CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Announce FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) Designation Granted to CTX001 for the…

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ZUG, Switzerland and CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and BOSTON, May 11, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CRSP) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) designation to CTX001, an investigational, autologous, gene-edited hematopoietic stem cell therapy, for the treatment of severe sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT).

RMAT designation is another important regulatory milestone for CTX001 and underscores the transformative potential of a CRISPR-based therapy for patients with severe hemoglobinopathies, said Samarth Kulkarni, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of CRISPR Therapeutics. We expect to share additional clinical data on CTX001 in medical and scientific forums this year as we continue to work closely with global regulatory agencies to expedite the clinical development of CTX001.

The first clinical data announced for CTX001 late last year represented a key advancement in our efforts to bring CRISPR-based therapies to people with beta thalassemia and sickle cell disease and demonstrate the curative potential of this therapy, said Bastiano Sanna, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief of Cell and Genetic Therapies at Vertex. We are encouraged by these recent regulatory designations from the FDA and EMA, which speak to the potential impact this therapy could have for patients.

Established under the 21st Century Cures Act, RMAT designation is a dedicated program designed to expedite the drug development and review processes for promising pipeline products, including genetic therapies. A regenerative medicine therapy is eligible for RMAT designation if it is intended to treat, modify, reverse or cure a serious or life-threatening disease or condition, and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the drug or therapy has the potential to address unmet medical needs for such disease or condition. Similar to Breakthrough Therapy designation, RMAT designation provides the benefits of intensive FDA guidance on efficient drug development, including the ability for early interactions with FDA to discuss surrogate or intermediate endpoints, potential ways to support accelerated approval and satisfy post-approval requirements, potential priority review of the biologics license application (BLA) and other opportunities to expedite development and review.

In addition to RMAT designation, CTX001 has received Orphan Drug Designation from the U.S. FDA for TDT and from the European Commission for TDT and SCD. CTX001 also has Fast Track Designation from the U.S. FDA for both TDT and SCD.

About CTX001CTX001 is an investigational ex vivo CRISPR gene-edited therapy that is being evaluated for patients suffering from TDT or severe SCD in which a patients hematopoietic stem cells are engineered to produce high levels of fetal hemoglobin (HbF; hemoglobin F) in red blood cells. HbF is a form of the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin that is naturally present at birth and is then replaced by the adult form of hemoglobin. The elevation of HbF by CTX001 has the potential to alleviate transfusion requirements for TDT patients and painful and debilitating sickle crises for SCD patients. CTX001 is the most advanced gene-editing approach in development for beta thalassemia and SCD.

CTX001 is being developed under a co-development and co-commercialization agreement between CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex.

About the CRISPR-Vertex CollaborationCRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex entered into a strategic research collaboration in 2015 focused on the use of CRISPR/Cas9 to discover and develop potential new treatments aimed at the underlying genetic causes of human disease. CTX001 represents the first treatment to emerge from the joint research program. CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex will jointly develop and commercialize CTX001 and equally share all research and development costs and profits worldwide.

About CRISPR TherapeuticsCRISPR Therapeutics is a leading gene editing company focused on developing transformative gene-based medicines for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. CRISPR/Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing technology that allows for precise, directed changes to genomic DNA. CRISPR Therapeutics has established a portfolio of therapeutic programs across a broad range of disease areas including hemoglobinopathies, oncology, regenerative medicine and rare diseases. To accelerate and expand its efforts, CRISPR Therapeutics has established strategic partnerships with leading companies including Bayer, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and ViaCyte, Inc. CRISPR Therapeutics AG is headquartered in Zug, Switzerland, with its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, CRISPR Therapeutics, Inc., and R&D operations based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and business offices in San Francisco, California and London, United Kingdom. For more information, please visit http://www.crisprtx.com.

CRISPR Forward-Looking StatementThis press release may contain a number of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including statements regarding CRISPR Therapeutics expectations about any or all of the following: (i) the status of clinical trials (including, without limitation, the expected timing of data releases) and discussions with regulatory authorities related to product candidates under development by CRISPR Therapeutics and its collaborators, including expectations regarding the benefits of RMAT designation; (ii) the expected benefits of CRISPR Therapeutics collaborations; and (iii) the therapeutic value, development, and commercial potential of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technologies and therapies. Without limiting the foregoing, the words believes, anticipates, plans, expects and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. You are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Although CRISPR Therapeutics believes that such statements are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees and they are necessarily subject to a high degree of uncertainty and risk. Actual performance and results may differ materially from those projected or suggested in the forward-looking statements due to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, among others: the potential impacts due to the coronavirus pandemic, such as the timing and progress of clinical trials; the potential for initial and preliminary data from any clinical trial and initial data from a limited number of patients (as is the case with CTX001 at this time) not to be indicative of final trial results; the potential that CTX001 clinical trial results may not be favorable; that future competitive or other market factors may adversely affect the commercial potential for CTX001; uncertainties regarding the intellectual property protection for CRISPR Therapeutics technology and intellectual property belonging to third parties, and the outcome of proceedings (such as an interference, an opposition or a similar proceeding) involving all or any portion of such intellectual property; and those risks and uncertainties described under the heading "Risk Factors" in CRISPR Therapeutics most recent annual report on Form 10-K, and in any other subsequent filings made by CRISPR Therapeutics with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Existing and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made. CRISPR Therapeutics disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, other than to the extent required by law.

About VertexVertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) a rare, life-threatening genetic disease and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a robust pipeline of investigational small molecule medicines in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including pain, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. In addition, Vertex has a rapidly expanding pipeline of genetic and cell therapies for diseases such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London, UK. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 10 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and top five on the 2019 Best Employers for Diversity list by Forbes. For company updates and to learn more about Vertex's history of innovation, visit http://www.vrtx.com or follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and Instagram.

Vertex Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, the information provided regarding the status of, and expectations with respect to, the CTX001 clinical development program and related global regulatory approvals, and expectations regarding the RMAT designation. While Vertex believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company's beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that the development of CTX001 may not proceed or support registration due to safety, efficacy or other reasons, and other risks listed under Risk Factors in Vertex's annual report and quarterly reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through the company's website at http://www.vrtx.com. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.

(VRTX-GEN)

CRISPR Therapeutics Investor Contact:Susan Kim, +1 617-307-7503susan.kim@crisprtx.com

CRISPR Therapeutics Media Contact:Rachel EidesWCG on behalf of CRISPR+1 617-337-4167 reides@wcgworld.com

Vertex Pharmaceuticals IncorporatedInvestors:Michael Partridge, +1 617-341-6108orZach Barber, +1 617-341-6470orBrenda Eustace, +1 617-341-6187

Media:mediainfo@vrtx.com orU.S.: +1 617-341-6992orHeather Nichols: +1 617-961-0534orInternational: +44 20 3204 5275

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CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Announce FDA Regenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) Designation Granted to CTX001 for the...

Manmohan Singh stable, had developed reaction to new medicine: AIIMS sources – The Tribune India

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Tribune News ServiceNew Delhi, May 11

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh is stable but under observation for a fever, hospital sources said on Monday, a day after he was admitted to AIIMS New Delhi.

Singh developed the fever as a reaction to a new medication and was being investigated further, said sources.They said the ex-PM was admitted to cardiothoracic unit of the hospital and was undergoing tests and medical observation to rule out other causes of the fever.

He is under the care of a team of doctors.

Hospital sources said, Dr Manmohan Singh was admitted for observation and investigation after he developed a febrile reaction to a new medication. He is being investigated to rule out other causes of fever and is being provided care as needed. He is stable and under the care of a team of doctors at the Cardiothoracic Centre of AIIMS.

