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Blockchain in the Age of Coronavirus – The Bad Crypto Podcast

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Don Tapscott, Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute, discusses the potential of blockchain technology. He explains how blockchain could be applied in the case of Coronavirus to provide transparency into product supply chains. He also discusses how blockchain can be used to ensure authentic COVID-19 testing supplies and accurate, digital medical records. In addition, Tapscott goes into detail about the promise of blockchain, the reality and blockchain and whats in store for the future. He ends by discussing COVID-19s impact on cryptocurrencies.

Don Tapscott, Executive Chairman of the Blockchain Research Institute, is one of the worlds leading authorities on the impact of technology on business and society. He has authored 16 books, including Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything, which has been translated into over 25 languages.

Dons most recent book was authored alongside his son, Alex Tapscott, a globally-recognized investor, advisor and speaker on blockchain technology and cryptoassets. Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin and Other Cryptocurrencies is Changing the World was published in May 2016 and is, according to Harvard Business Schools Clay Christensen, the book, literally, on how to survive and thrive in this next wave of technology-driven disruption. The paperback version of the book, updated with new material covering recent developments in the blockchain industry, was published in June 2018.

In 2017, Don and Alex co-founded the Blockchain Research Institute, whose 100+ projects are the definitive investigation into blockchain strategy, use-cases, implementation challenges and organizational transformations.

Don is a member of the Order of Canada and is ranked the second-most influential Management Thinker and the top Digital Thinker in the world by Thinkers50. He served as Chancellor (2013 2019) of Trent University in Ontario, and is currently an Adjunct Professor at INSEAD. It is hard to imagine anyone who has been more prolific, profound, and influential in explaining todays technological revolutions and their impact on the world.

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Blockchain in the Age of Coronavirus - The Bad Crypto Podcast

Forte recruits 5 more high-end game studios to make …

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Forte has established partnerships with five more game studios to make blockchain-based games that are integrated with Fortes technology. These companies will also benefit from grants from Fortes partnership with cryptocurrency Ripple to create a $100 million fund to invest in blockchain games.

The game studios include Hi-Rez Studios, maker of Smite; Netmarble, making of Marble Future Fight; Magmic, maker of card games like Simple Spades; nWay, maker of Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid; and Deca Games, maker of Realm of the Mad God.

These companies will try to unlock new economic and creative opportunities with blockchain, the transparent and secure decentralized ledger technology. Blockchain can authenticate digital items, such as virtual goods or characters in games. If you buy a blockchain-based item in a game, you can own it for good, and transfer it to other games (theoretically). You can also verify how rare it is, as it is uniquely identifiable.

We feel so privileged to be able to kind of partner with such a great group of developers, said Kaiser Hwang, vice president of marketing at Forte, in an interview with GamesBeat. Weve been looking for the most talented people and are trying to build partnerships. These developers represent a lot of diversity in terms of company size, experience, developing games, and also game experiences.

Other deals have not been announced.The developers are a mix of mobile game makers and triple-A makers of console and PC games.

Deep down, this has to be worked across any game platform, Hwang said. We want to build a platform that would work for anybody, any kind of developer in any type of game, and so it was kind of really critical for us to find developers who have that wide range of experience.

Above: Netmarbles Marvel Future Fight is a huge hit.

Image Credit: Netmarble

Forte chairperson Kevin Chou started the company as a way to help fix the problems in the industry, which is overly dependent on a small number of players to produce revenues in free-to-play games, where perhaps 2 percent of players will pay real money for a digital item. Chou believes that blockchain could build new monetization foundations for games, such as peer-to-peer economies.

He also sees it as a way to empower communities. In a multiplayer game, players often form groups like clans or guilds. The clans might be able to use blockchain rewards or items to incentivize their own players to go on a quest or do something for the clan. That means the players would have control over what happens with the blockchain items, rather than just the game developers.

We believe blockchain technology by itself as a technology is not enough, Hwang said. We believe this technology can have a really transformative impact on the industry in a way that benefits players and the developers. Thats why we work with the best game creators.

Above: Realm of the Mad God, a game where emergent player behavior became a significant factor.

Image Credit: Kabam

Earlier, Forte announced it was working with game developer partners: Disruptor Beam, Other Ocean, and Kongregate. Chou started as CEO, but he handed the reins over to Forte cofounder Josh Williams.

Fortes blockchain platform benefits both existing and future titles. The company said it unlocks never-before-possible revenue streams in traditional game designs, while being versatile enough to serve as the economic and creative foundation for blockchain-native experiences. In addition, it provides players with newfound benefits by giving their time and effort spent in games real-world relevance.

Hwang said blockchain brings a lot of unique benefits to games.

I think you hear a lot about digital ownership, but theres also provenance, he said. We see this as much deeper than just, Hey, I own something and then I can sell it. We want to unlock new creative possibilities. Maybe we can create a player-driven marketplace. Maybe we can offer in-game services. A developers can leverage those aspects to create new gameplay. If I track the history of item and whats happened to it, I can maybe integrate that into the lore and make it part of a VIP system. Theres so many different ways.

Above: Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid is a cross-platform game.

Image Credit: nWay

As for the skepticism around blockchain and cryptocurrency in general, Hwang said, I think what weve generally found not even specific to games is that once people are actually educated on how the technology works and understand the benefits that it brings to games, a light bulb goes off and the person says, Oh, I get it. I just didnt understand it before. And so even when we talk to developers, a lot of it is just proper education.

Through its $100 million developer fund (announced a year ago at the Game Developers Conference), Forte is providing grants to qualifying game developers to integrate blockchain technology into both existing games, as well as bespoke projects. Forte does not ask for or require equity, revenue share, or other form of recuperation from developers.

Forte has about 90 people.

As for how much is being invested in each game, Hwang said, The blockchain technology will actually manifest in games in very different ways. Its kind of more of a creative decision. So we basically look at what at the game and decide what are the resources required to do this right. So the amount can vary.

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Forte recruits 5 more high-end game studios to make ...

How to Save Time and Money with Blockchain Smart Contracts – Global Trade Magazine

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Manufacturing processes are growing increasingly complex especially as the coronavirus pandemic spreads in todays global marketplace. With so many moving parts, its becoming more difficult to reliably and efficiently track actions and data along the supply chain. Blockchain-enabled smart contracts are emerging as a solution one that provides transparency and ensures everyone along the supply chain is following the same set of agreed-upon rules.

With everyone on the supply chain sharing the same logic and data, manufacturers can automate time-sensitive processes and avoid costly dispute resolutions. Blockchain is on the rise, and Gartner predicts that 30% of manufacturing companies making more than $5 billion in revenue will have invested in blockchain-powered projects by 2023.

Implementing the technology and data infrastructure to convert processes into smart contracts can seem daunting, and companies that dont hit the $5 billion mark will be slower to catch up.

The fear of failing after the investment can be a serious deterrent. But smart contracts save enough time and money for manufacturers that the costs of waiting might be greater than the upfront investment needed to get started.

The core values of blockchain are transparency and trust, and smart contracts play a pivotal role in providing these benefits. Taken together in a business context, blockchain-based smart contracts make it possible to avoid disputes. A smart contract is software that automates a single trusted version of an agreement between parties. They might rely on one version of data about whats happening (or has happened) and record the results of the contract, such as funds being transferred in exchange for using a piece of equipment.

Without smart contracts, businesses working together in manufacturing have to maintain separate systems that encode business rules with slight differences. The data they use might also vary from the data other companies use, making it difficult to reconcile any issues. These differences lead to disputes that require significant time and effort to resolve.

