Decider | Today in TV History: 'Grey's Anatomy' Ended Its Second Season with a Dead Denny Decider WHY IT'S IMPORTANT: That Grey's Anatomy premiered on ABC in the same season that Lost and Desperate Housewives did sometimes gets lost, because Grey's premiered at mid-season. And late mid-season at that. Airing only 9 episodes before the end of ... |
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Today in TV History: 'Grey's Anatomy' Ended Its Second Season with a Dead Denny - Decider
BOCA RATON, FL--(Marketwired - May 16, 2017) - The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine will be launching its new podcast, Redefining Medicine, today. Tune in Tuesdays will host weekly sessions with key players in the field of functional and integrative medicine. The podcast will capture and spotlight the personal lives of healthcare professionals and practitioners, allowing listeners to view and hear the more intimate aspects of practicing medicine.
The first three episodes feature Dr. Andrew Heyman, Dr. Pamela W. Smith, and David Asprey, all of whom showcase the benefits of preventive medicine, and discuss the trajectories that led them to their current practices. Later episodes feature physicians who initially worked in the army, emergency medicine, and an array of other disciplines; yet the consistent theme lies in the ultimate decision to seek out and practice integrative healthcare.
These discussions reveal the varied backgrounds and histories of medical professionals, while displaying a more personal and intimate perspective.
The podcast episodes are also available on iTunes, free of charge.
About the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine
The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M) is the world's largest non-profit society of physicians and scientists committed to research that helps optimize the human aging process, along with the advancement of techniques and technologies that detect, prevent, and treat aging-related diseases.
A4M offers exclusive membership to all medical professionals, with the potential to access over two-decades of established medical expertise. We are dedicated to educating physicians, scientists, and all healthcare professionals, and are proud to be in our 24th year of providing first-class continuing education conferences on anti-aging, regenerative, and functional medicine.
To learn more, register for any event, enroll in any training program, or exhibit at an A4M Conference, please contact the office of the American Academy of Anti-Aging medicine at:
Toll-Free - US Only: (888) 997-0112
International: (561) 997-0112
Email: info@a4m.com
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The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine Introduces New Podcast: Redefining Medicine - Marketwired (press release)
Posted on May 16, 2017, 6 a.m. in Cardio-Vascular Respiratory
Research findings confirm that a respiratory infection can trigger a heart attack, increasing the risk by 17 times in the 7 days following the infection.
Researchers at the University of Sydney have determined the risk of suffering a heart attack is 17 times higher in the week after a respiratory infection. The study took place at Royal North Shore Hospital. The findings were recently published in the Internal Medicine Journal. It is the first study to show a link between respiratory infections like bronchitis, influenza and pneumonia and a heightened risk of heart attack in individuals confirmed through coronary angiography. Coronary angiography is an X-Ray that pinpoints artery blockages in the heart.
Why the Findings Matter
The findings are of significance as they confirm that respiratory infections can serve as a trigger for heart attacks. The study's data showed that a heightened risk for heart attack does not solely occur at the beginning of the respiratory symptoms. The risk peaks in the first week and slowly decreases. However, it is elevated for a full month.
About the Study
The study involved nearly 600 consecutive patients who suffered a heart attack as a result of a coronary artery blockage. They provided information on recent and common occurrences of respiratory infection symptoms. Just over 20 percent of the patients reported respiratory infection symptoms within the first month of their heart attack. Exactly 17 percent of the patients reported respiratory infection symptoms within a week of the heart attack.
Each subject was questioned about his activities prior to the onset of the heart attack. These interviews included questions about whether they endured recent flu-like sickness with a sore throat and/or fever. If a subject reported a cough, sore throat, sinus pain, fever or flu-like symptoms, he was considered to be affected. The same is true of those who reported a diagnosis of bronchitis or pneumonia.
Another analysis was performed amongst those with symptoms limited to the upper respiratory tract. These symptoms included sinusitis, rhinitis, pharyngitis and the common cold. Subjects who reported fairly mild infection symptoms of the upper respiratory tract endured less risk. However, this risk was still boosted 13-fold.
Though upper respiratory infections are not as severe, they are more common than the symptoms of lower respiratory tract infections. The research group desired to understand their relationship to the risk of heart attacks. This information is especially important during the winter. Heart attacks tend to occur at higher rates in the winter months in countries around the world. Part of the reason for this increase is due to an elevation of respiratory infections during the colder months. Medical professionals far and wideadvise people to take precautions to minimize exposure to infection, whether it is a pneumonia vaccine, flu vaccine or other measures.
Why Respiratory Infections Trigger Heart Attacks
Though no one is completely certain why respiratory infections cause heart attacks, researchers point to the fact that blood clots occur at a higher frequency when one has a respiratory infection. There is also an increased tendency for other alterations in blood flow, inflammation, and toxins harming blood vessels. However, the odds of a single episode of a respiratory infection causing a heart attack are low. Yet it is still possible for such an infection to cause a coronary event.
Everyone should consider preventative strategies and take note of the symptoms that are an indication of a heart attack. As time progresses, medical professionals will eventually pinpoint effective treatment strategies to minimize the risk of heart attacks. This is especially important for those who face a higher susceptibility to heart attacks.
Continued here:
Heart Attack Risk Raised by Respiratory Infections - Anti Aging News
Actor Antonio Sabato, Jr., was suffering from depression, mood swings, and just feeling a tremendous loss of energy until he discovered hormone therapy that he says changed his life around.
Sabato, a staunch Republican who recently announced that he is running for Congress, was a vocal supporter of President Donald Trump during the 2016 campaign. The actor has long been interested in politics and public policy, but he tells Newsmax Health his health woes prevented him from performing his best.
The Italian-born heart throb best known for his role as Jagger Cates in the soap opera General Hospital and his work as a Calvin Klein model, discovered that his debilitating symptoms stemmed from hormone depletion, a condition that strikes one in four men over the age of 30.
The symptoms may also include low sex drive, sleep disturbances, depressed mood, lethargy, and diminished physical performance.
For me, I couldnt understand why I was feeling so low, Sabato tells Newsmax Health. Ive always worked out to keep myself in top shape for my demanding roles in movies and on television and I just wasnt bouncing back the way I used to. I suffered from terrible mood swings and insomnia. The doctors I went to wanted to give me pills, which I took at the beginning but then I felt trapped.
I didnt want to take sleeping pills and antidepressants. I just want to feel like myself again.
Rather than throwing in the towel and chalking up his lethargy to aging, Sabato was determined to find an effective treatment for his condition.
After a great deal of searching he met Dr. Christopher Asandra, who is board-certified by the American Board of Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine and a leading anti-aging expert.
His program includes custom-tailored replacement therapy for both men and women to replace hormone levels diminished by the aging process, menopause and andropause, stress, diabetes, obesity, certain medications, and alcohol use.
By careful testing and evaluating each patients blood work, I prescribe a formula that restores optimum hormone levels which soon translates into optimum health, Asandra tells Newsmax Health.
