Daily Archives: December 29, 2020

Genomic analysis result of UK returnee’s sample expected from NIV next week, says TN – Economic Times

Posted: December 29, 2020 at 12:44 am

Chennai: The result of genomic analysis of a sample from a United Kingdom returnee, who tested COVID-19 positive here, could be expected next week, according to the National Institute of Virology and Tamil Nadu has requested the research facility to expedite it, a senior health official said on Thursday.

The returnee from UK, who days ago tested positive, continues to be treated at the King's Institute for Preventive Medicine and Research and he is stable and doing well, Health Secretary J Radhakrishnan said here.

Asked on genomic analysis result of the sample sent to the Pune based NIV, he said institute authorities have indicated that it may be expected on December 28 and Tamil Nadu has requested it to expedite availability of result.

"We are talking with them (NIV) continously. This is genomic analysis. There are several mutations which has to be studied," he said.

The process involved in such an analysis is complex, something not seen in a routine test to detect coronavirus and hence it may consume more time, he noted.

The idea behind the test is to find out if the strain matched with the ones currently in circulation or whether it belonged to a different variant, like the one seen in the United Kingdom recently which is said to be more virulent.

Barring the young man, who tested positive on his arrival from the UK and being treated with drugs including anti-virals and antibiotics at state-run King's Institute, no other foreign returnee has tested positive, the official said citing test results of international returnees received.

Samples from 15 people-who travelled along with the man in the Delhi-Chennai connecting flight on Monday- have been taken and results are awaited. Seventy others on the domestic flight have also been asked to go for COVID-19 testing, he said.

A cargo flight arrived here hours ago from Britain and nine crew members have been tested for COVID-19 and they were sent to a hotel for institutional quarantine, the official said.

The cargo has been disinfected and instructions have been given to officials to not allow anyone to access the shipment as of now and a 'decision will be taken later on the cargo' after the results of the crew are known, he said.

While inspection of airports was on across Tamil Nadu, foreign returnees are allowed only if they have RT-PCR negative certificate and were being placed in home quarantine like those who arrive from other states. All the returnees were being monitored, the health official said.

Following inspection of the airport here, cargo handlers have been instructed to use Personal Protective Equipment and officials have been asked to focus more and increase visibility of advertisements on awareness about coronavirus at the premises,Radhakrishnan said.

Though flights from Britain have halted, officials have been instructed to intensify domestic surveillance as some could have travelled elsewhere from the UK and may arrive later in Tamil Nadu, he said. They were in touch with airline operators as well to ensure foolproof monitoring.

About 38,000 passengers who arrived from countries other than the UK recently were also being monitored in Tamil Nadu.

Instructions have been given to them to approach authorities if they have any symptoms and as regards returnees from the UK, their primary contacts were also being monitored.

Three people who arrived from Delhi allegedly did not cooperate with public health authorities and they proceeded to their destinations in the state and nearby Puducherry claiming that they tested negative for the virus in the national capital.

They were, however, subsequently traced and placed under insolation, he said and appealed to passengers and the general public to cooperate with officials to effectively tackle the pandemic.

If passengers prevent authorities from carrying out their duty like testing for the contagion, a complaint would be lodged against them with the police and action initiated, Radhakrishnan warned.

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How Tech Has Changed Traditional Indian Games – United News of India

Posted: at 12:43 am

Dec 28, 2020 (UNI\\\\TNM): Technology has advanced so much over the last two decades in particular, that the way we play games has changed completely.

Artificial intelligence has allowed for more bespoke experiences, while virtual reality has created games that are more immersive than it was ever believed to be possible.

The greatest impact in the industry was made by software development.A countless number of games are now available on a single device, which can be carried around everywhere, which has led to a trend of technology meeting tradition. We explore this by looking at a few traditional Indian games that have been upgraded to the 21st century.

Source: Pexels

Board games have been popular in India since ancient times and the industry is now larger than most people realize. By 2023, the market is projected to grow by 17%, which would amount to several billion dollars. Traditional board games such as Pachisi or Chaupar are available in more formats than just physical versions as developers combine various technological advancements to enhance the player experience.

The most obvious way in which tech has been integrated into board games is with mobile apps. Smartphone and tablet users can go on a virtual app marketplace and download the game they want. A guide would then teach users how to play. Features such as sound effects, time trackers, or the possibility to add multiple players, creates a more immersive experience and increases the games accessibility. On top of that, there is no need to carry around heavy boxes and worry about losing any pieces.

Playing cards are among the most common forms of entertainment in India, and it has existed in the country since the 16th century. Back then, the royal Indian courts used decks of cards made from precious materials to play. Now, most households have a deck of cards and know how to play a few games, with one of the most popular games being andar bahar.

This is a traditional Indian game that people used to play this game in the streets, historically. In present day, people can play andar bahar online with a choice of online casino, as well as read about the history of the game, thanks to the technological advancements that we now tend to take for granted. Increasingly sophisticated software has even made it possible to play this game live online, in front of and with a real-life dealer, using only a computer or a smartphone.

Source: Pexels

Invented in India around the 8th century, chess has changed numerous times throughout the years. However, it was only in the 20th century that the game itself was significantly revolutionized by the invention of databases and chess engines which have made online chess games the new norm. Chess engines can be run on any computer and are so powerful that they can show people the best moves in each position, while also evaluating each move. This has also changed the way people learn how to play the game.

