fun Ketamine and Major Ketamine Metabolites Function as Allosteric Modulators of Opioid Receptors [Article] By molpharm.aspetjournals.org Published On :: 2024-10-17T05:12:59-07:00 Ketamine is a glutamate receptor antagonist that was developed over 50 years ago as an anesthetic agent. At subanesthetic doses, ketamine and some metabolites are analgesics and fast-acting antidepressants, presumably through targets other than glutamate receptors. We tested ketamine and its metabolites for activity as allosteric modulators of opioid receptors expressed as recombinant receptors in heterologous systems and with native receptors in rodent brain; signaling was examined by measuring GTP binding, β-arrestin recruitment, MAPK activation, and neurotransmitter release. Although micromolar concentrations of ketamine alone had weak agonist activity at μ opioid receptors, the combination of submicromolar concentrations of ketamine with endogenous opioid peptides produced robust synergistic responses with statistically significant increases in efficacies. All three opioid receptors (μ, , and ) showed synergism with submicromolar concentrations of ketamine and either methionine-enkephalin (Met-enk), leucine-enkephalin (Leu-enk), and/or dynorphin A17 (Dyn A17), albeit the extent of synergy was variable between receptors and peptides. S-ketamine exhibited higher modulatory effects compared with R-ketamine or racemic ketamine, with ~100% increase in efficacy. Importantly, the ketamine metabolite 6-hydroxynorketamine showed robust allosteric modulatory activity at μ opioid receptors; this metabolite is known to have analgesic and antidepressant activity but does not bind to glutamate receptors. Ketamine enhanced potency and efficacy of Met-enkephalin signaling both in mouse midbrain membranes and in rat ventral tegmental area neurons as determined by electrophysiology recordings in brain slices. Taken together, these findings support the hypothesis that some of the therapeutic effects of ketamine and its metabolites are mediated by directly engaging the endogenous opioid system. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study found that ketamine and its major biologically active metabolites function as potent allosteric modulators of μ, , and opioid receptors, with submicromolar concentrations of these compounds synergizing with endogenous opioid peptides, such as enkephalin and dynorphin. This allosteric activity may contribute to ketamine’s therapeutic effectiveness for treating acute and chronic pain and as a fast-acting antidepressant drug. Full Article
fun Artificial Intelligence Efficacy as a Function of Trainee Interpreter Proficiency: Lessons from a Randomized Controlled Trial [RESEARCH] By www.ajnr.org Published On :: 2024-11-07T15:14:12-08:00 BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recently, artificial intelligence tools have been deployed with increasing speed in educational and clinical settings. However, the use of artificial intelligence by trainees across different levels of experience has not been well-studied. This study investigates the impact of artificial intelligence assistance on the diagnostic accuracy for intracranial hemorrhage and large-vessel occlusion by medical students and resident trainees. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This prospective study was conducted between March 2023 and October 2023. Medical students and resident trainees were asked to identify intracranial hemorrhage and large-vessel occlusion in 100 noncontrast head CTs and 100 head CTAs, respectively. One group received diagnostic aid simulating artificial intelligence for intracranial hemorrhage only (n = 26); the other, for large-vessel occlusion only (n = 28). Primary outcomes included accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for intracranial hemorrhage/large-vessel occlusion detection without and with aid. Study interpretation time was a secondary outcome. Individual responses were pooled and analyzed with the t test; differences in continuous variables were assessed with ANOVA. RESULTS: Forty-eight participants completed the study, generating 10,779 intracranial hemorrhage or large-vessel occlusion interpretations. With diagnostic aid, medical student accuracy improved 11.0 points (P < .001) and resident trainee accuracy showed no significant change. Intracranial hemorrhage interpretation time increased with diagnostic aid for both groups (P < .001), while large-vessel occlusion interpretation time decreased for medical students (P < .001). Despite worse performance in the detection of the smallest-versus-largest hemorrhages at baseline, medical students were not more likely to accept a true-positive artificial intelligence result for these more difficult tasks. Both groups were considerably less accurate when disagreeing with the artificial intelligence or when supplied with an incorrect artificial intelligence result. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated greater improvement in diagnostic accuracy with artificial intelligence for medical students compared with resident trainees. However, medical students were less likely than resident trainees to overrule incorrect artificial intelligence interpretations and were less accurate, even with diagnostic aid, than the artificial intelligence was by itself. Full Article
