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Thousands of men to trial prostate cancer home testing kit
Thousands of men worldwide are to receive a home test kit for prostate cancer – thanks to pioneering research from the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). The research team are trialling a new home-testing ‘Prostate Screening Box’ to collect men’s urine samples at-home. The urine samples will be used to analyse the health of the prostate in 2,000 men in the UK, Europe and Canada. This simple urine test is intended to diagnose aggressive prostate cancer and in a pilot study predicted which patients required treatment up to five years earlier than standard clinical methods. Lead researcher Dr Jeremy Clark from the University of East Anglia 'unboxes' the new home testing kit live on Sky News. The Prostate Screening Box has been developed in collaboration with REAL Digital International Limited to create a kit that fits through a standard letterbox. It means that men can provide a urine sample in the comfort of their own home, instead of going into a clinic or having to undergo an uncomfortable rectal examination. The research team hope that it could revolutionise diagnosis of the disease. Lead researcher Dr Jeremy Clark, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. However it usually develops slowly and the majority of cancers will not require treatment in a man’s lifetime. It is not a simple matter to predict which tumours will become aggressive, making it hard to decide on treatment for many men. “The most commonly used tests for prostate cancer include blood tests, a physical examination known as a digital rectal examination (DRE), an MRI scan or a biopsy. “We have developed the PUR (Prostate Urine Risk) test, which looks at gene expression in urine samples and provides vital information about whether a cancer is aggressive or ‘low risk’. “The Prostate Screening Box part sounds like quite a small innovation, but it means that in future the monitoring of cancer in men could be so much less stressful for them and reduce the number of expensive trips to the hospital. “The prostate lies just below the bladder. It constantly produces secretions which naturally flow into the urethra - the tube through which urine passes from the bladder. The prostatic secretions carry cells and molecules from all over the prostate which are flushed out of the body on urination. We collect these and examine them. It’s a way of sampling the whole prostate in one go. “As the prostate is constantly secreting, the levels of biomarkers in the urethra will build up with time. Collecting from the first wee of the day means that overnight secretions can be collected which makes the analysis more sensitive.” The team have previously trialled the kit with a small group of participants, but in the next phase of the research study are rolling it out to thousands. Men taking part in the trial will receive a home urine-sampling kit and will be asked to provide two urine samples – one to be taken first thing in the morning and the second an hour later. The samples will then be sent back to the lab for analysis. Dr Clark said: “Feedback from early participants showed that the at-home collection was much preferred over sample collection in a hospital. “We hope that using our Prostate Screening Box could in future revolutionise how those on ‘active surveillance’ are monitored for disease progression, with men only having to visit the clinic after a positive urine result. “This is in contrast to the current situation where men are recalled to the clinic every six to 12 months for a range of tests including DRE, PSA tests, painful and expensive biopsies and MRI. We are working to develop the test to help patients in three years’ time. “A negative test could enable men to only be retested every two to three years, relieving stress to the patient and reducing hospital workload,” he added. Robert Mills, Consultant Clinical Director in Urology at NNUH, said: “This simple, non-invasive urine test has the potential to significantly change how we diagnose and manage early prostate cancer for the benefit of patients and health care systems. It may enable us to avoid unnecessary diagnosis of low risk disease as well as managing patients more appropriately with surveillance for those with low risk of progression and early curative treatment for those at high risk of progression.” Paul Villanti, executive director of programs at Movember, said: “The PUR test has great potential to transform the way prostate cancer is managed. Not only can it accurately predict when a man’s disease will become aggressive and require treatment, but it has the added advantage of allowing men to complete it at home. “We are proud to have supported the development of the PUR test from its early stages as part of our Global Action Plan on Biomarkers, through to this trial involving thousands of men across the world. “Through our Global Action Plan on active surveillance, we have been able to identify hundreds of men from the UK, Germany, Italy and Canada who are suitable to take part in this trial. “We hope it will speed up the trial’s progress and get this test included as part of clinical care for men as quickly as possible.” The research has been funded by a Movember and Prostate Cancer UK Innovation award, the Masonic Charitable Foundation, the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, the King family, the Andy Ripley Memorial Fund, the Hargrave Foundation, Norfolk Freemasons and the Tesco Centenary Grant.
