Month: January 2023

Posted on

Gen Z loves the flip phone

Gen Z loves the flip phone


New York
CNN
 — 

First, it was disposable cameras. Then it was low-rise jeans. Now, Gen-Z’s latest “vintage” obsession is the flip phone – that mid-1990s era phone that has suddenly become oh so popular with millennials.

Today, these smaller, lightweight devices – some available for as little as $20 at big box retailers like Walmart and Amazon – are showing up in TikTok videos of young people unboxing them, bedazzling their cases just as earlier generations did, and filming tutorials on achieving a carefree, blurry aesthetic through the low quality camera.

But most importantly, they love the ability to disconnect – or as much as that’s even possible in 2023.

“I’m team flip phone revolution,” singer Camila Cabello tweeted Thursday, posing with a TCL flip phone, vintage. “Maybe I can write the theme song.”

Camila Cabello with her flip phone.

Actress Dove Cameron, who rose to fame on the Disney Channel’s “Liv and Maddie” show, said in a November interview that she had switched to a flip phone. Spending too much time on her phone and looking at social media “is really bad for me,” she said.

“I found a little 90s, Matrix-y flip phone,” Cameron said. “I got a separate number for it, it’s really cheap and I think probably really sh*tty.”

Cameron said she unplugged and switched over because she found her social media presence “misleading.” The feeling is prevalent among Gen Zers – and its impact has been linked to a teen mental health crisis.

As smartphones and social media became more ubiquitous around 2012, so did the rate of depression among teens, psychologists say. Between 2004 and 2019 the rate of teen depression nearly doubled, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, which is a part of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Sammy Palazzolo, 18, a freshman at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, has a new routine with her phone when she goes out at night with friends.

She and her friends listen to the latest music on their smart phones as they get ready. Then, when it’s time to leave, they leave those smart devices behind.

Instead, they contact each other only through their flip phones throughout the night, and take pictures on them despite the now primitive camera. Their devices are a big conversation starter.

“At parties people will say, ‘oh my goodness, is that a flip phone?,’” Palazzolo said. “We’ll get to talk to some new people, meet some people, and everybody loves it.”

Reagan Boeder, 18, said she’s trying to get her sorority sisters in on the trend.

“I think people are going to go out more and more with flip phones just because it’s so fun and nostalgic and honestly a vibe,” Boeder said.

Before switching phones, Palazzolo found her nights out in her college town would often end in tears stemming from an unwelcome post on social media or a text from an ex, “the root cause was from our phones.”

As vintage technology began making a comeback, they came up with an unconventional solution.

In December, she and three friends went to their local Walmart. The process was unfamiliar for the 18-year-olds, from what model they should buy to finding the right phone plan. After four hours, Palazzolo bought the AT&T Flex for $49.99; her friends got cheaper models for $19.99 through Tracphone.

Palazzolo’s TikTok encouraging others to purchase flip phones has more than 14 million views and over 3 million likes, with hashtags that include #BRINGBACKFLIPPHONES and #y2kaesthetic.

“It eliminates all the bad things about college and brings all of the good things about a phone,” Palazzolo said. “Which is connecting with people and taking photos and videos. The photos and videos on this are fire.”

HMD Global is the exclusive licensee of Nokia, said Gen Z is an unusual demographic for the company. Both companies are based in Finland.

“It’s a generation that didn’t have a Nokia as their first phone and likely discovered our brand through social networks,” said Jackie Kates, HMD Global’s head of marketing.

Gen Z is used to the many features that come with smart phones, from their numerous apps like Instagram, Find My Friends or GPS. But there are safety concerns, too, that come with relying on these simple devices. Without the “find my” tracking feature, Palozzolo said she and her friends stick close together and use a buddy system to keep track of who is where.

Palozzolo wanted to use a flip phone during one high school summer because she thought it would be “cool.” “My parents said absolutely not, we need to be able to track you,” she said.

Palazzolo is no stranger to “vintage” technology – she’s been bringing a digital camera to parties since her sophomore year of high school.

And though Apple’s iPhone 14 Pro has a 48 megapixel camera, it misses the delayed gratification of waiting to have pictures developed or downloaded on to a computer. Popular apps like “Hisptamatic” and “Dazz Cam” recreate digital and film camera photos and have thousands of downloads.

