Up until Tuesday evening, 50 Cent held the distinction of throwing the worst first pitch in the history of all ceremony.

The Rt. Rev. Sean Rowe has taken over as the new leader of The Episcopal Church, declaring at his installation service that the denomination must unify and “finish the job” of witnessing to a “hurting world.”

The Episcopal Church saw a decline in membership of about 40,000 people last year, but also saw an increase in average Sunday worship attendance, according to recently released statistics.

June 30, 1971, was the day when the largest tragedy in the history of Soviet cosmonautics took place. It was the day, when the entire crew of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft was killed during the return mission: Georgy Dobrovolsky, Vladislav Volkov and Viktor Patsaev. When returning to Earth, the crew of the Soyuz-11 spacecraft - Vladislav Volkov, Georgy Dobrovolsky and Viktor Patsaev - were killed as a result of the depressurization of the descent vehicle. The cosmonauts were buried underneath the Kremlin wall. This was the second and the last disaster in the history of manned space flight for both the USSR and Russia. Soyuz comes to replace Gagarin's Vostok Soyuz is a family of disposable manned transport spacecraft, which was designed and built by Design Bureau OKB-1 (currently known as Energia Rocket and Space Corporation named after Korolev). 

Deputy Commissioner of Hearings Allen Craddock and his staff will continue a series of meetings with stakeholders in the Texas workers’ compensation system. Participants are invited to bring a lunch for these meetings in this Brown Bag Series.

This fall DWC Hearings continues their Brown Bag Series with stakeholders in the Texas workers’ compensation system.

RetailTechnologyReview.com spoke with Dakota Integrated Solutions’ commercial director, Philip Jarrett, and recently appointed key account manager, Peter Jenkins, about the company’s current growth trajectory, including new partnerships and strategic technology sweet spots.

Canalys' recent global wearable band market analysis forecasts a 2% rise in 2023, totaling to 186 million units. This growth is primarily driven by a significant 22% surge in basic watch shipments in emerging markets, notably India.

While retailers understand the need to move towards increased first-party data collection and personalised shopper engagement, many remain concerned about building privacy-centric experiences that meet consumers’ growing demands for the responsible use of their data, the latest research from Wunderkind, the AI-driven performance marketing solution, warns.

Bitsight, the cyber risk management solutions provider, has introduced new asset mapping capabilities to help companies better manage vulnerabilities across their extended attack surface.

Quorum Cyber - with offices in Edinburgh, UK, and Tampa, Florida – has acquired Difenda, a Canadian-based, full-stack Microsoft Security Managed Services company. The announcement underscores Quorum Cyber's global momentum and strengthens its position as a leader of Microsoft Security services. 

By Arun Rasika Karunakaran, Retail Product Manager & Consultant,Tata Consultancy Services.

Over the last decade, the number of online sales has skyrocketed. The most recent statistics show that 19.4% of normal retail sales around the world were made online. That has led to some retailers thinking that it might be time to shift most of their focus to e-retail and their online storefronts.

By Luke Alexander, freelance writer.

In today's digital landscape, social media has become a pivotal tool for eCommerce businesses looking to thrive in a competitive market. With 5.17 billion active users, social media is essential for businesses aiming to grow and sustain their presence.

By Umar Butt, CEO of UK and Europe at Aramex.

The pre-loved market is taking the fashion industry by storm. Reminiscent of the continued popularity of charity shops, thrift stores or vintage boutiques, the appetite for second hand clothes has been a constant for centuries, however in recent years a paradigm shift has moved this growing market into the mainstream.

CrowdStrike has agreed to acquire SaaS security solutions provider, Adaptive Shield. With this acquisition, CrowdStrike reports that it will be the only cybersecurity vendor to provide unified, end-to-end protection against identity-based attacks across the entire modern cloud ecosystem – from on-premises

Riverside Greetings, the supplier of greeting card solutions, has developed RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology which is claimed to dramatically accelerate category growth in the convenience and forecourt sector.