The automation and data standards that smart contracts provide allow manufacturers to consider different ways to work with partners along their supply chain. Their partnerships can be based on performance or quality in ways that would have been impossible to implement much less trust without the use of blockchain and smart contracts.

In a blockchain system, the word contracts doesnt carry the same meaning as legal contracts. Instead, smart contracts are more broadly used to encode logic that often isnt written explicitly in a contract. Unlike traditional software, theyre used to create business logic that multiple parties can rely on and trust.

Many of us are familiar with the concept of business rules in software systems. In the blockchain world, smart contracts are the business rules shared by the users of the blockchain. Think of blockchain like a shared database: Smart contracts are the rules that define how data can be entered or changed in the shared database. Within the supply chain, smart contracts are typically the rules shared by multiple businesses in the supply chain that are also users of the blockchain system.

For most applications, smart contracts can be executable versions of traditional business contracts, or they might be new logic that coordinates long-running processes and activities across different businesses. Theyre trusted because theyre created and housed on a blockchain, which means the code is typically visible to system developers, business analysts, and auditors.

Although smart contracts are triggered by some external event, such as a users action or a change in external data (a commoditys price, for example), the code they run is normally approved in advance by all businesses involved. Currently, businesses are already utilizing blockchain-secured smart contracts for a range of supply chain processes.

For example, some companies combine smart contracts with Internet of Things sensors to record the movement of supplies into a manufacturing facility. Then, they automate payment for those supplies. Others record the operating conditions of a machine to determine if maintenance is required or gauge the condition of manufactured products to ensure standards are met.

Such contracts produce equipment usage records and quality control checks in real-time, and parties on all sides of the contract can trust the data. How we handle everything from securing supplies to monitoring equipment and manufacturing products can be improved with the strategic use of blockchain-powered smart contracts.

As companies convert more intrabusiness processes into smart contracts, the benefits of doing so grow easier to recognize. Shipments and payment approvals can be verified in real-time, and disputes are eliminated or resolved immediately with no intermediaries. The time and cost savings are substantial.

By using these strategies to determine where to use smart contracts, companies of all sizes have a better chance at reaping the benefits much sooner:

1. Break down costs before the converting starts. The first time a company implements a smart contract, the costs of establishing the blockchain system will be relatively high. These initial costs can often be the biggest deterrent, especially for smaller, less tech-driven companies. Over time, though, the incremental costs of automating smart contracts will go down. Account for this initial cost by taking time to identify the contracts that are currently the most costly to execute.

2. Prioritize external contracts over internal ones. Not every contract needs to be a smart one. In fact, the costs of executing some processes might not justify the investment in automating them. Focus on agreements, contracts, and other expectations that are between the company and another business (or better yet, where more than two businesses are involved), and rule out internal agreements between departments. Because trust is less of an issue, internal disputes can be reconciled relatively easily. Putting them on a blockchain would just be overkill.

3. Focus on contract difficulty not frequency. Because the goal of automation is to create less work, its tempting to go straight for the contracts that are executed most often. Instead, focus on the amount of effort it takes to use each contract rather than how often its used. High-frequency contracts might be executed with few or no disputes, whereas low-frequency ones might be costly to manage due to complex and/or unclear terms. These are much better candidates.

4. Start with material sourcing for maximum impact. To know for sure which processes can benefit most from conversion into smart contracts, look for people throughout the organization who deal with reconciliation, quality control, and/or audit support. Also, consider the data used in each transaction. Between both parties, how important is trusting that data? Material sourcing is often ripe for improvement, and trust in data is critical to the relationship between manufacturer and supplier.

The ability to create smart contracts is becoming one of the best-known benefits of using blockchain technology in the manufacturing realm. Investing in the technology might be costly at first, but getting in on the ground floor will be easier if you use it to turn the right processes into irrefutable smart contracts.

____________________________________________________________

Alex Rosen is the vice president of business development at Chainyard, a blockchain consulting company focused on delivering production solutions that address financial services, supply chain, transportation, government, and healthcare pain points.

How to Save Time and Money with Blockchain Smart Contracts - Global Trade Magazine

Tether Stablecoin Launches on Its Seventh Blockchain – CoinDesk – CoinDesk

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Tether, the world's largest stablecoin by market value, is now live on the Bitcoin Cash (BCH) network.

Announced Thursday, Tether is using the Simple Ledger Protocol (SLP) as the technical means to launch its tether stablecoins (USDT) on the BCH blockchain. Tether aims for the token's price to consistently match the U.S. dollar on a 1:1 ratio and backs its value with assets.

Running directly on the BCH blockchain, SLP allows users to issue and manage tokens of various types. Tether said the launch means bitcoin.com wallet users which supports BCH and bitcoin (BTC) will be able to to send and receive USDT via SLP tokens, without the need for other applications.

Tether is currently live on the Algorand, EOS, Ethereum, Liquid Network, Omni and Tron blockchains with a total market capitalization total units in circulation multiplied by spot price of more than $5.6 billion, according to Tether Inc.'s treasury data. However, that does not seem to include any tokens on BCH as yet.

Our latest collaboration with Bitcoin Cash will provide Tether with a variety of benefits," said Paolo Ardoino, Tether CTO. "We expect the adoption after launch to be pretty easy for any integrator. The launch will also support more applications on the Bitcoin Cash chain, with Tether facilitating payment for these applications.

Data aggregators such as Nomics, Messari and CoinMarketCap display differing data for Tether's market cap.

Nick Gauthier, CTO and co-founder and Nomics, told CoinDesk the firm's API now tracks Tether's total liabilities. The firm is now displaying around $5.6 billion for USDT, matching Tether's stated figure.

CoinMarketCap, meanwhile, is currently displaying $4.6 billion, while Messari is closer to Tether's figure with $5.2 billion.

The leader in blockchain news, CoinDesk is a media outlet that strives for the highest journalistic standards and abides by a strict set of editorial policies. CoinDesk is an independent operating subsidiary of Digital Currency Group, which invests in cryptocurrencies and blockchain startups.

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Tether Stablecoin Launches on Its Seventh Blockchain - CoinDesk - CoinDesk

iQSTEL, Inc. and itsBchain Announce the Pre-Beta Test of the Blockchain-based Mobile Number Portability and Administration Platform Has Been Released…

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

NEW YORK, NY, March 25, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via NEWMEDIAWIRE -- iQSTEL Inc. (OTC: IQST), in conjunction with its recently acquired subsidiary ItsBchain, is pleased to announce the Pre-Beta test release of the blockchain-based mobile number portability and administration platform.

Smartphone shipments worldwide are projected to add up to around 1.7 billion units in 2020. By 2021, 40 percent of the world's population is projected to own a smartphone according to Statista.com. Global smartphone sales reached $522 billion in 2018. Claiming a 44 percent share smartphones, mobile phones and wearables are still the powerhouse in the $1.2 trillion technical consumer goods (TCG) market as GfK research noted.

While almost 40% of the worlds population owns a smartphone, changing carriers and maintaining the same number is still processed via an archaic days to weeks 2-party verification system. itsBchains developed mobile number portability application will allow the client to switch carriers in as little as 3 clicks, reducing the mobile number porting to mere minutes. The platform brings about an unprecedented level of transparency and security to the market using a combination of mobile applications with smart contracts and blockchain technology.

