Monthly Archives: March 2017

Partnership Formed to Advance Bioelectronic Medicine and Cell Therapy – Pharmaceutical Processing

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:41 pm

Northwell Health and United Therapeutics announce strategic partnership.

Northwell Health's Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and United Therapeutics Corporation announced today a strategic partnership focused on the application of bioelectronic medicine and cell therapy to cardiology, hypertension and post-transplant tolerance induction.

"We are truly honored to work with the pioneers of these next generation medical technologies," said Martine Rothblatt, PhD, United Therapeutics' Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "We expect a great fit with our clinical development pipeline in heart failure, pulmonary disease and transplantation."

"Collaboration is the indispensable factor in successful medical research," said Kevin J. Tracey, MD, President and CEO of the Feinstein Institute. "With great partners, you can accomplish great things for science and for patients. United Therapeutics is such a partner, we share their aims and their values, and we could not be more pleased than to join with them in this effort.

Under the strategic partnership, United Therapeutics will fund Northwell's efforts in four research and development tracks, while United Therapeutics will bring the results into clinical development. The two organizations are working toward the goal of initial regulatory approvals within five years.

Two of the research projects will be conducted by the Feinstein Institute's Center for Bioelectronic Medicine (CBEM). The Feinstein Institute is a worldwide leader for the advancement of scientific knowledge and intellectual property for the rapidly emerging field of bioelectronic medicine.

Bioelectronic medicine represents the convergence of three well-established scientific fields: neuroscience, molecular and cell biology, and bioengineering. The Feinstein Institute team, led by Dr. Tracey, a neurosurgeon who pioneered the field, has been working in this area since 1998, and Northwell Health has already invested $75 million in support of the underlying research. As bioelectronic solutions are successfully identified, tested and refined, CBEM will foster the creation of new companies to bring life-changing solutions to market.

United Therapeutics Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening conditions.Northwell Health is New York State's largest health care provider with 21 hospitals and over 550 outpatient facilities.The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is the research arm of Northwell Health.

(Source: EurekAlert!)

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Partnership Formed to Advance Bioelectronic Medicine and Cell Therapy - Pharmaceutical Processing

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Gluten-Free Diets Actually Increase Risks of Type 2 Diabetes – Newsweek

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:40 pm

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

Its hard not to notice that the range of gluten-free foods available in supermarkets has increased massively in recent years. This is partly because the rise in the number of people diagnosed with coeliac disease and gluten sensitivity, and partly because celebrities, such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Miley Cyrus and Victoria Beckham,have praised gluten-free diets. What used to be prescription-only food is now a global health fad. But for how much longer? New research from Harvard University has found a link between gluten-free diets and an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Gluten is a protein found in cereals such as wheat, rye and barley. It is particularly useful in food production. For example, it gives elasticity to dough, helping it to rise and keep its shape, and providing a chewy texture. Many types of foods may contain gluten, including less obvious ones such as salad dressing, soup and beer.

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Loaves of bread are seen at a Metro cash and carry store in Kiev, Ukraine, August 17, 2016. Gluten-free versions are not healthier than traditional bread. Valentyn Ogirenko/REUTERS

The same protein that is so useful in food production is a nightmare for people with coeliac disease. Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder in which the body mistakenly reacts to gluten as if it were a threat to the body. The condition is quite common, affecting one in 100 people, but only a quarter of those who have the disease have been diagnosed.

There is evidence that the popularity of gluten-free diets has surged, even though the incidence of coeliac disease has remained stable. This is potentially due to increasing numbers of people with non-coeliac gluten sensitivity. In these cases, people exhibit some of the symptoms of coelaic disease but without having an immune response. In either case, avoiding gluten in foods is the only reliable way to control symptoms, that may include diarrhoea, abdominal pain and bloating.

Without any evidence for beneficial effects, many people without coeliac disease or gluten sensitivity are now turning to gluten-free diets as a healthy alternative to a normal diet. Supermarkets have reacted to meet this need by stocking ever growing free from ranges. The findings of this recent study, however, suggest that there could be a significant drawback to adopting a gluten-free diet that was not previously known.

What the Harvard group behind this study have reported is that there is an inverse association between gluten intake and type 2 diabetes risk. This means that the less gluten found in a diet, the higher the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The data for this exciting finding comes from three separate, large studies thatcollectively included almost 200,000 people. Of those 200,000 people, 15,947 cases of type 2 diabetes were confirmed during the follow-up period. Analysis showed that those who had the highest intake of gluten had an 80 percentlower chance of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those who had the lowest levels of gluten intake.

This study has important implications for those who either have to avoid or choose to avoid gluten in their diet. Type 2 diabetes is a serious condition that affects more than 400m people worldwidea number which is certain to increase for many years to come.

Collectively, diabetes is responsible for around 10 percentof the entire NHS budget and drugs to treat diabetes alone cost almost 1 billion annually. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes and remission is extremely rare. This means that once diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, it is almost impossible to revert back to being healthy.

