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Aesthetic Medicine: 5 top trends at the AMWC – Premium beauty

Posted on May 30, 2017 by ev1

Skin-quality injections

All the big players have always had this kind of shallow micro-injection on the surface of the skin. Previously we called them Skin Boosters but they were underdeveloped and the focus was more on Hydration. It was positioned as an alternative to Mesotherapy (NCTF Filorga).

Today, studies show that skin quality isnt being addressed as much as it could be in doctors clinics. Many patients complain about Skin Fatigue the words being used by patients are: less radiant, dull, tired, dry and exhausted.

A newcomer was launched at the show by Allergan - Juvderm Volite - to treat skin quality; an HA (Hyaluronic-acid injection) to add smoothness, hydration and elasticity. Results last for 9 months.

Last chance to complete Ram Longevity survey (From The Scottish … – The Scottish Farmer

Posted on May 28, 2017 by ev1

PROMPTED by claims from members that rams do not work on commercial farms for as many seasons as wanted, commercial sheep farmers in the UK are being urged to take part in an online survey to indicate how long rams are lasting in their flocks.

NSA is facilitating a group of experts to investigate the flock life of breeding males and reasons for deaths and culling in the UK. One of that team, independent sheep consultant Lesley Stubbings, said: There is currently no data on ram longevity or how much each one costs. Estimates vary widely from 1/lamb sired to more than 7/lamb.

We need to find out exactly what is happening on farms and investigate the main reasons for early culling and death. Then we can suggest ways of improving ram life and productivity. More than 600 sheep farmers have taken part in the online survey so far, but we would like another 100 or so by the closing date in June.

There will be opportunities to do the survey on the NSA stand at NSA Highland Sheep at Kinnahaird Farm, Strathpeffer next Wednesday, May 31, and at NSA North Sheep, at West Shields Farm, Tow Law, County Durham on Wednesday June 7.

All responses remain anonymous, but the survey does take the first part of the postcode so that geographic spread can be deduced. The online survey, which closes on Friday June 16, can be accessed at http://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ramlongevity and will take just a few minutes to fill in.

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Last chance to complete Ram Longevity survey (From The Scottish ... - The Scottish Farmer

How CRISPR Gene Editing Tool Went From Labs To A Middle … – NPR – NPR

Posted on May 28, 2017 by ev1

Will Shindel prepares for a gene-editing class using the CRISPR tool at a Brooklyn community lab called Genspace. Alan Yu/WHYY hide caption

Will Shindel prepares for a gene-editing class using the CRISPR tool at a Brooklyn community lab called Genspace.

On a Saturday afternoon, 10 students gather at Genspace, a community lab in Brooklyn, to learn how to edit genes.

There's a recent graduate with a master's in plant biology, a high school student who started a synthetic biology club, a medical student, an eighth grader, and someone who works in pharmaceutical advertising.

"This is so cool to learn about; I hadn't studied biology since like ninth grade," says Ruthie Nachmany, one of the class participants. She had studied anthropology, visual arts, and environmental studies in college, but is now a software engineer.

In the 1970s, personal computers emerged from labs and universities and became something each person could have. That made it possible for people like Nachmany to become a professional programmer despite not having studied it in school.

Some compare that democratization of personal computing in the '70s to the current changes in access to genetic engineering tools.

In 2015, the journal Science declared the gene editing tool CRISPR Cas9 the breakthrough of the year. It let scientists make changes in DNA of living cells easier and cheaper than before. Today, the CRISPR tool is no longer something that only researchers do in labs. You can take classes in gene editing at a community lab. You can buy a $150 kit to do it at home. Some middle schoolers are doing it in their science classes.

Genspace lab manager Will Shindel, who teaches the genome-editing class, says his students are usually professionals who want to learn a new career skill or curious everyday people. "They just know that it's this word that everybody's throwing around," Shindel says. "It's either going to lead to the singularity or the apocalypse."

Shindel, a biologist by training, is one of many people now dreaming about and starting synthetic biology projects using the CRISPR tool. With some friends, he is working on genetically engineering a spicy tomato. Some people are trying to make bacteria produce insulin. At Acera, an elementary and middle school in Massachusetts, 13-year-old Abby Pierce recently completed a CRISPR experiment, genetically modifying bacteria so that it could grow in an antibiotic that would have killed it otherwise.

Pierce's science teacher, Michael Hirsch, made the argument to get genetic engineering kits for his science students to experiment with in class. "It's going to take molecular bio out of the 'Oh man, cool, they do it in labs' to 'Wait, we can do this in our homes,' " Hirsch says. "We could do things like create pigments, and create flavor extracts, and all of these really nifty things safely and carefully in our kitchens."

New skill set

In fact, the University of Pennsylvania's Orkan Telhan argues, genetic engineering will become an increasingly important skill, like coding has been. Telhan is an associate professor of fine arts and emerging design practices and he worked with a biologist and an engineer on a desktop machine that allows anyone to do genetic engineering experiments, without needing a background in biology.