The disposable camera market is predicted to grow $1.23 billion by 2030. Celebrities like TikTokker Charlie D’Amelio and model Emily Ratajkowski have hopped on the 2000-era digital camera trend.

“I love the photos on the flip phones because they are grainy and blurry,” Palazzolo said. “And I think that captures the vibe of going out in college perfectly.”

Maybe one reason Gen Z yearns for the 1990s and 2000s era is the privacy and the absence of carefully curated images. It’s social media at its most casual – photo dumps with candid pictures and BeReal, a popular app that asks its users once a day to take real time selfie and post it within two minutes.

“I don’t ever want to be that person that’s just on their phone the whole time,” Boeder said. “Getting a flip phone kind of made that more possible.”

Back then, “people were more involved in each other than our phones and social media,” Boeder said. “It seemed like people just were talking to each other more and everything was more genuine and spontaneous.”

HMD Global said many people like the idea being less available.

“We attribute this shift to many smartphone users beginning to recognize they are spending too much time glued to their devices and having a strong desire to disconnect and ‘be fully present’ to improve their quality of social connections,” Kates said.

And yes, new Nokia flip phones are still available – the Nokia 2760 Flip is sold at Walmart from prepaid brands such as Verizon for $19.99. The 2780 can be found at Amazon and Best Buy for $89.99.

In 2022, the International Data Corporation said that the market for foldable phones was expected to reach $29 billion in 2025 – a compound annual growth of 70{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. Samsung has shipped over 10 million units since its first generation model came out, which accounted for more than 88{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the global foldable smartphone market as of 2022.

These aren’t your $30 flip phones available at Walmart. An unlocked Samsung Galaxy Z Fold4 starts at $1,799.99, and the Galaxy Z Flip4 at $999.99.

“Samsung chose to bet on its foldable smartphones; a decision which has taken it is far ahead of its rivals in the number and sales of foldable smartphones” said Zaker Li, principal analyst on Omdia mobile devices’ team.

Omdia attributed the high price of Samsung foldable phones to lackluster sales for its earlier models, but sales “rapidly increased” to 9 million units in 2021, up 309{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} year-over-year.

Apple has no need to worry, however – Omdia expects that by 2026, foldable phones will account for 3.6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the total smartphone market. By comparison, Apple’s market share is more than half of the entire smartphone market.

Posted on

5-minute walks every 30 minutes may offset effects of too much sitting

5-minute walks every 30 minutes may offset effects of too much sitting

A female takes an exercise break to stretch at her deskShare on Pinterest
New research has found that a 5-minute walking break after every 30 minutes of sitting may help regulate blood pressure and blood sugar levels. Westend61/Getty Images
  • Physical inactivity is often synonymous with modern life, with up to 85{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the world’s population leading a sedentary lifestyle.
  • Sitting for too long, regardless of general physical activity, is a recognized health hazard associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.
  • New research has found that a 5-minute walking break after every 30 minutes of sitting may help regulate blood pressure and control blood sugar levels.
  • The work highlights that short exercise “snacks” during the working day may also improve mood, fatigue, and well-being.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates around 2 million deaths each year are linked to physical inactivity. The institution has described a sedentary lifestyle as being among the 10 leading causes of death and disability in the world.

The number of people leading sedentary lifestyles is increasing due to a rise in occupational sedentary behaviors, such as office work, and increased use of electronic devices.

An estimated 60–85{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people in the world and nearly two-thirds of children lead sedentary lifestyles.

Researchers and health experts are committed to finding ways to mitigate the harmful effects of prolonged sitting.

A new study from Columbia University in New York suggests that regular bursts of short exercise “snacks” throughout the working day might be enough to counter the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.

Specifically, the researchers found that a 5-minute walk every 30 minutes could offset the effects of prolonged sitting.

The work was published on Jan. 12 in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, the journal of the American College of Sports Medicine.

A sedentary lifestyle has serious health implications, contributing to an increased risk of:

Studies have also shown people who lead a sedentary lifestyle are also at higher risk of developing mental health disorders. On the flipside, people who exercise tend to report better mental health.

Reducing sedentary behavior and increasing physical activity a matter of public health.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that adults aim to sit less throughout the day.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans state that adults should engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week combined with 2 days of strength training.

Yet regardless of how physically active you are, studies have shown that prolonged sitting can still increase your risk of serious health complications.

