Probiotics Conferences | Europe | Asia | USA | Middle East …

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Fredricko

Market Analysis

Summary

Probiotics are live microorganisms that are deliberated to have health benefits. Products which are sold as probiotics include foods (such as yogurt), dietary supplements, and products that are not used orally, such as skincreams. Popular probiotic products existing in the market include Amway Nutrilite Fiber, Herbalife Activated Fiber, HealthAid Acidophilus plus 4 Billion, Zenith Nutrition Probiotic Immune etc. Although more research is needed, there is an encouraging evidence that probiotics may help treat diarrhoea, especially following treatment with certain antibiotics, prevent and treat vaginal yeast infections and urinary tract infections, treat irritable bowel syndrome, speed treatment of certain intestinal infections, prevent or reduce the severity of colds and flu. Side effects due to probiotics are rare and most healthy adults can safely add foods that contain prebiotics and probiotics to their diets for better health and strong immune system.

Importance and scope

Probiotics food & beverages had the highest penetration in 2015, and this trend is expected to continue over the next eight years. Differentiated product portfolio and continued innovation in the sector are the primary reasons for this scenario.

Probiotics are finding acceptance in applications such as skin health. Development of proprietary formulation techniques is undertaken by companies to cater to customized needs.

Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth of 7.7% over the next eight years. High population density and percentage of the youth population in countries such as India coupled with rising disposable income are expected to contribute to the market growth.

A major part of market share is held by very few companies. Companies are trying innovative techniques for customer engagement. Mergers & acquisitions are carried out to increase regional presence as well as market share.

Industry participants majorly include Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, Danone, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., Nestle, Probi AB, Danisco A/S, Lallemand Inc., and Arla Foods, Inc.

Probiotics Market

The global market of probiotics ingredients, supplements, and foods reached nearly $23.1 billion in 2012. This market is expected to grow to nearly $27.1 billion in 2013 and $36.7 billion in 2018 with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.2% over the five-year period from 2013 to 2018 with further projections determined to exceed US $63 billion by 2022, driven by growing clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of probiotics in general health maintenance and disease treatment. Probiotic therapy is growing in polularity in the treatment of lactose intolerance, lipid metabolism, oxalte metabolism, inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), ulcerative colitits, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), eczema, allergic rhinitis, infectious diarrhea, necrotizing enterocolitis and helicobacter pylori.Japan, Europe and the United States represents major market worldwide. Asia-pacific ranks as the fastest growing market with a CAGR of 12.7% over the analysis period. However, the probiotics market is still at a relatively novice stage, with lack of clarity on usage patterns among consumers, this is expected to play a critical role in market development over the next six years. Labeling regulations, especially in the U.S. and European Union, are also expected to have significant impact on market growth.

Food & beverages dominated the application market and accounted for over 80% of the total probiotics market, driven by growth of fermented meat, dairy, bakery, breakfast cereals, fats & oils, beverages, fish & eggs, meat, and soy products. Dietary supplements are expected to be the fastest growing application segment, at an estimated CAGR of 7.7% from 2012 to 2020.

"Food & beverages was the largest segment in 2015"

Probiotics food & beverages segment was the largest segment in 2015 and accounted for more than 85% of total revenue. This application includes dairy products, nondairy products, cereals, baked food, fermented meat products, and dry food probiotics.

Figure-1: Functional Food Market by Sector (% value)

"Human probiotics dominated the total demand in 2015"

Human probiotics accounted for more than 90% of total revenue in 2015. Growing health concerns and development of more effective probiotic strains is expected to aid the industry growth. Increasing standard of living, as well as disposable income in areas such as Asia Pacific, the Middle East and Africa as well as Central & South America, has been benefiting the overall market growth.

Animal feed bacteria are expected to show a steady growth over the next eight years. Companies have been trying to develop and market more effective probiotic strains aimed at improving health.

"Asia Pacific is expected to witness the highest growth from 2016 to 2024"

Asia Pacific dominated the global industry and accounted for more than 40%. Strong demand from countries such as India, China and Japan is the major contributing factor for this scenario. Rising population, growing awareness regarding probiotics usage and the strong presence of international players in the region are contributing to the market growth.

North America is expected to grow at an anticipated CAGR of 6.8% over the forecast period. Prevalent awareness regarding these product usages and rising preference for functional foods are the driving factors in the region. The Middle East & Africa and Central & South America are also expected to show modest growth over the forecast period.

"Companies investing heavily in R&D are a major market characteristic"

Major industry participants are investing heavily in R&D to develop more effective probiotic strains. The companies are also striving to develop products which find novel applications such as skin treatment. Third party R&D companies are employed to develop superior cultures to gain competitive advantage. High level of integration between raw material suppliers, manufacturers, suppliers and end users. Major industry participants include Danisco A/S, Danone, Chr Hansen, Nestle, Arla Foods, Inc., Probi and Lallemand Inc., S.A., China-Biotics, Inc., E. I. duPont de Nemours and Company, General Mills, Inc., Lifeway Foods, Inc., PROBI AB, BioGaia AB, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., Mother Dairy and Chr. Hansen. The growing popularity of probiotics worldwide has attracted many new players to participate in this market.

Key Segments of the Global Probiotic Market

A. Global probiotics market, by application

B. Global probiotics market, by end use

C. Global probiotics market, by strain type

Grand View Research has segmented the probiotics market on the basis of application, end use and region:

1. Global Probiotics Application Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024

A. Probiotics food & beverage

B. Probiotics dietary supplements

2. Global Probiotics End Use Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014 - 2024)

3. Global Probiotics Regional Outlook (Revenue, USD Million, 2014- 2024)

North America

Europe

Asia Pacific

Central & South America

Middle East & Africa

European Market

Europe is the second largest global market for probiotics after Asia-Pacific, cornering a share estimated to be 25% in 2014. Growth in demand for probiotics in the region is also likely to maintain a fast pace over the 2014-2020 analysis period. Germany and the United Kingdom are the two largest probiotics markets in Europe, with a combined share estimated at about 55% in 2014, with United Kingdom also expected to be the fastest growing. By product type, dietary supplements and functional foods & beverages are the largest, as well as the fastest growing segments.

Prevention and cure of disorders, such as lactose intolerance and inflammatory bowel disease are some of the benefits offered by probiotics, with rising health-consciousness levels and wider access to probiotic dietary supplements being the major factors sustaining growth. The past decade has been witness to the launch of more than 500 food & beverage probiotic products, which have garnered exceptional response in terms of acceptance. Some of the factors implicated in causes of digestive disorders, bloating and reduction in resistance to infections include poor and not-in-time diet, age and stress levels. Studies have revealed that consuming products enhanced with probiotics has been successful in moderating these conditions to a large extent.

Figure-2:European Probiotics Market Revenue By Product, 2014 - 2024 (USD Million)

Why London, UK?

London is a leadingglobal city in the arts, commerce, education, entertainment, fashion, finance, healthcare, media, professional services, research and development, tourism, and transport. It is one of the world's leadingfinancial centres and has thefifth- or sixth-largest metropolitan area GDP in the world. London is a world cultural capital. It is the world's most-visited city as measured by international arrivals and has theworld's largest city airport system measured by passenger traffic. London is the world's leadinginvestment destination hosting moreinternational retailers andultra probiotics food & beverages had the highest penetration in 2015, and this trend is expected to continue over the next eight years. Differentiated product portfolio and continued innovation in the sector are the primary reasons for this scenario.

Industry participants majorly include Chr. Hansen Holding A/S, Danone, Yakult Honsha Co., Ltd., Nestle, Probi AB, Danisco A/S, Lallemand Inc., and Arla Foods, Inc. high-net-worth individuals than any other city. London's universities form the largest concentration of higher education institutes in Europe, and a 2014 report placed it first in the world university rankings. According to the report London also ranks first in the world in software, multimedia development and design, and shares first position in technology readiness.

Figure-3:Total Probiotics Market

List of Hospitals Research Centre:

London, UK

Worldwide

Major Probiotic Associations and Society

Companies Associated with Probiotics:

Top Nutrition Universities in UK

Target Audience

Figure-4:Target audience for Probiotics

Glance at Market and Funding for Probiotics Research

Figure-5: Projections Growth by next 5-10 years

Recent studies on Probiotics Market exhibit both the opportunities and forecasts during the period 2014-2022during which the global probiotics market is expected to reach$57.4 billionby 2022, registering a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period, 2016-2022.Asia-Pacificis presently dominant in the market and is expected to be the leading contributor in global revenue, due to its high adoption of probiotic based food and beverages. Bacteria derived probiotics would dominate the market throughout the forecast period as yeast strains are still under research and testing phase and approvals from the Food and Drug Administration would take time to implement. By end use, the probiotics market is segmented into animal probiotics and human probiotics. Human probiotics is in the lead by contributing nearly 90% of global revenue in 2015 and is forecasted to grow at a fastest rate of 7.8% during the period 2016-2022. Growth in awareness about the probiotics benefits among the consumers through various means such as publications, fact sheets, and conferences would help to grow among human end users.

1. Probiotic Microorganism

The term probiotic remains undefined legally in many countries, and regulatory approaches differ among countries worldwide. Diverse categories encompass probiotic products, including: food, functional food, novel food, natural remedy (Denmark Sweden and Finland), natural health product (Canada), dietetic food (Italy), dietary supplement (USA), biotherapeutic and pharmaceuticals (probiotic pharmaceuticals are available in Canada, China, eastern European countries, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria and Italy). There is no official definition of probiotic in Japanese regulation, but several probiotic and prebiotic products have achieved FOSHU (foods for specialized health use) status, with health statements being approved by the Japanese Ministry of HealthWhile few studies have established the minimum effective dose of a probiotic to convey a physiological effect, probiotic-induced changes are rarely seen at daily doses of less than 10810 colony forming units (cfu).24 However, one can only speculate as to how many probiotic cells reach target sites alive. Probiotic bacteria that are tolerant to acid stress would be expected to survive well during stomach passage. Genomic regions, identified through genome sequencing, that may help identify regions critical to the survival and functionality of commensal or probiotic organisms in their corresponding habitats might include: conserved versus distinct gene sets , genes resulting from recent horizontal transfer, altered GC contentislands/regions of adaptability.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th International Conference on Nutrition & Food Sciences May 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; IPA World Congress + Probiota Americas June 07-09 San Francisco; The global nutraceutical event May 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th International Conference on Probiotics in Veterinary Medicine April 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th World Congress on Targeting Microbiota October 2017 Paris, France; The International Scientific Conference on Probiotics and Prebiotics June 19 22 June 2017Budapest, Hungary; Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th International Conference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics Foods July 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th International Conference on Probiotics and Functional Foods March 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

2. Mechanisms of action of probiotics

Recent studies are providing new insight into the mechanisms by which the microbiota regulates the colonization and eradication of pathogens. Particularly revealing the ability of commensals to restrain pathogen growth by dictating the metabolic pathways that control the competition for limited nutrients in the intestine. Furthermore, inflammatory responses have profound effects on the growth of pathogens and certain commensal species. However, the relative contributions of each metabolic pathway and the commensal species involved remain poorly understood. In addition, little is known about how the inflammatory responses affect interactions between pathogens and commensals. There is a delicate balance in microbiota populations in the gut and disruption in this balance leads to dysbiosis and overgrowth of pathobionts leading to pathologic immune responses and disease. The identification and characterization of natural competitors that suppress the growth of pathogens and pathobionts may lead to the development of rational approaches to manage intestinal disease. There is also a clear role for host immunity in controlling microbiota populations. However, recent studies have challenged a critical role of innate recognition receptors in determining the composition of the gut microbiota. Further studies are needed to clarify the mechanism by which the host regulates the microbiota.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