fun Pazopanib elicits remarkable response in metastatic porocarcinoma: a functional precision medicine approach [RESEARCH REPORT] By molecularcasestudies.cshlp.org Published On :: 2024-01-10T08:13:38-08:00 Metastatic porocarcinomas (PCs) are vanishingly rare, highly aggressive skin adnexal tumors with mortality rates exceeding 70%. Their rarity has precluded the understanding of their disease pathogenesis, let alone the conduct of clinical trials to evaluate treatment strategies. There are no effective agents for unresectable PCs. Here, we successfully demonstrate how functional precision medicine was implemented in the clinic for a metastatic PC with no known systemic treatment options. Comprehensive genomic profiling of the tumor specimen did not yield any actionable genomic aberrations. However, ex vivo drug testing predicted pazopanib efficacy, and indeed, administration of pazopanib elicited remarkable clinicoradiological response. Pazopanib and its class of drugs should be evaluated for efficacy in other cases of PC, and the rationale for efficacy should be determined when PC tumor models become available. A functional precision medicine approach could be useful to derive effective treatment options for rare cancers. Full Article
fun Clinical and functional analysis of the germline TP53 p.K164E acetylation site variant [RESEARCH ARTICLE] By molecularcasestudies.cshlp.org Published On :: 2024-01-10T08:13:38-08:00 TP53 plays a critical role as a tumor suppressor by controlling cell cycle progression, DNA repair, and apoptosis. Post-translational modifications such as acetylation of specific lysine residues in the DNA binding and carboxy-terminus regulatory domains modulate its tumor suppressor activities. In this study, we addressed the functional consequences of the germline TP53 p.K164E (NM_000546.5: c.490A>G) variant identified in a patient with early-onset breast cancer and a significant family history of cancer. K164 is a conserved residue located in the L2 loop of the p53 DNA binding domain that is post-translationally modified by acetylation. In silico, in vitro, and in vivo analyses demonstrated that the glutamate substitution at K164 marginally destabilizes the p53 protein structure but significantly impairs sequence-specific DNA binding, transactivation, and tumor cell growth inhibition. Although p.K164E is currently considered a variant of unknown significance by different clinical genetic testing laboratories, the clinical and laboratory-based findings presented here provide strong evidence to reclassify TP53 p.K164E as a likely pathogenic variant. Full Article
fun [Neuroscience] Generation of Mammalian Astrocyte Functional Heterogeneity By cshperspectives.cshlp.org Published On :: 2024-11-01T06:50:52-07:00 Mammalian astrocytes have regional roles within the brain parenchyma. Indeed, the notion that astrocytes are molecularly heterogeneous could help explain how the central nervous system (CNS) retains embryonic positional information through development into specialized regions into adulthood. A growing body of evidence supports the concept of morphological and molecular differences between astrocytes in different brain regions, which might relate to their derivation from regionally patterned radial glia and/or local neuron inductive cues. Here, we review evidence for regionally encoded functions of astrocytes to provide an integrated concept on lineage origins and heterogeneity to understand regional brain organization, as well as emerging technologies to identify and further investigate novel roles for astrocytes. Full Article
fun [Developmental Biology] Glial Cell Development and Function in the Zebrafish Central Nervous System By cshperspectives.cshlp.org Published On :: 2024-11-01T06:50:52-07:00 Over the past decades the zebrafish has emerged as an excellent model organism with which to study the biology of all glial cell types in nervous system development, plasticity, and regeneration. In this review, which builds on the earlier work by Lyons and Talbot in 2015, we will summarize how the relative ease to manipulate the zebrafish genome and its suitability for intravital imaging have helped understand principles of glial cell biology with a focus on oligodendrocytes, microglia, and astrocytes. We will highlight recent findings on the diverse properties and functions of these glial cell types in the central nervous system and discuss open questions and future directions of the field. Full Article
fun Integration of lung function data: turning snapshots into stories By breathe.ersjournals.com Published On :: 2024-11-12T00:25:08-08:00 Missing or inaccessible lung function measurements, gathered over time, have the potential to stagnate or impair clinical care decisions being made. This jeopardises patient safety and often contributes to excessive resource utilisation. Data integration is fundamental to clinical decision-making and entails amalgamating lung function data from multiple sources in a user-friendly format. Despite this, current systems for recording lung function data are suboptimal, with copious gaps in the clinical picture arising from missing or inaccessible lung function measurements. This article discusses the importance of data integration for lung function, with a call to action for key stakeholders involved in the performance, management and interpretation of such tests. Full Article
fun What We Do in the Shadows Champions Found Families, No Matter How Dysfunctional By gizmodo.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 19:50:22 +0000 Season six's latest episode introduced Laszlo's father—and chaos inevitably followed. Full Article Television FX What We Do in the Shadows
