Monthly Archives: April 2022

Hemophilia is a rare inherited blood disorder that disrupts the bodys ability to clot blood properly. It mainly affects males and is present in about 1 in 5,000 births.

When combined with unhealthy eating habits, hemophilia can become difficult to live with. While there isnt an official diet to follow for people with hemophilia, there are some general healthy habits that may help. In conjunction with World Hemophilia Day on April 17, this blog details food groups to stay away from and food groups to embrace if youre living with hemophilia.

Typically, blood clotting (also called coagulation) is a routine process that helps transform blood from a liquid to a solid to prevent blood loss. When a blood vessel is damaged, your body sends platelets to the injured site to form a plug. Important proteins in your blood (called clotting factors) also create fibrin to help support the platelet plug.

However, people with hemophilia either have fewer clotting factors or none at all and are unable to make a fibrin clot strong enough to control the bleeding. Therefore, prolonged bleeding is more common in people with hemophilia.

Because hemophilia is a genetic disorder, there is no way to prevent or cure it. In terms of treatment, clotting factor injections are the most effective way to manage this blood disorder. Plasma from human blood or recombinant factor concentrates derived from genetic engineering are the two main options for hemophilia patients.

Beyond that, there is one simple way to help control hemophilia the food choices you make.

Males with hemophilia are at a higher risk of becoming obese, especially children and young adults. Twenty percent of males with hemophilia between the ages of 2 and 19 years old were considered obese, compared to 18.5 percent of the national population, according to data collected from 2014-2017 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The same report also found 34 percent of men with hemophilia over the age of 20 were obese compared to 19 of the national population.

Due to this increased risk of obesity, people with hemophilia should follow a low-fat diet and watch their caloric intake. Carrying added weight can cause additional stress on joints and muscles, increasing your risk of bleeds in those areas.

Here are some general guidelines to follow when making food choices.

Consuming added sugars is one of the fastest ways to rack up empty calories. Your body needs sugars mainly naturally occurring sugars for energy. Any excess sugars, such as those in soft drinks, processed foods and sweets, are stored for future use in the liver. Over time, high amounts of sugarbuild and build, resulting in unwanted weight gain.

Vitamin E supplements have been known to increase the risk of bleeding, which is why doctors ask surgery patients to stop taking them several weeks before a procedure. These same risks apply to people with hemophilia, as high amounts of vitamin E can delay the time platelets take to clump together to form a clot. In addition, fish oil supplements can also increase your risk of bleeding. This type of oil is a natural anticoagulant, meaning it inhibits the bodys natural ability to clot blood.

Any healthy diet should include some sort of fat, but a lifestyle full of high fats can have negative consequences on your weight since the body stores fat easier than carbohydrates. In turn, this can make your hemophilia symptoms worse. People who struggle with their weight often eat too many foods with saturated fat, such as butter, milk, cheese, fatty proteins and processed foods.

In general, your body needs vitamins and minerals to maintain a healthy blood supply. Examples include vitamin C, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folic acid, copper and iron.

Iron is a building block for hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells responsible for transporting oxygen and carbon dioxide, and myoglobin, a protein found in muscle cells that stores and releases oxygen for your body to use. In fact, red blood cells account for about 70 percent of iron in your entire body. This important mineral is lost when you bleed, so its important to replenish iron through the foods you eat.

Animal protein and certain vegetables (mainly leafy greens) are common sources of iron, although red meat and poultry remain the preferred options to meet the daily recommended value of 18 milligrams per day. Animal protein contains a dietary iron called heme iron, which the body absorbs easier than iron found in plants.

That said, its still possible to source your daily iron intake from a vegetarian diet, but you will need to eat more vegetables. Other than leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, green beans, corn, beets and cabbage are all good sources of iron. There is also some research that suggests vitamin C helps iron absorption, meaning it may be helpful to eat oranges, citrus fruits and other sources of vitamin C with your iron-based foods.

Over time, people with hemophilia may experience issues with their bone health due to joint bleeds. Eating foods rich in calcium on a daily basis can help build strong bones that can withstand any future joint complications. Calcium is also an important nutrient for your teeth. People with a calcium deficiency may be more prone to gum disease and mouth bleeds.