3. Probiotics and Health: A Clinical Perspective

Probiotics live microorganisms when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host that have been studied for both human and animal applications, and worldwide research on this topic has accelerated in recent years. Administration of probiotics could be effective in the treatment of acute infectious diarrhoea in children and the prevention of antibiotic associated diarrhoea and nosocomial/community acquired diarrhoea. Encouraging evidence is also emerging for the effectiveness of probiotics in the prevention and management of pouchitis and paediatric atopic diseases, and the prevention of postoperative infections. There is also strong evidence that certain probiotic strains are able to enhance immune function, especially in subjects with less than adequate immune function such as the elderly. Efficacy of probiotics has been shown in the prevention of prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea, sepsis associated with severe acute pancreatitis, improvement of lactose metabolism and cancers, the management of weight and lowering of blood cholesterol, but there is insufficient evidence to recommend them for use in other clinical conditions.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

4. Probiotics in Gastroenterology

Gastroenterologists once defined gastrointestinal health as the absence of chronic disorder such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, this is too restrictive. The increasing frequency of digestive functional disorders, including non-ulcer dyspepsia and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), justifies an enlargement of a definition that includes intestinal well-being and the overall impact on quality of life including reduction of disease risk. Some animal studies are required to investigate this concept. The intestinal microflora has been linked with a number of intestinal diseases including colon cancer, (IBS) and IBD however few details of their involvement have been elucidated. Since colon cancer and IBD can lead to extreme therapeutic approaches, including surgical excision, clarification of the role of the microflora in these diseases may significantly reduce morbidity.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

5.Probiotics in Pediatrics

Presenting global evidence for their utility in children, Prof. Sherman illustrated that evidence through randomized controlled trails have demonstrated that certain probiotic strains are more effective than placebo in a variety of conditions affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Multiple meta-analyses indicate effectiveness in reducing the duration of acute enteritis in pre-schoolers and in reducing the frequency of necrotizing enterocolitis in pre-term babies. As probiotics exist naturally in some foods and are also available as dietary supplements in powder, capsule, and tablet forms. In 2002, the industry secured FDA designation of specific strains of B. lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus as substances generally recognized as safe (GRAS) in milk-based formulas for infants aged 4 months and older. Most probiotic bacteria are similar to the beneficial bacteria that occur naturally in the gut, including those of the Lactobacillus species (eg, L. acidophilus). Infants acquire other bacteria during their first months, mainly those of the Bifidobacterium and Enterobacter species. Bifidobacterium species dominate in the gut of breast-fed infants, whereas Enterobacter microbes dominate in bottle-fed infants. This difference in species, which has been identified as key to breast-fed infants superior immunity to many infections, has spurred much of the medical and pediatric communities interest in probiotics. Infant formula manufacturers have also taken interest.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

6. Probiotics in Animal Health

The use of probiotics for farm animals has increased considerably over the last 15 years. Probiotics are defined as live microorganisms which can confer a health benefit for the host when administered in appropriate and regular quantities. Once ingested, the probiotic microorganisms can modulate the balance and activities of the gastrointestinal microbiota, whose role is fundamental to gut homeostasis. It has been demonstrated that numerous factors, such as dietary and management constraints, can strongly affect the structure and activities of the gut microbial communities, leading to impaired health and performance in livestock animals. Probiotic microorganisms, which benefit from a natural image, can expect a promising future in animal nutrition. Controlled research studies demonstrate that they can positively balance gastrointestinal microbiota, and thereby improve animal production and health. However, care must be taken in the way that the probiotic candidate-strains are selected. Better knowledge of the structure and activities of the gut microbiota, functional interactions between gut microbes and interrelationships between microbes and host cells represent a fundamental aspect of future probiotic research. In this context new omic technologies will be very helpful to better characterize and understand the effects of probiotics on the balance of the gastrointestinal microbiota. It will be possible to select more powerful or targeted strains on a scientific basis and follow their behaviour in the host animal. Thanks to these techniques, which are complimentary to anaerobic culture methods and gnotobiotic animal or cellular models, probiotic research has had, and will also certainly have in the future, a very important place in the improvement of animal health and nutrition.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

7. Plant Probiotics

The increasing interest in the preservation of the environment and the health of consumers is changing production methods and food consumption habits. Consumers increasingly demand safe functional foods that have beneficial properties for health mainly focused on the protection against carcinogenesis and oxidative processes. The consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables containing bioactive compounds has increased considerably in recent years and many studies have been carried out on the potential benefits of such compounds in different aspects of human health. At the same time, there has been a strong increase in studies addressing the benefits of biofertilization for plants and the environment. In this sense plant promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) able to colonize the inside of plants tissues are especially interesting. These beneficial microorganisms are plant probiotics and promote the plant growth through different direct mechanisms such as nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, and the production of different compounds such as phytohormones or indirect mechanisms such as the production of siderophores. To achieve both aims, the promotion of plant growth and the benefits for human health, it is necessary to use non-pathogenic microorganisms in biofertilization schemes.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

8.Probiotics in Aquaculture

Aquaculture is the world's fastest growing food production sector. However, fish culture is currently suffering from serious losses due to infectious diseases. The use of antimicrobial drugs, pesticides and disinfectant in aquaculture disease prevention and growth promotion has led to the evolution of resistant strains of bacteria. Thus, the research into the use of probiotics for aquaculture is increasing with the demand for environment friendly sustainable aquaculture. The benefits of such supplements include improved feed value, enzymatic contribution to digestion, inhibition of pathogenic microorganisms, anti-mutagenic and anti-carcinogenic activity, and increased immune response. These probiotics are harmless bacteria that help the well-being of the host animal and contribute, directly or indirectly to protect the host animal against harmful bacterial pathogens. The use of probiotics in aquaculture has just begun, due to the fact that gastrointestinal microbiota of aquatic organisms has been poorly characterized, and their effects are not studied extensively.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

9.Probioceuticals: Probiotic- Derived Factors

Probiotic-derived factors have been described as capable of exerting probiotic activities through various mechanisms. However, it is important to distinguish between the concept of probiotic, which is necessarily based on the ingestion of live microorganisms, and the concept of microorganism-derived bioactive compounds that may have useful applications in nutrition and medicine. Bioactive compounds of bacterial or yeast origin, (antibiotics, for example), have been utilized in medicine for decades. Although there are many bacteria-derived products capable of inducing a health benefit, the concept of probiotic is only attributed to microorganisms administered as viable forms, providing the opportunity for a symbiotic relationship between the host, and resident, or in-transit, microorganisms. Secreted probiotic factors, such as reuterin from Lactobacillus reuteri, have been reported to inhibit adhesion and viability of known enteric pathogens, suggesting that probiotic supernatants could be a rich source of new antipathogenic compounds. In an in vitro study in human gastric epithelial cells, spent culture supernatants from certain lactic acid producing bacteria inhibited the growth and attachment of Helicobacter pylori. Roselli et al. demonstrated that supernatants of Bifidobacterium animalis MB5 and Lactobacillus GG could inhibit adhesion of E. coli K88 to Caco-2 cells, with the supernatant exerting identical beneficial effects following protease digestion, suggesting that proteins were not the active constituent.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

10. Probiotic Delivery Systems

Since probiotic-containing products in general do not require Food and Drug Administration approval, they are commonly available in the market in various food formats such as fermented milk, cheese, yogurt and juice. In recent years, probiotics have been extensively studied as a treatment option of various diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, human immunodeficiency virus infection, irritable bowel syndrome. Due to probiotics vulnerability to several environmental factors such as temperature and pH, maintaining the viability of probiotics has long been a hurdle to develop successful probiotic delivery systems. Hence to overcome these hurdles in probiotic delivery methods like encapsulation of materials and recent probiotic delivery technologies are being commonly used. Microencapsulation technologies have been developed to protect the bacteria from damage caused by external environment. By the introduction of a straw delivery system containing a dry form of the probiotic bacterium beverage manufacturers can now provide it to the consumer. In addition, viable spores of a spore forming probiotic are available in the market offering advantages during processing. In the same time, the potential of antibiotics substances with antimicrobial properties production by bifidobacteria is being explored in order to be applied in the food area.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

11. Traditional Therapies of Probiotics

There is an increasing scientific and commercial interest in the use of beneficial microorganisms, or "probiotics," for the prevention and treatment of disease. The microorganisms most frequently used as probiotic agents are lactic-acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), which has been extensively studied in recent literature. Multiple mechanisms of action have been postulated, including lactose digestion, production of antimicrobial agents, competition for space or nutrients, and immunomodulation. Studies of pediatric diarrhoea show substantial evidence of clinical benefits from probiotic therapy in patients with viral gastroenteritis, and data on LGG treatment for Clostridium difficile diarrhoea appear promising. However, data to support use of probiotics for prevention of traveler's diarrhoea are more limited. New research suggests potential applications in vaccine development and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Further studies are needed to take full advantage of this traditional medical approach and to apply it to the infectious diseases.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

12. Functional Foods

Overwhelming evidence from epidemiological, in vivo, in vitro, and clinical trial data indicates that a plant-based diet can reduce the risk of chronic disease, particularly cancer. In 1992, a review of 200 epidemiological studies showed that cancer risk in people consuming diets high in fruits and vegetables was only one-half that in those consuming few of these foods. It is now clear that there are components in a plant-based diet other than traditional nutrients that can reduce cancer risk. Functional foods containing physiologically-active components, either from plant or animal sources, may enhance health. It should be stressed, however, that functional foods are not a magic bullet or universal panacea for poor health habits. There are no good or bad foods, but there are good or bad diets. The range of food products containing probiotic strains is wide and still growing. The main products existing in the market are dairy-based ones including fermented milks, cheese, ice cream, buttermilk, milk powder, and yogurts, the latter accounting for the largest share of sales. The functional food market is expanding, especially in Japan its birthplace with further growth prospects in Europe and the United States and in most countries the largest share of its products is held by probiotics. Common foods containing probiotics include fermented and unfermented milk, miso, tempeh, and some juices, smoothies, nutrition bars, and soy drinks. The most common strains found in yogurt are L. bulgaricus and S. thermophilus.

13. Beneficial aspects of Prebiotics

Prebiotics are non-digestible, fermentable carbohydrates and fibers, such as inulin-type frucans and galacto-oligosaccharides, which exhibit health promoting properties to host through selective stimulation of growth and/or activities of a limited number of bacteria (i.e., probiotics). Human milk contains substantial quantities of prebiotics. There is a paucity of Random Clinical Trials examining prebiotics in children, showing that there may be some long-term benefit of prebiotics for the prevention of atopic eczema and common infections in healthy infants for which confirmatory well-designed clinical research studies are necessary.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 207Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

14. Regulation and Product Development

Depending on intended use of a probiotic (drug vs. dietary supplement), regulatory requirements differ greatly. If a probiotic is intended for use as a drug, then it must undergo the regulatory process as a drug, which is similar to that of any new therapeutic agent. Despite the promising evidence, the role of probiotics in human health as well as the safety of their application should be further investigated as the current knowledge of the characteristics that are necessary for their functionality in the gut is not complete. The factors that must be addressed in evaluating the effectiveness of the incorporation of the probiotic strains into such products are, besides safety, the compatibility of the product with the microorganism and the maintenance of its viability through food processing, packaging, and storage conditions. The products pH for instance is a significant factor determining the incorporated probiotics survival and growth, and this is one of the reasons why soft cheeses seem to have a number of advantages over yoghurt as delivery systems for viable probiotics to the gastrointestinal tract. Current technological innovations provide ways to overcome probiotic stability and viability issues offering new options for their incorporation in new media and subsequent satisfaction of the increasing consumer demand. The safety profile of a potential probiotic strain is of critical importance in the selection process. This testing should include the determination of strain resistance to a wide variety of common classes of antibiotics such as tetracyclines, quinolones and macrolides and subsequent confirmation of non-transmission of drug resistance genes or virulence plasmids. Evaluation should also take the end-product formulation into consideration because this can induce adverse effects in some subjects or negate the positive effects altogether. A better understanding of the potential mechanisms whereby probiotic organisms might cause adverse effects will help to develop effective assays that predict which strains might not be suitable for use in probiotic products.

