Immunology

Bacteriophages may play a role in childhood stunting and be able to help treat it – McGill Newsroom

New research spearheaded by McGill University has discovered that bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) found in the intestinal tracts of children may play a role in childhood stunting, a significant impediment to growth that affects 22% of children under the age of five around the world.

The study, published today in Cell Host & Microbe, also suggests that because they affect the abundance and diversity of bacterial communities in the gastrointestinal tract, these viruses could also be used to improve health. The researchers believe this work offers hope of developing new cost efficient therapies for populations where nutritional interventions, which have been shown to work, are difficult to implement and sustain in vulnerable human populations.

Phages, bacteria and stunting

Earlier studies had suggested that the gut microbiome might play a role in stunting by showing that stunted children have increased numbers of disease-causing bacteriaassociated with impaired digestive and absorption functionsliving in their gastrointestinal tracts.

But while much research has focused on the bacteria present in our gut and the influence they can have on human health, little attention has thus far been paid to other very common residents of our gastrointestinal tract bacteriophages.

Phages or bacteriophages, which are bacterial viruses, are naturally found in every environment where bacteria are found, and the human gut is no exception, says Corinne Maurice, an assistant professor in McGills Department of Microbiology and Immunology and senior author of the new study. Because phages are as abundant as their hosts, they might be involved in regulating them in many ways by killing specific bacteria, transferring virulence or antibiotic resistance genes to them, for example, but we currently dont have a clear understanding of what they do and how they do it. This is a fairly new and exciting field of research.

Distinct viruses in healthy and stunted children

To understand how these viruses might play a role in stunting, Maurices team, in collaboration with the International Centre for Diarrheal Disease Research in Bangladesh, collected fecal samples from 30 non-stunted and 30 unrelated stunted Bangladeshi children aged between 14 and 38 months.

Using a combination of microscopy, ribosomal gene sequencing, and metagenomics, they were able to determine that the phages found in the gut of non-stunted and stunted children are distinct. Furthermore, when gut bacteria from non-stunted children were exposed to phages from the guts of stunted children in vitro, they found that bad bacteria, suspected of being involved in stunting, proliferated.

By showing that phages can change the bacterial community in children between 6 and 23 months, our work shows the potential of phages for reestablishing the gut bacterial community in stunting, says Mohammadali Khan Mirzaei, a former postdoctoral student in the Maurice lab and first author of the new study.

Stunting has lifelong consequences (health/socioeconomic) and can be transferred from mother to child, says Maurice, who is also Canada Research Chair in Gut Microbial Physiology and a CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholar. If phages can change bacterial communities in a specific way and long-term during child development, this could be a cheap treatment with no risk of antibiotic resistance.

Though the findings now need to be validated using a larger sample and in animal models, Maurice says that by understanding interactions between bacteria and viruses in the human gut, we might be able to one day manipulate them to improve human health.

Image caption: Bacteriophages are viruses that specifically infect bacteria.credit:iStock / Getty Images Plus

Bacteriophages isolated from stunted children can regulate gut bacterial communities in an age specific manner by Mohammadali Khan Mirzaei, Anik Ashfaq Khan, Prakash Ghosh, Zofia E. Taranu, Mariia Taguer, Jinlong Ru, Rajashree Chowdhury, Mamun Kabir, Li Deng, Dinesh Mondal and Corinne F. Maurice was published in Cell Host & Microbe.

This study was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Canada Research Chair Program.

About McGill University

Founded in Montreal, Quebec, in 1821, McGill University is Canadas top ranked medical doctoral university. McGill is consistently ranked as one of the top universities, both nationally and internationally. It is a world-renowned institution of higher learning with research activities spanning two campuses, 11 faculties, 13 professional schools, 300 programs of study and over 40,000 students, including more than 10,200 graduate students. McGill attracts students from over 150 countries around the world, its 12,800 international students making up 31% of the student body. Over half of McGill students claim a first language other than English, including approximately 19% of our students who say French is their mother tongue.

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Bacteriophages may play a role in childhood stunting and be able to help treat it - McGill Newsroom

Anatomy

Carla Gugino: ‘Sexuality is a primal part of who we are but it’s been misused’ – The Guardian

Carla Gugino has seen the headlines, too: femme fatale, screen siren, bombshell. I dont really relate to that much, she says, on a recent morning at a Manhattan cafe. Maybe an emotional bombshell.

Gugino, 48, has three decades of film, television and theatre under the belt of her high-waisted jeans. An actor of variety and intellect, who often channels sexuality like some high-voltage current, she is currently starring in Alice Birchs Anatomy of a Suicide at the Atlantic Theater. She is described in the play originally staged at the Royal Court in London in 2017 as the most beautiful thing Ive ever seen. In the cafe, in a stripy turtleneck and yesterdays mascara, her hair pulled into a funny sort of pompadour, bent over a cup of herbal tea (isnt that what all bombshells drink?), she arguably is.

