons gender, weight and fitness level.

Those who are pro-WBC claim the frigid temps constrict and then widen the blood vessels, which causes the body to release toxins and endorphins. This play on blood flow is thought to alleviate pain, boost metabolism, slow the aging process and have all sorts of healing abilities.

Most single sessions will cost you upward of $80, with a monthly membership being even more.

We dont have too much research on cryotherapy.

Think of a time you got injured. You likely used a cold pack to numb the wound and ease the pain. Localized cooling treatments like that are known to reduce blood flow and lower pain levels, inflammation and swelling.

Whole-body cryotherapy is based on this same idea of utilizing cold as a therapeutic agent but the evidence just isnt there to back it up. And because WBC is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, the research we do have has mostly been conducted by private cryotherapy studios or practitioners who have a financial tie to it, according to Dr. Robert Shmerling, a rheumatologist and associate professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

In fact, the FDA states that despite claims by many spas and wellness centers to the contrary, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not have evidence that WBC effectively treats diseases or conditions like Alzheimers, fibromyalgia, migraines, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, stress, anxiety or chronic pain.

The lack of regulation by the FDA also means that theres no golden rule regarding the temperature and duration of cryotherapy. As a result, different wellness centers use different cooling technologies. This has made it particularly difficult to reliably study the effects of WBC, according to Erich Hohenauer, a senior researcher at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland who has conducted research on cryotherapy.

Furthermore, the studies out there have predominantly looked at the effects in men, so its even more unclear how the treatment affects women, Hohenauer noted.

jacoblund via Getty Images

Heres what the science does say.

Two of the biggest studies a report from 2014 and another from 2015 looked at a total of 14 previous studies and concluded that theres not enough evidence to say whether or not the cooling treatment has any significant impact on pain or muscle soreness. And though WBC may improve some peoples perception of recovery, the researchers determined its probably best to just use a local ice pack on any pain or soreness we know thats effective (and affordable), they said.

More recent research from 2017 evaluated 10 previous WBC articles and determined that patients often note improvements in pain, soreness, stress and post-exercise recovery. In some cases, WBC does seem to have anti-inflammatory effects and the more often its done, the greater the effects. But, overall, the data is mixed: Many patients reported no improvements.

Some health experts suspect there may be a powerful placebo effect at play.

For something subjective, such as pain rather than something objective, like the size of a tumor you can demonstrate that the expectation of benefit leads to benefit, Shmerling said.

Shmerling said it may be similar to the phenomenon that happens with a sugar pill: In a study, if you tell some participants with pain theyre getting a powerful pain reliever and others theyre getting a sugar pill, more people in the first group will report pain relief.

The same could be true for WBC: You tell people with migraines that it works great for headaches; they get in this horribly cold container for two minutes and some percentage of people will say they feel better, Shmerling said.

Cryotherapy isnt risk-free.

There are also some potential risks to be aware of with WBC. According to Hohenauer, the extremely low temperatures can cause skin burns and inhaling cryocabins the vaporized liquid nitrogen in the tanks can be life threatening in some cases.

There are also a lot of contraindications for whole and partial body cryotherapy which should be taken into account, Hohenauer added. For example, those with heart disease, respiratory issues or hypothyroidism should definitely avoid WBC.

For now, most health care providers are holding off on recommending WBC to patients until the science catches up. The body of literature on WBC is growing, and we may eventually find out cryotherapy is indeed an effective treatment for pain and soreness. Until we have more proof, though, its best to talk to your doctor and proceed with caution.

Given the lack of evidence, expense and at least some risk of harm, I would not recommend it, Shmerling said, adding, Then again, if someone feels better doing it and has had no side effects, I would not discourage it.

The rest is here:
This Is Your Body On Cryotherapy - HuffPost

BACKGROUND:

Single photon emission computed tomography combined with computed tomography (SPECT/CT) could potentially aid in diagnosing periarticular arthritis/activity and progression, facilitate effective treatment options, and evaluate the effect surgery has on the clinical outcome of patients with ankle arthritis. The goal of our study was to assess SPECT/CT activity in the ankle and periarticular joints before and after ankle fusion surgery and determine whether it was associated with clinical pain and function scores.

Thirty-four patients recruited into this study underwent either arthroscopic or open ankle fusion. X-ray (XR) and SPECT/CT imaging was obtained as well as completion of patient Ankle Osteoarthritis Scale (AOS) and 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36) questionnaires preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively. Ankle, subtalar, and talonavicular joint arthritis grading on XR and CT, along with SPECT/CT activity, was evaluated by 2 nuclear medicine radiologists. Data were assessed for normality and analyzed with the appropriate comparative test.Pvalue was set at <.05. Thirty patients (31 ankles) completed follow-up and were analyzed.

SPECT/CT activity showed no significant difference in the ankle joint at 6 months postoperatively while periarticular joint activity significantly increased (P< .05). Six months postoperatively, patients had significant improvements in their AOS and SF-36 scores (P< .05). SPECT/CT grading of all joints analyzed, however, was not associated with AOS or SF-36 scores preoperatively or at 6 months postoperatively.

In this study, intensity of activity as evaluated by SPECT/CT in periarticular hindfoot joints in patients who had ankle arthrodesis was not associated with clinical/functional scores at 6 months postoperatively.

Level IV, diagnostic study.

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Preliminary Experience With SPECT/CT to Evaluate Periarticular Arthritis Progression and the Relationship With Clinical Outcome Following Ankle...

An arthritis diagnosis is a life-changing experience. You suddenly have to think about treatment options, assess whether you want to take any medications, and come to terms with the fact that theres no cure for your pain. Whats more, you have a million questions and with so much conflicting information online, its hard to find the right answers. Trying to manage all of this alone is impossible you need to surround yourself with people who can give you the support you need, and help to find the right arthritis pain relief options for you. So, who should you include in your support network? While it differs from person to person, heres an example of where you may want to start:

Friends and Family

Your friends and family are an essential component of your support team. No doubt theyve been with you through the good and the bad for your whole life and this is no different! You can decide how involved you want your loved ones to be on your arthritis journey. Perhaps you just want to be able to talk to them when things get overwhelming, or maybe you want them to play a more hands-on role and accompany you during your visits to the doctor it can certainly help to have someone taking notes and helping you to remember all the new information youre receiving.