fun RPG Cast – Episode 584: “A Crater Sized Hole Filled with Funko Pops!” By rpgamer.com Published On :: Sun, 09 May 2021 00:15:28 +0000 Anna Marie wonders why we can't be friends. Jonathan becomes a Marbula One fan. Kelley engages "pants off, games on" mode. And Chris learns that the only person he's cheating is himself...and his dire gryphon. The post RPG Cast – Episode 584: “A Crater Sized Hole Filled with Funko Pops!” appeared first on RPGamer. Full Article News Podcasts RPG Cast Darkest Dungeon Fire Emblem: Three Houses Monster Hunter Rise Pokémon Snap World of Warcraft: The Burning Crusade Yakuza: Like a Dragon
fun RPG Cast – Episode 679: “Some People Call Me Toe Fungus” By rpgamer.com Published On :: Mon, 05 Jun 2023 01:02:36 +0000 Phil wonders if you can pet the gator. Jason says that the wiener dog in a wheelchair is best companion. Kelley wishes there was CTRL+F in real life. Ryan wants a Trails of Cold Steel Wrestling Game. The post RPG Cast – Episode 679: “Some People Call Me Toe Fungus” appeared first on RPGamer. Full Article News Podcasts RPG Cast Darkest Dungeon II Diablo IV Etrian Odyssey Far Cry 6 Star Trek Resurgence The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
fun No Man's Sky has a Mass Effect Normandy again, together with new cross-save functionality By www.rockpapershotgun.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:07:58 +0000 Back in the mists of 2021, No Man's Sky revealed its very own Normandy SR1 space frigate. "The Normandy in No Man's Sky?" you cry. "Why, that's a Mass Effect vessel. Some mistake here surely?" 1) My name's not Shirley, and 2) Indeed it is a Mass Effect ship, but HelloGames struck a time-limited deal with BioWare to create a version for their own space sim. "Blast, if only I'd noticed this at the time and acquired one," you mourn. "Ah, so many years I have wasted." Be of good cheer, my friend, for No Man's Sky has a Normandy once again, just in time for the latest N7 Day of assorted Mass Effect celebrations. For the next two weeks, you'll be able to get a-hold of it by way of a revised version of 2021's Beachhead Expedition. Tray-tray, away! Read more Full Article Nintendo Switch Indie Third person 505 Games Xbox Series X/S Action Adventure Single Player Xbox One PS4 No Man's Sky PS5 Simulation Hello Games Multiplayer Competitive Multiplayer Cooperative PC Virtual Reality First person Mass Effect 5 Mac RPG
fun Chamberlain funeral next week By www.theaustralian.com.au Published On :: Thu, 12 Jan 2017 00:03:00 GMT Michael Chamberlain, who has died at 72, will be farewelled at Cooranbong, on the NSW Central Coast. Full Article
fun Country star Darius Rucker donates to ETSU’s NIL fund after 'awkward' appearance at football game By www.foxnews.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 23:00:30 -0500 Country music star Darius Rucker paid the East Tennessee State University's NIL fund $10 for every minute he was on the field Saturday after what he called an "awkward" appearance. Full Article 322459dc-7f98-5929-8f3a-c2c829efc988 fnc Fox News fox-news/sports/ncaa/east-tennessee-state-buccaneers fox-news/sports/ncaa fox-news/sports fox-news/topic/trending-news fox-news/sports article
fun Honor a Loved One With an IEEE Foundation Memorial Fund By spectrum.ieee.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:00:03 +0000 As the philanthropic partner of IEEE, the IEEE Foundation expands the organization’s charitable body of work by inspiring philanthropic engagement that ignites a donor’s innermost interests and values. One way the Foundation does so is by partnering with IEEE units to create memorial funds, which pay tribute to members, family, friends, teachers, professors, students, and others. This type of giving honors someone special while also supporting future generations of engineers and celebrating innovation. Below are three recently created memorial funds that not only have made an impact on their beneficiaries and perpetuated the legacy of the namesake but also have a deep meaning for those who launched them. EPICS in IEEE Fischer Mertel Community of Projects The EPICS in IEEE Fischer Mertel Community of Projects was established to support projects “designed to inspire multidisciplinary teams of engineering students to collaborate and engineer solutions to address local community needs.” The fund was created by the children of Joe Fischer and Herb Mertel to honor their fathers’ passion for mentoring students. Longtime IEEE members, Fischer and Mertel were active with the IEEE Electromagnetic Compatibility Society. Fischer was the society’s 1972 president and served on its board of directors for six years. Mertel served on the society’s board from 1979 to 1983 and again from 1989 to 1993. “The EPICS in IEEE Fischer Mertel Community of Projects was established to inspire and support outstanding engineering ideas and efforts that help communities worldwide,” says Tina Mertel, Herb’s daughter. “Joe Fischer and my father had a lifelong friendship and excelled as engineering leaders and founders of their respective companies [Fischer Custom Communications and EMACO]. I think that my father would have been proud to know that their friendship and work are being honored in this way.” The nine projects supported thus far have the potential to impact more than 104,000 people because of the work and collaboration of 190 students worldwide. The projects funded are intended to represent at least two of the EPICS in IEEE’s focus