OpIndia quotes ANI to name Kamal-ud-dins son as the main culprit in journalist Vikram Joshis death, lands up irking the pro-Islamist lobby – OpIndia

Journalist Vikram Joshi, who wasshotat by some miscreants near his residence in Ghaziabad on 20th June, died in the hospital on Wednesday morning. Vikrams nephew had named one Kamal-ud-dins son as the main culprit behind Vikram Joshis death. Earlier in the day, OpIndia, basing it on ANIs Tweets, reported the same.

OpIndias report irked the liberal establishment, who took to Twitter to cast aspersions at ANI and OpIndia for selectively reporting that a Muslim was the main accused in the case. The pro-Islamist lobby hit out at OpIndia and ANI for giving a communal angle to the crime.

Journalist Vinod Kapri, a well-known name of the leftist gang, came forward to pursue this propaganda. Sharing BJP spokesperson Sambit Patras tweet, where he had shared the ANI Tweet, Kapri shared the names of the other accused and said that though there are 9 other names, the BJP spokesperson could only see Kamal-ud-dins sons name.

Propagandist Anurag Kashyap, who had openly expressed solidarity with the Islamists who had opposed CAA, got quite miffed seeing a Muslim being blamed for the crime. He re-tweeted a tweet by one Aarif Shah to claim that though the main accused in the case were Hindu, ANI chose to single out a Muslim to give a communal spin to the case.

Not to forget, Sanjukta Basu, who is a very vocal Modi-hater and a bigot masquerading as a liberal feminist. She too claimed that ANI released the video and named the Muslim pertetrator to sensationalise and communalise the matter, She also went on to cast aspersions at OpIndia, calling us hate-mongers.

Another person said the same thing. It would have been insignificant in and of itself but it was also shared by the none other Rajdeep Sardesai, who has peddled innumerable number of lies in his glorious career of over 30 years.

The meltdown of the liberal crowd over an OpIndia report somehow does not come as a surprise, but probably in the haste to rebuke us, the left-liberal gang did not read up our report properly.

We have not made up any names. Even if our report mentions Kamal-ud-dins son as the main culprit it is based on a Tweet put out by ANI, where the Vikrams nephew, while talking to ANI, alleged that the police is trying to save the main accused. He said that Kamal-ud-dins son is the one who fired the shot in Vikrams head. He further added that they would not accept his body from the hospital unless the police arrest the main accused, Kamal-u-dins son.

In the same report, we have also shared the names of other accused in the case. Sharing a Tweet by ANI we wrote that the police have released hat list of 10 accused in the case. The names being Ravi s/o Matadeen, Akash, Shehnur, Shakir, Mohit, Dalveer, Abhishek Saroj, Abhishek Jenwal, Jogendra and Babu. A portion of the report, the liberals didnt think it important enough to be read.

So this allegation that we were trying to sensationalise and communalise the incident holds no grounds. Our report was purely based on the facts. Along with mentioning Kamal-ud-dins sons name we also mentioned the names of the other accused in the case, which the leftist brigade chose to conveniently overlook. Without verifying details, the usual assortment of liberals and journalist, in a haste took to social media to cast aspersions at us.

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OpIndia quotes ANI to name Kamal-ud-dins son as the main culprit in journalist Vikram Joshis death, lands up irking the pro-Islamist lobby - OpIndia

Tip of the Iceberg: The Oral-Overall Health Link – UConn Today

This story originally appeared in UConn Health Journal.

When youre sick, you go to the physician. When you have tooth troubles, you see your dentist. You dont expect the dentist to diagnose you with the flu, or your primary care provider to treat your teeth.

In reality, the divide is not so clear cut. Dentists might not make the diagnosis, but they can be the first to detect an illness in a patient when they notice swollen gums, sores, and lesions that can signal that the body is fighting a disease beyond the mouth.

Whats more, brushing your teeth twice a day wont just give you a dazzling smile study after study has shown that maintaining excellent oral health is critical to staying healthy, especially in older patients.

This link drives the interprofessional nature of the education and research at the UConn School of Dental Medicine, part of a growing trend to better prepare every member of the health care team to treat the overall health of the patient as part of an interdisciplinary collaboration.

What Lies Beneath

At UConn Health, this comprehensive education begins at the start of dental and medical school. Students from both schools participate in a shared biomedical sciences curriculum during their first 16 months.

The curriculum at UConn Health is very special, says Dr. Douglas Peterson, professor of oral medicine and a lead faculty member for the interprofessional curriculum. It capitalizes upon high quality basic and clinical science, and positions students and faculty from UConn professional schools to continue to learn how best to treat a medically complex patient based upon the highest quality scientific evidence.

Interprofessional health care is vital to meeting the challenges of health care today. It requires the entire health care team including but not limited to dentists, physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and social workers to collaborate to provide safe and effective treatment. For School of Dental Medicine students, this concept is taught both in the classroom and in the clinics.

From the dental medicine perspective, our faculty works with dental students in lectures, seminars, and clinical settings throughout the four year curriculum to continually highlight the scientific and clinical relationships between oral and systemic health and disease, says Peterson.

To that end, dental students are trained to notice the ways certain systemic diseases manifest in the mouth. Dentists are often the first line of defense, able to perform testing to either rule out the suspected underlying cause or refer patients to their physicians for further evaluation and treatment when needed.

The interface between oral health and disease and systemic health and disease is centrally important, says Peterson. We teach the dental and medical students that, if we detect an oral disorder for which the cause cannot be completely attributed to oral factors, we then need to think about the possibility of a systemic relationship to the oral condition.

In one prevalent example, dentists have become increasingly instrumental in detecting untreated diabetes. More than 21 percent of the 34.2 million people in the U.S. with diabetes were not aware of or did not report having the disease, according to 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

The relationship between diabetes and periodontal disease is one of the best-studied connections between an underlying medical condition and its oral manifestation, says Dr. Rajesh V. Lalla, UConn School of Dental Medicine professor and associate dean for research.

The common and preventable gum disease periodontitis manifests as red, swollen, bleeding gums. A dentist who suspects poor hygiene is not the culprit could test a patients blood glucose level to screen them for untreated type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

In 2018, general dentistry residents at UConn Health began a pilot study to assess the feasibility and impact of implementing a diabetes screening protocol in UConns dental clinics. Patients deemed at risk were offered chairside HbA1C testing, which measures average blood glucose levels over a three-month period.

Nearly 60% of patients tested were found to be in the pre-diabetic range and received referral to primary care for diagnosis and treatment. Early intervention with prediabetic patients has been shown to cut the risk of developing type 2 diabetes in half.

Dentists might also be the first to notice symptoms of HIV or cancer. Oral candidiasis, an oral fungal infection that may signify a weakened immune system, was one of the first diagnostic signs of HIV when the epidemic started in the early 1980s, according to Dr. Anna Dongari-Bagtzoglou, professor and head of the department of oral health and diagnostic sciences at the School, who has been studying oral candidiasis for over two decades.

An unusual lesion or sore detected during a routine check-up could trigger screenings and a biopsy, as it could mean oral cancer.

It is important to be evaluated by a dental professional on a regular basis. If a potentially serious mouth condition is developing, early diagnosis and treatment is key, says Peterson. Our dental students graduate from UConn knowing that considering the patients overall health rather than just whats going on in their mouth could make a big difference in a patients health and well-being.

Two-Way Street

On the flip side, UConn Health researchers also contribute to the growing body of evidence that shows keeping your mouth healthy helps keep the rest of you healthy.

Large-scale studies published by the American Heart Association and American Academy of Periodontology have shown that patients with poor oral hygiene have been found to be at increased risk of heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and respiratory disease.

A recent paper published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society by Dr. Patrick Coll, professor of family medicine and medicine at the UConn School of Medicine, with UConn School of Dental Medicine faculty coauthors, examined the links between poor oral hygiene, oral infection, and systemic infection in older patients. It also emphasized the importance of health care providers of all types encouraging proper hygiene.

Bacteria in the oral cavity being released in the bloodstream can have detrimental effects on older patients with replacement heart valves and prosthetic joints, for one. The bacteria can potentially lead to infections in the area of the implant. If you have an artificial heart valve, you need to be particularly fastidious with your oral hygiene, says Coll.

Poor oral health and aging can also lead to tooth loss, affecting a persons ability to chew, potentially leading to malnutrition.

Coll and his coauthors recommend eldercare facilities adopt interventions to help combat the barriers older populations face in receiving proper oral care. Patients with dementia may neglect their oral health and be reluctant to see a dental hygienist, for example, and nursing home residents often receive inadequate care despite federal requirements, the UConn experts say. Medicare doesnt currently cover dental care, making it difficult for low-income seniors to see a dentist.

Nursing homes should adopt risk assessment tools to identify patients at high risk for poor oral hygiene and should educate staff on the importance of good oral hygiene and how to provide it, they write.

There are many aspects to promoting healthy aging, and oral health is an important piece, Coll says.

Coll says he and the rest of the interprofessional health care team at UConn are committed to providing the very best health care, including oral care, based on the latest research and clinical evidence.

The overall goal of this line of health care is centered in the UConn Health mission to achieve and maintain patient wellness, says Peterson.

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Tip of the Iceberg: The Oral-Overall Health Link - UConn Today

What Is It That Keeps Most Little Kids From Getting Covid-19? – The New York Times

For starters, rather than prohibiting children from playing together and eliminating all social risk, Dr. Chiang and the A.A.P. schools-reopening guidelines focus on reducing risk and state that outdoor play is safer than indoor play. Jenkins said her family now socializes with another cautious family. Their summer plans include outdoor playground and beach visits, but not museums.

Some families who initially tried going without sitters and nannies have relented, and public-health experts acknowledge that the strain was significant. Parents and nannies should have honest discussions about their expectations for mask-wearing and distancing. But there is no way for a nanny to socially distance from a young kid shes taking care of, Dr. Chiang said. And there is no evidence that risk of transmission is lower for a younger nanny, she added.

Ultimately, parents have to weigh their threshold for risk when it comes to childrens interactions with others. And that same advice applies to day care, summer camp or school in the fall. Parents should consider the demands of their work, whether any household member is at high risk for severe Covid-19, the status of the outbreak in their community and administrators plans for keeping children and staffers at least in fixed and distanced groups. Also, look for policies requiring children and staffers to be screened for symptoms.

In other words, Dr. Chiang said, if the spread of coronavirus in your community is low, if administrators seem to be taking risk reduction seriously and if parents have to work from home or are essential workers, sending young kids to day care or school may make sense.