Board games and cards bring people together and they are as popular now as they were decades, or even centuries ago, just in a different format. Technology is making them more accessible and is creating a new digital generation of gaming which is proving to be a resounding success with a bright future.

(Disclaimer--Features may vary depending on the regions; subject to change without notice.)

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2020: The year of a pandemic of cheating in online chess – Livemint

Posted: at 12:43 am

2020 has been a unique year for chess. In the first half, as countries across the world went into lockdowns to stem the spread of covid-19, millions discovered the gameonline. Websites like chess.com, chess24.com and lichess.org saw a sharp jump in the number of users and games played. In the second half, Netflix released The Queens Gambit, a web-series about a female chess player battling her demons to beat the best in world chess. The games popularity surged. Unfortunately, so did cases of cheating.

In a post in August, chess.com, the biggest of the online chess platforms, said closure rates of accounts had more than doubled since the covid-19 outbreak in December 2019. The website had been closing nearly 500 chess accounts every day. Offences included using chess engines to play matches, rating manipulation, sandbagging (deliberately losing games to lower ones rating and become eligible for lower-rated tournaments with prize money) and other fair-play violations. Those against whom action was taken include grandmasters, the elite players in world chess.

The director general of the world chess body FIDE, Emil Sutovsky, has been quoted as saying that stemming cheating is a huge topic I work on dozens of hours each week. Its president, Arkady Dvorkovich, has called computer doping a real plague. In chess.com's history, from 2007 till August 2020, we have closed nearly half a million accounts for cheating, the website says. Our projections predict we will reach 500,000 accounts closed by February 2021 and one million accounts by mid-2023. There has been a sharp jump since the outbreak. In December 2019, it had shut 6,044 accounts. In August, it closed 15,130.

So how does one stop cheating in online chess?

A photo taken in Melbourne on November 25, 2020 shows the web page of Chess.com showing more than 46 million members with 7.5 million matches played today and over 158,000 people online. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) (AFP)

This was the question Sotirios Logothetis and his team at chess24.com found themselves faced with when they decided to organise online tournaments earlier this year.

Cheating is extremely rare in offline events, especially at the top tier, says Logothetis, who is also an international chess arbiter. The main advantage there is, you have full visual contact, which allows the arbiter to latch on to suspicious behaviour. In addition, marquee tournaments also use metal detectors and check the players physically for sophisticated devices, like a micro earpiece with voice transmitters. Online chess doesnt offer these advantages, says Logothetis.

The solution, Logothetis team found, lay in the way some universities around the world conduct examinations: webcams and screen-share. In the tournaments they have conducted since March, including the rapid-chess tournament Skilling Open and the Magnus Carlsen Invitational, each player had to have at least two cameras: one in front, another at the back or the side. They also installed a software so that the computer screen could be shared with the arbiters during playing sessions.

The cameras, which the organisers sent to the players houses, stored the audio and video footage in a memory card even if the internet connection was interrupted. After each session, players were expected to upload the entire footage on the server cloud. These two tournaments had around a dozen players each, so it was possible to send equipment, upload and verify.

Most online tournaments conducted this year, including the FIDE Online Olympiad 2020, have used a combination of such techniques. There is even a system to scan a players game, study performance patterns and highlight unusual activities, such as if a player is making the kind of moves a chess engine would, or if a low-ranked player suddenly starts playing exceedingly well. Anything, in other words, that doesnt fit the pattern.

I think our systems can cover 95% of possible ways of cheating online, says Logothetis. But, he accepts, it can never be foolproof. If someone tries really hard to cheat, I think they will find a way, he adds. But someone who is doing this has to be truly dedicated.

So, while marquee tournaments may have developed robust systems, for most online players cheating is only a few clicks or fingertaps away. The simplest way is, you have a phone, enter a question and ask for the best moves, says grandmaster (GM) Srinath Narayanan. Stockfish (the best open-source chess engine) is free and easily accessible. There are also extensions on web browsers that show the next best move.

Its possible to game a platforms in-built scanners too. If someone is smart, they can make a couple of moves by themselves, and for some important ones, they can take the help of engines, says GM Harika Dronavalli, Indias No.2 woman chess player.

Cheating is rampant in online chess, Narayanan reckons. Its not just a matter of pridesome tournaments offer cash prizes too. Narayanan, who coaches the 16-year-old chess prodigy Nihal Sarin, says: I know young kids also have cheated during games. Some of them have been caught and banned by popular websites, some havent been. The penalties arent strict enough, he adds. If you confess, you dont play in prized events for a year but you can have your account back. And if a player is banned from one website, they can always play on another.

Two men play Chinese Chess along a street in Beijing on October 28, 2020. (Photo by NICOLAS ASFOURI / AFP) (AFP)

Some platforms, however, are keen on setting an example. In October, chess.com suspended Armenian GM Tigran Petrosian for allegedly using computer assistance during the finals of the Pro Chess Leagueone of 46 GMs against whom action has been taken since 2007. In its investigation, the website found that some of Petrosians moves were consistent with chess-engine suggestions. He also allegedly looked down often, which the investigators concluded was to consult a computer. Petrosian has vehemently denied the allegations.