A Message from Dean Sarah Gehlert on the Derek Chauvin Verdict
When I heard the verdict read at the trial of Derek Chauvin, I was relieved that a change had been made in how excessive violence by police officers has been viewed and treated in courts. This gave me some hope that a door had finally been opened to create change. A single verdict does not even begin to erase all the lives lost over decades of police violence based on prejudice and discrimination. It does however signal that change is happening, or is at least possible, if we are vigilant. It can be a step taken toward ending systemic discrimination by race in how our judicial system considers the actions of police. The wisdom of George Floyd’s seven-year-old daughter, who stated that her dad “changed the world,” has been validated. We also recognize the wisdom and courage of Darnella Frazier, the Minnesota teenager who filmed the event, knowing that what she was witnessing was wrong. When the verdict came in, I was with a group of community activists from three California counties around Los Angeles. While group members expressed some elation for an episode of justice realized, some cautioned that this victory does not mean that all is well. Racism, and the discrimination that it engenders, continues to run rampant through our judicial system. Within the last week we have added the names of Daunte Wright and Adam Toledo to our protests and vigils. We hope this verdict is a turning point, but we will need to work to assure it. It is worth reading a publication from 2018 to understand the role that social work needs to play in ensuring effective and lasting change to our judicial system. In their paper entitled “The Futile Fourth Amendment,” Professor Osagie Obasogie and Postdoctoral Researcher Zachary Newman examine the Supreme Court case that established the standard for court adjudication of excessive force by police, and how this has perpetuated excessive use of force in many communities of color. Protesting alone will not create the change we want to see. It will require change in policy and practices to establish equal protection for all under the law. This is a moment for us as social workers to seize. We must not wait to act until there is another incident of police brutality or an unfair trial. We should use this moment to move forward with renewed conviction in our beliefs, using our training in policy, community organizing, management and planning, and clinical practice. We should always be the voices demanding equality under the law, saying that an end to systemic racism is possible. The world is ready for change and social work should be leading it, with those whom we serve. We should be the champions of social justice for the well-being of individuals, families and communities through innovative teaching of evidence-informed and practice-based skills, and pioneering transformative research. If not us, then who? Sarah Gehlert Dean
Social Work is Advancing Addiction Science Research
Tens of thousands of Americans die from drug use and addiction every year, with overdoses killing over 63,000 people in America in 2016, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Add in deaths linked to alcohol overuse and tobacco, and the number climbs above half a million Americans. The collective work of several researchers at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, in collaboration with other USC faculty and outside organizations, is advancing knowledge of substance use disorders. Social work has become a hub where researchers and practitioners drive understanding and improve treatment for this disease that impacts millions of families each year. “Either as a cause or consequence, addiction relates to every problem we deal with in social work,” said John Clapp, professor and associate dean for research and faculty development at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Addiction’s complexity The social work field is uniquely poised to help effect change because of its holistic approach to individual well-being and the public good. According to Clapp, substance use disorder problems are inherently ecological, impacting and being impacted by individuals, families, peers, neighborhoods, communities and public policy in complex and dynamic ways. Untangling those causes and effects and interdependencies is one part of the solution. The other part is understanding that simple solutions may stay out of reach. “We will not find a one-size-fits-all answer,” said Clapp. Looking at addiction as a genetic, psychological or sociological issue only shows one piece of the overall cause. A comprehensive approach is essential, he said, especially when statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) show alcohol use disorders alone as the third leading cause of preventable death in the world. A hub for addiction science The need for a transdisciplinary response to this worldwide crisis was behind the 2018 creation of the USC Institute on Addiction Science (IAS), a joint venture between social work and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, with membership from 10 different schools, colleges and hospitals. Its vision is to strengthen the discipline of addiction science and improve the lives of those touched by the disease. Clapp is co-director of the institute and one of its founding architects. IAS is quickly becoming the foremost place for a broad effort focused on addiction that brings together researchers from the fields of public health, social work, law, public policy, mathematicians, computer engineers and others in recognition of the promise of new approaches to longstanding problems. The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has eight faculty making substantial contributions to the prevention of addiction-related disorders as members of the IAS: Professor Avalardo Valdez, associate professors Julie Cederbaum and