Select Page ::

Interest in the medical use of psychedelics increasing – Business in Vancouver

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Perry Chua, chief creative officer for NeonMind Biosciences Inc., a company pursuing research into the medical benefits of psychedelic drugs|Chung Chow

Psychedelics arent just for Woodstock anymore.

In a quest to fill a seemingly insatiable appetite for new markets and after witnessing the success of the cannabis industry, many venture capitalists are looking for investment opportunities on the frontiers of research into psychedelic drugs.

Right now there seems to be a tremendous amount of interest in getting these ideas up, running and funded, said Robert Tessarolo, president and CEO of NeonMind BioSciences Inc. (CSE:NEON). Theres a lot of wind in the sales of this industry, money flowing in, capital flowing in.

Psychedelics are being used to treat health issues ranging from post-traumatic stress disorder to obesity. Proponents claim that the way psychedelics affects users thinking can allow patients to confront deep subconscious issues and address the root of the problem.

Pharmaceutical discovery and development are global industries, so the potential business case is very attractive to junior, boutique-based pharma development companies and big pharma, too, said Calum Hughes, CEO of Kelowna-based Allied Corp.

The industry is forecast to grow to US$6.8 billion in North America by 2027 according to Data Bridge Market Research.

Tessarolo is the former CEO of Vancouver-based Mind Medicine (MindMed) Inc. (Nasdaq:MNMD). In early 2020, MindMed became the first psychedelics company to go public, and in a little over a year, more than a dozen others have followed suit. From September 2020 to January 2021, psychedelic stocks raised more than US$500 million.

Payton Nyquvest, president and CEO of Vancouver-based Numinus Wellness Inc., said the rising entrepreneurial interest stems from increasing concern over mental health paired with doubts about the effectiveness of many current medicines and treatments. At the same time, more relaxed legislation surrounding controlled substances is allowing for more research into beneficial uses of illegal drugs. The company is expanding its Nanaimo facility, which is licensed under Canadas Controlled Drug and Substances Act, to produce a variety of psychedelics, including LSD, MDMA, DMT, ketamine and psilocybin, the hallucinogenic substance found in psychedelic mushrooms. Hughes said that while cannabis legalization enabled physicians and scientists to research the benefits of cannabinoids, it also more recently allowed them to look at psilocybins medical benefits.

Tessarolo said the resurgence of research sparked entrepreneurial interest in psychedelics as a legitimate life sciences enterprise, under a more receptive regulatory regime willing to provide special status for psychedelics and, in one case, even approval for use.

While relaxed regulations for cannabis helped open the door for psychedelic testing and acceptance, Tessarolo insists this isnt Cannabis 2.0. For decades, there was a large, grassroots cultural movement around cannabis that touted the benefits of medical marijuana as well as the negative consequences of criminalization. Medical marijuana was largely seen as a step towards broader legalization. The same cant be said for psychedelics. Even though psychedelics have permeated popular culture, there arent annual demonstrations for mushroom legalization. Instead, companies are leading the decriminalization effort by seeking Health Canada and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval in a way more akin to the process for traditional pharmaceuticals.

Tessarolo said his company and others like the pharmaceutical paradigm, and he doesnt think broader legalization is needed.

Ultimately, we believe at NeonMind that the greatest chance that psychedelics have to affect the largest number of patients is with strict regulation through the FDA or Health Canada, said Tessarolo. We dont see this as being a legalization effort.

But not everyone agrees.

Nyquvest said that a patients access to new treatments should be prioritized. And while the pharmaceutical model may work for synthetic drugs like MDMA, Nyquvest said he is concerned that applying the model to naturally occurring substances could raise corporate intellectual property concerns above patients interests.

These are molecules that have occurred in nature for tens of thousands of years, and we need to really look at what accessibility looks like. You look at the amount of people suffering, theres no shortage of market that is desperately needing new treatment, so I think that needs to be the focus of all companies in this space.

Shroom boom? Here’s why investors say psychedelics are the next stock to watch. – 13newsnow.com WVEC

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Medical research is proving the potential psychedelic mushrooms hold when it comes to healing mental health. Now, investors are looking to cash in.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. Inside of an unassuming building in Virginia Beach, something is growing.

Its where Ryan Staabs fascination for shrooms blossomed.

After learning about the benefits of different mushroom varieties, he turned it into a business: Capstone Mushrooms. Its an indoor farm of sorts, where he grows and sells hard-to-find gourmet mushrooms.

There are mushrooms that can help heal your brain, help you think better, mushrooms that can inspire you, build your immune system, said Staab. When I thought about that, I thought I have to make this available to more than just myself, so I became diligent, on a mission.

Staab says theyre herbal and medicinal, and they deliver benefits without getting you intoxicated. In other words, theyre not "magic" mushrooms.

But across the world, scientists are giving magic mushrooms the serious treatment. New studies are finding magic mushrooms, also known as psychedelics, can heal us and could potentially be used as therapeutics for mental illness.

I think its gonna blow up, said Dr. Matthew Johnson, a Professor in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Johns Hopkins University.

During a recent study, his team discovered that just two doses of the psychedelic substance Psilobin sharply reduced depression and curbed smoking addiction. Already, several states have moved to decriminalize psychedelics, including Oregon and Washington D.C.

I think theres incredible potential here. I really do think it's gonna be a new paradigm within psychiatric treatment, said Johnson. Its a new treatment model, and theres a lot of opportunities. Thats gonna come with both the positive and challenges. This stuff has to be done safely.

This is just the start of an even bigger story. Experts believe the psychedelic research happening worldwide will lead to a major shroom boom when it comes to investing.

Gabe Rodriguez, the head of investor relations at psychedelics company E-Have said its just the beginning.

This is the time, said Rodriguez. If you missed the run on cannabis, youve got psychedelics.

Rodriguez added, "We think psychedelics is gonna make the cannabis sector look like childs play. If you got burned on the cannabis side, that means you came in toward the end of the sector when it was hot. So, how about you turn it around and come into the psychedelics sector when its hot instead of when its already running on top?

For now, Staab is soaking up all the benefits non-magic mushrooms have to offer. He packs them up into small boxes and sends them off to various farmers' markets and grocery stores throughout Hampton Roads.

Staab hopes to make an impact one shroom at a time.

Shroom boom? Here's why investors say psychedelics are the next stock to watch. - 13newsnow.com WVEC

NIH Director Praises Psychedelics’ Potential As Therapeutic Treatment, Touts Progress In Access To Cannabis For Research – Benzinga

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

During a WednesdaySenate budget hearing,Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) expressedpositive remarks about the therapeutic potential of psychedelics such as psilocybin and MDMA.

I think as weve learned more about how the brain works we began to realize that these are potential tools for research purposes and might be clinically beneficial, Collins said.

The NIH is the countrys main health agency responsible for public health research. As its director, Collins stands as the highest ranking health officer in the federal government.

Psychedelics: Collins said there has been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic drugs, which for a while were sort of considered not an area that researchers legitimately ought to go after.

He went on to explain that psilocybin has been tested in three randomized, controlled trials for depression, showing signsof potential interest.

That could be quite exciting, because we all are looking for new approaches to that.

Collins added that MDMA and LSD are also under research and acknowledged that psilocybin is the psychedelic molecule that hasgarnered the most attention of late.

He told the committee hearingthat he hasbeen inconversations with the National Institute of Drug Abuse and the National Institute of Mental Health about whether its a good moment to consider having perhaps a workshop to say, OK, what have we learned so far and what more might we want to do as far as designing the next generation of clinical trials to see where these provide benefits going beyond depression to such things as PTSD?

These agencies, he estimates,will want to have a hard look at these treatments over the course of the next year.

Medical Cannabis: The NIH directoralso referred to progress being made in access to medical marijuana for federal research.

Were making some progress. You may know that in the past, researchers who wanted to do clinical studies on marijuana had all kinds of limitations," Collins said, adding that for the past five decades there had been onlyone source of marijuana for federal research purposes.

That of course is an issue because its a limited opportunity for access.

Collins said that the DEA hadrecently grantedpermission to expand the number of research marijuana providers.

However, Collins said,the best solution is to remove cannabis from its classification as a Schedule I drug.

What we really need is to moderate the schedule 1 limitation, Collins said, proposing the creation of a Schedule 1R category that would create a different pathway for researchers.

NIH Director Praises Psychedelics' Potential As Therapeutic Treatment, Touts Progress In Access To Cannabis For Research - Benzinga

Ive experimented with psychedelic drugs to improve my mental health dont call me a waster – The Independent

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Theres a strength and a maturity in seeing things the way they are and not how you want them to be. MDMA and psychedelic therapy have been used as tools for tackling trauma. It may not fit in with everyones narrative, but its about time we integrated psychedelics into mental health.

There has never been a better time to talk about the mental health benefits of psychedelics than in the midst of a global pandemic. In England, the Centre for Mental Health has predicted that up to 10 million people close to a fifth of the population will need mental health support as a direct consequence of Covid-19.

