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Genetics

Genetic variants linked with onset, progression of PAG – Ophthalmology Times

Genetic variants that are unrelated to the IOP are associated with a family history of glaucoma and play a role in the onset of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Genetic variants that are related to the IOP are associated with the age at which glaucoma is diagnosed and are associated with disease progression.

What is known about POAG, the most prevalent form of glaucoma, is that increased IOP and myopia are risk factors for damage to the optic nerve in POAG.

Related: Stent offers IOP stability more than three years after surgery

A family history of glaucoma is a major risk factor for development of POAG, in light of which, therefore, genetic factors are thought to be important in the disease pathogenesis and a few genes mutations have been identified as causing POAG, according to Fumihiko Mabuchi, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Yamanashi, Kofu, Japan.

Myopia has been shown to be a risk factor for POAG in several studies. However, it can be difficult to diagnose true POAG in myopic patients and controversy exists over whether it is real risk factor.

Myopic optic discs are notoriously difficult to assess, and myopic patients may have visual field defects unrelated to any glaucomatous process.

The prevalence of POAG increases with age, even after compensating for the association between age and IOP.

Related: Preservative-free tafluprost/timolol lowers IOP well, glaucoma study shows

Part of the storyDr. Mabuchi and his and colleagues, recounted that these factors are only part of the story.

According to Dr. Mabuchi and his colleagues, cases of POAG caused by these gene mutations account for several percent of all POAG cases, and most POAG is presumed to be a polygenic disease.

Recent genetic analyses, the investigators explained, have reported genetic variants that predispose patients to development of POAG and the additive effect of these variants on POAG, which are classified as two types.

The first genetics variants are associated with IOP elevation.

Related: Sustained-release implant offers long-term IOP control, preserved visual function

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Genetic variants linked with onset, progression of PAG - Ophthalmology Times

Genetics

Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ:SGEN) Is In A Strong Position To Grow Its Business – Yahoo Finance

We can readily understand why investors are attracted to unprofitable companies. For example, biotech and mining exploration companies often lose money for years before finding success with a new treatment or mineral discovery. But the harsh reality is that very many loss making companies burn through all their cash and go bankrupt.

So, the natural question for Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ:SGEN) shareholders is whether they should be concerned by its rate of cash burn. In this report, we will consider the company's annual negative free cash flow, henceforth referring to it as the 'cash burn'. We'll start by comparing its cash burn with its cash reserves in order to calculate its cash runway.

View our latest analysis for Seattle Genetics

A company's cash runway is calculated by dividing its cash hoard by its cash burn. When Seattle Genetics last reported its balance sheet in December 2019, it had zero debt and cash worth US$811m. In the last year, its cash burn was US$234m. That means it had a cash runway of about 3.5 years as of December 2019. Notably, however, analysts think that Seattle Genetics will break even (at a free cash flow level) before then. In that case, it may never reach the end of its cash runway. The image below shows how its cash balance has been changing over the last few years.

NasdaqGS:SGEN Historical Debt April 22nd 2020

Some investors might find it troubling that Seattle Genetics is actually increasing its cash burn, which is up 4.3% in the last year. The silver lining is that revenue was up 40%, showing the business is growing at the top line. On balance, we'd say the company is improving over time. While the past is always worth studying, it is the future that matters most of all. For that reason, it makes a lot of sense to take a look at our analyst forecasts for the company.

There's no doubt Seattle Genetics seems to be in a fairly good position, when it comes to managing its cash burn, but even if it's only hypothetical, it's always worth asking how easily it could raise more money to fund growth. Issuing new shares, or taking on debt, are the most common ways for a listed company to raise more money for its business. One of the main advantages held by publicly listed companies is that they can sell shares to investors to raise cash to fund growth. We can compare a company's cash burn to its market capitalisation to get a sense for how many new shares a company would have to issue to fund one year's operations.

Since it has a market capitalisation of US$24b, Seattle Genetics's US$234m in cash burn equates to about 1.0% of its market value. That means it could easily issue a few shares to fund more growth, and might well be in a position to borrow cheaply.

It may already be apparent to you that we're relatively comfortable with the way Seattle Genetics is burning through its cash. In particular, we think its cash runway stands out as evidence that the company is well on top of its spending. While its increasing cash burn wasn't great, the other factors mentioned in this article more than make up for weakness on that measure. Shareholders can take heart from the fact that analysts are forecasting it will reach breakeven. After considering a range of factors in this article, we're pretty relaxed about its cash burn, since the company seems to be in a good position to continue to fund its growth. Taking an in-depth view of risks, we've identified 2 warning signs for Seattle Genetics that you should be aware of before investing.

Story continues

Of course, you might find a fantastic investment by looking elsewhere. So take a peek at this free list of companies insiders are buying, and this list of stocks growth stocks (according to analyst forecasts)

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.

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Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ:SGEN) Is In A Strong Position To Grow Its Business - Yahoo Finance

Genetics

Lactose Intolerance Has Been In European Genetics For Thousands Of Years – IFLScience

Ancient cattle and sheep farmers from modern-day Ukraine gradually mixed with Europeans as far back as 2800 BCE, and among them was the oldest known Europeans to have genetic characteristics of lactose intolerance.

Genetic analysis and radiocarbon dating of nearly 100 ancient skeletal remains from Neolithic settlements in Switzerland is lending insight into the continents earliest inhabitants, both illuminating where they came from and how they lived, according to a new study published in Nature Communications.

