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Cell Biology

ONK Therapeutics Announces Three Exclusive Option License Agreements, Which Extend and Strengthen its Dual-Targeted NK Cell Therapy Pipeline -…

Dec. 17, 2020 08:30 UTC

GALWAY, Ireland, & SAN DIEGO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- ONK Therapeutics Ltd, an innovative natural killer (NK) cell therapy company, today announced that it has secured three new exclusive option license agreements which strengthen its off-the-shelf, dual-targeted natural killer (NK) cell therapy platform and extend its pre-clinical pipeline to four programs across both hematological and solid tumors.

The first option agreement, with Cellerant Therapeutics, gives exclusive rights to a humanized CLEC12A scFv binder. CLEC12A is strongly expressed by blasts in the majority of AML patients. The option to license has enabled ONK to expand its pre-clinical product portfolio, launching a fourth program (ONKT104). This dual-targeted approach combines the CLEC12A CAR with a TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand variant (TRAILv) targeting death receptor 4 (DR4).

While expressed on leukemic stem cells, CLEC12A is absent from normal hematopoietic stem cells and we thus expect that our dual-targeted NK cell therapy approach should enable safe targeting, with a reduced risk of prolonged aplasia in AML, said Prof Michael ODwyer MD, ONK Therapeutics co-founder, and CSO.

The second agreement in-licenses a humanized, tumor-specific antibody targeting an aberrantly glycosylated tumor-associated form of MUC1 (TA-MUC1) from Glycotope GmbH. Multiple solid tumor types express the mucin MUC1, including non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer. This antibody will be integrated into ONKs pre-clinical program ONKT103, for solid tumors.

Non-selective targeting of MUC1 could be problematic since the target is also expressed by healthy tissues, but ODwyer explains how ONKs dual-targeted approach can be used to address this. We have designed a CAR tailored to the glycosylation pattern distinct to tumor-associated MUC1 with specific recognition of the carbohydrate antigens Tn and T on MUC1, the expression of which is restricted to cancer cells. Glycotope has identified the glycosylation pattern as a way to unlock the potential of TA-MUC1 as a solid tumor target. ONK is thus set to bring the natural benefits of NK cells over T cells to bear on TA-MUC1, in a tumor-specific fashion, while also further boosting efficacy and countering resistance through the use of our TRAIL variant targeting DR5, he said.

ONKs unique platform approach combines the expression of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) and a high affinity, membrane-bound TRAILv. The incorporation of these two humanized scFvs has the potential to minimize the risk of immunogenicity in the allogeneic setting.

ONK is also exploring several innovative strategies to improve the homing of NK cells. This is an important consideration as ex-vivo expansion can lead to changes in chemokine receptor expression. Through this new license agreement with the NIH, ONK plans to enforce the expression of CCR7, which is downregulated on NK cell expansion. This may improve the homing of NK cells to lymph nodes and is expected to be particularly useful for ONKs off-the-shelf CD19 program targeting B cell lymphoma, ONKT101, which is partnered with Avectas.

ONK is making rapid progress since it announced its most recent financing in October. Chris Nowers, ex Kite Pharma Head of Europe, who joined at that time as Chief Executive Officer, said: The recent American Society of Hematology meeting highlighted the NK cell therapy area as offering great hope as the next generation of advanced cell therapies. We believe our best-in-class off-the-shelf, dual-targeted NK cell therapy platform has the potential to improve performance and overcome some of the shortcomings seen with earlier approaches. These new licensing activities strengthen and expand our programs and illustrate our ambition and strategy to become a leader in this exciting field.

The company recently expanded its operations into the USA, moving into JLABS @ San Diego, Johnson & Johnson Innovations flagship facility, at the heart of San Diegos precision medicine and cell therapy cluster. This represents a second facility that complements its main R&D team and operations in Galway, Ireland. The companys recruitment drive across both facilities has been rapid and the company continues to expand its capability in key areas, including NK cell biology, construct design, gene editing, and process development.

-Ends-

ONK Therapeutics http://www.onktherapeutics.com ONK Therapeutics Ltd is an innovative cell therapy company dedicated to developing the next generation of off-the-shelf, dual-targeted NK cell therapies targeting solid and hematological cancers.

The company was founded in 2015, by Prof. ODwyer MD, of NUI Galway, an expert in translational multiple myeloma research, the tumor microenvironment, and exploitation of NK cells as cellular immunotherapy. Its core proprietary platform is based on a dual-targeted NK cell expressing both a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting a known tumor antigen and a TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand variant (TRAILv) targeting the death receptor pathway (i.e. DR4 or DR5). This unique approach has the potential to enhance efficacy by addressing both intrinsic (e.g. CAR engagement of a tumor-specific antigen) and extrinsic (e.g. signaling through the death receptor pathway) apoptotic pathways and to reduce the susceptibility to possible target antigen escape through the engagement of tumor antigen-independent TRAILv.

