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Category Archives: Transhuman News

The Orwell Foundation gives in to cancel culture – The Week Magazine

Posted: August 14, 2021 at 1:35 am

In 2020, the Orwell Foundation awarded its book prize in political writing to Some Kids I Taught and What They Taught Me by former teacher Kate Clanchy. According to the judges, "Clanchy's reflections on teaching and the stories of her students are moving, funny, full of love and offer sparkling insights into modern British society."

On Tuesday, the foundation had second thoughts. With the book facing criticism of ostensibly demeaning descriptions of minority, immigrant, and autistic students, the foundation issued a statement acknowledging "concerns and hurt" about the book and distancing itself from "individual judging panel decisions."

The Orwell Foundation statement wasn't the worst response to the controversy, which provoked a torrent of online abuse. The author herself issued a groveling apology before tweeting that "I am not a good person...You are right to blame me, and I blame myself." She announced that she will rewrite future editions of the book to avoid offense. The book's publisher also declared itself "profoundly" sorry for the episode.

While its actual content is less egregious than those remarks, the foundation's response is symbolically more damaging. Orwell is best remembered as the creator of a dystopia in which totalitarian ideology, pervasive surveillance, and constant editing of the past to meet the political requirements of the present make individuality impossible. By refusing to defend the book it once honored and the judges who selected it, the Orwell Foundation is confirming its namesake's fears.

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The Orwell Foundation gives in to cancel culture - The Week Magazine

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The census is about to set our politics on fire – The Week Magazine

Posted: at 1:35 am

Get ready for a new round of "white replacement" tirades from Tucker Carlson.

The Washington Post reports that when the first demographic breakdowns from the 2020 census are officially unveiled later this week, they'll show that the number of white people in the country isshrinking. White people will still command a majority, but by thinning margins making up less than 60 percent of the population, and composing less than half of the under-18 population. By 2045, it's expected that whites will lose their majority status altogether.

The news is likely to have terrible effects on our politics.

It's not a new observation that the dwindling power of white Americans has driven the anti-democratic radicalization of the Republican Party. Conservatives' recent fascination with Viktor Orbn's rule in Hungary can be explained, in part, by that country's ethnic homogeneity, as well as Orbn's fierce efforts to maintain it by crusading against immigrants from Asia and Africa. Donald Trump's rise was enabled by right-wing intellectuals who lamented that "the ceaseless importation of Third World foreigners" made the country "less traditionally American with every cycle."

"Every time they import a new voter, I become disenfranchised as a current voter," Carlson grumbled on his Fox News show in April.

But immigration doesn't explain why the number of white people isgetting smaller. One demographer told the Post the phenomenon has been accelerated both by the opioid epidemic and lower-than-expected birth rates among millennials following the Great Recession. The latter development, of course, has also sparked angry culture war posturing by Republican politicians.

To the extent that these developments are rooted in despair and economic hopelessness and not, say, the predictable effects of affluence Democrats and Republicans both should be prepared to offer solutions. (Democrats are already arguably doing their part, with tax credit payments to parents, and by driving the new infrastructure bill that should create a ton of newjobs for workers of all races.) If recent history tells us anything, though, it's that the census news will create a fresh wave of right-wing anger, and that much of it will be directed against America's minority populations. Our ugly politics are probably going to get uglier.

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The census is about to set our politics on fire - The Week Magazine

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Funny Papers Again Column | Did You Hear the One About – King City Rustler

Posted: at 1:35 am

What is humor? What makes us smile, what tickles our funny bones? Humor is a very serious subject for some, mostly those involved in therapy and counseling where humor has been found to be an indicator of ones emotional and mental state. But for most of us humor is what we seek, consciously or unconsciously, as escape from the mundanities of life, as small detours in times when either stress or boredom beg for respite.

In fact, humor has been separated into five basic categories: Topical, Anecdotal, Parody, Traditional and the One Liner. As a member of the Television Generation, I have laughed at the humor represented by all five categories; some of you will no doubt recognize some of the names of those who brought laughter into our homes and lives and some are people in my life who consistently made me laugh over the years.

As the television set found its way into more and more homes, those who were instrumental in both its scientific and cultural development were goaled with providing the public with reports on weather, crops marketing and government actions, what they got were game shows, soap operas, variety shows and product advertisements and only 15 minutes of news daily. It was the earlier variety shows and then later the late-night talk shows that brought laughter to our living rooms, and those most responsible for that laughter in the late 1950s through the mid-1970s were Jewish comedians.

This followed from the influence of Yiddish translated to English by Vaudeville performers from Europe, and quite often this humor was born of hardship, like this one from Manhattans Lower East Side in the 1920s:

Lady shopper to street fruit vendor: How much for the grapefruit?

Vendor: Two for a nickel.

Lady: How much for one?

Vendor: Three cents.

