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Mesothelioma treatment Market Insight And Key Players With Forecasts Up To 2028 – Bulletin Line

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

Global Mesothelioma treatment Market presents an in-depth review and technical research, with useful facts and figures, of the current and future state of the mesothelioma treatment market worldwide. mesothelioma treatment market provides information on emerging market opportunities and business factors, developments and evolving technologies that will fuel these growth trends. The report provides a comprehensive overview including Comparison of Definitions, Range, Use, Production and CAGR (percent), Form Segmentation, Share, Revenue Status and Outlook, Capacity, Demand, Market Drivers, Production Status, and Outlook and Opportunities, Export, Import, Growth Rate for Emerging Markets / Countries. The study provides a 360-degree overview of the industrys competitive landscape. The industry study on mesothelioma treatment assesses the main regions (countries) promising a huge market share for the 2016-2028 forecast period.

The market research study on mesothelioma treatment was collected through comprehensive primary research through interviews, surveys, and findings of experienced analysts and secondary research. The study also provides a complete qualitative and quantitative assessment by analyzing data obtained from industry analysts and market participants from mesothelioma treatment around key points in the value chain of the industry.

The regional analysis of this report covers the following regions- Eli Lilly and Company, AstraZeneca, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Pfizer Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd, Bayer AG, Teva Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd.

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Useful findings of this research are-

-Study of historical data.

-Analysis of existing scenarios in every domestic and national sector.

-Study of patterns, accessible knowledge and data figures.

-Use of validated project methods for the next five years.

Statistical analysis, figures and prime data included in the report contains-

-Market size (current and projected for the last few years)

-Market share analysis as per different companies)

-Market forecast)

-Demand)

-Price analysis)

-Market contributions (Size, Share according to geographical boundaries)

The report benefits Market Investigators, companies, Vendors, Buyers, Suppliers, Individual professionals and Competitive organizations

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Market Segmentation:

ByTreatment Type:

By Route of Administration:

ByDistribution Channel:

By End User:

By Region:

North AmericaMesothelioma treatment market

EuropeMesothelioma treatment market

Asia PacificMesothelioma treatment market

Middle East & AfricaMesothelioma treatment market

South AmericaMesothelioma treatment market

Contact:Quince Market InsightsOffice No-A109Pune, Maharashtra 411028Phone: +91-9850603687/7972869557Email: [emailprotected]Web: http://www.quincemarketinsights.com

About :QMI has the most comprehensive collection of market research products and services available on the web. Deliver reports from almost all major publications and update the list on a regular basis with instant online access to the worlds broadest and most up-to-date archive of expert insights on global markets, companies, products and patterns.

Inhibrx takes a second shot at an IPO this time bumping the goal to $100M-plus – Endpoints News

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

La Jolla, CA-based Inhibrx couldnt get their $75 million IPO over the goal line last year. But with the fervor for new biotech filings seemingly growing on Wall Street, they plan to see how a $100 million play will work out now.

This time around, Inhibrx touts four Phase I drugs in the pipeline developed on its single domain antibody (sdAb) platform, three of which are geared toward various cancers. The fourth drug, INBRX-101, targets Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (AATD).

Our sdAb platform allows us to pursue validated targets with clinical promise, but where other antibody and biologic based approaches have failed. Highly modular, our sdAbs can be combined with precise valencies and multiple specificities, creating therapeutic candidates designed to be capable of enhanced cell signaling, conditional activation or combined synergistic functions, the latest SEC filing states.

Jefferies Group, Evercore ISI and Credit Suisse are the joint bookrunners on this years deal. In 2019, the biotech sold a convertible promissory note totaling $40 million to Viking Global Investors. This April, it raked in another $15 million in notes to Viking and other undisclosed investors. The notes will eventually settle into shares of the companys common stock.

Most of the companys revenue trickles in from grants, equity and debt financings, and license and milestone revenue, according to the filing. By June 30, the company had run through $107.2 million. As the result of a license deal the company struck with Celgene years before the Bristol Myers Squibb buyout, Inhibrx could stand to receive up to $934 million, plus royalties that range from the high single-digits to the low teens.

Currently, Inhibrxs most advanced drug in the pipeline is INBRX-109, a tetravalent candidate. The drug agonizes DR5, which Inhibrx says led to cancer cell death in preclinical studies. The company believes INBRX-109 could trigger cell death in a variety of cancers, including colorectal adenocarcinoma, gastric adenocarcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, mesothelioma and certain sarcomas.

The first part of a Phase I trial and dose escalation conducted in 2018 and 2019 respectively showed that the drug was well-tolerated, with no significant toxicities observed at doses up to and including the maximum administered dose of 30 mg/kg, according to the companys website.

The company is in the middle of Phase I Part 2, and currently has 75 patients enrolledwith colorectal and gastric adenocarcinomas, malignant pleural mesothelioma, and chondrosarcoma. Initial data from the chondrosarcoma and malignant pleural mesothelioma patients should be ready by the end of the year.

Inhibrxs second drug in the pipeline, INBRX-106, is an OX40 hexavalent agonist. The first part of a Phase I trial was conducted in December, with data to come this year.

We believe INBRX-106, a hexavalent therapeutic candidate with the ability to bind six OX40 molecules per molecule of drug, has the potential to achieve improved receptor clustering and downstream signaling. In preclinical studies, we have observed that INBRX-106 mediated T-cell co-stimulation and also reduced the suppressive activity of regulatory T-cells, with superior activity to bivalent comparators, the SEC filing states.

The third of Inhibrxs oncology drugs, INBRX-105, could be used to treat those with PD-L1 expressing tumors. The drug agonizes 4-1BB, but only in the presence of PD-L1. Initial dose escalation data is coming in 2021, the company says.

INBRX-101 is a recombinant human AAT-Fc fusion protein candidate for the treatment of AATD. The Phase I dose escalation trial was put on hold due to the Covid-19 pandemic, but should testing resume, Inhibrx could announce initial data in the second half of 2021.

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Inhibrx takes a second shot at an IPO this time bumping the goal to $100M-plus - Endpoints News

Assessing the risks: Mine, yours and ours – Seacoastonline.com

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

I have been scrupulous about protecting myself from COVID-19. Mostly staying home, masking-up on those rare occasions when I have ventured out, hand-washing like an OCD patient, keeping social distance from friends and family. You know the drill.

Four-plus months of this, however, have begun to take their toll. Maintaining my physical health has started to do a job on my mental health. Some days I feel like Robinson Crusoe before Friday showed up.

I began thinking about the odds of my actually contracting COVID-19 and whether it might be OK to modify my routine a little. My thoughts turned to the evolutionary biologist, Stephen Jay Gould. In his 1996 book "Full House," Gould describes his reaction to being diagnosed with mesothelioma. He was in his early 40s at the time (1982). He knew the median survival for his type of cancer was just eight months, but he also knew that measures of central tendency like medians dont capture range or individual variation.

The median is the halfway point. Half of people with mesothelioma, he observed, may die within eight months, but the other half will live longer and some will live significantly longer. Gould assessed his personal odds of survival to be well above average. He was young, had been diagnosed early and had access to exceptional medical care. He lived another 20 years.

With Gould in mind, I started researching the average risk related to COVID-19. I know that we are safer living in Maine than we would be in Texas, Florida or Arizona. I also know that the risk of dying from COVID-19 is greater for people older than I and for those living in institutional settings. I began to wonder what other variables might affect personal risk. I came to understand that each persons risk is different from every other persons risk because risk hinges on a combination of factors particular to each of us.

You might start by determining the basic risk. The Cleveland Clinic has developed a tool to help you. Research conducted in Cleveland has shown that the risk of a positive result is lower, for example, for people who have received their pneumococcal vaccine or their influenza vaccination. Ive had both. Lower risk for me. Its also lower for people who take certain medications like ACE Inhibitors, which I dont take. Higher risk for me there.

You can access the Clinics online survey at riskcalc.org. On the site you enter your age, race, ethnicity, gender, zip code, medical history, etc. Press the "run calculator" button and the algorithm spits out your odds of testing positive for COVID-19. The Clinic makes clear that their tool is not intended for medical advice.

When I took the survey, I found my risk of getting a positive test was just under 7.5% or about 1 in 13. This is much higher than the odds of being struck by lightening but a lot less than dying of coronary artery disease.

My relatively low level of risk made me curious about how the other factors identified in the Cleveland tool influence risk. I started playing around with the calculator. All other things being equal: what if I were a woman? Lower risk. What if I were Black or Hispanic? Higher risk. This underscores the central point: even though our collective risks are related, your risk is not my risk.

While I can calculate my own risk of contracting COVID-19, I have no way of knowing what yours might be. Only narcissists, fools or villains would dispense with all precautions just because their personal risk is low. What about the other guy?

Were all trying to find ways to live in relative safety. People have got to live their lives, but we can do that and still protect ourselves as well as those around us who are at greater risk from COVID-19. Go ahead and participate in lower-risk activities like cycling, going to the beach and al fresco dining, but think twice about higher risk activities like amusement parks, bar hopping and flying across country.

It is possible to protect your physical health without losing a grip on your mental health. Just dont throw all caution to the wind. By wearing a face covering in public, following the 6-foot rule and washing your hands, you can reduce the risk of infection for everyone.

Ron McAllister is a sociologist and writer who lives in York.

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Assessing the risks: Mine, yours and ours - Seacoastonline.com

3 Swimmers Rescued From Merrimack River Near Plum Island – CBS Boston

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

NEWBURYPORT (CBS) Three people were rescued Wednesday afternoon in the area of Plum Island after they were swimming off a sand bar in the Merrimack River.

The three adults were in an area they shouldnt have been swimming in when they became distressed, the harbormaster said.

A husband and wife went onto the sandbar at low tide to enjoy the view of the Merrimack meeting the ocean.

The danger is going out at low tide and then losing context of when the tides coming in, said Bill Hickey, of Newburyport.

The tidal shift swallows much of the sandbar, leaving people blocked in by the swift current, where a misstep can put someone in over their head.

Although at low tide it seems safe, its just simply not safe with the current, so its just not a place that you want to swim, said Jennifer Charos, of Plum Island.

Just before 3:30 p.m., 911 callers reported a couple struggling in the channel. A Good Samaritan who jumped in to help also ended up in distress. The harbormaster rescued two of the people and the Coast Guard saved the third.