I was surprised when I saw Tigrons news, says Dronavalli. Most players I know wont think of that. Even if there are people who are ready to cheat, I dont think they should take risk of a whole career for an online tournament.

In the past year, Dronavalli has played several marquee online tournaments, including Titled Tuesdays, Online Chess Olympiad and the Online Nations Cup. For the most part, she says, the checks were robust: You shared your screen during gameplay, you couldnt mute yourself and you couldnt open any other files on the computer. Before a game, the organisers would ask for a camera-tour of the room she was playing in. If I switched off my webcam or exited the room, I would have to repeat the whole thing all over again. It would get tiring sometimes but you have to do it.

She, too, acknowledges that anti-cheating measures can never be as foolproof as they are for an offline event. But cheating will only get you so far. Finally, you need to have talent, says Dronavalli. If you are not consistent, no one will believe your performances.

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DeepMind’s MuZero AI masters games without knowing the rules – The Burn-In

Posted: at 12:43 am

Its no secret that artificial intelligence (AI) programs are good at mastering games. From chess to Go to StarCraft II, humans are often no match for the computer. One thing that previous AI game engines have in common is that they were taught the rules of each game before learning to play it.

Now, researchers from DeepMind have taken things a step further, Engadget reports. The Alphabet subsidiary just announced that its MuZero AI is capable of playing a variety of games (and crushing human players) without being told the rules. Thats an incredibly impressive achievement and demonstrates how far the field of AI has come in the past few years.

When DeepMind unveiled its original AlphaGo AI in 2016, the world took notice. The crafty algorithm was capable of beating the worlds best human players in the ancient strategy game, Go.

It then topped the original version by creating AlphaGo Zero, an AI capable of learning to play Go simply by playing against itself. That was a step up from the original version, which learned by watching people play.

From there, DeepMind branched out. It taught its AlphaZero algorithm to play Go, chess, and shogi. Being able to master all three games was another impressive accomplishment.

The companys latest algorithm, MuZero, is a sort of combination of every iteration. Not only did it forgo the need to hear the rules of the three games noted above, it also knows how to play a suite of classic Atari titles. The algorithm learned to play all of the games on its own and is even better at them than any other version that DeepMind has created so far.

This addresses a problem that researchers have been pondering for some time, notes Engadgets Igor Bonifacic.

Its difficult to train an AI to strategize and plan ahead when it doesnt know the rules of the game thats being played. In the real world, there is no such thing as a simple set of rules. Thats what makes this breakthrough so important for the world of AI.

DeepMinds MuZero combines aspects of two prediction models that researchers have used in the past to try and solve the problem of predicting something that isnt governed by a strict set of rules.

This means that MuZero is thinking a lot more like a human than a computer. It must rule out factors that arent likely to impact the overall outcome to focus on the ones that will.

DeepMind likens this to looking at a sky full of storm clouds. In a blog post, the company says, For example, if we see dark clouds forming, we might predict it will rain and decide to take an umbrella with us before we venture out. Humans learn this ability quickly and can generalize to new scenarios, a trait we would also like our algorithms to have.

MuZero represents a big leap forward in AI technology. DeepMind notes that it has potential applications in fields like robotics, industrial systems, and other messy real-world environments.

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Technology – AI and yachting – Superyacht News – The Superyacht Report

Posted: at 12:43 am

Artificial intelligence (AI), which is the simulation of human intelligence, has become very prominent in the news, discussions and applications over the past five years. But the truth is that AI has been around for much longer, as I started developing AI applications back in 1987.

Today, we are surrounded in our daily lives with AI in social media, online shopping, Google search engines, ridesharing, commercial flights (autopilots), banking and many more. Since it is difficult for most us to identify these implementations, and since we cant distinguish between AI and non-AI systems, there are four basic forms of AI and I will explain them as follows:

1. Reactive machines good examples are IBMs Deep Blue, which beat the international chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov in the late 1990s.

2. Limited memory machines that look into the past, such as parts of self-driving car software.

3. Theory of mind these machines are more advanced and not only form representations of the world, but also entities in the world. It is this replication of how humans and creatures in the world have thoughts and emotions which affect their own behaviour.

4. Self awareness this is the most advanced form of AI where these machines/systems develop a consciousness. Conscious beings are aware of themselves, know about their internal states and are able to predict feelings of others. The movies iRobot and Terminator are very good examples of this self awareness.

Why is there such excitement surrounding the first few levels of implementation of AI today? It is because we can use these AI systems/algorithms to handle massive amounts of data and learning, then developing patterns in this data, which we humans cant do as efficiently. They operate without breaks, and they continue to learn at a speed of the computers that they operate on, 24/7. Good examples can be found in the medical field. In radiology, AI has achieved the ability to detect cancer in mammograms at a 96.6 per cent specificity level, which is much greater than the average radiologist today. It continues to learn at breakneck speeds, continually getting better with its discovery of cancer.

Now, how do we translate these systems and examples to our world of yachting?

The examples that I am about to give may frighten, or even anger, some people who might feel that their own professions are at risk. But in reality I believe that this assistance will allow us to be freed up to perform tasks that we are much better at.