To help reduce those risks, researchers and health experts recommend getting up from your desk often and moving around.

For the Columbia University study, 11 participants visited a laboratory where they sat for 8-hour sessions.

They were allowed to work, read, and use their mobile phones. During the sedentary sessions, they followed one of five exercise “snacks” as prescribed by the researchers:

  • 1 minute of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting
  • 1 minute of walking after 60 minutes of sitting
  • 5 minutes of walking after every 30 minutes of sitting
  • 5 minutes of walking after every 60 minutes of sitting
  • no walking

Each participant was also provided with standardized meals during the sessions. The researchers also monitored key health indicators at set intervals, including blood pressure and blood sugar levels.

The researchers found that participants’ blood sugar and blood pressure levels were reduced after 5 minutes of walking for every 30 minutes of sitting.

Lead study author Keith Diaz, Ph.D, associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia, told Medical News Today the most exciting part of the new research is that they’ve answered how best to prevent the detrimental health effects of sitting.

“Just like we have recommendations on how many fruits and vegetables we should eat each day and how much we should exercise — this is the most exciting part of this work. We finally have an answer. There are so many adults who have a job or lifestyle where they have to sit for prolonged periods. We can now provide them with guidance on this one behavior change to reduce their health risks from sitting.”

– Dr. Keith Diaz, Ph.D., lead study author

The research team also found that a 5-minute walk every half hour led to a 58{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} reduction in blood sugar spikes after eating.

Dr. Diaz explained the potential mechanism behind the biological effects on blood sugar:

“Muscles serve an important role in our health by helping to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels — but they need to be used and contracted to do this,” he said.

“When our muscles aren’t used after hours and hours of sitting, they don’t fully help out to regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels. So we think that regular short walks or ‘activity snacks’ helps to activate the muscles to serve as better blood sugar and cholesterol regulators.”

Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, a noninvasive cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute at Orange Coast Medical Center, not involved in the study, explained to MNT that muscles are an important consumer of blood sugar.

“Physical activity improves blood sugar levels and can reduce the risk for diabetes,” Dr. Ni said. “Since diabetes is a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes, any effort to prevent diabetes will ultimately lead to less risk of heart disease.”

The researchers also found that blood pressure monitoring showed that all exercise “snacks” resulted in up to a 5 mmHg drop in blood pressure reading when compared to no walking at all.

“The sitting posture creates bends and constrictions in the blood vessels of the legs,” Dr. Diaz said. “In other words, sitting puts a kink in your legs’ blood vessels. This ultimately changes blood flow and can lead to increases in blood pressure.”

Dr. Diaz concluded that “regular short walks can help prevent the changes in blood pressure by regularly restoring blood flow to the legs.”

Dr. Ni noted the benefits of better blood pressure control: “Over time, this puts less strain on the heart and can prevent the development of heart failure or a heart attack,” he said, noting there are long-term benefits of the study findings.

“Remember that small changes done over the years can have a lasting impact on health. It may not seem like much to walk for 5 minutes every hour of desk work, but this can add up over the work day. For example, an 8-hour workday amounts to 40 minutes of physical activity. Add in a 15 min walk during your lunch break, and you suddenly have almost an hour of additional physical activity each workday. With these small changes, anyone can make a difference in their health — one walking break at a time.”

– Dr. Yu-Ming Ni, cardiologist

The researchers noted a reduction in participant fatigue and improvement in mood in all of the walking interventions when compared to no walking at all.

When asked if the short exercise “snacks” could be used to promote well-being, Dr. Diaz said:

“Compared to sitting all day, a 5-minute light walk every half hour reduced feelings of fatigue and improved mood. So beyond improving your physical health, regular walks to break up your sitting will put you in a better mood and help you feel more energized.”

Dr. Diaz added that the next steps for the research include finding more ways to reduce the harmful effects of sitting.

“We hope to find the least amount of movement you have to do to prevent the health harms of sitting,” Dr. Diaz said. “The reality is that many adults will find it hard to walk every half hour. So finding a more feasible recommendation is still needed.”

