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Neuroscience

WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute expands pioneering Alzheimer’s treatment to wider region of the brain – DOTmed HealthCare Business News

A hospital nurse for 33 years, Nanette Miller would call her husband Frank at the end of each shift to let him know she was coming home. On Dec. 7, 2018, the phone call came with a somber declaration: I cant do this anymore.

Miller had to help on another hospital floor that day. She didnt know how to get back.

Several months later, she was diagnosed with what she and her husband had feared early onset Alzheimers disease.

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Using focused ultrasound, Dr. Ali Rezai, executive chair of the RNI, and his team successfully opened the blood-brain barrier in a clinical trial with Miller, 54, of Mill Run, Pennsylvania.

By opening the blood-brain barrier, which separates the bloodstream from the brain tissue and restricts medicines, immunotherapy, gene therapy and other therapeutics from entering the brain, researchers hope it can reduce plaques and lessen Millers symptoms.

Rezai and his team previously made waves by being the first in the world to open the hippocampal blood-brain barrier in Alzheimers patients. With Miller, doctors took it a step further by targeting other parts of the brain, namely the parietal lobe, insula and precuneus.

Because our first trial with opening the blood-brain barrier was successful, we were able to treat larger parts of the brain, Rezai said. These other parts of the brain, broadly the parietal lobe, are involved in knowing where you are within your environment and surroundings, and in thinking and processing of memory.

During this study, doctors injected microscopic bubbles into the patients bloodstream, and exposed the bubbles to focused ultrasound from a treatment helmet attached to the MRI, temporarily causing the blood brain barrier to open.

The gradual decline

Forgetting how to return to her work floor was not the only memory setback for Miller. She struggled with number combinations to secure areas of the hospital containing medicines

A coconut cake she made mistakenly wound up in a cupboard. By the time, they found it, it had molded.

And, as an organist at Indian Creek Baptist Church in Mill Run for several years, Miller can no longer play the instrument.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Alzheimer's disease is a progressive disorder that causes brain cells to waste away and die. It is the most common cause of dementia a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills that disrupts a person's ability to function independently.

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WVU Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute expands pioneering Alzheimer's treatment to wider region of the brain - DOTmed HealthCare Business News

Anatomy

Kanpur Bloodbath: Understanding the Anatomy of an ‘Encounter of the Police’ – The Wire

From what has appeared in the media, the death of eight Kanpur police officials in the line of duty is being projected as a simple trap or ambush into which an unsuspecting police party had walked in. That was apparently the third attempt that night to get to the notorious criminal, Vikas Dubey. However, a professional analysis of such an incident must not stop at that.

It must be kept in mind that the usual tendency of official departments is to avoid such analysis at all costs, brushing everything under the carpet of routinely made citations for medals. For example, the report of the one-man inquiry committee, headed by the former BSF chief E.N. Rammohan, into the naxal ambush on a CRPF party in Chintalnar, Chhattisgarh, on April 6, 2010 in which 76 personnel were killed, was never shown to CRPF field officers. How then can one expect any course correction from them?

Did darkness put the police to disadvantage?

It is claimed that streetlights were smashed and that the road was blocked with a JCB. The question is, so what? An argument that it was pitch dark and hence the police could not see the assailants is illogical because it was the thirteenth day of the bright half of the lunar cycle, the full moon coming on July 5. Moreover, there is no reason to suspect the assailants had night vision devices.

With the main beams of the headlights of their vehicles which are presumably on compliance with the Central Motor Vehicle Rules the police should have been able to see the JCB from a distance of 155 metres. This should have set alarm bells ringing and they should have got down immediately and taken defensive positions pending the arrival of reinforcements and protective equipment.

The JCB was parked some 50m away from Dubeys house. Had they stopped immediately upon seeing it from a distance and waited for reinforcements, their assailants would have found themselves at a considerable distance, making it very difficult for all but the most skilled shooters to take pot shots at them.

Also read: Police Demolish Mansion But Kanpur Gangsters Clout Was Built on Deep Political Connections

It is also reported that the police searchlights drew more fire. If that is correct, it is was an elementary mistake. In fact, remotely operated searchlights have been developed even by the DRDO precisely for such situations. The police department is answerable as to why such elementary things have not been procured.

Tactical mistakes in the operation

It has been reported that the police party started walking towards the gangsters house. If that is correct, walking in the open without any protection was a fatal mistake.

An earthmover vehicle is used to remove mangled remains of a car during the demolition of the residence of criminal Vikay Dubey, after an encounter in Bikaru village where 8 police personnel lost their lives, in Kanpur, Saturday, July 4, 2020. Photo: PTI

Media reports suggest that the police party did not have bullet resistant jackets or helmets. This is intriguing. If everybody knew that they were going to face a daredevil criminal, why did they not prepare accordingly? Were they under an impression, for whatever reason, that Dubey would give in meekly? The post-incident inquiry must examine this aspect also.

Regarding the death of the DySP Devendra Mishra, it is reported that he took shelter (or was dragged) in a house which unfortunately, turned out to belong to Dubeys maternal uncle, Prem Prakash Pandey, and was shot there in the head. One SI and one constable were also found dead there. Two were found outside the door; and one was found in the verandah of the same house. Five cops are said to have taken cover in a half-built toilet about 20 metres from the rear boundary of the house but that did not help them. Amar Ujala reports that the DySPs body was mutilated with a sharp-edged weapon, whereas the five bodies were piled onto each other.