Related Conferences: 9thInternationalCongress on Nutrition & HealthFebruary 20-21, 2017 Berlin, Germany; 10thAnnualNutrition & Food Sciences CongressMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan; 11thEuropeanNutrition and Dietetics ConferenceJune 29- July 01, 2017 Madrid, Spain; 10thInternationalConference on Clinical Diabetes, Diabetes care & NutritionJuly 20-21, 2017 Chicago, USA; 13thWorldCongress on Advances in Natural Medicines, Nutraceuticals and Neurocognition, July 27-28, 2017, Rome, Italy 10th InternationalConference on Nutrition & Food SciencesMay 29-31, 2017 Osaka, Japan;IPA World Congress + Probiota AmericasJune 07-09 San Francisco;The global nutraceutical eventMay 09 - 11 2017 Geneva Switzerland; ICPVM 2017: 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics in Veterinary MedicineApril 8 - 9, 2017 Dubai, UAE; 5th WorldCongress on Targeting MicrobiotaOctober 2017 Paris, France; The International ScientificConference on Probiotics and PrebioticsJune 19 22 June 2017Budapest,Hungary;Probiotics Congress: USA October 3-4 2016 San Diego, USA; The 2ndProbiotics Congress: Asia Mar 1-2 2017 Hong Kong; ICPFPF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics, Functional and Pediatrics FoodsJuly 10 - 11, 2017 Amsterdam, The Netherlands; ICPFF 2017 : 19th InternationalConference on Probiotics and Functional FoodsMarch 9 - 10, 2017 Miami, USA.

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Probiotics Conferences | Europe | Asia | USA | Middle East ...

PHOTOS: Anatomy of a wave – WJLA

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Fredricko

by World Entertainment News Network

Incredible images have revealed the anatomy of a wave after one brave photographer risked life and limb to slip under the waves and capture them from behind as they broke. (Don Hurzeler/mediadrumworld.com/WENN)

Incredible images have revealed the anatomy of a wave after one brave photographer risked life and limb to slip under the waves and capture them from behind as they broke.

The stunning underwater shots show violent vortices venting from the collapsing tube of a breaking wave, and the backside of a breaking wave, which can either look like a mirror or act as a window when the wave is very thin.

Other amazing pictures show the more traditional view of a breaking wave as the camera points down the tube while surfers and swimmers are pictured trying to ride or avoid the waves.

The spectacular snaps were taken at Kua Bay, Hawaii by author and photographer Don Hurzeler, 70, from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, who explained just how dangerous this type of photography can be.

I've been run over by surfers on boards, swept by currents onto the rocks, said Hurzeler.

Ive had run-ins with large sharks, had the camera and housing bounce off the sand so hard it broke everything, hurt my back repeatedly by being pounded into the sand and had to stop taking photos to rescue visitors to our island who had ventured out into the wrong spot at the wrong time.

Ive nearly bit through my tongue, broke ribs, toes, fingers, have been in surf so large I did not think I would ever make it back to the beach and have stepped on spiny sea urchins, sharp coral, sharp rocks and jellyfish, he added.

I have been run into by sizable turtles who got caught up in a wave - those shells turn out to be quite sharp when they run into you - and scared out of my mind by a 600-pound endangered monk seal that swam right under me just before sunup the other day. Other than that, no problems.

To take the photos Hurzeler swims out with his camera in one hand and swims in place, or stands if in shallow water, as a wave approaches.

He tries to duck down and slip under the oncoming wave. If hes not successful he gets dragged over the top of the wave, slammed into the sand or coral and then dragged underwater like a "rag doll in a spin cycle of a washer."

Shooting photos of the backside or underneath of a breaking wave allows me to share a sight that few people get to see directly, he said.

I feel that the images range from beautiful textures, shapes and colors to otherworldly captures.

The shot of a wave breaking is familiar to virtually everyone. An underwater shot of several vortices venting from the collapsing tube of a breaking wave is of a process most people never even knew exists.

And the shots of the underwater backside of the tube as it is breaking can range from nearly a mirror to a colorful textured cylinder.

‘NCIS,’ ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘SNL’ end seasons – Orlando Sentinel

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Fredricko

The last full week of the 2016-17 TV season means a slew of season finales.

NCIS, TVs most-watched drama, closes its 14th season at 8 p.m. Tuesday on CBS. The story sends Gibbs (Mark Harmon), the newly married McGee (Sean Murray) and Torres (Wilmer Valderrama) off to Paraguay to hunt for a missing Navy SEAL.

Greys Anatomy wraps up its 13th season with the hospital in jeopardy. A trailer for the episode Ring of Fire, at 8 p.m. Thursday on ABC, resembles The Towering Inferno. The last episode suggested that Dr. Stephanie Edwards (Jerrika Hinton) is no longer with us after trying to stop a madman. We applaud her courage, but her methods were ill-advised.

Scandal closes its sixth season with two hours at 9 p.m. Thursday on ABC. President Fitzgerald Grant (Tony Goldwyn) ends his presidency with a series of changes, and Mellie Grant (Bellamy Young) prepares to become the first female president. Olivia Pope (Kerry Washington) works furiously to ensure the president-elects safety.

The Blacklist wraps up its fourth season with two hours at 9 p.m. Thursday on NBC.

Modern Family finishes its eighth season with the high-school graduations of Manny and Luke at 9 p.m. Wednesday on ABC.

Designated Survivor closes its first season with Agent Hannah Wells (Maggie Q) trying to stop another attack by the terrorists. The White House drama airs at 10 p.m. Wednesday on ABC.

More finales

Monday: Man With a Plan and Scorpion on ABC, Quantico on ABC.

Tuesday: NCIS: New Orleans on CBS, Chicago Fire on NBC, The Middle, American Housewife, Fresh Off the Boat on ABC.

Wednesday: Blindspot and Chicago P.D. on NBC.

Thursday: Supernatural on The CW.

Friday: Undercover Boss on CBS, The Toy Box on ABC.

Reality series: Dancing With the Stars and The Voice deliver their semifinals at 8 p.m. Monday. The final four couples each deliver two routines on DWTS before the field is reduced to the final three on ABC. The Voice delivers this weeks results at 8 p.m. Tuesday on NBC. Both high-rated series wrap up their seasons May 23.

Survivor continues its 34th season at 8 p.m. Wednesday on CBS. The finale will play out over three hours on May 24, the final night of the TV season.

More highlights

Antiques Roadshow starts its three episodes filmed last summer in Orlando at 8 p.m. Monday on PBS. The other episodes screen May 22 and 29.

If you enjoy colorized Lucy Ricardo, youre getting a new I Love Lucy special at 9 p.m. Friday on CBS. The episodes feature a singing-and-dancing Van Johnson (to How About You?) and a merry-making Harpo Marx.

Robert De Niro reminds you why hes considered one of the worlds greatest actors with a devastating performance as disgraced financier Bernie Madoff in The Wizard of Lies at 8 p.m. Saturday on HBO.

If youre not hearing enough politics, CNN offers a town hall with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., at 9 p.m. Monday. A town hall debate between Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Gov. John Kasich, D-Ohio, follows at 9 p.m. Tuesday on CNN.

Saturday Night Live could turn those events into a skit for its season finale at 11:30 p.m. Saturday on NBC. Dwayne Johnson will host, and Katy Perry will be the musical guest. Ive got a hunch well hear Perrys "Chained to the Rhythm." And why not? Its a great song.

hboedeker@orlandosentinel.com

‘Anatomy of Innocence’ describes incalculable injustices – Press Herald

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Fredricko

An unstated yet central premise of Anatomy of Innocence: Testimonies of the Wrongfully Convicted, is that anyone anyone can be sent to prison for murder.

In the United States, this injustice falls preponderantly on people who are black. But as the stories in this book underscore, no one is immune. The snare of wrongful conviction can steal years and decades from the lives of daycare moms, law students, small business managers, and people innocently sitting in their car watching the ocean.

Anatomy of Innocence pairs the Kafkaesque experiences of 15 exonerated individuals with pedigreed writers who tell their stories. The list of contributors include Maines own international best-selling espionage author Gayle Lynds, writing here with her husband, John Sheldon, a former defense attorney, prosecutor, and judge; Lee Child, author of the popular Jack Reacher thriller series; and the late Pulitzer- and Tony-Award winner, playwright Arthur Miller, who years ago wrote an essay published here for the first time about a wrongfully convicted teenager. The books introduction is by best-selling legal thriller novelist Scott Turow.

The series of profiles follows a loose progression of events that typify the hellish journey through the penal system. Each profile focuses on one or two defining aspects of the journey, from what it feels like to be picked up, interrogated, tried and convicted, to imprisonment and the struggle to maintain hope and sanity against long odds, and finally to being exonerated and freed.

Esteemed mystery writer Sara Paretsky, tells of the cruel injustice that befell David Bates, a Chicago teenager, in 1983 in The Trip to Doty Road: the Interrogation. Bates ordeal started when detectives and uniformed officers showed up at his home, held a gun to his mothers head and told her they needed to take her son in, just to ask him some questions.

Thus began a 24-hour interrogation, marked by brutality and terrorizing. In the early hours, Bates thought, what they were doing didnt seem criminal at first, it just seemed part of the territory, of being a black kid on the South Side. He was slapped, kicked and punched. He wasnt allowed to use the bathroom. He was suffocated with a plastic bag. The real horror, however, was the threat that if he didnt confess, the tag team of officers would take him to the end of Doty Road on the edge of Chicago to the city trash dump, and you wont be coming back.

They promised him if he signed a confession, they would let him go home. They coached him what to say. The forced confession, Child writes, destroyed part of Davids sense of who he was. Instead of going home, he went to prison for 11 years. More than 20 years later, he was exonerated and released. He still carries body memories of his torture. There are days where he cant walk, Paretsky writes. The powerlessness he felt at his torturers hands sweeps through is body, paralyzing him.

In The Fortune Cookie: The Lessons Learned, Lee Child recounts the case of ex-Marine Kirk Bloodsworth, convicted and sentenced to death for raping and bashing in a 9-year-old girls head until she was lifeless. When torn and bloodied and pulped 9-year-old corpses turn up in small towns all bets are off, Child writes. Two little boys whod been near where the crime occurred provided descriptions of a man theyd seen nearby. After the artists sketch was broadcast, Kirk was fingered by a disgruntled neighbor as being the killer. Kirk suspected that the boys were coached in their testimony at his trial. Despite having numerous individuals corroborating his alibi, he was convicted.