After following Asandras protocol Sabato, 45, says he feels decades younger.
I should have started his program in my 30s, he laughs. I have amazing energy and vitality and my mood swings are gone. I sleep like a baby and as an added benefit the brain fog disappeared and I have incredible mental clarity which is an asset when I need to memorize scripts.
The therapy consists of inserting two tic-tac sized time-release pellets containing bio-identical testosterone hormones that slowly regulate the body over a 5-6 month period. Sabato also uses Asandras growth hormone called Sermorelin, a sequence of 29 vital amino acids taken daily at night to stimulate growth hormone production.
This treatment helps improve bone density, strengthen the cardiovascular system, increase muscle mass and improve cognitive and memory function, says Asandra.
But patients must also do their part, the expert insists.
I can jump start their systems but they have to change their lifestyles to get off the couch, start exercising and eating right, he says.Its like the old expression, I can lead the horse to water but I cant make him drink!
Sabato changed his diet to include 80 percent vegetables, fish, and chicken.
I eat red meat once in a while but I usually stick to a huge salad with fish, he says. I eat no dairy, eggs or bread.
Sabato, a self-professed workout enthusiast works out strenuously six days a week.
I do resistance training, cardio and Jiu Jitsu, a form of martial arts, he says. Thanks to the hormone therapy I have far more energy than ever before.
Asandra says that the secret to successful anti-aging therapy is to be judicious in replacing lost hormones.
Some of my patients only need to have hormone therapy for a year to get back their energy, get off the couch and stay motivated to keep their bodies and minds healthy, he says. We customize all our therapies to ensure optimum levels which are carefully monitored by regular blood tests.
My patients say it is life changing not only for them, but also for the people around them, he says, noting his treatment is generally not covered by insurance. When you are on an even keel mentally, in top shape physically and can enjoy intimacy once again, a price tag similar to buying a Starbuck coffee daily is so worth it!
Asandra says it is important to find the right doctor who will listen to your needs and treat the cause of your symptoms rather than use a Band-Aid approach.
2017 NewsmaxHealth. All rights reserved.
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Actor Antonio Sabato Touting Hormone Therapy - Newsmax
The environment ministry in India will make the final call after the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee recently gave a positive recommendation for the commercial cultivation of GM mustard. Whether the crop is commercially cultivated could depend on the Supreme Court, which is hearing a case seeking a moratorium on its commercial release. The government has stated it will abide by the courts decision (although that remains to be seen and some question the courts impartiality). The final hearing will probably take place in July. The casebefore the Supreme Court was brought by Aruna Rodrigues who accuses various officials and the regulatory authorities of unremitting fraud and regulatory delinquency.
The importance of GM mustard should not be underestimated. It is central to the whole debate about the future of agriculture in India and the wider development paradigm. GM mustard is a Trojan horse that would help pave the way for ripping up the economic and social fabric of India and recast for the benefit of powerful Western corporations, not least Bayer-Monsanto (seeGM Mustard in Indiato read my numerous articles on this issue).
GM mustard is being promoted on the basis of the lie that it will increase yield. However, the government itself admits theres no evidence that it will do so.In aletterto Anil Dave, Indias environment minister, presented below, advocate Prashant Bhushan says that conclusions were drawn and disseminated to mean that GM Mustard DMH 11 is a superior hybrid-making technology that will out-yield Indias best non-GMO hybrids and varieties. But he adds that non-GMO hybrids and varieties out-yield HT DMH 11 hands down.
Bhushan reminds the Indian government that it has admitted that there is no evidence that GM mustard out-yields non-GM. In an affidavit to the Supreme Court, the government stated,
No such claim has been made in any of the submitted documents that DMH 11 out-performs Non-GMO hybrids.
ANNEX
Resi. Office. Chamber
B-16,Sector-14,Noida C-67, Sector-14, Noida 301, New Lawyers Chamber
Dist. Gautam BudhNagar Dist. Gautam BudhNagar SupremeCourt Of India
(U.P.) 201 301 (U.P.) 201 301, fax: 0120-4512694 New Delhi
Ph : 0120-2512632, 2512693 Ph: 0120-2512523, 2512695 Ph: 011- 23070301,23070645.
Dated: May 13, 2017
Shri Anil DaveThe Honble Minister of MoEF and Climate Change Paryavaran Bhavan Lodhi Road New Delhi
COMMERCIAL APPROVAL BY THE GEAC OF HT MUSTARD HYBRID DMH 11ON 11 MAY 2017
Dear Shri Dave
I express a deep disquiet and anxiety at the opaque and unscientific regulatory oversight of this GM mustard, which is also an herbicide tolerant (GM) crop. It has resulted yesterday, in its undoubtedly flawed approval for Commercialisation by the GEAC. I write to request you to please withhold your approval of such a move on three grounds.
The firstis that the CJ, based on the assurance given by the AG Mukul Rohatgi that the Union of India will not release DMH 11without the prior approval of the Supreme Court,accordingly, gave a verbal Order of an interim injunction till the case is heard comprehensively and the issue of HT mustard in substance. This was widely reported in the newspapers, two examples of which are referenced ().
The secondis the grave matter of the independence, surety and rigourof the oversight of the biosafety of HT Mustard DMH 11, which is critical for Indias agriculture in mustard, its food safety (both as a vegetable and seed oil), and furthermore, and of outstanding importance, the certain contamination that will occur of Indias mustard germplasm. These matters are of course, of central concern to your Ministrys regulating function and mandate for India.
The thirdis the requirement and my personal plea to you, to take note of the lessons of history of GMO regulation in India, embedded as it is in the most serious conflicts of interest and lack of expertise, where regulation has become farcical. For this reason,self-assessed safety dossiersby crop developers are kept secret by our Regulators and governing Ministries. Four official reports attest to the prevailing, utterly dismal state of regulation.
May any government treat its citizens with such willful disregard, despite Constitutional provisions?
The Bt brinjal Biosafety-Dossier remained unpublished for 16 months despite a SC order, but eventually, the Regulators had to comply with its full publication (with the raw data), which then revealed its fraudulence when examined and appraised by independent scientists of international stature. Studies said to be done were not done, as many as 36 of 37 environmental studies, leaving aside other risk assessment protocols. The moratorium which followed was also in large part influenced by the fact thatIndia is the worlds Centre of brinjal diversitywith 2500 varieties and wild species, which would certainly be contaminated. This is what the 37thPSC of 2012 (on GMOs) had to say on Bt brinjal and regulation. I quote very briefly. I would urge you to read the full recommendations of just 3 pages:
-Convinced that these developments are not merely slippages due to oversight or human error but indicative of collusion of a worst kind,they have recommended a THOROUGH PROBE INTO THE BT. BRINJALmatter from the beginning up to the imposing of moratorium on its commercialization by the then Minister of Environment and Forests (I/C) on 9 February, 2010 by a team of independent scientists and environmentalists.(Recommendation Para No. 2.79).
