siRNA

 

Zerlasiran is a siRNA (short interfering RNA) in development for high lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), a genetically determined cardiovascular risk factor affecting around 20% of the world’s population.

Zerlasiran is a gene ‘silencing’ therapy – one that is designed to temporarily block a specific gene’s message that would otherwise trigger an unwanted effect. In this case, it aims to ‘silence’ LPA, a gene that tells the body to make a specific protein that is only found in Lp(a). By silencing the LPA gene, the levels of Lp(a) are lowered, which in turn is expected to lower the risk of heart diseases, heart attacks and strokes.

Results presented showed that zerlasiran (300 mg every 16 weeks, 300 mg every 24 weeks or 450 mg every 24 weeks) produced greater than 80% mean time-averaged placebo-adjusted reductions from baseline in Lp(a) concentrations over 36 weeks.

AI..

 

A surge in popularity of Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) app DeepSeek has sparked a selloff of shares in major tech companies after it overtook rivals such as ChatGPT to become the top-rated free app on Apple's App Store.

Nvidia, Microsoft and Meta were set to open down on Monday and the development knocked European share prices.

The app has grown in popularity since its launch, challenging the widely held belief that the US is the unassailable leader in AI and prompting questions about the scale of investments US firms are planning.

It is powered by the open-source DeepSeek-V3 model, which its researchers claim was developed for less than $6m - significantly less than the billions spent by rivals. 

Just a thought.

Plants..

 

Research suggests that the low cancer prevalence in Mediterranean populations may be due to the high consumption of olive oil, Plant-Based Foods, and fish. A review of studies linked high olive oil intake with a reduced risk of several types of cancer, including:

• Any type of cancer: 31% lower risk
• Gastrointestinal cancer: 23% lower risk
• Breast cancer: 33% lower risk
• Urinary tract cancer: 54% lower risk
• Upper aerodigestive cancer (lung, head, and neck): 26% lower risk

The antioxidant-rich phenolic compounds in olive oil, including hydroxytyrosol and oleuropein, protect cells from damage from free radicals.

Bar..

 

Hurumphph..

FBI..

 

Arsenal..

 

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) has arrested two illegal migrants who the agency says were running a drugs and narcotics operation in Maryland and Georgia.

Officials say they busted the two migrants on Thursday, just one day after prosecutors in Queens indicted 10 Tren de Aragua gang members and their associates for similar operations in New York City.

The agency also posted images of the arsenal of guns and ammunition they seized as part of their operation. They said they seized more than 30 weapons.

The Duck..

 

Framed by the Defence IQ International Armored Vehicles conference, which took place between January 21 and 23, the British Army announced that it is evaluating the possibility of equipping its Challenger 2 tanks with anti-drone cages based on experience gained from the war in Ukraine. 

Additionally, possible alternatives were presented to equip British armored vehicles with new active protection systems against drones, including electronic countermeasures and kinetic interceptors.

As previously mentioned, exploring such alternatives is mainly due to lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, where drones have undoubtedly become a frequent threat to tanks.

LapTop..

In October 2020. Biden had secured the Democratic nomination and maintained a narrower lead in the polls against then-incumbent President Trump. 

The New York Post published its bombshell report on Hunter Biden's laptop, offering unprecedented insight into his overseas finances and their potential ties to his father.

"I was covering Biden at the time, and I remember coming to my editor and saying, ‘Hey, we need to write about the Hunter Biden laptop.’ And I was told this came from on high at Politico: Don’t write about the laptop, don’t talk about the laptop, don’t tweet about the laptop," Caputo said.  Just a thought.

Reason..

President Donald Trump said there were no survivors after last night’s midair collision between an American Airlines regional jet and a US Army Black Hawk helicopter in the Washington, DC, area — the deadliest since 2001. Trump also, without evidence, placed blame on Democratic policies.

Experts say both the pilots aboard American Airlines Flight 5342 and the military pilots in the Black Hawk would have been used to navigating the complex airspace.

Comment:

The military train their helicopter pilots right in the path of civilian airlines that is  landing one minute after another in a busy airport. 

Does this make any sense? 

All passengers on both aero planes are victims for no reasons whatsoever.

Volatile..

 

Bro..

 

Gas..

Germany's imports of Russian liquified natural gas (LNG) via other EU countries continue to rise despite restrictions on direct shipments, the Financial Times wrote on Jan. 28, citing a report by Belgian, German, and Ukrainian NGOs.