Bloodsworth viewed his incarceration in a Maryland prison as captivity, and he drew on his Marine prisoner-of-war training to endure it. Hed loved Triumph motorcycles, and during his 10 years in prison, he endlessly disassembled one in his mind, cleaned and oiled the parts, then reassembled it. Evidence was eventually retested using DNA analysis, then a new and relatively little used technology. In 1993, Kirk became the first person on death row to be freed in the country based on such analysis.

A Study in Sisyphus: Serving Time, tell the story of Audrey Edmunds, a middle-class, stay-at-home mom who was accused and convicted of the death of a 7-month-old baby she cared in her home in Waunakee, Wisconsin. Gayle Lynds and John Sheldon tell the story of how an autopsy showed cranial bleeding, pointing toward shaken baby syndrome. Edmunds was convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison.

Lying awake in the middle of the night in her prison bunk, Edmunds was plagued by the uncontrollable endless cycle of emotions (how) fear of the guards turned into anger at them, which triggered anger at how the prosecutor had attacked her at trial, which recalled her disbelief at the verdict, and the pain of pubic disgrace, and how unjust the punishment was, and the horror of losing her family, missing (her husband), heartache for her children, despair that her prison time was passing so slowly an on, and on, and over again.

Through it all, hope was the best anesthetic for Audreys wheeling emotions. But hope often dimmed. An appeal was denied. Her husband divorced her, seeking sole custody of the children so he wouldnt have to take them to see her. She kept to herself, did her work and was a model prisoner. The Wisconsin Innocence Project took up her case, but advancement was intermittent due to law students working on her case leaving at the end of the year. She was told at a parole review hearing that if she would confess, the time to the next hearing would be shortened. But she refused. She did not want to have child murderer seared on her forever, poisoning her relationship with everyone, especially her children.

Eventually, a circuit court of appeals granted her a new trail. Substantial new medical evidence called into doubt the reliability of shaken baby syndrome. The court ruled that the original trial judges decision denying a retrial was an abuse of his discretion. Today, Aubrey Edmunds lives quietly in a small Wisconsin town, enjoying her reunification with her four grown children.

A theme running through many of the profiles in the collection is the faith against long odds that justice would win out one day. Another common thread is the work many of the exonerees do after their release on behalf of innocent people who are still imprisoned.

The Anatomy of Innocence is a harrowing account of injustice and a tribute to the strength and resiliency of ordinary individuals facing cruel, dehumanizing circumstances. The book is also a tribute to those who work on behalf of their exoneration.

In 2013, U.S. prisons held 2.2 million prisoners representing 25 percent of incarcerated people worldwide, making America the worlds leading jailer. It is impossible to know how many individuals now incarcerated are innocent, but estimates start around 5 percent. At minimum, thats 110,000 people.

Whatever the number, its an incalculable assault on personal dignity. The foreclosed hopes and dreams not to mention lost moments of tenderness and intimacy with loved ones of innocent people punished for crimes they did not commit is nothing short of an American tragedy.

Frank O Smith is a Maine writer whose novel, Dream Singer, was named a Notable Book of the Year in Literary Fiction by Shelf Unbound, an international review magazine. His novel was also a finalist for the PEN/Bellwether Prize, created by best-selling novelist Barbara Kingsolver in support of a literature of social change. Smith can be reached via his website:

frankosmithstories.com

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'Anatomy of Innocence' describes incalculable injustices - Press Herald

The Anatomy of a Bogus North Korea Story – AlterNet

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Fredricko

Photo Credit: Astrelok / Shutterstock.com

Reports involving Official US Enemies, especially North Korea, grow more distorted and scarier with each re-telling in the media. This is a distortion process honed by our media over the decades of US imperial saber-rattling and military build-up since the 1950s.

What begins as a hyper-qualified, even sober analysis, is laundered through initial reports and subsequent reports and more reports and finds its way on the airwaves of Fox News, ultimately morphing into a whole new media creature, rounded up to the scariest interpretation of facts with each link in the media chain and ending with an almost apocalyptic fervor.

One recent such example was so egregious and naked it bears special mention. What started out as an exercise in idle speculation by an obscure geopolitical research firm, within a week, morphed into a major story featured on Fusion, the LA Times, and Fox News.

Small Virginia-based security contractor Strategic Sentinel noticed that on Google Earth some islands had emerged off the coast of North Korea and decided to speculate as to what their purposes was in a May 1st article in The Diplomata respected foreign policy magazine focusing on Asia-Pacific affairs. One of those purposes, of course, was military. The piece hedged a lot but effectively ran with the premise that the islands North Korea was building were largely to house missiles and for sinister military application.

Theres only one problem: The basis of the whole story was overreaching at best and bunk at worst. Long-time North Korea observer 38North laid out, in detail four days later why the story didnt add up:

On May 1, 2017, The Diplomat published an article by Damen Cook based on a report by Strategic Sentinel, which purported to show that the North Koreans had constructed several military facilities on small islands surrounding the city of Sohae. The methodology and conclusions in this report, however, demonstrate a lack of understanding of both North Koreas military infrastructure and recent history

In the Strategic Sentinel analysis, they suggested that a series of islands near Sohae (which is not a city) are being used for ballistic missiles (BM), anti-ship cruise missiles (ASCM), or surface-to-air-missiles (SAM); however, there is no credible evidence to support this claim. In fact, there is ample evidence to refute it...

As best as can be determined, it seems [Strategic Sentinel] looked at a few Google Earth satellite images (but forgot to look at the Landsat imagery) and drew conclusions based on pre-existing expectations.

The report would go on, playing down and refuting many of Cooks core claims. The entirety of which should be read.

Ryan Barenklau, Cooks partner at Strategic Sentinel, disagrees with 38Norths reading of events, telling AlterNet, he didnt find the debunking by to be fair.

I feel as if the piece has too much emotion from the writer and that the piece was a knee jerk reaction, Barenklau told AlterNet in an email. If you read the original article, you will see that we completely agree that these islands may only be for agriculture and never will be used for military purposes.

This debunking by 38Northregardless of what one thinks of its meritswas too little too late. The Diplomat added a 142-word update further qualifying their claims after being contacted by analysts from 38North (but before 38North published their rebuttal three days later). This would have little effect, North Koreas Mysterious Nuke Islands of Doom were too tempting to pass up and the media was off to the races:

Fusion: North Korea Is Building Mysterious New Islands In The Yellow Sea

LA Times: North Korea is building mysterious artificial islands that would be perfect for missile launches

The Independent:North Korea 'building mysterious artificial islands' apparently equipped with military installations

Daily Mail: North Korea 'is copying China and creating artificial islands to use as military bases

The Express: North Korea's man-made islands being primed for nuclear attacks, expert warns

Fox News: North Korea's mystery islands: Man-made keys could be new nuclear launch sites

To further hype the threat, Fox News turned to reliable North Korea fear-monger Gordon Chang--who's carved out quite a career rounding up to the most dire assessment of North Koreas actions. He fed Fox News the expected red state red meat, complete with a gratuitous book plug:

While their purpose is unknown, suspicions are high that the islands could be used to launch missiles. Those speculations are not far off the mark, according to Gordon Chang, author of Nuclear Showdown: North Korea Takes on the World.

North Korea is never up to any good, Chang said in an emailed statement to Fox News. The new facilities, whatever their purpose, will be used for evil deeds, mischief, or troublemaking of some sort.

My sense is that the facilities on the new islands will be used for missile launches of some kind, especially because they are near Sohae.

In less than a week, an analysis that began as qualified speculationeven if overreachingmorphed into a full blown media panic. Grainy, decontextualized Google Earth images were enough to justify bold claims about a sinister Bond Villain-like plot to menace East Asia.

I do not like the way the media has been reporting this article, Strategic Sentinels Ryan Barenklau told AlterNet. The original purpose of this article was to examine islands that were being built up by DPRK and theorize if they could be used for military purposes, how would DPRK go about doing that. I definitely disagree with how Fox News has taken the article.

Strategic Sentinel did, however lend quotes the LA Times article that while more qualified than Fox News, was so only in degree not substance. One problem is that government contractors writing reports and providing quotes for respected publications like The Times is that these analyses often double as marketing efforts. Indeed, the LA Times story is currently Strategic Sentinels pinned tweet. And don't let their .org url fool you, Strategic Sentinel is a pro-profit defense contractor thatwhile currently without anyis more than open federal government contracts.

When it comes to marketing. I would definitely like to think that these articles show potential clients what we are capable of doing, Strategic Sentinels Ryan Barenklau told AlterNet. Any marketing that we do get from the pieces I am happy with, but I personally make it my mission not to hype anything. I do not want my company to be known as partisan or having ulterior agendas.

Nevertheless, here we are. The average media consumer isnt going to follow the links and parse all the nuance. 60% of Americans get their news from headlinesand North Korea Building Islands for Bombs is all theyre going to come away with it. This is consistent with what well call the North Korea Law of Journalism, which states that the editorial standards are inversely proportional to a country's Enemy Status as it relates to the U.S. State Department.

Because North Korea is seenfairly or notas the baddies, journalists can always round up to the most speculative, ungenerous reading of their actions and get away with it. There is no pro-North Korean public relations firm thatll call up the editor at The Diplomat or LA Times. No AIPAC like Israel has, no US government PR rep like the CIA does, no Gulf-funded think tank to run spin for the Qataris. Given these conditions, any story about North Korea can spread without challenge, because, frankly whos going to object?

One common rejoinder to this line of criticism is that North Korea, by its very nature, is difficult to report on and so more leaps must be taken. But this begs the question. There is no law of nature saying reporters have to idly speculate on the internal affairs of North Korea, especially given the way in which that speculation
will be weaponized by a rightwing media perpetually eager for war. Those operating in the space should factor this in, and do their best not to feed the media beast, lest a bogus North Korea story spread unchecked with their names all over it.

Adam Johnson is a contributing analyst at FAIR and contributing writer for AlterNet. Follow him on Twitter @AdamJohnsonNYC.

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The Anatomy of a Bogus North Korea Story - AlterNet

After Mosquitos, Moths Are the Next Target For Genetic Engineering – Discover Magazine (blog)

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

Diamondback moths. (Credit: Oxitec)

Though genetically modified crops may steal the spotlight, similarly reprogrammed insects may have just as big an effect on the agricultural industry.

Biotechnology company Oxitec is moving forward withplans to develop genetically engineered diamondback moths in an attempt to reduce populations of the invasive crop pest. Their plan is to release males that will pass on a gene preventing female offspring from reaching maturity and reproducing, which they say will eventually eradicate the moths in North America. Tests have so far been positive, although there are still worries about the prospect of releasing genetically modified organisms into the wild.

Currently, pesticides are used to control the moths, which are responsible for an estimated $5 billion worth of damage every year in the U.S. An invasive species, the diamondback moth originated in Europe, but has proved difficult to control since appearing the U.S. due to short gestation times and the large numbers of eggs females lay at once. Oxitec says that their technique is preferable to pesticides, as the moths have proven capable of evolving resistance to the compounds in the past, and most carry some risk to the environment and human health.

Oxitec cites a USDAanalysis that found no risk of significant impact in an earlier test of the GM moths as evidence that their technique is safe, but the prospect of GM insects raisesfears that the moths may proliferate beyond targeted areasand cause impacts on the broader ecology. Similar techniques have been applied before, reaching as far back as the 1950s when sterile screwworm flies were released in Florida, effectively eliminating the parasitic species there. Impotent mosquitos, also manufactured by Oxitec, have been used to combat Zika in South America, andplans to implement the same procedure in Florida are underway.