The current will take you away, Hickey said.

The three were brought to the dock for medical evaluations, and one was transported to the hospital.

There were no lifeguards on duty because of COVID-19.

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3 Swimmers Rescued From Merrimack River Near Plum Island - CBS Boston

Hurricane Douglas was within ‘razor thin’ distance of the islands | News, Sports, Jobs – Maui News

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

Some businesses in the North Shore Marketplace in Haleiwa, Hi., are boarded up and closed in anticipation of Hurricane Douglas on Sunday. AP photo

The Associated Press

HONOLULU Hurricane Douglas came within razor thin distance of the Hawaiian Islands but spared the state the worst of the strong winds, storm surge and flooding officials had warned about.

Meteorologists cautioned the hurricanes path could shift slightly and Douglas could still unload its destructive power on the islands of Oahu and Kauai.

Its still not out of the realm of possibilities. So we want people to really remain vigilant and stay prepared, at least for tonight, Eric Lau, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Honolulu said Sunday.

Late Sunday, Douglas was 65 miles northeast of Honolulu. It had maximum sustained winds of 85 mph, making it a Category 1 hurricane.

Kalama Parks tennis courts are closed due to approaching Hurricane Douglas on Saturday afternoon in Kihei. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Heavy rain and wind gusts battered Maui during the morning, downing a small tree on the Hana Highway.

Gentle rain fell and blustery winds swayed trees on Oahu, home to the states biggest city, Honolulu. Sand and debris washed ashore on a two-lane coastal road.

Despite the dangers, surfers rode waves and residents took selfies at a lookout point next to the ocean.

Lau said Douglas would have been a lot worse had its track been 20 or 30 miles to the south.

One reason is that this path put Douglas to the north of the state and not directly over the islands. Another is that this path mostly put the island chain near the southwest quadrant of the storm, which is often less destructive than the northeast and the right side of a hurricanes eye, Lau said.

We were really playing with a really fine line, a razor thin line between what weve experienced today compared to what we could have experienced, he said.

Duke Stevens, who lives in Hana on Mauis eastern tip, said by early afternoon there was no longer any wind and the light rain that fell persistently through the night had subsided.

Ive seen a lot worse, said Stevens, who has lived on Maui since 1987.

Antonia Hall of Kihei said the storm avoided her area, although she and others were prepared for the worst.

Maui has skirted so many hurricanes, she said. This is just kind of something we go through here.

She brought her porch furniture inside, bought nonperishable food and filled her bathtub for an emergency water supply. Hall also made an early recording of her weekly podcast and gave it to a friend in case she was unable to broadcast from home.

Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell urged residents to take the threat seriously, saying Oahu has repeatedly gotten lucky in recent years as hurricanes bearing down on the island have ultimately fizzled out or veered away. But he cautioned that were not always going to be lucky.

Were going to be seeing strong winds and storm surge on parts of the island where roads are very close to the water, where homes are very close to the water. It could be a life threatening event, he said. We dont want to see anyone get hurt or worse.

About 300 people evacuated to the Hawaii Convention Center on the edge of Waikiki. On Maui, 22 people were at five shelters around the island.

Evacuees were told to bring masks and hand sanitizer along with the usual emergency supplies of food and water. People will have to wear face coverings to be admitted, and will have to wear them unless they are eating, drinking or sleeping.

State health department officials contacted each of the 625 people who were currently in isolation or quarantine as of Friday because they are either COVID-19 positive or have been in contact with someone who is. Every one of those indicated they would shelter-in-place and not seek refuge at a hurricane shelter.

Hawaii has some of the lowest coronavirus infection rates in the nation, but COVID-19 numbers have been rising in recent weeks. For three consecutive days through Saturday, Hawaii reported record highs of newly confirmed cases.

President Donald Trump issued an emergency declaration for Hawaii because of the hurricane, directing federal assistance to supplement state and local response efforts.

Hawaiian Airlines canceled all Sunday flights between Hawaii and the U.S. mainland and also between the islands.

Rainfall was expected to be between 5 to 15 inches.

Oahu and Kauai were all under a hurricane warning. A warning for Maui and a hurricane watch for the Big Island were canceled.

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Hurricane Douglas was within 'razor thin' distance of the islands | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News

The Many Names of Grand Traverse Bay’s Power Island – MyNorth.com

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

At one point, the Island of Many Names earned the nickname Hog Island, as noted in Along Grand Traverse Shore, by M.E.C. Bates and M.K. Buck. Buck wrote, Years ago, because of the many hogs left there during the summer to be fattened on mast (the fruit of certain forest trees), it was called Hog Island, but I am glad to say that this was never anything but a nickname.

Cindee wrote that early residents claim it was first named Eagle Island after a pair of bald eagles who made their nest there. The island changed hands several times before it was conveyed to Frederick Hall in December 1872. Hall named it Marion Island after his only daughter. Marion Hall Fowler kept the island many years after the death of her father before selling it to Henry Ford for $100,000 (with the intention that it would be preserved and not exploited). The island was then called Ford Island for a short time.

The island changed hands several times again before landing with its present ownerGrand Traverse County. By the time Cindees article was published in 1981, the name had reverted back to Marion Island.

Today, we call it Power Island, and were thankful that some things havent changedlike the 200 wooded acres, 5 miles of trails and some of the best camping around.

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The Many Names of Grand Traverse Bay's Power Island - MyNorth.com

State issues COVID violations to 29 additional businesses; 3 on Staten Island – silive.com

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- State officials continued their campaign against bars and restaurants violating coronavirus mandates Tuesday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo said during a Wednesday press call.

In total, the state issued violations to 29 businesses -- three of which are on Staten Island, Cuomo said. A spokesman for the governors office said formal charges had not yet been filed against the Staten Island businesses, so they could not be identified.

Cuomo also said the state had issued 12 summary suspensions for licenses issued by the State Liquor Board Authority. Two Brooklyn businesses had their licenses suspended, along with one in the Bronx, three in Manhattan and six in Queens.

Since the start of the pandemic, 57 businesses have had their liquor licenses suspended -- none have been on Staten Island.

While New York states COVID-19 numbers continue to steadily decline, there are alarming increases in states across the country and now is not the time to let our guard down, Cuomo said.

Local governments need to do their job, but the state is supplementing their efforts in every way we can. Noncompliance will lead us right back where we were just a few months ago -- so we must continue to crack down on the bad actors who violate the law and risk everyones health and safety, he continued.

This week, the states multi-agency task force, led by the SLA and state police, has done 1,131 compliance checks, observing violations at 55 establishments, according to a media release from the governors office.

Businesses found to be in violation face fines of up to $10,000 per violation, and those that receive suspensions can have those licenses permanently revoked.

SLA Chair Vincent Bradley said the rules put in place by the governor will continue to be aggressively enforced. Cuomo has pointed to social distancing shortcomings as cause for concern, along with rising rates around the country.

The health and safety of New Yorkers should be everyones priority, and we will continue to weed out those who are not taking this pandemic seriously, Bradley said.

Of the 62,276 tests conducted Tuesday, the state found an infection rate of 1.1%. Five New Yorkers died Tuesday with the virus, and 619 of the states residents remained hospitalized.

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State issues COVID violations to 29 additional businesses; 3 on Staten Island - silive.com

Staten Island dog, first to test positive for COVID-19 in US, dies – New York Post

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

This is such ruff news.

A German shepherd in Staten Island who was the first dog to test positive for the coronavirus has died, the first fatality of its kind, according to a report on Wednesday.

Seven-year-old Buddy began experiencing issues with his breathing in mid-April, not long after his owner, Robert Mahoney, contracted COVID-19, National Geographic reported.

From April 21 to May 15, the pooch continued to lose weight and became increasingly lethargic.

His owners took him toveterinarians who gave him medication, but were doubtful he had the virus.

He was finally tested May 15, a month after his symptoms emerged, at Bay Street Animal Hospital in Rosebank.

His test came back positive, and the results were later confirmed by the New York City Department of Health, according to the magazine.

Buddy died on July 11.

Medical records reviewed by the mag indicate that the pup likely also had lymphoma, a type of cancer.

According to National Geographic: Its unclear whether cancer made him more susceptible to contracting the coronavirus, or if the virus made him ill, or if it was just a case of coincidental timing.

Buddy was one of fewer than 25 pets in the country who have tested positive for the virus.

You tell people that your dog was positive, and they look at you [as if you have] ten heads, one of his owners, Allison Mahoney, told the mag.

[Buddy] was the love of our lives.He brought joy to everybody. I cant wrap my head around it.

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Staten Island dog, first to test positive for COVID-19 in US, dies - New York Post

Fire crews respond to homes on fire in Oak Island – WWAY NewsChannel 3

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

OAK ISLAND, NC (WWAY) Crews were called to the scene of a fire at a beach home in Oak Island Tuesday afternoon.

The fire was located at a home in the 1600 block of E. Beach Drive. A neighbor says she called 911 at 3:56 p.m.

The area on E. Beach Drive was blocked off for several hours as crews worked to put the fire out.

Dozens of people on the beach and nearby neighbors watched as the home burned to the ground. One woman who was renting a house just one property over from the fire says the home went up in flames in a matter of minutes.

I was sitting on the corner and I looked over to the right front corner of the house and smoke was coming out of it and I thought, oh theyre doing their laundry but then I was like its black colors, Tina Belmaggio said. That doesnt make sense so i kept looking and then all of sudden i saw the first flame come up, i jumped up ran, got my phone and called 911.

Another neighbor says he was on the beach when they saw people pointing at something, and he turned around to see the house fully engulfed in flames.

Id say within probably 6 to 8 minutes, that house was gone, David Capilupo said. I was Id say 100 yards away and you could feel the heat. and it was intense.

Several bystanders say the wind blew the flames towards several other houses. The house where the fire appeared to start was destroyed, and three homes surrounding it also suffered damage.

Its a tragedy, neighbor Brian Smith said. It was in pretty close proximity to some other houses and so the fire damage was affecting some of the other areas.

Southport Fire Department posted online that they were assisting Oak Island Fire Department with three homes on fire. There were dozens of other fire and EMS crews assisting from all over Brunswick County, including Winnabow, Shallotte, Bolivia and Brunswick County EMS.

