Category Archives: Cf

It took the entirety of spring training for the Philadelphia Phillies to reveal which center fielders would make the teams Opening Day roster.

But, after the final out of teams 28-game 2021 Grapefruit League schedule was recorded early Monday evening, the winner of the seemingly never-ending competition was finally revealed.

And, its not necessarily one winner that came out on top, as a platoon will very much be a factor at the center field position.

The Phillies announced that former first-round pick Adam Haseley has made the Opening Day roster along with speedy outfielder Roman Quinn and that non-roster invitee Odubel Herrera will report to the alternate training site at Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

Matt Joyce, a fellow non-roster invitee, was previously announced to have made the Opening Day roster. Joyce, Haseley, and Quinn will likely all see playing time at center field, at least early on in the regular season.

Haseley finished spring training on a tear, collecting three hits in seven at-bats, including a double along with four RBI, one stolen base, and just one strikeout. He began spring training on just as impressive on a pace, including launching the teams second pitch seen at the plate for a home run. However, a groin injury that was first thought to sideline Haseley for the remainder of spring wound up not being as serious, and he returned earlier than expected.

Herrera, who remains surrounded by a controversial cloud due to his domestic violence suspension two seasons ago, finished the spring hitting just .231 with a .245 on-base percentage. His best game came on Saturday against the Tigers, going 3-for-4 with a double and home run. However, Herrera went hitless in his final five at-bats.

As The Athletics Jayson Stark notes, Herrera did not force the Phillies hand. So much so, not even to put him on the roster over Quinn whoslashed .270/.341/.405 this spring with a pair of doubles, one home run, four walks, and 15 strikeouts through 37 at-bats. Quinn successfully stole each of his four attempts.

The Phillies Opening Day roster is now complete and ready to go for Thursdays matchup opposite the Atlanta Braves. Whether theirbaseball decision to keep Haseley, Quinn, and Joyce over Herrera will be a good one remains to be seen.

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Phillies announce long-awaited winner of CF competition - That Balls Outta Here

BRAVE CF is gearing up this week to celebrate its 50th event. BRAVE CF 50 will take place on Thursday, April 1, inside Bahrains Arad Fort and features a pair of title fights in the main and co-main events.

For a company that only launched in 2016, it is an impressive achievement, especially when you factor in that BRAVE CF has staged events on five continents and 21 different countries. One of the founding goals of the promotion was to help transform MMA into a fully-fledged globally recognized sport, with national bodies working together to create pathways for MMA to progress.

A reshaping of the structure of the sport is no small feat. However, BRAVE CF President Mohammad Shahid feels that not only is it achievable, but it is also vital if MMA wishes to continue expanding in the future.

The industry needs a complete reform. We are in the event business focused on revenue per event, no different from a concert or anything else. With BRAVE CF, our goal is to bring it to the sports business. Similar to football, cricket, basketball, Shahid said, speaking to LowkickMMA.

Its not easy, and any sport is too big for one country, one person, or one company to handle. If it could be, then you can know there is a big hole in the structure, and it will end up dead in the next 10 or 15 years waiting for some superstar to come and save us.

We need to change it now, and we have the format. We need to bring the MMA industry together to open their eyes and see the need for it and start the work together, and it will create opportunities for athletes to business opportunities for all who love MMA.

BRAVE CF has already started this transformation by creating an extensive scouting network throughout the world. The company has over 70 experts working to locate new talent, a staggering number when considering that BRAVE CF did not even exist five years ago.

The following 12-months look set to be pivotal for BRAVE CF. The promotion has recently partnered with MMAON, a company working to help enhance the viewing experience for fans through digital tools. It will also be looking to work and collaborate with other MMA stakeholders to help advance the sport.

In the next year, its time to let the industry of MMA enter the true sports business and create the global ecosystem in at least three continents and six countries, Shahid explained.

The global ecosystem [is a] sports development program that allows a boy with a dream to be a fighter, one that has a national structure that will allow him to reach the top of the food chain and become a national and global star if he has the talent.

This ecosystem will require a global regulation body and local promotions, and national federations to unite to be able to take this next step in sport and bring the private sectors to invest in MMA in their countries more than just one brand. Finally, to showcase the sports values, MMA can provide a nation,

BRAVE CF is not the only MMA promotion looking to establish itself on the world stage. Still, it is one of the few companies openly looking into what needs to happen for MMA to see itself more in the sports business and less in the event business.Time will tell if Shahid succeeds in his aim or not, but it will certainly be an interesting ride for fans to follow.

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Exclusive: BRAVE CF President Talks About The State Of MMA The Industry Needs A Complete Reform - LowKick MMA

With Amed, it was kind of working from ground zero.

Indians outfield coach Kyle Hudson was dealt the task of helping shortstop Amed Rosario transition to center field. With Oscar Mercado and Bradley Zimmer in the Minors, the Tribe was left in an unusual position this spring, having to unexpectedly find a starting center fielder.

Ben Gamel and Jordan Luplow will get most of the reps in center for now, but the club wants to find a way to get Rosarios bat in the lineup since Andrs Gimnez locked up the shortstop job. Rosario may be starting from square one, having played just a few innings in the outfield in his career, but the Indians are sticking with the plan of moving him to center.