Alice Cepeda, and assistant professors Jordan Davis, Shannon Dunn, Jungeun Olivia Lee, Danielle Madden, and Hans Oh. “Social work brings one of the broadest perspectives on the underpinnings and solutions to the addiction crisis,” said Adam Leventhal, director of IAS and professor of preventive medicine and psychology at Keck. “By approaching addiction as a health condition and a social justice issue, social work brings to the table the opportunity for high-impact, multi-modal intervention and social policy approaches, which are needed to address the addiction epidemic.” A holistic approach Social work faculty are raising the bar in addiction science research, developing new and novel approaches to improving outcomes for those affected by addiction. In a study recently published in Addiction, a multidisciplinary team lead by Davis and Clapp found gender differences in the risk factors for relapse following treatment for opioid use disorder. The study was the first in this field to use machine learning techniques to process large data sets and identify risk factors for relapse, said Davis, who also serves as associate director of the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society (CAIS). The findings may result in more personalized treatment for opioid use disorder with lasting results. This dovetails with additional research Davis is conducting with computer science engineers at CAIS to collect and input neighborhood and census data into their models in an effort to better understand how these macro variables affect relapse. “We are finding that data points such as crime statistics, population density and concentrated poverty tend to be some of the most important predictors of relapse, over and above individual-level predictors such as impulsivity, motivation or gender,” Davis said. These findings echo Clapp’s description of addiction as ecological and point to the need for holistic solutions. “These machine learning techniques are helping us gain an apparent picture of what the most important factors are surrounding someone’s recovery,” Davis said. “Environment matters greatly.” Davis is also collaborating closely with Eric Pedersen, associate professor at Keck School of Medicine at USC, on several research efforts examining substance use among veterans. Most recently, they have assembled a survey group of approximately 1,200 veterans whom they survey quarterly about their well-being. A recently conducted survey of the group found that veterans with PTSD prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were now managing their symptoms with more frequent alcohol and cannabis use. Another joint research endeavor between the two is examining the use of mindfulness smart phone apps to help reduce substance use in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder. Where well-being and inequalities intersect Jungeun Olivia Lee also seeks to decode the network of relationships between socioeconomic status, adverse childhood experiences and drug use. Her experience as a social work practitioner working directly with clients drives her motivation to demonstrate to policymakers what she sees as a linkage between unemployment, economic stress and substance use disorders. She is lead author on a paper published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research that found unemployment may advance nicotine addiction among young adults, rather than the idea that nicotine addiction may lead to unemployment. Lee’s research interests lie at the intersection of substance use and co-occurring mental health, social inequalities (such as poverty and low socioeconomic status), and adverse childhood experiences. She is interested in combining these three areas of inquiry to explore their influence on addictive behavior that can persist over generations of at-risk families, such as adolescent mothers and their children. Her memories of working directly with clients struggling with the impact of addiction remain clear in her mind. When Lee hears policymakers and others suggest that individual willpower will solve substance use disorder problems, she has a straightforward response: “People are not born with addiction.” In her view, many factors contribute to the triggered distress, including socioeconomic status and adverse childhood experiences. Lee is exploring an idea with other IAS researchers to investigate the relationship between financial strain and employment uncertainty and addiction. “Individual circumstances, such as losing a job, certainly influence substance use, but policy-level decisions, such as the generosity of unemployment insurance, can mitigate the impact,” she said. Transdisciplinary collaboration with social scientists, psychologists and medical researchers at IAS and across the USC campus enriches and amplifies her work. “We are breaking down discipline-specific silos and bringing new and valuable perspectives to this work,” she said. “The synergy is both useful and inspiring.” Looking ahead Researchers also hope to spark interest in the field among the next generation. A new minor for undergraduate students in addiction science was introduced at USC in Fall 2020. The minor is an interdisciplinary collaboration of the Keck School of Medicine, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, the USC School of Pharmacy and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. It is designed to provide students with a transdisciplinary approach to understanding and treatment of the broad spectrum of addiction-related problems. The goal of addiction science research and education is to improve the long-term effect of addiction treatment and save lives. As society’s understanding of the cause of addiction grows, researchers like those in the school of social work and the IAS strive to bridge the gap between science, practice and policy to positively impact outcomes for those affected by addiction.