Neighbors who saw the home go up in flames say the windows were boarded up, and it appeared to be abandoned.

Theres no word yet what caused the fire, or whether there were any injuries.

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Fire crews respond to homes on fire in Oak Island - WWAY NewsChannel 3

Luck? Genetics? Italian island spared from COVID outbreak – The Associated Press

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

GIGLIO ISLAND, Italy (AP) Stranded on a tiny Italian island, a cancer researcher grew increasingly alarmed to hear that one, and then three more visitors had fallen ill with COVID-19.

Paola Muti braced for a rapid spread of the coronavirus to the 800 closely-knit islanders, many of whom she knows well. Her mother was born on Giglio Island and she often stays at the family home with its charming view of the sea through the parlors windows.

But days passed and none of Giglios islanders developed any COVID-19 symptoms even though the conditions seemed favorable for the disease to spread like wildfire.

The Gigliesi, as the residents are known, socialize in the steep alleys near the port or on the granite steps that serve as narrow streets in the hilltop Castle neighborhood, with densely packed homes built against the remnants of a fortress erected centuries ago to protect against pirates.

A Scottish island is aiming to boost its population of 30 people – Insider – INSIDER

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

To get to the remote Isle of Rum, visitors can hop on a scenic train ride, fly in via helicopter, or take a ferry ride.

The Scottish island is an ideal destination to escape. People can explore the isle's mountains, discover the Kinloch Castle, encounter wildlife, and cycle through winding paths.

For many, the Isle of Rum is a destination to add to a growing bucket list. For others, it could be a dream place to live.

If you fall into the latter category, you're in luck. The community is hoping to entice new permanent residents to move to the island.

The community "is looking for dynamic individuals or families who are keen to fit into the island way of life and help drive positive change for this young and growing community," according to the Isle of Rum Community Trust's website.

The trust states that two of the biggest fears people face when considering moving to the island are not being able to find a home or a job onthe island.

To entice prospective islanders, the trust is building foureco-friendly homes for future residents.

The construction of the homes is set to be complete in two months. However, the community is still looking for homeowners to settle on the island. The application for a home on the Isle of Rum closes on Friday, and the trust is hoping to price the rent at about $584 a month.

The trust stated that it'sprioritizing applicants who have either young children or skills not currently found in the community.

"With only one child in nursery and two in our primary school, we need more families to fill our school, as well as to be the next generation of islanders," Isle of Rum resident Lesley Watt told the local Scottish news outletSTV News.

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A Scottish island is aiming to boost its population of 30 people - Insider - INSIDER

Marco Honors "Voice of the Island" – coastalbreezenews.com

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

Photos by Scott H. Shook | June and Tony DeLucia stand next to the banner honoring Tony at the Marco YMCA.

City Manager Mike McNees reads an official proclamation honoring Tony DeLucia.

Rarely has the departure of anindividual affected so many on the island.A literal Whos Who of Marco Island came by to say goodbye to TonyDeLucia, the popular Marco YMCA Community Engagement specialist and Marco Police Department Community Relations officer on July 22 in the Ys front parking lot.

It seems only fitting that the wordcommunityis part ofDeLuciastitle at both the YMCA and the City of Marco Island.Through a seemingly endless list of functions thatDeluciahas lent his trademark voice to, he has become affectionately known asThe Voice of Marco Island.

City Manager Mike McNees made a special trip to the Marco Y to presentDeLuciawith an officialproclamation honoring his many contributions to the island.

As McNees read the proclamation to the assembled crowd, the list of functionsDeLuciahas contributed his voice and considerable efforts to seemed almost endless.

TheProclamation to Commend AnthonyDeLuciafor Community Servicerecognized him as theVoice of the Island for charitable causes.

Theproclamation mentioned thatDeLuciahas served as organizer, announcer, and stage manager in events including Tour de Marco, Mutts & Martinis, the Marco Island Car Show,the Marco Island Seafood and Music Festival, theSouper Bowl fundraiser, Island Rocks Concert, the Fire Foundations Chili Cookoff, the American Cancer Societys Relay for Life, Taste of Marco and theCivitan Pizza Party for Camp Able.

Of course,DeLuciawas also a fixture at sporting events and school functionsislandwide.He was even the ring announcer for boxing events.Infact,itwould beaccurate to say that it was unusual to attend an event on the islandthatDeLuciawasnota part of.And more often than not,DeLuciavolunteered his efforts.

When news ofDeLuciasreturn to his Northeast Ohio roots circulated through the community, many received the news withdisbelief and sadness.A reaction ofWhat are we going to do? was common.

The person most affected byDeLuciasdeparture, the Marco Ys CEO Cindy Love,delivered aheartfelt goodbye to the person she counted on.

Tony DeLucia enjoys a humorous moment provided by .

Youve done anenormous amount of work for our whole community, Love toldDeLuciain front of the crowd gathered at the Y.Youreirreplaceable.I dont know what were going to do.I think we all feel that way.Youre the C in Community, as they say.Youre calm, collected, you never get riled outsidemaybe inside, but not outside.Youre just that person that we all go to for all kinds of stuff.To be a bus driver, whatever it might be.You just jump in.You never say no to anybody.Thats probably why you work a million hours a week.We just really, really, thank you.Youre going to be missed more than youll ever know.

Love also recognized Tonys wife, JuneDeLucia, for all she does in the background to support both Tony and the Y.

Several individuals were happy to go on record with their appreciation ofDeLucia.

Tony has been the voice of Marco Island, said GeorgeAbounader, former longtimePrincipal and CEO of the Marco IslandCharter Middle School.Hes always there when you need him.Anytime we needed someone to either be a DJ and bring some music or be an emcee at an event, he was there.A lot of people know him from the seafood festival, because hes the voice all weekend on the microphone, announcing everything and organizing the bands that come to the seafood festival.Hes just alegend here on the island.Were going to miss him.Our loss is Ohios gain.Ohios going to be blessed to have him back.

Marco Island is going to miss Tony so much, said Linda Sandlin,President of the Rotary Club of Marco Island Noontime.He has given his talents, his treasures, to you name it, to every good cause on this island.And we all know him for his incredible talents that weve enjoyed so much.He makes every event more fun, more exciting, more successful.I want to especially thank Tony, who worked with me to put together the Flags for Heroes, which is a joint project between theRotaryClub of Marco Island Noontime and the YMCA to sell sponsorships for 5 x 7 American flags to fly on the bigvacant property by the YMCA.This project honors the heroes in your life. The heroes on our island, of which we have so many today.The money for the sponsorship, which is just $50 for the sponsorship of a flag foryour hero, will all go back to serve our communitys critical needs.So many of which the YMCA addresses.So Tony wasmyhero in organizing this event.He is an expert in events.Sowere going to miss him.

Linda and Alan Sandlin at Tony DeLucias retirement party.

TonyDeLuciawas a mainstay, said Val Simon,Publisher of the Coastal Breeze News.He emceed all the events.Tonys voice is well known in these parts for always being upbeat and engaging.Every organization came to rely on him.He is going to be greatly missed in this community.Tony, were hoping you hurry up and grow wings and come back as a snowbird.And, thank you for all youve done!

We told Tony what we wanted to do in the community and right away he offered to be the president of the club,said Nery Kircher of the Civitan Club.Nery and her husband Bob are the founders of the Marco Civitan Club.He has been very dedicated to the plans and programs weve had since 2014.Hes surely going to be missed.

PeterSottong, the YsHead ofMaintenance,delivered a humorous salute toDeLucia, whose radio name is Steve Reynolds.The two names sometimes cause a bit of confusion around the island.

Anthony, Steve, or Steven, Tony.One is true, the otherphony.Reynolds,DeLucia, Tony, Steve.One is real, one ismake-believe.Is this a man who has lost direction or just someone who has gone into witness protection?Were sorry that youre moving so farwell miss you, man,whoever you are.

Sottongmay be more well known as an artist.He creates replicas of the Key Marco Cat and ancient Calusa masks that are available for sale at the Marco Island Historical Society.

Tony DeLucia with his proclamation from the City of Marco Island.

WhenDeLuciatook over the microphone, heimmediately recognized Cindy Love.

One person stands out in the crowd,DeLuciasaid, and thats Cindy LoveAbounader.She took a chance on me way back when.Other than my wife, shes the only other woman in my life I try not to disappoint.

DeLuciareflected on his time spent on Marco Island after the ceremony.

The Y gave me a nice thank you card, a nice goingaway present.I got some nice cards from people around the island.I wasrealsurprised to see bothpolice captains, the police chief, the fire chief, the head of the chamber.

Its been fun.I like to get involved in the community.My wife Junes got involved in theCivitan Club.She got involved in Relay for Life, Taste of Marco.

TheDeLuciasdecision to return home to Northeast Ohio, Youngstownspecifically, was a decision they wrestled with.

We had a lot of chats, June and I,DeLuciasaid.I miss myfamily;I miss my kids.My grandkids are getting bigger.

Im leaving on good terms.As simple as that.You do what you can, help out, have the best time of your life, make the most out of it and go on from there.Weve had a fun time here.Weve enjoyedourselves; weve enriched ourselves, made a lot of new friends, got involved inactivities and have some really nice memories. Its bittersweet.It really is.Were ready for the next chapter.Everybodys excited about us coming up north.The kids, the grandkids, my friends, Junes friends.

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Marco Honors "Voice of the Island" - coastalbreezenews.com

From Chicagos Ellis Island To Stylish Hotel: The Rebirth Of The Old Cook County Hospital – CBS Chicago

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

CHICAGO (CBS) Its birth place for tens of thousands of Chicagoans.

A building so famous, it was even home to a hit TV show. But now, the old Cook County Hospital has been repurposed as a hotel.

CBS 2s Vince Gerasole got a first look inside.

How many people can proudly say they were born at Cook County Hospital? Thousands. The building was falling apart. Its roof famously leaking, squatters broke in. Today, its impressive on the inside, but its on the outside where it really shines.

Its nickname was Chicagos Ellis Island, providing medical care often to citizens without means, but by the early 2000s Cook County Hospital was a historic, but empty, aging structure.

From the street its easy to see how the elegant 106-year-old Beau Arts building now shines in its rebirth, part of a $1 billion multi phase project that opened Tuesday with a 210-room Hyatt Hotel.