Him playing shortstop helps out a little bit, Hudson said. You've got to react a little faster on the infield than you do in the outfield. He might be moving too quick at times in terms of that reaction to make the right read. The athletic ability is there; his ability to go back, his ability to come in.

The natural athleticism certainly helps when trying to take on a position like center field. However, Rosario needed to learn everything about playing the outfield, starting with the basic fundamentals.

It's been a really cool project, Hudson said, because once guys get to this level, they're usually pretty locked in on the fundamental aspects and it's more of a maintenance thing for guys every day. With Amed, we had to go from ground zero and work through the fundamental aspects and get him as many game-like reads and reps as possible, because he's starting from behind in that aspect, because he hasn't had much time out there.

Most of the fundamentals will just require Rosario to get as many repetitions under his belt as possible for them to become more natural. The one thing that may take some more time -- and a more physical toll -- will be stretching his arm out to make longer throws more consistently from the outfield rather than from a shorter distance at shortstop.

Thats gonna be a continuous process throughout the season to be able to try to lengthen that thing out and get more backspin carry from that center field position, Hudson said. Theres some improvement there, but its definitely gonna be a process, because its definitely a change from what hes experienced at shortstop in terms of that arm slot.

Players usually report to camp early in the mornings each day to get their practice and workouts in. Games get underway in the afternoon, and players leave for the night after they are pulled. But Rosario has been staying later into the evenings to get some extra work in the outfield with Hudson.

I can't say enough about the attitude and the work that he's put in out there, Hudson said. He's doing almost twice as much as every other guy out there right now. That's why you've seen him improve tremendously over the first game up until now.

His first game on March 16 didnt go as well as Rosario wouldve hoped. He misplayed two fly balls and threw a ball away to account for a hat trick of errors in his first Cactus League appearance in center.

We just wanted to make sure that he understood that we werent gonna base our decisions off that single game, Hudson said, and we just wanted him to go out there, continue to learn, have fun, and hes done a tremendous job of coming back from that. Then he came in and got two hits on the offensive side. I think thats a testament to him and understand that hes not gonna ride those ups and downs. Hes pretty mentally tough in that aspect.

Rosario has been working in the outfield for about two weeks. With just five days remaining until Opening Day, the Indians will probably want him to get some more practice in the grass before he mans center field in a regular-season game, but hes working his way to proving hes ready for the challenge.

Itd be nice to have a little bit more time, Hudson said. But weve seen the progression. Weve seen the improvements. And hes only going to continue to get better.

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Rosario putting in work for transition to CF - MLB.com

This article was originally published here

J Cyst Fibros. 2021 Mar 25:S1569-1993(21)00058-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jcf.2021.03.009. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a chronic multi-system disease best cared for at Care centers with routine monitoring by interdisciplinary teams. Previously, remote home monitoring technology has been explored to augment in-person care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, traditional in-person care was limited and CF centers rapidly adapted to a telehealth delivery model. The purpose of this study was to understand how people with CF (PwCF) and families of PwCF experienced the shift to telehealthcare delivery.

METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey-based study conducted in 11 CF Centers. Two surveys were designed (one for adult PwCF and one for parents/guardians of PwCF) by participating CF center members with patient and family partner input. Surveys were disseminated electronically via email/text to all patients who completed a telehealth visit, and data were collected on secure Google Forms.

RESULTS: Respondents rated their telehealth experiences as positive. Most were highly satisfied with their telehealth visit (77% adult, 72% pediatric) and found the visits to be highly convenient (85% for all surveyed). A majority of patients reported they had adequate time during the visit and had all questions and concerns addressed. Importantly, we also identified concerns regarding lack of in-person assessments including pulmonary function testing (PFT) and throat/sputum culture.

CONCLUSION: Telehealth was a feasible and well-accepted mechanism for delivering care in a chronic CF care model during the COVID-19 pandemic and may be useful in the post-pandemic era. Further work is needed to understand the impact of telehealth on patient outcomes, healthcare utilization and associated cost.

PMID:33775604 | DOI:10.1016/j.jcf.2021.03.009

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Patient and family perceptions of telehealth as part of the cystic fibrosis care model during COVID-19 - DocWire News

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune http://www.newsofbahrain.com

BRAVE Combat Federations return to Kombat Kingdom will come to an astounding climax with BRAVE CF 50 taking place on April 1st at Arad Fort in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

To celebrate being the only promotion in the world to visit 21 countries in its first 50 events, BRAVE Combat Federation is hosting the biggest fight card in BRAVE CF history with 17 fights in one night and representation from 25 countries.

BRAVE CF 50 includes fighters from Jordan, Lebanon, Russia, France, Tunisia, Belgium, Switzerland, Moldova, Sweden, Canada, UK, Brazil, Austria, Algeria, USA, Uzbekistan, Germany, Denmark, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Serbia, South Africa, El Salvador, Poland, Luxembourg, and Ireland walking out the magnificent 15th century castle in Kombat Kingdom.