This week, BBC Two aired The Psychedelic Drug Trial, which follows research on the effects of psychedelic drugs on mental health, and in March the worlds first psychedelic-assisted therapy clinic of its kind opened in Bristol. Behind this revolution in mental healthcare is UK-based scientific group, Awakn Life Sciences. The biotechnology companyis pioneering psychedelics with psychotherapy as the next evolution in psychiatry. The scientific team is being led by Professor David Nutt and Dr Ben Sessa, author of The Psychedelic Renaissance.

Ive used psychedelics and anti-depressant drugs to help me with my mental health. The prescription drugs dont work. Ive been prescribed antidepressants a few times, during the darkest periods of my life. With antidepressants, my personality changed from being expressive to distant and vague.

I felt other to myself, so I self-medicated with psychedelics. I already knew about their unique properties as I had experimented with them when I was studying philosophy; they helped me grapple with concepts beyond my comprehension. Taking psychedelics allowed me to navigate my way through my emotions in a way that I had never been able to do with antidepressants. Instead of feeling detached from myself, as I had with the prescribed drugs, I felt engaged. Antidepressants take you away from yourself psychedelics introduce you to yourself.

Its important to state that drugs are not all the same. MDMA and psychedelics dont belong in the same category as drugs like heroin and crack. The former dont make you go against society they do the opposite they make you empathetic towards others. I take umbrage at being thought of as a waster because of my knowledge of MDMA and psychedelics. People shouldnt be crucified in their quest for truth.

Our preconceived notions of these drugs need to be challenged. A great many people like me, deemed normal, are curious and experimental. Were university lecturers, scientists, writers, office workers and every other profession you can think of. Its abominable that people who suffer from treatment-resistant depression have not been getting the help they need because of archaic and inaccurate views on psychedelics.

Im not naive about these drugs you need to be sensible when taking psychedelics. They are mind-altering they cut through the mesh of your existence. Some people are fearful of this because they think psychedelics offer a false reality, but all our realities are already skewed.

There are so many things that we are blind to; were unable to hear certain frequencies or see certain colours, there are whole worlds that exist outside our perceived perception. Even the language we speak affects our perception of reality, and only allows us to see a fraction of life.

In these unprecedented times, weve had to adapt to a new normal. There has never been a better time to open our minds and embrace the science of psychedelics. Its time we reconsidered our views on psychedelics, and properly appreciate the evidence-based psychedelic research. As my own experience has confirmed, they have great value when it comes to mental health.

Read the rest here:

Ive experimented with psychedelic drugs to improve my mental health dont call me a waster - The Independent

Can Psychedelics Actually Cure Depression and PTSD? – The Motley Fool

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Is there about to be a psychedelic drug boom in mental health treatment? In May researchers released data from a phase 3 trial that used MDMA (street name: ecstasy) along with talk therapy to treat people who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And COMPASS Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS) is exploring the use of psilocybin (the active ingredient in "magic mushrooms") in combination with talk therapy, to treat people who have severe depression.

How big is this possible new market going to be? Corinne Cardina, bureau chief of healthcare and cannabis at Fool.com, and Motley Fool writer Taylor Carmichael discuss this emerging new treatment paradigm in a clip from Motley Fool Live,recorded on May 14.

Corinne Cardina: Do you want to go ahead and jump into psychedelics?

Taylor Carmichael: Sure.

Cardina: All right. Speaking of risky, and biotech, and cutting-edge technology in the healthcare space, there has been some exciting developments in psychedelic drugs. Last week results from a phase 3 trial of MDMA, which is actually combined with talk therapy in this trial, targeting post-traumatic stress disorder, really blew everybody away. The remission rates in this trial were double that of a placebo. The results are going to be published in the Nature Medicine journal and according to The New York Times, FDA approval could come by 2023. What is the potential market for PTSD that could be treated with MDMA? What do we know about this market?

Carmichael: Well, there are a lot of people that have post-traumatic stress disorder. A lot of it's soldiers, but there are also civilians, ordinary people who have traumatic events in their lives and it affects them. I think the market opportunity that I saw was anywhere up to, I want to say $80 billion. Let me check my notes real quick. $20 billion to $80 billion was the market opportunity. One, for people who don't know, MDMA is ecstasy. This is a drug that's been illegal for a long time. What they're doing, they're giving ecstasy to people with PTSD, and they're combining that with talk therapy. It's highly regulated, it's not just people going off on their own and using drugs. They take ecstasy and then the therapist talks to them through the experience and chats with them through the experience. We're going to talk about ecstasy and magic mushrooms, just to use the street terms. Those are two things, they both require talk therapy. That's an interesting aspect. I think in healthcare, what we've seen over the last several decades is talk therapy has declined, and has been replaced with people on depression using drugs. The pharmaceuticals, Prozac and Zoloft and all these drugs that are to help with depression. Talk therapy, which has always been expensive has declined and people taking drugs instead. Well, this kind of flips it on its head and we're back to the importance of talk therapy. In this trial, they gave the people ecstasy and then they had counselors talk them through it. Obviously, you know if you had ecstasy or have not had ecstasy, so I don't know how good they were at masking the (placebo) versus the real thing. But they also did talk therapy with people who do not have ecstasy. But they saw dramatic improvements in the people that had ecstasy and were able to talk to their therapist about their issues and they're not exactly sure how the science works. Part of it is, the experience decreases your fear, and it makes you feel, I guess safe, but decreases your fear. As such, you're able to talk about traumatic events without getting upset by them. Just that talking of it takes away a lot of the stress and a lot of anxiety. Apparently, it has been very successful.

Cardina: It's for severe PTSD. It's called MDMA assisted therapy. Like you said, it's not people getting street drugs and going to their house and trying to work through things, it's very controlled. But like you said, I think what's interesting about this is a double-blind study, it's already been published in Nature Medicine. It's a really interesting read if you're interested in this. But it is hard to mimic MDMA if you're in the placebo. Definitely, I'm curious about that. I haven't read through the whole thing. But it's really interesting because it's a cutting-edge field in healthcare. Harkens back to the early days of medical marijuana. There may be some parallels in terms of the market as we overcome stigmatization and try to find medical applications.

This article represents the opinion of the writer, who may disagree with the official recommendation position of a Motley Fool premium advisory service. Were motley! Questioning an investing thesis -- even one of our own -- helps us all think critically about investing and make decisions that help us become smarter, happier, and richer.

Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana and Psychedelic Stock News Stories of the Week – Yahoo Finance

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Welcome to the Cannabis Countdown, the Legal Marijuana Industrys Number One Curated Weekly News Recap.

In This Weeks Edition, We Recap and Countdown the Top 10 Cannabis and Psychedelic Stock News Stories for the Week of May 17th 23rd, 2021.

Without further ado, lets get started.

10. Red White & Bloom Announces Successful Launch of High Times THC Products in 23 Michigan Dispensaries

With Michigans Marijuana Market Continuing its Rapid Rise, the MRA Reported April Sales in the Great Lakes State Reached USD $154 Million, Putting the States Cannabis Market on a Current Annualized Run-Rate of USD $1.85 Billion

Red White & Bloom (CSE: RWB) (OTCQX: RWBYF) announced on Tuesday the successful launch of the companys High Times branded THC products in 23 Michigan dispensaries throughout the majority of the Great Lakes State. Within the first two weeks, RWBs initial CDN $1.25 million order was already 60% sold. As evidence of the popularity of the iconic High Times cannabis brand in Michigan, some retailers saw their High Times THC pre-orders exceed 10% of their dispensarys total inventory.

READ FULL RWB ARTICLE

9. New Field Trip Study Suggests Americans Open to the Idea of Psychedelic Treatments

Though There Have Been Positive Stories About Those Who Took Time to Reconnect With Family, Enjoy a Slower Pace of Life, and Exercise More During the Covid Crisis, Over Eight Out of Ten Americans Surveyed By Field Trip Reported at Least One Symptom of Depression

The results of Field Trip Healths (CSE: FTRP) (OTC: FTRPF) first annual State of Mind survey hold few surprises for those who have followed the news around the effects of the pandemic on mental health. Field Trip Health is the largest provider of psychedelic therapies in the world and initiated this survey to look into the state of mental and emotional health in the U.S., and to get a sense of how receptive respondents are towards incorporating psychedelics into treatment.

Story continues

READ FULL FTRP ARTICLE

8. Aurora Cannabis to Commence Trading on NASDAQ

The Move to the NASDAQ is Reportedly Part of the Firms Efforts to Reduce Costs

Aurora Cannabis (TSX: ACB) (NYSE: ACB) (FRA: 21P) reported that the company has completed the transfer of its stateside listing to the NASDAQ Global Select Market, from that of the New York Stock Exchange after yesterdays closing bell. The planned transfer was originally reported on May 13. The company this morning is set to commence trading on the Nasdaq following the transfer while maintaining the symbol ACB.