It is important to note that the data for this study was retrospectively gathered. This allows for very large numbers to be included but relies on food-frequency questionnaires collected every two to four years and the honesty of those recruited to the study. This type of study design is rarely as good as a prospective study where you follow groups of people randomly assigned to either have low- or high-gluten diets over many years. However, prospective studies are expensive to run and its difficult to find enough people willing to take part in them.

While there is some evidence for a link between coeliac disease and type 1 diabetes, this is the first study to show a link between gluten consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes. This is an important finding. For those who choose a gluten-free diet because they believe it to be healthy, it may be time to reconsider your food choices.

James Brown, Lecturer in Biology and Biomedical Science, Aston University

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Gluten-Free Diets Actually Increase Risks of Type 2 Diabetes - Newsweek

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Research may provide solutions for the future treatment of diabetes – Science Daily

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:40 pm


Science Daily
Research may provide solutions for the future treatment of diabetes
Science Daily
In a new study published in the journal Diabetes, researchers at the U of A examined the impact of resveratrol on the community of bacteria, or microbiome, in the gut of obese mice. The team found that feeding resveratrol to obese mice over a period of ...

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Research may provide solutions for the future treatment of diabetes - Science Daily

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Diabetes education program on tap – Holmes County Times Advertiser

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:40 pm

Special to The Times

Diabetes self-management is important. People living with a diabetes diagnosis must learn to balance the food they eat, exercise and and have an understanding of the medicines they are prescribed. By managing their diabetes, people can prevent or delay diabetic complications such as blindness and amputations. People managing their diabetes can live long and healthful lives.

The Etowah County Extension Office will offer a Diabetes Empowerment Education Program from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 21 through April 25 at the Etowah County Annex Building, 3200-A W. Meighan Blvd.

DEEP sessions include providing information about risk factors for diabetes, complications because of diabetes, health literacy, issues with food (selection, portion sizes, label reading) and living with the diagnosis.

Donna Shanklin, Regional Extension Agent for human nutrition, diet and health, will facilitate the class.

Early registration is advised, as the class size is limited. People do not have to have diabetes to attend.

For more information, call 256-547-7936.

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Diabetes education program on tap - Holmes County Times Advertiser

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Sickle Cell Trait May Distort Diabetes Test Results – Northwestern University NewsCenter

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:40 pm

Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, associate professor of Preventive Medicine in the Division of Epidemiology, was a co-author of the study, which examined associations between the sickle cell trait and hemoglobin A1C.

A study has found that levels of hemoglobin A1C a biomarker frequently used to diagnose and manage diabetes are significantly lower in African-Americans with sickle cell trait, compared to those without.

The findings suggest the common blood sugar test may be missing diabetes diagnoses in patients with the trait, which affects up to 10 percent of African-Americans. People with sickle cell trait have inherited just one copy of the mutated sickle cell gene, and generally live normal lives without any symptoms of sickle cell disease.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, was co-authored by Mercedes Carnethon, PhD, associate professor of Preventive Medicine in the Division of Epidemiology, and Robert Liem, MD, associate professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation.

The hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) test provides a patients average blood glucose over the past three months, based on the amount of glucose that has bonded to hemoglobin in red blood cells. Although the test is commonly used, results can vary for some individuals, especially in those with hemoglobin variants such as sickle cell trait.

In the current, retrospective study of 4,620 African-Americans from two established cohorts, investigators compared HbA1c results between patients with and without sickle cell trait. They discovered that among those with the trait, the mean HbA1c was 5.7 percent, compared to 6.0 in those without even though the two groups showed similar blood glucose levels through other tests.

The test may be underestimating long-term glucose levels in patients with sickle cell trait, the authors noted, and lead to missed opportunities for diabetes diagnosis and intervention.

Robert Liem, MD, associate professor of Pediatrics in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, was also a co-author of the JAMA study.

Clinicians need to be aware that among individuals with sickle cell trait, the use of HbA1c to screen for diabetes or pre-diabetes may be inaccurate, said Liem, also director of the Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program at the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Childrens Hospital of Chicago. These data emphasize another reason why African-Americans need to know their sickle cell trait status.

While the investigators arent certain exactly why HbA1c appears to be less accurate in African-Americans with sickle cell trait, one theory is that red blood cells in those with the trait have a shorter life-span, thus giving glucose less time to build up on hemoglobin molecules.

The CARDIA trial was supported by National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) contracts HHSN268201300025C, HHSN268201300026C, HHSN268201300027C, HHSN268201300028C, HHSN268201300029C, and HHSN26820090004; the Intramural Research Program of the National Institute on Aging (NIA), and an intra-agency agreement between NIA and NHLBI (AG0005). The Jackson Heart Study was supported by contracts HHSN268201300046C, HHSN268201300047C, HHSN268201300048C, HHSN268201300049C, and HHSN268201300050C from the NHLBI and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD). The research was also supported by F31DK105791; Center of Innovation in Long-Term Services and Support, Providence VA Medical Center; K01DK095928; the intramural program of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and NIMHD; the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH); NHLBI grant K08HL125100; R01HL107816.

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Early first menstruation tied to pregnancy diabetes risk – Reuters

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:40 pm

(Reuters Health) - Women who got their first period at age 11 or earlier are at higher risk of developing diabetes during pregnancy, a recent Australian study suggests.

