Texas Deaths Climb As Cases Slide; Moderna Reportedly Prices COVID-19 Vaccine At $60 Per Course: Live UpdatesTyler DurdenTue, 07/28/2020 - 17:55
Summary:
Texas 7-day death average hits new record high
Modern to price vaccine at $50-$60 per dose
California sees fewest new cases in 3 weeks
Illinois reports best numbers in a week
Rhode Island sees concerning uptick in new cases
Goldman points out decline in doctor's cases
Washington DC, Illinois, Minnesota, Kentucky and Puerto Rico added to quarantine list
Arizona reported another 2,107 cases
New York reports latest batch of cases
4 more Marlins players test positive
Africa nears 1 million COVID-19 cases
Florida reports new record single-day deaths
Belarus president says he had virus
Fla. suffers biggest one-day jump in hospitalizations
Oldham faces tightened COVID-19 restrictions in bid to prevent lockdown
BoJo defends travel restrictions on Spain
Bill Gates sits for interview on CNBC
Sun Belt states see promising pull back
China reports 1st case in Beijing in 3 weeks
Head of China's CDC takes experimental vaccine
WHO warns COVID-19 isn't going to be "seasonal" like the flu
Germany joins list of European countries warning on travel to Spain
Tokyo suffers another 270 cases
Vietnam makes mask-wearing mandatory again
Madrid tightens virus restrictions amid resurgence fears
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Update (1740ET): The Texas numbers are in, and in keeping with the trend of falling numbers in the Sun Belt, the state reported 8,342 new cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the 7-day average to 7,803 cases per day, the lowest since July 9.
Here's a rundown of the day's data courtesy of KXAN News.
On the other hand, the number of deaths in the state increased by 164, with a 7-day average of 156 deaths.
The Department of Health and Human Services has again reported incomplete hospitalization data "due to a transition in reporting to comply with new federal requirements." Only 91% of hospitals reported complete data to DSHS, reflecting 9,593 Texans currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.
In other news, the FT reports that Moderna, the biotech darling that has received roughly $1 billion in government money to expedite its vaccine trial, is pitching its coronavirus vaccine at about $50 to $60 per course, higher than other vaccine makers have agreed to charge governments, according to inside sources cited by the paper. This premium price would apply to the US and other high-income countries.
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Update (1610ET): New infections slowed in two of the worst hit US states grappling with outbreaks, California and Arizona, even as deaths hit new single-day record in Florida. With Texas numbers still in the post, BBG's initial tally showed the US increasing cases by 1reported a record number of deaths. The American Federation of Teachers authorized its members to strike if schools reopen without proper safety measures.
Coronavirus cases in the US increased 1% as compared with the same time Monday to 4.31 million, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University and Bloomberg News. The increase was below the average 1.7% daily gain over the past week. Deaths rose 0.7% to 148,298.
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Update (1440ET): Despite new records for deaths and hospitalizations out of Florida, Arizona saw cases slow again on Tuesday, as did California, which reported 6,000 new virus cases, fewer than the 14-day average of 9,159 and the lowest daily tally since July 5.
The state had 73 additional deaths, lower than the 14-day average of 99.
Hospitalizations from COVID-19, which reached a record last week, decreased 0.6% to 6,896 people, while the number of intensive-care patients fell 1.8%. Meanwhile, the average rate of positive tests over the past two weeks was stable for the fifth straight day at 7.5%.
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Update (1345ET): As the tri-state area adds Illinois and a handful of other states to its travel advisory list, the state, which was home to one of the earliest known outbreaks in the US, just reported its lowest daily case numbers in a week. Illinois has reported 1,076 new COVID-19 cases and 30 additional deaths Tuesday.
This brought the state's total to 173,731 cases, including 7,446 deaths. The state's 7-day positivity rate now stands at 3.8%.
As of Monday night, officials said 1,383 people were hospitalized with COVID-19, with 329 patients in the ICU and 128 patients on ventilators.
