to CRISPR Immune Cells Not Only Survive, They Thrive After Infusion Into Cancer Patients By scienceblogs.com Published On :: Thu, 06 Feb 2020 19:52:53 +0000 CRISPR Immune Cells Not Only Survive, They Thrive After Infusion Into Cancer Patients In the first-ever (sanctioned) investigational use of multiple edits to the human genome, a study found that cells edited in three specific ways and then removed from patients and brought back into the lab setting were able to kill cancer months after their original manufacturing and infusion. This is the first U.S. clinical trial to test the gene editing approach in humans, and the publication of this new data today follows on the initial report last year that researchers were able to use CRISPR/Cas9 technology to successfully edit three cancer patients' immune cells. The ongoing study is a cooperative between Tmunity Therapeutics, the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, and the University of Pennsylvania. Patients on this trial were treated by Edward A. Stadtmauer, MD, section chief of Hematologic Malignancies at Penn, co-lead author on the study. The approach in this study is closely related to CAR T cell therapy, in which patient immune cells are engineered to fight cancer, but it has some key differences. Just like CAR T, researchers in this study began by collecting a patient's T cells from blood. However, instead of arming these cells with a receptor against a protein such as CD19, the team first used CRISPR/Cas9 editing to remove three genes. The first two edits removed a T cell's natural receptors so they can be reprogrammed to express a synthetic T cell receptor, allowing these cells to seek out and destroy tumors. The third edit removed PD-1, a natural checkpoint that sometimes blocks T cells from doing their job. Once the three genes are knocked out, a fourth genetic modification was accomplished using a lentivirus to insert the cancer-specific synthetic T cell receptor, which tells the edited T cells to target an antigen called NY-ESO-1. Previously published data show these cells typically survive for less than a week, but this new analysis shows the edited cells used in this study persisted, with the longest follow up at nine months. Several months after the infusion, researchers drew more blood and isolated the CRISPR-edited cells for study. When brought back into the lab setting, the cells were still able to kill tumors. The CRISPR-edited T cells used in this study are not active on their own like CAR T cells. Instead, they require the cooperation of a molecule known as HLA-A*02:01, which is only expressed in a subset of patients. This means that patients had to be screened ahead of time to make sure they were a match for the approach. Participants who met the requirements received other clinically-indicated therapy as needed while they waited for their cells to be manufactured. Once that process was completed, all three patients received the gene-edited cells in a single infusion after a short course of chemotherapy. Analysis of blood samples revealed that all three participants had the CRISPR-edited T cells take root and thrive in the patients. While none responded to the therapy, there were no treatment-related serious adverse events. CRISPR technology has not previously been tested in humans in the U.S. so the research team had to move through a comprehensive and rigorous series of institutional and federal regulatory approval steps, including approval by the National Institutes of Health's Recombinant DNA Research Advisory Committee and review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as well as Penn's institutional review board and institutional biosafety committee. The entire process required more than two years. Researchers say these new data will open the door to later stage studies to investigate and extend this approach to a broader field beyond cancer, several of which are already planned at Penn. sb admin Thu, 02/06/2020 - 14:52 Categories Life Sciences Full Article
to Coronavirus Is Not Passed From Mother to Child Late In Pregnancy By scienceblogs.com Published On :: Wed, 12 Feb 2020 18:03:41 +0000 Coronavirus Is Not Passed From Mother to Child Late In Pregnancy After a newborn (born to a mother infected with the 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing positive for COVID-19 infection within 36 hours of birth, there were concerns about whether the virus could be contracted in the womb. A new study finds that COVID-19 does not pass to the child while in the womb. The women in the small study were from Wuhan, China, in the third trimester of pregnancy and had pneumonia caused by COVID-19. However, it only included women who were late in their pregnancy and gave birth by caesarean section. There were two cases of fetal distress but all nine pregnancies resulted in live births. That symptoms from COVID-19 infection in pregnant women were similar to those reported in non-pregnant adults, and no women in the study developed severe pneumonia or died. All mothers in the study were aged between 26-40 years. None of them had underlying health conditions, but one developed gestational hypertension from week 27 of her pregnancy, and another developed pre-eclampsia at week 31. Both patients’ conditions were stable during pregnancy. The nine women in the study had typical symptoms of COVID-19 infection, and were given oxygen support and antibiotics. Six of the women were also given antiviral therapy. In the study, the medical records of nine pregnant women who had pneumonia caused by COVID-19 infection were retrospectively reviewed. Infection was lab-confirmed for all women in the study, and the authors studied the nine women’s symptoms. (A) Patient 