If you know Gugino from childrens flicks (Spy Kids) or comic-book adaptations (Sin City, Watchmen) or disaster movies (San Andreas), you could be forgiven for wondering what she is doing in an avant garde off-Broadway drama. So here is what you should also know: in 2004, she made her Broadway debut, in Arthur Millers After the Fall, playing Maggie, the turbulent, unforgiving Marilyn Monroe-inspired role. I felt like I was home, she says. And from that moment, I realised, Oh, this is a huge. This has to be something I do for the rest of my life. She has returned to theatre every few years including in Eugene ONeills Desire Under the Elms, and in Athol Fugards The Road to Mecca. Seven years ago, she and her partner, the writer and director Sebastian Gutierrez, relocated to Manhattan. So when she does a play, she can usually walk to work.

Anatomy of a Suicide spoke to her, Gugino says, viscerally and intellectually. It simultaneously tracks three generations of women in three time periods (roughly: the 1970s, the 2000s, the 2030s), with many lines spoken in unison, which means that it demands extreme technical rigour. Playing a woman who wants to die makes emotional claims, too.

Its a really tricky place to live in, she says. Because it costs you, this play. And it should. She has been reading accounts of suicidal ideation and listening to podcast interviews, working toward someone who is always trying to crack life. She just cant. And I relate to that. Life is really hard, she says. All of us have those moments when you just dont know what your value is here and what the value of staying is, she says. So for me, there were personal elements. She just spoke to me, this woman.

Her character, Carol, has a perilous kind of magnetism. She fascinates people even or especially when she doesnt mean to. God we were all so in love with you in school, another character says. I know literally three girls who started smoking because you used to smoke. Guginos other current roles capitalise on that allure like Daisy, the thief she plays on the cable noir Jett (in televisual limbo now that Cinemax has killed its original programming division), or Stella, which she will act opposite Audra McDonalds Blanche and Bobby Cannavales Stanley in a Streetcar Named Desire revival this summer.

She calls sexuality a primal part of who we are and part and parcel of who I am and shes interested in exploring it in her work, she says, because as a woman, I find it to be a huge centre of our power that has been misused and misrepresented a lot of the time. (She doesnt quite put a movie like Sin City in that category, but she recognises that its sex scenes didnt come from character.) Still, she wished she werent asked about it quite so often because it speaks to a certain American puritanism. I find it so interesting that you can see a nipple shot off, but you cant see a woman walking from the bed to the bathroom naked without being commented on.

The violence in Anatomy of a Suicide is psychological, self-inflicted. Before each show, she prepares by running lines and listening to a piece of music that moves her closer to Carol, a lullaby of death, basically, she says. She and the rest of the cast take three breaths together, a ritual the director Lileana Blain-Cruz developed. After the show, the cast take three more breaths and then she plays a song that kind of brings me joy or makes me laugh or makes me want to dance, something to help her shake it off.

Every day, as she walks to work, she thinks about what she needs to accomplish that day, what her character will undergo. And I can feel, she says, that part of me thats like, Dont make me go there. But to know that she can? Exhilaration.

At the Atlantic theater, New York, until 15 March.

In the UK, the Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is on 13 11 14. Hotlines in other countries can be found here.

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Carla Gugino: 'Sexuality is a primal part of who we are but it's been misused' - The Guardian

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’: I Killed Him With My Gayness Best TV Quotes – TVLine

You wont find a Best TV Dialogue category on tonights broadcast of the Oscars (how rude!), but you will find the winners right here, in our latest Quotes of the Week gallery. (We couldnt choose just one victor, though, so its a 21-way tie. Rules, schmules.)

Unfortunately, our awards dont have a red carpet or shiny trophies. But theydo include some of the most memorable TV moments from the past seven days, hailing from dramas, comedies and unscripted series.

This time around, weve got Larrys controversial eating habits onCurb Your Enthusiasm, aBold Type nickname that any self-respecting 12-year-old would laugh at, Josies (slightly worrying) shout-out to her former stomping ground on Katy Keene and a perfectly timed political joke onLaw & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Also featured in this weeks roundup: double doses ofGreys Anatomy, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Bachelor andThe Flash, plus sound bites from The Masked Singer, Legends of Tomorrow, Station 19 and more.

Check out the attached gallery or click here for direct access then hit the comments and tell us if we missed any of your faves!

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'Grey's Anatomy': I Killed Him With My Gayness Best TV Quotes - TVLine

Anatomy

‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Station 19’: Do Fans Love or Hate the Excessive Crossovers? – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

With yet another unofficial crossover tonight, Greys Anatomy fans are getting confused. Many fans were not sure if they were supposed to watch Station 19 before Greys Anatomy tonight. Lets take a look at how fans feel about the crossovers between the two shows.