Posted on

As the Clock Winds Down on a Year Steered by Tight Inventory and Rising Loan Rates, Cox Automotive Offers 10 Predictions for 2023

As the Clock Winds Down on a Year Steered by Tight Inventory and Rising Loan Rates, Cox Automotive Offers 10 Predictions for 2023

ATLANTA, Dec. 19, 2022 – With the start of the New Calendar year just months absent, the Cox Automotive Market Insights workforce delivers its expectations for the U.S. automotive marketplace in 2023. By practically all measures, 2022 was a tricky yr for each the business and the purchaser, marked by traditionally small new-auto inventories, large price ranges, and stubborn inflation chipping away at monthly budgets. A rather robust work sector was a tailwind, but all the whilst, a hawkish Federal Reserve pushed rates better, basically using the brakes as the vehicle marketplace struggled to attain momentum.

“This previous year was hard not only to forecast but for the industry to regulate,” said Cox Automotive Main Economist Jonathan Smoke. “As we appear forward into 2023, we see a person set of worries becoming replaced by a further. We hope the year forward to be a single of changeover, as equally the purchaser and the marketplace move past the remnants of a world wide pandemic and established a new class for mid-decade development.”

Guided by new analysis, intelligence abilities powered by DRiVEQ, the greatest breadth of first-occasion information in the automotive ecosystem, and an unmatched workforce of analysts and authorities, Cox Automotive posits 10 trends that will form the automobile small business in 2023.

#1: A Sluggish-Increasing Financial state Will Spot Pressure on the Automotive Marketplace.

Though the possibility of recession in 2023 stays, Cox Automotive expects the financial system to see at the very least slowing or really weak growth as the Federal Reserve tightens financial disorders and consumers continue to wrestle with significant curiosity charges. A career-wrecking economic downturn is a worst-case scenario for the automobile field, but hope for an financial smooth landing continues to be. Possibly way, a sputtering overall economy will maintain again the vehicle market place in the year ahead.

#2 New-Motor vehicle Stock Stages Will Continue to Increase.

New-motor vehicle creation worries are beginning to ebb, and stock concentrations are measurably strengthening. Whilst lingering supply chain and labor challenges will keep on being, and ability will not return wholly to pre-pandemic levels in the foreseeable future, more robust creation stages and softer demand will direct to greater days’ source and, in the long run, much more car or truck selections for shoppers in 2023.

#3: Full Retail Vehicle Sales Will Fall in 2023, as New-Automobile Profits Mature, Used Sales Drop.

With new-auto inventory levels increasing as need slows, Cox Automotive forecasts 3{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} 12 months-more than-yr new-automobile profits growth in 2023, with the market place hitting 14.1 million units. Raising fleet gross sales will help the absolute number. A lack of just about new source, declining affordability, and a shrinking pool of consumers will obstacle the used-vehicle market. Total retail income will drop in 2023, adding competitive pressures to the industry, especially in used.  

#4: Income of Electric powered Motor vehicles in the U.S. Will Surpass 1 Million Units for the To start with Time.  

The battery-electrical auto market proceeds to outpace the all round sector in product sales, and a new milestone is on the horizon: 1 million EVs sold in the U.S. in 2023. With expanded product or service availability coming and a fresh new spherical of govt-backed incentives to motivate potential buyers, the Cox Automotive group is forecasting continued great news in the electrified motor vehicle current market.  

#5: Utilized-Car or truck Values Will See Over-Typical Depreciation for a Second-Straight 12 months. 

What the market offers, the market normally takes: After historic price increases in 2020 and 2021, followed by above-normal depreciation for most of 2022, used-motor vehicle values are very likely to see a further 12 months of earlier mentioned-standard depreciation, particularly in the to start with fifty percent of 2023. Price tag trends really should normalize in the second 50 {cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of the year as constrained wholesale source supports used values and used retail prices tumble into a regular marriage with new costs. 

#6: Motor vehicle Affordability Will Be the Finest Obstacle Dealing with Motor vehicle Consumers. 

Elevated retail price ranges and superior vehicle bank loan fascination charges merged to create report monthly payments in 2022, degrees that progressively pushed reduced cash flow and reduce credit quality individuals out of the market place. Far more of the exact same is expected in 2023, as the automakers increasingly cater to the new-motor vehicle sector with additional high-priced solutions for larger-money buyers, leaving a lot less-affluent and subprime prospective buyers battling to discover economical motor vehicle payments that satisfy monthly budgets.

#7: All-Cash Offers Will Increase to Concentrations Not Viewed in Decades.    