We have preserved a lot of the work on the building, said General Manager Milesh Pandey.

The gentile terracotta flourishes were decaying, but today they look majestically out on the street below.

We had to recreate the terracotta, Pandey said.

Over 4,000 pieces in all, restored and recommissioned. Combined with preserving the wooden framed windows, that price tag alone was $18 million. Step through what were once emergency doors and youll be surrounded by a towering lobby. Its gleaming stone terrazzo floors dating back to 1914 continue throughout the hotel.

The hallways are about 11 feet wide for a reason.

The hallways are super wide because they were meant to have hospital beds move through it, Pandey said.

The facade famously served as an inspiration for the television drama ER. Not all of the hotel space has been restored. The top floor surgical theater where thousands of med students observed procedures over the years, remains marred by taggers.

But from the polished marble staircases, to the clubby second floor lounge a storied hospital and historic landmark seems to have recovered.

It may seem like a difficult time to open a hotel, but the primary market for clients is the surrounding medical district and hospitals, which in normal times, attracts about 50,000 visitors daily.

Theres about 342,000 square-feet being redeveloped. The Hyatt Hotel is only a portion of that. A food court, daycare, hospital museum and Cook County health offices are also about to debut.

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From Chicagos Ellis Island To Stylish Hotel: The Rebirth Of The Old Cook County Hospital - CBS Chicago

Staten Island obituaries for July 29, 2020 – SILive.com

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The following is a roundup of obituaries published onSILive.com. Viewing times and guestbooks can be foundhere.

Marie Delpriore, a Port Richmond High School graduate who had a decades-long career working as a legal secretary working on high profile cases, has died.

Henry F. Keoughan, 88, a devout Christian who said the Rosary every day and served as an usher at mass for many years, and was also a proud member of the Knights of Columbus, died July 22, 2020.

Dorothy McCormack (nee Polowitz), 86, of Meiers Corners, a retired New York City intermediate school teacher who led school productions such as Fiddler on the Roof and Oklahoma, died July 26, 2020.

Marie Mercogliano, 84, whose vigor for civic engagement led to her serving as a State Committee Woman and a run for NYS Assembly in 1973, died April 13, 2020.

YESTERDAYS OBITUARIES:

Robert Louis Bocignone, 88, a native Staten Islander who was a Korean War veteran and a retired FDNY firefighter, died July 13, 2020.

Carl J. Waite, 74, a NYPD officer from 1973 to 1997, who later retired from the District Attorneys Office in St. George, where he assisted with investigations, died July 25, 2020.

Link:

Staten Island obituaries for July 29, 2020 - SILive.com

Metra to add express service to Rock Island line – The Herald-News

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

Eric Ginnard file photo eginnard@shawmedia.com

Caption

Metra is adding express trains in response to growing ridership and expectations of riders returning to its Rock Island Line.

The new express services are set to begin Monday, according to a news release.

On the Rock Island Line, Metra will add two inbound and two outbound express trains to its weekday schedule. The lines travels through Joliet, New Lenox and Mokena to the LaSalle Street stop in Chicago.

Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski said in the release that the disruption in commuter travel brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic gave the agency an opportunity to rethink its schedules.

This means looking for opportunities to provide new express services or change stopping patterns to better meet demand, Derwinski said in the release. Its our hope that these changes as well as other changes weve made to respond to the pandemic will provide a level of confidence and convenience that bring riders to our trains.

Metra has worked to make riding safer amid the pandemic. The agency is asking its passengers to practice physical distancing, wear a face covering, and not crowd the aisle or vestibules.

For more information and a complete schedule, visit metrarail.com.

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Metra to add express service to Rock Island line - The Herald-News

Biohacking Market: Rising demand for smart devices and effective drugs to drive the market – BioSpace

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

Global Biohacking Market: Overview

Experiments in the field of biology includes the use of drugs or gene editing or implants which improve the capabilities or qualities of living organisms. This is done by the individuals and their groups working in a scientific research environment or a traditional medical laboratory. Biohacking is managing one's own biology with the combination of nutritional, electronic, and medical technologies. It is also referred to as Do-It-Yourself (DIY) biology. Biohacking has brought out an absolute change in the field of synthetic biology. Biohacking have developed an urge of development and innovation of new products. It combines the aspects of technology and synthetic biology. Laboratory experiments are conducted scientists and research individuals to explore new avenues in biotechnology, genetic engineering, and molecular biology. Biohackers embark on numerous experimentations on the body such as monitoring of the heart rate or insertion of microchips to control the stress level. Biohackers have developed and are in the process of developing various products to explore the human body. Some of the remarkable products are smart drugs, microchips, magnetic fingertips, brain sensors, RFID implants, bacterial and yeast strains, body sensors, and smart blood pressure monitor health trackers. Currently, wearable analytic technological devices are available widely. The current generation is have a positive approach towards the Biohacking and its devices. Tracking of the heart rate, steps, blood sugar level, and movement of the body, burning calories or any other metrics, can be termed as Biohacking through analytics. The options in terms of Biohacking to keep track of ones biological performance are wide ranging, innovative, and ever growing.

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Global Biohacking Market: Key Trends

Increasing awareness about Biohacking, rising demand for smart devices and effective drugs, and growing prevalence of chronic diseases are factors expected to drive the global Biohacking market during the forecast period. However, strict regulations that govern the genetic engineering experiments, lack of funds required for research, and lack of expertise as well as cyber security practices are expected to restrain the market during the forecast period.

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Global Biohacking Market: Segmentation

The global Biohacking market can be segmented based on type, product, application, end-user, and region. Based on type, the market can be divided into outside biohacking and inside biohacking. In terms of product, the global market can be classified into sensors, smart drugs, strains, and others. Based on application, the global Biohacking market can be segregated into synthetic biology, genetic engineering, forensic science, diagnosis & treatment, drug testing, and others. Based on end-user, the global Biohacking market can be divided into pharmaceutical & biotechnological companies, forensic laboratories, and others.

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Global Biohacking Market: Regional Analysis

In terms of region, the global Biohacking market can be segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. North America is expected to be a prominent market for biohacking during the forecast period. The regions dominance can be attributed to strategic presence of key players in the U.S. and Canada.

Global Biohacking Market: Competitive Landscape

Key players operating in the global Biohacking market are Fitbit, Inc., Apple Inc, Synbiota, Inc., The ODIN, HVMN Inc, Thync Global Inc., Moodmetric, InteraXon Inc., and Behavioral Tech.

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Biohacking Market: Rising demand for smart devices and effective drugs to drive the market - BioSpace

UK gene editing amendment withdrawn, but government commits to consultation – EURACTIV

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

An amendment tabled in the new UK agriculture bill, designed to allow access to new gene-editing technology, has been withdrawn but the government has pledged to conduct a public consultation on the issue, amid indications that it could eventually offer its support for the technology.

The amendment, withdrawn on Tuesday (28 July) after a lengthy debate in the House of Lords, has stirred up considerable debate in the past few weeks, both over environmental concerns as well as potential ramifications for the future agrifood trade relationship of the UK and the EU.

Despite the withdrawal of the bill, the decision is not quite clear cut just yet, as it does not technically prevent a similar or adapted amendment being reintroduced at a later stage.

However, there are indications that the UK government is not ready to offer its support for such an amendment right now, before the public consultation has been completed, but is generally looking favourably at gene editing, sources told EURACTIV.

A spokesperson for DEFRA [Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] confirmed to EURACTIV that the government will carry out a public consultation before making any changes to the current approach.

They said that existing GMO regulations will remain in force through the EU Withdrawal Act, but declined to comment further on what exactly this consultation will entail.

However, the spokesperson stressed that organisms produced by modern mutagenesis techniques (such as gene editing) should not be subject to genetic modification regulation if the changes to their DNA could have occurred naturally or through traditional breeding methods.

The government recognises the opportunities precision breeding techniques could bring for farmers and the environment and remains committed to science-based policy and regulation of precision breeding techniques, such as gene editing, they said.

This standpoint echoes that of the UK National Farmers Union, who recently came out in favour of the technology.

The withdrawal of this amendment was welcomed by environmental groups, who have been fiercely campaigning against the amendment, which they warned could open the doors to a wide range of genetic engineering techniques.

The campaign group Beyond GM tweeted that this is a good outcome but warned that the government is still committed to deregulation and we must demand a more democratic and inclusive process.

Another UK umbrella campaign organisation, GM Freeze, added that they will be pressing for the consultation to be a meaningful in-depth consideration of public opinion and up to date science.

The amendment was staunchly defended by some members of the Lords, including Lord Krebs, who stressed the potential of the technology to make UK agriculture greener, more productive and more sustainable.

Baroness Hayman said she hoped that any future discussions on GMOs will be much more nuanced, seek to find common ground and be focused on the outcomes we are trying to achieve, rather than on very divisive attitudes.

She added she would argue that it is their responsibility to provide the appropriate regulatory framework for these advances, after what has been widely seen as the flawed ECJ judgment of 2018, referring to the European Court of Justice ruling that organisms obtained by new plant breeding techniques should, in principle, fall under the GMO Directive.

Baronness Young of Old Scone expressed concerns that rushing to deregulate gene editing to bring the UK into alignment with the US risks not being able to continue to do business with our major existing EU markets.

She added that it would be prudent to wait for the EU study on gene-editing, due to be published next April.

Beat Spth, director of agricultural biotechnology for EuropaBio, an influential biotech industry group, previously told EURACTIV that he hoped this amendment would offer an opportunity for a modernisation of the decades-old approach in view of ground-breaking new science, something he added is overdue both in the UK and in the EU.

With this move, the UK would send a strong signal to its leading public science institutions working on biotechnology and genome editing, he said.

[Edited by Zoran Radosavljevic]

The rest is here:

UK gene editing amendment withdrawn, but government commits to consultation - EURACTIV

BKS urges CM not to permit trials of Bt brinjal – The Hindu

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

TIRUCHI

The Bharatiya Kisan Sangh (BKS) has urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister not to give no-objection certificate for taking up field trials of Bt brinjal in the State.

To our surprise, the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee(GEAC) has recently granted permission to undertake Biosafety Research Level (BRL) - II tests of Bt brinjal, a genetically modified (GM) crop in your State. The trials are also allowed in some other States, N.S.Parthasarathy, State general secretary, BKS, said in a representation to Chief Minister Edappadi K.Palaniswami.

