Monthly Archives: August 2017

It’s Time to Stop Asking Whether Human Genetic Engineering Should Happen and Start Planning to Manage it Safely – HuffPost

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The DNA of early human embryos carrying a sequence leading to hypertrophic cardiomyopathya potentially deadly heart defecthas been edited to ensure they would carry a healthy DNA sequence if brought to term. The Nature paper announcing this has reenergized a terrific national and international debate over whether permanent changes in DNA that can be passed from one generation to another should be made. Bioethicists are asking, Should we genetically engineer children? while some potential parents are almost certainly asking, When will this technique be available?

The Should questions bioethicists are asking are probably not relevant. The only question whose answer ultimately matters is: Can techniques like CRISP-R be used to genetically engineer children safely? Because a variety of forces guarantee that if they can be, they will be.

The key questions reliable practitioners must answer are: Can we prove it works? Then: Can it be used safely?. If yes on these questions, then we will see: Who is marketing this technique to potential parents? Finally, we will learn: Where was it done, who did it, and who paid for its use?

We are closer than ever before to using CRISP-R to replace dangerous DNA sequences with those that wont keep a baby from being healthy. Fortunately, this Nature paper leaves many questions Unanswered because the embryos were not allowed to come to term.

Most importantly, we still dont know Could the embryos have developed into viable babies? Just as in 2015 when researchers at Sun Yat-Sen University in China didnt implant engineered embryos into a womans womb, the scientists who published in Nature recently didnt feel ready (and didnt have permission) to try this potentially enormous step. As experiments proceed, this question will, at some point, be answered.

It will be answered because there is an enormous, proven market for techniques that can be used to ensure that a baby will be born without DNA sequences that can lead to genetically-mediated conditions; many of which are devastating as we have been tragically reminded of late.

Under the best circumstances, in-vitro fertilization leads to a live birth less than half of the time. As a result, whoever tries to see if an embryo that has had targeted DNA repaired using CRISP-R will doubtless prepare a lot of embryos for implanting in quite a few women. When those women are asked to carry these embryos to term we will not know about it. We will probably not find out if none of the embryos come to term successfully.

We *will* know about this procedure if even one baby comes to term and is born with the targeted genetic sequence corrected as intended. Until now, (and maybe even with our new knowledge), any baby brought to term after CRISP-R was used to edit and replace unhealthy DNA would have almost certainly had other DNA damaged in the editing process. This near-certainty and other concerns have held people back from trying to genetically engineer an embryo that they would then bring to term. They could not, until recently, have confidence that only the sequence being targeted has been affected. With this new Nature report, this, at least, is changing.

The results of these newly reported experiments are many steps closer to usability than the Chinese experiments reported in 2015. This is the nature of scientific experimentation, particularly when there is demand for the capability or knowledge being developed.

People try something. It either works or it doesnt. Sometimes when it doesnt work, we learn enough to adjust and try again. If it does work, it often doesnt function exactly the way we expected. Either way, people keep trying until either the technique is perfected or it ultimately proves to be unusable.

This Nature paper is an example of trying something and doing a better job than the first attempt. It does not represent a provably safe and reliable technique . Yet. If market driven research works as it often does, people will work hard to publish data (hopefully from reliable experimental work) suggesting they have a safe and effective technique. Doing so will let them tell some desperate set of wealthy prospective parents: We should be able to use this technique with an acceptable chance of giving you a healthy baby.

Princetons Lee Silver predicted parents desire for gene editing in his Remaking Eden, a book published in 1997. He argued this because people fear sickness or disability and feel strong personal, economic and social pressures to have healthy, beautiful children who should become healthy attractive adults.

People already spend a great deal on molecular techniques like pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). PGD is regularly used to reduce couples risk of having babies with known (or potential), chromosomal abnormalities and/or single gene mutations that can lead to thousands of DNA-mediated conditions.

As I showed in my Genetics dissertation published from Yale in 2004, different countries respond differently to controversial science like this. Similarly, different individuals responses are equally diverse. One poll indicates nearly half of Americans would use gene editing technology to prevent possible DNA-mediated conditions in their children. Policy makers who object to the technology therefore have a problem: if they succeed in blocking it somewhere, research and real world experience indicate other governments may well permit its use. If this happens, these techniques will be available to anyone wealthy and desperate enough to find providers with the marketingand hopefully scientificskill needed to sell people on trying them.

This gene editing controversy is a reminder that we are losing the capacity to effectively ask, Should we? As our knowledge of science grows, becomes more globalized, and is increasingly easy to acquire for people with different morals, needs and wants, we must soon be ready to ask, Can we? and ultimately, Will someone? Their answers will give us the best chance to ensure any babies that may come from any technique described as genetic engineering are born healthy, happy, and able to thrive.

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It's Time to Stop Asking Whether Human Genetic Engineering Should Happen and Start Planning to Manage it Safely - HuffPost

CRISPR and the Ethics of Human Embryo Research – Foreign Affairs

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News that U.S. scientists led by Oregon Health and Sciences University biologist Shoukrat Mitalipov have used the gene-editing technique known as CRISPR to modify the DNA of human embryos has led to renewed debate over human genetic engineering. Although scientists in China and the United Kingdom have already used gene editing on human embryos, the announcement that the research is now being done in the United States makes a U.S. policy response all the more urgent.

The scientists created 131 embryos that carried a genetic mutation that causes hypertrophic cardiomyopathya condition that can lead to sudden and unexpected heart attacks but has few other symptomsand attempted to correct the mutation in 112 of them (leaving 19 as unmodified controls).By injecting the CRISPR complex together with the sperm cells that carried the mutation, rather than injecting CRISPR into already fertilized embryos, the scientists were able to successfully correct the mutated genes in 72 percent of the embryos.Whether the embryos were successfully or unsuccessfully treated, all were destroyed after the researchers were finished with the study.

Much of the debate over CRISPR has been framed around concerns over the creation of so-called designer babieschildren genetically engineered to possess desirable traits that will then be passed on to subsequent generations. Some science writers and journalists have tried to downplay these concerns by noting that the gene editing was done only for basic research, rather than as an attempt to create a genetically engineered human. Writing in The New York Times, Pam Belluck argued that even if scientists do modify the genes of human embryos, fears that embryo modification could allow parents to custom order a baby with Lin-Manuel Mirandas imagination or Usain Bolts speed are closer to science fiction than science.

Those downplaying concerns also argue that preexisting practices such as the abortion of fetuses diagnosed with Down syndrome or the selective discarding of embryos diagnosed with genetic disease through preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) are exactly the reason gene-editing

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CRISPR and the Ethics of Human Embryo Research - Foreign Affairs

Please don’t edit me out – The Washington Post – Washington Post

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By Rebecca Cokley By Rebecca Cokley August 10

Rebecca Cokley is former executive director of the National Council on Disability. She served in the Obama administration from 2009 to 2017.

Its ironic that news of a breakthrough in human gene editing was released on July 26. That was the 27th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the landmark civil rights legislation intended to remedy centuries of discrimination against 57 million disabled Americans. And yet the announcement served as another reminder that there is still much desire to put those rendered undesirable in our place.

Nearly 1 out of every 5 people in this country has a disability. What would it mean for society to render such a large group of people unfit for the human germline? Stories about genetic editing typically focus on progress and remediation, but they often ignore the voice of one key group: the people whose genes would be edited.

Thats my voice. I have achondroplasia, the most common form of dwarfism, which has affected my family for three generations. Im also a woman and a mother the people most likely to be affected by human genetic editing.

I remember clearly when John Wasmuth discovered fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 in 1994. He was searching for the Down syndrome gene and found us. I remember my mothers horrified reaction when she heard the news. And I remember watching other adult little people react in fear while average-height parents cheered it as progress.

How, if you are an average-height parent, do you explain to children whom youve spent years telling are beautiful the way they are, that if you could change them fix them in a minute you would?

People with disabilities have always played pivotal roles in society. People with dwarfism were hired as engineers to work in the engines of 747 jets. Deaf scientists Henrietta Swan Leavitt and Annie Jump Cannon created the field of astrophysics. And Dan Harmon, who has a form of Aspergers, makes us laugh with TV shows such as Community.