The night will be headlined by Jarrah The Jordanian Lion Al-Silawi defending his BRAVE CF Super Welterweight World Champion Title against BRAVE CF newcomer Ismail Naurdiev, and the current BRAVE CF Middleweight World Champion Mohammad Fakhreddine aiming to break a BRAVE CF record by being the first double weight champion and facing Mohamed Said Maalem in a Light Heavyweight Title fight.

BRAVE CF 50 will also include two bouts of the Flyweight tournament.

Russias mixed martial arts legend Ali The Puncher King Bagautinov will face off against one of the top Flyweights in the world Dustin Ortiz in a quarter finals bout of the tournament, while KHK MMAs Velimurad Alkhasov will rematch Zach Makovsky in a Flyweight tournament semi-final bout.

The current BRAVE CF Lightweight World Champion Amin Ayoub will also be fighting on the card, however it will be a non-title fight against Mashrabjon Ruziboev in a Catchweight 74KG bout.

Other notable names include Issa Isakov against Marcel Grabinski in a Super Lightweight bout, Louis Glismann against Kevin Ruart in a Super Welterweight bout, and Brad Katona against Borislav Nikolic in a Bantamweight bout, The number one sports media property in the Middle East BRAVE CF is bringing the toughest fights to one fight card for a spectacular night in Kombat Kingdom. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 5:30 PM (GMT+3) on Thursday April 1st.

Fans from across the world can watch live and free on BRAVE CF TV.

BRAVE CF 50 Fight Card

Super Welterweight Title - Jarrah Al-Silawi vs Ismail Naurdiev

Light Heavyweight Title - Mohammad Fakhreddine (MW-C) vs Mohamed Said Maalem

Flyweight - Ali Bagautinov vs Dustin Ortiz

Flyweight - Velimurad Alkhasov vs Zach Makovsky

Catchweight 74KG - Amin Ayoub vs Mashrabjon Ruziboev

Super Lightweight - Issa Isakov vs Marcel Grabinski

Super Welterweight - Kevin Ruart vs Louis Glismann

Featherweight - Valeriu Mircea vs Omar Solomonov

Catchweight 95KG - Anton Turkalj vs Konstantin Soldatov

Bantamweight - Brad Katona vs Borislav Nikolic

Middleweight - Rustam Chsiev vs Brendan Lesar

Catchweight 77KG - Carl Booth vs Carlos Belloso

Bantamweight - Bair Shtepin vs Alexander Keshtov

Featherweight - Shoaib Yousaf vs Steven Goncalves

Catchweight 73KG - Felipe Silva vs Maciej Gierszewski

Lightweight - Magomed Magomedov vs Yann Liasse

Featherweight - Abdulmanap Magomedov vs Glenn McVeigh

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BRAVE CF 50 gets major additions as new full fight card is released | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN - News of Bahrain- DT News

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune http://www.newsofbahrain.com

BRAVE CF Lightweight World Champion Amin Fierceness Ayoub is determined to put on a spectacular show for the live global audience watching this Thursday, April 1st no matter who the foe he is up against.

The 25-year-old Frenchman was originally penciled to defend his intricately-crafted belt for the first time versus Ahmed The Butcher Amir in a grudge match at the highly-anticipated BRAVE CF 50, but an injury to the Egyptian means that he will now meet Mashrabjon Ruziboev in a 74-kilogram, non-title catchweight contest.

Although the sudden change in opponents was made three days ago, Ayoub is not daunted by the task at hand.

I am ready for whoever they put in front of me, he said.

I have trained hard and prepared well for my original opponent Ahmed Amir, so I am confident that I can take on anyone who stands in my way.

This is arguably a more challenging assignment for Ayoub as Nursulton Ruziboevs younger brother is riding high on a seven-bout winning streak with three victories coming by way of knockout and two via submission.

Aside from his 11-2-1 standing in the sport, Ruziboev hasnt tasted defeat in two years, taking the lessons of his last recorded loss to heart and evolving into a much more well-rounded competitor in the process.

On other hand, Ayoub is coming off a spectacular 2020 that saw him dethrone Cleiton The Predator Silva as the division kingpin by fourth-round stoppage at BRAVE CF 44 in November of last year.

Despite the impressive credentials that Ruziboev brings into the match, Ayoub is confident that he will tear through the Uzbek prospect and will walk away with his hand raised in triumph.

I have faith in my capabilities and my skills.

I believe that I can win impressively against a talented fighter like him, he declared.

BRAVE CF 50 will be broadcast globally LIVE and FREE on http://www.bravecftv.com - the historic show takes place in the beautiful Arad Fort, and begins at 5.30 PM - GMT+3.

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The show must go on for champ Amin Ayoub at BRAVE CF 50 | THE DAILY TRIBUNE | KINGDOM OF BAHRAIN - News of Bahrain- DT News

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the European Medicines Agencys (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion for the label extension of KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in a combination with ivacaftor 150 mg tablets for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in all patients ages 12 years and older who have at least one F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, the most common CF-causing mutation worldwide. If the European Commission follows the recommendation, the majority of people with CF in Europe will be eligible for the medicine.