It has also been reported that the Amar Dubey, nephew of Vikas Dubey, snatched some weapons of the police. In all, an AK-47, an INSAS rifle and two pistols were snatched.

If the DySP was dragged inside some house and if Amar Dubey snatched weapons, it would mean that multiple assailants were on the ground too and were not just firing from the safe sanctuary of rooftops.

Also watch | Kanpur Encounter: How 8 Policemen Were Shot in an Ambush by Vikas Dubeys Men

These accounts, if true, would indicate that there was either little controlled firing by the police party or that they had run out of ammunition by the time the assailants closed in. A post-incident inquiry must examine this.

As it happens in any ambush, those who had planned it must have ensured that, first, they themselves have adequate cover from return fire and concealment; and second, that possible covers, which the targets could take, are subjected to fire in such a manner that the cover is effectively neutralised.

The layout of the ambush must be carefully examined by investigators. It would also give an idea of the time taken in laying the ambush. That would, in turn, given an idea of when they would have got the information regarding the impending raid.

It appears that the police were first taken surprised by hostile fire and then outgunned, making return fire ineffective. In the end, it became an encounter of the police.

Was Information of the impending raid leaked?

That the information about an impending raid might have been leaked is extremely likely. Media sources cite the state DGP admitting this and an SHO ,Vinay Tiwari of Chaubepur PS, has been suspended.

However, that leakage alone was not responsible for the fatalities.

A much more glaring failure was that of the intelligence machinery. They had obviously no idea of the sort of weaponry which this criminal possessed. Given that kind of weaponry, even if the information were not leaked, the criminals could have still poured in deadly fire from inside Dubeys house and inflicted heavy casualties.

His house (demolished by the same JCB on July 4) is believed to have a dozen CCTV cameras. Taking him by complete surprise was not possible.

After all, the options before a police party supposedly going to arrest somebody are limited by law. They could neither bulldoze their way into his house (there was no bulldozer anyway, nor is it legal to do so), nor enter it surreptitiously. Knocking on the door was the only feasible option and that would have given him enough notice to position shooters and weapons before he answered the bell.

Intelligence lacking on weaponry

Much is being made of the alleged use of automatic weapons like the AK series rifles. That raises very serious questions. From where are they getting those rifles? Why could intelligence never make any headway on this issue? They have obviously no clue because if they had any idea, the next question would be why the source of supply was not disrupted.

Also read: Kanpur Gangster Assaulted, Humiliated Police Party Before Gunning Down 8 Policemen

Even before I entered service 34 years ago, we had been hearing that illegal firearms are manufactured in Munger (Bihar), Malda, Howrah (WB), parts of Jharkhand, Dharmpuri, Theni (TN), Mirzapur-Bardah (UP-Bihar), Daulatpur and Baisar (Bihar) and Bamhaur (Azamgarh, UP) etc. Now these places are neither in Antarctica nor, in the words of the opening voice-over of Star Trek, places Where no man has gone before.

What has prevented the police and the intelligence machinery of the states and Centre from identifying them, hunting them down and destroying them during all these decades? Do they mean to tell the people of the nation that these arms manufacturing units are run 100 feet deep underground and have such a secretive network of operatives that no one ever gets any wind of them?

It is either most despicable, rank incompetence or good, old corruption in the ranks of the police and the intelligence department. Odds are in favour of the latter.

Moreover, let no one give an outrageous theory that the AK series rifles could have been made in the bad lands of Munger etc. That would be a crass attempt to hide their incompetence. From an engineering perspective, it is simply not possible. There is no way one could make a complex thing like the bolt of an AK rifle or barrel, without possessing machines made specifically for the job and those machines are not made in India. Making a double barrel shot gun in craft production is one thing; making an automatic rifle quite another.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pays tribute to policemen who lost their lives in an encounter at Bikaru village, at Police Line in Kanpur, Friday, July 3, 2020. Photo: PTI

Making the parts of a modern rifle like the rotating bolt carrier etc. necessarily requires factories and sophisticated machines made specifically for that purpose. Rifling a barrel, for example, requires something called a rifle lathe. The lands and grooves in a typical rifling are cut and measured in a thousandth of an inch. You cannot make such parts with a file or drill in your hands. The bullet fits the rifling of the barrel to within one-thousandth of an inch. The tolerances being so small, this sort of accuracy can come only with sophisticated machines.

Making ammunition for the rifles is even more difficult as it is impossible to make the chemicals required in your backyard. The intelligence should have also known from where they get the ammunition because it is a consumable item; rifles procured once could last for years, but you need ammunition regularly.

Why did Dubey kill the police?

Normally, even hardened criminals avoid killing policemen for fear of obvious repercussions and reprisals. If Dubey did kill as many as eight of them, it obviously means that he might have sincerely believed that the police party had paid a visit not to arrest him but to eliminate him in an encounter. With the elaborate preparations that they made for the ambush, it appears that opening fire on the police was not an act of reckless bravado. He did it deliberately.

