Category Archives: Life Extension

It hasbeen nearlysix months since poison hemlock found prominence in the national news, its toxic juices ready then to wreak havoc on anything that touchedit.

The plant is still hazardous to mammals, but it's a lot smaller this time of year, according to Jason Hartschuh, Ohio State UniversityExtension agent for Crawford County.

That's why early winteris the best time to search for patches of tiny poison hemlock in fields and along the edge of trees, streams, lakes and roads.

"The nice thing about now is the grasses have gone dormant and are matted down so you can see them," Hartschuh said.

Poison hemlock is abiennial, meaning it takes two years to complete its biological lifecycle. The plant is hard to identify during its first year.All parts of the plant are toxic to humans and animals.

The giant plants that grew as tall as 10 feetover the summer were 2 years old, and have all died, permanently.

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The infant plants that just made it through their first year of life are in what's known as a rosette stage, and that's the plant that homeowners and land managers should seek out and eliminate before spring.

"The rosettes we see this year will become the bigger plants we see next year," Hartschuh said. "In year two it bolts and grows into a 5- or 6-foot-tall plant."

The rosettes will be about 8 inches tall this time of year.The plant is in the carrot family, as is Queen Anne's Lace, and their similarities can make them hard to differentiate.

The leaves of poison hemlock are similar to ferns, with leaflets divided into narrow sections.

Since the hazardous plant is a biennial, the rosettes that soon will celebratetheir first birthday are still alive. They act like a perennial during their first winter, and more like an annual going into their second.

"They shouldn't be affected that much by frost," Hartschuh said.

Poison hemlock is not even fully dormant over winter the rosettes on warm days are still gathering energy stores and sending them deep underground into their taproot system.

"In the spring when it bolts, it pulls all the energy out of that root system and puts it up into the plant," Hartschuh said.

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That head start tothe growing season is what allows it to quickly tower above its competitors early in the spring.

"It's almost like they go from nonexistent to 5-feet-tall overnight," Hartschuh said. "It's not that fast, but it sure seems like it."

That growth spurt takes place sometime in early April. Once it begins, the poison hemlock'stoxic sap is aplenty, ready to burn the skin of any person or animal who tries to cut back the plant.

The extension agent's recommendation is to deal with the dangerous plant while it is still a rosette.

"Sometime between now and March is the ideal time to spray it," Hartschuh said. "

Nearly every type of broadleaf weed killer will eliminate poison hemlock. Since the plant is never fully dormant, that application can be done now while the plants are easy to find and access.

"You can do it on warmer days in the winterif it's about 50 and above freezing that night," Hartschuh said. "It might take a week or two to kill them off. Things move a little slower in the winter."

FAIRGROUNDS CONSTRUCTION: At Crawford County Fairgrounds, preparations begin for construction of two new buildings

Another eradication option would be to mark the plant, then return multiple times over winter and early spring to chop off the stem, either at the surface or deep under ground.

The plant's roots also could be dug upif the soil isn't frozen. Just remember, the plant is very toxic to humans.

"If you want to pull it out by hand, you should wear gloves," Hartschuh said. "If you went from pulling it with your hands to touching your eyes or eating a sandwich and your hand had some juices on it, you could probably have a reaction."

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As cool weather stunts grass, brush growth, hemlock is easier to find and kill - Bucyrus Telegraph Forum

Additional in vitro studies to determine neutralization activity of ADG20 against Omicron are ongoing

ADG20 EUA submissions planned for prevention and treatment of COVID-19 in mid-2022

Inventory build continues in anticipation of EUA in second half of 2022, with 4 million doses available for distribution over the next two years

WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 29, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Adagio Therapeutics, Inc., (Nasdaq: ADGI) a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of antibody-based solutions for infectious diseases with pandemic potential, today provided information related to the potential of its lead SARS-CoV-2 antibody, ADG20, to address the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant, and other known variants of concern. ADG20 is an investigational monoclonal antibody (mAb) product candidate designed to provide broad and potent neutralizing activity against SARS-CoV-2, including variants of concern, for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 with potential duration of protection for up to one year in a single injection.

The continued global scale of the COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased levels of immune pressure on the virus, which is driving the emergence of variants containing mutations associated with escape from common classes of neutralizing antibodies induced by natural infection or vaccination. Unlike most antibodies currently available under EUA, ADG20 has been shown to target an epitope that is highly conserved among clade I sarbecoviruses and that is not readily targeted by the endogenous neutralizing antibody response, said Laura Walker, Ph.D., co-founder and chief scientific officer of Adagio. Due to the highly conserved and immunorecessive nature of the epitope recognized by ADG20, we expect that ADG20 will retain activity against Omicron, as we have observed in in vitro models with all other variants of concern identified previously. Further, none of the mutations present in the spike protein of the Omicron variant have been associated with escape from ADG20 neutralization. ADG20 was engineered for potent and broadly neutralizing activity in anticipation of both the rapid antigenic evolution of SARS-CoV-2 and the emergence of future SARS-like viruses with pandemic potential.