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Update (1245ET): As the tri-state area makes some new additions to its quarantine list, Rhode Island is seeing a concerning uptick in new cases, pushing the positivity rate above 3% for the first time in six weeks.
Rhode Island has reported more than 100 new cases in five of the last seven days, as the positivity rate ticks up above 3% for the first time since June 10. Interactive versions --> https://t.co/p52MWxOdMBpic.twitter.com/d2SX6uiVjL
As investors dig through reams of data searching for signals about the direction of the US epidemic, a team of analysts at Goldman Sachs said that while the number of new cases is still well above the levels from two weeks ago, a dip in doctor's appointments related to COVID-19 over the past few days portends a coming decline, they said. The decline has been seen across nearly all states.
This suggests virus spread could be at the start of a national decline. The prevalence of CLI symptoms is a leading indicator of virus spread. Today, four states with elevated levels of new cases over 100 per million per day now have new cases on a sustained downward trajectory. Three of those — Texas, South Carolina, and Utah — saw CLI symptom prevalence peak about 12 days before the peak in confirmed cases. In Arizona, the decline in reported cases was roughly coincident with the decline in symptom prevalence.
Here's more on that via this chart:
And here's Goldman's latest daily heat map.
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Update (1125ET): Arizona reported 2,107 (+1.3%) new cases, bringing the statewide total to 165,934, along with 104 deaths, bringing the death toll in Arizona to 3,408.
Some 12.7% of cases were positive, while ICU capacity in the state declined to 84%.
Meanwhile, the latest New York numbers are in, and they suggest no change to the trend...
Today's update on the numbers:
Of the 57,397 tests reported yesterday, 534 were positive (0.93% of total).
Total hospitalizations are at 648.
Sadly, there were 9 COVID fatalities yesterday. pic.twitter.com/MJg6tsnWxP
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 28, 2020
Cuomo also announced that Washington DC, Illinois, Minnesota and Kentucky and Puerto Rico have been added to the tri-state area quarantine list.
BREAKING: Illinois, Minnesota, Kentucky ... Washington, DC and Puerto Rico added to Tri-state travel quarantine list #nbc4ny
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Update (1035ET): Florida reported its biggest daily jump in COVID-19 deaths on Tuesday as its death toll blew past 6,000.
Florida reported 191 fatalities in the last 24 hours, according to the state health department. Florida also reported 9,230 new cases, pushing the total to over 440,000, the second highest tally in the country behind California. Florida's total death toll rose to 6,240, the ninth highest in the country.
Hospitalizations statewide increased by a record 585 new patients, bring the total to 24,917 to date, and 9,023 currently hospitalized as of 1030ET.
Statewide, the positivity rate hit 11.69%.
Meanwhile, the WHO's latest Africa update showed that the number of confirmed cases on the continent is nearing 1 million.
Over 859,000 confirmed #COVID19 cases on the African continent - with more than 506,000 recoveries & 18,000 deaths. View country figures & more with the WHO African Region COVID-19 Dashboard: https://t.co/V0fkK7WnuGpic.twitter.com/kpv6APILhs
In other news, Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko, the last of Europe's Soviet-era Strongmen still in power, has told the press that he had the virus. If accurate, Lukashenko would join Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as a leader who has played down the virus, but also been infected himself.
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Update (1030ET): Is this it for the 2020 MLB season? Another scheduled game - Tuesday's bout between the Phillies and the Yankees - has been postponed after 4 more Marlins players tested positive for the virus.
Here's more from Sports Illustrated:
After the latest round of coronavirus testing, the Miami Marlins had four additional players test positive, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
This means that 17 players have reportedly tested positive over the past five days. On Monday, there were 11 players and two coaches as the total confirmed cases on Miami's roster.
The team remains in Philadelphia after Monday night's home opener against the Baltimore Orioles was canceled. According to Rosenthal, one of the team members who tested positive had a subsequent test that came back negative.