1: left-sided patchy consolidation and multiple bilateral ground-glass opacities. (B) Patient 2: subpleural patchy consolidation in the right lung and slightly infiltrated shadows around left bronchus. (C) Patient 3: bilateral multiple ground-glass opacities, prominent on the left. (D) Patient 4: left-sided patchy ground-glass opacity. (E) Patient 5: multiple ground-glass opacities bilaterally. (F) Patient 6: bilateral clear lung fields with no obvious ground-glass opacities. (G) Patient 7: right-sided subpleural patchy consolidation. (H) Patient 8: multiple bilateral ground-glass opacities, prominent on the right. (I) Patient 9: multiple bilateral ground-glass opacities. In addition, samples of amniotic fluid, cord blood, neonatal throat swabs and breast milk were taken for six of the nine cases [2] and tested for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Importantly, the samples of amniotic fluid, cord blood, and neonatal throat swabs were collected in the operating room at the time of birth to guarantee that samples were not contaminated and best represented intrauterine conditions. All nine pregnancies resulted in live births, and there were no cases of neonatal asphyxia. Four women had pregnancy complications (two had fetal distress and two had premature rupture of membrane), and four women had preterm labor which was not related to their infection and occurred after 36 gestational weeks. Two of the prematurely born newborns had a low birth weight. The authors note that their findings are similar to observations of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus in pregnant women, where there was no evidence of the virus being passed from mother to child during pregnancy or birth. The findings are based on a limited number of cases, over a short period of time, and the effects of mothers being infected with the virus during the first or second trimester of pregnancy and the subsequent outcomes for their offspring are still unclear, as well as whether the virus can be passed from mother to child during vaginal birth. Dr Jie Qiao (who was not involved in the study) of Peking University Third Hospital, China,compares the effects of the virus to those of SARS, and says: “Previous studies have shown that SARS during pregnancy is associated with a high incidence of adverse maternal and neonatal complications, such as spontaneous miscarriage, preterm delivery, intrauterine growth restriction, application of endotracheal intubation, admission to the intensive care unit, renal failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. However, pregnant women with COVID-19 infection in the present study had fewer adverse maternal and neonatal complications and outcomes than would be anticipated for those with SARS-CoV-1 infection. Although a small number of cases was analysed and the findings should be interpreted with caution, the findings are mostly consistent with the clinical analysis done by Zhu and colleagues of ten neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 pneumonia." sb admin Wed, 02/12/2020 - 13:03 Categories Life Sciences Full Article
to Genetically Rescued Organism: Toward A Solution For Sudden Oak Death By scienceblogs.com Published On :: Mon, 08 Nov 2021 22:47:18 +0000 Genetically Rescued Organism: Toward A Solution For Sudden Oak Death Sudden oak death, caused by the pathogen Phythophthora ramorum, is one of the most ecologically devastating forest diseases in North America, responsible for the deaths of millions of oaks and tanoaks along the coast. Science to the rescue? After the success of genetically modified organisms in things like insulin and food, a recent trend is Genetically Rescued Organisms. These GROs would use science to create natural resistance, like a vaccine for plants, and reduce the impact of altered species composition, released carbon pools, and greater fire risk the deaths bring. Before that can happen, scientists need to better understand the basic biology of Phythophthora ramorum, including how well it sporulates on common plants. Image by RegalShave from Pixabay Scientists at the University of California, Davis, set out to investigate the sporulation potential of this pathogen on common California plant species. They collected leaves from 13 common plant hosts in the Big Sur-region and inoculated them with the causal pathogen. They found that most of the species produced spores, though there was a ride range, with bay laurel and tanoak producing significantly more sporangia than the other species. They also observed an inconsistent relationship between sporulation and lesion size, indicating that visual symptoms are not a reliable metric of sporulation potential. “Our study is the first to investigate the sporulation capacity on a wide range of common coastal California native plant species and with a large enough sample size to statistically distinguish between species," explained first author Dr. Lisa Rosenthal. "It largely confirms what was previously reported in observational field studies – that tanoak and bay laurel are the main drivers of sudden oak death infections—but also indicates that many other hosts are capable of producing spores.” Citation: Lisa M. Rosenthal, Sebastian N. Fajardo, and David M. Rizzo, Sporulation Potential of Phytophthora ramorum Differs Among Common California Plant Species in the Big Sur Region, Plant Disease 17 Aug 2021 https://doi.org/10.1094/PDIS-03-20-0485-RE sb admin Mon, 11/08/2021 - 17:47 Categories Life Sciences Full Article
to Are we on the cusp of historic medical breakthroughs? By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Sun, 31 Dec 2023 13:18:48 GMT During my lifetime, there have been numerous seminal breakthroughs in medicine that greatly changed our ability to prevent or treat disease. I have a good idea of what the next ones will be. Full Article