Lady: Ill take the other one.

Or like the once well-known story of the man taking his son along for the first time on a business trip and looking out the coach window of the train to the platform where the whole family is gathered to wish him off when the father tells the boy to Throw Mama from the train a kiss.

Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin were once a famous comedy team. Lewis was Jewish and when something would go wrong in a comedy sketch he was known to utter Up the street the soldiers are marching down; this typical of the grammatical structure one gets with Yiddish-infused English.

And, as mentioned before, many of the early television comedians were Jewish: Jack Benny, George Burns, Milton Berle, Jackie Mason, Allen King and scores of others who worked small clubs in the East and resorts in the Catskill Mountains of upper New York state, The Borscht Belt. It was in these venues comedians mastered the One-Liner; many people know Take my wife, please, the Methuselah of one-liners from Henny Youngman; later we knew Rodney Dangerfields My wife and I were happy for 20 years . . . then we met.

For most of us, our earliest introduction to humor comes in the form of the Knock-Knock joke; silly most of them, but to the young, silly is funny. My favorite knock-knock I heard for the first time only about six months ago: Knock, knock. Whos there? Interrupting bird. Interrupting bir. . . Gaaawwwk!! Got a granddaughter who thought that was very funny and Im sure has passed it along. Another favorite humor theme for the younger set is Why did the chicken cross the road jokes, of which there are as many answers as there are imaginations.

Other humor is funny, but not silly. There are times when we need a dark humor just to overcome the dark times and so we resort to what is known as Graveyard Humor; a light look at a serious situation. Examples of this type of humor go back as far as the founding of the country: in meeting of the Continental Congress it was remarked that the endeavor to separate from the English Crown would require all members participation, we must all hang together. Whereupon Benjamin Franklin dryly responded, Or most assuredly we will all hang separately.

George Gobel on Johnny Carsons The Tonight Show once lamented that his uncle was always annoyed that he never received any respect for his wartime duty, and when Carson asked, What did your uncle do in the war? Gobel replied, He was a look-out at Pearl Harbor. Thats funny even though thousands lost their lives that day; I have never heard such a joke about Sept. 11, 2001. A lesser cousin to graveyard humor is the edgy, almost politically incorrect humor found in older sketch comedy routines; and example goes something like this:

Tell me, Mr. Bones, how do I keep my dog from biting me on Monday? The answer is simple, Mr. Tambo, you shoot the dog on Sunday! A version of this joke appeared in the musical White Christmas.

But for modern comedians, and audiences, the telling of jokes doesnt work near as well as the anecdotal humorous story, the telling of personal events in ones life. Often, or always, in such re-tellings expand those aspects, which strikes a humorous tone. Such humor is found in the writings of Mark Twain, James Thurber and other early American writers; today all stand-up comedians, TV and film/video writers and cartoonists rely almost entirely upon this type of humor.

In my own life, I have written in this publication and in a couple of short stories for writing classes over the years about the time, as a bag boy at Safeway here in town, I ended up inside an upside-down shopping cart; painful for me but funny for others.

I said I would mention some people in my life who over the years made me laugh as joke tellers, not just their material but their delivery being of equal standing. Well, Im out of space so let me just say, Thanks for memories, Jimmy Jones and Stephen Bruce Scettrini.

Take care. Peace.

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Opportunity and the OBC Bill – DTNext

Posted: at 1:35 am

Chennai:

The debate, for the most part, was uncontentious, and all MPs in both the Houses were keen on demonstrating their support for the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Seventh Amendment) Bill. A cynical way of looking at this unusual consensus is that nothing unites the political class as much as electoral opportunity. The principle thrust of the amendment Bill, after all, is to pave the way for States and Union Territories to make their own Other Backward Class (OBC) list.

Essentially, the Bill was required to side-step the Supreme Court verdict, which held that only the Centre had the authority to prepare an OBC list, a power that flowed from the Constitution (102nd Amendment Act). The latter was passed by the Narendra Modi government to confer constitutional status on the National Commission for Backward Castes. While the Centre argued that its intent was never to strip the States and the UTs of their right to draw up OBC lists, the Opposition had a point in saying that by introducing another Amendment Bill, the Centre was only trying to clean up a mess of its own making.

But exactly what social purpose will the Bill serve? It is possible that this will give a fillip to demands for a caste census to determine the percentage of OBCs in States and UTs. It is likely that demands by one community or another to be placed in the OBC category will grow louder. What such legislations do not ensure, and this in many ways is the nub, is a greater share of reservation for the backward classes. This remains capped at less than 50 per cent by the so-called Mandal judgment of the Supreme Court in 1992 (Indira Sawhney v. Others).