Switzerlands rich archaeological record makes it a prime location to study the origins of Europeans. Neolithic settlements are found throughout Central Europe, from lakeshores and bogs to Alpine valleys and high mountain spaces. Previous studies have shown that during the Neolithic period, around the time when civilizations started to rise about 12,000 years ago, drastic changes occurred as sheep and cattle farmers arrived from the Pontic-Caspian steppe in modern Ukraine. At this time, an emergence of Corded Ware Complex (CWC) cultural groups began, groups believed to be the common ancestor of Celtic, Germanic, Baltic, and Slavic groups. But exactly when these migrants arrived in Central Europe and how they mixed with the residents at the time has largely remained a mystery.

To begin to piece the ancient puzzle together, a team of researchers from the University of Tbingen, the University of Bern, and the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History radiocarbon-dated bones from 96 ancient skeletons across 13 Neolithic and Bronze Age sites in Switzerland, southern Germany, and the Alsace region of France. Mitochondrial genomes were completely reconstructed and compared against nearly 400 genomic information held within a databank.

The researchers found that the new group arrived as early as 2800 BCE but their genetic dispersal was complex and gradual. By and large, social and family structures remained biologically the same before and after people arrived from the Pontic-Caspian steppe, suggesting that the different societies did not intermix.

"Remarkably, we identified several female individuals without any detectable steppe-related ancestry up to 1,000 years after this ancestry arrives in the region," said lead author Anja Furtwngler of the University of Tbingen's Institute for Archaeological Sciences, in a statement.

Further genetic testing and analysis of stable isotopes determined that many societies were patrilocal, meaning that the men stayed where they were born and women came from distant families yet still did not have steppe ancestry.

"Since the parents of the mobile females in our study couldn't have had steppe-related ancestry either, it remains to be shown where in Central Europe such populations were present, possibly in the Alpine mountain valleys that were less connected to the lower lands," said Johannes Krause, director of the Department of Archaeogenetics at MPI-SHH and senior author of the study.

The study also presents one of the earliest evidence of adult lactose intolerance in Europe, dating back to around 2100 BCE, a genetic mutation that is of high frequency in Europe today but is largely absent in late and middle Neolithic samples. This suggests that lactose intolerance increased in frequency at the end of the Neolithic period and increased after the beginning of the Bronze Age.

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Lactose Intolerance Has Been In European Genetics For Thousands Of Years - IFLScience

Anatomy

The anatomy of failure: How and why the emergency alert system was not activated when a mass murderer was roaming around Nova Scotia – Halifax…

Lillian Hyslop. Photo: Facebook.

Wentworth Valley resident Heather Matthews believes her walking companion might still be alive if the RCMP or Nova Scotias Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) had issued a special alert early Sunday morning to stay inside. Instead, she says Wentworth resident Lillian Hyslop a 60 year old, community-minded person, and parent was gunned down during her daily walk by a killer who had already taken multiple victims and was the subject of a 10-hour manhunt.

If there is ever hopefully never a next time let people know, urges Matthews. Theres so many different reasons why we should be given an alert that could save lives. They give us the Amber alert, we get the COVID-19 alert twice over the Easter weekend?

Heather Matthews lives above the former Highway 104, known locally as The Four, that runs past the Wentworth Ski Hill north toward Oxford. She and her husband David were walking Sunday morning along a forested path parallel to the road when they heard what they described as a single gunshot. Heather estimates the time of the shooting at 9:20-9:30am because she had checked the clock before leaving home.

When the couple returned home, they had a phone call from a neighbour warning them to lock their doors and not go outside because there were reports a gunman was in the area. Heather Matthews immediately called Lillian Hyslops mother-in-law to tell her, but it was too late. Lillian had already left for her daily walk. She died near the entrance to the Wentworth Provincial Park.

I really believe if there had have been an alert sent out, some of these random people that were shot would not have been shot, Matthews told the Halifax Examiner. The people he had targeted, thats one thing. But these people he got just because they were there?

The women [employed by the VON] like Kristen Beaton and Heather OBrien who were out driving. Perhaps if they had been given warning, Matthews voice trailed off.

There are also questions in the community about whether Tom Bagley, 70, would have died if an alert had been issued over the cellphone network or the radio. Bagley was out for a walk when he saw a house burning on Hunter Road. Two people inside, Corrections Canada managers Sean McLeod and Alanna Jenkins, perished in the blaze. The Wentworth Fire Department was notified about the fire, but firefighters were instructed not to respond because the situation was too dangerous. Bagley didnt know that. The retired firefighter with the Canadian Armed Forces went to help and was shot and killed by the gunman.

At 9pm on Saturday night, the RCMP communications people were evidently in a good mood. They posted a fun tweet, which in hindsight is eerily sad:

Its Saturday and our #9PMROUTINE is complete! That means we get to relax for the evening and sleep in tomorrow. Are you done your #lockup? When you are, share this post! pic.twitter.com/WBfYWsUDNn

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

An hour and a half later, at 10:26pm, RCMP officers responded to a possible shooting in Portapique, said RCMP Chief Superintendent Chris Leather at a press conference Tuesday afternoon.

At about 11:08 pm, a first responder at Portapique reported that:

So theres a structure fire. Theres a person down there with a gun. Theyre still looking for him. The patient we have got shot by him. He was just down there observing the fire, checking out the fire, so there could be other patients around the fire that could be gone already, but were not sure. Police are stationed at the end of the road there on the 2, not letting anybody down any further but its very vague whats going on down there but there is for sure multiple patients down there.

