Late-Term Abortion and an Election in Virginia – Newsmax

Is there a point too far for even pro-choice Americans to accept when it comes to abortion?

Nick Bell is betting there is, and that point is after birth!

Bell, a Republican, is running for the legislature in the heavily Democratic 39th district in Virginia. Why? Because, he says, a friend sent him a video of Virginia Democrat Kathy Tran talking about the bill she was proposing (in January, tabled for now) to repeal restrictions on late-term abortions.

Asked how late in the third trimester could a physician perform an abortion because of the mothers mental health, Tran answered: I mean, through the third trimester. The third trimester goes all the way to 40 weeks.

When Governor Ralph Northam of Virginia doubled down in explaining the bill and supported infanticide in the now infamous interview on WTOP radio, saying that if a woman went into labor while an abortion was being performed, the infant would be delivered, the infant would be kept comfortable and the infant would be resuscitated if thats what the mother and the family desired, Bell realized someone needs to step up. This is about a fully-formed person literally on a table, crying; this has nothing to do with politics everyone can agree that that life must be protected. (You can see clips from the Tran and Northam videos in Bells campaign ad, here.)

Bell is correct that the majority of Americans understand this, are against late-term abortion, and aghast at infanticide. However, many are swayed by the relentless propaganda of the media in collusion with the abortion industry, who tell them they are misunderstanding the reach of such legislation.

Defenders of Tran and Northam repeat things like, this would only be for severely disabled fetuses, meaning that 1) it is ok to kill persons who are disabled; and 2) skirting the fact that the mother sometimes with the father gets to decide what is severe, which might mean inconvenient.

Proponents also say things like: Trust women! No women would choose a late-term abortion for anything but a heart wrenching, tragic situation.

Really? Why? Because all women are good? Because no women are coerced?

I wrote here about Melissa Ohden, whose mother was coerced into an attempted abortion, and whose grandmother, a nurse, instructed the doctor to let born-alive Melissa die on the table. But a nurse could not stand seeing the baby struggling to breathe and rushed her to the NICU, saving her life.

Another common rationale: Come on, these late-term or born-alive situations represent a tiny number of the overall abortion rate. So? If something is wrong, say, homicide, all kinds of it are wrong, even if some of the more gruesome methods let say, beheading account for a tiny number of the overall body count.

This is the kind of dangerous anti-logic spouted by Bells opponent, Vivian Watts, who, is so extreme, Bell says, she makes Tran look like an angel.

From her website:

When Life Begins: I believe the very complex decision of when life begins is deeply personal, moral decision.

Huh? I know that, even though it is quite obvious scientifically that a new life begins at conception, some like to argue that life doesnt begin until fertilization, or when a heartbeat is detected. But what Watts is saying is, its really up to us to decide, as long as we claim complexity. According to this reasoning, if a woman decides in a complex and personal manner that her daughters life doesnt begin until her fourth birthday, she should have the "right" to kill her three-year-old.

Watts goes on: "I will continue to defend that position in all of the challenging and complex ways that it comes before the Virginia General Assembly, including birth control; in vitro fertilization; a women's right to an abortion under Roe v. Wade; a persons right to have an advanced medical directive carried out; and stem cell research in the treatment of disease and disabilities."

To be clear: what she supports is Tran's bill, which goes far beyond Roe; she supports the killing of human embryos in stem cell research to aid treatment for people with diseases or disabilities, but only if those persons are not already killed just before or after birth because they have a disease or disability. And to top it off, she supports parents deciding on their own when life begins.

The bottom line is this: In a moral society, law is supposed to protect life.

Cant everyone can agree that life must be protected?

Lets hope Nick Bell's truth-telling rings loud and clear in Virginia.