to Newsom extends free healthcare to 700,000 illegal immigrants despite record budget deficit By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Mon, 01 Jan 2024 16:06:04 GMT California became the first state on Monday to offer comprehensive health insurance to all undocumented immigrants, a plan expected to expand to roughly 700,000 residents living in the Golden State. Full Article
to Home economics: The alternative to mortgages with sky-high rates By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Dec 2023 11:00:05 GMT Mortgage rates are at their highest levels in 22 years and house prices are at record highs. Hardworking people cannot get on the property ladder, and retirees are struggling to sell in order to downsize. The Biden administration has done little to help alleviate the problem. This Washington Examiner series, Home Economics, will investigate how we got here, the toll on people around the country, and the alternatives people are embracing to survive the market. The last part of this four-part series focuses on the alternatives to traditional fixed-rate mortgages gaining new consideration among prospective home buyers. Full Article
to Gov. Josh Green threatens to bring down 'hammer' on landlords in fallout from Hawaii fire By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 18:03:07 GMT Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) has threatened to use the "hammer" of emergency orders to convert 3,000 temporary vacation rentals into longer-term housing for survivors displaced by the wildfire that swept across the island of Maui in August. Full Article
to New name, new date for D.C.’s Web.com Tour event By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Wed, 12 Dec 2012 05:00:00 GMT Washington’s stop on the Web.com Tour will undergo another date change, moving back to its former spot on the calendar in 2013. The event will be played May 30-June 2, at TPC Potomac Avenel Farms and has been re-named the Mid-Atlantic Championship. Last year as the Neediest Kids Championship, it was staged in October, with the lightly-attended final round coinciding with a Redskins-Falcons game at FedEx Field and a Nationals road playoff game against the Cardinals. Full Article
to Washington Golf Show is Feb. 1-3 By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Tue, 22 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT With the latest equipment, clothing, and travel packages, the Washington Golf Show returns for its 17th year, Friday through Sunday, Feb. 1-3 at the Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly. Players will have the opportunity to try the newest clubs on the market. Full Article
to Historic Langston to enter National Black Golf Hall of Fame By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Fri, 25 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT Langston Golf Course in Washington, D.C., the first golf course built specifically for African-American golfers, will be inducted into the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place March 23 in Tampa. Full Article
to Caves Valley to host new LPGA international event in 2014 By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Sat, 26 Jan 2013 05:00:00 GMT Caves Valley Country Club in Owings Mills, Md. will be the host of a first-of-its-kind event next year on the LPGA Tour. On Friday the tour announced it will establish the International Crown, a biennial, global match-play competition. Full Article
to Playoff combatants Shin, Creamer commit to Kingsmill By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:00:00 GMT Last September in the Kingsmill Championship, winner Jiyai Shin and runner-up Paula Creamer engaged in a riveting, LPGA-record, nine-hole playoff. On Tuesday, the tournament announced both will be back for the event, which has been moved up on the LPGA calendar to May 2-5. Full Article
to Why do the Washington Wizards keep honoring a Chinese Communist? By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:59:57 GMT The NBA’s groveling to China has slipped from public view in recent months, but the Washington Wizards are doing what they can to remind everyone that the league is in bed with a genocidal regime. Full Article
to The social justice-obsessed NBA is about to let Qatar partially own a team By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Jun 2023 21:00:12 GMT The NBA’s social justice reputation is completely unearned. If the league allows Qatar to be an investor in one of its teams, it would be yet another reminder of just how morally bankrupt the league is. Full Article
to Economists call arena relocation threats ‘extortion’ By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Mon, 07 Aug 2023 12:21:49 GMT (Center Square) — Monumental Sports and Entertainment have been in talks this summer of a future move to northern Virginia for some of Washington, D.C.’s professional sports teams if the city doesn’t chip in more for improvements to their sports arena, the Washington Post has reported. Full Article
to Washington Wizards and Capitals announce plans to ditch DC and move to Virginia By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 16:34:59 GMT Monumental Sports CEO Ted Leonsis, along with Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and other Virginia leaders, announced plans for a new sports arena in the Potomac Yard neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, for the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitals. Full Article