ADG20 was uniquely designed to combine breadth, potency and duration of protection against SARS-CoV-2 for up to one year in a single injection. We did this anticipating that SARS-CoV-2 would continue to evolve and potentially render some early therapies and vaccines obsolete, said Tillman Gerngross, Ph.D., co-founder and chief executive officer of Adagio. Our global clinical trials are advancing with potential EUA submissions in mid-2022 for both prevention and treatment of COVID-19. We continue to engage with the FDA and other regulatory bodies and governmental agencies to discuss potential acceleration of development plans and the need for a portfolio of therapeutic solutions to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the significant potential health crisis resulting from the emergence of Omicron, Adagio is undertaking a number of activities to support ADG20s utility in addressing this newly emerged variant of concern, including:

Based on the data being generated, Adagio plans to engage with health authorities and government agencies to accelerate development and supply of ADG20 to combat SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern.

ADG20 and Variants of ConcernThe neutralizing antibody response induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination is dominated by three classes of receptor binding domain (RBD)-directed antibodies (Class 1, Class 2 and Class 3), which often share common escape mutations. The newly emerged Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant identified in South Africa contains mutations associated with resistance to a large proportion of these commonly elicited antibodies, which may be due to immune pressure on these antigenic sites. Data for most antibodies available under EUA or in late-stage clinical development show they target one of these three dominant antigenic regions within the RBD.

In vitro studies have shown that ADG20 binds to a highly conserved epitope within the RBD that is not targeted by any of the common classes of neutralizing antibodies induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. Thus, unlike many other clinical-stage antibodies, which were isolated from COVID-19 patients and recognize epitopes that are also targeted by endogenous neutralizing antibodies, there is limited immune pressure on the ADG20 binding site. The ADG20 epitope has remained conserved in 99.99% of the nearly 4 million full length SARS-CoV-2 viral sequences deposited in the GISAID database as of October 15, 2021, and, as shown in in vitro studies, ADG20 retains activity against prior variants of concern including Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma. For the Omicron variant, none of the mutations present in the spike protein are associated with escape from ADG20 neutralization. Based on published epitope mapping and structural studies, Adagio anticipates that ADG20 will retain neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant whereas other mAb products may lose substantial activity against this variant.

Previously disclosed in vitro data demonstrated retained neutralizing activity of ADG20 against a diverse panel of circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the recently emerged Lambda, Mu and Delta plus variants. Notably, findings from these in vitro studies showed that ADG20 demonstrated potent neutralizing activity against all SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern tested, including those with reduced susceptibility to mAb products currently available under EUA or in late-stage development.

About ADG20ADG20, an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and related coronaviruses, is advancing through global clinical trials for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19, the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. ADG20 was designed and engineered to possess high potency and broad neutralization activity against SARS-CoV-2 and additional clade 1 sarbecoviruses by targeting a highly conserved epitope in the receptor binding domain. ADG20 was further engineered to provide an extended half-life for durable protection. ADG20 has demonstrated potent neutralizing activity against the original SARS-CoV-2 virus, SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Gamma, other SARS-CoV-2 variants to date, and additional SARS-like viruses in preclinical studies. ADG20 is administered in clinical trials by a single intramuscular injection. To date, ADG20 has been well-tolerated in a Phase 1 trial with no safety signals identified through a minimum of three months follow-up across all cohorts. ADG20 has not been approved for use in any country, and safety and efficacy have not yet been established.

About Adagio TherapeuticsAdagio (Nasdaq: ADGI) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of antibody-based solutions for infectious diseases with pandemic potential, including COVID-19 and influenza. The companys portfolio of antibodies has been optimized using Adimabs industry-leading antibody engineering capabilities and is designed to provide patients and clinicians with the potential for a powerful combination of potency, breadth, durable protection (via half-life extension), manufacturability and affordability. Adagios portfolio of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies includes multiple non-competing, broadly neutralizing antibodies with distinct binding epitopes, led by ADG20. Adagio has secured manufacturing capacity for the production of ADG20 with third-party contract manufacturers to support the completion of clinical trials and initial commercial launch, ensuring the potential for broad accessibility to people around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.adagiotx.com.

Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as anticipates, believes, expects, intends, projects, and future or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning, among other things, the timing, progress and results of our preclinical studies and clinical trials of ADG20, including the timing of our planned EUA submissions, initiation, modification and completion of studies or trials and related preparatory work, the period during which the results of the trials will become available and our research and development programs; the expected neutralizing activity of ADG20 against the Omicron variant; our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for, our product candidates; our ability to identify patients, including in specific populations, with the diseases treated by our product candidates and to enroll these patients in our clinical trials; our expectations regarding the scope of any approved indication for ADG20; and the risk/benefit profile of our product candidates to patients; our manufacturing capabilities and strategy, including plans for doses available in the near future; and our ability to successfully commercialize our product candidates. We may not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in our forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, clinical trials and financial position, unexpected safety or efficacy data observed during preclinical studies or clinical trials, clinical trial site activation or enrollment rates that are lower than expected, changes in expected or existing competition, changes in the regulatory environment, and the uncertainties and timing of the regulatory approval process. Other factors that may cause our actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements in this press release are described under the heading Risk Factors in Adagios Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021 and in Adagios future reports to be filed with theSEC, including Adagios Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2021. Such risks may be amplified by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of this date, and Adagio undertakes no duty to update such information except as required under applicable law.