Condemning it as an unilateral decision of the committee, Mr.Parthasarathy sought to draw the attention of Mr. Palaniswami to the developments pertaining to the field trials of GM crops, including brinjal in the country.

There are several serious issues such as environmental pollution, human health, productivity and market monopolisation, which need to be addressed before allowing such trials of GM crops, Mr.Parthasarathy said.

Objections from almost stakeholders over the past few decades are yet to be satisfactorily answered. Furthermore, most of the prestigious institutions, including parliamentary standing committee, the technical expert committee of Supreme Court, views of eminent scientists and representatives from agriculturally important states have expressed their apprehensions over the trials. Many States have even banned GM food crops/ trials.

GAEC is party to the miserable failure of Bt cotton technology and illegal perpetuation of herbicide tolerant cotton. Under such circumstances the decision of GEAC is autocratic but also appears to be taken with some ulterior motive, he charged.

It was also sad that GAEC was trying to test GM crops in the field when the country was in the grip of the pandemic.

The BKS was raising awareness about the hazards of the technology and it is our earnest request to the Government not to allow the testing of GM crops in general and Bt Brinjal in particular within Tamil Nadu in the interest of entire farming community and consumers, Mr.Parthasarathy said and urged the Chief Minister to deny NOC to any agency for conducting field trials of GM crops and remain vigilant to check any unethical trials in the State.

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BKS urges CM not to permit trials of Bt brinjal - The Hindu

Have humans evolved beyond nature and do we even need it? – MENAFN.COM

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

(MENAFN - The Conversation) Our society has evolved so much, can we still say that we are part of Nature? If not, should we worry and what should we do about it? Poppy, 21, Warwick.

Such is the extent of our dominion on Earth, that the answer to questions around whether we are still part of nature and whether we even need some of it rely on an understanding of what we want as Homo sapiens. And to know what we want, we need to grasp what we are.

It is a huge question but they are the best. And as a biologist, here is my humble suggestion to address it, and a personal conclusion. You may have a different one, but what matters is that we reflect on it.

Perhaps the best place to start is to consider what makes us human in the first place, which is not as obvious as it may seem.

This article is part of Life's Big Questions The Conversation's new series, co-published with BBC Future, seeks to answer our readers' nagging questions about life, love, death and the universe. We work with professional researchers who have dedicated their lives to uncovering new perspectives on the questions that shape our lives.

Many years ago, a novel written by Vercors called Les Animaux dnaturs ('Denatured Animals') told the story of a group of primitive hominids, the Tropis, found in an unexplored jungle in New Guinea, who seem to constitute a missing link.

However, the prospect that this fictional group may be used as slave labour by an entrepreneurial businessman named Vancruysen forces society to decide whether the Tropis are simply sophisticated animals or whether they should be given human rights. And herein lies the difficulty.

Human status had hitherto seemed so obvious that the book describes how it is soon discovered that there is no definition of what a human actually is. Certainly, the string of experts consulted anthropologists, primatologists, psychologists, lawyers and clergymen could not agree. Perhaps prophetically, it is a layperson who suggested a possible way forward.

She asked whether some of the hominids' habits could be described as the early signs of a spiritual or religious mind. In short, were there signs that, like us, the Tropis were no longer 'at one' with nature, but had separated from it, and were now looking at it from the outside with some fear.

It is a telling perspective. Our status as altered or 'denatured' animals creatures who have arguably separated from the natural world is perhaps both the source of our humanity and the cause of many of our troubles. In the words of the book's author :

We will probably never know the timing of our gradual separation from nature although cave paintings perhaps contain some clues. But a key recent event in our relationship with the world around us is as well documented as it was abrupt. It happened on a sunny Monday morning, at 8.15am precisely.

The atomic bomb that rocked Hiroshima on August 6 1945, was a wake-up call so loud that it still resonates in our consciousness many decades later.

The day the 'sun rose twice' was not only a forceful demonstration of the new era that we had entered , it was a reminder of how paradoxically primitive we remained: differential calculus, advanced electronics and almost godlike insights into the laws of the universe helped build, well a very big stick. Modern Homo sapiens seemingly had developed the powers of gods, while keeping the psyche of a stereotypical Stone Age killer.

We were no longer fearful of nature, but of what we would do to it, and ourselves. In short, we still did not know where we came from, but began panicking about where we were going.

We now know a lot more about our origins but we remain unsure about what we want to be in the future or, increasingly , as the climate crisis accelerates , whether we even have one.

Arguably, the greater choices granted by our technological advances make it even more difficult to decide which of the many paths to take. This is the cost of freedom.

I am not arguing against our dominion over nature nor, even as a biologist, do I feel a need to preserve the status quo. Big changes are part of our evolution. After all, oxygen was first a poison which threatened the very existence of early life, yet it is now the fuel vital to our existence.

Similarly, we may have to accept that what we do, even our unprecedented dominion, is a natural consequence of what we have evolved into, and by a process nothing less natural than natural selection itself . If artificial birth control is unnatural, so is reduced infant mortality.

I am also not convinced by the argument against genetic engineering on the basis that it is 'unnatural'. By artificially selecting specific strains of wheat or dogs , we had been tinkering more or less blindly with genomes for centuries before the genetic revolution. Even our choice of romantic partner is a form of genetic engineering. Sex is nature's way of producing new genetic combinations quickly.

Even nature, it seems, can be impatient with itself.

Advances in genomics , however, have opened the door to another key turning point. Perhaps we can avoid blowing up the world, and instead change it and ourselves slowly, perhaps beyond recognition.

The development of genetically modified crops in the 1980s quickly moved from early aspirations to improve the taste of food to a more efficient way of destroying undesirable weeds or pests.

In what some saw as the genetic equivalent of the atomic bomb, our early forays into a new technology became once again largely about killing, coupled with worries about contamination. Not that everything was rosy before that. Artificial selection, intensive farming and our exploding population growth were long destroying species quicker than we could record them.

The increasing 'silent springs' of the 1950s and 60s caused by the destruction of farmland birds and, consequently, their song was only the tip of a deeper and more sinister iceberg. There is, in principle, nothing unnatural about extinction, which has been a recurring pattern (of sometimes massive proportions) in the evolution of our planet long before we came on the scene. But is it really what we want?

The arguments for maintaining biodiversity are usually based on survival, economics or ethics. In addition to preserving obvious key environments essential to our ecosystem and global survival, the economic argument highlights the possibility that a hitherto insignificant lichen, bacteria or reptile might hold the key to the cure of a future disease. We simply cannot afford to destroy what we do not know.

But attaching an economic value to life makes it subject to the fluctuation of markets. It is reasonable to expect that, in time, most biological solutions will be able to be synthesised, and as the market worth of many lifeforms falls, we need to scrutinise the significance of the ethical argument. Do we need nature because of its inherent value?

Perhaps the answer may come from peering over the horizon. It is somewhat of an irony that as the third millennium coincided with decrypting the human genome , perhaps the start of the fourth may be about whether it has become redundant.

Just as genetic modification may one day lead to the end of 'Homo sapiens naturalis' (that is, humans untouched by genetic engineering ), we may one day wave goodbye to the last specimen of Homo sapiens genetica. That is the last fully genetically based human living in a world increasingly less burdened by our biological form minds in a machine.

If the essence of a human, including our memories, desires and values, is somehow reflected in the pattern of the delicate neuronal connections of our brain (and why should it not?) our minds may also one day be changeable like never before.

And this brings us to the essential question that surely we must ask ourselves now: if, or rather when, we have the power to change anything, what would we not change?

After all, we may be able to transform ourselves into more rational, more efficient and stronger individuals. We may venture out further, have greater dominion over greater areas of space, and inject enough insight to bridge the gap between the issues brought about by our cultural evolution and the abilities of a brain evolved to deal with much simpler problems. We might even decide to move into a bodiless intelligence: in the end, even the pleasures of the body are located in the brain.

And then what? When the secrets of the universe are no longer hidden, what makes it worth being part of it? Where is the fun?

'Gossip and sex, of course!' some might say. And in effect, I would agree (although I might put it differently), as it conveys to me the fundamental need that we have to reach out and connect with others. I believe that the attributes that define our worth in this vast and changing universe are simple: empathy and love . Not power or technology, which occupy so many of our thoughts but which are merely (almost boringly) related to the age of a civilisation.

Like many a traveller, Homo sapiens may need a goal. But from the strengths that come with attaining it, one realises that one's worth (whether as an individual or a species) ultimately lies elsewhere. So I believe that the extent of our ability for empathy and love will be the yardstick by which our civilisation is judged. It may well be an important benchmark by which we will judge other civilisations that we may encounter, or indeed be judged by them.

There is something of true wonder at the basis of it all. The fact that chemicals can arise from the austere confines of an ancient molecular soup , and through the cold laws of evolution, combine into organisms that care for other lifeforms (that is, other bags of chemicals) is the true miracle.

Some ancients believed that God made us in 'his image'. Perhaps they were right in a sense, as empathy and love are truly godlike features, at least among the benevolent gods.

Cherish those traits and use them now, Poppy, as they hold the solution to our ethical dilemma. It is those very attributes that should compel us to improve the wellbeing of our fellow humans without lowering the condition of what surrounds us.

Anything less will pervert (our) nature.

To get all of life's big answers, join the hundreds of thousands of people who value evidence-based news by subscribing to our newsletter . You can send us your big questions by email at and we'll try to get a researcher or expert on the case.

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Have humans evolved beyond nature and do we even need it? - MENAFN.COM

What Will It Take to Restore the American Chestnut Tree? – New Hampshire Public Radio

Posted on July 30, 2020 by Danzig

The giant American chestnut tree all but disappeared 70 years ago, killed by a blight that struck at the turn of the last century. By 1950, an estimated four billion of these magnificent trees were gone from our Eastern forests, and the tree, once dominant, is considered functionally extinct. We talk with researchers and volunteers who are working with promising new technologies to restore the American chestnut tree. There are still wild remnants of the tree in our forests - could you identify an American chestnut tree if you happened upon it?

Airdate: Tuesday, July 28, 2020

Listen to the conversation.

GUESTS:

This Granite Geek article in the Concord Monitor inspired us to look into American chestnut tree restoration:Breeding isn't resurrecting the chestnut tree; genetic engineering might.