The logistics of keeping kids out of school, but still trying to educate them, go far beyond just infectious diseases, Dr. Starke. They go into economics, they go into social structure, and they go into families.

Dr. Chiang has the same decisions to make. When her daughters day care reopened, she spoke with the facilitys director about distancing, disinfection and other coronavirus-related policies. Statistics, family composition, and the age of her daughter also must be considered.

With her being 2 1/2, the risk that shes going to have severe disease from Covid-19 or develop MIS-C is tiny, Dr. Chiang said. We dont have any older family members living with us or in town, so we dont have to consider her getting infected at day care and infecting grandma and grandpa. And the benefits she gets from day care are amazing.

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What Is It That Keeps Most Little Kids From Getting Covid-19? - The New York Times

Pre-med students weigh their health with their future, as COVID-19 spikes – Oregon Daily Emerald

Normally, medical students have a clear path through school four years of college, four years of medical school and then residency. The coronavirus disrupted this process on many levels. Nationally, and at the University of Oregon, students are finding it hard, or nearly impossible, to meet the high standards medical school sets for them.

The challenges these students have faced led some students to form a group called the Students for Ethical Admission. The group created an in-depth document that outlined the issues approximately 200 surveyed students experienced, and suggested three changes to the Association of American Medical Colleges: waiving the Medical College Admission Test for this admissions cycle, delaying the application and having the association commit to clearer communication and transparency with pre-medical students.

One of the largest issues is the MCAT. The MCAT is a standard test for pre-medical students, and is required by most colleges like the Oregon Health & Science University and Western University of Health Sciences, even under the current conditions. The AAMC is still holding the tests in brick-and-mortar testing sites. Allowing online testing would be jeopardizing the integrity and fairness of the test, according to a letter from the AAMC.

The MCAT is a grueling test, and some students pay for tutoring and practice. For students who don't come from families with the financial means to support them, this test is a huge investment in their future one that could be completely wasted if test times are changed or cancelled, according to Rachel Lutz, a pre-medical biochemistry major at UO.

Its devastating to give up a year of your time, but for many students, its the money, Lutz said. When you give up a year, you give up thousands of dollars of prep.

Lutz is concerned that this change would bar many people of color of poor backgrounds from entering into the medical field, creating an entire generation of doctors that are mostly White.

For Lutz, one of the largest problems shes faced is sending and receiving transcripts. Usually an easy process, the UO application system is all paper nothing digital and it's slowed down to a crawl, she said. Medical schools are on a rolling application-based system, meaning that the later students apply, the less likely schools will see their applications.

"I don't know exactly what's going on there, but the implications have been that they do not pick up the phone and they're overburdened in their email inbox. This has resulted in me emailing them over 10 times," she said. "It's resulted in at least two of my transcripts being sent to my med school applications that were missing key addendums."

Sahara Kumaran is also a pre-med student, and said her biggest issue is that she is unable to get the same experience online that she would get in a lab.

"A lot of classes are online right now, and that's okay if its a lecture class. But for lab-based classes, it's much harder to learn those same skills online," Kumaran said. "Part of those lab classes is actually physically doing the experiments yourself, so its much more difficult."

I feel like Im being left behind. I feel like our peers are being left behind, Lutz said, I think its really hard and I think a lot of applicants feel alone right now.

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Pre-med students weigh their health with their future, as COVID-19 spikes - Oregon Daily Emerald

Common Blood Test Identifies Benefits and Risks of Steroid Treatment in COVID-19 Patients – BioSpace

Research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Builds on Large British Study

BRONX, N.Y., July 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- A new study led by Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Health System confirms the findings of the large scale British trial of steroid use for COVID-19 patients and advances the research by answering several key questions: Which patients are most likely to benefit from steroid therapy? Could some of them be harmed? Can other formulations of steroids substitute for the agent studied in the British trial? The research was published today in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

The U.K. RECOVERY trial, a prospective, randomized, open-label study of the steroid dexamethasone versus standard of care, involved more than 6,000 patients with COVID-19. Dexamethasone reduced deaths by about one-third in patients on ventilators and by about one-fifth among people who needed oxygen but were not on ventilators. However, the study leaves questions about the use of steroids for treating some patients.

"Our study is consistent with the promising findings from Britain, but for the first time, we are able to demonstrate that people can see the same life-saving benefits with steroid formulations other than dexamethasone," said Marla Keller, M.D., vice chair for research in the department of medicine at Einstein and Montefiore and lead author of the study. "We also found that a common blood test may identify the best candidates for steroid treatment." Dr. Keller is also professor of medicine and of obstetrics & gynecology and women's health at Einstein and an infectious disease specialist at Montefiore.

Authors of the Einstein-Montefiore study compared outcomes for two groups selected from nearly 3,000 people hospitalized at Montefiore with a positive COVID-19 test. One group of 140 patients was treated with steroids within 48 hours of hospital admission; and a control group of 1,666 similar patients did not receive steroid therapy. Most of the patients who received steroid therapy received prednisone. Some received dexamethasone and methylprednisolone.

Nearly all patients initially had a blood test to measure levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), which the liver produces in response to inflammation. The higher the CRP level in the blood, the greater amount of inflammation. A normal CRP level reported in the study is below 0.8 milligrams per deciliter of blood.

"We found that in patients with high levels of inflammation, namely a CRP level greater than 20, steroids were associated with a 75% reduction in the risk of going on mechanical ventilation or dying," said Dr. Keller. "Critically, we also found that for patients with a lower level of inflammation CRP levels less than 10 steroid use was associated with an almost 200% increased risk of going on mechanical ventilation or death."

A large percent of the people who succumb to COVID-19 die from the body's intense inflammatory response, which can overwhelm and severely damage the lungs. "Our findings suggest that steroid therapy should be reserved for people with high inflammation, as indicated by markedly elevated CRP levels," said William Southern, M.D., M.S., professor of medicine and chief of the division of hospital medicine at Einstein and Montefiore and the study's senior author. "It's a different story for people who do not have significant inflammation: for them, any benefit is outweighed by the risks from using steroids."

Study co-author Shitij Arora, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Einstein and a hospitalist at Montefiore, noted that the Einstein-Montefiore study included approximately equal numbers of male and female patients. In addition, nearly 40% of patients studied were Black and 36% were Hispanic. "The demographic diversity of the patients in this study suggests that steroid therapy benefits hospitalized COVID-19 patients affected by significant inflammation regardless of their race or ethnicity," he said.

The title of this paper is "Effect of Systemic Glucocorticoids on Mortality or Mechanical Ventilation in Patients With COVID-19." Other Einstein and Montefiore authors were Jen-Ting Chen, M.D., M.S., Elizabeth Kitsis, M.D., M.B.E., Shivani Agarwal, M.D., M.P.H., Michael Ross, M.D., and Yaron Tomer, M.D.

About Albert Einstein College of MedicineAlbert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation's premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2019-20 academic year, Einstein is home to 724 M.D. students, 158 Ph.D. students, 106 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 265 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,800 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2019, Einstein received more than $178 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, cancer, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Einstein runs one of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the medical and dental professions in the United States through Montefiore and an affiliation network involving hospitals and medical centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn and on Long Island. For more information, please visit http://www.einstein.yu.edu, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and view us on YouTube.

About Montefiore Health SystemMontefiore Health System is one of New York's premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and close to 200 outpatient care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its' medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its' preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information please visit http://www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter and view us on Facebook and YouTube.

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Common Blood Test Identifies Benefits and Risks of Steroid Treatment in COVID-19 Patients - BioSpace

Geriatric psychiatry and COVID-19: Interview with Dr. Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali – Baylor College of Medicine News

Editors note: This is the first in a series of Progress Notes posts featuring mental health professionals, their interests, and their thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali is a geriatric psychiatrist and currently serves as the geriatric psychiatric fellowship director at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also dedicated to enhancing the cultural attunement of clinicians to best serve all patients.

I have been fortunate enough to engage and receive professional guidance from Dr. Asghar-Ali, who also serves as the faculty advisor for PsychMinded, the student organization leading this interview series.

Dr. Asghar-Ali shares his professional journey and how he has been coping during these uncertain times.

It wasnt until late in my third year in medical school that I decided I would like to pursue psychiatry. When I started medical school, I saw myself becoming an internist. During my rotation in psychiatry, I recognized how much I enjoyed learning about peoples emotional health and working with individuals and the environments in which they exist. It was only then that I realized I had an interest in psychological constructs and community structures.

I took as many sociology and psychology courses as I could as a science major. In medical school, I never missed a psychiatry interest group meeting (while I was vice president of the internal medicine interest group!)

I am a geriatric psychiatrist, which requires a one-year fellowship after completion of a general psychiatry residency. Since completing my training, I have been at the VA, which is an ideal clinical setting for a geriatric practitioner and offers tremendous opportunities to develop an educational and research career.

For eight years I was an inpatient geriatric psychiatrist. However, for the last five years my time has been split between electroconvulsive therapy and educational efforts at the South Central Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center.

The field has a lot to offer and can be extremely gratifying. There are a tremendous number of facets to psychiatry, ranging from psychoanalytic therapy to deep brain stimulation. Though stigma persists, there is change afoot with an increasing emphasis on mental wellness and seeking care if needed, making this an ideal time to become a psychiatrist.

Geriatric psychiatry is a remarkably interdisciplinary sub-specialty. Older adults can have highly complex conditions and needs, and often no one discipline can fully address these needs. Depending on the setting, e.g., an acute inpatient unit, the psychiatrist may be the team lead. In such a circumstance, their role would include diagnosis and directing the treatment plan. Within treatment planning, they would be considered the expert in psychiatric medication management.

However, it is critical that psychiatrists have a biopsychosocial understanding of the persons condition and develop a treatment plan that acknowledges and strives to address each issue. While the psychiatrist may not be the expert in social interventions, they must be knowledgeable about resources that could be utilized and incorporate them into treatment planning.

Shared responsibility and humility are important when working in an interdisciplinary team. Its essential that all team members have an opportunity to voice their understanding and recommendations. In geriatric psychiatry, the team often also includes an occupational therapist/physical therapist, caregivers, and a geriatrician. Specialists such as neurologists, speech pathologists, PM&R specialists, may also interface with the team.

I feel very fortunate that I have been able to continue my work with little disruption we are able to offer ECT at the VA to those who need it, and I continue to develop scholarly projects. I work with wonderful colleagues who are supportive.

Of course, I have been spending much more time at home and I again feel fortunate to have a comfortable home in which my mother, children, wife, and I can all have our own space. As a family, we have undoubtedly grown closer. Ramadan was especially meaningful as we practiced all our observances together with minimal distractions. I have been taking more time to sleep and ensuring that physical activity does not disappear from my life.