Its pre-clinical pipeline comprises four programs;

In addition to the unique dual-targeted NK cell therapy platform, the company has a strong research focus on strategies to enhance homing and persistence, and overcome exhaustion, including the exploration of proprietary gene edits, such as the deletion of checkpoint inhibitory receptors in NK cells.

ONK Therapeutics is headquartered in the med-tech hub of Galway, Ireland, with a wholly-owned US subsidiary, ONK Therapeutics, Inc. based at JLabs @ San Diego. Shareholders include Acorn Bioventures, ALSHC (principally Seamus Mulligan), and Enterprise Ireland.

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About Avectas - http://www.avectas.com Avectas is a cell engineering technology business that has developed a unique delivery platform, Solupore to enable the ex vivo manufacture of cell therapy products, which have high in-vivo functionality.

Glycotope http://www.glycotope.com Glycotope is a biotechnology company utilizing a proprietary technology platform to develop highly tumor-specific monoclonal antibodies called GlycoBodies. GlycoBodies bind to targets (GlycoTargets) tumor-specific carbohydrate structure dependent, enabling the development of highly-specific immunotherapies across a broad range of cancer indications. Glycotope has to date discovered in excess of 150 GlycoTargets with GlycoBodies against eight of these targets currently under development.

Each GlycoBody can be developed in an array of modalities with different modes of action providing a unique offering in the (immuno) oncology space. Currently, six clinical and pre-clinical programs based on the GlycoBody technology are under development by Glycotope or its licensing partners.

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ONK Therapeutics Announces Three Exclusive Option License Agreements, Which Extend and Strengthen its Dual-Targeted NK Cell Therapy Pipeline -...

Anatomy

Anatomy of a Play: Philip Rivers’ big-time throw to T.Y. Hilton – Touchdown Wire

Through the first nine weeks of the season, only Derek Carr, Lamar Jackson, and Jared Goff had fewer deep passing attempts (20-plus air yards) than Philip Rivers in his first season with the Colts. Rivers was playing mostly quick game in Frank Reichs offense, and hed completed just 13 of 27 deep attempts for 372 yards, two touchdowns, two interceptions, and a passer rating of 88.1.

From Weeks 10-14, Rivers tied with Goff for the NFLs fewest deep attempts with just 14, completing seven of those passes for 205 yards, two touchdowns, one interception, and a passer rating of 105.7. So, a bit better in quality, but about the same in quantity. And as Rivers averaged 2.30 seconds from snap to throw, per Pro Football Focus (only Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady have released the ball more quickly per attempt), you could say that the Reich-Rivers combination has been fairly reductive when it comes to the deep passing game.

This has led to a reduced role for T.Y. Hilton, the Colts best deep receiver. Hilton came into Indianapolis Week 15 game against the Texans with just five deep receptions on 12 attempts for 155 yards and one touchdown. Not much different than the three deep passes he caught in 2019 with Jacoby Brissett as the primary quarterback, and a far cry from the 14 deep passes he caught in 2018, Andrew Lucks last season.

The thought has been that the Colts have not utilized the deep passing game because Rivers is a shadow of his former self from a physical perspective, but it could have been that it took time for Rivers and Hilton to develop the right chemistry. Rivers 41-yard pass to Hilton with 2:29 left in the game, which put the ball at the Houston three-yard line and set up the game-winning five-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to Zach Pascal after a Jonathan Taylor two-yard loss, could be a defining point in the Colts 2020 season and a possible shot in the arm for the playoffs.

Weve had him running down the middle a few times, Rivers said after the game, regarding the connections downfield to Hilton. One that comes to mind is against the Jets or Bengals that I didnt throw just because there was a little uncertainty. I can say yes but not necessarily, but yeah. I think just each rep, each day that builds you build more and more comfortable together, all of us. That was obviously a huge play after getting backed up there. That was a big-time drive. Everybody contributed.

Obviously, we get the fourth-down conversion. Jacoby did a good job on the sneak. Trey [Burton had a big third-down conversion. Jonathan [Taylor] made some good runs, T.Y. (Hilton) with the big time catch. Zach gets in the end zone. I think youre seeing just as you have seen all year what a collective effort it is. What a team effort it is. I think we really exemplified that. What you talk about the ultimate team sport, I think we have shown that to be true all year long.

So, everybody contributed, but it was the big-time play that made the difference. The Texans helped. Somehow, Hilton wound up with linebacker Tyrell Adams trailing him downfield, as the Colts four verts route concept stressed Houstons defense. Rivers was champing at the bit to get the ball out at that point. Hilton was the inside slot receiver the three-read with Michael Pittman Jr. as the outside slot receiver and Pascal as the outside receiver. On the right side of the formation, tight end Mo Alie-Cox ran a deep route to the numbers from a nub alignment tight to the formation to give the defense a run look to that side. Although, on second-and-20, the Texans werent exactly reading run.