The Committee after critically analyzingthe evidence the gross inadequacy of the regulatory mechanism, the absence of chronic toxicology studies and long term environment impact assessment of transgenic agricultural crops; the virtual non-existent nature of the oversight bodies like National Biodiversity Authority, Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers Right Authority, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, etc., recommended that till all the concerns voiced in their Report are fully addressed -, to put in place all regulatory, monitoring, oversight, surveillance and other structures,further research and development on transgenics in agricultural crops should only be done in strict containment and FIELD TRIALS UNDER ANY GARB SHOULD BE DISCONTINUED FORTHWITH.(Recommendation Para Nos. 8.116, 8.121 & 8.125)
Noting with concern the grossly inadequate and antiquated regulatory mechanism for assessment and approval of transgenics in food crops; the serious conflict of interest of various stakeholders involved in the regulatory mechanism; the total lack of post commercialization, monitoring and surveillance, the Committee have felt thatin such a situation what the Country needs is not a bio-technology regulatory legislationbut anall-encompassing umbrella legislation on bio-safety-The Committee have also cautioned the Government that in their tearing hurry to open the economy to private prospectors, they should NOT MAKE THE SAME FATE BEFALL ON THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR, as has happened to the communications, pharma, mineral wealth and several other sectors in which the Governmentsfacilitative benevolence preceded setting up of sufficient checks and balances and regulatory mechanisms,thereby, leading to colossal, unfettered loot and plunder of national wealth in some form or the other, incalculable damage to environment, bio-diversity, flora and fauna and unimaginable suffering to the common man.(Recommendation Para No. 3.47 & 3.48)
But till date, the GM mustard dossier remains unpublished in willful Contempt of Court. Prof Pental is the Chair of the DBTs Agricultural Biotechnology Task Force. SR Rao, Member GEAC is over-all in-charge of the DBTs Agri Biotech programmes.The DBT also funds Pentals GM mustard.
Does anything more need to be said to underscore the implications of thiscosyarrangement of partnership in the Regulatory oversight of HT mustard DMH 11 and GMOs in general?
Data that has leaked around the edges demonstrate that we have ample reason to be greatly concerned of gross cover-up and misconduct. Furthermore, this HT mustard DMH 11 and its two HT variants are doubly barred by the unanimous 5-member TEC recommendations: ie this is an HT crop and a crop in a Centre of genetic diversity.
The further contents of this letter below, make clear in the simplest possible way, from, and it has to be said, curious admissions of your Apex Regulator and the Union of India in their Reply Affidavit submitted to the SC, which effectively demolish wholesale, any sound basis for the release of HT DMH 11 for commercial cultivation. I make 3 short points, to alert you to the veracity of this statement, as you will not be briefed correctly on these matters by your Regulators and indeed by the Ministries of S & T and Agriculture, both of which promote HT DMH 11 and even fund it (DBT) as stated above:
(a) HT hybrid mustard DMH 11 has failed the first criteria of a test risk protocol of a GM crop:Is the GM Crop required in the first place?The answer inNobased on the admission of the Union of India itself in their Reply Affidavit in the SC.They said:
No such claim has been made in any of the submitted documents that DMH 11 out-performs Non-GMO hybrids. The comparison has only been made between hybrid DMH 11, NC (national Check) Varuna and the appropriate ZC (zonal checks) MSY of 2670 Kg/ha has been recorded over three years of BRL trials which is 28% and 37% more than the NC & ZC respectively (At 88, pg.56).
Unfortunately, the whole truth uncovered, is that no valid comparators were used and the field trials themselves stand voided on the basis of serious anomalies and violations in field testing, inconclusive results and even statistical fraud.Yet, conclusions were drawn and disseminated to mean that DMH 11 is a superiorhybrid-making technologythat will out-yield Indias best Non-GMO hybrids and varieties. The fact is, Non-GMO hybrids and varieties out-yield HT DMH 11 hands down.
(b) We know, based on the AGs assertion in Court that the Union of India holds that this GM mustard will displace imported edible oil-seeds in a significant way (reduce our oilseeds bill). However, such an assertion in the light of the above submission is to say the least ludicrous, entirely lacking any semblance of logic. Moreover, the nearest equivalent to Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) is rape-seed oil (Canola), imported from Canada (which is essentially GMO) and represents just 2% of Indias edible oil imports! Rs 68,000 Cr is the total import oil-seeds bill,not Canolaalone, as the AG mistakenly stated in Court. Can this be the basis for the Commercialisation of HT mustard DMH 11?
It gets murkier still when the U of I also admits that:
Heterosis is due to the careful selection of parents and not due to the three transgenes The developers have nowhere claimed that the yield increase is due to the three transgenes(At 65, page 45)
This is exactly the issue that there is no trait for yield in HT DMH 11. It is good indeed that on this point we are all in agreement. Yet, somehow, the opposite story prevails, the story to the media, and the PMO. The stand of the Niti Aayog is particularly curious in that their National Agri policy requires GMOs in agriculture to meet Indias food security as they are better yielding! Where in this statement is the basic science governing the trait for yield in GMOs and Mustard in particular? It is very troubling that the Niti Aayog has failed to do some basichomework.
(c) Therefore, we draw the conclusion that the stated regulatory intent is toderegulate HT DMH 11 as a policy agenda based on no science,and to convert Indias mustard agriculture, in a massive and dangerous experiment, to (GM) HThybridmustard, (variants of DMH 11). Imagine our consternation when your Regulator admitted to precisely this:
Once the GE mustard events Varuna bn 3.6 and EH2 modbs 2.99 are approved and deregulated, these would be immediately used by the National net-work programme Once a robust pollination control mechanism is in place,yield of hybrids can be further improved by breeding betterparental lines(at 63, pg. 43).
The statement is pure spin, dissimulation. Unless deconstructed, it conveys that HT Hybrid DMH11 is a superior hybrid-making technology (which it is not); that will (alone) provide 25 to 30% higher yield and even better, (not true, as admitted), because on the contrary, Indias best Non-GMO hybrids and varieties are already significantly outperforming HT DMH 11. Unfortunately and regrettably, the plain truth is that decades of good work already being done by our agri institutions and the DRMRin Non-GM hybrid technology and superior-yielding varieties will be laid waste in this dangerous plan for the country via HT Hybrid DMH 11 and its variants.
AND OUR GERMPLASM WILL BE THOROUGHLY CONTAMINATED AND IN A CENTRE OF MUSTARD DIVERSITY.
India is a centre of diversity in mustard with9720 Accessionsin our gene banks(The NBPGR). With a commercialised GM crop, contamination of non-GMO is certain. That is the evidence.
In closing, Id like to emphasise that GMO contamination is neither remediable nor reversible and is the outstanding concern. The genes in HT hybrid DMH 11 are toxic genes: being an HT crop also means that DMH 11 is a pesticidal crop. Its nationality doesnt change the science. It stays this way whether foreign or Indian! How do we get carried away on such a band-wagon?