In the interim, the significance of the decision lies more in the airy realm of political signalling. With a number of States going to the polls next year most critically, Uttar Pradesh the BJP probably believes that this move will increase its traction with the OBCs. This is our decision and we will see to it that the community gets justice, thundered Amit Shah at a rally. There is no doubt that the OBC community is a major constituent and is critical to determining electoral outcomes in a number of States. The BJP has made considerable headway in winning its support in recent years, as clearly revealed by the election results from the northern States.

Whether such Bills make a tangible difference in the electoral arena is unclear. But at the very least, it does not hurt and provides a talking point. In the Lok Sabha, Akhilesh Yadav accused the BJP of misleading the OBCs, by providing them token representation. The SP leader is not incorrect in suggesting that the real power is elsewhere in the BJP, which is something of an anomaly as an upper caste party with a lower caste electoral base. Such arguments will play out strongly as Uttar Pradesh goes to the polls in February 2022, quite easily the most significant electoral contest until the 2024 general election.

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Opportunity and the OBC Bill - DTNext

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Kohler Barnards Zille moment: The absurdity of comparing SAs Olympic medal count with that of the Netherlands – Daily Maverick

Posted: at 1:35 am

Ismail Lagardien

Ismail Lagardien is a writer, columnist and political economist with extensive exposure and experience in global political economic affairs. He was educated at the London School of Economics, and holds a PhD in International Political Economy.

Much as one tries to accept and promote free speech as part of democracy, it is difficult to keep a lid on the most wilfully expedient and their pitiful attempts at intellectual occlusion. We tend to look to EFF leader Julius Malema to say tortured things out of context or make claims that are intellectually superficial, which do no more than whip up the emotions of his followers. The DAs Dianne Kohler Barnard is not above such lowbrow manipulation. Just for the record, the ANCs Maite Nkoana-Mashabane has given us a few gems.

Anyway, Kohler Barnard sent out a tweet at 10.04am on 9 August in response to a tweet, by one Hans-Erik Iken, which celebrated the medal haul of the Netherlands at the Tokyo Olympics: Not bad for a tiny country with about 17 million people in it

In a mild case of bile rising, Kohler Barnard tweeted: And we brought home how many? The subtext being that a country of close to 60 million people (South Africa) ought to have achieved much more at the Olympics and brought back a few more medals.

Whether or not you agree with them, understand them (which can be impossibly difficult), or you have generally signed up to their intellect and ideas, most rhetoricians (from Cicero to Roland Barthes or Jacques Derrida) have made statements that startle and inspire. Politicians, especially those who simply seek attention by asking rhetorical questions, and especially those who ask questions but dont hang around for answers, should be held accountable and require greater scrutiny than thinkers like Barthes or Cicero. That is probably why we focus on the oration of Malema; because he is as masterful an orator as he is a manipulator of populist sentiments.

I am not drawing ideological parallels between Malema and Kohler Barnard. I do, however, think Malema weaponises all that is generally true about the history of injustice in South Africa and throws down carefully couched threats against non-Africans. Kohler Barnard, in Zille-esque fashion, desituates her claims and observations (removing them from all the contexts that shape states of affairs). And so my response to Kohler Barnards tweet was this: Youre smart, think about history and deep wells of social, cultural, symbolic and economic forms of capital built up over more than 400 years not all of which were benign.

To anyone sceptical or amused by Twitter as a source of news and information, I would refer to the way that the platform entered the political arena when it was used by Donald Trump to political ends, and by South Africans as a firestarter.

Forms of capital

Since (at least) the publication of Robert Putnams Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community about two decades ago, there has been a glut of literature on social capital. It was about two decades ago, while I was at the World Bank, that I co-drafted a paper on social capital for Jo Ritzen, a Dutch Labour Party politician who became a vice-president at the bank. That was one of those moments when you make a contribution to a draft and follow the request of your instructor and hope your name is never mentioned. Alas, he gave me credit on the front page. I returned to academia and put all that behind me.

Anyway, those of us trained in and associated with the Critical Tradition in the social sciences (yes, Helen, including Critical Race Theory), have typically drawn on the work and ideas of the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (I should admit my bias immediately). Bourdieu expanded the concept of capital way beyond the elementary conception, which includes forms of capital that stress material exchanges, including immaterial and non-economic and (specifically) cultural and symbolic capital.

Bourdieu explained the way that different types of capital can be acquired, exchanged and converted into other forms to the extent that its structure and distribution reproduce the structure of the social world including those structures, mechanisms and tendencies that we cannot detect with our senses. Once you understand this process, according to Bourdieu (I have also drawn on the ideas of the late Roy Bhaskar), understanding the multiple forms of capital necessarily assists with a more sophisticated understanding of the structure and function of the world around us.

Briefly, types of capital are almost always and in various ways derived from economic capital. In this way, cultural and social capital are fundamentally rooted in economic capital, but we have to be careful to not be too economistic about things. The key is to understand the ways that social, cultural and even symbolic capital retain their power precisely because of their structural relationship to economic capital. So, enough of the academic jibber-jabber.

