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Physiology

ZLI’s Beached Campaign to Combat Bigotry in Wildlife Conservation – CSRwire.com

NEW YORK, Jun. 02 /CSRwire/ - The Zoological Lighting Institute (ZLI) has announced ZLIs Beached Campaign to overcome the structural and cultural bigotries that hinder animal sciences. Formed as an initiative to provide photobiology grants for researchers and animal keepers studying whales and dolphins, ZLIs Beached Campaign recognizes the challenges that racial, cultural and economic bias pose for viable scientific communication and dialogue. Grant applications for aid are due to ZLI by 1 August 2020, with an online monthly lecture and symposium series set to begin on 9 September, 2020.

Wildlife conservation has not been immune to the challenges of bigotry, no more so than other areas of life. Bias takes root at least three levels across the environmentally necessary sciences of light and life; by influencing the sciences directly and changing the questions researchers ask, in limiting participation of who gets to ask questions, and also by limiting the desire to apply the knowledge of science inclusively.ZLIs Beached Campaignbegan by mobilizing stakeholder offense at anti-asian racism prevalent in media such asWhale WarsandThe Cove, but the challenges that bias and bigotry present for science in general have root in a much wider and deeper history that continues to harm us today.

Structural bias and racism in environmentalism and the sciences has to be confronted it cannot be left to chance or simply ignored as a reflection of our times remarked ZLI Executive Director Dr. James Karl Fischer PhD. ZLI had chosen whales, specifically the deep diving Black Bairds Beaked Whale identified in Japan in 2019, as an icon of an animal capable of creating vision in an incredible range of environmental circumstances. Whales too, are so important to so many people around the globe, identified in histories and cultures sporting figures as diverse as Paikea, Ahab, Bake-kujira, Willie, Pinocchios Monstro and with a sleight of hand, Jonah. This diversity of appreciation and engagement are a vital aspect of civil human life, and it is far different than bias and bigotry which seeks to unify understanding under intractable one-sided violence. Engagement, not division, remains the touchstone of this campaign.

ZLIs Beached Campaign is set to fund research in the form of grants, scholarships and pending additional funding, a potential post-doctoral position within the Institute itself. The Awards Committee will consider projects studying cetaceans of all species, including a distinct PhotoDiversity Award for the encouragement of diversity in science as has been the case in years past. ZLIs PhotoSciences Research funds exploration in photo-physiology, sensory ecology and light based community interactions (integrative photo-biology). Candidates for the initial grant distribution will be selected on 1 August 2020.

ZLI perpetually seeks candidates for ZLIs Beached Campaign lecture series and symposium with letters of inquiry sent to beached@zoolighting.org also due by 1 August for the fall season. ZLIs Beached Campaign also will feature an upcoming documentary Beached, to begin shooting in New Bedford (USA), New Zealand and Japan in conjunction with PhotoDiversity Films, as soon as investments and sponsorships are secured.

For more information about ZLIs Beached Campaign, and to learn how to sponsor or donate to help whales while encouraging diversity and engagement, please do visit << www.zoolighting.org >>. For an immediate response contact ZLI directly at beached@zoolighting.org, and ask to speak with one of ZLIs Beached Campaign Committee Leaders.

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ZLI's Beached Campaign to Combat Bigotry in Wildlife Conservation - CSRwire.com

Physiology

Kenneth Wallace Promoted to Full Professor at Clarkson University – Clarkson University News

Kenneth Wallace

Clarkson University President Tony Collins has announced that Kenneth Wallace has been promoted from associate professor to full professor of biology in the School of Arts & Sciences. Promotion to professor is considered to be virtually the highest honor that a university can bestow upon its faculty.

Wallace's research focuses on the development of the digestive system and effects of nanoparticles exposure. Wallace uses zebrafish, which are an excellent model research organism, with extensive similarities to the genetics and physiology of human organ development with broad implications for human development and disease states.

The intestinal epithelium continuously replaces cells that undergo apoptosis. Cells proliferate in the crypts at the base of the villi to replace lost epithelial cells. While there is intense investigation into the signals controlling proliferation of crypt epithelial cells, little is known about the formation of the developing stem cell niche. Wallace is investigating epithelial cells that play a role in regulation proliferation of the developing stem cell niche using zebrafish as a model system.

Wallace's research also investigates the effects of nanoparticle exposure using the zebrafish model system in collaboration with Chemistry Professor Silvana Andreescu. Developmental defects and physiological changes are assessed following exposure to nanoparticles with different physiochemical properties. Electrochemical sensors developed in Dr. Andreescus lab are used to detect nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species following exposure.

Wallace has published numerous highly cited papers and has delivered presentations at many international conferences. He is currently funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health. He was previously funded by the National Institute if Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases as well as the NSF. He was inducted to the million dollar club in 2019 (Clarkson). Wallace has mentored 12 graduate students and 50 undergraduates in research.