Contacts: Media Contact:Dan Budwick, 1ABDan@1abmedia.com

Investor Contact:Monique Allaire, THRUST Strategic Communicationsmonique@thrustsc.com

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Adagio Therapeutics Reports That None of the Mutations Present in SARS-CoV-2 Variant, Omicron, Are Associated with Escape from ADG20 Neutralization In...

HOUSTON, Nov. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott International and SBM Offshore have established a special purpose company to perform Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) for a FloatingProduction, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel under contracts for the Yellowtail development project.

Through the special purpose company, McDermott and SBM Offshore will design and construct the FPSO project, which will follow the FEED and is subject to government approvals in Guyana of the development plan, project sanction including final investment decision by ExxonMobil and Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited's (EEPGL) release of the second phase of work.

The FPSO will be the fourth to be deployed in Guyana and will be designed to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 300,000 barrels per day. The FPSO will be spread moored in water depth of about 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) and will be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil.

"McDermott brings unrivaled project execution, integrated engineering and modularization and industry leadership to this important project," said Samik Mukherjee, McDermott Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

"We will leverage our worldwide engineering centers and access the modularization design and fabrication expertise of our Qingdao McDermott Wuchuan (QMW) fabrication yard in China. Thisand our shared vision with SBM Offshore for integrated solutions, optimized efficiency and delivery assurancewill enable success," said Tareq Kawash, McDermott Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa.

McDermott and SBM Offshore will provide project management, basic design, procurement, engineering, integration and commissioning services. SBM Offshore will manage the transport and installation and then lease the FPSO and operate it for a period of up to two years.

About McDermott

McDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott's innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructureempowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott's locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world. To learn more, visit http://www.mcdermott.com.

About SBM

The Company's main activities are the design, supply, installation, operation and the life extension of floating production solutions for the offshore energy industry over the full lifecycle. The Company is market leading in leased floating production systems, with multiple units currently in operation. As of December 31, 2020, the Company employs approximately 4,570 people worldwide spread over offices in our key markets, operational shore bases and the offshore fleet of vessels. SBM Offshore N.V. is a listed holding company headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For further information, please visit the website http://www.sbmoffshore.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

McDermott cautions that statements in this communication which are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the expected scope and execution of the project discussed in this press release. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are made by using various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies and uncertainties, including, among others: adverse changes in the markets in which we operate or credit or capital markets; our inability to successfully execute on contracts in backlog; changes in project design or schedules; the availability of qualified personnel; changes in the terms, scope or timing of contracts, contract cancellations, change orders and other modifications and actions by our customers and other business counterparties; changes in industry norms; actions by lenders, other creditors, customer and other business counterparties of McDermott and adverse outcomes in legal or other dispute resolution proceedings. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This communication reflects the views of McDermott's management as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, McDermott undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Contacts:

Global Media Relations

Reba Reid

Senior Director, Global Communications and Marketing

+1 281 588 5636

RReid@McDermott.com

Local Media Relations

Barbara Knight

Senior Director, Area Communications and Marketing

+971 56 403 2903

BBKnight@McDermott.com

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McDermott and SBM Offshore to Deliver Fourth FPSO in Guyana - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has urged the Centre to consider extending additional allocation of rice at least for the next eight months under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY) for its free distribution.

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he pointed out that vulnerable sections of population required free foodgrains as the impact of COVID-19 was yet to fully fade away.

Mr. Patnaik thanked Mr. Modi for providing seven months rice free of cost under PMGKAY for distribution to National Food Security Act (NFSA) beneficiaries in the State from May 2021 to November 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Provision of foodgrains free of cost to people at this critical juncture ensured that not a single needy and vulnerable person was deprived of foodgrains during the pandemic, he said in the letter circulated on November 21.

Odisha has prioritised distribution of seven months quota of PMGKAY-III foodgrains to the NFSA beneficiaries and completed it by November 5, 2021. Similar facility was also extended to all the beneficiaries of the State covered under its own food security scheme, Mr. Patnaik said.

Stating that the effect of COVID-19 had not waned yet completely despite a fast-paced vaccination drive undertaken across the State as cases of new infection continued to surface, the Odisha CM said, other economic activities are yet to reach the pre-pandemic level as a result of which people still struggle to lead a normal life with sustainable means of livelihood.

Under the prevailing situations, it is felt highly necessary that the Government must provide relief to the vulnerable during these critical hours. A serious cause of concern in this ongoing pandemic scenario is the challenge of food security to the needy and vulnerable, he asserted.

Mr. Patnaik said adequate foodgrains were available at present with the Government. He requested the Prime Minister to consider extension of additional allocation of rice at least for the next eight months under PMGKAY for distribution among the beneficiaries under NFSA till the pandemic situation improved and complete normalcy was restored in the State.

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COVID-19: Odisha CM seeks extension of free rice distribution by another eight months - The Hindu

HOUSTON, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --RESA Power, LLC, a market leader in power systems electrical testing, transformer services and life extension solutions for power distribution equipment, has announced the acquisition of Priority 1 Power Services, LLC.

