Genetics

Rtdeen Farms 22nd Annual Genetics with a Vision Production Sale – Tri-State Livestock News

TSLN Rep: Dennis Ginkens

Date of Sale: Feb. 8, 2020

Location: at the Farm, Clearbrook, MN

Auctioneer: Tracy Harl

Averages:

75 Bulls $3,870

30 Bred Females $2,523

12 Open heifers $1,263

Lot 61 at $10,000-Black, PB SM Bull, RFS Grizzly G65, s. by Ellingson Load Up, sold to Steve Fallgatter, ND

Lot 14 at $8,000Black, blood SM Bull, RFS Gage G15, s. by WS Proclamation, sold to Kellers Broken Heart Ranch, ND

Lot 13 at $6,000Black, PB SM Bull, RFS Gentry G8, s. by WS Proclamation, sold to Emmons Ranch, MT

High selling Bred Female & Heifer

Lot 82 at $4,000 Black, PB Bred, RFS Miss Francie F57s. by Ellingson Load up, bred to Direct Impact, sold to Mark Nesemeier, ND.

Lot 120 at $1,700 Red, PB Open, RFS Miss Georgia, G160 s. by KBHR Kingsman, sold to Brant Farms, MN

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Rtdeen Farms 22nd Annual Genetics with a Vision Production Sale - Tri-State Livestock News

Genetics

PECASE Honoree Sohini Ramachandran Studies the Genetic Foundations of Traits in Diverse Populations – Newswise

Newswise Recent advances in computing enable researchers to explore the life sciences in ways that would have been impossible a few decades ago. One new tool is the ability to sequence genomes, revealing peoples full DNA blueprints. The collection of more and more genetic data allows researchers to compare the DNA of many people and observe variations, including those shared by people with a common ancestry.

Sohini Ramachandran, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Computational Molecular Biology and associate professor of biology and computer science at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. She is also a recent recipient of the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Dr. Ramachandran researches the causes and consequences of human genetic variations using computer models. Starting with genomic data from living people, her lab applies statistical methods, mathematical modeling, and computer simulations to discover how human populations moved and changed genetically over time.

Sohini Ramachandran, Brown University. Credit: Danish Saroee/Swedish Collegium for Advanced Study.

Dr. Ramachandran and her team focus on further uncovering how the genetic architecture, or composition of traits, varies among people with different ancestries. Variations in the genetic composition of disease-causing genes can make individuals respond differently to the same therapy, and understanding these variations could help doctors recommend the best treatment for each patient.

Many of the large genome-wide association studies that have looked for the basis of traits or diseases have been in populations of European ancestry, with the assumption that their genetic architecture is the same across populations. However, this isnt necessarily the case. Most diseases are caused by the interaction of many genetic variants. As a result, people who have different ancestries and the same disease may share some disease-causing variants but have population-specific variants that also play a role in the disease.

Dr. Ramachandran is excited to bring her knowledge of human evolutionary histories into studying genetic variation to better understand and potentially treat diseases and to identify adaptive mutations. She says evolutionary histories can help researchers make sense of data from the genome-wide association studies used to investigate diseases, understand why results from these studies are often difficult to replicate, and determine if results apply only to certain populations. The genome-wide association studies have a lot of downstream effects because some of the results from these studies are affecting decisions that are being made in clinics, and its not clear if those results are relevant to everyone, she says.

For Dr. Ramachandran, receiving a PECASE highlights the importance of statistical and computational work in human genetics and disease and reinforces the value of including evolutionary biology in modern medical practices.

Dr. Ramachandrans research is supported in by part NIGMS grants R01GM118652 and P20GM109035.

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PECASE Honoree Sohini Ramachandran Studies the Genetic Foundations of Traits in Diverse Populations - Newswise

Genetics

CIBC Innovation Banking Provides InformedDNA With US$10 Million Growth Financing – Yahoo Finance

CIBC Innovation Banking is pleased to announce a US$10 million growth capital financing for InformedDNA.

Founded in 2005, InformedDNA was built with the vision to provide genetic testing services to patients and health insurers. The company optimizes genetic-related healthcare spending and patient care by improving access to clinical and scientific genomics expertise. It is the nations largest independent provider of genetic specialists enabled by a comprehensive evidence-based knowledge library for genetic tests and hereditary conditions.

