Embryology

‘Survivor’s’ Candice Woodcock, John Cody Respond to Twitter Haters – Heavy.com

TwitterJohn Cody and Candice Woodcock Cody of 'Survivor: Blood vs Water'

Last week, Survivor couple Candice Woodcock Cody and John Cody revealed that they are 35 weeks along with their third child. They are due in mid-January and are waiting to be surprised as to the sex of the baby.

But what drew Twitter users ire is the fact that Woodcock Cody posted a photo of herself receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. While most followers simply offered congratulations, some expressed concern about a pregnant woman getting vaccinated and others became downright abusive about it. Heres what you need to know.

Many responses were positive, including one Twitter user who wrote, I have my appt tomorrow for a vaccine Im 23 weeks pregnant and a Registered Nurse ! Thank you for your post it makes me feel better about my decision to get vaccinated.

Another wrote, Youre incredibly brave. Not just for working in your job for months already, but for being among the first to try a new vaccine, and for being willing to show it on this platform. #staystrong #itsyourdecision.

But many people blasted the couple for either endangering their unborn child or being bribed to act like there is a vaccine when there isnt one, perpetuating conspiracy theories about the vaccine being fake. The reason they thought the photo was faked was because of the angle of the safety needle cap however, the cap was in the right place. When a shot is being administered, it is supposed to be off to the side at a right angle.

They are pieces of Filth!!! The needle is not in her arm! Just look closely! This is Propaganda & should be held LIABLE! Criminal & Civil. Its just unbelievable! Data is for ALL who can read. MD = Drug Dealer NOT a healer! They never cured even the common cold/Flu. Makes me [angry emoji], wrote one user.

Another wrote that she prays this is fake, and a third wrote, The cap is still on. Just like all the others. They are clearly telling you there isnt gonna be a vaccine. Wake up for f*** sake.

For the record, according to the Center for Disease Control, there are two approved and recommended vaccines, one from Pfizer-BioNTech and one from Moderna. There are two others that are in their clinical trial phase, one from AstraZeneca and one from Janssen.

Woodcock Cody is an anesthesiologist, which one commenter thought meant she wasnt a medical doctor, but she is that is a specialty and she practices at the Virginia Health Center in McLean, Virginia. Cody is former Army physician and current orthopedic surgeon at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Cody responded with a Twitter thread explaining how both the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists feel that even though there havent been studies done on pregnant women, the benefits of the vaccine outweigh potential risks and are unlikely to negatively affect pregnant women.

In a joint statement made with several other pregnancy and fertility organizations, the ASRM and ACOG wrote, It is especially important that certain eligible patient populations, including pregnant women, consult with their trusted physician when considering whether to take the vaccine.

Basically, it is up to the patient and their doctor about choosing whether to vaccinate. The CDC says that the patient and healthcare provider should consider the likelihood of the patients exposure and risks the virus would pose to their fetus. While the FDA cannot officially recommend the vaccine to pregnant women because there is a lack of data, the CDC believes that because the vaccine contains no active virus, it is unlikely to pose a risk to pregnant women.

For the Codys, they feel that based on Woodcock Codys level of risk as a healthcare worker, it was necessary that she be vaccinated.

Cody wrote, Recently, ACOG and the @ReprodMed recommended that the COVID vaccine be offered to pregnant and lactating women, based on their individual level of risk The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines contain NO active virus, and they did not rely on any aborted fetal tissue for viral culture or reproduction like some have inaccurately suggested. No, we are not paid actors. Yes this is real. No it is not propaganda. We are both physicians that make $0 from pharma. As a full time anesthesiologist, @CandiceCodyMD must take risks with her health when she cares for COVID patients. It is a very high risk specialty. At 35 weeks, the baby is nearly full term with only growth and fat production, and some lung maturation left to occur. Some of you Twitter scientists need to review your embryology a little bit before you spit fire at people that deeply understand this process.

There is no word yet on when Survivor will be back on the air. There is talk about the production team filming three seasons this spring so that they can air one in the summer of 2021, one in the fall and then one in the spring of 2022.

READ NEXT: A Survivor Legend Got Caught Smuggling Food During the Family Visit

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'Survivor's' Candice Woodcock, John Cody Respond to Twitter Haters - Heavy.com

Genetics

A Tiny Difference in Genetics is Good News for Salmon Conservation – The Triplicate

Biologists and anglers alike have long considered spring and fall run Chinook salmon to be different animals due to variations in fat content, maturity and appearance. But a recent study sheds new light on how Chinook (or king) salmon are genetically quite similar and why this may help the native salmon population in the Klamath River.

In a recent study published in the journal Science, HSU Fisheries Biology Professor Andrew Kinziger, HSU graduate student James Hearsey, and their colleagues from NOAA, UC Santa Cruz, and Colorado State University compared billions of DNA bases, the DNA building blocks (e.g., A, T, C, and G), in spring and fall Chinook salmon to see where they differed. To their surprise, they found a minute variation between spring and fall salmon on chromosome 28, in a single small region, known as the Region of Strongest Association or RoSA, that determines when fish migrate upriver.

Our result was extraordinary because we expected the genetic underpinnings to involve many genes, each with a small effect, but what we found was incredibly simple a single small genomic region that determines whether the fish migrates in spring or fall, says Kinziger. Its a total win for conservation.

