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)
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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.
Canadian Red Cross and HPV Global Action Commit to Women's Health this Mother's Day
MONTRÉAL, May 7, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Cervical cancer is one of today's most preventable cancers. Approximatively 570,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer around the world in 2018.(1) Among these, more than three hundred thousand women will die. Ninety per cent of these women live in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC). These deaths are preventable.(2)
On this Mother's Day, the Canadian Red Cross and HPV Global Action would like to focus on women's health and well-being, by reiterating their commitment to supporting the World Health Organization's (WHO) targets that must be met by 2030 for countries to be on the path towards cervical cancer elimination through:
Vaccination: 90% of girls fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15;
Screening: 70% of women screened using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45;
Treatment: 90% of women identified with cervical disease receive treatment (90% of women with pre-cancer treated and 90% of women with invasive cancer managed).(3)
The Red Cross and HPV Global Action recognize that this global strategy is critical in advancing sexual and reproductive health and rights. Both organizations also understand the challenges to delivering the strategy in fragile and conflict settings, as well as in LMIC where the impact of cervical cancer on women, including mothers, girls and transgender men is the greatest.
This WHO strategy requires an intersectional feminist approach that recognizes the ways in which factors like gender, age, race, ethnicity, education and power shape the offer of and access to services. Many of those at risk or affected by HPV and cervical cancer still lack or have limited access to the health services and education that are critical to eliminating cervical cancer.(4)
The successful implementation of the 90-70-90 strategy could reduce new cases by more than 40% and related deaths by five million within 20 years.(5) To help achieve this, public health policies supporting the WHO strategy should address HPV and its connection to cervical cancer through an intersectional lens to ensure its equitable implementation. Governments should take this opportunity to strengthen healthcare structures for diverse groups, particularly in LMIC and fragile contexts where systems are often challenged by resource constraints and health emergencies such as Zika, Ebola and COVID-19.(6) Equitable policy frameworks and resource allocations can positively impact vaccine acceptance, local supply and delivery, as well as cervical cancer screening practices and the availability of palliative care. These components are critical to ensuring progress on this commitment. International stakeholders are encouraged to prioritize the WHO objectives and work with healthcare providers, researchers, innovators, local actors, women-led organizations and dedicated partners, like the Canadian Red Cross and HPV Global Action, to ensure the WHO global strategy is successful.
As national and international leaders in community health, the Canadian Red Cross and HPV Global Action are reinforcing their dedication to prevention, screening and treatment, with a focus on those most at risk. The organizations are committed to using their global health capacity to improve access to services and information in areas with high prevalence of HPV and cervical cancer, building on foundations in place with existing partners. Other organizations, advocates, leaders and industries such as diagnostic, surgical, vaccine and pharmaceutical companies, are welcome to join us in working toward eliminating cervical cancer using an intersectional feminist approach.
ABOUT THE CANADIAN RED CROSS
A member of the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, the Canadian Red Cross helps people and communities in times of need, and supports them in strengthening their resilience. In addition to responding to disasters in Canada and abroad, the Canadian Red Cross supports local Movement partners in some of the world's most difficult contexts. This includes initiatives for women and children's health, which mobilizes communities and health workers in rural, remote regions to improve access to health-care services.
ABOUT HPV GLOBAL ACTION
Our mission is to raise awareness of inclusive, positive sexual and reproductive health emphasizing HPV and its potential consequences. We empower culturally and ideologically diverse communities across the globe through the dissemination of critical, evidence-based knowledge for people all ages, including health-care professionals and government agencies. To learn more visit www.hpvglobalaction.org
SOURCE HPV Global Action
Memoir Details Author’s Journey with Mental Illness and Disability Long Island, NY, May 7, 2021 – As we enter Mental Health Awareness month, one author and artist is sharing her coming-of-age story through the lenses of mental illness, disability and steadfast determination. Long Island native Ruth Poniarski’s first book, Journey of the Self: Memoir of an Artist, published by Charlotte, North Carolina-based Warren Publishing, is a stunning and unflinchingly-honest memoir that challenges the stigmas placed on mental illness. The book has received glowing reviews, including a Kirkus Star review.