Mr. Iglesias, the Companys CEO, commented, We are very pleased with the rapid development and completion of the Alpha-testing phase. Our intimate knowledge of the industry along with extensive client and consumer discussions, brought about this highly in-demand platform. The blockchain-based platform is just the first of multiple platforms itsBchain and iQSTEL are working on to bring the telecommunications market into the 21st Century. We plan to offer this mobile application and blockchain platform to our current customers, the largest mobile operators in the word, as Vodafone, Telefonica, Millicom, among others.

About iQSTEL Inc.:

iQSTEL Inc. (OTC: IQST)www.iQSTEL.com is a Publicly Listed Company in US. iQSTEL is aleading-edge 21stCentury Enhanced Telecommunications Service Provideroffering a wide range ofcloud-based enhanced services to the Tier-1 and Tier-2 carriers,enterprise market, as well as the retail market. iQSTEL through its subsidiaries(www.etelix.com;www.SwissLink-Carrier.com;www.QglobalSMS.com;www.itsBchain.com) offers a one-stop-shop for international and domestic VoIP services, SMS exchange for A2P and P2P, Internet of Things (IoT) applications, 4G & 5G international infrastructure connectivity, as well as blockchain-based payment and phone number mobility platforms to international and domestic Tier-1 carrier for VoIP, SMS, and Data.

About Etelix.com USA, LLC:

Etelix.com USA LLCwww.etelix.comis wholly owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. Etelix.com USA, LLC is a Miami, Florida-based international telecom carrier founded in 2008 that provides telecom and technology solutions worldwide, with commercial presence in North America, Latin America, and Europe. Enabled by its 214-license granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Etelix provides International Long-Distance voice services for Telecommunications Operators (ILD Wholesale), and Submarine Fiber Optic Network capacity for internet (4G and 5G). Etelix was founded in 2008 and has been profitable since inception.

About SwissLink Carrier AG:

SwissLink Carrier AGwww.swisslink-carrier.comis a 51% owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. SwissLink Carrier AG is a Switzerland based international Telecommunications Carrier founded in 2015 providing international VoIP connectivity worldwide, with commercial presence in Europe, CIS and Latin America. SwissLink Carrier AG is a Swiss licensed Operator, having a domestic Interconnect with Swisscom, allowing their international Carrier Customers direct terminations via SwissLink into all Switzerland Fix & Mobile Networks. Since the takeover from Swissphone in November 2018 and the rename into SwissLink, they operate on a profitable level.

About QGlobal SMS LLC.:

QGlobal SMS LLCwww.qglobalsms.comis a 51% owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. QGlobal SMS is a USA based company founded in 2020 specialized in international and domestic SMS termination, with emphasis on the Applications to Person (A2P) and Person to Person (P2P) for Wholesale Carrier Market and Corporate Market in US. QGlobal SMS has commercial presence in Europe, USA and Latin America. QGlobal SMS has robust international interconnection with Tier1 SMS Aggregators, guarantying its customers high quality and low termination rates, over more than 100 countries worldwide.

About itsBchain LLC.:

itsBchainLLCwww.itsBchain.comis a 75% owned subsidiary of iQSTEL Inc. itsBchain is a blockchain technology developer and solution provider, with a strong focus on the telecom sector. The company is the final stage of development of a series of blockchain solutions aimed at using the blockchain ledgerand smart contract solutions to enable more efficiency, quickness in execution and fraud-prevention in the telco industry. Specifically, the company is developing a solution that will enable users and carriers to transfer mobile phone numbers with just a few clicks, allowing users and carriers the ability to transfer retailusers from one mobile carrier to another instantly. Additionally, the company is finalizing a carrier-grade marketplace solution to procure payments between carriers for cross-traffic of VoIP, SMS and data realtime as traffic is crossed between carriers. This marketplace will allow for instant payment settlement as well as the prevention of fraud between carriers.

Safe Harbor Statement:Statements in this news release may be "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements that express our intentions, beliefs, expectations, strategies, predictions or any other statements relating to our future activities or other future events or conditions. These statements are based on current expectations, estimates and projections about our business based, in part, on assumptions made by management. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual outcomes and results may, and are likely to, differ materially from what is expressed or forecasted in forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this news release and iQSTEL Inc. undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this news release.

iQSTEL Inc.

IR US Phone: 646-740-0907, IR Email: investors@iqstel.com

Source: iQSTEL Inc.

http://www.iqstel.com;www.swisslink-carrier.com;www.etelix.com;www.qglobalsms.com;www.itsBchain.com

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iQSTEL, Inc. and itsBchain Announce the Pre-Beta Test of the Blockchain-based Mobile Number Portability and Administration Platform Has Been Released...

Coronavirus will not delay the launch of Chinas national blockchain network – FXStreet

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Despite the outbreak of coronavirus, China has clarified that it will be launching its national blockchain network in April 2020, as scheduled earlier. The Blockchain-based Service Network (BSN) is a distributed ledger technology (DLT) platform developed by the Chinese government in conjunction with tech companies and financial institutions.

The blockchain network will make it easier for users to deploy their applications without having to build their own distributed ledgers from the get-go. This will help blockchain-based firms in the country reduce their cost of operations. Unlike blockchain networks such as Bitcoin and Ethereum, which are public networks, BSN will adopt a permissioned system controlled by the government of China.

Despite the privacy lapse, the founding members of the BSN, which include the Chinese National Information Center, China UnionPay, Red Date and China Mobile, have said that the network users will greatly benefit in terms of cost reduction. According to the BSN whitepaper, most firms spend around $14,000 to develop, operate and maintain their blockchain networks for just one year. Thanks to the new network, businesses will be able to deploy their blockchain-based apps for just $300.

BSN users will only be able to share data with their trusted partners. However, the government will possess the root key of the platform, allowing them to monitor all transactions on the network. The BSN Development Alliance says that the network will have at least 100 functional nodes with thousands of users each by next month.

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Coronavirus will not delay the launch of Chinas national blockchain network - FXStreet

Ripple Executive Says Crypto and Blockchain Will Transform World of Finance, Changing the Way Banks Do Business – The Daily Hodl

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Asheesh Birla thinks blockchain technology is poised to dramatically overhaul the global financial sector.

Ripples senior vice president of product recently talked with SiriusXM business news host Randi Zuckerberg about his predictions for the space.

I think that this is going to really start taking off in the next two years, and within anything that is done in the financial space today via Citibank or the HSBCs and the JP Morgans of the world, its going to be reinvented using this technology.

And theres going to be a reshuffling of the world order, meaning maybe some of the largest banks today wont have that kind of role in the future as this world gets reinvented using technology in the blockchain.

Birla says Ripple is pushing to be the blockchain version of Amazon. The San Francisco startup currently has just over 300 banks and money transfers on its platform, RippleNet, according to the SVP.

However, Birla says there is work to be done by the US government which needs to establish clear regulations if it wants to take the lead when blockchain-based platforms and services proliferate across the global financial infrastructure.

Really, for the massive players to start coming in in droves, you need clear regulations, and I think the UK has done great in terms of a digital asset framework. I think that Singapore is really close. Asia in general is leading the pack, which is really different than the internet, when the US led the pack.

I think the US will find its way, but its taking a long time in terms of the US paving the way with clear regulations for institutions to use digital assets.

And until you have that youre not going to see some of the bigger players come in and transform the space.