Primary Care Physician

Following your arthritis diagnosis, youre probably going to be seeing a lot more of your Primary Care Physician. Make sure they are someone you feel comfortable talking to, and someone who takes the time to address your concerns and questions. Its important that you are as open and honest with them as possible make sure they know about your lifestyle habits and any medications you are currently taking. With this information, they will be able to create a treatment plan that is specifically tailored to your needs and gives you the best chance of waving goodbye to your arthritis pain.

Specialist (if necessary)

Different types of arthritis require different levels of medical intervention, and depending on your specific needs you may or may not need to visit a specialist. If you have rheumatoid arthritis you should definitely see a rheumatologist, as this is a specialized condition resulting from immune system dysfunction. A rheumatologist will assess the severity of your arthritis and devise a treatment plan based on this. Over time, theyll be able to monitor how the disease progresses and adjust your treatment as necessary.

Psychologist/Mental Health Care Specialist

Seeing a psychologist might seem like a big deal, and its certainly not necessary for everyone. However, depression and anxiety are extremely normal and common among arthritis patients chronic pain affects mood, and its hard to maintain a positive outlook when youre in constant discomfort. A newly diagnosed arthritis patient experiences many different emotions and changes to their life, and it can be helpful to have someone to talk the whole thing over with. Of course, your friends and family can provide emotional support, but sometimes its nice to have a professional (and a stranger) on board as well. They can help you to develop coping mechanisms and different methods for managing the diverse set of emotions that come with arthritis.

Physical Therapist

Exercise is a very important aspect of your arthritis treatment plan. Staying as active and mobile as possible is crucial when it comes to reducing your pain and improving mobility. However, many exercises are not suitable for arthritis sufferers, and it can be difficult to know which types of exercise will benefit you the most. This is where a physical therapist can help they will be able to provide you with exercises to maintain your range of motion, improve your mobility and reduce your arthritis pain.

Dietician

Many people find that making modifications to their diet can improve their arthritis symptoms. By avoiding inflammatory foods and eating a healthy, balanced diet, you may see a welcome reduction in your arthritis pain. A dietician can show you which foods to avoid and which foods to eat more of. If youre looking to lose weight, they can help you there too carrying extra weight puts more stress on your joints and worsens the pain associated with arthritis.

Dealing with an arthritis diagnosis is no easy task, but there is a whole group of wonderful, caring people out there just waiting to help you out. Make sure youre never afraid to ask questions or seek help when you need it thats exactly what your arthritis support network is there for.

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Coping with Arthritis: Who Should be in Your Support Group? - Lifesly.com

As a 60-year-old senior who has used cannabis for 44 years, Karen Watts Nauman of Comfortably Numb CBD has always believed in the medicinal healing of this plant medicine. However, she admits her fellow senior consumers lack an understanding of the full medicinal benefits of cannabis and hemp.

My generation just got whatever weed we could get and didnt know anything about the science.

After she tried CBD with her husband and they were impressed by how their health improved significantly , they thought, Our peers need to know about CBD! Thats when they started Comfortably Numb to educate older adults about how CBD can be an alternative to Big Pharma in treating ailments that impact seniors, such as pain and inflammation, sleep disorders, bone health, and lack of appetite.

In their work, they explain the importance of healing the bodys endocannabinoid system, explaining that there are few ways to better support this system than with CBD. High on effectiveness and low on side-effects, CBD is a near perfect method of managing symptoms.

RELATED: Marijuana Use Among Seniors Is Growing Fast

For those looking to introduce their senior family members to CBD, Watts Nauman notes education is key. Our generation likes studies backed by science. She suggests focusing on the seniors specific problems and how CBD can address these concerns. CBD needs to be looked at like a vitamin that should be taken every day for maximum benefit. Also, seniors should discuss their CBD use with their doctor to avoid any complications due to other medications they are taking. According to Watts Nauman, the website Project CBDis an excellent resource that resonates well with seniors.

Photo by Caiaimage/Trevor Adeline/Getty Images

Watts Nauman advises starting seniors with a topical hat contains at least 125mg CBD per ounce of lotion/salve/oil but would then go higher to 250mg CBD per ounce. If they have arthritis, or are using it for pain, maybe look for products that contain other carrier oils that work well with this particular issue. She adds that they need to apply it three to four times per day, especially in the beginning.

RELATED: How CBD Helps Seniors Exercise

Also, Watts Nauman suggests this population avoids sweet edibles, like CBD chocolate. Seniors like sweets and will want to go this method and it is cheaper to try. But as many edibles use isolate, more than likely, they wont feel anything immediately. Then they will be angry at the money they spent and tell others it doesnt work. Soft-gels and CBD teas can be good alternatives, but only if they have a high milligram count and are made using full spectrum CBD.

After seniors experiment with topicals, Watts Nauman recommends an oil tincture or a nasal inhaled delivery system. These delivery methods are better for bioavailability and feeling the effects faster. She offers these recommendations for dosing. Start them with a minimum of 8-12mgs full spectrum or 20-30mg isolate taken in the early evening after a meal. Then stay on this dosage for about three days to determine how it works with their needs. Once they get a feel for their best dosage, then they can go into micro-dosing and using other delivery methods.

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Educating Older Adults About CBD What You Need To Know - The Fresh Toast

There are significant clinical differences and outcomes between patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)-mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), SSc-overlap, and SSc-only, according to research results published in Arthritis Care and Research. Study investigators indicated better survival among patients with SSc-MCTD and SSc-overlap than among those with SSc-only.