The issue also is that with GMO contamination, our mustard will be changed at the molecular level. Any toxicity that there is will remain in perpetuity. Are we prepared to be the agents for such monumental risk and put India and its people in jeopardy without any recourse and remedy?
For these reasons among others, and there are decidedly others, I would urge you on behalf of our Nation not to endorse this outrageous and anti-national approval, but reject it in the public interest. You will be doing India a noble service in posterity.
Thank you, Yours sincerely,
Signed/
Prashant Bhushan
* * *
Notes
LiveLaw News Network: No GM Mustard Without SC Approval October 24, 2016;
Directorate of Rape-Seed Mustard
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India: Genetic Engineering, the Commercialization of GM Mustard and the Future of Agriculture - Center for Research on Globalization
Three MMC Biology and Biomedical Sciences students presented their research at the international Experimental Biology Meeting (EB 2017) in Chicago this April.
Elevit Perez 17, Taylor Allen 17, and Tracy Tauro 18 presented their research projects at the Experimental Biology meeting held in Chicago, IL, on April 22-25, 2017. All three students are conducting research with Dr. Benedetta Sampoli Benitez, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry. In particular, Perez and Tauro presented a poster titled Understanding conformational changes during translesion synthesis:in silicostudies of DinB. Allen presented a poster on Investigating the mechanism of trans-lesion synthesis by human DNA polymerase kappa. Both research projects were faculty-supervised collaborations conducted at MMC with funding from the Rose M. Badgeley Residuary Charitable Trust Grant.
The Experimental Biology meeting is one of the largest meetings in Biology, with more than 14,000 participants. Six societies in Biology join in the meeting, including the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB), of which our undergraduate program has a chapter. Students presented both at the undergraduate poster event on Saturday and at the general meeting the following day, giving them tremendous exposure to scientific presentations.
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Students Present Biochemistry Research in Chicago - Marymount Manhattan College News
Wichita Eagle | Religion and mental illness form a complex relationship Wichita Eagle I would describe it as being complex and patient specific, said Lisa Harding, a resident in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita. There's no 'one shoe fits all' as to how religion ... |
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Religion and mental illness form a complex relationship - Wichita Eagle
Refugee Nonprofits Slash Staffs as Administration Slows Arrivals: The nine organizations designated by the government to oversee U.S. refugee resettlement have frozen hiring or laid off workers in some cases, by the hundreds as the State Department cuts spending on such programs amid efforts to sharply curb new arrivals, reports The Wall Street Journal (subscription). Charities Find Trump's Fla. Estate a Bigger Draw Since Election: Several nonprofits that hold fundraising events at Mar-a-Lago told The Washington Post they saw increased revenue this gala season as the possibility of the president dropping in juiced ticket sales. Controversy over Trump administration policies prompted a handful of other groups to relocate future galas.
Obama Presidential Center to Eschew Federal Money: The Chicago institution is opting out of the National Archives and Records Administration's presidential-library network, forgoing millions of dollars a year in government funding but freeing the Obama Foundation from costly endowment, design, and other requirements that would come with the government support, the Chicago Tribune writes.
Then-Harvard Endowment Chief Was Paid $14.9 Million in 2015: Stephen Blyth's compensation for running the university's investment arm was more than seven times that of Harvard's president, Bloomberg reports, citing tax filings. Mr. Blyth left the Harvard Management Company last May after about 18 months at the helm, during which time the fund's returns lagged behind those of peer institutions.
Appeals to Individuality Boost Giving by Wealthy, Study Suggests: A trio of psychology and behavioral-science scholars summarize in The New York Times their research on framing charity appeals for donors of different socioeconomic backgrounds, which found that people of means respond better to calls for individual action than to pitches that emphasize the common good.
$48 Million in Grants Back Veterans' Care at U. of Colorado: Home Depot co-founder Bernard Marcus's foundation committed $38 million to create an institute at the university's Anschutz Medical Campus to help ex-service members suffering from brain injuries and post-traumatic stress, and hedge-fund mogul Steven Cohen's Cohen Veterans Network pledged $9.8 million to establish a mental-health clinic for Denver-area veterans, reports the Associated Press. Read a Chronicle article about Mr. Cohen's giving for veterans' causes.
Ex-Minn. Charity Leader Gets 4 Years for Misappropriating $800,000: Prosecutors said Bill Davis, the longtime leader of Community Action of Minneapolis who pleaded guilty to fraud charges last June, used the now-defunct social-service nonprofit as a "personal piggy bank," drawing on its assets to buy himself a car and fund vacations to destinations like Las Vegas and the Bahamas.
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Daily News Roundup: Trump's Refugee Crackdown Hits Resettlement Charities' Budgets - Chronicle of Philanthropy (subscription)
Attention, Philadelphians: Your city government is conducting experiments to better understand how to get you to react.
As part of an effort to use human behavior to inform how City Hall reaches residents, a group led by Mayor Kenneys policy team conducted three studies, the results of which were made available last week.
The team: Director of Policy Anjali Chainani, Assistant Director of Policy Yuan Huang, and Policy Analyst Nandi OConnor. They run GovLabPHL, which connects volunteer researchers from the University of Pennsylvania and Swarthmore College with various city departments. In its first round of testing, GovLabPHL worked with the citys Revenue Department, Indego bike share, and a summer jobs program.
Some of the experiments may seem simple, but they are shaping how departments go about mail and email campaigns to maximize responses and participation.
Were doing this because we have a commitment from the policy office to lead with research and evidence, Chainani said. All these departments really believe in being able to use scientific methods to see if their outcomes work, primarily because we do the best we can with the resources we have, but we cant always know exactly what is working until we test it.
The Revenue Department focused on first-time delinquent taxpayers. The office sent different messages to see which drew the most responses. The first letter appealed to the persons civic duty, citing specific parks and recreation centers in the neighborhood supported by property taxes. A second letter sought to shame recipients by pointing out that nine out of 10 Philadelphians pay taxes and that they were in the tax-dodging minority. The final and most effective message listed all the properties in the neighborhood that had been sold at sheriff's sale because of unpaid taxes.
The scary letter -- warning of impending consequences -- was by far the most effective, First Deputy Revenue Commissioner Marisa Waxman said. Weve really learned through this work that everything is a choice. Not thinking about how youre structuring or delivering your message is a choice.
The department spent $17,000 on the mailers but collected $615,752 more in delinquent taxes than it did from a control group that received in the mail the standard, less personalized notice of delinquency. If each recipient had received the scary letter, Waxman said, the city could have reaped $1 million, based on the data.
The Revenue Department also wanted to increase participation in a water bill discount program for senior citizens. In this instance it was the packaging, not the message, that made a difference.
The city found that large envelopes with handwritten addresses received more responses than regular-size envelopes, phone calls or post-cards. Mint- or sage-colored regular-size envelopes also seemed to get peoples attention, Waxman said.
In an attempt to find out what motivates children to sign up for summer jobs, Philadelphia Youth Network sent out two types of e-mail reminders -- one that stressed what a job could mean for the young persons career prospects, and another touting the pay.