To add calcium to your diet, look for low-fat dairy options such as skim milk or reduced-fat cheese. Yogurt is a good source of calcium just be sure to read the labels to avoid any added sugars. Many nuts and vegetables also boast calcium, such as almonds and leafy greens.

Drinking water is an essential part of life, and staying hydratedhelps your body run efficiently. After all, cells, tissues and organs consist mostly of water. Water also helps regulate body temperature and help organs function. If you find water boring, you can also try coconut water or carbonated water again, just ensure there are no added sugars.

Enriched white bread may taste superior to whole wheat bread, but the processing strips away many of the vital nutrients your body needs. The same goes for rice and pasta. Stray away from these processed foods and focus on whole grains, such as oats and whole wheat foods. Your body metabolizes whole grains at a slower rate, which helps manage your blood glucose levels.

Animal fat is loaded with saturated fat and should be avoided. Instead, choose plant-based oils when cooking. Olive oil is one of the best options to choose for both its versatility and flavor. Nowadays, there are many alternative oils on the market such as avocado oil.

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Foods To Avoid With Hemophilia - Integris

Companies are beginning to understand the massive impact of Industry 4.0 and the role of technology in fundamentally transforming business models and processes. The challenge is figuring out the intermediate steps they need to take to harness and realise the benefits of the Industry 4.0 future. Its not only about creating a technology roadmap, but also a business and investment roadmap for the long term.

Ram Jambunathan, SVP of corporate strategy and managing director, SAP.iO

Technology has fundamentally changed the way we run our businesses. From data-driven decision-making to automation, modern firms now infuse almost all aspects of their daily operations with technology in order to remain competitive.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution describes the blurring of boundaries between physical, digital and biological worlds. It is a fusion of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, the Internet of Things (IoT), 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing and other technologies. There are both benefits and challenges to the transformations taking place as a result, but of significance to us in this article, is the impact of all this automation on people.

Many jobs will be lost to automation but at the same time, exciting new jobs are being created. The Fourth Industrial Revolution will have a mostly positive impact on the future of work. It will allow us to focus on more meaningful tasks and help people across every industry complete their jobs to a higher standard. However if this transformation is not managed with wisdom and empathy, we risk widening the digital divide and creating even greater inequality.

These transformations, if managed wisely, could lead to a new age of good work, good jobs and improved quality of life for all, but if managed poorly, pose the risk of widening skills gaps, greater inequality and broader polarisation

World Economic Forum 2018

According to the World Economic Forum, over the next ten years, 1.2 billion employees worldwide will be affected by the adaptation of automation technologies and AI. A study by McKinsey Global Institute reported that roughly one-fifth of the global workforce will be impacted, with the most significant impact being felt in developed nations. By 2022, it is estimated that 50 per cent of companies will decrease their numbers of full-time staff in favour of automation, and by 2030, robots are expected to replace 800 million workers across the world. Some industries will be more impacted than others, in particular the transport and logistics sector.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution will lead to companies employing specialist contractors and implementing remote work. This will allow them to recruit a global workforce, increase employee loyalty and commitment, scale at a quicker pace and reach new levels of productivity.

Data analytics, smart building and other tech solutions will help firms become more environmentally friendly, reduce emissions and waste, read and predict customer needs and trends. When it comes to talent acquisition and HR, intelligent screening software helps firms process large volumes of CVsit examines skill sets and attributes, and can even pull information from social media profiles.

However, while robots may be better at quickly, efficiently and safely completing physical and predictable tasks, they lack social and cognitive skills. They can work as chat-bots to answer questions and complaints within a given framework, but they lack the empathy to adequately support or care for customers and patients. As a result, roles that involve recognising cultural sensitivities, caring for others, creative or complex reasoning or perception and manipulation are unlikely to be automated. So, social workers, nurses, nuclear engineers, teachers and writers can rest assured that they wont be replaced by robots any time soon.

It is important to note that rather than being replaced by computers, most workers will work alongside rapidly evolving machines. The future of work will see a shift in demand away from office support positions, machine operators, and other low-skill professions and towards technology professionals such as computer engineers and information communication technology (ICT) specialists.

So how can individuals prepare themselves for these new jobs? How can we future proof our careers? How can we participate in this re-skilling revolution? According to the World Economic Forum there are five things we know about the jobs of the future:

1. Not every emerging job requires hard tech skills, but every emerging job does require basic tech skills such as digital literacy, web development or graphic design.