Mixed connective tissue disease is defined by the presence of anti-ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) antibody with >3 clinical features, including swollen fingers, synovitis, myositis, Raynaud phenomenon, or acrosclerosis. Patients diagnosed with SSc and with features of connective tissue diseases are typically classified as SSc-overlap.

To describe the clinical characteristics and outcomes of SSc-MCTD and SSc-overlap, 1728 patients (86% women; 95% white) from the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study who met the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria for SSc were enrolled in the study. A total of 5.6% (n=97) of patients were indicated to have both SSc and MCTD (SSc-MCTD), while 7.3% (n=126) were indicated to have SSc-overlap syndrome.

Researchers created 3 mutually exclusive groups, including SSc-MCTD (n=97), SSc-overlap (n=126), and SSc-only (consisting of the remaining 1505 patients). Mean duration of follow-up was similar between groups at approximately 4.5 years. Researchers performed univariate comparison of clinical features between groups using analysis of variance or chi-square, and conducted survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression.

Results of the study indicated that among patients with SSc-overlap, 38.9% had overlap with rheumatoid arthritis, 34.1% with Sjogren syndrome, 13.5% with systemic lupus erythematous, 17.5% with polymyositis, and 2.4% with dermatomyositis. Compared with patients in the SSc-overlap and SSc-only groups, patients with SSc-MCTD group were younger at disease onset (46.5 and 46.8 years vs 38.4 years, respectively; P <.0001). Patients in the SSc-MCTD or SSc-overlap groups were more likely than patients in the SSc-only group to have other positive autoantibodies, including anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Jo-1, and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Patients in the SSc-MCTD and the SSc-overlap groups had similar frequency of interstitial lung disease (ILD), whereas those in the group with SSc-MCTD had higher frequency of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH; 12.4% vs 4.8% and 11.1% in the SSc-overlap and SSc-only groups, respectively; P =.0751). Synovitis and myositis were equally common in the SSc-overlap and SSc-MCTD groups.

Patients with SSc-overlap were significantly more likely to have experienced dysphagia (60.3% vs 45.4% of SSc-MCTD vs 45.5% of SSc-only; P =.0006). Compared with patients in the SSc-only group, those in the SSc-MCTD and SSc-overlap groups had a higher likelihood of exposure to immunosuppressive treatment, including prednisolone and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

Kaplan-Meier curves showed better survival in the SSc-MCTD group compared with patients in the SSc-overlap or the SSc-only groups (P =.011); however, scleroderma-specific antibodies that were more reliable indicators of survival indicated that antinuclear antibody-centromere or anti-RNP conferred consistently better survival than anti-topoisomerase 1 (Scl)-70 or anti-RNA polymerase 3. Researchers noted that compared with patients with SSc-only, those with SSc-MCTD or SSc-overlap had lower all-cause mortality after ILD and PAH diagnosis (P =.024). Overall, compared with SSc-only, SSc-MCTD and SSc-overlap groups combined had significantly better survival (P =.019).

Study limitations included survivor bias, retrospective analysis, and a small SSc-MCTD sample size for the subgroup analysis.

This study provides insights into the clinical characteristics of patients with SSc-MCTD, SSc overlap, and SSc-only, and shows that anti-RNP antibodies are associated with better survival than anti-Scl-70 and anti-RNA polymerase [3] antibodies, the researchers concluded.

Disclosure: Several study authors declared affiliations with the pharmaceutical industry. Please see the original reference for a full list of authors disclosures.

Reference

Fairley JL, Hansen D, Proudman S, Sahhar J, Ngian GS, Walker J. Clinical characteristics and survival in systemic sclerosis-mixed connective tissue disease and systemic sclerosis-overlap syndrome [published online February 14, 2020]. Arthritis Care Res. doi:10.1002/acr.24167

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Better Survival in Patients With SSc-Mixed Connective Tissue Disease and SSc-Overlap vs SSc-Only - Rheumatology Advisor

Galleries and exhibitions

The Kirkland Library, 17100 Hymus Blvd. in Kirkland, presents an exhibit of paintings by Karel de Zeeuw starting Saturday and continuing to March 29. Vernissage on Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. Call 514-630-2726, local 3216.

The Dorval Museum of Local History and Heritage, 1850 Lakeshore Dr. in Dorval, presents the exhibition Headlines, which explores the history of womens issues in Canada through an innovative lens, with a collection of more than 60 hats from different eras. Continues until May 10. Call 514-633-4175.

The Stewart Hall Art Gallery, 176 Lakeshore Rd. in Pointe-Claire, presents the exhibition Material, Mass and Dust, starting Saturday and continuing to April 19. Vernissage on Sunday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Call 514-630-1254.

Montreal Aviation Museumon McGill Universitys MacDonald campus, 21111 Lakeshore Rd. in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, is open to the public Saturday-Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call 514-398-7948 or visitcahc-ccpa.com.

Lakeshore Light Opera presents Iolanthe by Gilbert & Sullivan until March 14 at Lakeside Academy, 5050 Sherbrooke St. in Lachine. For tickets ($15 to $30) visit llo.org or call 514-804-4900.

Demystifying Art: David Armstrong Six. Lecture with the artists on March 18 from 10 to 11 a.m. at the Stewart Hall Art Gallery, 176 Lakeshore Rd. in Pointe-Claire. Free. Call 514-630-1254.

Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre A Grand Murder written and directed by Steve Gillam on March 28, April 4, 18, 25 and May 2 at 6 p.m. at Dorval-Strathmore United Church, 310 Brookhaven Ave. in Dorval. Tickets: $40, $35 for seniors/students. Call 514-793-9879 or email dsuc13churchevents@gmail.com.

St-Eugene: Suburb Lights (Cabaret Nights). Indie-folk band from Montreal on Friday at 8 p.m. at the Peter B. Yeomans Cultural Centre, 1401 Lakeshore Dr. in Dorval. Tickets: $20. Visit ville.dorval.qc.ca.

Solstice. World music with Montreal-based Celtic folk band Solstice on March 15 at 3 p.m. at the Pointe-Claire Cultural Centre, 176 Lakeshore Rd. in Pointe-Claire. Free, but passes required. Call 514-630-1220, local 1774.