Singh was taken to AIIMS Cardiac Care Unit on Sunday night and doctors said they were observing his condition. He was later shifted to a private room and remains under observation.

Earlier, in 2009, he had undergone a coronary artery bypass surgery by a team of surgeons led by cardiothoracic surgeon Ramakant Panda at AIIMS.

Singh is a senior leader of the opposition Congress and currently represents Rajasthan in the Upper House of Parliament. He was the Prime Minister between 2004 and 2014.

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Manmohan Singh stable, had developed reaction to new medicine: AIIMS sources - The Tribune India

Veterinary medicine changing in wake of COVID-19: Pet Connection – GoErie.com

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Even after the pandemic is over, telehealth practices will probably continue.

The way our pets receive veterinary care changed dramatically two months ago. One day we were in the exam room with them; the next, we were all driving to the clinic, calling from our cars to announce our arrival, and staying in them while masked vet techs came and took pets inside for exams. Intercoms at clinic entrances enable germ-free communication with the front desk. Telehealth is trending.

High-tech accommodations that veterinarians and pet owners have made to deal with the COVID-19 virus will likely remain in the future. Phone calls, video and social media may all play a role in the way pets receive care and the way we witness it.

For instance, if you can't go in with your pet, can you still see the exam and communicate with the veterinarian?

"Absolutely," said Peter Weinstein, a veterinarian and executive director of the Southern California Veterinary Medical Association. Once the pet is in the exam room, he said, it's easy to initiate a Zoom, Skype or FaceTime call with the client so they can see what's going on.

Veterinarian Julie Reck, who practices in South Carolina, foresees using video and social media more frequently to let owners see what's going on if a pet has to "go to the back" for a procedure or is recovering from surgery.

"We do a lot on our social media for our veterinary page," she said. "We get video content of our patients all the time, whether that's while we're in the exam room or if they're in the back treatment area. If we're going to change that dynamic and separate the pet parent and the pet, we need to up the ante with that a little bit."

Anxious about letting your pet go into the veterinary clinic without you? It's not surprising that he might be weirded out by that masked and gowned technician and veterinarian. Separating pets and their people isn't ideal, but veterinary staff can ease pet anxiety by using low-stress or Fear-Free handling techniques, food rewards, stress relievers such as pheromone diffusers or soft music, and nonskid surfaces on exam tables to help them remain calm and comfortable.

Remote health care, or telehealth, may become more common for what were once routine in-clinic visits. Beyond a pandemic situation, it can benefit people who are sick but have a pet who needs to be seen or who don't have access to transportation. It's also useful in remote areas where specialist care or even general practice care isn't available.

Maybe your dog has a lump on his chin. If you have an already-established doctor-patient relationship, you can take a photo of the lump and email or text it to your veterinarian for advice on whether it can wait, or if needs to be treated immediately.

In some instances, you may not need an already-established relationship for your pet to receive treatment. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration temporarily relaxed some requirements regarding physical examinations to make it easier for veterinarians to prescribe drugs in certain situations without directly examining the pet. State veterinary medical association requirements may still be in effect in some areas, though.

Whenever the pandemic is over, lingering fear will likely affect the way veterinary medicine is delivered. We may see hybrid models combining traditional delivery of veterinary medicine with new drive-up, drop-off or telehealth services.

Weinstein counsels patience to pet owners and veterinarians who are navigating new territory and are concerned about their own health as well as that of their families and pets.

"If we can all respect one another's needs, we'll all come out of this just fine," he said.

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet-care experts headed by veterinarian Marty Becker and journalist Kim Campbell Thornton of Vetstreet.com. Joining them is dog trainer and behavior consultant Mikkel Becker.

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Spin me a yarn: the future of medical textiles and regenerative medicine – Medical Device Network

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]]> Except for hard metals like stainless steel, gold and titanium, most synthetic materials in the body create a very significant scarring response. Credit: INSERM

The power of needlework should never be underestimated. Where would we be without the textile industry providing natural and synthetic fibres to thousands of sectors across the globe? In addition to clothing our bodies, textiles are used to help heal them, from wound dressings to sutures and meshes. Some scientists are now going further, using weaving and knitting techniques to create medical fabrics from biological materials such as human cells.

Nicolas LHeureux, director of research at INSERM, the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research is exploring exactly this. He works on repairing damaged blood vessels with biological textiles grown in the laboratory.

Synthetic materials are recognised as not being a normal part of the body, LHeureux explains. Except for hard metals like stainless steel, gold and titanium, most create a very significant scarring response.

He likens it to a splinter. The body recognises the material as foreign and reacts to it by trying to push it out. If its not able to eject it, scar tissue will form and inflammation will be triggered. This can lead to redness, pain, swelling and scarring.

Some parts of the body are better at dealing with scarring than others. Sometimes a scar can actually be helpful, providing mechanical support to the structure. But in a blood vessel, a scarring response could recreate the same blockage surgeons were aiming to fix in the first place. Grafting and stenting can result in restenosis (where the treated vessel closes off again) over time due to this scarring behaviour.

A scarring response will create a lot of tissue that will clog the inner part of your tube. Then your blood will not flow well anymore, LHeureux says.

Synthetic grafts work best for large vessels such as the aorta, which is roughly two centimetres in diameter. If there is a little bit of scarring from the graft, the blood will likely still be able to flow normally. But for smaller blood vessels, rejection of synthetic materials can create a real problem.

LHeureux and his team are developing grafts that wont produce that rejection response. What is more likely to be accepted is a material the body is already familiar with. Researchers cultivate human cells in the laboratory (originally extracted from a skin biopsy), where various chemicals are used to influence them to form sheets of collagen. These sheets are then cut into thin threads of yarn-like material.

The material we collect in sheets is the extracellular matrix outside the cell. Thats what we get the cells to overproduce in the lab, LHeureux reveals. This is the material that they lay down in the right conditions at the bottom of the plastic containers where we grow the cells.

Because the makeup of collagen doesnt vary from person to person, it is hoped that each patient wouldnt need vessels produced from their own cells.

Once the yarn is ready, its time to get sewing. By weaving, braiding or knitting, the team can form tubes of collagen to replace the synthetic structures that are traditionally used in cardiovascular surgery.

We tend to use weaving because it makes a really nice tight wall which is really important if youre making a blood vessel, says LHeureux.

This is weaving as youve never seen it before, but it still requires a loom. The custom-made device has to be tiny so vessels of five millimetres in diameter can be produced. Its made out of stainless steel and plastic so it can be cleaned easily. And it is circular in shape to produce tubes from the collagen yarn.

How well these grafts will be tolerated by the body still needs to be tested though. The next step of the research is to see how the vessels perform in animals. Using genetically modified rodent models that dont reject human tissue, the team will be able to see if the biological textiles adapt well to the body environment.

But one problem with rats and mice is the small size of their blood vessels. So, the researchers are also working on producing similar medical textiles using sheep cells. Once animal model results prove promising, itll be time to think about transplanting the grafts into humans.

The sheep is about the same size as a human in terms of the blood vessels, so well be able to try surgeries that we would do in humans with vessels that would be the same size and using all the same instruments. So, its much more representative, LHeureux explains.

There are other research groups working on similar projects.The University of Minnesota Medical School recently grew human-derived blood vessels in a pig. While US company Humacyte is also trying to produce extracellular matrices for vascular and non-vascular applications. In the future, LHeureux hopes to collaborate with groups like these to find the best way of producing biological textiles at scale.