It started as a college prank; a friend offered Ruth Poniarski a brownie that, unbeknownst to her, was laced with angel dust. What resulted was a debilitating accident, and the first of many mental breakdowns that spiraled into diagnoses of psychosis, schizophrenia, severe anxiety and bipolar disorder.
For years, Poniarski struggled to cope with her new reality as she undertook a rigorous architectural program, sought out new friends (and the perfect mate) and battled through the depths of mental illness. Her journey led her in all directions as she sought comfort, solace, stability and love.
Now an accomplished artist, Poniarski considers her memoir to be a portrait of sorts.
“This book, like many of my paintings, is about introspection,” she says. “So many of us, particularly when we’re young, seek definition through labels or through what others think of us. It’s so easy to say, ‘I have bipolar disorder, therefore, X,’ or, ‘So and so doesn’t love me the way I love him, therefore, Y.’ But none of that is who we truly are.”
The release of Poniarski’s memoir is particularly timely in light of the coronavirus pandemic and social distancing orders.
“A lot of people are stuck at home right now. This kind of isolation forces a person to examine themselves; what makes them unique beyond who they are to society,” says Poniarski. “That kind of self-reflection allows us to become more available to others. You have to know yourself first.
“So, who am I?” Poniarski laughs. “Well … you’ll just have to read the book!”
For more information about Ruth Poniarski or her book, please visit: ruthponiarski.com.
Diabetes ‘digital health’ event to focus on Bradford’s endemic diabetes problemHealth experts want to identify new areas of research to tackle condition
07 May 2021 Health experts are to gather at a ‘catalyst event’ in Bradford to discuss new ways of treating diabetes.Despite having one of the youngest populations in the UK, Bradford has the highest ratio of diabetes, according to experts. Figures released by Diabetes UK in February 2020 showed 10.81 per cent of people in Bradford, 12,116 residents, were diagnosed with diabetes compared to 6.9 per cent of the wider population across the UK.It is hoped the May 25 symposium, hosted by the University of Bradford’s Digital Health Enterprise Zone (DHEZ), will lead to new approaches to tackling the endemic problem.News of the event coincides with Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Week, which runs from May 10 to 16.Digital healthDr Tom Lawton is an Intensive Care Consultant (ICU) and anaesthetist at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Trust’s Clinical Head for Artificial Intelligence. He recently received an MBE for going above and beyond during the Covid pandemic and has been made Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University.He will also be involved in the event and is working closely with the University on other diabetes and digital health related studies.He said: "Despite a young population, Bradford has the highest prevalence of Type-2 diabetes in the UK. It carries many complications, which have often already started by the point of diagnosis, leading to disability, financial costs, and mortality. “The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for attention on this disease as people with diabetes were twice as likely to die from Covid-19 as the general population. However, in Bradford exists the expertise, whole-systems thinking, and will to research and improve this - and I believe that joined-up digital health has a massive role to play."New researchThe event will build on research activity within the University aimed at advancing diabetes diagnosis, treatment, and support for patients, carers and extended families. Dr Kirsten Riches-Suman works in the Faculty of Life Sciences and her research is focussed on understanding why people with Type-2 diabetes suffer from problems with their blood vessels, which can cause conditions including heart disease and difficulties in repairing the skin after an injury. She works with surgeons at the Bradford Royal Infirmary to see what makes diabetes patients' cells and tissue different at the microscopic level to identify more effective treatments for them.Dr Riches-Suman said: "In order to help make new treatments for the complications of diabetes, we first need to understand what tiny chemical changes happen in blood vessels which stops them working properly. My team has identified problems with inflammation and DNA damage which can open up opportunities for the development of new medicines to improve cardiovascular and skin health, and ultimately quality of life.”The outcome of the event will be to identify research agendas that can be followed up as collaborative projects and funding bid opportunities. The University of Bradford has a long history of engagement in diabetes research. One example includes the DAISI(digital