"Biology is the newest technology that people need to learn," Telhan says. "It's a new skill set everyone should learn because it changes the way you manufacture things, it changes the way we learn, store information, think about the world." As an example of a recent application, Telhan points to an Adidas shoe made from bioengineered fiber, inspired by spider silk.

The comparison between genetic engineering and computing is not new. Two years ago at a conference, MIT Media Lab Director Joi Ito gave a talk called "Why bio is the new digital":

Genspace Lab Manager Will Shindel mixes all the chemicals before class, so the students don't have to make calculations to dilute them during the class. Alan Yu/WHYY hide caption

Genspace Lab Manager Will Shindel mixes all the chemicals before class, so the students don't have to make calculations to dilute them during the class.

"You can now take all of the gene bricks, these little parts of genetic code, categorize them as if they were pieces of code, write software using a computer, stick them in a bacteria, reboot the bacteria and the bacteria just as with computers, usually does what you think it does."

'We need to dig deeper'

Gene editing tools have already started a debate about ethics and safety. Some scientists have warned about not just intentionally harmful uses, but also potential unintended consequences or dangerous mistakes in experimentation.

The German government in March sent out a warning about one kind of CRISPR kit, saying officials found potentially harmful bacteria on two kits they tested, though it's not clear how those bacteria got there. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control responded with a statement earlier this month that the risk to people using these kits was low and asked EU member states to review their procedures around these kits.

Earlier, the German Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety also issued a reminder that depending on the kit, genetic-engineering laws still applied, and doing this work outside of a licensed facility with an expert supervisor could lead to a fine of up to 50,000 euros ($56,000).

In the U.S., then-Director of National Intelligence James Clapper in early 2016 added genome editing to a list related to "weapons of mass destruction and proliferation." But bioengineering experts say overall, the U.S. government agencies have long been monitoring the gene-editing and the DIY bio movement "very proactive in understanding" the field, as Johns Hopkins University biosecurity fellow Justin Pahara puts it.

"There is a lot of effort going into understanding the scope of DIY biology, who can do it, what can be done, what are some of the concerns, how do we mitigate risk," says Pahara, who is also a co-founder of bioengineering-kit company Amino Labs. He says DIY bio, or biohacking, poses little security concern for now, being at a very early stage.

"I would suggest that just all of these discussions, including looking into the past at computing and other technologies, [have] really helped us understand that we need to dig deeper," he says.

More variables

As much as the gene-engineering revolution is being compared to the PC revolution before it, bacteria are not as predictable as computers, says Kristala Prather, associate professor of chemical engineering at MIT. Her team studies how to engineer bacteria so they produce chemicals that can be used for fuel, medications and other things.

"I have a first-year graduate student ... who was lamenting the fact that even though she has cloned genes many times before, it's taking her a little while to get things to work well at my lab," Prather says. "And my response to her is that the same is true for about 80 percent of students who come into my group."

Prather explains that engineering bacteria isn't quite like coding because many more variables are at play.

"One of the common mistakes that people make it to assume all water is just water. The water that comes out of the tap in Cambridge is different than the water that comes out of the tap in New York," she says. "So there are very small things like that that can turn out to make a significant difference."

But Prather who remembers writing programs on a Commodore 64 computer as a 13-year-old is nonetheless excited about the prospect of more people learning about genetic engineering through kits and classes: She says even if all this access does right now is get more people excited about becoming scientists, it's still really valuable.

Alan Yu reports for WHYY's health and science show, The Pulse. This story originally appeared on an episode of its podcast called Do It Yourself.

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How CRISPR Gene Editing Tool Went From Labs To A Middle ... - NPR - NPR