Yeah, there was a little communication with the backside safety and 50 [Adams] early kind of alerting that T.Y. was the No. 3 receiver, and I did feel like that pre-snap they were going to two [Pittman], but when they started conversating I was like, shoot, they arent going to let it happen, but they did, Rivers said.

Alie-Coxs route took A.J. Moore out of the defensive middle, and cornerbacks Eric Murray and Lonnie Johnson Jr. shaded to Pittman, leaving Adams all alone on Hilton through most of the route. Not the matchup you want if youre the Texans.

Thats a split safety defense that we have, and we hoped that we could get some overlap from a safety depending on what they see and which way they break, Texans interim head coach Romeo Crennel said. But T.A. has a lot of the responsibility of running with that through the middle and then hopefully we can get a safety to come over and help out.

Again, if you have a linebacker trailing T.Y. Hilton 40 yards downfield, it is time to explore a different strategy.

I think our outside guys, Im not sure if it was Mo [Alie-Cox] or Trey [Burton] who was the nub tight end, did a great job of threatening this safety, Rivers concluded. I think it was Zach or Pitt (that did a great job of threatening that safety which put T.Y alone on 50 and it was huge to get down there. And then Zach, unbelievable effort to get in the end zone there on the second-and-goal.

Reich definitely liked the way it looked, giving credit to his offensive coordinator.

I really credit Nick [Sirianni] and the offensive staff, the coach said. Thats a play that we had put in, trying to get against the coverage that we ended up getting, and unfortunately, we were in a long-yard situation. It was just a gut feeling that we had to make a play and had to take a shot. There was one thought to just try to get back in field-goal range, but I really was just trusting Philip, trusting T.Y. Hey, lets take the shot if its there. Lets see if we can get the coverage we want and get T.Y. isolated like we wanted to and if its there, lets take it and if not lets work underneath, try to get some yards and get back in field-goal range if thats what we have to do.

If the 10-4 Colts can continue these deep shots and still work underneath as they have all season, theyll be a dangerous opponent once the postseason comes around.

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Anatomy of a Play: Philip Rivers' big-time throw to T.Y. Hilton - Touchdown Wire

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy and Station 19 Team on Tackling Police Brutality & Sexual Exploitation of Black Girls – Variety

SPOILER ALERT:Do not read if you have not yet watched Out of Control and No Time for Despair, the Dec. 17 episodes of Station 19 and Greys Anatomy, respectively.

As 2020 has brought upon more issues than seem possibly manageable from the unprecedented health crisis amid the pandemic to the murder of George Floyd the midseason crossover finale event for Shondalands ABC drama Station 19 and Greys Anatomymirrored the state of the world, shining a light on the Black Lives Matters movement, sex trafficking and the spiking surge in COVID-19 cases flooding hospitals across the U.S.

It started on Station 19, in an episode title Out of Control that saw two teenage Black girls abducted and kept captive in a white mans home.

A team of white, male police officers were called to the scene, but they refused to enter the home, saying they showed up because they received a call from the man complaining about a woman causing a disturbance. This led off-duty firefighters to construct a plan to break into the home, where they found the teenagers unconscious and hidden in the basement. Those girls had come up with a plan of their own: to start a fire in the home so they could be rescued by the firefighters they heard outside of the house.

But, when the police officer overheard one of the 13-year-old girls talking about starting the fire, the kidnapper claimed he was the target of arson and a break-in and therefore the victim in the situation. One of the girls mothers ended up getting arrested on the scene when the police officer said she assaulted him. Additionally, two Black, male firefighters were also arrested after they jumped in to defend the mother. From those actions, it seemed clear the show had a lot to say about systemic racism and unconscious bias when it comes to police, but the doctors at Grey Sloan Memorial were much more sympathetic and in-tune with the real victims.

Owen (Kevin McKidd) called the kidnapper a scumbag when he arrives for care, lamenting, They burned down my house and I got arrested. The doctor also told him he deserves to spend his life behind bars.

As the two girls were treated in the hospital, including by Dr. Jackson Avery, played by Jesse Williams, who has used his platform off-screen for racial justice, including condemning police brutality when making a speech at the BET Awards this past summer. It is while they were in Grey Sloan that the doctors realized the girls were linkedto the sex trafficking ring showcased in Season 16 a significant storyline that was cut short when production on Greys Anatomy halted last spring, due to the industry-wide pandemic-forced shutdown.

Kidnapping teenagers during a pandemic? Dont even get me started on the people who are partying without masks, one of the doctors said in a brief moment, illuminating the dizzying influx of issues happening in the world.