animation in service improvement) project developed by Dr Mel Cooper, a smartphone app which aims to communicate clear health messages to pregnant women with diabetes. Another, led by Prof Anne Graham and Dr Jon Silcock from the Faculty of Life Sciences, involved working with pharmacists in Libya and Kuwait to educate patients with Type-2 Diabetes about their condition and medications which can lead to better blood glucose control.Future careMore recently, a funding application led by Dr Mai Elshehaly, in the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, aims to set up a project to develop visual analytics solutions that complement Artificial Intelligence (AI), to address inequalities in care for diabetic patients. Inequalities exist in the community, particularly for those of ethnic or socioeconomically disadvantaged backgrounds, and the project will help decision makers understand how these inequalities are manifested in connected datasets.DHEZ Director, Dr Liz Breen, Reader in Health Service Operations at the University of Bradford, said: “This event will bring together experienced professionals and academics to discuss innovation in diabetes care and the role of technologies within this; and try to ascertain what diabetes diagnosis and care will look like in 10 years, and ask how we prepare our healthcare system for this. Diabetes has been specifically chosen because of its importance within our community.”The outcome of the event on May 25 will be to identify research agendas that can be followed up as collaborative projects and funding bid opportunities. These projects may align with ongoing work in the Bradford area on diabetes care, or provide new routes of exploration. Pictures: 1) Generic diabetes image. Credit: PhotoMIX Company from Pexels. 2) Dr Liz Breen. Credit: University of Bradford.
Roche’s antibody cocktail for COVID-19 may face affordability issues in India, says GlobalData
Following the news that Roche has received emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 antibody cocktail casirivimab and imdevimab;
Prashant Khadayate, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:
“Roche’s antibody cocktail casirivimab and imdevimab are among the only two drugs to be exclusively developed and approved for COVID-19 treatment. Bamlanivimab and etesevimab being the other antibody cocktail from Eli Lilly. Most of the approved therapies for COVID-19 are repurposed, where they showed benefits in COVID-19 patients, but the original drug was in development or approved for other indications.
"According to GlobalData’s Pharma Intelligence Center, India is the second country to approve Roche’s COVID-19 antibody-drug cocktail casirivimab and imdevimab. In November 2020, the US was the first country to approve it. Moreover, Roche’s partner Regeneron has applied for the US approval as a preventative treatment.
“The Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) of India has fast-tracked Roche’s antibody-drug cocktail approval based on the data with the US FDA and the scientific opinion of a European regulatory panel. The drug has shown to reduce hospitalizations in COVID-19 patients at a high risk of developing severe COVID-19.
“India is currently struggling with the severe second wave of COVID-19 with more than 350,000 cases daily and with drug shortages as well. To improve the overall situation concerning a lack of available treatments, the CDSCO has recently approved Natco’s baricitinib to be used with remdesivir, Zydus Cadila’s Virafin (pegylated interferon alpha-2b) whereas Merck’s partner Natco has applied for emergency approval for molnupiravir in India.
“Roche’s antibody cocktail will be distributed by its partner Cipla in India. Considering that it is a combination of two recombinant human immunoglobulin G-1 (IgG1) monoclonal antibodies, it is expected to be highly expensive compared to other treatment options available for mild to moderate patients and will not be an affordable treatment for many patients. Therefore, the drug will be primarily available for patients in metro and top-tier cities in India, where the number of patients who can afford this drug are high. Moreover, it needs to be seen how the cocktail antibody works against the new variants in India like the ‘double mutant’ variant and other variants being reported in India.”
Pomelo Health launches a revamped healthcare platform to the Quebec market
MONTREAL, May 6, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Pomelo Health is announcing the Quebec launch of the newest version of their patient engagement software, the Pomelo Platform.
Over the last decade, Pomelo Health (formerly known as Chronometriq) has made a name for itself in the health tech space by helping millions of patients get better access to care via an EMR-integrated software for clinics featuring online appointment booking, automated reminders, as well as a registration kiosk.