When we bring this material that is completely logical, completely human and integrates well inside the body to patients, well have a solution that weve never had before in medicine.

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Department Head for Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology job with MASARYK UNIVERSITY | 206366 – Times Higher Education (THE)

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Department:Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and OncologyFaculty of MedicineDeadline:11 Jun 2020Start date:upon agreement

Director of the University Hospital Brno and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University announces aselection procedure for the position aDepartment Head for:

Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology

The Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology is amedical, educational and research institution of the University Hospital Brno and the Medical Faculty. It provides comprehensive care for adult patients in the specialized fields of hematology, oncology and internal medicine.

The candidate for the position of aDepartment Head must be arespected expert in the field of hematology or oncology or internal medicine, with experience of working in agiven field and with expertise in pre-graduate and postgraduate education.

The Head of the department will be responsible for the management of the clinic, undergraduate medical education, doctoral studies, publishing and coordination of research conducted at the clinic. The Candidate for Department Head will present his/her idea of fulfilling the above during the selection process.

Requirements for adeclared position:

We offer:

Applications together with

should be sent to the HR department of the Faculty of Medicine, through e-Application (see below). For more information contact Ing. Ivana Jankov at 54949 5730 or e-mailjanackova@med.muni.cz

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Disruptive Food Brands Get a Taste of Their Own Medicine Heard on the Street – Morningstar.com

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By Carol Ryan

Seeking comfort while sheltering at home, shoppers are reaching for Hershey Bars rather than gluten-free energy balls. That is bad news for challenger brands, whose healthy snacks were taking market share from global food companies until very recently.

Discussing their latest quarterly results, executives at Nestl, Kraft Heinz and Procter & Gamble all said consumers are returning to old-fashioned brands that had previously fallen out of favor. The Hershey Company noted that its confectionery products gained 3 percentage points of market share over the past month or so. As consumers hoard nonperishable food, goods such as processed cheese and canned soup that had been losing out to healthier alternatives are recording their strongest sales in years.

It isn't yet clear if the trend will stick, but the shift is significant. Challenger brands have been taking market share from global food manufacturers for several years. In January and February this year, insurgent brands -- defined as those that are growing more than 10 times faster than their category -- captured 35% of the year-over-year growth in the consumer industry, according to consulting firm Bain & Company. In March and April, their share of growth shrank to 5%.

Lack of scale is now a disadvantage. Supermarkets have reduced the range of products they offer to ensure everyday essentials are available. That plays to the strengths of global manufacturers like Nestl and P&G who can deliver orders in bulk. In the short term at least, small brands are being elbowed off the shelves.

The asset-light business model favored by insurgent brands also has downsides. As they use third-party manufacturers rather than owning factories, these companies struggle to increase capacity when there is a big spike in demand. They are also competing with deep-pocketed rivals for constrained logistics services. Third-party transport costs have increased by 20% in certain markets.

Even if the distribution squeeze is temporary, startups may not have the cash to survive for long. Funding for these kinds of businesses is drying up. Worldwide, the number of venture capital investments in consumer brands fell 26% in the first quarter of 2020 compared with the same period of last year, PitchBook data shows. Even before the crisis, investors had moved on to other hot sectors such as health care and software. Last year, venture capitalists handed over 54% less cash to consumer brands than in 2018, according to data tracked by Goldman Sachs.

Of course, entrepreneurs are nothing if not nimble and can focus on selling their goods online. The problem for food brands in particular is that over 90% of sales still happen in bricks-and-mortar stores in most markets. Challengers with a well-established online sales channel may fare better in the current reversal.

Meanwhile, big food brands have an unlikely opportunity to regain some of the ground they lost in recent years. They might even buy up struggling rivals on the cheap.

Write to Carol Ryan at carol.ryan@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 11, 2020 06:36 ET (10:36 GMT)

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Recreation and access opportunities vary widely on Medicine Bow National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland – wyomingnewsnow.tv

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LARAMIE, Wyo. (Press Release) -- Public interest to utilize the Medicine Bow National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland in Wyoming is currently high, and as is seasonally typical, recreation and access opportunities vary widely.

The Forest and Grassland are open for dispersed use. Common public questions revolve around camping opportunities. Dispersed options are currently very limited, and broadly, visitors will find limited access for roads and trails, which is typical for this time of year due to seasonally closed roads, lingering snowpack and wet, muddy conditions.

Most developed recreation sites are not typically open this time of year due to accessibility.

Recreation opportunities will increase as spring transitions to summer and roads/trails become more accessible. This typically is weather-dependent and includes dispersed camping.

Be aware that black bears are on the move and hungry. Visit the Wyoming Game and Fish Bear Wise webpage for more information about camping in bear country: https://wgfd.wyo.gov/Regional-Offices/Laramie-Region/Laramie-Region-News/Be-Bear-Wise-in-black-bear-habitat

Area-specific updatesThunder Basin NG: The Grassland is currently free of snow and accessible for use. Caution should be used following a rain event or new snow melt as many of the gravel and dirt roads can become slick or impassable. The Weston Hills Recreation Area has been experiencing unusually high use during the last month. Expect the main parking area to be crowded or full. Additional parking is available on the north side of Forest Road 1246 or nearby on BLM lands. All motorized trails are limited to vehicles 50 or less.

Laramie Peak area: Most areas are accessible except for Friend Park and the Laramie Peak Trailhead. Campfires have been reported in this area. Please remember that fire restrictions are in place and campfires are not currently allowed.

Pole Mountain area: All roads are still under a seasonal closure but are being evaluated frequently and will be opened as quickly as conditions allow.

Sierra Madre & Snowy Ranges: Access is very limited. Please use sites only where resource damage will not occur. Most popular or regularly used dispersed camping areas are still inaccessible. Some lower elevation areas along the North Platte River are accessible, such as the Routt Access.

All our offices are serving the public remotely and are available by phone. Check with your local Ranger District office for site-specific information.Forest Supervisors Office (Laramie), (307) 745-2300Brush Creek-Hayden Ranger District (Saratoga), (307) 326-5258Douglas Ranger District (Douglas), (307) 358-4690Laramie Ranger District (Laramie), (307) 745-2300

Additional recreation and access information may be found on this website, https://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/mbrtb/covid_19, or you can follow the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forests and Thunder Basin National Grassland on Twitter, @FS_MBRTB.

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Recreation and access opportunities vary widely on Medicine Bow National Forest and Thunder Basin National Grassland - wyomingnewsnow.tv

The life-saving medicines inspired by animals – BBC News

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Mande Holford, an associate professor in chemistry at Hunter Collegein New York City who studies how venoms can be used to discover drugs for pain and cancer, says it goes deeper than just finding new drugs: venoms also offer the opportunity to answer big questions about evolution.

This is a chance to achieve not just Moon shots, but Jupiter shots: how can we figure out how venom evolved and use this for the benefit of humanity? she asks.

Scientists are now diving into the biological wealth of animal peptides to tackle a new threat: the novel coronavirus. Zachary Crook, lead protein scientist in the Jim Olson Lab at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, has started looking through databases of peptides from a range of animals in a search for peptides that could either bind to the spike protein on the surface of the virus, or to the ACE-2 receptor on human cells which the virus attaches to, in order to prevent it from exerting its effects. Our eventual goal is a drug administered by a puff from an inhaler or nebuliser which can halt the infection in its tracks, says Crook.

Despite the many applications of animal peptides, however, time to find new solutions may be running out. Thanks to the biodiversity crisis, every year thousands of species go extinct, often before weve even discovered them or had the chance to sequence their genome.