Based in Phoenix, AZ, Priority 1 Power Services (P1PS) has been providing electrical testing services in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area and throughout Arizona since 1993. P1PS specializes in offering electrical testing services and maintenance, troubleshooting and start-up services for Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS) and Generator Parallel Switchgear.

Mark Angus, Chief Growth Officer at RESA Power, commented on the acquisition, "We have held ambitions to expand into the Greater Phoenix area and Arizona in general for a long time, and we are delighted to team up with Glade, Brandon and the rest of the Priority 1 team. This partnership gives RESA the ideal springboard from which to grow aggressively in the fast-growing Arizona market and provides us with the perfect location to better service our customers throughout the Southwest region."

Co-owners Glade Swenson, and Brandon Carrasco, view the new partnership with RESA Power as a critical step to position Priority 1 for accelerated growth. "I'm very proud of what we've achieved at Priority 1 over almost three decades and now the time is right to team up with a partner that has the resources to help take us to the next level," said Glade Swenson, Co-owner, and original Founder. Brandon Carrasco, who will assume the role of General Manager, added "We are fortunate to have earned the trust of a very loyal customer base and we are excited to be able to offer them the expanded range of resources, services and products that RESA brings."

About RESA Power, LLC

RESA Power, a portfolio company of Blue Sea Capital, is a market leader in power systems services and life extension solutions for power distribution equipment used in mission critical environments. With locations across the United States and Canada, RESA Power is uniquely capable of ensuring our customers' critical power systems are safe, reliable, and operating at peak efficiency. The technicians and engineers at RESA are experts in testing and servicing transformers, relays, breakers and other key components of power distribution and control systems. RESA also provides quick turn-around custom manufactured or retrofit switchgear & breaker solutions and maintains an extensive inventory of obsolete and hard-to-find components. For more information about how to join the RESA Power group, visit https://www.resapower.com

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Minnesotans are used to life in subzero temperatures, but what about death?

Reader Sharon Carlson wanted to know if Minnesota is home to any cryonics facilities, where bodies are kept frozen until theoretical future technology is able to reanimate them. She posed the question to Curious Minnesota, the Star Tribune's reader-powered reporting project.

"I'm just kind of having a hard time with the idea of dying," said the 62-year-old Andover resident. "I'm not philosophical I'm kind of pissed off about it."

There are actually only two cryonics facilities in the nation, in Arizona and Michigan. But a number of Minnesotans have made plans to be frozen, and a passionate group of cryonics enthusiasts is trying to ease the transition from life to long-term storage.

Minnesota Cryonics Rapid Response counts about two dozen members. Most if not all have signed up to spend their postmortem days in large freezers at either the Cryonics Institute (CI) in Clinton Township, Mich., or the Alcor Life Extension Foundation in Scottsdale, Ariz.

When a member dies, time is of the essence.

Other Rapid Response members must stabilize the body as quickly as possible, usually by packing it in ice. The body must be kept cold until it can be shipped to CI or Alcor, where it will be "vitrified" at about 320 degrees below zero Fahrenheit in a vacuum-sealed tube of liquid nitrogen. The response team may administer anti-coagulants to keep the blood from thickening after death.

"Our biggest expense last year was about $150 for ice," said Chris Petersen of Minneapolis, a board member of the rapid response group. "Knowing where your closest 24-hour gas station with an ice freezer has turned out to be a big role."

'Freeze Hank'

Last year, the group launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help get one of their members, Hank, to the Michigan facility after his death. The "Freeze Hank" campaign didn't raise much only about $2,300. But when Hank died earlier this year, members successfully preserved his body and got it to Michigan.

The primary goal of the fundraiser was to raise money for long-term needs such as an emergency vehicle and monitors that could alert the group when a member's vital functions are failing. They also hope to develop educational materials for paramedics, funeral homes and hospitals, to teach them how to process the body of someone who wants cryonic preservation.

Freezing and reanimation is a frequent theme of Hollywood, playing a prominent role in movies like "Captain America," "Demolition Man" and "Austin Powers."In fact, many of the members of the Rapid Response group were first drawn to cryonics through sci-fi.

"I've always liked the harder part of sci-fi, where the science is plausible," Petersen said. He admits that when he first heard about cryonics, "I thought it sounded kind of quacky."

But Petersen and others maintain that what seems out of the realm of possibility today may be routine in the future. Nobody thought humans could fly; then the Wright brothers did it. A century ago, nobody would have believed a heart transplant was possible, yet today they're not even newsworthy.

Advances in cellular and molecular science are opening doors to medical advances that would have been unheard of even a decade ago, said Dennis Kowalski, president of CI. Scientists routinely freeze and thaw human eggs, sperm, embryos and tissue samples with no ill effects. Who's to say a whole body couldn't be frozen and thawed successfully?

"I don't believe we're at the zenith of human technological knowledge," Kowalski said. "We're going to be smarter in the future than we are today."

Health care of the future

CI has about 200 bodies in vitrification right now, Kowalski said, along with about 200 pets. Walt Disney is not among them, despite rumors that the famed animator had his head frozen after death a rumor Kowalski said is false.

But there is at least one famous person at his facility, Kowalski said, although he can't reveal who it is.