With auto mortgage interest costs hitting 20-year highs, the rise in all-funds bargains will continue on. Extra rich shoppers will get with cash somewhat than finance in 2023, positioning downward force on dealership F&I earnings. This improve will be felt extra acutely in the new-vehicle marketplace and will probable have lingering impacts on field revenue swimming pools and upcoming buying behaviors. 

#8: Dealership Services Functions Quantity and Revenue Climb.

As affordability troubles direct a lot more owners to retain latest motor vehicles, 2023 should see ongoing strong dynamics in the assistance lanes, with or devoid of a economic downturn. Set functions observed solid income development in 2022 as pricing power and sturdy demand from customers led to huge raises in average ticket dimension inspite of full assistance volumes not however recovering to 2019 amounts. With retail revenue envisioned to be flat or down, fastened operations as a earnings centre will be much more essential than ever in 2023.

#9: Fifty percent of Motor vehicle Customers Will Interact With Digital Retailing Resources.

The shift to eCommerce was accelerated by the pandemic and exhibits no indication of fading. In the 12 months ahead, Cox Automotive forecasts that 50 percent of all auto purchasers will have interaction with at minimum a single electronic resource for the duration of the purchase course of action. Importantly, thoroughly electronic automobile buys will carry on to be only a little percentage of the organization, as most consumers will go after an omnichannel auto shopping for experience.

#10: Federal Incentives Will Really encourage Much more Fleet Purchasers to Take into account Electrified Methods. 

A crucial factor of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was the reshaping of EV tax credits in the U.S. Inside of the new regulations are incentives intended to entice fleet operators to consider electrified cars in the coming yr. Fleets have historically revealed sluggish adoption of EVs, but modern exploration indicates 66{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of fleet buyers are thinking about EVs, up from 43{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} in 2021. New incentives and investments in charging infrastructure will possible amplify the development.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. will make getting, marketing, owning, and working with autos less complicated for absolutely everyone. The global company’s a lot more than 27,000 staff users and loved ones of manufacturers, including Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Guide®, Manheim®, NextGear Funds®, VinSolutions®, vAuto® and Xtime®,are passionate about aiding millions of vehicle purchasers, 40,000 car seller shoppers across 5 continents and a lot of many others all over the automotive market prosper for generations to occur. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., a privately-owned, Atlanta-primarily based firm with yearly revenues of virtually $20 billion. www.coxautoinc.com

Media Contacts:
Mark Schirmer                                                                                                             
734-883-6346
mark.schirmer@coxautoinc.com                      

Dara Hailes
470-658-0656
dara.hailes@coxautoinc.com

Posted on

Endometriosis cellular mapping could aid diagnosis, treatment

Endometriosis cellular mapping could aid diagnosis, treatment

close up of women's face with white skin, green eyes, and brown hairShare on Pinterest
Researchers have analyzed almost 400,000 cells in order to build a detailed profile of endometriosis. Image credit: Westend61/Getty Images.
  • Endometriosis affects roughly 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people who menstruate.
  • In endometriosis, tissue similar to the uterine lining grows elsewhere in the body, causing painful, heavy periods, abdominal and pelvic pain, and a range of other symptoms.
  • More research is needed for this condition for which there is still no cure, diagnosis can take many years, and treatments are often ineffective.
  • New research analyzing almost 400,000 cells has revealed a detailed molecular profile of endometriosis, which may help improve diagnostic and therapeutic options for people with the condition.

Endometriosis is “a systemic disease that is often painful and chronic.” According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it affects around 190 million people — some 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people who menstruate worldwide.

People with the condition experience debilitating symptoms, due to the growth of tissue similar to the uterine lining, or endometrium, elsewhere in the body.

Symptoms may include:

  • heavy and painful periods
  • spotting between periods
  • pain during sexual intercourse or when emptying the bladder or bowels
  • abdominal, lower back, and pelvic pain
  • infertility.

Currently, there is no cure for endometriosis, but symptoms can be treated with medications, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs), birth control pills, hormonal IUD, surgery, or a combination of these treatments.

Dr. Steven Vasilev, board-certified integrative gynecologic oncologist and medical director of integrative gynecologic oncology at Providence Saint John’s Health Center and Professor at Saint John’s Cancer Institute in Santa Monica, CA, explained the issues to Medical News Today:

“Endometriosis diagnosis and treatment today remains surgical, based on removing or destroying endometriotic lesions growing on the peritoneum (internal skin-like lining of the body) and ovaries, combined with various hormonal modulations. There has not been a major clinical advance in endometriosis diagnosis and treatment outside these relatively narrow parameters in decades.”