So police knew there were multiple people shot and the gunman was on the loose, but at about 11:30pm, the RCMP tweeted only that there was a firearms complaint in the Portapique area.

#RCMPNS is responding to a firearms complaint in the #Portapique area. (Portapique Beach Rd, Bay Shore Rd and Five Houses Rd.) The public is asked to avoid the area and stay in their homes with doors locked at this time.

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

Leather said that the search for the gunman continued into the evening and early morning hours on Sunday. In response to new information indicating the suspect was not in the secure perimeter [around Portapique], at 8:02am on Sunday, the RCMP began providing real-time information on its Nova Scotia RCMP Twitter account.

But the 8:02am tweet implied only that the shooter was in the Portapique area:

#RCMPNS remains on scene in #Portapique. This is an activeshooter situation. Residents in the area, stay inside your homes & lock yourdoors. Call 911 if there is anyone on your property. You may not see the policebut we are there with you #Portapique.

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

The next tweet from the RCMP came at 8:54 AM, and it carried a photo of the suspect along with this message. The only hash-tagged location in the message was Portapique.

Around this time, there was the house fire on Hunter Road in Wentworth, over 40 kilometres from Portapique, where the two corrections officers Alanna Jenkins and Sean McLeod lived. Only later, on Monday, would the RCMP add their names to the list of the perpetrators victims, along with that of Tom Bagley, the 70-year-old neighbour and retired firefighter who went to the burning house to see if he could help, only to be shot and killed. And Lillian Hyslop was killed while walking along The Four.

At that point, there had been no mention in RCMP tweets that the killer had left Portapique, or of any danger in Wentworth, and yet the RCMP told firefighters not to attend the scene because of the danger of the gunman.

The next tweet came at 10:04am:

#RCMPNS is advising people to avoid Hwy 4 near Hidden Hilltop Campground in #Glenholme. Gabriel Wortman is in the area. Please stay inside your homes and lock your doors. #Portapique

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

The very first reply to that tweet came from MaritimeGirL who wrote:

This should be announced on the emergency alert system. People out there driving may have no clue.

At 10:13am Sunday first responders reported two cars in MVA (motor vehicle accident) with possible entrapment (people trapped in the vehicles) at 1760 Plains Road in Debert:

At 10:15am, said Leather, the Emergency Management Office (EMO) contacted the RCMP to offer the use of the public emergency alerting system. We were in the process of preparing an alert when the gunman was shot and killed by the RCMP.

The problem with that explanation is that an hour and 25 minutes elapsed between 10:15 and the time the Twitter account announced that the gunman was in custody (curiously, the account did not say the gunman was killed).

During that period, nine more tweets were issued.

Two connected tweets at 10:17am and 10:21am:

Gabriel Wortman is currently in the #CentralOnslow #Debert area in a vehicle that may resemble what appears to be an RCMP vehicle & may be wearing what appears to be an RCMP uniform. Please stay inside and avoid the area. #RCMPNS

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

Those tweets elicited an immediate tweeted reply from Joanne Roberge, who tagged Premier Stephen McNeil:

If there was ever a time to send out an emergency sound off alert to everyones phone it is now! You sent it out on Easter to have people stay home this is just as serious.

Another two at 10:39am:

Thank you for your understanding as we work to provide the most updated information while addressing public and officer safety. 2/2 #Portapique #CentralOnslow #Debert #Glenholme #Colchester

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

And another one at 11:04am:

Gabriel Wortman, suspect in active shooter investigation, last seen travelling southbound on Hwy #102 from #Brookfield area in what appears to be RCMP vehicle & may be wearing RCMP uniform. Suspect's car is 28B11, behind rear passenger window. If you see 28B11 call 911.

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

Once again there was an immediate reply from a follower Levi Marshall asking for an alert:

Can we get an emergency alert please! Not everyone checks their phones after waking up?

Yet another tweet at 11:06am:

Gabriel Wortman, suspect in active shooter investigation, now believed to be driving small silver Chevrolet SUV. Travelling southbound on Hwy #102 from #Brookfield area If seen, call 911.

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

At that time, Joey Webber was on a family errand towards Shubenacadie, Halifax councillor Steve Streatch told the Halifax Examiner. [Joeys] father told me this morning that [Joey] came right up around the ramp where the police cars were on fire there. He just left the service station to come up around, and he met the face of evil.

Joey was killed. The gunman took the silver Chevy Tracker Joey had been driving.

The RCMP tweeted out at 11:24am:

Confirmed suspect vehicle is silver Chevy Tracker. Last seen #Milford. If seen, call 911.

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

Then at 11:35am:

To clarify, the suspect in our active shooter investigation, Gabriel Wortman, is NOT employed by the RCMP but he may be wearing an RCMP uniform. He is considered armed and dangerous. If you see him, do NOT approach and call 911 immediately.

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

And finally, at 11:40am:

Gabriel Wortman, suspect in active shooter investigation, is now in custody. More information will be released when available. Thank you for your cooperation and support. #Colchester

RCMP, Nova Scotia (@RCMPNS) April 19, 2020

Oddly, the final tweet did not mention that the gunman was killed.

At todays daily COVID-19 briefing, Canadian Press reporter Keith Doucette had the following exchange with Premier Stephen McNeil:

Doucette: The US Consulate in Halifax issued an email alert to their citizens on Sunday about an active shooter based on the Nova Scotia RCMPs Twitter feed. Why was the province waiting for official word from the Mounties before issuing an emergency alert?

