20 Tenets to Help Women Lead Purposeful, Successful Lives Revealed in The Woman Code
Morning Joe Host & Author of Know Your Value, Mika Brzezinski, Pens Foreword
Washington, D.C., May 10, 2021 — The pandemic forced everyone to pivot and re-prioritize, and for many women, that meant putting themselves last. Now, more than ever, women need to know their value, recognize their worth and fill their own cups first.
“Women are the soul of what keeps the world going. We keep our families, our companies, our communities and our nations intact,” explains Sophia A. Nelson, acclaimed journalist and author of The Woman Code: 20 Powerful Keys to Unlock Your Life (April 2021, Health Communications).
Named one of the most inspirational books by Woman’s Day in 2015-2017, this transformative book is updated with new insights about the profound economic and societal shifts that have changed our world since the pandemic. Nelson guides women through living out a powerful life Code that will lead them to purposeful, meaningful and authentically successful lives.
Every woman lives by a Code, whether she realizes it or not. It informs how she treats herself and others and how far she is willing to go in order to find success. Nelson calls on women to examine whether the Code they’re living by is truly helping them create the lives they desire. A senior columnist for USA Today and a frequent commentator on CNN, Nelson reveals 20 powerful Codes including:
Know Your Value
Be Resilient
Choose Your Thoughts and Words Wisely
Lift Other Women as You Climb
Practice Love, Laughter, Loyalty
With life quotes from philosophers and poets, mystics and her maternal grandmother, plus her experience as a Black woman rising through the ranks of a male-dominated news industry, The Woman Code is an essential tool of transformation for women to enjoy in reading groups, retreats and Bible study groups. It will help women honor themselves while navigating the demands of work, home, family and friendship no matter what their age or stage in life.
About the Author
Sophia A. Nelson is an award-winning American author and journalist who appears regularly on CNN’s Inside Politics and Newsroom as a legal and political analyst. She is an adjunct professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia.
Nelson covered former First Lady Michelle Obama at the White House from 2010–2012. The author appears frequently on CNN and has been a contributor to MSNBC, NBC, Fox News, the BBC, ABC World News with Diane Sawyer and the Today show. She writes for The Huffington Post Healthy Living and The Daily Beast. She has also contributed to USA Today, Essence, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post. She is the author of The Woman Code, Black Woman Redefined, and E Pluribus ONE.
Should a Person with Autism Be Allowed to Become a Professional Boxer and Put His Life at Risk?
Forest, VA, May 10, 2021― It’s a struggle that parents of children with special needs face every day and well into that child’s adulthood: how much decision-making latitude is safe?
NOKI is an empowering story from Douglas Farrago, MD, about a young man with autism who wants to become a professional boxer. Life’s circumstances have dictated the reason for him choosing this path. The lawless world of boxing has its reasons for embracing Noki and his abilities. And they are not good ones. So, the debate wages on: Should Noki be allowed to make the life-altering decision to enter the ring and put his life on the line?
Meanwhile, what few know is that Noki is actually a savant and can imitate and transform himself into any legendary boxer he wants — a plot twist that allows NOKI to pay homage to some of the greatest boxers of all time.
Dr. Farrago draws upon his experiences as an All-American collegiate boxer, a sports medicine trainer for professional boxers in Houston and his decades-long career in medicine during which he worked with autism patients to lend authenticity to his characters and narrative.
“Noki becomes somewhat of a hero to those with special needs in this story, which I think is pretty cool,” he said. “I felt it would be nice if a story showed that those with autism don’t need to be anything but themselves, and maybe it is the rest of us who need to change.”
Ultimately, NOKI is a heartwarming story that will spark real conversations about the limits that society places on people with special needs. Knowingly or not.
Author Douglas Farrago, MD, is board certified in the specialty of Family Practice. Recently retired, he had a large following of autistic and special needs patients in his career. Dr. Farrago is the inventor of the Knee Saver, which is currently in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The Knee Saver and its knock-offs are worn by many major league baseball catchers. He also invented the CryoHelmet, used by athletes for head injuries as well as migraine sufferers.