The scientific evidence is pretty solid that we will hit an inflection point where it will be hard to recover this trend, and we will lose a lot of species the next 10 years are important for us to bin that curve and try to restore, protect, and learn from the biodiversity we have on this planet, says Holford.

Now, as always, nature can provide us both with cures as well as scourges and there are perhaps few examples of this more potent than animal toxins.

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Laughter is the best medicine | Other Opinions | messagemedia.co – Aitkin Independent Age

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In these trying times, laughter is needed to alleviate our stress and prevent us from going stir crazy while stuck in our homes.

This esteemed newspaper, throughout the 1890s, provided this laughter to its readers in the form of social satire. Fans of The New Yorkers Borowitz Report will appreciate the particular turn-of-phrase and wit of the Aitkin Ages editor C.C. Kellys the Town Tramp. If you want even more satire, investigate the articles written by It, a man by the name of Gawthmey.

The dictionary defines satire as the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize the stupidity or vices of people, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. In the case of Tramp, his favorite targets seem to be Democrats, the town band, and the foibles of his friends.

In his Jan. 2, 1892 column, titled a picker-up of unconsidered trifles, Tramp wishes his readers a happy new year.

Happy New Year, good people, one and all. The Tramp hopes it may be a prosperous one to you, and that you may all turn over a new leaf and amend your ways of last year, the which he doubts not, you being human like himself might do with profit. He trusts all of you may keep the customary good resolutions for a day or two longer than usual, which will be a step in the right direction anyhow; and advises the making of few of the same ...

This seems a rather polite way to say behave better to his troublemaking readers. However, in reading through the Tramp articles, a favorite stood out.

In this favorite, Tramp takes on oleomargarine, a detestable product. He compares it to castor oil, with the scent of dead mens bones and all uncleanliness. He pleads with Hon. Kittel to ban the stuff, saying we have plenty enough cows for good butter, and if he slay this dragon which is injecting the means of madness in the very veins of life the farmers will rise up and call him blessed and reelect him sure.

Now, while this author has never tried oleo, as someone in the history field mention of it has come up. Many recall recipes it was used in or use of it from their childhoods. Never has it been described quite so strongly. One wonders was it really as awful as the Tramp proclaims? Perhaps it is time to break out these old recipes and try the stuff?

The author has provided samples of the Tramps other work for your enjoyment here. Brighten up your stay-at-home with a dash of biting humor. If you are a fan of Stephen Colbert and The Colbert Report, or The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, you will no doubt appreciate the Tramps style.

Remember, this too shall pass, and we will once again be with our neighbors and friends, once again visit museums and attend school. We at the Aitkin County Historical Society miss our visitors and members, our volunteers and student groups. We are looking forward to opening our doors to you once more.

If you have questions about Aitkin County history, visit http://www.aitkincohs.org or email Administrator Heidi Gould at achs@ait

kincohs.org.

I close this article with a quote in the Tramps writing, a quote by Jack Bunsby. It reads: Avast then, keep a bright lookout. Ahead, and good luck to you.

Good luck to us all, and we await the day we can once again be together in groups larger than 10 and closer than six feet apart.

Heidi Gould is the adminisrator of the Atkin County Historical Society.

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Laughter is the best medicine | Other Opinions | messagemedia.co - Aitkin Independent Age

COVID-19: What people with high blood pressure must know, from diet to medicine – The Indian Express

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By: Lifestyle Desk | Updated: May 9, 2020 5:47:40 pm Keep your blood pressure under control during the pandemic. (Source: getty images)

Early studies surveying people with the novel coronavirus disease found that up to 30 per cent of them had hypertension, according to a report by The Lancet. So, how are hypertension and the risk of coronavirus related?

High blood pressure in itself does not cause an increased susceptibility to coronavirus. But from what we have seen so far, about one-fourth to half of the COVID-19 patients who had to be admitted had high blood pressure, among other ailments, Dr Nishith Chandra, cardiology, director-interventional cardiology, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, told indianexpress.com.

He said, It has been seen that a lot of patients of COVID-19 are asymptomatic or show minor symptoms, and get better. A person with high blood pressure or other heart diseases, who is exposed to the virus, however, is more likely to require hospitalisation or even ventilation, as opposed to infected patients without blood pressure.

Read| How to stay calm during the coronavirus pandemic

Any comorbidity or existing medical condition like diabetes or heart disease may result in a more severe impact of the virus on the body due to a weaker immune system. Those who have high blood pressure and are already on medication may have compromised immunity. Again, elderly people with coronary heart disease or high blood pressure are more susceptible to the virus.

That said, people with high blood pressure should not be paranoid. Hypertension is a very common condition, with nearly 30-40 per cent of the adult population in India suffering from it. The good news is hypertension can be easily controlled. One should ideally strictly control blood pressure during the pandemic, the doctor advised. Here are some ways to do it.

1. Adhere to a good lifestyle; follow a healthy diet and keep yourself physically active by exercising.

2. Avoid excess salt in your food.

3. Eat fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium like spinach, broccoli, apricots, raisins and dates.

4. Drink three to four litres of water daily to remain hydrated.

5. Limit the consumption of alcohol and caffeine to keep your blood pressure levels in check.

6. If you are unable to control blood pressure, consult your doctor without delay.

Read| Coronavirus and the elderly: All you need to know

A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine stated that blood pressure medicines do not put you at more risk of contracting the virus. Besides, on March 17, 2020, the American Heart Association, Heart Failure Society of America and the American College of Cardiology issued a joint statement to confirm that one should not stop taking the prescribed medicines for blood pressure. These medications dont increase your risk of contracting COVID-19. They are vital to maintaining your blood pressure levels to reduce your risk of heart attack, stroke and worsening heart disease, the guidelines read.

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CASEY: The brave new world of post-pandemic medicine – Roanoke Times

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In the past week Ive been involved in three different medical appointments, one for my wife and two for myself. Those encounters portend fundamental changes all of us are going to experience moving forward.

Call us when you get to the parking lot, my dentists receptionist told me during a call Wednesday, in advance of a Thursday morning visit. When I did, she instructed me to enter the building.

A hygienist wearing a face mask and rubber gloves met me in the waiting room, holding a form on which there were eight questions she proceeded to ask.

The first was: Do you have a fever, or have you felt hot or feverish recently (14-21 days)?

She also asked if Id had a cough, or flu-like symptoms or shortness of breath. Down near the bottom was this one: Have you traveled in the past 14 days to any regions affected by COVID-19?

More or less, thats like asking if Id traveled anywhere, because the virus has struck just about everywhere, save the Mojave Desert and certain counties in Montana and Wyoming that have far more cows than people.

All the personnel in that dental office wore gloves and masks. And absent from the waiting room were any magazines whatsoever; in the past there were at least 25. The same was true at Vistar Eye Center on Jefferson Street, which I visited Thursday afternoon for a previously scheduled ophthalmologist appointment.

Two feet inside Vistars lobby, an attendant took my temperature as soon as I walked in. She stood behind a clear plastic shield with a cut-out that allowed her to extend her gloved hand, which held a small, no-touch electronic thermometer.

In Dr. Frank Cotters ophthalmology suite, everybody wore masks and gloves (which they changed after washing their hands in between each patient). Each treatment room was disinfected after a patient left it. Disinfecting wipes and lotions were strategically placed in the office, too.

Many of the chairs in Vistars waiting rooms were overturned to prevent patients sitting too closely together. Upright chairs were set apart at 6-foot distances.