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Ripple Executive Says Crypto and Blockchain Will Transform World of Finance, Changing the Way Banks Do Business - The Daily Hodl

Harmony blockchain has partnered with Suterusu – FXStreet

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Harmony, an open blockchain infrastructure, hazs recently announced that it will be working with Suterusu to incorporate new privacy features on its blockchain. Suterusu is a well-known blockchain privacy specialist.

cThe partnership is expected to add ZCash-level privacy to the Harmony protocol via trustless zk-SNARKs integration. Suterusu provides privacy protection services for major blockchains already. It will bring anonymous payments and confidential transactions to the Harmony network by establishing a privacy-preserving layer-2 protocol on top of Harmony blockchain.

A fully transparent layer-2 privacy-preserving of Harmony will help in facilitating DeFi and other decentralized applications more efficiently. The Harmony team noted:

We believe this kind of partnership will expand our ecosystem and enable better occupancy for confidential assets. The future of privacy is already here but unevenly distributed. This partnership comes to support our fundamental goals to be achieved within 2020, as outlined within the Harmony 2020 Roadmap, and includes: cross-border utility, decentralized development, and auditable privacy.

Blockchain Holdings acquires TraceSafe and their patented technology – Proactive Investors USA & Canada

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Blockchain Holdings (CSE: BCX) CEO Wayne Lloyd joined Steve Darling from Proactive Vancouver to discuss the acquisition of a company called TraceSafe. That company has patented technology that makes it easier for countries to track people who have been put in quarantine.

Lloyd talks about how the technology works and what he will be focussing on for the foreseeable future asthey plan to grow the company.

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Blockchain Holdings acquires TraceSafe and their patented technology - Proactive Investors USA & Canada

Brave, the Developer of a Blockchain-based Privacy Browser, Partners Binance to Enable Crypto Trading During Web Surfing – Crowdfund Insider

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Brave, the developer of a blockchain-powered Internet browser, has teamed up with leading crypto exchange Binance, in order to allow users to trade digital assets through its newly designed tab page.

The Brave browser is an open-source project thats based on Chromium, which is also an open-source software project from Google.

Brave browser users have the option of blocking website trackers and malicious malware programs. The privacy-oriented web browser leverages distributed ledger technology (DLT) to keep track of users online activities in an anonymous or non-intrusive manner.

Brave has developed its own native utility token, called the Basic Attention Token (BAT). The company has also created a digital asset wallet for Ethereum (ETH).

According to a company release published on March 24, Brave said that it will be integrating the Binance widget on its new tab page. This will reportedly give users direct access to Binance and Binance.US websites.

After the widget has been added, users will be able to trade digital currencies, check their crypto wallet balances, and get deposit addresses without having to exit their browsers. Users will also be able to switch off this feature from their browser settings.

The newly developed feature is essentially a native widget that uses Binances API module. It ensures security as it doesnt load any data from the exchange operators servers. This means that Brave browsers users can be ensured that their privacy will be maintained.

An early iteration of this widget is currently available on Brave browsers Nightly desktop version. The official software release is expected to launch next month.

Binance says that this integration will let users easily manage their digital assets in a more secure manner.

Changpeng Zhao, CEO at Binance, stated:

The Binance widget on Braves privacy-oriented browser instills a safer way to buy and sell crypto and also reduces user friction to onboard, trade and interact with the Binance ecosystem. We are looking forward to our long-term partnership with Brave to make it even easier to interact with crypto and encourage more utility in the near future.

Survivalist Real Estate: What Wealthy Buyers Look for in Times of Crisis – Mansion Global

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

The coronavirus crisis is changing daily life around the globe in dramatic waysand homeowners and buyers are thinking about how they might make changes, too, to their properties, to be better prepared for disaster scenarios.

Survivalist prepping is nothing new for many high-net-worth individuals. Wealthy homeowners have long been outfitting their apartments and houses with panic rooms, complete with bars, TVs, and upscale furnishings to have an opulent retreat in the event of a break-in or other crisis.

For example, even before the outbreak of coronavirus, many Silicon Valley billionaires had been setting their sights on New Zealand, which they value for its stability and remote location. Peter Thiel, for instance, who is known for his interest in survivalism, has a $4.8 million home in Queenstown, complete with a panic room; he has said New Zealand is the future and has citizenship in the country.

More:Designing a Bedroom Thats so Relaxing It Will Help You Sleep

And now, amid panic over the spread of Covid-19 as millions quarantine out of precaution or government mandate, investing with preparations for disaster in mind seems smarter than ever.

Two weeks ago, it was like escape from New Yorkpeople were fleeing the city, said Matthew Breitenbach, a broker with Compass in the Hamptons on Long Island. It was intense. Im surprised about the way people react within a crisis.

Now the rental market in the Hamptons is also booming, several months in advance of the usual summer high season, with a 33% increase in searches for short-term rentals this month.

More:New Malibu Mansion to Hit the Market for $100 Million

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, a larger cohort of wealthy buyers will become interested in homes geared toward safety and security in the face of crises, experts predict.

The super rich may look to extend their options where they could have a safe house away from dense cities like New York, said Emil Hartoonian, a managing partner with The Agency in Calabasas, California.

More:Covid-19 Puts Londons Property Market Recovery on Hold

Isolated Compounds

Some investors are showing an increased interest in purchasing large, isolated properties to use as primary or vacation homes.

Theres a large demand for bigger properties that are more isolated, more like compounds, Mr. Breitenbach said. People want homes that are gated and private.

He cited one client who relocated to their Hamptons compound with their own staff and locked down the property in early March when warnings about the pandemic grew more serious.

More:Faced With Uncertainty, Home Buyers Seek Coronavirus Clauses in Contracts

This trend, however, is not entirely pegged to the coronavirus.

Over the last two to three years, there have been more year-round people moving out here. The Hamptons is becoming more about privacy and hanging out at home, Mr. Breitenbach said. Young people who make a lot of money are coming here seeking a different lifestyle.

Developers are taking note of the rising demand for privacy and isolation. In Malibu, a 24-acre gated development called The Case will house five mansions and include 24/7 security for its residents. The compound is also equipped to fend off another kind of disaster: each mansion has its own water cannon to fight fires, and private firefighters will be on call. The first Case mansion sold for $40 million last spring; a second is on the market for $100 million.

And in Virginia, a 350-acre self-sustaining survivalist escape with three residential cabins, dubbed High Mountain Camp, just went on the market this month for $17 million. The owners have noted an uptick of interest in this kind of off-the-grid property.

The Covid-19 crisis could ultimately transform the luxury real estate landscape, as wealthy buyers increasingly move from dense urban centers to more remote locations, seeking larger properties in gated communities with extensive security.

People want some space if theyre going to be hanging out at home for a few months, Mr. Breitenbach said.

There may be also be an increase in investment in private jets, as the wealthy consider how they can reach their homes with minimal contact with others.

More:Manhattans Luxury Residential Market Not Pausing Yet

Nowadays, notwithstanding a disaster like what were going through, people use planes or helicopters even for short distances to avoid traffic, Mr. Hartoonian said. Chartered businesses may profit from this as the uber-rich may consider investing in their own [private jets]. Those options are on the table.

Self-Sufficient Homes

Many homeowners may respond to the coronavirus pandemic by transforming their currently owned properties into more self-sufficient spaces.

Its like being in a situation where you live in a fire-prone neighborhood and you go through a bad experience, said Mr. Hartoonian. It prepares you for what you need to look out for the next time it comes, cutting your shrubs, doing better weed abatement, getting a more fire-resistant roof.