Dr. Farrago received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Virginia in 1987, his Master of Education degree in Exercise Science from the University of Houston in 1990 and his Medical Degree from the University of Texas at Houston in 1994. His residency training occurred way up north at the Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. Dr. Farrago still blogs every day on his website Authenticmedicine.com and lectures worldwide about the present crisis in our healthcare system and the effect it has on the doctor-patient relationship. Dr. Farrago has written six books to date, his latest one being NOKI.
Ogena Solutions launches ozone-free air purifier proven to kill over 99% of airborne viruses
With safety established by CARB-approval and UL2998 certification, the ozone-free air purifier attacks respiratory droplets and exposed surfaces missed by hand cleaning or HEPA filters
STONEY CREEK, Ontario, May 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ogena Solutions, a long-time trusted veteran in leading biosecurity practices, is excited to launch the OgenaShield Air Purifier by Puraclenz. Applying an advanced and patented version of the same technology used to clean air in the International Space Station, the OgenaShield Air Purifier by Puraclenz is one of the most technologically advanced, affordable air purifiers on the market.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has underscored the need for effective air purifying solutions, especially in workplaces and where people congregate. This newly advanced and completely ozone-free system combines UV light with a patented catalyst cell to effectively and efficiently break down and destroy viruses in the air and on exposed surfaces,” says Ogena Solutions President and Founder Dave Hachey.
Third-party tests show that the OgenaShield Air Purifier by Puraclenz kills over 99% of the MS2 Bacteriophage (MS2) virus, an accepted surrogate of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes the coronavirus disease COVID-19. The MS2 virus qualified as a surrogate virus since it is a type of virus that is far more difficult to kill than the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well as influenza, norovirus, and the common cold.
The California Air Resource Board (CARB) has approved the OgenaShield Air Purifier by Puraclenz as safe for use in the presence of people and animals. CARB is widely accepted as the world’s gold standard for measuring indoor air quality. The air purifiers also have a UL2998 certification for being completely ozone free.
“We take safety very, very seriously. Since day one of our business, our mission at Ogena Solutions has always been to safeguard animals, people and the environment from pathogens and infectious diseases. We don’t allow any products to enter the market until they’ve been thoroughly tested,” says Hachey.
The air purifier is a partnership with the innovative changemakers at Puraclenz. The newly patented technology behind their air purifiers leverages the power of an advanced form of photocatalytic oxidation (PCO). Unlike most air purifiers, the design does not require viruses to pass through the unit but instead the units increase the number of (already present) positive and negative ions in the air where they deactivate and kill pathogens.
In addition, most air purifiers on the market offer no surface deactivation. The OgenaShield Air Purifier by Puraclenz units kill over 60% of viruses on exposed surfaces – a huge game changer for critical sanitization protocols across all types of businesses.
Ogena Solutions offers three air purifier units with coverage ranging from 500 sq. ft. to 3,000 sq. ft. All are commercial grade and ideal for use in businesses such as gyms, doctor/dental offices, lunchrooms, cafeterias, restaurants, schools, senior housing, manufacturing offices and even agriculture worker housing — basically any type of business establishment.
Our compact and easy-to-install units plug into standard wall outlets and come complete with a wall and ceiling mounting bracket. Some of the key features and benefits of the air purifiers include:
Purifies air and surfaces continuously 24/7.
Eliminates dangerous pathogens.
Single unit coverage of up to 3,000 sq. ft. (30,000 cubic feet) and over multiple rooms, dramatically reducing the number of units needed for full coverage.
Approved as safe for use in the presence of people and animals by the California Air Resource Board. CARB is widely accepted as the world's gold standard for measuring indoor air quality.
UL2998 certification for being completely ozone free.
Long lasting, easy to change UV lamp provides 2.5 years of continuous protection.
Elegant and compact design
Very low operating cost
The units start at $299 USD ($399 CAD), making this product one of the most affordable air purifiers on the market. For more information, visit www.ogenasolutions.com.
AboutOgena Solutions Over the past 16-plus years, Ogena Solutions has forged an identity as one of the most respected animal health biosecurity companies in North America and has been expanding its knowledge and experience into the human health sector. Following a ‘One Health’ philosophy, Ogena Solutions offers innovative, state-of-the-art products and technologies that meet the highest standards for efficacy, efficiency, and safety, providing best-in-class solutions for government agencies, corporations, and small businesses throughout the continent.