Ensemble stn: In the Shadow of Mount Damavand (Divertissimo Series) on Sunday at 11 a.m. at the Peter B. Yeomans Cultural Centre, 1401 Lakeshore Dr. in Dorval. Tickets: $10, $5 for children aged 6-12, free for children five and under. Call 514-633-4175.

Orchestre Mtropolitain: A Tale of Two Cities. Classical grand concert on March 20 at 8 p.m. at Saint-Joachim Church, 2 Ste-Anne Ave. in Pointe-Claire. Tickets: $22, $16 for students/seniors. Call 514-630-1220, local 0.

Lakeshore Chamber Music Society presents Beethoven 250 with Elizabeth Dolin (cello) and Wei-Tang Huang (piano) on March 20 at 7:30 p.m. at Union Church, 24 Maple Ave. in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. Admission: $20, $15 for seniors (60+) and students, 16 and under admitted for free. Visit lakeshorechambermusic.org.

Lakeshore Chamber Orchestra spring concert on March 21 at 7:30 p.m. at Valois United Church, 70 Belmont Ave. in Pointe-Claire. Donation: $10, 18 and under admitted for free. Visit lakeshorechamberorchestra.ca.

St. Columba concerts presents a piano concert featuring Olivia Musat on March 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of St. Columba by-the-Lake, 11 Rodney Ave. in Pointe-Claire. Donation: $15 (free for children). Call 514-364-3027.

Kirkland Concert Band, a community wind ensemble band, rehearse every Wednesday from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Kirkland Chalet, 81 Park Ridge Rd. in Kirkland. They are a group of amateur, volunteer musicians who play concerts in parks, senior residences and other locations with the goal of bringing music into the community. Visit kirklandconcertband.org.

Briarwood Presbyterian Church Choir is looking for singers to join their choir. The service is from 10 to 11 a.m. every Sunday at 70 Beaconsfield Blvd. Call 514-695-1879.

The Low Vision Self-Help Association meets on Wednesday from 1 to 3:30 p.m. at Briarwood Presbyterian Church, 70 Beaconsfield Blvd. in Beaconsfield. Topic: Adapting Our Home for Low Vision. All welcome. Call 514-694-2965.

Living with Arthritis. AWISH offers a series of 5-sessions with coping tips, nutrition, exercise, alternative therapies, etc. starting April 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Chalet Holleufeur in Kirkland. To register, call 514-631-3288 or arthritis@awishmontreal.org.

Lou Gehrigs Disease SLA/ALS Family Caregiver support group, offered by NOVA West Island, meets the first Monday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. in Beaconsfield. Call 514-695-8335, local 205.

AWISH Montreal offers exercise for arthritis with a movement professional on Monday evenings from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Sarto Desnoyers Community Centre in Dorval. Classes ongoing. Free trial for first timers. To register, call 514-631-3288 or email arthritis@awishmontreal.org.

Compassionate Friends, an international self-help support group for bereaved parents, meets on the first Tuesday of each month. For information and support, call 438-257-0881.

Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step recovery group for compulsive overeaters, anorexics and bulimics. No weigh-ins, dues or fees. Weekly meetings at various locations. Call 514-488-1812.

ANEB open support group for people (aged 17+) suffering from an eating disorder and their loved ones. Open to those suffering or living with an obsession of their body image, as well as support groups for their loved ones. The groups are confidential, free of charge and require no registration or long-term commitment. They are offered in English, on the West Island. Visit anebquebec.com/en/services/groupe-de-soutien-ouverts.

GRASP Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing. A free peer support group for people grieving the loss of a loved one to substance abuse meet every Wednesday from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in Beaconsfield. To register, call 514-898-1220 or email graspmontreal@hotmail.com or visit grasphelp.org.

LGBTQ2+ Adult & Seniors supper open to adult and seniors who are questioning their gender identity or sexual orientation every Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Beaconsfield United Church, 202 Woodside Ave. Visit http://www.lgbtq2centre.com.

Al-Anon Family Groups. Compassionate help for family and friends of alcoholics. If you are troubled by someone elses drinking you can find help and hope in a friendly, supportive atmosphere. Call 514-866-9803, email aisarea88english@gmail.com or visit alanonalateenqcouest.org.

Adult ADHD Support Group West Island. For adults and their loved ones who have ADHD. They meet every second Thursday at 7:45 p.m. Call 514-773-9815 or email adultadhd.wi@gmail.com.

TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly)is a low-cost non-profit organization that helps with weight-loss support. They meet every Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Cedar Park Chalet, 20 Robinsdale Ave., in Pointe-Claire. Visit tops.org.

West Island Cancer Wellness Centre. Compassionate support and programs such as yoga, massage therapy, counselling, and more. They work with your health care professionals to improve your well-being and their services help you manage the emotional and physical challenges that come from a cancer diagnosis. Open Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., except on Wednesdays until 8 p.m. at 115 Du Barry St. in Kirkland. All services are free. Visit wicwc.org or call 514-695-9355.

Gamblers Anonymousoffers help to anyone suffering from a gambling problem. Call 514-484-6666 or visitgamontreal.ca.

The Montreal Chapter of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society meets on March 19 at 11 a.m. at the Pointe-Claire Legion Hall, 365 St. Louis St. Viswanath (Vis) Tata will speak on CRJ 7001 the Untold Story. Cost: $5 includes light lunch. Call 450-463-1998.

The More You Know: Mangez local au rythme des saisons. With nutritionist and author Julie Aub who will discuss the advantages of eating food produced locally from Quebec all year round. Presented in French with bilingual question period on March 14 at 2 p.m. at the Dorval Library, 1401 Lakeshore Drive. Free. Call 514-633-4170.

Yoga for Your Face with Carole Morency on March 18 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Pointe-Claire Public Library, 100 Douglas Shand Ave. Rejuvenate your face by strengthening and relaxing facial muscles through a series of small but specific movements. Free, but passes required. Call 514-630-1218.