CI, which is a nonprofit organization, requires a donation of $28,000 to be stored at the facility indefinitely, Kowalski said. Many members donate more, with the money often coming from life insurance policies. The institute invests the donations in mutual funds, which are expected to provide money to keep the facility operating into the future.

Of course, if you're frozen after dying of cancer, you will still have a cancer-ridden body when you wake up.

"The issue is when you wake up, they have to fix what killed you," said Gene Shaver of St. Louis Park, another rapid response team member. But that's where members believe science will find a way.

"Let's be very honest here," Petersen said. "This is a long shot that we're doing. But if humanity and civilization is still around 500 or 1,000 years from now, if they have the technology to bring someone back to life, they probably have the technology to do nanotechnology or gene therapy" to treat the cause of death.

And for cryonics advocates, that long shot is better than nothing at all.

As Kowalski put it: "I can be sure that if you don't try, you're going to be worm dirt."

If you'd like to submit a Curious Minnesota question, fill out the form below:

Read more Curious Minnesota stories:

How many people live their entire life in Minnesota?

How did early settlers survive their first Minnesota winters?

What's the truth behind Minnesota's Kensington Runestone?

Who is the oldest living Minnesotan and what is their story?

Are Minnesota's health care costs really the highest in the nation?

Where does Twin Cities electricity come from and how is it delivered to homes?

Correction: Previous versions of this article misspelled Chris Petersens name.

John Reinan is a news reporter covering Greater Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. For the Star Tribune, he's also covered the western Twin Cities suburbs, as well as marketing, advertising and consumer news. He's been a reporter for more than 20 years and also did a stint at a marketing agency.

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Frozen for the future: Does Minnesota have any cryonics facilities? - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Thursday, November 18, 2021

The Colville Reservation Extension in Nespelem, Washington is one of two Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program (FRTEP) in the state and is dedicated to ensuring the youth residents of the reservation have the necessary resources to prepare them for their future.

Learn more about a few members and their 4-H projects:

Amaya, Roland, Adonis, and Collise This group of cousins all contribute to the family tradition of raising livestock cattle, sheep, and horses. They also actively participate in the annual family cattle branding. These Kewa Hillbillies 4-H club members perform daily chores around the ranch, and train and ride their horses. They are also active in gardening, shooting sports, and fishing.

Inorah is a member of Keller Valley Highriders 4-H club. This is her third year in the horsemanship project. She loves riding and spends every moment that she can, working withher horse. She is alsoactive in shooting sports, creative arts, and foods preservation projects.

Stockton is a third-year member of Keller Valley Highriders 4-H club. His main projects are rabbits and poultry, but he also participates in shooting sports and creative arts. Along with raising poultry, Stockton also gathers and sells the eggs. This helps him to learn about financial responsibility and allows him to save money for future projects and education.Eli and Connor are members of the Keller Valley Highriders 4-H club. They stay busy year-round on the family ranch where they raise sheep, goats, and cattle. They experience all aspects of ranching life, from daily feeding and care, helping with new-born lambs, and grooming and training their 4-H projects.To learn more about the Colville Reservation visit here.

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Native American Heritage Month Spotlight: Colville Reservation 4-H Extension | National Institute of Food and Agriculture - National Institute of Food...

HOUSTON, Nov. 18, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- McDermott International and SBM Offshore have established a special purpose company to perform Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) for a Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel under contracts for the Yellowtail development project.

Through the special purpose company, McDermott and SBM Offshore will design and construct the FPSO project, which will follow the FEED and is subject to government approvals in Guyana of the development plan, project sanction including final investment decision by ExxonMobil and Esso Exploration and Production Guyana Limited's (EEPGL) release of the second phase of work.

The FPSO will be the fourth to be deployed in Guyana and will be designed to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day, will have associated gas treatment capacity of 450 million cubic feet per day and water injection capacity of 300,000 barrels per day. The FPSO will be spread moored in water depth of about 5,900 feet (1,800 meters) and will be able to store around two million barrels of crude oil.

"McDermott brings unrivaled project execution, integrated engineering and modularization and industry leadership to this important project," said Samik Mukherjee, McDermott Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

"We will leverage our worldwide engineering centers and access the modularization design and fabrication expertise of our Qingdao McDermott Wuchuan (QMW) fabrication yard in China. Thisand our shared vision with SBM Offshore for integrated solutions, optimized efficiency and delivery assurancewill enable success," said Tareq Kawash, McDermott Senior Vice President, Europe, Middle East, Africa.

McDermott and SBM Offshore will provide project management, basic design, procurement, engineering, integration and commissioning services. SBM Offshore will manage the transport and installation and then lease the FPSO and operate it for a period of up to two years.

Story continues

About McDermottMcDermott is a premier, fully-integrated provider of engineering and construction solutions to the energy industry. Our customers trust our technology-driven approach engineered to responsibly harness and transform global energy resources into the products the world needs. From concept to commissioning, McDermott's innovative expertise and capabilities advance the next generation of global energy infrastructureempowering a brighter, more sustainable future for us all. Operating in over 54 countries, McDermott's locally-focused and globally-integrated resources include more than 30,000 employees, a diversified fleet of specialty marine construction vessels and fabrication facilities around the world. To learn more, visit http://www.mcdermott.com.