Now, a new study led by researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, published in Nature Genetics, has analyzed almost 400,000 cells to generate cellular and molecular profiles of endometrial cells.

Its findings may lead to easier diagnosis and more effective treatments for endometriosis.

Although endometriosis affects 10{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of people who menstruate, there is a lack of research into the condition. To date, there has been little cellular data about endometriosis.

This, says Dr. Kate Lawrenson, research scientist, co-senior and corresponding author of the study, and associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology and biomedical sciences at Cedars-Sinai, iswhy they undertook this research:

“Endometriosis has a devastating effect on so many people, and is remarkably common. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most underfunded diseases there is, and many basic questions remain unanswered — which is why this research provides a huge leap forward in understanding the biology of his disease.”

“I hope that work like ours can help bring conversations about endometriosis into the forefront, to improve awareness and also increase much-needed funding for endometriosis research,” she told MNT.

In this new study, the researchers used state-of-the-art methods to analyze more than 370,000 cells from 21 participants, 17 of whom had endometriosis and four who did not.

They sampled different tissues — peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian endometriomas, eutopic endometrium samples, and uninvolved ovary tissues. Eutopic endometrium and uninvolved ovary tissues came from people with and without endometriosis.

“The methodology of the study is basic molecular biology. It has done something I have not seen in other endometriosis studies, which is [to] try and break down the various characteristics of endometriosis-type cells depending on [the] body location of the lesion. It is cataloging the cell type and surrounding microenvironment,” Dr. G. Thomas Ruiz, OB/GYN lead at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, not involved in this study, explained for MNT.

The researchers analyzed the cells using droplet-based single-cell RNA sequencing. This method identifies which genes are transcribed to make RNA, determining which proteins the cell makes.

By identifying which genes are transcribed, researchers can see differences between the types of cells under investigation.

Using this method, the researchers identified molecular differences between the major subtypes of endometriosis, including peritoneal endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma.

Dr. Lawrenson explained their findings: “We saw a number of differences when we compared endometriosis cells to endometrium. The endometriosis cells are responding differently to hormones and communicate differently with the immune system.”

“The fact that they are behaving so differently is really exciting, as it potentially provides us with new opportunities for therapeutic targeting,” she added.

“This atlas of molecular findings will help researchers move the ball forward towards achieving earlier diagnosis, differentiation between subtypes of endometriosis, a better understanding of the overlap with ovarian cancer in a small but significant percentage of endometriosis patients, and insights into eventual development of molecularly targeted therapy for endometriosis,” said Dr. Vasilev.

So could this research lead the way to new diagnosis and treatment methods? Dr. Lawrenson believes so, and is investigating potential diagnostics for the condition:

“We urgently need a blood test for endometriosis and this is now one of our top research priorities in the laboratory. We were encouraged to see that in endometriosis, multiple cell types overproduce the same genes, which should make it easier to detect those genes in the blood.”

The research discovered that endometriosis cells and normal cells respond differently to the immune system. New therapies that target the immune system might prove effective in treating the condition, as Dr. Lawrenson explained.

“Recent advances suggest that we might be able to treat endometriosis by correcting how the immune system responds to lesions. This is particularly exciting because there might be immune therapies used for other diseases that could be rapidly repurposed for the treatment of endometriosis,” she told MNT.

There is still a need for further research, and Dr. Ruiz suggested directions this research might take: “Endometrioma, superficial versus deep infiltrating had very specific cellular characteristics. The next step would be in vitro studies to see if various endometriosis cell types act differently to current hormone treatments.”

With the mapping of endometriosis, this research has highlighted potential diagnostic and treatment pathways for investigation — it can only be good news for the many people with this debilitating condition.

Posted on

Tesla shares fall on US and European price cuts

Tesla shares fall on US and European price cuts

Tesla has slashed price ranges on its electric automobiles in the United States and Europe by as much as 20{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, extending a strategy of aggressive discounting after missing Wall Avenue estimates for 2022 deliveries.

The go, which prompted a 4{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} tumble in Tesla’s shares in pre-industry trading, arrived soon after CEO Elon Musk warned that the prospect of economic downturn and greater fascination prices intended it could reduced prices to sustain volume advancement at the price of income. Shares are down 65{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} given that the start out of 2022.