The point is, if he had been able to avoid jail all these years and had such clout that he got bail even in a case where he had killed Santosh Shukla, a politician of the rank of minister-of-state, inside Shivli police station and later got acquittal, why would he suddenly become so wary of getting arrested?

If he indeed believed so, it would follow that the culture of encounters that has been so assiduously built up by the UP police as a way of fighting crime can prove to be horrendously counter-productive.

Also read: A Chronicle of the Crime Fiction That is Adityanaths Encounter Raj

The media is now carrying stories how Dubey, in the past, had fired at a police team and taken a circle office captive; how he had slapped a DIG (Prisons); and how he had organised a gherao led by two MLAs of a police station when he was arrested, etc. The question is, when all this was known all these years, why did successive governments soft-pedal on him?

Talking of the political patronage enjoyed by Vikas Dubey is pointless now. If a criminal has survived comfortably in this field for so long, he must obviously have had the right connections at a thousand places, not just a few. Moreover, if he got bail and later acquittal in a murder case, he got it through the courts. Why was the matter not challenged until its logical end, that is, the Supreme Court? To mention political connections as the source of his bail automatically casts aspersions on the judiciary also. Are they prepared to level that allegation and face the consequences?

Lessons for the future

This incident raises serious questions about the preparedness of state police forces for combat in urban areas (as against combat in jungles), also variously known as FIBUA (fighting in built-up areas), UO (urban operations), MOUT (military operations in urban terrain) or by the archaic term CQB (close quarter battle).

The security forces in India habitually shy away from the intellectual exertion needed to master anything new and boast that the mere fact of donning the uniform entitles them to fight anytime, anywhere against anybody. Unfortunately, real life is different.

Indian security personnel do not have any institutional doctrine or detailed tactics, technique and procedures for urban or jungle combat. Whenever they have been obliged to operate in urban areas, they have fumbled and messed up. Their first exposure of urban combat was during Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar in June 1984. They messed it up badly; eventually tanks had to be called in and the repercussions of the extensive collateral damage to the religious structures therein were heavy. One prime minister was assassinated and thousands of innocent people were killed in the communal massacres that immediately followed her assassination.

In almost all the operations that the Army/Rashtriya Rifles have been undertaking against terrorists in Kashmir, they end up blasting entire houses with explosive charges because the science of house intervention is not practiced the way the world does it. This habit of blasting houses has actually led to a great deal of alienation there. No one, not even a child, has ever believed in the pet theory touted for the benefit of ignoramuses that brick-cement houses van catch fire from bullets. It is a matter of simple physical chemistry that bullets cannot start fires or collapse houses.

In my opinion, officers and men of district police forces are mostly unsuitable for undergoing the rigours of the training in combat, both physically and mentally. Moreover, very few would be willing for this kind of thing, leaving the crores of rupees they could make in the districts. A practical solution would be to have a select band of at least a platoon each at the districts. These men must have volunteered for it and they can be especially trained. It is understood that special training infrastructure needs to be developed for both urban and jungle combat and suitable equipment procured. That is a matter of separate detail but can be provided.

Combat is a science that needs to be mastered with great effort. In this realm, the price of error, bravado or ignorance is indeed death.

Dr. N.C. Asthana, a retired IPS officer, has been DGP Kerala and a long-time ADG CRPF/BSF. Amongst his 46 books, he has also authored Ultimate Handbook of Urban Warfare.

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Kanpur Bloodbath: Understanding the Anatomy of an 'Encounter of the Police' - The Wire

Immunology

Tech: Call for immunology to return to the wild Tunis Daily News – Tdnews

In an article published today in Science, a multidisciplinary research team from morethan 10 universities and research institutes outlines how integrating a more diverseset of species and environments could enhance the biomedical research cycle.The viruses that cause COVID-19, AIDS, Ebola, and rabies among others allmade the lethal jump from wildlife into humans. Understanding how the immunesystem works in animals that live with coronaviruses in a natural environment, suchas bats, can give us direction for developing treatments and vaccines to protecthumans from viruses.

Lead author, Dr Andrew Flies from the Menzies Institute for Medical Research at theUniversity of Tasmania, says this is not a new concept.

The very first vaccine arose from observing people interacting with animals in a realworldenvironment. Specifically, milkmaids who acquired a mild cowpox infectionfrom cows were protected from the deadly smallpox. That observation led to the ideaof inoculating people with non-lethal viruses to protect them from deadly viruses.This type of discovery can only be made by studying new species in variableenvironments.

Modern research relies heavily on mouse experiments in laboratory settings, whichlimits the scope for this type of ground-breaking discovery. For example, a new classof antibodies, often referred to as nanobodies, was discovered in camels. Easier andfaster to make than traditional antibodies used in biomedicine, camel-derivednanobodies are playing an import role in biomedical research, including the globalCOVID-19 response. This shows how stepping out of the lab and studying newspecies can yield large long-term payoffs.

We are really excited to see how our initial group discussions held at the firstAustralian Wild and Comparative Immunology (WACI) workshop(https://www.wacimmuno.com/ ) led to publishing a Perspective article in a worldleading journal, said co-author Dr Jerome Le Nours, from the BiomedicineDiscovery Institute at Monash University, who was co-organiser of the WACImeeting.