Wallace has been a faculty member in the Department of Biology at Clarkson since 2004. Prior to that he was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Pennsylvania Department of Medicine.

He received his Ph.D. in molecular genetics from Ohio State University and his bachelor of science degree in molecular genetics from the University of Rochester.

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Kenneth Wallace Promoted to Full Professor at Clarkson University - Clarkson University News

Physiology

New interview series examines the future of energy amid COVID-19 | Stanford News – Stanford University News

Stanford Universitys Precourt Institute for Energy will launch a series of live interviews with global thought leaders on the future of energy every other Tuesday starting June 9.

Former U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz will be the Global Energy Dialogues first guest on June 9. (Image credit: Bryce Vickmark)

The first three guests will be Ernest Moniz on June 9, Steven Chu on June 23, and Charles Chad Holliday on July 7. Moniz, an emeritus professor of physics and engineering at MIT, was the 13th U.S. secretary of energy from 2013 to 2017. Chu, a professor of physics and of molecular and cellular physiology at Stanford, was the 12th U.S. secretary of energy from 2009 to 2013. Holliday is chair of the board of directors of Royal Dutch Shell, former chief executive officer of DuPont, as well as former chair of Bank of America Corp. and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

The Global Energy Dialogues will focus on how the energy sector can help the world recover from the economic crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Arun Majumdar and Sally Benson, co-directors of Stanfords Precourt Institute for Energy. Benson and Majumdar will together interview Moniz and conduct many of the subsequent interviews.

While the short-term health and economic challenges of COVID must be addressed immediately, it would be prudent to also tackle mid- to long-term issues that are likely to remain unchanged, said Majumdar. Energys environmental impacts must be reduced with fierce urgency to prevent their adverse impacts on human life and our global economy, not unlike COVID-19. Addressing this dual challenge of energy access and environmental impact is the defining issue of the 21st century.

Many of the guests were scheduled to speak at Stanfords Global Energy Forum in May, but that conference has been postponed due to the pandemic. The new series will be free and open to the public online. Registration is required.

The discussions will address recovering from the pandemic while making our energy systems sustainable, secure and affordable for everyone, said Benson.

There seems to be a growing consensus that COVID-19 is such a shock to the world that we may well be entering a new and, as yet, undefined normal, said Benson. This may offer a rare opportunity to rethink our approach to the dual challenge of making modern energy accessible to everyone while greatly reducing energys environmental impact.

Some of the questions the new series hopes to answer include: How can we recover from such an economic crisis and how long will it take? Since energy use is the foundation of all modern economies, can the energy sector play a role in this recovery process and, if so, how? What will the new normal be, and what steps should we take now to prepare ourselves for this new future? Are there lessons from history from past crises that can inform us now? Will some of the current changes, for example, the increased use of digital technology, become somewhat permanent, and if so, what effect will that have on the energy sector?

The live interviews, which will be webcast usually from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. PST, will also be recorded and posted online for future viewing. The interviews will be conducted by Stanford faculty, staff or a member of Precourt Institutes advisory council. The interviews will also involve a discussion with Stanford students. Viewers can ask questions, but the questions will be filtered and managed by a team before they are put forward to the session moderator.

The Global Energy Dialogues are funded by the Stanford Global Energy Forum.

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New interview series examines the future of energy amid COVID-19 | Stanford News - Stanford University News

Physiology

Thomas Jefferson University-led group creates first 3D map of heart neurons – Optics.org

02Jun2020

New imaging technique Knife-Edge Scanning Microscopy gives insight into neurons' role in heart attacks and other conditions.

As an added layer of control, the heart has its own little brain, called the intracardiac nervous system (ICN), which monitors and corrects any local disturbances in communication. The ICN can even protect cardiac muscle during a heart attack.

How the ICN carries out these roles has not been well understood because the organization and location of neurons was not known. But now, in a study published in iScience, researchers at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, and collaborators have been able to answer these questions in significant detail.

The ICN represents a big void in our understanding that falls between neurology and cardiology, said co-senior author James Schwaber, PhD, director of the Daniel Baugh Institute for Functional Genomics and Computational Biology (DBI) and co-senior author of the study.

The only other organ for which such a detailed high-resolution 3D map exists is the brain, commented co-senior author Raj Vadigepalli, PhD, Professor of Pathology, Cell Biology and Anatomy. What we have created is the first comprehensive roadmap of the hearts nervous system that can be referenced by other researchers for a range of questions about the function, physiology, and connectivity of different neurons in the ICN.

The study drew on technologies and expertise from different research groups (from Jefferson and University of Central Florida) and industry partners Strateos and MBF Bioscience, eventually creating a dual-approach pipeline.

Novel imaging technique

One approach involved a novel imaging technique called Knife-Edge Scanning Microscopy (KSEM) that allowed the researchers to build a precise 3D model of the entire rodent heart; it is the first use of this technology for cardiac research.