InformedDNA recently announced a strategic growth investment with private equity funds TT Capital Partners, NovaQuest Capital Management, and Frist Cressey Ventures. The company will use the capital to continue scaling its technology and expand its staff of genetic counselors.

"InformedDNA has a deep understanding of the genetic testing space and uses this knowledge to help both patients and insurance companies improve outcomes," said Jeff Chapman, a Managing Director in CIBC Innovation Bankings Menlo Park office.

"CIBC Innovation Banking understands the capital needs of our business and is willing to provide a flexible debt solution so we can continue to execute on our business strategy," added David Nixon, CEO of InformedDNA.

About CIBC Innovation Banking

CIBC Innovation Banking delivers strategic advice, cash management and funding to North American innovation companies at each stage of their business cycle, from start up to IPO and beyond. With offices in Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Denver, Menlo Park, Montreal, Reston, Toronto and Vancouver, the team has extensive experience and a strong, collaborative approach that extends across CIBCs commercial banking and capital markets businesses in the U.S. and Canada.

About InformedDNA

InformedDNA is the authority on the appropriate use of genetic testing. It leverages the expertise of the largest full-time staff of independent, board-certified genetics specialists in the U.S. to help ensure health plans, hospitals, employers, clinicians and patients all have access to the highest quality genetic services. Key offerings include clinical genetic counseling, genetic testing utilization management, genetic testing payment integrity, and expert genetics clinical trial support. For more information: http://www.InformedDNA.com

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200227005493/en/

Contacts

Kathryn Lawler, 416-242-1943kathryn.lawler@cibc.com

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CIBC Innovation Banking Provides InformedDNA With US$10 Million Growth Financing - Yahoo Finance

Immunology

Allergists Offer Advice to Parents of Kids With Food Allergies – The New York Times

The allergists also talked about creating thoughtful and balanced communication, having credible health information to share with children, and supporting a positive feedback loop between parents and children rather than one that builds anxiety. "Parents should be encouraged to transfer their knowledge to children, not all of their worries," one expert remarked.

"Psychosocial coping with food allergies can be understood and managed when clear communication is present between parents and children and between healthcare providers and patients," Gupta said. "It is a balance between lots of sound medical information and a good understanding of a child's risks and coping resources."

Coping is often impeded by misinformation about food allergies, the experts said, so it's important for parents to receive consistent messaging and counseling for the family, if necessary.

"You are taking care of the kids, but you are (also) managing the family unit, as you should be," one allergist said.

Brochures, apps, virtual groups and other educational materials can offer scientifically informed resources for parents and kids to manage food allergies. Gupta and colleagues are now collecting information in an online survey about the coping strategies and integrative medicine that parents and children have used.

"It's important for families to know that it's normal to be stressed about food allergy and feel overwhelmed, worried, sad or frustrated at times," said Linda Herbert, director of the Psychosocial Services Program for the Division of Allergy and Immunology at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C.

"But it's equally important to know that they can get help from a professional," Herbert, who wasn't involved in the study, told Reuters Health by email. "The mental health and allergy communities are paying more and more attention to the needs of food allergy families, and we are working hard to increase the number of mental health professionals who are equipped to do so."

SOURCE: https://bit.ly/2utQCOm Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, online February 25, 2020.

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Allergists Offer Advice to Parents of Kids With Food Allergies - The New York Times

Immunology

World Flow Cytometry Industry Outlook, 2020-2027 – Featuring Company Profiles for Agilent Technologies, Thermo Fisher Scientific, BD & Co,…

DUBLIN, Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The "Flow Cytometry Market by Product and Solution (Consumables, Instrument, Software, Service), Technology (Cell-based, Bead-based), Application (Cancer, Immunology, Hematology), and End-user (Pharmaceutical, Biotech, Academia) - Global Forecast to 2027" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

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The global flow cytometry market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2% from 2019 to 2027 to reach $6.36 billion by 2027.

The growth in the overall flow cytometry market is mainly attributed to rising global incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases, increasing adoption of flow cytometry techniques in research and academia, and growing initiatives in the field of immunology and immuno-oncology researches. In addition, evolving pipeline for stem cell research and adoption of recombinant DNA technology for antibody production will further provide significant opportunities for the various stakeholders in this market.