I am who I am because I have dwarfism. Dwarfs share a rich culture, as do most disability groups. We have traditions, common language and histories rich in charismatic ancestors. I can honestly say that I may not have been able to work in the White House doing diversity recruitment for President Barack Obama had I not been born a little person. It allowed me to understand discrimination, isolation and societys lowered expectations.

While non-disabled people fear a prenatal diagnosis of disability, disabled people think of the possibilities. How rich would our society be if we all did this? What if that child with osteogenesis imperfecta becomes a world-changing architect because they think differently about how the world is set up due to their disability?

Now think about the message that societys fear of the deviant that boogeyman of imperfection says to disabled people: We dont want you here. Were actively working to make sure that people like you dont exist because we think we know whats best for you. This is ableism. Its denying us our personhood and our right to exist because we dont fit societys ideals.

Proponents of genetic engineering deliberately use vague language, such as prevention of serious diseases, leading many people with disabilities to ask what, in fact, is a serious disease. Where is the line between what society perceives to be a horrible genetic mutation and someones culture?

We cannot look at this breakthrough without looking at the context. In times of economic and political uncertainty as we saw with the austerity measures that swept Europe in the past several years disability is often stigmatized in an attempt to cut costs. We can trace this historically to the growth of the eugenics movement in the 1920s.

Too often the media and society frame people with disabilities as takers, beggars and unworthy cost drivers for the rest of the public. Most recently, The Post published an article on the costs associated with people receiving Social Security Disability payments. These portrayals contribute to the myth of the Medicaid mama, reminiscent of the damaging welfare queen rhetoric of the Reagan era.

Such ableism adds to the notion that people with disabilities do not add to the fabric of society; that as lesser than sciences definition of what is normal, we have nothing to contribute; that our fight for equality is not as valid as other movements because with the right innovation, medicine could fix us.

Let us not forget that disabled Americans led the charge to save the Affordable Care Act for all Americans last month. It remains critical that we drive decisions about the future of disabled people and our health care. Many of us see our disabilities as a rich and diverse culture, many of us want to pass that culture down to our children through our genes, and many of us see no reason not to. We should have that right.

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Please don't edit me out - The Washington Post - Washington Post

20 bad habits that are lowering your sperm count – The San Diego Union-Tribune

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Sperm count is kind of a big deal right now in the United States. According to a recent and terrifying study published in the journalHuman Reproduction Update, sperm counts in the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are all plummeting.

And by plummeting, we mean plummeting. Sperm counts have decreased on average by over 50 percent.

For 20 Bad Habits That Are Lowering Your Sperm Count, click here.

The average cost of in vitro fertilization in the U.S. is currently about $11,000 to $12,000, and the prevalence of these procedures is equally concerning. More women are using in vitro methods of fertilization to get pregnant than ever before; this could in part be due to the high mortality rate of sperm making fertilization less likely through more natural methods.

There are many hypotheses out there about what men could do better to preserve their sperm. They range from reasonable to ridiculous - drinking Mountain Dew, for example, has no proven effect on your sperm at all. However, some sperm-massacring habits that at first sound ridiculous are not to be messed with.

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20 bad habits that are lowering your sperm count - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Chicago, IL …

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Northwestern Memorial Hospital 251 E. Huron St. Chicago IL 60611 312.926.2000 312.926.6363 Northwestern Memorial Hospital is an academic medical center in the heart of downtown Chicago with physicians, surgeons and caregivers representing nearly every medical specialty. Northwestern Memorial enjoys a teaching and service partnership withNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, an integration that provides patients access to leading-edge clinical trials and fosters an environment of world-class patient care, academic inquiry and innovative research.

A number of world- and nationally-renowned physicians, surgeons and specialists practice at Northwestern Memorial andU.S. News & World Report ranked the hospital among the top 25 in the nation in:

The downtown medical campus includes Prentice Womens Hospital, the Feinberg Pavilion, the Galter Pavilion, the Olson Pavilion, the Arkes Family Pavilion,Lavin Family Pavilion and a number of other facilities and physician offices. The campus is designed to be a health and wellness destination and a launch pad for community involvement. In addition to providing medical services, buildings on the campus are also home to restaurants, retail stores and pharmacies that have been handpicked based on community feedback to provide both healthy and local choices. The campus also provides spaces for educational seminars, wellness classes and other events dedicated to the health of the community.

Directions and transportation

Get directions to and from Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Transportation

Find taxis1

The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) provides the City of Chicago and 40 neighboring communities regional transportation by bus and rail ('L' train). For specific connection information, visit the CTA website1or call 888.YOUR.CTA.1

View Metra train maps and schedules.1

Visits from family and friends can bring patients the warmth, comfort, encouragement and support they need to heal. Northwestern Medicine encourages you to spend time with your loved ones and friends during their hospital stay.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital offers several amenities, including flower and gift shops, online services, and food and beverage options, for your convenience.

Visits from family and friends can bring patients the warmth, comfort, encouragement and support they need to heal. Northwestern Medicine encourages you to spend time with your loved ones and friends during their hospital stay.

Local services are available to accommodate your needs during your visit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Parking is available at discounted rates for patients and visitors of Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

Parking garage tickets must be validated each time a car is parked. Without validation, regular garage rates will apply. You can validate your ticket at the following locations.

Feinberg and Galter Pavilion: Customer service desks, first and second floors

Prentice Women's Hospital: Customer service desks, first and second floors

Lavin Family Pavilion: Customer service desks, first and second floors

Physician offices

Arkes Family Pavilion: Customer service desks, first and second floors

Download a parking map for Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

The main parking structure is located at 222 E. Huron St. (Parking A). Located between Superior and Huron streets, the public garage is across from Feinberg and Galter Pavilions. Second-floor bridges connect the garage to both pavilions.

Patients can also park at 259 E. Erie St. (Parking B) and 321 E. Ontario St. (Parking C and D) for the same discounted rate. There is a bridge connecting Parking B and C to the Feinberg Pavilion.

Parking B is located within the Lavin Family Pavilion at 259 E. Erie St.

Parking C and D are located between Erie and Ontario streets. The public garage is located on the southeast corner across from the Feinberg Pavilion.

Valet parking services2 are conveniently offered to patients and their visitors at the front entrance of the Lavin Family Pavilion and Prentice Women's Hospital. Valet rates are:

$23 for up to 7 hours

$33 for 7 to 24 hours

Visitors play an important role in helping patients recover. To maintain a healing environment and enable patients to rest, however, we ask that family and friends honor the following hours and guidelines for visits.

Daily: 9:00 am8:30 pm

To find a patient, please call our Hospital operators at 312.926.2000.

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Northwestern Memorial Hospital | Chicago, IL ...

Zika virus tied to neurological issues in adults – Chicago Tribune

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Adults infected with the Zika virus can develop a number of serious neurological conditions, a new study finds.

Until now, the most troubling Zika-related illness in adults has been Guillain-Barre syndrome, which causes muscle weakness and paralysis.

A review of 35 Zika-infected patients in Brazil with neurological symptoms found that most had Guillain-Barre. But other neurological conditions were also discovered, most often inflammation and swelling of the brain and spinal cord.

"Overall, the risk of Guillain-Barre for a person who contracts Zika is probably still very low, but it's important to know there's neurological conditions associated with Zika virus," said study co-author Dr. Jennifer Frontera, chief of neurology for NYU Lutheran Medical Center in New York City.

Frontera and other infectious disease experts said pregnant women still carry the most risk from Zika infection, since the virus can cause devastating neurological birth defects such as microcephaly.

Michael Osterholm is director of the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy in Minneapolis.

"Now we're realizing that adults may be impacted," he said. "There are clinical implications, as was well demonstrated in this paper."

The research team tracked patients who were referred to an academic hospital in Rio de Janeiro that specializes in treating neurological illnesses.

During the Zika epidemic in Brazil in 2015-16, admissions at this hospital for Guillain-Barre increased more than fivefold, Frontera said. On average, doctors there saw one case of Guillain-Barre a month before the outbreak; that rose to more than five a month as Zika raged through the country.

Out of a group of 40 patients, 35 tested positive for recent Zika infection. The Zika-affected group contained 27 people with Guillain-Barre syndrome, but also included five patients suffering from swelling of the brain (encephalitis) and two who had swelling of the spinal cord (transverse myelitis).