The second approach used a technique called laser capture microdissection to sample single neurons for gene expression analysis, as well as to precisely map their individual positions within the 3D structure of the heart.

The 3D map revealed hitherto unknown complexity of the ICN. The researchers found that the neurons that make up the ICN are found in a coherent band of clusters on the base (top) of the heart, where the hearts veins and arteries enter and leave, but also extend down the length of the left atrium on the back of the heart.

The gene expression analysis of individual neurons also pointed to previously unknown diversity of molecular identities or phenotypes. We found that there are several different types of neuromodulators and receptors present, said Dr. Vadigepalli. This means that we dont just have neurons in the heart that shut on and off activity, but also those that can fine-tune ICN activity.

Sex-specific differences

When comparing male and female rat hearts, the researchers also found sex-specific differences in the way neurons were organized. Co-authors Alison Moss, PhD Candidate in Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, and Shaina Robbins, a senior research assistant, are pursuing further analyses based on these findings.

It could help us explain some of the differences in heart disease in men and women, says Moss. Were now trying to create a 3D model of the intrinsic nervous system of the pig heart, which is even more anatomically comparable to the human heart, to explore those questions further.

This project is part of a NIH research program called Stimulating Peripheral Activity to Relieve Conditions, or SPARC, which aims to promote development of therapeutic devices that modulate electrical activity in nerves to improve organ function. Eventually the hope is to create a 3D map for the human heart, both in health and disease, concluded Dr. Schwaber. Weve created the foundation for an endless possibility of future studies.

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Thomas Jefferson University-led group creates first 3D map of heart neurons - Optics.org

Immunology

Experts Urge Caution in Interpreting COVID-19 Antibody Tests – Technology Networks

As stay-at-home orders are lifted around the country and public life begins to return, health experts continue to emphasize the importance of testing for COVID-19 to prevent a second and potentially worse wave of infections.

There are two kinds of COVID-19 tests, and both are critical to controlling this pandemic. Molecular diagnostic tests, first developed in January, detect parts of the COVID-19-causing virus on swabs from peoples noses or throats. Such tests can identify people with active infections, even when they have no symptoms. With widespread and rapid diagnostic testing, people with the virus can be identified quickly and isolated, and anyone who came into contact with them quarantined and tested. Such surveillance and isolation measures can prevent a few cases from mushrooming into an outbreak.

Antibody, or serology, tests became available in April. They are performed on a blood sample and detect antibodies produced by the body in response to the virus. A positive test indicates that a person was infected at some time in the past. In a paper published recently in the journal Clinical Chemistry, Neil Anderson, MD, an assistant professor of pathology and immunology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and the assistant medical director of the Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, and Christopher Farnsworth, PhD, an instructor of pathology and immunology at the School of Medicine, emphasized the importance of ensuring that antibody tests are used appropriately. Here, they discuss further how such tests should and should not be used.

Why are antibody tests for COVID-19 important?

Farnsworth: Antibody testing is really helpful in monitoring how widely a virus has spread within a community. Such testing could help determine how many people have recovered from the virus, even if they never had symptoms. For many viruses, once about 70% of the population is immune either because they have had a natural infection or, better yet, received a vaccination infected people are less likely to encounter a susceptible person and give them the virus, so transmission goes down and the epidemic ends. Thats called herd immunity. Now, estimates suggest about 1% to 2% of people in the U.S. have been infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, so we are nowhere close to achieving herd immunity.

If my antibody test is positive, does that mean Ive had COVID-19 and wont get it again?

Anderson: A positive test just means your body has produced antibodies in response to a past infection; it doesnt tell us whether those antibodies will protect you from getting re-infected. The only way wed know for sure is if we followed patients who are antibody-positive for months or years to see whether they get re-infected. Those studies are underway by scientists at other institutions, but there is no answer yet.

Can antibody tests decide who can safely go back to work?

Farnsworth: Many people are anxious to get people back to work, but antibody tests may give some people a false sense of security. The problem is that even a highly accurate antibody test like the one we use in our laboratory has false positives and false negatives. When the true rate of infection in a community is very low, you will have more false positives than true positives, no matter how good the test is. In Missouri, we think that fewer than 1% of the population has been infected. In our research, we estimated that if we screened asymptomatic individuals, only one out of seven positive antibody tests in Missouri would be true positives, even with a highly accurate test. So, the other six people may think theyre protected and let their guard down, and then they could get infected and spread the disease. Widespread antibody testing could do more harm than good if people do not understand the limitations of such testing.

How should antibody tests be used?

Anderson: There have not been formal guidelines at the national or local levels regarding how exactly these tests should be used. And, in the absence of such guidelines, many people are anxious to get antibody testing. The way I look at such tests is that theyre a tool. People develop antibodies a week to two weeks into an infection, so antibody tests can support diagnostic tests in identifying current infections. They also can be used for screening or public health surveillance. But, for all these purposes, antibody tests should not be the sole source of information for decision-making. As we learn more about the tests and what theyre capable of, I think well be able to make some evidence-based guidelines to indicate who should be tested and what we should do with the results.