Media Cont
Famous Feline Shares Heartwarming Journey from Shelter Kitty to Social Media Sensation
Chicago, IL, May 10, 2021 — From spa days and birthday parties, to playing dress-up and Target “shopping,” the humanlike antics of an affable ginger tabby named Carrot have been shared with the famous feline’s nearly 300K Instagram followers, capturing the attention of human celebs like Ellen DeGeneres and Katie Couric.
The social media sensation is now giving readers a glimpse into a year in her furry, fun-filled life in her new book, Diary of the Cat Named Carrot, an uplifting,instantly stress-reducing story told from Carrot’s perspective.
From her humble beginnings as a tiny orange stray to being welcomed into a loving family—including Erin Merryn and her young girls Abby, Hannah and baby Claire—through her rise to internet stardom, Diary of the Cat Named Carrot chronicles her remarkable journey.
Carrot lived in the same shelter that had once housed the family’s previous internet star, Bailey, whose adventures were featured in Bailey,No Ordinary Cat. Much like Bailey had, Carrot loves spending time with her human family partaking in typically human pastimes: making mischief with her girl gang; joyriding in a pint-sized pink Barbie Jeep; doing arts and crafts; modeling a pink tutu and flowery headband; enjoying a spa day complete with fluffy robe and cucumber eye treatments; and celebrating Christmas, Easter and every holiday in between. It’s no wonder Carrot’s videos have gone viral—garnering attention from Ellen, the Dodo, Good Morning America, Access Hollywood, People and many other media outlets.
Diary of the Cat Named Carrot is packed with color photos that will leave readers purring with delight. The journal of this sweet, adorable kitty with personality to spare shows us that the human-animal bond runs more than fur deep. It is a love that will last a lifetime.
Erin Merryn is an author, activist, speaker, wife and mom to three girls—Abby, Hannah and Claire—and a fur baby named Carrot. She was named Glamour Magazine Woman of the Year in 2012 and a People magazine Hero Among Us for her tireless work promoting Erin's Law nationwide with a mission to keep our children safe by educating them about personal body safety. She is the author of Bailey, No Ordinary Cat,Stolen Innocence,Living for Today and An Unimaginable Act.
Limestone Announces Update on Ebbtide Acquisition and Concurrent Financing
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
COLLINGWOOD, Ontario, May 10, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Limestone® Boat Company ("Limestone" or the "Company") (TSXV: BOAT), a heritage brand recently re-launched with new ownership, ideals and a revamped model line-up, is pleased to announce an update to its previously announced proposed acquisition of Ebbtide Holdings, LLC ("Ebbtide") of White Bluff, Tennessee (the "Acquisition") and the previously announced proposed offering of up to $17.0 million aggregate principal amount of 10% convertible subordinated unsecured debentures of the Company through a non-brokered private placement (the "Offering").
Acquisition of Ebbtide
In consideration for all of the issued and outstanding securities of Ebbtide, Limestone has agreed to pay the existing Ebbtide members, as part of the consideration for their Member Units, $2.5M USD of common shares of Limestone, at a price of CDN$0.33 per share, resulting in the issuance of 9,302,256 common shares of Limestone to the Ebbtide members, subject to certain lock-up protections.
“We are grateful for the support of the investment community and the Ebbtide stakeholders, in the belief in our vision for Limestone. Our management team and Board of Directors are working hard to position Limestone to become a top boat builder in North America,” said Telfer Hanson, Chairman of Limestone.
Limestone intends to close the Offering on or about May 12, 2021 followed by the closing of the Acquisition on or about May 13, 2021. The change to the time of closing for each of these transactions, from that previously announced, is not expected to negatively impact the operations of the Company. Each of the Offering and the Acquisition remain subject to customary conditions for closing including approval from the TSX Venture Exchange.
About Limestone
Limestone is a North American designer and manufacturer of recreational and commercial powerboats. Limestone is a heritage brand with a 35-year legacy, renowned for its timeless design, big water performance, quality manufacturing and durability. Crafted in a centrally located manufacturing facility in Tennessee, Limestone features an evolved and expanded product line that will appeal to a growing number of boaters coast to coast.
Limestone is a brand focused Company, dedicated to the wellbeing of all stakeholders, including our customers, employees and shareholders. It is with great pride that the Company continues to expand the legacy of Limestone boats and its original designer, Mark Ellis of Connecticut. Scott Hanson, Mark Ellis and the Limestone design team have worked diligently to modernize the Limestone configurations, designs, adding outboard power, while maintaining the original hull design that has made the Limestone brand famous for its’ big water performance. Please visit www.limestoneboats.com to see the new designs.
Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release.
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words “anticipate”, “believe”, “could” “should”, “would”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “indicate”, “intend”, “likely”, “may”, “plan”, “potential”, “project”, “outlook”, “seek”, “target”, “trend” or “will” and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the parties’ current belief or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, there are no assurances that the transactions will be completed on the terms or timeframe indicated herein or at all. If these transactions are ultimately completed, the Company will be subject to a number of risks relating to integration and go-forward operations, certain of which are more particularly described in the Company's public filings available on SEDAR. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof and the parties are not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.
Many factors could cause actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements or future events or developments to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. All the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and other cautionary statements or factors in this press release. There can be no assurance that the actual results or developments will be realized or, even if substantially realized, will have the expected consequences to, or effects on, the Company. Unless required by applicable securities law, the Company does not intend and does not assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
The securities forming part of the Offering have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”) and may not be offered or sold in the United States or to, or for the account or benefit of, “U.S. persons” (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. The securities may be offered in the United States to Qualified Institutional Buyers (as defined in Rule 144A under the 1933 Act) pursuant to exemptions from the registration requirements under rule 144A of the 1933 Act and to “accredited investors” as such term is defined in Rule 501(a)(1), (2), (3) or (7) of Regulation D promulgated under the 1933 Act. This news release will not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor will there be any sale of the securities in any State in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful.
Ontario's doctors grateful for Ontario's nurses
TORONTO, May 10, 2021 /CNW/ - This is Nursing Week and the Ontario Medical Association would like to recognize our nursing colleagues who are essential partners in providing quality care to patients.
Nurses have been on the front lines with doctors since the start of the pandemic and we appreciate the toll this has taken on them and us in terms of physical and emotional burnout.
Nurses and doctors have been tireless advocates for improving patient care. Throughout the pandemic we have worked collaboratively to advance health-system policy changes. We share the common goal of determining how to best to fully reopen the health-care system and deal with the pandemic deficit.
About the OMA
The Ontario Medical Association represents Ontario's 43,000-plus physicians, medical students and retired physicians, advocating for and supporting doctors while strengthening the leadership role of doctors in caring for patients. Our vision is to be the trusted voice in transforming Ontario's health-care system.
SOURCE Ontario Medical Association
Top NYC Doc: Let’s Crush COVID — Get Vaccinated!
New York, NY, May 10, 2021 —Do you miss hanging out with your friends? Want to see live sports or concerts? Done with Zoom? Then roll up your sleeves and get vaccinated, encourages top NYC plastic surgeon Dr. Richard Westreich.
He has joined the movement to help spread the truth about the efficacy and safety of the COVD-19 vaccines and to dispel misconceptions swirling on social media.
“If you’ve held off on getting a COVID-19 vaccine because you think it was created too quickly, this is definitely not the case,” Dr. Westreich says. “The vaccines have been more than three decades in the making. They were pulled off the shelf and used and began being developed for SARS-COVID-1 in 2003. This outbreak stopped and there was no need to continue. It was pulled off the shelf again in 2012 for the MERS outbreak; this was a very limited outbreak. Misinformation should not be a reason to not get vaccinated.”
He and his dedicated team have created fun and informative videos featuring familiar tunes with re-tooled lyrics to encourage more Americans to “crush COVID” by getting their vaccines.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported that 30 percent of the entire U.S. population is fully vaccinated and that more than 43 percent have received at least one dose. But medical experts agree that herd immunity is still a distant dream if more people can’t be persuaded to get the vaccine.
“Based on what we know, getting a COVID-19 vaccine also helps keep you from getting seriously ill even if you do get COVID-19 and will protect those around you,” Dr. Westreich adds. “My staff and I created these videos as a fun way to not only shed light on a serious situation, but also to spread very important awareness about the importance of getting the vaccine and to save lives.”
Dr. Richard Westreich graduated Magna Cum Laude with a B.A. in Biological Basis of Behavior, Neuroscience concentration in 1995 from the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his medical school training at the New York University School of Medicine in 1999 with an M.D. and Honors in Cell Biology Research. Dr. Westreich then did his post-graduate training in Facial Plastic Surgery and Otolaryngology at the prestigious Mt. Sinai Hospital in New York City.