COVID-19 Pandemic Increasing Substance Use Among Veterans with PTSD
Nine months into the pandemic, everyone has been affected by COVID-19 in some way. However, one group that needs special attention and support is U.S. veterans who were already struggling with symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A recently conducted survey by Jordan Davis, assistant professor at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, and Eric Pedersen, associate professor at Keck School of Medicine of USC, found evidence that veterans with PTSD prior to the pandemic were now managing their symptoms with more frequent alcohol and cannabis use. “The pandemic has not been easy on folks, especially for those that have PTSD or an alcohol use disorder (AUD),” said Davis, who also is associate director of the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society (CAIS). “Some of the stories I’ve heard [from study participants] have been heart-wrenching.” An extraordinary resource of veterans not affiliated with VA services Davis and Pedersen lead several efforts examining substance use among veterans. They have assembled a survey group of about 1,200 military veterans, a percentage of whom struggle with PTSD symptoms but have not yet sought professional help via the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to improve their wellbeing. “We’ve decided to focus on the population of veterans who, for one reason or another, say they don’t need mental health care,” Davis said. Attitudes about care, transportation barriers or perceived stigma from others may deter them from seeking care for PTSD symptoms, and some self-medicate with alcohol, cannabis, cigarettes, or more rarely, methamphetamine or cocaine. Davis cited larger studies 1,2 that found only about half of the veterans who need some sort of mental health care receive it. Many studies of veterans recruit subjects from the VA who are likely already receiving care. The unique sample group that Davis and Pedersen have created may offer fresh insights into how to motivate these veterans outside the VA system to seek care and how best to deliver it. Tracking pandemic effects on mental health It all began with a one-time survey of young adult veterans to measure drinking habits and willingness to seek help. Pedersen and others had developed a brief intervention that had yielded some success reducing drinking in the short-term, but he knew that sustaining those reductions would be difficult unless the veterans agreed to more formal care. The one-off survey, conducted in February 2020, would set a baseline that could be used to inform the brief intervention content. Then COVID-19 cases began multiplying. Affected cities and states began to impose restrictions on public gatherings and more. Pedersen and Davis soon obtained additional funding from the Keck School of Medicine of USC COVID-19 Funding Program and the National Institute of Alcohol and Abuse to follow up with their sample group and see how these veterans were coping with the unprecedented health crisis. “The result is that we can follow up with these veterans from a pre-COVID-19 time period for the next several years, tracking their depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms and substance use,” Pedersen said. The researchers aim to understand how the veterans are sleeping, what their stress levels are like, and how things have changed as the pandemic wears on. They hope to gain new insights about what motivates some to seek care and how that can be replicated. So far, the results point to some unfortunate, but not unexpected, news. “We’re finding that those veterans who were struggling with PTSD prior to the pandemic are actually doing worse in terms of their substance use behaviors, drinking and cannabis use, as well as their stressful reactions to the pandemic,” Pedersen said. Pedersen and Davis will continue to follow up with these veterans through at least February 2022, surveying them every three months to see how they are progressing. In addition to the survey, they also conduct in-depth qualitative interviews with a subset of the group to enrich their understanding of what their lives are like now and how things have changed for them. The interviews last about an hour, sometimes more. “We talk about the positive and negative things that have happened and what their expectations are for the future,” Davis said. The details are confidential, of course, but it is clear that the pandemic has upended people’s lives and livelihoods across the United States. The toll on those who were already experiencing mental health issues and addiction has been heavy, but Davis and Pedersen are hopeful that their insights and findings will lead to better treatment and outreach in the future. Reducing barriers to care One bright spot