Navigation

This is an easy one as we move into self-learning autopilots, that are connected online with volumes of information about sea conditions, weather patterns, direct reporting from other ships and yachts, along with on-board navigation instrumentation. They can make much better decisions and never become distracted. This is happening today, in the shipping industry, in a limited fashion.

Cybersecurity

The only way to combat dynamically changing data attacks is to deploy sound and sophisticated AI appliances that morph their shields incautiously to protect the integrity of the yachts systems, and the owners data.

Security

We are using AI routines in our security systems to understand the patterns of the yachts operation, identifying intrusions more quickly and immediately identifying the correct access to all areas of the yacht through facial recognition.

Alarm, monitoring and control (AMS) Another area that benefits from the use of AI algorithms. These algorithms move the AMS from a reactionary system to a truly forward-watching and preventive system.

Owner/guest services

By implementing AI to learn the patterns of the owner and guests, these systems can then anticipate their needs. Simply knowing their system vitals such as blood pressure, heart rate, temperature would allow an AI-driven guest services system to react precisely and immediately. I envision that robotics will be deployed in the future to interact directly with the owner and guests. Consistency in this service would be a major benefit, along with the ability to be available at all hours of the day and night to the varying schedules of each individual.

Entertainment systems

These systems, in general, have the label of AV (audio visual). I have a design for a living yacht, where the yacht reacts dynamically to the individual and/or individuals in an area of the yacht. Using AI learning we can change the environment in the area of the yacht to provide the entertainment experience that is matched directly to the audience, including their current temperament and past histories of likes, which will provide the ultimate user experience.

Approaching AI with the right attitude is very important, and it might be best to consider it as a tool with which to make our lives better and easier. As individuals, we will not stop the implementation of AI in our daily lives. If we embrace it, we can help steer the direction that it is headed so that it benefits us.

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The FTC Enforces Against Inadequate Vetting of Third-party Vendors – Lexology

Posted: at 12:43 am

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently announced a proposed settlement with Ascension Data & Analytics, LLC (Ascension), over the allegation that Ascension failed to ensure one of its vendors was adequately securing consumers data.

According to the FTC, one of Ascensions service providers stored documents containing sensitive information of Ascensions consumers (such as social security numbers) on a cloud-based server in plain text, without any protections from unauthorized access. The FTC further alleged that because of these inadequate protections, the data was repeatedly subject to unauthorized access.

In its complaint, which is based on the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), the FTC alleged that Ascension, a mortgage industry data analytics company, failed to adequately vet its vendors and that its contracts with vendors did not require them to safeguard the information.

The FTC alleged that although Ascension had an internal Third-party Vendor Risk Management policy, it did not comply with it and failed to conduct risk assessments of all of its third-party vendors. The GLBA requires covered entities to maintain comprehensive information security programs. These programs must include overseeing of the entities third-party vendors, by ensuring they are capable of implementing and maintaining appropriate safeguards, and requiring them to do so by contract.

As part of the settlement, Ascension is prohibited from collecting, processing or transferring any sensitive information, prior to the implementation of a comprehensive data security program. This program has to impose at least the same security requirements on the companys vendors. Ascension must also undergo biennial assessments of the programs effectiveness, by an independent assessor, approved by the FTC. Ascension is also required to annually certify, by a senior company executive, that it is complying with the order, and to report any future data breaches to the FTC within 10 days of notifying other federal or state government agencies.

This enforcement action by the FTC joins its recent settlement with Zoom over its information security practices, which we previously reported about. The importance of adequate vetting procedures was also emphasized by EU regulators in a number of regulatory developments with regard to international transfers of personal data. For example, as we recently reported, vetting procedures are a part of the European Data Protection Boards recommendations on the measures to supplement data transfer tools.

These recent enforcement and regulatory actions highlight the increased scrutiny over adequate vetting of service providers to whom data is transferred to.

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Ascension Sacred Heart receives first shipment of COVID-19 vaccines – WMBB – mypanhandle.com

Posted: at 12:43 am

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) Tuesday marked a historic moment in Bay County. The first local, front-line medical personnel got their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.

Ascension Sacred Heart received 600 doses of the Moderna vaccine on Monday and began vaccinating staff members Tuesday morning.

Dr. Amer Malik, the chief medical officer for Ascension Sacred Heart, said one thought came to mind when the first shipment of Moderna vaccines arrived at their hospital.

Thank God, Malik said. Literally thank God that we are here and that we are able to see this day where things can get better.

Dr. Malik said the vaccine didnt just bring a viable treatment for the coronavirus, the vaccine also brought hope to their front-line healthcare providers.

They have families, they are humans, who have feelings and they were not able to protect themselves, Malik said. This vaccine gives them the hope that they will be protected while providing the best care to their patients.

While Dr. Malik said he feels people will always be skeptical of the coronavirus vaccine, he said he believes this is the best tool for fighting COVID-19 at this point.

This is amazing how rapidly the vaccine got developed, it is amazing how safe the vaccine has been with all the studies that have shown, it also amazing that it has no virus just the mRNA, Malik said.

Currently, there are two coronavirus vaccines available from Pfizer and Moderna. Dr. Malik said both vaccines are essentially the same, the biggest difference being how they are stored.