The takeaway from this current crisis, he said, may be that homeowners upgrade their homes to be more comfortable and sustainable if they do need to bunker down again in the future. He cited one client in the Los Angeles area who has already taken steps to make their property self-sufficient, surrounding it with fruit and herb gardens, installing a safe room in his house, and even building his pool in such a way that its water could be turned into filtered drinking water.

From Penta: Sothebys London Auction of African Art Moves Online, as U.K. Issues Covid-19 Lockdown

High-end homes built for autonomous livinglike one off-the-grid cottage in the Scottish Highlands which gets electricity from solar panels and water from its own boreholeoffer not only a minimal impact on the environment, but also a self-sufficient space to hole up in the event of a crisis.

Some developers are even creating entire communities in this autonomous, sustainable model, like the ReGen Villages in the Netherlands.

Hopefully people will make the right decisions [in light of this crisis], Mr. Hartoonian said. And in the future, be better able to prepare.

Goal Zero introduces Yeti 500X portable power station with 505Wh of juice for all your survivalism needs – Android Police

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

With people hunkered down in their homes putting increased constant load on network and power resources, we've seen how the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on internet speeds. For some people, though, extra demand on local grids could pose a blackout risk. What better time, then, for a company to put out new portable power stations and solar panels? And for Goal Zero, that time is now.

The Utah-based firm has released a new portable power station, the Yeti 500X, and three new portable solar panels the Nomad 10, Nomad 20, and Nomad 50.

The Yeti 500X takes the place of the Yeti 400, bringing up to 505Wh of sustained power an 18% increase to USB-A (5V/2.4A), two USB-C PD (up to 9V/2A and 20V/3A), a car charger port (12V/10A), 6mm port (12V/10A), and a 120V inverter for up to 600W surge capacity. For reference, the company is estimating that you'll be able to pull up to 30 full charge cycles for a phone, 8 cycles for a laptop, a 10-hour run on a CPAP machine, and 9 hours for a pellet grill.

Goal Zero is also boasting a new power controller, switching from PWM to MPPT, that is said to improve solar charging efficiency by 30%. With all these changes, the 500X is smaller and lighter than the 400, weighing 3 lbs. less at 13 lbs. and measuring about 1" narrower.

You can grab one today direct from the company, Amazon, or select retailers for $700. Goal Zero offers up to 12 months of financing with interest.

From left to right, the Nomad 10, Nomad 20, and Nomad 50

The new, lightweight Nomad panels are meant to be taken outside with the two-piece Nomad 10 and the three-piece Nomad 20 featuring kickstands and the four-piece Nomad 50 being able to stand on its own. In respective order, they are able to output 7.5W, 20W, and 50W. You can get them at the retailer of your choice below for the following prices:

Splendid Isolation: Paintings of lonely caravans by Andrew McIntosh go on show ‘online-only’ in a gallery first – Creative Boom

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Winter Camo 1 Andrew McIntosh. All images courtesy of Andrew McIntosh

If you're missing the joy of normal life right now, then the James Freeman Gallery in London has launched its first "online-only" exhibition, featuring new work by Scottish artist Andrew McIntosh.

Kicking Covid-19 well and truly in the face and finding ways to adapt, the series is also timely as it's called Splendid Isolation and includes paintings of lonesome caravans, something McIntosh has painted for many years. He considers their curious appeal as a miniature world within a world: a vessel for the intrepid, a means of escape, and a place for cocooned isolation.

Andrew's interest in caravans came with a shift in his work several years ago following the birth of his first child. At the time he was predominantly painting Highland landscapes inspired by his native Scotland, but a chance encounter with a Sylvanian Families doll's house piqued his attention. It was their removable walls and regimented compartments that stood out, and caravans quickly followed.

Caravans tend to crop up in the most unlikely places, often in hostile landscapes. They are a means of escape, too. McIntosh's new series of caravan paintings takes this sense of survivalism as a theme. Some of them are camouflaged, hiding in plain sight in a dense forest or in a field. Others sit sunken in the snow at the forest edge or in a gulley in the mountains. Interestingly, in this new series, there are no walls removed, and so we must exercise our imaginations to peek inside.

Splendid Isolation is on show online at http://www.jamesfreemangallery.com.

I Know We Can Make It Andrew McIntosh

Sunset camo Andrew McIntosh

Forest Camo 1 Andrew McIntosh

Winter Camo 2 Andrew McIntosh

Forest Camo 2 Andrew McIntosh

Urban Camo Andrew McIntosh

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Splendid Isolation: Paintings of lonely caravans by Andrew McIntosh go on show 'online-only' in a gallery first - Creative Boom

How to avoid the end times – The Japan Times

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

New York It feels like the end times. A mysterious invisible killer stocks the land. Wild rumors abound. The government is useless. Theres no sense that anyone knows anything, much less is in charge. Could the United States become a failed state?

Yes, but not yet. Yes, but not because of the new coronavirus. Late-stage capitalism will ultimately destroy the current sociopolitical governmental system, not COVID-19. A vaccine will come online either later this year or early next year; that will be the beginning of the end of this scourge. Before then, many if not most Americans will have contracted the disease and recovered from it. Businesses will reopen. People will go back to work. The stock market will resume its climb.

In the meantime, many of us are wondering: how would/will we survive in an apocalyptic scenario without a somewhat benevolent government to run things?

I have good news: It is possible. Not easy. Not fun. But it can be done. I know because I have seen it. For decades Afghanistan was the epitome of a failed state, a nation whose government is no longer able or willing to supply essential services to its citizens. The 1978 CIA-backed overthrow of a Russian-supported regime prompted the Soviet invasion of the 1980s, which was followed after withdrawal by a brutal, grinding civil war partly resolved by the victory of the Taliban in 1996. They ruled until 2001 but didnt built much infrastructure before being themselves driven out of power by the U.S. after 9/11. I was there under the Taliban, long before the U.S. and NATO began reconstruction in the mid-2000s.

Afghans were utterly dependent on themselves. Not only did the Taliban government fail to provide services like mail delivery and garbage collection, the Taliban made peoples lives miserable through arbitrary edicts and a psychotic religious police force that beat Afghans in the streets willy-nilly.

Try to imagine, if you can, what it would be like to live in a country that didnt have a single inch of paved road, just muddy ruts. No one has a phone. There are no newspapers. Radios and televisions are banned, which is fine because you have no electricity and no stations are broadcasting.

Inside your house, theres no running water. You have to walk to a communal well if you are lucky enough to have one nearby that isnt polluted. Theres a good chance that a local thug controls the well and forces you to pay for water. It gets blazing hot in the summer, but theres no air conditioning. Its freezing cold in the winter but theres no heat. You could burn some wood but you cant find any because everyone has already chopped down all the trees.

Under the Taliban you cant send your daughter to school. But you cant send your son either because there probably isnt a local school at all. No one has work as we know it. You exchange odd jobs in a 100 percent unemployment economy where cash has stopped circulating; everything relies on barter.

There is a certain freedom. Without a public records office you dont need a deed to move into an empty house. But of course you cant sell it if you leave. Theres no department of motor vehicles so if somehow do you acquire a car you can drive it regardless of your age. On the other hand, if someone steals it, theres no police to report it to. If you did get that car, you probably would only want to drive it around your neighborhood. If you tried to drive to a different town, you would almost certainly be robbed and killed.

Sounds like it would be impossible to survive, right? But millions of Afghans did. Some of them even had children. Life went on. How? Its almost unfathomable for us Americans, so accustomed to our creature comforts, to imagine.