Station 19 began as a spin-off to Greys Anatomy in March 2018. Originally only Ben Warren (Jason George) left the medical drama to become a firefighter at Station 19. A few crossovers were in the works, and some characters would appear on both shows every so often.

We dont want to do it every week, we dont want to create a mold, we dont want to fall into any kind of pattern, we dont want people to ever know what to expect, showrunner KristaVernoff told Deadline.

On Jan. 23, 2020, the two shows collided for a massive crossover as Greys Anatomys midseason premiere with Station 19s Season 3 premiere. ABC dominated ratings that Thursday night with the two shows. Since the ratings are doing so well, more crossovers are in the works.

Some fans feel forced to watch the spinoff and arent happy about it. Others view the crossover events but do not watch Station 19 on the regular. In those cases, they rely on other fans to fill them in on why certain things are happening.

Is there tension between the two S19 people? one fan asked on Reddit. This is why crossover sucks, Im lost on a potential relationship.

Another fan of both shows filled in the lost Greys Anatomy fan about what happened. This weeks episodes wasnt a crossover, so most fans only watched the later evening show.

I know its hard to find a storyline after 16 seasons, but please stop trying to make Station 19 happen, wrote another fan. I have enough trouble caring about the actual Greys cast; I dont need a new group of extras with lines to not care about.

Others are downright mad that they now have more new characters to worry about.

Although many viewers are confused about whether or not they should watch both shows every week, some do watch and love both. A few fans even like Station 19 more than Greys Anatomy.

Wow, this show is incredible, wrote onefan on Twitter. It was expected since its a spinoff of Greys Anatomy but being honest? Its way better than Greys, I mean, in character development and rep. Its so emotional, funny, well written!

However, other viewers cannot get on board with both shows.

OMG, another crossover,another Greys Anatomy fan tweeted. Really.really.how many more crossovers do we have to sit through before they realize we dont want them. If Station 19 cant stand on its own, then bye, but stop bringing#GreysAnatomy, and its characters down with it.

The bottom line is that you might miss out on some back story with your Greys Anatomy characters if you do not watch both shows. Station 19 airs at 8 pm ET on Thursday nights, with Greys Anatomy, immediately following at 9 pm ET.

We do have weekly updates for Greys fans who do not want to watch Station 19 right here: Greys Anatomys Ben Warren Just Solidified Endless Crossovers with Station 19 Heres What Happened Tonight to the Greys Characters on Station 19

Read more: Greys Anatomy: The Shocking Reason Ben Warren Runs Into FiresStraight From Station 19

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'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Station 19': Do Fans Love or Hate the Excessive Crossovers? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Anatomy

New discovery: Madagascar’s bizarre aye-aye has six fingers on each hand – The Conversation Africa

The aye-aye is one of natures most fascinatingly bizarre creatures. Native to Madagascar, this lemur is the largest nocturnal primate in the world and has unique features that set it apart. It has batlike ears that allow it to echo-locate and rodent-like ever-growing incisors both unique among primates.

It is most famous for its exceptionally long and skinny fingers. In fact, they are so long that the aye-ayes hand accounts for about 41% of the total length of the forelimb.

The animals also have highly specialised, extremely long third digits middle fingers if you like which they use to find food. They tap them against wood to generate acoustic reverberations that allow them to find woodboring larvae. These are then fished out with exceptional dexterity because the finger can swivel like a shoulder, and it is so thin that the animal habitually rests it on its even longer fourth finger for support.

My colleagues and I recently found yet another unique specialisation that sets the aye-aye apart from other primates: a sixth finger on each hand.

Previously undocumented, this tiny extra digit - called a pseudothumb - is a structure on each wrist made of bone and cartilage. We think that it may have evolved to help the lemur grip branches as it climbs through the trees and to help it grasp small objects, since its other fingers became so long and specialised.

In my studies of primates, I always wanted to examine the exceptional hand structure of aye-ayes and I was recently able to dissect some specimens to do so.

Little is known about the actual population size of aye-ayes, but they are hard to find and a large-scale loss of their habitat suggests population decline.

My colleagues and I dissected six adult and one immature specimen. Of course, no animals were sacrificed for the purposes of this study. Three specimens were captiveraised, acquired from the Duke Lemur Centre in the US. Three were wildborn adults housed in the collections of the Musum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris. One was a wildborn adult from Tsimbazaza Botanical and Zoological Park in Anatananarivo, Madagascar.

Dissections were performed to analyse the anatomy of the hand and wrist. A seventh specimen was used to create a digital reconstruction of these anatomical structures following MRI scanning and manual segmentation a technique similar to a medical scan that allows the anatomy to be viewed in three-dimensions in a digital space.

Our discovery of the extra digit was pretty much accidental. As we traced the tendon of one of the forearm muscles down past the wrist and into the hand, it unexpectedly split into two directions and the smallest bit extended to a strange little structure near the thumb.