The CHMP positive opinion was based on the results from a global Phase 3 study (Study 445-104) evaluating the triple combination therapy in CF patients ages 12 years and older who are heterozygous for the F508del-CFTR mutation and a CFTR gating mutation (F/G) or a residual function mutation (F/RF). The study was conducted by Vertex to complement the prior Phase 3 trials, which showed positive results for ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor in combination with ivacaftor in people ages 12 years and older with CF with two F508del mutations (F/F) or one F508del mutation and one minimal function mutation (F/MF) genotype. It showed statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvements in primary and key secondary endpoints, including lung function in patients treated with ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor in combination with ivacaftor.

Todays opinion is an important step towards bringing this medicine to any patient with at least one F508del mutation, including those with a gating or residual function mutation who were not previously eligible for the triple combination therapy, said Nia Tatsis, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Chief Regulatory and Quality Officer at Vertex.

In Europe, KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in combination with ivacaftor is currently licensed for the treatment of people with CF ages 12 years and older with an F/F or F/MF genotype.

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a rare, life-shortening genetic disease affecting more than 80,000 people globally. CF is a progressive, multi-system disease that affects the lungs, liver, GI tract, sinuses, sweat glands, pancreas, and reproductive tract. CF is caused by a defective and/or missing CFTR protein resulting from certain mutations in the CFTR gene. Children must inherit two defective CFTR genes one from each parent to have CF. While there are many different types of CFTR mutations that can cause the disease, the vast majority of all people with CF have at least one F508del mutation. These mutations, which can be determined by a genetic test, or genotyping test, lead to CF by creating non-working and/or too few CFTR proteins at the cell surface. The defective function and/or absence of CFTR protein results in poor flow of salt and water into and out of the cells in a number of organs. In the lungs, this leads to the buildup of abnormally thick, sticky mucus that can cause chronic lung infections and progressive lung damage in many patients that eventually leads to death. The median age of death is in the early 30s.

About KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in a Combination With Ivacaftor

KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in a combination regimen with ivacaftor 150 mg was developed for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ages 12 years and older with two F508del mutations (F/F) or one F508del mutation and one minimal function mutation (F/MF) in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. Ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor is designed to increase the quantity and function of the F508del-CFTR protein at the cell surface. The current approved EU licensed indication for ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor was supported by positive results of two global Phase 3 studies in people ages 12 years and older with CF: a 24-week Phase 3 study in 403 people with one F508del mutation and one minimal function mutation (F/MF) and a four-week Phase 3 study in 107 people with two F508del mutations (F/F).

About Vertex

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) a rare, life-threatening genetic disease and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a robust pipeline of investigational small molecule medicines in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including pain, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. In addition, Vertex has a rapidly expanding pipeline of cell and genetic therapies for diseases such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 11 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and a best place to work for LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements made by Nia Tatsis, in this press release, and statements regarding our expectations for the potential benefits of KAFTRIO in combination with ivacaftor, approval of the label extension for and the availability of KAFTRIO in combination with ivacaftor, and the eligible patient population in Europe. While Vertex believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company's beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that data from the company's development programs may not support a label extension for KAFTRIO in combination with ivacaftor in Europe, the European Commission may not approve the label extension, and other risks listed under the heading Risk Factors in Vertex's annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through the company's website at http://www.vrtx.com and on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. You should not place undue reliance on these statements or the scientific data presented. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.

(VRTX-GEN)

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Vertex Receives CHMP Positive Opinion for KAFTRIO (ivacaftor/tezacaftor/elexacaftor) in Combination With Ivacaftor to Treat People With Cystic...

The CF-105 Arrow was a uniquely Canadian response to the Cold War threat of nuclear-armed Soviet bombers. The Arrows promised and demonstrated performance as well as resplendent aesthetics commanded attention around the world and garnered major excitement at home in Canada. This big interceptor, which was developed in the 1950s, never entered service but Canadas emotional attachment to the plane still runs very deep. This combined with the program's abrupt cancellation the better part of a century ago has created a bizarre breeding ground for wild rumors and conspiracy theories about a sort of secret second life for the jet after its official demise. As such, the Arrow has become something of the ghost of aerospace past that just won't die.

In the early 1950s, rapid advances in the Soviet Unions bomber fleet were being observed with concern around the world. Canadian studies aimed at producing a jet to defend against Soviet bombers initially focused on dramatically improving the existing Avro Canada CF-100 Canuck, which was an indigenous, two-seat, twin-engine subsonic jet. The Canuck was a capable machine that gave Canada many years of service but was not designed for high-altitude, high-speed interception. Efforts to increase the top speed and performance of the CF-100 design led to diminishing returns and a reevaluation of the entire program. Canada instead decided to start from the ground up and indigenously develop an all-new advanced interceptor.

PUBLIC DOMAIN CANADIAN FORCES

The first prototype CF-105 Arrow on a test flight.

Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Specification AIR 7-3 was published in 1953. It outlined Canadas true need, calling for a potent, cutting-edge machine capable of reaching a Mach 1.5 cruise at 50,000 feet five minutes after takeoff. Additional requirements were a paltry range of 300 nautical miles for a mission at normal speeds and a range of 200 nautical miles for a high-speed intercept. Operations from a 6,000-foot runway and a 10-minute turnaround time on the ground were mandated, as well. The RCAF surveyed British, French, and U.S. manufacturers, ultimately determining that no existing design could fulfill its requirements. Avro Canada went to the drawing board and the Arrow was born.