Another Zika-infected patient was diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a condition closely related to Guillain-Barre that causes long-term nerve damage, muscle weakness and paralysis.

Nine of the patients required admission to an intensive care unit, and five had to be placed on a mechanical ventilator. Two patients died, including one with Guillain-Barre and one with encephalitis.

Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior associate with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security said, "Follow-up studies will be important to determine the frequency of such complications and the associated risk factors. It will also be essential to definitely establish that Zika is involved as many related viruses circulate in the area in which this study was conducted."

Dr. Richard Temes is director of the Center for Neurocritical Care at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. He said it makes sense that Guillain-Barre and these other conditions could appear following a Zika infection.

All of the neurological conditions researchers observed in Zika patients are "thought of as post-infectious syndromes, where you have a viral infection, you clear the infection by mounting an antibody response, and the antibodies actually attack parts of the central and peripheral nervous system, causing these neurological symptoms."

Zika spreads mainly through mosquito bite. So far, this year has been relatively calm in terms of Zika outbreaks, Osterholm said.

"This is characteristic of these infections," Osterholm said. "The virus infection comes and goes in the population. You can have a bad year or two, and then have a year where there's less infection and some people feel it's going away, which is not the case at all. It will come back. We have to understand we're in this for the long haul."

The study was published online in August in JAMA Neurology.

Pregnant or trying? Don't let your Zika guard down

Zika poses even greater risk for birth defects than was previously known, CDC reports

Zika can also strike eyes of adults, report reveals

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Zika virus tied to neurological issues in adults - Chicago Tribune

Anti-Aging Approaches – Harvard Magazine

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Decades of research have shown that calorie restriction extends lifespan and delays morbidity in many small, short-lived species: yeast, spiders, and various fish and rodents. In humans, though, the benefits of calorie restriction are still unproven, and probably less straightforward. And how calorie restriction slows the aging process is still not well understood. The interesting thing about calorie restriction is that we used to think the body was in some way slowing down, maybe in the number of heartbeats or production of free radicals, says professor of genetics David Sinclair. But it turns out thats wrong.When were calorie restricting, what were really doing is telling the body that now is not the time to go forth and multiply. Its time to conserve your resources, repair things better, fight free radicals, and repair broken DNA.

Sinclair believes that a compound found in all living cells, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), could be used to mimic these effects in humans without the starvation or decreased reproductive capacity associated with calorie restriction; his human trials of a therapy that could increase NAD levels are due to begin this month. Meanwhile, a similar compound is already being marketed as a supplement by a health start-up with several distinguished scientists (including three Harvard faculty members) on its advisory boardeven though theres still no evidence that the substance works.

Sinclairs approach is based on a broad view that links diseases of age such as cancer, diabetes, Alzheimers, and heart failure to common cellular processes. His lab aims to understand these processes and then use that understanding to develop medical therapies.

Underlying the wide-ranging benefits of calorie restriction, Sinclair explains, are sirtuinsa group of seven genes that appear to be very important in regulating the aging process. These longevity-gene pathways are turned on by changes in lifestyle such as exercise and calorie restriction, he says. They control a variety of protective processestheres hundreds of things that they do, and we still dont know everything. But they protect the chromosomes, they protect stem cells from being lost, they protect cells from senescing. Sirtuins can be activated by a lack of amino acids or of sugar, or through an increase in NAD. (The compounds level in the body declines with age.)

Earlier this year, research from Sinclairs lab showed that feeding mice nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN)a related, precursor compound that the body converts into NADmay slow aging in the animals, mimicking the effects of calorie restriction. We get the same effects as exercise or dieting, he says. The mice are leaner, have more energy. They can run further on a treadmill. That research continues, and is poised to be tested in humans: the first stage of the trials of NMN that he was preparing to begin in August at a Harvard-affiliated hospital will test for NAD increases in the blood; after that, he plans to study NMNs efficacy in treating diseases. Sinclair has been taking the compound himself for about a year. Hes reticent about that, to avoid sounding like a kook, but claims his lipid profile has improved dramatically and he feels generally less fatiguedthough he admits this is not scientific.

There is a cautionary note to sound, says Jeffrey Flier, Walker professor of medicine and former dean of Harvard Medical School (HMS). The NAD precursor already on the market as a dietary supplement, nicotinamide riboside (NR), is sold by New York-based Elysium Health, founded by MIT biologist Leonard Guarente, Ph.D. 79, who played a central role in establishing the link between sirtuins and aging, and was Sinclairs doctoral adviser. The company doesnt make any specific claims about aging prevention (legally, it cant); instead, it promotes its product as the one daily supplement your cells need. Flier has criticized the company for using the names of the highly credentialed scientists on its advisory board (featured prominently on its website) to market an unproven product: Elysium is selling pills [without] evidence that they actually work in humans at all, he says, echoing the strongly worded Boston Globeop-ed he wrote earlier this year condemning the companys marketing scheme.

Sinclair, who co-directs the Glenn Center for the Biology of Aging at HMS, is not linked to Elysiumhis clinical trials go squarely down the traditional medical route, rather than through the loosely regulated supplement industry. Thats the contrast, he says. Im taking a pharmaceutical approach, FDA approval. Still, whatever animal research portends about the potential of NAD (and however alluring the promise of a cure for aging), the history of pharmaceutical development suggests its much too soon to expect any benefits for humans. Often molecules may be helpful to animals in a limited set of studies, but then are not shown to be helpful in humans, Flier warns. There are many, many, many examples of that.

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Anti-Aging Approaches - Harvard Magazine

Stimulating Stem Cells to Encourage Hair Growth – Anti Aging News

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Scientists have discovered a new way to stimulate the stem cells in the hair follicle to make hair grow, opening the door to the development of new drugs for those with baldness or alopecia.

UCLA researchers have revealed a new way to activate stem cells within hair follicles that stimulate hair growth. The hope is this discovery will lead the way to the development of drugs that allow bald individuals and those with alopecia to once again grow hair. The research was led by scientists William Lowry and Heather Christofk of UCLA's Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research. The details of theirfindings were recently published in Nature Cell Biology.

About Hair Follicle Stem Cells

Hair follicle stem cells are best described simply as older cells within hair follicles that are present in human skin. They generate hair across an individual's lifetime. These cells are quiescent, meaning they are typically dormant yet they can activate quite rapidly in a new hair cycle when the growth of new hair occurs. The hair follicle stem cells' quiescence is regulated by an array of factors. In some instances, they do not activate and hair loss occurs.

Study Details

The researchers determined the metabolism of hair follicle stem cells is unique from other skin cells. Cellular metabolism occurs when nutrients necessary for cell division break down, create energy and react to their environment. The metabolism process makes use of enzymes that changenutrients to generate metabolites. Hair follicle stem cells gradually consume a form of sugar, known as glucose, from the body's bloodstream. The glucose is processed to gradually create a metabolite known as pyruvate. The cells subsequently send pyruvate to the mitochondria (the portion of the cell that generates energy) or convert pyruvate to another metabolite referred to as lactate.

The researchers blocked the generation of lactate in mice. This prevented the activation of hair follicle stem cells. The UCLA team worked with University of Utah Rutter lab academicians to boost lactate production in mice. This hastened the activation of hair follicle stem cells, causing an increase in the hair cycle. Prior to this, no one knew boosting or decreasing lactate would make an impact on hair follicle stem cells. Now that the researchers have determined how changing lactate production in mice changes hair growth, they can attempt to identify drugs that can be applied to the skin to produce the same effect.

Drugs of Note

The research groups identified a couple drugs that alter hair follicle stem cells in specific ways to boost lactate production when applied to mice skin. One of the drugs, RCGD423, triggers a cell signaling pathway referred to as JAK-Stat that transmits information from outside cells to the cell nucleus. Research shows JAK-Statactivation causes an increase in the generation of lactate. This spurs the activation of hair follicle stem cells and results in faster hair growth.

The second drug of note, UK5099, stops pyruvate from entering mitochondria. This forces the generation of lactate within the hair follicle stem cells, boosting the rate at which hair grows in mice. These experimental drugs were strictly used during pre-clinical testing. They have not been tested in human beings. Nor have these drugs been approved by the Food and Drug Administration as safe or effective for humans.

