Author Archives: Fredricko

Anatomy of a social media ‘troll’ – Chicago Tribune

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Jon Timowski has been described as a social media "troll."

In internet slang, a troll is a person who stirs the pot by purposely starting arguments, angering social media users, or posting inflammatory comments solely to provoke an emotional reaction from others.

"How do I respond to being called a troll? I really don't," said Timowski, 40, of Lowell. "It is and has been very typical, and telling, for the left to lash out to name calling."

Though he disregards such disparaging labels from his critics, Timowski views our polarized country as left versus right, liberals versus conservatives, Democrats versus Republicans. In his personal world, "snowflakes" have nothing to do with winter storms and everything to do with political storms.

In internet slang, the word snowflake is used by conservatives or Republicans to mock liberals or describe Democrats who feel they're unique when they're anything but unique. Another insulting connotation refers to snowflakes easily melting when confronted by opposing views. It's an overused insult, I say, even pass at this point.

Like most social media users, Timowski is convinced about his political and ideological convictions, which have become heightened since President Trump has been on the scene. Timowksi also is prolific with his hundreds of unrelenting comments on many people's Facebook pages, including on my public page.

For several months, Timowski has been commenting on my social media posts regarding political topics, typically with a bluster that rankles other readers. Only once did I have to tell Timowski to ease back with his name-calling or I'd have to ask him to avoid commenting on my posts. (I've told this to quite a few readers through the years.)

Timowski understood, which is more than I can say about a few other online readers.

Though Timowski and I disagree on most everything political, or so it seems, I enjoy reading his comments and sharing his impassioned voice with my online readers. I think it offers an attempt at a balance between clashing viewpoints, especially with my own viewpoints.

"My purpose for comments, especially to (readers) on the left, at first was to educate them why the right, or conservatives, look at them the way they do," Timowski told me. "It was to point out the flaws in thought and, more importantly, actions that were waking the sleeping and forgotten conservatives."

A Hammond native, Timowski is married with a son. He works in the field of safety and security with disaster planning, which restricts him from sharing his photo for this column, he said. He's been using social media since the days of MySpace which, in the fast-paced evolution of social media, certainly dates him.

On one of his recent Facebook posts on his own page, Timowski wrote, "I love how many people are against the government except on the 1st of the month."

Would you describe his post as inflammatory or informational? Purposeful or confrontational? Is it the work of a social media troll or a "conversation starter," as I've been called by some readers?

"I believe social media can be a way to debate and discuss everything under the sun," Timowski told me. "Unfortunately, it often brings out the worst in people."

This is the absolute truth, as any user has found out. This also is why I wanted to profile Timowski and others like him who have been labeled as a troll by others. I'm guessing that Timowski is not the person you may first think they are, according to his posts and comments. The same can be said for many other social media users, I believe.

It's become too easy to judge others based on only one thin slice of their life. In this case, their social media rhetoric or comments, which can be redundant to the point of exhaustion or aggravation.

For instance, I had Timowski pegged as a lifelong conservative, voting Republican in every election regardless of race or candidate. I was wrong.

"I have been a lifelong Democrat, only voting for two Republicans in a local election in my lifetime," said Timowski, who said he voted for Trump in November. "Every other race locally, state and federal have been for Democrats. I guess that means I don't affiliate, but I have leaned left throughout my lifetime thus far."

So why the change in political parties and viewpoints?

"As a lifelong Democrat, I was awakened at what area officials had let happen to my home city and others around it while the conservative areas prospered and made better financial decisions," he replied.

In the past, Timowski was, "active on liberal-leaning webpages, trying to shed light that the country was growing tired of poor behavior, violence, laziness and entitlement," he said. "I truly wanted to help the left that I had voted for my whole life to get away from these things."

"The constant corruption and indictments did not help," he added. "I began to see through, what I was told my whole life, that the rich and business leaders were the devil. After learning to let go of hatred for others' success, I decided I wanted the best business decision-makers running my tax dollars."

"While I disagree with conservative ideology on many subjects, I realize government is in fact a business and my personal life choices are to be done on a personal level away from government," Timowski said.

He also cites the "violence and ignorance" that America has witnessed this past year through so many protests and demonstrations.

"While the right, and namely Trump supporters, have shown ignorance and even some isolated cases of violence, the left has far outreached these cases with the masses," he said. "It's like much of the same results we see with Democratic stronghold areas when it comes to violent crimes. Much like my childhood city (Hammond) and northern Lake County."

Timowski and I agree on one thing.

"We all have a trillion thoughts, and speak a trillion words, but we will be judged on only a few opinions if people don't bother to learn about each other," he said.

jdavich@post-trib.com

Twitter@jdavich

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Anatomy of a social media 'troll' - Chicago Tribune

Anatomy of a clusterfuck: How ‘strong and stable’ Theresa May messed up so entirely – The Spinoff

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What the hell just happened? The Guardians Richard Adams attempts to make sense of the shock UK election outcome.

The UK election result is the biggest upset of conventional wisdom since, well, last November. After Trump, the Brexit referendum, Leicester City winning the premier league and the 2015 UK general election result youd think wed be getting used to this. But no.

The Conservative partys decision to call a snap election has backfired: rather than winning the comfortable-to-huge majority predicted, the Tories have instead gone backwards. The party has held enough seats to govern in coalition with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist party but it was a miserable effort in almost every other respect.

Nervous and ill-advised, Theresa May achieved the unthinkable: winning more than 42% of the popular vote but losing a swathe of seats in England. (In 2005 Tony Blair won 35% of the vote but a solid majority of MPs.) Labour under Jeremy Corbyn got around 40% and gained more than 30 seats. The Tories piled up wasted votes in safe seats and failed to go beyond their comfort zone to win votes in London and the east of England. And that in a nutshell is why May lost as she did.

Why did the Tories do so badly in its England heartland? Brexit the referendum to leave the European Union hung over this election like an embarrassing smell. The UK Independent Party (UKIP) collapsed as predicted, having won the EU exit it sought, but its voters didnt obediently file back to the Tories as the pundits expected. Enough perhaps 40% returned to Labour to make a difference.

And then there was the 18-30 youth vote. Largely pro-Labour but with a poor record of actually voting, this time the youth turned out in higher proportions, with the exact amount as yet unconfirmed. This is a major reason why so many polls got it so wrong: they assumed that voting behaviour wouldnt change much. But young people appeared more exercised by Brexit and Labours policies including the scrapping of student tuition fees that currently stand at 9000 a year.

The pollsters performance brings to mind the football pundit Alan Hansen, who once rubbished Manchester Uniteds chances of winning the English league: You cant win anything with kids. One of those kids was David Beckham, and we know what happened next.

But Labour under Jeremy Corbyn also did better than expected with older voters, thanks in part to returning UKIP voters and perhaps as a result of Theresa Mays overconfident campaign that offered its key base of supporters a dementia tax and downgraded pension protection.

The Conservative campaign overall was nightmarish, revolving around Mays strong and stable leadership backed by lurid excesses by the Daily Mail, Telegraph and Sun. As tactics go thats fine but May herself couldnt carry its weight. She refused to debate with Corbyn, was generally lacklustre and failed to offer any detail about how the Tories planned to negotiate Brexit. The single biggest political issue on the table and May ignored it to concentrate on domestic policies. This played into Labours hands, disastrously, by moving debate to Labours strengths: spending on health, education and social services.

Then the campaign was twice derailed by two terrorist attacks. The attack in Manchester came just as almost every newspaper was printing front pages deriding Mays dementia tax U-turn. They all changed overnight to describe the Manchester carnage.

But the later London Bridge attack may have eroded Mays image of competence. As Home Secretary for five years she had been responsible for policing and domestic security. After London a string of complaints appeared about how the attackers had been allowed to enter and remain in the UK, along with steep cuts in police numbers that also happened on Mays watch.

Although election campaigns rarely have a major effect on final results, the closeness of the UK result suggests too many voters were unimpressed by May and her team. Perhaps convinced by those polls predicting huge Conservative majorities, the Tory strategists played it safe. No hostages to fortune on Brexit, giving themselves plenty of room of taxes, and a readoption of some ancient Tory policies like bringing back fox hunting and grammar schools, when the result indicates that UKIP and potential Labour voters dont give a damn about either.

The other caveat about election campaigns is that they do help the profile of under-exposed leaders. In that sense the snap election was a relief for Jeremy Corbyn: it halted Labours infighting and allowed him to approach the public directly. He was helped, it seems, by the growth of left-wing activism on the web a Buzzfeed survey of Facebook found that aggressively pro-Corbyn and Labour news was shared far more widely than similar efforts for the Conservatives.

By avoiding Brexit discussion during the campaign, May gave Corbyn an opening that he rushed to fill with populist policies. The Conservatives offered nothing in response apart from slogans about stability and Brexit meaning Brexit. In her one major speech May even claimed that Brexit required a return to grammar schools (that is, schools reserved for the most able children as selected by an exam sat by 11-year-olds). It was, incredibly, perhaps her most concrete policy statement of the election.