FRC Class of 2017 – Plumas County Newspapers

Posted on May 28, 2017 by ev1

This years outstanding alumnus speaker is Mark Dodge. A 2005 FRC graduate, Dodge had already served four years in the Army before beginning his studies at the community college. As part of his military experience, he served at the Pentagon on 9/11 where he was assigned to search and recovery duties. At FRC he played football before going on to Texas A&M where he became the captain of his football team. He is now project executive for Zachry Industrial, Inc., in Texas. Jessyca Klotz wowed the audience with the national anthem. Klotz graduated with an associates degree in licensed vocational nursing. Many who graduated with a LVN go on to become registered nurses. Perhaps 3-year-old Jude Housel is waiting his turn to wear a cap and gown. Hes shown with his mother Haley Nichole Housel, who received her associates in history. Seated next to her is Bethany Ellen Hammons who received degrees in liberal arts: social and behavioral sciences and sociology. A member of Phi Theta Kappa, Hammons also served as the student representative to the FRC board of trustees. Summer Vercruyssen and Jordan Whitchurch were this years choice for making the student address to fellow graduates and the audience. While Vercruyssen is from Durham and received an associates degree in business administration; Whitchurch came all the way from Australia to receive his associates degree in studio arts. Vercruyssen played volleyball and Whitchurch played soccer. Summer R. Williams, left, and Jessica C. Martinez await the processional and this years guest speakers. Both Williams and Martinez received degrees in general studies: social and behavioral sciences. Madison Argia Berry shakes hands with Trustee Guy McNett, while Trustee John Sheehan waits to give her a diploma. FRC President Kevin Trutna, far right, awaits the next graduate. Berry received an associates in university studies-agriculture. Of course Berry couldnt do graduation without her faithful friend. Alice Mary Thurber is delighted to shake hands with Trustee Dr. Dana Ware as shes about to receive her diploma from Trustee James Meyers. Thurber, an active member of Phi Theta Kappa, credited her involvement in that program for building her drive and determination to succeed. Thurber received an associates in early childhood education and a certificate: early childhood education. Anthony Lewis James Smith gives FRC President Kevin Trutna a big hug at his turn to receive his diploma. Smith received an associates degree in general studies: social and behavioral sciences. Seated and giving Smith a round of applause are, from left, Chief Instructional Officer Derek Lerch, Chief Student Services Officer Carlie McCarthy, faculty member and speaker Michael Bagley, Director of Athletic Operations Merle Trueblood and 2017 Outstanding Alumnus Award recipient and commencement address speaker Mark Dodge. Another local, Kealey Elizabeth Froggatt, shakes hands with Trustee Guy McNett before receiving her diploma from trustee and board President John Sheehan. Froggatt received her associates in general studies: social and behavioral sciences. She is also a member of Phi Theta Kappa. Kai Nicolaas Tjalsma was one of the locals to receive a degree at FRC. He graduated with a degree in political science and was one of the youngest to graduate in this years class.

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FRC Class of 2017 - Plumas County Newspapers

Can a Fidget Spinner Really Help You Focus? – Big Think

Posted on May 28, 2017 by ev1

Fidget spinners are everywhere, nowadays. My younger cousins adore theirs. They spent the better part of last Sunday night showing me tricks and the different kinds they have. Some even light up. Their streamlined motion, wide assortment of colors, and the clever tricks you can perform with them, have made them a noteworthy trend, if but a footnote in fashion history, along with the slap bracelet, sea monkeys, and Rubik's Cube. Theyre also making some folks rich. As of this month, fidget spinners are one of Amazons top 10 selling toys.

Florida inventor Catherine Hettinger created the first prototype back in 1993 to interact with her daughter, who is disabled. She patented her version in 1997. Unfortunately, no one picked it up. She tried to sell it as a therapeutic device for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), anxiety, or autism. After years of trying, she gave up. That mightve been her tragic error.

Pretty soon, other models were on the market and last Christmas, the spinners really took off. Though first marketed to stressed-out adults, fidget spinners were soon adopted by the nations youth. Now, theyre all over elementary and middle schools, and giving teachers a headache. Ms. Hettinger isnt down and out about it. In fact, now age 62, she is currently crowdfunding her classic spinner. One wonders if shes missed the mark once again.

The original inventor may have missed out on a fortune. Getty Images.

Earlier this month, the fad began to sour, perhaps due to its pervasiveness. Or maybe science is now starting to catch up with the hyperbole. Dr. Mark Rappaport, at the University of Central Florida, in an interview with the Daily Mail, said that, rather than help a child with ADHD focus, using a spinner-like gadget is more likely to serve as a distraction.

Some schools are now banning them. In Massachusetts, New York, Illinois, Florida, and England, schools have barred students from even having them on school property. In some places, the ban is school system-wide. So do fidget spinners actually help people to focus or are they merely a distraction?

Currently, there are no peer-reviewed studies that support or refute marketers claims. Preliminary research suggests that children with ADHD who are allowed to fidget or squeeze a stress ball, are better able to pay attention. Julie Schweitzer is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the University of California-Davis. She says that a fidget spinner, in being so captivating, probably undermines any potential benefit gained by allowing a student to fidget with it.

They may be so much fun that instead of helping one focus, they add to distraction. Getty Images.

I have a lot of teacher friends who groan about these toys on their Facebook pages. Their top complaint is that they distract students from completing their assignments. Some alternatives have been offered to give kids a chance to fidget in a way thats less distracting to themselves and others.

Velcro on the desktop or allowing certain students to chew gum may work. Whats wrong with the fidgeting staples of my youth: pencils, erasers, and paperclips? Though advertisers are as smooth as ever, note that, theres no evidence that fidget spinners provide any therapeutic benefit, whether it be stress-busting, anxiety-squashing, or what-have-you.

