https://usrtk.org/biohazards/critic-of-congressional-probe-into-gain-of-function-research-helped-fund-wuhan-gain-of-function-study/

Critic of congressional probe into gain-of-function research helped fund Wuhan gain-of-function study

Baylor College of Medicine National School of Tropical Medicine President Peter Hotez funded research on a chimeric virus that has come under Congressional scrutiny. (Photo credit: U.S. Mission in Geneva)

A prominent scientist who has denounced a congressional investigation into gain-of-function research helped fund Wuhan Institute of Virology gain-of-function work flagged by congressional investigators.

Peter Hotez, dean of the Baylor College of Medicine National School of Tropical Medicine, has been a fierce critic of potential hearings next year into a possible lab origin of COVID-19 and whether the National Institutes of Health prematurely discredited the hypothesis.

Hotez decried the hearings as nothing less than “a plan to undermine the fabric of science in America” in a viral tweet thread last week. Hotez also dismissed as an “outlandish conspiracy” the possibility that a lab accident sparked the COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Hotez’s own 2012 to 2017 NIH grant for the development of a SARS vaccine had the stated aim of responding to any “accidental release from a laboratory,” in addition to a possible zoonotic spillover of the virus.

The $6.1 million NIH grant also raises the possibility of “deliberate spreading of the virus by a bioterrorist attack.”

“SARS outbreaks remain a serious concern mainly due to possible zoonotic reintroduction of SARS-CoV into humans, accidental release from a laboratory or deliberate spreading of the virus by a bioterrorist attack,” the grant’s description reads.

It’s not clear why Hotez has dismissed a possible lab release of SARS-CoV-2 as preposterous, after having conducted research for years to prepare for a possible accidental or deliberate release of SARS-CoV.

Hotez did not reply to emailed questions.

Hotez helped fund research on controversial chimeric coronavirus

While casting concerns about Wuhan’s labs as “fringe,” Hotez has not mentioned his own connection to a project involving a laboratory-generated chimeric SARS-related coronavirus that has come under Congress’ microscope.

The project was helmed by Zhengli Shi, a senior scientist and “virus hunter” at the Wuhan Institute of Virology nicknamed the “Bat Lady.”

As part of his NIH grant, Hotez subcontracted funding for research on combined or “chimeric” coronaviruses, a scientific paper shows. Hotez’s grant underwrote two of Shi’s collaborators on the project.

In the 2017 paper co-funded by Hotez, Shi and her colleagues generated a recombinant virus from two SARS-related coronaviruses: “rWIV1-SHC014S.”

It’s not clear whether the paper co-funded by Hotez should have been stopped under a temporary “pause” on gain-of-function work before 2017. However, some independent biosecurity experts have said research on this chimeric virus in some ways epitomizes lapses in NIH oversight of risky research in the years before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A prior study of one of the coronaviruses that comprised the chimera, WIV1, found it to be “poised for human emergence.” Another prior paper on the other coronavirus, SHC014, stated that its future study in lab-generated viruses may be “too risky to pursue.”

“The work here should have been at the very least, heavily scrutinized,” said David Relman, a Stanford microbiologist and biosecurity expert. “This work should have been heavily reviewed for [gain-of-function], and probably should have been subject to the pause prior to December 2017.”

Shi’s participation in the joint project was funded in part by EcoHealth Alliance, the paper shows. This NIH grant to EcoHealth — “Understanding the Risk of Bat Coronavirus Emergence” — has garnered scrutiny for its research on manipulated novel coronaviruses in Wuhan labs.

pt 1

>>17323926

Specifically, an EcoHealth Alliance grant report obtained by congressional investigators demonstrated that a WIV1-SHC014 chimera generated thousands of times the viral load and enhanced lethality in mice with human airway cells. This prompted concerns among some biosecurity experts, scientists and members of Congress.

In response to questions from congressional Republicans, NIH acknowledged that the research was out of compliance with its own regulations on gain-of-function research.

“In this limited experiment, laboratory mice infected with SHC014 WIV1 bat coronavirus became sicker than those infected with WIV1 bat coronavirus,” the letter read. “As sometimes occurs in science, this was an unexpected result rather than something the scientists set out to do.”

An investigation could shed light on whether the risks of such experiments outweigh the benefits, but Hotez has not been forthcoming about this apparent conflict of interest.