The overall flow cytometry market is mainly segmented by product and solution (instruments, software, accessories, services), technology (cell-based flow cytometry, bead-based flow cytometry), application (research, clinical, and industrial), end user (research and academic institutes, diagnostic laboratories, pharmaceutical & biotechnology companies), and geography.

On the basis of technology, bead-based technology segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period. Procedural advantages offered by this technology over other cell-based technologies (such as ELISA and western blot), including its capacity to detect multiple analytes, high reproducibility, stability, and speed are expected to propel its growth.

On the basis of product and solution, the consumables and reagents segment accounted for the largest share of the overall flow cytometry market in 2019. Frequent utilization of application-specific reagents and assays by the end users is supporting the growth of this segment.

On the basis of application area, drug discovery segment held the largest share of the overall flow cytometry market in 2019. A wide variety of flow cytometry methods with the implementation of multi-parameter intracellular flow cytometric analysis have been employed at different stages of drug discovery and development. The growing demand for such advanced technologies used during drug discovery processes to simplify complicated cell analysis procedures is expected to drive the growth of this segment.

Based on end user, the pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies segment accounted for the largest share of this market in 2019. Increasing chronic cases leading to the development of new drugs and rise in R&D expenditure by companies is contributing to the growth of this segment.

An in-depth analysis of the geographical scenario of the flow cytometry market provides detailed qualitative and quantitative insights about the five major geographies (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa) along with the coverage of major countries in each region. North America commanded the largest share of the global flow cytometry market in 2019, followed by Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa.

The key players operating in the global flow cytometry market are Agilent Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), Apogee Flow Systems Ltd. (U.K.), Sysmex Partec GmbH (Germany), Luminex Corporation (U.S.), Miltenyi Biotec GmbH (Germany), Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (U.S.), bioMerieux S.A. (France), Cytonome/ST LLC (U.S.), Beckman Coulter, Inc. (U.S.), and Becton, Dickinson and Company (U.S.) among others.

Story continues

Key Topics Covered

1. Introduction1.1. Market Definition1.2. Market Ecosystem1.3. Currency1.4. Key Stakeholders

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Dynamics4.1. Introduction4.2. Drivers4.2.1. Rising Incidence and Prevalence of Chronic Diseases4.2.2. Growing Initiatives in the Field of Immunology and Immuno-Oncology Researches4.2.3. Adoption of Flow Cytometry Techniques in Research and Academia4.2.4. Flow Cytometry Based Technological Advancements4.3. Restraint4.3.1. Lack of Skilled Professionals4.4. Opportunities4.4.1. Growing Research Activities in Stem Cells4.4.2. Emerging Markets4.4.3. Adoption of Recombinant DNA Technology for Antibody Production4.5. Challenges4.5.1. Inadequate Research infrastructure across Emerging Countries4.5.2. Complexities Related to Reagent Development

5. Flow Cytometry Market, by Product & Solution5.1. Introduction5.2. Consumables and Reagents5.3. Instruments5.3.1. Cell Analyzers5.3.2. Cell Sorters5.4. Software5.5. Accessories5.6. Services

6. Flow Cytometry Market, by Technology6.1. Introduction6.2. Cell-Based Flow Cytometry6.3. Bead-Based Flow Cytometry

7. Flow Cytometry Market, by Application7.1. Introduction7.2. Research Applications7.2.1. Drug Discovery7.2.2. Stem Cell Research7.2.3. Immunology7.2.4. Cell Sorting7.2.5. Apoptosis7.2.6. Other Research Applications7.3. Clinical Applications7.3.1. Cancer7.3.2. Organ Transplantation7.3.3. Immunodeficiency Diseases7.3.4. Hematology7.3.5. Other Clinical Applications7.4. Industrial Applications

8. Flow Cytometry Market, by End-user8.1. Introduction8.2. Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology Companies8.3. Diagnostic Laboratories8.4. Research & Academic institutes

9. Global Flow Cytometry Market, by Geography9.1. Introduction9.2. North America9.2.1. U.S.9.2.2. Canada9.3. Europe9.3.1. Germany9.3.2. France9.3.3. U.K.9.3.4. Italy9.3.5. Spain9.3.6. Rest of Europe9.4. Asia-Pacific9.4.1. Japan9.4.2. China9.4.3. India9.4.4. Rest of Asia-Pacific9.5. Latin America9.6. Middle East & Africa