Paying attention to mental health and physical health before there are problems is important Were often taught to brush things under the carpet, to push through. However, its important to take time to develop personal resources to manage day-to-day life, then employ these resources when stressors occur.

We have developed a Wellness Guide for Veterans that highlights tools to maintain wellness, I also read a wonderful article that highlights the usefulness of laughter and how to harness it in a very deliberate manner.

I am also a great believer in interdependence. Working as a collective, whether its with colleagues, friends, family, or healthcare professionals not only builds bonds, but also allows us to maximize our resources.

-By Jessica C. Sheu, third-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine

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Geriatric psychiatry and COVID-19: Interview with Dr. Ali Abbas Asghar-Ali - Baylor College of Medicine News

A closer look at the programs excluded from the 2020-21 tuition freeze – Minnesota Daily

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, President Joan Gabel froze tuition for students at the University of Minnesota for the 2020-21 academic year.

Under this decision, approved by the Board of Regents in April, all students will pay the same tuition rates as the 2019-20 academic year. However, this announcement excluded three programs within the University, including the Medical School, the School of Dentistry and several graduate degrees in the College of Science and Engineering.

College of Science and Engineering

The Technological Leadership Institute within CSE offers specialized degrees for graduate and professional students focusing on technology and business. Due to the unique nature of these degrees, they were not included in the tuition freeze.

Within this program, each incoming class of students enters into cohorts, where they pay a fixed tuition rate for the entirety of their time in the program.

The important thing to note is the tuition is fixed for the cohort. For example, the group that starts this year will graduate at the end the spring of 2022 and their tuition will be the same, said Douglas Ernie, interim director of TLI.

The programs included in the institute include the areas of medical device innovation, management of technology and security technologies.

Additionally, this program does not receive outside financial contributions and is completely funded by student tuition.

We are a financially self-supporting unit ... we don't get any budget lines from the state in that sense for staffing or any faculty or anything, Ernie said. Based on that, and based on analysis of similar programs across the country and based on program demand, that's how we set our tuition rate.

The increase in tuition for next year ranges from between $800 and $3,600 total, Ernie said.

School of Dentistry

The Universitys School of Dentistry students will also not receive a tuition freeze for the 2020-21 academic year, although exceptions are being made for the cohort of students entering their final year in the Doctor of Dental Surgery and Dental Therapy programs.

Class of 2021 students in these programs have endured unique challenges this past semester and will experience more during their graduating year. Freezing tuition for these cohorts takes these challenges into account, read an emailed statement from the School of Dentistry to the Minnesota Daily.

The tuition for other students in these programs will be increased by 2% to account for educational and administrative costs of the program and a decrease in clinical visits.

This [2%] increase is in alignment with the market need for dentists, comparable or slightly below increases being proposed at Big Ten peer institutions. The School continues to make available to students internal scholarships to assist with tuition and other costs, the statement reads.

The Medical School

The Universitys Medical School is the final program not included in the academic tuition freeze.

The school operates under a "cost of degree" model, where tuition is held flat for four years with each incoming class.

We have held tuition flat for four years in order to align with the mid-range tuition of our peers and that is where we remain, read an emailed statement from the University of Minnesota Medical School to the Minnesota Daily.

This program also experiences unique educational costs associated with COVID-19 and the demand of the degrees offered.

In order to protect our students and patients, we have a significant need for more safety equipment, simulation, smaller classes, additional health and well-being programming, and student services required for accreditation, the statement read.

Student response

Students within the College of Science and Engineering generally did not respond negatively to the tuition freeze due to their unique circumstances as students, Ernie said.

Many of these students are also working full time and receive tuition reimbursement. Additionally, the program is transparent about the continuity of their program cost, he said.

We advertise our rates when we are starting our recruiting cycle in fall the year before, Ernie said. So they're not getting an increase every year the rate that they come in at is the rate until they finish.

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A closer look at the programs excluded from the 2020-21 tuition freeze - Minnesota Daily

For Black Scientists, the Sorrow Is Also Personal – Duke Today

I have tried to live in a world that does not see color but have only succeeded in living in a world that does not see me.

I am a medical doctor and a scientist; the first African American awarded a PhD in neuroscience at Duke University. I have led a National Institutes of Health-funded research lab for almost a decade, and I was awarded the Society for Neuroscience Young Investigator Prize in 2019. I am an American Association for the Advancement of Science Alan I. Leshner Public Engagement Fellow, and I have hosted TEDMED three times.

I am a scholar, teacher, mentor, speaker, and mental health advocate. I have served on national commissions, I have advanced federal policy, and I have even held court with a president of the United States. I have published in Cell scientific journals, and as a peer reviewer, I have worked to advance the scientific rigor of my colleagues. Yet, most days, I am unseen and unknown. As I watched a knee slowly, mercilessly, and inhumanly extinguish yet another black life, I was overwhelmed by anger and sorrow, and at this very moment, I am terrified to run on the trail near my home. I am a black academic in America.

Academia is the space where evidence is created, explored, and shared. I started medical school 20 years ago full of the belief that everyone was equal and that scientific evidence was fair, unbiased, and always reflected the truth. Yet, I was soon confronted by overwhelming images of black men in my textbooks who all had advanced-staged sexually transmitted diseases. Surely it wasnt only black men that get STDs? These subtexts about race and health infected many of the narratives that accompanied daily morning rounds in the hospital. One day, it became strikingly clear that the academic system was subtly advancing an insidious idea that everyone was not indeed equal.

As I grew as a scientist, I began to recognize the profound consequences of this insidious framework. I learned that blacks were underrepresented in the clinical trials used to achieve FDA approval for many commonly prescribed medications. How could any well-reasoned scholar then argue that these medications worked as well for black patients? Even the large-scale genomic studies I read in the world-leading scientific journals as a physician-scientist trainee did not extrapolate to blacks. Did black lives even matter with regards to the equitable development and distribution of medical interventions? Every corner of the academic system seemed to suggest that they did not, and there were few black academics to generate alternative evidence to confront this insidiously biased framework. Even now, only 12 percent of scientists awarded major grants by the National Institutes of Health are black. Painfully, scientific evidence also suggests that even after accounting for training institutions, publication records, and major awards, the review system used to select winners for these research grants is biased against blacks.

While these systematic realities each take their emotional and intellectual toll, my personal experiences as a black academic in America have been much more scarring. There was the time a well-meaning individual called the police to report a black man soliciting in my friends neighborhood. The squad car arrived as I was walking toward my friends house from a nearby pond; my Danskos, scrubs, white coat, Duke medical school ID badge, and the oversized anatomy book in my hand were not sufficient evidence to bypass their 20 minute inquisition.

Every meeting is my protest. Every protest is exhausting. There is a price that I pay every single day.-- Dr. Kafui Dzirasa

There was the first time that I was invited to give a keynote lecture at a major international conference. While I stood in the hotel lobby with my colleagues, a woman walked through the crowd and handed me her suitcase. I was the only black face in sight. Then, there are the endless occasions where colleagues who always say hi when I am wearing my white coat either dont recognize me when I wave or even make eye contact with me when I am wearing sweatpants (my preferred outfit in the lab).

The most embarrassing experience was when I went to grab a slice of pizza at my department lunch after a student seminar. A staff member quickly approached and asked me who I work for (myself) and then whose lab I was in (my own) as if I had not understood the question, though we were literally standing in the same research building that Ive spent the vast majority of my time in as a graduate student, postdoctoral researcher, clinical resident, and faculty over the last 20 years. I responded in the same way I always do. I hid myself and answered with a smile. I am a black man, and the idea of making people feel uncomfortable about my presence always feels like career suicide.

Since then, Ive sat in far too many meetings where there are no faces that look like mine. The pipeline doesnt existits impossible to recruit talented black people, they say. And so, I choose to quietly protest this entire academic system with my excellence. I held my protests at Duke, MIT, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, WashU, UPenn, Yale, Weill Cornell, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, Stanford, UCSF, Columbia, UVA, University of Rochester, Tufts, University of Maryland School of Medicine, UT Southwestern, Baylor, NYU, University of Chicago, Northwestern, UIC, UT San Antonio, UNC, NC State, Brown, University of Buffalo, Ohio State, University of Minnesota, UCSD, UCLA, University of Colorado Anschultz, Cal Tech, National Institutes of Health, Woods Hole, Einstein, and the University of Florida. For the few black trainees in the audience, it is the first time that they see a face that looks like theirs at the podium. I prepare endlessly to become the best because my excellence gives these trainees hope.

I must outwork this system. I must outlast this system. I must be scientifically sound and full of wit. Its the only way to have impact. I must be endlessly optimistic. Its the only way to endure the unceasing environmental cues that scream I dont belong. I bear the full weight of my experiences, my perspectives, and my community as I work tirelessly to advance the biomedical research enterprise and the mental health of all Americans.

Every meeting is my protest. Every protest is exhausting. There is a price that I pay every single day. I accept this unfathomablepersonal cost to create new evidence and to counterbalance insidious historical untruths.

I also bear the shared experiences of the many young scientists that I mentor. We are all tired, and we have been crippled by the weight of these chronic and acute experiences. And yet, we all continue to yearn and desperately hope for a day when AllLivesMatter. This was Martin Luther King Jr.s dream, the self-evident promise whispered at our precious Americas inception. We are drowning in sorrow.

Yet, we are also overbrimming with hope as our beloved America finally awakens to the notion that all lives cannot matter until BlackLivesMatter too. We are black academics in America. We too define the truth, and it is time for our colleagues to listen and, in this instance, follow.

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For Black Scientists, the Sorrow Is Also Personal - Duke Today

Citius Pharmaceuticals Forms Scientific Advisory Board for the Planned Development of its Proprietary Treatment for Acute Respiratory Disease…

CRANFORD, N.J., July 22, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.("CITIUS") ("Company") (NASDAQ:CTXR), a specialty pharmaceutical companyfocused on developing and commercializing critical care drug products, announced today the formation of the Citius ARDS (Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome) Scientific Advisory Board to provide the company expert guidance on its planned development of induced mesenchymal stem cells (iMSCs) under option from Novellus, Inc. to treat and reduce the severity of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) associated with COVID -19.

The ARDS Advisory Board consultants are:Michael A. Matthay, MD, Professor of Medicine and Anesthesia at the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF), a Senior Associate at the Cardiovascular Research Institute, and Associate Director of the Critical Care Medicine at UCSF. Dr. Matthay's basic research has focused on the pathogenesis and resolution of the acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), with an emphasis on translational work and patient-based research, including clinical trials. Dr. Matthay's recent research has focused on the biology and potential clinical use of allogeneic bone marrow derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for ARDS. He is currently leading the "Mesenchymal Stromal Cells For Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (STAT)," a United States Department of Defense supported study of MSCs for ARDS.