over the past nine months has been the quick embrace of telehealth. The VA was already leading the way to telehealth as a way to improve access to its services, and following the stay-at-home orders of the pandemic, telehealth has grown in acceptance and use. Now, online counseling sessions, Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and medical visits are commonplace. Pedersen and Davis don’t see that changing even when face-to-face gatherings become the norm once again. It has been a promising start to the research, and Pedersen and Davis are even more excited about what the future may hold. They plan on submitting for more grants to continue to track the mental health and substance use of this group of hundreds of veterans with the goal of understanding what factors lead individuals to seek care. Down the road, they hope to use this longitudinal data to help identify profiles of people more or less likely to seek care. “Then we can tailor interventions to increase their willingness to seek care for a problem like a substance use disorder or PTSD,” Davis said. Recognizing patterns in substance use and when to seek care is very important in helping that part of the veteran population that is trying to deal with symptoms of depression, anxiety, PTSD, or substance abuse on their own. “We know that things are bad now and we can expect that there will be lingering effects for years to come,” said Pedersen. “What we hope is that these findings and our future work will help the VA and others create more effective programs and outreach to address the unique needs of veterans.” 1 Veterans Health Administration Office of Patient Care Services, Analysis of VA Health Care Utilization Among Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation New Dawn Veterans. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2017. www.publichealth.va.gov/epidemiology/reports/oefoifond/health-care-utilization/. 2 Tanielian, Terri and Lisa H. Jaycox, eds., Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2008. www.rand.org/pubs/monographs/MG720.html.
Autonomous cars expert: Dr Siddartha Khastgir
For stories on autonomous vehicles, Dr Siddartha Khastgir from WMG at the University of Warwick is one of the leading experts in the UK, and is available for comment. His recent notable research includes developing the world’s largest public database for testing driverless cars: If you would like to interview him, contact press@warwick.ac.uk or L.Walton.1@warwick.ac.uk
Ambitious student research collaborations with faculty members often lead to much more than good grades. The mentorships encourage professional growth, confidence and creativity, even in the midst of a pandemic. Georgia Southern University’s Spring 2021 Honors Research Symposium, which is being held virtually April 26 through April 30, will showcase faculty-student partnerships through a broad range of scholarly and creative research projects produced by more than 100 honors students across multiple disciplines on the Statesboro and Armstrong campuses. A few of the presenters include: Chelsea Riley, a triple major in international studies, political science and Spanish, worked with political science and international studies professor Srobana Bhattacharya, Ph.D., on her thesis, “The Culture Gap: The Role of Culture in Successful Refugee Settlement.” History and English major Jacey Thomas, mentored by associate professor of history Alan Downs, Ph.D., will present, “Irish Rock Music amid a Time of Troubles: Thin Lizzy and U2 as a Bridge During a Time of Division.” Biology major Susan Ihejirika’s presentation, “A Forward Genetic Screen to Identify Human Genes of Interest and Their Roles in Ovarian Cancer,” was guided by biology assistant professor Dongyu Jia, Ph.D. The Honors College, as the university-wide center for excellence in undergraduate education, plays a crucial role with undergraduate research at Georgia Southern. Since the beginning of the College, students have been required to complete honors theses or capstone projects. The faculty-mentored projects have spanned traditional research models, applied research and creative activities in all academic colleges and majors. “Through faculty-mentored research and scholarly activities, honors students create new knowledge and the Honors Research Symposium is the venue where we share it with the broader scholarly community,” said Honors College Dean Steven Engel, Ph.D. “ I am proud of the fact that they have been able to complete these projects despite the challenges of the past year.” Presentations will be posted on YouTube and the comments section will be open for audience engagement with presenters. If you're a journalist looking to learn more about this year’s Honors Research Symposium — simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu.