Last weekend, Donna tripped and fell on a sidewalk along Grandin Road and injured her left arm. So I drove her to VelocityCare, the Carilion Clinic-owned urgent care center on Electric Road in the Tanglewood area. There, she answered the screening questions from the passenger seat of our SUV before they would let her in the door. (As it turned out, her arm was fractured.)

And those are the minor changes in medical treatment that youre likely to experience soon if you havent already. Its going to be that way for months into the foreseeable future, at the least.

For many appointments, you may not visit your physician at all. Instead, youre likely to wind up talking to them on the phone, or over a digital video link via broadband internet.

It is a whole new world, said Kim Roe, Carilion Clinics vice-president for family and community medicine. (She also oversees VelocityCare.)

Dr. Steve Morgan, a family practice physician and Carilions chief medical information officer, said prior to the pandemic, the health care provider had taken small steps toward telemedicine, mostly in psychiatry.

We were providing around 100 video visits per day, Morgan said. Now, were providing 600 to 700 video visits a day, across a variety of specialties, he said. Previous to the pandemic, Carilion expected it would be two years before they reached that volume of telemedicine visits.

We didnt anticipate it happening over 40 days, Morgan added.

Even primary care, which only a few months ago was nearly all person to person, is now often iPad to iPad or doctor and patient talking on the phone.

A friend of mine, Jeff Krasnow, experienced this firsthand during a recent annual physical with a non-Carilion doctor.

It was predominantly telemedicine, he told me.

What about the blood draw? I asked.

Krasnow said a couple of days before the video consultation with the doctor, he drove to his physicians office parking lot. There, a phlebotomist drew blood from his arm as he stuck it out his drivers-side window.

The pandemic has caused a physical shakeup in health care thats forced practitioners to differentiate between what needs to be brought into the office and what can be done on a digital platform, Roe told me.

Our patients have also seen the benefits of it, Morgan said. Many patients will see it as, this is a more convenient way to interact with [health care] providers.

Of course, telemedicine cant substitute for in- person doctor visits in every case. No doctor can yet put a broken limb in a cast via an iPad or smartphone. For that reason, Donna has an in-person appointment with an orthopedic surgeon Monday.

Roe said Carilion is also sensitive to the fact that not everyone owns technology that will allow video doctor visits. And even when patients do, they may not possess the technological savvy to make it happen.

Besides that, broadband isnt necessarily available in all rural areas Carilions geographic reach extends to Galax and Tazewell County.

And many patients, Roe noted, buy cellphone minutes in blocks. On any given day, they might not have enough phone minutes for a telephonic visit.

So office visits arent going away completely. But those patients can expect to see far fewer waiting-room magazines and far more masks and latex gloves, and to be screened for COVID-19 before they get in the door.

I think its important for your readers to know that, if they feel like they need services, theres a safe place for us to provide care to them, Roe said.

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Autopsy Findings and Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With COVID-19 – Annals of Internal Medicine

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University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany (D.W., J.S., M.L., S.S., C.E., A.H., F.H., H.M., I.K., A.S.S., C.B., G.D., A.N., D.F., S.P., S.S., C.B., M.M.A., M.A., K.P., S.K.)

Asklepios Hospital Barmbek, Hamburg, Germany (H.B., A.S.)

Bethesda Hospital Bergedorf, Hamburg, Germany (H.B.)

Agaplesion Diakonie Hospital, Hamburg, Germany (A.D.)

Amalie Sieveking Hospital, Hamburg, Germany (H.P.)

Asklepios Hospital Saint Georg, Hamburg, Germany (S.S.)

Financial Support: Institutional Funds of University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.

Disclosures: Dr. Nierhaus reports grants and personal fees from CytoSorbents Europe and personal fees from Thermo Fisher Scientific and Biotest outside the submitted work. Dr. Frings reports personal fees from Xenios outside the submitted work. Dr. Bokemeyer reports personal fees from Sanofi-Aventis, Merck KgaA, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Lilly ImClone, Bayer, GSO Contract Research, AOK Rheinland/Hamburg, and Novartis outside the submitted work. Dr. Kluge reports grants from Ambu, E.T. View, Fisher & Paykel, Pfizer, and Xenios and personal fees from Amomed, ArjoHuntleigh, Astellas, Astra, Basilea, Bard, Bayer, Baxter, Biotest, CSL Behring, CytoSorbents, Fresenius, Gilead, MSD, Orion, Pfizer, Philips, Sedana, Sorin, Xenios, and Zoll outside the submitted work. Authors not named here have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Disclosures can also be viewed at http://www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M20-2003.

Editors' Disclosures: Christine Laine, MD, MPH, Editor in Chief, reports that her spouse has stock options/holdings with Targeted Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Darren B. Taichman, MD, PhD, Executive Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Cynthia D. Mulrow, MD, MSc, Senior Deputy Editor, reports that she has no relationships or interests to disclose. Eliseo Guallar, MD, MPH, DrPH, Deputy Editor, Statistics, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy Editor, reports that she has stock holdings/options in Eli Lilly and Pfizer. Christina C. Wee, MD, MPH, Deputy Editor, reports employment with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Sankey V. Williams, MD, Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Yu-Xiao Yang, MD, MSCE, Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interest to disclose.

Reproducible Research Statement: Study protocol: Available with approval through written agreement with Dr. Wichmann (e-mail, d.wichmann@uke.de). Statistical code: Available from Dr. Kluge (e-mail, s.kluge@uke.de). Data set: Not available.

Corresponding Author: Dominic Wichmann, MD, Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany; e-mail, d.wichmann@uke.de.

Current Author Addresses: Drs. Wichmann, Burdelski, de Heer, Nierhaus, Frings, and Kluge: Department of Intensive Care Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Drs. Sperhake, Edler, Heinemann, Heinrich, Mushumba, Kniep, Schrder, and Pschel: Department of Legal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Drs. Ltgehetmann, Pfefferle, and Aepfelbacher: Institute of Medical Microbiology Virology and Hygiene, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Steurer: Department of Pathology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Becker: Department of Pulmonology and Internal Intensive Care, Asklepios Hospital Barmbek, Rbenkamp 220, 22307 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Bredereke-Wiedling: Emergency Department, Bethesda Hospital Bergedorf, Glindersweg 80, 21029 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. de Weerth: Department of Internal Medicine, Agaplesion Diakonie Hospital, Hohe Weide 17, 20259 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Paschen: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Amalie Sieveking Hospital, Haselkamp 33, 22359 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Sheikhzadeh-Eggers: Emergency Department, Asklepios Hospital Saint Georg, Lohmhlenstrasse 5, 20099 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Stang: Department of Oncology, Asklepios Hospital Barmbek, Rbenkamp 220, 22307 Hamburg, Germany.

Drs. Schmiedel and Addo: Sections of Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Dr. Bokemeyer: Department of Hematology and Oncology, Section of Pneumology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.

Author Contributions: Conception and design: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, F. Heinrich, S. Kluge.

Analysis and interpretation of the data: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, M. Ltgehetmann, S. Steurer, F. Heinrich, H. Mushumba, I. Kniep, A.S. Schrder, A. de Weerth, C. Bokemeyer, M.M. Addo, M. Aepfelbacher, S. Kluge.

Drafting of the article: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, M. Ltgehetmann, I. Kniep, S. Kluge.

Critical revision for important intellectual content: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, I. Kniep, C. Burdelski, G. de Heer, A. Nierhaus, A. de Weerth, A. Stang, S. Schmiedel, M.M. Addo, M. Aepfelbacher, S. Kluge.