Being overweight is known to be a factor in early periods and also in whats known as gestational diabetes, but it did not fully explain the link between the two conditions, the researchers write in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Diabetes develops in as many as 9 percent of pregnant women in the United States and can carry serious health risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Mothers with gestational diabetes are more likely to have high blood pressure and go into premature labor, said lead study author Danielle Schoenaker, a research officer at The University of Queensland.

There are also consequences for the baby, which is more likely to grow faster and be larger at birth, Schoenaker told Reuters Health by email. In the longer term, both mothers and their children are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.

To explore the link between womens age at first menstruation, known as menarche, and their risk of developing gestational diabetes, the study team analyzed data on nearly 5,000 women participating in the larger Australian Longitudinal Study on Womens Health between 2000 and 2012.

The women included in the analysis all reported a live birth during the study and had completed a questionnaire every three to four years, answering questions about when they had their first period and whether they were diagnosed or treated for diabetes during pregnancy. None had type 2 diabetes or a previous history of gestational diabetes at the start of the study.

The average age at which women got their first period was just under 13 years, researchers found.

Women who had their first period at or before age 11 were more likely to have been overweight in childhood, to engage in little physical activity as adults and to currently be overweight or obese.

Overall, 357 women, or about 7.5 percent of the participants, reported being diagnosed with gestational diabetes. These women were also more likely to be overweight or obese and to have a sedentary lifestyle at the beginning of the study.

Women who got their first period before age 11 were 51 percent more likely to develop gestational diabetes, compared with those who started menstruating at age 13.

This was true even after the researchers took into account things that might influence age at menarche or risk for gestational diabetes, including mothers education level, physical activity, previous children, a hormonal condition known as polycystic ovary syndrome and body mass index (BMI), a measure of body fat based on height and weight.

Chronic disease risk, such as risk of type 2 or gestational diabetes may be programmed much earlier in life by exposures occurring during developmentally sensitive periods such as puberty, infancy or even intrauterine life, said Dr. Dana Dabelea, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver who studies gestational diabetes but was not involved in this research.

Interventions to address these health issues may need to start earlier to address the risk of diseases like diabetes, Dabelea said by email.

Women with early menarche are at increased risk of diabetes later in life so they should take additional precautions, especially active lifestyles and maintaining a healthy body weight, to mitigate this increased risk, Dabelea said.

Supporting healthy environments and behaviors from early in life are important strategies, and promoting healthy eating and physical activity should be a priority for young mothers and schools, and for all women throughout their lives, Schoenaker said.

SOURCE: bit.ly/2n66XQ5 American Journal of Epidemiology, online March 5, 2017.

(Reuters Health) - - Pain and other symptoms of chronic sinus problems might cause sufferers to miss work or school but depression is their biggest source of lost productivity, a small study suggests.

Days may get a lot longer for some doctors in training after the group that oversees medical education in the United States rolled back controversial rules limiting the number of hours first-year residents may work.

NFL teams violated federal laws governing prescription drugs, according to a Washington Post story based on sealed court documents contained in a federal lawsuit filed by former players against the league and reviewed by the newspaper.

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Diabetes Education Expert and Registered Dietitian Hope Warshaw Joins WellDoc as Consultant – GlobeNewswire (press release)

Posted: March 10, 2017 at 12:40 pm

March 10, 2017 09:00 ET | Source: WellDoc Inc.

COLUMBIA, Md., March 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital health technology leader, WellDoc, announced today that Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, BC-ADM, a well-known and respected spokesperson who is passionate about improving the clinical and cost effectiveness of diabetes care and education, will join the Company in a consultative role. In this role, she will advise on further engagement with the expanding BlueStar user base, industry advocacy groups and business partners. Additionally, she will provide social media consultation and strategy, utilizing her long-term adoption and engagement with this medium with the diabetes community. BlueStar is WellDocs FDA-cleared, proven digital therapeutic, which provides real-time and timely individualized coaching and support, as well as diabetes educational tools that are actionable and personal.

Ms. Warshaw also recognizes the value novel devices and technologies bring to the evolution of healthcare delivery. She has been an involved member of the diabetes community for nearly four decades, and has been a strong advocate for diabetes educators and education, as well as for individuals living with diabetes.

Hope is a leader and advocate in the field of diabetes education, and we are excited that she is joining us as a consultant. She brings invaluable insight and counsel to our team, which already encompasses individuals who are passionate about providing solutions to improve diabetes care and self-management, said Kevin McRaith, CEO of WellDoc. Like many of us at WellDoc, Hope is focused on advocating for people with diabetes. Her participation alongside the WellDoc team will help ensure our users needs are consistently top-of-mind as we further enhance BlueStar and work to make it broadly available in the marketplace.

Ms. Warshaw is an accomplished author, having written books and articles for publications that are centered around nutrition and diabetes. She is also the Immediate Past President of the American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE)joining already highly recognized diabetes educators at WellDoc including Malinda Peeples (AADE Past President) and Janice MacLeod (Former AADE Regional Chapter President).