categories: education and outreach; human services; environmental; and access and abilities. Here are a few of the projects: The Engineering Outreach at San Diego K–12 Schools project aims to bridge the city’s STEM education gap by sending IEEE members to schools to teach project-based lessons in mechanical, aerospace, electrical and computer engineering, as well as computer science. The project is led by the IEEE–Eta Kappa Nu honor society’s Kappa Psi chapter at the University of California San Diego and the San Diego Unified School District. Students from the Sahrdaya College of Engineering and Technology student branch in Kodakara, India, are developing an exoskeleton for nurses to support their lumbar spine region. Volunteers from the IEEE Uganda Section and local engineering students are designing and fabricating a stationary bicycle to act as a generator, providing power to families living in underserved communities. The goal of the project is to reduce air pollution caused by generators and supply reliable, affordable power to people in need. The IEEE Colombian Caribbean Section’s Increasing Inclusion of Visually Impaired People with a Mobile Application for English Learning project aims to ensure visually impaired students can learn to read, write, and speak English alongside their peers. The section’s members are developing a mobile app to help accomplish their goal.IEEE AESS Michael C. Wicks Radar Student Travel Grant The IEEE Michael C. Wicks Radar Student Travel Grant was established by IEEE Fellow Michael Wicks prior to his death in 2022. The grant provides travel support for graduate students who are the primary authors on a paper being presented at the annual IEEE Radar Conference. Wicks was an electronics engineer and a radio industry leader who was known for developing knowledge-based space-time adaptive processing. He believed in investing in the next generation and he wanted to provide an opportunity for that to happen.Ten graduate students have been awarded the Wicks grant to date. This year two students from Region 8 (Africa, Europe, Middle East) and two students from Region 10 (Asia and Pacific) were able to travel to Denver to attend the IEEE Radar Conference and present their research. The papers they presented are “Target Shape Reconstruction From Multi-Perspective Shadows in Drone-Borne SAR Systems” and “Design of Convolutional Neural Networks for Classification of Ships from ISAR Images.” Life Fellow Fumio Koyama and IEEE Fellow Constance J. Chang-Hasnain proudly display their IEEE Nick Holonyak, Jr. Medal for Semiconductor Optoelectronic Technologies at this year’s IEEE Honors Ceremony. They are accompanied by IEEE President-Elect Kathleen Kramer and IEEE President Tom Coughlin.Robb Cohen IEEE Nick Holonyak Jr. Medal for Semiconductor Optoelectronic Technologies The IEEE Nick Holonyak Jr. Medal for Semiconductor Optoelectronic Technologies was created with a memorial fund supported by some of Holonyak’s former graduate students to honor his work as a professor and mentor. Presented on behalf of the IEEE Board of Directors, the medal recognizes outstanding contributions to semiconductor optoelectronic devices and systems including high-energy-efficiency semiconductor devices and electronics. Holonyak was a prolific inventor and longtime professor of electrical engineering and physics. In 1962, while working as a scientist at General Electric’s Advanced Semiconductor Laboratory in Syracuse, N.Y., he invented the first practical visible-spectrum LED and laser diode. His innovations are the basis of the devices now used in high-efficiency light bulbs and laser diodes. He left GE in 1963 to join the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as a professor of electrical engineering and physics at the invitation of John Bardeen, his Ph.D. advisor and a two-time Nobel Prize winner in physics. Holonyak retired from UIUC in 2013 but continued research collaborations at the university with young faculty members. “In addition to his remarkable technical contributions, he was an excellent teacher and mentor to graduate students and young electrical engineers,” says Russell Dupuis, one of his doctoral students. “The impact of his innovations has improved the lives of most people on the earth, and this impact will only increase with time. It was my great honor to be one of his students and to help create this important IEEE medal to ensure that his work will be remembered in the future.” The award was presented for the first time at this year’s IEEE Honors Ceremony, in Boston, to IEEE Fellow Constance Chang-Hasnain and Life Fellow Fumio Koyama for “pioneering contributions to vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) and VCSEL-based photonics for optical communications and sensing.” Establishing a memorial fund through the IEEE Foundation is a gratifying way to recognize someone who has touched your life while also advancing technology for humanity. If you are interested in learning more about memorial and tribute funds, reach out to the IEEE Foundation team: donate@ieee.org. Full Article Ieee awards Ieee foundation Ieee products and services Memorial fund Type:ti
fun Can Fungi Save This Endangered Hawaiian Tree? By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Wed, 30 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000 By inoculating greenhouse na’u seedlings with mycorrhizal fungi, researchers hope to boost survival odds when the plants are returned to the wild Full Article