The new plan was realized in 1957 with a rollout, and the two-seat Arrows first flight took place shortly after in 1958. The first Arrow, RL-201, achieved Mach 1.9 on its maiden flight. The promise had been kept.

PUBLIC DOMAIN CANADIAN FORCES

Rollout ceremony for the first Arrow, RL-201, on October 4, 1957.

First flight of the Avro Canada Arrow, on March 25, 1958:

Four aircraft, RL-201, RL-202, RL-203, and RL-204, were built and designated Arrow Mk 1. All the Mk 1 aircraft utilized Pratt & Whitney J75 engines and interim avionics. Ultimately, the design was intended to use the in-development Orenda Iroquois engine, an advanced turbojet of lighter weight and greater thrust than the J75. The Arrow Mk 1s flew a total of 66 times.

Dong Rogers/Wikimedia Commons

RL-204 was the last of the four CF-105 Arrow Mk 1 prototypes, here with a CF-100 Canuck in the background.

Two Arrow Mk 2s were built, as well, RL-205 and RL-206. Both these were considered production examples and were fitted with the more advanced Iroquois engines. RL-205 only flew once and was grounded due to engine problems. RL-206 never flew.

For many reasons, including the Arrow programs prodigious price tag and the proliferation of Soviet intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) no jet could stop, the program was canceled on February 20, 1959, by newly elected Canadian Prime Minister John Diefenbaker.

CANADIAN GOVERNMENT MEMO

A memorandum for Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, outlining the main points behind the 105 problem.

The news was not entirely unexpected, but it was heartbreaking to many Canadians. To thousands of Avro employees, the bad news came via company president Crawford Gordon Jr. He took to the factorys loudspeaker and reportedly referred to Diefenbaker as That fucking prick in Ottawa.

PUBLIC DOMAIN CANADIAN FORCES

RL-204 landing. The first four aircraft were all powered by a pair of Pratt & Whitney J75 engines.

The cancelation left 14,000 Avro Canada employees almost immediately unemployed. The fallout extended to another estimated 15,000 aerospace contractors who lost their jobs as a knock-on effect. Since then, the day has been referred to as Black Friday in aerospace circles.

If the cancelation wasnt harsh and abrasive enough, the order came two months later to destroy every part of the Arrow program, including the aircraft themselves. Nothing was supposed to escape the scrappers torch or shredder. The entire idea of the Arrow was to be liquidated, but that wasnt quite how things turned out. A number of pieces of the aircraft and relics related to it did survive.

PUBLIC DOMAIN

Arrow Mk 2 RL-206 on the production line.

Regardless, sixty years later, the decision remains highly controversial. Industry engineers and defense experts still claim it almost single-handedly eviscerated Canadas ability to natively develop and produce advanced aerospace products.

Officially, the story ends there. However, the Arrow morphed into a specter that lives on to haunt Canada. Theres an old Canadian joke that says the best thing that ever happened to America was the cancellation of the Arrow. America did benefit. A group of 32 engineers known as the Avro group took their knowledge and skills to NASA and ultimately served critical roles in the Apollo space program.

NASA

Jim Chamberlin, chief of technical design for the CF-105, during his time at NASA.

The Arrow wouldnt go away quietly. Far-reaching rumors began immediately. Canadian writer June Callwood lived near the Avro plant in Malton, near Toronto, as a child. She claims that the day after cancellation, she and thousands of others heard the unmistakable crackling roar of an Arrow departing the area. Hardly conclusive evidence, but, to explain how that could have happened, conspiracy theorists point to photographs of the Arrows destruction, illicitly obtained from the air. The early pictures, before the cutting work began, confirm all the Arrows present, but the pictures from later in the process dont appear to depict RL-202 at all.

RL-202 was an Arrow Mk 1 and so would not have been the obvious candidate for preservation. RL-205 and RL-206, with their Iroquois engines and fully equipped avionics suite, would have been more representative of the programs final design goals. Avro Canada knew the program was in jeopardy and a plan to relocate an aircraft would have required immense planning. If a scheme to make off with an Arrow had existed, it stands to reason that a Mk 2 would have been chosen. Photographic evidence proves both Arrow Mk 2s were destroyed.

Imer/Wikimedia Commons

These circumstances leave a sliver of space for the conspiracy about RL-202. RL-202 had just been repaired from a landing gear malfunction and had been readied for flying when the program was canceled. With all the employees laid off and expeditiously seeking gainful employment elsewhere, no one would have been around to modify RL-202 up to Arrow Mk 2 production standards, let alone continue to fly and service it for a meaningful period of time.

Avro worked with Crown Assets and Disposal Corporation, which hired Lax Iron and Steel to handle all the scrap and residue. The owner, Samuel Lax, recalled strict controls in an undated interview. All scrapped parts were supposedly weighed and compared to the expected weights at Hamilton Scrap Yard. He also claimed RL-202, the specific jet conspiracies are predicated upon, was the first Arrow to be completely dismantled, which had occurred by June 24, 1959. The following August the RCAF was informed that the final melting down of component parts and remnant wreckage was complete, but some pieces still survived.