Outside of England and Wales where Labour continued to dominate despite the nations huge pro-Brexit vote the Conservatives did much better. In Scotland the independence issue rivalled Brexit as a vote driver. In 2015 the pro-independence vote flocked to the SNP. This time it seems that the pro-Unionist vote coaleased in response around the Tories, hence their success. The SNPs meltdown will be one of the elections major political aftermaths.

But what happens next? Conventional wisdom would go like this: the Tories form a coalition with the DUP of Northern Ireland; May eventually steps down as PM to be replaced by Boris Johnson; the Tories present a populist Budget with tax cuts and NHS funding galore which gets voted down, followed by another snap election in, lets see, November? February?

But who knows? New Zealanders will recognise that governments can be sustained with slim majorities. The UK did just have five years of coalition government so its not so unlikely. Well all be finding out a lot more about the DUP, its policies and the foibles of Belfast and Ulster politics. Foxes are probably safe for the time being.

Meanwhile the clock ticks towards Brexit whatever Brexit means now.

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Anatomy of a clusterfuck: How 'strong and stable' Theresa May messed up so entirely - The Spinoff

Study: Mutated Gene Tied to Irregular Heartbeat – UMB News

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Heart disease kills more than 600,000 Americans every year, which translates to more than one in every four deaths. Although lifestyle choices contribute to the disease, genetics play a major role. This genetic facet has remained largely mysterious. But new research by scientists at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) has identified what may be a key player: a mutated gene that leads to irregular heartbeat, which can lead to a dangerously inefficient heart.

The findings were published June 7 in the journal Science Advances. The senior author of the study, Aikaterini Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos, PhD, is a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at UMSOM.

The study is the first to illuminate details of how this particular gene, which is called OBSCN, works in heart disease. The gene produces proteins known as obscurins, which seem to be crucial to many physiologic processes, including heart function.

University of Maryland School of Medicine Professor Aikaterini Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos, PhD, studies the OBSCN gene and obscurin proteins.

This study gives us new information about the involvement of obscurins in the mechanics of heart disease, said Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos. It suggests that people carrying a mutated version of OBSCN may develop heart disease.

For almost two decades, Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos has been studying the OBSCN gene and obscurin proteins. Research has found that the gene is often mutated; some of these mutations may play a role in heart disease and certain cancers. She and her colleagues have recently shown that one mutation may play a role in the development of congenital heart disease. However, the cell processes that are affected by the OBSCN mutation have remained largely a mystery.

In this latest study, Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos and her team unraveled this question. They focused on a mutation that has been linked to an enlarged heart, also known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. In this condition, the heart muscle becomes thickened and scarred, and has trouble pumping blood. She created a strain of mouse that carries the mutation, and then divided the animals into three groups: a group that experienced no stress, one that experienced moderate stress, and one that experienced significant stress.

She found that animals in the no-stress group developed irregular heartbeat, also known as arrhythmia. The mildly stressed animals developed thickened hearts, and the severely stressed animals developed hearts that were scarred and ineffective.

Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos is one of several scientists who first discovered OBSCN in 2001. Prior to that it was all but unknown, hence its name. Since then, she has studied the gene, focusing on its role in both heart disease and cancer. She currently has several other ongoing studies of its effects in both heart disease and cancer.

It is not clear exactly how the mutated OBSCN gene causes heart problems. Her study is the first one to examine this question in relation to the obscurin mutations. She and her colleagues found evidence that the particular mutation they focused on may affect the ability of a protein called phospholamban to regulate the movement of calcium in heart muscle cells; this movement plays a crucial role in controlling how the heart contracts and relaxes. If this process goes awry, the heart does not function properly.Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos says this work could eventually lead to targeted therapies for people who have OBSCN mutations.

Heart disease is one of our most urgent national health issues, said UMSOM Dean E. Albert Reece, MD, PhD, MBA, who is also the vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. Dr. Kontrogianni-Konstantopoulos has elucidated this new aspect of the molecular basis of at least some cardiovascular illness. I look forward to seeing what she and others do to further build on this new discovery.

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Study: Mutated Gene Tied to Irregular Heartbeat - UMB News

Inherited, rare skin disease informs treatment of common hair disorders, study finds – Medical Xpress

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June 8, 2017 Hair thinning in a human patient and mouse with inherited loss of function mutations in WNT10A is shown. Credit: Michael Passanante and Mingang Xu, PhD

It is almost axiomatic in medicine that the study of rare disorders informs the understanding of more common, widespread ailments. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania who study an inherited disorder of skin, hair follicles, nails, sweat glands, and teeth called hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) have identified a mechanism that may also be disrupted in male pattern baldness, a more common condition. They published their findings this week in Nature Communications.

About one in 5,000 to 10,000 people are thought to have HED, although this may be an underestimate of its actual prevalence as this condition is not always diagnosed correctly. HED is most frequently caused by mutations in the EDA, EDAR, EDARRAD and WNT10A genes. In addition to its association with HED, mutations in WNT10A are the most common genetic defect observed in people who are born missing one or more teeth, but do not display other characteristics of the disease. These milder WNT10A mutations occur surprisingly frequently, in about 1 to 2 percent of the population. Interestingly, a variant of the WNT10A gene associated with lower levels of its protein's expression has been linked to a greater likelihood of male pattern baldness, according to a recent genome-wide association study.

"By analyzing mice with the WNT10A mutation, as well as tissues from human patients with WNT10A mutations, we found that WNT10A regulates the proliferation, but not the maintenance, of stem cells in hair follicles," said Sarah Millar, PhD, vice chair for Basic Research in the Department of Dermatology. "Together with a previously published genome-wide association study, our findings suggest that lower levels of WNT10A may contribute to male pattern baldness in some individuals."

The team made mouse models for WNT10A-associated HED by deleting the Wnt10a gene. The mutant mice displayed the same symptoms as HED patients with severe loss of function mutations in the WNT10A gene. Long-term absence of WNT10A leads to miniaturization of hair follicle structures and enlargement of the associated sebaceous glands, a phenomenon that is also observed in male pattern baldness.

Millar's group and her clinical collaborators, including Emily Chu, MD, PhD, an assistant professor of Dermatology and John McGrath, MD, from King's College, London, also discovered that cracking and scaling of palm and foot sole skin in WNT10A patients is due to decreased expression of a structural protein called Keratin 9, which is specifically expressed in these regions of skin and contributes to its mechanical integrity.

"Our studies took us back and forth between human patients and our mouse model," said Millar. "Our goal was to find what happened to cellular components affected by the WNT10A mutation to make better treatments."

Millar's group showed that decreased proliferation and Keratin 9 expression in the absence of WNT10A resulted from failure of signaling through a well-characterized pathway that stabilizes a protein called beta-catenin, allowing it to enter the cell nucleus and activate gene transcription.

These findings indicate that small molecule drugs that activate the beta-catenin pathway downstream of WNT10A could potentially be used to treat hair thinning and palm and sole skin defects in WNT10A patients. These agents may also be useful for preventing hair loss in a subgroup of people with male pattern baldness.

Explore further: Study of 52,000 men uncovers the genetics underlying male pattern baldness

A genomic study of baldness identified more than 200 genetic regions involved in this common but potentially embarrassing condition. These genetic variants could be used to predict a man's chance of severe hair loss. The ...

UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified the cells that directly give rise to hair as well as the mechanism that causes hair to turn gray findings that could one day help identify possible treatments ...

A pathway known for its role in regulating adult stem cells has been shown to be important for hair follicle proliferation, but contrary to previous studies, is not required within hair follicle stem cells for their survival, ...

By the time they turn 50, half of European men have some degree of hair loss. For many, it will begin far earlier than that, and yet male pattern baldness is poorly understood.

In experiments in mice, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered that regulatory T cells (Tregs; pronounced "tee-regs"), a type of immune cell generally associated with controlling inflammation, directly trigger stem ...

It is almost axiomatic in medicine that the study of rare disorders informs the understanding of more common, widespread ailments. Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania who study ...

Our DNA influences our ability to read a person's thoughts and emotions from looking at their eyes, suggests a new study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Heart disease kills more than 600,000 Americans every year, which translates to more than one in every four deaths. Although lifestyle choices contribute to the disease, genetics play a major role. This genetic facet has ...

Mice have a reputation for timidity. Yet when confronted with an unfamiliar peer, a mouse may respond by rearing, chasing, grappling, and bitingand come away with altered sensitivity toward future potential threats.

Researchers at Queen's University have published new findings, providing a proof-of-concept use of genetic editing tools to treat genetic diseases. The study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, offers an important first ...

Yale scientists have discovered the cause of a disfiguring skin disorder and determined that a commonly used medication can help treat the condition.

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Inherited, rare skin disease informs treatment of common hair disorders, study finds - Medical Xpress

REVIEW: JEFF the Brotherhood impresses with garage rock chemistry at Gasa Gasa – LSU Now

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When two or more musicians play together for an extended period of time, they develop what fellow music snobs call chemistry. Good chemistry on stage is undeniable, manifesting in an artists sound, movement and expression.