Why the Study Matters

This study is important as it provides plenty of insight into the many ways in which stem cells are activated. The idea of using drugs to catalyze hair growth by way of hair follicle stem cells is quite promising considering the millions of individuals who are bald or going bald. The researchers' findings will help improve the understanding of how metabolism affects hair growth as well as stem cells.

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Stimulating Stem Cells to Encourage Hair Growth - Anti Aging News

Introducing CoolSculpting, the World's Most Popular Non-Invasive Fat Reduction Treatment, in Glen Allen, VA at … – PR Web (press release)

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Glan Allen,VA (PRWEB) August 15, 2017

Rejuvenate MD is excited to announce the addition of CoolSculpting to their leading selection of services. FDA-cleared CoolSculpting is the worlds most popular non-invasive fat reduction treatment, with more than 4 million people treated and counting. Without surgery or downtime, CoolSculpting can reduce fat cells in almost any area of the body, including double chin, arms, back, waist, abdomen, belly, love handles, thighs, and more.

CoolSculpting uses gentle cooling technology to disable targeted fat cells by freezing them. Once the fat cells are destroyed, they are naturally flushed out by the body in the months following treatment, resulting in a natural-looking, gradual reduction of fat. Once fat cells are destroyed, they can never return, which means CoolSculpting offers long-term results. By maintaining a healthy lifestyle, patients can enjoy slimmer and trimmer contours for years to come.

For more information on CoolSculpting, or to schedule your CoolSculpting consultation, call us today at 804.270.5920.

About Rejuvenate MDRejuvenate MD provides the highest level of expertise and care. With your health and well-being at the center of every service, Rejuvenate MD supports total body health and beauty, providing an extensive selection of leading aesthetic and wellness services.

About Dr. Lonny Green Medical Director Dr. Lonny Green attended Stanford University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in biology. He received his medical degree from UCLA and completed his residency in the Harvard Program in urology. He went on to serve as a registrar at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, Australia before moving to Richmond, Virginia.

Dr. Green is a member of numerous organizations, including the Richmond Academy of Medicine, American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine, American Academy of Aesthetic Medicine, Obesity Medicine Association, and the American Academy of Facial Esthetics.

He has practiced in Richmond for over 20 years and has been recognized by his peers in Richmond Magazines Top Docs 11 times. Dr. Green sums up his medical outlook as follows: My mission is not just to add years to a patients life, but to also add life to their years.

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Introducing CoolSculpting, the World's Most Popular Non-Invasive Fat Reduction Treatment, in Glen Allen, VA at ... - PR Web (press release)

Why Are Bitcoin Prices Rising Post-Fork? We Make Sense of It All

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Bitcoin Prices Smashing New Records as Institutional Demand Gains Traction
Bitcoin prices keep reaching lofty levels in 2017, with no slowdown in sight. The latest Bitcoin record high took out a significant price prediction by Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) of $3,900 for 2017. And there's still four-and-a-half months left to go in the year. With Bitcoin literally trading in uncharted territory, the investor community is left to wonder, "How high?"

Now that the Bitcoin fork "issue" is over, what happens next? In case you missed it, Bitcoin sank.

The post Why Are Bitcoin Prices Rising Post-Fork? We Make Sense of It All appeared first on Profit Confidential.

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Why Are Bitcoin Prices Rising Post-Fork? We Make Sense of It All

A New Gene Editing Technique Could Finally Allow Us to Treat ALS – Futurism

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In BriefResearchers from UC San Diego's School of Medicine have tested a modified CRISPR-Cas9 technique designed to target RNA instead of DNA. Rcas9 could potentially improve the lives of patients with ALS, Huntington's disease, or myotonic dystrophy by delaying the progression of their disorders.

The most efficient and effective gene-editing tool in use today is CRISPR-Cas9. Just this year, researchers have successfully used it fora wide variety of experiments, from modifying garden vegetables to encoding a GIF in bacterial DNA. Most recently, the tool was used to remove a genetic disease from a human embryo.

Although undeniably powerful, CRISPR-Cas9 does have its limitations; it can only target DNA. To extend its capabilities to includeRNA editing, researchers from the University of California San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicinedeveloped amodification of CRISPR, and theyre calling their toolRNA-targeting Cas9 (RCas9).

In a study published in Cell, the UCSD team tested their technique by correcting the kinds of molecular mistakes that cause people to develop microsatellite repeat expansion diseases, such ashereditary amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)and Huntingtons disease.

During standard CRISPR-CAs9 gene editing, a guide RNA is instructed to deliver a Cas9 enzyme to a specific DNA molecule. The researchers from UCSD instead instructed it to target an RNA molecule.

Tests conducted in the laboratory showed that RCas9 removed 95 percent ofproblem-causing RNA for myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2, Huntingtons disease, and one type of ALS. The technique also reversed 93 percent of the dysfunctional RNA targets in the muscle cells of patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1, resulting in healthier cells.

This is exciting because were not only targeting the root cause of diseases for which there are no current therapies to delay progression, but weve re-engineered the CRISPR-Cas9 system in a way thats feasible to deliver it to specific tissues via a viral vector, senior author Gene Yeo, a cellular and molecular medicine professor at UCSD School of Medicine, explained in a press release.

Across the globe, an estimated 450,000 patients are said to be living with ALS. Roughly 30,000 of those are from the U.S. where 5,600 people are diagnosed with the diseases every year. The exact number of Huntingtons disease cases, however, isnt quite as easy to pin down. One estimate says that around 30,000 Americans display symptoms of it, while more than 200,000 are at risk.

Regardless of the exact numbers, these two neurological diseases clearly affect a significant number of people. This prevalence and the absence of a known curemakes the UCSD teams research all the more relevant. Even more exciting is the fact that the same kinds of RNA mutations targeted by this study are known to cause more than 20 other genetic diseases.

Our ability to program the RCas9 system to target different repeats, combined with low risk of off-target effects, is its major strength, co-first author of the study Ranjan Batra said in the UCSD press release.

However, the researchers do know that what theyve accomplished is just a first step. While RCas9 works in a lab, they still have to figure out how it will fare when tested in actual patients.

The main thing we dont know yet is whether or not the viral vectors that deliver RCas9 to cells would elicit an immune response, explained Yeo. Before this could be tested in humans, we would need to test it in animal models, determine potential toxicities, and evaluate long-term exposure.

Ultimately, while RCas9 couldnt exactly deliver a cure, it could potentially extend patients healthy years. For disease like ALS and Huntingtons, thats a good place to start.

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A New Gene Editing Technique Could Finally Allow Us to Treat ALS - Futurism

New Hampshire biologist reacts to gene-editing discovery – The Union Leader

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By KIMBERLY HOUGHTONUnion Leader CorrespondentAugust 14. 2017 11:06PM

This sequence of images shows the development of embryos after being injected with a biological kit to edit their DNA, removing a genetic mutation known to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.(Oregon Health & Science University)

Bryan Luikart, an associate professor of molecular and systems biology at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.

It is pretty amazing. It is a super-exciting time to be a scientist right now, said Bryan Luikart, an associate professor of molecular and systems biology at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College.

The study, which was published in the journal Nature, was detailed in a New York Times report. According to the article, Oregon researchers reported they repaired dozens of human embryos, fixing a mutation that causes a common heart condition that can lead to sudden death later in life.

The way they have dodged some ethical considerations is that they didnt go on to have that embryo grow into a person, said Luikart, explaining that if the embryos with the repaired mutation did have the opportunity to develop, they would be free of the heart condition.

At the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Luikart and his colleagues have already been using this concept with mouse embryos, focusing specifically on autism.

Researchers are using the gene-editing method called CRISPR-Cas9 in hopes of trying to more fully understand autism, which he said is the most critical step in eventually finding a cure.

I think the CRISPR is a tremendous breakthrough. The question really is where and when do you want to use it, Luikart said. I have no ethical concerns using it as a tool to better understand biology.

The new milestone, an example of human genetic engineering, does carry ethical concerns that Luikart said will trigger some debates. He acknowledged that while the advancement of gene-editing technology could eventually stop unwanted hereditary conditions, it also allows for creating babies with smarter, stronger or more attractive traits.

The ability to do that is now within our grasp more than it has ever been, he said.

More importantly, the breakthrough could ultimately eliminate diseases, Luikart said. As the technology advances, he said, genetic diseases that are passed down to children may be corrected before the child receives them.