10. Competitive Landscape10.1. Introduction10.2. Key Growth Strategies10.3. Competitive Benchmarking10.4. Market Share Analysis (2018)

11. Company Profiles(Business Overview, Financial Overview, Product Portfolio, Strategic Developments)11.1. Agilent Technologies Inc.11.2. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.11.3. Becton, Dickinson & Company11.4. bioMerieux S.A.11.5. Beckman Coulter Inc. (Subsidiary of Danaher Corporation)11.6. Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.11.7. Luminex Corporation11.8. Cytonome/St, LLC11.9. Apogee Flow Systems Ltd.11.10. Sysmex Partec GmbH (Subsidiary of Sysmex Corporation)11.11. Miltenyi Biotec B.V. & Co. KG

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/1mj41m

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

Media Contact:

Research and Markets Laura Wood, Senior Manager press@researchandmarkets.com

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Immunology

Roche To Top $66 Billion In Sales By 2020, Led By Neuroscience – Trefis

Roche Holdings(OTCMKTS:RHHBY) revenue grew at a CAGR of 5.3% from $52.5 billion in 2015 to $64.4 billion in 2019, and it is estimated to top $66 billion in 2020, led by its Neuroscience drugs. The companys oncology drugs will account for 45% of the companys total sales in 2020, but Neuroscience drugs are key to the near term revenue growth, in our view.Oncology drugs are expected to be the single-biggest revenue driver with $30.1 billion in revenues (45% of Total Revenues), which is 5.7x the size of its Neuroscience drugs revenue in 2020. Neuroscience drugs revenues, which includes Ocrevus and Modopar among other drugs, will be the fastest-growing segment adding $3.7 billion over 2017-2020 (32% of $11.6 billion in incremental revenues). Oncology drugs revenues, which includes Herceptin, Perjeta, Tecentriq, and Avastin among other drugs, will add about $3.4 billion over 2017-2020 (29% of the $11.6 billion in incremental revenue). Look at our interactive dashboard analysis on Roches Revenues for more details, parts of which are highlighted below.

Roches Revenue Has Been On A Rise Over The Last Few Years

Roche Has One of The Largest Oncology Drugs Portfolio, But It Is Expected To See A Decline Going Forward.

Ocrevus Has Been The Best Drug Launch Ever For Roche, Boosting Its Neuroscience Drugs Portfolio

Other Therapeutic Drugs Could Also See Growth In The Near Term

Among Other Segments, In-Vitro Diagnostics Could Continue To Grow At A Steady Pace, While Immunology, Ophthalmology, And Virology Drugs Could See A Decline

See allTrefis Price EstimatesandDownloadTrefis Datahere

Whats behind Trefis? See How Its Powering New Collaboration and What-Ifs ForCFOs and Finance Teams|Product, R&D, and Marketing Teams

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Roche To Top $66 Billion In Sales By 2020, Led By Neuroscience - Trefis

Immunology

Research Funding Available for Preeclampsia and Related Pregnancy Disorders – P&T Community

MELBOURNE, Fla., Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --The Preeclampsia Foundation announced that applications are now being accepted for its 2020 Vision Grant program.

The Preeclampsia Foundation will award up to two medical research Vision Grants to study preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, up to $20,000 USD each. The Foundation's Canadian affiliate, Preeclampsia Foundation Canada, will also award up to two Vision Grants up to $20,000 CAD each, to a Canadian researcher.

Vision Grants are intended to provide initial funding for novel, innovative research by promising young investigators that will advance progress towards detection, prevention, or treatment of preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. Post-doctoral, Clinical Fellows, or Early Stage Investigators only are eligible to apply. Projects with potential to alter clinical management and improve patient outcomes will receive priority, but any well-considered research proposal will be accepted for review.International applications are welcome; however,submissions must be in English.

Application deadline is May 8, 2020, with award notification in August 2020. Instructions can be found at http://www.preeclampsia.org/research/research-funding (US) or http://www.preeclampsiacanada.ca (Canada).