The more chemistry musicians share, the more natural and impressive their performance. Such is the case with Jake and Jamin Orrall, two brothers from Nashville, Tennessee that make up garage rock outfit JEFF the Brotherhood.

JEFF the Brotherhood descended into New Orleans on Tuesday for the bands first show at Gasa Gasa. Fans filled the small venue despite the evenings rainy forecast, and many were delighted by the rock n roll that followed.

The band is on tour promoting its 2016 album Zone, but the Orrall brothers have been playing music together for over 15 years. They formed JEFF the Brotherhood in 2001 while still in high school.

The duo draws inspiration from some rocks most fervent sub-genres, including punk, garage rock, psychedelia and heavy metal. Zone is both a guitar-driven onslaught and the product of honest, relatable songwriting.

JEFF the Brotherhood opened its set with Toasted, a pulsing track laden with Jake Orralls heavy muffled guitar. Jamin Orralleffortlessly kept pace on the drums and didnt slow down until the sets fourth song, Zone.

Any mellow vibes in the room quickly melted as JEFF the Brotherhood moved into its fifth tune, Staring at the Wall from 2012s Hypnotic Nights. Played live, the song hits like a ton of bricks and shows the brothers punk roots.

The performance often leaned on the walls of sound radiating from guitar amplifiers. Heavy distortion and flanger effects filled the gaps and allowed the guitarist room to experiment.

Jake Orralls guitar tone is uniquely recognizable. Its sharp, yet distorted and likely took years to perfect. Low tones and the perfect amount of fuzz are enough to make some forget the band lacks a bass player.

The pair continued to shine on two of the new records heaviest tracks, Roachin and You. Jake Orralls dark progressions and vocals made for the sets most cynical sounds, while Jamin Orrallproduced some of the nights most violent drumming.

JEFF the Brotherhood brought a third member onto the stage for its final two numbers. By adding a second guitarist from the shows opening act The Detail, Jake Orrallhad more room to dance around his fretboard. The guitarists traded squealing solos, giving the audience a collective second wind.

As a whole, JEFF the Brotherhoods showing was loud and tight. Each song was tinged with raw energy and emotion.

Jake and Jamin Orrallseemed just as comfortable on stage as they would be jamming alone in their garage, and thats probably because they are. Watching them, it became obvious the Orrall brothers werent just playing a show or working on a Tuesday night. They were having fun.

Listen to JEFF the Brotherhoods album Zone below.

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REVIEW: JEFF the Brotherhood impresses with garage rock chemistry at Gasa Gasa - LSU Now

Global $92.9 Billion Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical Services … – PR Newswire (press release)

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The global biotechnology services outsourcing market is expected to reach USD 92.9 billion by 2025

Pharmaceutical industry has been adaptive of the function of outsourcing certain clinical and corporate functions as early as 2002. Among the services outsourced, clinical trial management and contract manufacturing were the forerunners. For instance, Johnson & Johnson was the first pharmaceutical company to outsource its applications development and maintenance (ADM).

In 2015, over USD 50.0 billion was spent on pharmaceutical R&D activities majorly on oncology, diabetes, and autoimmune therapy classes, which is expected to propel the biotechnology services outsourcing market growth over the forecast period.

Shrinking profit margins coupled with rising competition in the market space, and augmenting regulatory burden are other vital impact rendering factors. The pharmaceutical services outsourcing market is expected to register growth at a CAGR of 8.7% during the forecast period. On the other hand, pending immigration legislations in the U.S. may hinder business economics and outsourcing risks.

Pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries in Europe are significantly investing in R&D in the recent year owing to rising demand for advanced medicines. This may be attributed to increasing aging population, incidence of chronic diseases, and communicable diseases.

Further key findings from the study suggest:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Research Methodology

2 Executive Summary

3 Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Services Outsourcing Market Variables, Trends, & Scope 3.8 Service pricing analysis

4 Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Services Outsourcing Market: Service Estimates & Trend Analysis 4.1 Pharmaceutical/biotechnology services outsourcing market: Service movement analysis 4.2 Consulting services 4.2.2 Regulatory compliance 4.2.3 Remediation 4.2.4 Quality management 4.2.5 Other 4.3 Auditing & assessment 4.4 Regulatory affairs services 4.4.2 Clinical trial applications & product registration 4.4.3 Regulatory writing & publishing 4.4.4 Legal representation 4.4.5 Other 4.5 Product maintenance services 4.6 Product design & development 4.7 Product testing & validation 4.8 Training & education 4.9 Other services

5 Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology Services Outsourcing Market: Regional Estimates & Trend Analysis

6 Competitive Landscape

For more information about this report visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5b9f3q/biotechnologyphar

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

For E.S.T Office Hours Call +1-917-300-0470 For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call +1-800-526-8630 For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

U.S. Fax: 646-607-1907 Fax (outside U.S.): +353-1-481-1716

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/global-929-billion-biotechnologypharmaceutical-services-outsourcing-market-analysis-by-service-and-segment-forecasts-2014---2025---research-and-markets-300470992.html

SOURCE Research and Markets

http://www.researchandmarkets.com

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Global $92.9 Billion Biotechnology/Pharmaceutical Services ... - PR Newswire (press release)

The anatomy of trade deficits – The News International

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In the first 10 months of the outgoing financial year (FY 2017), a $19.93 billion trade deficit was registered on account of exports worth $17.91 billion and imports that amount to $37.84 billion. Trade deficit during the same period of the preceding financial year was $14.61 billion, with exports worth $18.14 billion and imports amounting to $32.75 billion. As a result, during FY 2017 (July 2016 till April 2017), trade deficit has increased by 36.41 percent compared with the previous year.

Trade deficit, along with fiscal deficit, has been a perennial feature of Pakistans economy as in the case of most other net petroleum-importing developing countries. The reasons for this stem from both economic and cultural factors. These economies need to import a great deal of capital equipment and industrial raw materials to maintain or accelerate the growth momentum.

Culturally, the people living in such societies are strongly inclined towards imitating a lifestyle that is prevalent in rich countries even though they lack the corresponding productive capacity which encourages the import of luxury goods. On the other hand, owing to severe supply-side constraints, coupled with a relatively large population, exports cant keep pace with imports.

It may be useful to compare Pakistans foreign trade performance with that of two other countries in the region over last three years. In FY 2014, Pakistans trade deficit was $16.59 billion (exports amounting to $25.07 billion and imports worth $41.66 billion), which went up to $17.20 billion in FY 2015 (exports worth $24.08 billion exports and imports amounting to $41.28 billion). The deficit further increased to $18.48 billion in FY 2016. The exports worth $21.97 billion while imports stood at $40.45 billion.

India registered a trade deficit worth $141.82 billion in 2014, with export amounting to $317.54 billion and imports worth $459.36 billion. The deficit came down to $126.36 billion ($264.38 billion for exports and $390.74 billion for imports) in 2015 and fell further to $96.37 billion in 2016 (exports worth $260.32 billion and imports amounting to $356.70 billion). Likewise, in the case of Sri Lanka, trade deficit stood at $7.94 billion (exports amounting to $11.29 billion and imports worth $19.24 billion) in 2014. It went up to $8.52 billion (with exports worth $10.43 billion and imports at $18.96 billion) in 2015 and rose further to $8.95 billion (exports amounting to $10.54 billion and imports worth $19.50 billion) in 2016.

It is evident that all the three countries are running an adverse trade balance and its scale is understandably relative to the size of the economy the biggest for India and the smallest for Sri Lanka. Trade deficit has gone up for both Pakistan (11.4 percent) and Sri Lanka (12.7 percent) over last three years. But in the case of India, it has come down. Imports have come down for both Pakistan (marginally by 2.9 percent) and India (largely by 22.3 percent), with a small increase for Sri Lanka. Exports have come down for each of the three countries: 12.4 percent for Pakistan, 18 percent for India and 6.6 percent for Sri Lanka. These figures reflect a reduction in global trade from $18.9 trillion in 2014 to $15.86 trillion in 2016.

The increase in trade deficit during FY 2017 (between July 2016 and April 2017) over the corresponding period of the preceding year may be explained by looking at both imports and exports. Total imports have gone up from $32.75 billion to $37.84 billion by 15.5 percent. Category-wise, the largest increase occurred in the transport sector by 39.2 percent, followed by the petroleum group (15.5 percent), food items (18.9 percent), machinery and capital equipment (16.1 percent), textiles (7.7 percent), chemicals (4.3 percent) and metals (1.7 percent).

Likewise, the total exports have gone down slightly from $18.14 billion to $17.91 billion by 1.3 percent. Exports fell in almost all important categories: textiles (3.2 percent), food items (4.5 percent), other manufactures, such as leather, sports and surgical goods (5.8 percent), petroleum (7.6 percent) and engineering goods (17.3 percent). However, the export of chemical and pharmaceutical products went up by 4.3 percent.