When we examined the structure further, we noted a small bone and a cartilaginous extension that were moved in different directions by three different muscles. We realised the little structure was a pseudothumb. It even had its own fingerprint!

All the ayeaye specimens observed during the course of this study displayed this full suite of anatomical structures on each hand: it is not merely an anomaly, but is clearly a feature typical of the species.

Its rather mysterious that no one had noticed the finger before, but this could be because it is mostly embedded in the fleshy part of the hand and therefore easy to miss. It could also be that the long fingers are so distracting that anatomists just never noticed this small structure.

Collectively, the muscles associated with the ayeaye pseudothumb are positioned to enable adduction (moving it in toward the thumb), abduction (moving it away from the thumb) and opposition (moving it across the palm toward the little finger). Essentially, it moves in the same way as the real thumb.

My colleagues and I propose that there are three evolutionary scenarios for why the pseudothumb exists.

First, a pseudothumb may appear in species in which the thumb has become just another finger. That is what happened in the early bears: they lost the need for a thumb sticking toward the middle as this would just get in the way while the animal was walking.

Second, pseudodigits may emerge if the animal needs really broad hands for digging or swimming as in the case of some moles.

Lastly, a pseudodigit may develop when the hand has become hyperspecialised and in which the evolution of a pseudothumb can facilitate greater manual dexterity. This scenario would appear to explain the presence of a pseudothumb within the ayeaye.

We suggest that the tap foraging adaptations of the ayeaye hand have resulted in the loss of grip dexterity, and so the pseudothumb can help to address this.

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New discovery: Madagascar's bizarre aye-aye has six fingers on each hand - The Conversation Africa

Anatomy

Grey’s Anatomy Round Table: Levi Owns the Hour! – TV Fanatic

It was another one of those bottle episodes when Grey's Anatomy Season 16 Episode 12gave us insight on Levi and his background and family.

The hour also led to the dissolution of Catherine and Richard's marriage.

Join TV Fanatics Meaghan Frey,Paul Dailly, Jasmine Blu, and Grey's Fanatic Berea Orange as they discuss the hour.

Do you like these bottle episodes where they focus on a select few characters?

Meaghan: I don't hate them, but they usually aren't my favorite.

Levi's storyline surrounding his uncle Saul's death was touching and exactly what he needed. It made me so much more invested in his character.

The Webber-Fox dinner, while entertaining, was far too much time spent with Catherine.

Paul: They're hit or miss episodes. I enjoy some of them, but others feel like they don't belong in the narrative.

Berea: I usually always enjoy bottle episodes where we get to delve further into certain characters and their backstories. Learning more about Levi was good, and the family dinner was extremely entertaining.

Jasmine: They can be hit or miss for me. I liked half of this one and was uninterested in the other half.

What were your thoughts on Levi's storyline involving the death of his uncle Saul?

Meaghan: I loved it! Levi thinking he killed Saul with his confession was equal parts hilarious and heartbreaking.

I killed him with my gayness.

The fact that Saul knew all along that Levi is gay, but never pushed him to talk about it shows just how much he loved and accepted him.

I am also so proud that it gave him the courage to stand up for himself and for the acceptance he deserves from his mom.

Paul: It was intriguing, and giving backstory to one of the better characters on the show was needed. Grey's Anatomy excels in character development, and I could watch more episodes about Levi's past.

Berea: Levi is very sweet, and so was this story. It was so nice knowing his Uncle Saul showed him favoritism because he knew him better than he knew himself at the time.

Jasmine: I love Levi, and his portion of the hour was my favorite. I kind of wish the entire episode was just about him and his family, he could have carried it just fine.

I loved that the show explored his faith in addition to showing how far he has come in embracing who he is. I was proud of Levi, and I loved Daniel.

Did you feel Mrs. Schmitt's homophobia came out of nowhere or do you think they covered it well?

Meaghan: It did come out of nowhere in some senses, but I think it was handled well. Not all homophobia is in your face and loud. Some of it is more quiet, like not accepting your son's sexuality enough to tell your family about it, or making your brother feel as if he needed to hide his sexuality his whole life.

Paul: I agree with Meaghan here. It felt thrown in to amp up the conflict and didn't actually serve the story well.

Berea: I actually feel like this was just another contrived storyline (as has become the norm for this season). It was an interesting story, but I dont remember this ever being discussed before now, so it seemed to have come out of nowhere.

When he introduced Nico to his mom as his boyfriend last season, I was under the impression that she accepted it.

Jasmine: I think the issue is how they eased it in. Because there were at least two instances where Levi was shown having tense conversations with his mom on the phone and speaking about her behavior, but they weren't memorable scenes.

They were so small and blink and you miss them type of scenes, and since those were the only breadcrumbs we had to go on, it does feel like it came out of nowhere.

Mrs. Schmitt: One day with Saul and you're super Jewish? Levi: No, but I am super gay.