Kohler Barnards Zille moment

My twitter response to Kohler Barnard is rooted in the idea that it is okay to compare all countries, as cartographic entities, but people are living there. In most cases the people in those countries are amassed within the borders of countries (or expelled) with or without their permission. If, however, you delve beyond the cartographic entities (the way things are) and consider the history and evolution of society (how we got to where and how we are), an infinitely better, more comprehensive picture emerges.

In other words, the Netherlands and South Africa are countries (on a map of the world) that enjoy internal and external sovereignty. But not all of them came to be as powerful or as weak as they are on the surface. The Constitution of the Netherlands dates back to 1814, with important changes in about 1983. South Africas democracy, as enshrined in the Constitution, came into force in 1996.

The Netherlands was a force in the world for much of the period between 1585 and 1740. It was an outstanding power in world trade and shipping which effectively revolutionised the global economic order. It is possible to make the argument that the power and dominance of the Netherlands provided the impetus for European colonial expansion. For instance, Antwerp would supersede what were great economic hubs (like Lisbon, Venice and Genoa), and went on to markets on all continents of the world. Dutch power between 1585 and 1740 was unprecedented in the history of global economic development.

Now, push aside the map of the world which makes South Africa, the US, Israel, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia all equal and consider the abundance and proliferation of forms of capital accumulated by the Netherlands over the past 400 years. Then place that next to South Africas barely 30 years of democracy, with all its flaws

None of this absolves any of us from the corruption, ethical lapses, cronyism, prebendalism and violence in South Africa. What it certainly does not do, and I have to stress this, is explain away the privillege the European settler colonialists enjoyed in the country between 1585 and 1740. DM

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Kohler Barnards Zille moment: The absurdity of comparing SAs Olympic medal count with that of the Netherlands - Daily Maverick

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Psoriasis affects more than just the skin – WYTV

Posted: at 1:28 am

(WYTV) So you have a few extra skin cells on your body what harm can that do? Actually, it can do a lot.

Psoriasis, a disease that affects more than 3% of the adult population in the U.S., is brought on by an overproduction of skin cells and can range from mild to severe.

Psoriasis is an inflammatory skin disease that leads to a rash on the skin. It most commonly affects the elbows and the knees, but can really occur anywhere, like the scalp, or the hands or even the genitals, said Dr. Melissa Piliang, with the Cleveland Clinic. The rash is usually pink with thick scale. It may be that you feel like you trail scale when you walk around your house.

Some patients go in for ultraviolet light therapy, or several different medications and treatments.

Psoriasis can affect a persons health in other ways, too. It can lead to a higher risk for heart disease and diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.

Theres no cure for psoriasis, but researchers are always looking into different treatments and how diet and lifestyle play a role.

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Finger psoriatic arthritis: Symptoms, pictures, and coping tips – Medical News Today

Posted: at 1:28 am

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic condition that occurs in people with psoriasis. Psoriasis is an inflammatory disease that affects the skin and nails and can also affect the joints. Finger PsA may cause pain and swelling in one or more finger joints.

In most cases, psoriasis occurs in early adulthood, with one-third of people going on to develop PsA after the age of 30. A milder form of psoriasis can also develop later in life, but typically, this form does not cause arthritis.

Once PsA develops, it can start to damage the bones after a few months, so it is important to seek medical advice and treatment for the condition.

In this article, we will look at PsA in the fingers, including the symptoms, treatment, and management.

It is common for PsA to affect smaller joints, such as those in the fingers. Often, the condition affects the joint closest to the nails.

People who develop PsA in the fingers may experience:

PsA typically affects joints asymmetrically, which means it may develop in one hand and not the other. The symptoms can range from mild to severe and may progress, decrease, or remain the same for long periods of time.

The condition often affects the area of the hands closest to the nails, causing swelling that resembles gout.

In the later stages of PsA, the spaces between joints may narrow or completely disappear due to a loss of cartilage.

Yes, people can have PsA symptoms in just one finger, or just in one hand, according to the Arthritis Foundation.

PsA affects everyone differently. Doctors are not sure what causes it or why some people with psoriasis develop joint problems where others do not.

However, it is likely that a combination of genetic and environmental factors plays a role.

Trigger finger, also known as tenosynovitis, occurs when a pulley in the hand becomes inflamed. Each finger has a sheath, or tunnel, of tissue that acts like a pulley, holding tendons in place as they move. If this part of the finger thickens, the finger will become stuck in a bent position.

Tenosynovitis can occur in many places around the body, but it most frequently occurs in the hands, wrists, and feet.

A 2018 study suggests that in people with PsA, these pulleys are thickened, which could result in PsA-related trigger finger.