It follows that the fundamental cause of the substantial growth of trade deficit is the increase in imports rather than the decrease in exports. At the same time, it is exceedingly difficult for the government to check the growth in imports for one reason or another. The import basket can be divided into three categories: essential items, such as food and petroleum products; capital equipment and raw materials necessary for economic growth; and luxury goods.

Restricting the import of the first two categories is not desirable for obvious reasons. The government can restrict the import of luxury goods by raising the customs duties. Like other developing countries, Pakistan has a considerable gap between its bound (WTO) and applied import tariffs. However, the problem is that the demand for the luxury goods comes either from the government itself or the politically powerful affluent class. As a result, restricting their imports is a difficult proposition in a political sense.

Increasing exports is the right way to narrow the trade deficit. Obstacles to export promotion are of three types: market access, the high cost of doing business and structural constraints. The focus of the government and the private sector has been on overcoming the first and second obstacles. Over the last decade, Pakistan has been on a spree to conclude preferential trading arrangements (PTAs). However, most of the PTAs have caused imports to grow at a faster pace than exports. This has driven up trade deficits with PTA partners.

Bringing down the cost of doing business includes seeking exemptions from internal and border taxes, duty drawbacks, reducing interest rates, providing electricity at subsidised rates and keeping wages from increasing. From time to time, the government declares zero-ratings for the key export-oriented sectors and thereby exempts them completely from the GST. Earlier this year, a hefty export package, in the form of duty and tax remissions, was announced by the prime minister.

Lowering the cost of doing business and securing preferential access in foreign markets is important. But without addressing the structural constraints, an appreciable increase in exports is not possible. Unfortunately, the latter has been short-shrifted by both the government and the businesses.

Pakistan has a narrow export base. It is essentially an exporter of either primary products such as rice and fruits or of semi-manufactured goods such as textiles, garments and leather products. Not only are exports deficient in value addition, but they are also sold to the low-end of the market. The export basket being agro-based is subject to the vagaries of weather. A bad cotton crop as was witnessed during the current year can impact export receipts. The export profile reflects the dismal state of industrial development.

Another major structural problem is low labour productivity, mostly because human resource development has traditionally been a neglected area in Pakistan. The corporate sector works under the misconception that low wages are the key to competitiveness. Instead, what really matters is high labour productivity.

The corporate culture is markedly deficient in entrepreneurship one of the principal drivers of economic growth and export promotion. Most of the businesses are family-owned. They believe in playing it safe and making quick profits. These businesses are averse to innovation and venturing into new areas and have little commitment to improving quality. There is a culture of quality, which must be embedded into all the key processes of an enterprise: procuring supplies, putting together the factors of production, manufacturing products, marketing and sales. Making improvement in quality must be a continuous process.

Not surprisingly, Pakistan d
eficient as it is in both entrepreneurship and culture of quality continues to be an exporter of a narrow mix of low quality, low priced products.

The writer is a freelance countributor.

Email: [emailprotected]

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The anatomy of trade deficits - The News International

Atlanta student heads to Washington for chemistry competition – Atlanta Journal Constitution

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School may be out for the summer, but one Atlanta student is still hitting the books for a chance to win a $12,000 scholarship in a national chemistry contest.

Matthew Propp from The Westminister Schools is one of 42 middle schoolers, selected by the Chemical Educational Foundaton, who will be heading to Washington, D.C., to compete in the 2017 You Be The Chemist Challenge. He was selected from a pool of 55,000 middle school students across 40 states, the nations capital and Puerto Rico.

These 42 students are evidence of what young people can achieve when they are inspired by chemistry. They are our future leaders and innovators. We look forward to hosting them in our nations capital and celebrating their accomplishments,CEF Executive Director Dwayne Sattler said.

The YBTC Challenge, an academic competition that encourages pupils to learn about the importance of chemistry, willhost its final showdown this month in DC. There,scholars will battle through rounds of chemistry questions until someone is crowned the Nation Challenge Champion.

The winner will receive a $12,000 educational scholarship and a TI-84 Plus calculator, 2nd place will receive a $6,000 scholarship, 3rd place a $3,000 scholarship and 4th place a $1,500 scholarship.

Check out the full list of finalistshere.

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Atlanta student heads to Washington for chemistry competition - Atlanta Journal Constitution

Puma Biotechnology’s Neratinib Set To Target Extended Adjuvant Opportunity – Seeking Alpha

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Puma Biotechnology (NYSE:PBYI) is inching closer to its transformation from a research and development (or R&D) biopharmaceutical company to a full-fledged commercial organization. This company which has in-licensed development and commercialization rights for oral and intravenous formulations of irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor or TKI, neratinib, and also another irreversible TKI, PB357, achieved the first major milestone for 2017 on May 24, 2017. On this day, FDA's Oncologic Drugs Advisory Committee or ODAC recommended approval for Nerlynx (neratinib) as extended adjuvant therapy for patients suffering with early stage, human epidermal growth factor receptor type 2 - positive or HER2-positive breast cancer after being previously treated with surgery and adjuvant treatment with Roche Holdings' (OTCQX:RHHBY) Herceptin (trastuzumab).

Besides this indication, Puma Biotechnology expects neratinib to demonstrate efficacy in other cancers such a non small cell lung cancer and tumors related to expression or over-mutation in HER2 such as HER2-positive cancer, HER-2 cancer that has metastasized to brain, HER2-positive neoadjuvant breast cancer.

Hence, there is high probability that Neratinib can prove to be a blockbuster drug for Puma Biotechnology. I believe this is a solid reason for considering the company as a favorable investment opportunity in 2017. In this article, I will explain the key drivers that make Puma Biotechnology a compelling investment opportunity in 2017.

Extended adjuvant setting is a larger underserved market segment

Currently, the target breast cancer market in extended adjuvant setting comprises around 36,000 patients in USA and 34,000 in EU. In 2015, Herceptin's sales in adjuvant indication were around $4.5 billion to $5.0 billion. All these patients form a target market for neratinib in the following year. Currently, letrozole is the only FDA approved therapy in extended adjuvant setting.

Puma Biotechnology expects to launch Neratinib as extended adjuvant breast cancer therapy in 2017

In July 2016, Puma Biotechnology filed new drug application or NDA with FDA, seeking approval for neratinib in extended adjuvant setting for early stage HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer. The regulatory agency accepted the application in September 2016.

Further, the European Medicines Agency or EMA also validated Puma's application for neratinib in extended adjuvant setting in August 2016. On advice of EMA, in March 2017, the company revised its label to only include those early stage HER2+ breast cancer patients who had been previously treated for up to 1 year with adjuvant herceptin. Puma Biotechnology initiated a managed access program for neratinib in this indication in Q4 2016 and an expanded access program in Q1 2017.

While all these have been major milestones for the company in the past, the upcoming milestone will be FDA approval for orally administered neratinib in extended adjuvant setting, anticipated in 3Q 2017.

This approval is expected to be mainly based on results obtained from phase 3 trial, ExteNET, in which neratinib managed to hit its primary endpoints. In the intent-to-treat or ITT population, the 2-year disease free survival or DFS in neratinib arm was seen to be 93.9% while that in the placebo arm was 91.6%, which implies absolute improvement of 2.4%. In ITT population, there has been a 2.5% absolute improvement in 5-year DFS for neratinib arm as compared to placebo arm.

In case of patients confirmed with HER+ breast cancer, neratinib demonstrated 2-year DFS of 94.7%, while it was only 90.6% for the placebo arm. While this is an absolute improvement of 4.1%, the 5-year DFS with neratinib in HER+ patients is slightly higher at 4.4%.

Data from ExteNET trial has also shown 33% reduction in risk of disease recurrence for patients in neratinib arm as compared to those in placebo arm in ITT population. Further, for confirmed HER+ early stage breast cancer patients, the reduction in risk of disease recurrence for those on neratinib therapy in extended adjuvant setting is as high as 49%.

All these statistics are in line with those seen for the already approved extended adjuvant breast cancer drug, letrozole, as well as data obtained from development trials for hormone receptor positive or HR+ adjuvant breast cancer therapies, Pfizer's (NYSE:PFE) Aromasin and AstraZeneca's (NYSE:AZN) Arimidex. This implies that there are high chances for neratinib to secure FDA approval in extended adjuvant setting.

Neratinib has demonstrated higher benefit as adjuvant therapy in HR+ breast cancer patients

For HR+ breast cancer patients in ExteNET trial, the adjuvant therapy of neratinib demonstrated DFS rate of 95.4%, while the placebo arm showed DFS of 91.2%. This implied an absolute benefit of 4.2% after 2 years.

For 5-year period, the DFS with neratinib in HR+ patients was 91.7% while that in placebo arm was 86.9%, implying 4.8% absolute benefit.

Neratinib has demonstrated superior results in HR+ patients mainly on account of dual suppression of the crosstalk between estrogen receptor-positive or ER+ and HER+. Since ER+ breast cancer patients in the ExteNET trial were already on background endocrine therapy, it helped suppress the ER while neratinib suppressed both EGFR and HER2. This dual suppression has been seen only in neratinib and not in trials of other breast cancer drugs such Roche Holdings Herceptin and Novartis' (NYSE:NVS) Tykerb.