So I can understand the confusion or annoyance with that, but aside from it, I was proud of Levi for how he approached it, and I did appreciate that if they had to go in that direction, they showed how subtle homophobia can appear because it isn't always the extreme type.

What are your thoughts on the "anniversary" dinner?

Meaghan: It felt a bit forced to me. I understand that they felt like Maggie and Jackson deserved an explanation, but they know the two of them aren't on good terms, and they thought the best way to deliver that type of news was together?

Also, while Vic's set up came from a good place, it was bizarre that she would think it is okay to try to fix up your boyfriend's ex-girlfriend without her permission, and bring that date to an event he wasn't invited to.

Paul: While I agree that it felt forced, it was bursting at the seams with drama. Grey's knows how to do dinner parties, and this was a great way to get the wheels moving on some of the storylines that had stalled.

Berea: This dinner was a hot mess, and I enjoyed every second of it. The shade being thrown by everyone was too funny. I was cracking up at every turn.

First, I would like to say I dont appreciate how theyve dumbed down Vics character for this storyline. How tacky are you as a plus one to invite another plus one to a dinner party?

Maggie: I thought we were celebrating. I brought chocolates. Richard: At least you didn't bring a date.

Jackson was out of line, too, for inviting her (making Maggie a 5th wheel) and not even telling his mother. Theyve made Vic extremely insecure to where she takes it upon herself to try and set Dean up with Maggie.

How she thought that was her place is a mystery to me. The entire dinner you see Maggie and Jackson bickering back and forth (obviously still into each other), and shes just smiling there like an idiot.

He wasnt even going to let her sit next to him at first (Oh my mom usually sits here), meanwhile Maggie was already seated on the other side of him.

I liked her character on the first two seasons of Station 19, but they are ruining her for the sake of this intershow romance drama.

This episode would have been the perfect opportunity for Vic to tell Jackson:

Hey, Ryans funeral [on Station 19 Season 3 Episode 3] made me realize Im still reeling from Ripleys death. And tonight has made it very clear youre not over your ex, so I think we should end this.

But of course, they want to continue this intershow romance for the sake of having some drama.

Additionally, the Catherine/Richard drama is ridiculous. He is being a petulant child. He took it upon himself to protect Meredith (once again) doing something both stupid and illegal. Bailey was completely in her right to fire all three of them.

Catherine: Richard, I am sorry but, Richard: Apologies don't have the word "but" after them. I'm sorry "But." I'm sorry, it's too late.

For him to be holding a grudge because she didnt support him is a joke.

Catherine herself has told Jackson before that nepotism is for the weak. Why would she go out of her way to stop Bailey firing him?

He didnt for a second think about how his actions would reflect on her in the first place. He is too old not to understand that actions have consequences.

The two of them and their lack of communication is mind-blowing. They need to just go to counseling and talk through this foolishness.

And this notion that Catherine would buy Pac North just to close it down is petty and out of character. But then again, she wouldnt be the first one out of character this season.

Jasmine: I thought it was mildly entertaining at times but mostly dumb AF. I didn't understand why they needed to have a formal dinner to announce their separation when all of them have been out of the loop with one another for ages.

Jackson inviting his new girlfriend to a family dinner without telling anyone was ignorant, and how does a plus one invite a plus one? I do agree that Vic is so out of character throughout all of this. It's maddening.

Dean was the saving grace of the dinner party.

Should Maggie work at Pac-North?

Meaghan: I think it is going to be triggering for her, but she will get past it eventually.

I am so confused why the writers would move yet another character over to Pac-North, where Alex is in charge when they don't have Justin Chambers anymore. His absence is going to be even more glaring the longer we spend at Pac-North.

Maggie: Um, Alex thinks I'm worth this much? Richard: Not just Alex, Maggie. Maggie: Then I guess I have a new job.

Paul: I'm on the fence. She will miss out on seeing a lot of her friends and family, but this could be a big opportunity for her, even if she sticks it out for a year. The experience will be valuable.

Berea: Eh. If Alex was still at Pac-North, and we got to see him and Maggie working together, I would be looking forward to it. But knowing thats not happening is not making me excited about it.

However, she should go ahead and take the offer since Tom wants to play games and not give her her job back at Grey-Sloan (which is another thing I take issue with). Maggie better get her job back as Chief of Cardio and NOT working under Teddy.

Jasmine: Meh. Why not?

I would've enjoyed it more if Alex was still there because of how close they used to be, and I'm assuming this was done before the abrupt departure, so there's that. Maybe she needs the break.

Her sisters are preoccupied with their lives to pay attention to what's happening in hers, and maybe a new place will do her some good.

Richard called it quits with Catherine and now she's buying Pac-North in retaliation. React.

Meaghan: Wow, that woman is a piece of work. That was such a spoiled brat move and yet so Catherine. Who buys a whole hospital just to get back at their estranged husband?