The findings provide strong evidence that spring and fall Chinook salmon are a single species, despite clear differences in run-timing, fat content, size, and spawning locations.

To expand their data set, the researchers partnered with the Yurok Tribe to analyze the genetics of a Chinook salmon fishery in the Klamath River estuary. They found that the RoSA could be used to almost perfectly predict the date Chinook salmon enter the Klamath River, with a cut-off date of about August 1. The research highlights the strong role of genetics.

Each Chinook salmon inherits two genetic variants (or alleles) from their parents. Chinook salmon that possess two copies of the early allele (EE homozygous) all enter the Klamath River before August 1, whereas those with two copies of the late allele (LL homozygous) enter after this date. Individuals that are a mix of both genotypes (EL heterozygous) had intermediate migration times. It follows that if two heterozygous parents were to mate their offspring would be a mixture of EE homozygous (spring), LL homozygous (fall), and EL heterozygous individuals.

Just like in humans, where brothers and sisters can have different colored eyes, a pair of Chinook salmon parents could produce offspring that are a mixture of spring and fall fish, explains Kinziger.

The research has put a spotlight on the importance of migration run timing as the key trait that defines spring and fall salmon. The data from the study shows that the RoSA genotype explains 85% of the variation in salmon migration patterns.

Kinziger explains that the studys findings could have a profound impact on future conservation projects to restore salmon runs on the Klamath River.

Chinook salmon are currently divided into 17 groups for conservation; nine of these are listed as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The Klamath River is home to one of the largest Chinook salmon runs on the west coast and supports important commercial, recreational, and tribal fisheries.

Over the past 100-150 years, Chinook salmon runs on the Klamath have declined precipitously due the construction of dams, overfishing, and habitat degradation. Spring Chinook salmon have been the hardest hitthe upper Klamath River population is extinct, and the number of adults returning to wild areas in other parts of the Klamath River is estimated at 100s-1000s fish, with additional supplementation from hatcheries.

But Kinziger explains that their recent study indicates that spring-run Chinook salmon are potentially less threatened than scientists had thought. By surveying thousands of Chinook salmon from northern California and southern Oregon, the researchers found that the early allele was widespread in salmon populations with suitable habitat.

An important repository of the early allele in the Klamath Basin is the Trinity River Hatchery, which releases millions of spring Chinook salmon every year. Over time, hatcheries have come to be seen in a negative light, however, in this case the Trinity River Hatchery appears to have played a role in retaining the early allele in the Klamath-Trinity Basin, says HSU Professor Emeritus David Hankin, who has worked on salmonid management for over 35 years. I think we can chalk that up as a positive impact of hatchery operations.

The study also reframes the outlook for restoring spring-run salmon to the upper Klamath River where four impassable dams are slated for removalone of the largest habitat restoration efforts in history. Among the many groups who have advocated to let the Klamath River run wild again, the Yurok Tribe stands to see their way of life restored with the return of native salmon runs.

A big question remains in how to bring back spring salmon to the upper Klamath River, once the dams are removed. The new research may provide guidance, explains Kinziger.

The researchers found that the descendants of extirpated Klamath River spring Chinook salmon are still present, suggesting that a historically accurate replica of the spring-run might be regenerated in the Klamath. Once suitable habitat exists in the upper Klamath, the researchers believe that the early allele can repopulate naturally; alternatively, fisheries management programs could jumpstart the process with help from hatcheries by stocking fish with the early allele in the upper Klamath population.

Our findings provide a new perspective and offer paths for achieving this incredibly important goal that means so much, environmentally and culturally, to the North Coast, says Kinziger.

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A Tiny Difference in Genetics is Good News for Salmon Conservation - The Triplicate

Genetics

How do we feed a growing population in a changing climate? – The John Innes Centre

Every minute the world loses 23 hectares of arable land, yet every day there are 160,000 more mouths to feed.

We take for granted an abundance of affordable produce year-round, but it comes at high cost to wildlife and soil due to high-intensity agricultural practices.

As such, we must secure and increase yields in a sustainable way if we are to supply enough food to feed the world. But, how do we feed a growing population in a changing climate?

One potential part of the solution is to develop resilient crop varieties. This of course raises another question; how can we achieve this increased resilience in crops?

New John Innes Centre Group Leader Dr Sanu Arora is working on just that, so we asked her what her group will be doing?

The focus of my research lab is to explore the natural diversity of the Pisum (pea) species for environmental resilience.

Pea is an important place to start because the demand for pea protein is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years, but that is at odds with peas highly volatile yields.

There are many factors causing this yield volatility, such as biotic and abiotic stresses and sub-par agronomic potential. My group will work towards understanding the genetic basis underlying these stresses, with the objective of achieving yield stability.

Well start by looking for genetic sources of resistance to devastating diseases of pea (root rots, powdery and downy mildews) against which the current control strategies are not particularly effective.

Wild pea relatives and landraces are more resilient to changing environment because of their inherent diversity; this is in contrast to the modern crop varieties which went through a genetic bottleneck during domestication followed by intensive breeding.

Before being given the opportunity to start my own group on a Ben Gill Translational Fellowship funded by the John Innes Foundation, I was a Postdoctoral Scientist in the Dr Brande Wulff lab. While there, I developed a new method, dubbed AgRenSeq, to tap into the genetic diversity of crop landraces and wild relatives for disease resistance. This method combines association genetics with resistance gene enrichment sequencing on a genetically diverse panel.