“The construction and threat-characterization of rWIV1-SHC014 was – unequivocally – gain-of-function research,” said Richard Ebright, Rutgers Board of Governors Professor of Chemistry at Rutgers University. “It is a conflict of interest that, to my knowledge, has not previously been disclosed to The Lancet Commission … and that surely will be of interest to The Lancet Commission.”

The Lancet Commission

Hotez serves on The Lancet COVID-19 Commission, a panel of experts working to scrutinize the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Commission Chair Jeffrey Sachs, a Columbia University economist, has in recent weeks called for an impartial investigation of the lab leak hypothesis.

Meanwhile, Hotez has suggested that the commission’s final reports should not incorporate Sachs’ concerns.

“Whenever I discussed the possibility that SARS-CoV-2 was a laboratory release, Hotez strongly rejected that possibility, but never explained to me or to the Lancet Commission that he actually had a grant that was based on that very kind of risk. He should certainly have been clear on that,” said Sachs.

Sachs said the 2017 paper generated questions about whether a potential conflict of interest should have been disclosed to the commission.

“I asked all of the Commissioners repeatedly to be transparent about any possible conflicts of interest,” Sachs added.

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-special-on-the-global-covid-pandemic-with-dr/id1460720864?i=1000533505306

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https://mobile.twitter.com/rupasubramanya/status/1556665739238588418

Castaway_RN

@Tinfoil_Travis

·

Aug 8

Oooof

@rupasubramanya

so as early as 1 year ago you were calling for passports, but now your big story is that there was no scientific rationale for Trudeau to impose them? The ethics didn’t matter when you tweeted this then? “IF you can’t force people…stop pussyfooting.” Wow.

Rupa Subramanya

@rupasubramanya

·

Aug 8

Even if I hadn't what does it have to do with my story and holding the government to account? I really don't get this cult behaviour. Trudeau and company are laughing their behinds off at this deflection.

Rupa Subramanya

@rupasubramanya

Replying to

@rupasubramanya

@DonaldWelsh16

and

@Tinfoil_Travis

That I was pro mandates is no secret. And that I changed my mind is also a matter of public record. Again nothing to do with my story. The story isn't about my views on vaccination or mandates. It's about the government's lack of scientific rationale implementing them. Jeez.

Chief Nerd

@chiefnerd

·

5h

"Alternative proteins may become our main source of protein intake in the future. This study proposes a systematic engineering approach to optimizing food inks, thereby enabling easy creations and customizations of visually pleasing, flavorful, and nutritionally adequate food enhanced with alternative proteins. We hope our work would encourage consumers to eat more of these unfamiliar but sustainable food items," says Yi Zhang, Study Principal Investigator and Professor, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.

Article: https://interestingengineering.com/science/3d-prin…

Study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article…

>>17323953

https://interestingengineering.com/science/3d-printing-insects-mixed-with-vegetables-could-help-us-to-prevent-food-crisis

3D-printing insects mixed with vegetables could help us to prevent food crisis

Scientists from SUTD try to solve the food supply problem with 3D printing.

They decided to combine the insects, algae, etc., with more commonly-eaten vegetables.

In addition to commonly eaten vegetables, nutrients, and color, the carrot powder helped provide mechanical strength to the formulated inks.

As the world's population increases day by day, the need and demand for food also increase. Because of the greenhouse gas emissions, increased water, and other factors, food sources could be a huge problem for some. In fact, some products such as insects and algae have already been consumed in some countries in Asia, South America, and Africa. Therefore, scientists have been working to solve this problem for humanity.

As sciencedirect.com reports, a team of researchers at Singapore University of Technology & Design (SUTD) has been looking for ways to deal with future food supply problems and decided to just print some. Rather than eating crickets or larvae by themselves, researchers decided to combine them with more commonly-eaten vegetables like carrots to change the flavor.

Related

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A novel PET-like plastic is made from non-edible plant parts

See Also

"The appearance and taste of such alternative proteins can be disconcerting for many. This is where the versatility of 3D food printing rises to the challenge as it can transform how food is presented and overcome the inertia of consumer inhibitions," says Chua Chee Kai, Study Co-Author and Professor at Singapore University of Technology and Design.

Combining foods is not an easy process

According to Azom, combining various food inks and optimizing them for 3D food printing is not an easy operation. The process mainly proceeds by the trial and error method. For this reason, Prof. Chua and his team worked with scientists from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH) and the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China (UESTC) to make the process go more smoothly.

"Alternative proteins may become our main source of protein intake in the future. This study proposes a systematic engineering approach to optimizing food inks, thereby enabling easy creations and customizations of visually pleasing, flavorful, and nutritionally adequate food enhanced with alternative proteins. We hope our work would encourage consumers to eat more of these unfamiliar but sustainable food items," says Yi Zhang, Study Principal Investigator and Professor, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China.