Not that they could have afforded to anyway, but Afghans did not hoard. Situations in which survival is precarious require you to be nimble. That includes being able to pack up and leave at a moments notice. If you manage to accumulate some possessions, you want something highly portable: cash (in Afghanistan, that meant dollars), jewelry, gemstones. A years worth of toilet paper weighs you down.

I have met more than my fair share of survivalists in the U.S. Typically their instinct is to hunker down on a remote plot of land, stockpile weapons and supplies, fortify a perimeter and arm up to fend off potential marauders. They are foolish. When the crap hits the fan, the best armed man will not be able to fight off a dozen invaders. Its smarter to pack up and go if your area turns into a battle zone.

What you really need to stock up on are two items: personal relationships and IQ points. Both make the difference between life and death. Good friends welcome one other into their homes. If one home is lost, they can squeeze together into a second one. A good friend might have a skill or a possession that you might need they can stitch a wound or drive you somewhere in their car.

You make yourself useful in a failed state exactly the opposite of how you do in ours. In the U.S. in 2020, it pays to have excellent skills in one or two areas, to be the best at what you do in your specialty. Not in Afghanistan in 2000. Dangerous places work best for people with a wide variety of skills. Learn to do a lot of things fairly well. Shoot a gun, drive a car, cook, sew. Translate a foreign language, ride a motorcycle, fish, hunt. You can sell those skills to people who dont have them.

Most of all, stay sharp and think nimbly. Hone your instincts. Watch for changes that might affect you and the people you care about. Prepare to drop everything you are doing at a seconds notice and take off if need be. We are all descended from people who lived this way. Those who didnt died. Survival is in your DNA.

I dont think youll need raw survivalism for the coronavirus apocalypse. But its worth keeping in the back of your mind.

Ted Rall is a political cartoonist and writer.

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How to avoid the end times - The Japan Times

Letter to the Observer: Stop panicking and preparing for WW3 – Albuquerque Journal

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

.......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..........

Editor:

On my usual weekly trip to Targetand Albertsons on NM 528 and Ridgecrest, I was appalledby the people hoarding and stockpiling food and everyday items due to the coronavirus.

I have neverbeen sodisgusted by the actions of our fellow community members. What ever happened to the sense of community, decency, treat your fellow man/woman as you would yourself?

The I got mine, screw you attitude will be our downfall. Not very Christian, in my humble opinion.

All of you who seem to think you need 100 rolls of toilet paper, 80 pounds of potatoes, a cartload of canned vegetables, box upon box of Saltines and so onare an absolute disgrace to society.

This isnt World War III. Try being rational, wash your hands and do as the CDC and our local government advises.

ADVERTISEMENTSkip

................................................................

At least our governor is taking action and is ahead of the curve on this.

Stop the panic, people. It does no good whatsoever.

William Rehm

Rio Rancho

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Letter to the Observer: Stop panicking and preparing for WW3 - Albuquerque Journal

Tulane medical students coordinate donations of protective gear for hospitals – News from Tulane

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

From left: Nicholas Stephen Loupe of the Cajun Army volunteer disaster recovery group, Tulane medical student Sophie Foroushani, Dr. John Dwyer of Tulanes Infectious Diseases Section, and medical students Taylor Hopper and Andre Perez-Chaumont receive the Cajun Armys donation of personal protective equipment for healthcare workers in New Orleans. (Photo provided by Student Clinic Council)

In an effort to collect needed supplies for healthcare workers, students from Tulane School of Medicines student community clinics rallied together and overnight built a regional donation hub to collect personal protective equipment (PPE).

The School of Medicine is now accepting contributions of several types of PPE and supplies to be distributed at Tulane hospitals and clinics and other facilities. The school has already received several significant donations from outside the university.

The effort started when students who participate in Tulanes 22 student-run clinics worked with School of Medicine faculty to donate their extra PPE to hospitals.

We've been kind of spearheading this, but definitely it's a multidisciplinary effort, said AlexWoodbridge, a third-year medical student and president of the Student Clinic Council. We're working with Tulane administration, and admins at the different hospitals and then also providers within the community to get the supplies to healthcare facilities. Dean Lee Hamm, MD; Elma Ledoux, MD, associate dean for admissions and student affairs; John Dwyer, DO, assistant professor of medicine; and Sue Pollack, assistant dean for administration, worked with scores of Tulane medical students to staff the telephone lines and handle incoming inventory.

In two days of accepting donations, the group received thousands of items of protective cover wear. The Cajun Army sent a large shipment from Baton Rouge, including 950 protective coveralls, more than 1,400 hazmat suits and five boxes of surgical masks, as well as hand sanitizer, cleaning agents and industrial gloves.

One of the [Tulane] doctors reached out to the Cajun Army. [The army] is a group of volunteers who help support communities through natural disasters, so they went to their warehouses and looked for the things that we had been asking for cover gowns, masks, gloves, things like that and loaded up everything they could find, said Sophie Foroushani, another third-year medical student and the vice president of the Student Clinic Council.

Donations came from across campuses, including School of Science and Engineerings Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Howard-Tilton Memorial Library, Tulane University Special Collections, Newcomb Art Museum, Vorhoff Archives, Amistad Research Center and Middle American Research Institute.

School of Medicine continues to accept contributions of PPE to be used in local hospitals. Large or small quantities are greatly appreciated and can be dropped off at specified locations, but homemade items such as masks cannot be accepted at this time. Click here for more information on donating PPE.

Tulane medical students coordinate donations of protective gear for hospitals - News from Tulane

Possible COVID-19 treatment: transfusion of antibodies from recovered patients’ blood – Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

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Century-old idea applied to modern pandemic

A laboratory worker removes plasma from a vial of blood. Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and elsewhere are investigating whether transfusions of blood plasma from people who have recovered from COVID-19 can prevent or treat the disease. The approach was used with some success during the 1918 influenza pandemic.

With no drugs or vaccines yet approved for COVID-19 and the number of U.S. cases increasing by the thousands every day, doctors are looking to revive a century-old therapy for infectious diseases: transfusing antibodies from the blood of recovered patients into people who are seriously ill.

During the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918, doctors were faced with a deadly illness and no specific treatments. Recognizing that people who had recovered were immune to the infection, some doctors tried treating their patients with blood serum from recovered flu patients. In many cases it worked.

Giving serum from newly recovered patients is a stone-age approach, but historically it has worked, said Jeffrey P. Henderson, MD, PhD, an associate professor of medicine and of molecular microbiology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. This is how we used to prevent and treat viral infections like measles, mumps, polio and influenza, but once vaccines were developed, the technique understandably fell out of favor and many people forgot about it. Until we have specific drugs and vaccines for COVID-19, this approach could save lives.

Henderson was reminded of the technique by Arturo Casadevall, MD, PhD, the chair of molecular microbiology and immunology at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. Casadevall began championing the idea of using plasma from convalescing patients to treat COVID-19 in early March. Plasma and serum are both the clear fluid portion of blood, and both contain antibodies, but plasma also contains some other proteins lacking in serum.

Plasma transfusion was used experimentally to treat small numbers of people during the SARS outbreak of 2002 and 2003. SARS, which stands for severe acute respiratory syndrome, is caused by a coronavirus closely related to the one that causes COVID-19. In one study, SARS patients who received plasma transfusions recovered faster than those who did not.