In order for a player to be eligible to rejoin the team, they would need two negative tests recorded 24 hours apart.
As a result of the Marlins outbreak, the Philadelphia Phillies postponed Monday's game against the New York Yankees at Citizens Bank Park. The Phillies hosted the Marlins over the weekend but have had no players test positive in the early round of results, according to the New York Post's Joel Sherman.
Tuesday night's Phillies game against the Yankees was also postponed.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred appeared on MLB Network and said that the Miami outbreak was not a "nightmare" scenario for the league and trusted the protocols in place.
Nearly 20 players on the team have tested positive over the last 5 days. More signs that the players are having second thoughts about agreeing to the season are being seen across social media, as players like and share posts critical of the league.
The NY Post reported yesterday that Rob Manfred has "no plans" to cancel play following a conference call with all 30 team owners. Instead, they will "redouble" their health efforts.
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Update (0925ET): After Germany on Tuesday urged its citizens to avoid traveling to Catalonia, the Spanish government in Madrid started pushing for countries imposing travel restrictions or warnings to focus on the specific regions of Spain (ie Catalonia, specifically the area in and around Barcelona) instead of the entire country.
But in an interview filmed Tuesday morning, British PM Boris Johnson warned that the signs of a "second wave" of coronavirus are beginning to emerge across Europe, as he defended changing travel advice on Spain.
BoJo backed the decision, announced on Sunday, to advise travelers returning from Spain to the UK to quarantine for 14 days due to the recent resurgence in the country.
Additionally, the UK, which is only just exiting its own lockdown, is already seeing problems in the Greater Manchester area, where tougher restrictions have been introduced in Oldham, Greater Manchester in a bid to prevent a local lockdown, Sky News reports.
BREAKING: Tougher #COVID19 restrictions have been introduced in Oldham, Greater Manchester in a bid to prevent a local lockdown.
The PM added: "What we have to do is take swift and decisive action where we think that the risks are starting to bubble up again," BoJo said during a Tuesday visit to Nottingham.
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Bill Gates on Tuesday morning sat for an interview with the Squawk Box team where he assured all viewers that skepticism about the safety of the coronavirus vaccine candidates had been greatly exaggerated. Once the FDA has slapped its imprimatur on a candidate, Americans and others shouldn't hesitate to accept the final product.
Gates's interview follows a slew of vaccine-related news. Taken together, the intended message is clear: With the bilateral relationship unraveling and US economic fundamentals continuing to deteriorate, vaccine-related headlines are the market's last hope for survival. It follows news from yesterday about Moderna's vaccine candidate, which is entering its Phase 3 trial.
During his interview on Tuesday, Gates praised the "low-cost" vaccines from AstraZeneca and Moderna...and seemingly dismissed concerns about safety and side-effects out of hand.
"The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a particulary good, low-cost vaccine. The AstraZeneca and Moderna are two of the first to get out there," says @BillGates on what companies are winning the race for the #COVID19 vaccine. pic.twitter.com/MFqGCF1Z4d
Yesterday, the worst-hit Sun Belt states showed promising signs that infections are slowing. Meanwhile, in China, the number of new cases confirmed daily has continued to creep higher as more cases were confirmed on Tuesday.
Beijing on Tuesday reported one new coronavirus case, its first in 21 days. The new case was confirmed just days after Beijing started reopening more public transit and lifting other restrictions inspired by the outbreak. The case was just 1 of 68 reported Tuesday across the mainland.
With anxieties on the rise, the head of China's Center for Disease Control and Prevention surprised his audience by revealing that he had been injected with an experimental coronavirus vaccine. The talk, according to the AP, was intended to show the Chinese people that there's nothing wrong with taking such a vaccine.
"I’m going to reveal something undercover: I am injected with one of the vaccines,” Gao Fu said in a webinar Sunday hosted by Alibaba Health, an arm of the Chinese e-commerce giant, and Cell Press, an American publisher of scientific journals. “I hope it will work."