The successful screwworm campaign relied on blasts of radiation to sterilize the males. Oxitecs technique uses gene editing engineering to implant males with modified DNA that ensures female caterpillars dont survive to adulthood. In the case of the moths, males need not be targeted because it is only the female caterpillars who are responsible for damaging the crops.

They say that tests of the moths, including feeding them to various animals and releasing them in greenhouses, have revealed no ill effects as a result of the genetic modification. Along with the caterpillar-killing gene, the moths are also implanted with a gene that causes them to fluoresce red under UV light, the better to identify them in the wild.

The FDA found no issues preventing the company from moving forward, but because the moths are an agricultural pest, the USDA must weigh in as well.Oxitec is currently waiting on USDA approval to conduct expanded tests at a site in New York in conjunction with Cornell University. They hope to release the moths in a contained cabbage field to see how effective their modifications are.

Most opposition to genetically modified insects is based on the prospect of altered organisms spreading beyond the areas they are released. In the case of the diamondback moth, Oxitec says that the nature of the modification, which precludes breeding, should serve to limit the spread of the GM moths, and pesticides and freezing winter conditions should take care of the rest. While there is a precedent for this kind of technique in screwworms, those insects were uniquely suited to sterilization-based population control because of their life-cycles. Moths may present additional challenges.

Kevin Esvelt, a professor at MIT and leader of the Sculpting Evolution Lab agrees that the general concept is sound: The wholepoint is to harm the next generation of organisms. And since they carry the relevant genetic construct, its necessarily going to decrease, he says. It will not persistin the environment over time as long as the genetic construct is doing what its supposed to do.

This marks a crucial difference from a gene drive, a technique often associated with genetically modifying populations. The hallmark of a gene drive is tweaking genes to increase the chances that a particular trait will be passed on to offspring. The odds are normally 50/50, but a gene drive can tilt them in favor of a particular set of genes,causing a trait to spread through a population. This is helpful when a trait is detrimental to an organisms survival and would normally be weeded out by natural selection. Gene drives havent yet been applied in the wild, though, and likely wont be for many years.

Oxitecs moths possess nosuch scale-tipping modifications that could cause the modified genes to spread across the globe, they merely pass on genetic material in the normal way. Part of this genetic material, however, has been changed to ensure that female caterpillars with the gene dont survive.

From a technical perspective its a perfectly sound approach, it probably offers fewer risks than current approaches using pesticides. In general I am a fan of usingbiology to solve ecological problems as opposed to chemistry, Esvelt says.

Still, he says that field trials are an important step in testing the efficacy and safety of any genetically modified organism. Along with careful tests, Esvelt advocates for more community involvement in the decision making process, as well attempts to reach out and communicate with critics. Although both the FDA and USDA have a period in place during which the public can comment, Esvelt says more communication should be done earlier.

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After Mosquitos, Moths Are the Next Target For Genetic Engineering - Discover Magazine (blog)

Gene sequencing study reveals unusual mutations in endometriosis – Science Daily

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

Gene sequencing study reveals unusual mutations in endometriosis
Science Daily
Using gene sequencing tools, scientists from Johns Hopkins Medicine and the University of British Columbia have found a set of genetic mutations in samples from 24 women with benign endometriosis, a painful disorder marked by the growth of uterine ...

and more »

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Gene sequencing study reveals unusual mutations in endometriosis - Science Daily

New research, plus basic care, could help cats – News-Press Now

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

At the University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine in Columbia, genome research may help improve the health of cats.

"Continued collaboration with geneticists and veterinarians could lead to the rapid discovery of undiagnosed genetic conditions in cats," said Dr. Leslie Lyons, a professor of Comparative Medicine in the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The university is studying rare feline genetic disorders. The college is involved in developing complete feline DNA sequencing to identify anomalies causing disease. This should allow clinicians to develop an effective course of treatment to improve a cat's health.

"The goal of genetic testing is to identify disease early," Lyons said, "so that effective and proactive treatment can be administered."

This research at the university has identified a gene associated with progressive retinal blindness in the African black-footed cat and a gene in the silver tabby producing a fatal disorder. These gene identifications may help to diagnose other cats and allow them to receive appropriate treatment, Lyons said.

But in the meantime, local veterinarians say feline health starts in the home.

If you want your cat to be safe, make it a house cat, according to veterinarians. Then do simple things to ensure your feline isn't becoming sick, including vaccinations for rabies, leukemia and feline respiratory diseases.

Simple things such as brushing your cat daily will decrease the number of hair balls. Experts also suggest regular litter box changes, regular feeding times and portion control to keep a cat healthy.

Avoid feeding table scraps even when a feline begs for bones, fresh eggs, dough and dairy products like milk or yogurt, said Dr. Mark Gutzmer, veterinarian and an owner of All Creatures Animal Hospital. These things may harm a cat's digestive health, he said. And cats have a tendency to become overweight, so they shouldn't have any scraps, the doctor said.

Owners should observe their feline pets and specifically check out their fur coat, skin, eyes, mouth and teeth, if they will let you, Gutzmer said.

A cat's pelt should have shinny hair with the skin being free of flakes. Eyes should be bright and clear without mucus or other substances around the edges of the eye. Cats should have bright pink gums and when looking at their back teeth.

Two other factors for observing cat health would be activity and digestion.

"A healthy young cat should be playful and active throughout a good portion of the day," said Kyle Ripperger, a veterinarian with East Hills Veterinary Clinic.

House cats, once they're comfortable with their surroundings, tend to develop a routine and owners should be familiar with it, Ripperger said.

"They kinda do the same things all the time," Ripperger said.

Any change in that routine could be significant, both doctors said.

Always let your veterinarian know of changes in a cat's behavior, such as a lack of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, unexplained weight loss, sitting for long times in a litter box and the appearance of what seems to be depression.

Weight loss is a clue something is going on, both doctors said.

Even drinking excess water can be a sign something isn't right, Ripperger said.

And both doctors say to always bring your pet in for a yearly checkup. This may allow the doctors to get ahead of any symptoms you haven't noticed.

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New research, plus basic care, could help cats - News-Press Now

Matt Johnson: ‘Good chemistry’ with a very bad guy – Topeka Capital Journal

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

When he was head of the Egyptian armed forces in 2013, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi orchestrated a coup that overthrew his countrys first democratically elected government. After he succeeded in ripping President Mohamed Morsi and his allies out of power, Sisi promptly launched a merciless spree of violence and intimidation against the Muslim Brotherhood (the Islamist organization of which Morsi was a member) and any other group the new regime regarded as a threat. This campaign culminated in the Rabaa massacre in August 2013 a sustained military assault on pro-Morsi protesters who had set up a camp in eastern Cairo and demonstrated there for a month and a half.

According to Human Rights Watch, heavily armed Egyptian forces including helicopters, armored personnel carriers, bulldozers and snipers arrived in Rabaa al-Adawiya Square at 6:30 a.m. Aug. 14, 2013. They almost immediately opened fire on the protesters. Men, women and children were gunned down indiscriminately HRW reports that army troops and police were inside and alongside APCs firing their weaponry on large crowds of protesters. Dozens of witnesses also said they saw snipers fire from helicopters over Rabaa Square. It didnt matter if protesters were throwing rocks or frantically trying to escape the square everyone was a target. Snipers even shot people who were running toward a nearby hospital (which was later seized by security forces who ordered doctors to abandon their patients, many of whom had gunshot wounds and other serious injuries). Some of the protesters were captured, tortured and executed. The onslaught lasted for 12 hours and left more than 800 people dead.

Sisi is one of the top officials responsible for the Rabaa massacre he was Egypts defense minister at the time, and he was intimately involved in the planning of the dispersals that took place in July and August.

But never mind all that: President Trump thinks Sisi is a fantastic guy with whom he has good chemistry. In fact, not only is he a fantastic guy, but hes also done a fantastic job in a very difficult situation. Granted, its easy to see where Trump is coming from being a brutal general-turned-autocrat must be exhausting. There are so many demonstrators to kill and journalists to arrest. There are so many elections to undermine, political rivals to purge and supporters to install in Parliament. And there are so many traditions to uphold: Sisi has proven that hes committed to the longstanding Egyptian practices of arbitrary detention (in notoriously hideous prisons), artificial trials, torture, suppression of free speech, religious persecution and denial of civil liberties. He also treats democracy as more of a nuisance than a source of legitimacy again, he ousted Egypts first democratically elected president at gunpoint (this point really cant be made often enough), suspended the Constitution and received 97 percent of the vote in a sham election held three years ago.

Trump couldnt care less about the corpses in Rabaa or the dissidents trapped in the bowels of the Egyptian prison system. Hes more interested in frolicking across the great vistas of common ground he shares with his new pal: We agree on so many things, he recently said with Sisi sitting next to him at the White House. (One wonders what things he had in mind.) He also dispelled any doubt that we are very much behind President el-Sisi and made sure to dirty up the rest of us with this oily pledge of support: I just want to say to you, Mr. President, that you have a great friend and ally in the United States and in me.

This goes beyond the typical self-interested willingness to shake hands with a despot who puts bullets in protesters heads, imprisons inconvenient activists and strangles any semblance of civil society in his country. While its true that the U.S. often adopts an attitude of moral neutrality (or worse) toward authoritarian regimes, why does Trump think this entails an invite to the White House and such a gross display of adulation? The $1.3 billion we send Egypt every year is bad enough do we really need to broadcast our shame? Its not as if Sisi will suddenly drop his opposition to the Islamic State in the Sinai or his hatred of jihadism if Trump snubs him these arent positions he needs to be cajoled into with flattery and handshakes in the Oval Office.

When pundits recoiled from the fantastic chemistry on display at Sisis White House reception, Glenn Greenwald saw an opportunity to do two of his favorite things: attack U.S. foreign policy and taunt mainstream propagandists like Paul Krugman. When Krugman tweeted a Politico article about Trumps meeting with Sisi, saying, Another morning in Trumps America, Greenwalds venom glands started secreting: Anyone who depicts any of this as something new or aberrational for the U.S. is either ignorant or dishonest. He then detailed the longstanding American support for dictators in Egypt (Hillary Clinton once called Hosni Mubarak and his wife friends of my family) and explained that the Obama administration had resumed arms deliveries to Sisi even as his human rights abuses intensified. According to Greenwald, Krugman was only upset because Trump refuses to prettify American behavior: What Trump is violating is not any Washington principles or ethics but Washington propaganda tactics.

While Greenwald was right about the cruel hypocrisy of our actions in Egypt, his other comments betrayed a simplistic, fragmentary view of U.S. foreign policy.

Does he really think Trumps approach to Egypt is interchangeable with Obamas? Does he think perceptions make no difference in international affairs? Does he think members of eviscerated Egyptian opposition groups dont notice when the president of the United States warmly embraces the man who has been murdering and torturing them? Did other tyrants feel threatened or reassured when they heard Trumps obsequious praise for a fellow strongman? Were international norms of human rights strengthened or diminished when Trumps disgraceful meeting with Sisi was announced? Although the Muslim Brotherhoods popularity varies throughout the Islamic world, how do Muslims feel about Trumps fawning support for a man whos committed to destroying the religious opposition in his country?

By the way, Obamas refusal to meet with Sisi and his imposition of a two-year arms embargo on Egypt should tell you something. Yes, the embargo was lifted before he left office. Yes, he still supported the same repressive regime as Trump. And yes, his administration refused to call Sisis theft of power a coup because that would have made it illegal for the U.S. to continue providing aid. But at least Obama was conflicted about maintaining our relationship with Egypt. Trump is different. He admires the ruthless exercise of illegitimate power. Thats why he applauds Vladimir Putin for his very strong control over his country. Its why he compliments Saddam Hussein for killing terrorists so good (never mind the fact that Iraq was one of the worlds largest state sponsors of terror). Its why he thinks we would be so much better off if Qaddafi were in charge (of Libya) right now. Its why he marveled at Kim Jong-uns amazing, incredible ability to maintain his power: You have to give him credit.