However, trigger finger does have other causes, including infections. Sometimes, infections that cause the condition are serious and spread quickly.

That is why it is important to seek guidance from a doctor if a person develops trigger finger, especially if redness and swelling are present.

When diagnosing PsA in the fingers, doctors will begin by taking a medical history.

If an individual already has psoriasis or if their family has a history of the condition, this may help determine the cause of finger pain and swelling.

Next, doctors may examine the hand. They will look for:

Doctors may also order imaging tests, such as radiography, ultrasonography, and MRI scans.

Treatment for PsA may entail:

Doctors choose treatments based on the severity of a persons symptoms. Some people may only need NSAIDs or to take medications during flare-ups, while those with more advanced PsA may need more intensive treatment.

In some cases, surgery may be necessary to address damage.

Not all of these drugs are suitable for everyone. That is why doctors will take into account any other medical conditions a person has, any medications they are taking, their individual response to different treatments, and risk of side effects.

Living with PsA can be challenging, particularly if it inhibits movement in the hands.

People can look after the health of their joints and manage the symptoms of PsA by trying:

It is important to look after the health of other joints in the body, even if they have not become affected by pain and swelling. Regular low-impact exercise, such as walking or swimming, can improve health without placing strain on the joints.

It is also advisable to protect the skin if a person has psoriasis on the affected joint. People can do this by:

If a person struggles to move their finger much or if PsA affects multiple joints, they may benefit from consulting an occupational therapist. These are medical professionals who can help a person adapt their home and learn how to use assistive devices so that everyday tasks become easier.

Learn more about occupational therapy here.

There are other conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of PsA. If a person does not have psoriasis, the cause of finger swelling may be something else.

Some examples of conditions that could result in finger joint inflammation include:

If a person suspects they have psoriasis or PsA, they should contact a doctor for diagnosis and treatment as soon as they can.

Without treatment, the symptoms may continue or get worse over time. PsA can also cause damage to bones, which is irreversible.

Additionally, people should seek guidance from a doctor if they have any other unexplained symptoms, such as:

These could be signs of other conditions that resemble PsA.

Finger PsA causes pain and swelling in the finger joints. It can affect just one finger or one hand. While PsA occurs in people with psoriasis, doctors do not know the exact cause of the condition.

Doctors can diagnose PsA with the help of physical examination and diagnostic and medical imaging tests.

Treatment can depend on how severe the symptoms are but may include a combination of medications and diet or lifestyle changes.

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10 Women Living With Psoriasis Share Their Confidence-Boosting Tips – Glamour

Posted: at 1:28 am

Living with psoriasis, a chronic autoimmune disease, is a roller coaster, Tikeyah, a 30-year-old woman with psoriasis, told Glamour. The unpredictable skin condition causes inflammation in the body that sometimes shows up as red patches with silvery scales on topfrequently on the knees, elbows, and scalp, though they can appear anywhere.

But Tikeyah has found ways to feel confident while living with psoriasisand so have millions of women like her, no matter what their skin looks and feels like on any given day. Scroll down for their tips.

Psoriasis can feel debilitating at times. To make myself more comfortable, I try to wear loose-fitting cotton clothes whenever Im home, and I opt out of wearing underwear whenever possible. When nothing is rubbing against my inflamed skin, I feel more confident and relaxed, and I can spend more quality time with my family. Masha, 30, California

From my experience, most people react negatively to my skin condition because theyre afraid its contagious. I wont go around telling everyone that I have psoriasis. But when my flare-ups are visible at work, I let my company know. It may sound weird, but getting it out of the way up front usually saves me a lot of troubleand a lot of worried side glances or carefully crafted questionslater on. It may be frustrating, but I remind myself that people are hardwired to shrink away from things that they arent familiar with. Jill, 50, British Columbia

Take your experience and make the best of it. I dont mean to come off as blas: I understand the struggleboth internally and externallythat people go through with psoriasis. But when you get through the muck of it, take time to be kind to yourself. No matter what you look like or feel like, this is your bodyand its your only one. Learn to love yourself. Find ways to reach deep down and build that relationship with yourself. If you feel negatively, its okay to get help. I did and still do. Its a constant struggle but its very worth loving yourself. Brittany, 35, New York

One of the frequent, potentially embarrassing situations I used to run into was hair appointments. I would always cringe when I first sat down in the chair because I have dry, flaky patches on my scalp. Now I tell anyone who is going to come into contact with my scalpwhether for a scalp massage or shampooingthat I have this condition, I was born with it, and it wont harm them in any way. I think the more we can own who we are, the better we can feel about ourselves. Sarah, 37, California

For special occasions, I like to splurge on a professional spray tan. There is something about golden, sun-kissed skin that brings on that extra boost of confidence for summer weddings and celebrations. Bianca, 34, California