The reduced pricing throughout Tesla’s significant marketplaces marks a reversal from the strategy the automaker experienced pursued as a result of a lot of 2021 and 2022 when orders for new cars exceeded supply. Musk acknowledged past year that charges had come to be “embarrassingly high” and could hurt need.

A lot more stable value inflation was also a element in minimizing prices, mentioned a spokesperson for Tesla Germany, confirming value cuts in its major European sector.

The US price tag cuts, declared late Thursday on its world-wide leading-sellers the Design 3 sedan and Product Y crossover SUV, were among 6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and 20{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, Reuters calculations confirmed.

The primary edition of its Design Y now expenses $52,990, down from $65,990 earlier.

That is just before an up to $7,500 federal tax credit that took impact for quite a few electric powered car or truck models at the start of January.

Tesla also lower selling prices for its Model X luxury crossover SUV and Product S sedan in the United States.

In Germany, it reduce selling prices on the Product 3 and the Product Y by concerning about 1{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} and just about 17{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} relying on the configuration. It also reduce rates in Austria, Switzerland and France.

For a US consumer of the very long-assortment Product Y, the new Tesla price combined with the US subsidy amounts to a price reduction of 31{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}. In addition, the Tesla transfer broadened the automobiles in its line-up eligible for the Biden administration tax credit.

Just before the price minimize, the five-seat model of the Model Y experienced been ineligible for that credit, a designation Musk referred to as “messed up”. After the selling price minimize, the prolonged-vary edition of the Product Y will qualify.

The cuts could make EV cars and trucks very affordable to people today who may have been earlier priced out of the sector.

In France, consumers acquiring the Model 3 for €44,990 ($48,773) will now get a additional value reduction via a authorities subsidy of €5,000. The threshold for the EV subsidy is €47,000.

“This ought to truly boost 2023 (Tesla) volumes,” Gary Black, a Tesla investor who has remained bullish on the organization and its prospects through the latest, sharp share price decline, explained in a tweet. “It’s the appropriate move.”

Even now shares in US pre-industry investing were being reduce, as buyers anxious the transfer may well erode margins, specifically as competitiveness intensifies.

“Tesla is an outlier mainly because it is nevertheless obtained eye watering valuations when it arrives to the selection of autos that it in fact sells. But in the long run there are all the other providers that promote a hell of a good deal much more autos general,” explained Michael Hewson, main market analyst at CMC Markets British isles.

Some people on Tesla admirer forums online also complained the rate cuts deprived those who experienced lately bought their motor vehicle, leaving them with a reduce second-hand value.

“Just lowering 10,000 euros like that – unquestionably tends to make you feel that you just paid out considerably too substantially,” 1 user wrote on a ‘Tesla Drivers and Friends’ discussion board.

In China, wherever Tesla slash price ranges final week by 6{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} to 13.5{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}, owners protested at shipping and delivery centres, calling for compensation.

Ahead of the cuts, Tesla inventory in the United States, as tracked by versions its web-site shows as right away offered, experienced been trending higher. Prices on used Tesla versions experienced also been dropping, increasing stress to regulate new-car or truck costs.

For 2021, the United States and China put together experienced accounted for about 75{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} of Tesla gross sales, although it has been rising product sales in Europe, where by its Berlin plant has been ramping up output.

Tesla reduce rates in China and other Asian marketplaces past 7 days in its initial main move considering that appointing its direct government for China and Asia, Tom Zhu, to oversee U.S. output and gross sales.

Analysts experienced explained the Chinese price cuts would improve demand from customers and enhance pressure on its rivals there, including BYD

(BYDDF), to stick to suit in what could become a selling price war in the greatest one current market for electrical cars.

Tesla’s Design 3 was the finest-selling electric vehicle in Germany last month, adopted by the Model Y, beating Volkswagen’s all-electric ID.4. Volkswagen lately elevated the price of its entry-level ID.3, placing it at parity with the now-discounted Design 3.

Tesla skipped Wall Road estimates for fourth quarter deliveries. Comprehensive calendar year development in deliveries was 40{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809} – also short of Musk’s individual forecast of 50{cfdf3f5372635aeb15fd3e2aecc7cb5d7150695e02bd72e0a44f1581164ad809}.