Of course, none of this is surprising. After the Rabaa massacre, Trump wasnt horrified he was impressed with how Sisi took control of Egypt. And he really took control of it. He sure did.

Contact Matt Johnson at (785) 295-1282 or @mattjj89 on Twitter.

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Matt Johnson: 'Good chemistry' with a very bad guy - Topeka Capital Journal

At the Focal Point, Checking in on Prana Biotechnology Limited (NASDAQ:PRAN) – Morgan Research

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

Prana Biotechnology Limited (NASDAQ:PRAN) are being monitored closely by investors today as the name is currently priced at$2.22, a-1.77% difference from where it most recently opened. So where is the stock headed from here? We will take a quick look here at how the stock has performed recently.

Most investors are likely looking for that next stock that is ready to take off running. Maybe the focus is on finding a stock that has recently taken a turn for the worse for no real apparent reason. As we all know, as quickly as a stock can drop in price, it can bounce back just as fast.

Although the popular stocks that receive a high level of media coverage tend to recover quicker after a sell-off, there may be plenty of under the radar stocks that are ripe for buying. Scoping out these potential market gems may help repair a portfolio that has taken a hit for any number of reasons.

Is Prana Biotechnology Limited Ready to Move higher? Sign Up For Breaking Alerts on this Stock Before the Crowd.

The average investor might not have the time to monitor every single tick of a given stock, but taking a look at historical performance may help provide some valuable insight on where the stock may be trending in the future. Over the past week, Prana Biotechnology Limited (NASDAQ:PRAN) has performed -9.76%. For the past month, shares are -22.38%. Over the last quarter, shares have performed -2.20%. Looking back further, Prana Biotechnology Limited stock has been -10.48% over the last six months, and 36.20% since the start of the calendar year. For the past full year, shares are -39.01%.

There is rarely any substitute for diligent research, especially when it pertains to the equity markets. No matter what strategy an investor employs, keeping abreast of current market happenings is of the utmost importance. Everyone wants to see their stock picks soar, but the stark reality is that during a market wide sell-off, this may not be the case. Recently, shares of Prana Biotechnology Limited (NASDAQ:PRAN)have been seen trading -29.89% away from the 200-day moving average and -14.88% off the 50-day moving average. The stock is currently trading -66.82% away from the 52-week high and separated 46.05% from the 52-week low. Prana Biotechnology Limiteds RSI is presently sitting at 34.71.

New investors may sometimes be working with limited capital. Choosing which stocks to own can be a tough decision. Individuals may be deciding on whether to buy 10 shares of a stock trading at $100 as opposed to purchasing 100 shares of a stock trading at $10. We have recently been focusing on stocks that are trading under the $10 price level. We are constantly monitoring technical and fundamental factors that may lead to breakouts for these relatively cheap (in terms of price) stocks.

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At the Focal Point, Checking in on Prana Biotechnology Limited (NASDAQ:PRAN) - Morgan Research

The Anatomy of a Bro-Witch – Patheos (blog)

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

The other day someone called me a Bro-Witch online and mentioned that there were at least twenty other Bro-Witches out there in the universe. Now I have no idea what exactly at Bro-Witch is and who my Bro-Witching Brothers are, but apparently they are out there. Of course Bro-Witch was meant as an insult, and I took it that way, but after a little thought I decided that the title was absolutely hilarious.

According to the Urban Dictionary a bro is defined as:

An alpha male idiot. This is the derogatory sense of the word (common usage in the western US): white, 16-25 years old, inarticulate, belligerent, talks about nothing but chicks and beer, drives a jacked up truck thats plastered with stickers, has rich dad that owns a dealership or construction business and constantly tells this to chicks at parties, is into extreme sports that might be fun to do but are uncool to claim (wakeboarding, dirt biking, lacrosse), identifies excessively with brand names, spends a female amount of money on clothes and obsesses over his appearance to a degree that is not socially acceptable for a heterosexual male.

Sadly (though I guess I should probably be relieved) I live up to very little of that other than being white. Im way too old to fit the classic definition of a bro, hell I could most certainly be a Bro-Dad if Id ever had kids. I do talk incessantly about my wife, but Im allergic to beer. Now cider and whisky come up a lot in conversation, but only with people who care about such things. I dont feel as if Im all that belligerent, and while Im a pretty harsh critic of my own writing I do think I can share a coherent thought. My wife drives a Pontiac Vibe to work most days, while I tend to walk around everywhere I go or take the train.

I do have a couple of shirts with Gerald Gardner on them, and a few with Crowley too, so I guess I like the brand names! Another definition of bro I found online identified cargo shorts as a part of the bro uniform and Ill admit to being guilty on that end. After I finish writing this article Im going to get my hair done-take that as you will!

Since I was the one identified as a Bro-Witch I had to make my model sort of look like me. Which meant I couldnt give my Bro-Witch a beard or any tattoos but Im sure those exist on a few Bro-Witches in the wild. I think Im mostly making fun of myself in this article, so if you find yourself treading too closely to being a Bro-Witch, dont worry, so am I!

Anatomy of a Bro-Witch

1. Wears Horns on Their Head This is an absolute must because the Bro-Witch desperately wants to be identified as a Witch while out in the wild. The horns say I have a relationship with the Horned God and the Earth, and everyone should love me because of that. Traditional bros often wear hats, but the Bro-Witch turns that around and opts for the horns. Also horns allow the world to see the beautiful hair of the Bro-Witch.

2. A Pentacle or Other Form of Witch Necklace Just in case the horns dont say Witchcraft loudly enough, the obligatory necklace should do the trick. Most Bro-Witches go for the pentagram around their necks, but other versions are acceptable. Both hexagrams (Thelema) and the ten pointed star (found in some versions of the Anderson Feri tradition) say look at me Im a Witch dude! Bro-Witches who want to show their softer side may opt for a goddess symbol around their neck.

3. Skinny Arms The traditional bro often walks around shirtless and probably lifts weights, but not the Bro-Witch. The only heavy lifting Bro-Witches engage in are during cakes and ale, or perhaps when they get out the covens big sword to cast a circle. Underneath our Bro-Witches hoodie theres most likely some sort of tribal tattoo.

4. Designer Witchy Zip-Up Hoodie Brand identity is of utmost importance to the Bro-Witch, so he shows his love of Witchcraft by wearing a Robert Cochrane Traditional Shirtcraft hoodie. No Gucci or Michael Kors for the Witchiest of Bros, instead he wears his Craft allegiances on his sleeve. Other acceptable brands include Gerald Gardner Garb, Esbat Extraordinaire by Valiente, Hotfoot Jackson & Friends, and Sybils Stitches.

Note the Gerald Gardner Garb brand t-shirt on that Bro-Witch.

5. Cargo Shorts Todays Bro-Witch is always on the move, and ready to do ritual at the drop of a Witchs hat, so he carries around a portable collection of altar tools in the pockets of his cargo shorts. A Swiss Army knife makes for a great on the go athame, while his flask of whisky makes the perfect chalice. No candles and matches for the Bro-Witch, the mini-flashlight on his keyring does the job just fine. Loose change is the perfect symbolism for earth while a seashell and a pinecone represent the Lord & Lady.

Dont worry about ritual, hes got his Book of Shadows on a cellphone app all cued up and ready to go. Another app allows him to keep his best Witchcraft books on his phone too, perfect for when he needs to prove his Witchier Than Thouness to an outsider who doesnt get the Bro-Witch code.

Does the Bro-Witch wear underwear? Thats kind of a personal question, but sometimes youve got to get skyclad in a hurry so probably not!

6. Open Toed Sandals The Bro-Witch loves nature and wants to be out in it, but he doesnt want to be too close to it, which is why he wears sandals. The open toe allows him to feel the breeze over his toenails, but the soles of his sandals keep him from having to touch anything itchy or wet with his feet. Blessed be these sandals that have brought thee to the Old Ways! Indeed!

If you ever encounter a Bro-Witch in the wild and outside of a ritual circle, dont worry, most of them are pretty cool and just want to go about their Witchy work!

Original post:
The Anatomy of a Bro-Witch - Patheos (blog)

Exercise Has Anti-aging Benefits and Makes You Years Younger on a Cellular Level – Newsweek

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

Updated | Its not quite eternal youth but scientists have discovered how humans can slow down the aging process and shave almost a decade off their biological agevigorous exercise. In a study of more than 5,000 adults in the U.S., a researcher found those who exercise regularly are younger on a cellular level than those who lead sedentary or moderately active lifestyles.

Research published in the journal Preventative Medicine in April considered data on 5,823 people who had participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2002. The participants were asked demographic and lifestyle questions, including how often they exercised.

They also looked at telomere length. Telomeres are protective caps found at the ends of chromosomes that help keep them stablenot unlike how the plastic sheath at the end of shoelaces stops them from fraying. Every time a cell divides, telomeres get shorter. Eventually they become too small to protect the chromosomes and cells get old and dieresulting in aging.

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English women athletes training in Battersea Park, London, 21st September 1937. Regular, vigorous exercise makes people up to nine years younger. Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Shorter telomeres are related to many age-related diseases, including cancer, stroke and cardiovascular disease.

In the study, exercise science professor Larry Tucker from Brigham Young Universitycompared telomere length with levels of physical activity. His findings showed significant differences between those who did regular, vigorous exercise and those who did not.

Just because youre 40, doesnt mean youre 40 years old biologically, he said in a statement. We all know people that seem younger than their actual age. The more physically active we are, the less biological aging takes place in our bodies.

He discovered adults with a high level of physical activity had a biological aging advantage of nine years compared to sedentary adults. When compared with those who did a moderate amount of exercise, the difference for highly active adults was seven years.

A high level of physical activity was constituted as running between 30 and 40 minutes per day, at least five days per week.

Overall, physical activity was significantly and meaningfully associated with telomere length in U.S. men and women, he wrote. Evidently, adults who participate in high levels of physical activity tend to have longer telomeres, accounting for years of reduced cellular aging compared to their more sedentary counterparts.

He said exactly why exercise appears to preserve telomere length is not known, but added it could be linked with inflammation and oxidative stressexercise is known to suppress inflammation and stress over time.

If you want to see a real difference in slowing your biological aging, it appears that a little exercise wont cut it. You have to work out regularly at high levels, he said. We know that regular physical activity helps to reduce mortality and prolong life, and now we know part of that advantage may be due to the preservation of telomeres.

This article has been updated with the name of the university where Larry Tucker works.

Continue reading here:
Exercise Has Anti-aging Benefits and Makes You Years Younger on a Cellular Level - Newsweek

‘Dr. 90210’ star accepting patients in Orlando – Orlando Sentinel

Posted on May 13, 2017 by Fredricko

Miami-based plastic surgeon Dr. Alex de Souza is partnering with Dr. Robert Rey, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and the star of reality TV show Dr. 90210, to start a practice here in Orlando.

The duo is starting small, performing their procedures at the outpatient surgery facility Endo-Surgical Center of Florida on North Dean Road. They hope to eventually establish a boutique practice here called World Plastic Surgery Center.