I demonstrated the efficiency of AgRenSeq by cloning four stem rust resistance genes from a diversity panel of Aegilops tauschii, the D genome progenitor of bread wheat. Ill continue this project within my new group, helping make it a smooth transition.

Subsequently, this approach has been adapted to other crop diversity panels, including Watkins wheat landrace collection and now the John Innes Centres own Pisum collection.

Before joining the John Innes Centre, I studied for my my PhD at the Punjab Agricultural University in India. My PhD project explored the genetic diversity present in Ae. tauschii for agronomic and nutritional traits. It was during my PhD that I first realised the enormous potential of the wild wheat relatives in wheat enhancement as well as the huge challenges in the way of tapping that potential.

Growing up in Punjab, India, I closely witnessed the transformative potential of science in agriculture as my region developed into the bread-basket of the country because of the Green revolution. Because of this, I have always associated science with its application in agriculture. Therefore, it is no surprise that I ended up as a crop scientist.

I feel fortunate to be working in crop genetics in this era, when we are on the cusp on another green revolution, which will be powered by the new genomic technologies.

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How do we feed a growing population in a changing climate? - The John Innes Centre

Genetics

Latin American Patients with Lung Cancer and Native American Ancestry See Increased EGFR Mutations – Cancer Network

Genomic and ancestry analyses published in Cancer Discovery revealed that among patients with lung cancer from Latin America, Native American ancestry was associated with increased mutations in the EGFR gene, independent of smoking status.1

Researchers indicated that these findings suggest that germline genetics, rather than environmental disparities, underlie these observed disparities.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality, both in the United States and globally, and understanding inherited risk factors for this disease may help us to identify populations that would benefit from increased screening efforts, Matthew Meyerson, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Cancer Genomics at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said in a press release.2

To explore the landscape of somatic cancer mutation in lung cancers from Latin America and to evaluate the influence of germline ancestry of genetically amalgamated patient populations on these somatic alterations, the study investigators performed genomic analysis of 601 lung cancer cases from Mexico and 552 from Colombia, including 499 self-reported non-smokers. Next-generation sequencing targeting a panel of 547 cancer genes plus intronic regions of 60 cancer genes was used to identify single nucleotide variants (SNVs), indels, somatic copy number alterations (SCNAs), and gene fusions; importantly, this gene panel covered all currently known lung cancer drivers.

It was discovered that 48% of all samples harbored oncogenic mutations in EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, ERBB2, or MET, or fusions in ALK, ROS1, or RET. Moreover, 785 of 1153 samples harbored at least 1 detectable alteration in a broader set of known lung cancer driver genes also including TP53, STK11, KEAP1, SMARCA4, SETD2, MYC, and MDM2. The detected mutation frequencies of EGFR and KRAS were 30% and 10%, respectively, in the tested lung cancer samples from Mexican patients, and 23% and 13%, respectively, in the tested lung cancer samples from Colombian patients.

Using a new method developed by Jian Carrot-Zhang, PhD, and Alexander Gusev, PhD, ancestry analyses from the tumor samples was also performed in this admixed population of patients. Further, global ancestry analysis was performed to measure proportions of African, European, and Native American ancestry across the genome. In addition, local ancestry analysis was performed, which evaluates genetic ancestry at a particular chromosomal location.

After obtaining data on both somatic alteration and genetic ancestry, the next step for the researchers was assessing the correlation of these features. After adjusting for various factors, including self-reported smoking status and sample-specific tumor mutational burden, it was discovered that global Native American ancestry was positively correlated with mutations in the EGFR gene. Even further, the researchers determined that Native American ancestry was predominantly associated with oncogenic mutations in the EGFR gene, but not with non-oncogenic mutations.

Patients were then stratified by their self-reported smoking status and evaluated to determine the association between global ancestry and mutations in target genes. In both individuals who were never smokers and smokers, global Native American ancestry was found to be associated with mutations in the EGFR gene, indicating that the genomic differences associated with Native American ancestry are independent of smoking status.

Smoking increases the risk for KRAS-mutant lung cancers, while patients with lung cancer who are non-smokers more often develop EGFR-mutant lung cancer, Meyerson explained. However, we show in our study that EGFR-mutant lung cancer is also elevated among smokers with Native American ancestry.

Lastly, the investigators developed a local Native American ancestry risk score to assess the association of ancestry with EGFR mutation frequency across multiple distinct sites in the genome. In doing so, it was revealed that the correlation between ancestry and increased mutation frequency in the EGFR gene was stronger at the local genome level than the global genome level.

These results suggest that germline genetics in addition to environmental factors or socioeconomic status may have an influence on the risk of EGFR-mutant lung cancer among those with Native American ancestry, said Meyerson.

Many lung cancers are now treatable with targeted therapy or immunotherapy, Meyerson added. It is very important for patients with lung cancer to undergo somatic genetic testing to determine which treatments are most likely to be effective for their particular cancer.

Moving forward, the researchers suggested that future studies will still be necessary to comprehensively characterize lung cancer genomes from Latin American patients.

References:

1. Carrot-Zhang J, Soca-Chafre G, Patterson N, et al. Genetic ancestry contributes to somatic mutations in lung cancers from admixed Latin American populations. Cancer Discovery. doi: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-20-1165

2. Native American Ancestry Associated With Increased Mutations in EGFR Gene Among Latin American Patients With Lung Cancer [news release]. Philadelphia. Published December 2, 2020. Accessed December 4, 2020.