Henderson, Casadevall and Michael Joyner, MD, a physiologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., quickly joined forces and leveraged the resources at their three institutions to test the approach. Their efforts resulted in an investigational new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration that was filed March 18. If the application is approved, they plan to move rapidly to a clinical trial.

This is something that can be done very quickly, much faster than drug development, because it basically involves donating and transfusing plasma, Henderson said. As soon as we have individuals who have recovered from COVID-19 walking around, we have potential donors, and we can use the blood bank system to obtain plasma and distribute it to the patients who need it.

The plan is to ask patients who recover from COVID-19 to donate their blood, from which plasma would be isolated. After screening for toxins and viruses, the plasma would be transfused into people ill with or at high risk of COVID-19. The procedure for isolating plasma is a long-established technology that can be performed using equipment normally found in blood-banking facilities, and receiving plasma from these donors is as safe as any other plasma transfusion, Henderson said.

The concept is simple, but the execution is more complicated. The scientists still need to determine how much antibody is in the blood of recovered patients, and how much antibody needs to be given to effectively treat or prevent COVID-19.Brenda Grossman, MD,a professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine and director of transfusion medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, was brought on board to help navigate the complex regulations surrounding blood donations and transport of blood products across state lines.

The idea is catching fire.

Last week, it was the three of us on a conference call, Henderson said. This week, we had people from all over the country I dont even know how many. Everyones excited about this. If it works, it could provide a lifeline at this early stage of the pandemic.

Clinical teams ready; research for vaccines, drugs underway

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.

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Possible COVID-19 treatment: transfusion of antibodies from recovered patients' blood - Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

New study: Molecular Cytogenetics Market size, share, industry analysis, growth and forecast 2025 – WhaTech Technology and Markets News

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

Global Molecular Cytogenetics Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report, By Product (Consumables, Software & Services, and Instruments), By Application (Cancer, Genetic Disorders, and Personalized Medicine), By Technique (Fluorescence in Situ Hybridization (FISH), Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH), and Others) and Forecast, 2019-2025

Theglobal molecular cytogenetics marketis estimated to grow at a CAGR of more than 6% during the forecast period. Increasing US FDA approvals for personalized medicines supporting the growth in genomics researches.

For instance, as per the Personalized Medicine Coalition, in 2018, 25 of the 59 new molecular entities (NMEs) FDA approved are personalized medicines, which is 42% of all new drug approvals. The Coalition classified 34% of NMEs as personalized medicines in 2017, 28% in 2015; 27% in 2016.

The US FDA is making efforts to facilitate access to genomic testing and integrating real-world evidence into its regulatory framework. As a result, the FDA, for the first time, authorized the marketing of cancer-related genetic tests and pharmacogenetics were allowed to sell directly to the consumers.

Get Sample Copy of Molecular Cytogenetics Market at: http://www.omrglobal.com/requestics-market

The major players in the global molecular cytogenetics market include including Abbott Laboratories, Inc., Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and Illumina, Inc., Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc., and F. Hoffman La-Roche AG.

This results in the development of personalized medicine as an emerging practice of medicine that utilizes the genetic profile of an individual which supports to make appropriate decisions regarding prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the condition.

Gaining complete knowledge of a patient's genetic profile assists doctors to opt for the proper therapy or medication. In addition, it allows to administer drugs or therapy by utilizing the proper regimen or dose.

1000 Genomes Project is an effort that comprises genome sequencing of at least a thousand people from across the globe to develop the most comprehensive and medically relevant picture of human genetic variation.

A full report of Global Molecular Cytogenetics Market is available at: http://www.omrglobal.com/industrics-market

This initiative intends to make accessible genomic data easily from international research institutions. The major support for the project is offered by the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, England, and the Beijing Genomics Institute, Shenzhen (BGI Shenzhen) in China.

This project shows a rising focus on genomic researches across the globe, which in turn, is supporting the development of personalized medicines, which thereby attributing to positive market growth. As a conventional technique, cytogenetic analysis is used to diagnose chromosome instability and may specify the presence of a genetic disorder or malignancy.

It is one of the first techniques used for precision medicine.

Cytogenetic analysis is significantly applied to offer crucial diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic information for the development of cancer precision medicine and research. A combination of molecular biology and cytogenetics methods created an opportunity in the field of oncology, as well as to develop precision medicine for cancer patients.

Currently, a combination of high-throughput technologies are used in clinical laboratories for identification of noncoding RNAs, deregulated cellular pathways, protein expression profiles, and mutation signatures, with effect in the prediction and early diagnosis of therapeutic response in cancer patients.

Molecular cytogenetics is a major addition to traditional cytogenetics, as it enables more accurate identification of clinically relevant genetic abnormalities. This is achieved with the monitoring of specific DNA sequences in the nuclei and chromosomes of cancer cells.

The FISH technique is being the most commonly used technique in molecular cytogenetics. It has major benefits in clinical practice owing to its ability to examine chromosomal alterations in nondividing cells, specifically directly in tissue sections and cytology preparations.

Further, increasing advances in molecular cytogenetics techniques are creating a remarkable growth opportunity for the adoption of molecular cytogenetics in precision medicine, which in turn, is expected to drive the global molecular cytogenetics market.

For more customized data, request for report customization @ http://www.omrglobal.com/report-ics-market

Molecular Cytogenetics Market Segmentation

By Product

By Application

By Technique

Molecular Cytogenetics Market Segment by Region

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Asia-Pacific

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New study: Molecular Cytogenetics Market size, share, industry analysis, growth and forecast 2025 - WhaTech Technology and Markets News

More private labs approved for coronavirus testing: Here is full list – DNA India

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) on Monday approved more private laboratories to conduct coronavirus test as the number of cases across the country crossed 600 on Wednesday.

It had earlier approved 12 private labs to test samples of suspected COVID-19 patients. With new private labs getting approved by the agency, the number of such facilities across the country has risen to 29.

The ICMR-approved private labs are present in Delhi (4), Gujarat (3), Haryana (3), Karnataka (2), Maharashtra (9), Tamil Nadu (3), Telangana (4) and West Bengal (1).

Here is the list of all private labs where coronavirus testing can be done:

Delhi

1. Lal Path Labs, Block -E, Sector 18, Rohini, Delhi

2. Dr Dangs Lab, C-2/1, Safadarjung Development Area, New Delhi

3. Laboratory Services, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, Sarita Vihar, New Delhi

4. Max Lab, Max Super Spciality Hospital, Saket, New-Delhi

Gujarat

1. Unipath Specialty laboratory limited, 102, Sanoma Plaza, Opposite Parimal Garden, Besides JMC House, Ellisbridge, Ahmedabad

2. Supratech Micropath Laboratory & Research Institute Pvt Ltd, Kedar, Ahmedabad

3. SN GeneLab Pvt Ltd, President Plaza A, Near Mahavir Hospital, Nanpura, Surat

Haryana

1. Strand Life Sciences, A-17, Sector 34, Gurugram

2. SRL Limited, GP26, Sector 18, Gurugram

3. Modern Diagnostic & Research Centre-Lab, 363-364/4, Jawahar Nagar. Gururgram

Karnataka

1. Neuberg Anand Reference Laboratory, Anand Tower, #54, Bowring Hospital Road, Bengaluru

2. Cancyte Technologies Pvt Ltd, Sri Shankara Research Centre, Bengaluru

Maharashtra

1. Thyrocare Technologies Limited, D37/1, TTC MIDC, Turbhe, Navi Mumbai

2. Suburban Diagnostics (India) Pvt. Ltd., 306, 307/T, 3rd Floor, Sunshine Bld., Andheri (W), Mumbai

3. Metropolis Healthcare Ltd, Unit No. 409-416, 4th Floor, Commercial Building-1, Kohinoor Mall, Mumbai

4. Sir H.N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre, Molecular Medicine, Reliance Life Sciences Pvt. Ltd., R-282, TTC Industrial Area, Rabale, Navi Mumbai

