Daily Archives: February 22, 2021

Stromatolites Fossils of Earliest Life on Earth May Owe Their Very Existence to Viruses – SciTechDaily

Posted: February 22, 2021 at 2:33 pm

Stromatolites at Shark Bay, Western Australia. Credit: UNSW Sydney/Brendan Burns

As the Mars Rover sets out to look for evidence of life on another planet, scientists back on Earth suggest viruses played a key role in creating stromatolites, our planets earliest lifeforms.

It may pain us to hear this during a deadly viral pandemic, but life as we know it on this planet may never have occurred if it werent for viruses, scientists studying billion-year-old living rocks say.

In a paper published in the March issue of Trends in Microbiology, a team of scientists from UNSW Sydney and the US looked at evidence of the worlds oldest lifeforms in fossils known as stromatolites, layered limestone rocks often found in shallow waters around the globe. They wanted to understand the mechanism that led colonies of single-celled organisms known as microbial mats to create these intriguing rock structures.

And they believe viruses may be the missing piece of the puzzle that could help explain how a soft microbial mat transitions or lithifies into the hard stromatolite features that are prevalent in such places as Shark Bay and the Pilbara, Western Australia.

Co-author on the paper, Associate Professor Brendan Burns from UNSWs Australian Centre for Astrobiology, says stromatolites are one of the oldest known microbial ecosystems, dating back some 3.7 billion years.

Stromatolites are pervasive in the fossil record and are some of our earliest examples of life on Earth, he says.

The microbial mats that created them were predominantly made up of cyanobacteria, which used photosynthesis like plants do to turn sunlight into energy, while producing so much oxygen over time they changed the early Earths atmosphere to make it habitable for complex life.

You could say we owe our very existence to these living rocks.

A shard of stromatolite rock found at Shark Bay showing layered sediments that was produced by microbial mats billions of years ago. Credit: UNSW/Brendan Burns

A/Prof. Burns and his colleagues wanted to understand the mechanism behind the microbial mats lithifying into stromatolites, not only because so little is known about the process, but because of what this could add to our knowledge about life on Earth and possibly other planets.

If we understand the mechanisms of stromatolite formation, we will have a better handle on the impact these ecosystems had on evolution of complex life, he says.

This knowledge may help us better interpret biosignatures which you could call chemical or molecular fossils that provide clues to the activities of early life, billions of years ago.

It also has the potential to help us look for life on other planets one of the jobs of the Mars 2020 mission is to look for evidence of biosignatures in Martian rock samples.

In the paper, the authors postulate that microbial mat transition from soft cells to rock is enhanced by interactions with viruses.

We propose viruses may have a direct or indirect impact on microbial metabolisms that govern the transition from microbial mat to stromatolite, he says.

In the direct impact scenario, viruses infiltrate the nucleus of the cyanobacteria and influence the host metabolism, inserting and removing genes that increase the fitness of the virus and the host at the same time.

This, in turn, increases survival of the microbial mat and selects for genes that potentially influence carbonate precipitation basically the process of microbes pouring the concrete to make their stromatolite apartment blocks, A/Prof. Burns says.

In the indirect scenario, the scientists talk about a process known as viral lysis, where viruses invade living cells and trigger the disintegration of their membranes and release of contents effectively bringing about cell death.

We think viral lysis may release material that promotes metabolism of organisms which results in mineral precipitation and eventual stromatolite formation.

Whether viruses cause the microbial mats to harden into stromatolites directly or indirectly, or a combination of both, A/Prof. Burns says more research is needed.

Were hoping to do more studies in the lab to test this.

We want to be able to identify what viruses are actually involved and see if we can then manipulate potential virus-host interaction to find out whether or not they can, in fact, change some of the metabolisms that might result in stromatolite formation, A/Prof. Burns says.

Reference: Between a Rock and a Soft Place: The Role of Viruses in Lithification of Modern Microbial Mats by Richard Allen White III, Pieter T. Visscher and Brendan P. Burns, 9 July 2020, Trends in Microbiology.DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2020.06.004

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100 artists find inspiration at Manship during the pandemic – Gloucester Daily Times

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The artistic enclave at the Manship Artists Residency + Studios continues to be a fountainhead of inspiration, even duringthe global COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2020, the nonprofit, based on the historic property of an artistic family, served nearly 100 artists with a creative infusion as they worked outside on the 15 wooded acres, nestled between two quarries, in Gloucester's Lanesville neighborhood.