READ FULL ACB ARTICLE

7. MindMed Announces the Approval of Mescaline Study

Mescaline is a Classic Serotonergic Hallucinogen, Similar to LSD and Psilocybin, With a Long, Non-Regulated History of Spiritual Use

MindMed (NEO: MMED) (NASDAQ: MNMD) (FRA: MMQ) announced the approval by the local Swiss ethics committee of the first clinical trial evaluating the acute effects of different doses of mescaline and the role of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor in mescaline-induced altered states of consciousness (MDR-Study). The study will be conducted at the University Hospital Basel Liechti Lab, in Basel, Switzerland, and is planned to start this month.

READ FULL MINDMED ARTICLE

6. Ayr Wellness: Analysts Anticipate US$108 Million in Q3 Revenue

Three Analysts Have Revenue Estimates for the Third Quarter, With the Average Projection Coming in at USD $108 Million

Ayr Strategies (CSE: AYR.A) (OTCQX: AYRSF) announced that they will be reporting their fiscal third quarter financials after hours on March 26th. Analysts have a consensus C$58 12-month price target on the company, via a total of 4 analysts, with one analyst having a strong buy rating and the other three having buy ratings. The street high comes from Beacon Securities with a C$76 price target.

READ FULL AYR ARTICLE

5. Can Psychedelics Actually Cure Depression and PTSD?

There is Now Data Suggesting That Magic Mushrooms and Ecstasy Combined With Talk Therapy May Help People With Severe Depression and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Is there about to be a psychedelic drug boom in mental health treatment? In May researchers released data from a phase 3 trial that used MDMA (street name: ecstasy) along with talk therapy to treat people who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And Compass Pathways (NASDAQ: CMPS) is exploring the use of psilocybin (the active ingredient in magic mushrooms) in combination with talk therapy, to treat people who have severe depression.

READ FULL CMPS ARTICLE

4. Cannabis Co Greenlane Holdings And KushCo Holdings Move a Step Closer to Merger

In March, the Companies Announced That KushCo Had Agreed to Become a Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of Greenlane Under an All-Stock Deal

Greenlane Holdings (NASDAQ: GNLN) and KushCo Holdings (OTCQX: KSHB) are one step closer to finalizing their recent merger. On Tuesday, the companies reported the expiration of the 30-day waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976 for the proposed merger.

READ FULL GNLN KSHB ARTICLE

3. Cybin Granted IRB Approval for Phase II Clinical Trials of its Sublingual Psilocybin Formulation for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Psilocybin Has Been Granted Breakthrough Therapy Designation by the U.S. FDA to Multiple Entities in the USA, and This Specific Trial Will Become the First of its Kind Comparing a 25mg Psilocybin Capsule With Cybins Proprietary Sublingual Film Formulation

Cybin Inc. (NEO: CYBN) (OTC: CLXPF), a biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics, today announced that the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the University of the West Indies Hospital, in Jamaica has granted approval to commence the study of its sublingual psilocybin formulation (CYB001) in a Phase II clinical trial for patients suffering with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Commencement of the clinical trial is subject to final confirmation of study material specifications by Jamaicas Ministry of Health.

READ FULL CYBN ARTICLE

2. GrowGeneration Acquires The Harvest Company, Expands Footprint in Californias Emerald Triangle

Acquisition Brings Number of GrowGen Locations Nationwide to 55

GrowGeneration (NASDAQ: GRWG), the nations largest chain of specialty hydroponic and organic garden centers, today announced its acquisition of The Harvest Company, a northern California-based hydroponic supply center and cultivation design innovator with stores in Redding and Trinity County. The Harvest Company serves growers in Northern Californias Emerald Triangle the largest cannabis-producing region in the country.

READ FULL GRWG ARTICLE

1. MindMed Announces Launch of Collaboration with Nextage Therapeutics Brain Targeting Liposome System

Using This State-of-the-Art Drug Delivery Technology, MindMed is Seeking to Capitalize on the Opportunity to Mitigate the Serious Side Effects That Can Make Some Orally Administered Psychedelics Poor Drug Candidates

MindMed (NEO: MMED) (NASDAQ: MNMD) (FRA: MMQ) and Nextage Therapeutics (TASE: NXTG), an Israeli innovative drug development company, announced the execution of an MOU regarding the launch of an exclusive collaborative development program to optimize the delivery of certain psychedelic drug candidates, leveraging Nextages proprietary Brain Targeting Liposome System (BTLS) delivery technology, for which it has an exclusive license. MindMed and Nextage will initially collaborate to optimize the delivery of drug products based on noribogaine, and ultimately other ibogaine derivatives, and will share development costs and intellectual property arising from the collaboration.

READ FULL MMED ARTICLE

See more from Benzinga

Read the rest here:

Cannabis Countdown: Top 10 Marijuana and Psychedelic Stock News Stories of the Week - Yahoo Finance

NIH Director Touted Benefits of Psychedelics Including Psilocybin and MDMA – Stockhouse

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Psychedelics may be one step closer to decriminalization. All after the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Francis Collins touted the benefits of psilocybin and MDMA, as noted by Marijuana Moment . There has been a resurgence of interest in psychedelic drugs, which for a while were sort of considered not an area that researchers legitimately ought to go after,” Collins said. And I think as we’ve learned more about how the brain works, we’ve begun to realize that these are potential tools for research purposes and might be clinically beneficial.” That support could be beneficial for companies, such as NeonMind Biosciences ( CSE:NEON) (OTC:NMDBF), Cybin Inc. (NEO:CYBN)(OTC:CLXPF), Mind Medicine Inc. (NEO:MMED) (NASDAQ:MNMD), HAVN Life Sciences Inc. (CSE:HAVN)(OTC:HAVLF), and Mydecine Innovations Group (CSE:MYCO)(OTC:MYCOF).

Studies have already shown that some psychedelics could be useful for treating anxiety, PTSD, opioid addictions, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and alcoholism. We may also soon learn psilocybin could potentially assist in treating eating disorders and obesity from a NeonMind Biosciences study. That's because psilocybin activates serotonin receptors, or "nature's own appetite suppressant," as noted by Psychology Today. "This powerful brain chemical curbs cravings and shuts off appetite. It makes you feel satisfied even if your stomach is not full. The result is eating less and losing weight."

NeonMind Biosciences (CSE:NEON)(OTC:NMDBF) to Commence Trading on OTCQB

NeonMind Biosciences announced that its shares will commence trading on the OTCQB® Venture Market on May 28, 2021, under the symbol NMDBF”. NeonMind will continue to trade on the Canadian Securities Exchange under its existing symbol NEON”.

The OTCQB, operated by OTC Markets Group Inc., is designed for early-stage and developing U.S. and international companies. Companies must be current in their financial reporting and undergo an annual verification and management certification process, including meeting a minimum bid price and other financial conditions. With more compliance and quality standards, the OTCQB provides investors improved visibility to enhance trading decisions. The OTCQB is recognized by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission as an established public market providing public information for analysis and value of securities.

With this OTCQB listing, NeonMind has achieved a significant milestone in its mission to advance its psilocybin drug development programs,” said Robert Tessarolo, President & CEO of NeonMind. We expect this listing to increase our financial capabilities and expand our exposure to the U.S. investment community. This capital markets support will be extremely valuable as we continue to execute on our long-term strategy to advance the use of therapeutic psychedelic compounds for weight management conditions including obesity, which is a growing global health crisis.”

Other related developments from around the markets include:

Cybin Inc., a biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics, announced that it has filed an international patent application that brings the potential to obtain patent coverage in 153 countries. The application, governed by the Patent Cooperation Treaty, grants the Company the right to file future national applications into treaty member jurisdictions, including important potential markets for the Company. The PCT claims a library of psychedelic derivative drug development candidates.

Mind Medicine Inc., a leading psychedelic medicine biotech company, announced the publication of the first pharmacogenetic data on LSD to help personalize dosing . The study results from a pooled secondary analysis of four Phase 1 studies that each used a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design and were conducted at the University Hospital Basel Liechti Lab, in Basel, Switzerland. The results of this study indicate that pharmacogenetic testing prior to LSD-assisted treatment may inform LSD dose selection at the individual patient level.

HAVN Life Sciences Inc., biotechnology company pursuing standardized extraction of psychoactive compounds and the development of natural health products, is pleased to announce a production and supply agreement with Lobe Sciences Ltd. , an innovative biotech company committed to investigating and developing treatments using psychedelic and non-traditional medicines for better brain health. Pursuant to the Agreement, HAVN Life will produce and supply an offering of Natural Health Products, which will include plant-based compounds and non-psychoactive mushrooms. The Agreement with Lobe Sciences will create an additional revenue stream for HAVN Life, and the team will look to generate additional agreements in the coming months.

Mydecine Innovations Group said that it has received approval from Health Canada to significantly expand” its cultivation capabilities at its current good manufacturing practice (cGMP) facility, at the Applied Pharmaceutical Innovation in Canada. The Denver, Colorado-based biopharma company focused on the research and development of alternative nature-sourced medicine, said that it would use the new guidance from Health Canada to expand its cultivation facilities and rapidly scale up the supply of pharmaceutical-grade psilocybin for both its internal clinical research and for its industry partners. The increased cultivation will also allow the company to more efficiently and quickly study the medical utility of naturally occurring psilocybin and psilocybin-like compounds,” said the company.