Maria McFadden Maffucci is the editor of the Human Life Review, http://www.humanlifereview.com, a quarterly journal devoted to the defense of human life, founded in 1974 by her father, James P. McFadden, Associate Publisher of National Review. She is President of the Human Life Foundation, based in midtown Manhattan, which publishes the Review and supports pregnancy resource centers. Mrs. Maffuccis articles and editorials have appeared in the Human Life Review, First Things, National Review Online, National Review, Verily, and Crux. A Holy Cross graduate with a BA in Philosophy, she is married to Robert E. Maffucci, and the mother of three children. Her interests include exploring opportunities for individuals with special needs. To read more of her reports Click Here Now.

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CHS teacher enjoys prepping students for life out on their own – Albuquerque Journal

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Angelica Williams poses in front of the periodic chart in her Cleveland High classroom. The daughter of educators, her father, Rudy Aragon, was once an assistant principal at Rio Rancho High School; before that Aragon was the varsity boys basketball coach at Los Lunas High School Current Observer sports editor Gary Herron covered his team for the Valencia County News-Bulletin.(Gary Herron/ Rio Rancho Observer)

Hows this response after telling your mother youve decided on a career?

When I told my mom I was gonna be a teacher, she cried, recalled Angelica Olivas, arguably one of the most-popular teachers at Cleveland High School.

It wasnt unanimous, but to anyone seated in the schools gymnasium a few weeks ago when the 2019 Stormcoming court was introduced, a majority of the court members touted Olivas as most-inspirational.

................................................................

Heres a sample of what members of the court said about her: She made one student believe in herself; she made another student smile on days she didnt want to; and she had taught a male student hard work, to stay focused and that mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell.

In education, we dont feel appreciated all the time, Olivas said. For me, my appreciation comes when I get those accolades from students, preparing them for life.

My goal is to make a difference, she added. I build a really healthy rapport with my students; respect is a two-way street.

Olivass popularity didnt come as a surprise to CHS Principal Scott Affentranger.

Kids love her because she creates great relationships with them, he said. She cares and they see that she cares; she teaches and they see that she teaches. She is visible with kids after hours and at school events, and kids get to see that she loves teaching, loves to see them after hours in activities and athletics, and she is dedicated to the Storm and she wears that dedication on her sleeve.

She is a respected and valued CHS staff member and Im proud to be her colleague, Affentranger continued. Also, she teaches AP Biology, which is a tough course to teach, and as a student, take and do well in.

Affentranger said Olivas has taught at CHS since it opened in 2009, and is a good cheer coach.

Olivas who was a cheerleader, cross country runner and soccer and basketball player at Peasco High School is an assistant for the Storms new head cheerleading coach, Kyla (Ortega) LiRosi, a Storm alum. When the head coach abruptly resigned in the middle of last school year, LiRosi and Olivas shared head-coaching duties.

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This teaching career resulted when Olivas realized that following the long path to being in the medical profession would be tough for her as a young, single mother.

Growing up in northern New Mexico, she was the Class of 1998 valedictorian at Peasco High, where her father was the principal. She then headed to Colorado Springs, where she attended Colorado College.

I was gonna be a doctor. I had a daughter at an early age 19 and decided (as a college senior) to be a teacher, she said.

Thats about the time her mother, Tina Aragon, a former teacher, cried at hearing the news.

Olivas graduated on time, figuring she might be able to do lab work or research as a career.

Her first classroom job was in the eighth-grade wing at Rio Rancho Mid-High, team-teaching with the late Lori Sturgess.

My first year was chaotic, she recalled. I was 22 and teaching; I worked on alternative licensure because I was only qualified for biology.

A teacher in high school turned me on to biology, she recalled.

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Now, though, shes highly qualified in all the sciences and teaches a college-level class.

She also sponsors the Dream Makers Club at CHS, for students interested in the medical profession anything medical related, Olivas said.

She has about 40 students in that club, which she founded about six years ago.

Needless to say, the teaching profession has changed since Olivas was at PHS, namely because of social media.

We had pagers, she said, laughing at the memory. I think social media can be a positive thing. We have Chromebooks (but) we used cellphones in the past for research.