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Latin American Patients with Lung Cancer and Native American Ancestry See Increased EGFR Mutations - Cancer Network

Genetics

Insights on the Animal Genetics Global Market to 2027 – Strategic Recommendations for New Entrants – GlobeNewswire

Dublin, Dec. 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Animal Genetics - Global Market Outlook (2019-2027)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

According to this report, the Global Animal Genetics market accounted for $4.48 billion in 2019 and is expected to reach $8.60 billion by 2027 growing at a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period. Some of the key factors propelling the growth of the market are growing preference for animal protein, increasing population, and increasing adoption of advanced genetic technologies. However, the shortage of skilled veterinary research professionals is the restraining factor for the growth of the market.

Animal genetics is the study of heredity in animals. It includes the study of colour, genetics, gene expression, and animal breeding for a wide variety of applications and is primarily focused on the passing of traits from one generation to the next.

By live animal, the porcine segment is expected to grow at a significant market share during the forecast period owing to the large consumer base for pork meat, as well as growing penetration of advanced genetic research. Based on geography, North America is anticipated to hold considerable market share during the forecast period which is attributed to the research activities being carried out on animal genetics and the adoption of strategic activities by industry players.

Some of the key players in Animal Genetics Market include Animal Genetics Inc, Cogent, Crv Holding B.V., Alta Genetics Inc, Genus PLC, Neogen Corporation, Inguran LLC, Groupe Grimaud La Corbiere SA, Hendrix Genetics BV, Topigs Norsvin, Vetgen, Ew Group GmbH, Zoetis Inc, Envigo Inc, and Urus.

Live Animals Covered:

Services Covered:

Genetic Materials Covered:

End Users Covered:

What the Report offers:

Key Topics Covered:

1 Executive Summary

2 Preface2.1 Abstract 2.2 Stake Holders 2.3 Research Scope 2.4 Research Methodology 2.4.1 Data Mining 2.4.2 Data Analysis 2.4.3 Data Validation 2.4.4 Research Approach 2.5 Research Sources 2.5.1 Primary Research Sources 2.5.2 Secondary Research Sources 2.5.3 Assumptions

3 Market Trend Analysis 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Drivers 3.3 Restraints 3.4 Opportunities 3.5 Threats 3.6 End User Analysis 3.7 Emerging Markets 3.8 Impact of Covid-19

4 Porters Five Force Analysis 4.1 Bargaining power of suppliers 4.2 Bargaining power of buyers 4.3 Threat of substitutes 4.4 Threat of new entrants 4.5 Competitive rivalry

5 Global Animal Genetics Market, By Live Animal 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Canine 5.3 Avian 5.4 Piscine 5.5 Poultry 5.6 Bovine 5.7 Porcine 5.8 Other Live Animals 5.8.1 Goat 5.8.2 Horse 5.8.3 Sheep

6 Global Animal Genetics Market, By Service 6.1 Introduction 6.2 DNA Typing 6.3 Genetic Disease Tests 6.4 Genetic Trait Tests 6.5 DNA Testing 6.6 Other Services 6.6.1 Forensic Testing 6.6.2 Prenatal Testing 6.6.3 Predictive and Presymptomatic Testing 6.6.4 Diagnostic Testing

7 Global Animal Genetics Market, By Genetic Material 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Embryos 7.2.1 Equine Embryos 7.2.2 Bovine Embryos 7.2.3 Other Animal Embryos 7.2.3.1 Porcine Embryos 7.2.3.2 Sheep Embryos 7.2.3.3 Goat Embryos 7.3 Semen 7.3.1 Canine Semen 7.3.2 Porcine Semen 7.3.3 Bovine Semen 7.3.4 Equine Semen 7.3.5 Other Animal Semen 7.3.5.1 Goat Semen 7.3.5.2 Sheep Semen

8 Global Animal Genetics Market, By End User 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Veterinary Hospitals & Clinics 8.3 Research Centers and Institutes 8.4 Diagnostic Centres

9 Global Animal Genetics Market, By Geography 9.1 Introduction 9.2 North America 9.2.1 US 9.2.2 Canada 9.2.3 Mexico 9.3 Europe 9.3.1 Germany 9.3.2 UK 9.3.3 Italy 9.3.4 France 9.3.5 Spain 9.3.6 Rest of Europe 9.4 Asia Pacific 9.4.1 Japan 9.4.2 China 9.4.3 India 9.4.4 Australia 9.4.5 New Zealand 9.4.6 South Korea 9.4.7 Rest of Asia Pacific 9.5 South America 9.5.1 Argentina 9.5.2 Brazil 9.5.3 Chile 9.5.4 Rest of South America 9.6 Middle East & Africa 9.6.1 Saudi Arabia 9.6.2 UAE 9.6.3 Qatar 9.6.4 South Africa 9.6.5 Rest of Middle East & Africa

10 Key Developments10.1 Agreements, Partnerships, Collaborations and Joint Ventures 10.2 Acquisitions & Mergers 10.3 New Product Launch 10.4 Expansions 10.5 Other Key Strategies