fun This Parasitic Fungus Turns Flies Into Zombie Insects By www.smithsonianmag.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 13:00:00 +0000 The pathogen takes over the brains of its hosts and controls them for its own sinister ends Full Article
fun Joe Walsh Rending Garments Over Pete Hegseth Made X Fun Again By twitchy.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500 Full Article <![CDATA[Donald Trump]]> <![CDATA[election]]> <![CDATA[Joe Walsh]]>
fun The Best Diaper Bag That Is Chic and Functional -- LeSportsac, Herschel, Rebecca Minkoff and More By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 11 Aug 2020 21:26:51 PDT Shop stylish diaper bags that busy moms won't mind carrying. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] Full Article Shopping
fun Air quality problems spur $200 million in funds to cut pollution at ports By arstechnica.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 14:27:15 +0000 Diesel equipment will be replaced with hydrogen- or electric-power gear. Full Article Policy Science carbon emissions climate change inflation reduction act pollution syndication
fun NYC Warns Migrants Funding for Upstate Hotel Rooms Is Ending By www.breitbart.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:53:43 +0000 Officials in New York City have quietly told hundreds of migrants that the city will stop funding hotels in upstate Albany in December. The post NYC Warns Migrants Funding for Upstate Hotel Rooms Is Ending appeared first on Breitbart. Full Article Economy Immigration Politics Denver Donald Trump Eric Adams illegal aliens Migrants Mike Johnston New York City
fun How Scott Bessent Fought The Left While Working in George Soros's Hedge Fund By www.breitbart.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 22:51:11 +0000 One of the leading contenders to be Donald Trump's Treasury Secretary cut his teeth in the belly of the beast: George Soros's hedge fund. The post How Scott Bessent Fought The Left While Working in George Soros’s Hedge Fund appeared first on Breitbart. Full Article Economy Politics George Soros treasury secretary
fun Musical duo Simon & Garfunkel recently had emotional reunion after years of silence By www.cbc.ca Published On :: Mon, 11 Nov 2024 09:48:55 EST The sound of silence, no more: Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel, who as folk duo Simon & Garfunkel were one of the most popular American musical acts of the 20th century, recently reunited after years without speaking. Full Article News/Entertainment
fun Alberta government fires AIMCo board, four top executives, in 'reset' for pension fund manager By www.cbc.ca Published On :: Thu, 07 Nov 2024 16:13:46 EST The province says the move comes "after years of AIMCo consistently failing to meet its mandated benchmark returns." For now, Finance Minister Nate Horner has been appointed the AIMCo board's sole director and chair. Senior public servant Ray Gilmour has been appointed interim CEO. Full Article News/Canada/Edmonton
fun Fund for regions rebranded By www.weeklytimesnow.com.au Published On :: Mon, 20 Jun 2016 14:00:00 GMT THE Coalition’s pet fund for regional development projects will be rebranded and criteria changed to exclude outer metropolitan suburbs. Full Article
fun FDA Funding: Agency Mission “At Risk”, Says Alliance President By www.fdamatters.com Published On :: Thu, 28 Feb 2013 19:56:17 +0000 FDA’s mission is “at risk” because of inadequate funding. So says Alliance for a Stronger FDA President Diane Dorman, testifying before the FDA Science Board. Her remarks come 5 years after the Science Board made a similar declaration, concluding that decades of underfunding had left FDA without the resources to fulfill its mandate and make science-based decisions. Congress responded with more monies for the agency, but since then the FDA’s workload has increased even faster. The current threat to FDA comes from two sources: four major new laws to implement since 2009; and changes in the environment in which FDA operates, notably acceleration of globalization and increasing scientific complexity. Ms. Dorman’s remarks are reprinted below. If you care about FDA, FDA Matters urges you to read her testimony, go to the Alliance’s site (www.StrengthenFDA.org) and join. Full Article Drug Approval and Access FDA and Congress FDA and Industry FDA Appropriations
fun Funding Cutbacks at FDA: A Sequester Primer By www.fdamatters.com Published On :: Thu, 07 Mar 2013 17:59:38 +0000 At a time when FDA’s responsibilities continue to grow rapidly, the agency has been caught in an across-the-board reduction (sequester) in federal discretionary spending, effective March 2, 2013. Although Congress may yet reverse course and restore money to affected federal agencies, this is not considered a high probability. Altogether, FDA will lose about $209 million between now and September 30, 2013. This will reduce inspections, slow drug and device approvals, and restrict implementation of the Food Safety Modernization Act and other recent legislation. Because of the many questions about the process and outcome, this is FDA Matters’ primer on the sequester of FDA funds. Full Article FDA and Congress FDA Appropriations Planning for FDA's Future