The city found reminders of any kind helped boost applications, but that teens who received e-mails mentioning money were slightly more likely to submit applications.
The summer jobs program, which Mayor Kenney wants to increase to 16,000 young people by 2020, had 10,600 participants last year.
Indego bike share wanted to increase the rate of renewal among people who sign up for the program. The program e-mailed coupons for 15 percent off to one cohort, coupons for 50 percent off to another, and no coupons to a third. Renewals increased twice as much among coupon recipients as among non-coupon recipients, and the higher discount drew more renewals.
Chainani said the department would work with the Department of Licenses and Inspections on how to get more people to renew licenses online and the school district to increase teacher participation in an annual survey. The city has also applied for a Knight Foundation grant to place two full-time researchers at City Hall.
Published: May 14, 2017 8:14 PM EDT
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City study: Scarier the better when it comes to collection notices - Philly.com
Where you live may impact how much you drink Science Daily ... neighborhood factors that are relevant, then this might point to population-level strategies to modify or improve the environments where people live," said Isaac Rhew, a research assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral ... |
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Where you live may impact how much you drink - Science Daily
Boca Raton, Florida (PRWEB) May 15, 2017
White Lotus, a company known for its line of holistic eastern anti-aging regime, announced its products are now for sale on NPIBeauty.com, a popular website for beauty and wellness brands.
The company was founded in 2007 in Brisbane, Australia as an offshoot of Golden Dragon TCM. Anthony and Kamila Kingston founded the company after studying acupuncture and Chinese medicine, having traveled all over the world in their work and studies. Ultimately they returned to Brisbane with knowledge of this ancient field of medicine and cosmetics. These principles are present in all White Lotus products, which are now available on NPIBeauty.com.
We are excited to be able to provide our products through yet another digital platform that reaches customers all over North America, said Anthony Kingston. This new sales partnership with NPIBeauty.com is yet another step toward broadening our market reach and being able to help more people benefit from eastern medicine and acupuncture.
While other companies have some level of focus on Chinese medicine and acupuncture for anti-aging purposes, these companies do not have the same standards of testing and research for their products as White Lotus. All of White Lotuss products carefully address important issues such as aging spots, stretch marks, scars, wrinkles, skin conditions, hair loss, chronic pains, and more in a safe, effective manner.
The companys jade products have already found a level of success in the United States. The jade roller, for example, improves lymphatic drainage, skin smoothness, and microcirculation. The White Lotus clinics in Australia have become known for their jade facials. Therefore, this roller allows international customers to experience some of that clinic experience from thousands of miles away, from the comfort of their homes.
We are eager to continue expanding our brands reach and to help people on a wider scale to achieve a fresh, youthful appearance with some natural, time-tested techniques, said Kingston.
For more information about White Lotus and its products, visit http://www.whitelotusantiaging.com.
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Personalized medicine, also known as precision medicine or genomic medicine, is one of the most revolutionary trends shaping the future of healthcare. What is personalized medicine? The simple definition is that it's the customization of care to an individual's genetic profile. Several publicly traded companies stand out as leaders in the field.
Exact Sciences (NASDAQ:EXAS), Illumina (NASDAQ:ILMN), and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRTX) are pioneers in personalized medicine -- each in a different way. Here's why I think these are the three best stocks in personalized medicine right now.
Image source: Getty Images.
Exact Sciences markets the CologuardDNA screening test for colorectal cancer. Cologuard has enjoyed the strongest product launch of any diagnostic test ever, with more than 450,000 people screened since late 2014. But there's much more potential growth. There are around 80 million patients in the U.S. alone who need to be tested for colorectal cancer, but many don't get tested because they don't want a colonoscopy. Exact Sciences hopes to capture around 30% of that market.
Cologuard should continue to drive Exact Sciences stock higher in the near future, but over the long run there are even more opportunities. Exact Sciences is collaborating with the Mayo Clinic to develop a platform for early detection of cancer by identifying DNA methylation markers. (Addition of methyl groups to DNA changes gene expression and potentially lead to cancer.) Significant progress has already been made in what could be a huge new market for Exact Sciences.
Although Exact Sciences isn't profitable yet, it's headed in the right direction. Analysts project the company will grow earnings by an average annual rate of 68% over the next five years. That seems quite possible with Cologuard continuing to pick up momentum.
Illumina is the leader in genomic sequencing, an essential tool that makes the personalized medicine revolution possible. The company began operations in 1998 and launched its first DNA sequencing system in 2007. Since then, Illumina's technological innovations havereduced the cost of sequencing by a factor of more than 10,000 and have reduced sequencing time per gigabase by a factor of approximately 3,500.
The company is continuing its track record of innovation with its recent launch of the NovaSeq sequencing system. Illumina thinks that the NovaSeq architecture could lead to reducing the cost of human genome mapping to $100, which would open up genomic sequencing to more customers than ever before. Selling more systems would be great news for Illumina, but the added consumables revenue would be even better: The company makes around two-thirds of its total revenue from consumables sales.
As a well-established company now, Illumina might not enjoy the tremendous growth that it did in the early days of genomic sequencing. However, Wall Street analysts still estimate that Illumina will grow earnings by an average annual rate of 14% over the next several years, thanks in large part to great prospects for NovaSeq.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is leading the way in the use of personalized medicine to fight cystic fibrosis (CF). The company won U.S. regulatory approval in 2012 for its first drug, Kalydeco, as a treatment for CF patients with theG551D mutation. Another approval came in 2014 for CF patients with one of 10 other genetic mutations.In 2015, Vertex received approval for Kalydeco in treating children ages two to five with specific gene mutations that cause CF.
While Kalydeco has been successful, Vertex's biggest opportunities lie with other CF drugs. Vertex is still finalizing reimbursement arrangements in several European nations for Orkambi, but Orkambi has already become the company's top-selling product. Even greater prospects could be in store for a combination of Kalydeco and tezacaftor, for which Vertex plans to file for approval in the third quarter of 2017.
Analysts think that Vertex can grow its earnings by nearly 65% annually over the next five years. Although the stock looks expensive right now with shares trading at 39 times expected earnings, Vertex remains a good pick for investors with that kind of growth potential.
Keith Speights has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Illumina. The Motley Fool recommends Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
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3 Best Stocks in Personalized Medicine - Motley Fool
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwired - May 15, 2017) - SENS Research Foundation (SRF) has launched a new research program focused on somatic gene therapy in collaboration with the Buck Institute for Research on Aging. Brian Kennedy, PhD, a leading expert on the biology of aging, will be running the project in his lab at the Buck.
Many potential treatments of age-related diseases require the addition of new genes to the genome of cells in the body, a technology known as somatic gene therapy. The technology has been hampered, up until now, by the inability to control where the gene is inserted. That lack of control resulted in a significant risk of insertion in a location that encourages the cell to become malignant.