It is amazing that Jackson turned out as good as he did with Catherine raising him. I really wish they would just write her off the show. With such a huge cast, there is no room for someone as loathsome as her.

Paul: Catherine has been a frustrating character for some time now. She likes to control people, and I love that Richard is finally snapping back at her. Catherine does not love Richard, she likes the idea of him following her like a lemming. Richard's troubles are far from over, but this is a logical move for him.

Maggie: Jackson mentioned that he thought you two might be off but I had no idea. Richard: Catherine and I tend to keep our problems to ourselves. It was quite a show, huh?

Berea: I guess Im an outlier in that I dont find Catherine loathsome or frustrating. She loves Richard and Maggie as much as she loves Jackson. She very clearly wants Maggie back at Grey-Sloan because she is undoubtedly the best.

Her buying Pac-North is a complete boss move, and Im not mad at it.

This separation is getting messy, but I dont think shell close down the hospital. Richard is being petty and she tried to make amends, but he wanted to try and force her to apologize (which she does NOT need to do).

I find this interesting and am looking forward to seeing what will happen with Pac-North.

Big picture, I honestly sort of see it as a way for them to bring everyone back to Grey-Sloan, much like when Seattle Grace merged with Mercy West. No way were they going to keep the cast separated between the hospitals forever.

Jasmine: I hated it. If they call it quits, then so be it. I'm not that invested in them enough either way to care, but I'm confused with when they got to the point of being irreconcilable.

They've been on different pages for a bit. I hated Catherine's boss move. They have both done some messed up things in their relationship, and Richard expecting her to apologize when he was in the wrong is a whole other thing.

But buying Pac-North instead of letting him go was too petty for me. If the roles were reversed, I wouldn't hesitate to call it an abusive move.

The exertion of power, control, and financial flexing over a spouse in a relationship, regardless of the situation generally disturbs me.

Who was the MVP of the hour? What was your favorite scene and/or quote?

Meaghan: Levi is no doubt my MVP. Him meeting the love of his uncle's life and learning he and his uncle were more alike than he ever imagined was fantastic!

Paul: Levi, for sure. I was fascinated by the way Levi wanted to know more about his uncle's life, and how his lover was the one to reveal all the details.

Berea: My MVP is Maggie and all the shade that was thrown at dinner. You say actually a lot really cracked me up. I hadnt noticed, but he does!

Jasmine: Dean is my MVP. I have never related to him more than when he kept accidentally stirring up drama and sat there stuffing his face and watching all the drama and tension. It's me at every family gathering.

Saul loved men, he loved me for decades. But there was something inside of him that wouldn't let him. I would have married him. I would have built a life with him. But I couldn't allow myself to live a life with someone who hated himself for loving me.

I loved everything that involved Daniel, including him explaining how different the times were. It was something about him advising the younger generation in not just life, but life as a gay man that had a nice passing the torch sort of, "we put up with all of this so that you wouldn't have to" vibe; I found it touching.

Over to you Grey's Fanatics.

Hit the comments below with your responses. And if you missed it, watch Grey's Anatomy online to get caught up!

Grey's Anatomy airs Thursdays on ABC.

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Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. Follow her on Twitter.

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Grey's Anatomy Round Table: Levi Owns the Hour! - TV Fanatic

Anatomy

Greys Anatomy season 16: Will Meredith and Deluca break up? – Express

The stress has been mounting at the Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital as of late with the ongoing trauma from the car crashing into Joes Bar and personal problems with many of the surgeons on the ABC medical drama. The pressure does also seem to be taking its toll on Meredith Grey (played by Ellen Pompeo) and boyfriend Andrew Deluca (Giacomo Gianniotti). So are the pair going to call it a day on their relationship?

At the end of season 15, fans were delighted when Meredith and Deluca had their first kiss.

After ongoing fears she would lose her license, Deluca decided to surprise Meredith with champagne on the roof.

Here, the head of general surgery confessed her love for him which officially started the pairs romance on the show.

However, things have not been going as smoothly for the couple as of late.

READ MORE:Greys Anatomy season 16 Netflix release date: When is it on Netflix?

When the show returned for season 16 last year, Meredith was on trial, trying to win back her license after committing insurance fraud.

This put a massive strain on her relationship with Deluca as she told him she wasnt sure if they could still be together if she could no longer be a practicing surgeon as it would be too painful knowing he was doing her dream job.

She recently admitted she missed Deluca after spending some time apart but there could be a new love interest on the horizon which could see the end of their relationship.

In the season 16 midseason finale, fans were introduced to a new character in the shape of Dr. Cormac Hayes (Richard Flood) who has been nicknamed McWidow.

Cristina Yang (Sandra Oh) messaged Meredith to let her know she had sent over a welcome back to work package but it wasnt an item but rather Dr Hayes who she had sent to Grey Sloan Memorial from her own hospital in Switzerland.