Mitchell M. Levy, MD, Chief, Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, where he is Professor of Medicine. Dr. Levy also serves as Medical Director of the Medical ICU at Rhode Island Hospital. He has been an investigator on numerous pharmacologic and biologic trials intended to treat sepsis, cardiovascular and pulmonary pathology. He has expertise in trial design, clinical trial execution and trial management and is one of the three founding members of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC). Dr. Levy is Past-President of the Society of Critical Care Medicine (2009).

Lorraine B. Ware, MD, Professor of Medicine and Ralph and Lulu Owen Endowed Chair,Professor of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University;Director, Vanderbilt Medical Scholars Program. Dr. Lorraine Ware's comprehensive bench-to-bedside research program centers on the pathogenesis and treatment of sepsis and acute lung injury with a current focus on mechanisms of lung epithelial and endothelial oxidative injury by cell-free hemoglobin. Dr. Ware is also a lead investigator for the "Mesenchymal Stromal Cells For Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (STAT)" study.

"We are extremely pleased to have been able to attract such a prestigious group of experts to advise and guide us in the Company's planned development of iMSC's for the treatment of ARDS" said Mr. Myron Holubiak, CEO of Citius. "These individuals are recognized opinion leaders and expert in the planning and execution of clinical trials in this therapeutic area. We will be seeking their advice in all phases of our clinical trial design."

About Citius Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Citius is a late-stage specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of critical care products, with a focus on anti-infectives and cancer care. For more information, please visit http://www.citiuspharma.com.

About Citius iMSCCitius's planned induced mesenchymal stem cell (iMSC) product is derived from a human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line generated using a proprietary non-immunogenic and non-viral mRNA-based (non-viral) reprogramming process. Unlike the MSCs derived from bone marrow, placenta, umbilical cord, or adipose tissue these proprietary iMSCs are based on a clonal process and therefore are genetically homogeneous and exhibit superior potency and higher cell viability. The Citius iMSC is an allogeneic (unrelated donor) mesenchymal stem-cell product manufactured by expanding material from an iMSC master cell bank. The master cell bank produces "off-the-shelf" iMSCs that are uniform as compared to MSCs using donor-sourced cells, which is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. In vitro studies demonstrate that iMSCs are shown to secrete higher levels of immunomodulatory proteins than donor-derived cells, and may reduce or prevent pulmonary injury associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in patients with COVID-19.

About Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)ARDS is a type of respiratory failure characterized by rapid onset of widespread inflammation in the lungs. ARDS is a rapidly progressive disease that occurs in critically ill patients most notably now in those diagnosed with COVID-19. ARDS affects approximately 200,000 patients per year in the U.S., exclusive of the current COVID-19 pandemic, and has a 30% to 50% mortality rate. ARDS is sometimes initially diagnosed as pneumonia or pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs from heart disease). Symptoms of ARDS include shortness of breath, rapid breathing and heart rate, chest pain (particularly while inhaling), and bluish skin coloration. Among those who survive ARDS, a decreased quality of life is relatively common.

Safe HarborThis press release may contain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such statements are made based on our expectations and beliefs concerning future events impacting Citius. You can identify these statements by the fact that they use words such as "will," "anticipate," "estimate," "expect," "should," and "may" and other words and terms of similar meaning or use of future dates. Forward-looking statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could negatively affect our business, operating results, financial condition and stock price.

Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated are: the risk of successfully negotiating within the option period a license agreement with Novellus, Inc. for our planned iMSCs therapy for ARDS; our need for substantial additional funds; risks associated with conducting clinical trials and drug development; the estimated markets for our product candidates and the acceptance thereof by any market; risks related to our growth strategy; risks relating to the results of research and development activities; uncertainties relating to preclinical and clinical testing; the early stage of products under development; our ability to obtain, perform under and maintain financing and strategic agreements and relationships; our ability to identify, acquire, close and integrate product candidates and companies successfully and on a timely basis; our dependence on third-party suppliers; our ability to attract, integrate, and retain key personnel; government regulation; patent and intellectual property matters; competition; as well as other risks described in our SEC filings. We expressly disclaim any obligation or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in our expectations or any changes in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, except as required by law.

Contact:Andrew ScottVice President, Corporate Development(O) 908-967-6677 x105ascott@citiuspharma.com

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Promoting diversity and inclusion as a medical student at Stanford – Scope

Third-year medical student Claire Rhee decidedto take a stand on issues of social justice long before she chose to pursue a career in medicine.

When she was still in high school in New Jersey, Rheebecame fascinated with the many ways that social context, income level and surroundings can influence a person's health.

After arriving at medical school at Stanford, she became increasingly involved in promoting diversity and inclusion, which led her to serve last year as co-chair of the Stanford University Minority Medical Alliance. SUMMA represents and promotes awareness of issues facing a number of minority groups, including African Americans, Latinx, Asian-Pacific Americans, Muslims, people from indigenous backgrounds, people who identify as LBGTQ+, and people with disabilities or chronic illness.

I caught up with Rhee to discuss her time with SUMMA, diversity and inclusion in health care, and what it means to be an ally.

Why did you get involved in SUMMA?

Being an Asian American, straight-passing woman, I can engage in these communities without going out into the world and facing a lot of discrimination that others face. Allyship was always something that was a little bit scary to me, because I was worried that I would do something wrong. But at Stanford our community is small enough -- and you have enough touchpoints with everyone -- that there isn't that sense of: you send out an email that says something insensitive and you get flamed by 500 people on Twitter or something. I could learn and be corrected and approach this with humility, but also feel like I was being cared for at the same time.

What is something you're proud of from your time as a SUMMA leader?

I am so excited about the incoming medical student class. It is the most diverse incoming class in Stanford Medicine history, and so many of them expressed interest in social determinants of health and social justice in general.

I've been involved in the admissions process and in recruitment since my first year of medical school, and it has been one of our priorities at SUMMA to make our already small class sizes as diverse as possible. This year's success was a cumulative effort by the student leaders who planned interview days and revisit weekend, by the office of admissions and the financial aid office who worked with the students to make it possible for them to come here, and by our SUMMA organizations, who show these students the strength of our communities.

Why is it important to increase diversity and inclusion in the health professions?

There's a ton of data that shows that patients feel a lot more comfortable if they're treated by a doctor who they think understands their experience. And sometimes that boils down to identity.

I know that I have patients -- I have family members -- who will only see doctors who speak their language, which I completely understand. Or who will, if they have the freedom of choice, only see doctors who are of the same ethnicity as them. I think that's within the patient's right to decide, to an extent. I think it offers a better space for providing culturally humble care. And when we start having more providers that look like our patient demographic, then we will likely see better health care outcomes in the health care system.

Sometimes doctors or students are sort of told to "stay in our lanes." In other words, not to speak out on social issues. Why is it important that we speak out?

Because none of us operates in a vacuum.

The reason I came into medicine was because of the human side of things. That's what makes it interesting. What makes it complicated. And what gives value to this profession. I think to ignore the fact that we all live in a society that affects our health is misguided.

What advice do you have for people who want to be allies, but don't know how?

It's not going to be easy. A lot of us have really deeply embedded societal norms and different levels of self-awareness of those norms. But everyone in the SUMMA community is aware that people come here with the intention to learn.

We all have the capacity to learn. The hard thing is when that cognitive part comes at odds with the emotional part of being told you did something wrong at some point. I think, as high achievers, that's especially difficult to reckon with. But if you come at it from a place of humility -- and understand that the pain that some of these communities face day-to day is so much larger than you being told you're wrong -- it helps. It at least helps put me in the right headspace, which means putting my ego on the back burner.

Photo courtesy of Claire Rhee

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Promoting diversity and inclusion as a medical student at Stanford - Scope

Different Takes: Gun Violence Is Almost Rivaling The Pandemic; Sacklers Just Might Get Away With Their Fortune Intact – Kaiser Health News

Editorial pages focus on these public health issues and others.

The Washington Post:2020 Is Shattering Gun Violence Records. We Must Act.As the novel coronavirus pandemic continues to ravage the United States, another epidemic is surging: gun violence. Most other types of crime fell during the initial phases of the pandemic, but gun violence increased and mass shootings in particular continue to spiral out of control. There are a lot of crises tugging at the publics attention, but we cannot let this go unresolved. Often when people discuss mass shootings, they focus on the number of people killed, but that overlooks the massive public health and economic toll that nonfatal shootings have on this country. To better take that into account, we define mass shootings as incidents in which four or more people are shot, excluding the shooter. (Devin Hughes, 7/21)

The New York Times:The Sacklers Could Get Away With ItThe billionaire Sacklers who own Purdue Pharma, maker of the OxyContin painkiller that helped fuel Americas opioid epidemic, are among Americas richest families. And if they have their way, the federal court handling Purdues bankruptcy case will help them hold on to their wealth by releasing them from liability for the ravages caused by OxyContin. The July 30 deadline for filing claims in Purdues bankruptcy proceedings potentially implicates not just claims against Purdue, but also claims against the Sacklers. The Sacklers may yet again benefit from expansive powers that bankruptcy courts exercise in complex cases. (Gerald Posner and Ralph Brubaker, 7/22)

Stat:Medical Schools Need To Lower The Cost Of Producing DoctorsMedicine has become a profession accessible mainly to the rich. Just look at the price tag for medical school. In the 1960s, the four years of medical education needed to earn an M.D. in the United States could be had for about $40,000 in todays dollars. The price is now $300,000, a 750% increase. (David A. Asch, Justin Grischkan and Sean Nicholson, 7/21)

Stat:My Patients Want The Good Old Days Of Office VisitsI recently got a note from my secretary with this message from a patient: Tell the doctor I have no interest in a phone call or one of those video visits. When she is back to seeing patients again in the office, let me know. Im hearing that a lot lately from patients who continue to delay routine medical care, not due to fears of Covid-19 but because they yearn for the old face-to-face office visit. (Amy E. Wheeler, 7/22)

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Different Takes: Gun Violence Is Almost Rivaling The Pandemic; Sacklers Just Might Get Away With Their Fortune Intact - Kaiser Health News

COVID-19 vaccine trials to be conducted at Washington University, Saint Louis University Washington University – Washington University School of…

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Vaccine trials to enroll about 3,000 area residents

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development have joined the effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine that can prevent the illness. Researchers at the universities expect to enroll about 3,000 participants in several COVID-19 vaccine trials, with each school participating in different trials.