SRF has devised a new method for inserting genes into a pre-defined location. In this program, this will be done as a two-step process, in which first CRISPR is used to create a "landing pad" for the gene, and then the gene is inserted using an enzyme that only recognizes the landing pad. SRF has created "maximally modifiable mice" that already have the landing pad, and this project will evaluate how well the insertion step works in different tissues.
"Somatic gene therapy has been a goal of medicine for decades. Being able to add new healthy genes will enable us to address treatments of such age-related diseases as atherosclerosis and macular degeneration. Our collaboration with SRF will substantially move us toward finding effective treatments to genetically based age-related diseases," said Dr. Kennedy.
"Partnering with Brian Kennedy and the Buck enables SRF to continue towards our goal of achieving human clinical trials on rejuvenation biotechnologies in the next five years. Brian's leadership in moving this technology into mammals is a huge step forward," said Dr. Aubrey de Grey, CSO, SENS Research Foundation.
This research has been made possible through the generous support of the Forever Healthy Foundation and its founder Michael Greve, as well as the support of our other donors. The Forever Healthy Foundation is a private nonprofit initiative whose mission is to enable people to vastly extend their healthy lifespans and be part of the first generation to cure aging. In order to accelerate the development of therapies to bring aging under full medical control, the Forever Healthy Foundation directly supports cutting-edge research aimed at the molecular and cellular repair of damage caused by the aging process.
About SENS Research Foundation (SRF)SENS Research Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that works to research, develop, and promote comprehensive regenerative medicine solutions for the diseases of aging. SRF is focused on a damage repair paradigm for treating the diseases of aging, which it advances through scientific research, advocacy, and education. SENS Research Foundation supports research projects at universities and institutes around the world with the goal of curing such age-related diseases as macular degeneration, heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer's disease. Educating the public and training researchers to support a growing regenerative medicine field are also major endeavors of the organization that are being accomplished though advocacy campaigns and educational programs. For more information, visit http://www.sens.org.
About Buck Institute for Research on AgingBuck Institute is the U.S.'s first independent research organization devoted to Geroscience -- focused on the connection between normal aging and chronic disease. Based in Novato, California, the Buck is dedicated to extending "healthspan," the healthy years of human life, and does so by utilizing a unique interdisciplinary approach involving laboratories studying the mechanisms of aging and others focused on specific diseases. Buck scientists strive to discover new ways of detecting, preventing and treating age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, cancer, cardiovascular disease, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, diabetes and stroke. In their collaborative research, they are supported by the most recent developments in genomics, proteomics, bioinformatics and stem cell technologies. For more information: http://www.thebuck.org.
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SENS Research Foundation Announces New Research Program on Somatic Gene Therapy With Buck Institute for ... - Marketwired (press release)
In the context of relationships, chemistry is a simple "emotion"[1] that two people get when they share a special connection. It is not necessarily sexual. It is the impulse making one think "I need to see this [other] person again" - that feeling of "we click".[2] It is very early in one's relationship that they can intuitively work out whether they have positive or negative chemistry.[3]
While the actual definition of chemistry, its components, and its manifestations are fairly vague, this is a well documented concept. Some people describe chemistry in metaphorical terms, such as "like cookie dough and vanilla ice cream", or "like a performance".[4] It can be described in the terms of mutual feelings - "a connection, a bond or common feeling between two people", or as a chemical process - "[it] stimulates love or sexual attraction...brain chemicals are definitely involved".[3] While chemistry has been described as "that romantic spark between [two people]", the term "spark" in the context of relationships is as vague as "chemistry", and therefore is not particularly useful in a definition.[1] It has also been described as "intangible, unspoken [and] energetic".[5] Chemistry is an unconscious decision, informed by a complex blend of criteria.[2]
Some of the core components of chemistry are: "non-judgment, similarity, mystery, attraction, mutual trust, and effortless communication"[3] Chemistry can be described as the combination of "love, lust, infatuation, and a desire to be involved intimately with someone".[2]
Research by Kelly Campbell, Ph.D., suggests that "not everyone experiences chemistry". She decided that "chemistry occurred most often between people who are down-to-earth and sincere". This is because "if a person is comfortable with themselves, they are better able to express their true self to the world, which makes it easier to get to know them...even if perspectives on important matters differed." Sharing similarities is also deemed essential to chemistry as "feeling understood is essential to forming relational bonds."[3]
In general terms, there are 3 main types of chemistry, which are defined in terms of the nature of the rapport between the respective people:[6]
The various manifestations of chemistry are: sexual chemistry, romantic chemistry, emotional chemistry, activity chemistry, team performance chemistry, creative chemistry, intellectual chemistry, and empowerment chemistry".[6]
There are various psychological, physical and emotional symptoms of having good chemistry with another person. It has been described as a "combination of basic psychological arousal combined with a feeling of pleasure". The nervous system gets aroused, causing one to get adrenaline in the form of "rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and sensations of excitement that are often similar to sensations associated with danger". Other physical symptoms include "blood pressure go[ing] up a little, the skin...flush[ing], the face and ears...turn[ing] red and...[a] feeling of weakness in the knees". One can feel a sense of obsession over the other person, longing for "the day [when they return] to that person". One can also uncontrollably smile whenever thinking about the other person.[3]
There is some debate over whether one can artificially create chemistry if they are "not initially feeling it". While some people hold that it is something that you "can't learn and can't teach...[and you] either have...or you don't", others hold that chemistry is a process rather than a moment, "build[ing] up and adds up and eventually you get this kind of chemical bonding". Some people, while believing it is possible to artificially create chemistry, think that it is better to let chemistry hit them spontaneously.[3]
In Western Society, chemistry is generally considered the "igniter [and] catalyst for the relationship", i.e., without this chemistry, there can be no relationship.[3] Having chemistry "can be the difference between a relationship being romantic or platonic". Chemistry "can cause people to act sexually impulsively or unwisely". It can also be the difference between someone remaining faithful in their relationship, and seeking one night stands and affairs.[1]
Romantic chemistry can be one of the most dangerous and self destructive emotions if left unchecked. Some people will enter relationships with incompatible mates blinded by chemistry. Chemistry often seems to have the power to blind us. Chemistry is the reason the saying, "Love is blind," exists. Chemistry can make otherwise rational people ignore serious problems and issues in an individual and relationship. Chemistry often blinds people to warning signs that a person or relationship is not healthy or the right one for them.
Dating coach Evan Marc Katz suggests that "chemistry is one of the most misleading indicators of a future relationship. Chemistry predicts nothing but chemistry." This is because chemistry can make people blind to actual incompatibilities or warning signs. Psychologist Laurie Betito notes that arranged marriages actually do quite well in terms of relationship satisfaction, and this is because "a spark can build based on what you have in common. You can grow into love, but you grow out of lust."[7]
Neil Clark Warren argues that physical chemistry is important because "couples who don't share strong chemistry may have additional problems during the ups and downs of a life together." Like Betito, he suggests not ruling someone out on the first date due to lack of chemistry. "But," he adds, "if by the second or third date you dont feel a strong inclination to kiss the other person, be near him, or hold his hand, youre probably never going to feel it."[8]April Masini likewise says that chemistry is a strong predictor of relationship success. She suggests that chemistry comes and goes, and it's important to actively cultivate it because it can help couples deal with future conflicts.[9]
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Chemistry (relationship) - Wikipedia
The two leads of upcoming drama Fight My Way shared howcomfortablethey werearound each other.