The idyllic setting was the home of sculptor Paul Manship (1885-1966) who may be best known for the golden Prometheus fountain at New York Citys Rockefeller Center.

The work of many of these artists is now part ofthevirtual exhibition "Outside @ Manship," which grew from the organization's response to the pandemic.

"The idea was to provide a place for artists living and working on Cape Ann and allow them to work on the beautiful grounds during the summer and fall of 2020," said Rebecca Reynolds,Manship's executive director.The artists followed the necessary protocols to ensure their safety.

"We are launching this exhibition to honor the past and the present in spite of uncertainty, to honor the constancy of the work made by artists on Cape Ann and beyond, who create memory and beauty,"Reynolds said.

The virtual exhibition features 57 of the 82 artists.

Artists in the show

Vanessa Michalak early on found creative refuge on the property. An essential worker as a nurse, she craved the opportunity to paint in such a welcoming environment.The Maine native lived in the Boston area until she moved to Gloucester in 2017.

"I've done residencies in other states but it's nice that the (Manship residencies) included artists from their own community," Michalak said. "The property is visually inspiring and it feels different even coming from downtown Gloucester. I like that quiet space and being in nature. I also love the history of the property and knowing it's been a home and an inspiration for many other artists."

Michalak's new project focusing on doing portraits of nurses and getting narratives of their experience working during the pandemic.

Another artist in the exhibition is 80-year-old Peter Herbert, a New York City lawyer who retired to Annisquam with his wife, a Gloucester native.

His experience during the pandemic became a family affair.

"I went there with my son, Ben, and it was the two of us painting 15 yards apart," said Hebert. "We had the best time, and apart from the inspiration that the space itself gives you, just being together, the two of us, was such a gift. We actually paint better when we paint together and it is a magnificent space to paint."

He explained that being a lawyer for 40 years, he was desperate to do something creative. He gave up playing piano as an outlet, and around the age of 40, began painting and took classes at the Art Students League of New York and later a found a teacher in Brooklyn.

How the residencies worked

Reflecting on the activity at the Manship Artists Residency + Studios (MARS), Reynolds noted that its board is thankful that the organization has been able to quietly continue its work.

"We are so grateful to have been able to provide a meaningful purpose during this difficult time. Despite the fact that many artist residencies and cultural organizations had to shutter themselves during the pandemic, MARS was able to remain open," she said. "We realized that we had an asset that could be utilized during COVID. If we were careful, we could provide solitude in a tranquil place to artists living and working on Cape Ann for a little while. We want to shine a special light on our local artists as they continue to provide inspiration and hope to our community in the face of all the hardship this global crisis has wrought."

The work for "Outside @ Manship" began on June 15, 2020 when four artist members of Rockport Art Association & Museum arrived at the pristine setting.

"Over the course of the summer and fall, members of Rocky Neck Artist Colony and the North Shore Arts Association also came to Manship. The artists showed up, masked, carrying in everything they needed to work. They were greeted, confirmed that they understood the program guidelines, and then left alone to spend time away from everyday concerns. Manship has been a place where artists have gathered for more than eight decades. It is a place where the past and the present are very much alive," according to Meri Jenkins, a Manship Artists advisor who suggested the idea for this program.

Initially, a morning and afternoon session with four artists were organized with ample room to be socially distant on the sprawling grounds.

"We were thrilled when registrations began to appear in late May. Based on feedback from the first two sessions in June and August, we increased the duration to a full day's visit and provided for six artists in the October session," noted Reynolds. "Additionally, there was an artist from Washington, D.C., who planned to paint in France last summer, but who found herself in Gloucester instead. Through a friend, she learned about MARS and asked to come and paint on site. She's now plans to come back to Cape Ann next summer even if she is able to travel abroad."

Prior to the pandemic, the property became a haven for those in the film industry. The locationwash a staging area in August and September of 2019 for the crew of the recent Sundance award-winning film "CODA."

"What was especially rewarding about having over 100 crew members on the Manship 'set' was having one of them express how they felt appreciated by us and how they felt that we were treating them as artists he said that this normally didn't happen. We recognize that just about everyone on a film set is an artist of some sort, whether they work on makeup, lighting, sound, videography, or acting. As a significant working-class artist community, supporting working artists is deep in our roots and heritage. And no doubt the film crew bonded and felt equally supported by our fishing community," said Jo-Ann Castano, Manship Artists Board chair.