Dr. David Anderson is a clinical psychologist and the senior director of the ADHD and Behavioral Disorders Center, at the Child Mind Institute, in New York. He told Money, Mental illness is difficult to treat, and its not something for which there are simple solutions. Most experts say a whole treatment plan should be fashioned to suit the particular needs of each child which may include: lifestyle changes, changes to the childs environment, therapy, and even medication. Fidget spinners may not be included. Sad.

To learn more about ADHD and whats proven to work, click here:

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Can a Fidget Spinner Really Help You Focus? - Big Think

How Can Facts Trump Ideology? – Patheos (blog)

Posted on May 28, 2017 by ev1

Nearly 1600 Santa Rosa Junior College students receive diplomas in class of 2017 – Santa Rosa Press Democrat

Posted on May 28, 2017 by ev1

Scientists sock it to bacteria – The Sydney Morning Herald

Posted on May 26, 2017 by ev1

Technological advances often lead to better science, but every now and then opting for the lowest tech levels possible can achieve the best outcome.

This was demonstrated spectacularly this month when a team of British microbiologists found that the best tool for determining the size of nasty bug population wasn't a laser or a chromatograph or a sophisticated scanner, but a sock.

The scientists, led by Natalia Jones from the University of East Anglia, wanted to assess the population density of a gastrointestinal bacteria species called Campylobacter in a couple of rural areas.

After much thought, they realised that the best way to do this was to enlist a cohort of volunteers and ask them to walk along country lanes while wearing a sock over one boot. Participants were asked to repeat the process over a 16 month period.

At the end of each walk, the volunteers were instructed to mail the sock to the university, an act that doubtless raised a few eyebrows at the local post office.

Once received, Jones and colleagues grew some of the gungy bits in Petri dishes, and subjected others to a process known as polymerase chain reaction in order to reveal the microbial population picked up along the way.

The results showed that the bacteria were most common in areas associated with livestock farming, and reached peak density in winter.

The team hopes the data will help to explain the ways in which Campylobacter infects people. It's a common cause of food poisoning, but that alone doesn't account for all the cases.

The scientists' report was published in the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology. It is unknown whether laboratory equipment stores will now start stocking footwear.

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Scientists sock it to bacteria - The Sydney Morning Herald

How Laws of Physics Govern Growth in Business and in Cities – New York Times

Posted on May 26, 2017 by ev1

How Laws of Physics Govern Growth in Business and in Cities
New York Times
Mr. West's core argument is that the basic mathematical laws of physics governing growth in the physical world apply equally to biological, political and corporate organisms. On its face, his book's objective is to contribute to an overarching ...

Lodi senior earns 9 associate degrees, picks UC Davis over 11 others – Sacramento Bee

Posted on May 26, 2017 by ev1

Sacramento Bee

Lodi senior earns 9 associate degrees, picks UC Davis over 11 others
Sacramento Bee
... has earned associate degrees in the areas of arts and humanities, Spanish, teacher education preparation, business, retail management and merchandising, mathematics and science. He is adding degrees in social and behavioral science and business.

and more »

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Lodi senior earns 9 associate degrees, picks UC Davis over 11 others - Sacramento Bee

The curse of IT longevity – ComputerWeekly.com

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

Lots has been written about the WannaCry ransomware by experts and non-experts alike. And with good reason. With so many organisations affected across the world, including high profile victims such as the NHS, its no wonder people have concentrated so much attention on the threat posed by WannaCry and other forms of ransomware.

Digital transformation is a phrase that means many things to many people but for it to have any real relevance to the channel then it needs to mean a chance to make money. This guide will share some of the recent developments in the channel and the latest thoughts about the issue.

By submitting your personal information, you agree that TechTarget and its partners may contact you regarding relevant content, products and special offers.

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Amid all the outcry over WannaCry, one of the most persistent messages has been the condemnation of affected organisations for continuing to use an operating system (Windows XP) which, in IT terms, is damn near medieval. Its nearly 16 years old!

In an industry that takes great pride in the speed with which it evolves and innovates, thats a seriously long time. Many technologies have come and gone since Microsoft released XP to manufacturing in August 2001. And theres no doubt that Microsoft has been trying its hardest to wean customers away from the OS for several years now.

But XP users (and people looking in from the outside) might be forgiven for suspecting that the IT world views longevity as a curse rather than a sign of durability. And you can see why IT vendors might feel that way. Having to patch and maintain older products after they have moved onto the next big thing in our rapidly evolving industry is a burden that many IT vendors just dont want to have to shoulder if they can help it.

But while its understandable, it also serves to highlight the disadvantages of the industrys strategy of making a virtue of how fast moving it is. On one level, it shows that despite all the boasts, there are still plenty of bits of IT infrastructure that are vulnerable to attacks because they have been left behind as the industry has relentlessly pursued one next big thing after the other. XP is many next big things behind.

In addition, if vendors seek to implement rapid changes in technologies, there is less chance for any technology to enjoy the benefits of maturity where vendors and customers can finally enjoy a period of stability before the next disruptive phase begins.