2. Although they arent growing as quickly as tech-dominated jobs, talent acquisition specialists, customer success specialists and social media assistants are among the fastest growing professionsall roles that rely on more diverse skills sets, especially soft skills.

3. While there will be a diversity of opportunities for workers of all backgrounds and educational levels, analysis shows a worrying gender imbalance in those obtaining the required new skills. There are significant gender gaps in emerging jobs, with the share of women represented across cloud, engineering and data jobs well below 30 per cent.

4. The untapped talent in sub-groups such as genetic engineering, data science, nanotechnology and human-computer interactioncould expand the pipeline of talent for the broader set of tech roles.

5. Closing the skills and gender gaps depends on a lot more than just making sure people have the right skills. Its a simple truth that who you know mattersyour network is as important as ever.

Additionally, individuals need to identify and build the skills that are required by employers in the new normalcreativity, complex problem solving, critical thinking, people management, emotional intelligence, service orientation, negotiation and cognitive flexibility.

There is a need to develop and implement up-skilling initiatives, with meaningful involvement from business leaders and the private sector. The changes brought by automation and AI do not need to be negative. With increased and targeted up-skilling, the Fourth Industrial Revolution is an opportunity to build a more inclusive future of work.

The Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce thanks our member, Lara Quentrall-Thomas, chairman, Regency Recruitment Ltd for permission to republish this article which originally appeared on March 3, 2021. E-mail her at lara@regencytrinidad.com

Originally posted here:
Jobs of the future are you ready? - Trinidad & Tobago Express Newspapers

Putting on a play is never an easy feat. The weeks leading up to the performance often involve hours of rehearsals, careful decisions about lighting, sound, and costumes, not to mention coping with stage fright. Just imagine embarking on this formidable process, but in a language that youre still learning, and where your final performance is graded! And yet the students of one German course at Harvard are attempting just that. German 65s production of (R)evolution, a German-language play by Yael Ronen and Dimitrij Schaad, is set to premiere with performances on May 2 and 3 at 7:30 pm in Sackler Room 113.

A major part of German 65: German Drama and Theaters appeal is its instructor. In this course, Professor Lisa Parkes combines the roles of dedicated director and conscientious German instructor, offering a guiding hand during the rehearsal process, correcting students pronunciation, and even stepping in as an actor when necessary. Indeed, many students cite her reputation as one of the primary reasons for enrolling in German 65. Last semester I took a class with Professor Parkes and I thought she was great at explaining German and making sure we understood everything, Paula Leyes 24 said.

All third-year German language courses have a unique theme, and Professor Parkes hoped to use this one to instill admiration for German literature through close study. For Parkes, however, reading German plays was not enough she wanted students to delve deeper into the content in a way that engaged all aspects of language learning.

Reading and discussing dramatic texts only take you so far; performing pushes you to read between the lines, engaging linguistic, interpersonal, creative, and interpretive skills, Parkes said. Engagement is a crucial part of the course, and it was actually students who chose the play they wanted to perform from an array of dramas studied at the beginning of the semester. Ultimately, they settled on (R)evolution, a play inspired by the novel 21 Lessons for the 21st Century by Yuval Noah Harari.

The rest of the production process has been just as collaborative. Dr. Parkes wants us to be super involved. Shes always looking for our input. Weve talked about How do we want to do lighting? How do we want to get the audience more involved? How do we want to approach the presentation of these characters? Roderick P. Emley 24 said.

Parkes students have widely different backgrounds in theater. While this production represents just another acting credit in a long list of experiences for some of the classs performers, many students have never set foot on a stage before, making this theatrical experience all the more special. Perhaps most remarkable is that some students began learning German here at Harvard just two years ago, and all are novice actors performing for the first time in German, Parkes said.

For Rosanna K. Kataja 24, the shared novelty of performing in German is an especially valuable part of the class. Everybody is on the same level, everybody wants to learn, and nobody is a native speaker or anything. Thats what I like the most. Everyone is on the same level, supporting each other, she said. This strong sense of camaraderie is clear: While a handful of students rehearse their scenes onstage with Parkes, the rest of the class sits in the adjacent room to run lines, discuss their characters, and occasionally crack a joke or two all in German, of course.