Legal Disclaimer / Except for the historical information presented herein, matters discussed in this article contains forward-looking statements that are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. Winning Media is not registered with any financial or securities regulatory authority and does not provide nor claims to provide investment advice or recommendations to readers of this release. For making specific investment decisions, readers should seek their own advice. NeonMind Biosciences Inc. has paid three thousand five hundred dollars for advertising and marketing services to be distributed by Winning Media. Winning Media is only compensated for its services in the form of cash-based compensation. Winning Media owns ZERO shares of NeonMind Biosciences Inc. Please click here for full disclaimer.

Contact Information: 2818047972 ty@LifeWaterMedia.com

Here is the original post:

NIH Director Touted Benefits of Psychedelics Including Psilocybin and MDMA - Stockhouse

Texas Psychedelics Research Bill Continues To Advance, Passes Senate Together With Cannabis Concentrates Measure – Benzinga

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

A psychedelics-related bill and acannabis-focused measure were both given thegreen light by the Texas Senate this Saturday and Friday, respectivelyreported Marijuana Moment.

House bill 1802 to research the therapeutic effects of psilocybin and MDMA was first presented in February by Texas state Rep. Alex Dominguez (D). The initiative requires the Department of State Health Services and Texas Medical Board to study psilocybin, MDMAand ketamine for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other health conditions.

Research would be conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine and a military veterans hospital or a medical center that provides medical care to veterans, as the bill was amended by a House committee to place a special focus on veterans with PTSD.

The bill wasapprovedin the House earlier this month and last Wednesday it also passed Senate Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee in a 5-0 vote.

Instead of hitting Gov. Greg Abbotts desk, both bills must goback to their initial chamber because they were amended by senators, noted the outlet.

A balanced budget amendment to the bill, which the Senate approved, states that psychedelic research cannotbe conducted if there is no funding to support it.

The cannabis-related measure that was approved by the Texas Senate would make possession of up to two ounces of concentrates a class B misdemeanor. As a class B misdemeanor, the offense is still subject to the threat of jail time but is much less serious than the felony classification, which such an offense normally warranted.

An amendment to this bill added by senators asksthat when calculating THC potency in legal hemp products all forms of tetrahydrocannabinol must be included.

Photo by Janet Reddick at Pixaby

For the latest in financial news, exclusive stories, memes follow Benzinga on Twitter, Facebook & Instagram. For the best interviews, stock market talk & videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Go here to see the original:

Texas Psychedelics Research Bill Continues To Advance, Passes Senate Together With Cannabis Concentrates Measure - Benzinga

With Psychedelics, Mental Health Care May Never be the Same – Baystreet.ca

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

With psychedelics, mental health care may never be the same. All as some of the nations top universities are racing to set up psychedelic research centers, and investors are pouring millions of dollars into a pack of start-ups. States and cities across the country are beginning to loosen restrictions on the drugs, the first steps in what some hope will lead to the federal decriminalization of psychedelics for therapeutic and even recreational use, as reported by The New York Times. Thats been substantial news for NeonMind Biosciences (CSE:NEON) (OTC:NMDBF), Cybin Inc. (NEO:CYBN)(OTC:CLXPF), Tryp Therapeutics Inc. (CSE:TRYP), Mind Medicine Inc. (NEO:MMED)(OTC:MMEDF), and Compass Pathways (NASDAQ:CMPS).

Not only has the US FDA been supportive of psychedelics, Johns Hopkins, Yale, Berkeley, and Mount Sinai Hospital are establishing psychedelic divisions, as well. Plus, theres been a substantial proof psychedelics can help with issues such as depression, anxiety, addiction, obsessive compulsive disorder, and obesity.

In fact, NeonMind Biosciences is exploring psilocybin as a potential treatment for obesity and to support weight loss. In fact, NeonMinds first drug candidate employs psilocybin as an agonist to the serotonin receptor 5-HT2A, which is involved in the hallucinogenic effect of psychedelics. The second drug candidate employs psilocybin as an agonist to the serotonin 5-HT2C receptor, which controls appetite.

NeonMind Biosciences (CSE:NEON)(OTC:NMDBF) Creating a Medical Advisory Board

NeonMind Biosciences an integrated drug development and wellness company focused on the potential therapeutic uses of psilocybin for treating obesity and weight management conditions, is pleased to announce the formation of a Medical Clinic Advisory Board to guide the planning and operation of NeonMind branded clinics across Canada. Members of the advisory board will be comprised of experts on provincial and local health care access and advocacy, ketamine treatment and psychotherapy protocols, and clinical operations, strategy, and growth.

The formation of our Medical Clinic Advisory Board is a critical next step in the creation of our clinics and treatment models. By incorporating a team of experts specializing in mental healthcare, interventional psychiatric treatment, psychedelics, and clinical deployment, operations, and advocacy, we are achieving the next step in our strategic plan to increase treatment access in local markets across Canada, said Robert Tessarolo, President & CEO of NeonMind.

Currently, ketamine and esketamine may legally be prescribed and administered in Canadian medical clinics, however there is a need for these clinics and treatments to be tailored to community and local health needs. As psychedelic drug development and treatment programs evolve to include additional psychedelic-enhanced therapies with substances like psilocybin, NeonMind will be positioned to have the infrastructure in place to safely and effectively administer these treatments.

Our Medical Clinic Advisory Board will ensure that NeonMind is able to develop protocols and treatment programs at the cutting edge of mental health research and ensure that we are prioritizing value, access and advocacy for those who need them, added Rob Tessarolo.

Other related developments from around the markets include:

Cybin Inc., a biotechnology company focused on progressing psychedelic therapeutics, announced that it has filed a new provisional patent application in support of its ongoing drug candidate programs. The application discloses novel compositions which are expected to have improved pharmacokinetic profiles while retaining key efficacy measures of the original molecules and discloses innovative methods of deploying the novel compositions with faster therapeutic onset of Cybins psychedelic tryptamine, while reducing psychedelic side effects and decreasing duration of the therapeutic effect thereof.

Tryp Therapeutics Inc., a pharmaceutical company focused on developing clinical-stage compounds for diseases with unmet medical needs, announced a master service agreement with Clinlogix, a Contract Research Organization (CRO), to support Tryps clinical development of its Psilocybin-for-Neuropsychiatric Disorders (PFNTM) program. Clinlogix has global experience with providing CRO services for the development of novel pharmaceutical products. The company will collaborate with Tryp and its clinical partners in a number of areas including medical writing, biostatistical analysis, data management, and trial monitoring.

Mind Medicine Inc., a leading clinical stage psychedelic medicine company, and Nextage Therapeutics, an Israeli innovative drug development company, announce the execution of a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the launch of an exclusive collaborative development program to optimize the delivery of certain psychedelic drug candidates, leveraging Nextages proprietary Brain Targeting Liposome System (BTLS) delivery technology, for which it has an exclusive license. MindMed and Nextage will initially collaborate to optimize the delivery of drug products based on noribogaine, and ultimately other ibogaine derivatives, and will share development costs and intellectual property arising from the collaboration.

Compass Pathways, a mental health care company dedicated to accelerating patient access to evidence-based innovation in mental health, reported its financial results for the first quarter 2021 and gave an update on recent progress across its business. George Goldsmith, Chairman, CEO and Co-founder, COMPASS Pathways, said, Our recent financing gives us additional resources to work even faster and to expand our efforts, grow our team, and focus on developing new indications, new compounds and new technologies, building on our leadership position in psilocybin therapy and mental health care. Far too many people are suffering with mental health challenges today. We are focused on developing evidence-based therapies that can make a difference and be accessible to as many patients as possible who might benefit. The COMP360 data published in the New England Journal of Medicine showed promising signals in a small investigator-initiated study. We are approaching the completion of our phase IIb trial of COMP360 psilocybin therapy for treatment-resistant depression, and on track to report data by the end of the year.

Contact Information: 2818047972[emailprotected]

See original here:

With Psychedelics, Mental Health Care May Never be the Same - Baystreet.ca

Wesana Health, WBC Partner to Study Psychedelics as Treatment for TBIs – StreetInsider.com

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

News and research before you hear about it on CNBC and others. Claim your 1-week free trial to StreetInsider Premium here.

Daniel Carcillo retired from the National Hockey League in 2015, after nine seasons in the game. He had been diagnosed with several concussions and had struggled with insomnia, depression, anxiety, headaches and even slurred speech in his professional seasons as a hockey player.