Another initiative during the pandemicserved another 12 artist "residents," all who were local or Massachusettsartists staying in the state due to safety concerns and travel restrictions, bringing the number of artists served by MARS in 2020 to 94, noted Reynolds.

Two out-of-state artists who were scheduled to visit MARS and could not do so, were able to take part in a virtual residency. The first is Erika Senft Miller of Vermont, who is developing a process of inquiry and collaboration for a future multi-sensory public art project in Gloucester thanks to a grant from the New England Foundation for the Arts. The second is Marc Zegans of California who was scheduled to launch his new book of poetry with public programming while in residence. Instead, he has been working with local photographer Tsar Fedorsky. Reynolds said they are exploring ways to share the mystical photographic essay that has evolved from this innovative collaboration.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

What: Manship Artists Residency + Studios in Gloucester presentsthe newvirtual exhibition, "Outside @ Manship," featuring the work of nearly 60 artists, which can be viewed at http://www.manshipartists.org.

Related media: "Outside @ Manship Artists Salon," avirtual Zoom series, highlights Manship's support of 94 artists during the pandemic and the resulting online exhibition. The conversations featuring artists and those familiar with the Manship story will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursdays in March and April. Registration required. Zoom space is limited so it is advised to sign-up in advance to secure a spot at ManshipArtists.org. The series is as follows:

March 4: The Inside Scoop: Paul Manships story

What brought him to Cape Ann? What did he createhere? Many Cape Ann locals are surprised to learn that the artist who modeled one of the most recognizable sculptures in the world New York Citys Prometheus Fountain at Rockefeller Center was sculpted by an artist whose summer residence and work studio is in Gloucester. Join Paul Manships grandson Erik Natti, Manships neighbor and local historian Pru Fish, and Manship Artists founder and American sculpture specialist Rebecca Reynolds for this conversation.

March 18: Do you see the world inside out?

A delightful happenstance of having artists come to Manship was that some chose to paint in the same place on the grounds on different days. They worked in the exact same locations where their painter friends had painted on other occasions unbeknownst to themselves. The work they each produced is remarkably different. Join Janet Sutherland, Patricia McCarthy, and John Caggiano as they talk about their time at Manship, their work, and how they developed as artists in their unique way.

April 1: Alone with words or what is Manship Artists?

Residencies provide artists uninterrupted time to reflect, dive deep into questions that may have been puzzling them, and to produce work in a supportive environmentoutside of their usual surroundings and away from the concerns of their everyday lives. Come celebrate the first day of National Poetry Month. Meet two poets who benefited from time at Manship as they share what happened while they were there. Meet Charles Coe, the author of three books of poetry and an adjunct English professor at Salve Regina University, and poet Monica Manoski, who is an artist, community organizer, Reiki practitioner, and executive director of the Essex Art Center in Lawrence. Her first book, a collection of poems and black and white film photography, is titled "sisters in this ritual."

April 22: I know what I like!

Artists give us an opportunity to see things differently, in ways that areengaging, unexpected and perplexing. Our view of the world can be turned upside down and inside out by looking at artwork of a place that we may recognize, but which is rendered in such a way as to invite us to look again. Join Outside @ Manship artistsHeidi Caswell Zander, Andrew Fish and Donna Caseldenas they talk about the way they see the world.

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ASCO Publishes 2021 Report on Progress Against Cancer – Cancer Therapy Advisor

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The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) highlights the past years oncologic advances and identifies important areas for future research in its 2021 Report on Progress Against Cancer, published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Molecular profiling in gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, which has allowed providers to improve patient outcomes by identifying the molecular and genetic signatures specific to a patients tumor and subsequently selecting the appropriate targeted intervention, was selected as ASCOs Advance of the Year.

This selection recognizes the treatment advances made possible by molecular testing for patients with GI cancers, the 26-member expert committee said.

ASCO also underscored additional advances that were particularly impactful in 2020, including biomarker-driven treatment approaches to other cancers such as lung and colorectal cancer; the progress made by administering targeted therapies to patients with earlier-stage disease; combinations of therapies that improve survival but do not increase toxicity; and the increasing availability of targeted interventions for patients with difficult-to-treat cancers.