Following a record year in 2022, real-time data capture, printing, mobility and voice-directed solutions specialist, Dakota Integrated Solutions, has again exceeded projected revenue and growth targets during 2023.

RAIN Alliance, the non-profit industry organisation supporting the development and adoption of Ultra High Frequency (UHF) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID), has published its bi-annual research report ‘Global Markets & Applications for RAIN RFID Solutions’, produced by VDC Research.

There were more than two million programmable EPOS units delivered worldwide last year, according to Global EPOS and Self-Checkout 2023, a brand-new study from strategic research and consulting firm RBR Data Services, a division of Datos Insights.

By Jeremy Landau, freelance writer.

It’s no secret that when your business begins to grow, you will need to add staff to accommodate the increased sales and other demands on store operations. This tends to become more complex as your business gets larger, and staff roles and responsibilities may need to be diversified and identified, so everyone knows what they should be doing.

Business technology solutions provider Brother UK has launched three new managed print services (MPS) solutions to enhance its support for resellers amid growing demand for print-as-a-service.

In the Chinese city of Zhuhai, a car rammed into a crowd of people near a sports center. The 62-year-old driver fled the scene of the accident but was later detained. The victims were hospitalized, China Daily said with reference to local authorities. WARNING: The videos are extremely graphic! Click here to see more photos and videos from the scene.

In an effort to foster economic growth throughout Southern California's diverse communities, Cedars-Sinai has taken a lead role in creating a first-of-its-kind centralized resource directory designed to help diverse-owned vendors secure business opportunities with Southern California hospitals.

These miniature immune system models -- known as human immune organoids -- mimic the real-life environment where immune cells learn to recognize and attack harmful invaders and respond to vaccines. Not only are these organoids powerful new tools for studying and observing immune function in cancer, their use is likely to accelerate vaccine development, better predict disease treatment response for patients, and even speed up clinical trials.

In an effort to foster economic growth throughout Southern California's diverse communities, Cedars-Sinai has taken a lead role in creating a first-of-its-kind centralized resource directory designed to help diverse-owned vendors secure business opportunities with Southern California hospitals.

These miniature immune system models -- known as human immune organoids -- mimic the real-life environment where immune cells learn to recognize and attack harmful invaders and respond to vaccines. Not only are these organoids powerful new tools for studying and observing immune function in cancer, their use is likely to accelerate vaccine development, better predict disease treatment response for patients, and even speed up clinical trials.

[Politics] :
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul said he is confident that the South Korea-U.S. alliance will continue to grow stronger under the incoming Donald Trump administration. At a press conference on Tuesday, Cho said President-elect Trump’s foreign policy, which prioritizes U.S. allies’ expanded role and ...

[more...]

Starting your own vegetable garden can be a rewarding and delicious hobby. But choosing the right vegetables can make the difference between a bountiful harvest and a frustrating experience. If you're a beginner, you'll want to start with the easiest vegetables to grow in different seasons.

[Economy] :
Global investment banks have slashed their growth outlook for South Korea for this year. According to the Korea Center for International Finance on Friday, the growth forecast by eight foreign investment banks averaged two-point-three percent at the end of October, representing a zero-point-two percentage ...

[more...]

[Economy] :
A state-run institute has revised down this year’s growth outlook by zero-point-three percentage point to two-point-two percent. In August, the Korea Development Institute(KDI) said it expected the economy to expand two-point-five percent in 2024. The institute said the economic recovery has weakened as ...

[more...]

[Economy] :
The nation added 83-thousand jobs in October, with job growth falling below 100-thousand for the first time in four months.  According to Statistics Korea on Wednesday, the number of employed people stood at 28-point-eight million last month, up 83-thousand from the same month last year. Job growth fell ...

[more...]