In case of HR- patients, however, ExteNET trial demonstrated improvement with neratinib between months 0 to 12 as compared to placebo. This was essentially when the patients were being administered the drug. However, the benefit in DFS in the neratinib arm over placebo arm seemed to become statistically insignificant over 5 year horizon.

Puma Biotechnology has also introduced loperamide prophylaxis therapy to prevent diarrhea resulting from neratinib.

Prior to Puma Biotechnology in-licensing Neratinib, it was being tested on 3,000 patients in various trials. It was seen that these patients suffered from grade 3 or grade 4 diarrhea in the first 28 days after initiating therapy. However, this could be treated with antidiarrheal drug, loperamide.

Puma Biotechnology is instead focusing on preventing this side-effect of neratinib using loperamide prophylaxis. Data from multiple studies has shown that the rate of grade 3 diarrhea reduced from the range of 30% to 53% in case of no loperamide prophylaxis to the range of 0% to 17% with loperamide prophylaxis. The total duration of diarrhea also dropped from 14 days to 2 days with loperamide prophylaxis.

Since ExteNET trial did not involve any anti-diarrheal prophylaxis therapy, Puma Biotechnology separately studied the impact of loperamide prophylaxis alone and in combination with other anti-inflammatory agents in extended adjuvant setting in early stage HER2+ breast cancer patients in another phase 2 trial, CONTROL. Data from this trial showed that while rate of grade 3 diarrhea in ExteNET trial was 39.8%, loperamide prophylaxis reduced the rate to 30.7%, loperamide and budesonide prophylaxis to 23.4%, and loperamide and colestipol to 11.5%.

Further, while the duration of diarrhea in ExteNET trial was 59 days, the various prophylaxis regimens in the CONTROL trial have brought the down to the range of 8 to 12 days. Episodes of diarrhea were also brought down from 8 in ExteNET trial to the range of 2 to 4 in CONTROL trial.

The CONTROL trial has also shown improvement in tolerability for the drug, which was being mainly affected due to diarrhea.

All this shows that the major side-effect of Neratinib, diarrhea, is easily manageable with effective prophylaxis therapy. Further, it is only seen that grade 3 diarrhea was witnessed by patients only in first cycle or first 28 days of neratinib therapy.

The company's cash reserves can sustain its operations through mid-2018

At the end of Q1 2017, Puma Biotechnology had $194 million worth cash reserves on its balance sheet. The company's cash burn rate in Q1 2017 was $36.0 million. This can be considered representative for all the quarters in 2017, as Puma has been highly involved in preparing for regulatory approval and commercial launch of neratinib. Based on these assumptions, the company can sustain its business operations upto the first half of 2018, without depending on external funding.

Further, with a solid oncology drug in the pipeline, Puma Biotechnology will also not find it difficult to raise capital from the public, either as equity or debt. Hence, the company seems to be at a comfortable position.

Investors should not ignore certain company-specific risks

Today, Puma Biotechnology is equivalent to neratinib. In absence of any commercial product or advanced stage research product, Puma Biotechnology is excessively dependent on the successful commercial launch of Neratinib. Since the product has not yet received FDA approval for even a single indication, this may prove to be too risky investment for investors with average risk appetite.

Further, the company also does not have proven marketing and distribution capabilities. In absence of a strong commercial partner, Puma Biotechnology may land up being commercially unsuccessful, despite securing FDA approval for neratinib.

Investors should consider these major risk factors while considering Puma Biotechnology as an opportunity in 2017.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

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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Puma Biotechnology's Neratinib Set To Target Extended Adjuvant Opportunity - Seeking Alpha

WSJ’s Grant: In biotech, no news is bad news – Seeking Alpha

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting passed without much of a stir, writes Charley Grant in the WSJ. Naturally, there were exceptions with individual companies, but the biotech sector as a whole barely budged throughout the major conference.

So what? The S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index isup 19%in 2017, and there are treatment categories outside of oncology. But, says Grant, the majority of stocks in that index aren't profitable, and are thus dependent on things like ASCO to rev up sentiment. In the bull market of 2013-15, ASCO was enough to send the sector sharply higher.

With that catalyst not working this year, all biotech may have to look forward to are blockbuster drug launches, and there's not much going on there - just three drugs are set to come to market this year that are expected to top $2B in annual sales by 2022.

ETFs: IBB, XBI, LABU, BBH, FBT, HQL, PBE, LABD, BBC, BBP, UBIO, ZBIO, LABS

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WSJ's Grant: In biotech, no news is bad news - Seeking Alpha

Royal Palm valedictorian plans to study biochemistry – Palm Beach Post

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MEET YOUR NEIGHBOR: Carlos Romagosa, 17

If there is one common theme among high school valedictorians, its the fact that, when they look back at their high school careers, they often find something they think they could improve upon.

Despite his 3.98 (5.33 weighted) GPA and the achievement of finishing high school ranked No. 1 in his class, Carlos Romagosa is no different.

I was doing it for the wrong reasons, Romagosa said of his quest to become valedictorian of Royal Palm Beach High. I should have been doing it because it was something that could make me a better student and better person. Instead, when I look back, I was just doing it because it was an academic achievement. I wanted to be No. 1 and that was it.

Regardless of the reasoning, Romagosas is an amazing achievement. Especially when you consider the only B that figured into his GPA was one he received before he began high school.

I had always wanted to take AP calculus so I thought Id take on online geometry class before my freshman year began, he said. That was my B. That taught me never to procrastinate.

Of course, he later took the geometry class in person and got an A.

Avoiding procrastination may have been the biggest life lesson that Romagosa took from high school. Applying himself to get work done turned out to be the key to his rising from No. 2 after his sophomore year to No. 1 when he graduated.

During his junior year, Romagosa took only Advanced Placement and Advanced International Certificate of Education courses as he pursued his quest to become valedictorian.

I just had to start taking my time on things. Take care with everything I do and do everything well. Challenge myself, he said. I really wouldnt change a thing. Everything that happened to me has molded me to be in this position. But I would tell students to try new things. Try things youre uncomfortable with as well.

World history taught him that lesson, Romagosa said. He took the class not thinking he would enjoy it, but it ended up being one of his favorite subjects in high school. So much so that, after his trip to the Dominican Republic later this summer, he has places like Africa and Europe on his radar as future destinations.

Romagosa will head to Florida International University, where he will pursue a degree in biochemistry. The hope is to soak up the culture Miami has to offer and finish college with the goal of working in a lab.

I want to study the cellular membrane, he said. See how we might be able to apply photosynthesis to other applications.

Q&A

What are your hobbies?

Reading, writing, I love the game of basketball. Im not good at it but I try to play it. I love watching it. My favorite team is the Golden State Warriors, but Im not a bandwagon fan, Ive been watching them since 2012.

What would you do if you were invisible for a day?

I would love to go into our government and learn all their secrets. Im just so curious. I want to know what theyre hiding from us. What are they keeping from us?

If you could have dinner with anyone in history, who would it be?

This is kind of hard for me, so Im going to say its a tie between FDR and JFK. They were both so progressive, so ahead of their times. Especially FDR and how he could inspire hope in such a weak time in our history. And JFK, every time you see him in a debate, he just looked so lively and full of life.

What is the best advice you ever received?

Be yourself. Its short and sweet. I heard it a lot, but I think the first time it was from a manager at Chick-fil-A. He told me the most important advice is to be yourself. Dont get caught up with people.

What event in history would you have liked to have witnessed?

The rise of the Romans. They were such a dominant group of individuals. I like that when they conquered enemies, they learned their enemies strengths to make them stronger.

What is your favorite childhood memory?

Going to Disney World. There is nothing that beats that for the first time. I was 4 or 5, but I remember Mickey Mouse and all that. It was so cheerful and bright. Universal is exciting, but Disney has that special thing to it.

Who is your hero, someone who inspires you?

Hemingway. He struggled with all these mental breakdowns, but fought through it all and succeeded. For a period of time he pushed through it and excelled. He would write for hours and hours on end. Then he would go out and drink.

What is something most people dont know about you?

I think everyone views me as very serious, but I have a really good sense of humor. All my friends know. I mean, nerds can go crazy too!

What three things would you bring with you if you were stuck on a desert island?

A desalinization machine, a beach umbrella, and a book just to relax. Any book would work, but if I could list one, I would say The Old Man and the Sea, since Im stuck on an island and all.

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Royal Palm valedictorian plans to study biochemistry - Palm Beach Post

Anatomy of a Stalled Transfer: Mohamed Salah to Liverpool – The Liverpool Offside

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Mohammed Salah to Liverpool was a done deal just a few days ago. Liverpool had made a 28M bid and though it had been rejected by Roma, they were expected to settle on a fee in the neighbourhood of 35 and, with Salah having already agreed personal terms with the club, to push it over the line in short order.