The report also specified research priorities for 2021, which include the multifactorial response that is needed to achieve equity in cancer research. ASCO recognizes that individuals who are Black, situated in rural areas, have a lower income and education, or are otherwise underrepresented have higher mortality rates for multiple cancers.

Disparities in cancer research is a complex, multifaceted issue requiring a multifactorial response, the ASCO committee said. They noted that the response must address interrelated barriers to trial participation and structural and systemic challenges that may inhibit research that benefits underserved populations.

Additional research foci for 2021 include further optimizing multimodal treatment of solid tumors, bolstering precision medicine modalities for pediatric patients and rare cancers, improving care for older adults, predicting response and resistance to immunotherapies, identifying potentially malignant lesions earlier, reducing the effect of obesity on cancer incidence and outcomes, and developing and integrating artificial intelligence and deep learning into cancer research.

ASCO also acknowledged the importance of federal funding to cancer research, but noted that the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could direct focus away from cancer research funding. ASCO urged clinicians to contact members of Congress to ask them to support an increase in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) through ASCO.org/actnetwork.

Disclosures: Some of the study authors disclosed financial relationships with the pharmaceutical industry and/or themedicaldeviceindustry. For a full list of disclosures, please refer to the original study.

Reference

Smith SM, Wachter K, Burris HA III, et al. clinical cancer advances 2021: ASCOs report on progress against cancer. J Clin Oncol. Published online February 2, 2021. doi:10.1200/JCO.20.03420

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UN says no progress in Yemen talks over prisoner swap – ABC News

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The U.N. says Yemens warring sides did not achieve progress in their latest round of negotiations over a prisoner swap

By BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

February 21, 2021, 8:37 PM

2 min read

CAIRO -- Yemens warring sides did not achieve progress in their latest round of negotiations over a prisoner swap, the United Nations said on Sunday.

The talks started late last month in the Jordanian capital Amman between representatives of the internationally recognized government and the Houthi rebels. The prisoner exchange is part of a peace deal struck in 2018 in Sweden.

U.N. Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths said the two sides did not agree to release prisoners during this round of talks concluded Sunday in Amman.

I am disappointed that this round of talks did not amount to what we saw in Switzerland last September which resulted in the historic release of 1056 detainees, he said.

In October, the warring sides achieved the largest-ever prisoner swap of the war, releasing more than 1,000 detainees. That followed occasional releases of dozens of prisoners over the past two years, which also served as gestures of good faith, stoking hopes the factions would implement the 2018 agreement.

The prisoner swap talks were facilitated by the U.N. and the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Griffiths urged the warring sides to work on the implementation of what they agreed to and expand the arrangements to release more detainees soon.

He repeated his calls for the unconditional release of all sick, wounded, elderly and children detainees as well as detained civilians, including women and journalists.

The two sides traded the blame for the failure of the talks.

Yemens devastating conflict erupted in 2014, when the Houthis seized the capital, Sanaa, and much of the countrys north. That prompted a U.S.-backed Arab military coalition to intervene months later in a bid to restore the government of Yemeni President Abed Rabu Mansour Hadi to power.

The conflict has killed some 130,000 people and spawned the worlds worst humanitarian disaster.

The failure in the prisoner swap talks has come amid an intensive attack by the Houthis on the government-held Marib province.

The Houthi attacks forced several thousand of internally displaced people, or IDPs, to flee from Maribs district of Swarih eastward to the provinces capital, after the heavy fighting left them without water, electricity, health and educational needs.

Marib province has served as a sort of haven for around 1 million Yemenis who have fled Houthi offensives since the start of the war.

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Teslas new worlds-largest battery is showing progress in drone flyover – Electrek

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A new drone flyover shows that Tesla is making progress toward completion at its Moss Landing Megapack project that should become the worlds largest battery system.

We first learned of the project at PG&Es Moss Landing substation when theysubmittedit to CPUC andthe company was in talks with Tesla in 2017.

It involves four separateenergy storage projects, and two of them should become the worlds largest battery systems.

Dynegy is going to deploy a300MW/1,200MWhproject on PG&Es grid while the Tesla project will be 182.5MW/730MWh, which could eventually go up to 1.1GWh.

In 2018, we obtainedTeslas proposal for the project,and it shows that the company plans to use Megapack instead of its usual Powerpack for large utility-scale projects.

Early last year,the project was officially approved,and theystarted construction on the first phaseof the project in July.