As U.S. scientists ramp up a national effort to evaluate COVID-19 vaccine candidates at clinical trial sites across the country, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development have been tapped to join the historic effort to find a COVID-19 vaccine that can prevent the illness.

Researchers at the two universities expect to enroll about 3,000 participants in several COVID-19 vaccine trials, with each school participating in different trials.

Researchers say it will be critically important to enroll participants who are likely to be exposed to COVID-19 or those at risk for severe disease from COVID-19, including participants over age 65.

COVID-19 Prevention Network

Washington University and Saint Louis University are participating in the trials as a part of the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), a newly organized network formed by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) to develop and test vaccines and treatments in the fight against COVID-19.

The COVID-19 Prevention Network will participate in large-scale phase 3 vaccine trials that will enroll thousands of participants from across the U.S. or in some cases around the world to determine whether the vaccines can prevent COVID-19 disease.

The COVID-19 Prevention Network brings together several existing NIH networks, including:

Each of the networks has expertise in conducting clinical trials and is quickly pivoting to evaluate potential COVID-19 vaccines.

Leaders in the Field

Locally, Washington University and Saint Louis University are well positioned to conduct the COVID-19 vaccine trials, due to extensive expertise in infectious disease research.

The Saint Louis University Center for Vaccine Development is home to one of 10 Vaccine and Treatment Evaluation Units in the United States. As such, SLU conducts phases 1 through 4 vaccine and treatment trials, including clinical studies in collaboration with industry partners.

The Center for Vaccine Development at Saint Louis University has 30 years of experience testing novel vaccines and completing urgent pandemic vaccine trials, said Daniel Hoft, MD, PhD, the centers director and principal investigator for the VTEU. We recognize that particularly in these unprecedented times, collaboration is critically important. We look forward to using the collective strengths at SLU and Washington University to get COVID-19 vaccines ready for the U.S. public and world.

Washington University School of Medicine has more than 30 years experience leading clinical trials evaluating new treatments and vaccines for infectious diseases through its Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit and the AIDS Clinical Trials Group. The latter has been instrumental in conducting trials to control the HIV pandemic, leading to safe and effective medications that treat and prevent HIV infection and AIDS.

Our long history of working with the HIV community has demonstrated how critically important community support is in conducting successful clinical trials, said Rachel Presti, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine, director of Washington Universitys Infectious Disease Clinical Research Unit and principal investigator for the AIDS Clinical Trials Group and the HIV Prevention Trials Network. We are excited that the St. Louis community will have this opportunity to participate in historic clinical trials aimed at helping to identify the most effective vaccines for preventing COVID-19.

Partnering with the Community

St. Louisans will be key to the success of the vaccine trials, said Sharon Frey, MD, clinical director of SLUs Center for Vaccine Development and principal investigator of the trial at SLU. A powerful example of the role the St. Louis community plays in advancing public health was seen in the communitys response to the 2009 pandemic influenza vaccine trial. We are deeply grateful for the support of the St. Louis community as we launch these trials, which represent our best hope to fight back against the COVID-19 pandemic.

This is where we begin to really fight back against the scourge of COVID-19, said Washington University lead research coordinator Michael Klebert, PhD, an instructor of medicine. The collaboration of two world-class medical schools with the support of volunteers from the St. Louis community in this effort will be a powerful combination. We are looking forward to the challenge.

Saint Louis University and Washington University will share additional information about the trials as it becomes available.

For more information about vaccine trials at Washington University School of Medicine, please email idcru@wustl.edu; call 314-454-0058 or visit the Division of Infectious Diseases clinical trials site.

For more information about vaccine trials at Saint Louis Universitys Center for Vaccine Development, please visit vaccine.slu.edu; call 314-977-6333 or 1-866-410-6333; or email vaccine@slu.edu.

The Washington University HIV Clinical Trials Unit is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), grant numbers 5UM1AI069439-15 and 3UM1AI069439-15S1.

The Saint Louis University project is funded under cooperative agreement number UM1 AI148685.

Washington University School of Medicines 1,500 faculty physicians also are the medical staff of Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals. The School of Medicine is a leader in medical research, teaching and patient care, ranking among the top 10 medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. Through its affiliations with Barnes-Jewish and St. Louis Childrens hospitals, the School of Medicine is linked to BJC HealthCare.

Established in 1836, Saint Louis University School of Medicine has the distinction of awarding the first medical degree west of the Mississippi River. The school educates physicians and biomedical scientists, conducts medical research, and provides health care on a local, national and international level. Research at the school seeks new cures and treatments in five key areas: infectious disease, liver disease, cancer, heart/lung disease, and aging and brain disorders.

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COVID-19 vaccine trials to be conducted at Washington University, Saint Louis University Washington University - Washington University School of...

Arcturus Therapeutics & Duke-NUS Received Approval to Proceed with Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial for COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, LUNAR-COV19 – BioSpace

Human dosing of LUNAR-COV19 expected soon

Differentiated STARR mRNA vaccine expected to produce humoral and cellular immunity at very low doses

New preclinical data demonstrates neutralizing antibody titers continue to increase for 50 days after a single administration

SAN DIEGO and SINGAPORE, July 21, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc. Holdings Inc.(the Company, Arcturus, Nasdaq: ARCT), a leading clinical-stage messenger RNA medicines company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of therapeutics for rare diseases and vaccines, and Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapores flagship research-intensive graduate entry medical school, today announced that the Clinical Trial Application (CTA) for COVID-19 vaccine candidate LUNAR-COV19 has been approved to proceed by the Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA). Arcturus and Duke-NUS partnered to develop a coronavirus vaccine using Arcturus STARR technology and a unique platform developed at Duke-NUS allowing rapid screening of vaccines for potential effectiveness and safety.

Arcturus & Duke-NUS will initiate human dosing of LUNAR-COV19 as soon as possible. The healthy volunteer study will evaluate several dose levels of LUNAR-COV19 in up to 108 adults, including older adults. Follow-up will be conducted to evaluate safety, tolerability and the extent and duration of the humoral and cellular immune response.

The approval of the Clinical Trial Application for LUNAR-COV19 is a critical milestone for Arcturus. We are excited to advance this promising vaccine candidate into clinical trials. Based on our preclinical data, we believe that our self-replicating mRNA-based approach may produce high rates of seroconversion and robust T-cell induction with a potential single administration, at very low doses. The LUNAR-COV19 profile is meaningfully differentiated and may facilitate the mass vaccine campaigns necessary to target hundreds of millions of individuals globally, said Joseph Payne, President & CEO of Arcturus.

Professor Ooi Eng Eong, Deputy Director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Program at Duke-NUS, said, Preclinical studies on LUNAR-COV19 have shown very promising findings, including the possibility that a single dose of this vaccine may be sufficient to trigger robust and durable immune responses against SARS-CoV-2. We are very eager to start the first-in-human clinical trial here in Singapore and advance LUNAR-COV19 on its journey to becoming a potential commercial vaccine.

There is a tremendous global imperative to develop effective preventive measures for COVID-19 infections. We are heartened by the rapid and promising progress in our vaccine collaboration with Arcturus as we move forward into clinical trials, said Professor Thomas M. Coffman, Dean of Duke-NUS Medical School.

The STARR Technology platform employed in LUNAR-COV19 combines self-replicating mRNA with LUNAR, a proprietary nanoparticle delivery system optimized for mRNA molecules. The efficiency and self-replicating nature of the approach were designed to enable very low doses, and a potential single vaccine administration. Prior animal data has demonstrated robust humoral and cellular immunity elicited at doses as low as 0.2 g of LUNAR-COV19. Additionally, Arcturus demonstrated 100% seroconversion for anti-SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies with a very low single dose (2.0 g).

New preclinical data demonstrate that neutralizing antibody levels in response to a single administration of LUNAR-COV19 (0.2, 2.0, 10.0 g) continue to increase over 50 days. The increasing antibody levels are attributed to the self-replicating mRNA of LUNAR-COV19. These results were obtained using a Luminex bead assay. A 1/2000 serum dilution was assayed for neutralizing IgG antibodies in the mouse serum every 10 days for 60 days post vaccination.

AboutArcturus TherapeuticsFounded in 2013 and based in San Diego, California, Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (Nasdaq: ARCT) is a clinical-stage mRNA medicines and vaccines company with enabling technologies: (i) LUNAR lipid-mediated delivery, (ii) STARR mRNA Technology and (iii) mRNA drug substance along with drug product manufacturing expertise. Arcturus diverse pipeline of RNA therapeutic candidates includes programs to potentially treat Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC) Deficiency, Cystic Fibrosis, Glycogen Storage Disease Type 3, Hepatitis B, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and a self-replicating mRNA vaccine for SARS-CoV-2. Arcturus versatile RNA therapeutics platforms can be applied toward multiple types of nucleic acid medicines including messenger RNA, small interfering RNA, replicon RNA, antisense RNA, microRNA, DNA, and gene editing therapeutics. Arcturus technologies are covered by its extensive patent portfolio (192 patents and patent applications, issued in the U.S., Europe, Japan, China and other countries). Arcturus commitment to the development of novel RNA therapeutics has led to collaborations with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, CureVac AG, Synthetic Genomics Inc., Duke-NUS, Catalent Inc., and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. For more information visit http://www.ArcturusRx.com

AboutDuke-NUS Medical SchoolDuke-NUS is Singapores flagship graduate entry medical school, established in 2005 with a strategic, government-led partnership between two world-class institutions:Duke University School of Medicineand theNational University of Singapore(NUS). Through an innovative curriculum, students at Duke-NUS are nurtured to become multi-faceted Clinicians Plus poised to steer the healthcare and biomedical ecosystem inSingaporeand beyond. A leader in ground-breaking research and translational innovation, Duke-NUS has gained international renown through its five signature research programmes and eight centres. The enduring impact of its discoveries is amplified by its successful Academic Medicine partnership withSingapore Health Services(SingHealth), Singapores largest healthcare group. This strategic alliance has spawned 15 Academic Clinical Programmes, which harness multi-disciplinary research and education to transform medicine and improve lives. For more information, please visitwww.duke-nus.edu.sg

Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements that involve substantial risks and uncertainties for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Any statements, other than statements of historical fact included in this press release, including those regarding the Companys expected performance, the Companys development of any specific novel mRNA therapeutics, the Companys efforts to develop a vaccine against COVID-19, and therapeutic potential thereof, based on the Companys mRNA therapeutics, the forecasted safety, efficacy, characteristics or reliability of a vaccine against COVID-19, were one to be successfully developed based on the Companys mRNA therapeutics, the dosing level and frequency of a vaccine against COVID-19 were one to be successfully developed based on the Companys mRNA therapeutics and the impact of general business and economic conditions are forward-looking statements. Arcturus may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in any forward-looking statements such as the foregoing and you should not place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on managements current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties, including those discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in Arcturus Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on March 16, 2020 and in subsequent filings with, or submissions to, the SEC. No assurances can be given that any results reported in pre-clinical studies can be replicated in further studies or in human beings, or that a vaccine can or will ever be developed or approved using the Companys technology. Except as otherwise required by law, Arcturus disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise.