Then came whispers that a second offer wasnt coming, that Liverpool were considering Lazios Keita Balad, that Roma werent willing to budge at all on their 43M asking price. Today, Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins has appeared out of nowhere as the next supposed winger transfer target in place of Salah.

Its perhaps easy to be uneasy, as a Liverpool fan, given how often the club have seemed to dither, to try to negotiate down to the last penny only to then lose a player they had seemed certain of signing. In this case, though, fans should probably take a deep breath. They should feel confident that, in the end, Salah will arrive.

Exhibit A in that is that Roma, put simply, need to sell. Things are looking bad for the Giallorossi on the FFP front for the current financial period, and they desperately need a major sale before the end of Junebefore the transfer window even officially opensto balance their books and avoid likely UEFA punishment.

Roma are a motivated seller, and depending on how the deal was structured, even Liverpools initial 28M offer could be enough to balance the books for them. If another high value player was set to be sold, or if Salah himself was in wide demand, it might change the equation. Right now, though, neither of those things are true.

Liverpools interest in Salah represents Romas bestand perhaps even onlychance of balancing the books. And were getting awfully late for another club to swoop in and offer Roma what they need, relieving the pressure on them to sellor giving them significantly more for Salah than Liverpool would be willing to.

That brings us to Exhibit B, a lack of other serious suitors. Salah, for all the goals he scored last season, wouldnt fit at either Manchester City or at Tottenham. He wouldnt be likely to consider a Chelsea return or a reunion with Jos Mourinho. Hes not at a level that would attract Bayern or Barcelona or Real Madrid.

That leaves Arsenal, potentially, as a reasonable alternative. A club big enough to just maybe change Salahs mind on where he wants to end up next season while having the financial wherewithal to pay Roma what they need and want. That, then, is a very, very short list. And as yet there has been no sign of any Arsenal interest.

Even if there wasand it wouldnt be surprising to hear rumours of interest out of Italy this week given they would be in Romas interestwith a relationship already established with the player, with Champions League football and Jrgen Klopp on offer, Liverpool would have to feel confident in winning the day.

Roma need to sell. Liverpool are the only serious suitor. It would be financially reckless in the circumstance for the English club to not push for a better deal. In the meantime, there will be leaks from the Liverpool end of interest in other playerssignals to Roma that they might miss out on their best chance to balance the books.

There may also, in the coming days, be rumours from the Roma end of Arsenal interestat least if Roma have done their homework; if they havent it will be rumours of City or Chelsea interest. And there will be papers in Portugal and perhaps elsewhere who sense the opportunity to feed their own stories into the mix.

In the end, though, no matter the rumours or the reports or the posturing, if Salah is currently Liverpools top wing targetand all signs still point to him being thathe will end up at Anfield. In the meantime, fans will just have to try to stay calm, knowing the club are doing the right thing pushing for the best deal.

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Anatomy of a Stalled Transfer: Mohamed Salah to Liverpool - The Liverpool Offside

Can You Actually Die From Too Much Caffeine? – BOSS Magazine

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Too much caffeine caused the death of a 16-year-old high school student from South Carolina who collapsed during class last month, according to the county coroner. Davis Allen Cripe died from a caffeine-induced cardiac event causing a probable arrhythmia.

During an arrhythmia, or abnormal heart rhythm, the heart may not be able to pump enough blood to the body, and lack of blood flow affects the brain, heart and other organs. The teen consumed three caffeine-laced drinksa cafe latte, large Diet Mountain Dew and an energy drinkin a two-hour period before collapsing in his classroom at Spring Hill High School on April 26, Watts said.

So where does this tragic news leave adultjava lovers?

How much caffeine can I drink a day? Most people can safely take in about 400 milligrams of caffeine daily or about 4 cups of coffee, says Dr. Christopher Calapai D.O., a New York City Osteopathic Physician board certified in family and anti-aging medicine.

He adds that the limit varies from person to person. Its difficult to assign an exact amount for everyone because people can have different sensitivities or reactions to caffeine based on age, medical history, and tolerance. However, there is enough research available to make a recommendation based on an individuals weight.

To keep it safe, health experts recommend a maximum daily dose of 400 mg. To see what this means for you, check out the caffeine in some of these common drinks:

Starbucks Coffee (16 fl oz): 320 mg caffeine 5-hour energy (1.93 fl oz): 207 mg caffeine Dunkin Donuts regular (16 fl oz): 203 mg caffeine Starbucks Latte (16 fl oz): 150 mg caffeine Coffee, brewed (8 fl oz): 133 mg caffeine Red Bull Energy Shot (2 fl oz): 80 mg caffeine Red Bull (8 fl oz): 80 mg caffeine Tea (8 fl oz): 53 mg caffeine

But how, exactly, can the worlds most popular drug kill? Like other stimulants, caffeine raises blood pressure, boosts heart rate and temporarily shrinks blood vessels.

Dr. Calapai explains, In excess, the effects can be deadly by causing a heart attack, stroke or other cardio-vascular-related problem. Researchers think daily caffeine intake can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, but the results so far have been inconclusive.

Its also important to realize that medical conditions can affect sensitivity to caffeine. If you have anxiety, panic disorder, heart arrhythmia, high blood pressure, diabetes, take medication or have any sort of medical condition, then you may tolerate less caffeine and should speak to a doctor, says Dr. Calapai.

Here are crucial caffeine overdose symptoms to watch for: Jitters, Restlessness, and Nervousness Increased heartbeat Nausea Anxiety Heart palpitations (cardiac arrhythmia) Insomnia Sweating Dizziness Vomiting Cardiac arrest

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Can You Actually Die From Too Much Caffeine? - BOSS Magazine

Wonder Woman’s chemical weapon makes no scientific sense, but it evokes real and horrifying history – The Verge

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Wonder Woman begins on the paradisiacal island home of the Amazons, a mythical tribe of warrior women sent to Earth to protect humans from their basest impulses. When World War I spills onto the islands shores, the films titular heroine, Diana (Gal Gadot), leaves its relative safety to help American spy Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) deliver a German laboratory notebook to British intelligence. That notebook, stolen from a German chemist nicknamed Dr. Poison, contains the Germans newest superweapon: Its a formula for a new kind of gas, mustard gas, Diana explains, translating the notebook for Britains military leaders. Hydrogen-based instead of sulfur.

Gas masks would be useless against hydrogen! gasps one of those leaders. Even in a film that includes a magical island created by Zeus himself, these details about the gas are so strangely specific that they deserve a little fact-checking. Chemically speaking, does this formula make any sense?

Not really. First off, mustard gas is such a horrible, terrifying weapon, it doesnt need to be made more potent. But if you were a chemist bent on raining destruction on the Allied forces, you wouldnt do it by replacing the sulfur atom in mustard gas with a hydrogen atom. Youd know that sulfur is the linchpin holding together this poisonous molecule.

Its got a bat-like structure, explains Raychelle Burks, a chemistry professor at St. Edwards University in Texas. Sulfurs smack in the middle, and then youve got two bat wings that come out and theyre kind of crinkly cut. Both of those bat wings are made up of two carbon atoms and capped with a chlorine. The four carbon atoms each sprout two little tufts of hydrogen fuzz, for a total of eight hydrogen atoms.

Although there is a villain in a human form, the race against time is a chemistry one.

So, mustard gas also known as sulfur mustard has plenty of hydrogen already. And an additional hydrogen couldnt replace sulfur, because hydrogen only likes to bond to one other atom at a time. Unlike sulfur, hydrogen doesnt have enough spare hands to hold on to both bat wings.

Still, Burks says, the film does get the prominent role of chemistry in WWI right. Although there is a villain in a human form, the race against time is a chemistry one, she says. In that way, they did capture World War I as being a chemists war.

The real-life Dr. Poison was a German chemist named Fritz Haber. He won the Nobel Prize for the breakthrough that made the large-scale production of fertilizer possible. He also spearheaded Germanys chemical weapons program, and presided over the first successful use of a chemical weapon during World War I: not mustard gas, but chlorine. With the help of the wind, the Germans wafted chlorine gas across the Allies trenches on a spring day in 1915 and killed more than 1,100 soldiers, writes Sarah Everts in Chemical & Engineering News.

This experiment in chemical warfare sparked an arms race that earned World War I the moniker The Chemists War, despite an international ban on chemical weapons. Everts quotes German officer Rudolf Binding, who wrote: I am not pleased with the idea of poisoning men. Of course, the entire world will rage about it at first and then imitate us.

Each new chemical agent was met with a more sophisticated countermeasure

Binding was right. A twisted call-and-response ensued where each new chemical agent was met with a more sophisticated countermeasure. (Among the earliest defenses against chlorine gas were urine-soaked handkerchiefs; the ammonia in urine could render the chlorine relatively harmless.)

But when the Germans first weaponized mustard gas in 1917, it presented a new challenge. Contrary to its name, mustard gas does not actually have any mustard in it. (Its named for its mustard-like odor.) Nor is it a gas. Soon known as the king of the battle gases, mustard gas is actually an oily liquid that can pass through leather, rubber, and most textiles, Everts writes.