Self-Built Protein Coatings Could Improve Biomedical Devices
Fouling is a natural phenomenon that describes the tendency of proteins in water to adhere to nearby surfaces. It’s what causes unwanted deposits of protein to form during some food production or on biomedical implants, causing them to fail. Using her expertise in developing bio-inspired materials for use in human health, R. Helen Zha, an assistant professor of chemical and biological engineering will harness this process found in nature to develop a versatile and accessible approach for modifying solid surfaces. With the support of a more than $592,000 National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) grant, Zha will use silk fibroin — a protein that naturally assembles itself — to grow a nanoscale film on the surface of an object. This approach only requires a beaker, water, salt, and the protein, which Zha said makes it biocompatible, safe, ecofriendly, and accessible beyond the walls of a lab. Zha has demonstrated that this approach can work and, in some cases, even increase the therapeutic benefits of an implant. In research published in ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering, Zha collaborated with Ryan Gilbert, a professor of biomedical engineering at Rensselaer, to modify the surface of a fibrous scaffold that was developed by Gilbert’s lab in order to encourage the growth of neurites at the site of nerve damage. The importance of this research could expand beyond the protein Zha and her lab are working with. This approach, she explained, could be applied to any number of proteins and macromolecules.
New prostate cancer urine test shows how aggressive disease is and could reduce invasive biopsies
Researchers from the University of East Anglia have developed a new urine test for prostate cancer which also shows how aggressive the disease is. A new study shows how an experimental new test called ‘ExoGrail’ has the potential to revolutionise how patients with suspected prostate cancer are risk-assessed prior to an invasive biopsy. The research team say their new test could reduce the number of unnecessary prostate cancer biopsies by 35 per cent. Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. It usually develops slowly and the majority of cancers will not require treatment in a man’s lifetime. The most commonly used tests for prostate cancer include blood tests, a physical examination known as a digital rectal examination (DRE), an MRI scan or an invasive biopsy. However, doctors struggle to predict which tumours will become aggressive, making it hard to decide on treatment for many men. Lead researcher Dr Dan Brewer, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “While prostate cancer is responsible for a large proportion of all male cancer deaths, it is more commonly a disease men die with rather than from. “Therefore, there is a desperate need for improvements in diagnosing and predicting outcomes for prostate cancer patients to minimise over-diagnosis and overtreatment whilst appropriately treating men with aggressive disease, especially if this can be done without taking an invasive biopsy. “Invasive biopsies come at considerable economic, psychological and societal cost to patients and healthcare systems alike.” The research team developed the new ExoGrail urine test by combining two biomarker sources - measurements of a protein-marker called EN2 and the levels of gene expression of 10 genes related to prostate cancer risk. It builds on previously developed tests called PUR and ExoMeth. They tested it using urine samples from 207 patients who had been undergone a biopsy for prostate cancer at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). When the urine results were compared to biopsy results, the study showed that the test had successfully shown which patients had prostate cancer and which did not. The ExoGrail test also provided risk scores for patients and highlighted those for which an invasive biopsy would have been beneficial. The findings show that using information from multiple, non-invasive biomarker sources has the potential to greatly improve how patients with suspected prostate cancer are risk-assessed prior to an invasive biopsy. Dr Brewer said: “Our new urine test not only shows whether a patient has prostate cancer, but it importantly shows how aggressive the disease is. This allows patients and doctors to select the correct treatment. And it has the potential to reduce the number of unnecessary biopsies by 35 per cent.” The research team was led by Dr Shea Connell, Prof Colin Cooper, Dr Daniel Brewer and Dr Jeremy Clark, all from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, in collaboration with the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the University of Surrey, the University of Bradford, The Earlham Institute, and The Movember GAP1 Urine Biomarker Consortium. The urine biomarker research was funded by the Movember GAP1 Urine Biomarker project, Prostate Cancer UK, The Masonic Charitable