Burrow-detecting devices could protect flood defences  British Geological Survey

Low-concentration poly(ethylene oxide) exhibit the polymorph-dependent effects on both the surface and bulk crystal growth of carbamazepine polymorphs. These polymorph-dependent effects of PEO were mainly attributed to the polymer enrichment at the interface and different crystal surface-polymer interactions.

The crystal structure of the intracellular domain of transforming growth factor β type I receptor (TβR1) in complex with the competitive inhibitor SB505124 is presented. The study provides insights into the structure and function of TβR1 in complex with SB505124, and as such offers molecular-level understanding of the inhibition of this critical signalling pathway. The potential of SB505124 as an avenue for therapy in cancer treatment is discussed on basis of the results.

Growing high-quality crystals remains a necessary part of crystallography and many other techniques. This article tabulates and describes several techniques and variations that will help individuals grow high-quality crystals in preparation for crystallographic techniques and other endeavors, such as form screening. The discussion is organized to focus on low-tech approaches available in any laboratory.

The expansive scientific software ecosystem, characterized by millions of titles across various platforms and formats, poses significant challenges in maintaining reproducibility and provenance in scientific research. The diversity of independently developed applications, evolving versions and heterogeneous components highlights the need for rigorous methodologies to navigate these complexities. In response to these challenges, the SBGrid team builds, installs and configures over 530 specialized software applications for use in the on-premises and cloud-based computing environments of SBGrid Consortium members. To address the intricacies of supporting this diverse application collection, the team has developed the Capsule Software Execution Environment, generally referred to as Capsules. Capsules rely on a collection of programmatically generated bash scripts that work together to isolate the runtime environment of one application from all other applications, thereby providing a transparent cross-platform solution without requiring specialized tools or elevated account privileges for researchers. Capsules facilitate modular, secure software distribution while maintaining a centralized, conflict-free environment. The SBGrid platform, which combines Capsules with the SBGrid collection of structural biology applications, aligns with FAIR goals by enhancing the findability, accessibility, interoperability and reusability of scientific software, ensuring seamless functionality across diverse computing environments. Its adaptability enables application beyond structural biology into other scientific fields.

The hardware for data archiving has expanded capacities for digital storage enormously in the past decade or more. The IUCr evaluated the costs and benefits of this within an official working group which advised that raw data archiving would allow ground truth reproducibility in published studies. Consultations of the IUCr's Commissions ensued via a newly constituted standing advisory committee, the Committee on Data. At all stages, the IUCr financed workshops to facilitate community discussions and possible methods of raw data archiving implementation. The recent launch of the IUCrData journal's Raw Data Letters is a milestone in the implementation of raw data archiving beyond the currently published studies: it includes diffraction patterns that have not been fully interpreted, if at all. The IUCr 75th Congress in Melbourne included a workshop on raw data reuse, discussing the successes and ongoing challenges of raw data reuse. This article charts the efforts of the IUCr to facilitate discussions and plans relating to raw data archiving and reuse within the various communities of crystallography, diffraction and scattering.

A significant part of the present and future of optoelectronic devices lies on thin multilayer heterostructures. Their optical properties depend strongly on strain, being essential to the knowledge of the stress level to optimize the growth process. Here the structural and microstructural characteristics of sub-micron a-ZnO epilayers (12 to 770 nm) grown on r-sapphire by metal–organic chemical vapour deposition are studied. Morphological and structural studies have been made using scanning electron microscopy and high-resolution X-ray diffraction. Plastic unit-cell distortion and corresponding strain have been determined as a function of film thickness. A critical thickness has been observed as separating the non-elastic/elastic states with an experimental value of 150–200 nm. This behaviour has been confirmed from ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements. An equation that gives the balance of strains is proposed as an interesting method to experimentally determine this critical thickness. It is concluded that in the thinnest films an elongation of the Zn—O bond takes place and that the plastic strained ZnO films relax through nucleation of misfit dislocations, which is a consequence of three-dimensional surface morphology.