11 Company Profiling11.1 Animal Genetics Inc 11.2 Cogent 11.3 Crv Holding B.V. 11.4 Alta Genetics Inc 11.5 Genus PLC 11.6 Neogen Corporation 11.7 Inguran LLC 11.8 Groupe Grimaud La Corbiere SA 11.9 Hendrix Genetics BV 11.10 Topigs Norsvin 11.11 Vetgen 11.12 Ew Group GmbH 11.13 Zoetis Inc 11.14 Envigo Inc 11.15 Urus

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/z41eun

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

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Insights on the Animal Genetics Global Market to 2027 - Strategic Recommendations for New Entrants - GlobeNewswire

Genetics

Do Insiders Own Lots Of Shares In Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLGT)? – Simply Wall St

Every investor in Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLGT) should be aware of the most powerful shareholder groups. Insiders often own a large chunk of younger, smaller, companies while huge companies tend to have institutions as shareholders. I generally like to see some degree of insider ownership, even if only a little. As Nassim Nicholas Taleb said, 'Dont tell me what you think, tell me what you have in your portfolio.

With a market capitalization of US$1.1b, Fulgent Genetics is a decent size, so it is probably on the radar of institutional investors. Taking a look at our data on the ownership groups (below), it seems that institutions own shares in the company. Let's take a closer look to see what the different types of shareholders can tell us about Fulgent Genetics.

Check out our latest analysis for Fulgent Genetics

Many institutions measure their performance against an index that approximates the local market. So they usually pay more attention to companies that are included in major indices.

Fulgent Genetics already has institutions on the share registry. Indeed, they own a respectable stake in the company. This suggests some credibility amongst professional investors. But we can't rely on that fact alone since institutions make bad investments sometimes, just like everyone does. It is not uncommon to see a big share price drop if two large institutional investors try to sell out of a stock at the same time. So it is worth checking the past earnings trajectory of Fulgent Genetics, (below). Of course, keep in mind that there are other factors to consider, too.

We note that hedge funds don't have a meaningful investment in Fulgent Genetics. The company's CEO Ming Hsieh is the largest shareholder with 33% of shares outstanding. Han Gao is the second largest shareholder owning 7.3% of common stock, and BlackRock, Inc. holds about 6.5% of the company stock. Interestingly, the second-largest shareholder, Han Gao is also Chief Scientific Officer, again, pointing towards strong insider ownership amongst the company's top shareholders.

Our research also brought to light the fact that roughly 51% of the company is controlled by the top 4 shareholders suggesting that these owners wield significant influence on the business.

Researching institutional ownership is a good way to gauge and filter a stock's expected performance. The same can be achieved by studying analyst sentiments. Quite a few analysts cover the stock, so you could look into forecast growth quite easily.

The definition of company insiders can be subjective and does vary between jurisdictions. Our data reflects individual insiders, capturing board members at the very least. Management ultimately answers to the board. However, it is not uncommon for managers to be executive board members, especially if they are a founder or the CEO.

I generally consider insider ownership to be a good thing. However, on some occasions it makes it more difficult for other shareholders to hold the board accountable for decisions.

Our most recent data indicates that insiders own a reasonable proportion of Fulgent Genetics, Inc.. It has a market capitalization of just US$1.1b, and insiders have US$451m worth of shares in their own names. That's quite significant. It is good to see this level of investment. You can check here to see if those insiders have been buying recently.

The general public, with a 20% stake in the company, will not easily be ignored. While this group can't necessarily call the shots, it can certainly have a real influence on how the company is run.

We can see that public companies hold 4.4% of the Fulgent Genetics shares on issue. This may be a strategic interest and the two companies may have related business interests. It could be that they have de-merged. This holding is probably worth investigating further.

While it is well worth considering the different groups that own a company, there are other factors that are even more important. To that end, you should learn about the 5 warning signs we've spotted with Fulgent Genetics (including 2 which is are potentially serious) .

But ultimately it is the future, not the past, that will determine how well the owners of this business will do. Therefore we think it advisable to take a look at this free report showing whether analysts are predicting a brighter future.

NB: Figures in this article are calculated using data from the last twelve months, which refer to the 12-month period ending on the last date of the month the financial statement is dated. This may not be consistent with full year annual report figures.

PromotedIf youre looking to trade Fulgent Genetics, open an account with the lowest-cost* platform trusted by professionals, Interactive Brokers. Their clients from over 200 countries and territories trade stocks, options, futures, forex, bonds and funds worldwide from a single integrated account.

This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. *Interactive Brokers Rated Lowest Cost Broker by StockBrokers.com Annual Online Review 2020

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com.

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Do Insiders Own Lots Of Shares In Fulgent Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ:FLGT)? - Simply Wall St

Human Behavior

5 things to know about the new Covid strain spreading in the UK – CNBC

A notice informing people of 'Tier 4' coronavirus restrictions lights up a digital advertising screen on Oxford Street in London, England, on December 21, 2020.

David Cliff | NurPhoto | Getty Images

The U.K. has identified a new variant of the coronavirus that appears to spread more quickly, sparking fresh fears that the Covid-19 pandemic may continue to accelerate even as governments begin administering the first vaccine shots.

Scientists and infectious disease experts are still piecing together what they know about the new strain, called SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01, which is shorthand for the first variant under investigation in December 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It hasn't yet been detected in the U.S., but the CDC said it could already be circulating across the country unnoticed.

While the virus appears to transmit more easily, there is "no evidence" that the new variant makes people sicker or increases the risk of death, the CDC said Tuesday. The new coronavirus "mutates regularly," the CDC noted, but the overwhelming majority of mutations are insignificant.