At one particularly poignant part of the episode, Maggie (Kelly McCreary) delivered an impromptu monologue about her outrage over the racial disparity of the pandemic and the victimization of Black girls, peeling back yet more crucial layers of the coronavirus crisis highlighting the nuanced, and significant, conversations happening in the country.

I want outrage for the fact that we are seen as disposable and rarely seen as victims that Black girls are less likely to be seen as innocent as white girls, she said. Meanwhile, we are being physically and sexually abused at horrific rates, and not just by sex traffickers. And now, there is a plague that is killing Black people at a rate that should make everyone outraged. If COVID were killing white people at the rate that it is killing Black people, you better believe that everyone would be wearing masks because it would be the damn law.

A brief bright spot of the midseason finale was when Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) woke up at the beginning of the episode, after being unresponsive from COVID-19 for the past few episodes. Unfotunately, though, it was only a momentary reprieve, as after getting out of her hospital bed to resuscitate another patient, Meredith became unresponsive again. The episode ended as she was being put on a ventilator.

Here, showrunner Krista Vernoff and writer Felicia Pride, who penned the Greys Anatomy midseason finale, talk with Variety about the powerful crossover episodes, plus Meredith Greys future.

Vernoff: Yes, we were shooting an episode that focused on the sex trafficking story when we shut the show down, but then we ended up using many of those scenes in our premiere this season. So, this was a new follow-through. This was a new idea and a new way to carry that story forward.

Vernoff: It felt like an unfinished story for DeLuca. For me, the story always starts from character. We dont start with a political hot topic or a social issue that we want to shine a light on. The social issues tend to evolve from the character. So, the sex trafficking pitch was one of the ideas that we came into the season excited about, and to not let it be over when we thought it was over last season.

Pride: It also gave us an opportunity to shine a light on the prevalent amount of the Black girls who are trafficked, as well as the reasons why Black girls are more vulnerable to being trafficked. We got to dive even deeper on that side of the issue.

Vernoff: I want to give Felicia some credit here because I had a slightly different take on that scene and on that story, and Felicia came forward advocating for the point of view that you ended up seeing on screen, which was so much more powerful and so important.

Pride: Its a nuanced take, right? Maggie is feeling the horror of these Black girls and these mothers going through this situation, and she also knows though that there are so many things that lead up to this that are ignored and how Black girls in general can seem invisible and seem to be discarded. She is frustrated by the fact that those things tend to be ignored, and she wants the same outrage for the actual sex trafficking also to be for the things that lead up to the sex trafficking, so we wanted to really dive in and connect the dots for the audience of the many reasons why Black girls can be more vulnerable to trafficking, in the first place, so that we can start to prevent it.

Vernoff: Yes. There had been a big push from the actors on Station 19, since the beginning of the show, to take a look at the relationship between firefighters and police and the fact that the Black firefighters would have a different experience and relationship than white firefighters. For a long time, the show favored a different kind of storytelling. This year, it felt imperative to honor the truth and to honor the lived experiences that the actors were so eager to explore and the writers were also eager to explore. It just felt really important. A lot of our conversations in the writers room this year happened in the summer when we were taking days off to protest. I feel that what is so very powerful about the hour of Station 19 is that it starts like any other episode joyful and playful and familial and communal and funny and easy and then the day turns to horror.

Vernoff: Yes, were absolutely following through on the story in dramatic and powerful ways. The shows are set in the middle of 2020, and the hope lives inside the pandemic and the hope lives inside that fact that were finally talking about the racial divide in this country, and the humor and the joy and the silver linings all live inside of that. Were looking at these issues, and also finding joy in the shows.

Vernoff: I never look at this show in terms of issues. I always think about the show in terms of character arcs, and particularly right now, it feels issue-laden because were telling the story that our health care workers are going through right now. Were telling the story of COVID, and the story is that Black and brown people are wildly more susceptible to it. So, is that showing an issue? Or is that just the truth that were living in, and were telling the story through the lens of these characters who are health care workers? We are still seeing a lot of people in this country not wearing masks and maybe not even believing that this pandemic exists, so while we are living in this COVID world, giving a little window into what it might be like in hospitals right now feels important.

Pride: I think that by showing the lives of healthcare workers from a really holistic standpoint, were able to dive into so many issues. Its just really ripe for story and emotion and truth.

Vernoff: Yes, because were not doing any major jump-forward in time. And, we dont know what the world is going to look like after COVID. We dont know what medicine and what hospital protocols are going to be in a post-pandemic world. This is the world were living in.

Vernoff: Not right now, but well see what happens. I think it will take a long time for us all to get that vaccine, and for masks and social distancing to go away. Its going to take longer than people wish that it would.