Final approval of the article: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, M. Ltgehetmann, S. Steurer, C. Edler, A. Heinemann, F. Heinrich, H. Mushumba, I. Kniep, A.S. Schrder, C. Burdelski, G. de Heer, A. Nierhaus, D. Frings, S. Pfefferle, H. Becker, H. Bredereke-Wiedling, A. de Weerth, H. Paschen, S. Sheikhzadeh-Eggers, A. Stang, S. Schmiedel, C. Bokemeyer, M.M. Addo, M. Aepfelbacher, K. Pschel, S. Kluge.

Provision of study materials or patients: D. Wichmann, A. Heinemann, F. Heinrich, H. Mushumba, C. Burdelski, G. de Heer, A. deWeerth, S. Sheikhzadeh-Eggers, C. Bokemeyer, M.M. Addo, K. Pschel.

Statistical expertise: S. Kluge.

Obtaining of funding: M. Aepfelbacher.

Administrative, technical, or logistic support: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, S. Steurer, C. Edler, A. Heinemann, F. Heinrich, A.S. Schrder, C. Burdelski, M.M. Addo, S. Kluge.

Collection and assembly of data: D. Wichmann, J.P. Sperhake, M. Ltgehetmann, S. Steurer, C. Edler, F. Heinrich, H. Mushumba, I. Kniep, A.S. Schrder, G. de Heer, A. Nierhaus, D. Frings, S. Pfefferle, H. Becker, H. Bredereke-Wiedling, A. de Weerth, H.R. Paschen, A. Stang, S. Schmiedel, K. Pschel, S. Kluge.

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Autopsy Findings and Venous Thromboembolism in Patients With COVID-19 - Annals of Internal Medicine

Ayurveda medicine trial to begin on asymptomatic Covid-19 patients in Chandigarh – The Indian Express

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Written by Chahat Rana | Chandigarh | Published: May 10, 2020 2:35:18 am According to Mittal, the Sector 46 hospital is the only private Ayurveda hospital amidst the total 18 selected by the Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences under the Ministry of AYUSH to conduct these trials. (Representational)

Trials of an Ayurveda medicine, AYUSH 64, on Covid-19 patients is set to begin at Shri Dhanwantri Ayurvedic College in Sector 46 of Chandigarh. The trial will be conducted only on asymptomatic patients or those with mild symptoms, 30 of whom have already been shifted to the college and hospital.

At least 20 more such patients are scheduled to be shifted to the college and hospital within the next few days. The hospital has a total capacity to house seventy such patients.

We already have 30 patients with us who have agreed for the trials. They will receive allopathic treatment, but we will also give them the Ayurvedic medicine AYUSH 64 and collate data on the efficacy of the medicine, which will be then given to the ICMR, says Dr Naresh Mittal, General Secretary of the college management committee.

According to Mittal, the Sector 46 hospital is the only private Ayurveda hospital amidst the total 18 selected by the Central Council of Research in Ayurvedic Sciences under the Ministry of AYUSH to conduct these trials.

The AYUSH ministry had announced Thursday that it will begin clinical research studies along with the Council of Scientific and Industrial research (CSIR) by conducting trials of four approved Ayurvedic medicines- Ashwagandha, Yashtimadhu, Guduchi Peepli and AYUSH 64. These studies will be done as joint initiative between the Ministry of AYUSH, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Science and Technology with the aid of CSIR and ICMR.

Earlier, the health secretary for Chandigarh had announced a sudden change of plans in which Covid-19 patients with mild symptoms or asymptomatic patients will be shifted to the Ayurveda hospital in Sector 46.

Apart from Ayurveda staff, one doctor from GMCH-32 will be attached to the hospital for allopathic care.

Once the capacity of the hospital is reached, asymptomatic patients or those with mild Covid-19 symptoms will be shifted to the Sood Dharamshala in Chandigarh.

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No fish medicine event in Hyderabad this year due to COVID; Bathini Harinath Goud speaks – Republic World – Republic World

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Bathini Harinath Goud, the chief organiser of famed 'fish medicine', has announced that live fish medicine will not be distributed this year due to the Coronavirus outbreak, and requested people to not believe any fake news about thedistribution.

Every year, Bathini Harinath Goud and his family distribute fish medicine at the Exhibition Grounds in Nampally area of Hyderabad, wherein lakhs of people from various states visit to consume fish medicine. This program is held with the help of the state government.

"Since the last 175 years, we have been distributing Fish Medicine to people who are suffering from respiratory problems. However, this time we have decided not to distribute fish medicine due to COVID-19 outbreak. We request people to not believe any fake news about our distribution," said Bathini Harinath Goud in a video.

According to news agency ANI, the patients are made to gulp down live 'murrel' fish with a yellow herbal paste in its mouth, which is believed to provide relief to people who are suffering from respiratory problems.The Goud family claims that the secret formula for the herbal medicine was given to their ancestors in 1845 by a saint after taking an oath from him that it would be administered free of cost.

READ |'It is prohibited': Western Railway appeals to migrant workers to stay off railway tracks

The family had been distributing the fish medicine at their ancestral house in Doodhbowli till 1997 when the communal riots in the old city had forced it to shift the venue to Nizam College grounds. Subsequently, the government persuaded them to permanently shift the venue to Exhibition Grounds.

READ |No restoration of 4G Internet in Jammu & Kashmir yet; SC orders formation of special panel

Last week, an NGO working for child rights had urged the Telangana government not to allow the annual event in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Balala Hakkula Sangham had said the state government should not facilitate the event.

READ |Former PM Dr Manmohan Singh stable after admission to AIIMS on Sunday; being provided care

READ |Minor Christian girl abducted in Pakistan in March; Human Rights Min now takes cognisance

(With agency inputs)

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No fish medicine event in Hyderabad this year due to COVID; Bathini Harinath Goud speaks - Republic World - Republic World

In the News – Saturday, May 9 – Medicine Hat News

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By Collin Gallant on May 9, 2020.

A roundup of coverage on the Medicine Hat News on the morning of Saturday, May 9, 2020 and a look at todays developing stories.

Latest COVID numbersClose to two-thirds of Albertas confirmed Coronavirus cases are now classified as recovered according to health authorities in a late Friday update. Medicine Hat remained at eight active cases for a fifth straight day, while Brooks recorded seven new cases. No new provincial update is expected until Monday.

City LayoffsThe News has learned that layoffs caused by the COVID pandemic response and closures have resulted in 170 layoffs at the City of Medicine Hat and halted summer hiring to fill another 150 positions. Read the full report here.

Local mask productionDunmore-based Weddingstar is retooling to produce masks during a slowdown in orders for its wedding event products. The News coverage is here.

Hatters docu-series debutsMark Sakamotos new series Good People was released on the CBC streaming platform GEM on Friday. The News spoke with him about filming in Medicine Hat and how the pandemic adds urgency to tackling complex problems like poverty, mental health and drug abuse.

Good newsA local music teaches is preparing to lose her long locks to rase money for scholarships. Read the story here. As well, a parade was held to show solidarity with a local seniors home on Friday.

Price gougingA Calgary company has been charged after steeply increasing the cost of cleaning products it sells, the Canadian Press reports.

Long-term careThere is no easy fix for problems faced by the long-term care and assisted living industries, according to experts, and peer pressure may has as great an effect on public behaviour as the advice of health professionals as health restrictions are lifted, the Canadian Press reports.

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Birds of Prey Centrewill face financial crunch – Medicine Hat News

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By Jensen, Randy on May 11, 2020.