ContactArcturus TherapeuticsNeda Safarzadeh(858) 900-2682IR@ArcturusRx.com

Kendall Investor RelationsCarlo Tanzi, Ph.D.(617) 914-0008ctanzi@kendallir.com

Duke-NUS Medical SchoolLekshmy Sreekumar, Ph.D.(+65) 6516-1138lekshmy_sreekumar@duke-nus.edu.sg

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/fb3fb0a3-1978-4788-8811-57c446b49588

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Anti-Spike Glucoproteins

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Arcturus Therapeutics & Duke-NUS Received Approval to Proceed with Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial for COVID-19 Vaccine Candidate, LUNAR-COV19 - BioSpace

Black Lives Matter Protest Held on Saturday in Fort Bragg to Honor the Two Months Since George Floyd’s Murder – Redheaded Blackbelt

Saturday marks the 2-month anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and not enough has changed to improve the situation for Black people in the USA. Please come join in a community protest at Fort Bragg Town Hall on Saturday July 25, from 3-5pm. Bring a sign if you want, there will be some speakers, a march, and updates on what is happening in the County and town regarding racial justice issues, and see how you can get involved to push for change locally and nationally.

We have been promoting social distancing and I believe everyone has been wearing masks at the protests these past 2 months. Lets keep that up while staying connected to each other, and connected to the work that needs to be done.

In sadness and rage,

Andy Wellspring

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Black Lives Matter Protest Held on Saturday in Fort Bragg to Honor the Two Months Since George Floyd's Murder - Redheaded Blackbelt

5 pitfalls Black Lives Matter must avoid to maintain momentum and achieve meaningful change – Waging Nonviolence

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In just over a month the Black Lives Matter whirlwind has shaken things up. Change is afoot far and widefrom NASCAR to the NFL, from racist statues being torn down to corporate posturing and statements of solidarity. And there is momentum for core shifts: cities promising some reduction of funding for policing, Minneapolis considering disbanding police, and the Movement for Black Lives recently introduced the BREATHE Act, which offers a map on how to turn the values of the movement into concrete federal policy.

To the cynic, many of these acts are symbolic and may disappear when the pressure dies down. To the hopeful, these represent shifts including the widespread participation of white people that signal real meaningful change in our culture is underway.

Whatever you believe, there are steps the movement could take to carry on that energy and steps that could cause it to disappear. Based on my work in numerous movements, here are some key perspectives to hold onto.

Dont measure success with growing numbers

The movement has to be very careful about which yardstick gets used to measure success.

Traditional politics is best at measuring which way the wind is blowing. Movements are about changing the headwinds of our time.

Capitalism teaches shareholders to look at how much money has been made and how many new plants have been opened. The goal is constant growth. Thats not a good yardstick for movements.

The most obvious way this sneaks into our thinking is when we ask ourselves: Are the number of protests growing? Are more people in the streets? Is more money coming into movement organizations?

Movement success shouldnt be measured that way.

Another yardstick for progress that we are taught by traditional politics involves the current strength of the legislation we support. Do we have a bill with lots of sponsors? Do we have cross-party support? Do we have editorial support from the Washington Post and New York Times? Is our bill seen as politically likely to win?

To be clear: having these things can be good. But traditional politics is best at measuring which way the wind is blowing. Movements are about changing the headwinds of our time.

Radical bills often look unpalatable until they pass. Movements go through ups and downs so if the movement clings to these yardsticks too much during the ups, it can be devastating when they come back down.

Therefore, emails highlighting huge numbers at protests, or getting endorsements from major newspapers, might unwittingly set the movement up for failure by teaching people to defer to those yardsticks.

An alternative movement yardstick was put out by Bill Moyers Movement Action Plan years ago, which outlined the natural ups and downs of movements, which typically progress through three steps:

1. Prove there is a problem.2. Prove the failure of established institutions to solve the problem3. Prove our alternatives are better than inaction.

The movement has finally, successfully convinced the nation that there is a problem: Black lives dont matter to this country. A growing percentage of the public is now accepting that police as a whole are not up to the task of respecting Black lives. These are two huge successes.

The movements messages instead could focus on shifts in the cultural mood, the changing narrative even the clarifying vehemence of our opponents! Because next, we have the daunting task of proving that our alternatives while not perfect and with their own growing pains are better than inaction.

Dont think movements are synonymous with protests

One of the most tricky moments for activists comes when the near daily protests in the streets fade. Its hard to predict when this moment of the whirlwind will slow down. Were in a pandemic where there is no normal life to return to there are few jobs, no school, and for some of us no places to hang out and socialize.

But eventually it will happen. Protests will get smaller or disappear. The media will be quick to say the movement has ended. In fact, quite ignorantly, the front page of CNN already quotes people saying it!

Savvy movements accept that numbers may be smaller in street protests, but take solace in the solidifying of movement language, concepts and support in mainstream society.

Movement historian Vincent Harding talked about the Black freedom struggle as a river. While this moment has new twists like widespread participation by white people movement rivers have some predictable ebbs and flows.

When the movement uprising moves beyond the turbulence of the whitewater, there will be versions of backlash. The media will forget that any change has happened and eventually turn their attention elsewhere. Testing any easing up of the public outcry, politicians and corporate leaders will tiptoe away from their previous stances. As the number of protests dwindle, the exposure of frontline protesters to police retaliation will increase. Wins will become much harder to achieve. All this emboldens the opposition to return to the old status quo.

The movement should let people know this now, so theyre not unprepared.

In response, the movement may attempt riskier and bolder actions to try to remake the glory of the whirlwind. If that doesnt work (and it rarely does), protesters can have a sense of failure, potentially leading to toxic internal power struggles.

Savvy movements, however, accept that numbers may be smaller in street protests, but take solace in the solidifying of movement language, concepts and support in mainstream society. They dig in and proceed to the task of campaigning for radical reforms where they can and convincing more people to embrace the revolutionary changes needed.

As Tamiko Beyer writes, Street protests grab headlines, and theres a tendency to focus almost solely on policy and electoral politics as the pathway to change. But there are many other roles to play in supporting a movement, some of which I explore in Building A Movement To End the New Jim Crow, an organizing guide to accompany Michelle Alexanders acclaimed book The New Jim Crow.

Waging Nonviolence depends on your support. Become a sustaining member today and get a copy of this book.

Dont be disappointed with the failure of cheap reform

Not wanting to appear too tone deaf to public outcry, Senate Republicans put together a reform bill. It was awful: using training to limit chokeholds and reporting to try to stem the wave of police violence. The movement can be glad it failed to gain energy.

Not to be outdone, House and Senate Democrats put together their own reform bill. This too barely even nibbled away at the fundamental power of police or the structure of our criminal injustice system. Making chokeholds illegal? Limiting the transfer of military-grade weapons? More police training? Thats nowhere near the problem. Thankfully, it appears destined to fail as well.

One response to these legislative losses is movement anxiety and feelings of failure or hopelessness. Maybe the government simply does not care. Maybe we cannot win. Maybe we have already lost.

Breathe. Its actually good news.

The 1960s student sit-ins against segregation did not immediately result in legislative wins. Even after the peak event of the March on Washington, it took another year for the 1964 Civil Rights Act to pass. That gap in time was full of legislative maneuvers to try to offer the most watered-down bill possible.

The Movement for Black Lives has already taken a tremendous step forward, not waiting around for politicians to keep proposing bad policies but instead presenting their own alternative proposals. They are demanding a radical defunding of police and pouring money into services for the Black community.

The upcoming phase of the movement requires stopping cheap reforms and advancing these radical proposals. Once the public demands action, the opposition wants to know how little they can do to get us off their backs. They therefore offer the easiest actions the ones that require the smallest change first.

The oppositions job is to offer the easiest reforms; our job is to teach society why thats not enough.

The dance with these cheap reforms is more complex than simply shaming them for being insufficient.

An early concession by the police during this uprising was the symbolic act of police kneeling. Parts of the movement responded differently: Some praised the cops for breaking ranks and challenging their own. Others condemned the cops for doing the least possible while still retaining their guns, their immunity and their intent to kill.

Because Im an educator, Im aware that when learning a new paradigm, two contrary things need to happen. People often implement the easiest reforms first like a baby learning to walk. If people are met with only negativity, they can get discouraged. So people need some encouragement.

They also need to be challenged. Few people move into a new worldview casually; it often involves heat and painful reflection.

Divergent movement responses speak to these different aspects. Therefore, its insufficient to just condemn reforms as not being enough. Showing the way with encouragement for steps made also matters.

This dance is not simple. Its painful if Black folks are always left doing the condemnation. Or if the different responses attack each other for not saying the same thing. With bad legislation, foot-dragging politicians and bureaucratic intransigence, the movement will thankfully get lots of practice and have many opportunities for teachable moments.

From the vantage point of teachable moments, the movement can embrace these cheap reforms as a chance to clarify, educate and do political education. The oppositions job is to offer the easiest reforms; our job is to teach society why thats not enough.

Dont assume Biden will save us think of him as a balloon

If you really believe Biden will save us, then you and I need to have a long talk.

But even if we know in our hearts that Biden wont save us, many of us place too much emphasis on the November election. Dont get me wrong, I expect to do my share of phone calls to turn people out to vote. But after Nov. 3, I plan to be right back in the streets. I hope you will too.

When Obama was elected, far too many of us waited for him to give us marching orders on health care. The result was a few measured wins, but not the revolutionary change we needed.

Thankfully, few of us believe Biden will be a transformative president. That disbelief may be a gift for the movement, if we use it to take strong leadership and lay down the criteria for victory. Movements should dictate values, not elections.

Those in social movements should see politicians as balloons. A balloon follows the wind. If you blow on it, it can be pushed one way or the other. Politicians follow the wind as well, readily changing their opinions and stances.

But politicians are balloons tied to a rock. If we swat at them, they may sway to the left or the right. But, tied down, they can only go so far. Instead of simply batting at them, we should focus on moving the rock, which is peoples activated social values.