He has been selected multiple times by Castle Connolly and New York magazine as one of the top doctors in facial plastic surgery. He is an assistant professor at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and is on staff at Lenox Hill and Mount Sinai Hospitals. He is a faculty member and teacher at a fellowship in Facial Plastic Surgery at Mount Sinai. His private practice is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, where he specializes in rhinoplasty, septoplasty, secondary and reconstructive rhinoplasty, facelifts, eyelid surgery and nonsurgical procedures.
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Benefits to support chronic disease management: Medavie Blue Cross launches exclusive Diabetes Care Program
Plan members gain exclusive access to an integrated digital program and coaching service that supports those at risk for, and living with, diabetes and related conditions
TORONTO, May 10, 2021 /CNW/ - Diabetes is one of the fastest growing chronic diseases in Canada1 with over 11 million people affected.2 To help address this growing health concern, Medavie Blue Cross has launched the Diabetes Care Program, a digital health solution that integrates personalized coaching, home delivery of test strips and glucose monitoring to support plan members living with diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol.
Research shows that most Canadians (70%) agree that virtual care represents the future, and that demand for more convenient virtual care services is on the rise.3 More specifically, virtual care can provide much-needed support for people living with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, who often need to engage with a healthcare practitioner multiple times a year.4
The Diabetes Care Program, available through the company's Connected Care digital health platform, provides plan members with exclusive access to Accu-Chek® + 360Care: Your Health Coach – designed in collaboration with Roche Diabetes Care Canada and Ellerca Health to help facilitate better health for those living with diabetes and related conditions. The program offers:
A "health concierge" to welcome members and help them learn about the program features and enrollment process, as well as get set up.
A Blue Tooth® Accu-Chek® Guide blood glucose meter, test strips and lancets, all delivered by mail.
Access to test strips, as required, which are automatically delivered to the person's home before they have run out helping to potentially lower benefit plan costs for supplies for members.
A personalized plan developed in consultation with the program's health professionals and coaches – registered nurses, certified diabetes educators, registered dietitians, registered psychologists and/or registered counsellors.
Ongoing access to the team of specialized health coaches via the mobile app with video, talk or text-based communication.
Health tracking through the mobile app, which draws data directly from the monitoring tool.
The Diabetes Care Program is part of Medavie's ongoing commitment to providing plan members with access to virtual tools to help them successfully navigate and manage their overall health, while building innovative solutions for chronic conditions, such as diabetes, that can drive benefits plan costs. The program aligns with the company's Managing Chronic Diseasebenefit, which provides coverage for specialized educators in lung health, heart health, quitting smoking and diabetes care.
Quotes
"Diabetes is a challenging chronic disease that requires consistent monitoring of nutrition and blood glucose levels, and a commitment to an often-challenging daily routine," said Marc Avaria, Vice President, Product and Disability Management at Medavie Blue Cross. "Our Diabetes Care Program is designed to improve the wellbeing of those living with, or at risk for, diabetes from the comfort of home. It's part of our broader approach to enabling better, more convenient access to education and care to help those managing chronic disease, all while balancing plan costs and sustainability."
"At Roche Diabetes Care, we are dedicated to offering integrated personalized diabetes management solutions to Canadians living with diabetes," said Jade Dagher, Head of Sub-Region Canada, Australia and New-Zealand for Roche Diabetes Care. "This collaboration with Medavie Blue Cross helps further our mission to provide peace of mind to those living with diabetes, helping them worry less about their daily treatment routines and enjoy life to the fullest."
"We know that people living with diabetes and other chronic illnesses are looking for ways to manage their health more efficiently," said Daniel Yeboah, Founder & General Manager of Ellerca Health. "By leveraging the technology, convenience and personalized support of 360Care™, our virtual diabetes clinic, with the Medavie Blue Cross Diabetes Care Program, we will have the opportunity to empower even more Canadians to take back control of their health."
About Medavie Blue Cross Medavie Blue Cross is a premier all-in-one carrier that provides health, dental, travel, life and disability benefits, and administers various federal and provincial government-sponsored health programs. Together with Medavie Health Services, we are part of Medavie, a health solutions partner committed to improving the wellbeing of Canadians.