Its an exciting time at WellDoc as the Company focuses on rolling out BlueStar broadly, and there are many opportunities in the area of diabetes management, community building and advocacy, said Ms. Warshaw. WellDoc is leading the charge in digital health to tackle type 2 diabetes by arming individuals with a robust tool to help them manage their condition to achieve significant health outcomes.

About WellDoc WellDoc is the leading digital health company revolutionizing chronic disease management to help transform lives. Our groundbreaking digital health technology is guiding individuals through the complicated journey of living with chronic diseases, with a goal of improving their health and helping them to be more balanced. We are the first digital health company based on a life science business model, and our foundation is built on randomized clinical trials that demonstrate significant clinical outcomes. We have mastered diabetes management by taking an aggressive and innovative approach that utilizes sophisticated logic and precise algorithms, and integrates the most advanced mobile technology, behavioral insight, and diabetes education for those living with type 2 diabetes. Our FDA-cleared, proven digital therapeutic, BlueStar, provides real-time and timely individualized coaching and support, as well as diabetes educational tools that are actionable and personal. Our clinical evidence shows a 1.7 to 2.0 point A1C reduction for adults living with type 2 diabetes who used BlueStar. For more information, visit http://www.WellDoc.com and http://www.BlueStarDiabetes.com.

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Diabetes Education Expert and Registered Dietitian Hope Warshaw Joins WellDoc as Consultant - GlobeNewswire (press release)

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R. William Funk Lands New Leader for University of Arizona – Hunt Scanlon Media (press release)

Posted: March 9, 2017 at 6:47 am

March 8, 2017 Just as Elon University gets its president search off the ground with the help of a recruiting boutique, the University of Arizona has selected its 22ndpresident with assistance fromR. William Funk & Associates.

The firm recently presented two finalist candidates: Dr. Robert Robbins, CEO of Texas Medical Center, and Sethuraman Panchanathan, Arizona State Universitys VP of research. Yesterday, the school announced it selected Dr. Robbins to fill its top leadership post. He replaces Ann Weaver Hart, who decided not to seek an extension to her current contract as president.

Recruiting firm founder and president R. William Funk led the assignment. His firm has recruited more presidents to AAU land-grant universities than any other search firm. He expertise extends to recruiting leaders to universities with major health science and medical centers.

Dr. Robbins joined the Texas Medical Center, as president and CEO, in 2012. Since then, he has significantly enhanced its commitment to collaboration, introducing five cross-institutional research initiatives centered on innovation, genomics, regenerative medicine, health policy and clinical research.

Recruitment of Academia Presidents RisingReduced state funding, rising tuition costs, soaring student debt and decreased federal research funding have all contributed to a dramatic rise in the role search firms are playing in the recruitment of university presidents and chancellors.

An internationally recognized cardiac surgeon, Dr. Robbins has focused his clinical efforts on acquired cardiac diseases with a special expertise in the surgical treatment of congestive heart failure and cardiothoracic transplantation. His research work includes the investigation of stem cells for cardiac regeneration, cardiac transplant allograft vasculopathy, bioengineered blood vessels and automated vascular anastomotic devices.

Prior to joining the Texas Medical Center, Dr. Robbins served as professor and chairman of the department of cardiothoracic surgery at Stanford University School of Medicine, founding director of the Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, president of the International Society of Heart and Lung Transplantation, president of the Western Thoracic Surgical Association, president of the American Heart Association Western States Affiliate, president of the Bay Area Society of Thoracic Surgeons, and chair of the American Heart Association Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia Council, among other roles.

He was also elected to the Houston branch of the Dallas Federal Reserve board in 2015; to the board of directors of the Welch Foundation in 2014, where he currently serves as treasurer; and as the president of the American Heart Association Southwest Affiliate in 2016.

Dr. Robbins comprehensive experience as both a visionary leader and highly-respected physician, as well as his evident talent for advancing research, innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development, will serve the University of Arizona and our state well, said Eileen Klein, president of the Arizona board of regents. I look forward to the possibility of collaborating with Dr. Robbins to advance the University of Arizona and achieve aggressive goals for the state of Arizona.

Founded in 1885, the University of Arizona was the first university in theArizona Territory. It includes theBanner University Medical Center Tucson, which operates a separate four-year M.D. collegein downtownPhoenix.Total enrollment is more than 42,100 students, with the largest freshmen class in its history at 8,100 students in 2015. The school offers 334 fields of study leading to bachelors, masters, doctoral, and professional degrees.

Emergence of Physician Leaders

The emergence of physician leaders is part of a trend centered on the unpredictability that both physicians, health systems and academic centers now face. In response, these organizations are taking steps to revise criteria for who they want to lead them forward and what the qualifications incoming leaders should have .. Heres some further reading from Hunt Scanlon Media.

Why Physician Leaders are Now Trending Due to uncertainty and volatility in the U.S. healthcare sector, physician leaders are better positioned to relate, communicate and navigate changes on the horizon. To executive recruiters specializing in the sector, these professionals are the new standard-bearers who bring vision and new ways of thinking.

R. William Funk & Associates is an executive search firm specializing in higher education executive recruitment. The firm, located in Dallas, TX, has conducted more than 400 searches for university and college presidents and chancellors over the last 35 years.