Theres also a feeling that, despite all this talk of the fast pace of change, vendors have frequently indulged in change for changes sake to coerce customers into upgrading their IT equipment more often than they have to. This process of incessant change means the IT infrastructure of many organisations is threaded through with remnants of older technologies. Those technologies create vulnerabilities, although it could be argued they might be unsafe not because of their age but because of vendor indifference to their maintenance and preservation.

In other words, the rapid pace of evolution in IT creates an environment where vulnerabilities can flourish because vendors are able to move onto the next innovation before anyone can force them to shoulder full responsibility for their earlier technologies.

The industry has a habit of urging customers to upgrade for fear of falling behind but you could just as easily argue that theyre doing it for their own benefit. If customers dont upgrade quickly enough, vendors might have to spend more time supporting their existing product instead of replacing it with another one. Ironically, it is precisely because of this policy of permanent revolution that organisations are often left vulnerable to attack via their continued use of technologies that have never been properly maintained by the vendors.

After all, if youre constantly moving forwards, you never have to look back.

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The curse of IT longevity - ComputerWeekly.com

Duke Hosts Precision Medicine World Conference – Duke Today (blog)

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

Hundreds of people representing a broad spectrum of healthcare, research and technology converged on Duke University on May 24 and 25 for the Precision Medicine World Conference (PMWC). The gathering spotlighted the rapid growth of biomedical technologies spurring initiatives that enable the translation of precision medicine into direct improvements in healthcare.

The conference, co-hosted by Duke Health and Duke University, marked the first time the PMWC was held on the East Coast. This years theme was Translating the Power of Precision Technologies into Better Health Care. More than 30 sessions were held over the two days, featuring a total of more than 100 speakers from the healthcare and biotechnology sectors.

These types of conferences are critical for us to share information and harness the power of precision medicine to change health, said Mary Klotman, MD, chair of the Department of Medicine and vice chancellor for health affairs and dean-designate of the School of Medicine. This is an exciting revolution. Yet it also can be frustrating, because we know where were going eventually but its going take a lot of work and understanding of the science to get there.

Geoffrey Ginsburg, MD, PhD, director of Duke Center for Applied Genomics and Precision Medicine and conference co-chair along with Chancellor Emeritus Ralph Snyderman, MD, said the meeting reflects a powerful convergence of important disciplines ranging from genome sciences and data sciences to information technology, tissue and genetic engineering, behavioral science, and immune and cancer biology.

That convergence is resulting in an unprecedented agenda that is driving precision medicine and research in ways that can impact both individual and population health, Ginsburg said.

Francis Collins, MD, PhD, director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), outlined NIHs All of Us precision medicine initiative to study the impact of genes and environment. The study hopes to enroll 32,000 volunteers by the end of 2017 and 1 million by 2022. The data it collects will be accessible to researchers.

This is a pretty exciting time to contemplate where we are in precision medicine and where we are going, said Collins. Collins later received a PMWC Luminary Award, which recognizes recent contributions of leaders who have accelerated personalized medicine into the clinical marketplace.

The conference was co-hostedby Ginsburg and Ralph Snyderman, MD, Chancellor Emeritus of Duke University and the James B. Duke Professor of Medicine.

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Duke Hosts Precision Medicine World Conference - Duke Today (blog)

American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

The American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences (AABSS) holds an annual conference that brings together scholars from around the U.S. and abroad in order to presentscholarship related to a wide variety of contexts, including theory, practice, empirical research, and conceptual advancement.It is a juried conference, meaning that presentation proposals undergo peer-review prior to potential acceptance for presentation. We are in the 21stannual year and expect a robust conference with ample opportunities to exchangetheoretical ideas, share research results, help advance practice,make collaborative connections, and learn from one anothers scholarship.

21st Annual American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences Conference

February 2627, 2018

Call for Papers

We invite submissions for potential presentation at this years AABSS conference from a broad range of topics related to the social and behavioral sciences. Strands may include empirical or theoretical scholarship as well as research methodology evaluation, meta-analyses, critical literature reviews, and topics related to applied practice that are grounded in scholarship. Where possible, topics will be grouped together for presentation within similar tracks.

Submit a proposal that includes a title, an abstract of not more than 150 words, and a summary that does not exceed more than 600 words. If the proposal is accepted for presentation, then the title and abstract will be included in the conference program.

Proposal Submission Deadline is November 19, 2017.

All presented papers are eligible for submission to theJournal of Behavioral and Social Sciences(JBSS),and all submitted papers will be peer-reviewed forpotential publication.

Location

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American Association of Behavioral and Social Sciences

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy| Psychiatry Conference …

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

The president's budget proposal threatens science – The Hill (blog)

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

For decades, members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have championed federal funding for research and development funding that provides incredible value for our nations health, economy, and security. Yet, the current White House is proposing a budget that would ignore R&Ds value, starve science, and hinder growth.