McNeil: Well, thats the protocol in place when it comes to EMO. As you know, the emergency alert, the lead agency is the one who has to put the message together. We would not go by whats happening by Twitter. We would need the lead agency to actually craft the message so that we could put that out and no message was received even though EMO had reached out a number of times throughout the morning to the RCMP.

Doucette: Why did you have EMO staff in anyway? It appears that you were anticipating that something was needed and then nothing happened. Is that a question for you, that youre wondering about?

McNeil: That command centre wouldve been going around COVID, so we stood that on early on, EMO put that up. But through a number of things that we were seeing on, or the EMO staff was seeing on Twitter, they called in their support staff around the alert message team and then began to reach out to the RCMP, who would have to craft the message or work with our team to craft that message and no message was received.

This morning, the Emergency Management Office confirmed to the Halifax Examiner that the Provincial Coordination Centre (PCC), from which emergency alerts can be issued, has been staffed seven days a week (but not nights) since the COVID-19 State of Emergency was declared on March 22.

The Halifax Examiner was not provided the opportunity to ask a question at the COVID-19 briefing. But we wanted to follow up the exchange between Doucette and McNeil by asking: What exactly is the emergency alert system for, if not for making the quick decision to alert the public to imminent danger?

McNeil seemed to be describing a complex alert system, such that the PCC first has to be staffed, and then get an ask from whatever the lead agency is in the case of an emergency. Then, the lead agency, perhaps in cooperation with the EMO, has to craft an alert, and only then can the alert be activated.

Is this bureaucratic system overly complex? What if the emergency happens at night, or otherwise when the PCC isnt staffed? More to the point, what happens if the emergency the public is to be alerted about has a timeframe shorter than the hour and 25 minutes it took between the EMO asking the RCMP to request an alert and the RCMP crafting it? What if there are only moments to spare, as in the case of a tsunami, or tornado, or missile attack or, as it turns out, a mass murderer on the loose?

Can the alert system serve to alert anyone to a real impending emergency?

Terry Canning thinks the system can work just fine; it just didnt this time. Canning was the emergency communications coordinator for the province for 15 years. Before that he was a specialist inmulti-agency trunked mobile radio systems. He is now a radio communications consultant.

We contacted Canning to ask about the lack of an emergency alert during Sundays murder spree.

Somebody within the Royal Constabulary fucked up big time, said Canning in an interview with the Examiner Wednesday evening. And relying on fucking Twitter of all things.

Canning said he has no immediate knowledge of events over the weekend, but in my experience, and Ive been in the emergency response field for 35 years, you would appoint a public information officer pretty quickly in a situation like that. And one of the first responsibilities of a PIO is to distribute information. Obviously, the most efficient way to do that was through the provincial public alert system, without a doubt.

Canning said that even when the PCC is closed, an EMO staffer is on call 24 hours a day, and they have to be within landline or cellphone range during their shift. They also carry radios.

He couldnt say for sure if the off-hours staffer can issue an alert without travelling to the PCC, but he thinks it likely.

Id be very surprised if they dont have some means through the internet, obviously, to get on line and issue the alert from wherever they are, but thats outside my scope of knowledge I cant say that categorically, but Id be very surprised if one of the duty officers couldnt be able to do that wherever they happen to be, so long as they have internet service.

The Examiner has requested a copy of the procedures and policies for issuing an emergency alert, but as of publication, the EMO has not provided it.

The Halifax Examiner is an advertising-free, subscriber-supported news site. Your subscription makes this work possible; please subscribe.

Some people have asked that we additionally allow for one-time donations from readers, so weve created that opportunity, via the PayPal button below. We also accept e-transfers, cheques, and donations with your credit card; please contact iris at halifaxexaminer dot ca for details.

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The anatomy of failure: How and why the emergency alert system was not activated when a mass murderer was roaming around Nova Scotia - Halifax...

Anatomy

TMNT Anatomy: The Weirdest Things About the Ninja Turtles’ Bodies – CBR – Comic Book Resources

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswere created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and first appeared in Mirage Comics in 1984. Since then they've appeared in television shows, movies, video games and comic books. TMNT has been entertaining people for decades and every generation has looked different, but Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael have always been there with their humanoid turtle anatomy, kicking butt.

If there were any doubts regarding the turtle's superhero nature, those have squashed thanks to recent team-ups with Batman and the Power Rangers along the way. TheTurtles' super abilities aren't put on blast like many other popular heroes, but that doesn't mean they don't exist.

Related:TMNT #101 Is the Ideal Jumping-On Point Heres Why

The TMNT were created by a mysterious radioactive ooze that mutated them into humanoid turtle creatures. The mutations culminatedin heavily armored features like their shells and cranial plates. Their hands became tridactyl forelimb with opposable thumbs that allow them to maneuver their weapons and their feet are similar, but only have two digits. The Turtles's internal organs resemble human anatomy,including a chambered heart structure and similar intestinal system. They also possess the emotional depth of a human and many human interests and tastes -- like pizza, for one.

The Turtles have always possessed meta-human abilities like enhanced strength, speed, agility and reflexes. They're also resistant to cold. Splinter's ninjutsu training allowed the turtles to hone and strengthen their abilities to incredible levels. Leonardo even took his ninjutsu training to otherworldly heights by obtaining the ability to heal himself and others from fatal wounds. This healing ability goes beyond theTurtles' amphibious healing properties. The height of this power allowed Leo to cure himself of a so-called incurable venom when he was fighting Shredder's estranged daughter.