Given the time-consuming nature of the class, its fortunate that the play itself is engaging. Set 20 years in the future, (R)evolution depicts a world that has become completely dependent on technology, and where genetic engineering to create ideal human beings is not just a theoretical concern, but a real decision facing all prospective parents. But despite the weighty topics, students describe the play as highly entertaining. Its sort of the best of both worlds. Funny but at the same time makes you think. To be honest, I think its very funny. So be ready to laugh and be ready to enjoy, Leyes said.

What about those potential audience members who are not fluent in German? Even if somebody came here and didnt even speak German that much, they would still get something from it, Kataja said. Even without knowing German, viewers will still leave the production impressed.

Originally posted here:
A Foray into German Theater: German 65 takes on '(R)evolution' | Arts - Harvard Crimson

San Antonio Zoo is in discussions with Colossal Laboratories & Biosciences on several projects, one of which is the return of the Woolly Mammoth through DNA de-extinction technology. The ultimate goal is for Woolly Mammoths to be re-introduced to the wild to decelerate the melting of arctic permafrost, prevent greenhouse emissions trapped within the permafrost layer, revert now-overshrubbed forest into natural arctic grasslands, and more. San Antonio Zoo could be the first location of this genetically engineered elephant-mammoth hybrid.

One of Colossals main goals is the de-extinction of species. According to leading scientists, on average, 30,000 species are being driven to extinction. That is 6 per hour, 150 per day, and up to 55,000 per year. The United Nations has declared that 1 million plants and animal species are threatened with extinction.

CRISPR, the most advanced, applicable technique in genetic engineering, is an engineered cellular technology used for recognizing and cutting a specific code of DNA inside the nucleus. In mammalian cells, such as an elephant or a Woolly Mammoth, CRISPR works with an enzyme called Cas9 to modify genes. A CRISPR-Cas9 complex will use a single guide RNA from CRISPR to guide and recognize a specific sequence of DNA, where the Cas9 molecule will cleave those strands that are complementary to the CRISPR sequence. This allows for the reinsertion of the laboratory-engineered DNA, giving the ability to insert cold-resistant characteristics into elephant DNA. Ultimately, leading to the de-extinction of the Woolly Mammoth.

Our goal is to have our first calves in the next four to six years, said Austinite tech entrepreneur Ben Lamm, Cofounder of Colossal. This is going to change everything.

There are times when technology and nature collide - however, through DNA work and the de-extinction science behind Colossal, this is a time when nature and humankind will benefit, said Tim Morrow, President & CEO of San Antonio Zoo. Through this science, we hope to find a vaccine for EEHV, a virus that strikes elephants, and restore a balance to nature by saving and de-extincting species on the brink.

Prior to reintroduction into the wild, San Antonio Zoo is positioning itself to utilize zoo grounds on the west side of Highway 281 with a landbridge, similar to the recently opened Hardberger Park Land Bridge, to allow the Woolly Mammoths to have access to large acreage as well as viewability for guests in the current elephant habitat.

According to Colossal, genetic engineering is used to help humanity advance treatments for genetic disorders, gene therapies, DNA fingerprinting, vaccines, and pharmaceutical products. Additional applications include sustainable plant and animal food production, diagnosing diseases and conditions, medical treatment improvement, and producing vaccines and other useful drugs. Genetic engineering applications for animals include advancing human health, enhancing food production, reducing environmental impact, optimizing animal health and welfare, and producing cutting-edge industrial applications.

Other world-bettering uses include eradicating malaria, organ donorship, and of course, the slowing of and reversal of the extinction of a species. To learn more about Association of Zoos & Aquariums program Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) visit: http://www.aza.org/safe-species

To learn more about International Elephant Foundation programs visit: https://elephantconservation.org/

Colossal Background presented by CNN: https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/13/world/woolly-mammoth-resurrect-deextinction-scn/index.html

Visit: San Antonio Zoo

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San Antonio Zoo In Discussions on Woolly Mammoth Project - iHeart

Taiwans Ministry of Education is encouraging public and private universities in Taiwan to launch special international programmes to attract overseas Taiwanese and international students, reported the Taipei Times.

Quoting the ministry, the report said students enrolled in these programmes should know basic Mandarin and English before coming to Taiwan.

The policy is set to begin in August and aims to enrol 1,000 students specialising in manufacturing, construction, agriculture and long-term care, said the ministry.