That does not change the process of how the vaccine works in you, Malik said. So it has nothing to do with anything except the way it is stored but the efficacy and importance of both vaccines are equal at this point in time and get whichever one you can get.

Dr. Malik said he has not been vaccinated yet, but said he looks forward to it and will get the vaccine without hesitation.

He is also encouraging everyone to get the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine as soon as it becomes more widely available because he believes it will save lives.

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Ascension Public Schools Announces the 2020-21 Teachers and Principals of the Year – The Advocate

Posted: at 12:43 am

Ascension public schools have announced its Teachers of the Year and Principals of the Year for 2020-21.

These top educators were selected by their respective school peers. In the spring, all honorees will be recognized at an Ascension Parish School Board meeting, where the district will name a top teacher for primary, middle, and high school divisions.

The district honorees will go on to compete for the state's 2022 Teacher and Principal of the Year section in the summer.

"Teacher of the Year is quite an honor, and all of these wonderful educators deserve this special recognition. These outstanding teachers represent the best of the best as Ascension's schools are filled with so many excellent educators," said Superintendent David Alexander. "Teachers are truly among the heroes of our society. That is because the fruit of a teachers labor is the success of another individual in life; their work not only matters now, but it also matters for years to come. We just cant say enough about the work of our teachers, and we are especially proud of this special group who have been honored with the title Teacher of the Year in Ascension Public Schools."

Alexander said the Principals of the Year were once great teachers, impacting students directly as they taught in classrooms.

"Now, these outstanding educators impact an even broader footprint of students, that is, a building full of students in their role as principal," he said. "Research has indicated that the principals influence on student learning is second only to the classroom teacher. We are so fortunate in Ascension Public Schools to have these outstanding individuals leading our schools.

"They successfully tend to multiple, complex roles each day in their service and support of learning," Alexander said. "They spend countless hours each day at work, sacrificing their own personal lives on many occasions. Please join me in congratulating these outstanding leaders who were selected among a pool of great principals as this years Principals of the Year."

PRINCIPALS OF THE YEAR

PRIMARY SCHOOL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS OF THE YEAR

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Around Ascension for Dec. 23, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com – The Advocate

Posted: at 12:43 am

A pandemic Christmas

I'll admit it, I don't have much Christmas spirit this year. Between the coronavirus, the election and changes in my life I'm not feeling too jolly. Not one Christmas decoration has been placed on the mantel and my annual family party had to be canceled.

I tried to change that the other day by mailing some holiday cards. My husband's 91-year-old aunt, who lives in Nebraska, creates cards using recycled parts and pieces from other cards or magazines. They range from quite simple to elaborate, with her original drawings and custom envelope. I was feeling a bit joyous as I walked into my post office, but that joy soured quickly as I overhead a conversation that sucked all the happiness right out of me. Let's just say, the woman on the phone was having a bad day.

I decided to take a different route home and drove by the homes of old friends and neighbors I haven't seen in years. I began to reminisce about my childhood and closeness I once had with those families down the road. It's a road I traveled every day as a child. The school bus dropped off the dozens of kids, most of them my friends, along the crocked country road bordering a bayou.

I passed by the old house of one of my relatives, I believe she was my maternal grandfather's cousin. The house has been empty for decades. Memories rushed back of me running on her porch and playing in the yard while my grandma worked on a quilt inside with her friends. As I pulled into my driveway, I remembered Christmases past when every yard had holiday lights and decorations and my dad made sure we had a tree and lots of colorfully wrapped gifts under it.

Thoughts of my mom's silver Christmas tree with the color wheel brought a smile to my face. I felt a glimmer of Christmas spirit. Then, I learned that two more friends have the coronavirus. Spirit crushed.

But I'm determined to have a happy holiday season. The burst of cold weather should help. I decided to count my blessing instead of concentrating on all the negative. That helped. I'm still able to work in a profession I love and I have lots of friends and family to lean on.

Here's hoping all of you have the holiday spirit and time to enjoy the ones you love during this festive time of year.

So, put on your holiday face mask and enjoy the season.

Bringing a wide variety of books, movies and other services to a location near you. Visit the mobile library at parks and community centers across the parish. Social distancing will be practiced, and masks are required onboard the vehicle.

Hickley Waguespack Center: Dec. 23, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The LSU AgCenters Sweet Potato Research Station produces foundation sweet potato seed annually. These seed potatoes are to be bedded in the row to produce slips or cuttings, which are then transplanted to the field to produce the crop. All varieties are certified to be free of viruses. The varieties available for sale include Beauregard B-63, Beauregard B-14, Orleans, Evangeline, Bellevue, Bayou Belle, OHenry, Porto Rico and Texas Porto Rico. The top two varieties recommended for our area are Beauregard B-63 and Evangeline. Additional variety information can be found on the Sweet Potato Research Station website http://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/research_stations/sweetpotato/.

The cost of a 40 pound box of seed potatoes is $18.50 for Beauregard and Evangeline; and $25.00 for all other varieties. Call Mariah Simoneaux at the LSU AgCenter for more information or to place an order at (225) 621-5799. Orders must be placed by Jan. 8. Potatoes will be ready for pick up in mid-February.