Related:Two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Villains Just Became Much Bigger Threats

While their muscle and skeletal structures combine many elements from turtles and humans,the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' shellsare incredibly similar to real turtle shells. The plastron and the carapace combine to cover the Turtles' front and back to cover all their vital organs. Even the simpler animations show the shells divided into smaller subsections, whichare points where the individual bones fuse and form into a shell.

Their shells take the place of their abdominal muscles and collar bones and relay a lot of synchronicity between their human and turtle anatomy. Their shells are bulletproof and can withstand enormous kinetic force, making them incredibly resistant in battle -- which allows them to more easily defend against multiple opponents at once. The shells also provide situational offensive capabilities, like when the turtles hurl themselves like cannonballs at their foes.

Related: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: IDW's Urban Legends Saved TMNT's Lost Era

Jennika is the fifth member of the TMNT and is objectively the most unique turtle of the bunch. Not only was she human at one time, but she also worked for Shredder was one of Splinter and theTurtles' most deadly foes. After she was gravely wounded, the Turtles decided to save her life with a blood transfusion. Leo was Jennika's blood donor and his mutated blood transformed Jennika into a turtleoid, whereas the original turtles were turned into humanoids. Jennika's Turtle form is far more slender than her male counterparts and she dawns a bright yellow eye mask to complete her look.

Jennika's main weapon choice is a set of claws, keeping an element of her Foot Clan past with her during her new life as a hero in a half shell. It's Jennika's mental fortitude that sets her apart. Not only does she have an entire lifetime of human memories, she's dealing with all of the mental hurdles of a mid-life species change. Jennika brings a lot more weight and human nuance to her character, which makes her a completely new breed ofMutant Ninja Turtle.

Related:TMNT: Jennika #1 Offers a Punk-Rock Look at the Newest Hero in a Half Shell

The turtles have gone through some changes over the years. While they generally remain the same, there have been some radical exceptions to the rule. One time, Leo lost his hand in a battle with a mutated Komodo Dragon named King Komode and in the same comics series, Raphael's face became permanently scarred. These incidents are no longer considered canon, but theyprovide an idea of theTurtles' healing limitations and the extent of their pain tolerance.

Donny and Raph have gone through the weirdest changes of them all, like the one time they turned into vampires during a collision with Universal Studio's classic monsters-- including Dracula. Donny also becomes a cyborg at one time when his body is damaged from a nearly fatal fall out of a helicopter. Donny merged with one of the cyborgs he and his brothers were fighting to save his life and the CPU altered his brain to make him more aggressive and feel less remorse. His extra mechanical features included blasters and improved armor.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles may have started as turtles mutated into humanoids by toxic ooze, but they have come a long way since and are now genuine heroes with incredible power.

Keep Reading:How the Ninja Turtles Come to Terms with [SPOILER's] Death

Dragon Ball Super Reveals the TRUTH About Goku's Ultra Instinct Abilities

Jonathan Olsen-Koziol has been training for this his entire life. Since he was a young child he's been consuming and studying comic books, movies, video games, heroes, villains, story arcs, and pop-culture. Now he gets to relay a lifetime of passion and knowledge to the people! If his writings find you; hopefully you leave entertained. Jon graduated from Central Washington University with a Bachelor's in journalism and concurrently works as a head editor and digital content specialist for RespectMyRegion.com.

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TMNT Anatomy: The Weirdest Things About the Ninja Turtles' Bodies - CBR - Comic Book Resources

Anatomy

Okay, Theres a Greys Anatomy Theory Going Around Saying Jackson Might Die – Cosmopolitan

Gilles MingassonGetty Images

Its been a few weeks since Greys Anatomy season 16 ended, but fans are desperately trying to figure out what would have happened if the season got the last few episodes it was supposed to. One wild theory going around involves Jackson Avery, and fans on Reddit think that if the season had gone on as planned, he actually would have died.

Greys ended its season on episode 21. It was supposed to have 25 episodes total. Obviously, the writers have been weaving the Greys and Station 19 storylines together lately, so the new Station 19 episodes hold some clues for what would have happened in those last four episodes of Greys. The synopsis for an upcoming Station 19 episode says, Ben, Jackson and Emmett are put in a precarious and dangerous position with a potential victim.

Doesnt seem like anything that would cause alarm, right? But someone on Reddit wrote this: According to press release for episode 15 for Station 19, Jackson along with Ben and the newbie are put in a dangerous position. I think thats a given that Jackson would have been the one to die.

Okay, Im not sure that its a given, and I dont totally get the leap between Jackson being in a dangerous position and him straight-up dying (unless the internet knows something I dont), but other people on the Reddit thread agreed. That theory makes a lot of sense, one commenter wrote. Also, his character pretty much peaked and died when Sarah Drew left the show.

And even if youre not totally sold on the Station 19 connection, people were saying Jackson was toast before that episode info dropped. On a different Reddit thread totally unrelated to that, fans wrote they think Jackson will be the next to go. So, um, I guess if you see Jackson die early in the next season of Greys, you heard it here first.

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Okay, Theres a Greys Anatomy Theory Going Around Saying Jackson Might Die - Cosmopolitan

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy season 17: Is Richard Webber still in danger? Showrunner confirms fate – Express.co.uk

Greys Anatomy was brought to a premature close after its 16th season finished four episodes early. However, in the finale it seemed Richard Webber (James Pickens Jr) was officially on the mend - heres what showrunner Krista Vernoff had to say about this.

Fans of Greys Anatomy were left in turmoil when Richard began experiencing some worrying symptoms.