We are one of Canada's Most Admired Corporate Cultures and recognized as an Imagine Canada Caring Company. As a not-for-profit organization, we are proud to commit an annual social dividend to the Medavie Health Foundation to support programs and initiatives aimed at addressing some of our country's most pressing physical and mental health care challenges.
Feds back probe of understudied gut nervous system Uribe wins NIH grant to study enteric nervous system development
HOUSTON – (May 10, 2021) – Rice University neurobiologist Rosa Uribe will be hitting the books for her latest study of the digestive system, but some of the pages in her books are a billion years old.
Uribe, an assistant professor of biosciences, has won a five-year, $2 million R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how the enteric nervous system forms.
If you didn't realize you had an enteric nervous system, you're not alone.
"Most people don't realize they have it until there's something wrong with it, and they have to go to the gastroenterologist," Uribe said. "It is basically the nervous system that resides within your entire gut. It is separate from your spinal cord, and it is separate from your brain. Meaning, it can function on its own to help move the food that you digest from one end of the gut the other in a healthy way."
Uribe, who was recruited to Rice in 2017 with a CPRIT Scholar grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, specializes in studying the development of the enteric nervous system. When that development goes awry, it can lead to chronic and sometimes life-threatening illnesses, including neuroblastoma, a common pediatric cancer, and Hirschsprung disease, a congenital condition that frequently causes chronic intestinal obstructions and severe constipation.
"We know an embarrassingly small amount of information about how the enteric nervous system forms," Uribe said. "We have a long way to go to understand the fundamental mechanisms of how it forms, and that's the major goal of this R01."
It is impossible to directly study the development of the enteric nervous system in humans. For ethical reasons, human embryos cannot be studied beyond the 14th day after fertilization, which is well before most of the development of the enteric nervous system takes place. Instead, Uribe and her students use zebrafish, small egg-laying fish whose translucent embryos develop outside the female's body. Using a variety of microscopes and genetic tools, Uribe and her students can peer directly inside the embryos and make detailed observations of the neural crest cells, the embryonic stem cells that give rise to the enteric nervous system.
During enteric nervous system development, neural crest cells migrate down the gut. At each step in their journey, they're prompted with biochemical cues that tell them whether to keep moving or stop, and what cells to become when they stop. The transformation from a malleable neural crest stem cell into a working neuron or one of the many other cell types in the enteric nervous system is a multistep process, and deciphering the mechanisms of this process is the main aim of the project.
The five-year study builds upon a major breakthrough Uribe's lab achieved in February with a new tool called single-cell transcriptomics, which allowed them to build the first open catalog of activated genes in neural crest cells at many stages on the enteric development path.
"It really is like a library, where you have both books and a catalog of what's in those books," Uribe said. "And when you open a book, you see the content and information within that book. But here in our situation, a book is a cell."
Single-cell transcriptomics creates the books in Uribe's library by measuring messenger RNA in a way that allows biologists to see which genes are activated in individual cells in a sample. In Uribe's case, the samples are surgically removed portions of zebrafish embryos in which neural crest cells are developing. Thanks to a proprietary process that dissociates, isolates and individually bar-codes each cell, Uribe's team was able to catch neural crest cells in the act becoming neurons or glial cells.
"We did this for about 100 embryos," Uribe said. "All of the cells were grouped in one single-cell suspension, and all of the data was mapped back to the zebrafish genome. We ended up with massive lists of genes that were either expressed or not expressed in those cells, and that has helped us start to see the bigger picture, because we're not looking at just one or two cells, we're looking at thousands of cells. And with the power of thousands of cells, you can pull out potentially interesting patterns about gene expression and how, in our case, a developing embryo forms itself."
"We will continue to leverage this for various questions for subpopulations of cells at different stages of development," she said. "For example, you can take an embryo and expose it to some type of experiment, like a pharmacological reagent or a genetic alteration, and then you can see what those changes do. Using the single-cell transcriptomic method, you can compare it to the books in your library and see how you're editing the story with those changes. What pages are different and how? And does it change the number and type of books in the library?"
https://news-network.rice.edu/news/files/2021/05/0510_CREST-jmru1-lg.jpg CAPTION: Rice University graduate student Joshua Moore examines zebrafish embryos with a microscope in the lab of Rice neurodevelopmental biologist Rosa Uribe (right). Uribe's lab recently won an R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study enteric nervous system development in zebrafish. (Photo by Brandon Martin/Rice University)
Follow Rice News and Media Relations via Twitter @RiceUNews.