He used another example of a brain tumor, which often returns after it is surgically removed. Now, once the brain tumor is removed, there is the possibility of placing something in the space to edit and fix the mutation that causes the brain tumor in the first place if physicians are able to find the right cell to edit, Luikart said.

People are definitely thinking along those lines, or cutting the HIV genome, said Luikart, who predicts that those advancements will occur in mice within the next decade, and the ability to do that in humans is definitely there.

The big question is whether that can occur without some sort of side effect that was not predicted, he said.

Columbia University Medical Center posted an article earlier this year warning that CRISPR gene editing can cause hundreds of unintended mutations, based on a study published recently in Nature Methods.

This past May, MilliporeSigma announced it has developed a new genome editing tool that makes CRISPR more efficient, flexible and specific, giving researchers more experimental options and faster results that can accelerate drug development and access to new therapies, according to a release.

CRISPR genome editing technology is advancing treatment options for some of the toughest medical conditions faced today, including chronic illnesses and cancers for which there are limited or no treatment options, states the release, adding the applications of CRISPR are far ranging from identifying genes associated with cancer to reversing mutations that cause blindness.

It is pretty big news, Luikart said.

khoughton@newstote.com

HealthHanover

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New Hampshire biologist reacts to gene-editing discovery - The Union Leader

20 Bad Habits That Are Lowering Your Sperm Count – The Daily Meal

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Sperm count is kind of a big deal right now in the United States. According to a recent and terrifying study published in the journalHuman Reproduction Update, sperm counts in the United States, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand are all plummeting.

And by plummeting, we mean plummeting. Sperm counts have decreased on average by over 50 percent.

For 20 Bad Habits That Are Lowering Your Sperm Count, click here.

The average cost of in vitro fertilization in the U.S. is currently about $11,000 to $12,000, and the prevalence of these procedures is equally concerning. More women are using in vitro methods of fertilization to get pregnant than ever before; this could in part be due to the high mortality rate of sperm making fertilization less likely through more natural methods.

There are many hypotheses out there about what men could do better to preserve their sperm. They range from reasonable to ridiculous drinking Mountain Dew, for example, has no proven effect on your sperm at all. However, some sperm-massacring habits that at first sound ridiculous are not to be messed with.

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20 Bad Habits That Are Lowering Your Sperm Count - The Daily Meal

Award Supports Novel Methods to Produce Ammonia and Hydrogen – University of Arkansas Newswire

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University Relations

Jingyi Chen and Lauren Greenlee

Ammonia is the world's primary raw material for nitrogen-based fertilizer production, but producing it consumes a large amount of energy1- to 2-percent of energy consumption worldwide. The National Science Foundation has awarded $450,000 to Jingyi Chen and Lauren Greenlee to develop alternative processes for producing ammonia. The research will also lead to a more refined and environmentally softer method of producing hydrogen for energy storage and fuel and chemical production.

Chen is an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, and Greenlee is an assistant professor of chemical engineering in the College of Engineering. Their work supports the NSF's goal of discovering and developing sustainable energy sources.

Conventional processes for ammonia production, primarily the Haber-Bosch thermal catalytic method, rely on hydrocarbon resources for the hydrogen needed to produce ammonia. Chen and Greenlee are developing catalytic electrochemical processes, or "electrolyzers," for an alternative method of producing ammonia and hydrogen. Specifically, they focus on a method called nitrogen reduction reaction, in which nitrogen is combined with water molecules to form ammonia. They are also studying oxygen evolution reaction, during which water splits to oxygen and hydrogen. For both methods, the researchers are seeking efficient, nonprecious-metal nanocatalysts that can operate at ambient temperature rather than the high-temperature conditions required for hydrocarbon-based technologies.

The researchers will characterize iron and nickel nanostructures as bimetal catalysts and evaluate the reactivity and selectivity of these catalysts for both electrochemical processes. They will then use x-ray absorption spectroscopy to develop methods to correlate the structure and composition of the metals with electrocatalytic activity.

The goal of the project is to design a low-cost and better performing catalytic electrolyzer that can be developed for commercial production.

By integrating research and education, the project is designed to increase student participation in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Chen and Greenlee will recruit students from under-represented groups to participate in the research program. The researchers' findings will be integrated into teaching and curriculum development for the departments of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Editor-selected comments will be published below. No abusive material, personal attacks, profanity, spam or material of a similar nature will be considered for publication.

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Award Supports Novel Methods to Produce Ammonia and Hydrogen - University of Arkansas Newswire

Walnuts Boost Good Gut Bacteria – Anti Aging News

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Recent study shows that walnuts increase the diversity of gut bacteriaand appear to act in much the same manner as prebiotcs.

Research Associate Professor of Physiology at LSU, Lauri Byerley, has determined the consumption of walnuts alters the composition of bacteria within the gut. This finding suggests a new manner in which walnuts might improve human health. The details of the finding were recently published online in The Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.

About the Study

Dr. Byerley keyed in on walnuts as they are generally revered as a superfood. Walnuts are loaded with the omega-3 fatty acid known as alpha-linoleic acid. They also contain fiber and an abundance of antioxidants. Dr. Byerley's finding shows this superfood provides yet another benefit by promoting beneficial alterations to microbiota within the gut.

Dr. Byerley made use of a rodent model for the study. Her research team provided one group of mice with walnuts in addition to their regular food consumption. The other group continued consuming its normal diet without walnuts.

A Closer Look at the Finding

The researchteam measured the number and type of gut bacteria within the descending colon and compared the results. They determined there were two unique bacteria communities within the groups. The type and number of walnuts altered in the group of mice that consumed walnuts. Even the functional capacity of the bacteria changed in this group. As an example, the research team pinpointed a meaningful boost in Lactobacillus, a beneficial bacteria. The consumption of walnuts resulted in a significant increase in the diversity of bacteria within the gut. Other unrelated studies have tied low levels of bacterial diversity with a wide range of diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease and even obesity.

Walnuts as a Prebiotic?

Dr. Byerley suggests walnuts might function as a prebiotic as they heightenthe level of numerous bacteria such as Lactobacillus that is usually associated with probiotics. Prebiotics are best defined as substances that catalyze the activity and number of helpful bacteria.

Why the Study Matters

The health of the human gut is one of the hottest areas of contemporary research. Scientists are finding that improved bacterial diversity might be tied to improved health outcomes. The research team determined that altering the gut microbe community through the incorporation of walnuts to one's diet provides a new means of enhancing health. It is also worth noting that the consumption of walnuts is also tied to decreased cardiovascular disease risk, better brain health and a slowing of tumor growth in animals.

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Walnuts Boost Good Gut Bacteria - Anti Aging News

College of Science student named Undergraduate Student Senate president – Clemson Newsstand

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CLEMSON, South Carolina When biochemistry student Leland Dunwoodie interviewed to be a part of Clemson Universitys Student Government (CUSG) nearly four years ago, he thought he was a shoo-in for Undergraduate Student Senate. However, he ended up being placed on Freshman Council instead, where he learned the principles of servant leadership and how to be an effective collaborator.

Dunwoodie will serve as President of theUndergraduate Student Senateduring the 2017-18 academic year.Image Credit: Bryce on a Boat Photography

Now a rising senior at Clemson, Dunwoodie saidthat losing out on Student Senate as a freshman was exactly what he needed when he needed it. The skills he gained on Freshman Council inspired him to try for Student Senate two more times, eventually landing him his current role of 2017-18 Undergraduate Student Senate president.

Student Senate president is a role that Im really excited about and a role that Im really honored to take, said Dunwoodie, who is from Milton, Georgia. My past roles in Student Government have had me doing projects, directly mentoring my peers in some of their projects, as well as collaborating with others on theirs. This role will be more about empowering others and empowering others to empower others. Its going to be a shift in the way Im looking at problems, which I think will be really good for me, and I hope for everyone involved.

Dunwoodie will direct Senates committee chairs and executive team, as well as lead Student Senates weekly meetings. Dunwoodie will also serve as a voice for the universitys student population in meetings with campus administrators.

Beyond these basic duties of the position, Dunwoodie hopes to move Student Senate in a fresh direction.