Club Cycliste Beaconsfield. Season opener meeting for avid cyclists on March 27 at 7 p.m. at Holleuffer Chalet, 75 Charlevoix St. in Kirkland. This club is a volunteer run, non-profit organization composed of avid recreational cyclists in the West Island. An overview of upcoming activities for existing and new members (or interested parties) will be given. All West-Island road cyclists welcome. Visit clubcycliste.com.

Kirkland 55+ Club for seniors offers contract bridge sessions (no partner needed) every Sunday from 1 to 4 p.m. at 16950A Hymus Blvd. in Kirkland. They also offer duplicate bridge sessions (with partners) every Wednesday afternoon from 1 to 4 p.m. Cost: $4, $2 for members. Call 514-694-2435 or email haeri@videotron.ca.

Senior Mens Contract Bridge Club every Tuesday from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Edwin-Crawford Residence, 35 Maywood Ave. in Pointe-Claire. Cost: $5. No partner or commitment required. Call 514-697-4159.

Lakeshore Creative Stitchery Guild meets every Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and alternating Tuesdays from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Centre Nol Legault, 245 Lakeshore Rd. in Pointe-Claire. Visitors and beginners welcome. Visit lcsg-gtal.ca.

Rummage sale on Wednesday from 10 a.m. to noon at St. Johns United Church, 98 Aurora Ave. in Pointe-Claire.

Lenten lunches every Wednesday (until April 8) from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Christ Church Beaurepaire, 455 Church St. in Beaconsfield. Cost: $8 includes homemade soup, bread, cheese, dessert, tea and coffee. Call 514-697-2204.

Book, bake and craft sale on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Valois United Church, 70 Belmont Ave. in Pointe-Claire.

Boutique 24 Thrift Shop is open every Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and the last Friday of each month from 6 to 9 p.m. at Union Church, Adair Hall, 24 Maple Ave. in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. Donations welcome. Call 514-713-5054.

Thrift Shops for NOVAoffer clothing for the whole family, footwear, books, household items, jewelry, etc. Thrift shop and used book shop,43 Ste-Anne St. in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. Call 514-457-1642.Thrift shopat 2750 St-Charles Blvd. in Kirkland. Call 514-697-6692.Furniture and Used Book Thrift Shop,449 Beaconsfield Blvd. in Beaconsfield. Call 514-694-8417.Boutique NOVA in Plaza Pointe-Claire.Boutique NOVA Hudson, 455 Main Rd. and a second new location 538 Main Rd. in Hudson. Call 450-202-6682.All are open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Donations welcome. Visitthriftshopsfornova.com.

The Teapot 50+ Centre, 2901 St-Joseph Blvd. in Lachine, needs volunteers to help out at their upcoming St. Pats Pub afternoon on March 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tasks include setting up the room, helping with food prep, serving and clean-up. This event provides members with the opportunity to socialize, celebrate and share a pint or two in a friendly, safe environment. Call 514-637-5627 or theresag@theteapot.org.

ABOVAS a non-profit organization that offers accompanied-transport for West Island residents going to medical appointments on the island of Montreal. If you need assistance and would like to use this service, or if you have a few hours to offer with access to a car and would like to volunteer, email info@abovas.com or call 514-694-3838, or visit abovas.com.

Volunteer West Islandmatches you with volunteer opportunities that suit your interests in the West Island. Visitcabvwi.org or call 514-457-5445, ext. 226. They are currently looking for the following:

Volunteer West Island is looking for Meals on Wheels volunteers for the Pierrefonds and Roxboro kitchens, two cooks for Pierrefonds as well as clean up help in Roxboro, Dorval and Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue. Ages 18+.

Volunteer West Island coordinates the Income tax assistance service offered at several West Island locations. We are looking for a receptionist for our Valois location, two half days per week for six weeks. Tasks include booking appointments and managing the flow of clients through the centre. 18 and up

The Low-Vision Self-Help Association, which meets the second Wednesday of each month in Beaconsfield, is looking for two volunteer drivers to bring members to the meeting, as well a volunteer to help with setting up the snack and the rooms tables & chairs. Ages 16+.

The Nova Adult Day Centre is always in need of volunteers to share time with a lovely group of adults through physical, sensory, reminiscence activities as well as music and song, dance, arts & craft, gaming, exercise, baking and pet therapy or any other topic that you would like to offer. The centre operates Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch provided. Minimum age: 18 years.

CROM, a rehabilitation centre for adults and children living with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and/or physical disabilities, is looking for English or French speaking volunteers. They must be energetic, creative and fun and enjoy arts and crafts, games, homework help, to support parents with young children in their homes. Visits are 2 hours and can take place weekly or biweekly. Ages 18+.

Several West Island seniors residences are looking for friendly visitors for clients who have no family close by it makes a world of difference in their lives. Also needed are volunteers to help run the group activities with the recreation technician. Ages 16+.

West Island Citizen Advocacyis a Centraide/WICS community organization that matches those in need with volunteer advocates. Call 514-694-5850 or visit volunteerwica.com. They need:

A Dollard resident in her early 90s who loves plants would like to share some time with a female volunteer. She speaks Mauritian Creole and Hakka, as well as limited French. She is autonomous although has some trouble with mobility due to arthritis. She is very kind and enjoys socializing and would love to have a friendly visitor for a cup of coffee or tea. When weather is nice she would enjoy a walk to the nearby park or enjoy the fresh air in her backyard garden.

A Pointe-Claire lady in her 70s with some mobility problems would love the company of a female volunteer for some social support. She speaks French and English, loves swimming, dancing and using the treadmill. She has access to all these facilities but would love to be accompanied by someone. She is a very pleasant person to spend time with.

A friendly and sociable automotive engineer who lives in le-Bizardwould appreciate spending some time with a volunteer who can help him become more familiar with social media and using his computer. He is in his early 70, he speaks English and German, and he is very autonomous.