Tim Kalinowski

Lethbridge Herald

tkalinowski@lethbridgeherald.com

The Alberta Birds of Prey Centre in Coaldale is looking at a lost season in 2020, and is hoping for community support to help keep them going through the summer.

For us, we have already made the decision not to open at all for May and June, says Alberta Birds of Prey Centre managing director Colin Weir.

Usually we are very busy with schools this time of year In addition to Lethbridge and area we get schools from Medicine Hat, Milk River, Crowsnest Pass, and even up to Calgary so those, of course, are all cancelled.

The other thing that keeps us busy through the summer time is we take quite a few of our specially trained educational birds to special events across Alberta. So this might be fairs, visiting groups, business groups up in Banff and Lake Louise -those are all blanket cancelled 100 per cent, and probably wont come back until 2021.

For us it is devastating financially because we are going to lose $200,000 to $300,000 in revenue, he admits. Thats what we depend on to keep the centre going and make improvements.

Weir says the Birds of Prey Centre might be able to open on a limited basis in the latter part of the summer, but it wont be enough to make up for the financial shortfall they are experiencing.

We may just open for guided group tours where we really limit the number of people coming through, he says. We do have the ability to survive so there is no way we are going out of business, and we dont want to give anybody that impression. We have such a dedicated crew of volunteers and our paid staff would probably work for nothing to keep the place afloat. But we would still like to keep our staff going, even on a limited basis.

Staff are willing to cut back their paid hours to help save money, says Weir, but the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre can do nothing about its fixed costs like insurance, maintenance, or the care and feeding of their animals.

We still have all the birds to care for and look after, concludes Weir. Its not like we can just shut off the lights and close the doors and come back in three or four months. Operating expenses go on even when were closed to the public, right?

To make a donation to the Alberta Birds of Prey Centre visit its website at burrowingowl.com.

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Eat Like a Bird and Weight Loss Will Be a Dead Sirt – American Council on Science and Health

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Adeles significant slim down has been credited to a combination of exercise and eating sirtfoods. So what is the sirt diet and could it work for you?

COVID-19 may still be daily overwhelming the internet, but for a few hours last week all the talk on social mediturned to just how singer Adele could havelost so much weight.

And the answer? Apparently (allegedly) shes been following the sirtfood diet, detailed in a book of the same name written by Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten.

The sirt in sirtfood stands for sirtuins a group of genes and the proteins they encode that play a key role in cellular homeostasis. Sirtuins have been implicated in the stress response, DNA repair and energy metabolism, but the area where they've whipped up more scientific interest (and hype) than any other isin relation to extending lifespan.

The finding that sirtuins were linked to longevity in yeast led to an explosion of research that has yielded ambiguous results. There have been some signs of life extension and improved long-term health, including an anti-diabetic potential in laboratory animals, but nothing thats been reliably shown to extend life in mammals.

The central tenet of the sirtfood diet is that eating certain polyphenol-rich foods red wine and dark chocolate are frequently citedas examples to make the diet seem sexier can stimulate sirtuins (coined your skinny genes by the authors) and create weight loss.

Activating sirtuins through diet is an intriguing theory, but theres little evidence to support it, and even less evidence that doing so would lead to significant weight loss in practice.

The diet promises a weight loss of 7 pounds in 7 days and that longer-term you will improve your resistance to disease while gaining incredible energy and glowing health.

If you dont gnaw off your arm in hunger before you get slim that is.

Phase one of the diet is three miserable days of consuming just 1000 calories including three green juices, followed by four more days when youre permitted 1500 calories but still have to gag on drink green juice.

Phase two lasts for two weeks and isn't a whole lot more appealing, while longer-term you have to continue consuming the same list of foods repeatedly.

Polyphenol-rich food such as apples and citrus, green leafy vegetables, berries and olive oil are all perfectly healthy but having to focus on them at every meal is faddish and restrictive.

And thats the real reason the sirt diet works for those that do stick to it despite sounding seductively sciencey the restraints mean its just another not-particularly-well-disguised route to cutting calories.

If it works for you and it worked for Adele, then great. But lets not pretend sirt diet success stories are down to anything other than eating less.

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Asset life extension: viable in the long term for oil and gas? – Offshore Technology

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]]> An oil drilling rig in the North Sea. Credit: Erik Christensen.

While much of the oil and gas industry begins to focus its efforts on decommissioning, and transitioning to a world where oil production, if not oil usage, will form a smaller part of the global energy mix, there are a few companies continuing to invest in and extend the lives of their projects.

Equinors Statfjord field is perhaps the most obvious example, with the company recently announcing that the Statfjord A platform will continue to produce oil into 2027, close to its 50thyear of active operation. The field is estimated to have generated $180bn in income over its lengthy lifespan, and with the drilling of 100 new wells planned, the operators seem to be confident that despite the general trend of the industry, profit and productivity remain in the field.

But its not just majors who are engaging in asset life extension, with this optimistic approach trickling down to smaller players in the North Sea. One such company is Rockrose Energy, a UK-based independent that announced earlier this year that production at its Ross and Blake fields in the North Sea will be extended by five years, pushing the fields expected lifespans into 2029.

With the operators expanding the fields potential production by more than two million barrels of oil equivalent, the project is an identical case study in optimism and a focus on the bottom line to Equinors expansion, but on a more local scale. Yet it remains to be seen if Rockroses project will prove financially viable in the long-term, and how the expansion work will fit into an industry that, despite a few examples, seems committed to decommissioning.

Decommissioning is becoming an increasingly vital aspect of the North Sea oil and gas industry. Oil and Gas UK reported at the end of 2019 that the UK offshore sector is expected to spend over $19bn on decommissioning over the next decade, with well decommissioning in particular accounting for 45% of the forecast expenditure for oil and gas companies over the next ten years.

Yet Rockrose is undeterred, with managing director Peter Mann noting that it is part of the companys strategy to extend field life and push back decommissioning. Plans at Ross and Blake are in line with that.

The firm plans to invest $250m into the two fields, in which it owns a 30.8% stake, to fund new drilling work that will see two additional infill wells constructed

This optimistic investment follows a productive few years for the companythat has encouraged Rockrose to take a more proactive, expansionist approach to its assets, at a time where much of the industry is looking towards decommissioning. Rockrose has seen productivity increase at its operations in recent years, posting an increase in annual production across all of its operations across the North Sea of 117% in 2019 compared to 2018 figures.Furthermore,with over 100 million barrels of oil equivalent beneath its platforms in the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) alone, the firm is optimistic that its projects will continue to be productive and profitable.

Mann was also eager to point out Rockroses recent commitment to proactive asset acquisition and ensuring high standards of occupational health and safety, both of which could help stabilise the company and its assets in an industry whose future is increasingly uncertain, creating a coherent identity for the firm to unite its operations across its assets.

Rockrose has established HSE policies in place, which ensure the safety and wellbeing of its employees and contractors, he said. This was reflected at Brae, where in 2019 the total number of HSE incidents fell by 39% to 17, with only seven of these taking place post-completion of the acquisition of the Marathon UK deal, which included the Brae assets.

As a result, Rockrose has aimed to position itself as an active and dynamic actor in a sector often considered backward-looking and resistant to change; last July, for instance, the company completed the $95m acquisition of Marathon Oil, a deal which saw assets worth 28 million barrels of oil equivalent come under the operation of Rockrose, significantly expanding the companys influence in the North Sea.