Vernoff: Maybe because we had so many doctors and epidemiologists in the writers room, I dont think any of us imagined the pandemic would be over by now.

Pride: No. The stories we were hearing from doctors were horrifying and it felt very long-lasting.

Pride: She still has a long road ahead of her. Were really trying to be accurate around people with COVID and the fact that, in the time period were in the show, there are still so many unknowns. There are still so many things that doctors are figuring out. But Dr. Grey has definitely defied the odds in many ways, so I think it will be a mixture of those two.

Station 19 airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. and Greys Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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Greys Anatomy and Station 19 Team on Tackling Police Brutality & Sexual Exploitation of Black Girls - Variety

Anatomy

Stejskal: Trump and the Anatomy of a Con – ticklethewire.com

The writer, an FBI agent for 31 years, retired as resident agent in charge of the Ann Arbor office in 2006. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska Lincoln Law School.

By Greg Stejeskal

During my time in the FBI, I investigated several frauds involving cons or grifts of varying sophistication. One relatively savvy con artist told me the first step is to convince yourself the scam is true. It is easier to sell if on some level you believe its real. (Im guessing its easier to convince yourself if you are narcissist.)

The Set Up

President Trump has some history of running cons like Trump University, his former charitable foundation, etc. In effect his whole attack on the presidential election has been a con. Since the beginning of his campaign for reelection, Trump has said the only way he could lose was if the election were rigged.

He elaborated that absentee ballots were inherently fraudulent, although significant fraud hasnt occuyrred in states where theyre used regularly.

Covid made mail and dropoff voting options prevalent in most states, endorsed by both Republicans and Democrats. But they was embraced more by the Democrats than Republicans at least in part because of Trumps attacks.

I dont know if Trump convinced himself that the only way he could lose was if the election were rigged, but he did manage to convince millions of his supporters. Part of the con was that Trump was predictably ahead early in the counting on election day. This was because more Republicans voted in person at the polls than Democrats who used mail balloting. Another factor was that many Republican-controlled legislatures prohibit absentee ballots from being validated or processed until Election Day. That means theyre not counted until well after in-person ballots are tabulated.

As the counting continued into the next few days, it became clear that Trump was losing. Trump even called for the counting to stop in the early morning hours after Election Day. Despite rigorous oversight by both parties and no credible evidence of widespread fraud, Trump railed that there were numerous incidents of shenanigans, but never produced any credible evidence.

Ultimately all the counting was finished, and Joe Biden was declared the winner. By Trumps own standard it was a landslide, 306-232 electoral votes. Trumps appointed Attorney General William Barr and FBI Director Christopher Wray reported there was no evidence of significant fraud that would have affected the outcome.

The director of cybersecurity, Christopher Krebs, also a Trump appointee said it was a clean election with no evidence of cyber interference or fraud. (Because Krebs contradicted Trumps claims, the president fired him. Trump also criticized Barr, leading to his resignation effective next Wednesday.)There is some speculation that Trump is challenging the results at least partly as a fund-raising scheme. Donations are solicited to pay for legal expenses and supporters have given over $200 million so far. Little of the money raised is going for legal challenges to the election. It is going into a campaign fund thats use is indeterminate a slush fund.

This seems reminiscent of Mel Brooks movie and musical, The Producers, where Broadway producer Max Blalystock and his accountant figure out that they can make more money on a failed play than a successful one. The intended flop is titled Springtime for Hitler. Apparently, Trump has figured out a way to make money on a failed campaign, Springtime for Trump.

But Trumps challenge to the result and refusal to concede his defeat has far more dire consequences. His millions of fervent supporters believe his baseless claims of election fraud and that the election was stolen from him.

This is further exacerbated by many in the leadership of the Republican Party enabling Trumps con to continue by supporting his claims and over 50 failed legal challenges.

Court challenges reached a crescendo with a lawsuit filed at the U.S. Supreme Court by the Texas Attorney General, Ken Paxton, backed by 17 other Republican attorneys general and 126 Republican members of the House of Representatives. The lawsuit challenged the election procedures of four states Michigan, Georgia, Pennsylvania nd Wisconsin and asked the court to nullify about 20 million votes. The Supreme Court summarily rejected the suit in a one-page order.

A recent book, Lincoln On The Verge by Ted Widmer, follows Lincolns circuitous 13-day train trip from Springfield, Ill., to Washington, D.C., for his inauguration on March 4, 1861.(The Constitution prescribed thatinauguration date until it was changed to Jan. 20by the 20th Amendment in 1933.) I was struck by some of the similarities between that presidential transition and our present one.

Lincoln won with a plurality of only about 40 percent of the vote, but got a majority of electoral votes. The Democratic Party had split into Southern and Northern factions. Stephen Douglas was the Northern candidate and John Breckinridge; the sitting vice president, was the Southern candidate. Southern Democrats vilified Lincoln and when he won, some of states began to secede, starting with South Carolina.