Determined to get better, Carcillo implemented lifestyle changes that included the use of psilocybin, an active ingredient found in magic mushrooms, as well as eating healthier and getting more sleep. This, he said, helped improve his overall heath tremendously&

What is that?! SpaceX’s Starlink satellites explained – EarthSky

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Here at EarthSky, were receiving many excited emails about sightings of lights traveling together across the night sky. UFOs? No. Usually, people are seeing Starlink satellites. Roger Oban in Tucson, Arizona, captured this photo of Starlinks on May 5, 2021. He wrote: Shot in my backyard. I was just about to shut down, when 5 satellites came through, all in a straight line. Thank you, Roger!

Starlink is the name of a satellite network that SpaceX is developing to provide global broadband coverage for high-speed internet access, particularly for people across the world in rural and remote areas. SpaceX has launched more than 600 new Starlinks this year,typically launching 60 at a time.As of last week, that places the number of Starlink satellites currently in orbit at more than 1,500. Over the coming few years, SpaceX plansto send up at least 12,000 Starlink satellites.Satellite internet is beamed through space at a rate thats reportedly 47% faster than fiber-optic cable internet. All well and good. But the Starlinks are bright. Theycan be seen in the night sky. Each launch creates whats being called megaconstellations groups of satellites moving together. Is2021s sudden upsurge in the number of Starlink satellites also causing UFO sightings to increase? Plus, astronomers are worried. The Starlink satellitesare photobombingastronomical images. They have the potential to interferewith the professional observations that have brought us our modern-day view of the cosmos.

The proposal for Starlink was announced by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk back in January 2015. Though it wasnt given a name at the time, Musk said that the company had already filed documents withinternational regulators to place about 4,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit. He said in a speech when revealing the project:

Were really talking about something that is, in the long term, like rebuilding the internet in space.

And his predictions so far have proven true. Musks initial estimate of the number of satellites quickly grew, as he hoped to capture a part of the estimated $1 trillion worldwide internet connectivity market. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has granted SpaceX permission to fly 12,000 satellites, and perhaps as many as 30,000 eventually. To put things into perspective: only about 2,000 operational satellites currently orbit Earth. Fewer than 9,000 have ever been launched in all of history, according to the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Starlink satellites orbit at an altitude of 340 miles (550 km). At that height, theyre low enough to get pulled down to Earth by atmospheric drag and burn up in a few years, so that they dont become space junk once they die (a problem SpaceX may hope to tackle using Starship). Each one weighs 500 pounds (227 kg), and measures about the size of a typical coffee table, according to Skyandtelescope.com.

It was exciting to see the first few Starlink satellites, traveling together in the night sky. But then more were launched, and then more. And astronomers began to worry.

SpaceXs two test satellites, TinTinA and TinTinB, launched in 2018. The mission went smoothly. Using that initial data, the company decided it wanted its fleet to operate lower than originally planned. Regulators deliberated and the FCC approved the move.

The first 60 Starlink satellites were successfully launched on May 23, 2019, aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Members of the Starlink team plan to launch up to 60 more per Falcon 9 flight, with launches as often as every two weeks in 2021. Of the 15 Falcon 9 launches so far this year, all have been dedicated to lofting 60 Starlink satellites apart from two, bringing the total number launched so far this year to 722 as of today. One the Transporter-1 rideshare mission in January carried only 10 satellites, and the other the Capella Space rideshare mission launched last Saturday carried 52.

Starlink controversy within the astronomy community. Despite the promise of high-speed broadband internet, SpaceX has taken criticism within the astronomical community for its Starlink satellites, due to their brightness and potential to disrupt observations of the night sky. The National Science Foundation and the American Astronomical Society released a report on the situation in August 2020. Discussions among more than 250 experts at the virtual Satellite Constellations 1 (SATCON1) workshop expressed concern that the bright train of satellites marching across the sky will hinder their observations.

In response, SpaceX has begun outfitting their satellites with a blackened sunshade called VisorSat that the company hopes will reduce the satellites apparent brightness by reducing the amount of sunlight thats reflected. This is just one of the six suggestions proposed by the SATCON1 team. Initial efforts at mitigating the spacecrafts impact involved launching a prototype Starlink satellite later dubbed DarkSat earlier this year, which features a black antireflective coating. Recent ground-based observations of DarkSat in orbit found it half as bright as a standard Starlink satellite, which is a good improvement, according to experts, but still far from what astronomers say is needed. Jeremy Tregloan-Reed, a University of Antofagasta astronomer on the observational team that assessed the prototype, commented:

I would not consider DarkSat as a victory but instead a good step in the right direction.

The team compared DarkSat with a typical Starlink sibling using a two-foot (0.6-m) telescope at the Ckoirama Observatory in Chile and found that although DarkSats antireflective coating rendered it invisible to the unaided eye, it remains far too bright to avoid interfering with the Vera C. Rubin Observatory now under construction in Chile and other major telescopes. Additionally, DarkSats darker color retains too much heat, so the company is sticking with the visor alternative instead.

Astronomers are hoping to observe VisorSat and compare it with DarkSat once observatories reopen following the Covid-19 shutdown. With SpaceXs plans, plus Amazons Kuiper project, OneWeb, Chinas Hongyan, and other projects launching their own global networks of hundreds or thousands of satellites with little to no regulation, the scale of astronomys satellite-constellation problem might only increase.

Bottom line: Have you seen a group of bright satellites crossing the night sky together? They are likely SpaceX Starlink satellites, which create relatively bright, large, moving megaconstellations. Starlinks goal is to provide global broadband coverage for high-speed internet access, especially for rural and remote areas. Astronomers and skywatchers worry about Starlinks potential to interfere with their work understanding the universe, and their enjoyment of the night sky.

Lia De La Cruz is a Physics graduate and Editorial Assistant of EarthSky, contributing also as a field correspondent with a long-time passion for space exploration that began early in her college career. She started her blog SkyFeed in 2018, which earned a mention in Feedspots Top 50 Space Blogs to Follow," has been published in Smore Magazine, and led her to launch a communications career in tandem with her planetary passion. She currently resides in Southern California with her husband and small pug pup.

Here is the original post:

What is that?! SpaceX's Starlink satellites explained - EarthSky

SpaceX Rival OneWeb Plans Next-Gen Constellation Thats Better Than Starlink – Observer

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

With more than 1,000 Starlink satellites beaming internet signals from the sky, SpaceX is leading the race of constellation-based broadband service. But its ambitious launch plan makes space environmentalists nervous: SpaceX has applied for regulatory permission to deploy 42,000 Starlink satellites over the next few years in low Earth orbit, an area already increasingly crowded with manmade objects and debris. Thats perhaps why Starlinks main competitor, U.K.-based OneWeb, despite having launched fewer than 200 satellites, is looking to develop a more efficient version of the emerging technology.

A consortium of space firms led by OneWeb has secured $45 million in funding from the British government to launch a beam-hopping satellite next year to test a second-generation network it aims to launch in 2025.

These new satellites, called Joey-Sat, are designed to be able to direct beams to increase capacity in specific areas in response to demand spikes or emergencies. From helping during a disaster to providing broadband on planes, this amazing technology will show how next-generation 5G connectivity can benefit all of us on Earth, U.K. Science Minister Amanda Solloway said in a statement Monday.

OneWeb is teaming up with antenna maker SatixFy, ground station builder Celestia and space debris removal startup Astroscale. The pilot mission is funded by the U.K. Space Agency through the European Space Agencys Sunrise program.

SatixFy, which receives the largest chunk of the fund ($35 million), will be tasked to build Joey-Sats beam-hopping payload and user terminals.

In March, SatixFy agreed to build an in-flight connectivity terminal for OneWebs existing LEO constellation. The company has a similar deal with the Canadian satellite operator Telesat, providing modem chips that will support beam hopping for Telesats Lightspeed LEO constellation project.

Celestia will build and test ground stations for Joey-Sat that feature a new multi-beam, electronically steered antenna. Astroscale is commissioned to develop technologies that could safely de-orbit these satellites when theyre dead so that they wont become free-floating space junk.

This ambitious project with OneWeb is the next step towards maturing our technologies and refining our U.K. capabilities to develop a full-service Active Debris Removal offering by 2024, Astroscale U.K. managing director John Auburn said in a statement.

OneWeb is partly owned by the U.K. government. The company aims to begin satellite broadband service to north of 50 degrees latitude by June, which would cover the U.K., northern Europe, Greenland, Iceland, Canada and Alaska.

See the rest here:

SpaceX Rival OneWeb Plans Next-Gen Constellation Thats Better Than Starlink - Observer

Close Up Photo Shows the SpaceX Resilience Capsule Still Tied to the ISS – autoevolution

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Back at the beginning of May, the first-ever crew to have been transported with the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule to the International Space Station (ISS) came back to Earth. They made the journey back home in the spacecraft called Resilience, and they arrived safely in what became the first nighttime landing in over 50 years.

The Crew Dragon is seen in this shot shortly before undocking from the ISS. That means all four Crew-1 astronauts (Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, Mike Hopkins, and Soichi Noguchi) were already on board when it was taken, and the spacecraft is shown still held in place by the docking adapter of the stations Harmony module.