Ahunt/Wikimedia Commons

The nose section of the unflown RL-206 on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, Ontario.

Not quite 10 years later, Air Marshal Wilfred Curtis, a World War II hero and head of the Arrow program, refused to answer in a 1968 interview if an entire Arrow had been spirited away. He suggested it was too soon to reveal the surviving Arrows location, and he needed to wait for a more favorable political climate. Curtis never spoke about the subject on the record again, and he died in 1977.

Further rumors of a surviving Arrow came from the United Kingdom. In 2008, and again in 2011, Martin-Baker Mk 5 ejection seats built for the Arrow appeared for sale on eBay in England. In 2011, the head of Martin-Baker business development, Andrew Martin, generated a letter of authenticity for the seats, confirming they were indeed from an Arrow. Further, there is reasonable evidence that the seats were installed and flown in the jet.

Chris Wilson, the managing director of Jet Art Aviation, which sells aviation collectibles, said in 2011 the two seats were a matched pair and likely came from an Arrow which escaped destruction and found a home in the United Kingdom. Wilson further claimed that a customer of his saw an Arrow at RAF Manston, in Kent. That claim is clearly problematic.

Bzuk/Wikimedia Commons

Orenda PS.13 Iroquois turbojet, the intended powerplant of the Arrow Mk 2 on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.

In the early 1960s, many aircraft were white, and many were shaped similarly. One prime example is the British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) TSR-2, which was both similar in planform and white. The TSR-2 first flew in 1964 and was canceled in 1965. If the sighting wasnt completely fabricated, theres a chance thats what was seen. By any logic, the sightings arent attributed to defined, credible sources within the aerospace or defense industries and cant be relied upon.

Viewing the claim from an even bigger picture, the United Kingdom declassifies information at 30, 50, and 100-year intervals. The 30 and 50-year intervals have now passed. Not only was the Avro Arrow program public knowledge, both in development and defeat, but the United Kingdom had its own similar projects at the time, such as the aforementioned TSR-2. Its unlikely an Arrow would have been of use to the United Kingdom. It seems highly unlikely that possessing an unclassified Canadian Mach 2 fighter would qualify as a national secret to be kept for 100 years; information that would have a grave effect on national security if compromised. Under the U.K. Official Secrets Act 1989, a confidential program such as one supporting an Arrow more likely than not wouldve been disclosed after 30 years.

As for the ejection seats in the United Kingdom, seats of this kind contain explosive charges necessary for the pilot to clear and egress the aircraft being abandoned. As with many conspiracies, the simplest explanation is perhaps most likely. Ejection seats are among the first parts procedurally removed before an aircraft can be safely cut up and destroyed. Museum-bound aircraft receive inert ejection seats that have been permanently safed.

National Film Board of Canada

A contemporary artists impression of the CF-105 in RCAF service.

In keeping with the orders to destroy everything, no complete Arrows were allotted to museums. Martin-Baker confirms that fewer than 20 seats were built for the Arrow program. The specific installed seats were removed before the aircraft began to be scrapped. Theres no verified chain of custody for these seats. We only know for sure that they came from an Arrow. Nothing beyond blind hope sprinkled with fantasy suggests they couldve been removed in England from an airworthy aircraft.

In 1998, 40 years after the Arrows cancellation, an organization that called itself Arrow Recovery Canada, led by Andrew Hibbert, started scouring Lake Ontario for one of nine 1/8th scale test models of the Arrow that were strapped to rockets and launched from Point Petre, Ontario, at supersonic speeds. They spent between 1999 and 2006 surveying the area. For three years from 2006 to 2009, they dived to investigate targets that had been detected by sonar but didnt find what they were looking for.

Emdx/Wikimedia Commons

The wings of the third prototype Arrow survive at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum.

They had zealous competition. Ed Burtt, a shipwreck diver, was looking for the models as well. In 2018, a third project looking for the same models called Raise the Arrow funded by the OEX Recovery Group, found, and recovered a delta-wing test model from the Arrow program. It wasnt the 1/8th scale model they were looking for, but it was a celebrated find. That model was restored and put on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa. The search for the models continued into 2020. On October 8 last year, Raise the Arrow announced they found the 1/8th scale model they had been looking for and needed to determine how to raise it.

2020 was a big year all around for the ghost of the Arrow. Blueprints surfaced in January, of the type believed to have all been destroyed. A senior draftsman for Avro Canada, Ken Barnes, defied the 1959 order, snuck them out, and kept them in his basement. He never spoke of them in his lifetime and forbade his kids from going into the corner in which his workbench sat. After his death, they were discovered by his son. The blueprints are currently on loan to the Diefenbaker Canada Centre (the same Diefenbaker responsible for canceling the Arrow) and can be seen by visitors. Also smuggled out were RL-206s nose cone and some panels. Those are on display at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, alongside the delta test model recovered from Lake Ontario. In the meantime, a full-scale replica was even built and placed on display at the Canadian Air & Space Museum in Toronto.

EyeNo/Wikimedia Commons

A full-size replica of an Arrow Mk 1 at the Canadian Air & Space Museum in Toronto.