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Canadian Hemp & Cutting Edge CBD Research, With Ascension Sciences – Ministry of Hemp

Posted: at 12:43 am

The Ministry of Hemp Podcast

Canadian Hemp & Cutting Edge CBD Research, With Ascension Sciences

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00:00/00:38:33

With hemp off to a shaky start in the U.S., we thought wed take a look at Canadian hemp with help from an industry expert.

In episode 67 of the Ministry of Hemp podcast, our host Matt talks with Tomas Skrinskas, Founder and CEO of Ascension Sciences. As a CEO of a Canadian company that works with pharmaceutical companies in developing CBD based medicine, Tomas has a different perspective on the hemp market and how the Canadian government legislates hemp.

Tomas is also an expert on nanomedicines, so Matt and Tomas get into the topic of bioavailability. Ascension Sciences works to make CBD-based medicine more effective through nano-encapsulation, and he explains future of nano-encapsulation of CBD in drinks.

Matt also mentions our recent guide to CBD and CBN products that help you sleep.

For over 15 years, Tomas Skrinskas has been at the leading edge of transformative health care technologies including computer assisted surgery, surgical robotics and genetic nanomedicines. His career began with research and engineering which provided a strong foundation for the business development and operations roles that followed. Tomas founded Ascension Sciences (Twitter: @AscensionSci), a R&D laboratory focused on nanoparticle development for cannabinoid products and therapeutics, in January 2019.

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Below youll find the complete transcript of episode 67 of the Ministry of Hemp podcast, Canadian hemp and CBD:

Ep 67 Transcript:

Matt Baum:Im Matt Baum. And this is the Ministry of Hemp podcast, brought to you by ministryofhemp.com, Americas leading advocate for hemp and hemp education.

Matt Baum:Welcome back to the Ministry of Hemp podcast. And if youre new here, welcome aboard. Nice to have you. Today on the show, we are going to talk about another way pharmaceutical companies are making CBD more readily available to your body after you ingest it, or even rub it on your skin.

Matt Baum:Ive spoken about bioavailability on this show before, Episode 62, specifically. In that episode, I spoke with Dr. Andrew Yates and Professor Saoirse [OSullivan 00:00:00:43], who developed a cocrystal that will improve the bioavailability of CBD. In a nutshell, your body doesnt want to absorb this molecule very well. So we have to come up with creative ways, to get it to absorb into your system. Now, another way of doing this is nanotechnology, specifically nanoencapsulation.

Matt Baum:Today on the show, my conversation is with Dr. Tomas Skrinskas, founder and CEO of Ascension Sciences. And what they do, is work with nanoencapsulation. Basically, taking these molecules and putting them in a really, really tiny container that helps your body absorb it. This is a Canadian company, so we were also able to talk about what its like to develop hemp-based medicine in Canada, as opposed to the US. And Tomas had some really interesting points that I hadnt thought of. Heres my conversation with Tomas Skrinskas, CEO of Ascension Sciences.

Matt Baum:Tomas, welcome to the Ministry of Hemp.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. Thanks.

Matt Baum:Glad to have you.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah, this is Im stoked. This is great.

Matt Baum:I think youre our first Canadian guest.

Tomas Skrinskas:Outstanding.

Matt Baum:Yeah. So we can put a pin in the Ministry of Hemp map now, which is cool.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. Thats somewhat surprising, but no. Happy to speak for all of Canada, and to thank you. No, were happy to be here.

Matt Baum:Perfect. So lets talk about hemp in Canada, real quick. Hemp in Canada, and cannabis in Canada, period. Very different from hemp and marijuana, in the United States. You guys have quite the head start on us. Can you give us a quick little historical background of where youre at, compared to where we are?

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah, I can. My entry into the industry, the space, is actually really only been in the last two years. So, a deep history buff, I am not. But what Ive learned, in my short time is, I think theres advantages and disadvantages to what were doing. So, one example is the CBD, an explosion of CBD, from hemp in the US, its actually a little more flexible or a little easier to work with those materials-

Matt Baum:Really?

Tomas Skrinskas: or to develop products. Because its in the Farm Bill, and its all above board, and its easy-peasy. On the Canadian side, we have that CBD aspect thats from hemp, but theres just a lot more red flags and red tape and attention drawn, to make sure where its coming from and what its used for. So for us for example, we just assume and we treat our CBD, like its THC. We have to report and track and-

Matt Baum:Oh, wow.

Tomas Skrinskas:We cant lose a drop of it. And then, thats just to be certain that were doing everything right, because regulations are changing so fast. So all that to say, I missed the whole history part of your question, I just avoided it.

Matt Baum:No, no, this is perfect.

Tomas Skrinskas:But the difference-

Matt Baum:This is perfect.

Tomas Skrinskas:But the differences are there, that its sometimes easier, sometimes harder, but yeah. Its, different.

Matt Baum:As I understand it, its one set of rules for the whole country, though. Basically its not province by province, if you will. Whereas, here in the States, we have different states with completely different cannabis laws. Some you cant even drive cannabis through, let alone Or even hemp, its nuts. So Canada is nationwide, though.