Reference:Farnsworth, C. W., & Anderson, N. W. (2020). SARS-CoV-2 Serology: Much Hype, Little Data. Clinical Chemistry. doi:10.1093/clinchem/hvaa107

This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Experts Urge Caution in Interpreting COVID-19 Antibody Tests - Technology Networks

Immunology

Observations on Safety Procedures to Combat Covid-19 by Former CEO of British Society for Immunology – Euro Weekly News

The following was posted as a comment by Dr Marcus Stephan who now lives on the Costa del Sol but was considered interesting and important enough to publish on this website.

NO-ONE can possibly disagree with the fact that Spain has suffered very badly as a result of Covid-19.

The lockdown measures have been, using any measure, largely successful and the government should be commended as should the vast majority of the population for adhering to the rules.

However, as a former CEO of the British Society for Immunology, I am increasingly becoming frustrated by the over importance being given to what we refer to as fomite transmission. This virus spreads in droplet form from one person to another, there is no doubt about that and so keeping your distance is not only a good idea but the science tells us to do this.

Fomite transmission is what happens when an infected person coughs or sneezes on their hands and they then touch a surface. You then come along and touch the contaminated surface and manage to pick up enough viable virus and then you rub that into your eyes, mouth, or nose. If you do that well enough you may become infected.

There are a lot of ifs to consider, but yes, it is just possible. However, bear all this in mind, first of course viruses are not living things, just tiny specks of stuff and they dont remain viable outside their preferred host for very long.

So, to put it delicately a droplet of human nasal fluid containing virus particles that lands on a hard surface needs to get picked up by you fairly quickly if it is going to do its business and make you sick.

If the droplet dries out, Im afraid the virus particles have had it, likewise if the droplet gets exposed to sunlight, heat, or any well-known cleaning fluid same thing goes. So, you have to be fairly quick off the mark to scrape the virus particles up and make sure they get into you if you want to stand any chance of getting sick.

Im not making light of the fact that if you are in a particular category and you do pick up this virus the consequences can be severe, but I also think it is important we alter our behaviour based on the science.

All this talk of disinfecting sunbeds and disposable menus in restaurants is too much icing on the cake in my view, not just that but for some people this is increasing their anxiety about going out and that can lead to all sorts of other undesirable complications.

If you add a dose of common sense and good manners to the science, we have a near perfect solution until a vaccine arrives. By far and away the most important thing any of us can do is to wash our hands before we fiddle with our faces and that is extremely difficult to do, but if we can do it so much the better.

So even if you did manage to get someone elses infected secretions all over your hand so long as you dont touch your face until you have washed your hands all is OK. The virus doesnt get absorbed through your skin by the way.

The wearing of masks is something you wont get scientists or medics necessarily in agreement when it comes to using them in general. Lets be 100 per cent clear, they do not protect you in any way shape or form of breathing in someone elses sneeze or cough, you need a very special mask for that and these are not generally available.

As a means of cutting down what you might spread if you are infected, so long as you keep it on, they are probably a good idea. Going for a walk in the fresh air or sitting on one of our lovely beaches presents no risk.

The risk only really becomes a reality if you are in a closed in space and you have someone coughing or sneezing all over the place and the air starts to fill with microscopic droplets that dont get blown away and diluted.

Its rather what happened sadly on the cruise ships where people were confined to cabins and the efficient air conditioning system managed to pipe contaminated air from cabin to cabin.

So back to contaminated surfaces, there is a lot of scientific data that shows you need to literally pick up lots, possibly millions, of virus particles for the hand to nose route to be effective, but we believe you need far less if you manage to breath in a someones sneeze and that gets directly to your lungs.

So there really is no need to be over concerned about touching a supermarket trolley and why your payment card might require a touch pad to be sanitised Im afraid I cannot explain except to say that this is an example of science taking a back seat and paranoia muscling in.

One thing Spain hasnt ruled against, and I certainly would, is to stop anyone smoking in public, because you see this virus attacks the respiratory system and exhaled smoke will contain virus particles so if you can smell someone elses smoke then you might be breathing in virus.

The rules being put in place on our beaches for example have very good intentions, but they are a mess. Not only are they a mess but they will add further damage to our much-needed tourism economy, lets not forget that the vast majority of coastal towns in Spain depend on tourism.

Show me a peer-reviewed scientific article that indicates the use of a Lilo in the water presents a real risk of infection. If fomite transmission was a good as we are being led to believe then all the filthy coins and bank notes we pass around between us would be infecting us like wildfire.