U.S. investments in scientific and engineering R&D have created millions of jobs in both the public and private sectors, improved state economies, and generated commercial growth. According to a Congressional Research Service report, scientists and engineers only account for about five percent of the nations workforce, but they still help create jobs across the rest of the workforce. Scientists discoveries and products extend far beyond the research laboratory, affecting people across the business sector from designers to builders to consumers.

We can be thankful that Congress understands the need to invest in biomedical research. Despite a proposal from the White House to cut the NIH budget by $1.23 billion for the remainder of 2017, Congress recently decided to invest an additional $2 billion in NIH programs.

When considering the 2018 budget proposal, Congress must continue to uphold and protect its bipartisan support for investment in basic and applied scientific research across all disciplines so that the U.S. can maintain its leadership.

Other countries recognize the enormous value of R&D and the foundation it lays for enhancing 21st century economic growth and global competitiveness. For example, from 2000-2013, Chinas investments in R&D grew 17 percent, South Koreas 8.3 percent, and Russias 8.2 percent, while the U.S. stagnated. There is a clear trend among global leaders that investing in R&D is a critical factor in determining a nations ability to grow its economy and help solve challenging problems.

For generations, U.S. lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have supported continued investment in basic and applied research because they witnessed and celebrated the profound and positive impacts that these investments have on our health, economy, and global leadership. Across every business industry and sector, investment in R&D provides clear opportunities for Americans and advances economic prosperity.

Because of federal funding for weather and environmental research, for example, business owners and farmers can make informed decisions that improve food security and benefit our agriculture sector. Funding for material and engineering sciences has improved energy sources, space exploration, and bridge and infrastructure, and enabled countless technologies and products now essential to modern lives. Social and behavioral science research has been critical to helping us respond effectively to disasters, enhance intelligence, and improve international relations.

Even our defense industry one of the few sectors to see increased investment under the White Houses budget proposal benefits tremendously from investments in science. Because of defense R&D, contractors can better supply our armed forces with technology and equipment that helps them deter emerging threats and protect our homeland. As an example, computer science R&D enables massive companies to solidify their cybersecurity infrastructures so that their business can flourish in an Internet economy.

Our country can explore and better understand the most efficient and effective ways to fight disease, expand agriculture, and foster economic prosperity, but we must continue to invest in science R&D to do so. We urge Congress not to sacrifice the nations future innovation, and to not cut R&D investments as the Presidents budget proposes. When government, science, and business sectors work together, millions of Americans and people around the world live healthier and more prosperous lives.

Rush Holt (D-N.J.) is the chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), executive publisher of the Science family of journals, and a former Congressman from New Jersey.

Elias Zerhouni is president of global research and development at the Sanofi pharmaceutical company and former director of the National Institutes of Health.

The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

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The president's budget proposal threatens science - The Hill (blog)

Celebrating Nearly 11,500 Graduates at CSUN Commencement … – CSUN Today

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

How Biotech Will Make Us Live Longer – Let's Talk Anti-Aging – Labiotech.eu (blog)

Posted on May 25, 2017 by ev1

Last week, at our first Labiotech Hangout,Philip had a chat with James Peyer, a partner at Apollo Ventures, to ask a few questions about how biotech istackling the anti-aging space.

For a long time, the anti-aging field has not seen much innovation,both due to a lack of scientific know-how as well as a lack of confidence on the part of pharma and regulatory agencies. Yet, in the past years, the field has started to turn into one of the most hyped areas in biotech, marked by the launch of companieslike Unity Biotechnology, which recently raked in $116Mfrom big names like Jeff BezosorCalico, which was co-founded by Google in 2013.

James Peyer from Apollo Ventures, a VC that focuses on biotechs in the age-related disease space, talked to Philip abouthow biotech is trying to solve the challenges of anti-aging, where the field is moving and how the first anti-aging therapies could enter the clinic within the next two years.

Referring to a review article on the hallmarks of aging, Peyer explains thatWithin the last 5 years, our understanding has gone from theory and hypothesis-driven to really coalescinga strong data-driven knowledge base.While there is no drug out there yet that is approved as an anti-aging treatment, James comments that The geroscience space has at least 80 mutations or chemicals that have been shown with some level of conviction to extend the healthylife span of a mouse.

However, the challenge will be to bring these compounds into the clinic. Anti-aging therapies are preventative medicines, meaning that the treatment is given before the actual occurrence of age-related disease so how do you run a clinical trial for such medicines?

Peyer mentions a group of scientists from Albert Einstein College of Medicinein New York that have been piloting such a preventative medicine study with a 7-year trial, totest whether the generic drug metformin can delay the onset of age-related conditions.This model of a 7-year clinical trial though, thats not really something that can be easily translated to a commercial model with a patented drug,he explains.