The compression behavior of [Rb(18-crown-6)][SbCl6] crystal under pressure up to 2.16 (3) GPa was investigated in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) using a mixture of pentane–iso­pentane (1:4) as the pressure-transmitting fluid. The compound crystallizes in trigonal space group R3 and no phase transition was observed in the indicated pressure range. The low value of pressure bulk modulus [9.1 (5) GPa] found in this crystal is a characteristic of soft materials with predominant dispersive and electrostatic interaction forces. The nonlinear relationship between unit-cell parameters under high pressure is attributed to the influence of reduced intermolecular H⋯Cl contacts under pressure over 0.73 GPa. It also explains the high compression efficiency of [Rb(18-crown-6)][SbCl6] crystals at relatively low pressures, resulting in a significant shift of the Rb atom to the center of the crown ether cavity. At pressures above 0.9 GPa, steric repulsion forces begin to play a remarkable role, since an increasing number of interatomic H⋯Cl and H⋯H contacts become shorter than the sum of their van der Waals (vdW) radii. Below 0.9 GPa, both unit-cell parameter dependences (P–a and P–c) exhibit hysteresis upon pressure release, demonstrating their influence on the disordered model of Rb atoms. The void reduction under pressure also demonstrates two linear sections with the inflection point at 0.9 GPa. Compression of the crystal is accompanied by a significant decrease in the volume of the voids, leading to the rapid approach of Rb atoms to the center of the crown ether cavity. For the Rb atom to penetrate into the center of the crown ether cavity in [Rb(18-crown-6)][SbCl6], it is necessary to apply a pressure of about 2.5 GPa to disrupt the balance of atomic forces in the crystal. This sample serves as a compression model demonstrating the influence of both attractive and repulsive forces on the change in unit-cell parameters under pressure.

The title complex, (1,4,7,10,13,16-hexa­oxa­cyclo­octa­decane-1κ6O)(μ-oxalato-1κ2O1,O2:2κ2O1',O2')triphenyl-2κ3C-potassium(I)tin(IV), [KSn(C6H5)3(C2O4)(C12H24O6)] or K[18-Crown-6][(C6H5)3SnO4C2], was synthesized. The complex consists of a potassium cation coordinated to the six oxygen atoms of a crown ether mol­ecule and the two oxygen atoms of the oxalatotri­phenyl­stannate anion. It crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system within the space group P21. The tin atom is coordinated by one chelating oxalate ligand and three phenyl groups, forming a cis-trigonal–bipyramidal geometry around the tin atom. The cations and anions form ion pairs, linked through carbonyl coordination to the potassium atoms. The crystal structure features C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the oxygen atoms of the oxalate group and the hydrogen atoms of the phenyl groups, resulting in an infinite chain structure extending along a-axis direction. The primary inter-chain inter­actions are van der Waals forces.

The crystal structure of the title compound, hexa­aqua­nickel(II) dichloride–1,4,7,10,13,16-hexa­oxa­cyclo­octa­deca­ne–water (1/2/2), [Ni(H2O)6]Cl2·2C12H24O6·2H2O, is reported. The asymmetric unit contains half of the Ni(OH2)6 moiety with a formula of C12H32ClNi0.50O10 at 105 K and triclinic (P1) symmetry. The [Ni(OH2)6]2+ cation has close to ideal octa­hedral geometry with O—Ni—O bond angles that are within 3° of idealized values. The supra­molecular structure includes hydrogen bonding between the water ligands, 18-crown-6 mol­ecules, Cl− anions, and co-crystallized water solvent. Two crown ether mol­ecules flank the [Ni(OH2)6]2+ mol­ecule at the axial positions in a sandwich-like structure. The relatively symmetric hydrogen-bonding network is enabled by small Cl− counter-ions and likely influences the more idealized octa­hedral geometry of [Ni(OH2)6]2+.