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Artillery shells filled with mustard gas rained tiny droplets onto the battlefield that didnt need to be inhaled to inflict mass casualties. They soaked into the soldiers uniforms and covered their skin, causing a delayed reaction. Hours after exposure, soldiers would start to vomit, and their skin would burn. Huge blisters would form, and, if they inhaled the mustard gas, the lining of their lungs sloughed off. Many went at least temporarily blind. Both recovery and death were slow and agonizing. And the oil persisted on soldiers bodies and in the environment, where mortars could kick up residual mustard gas that had settled onto the soil months before.

Wonder Woman doesnt show the gruesome effects of the hydrogen-based mustard gas on people. Instead, we see it shriveling a gas mask (which isnt how mustard gas works), cracking glass (it cant), and exploding in an airplane, which goes up like a chemical-tainted Hindenburg. It seemed like the filmmakers wanted to make the gas more flammable, Burks speculates, and people might equate hydrogen with flames. Like Can we have a chimera? And the answer is No. You cannot.

You dont need to be the big, scary monster. No, this is scarier than that.

Still, the film captures the aftermath and horror of chemical weapons in a scene where the Germans bomb a village with artillery shells containing the fictionally souped-up mustard gas. An orange mist floats low over the ground as Diana walks through to find scattered bodies. The thing that caused that devastation? A tiny molecule you cant fight with your fists, or with weapons. Once that creeping mist catches you, its too late. Bigger is not scarier, Burks says. You dont need to be the big, scary monster. No, this is scarier than that. And its a teeny, teeny molecule.

Wonder Woman is a superhero movie, so it doesnt give anything away to say that Diana beats the bad guy in the end. But knowing that chemical weapons continue to be used even today touches that victory with a sense of futility, which the filmmakers seem to have intended. After all, humans will continue to dream up new, horrific ways of hurting one another. But Wonder Woman gives us a chance to escape to an imaginary world where theres someone or something out there, trying to stop us.

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Wonder Woman's chemical weapon makes no scientific sense, but it evokes real and horrifying history - The Verge

Eagles Striving For Right Offensive Chemistry – CBS Philly

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June 5, 2017 9:19 PM By EdBenkin

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) Chemistry is the key word for the Eagles at OTAs. The team is hoping to find the right mix in the laboratory before the start of the season.

The Eagles kicked off another round of OTAs on Monday as they continue to move closer to training camp. There are a host of new skill players on offense whom the Eagles are hoping will result in an upgrade in point production. For offensive coordinator Frank Reich, it comes down to the right recipe for both the newcomers and the returning players.

Its like youre making a meal and youre bringing in fresh ingredients, said Reich. But youve got your old staples and youre trying to put together a recipe thats going to taste good. Its going to look good. Add the right seasoning, try to do things, isolate guys, try to do things in formations, taste it a little bit, see if it tastes good and work it a little bit more. Thats kind of what were doing right now is going through that process.

The process has been helped by quarterback Carson Wentz. The second-year signal caller has taken over a leadership role on the team. Wentz has complete confidence in the new players as well as his teammates from a year ago and has little fear that they wont be prepared for the start of the season.

Its still a process, Wentz said. I think were still just under a hundred days now until game one. Weve still got to keep building this thing, but things are starting to click for a lot of guys.

One of the key ingredients to the 2017 offensive recipe is wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. The former Chicago Bear is expected to make a major impact with the receiving core. Jeffery also believes the chemistry is growing on the offensive end both on and off the field.

It shouldnt take that long, said Jeffery. For the most part, we are clicking together and we are getting to know each other. Were also hanging out and getting to know each others personality.

Wentz is quick to point out the chemistry isnt restricted to the offensive side of the ball. While the competition will heat up at practice once training camp gets underway in July, the quarterback sees a strong bond between players throughout the roster.

Theres such a comradery between the offense and defense and the special teams, Wentz said. Were all in this together. Ive really had that feel. Its a competitive environment but at the end of the day, were all one big team. That comradery makes it fun to go out there and practice.

Now, its up to the players and coaches to find the right recipe for 2017.

Ed Benkin has been reporting sports for KYW Newsradio since April 2004, but hes long been a familiar face in the KYW newsroom and around the Delaware Valley. Born in Philadelphia and raised in South Jersey, Benkin attended Cherokee High School in...

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Eagles Striving For Right Offensive Chemistry - CBS Philly

Eli Manning is already developing good chemistry with Evan Engram – Giants Wire

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When the New York Giants made Evan Engram the 23rd overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, it was met with some controversy. Not only did the Giants pass up the opportunity to upgrade the offensive line, but the scouting report indicated Engram was much more of a receiving threat than an all-around tight end.

However, its hard to argue that the Giants arent subsequently entering the 2017 season with one of the most complete receiving corps Eli Manning has ever had.

Engram, the addition of Brandon Marshall, and the development of second-year slot receiver Sterling Shepard are compliments to Odell Beckham Jr. that will be dangerous at every level.

Engram has the speed to be a potential matchup nightmare against safeties and linebackers. So its good to hear that he and Manning are developing chemistry with one another at organized team activities (OTAs).

From Giants.com:

The first-round draft pick made some noise out and showed his growing chemistry on the field with quarterback Eli Manning, a fellow Ole Miss alum.

Engram had a handful of catches, and they all came from No. 10, the best coming on a nice back-shoulder play down the sideline. It was just one of many great catches made today at the QDTC.

While the Giants offense will still live or die with the development of the offensive line, its encouraging to know the Giants will have more than just Beckham helping Eli in 2017.

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Eli Manning is already developing good chemistry with Evan Engram - Giants Wire

Biotech Stock Performance Review — Cellect Biotechnology … – PR Newswire (press release)

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Cellect Biotechnology

Kfar Saba, Israel-based Cellect Biotechnology Ltd's stock finished Monday's session 2.84% lower at $8.56 with a total trading volume of 27,234 shares. Over the previous three months and since the start of this year, the Company's shares have advanced 34.80% and 177.02%, respectively. The stock is trading above its 200-day moving average by 53.25%. Moreover, shares of Cellect Biotech, which focuses on developing solutions for immune system regeneration in Israel, have a Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 34.93.

On May 23rd, 2017, Cellect Biotech announced that David Braun, Head of Merck Group's Medical Device Business, is joining the Company's Scientific and Medical Advisory Board. Mr. Braun has held multiple additional senior-level executive positions at leading biotech and high-tech companies, ranging from global Fortune 500 corporations to growth-oriented organizations, including Biosafe S.A., a stem cell separation leader recently acquired by GE, Newell Brands, Logitech, Chiaro Networks, and Elbit Systems. Your complete research report on APOP can be retrieved for free at: http://dailystocktracker.com/registration/?symbol=APOP

BioDelivery Sciences

Shares in Raleigh, North Carolina headquartered BioDelivery Sciences International Inc. declined 4.26%, ending yesterday's session at $2.25 with a total trading volume of 405,472 shares. The stock has gained 25.00% in the past month, 9.76% in the previous three months, and 28.57% on an YTD basis. The Company's shares are trading 17.71% above their 50-day moving average and 8.95% above their 200-day moving average. Moreover, shares of BioDelivery Sciences, which engages in the development and commercialization of pharmaceutical products principally in the areas of pain management and addiction, have an RSI of 56.49.

On May 26th, 2017, research firm H.C. Wainwright initiated a 'Buy' rating on the Company's stock, with a target price of $4 per share.

On June 01st, 2017, BioDelivery Sciences announced that Dr. Mark A. Sirgo, President and CEO, will present at the Jefferies 2017 Healthcare Conferenceon June 06th, 2017, at9:30 a.m. ET at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. Dr. Sirgo will focus on progress with commercialization efforts and strategic initiatives supporting BELBUCA(buprenorphine) buccal film (CIII), as well as provide an update on BUNAVAIL(buprenorphine and naloxone) CIII.A free report on BDSI is just a click away at: http://dailystocktracker.com/registration/?symbol=BDSI

BioLine Rx

On Monday, Jerusalem, Israel headquartered BioLine Rx Ltd's stock saw a decline of 2.51%, to close the day at $0.82. A total volume of 177,369 shares was traded. The Company's shares are trading 8.55% below their 50-day moving average. Additionally, shares of BioLine Rx, which engages in identifying, in-licensing, and developing therapeutic candidates that address unmet medical needs, have an RSI of 41.26.

On May 18th, 2017, research firm Maxim Group upgraded the Company's stock rating from 'Hold' to 'Buy' while revising its previous target price from $1 a share to $3 a share.