An English-speaking Pierrefonds lady in her late 70s would like a female volunteer to accompany her shopping this summer once a month. She is in a wheelchair but uses adapted taxi for transportation and the volunteer can accompany her in the taxi to and from the shop.

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West Island Community Calendar for the week of March 11 - Montreal Gazette

Dr. Leder, who more than 30 years ago became a co-holder of the first US patent on an animal, the OncoMouse, was 85 when he died Feb. 2 in his home in the Brookline part of Chestnut Hill of complications from Parkinsons disease.

In a tribute posted on a National Institutes of Health website, Dr. Michael M. Gottesman said Dr. Leder was among the worlds most accomplished molecular geneticists.

During Dr. Leders postdoctoral studies at the NIH in the early 1960s, he was recruited by Nirenberg to work on untangling the genetic code.

Their experiments definitively elucidated the triplet nature of the genetic code and culminated in its full deciphering helped set the stage for the revolution in molecular genetic research that Phil himself would continue to lead for the next three decades, wrote Gottesman, who is the NIHs deputy director for Intramural Research and chief of the Laboratory of Cell Biology at the Center for Cancer Research of the National Cancer Institute.

In a eulogy at Dr. Leders funeral, Dr. David Livingston, a Harvard geneticist, said he was brilliant, bold, very good-humored, and blessed with exceptional scientific insight and creativity.

Livingston, who had been Dr. Leders second research fellow at the NIH, added that early on, it became readily apparent that a natural eloquence infused his oral and written scientific discourse.

The groundbreaking research Dr. Leder and Nirenberg conducted came about in part because of the looming prospect of military service. Instead, he volunteered to serve in the US Public Health Service.

I got drafted, so I applied for a position in the Public Health Service, which supplied physicians and scientists to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Dr. Leder said in a 2012 interview with a publication of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. A friend at NIH told me that I ought to meet Marshall Nirenberg because he was doing interesting experiments with the genetic code. Frankly, I didnt know anything about the genetic code. But I went to see Marshall, and he explained to me what he was doing and its importance.

Their research was in competition with work in another laboratory run by Severo Ochoa, a Nobel Prize-winner, and there was a mad race to the finish, Dr. Leder recalled.

I couldnt sleep for days at a time because of the excitement! I must admit it was very competitive; theres no question about that, he added. I would go to bed thinking about the next days experiments and then jump out of bed in the morning and rush to the laboratory. I stayed late at night. It was a lot of work but the intellectual excitement was enormous.

After about 18 years, Dr. Leder left the NIH at the outset of the 1980s to become founding chairman of Harvard Medical Schools department of genetics, where he stayed until 2008.

Working with Timothy Stewart in 1988, he was awarded the first patent on the OncoMouse, an animal genetically engineered to have a predisposition for cancer, which revolutionized the study and treatment of the disease, George Q. Daley, dean of the faculty of medicine at Harvard, said in a statement. Additionally, Phils research into Burkitts lymphoma was instrumental to understanding the origin of tumors with antibody-producing cells.

Dr. Leders many honors included the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research; the Heineken Prize from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences; the US National Medal of Science; and the William Allan Medal from the American Society of Human Genetics.

For his many accomplishments, he was extremely modest. He really didnt like to talk about himself much, said his son Ben of Westwood. What he loved about science was the actual work, and thats what really motivated him.

Scientists such as Livingston, who worked with Dr. Leder early in their own careers, considered him a key mentor.

I shall miss Phil forever, Livingston said in his eulogy. Indeed, only rarely has a week passed when I havent thought of him. If the past is any prologue, my abiding hope will be that, when faced with a particularly potent scientific challenge, some of his mentoring magic will spontaneously take hold and point me in one of those special, Phil Leder-like directions.

Although Dr. Leders accomplishments were lasting, he began focusing more on family and subsequent generations as he neared and then entered his retirement years.

What a wonderful ride it has been, he wrote in 2001 for an anniversary report of his Harvard class. But I now see more clearly than ever before that whatever modest gift of knowledge my colleagues and I have been able to turn over to posterity, it has been poor by comparison to the thrill of seeing our grandchildren walk off into the future.

Born in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 19, 1934, Philip Leder grew up in Washington and in Arlington, Va., the only child of George Leder and Jacqueline Burke.

Dr. Leder graduated from Western High School in Washington and went to Harvard, from which he received a bachelors degree in 1956. He graduated from Harvard Medical School four years later.

In 1959, he married Aya Brudner. They had three children and worked together on research.

I continue to collaborate with my wife, Aya, in the remarkable field of molecular genetics, he wrote for the 40th anniversary report of his Harvard class. Lately, however, we find ourselves occasionally sneaking off to New Hampshire, where we have a second home, a canoe, snowshoes, and lots of opportunity to observe nature in real time.

A service has been held for Dr. Leder, who in addition to his wife, Aya, and son, Ben, leaves a daughter, Micki of Washington, D.C.; another son, Ethan of Bethesda, Md.; and eight grandchildren.

Ive discovered that great joy comes from grandchildren, Dr. Leder wrote 50 years after graduating from Harvard College.

Eight grandchildren, he added, can easily shrink a fairly successful career down to its appropriate proportions. In the next few years Ill retire from a life in genetics, which Ive loved, from the genetic code to the human genome. But I wont retire from those grandchildren, and I suspect that many of you feel exactly the same way.

Bryan Marquard can be reached at bryan.marquard@globe.com.

Continued here:
Dr. Philip Leder, Harvard researcher who illuminated the role of genetics in cancer, dies at 85 - The Boston Globe

Genetic variants that once protected ancient Arab nomads from the harsh desert environment may make modern Kuwaitis prone to metabolic disorders.

Modern-day Kuwaitis may suffer health problems thanks to genetic adaptations that once protected their Arab nomad ancestors from the harsh desert environment.Paulo Oliveira / Alamy Stock Photo Delving into the genetic history of a human population can help explain why some modern-day people have a greater propensity to certain diseases. One longstanding question is why Kuwaitis experience a high incidence of obesity and other metabolic syndromes.