Living with psoriasis is a roller coaster. But you can build confidence by taking control however you canwhether thats picking outfits that make you feel pretty, or changing your hairstyle if you have scalp psoriasis. Whatever it is, do it. Psoriasis is an unpredictable autoimmune disease, so its easy to feel like its controlling your every move. But finding ways to take control of what parts of my skin I choose to show has proven to be so helpful for me. Tikeyah, 27, Georgia

If you have a job interview or a social occasion that calls for an outfit that will reveal a flare-up, try using a natural concealer without fragrances or alcohol to minimize any redness. I like to use concealers that have jojoba seed oil to reduce inflammation and redness on my legs. Kristin, 40, New York

Find a personal mantra that supports how youd like to feel, then practice it until you find peace and feel confident. I write my mantra on my bathroom mirror so I can see it. You begin to love the skin youre in by accepting yourself in a positive light. Patrice, 34, North Carolina

Recently my family moved to the beach permanently, and its taken some getting used tomy psoriasis gets in the way of me feeling comfortable. Teeny bikinis are on trend, but theyre not for me. Buy a bathing suit that you feel most comfortable in. Its important to feel your best when you are at the beach, and a less-revealing bathing suit makes me feel more confident. Caitlyn, 20, North Carolina

I avoid black shirts. I have psoriasis on my scalp, so flakes are going to stand out on a black shirt. I stick to bright colors and patterns, and fabrics like satin or silk, where you can just flick off any flakes that fall down. Erin, 27, Ohio

*Quotes have been edited for length and clarity.

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What is psoriasis and what are its triggers? – Doha News

Posted: at 1:28 am

Psoriasis is a skin condition that has no cure, but with the correct knowledge, can be treated.

Psoriasis is a noncommunicable skin condition characterised by the appearance of red, flaky, crusty patches of skin that are covered with silvery scales.

In some cases these patches can be itchy and painful. Although psoriasis can appear anywhere on the body, the patches are most usually found on the elbows, knees, lower back and/or scalp.

Research suggests that psoriasis-causing changes in the skin originate from the immune system, whereby certain immune cells known as T cells are triggered and become overactive.

Debunking common myths on skin cancer

These cells begin reacting as they would if they were fighting an infection or healing a wound. This leads to the production of inflammatory chemicals in the body that, in turn, accelerate the growth of skin cells which causes these psoriatic patches or plaques to form.

This is why psoriasis is often described as an auto-immune disease. The exact trigger that offsets the immune system to react in this way remains unknown. While family history can be a reason for some, it is not the case for all.

Psoriasis flare-ups can be triggered by a number of external factors such as stress, hormonal changes, skin injuries, infections or certain medications.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), psoriasis affects people of all ages worldwide. At least 100 million people are affected globally, with prevalence ranging from 0.09 and 11.43% depending on the country.

Read also: World Breastfeeding Week: the benefits for mum

Psoriasis can have a number of triggers and is often associated with significant comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome, and depression.

In order to diagnose psoriasis, the examining physician may ask questions about your health, your scalp, skin and nails. The doctor may also take a sample of skin (biopsy) to examine under the microscope to help determine the exact type of psoriasis and rule out other disorders.

Although there is no cure for psoriasis, there are treatments that can help to ease the symptoms. These treatments aim to stop the skin cells from growing quickly and remove scales. Different options for treatment include creams, ointments, light therapy (phototherapy), and oral or injected medications.

At times, you will have to try different drugs, or a combination of the different treatments to find out exactly what works for you and your case. What you are prescribed depends on the severity of the psoriasis, and how responsive it has been to treatments in the past.

Psoriasis Awareness Month (PAM) aims to unite people all over the world who are living with the condition during the month of August to support each other, raise public awareness, and encourage the goal of finding a cure.

PAM provides the opportunity for individuals living with psoriasis to share their personal stories about their journey and hear about the experiences of others living with the condition.

Awareness is especially important as misconceptions about psoriasis, like other diseases, can lead to social stigma. For example, some people believe that psoriasis is contagious, and can be passed on through contact with the affected individual.

This can instil fear and encourage the avoidance of people who have the condition. Therefore, sharing the facts and debunking the myths surrounding the condition helps to create a more inclusive environment for those living with the chronic condition.

Read also: The truth and mistruths about ADHD

PAM also provides the opportunity to support scientific research efforts for psoriasis. Additional research can help reveal more about the skin disorder and help us move forward in our journey to finding a cure.

If you would like to get involved, you can play your part and help spread the word on psoriasis by sharing a personal story or verified facts and resources on your social media platforms using the following hashtags: #PsoriasisAwareness, #PsoriasisAwarenessMonth, #PsoriasisActionMonth.

Maha El Akoum, MPH, is a public health professional currently working as Head of Content at World Innovation Summit for Health [WISH].