Use a tissue when you sneeze and then throw it away, wash your hands before you touch your face. If you think you are infected then do the decent thing and stay at home alone. But dont be afraid to go out and enjoy this lovely part of Spain, all of us just need to take sensible personal responsibility.

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Observations on Safety Procedures to Combat Covid-19 by Former CEO of British Society for Immunology - Euro Weekly News

Immunology

New PALFORZIA Data on Long-Term Safety, Efficacy and Immunomodulation and New Data on Patient Satisfaction with PALFORZIA Treatment to be Presented at…

BRISBANE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: AIMT), a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing treatments for life-threatening food allergies, today announced it will present important new long-term safety, efficacy and immunological data from ARC004, an open-label, rollover study of the landmark pivotal PALISADE trial of PALFORZIA [Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) Allergen Powder-dnfp] and data on patient-reported treatment satisfaction from the European phase 3 ARTEMIS trial of PALFORZIA. In addition, insights from the PAPRIQUA study about the psychosocial burden of peanut allergy on children and their caregivers will be presented. These data will be presented at the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Digital Congress to be held from June 6-8.

We are presenting the longest follow-up data on the safety, efficacy and immunomodulation associated with daily dosing of PALFORZIA, as well as insights into patient satisfaction with PALFORZIA treatment, the first peanut allergy treatment approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, said Daniel Adelman, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Aimmune. Additionally, new insights about the daily burden of living with peanut allergy will be presented to highlight the need for an approved treatment for peanut allergy. To that end, we take great pride in our leadership and dedication to improving the lives of those affected by peanut allergy.

The following abstracts will be available , for on-demand viewing on the EAACI scientific programme website starting at 9:00am CEST / 3:00am EDT on Saturday, June 6, 2020

PALFORZIA Clinical Trial Data

Peanut Allergy Data

Additional Data Involving PALFORZIA

PALFORZIA (previously known as AR101) is an oral immunotherapy indicated for the mitigation of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanut. PALFORZIA is approved for use in the United States in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. In Europe, Aimmune has a marketing authorization application for AR101 (PALFORZIA) under review with the European Medicines Agency (EMA).

INDICATION

PALFORZIA is an oral immunotherapy indicated for the mitigation of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanut. PALFORZIA is approved for use in patients with a confirmed diagnosis of peanut allergy. Initial Dose Escalation may be administered to patients aged 4 through 17 years. Up-Dosing and Maintenance may be continued in patients 4 years of age and older.

PALFORZIA is to be used in conjunction with a peanut-avoidant diet.

Limitations of Use: Not indicated for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

Boxed WARNING:

PALFORZIA can cause anaphylaxis, which may be life threatening and can occur at any time during PALFORZIA therapy.

Prescribe injectable epinephrine, instruct and train patients on its appropriate use, and instruct patients to seek immediate medical care upon its use.

Do not administer PALFORZIA to patients with uncontrolled asthma.

Dose modifications may be necessary following an anaphylactic reaction.

Observe patients during and after administration of the Initial Dose Escalation and the first dose of each Up-Dosing level, for at least 60 minutes.

PALFORZIA is available only through a restricted program called the PALFORZIA REMS.

CONTRAINDICATIONS

PALFORZIA is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled asthma, or with a history of eosinophilic esophagitis and other eosinophilic gastrointestinal disease

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Anaphylaxis

PALFORZIA can cause anaphylaxis, which may be life threatening. PALFORZIA is available only through a restricted program under a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) called the PALFORZIA REMS because of the risk of anaphylaxis. Only prescribers, healthcare settings, pharmacies, and patients certified and enrolled in the REMS Program can prescribe, receive, dispense or administer PALFORZIA.

Anaphylaxis has been reported during all phases of PALFORZIA dosing, including Maintenance and in subjects who have undergone recommended Up-Dosing and dose modification procedures.

Do not initiate PALFORZIA treatment in a patient who has had severe or life-threatening anaphylaxis within the previous 60 days. PALFORZIA may not be suitable for patients with certain medical conditions that may reduce the ability to survive anaphylaxis, including but not limited to markedly compromised lung function, severe mast cell disorder, or cardiovascular disease. In addition, PALFORZIA may not be suitable for patients taking medications that can inhibit or potentiate the effects of epinephrine.

All Initial Dose Escalation doses and the first dose of each Up-Dosing level must be administered in a certified health care setting.

Patients may be more likely to experience allergic reactions following PALFORZIA administration in the presence of cofactors such as exercise, hot water exposure, intercurrent illness (e.g., viral infection), or fasting. Other potential cofactors may include menstruation, sleep deprivation, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use, or uncontrolled asthma. Patients should be proactively counseled about the potential for the increased risk of anaphylaxis in the presence of these cofactors. If possible, adjust the time of dosing to avoid these cofactors. If it is not possible to avoid these cofactors, consider withholding PALFORZIA temporarily.

