Daily Archives: March 15, 2022

Roy Parker, distinguished professor ofbiochemistry and director of theBioFrontiers Institute, will deliver an in-person lectureAdventures with RNA in health and disease at 4 p.m. on April 5 in the Chancellors Hall and Auditorium.

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Parker was selected to receive the 2021-22Distinguished Research Lectureship, which is among the most esteemed honors bestowed by the faculty upon a faculty member at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Rebecca Maloy, a professor of musicology and director of the Center for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, was also selected to receive a2021-22 Distinguished Research Lectureship. Maloys lectureConstructing Sanctity Through Sound in Early Medieval Iberiatook place on March 8.

Roy Parker is a distinguished professor ofbiochemistry and Cech-Leinwand chair of biochemistry, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and director of theBioFrontiers Institute.

Parker is a global leader in the study of ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules, which are both molecular machines and the messenger of genetic information. His pioneering work has revealed new aspects of the life of RNA molecules and how abnormalities in RNA regulation can lead to bone marrow failure diseasesandcontribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers Disease.

He is an elected Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Member of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Parkers excellence in mentorship is demonstrated by the success of his past trainees in many economic sectors and fields of study. His outstanding dedication to university service is particularly evident in his critical scientific leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and the CU Boulder response.

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules and their regulation are central tonormal human cellular function. RNA misregulation can lead to bone marrow failuredisorders andcontribute to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimers Disease.Disease-causing disruptions are diverse and include altered RNA longevity, storage and cellular trafficking. Our goals are to understand the lives of human RNAs from birth to death, determine how abnormalities in the normalRNAlife cycle can lead to human diseases, and use that insight to suggest new therapeutic approaches.

Each year, theResearch & Innovation Office (RIO)requests nominations from faculty for theDistinguished Research Lectureshipand a faculty review panel recommends one or more faculty members as recipients.

The lectureship honors a tenured faculty member, research professor (associate or full) or adjoint professor who has been with CU Boulder for at least five years and is widely recognized for a distinguished body of academic or creative achievement and prominence, as well as contributions to the educational and service missions of CUBoulder. Each recipient typically presentsa lecture in the fall or spring following selection and receives a $2,000 honorarium.

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Professor Roy Parker to deliver April 5 Distinguished Research Lecture on Adventures with RNA - CU Boulder Today

Chronic joint pain can happen at any age, although it is more common as you get older possibly made worse by arthritis. The complex joints connecting the discs of the spine comprise the most common complaints lower back pain followed by knee pain.

Charles M. Lawrie, M.D., a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon atMiami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.

Joints are really the foundation for motion, and there are layers and layers of tissue on top of the joints, like muscles and tendons, that actually provide the movement, explains Charles M. Lawrie, M.D., a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon atMiami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.

Dr. Lawrie, who specializes in adult hip and knee joint replacement surgery, discussed joint pain in the latest episode of Baptist HealthTalk. The podcast is hosted by Jonathan Fialkow, M.D., chief population health officer for Baptist Health and chief of cardiology at Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute.

There are more than 200 joints in the human body, but chances are we take them for granted until we experience swelling, stiffness or pain, said Dr. Fialkow as he introduces Dr. Lawrie. So, is it inevitable, and what can we do to keep our joints as healthy as possible for as long as possible?

An individual cannot control genetics, which is a risk factor for issues with joints and surrounding tendons and muscles, including different levels of arthritis. But there are lifestyle factors that can be modified, including weight management and staying physical fit by taking part in a range of activities or regular exercise.

One major factor that we do have control over, I would say, is weight, said Dr. Lawrie. And we all know that we have an obesity epidemic in the U.S. The knee, for example, takes every pound of body weight that people are carrying around in simple daily activities, like walking or going up and downstairs. Our body weight actually will go through the knees.

Here are question-and-answer excerpts from the Baptist Healthtalk podcast. You can hear the full podcast here:

Dr. Fialkow: What are the joints that people complain about more commonly than others?

Dr. Lawrie:The most common area that people complain about or have problems with during their life is the lower back. Just about anyone you know, any age beyond teenagers, has had an episode of back pain that usually is laid them up from work or from school. And the back is actually more complex. And its comprised of many, many joints. Different bones at different levels of the back connect together through the discs. So, the back I would say is No. 1.

Beyond the back, the knee is actually the second most common joint of the body that typically gets affected. Were all very active. Were on our feet all day. We like to run, we like to jump, play sports, and the knees tend to get a lot of the force going through them, and get beat up quite a bit over the course of our life. Other things we commonly see would be the shoulder joints, the hip joints, and then less commonly you get into the smaller joints, like ankles, wrists, hands, toes.