Since its inception, the Preeclampsia Foundation's Vision Grant annual program has invested more than $550,000 in novel research ranging from molecular biology and immunology to potential therapies, with the goal of supporting new, potentially groundbreaking concepts. These results have, in turn, generated additional funding from the National Institutes of Health, earned scientific presentations at major conferences, and inspired young investigators to challenge a medical conundrum that has baffled the medical community for more than 2,400 years.

"We look forward to receiving diverse, quality applications again this year," said Dr. Thomas Easterling, director of the Preeclampsia Foundation's Medical Advisory Board. "There has been significant progress toward understanding preeclampsia during the past two decades, but there's much more research that needs to be done. We're pleased to be able to fuel this work through our Vision Grants for young investigators."

"It's exciting to be part of research and innovation that will lead to improved maternal and infant health and someday a cure," said Violet Mateljan, President of the Preeclampsia Foundation Canada Board of Directors."Preeclampsia Foundation Canada is very proud to be able to support a junior researcher with a Vision Grant in Canada."

About the Preeclampsia Foundation Vision Grant Award program:Funds medical research pertaining to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy.

About the Preeclampsia Foundation: The Preeclampsia Foundation is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2000. It is dedicated to providing patient support and education, raising public awareness, catalyzing research, and improving healthcare practices, envisioning a world where preeclampsia and related hypertensive disorders of pregnancy no longer threaten the lives of mothers and babies.For more information, visit http://www.preeclampsia.org.

About Preeclampsia Foundation Canada: Preeclampsia Foundation Canada was incorporated under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act in May 2015. As an affiliate of the U.S. based Preeclampsia Foundation, its mission is to raise awareness and advance education and research of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. For more information, visit http://www.preeclampsiacanada.ca.

Contact: Valerie Holloway (321) 421-6957 234909@email4pr.com

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Research Funding Available for Preeclampsia and Related Pregnancy Disorders - P&T Community

Human Behavior

You Need to Know Why Humans Are Now the Biggest Challenge in Security – Security Boulevard

This years theme at RSA 2020 in San Franciscos Moscone Center is possibly one of the most non-technological sounding concepts imaginablethe Human Element. And yet, many cybersecurity experts speaking during the week-long event will vehemently disagree. In fact, the universal behavior we all display as thinking, feeling and discerning human beings just so happens to also be a major factor in an industry consumed by computing technology. So, how does human behavior throw up road blocks in security and what are experts saying should be done about it? Lets find out.

When it comes to discussion around data, threats, risk, privacy, management and the drive towards DevSecOps, its important to remember the impact human behavior can have on the practical application of these areas, especially in the way it can build (or break down) a positive and productive security-centric culture. Regardless of where you sit in the framework of an organization, fostering diverse, healthy teamswhether its dev, sec or opsis critical to your success. This one tidbit of wisdom is so valuable, its serving as the center piece of the one of the biggest security conferences in the world. In fact, industry leaders around the globe put together an entire half-day seminar for RSA Conference 2020 opening day to emphasize the need for culture-building programs, effective cross-team communication, non-traditional hiring practices and programs leveraging talent across all generations, geographies and genders.

From Come for the Mission, Stay for Culture to Theres a High School Dropout Waiting to Rock Your Hiring Manager, the Human Element agenda was chock-full of insight on how to better leverage common frameworks, inform decision makers in risk management, mitigate new and emerging threats and build a productive security-centric culture. Through this lens of humanity, experts took on some big stumbling blocks in overall security programs, including more sensitive ones, like the downfall of toxic work environments and how competing egos between security and engineering can tank even the best efforts of innovation.

The biggest priority on everyones list? The need for more effective leadership. This remains a core issue in the supposed talent gap facing cybersecurity, as well as the efficacy of collaborating teams. According to cybersecurity thought leader, Malcolm Harkins, who presented I Believe, I Belong, I Matter this year at RSA, leadership is not just about sitting in the CEO chair, its about the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations. To achieve this requires nothing more than faith, or an I Believe mentality, that imparts a sense of purpose and conviction to team members.

As a figure of leadership, its critical to believe your own message, otherwise no one else will believe in the message. After believe comes the need to belong. If you dont belong, you cant create a sense of belonging for anyone else. This means feeling genuinely connected to what you do every day because it carries value. And lastly, remembering that everyone matters in an organization is what makes individuals, from engineering to marketing, feel confident, validated and visible. And when development around understanding takes place here, we may begin to see the talent in tech we assume doesnt exist is actually just potential talent that needs growth and attention to flourish. The more energy and focus we invest in talent, the greater it will become.