Human genetic adaptation to extreme environments, such as high altitude and cold climates, has been increasingly explored in recent years, and I have always wondered about the adaptive trends in the desert-covered Arabian Gulf, says Muthukrishnan Eaaswarkhanth of the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Kuwait. We decided to explore adaptation in the Kuwaiti population using a genome-wide selection scanning technique, to see if we could find a stretch of DNA inherited from nomadic Arab ancestors that might explain contemporary health issues.

Eaaswarkhanth, with colleagues Fahd Al-Mulla and Thangavel Thanaraj, and co-workers in the US, analysed 662,750 genetic variants in 583 Kuwaitis. They searched for regions of the genome suggestive of positive selection over generations.

We used four different statistical methods to measure genetic variations that band together in a genome over time, and pinpointed differences both within the Kuwaiti population and compared with other global population groups, says Thanaraj.

Through this extensive analysis, the researchers identified a haplotype in Kuwaitis: a group of genetic variants that are conserved together as a sequence over time. This haplotype encompasses a single gene, TNKS, which has variations associated with metabolic disorders and high blood pressure.

In hunter-gatherer, nomadic populations, selecting for the TNKS haplotype provided a survival advantage, says Eaaswarkhanth. A rapid metabolic rate and higher blood pressure may have helped them survive extremely harsh environmental conditions and food scarcity in the Arabian Desert.

Crucially, the same DNA stretch becomes a killer during prosperous periods and under more sedentary lifestyles, leading to a modern-day population prone to obesity, diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

Were extending this study to other Arabian Peninsula populations to fully understand the evolutionary story, says Al-Mulla. Further, we hope to conduct functional experiments that could help in disease diagnosis, management and prevention in the region.

More here:
Genetic adaptions can lose their benefit over time - Nature Middle East

Imagine computers taking over the world. This scenario has been the grounds for many movies such as The Terminator. The debate over whether AI is dangerous or not has been a popular topic since the birth of the technology. As Elon Musk cautioned at SXSW 2018, AI is far more dangerous than nukes.

The same can be said about CRISPR, the new genetic engineering tool with the potential to delay aging, cure cancer and forever change the human species for better or worse. While it has been slowly gaining traction in the media and was discovered as early as 1993, CRISPR remains widely unknown despite the magnitude of its potential.

In my work focusing on AI, carbon offsetting, blockchain and CRISPR, I'm seeking to understand the big problems that I believe we will tackle this century. I'm currently networking with promising biolabs in Japan to increase my CRISPR expertise, and I would like to share what I've learned.

Now is the time to start educating yourself about CRISPR, keeping an eye on the market and establishing yourself as an industry leader.

How have we already changed life itself?

We have been engineering life since the dawn of time through selective breeding, but after discovering DNA, scientists began to take the process to a whole new level.

In the 1960s and 70s, scientists used radiation to cause random mutations in the hopes of creating something useful by pure chance. Sometimes it worked. A famous 1994 example is the FLAVR SAVR tomato, which was given an extra gene to suppress the buildup of a rotting enzyme to increase its shelf life.

In 2016, the first baby was born using the three parent genetic technique for maternal infertility.

What is CRISPR?

CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats) is part of bacteria's immune system against bacteriophages, viruses that inject their DNA and hijack bacterias genomes to act as factories.

When a bacterium survives this attack, it saves part of the genetic code of the virus to form a protein (e.g. Cas9), which in turn scans the bacterium's insides for virus DNA matching the sample. If it finds any, the virus DNA gets cut out, effectively repelling the attack. This DNA archive is what we call CRISPR.

Here's the game-changer: Scientists discovered that it is programmable. In other words, programming it will give us the ability to modify, add or remove DNA parts with relative ease. This has the potential to cut gene editing costs, reduce the time to conduct experiments and vastly lower the complexity of the process.

Its potential applications are not limited to genetic diseases, either. Being able to edit DNA is opening up research possibilities for fighting other diseases, including cancer. It has the potential to slow aging and extend our lifespan. It can alter our bodies, leading to talk that it could eventually give us superhuman powers.

Are ethical concerns warranted?

Just like GMOs, there is also a lot of controversy and ethical debate surrounding CRISPR. It is sometimes referred to as Pandora's box.

Every parent wants a healthy child, but once genetic modification becomes commonplace in reproduction, I predict it won't be long before purely aesthetic changes are requested. This could ultimately lead to a cliff between genetically enhanced and unenhanced humans, where designer babiesare considered superior.

We have come quite a long way since the initial discovery, but CRISPR is still in its infancy. As precise as Cas9 editing is, errors are being made. Should germinal genes be edited, these changes could potentially be passed on.

However, at this point, I do not believe the question is whether it is good or bad. We have already been altering human DNA and will continue to do so. In my opinion, improper regulations are only likely to incentivize less transparent research in a more dangerous environment.

What are some early stage best practices for industry leaders?

Progress is slow but steady. The topic is complex and is far less tangible than, say, blockchain. Investments will require very patient pockets, due to potential temporary bans on clinical research using CRISPR. But with the sheer magnitude of its potential, I believe there won't be any industry that won't be affected by it in the future.

If, like me, you're a business leader getting involved in this industry, there are a few best practices you can keep in mind. Should your regulator become too much of a roadblock for your project despite your best efforts to be transparent and compliant consider moving it to a different jurisdiction. I predict others will do the same if U.S. regulations become stricter and slow the process.

As with AI, it's important to apply necessary caution. Projects must be transparent and compliant with regulators. The danger, if regulators become too uncooperative, is that CRISPR projects will move to less regulated spaces. Avoid jurisdictions that turn a blind eye to riskier procedures and experiments.

I believe ethical concerns need to be addressed logically. We have already crossed many boundaries, and there will always be those who are willing to do what others are not. That's why it's in everyone's best interest to discuss ethical concerns and bring critical thinking as an active part of research and development.