We thought it would be relevant to bring Resilience back into focus because this is the ship Elon Musks space faring company will use to send a crew of four civilians on a short trip around the planet. The launch is scheduled for sometime this fall.

The four people that will probably become the first tourists to go around the planet in a spaceship (Blue Origins launch will be only a trip up and down) are billionaire Hayley Arceneaux, Lockheed Martin engineer Christopher Sembroski, scientist-teacher Sian Proctor, and the man bringing the money to the mission, billionaire and former pilot Jared Isaacman.

The mission that will be taking them up is called Inspiration4 and is described as a charitable trip meant to help raise $200 million for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospitals efforts to fight childhood cancer.

Go here to see the original:

Close Up Photo Shows the SpaceX Resilience Capsule Still Tied to the ISS - autoevolution

Starlink snag forces users to build idiotic contraptions to access Elon Musks space internet – The Independent

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Elon Musks Starlink space internet is running into an unusual adversary: trees.

The SpaceX satellite internet service entered beta testing in June 2020 for areas in high latitudes such as Seattle, but some users have been experiencing issues.

We want to get Starlink but the sky above our house is almost completely covered with trees over 40 feet tall, one user posted on the r/Starlink subreddit. Is it possible to get Starlink to work in our area or are we just out of luck?

Another expressed similar issues, asking for advice about using mounts to get the Starlink antenna six to 10 feet higher to get signal above the nearby trees, but potential masts don't seem to appear to accommodate the dish. One beta tester managed to get above the trees via a tripod mounted to the top of their roof, something that they described as an idiotic contraption.

In order to set up a Starlink internet connection users require a 439 satellite dish and pay an 84 monthly fee, but also need a direct line of sight between the dish and the satellite, as well as a 100-degree cone with a 25 degree elevation minimum around the centre of the dish.

This means that trees, neighbouring buildings, and other obstacles provide a severe challenge - with one user installing his dish nearly five meters above his chimney.

If you could see the connection between a Starlink satellite and your Starlink, it would look like a single beam between the two objects. As the satellite moves, the beam also moves. The area within which this beam moves is the field of view, the Starlink website explains.

Some obstructions are worse than others. Obstructions low in the sky will cause more outages because satellites are in this area of the sky more frequently. The best guidance we can give is to install your Starlink at the highest elevation possible where it is safe to do so, with a clear view of the sky. Starlink also notes that a single tree can interrupt users service.

(SpaceX)

As early reviews have pointed out, Starlink provides an app to help users check for obstructions but the phone needs to be at knee height to operate counter to the high altitude that will actually get users the best service from the internet service. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent before time of publication.

Starlink, a service which remains in beta and is set to improve with the launch of more satellites, is not designed for urban environments due to interference from buildings; but in rural areas trees are likely to remain a bigger problem, Mark Jackson, the editor in chief of UK internet service provider website ISPreview, told The Independent.

Some people may be able to get around that by professionally mounting the dish higher up on their roof, although there have also been some questions about the kit's durability in high winds if you mount it high up, then you might need to take it down for a storm [which is] not ideal or safe.

Only time will tell whether they can truly resolve all of these issues, but they do stand a good chance of being able to overcome them. A bigger challenge will be in making the whole thing profitable, while also trying not to completely wreck observational science (astronomy) in the process.

Starlink satellites currently in orbit have disrupted astronomical observationsical

(Victoria Girgis/Lowell Observatory)

However for many users especially those in the United States Starlink will still be a compelling alternative over traditional internet providers due to long-running issues with service and competition.

Phone companies originally used existing wires to provide internet service, and were required by law to lease wires to competitors; but in 1996, the Telecommunications Act made it easier for cable companies to consolidate, and in 2005 that leasing requirement was removed. This meant that they were basically trading off areas so they wouldn't compete, according to University of Virginia media studies professor Christopher Ali.

Alongside policy issues, there are population problems with the internet experience in the United States.

I wouldn't characterise US internet as bad so much as I would characterise it as inconsistent, said Jamie Steven, Chief Innovation Officer at Speedtest creator Ookla. And while cities and populated areas have great access, this is lacking in rural and remote areas.

Astronomers-Satellite Pollution

(AP)

The USs lower population density is a big reason, especially in the West. It can be very expensive to run fiber optic networks for communities with only a few hundred residents. New satellite options such as Starlink provide a desirable alternative to the aging copper-based connectivity (DSL & cable) in those communities, Steven told The Independent.

Im a Starlink beta customer and live in a heavily wooded rural area. Ive had some minor problems with obstructions from the very tall trees in my yard, but overall the service is a significant and welcome improvement over the unreliable DSL service I had previously.

Starlink snag forces users to build idiotic contraptions to access Elon Musks space internet - The Independent

Squid, cotton and ‘water bears’ among cargo headed to the International Space Station – WTSP.com

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

June 3 will mark the 22nd SpaceX cargo resupply mission of scientific research and technology demonstrations.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla It's that time again. The International Space Station is in need of a delivery, and SpaceX is ready to lend a hand with its 22nd cargo resupply mission.

A collection of scientific research and technology demonstrations will fly to the orbiting laboratory on SpaceX's upgraded Dragon spacecraft on June 3.

The commercial space company is targeting a 1:29 p.m. liftoff from Kennedy Space Center's historic Launch Complex 39A.

Among the dozens of experiments heading into space to support the Expedition 65 and 66 crews are tardigrades or "water bears" that NASA says can tolerate more extreme environments than most life forms.

Research involving the organisms will advance astronauts' understanding of stress factors impacting them while in space and allow researchers to develop countermeasures.

Spaceflight can be a really challenging environment for organisms, including humans, who have evolved to the conditions on Earth, said principal investigator Thomas Boothby. One of the things we are really keen to do is understand how tardigrades are surviving and reproducing in these environments and whether we can learn anything about the tricks that they are using and adapt them to safeguard astronauts.

Joining the microscopic will be the equally small symbiotic squid, which will interact with microbes to help develop protective measures to preserve astronaut health while on long-duration missions in space.

Researchers will also be looking to give cotton a boost by examining stressors that can toughen the material-producing plants.

"We are hoping to reveal features of root system formation that can be targeted by breeders and scientists to improve characteristics such as drought resistance or nutrient uptake, both key factors in the environmental impacts of modern agriculture, principal investigator Simon Gilroy said. "Improved understanding of cotton root systems and associated gene expression could enable development of more robust cotton plants and reduce water and pesticide use."

NASA noted a portable ultrasound device, Pilote, tissue chip and new solar panels to help increase the energy available for activities at the ISS will also join the cargo headed to the orbiting laboratory.

You can catch the mission live by tuning into 10 Tampa Bay where we will be streaming on Facebookand YouTube.

What other people are reading right now:

Breaking news and weather alerts:Get the free 10 Tampa Bay app

Read the rest here:

Squid, cotton and 'water bears' among cargo headed to the International Space Station - WTSP.com

SpaceX cargo mission to carry water bears, baby squids to space station – UPI News

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

May 26 (UPI) -- SpaceX's 22nd cargo resupply mission, slated to launch no earlier than June 3, will see several unique science experiments -- involving water bears, baby squids and kidney stones -- ferried to the International Space Station.

Like so many experiments before them, the bulk of the experimental setups being carried aboard SpaceX CRS-22 are designed to illuminate the health risks facing astronauts.

One of these will use tardigrades, or water bears, to do so.

"Tardigrades are renown for their ability to withstand a number of extreme stresses," Thomas Boothby, an assistant professor of molecular biology at the University of Wyoming and the principal investigator on the Cell Science-04 experiment, told reporters during a press call on Wednesday.

Tardigrades can survive absolute zero and boiling water, withstand intense air and water pressures and persist in a dormant state for up to 30 years without food and water.

"Importantly for this mission, they've been shown to survive and reproduce during spaceflight and can even survive prolonged exposure to the vacuum of outer space," Boothby said.

For the experiment, scientists are planning to conduct both short-term and long-term tests, exposing single generations of water bears, as well as multiple generations, to the stresses of spaceflight, such as microgravity and radiation.

"We're going to be recovering those animals and looking at what genes they've turned on and off while aboard the ISS to get a sense of how they're coping with the stresses," Boothby said.

A separate experiment, called UMAMI, will use another tiny creature, baby bobtail squids, Euprymna scolopes, to study the impacts of spaceflight and microgravity on animal-microbe symbiosis.

"I'm very interested in how beneficial microbes communicate with animal tissues in space," said UMAMI principal investigator Jamie Foster.

"It's really important to understand how those microbes and their relationship with tissue and each other cause the microbiome to change in the space environment," Foster said.

Healthy adult squid maintain a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Vibrio fischeri. For the UMAMI experiment, several dozen immature bobtail squid -- all of which will be bacteria-free -- will be flown to the International Space Station.

Once onboard, the bacteria will be introduced to the squid paralarvae and allowed to colonize their light organs, an extra set of primitive eyes.

Researchers will monitor the onset of symbiosis for 12 hours before freezing the squid for tissue analysis back on Earth.