Cristina has also nicknamed him McWidow, hinting not only that his other half had died like Merediths husband Derek Shepherd (Patrick Dempsey) did, but that he could be the new McDreamy in her life, the playful nickname given to Derek.

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Dr Hayes is set to become the new head of paediatric surgery, replacing the beloved Dr Alex Karev (Justin Chambers) after the actor announced he was leaving the show.

Already, Hayes and Meredith have been at loggerheads with one another but could this mean a potential romantic connection, especially with things not going exactly to plan with Deluca?

Their turbulent relationship is set to continue in next weeks episode entitled A Diagnosis on Thursday, February 20.

The official synopsis reads: DeLuca is irritated after Meredith takes over his patient Suzanne whose symptoms continue to stump the doctors at Grey Sloan.

Elsewhere in the hospital, Jackson, Owen and Jo work on a couple injured in a bear attack; and Levi is hurt when Nico doesnt want him to meet his parents.

So could this mean the beginning of the end for Meredith and Deluca?

Greys Anatomy continues every Thursday at 9pm on ABC.

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Greys Anatomy season 16: Will Meredith and Deluca break up? - Express

Anatomy

Med-Tech Innovation Awards 2020 finalists announced – Med-Tech Innovation

The finalists for the Med-Tech Innovation Awards 2020 have been announced,with a total of 23 entries shortlisted across five categories.

As part of the Medilink UK Healthcare Business Awards these finalists represent the pinnacle of their profession.

The winners will be announced at the annual sell-out gala dinner on 1st April at The Hilton Birmingham Metropole. The event will be hosted by medically qualified, critically acclaimed international stand-up comedian, Paul Sinha, with over 300 professionals from across the industry coming to celebrate with the winners, network with peers and share their pride in the industry.

This year saw some fantastic, inspiring entries recognising areas of innovation, outstanding achievement and ground-breaking success across the life science and healthcare technology sectors over the last year.

The categories and the nominations are:

3D PRINTING AWARD

Axial 3D - Axial 3D's surgical model service uses machine learning algorithms to aid in the conversion of patient scan data to 3D anatomical models, leading to reduced lead times.

ExpHand Prosthetics - ExpHand has developed affordable, expandable, customisable 3D printed prosthetics for children aged 3 to 10, with adjustable universal sockets that can be fitted at home by parents.

FabRx Ltd - The M3dimaker 3D printer prints solid oral medicine, enabling personalised doses of medicine to meet specific health and therapeutic requirements in a single pill.

MedScan 3D - MedScan 3D offers a 3D printed anatomical surgical model service, which uses expert adaption to produce anatomically accurate silicone test simulators for medical devices.

University of Liverpool - A digital electronic imaging system has been developed to enhance the quality control of the EBAM additive manufacturing process, to improve the reliability in the manufacture of bespoke orthopaedic implants.

CONNECTED HEALTH AWARD

Ainostics Ltd - Ainostics has developed an AI analysis engine which uses multi-modal patient data (scans, patient records, wearable sensors, etc) to perform highly accurate diagnosis and prognosis for early dementia.

FeelTect Tight Alright is a connected wearable device for measuring and monitoring sub-bandage pressure during compression therapy, reducing healing times and improving quality of life.

Game Doctor - Game Doctor have developed a healthcare analytics and education platform using mobile gaming, to map and predict health behaviours in patients and the public

The London Ambulance Service NHS Trust - An online Point of Care Testing (POCT) service for the London Ambulance Service (LAS) enables en-route pathological testing with results available online for the destination hospital - reducing patient treatment time and improving clinical outcomes.

Nemaura Medical Inc - SugarBEAT is a non-invasive continuous glucose monitor and lifestyle app for diabetes, providing a personalised and progressive behaviour change app to manage and prevent type 2 diabetes.

DESIGN AWARD

Nemera - Safe'n'spray is a smart drug delivery device, with a reusable child-resistant locking unit and fingerprint identifier, to monitor drug delivery and prevent overdosing.

Oxford VR - A virtual reality therapy platform with a computer-generated virtual coach for personalised treatment of phobias and mental health. Great success at clinical trial has led to adoption in four NHS trusts.

SleepAngel - This patented medical barrier bedding allows the bedding to breathe whilst being a 100% barrier to allergens and pathogens, reducing hospital-acquired infections and increasing sustainability in the hospital setting.

TheMoment - M-co is a non-invasive wearable device utilising pulsed cueing and focused vibrotactile stimulation to ease the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

ENGINEERING AWARD

Biovation Orthopaedic Solutions - An instrument kit used to perform cartilage replacement implant surgery, for big toe arthritis, has been redesigned to eliminate pre-operative lead-times, reduce manufacturing costs and lead times as well as allow for more accurate surgery.

Carclo Technical Plastics - Specialist in-tool process control and monitoring equipment has been introduced to the injection moulding process of a drug delivery device to improve quality control and reduce inspection costs.