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CRISPR: Its Potential And Concerns In The Genetic Engineering Field - Forbes

The rapid and frightening spread of the coronavirus has sparked a battle thats drawing on a host of emerging technologies. Government, industry and academic researchers are scrambling to improve our ability to diagnose, treat and contain a virus thats threatening to reach pandemic status.

This isnt the first time researchers have faced off against a dangerous member of this family of viruses. But it is the first time theyve done it with a toolbox that includes the gene-editing tool CRISPR and the emerging field of synthetic biology.

Indeed, weve known about coronaviruses for nearly 60 years. But for several decades, they attracted little attention, causing symptoms similar to the common cold.

That changed in 2003, when a deadly member of the coronavirus family, SARS-COV, spread to 29 countries, killing 774 people. Suddenly, a coronavirus found previously in animals had managed to jump to humans, where it killed nearly 10 percent of those infected. The virus sparked fear across the globe, but was brought under control within a year. Only a small number of cases have been reported since 2004.

Then in 2012 came MERS-COV. The virus emerged in Saudi Arabia, jumping from camels to humans. The virus has never caused a sustained outbreak, but with a mortality rate of35 percent, it has killed 858 people so far. Infections have been reported in 27 countries, with most in the Middle East. The virus is considered by the World Health Organization to be a potential epidemic threat.

Interestingly, neither of these previous coronavirus threats were stopped by a cure or a vaccine. MERS still lurks in the background, while SARS was contained by what amounts to old-school practices, according to a 2007 article in Harvard Magazine:

Ironically, in this age of high-tech medicine, the virus was eventually brought under control by public-health measures typically associated with the nineteenth centuryisolation of SARS patients themselves and quarantine of all their known and suspected contactsrather than a vaccine.

There currently is no cure for this new wave of coronavirus infections (the resulting disease is called Covid-19), even though some antiviral therapies are being tested and one experimental vaccine is ready for testing in humans. The virus genome has been sequenced and its genetic code may shed light on how the disease starts and spreads, as well as inform on potential pharmaceutical targets for drug development. The Covid-19 virus similarity to the SARS-COV may mean that cures developed for one strain may prove effective for the other. The Canadian company AbCellera plans to test its antibody technology, already tried against MERS-COV, to neutralize the Covid-19 viral bodies.

What is really encouraging is the level of international collaboration aimed to fight this health emergency. Funding bodies, scientific societies and scientific journals have signed a joint statement, agreeing to openly share research findings with the global research community as soon as they are available. The very quick information dissemination gave scientists around the globe several RNA sequences of the virus genome. And these sequences can be used to better understand the epidemiology and origins of the virus. Moreover, the advancements in DNA technology let research groups in academia and industry synthesize the viral genetic material to use in the two areas of focus: detection of virus and vaccine development.

One of the trickiest things about the coronavirus is its speculated transmission by asymptomatic patients. This increases the number of infections and makes containment measures less effective, spreading fears that the virus may establish a permanent presence in some areas. There are also fears that many incidents lie undetected, spreading the virus under the radar. As of March 9, the virus has infected more than 110,000 people, killing nearly 4,000, in 97 countries.

Several biotech companies have scrambled to provide kits and resources for early and reliable detection of the new coronavirus. Mammoth Bioscience, a San Francisco-based startup, is already working on a detection assay using their CRISPR technology. The DNA technology companies IDT and Genscript already distribute PCR-based kits for detection for research purposes. The Chinese companies BGI and Liferiver Biotech use the same PCR technology for the kits they provide to their countries health authorities.

The French-British biotech Novacyt announced the launch of a diagnostic kit for clinical use in middle February. The kit will also use quantitative-PCR, developed by their sister company Primerdesign. Its high specificity will reduce the analysis time to less than two hours. The companys CEO Graham Mullis told Reuters that each kit will cost around $6.50, and that they have already received more than 33,000 orders.

The only way to effectively control and even eliminate the outbreak is to develop a vaccine. Unfortunately, the new outbreak hasnt attracted the attention of the lead vaccine manufacturers. Non-profit organizations, such as the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), have jumped in to fill the gap. But despite the emergency, a vaccine may be several years away from being available

The University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia, announced that theyre working on a coronavirus vaccine which they hope to have ready within the next few months. The molecular clamp approach the Australian researchers have developed allows is designed to boost the immune system response and work against several viral infections. GlaxoSmithKline has offered is adjuvant technology adjuvants are added to vaccines to boost their efficiency to speed up the process.

The Cambridge, MA-based Moderna uses a different approach to make vaccines. Their mRNA technology is modular and very adaptable to use for a new disease or when the epitope (the vaccines target) mutates. The company says its vaccine is ready for human trials.

The Covid-19 outbreak has rightly gained the attention of health authorities and the media. If the virus were to reach countries with weaker healthcare systems than Chinas, the number of deaths will rise significantly and containment will be even harder. Moreover, the long incubation time of the disease, combined with the asymptomatic spread, make quarantine and isolation measures less effective. The biggest risk is for the new coronavirus to become endemic in certain areas, where the disease is never truly extinct and displays seasonal outbreaks. We dont want the Covid-19 to become a new flu.

The health authorities of 2020, the biotech industry, and the society in general are better prepared for a coronavirus outbreak than a few years ago. The situation is less risky than MERS and SARS, though the new virus is harder to contain. This outbreak offers a chance for everyone to become more aware of viral infections, the appropriate precautions and get vaccinated according to the official recommendations. And keep in mind that the best way to stay informed is through official sources, such as the WHO and the CDC.

As for the biotech industry, are they playing their part? The answer is a partial yes; there are several companies that immediately scrambled to help the situation. But the big players within the field could be doing more.

Kostas Vavitsas, PhD, is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Athens, Greece. He is also a steering committee member of EUSynBioS. Follow him on Twitter @konvavitsas

Originally posted here:
Fighting the coronavirus outbreak with genetic sequencing, CRISPR and synthetic biology - Genetic Literacy Project