Following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Europe began to wean itself off Russian fossil fuels to avoid financing the Kremlin’s war chest. Despite these efforts, Europe's imports of Russian LNG, which is largely not subject to sanctions, have soared to record levels in 2024.

Germany’s national energy company Sefe bought 58 cargoes of Russian LNG from the French port of Dunkirk in 2024, six times more than in 2023, according to the report.

Sefe was owned by Russia’s Gazprom until the former’s forced nationalization in 2022 and has a contract with Russia’s Russia’s Yamal LNG, owned by Russia's largest LNG producer and the country's second-largest natural gas producer, Novatek.

Deceit..

 

Donald Trump sued CBS for its “60 Minutes” interview with Kamala Harris days before his Election Day victory. Now, CBS' parent company Paramount is in talks to settle, according to the New York Times . 

If it does settle, that would make it the third mega media company to do so in a matter of months.

During her presidential run, Kamala Harris sat for an interview with “60 Minutes” that aired in October on CBS. It was not a live broadcast. Then, her rival Donald Trump sued CBS for $10 billion in damages, accusing it of deceitful editing. CBS and “60 Minutes” said the claims were false. That was before Trump won the election and returned to the White House.  

Now, CBS’s parent company Paramount is reportedly in talks to settle with Trump, according to the New York Times.

Solved..

Meta has agreed to pay $25 million to settle a lawsuit filed by President Donald Trump against the company after it suspended his accounts following the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to three people familiar with the matter. 

It’s the latest instance of a large corporation settling litigation with the president, and comes as Meta and its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, have joined other large technology companies in trying to ingratiate themselves with the new Trump administration.

Two people said that terms of the agreement include $22 million going to the nonprofit that will become Trump’s future presidential library and the balance going to legal fees and other litigants. 

Zuckerberg visited Trump in November at his private Florida club. At the dinner, Trump brought up the litigation and suggested they try to resolve it, kickstarting two months of negotiations between the parties, the people said.

Glymphatic...

 

Getting a good night's sleep is a critical part of our daily biological cycle and is associated with improved brain function, a stronger immune system, and a healthier heart. 

Conversely, sleep disorders like insomnia and sleep apnea can significantly impact health and quality of life. Poor sleep often precedes the onset of neurodegenerative diseases and is a predictor of early dementia.

As the brain transitions from wakefulness to sleep, processing of external information diminishes while processes such as glymphatic removal of waste products are activated," said Maiken Nedergaard, MD, DMSc, co-director of the University of Rochester Center for Translational Neuromedicine and lead author of the study.

The study holds a warning for people who use the commonly prescribed sleep aid zolpidem. The drug suppressed the glymphatic system, potentially setting the stage for neurological disorders like Alzheimer's, which are the result of the toxic accumulation of proteins in the brain.

Falling apart..

 

For the second time in a month, a newly formed Ukrainian army brigade is disintegrating as it deploys to the front line in one of the most urgent sectors of Russia’s 35-month wider war on Ukraine.

This newly formed brigade did not undergo the necessary combat training,” one relative of a 157th Mechanized Brigade trooper told Hromadske, “but it was immediately sent to the hottest areas” including the besieged fortress city of Pokrovsk in eastern Ukraine.

 Defending it is one of Ukraine’s top objectives. Given its importance, it’s shocking to many observers that the Ukrainian army keeps reinforcing the city with dysfunctional units, including the 155th and 157th Mechanized Brigades.

Both units began falling apart before they even arrived in Pokrovsk.

Dragon..

In the Dragon Chinese Horoscope 2025, love life will be highlighted by Dragons' magnetism, drawing others towards them with heightened honor and respect. Partners will be captivated by their aura, fostering mutual desires to strengthen relationships and potentially plan for a family. 

Single Dragons will find ample opportunities for romantic connections, promising an unforgettable year in matters of the heart. 

Married life will see Dragons balancing formality with flexibility, nurturing harmonious relationships, and enjoying newfound social interactions. Health-wise, Dragons are urged to prioritize fitness and diet for vitality throughout the year.

The Dragon Horoscope 2025, career prospects suggest a mixed landscape, with potential stresses in professional sectors but opportunities for growth in business and social circles. Financially, Dragons can anticipate prosperity with advancements in ventures and potential gains from government affiliations and real estate, contributing to a year of substantial personal and economic growth.

Drop..

 

President Donald Trump’s Justice Department is weighing whether to drop charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams in his bribery case, according to reports. FOX 5 NY's Morgan McKay has the latest.