Leaders can press their understanding on this issue and boost emotional intelligence by asking themselves:

In the trio of I Believe, I Matter, and I Belong, sits the ideal state of teamwork, where people feel fulfilled, connected and purposeful. When any one of these three requirements is absent, professional teams lack the human element of connection, which in turn pushes them to feel isolated, unimportant and unwanted. This lack of confidence doesnt just make people feel bad; it can have real consequences on workplace performance. For people, the absence of any one of these three elements can lead to repeat failures, the need to improve execution and a lack of skills and focus when its needed most. So, how can leaders make a difference? They can share their belief by role modeling it for others, enhance their belong by finding a shared purpose within the organization and find ways to make others matter by seeing and recognizing team members as individuals.

With all the new technologies, methods and computing strength being used today by both security professionals and bad actors, the human element remains the one constant variable. We are the human element in cybersecurity. It is what joins us together, and oddly enough, also tears us apart. We are the ones of the front lines of data protection, from election hacking to the misinformation campaigns on social media. We are the ones making key decisions around privacy, ethics, usability and responsibility, which means our ability to grow into different roles is fundamental to our ability to protect the people and systems of the world. And when we all work as one, as is being touted this year at RSA, the security world itself becomes a better place.

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You Need to Know Why Humans Are Now the Biggest Challenge in Security - Security Boulevard

Human Behavior

Scoot: Banning tandem floats really? – WWL News, Talk, Sports Radio Station

For many Mardi Gras 2020 was the best of times, but for others it was the worst of times.

If Mardi Gras 2020 were given an iconic movie title it might be the Clint Eastwood western - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Crowds through the Mardi Gras season were massive in New Orleans and Metairie. The weather was largely not an issue. But there were tragedies and incidents and knee-jerk decisions that turned Mardi Gras 2020 into a cradle of controversy.

When a parade-goer was killed while apparently trying to cross over the hitch of a tandem float in the Krewe of Nyxlast Wednesday night, that led to the immediate cancellation of the parades that night, which included the popular Krewe of Muses.

Saturday night, another parade-goer was killed by a tandem float in the super Krewe of Endymion, and that led the Mayor and NOPD to immediately cancel the parade. Some floats had not even left the point of origin. The cancellation of both parades was accepted by the krewes but behind the scenes there was much talk about misguided decision to cancel the remainder of Nyx, Muses and Endymion.

New Orleans Mayor Latoya Cantrells decisions to cancel parades and to immediately ban tandem floats raised questions about the Mayors judgment. Everyone can understand that Mayor Cantrell was in a difficult position and often politicians feel the need to make a decision even if the decision does not address the real issue.

Mayor Cantrell was also placed in the uncomfortable position of making decisions that appeared to show respect for the families of the two individuals that lost their lives while enjoying a Mardi Gras parade.

However the decision to immediately ban all tandem floats for the remainder of the 2020 Mardi Gras season implied that tandem floats were responsible for the loss of life. Tandem floats have been an integral part of Mardi Gras parades for years, and there is no evidence that the floats pose a danger to the public.

Furthermore the Mayors ban on tandem floats may invite lawsuits on the idea that the ban was predicated on a real danger that the floats pose to citizens. The argument could be made that if the city believes tandem floats do possess an inherit danger to citizens why were the floats not banned prior to 2020?

Publically, the Mayors decisions were accepted by the krewes, but privately, there was tough talk about the Mayor overstepping her authority and making knee-jerk decisions that place unrealistic burdens on parades.

The decisions to halt parades after tragic deaths is less controversial but it is still the source of controversy. In the case of the Krewe of NYX it may have been logistically impossible to divert the parade from Magazine St. onto narrow streets with low hanging trees. But stopping Endymion was questioned because there may have been room for the remainder of the parade to pass the scene of the tragedy.

I do empathize with Mayor Cantrells difficult position during the parade tragedies but we elect politicians to make the right decision and not to just make a decision.

Over the Mardi Gras weekend two riders fell off two different floats. Neither rider was wearing the harness supplied on the float. Also two individuals fell off of balconies during parades. If tandem floats are to blame for the tragic deaths then in theory the floats and the balconies should be blamed for the incidents that left Mardi Gras revelers injured.