Dr. Fialkow: What kind of lifestyle or what kind of situations might increase the risk joint pain? And what can one do to decrease the chances of significant degenerative joint disease, if anything?

Dr. Lawrie:Unfortunately, a lot of the degenerative joint disease causes are kind of unknown or multifactorial. So, theres a variety of different factors that go into the actual finished product, which is arthritis. Things that are controllable are injuries and activity level. When were younger, avoiding really extreme activity, extreme heavy weights in the gym, and avoiding injury when playing sports. This can all help increase the longevity of our joints as we get older. Also, doing varied levels of activity. We all tend to find one thing we enjoy and then we only do that one thing. So, some people, run, run, run, run, run, and then they show up with some joint pain because they havent varied their activities.

But unfortunately, like I said, a lot of this is just bad luck. To be honest, things that are out of our control, like the genetic makeup of our cartilage surfaces, the joint surface, the way that our bones and joints developed, so the different angles that our bones developed as they were forming against each other can affect the risk for arthritis.

Dr. Fialkow: Is there any recommendations you would have as an orthopedic specialist as to how to decreasing the chances of injuries?

Dr. Lawrie:People in their 20s, 30s, 40s, who typically show up with injuries, or what we dub the weekend warriors, really arent very active during the week and then they go out on the weekends. And all of a sudden, they expect to go from zero to a 100 and their muscles just really arent ready to accommodate the types of activities theyre trying to get into.

So, the strategy for injury prevention for the majority of us in our 30s, 40s, 50s who still like to get out there and play sports or be active is to really focus on a variety of activities, a variety of exercise total body strengthening. And make sure there arent any particular deficiencies in any one area, and really making sure that you appropriately ramp up your activity level before you try to jump into something.

Tags: back pain, joint pain, joint replacement surgery, knee pain, Miami Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute

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Factors Affecting Joint Pain at Any Age: Body Weight, Injury, Levels of Activity and Genetics - Baptist Health South Florida

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Deep research on Precision Medicine Software Market Industry Analysis as well as projection 2020-2026 | 2bprecise, LLC The Bollywood Ticket - The...

If someone managed to, hypothetically, avoid pollution, never be involved in an accident and followed all health advice to the letter, how long would they live for? Jane Shaw

Please send new questions to nq@theguardian.com.

Beyond the factors mentioned I think it could also depend to a large extent on circumstances and willpower. Say, for example, that (to take a random imaginary instance) you were extremely rich and determined to thwart your hopeless sons aspiration to become king, the answer might even be indefinitely. ThereisnoOwl

One thing Ive noticed about very long-lived people is that they remain part of a tightly knit community, and they also remain interested in life. The solutions to a long life, apart from the luck of the genetic draw, may well have more to do with the emotional bonds of community than with pollution. The other point to note is long life and what? Theres no point living to 120 if youre all crumbly when you get there. So then its long life, and good health, and mental alertness, and physical fitness that were looking for which is quite an ask. Lastly, of course, the saddest part of living a long life is everyone you know and love dying. Ive seen people just give up when a spouse or sibling has died. And to offset that, of course a closely knit community. But in the end, how long would you want to live anyway, by yourself, with no one to giggle at your stupid 90s memes? Mollybee

The question assumes that the ageing process is environmentally regulated. While things such as smoking and driving like a loon have obvious disadvantages, ageing is a biological process. The rate at which your telomeres fray, the accumulation of random errors in individual cells DNA, and the depletion of stem cells to replace old cell lines play a part in determining your lifespan. Longevity often runs in families, which suggests that inherited factors are involved. I doubt that living the life of a nun is worth the extra few years it may bring anyway. letsbeclearaboutthis

The theoretical maximum lifespan for humans is about 150 years. This is related to an evaluation of human resilience the ability to withstand and recover from disease to maintain a normal physiological equilibrium. A useful parameter for quantifying resilience is the dynamic organism state indicator.

Apropos of nothing, it is comical to see the interest in longevity from billionaires. Their detachment from the rest of us seems to inevitably lead to a ludicrous messiah complex. It reveals how completely out of touch these people are and how little they offer.

This is not to say scientific interest in ageing is without merit. It is an integral part in many approaches to preventing the onset of age-related diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and neuro-degenerative disease. But to achieve an immortal Zuckerberg would hardly be the end goal.