In 2010 Bourdeau Industries submitted a bizarre proposal to Stephen Harpers Conservative government to replace Canadas aging CF-18 Hornet fighter jets with updated Avro Arrows, instead of the officially favored F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. Canadas retired Major General Lewis Mackenzie championed the proposal and said that the Arrows basic design still exceeded that of any current fighter jet. Major General Mackenzie is a highly respected officer who was at one time the Chief of Staff of the United Nations peacekeeping force in former Yugoslavia, but his claim about the Arrows capabilities as compared to fourth and fifth-generation fighter jets as of 2010 is easily disputable. Canadas Associate Minister of National Defense at the time, Julian Fantino, agreed, stating that the Arrow was not a viable option 50 years after its demise.

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Canada's CF-105 Arrow Interceptor Is The Cold War Legend That Refuses To Die - The Drive

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) today announced that the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved the use of TRIKAFTA (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor) for people with cystic fibrosis (CF) ages 12 years and older who have at least one F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, the most common CF-causing mutation worldwide. Up to 90% of people living with CF worldwide have at least one F508del mutation.

We are delighted the TGA has approved TRIKAFTA for eligible people living with CF in Australia and will continue working with the Australian government to bring this important medicine to patients as quickly as possible, said Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and President, Vertex. It is our goal to develop and provide treatments for all people with CF around the world, and today is another significant milestone on that journey.

CF affects approximately 3,500 people in Australia. It is caused by a defective and/or missing CFTR protein resulting from mutations in the CFTR gene.

Cystic fibrosis is a complex, progressive, devastating disease that causes severe damage to the lungs, digestive system and other organs in the body. It is a condition that significantly affects not only the patient, but also those who care for them, with people living with cystic fibrosis spending multiple hours every day on treatment and requiring daily care from a family member or loved one, said Professor John Wilson AM, Head, Cystic Fibrosis Service, Alfred Health. The approval of any new treatment option for people living with cystic fibrosis is always welcome news. This new treatment is for patients ages 12 years and older with at least one F508del mutation and means more patients can potentially benefit from a medicine that targets the underlying cause of the disease, for the first time.

The TGA approval of TRIKAFTA was based on the results of four global Phase 3 studies, which included multiple trial sites and patients from Australia.

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a rare, life-shortening genetic disease affecting more than 80,000 people globally. CF is a progressive, multi-system disease that affects the lungs, liver, GI tract, sinuses, sweat glands, pancreas and reproductive tract. CF is caused by a defective and/or missing CFTR protein resulting from certain mutations in the CFTR gene. Children must inherit two defective CFTR genes one from each parent to have CF. While there are many different types of CFTR mutations that can cause the disease, the vast majority of all people with CF have at least one F508del mutation. These mutations, which can be determined by a genetic test, or genotyping test, lead to CF by creating non-working and/or too few CFTR proteins at the cell surface. The defective function and/or absence of CFTR protein results in poor flow of salt and water into and out of the cells in a number of organs. In the lungs, this leads to the buildup of abnormally thick, sticky mucus that can cause chronic lung infections and progressive lung damage in many patients that eventually leads to death. The median age of death is in the early 30s.

About TRIKAFTA (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor)

In Australia, TRIKAFTA is indicated for the treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) in patients ages 12 years and older who have at least one F508del mutation in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene.

The complete product information (PI) can be found on http://www.tga.gov.au.

About Vertex

Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation to create transformative medicines for people with serious diseases. The company has multiple approved medicines that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis (CF) a rare, life-threatening genetic disease and has several ongoing clinical and research programs in CF. Beyond CF, Vertex has a robust pipeline of investigational small molecule medicines in other serious diseases where it has deep insight into causal human biology, including pain, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency and APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. In addition, Vertex has a rapidly expanding pipeline of cell and genetic therapies for diseases such as sickle cell disease, beta thalassemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy and type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Founded in 1989 in Cambridge, Mass., Vertex's global headquarters is now located in Boston's Innovation District and its international headquarters is in London, UK. Additionally, the company has research and development sites and commercial offices in North America, Europe, Australia and Latin America. Vertex is consistently recognized as one of the industry's top places to work, including 11 consecutive years on Science magazine's Top Employers list and a best place to work for LGBTQ equality by the Human Rights Campaign.

Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, without limitation, statements made by Reshma Kewalramani, M.D., and Professor John Wilsonin this press release, and statements regarding our expectations for the eligible patient population in Australia, including patients not previously eligible for treatment with a CFTR modulator. While Vertex believes the forward-looking statements contained in this press release are accurate, these forward-looking statements represent the company's beliefs only as of the date of this press release and there are a number of factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements. Those risks and uncertainties include, among other things, that data from the company's development programs may not support a license extension for TRIKAFTA in Australia, and other risks listed under the heading Risk Factors in Vertex's annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through the company's website at http://www.vrtx.com and on the SECs website at http://www.sec.gov. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Vertex disclaims any obligation to update the information contained in this press release as new information becomes available.

(VRTX-GEN)

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Vertex Receives Australian TGA Approval for TRIKAFTA (elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and ivacaftor) to Treat People With Cystic Fibrosis Ages 12...