Politicians have a tendency to blame tangible items rather than the human decision that lead to tragedies. Politicians can avoid focusing on the human behavior that led to the loss of life, but they can also avoid making decisions that falsely redirect attention from the real issue.

Mardi Gras floats even the tandem floats do not go off course and threaten people along the parade route. People along the parade route often put themselves in danger by recklessly approaching floats. Tandem floats are not to blame for the two tragedies that occurred during Mardi Gras 2020.

The Mayor, NOPD and the City Council will begin discussing way to make Mardi Gras safer as early as tomorrow. It will not be surprising if there is compelling talk about banning tandem floats as a reaction to the tragedies but blaming tandem floats circumvents the need to impress upon citizens that they should be responsible for their behavior.

There are no barriers along the main streets of New Orleans. There are no security guards. There is nothing that prevents you from walking into traffic and getting hit by a car. The only thing that prevents people from doing that is their instinct to survive. Sadly, some individuals use poor judgment and become a pedestrian fatality but that should not lead to a call to put everyone behind barricades.

We cant save people from themselves, and politicians just complicate matters when they feel desperate to make a decision for the sake of making a decision. Im waiting for the day when politicians have the courage to address human behavior over unfairly blaming tangible items.

Lets be honest the reluctance of politicians to blame human behavior is linked to votes. It is far better for politicians to blame anything other than the individuals who are the voters. But if the voters continue to support these knee-jerk decisions of politicians then the voters need to accept some of the responsibility.

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Scoot: Banning tandem floats really? - WWL News, Talk, Sports Radio Station

Human Behavior

Meet the Stylist and Anthropology Student Who Walked Her First Fashion Show This Week for Marine Serre – Vogue

Sophie Monseu Gonzalez was nervous before walking in Marine Serres fall 2020 show yesterday. Well, as she said last night, it was really 35% stress and 65% excitement. This was 25-year-old Gonzalezs debut on the runway (for which she wore a fuzzy scarf, black balaclava, and a gray moon-print dress with padded cuffs) as well as her first major moment as a signed model. Before entering the fashion world, Gonzalez, who is of Belgian and Spanish descent, dreamed of someday working in the industrybut more importantly, making a difference within it. Her eclectic style idols include artists Zhang JiaCheng and Cindy Sherman, musicians Solange and FKA Twigs, and former British Vogue fashion director Lucinda Chambers, to name a few. Aside from her modeling, she is currently enrolled in the anthropology and sociology school at the Free University of Brussels. Shes also a freelance stylist, which helps to enrich her studies surrounding human behavior and creativity.

Gonzalez became interested in modeling about five years ago, when she noticed a lack of curvy representation, as she describes it. Many really well-known agents and agencies saw me and immediately asked me to lose weight, to remove my dreadlocks, and to refrain from getting more tattoos. Gonzalez adds, I stopped modeling for a while when I and other curvy babes werent being accepted, but now here I am, and I feel more welcome. As for her first big-name designer supporter, Serre has always embraced a diverse runway that includes women of varying ages, sizes, and ethnicities. She usually showcases one or more mothers with their children each season, highlighting the fact that her brand is both about designing clothes for the future, but also for those of us here in the now, those of us trying to dress for the act of pushing through the great, big fiery messes of the world. Gonzalez appreciates Serres outlook on fashion and the way she connects her designs to real human beingspresent and future. Also, like Serre, Gonzalez used to design clothes for her childhood Bratz dolls and for herself using scraps of discarded fabric.

Marine has no limits when it comes to her imagination, Gonzalez says. She stays true to herself, and we all know how difficult that can be when building a fashion business. Gonzalez also says that walking in Serres show really taught her to trust my inner instinct and to push myself further and deeper in my own creative work. She hopes to build her modeling career while, at the same time, continuing to explore the business of styling (and, of course, seeing out her studies at university). Gonzalez is a model to watch this season not only because of her beauty, but also because she wants to create more meaningful human connections in the fashion industry. In her own words: Fashion gave me the opportunity to show the real me and to face the realities of rejection and hard work. I truly need and love that.

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Meet the Stylist and Anthropology Student Who Walked Her First Fashion Show This Week for Marine Serre - Vogue