For me, that means helping senators take on initiatives that will impact Clemson students, Dunwoodie said. I think Senates done an awesome job in the past of handling the finances, structure and legislation involved with Student Senate. Id love to see us carry on that tradition, but I also want every senator to do something collaborate on something, finish something that they can point to and be proud of and that personally impacts Clemson students. At the end of the day, thats what I think were all here for in Student Government: to positively impact Clemson students and grow in the process.

Dunwoodie also wants to implement a system that allows all Clemson students to feel comfortable encouraged, even when seeking help from Student Government.

Every student that steps on campus should know they have a friend in CUSG regardless of who they are. I dont know if thats attainable, but its something Im going to shoot for, Dunwoodie said.

Next to CUSG, Dunwoodies other passion is his undergraduate research, which he conducts under professor Alex Feltus in the department of genetics and biochemistry. There, he investigates gene networks, which are groups of genes that work together to control a specific process or protein. Dunwoodies gene network of interest is specific to glioblastoma, an invasive form of brain cancer.

I think its interesting, because many traditional scientific approaches have been: Lets find one gene that we can knock out to make the tumor go away. But, by understanding coexpression how groups of genes are expressed and controlled together we can look at a broader, network-level approach that leads to some interesting insights, Dunwoodie said.

Research intuition like this is what Feltus emphasizes about Dunwoodie.

Leland has been an excellent collaborator, Feltus said. He aggressively dissects biological problems using wet and dry lab methods and is already making an impact in biomedical research. For example, he has identified several genes that appear to be mis-expressed in brain cancer and has authored a scientific manuscript currently in peer review.

Dunwoodies success in his undergraduate research has helped him acquire three external internships during his summer breaks from Clemson. He spent summer 2015 and 2016 at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he studied pancreatic cancer and autophagy, or the breakdown of proteins and organs within a biological cell. Currently, he is finishing up another study of pancreatic cancer at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

Its his research with Feltus and his efforts in Student Government that have inspired Dunwoodies career plans after graduation.

My passion for interacting, leading and empowering people through Student Government, in addition to the informatics side that Dr. Feltus has taught me, have put me in a unique position, Dunwoodie said. Im hoping to become a clinician that uses informatics to gain new insights into diseases and to help researchers advance the standard of care. I think, as a physician-informaticist, I will have room to navigate. Its a unique career path, and it could be an interesting bridge between working with people and working with the newest technology.

His future career is something he might not have discovered, if it wasnt for the problem-solving skills that Feltus urged him to develop.

Dunwoodie plans to graduate in May 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry.

Ive been blessed to be in the right place at the right time, he said.

END

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College of Science student named Undergraduate Student Senate president - Clemson Newsstand

Last Week in Cyberpunk 7/17/2017 | Neon Dystopia

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First, Id like to apologize for the late arrival of Last Week in Cyberpunk this week. Technical issues in the form of a tumultuous transition to a new computer setup left me running far behind, and the arrival of life to the face, delayed me further. That being said, life was far from boring last week! Cyberspace is in jeopardy but refuses to back down from the challenge, and the endless rebirth of the cyberpunk genre in new and old skins fails to cease.

The Internet overwhelmingly voiced their support for Net Neutrality on Wednesday, July 12th. More than 1.6 million comments were submitted to the FCC on Wednesday, and as of Friday, that had risen to more than 2 million, surpassing the numbers reached during the Internet Slowdown Day in 2014. Additionally, more than 124,000 phone calls and 5 million emails have been received by the FCC in support of Net Neutrality. When asked about the sheer number of comments received Chairman Pai said, As I said previously, the raw number is not as important as the substantive comments that are in the record. Based on previous comments about the exceptionally important contribution to the debate made by 19 nonprofit municipal-broadband providers who oppose the current net neutralityrules and the lack of comment about the 30 smallISPs who have voiced support for Net Neutrality, it isnt hard to make suppositions about who Pai believes is making substantive comments. Should the FCC decide to do away with Net Neutrality, as Pai has stated is his intention, this record breaking number of comments may become very important should Pai have to defend his decision in court.

Last week, we reported on Rachel Maddows warning to other news agencies to vet sources. Following that story, The Intercept published a rebuttal to some of the claims that Maddow made. This isnt to say that the underlying theme of the show was incorrect, news agencies need to be sure of the facts before publishing a piece, but another lesson that may be taken away from this is that news agencies should also be wary of stretching the truth.

The documents that Maddow claimed to have received from an unknown source described as a fairly convincing fake NSA document that purports to directly implicate somebody from the Trump campaign in working with the Russians on their attack on the election, turns out to have been a document that is fairly easily identified through the use of metadata as being forged from the documents publish by The Intercept after their release and not before, however Maddow put heavy emphasis on the idea that this document was likely produced before the publication of The Intercepts document. The primary importance of this is that there does not appear to be some kind of widespread conspiracy to mislead the media, rather the document in question could have been forged by anyone.

The latest development in the case of Reality Winner, who is accused of leaking classified NSA documents to The Intercept, the same ones mentioned above, is that First Look Media, the parent company of The Intercept, has not only acknowledged their mishandling of the documents in regards to protecting sources, but have also pledged to contribute to the legal defense of Reality Winner partnering with a grassroots support group called Stand with Reality. To quote Betsy Reed, the editor-in-chief of First Look Media,

At The Intercept, we have also been carefully examining our own role in Winners predicament. Our reporting practices came under immediate scrutiny after the publication of our story as the Trump administrations DOJ suggested in an unsealed affidavit and search warrant that it had gleaned clues about the leakers identity in part from our reporting. An internal review of the reporting of this story has now been completed. The ongoing criminal case prevents us from going into detail, but I can state that, at several points in the editorial process, our practices fell short of the standards to which we hold ourselves for minimizing the risks of source exposure when handling anonymously provided materials.

Like other journalistic outlets, we routinely verify such materials with any individuals or institutions implicated by their disclosure and seek their comment, as we explain on our website. This process carries some risks of source exposure that are impossible to mitigate when dealing with sensitive materials. Nonetheless, it is clear that we should have taken greater precautions to protect the identity of a source who was anonymous even to us.

As the editor-in-chief, I take responsibility for this failure, and for making sure that the internal newsroom issues that contributed to it are resolved. We are conducting a comprehensive analysis of our source protection protocols and will make revisions to ensure that any materials provided to us anonymously are handled in the most secure manner possible. We will ensure that all staff members have rigorous security training and are held to account for any lapses. Our security team will be consistently integrated into the editorial process. We will also provide revised and expanded guidelines for whistleblowers on our website. I am grateful to the entire Intercept staff for committing to this essential task.

Protectwise is a new cyber-security company founded by Scott Chasin and Gene Stevens, former employees of McAfee. What makes Protectwise so much different than other cyber-security companies is there new interface, a 3D visualization of computer systems that emulates a cyber city. This is something right out of a cyberpunk setting and it will even provide VR and AR as possible options for implementing the system. They are targeting the highest grossing companies as clients (mega-corps anyone?) and hope that their new interface will allow for more intuitive operation. In addition to the aesthetic aspects of the software, they have also integrated features from lots of different kinds of cyber-security software making this a sort of one-stop shop for cyber-security solutions.

DARPA, (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) which is an arm of the Department of Defense responsible for development of emerging technologies for military applications, has just announced that they are granting six multi-million dollar grants to six different universities to develop brain implants for the Neural Engineering System Design (NESD) program, which is charged with developing brain-computer interface systems. Each lab is developing implants with different methodologies that may lead to improved vision, hearing, download/upload of thoughts, improved cybernetic limbs, augmented senses and much more. Our cyberpunk future is at the door.

W3C Advisory Committee representative for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, Cory Doctorow, has officially launched an appeal of the W3Cs implementation of DRM (Digital Rights Management) in web-video. The W3C is responsible for setting international standards for the Internet. The two premises of the appeal are that there are no protections for people who lawfully break DRM when it gets in the way, for example creating systems for people with disabilities, and that the W3C membership were not polled for about whether or not they should implement this DRM. This is the first time in the history of the W3C that this appeals process has been used. You can read the full notice here.

A number of cyberpunk influenced shows have been nominated for Emmy Awards this award cycle. The list includes Westworld, The Handmaids Tale, The Man in the High Castle, Mr. Robot, and Black Mirror. You can see a full listing of the Emmy Nominations here.