Depending on the makeup of our government, the string on the balloon might be longer or shorter. But politicians know they can only be pushed so far one way or the other. If they absolutely violate the activated social norms of their constituents, they are in trouble.

Politically speaking, our job is to activate those values and showing up on the streets Nov. 4 is a good way to start.

Dont assume our legislative process cant work, but dont depend on it

Governance in this country is a big problem. During my lifetime, virtually no big problems are being solved at the federal level. Pick any episode of the 90s TV show West Wing and the problems from that era are still around: immigration, gun control, climate change, partisan gridlock, the Electoral College and the list goes on.

This isnt how all countries work. In Western Europe, where they continue to have governments that function more democratically, the elites have been forced to confront big challenges. They are using the pandemic to accede to some demands of the climate movement and outlaw some of the worst carbon polluters, while each level of our government is passing the buck to someone else until blame finally lands on individuals for not wearing masks.

This is one of the classic signs of an empire in decline. Like Rome or the British Empire, the government is unable to address its core problems. The pandemic has exposed the U.S. governments fatal inability to protect its own people. In short, our government may not be up to the task of instituting the kind of radical change needed.

This decline is beyond left or right, Democrat or Republican. The U.S. empire is cracking. Its ability to control countries elsewhere is eroding; its sway in international politics and ability to control the global economic order are in retreat. The decline is speeding more and more erratically as our financial and corporate elites cling to the support that Trump offers them, even in the face of his narcissistic inability to grasp facts, pursue coherent policies, or lead the nation).

The movement may face the possibility that theres a lack of political ability to pass meaningful legislation under this current system. In the face of this decline, Black Lives Matter may need to be ready to join other movements in a movement of movements to prepare for a revolution in this country.

That doesnt mean the movement shouldnt fight each legislative fight and try to win at each local campaign it can. It has to because our lives depend on it and thats a vehicle for moving more people into our corner.

But federal, state or local campaigns may not be able to give what the movement wants especially because the system is too decrepit or weighted down by fanatical devotion to the empire. We should be ready to think about what kind of changes we need so we might actually have a functioning, fruitful, lively democracy.

Movements get nurtured when we do these things when we teach people its more than just protest and numbers but about winning over the hearts and minds of the people. Movements win when they stop being in reactive mode to politicians and instead move them like balloons. And movements really win big when they ask for changes they want and prepare the people to understand that the system may need revolutionary action to pull it off. If we do all these things, well have an even stronger, more resilient and powerful movement.

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5 pitfalls Black Lives Matter must avoid to maintain momentum and achieve meaningful change - Waging Nonviolence

21-year-old who wrote Black Lives Matter over blue line: I did it because I love this country’ – SILive.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Skylar, the 21-year-old college student responsible for writing Black Lives Matter over local artist Scott LoBaidos thin-blue line NYPD tribute outside the departments 122nd Precinct stationhouse in New Dorp, said she stenciled over the line to push back against the divisiveness she says it stands for.

It seemed like a direct response to the Black Lives Matter mural, and it didnt sit right with me, said Skylar, who declined to provide her last name while standing outside the precinct on Tuesday with a small group of protestors.

After seeing LoBaido create the blue line on the Advance/SILive.com, Syklar said she went to her garage and began creating stencils to use and then I just did it.

Many people drove by, cursing at me, telling me to get out,' get off the Island,' you hate America,' but thats not the case, she said. I did it because I love this country and I see the potential in this country, so thats why I did it.

The small group of protestors who gathered on Tuesday, some of whom held signs that read, Black Lives Matter, received verbal barbs from passing motorists. One driver said, go home. Others hurled profanities.

Skylar, however, said the Black Lives Matter movement doesnt mean that police lives dont matter, doesnt mean that white lives dont matter. It doesnt mean any of that stuff.

Black lives are not treated the same way, she said. If Black lives matter, we all win, because we all matter then. Then all lives matter. Thats the third step were on the first step.

3

21-year-old who wrote Black Lives Matter over blue line details decision: I did it because I love this country'

LoBaido, who recently held a police rally at the 122nd Precinct, painted the blue line along the divider on Hylan Boulevard that runs from Bancroft Avenue to Lincoln Avenue. He said the tribute, isnt anti-BLM, adding that the subtle and simple piece of art is meant to stand as a sign of support for the NYPD.

He re-painted the line on Tuesday the same day he unveiled an anti-de Blasio banner on the overpass of the Staten Island expressway, which depicted the mayor wearing a Che Guevara t-shirt while holding up the seemingly-decapitated head of the Statue of Liberty.

The banner hung off the Fingerboard Road overpass of the expressway. LoBaido had to remove the artwork shortly after unfurling it.

While the thin blue line remained untouched on the Hylan Boulevard median as of Tuesday night, Skylar said her future plans are to be determined.

Anti-de Blasio artwork created by Scott LoBaido hangs from the Fingerboard Road exit of the Staten Island Expressway. (Staten Island Advance/Tom Wrobleski)Tom Wrobleski/Staten Island Adva

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21-year-old who wrote Black Lives Matter over blue line: I did it because I love this country' - SILive.com

Black Lives Matter mural to be removed in Springfield due to lack of permits – WWLP.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno announced Wednesday that members of his staff and a group of Black Lives Matter activists mutually decided to remove the mural in front of Old First Church at 50 Elm Street due to lack of permits.

According to a news release sent to 22News, the decision was made due to the fact that proper procedures must be followed concerning murals of this type.

Mayor Sarno said they are moving forward with a similar project that has been endorsed by the City Council which will be located on Court Street and is expected to be painted in September.

I want to make it perfectly clear that this was a mutually agreed decision and in no way reflects negatively on the intent. We are moving forward with a similar project that has been endorsed by our City Council and myself, which will be located on Court Street following all proper procedures and protocols, Sarno said.

The project for the official mural is currently being reviewed by theDepartment of Public WorksDirector Chris Cignoli. Following Council President Justin Hursts request, Sarno will be facilitating donations through theUnited Way of Pioneer Valley.

All donations can be sent directly to C/O Executive Director Paul Mina of United Way of Pioneer Valley located on 1441 Main Street in Springfield.

22News Reporter Mike Masciadrelli is covering this story. You can watch the full report on 22News starting at 5 p.m.

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Black Lives Matter mural to be removed in Springfield due to lack of permits - WWLP.com

How the Black Lives Matter generation remembers John Lewis – The Associated Press

Of all the ways that John Lewis influenced American life and politics, his indelible impact on young people may be among the most enduring. From student activist to elder statesman, Lewis continually encouraged the nations youth to start good trouble and modeled just how to do that.

He was arrested alongside millennial activists pushing for comprehensive reform of U.S. immigration laws in 2013. He led a sit-in in the House of Representatives over gun control following a mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Orlando in 2016. And when he was not protesting, he was helping young people understand history, as when he cosplayed as his younger self at San Diegos Comic-Con to celebrate the release of his Selma, Alabama-themed graphic novel series in 2015.

Lewis, the Black civil rights icon who some called the conscience of Congress, died Friday.

In one of his last public appearances, he posed for a picture in June, standing on the Black Lives Matter Plaza mural painted just outside of the White House amid nationwide protests over the death of George Floyd.

For the Black Lives Matter generation, the connection to Lewis is deeper than many may realize. As a young man, through clouds of teargas and a hail of billy clubs, Lewis nearly lost his life marching against segregation and for voting rights. As a Georgia congressman, Lewis was generous with his time, taking meetings and sharing stages with activists who, from Sanford, Florida, to Ferguson, Missouri, Baltimore to Minneapolis, also withstood teargas as well as rubber bullets, pepper spray and arrests in their own protests against racism.

Activists remember the legacy left behind by Rep. John Lewis.

He didnt have to stand with us, he chose to, Malkia Devich Cyril, the founder and senior fellow of MediaJustice, which advocates for open and democratic media and technology platforms, told The Associated Press. Thats real leadership.

In exclusive interviews with the AP, prominent organizers from the Black Lives Matter movement reflected on Lewis example and his kinship with their generation:

BRITTANY PACKNETT CUNNINGHAM, Ferguson activist and educator:

I remember sitting on the other side of President Obama from (Lewis) at this pretty historic, multigenerational civil rights meeting, and understanding the optical placement of the generations in that moment. And I just kept thinking to myself, do not let John Lewis down. I was finally able to thank him, face to face, eye to eye, for treading the path my generation was now walking. With kindness in his eyes and determination in his voice, he reminded me that the road to freedom is never easy and thats precisely why we have to keep taking it. Youll have setbacks, he told me. Keep going. Be consistent. You will get there.

PHILLIP AGNEW, co-founder of the Dream Defenders, a police and prison abolition group, and organizer in the Movement for Black Lives:

I think the first time I ever met him was at (Congressional Black Caucus Foundation), the legislative forum that they have every year. This is kind of after Dream Defenders had taken over the Capitol of Florida, and there was a big buzz about our little fledgling group at that time. I didnt think that he would know who I was I absolutely knew who he was. And I remember him coming and speaking to me and saying how proud he was, looking at the things that we had done in Florida.

PATRISSE CULLORS, co-founder of Black Lives Matter and its global network of chapters:

The first time I was introduced to Congressman Lewis was through (the 1990 PBS docuseries) Eyes on the Prize. And I was like, Oh, thats me. He was a young, radical Black man who was challenging not just the status quo in government, but also the older leadership in the movement. And I felt really moved by him. What I witnessed significantly in Eyes on the Prize was police terror and police brutality, and the way that it was used against the (Edmund) Pettus Bridge protesters who were brutalized fighting for a more equitable America, for Black people in particular. And so, we fast forward to 2020, when we have been in the streets, and the same tactics of the police being used against us as a way to deter us from fighting for Black freedom. And yet, that never deterred Congressman Lewis. ... That is a deeply moving commitment to Black people.

ALENCIA JOHNSON, political strategist:

I had the opportunity to staff (former Democratic presidential candidate) Sen. Elizabeth Warren, when we did the Edmund Pettus Bridge crossing, the Sunday before Super Tuesday, when I was working on her campaign. And (Lewis) came. It was like he was literally passing the torch to everyone who was there. ... That symbol of him coming from his sick bed, all the way to Selma was just so, wow, Im actually getting emotional thinking about that. He was so intentional and persistent about ensuring that people who are fighting know that they have his support and his admiration. He talked about how he admires how young people are showing up now.

ASH-LEE WOODARD HENDERSON, co-executive director of the Highlander Center for Research and Education, a social justice leadership training school:

Ive been thinking about how important John Lewis life has been and will continue to be for weeks. And this moment still feels so freaking unfair. ... I remember the stories and encouragement. The never-wavering mandate. I will remember a man who reminded us all that our optimism isnt futile. That building a global neighborhood and a building beloved community are similar but not the same. Thats the legacy. Thats the work. Im so grateful, in this sea of grief, for such a divine human who loved us so deeply.