More than 40 countries, not including the U.S., have now suspended transport links with the U.K. after the new variation of the coronavirus was found.France activated a 48-hour border closure Monday, and by Tuesday morning 1,500 trucks were stuck in Kent, unable to leave the U.K., British Home Secretary Priti Patel said Tuesday.

Here's what you need to know:

The World Health Organization said the mutation was found in 1,108 cases in the U.K. as of Dec. 13. However, that's likely an undercount since scientists need to run additional tests to confirm which strain of the virus a patient is infected with, including sequencing the genetic code.

The WHO said the variant was traced back to the county of Kent in southeast England where it was found on Sept. 20, based on a retrospective analysis.

It wasn't until October, though, that the variant began to spread rapidly throughout the region, the WHO said, adding that cases continued to rise at an unexpected pace through November, prompting an investigation and discovery of the mutation earlier this month. Between Oct. 5 and Dec. 13, more than 50% of the viral samples from southeast England that were sequenced were found to be the variant strain.

The U.K. has said the variant could be up to 70% more transmissible than the original strain of the virus.

Based on early data from the U.K., the new strain could "potentially be more rapidly transmissible than other circulating strains," the CDC said.

Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the WHO's emerging diseases and zoonosis unit, said Monday that U.K. officials estimate that the mutation has caused an increase in the reproductive rate of the virus from 1.1 to 1.5. That means that each person infected with the variant is estimated to infect another 1.5 people.

Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO's health emergencies program,said it was unclear if the increase in spread in the U.K. is because of the mutation or human behavior.

"We've seen an estimate of a small increase in the reproductive number by the U.K.," he said, meaning the virus is spreading faster, which could mean it is more contagious or spreads more easily in colder months. It could also mean people are getting lax about following public health protocols. "It remains to be seen how much of that is due to the specific genetic change in the new variant. I suspect some."

Officials in the U.K. are conducting epidemiological and virological investigations to determine whether the variant is more infectious, whether it causes people to become more sick, whether it can re-infect people who previously had Covid-19 and what kind of antibody response the new variant prompts.

The U.K. is also conducting genomic surveillance to understand the scope of spread of the new variant across the country. The U.K. has also placed affected areas under tier 4 restrictions, the strongest Covid rules in the country.

In the U.S., "viruses have only been sequenced from about 51,000 of the 17 million US cases," so the new strain could have slipped notice, according to the CDC.

The CDC launched a new program in November, the National SARS-CoV-2 Strain Surveillance program, to sequence more virus samples. It's supposed to be fully running in January where each state in the U.S. will send the CDC at least 10 samples every other week for sequencing and further study.

The WHO says laboratory studies are ongoing to determine whether the new virus has different biological properties or could alter vaccine efficacy. The mutations include changes to the spike protein that the virus uses to infect human cells.

Both Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines, which have been authorized for use in the U.S. use messenger RNA, or mRNA, technology. It's a new approach to vaccines that uses genetic material in this case, a harmless piece of spike protein to provoke an immune response against the virus.

BioNTech CEO Ugur Sahin said Tuesday that he is confident the company's coronavirus vaccine with Pfizer will work against the new strain, but added but further studies are needed to be completely sure.

President Donald Trump's coronavirus vaccine czar, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, also said he expects Pfizer's and Moderna's Covid-19 shots will be effective against the new mutation.

Both vaccines induce an immune response against several structures found around the spike protein, the multifunctional mechanism that allows the virus to enter the host, Slaoui, chief science advisor to Operation Warp Speed, explained to reporters Monday during a press briefing. The chances one set of mutations would completely alter those structures "are extremely low," he added.

The CDC said Tuesday the new strain could already be circulating in the United States without notice.

"Ongoing travel between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the high prevalence of this variant among current UK infections, increase the likelihood of importation," CDC said in a statement. "Given the small fraction of US infections that have been sequenced, the variant could already be in the United States without having been detected."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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5 things to know about the new Covid strain spreading in the UK - CNBC

Human Behavior

The coronavirus is mutating. How worried should you be? – The Daily Briefing

British officials on Saturday announced scientists have discovered a new, potentially far-more-contagious strain of the novel coronavirus in the United Kingdom (U.K.)but they emphasized that the new variant is not more deadly than other strains of the virus and should not be resistant against vaccines.

Just released: The global Covid-19 vaccination scenario planning guide

During a news conference Saturday, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and England's CMO Chris Whitty said scientists identified the new strainlabeled B 1.1.7through Public Health England's genomic surveillance. According to the New York Times, the variant has about 20 mutations, including several that affect how the virus attaches to and infects cells in the body.

Johnson during the conference announced stricter lockdown measures across the country, in the wake of a significant surge in Covid-19 cases over the past two weeks. And to limit the spread of the new variant, several other nations across Europe have in turn imposed or are considering bans on arrivals from the U.K. In addition, at least one countryGermanyis drawing up language for a travel ban on people coming from South Africa, where a variant similar to the one identified in the U.K.

Johnson said scientists believe the new variant is more infectious than the original version of the novel coronavirus. "There's no evidence that it causes more severe illness or higher mortality, but it does appear to be passed on significantly more easily," Johnson said. "Although there's considerable uncertainty, it may be up to 70% more transmissible than the original version of the" virus.

However, Johnson noted this estimate is based on early data and "subject to review."