Ive seen a shift in students and their parents, she added. Most of the parents are pretty supportive.

Her favorite subject has changed, too.

We now have a better understanding of whats going on at the cellular level, she said. The human genome program has been huge; with stem-cell research, were still behind (other countries) because of regulations. Religious beliefs have held it back.

Many residents were happy to read that the states teachers received a 6-percent increase in their salaries this year.

Im making less money now than I was last year, Olivas admitted, after a 5-percent increase in their insurance premiums. Thats a little frustrating, but if we were doing it for the money, nobody would be doing it.

In this profession, every day is a different adventure, she said. Making a difference in one kids life is life-changing.

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CHS teacher enjoys prepping students for life out on their own - Albuquerque Journal

bluebird bio Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Highlights Operational Progress – Business Wire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--bluebird bio, Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUE) today reported financial results and business highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.

During the third quarter we advanced our country-by-country launch plans in Europe and, with the recent approval of the commercial drug product manufacturing specifications for ZYNTEGLO, we moved one step closer to our goal of treating patients suffering from TDT in early 2020, said Nick Leschly, chief bluebird. Also this quarter, we presented updated data from the Phase 2/3 Starbeam study in patients with CALD. To report that patients continued to be free of MFDs at up to five years of follow-up is something were tremendously proud to do for these families, and we look forward to advancing that program in the regulatory process next year. Looking ahead, we plan to provide clinical updates for ZYNTEGLO and across the rest of our portfolio, including LentiGlobin in sickle cell disease, bb21217 in multiple myeloma, and from our registration-enabling KarMMa study of ide-cel in patients with multiple myeloma by the end of this year. Id like to thank all the bluebirds around the globe for their tireless focus on doing the right thing for our patients weve seen amazing progress thus far in 2019 and I look forward to ending the year on a strong note.

Recent Highlights:

TDT

CALD

COMPANY

Upcoming Anticipated Milestones:

Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results

About bluebird bio, Inc.bluebird bio is pioneering gene therapy with purpose. From our Cambridge, Mass., headquarters, were developing gene therapies for severe genetic diseases and cancer, with the goal that people facing potentially fatal conditions with limited treatment options can live their lives fully. Beyond our labs, were working to positively disrupt the healthcare system to create access, transparency and education so that gene therapy can become available to all those who can benefit.

bluebird bio is a human company powered by human stories. Were putting our care and expertise to work across a spectrum of disorders by researching cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy, sickle cell disease, transfusion-dependent -thalassemia and multiple myeloma using three gene therapy technologies: gene addition, cell therapy and (megaTAL-enabled) gene editing.

bluebird bio has additional nests in Seattle, Wash.; Durham, N.C.; and Zug, Switzerland. For more information, visit bluebirdbio.com.

Follow bluebird bio on social media: @bluebirdbio, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

ZYNTEGLO, LentiGlobin and Lenti-D are trademarks of bluebird bio, Inc.

The full common name for ZYNTEGLO: A genetically modified autologous CD34+ cell enriched population that contains hematopoietic stem cells transduced with lentiviral vector encoding the A-T87Q-globin gene.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the companys financial condition, results of operations, as well as statements regarding the plans for regulatory submissions and commercialization for ZYNTEGLO and the companys product candidates, including anticipated regulatory milestones, planned commercial launches, planned clinical studies, as well as the companys intentions regarding the timing for providing further updates on the development and commercialization of ZYNTEGLO and the companys product candidates. Any forward-looking statements are based on managements current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risks that the preliminary positive efficacy and safety results from our prior and ongoing clinical trials will not continue or be repeated in our ongoing or future clinical trials, the risk of cessation or delay of any of the ongoing or planned clinical studies and/or our development of our product candidates, risks that the current or planned clinical trials of our product candidates will be insufficient to support regulatory submissions or marketing approval in the United States and European Union, the risk that we will encounter challenges in the commercial launch of ZYNTEGLO in the European Union, including in managing our complex supply chain for the delivery of drug product or in the adoption of value-based payment models or in obtaining sufficient coverage or reimbursement for our products if approved, the risk that our collaborations, including the collaboration with Celgene, will not continue or will not be successful, and the risk that any one or more of our product candidates, will not be successfully developed, approved or commercialized. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled Risk Factors in our most recent Form 10-Q, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and bluebird bio undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