Westworld ended its first season with the fantasy park being thrown into chaos as the hosts, robotic characters in the narrative of the park, gained sentience and began rebelling against the humans who have trapped them in cycling loops and the visitors who have come to exploit them for entertainment. The above GIF released at San Diego Comic-Con has some interesting implications for where we will pick up the story. People trapped inside the park with the hosts reaching out for help, only to be replaced with a message that all is well and that a new narrative is about to begin

Bernie is an interesting little film from Roberto de la Torre about a robotic bounty hunter tracking down escaped convicts. It is fragmented, but fascinating none the less. The film is beautiful from an effects perspective and the landscapes chosen are put on display to great effect. The description of the film is: A quick test for a Sci-fi movie. Shot in Martinique. Not much, but worth its short run time.

Number 13 is a short film fromSteve Petersen based on the Dark Horse comic of the same name fromRobert Love and David Walker. The official synopsis:

In a far-off future where hope is a forgotten word, a teenage boy awakens in a wasteland patrolled by mechanized monsters. With no memories of his past life, no belongings and no home, the only thing he truly possesses are mysterious, cybernetic powers. It is these abilities, coveted by rival factions intent on exploiting him, that quickly entangle him in a deadly struggle for the future of humanity. Known only by the number tattooed on his head, he is NUMBER 13.

Zygote is an intense biopunk horror short from Oats Studios,Neil Blomkamps experimental studio, and is another fantastic entry in the series of films. The horror that is depicted in this short rivals some of the best horror movies out there, and the tension runs high. All of this is exemplified by fantastic character chemistry and a fascinating premise. The official synopsis is:

Stranded in an arctic Mine, two lone survivors are forced to fight for their lives, evading and hiding from a new kind of terror.

Netflixs BLAME! adaptation in partnership with Polygon Pictures is coming to Blu-ray. The Blu-ray in addition to the Japanese dub and English subtitles, will be shipping with an exclusive epilogue manga that is set in the aftermath of the film and is written and illustrated by Tsutomu Nihei himself. The deluxe edition will also come with a Making Of documentary, concept art, script for the movie, a pamphlet that was handed out in the theaters, and five 1/35-scale figures that were given away with advance tickets to screenings. A hefty collection for the collectors out there.

Ready Player One is a heavily anticipated film from legendary director Steven Spielberg based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. This week the movies logo has been released, and like the heavily 80s inspired novel, the logo has a 80s feel to it. In addition to the revelation of the logo, it was also announced that legendary composer Alan Silvestri (famous for Predator 1 and 2, Back to the Future 1 and 2, and Contact) will be scoring the film. Ready Player One is scheduled to premiere in March 2018.

Last week Entertainment Weekly released a new crop of pictures prior to the Blade Runner 2049s new trailer. The sequel to the classic movie, has its own aesthetic that maintains a kind of noir style, but remains distinct from the original. The story too seems to be its own, although obviously inspired by the original heavily. This either means this movie is going to do what good sequels should, broaden the scope of the original and stay faithful to the import elements that made the first one good, or it will fail fantastically to live up to the legacy of one of Hollywoods most beloved films.

BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

If the amount of hype surrounding this classic rebirth isnt enough to engage your consumeristic side, NECA has announced action figures based on Blade Runner 2049. The figures are scheduled for release in September.

Blade Runner itch not scratched yet? I know mine never is, apparently also so for filmmaker Wes Anderson. Yes, that Wes Anderson. He has announced a documentary about the life of dancer, actor, screenwriter, director, and producer Hampton Fancher called Escapes. Fancher is best known in cyberpunk circles as the writer and producer of Blade Runner, and now as the writer for Blade Runner 2049. Escapes will open in New Yorks IFC Center on July 26th and become available to a wider audience in August.

SyFy Films will be releasing the newest film from Mateo Gil, Realive, in theaters in September and then on video-on-demand and Digital HD in October. Mateo Gil is best known for Vanilla Sky. The official synopsis is:

In REALIVE, Marc Jarvis (Tom Hughes) is diagnosed with a disease and given a short time to live. Unable to accept his own end, he decides to freeze his body. 60 years later, in the year 2084, he becomes the first cryogenically frozen man to be revived in history. Marc discovers a startling future, but the biggest surprise is that his past has accompanied him in unexpected ways.

On July 18th, Nexon is officially relaunching Ghost in the Shell: First Assault with a load of new features. The game is free to play on Steam. The official description of the game is:

Join Section 9 in a first person shooter experience. Become a member of an elite force of cybernetically enhanced combat operatives dedicated to the defense of society, and use your advanced firepower, Tachikoma Tanks and unique cyber skills to bring down cyber terrorists in a connected world.

Magrnatron 2.0 is an upcoming VR game for iPhone and Android devices from the Neon Minds Collective. This game seeps of classic interpretations of cyberspace depicted in cyberpunk works of old, and then drops you right into an immersive digital experience within that collective hallucination.

There is no more anticipated game within the cyberpunk community than Cyberpunk 2077. We are scrambling for even the tiniest morsel of information about the game. At about the 13-minute mark in the above interview, Marcin Iwinski explains the logic for keeping the lid on the game, needless to say the game is very much still in active development.

Our friends over at Gamerant had a moment to talk with Mike Pondsmith, the progenitor of not only of the universe of Cyberpunk 2077, but cyberpunk roleplaying as a medium, confirmed that the game will include the classic roles introduced in Cyberpunk 2020, many of which are a bit unorthodox for an action rpg. For those not familiar, these roles are Cop, Corporate, Fixer, Media, Netrunner, Nomad, Rockerboy, Solo, Techie, and Med-Tech.

You just cant keep a good magazine down, it seems. OMNI has just been acquired by the classic adult magazine Penthouse, which was actually behind the magazine from the beginning. The magazines most recent iteration was in the form of a website, but now it will be returning to print in October. Pamela Weintraub, one of OMNIs original editors, will once again be active in the magazines production. Is this the dawn of a new era for OMNI or a return to the old legacy?

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments below or on social media!

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Last Week in Cyberpunk 7/17/2017 | Neon Dystopia

CyberPunkReview – The latest news and reviews from the Cyber …

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Game Review

Release Date: MS-DOS, Mac OS, WW: October 31, 1995

Windows, WW: September 5, 2013

OS X, Linux, WW October 17, 2013

iOS, Android, WW: January 14, 2016

Developer: Cyberdreams

Producers: David Mullich, Robert Wiggins

Platform: Android, MS-DOS, Mac OS, Windows, Linux, OS X, iOS

Genre: Horror and adventure

Degree of Cyberpunk Visuals:

Degree of Cyberpunk Themes:

Rating:8/10

If you love dark and horror fantasy, then there is no doubt that you will absolutely love this game.

Overview: This is a story that makes you believe that fate is worse than death. I recommend you read the short collection first before you play the game because there are several horrifying scenes that will either make you want to play the game or haunt you to bed.

The Story: The plot of the video game revolves in America, Russia, and China creating a subterranean complex of high technology. It is too difficult for humans to understand. The supercomputer soon started killing people but left one woman and four men. They are the only ones left on Earth to be tortured. However, through the research of the AM, these five survivors will find ways in order to defeat the opponent.

Just imagine yourself as an immortal and being tortured by AM because you are one of the chosen playthings. Ellen is the only woman in the story, a 2-dimensional character had been turned into a sexual slave and was used by the four men in the group. One of the guys, Benny, who was a gay in the earlier part of the story had turned straight again but he was transformed into a mutant with a suspiciously large penis. Gorrister and Nimdok are the other guys of the chosen playthings of the story.

As you play this game, you will eventually answer the question, Why did he choose these five individuals? AM will soon challenge these five characters into playing a game, playing with their biggest fears and meddling with their own flaws. However, you know too well that even if he promised that he will set them free once they win the game, he will never do anything he promised.

If youre thinking of the Saw body-horror games, then you are wrong. For instance, one of the guys, Gorrister is suicidal. His wife was killed a hundred years ago. He found himself in a seppelin and was now provided with all the ways to commit suicide. However, he received help from a talking jackal which made him surpassed the game.

However, this game wasnt made to be completed by anyone. By the time every character had been able to complete each of their games, they are lifted into a new level where they discover that AM cannot be defeated. If they win the game, they will only be turned into a blob monsterwhich sucks after hours spent in order to win the game. The end of the story is simplehumanity is completely wiped out. Thats it.