About SBMThe Company's main activities are the design, supply, installation, operation and the life extension of floating production solutions for the offshore energy industry over the full lifecycle. The Company is market leading in leased floating production systems, with multiple units currently in operation. As of December 31, 2020, the Company employs approximately 4,570 people worldwide spread over offices in our key markets, operational shore bases and the offshore fleet of vessels. SBM Offshore N.V. is a listed holding company headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For further information, please visit the website http://www.sbmoffshore.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsMcDermott cautions that statements in this communication which are forward-looking, and provide other than historical information, involve risks, contingencies and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements about the expected scope and execution of the project discussed in this press release. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in those forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that those expectations will prove to have been correct. Those statements are made by using various underlying assumptions and are subject to numerous risks, contingencies and uncertainties, including, among others: adverse changes in the markets in which we operate or credit or capital markets; our inability to successfully execute on contracts in backlog; changes in project design or schedules; the availability of qualified personnel; changes in the terms, scope or timing of contracts, contract cancellations, change orders and other modifications and actions by our customers and other business counterparties; changes in industry norms; actions by lenders, other creditors, customer and other business counterparties of McDermott and adverse outcomes in legal or other dispute resolution proceedings. If one or more of these risks materialize, or if underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those expected. You should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. This communication reflects the views of McDermott's management as of the date hereof. Except to the extent required by applicable law, McDermott undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.

Contacts:

Global Media RelationsReba ReidSenior Director, Global Communications and Marketing+1 281 588 5636RReid@McDermott.com

Local Media RelationsBarbara Knight Senior Director, Area Communications and Marketing+971 56 403 2903BBKnight@McDermott.com

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McDermott and SBM Offshore to Deliver Fourth FPSO in Guyana - Yahoo Finance

HOUSTON, Nov. 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --RESA Power, LLC, a market leader in power systems electrical testing, transformer services and life extension solutions for power distribution equipment, has announced the acquisition of Priority 1 Power Services, LLC.

Based in Phoenix, AZ, Priority 1 Power Services (P1PS) has been providing electrical testing services in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area and throughout Arizona since 1993. P1PS specializes in offering electrical testing services and maintenance, troubleshooting and start-up services for Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS) and Generator Parallel Switchgear.

Mark Angus, Chief Growth Officer at RESA Power, commented on the acquisition, "We have held ambitions to expand into the Greater Phoenix area and Arizona in general for a long time, and we are delighted to team up with Glade, Brandon and the rest of the Priority 1 team. This partnership gives RESA the ideal springboard from which to grow aggressively in the fast-growing Arizona market and provides us with the perfect location to better service our customers throughout the Southwest region."

Co-owners Glade Swenson, and Brandon Carrasco, view the new partnership with RESA Power as a critical step to position Priority 1 for accelerated growth. "I'm very proud of what we've achieved at Priority 1 over almost three decades and now the time is right to team up with a partner that has the resources to help take us to the next level," said Glade Swenson, Co-owner, and original Founder. Brandon Carrasco, who will assume the role of General Manager, added "We are fortunate to have earned the trust of a very loyal customer base and we are excited to be able to offer them the expanded range of resources, services and products that RESA brings."

About RESA Power, LLC

RESA Power, a portfolio company of Blue Sea Capital, is a market leader in power systems services and life extension solutions for power distribution equipment used in mission critical environments. With locations across the United States and Canada, RESA Power is uniquely capable of ensuring our customers' critical power systems are safe, reliable, and operating at peak efficiency. The technicians and engineers at RESA are experts in testing and servicing transformers, relays, breakers and other key components of power distribution and control systems. RESA also provides quick turn-around custom manufactured or retrofit switchgear & breaker solutions and maintains an extensive inventory of obsolete and hard-to-find components. For more information about how to join the RESA Power group, visit https://www.resapower.comhttp://blueseacapital.com/

Media contact:Julia BaranavaMarketing Manager832-900-8343[emailprotected]

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RESA Power Expands Operations into the Valley of the Sun - PRNewswire

DetailsCategory: AntibodiesPublished on Friday, 19 November 2021 07:46Hits: 289

Six-months follow-up of prevention trial showed 83% reduced risk of symptomatic COVID-19, with no severe disease or deaths with AZD7442

Separate treatment trial showed 88% reduced risk of severe COVID-19 or death when treated within three days of symptom onset

LONDON, UK I November 18, 2021 I New data from the AZD7442 COVID-19 PROVENT prevention and TACKLE outpatient treatment Phase III trials both showed robust efficacy from a one-time intramuscular (IM) dose of the long-acting antibody (LAAB) combination.

In an analysis of the ongoing PROVENT trial evaluating a median six months of participant follow-up, one 300mg IM dose of AZD7442 reduced the risk of developing symptomatic COVID-19 compared to placebo by 83%.

About 2% of theglobalpopulation is considered at increased risk of an inadequate response to a COVID-19 vaccine.1 This includes people with blood cancers or other cancers being treated with chemotherapy, patients on dialysis, those taking medications after an organ transplant or who are taking immunosuppressive drugs for conditions including multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis.2-6

The AZD7442 PROVENT trial is the first Phase III trial prospectively designed to evaluate a monoclonal antibody for pre-exposure prophylaxis of symptomatic COVID-19, with targeted inclusion of high-risk and immunocompromised participants. More than 75% of PROVENT participants at baseline had co-morbidities that put them at high risk for severe COVID-19 if they were to become infected, including people who are immunocompromised and may have a reduced immune response to vaccination.