We reported back in October when the first Megapacks Teslas new container-size battery system for large energy storage projects started to be installed at the location.

Tesla has kept delivering more Megapacks to PG&E since, and a new drone flyover shows that the projects first phase is nearing completion:

However, theres still a lot of work to do before they can turn the project online and start helping the grid.

The new energy storage capacity at Moss Landing is going to be used to replace peaker plants, and it is expected to save the electric utility over $100 million:

PG&E forecasts the Moss Landing BESS will save more than $100 million over the 20-year life of the project, when compared to the forecasted local capacity requirements and associated procurement costs that would have been necessary in absence of the BESS.

PG&Es Moss Landing project is not expected to be completed until the second half of the year.

The new capacity will boost Teslas energy storage deployment, which has been hitting new record highs every quarter.

Recently, Tesla confirmed that it has deployed a record 1,584 MWh of energy storage in Q4 almost 200% increase year-over-year and 100% increase quarter-over-quarter.

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Progress Without Profit: Nonprofits may have to bite the hands that feed them – Daily Trojan Online

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As the term not-for-profit suggests, nonprofits typically lack independent income, instead relying on outside financiers to support their mission. Considering I spent far too long brainstorming it, hopefully the name of my column, Progress Without Profit also makes this clear. If we can agree that nonprofits depend on others for funding, we must consequently ask ourselves, who are their donors? More importantly, does the dangling carrot of promised funds incentivize nonprofits to work in certain ways?

Not all donors are created equal in the eyes of nonprofits. It takes less energy and effort for a nonprofit to receive $5 million from one wealthy donor, than to persuade 50,000 people of average income to each donate $100. In 2017, high net worth donors in the United States gave an average of $29,269 to charity, whereas general population households donated an average of $2,514. So, while people who attend fancy galas or participate in pricey silent auctions might contribute ten times more than the typical household, they are not the most representative of society.

This disproportionate representation forces nonprofits to toe the line between pleasing their uber-wealthy donors and advocating for change that hurts those same donors. It is the ultimate example of dont bite the hand that feeds you. Nonprofits, however, should not be afraid to call out the structures supporting their wealthy donors at the expense of the communities nonprofits want to help.

Nonprofits are reluctant to speak about political issues, for fear of losing their tax-exempt status, but maintaining tax-exempt status is not mutually exclusive to advocating and addressing root causes of inequalities. Nonprofits can advocate and lobby for important issues, provided they follow certain rules.

Nonprofits continually shy away from discussing the tax system specifically, bringing attention to how loopholes benefit the wealthy. People served by nonprofits dont usually have significant capital to invest, nor to leave to their children; their taxes typically will be on ordinary income (i.e., earned wages).

Thus, it makes sense for nonprofits to strongly oppose things like capital gains tax treatment on carried interest, as well as estate taxes and corporate tax shelters that often exploit low-income people of color for the benefit of the white and wealthy. I understand that in the short term, nonprofits opposition to tax loopholes may damage relationships with the big (mostly white) philanthropy that fuels them, but long-term, this opposition supports nonprofits stated missions.

Economic conditions allowing tax loopholes to benefit the wealthy also create stark income inequality. A full-time minimum wage worker cannot keep their family above the poverty line. Between 1978 and 2012, a CEOs compensation increased by 875%, while the average workers compensation increased by only 6%. In a more relevant example to college students, many college officials earn over $1 million a year (President Carol Folt included), while more than 20% of their workforce on campus earn poverty level wages for a family of four.

The same system that creates the poverty and economic issues nonprofits aim to remedy also allows mega philanthropists to exist in the first place. Nonprofits hesitate to confront and call out systemic issues because their prosperity relies on people who benefit from the current system. Complicity with the system reinforces the flawed logic that mega philanthropists negate the harm caused by the accumulation of their money by simply donating a small portion of it.

I once volunteered at a gala for a nonprofit, working with other women who were members of the community the nonprofit served. The gala attendees who streamed into the event were old, white and rich the opposite of the women who worked the event. The women put on smiles and politely chatted with the attendees to check them in. Once we heard attendees putting thousands of dollars down for auction items in the other room, the women finally put down the masks theyd worn all evening. They recounted racist and classist comments theyd heard in the last hour, but did not respond to in order to receive donations for the organization.

This disconnect between donors and clients is not an isolated event. Appeasing donors at the expense of clients is meant to benefit the population served in the long-term. But, does it really?