There are currently 14,000 international students and overseas Taiwanese in Taiwan. The government hopes to triple this number to 42,000 in 2030.

The Taipei Times reported that only students with A2-level Mandarin are currently allowed to study in Taiwan, with the only exception being the New Southbound International Programs of Industry-Academia Collaboration, which do not require students to be fluent in Mandarin.

However, the special international programmes targets students who are not fluent in Mandarin.

After learning Mandarin for a year and reaching A2 level, students can major in four areas manufacturing, construction, agriculture and long-term care or take speciality classes that fall under the programme.

Students must pass B1-level Mandarin when they are in their second year.

Universities in Taiwan should offer at least 15 hours of Mandarin classes per week and at least 720 hours each year.

The ministry would provide participating universities with a one million New Taiwan dollar (US$34,837) subsidy and offer a grant of NT$50,000 to each student who takes Mandarin classes, it added.

Department of Higher Education Deputy Director-General Chu Chun-chang was quoted saying by the daily that only universities in Taiwan that have had no issues regarding recruitment in the past three years, have solid language education and counselling resources can participate.

There are plenty of things to see and do in Taiwan. Source: Sam Yeh/AFP

Taiwans popularity as a study abroad destination has been growing over the years.

The deputy representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India Dr. Mumin Chen previously said that Indians are thefastest-growing groupof international students studying in Taiwan.

Some 1,000 Indian students were studying in Taiwan five years ago. This figure grew to 2,783 in 2019-20 and 2,239 in 2020-21.

There are many appeals to studying in Taiwan, including a lower cost of living than in other Asian countries such as Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

The island state offers international students reasonable tuition fees, a safe and friendly learning environment, and English-conducted programmes in many universities, said Chen.

Study in Taiwan notes that Taiwans higher education system provides opportunities for international students to study a wide variety of subjects, ranging from Mandarin Chinese language and history to tropical agriculture and forestry, genetic engineering, business, semi-conductors, to name a few.

There are 153 universities and colleges in Taiwan; 10 Taiwanese universities listed in the top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2022, and 15 within the 1,000-range.

Excerpt from:
Ministry wants universities in Taiwan to launch 'special international programmes' to woo overseas students - Study International News

On the heels of some important firsts this past year, xenotransplantation grafting animal organs into humans is on the cusp of crossing over into new territory: human trials.

In January, University of Maryland surgeons transplanted a pig heart into a 57-year-old man, who survived two months. And last fall, New York University doctors implanted pig kidneys into recently deceased individuals to show there wouldnt be immediate rejection of the organs. As exciting as these procedures were for researchers who have been trying to make xenotransplantation a reality, they highlighted the slow pace of clinical development, which has been stalled in primate studies for decades.

In order to move from preclinical work in monkeys to FDA-approved clinical trials in people, the transplant community will need to adjust its definition of success, Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, said Thursday at the 2022 STAT Breakthrough Science Summit in New York City.

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Standard human-to-human organ transplants have remarkable success rates for some organs. A year after a kidney transplant, 95% of recipients are still alive, said Montgomery, who performed the pig-to-human kidney procedures last year. Xenotransplantation will necessarily take time to get to that same level, he said. Were going to have the equivalent of an Apollo One disaster.

But the current success rates are an unfair standard for xenotransplantation, he said, because they ignore the thousands who die of organ failure every year without being able to get a transplant. I think the reason weve been in the non-human primate model for 30 to 40 years is just that. That the step into humans has been so encumbered with the idea that you have to get equipoise or some type of an equivalent outcome, he said. But to me its apples to oranges. What were really talking about is the organ shortage.

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Were talking about the half of people who get listed [for a transplant] who die thats what we should be comparing this to, not to the success of the half that are lucky and get opportunity like myself and my brother to live.

Montgomery himself had to be resuscitated from seven episodes of cardiac arrest before he made it on the list to await a donor heart. He eventually received a heart transplant, as did one of his brothers, but he said the risk-reward calculation for venturing into human xenotransplant trials should include patients who died at every step in the process.

Every patient that dies on the waitlist, we should be just as aware of that death as someone who dies in the ICU after they get a heart transplant or a kidney transplant, he said.