There were no cases of severe COVID-19 or COVID-19-related deaths in those treated with AZD7442 at either the primary or six-month analyses. In the placebo arm, there were two additional cases of severe COVID-19 at the six-month assessment, for a total of five cases of severe COVID-19 and two COVID-related deaths.

An exploratory analysis of the TACKLE outpatient treatment trial, in patients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19, showed that one 600mg IM dose of AZD7442 reduced the risk of developing severe COVID-19 or death (from any cause) by 88% compared to placebo in patients who had been symptomatic for three days or less at the time of treatment.

A total of 90% of participants enrolled in TACKLE were from populations at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19 if they became infected, including those with co-morbidities.

In both PROVENT and TACKLE, AZD7442 was generally well tolerated. No new safety issues were identified in the six-month analysis of PROVENT.

Hugh Montgomery, Professor of Intensive Care Medicine at University College London, UK and AZD7442 principal investigator, said: These compelling results give me confidence that this long-acting antibody combination can provide my vulnerable patients with the long-lasting protection they urgently need to finally return to their everyday lives. Importantly, six months of protection was maintained despite the surge of the Delta variant among these high-risk participants who may not respond adequately to vaccination.

Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, said: AZD7442 is the only long-acting antibody with Phase III data to demonstrate benefit in both pre-exposure prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19 with one dose. These new data add to the growing body of evidence supporting AZD7442s potential to make a significant difference in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. We are progressing regulatory filings around the world and look forward to providing an important new option against SARS-CoV-2 as quickly as possible.

Full results from PROVENT and TACKLE will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed medical journal and presented at a forthcoming medical meeting.

On 5 October 2021, the Companyannouncedthat it had submitted a request to the US Food and Drug Administration for Emergency Use Authorisation for AZD7442 for prophylaxis of COVID-19.

AstraZeneca has agreed to supply the US Government with 700,000 doses of AZD7442 if granted an Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA, and has agreements to supply to other countries.

Notes

PROVENTPROVENT is a Phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre trial assessing the safety and efficacy of a single IM 300mg dose of AZD7442 compared to placebo for the prevention of COVID-19 in participants who did not have who did not have SARS-CoV-2 infection at baseline. The trial was conducted in 87 sites in the US, UK, Spain, France and Belgium. 5,197 participants were randomised in a 2:1 ratio to receive a single IM dose of either 300mg of AZD7442 (n = 3,460) or saline placebo (n = 1,737), administered in two separate, sequential IM injections.

The primary analysis reported on 20 August 2021 was based on 5,172 participants, with data cut-off 9 May 2021. The primary efficacy endpoint was the first case of any SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR positive symptomatic illness occurring post dose prior to day 183.The six-month assessment was based on 4,991 participants, with data cut-off of 29 August 2021. Subjects will continue to be followed for 15 months. Participants who chose to leave the PROVENT trial at any point to get vaccinated were excluded from the primary and six-month efficacy analyses.

Participants were adults 18 years-old and over who would benefit from prevention with the LAAB, defined as having increased risk for inadequate response to active immunisation (predicted poor responders to vaccines or intolerant of vaccine) or having increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, including those whose locations or circumstances put them at appreciable risk of exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Participants at the time of screening were unvaccinated and had a negative point-of-care SARS-CoV-2 serology test.

Approximately 43% of participants were 60 years and over. In addition, more than 75% had baseline co-morbidities and other characteristics that are associated with an increased risk for severe COVID-19 should they become infected, including those with immunosuppressive disease or taking immunosuppressive medications, diabetes, severe obesity or cardiac disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, chronic kidney and chronic liver disease.

AstraZeneca is progressing with filings around the globe for potential emergency use authorisation or conditional approval of AZD7442 in both prophylaxis and treatment.

TACKLETACKLE is a Phase III, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-centre trial assessing the safety and efficacy of a single 600mg IM dose of AZD7442 compared to placebo for the outpatient treatment of COVID-19. 903 participants were randomised (1:1) to receive either AZD7442 (n = 452) or saline placebo (n = 451), administered in two separate, sequential IM injections. The primary analysis was reported on 11 October 2021.

Participants were adults 18 years-old and over who were non-hospitalised with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 and symptomatic for seven days or less. Participants had a documented laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, as determined by a molecular test (antigen or nucleic acid) from any respiratory tract specimen (e.g. oropharyngeal, nasopharyngeal, or nasal swab or saliva) collected no more than three days prior to day one.

The primary efficacy endpoint was the composite of either severe COVID-19 or death from any cause through day 29. Subjects will continue to be followed for 15 months.

Approximately 13% of participants were 65 years and over. In addition, 90% had baseline co-morbidities and other characteristics that put them at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19, including cancer, diabetes, obesity, chronic lung disease or asthma, cardiovascular disease or immunosuppression.