On May 15,Park Seo Joon described the atmosphere on set, saying, Even though its my first time working withKim Ji Won, wetalked a lot in the early stages of filming soit feels like weve always known each other. We have good chemistry now that were quite close.
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Our characters in the dramawere close friends ever since they were young, sowe just treat each other comfortably on set, he added.
Kim Ji Won then revealed thatPark Seo Joonwas goodattaking the lead. He makes scenes a lot more fun withhis various ideas, shecommented.
The actors then talked abouttheircharacters in the drama.
The two characters always fight but they care about eachother a lot. Its okay if I tease her butI cant stand other people bothering her. I look forward totheirrelationshipthatmoves from friends to lovers,Park Seo Joon explained.
Kim Ji Won then expressed, There willprobably besomeconflict, excitement, and confused feelings during the process of turning into lovers. I think the viewers will havefun watching us.
Fight My Way will air its first episode on May 22at 10 p.m. KST, and will be available exclusively on Viki! You can check out the latest teaser below!
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Park Seo Joon And Kim Ji Won Share About Their Chemistry In "Fight My Way" - soompi
Welcome to your weekly digest of approaching regulatory and clinical readouts. Puma's (NYSE:PBYI) breast cancer project neratinib will go before a US panel on May 24, but Roche's (OTCQX:RHHBY) rival Perjeta could soon show clinical data that render neratinib almost irrelevant, and the recent departure of a senior member of Puma's staff has fueled rumors of a negative outcome at the adcom.
On the same day Emmaus Life Sciences will go before the same FDA panel for its sickle cell disease project Endari, currently availbale as a nutraceutical. Regulators have questioned the efficacy analysis in the past, but with few options for patients approval could still ensue.
Puma becomes the prey
In just over a week a panel will discuss Puma's neratinib for use as an adjuvant treatment in Her2-overexpressing breast cancer. The filing was based on the phase III Extenet trial, in which patients received neratinib monotherapy after a year's Herceptin.
Puma has a number of hurdles in its path, the biggest of which is Perjeta. A positive result in Roche's phase III Aphinity study indicated that Perjeta could potentially be practice-changing for breast cancer, and Puma's shares dropped 14% (Aphinity all but confirms Puma's worst nightmare, March 2, 2017).
Roche's trial gave patients Perjeta plus Herceptin for a year versus Herceptin alone. Details, including the extent of Perjeta's benefit, will appear at Asco on June 5.
Other issues for Puma include the severe diarrhea seen with neratinib, questions over neratinib's marginal benefit in Extenet trial, and large numbers of patients being censored.
This week Puma shares took another tumble on the news that its senior vice-president of regulatory affairs, Dr. Robert Charnas, would step down. Speculation that the resignation could be linked with the upcoming panel meeting, rather than the health reasons cited in the company's 8-K, caused shares to fall 16%.
Neratinib sales are forecast to reach $809m by 2022, according to sellside consensus from EvaluatePharma, but just over a year ago these sat at $2bn. Neratinib's PDUFA date is set for July; a strong benefit with Perjeta could be hard for the FDA to ignore.
Lacking options
Emmaus Life Sciences' Endari, in sickle cell disease, will also face the panel on May 24, and has a PDFUA date set for July 7.
The Californian group says that if Endari is approved it will become the first treatment for pediatric patients and the first new therapy in nearly 20 years for adult patients. However, it does not treat the underlying cause of the disease, instead aiming to reduce the frequency of the episodes of pain called sickle cell crises. It has orphan drug designation in the US and EU and US fast-track designation.
Endari is said to work by reducing oxidative damage to red blood cells. It consists of the amino acid L-glutamine as a nutritional supplement - the same active ingredient as the company's Nutrestore nutraceutical, available for short bowel syndrome in combination with recombinant human growth hormone. Endari is filed as a drug under the 505(b)(2) pathway.
The phase III trial was conducted in 230 patients aged five and over. It tested 0.3g/kg of L-glutamine twice daily for 48 weeks, up to a daily limit of 30g. The powder is mixed with water or certain non-heated foods.
The placebo comparator was the food additive maltodextrin, and two thirds of patients were on background hydroxyurea treatment, an established drug used to reduce crises. The company reported a 25% reduction in the median frequency of sickle cell crises, with Endari patients having a median of three over the 48-week trial.
Initially the company reported a p value of 0.063, above the pre-specified p value of 0.045. However, using a different analysis it said the results were "highly statistically significant" at 0.005.
The FDA had raised concerns over the primary endpoint analysis after the data were initially unblinded in 2014. Emmaus provided a report by an independent statistician explaining the significant results using the modified Ridit method, adjusting for varying strata or subgroup size, which in this case was region and hydroxyurea use.
No doubt the panel meeting will pay close attention to the statistical analyses used.
Editor's Note: This article discusses one or more securities that do not trade on a major U.S. exchange. Please be aware of the risks associated with these stocks.
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Panel Woes For Puma And Statistical Uncertainties For Emmaus - Seeking Alpha
The Cerbat Gem | Royal Bank of Canada Reiterates $40.00 Price Target for Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) The Cerbat Gem Puma Biotechnology Inc logo Royal Bank of Canada set a $40.00 target price on Puma Biotechnology Inc (NYSE:PBYI) in a research note published on Wednesday morning. The firm currently has a hold rating on the biopharmaceutical company's stock. 91 institutional investors are raising stakes in Puma Biotechnology ... The 260,817 Shares in Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) Acquired by ... Well recognized Stock of Market: Puma Biotechnology, Inc.'s (PBYI ... |
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Royal Bank of Canada Reiterates $40.00 Price Target for Puma Biotechnology Inc (PBYI) - The Cerbat Gem
Giacomo Gianniotti just finished his 50th episode acting in one of TVs most durable hits, Greys Anatomy: a heady position for a young Canadian actor. He's inclined to thank marijuana for getting him to this stage in life.
I guess Im really happy for pot, says the actor, smiling, during a Skype chat. Because if I hadnt smoked it . . . I wouldnt have gone to Toronto and stepped into the me that I was meant to be.
Gianniotti, 27, has been a regular on Greys, now in its 13th season, playing Dr. Andrew DeLuca since 2015. You may have caught him on the big screen in last years Stephen Hopkins film Race; hes also enjoyed stints on shows including Reign, Selfie and Murdoch Mysteries.
And it all began, he supposes, in Grade 9 in Parry Sound, when he was caught smoking marijuana. He was kicked out of school and moved to Toronto to live with his dad, where he attended Cardinal Carter Academy for the Arts.
In high school, he recalls, he would break into the Kraft Canada headquarters parking lot in North York with his buddies.