Among the nearly 70 currently sitting presidents Mr. Funk has helped recruit, many are seated at some of the nations most respected universities. Heres a sampling: Michael V. Drake, president of Ohio State University; Max Nikias, president of the University of Southern California; Carol Folt, chancellor of the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill; Teresa Sullivan, president of the University of Virginia; Bernadette Gray-Little, chancellor of the University of Kansas; Robert Barchi, president of Rutgers University; Mitch Daniels, president of Purdue University; James Clements, president of Clemson University; and G.P. Peterson, president of Georgia Tech.

Academic Search Roundup

A number of institutions of higher education have been replacing top leaders over the past year.Heres a roundup of recent recruiting activity in the education and academic sector, taken from theHunt Scanlon Media newswire archives:

Contributed by Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor, Hunt Scanlon Media

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R. William Funk Lands New Leader for University of Arizona - Hunt Scanlon Media (press release)

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Will Trump stick with TrumpCare? – Fox News

Posted: March 9, 2017 at 6:47 am

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On the roster: Will Trump stick with TrumpCare?- Whodunnit? CIA chasing culprit in damaging breach- Ill Tell You What: Health fibs and panda ribs- Nerd Bracket: The Flourishing Four- He only reads it for the ordinances

WILL TRUMP STICK WITH TRUMPCARE? President Trumpisreportedly headingto Louisville this weekend and its not to get a head start on handicapping the Derby.

The Bluegrass State is home toone ofthe many critics of Trumps newly proposed overhaul of Americas health care system, Sen.Rand Paul, who was one of Trumps most detested rivals during the 2016 Republican primaries.

Paul could be feeling the squeeze. Trump won 63 percent of the vote in Pauls commonwealth, a full 6 points better than Paul did in his re-election bid last year. Trump can also apply some friendlier pressure to Pauls Kentucky colleague, Senate Majority LeaderMitch McConnell, while hes at it.

And if the President means to see his first major policy initiative succeed, his weekends are going to look a lot like this and less like Mar-A-Lago golf outings for some time to come.

Trumps legislation is unpopular, but then again any replacement for ObamaCare was going to be unpopular.

Now, thats not to say that they couldnt have come up with something better than this, which is both simultaneously unambitious and flinty. But lets face facts: this was never going to be easy.

The components of this legislation reveal the audience of one for whom the bill was written, the president of the United States.

SpeakerPaul Ryanandthe House leadership team, working in conjunction with Health and Human Services SecretaryTom Price,have months to work on cutting side deals with specific caucuses and interest groups but without Trump they cannot succeed.

But Trump cannot succeed without this bill.

It only took a day for the moniker TrumpCare to adhere to this plan. Thats good news for Ryan & Co. since they will need the presidents unflagging support and undivided attention to jam and cram the legislation through.

Getting Trump and the White House on the record with full-throated support was the first and, arguably, mainobjective in preventing legislative disaster. The legislation already looks to be on life support, but a more tepid response by Trump would have put the plan straight in the morgue.

Instead, now the president owns it and its success or failure will be determined in the largest part by his gifts as a salesman and an enforcer.

Paul makes an interesting case study, much like his fellow critics Sen.Shelly Moore Capito, R-W.Va.,and Sen.Tom Cotton, R-Ark. They are conservative Republicans who have reasons to oppose the hyper-regulatory approach of the proposed law but also represent states that would suffer considerably under its slated elimination of Medicaid coverage.

They are doubly motivated to kill the bill, and Trump provides the only counterweight.

If the law is to pass, there will be considerable deal making at the end. But, to get to that point Trump will have to deploy political brute force. Trump extols the rebellious virtues ofAndrew Jackson, but it is the backroom badgering ofLyndon Johnsonthat the 45thpresident will need to emulate right now.

Other than his pride, what Trump has on the line now is no less than the entirety of his ambitious agenda.

If this measure fails, which it surely could, Trump can kiss goodbye his plans for overhauling the tax code and a trillion-dollar infrastructure spending package. Ryan and the rest of the Republican leadership have to now hope that Trump sees it the same way.

What remains to be seen is if Trump, famously mercurial, will stick with the already-unpopular plan as the seas get heavier.

Remember, the negotiations and sweeteners come later. If Trump cant enforce party discipline in the opening phase of this bill, there will be no deals to be made at the end because there will be no bill. RYAN TRIES TO RALLY CONSERVATIVES FOR TRUMPCARE WaPo:House SpeakerPaul D. Ryan(R-Wis.) sought on Wednesday to stem the tide of resistance to a Republican proposal to revise the Affordable Care Act, calling his plan a conservative wish list that will deliver on many years of GOP campaign promises to reform the health care system. I have no doubt well pass this because were going to keep our promises, Ryan said at a news conference following 24 hours of conservative backlash against the bill. This is a monumental, exciting conservative reform, Ryan said. Ive been working on this for 20 years. This is exciting. This is what weve been dreaming about doing. Lawmakers gathered in two House committees Wednesday to begin working on the legislation, which has also received pushback from moderates in the Senate and key health -care industry stakeholders since it was released on Monday.