Quality, not quantity, is a maxim that can be broadly applied. My view is that it includes the time we spend on Earth. We grow, we age, and we die to make room for the new. Thats it. Self-betterment, close relationships and community are what makes it worthwhile. All the rest is vanity. In my view. Hak_a_dalan

Dont forget the genes (longevity is affected by inheritance) or gender (oldest are generally female). Recorded maximum age seems to be 110-120 years or so, but according to Google, the record is Jeanne Calment (18751997) of France, who lived to the age of 122 years and 164 days. I would not bet on much over 110 myself even with good luck and a healthy lifestyle. Hilary Gee

Much depends on genetic predisposition to disease, perhaps even more so than environmental factors. Live your life in the present, dont worry about when youre going to die, life is to be lived, enjoy every moment, try not to abuse your body too much while doing it. WTobiasJr

Im not questioning your sentiment in the matter, and your advice seems sound enough, but what is your epidemiological evidence? Some individuals inherit biological problems which may affect their lifespan, but that doesnt apply to whole populations. Sickle cell anaemia in west Africa is a well-known exception.

Research in Britain dating from the 1970/80s made it quite clear that death rates were related to social class. Recent ONS figures, here reported by the Kings Fund show, that people living in more affluent areas live significantly longer than people living in deprived areas. In 201719, males in the least-deprived 10% of areas in England could expect to live to 83.5 years, almost a decade longer than males in the 10% most-deprived areas (74.1 years). Its important that these numbers are pre-pandemic as that has had an effect, but not in terms of making things more equal. The grim reaper has your postcode. Fallowfield

If you live like that, avoiding all inflammatory markers such as, well, basically all the fun things in life, you wont live to be 100, but youll feel as if you have. PaulVanSalle

My grandmother lived to 107, marbles intact and physically OK until the last year or so. She took up line dancing in her 90s, was usually out if I called in to her care home and was a member of every group in her village for decades. Stay connected, keep learning, be active. Those things. BusyLizzie2

My grandmother on my dads side lived to 103. She was antisocial, even towards her own family at times, lived in a care home for the last few years of her life, didnt mix with the residents, had no interests and no friends. She did have all her marbles, was just about mobile but had a stroke about a week before she died where she was bedridden and totally lost the power of speech. Its always been a mystery as to how she kept going for so long when she really didnt appear to enjoy life that much. solentview

Bloody-mindedness. Same as with my German gran. nina1414

I have the ambition to reach the age of 131, rather less than 50 years from now. Simple statistics show that very few, if any, people die after that age. It will probably take me until then to achieve all things I ever wanted to do. Something to look forward to. Sounds good to me. After that, I wouldnt mind dying in bed, not necessarily shot by a jealous husband. Raimoh105

People tend to forget that living to a great age just means theyre likely to be old and decrepit for longer. betweencloudshadows

The recent research (published on Science) showed that a small reduction of food intake (14%) could significantly improve immune response and reduce chances of inflammation as well as losing weight. This was based on a two-year random study of healthy adults. The implication seems it could prolong healthy span of life in humans (as well as in mice already proven). Hillside

Millions long for immortality who dont know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon. Susan Ertz. Having an uncle who lived to be 100 and a mother who just celebrated her 95th, having a close family who live with you or nearby really helps living to an old age. And being generally healthy. JohnInAthlone

Communities in Chernobyl were forced to evacuate in 1986 but some refused to leave. It turned out that those who were removed suffered terribly and couldnt settle down, and in many, if not most cases, were outlived by those who insisted on staying put in their communities in the Chernobyl area. Having a sense of meaning and a sense of belonging seems to be the important factor in this. wetsuitboots

Troy: Who wants to live to be 89?Barnaby: Someone whos 88. Inoubliable

Jeanne Calment lived to 122 and we can assume thats about the natural limit, give or take a year, without some kind of external therapy to halt or reverse senescence which may not be far off. Modern medicine probably wont extend that extreme but just bring the rest of us closer to it, and in better health to the very end rather than in an extended decrepitude.

Its hard to know the ideal recipe for longevity though; its probably person-specific and it may be the degree of exposure of one factor (eg alcohol, pollutants, virii) to one person is negative, but to another their body pushes against and makes them more robust in the long run. HaveYouFedTheFish

Thus far the answer is 120-something, and only a tiny fraction of a percentage of people will achieve that. Theres little or no evolutionary selection for extreme old age. People who live a really long time past the age of reproduction are effectively rolling the dice and getting double six again and again. As the question implies you can load the dice in your favour by following medical advice, but some time before your 125th birthday some irreplaceable part of your body will stop working, and then so will you.