The argument against nonprofits speaking out against the wealthy is that regulating exorbitant wealth eliminates money that goes to philanthropy. But if nonprofits went after tax policies and spoke publicly about income inequality, they would be creating a more just, fair system that requires less philanthropy after-the-fact.

If nonprofits speak out against practices that benefit their wealthiest donors and lose support, they are not ruined. Smaller donations are the future of fundraising. Nearly 50% of all GoFundMe donors are millenials and Gen X, as social media becomes an increasingly valuable tool to build coalitions of small donors for a cause. In fact, 82% of millennials report theyve donated to a nonprofit in the last year.

I understand that nonprofits are in a tough spot. I truly do. Im sure many want to speak out but have to make the choice between advocating and funding. I dont blame them for prioritizing funding, when the alternative is the collapse of a life-saving program or the firing of an essential employee.

In a perfect world, however, nonprofits wouldnt rely on wealth gained from the exploitation of others to operate. Actually, in a perfect world, nonprofit services wouldnt be necessary to begin with. Until then, nonprofits should not be afraid to ruffle the feathers of big philanthropy in order to carry out their missions effectively, honestly and purposefully.

Sophie Roppe is a junior writing about nonprofit organizations and social justice. Her column, Progress Without Profit, runs every other Monday.

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It’s time for progress on mental illness in the Black Community – The Oakland Press

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DuringBlack History Month, wereflect onthe historical struggles and present-day issues faced byBlackAmericans andotherpeople of color in our nation. We alsocelebratethose whofoughtforsocial and racial justice, as well asthe many Black men and women who made lasting contributions to the field of mental healthcare.Theirdeeds and dreams live on.

Theseadmirablehealth-care pioneersincludeDr. Solomon Carter Fuller, one of thefirst Black psychiatrists, who studied for a time with Dr. Alois Alzheimer and continued his work on Alzheimersduring his career at theWestborough State Mental Hospital inMassachusetts; Dr. James P. Comer,Maurice Falk Professor of Child Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicineanda co-founder and past president of theBlack Psychiatrists of America; and Dr. Freda C. Lewis-Hall,a trained psychiatrist, who has held leadership roles inthe academic world, medical researchand private industry.

At the same time, wededicate ourselves anewtoremedy thesocialinjustices,violence,poverty, drugsand homelessnessthat still existin our societyand work to better understand theexperiences ofBlack Americansandotherpeople of colorinnavigating our health-care systemand their full range of needs.

Weknowthatall health issues, includingmental illness,must beaddressedbyfirst looking atones personal,family and socialhistory.ForBlackAmericans, both historicalexperiences and present-day realitiesinfluencemental-health issues, as well as stigma attached to asking for help,access to careand theiracceptance andconfidence intreatment.

Overall,Black Americanadults are 20 percentmore likely to experience mental-health issues than the rest of the population. Serious mental illnessroseamong all ages ofBlackAmericans between 2008 and 2018.In particular, suicidal thoughtsand attempts arerising among young BlackAmerican adults.

However, only25 percentofBlackAmericans seek treatment for mental health issues, compared to40 percent of White individuals. And, understandably,BlackAmericans living below the poverty level are twice as likely to report serious psychological distress than those living over twice the poverty level.

In a recent article forVerywellMind,ShanonLee, anationally recognizedwriterandcontributoron health, wellness and race issues,concludedthat manyBlack Americans do not seek mental health services due to cultural stigma about mental illness. Further, sheindicates that wealthand income inequality affects whois able toaccess quality mental health services and the best treatment options.

And while these challenges must be addressed to ensure equity inmental healthcare, we also mustmake improvements to theracial and ethnic disparitiesamong mental health workers,including psychiatrists, psychologists,psychiatric nurses and social workers.

What do we make of these realities?The solution lies in greater understanding ofpeople and communities in our society,comprehensive programs of mental health education and prevention,and removing barriers to mental health care. This alsomeansofferingmore coverage for mental health services in private and public health programs. We also encourage moreBlackAmericans to pursue careers in mental health at all care levels.

In addition to having improved racial and ethnic disparities among mental health workers, we need professional mentors. Mentorship is vital for professionaladvancement. Having a mentor whohasnavigated the unique challenges that often face young Black professionals can be essential to their success.It also is important to givean individual guidance and support as they make choices for advancement.