On June 01st, 2017, BioLine Rx announced that Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, has filed a total of three, regulatory submissions required to commence Phase-1b trials for BL-8040 in combination with atezolizumab (Tecentriq), Genentech's anti-PDL1 cancer immunotherapy, for the treatment of patients with solid tumors. The trials for pancreatic, gastric, and non-small cell cancer are expected to commence during Q2 2017 after receipt of regulatory approval. Sign up for your complimentary research report on BLRX at: http://dailystocktracker.com/registration/?symbol=BLRX

Benitec Biopharma

Shares in North Sydney, Australia headquartered Benitec Biopharma Ltd ended the day 4.02% lower at $2.39. A total volume of 50,220 shares was traded. The stock has gained 56.21% since the start of this year. The Company's shares are trading above their 200-day moving average by 16.27%. Furthermore, shares of Benitec Biopharma, which develops treatments for chronic and life-threatening human diseases based on its gene silencing therapy, DNA-directed RNA interference in Australia, the UK, and the US, have an RSI of 43.99. Register for free on DailyStockTracker.com and download the latest research report on BNTC at: http://dailystocktracker.com/registration/?symbol=BNTC

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Biotech Stock Performance Review -- Cellect Biotechnology ... - PR Newswire (press release)

‘Grey’s Anatomy Season 14’ spoilers: Dr. Robbins deals with another heartbreak – Blasting News

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It's the all new "#Grey's Anatomy" Season 14 coming this fall, and Dr. Arizona Robbins (#Jessica Capshaw) still hasn't found the one. Trust everyone to have concluded Dr. Eliza Minnick's (Marika Dominzyck) role in her life as the former's love interest on the show. In the final episode of "Grey's Anatomy" Season 13, Eliza got fired hence speculations that it could be the doctor's character exit from the show.

Dr. Eliza Minnick, a certified orthopedic surgeon, arrived at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as a hired consultant by the hospital. She was a great doctor that is never welcomed by the resident doctors of Grey Sloan.

She became Arizona's love interest after she made clear she's interested in women. Despite Eliza's level-headed nature, Arizona was challenged and gave their budding relationship a try.

The show's Season 13 featured all the reason why Dr. Arizona Robbins and Dr. Eliza Minnick are the perfect pair, until the latter received the news that she's fired from the hospital. Surprised by the sudden decision, Robbins can't offer any help to Minnick who is bound to leave the hospital anytime and worse, say goodbye to their relationship.

Arizona Robbins was formerly married to Dr. Callie Torres (Sara Ramirez), also an orthopedic surgeon at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. During their marriage, Robbins hooked up with another doctor that turned everything upside down.

After their divorce was finalized, Torres character left for New York to pursue a better medical practice, and that's how her character on "Grey's Anatomy Season 12" was let go.

Shortly after leaving the show Sara Ramirez revealed she's bisexual, but that has not changed the fans' eagerness to have her back on the show. In fact, after Eliza Minnick is fired from Grey Sloan, fans are hopeful; it will pave way to the return of Callie Torres character. Show runner Shonda Rhimes has not given any formal statement about the character of Eliza Minnick, nor her firing from the job constitutes to leaving the show.

Meanwhile, ABC has confirmed the return of "Grey's Anatomy" Season 14 this fall and expect an all new story in the lives of Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital doctors. Watch Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo), Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson), Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) and the rest of the cast perk up your Thursdays at 8 PM on the ABC channel. #Grey Anatomy

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'Grey's Anatomy Season 14' spoilers: Dr. Robbins deals with another heartbreak - Blasting News

Jets are rebuilding team chemistry — with help from military – ESPN (blog)

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Jets coach Todd Bowles and offensive coordinator Johnny Morton, right, keep watch over OTAs.

A look at what's happening around the New York Jets:

1. Team harmony? There are two ways to improve locker room chemistry: Get rid of the bad apples and create a positive, team-first environment. The Jets are attacking the issue from both angles.

In addition to shaking up the roster, coach Todd Bowles is trying to change the culture by exposing the players to outside voices. Guest speakers have addressed the team this offseason, including an Army unit that conducted team-building exercises with the players.

Bowles declined a request to talk about it, and players were hesitant to give away specifics on who and what, but it sounds like the new approach has been well received.

"A lot of times, when somebody from the outside comes in, you're kind of like, 'Man, I don't know,' but everybody he brought in had a good message," cornerback Buster Skrine said. "I think everybody who took part in those workouts and certain meetings really appreciated it, and we learned a lot -- how to be a team, how to lead."

Safety Rontez Miles said, "You see the change from last year. People are really serious about this. We're holding each other accountable, and I'm looking forward to seeing where this goes."

Kudos to the coach for taking steps to eradicate the bad karma that enveloped last season's team.

2. Candid coach: The Jets held their annual town hall last week, drawing more than 100 season-ticket holders to the team facility for a Q&A with Bowles and general manager Mike Maccagnan. It wasn't open to the media, but I got wind of a few things that were said.

Bowles was asked by one fan about the quarterback competition, and he was quite a bit more forthcoming than usual. From what I hear, he left the distinct impression that Josh McCown will be the opening-day starter. Bowles didn't come out and say it, but he told the crowd he has a pretty good idea of how it will turn out. He said McCown has an advantage over Christian Hackenberg and Bryce Petty because of his familiarity with the West Coast offense. But he also noted that he expects Hackenberg to play at some point.

These weren't groundbreaking comments -- Bowles stated what people have been reporting for weeks -- but he gave more context than his usual coachspeak at news conferences.

3. A deal for the ages: The Calvin Pryor-for-Demario Davis swap was a rare player-for-player trade. In fact, it was the Jets' first since they unloaded Wayne Hunter in 2012, according to Randy Lange of the Jets' official website. That's when they exchanged tackles with the St. Louis Rams. The Jets got Jason Smith, the Rams got Hunter.

Maccagnan has made several player trades during his three-year tenure, but the Pryor deal was the first time he dealt away a player. Why were the Jets so hell-bent on unloading him to the Cleveland Browns? It was a combination of factors, on and off the field. His fate probably was sealed when safety Jamal Adams unexpectedly slipped to the Jets with the sixth pick in the draft.

Those in Pryor's camp could point to the following stats, which show the pass defense was significantly better last season when he was on the field ... but apparently not enough to alter the Jets' plans:

4. Scouting report on Johnny Mo: Former Jets coach Eric Mangini held his annual youth football camp Saturday in Hartford, Connecticut, drawing more than 700 campers and dozens of pro and college coaches. One of them was the Jets' new offensive coordinator, Johnny Morton. Mangini and Morton were together for the 2013 and 2014 seasons on the San Francisco 49ers' staff, so Mangini witnessed up close how Johnny Mo -- as his friends call him -- operates.

"Johnny is really smart, really disciplined," Mangini told me. "He's not afraid to be multiple, he's not afraid to attack weaknesses. He's not afraid to use guys in different spots. I always liked that about him: his willingness to try new things. Sometimes that's hard for coaches -- to get out of their comfort zone.

"And he's tough," Mangini continued. "He's going to be demanding of the players. He's going to hold them accountable. I think he's going to be a really good hire."

5. Adjusting the books: The Jets gained $6 million in cap room Friday as Marcus Gilchrist's salary officially came off the books. Because they released the safety last month with the post-June 1 designation, the Jets had to wait until June 2 until his money was cleared. The post-June 1 route allowed them to spread the remaining prorated portion of his bonuses over two years ($1.375 million in each) instead of absorbing the full hit ($2.75 million) this year.

6. Money for nothing: While we're on the subject of the salary cap, it's worth noting that 10 percent of the Jets' total cap is devoted to players no longer on the roster -- about $16 million in "dead" money. They have a $1.14 million charge for Pryor. The biggest charges are Darrelle Revis ($6 million) and Ryan Fitzpatrick ($5 million).

7. Weight watchers: A week ago, I wrote about tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins and how he dropped 25 pounds since the end of last season. He's not the only player who has lost serious poundage. Miles told me he's down to 200 pounds, a 26-pound loss from last year. He's back to his college weight, and he believes it'll help his movement skills, especially in pass coverage.

8. Help wanted: One position that has fallen between the cracks for the Jets is fullback. Remember the fullback? They didn't carry one last season, as they ran one-back sets out of Chan Gailey's spread offense. Morton will use some two-back sets in his West Coast-based system, and the only fullbacks on the roster are the unproven Julian Howsare and undrafted rookie Anthony Firkser. The Jets flirted with a few in free agency, including former Minnesota Vikings fullback Zach Line (still unsigned). It wouldn't be a surprise if they address it in the near future.

9. OTA observations: Juston Burris is getting a lot of reps; he's working as an outside cornerback in the starting nickel package. He's a player to watch. ... Brandon Shell and Brent Qvale are splitting reps at right tackle. Ben Ijalana continues to hold down left tackle as Kelvin Beachum deals with knee soreness. ... Is there a punt returner in the house? I could list the candidates, but you probably haven't heard of any of them. ... Dylan Donahue, the small-school pass-rusher from West Georgia, worked with the starting nickel package last week. He's relentless. ... Seferian-Jenkins continues to turn heads. ...

10. Calendar: The Jets have one more week of OTAs (four practices), followed by a mandatory minicamp (June 13-15).

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Jets are rebuilding team chemistry -- with help from military - ESPN (blog)