This all happened when he hallucinated seeing his wife at a conference he was speaking at.

Then he blacked out and collapsed, leading viewers to believe he was in serious danger.

However, Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo) was tasked with finding exactly what was wrong with him.

READ MORE:Grey's Anatomy: Is this the last season of Grey's Anatomy?

This was thankfully resolved in episode 21 when she worked out his symptoms were caused by cobalt poisoning from his hip replacement.

Atticus "Link" Lincoln (Chris Carmack) operated on him and seemed to fix the problem but viewers never saw him recovered and well before the season came to an end.

This, therefore, left some concerned he might not be out of the woods just yet.

Thankfully, showrunner Vernoff has now confirmed what happened next to Richard.

Asked by Deadline if this meant he was now safe, she said: "Yes and I thought that that was one of the most amazing things about this diagnosis.

[It] was that the cobalt poisoning thing is real and it really can cause all of those symptoms.

It can cause dementia-like symptoms. It can cause Parkinson's-like symptoms tremors, hallucinations and the amazing thing about it is that once you diagnose it, and you get the leaky hip out of your body, you can recover, totally.

That felt, just as the storyteller, an amazing thing because it let us give Jim Pickens this really rich, rich material, without us having to permanently disable his character.

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Grey's Anatomy season 16: Was Dr Alex Karev going to be killed off?Greys Anatomy season 17 release date: Will there be another series?Grey's Anatomy season 17: Will Jackson Avery leave for Station 19?

I think that that was an amazing ride for the fans, because the outcry of [us] showing symptoms that don't feel like they have cures.

She went on to explain why this made his storyline so gripping for viewers of the show.

Vernoff added to the publication: "There's not really a cure for Parkinson's. There's not a cure for Alzheimer's.

"So I know everyone was in a panic, and so, we got to tell this really satisfying story, and we got to let people know that sometimes, there's another diagnosis for those symptoms.

Which we found fascinating, as a group of writers who write medicine, that it's so rare to see something this satisfying.

Fans will see Richard back to his old self in the upcoming 17th season of the show.

The new outing has officially been confirmed but it is not clear when it will be released yet.

The coronavirus COVID-19 outbreak could see the series delayed from its usual September slot.

Greys Anatomy is available to catch-up on ABC and Sky

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Greys Anatomy season 17: Is Richard Webber still in danger? Showrunner confirms fate - Express.co.uk

Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy boss reveals two storylines they couldn’t finish – digitalspy.com

Grey's Anatomy season 16 spoilers follow.

Grey's Anatomy showrunner Krista Vernoff has revealed two storylines for season 16 that the show was forced to cut due to the season ending early.

The 21st episode ended up as the season's makeshift finale, but there were originally four more episodes planned.

Speaking to Deadline, Vernoff described two plots that viewers would have seen happen: a storyline that would have explored why Teddy Altman cheated on Owen Hunt, and a storyline involving Andrew DeLuca that would have revisited the human trafficking case.

"We had an episode coming up where we were able to better articulate and better understand what's prompting Teddy's behaviour, and we don't get to air it," the showrunner said.

"Who knows, maybe it's going to change between now and when we'll actually shoot it for season 17, but I feel for Kim Raver.

"The amount of standing is high, and we've left her in a strange place. It's compelling... Why, when she was finally getting her happy ending, did she sabotage [the relationship]? I think it's [a] super-rich area, personally."

Related: Grey's Anatomy boss confirms "reset" ahead of next season after season 16 forced to end early

And speaking about DeLuca's incomplete storyline, Vernoff explained: "The other story that I was really disappointed that we couldn't complete... we did a story where there was a victim of human trafficking like two episodes ago, and DeLuca recognised it but he was in such a mentally compromised, manic state that nobody listened to him and the girl left.

"We had an episode where she comes back, and I am really sad that we can't air that episode this season because it felt important to offer that kind of hope to people who are living that experience.

"I may still complete that story next season."

Recent reports have also suggested that a major character death was planned for the original season finale. Vernoff didn't confirm or deny this, but did say that fans can watch the remaining episodes of Station 19's third season to find clues.

"Ironically, when fans watch episode 15 and 16 of Station 19, they will probably have a feeling of some of what we had planned for [the original Grey's finale]," she explained to TVLine.

One long-running storyline that was thankfully resolved in time was Richard Webber's mysterious illness, which turned out to be cobalt poisoning from a leaky hip replacement.

Grey's Anatomy airs on Thursdays on ABC in the US. It airs on Sky Witness in the UK with selected episodes also available on NOW TV.

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Grey's Anatomy boss reveals two storylines they couldn't finish - digitalspy.com

Cell Biology

[OPINION] We need to professionalize biology in the Philippines – Rappler

The first 4 months of the year 2020 saw raging forest fires in Australia, the eruption of a volcano (Taal Volcano) located in the middle of a caldera lake (Lake Taal), a locust infestation in parts of Africa, the COVID-19 pandemic which traces its origins to bat and/or pangolin consumption in China, and turquoise-blue waters returning to Manila Bay during the first few weeks of the "enhanced community quarantine." These of course, came at the heels of a water crisis in Metro Manila, the declaration of Sardinella tawilis as an endangered species last year, and the continued negative impacts of climate change.