Wed have coffee and cigarettes and just talk, says Gianniotti. (There) was this beautiful view of the Don Valley Parkway.
Sometime after Cardinal Carter, he enrolled in Humber Colleges theatre program, during which time he set up shop with some pals in Parkdale in a horrible apartment with cockroaches. It was a far cry from his childhood back in Parry Sound (everybody left their doors open, you shared food with your neighbours, he recalls), but Toronto is where his acting career began.
Before long, though, he was looking south. Greys Anatomy was in its early years when Gianniotti was in high school. The girls at his school watched, but hed never seen it. Fast forward, a bunch of years later . . . I sent a tape out for this Greys Anatomy character.
Four months went by and he hadnt heard back. Gianniotti had begun to feel frustrated with the small pool of acting options in Toronto and he decided to move to Los Angeles.
Driving across America with two Toronto friends who were helping him relocate, he got a call from his agent, telling him that Greys Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes a huge figure in the TV industry wanted to meet with him when he arrived in L.A.
The three men were in Albuquerque and Gianniotti told his friends to take over driving for the rest of the way. In the back of the car he studied his script. When he arrived in L.A., he met with Rhimes and her team a few days later, he had the part.
Joining the show was at first overwhelming.
It was a lot of people, a lot of personalities . . . its hard to get quiet, says Gianniotti.
And quiet is important for the actor, who calls himself really shy and really introverted. He uses his headphones to block out some of the noise on set and he has guitars in his trailer, which he plays to unwind.
But hes found a kindred spirit in actor Martin Henderson, who plays Ellen Pompeos new love interest, cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Nathan Riggs.
Hes from New Zealand and Im from Canada, and weve just drawn a lot of parallels of being mountain men and liking the outdoors, Gianniotti says of his off-set friend.
Getting used to new environments is nothing novel to the blue-eyed Italian-Canadian, who was born in Rome to an Italian father and a Canadian mother, and moved to this country when he was around 5 years old. But he had a lot to learn, it emerged, about one of the staples of his new job: simulating surgery.
Theres just so much protocol in the OR, he says, recalling that one medical producer was especially exasperated with him that first day.
Shes like, If a doctor saw you, they would be like, faker! he says with a laugh. And we dont want that, so my first surgery every two seconds, she was like Cut! Giacomo! What are you your hands are no! oh my God!
It was a little bit of a learning curve and (the other actors were) laughing at me, he chuckles. Because they had all been there themselves and were remembering it.
His character was most recently at the centre of a dramatic, violent encounter with Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), which almost sent the latter (a fan-favourite character) to jail. Gianniotti is excited for fans to see the season finale, which he describes as huge and wild and big-budget, but laments that theres just so many amazing things (about it) and I cannot tell you any of them!
The eventfulness of the deathless Greys is probably one key to its success; the show gained teen viewers last year while staying in the top 10 among TV watchers aged 18 to 34 for the sixth year running, according to ABC. Gianniotti cant comment yet on whether hell be back on the show next season; his own contract is managed yearly and he hasnt received it yet.
How has his life been changed by the gig?
I didnt have much growing up. Im so grateful for what I have now and its kind of ridiculous, to be honest, he admits.
But the actor often talking with his hands during the interview or absent-mindedly stroking his beard doesnt see the point in spending money on material effects.
I dont buy fancy things . . . I have, like, three pairs of jeans, he says.
But he can make a difference for those who are struggling; his platform allows him to call out to fans and quickly raise money for the causes he believes in. Recently hes put a lot of his heart into working with an L.A. charity for homeless youth called My Friends Place.
Its such a massive problem. Literally everywhere you look (in Los Angeles you see a homeless person) . . . and its usually a kid.
He misses Toronto for example, snow, the lakeshore, and getting macaroons and coffee at Queen Wests Nadge before strolling through Trinity Bellwoods. In fact, he returned to town in April to direct a music video for those friends who helped him move to L.A. years ago.
Hes also started his own production company and recently wrote a song, which he tells fans to expect in the next couple of months. He has broader ambitions for his acting career, too, declaring hes dying, dying, dying to explore war films.
Until that offer arrives, I ask him how he has time for it all. Not a lot of sleep, he quips.
Greys Anatomys Season 13 finale airs Thursday, May 18 at 7 p.m. on CTV.
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Giacomo Gianniotti's wayward youth helped bring Canadian to Grey's Anatomy - Toronto Star
I am so happy so many people saw it and were affected in some way by it, actress LaTanya Richardson Jackson says about her recent arc on Greys Anatomy as patient Diane Pierce and mother to the character Dr. Maggie Pierce played by main cast member Kelly McCreary. It touches us on such a human level because thematically what it dealt with and how it dealt with [it], so many of us are going through or have gone through or have been touched by it, Richardson Jackson explains in her interview with Gold Derby (watch the exclusive video above) before adding, This cancer epidemic in the world is the scourge of our existence.
Billed simply as LaTanya Richardson for most of her career, she now uses LaTanya Richardson Jackson as her stage name, alluding to her marriage to Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson, which is at 36 years and counting. Despite sharing a profession, the couple has not appeared on screen together since the film Mother and Child in 2009. Richardson Jackson explains, We used to work together all the time when we were younger, when we were really going up and we were sort of at the same level. But since his star rose so high and he became a supernova, we have not found ourselves able to work together. She laments about the last time that they shared a set, He had such a huge trailer and so many amenities that were not afforded to me. I said, Oh well, I guess we wont be doing this again because I cant take it. But I think in the future, I would love to do a play with him.
Crediting theater as her first love, Richardson Jackson enjoyed the first major nomination of her career in 2014 when she was nominated at the Tony Awards for her lead role in the A Raisin in the Sun play revival on Broadway. Thats written on the rsum of my soul, she gushes, noting, That really came out of left field because I was replacing [aging Tony winner and Oscar nominee Diahann Carroll] during a very deep rehearsal period that was so quick that [the premiere was only two months after being cast] that it never would have crossed my mind. Everybody who does theater though [] Tonys thats bigger to us than any Oscar.
For the Emmys this year, Richardson Jackson has submitted her third and final Greys Anatomy performance for Best Drama Guest Actress consideration the episode Be Still, My Soul directed by starEllen Pompeo in her directorial debut. Although her character ultimately succumbs to the cancer, Richardson Jackson believes that theres hope for Diane to return in some incarnation for a future season. She elaborates, I think that theres a lot there to be mined. I just keep trying to insert myself into it again because I had such a great time there and I was very sad to have to die and leave. Richardson Jackson even admits to being a fan of the show from the very beginning, which made her casting in the 13th season that much sweeter.
Be sure to make your Emmy predictions. Weigh in now with your picks so that Hollywood insiders can see how their TV shows and performers are faring in our Emmy odds.You can keep changing your predictions until just before nominees are announced on July 13. Join in the fierce debate over the 2017 Emmys taking place right now with Hollywood insiders in our TV forums. And visit our home page for the latest in entertainment news.
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