fun Lessons From A Private Funding Round: Science, Relationships, And Experience By lifescivc.com Published On :: Tue, 02 Apr 2024 11:00:46 +0000 By Mike Cloonan, CEO of Sionna Therapeutics, as part of the From The Trenches feature of LifeSciVC An insightful piece on this blog following the JPM healthcare conference noted the “refreshing burst of enthusiasm” in the biotech sector. It’s true The post Lessons From A Private Funding Round: Science, Relationships, And Experience appeared first on LifeSciVC. Full Article Biotech financing From The Trenches Fundraising CFTR Sionna Therapeutics
fun Preview of Enrollment Analytics: Moving Beyond the Funnel (Shameless DIA Self-Promotion, Part 2) By www.placebocontrol.com Published On :: Fri, 21 Jun 2013 16:59:00 +0000 Are we looking at our enrollment data in the right way? I will be chairing a session on Tuesday on this topic, joined by a couple of great presenters (Diana Chung from Gilead and Gretchen Goller from PRA). Here's a short preview of the session: Hope to see you there. It should be a great discussion. Session Details: June 25, 1:45PM - 3:15PM Session Number: 241 Room Number: 205B 1. Enrollment Analytics: Moving Beyond the Funnel Paul Ivsin VP, Consulting Director CAHG Clinical Trials 2. Use of Analytics for Operational Planning Diana Chung, MSc Associate Director, Clinical Operations Gilead 3. Using Enrollment Data to Communicate Effectively with Sites Gretchen Goller, MA Senior Director, Patient Access and Retention Services PRA Full Article DIA metrics patient recruitment
fun Megafund versus Megalosaurus: Funding Drug Development By www.placebocontrol.com Published On :: Mon, 13 Jan 2014 04:36:00 +0000 This new 10-minute TEDMED talk is getting quite a bit of attention: (if embedded video does not work, try the TED site itself.) In it, Roger Stein claims to have created an approach to advancing drugs through clinical trials that will "fundamentally change the way research for cancer and lots of other things gets done". Because the costs of bringing a drug to market are so high, time from discovery to marketing is so long, and the chances of success of any individual drug are so grim, betting on any individual drug is foolish, according to Stein. Instead, risks for a large number of potential assets should be pooled, with the eventual winners paying for the losers. To do this, Stein proposes what he calls a "megafund" - a large collection of assets (candidate therapies). Through some modeling and simulations, Stein suggests some of the qualities of an ideal megafund: it would need in the neighborhood of $3-15 billion to acquire and manage 80-150 drugs. A fund of this size and with these assets would be able to provide an equity yield of about 12%, which would be "right in the investment sweet spot of pension funds and 401(k) plans". Here's what I find striking about those numbers: let's compare Stein's Megafund to everyone's favorite Megalosaurus, the old-fashioned Big Pharma dinosaur sometimes known as Pfizer: Megafund (Stein) Megalosaurus (Pfizer) Funding $3-15 billion $9 billion estimated 2013 R&D spend Assets 80-150 81 (in pipeline, plus many more in preclinical) Return on Equity 12% (estimated) 9.2% (last 10 years) to 13.2% (last 5) Since Pfizer's a dinosaur, it can't possibly compete withthe sleek, modern Megafund, right? Right? These numbers look remarkably similar. Pfizer - and a number of its peers - are spending Megafund-sized budget each year to shepherd through a Megafund-sized number of compounds. (Note many of Pfizer's peers have substantially fewer drugs in their published pipelines, but they own many times more compounds - the pipeline is just the drugs what they've elected to file an IND on.) What am I missing here? I understand that a fund is not a company, and there may be some benefits to decoupling asset management decisions from actual operations, but this won't be a tremendous gain, and would presumably be at least partially offset by increased transaction costs (Megafund has to source, contract, manage, and audit vendors to design and run all its trials, after all, and I don't know why I'd think it could do that any more cheaply than Big Pharma can). And having a giant drug pipeline's go/no go decisions made by "financial engineers" rather than pharma industry folks would seem like a scenario that's only really seen as an upgrade by the financial engineers themselves. A tweet from V.S. Schulz pointed me to a post on Derek Lowe's In the Pipeline blog. which lead to a link to this paper by Stein and 2 others in Nature Biotechnology from a year and a half ago. The authors spend most of their time differentiating themselves from other structures in the technical, financial details rather than explaining why megafund would work better at finding new drugs. However, they definitely think this is qualitatively different from existing pharma companies, and offer a couple reasons. First, [D]ebt financing can be structured to be more “patient” than private or public equity by specifying longer maturities; 10- to 20-year maturities are not atypical for corporate bonds. ... Such long horizons contrast sharply with the considerably shorter horizons of venture capitalists, and the even shorter quarterly earnings cycle and intra-daily price fluctuations faced by public companies. I'm not sure where this line of though is coming from. Certainly all big pharma companies' plans extend decades into the future - there may be quarterly earnings reports to file, but that's a force exerted far more on sales and marketing teams than on drug development. The financing of pharmaceutical development is already extremely long term. Even in the venture-backed world, Stein and team are wrong if they believe there is pervasive pressure to magically deliver