Here's information from The American Chestnut Foundation:Why Bring Back the American Chestnut?

This transcript was machine-generated and contains errors.

Laura Knoy: From New Hampshire Public Radio, I'm Laura Knoy and this is The Exchange. The once dominant American chestnut all but disappeared 70 years ago, killed by blight that struck at the turn of the last century and despite many efforts to restore the trees since then, researchers have struggled to produce a blight resistant American chestnut. But now some are looking to new technology to turn this venerable tree's fortunes around. And today, on The Exchange, we ask, can we bring the American chestnut back?

Laura Knoy: Our guests are Kendra Collins, New England regional science coordinator for the American Chestnut Foundation. Also Thomas Klak, University of New England, professor of Environmental Sciences and vice president of the Foundation's Maine chapter, and Doug McLane, president of the Vermont/New Hampshire chapter and involved in local pollination efforts. And welcome to all of you. And Doug, I want to start with you. Why restore the American chestnut? What is it about this tree that makes it so great that you think it's worth all the effort?

Doug McLane: Boy, that's a that's a big question. And good morning, Laura. Nice to be here. The best analogy I can give to somebody is if we were trying to tell our grandchildren that we used to have a really cool tree called a Sugar Maple and it was beautiful and it gave sugar and if they nobody had ever seen a sugar maple, it would be hard to describe how grand it was. And the same with the American chestnut. Very few of us, anybody under 90 years old, has really never seen a good stand of wild American chestnut. So we have to go by the historical record that they were the most dominant tree in north eastern North America, the most dominant hardwood. And there are all kinds of reasons that I'm sure Tom and Kendra will go into. But there are hundreds of reasons for trying to bring back the American chestnut.

Laura Knoy: Well, and just remind us, Doug, how dominant it was. The descriptions are pretty remarkable.

Doug McLane: The most common and probably the best one is the range of American chestnut used to be from Maine to Georgia, and they said a squirrel could travel from Maine to Georgia on chestnut trees without ever touching the ground. There were approximately five billion trees that died, all within a period of one human generation.

Laura Knoy: And huge trees, right Doug, Like huge, huge around and wide wide canopies. Just to remind us how magnificent these trees were.

Doug McLane: Yeah, they were. They were called the redwoods of the East, although I think like most trees, probably most of them were what we would think of as a large oak tree. And some of them got massive with five and six foot diameter bases.But the main thing was that they were the most important food for the forest, mast food. And so they for that deer, turkey, bear, Native Americans, settlers and they're still delicious to eat. I think kind of the best way to someone's heart is often through their stomach and they are delicious.

Laura Knoy: Well, and Kendra you recently wrote a top ten reasons why the chestnut is worth restoring. In addition to what Doug said, what other reasons would you add, Kendra?

Kendra Collins: Well, the American chestnut is a great species for forest biodiversity. It's as Doug mentioned, it's a great species for wildlife. It provides shelter. It provides food. At different growth stages it provides different kinds of habitat. So getting these trees back into the forest would be really beneficial to eastern forests, especially in the face of so many other important tree species declining. This is a really hopeful effort from a human use standpoint. There's a lot of great uses for chestnuts, a great timber species that grows tall, straight up and limbless for the first 50 or so feet. So from a timber perspective, it's a dream. It's very rot resistant wood so a variety of uses there. Settlers used it for log cabins. Most of the tobacco barns you see in Connecticut are made out of chestnut, split rail fences in the Smokies are original chestnut. So it's a great timber species. You can also definitely get some great carbon sequestration benefit out of chestnuts, a long lived and fast growing hardwood. And from a reclamation standpoint, it can grow on pretty marginal sites. It's been used in the central Appalachians for a lot of mine land reclamation. But I think the biggest reason is just to show that we can save a tree species. There's a lot of other species in decline. The effort for chestnut has been ongoing for almost one hundred years now. And we're really seeing some hope at the end of the tunnel. And we're really looking to our story, too, to prop up some of these other species like ash and elm that are declining.

Laura Knoy: Well, I want to ask you all a little bit later about how your efforts to restore the chestnut might translate into efforts to save these other tree species that we all love in New England and that we hear are struggling as well. But what about the the tree's ability, Kendra, this is interesting to me, and I did not know this until yesterday, this particular tree's ability to survive and thrive in poor soils. Why is that so important right now, especially in the eastern United States?

Kendra Collins: Well, it gives us a lot of options for where to plant chestnuts, it's, you know, generates a more of a general species in terms of where it can survive. But as I mentioned, in the central Appalachians, it's been used quite a bit for mine land reclamation. So when you have these mine spoil sites that are generally just sort of a mineral substrate, kind of crushed up rocks, really, you can plant chestnuts and they will actually grow and help get a new forest going in these sites, which is a lot more beneficial to the environment, to the native species, than reclaiming it into, say, a grass field, which is often what is happening. So that would be the big, big one for me.

Laura Knoy: Tom, it's been said that the chestnut died out before we really had a chance to study and appreciate fully its ecological importance. But the famed forester Gifford Pinchot said he believed this tree's ecological importance was as impressive as the tree itself. That's a quote that you see a lot. What do we know, Tom, about the role that this tree used to play in forest ecosystems?

Tom Klak: Good morning, Laura. Nice to be on your show. Yeah, it was super important ecologically. The science of ecology was not as advanced back then as it is now. We know six species of moths went extinct when the chestnut suffered the blight because of the chestnut was their host plant. I'm sure there are many other relationships that got lost in the destruction of the blight, some of the studies that have been done lately to ensure --we'll get into this issue of the transgenic chestnut -- but studies have indicated when when tadpoles are fed chestnut leaves detritus, they do better than they do on other species that have replaced the chestnut like maple and beech. So it gives you a little bit of an indication of the richness of the forest that's been lost. They said that in some places, the chestnut burrs which contain the seeds would be one foot deep or more in the forest floor come October. So you can imagine the wildlife benefits of that. And no doubt that wildlife was much more abundant back when the chestnut thrived.

Laura Knoy: You know, give us a little bit more on that tadpole study, Professor Klak, because I think it does demonstrate what was lost in terms of forest health, which we're all told is so important right now, especially given climate change. Give us a little bit more on that tadpole studies, how the tadpoles were healthier eating the leaf litter of chestnut trees than other trees.

Tom Klak: Right. Yeah, so that connects us with why we were studying this, and it's our colleagues at State University of New York in Syracuse and the Environmental Science and Forestry College. So they have been testing in many different ways how the what we call the transgenic chestnut -- we'll talk more about that in a minute, that's the one that has the wheat gene inserted to give it blight tolerance -- how does it perform compared to the wild chestnut tree? And in all the studies, the evidence shows that it performs exactly the same. No difference. But a kind of surprisingly out of that work was the fact that the tadpoles actually did better on chestnuts, be they your wild chestnuts or the ones with the wheat gene inserted, which, again, was a revelation. It wasn't the point of the study, but it gives you a little bit of an indication of the important ecological relationships that we've lost and how the forest has suffered. Certainly they've suffered just from from not having the food of the chestnut in fall and into the winter. But there's many other things that I'm sure we're going to find out when we bring more and more chestnuts back.

Laura Knoy: Wow. I find that fascinating. Kendra, what does that suggest to you? Again, these tadpoles being a lot happier and healthier, I guess, eating chestnut left-over than maple or other type of leaf litter?

Kendra Collins: Well, I will admit, I am not a tadpole expert either, my background is in forestry and specifically American chestnut. But, you know, I think ecologically what that says to me is that this was a food source that was very abundant and available to these species of frogs and that they developed the ability to thrive with that food source.And having lost it, they found other species that they can eat. But having chestnut back might be might make them even happier.

Laura Knoy: Doug, I have to ask you a very basic question, and we're on the radio, so you're going to have to use your best descriptive skills. Would we recognize an American chestnut if we saw it?

Doug McLane: Boy, that's yeah, that's a great question. You certainly would if you belong to the American Chestnut Foundation. Well, my wife sometimes doesn't even like to drive in a car with me because I'm looking more at the trees for chestnut leaves than at the road. And it's a very distinctive leaf and a very distinctive shaped tree and also the fact that it's the very last native tree to flower. So they were just flowering a week and two weeks ago, long after the oaks and the elms and the maples have flowere. So it's fairly easy to pick out a wild American chestnut. But the sad reality is only one out of, whatever, ten thousand ever makes it to flowering stage. So you kind of have to look at the leaf and not for the flowers. And yeah, once word gets around, it's actually, it's a contradiction. We say there are very few chestnuts left. There are a lot of chestnuts growing out there. It's just that very few of them make it to the reproductive stage, which is what they would need to survive without human help.

Laura Knoy: So how far do they make it, Doug, like 10 years or 15 years?

Doug McLane: Oh, there are quite a lot of them that are 50 and 70 years old. There is a surprising number of large surviving American chestnuts. But the idiosyncrasy that they only reproduce, even though every tree has a male and female flowers on it, they only reproduce if there's a second tree fairly nearby. So the odds of having them grow into reproductive stage and having two of them close by is rare indeed.

Laura Knoy: Interesting. And you know, when I was a kid, we had a big, big chestnut tree in the backyard. But I'm guessing that was a different kind of chestnut. So there are other chestnuts, right? Like how can you tell the difference?

Doug McLane: Well, well, no. See, it's by name only. In other words, the horse chestnut is really not even related other than being a tree. But most people who work with horse chestnuts in their neighborhood and the burr looked very similar to the nuts that boys like to throw at each other and stuff are very similar looking. They're in inedible in a horse chestnut.They're very edible in an American chestnut. So really, most everyone that thinks they've seen a chestnut tree has seen a horse chestnut, which is an import from Europe, although the Buckeye from Ohio and areas like that is a native, a native. So, yeah, very few people have really seen a healthy big American chestnut tree.

Laura Knoy: Well, I want to remind our listeners that you can join us with your questions and stories about the American chestnut. That's what we're talking about today on The Exchange and the many, many efforts to restore these trees since they were not completely, but mostly wiped out in the last century. So all of you have made the case as to why it is worthwhile to restore this tree. And Kendra, that gets into the American Chestnut Foundation. When did this group get started and what's your approach now toward restoration?