As Victor Armstrong, MSW,of the National Council of Behavioral Health expressed:

Black History Month is a time to be more inclusive; to seek to understand what is not recorded in history that highlights the greatness of our country and richness of our collective heritage. It is also a time to ask, What if? What if we didnt have to review and define black history through the prisms of stigma and historical adversity, which includes race-based exclusion from health, educational,social and economic resources?What if history were inclusive of the contributions of all people every month?

Let us work together to make that vision a reality.

Shawn Bryson is Clinical Director at Rose Hill Center,a Holly, Mich.-based residential psychiatric treatment and rehabilitation facility offering a comprehensive range of services for adults with serious mental illness. For more info, visitrosehillcenter.org.

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Lloyd’s reports on inclusivity progress – Reinsurance News

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Insurance and reinsurance marketplace Lloyds of London says that it has made notable progress towards building a more inclusive working environment over 2020.

In particular, the results of its 2020 annual culture survey highlight improvements in the experience of women working in the Lloyds market over the past 18 months.

However, the survey also pointed to areas for ongoing and concentrated focus, including continued focus on wellbeing across the market and improving the experience of Black and Minority Ethnic talent as a top priority.

Lloyds push for more inclusivity in its marketplace was triggered by reports of sexual harassment back in 2019. The culture survey shows that 8% of people witnessed sexual harassment in the Lloyds market in 2019, but that number fell to 4% in 2020.

Overall, womens perceptions were found to have improved by 7 points on average across all characteristics, with mens scores up 3 points.

While womens perceptions still lag mens in several areas, Lloyds say the gap has closed substantially in nearly all of the criteria measured.

Lloyds also reported a 5 point improvement in the percentage of respondents who would feel comfortable raising concerns about behaviour in the Lloyds market, at 50% in 2020, versus 45% previously.

In addition, fewer respondents said that working in their organisation had a negative impact on their health and wellbeing, down from 23% to 15%, but there was no change in respondents who felt under excessive pressure to perform at work, at 40%.

The number of respondents who do not believe senior leaders in their organisation take responsibility, especially when things go wrong notably decreased from 22% to 15%, and the proportion who said that people in their organisation turned a blind eye to inappropriate behaviour fell to 15%.

But Lloyds also found that Black and Minority Ethnic respondents were less likely to raise concerns relating to discrimination, had a higher level of disagreement about whether their colleagues act in an honest and ethical way, and a higher level of distrust in senior leaders.

The results of our second annual culture survey show good progress in our efforts to sponsor gender parity and to our commitment as leaders to make needed and valued change, said Lloyds CEO John Neal.

Though we are encouraged by the results of the survey, the feedback from our Black and Minority Ethnic colleagues has reinforced our commitment to address the inequalities and lived experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic colleagues across the market, Neal added.

We can feel confident in our ability to make change quickly and are more determined than ever to create an inclusive and inspiring culture for all.

Looking ahead, Lloyds is planning additional measures for 2021 to help change its working culture, which include tracking progess against the gender target and the setting a market target for ethnicity in Q2, supported by the launch of a long-term ethnicity action plan.

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PYC Therapeutics Highlights Progress in Its Transformation to a US Clinical-Stage Company and 2021 Corporate Objectives – BioSpace

Posted: at 2:33 pm

PERTH, Australia and NEW YORK, Feb. 22, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --PYC Therapeutics (ASX: PYC), a biotechnology company developing a new generation of precision RNA therapeutics to change the lives of patients with inherited diseases, today announced updates to its programs and outlined its 2021-2022 corporate objectives. PYC is initially targeting inherited ocular diseases, for which it has three preclinical candidates in development.

"This year we are focused on transforming PYC Therapeutics into a U.S.-based, clinical-stage biotechnology company, including making significant advances in moving our three preclinical inherited ocular disease programs toward the clinic and leveraging our RNA platform to create new development candidates in both ocular and neurodegenerative diseases," said Sahm Nasseri, U.S. Chief Executive Officer of PYC Therapeutics. "We have previously highlighted the importance of building out PYC in the U.S. and I am pleased with our progress and external engagements we have been able to have over the last few months. These engagements with banks, potential future investors as well as potential partners have validated the importance and relevance of PYC's technology as well as our choice in initial drug development programs. RNA therapeutics and ophthalmology remain top areas of interest in the very active US biotech capital markets. On this foundation, I believe we are very well positioned to deliver on the promise of our science to advance RNA medicines that have the potential to change the lives of patients with inherited diseases."