Using the central composite design approach, the study team optimized the protein ink compositions with three variables—carrot powder, proteins, and xanthan gum. In addition to flavor, nutrients, and color, the carrot powder helped provide mechanical strength to the formulated inks.

Most Popular

pt1

>>17323962

>3D-printing insects

Aakanksha Pant, the corresponding author of the paper and Research Associate from SUTD, stated, “This research study can also be generalized for other food ingredients, and the response of the food inks like texture, printability, water seepage may be included for optimization. The response surface method approach may lead researchers to adopt a similar method for optimizing 3DFP food inks constituting complex multicomponent food ingredients.”

Study abstract

Three-dimensional food printing (3DFP) of multicomponent inks fortified with alternative proteins can help drive consumers towards easier and greater acceptance of alternative proteins by familiar nature of the final printed products with respects to taste, texture and appearance. Protein fortification is a well-established way of improving the nutritional and functional properties of foods and helping prevent malnutrition. This work focuses on the optimization of multicomponent food inks containing alternative proteins through response surface methodology (RSM) for 3D printing. RSM reduces the number of experiments required to robustly investigate the interrelationships between the desired response and composition of inks, thereby saving precious resources and time. A plant protein, three insect proteins, and an algae protein along with a traditional animal protein were chosen to fortify carrot powder. Usage of carrot as a vegetable food base to which different proteins and xanthan gum were combined served the purpose of adding flavour and nutrition as well as providing desired rheological properties for printing. The six protein inks were optimized with the addition of hydrocolloid xanthan gum which worked as an excellent shear thinning and hydrating agent. Printability and syneresis were the targeted responses for optimization by RSM with the second order multiple linear regression model. The rheology, microstructure and textural profile of optimised protein inks were also studied. This RSM-based approach for multi-component food ink optimization is envisioned to be widely adopted in 3D food printing.

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https://mobile.twitter.com/MoonchildWarri1/status/1539920878041022467

Moonchild Warrior

@MoonchildWarri1

"A new paper by BMJ Editor Dr. Peter Doshi and colleagues has analysed data from the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccine trials and found that the vaccines are more likely to put you in hospital with a serious adverse event than keep you out by protecting you from Covid."

Quote Tweet

Jeffrey A Tucker

@jeffreyatucker

· Jun 22

This really is mind boggling. https://dailysceptic.org/2022/06/22/covid-vaccines-more-likely-to-put-you-in-hospital-than-keep-you-out-bmj-editors-analysis-of-pfizer-and-moderna-trial-data-finds/

5:38 AM · Jun 23, 2022

>>17323967

>vaccines are more likely to put you in hospital

https://dailysceptic.org/2022/06/22/covid-vaccines-more-likely-to-put-you-in-hospital-than-keep-you-out-bmj-editors-analysis-of-pfizer-and-moderna-trial-data-finds/

Covid Vaccines More Likely to Put You in Hospital Than Keep You Out, BMJ Editor’s Analysis of Pfizer and Moderna Trial Data Finds

A new paper by BMJ Editor Dr. Peter Doshi and colleagues has analysed data from the Pfizer and Moderna Covid vaccine trials and found that the vaccines are more likely to put you in hospital with a serious adverse event than keep you out by protecting you from Covid.

The pre-print (not yet peer-reviewed) focuses on serious adverse events highlighted in a WHO-endorsed “priority list of potential adverse events relevant to COVID-19 vaccines”. The authors evaluated these serious adverse events of special interest as observed in “phase III randomised trials of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines”.

A serious adverse event was defined as per the trial protocols as an adverse event that results in any of the following conditions:

death;

life-threatening at the time of the event;

inpatient hospitalisation or prolongation of existing hospitalisation;

persistent or significant disability/incapacity;

a congenital anomaly/birth defect;

medically important event, based on medical judgement.

Dr. Doshi and colleagues found that the Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were associated with an increased risk of serious adverse events of special interest of 10.1 events per 10,000 vaccinated for Pfizer and 15.1 events per 10,000 vaccinated for Moderna (95% CI -0.4 to 20.6 and -3.6 to 33.8, respectively). When combined, the mRNA vaccines were associated with a risk increase of serious adverse events of special interest of 12.5 per 10,000 vaccinated (95% CI 2.1 to 22.9).