All these scenarios have brought challenges that have affected all our lives. Social media has increased public interest in these phenomena but have likewise led to many misinterpretations and fake news. One thing shared by all these events is that they are best understood by persons who have degrees and training in biology. They would be among the most knowledgeable members of the population who would be able to understand, explain, offer advice, and have the skills to help study, analyze, and even mitigate the negative impacts of such catastrophic events. Unfortunately, the lack of recognition of biology as a valid career option prevents biology graduates from being appreciated and recognized for their contributions. (READ: Recipe for disaster? U.P. scientists slam release of invasive 'anti-dengue' species)

Studying biology is so much more than the usual high school biology activities such as dissecting frogs or identifying the parts of a flower. Biology is an extremely multi-faceted discipline, from the molecular level all the way to the entire biosphere. The recommended CHED curriculum in biology (CHED CMO 49 s. 2017) provides opportunities to learn basic and applied concepts in taxonomy and systematics, cell and molecular biology, evolutionary biology, genetics, developmental biology, microbiology, and physiology. These are then further strengthened by specialization courses such as bioinformatics, industrial biotechnology, marine biology, conservation biology, medical microbiology, histology and histopathology, parasitology, and immunology, among others. These options largely depend on the chosen specialization track, or major, of the student. A B.Sc. Biology graduate would therefore be knowledgeable in the use of microscopic techniques, DNA isolation, and analysis (which is extremely important in determining positive COVID-19 cases using a PCR machine), microbiological assays, testing on animal models, mapping, statistical analyses, environmental monitoring, and identification of organisms to species level. (READ: Top PH biologist: Tech, data help us understand species better)

Unfortunately, an undergraduate degree in biology, which is offered by 202 Higher Educational Institutions (HEI) in the Philippines (Raymundo et al., 2017) is widely perceived as a dead-end degree. Many students (and even their parents) usually dread career options in biology if in case one decides not to pursue a medical career. Oftentimes, graduates of B.Sc. Biology who do not proceed to medical school end up underemployed unable to practice whatever tangible knowledge or skills they obtained from their undergraduate studies.

It is not surprising to find B.Sc. Biology graduates engaged in entry-level careers in Business Process Outsourcing (i.e. call centers), sales, real estate, and marketing. Others resort to taking a second baccalaureate degree which offers better career prospects, especially abroad, such as nursing or physical therapy. This is because earning a decent living as a biology graduate means taking additional graduate degrees yet eventually competing for a limited number of available job opportunities. Unfortunately, this scenario wastes 4 years of hard toil, spent studying the rigors of biology courses, as well as the research training they obtained while working on their undergraduate thesis. (READ: VIRAL: UP student studying biology while in rally)

I would like to attribute the anxiety of many students over potential career prospects in biology to factors such as 1) the lack of recognition of biology as a valid profession in the Philippines; 2) the competition with, and preference for, graduates of other degrees who have government licensure examinations (medical technologists, chemists, fisheries graduates, agriculturists, foresters, etc.); 3) the low regard for research, innovation, and development among Philippine-based industries and corporations; and 4) the limited job opportunities in academia given the research culture in many higher educational institutions.

In this article, I hope to offer suggestions to address the first two of the 4 factors listed above. The last two factors, though equally important, are not unique to biology and covers other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Furthermore, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has been continuously coming up with initiatives that have helped ease this problem, such as 1) providing scholarship opportunities for graduate degrees in STEM (DOST-SEI, 2020); 2) raising compensation packages for research staff (DOST, 2019); and 3) strengthening the Scientific Career System for scientists in public service (NAST, 2020). Though far from perfect, this shows how the DOST has been striving to champion the plight of those engaged in S&T careers.

At present, initiatives to professionalize a discipline in biological sciences is limited to microbiology. The Philippine Academy of Microbiology (PAM) offers a certification examination for Registered Microbiologists. The PAM aims to take this to the next level, by soliciting support for a Microbiology Bill in the Philippine legislature (Chipeco, 2019). Once approved, this would transform the exam into a Professional Regulations Commission (PRC) board examination, thus giving microbiologists proper government recognition. This may be used as a benchmark for professionalizing biologists.

Since biologists are needed in many other disciplines apart from microbiology-related professions, the entire discipline needs to undergo proper certification as well. This will enable biologists to have a distinct identity compared to other related professions, which have the unique advantage of filling in vacant positions simply because they have professional board examinations even though these tasks may be best performed by a biologist. To give one possible scenario, a job opening intended for a molecular biologist may be easily filled up by a licensed medical technologist because biology graduates, even though they are obviously qualified to perform the tasks of a molecular biologist, do not hold a government-issued professional license.

However, given the limited job opportunities and the need for further specializations in graduate school, any attempt to come up with a professional certification examination for biologists must specify that a masters degree in biology be the minimum requirement to qualify for the exam, following the example of the Psychology Law (R.A. 10029) for Registered Psychologists. This would ensure that the candidate has taken more than the basic course requirements specified in the undergraduate curriculum and has been exposed to a certain field of specialization in graduate school which makes them more prepared to engage in a highly specialized career. Given how graduate students are encouraged to publish in valid, peer-reviewed journals as part of their graduate training, requiring the completion of a masters degree prior to taking the certification examination ensures that anyone who qualifies as a professional biologist has undergone adequate research training, which is among the strengths of anyone who has pursued advanced degrees in biology.

Another option is to empower biology associations or societies involved in different disciplines to maintain a certain level of quality among their members by providing professional certification programs in various subspecialties or disciplines. This is not without precedent. In Canada, organizations such as the Alberta Society of Professional Biologists (ASPB) and the Association of Professional Biology (APB) in British Columbia regulates and ensures the qualifications of those who wish to practice biology as a profession in their respective federal states. Professional certifications also exist for highly specialized disciplines such as wildlife biology and fisheries biology.