Suffering its own "third wave" outbreak, Hong Kong is considering postponing its upcoming legislative elections, according to local press reports, as a resurgence of new cases over the last 2 weeks has rattled Hong Kong society. Authorities reported 98 local infections on Tuesday, a slight ebb after the city found more than 100 local cases for six consecutive days. The city's contact tracers have had trouble tracing the origins of new infections.
As the outbreak worsens, HK is imposing its most restrictive social distancing measures yet.
Elsewhere in Asia, Vietnam and its provinces are imposing mandatory mask-wearing orders after an unexpected surge in community infections stemming from an outbreak in Danang (reported 11 new cases yesterday). The province has put about 7,000 people in quarantine for 14 days. Over the past three days, the region has reported 15 new cases. Vietnam had all but claimed victory over the virus, having gone almost 100 days without even a single new local patient.
In Tokyo, officials confirmed about 270 new cases of the virus on Tuesday, Nikkei reported, citing an unidentified person. That’s more than twice the 131 cases the Japanese capital found Monday. The city has reported more than 100 new daily cases for weeks as it faces a renewed resurgence.
Finally, moving over to the Asia-Pacific region, Victoria reported another 384 cases and six deaths over the past 24 hours, and said that it will suspend all but the most urgent elective surgeries. As the outbreak in its second-most populous state intensifies, Australia is sending a medical team to help Papua New Guinea confront an alarming surge in cases, according to Canberra's Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham. The small Pacific island state had 62 cases as of Tuesday, up from just eight 11 days ago.
All the while, worries about a second wave have intensified across Europe.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez responded angrily to the UK after Britain ratcheted up its travel restrictions to include a popular set of Spanish islands, and mandated quarantines for all travelers visiting the UK from Spain.
"The decision is unbalanced,” Sanchez said about these new restrictions. The Balearic and Canary Islands “have a lower incidence of the virus than is being registered right now” in Britain, Sanchez said.
Speaking to the BBC, Local Government Minister Simon Clarke said "we respectfully disagree with the Spanish government...You do have to make decisions on a country-wide basis. There is going to be internal transfer within Spain."
Globally, cases have reached 16,409,902, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
Source: Worldometer
This comes just after the worldwide death toll topped 650k to 652,531.
Source: Worldometer
The WHO has warned against complacency over coronavirus transmissions in the northern hemisphere, saying that the virus does not behave like influenza, which typically follows a set "flu season".
Adding to the growing number of European countries that have advised their citizens to avoid travel to Spain, Germany on Tuesday urged travelers to avoid Catalonia and Barcelona over fears they might contract the virus.
As was widely expected, the biggest COVID-19 vaccine trial in the world got under way on Monday with the first of 30,000 volunteers for Moderna's major 'Stage 3' trial which is being run in cooperation with the US government.
While Spain denounced the new travel restrictions that will put the final nail in the coffin of the 2020 peak tourism season, the regional government in Madrid has just made the wearing of face masks mandatory in all public areas, while limiting the number of people allowed to gather in a given space to ten.
Finally, Iran has reported 235 new deaths from the novel coronavirus, a record single-day toll for the Islamic Republic, which has the highest death toll in the Middle East.
The Evolution of Amenities in the Office and Industrial Markets
With the increasing push to return to the office, employers and developers, together, are tasked with sweetening the deal for current and future employees…
With the increasing push to return to the office, employers and developers, together, are tasked with sweetening the deal for current and future employees in the office and industrial markets. Makeshift home offices and kitchen counters became the new office during the pandemic, and working from home came with its own set of perks, such as no commute and more flexibility of time. Promises of increased collaboration with the return to in-person work aren’t enough of an incentive. Now, workers across industries expect more when physically in the office.
At NAIOP’s CRE.Converge conference this week, experts explored the range of amenities that developers can consider for emerging building plans or incorporate into already-existing office and industrial spaces. Dawn Riegel, principal, Ware Malcomb, moderated the panel featuring Michael Longo, senior vice president, CBRE; Stacey Mosley, director of research, Brandywine Realty Trust; and Jinger Tapia, vice president, design, Ware Malcomb.