Astronauts face a variety of health challenges in space, one of which is an increased risk of kidney stones.

"On Earth, gravity helps maintain bone structure, and so bones tend to demineralize in space," said principal investigator Ed Kelly, associate professor of pharmaceutics at the University of Washington.

"Where does that calcium phosphate and magnesium go? It goes to the kidneys. This is one of the big reasons why astronauts are so susceptible to kidney stones," Kelly said.

But studying kidney stone formation on Earth is complicated by gravity. In lab experiments, kidney stones tend to sink to the bottom of solutions as they grow, complicating observation and measurement efforts.

Kelly and his research partners hope the kidney cell models -- installed on 3D tissue chips -- will help them solve this problem.

"We think the microgravity environment will allow us to model how kidney stones form and what can be done to prevent them from forming," Kelly said.

Additionally, SpaceX will carry experiments testing robotic arm and solar panel technologies, as well as more resilient cotton crop varieties, according to NASA.

20 years aboard the International Space Station

The International Space Station is photographed by Expedition 56 crew members from a Soyuz spacecraft after undocking on October 4, 2018. NASA astronauts Andrew Feustel and Ricky Arnold and Roscosmos cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev executed a fly-around of the orbiting laboratory to take pictures of the space station before returning home after spending 197 days in space. Photo courtesy of NASA/Roscosmos

Guinness World Records announced on October 19, 2020, that NASA astronauts Christina Koch (R) and Jessica Meir, who made history with the first all-female spacewalk on October 18, 2019, are being honored for this achievement with a feature in the Guinness World Records 2021 edition. The historic spacewalk took place at the ISS, where they worked on maintenance and upgrades. While this was Koch's fourth spacewalk, it was Meir's first. Photo by NASA/UPI | License Photo

Expedition 64 NASA astronaut Kate Rubins is seen having her Russian Sokol suit pressure checked as she and fellow crewmates Sergey Kud-Sverchkov and Sergey Ryzhikov of Roscosmos prepare for their Soyuz launch to the ISS on October 14, 2020, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. The trio was launched at 1:45 a.m. EDT to begin a six-month mission aboard the ISS. Photo by Andrey Shelepin/GCTC/NASA | License Photo

NASA astronaut Scott Kelly is happy to be aboard the ISS after the hatch opening of the Soyuz spacecraft March 28, 2015. Kelly traveled with Expedition 43 Russian cosmonauts Mikhail Kornienko and Gennady Padalka on the Soyuz TMA-16M that was launched the day before from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. Kelly and Kornienko each spent a year in space and returned to Earth on Soyuz TMA-18M in March 2016. Photo courtesy of NASA

Astronaut William Shepherd (C), the Expedition 1 mission commander, looks on while Soyuz commander cosmonaut Yuri Gidzenko (L) and the flight engineer, cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev, apply final touches to his full pressure entry suit as he lies on a couch of a Johnson Space Center trainer on May 12, 2000. Scheduled to come back from his space station stay aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery, the three were participating in a rehearsal of their duties during shuttle descent. Photo courtesy of NASA

Kelly cared for two crops in the Veggie Plant Growth Facility during his year in space. Understanding the most effective ways to grow plants in microgravity is a key piece of the future journey to Mars. Growing plants in space provides crew members with fresh foods to supplement their diets, as well as a positive effect on morale and well-being. Photo courtesy of NASA

Tim Kopra photographed his breakfast floating inside of the Unity module aboard the ISS on April 16, 2016. In a tweet, he remarked "#Breakfast taco on#ISS:refried beans, shredded pork, pepper jack cheese, eggs and salsa on a tortilla. Awesome." Photo courtesy of NASA

Flight controllers at the ISS Mission Control at Johnson Space Center monitor systems aboard the orbiting laboratory during a number of dynamic events for Expedition 44 on August 10, 2015. Screens in the front of the room show the camera views from two spacewalking Russian cosmonauts, while NASA astronaut Kjell Lindgren is seen harvesting lettuce from the veggie experiment that would become the first food grown in space to be eaten. Photo by Bill Stafford/NASA

Expedition 61 crew members, from left to right, NASA flight engineers Meir, Andrew Morgan and Koch with Commander Luca Parmitano of ESA unpack fresh fruit and other goodies from a stowage bag delivered aboard Japan's HTV-8 cargo craft on the ISS on October 7, 2019. Photo courtesy of NASA

Kelly corrals the supply of fresh fruit that arrived on the Kounotori 5 H-II Transfer Vehicle (HTV-5) on August 25, 2015. Visiting cargo ships often carry a small cache of fresh food for crew members aboard the ISS. Photo courtesy of NASA

NASA astronauts Jeff Williams (shown here) and Rubins successfully installed a new international docking adapter on August 19, 2016, during a 5-hour, 58-minute spacewalk. Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi assisted the duo from inside the space station, while all three then cleaned up the Quest airlock, where they stowed their spacesuits and tools. Photo courtesy of NASA

Koch worked in the vacuum of space 265 miles above the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Africa aboard the ISS on January 15, 2020. She and Meir conducted a spacewalk to install new lithium-ion batteries that store and distribute power collected from solar arrays on the stations Port-6 truss structure. Photo courtesy of NASA

Astronauts aboard the ISS captured these star trail images as they orbited the Earth at 17,500 mph on October 3, 2016. Photo courtesy of NASA

NASA astronaut Chris Cassidy embarks on a spacewalk outside the ISS on June 16, 2020. Photo courtesy of NASA

Behnken and Cassidy completed the first of two scheduled spacewalks on June 16, 2020, to replace batteries on one of two power channels on the far starboard truss (S6 Truss) of the ISS. Of this image posted by Behnken on Twitter, he said: "Yesterday, @Astro_SEAL snapped this shot from our worksite on @Space_Station @SpaceX's Crew Dragon and @JAXA_en's HTV in clear view. Not bad for a view while working. " Photo courtesy of NASA/Twitter | License Photo

Koch (L) and Meir work on their U.S. spacesuits ahead of a spacewalk they conducted to install new lithium-ion batteries that store and distribute power collected from solar arrays on the stations Port-6 truss structure on the ISS on January 15, 2020. Photo courtesy of NASA

Commander Peggy Whitson works to change the media in a BioCell for the OsteoOmics experiment inside the Microgravity Sciences Glovebox in the Destiny U.S. Laboratory on the ISS on May 3, 2017. Photo courtesy of NASA

Rubins checks a sample for air bubbles before loading it in the biomolecule sequencer in September 2016. Photo courtesy of NASA

Roscosmos cosmonaut and Expedition 63 Flight Engineer Ivan Vagner transfers biological samples into a science freezer for stowage and later analysis aboard the ISS on October 7, 2020. Photo courtesy of NASA

Cassidy (L) and Behnken work on U.S. spacesuits inside the ISS's Quest airlock. The two conduct spacewalks on June 26 and July 1, 2020, to begin the replacement of batteries for one of the power channels on the orbiting laboratory. They replaced aging nickel-hydrogen batteries for one of two power channels on the far starboard truss (S6 Truss) of the station with new lithium-ion batteries that arrived to the station on a Japanese cargo ship. This was the culmination of power upgrade spacewalks that began in January 2017. Photo courtesy of NASA | License Photo

See the original post:

SpaceX cargo mission to carry water bears, baby squids to space station - UPI News

UFC’s Steven Peterson boycotts fighting in Texas, says ‘commission is f*cked’ – MMA Junkie

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

UFC featherweight Steven Peterson is preparing to take on Chase Hooper at UFC 263 on June 12 in an exciting matchup that will be in front of a full crowd in Glendale, Ariz.

The UFC has already resumed packing arenas for pay-per-view events, with its most recent outing in Houston for UFC 262. Even though Peterson (18-9 MMA, 2-3 UFC) lives in the state and trains out of Fortis MMA in Dallas, dont expect to see the hard-hitting featherweight compete in the Lone Star State in the future.

During an interview with MMA Island, Peterson explained why he will not be taking a fight in Texas, should the UFC come back before the end of the year.

Ill gladly attend and hopefully corner some of our guys, but I will not be fighting in Texas any time soon, Peterson said. I am boycotting the Texas commission.

Putting it bluntly, Peterson stated, The Texas commission is f*cked, man.

He continued, I have nine losses in my career, five of which I would highly contest, sit with you, watch the tape and argue with you how I won the fight. Those decisions were all lost in Texas.

The most recent example occurred in 2019 when Peterson took on Alex Caceres at UFC on ESPN 4 in San Antonio. Caceres won a unanimous decision that evening, despite some in the media believing the result could have gone the other way. I thought I won that fight, hands down, Peterson said.

While Peterson is soured on Texas for the time being, he is happy to compete in other locations until changes are made.

Im not going to put myself in the line of fire if I dont have to, so Ill be sitting out any Texas shows, and hopefully something changes with the commission and we get things worked out over here, he said.