But whats gonna come out of those trials in the next 5-10 years are biomarkers that will give us a hint on whether or not adrug is working to reduce the risk of age-related diseases, and then that biomarker could be used in future trials,Peyer argues.

Apollo is following a slightly different path, though, as Peyer explains.The VC aims to go after geriatric syndromes, such as osteoarthritis, that are actually treatable medical conditions. Youll be really focussed on one indication thats a real clinical opportunity and move that towards the clinic just as you would with a traditional oncology drug or osteoarthritis drug.

Thats the opportunity that Apollo is really excited about and then, of course, there is the vision in the longer term that those two paths () will come together and create a world where we can actually do preventive clinical trials,Peyer adds.

Reflecting on who is buying in on that vision, Peyer says that the big players that are now coming into the area are technology players like Jeff Bezos or Google (). The internet space has attracted so much investment but the return profiles in this space actually look much worse compared to biopharma both in the US and the EU.

The biopharma space is actually just kicking ass right now! So when you see numbers like that and youre a tech investor it makes sense to make some moves.

Check out the video to hear more about which companies are leading the fieldandwhere Apollo is heading.

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Merken

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How Biotech Will Make Us Live Longer - Let's Talk Anti-Aging - Labiotech.eu (blog)

Comments Off on Celebrating Nearly 11500 Graduates at CSUN Commencement 2017 – CSUN Today

Posted on May 24, 2017 by ev1

Anti-Aging Medicine & Hormone Replacement CME

Posted on May 24, 2017 by ev1

Anti-Aging Medicine: Advances in Hormone Replacement is a two-day course. Course Schedule: Agenda Faculty: Louis Cady, MD

2017 Course Discounts Early Bird Discount in San Antonio: Register by May 3rd and enter code EBJUN to save $100

Course Credits Earn up to 16 AMA PRA Category 1 credits and AAFP Prescribed Credits

2017 Course Location Information June 2-3 - San Antonio - SOLD OUT - email to be added to the

Rates as low as $219 per night (resort fee waived) through May 5, 2017, or until sold out. Mention you are with TAFP (Texas Academy of Family Physicians) to receive the group rate. Group Code: TAE17A

Anti-Aging Medicine: Advances in Hormone Replacement Course Description

This anti-aging procedural training course utilizes a case study approach designed to help physicians and practitioners successfully and knowledgeably treat their age management patients. This intense 2 day mini-residency teaches everything you should know about hormones, the various types of hormones, both good and bad, problematic, and life-saving, synthetic (non-human) vs. pharmaceutical bioidentical (human identical) vs. compounded (human identical but not FDA tested or approved). Youll get the real nuts and bolts needed to prescribe hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which ones to use and which ones to avoid, how much, when, and why. Youll learn about monitoring and adjusting HRT through literature presentations, case studies, and open discussions. Emphasis is placed on understanding the difference between normal and optimal levels of hormones based on our medical studies.

Day two involves extensive review of 100 cases that involve laboratory evaluation, prescribing, adjusting, troubleshooting, and discussing various hormone therapies for different scenarios for both men and women. Your practice of hormone replacement therapy will be based on peer-reviewed medical research and a wealth of clinical experience. This is the most comprehensive course taught on anti-aging medicine training, designed to give you practical information and skills that you can use on a daily basis. The curriculum is an evidence-based program on preventive medicine designed to enhance your diagnostic and prescribing skills when optimizing hormones for both men and women.

Although most clinicians are fully aware of the need to replace hormones in cases of sub-normal hormone levels, most have not been trained to optimize hormone levels if the baseline hormone level is normal. Many participants frequently inquire why a patient is treated with various hormones when the baseline lab test indicates normal. Just as confusing is the realization that the medical literature supports that normal is simply not optimal. A multitude of studies support optimization of all hormones regardless of the baseline levels, both for maintenance of quality of life and for future health benefits. In addition, the medical literature demonstrates that optimization of hormones results in relief of symptoms, improvement in well-being, and a decrease in morbidity and mortality by attaining levels in the upper range of normal. It is imperative that practitioners understand both the need and benefit for optimization, what levels are considered to be optimal, as well as have command of the literature that supports it. One important aspect of this course is the extensive review of the medical literature that provides the credence and support as to why we optimize with certain hormones as well as avoid the use of non-isomolecular hormones. Remember that normal is definitely not optimal when it comes to hormone replacement and this applies to both men and women.