bluebird bio, Inc.Consolidated Statements of Operations(in thousands, except per share data)(unaudited)

For the three months ended September 30,

For the nine months ended September 30,

2019

2018

2019

2018

Revenue:

Collaboration revenue

$

6,575

$

10,926

$

29,310

$

33,971

License and royalty revenue

2,335

602

5,367

1,365

Total revenues

8,910

11,528

34,677

35,336

Operating expenses:

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bluebird bio Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Highlights Operational Progress - Business Wire

SCD, HIV Gene Therapy Efforts Get $200M from NIH, Gates Foundation – Sickle Cell Anemia News

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will each invest $100 million over the next four years to speed the development of affordable gene therapies for sickle cell disease (SCD) and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on a global scale.

This unprecedented collaboration focuses from the get-go on access, scalability and affordability of advanced gene-based strategies for sickle cell disease and HIV to make sure everybody, everywhere has the opportunity to be cured, not just those in high-income countries, said NIH Director Francis S. Collins, MD, PhD.

Seventy-five percent of babies born with SCD live in sub-Saharan Africa. It is hoped that experimental gene therapies would advance to clinical trials in the United States and relevant African countries within the next seven to 10 years, and that safe, effective, and inexpensive gene therapies be made available globally, including in low-resource settings where the cost and complexity of these therapies make them inaccessible to many.

In recent years, gene-based treatments have been groundbreaking for rare genetic disorders and infectious diseases, Trevor Mundel, MD, PhD, president of the global health program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said in a news release.

While these treatments are exciting, people in low- and middle-income countries do not have access to these breakthroughs. By working with the NIH and scientists across Africa, we aim to ensure these approaches will improve the lives of those most in need and bring the incredible promise of gene-based treatments to the world of public health, he added.

Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells that binds oxygen, allowing oxygen to be transported around the body. Mutations in the HBBgene, which encodes a component of hemoglobin, result in the formation of sickle hemoglobin that causes sickle cell anemia.

Currently, gene therapies for SCD involves altering the patients own hematopoietic stem cells (bone marrow cells that divide and specialize to produce blood cells including red blood cells). Genes are introduced into the cells using a modified, harmless virus (known as a viral vector). The cells are then transplanted back into the patient where they will produce healthy red blood cells. Gene therapy has an advantage over a bone marrow transplant, as it circumvents the complications associated with a bone marrow donation.

The first goal of the collaboration between the NIH and the Gates Foundation is to develop an easy-to-administer gene-based intervention to correct the mutations in the HBBgene or deliver a functional gene that will promote the production of normal levels of hemoglobin without the need to extract cells from patients and modify them in the lab before introducing the cells back. However, this strategy, known as in vivotreatment, requires the advancement of more efficient delivery systems that can deliver the gene therapy specifically to hematopoietic stem cells.

A second goal of the collaboration will be to work together with African partners and bring potential therapies to clinical trials.

Further research is required to understand the burden of SCD in sub-Saharan Africa and to screen newborns at high risk for the disease, a task that the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has started to tackle by building the necessary infrastructure for clinical research.

The NIH and the Gates Foundation will help boost this infrastructure to allow point-of-care screening (for example, when infants receive vaccinations), and to initiate a standard of care. This will occur outside of the official collaboration.

Our excitement around this partnership rests not only in its ability to leverage the expertise in two organizations to reduce childhood mortality rates in low-resource countries, but to bring curative therapies for sickle cell disease and HIV to communities that have been severely burdened by these diseases for generations, said Gary H. Gibbons, MD, director of the NHLBI.