The two most abundant CaCO3 polymorphs, calcite and aragonite, are universally recognized for the richness of their morphology to which different twins make relevant contributions. The epitaxial transformation calcite ↔ aragonite has long been debated. While the twinning has been thoroughly treated, the homo-epitaxy occurring within each of these minerals has, inexplicably, been overlooked to date, both experimentally and theoretically. Twinning can be deceptive to the point where it can be mistaken for homo-epitaxy, thus making the proposed growth mechanism in the crystal aggregate wrong. Within the present work, the first aim is a theoretical investigation of the homo-epitaxies among the three {10.4}-cleavage, {01.2}-steep and {01.8}-flat rhombohedra of calcite. Accordingly, the specific adhesion energies were calculated between facing crystal forms, unequivocally showing that the {01.2}/{01.8} homo-epitaxy competes with the generation of both {01.2} and {01.8} contact twins. Secondly, the calculation of the specific adhesion energy was extended to consider homo-epitaxy for the {10.4} rhombohedron. The two-dimensional geometric lattice coincidence has been tried for the {00.1} pinacoidal form as well.

Here, a morphologically based approach is used for the in situ characterization of 3D growth rates of facetted crystals from the solution phase. Crystal images of single crystals of the β-form of l-glutamic acid are captured in situ during their growth at a relative supersaturation of 1.05 using transmission optical microscopy. The crystal growth rates estimated for both the {101} capping and {021} prismatic faces through image processing are consistent with those determined using reflection light mode [Jiang, Ma, Hazlehurst, Ilett, Jackson, Hogg & Roberts (2024). Cryst. Growth Des. 24, 3277–3288]. The growth rate in the {010} face is, for the first time, estimated from the shadow widths of the {021} prismatic faces and found to be typically about half that of the {021} prismatic faces. Analysis of the 3D shape during growth reveals that the initial needle-like crystal morphology develops during the growth process to become more tabular, associated with the Zingg factor evolving from 2.9 to 1.7 (>1). The change in relative solution supersaturation during the growth process is estimated from calculations of the crystal volume, offering an alternative approach to determine this dynamically from visual observations.

Paymentology has entered into a referral partnership with...

Klarna has secured a deal to offload BNPL loans that it...

Source: Streetwise Reports 11/08/2024

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX:NASDAQ) has reported a robust financial performance for the third quarter of 2024. The report has demonstrated the company's continued revenue growth and the strengthening of its innovative pipeline. For Q3 2024, Vertex's product revenue reached US$2.77 billion, a 12% increase from the previous year. This was primarily driven by strong demand for its TRIKAFTA®/KAFTRIO® therapies. Based on this momentum, Vertex raised its full-year product revenue guidance to a range of US$10.8 billion to US$10.9 billion, citing a solid trajectory in its cystic fibrosis (CF) portfolio and expected future launches.

In Q3, the company made notable advancements in its pipeline. Three programs have begun moving into Phase 3 clinical development: suzetrigine in diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), povetacicept in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), and VX-880 in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Vertex is also preparing for the launch of two potential treatments in early 2025, with PDUFA dates set for January 2 for the vanzacaftor triple therapy for CF and January 30 for suzetrigine, the latter being a pain medication in a new therapeutic class aimed at reducing reliance on opioids.

GAAP and Non-GAAP net income both reached US$1.0 billion, largely driven by increased product revenue, which offset rising R&D and SG&A expense. This was s due to investments in global commercialization and late-stage clinical development. For Q3, Vertex's combined R&D and SG&A expenses were US$1.2 billion and US$1.1 billion, respectively, an increase from last year attributed to new global program advancements and upcoming launch support.

Vertex's cash position remained strong, with US$11.2 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities as of September 30. The decline from US$13.7 billion at the end of 2023 primarily reflects the acquisition of Alpine Immune Sciences and share repurchases under the company's buyback program.