In the case of kidney disease, the estimated 800,000 patients in the U.S. with end stage illness have two options: a transplant, which is unavailable to many, or dialysis, which is not a permanent solution, noted Megan Sykes, a Columbia University transplant immunobiologist who has pioneered methods for reducing cross-species organ rejection.

We have a temporary lifeline for people with end stage renal failure, but it really is temporary, said Sykes.

There are also reasons to believe xenotransplantation could work better in human trials than in monkeys, the panelists said. For one, monkeys used in research are smaller than adult humans, and are complicated to take care of. They are sensitive to therapies, and dont respond to certain immunosuppressant drugs that work well in humans. Plus, if organs could be more readily available than they currently are, fewer transplant recipients would be on their death bed, increasing the likelihood of a good outcome, Sykes said.

The transplants into the recently deceased patients at NYU offers a better proxy for live human transplants than the monkeys. Still, researchers cant monitor the success of such transplants long-term. So, we wouldnt be able to tell the patients exactly [the prognosis] unless we do the living cases and monitor for a year or two, said Insoo Hyun, director of research ethics at the Harvard Medical School Center for Bioethics.

The pig organs used in the recent transplants come from genetically edited pigs developed by Revivicor, intended to prevent organ rejection and make them safer for humans. Scientists have spent years fine-tuning and layering edits to the animal genes, but its still an open question how much genetic engineering is necessary, or if less is more, the panelists said. Montgomerys group used pig organs with one edit, while the Maryland team transplanted a pig organ with 10 edits.

Sykes wants the field to take a step back and assess how valuable or harmful each genetic tweak is. The Food and Drug Administration may be more receptive to organs with fewer edits.

See the rest here:
Xenotransplantation trials will require adjusting expectations, experts say - STAT

Thailands Public Health Ministry on Sunday played down concerns raised by the detection of the first case of the XE Covid-19 strain in the country, saying there is no need to panic as it is not believed to result in as many complications as some previous mutations.

The head of the Centre for Medical Genomics (CMG) at Ramathibodi Hospital, which diagnosed the patient found with the strain, said the individual had already made a full recovery.

The rising number of Covid-19 strains only fuels the rapidity of genomic variation as has been evidenced recently by the emergence of Deltacron, a recombinant virus that contains genes from both Delta and Omicron variants, said Dr Supakit Sirilak, director-general of the Department of Medical Sciences (DMS).

In this case, XE is a recombinant virus of two sublineages of the Omicron variant, BA.1 and BA.2, he said, in response to reports about the detection of the first XE case, which was revealed on Saturday by the CMG.

The DMS is performing genomic sequencing on about 500 virus samples a week, he said, adding the DMS will hold a press briefing today to provide more information about the XE case and its broader implications.

The World Health Organization (WHO) had also on Saturday issued a warning over the XE Omicron variant that many in the medical field fear could be the most transmissible yet.

The XE recombinant was first detected in the UK on Jan 19 and less than 600 sequences have been reported and confirmed since, the WHO said.

Wasun Chantratita, the head of the CMG, said they normally receive virus samples for testing about a week after an infection is confirmed, which explains why by the time the results are known, most patients have already nearly recovered.

Anan Jongkaewwattana, an expert with the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (Biotec), meanwhile, said those who had already been infected with the sub-variant BA.2 of Omicron may already carry some immunity due to the similarities between the pair BA.2. Dont be more afraid of XE than BA.2 as that strain has already been around town, he said.

Considering a rise in number of patients developing severe symptoms when infected with Covid-19 after a fourth booster shot, he said he recommends delaying seeking further appointments for booster shots until a newer generation of the vaccine is available.

Immunity generated by multiple vaccines may even have an adverse effect and lead to more severe inflammation in those who catch the virus after their shots, he said.

For those who already had two rounds of an inactivated type of Covid-19 vaccine, two more booster shots of other types may be needed, while those who had started with two shots of other types of the vaccine may need only one booster shot for now, he said.

The Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) on Sunday recorded 26,840 new cases and 97 deaths.

In another development, the National Health Security Office (NHSO) said it is preparing for an expected rise in the number of new Covid-19 patients in the coming weeks. The Songkran festival is thought to be a risk factor in leading to an increase in cases.

Priority in terms of both times given by doctors and specialists as well as access to treatment will be given to new elderly patients, particularly those with underlying health conditions that may exacerbate their symptoms, and children, said NHSO secretary-general Dr Jadej Thammatacharees.