A persons health should not be limited by their geographic location, whether rural America or sub-Saharan Africa; harnessing the power of science is needed to transcend borders to improve health for all, he added.

Matshidiso Rebecca Moeti, the regional director for Africa at the World Health Organization said, We are losing too much of Africas future to sickle cell disease and HIV.

Beating these diseases will take new thinking and long-term commitment. Im very pleased to see the innovative collaboration announced today, which has a chance to help tackle two of Africas greatest public health challenges, Moeti added.

Patricia holds her Ph.D. in Cell Biology from University Nova de Lisboa, and has served as an author on several research projects and fellowships, as well as major grant applications for European Agencies. She also served as a PhD student research assistant in the Laboratory of Doctor David A. Fidock, Department of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University, New York.

Total Posts: 94

Margarida graduated with a BS in Health Sciences from the University of Lisbon and a MSc in Biotechnology from Instituto Superior Tcnico (IST-UL). She worked as a molecular biologist research associate at a Cambridge UK-based biotech company that discovers and develops therapeutic, fully human monoclonal antibodies.

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Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market: What it got next? Find out with the latest research available at ‘The Market Reports’ – Market…

Cell culture is a complex procedure in which cells are grown under controlled physical conditions outside the natural environment. These cells are used to develop model systems for research, study of cellular structure and functions, stem cell research, drug discovery and genetic engineering. Growing scope of cell culture and its applications has led to increased use of protein coated surfaces, as these provide better adhesion and proper nutrition for growth of the cells during cell culture.

Rising investment by government and market players in stem cell research and development activities is one of the major factors driving the cell culture protein surface coatings market. Becton, Dickinson and Company grants a total of USD 100,000 worth reagents every year to 10 scientists pursuing research activities in stem cells. Similarly, the European Union funded four stem cell research projects in its Seventh Framework Program for Research and Technological Development (2007 2013). High funding is leading to extensive stem cell research, resulting in increased use of cell culture protein surface coating products. Moreover, diverse applications of stem cells such as development of bone grafts and artificial tissue would fuel the demand for cell culture protein surface coatings during the forecast period. In addition, increasing cell culture applications in toxicology studies and cell-based assays would boost the demand for protein surface coating products. Currently, 2D cell culture is the most preferred technique by researchers worldwide due to lack of compelling data to switch to 3D cell culture.

The Americas accounted for the majority market share during 2016 and will continue to dominate the market during the forecasted period. The presence of highly developed healthcare infrastructure and the increasing demand for stem cell therapies and regenerative medicines for orthopedics, neurology, and autoimmune therapies are some of the major factors responsible for the markets growth in this region.

Access Report Details at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/global-cell-culture-protein-surface-coating-market-research-report

The global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating market is valued at xx million US$ in 2018 is expected to reach xx million US$ by the end of 2025, growing at a CAGR of xx% during 2019-2025.

This report focuses on Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan.

Key companies profiled in Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market report are Corning, EMD Millipore, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sigma-Aldrich and more in term of company basic information, Product Introduction, Application, Specification, Production, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin (2014-2019), etc.

Purchase this Premium Report at: https://www.themarketreports.com/report/buy-now/1412777

Table of Content

1 Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market Overview

2 Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market Competition by Manufacturers

3 Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Production Market Share by Regions

4 Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Consumption by Regions

5 Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Production, Revenue, Price Trend by Type

6 Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market Analysis by Applications

7 Company Profiles and Key Figures in Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Business

8 Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Manufacturing Cost Analysis

9 Marketing Channel, Distributors and Customers

10 Market Dynamics

11 Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market Forecast

12 Research Findings and Conclusion

13 Methodology and Data Source

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Global Cell Culture Protein Surface Coating Market: What it got next? Find out with the latest research available at 'The Market Reports' - Market...