This Live activity, Anti-Aging Medicine: Advances in Hormone Replacement, from 01/01/2017 - 12/31/2017, has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 16.00 Prescribed credit(s) by the American Academy of Family Physicians. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

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Anti-Aging Medicine & Hormone Replacement CME

Judge to Indiana same-sex couples: 'You can't overcome biology' – Indianapolis Star

Posted on May 23, 2017 by ev1

LGBT people have gained more legal recognition in recent years, but LGBT rights remain a central issue in Indiana politics. Stephanie Wang/IndyStar

Jackie and Lisa Phillips-Stackman hold their daughter, Lola, at their Indianapolis home, Friday, Dec. 4, 2015. The couple are filing a lawsuit against the state to try to get Indiana to recognize both same-sex parents on their children's birth certificates.(Photo: Michelle Pemberton/The Star)Buy Photo

In oral arguments Monday, a panel of three judges for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals examined whetherIndiana discriminates by not recognizing two married women both as parents on their children's birth certificates without having to adopt.

Judge Diane S. Sykesdrew distinctions betweenbiological parentage and parental rights, and which of the two should be represented on birth certificates.

"You can't overcome biology," Sykes said. "If the state defines parenthood by virtue of biology, no argument under the Equal Protection Clause or the substantive due process clause can overcome that."

"Your Honor, with all due respect, we maintain that parenthood is no longer defined by biology," said Karen Celestino-Horseman, the attorney for eight same-sex couples who brought the lawsuit against the state for only allowing only a mother and a father to be named on birth certificates.

"That's a policy argument to take to the legislature," Sykes responded.

The state of Indiana is appealing a ruling by a district judgewho sidedwith the same-sex couplesand ordered the state to recognize both women as parents on birth certificates of children who are conceived through a sperm donor.

"In our view, that order creates an inequality that did not exist before and undermines the rights of biological fathers and their children," said Indiana Solicitor General Thomas Fisher.

Read the back story: Same-sex couples sue state over birth certificates

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The couples' case argued that parental recognition should be a benefit conferred by the U.S. Supreme Court's marriage equality ruling in 2015, known as Obergefell v. Hodges.

Prior to the lawsuit, the spouse who was not the birth mother would have to adopt the child, even if her egg was used for the pregnancy. That was the case for Indianapolis couple Jackie and Lisa Phillips-Stackman, who are part of the lawsuit.

Not recognizing the non-birthmother, the lawsuit said, could make it more difficult for families to be covered by insurance policies, or for the parent to enroll her child in school.

The adoption process, which can be costly, amends the birth certificate to recognize adoptive parents. The original record, Fisher said, is still retained.

But the lawsuit contended that spouses should be recognized as a parent when the child is born because of her wedded status similar to how married opposite-sex couples are often treated, where the husband can be presumed to be the father.

"The statute creates a paternity presumption that just is impossible in a same-sex marriage situation," Sykes said, referring to the state statute on birth certificates that the couples are challenging.

"Your Honor," Celestino-Horseman said, "that's if one still presumes that parenthood is still defined"

Sykes interrupted: "It's not a parenthood statute. It's a paternity statute. Paternity presumption is impossible in a same-sex marriage situation. So we just don't have any kind of discrimination going on here at all."

Later, Sykes said that what the couples may be seeking is a redefinition of parenthood.

"Your Honor," Celestino-Horseman said, "parenthood"

Sykes interrupted again: " is biological or adopted. You want this third category."

As Celestino-Horseman cited relevant cases, Sykes delineated between marriage cases and parenthood cases.

In pregnancies using a sperm donor, opposite-sex couples can say the husband is the father of the child but that same presumption of parenthood doesn't extend to a wife in a same-sex couple who isn't the birth mother, the lawsuit argued.

The state of Indiana countered that opposite-sex couples aren't supposed to do that. The mother is supposed to state when the husband is not the father. But that's not what often happens in real life.

"That led me to think that your argument is that a state law becomes unconstitutional because people subject to the state law don't follow it," Judge Frank H. Easterbrook said, "which would be a very difficult position to take."

The debate, he said, would then be about how state law is supposed to operate not whether it discriminates.

Easterbrook asked how the couples' case would apply to two married men who have a child through artificial insemination.

Celestino-Horseman indicated the situation was more complicated because it would involve surrogacy.

"I don't want to be the one to tell you this, but Obergefell says there can't be any sex discrimination, and now you're saying there must be sex discrimination," Easterbrook said. "In a female-female marriage, the right answer is mother No. 1 and mother No. 2. In a male-male marriage, the right answer is surrogate mother, sperm donor, followed by adoption. In your view, doesn't there have to be identical treatment of the male-male marriage and the female-female marriage?"

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Celestino-Horseman responded that wasn't part of the case.

"We can't ignorethe logical implications of your arguments. And you seem to want to," Easterbrook replied.

He added that the case aimed to require "a mis-recording of who the father is."

"Your view seems to be that it is unconstitutional for Indiana to correctly record the parent," he said.

The Seventh Circuit is taking the case under advisement and may rule at a later date.

Call IndyStar reporter Stephanie Wang at (317) 444-6184. Follow her on Twitter: @stephaniewang.

Read or Share this story: http://indy.st/2rLLPSp

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Judge to Indiana same-sex couples: 'You can't overcome biology' - Indianapolis Star

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