There are many excellent wildlife and disease ecologists, veterinarian scientists andimmunologists in Australia, and beyond. We hope that our contribution will inspirethem to seek mutually beneficial, inter-disciplinary collaboration said AssociateProfessor Anne Peters, Monash University, co-author and consortium collaborator.

WACI Consortium collaborator and co-author, Associate Professor Julie Old fromWestern Sydney University, said its important for immunology research to includemore diverse species. If we want to evolve our understanding of the immunesystem, and potentially get ahead of any future pandemics, the research communityneeds to expand. We need to broaden our scope, and bring new species and newenvironments into the research paradigm.

Realising wild immunology needs initiatives like the WACI Consortium that harnessthe wide expertise of scientists and diverse technologies within individual areas saysAssociate Professor Michelle Power from Macquarie University. The risks ofemerging infectious diseases are not going away. We need new ideas, new toolsand dynamic collaboration to address them.

Director of the Menzies Institute for Medical Research, Distinguished ProfessorAlison Venn, said new technology has broken down research barriers to integratingnew species and environments into the research cycle.Proactive investment in wild immunology can stimulate discoveries with real-worldapplications for human and veterinary medicine and conservation. It could help usprepare for the next pandemic.

###

Learn more about the call to action here: https://youtu.be/8fpW-f41j6c(video under embargo until 2pm US EST 2-July)

Media contact:

Angela Wilson

Communications Manager,

Menzies Institute for Medical Research

+61 0487 325 217

[emailprotected]

Information released by:

Communications and Media Office

University of Tasmania

+61 3 6226 2124

[emailprotected]

Twitter.com/utas_

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Tech: Call for immunology to return to the wild Tunis Daily News - Tdnews

Genetics

Podcast: Let the light shineTackling eye disease with gene therapy – Genetic Literacy Project

In this episode, supported by the UK Medical Research Council, geneticist Kat Arney and reporter Georgia Mills explore how researchers are letting the light shine in, literally, by uncovering the underlying genetic faults that cause eye diseases and developing game-changing gene therapies to save sight.

Mills speaks with sight loss charity campaigner and fundraiser Ken Reid about his experiences of living with the genetic eye condition Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)a hereditary disease that causes the gradual degeneration of light-sensitive cells in the back of the eye. He first realized that something was wrong with his sight when he was a party-going teenager in the 1970s.

I always had very poor eyesight and couldnt understand how people could do things in the dark, he says. Most people probably dont remember what discos in the 70s were like, but they were just dark. You had this lovely interaction where it was very noisy, it was very dark and there were some flashing lights. I could see nothing and trying to find somebody to dance with was a real torment. I didnt know how people managed it!

At the MRC Human Genetics Unit in Edinburgh, Chloe Stanton is searching for the gene faults that underpin RP and other hereditary eye diseases, with more than 100 RP genes identified so far. To find out more about what all these genes actually do, her colleague Roly Megaw is growing tiny mini-eyes in the lab from reprogrammed stem cells originally derived from skin samples including one from Reid himself.

Finally, Robin Ali at Kings College London is running clinical trials of gene therapy for inherited eye disorders. Theres been impressive progress in recent years, and Ali is hopeful that treatments will come through for people like Reid.

In the 25 years Ive been working on developing gene therapy for retinal degeneration, weve seen huge advances. I think we couldnt imagine how far we could come. I remember when I first started, we were working out ways to deliver genes to the retina and we were pleased if we saw just one or two cells that had taken up a virus and maybe expressing a gene for a couple of weeks. We are now able to rescue dozens of different animal models highly effectively. Its just a matter of time until this technology can be applied as effectively to humans.

Full transcript, links and references available online at GeneticsUnzipped.com

Genetics Unzippedis the podcast from the UKGenetics Society,presented by award-winning science communicator and biologistKat Arneyand produced byFirst Create the Media.Follow Kat on Twitter@Kat_Arney,Genetics Unzipped@geneticsunzip,and the Genetics Society at@GenSocUK

Listen to Genetics Unzipped onApple Podcasts(iTunes)Google Play,Spotify,orwherever you get your podcasts

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Podcast: Let the light shineTackling eye disease with gene therapy - Genetic Literacy Project

Human Behavior

New normal: Why people act as if the pandemic is over – The Jakarta Post – Jakarta Post

With the highest number of infections and largest death toll in Southeast Asia,the Indonesian government should be careful in handling the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the "new normal" began several weeks ago, people have otherwise eased restrictions and neglected the health protocols.

Recently, when I went out for the first time after three months of self-seclusion, I wondered how people could behave like this amid a pandemic.

I saw people in Jakarta eating out without even practicing social distancing, a lot of people roaming without face masks in public spaces, children playing on streets even in red zones, and my social media account was overwhelmed by other peoples updates on gatherings and social events.

Even many promiment Indonesian figures ignored the health protocols in the wake of the new normal. For example, the media reported that Corruption Eradication Commission chief Firli Bahuri did not wear a mask in public, and Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan shook hands with people during Jakartas anniversary celebration on June 22. Although such acts look "simple" or "less important" they show that the much-needed behavioral changes to slow the spread of the virus remain challenging.