In the future things may be different, because we will probably become much better at maintaining and repairing our bodies and brains. This will increase the percentage of people who make it past 120, and perhaps allow some to live decades longer. Those who do so will have to work at it a lifelong regimen of diet, exercise and medication. I dont know if I want to work that hard. There is reasonable evidence that calorie restriction extends mammalian lifespans. One hundred and forty years, all of it quite hungry? That sounds like a really long time. SemiFunctional

Sardinia has plenty of centenarians and they drink a drop of wine each day, just a drop. By the way, if we ultimately aim at eternal life, we should remember that Tithonus, in Greek mythology, was sentenced to this as a punishment. Bloreheath

How long would anybody live? On average, not a lot longer than they do now. What shortens life significantly is low income. To which we can add a few particularly hazardous habits, such as smoking, or hazardous occupations. If youre living in a developed country with a better than average income, not smoking, and a few potentially fatal diseases can be controlled, your life expectancy is not far off the hypothetical maximum as far as current medical practice sees it. Most of the aims of current health policy are about addressing premature deaths, essentially treating identifiable causes that shorten life. Its not about extending life for all, that is not seen as a practical aim.

The question in the headline is about possible lifespan (which doesnt appear to be what was asked), thats luck. There are combinations of genes, lifestyle, environment, but mostly chance, that allow some individuals to live to near 120 years. The trick is the combination is so rare its not obvious what makes those factors any different from conditions that are merely good. The extremely long lived are outliers; any normal distribution will throw up a few individuals at the extremes of the curve. The shortest lived are lost among the accidents and a disease toll that takes a percentage at all ages.

The longest lived, however, and whatever circumstances those few need, are clearly becoming seen more frequently. At time of writing, the third- and fourth-longest lived individuals ever are still alive. Perhaps more remarkable is that of the 100 authenticated longest lived women, and the 100 longest lived men ever, only one died before 1985 and more than 80% of them were still living into the year 2000 and beyond. leadballoon

Read more:
Readers reply: how long could a person possibly live? - The Guardian

Need to know:

Moderna and Novavaxs Covid-19 and influenza combination vaccine draws expert enthusiasm for efficacy owing to the formers mRNA vaccine technology and the latters noninferior data for its standalone protein subunit flu vaccine. They were less enthusiastic about Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTechs investigation for variant-specific or multivariant Covid-19 vaccines, noting nebulous commercial or practical value despite the studies having scientific importance.

Regarding the Covid-19/flu vaccines, the assets featuring two antigens should not interfere with each others efficacy when combined, and their side-effect profiles should be similar to standalone versions. The one notable caveat with this approach is that while flu has a predictable annual seasonality, the same cannot be said so far with Covid-19, which can make it tricky to pinpoint ideal distribution timelines for the combo. Novavaxs Phase I/II combo vaccine study (NCT04961541) has data expected in April, while Moderna is still in preclinical stage.

As for variant-specific or multivariant Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, the lack of expert enthusiasm is due to data from the current crop of vaccines showing they are still efficacious against recent variants of concern. Also, by the time a vaccine is tweaked to feature the most recent variant, there is the risk that the variant would no longer be prevalent in the community. Nonetheless, there is scientific rationale to these studies to demonstrate existing vaccine technologies can be adapted for future variants.

Modernas variant-specific vaccines are targeting Beta, Delta, or Omicron and the multivariant shot zeroing in on both Beta and Delta in a Phase II/III trial (NCT04927065). Pfizer/BioNTech are targeting Alpha/Delta in Phase II (NCT05004181). The Pfizer/BioNTech trial is estimated to end in April, while Modernas trial conclusion is expected March 2023.

A Covid-19/flu vaccine is attractive as it combines two preventive approaches into one, says Dr William Schaffner, an infectious diseases professor at Vanderbilt University. The combo can reduce vaccine hesitancy and ease the publics fatigue towards vaccinations, explains Rodney Rhode, PhD, chair and professor, Clinical Laboratory Science Program at Texas State University.

Novavaxs protein subunit combo vaccine features its yet-to-be US-authorised Covid-19 vaccine Nuvaxovid and its Phase III seasonal flu vaccine NanoFlu. Meanwhile, Modernas combo vaccine features its FDA-approved Covid-19 vaccine Spikevax and its seasonal flu vaccine mRNA-1010, with the latter standalone vaccines furthest study being a Phase I/II trial (NCT04956575).

For these combo vaccines to solidify their real-world value, experts say their flu vaccine element should improve upon available standalone flu vaccines. Existing flu vaccines typically offer 4060% protection. The combo vaccine should have at least 60% of protection for better uptake, Rhode says.

In a Phase III trial (NCT04120194), Novavaxs NanoFlu had noninferior immunogenicity to the active comparator Sanofis Fluzone quadrivalent vaccine. Even though NanoFlu is only noninferior, the added Covid-19 element to its combo will give an additional selling point, Rhode explains. There are no concerns that the combo version will be less effective versus the standalone flu vaccine as Novavax is using the same technology in flu and its Covid-19 vaccines, he adds.