Cambodia has been put on alert for the new variant as the fast approaching Khmer New Year celebration which kicks off next week is likely to see an exodus of Cambodians back from Thailand by migrant workers. Bangkokpost/Khmer Times

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Thailand says XE variant of COVID-19 'likely to be mild' - Khmer Times

When mice with atopic dermatitis are treated with drugs that target the immune system, their itchy skin generally heals quickly. However, scientists have now discovered that the same treatment in obese mice makes their skin worse instead. A new study sheds light on how obesity can change the immune system and how clinicians might be able to better treat allergies and asthma in obese people.

The new study is published in the journalNature in a paper titled, Obesity alters pathology and treatment response in inflammatory disease, and led by researchers at Gladstone Institutes, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

Decades of work have elucidated cytokine signaling and transcriptional pathways that control T-cell differentiation and have led the way to targeted biologic therapies that are effective in a range of autoimmune, allergic, and inflammatory diseases, the researchers wrote. Recent evidence indicates that obesity and metabolic disease can also influence the immune system although the mechanisms and effects on immunotherapy outcomes remain largely unknown. Here, using two models of atopic dermatitis, we show that lean and obese mice mount markedly different immune responses.

Were living in an era when the rate of obesity is increasing around the world, said Alex Marson, MD, PhD, director of the Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology and a senior author of the study. Changes in diet and body composition can affect the immune system, so we have to think about how diseases that involve the immune system might differ between individuals.

Our findings demonstrate how differences in our individual metabolic states can have a major impact on inflammation, and how available drugs might be able to improve health outcomes, said Ronald Evans, PhD, senior author of the study, and director of Salks Gene Expression Laboratory and the March of Dimes chair in molecular and developmental biology at Salk.

During his graduate studies at Salk and subsequent research in the Marson lab, Sagar Bapat, MD, PhDnow a pathologist and faculty at UCSFwanted to know, at a molecular level, how obesity affected atopic dermatitis. He discovered that when mice were made obese by eating a high-fat diet prior to the induction of dermatitis, they developed more severe disease than lean animals.

What we were expecting to see in the obese mice was just a greater degree of the same kind of inflammation, said Bapat. Instead, we saw a completely different kind of inflammation.

Scientists had considered atopic dermatitis a TH2 disease; that means the TH2 cells are the ones causing the skin inflammation.

In mice with atopic dermatitis, the researchers observed that the TH2 cells were active. In obese mice with the same condition, however, TH17 cells were activated, which meant at a molecular level, atopic dermatitis was completely different in the obese mice.

When Bapat and his colleagues treated obese mice with a drug known to lessen atopic dermatitis, it made the disease significantly worse.

The treatment became a robust anti-treatment, said Bapat. This suggests that you can have identical twins show up to the hospital with the same disease, but if one is obese and one is lean, maybe the same drug wont work on both.

The researchers suspected that dysfunction in a protein called PPAR-gamma might be mediating the link between obesity and inflammation. In 1995, Evans and his team discovered that PPAR-gamma was a master regulator of fat cells and a target of an approved drug for diabetes.

When the scientists treated obese mice with atopic dermatitis with one of these PPAR-gamma activating drugs, called rosiglitazone, the animals skin improved and the molecular profile of their disease switched back from TH17 to TH2 inflammation. Moreover, the drugs aimed at the TH2 inflammation were then, almost as in lean mice, able to improve the obese animals atopic dermatitis.

Essentially, we immunologically de-fattened obese mice without changing their body weight, said Bapat.

More studies are needed but the study demonstrates how obesity causes a switch in inflammation that has consequences for the pathology of allergic disease and the effectiveness of immune therapies that target TH2-associated inflammation.

What wed like to know more about now is exactly how the T-cell switch happens, said senior author Ye Zheng, PhD, an associate professor in the NOMIS Center for Immunobiology and Microbial Pathogenesis at Salk. There are more details here to uncover that could have relevance for a host of diseases related to allergy and asthma.

This is a case where our scientific discovery could have a very safe and quick application to therapy in people, said Evans. Our preclinical findings suggest that these already FDA approved drugs may have a unique co-treatment benefit in certain patients.

Read more from the original source:
How Obesity Can Change the Immune System and Its Link to Allergic Inflammation - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News