After about four months since Indonesia announced the first COVID-19 infection, the severity of the pandemic has worsened, with around 1,000 people infected on a daily basis. Despite the fact that Indonesia tops the number of infections and death rates in Southeast Asia, the government and the people seems to choose a relatively "soft" approach in the fight against the pandemic.

This pandemic shows how predictably irrational we are as humans. Despite the upward infection curve, we have already eased restrictions required to contain the virus transmission to allow the economy and social life to resume.

Lockdown, social and physical distancing have been hard to bear for most of us. The more restrictive the government measures, the more people want to break the rules. The high compliance needed to beat the pandemic is difficult to achieve.

Several behavioral science insights might explain the phenomena, which may not be characteristically Indonesia.

* Mass hyperbolic discounting

Hyperbolic discounting refers to the tendency for people to value a smaller-sooner reward over a larger-later reward as the delay occurs sooner rather than later. In this case, they value small freedoms rather than long-term community health later. Many behavioral scientists suggest that if we start to adopt stricter rules to change peoples behavior amid the pandemic and incrementally ease restrictions, it will have a more significant impact on peoples overall happiness, rather than starting with light restrictions and gradually intensify them.

In Indonesias case, the government has taken a relatively soft and ambiguous approach since the outbreak began. In early January and February 2020, when neighboring countries declared the first case of infection and started to impose behavioral engineering to halt the virus spread. Indonesia was still busy confirming whether there was an outbreak, although several foreigners had reportedly been infected in Bali.

When the ASEAN neighbors implemented national lockdowns, the Indonesian government opted to leave the policy to local authorities. Even President Joko Widodo called on the nation to not panic and coexist with the virus. Hence, from the behavioral perspective insight, the softer the approach, the more difficult it is for people to comply with the new normal protocols.

*The overoptimism bias

The very basic stimuli of human behavior are often generated by the reward and reinforcement principle. We change our behavior following reward or something that reinforced us, getting praise, money and credit, and not getting sick could make us stick to the rules. If we did not fall ill in the very first place, we would lack reinforcement to maintain our health and the health of our community in the long run.

This is supported by our overoptimism bias, like the "Oh, those horrible things won't happen to me and my family" mindset may develop as time passes and our perception of threat significantly declines.

*The bandwagon effect

Besides individual psychology, our behavior is really affected by cultural and social factors. In a time of radical uncertainty like this, we take the behavioral guidelines from others, like friends, peers, neighbors, influencers and leaders as they set the social norms on what is right to do or not. This behavioral example creates a bandwagon effect.

With so much confusion about what is right to do and "what is not", we follow other peoples examples. Seeing our friends and influencers on social media hold birthday parties, religious gatherings, and visiting shopping mall with their small kids, we may be tempted to follow suit.

The governments new normal campaign is easier said than done. Many have realized there is nothing new about the new normal as they have been social distancing, wearing masks and washing hands frequently since the beginning of the pandemic.

As we may notice, the new normal is a difficult trade-off between health and economy. We need to get back to work, spur the economy while maintaining our own health. Hence do not let the "new normal" framework turn into normalization. We need to change our habits and the way we coexist.

The question is how to make people comply with a set of new rules.

Research conducted by Bott et al (2019) on taxpayers shows that making the normatively appropriate behavior known could make a significant impact on increasing the number of taxpayers that comply with the government advice.

Oftentimes, there is still confusion over whether we should go outside for exercise. While economic and cultural have started to reopen, we do not know whether it is actually safe to go out and or how to behave in public spaces. Hence, making sure that appropriate behavior is known by the public could be an alternative to increase peoples compliance with the protocols.

Second, ensuring the rules are clearly defined. The research by Shcweitzer and Hsee (20002) shows that individuals are more willing to exhibit dishonest behavior if there is ambiguous "room" to do that. Hence, setting clear rules on what is right and what is not is effective to change peoples behavior in public spaces.

Third, urging leaders and influencers to demonstrate compliant behavior. This has been a challenge for most of us. We have seen those role models not wearing masks or wearing them improperly, and standing close to others during a photo session.

Finally,we must assess our own behavior to determine whether it is rationally justified or just emotionally-driven. How far, how long, and how fast the spread of COVID-19 is crucially depends on our own behavior, hence the responsibility is ours to ensure this will pass.

***

The writer is a former journalist, with a masters in economic psychology from University Paris 1 Panthon-Sorbonne & University Paris 5 Paris Descartes

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official stance of The Jakarta Post.

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New normal: Why people act as if the pandemic is over - The Jakarta Post - Jakarta Post

Human Behavior

Study explores the heritability of affectionate communication – News-Medical.Net

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Jun 23 2020

A new study of twins finds that genetics play a significant role in how affectionate women are, but the same can't be said for men.

Researchers examined differences in the level of affection people express in an effort to determine how much affectionate behavior is influenced by genetics versus a person's environment. They found that, in women, variability in affectionate behavior can be explained 45% by hereditary and 55% by environmental influences, such as the media, personal relationships and other unique life experiences.

Genetics do not appear to influence how affectionate men are. Men's variation in affectionate behavior instead seems to be solely influenced by environmental factors, a finding that came as a surprise to the researchers.