Emerson - Emerson have developed a micro solenoid valve for use in portable oxygen concentrators, which is light and compact with a significantly higher flow rate than competitor valves, enhancing the quality of life of the user.

Freudenberg Medical - Helix iMC technology continuously measures the inner geometry of silicone tubes during the extrusion process, to improve product quality and productivity as well as reducing waste and time to market.

Marsden - The Patient Transfer Scale is a transfer board with an in-built weighing scale to enable immobile and time-critical patients to be weighed instantly and accurately to allow for precise administering of drug doses and treatment.

MATERIALS INNOVATION AWARD

3M Medical Materials and Technologies - The 3M Extended Wear Medical Transfer Adhesives suite is a set of advanced solutions for stick-to-skin wearable devices which offer water resistance, breathability, elasticity and long wear times.

Paxxus - StreamOneR is an ultra-high barrier, hermetically sealable medical packaging solution designed for the number one polyester recycling stream, providing a higher performing and sustainable alternative to polypropylene medical packaging.

Spyras - Spyras have developed an affordable, disposable, paper-based wearable device for continuous real-time breathing analysis in hospitals. The device is designed to automatically alert clinicians of early signs of patient deterioration.

Stratasys - Specialist digital materials have been developed to allow the Stratasys Digital Anatomy Platform to replicate human anatomy which has the same biomechanical properties as native bone and tissue for realistic anatomical models.

Click here to get your tickets.

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Med-Tech Innovation Awards 2020 finalists announced - Med-Tech Innovation

Anatomy

Khlo Kardashian warms the nets by exposing her sensual anatomy in a revealing dress – Play Crazy Game

The members ofthe Kardashian-Jenner clanhave made special efforts in recent times to show off their sculptural bodies,most supported by tiny intimate garments or bikinis, although they also show thata well-designed dresscan also be the perfect tool.

This is howKhlo Kardashiandecided to attend the exclusiveafter party of theOscarawardsorganized byBeyoncandJay Zwith a spectacular dress that leaves very little imagination while revealing thanks to its wide neckline and high side opening lots of skin of her well-turned body.

Honey! Im home!The socialite wrote to show off her fiery look while giving due credits tothose responsible for sending her so beautifulto the party along with her sistersKourtney and Kylie.Being the latterwell accompanied by her ex-partner and father of her daughter, Travis Scott, which has triggered several rumors of a possible reconciliation.

Khlos postcardhas exceeded two and a half million likes, which is in tune with the rest of the images shared this year in which she has endeavored to show off the figure that cost him so much work to build.

Tv specialist. Falls down a lot. Typical troublemaker. Hipster-friendly advocate. Food fan.

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Khlo Kardashian warms the nets by exposing her sensual anatomy in a revealing dress - Play Crazy Game

Immunology

Ex-Pfizer oncology R&D lead lands at Fierce 15 winner Vividion Therapeutics – FierceBiotech

Pfizers former longtime cancer research head Robert Abraham, Ph.D., has become the new chief scientific officer at a San Diego biotech after leaving the Big Pharma last year.

He moves over to 2017 Fierce 15 winner Vividion Therapeutics, a biotech looking to increase the number of proteins small molecules can target. Last April, it got off a $82 million series B financing round.

Its platform is based on the work of Benjamin Cravatt, Phil Baran and Jin-Quan Yu at the Scripps Research Institute and is designed to identify new sites in the proteomewhich is distinct in each cellthat can be drugged.

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Vividion spun out of Scripps back in 2017; its still pretty quiet on specifics of its pipeline, but it's looking to work on cancer and immunology through its selective small-molecule therapeutic platform.

RELATED: FierceBiotech's 2017 Fierce 15 | Vividion Therapeutics

Abraham will now help lead these efforts. Its a major get for the small biotech and will likely be a bit of a culture shock for Abraham, who joins Vividion from a 10-year tenure at Pfizer where he most recently served as senior vice president and group head, oncology R&D.

He "retired" from Pfizer last year, and was replaced by Calico's Jeff Settleman, Ph.D. last July.

We are delighted to have Bob join the Vividion family. His deep scientific expertise and experience managing a large and complex portfolio at Pfizer will help us successfully advance our broad and promising pipeline of selective small molecule programs, said Diego Miralles, CEO of Vividion.

Our proprietary platform has generated a diverse portfolio addressing several highly sought-after targets in the areas of oncology and immunology, and we look forward to leveraging Bob's insights as we create the small molecules of the future.

I am extremely excited to join the exceptionally talented and innovative team at Vividion," added Abraham.

The success the company has had in generating and progressing multiple compelling programs over such a short period of time is impressive. I look forward to helping Vividion realize the full potential of its technology platform to deliver highly differentiated, impactful medicines to patients.

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Ex-Pfizer oncology R&D lead lands at Fierce 15 winner Vividion Therapeutics - FierceBiotech