This time, after the Supreme Court on Dec. 11 rejected the Texas suit brought on Trumps behalf, some of the Texas Republican leadership suggested: Perhaps law-abiding states should bond together and form a union of states that will abide by the Constitution. That implies secession, an act of insurrection and this statement has been characterized as seditious. (Sedition is the inciting of an insurrectionary movement tending towards treason.)

Final Act in Election Drama

Last Monday, Electoral College members in each state and cast 306 votes for Biden and 232 for Trump. That will be formally accepted by Congress on Jan. 6unless challenged by at least one House member of the House and one senator.

A movement is afoot by some Republican members of the House to interfere with Congress formal acceptance by objecting to some states electoral votes. Vice President Mike Pence will preside. This would probably be a futile effort, and certainly foment more discord and disunity.

When Lincoln made his first inaugural address, he closed with the following:

We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over the broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, where again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.

It was not to be.

Despite Trumps baseless claims that the election was stolen, hes the one whos trying to steal the election by any means from a duly elected Joe Biden. Maybe Trump will come to realize, like the Grinch who tried to steal Christmas, that despite all his efforts to overturn the election, the inauguration of new president will come just as Christmas will.

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Stejskal: Trump and the Anatomy of a Con - ticklethewire.com

Anatomy

Naomi Scott to star in Netflixs upcoming anthology Anatomy of a Scandal – Republic World

English actor Naomi Scott has been roped in to join the cast of Netflix anthology Anatomy of a Scandal. The actor would be seen sharing the screen with Sienna Miller, Michelle Dockery and Rupert Friend. The 27 year old actor, Naomi was previously seen in Aladdin, Charlies Angels, Power Rangers and Terra Nova.

A report in Hollywood Reporter suggests that in Netflixs Anatomy of a Scandal, Scott will be seen portraying the character of Olivia Lytton. According to the media portal, Naomis character is a parliamentary researcher with a bright future. Reportedly, her character will be seen facing a powerful adversary.

The show is adapted from the best selling novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan. The show is made by David E. Kelly who has been associated with shows like Big Little Lies, The Practice and Big Sky. According to the media portal, David would be reuniting with Big Little Lies exec producer Bruna Papandrea for this show.

Naomi Scott has received immense love from her fans for her on-screen performances throughout her career. In Charlies Angels, she starrer opposite Kristen Stewart and the film is available to watch on Amazon Prime. However, the actor is best known for her leading role as Princess Jasmine in Disneys Aladdin that was a live-action film. Apart from Anatomy of a Scandal, Naomi will be seen next in Distant. Reportedly, she will be seen sharing the screen with Anthony Ramos.

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As per reports in Hollywood Reporter, the show will be written by David E. Kelly and Melissa James Gibson. The shall also be associated with the show as its showrunners and exec producers. Reportedly, S.J. Clarkson will direct the episodes of the show.

A report in the media portal suggests that each episode will be one hour long and there are a total of six episodes in the series. However, the series is intended to be an anthology, implying that each episode will showcase a new story. The list of exec producers includes Liza Chasin, Bruna Papandrea, Steve Hutensky and Allie Goss.

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Get the latest entertainment news from India & around the world. Now follow your favourite television celebs and telly updates. Republic World is your one-stop destination for trending Bollywood news. Tune in today to stay updated with all the latest news and headlines from the world of entertainment.

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Naomi Scott to star in Netflixs upcoming anthology Anatomy of a Scandal - Republic World

Neuroscience

You Do Not Want to Mess With This Virus Research Strongly Suggests COVID-19 Virus Enters the Brain – SciTechDaily

The S1 protein likely causes the brain to release inflammatory products causing a storm in the brain, researchers said. Credit: Alice Gray

A study published in Nature Neuroscience shows how spike protein crosses the blood-brain barrier.

More and more evidence is coming out that people with COVID-19 are suffering from cognitive effects, such as brain fog and fatigue.

And researchers are discovering why. The SARS-CoV-2 virus, like many viruses before it, is bad news for the brain. In a study published on December 16, 2020, in Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that the spike protein, often depicted as the red arms of the virus, can cross the blood-brain barrier in mice.

This strongly suggests that SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19, can enter the brain.

The spike protein, often called the S1 protein, dictates which cells the virus can enter. Usually, the virus does the same thing as its binding protein, said lead author William A. Banks, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a Puget Sound Veterans Affairs Healthcare System physician and researcher. Banks said binding proteins like S1 usually by themselves cause damage as they detach from the virus and cause inflammation.

The S1 protein likely causes the brain to release cytokines and inflammatory products, he said.