“We have a labor and employment problem, not a work-from-home problem,” Longo said, citing the ongoing actors’ strike in Hollywood and the U.S.’s ongoing low employment rates. Until the issues of labor and employment are better addressed, Longo said, we should expect to see challenges in the return-to-office movement, but this does not mean developers can’t try to make it as enticing as possible.
The relationship between attraction and retention, coupled with adopting a holistic view of amenities, was a common theme of the conversation. Developers should consider how well placed and well-positioned their buildings are in a given area, whether in a city or a suburb, and have a good understanding of a company’s culture to know what its employees’ needs are. Data has been collected on workers’ preferred amenities – natural lighting, green spaces, access to parking – but sometimes that data isn’t one-size-fits-all, Riegel said.
We’re in the early days of a massive transition of ownership and assets, Longo believes, noting that capital is tough to access and developers have to be careful about positioning. Financial solvency is key. Building spaces need to be able to take on a new life if a new tenant were to arrive.
The aesthetics of office styles have rapidly changed over the past three years, Longo said. Office aesthetics have shifted from dropped ceilings and cubicle workspaces to open-concept spaces focused on collaboration. Developers and employers are still figuring out the latest iteration now that workers are returning to the office post-pandemic.
The low-hanging fruit, as Mosley says, is paying attention to trends in food and furniture. Food delivery service became normalized during the pandemic, and employees want a similar luxury in the office. Mosley offered up some suggestions: coffee carts that swap out employees’ at-home drip coffee for a premium espresso or vending machines with fresh foods like salads. An office space’s furniture should speak to how employees interact with each other and how they work, collaboratively or solo.
Later, Mosley mentioned enhancing the audiovisual experience for in-person employees to connect with others remotely and on conference calls, and Tapia noted the design transition from giant conference rooms to specially designated “Zoom rooms.”
The panelists went on to discuss exterior amenities and how cities look at this issue. Mosley noted that exterior improvements can often become amenities for not only those coming into the office but for those in the surrounding community as well. It’s important to leverage the immediate area around your building, whether that be local restaurants or dry cleaners.
Both Mosley and Tapia stressed the importance of integrating green spaces, such as parks, walking paths, patios and balconies, and sports courts.
In the past, “amenities were a landscape island in the middle of a parking lot with a concrete bench that the smokers could go to,” Tapia joked. But now, workers of all kinds want connectivity between indoor and outdoor spaces.
“For the industrial user, it’s about stepping away from the work and providing that connection to nature and a respite from what’s going on in the facility… from a noise standpoint,” Tapia said. As these outdoor amenities are added, requirements from the respective cities must also be taken into account. Tapia said she is taking cues from Mexico’s contained industrial parks to naturally build sustainable initiatives into the design process. This also reflects attention to the evolution of environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and the need – and demand – for more green spaces.
From the investment perspective, Longo, who specializes in properties across the West Coast, says his current strategy is to assess the land use first and then consider the design and cost because of all the changing attitudes from cities toward new developments and the current declining value of buildings.
Mosley, whose work is primarily based in Philadelphia, says the growing population in cities has contributed to the success of office and industrial outdoor spaces. She said these spaces should combine both the social and environmental factors. “Let the communities take ownership to catalyze the creativity of the space,” Mosley said, highlighting live concerts, sporting events, and even weddings that have found a venue in these spaces.
This post is brought to you by JLL, the social media and conference blog sponsor of NAIOP’s CRE.Converge 2023. Learn more about JLL at www.us.jll.com or www.jll.ca.