Rockroses approach appears to have yielded financial dividends, at least in the short term, with dramatic improvements in raw production figures and profits over the last year. The company saw a 311% increase in gas production from 2018 to 2019, alongside a 55% increase in oil production over the same period, and a total increase in revenues of 64% across its oil and gas operations.

In the companys annual report, executive chairman Andrew Austin echoed this sentiment, predicting a 9% increase in production between 2019 and 2020 that would see the firms total output reach around 21,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day

Yet while these figures are undoubtedly impressive, they are undermined by the companys vast capital expenditure, which has been enough to keep the company producing in the short term, yet it is unclear as to the sustainability of this level of investment; between 2018 and 2019, capital expenditure increased by a dramatic 624% to $76.9m. Perhaps most concerning, however, is the 292% increase in abandonment expenditure, with RockRose spending over $9m on abandonment work in 2019, despite its broad aims to delay decommissioning work where possible.

In 2017, Rockrose commissioned oil and gas evaluation firm ERC Equipoise to assess the companys long-term financial viability, and the companys conclusions could be a concern for Rockrose. ERC Equipoise predicted that cost inflation would increase from 1.02% in 2018 to 1.4% in 2034, which could drive up operational expenses for a company that has already invested a significant sum across its operations.

Yet according to Mann, this ever-increasing spend is simply part of a changing oil and gas landscape in the UK.

The UK North Sea continues to represent a significant opportunity, said Mann. There is a changing of the guard in the UKCS, with some of the larger international companies refocusing elsewhere, which leaves opportunities for smaller, flexible and ambitious companies with strong balance sheets, like Rockrose, to take on the assets and maximise their economic recovery and potential.

Should the oil and gas landscape shift away from major companies with decades-old projects, towards these smaller, more agile firms with fewer assets, Rockroses vision of smaller projects with significant financial margins could be realised. Despite investment of $248m into the Ross and Blake fields as part of the latest round of expansion alone, the firm still posted an end-of-year balance of $203m at the end of 2019, compared to $38m at the end of 2018.

Financial risks certainly remain for those eager to pursue asset expansion at this point in time, but Rockrose is proving that there could be a way forward for independent companies willing to take these kindsof financial risks.

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Asset life extension: viable in the long term for oil and gas? - Offshore Technology

Shelf-life and food safety: Hear exclusive expert insights on two of the biggest industry challenges right now – FoodNavigator-Asia.com

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Across the globe there has been a notable uptick in consumer interest in the provenance and standards of food products, while a surge in demand for fresh produce and packaged goods means shelf life extension and stability are paramount concerns for food manufacturers.

Thats why we will be shining the spotlight on both issues in an exclusive webinar on May 12, where Dr Lan Ban, Research & Development Director at Kemin Food Technologies, will be presenting expert insights.

According to the company: Food safety is every brands number one priority while keeping product fresh for longer allows business to optimise its returns.

However, meeting consumers demands for safe and high-quality food requires extensive understanding of the chemical and biological pathways that affect products.

Thats why in this presentation, Kemin will assess how minor, yet hugely important, ingredients such as antimicrobials play a pivotal role in delaying microbial growth and preventing foodborne illness, while simultaneously ensuring brand longevity and loyalty.

Key takeaways will include an understanding of common food safety and shelf life challenges, and listeners will be equipped with toolkit for the best use of antimicrobials to solve them and boost business outcomes at the same time.

Register for the webinar here.

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Shelf-life and food safety: Hear exclusive expert insights on two of the biggest industry challenges right now - FoodNavigator-Asia.com

All is not well at the Neyveli thermal power station in Cuddalore – Down To Earth Magazine

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Several accidents at the power station reveal serious issues in maintenance, safety systems

In the past five years, two major accidents and a minor accident occurred at the Neyveli Lignite Thermal Power Station (NLTPS) a lignite-based thermal power station located near the lignite mines of Neyveli in Tamil Nadus Cuddalore district.

Another accident at the plant owned by Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC), an undertaking of the Union government revealed serious issues in maintenance and safety systems in the old units running at NLTPS, for which the senior management should be held responsible.

NLC has a history of management issues. There have been frequent strikes by workers over several issues over the years. These strikes may be one of the reasons for poor operational practices at NLTPS.

Continuous delays in the commissioning of new units forced NLTPS to run its old units, scheduled to retire between 2011-15. Efficient and safe operating life of thermal power plant is considered to be around 25 years. At NLTPS, however, a large number of units are 25-57 years old.

Unit 6, where the incident occurred, is more than 26 years old and is to be retired due to unavailability of space for pollution control technologies, according to the National Electricity Plan, 2018.

NLTPS has distinct phases, where new units are usually commissioned, with auxillary utilities (like coal handling, water treatment etc) being common for different units in each phase.Phase one consists of units 1-6 (50 x 6 megawatts or MW) and 7-9 (100 x 3 MW), commissioned during 1962-70. All these units were scheduled to be retired between 2011-15.

This plan, however, could not be executed due to a continuous delay in commissioning of the new capacity.

The present total capacity of the first stage is 500 MW (unit 7, with a capacity of 100 MW, was retired in 2019). The expansion of phase one included two units of 210 MW capacity each.

NLTPS phase two has units 1-7 (210 x 7 MW) commissioned during 1988-93. Stage two expansion has two units of 250 MW capacity, each commissioned in 2014-15.

Two new units of 500 MW each, that were scheduled to arrive in 2014-15, were continuously delayed. One of them was added in 2019 and the other is yet to come.

These two units were critical as retirement of the old plant was based on the commissioning of these units. The retirement of old units (40-50-years-old) was continuously delayed due to delay in the commissioning of new units.

Source: CSE

History of disorder

2011:It was planned for NLTPS phase one to be decommissioned between 2011 and 2014. In 2011, however, the period of operations was extended for five years and still has not been retired.

2013-17: Frequent strikes in NLC on dilution of stakes and wages issues, with the matter in court till February, 2020.

May 20, 2014: Blast at a pipeline of a boiler in NLTPS phase one unit seven (100 MW) killed two people and injured four others. An NLC probe committee blamed an engineer for the incident and said it was satisfied with the built-in safety protection available in the scheme. It was claimed that a life extension programme and periodical residual life assessment studies were conducted to ensure safe operation of the plant.

June 2019:One person was killed and two others seriously injured in an explosion of the safety valve at one of the units in NLTPS phase two.

May 5, 2020: Minor fire incident at the conveyor belt in NLTPS phase two.

May 7, 2020: The incident occurred in the NLTPS phase two, unit 6 boiler of NLC India's second thermal power station. The pressure build-up inside the boiler caused the blast. Eight people, who were working in the area, were injured and taken to NLC's hospital.

There may be many technical reasons including excessive accumulation of ash and improper fuel combustion for a blast in a boiler, caused by uneven heat transfer at certain locations, said Ashu Gupta, a former general manager at National Thermal Power Corporation Limited.

All these issues are handled by power plants in day-to-day operations andmaintenance, he said. This blast is clearly a result of a failure of built-in checks and safety systems that are in place in all the power plants, Gupta added.

Such incidents are the blatant failure of maintenance and operational safety interlocks and should not be linked to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, according to Amit Kumar Singh, a power sector consultant.

There might be various technical reasons for the blast, but the real reasons will be revealed after the investigation report comes out, according to several experts.

Over the years, Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) has been pushing hard to expedite the retirement of old units.

The execution of government plans for the retirement of old plants are continuously delayed. These old plants require significant investment for operation and safety, with poor management at the plant level making these units prone to such serious incidents.

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All is not well at the Neyveli thermal power station in Cuddalore - Down To Earth Magazine