5. SRL Limited, Prime Square Building, Plot No 1, Gaiwadi Industrial Estate, SV Road, Goregaon, Mumbai

6. A.G. Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, Nayantara Building, Pune

7. Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital Laboratory, Four Bungalows, Mumbai

8. InfeXn Laboratories Private Limited, A/131, Therelek Compound, Road No 23, Wagle Industrial Estate, Thane (W)

9. iGenetic Diagnostics Pvt Ltd, Krislon House, Andheri East, Mumbai

Tamil Nadu

1. Dept. of Clinical Virology, CMC, Vellore

2. Department of Laboratory Services, Apollo Hospitals Enterprise Ltd, Chennai

3. Neuberg Ehrlich Lab Pvt Ltd, 46-48 Masilamani Road, Balaji Nagar, Chennai

Telangana

1. Laboratory Services, Apollo Hospitals, 6th Floor, Health Street Building, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad

2. Vijaya Diagnostic Centre Pvt Ltd, Street No 19, Himayath Nagar, Hyderabad

3. Vimta Labs Ltd, Plot No 142, Phase 2, IDA Cherlapally, Hyderabad

4. Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited, Diagnostic Laboratory, Bowenpally, Secunderabad

West Bengal

1. Apollo Gleneagles Hospitals, 58 Canal Circular Road, Kolkata

The above private laboratories have received approval from the ICMR to conduct the coronavirus tests.

This comes as the government on Tuesday imposed nationwide complete lockdown to combat the spread of coronavirus.

On Wednesday, around 606 people across India have tested positive for coronavirus, 42 of whom have been cutred and discharged while 10 have died.

More private labs approved for coronavirus testing: Here is full list - DNA India

Could existing drugs help combat Covid-19? NZ experts weigh in – The Spinoff

Posted on March 26, 2020 by Danzig

An anti-malaria drug could be a possible treatment for Covid-19, alongside other existing medicines. Heres what the experts think.

Several pre-existing drugs are thought to hold potential in the treatment of virus Covid-19. While research is ongoing into new treatments and vaccines, if anything currently available is found to be effective it could be distributed to those affected much more quickly, due to existing stockpiles and having already been through human trials.

Below, the Science Media Centre has corralled to two experts from the University of Otago to assess how promising these treatments are, and a University of Auckland scientist provides insight into a clinical trial set to get under way in New Zealand.

Auckland City Hospital is one of a number of hospitals in New Zealand and Australia hoping to recruit patients into two clinical studies which will help to determine whether either an anti-malaria medicine or an anti-HIV medicine will help patients with Covid-19 to recover.

Patients admitted to hospital, either in a medical ward if their illness is not severe, or an intensive care department if their illness is severe, will be offered the opportunity to participate in the studies.

If patients or their family provide consent, they will be randomly allocated to treatment with hydroxychloroquine (an anti-malaria medicine), or with Kaletra (an anti-HIV medicine), or with a combination of both hydroxychloroquine and Kaletra, or with a placebo.

Neither the patients, nor their family, nor the medical team caring for the patients, will know which of the four possible treatments the patients are receiving. It is what is called a double-blind study, which allows the effects, potentially beneficial, or harmful, to be evaluated without any bias affecting the evaluation of the effect of each treatment on patients outcomes.

This clinical trial will help us understand whether these drugs are effective therapies for Covid-19.

It is very unlikely that patients who are not participating in these studies will be offered these medicines because their medical teams will not know, until this and other similar trials are completed, whether the medicines are helpful, harmful or have no discernible benefit or harm.

There are a fair number of cures for Covid-19 being mentioned in social media and by various public figures. This is normal human behaviour: people will try to do whatever they can to stay well and be able to care for their families and friends. However, there is very little data behind these claims.

There have been case reports from China and Italy of people in intensive care who have been treated with various antiviral and antibiotic medications, but no clear indication that any of these helped.

What is happening is that various antiviral medications are being tested rapidly in the severe cases. It will not take much time (or participants in the trials) to see if such a medication works or does not. Some will be shown to work, some will not. At that point the health system will be able to offer treatments for Covid-19 with confidence. The regulations and ethical approval for such trials are being facilitated by many governments.

At present, however, we have no data. There is no point in seeking this medication or that the medications we have available in New Zealand are for other conditions and are needed for those people. If and when we have treatments that work, we will have to consider how we source them which may include deliberately going off-patent and getting pharmaceutical companies in New Zealand to make them.

At present scientists are seeking direct-acting antiviral drugs that target coronavirus in the hope that these drugs might serve as a bridge until a vaccine is developed. Since both drug and vaccine development take such a long time, interest has arisen in already approved drugs that can be repurposed to target Covid-19. To date, these repurposed drugs fall into three main groups: polymerase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, and other.

Polymerase inhibitors include some of the most promising options, and the notable members of this group are remdesivir, galidesivir, and favipiravir. They work by blocking the enzyme that allows the virus to replicate its nucleic acid coding strand. If a virus cannot replicate its nucleic acid, it cannot replicate at all.

Remdesivir is approved for use in animals against diseases like FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis); its being evaluated in a small clinical trail in China and results are due next month. Favipiravir was developed in Japan and has shown early promising results, but nothing has been published in the peer reviewed literature yet. Galidesivir is a polymerase inhibitor that was partly developed in NZ and has activity against coronavirus-19. It is being considered now for further studies and is notable for its strong NZ connection.

Protease inhibitors are a major drug class in use against HIV. For HIV they work by blocking an enzyme that processes proteins that the virus needs for growth. During the Sars epidemic it was discovered that Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), a common anti-HIV drug, seemed to help coronavirus-infected patients. Early data on its use for coronavirus infection suggests weak to no activity, but it was an early study with small patient numbers.

Another repurposed drug being studied is camostat mesylate. Like Kaletra it is a protease inhibitor but apart from that they are very different. Camostat meslyate inhibits a completely different protease that is used by coronavirus to mediate its uptake into cells. The good news that is that camostat is already used in people but for a non-infectious condition, chronic pancreatitis, but the cautionary note is that camostat has not yet been used in people for coronavirus treatment.

The final drug in this repurposed grouping is in the other category. It is called chloroquine. Chloroquine is an antimalarial drug, long in use, especially in travel medicine. It turns out that it inhibits SARS2-CoV replication in the test tube and it has garnered wide attention because of it. Physicians are keen to learn if this observation could be translated into success in living humans. A cautionary note is that chloroquine has been looked at before with other viruses and has not been found to be effective.

Although many of these compounds can, and are, being given now in an off-label fashion, the best way to use them is in a randomised controlled trial (RCT). Thats because RCTs allow us to learn quickly if a drug actually works or not. RCTs have been essential in other viral epidemics and pandemics, like HIV, to allow scientists to learn the most effective way of treating infections. RCT evaluation of these candidates would be the best way to sort their utility in treating Covid-19 infection.

The Spinoffs science content is made possible thanks to the support ofThe MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, a national institute devoted to scientific research.

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Could existing drugs help combat Covid-19? NZ experts weigh in - The Spinoff

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