Asthma

Uncontrolled asthma is a risk factor for a serious outcome, including death, in anaphylaxis. Ensure patients with asthma have their asthma under control prior to initiation of PALFORZIA.

PALFORZIA should be temporarily withheld if the patient is experiencing an acute asthma exacerbation. Following resolution of the exacerbation, resumption of PALFORZIA should be undertaken cautiously. Re-evaluate patients who have recurrent asthma exacerbations and consider discontinuation of PALFORZIA.

Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease

Discontinue PALFORZIA and consider a diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis in patients who experience severe or persistent gastrointestinal symptoms, including dysphagia, vomiting, nausea, gastroesophageal reflux, chest pain, or abdominal pain.

Gastrointestinal Adverse Reactions

Gastrointestinal adverse reactions were commonly reported in PALFORZIA-treated subjects, and dose modification should be considered for patients who report these reactions. For severe or persistent gastrointestinal symptoms consider a diagnosis of eosinophilic esophagitis.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

The most common adverse events reported in subjects treated with PALFORZIA (incidence 5% and 5% than placebo) are abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, oral pruritus, oral paresthesia, throat irritation, cough, rhinorrhea, sneezing, throat tightness, wheezing, dyspnea, pruritus, urticaria, anaphylactic reaction, and ear pruritus.

Please see full Prescribing Information, including Boxed WARNING, and Medication Guide at http://www.PALFORZIA.com.

For more information about PALFORZIA, please call 1-844-PALFORZ (1-844-725-3679) or visit http://www.PALFORZIA.com.

About Aimmune Therapeutics

Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing treatments for potentially life-threatening food allergies. With a mission to improve the lives of people with food allergies, Aimmune is developing and commercializing oral treatments for potentially life-threatening food allergies. The Companys Characterized Oral Desensitization ImmunoTherapy (CODIT) approach is intended to provide meaningful levels of protection against allergic reactions resulting from accidental exposure to food allergens by desensitizing patients with defined, precise amounts of key allergens. Aimmune has one FDA-approved medicine for peanut allergy, a marketing authorization application under review with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for its investigational medicine for peanut allergy, and other investigational therapies in development to treat other food allergies. For more information, please visit http://www.aimmune.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: Aimmunes expectations regarding the upcoming presentation of data at the EAACI Digital Congress, including data regarding safety, efficacy, patient and caregiver experience of living with peanut allergy, and patient satisfaction with PALFORZIA treatment; and Aimmunes expectations regarding potential applications of the CODIT approach to treating life-threatening food allergies. Risks and uncertainties that contribute to the uncertain nature of the forward-looking statements include the risk that the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic may continue to negatively impact the business, research and clinical operations of Aimmune or its partners; Aimmunes or any of its collaborative partners ability to initiate and/or complete clinical trials; the unpredictability of the regulatory process; the possibility that Aimmunes or any of its collaborative partners clinical trials will not be successful; Aimmunes dependence on the success of PALFORZIA; Aimmunes reliance on third parties for the manufacture of Aimmunes products and product candidates; possible regulatory developments in the United States and foreign countries; and Aimmunes ability to attract and retain senior management personnel. These and other risks and uncertainties are described more fully in Aimmune's most recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Aimmune undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.

This press release concerns PALFORZIA (AR101), which has been approved for marketing by the FDA in the United States and has not been approved for marketing by the EMA or Swissmedic. AR101 in Europe is currently limited to investigational use, and no representation is made as to its safety or effectiveness for the purposes for which it is being investigated.

PALFORZIA, AIMMUNE, AIMMUNE THERAPEUTICS and CODIT are trademarks of Aimmune Therapeutics, Inc.

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New PALFORZIA Data on Long-Term Safety, Efficacy and Immunomodulation and New Data on Patient Satisfaction with PALFORZIA Treatment to be Presented at...

Immunology

Postdoctoral Fellow in Metabolic Medicine and Immunometabolism job with THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG | 208675 – Times Higher Education (THE)

Work type: Full-timeDepartment: Department of Medicine (20600)Categories: Academic-related Staff

Applications are invited for appointment as Post-doctoral Fellow in Metabolic Medicine and Immunometabolism in the Department of Medicine and the State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (2 posts) (Ref.: 500221), to commence as soon as possible for two to three years, with the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance.

Applicants should have a Ph.D. degree, preferably with experience in adipose biology, immunology, multi-omics and/or manipulation of genetically-modified mice. The appointees will work on a research project to characterize heterogeneity of adipose tissues and to identify secretory factors involved in conversion of white adipocytes to brown adipocytes. Details of our research program can be found at http://www.sklpb.hku.hk and https://medic.hku.hk/staff_detail.php?id=19. Enquiries about the posts can be sent to Miss Lily Li at lily46@hku.hk. Those who have responded to the previous advertisement (Ref.: 499656) need not re-apply.

A highly competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience will be offered, in addition to annual leave and medical benefits.