Uniting for Progress – the Fifth Annual SYNGAP1 Conference hosted by SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) will take place November 30th in Orlando, Florida. #SyngapConf
Orlando, FL – 19 October 2023 – The Syngap Research Fund (SRF) will host Uniting for Progress — its fifth annual conference on SYNGAP1 research…
Orlando, FL – 19 October 2023 – The Syngap Research Fund (SRF) will host Uniting for Progress — its fifth annual conference on SYNGAP1 research and clinical care on Thursday, November 30 at the Embassy Suites in Orlando, Florida. Clinicians, researchers, industry professionals and SYNGAP1 families are invited to register at SyngapResearchFund.org.
Credit: SRF
Orlando, FL – 19 October 2023 – The Syngap Research Fund (SRF) will host Uniting for Progress — its fifth annual conference on SYNGAP1 research and clinical care on Thursday, November 30 at the Embassy Suites in Orlando, Florida. Clinicians, researchers, industry professionals and SYNGAP1 families are invited to register at SyngapResearchFund.org.
“Uniting for Progress will showcase how SRF and the SYNGAP1 community are ready to partner with industry to deliver therapies for patients with this horrible disease. It is an important opportunity for us to collaboratively improve the lives of people with SYNGAP1” said Mike Graglia, Managing Director of SRF.
“The SRF annual scientific conference is an excellent opportunity to learn about the latest advances in SYNGAP1 research and to collaborate with other researchers on new projects. I am excited to be a part of this event and to help make a difference in the lives of people with SYNGAP1 Related Disorder,” said Dr. Kim Wiltrout, MD, of Boston Children’s Hospital.
The agenda will feature six sections:
New Findings about SYNGAP1
Drug Repurposing for SYNGAP1
Understanding SYNGAP1 at a Molecular Level – VUS & Missense Variants
Updates on Public Preclinical Pipelines
Clinical Trial Readiness – Natural History
Clinical Trial Readiness – Quantitative Measures
The scientific conference on Thursday will be followed by a family meeting on Friday, December 1, 2023 at the same location. Families are encouraged to attend both days.
“The conference is a pivotal annual event for the SYNGAP1 community. It is an invaluable opportunity to learn about the latest SYNGAP1 research, network with professionals who understand our children, bond with other families, and advocate for our loved ones. Coming together once a year fuels my passion and energy to be part of the SRF team building community and seeking precision therapies for our children,” said Suzanne Jones, parent of a child with SYNGAP1 & SRF Board Chair
We are grateful to our sponsors Stoke Therapeutics, Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Simons Searchlight, Tevard Biosciences, ciitizen/Invitae, Longboard Pharmaceuticals, and Rarebase for their support of this event.
“Every year this event continues to grow – more families, more researchers, more clinicians – and we couldn’t do it without our sponsors,” said Peter Halliburton, Director of Development for SRF.
Agenda with topics and speakers
New Findings
New insights in the DEEs, including SYNGAP1 by Prof. Scheffer, AO, MBBS, PhD, University of Melbourne
Gene delivery by milk exosomes restores SYNGAP1 expression in mouse brains by Prof. Zempleni, PhD, University of Nebraska
SYNGAP1 beyond the Synapse by Dr. Willsey, PhD, University of California, San Francisco
Drug Repurposing
Moderation by Dr. Xin Tang, PhD, of Boston Children’s Hospital
Drug Repurposing Screen in Drosophila by Dr. Chow, PhD, University of Utah
Drug Repurposing Screen in Patient Models by Dr. Moxham, PhD, Rarebase, PBC
Lessons Learned from Phenylbutyrate Repurposing by Dr. Grinspan, MD, MS, Weill Cornell Medicine
Understanding SYNGAP1 at a Molecular Level
SynGAP missense: potential druggability and how might we get there by Dr. Courtney, PhD, Turku Bioscience Centre, Finland
Modeling the structural effects of SYNGAP1 missense mutations using molecular dynamics simulations by Dr. Postila, PhD, Turku Bioscience Centre, Finland