In the Philippines, this means that for us to jumpstart any attempt to professionalize biology, the currently existing professional societies in various fields of biology must provide professional certificate programs in their respective disciplines. They should also come together and form an umbrella organization or academy that would spearhead reaching out to the national government and employers to recognize such professional certifications issued by their respective societies in choosing candidates for a certain position. At present, there are different professional societies for biochemistry and molecular biology (PSBMB), cell biology (PSCB), developmental biology (PSDB), biology teachers (BIOTA Philippines), systematic biologists (ASBP), freshwater sciences (PSFS), and biodiversity and conservation (BCSP), to name a few. None of these organizations offer professional certificate programs for their members, save perhaps for the usual conference, training course, or seminar-workshop that they offer on an annual basis.

If we would be able to come up with a united front, we can be assured that we will be able to tap into this rich resource of potential contributors to help improve our awareness and understanding of the natural world, which, given this state of the new normal, should be integral components of our workforce the biologists. Rappler.com

Rey Donne S. Papa holds a PhD Biological Sciences degree from the University of Santo Tomas (UST), where he also holds the rank of Professor, teaching zoology and ecology courses in the UST Department of Biological Sciences. He is currently serving as the Dean of the UST College of Science and is the Program Lead for the Natural Sciences in the UST Graduate School. He is also the President of the Association of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines and the Vice President of the Philippine Society for Freshwater Science. Dr Papa is a freshwater biologist with 58 peer-reviewed international and national publications in the field to date. He may be reached through rspapa@ust.edu.ph.

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[OPINION] We need to professionalize biology in the Philippines - Rappler

Cell Biology

Meis1 protein plays key role in stopping cell division in the heart – News-Medical.Net

UT Southwestern Medical Center scientists have discovered a protein that works with others during development to put the brakes on cell division in the heart, they report today in Nature.

The findings could eventually be used to reverse this developmental block and help heart cells regenerate, offering a whole new way to treat a variety of conditions in which heart muscle becomes damaged, including heart failure caused by viruses, toxins, high blood pressure, or heart attacks.

Current pharmaceutical treatments for heart failure including ACE inhibitors and beta blockers center on trying to stop a vicious cycle of heart muscle loss as strain further damages remaining heart muscle, causing more cells to die, explains UT Southwestern physician-researcher Hesham A. Sadek, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of internal medicine molecular biology, and biophysics. There are no existing treatments to rebuild heart muscle.

Nine years ago, Sadek and his colleagues discovered that mouse hearts can regenerate if they're damaged in the first few days of life, spurred by the division of cardiomyocytes, the cells responsible for a heart's contractile force.

However, this capacity is completely lost by 7 days old, an abrupt turning point in which division of these cells dramatically slows and the cells themselves enlarge. The reasons why these cells gradually slow and stop dividing has been unclear.

Sadek and his team discovered in 2013 that a protein called Meis1, which falls into a category known as transcription factors that regulate the activity of genes, plays a key role in stopping heart cell division.

However, he explains, although deleting this gene in mice extends the window of heart cell division, this effect is transient heart cells missing this gene eventually slow and stop their multiplication.

Consequently, the researchers wondered whether there were redundant mechanisms in place that stop heart cell division even when Meis1 is absent.

Toward that end, they looked to see what other transcription factors might track activity with Meis1 in heart cells as they rapidly divide and then slow to a halt in the days after birth. They quickly discovered one called Hoxb13 that fit the bill.

Other proteins in the Hox family, Sadek notes, have been shown to act as chaperones to Meis1 in other types of cells, ferrying Meis1 into the cell nucleus.

To better understand Hoxb13's role in heart cells, the researchers genetically engineered mice in which the gene that codes for Hoxb13 was deleted.

These mice behaved much like those in which just the gene for Meis1 was deleted the window for heart cell rapid division was increased but still closed within a few weeks.

When the researchers shut off Hoxb13 in adult mouse hearts, their cell division had a brief resurgence, enough to prevent progressive deterioration after an induced heart attack but not enough to promote significant recovery.

However, when the researchers deleted both the genes for Meis1 and Hoxb13, heart cells in these mice appeared to revert to an earlier stage in development, both decreasing in size and multiplying more.

After an induced heart attack, these mice had a rapid improvement in the amount of blood each beat could expel from the heart. Their heart function had almost returned to normal.

With clear evidence that Meis1 and Hoxb13 work together to stop heart cell division in the days after birth, Sadek and his colleagues looked for what might in turn regulate these proteins.

Their experiments suggest that the answer is calcineurin, a protein that's responsible for regulating the activity of other proteins by removing their phosphate groups.

Because calcineurin plays a key role in a variety of diseases and other medical conditions, such as rheumatic arthritis, schizophrenia, diabetes, and organ transplant, several drugs already exist on the market that target this protein.

Conceivably, says Sadek, other drugs could be developed to directly target Meis1 and Hoxb13. Researchers may eventually be able to develop strategies to restart heart cell division through a single drug or combinations that target any part of this regulatory pathway, he adds.

By building up the story of the fundamental mechanisms of heart cell division and what blocks it. we are now significantly closer to being able to harness these pathways to save lives."

Hesham A. Sadek, M.D., Ph.D., Physician-Researcher and Professor of Internal Medicine Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center

Sadek also holds the J. Fred Schoellkopf, Jr. Chair in Cardiology.

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Meis1 protein plays key role in stopping cell division in the heart - News-Medical.Net