The University only accepts online application for the above posts. Applicants should apply online and upload an up-to-date C.V. Review of applications will start from June 15, 2020 and continue until July 31, 2020, or until the posts are filled, whichever is earlier.

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Postdoctoral Fellow in Metabolic Medicine and Immunometabolism job with THE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG | 208675 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Immunology

Lilly starts COVID-19 antibody trial, expanding on earlier efforts – BioWorld Online

Eli Lilly and Co. said June 1 the first patients have been dosed in a phase I test of LY-CoV555, a potential antibody treatment for COVID-19, with results expected by June 30. Should it prove safe, the candidate could quickly move into a phase II trial to assess its efficacy, Ajay Nirula, vice president of immunology at Lilly, told BioWorld. The news follows Lilly's May 4 announcement of efforts to co-develop antibodies for the prevention and treatment of the infection with Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Ltd. and testing of its already-marketed small-molecule JAK inhibitor, Olumiant (baricitinib), as part of the NIH-led adaptive COVID-19 treatment trial.

The new candidate, a neutralizing IgG1 monoclonal antibody directed against the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2, is the first to emerge from Lilly's collaboration with Abcellera Biologics Inc., a deal that itself was just signed in early March. Under the terms of the agreement, Abcellera and Lilly committed to equally share initial development costs toward a product, after which Lilly will be responsible for all further development, manufacturing and distribution work and costs.

Lilly's work joins significant efforts underway at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc., Roche Holding AG, Vir Biotechnology Inc., Celltrion Inc. and academic institutions such as the University of Toronto, all of which are pursuing the development of antibody therapeutics for the virus. Though the Regeneron and Roche programs have already entered the clinic, clinical testing of LY-CoV555 appears to be the first clinical effort to evaluate an antibody specifically designed to block SARS-CoV-2's attachment and entry into human cells.

The candidate was generated in just three months after Abcellera and the Vaccine Research Center at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases identified it from a blood sample taken from one of the first U.S. patients who recovered from COVID-19.

Vancouver, British Columbia-based Abcellera's high-throughput microfluidics platform, adapted through the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's Pandemic Prevention Program for rapid response to pandemics, employs machine vision and artificial intelligence to identify immune cells and the exact sequences of antibodies they create. In this case, Lilly analyzed antibodies from the recovered patient, characterizing close to 500 of them to understand which ones were most potent at blocking SARS-CoV-2. In vitro and other testing helped narrow the scope even further before the company moved to generate a version of the most promising one for testing in the new phase I study.

The placebo-controlled trial, called J2W-MC-PYAA, is likely to enroll about 30 hospitalized COVID-19 patients. The key goals are to understand the safety and tolerability of the antibody, the pharmacokinetics that can guide dosing. But investigators, who started dosing patients Friday at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, will also help Lilly look at exploratory efficacy endpoints, such as measures of patient viral loads.

While Lilly is initially focused on testing LY-CoV555 in hospitalized patients, "ultimately, we want to branch out the program into different patient populations," Nirula said. The team is also interested in moving into other trials where they would study patients before they're hospitalized to see if administration of a therapeutic antibody earlier in the course of the disease could prevent progression to hospitalization or even play a prophylactic role. Such studies could be underway "in the relatively near future," he said.

Further potential studies could explore whether an antibody might be effective in combination with other medicines, such as Gilead Sciences Inc.'s remdesivir.

Later this month, Lilly's team will review the results of the phase I study of LY-CoV555 before potentially starting broader efficacy trials. But, in an illustration of the substantial urgency Lilly and other drugmakers see in the market, the Indianapolis company is also starting large-scale manufacturing of the potential therapy, it said.

"If LY-CoV555 becomes part of the near-term solution for COVID-19, we want to be ready to deliver it to patients as quickly as possible, with the goal of having several hundred thousand doses available by the end of the year," said Daniel Skovronsky, Lilly's chief scientific officer and president of Lilly Research Laboratories.

Meanwhile, together with Junshi Biosciences, Lilly is expected to file an IND and initiate clinical trials in the U.S. and China in the second quarter. That program, recently documented in an article in Nature, is also employing antibodies isolated from a recovered COVID-19 patient.

Lilly shares (NYSE:LLY) moved little on June 1, losing 50 cents to close at $152.45.

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Lilly starts COVID-19 antibody trial, expanding on earlier efforts - BioWorld Online

Immunology

Coronavirus weekly: recovery efforts happening in fits and starts – The Conversation UK

The world is moving slowly and carefully to reopen businesses, get people back to work and jump-start moribund economies amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some initial attempts have been characterized by stops and starts as new clusters of the disease emerge. In Toronto, Canada, young people recently gathered en masse in a city park, fuelling outrage and sparking fears of more sudden and unexpected spikes in COVID-19 cases.