drugs in record time. Investors and biotech management are both keenly aware of the tradeoffs between speed and regulatory success. Even this week's came-from-nowhere Cinderella story, Intercept Pharmaceuticals, was founded with venture money over a decade ago - these "longer maturities" are standard issue in biotech. We aren't making iPhone apps here, guys. Second, Although big pharma companies are central to the later stages of drug development and the marketing and distributing of approved drugs, they do not currently play as active a role at the riskier preclinical and early stages of development Again, I'm unsure why this is supposed to be so. Of Pfizer's 81 pipeline compounds, 55 are in Phase 1 or 2 - a ratio that's pretty heavy on early, risky project, and that's not too different from industry as a whole. Pfizer does not publish data on the number of compounds it currently has undergoing preclinical testing, but there's no clear reason I can think of to assume it's a small number. So, is Megafund truly a revolutionary idea, or is it basically a mathematical deck-chair-rearrangement for the "efficiencies of scale" behemoths we've already got? [Image: the world's first known dino, Megalosaurus, via Wikipedia.] Full Article big pharma drug development Pfizer
fun SAS Samples62362: Estimate and test differences, ratios, contrasts, or other functions of means in generalized linear models By Published On :: Fri, 23 Aug 2024 15:52:01 EST Full Article STAT+SAS/STAT
fun Taboo or not? Man's funeral-themed birthday celebration sparks controversy By www.asiaone.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 17:58:00 +0800 As a group of friends circled a hearse, chants were heard. Then, they stopped and bowed to the portrait displayed at the front of the vehicle. This was not a typical Buddhist funeral, but rather the unconventional birthday celebration of a funeral director, reported Shin Min Daily News. According to the Chinese evening daily, a video circulating online showed the friends chanting a birthday song. The hearse's interior had been decorated with balloons and a birthday banner, with the man even laying inside for photos. The clip garnered criticism from netizens, with some deeming it overboard and disrespectful to the funeral industry. In an interview with Shin Min, director of Xin An Funeral Services Chen Weisong (transliteration) explained that he had celebrated his birthday at the company's premises with his friends and family last week. Halfway through the performances by singers, his employees and business partners had surprised him with the birthday-themed hearse bearing his portrait. Chen told 8world he was not angry and did not think it was taboo. "I was too embarrassed to turn down their gesture," he said. Full Article
fun 114010: monitoring Pakistan's coalition support funds By www.thehindu.com Published On :: Thu, 26 May 2011 06:04:20 +0530 Pending post verification are claims that total $279 million for the March-May 2007 period. The areas of greatest concern to us include costs for helicopter operations ($83 million annually), radar maintenance ($65 million annually) and Joint Staff operations ($5 million annually). Full Article The Cables
fun 233602: Finance minister Tarin on budgets, CSF dollar fund, and Pakistan's improving economic outlook By www.thehindu.com Published On :: Thu, 26 May 2011 06:04:35 +0530 Tarin requested that an additional $500 million of U.S. assistance flow through the GOP - in addition to the $174 million already committed - to bolster GOP credibility and allow the GOP to more adequately support its priorities. Full Article The Cables
fun 134295: fixing coalition support funding to Pakistan By www.thehindu.com Published On :: Thu, 26 May 2011 06:04:44 +0530 Between August 2006 and July 2007, we received a claim for 26 million USD in barbed wire and pickets. While these items are no doubt helpful in protecting outposts, the claim figures are highly suspect. Full Article The Cables
fun Data | How election fund was spent during 2021 State polls By www.thehindu.com Published On :: Sun, 10 Oct 2021 01:12:58 +0530 The AIADMK spent the highest share in spreading the party’s propaganda (99.5%) and relied only on media and advertisements Full Article Data
fun Data | How regional parties in India are funded? By www.thehindu.com Published On :: Tue, 07 Dec 2021 18:54:01 +0530 Total income for the selected regional parties in FY20 amounted to ₹803.24 crore, of which 55% was from unknown sources Full Article Data
fun Fund woes to hit Australian post-winter bitumen imports By www.argusmedia.com Published On :: 08 Nov 2024 10:58 GMT Full Article Asphalt Australia New Zealand Demand Supply Weather trends
fun Don't 'Jeopardize Free Speech That Is Fundamental' to Harvard, Says Prof By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Jan 24, 2024 Jan 24, 2024 In this Q&A, Joseph S. Nye talks about his advice for the interim and future president of Harvard in the wake of Claudine Gay's resignation, which countries should be highest on our radar to prevent the threat of nuclear war, what role the U.S. should play in the Russia-Ukraine war, the significance of U.S. alliances in the Middle East, and more. Full Article
fun Event Debrief: Advancing Equitable Clean Technology Investment Through the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund By www.belfercenter.org Published On :: Mar 18, 2024 Mar 18, 2024 Harvard Kennedy School hosted Jahi Wise, Senior Adviser to the Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to discuss the design and implementation of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a historic investment in American clean energy technology finance. Full Article