A Look At Biotechnology and Pharma

The U.S. Pharmaceuticals Report for 2024 by Nova One Advisor detailed the size and growth trajectory of the U.S. pharmaceutical market. Valued at US$602.19 billion in 2023, the sector is projected to exceed US$1 trillion by 2033. The report pointed to a "high healthcare expenditure provided by government bodies" as a primary growth driver, further bolstered by the aging population's demand for advanced treatments.

In an October 24 article, The Investing News Network reported on a dynamic landscape within the biotechnology sector. The report highlighted advancements in AI-powered drug discovery. Despite a cautious investment climate, interest remained strong in AI's potential to reshape healthcare, with venture capital investment reaching US$6.59 billion. At the HealthTech Ignite conference, Susie Roberts from Relay Therapeutics expressed confidence, noting, "We will definitely see AI design drugs in the next 10 years."

On November 4, Yahoo! Finance shared insights from MIT professors Andrew Lo and Dennis Whyte. They emphasized that biotechnology's rapid advancement over the past five decades offers valuable lessons for future innovation. In their research paper, Lo and Whyte proposed initiatives to accelerate biotechnology's growth, underscoring the importance of "reducing risk and uncertainty" to foster a robust investment ecosystem that supports groundbreaking discoveries.

Catalysts Driving Vertex Pharma

According to Vertex's November 2024 investor presentation, the company sees multiple growth catalysts over the next few years. Vertex aims to meet its goal of achieving "five launches in five years," focusing on expanding the treatable patient base in CF with vanzacaftor triple, addressing critical needs in sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta thalassemia (TDT) with CASGEVY, and launching suzetrigine for acute pain management.

Additionally, Vertex expects its expansive R&D pipeline to support long-term growth. This includes pivotal clinical trials for VX-880 in T1D, povetacicept in IgAN, and NaV1.8 pain inhibitors like suzetrigine, indicating a commitment to treating a range of chronic and life-threatening conditions with limited therapeutic options.

By driving advancements in CF therapies, diversifying its portfolio with novel pain treatments, and pursuing accelerated approvals for renal and blood-related disorders, Vertex is strategically positioning itself to sustain growth and achieve several near-term milestones.

What Are Experts Saying About Vertex?

In a November 5, 2024, H.C. Wainwright & Co. update, the analysts highlighted promising data from Vertex's recent Phase 2 trial for suzetrigine, which showed encouraging reductions in pain intensity. [OWNERSHIP_CHART-4085]

The analysts noted that suzetrigine's peripheral nervous system-specific mechanism could potentially address "a significant, unmet medical need worldwide" in non-opioid pain management. They set a price target of US$600.00, projecting Vertex's continued growth from its strong cystic fibrosis franchise and pipeline expansion.

From the November 7 Kingswood Capital Partners report, analysts noted Vertex Pharmaceuticals' "sustained execution" in advancing product development programs and achieving robust operating margins, enabling "continued, significant investments" in both its pipeline and commercial capabilities. The firm maintained a "Buy" rating with a 12-month target price of US$550.00, attributing this outlook to Vertex's deep cash resources and historical successes in clinical trials.

Ownership and Share Structure

According to Refinitiv, 95.44% of Vertex Pharmaceuticals is held by Institutions. The top among them are Capital World Investors at 10.37%, The Vanguard Group at 8.88%, BlackRock Institutional Trust with 5.49%, State Street Global Advisors (US) with 4.55%, and Fidelity Management and Research with 4.11%. Strategic Investors hold .12%. The rest is retail.

The company's market cap is US$129,395.59 million with 257.07 million free float shares. The 52 week range is US$341.90–$510.64.

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1) James Guttman wrote this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise Reports as an employee.

2) This article does not constitute investment advice and is not a solicitation for any investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her personal financial adviser and perform their own comprehensive investment research. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company.

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( Companies Mentioned: VRTX:NASDAQ, )

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