The latest release offers an array of new tools, such as secure communication, remote check-in, mass communications, video consultations, and a patient portal, where patients can get access to their health journey and engage in secure communications with their clinic. Available as a standalone software, or as an integrated add-on to EMRs, the Pomelo Platform leverages additional touchpoints with patients and enables healthcare providers to focus on offering optimal care.
CEO & co-founder Yan Raymond-Lalande explains:
"We're really excited to offer a fully revamped platform to the Québec market, where it all started for us 10 years ago. We worked with doctors, clinic staff and governments to design a versatile piece of software that meets the growing needs of the healthcare industry, while still remaining focused on the patient. The Pomelo Platform was built to enhance the patient experience and be adaptable enough to become the clinic's core communication solution - both now and after the pandemic."
The last year has prompted significant acceleration in the adoption of new technology within the healthcare industry, resulting in an increase in clinic capabilities and a shift in patient expectations. The release of the Pomelo Platform comes in at the perfect time to fuel this new dynamic.
This new addition also paves the way for Pomelo Health in new verticals such as hospitals and pharmacies, namely for COVID-19 testing and vaccination. The Pomelo Platform is already implemented in hundreds of pharmacies across North America and is trusted by thousands of healthcare professionals.
About Pomelo Health Pomelo Health, formerly Chronometriq, was founded in 2012 with the sole purpose of improving access to healthcare. The company acquired competitor Health Myself in 2020 and is one of the fastest growing companies in healthcare software, with offices in Montreal, Toronto and Boston. It offers a full platform of products to improve clinics' productivity, efficiency and communications with patients.
SOURCE Pomelo Health
Should a Person with Autism Be Allowed to Become a Professional Boxer and Put His Life at Risk?
Forest, VA, May 6, 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.
Absolutely! Gluten-Free Launches New Look and Varieties
of the Delicious Grain-Free Snacks You Will ABSOLUTELY Love!
Bayonne, NJ (May 2021) – The top innovator in gluten-free snacks, Absolutely! Gluten Free, is showcasing their delicious new line of sweet and savory products with a fresh new look & feel to their packaging, just in time to Celebrate Celiac Awareness Month this May!Absolutely! Gluten Free’s new packaging and varieties showcase the innovative high-quality products offered and the brand’s commitment to flavorful, gourmet gluten-free snacks with a modern twist. The delicious new line includes an assortment of sweet and savory snacks are made with clean and wholesome ingredients that are absolutely, positively free of not only gluten, but grain, rice, corn, soy and dairy.
No matter the reason you choose to eat gluten-free, Absolutely! Gluten Free line of real, wholesome snacks and treats are the perfect choice for any occasion. Stock up for school or work snacks, family dinners or small celebrations, or to make your mom something extra special for Mother’s Day, Absolutely! Gluten Free is so good that everybody will want to eat them! The delicious product line includes:
Absolutely! Gluten Free’s popular crackers and flatbreads are crisp, crunchy, and delicious, with a wide range of flavors including Original Variety, Toasted Onion, Everything, and Cracked Pepper. The crackers and flatbreads are perfect for that amazing cheese and charcuterie board, for dipping, topping, to accompany with soups or salads, or straight out of the box.
New Absolutely! Gluten Free’s Coconut Chews answer your calling for something sweet and decadent. The chocolate drizzled Coconut Chews are moist, soft coconutty sweets that now come in two new flavors – Key lime and Blueberry.
The wildly popular Absolutely! Gluten Free Macaroons are available in Chocolate, Coconut, and Cranberry. These mouthwatering chewy bites of goodness are sure to satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
“Absolutely! Gluten-Free, is the must have product line not only for people who are seeking to eliminate gluten from their diets, but for people who are looking to discover delicious snacks and treats that are also healthy and free of allergens.” Says Laura Morris, Associate Marketing Director for the brand. “Absolutely! Gluten Free is ‘proof of the pudding’ that gluten-free can also mean delicious.”
All Absolutely! Gluten Free products are all-natural, certified gluten-free, and OU certified kosher. AGF is a division of Kayco Foods based in Bayonne, NJ. To learn more about Absolutely! Gluten Free visit the website https://www.absolutelygf.com
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 6, 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.