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New Two-Year Data Showed Bimekizumab Maintained High Levels of Skin Clearance in Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis – PRNewswire

Posted: at 1:28 am

BRUSSELS, Belgium and ATLANTA, Aug. 7, 2021 /PRNewswire/ --UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, announced today new interim data from BE BRIGHT, an open-label extension (OLE) trial to assess the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of bimekizumab, an investigational IL-17A and IL-17F inhibitor, in adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.1,2These results were presented today during a platform presentation at the 2021 American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) Summer Meeting, Tampa, Florida, U.S.

Data presented showed that the majority of patients who achieved complete or near complete skin clearance after 16 weeks of bimekizumab treatment maintained these responses through to two years with continuous maintenance dosing, every four weeks (Q4W) or every eight weeks (Q8W).1The efficacy and safety of bimekizumab have not been established and it is not approved by any regulatory authority worldwide.

"These interim results from the BE BRIGHT study highlight the potential of bimekizumab to provide lasting skin clearance to adults living with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis," said Mark Lebwohl, MD, Dean for Clinical Therapeutics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, and Chairman emeritus, Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatologyand Presenting Author of the data at the AAD Summer Meeting. "These data are meaningful for the dermatology community and further add to the clinical evidence we have from the bimekizumab Phase 3 clinical program."

"Given the chronic nature of psoriasis, physicians and patients value treatment options that can offer long-term disease control," said Emmanuel Caeymaex, Executive Vice President, Immunology Solutions and Head of U.S., UCB. "We are pleased to share the first presentation of bimekizumab data from the BE BRIGHT study highlighting the potential of bimekizumab to provide complete skin clearance that can last through to two years in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis."

Results shared today report on the maintenance of the Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) of Clear or Almost Clear skin (IGA 0/1), Body Surface Area (BSA) 1%, and Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) 100 through to two years of bimekizumab treatment.1Analyses included patients randomized to bimekizumab 320 mg Q4W who exhibited a response at week 16 in one of the pivotal Phase 3 studies (BE READY, BE VIVID, BE SURE), received bimekizumab 320 mg Q4W or Q8W maintenance dosing from week 16, and continued with the same maintenance dosing in the open-label BE BRIGHT study, i.e., Q4W/Q4W/Q4W or Q4W/Q8W/Q8W.1

Initially, 989 patients were randomized to bimekizumab Q4W. At week 16, 87.5 percent achieved IGA 0/1, 74.9 percent achieved BSA 1% and 62.7 percent achieved PASI 100. Among week 16 IGA 0/1 responders, over nine out of 10 patients maintained IGA 0/1 to week 48 in the OLE trial (94.4 and 96.2 percent with continuous Q4W and Q8W maintenance dosing, respectively).1Similarly, among week 16 BSA 1% responders, over nine out of 10 patients maintained BSA 1% to week 48 in the OLE trial (90.7 and 92.5 percent with continuous Q4W and Q8W maintenance dosing, respectively). Over eight out of 10 patients who achieved complete skin clearance (PASI 100) at week 16 maintained response to week 48 in the OLE trial (80.7 and 86.1 percent with continuous Q4W and Q8W maintenance dosing, respectively).1

In BE READY, BE VIVID and BE SURE, the most frequently reported treatment-emergent adverse events in bimekizumab-treated patients were nasopharyngitis, oral candidiasis, and upper respiratory tract infection.3,4,5,6

Bimekizumab is currently under review by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults. On June 25th, 2021, the European Medicines Agency's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion recommending granting a marketing authorization for bimekizumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy. The final decision of the European Commission on marketing authorization is expected within approximately two months of the CHMP opinion.

About BE BRIGHT2BE BRIGHT (NCT03598790) is an ongoing, multicentre, open-label extension study assessing the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of bimekizumab in adult patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Patients who completed one of three bimekizumab Phase 3 studies, BE READY, BE VIVID and BE SURE, were eligible to enroll in the BE BRIGHT study. More details can be found at ClinicalTrials.gov.

About bimekizumab Bimekizumab is an investigational humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibody that is designed to selectively and directly inhibit both IL-17A and IL-17F, two key cytokines driving inflammatory processes.4,5,6 Selective inhibition of IL-17F in addition to IL-17A has been shown to suppress inflammation to a greater extent than IL-17A inhibition alone.4,5,6

The efficacy and safety of bimekizumab have not been established and it is not approved by any regulatory authority worldwide.