Foundation, The Bob Champion Cancer Trust, the King family, The Andy Ripley Memorial Fund, the Hargrave Foundation, Norfolk Freemasons and the Tesco Centenary Grant. Paul Villanti, executive director of programmes at Movember, said: “We are proud to have supported the development of the ExoGrail urine test as part of our Global Action Plan Urine Biomarker project. “Having non-invasive tests which can accurately show how aggressive a man’s prostate cancer is not only reduces the number of men having to undergo painful biopsies, but also ensures that the right course of treatment for the patient is selected more quickly.” ‘Integration of Urinary EN2 Protein & Cell-Free RNA Data in the Development of a Multivariable Risk Model for the Detection of Prostate Cancer Prior to Biopsy’ is published in the journal Cancers on Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
MEDIA RELEASE: CAA supports provincial efforts to move Ontarians more safely
CAA South Central Ontario supports today’s provincial announcement of the Moving Ontarians More Safely & Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act, 2021. The proposed legislation is an important step toward addressing the needs and challenges experienced by both motorists and the towing industry. “CAA is pleased that provincial legislation to govern the towing industry looks to address the most pressing issues related to safety and consumer confidence,” says Teresa Di Felice, AVP government and community relations, CAA SCO. “Provincial oversight should provide consistent levels of training for operators, create standards for this important service on Ontario roads and establish tough penalties for those who do not follow the rules.” One element highlighted in today’s announcement is the introduction of a tow truck licensing system. “CAA’s research on this demonstrates that motorists expect their tow operators to be provincially licensed and qualified to perform towing services safely,” adds Di Felice. The tougher enforcement measures for stunt driving are also welcome. Since the COVID-19 lockdown measures first began in March 2020, police have seen a significant surge in speeding and street racing—both of which can have serious consequences. “The dangerous driving behaviours that we have seen over the past year highlights the need for increased measures, education and enforcement. The proposed changes will help to continue making Ontario’s streets some of the safest in North America,” adds Di Felice. A study commission by CAA SCO in March highlighted that 74 per cent of drivers agree that stricter penalties and increased fines would discourage drivers from performing stunts or driving aggressively. CAA believes that safer streets for all Ontarians are possible. This new proposed legislation will not only bring clarity for consumers when requesting towing services, the tougher penalties for stunt driving will help to curb the impulse to speed or drive dangerously. The study was conducted between March 15th to 22nd, 2021, among a sample of 1,504 Ontario driver’s license (G, G2 or G1) holders, have access to a vehicle and are part of the Asking Canadians’ research panel. The study was conducted through online surveys. A probabilistic sample of a similar size would have a margin of error of plus or minus 3%, 19 times out of 20.
Novel coronavirus discovered in British bats
A coronavirus related to the virus that causes Covid-19 in humans has been found in UK horseshoe bats – according to new collaborative research from the University of East Anglia, ZSL (Zoological Society of London), and Public Health England (PHE). However, there is no evidence that this novel virus has been transmitted to humans, or that it could in future, unless it mutates. UEA researchers collected faecal samples from more than 50 lesser horseshoe bats in Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wales and sent them for viral analysis at Public Health England. Genome sequencing found a novel coronavirus in one of the bat samples, which the team have named ‘RhGB01’. Due to the rapid response nature of this research, it has not yet been peer reviewed. It is the first time that a sarbecovirus (SARS-related coronavirus) has been found in a lesser horseshoe bat and the first to be discovered in the UK. The research team say that these bats will almost certainly have harboured the virus for a very long time. And it has been found now, because this is the first time that they have been tested. Importantly, this novel virus is unlikely to pose a direct risk to humans, unless it mutates. A mutation could happen if a human infected with Covid-19 passes it to an infected bat, so anyone coming into contact with bats or their droppings, for example those engaged in caving or bat protection, should wear appropriate PPE. Prof Diana Bell, an expert in emerging zoonotic diseases from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, said: “Horseshoe bats are found across Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia and the bats we tested lie at the western extreme of their range. “Similar viruses have been found in other horseshoe bat species in China, South East Asia and Eastern Europe. “Our research extends both the geographic and species ranges of these types of viruses and suggests their more widespread presence across more than 90 species of horseshoe bats. “These bats will almost certainly have harboured this virus for a very long time – probably many thousands of years. We didn’t know about it before because this is the first time that such tests have been carried out in UK bats. “We already know that there are different coronaviruses in many other mammal species too,” she said. “This is a case of ‘seek and you will find’. “Research into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19 in humans, has focussed on horseshoe bats - but there are some 1,400 other bat species and they comprise 20 per cent of known mammals. “Our findings highlight the need for robust genotype testing for these types of viruses in bat populations around the world. And it raises an important question about what other animals carry these types of viruses.” Prof Andrew Cunningham, from the Zoological Society of London, said: “Our findings highlight that the natural distribution of sarbecoviruses and opportunities for recombination through intermediate host co-infection have been underestimated. “This UK virus is not a threat to humans because the receptor binding domain (RBD) – the part of the virus that attaches to host cells to infect them - is not compatible with being able to infect human cells. “But the problem is that any bat harbouring a SARS-like coronavirus can act as a melting pot for virus mutation. So if a bat with the RhGB01 infection we found were to become infected with SARS-CoV-2, there is a risk that these viruses would hybridise and a new virus emerge with the RBD of SARS-CoV-2, and so be able to infect people. “Preventing transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to bats, and hence reducing opportunities for virus mutation, is critical with the current global mass vaccination campaign against this virus.” Prof Bell added: “The main risks would be for example a bat rehabilitator looking after a rescued animal and infecting it with SARS-CoV2 - which would provide an opportunity for genetic recombination if it is already carrying another sarbecovirus. “Anyone coming into contact with bats or their droppings, such as bat rescuers or cavers, should wear appropriate PPE – in order to reduce the risk of a mutation occurring. “We need to apply stringent regulations globally for anyone handling bats and other wild animals,” she added. The new virus falls within the subgroup of coronaviruses called sarbecoviruses which contains both SARS-CoV-2 (responsible for the current pandemic) and SARS-CoV (responsible for the initial 2003 SARS outbreak in humans). Further analysis compared the virus with those found in other horseshoe bat species in China, South East Asia and Europe and showed that its closest relative was discovered in a Blasius’s bat from Bulgaria in 2008. Ivana’s story The UK discovery was made by undergraduate ecology student Ivana Murphy, from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, who collected bat droppings as part of her final year research dissertation. Jack Crook conducted the genetic analyses in partnership with other researchers at PHE. A total of 53 bats were captured, and their faeces collected in sterile bags. The research was conducted under strict Health and Safety protocols. Full PPE was worn and Ivana was regularly tested for Covid-19 to avoid any chance of cross contamination. The bats were released immediately after their droppings had been collected. Ivana said: “I am very fortunate to be surrounded by so many experts in their fields, which has allowed me access to resources that many undergraduates wouldn’t have. I feel extremely lucky to have been able to conduct such an advanced study.” “We weren’t shocked by the results, but I am extremely eager to carry out further research. “I chose to study ecology at UEA as I have a passion for trying to protect and conserve nature. I wanted a better understanding of the global situation and so chose UEA to study ecology and conservation. “The plan after graduation is to do an extended study of viruses in UK bats, very similar to the one I carried out as an undergraduate. There is still a lot more to understand and I am extremely excited to see what else we can find out.” But she says that she doesn’t want her research to turn people against bats. “More than anything, I’m worried that people may suddenly start fearing and persecuting bats, which is the last thing I would want and would be unnecessary. As like all wildlife, if left alone they do not pose any threat.” ‘Metagenomic identification of a new sarbecovirus from horseshoe bats in Europe’ is published on the Research Square pre-print server. Read the full story, including a Q&A with all you need to know.