Conservative caucus says Ryan doesnt have the votes -The Hill: House Freedom Caucus members saidTuesday the GOPs ObamaCare repeal and replace plan does not have the votes necessary to pass the lower chamber.The 40-member conservative caucus didnt take a formal position on the GOPs plan at their meetingTuesdaynight, but several members indicated afterward that they would not support it. The House needs 218 votes to pass the bill, meaning Republicans can only lose 20 members.

Cotton says TrumpCare plan moving too fast: Thats what we did with ObamaCare -WashEx:Arkansas Sen.Tom Cottonbelieves Republicans are moving too quickly on healthcare reform and the process is reminding him a lot of what was done in order to pass the Affordable Care Act that Republicans opposed.Were moving a bit too quickly on healthcare reform, [said on MSNBC Wednesday]. This is a big issue. This is not like the latest spending bill were going to live with healthcare reform forever. He added, I dont think we need to introduce legislation on Monday and have one chance to amend it on Wednesday. Thats what we did with Obamacare.

Physician, medical organizations slam plan -Forbes: Providers of medical care, including the American Medical Association, that have benefited from millions of paying customers under the Affordable Care Act have come out strong against the GOP-led U.S. House of Representatives American Health Care Act, also known as Trumpcare with the AMA calling it critically flawed, harming vulnerable populations. The AMA joined a chorus of groups, including the American Hospital Association and the American Academy of Family of Physicians, bemoaning the House bills lack of coverage, financial details and transparency.

AARP moves to kill bill -The Hill:AARP is going on the warpath against the Republican proposal to repeal and replace ObamaCare. The lobbying group for seniors accused House Republican leaders of crafting legislation that increases insurance premiums for consumers, while giving a sweetheart deal to big drug companies and special interests. Although no one believes the current health care system is perfect, this harmful legislation would make health care less secure and less affordable, saidNancy LeaMond, AARPs executive vice president, said in a statement.

Going it alone: Corporate bigs chart own course on health care -WSJ: Plans include prescription-drug contracts with CVS and UnitedHealth, using IBMs Watson to analyze data. A U.S. alliance formed last year by more than three dozen companies, including American Express Co., Johnson & Johnson and Macys Inc., is announcing its first plans aimed at lowering the companies health-care spending.

[Ross Douthatexplainswhy Republicans are so bad at health care legislation.]

THE RULEBOOK: LOOKING AT YOU CALIFORNIA When the dimensions of a State attain to a certain magnitude, it requires the same energy of government and the same forms of administration which are requisite in one of much greater extent.Alexander Hamilton,Federalist No. 13

TIME OUT:SO TIGERS CAN CHANGE THEIR STRIPES? Nat Geo:Spring is coming, and as some of us prepare to trade snowsuits for swimsuits, we may find a few extra pounds under our winter coats. Animals are smart. They never take their coats off. But what does animal skin look like under fur or hairespecially strikingly patterned animals such asbig catsandzebras? The short answer is it depends on the animal. All mammalian hair color is dictated by melanin-producing cells, called melanocytes, that live within hair follicles. Melanocytes that live between follicles control skin color, saysGreg Barsh, a geneticist at Hudson Alpha Biotechnology Institute in Huntsville, Alabama.The two systems are controlled by different genes, hormones, and other factors, says Barsh, who studies the genetics of animal color patterns.

Flag on the play? -Email us atHALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COMwith your tips, comments or questions.

WHODUNNIT? CIA CHASING CULPRIT IN DAMAGING BREACH Reuters: U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials said on Wednesday that they have been aware since the end of last year of a security breach at the CIA that led to anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks publishing agency documents on its hacking tools. The officials, who asked not to be identified, told Reuters that they believed that the documents published by WikiLeaks on Tuesday were authentic. Investigators were focusing on CIA contractors as the likely source of passing materials to WikiLeaks, the officials said. The group published what it said were nearly 8,000 of pages of internal CIA discussions about hacking techniques used between 2013 and 2016.

Cyber contractor warns of more to come: heavy s--- coming down -Fox News: A day after WikiLeaks released what it alleged to be the entire hacking capacity of the CIA, the focus Wednesday began shifting to just who gave the stunning surveillance information to [WikiLeaks]. There is heavy s--- coming down, said a veteran cyber contractor for the intelligence community who previously worked in the breached unit, the CIAs Center for Cyber Intelligence.

[Applesresponseto the Wiki dump? Keep your security software updated.]

SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE TO TEST TRUMPS CLAIM OF WIRETAPS AP: The leaders of a congressional inquiry into Russias efforts to sway the U.S. election called on the Justice Department Wednesday to produce any evidence that supports President Donald Trumps explosive wiretapping allegation. Declaring that Congress must get to the bottom of Trumps claim, Sens.LindseyGraham, R-S.C., andSheldonWhitehouse, D-R.I., asked Acting Deputy Attorney General Dana Boente and FBI Director James Comey to produce the paper trail created when the Justice Departments criminal division secures warrants for wiretaps. ILL TELL YOU WHAT: HEALTH FIBS AND PANDA RIBS DanaPerinoandChrisStirewaltlook back on how we got ObamaCare and where Republicans go next. And how about those claims of wiretapping? Our duo break it all down. Plus, Dana talks about her upcoming trip with Mercy Ships while Stirewalt further pushes the acceptable boundaries of acceptable food items.WATCH HERE.