Muge Cevik, an infectious disease expert at the University of St. Andrews, said the estimate is based on modeling and has not been confirmed through laboratory experiments. "Overall, I think we need to have a little bit more experimental data," Cevik said. "We can't entirely rule out the fact that some of this transmissibility data might be related to human behavior."

Patrick Vallance, Britain's chief scientific adviser, said preliminary data shows the new variant is becoming the dominant strain circulating in some portions of England, including London and the south east and east of England.

Scientists say they're concerned about the new variants of the coronavirus, but they're not shocked by the recent discoveries. Since the novel coronavirus has spread across the world, scientists have identified thousands of small modifications in the virus's genetic material.

"This thing's transmitting, it's acquiring, it's adapting all the time," said Ravindra Gupta, a virologist at the University of Cambridge. "But people don't want to hear what we say, which is: This virus will mutate."

Experts also say some strains of a virus may become more dominant in a population by chance and not because they've become supercharged versions of the virus, the Times reports. As a pathogen's survival becomes more difficult because of vaccinations or increasing immunity in human populations, experts anticipate a virus will gradually develop mutations to help it spread more easily or avoid the immune system's detection, according to the Times.

As a result, many experts say people shouldn't be too alarmed by the new variants of the novel coronavirus, because it would take yearsrather than monthsfor the virus to mutate to a point where people's antibodies against the virus or currently authorized vaccines would become ineffective, the Times reports.

Jesse Bloom, an evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, said, "No one should worry that there is going to be a single catastrophic mutation that suddenly renders all immunity and antibodies useless."

Noting that even the influenza virus needs between five and seven years to gather all the mutations necessary to evade immune recognition entirely, Bloom continued, "It is going to be a process that occurs over the time scale of multiple years and requires the accumulation of multiple viral mutations. It's not going to be like an on-off switch."

Still, Bloom and other experts said the new variants should be closely watched. "It's a real warning that we need to pay closer attention," Bloom said. "Certainly, these mutations are going to spread, and, definitely, the scientific communitywe need to monitor these mutations and we need to characterize which ones have effects."

Separately, Vivek Murthy, a former U.S. surgeon general and President-elect Joe Biden's likely general nominee for the role, said the identification of a new strain of the coronavirus doesn't alter longstanding public health recommendations to wash hands, wear masks, and continue practicing social distancing (Mandavilli, New York Times, 12/20; Holden et al., Reuters, 12/19; Kupferschmidt, Science, 12/20; Associated Press/Modern Healthcare, 12/20).

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The coronavirus is mutating. How worried should you be? - The Daily Briefing

Human Behavior

Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today – The New York Times

A new variant: What we know

This weekend, Britain imposed a wholesale lockdown on London and most of the countrys southeast, citing fears about a new strain of the coronavirus, which officials say is more contagious..

Countries in the European Union, the Middle East and Asia raced to bar travelers from the United Kingdom, suspending flights and cutting off trade routes. People crowded into train stations and airports, trying to flee the city before the restrictions went into effect.

But from a contagion perspective, scientists and experts say, the travel bans may be an overreaction. Heres what we know so far.

Viral variants are not a shock. As our colleague Apoorva Mandavilli has reported, the new variant has worried scientists, but not surprised them. Researchers have recorded thousands of tiny modifications in the genetic material of the coronavirus as it has hopscotched across the world.

Natural selection tends to make viruses more contagious. As immunity and vaccinations make it harder for the coronavirus to spread, random mutations occur. Those changes can enable the virus to spread more easily or to escape detection by the bodys immune system.

Were still learning about the mutations. Scientists estimate the variant is 50 percent to 70 percent more transmissible than the original virus. But that number is based on modeling and has not been confirmed in lab experiments, experts told Apoorva.

The vaccines should still work. Experts say it would take years, not months, for the virus to evolve enough to render the current vaccines impotent. No one should worry that there is going to be a single catastrophic mutation that suddenly renders all immunity and antibodies useless, said Jesse Bloom, an evolutionary biologist at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Its not going to be like an on-off switch.

The travel bans might be too late. A similar version of the virus has emerged in South Africa, which shares one of the mutations seen in the British variant, according to scientists who detected it. It is possible that the variant has already spread beyond those countries.

Human behavior drives transmission. Even without the new variant, the biggest variable driving contagion is human behavior. Wherever you are in the world, it is sensible to limit your exposure to other people. And, of course, wear a mask.

With distribution of a coronavirus vaccine beginning in the U.S., here are answers to some questions you may be wondering about:

In early December, the Mexican government knew that Mexico City had reached a critical level of contagion that, according to its own standards, would have required shutting down the citys economy.

But Mexico did not share the true numbers with the public or sufficiently restrict movement in the capital, in an apparent attempt to help the economy during the busy holiday shopping season, reports Natalie Kitroeff, a foreign correspondent for The Times based in Mexico.

Instead, the federal government misled the public about the severity of the outbreak and allowed Mexico City to remain open for another two weeks.

Specifically, when the government was computing its lockdown formula in early December, it used lower numbers in two critical areas the percentage of occupied hospital beds with ventilators, and the percentage of positive coronavirus test results than were publicly stated in its official databases. Officials refused to explain where that data came from.

On Friday, the government finally moved to shut the city down. But it was too late: More than 85 percent of hospital beds in the capital were occupied on Sunday, up from 66 percent when the government decided to delay the lockdown.