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Life Edit Therapeutics Inc, a next generation gene-editing company, today announced that it has received an award from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation to identify potential gene editing approaches to treat certain patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The award will enable Life Edit to screen its library of proprietary base editors for a potential treatment targeting people with CF that are not able to be treated by existing small molecule treatments due to what are known as nonsense genetic mutations (also known as stop mutations). This award is part of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundations Path to a Cure initiative that was launched in October 2019 to address and treat the underlying cause of CF.

Due in large part to the efforts of the CF Foundations support for the development of new medicines, there are now effective therapies available to most people living with the disease, but there remain as many as 7% of patients with CF for whom recent medical advances are not effective, said Mitchell Finer, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, Life Edit Therapeutics. Were looking forward to working with the CF Foundation to leverage the unique benefits that our platform offers to develop a highly targeted gene editing approach for these individuals. We believe our science and this approach can be applied across a range of diseases, which will be our focus as we work to build a pipeline of life-changing therapies for severe genetic diseases like CF.

Dr. Allie Crawley, Principal Investigator for the project and member of the Life Edit team, continued by saying, We are thankful to be a part of the Path to a Cure initiative from the CF Foundation which is focused on curing cystic fibrosis by addressing the underlying cause of the disease. We believe our base editor technology has potential to make a great impact in the lives of cystic fibrosis patients with nonsense mutations and are excited about the opportunity to begin early research in this development.

Despite tremendous progress in advancing therapeutics to help people with CF live longer and healthier lives, there remain unmet needs to help all those living with this disease. Approximately 13% of people living with CF have nonsense mutations. These mutations cause the cells to stop the production of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein midway through the process, resulting in shortened, non-functional protein.

As part of the $400,000 award from the Foundation, Life Edit will explore its large collection of adenine base editors, or A-base editors, that can potentially be used to correct the six most common, Class I, cystic fibrosis nonsense mutations to restore CFTR function in vivo. A unique feature of the base editors under development by Life Edit is their small size which will allow in vivo delivery with Adeno-associated viruses (AAV) vectors to specific tissue types in the lungs. As part of the agreement, Life Edit will benefit from materials, resources, and expertise from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

About Cystic Fibrosis

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic disease found in more than 30,000 people in the U.S. CF is a hereditary disease that affects the lungs and digestive system that is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene that affect the production of the CFTR protein. When the CFTR protein is not made correctly, it affects the balance of salt and fluids inside and outside of the cell. This imbalance leads to thick, sticky mucus in the lungs, pancreas, and other organs. In the lungs, the mucus clogs the airways and traps germs, like bacteria, leading to infections, inflammation, respiratory failure, and other complications. CF is a progressive, genetic disease that causes persistent lung infections and limits the ability to breathe over time.

About Genome Editing and Life Edit Therapeutics Platform

Genome editing technologies have revolutionized the way cell and gene therapies and regenerative medicines are discovered and developed by allowing genetic material to be removed, added, or altered at specific locations in the genome. While these technologies are in widespread use experimentally, enzymes that offer broader coverage and greater specificity are needed for creating novel cell and gene therapies.

To meet the need for better genome editing approaches, Life Edit Therapeutics has built one of the worlds largest and most diverse arrays of novel RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs) and base editors that are active in mammalian cells. These RGNs were developed using AgBiomes proprietary collection of more than 90,000 microbes and their complete genomes. Life Edit Therapeutics is investigating these proprietary RGNs, which are sourced exclusively from non-pathogenic organisms, to develop new gene editing tools with higher fidelity, novel functionality, reduced immune response risk, and easier delivery. Life Edit Therapeutics nuclease collection also has a broad range of Protospacer Adjacent Motifs (PAMs) short sequences that must follow the targeted DNA sequence in order for the enzyme to make cuts that offer unprecedented access to genomic loci of interest. The Life Edit Therapeutics RGNs offer flexible editing options which encompass knock-out and knock-in capabilities, transcriptional regulation, and base editing when coupled with its proprietary deaminases.

Life Edit Therapeutics next generation editing systems will propel the development of novel human therapeutics by enabling ex vivo engineering for cell therapies and regenerative medicines and in vivo delivery of gene therapies. In addition to developing its own pipeline of gene therapies, Life Edit Therapeutics will continue to build its platform of novel nucleases, provide gene editing expertise to strategic partners and ElevateBios portfolio companies, and form other third-party partnerships to discover and develop new therapies.

About Life Edit Therapeutics Inc.

Life Edit Therapeutics is a next-generation gene editing company that has built a highly innovative genome editing platform with one of the worlds largest and most diverse collections of novel RNA-guided nucleases (RGNs) and base editors. Life Edit Therapeutics next generation editing systems will propel the development of novel human therapeutics by enabling ex vivo engineering for cell therapies and regenerative medicines and in vivo delivery of gene therapies. The company is continuing to strengthen the platform, developing a pipeline of in vivo gene therapies to address severe genetic disease, and sharing its expertise through strategic partnership. Life Edit is an ElevateBio portfolio company. For more information visit lifeeditinc.com.

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Life Edit Therapeutics Announces Award from Cystic Fibrosis Foundation - Business Wire