CHARLENE CARRUTHERS, founding national director of BYP100, a Black youth organizing group, and Movement for Black Lives organizer:

Looking at his work and his story, if I can even do half of that with my life then Id consider it a worthy contribution. And its not about being perfect. But it is about saying, Im going to be in this for my entire life. Im in this thing. Not for fame, not for glory. He could have done something else. His legacy is one of making a lifetime commitment to Black people.

CHELSEA FULLER, spokesperson for the Movement for Black Lives and deputy communications director for Blackbird, which supports grassroots movements:

In 2000, I was 12 years old and, like most children that age, struggling to comprehend the possibilities of who I could become. He asked me if I liked school and what I wanted to do when I was all grown up. I told him I didnt know, but that I liked to write and that I liked Black history, but didnt think there was much I could do outside of being a professor. He took my hand and looked me square in the eye and said that loving my people and being a storyteller were not small things; but that they were powerful. Congressman John Lewis encouraged me to see the power in stories about our people and our fight for freedom.

___

Morrison is a member of the APs Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter at https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison.

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How the Black Lives Matter generation remembers John Lewis - The Associated Press

The Black Lives Matter Street Art That Contain Multitudes – The New York Times

The first word, Black, was designed by Tijay Mohammed, a Ghanaian-born artist, and used vibrant Kente fabric design and Adinkra symbols, which represent concepts like royalty, unity and legacy.

Sophia Dawson, a Brooklyn-based visual artist, took the second word, lives. The L contains the faces of the mothers who have lost their children to police killings. The I uses imagery inspired by Emory Douglas, an artist for the Black Panther Party; the V highlights the culture of the African diaspora; the E contains faces of Black Panther Party members who are currently in prison; and the S carries a passage from the Bible.

The street painting at Foley Square resembles many that have been done around the country in its word choice and placement, but part of what has been lost in the national debate over the art and the political statements they make is the logistical care, intentional placement and artistry that went into the creation of many of them.

While some like those at Trump Tower and near the White House are primarily stencil work in the blazing yellow paint typically used for road markings, and are known largely for their challenging placement, others have been fully realized works of art that went through rigorous processes of design and planning.

This month, the Foley Square street art in Lower Manhattan and the one in Harlem were unveiled, with the multicolored letters of Black Lives Matter replete with imagery related to Black people who were killed by the police, as well as vibrant symbols of freedom, hope and joy.

In Cincinnati, the art appears in the red, black and green of the Pan-African flag, with silhouettes, phrases and textured designs filling the letters. In Jackson, Mich., it was designed it in a graffiti-style font. In Portland, Ore., the letters contained a timeline of historical injustices in the state.

The purpose of the Fifth Avenue project at Trump Tower was clear: to rile up the president, who called it a symbol of hate. The street painting was intended to get the message up quickly; the stenciling and outlining was done by the Department of Transportation, and roughly 60 volunteers helped lay down 100 gallons of traffic paint.

The other artworks in Manhattan were intended not as a political statement meant for President Trump to see but as an opportunity for local artists, community togetherness and discussions about race and policing. The outlines of the enlarged Black Lives Matter letters are filled with intentionally placed symbols and colors.

I wanted the design to embody our experience as a whole as a Black community and what we strive for, said Patrice Payne, one of the artists involved with the work at Foley Square.

Justin Garrett Moore, the executive director of the citys Public Design Commission, said that there is a clear difference between the street paintings borne from mayoral decision making, which serve as an acknowledgment that public officials have heard the calls of racial justice protesters, and the community-driven murals, where theres a deeper connection to the space and the message.

These are Black communities that are really wanting to have an expression for this historic moment that were in, he said.

It happened to be a work near the White House, spearheaded by the mayor of Washington, Muriel E. Bowser, that set the groundwork for the countrywide spilling of paint on the ground.

After the Washington painting made the news, an organization representing small business owners in Harlem, called Harlem Park to Park, started discussing what their version of a Black Lives Matter artwork would look like.

There was a certain expectation that Harlem, known as the epicenter of Black culture, needed to take the trend a level up, said Nikoa Evans-Hendricks, the groups executive director. The result was two sprawling sets of words on either side of Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard, between 125th and 127th Streets. On the northbound side, eight artists had creative control over two letters each. The southbound side was painted red, black and green by a collection of community groups.

We wanted to make sure the mural didnt just represent words on the street but embodied the Harlem community, Ms. Evans-Hendricks said.

The artists were chosen by LeRone Wilson, the artworks curator, who also designed the first two letters. The B that he designed depicts the Ancient Kemetic goddess Maat, with feathered wings reaching across the curves of the letter, and the bird deity Heru, welcoming the spirits of those who have died at the hands of police into the universe.

Within the L, he painted the names of 24 Black people killed by the police, including George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Michael Brown and Amadou Diallo.

Within the outlines of several other letters, the artists painted images associated with the outrage over the treatment of Black people by the police: The faces of Ms. Taylor and Sandra Bland and Mr. Floyds daughter occupy the two Ts in the word matter. The I in lives contains the badge numbers of the four police officers charged in connection with Mr. Floyds death.

The artists received advice from the citys Department of Transportation on what materials to use on the asphalt. They took the agencys recommendation of using road line paint used for markings on streets and sidewalks, which many artists right now are doing to make the street art more durable.

The act of painting the work in Harlem was designed as a community event, with catering from local restaurants and help painting from the Boys and Girls Club of Harlem and Harlem Little League.

Every day we were out there, hundreds of people wanted to be involved, Mr. Wilson said.

And after the unveiling, the space became a gathering place for people, as well as a space to appreciate art at a time when museums are shut because of the pandemic.

The creators are hoping that the city agrees to a request to keep the street closed to traffic until the end of the summer, as the city did with a street painting in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, which was created with the yellow traffic paint and contains the names of Black people killed by the police.

The location for the Harlem work was chosen because it was at the heart of a Black community. In Lower Manhattan at Foley Square, it was because of a nearby cherished national monument: It draws meaning from its proximity to the African Burial Ground, which contains the remains of New York Citys colonial African-American community.

Amina Hassen, an urban planner with WXY, an architectural and urban design firm that worked on the project, said that the location along Centre Street, near the state and federal court buildings, was also significant because of its connection to the policing and incarceration of Black people.

As with the Harlem work, the artists of the Foley Square project had control over the designs within the outline of the Black Lives Matter letters, but the city still had to review the designs to make sure they complied with safety standards. (This time the artists were chosen by the Department of Cultural Affairs, and the project was shepherded by Gale A. Brewer, Manhattan borough president, and Black Lives Matter of Greater New York.)

They first blocked out the artwork in 3-D software, carefully avoiding any street features that the Department of Transportation said they couldnt paint over, said Jhordan Channer, the architectural designer for the project. When it came time to install the 600-foot-long painting, they first painted a white canvas and a drop shadow to make sure the letters stood out. Tats Cru, a group of professional muralists in the city, executed the artists designs with heavy-duty traffic paint, exterior-grade enamel paint and spray paint. They were assisted by youth from Thrive Collective, an arts mentoring program that works with New York public schools.

For the last word, matters, Ms. Payne started in the M with the image of a Black woman as an ancestral figure and nurturer. The design progresses to images of broken shackles, a raised fist, a sun peeking out behind storm clouds, with a tattered American flag at the forefront.

Since the first street painting was unveiled in Washington, some segments of the Black Lives Matter movement have criticized them as being purely symbolic gestures from politicians at a time when activists are calling for the defunding of police departments.

The artists and designers behind the community-driven works say that there are important uses for this symbolism, like education and providing meaningful public art commissions by Black artists.

Ms. Evans-Hendricks remembers seeing a mother walking her son down the letters of the Harlem street art, which run between 14 and 16 feet wide, and explaining the meaning of each word.

It has come alive in a way that the community really needed, she said.

But they also recognize the limits of the works and hope that the solidarity coming from politicians goes beyond paint on the street.

Im very interested in the art going up and taking my child to visit it and discuss it, Ms. Dawson said. But Im more interested in the tangible change that must come from this.

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The Black Lives Matter Street Art That Contain Multitudes - The New York Times

Black Lives Matter mural in Redwood City washed away after suggestion to paint MAGA 2020 – KRON4

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. (KRON) City officials along the Peninsula quietly remove a Black Lives Matter mural after someone suggests putting up a Trump 2020 slogan.

The Redwood City mural was put up on the 4th of July with approval from city officials but it was washed away last week after a local attorney requested that mural supportingPresident Trump be painted nearby.

Well, the artist says hes thankful the city allowed him to paint the mural in the first place.

His issue is that a human rights message was possibly washed away because of someones political stance.

On the other hand, the woman calling for the Trump campaign slogan to be painted says both ideas are free speech and comparable.

Redwood Citys Black Lives Matter mural on Broadway has been quietly washed away.

The mural was painted a little over two weeks ago but as a new proposal emerged, the bright yellow letters soon vanished.

They made the decision to take Black Lives Matter off the street as the first person that proposed the MAGA 2020, Dan Pease said.

Dan Pease was surprised by the removal considering the city supported the mural and even supplied the paint.

Then last week the 17-foot letters were erased shortly after a local real estate attorney requested a Trump campaign slogan be painted nearby.

Black Lives Matter is not a political statement. Black Lives Matter is a human rights issue, its a call, its a message, its a symbol, Pease said.

Maria Rutenberg argues the public space was being used to promote a limited private agenda and that Redwood City has become an arbiter of private political expression.

A statement to KRON4 reads in part:

Governments cannot and should not get to pick and choose who should be allowed to speak. Now that the cities open up asphalts as public forums, everyone with any political message is free to write their own. I, for one, would like to paint MAGA 2020. At a time like this, its especially important that we allow free and open political discussion for all sides, not just BLM.

Pease says city officials told him last week they planned to remove the mural for violating traffic and vehicle codes but he believes the quick removal came in fear of any legal pressure.

Pease would like to discuss any differences with people in his community who think Black Lives Matter is a political message.

I dont agree with MAGA 2020 but if somebody wants to support Trump wants to put MAGA 2020 and the city of Redwood City wants to support that then more power to that individual, Pease said.

Pease says hed be more than happy to paint the mural again but only if the city wanted him to.

He hopes people were at least inspired by the former mural.

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Black Lives Matter mural in Redwood City washed away after suggestion to paint MAGA 2020 - KRON4