Now, doctors say they are running out of crucial medicines. Outside medical supply stores, relatives of patients lined up for hours to buy oxygen.

They have deliberately tried to hide the emergency, said Xavier Tello, a health policy analyst based in Mexico City. Every day they delayed the decision, more people were exposed.

South Korea will ban gatherings of more than five people in and around Seoul, the capital, in an attempt to suppress what the authorities have called an explosive infection surge.

As case numbers were rising in Kenya, doctors across the country went on strike Monday, protesting poor pay, lack of medical insurance and inadequate protective equipment.

Dozens of people protesting virus restrictions many with weapons, body armor or flags supporting President Trump tried to force their way into Oregons State Capitol building in Salem.

Sweeping restrictions will come into effect Saturday in Ontario, the most populous province in Canada. That is also Boxing Day, a major shopping holiday.

Heres a roundup of restrictions in all 50 states.

A panel advising the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccines voted to prioritize people 75 and older and 30 million essential workers, including emergency responders, teachers and grocery store employees.

The pandemic has forced China to confront mental health, a taboo subject there. At the height of its outbreak, more than a third of people experienced symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia or acute stress, according to a nationwide survey.

Many Americans arent postponing holiday travel, even during the worst period of the pandemic. On each of the last three days, more than a million travelers passed through airport security checkpoints in the United States.

Pediatricians are concerned that families are skipping visits, and their children are missing out on routine immunizations, flu shots and essential in-person visits and screenings.

Life wont immediately return to normal after you get a vaccine. Our colleagues looked at what you can and cant do after receiving your shot.

Even as they receive inoculations, American health care workers face daunting shortages of personal protective equipment, which will do more to keep them safe in the short term.

A nurse who came out of retirement to fight the virus. A postmaster who laid the bricks of the building he managed. The Timess Opinion section asked five people to tell the story of someone they lost to the pandemic.

Both I and my wife are in our 70s. Im approaching 80. We miss church members and meetings, but church members bring the meetings to us. But we now have our meetings with individuals or pairs. They stand on the walk and we on the porch. At times treats are left on the porch table. Its not so much what we are doing, but what others are doing for us.

Walter Beecher, Gig Harbor, Wash.

Let us know how youre dealing with the pandemic. Send us a response here, and we may feature it in an upcoming newsletter.

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Coronavirus Briefing: What Happened Today - The New York Times

Human Behavior

Talk is cheap: Why we make healthy claims but indulge in unhealthy behaviors – Purdue News Service

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. The time period between Thanksgiving and Christmas is characterized by overindulgence. While we tell others that we are eating and drinking in moderation, controlling our spending, and exercising more, in reality, we do the exact opposite. So where does this disconnect come from?

Often when responding to questions about sensitive behaviors (for example, weight gain, over-eating, alcohol consumption), people want to appear socially correct while downplaying bad behaviors. Psychologists call this subconscious response social desirability bias (SDB), and for researchers who are trying to understand a persons actual behavior, these biased responses are a problem.

Were human. We want others to like us and think of us as good people, says Nicole Olynk Widmar, professor of agricultural economics at Purdue University. However, health care providers and researchers need accurate self-reported data. Understanding SDB is imperative to being able to collect good data about human behaviors, especially self-reported data about sensitive topics, such as weight gain and eating over the holiday season.

Widmar and Courtney Bir, assistant professor at Oklahoma State, recently published a study on recognizing and mitigating SDB in responses to questions about holiday health-related behaviors, in the Springer Nature journal Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.

We asked survey respondents to report their holiday health-related behaviors and their beliefs on the behaviors of the average American, Bir says. We then compared the responses to determine what percentage of respondents rated themselves better than they rated the average American. That difference is where we find evidence of the bias.

The largest proportion of respondents showing evidence of SDB was found in response to two statements: I will consume more alcohol during the holiday season than at other times of the year (66% of respondents displayed evidence of SDB), and I make it a New Years Resolution to lose weight (62% of respondents displayed evidence of SDB).These responses suggest respondents will drink less alcohol and be more likely to make a resolution to lose weight, compared with the average American.

However, while Bir and Widmar set out to recognize SDB, they also wanted to find ways to combat it. Their method? Add cheap talk statements.

Cheap talk is often used in surveys to explicitly inform respondents of different biases that can arise related to the question being asked, Bir says. In the study, we tested a statement that simply informed people that sometimes human inclination moves us to answer in a way that deviates from our own true behavior because we want to be socially correct. The idea is that the person may be more likely to provide an accurate response because the potential for bias has been explicitly brought to their attention.

The study included two participant groups. One group received a cheap talk statement prior to rating their level of agreement to the holiday health behaviors, while the other did not. By comparing the two groups, the researchers were able to determine if evidence of SDB was lessened for the respondents receiving the cheap talk statement.

Widmar and Bir noted that cheap talk was effective in reducing SDB for some questions and in some respondents but not all of them. As Widmar says, For some people or some statements studied, SDB is so engrained that the cheap talk statement did not have a measurable impact.

Writer: Kami Goodwin, kami@purdue.edu

Sources: Nicole Olynk Widmar, nwidmar@purdue.edu, and Courtney Bir, courtney.bir@okstate.edu

Agricultural Communications:765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head,mmanier@purdue.edu

Agriculture News Page

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Talk is cheap: Why we make healthy claims but indulge in unhealthy behaviors - Purdue News Service