Kendra Collins: Sure, so the American Chestnut Foundation is a little over thirty five years old, we were founded in 1983 and we were also lucky to piggyback off earlier chestnut restoration work, some other programs that had kind of gotten going and not quite made it as far as they had hoped. So we're the effort, I would say has been going on for about one hundred years, but our organization is a little over thirty five years old. Our initial approach was primarily a conventional breeding program, and since then technologies have advanced, scientific knowledge is advanced, and we've expanded that to this three pronged approach that we call 3BURR, which is the three B's are breeding, biocontrol and biotechnology, united for restoration, kind of a play on the fruit that the chestnut produces, which is a burr. It's very cute. And so our breeding work is conventional breeding. It is taking on at our Staff Research Farm in Meadowview, Virginia, as well as by our 16 state chapters throughout the native range. It's really how we get a lot of our work done is through our chapter programs. The biocontrol work is something we support but is done primarily by research partners in Maryland and West Virginia. And then the biotechnology work primarily encompasses the transgenic tree that Tom has mentioned. This was developed by Suny'S Environmental science and forestry school in Syracuse itself and the research team there led by Bill Powell. So those are kind of the three directions we're going. There's certainly a lot of overlap, especially between the breeding and biotechnology. Those biotech tools have really advanced recently. And so we are actually using a lot of biotechnology tools to better assess our breeding program and help us make any adjustments that we can to make that project, that piece of our work, more efficient and more successful.

Laura Knoy: So conventional breeding, most people know what that is, Kendra, we all learned about, you know, plants in high school biology, biocontrols, that's basically when you try to use another biological element to go after the blight. Is that right, Kendra?

Kendra Collins: That's what biocontrol is, yes. And the primary bio control option for chestnut or at least what's receiving the most attention and work is hypervirulence. And this is a case where there's a virus that actually reduces the virulence of the fungus and therefore makes it less pathogenic on the tree. And that just gives the tree a little bit of an edge and we're hoping enough of an edge that it can survive. So it's certainly a worthwhile avenue.

Laura Knoy: Well, and coming up, we'll talk about the third leg of what you mentioned, biotech. There's a lot going on there and sometimes it's controversial. I also want to let listeners know that we have an amazing old picture of these trees on our Web site that gives you a sense of just how huge they could be. Come check it out at NHPR.org/Exchange. Today, a new chapter in the long effort to restore the American chestnut. As we've heard, these giant trees once dominated Eastern forests, but since the 1950s, they've been considered functionally extinct. Now, though, some researchers feel they're closer than ever to restoration. After many decades. We're finding out more and hearing from you. What legends have you heard about these trees that were so important to Eastern ecosystems and communities? How much effort do you think should be made toward restoring them, given the many other challenges that our forests face? With us for the hour, Kendra Collins, New England regional science coordinator for the American Chestnut Foundation. Also Thomas Klak, University of New England Professor of Environmental Studies and vice president of the Foundation's Maine chapter, and Doug McLane, president of the Vermont/New Hampshire chapter, who's also actively involved in local pollination efforts. And Celia in Thornton is calling in. Hi, Celia. You're on the air. Thanks for being with us.

Caller: Hi. Good morning, Laura. I just happened to wake up very late this morning and heard your show and leapt out of bed and called right away. I live near the Welch-Dickey trailhead surrounded by National Forest in Thornton and five years ago when I worked for the, volunteered for the Squam Lake Science Center. I was given two seedlings of American horse chestnut or chestnut trees and told to plant them close to each other, which I did with no special attention. I now have two beautiful, maybe six feet tall trees close to each other that are doing very well, surrounded by the national forest. And I'm just wondering is a question for your expert, should I be doing anything to ensure there the fact that they will live and thrive for the next hundred years?

Laura Knoy: Wow. It's great to hear from you, Celia. And I love that you jumped out of bed and gave us a call. And Doug McLane, I'm going to throw that to you, please.

Well, that's fascinating for a lot of reasons. I hike the Welch-Dickey trail myself. We all do. Planting trees in the wild, you have a pretty good chance that they will live a long time. But you also have to realize that pretty much every single American chestnut that's planted will die of the blight. The ones that survive to old age, and we have what we believe is the Vermont New Hampshire champion right near us here up in Rumney. And it's probably reached, I can't quite get my arms around the trunk, and it's probably that old because it's in the edge of the blight range. And so there's not a lot of blight pressure. So to answer the question of what can you do to help your trees, as long as they have good sunlight, that's the most important thing. And I think you're off and running. Those trees will be fun to watch grow. Just don't be too disappointed if they do get the blight, because there's hope on the way with the work that the foundation is doing, we hope to be able to pass out blight resistant nuts in our lifetime.

Laura Knoy: Ok, so just to clarify then, it isn't that this tree completely died out. There are individual success stories, but they're fragile, Doug, is that it?

Doug McLane: Well, here's here's the contradiction. And it's a hard one to wrap your arms around. The blight does not kill anything in the soil. So the blight does not kill the whole tree. It kills what's above the ground. But the chestnut has a tremendous ability to re-sprout. So most of the chestnuts and here's a number that I think is amazing. There are an estimated three to four hundred million surviving American chestnuts east of the Mississippi. Most of them are re-sprouted from old trunks that died when the blight hit over one hundred years ago. So that the tenacity of the tree is amazing. I was hiking at the Appalachian Trail years ago down in North Carolina, and I saw chestnut trees all day, but most of them in the one to two inch range. They just very seldom get big before the blight hits them. So the genetic diversity is out there. But what isn't out there...it's a little bit like somebody who saw the last surviving passenger pigeon in the world in the Cincinnati Zoo in the early 90s and hundreds, the species wasn't extinct but was doomed to extinction. So it's a little bit like the American chestnut. It's not extinct, but it's not able to overcome the blight without some human help.

Laura Knoy: Ok, well, Celia great to hear from you. And let's take David in Canterbury. Hi, David. You're on the air. Welcome.

Caller: Hey, good morning. Boy, I love these kind of shows. I have two native. I was cutting firewood and I saw those chestnuts. The two of them are approximately four or four and a half inches high. They're going up 20, 25 feet tall. And I'm wondering what I can do. I thought, I had chickens with composted chicken manure put around to root out the drip line, help to boost their immunity to is there anything you can put into soil that will help them?

Laura Knoy: Wow. And I love this question. Kind of relates to Celia was saying, what can I do to help these, you know, these few remaining trees survive? Kendra, do you want to jump in?

Kendra Collins: Yes, sure. You know, I don't think that fertilizing them is going to help with immunity, but certainly chicken manure is going to have a lot of nitrogen. Chesnut eats up nitrogen. So if you wanted to grow fast, go for it. They would appreciate a little snack. The one tool for landowners that have chestnuts that they want to keep going. The assumption is that these are wild American chestnuts with no tolerance to the blight. So there's one tool you can kind of keep in your back pocket, and that's called mud packing. You can actually, if you monitor your trees for the presence of light cankers, which are fairly obvious, they'll look like sort of sunken damage spots on the stem of the tree. The fruiting bodies of the fungus are bright orange. So you'll see those, they are about the size of a pinhead, but you'll see a lot of them in those cankers and they they attack the living tissue under the bark and just work their way around whatever system they land on, whether that's the main trunk or a branch mud-packing, you can actually cut back that canker and put a mud compress on that area, wrap it in plastic, and it should kill an individual canker.

Kendra Collins: Now, this is a great tool if you catch the canker relatively early before it's girdled half the tree, you're not going to go mud-pack every tree in the forest. So it's not a solution for your organization to restore the species, but it can keep trees on your property going for a little bit longer.The only other thing I would add is that if anyone does have chestnut trees on their property, we would love to hear about them. One of the ways that we incorporate new trees in our program is by getting reports from landowners and interested citizens that might find them out hiking. We have some great resources on our website, ACF.org, for identifying the trees, for getting a form,for filling out a form to send in with a sample and all those to actually come to my office. And I'm always happy to look at more of them.

Laura Knoy: Well, and David and Celia, we always have links on our website to these resources. So you can go to our website as well. It's NHPR.org/Exchange. And again, check out the picture of these huge, huge chestnut trees from must be more than a hundred years ago that we've got there, too. It's pretty amazing. Thank you for calling in, David. And a couple of emails I'd like to share with you. Lee in Westmoreland says when are transgenic trees are likely to be available to buy at something like a garden center, I want to address that. And then Jeanne in Saco, Maine, writes in, should we be concerned about genetic engineering and its effects on the local environment with the chestnut restoration project? So two great comments from our emailers. And to you first, Tom, I know you've been working on some of this transgenic research at the University of New England. So to Lee's point first, when might transgenic trees be likely to be available?

Tom Klak: We we don't know that ourselves, because the decision is going to be made by three federal agencies that are evaluating the transgenic tree, so it's right now a regulated item. The argument, the petition, has been submitted to the particularly to the Department of Agriculture to get to the nonregulated status. So it's up to them to make a decision. It's worth noting that the USDA will soon have a public comment period where your listeners can can chime in about the transgenic chestnut. And we don't know exactly when that's going to happen, but USDA tells us it's going to be soon. So it has to go through the regulatory process and after that, then there will be opportunities for dissemination.

Laura Knoy: So before we get into the concern that Jeanne raises, and I have another email, too, that raises a similar concern. Just a little backdrop, please, Tom. So you mentioned earlier a wheat gene that scientists have been breeding into the American chestnut that seems to be working. This is after many years of traditional sort of crossbreeding or hybrid breeding with a Chinese chestnut tree did not work. Is that a correct summary, Tom?

Tom Klak: Yes. The we talked earlier about the importance of biotechnology in science in general and advancing our understanding and ability to deal with problems, especially a problem like this that we created. It's worth noting, why do we have why why has the most important tree of the eastern United States going functionally extinct? Well, we accidentally imported this lethal pathogen from Asia when people brought in the Japanese chestnut and the Chinese chestnut. So that's how it got here. So we need to think about, well, how do we reverse that? So what we've discovered with with biotech and Kendra mentioned this, we've been doing a lot of revealing work with genomics. And what that has revealed is that the Chinese chestnut tree, which has the ability to tolerate the fungal blight, it's a multiple gene process that allows the Chinese chestnut tree to tolerate the blight. Up until very recently in the genomic revelations, it was thought it was only two or three genes that mattered on the Chinese tree. Now we know it's many more genes than that. So that's the issue right now of how one would move a great number of genes from the Chinese tree over. The other approach, and this is the biotech approach, is to identify a single gene that can allow the American chestnut tree to tolerate the blight.