Its only recently that mRNA technology started being investigated for flu and the shift is due to the success of Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, says Dr Reynold Panettieri, Jr, Vice Chancellor, Rutgers Institute for Translational Medicine and Science. And the mRNA technology has potential in increasing the efficacy of existing influenza vaccines, explains Rhode.

Modernas standalone mRNA-1010 flu vaccine produced positive interim Phase I data showing boosted influenza antibody titres in the participants ages 18 and older. Novavax preclinical data shows its combo vaccine produced high titre influenza haemagglutination inhibiting (HAI) antibody response to a viral infection, neutralising antibodies against influenza A and B strains, and maintained protection against SARS-CoV-2.

Yet such positive preclinical data does not guarantee the same results in human trials, Rhode says. The human immune system responds differently to dosing, the tested drugs have different interference with human proteins and enzyme kinetics, as well as the effects of antibody response longevity when compared to laboratory animals, he explains.

The two combos should also demonstrate that the efficacy of its Covid-19 vaccine element should not be compromised by the added flu vaccine, Panettieri says. Reduced efficacy when combined is a valid concern that would affect its marketability, Rhode explains. Reassuringly, there are no examples of less-efficacious combo vaccines that are still distributed versus any standalone counterparts, he notes.

The combo vaccines are likely to have similar side effects to standalone versions, such as soreness, muscle fatigue, fever, and nausea, Rhode adds. So far, existing combo vaccines are as safe as standalone versions, Rhode and Panettieri note.

Nevertheless, if a combo vaccine is authorised, there are rollout issues that need to be addressed. There is an established seasonality to flu, which is why it is updated every year with a predictable schedule, adds John McCauley, director of the Worldwide Influenza Centre at the Francis Crick Institute.

Covid-19s seasonality, while there is a trend for winter peaks, is still nebulous and there are still questions if people should be given a Covid-19 vaccine annually to address waning efficacy, or only when there is an aggressive new variant that significantly impacts vaccine efficacy. You have to be really stringent and on top of your genomic surveillance. The world needs to continuously be looking at these strains and new variants, Rhode says.

Meanwhile, efforts for variant-specific or multivariant Covid-19 mRNA vaccines are also underway. While the first crop of Covid-19 mRNA vaccines demonstrated at least 90% efficacy against the original variant, approaching this high level of efficacy will be challenging at present due to vaccination rates in the community, immunity from prior infections, as well as more aggressive variants. Comparing previous and current immunogenicity data is like comparing apples to oranges, Panettieri says.

Nonetheless, there is nebulous practical and commercial value to these variant-specific or multivariant Covid-19 vaccines considering the original vaccines are still robust against all variants, Panettieri says. We have to be careful trying to perfect something that is not broken, he says. Boosters reduced the morbidity and hospitalization of infected patients, he added. Three doses of original Pfizer and Moderna vaccines had 90% protection against severe disease caused by the Omicron variant, according to the UKs Health Security Agency.

Further, by the time variant-specific or multivalent vaccines may be available in the market, the variants they are investigating against may no longer be circulating, a vaccine expert says. You will always be chasing your tail to a degree, he adds.

Instead, there should be more effort in improving vaccine distribution rather than improving upon a vaccine that is still efficacious, the vaccine expert says. Moderna has announced giving access to technology producing its Covid-19 vaccine to low- and mid-income countries, with BioNTech providing modular mRNA manufacturing facilities to improve vaccine supply in Africa.

Nonetheless, there is still scientific value in investigating these variant-specific or multivalent vaccines as they might be valuable if we do need them in the future, says the vaccine expert. A Pfizer spokesperson says staying vigilant against the virus requires identifying new ways to protect as SARS-CoV-2 naturally evolves. Developing and investigating different approaches, should they be needed, are essential towards their goal, she adds.

Moderna has said previous research on SARS-CoV-1 and MERS enabled the company to rapidly respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. Moderna and Novavax did not respond to the comment request.

Moderna is only investigating its vaccine as a booster, while Pfizer and BioNTech are also studying their vaccine in vaccine-nave people. While a significant number of people have received two doses, which argues for only investigating these as boosters, there are many people who are still vaccine-nave, particularly in places that are harder to reach, he added.

Reassuringly, variant-specific or multivariant vaccines are unlikely to pose a higher side-effect risk than the original version, Schaffner says. The side effects are attributed to the technology of the vaccine and not the antigen, he explains.

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Covid-19, flu combo vaccines an advance but with distribution quandaries - Clinical Trials Arena