Tomas Skrinskas:Correct. Yeah. There are some age differences, just like alcohol consumption is different in Quebec, and the Prairies and NBC, it changes by one year as you move around, and that goes for cannabis as well.

Matt Baum:Sure.

Tomas Skrinskas:But yeah, across the country, we ship samples and all the rest like, bank. No problem. And all that is easy-peasy.

Matt Baum:See, thats a huge step up from us, right now. So, were having a lot of trouble. Its about smaller companies, as well. When you turn and say, Well, I cant accept credit cards, because we cant figure out if anything is insured, and credit card companies dont want to get in on that yet. Its very difficult. And I think we look to Canada You said, theres a lot of red tape. Were not, wed kill for that red tape. At least theres red tape. And we know we have to cut it, and get through it. We dont even know, right now. Like, Please give us some red tape, please.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. For product development and the research that we want to do, we want it, were completely above board and all the rest, but we do compete with people who just neglect the legacy market. Its called the legacy market-

Matt Baum:Right.

Tomas Skrinskas:Just neglects it, and keeps going. And theyll become legal, and the government helps them become legal, so thats the part that kind of pisses me off. Like, Im doing it right. And some people are going to be doing it right, eventually, but they have this little advantage. Theyre just kind of chugging along.

Matt Baum:You say theres a legacy market. Is that almost, when the laws were passed, or people that were already doing it this way? And Canada is nice enough to be like, Well, you guys catch up when you can. Is that, seriously, whats going on?

Tomas Skrinskas:Thats exactly whats going on. And then theres big consultancies and people helping them go from the gray market to the legal market. Its the reality. Yeah. They cant just shutter, or burn the crops or all the rest. Theres systems in place to help them become legal. And, I think thats good.

Matt Baum:Sure.

Tomas Skrinskas:Its, fine.

Matt Baum:But I assume theres a lot of people that are dragging their feet, because this costs money.

Tomas Skrinskas:Exactly. Yeah. The licensing process, you have to spend money to out Security, and record-keeping, and all that-

Matt Baum:Of course.

Tomas Skrinskas:Quality, and all that, absolutely costs money. And its going to, some people wont be able to make it, and maybe theyll take that risk. And, some people wont. Time will tell, time will tell.

Matt Baum:Right. Lets talk about your background, for a minute. You said you got into this about two years ago. Tell me about Ascension Sciences.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yes. So, I had always been in the medical field. I did a masters in biomedical engineering, and it wasnt in particles and drug developments, so to speak. But all that to say, healthcare and hospitals and wellness, has always been part of my upbringing and then education, and career choices. And that brought me to a company called Precision NanoSystems where I came by nanotechnology, and nanoparticles. Meanwhile, they were doing, or they are doing, genetic medicine. But I saw the opportunity to mash that up with cannabinoids, which are essentially insoluble compounds, insoluble drugs, as we see them-

Matt Baum:Right.

Tomas Skrinskas: [crosstalk 00:08:23] therapeutic. So they require these types of delivery systems and cocrystals. I listened to your absolutely handy podcast on bioavailability and cocrystals.

Matt Baum:That was awesome, right? Those guys were so cool.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah, no, theyre legit. No, Artelo is doing real stuff. Thats the echelon, or thats where were placing ourselves, were in health to therapeutic development. And so, all that to say is, this health technology background, mashed it up and then saw an opportunity. And thats when Ascension Sciences started.

Matt Baum:Why cannabis though? What drew you to that? It seems like theres a lot I dont know if its safer, in Canada. I know Europe, and it sounds like Canada, definitely have better rules in place for people to develop these types of drugs. Where in the States, pharmaceuticals are still, theyre definitely planning. Dont get me wrong. Theyve got these patents, and theyre ready as soon as they feel like its safe.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yes.

Matt Baum:But, what drew you to cannabis?

Tomas Skrinskas:Somewhat opportunistic. The market, and legalization, it just lowered the barrier for the research to be done. If your angle or your, if youre prodding for my epiphany around the plant, and things of that nature, I think its a tool kit in any health and wellness situation. You dont take your Tylenol to hurt your toe, without realizing that its your small shoes, thats hurting your toe-

Matt Baum:Right, exactly.

Tomas Skrinskas: take your shoes off. So in mental health and inflammation, and anxiety, its a tool. And I recognize that, its certainly been part of some situations for me. But, Im opportunistic, as well. [crosstalk 00:10:16] theres-

Matt Baum:Theres nothing wrong with that. Thats a real answer, and I appreciate that. [inaudible 00:10:20].

Tomas Skrinskas:Thank you. Yeah.

Matt Baum:Its nice to say, I had a magic moment, and the sun hit me just right. And I looked at the [crosstalk 00:10:26]

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah.

Matt Baum: [crosstalk 00:10:27] and it spoke. And youre like, Thats great, and all.

Tomas Skrinskas:This is, its a little more calculated. Its a little more calculated, than that. But

Matt Baum:Theres nothing wrong with that, at all. So, what kind of stuff are you guys working on? You were talking about nanotechnology and nanoparticle development. Those are words that are thrown around a lot, and theyre not always thrown around by people that seem to know what it means. Im not putting you on the spot. You seem to know exactly where youre coming from on this, but Ive definitely interviewed people where Ive said, Okay, well, tell me about this nanoencapsulation in your body balm, or whatever. And theyre like, Oh, it makes it really small, so it just slips right through. Im like, Well, what does that mean? What are we talking about, here?