AUDIBLE: YAY? Youre stuck with me for another six and a half years. FBI DirectorJames Comeyat a Boston College law enforcement conference affirming his intention to serve out a full term, despite being dogged by political controversy for months.

PLAY-BY-PLAY Trump taps former Bush lawyerNoel Franciscoas solicitor general as part of new high-powered legal team-WashEx

Perdue, Cotton say Trump is onboard with their plan to clamp down on legal immigration -Politico

Bipartisan Senators sign letter asking Trump to address bomb threats against Jewish groups -Time

Q Poll: 81 percent of Republicans agree with Trump that the press is the enemy of the American people -Quinnipiac University

NERD BRACKET: THE FLOURISHING FOUR Its down to four. And what a quartet it is.

Thanks to the hundreds of voters who have helped us get to the semifinals of our bracket challenge for great American political oratory. But now were heading down to two and, our grand champion.

Submit your winning choices for each of the two brackets listed below toHALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COMbefore Friday at noon ET to have your voice heard. The winner of the championship will be determined by which of the two finalists got the most votes in this round.

1) a)Abraham Lincoln: Gettysburg address (1863) b)George Washington: Farewell address (1796)

2) a)Ronald Reagan:The Boys of Pointe du Hoc (1984) b)Patrick Henry: Give me Liberty or Give me Death (1775)

When you send in your submission toHALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COM, you can just list the corresponding number before the entry.

[Ed. note: A sample entry would look like this: 1b, 2a]

The Gettysburg Address is simply far and away the predominant speech ever given by any American. What boggles the mind is that Mr. Lincoln was basically a self-educated man who studied word and sentence structure via the classics in order to hone those skills he felt he would need in a courtroom. That he mastered those skills we hold to be self-evident. (Sorry, couldnt help myself there). BrettCarls, Prescott Valley, Ariz.

[Ed. note: Lincoln may have been self-educated in large part, but his source material was pretty great. The collected plays ofWilliamShakespeareand the King James Bible would be a good enough grounding for even a prairie boy with dreams of great things. One of the hallmarks of Lincoln in his youth was his insatiable appetite for books and reading. He famously had to work for a neighbor to pay off the debt of a book that had become damaged by water and was also said to keep a slim volume in his back pocket while plowing so he could pause at the end of a row to turn a few pages. Needless to say, this was not common practice in the frontier woods of Indiana.]

I think people favor the impact of things theyve personally experienced. I especially wish citizens were more familiar with Lincolns second inaugural address, which is a masterpiece of healing and of accepting corporate responsibility for institutional sins. If only he were here for the immigration debate! KathyNesper, Long Beach, Calif.

[Ed. note: You could hardly be more right, Ms. Nesper. Appreciation and proximity often go together. But even at a distance so great as ours to the spring of 1865 the power and significance of Lincolns words to a nation at the end of its most horrible struggle sound a powerful note in any human heart.]

For us oldsters, Patrick Henrys speech represents the real American spirit of freedom. Of course, my ancestors (Virginia first generation 1720s) were more than likely non-players on either side Quakers I think. MikeWilmore, Driftwood Texas

[Ed. note: Henrys challenge to his fellow Virginia burgesses is a stark one, especially for Americans today who daily wrestle with the balance between liberty and comfort. Henrys argument was that no amount of concessions from the crown would be worth sacrificing the inherent freedom granted by God to all human kind. Very little discussion in America today centers on the discussion of freedom for its own sake. I wonder about its chances in the final pairings since the language is not just archaic, but unfamiliar to the ears of many today.]

Your second bracket of the second round, Ronald Reagans The Boys of Pointe du Hoc (1984) v. Abraham Lincolns Second Inaugural Address (1865) appears to be the exact same pairing from the first round.Admittedly, I know very little about sports, so if theres something Im missing please forgive this email! I love the Halftime Report--thank you so much for your witty and informative writing. A fellow Mountaineer. SusanKescenovitz, Sheboygan, Wisc.

[Ed. note: You are right and our listing was in error. But it is too late now to start again. We transposed Reagans entries and ended up with a different, more beautiful, but less historically significant entry for the 40thpresident. Even so, the Gipper is represented, and with a speech that was good enough to get him in to the final four. Were sorry for the error, but glad that it didnt affect the outcome.]

Great idea to do a Worst Speeches Ever andJimmy Carters Malaise speech should definitely make the Sour Sixteen.I also nominateBill Clintons 1988 keynote speech to the 1988 Democratic National Convention when he was still Governor of Arkansas. It went on forever and ever and ever. It was supposed to last 15 minutes and instead lasted 33 minutes. I grew a full beard as I listened. The crowd actually cheered when he said In conclusion . . . DuaneBrown, Decherd, Tenn.

[Ed. note: If only politicians could learn that excellence and duration are usually inversely correlated when it comes to political oratory!]