The authors note that this level of increased risk post-vaccine is greater than the risk reduction for COVID-19 hospitalisation in both Pfizer and Moderna trials, which was 2.3 per 10,000 participants for Pfizer and 6.4 per 10,000 for Moderna. This means that on this measure, the Pfizer vaccine results in a net increase in serious adverse events of 7.8 per 10,000 vaccinated and the Moderna vaccine of 8.7 per 10,000 vaccinated.

Addressing the difference between their findings and those of the FDA when it approved the vaccines, the authors note that the FDA’s analysis of serious adverse events “included thousands of additional participants with very little follow-up, of which the large majority had only received one dose”. The FDA also counted ‘people affected’ rather than individual events, despite there being twice as many individuals in the vaccine group than in the placebo group who experienced multiple serious adverse events.

The authors wonder where the U.S. Government’s own studies of adverse events are. They note that in July 2021, the FDA reported detecting four potential adverse events of interest following Pfizer vaccination – pulmonary embolism, acute myocardial infarction, immune thrombocytopenia and disseminated intravascular coagulation – and stated it would further investigate the findings. However, no update has yet appeared.

They also note that “while CDC published a protocol in early 2021 for using proportional reporting ratios for signal detection in the VAERS database, the agency has not yet reported such a study”.

The authors point out their results are compatible with a recent pre-print analysis of COVID-19 vaccine trials by Benn et al., which found “no evidence of a reduction in overall mortality in the mRNA vaccine trials”, with 31 deaths in the vaccine arms versus 30 deaths in the placebo arms (a 3% increase; 95% CI 0.63 to 1.71).

Noting their study is limited by the fact that the raw data from COVID-19 vaccine clinical trials are not publicly available, they stress that “given the global public health implications, there is an urgency to make all COVID-19 trial data public, particularly regarding serious adverse events, without any further delay”.

They conclude that there is a need for formal harm-benefit analyses for Covid vaccines, taking into account the different levels of risk of serious Covid and adverse events that exist between demographic groups. Ideally, this would be based on individual participant data, they say, though such data remain frustratingly unavailable.

>>17323980

>>17323967

>A new paper by BMJ Editor Dr. Peter Doshi

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4125239

Serious Adverse Events of Special Interest Following mRNA Vaccination in Randomized Trials

Abstract

Introduction: In 2020, prior to COVID-19 vaccine rollout, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and Brighton Collaboration created a priority list, endorsed by the World Health Organization, of potential adverse events relevant to COVID-19 vaccines. We leveraged the Brighton Collaboration list to evaluate serious adverse events of special interest observed in phase III randomized trials of mRNA COVID-19 vaccines.

Methods: Secondary analysis of serious adverse events reported in the placebo-controlled, phase III randomized clinical trials of Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (NCT04368728 and NCT04470427), focusing analysis on potential adverse events of special interest identified by the Brighton Collaboration.

Results: Pfizer and Moderna mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were associated with an increased risk of serious adverse events of special interest, with an absolute risk increase of 10.1 and 15.1 per 10,000 vaccinated over placebo baselines of 17.6 and 42.2 (95% CI -0.4 to 20.6 and -3.6 to 33.8), respectively. Combined, the mRNA vaccines were associated with an absolute risk increase of serious adverse events of special interest of 12.5 per 10,000 (95% CI 2.1 to 22.9). The excess risk of serious adverse events of special interest surpassed the risk reduction for COVID-19 hospitalization relative to the placebo group in both Pfizer and Moderna trials (2.3 and 6.4 per 10,000 participants, respectively).

Discussion: The excess risk of serious adverse events found in our study points to the need for formal harm-benefit analyses, particularly those that are stratified according to risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes such as hospitalization or death.

>>17323821

>>17323825

what about H+, augmented humans, and cyborgs?

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/human-augmentation-the-dawn-of-a-new-paradigm

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/986301/Human_Augmentation_SIP_access2.pdf

https://www.raps.org/news-and-articles/news-articles/2022/8/fda-issues-jynneos-eua-to-stretch-monkeypox-vaccin

FDA issues Jynneos EUA to stretch monkeypox vaccine supply

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization (EUA) to Bavarian Nordics’ monkeypox vaccine Jynneos to be administered to adults intradermally. The move is meant to significantly increase the availability of the vaccine because it requires much smaller doses compared to being injected subcutaneously.