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‘Observer’ Review: Bloober Team goes 2-for-2 with a haunting … – Mic – Mic

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The continued melding of human and machine and the question of what the future holds for us makes cyberpunk an increasingly relevant genre. Although were only at the cusp of cybernetics and genetic engineering technology, there are soon going to be a whole new set of social and political debates concerning the future of the human race. After all, the paradox of the Ship of Theseus becomes even more of a conundrum when were replacing organs, limbs and perhaps even our brains with engineered components.

This is one of the arguments at the core of Observer. This is the second game from Bloober Team, the Polish-based game studio behind the excellent Layers of Fear. On a physical level, its a disturbing look at poverty, classism, corporate greed and the morality of genetic engineering and cybernetics. It doesnt stop there though; the above lead into the major theme of the game: In our effort to better ourselves with technology, will we end up losing our humanity?

Observer is set in Krakow, Poland, in the year 2084. In this future, Polands governing body is also its largest employer: Chiron Incorporated. After a third world war in the 2050s known as the Great Decimation, the geopolitical makeup of the world has changed dramatically, and Poland stands as a major, though isolationist, global power.

In this future Poland, a caste system assigns each citizen to their lot in life. Class A citizens can travel the country unimpeded and are the wealthiest people in the country and dont even have to answer to the authorities unless the National Board of Directors orders it. Class B citizens make up the middle-class of Poland. Class C makes up around 90% of Polands population, and its one of their apartment blocks where the game takes place.

The character you play as in Observer, police detective Daniel Lazarski, is a Class B citizen. Lazarski is an Observer, part of a special police unit equipped with a cybernetic implant that allows the Observer to connect to others neural implants to extract information. After a frantic call from his son, Daniel traces his location to a Class C apartment block, and thats where we take over.

Daniel and the caretaker of the tenement building

Events soon transpire that have you locked inside the tenement building, and you must try to find your son by searching through each crumbled and dirty floor. Bloober Team did an excellent job driving home the squalor these Class C citizens are forced to live in. The building has as much character as the humans in the game, as it hides the bizarre and macabre around each turn.

As the game progresses, youll not only be figuring out the mystery of your sons frantic call, but also the stories of the people who live in the building. Youll meet virtual-reality addicts, uncover illegal organ harvesters and witness the frantic and sad lives of those who are just trying to survive another day. All throughout this, the threat of a disease affecting those with cybernetic implants hangs above you. The nanophage is an omnipresent and real threat for the poor of Observer, and the building lockdown thats trapped you there typically proceeds the news of an outbreak.

To uncover the answers to all these mysteries, you have several tools at your disposal. Through your cybernetic implants, you can scan for biological and mechanical objects of interest. When you find a scene of particular interest, the game turns into a mode somewhat like LA Noire. Youll piece together clues that can take you further into the narrative. Sometimes these clues are red herrings that lead you to a dead end, and sometimes youll find a side story tangentially related to the main plot.

It would be easy to chock Observer up as a walking simulator, because youre not technically fighting anyone. In fact, aside from some stealth sections, there are no adversaries you have to avoid at all. This game doesnt need that to feel frantic though. The pace is excellent, balancing the sections where you explore the building with those you spend examining clues or getting plot exposition perfectly. Theres always a feeling of edge in the building, and you never know what youll find behind the next apartment door. Will it be a hilarious and awkward interaction with a disgruntled tenant, or will it be an ajar door with a decapitated body inside? Theres no way to tell until you take a deep breath and push on.

Particular attention has to be paid to Lazarskis voice actor, Rutger Hauer. Most notable for his beautiful portrayal of the antagonistic Nexus 6 Roy Batty in Blade Runner, Observer marks his first role in a video game. Hauers voice has a lilting timbre that makes the whole game richer as a result. Most of the exposition in the game comes from Hauer as Lazarskis internal voice, and as he has the most lines in the game by far, a mediocre voice actor in this role would have made for a poor experience overall. Astonishingly though, especially for an indie production, the VA cast as a whole was great. AAA studios need to take note because Bloober Team blew 90% of the games Ive played from this year away when it comes to the quality of Observers script and execution.

Its entirely possible to fly through Observer and only follow the main plotline. However, to get the most out of the game, youll need to leave no stone unturned. The game took me roughly nine hours to beat, and it was nine of the best hours of gaming Ive had this year. There are some aspects that video game fans might not be fond of though. As much as I loved it, it has a movie feel to it. If youre craving fast-paced gameplay, Observer may not be for you.

I dont usually get involved with the games are art discussion, but Observer is one shining example of a unique, beautiful, haunting look at what one version of our future may be if were not careful. I havent gone too deep in describing the games narrative because its something you should discover on your own, but there is a lot of philosophical and allegorical underpinnings to its story. However, it doesnt slam that stuff over your head until its just not fun anymore. Observer is as much an entertaining sci-fi story as it is commentary or warning, and thats what makes it such an excellent title. Its accessible, its well-made, and its one of the best games this year.

Check out the latest from Mic, like this deep dive into the cultural origins of Gamergate. Also, be sure to read this essay about what its like to cosplay while black, a roundup of family-friendly games to play with your kids and our interview with Adi Shankar, producer of the animated Castlevania Netflix series.

Originally posted here:

'Observer' Review: Bloober Team goes 2-for-2 with a haunting ... - Mic - Mic

Chartists Placing Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) on Their Radar – Clayton News

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Shares of Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) are moving on volatility today -11.11% or -0.005 from the open. The TSXV listed company saw a recent bid of 0.04 on 156000 volume.

Doing the necessary homework, investors have a wealth of information about publically traded stocks. Figuring out which ones are going to steadily outperform can be a tricky task. Many investors opt to follow what covering sell-side analysts think about certain stocks. Following analyst updates to estimates and targets may help gauge overall stock sentiment. However, solely following analyst views may not be enough to put the entire investing puzzle together. Technical traders may want to still keep tabs on the fundamentals, and vice-versa.

Now letstake a look at how the fundamentals are stacking up for Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V). Fundamental analysis takes into consideration market, industry and stock conditions to help determine if the shares are correctly valued. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. currently has a yearly EPS of -0.11. This number is derived from the total net income divided by shares outstanding. In other words, EPS reveals how profitable a company is on a share owner basis.

Another key indicator that can help investors determine if a stock might be a quality investment is the Return on Equity or ROE. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) currently has Return on Equity of -124.73. ROE is a ratio that measures profits generated from the investments received from shareholders. In other words, the ratio reveals how effective the firm is at turning shareholder investment into company profits. A company with high ROE typically reflects well on management and how well a company is run at a high level. A firm with a lower ROE might encourage potential investors to dig further to see why profits arent being generated from shareholder money.

Another ratio we can look at is the Return on Invested Capital or more commonly referred to as ROIC. Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a current ROIC of -108.54. ROIC is calculated by dividing Net Income Dividends by Total Capital Invested.

Similar to ROE, ROIC measures how effectively company management is using invested capital to generate company income. A high ROIC number typically reflects positively on company management while a low number typically reflects the opposite.

Turning to Return on Assets or ROA, Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) has a current ROA of -95.05. This is a profitability ratio that measures net income generated from total company assets during a given period. This ratio reveals how quick a company can turn its assets into profits. In other words, the ratio provides insight into the profitability of a firms assets. The ratio is calculated by dividing total net income by the average total assets. A higher ROA compared to peers in the same industry, would suggest that company management is able to effectively generate profits from their assets. Similar to the other ratios, a lower number might raise red flags about managements ability when compared to other companies in a similar sector.

Trying to project the day to day short-term movements of the stock market may be all but impossible. Stocks have the tendency to make sudden moves on even the slightest bit of news or for apparently no reason at all. The daily trader may be looking to capitalize on swings or momentum, but the long-term investor may be searching for stability and consistency over a sustained period of time. During trading sessions, stock movements can seem like a popularity contest from time to time. Even after careful study, there may be no logical reason for a particular stock move. Riding out the waves of uncertainty may not be easy, but having a full-proof plan for when markets erode may just be the savior. Having the patience to wait out abnormal moves may help evade the mistake of letting go too soon out of panic.

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Chartists Placing Targeted Microwave Solutions Inc. (TMS.V) on Their Radar - Clayton News

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