De Souza and Rey, who are part of a small community of Brazilian plastic surgeons in the United States, said starting a practice in Orlando made sense, because its a major tourist hub with a busy airport, and because compared to Miami and Beverly Hills, its more affordable.

We looked at different places, said Rey in an interview peppered with inspirational advice including Lift your head, Choose to be happy, and The enemy is the fridge.

Orlando is the most-visited city on earth. Its very heterogenous and is a centralized location, he said.

Brazilian tourists make up one of the top five international groups in Orlando, but de Souza said that wasnt the main deciding factor in choosing the area.

Dr. Harinath Sheela, a gastroenterologist and one of the partners at Endo-Surgical Center, said one of the reasons de Souza and Rey chose to work from his surgery center was because its close to the airport with access to state roads 408 and 417. An independent outpatient surgery center, Endo-Surgical was established here six years ago.

Promise Healthcare, a national hospital company, is opening its first Promise Rejuvenation Center at The Villages, providing anti-aging, weight loss and integrative medicine therapy. Dr. Lena Edwards, board certified in integrative medicine, is the clinics chief medical officer.

Fishman and Sheridan EyeCare Specialists are establishing new offices in Clermont and Eustis, set to open in 2018.

Bostwick Laboratories, a specialty anatomic pathology laboratory with locations in Orlando, New York and Virginia, has been acquired by Poplar Healthcare, a Memphis-based laboratory services company.

TrueHealth, a private nonprofit community health center in Central Florida, held its inaugural fundraising gala May 6, raising nearly $80,000 through contributions and ticket sales.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universitys Daytona Beach campus is started an undergraduate program in aerospace physiology in collaboration with Florida Hospital and its campuses in Volusia and Flagler counties.

Abel Biri is the new CEO of Florida Hospital Waterman, replacing David Ottati, who recently became president and CEO of Florida Hospitals Central Florida Division-North Region.

Brea Weiss, a career-development professional, is the new board chair for Florida Hospital for Children.

David Overfield is Orange County health departments new Interim Assistant Health Officer. Hes replacing Lesli Ahonkhai, whos retiring in June.

Jennifer Knight, a pre-operative nurse at Poinciana Medical Center, received the DAISY Award for Extraordinary Nurses for providing exceptional patient care.

nmiller@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5158; Twitter, @naseemmiller

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'Dr. 90210' star accepting patients in Orlando - Orlando Sentinel

Professor Neil Garg publishes kid-friendly organic chemistry book – Daily Bruin

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Fredricko

Midway through his newly published book, Neil Garg poses a serious scientific question to his reader.

Whats a chemical in coffee that adults like so much?

The question is scrawled in chunky cartoon letters inside the childrens coloring book he created. An answer awaits on the opposite page: caffeine, a stimulant, its molecular structure rendered in black and white.

Garg, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, said he was inspired to write and self-publish The Organic Coloring Book with the help of his two young daughters. Garg released the kid-friendly book April 22, hoping it would inspire children to love organic chemistry as much as he does.

When his younger daughter Kaylie was 4 years old, she began questioning her parents incessantly about the chemicals served in her food, Garg said.

Kaylie had a fear of chemicals, said Garg, who is also a faculty-in-residence at De Neve Gardenia and Holly. She was really skeptical.

So, Garg and his wife began teaching Kaylie that everything around her was filled with chemicals. These important substances, such as cyanidins and beta-carotene, made her blueberries blue and her carrots orange, Garg would tell his daughter. Eventually, he said, chemical naming became a game around his house. Kaylies older sister, Elaina, also joined in on the fun.

The game of chemistry soon reacted with his teaching career to produce the coloring book idea.

The word organic has a lot of definitions these days, Garg said. For example, organic can mean minimal use of pesticides. (But) to an organic chemist, the definition is very different: molecules made up of carbon and hydrogen atoms.

Kaylie and Elaina helped Garg select the molecules for the book. Then he asked a graphic artist to create a little character that would follow the reader on every page of the learning journey: Cheesy, a cartoon mouse.

Emma Baker-Tripp and Joyann Barber, graduate students in Gargs research lab, pitched in by constructing and optimizing the chemical structures used for the book. They made sure every molecules atoms and bonds were visible using the computer programs Spartan and CYLview, said Baker-Tripp, a graduate student in chemistry.

When the book was finally ready to publish, Garg gave away more than 100 free copies to the UCLA Krieger Center and Warren Avenue Elementary School. The children in his daughters fourth-grade class helped distribute some of these copies to their kindergartener friends, he added.

This past weekend, the family gave away more copies at a school event called the Warner Science Slam.

Everybodys been super positive about it, Garg said. Kids love to color; theyll color anything.

Earlier this week, Garg accepted the Royal Society of Chemistry Higher Education Teaching Award for his accomplishments in popularizing organic chemistry and innovating chemical education, according to the societys website. Garg has received multiple awards throughout his teaching career, including recognition for his program Biology and Chemistry Online Notes, an online organic chemistry learning system now used in curricula across multiple states.

[Related: Reel Life: Neil Garg]

Garg said he now hopes local museums or the UCLA Store hear about his coloring book and will be open to distributing it. Some of his students are interested in penning a second volume, he added.

I think theres been a need in general to have research programs give back to the community, Garg said.

Originally posted here:
Professor Neil Garg publishes kid-friendly organic chemistry book - Daily Bruin

Earnings Clues on Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI), KBR, Inc. (KBR) Analyst’s Predictions – StockNewsJournal

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Fredricko

USA Commerce Daily

Earnings Clues on Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI), KBR, Inc. (KBR) Analyst's Predictions
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Earnings Clues on Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (PBYI), KBR, Inc. (KBR) Analyst's Predictions - StockNewsJournal

Anatomy of Fake News – Washington Times – Washington Times

Posted on May 12, 2017 by Fredricko

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

Every time the Washington political press freaks out and goes into full panic mode against President Trump, the blockbuster, Watergate-volume story always unfolds the same way.

First the news starts leaking or breaking. Newsrooms from the Potomac to the Hudson become seized and fixated on every morsel of the delicious story. News flashes zing around the internet.

Then it hits cable television and the press starts slinging the most salacious and scandalous accusations they can whip up, charging the president with the highest crimes imaginable.

Each time, these reporters sink deeper and deeper into a fantasyland as they dream bigger and bigger. THIS TIME, they keep thinking, we FINALLY got him!

Reporters and Democrats alike not to repeat myself are actually now speculating about whether Mr. Trump will survive the certain impeachment hearings to come.

But then, as the heavy breathing subsides and the adrenaline rush gives way to factual, concrete reporting, the most damning charges fall away.

Turns out Mr. Trump is a germaphobe and wasnt in that Russian hotel room.

The bust of Martin Luther King is still in the Oval Office.

He didnt abandon conservatives by naming his sister to the Supreme Court.

Mr. Trumps Tower and people involved in his campaign were, in fact, surveilled.

Slowly, agonizingly, Truth becomes very inconvenient for all these people predicting Mr. Trumps certain demise.

In the end, they are all left clinging to the smallest Styrofoam shard of their original story, bobbing in the harsh sea of Donald Trump Derangement Syndrome.

The last remaining wastrels pontificating about the scandal formerly larger than Watergate are left with just one flimsy accusation.

Well, he could have handled it better, they sniff. He didnt follow Washington political protocol.

Are you freaking kidding me? It all starts with charges of high crimes and misdemeanors impeachment imminent and when it all turns out to be fake news these people walk away grumbling about how Mr. Trump could have handled it better?

Just look at this latest Watergate scandal.

The upshot is that Mr. Trump finally fired a man who every single person in all of Washington, except perhaps James B. Comeys wife, has said at one time or another in the past year should have been fired.

Why was he fired? For all the reasons every single person in Washington has stated at one point or another during the past year.

But if you are among the legions around here suffering from Donald Trump Derangement Syndrome, it is always much more sinister.

Russia!

The FBI was closing in on Donald Trumps sordid connections to the Russians! (Minus the laughably debunked Moscow hotel room scandal that was one of Mr. Trumps previous Watergate scandals.)

The FBI had just asked for more money to pursue the Trump-Russia connection, we were breathlessly told. Subpoenas were just being issued to known associates of known associates of President Trump!

So incensed by the lies of the scandals coverup, it was reported, that a top official in the Justice Department was threatening to quit in protest rather than carry on working for such a criminal in the White House.

And then inconvenient reality unfolds again.

One by one, each of these blockbusters came under clouds of scrutiny. Nobody quits in protest.

By Thursday morning, the whole scandal had substantially come unraveled.

At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Chairman Chuck Grassley, Iowa Republican, said he and Sen. Dianne Feinstein, the ranking Democrat on the committee, had recently met with Mr. Comey and came away with the clear impression that, in fact, Mr. Trump is not a target of any investigation by the FBI.

Sen. Feinstein and I heard nothing that contradicted the presidents statement, he said.

And in a stunning display of nonpartisanship, Mrs. Feinstein agreed.

Well, OK. But the White House should have handled it better.

Charles Hurt can be reached at churt@washingtontimes.com; follow him on Twitter via @charleshurt.

Mavs see young core building chemistry during summer of training … – Mavs.com

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Fredricko

DALLAS Finishing the 2016-17 season with nine players on the roster 26 years old or younger, the Dallas Mavericks now hope to continue the progression of their emerging youth movement going into next year.

Starting off the season with a 4-17 record while 13-time All-Star Dirk Nowitzki missed time due to a right Achilles strain, the Mavericks were forced to turn to their young contributors early and often. The Mavs then saw their young players rally together by the end of the grueling 82-game schedule, despite missing out on the playoffs following a 33-49 campaign. The Mavericks will now attempt to foster their young talent with an extensive offseason training schedule that begins during the month of May. And according to Mavs coach Rick Carlisle, the goal is to help facilitate the growth, chemistry and development of the teams first- and second-year players throughout this summer.

Its going to be busier (this summer) with player development internally than its been, Carlisle admitted. We have a schedule in place. Our first- and second-year guys will be back in mid-May for a couple of weeks, and then mid-June for a couple of weeks. Were going to space out their workouts, so that their bodies can stay fresh, and then prepare them for the Summer League. Weve got to get Yogi (Ferrell) and (Dorian) Finney-Smith and (Nicolas) Brussino and (A.J.) Hammons better. In the first year, theres always going to be an increase in skill level and things like that. Weve just got to be careful not to let these guys plateau. One of the ways we get better is to get better from within.

Weve got to be careful about doing too much too soon, the coach added. So much in this league is really geared towards a group of guys being tied together in the locker room and having a set of definable skills. We want there to be an element of positive predictability within the team, so that everybody knows what everybody can do.

The Mavericks young contributors began to develop definable roles late in the 16-17 schedule while seeing the bulk of the playing time during the final six games of the season. The young Mavs also had their hard work rewarded with a 100-93 win in Memphis during the season finale on April 12, snapping a five-game losing streak to enter the offseason on a high note.

The Mavericks hope to carry the momentum of that victory into the summer, looking to grow the confidence of the young core. That said, each of the young pros will also be asked to grow their own games and come into next season a better player.

A lot of young guys now are just taking it by storm a little bit, and its just more ammo for us to go out there and play even harder for each other, Ferrell explained. We know were young and were going to make mistakes, but thats all a part of the learning process.

I think were excited going forward, 26-year-old combo guard Seth Curry echoed. We showed a lot of things we can build on with young talent. Guys were playing big minutes and playing big moments throughout the season against other great teams and playing well, showing that we can win and not just playing well and just being good. We competed with some of the best teams in the league. And obviously, guys have got to get better going into the offseason. Guys have got to come back and build off the experience they got this year. I think everybody who played and got an opportunity to show what they can do is excited about that.