The study, published in Communication Monographs, was led by Kory Floyd, a professor in the University Arizona Department of Communication in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

"The question that drove the study was: Recognizing that some people are more affectionate than others, what accounts for that variation, and is any part of that variation genetic?" said Floyd, whose research focuses on the communication of affection in close relationships and its effects on stress and physiological functioning.

"In my field, there is a really strong underlying assumption that whenever we see differences in a trait level in people's social behaviors - like how talkative they are or how shy they are or how affectionate they are - those differences are learned; they're a function of the environment," Floyd said. "A study like this makes room for us to talk about the possibility that a number of social and behavioral traits that we automatically assume are learned may also have a genetic component."

Floyd and his collaborators studied 464 pairs of adult twins - about half identical and half fraternal - between the ages 19 and 84.

Twin studies often are used to look at how environmental and genetic factors influence specific traits. Because twins typically are raised in the same household, they've usually had very similar upbringings and early experiences. However, twins' genetic similarities vary based on what type of twins they are. While identical twins share 100% of their genetic material, fraternal twins share only 50% - the same as regular siblings.

Each participant in the study rated a series of statements designed to measure how much affection they typically express. The researchers then looked at how similar each twin pair's responses were.

If genetics didn't play any role, one could assume that the scores of people in fraternal twin pairs would be just as similar as the scores of people in identical twin pairs, who are more alike genetically. However, that was not the case. The identical twin pairs scored more similarly than the fraternal twin pairs - at least in the case of women - suggesting that there is, in fact, a genetic component to affectionate behavior.

The researchers don't know why affectionate behavior seems to be heritable in women but not men. However, Floyd notes that men, on average, tend to express less affection overall than women, as evidenced by previous research.

When we measure people's tendency to be affectionate and to receive affection from other people, almost without exception we find that women score higher than men. The trait of being affectionate may be more adaptive for women in an evolutionary sense. There is some speculation that affectionate behavior is more health supportive for women than it is for men, and that it helps women to manage the effects of stress more than it does for men. That may be partly why women are more likely than men to inherit the tendency to behave that way rather than that tendency simply being a product of their environment."

Kory Floyd, Professor, University Arizona Department of Communication in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

The researchers also found that twins' shared environment - such as how they were raised or their socioeconomic background - had little bearing on how affectionate they were. Rather, unique environmental factors, such as an individual's friends and experiences apart from their twin, were what mattered more.

"It's not exactly what we would expect, but for many behaviors and personality characteristics - including how affectionate you are - what twins do and experience differently in their lives plays a much bigger role than anything they experience together," Floyd said.

It's important to note, Floyd said, that the study's findings are at the population level and not the individual level. In other words, they don't suggest that every woman's level of affectionate behavior can be attributed 45% to heredity and 55% to environmental influences. Nor do they mean a person can't be more or less affectionate than what their genes suggest.

"Our genes simply predispose us to certain kinds of behaviors; that doesn't automatically mean we're going to engage in those behaviors," Floyd said. "And it certainly doesn't mean that we have no control over them."

How 'huggers' can deal with COVID-19 'skin hunger'

Those who are more predisposed to being affectionate might especially miss hugs and handshakes in the era of COVID-19 physical distancing, Floyd said.

But it's not just "huggers" who crave regular affection. We all are wired to need human touch.

"There's something special about touch that I think relates back to the fact that we, as human beings, are born in such a state of immaturity that we have no ability to take care of our own needs," Floyd said. "Touch equals survival as infants. If we don't have someone touching us and helping to meet our needs, then we don't survive."

People who live alone or who are limiting social interactions during the pandemic may experience what's referred to as "skin hunger," Floyd said.

"Just like regular hunger reminds us that we're not getting enough to eat, skin hunger is the recognition that we're not getting enough touch in our lives," Floyd said. "Many people these days are recognizing that they miss getting hugs, they miss touch, and it's maybe the one thing technology hasn't really figured out how to give us yet."

While there is no real substitute for human touch, Floyd says there are a few things people can do.

--Pet your dog or cat. Petting an animal can help relieve stress, which is why canine and equine therapies are so successful, Floyd says. If you don't have a pet, you might consider heading to the local Humane Society or shelter to interact with an animal there.

--Cuddle your pillow or blanket. Many of us grew up with a favorite stuffed toy or security blanket. Adults, too, can experience calm and comfort from snuggling up to a pillow, blanket or other soft object that feels good against the skin, Floyd says.

--Practice self-massage. Some people massage their own necks or shoulders to relieve stress and physical pain. Floyd recommends pressing your thumb into the palm of your opposite hand as one type of stress-relieving massage.

"None of these is a perfect substitute," Floyd said, "but when being able to hug or hold hands with our loved ones isn't feasible or safe for us, these sorts of things are certainly better than nothing."

Source:

Journal reference:

Floyd, K., et al. (2020) Heritability of affectionate communication: A twins study. Communication Monographs. doi.org/10.1080/03637751.2020.1760327.