Shareyour color commentary:Email us atHALFTIMEREPORT@FOXNEWS.COMand please make sure to include your name and hometown.

HE ONLY READS IT FOR THE ORDINANCES Panama City News Herald:The city of [Springfield, Fla.s] former website has been taken over by some questionable content. Last week the city began receiving complaints from citizens who were visiting the citys old website. Our main website is springfield.fl.gov, and if the citizens go to (the old website), it now goes to a porno site, MayorRalph Hammondsaid. Hammond said the city apparently let the domain name expire, and the site now contains Japanese pornography. The citys IT department now is seeking to buy back the domain and any domains names similar to the citys current springfield.fl.gov website. Hammond said the city will keep its .gov website and will have a year to buy back the old domain. Its quite embarrassing, Hammond said. I had one gentleman call and say, Im not voting for you anymore because you got porn on the city website.

AND NOW, A WORD FROM CHARLES But the real story is I think this is worse than [Edward]Snowden. Its one thing to disclose names and places and even operations, but once you are describing the sources and methods, thats the key to what we do. -CharlesKrauthammeron Special Report withBretBaier.

ChrisStirewaltis the politics editor for Fox News.SallyPersonscontributed to this report. Want FOX News Halftime Report in your inbox every day? Sign uphere.

Chris Stirewalt joined Fox News Channel (FNC) in July of 2010 and serves as digital politics editor based in Washington, D.C. Additionally, he authors the daily "Fox News First" political news note and hosts "Power Play," a feature video series, on FoxNews.com. Stirewalt makes frequent appearances on the network, including "The Kelly File," "Special Report with Bret Baier," and "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace." He also provides expert political analysis for Fox News coverage of state, congressional and presidential elections.

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Will Trump stick with TrumpCare? - Fox News

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Opinion: Harry Boxer’s six biotechnology stocks to watch – MarketWatch

Posted: March 9, 2017 at 6:46 am

While the broader stock market fell Monday, many biotech shares continued to outperform.

The big mover was TG Therapeutics Inc. TGTX, -6.88% which soared 90% after releasing positive results from its Phase 3 clinical trial of its treatment for high-risk leukemia patients. The stock closed up $4.85 to $10.20 on 33.7 million shares, which is 34 times its daily average. The stock blew through several layers of resistance, but pulled back at the close below resistance from the April high at around $10.50. A breakthrough there should get the stock to $13 and then $15. Support is at the days low of $9.10 and then $8. Short interest of 22 times its average volume could accelerate the advance.

Concert Pharmaceuticals Inc. CNCE, +5.11% rocketed 62% Monday on news that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. VRTX, +0.94% will be acquiring the companys cystic fibrosis drug, CTP-656. The stock closed at $15.64, up $5.99, at around the mid-range of the days action, which bodes well for a follow-through. Volume of 10.5 million shares was more than 85 times its average. Watch for a retest the days intraday high at $18.48, a breakthrough that could get the stock moving to test its highs from November 2015 at just under $25.

Kite Pharma Inc. KITE, +1.90% which we highlighted in our biotech article on Friday, followed through on Monday, up $1.37 to $73.90. FBR Capital mentioned the company in a research note in which it said that potential tax reform and FDA policy changes under President Trump could fuel acquisitions of clinical-stage biotech companies. RBC Capital Markets boosted its price target from $85 to $95. KITE surged last week after the company released a favorable earnings report and positive clinical data on its lead product candidate for treating patients with rare forms of blood cancer. Pulling back slightly on Thursday and Friday, the stock is now in a high-level mini-wedge formation, a break of which could lead to the next target at $90.

Amicus Therapeutics Inc. FOLD, +2.85% was relatively flat on Monday, down just 10 cents to $7.69, but is looking strong. As we noted in our article Friday, the stock rocketed 17% on Wednesday after the company CEOs daughter, Megan Crowley, who has Pompe disease, was highlighted during President Trumps address to Congress Tuesday night. The stock has broken out of a mini-consolidation pattern and across lateral resistance from its December high. At its intraday highs last week, the stock nearly reached the level it was at before its big gap down in December. If it can fill that gap, watch for a move next to $9.50.

Among other biotechs to watch, Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc. SUPN, +5.30% reached a new all-time at $30.37 on Monday, before closing at $29.75, still up $1 in a down market. The drugmaker has been rallying in the past week since topping analysts forecasts in its fourth-quarter report last Wednesday. Watch for $32-$33 in the short term.

Foundation Medicine Inc. FMI, +2.49% gained $3, or 10.6%, to $31.30 on no news Monday. Stock in the diagnostic cancer analyses company has been up six days in a row since closing at $23.10 on Feb. 24. The rally has broken the stock out of a falling wedge pattern. Our initial target of $29 was exceeded Monday, and next target is near $35.

See Harrys video-chart analysis on these stocks.

The writer has no holdings in any securities mentioned.

Harry Boxer is founder of TheTechTrader.com, a live trading room featuring his stock picks, technical market analysis, and live chart presentations.

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Opinion: Harry Boxer's six biotechnology stocks to watch - MarketWatch

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