Much of the teams success next season will come from chemistry on and off the court, according to 25-year-old big man Dwight Powell. That said, the Mavericks hope their budding stars can develop chemistry by spending an extensive amount of time together during the summer.

The Dallas front office also hopes to add another young star capable of stepping in and contributing during the upcoming NBA Draft in June. And with a schedule already in place for the first- and second-year pros to train together in Dallas during the summer, the Mavs see the lessons learned this season serving as motivation for the entire young core.

I mean, chemistry comes down to spending time with one another off the court, playing and having success together, Powell said. We had some trying times this year, but I think it helped us build some strength together and learn a lot about each other during those tough times. That comes with the territory. Guys came in ready to work every day, and I appreciated that. So, at the end of the day, we had a team of guys that wanted to win and wanted to work hard and wanted to be here. You cant ask for more than that. I think the most confidence I have is in guys hunger and guys resolve at the end of the season. They wanted to get better and really are prepared to kind of attack this offseason. I know we all kind of have a bitter taste in our mouths from the whole season and the result at the end of the day, but well try to convert that into motivation for the next few months.

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Mavs see young core building chemistry during summer of training ... - Mavs.com

AP Chemistry taught me to value the growth mindset – The JagWire

Posted on May 11, 2017 by Fredricko

Although I didnt receive the grade I wanted, my experience with a challenging class was still beneficial

As I finish up the semester, I am letting out a huge sigh of relief. AP Chemistry, which has been the source of both excitement and stress for the past 9 months, is finally over. I can definitively say that it was the hardest class Ive ever taken, not necessarily because of the content, but because of the strain it put on me to learn faster, study harder and retain more than I have ever experienced in my high school career. Even though Im ending the semester on a lower score than I anticipated, Ive surprised myself by actually recognizing that Ive grown as a student since August. To me, this made the class worthwhile.

Arriving in AP Chem, I felt more than confident this was going to be my favorite class. I wanted my grades to be perfect so I could study chemistry in college and work in labs all day as a career. And that was a pretty attainable goal. I had breezed by in Pre-AP Chemistry, getting perfect scores on every single test, and the summer assignment didnt even force me to break a sweat. As the year went on, however, things just got more and more difficult. Like most AP classes, there is simply too much content to cover in such a short amount of time. I felt overwhelmed, and mostly scared, because there just seemed to be no other option than to take the grade I was given. No matter how many times I went to go see science teacher Mary Beth Mattingly, she couldnt make me understand chemistry.

Frankly, I still dont understand chemistry. I understand the various concepts, and the math, and how some things fit together, but I havent had the click yet. I havent had the big realization everyones been telling me about. Maybe its because I didnt study enough or I didnt watch enough Khan Academy videos, but mostly I think its because my own understanding just isnt there yet. And for a high school junior, thats OK. Im starting to view learning chemistry as a lifelong process instead of just a way to sign off on some arbitrary credit.

Just because I didnt receive outstanding chemistry grades this year in no way means I never will, and thats the idea that keeps me going. This idea that I can get better at it and improve upon myself is the true reward Ive gotten out of AP Chem. In high school theres this idea that learning a subject is done once you leave high school or college. Though some might be disappointed, thats just not true. Having a philosophy of improving yourself throughout life and at your own pace is called the growth mindset, and until this year, I had no experience with it.

Through taking AP Chem, Ive had some rough nights where Ive just cried at the kitchen counter because I couldnt remember all the intermolecular forces, but Ive also had the days in class where Im asking all the right questions. Ive had the labs with my friends where we mess up a titration so bad, we just have to laugh about it and start over. In the end, I may not have gotten an A, but AP Chem has still been my favorite class.

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AP Chemistry taught me to value the growth mindset - The JagWire

Gene-delivery system prevents vision loss from inherited eye disease – Medical Xpress

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Fredricko

May 10, 2017 Modified ECO nanoparticles bind to interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), which transports them to the target cells in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE.) The ECO is taken up by the cell through endocytosis but the nanoparticles escape endosomes and release the RPE 65 DNA into the nucleus. The RPE65 gene is then expressed by the RPE call, protecting the photoreceptor cells and preserving vision. Credit: Zheng-Rong Lu

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed gene-carrying nanoparticles that home in on target cells and prevent vision loss in mice with a human form of Leber congenital amaurosis.

The condition is one of the most common causes of blindness in children, according to the National Institutes of Health, affecting two to three of every 100,000 newborns.

Though this research focused on the form of the disease called Leber congenital amaurosis 2, or LCA2, the scientists and engineers involved in the study believe the technology holds promise for other forms of LCA as well as other inherited diseases that lead to severe vision loss or blindness.

"We believe this technology can deliver almost any type of gene to tackle inherited visual disorders," said Zheng-Rong Lu, the M. Frank and Margaret Domiter Rudy Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve and leader of the research.

The research team's study is published in the June 16 issue of Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids.

Those with LAC2 carry a mutated RPE65 gene and suffer from profound vision loss from birth. The mutated gene fails to produce RPE65 protein in the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), a cell layer critical for protecting photoreceptors (rods and cones). The protein is an essential constituent of the visual cycle that converts light to electrical signals to the brain.

Reaching target cells

Lu and colleagues designed a lipid-based nanoparticle called ECO to deliver healthy RPE65 genes to RPE cells.

"The promise of this technology is it localizes the drug to the photoreceptor cells, sparing the liver and kidney from exposure," said Krzysztof Palczewski, chairman of the Department of Pharmacology at the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine. Palczewski, a vision scientist, and Lu, who studies drug delivery, have worked together on this research for six years.

"He had a clever idea," Palczewski said. "The nanoparticle uses a protein present in the eye to serve as an anchor, and the gene is delivered when bound."

While other researchers focus on using modified viruses to deliver genes for therapy, sometimes the genes are too large for viruses to carry, Lu said. The ECO can be tailored to fit the cargo.

The exterior of the nanoparticle is coated with nucleic acids that act as targeting agents, drawing the delivery system to the retina and facilitating uptake by RPE cells. To track activity, Lu's team included a fluorescent marker

Treating LCA and more

Following injection into the retina of mice, the researchers could see fluorescent green concentrating in RPE cells. Testing showed a significant increase in light-induced electrical activity from the eyes to the brain, indicating the rods and cones were operating as they should in the visual cycle.

The therapeutic effect lasted 120 days in treated mice. No improvements were observed in untreated mice.

"This work is important beyond one disease," Palczewski said. "The loss of photoreceptor cells affects virtually all of us."

As people age, they lose about 30 percent of their photoreceptors, he explained. Disease or an injury to the retina also can cause the loss of protective proteins in the cells, resulting in additional cell death. The technology potentially could be applied to protect these aged or damaged cells.

The researchers are now investigating whether the ECO system is effective against other visual disorders, including Stargardt disease, which is a form of inherited juvenile macular degeneration, primarily affecting the central portion of the visual field. They are also studying whether the nanoparticles can be used with the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technique to treat genetic lesions related to retinal degenerative diseases.

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Gene-delivery system prevents vision loss from inherited eye disease - Medical Xpress

Grizzly Diet Has Several Surprises, Bear Hair Chemistry Shows – Scientific American

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Fredricko

Chemical content of bears hair reveals surprising eating habits

Researchers from Canada and the US have revealed new insights into the eating habits and hair-growth patterns of a wild grizzly bear population, by analysing the chemical content of their fur.

The team led by Garth Mowat, the head of the Canadian governments Natural Resource Science Section in the Kootenay region of British Columbia, was studying the dietary patterns of grizzlies around the provinces Stikine river. By examining the ratios of different isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in the samples, the researchers could determine what proportion of vegetation, fish, or land mammals like moose and mountain goats made-up the bears diet.

While researchers sometimes look at animals droppings to learn about their eating habits, Mowat explains that this method is not always accurate. What you have in the scat is what they didnt absorb, and so theres a strong bias against foods that are highly digestible, he says. So for example salmon was regularly underestimated in the diet because it almost doesnt appear in the scats. To overcome this issue, scientists regularly turn to laboratory-based methods, such as isotope analysis, for more precise measurements

The team set up traps that could snag a few hairs from a grizzly bears back as it scratched itself on a tree trunk, or made its way down a trail to a feeding ground. Back in the lab, the isotopic analyses brought some unexpected results.

Surprisingly, even during the peak of the salmon season many bears shun the river, choosing instead to continue foraging for vegetation. That was the most intriguing result to us. We thought that any bear that lives within walking distance of the salmon stream would go down and eat some salmon, says Mowat.

While some female bears with cubs, and smaller males, might avoid the salmon streams to duck confrontation with aggressive larger males, Mowat points out that in other coastal regions, smaller bears still manage to eat salmon from very young ages.

Throughout the year, bears diets shift from protein-rich to fattier foodstuffs, as they build up their fat reserves for the winter. Because carbon-13 is often depleted in fatty tissues, this complicated the researchers task, as they would observe significant variation in isotope patterns among hairs from individual bears.

Once they have satisfied their protein needs, they will start focusing on the parts of the animal that are high in fat, because transferring fat to fat fish fat to bear fat is the most efficient chemical pathway, says Mowat. [A salmons] brain is mostly fat, so they break the skull open and eat the brain. The roe is high in fat, and then the skin, even though it doesnt seem very good to eat to us, is largely fat. These selective eating habits meant that Mowats team would often come across gruesome scenes of skinned and decapitated salmon carcasses strewn across the banks of the river.

They also found that the wild bears hair grew later in the year than previously thought. Previously, it was believed that the regions grizzly bears started growing their thicker winter coats from May or June. However, the presence of the isotopic signature of salmon consumption in longer hair samples showed that in fact the bears started to grow their thicker coats later in the summer, as it would not be possible for this signature to appear before the salmon had returned to the Stikine. This finding has important implications for other researchers who want to study bear behaviour by analysing their hair.

One of their more important observations is that some bears dont start growing hair until late in the summer. Weve done a lot of the basic research regarding stable isotopes and their use on bears by doing feeding studies with captive bears, says Charles Robbins, an expert on grizzly bears from Washington State University, US. While we can initiate new hair growth in May if we feed plenty of food, we can also delay it into August and September by feeding at levels where the bears either just maintain their weight or slightly lose weight. Many field researchers have wanted to section hair to look at diets throughout the hair growing season, but Ive warned them that they need to fully understand the temporal aspects of hair growth and not assume when hair starts growing.

Jeff Curtis, an environmental scientist from the University of British Colombia, whose lab ran much of the isotopic analyses, explains that his team are now using these techniques to track the habits of other animals. In particular, they have been tracking European starlings an invasive species in North America that cause severe damage to food crops. Weve been using a multi-element approach to identify where young starlings immigrate from to damage crops, and they are what they eat weve been able to basically determine where to concentrate those efforts to try to control them, says Curtis.

This article is reproduced with permission fromChemistry World. The article wasfirst publishedon May 10, 2017.

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Grizzly Diet Has Several Surprises, Bear Hair Chemistry Shows - Scientific American

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Author Archives: Fredricko

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Anatomy of Fake News – Washington Times – Washington Times

Mavs see young core building chemistry during summer of training … – Mavs.com

AP Chemistry taught me to value the growth mindset – The JagWire

Gene-delivery system prevents vision loss from inherited eye disease – Medical Xpress

Grizzly Diet Has Several Surprises, Bear Hair Chemistry Shows – Scientific American