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Immunology

Allogene Therapeutics Announces Publication Highlighting Potential for ALLO-819 In Acute Myeloid Leukemia – BioSpace

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., June 22, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Allogene Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: ALLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic CAR T (AlloCAR T) therapies for cancer, today announced a publication in Molecular Therapy demonstrating the potential for ALLO-819, an investigational AlloCAR T therapy targeting FLT3 as a novel treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These preclinical findings were previously presented as a poster at the 61st American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting & Exposition in December 2019.

While weve seen exceptional clinical efficacy with autologous CAR T therapies in hematological malignancies, the inherent limitations of autologous cell therapies can be more pronounced in a rapidly progressing disease such as advanced AML, said Barbra Sasu, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer at Allogene. The high anti-leukemic activity of ALLO-819 seen in preclinical studies, combined with a safety mechanism to mitigate potential off-tumor effects and the benefits of an off-the-shelf option, supports our goal to advance ALLO-819 for a patient population with very few treatment options.

In this study, healthy donor T lymphocytes were engineered to express CARs that bound to different domains of the FLT3 protein. These CARs were then tested for their ability to mediate specific killing of FLT3-expressing cells without off-target activity. A CAR construct was selected based on exhibiting minimal potential for exhaustion and potent antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo models.The lead candidate was then engineered to contain an off-switch responsive to rituximab, resulting in ALLO-819.

ALLO-819 utilizes Cellectis technologies. Allogene holds global development and commercial rights for this investigational candidate. This pre-clinical research was conducted in collaboration with both Cellectis and Pfizer Cancer Immunology Discovery.

About Acute Myeloid LeukemiaAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a form of cancer that is characterized by infiltration of the bone marrow, blood, and other tissues by proliferative, clonal, abnormally differentiated, and occasionally poorly differentiated cells of the hematopoietic system.i AML is the second most common type of leukemia diagnosed in adults and children, but most cases occur in adults, making up 32% of all adult leukemia cases.ii Patients with relapsed or refractory AML often have a poor prognosis and limited treatment options, and is typically only curable in 5 to 15% of patients who are older than 60 years of age.iii

About Allogene TherapeuticsAllogene Therapeutics, with headquarters in South San Francisco, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering the development of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor T cell (AlloCAR T) therapies for cancer. Led by a management team with significant experience in cell therapy, Allogene is developing a pipeline of off-the-shelf CAR T cell therapy candidates with the goal of delivering readily available cell therapy on-demand, more reliably, and at greater scale to more patients. For more information, please visit http://www.allogene.com, and follow @AllogeneTx on Twitter and LinkedIn.

Cautionary Note on Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements for purposes of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The press release may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "proposed," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding intentions, beliefs, projections, outlook, analyses or current expectations concerning, among other things: the ability to further research and develop ALLO-819 for the treatment of AML, the potential benefits of ALLO-819, the ability to manufacture ALLO-819, the ability to develop allogeneic CAR T therapies for cancer and the potential benefits of AlloCAR T therapy. Various factors may cause differences between Allogenes expectations and actual results as discussed in greater detail in Allogenes filings with the SEC, including without limitation in its Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2020. Any forward-looking statements that are made in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. Allogene assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release.

AlloCAR T is a trademark of Allogene Therapeutics, Inc.

Allogene Media/Investor Contact:Christine CassianoChief Communications Officer(714) 552-0326Christine.Cassiano@allogene.com

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i Dhner H, Weisdorf D, Bloomfield C. Acute Myeloid Leukemia. N Engl J Med. 2015; 373:1136-1152.ii Leukemia - Acute Myeloid - AML: Statistics. Retrieved from https://www.cancer.net/cancer-types/leukemia-acute-myeloid-aml/statistics.iii Dhner H, Estey E, Amadori S, et al. Blood. 2010; 115 (3): 453474.

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Genetics

Podcast: The dark connection between cancer research and the eugenics movement – Genetic Literacy Project

Geneticist Dr. Kat Arney explores the stories of two women one a scientist fascinated by dancing mice, the other a seamstress with a deadly family legacy who made significant contributions to our understanding of cancer as a disease driven by genetic changes. Yet while their work paved the way for lifesaving screening programs for families, it was used by some as justification for eugenics the idea of removing genetic defectives from the population.

Born in Minnesota in 1879, Maud Slye was a cancer pathologist who dedicated her career to studying patterns of cancer inheritance in more than 150,000 mice. But as well as being a dedicated scientist (as well as a part-time poet), she was also wedded to eugenic ideas, suggesting that If we had records for human beings comparable to those for mice, we could stamp out cancer in a generation. At present, we take no account at all of the laws of heredity in the making of human young. Do not worry about romance. Romance will take care of itself. But knowledge can be applied even to romance.

While her ideas were controversial, Slyes work earned her a gold medal from the American Medical Society in 1914 and from the American Radiological Association in 1922. She was also awarded the Ricketts Prize from the University of Chicago in 1915 and an honorary doctorate from Brown University in 1937. She was even nominated for a Nobel prize in 1923.

Over the decades since Slyes death in 1954, weve come to understand that the hereditary aspects of cancer susceptibility are much more complicated than she originally suggested, although her work was vital in establishing inherited gene variations as an essential thread of cancer research.

Running parallel to Slyes work in mice was the research carried out by Aldred Warthin, a doctor working at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. One day in 1895, a chance meeting between Warthin and a local seamstress, Pauline Gross, set the two of them off on a 25-year-long quest to understand why so many members of Paulines family had died from cancer at a young age.