to DC Mayor Muriel Bowser forgets which Metro lines service arena stop while defending keeping teams downtown By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 20:58:49 GMT Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser forgot which lines on the D.C. Metro service Capital One Arena while trying to argue against the NBA's Washington Wizards and the NHL's Washington Capitals moving to a new arena in Virginia. Full Article
to How Youngkin took the Capitals and Wizards from under DC's nose By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Thu, 14 Dec 2023 21:39:11 GMT Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) and other Virginia leaders proudly touted a plan alongside Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Ted Leonsis to bring both teams to a new arena in Alexandria, Virginia, leaving Washington, D.C., leaders scrambling to prevent the move. Full Article
to Three times states went to war with the NCAA in 2023 By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Sun, 31 Dec 2023 11:00:05 GMT Several states have gone to war with the NCAA over various matters in 2023, marking a bumpy year for the governing body of college sports. Full Article
to New year, new laws coming to the commonwealth By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Mon, 01 Jan 2024 14:05:25 GMT (The Center Square) — The new year signals change, specifically new laws which will take effect in Virginia, especially in the health care sector. Full Article
to Youngkin seeks to aid cake pop makers over state policy restriction By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Thu, 04 Jan 2024 21:50:57 GMT Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) is seeking to address food safety concerns within Virginia, which have become an obstruction for some small-business owners. Full Article
to Army removes Confederate Memorial put up in 1914 from Arlington National Cemetery By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Fri, 05 Jan 2024 00:10:44 GMT Army removes Confederate Memorial from Arlington National Cemetery as Civil War-era controversies continue to roil national and local politics. Full Article
to Washington's streak of 718 days without snow unlikely to be broken despite East Coast bracing for storm By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Fri, 05 Jan 2024 22:20:38 GMT Washington, D.C.'s streak of 718 days without heavy snow will not likely be broken anytime soon, even as the rest of the East Coast prepares for a winter storm this weekend. Full Article
to This Is the Best Place to Live in Virginia By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Sun, 07 Jan 2024 13:09:31 GMT The number of Americans who relocate each year has been trending downward for decades. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only 28.2 million people moved to a new home in 2022, down from 41.1 million 20 years earlier. Of those who did move in 2022, the vast majority - an estimated 78% - stayed within the same state. Full Article
to How the Homelessness Problem in Virginia Compares to Other States By www.washingtonexaminer.com Published On :: Sun, 07 Jan 2024 15:41:19 GMT On a single night in 2022, 582,462 people experienced homelessness in the United States, and numbers are on the rise. Since 2017, there has been a 6% increase in homelessness. Full Article
to Hospitals that pursue patients for unpaid bills will have to tell L.A. County By www.latimes.com Published On :: Wed, 7 Aug 2024 00:40:26 GMT Hospitals must promptly report to the Los Angeles County public health department each time they try to collect medical debt from patients, under an ordinance backed Tuesday by county supervisors. Full Article
to Jury finds stone companies at fault in lawsuit by countertop cutter sick with silicosis By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 8 Aug 2024 01:18:22 GMT L.A. County jurors decided largely in favor of a man with silicosis who had to undergo a double lung transplant after years of cutting engineered stone countertops. Full Article
to Summer break is ending. Here are 10 ways parents can help their kids get back into school mode By www.latimes.com Published On :: Fri, 9 Aug 2024 10:00:54 GMT With summer break ending, The Times spoke with psychologists about how parents can help their students embrace a back-to-school mindset. Here's their advice. Full Article
to Outbreak of neurotoxin killing unprecedented number of sea lions along California coast By www.latimes.com Published On :: Sun, 11 Aug 2024 10:00:49 GMT Unprecedented deaths of sea lions along California's Central Coast Full Article
to Opinion: A route to safer chemotherapy By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 13 Aug 2024 17:30:54 GMT The danger of toxic side effects for two common chemotherapy drugs could be mitigated with a simple genetic test. Full Article
to Kratom regulations shelved in California amid battle between advocacy groups By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 15 Aug 2024 23:32:56 GMT A California bill that would have imposed regulations on kratom products has been shelved. Kratom is a substance derived from a tree native to Southeast Asia that is sold in the U.S. in powder, capsule and extract form. Full Article
to COVID and bird flu are rising. Here's how to keep yourself safe By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 10:00:43 GMT Doctors urge people who are experiencing respiratory problems to see a medical professional who can check their symptoms and test to determine what their illness is. Full Article
to Algae here, alien life out there — Cal State L.A.-JPL partnership connects engineers to astrobiology By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 20 Aug 2024 10:00:50 GMT JPL hires Cal State Los Angeles civil engineering students with NASA grant. The interns can do research for NASA and learn about connections between astrobiology and science here on Earth. Full Article