Integrated approaches to resolving SYNGAP1 missense variants of uncertain significance by Dr. Carville, PhD, Northwestern University
iPSC models of SYNGAP1 dysfunction by Dr. Coba, PhD, University of Southern California
Non-synaptic function of the ASD Associated Gene SYNGAP1 in Cortical Neurogenesis by Dr. Birtele, PhD, University of Southern California
Preclinical Pipeline
Why SYNGAP1 is an attractive target for Industry by Dr. Mingorance, PhD, Dracaena Consulting
TANGO Platform by Dr. Aznarez, PhD, Stoke Therapeutics
Praxis ASO Platform by Praxis Precisions Medicine
Suppressor tRNAs for the treatment of DEEs by Daniel Fisher, MBA, Tevard Biosciences
Clinical Trial Readiness – Natural History
Moderation by Dr. Helbig, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
A prospective natural history study in SYNGAP1 – first insights from ENDD by Dr. Jillian McKee, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Understanding the natural history of SYNGAP1 through data integration by Julie Xian, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Outlining the clinical landscape of SYNGAP1 through a computational phenotype approach using 5586 phenotypic annotations in 197 individuals by Dr. Kessler, MD, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
SYNGAP1 Genotype and Phenotype Analysis by Dr. Kim Wiltrout, MD, Boston Children’s Hospital
Meaningful Clinical Outcomes and Development of a Disease Concept Model by Katharine Cunnane, Weill Cornell Medicine
Clinical Trial Readiness – Quantitative Measures
Using EEG to understand “how the brain works” in SYNGAP1 by Dr. Levin, MD, Boston Children’s Hospital
Deep Learning EEG Biomarkers in SYNGAP1 Rodent Models and Patients by Dr. Gonzalez-Sulser, PhD, University of Edinburgh
Validating the ORCA for SYNGAP1 & other DEEs by Dr. Zigler, PhD, Duke University
Recent Neurobehavioral Findings in SYNGAP1 by Dr. Frazier, PhD, John Carroll University
About SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability (SRID)
SYNGAP1-related intellectual disability (ICD-10 F78.A1) is a rare genetic disorder caused by variants on the SYNGAP1 gene that reduce SynGAP protein levels. SRF has identified almost over 1,300 patients to date, the number grows weekly. This protein acts as a regulator in the synapses (where neurons communicate with each other). When SynGAP protein levels are too low, we see an increase in excitability in the synapses making it difficult for neurons to communicate effectively. This leads to many neurological issues seen in SynGAP patients.
Symptoms of SYNGAP1 include: intellectual disability; epilepsy; hypotonia (low muscle tone); gross and fine motor skill delays; autism spectrum disorder; gastro-intestinal disorders; sleep and behavior disorders and visual abnormalities.
About the SynGAP Research Fund (SRF)
The mission of the SynGAP Research Fund (SRF) is to improve the quality of life for SYNGAP1 patients through the research and development of treatments, therapies and support systems.
SRF was founded in the US in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) US public charity, and families created sister organizations for SRF in the UK in 2020, in Europe (Netherlands) in 2022, and in Latin America (Colombia) in 2023.
Completely parent-led, SRF is the largest non-government funder of SynGAP research having committed over $4 million in grants to date. The founders cover all operational costs, ensuring donations fund science. SRF’s grant program awards one or two-year grants to investigators, physician residents, and clinicians who are interested in studying SYNGAP1. SRF grants are intended to help researchers explore novel ideas and answer open questions related to the clinical aspects of and therapies for SRID.
SRF is a member of the COMBINEDbrain, Global Genes Foundation Alliance, the Everylife Foundation Community Congress, Personalized Medicine Coalition, Rare Epilepsy Network, and the Epilepsy Leadership Council.
For more on SRF, visit: SyngapResearchFund.org or follow @cureSYNGAP1 on X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook or TikTok.