Pauline spent years compiling detailed family histories, enabling Warthin to trace the pattern of inheritance through Family G, as it became known. Like Slye, Warthin was a fan of eugenic ideas, describing Paulines family as an example of progressive degenerative inheritance the running-out of a family line through the gradual development of an inferior stock.

He was also quoted as saying in a 1922 lecture: Today it is recognized that all men are not born equal. We are not equal so far as the value of our bodily cells is concerned.

Perhaps as a direct result of growing public concern about eugenics, Warthins work fell out of favor. Paulines detailed genealogy lay undisturbed in a closet in the university until the 1960s, when American doctor Henry Lynch and social worker Anne Krush rediscovered her work and continued extending and investigating Family G.

Nearly a decade on from that first meeting between Pauline and Warthin, researchers finally pinned down the underlying genetic cause of this deadly legacy: an inherited variant of the MSH2 gene, which normally repairs mismatched DNA strands. Today, members of Family G and others around the world carrying dangerous variants in mismatch repair genes can undergo genetic testing, with a range of preventative and screening options available.

The story of Pauline and Family G, and the impact that their genetic legacy has had on the family down the generations, is beautifully told in the book Daughter of Family G, a memoir by Ami McKay.

Full transcript, links and references available online atGeneticsUnzipped.com

Genetics Unzippedis the podcast from the UKGenetics Society,presented by award-winning science communicator and biologistKat Arneyand produced byFirst Create the Media.Follow Kat on Twitter@Kat_Arney,Genetics Unzipped@geneticsunzip,and the Genetics Society at@GenSocUK

Listen to Genetics Unzipped onApple Podcasts(iTunes)Google Play,Spotify,orwherever you get your podcasts

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Anatomy

Why ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Alum Katherine Heigl Said This Comment ‘Bothered Me The Most’ After Her Exit – Showbiz Cheat Sheet

Katherine Heigl rose to fame on Greys Anatomyportraying Dr. Isobel (Izzie) Stevens for almost six seasons. Leaving the prime time hit in 2010, the actresss departure was not without controversy. Heigl had already withdrawn from the 2008 Emmys and publicly complained about working conditions on the show, branding her with a reputation as difficult.

Leaving the prime time hit after adopting her first child, Heigl shared that some of those negative comments affected her more than others.

Though the actress won an Emmy for her role on Greys in 2007, Heigl publicly decided to pull out of the running the following year.

I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination and in an effort to maintain the integrity of the academy organization, I withdrew my name from contention, Heigl stated, according toEntertainment Weekly.In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.

Tabloids had a field day with Heigls comments, speculating that she wanted to get out of her contract for a film career. Adding insult to injury, Heigl vocalized her frustration in a late night talk show interview regarding what she considered harsh working conditions on Greys. This only added to her tarnishing name in the industry.

Though the Greys star apologized to show creator Shonda Rhimes on the Emmy debacle, the media mogul was not fully buying it. On some level, it stung and on some level I was not surprised, Shonda toldOprah Winfrey in 2012of the actresss actions. When people show you who they are, believe them.

RELATED:Greys Anatomy: Ellen Pompeo Singled Out Katherine Heigls Problem on the Show

While public opinion assumed Heigl was in a rush to leave Greys for the big screen, the actress revealed that adopting her daughter Naleigh was the true catalyst.

I had actually started talking to Shonda Rhimes over a year ago about the idea of moving on, Heigl told Entertainment Weekly in 2010. I had told her that I wanted to start a family Josh and I were in the process of adoption and I wanted to warn her. And she was really respectful and supportive.

Though the Suits actress considered trying to juggle work and family, she felt the shooting schedule of Greys would take too much time away from her daughter.

I think it was a little bit shocking for everybody, and a little bit like, Cant we find a way to work it out? Heigl recalled. And I really wanted to, but at the same time I just felt like I couldnt sacrifice my relationship with my child. I want this child to know that she will forever have me in her corner and I dont want to disappoint her.

Reflecting on her past comments regarding the Emmys and the shows scheduling demands, Heigl realized she caused the backlash she was receiving. When asked how she felt about being perceived as an ungrateful diva, the actress revealed the moniker truly affected her.

The ungrateful thing bothers me the most. And thatismy fault, Heigl admitted. I allowed myself to be perceived that way because I was being whiny and I was griping and because I made these snarky comments.

RELATED: Which Greys Anatomy Alum Has the Highest Net Worth: Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl, or Patrick Dempsey?

Coming to terms with her mistakes, Heigls goal was to change the publics perception. So much about living life, to me, is about humility and gratitude. Im just so disappointed in myself that I allowed it to slip, she explained. Theres nothing more gross than [the idea of] somebody in my position being ungrateful And I hope that in the coming years I can change peoples minds about that. The six years [I spent onGreys] were important years I let myself demean something that was actually very beautiful and very important.

Heigl is currently working on her Netflix seriesFirefly Lane.

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Why 'Grey's Anatomy' Alum Katherine Heigl Said This Comment 'Bothered Me The Most' After Her Exit - Showbiz Cheat Sheet