to See COVID's toll on California's life expectancy in new CDC longevity report By www.latimes.com Published On :: Wed, 21 Aug 2024 10:00:41 GMT New data show how the 50 states and the District of Columbia stack up in terms of life expectancy. Hawaii tops the list, and Mississippi is at the bottom. Full Article
to How much more water and power does AI computing demand? Tech firms don't want you to know By www.latimes.com Published On :: Mon, 26 Aug 2024 10:00:37 GMT Every query on Chat GPT or another artificial intelligence app requires extraordinary amounts of electricity and water. Users have no way of knowing. Full Article
to 'I don't want him to go': An autistic teen and his family face stark choices By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 27 Aug 2024 10:00:42 GMT An autistic child. The struggle for services. The 911 calls. This is the harrowing story of how one mom scrambled to get help for her son and keep her head above water. Full Article
to The new COVID vaccine is here. Why these are the best times to get immunized By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:53:28 GMT The CDC says September and October are generally the best times for most people to get a COVID shot, though there are other factors to consider. Full Article
to Desperate parents turn to magnetic therapy to help kids with autism. They have little evidence to go on By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 5 Sep 2024 10:00:44 GMT MERT is being marketed to families of children with autism. Providers suggest the treatment has been thoroughly studied, but there is little evidence to date of its efficacy. Full Article
to California Health and Human Services chief Dr. Mark Ghaly to step down By www.latimes.com Published On :: Fri, 6 Sep 2024 17:18:05 GMT Dr. Mark Ghaly will be stepping down as head of the California Health and Human Services Agency, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced. Full Article
to Q&A: How to talk about politics with people who don't agree with you By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 10 Sep 2024 10:00:02 GMT There's no surer way to start a fight than to talk politics with someone who disagrees with you. But UCSB psychologist Tania Israel says it doesn't have to be that way. She sees as an opportunity to help bridge America's political divide. Full Article
to 'It's almost shameful to want to have children' By www.latimes.com Published On :: Wed, 11 Sep 2024 10:00:40 GMT 'Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question' asks: With American society feeling more socially and politically polarized than ever, is it right to bring another person into the world? Full Article
to Aging, overworked and underfunded: NASA faces a dire future, according to experts By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:00:11 GMT Aging infrastructure, short-term thinking and ambitions that far exceed its funding are among the problems facing NASA, according to a new report. Full Article
to Scientists become a source of hope and information on TikTok, Instagram By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:00:41 GMT Instead of waiting years for their studies and work to be published in academic journals, some climate scientists use social media to extend their reach — and their brand. Full Article
to How to rediscover hope during election season By www.latimes.com Published On :: Thu, 12 Sep 2024 10:00:42 GMT In his new book 'Hope for Cynics,' Stanford psychology professor Jamil Zaki explains how cynicism became an American epidemic — and how to cure it. Full Article
to California reports a total of eight H5N1 bird flu outbreaks among dairy herds By www.latimes.com Published On :: Fri, 13 Sep 2024 23:34:55 GMT Two more California dairy herds have been infected by H5N1 bird flu, bringing the state's total to eight. Full Article
to Just out of high school and blockading the door to JD Vance's office By www.latimes.com Published On :: Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:09 GMT What did you do last summer? This teenage member of the Sunrise Movement, grieving over climate disasters and unsure about his future, helped blockade the door to JD Vance's Senate office. Full Article
to My town became environmentally conscious and so did I By www.latimes.com Published On :: Sun, 15 Sep 2024 10:00:58 GMT With the environment constantly changing due to global warming, future generations will have a chance only if the current population takes sustainable actions. Full Article
to 'Grief into action.' Philanthropists give historic $150 million donation to City of Hope for pancreatic cancer research By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Sep 2024 09:30:06 GMT Entrepreneur Emmet Stephenson and his daughter are giving $150 million to City of Hope to fund an award for innovation research in pancreatic cancer. It's the largest single gift the center has received. Full Article
to Are tiny black holes zipping through our solar system? Scientists hope to find out By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:00:27 GMT Scientists say microscopic black holes could explain the elusive "dark matter" that makes up a quarter of all matter in the universe. But can it be proven? Full Article
to Tooth decay still plagues California kids nearly a decade after Medi-Cal promised change By www.latimes.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:00:32 GMT Kids in California struggle with more cavities than kids in most states, despite Medi-Cal efforts to fix dental care administrative hurdles and focus on prevention. Full Article