Sustainable cosmetics: harnessing cyanobacteria for natural active ingredients
The cosmetics industry is turning towards natural alternatives to chemical agents used in products to pave way towards a more sustainable future. Researchers…
The cosmetics industry is turning towards natural alternatives to chemical agents used in products to pave way towards a more sustainable future. Researchers are searching for nature-derived active ingredients for skincare products through extensive bioprospecting research. In this regard, cyanobacteria, with their remarkable metabolic capacity, are a promising source of such agents. Having existed on Earth for nearly 3.5 billion years, these photosynthetic organisms have adapted to various environmental conditions, including extreme environments. Aphanothece sacrum, a cyanobacterium endemic to Japan and cultivated as a food source on farms in Fukuoka Prefecture, is already being studied for the capacity to produce active ingredients like sacran, a water retaining polysaccharide.
Credit: Hakuto Kageyama
The cosmetics industry is turning towards natural alternatives to chemical agents used in products to pave way towards a more sustainable future. Researchers are searching for nature-derived active ingredients for skincare products through extensive bioprospecting research. In this regard, cyanobacteria, with their remarkable metabolic capacity, are a promising source of such agents. Having existed on Earth for nearly 3.5 billion years, these photosynthetic organisms have adapted to various environmental conditions, including extreme environments. Aphanothece sacrum, a cyanobacterium endemic to Japan and cultivated as a food source on farms in Fukuoka Prefecture, is already being studied for the capacity to produce active ingredients like sacran, a water retaining polysaccharide.
Now, a team of researchers, led by Professor Hakuto Kageyama from Meijo University, Japan, have discovered two novel compounds—saclipin A and saclipin B—produced by in A. sacrum. The researchers were originally evaluating environmental stress tolerance mechanisms in cyanobacteria and exploring whether A. sacrum contained mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs), which can absorb UV radiation and possess antioxidative and antiglycative properties, when they chanced upon the discovery of the two types of saclipins. When asked about his motivations for pursuing the research, Prof. Kageyama explains, “Presently, most UV-absorbing ingredients are chemically synthesized. They pose a significant environmental risk and can inhibit the growth of organisms like seaweed and corals. Natural ingredients will go a long way in improving the environmental credentials of cosmetics and pharmaceuticals as industries pursue ways to be more environmentally conscious.” The team’s findings were published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry on 10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05152.
To study the cyanobacterial metabolites, the team needed to isolate them from A. sacrum cells. First, the researchers prepared an organic extract from dried A. sacrum and examined it for UV-absorbing compounds. Next, they purified target metabolites with absorption spectra close to 320 nm, a wavelength falling within the bandwidth for UV radiation. Finally, mass spectroscopy and nuclear magnetic resonance were used to determine the chemical structure of the purified compounds. Touching on the significant findings from the study, Prof. Kageyama says, “Structurally, the saclipins were completely different from known UV-absorbing compounds derived from cyanobacteria, such as MAAs and scytonemin. They absorbed UV radiation, scavenged damaging oxygen free radicals, and inhibited the glycation of collagen and elastin. Taken together, these characteristics show they have the potential to slow down aging.” By exposing A. sacrum to various environmental stressors to understand the growth conditions that induced its synthesis, the team determined that saclipin production was enhanced under drought stress. Additionally, they found a unique property of the saclipins—photoisomerization. Saclipin A could be converted to saclipin B under fluorescent light irradiation. This property is advantageous because it allows for quick adjustment of saclipin ratios in product formulations, depending on the intended use.
Prof. Kageyama is keen to conduct further research on the saclipins. “A. sacrum is cultivated as a food source in Japan. If we can understand how to produce the saclipins at scale, there is the potential to develop them as an edible anti-aging supplement,” he says. He is hopeful that further research will draw attention towards the conservation of this freshwater cyanobacterium. “Such findings could serve as the catalyst for broader conservation efforts. Sustainable aquaculture production could go a long way to securing A. sacrum’s future,” he concludes.
Journal
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
DOI
10.1021/acs.jafc.3c05152
Method of Research
Experimental study
Subject of Research
Not applicable
Article Title
Sustainable Cosmetics: Harnessing Cyanobacteria for Natural Active Ingredients
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