In science circles, the intense inflammation caused by the COVID-19 infection is called a cytokine storm. The immune system, upon seeing the virus and its proteins, overreacts in its attempt to kill the invading virus. The infected person is left with brain fog, fatigue and other cognitive issues.

Banks and his team saw this reaction with the HIV virus and wanted to see if the same was happening with SARS CoV-2.

Banks said the S1 protein in SARS-CoV2 and the gp 120 protein in HIV-1 function similarly. They are glycoproteins proteins that have a lot of sugars on them, hallmarks of proteins that bind to other receptors. Both these proteins function as the arms and hand for their viruses by grabbing onto other receptors. Both cross the blood-brain barrier and S1, like gp120, is likely toxic to brain tissues.

It was like dj vu, said Banks, who has done extensive work on HIV-1, gp120, and the blood-brain barrier.

The Banks lab studies the blood-brain barrier in Alzheimers, obesity, diabetes, and HIV. But they put their work on hold and all 15 people in the lab started their experiments on the S1 protein in April. They enlisted long-time collaborator Jacob Raber, a professor in the departments of Behavioral Neuroscience, Neurology, and Radiation Medicine, and his teams at Oregon Health & ScienceUniversity.

The study could explain many of the complications from COVID-19.

We know that when you have the COVID infection you have trouble breathing and thats because theres infection in your lung, but an additional explanation is that the virus enters the respiratory centers of the brain and causes problems there as well, said Banks.

Raber said in their experiments transport of S1 was faster in the olfactory bulb and kidney of males than females. This observation might relate to the increased susceptibility of men to more severe COVID-19 outcomes.

As for people taking the virus lightly, Banks has a message:

You do not want to mess with this virus, he said. Many of the effects that the COVID virus has could be accentuated or perpetuated or even caused by virus getting in the brain and those effects could last for a very long time.

Reference: The S1 protein of SARS-CoV-2 crosses the bloodbrain barrier in mice by Elizabeth M. Rhea, Aric F. Logsdon, Kim M. Hansen, Lindsey M. Williams, May J. Reed, Kristen K. Baumann, Sarah J. Holden, Jacob Raber, William A. Banks and Michelle A. Erickson, 16 December 2020, Nature Neuroscience.DOI: 10.1038/s41593-020-00771-8

This study was partially supported by a National Institute on Aging-funded COVID-19 supplement to a shared RF1 grant of Banks and Raber.

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You Do Not Want to Mess With This Virus Research Strongly Suggests COVID-19 Virus Enters the Brain - SciTechDaily

Neuroscience

Study reveals individuals with high ADHD-traits are more vulnerable to insomnia – EdexLive

Image for representational purpose only

Individuals with high ADHD-traits that do not meet the criteria for a diagnosis are less able to perform tasks involving attentional regulation or emotional control after a sleepless night than individuals with low ADHD-traits, suggest the findings a new study. The study from Karolinska Institutet published in Biological Psychofiatry: Cognitive Neuroscience and Neuroimaging reports.

While it can cause multiple cognitive impairments, there is considerable individual variation in sensitivity to the effects of insomnia. The reason for this variability has been an unresolved research question for long. In the present study, KI researchers investigated how sleep deprivation affects our executive functions, which is to say the central cognitive processes that govern our thoughts and actions. They also wanted to ascertain if people with ADHD tendencies are more sensitive to insomnia, with more severe functional impairments as a result.

ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) is characterised by inattention, impulsiveness and hyperactivity; however, the symptoms vary from person to person and often also include emotional instability. "You could say that many people have some subclinical ADHD-like symptoms but a diagnosis is only made once the symptoms become so prominent that they interfere with our everyday lives," says Predrag Petrovic, consultant and associate professor in psychiatry at the Department of Clinical Neuroscience at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden, who led the study along with Tina Sundelin and John Axelsson, both researchers at Karolinska Institutet and the Stress Research Institute at Stockholm University.

The study included 180 healthy participants between the ages of 17 and 45 without an ADHD diagnosis. Tendencies towards inattentiveness and emotional instability were assessed on the Brown Attention Deficit Disorder (B-ADD) scale. The participants were randomly assigned to two groups, one that was allowed to sleep normally and one that was deprived of sleep for one night. They were then instructed to perform a test that measures executive functions and emotional control the following day (a Stroop test with neutral and emotional faces).

The researchers found that the sleep-deprived group showed worse performance in the experimental tasks (including more cognitive response variability). Moreover, people with high ADHD-traits were more vulnerable to sleep deprivation and showed greater impairment than those with low ADHD-traits. The effects were also related to the most prominent type of subclinical ADHD-like symptom, in that after being deprived of sleep, the participants who displayed more everyday problems with emotional instability had larger problems with the cognitive task involving emotional regulation, and those who had more everyday inattention symptoms had larger problems with the non-emotional cognitive task.