Laura Knoy: It turns off that that lack of resistance....Go ahead, Tom.

Tom Klak: Yes, it detoxifies the acid. The fungal blight uses an acid to kill the American chestnut. The fungal blight doesn't need to kill the American chestnut, an important thing, it can survive on other dead material in the soil. And it does. And survive on the bark of the Chinese chestnut, on the American chestnut, as it has for millions of years in Asia when it has coevolved with the Chinese chestnut. So what the wheat gene insertion into the chestnut does is allow it to tolerate the fungal blight, doesn't kill it. The fungal blight can happily reproduce and function without killing chestnut trees. And so that's the approach that my students and I have been working on at the University of New England.

Laura Knoy: So I think to you next, Doug, but also you Kendra, but you Doug. What about Jeanne's concern and I've heard this elsewhere, concern that genetic engineering will have harmful impacts on the local environment if you were able to do this genetically modified American chestnut tree and it took off and it thrived, there is concern that it might put some other unknown materials out in the wild. And I just wonder how you feel about that, Doug.

Doug McLane: Well, that's a big question, no pun intended, but I might go out on a limb a little bit on this and give you a personal reflection, which is that the people that are concerned about biotechnology, I think certainly have their hearts in the right place and I actually identify with that a lot. I don't think we should willy nilly just think that we should fool with genes and Mother Nature. I think the chestnut tree deserves a definite special exception because it's talking about a keystone species that will likely go extinct without some help. So to answer your question. There's really not a... the downside of biotechnology is that it simply doesn't work, that the tree is not able to go back into our forests and compete against the large hardwoods that it has to become again a dominant species. The danger is not that it will somehow run amok and pollute other trees. Chestnut spread very slowly. They were the last species to come back north after the glacier retreated. They don't have lots of seeds like elm tree or a maple tree. They have a very large nut that's easy to keep track of and control. So if it doesn't work, we'll have to go on to the next thing but right now it is the the best hope we have for saving the chestnut tree.

Laura Knoy: Well, Kendra, get your thoughts on that, too, after a short break. So coming up, we'll look more at new efforts to restore the American chestnut. This is The Exchange on NHPR.org. Today, the decades long effort to restore the American chestnut, why it matters to both ecosystems and communities and whether a new chapter is at hand. We're finding out more and we've been hearing from you. And Kendra, Tom and Doug, just before the break, we were talking about a concern raised by a listener who was worried about the possible impacts of a transgenic American chestnut, one that has used biotechnology to be resistant to this blight that wiped out this species. And Doug, in response, you said you were not concerned that these trees would, quote, unquote, pollute the forest. I did receive an email early this morning from Steve Taylor from the Stop GE Trees campaign. It's long, so I won't read the whole thing, Steve, but thank you for writing in. He says that chestnut restoration project under the direction of researcher William Powell intends to release a blight resistant American chestnut into wild forest ecosystems. He says corporate backers of Powell and the American Chestnut Foundation support use of the iconic American chestnut as a strategy to break through longtime public opposition to FE trees. In other words, genetically engineered trees. And there's a couple other points he makes. But that is the main point concerned that these trees would irreparably harm natural ecosystems and also that this is just an excuse, a sort of nose under the tent for more genetically modified plants and trees. And it's a big, big controversy and a big concern. And Kendra, I'm going to let you jump in on that.

Kendra Collins: Sure. So first, I'd like to correct just the assumption that big Ag or big business is behind this effort, that is absolutely not true. The lab at ESF has received funding primarily from from philanthropic sources. The tree is going to be in the public domain. The effort behind this is coming from a place of wanting to help and repair an ecosystem. That out of the way, the safety of this is something that the researchers at ESF have taken very seriously.

Laura Knoy: And sorry to interrupt, but ESF is what, just remind us again?

Kendra Collins: SUNY's Environmental Science and Forestry College in Syracuse. That's where this transgenic tree has been developed in Bill Powell's lab.

Laura Knoy: SUNY is the State University of New York. Go ahead.

Kendra Collins: Yes. And the ESF.edu/chestnut website is great, if any listeners have questions or are interested to learn more about their project, they've got a lot of great information up. The gene from wheat was selected in part because it was assumed it would be effective at preventing the blight from killing the chestnut, but also because it had been shown to be relative or very safe. It's from wheat. It's in a lot of other plants that are already in the ecosystem that are consumed by humans on a regular basis. So it's not nearly as, scary, I guess, as others they could have chosen for folks who are a little uncomfortable with the technology, but they've also done a really great job of testing these transformed trees in comparison with wild type chestnuts for their partnerships with mycorrhizal fungi, for their tadpole feeding, for bee feeding on pollen, for a variety of things that would be stand-ins for how these trees would perform in the forest. Deregulation is actually really important for being able to test these trees. At this point anyone who wants to plant transgenic chestnuts has to do it under permitted conditions, which are pretty limiting. To be able to test these things on the landscape the deregulation is actually going to really be helpful, assuming it goes through because other research groups will have access to these trees to help us really determine if they're going to be able to be the tool for restoring the American chestnut. One other thing that I think it's important to remember is just because this tree is deregulated doesn't mean it's immediately going to be planted in the forest. We need to diversify this tree with a variety of backgrounds of wild American chestnuts so that we actually have a population that can go back into the forest and that's going to take a few generations of crossing. There are some tools we can use to make that work go a little faster, but it's not going to happen overnight. But we're going to have plenty of time to assess the program as it moves forward for its effectiveness.

Laura Knoy: Well, permitting processes can move slowly, regulate regulatory processes can move slowly. Trees certainly grow slowly. So, Tom, I guess I'll throw this to you. How has the fact that we've been in a pandemic since early March, people are not, you know, meeting in person? I guess people are going out in the field, but you can't go out in large groups. So how has the pandemic affected the work that you're doing, Tom, on the American chestnut and its restoration?

Tom Klak: Right now, the pandemic, of course, has affected everything, and I'm sure all our listeners, your listeners are thinking about that every day, every sort of common everyday activity is shaped by the pandemic. And all my students went home to their their home states when the pandemic struck back in March. We've been able to reconstitute though, I've been doing a lot of work alone in my lab and also in the field. As you mentioned, we can do work outside. And I've hired a student to work with me as an undergraduate, and is a graduate, and now lives in Maine. And he's been tremendously helpful. His name is Flynn Willsey. So we've made a lot of progress and what we've been doing is developing the pollen from the transgenic chestnut in the University of New England greenhouse and a plant chamber, a high intensity light chamber. And this relates to Kendra's point about the need to diversify the genetics because the transgenic begins as a clone and we need to bring a variety of different genetic mixtures together. That's why going back to an earlier point, it's worth underscoring that listeners can help by finding wild trees and growing them in their yards like some of the callers mentioned they're doing. So we need genetic diversity from the wild population, coupled with the wheat gene blight tolerance aspect in order to bring the tree back, because the wild tree has everything going for it except for the fact that the imported blight kills it. And so that's the one thing we're inserting. Otherwise, the transgenic tree is ninety nine point nine nine nine percent pure American.

Laura Knoy: So here's a question for you, Tom. You mentioned earlier about how traditional crossbreeding had not had the positive results that you had hoped for, given the complexity of all the genes from that Chinese chestnut that for a long time researchers had tried to cross-breed into the hardier, blight resistant American chestnut. And so that has been going on for a long time, has not given the results that were hoped for. There are concerns, though, about these genetically engineered trees. What about, Tom, the biocontrols that we talked about earlier, finding a way to stop the blight?

Tom Klak: Right. Kendra mentioned before that that's sort of the third leg of our approach, and it's more limited than the other two being the biotech approach and the the breeding approach because it only affects individual trees. So we can have some success with biocontrol and to keep a particular tree alive for a little bit longer, which is a good idea. But it cannot solve the problem of trying to bring back a tree that had perhaps four billion individuals throughout its eastern range. So I've used it myself to keep some trees alive that we've pollinated this summer. But it's not an overarching solution like the other two big, major thrusts of the American Chestnut Foundation.

Laura Knoy: We also touched on this earlier. And Doug, I'll throw this to you. You know, New England has other beloved trees that are threatened. The elm, the ash, the hemlock. We've done stories on those. How do you feel, Doug, about the argument that let's focus our research efforts, our research time, our research money on those trees that are still with us instead of trying to revive a tree that is mostly gone? What do you think, Doug?

Doug McLane: Well, you asked the one of us... that is a complicated answer because I'm almost as involved in American Elm restoration. It's a wonderful tree. That we all remember when we were younger. And the elm does have blight resistant varieties, so it's not nearly as crucial. The chestnut does not have, as much as we all hope whenever we find a big tree, ooh, maybe this one has resistance. They don't seem to, they all seem to get the blight. Many American elms reach large size and reproductive stage. So you're right. We have the the beach tree and the elm tree and the chestnut tree are all dealing with blights imported from Asia. And yeah, we have to think big. I do know that ESF is working on the American Elm with transgenics and who knows where this will lead. So the goal right now is to find one tree, which is the chestnut, and show that it will work and then we can diversify. Quickly, I want to remind the caller that called in and a lot of people that have a chestnut or two or three that they look after, what can I do for it? And Kendra had mentioned that probably a dose of fertilizer is not generally what they need. But one thing that is very, very helpful and easy to do, which is to put a big mat of woodchips. You can get them free from your local tree people that have...they're looking for places to dump them. Probably not bark chips that you get at a nursery, but actual hardwood, soft wood chips. If you put a big layer of them under a chestnut tree, it can help mimic the forest floor, which is what these trees want.

Laura Knoy: All right. Well, we have to wrap it up there. We could have talked a lot longer, but I do want to direct people to the website. There are more resources there and some pictures as well. And I really want to thank our guests for being with us. Kendra Collins, New England regional science coordinator for the American Chestnut Foundation. Thomas Klak, University of New England, professor of Environmental Studies and vice president of the Foundation's Maine chapter. And Doug McLane, president of the Vermont New Hampshire chapter. This is The Exchange on NHPR.

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What Will It Take to Restore the American Chestnut Tree? - New Hampshire Public Radio

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