AZD7442AZD7442 is a combination of two LAABs - tixagevimab (AZD8895) and cilgavimab (AZD1061) - derived from B-cells donated by convalescent patients after SARS-CoV-2 virus. Discovered by Vanderbilt University Medical Center andlicensed to AstraZeneca in June 2020, the human monoclonal antibodies bind to distinct sites on the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein7and were optimised by AstraZeneca with half-life extension and reduced Fc receptor and complement C1q binding. The half-life extension more than triples the durability of its action compared to conventional antibodies and could afford up to 12 months of protection from COVID-19 following a single administration8-10; data from the Phase III PROVENT trial show protection lasting at least six months, with the Phase I trial showing high neutralising antibody titres for at least nine months.11The reduced Fc receptor binding aims to minimise the risk of antibody-dependent enhancement of disease - a phenomenon in which virus-specific antibodies promote, rather than inhibit, infection and/or disease.12

AZD7442 is also being studied as a potential treatment for hospitalised COVID-19 patients as part of the National Institute of HealthsACTIV-3 trialand in an additional collaborator hospitalisation treatment trial.

AZD7442 is being developed with support from the US Government, including federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services; Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority in partnership with the Department of Defense; Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense, under Contract No. W911QY-21-9-0001.

In preclinical experiments, data show the LAABs were able to block the binding of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to host cells and protect against infection in cell and animal models of disease.13Additionalin vitrofindings demonstrate AZD7442 neutralises recent emergent SARS-CoV-2 viral variants, including the Delta and Mu variants.14

Under the terms of the licensing agreement with Vanderbilt, AstraZeneca will pay single-digit royalties on future net sales.

AstraZenecaAstraZeneca (LSE/STO/Nasdaq: AZN) is a global, science-led biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialisation of prescription medicines in Oncology, Rare Diseases, and BioPharmaceuticals, including Cardiovascular, Renal & Metabolism, and Respiratory & Immunology. Based in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in over 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. Please visit astrazeneca.com and follow the Company on Twitter @AstraZeneca.

ContactsFor details on how to contact the Investor Relations Team, please clickhere. For Media contacts, clickhere.

References1. Oliver, S MD. Data and clinical considerations for additional doses in immunocompromised people. ACIP Meeting July 22, 2021. Available at:https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-07/07-COVID-Oliver-508.pdf. [Last accessed: November 2021].2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Altered immunocompetence. General best practice guideline for immunization: Best Practices Guidance of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. [Online]. Available at: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/acip-recs/general-recs/immunocompetence.html. [Last accessed: November 2021].3. Boyarsky BJ, et al. Immunogenicity of a single dose of SARS-CoV-2 messenger RNA vaccine in solid organ transplant recipients. JAMA 2021; 325 (17):1784-1786.4. Rabinowich L, et al. Low immunogenicity to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination among liver transplant recipients, Journal of Hepatology (2021), doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.jhep.2021.04.020.5. Deepak P, et al. Glucocorticoids and B cell depleting agents substantially impair immunogenicity of mRNA vaccines to SARS-CoV-2. medRxiv [Preprint]. 2021 Apr 9:2021.04.05.21254656. doi: 10.1101/2021.04.05.21254656. PMID: 33851176; PMCID: PMC8043473.6. Simon D, et al. SARS-CoV-2 vaccination responses in untreated, conventionally treated and anticytokine-treated patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Ann Rheum Dis. 2021 May 6: annrheumdis-2021-220461. doi: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2021-220461. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33958324.7. Dong J, et al. Genetic and structural basis for recognition of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by a two-antibody cocktail. bioRxiv. 2021; doi: 10.1101/2021.01.27.428529.8. Robbie GJ, et al. A novel investigational Fc-modified humanized monoclonal antibody, motavizumab-YTE, has an extended half-life in healthy adults. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2013; 57 (12): 6147-53.9. Griffin MP, et al. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics of MEDI8897, the respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F-targeting monoclonal antibody with an extended half-life, in healthy adults. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2017; 61(3): e01714-16.10. Domachowske JB, et al. Safety, tolerability and pharmacokinetics of MEDI8897, an extended half-life single-dose respiratory syncytial virus prefusion F-targeting monoclonal antibody administered as a single dose to healthy preterm infants. Pediatr Infect Dis J. 2018; 37(9): 886-892.11. Loo Y-M, et al. AZD7442 demonstrates prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy in non-human primates and extended half-life in humans. medRxiv. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; 2021 [preprint] Available from: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2021.08.30.21262666v1.12. van Erp EA, et al. Fc-mediated antibody effector functions during respiratory syncytial virus infection and disease. Front Immunol. 2019; 10: 548.13. Zost SJ, et al.Potently neutralizing and protective human antibodies against SARS-CoV 2.Nature. 2020; 584: 443449.14. ACTIV. National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences OpenData Portal. SARS-CoV-2 Variants & Therapeutics, All Variants Reported in vitro Therapeutic Activity. Available at: https://opendata.ncats.nih.gov/variant/activity [Last accessed: November 2021].

SOURCE: AstraZeneca

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New analyses of two AZD7442 COVID-19 Phase III trials in high-risk populations confirm robust efficacy and long-term prevention | Antibodies | News...