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. I kind of have the verbatim definition of nanotechnology. Its just manipulating materials, molecules, at a very small scale for some advantage or purpose. So, in drug development, a lot of drugs require nanoparticles to be delivered, around the body. The best analogy is, like a delivery truck. The nanoparticle is the truck. Your drug is inside the truck. And the truck is driving around, getting to the right place at the right time, in the right concentration. And you can design this truck, this nanoparticle, to do those things.

Tomas Skrinskas:And thats where things get interesting. Youre replacing parts. Youre making big trucks, small trucks-

Matt Baum:Sure, sure.

Tomas Skrinskas: all for various benefits, in your administration. Is it in your Are you swallowing it? Is it under your tongue? Is it on your skin? You can design these to aid, or to tune release, depending on what you want and how you want it done.

Matt Baum:So speaking to that, you, we mentioned cocrystals, and whatnot. I learned recently in that podcast, that your body naturally does not want to absorb these cannabinoids, because of the nature of the molecule itself. Can you shrink something down small enough, so that it is absorbed better? Or do you always need a cocrystal, carrier type thing?

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah, thats a good question, or a good point to clarify. So, were not shrinking CBD. Were-

Matt Baum:Shrinking is the wrong word. Yeah. Anyone who says they are, is lying, basically.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. Correct, but were packaging it, and were protecting it with other lipids or, things that, a shell around it. And we make it more stable, things of that nature. And cocrystals are, I would say, a competing technology to nanoparticles. When it comes to bioavailability. So you can, the fancy term is functionalize, the CBD. Where you attach something to it, and it becomes more soluble, more bioavailable. Our approach is to package all of the CBD into this matzo ball, and the matzo ball itself, is the soluble component.

Matt Baum:Im Jewish, so now youre just making me hungry. Thanks.

Tomas Skrinskas:Okay, sorry. I can, I [crosstalk 00:14:02] on that. Thats-

Matt Baum:No, thats perfect.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. And then, theres pros and cons, from IP to manufacturing costs, to actual reasons to do one or the other. For example, in nanoparticles, we like to draw attention to tuned release. So, long lasting or fast acting? So for pain, we can have a particle that releases it slowly, whereas a cocrystal, it might absorb it immediately, have the effect now for-

Matt Baum:Sure.

Tomas Skrinskas: acute pain. So theres all manner of reasons to do one or the other.

Matt Baum:So in nanoparticle technology, well call it, you can actually tune it to release fast or slow? Or is it a type of thing where, like a cocrystal is always going to be a fast release, and you have more control when it comes down to nanoparticles?

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. This is a slippery slope. Where-

Matt Baum:Or does it just not work like that? I have no idea. [crosstalk 00:15:18].

Tomas Skrinskas:So, your tablet, your gel cap, has all sorts of other components in it. So the gel cap can dissolve slowly, so thatll impart slow release-

Matt Baum:Okay, sure. Sure.

Tomas Skrinskas: [crosstalk 00:15:33] so you could put cocrystals in your slow release cap, or your slow release tablet. So you can attain different features from both sides, but combining the two as well. Theres no reason that we couldnt put cocrystal CBD into a nanoparticle, and just to have it be that much more bioavailable, that much more controlled and tuned release. And thats where you start to look at the indication.

Tomas Skrinskas:So again, Artelo is getting a lot of press here, for their PTSD applications and mental health situations. You can start to target the brain or wherever you want these things to collect, preferentially, in your body. Thats another reason nanoparticles become interesting.

Matt Baum:So theoretically, you could say, Okay, I want to make a capsule that is good for pain, and thats going to go through the whole body. As opposed to a capsule thats good for anxiety, which might target part of the brain, instead.

Tomas Skrinskas:Correct. Yeah.

Matt Baum:Thats very cool.

Tomas Skrinskas:Where, yeah.

Matt Baum:So what kind of cannabinoid products are you guys working on, right now? What kind of therapeutics? Are you looking at guiding things directly towards like, I want to treat PTSD, or. I want to treat seizure disorders.

Tomas Skrinskas:Yeah. Very good question. So, the short answer is, we do contract research. So we actually look for companies to bring their delivery problem, their therapeutic problem, to us. And we have kind of a toolkit of nanoparticles, and we can guide them, direct them, to some of our toolkit. And say, This particle, it sounds like it will work. Lets work together, and develop it further. And thats our preclinical development business model, at this stage of the company. Thats just somewhat of the reality of it being a six person, R & D licensed outfit. But we want to work with people like Artelo, and work with people like Cardiol and InMed, and GW Pharma. And, help them get their therapeutics to be more efficient, and help that many more people, by being better drugs.

Matt Baum:So I own Company X, and theoretically, were working on a drug for Crohns disease. Very painful, and CBD or cannabinoids, have been shown to help a lot. I can come to your company and say, How do we build this? Whats the best way to build it? Whats the best way to deliver it, and to target Crohns disease? And that is what you work on.

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Canadian Hemp & Cutting Edge CBD Research, With Ascension Sciences - Ministry of Hemp

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