fun Research From Robert Half, FEI Examines Trends, Reveals Standards in Finance and Accounting - Benchmarking the Accounting & Finance Function: 2014 By www.multivu.com Published On :: 13 May 2014 12:08:00 EDT Benchmarking the Accounting & Finance Function: 2014 Full Article Banking Financial Services Workforce Management Human Resources Broadcast Feed Announcements Survey Polls & Research MultiVu Video
fun Institutional investors' shifting allocation strategies are driving hedge funds towards new products - EY�s Natalie Deak on how hedge fund managers are pursuing growth By www.multivu.com Published On :: 03 Nov 2014 13:40:00 EST EY�s Natalie Deak on how hedge fund managers are pursuing growth Full Article Banking Financial Services Economic news trends analysis Broadcast Feed Announcements Survey Polls & Research MultiVu Video
fun Nuelle Partners with Indiegogo Fundraising Platform to Launch Fiera� Arouser for Her - About Fiera� Arouser for Her� Overview By www.multivu.com Published On :: 02 Feb 2016 15:45:00 EST Nuelle� Chief Commercial Officer Lesa Musatto briefly shares why Fiera� was created, its benefits and how it works. Full Article Household Consumer Cosmetics New Products Services Women-related News Broadcast Feed Announcements Survey Polls & Research MultiVu Video
fun General Mills Celebrates 150 Years of Innovation, Invention, Food and Fun - #GeneralMills150 in :50 Seconds By www.multivu.com Published On :: 12 Feb 2016 11:18:00 EST #GeneralMills150 in :50 Seconds Full Article Food Beverages Household Consumer Cosmetics Retail Supermarkets Household Products (vacuum cleaners supplies etc) New Products Services Broadcast Feed Announcements MultiVu Video
fun Zoo Knoxville Launches Wildly Fun New Brand And Announces Gorilla Pregnancy - Obi and Ubuntu Swinging By www.multivu.com Published On :: 26 Feb 2016 14:50:00 EST Born on May 28, 2015, Obi was the first of Zoo Knoxville�s gorilla babies. She�s a natural gymnast who loves to climb. Obi�s name means �heart.� Ubuntu arrived on June 2, 2015. He's all boy and particularly enjoys pestering his half-sister Obi. Full Article Travel Amusement Parks and Tourist Attractions Not for Profit Broadcast Feed Announcements Animals Pets MultiVu Video
fun President George H.W. Bush Joins Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) to Present First-Ever George H.W. Bush Vamos A Pescar™ Education Fund Grants - Broll footage and soundbites from a Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundat By www.multivu.com Published On :: 18 Apr 2016 14:35:00 EDT Broll footage and soundbites from a Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF) event at the George Bush Presidential Library on Thursday, April 14, 2016, in College Station, Texas. RBFF is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, thereby protecting and restoring the nation�s aquatic natural resources. Full Article Education Sports New Products Services Hispanic-oriented News Broadcast Feed Announcements MultiVu Video
fun PetSafe� Brand to Award More Than $250,000 to Help 25 Communities Fund and Maintain Off-Leash Dog Parks - PetSafe� Bark for Your Park� Video By www.multivu.com Published On :: 12 May 2016 11:35:00 EDT Learn more about the 2016 PetSafe� Bark for Your Park� grant-giving program in this video. Full Article Household Consumer Cosmetics Broadcast Feed Announcements Animals Pets MultiVu Video
fun ¿Sientes que el cuidado de belleza te frustra más que funciona durante el verano? - Consejos de belleza para el verano By www.dove.us Published On :: 28 Jul 2015 17:15:00 EDT Consejos de belleza para el verano Full Article Artículos del hogar Artículos de consumo Cosméticos Cosméticos y Cuidado Personal Noticias para la comunidad hispana Estados Unidos de América
fun Cancer Research Funded by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Featured in New PBS Documentary Series - Someday Is Today By www.multivu.com Published On :: 23 Feb 2015 11:00:00 EST The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society exists to find cures and ensure access to treatments for blood cancer patients. We are saving lives not someday, but today. Full Article Healthcare Hospitals Medical Pharmaceuticals Publishing Information Services Television Broadcast Feed Announcements MultiVu Video
fun L'Oreal Paris and Melanoma Research Alliance (MRA) Unveil It's THAT Worth It To Me, a Public Health Campaign and Social Media Call-to-Action that Drives Melanoma Awareness, Raises Funding for Research and Encourages Sun Protection and Sunless Tann By www.multivu.com Published On :: 04 May 2015 20:50:00 EDT Eva Longoria :30 English Full Article Healthcare Hospitals Retail Cosmetics & Personal Care New Products Services Broadcast Feed Announcements MultiVu Video
fun #pass4prostate Challenge Raises Prostate Cancer Awareness and Research Funds - Nick Cummins promotes #pass4prostate By www.multivu.com Published On :: 06 Aug 2015 10:50:00 EDT Qantas Wallabies player Nick Cummins promotes the #pass4prostate challenge and USA vs. Australia match coming up on Sept. 5 in Chicago. #pass4prostate and the match are presented by Astellas Pharma Full Article Healthcare Hospitals Internet Technology Medical Pharmaceuticals Sports Social Media Broadcast Feed Announcements Corporate Social Responsibility MultiVu Video