2021 Objectives and Program Updates

Corporate Initiatives: In late 2020, PYC began its transformation from an Australia-based, discovery-focused organization into a U.S.-based, clinical-stage biotechnology company that is well positioned to deliver on several key milestones during 2021.

Inherited Ocular Diseases:These programs aim to employ PYC's proprietary cell penetrating peptides (CPPs) to deliver rationally designed RNA therapeutics into retinal cells to treat diseases caused by a specific gene mutation or a missing or defective protein.

Central Nervous System (CNS) Diseases:These programs aim to employ PYC's proprietary CPPs to deliver rationally designed RNA therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative diseases.

Mr. Nasseri continued: "This is a truly exciting and transformational time for PYC, as we build upon the extensive foundation laid in 2020. Our pioneering research team led by Prof. Fletcher is rapidly validating our unique approach to correcting inherited retinal diseases, while also exploring the area of neurodegenerative diseases. With the capital to support our pipeline goals and recruit top talent in the U.S., along with the strong U.S. market potential of our candidate therapies, we believe we are well positioned to enable significant value inflections in 2021 and 2022."

About PYC TherapeuticsPYC Therapeutics (ASX: PYC) is a development-stage biotechnology company pioneering a new generation of RNA therapeutics that utilize Cell Penetrating Peptides (CPPs), a revolutionary delivery technology designed to overcome the major challenges of current gene-based therapies. PYC believes its CPP technology provides safer, more effective access for a wide range of potent and precise drug cargoes to the highest value drug targets that exist inside cells. The Company is leveraging its leading-edge science to develop a pipeline of novel therapies with an initial focus on inherited eye diseases for which it has unveiled three preclinical stage assets. PYC's discovery and laboratory operations are located in Australia and the Company recently launched and expansion into the U.S. for its preclinical, clinical, regulatory and business development operations. For more information, visit pyctx.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Forward looking statementsAny forward-looking statements in this ASX announcement have been prepared on the basis of a number of assumptions which may prove incorrect and the current intentions, plans, expectations and beliefs about future events are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are outside the Company's control. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from assumptions or expectations expressed or implied in this ASX announcement include known and unknown risks. Because actual results could differ materially to assumptions made and the Company's current intentions, plans, expectations and beliefs about the future, you are urged to view all forward-looking statements contained in this ASX announcement with caution. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statement whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

This ASX announcement should not be relied on as a recommendation or forecast by the Company. Nothing in this ASX announcement should be construed as either an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell shares in any jurisdiction.

1Zheng Y, He M, Congdon N. The worldwide epidemic of diabetic retinopathy. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2012;60(5):428-431.

CONTACTS:INVESTORSDeborah Elson/Matthew DeYoungArgot Partnersdeborah@argotpartners.com matthew@argotpartners.com

MEDIALeo VartorellaArgot Partnersleo@argotpartners.com

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Cody Simpson Makes Noise in 100 Butterfly as Progress Continues – Swimming World Magazine

Posted: at 2:33 pm

Cody Simpson Makes Noise in 100 Butterfly as Progress Continues

The impressive and continued progress of Australias Cody Simpson was on display this weekend, when the former age-group standout, during a time trial, posted a time of 53.85 for the 100-meter butterfly. The effort by Simpson, a pop star in the music world, marks a one-second improvement in a span of only two months. Simpson took to Instagram to announce the successful time trial, and savor the improvements he has made while working with coach Brett Hawke.

Before embarking a highly successful career as a pop star, one which took him to international stardom and points all around the world, Simpson shined in Australia in the age-group ranks. The urge to return to the water called Simpson, and he opted to go to work with Hawke, a two-time Olympian for Australia and sprint guru. Clearly, the work Simpson has logged is paying off. Simpson is targeting the Australian Olympic Trials in June, and in addition to qualifying for Trials in the 100 fly, Simpson has added a qualifying mark in the 100 freestyle.

While considerable work remains for Simpson to become a challenger at the Australian Trials, he is obviously on the right track and showing significant progress in short periods of time. Simpson is currently doing his training in Florida, where Hawke relocated his group in order to get better access to pools than what was available in Southern California.

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Cody Simpson Makes Noise in 100 Butterfly as Progress Continues - Swimming World Magazine

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