"One of the reasons why these results are important is that we know that young people are getting much less sleep than they did just ten years ago," explains Dr Petrovic. "If young people with high ADHD-traits regularly get too little sleep they will perform worse cognitively and, what's more, their symptoms might even end up at a clinically significant level."

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Study reveals individuals with high ADHD-traits are more vulnerable to insomnia - EdexLive

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy Showrunner Confirms Patrick Dempsey Will Be Back Again! and Teases Shows Future – Variety

Greys Anatomy has been tackling coronavirus for the entirety of Season 17, and although the pandemic has inspired intense storytelling that mirrors the real state of the world, the medical drama also had a major boost of brightness recently with the return of Patrick Dempseys Derek Shepherd.

The beloved character, who was killed off in Season 11 after a fatal car crash, appeared in Meredith Greys (Ellen Pompeo) dreams, as she was fighting COVID-19 from her hospital bed.

Shepherd, better known as McDreamy, surprised fans with the appearance earlier in the season, showing up on a beach in Merediths dreams. But, good news for Greys Anatomy fans: McDreamy will be back again.

You will see McDreamy again in the back half of the season, showrunner Krista Vernoff tellsVariety.

Other than confirming Dereks return in the episodes airing in 2021, Vernoff is staying mum on who else might make an appearance. But she is hopeful to recruit more of the actors who used to star on the medical drama, which has seen a number of characters die over the past 17 seasons.

We all have hopes, but we dont have anything new to report yet, Vernoff says.

When asked specifically about Eric Danes character, Mark Sloan, otherwise known as McSteamy, one of the all-time fan-favorite characters in Greys Anatomy history who was killed in a plane crash at the beginning of Season 9, Vernoff laughs, You can ask, but I cant answer!

At the time of Dempseys return, social media erupted with excitement, and a screenshot from IMDb.com was floating around Twitter, circulated by fans. The image appeared to show that many former Greys actors including Katherine Heigl, Sandra Oh, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Sara Ramirez and more were billed as part of the current season, causing fans to theorize that those characters would possibly show up in Merediths dreams.

Vernoff has seen the screenshot on social media, but says the information is incorrect.

My stepson sent me that picture, and my answer was, Oh my god! I wish! But no, Vernoff says. No, no, thats not that was some glitch on IMDb.

With a laugh, she lovingly pokes fun at the shows devoted audience, adding, Debbie Allen said to me, Theyre so greedy! You just gave them McDreamy!'

Greys Anatomy is the longest-running medical drama in television history, having surpassed ER. The show has not been renewed for an 18th season yet, though it remains one of ABCs top-rated shows, a stunning victory for any series, let alone one so far along in its TV life.

Creator Shonda Rhimes has said on multiple occasions that she will end the show whenever Pompeo is ready to call it quits. Pompeo, who serves as a producer, has starred as the shows titular character since it premiered in 2005. Her contract is up this year, but earlier this fallPompeo told Variety that no one knows when the show will sign off.

We dont know when the show is really ending yet.But the truth is, this year could be it, Pompeo recently said. Im constantly fighting for the show as a whole to be as good as it can be. As a producer, I feel like I have permission to be able to do that. I mean, this is the last year of my contract right now. I dont know that this is the last year? But it very well could be.

During an interview about last nights midseason finale, when asked about the future of the show, Vernoff also said she was unsure when Greys Anatomy will ultimately end.

I dont know is the honest answer, Vernoff says. I dont know. And so, I planned a phenomenal season, and Ive planned what can be a season finale or what could be a series finale.

I never really believe its really over until everybody sits me down theyre all going to have to come together and sit me down and tell me its really over, Vernoff continues. But you always have to plan for both contingencies. We have a plan for how the season is going to end, and I feel really good about that plan, but I will say that at this point in any given season, we usually have a plan for where the season is going to end and it doesnt always end where we think it will. So, you never know.

Greys Anatomy airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. on ABC.

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Greys Anatomy Showrunner Confirms Patrick Dempsey Will Be Back Again! and Teases Shows Future - Variety

Anatomy

Anatomy (2000) – IMDb

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A young teacher is given the toughest classroom in the school. Based on the TV series.

Director:Tya Sat

Stars:Yukie Nakama,Katsuhisa Namase,Aya Hirayama

Medical student Paula Henning wins a place at an exclusive Heidelberg medical school. When the body of a young man she met on the train turns up on her dissection table, she begins to investigate the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death, and uncovers a gruesome conspiracy perpetrated by an Antihippocratic secret society operating within the school. Written byAlexander Lum

Budget:DEM8,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA: $5,725,10 September 2000

Gross USA: $9,660

Cumulative Worldwide Gross: $10,501,958

Runtime: 103 min

Aspect Ratio: 2.35 : 1

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Anatomy (2000) - IMDb