Omnipresent..

 

Politico's White House reporters wrote on Saturday about the stark contrast between the "invisible" and "shielded" former President Biden and the "omnipresent" President Donald Trump.

Since Trump’s inauguration last week, White House correspondent Eli Stokols and White House Bureau Chief Dasha Burns reported how Trump has given multiple speeches, made several policy announcements and has spoken to reporters at length.  

Trump’s huge media presence is a change compared to the more muted Biden years.

"Yes, Trump was eager to sign all those executive orders reversing Biden’s policies," they wrote. "But the bigger flex for Trump, 78, was to contrast his accessibility, aptitude and activity with his predecessor, who was so often shielded from public view by aides wary of showcasing the 82-year-old’s growing limitations."

LNG..

 

The EU will not attempt to fully ban Russian liquefied natural gas purchases in its latest sanctions package, two EU diplomats told POLITICO, defying pressure to outlaw imports of the supercooled fuel.

The European Commission is set to formally present its 16th sanctions package against Russia to EU capitals on Wednesday, according to the two diplomats, who were granted anonymity to speak freely.

The proposal will not include a blanket prohibition of LNG imports, as EU hawks have been urging. Instead, it would only stop Russian LNG from going to EU terminals not connected to the EU’s gas system — a restriction that won’t affect the majority of LNG imports.

Comment:

It seems that as the Biden team is gone, who canceled Nord Stream 2, and was ok with destruction of Nord stream 1, and the inflated prices of oil and natural gas, the EU is looking into their economic prosperity, low inflation and proper energy supplies.  Just a thought.

Ruckus..

 

Social media erupted Tuesday with users shocked and upset with CNN's decision to let anchor Jim Acosta go , while keeping conservative commentator Scott Jennings.

The ruckus started after Acosta announced on-air Tuesday morning that he was leaving the network after 18 years.  

"You may have seen some reports about me and this show. And after giving all of this some careful consideration and weighing an alternative time slot CNN offered me, I have decided to move on,” Acosta said.

He continued, “I have always believed it’s the job of the press to hold power to account. I have always tried to do that here at CNN. I plan on doing all of that in the future. 

One final message: Don’t give in to the lies. Don’t give in to the fear. Hold on to the truth. And to hope, even if you have to get out your phone, record that message. I will not give in to the lies. I will not give in to the fear.  

Media..

 

Cutback..

 

Legacy-..

 

Deception..

 

Two former Politico reporters, Marc Caputo and Tara Palmeri, claimed there was a significant bias in the media towards protecting Joe Biden prior to the 2020 presidential election .

The reporters said Politico deliberately avoided or suppressed negative stories concerning the former president and his son, Hunter Biden , Knewz.com can reveal.

Caputo told the host of the Axios podcast : “Politico did that terrible, ill-fated headline: ’51 intelligence agents, or former intelligence agents, say that the Hunter Biden laptop was disinformation.’

“Turns out that the Hunter Biden laptop story appeared to be true.”

The former Politico reporter told his editor the outlet needed to “write about the Hunter Biden laptop” but was instructed, per orders from “on high” at the outlet.

Kiddo..

 

Earlier, President Biden was asked "How can we trust that you're going to act on the climate crisis if you're still attending fundraisers that fossil fuel executives like Andy Goldman are at," asked a climate activist during a campaign event in New Castle, New Hampshire. 

Biden approached the young woman that questioned him and responded with a commitment to end fossil fuel.

"Kiddo, I want you to just take a look," Biden said. "You don't have to agree, but I want you to look in my eyes. I guarantee you, I guarantee you we're going to end fossil fuel and I am not going to cooperate with them. Before 2050, God willing."

karoline..

 

Karoline Leavitt makes history as youngest person to serve as White House press secretary.

Library..

Bismark .

Bryan Kohberger's defense wants investigative genetic genealogy evidence suppressed. Their arguments, however, did not appear to move the judge.

 "I struggle with the idea that DNA left at a crime scene, that there's any expectation of privacy," Judge Steven Hippler .

The cellphone records certainly make him look bad, although the fact that the phone was turned off at the time of the murders helps him," said Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago attorney who has been following the case. "But I think the DNA sinks his Bismarck."

The defense argued that investigators improperly obtained Kohberger's Amazon history without a warrant. 

Prosecutors countered that a business record with a third party is not protected by an expectation of privacy.