Immediately after Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra issued a determination under Section 564 of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) to give FDA Commissioner Robert Califf EUA authority, the agency announced the vaccine could be administered in smaller doses between the skin, rather than under it, to those 18 and older. The move will allow authorities to stretch out the number of available doses to five times the number that would be available if the vaccine were to be given exclusively through subcutaneous injection.

"In recent weeks the monkeypox virus has continued to spread at a rate that has made it clear our current vaccine supply will not meet the current demand," said Califf in an agency statement. "The FDA quickly explored other scientifically appropriate options to facilitate access to the vaccine for all impacted individuals. By increasing the number of available doses, more individuals who want to be vaccinated against monkeypox will now have the opportunity to do so."

The Biden Administration declared monkeypox a public health emergency (PHE) on 4 August but immediately warned that there aren’t enough vaccines to go around. So far, the two vaccines that are being administered for monkeypox are Jynneos and ACAM2000 which were initially developed for smallpox.

Jynneos is a modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) vaccine and was approved in 2019 to prevent smallpox in immunocompromised adults, as well as monkeypox. While the vaccine was initially given in two doses four weeks apart underneath the skin, a 2015 clinical study found that it was just as effective when administered intradermally in lower doses.

HHS notes that to date it has allowed more than 1.1 million doses of Jynneos vaccines on the market and of those more than 620,000 doses have already shipped. The department also says it has made the ACAM2000 vaccine and the smallpox antiviral drug TPOXX available to treat monkeypox patients while ramping up monkeypox diagnostics to 80,000 rapid tests a week.

“Today’s action will allow FDA to exercise additional authorities that may increase availability of vaccines to prevent monkeypox while continuing to ensure the vaccine meets high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality,” said Becerra after issuing the 564 determination which came after it was requested by HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell.

jynneos

djinn eos

dead dawn

>>17323984

https://www.preprints.org/manuscript/202208.0151/v1

Cardiovascular Effects of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 Vaccine in Adolescents

Abstract

This study focuses on cardiovascular effects, particularly myocarditis and pericarditis events, after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine injection in Thai adolescents. This prospective cohort study enrolled students from two schools aged 13–18 years who received the second dose of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. Data including demographics, symptoms, vital signs, ECG, echocardiography and cardiac enzymes were collected at baseline, Day 3, Day 7, and Day 14 (optional) using case record forms.We enrolled 314 participants; of these, 13 participants were lost to follow up, leaving 301 participants for analysis. The most common cardiovascular effects were tachycardia (7.64%), shortness of breath (6.64%), palpitation (4.32%), chest pain (4.32%), and hypertension (3.99%). Seven participants (2.33%) exhibited at least one elevated cardiac biomarker or positive lab assessments. Cardiovascular effects were found in 29.24% of patients, ranging from tachycardia, palpitation, and myopericarditis. Myopericarditis was confirmed in one patient after vaccination. Two patients had suspected pericarditis and four patients had suspected subclinical myocarditis. Conclusion: Cardiovascular effects in adolescents after BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccination included tachycardia, palpitation, and myocarditis. The clinical presentation of myopericarditis after vaccination was usually mild, with all cases fully recovering within 14 days. Hence, adolescents receiving mRNA vaccines should be monitored for side effects. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT05288231

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/08/09/hawley-attorney-general-garland-must-resign-after-raid-trumps-home/

Hawley: Attorney General Merrick Garland ‘Must Resign’ After Raid on Trump’s Home

>>17324114

https://www.brighteon.com/122c0633-0949-4884-a934-743f2d4dfd8e

THE COMING ATTACK: Chinese and Russian invasion routes in Mexico exposed ☆ HUMINT ☆ The Backman Brief with Alex Backman

50 min

"Unbeknown to most Americans, the Chinese military has been advancing its plans to invade the United States of America in an alliance with Russia, Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Mexico. The latter is being used as a necessary piece to conduct a land invasion from south of the border. With that in mind, investigative journalist, Alex Backman, decided to drive and see it for himself, a fully paved concrete corridor that is in total abandonment by all levels of government in Mexico. A fully-paved concrete highway that neither the Federal, State, or local governments of Baja California nor Mexico want to take any responsibility of. It is called Boulevard 2000 (bulevár dos mil in Spanish), also known now as one of the most dangerous and abandoned roads in northwestern Mexico. It stems from Popotla, south of Rosarito Beach to Otay, in the outskirts of eastern Tijuana. The reason for this and other highways in Central Mexico is to connect the Chinses-controlled seaports of Ensenada, Mazatlan, Lazar Cardenas, Acapulco and Veracruz to invasion hubs that eventually lead to the border with the US."