AboutPsoriasisPsoriasis is a common, chronic inflammatory disease with primary involvement of the skin.7This skin condition affects men and women of all ages and ethnicities.7Psoriasis signs and symptoms can vary but may include red patches of skin covered with silvery scales; dry, cracked skin that may bleed; and thickened, pitted or ridged nails.8Psoriasis also has a considerable psychological and quality-of-life impact, potentially affecting work, recreation, relationships, sexual functioning, family and social life.9

Unmet needs remain in the treatment of psoriasis. A population-based survey identified that approximately one in three psoriasis patients reported that their primary goals of therapy, including keeping symptoms under control, reducing itching and decreasing flaking, were not met with their current treatment.10

About UCB UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With approximately 8,400 people in nearly 40 countries, the company generated revenue of 5.3 billion in 2020. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on Twitter: @UCB_news.

Forward looking statements UCB This press release may contain forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements containing the words "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will", "continue" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions which might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of UCB, or industry results, to differ materially from those that may be expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this press release. Important factors that could result in such differences include: the global spread and impact of COVID-19, changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms or within expected timing, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of our information technology systems, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, competition from other products including biosimilars, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in tax laws or the administration of such laws, and hiring and retention of its employees. There is no guarantee that new product candidates will be discovered or identified in the pipeline, will progress to product approval or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Movement from concept to commercial product is uncertain; preclinical results do not guarantee safety and efficacy of product candidates in humans. So far, the complexity of the human body cannot be reproduced in computer models, cell culture systems or animal models. The length of the timing to complete clinical trials and to get regulatory approval for product marketing has varied in the past and UCB expects similar unpredictability going forward. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to differences disputes between the partners or may prove to be not as safe, effective or commercially successful as UCB may have believed at the start of such partnership. UCB' efforts to acquire other products or companies and to integrate the operations of such acquired companies may not be as successful as UCB may have believed at the moment of acquisition. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products and/or devices after they are marketed. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of UCB's products that implicate an entire class of products may have a material adverse effect on sales of the entire class of affected products. Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment, including pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement activities and outcomes. Finally, a breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UCB's data and systems.

Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on any of such forward-looking statements. There can be no guarantee that the investigational or approved products described in this press release will be submitted or approved for sale or for any additional indications or labelling in any market, or at any particular time, nor can there be any guarantee that such products will be or will continue to be commercially successful in the future.

UCB is providing this information, including forward-looking statements, only as of the date of this press release and it does not reflect any potential impact from the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, unless indicated otherwise. UCB is following the worldwide developments diligently to assess the financial significance of this pandemic to UCB. UCB expressly disclaims any duty to update any information contained in this press release, either to confirm the actual results or to report or reflect any change in its forward-looking statements with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless such statement is required pursuant to applicable laws and regulations.

Additionally, information contained in this document shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor shall there be any offer, solicitation or sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction.

For further information, contact UCB:

Corporate Communications

Laurent Schots,

Media Relations, UCB

T +32.2.559.92.64

[emailprotected]

Investor Relations

Antje Witte,

Investor Relations, UCB

T +32.2.559.94.14

[emailprotected]

Brand Communications

Eimear O'Brien,

Brand Communications, UCB

T +32.2.559.92.71

[emailprotected]

Allyson FunkU.S. Communications, UCBT +1 770 970 8338[emailprotected]

References

Strober B, Asahina A, Mrowietz U, et al. Bimekizumab response maintenance through two years of treatment in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis who responded after 16 weeks: Interim results from the BE BRIGHT open-label extension trial. Abstract presented at AAD Summer 2021

ClinicalTrials.gov. Available at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03598790Last accessed: August 2021.

UCB Data on File, July 2021.

Reich K, Papp KA, Blauvelt A, et al. Bimekizumab versus ustekinumab for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (BE VIVID): efficacy and safety from a 52-week, multicentre, double-blind, active comparator and placebo-controlled phase 3 trial. Lancet.2021;397(10273):487-498.

Gordon KB, Foley P, Krueger JG, et al. Bimekizumab efficacy and safety in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (BE READY): a multicentre, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised withdrawal phase 3 trial. Lancet. 2021;397(10273):475-486.

Warren RB, Blauvelt A, Bagel J, et al. Bimekizumab versus Adalimumab in Plaque Psoriasis. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(2):130-141.

National Psoriasis Foundation. About Psoriasis. Available at: https://www.psoriasis.org/about-psoriasis/. Last accessed: August2021.

International Federation of Psoriasis Associations. Available at: https://ifpa-pso.com/our-cause.Last accessed: August2021.

Moon HS, Mizara A, McBride SR. Psoriasis and psycho-dermatology. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2013;3(2):117-130.

Lebwohl MG, Kavanaugh A, Armstrong AW, et al. US Perspectives in the Management of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis: Patient and Physician Results from the Population-Based Multinational Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (MAPP) Survey. Am J Clin Dermatol. 2016;17(1):87-97.

SOURCE UCB

http://www.ucb.com

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New Two-Year Data Showed Bimekizumab Maintained High Levels of Skin Clearance in Patients with Moderate to Severe Plaque Psoriasis - PRNewswire

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