In this weeks roundup of coronavirus stories from scholars across the globe, we explore how our post-pandemic lives will be different, the latest medical developments and how to keep spirits up as lockdowns endure.

This is our weekly roundup of expert info about the coronavirus.The Conversation, a not-for-profit group, works with a wide range of academics across its global network. Together we produce evidence-based analysis and insights. The articles are free to read there is no paywall and to republish. Keep up to date with the latest research by reading our free newsletter.

As businesses reopen and employees begin to return to work, nothing is truly going back to normal. In fact, the post-pandemic world will require a vastly new normal until theres a COVID-19 vaccine. And that means rethinking and reimagining how weve always done things.

Getting out and about. Were all experiencing a bit of cabin fever, and some people are having trouble respecting social distancing rules when they are venturing out into the world. William Petri, a professor of medicine at the University of Virginia who specializes in immunology, outlines the seven factors hell assess to determine when its safe enough to spend time away from home. He writes: I am going to wear a mask to help prevent my giving the infection to others, avoid touching surfaces such as handrails, try not to touch my eyes or nose or mouth with my hands and wash my hands frequently.

Public transit. Hopping on a bus or subway during rush hour to get to work is a longtime urban ritual. But COVID-19 has likely changed how we do it so were no longer squeezed in like sardines. But Hussein Dia of Australias Swinburne University of Technology says that public transit is here to stay; not everyone can walk or ride bikes to their destination, and so public transit will remain at the heart of urban mobility. Dia advocates rethinking public transit design to enable physical distancing, even though it reduces capacity.

Air travel. The same goes for air travel, write Kacey Ernst and Paloma Beamer, epidemiologist and exposure scientist, respectively. They have some tips for air travel and masks are, once again, a central recommendation, along with hand sanitizer.

Doing business differently. For businesses opening their doors to customers once again, its a brave new world one that will require them to take into account the fears and anxieties their employees and customers are feeling right now. According to M. Tina Dacin and Laura Reese, organizational behaviour experts at Queens University in Canada, businesses will have to win the hearts and minds of their customers and employees like never before.

African trade. African countries may benefit from this new normal. Faizel Ismail, director of the Nelson Mandela School of Public Governance at the University of Cape Town, writes that pandemic could be an opportunity to advance free trade via the African Continental Free Trade Area in a more developmental, inclusive and mutually beneficial way for African countries.

Tourism. Could a four-day work week help the struggling tourism industry post-pandemic? Jarrod Haar of Auckland University of Technology makes the case after New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern floated the idea of shortening the traditional work week following COVID-19. Healthier, happier and more productive workers helping other businesses stay viable? That sounds like a win-win for all, he writes.

What about the animals? Kendra Coulter, an animal ethics expert at Canadas Brock University, makes a passionate case to promote the well-being of animals post-pandemic, arguing that COVID-19 has illuminated how terribly we treat them. She points to a coronavirus outbreak among low-income workers at a Canadian meat-packing plant, writing that contemporary slaughterhouses have proven to be dangerous for workers in addition to being fatal horror shows for animals.

And speaking of animals, llamas yes, llamas are among the bright spots in efforts to find a cure for COVID-19.

Whats the latest with tests? Shayan Sharif and Byram W. Bridle of the University of Guelph in Canada, meanwhile, explain the pitfalls and promises when it comes to antibody tests. According to the immunology experts: Can we conceivably use antibody testing as a measure of immunity? The answer is maybe!

A US state is getting it right. Since South Carolinas first COVID-19 case surfaced, trained case investigators have traced the contacts of every person who tested positive. Jenny Meredith, a pathology professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, outlines what else the state got right, noting that contact tracing is critical to reopening the economy without triggering a spike in coronavirus cases and overwhelming health-care systems.

Were all fed up, anxious and occasionally depressed by the COVID-19 shutdowns as we take tentative, cautious steps towards the new normal. Thankfully our global network has offered up some advice on how to tackle the impact on our mental health and well-being.

Therapy. Nicholas Joyce, a psychologist at the University of South Florida, points out that online therapy is having its moment in the sun and helping those struggling with mental health issues during the pandemic. He argues that COVID-19 has made clear that telehealth is the way of the future.

Robust mental health. Simon Rosenbaum and Jill Newby of Australias UNSW outline the characteristics of strong mental health, and offer up some tips to keep the COVID-19 blues at bay.

Social enterprise. Anyone whos ever been lucky enough to spend time in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador knows the place itself can serve as a balm to frayed nerves. Natalie Slawinski of Memorial University and Wendy K. Smith of the University of Delaware explain how a social enterprise saved the remote fishing outpost of Fogo Island following the collapse of the cod industry and they can help local communities around the world recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Get the latest news and advice on COVID-19, direct from the experts in your inbox. Join hundreds of thousands who trust experts by subscribing to our newsletter.

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Coronavirus weekly: recovery efforts happening in fits and starts - The Conversation UK