Located on a 300-acre forested campus in Houston, Rice University is consistently ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy. With 3,978 undergraduates and 3,192 graduate students, Rice’s undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio is just under 6-to-1. Its residential college system builds close-knit communities and lifelong friendships, just one reason why Rice is ranked No. 1 for lots of race/class interaction and No. 1 for quality of life by the Princeton Review. Rice is also rated as a best value among private universities by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.
Trillium Therapeutics Reports First Quarter 2021 Operating and Financial Results
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., May 07, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Trillium Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ/TSX: TRIL), a clinical stage immuno-oncology company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer, today reported financial and operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2021. All financial amounts in this news release are in United States dollars, unless otherwise stated.
“Coming off an R&D Day last week, we are very excited to have launched a new chapter in Trillium’s evolution,” said Jan Skvarka, Trillium’s President and CEO. “Building on a robust foundation anchored in a demonstrated monotherapy proof of concept of TTI-622 and TTI-621 in multiple lymphoma indications, we have initiated an ambitious Phase 1b/2 program in nine patient settings across hematologic and solid tumor cancers. With a major transformation program that touched literally every aspect of our identity completed in 2020, and approximately $276 million in cash, we are very well positioned to execute the recently initiated Phase 1b/2 program, and generate a robust flow of new data over the next couple of years.”
First Quarter 2021 Financial Results
Cash position: As of March 31, 2021, Trillium had cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of $275.7 million, compared to $291.2 million at December 31, 2020. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities was due mainly to cash used in support of operating activities during the period.
Research and development expenses: Research and development expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2021 of $5.9 million were higher than the research and development expenses of $5.0 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase was due mainly to higher manufacturing costs to support our expanded clinical operations and higher clinical trial costs related to increased patient enrollment.
General and administrative expenses: General and administrative expenses for the three months ended March 31, 2021 of $5.4 million were lower than general and administrative expenses of $11.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The decrease is due mainly to a non-cash loss of $9.3 million on the revaluation of the deferred share unit liability in the prior period, partially offset by $2.1 million of increased stock-based compensation expense in the current period mainly relating to higher weighted average fair values of stock options outstanding and the fair valuation of stock options liabilities.
Net loss: Net loss for the three months ended March 31, 2021 of $10.9 million was lower than the loss of $16.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The net loss was lower due mainly to a non-cash loss of $9.3 million on the revaluation of the deferred share unit liability in the prior period. This was partially offset by higher stock-based compensation, manufacturing, and clinical trial expenses.
About Trillium Therapeutics
Trillium is an immuno-oncology company developing innovative therapies for the treatment of cancer. The company’s two clinical programs, TTI-622 and TTI-621, target CD47, a “don’t eat me” signal that cancer cells frequently use to evade the immune system.
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable United States federal securities laws and forward-looking information within the meaning of Canadian securities laws (collectively, “forward-looking statements”). The use of words such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “endeavor,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of such words or other similar expressions can be used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding the therapeutic potential and monotherapy activity of our programs, our clinical development plans and our expectations with respect to initiating Phase 1b/2 studies in hematological and solid tumor malignancies, and the expected timing of the release of further data on Trillium’s TTI-622 and TTI-621 studies. With respect to the forward-looking statements contained in this press release, Trillium has made numerous assumptions regarding, among other things: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on its operations, the effectiveness and timeliness of preclinical and clinical trials; and the completeness, accuracy and usefulness of the data. While Trillium considers these assumptions to be reasonable, these assumptions are inherently subject to significant scientific, business, economic, competitive, market and social uncertainties and contingencies. Additionally, there are known and unknown risk factors that could cause Trillium’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements contained in this press release. A discussion of risks and uncertainties facing Trillium appears in Trillium’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020, with the U.S. Securities Exchange Commission, each as updated by Trillium’s continuous disclosure filings, which are available at www.sedar.com and at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements herein are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement, and Trillium disclaims any obligation to revise or update any such forward-looking statements or to publicly announce the result of any revisions to any of the forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect future results, events or developments, except as required by law.
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