UFC's Steven Peterson boycotts fighting in Texas, says 'commission is f*cked' - MMA Junkie

Keston Hiura returns to Brewers, Alec Bettinger optioned and Jace Peterson DFAd – Brew Crew Ball

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Keston Hiura will make his return to the Milwaukee Brewers tonight after officially being called up following a couple weeks away from the big league roster.

The move was rumored earlier Monday and made sense, considering the Brewers are set to face a tough lefty in Blake Snell against San Diego tonight and the team did not have a viable right-handed first base option on the roster.

Alec Bettinger was sent down to make room on the 25-man roster, while Jace Peterson was also activated from the 10-day disabled list and DFAed.

Hiura was given some time away from baseball before starting his stint in Nashville, which included spending time with his mother who was diagnosed with cancer just as Spring Training was getting underway.

As anyone who has had a loved one fighting cancer can attest, that can take a lot of focus and energy away from the day job. But Hiura says it was a good visit to clear his head, and it seems to have worked out for him on the baseball field as well.

He was named the Sounds player of the week after going 10-for-16 with 3 home runs, 2 doubles, 2 steals and 7 RBI.

In 9 games at Triple-A, Hiura still struck out in many of the outs he made, but he clearly started hitting the ball hard more consistently something that he couldnt seem to do in the majors to start the year with a .513 OPS.

Hiura is hitting 5th for the Brewers tonight against San Diego, as the Brewers did their best to stack the lineup with righties against Snell.

Read the original here:

Keston Hiura returns to Brewers, Alec Bettinger optioned and Jace Peterson DFAd - Brew Crew Ball

Michigan State Baseball: Bailey Peterson wins Big Ten Player of the Week – The Only Colors

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

Fresh off of Michigan States two games to one series win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights over the weekend, the MSU baseball team received more good news on Tuesday, as senior first baseman Bailey Peterson was named as the Big Ten Conference Baseball Co-Player of the Week along with Kellen Sarver of the University of Illinois.

Peterson, a native of Grandville, Michigan, was a machine on offense in Piscataway, New Jersey last weekend. Overall, he went 6-for-14 with eight RBIs, five runs, and three home runs for the weekend. In Sundays 14-8 win over Rutgers, Peterson got four hits on five at-bats, including a single, a double and two home runs.

This award is the first of Petersons career, and the second Big Ten Player of the Week Honor for the Spartans in 2021. Sophomore right field Zaid Walker won the award on March 10. In addition, freshman pitcher Nick Powers received the Co-Freshman of the Week award on March 30, and senior pitcher Sam Benschoter was bestowed the Co-Pitcher of the Week honor on April 27.

Peterson was also featured on the Collegiate Baseball National Players of the Week list, announced by the publication on Monday. He also becomes the second Spartan to receive this honor in 2021 as pitcher Sam Benschoter made the list in late April as well.

Peterson and the Spartans (17-24) return to action this weekend in the final series of the year against the Iowa Hawkeyes (23-18). The action starts on Friday evening and wraps up on Sunday, which will also be Senior Day. Peterson will participate in the Senior Day celebration as he plays his final game in the Green and White.

More here:

Michigan State Baseball: Bailey Peterson wins Big Ten Player of the Week - The Only Colors

Death threats and the KKK: Inside a Black Alabaman’s fight to remove a Confederate statue – Reuters

Posted on May 29, 2021 by Danzig

The second paragraph contains language that may offend some readers.

Ever since Camille Bennett started her campaign to relocate a Confederate statue from outside the county courthouse in her hometown of Florence, Alabama, she has seen it all: threats, violent online messages and intimidation attempts.

There was the suggestion from a white pastor that somebody wire her mouth shut; then there was the time a white motorcyclist sped towards her and two boys during a racial justice march last summer, telling her to "get the fuck out the way."

Bennett has always received pushback for her activism in her small conservative community, but she says her most harrowing experience happened in 2017, when five Ku Klux Klansmen (KKK) in hoods and robes heckled her at a local park during a LGBT Pride event she'd been asked to address.

"I was terrified. I was extremely intimidated," said Bennett, the only Black speaker at the park event. But, she added, "the work brings me an immense sense of joy. I don't let the threats define me."

Lori Feldman, 42, a white woman who supports the removal of the statue honoring soldiers of the pro-slavery Confederacy and moved to Alabama in 2017 from Brooklyn, New York, was present when Klansmen heckled Bennett at a park.

"It was clear they wanted to make a statement of hate," Feldman said of the KKK, a white supremacist group that has terrorized Black communities for over a century. "There were kids who were crying, who were scared."

But intimidation isn't the only obstacle for those committed to removing Confederate symbols. Bennett, like many other Black civil rights advocates and their allies, continues to face legal and political roadblocks at the state, county and city level.

"MY PEOPLE SUFFERED"

Bennett, 43, whose mother is a minister and who is a minister herself, founded the nonprofit Project Say Something in 2014 to push for racial justice for Black Americans.

One of its core missions has been to get Florence to confront the meaning of Eternal Vigil, the ghostly white marble statue of a nameless Confederate private in front of Lauderdale county's courthouse.

During the Civil War of the 1860s, Southern states in the Confederacy fought the North to preserve their economy based on chattel slavery of captive Africans and their descendants born in America.

Over 300 monuments to the Confederacy stand in America, mostly in the South, especially in Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights group.

Many Confederate monuments were erected well after the war - Florence's statue was completed in 1903 - after Reconstruction when white Southern segregationists were working to reverse Black political and economic gains. The monuments have long been symbolic for white supremacists like the KKK, which was founded by Confederate veterans.

The county turned down a proposal by Bennett to erect next to the monument a statue of Dred Scott, who lived in Florence for 10 years in the 1800s and whose effort as an enslaved man to gain freedom led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling. After her proposal was rejected, Bennett called for relocating Eternal Vigil to a Confederate cemetery less than a mile from the courthouse.

But the Lauderdale County Commission's five members, all white Republican men, refused, citing a 2017 state law prohibiting the removal or relocation of monuments.

Camille Bennett poses for a photo in front of the confederate statue that she is trying to have moved to the confederate cemetery in Florence, Alabama, U.S., May 19, 2021. REUTERS/Lawrence Bryant

That law is part of a larger effort by GOP lawmakers in several states, including Georgia and West Virginia, to prevent the removal of statues following a nationwide movement to topple Confederate monuments. The Republican-backed bill passed in the Alabama legislature despite the opposition of legislators, such as Thomas Jackson of Thomasville, a Black Democrat who spoke of what Confederate statues symbolize for Black Americans.

"My people suffered," Jackson said during debate on the proposal. "Don't bring back those harsh memories that we went through so much to overcome."

Josh Dodd, who is white and chairman of the Lauderdale County Republican Party, is opposed to moving Eternal Vigil. "It's very important to a lot of people to remember the past and to remember those who died on both sides," he said.

The United Daughters of the Confederacy, which funded Florence's statue at the turn of the 20th century, says it adamantly rejects removal.

The group advocates "that all such monuments remain in their original location with their original messaging," its attorney, Jack Hinton, wrote in a letter to an Alabama state senator last year.

The original messaging around Eternal Vigil, as demonstrated by one initial 1903 speech at its unveiling, was explicitly against social equality for Black people in the South.

"OBSTACLES KEEP CHANGING"

Amid nationwide protests against racism following the murder of George Floyd, a Black man, by a white police officer in Minnesota in May 2020, the movement to take down Confederate symbols accelerated. In 2020, over 160 Confederate monuments were taken down, compared to 58 between 2015 and 2019, according to the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Bennett and supporters - Black and white - began marching in central Florence last summer to demand the relocation of Eternal Vigil after Floyd's murder. In July 2020, three Lauderdale County residents filed suit, demanding that the statue remain in place. Their suit calls the statue an "historic and irreplaceable monument."

In October 2020, Florence City Council unanimously passed a resolution backing the relocation of the statue to the cemetery, citing "concerned citizens" who want it relocated and the fact that some residents have agreed to pay the costs of removal. The city built a concrete base in the cemetery for the statue.

But because the statue sits on county property, the city asked the county for permission to remove it.

Danny Pettus, who is white and chairs the county commission, told Reuters he would never support the statue's relocation, citing the 2017 state monument preservation law. Violating the law could result in a $25,000 fine.

Andy Betterton was elected mayor of Florence in November 2020 on a promise to relocate the statue. But now Betterton and members of the county commission say their hands are tied because of the civil lawsuit. The suit is now with a circuit court judge, who has ordered a stay on all actions involving the statue until the litigation is resolved.

Betterton declined to be interviewed by Reuters. In a statement he said the lawsuit has constrained him, but added: "The removal and relocation of the statue is definitely one of my priorities, and I feel optimistic that we will see it removed."

For Bennett the delays feel like obstruction. "There have been several obstacles, and the obstacles keep changing. So you're going to be suspicious that everyone is working together so this monument is not removed," she said.

But she added: One way or another, we will prevail. We will not stop.

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Link:

Death threats and the KKK: Inside a Black Alabaman's fight to remove a Confederate statue - Reuters

Select Page ::