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Hisense, New Official Sponsor of Real Madrid

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QINGDAO, China, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Hisense, the global home appliances and consumer electronics company, announced it will become a regional partner of Real Madrid in Spain, Africa, and the Middle East.

Hisense becomes the new offcial sponor of Real Madrid
Hisense becomes the new offcial sponor of Real Madrid

Real Madrid and Hisense have announced a collaboration agreement under which the global home appliances and consumer electronics company will become an official sponsor of Real Madrid for the next three years. The signing ceremony took place in the boardroom of Ciudad Real Madrid and was attended by Emilio Butragueño, Director of Institutional Relations at Real Madrid, and Jerry Liu, Vice President of Hisense International.

Jerry Liu and Emilio Butragueño during the signing ceremony of Hisense's 3-year sponsorship of Real Madrid
Jerry Liu and Emilio Butragueño during the signing ceremony of Hisense’s 3-year sponsorship of Real Madrid

To celebrate the agreement, Hisense and Real Madrid will jointly launch a limited edition 100-inch television, offering unprecedented picture quality and immersive sound to enhance the experience for fans around the world.

About Hisense

Hisense is a leading global home appliance and consumer electronics brand and official partner of the UEFA EURO 2024™. According to Omdia, Hisense ranked No. 2 globally for TV shipments and No. 1 in 100″ TVs in both 2023 and Q1 2024. The company has expanded quickly, operating in more than 160 countries and specializes in multimedia goods, home appliances, and intelligent IT information.

About Real Madrid

Real Madrid C.F. is a sport entity with 122 years of history. It is the club with the most European Cups of both football (15) and basketball (11) and was awarded by FIFA as the Best Club of the twentieth century. Real Madrid has millions of fans in all corners of the world, with more than 583 million followers on social media, being the strongest football brand in the world according to Brand Finance for the third year in a row and also the highest earning football club in the world in the 22-23 season (Football Money League by Deloitte). More information about Real Madrid C.F. is available at www.realmadrid.com, the most visited football club website for the seventh consecutive year.

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“Bleach: Brave Souls” 95 Million Downloads Celebration Campaign Begins Alongside the Thousand-Year Blood War Zenith Summons: Preeminence

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TOKYO, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — KLab Inc., a leader in online mobile games, announced that its hit 3D action game Bleach: Brave Souls has reached a total of 95 million downloads* worldwide. See the original press release (https://www.klab.com/en/press/) for more information.

KLab Inc., a leader in online mobile games, announced that its hit 3D action game Bleach: Brave Souls has reached a total of 95 million downloads* worldwide.
KLab Inc., a leader in online mobile games, announced that its hit 3D action game Bleach: Brave Souls has reached a total of 95 million downloads* worldwide.

95 Million Downloads Celebration Overview

Free Seasonal Brave Souls Summons

Event Period: Saturday, August 31 16:00 to Thursday, September 19 15:59 (JST/UTC+9)

One free x10 Summons every day for up to ten days.

Battle Ready 6 Star Summons Ticket 95 Million Downloads Present

Event Period: Saturday, August 31 0:00 to Monday, September 30 23:59 (JST/UTC+9)

The ticket can be used to receive one level 200 6 Star character with a fully-powered up 150% Soul Tree.

95 Million Downloads Celebration Cycle Summons

Event Period: Wednesday, September 4 16:00 to Sunday, September 15 15:59 (JST/UTC+9)

Each step has a different draw rate for 5 Star characters. In addition, each step has a bonus and one 5 Star character is guaranteed every 5 steps up to Step 30.

*Please note that the campaign period varies for each campaign. For more details, please check the in-game news.

Oh-Etsu Nimaiya and Tenjiro Kirinji will be Available as New Characters in the Thousand-Year Blood War Zenith Summons: Preeminence

Event Period: Saturday, August 31 16:00 to Sunday, September 15 15:59 (JST/UTC+9)

The draw rate for 5 Star characters in this Summons is 6%, and one of the featured 5 Star characters is guaranteed every five Steps of the x10 Summons except for Step 25.

On Step 25, players will receive a ticket that can be used to receive one of the new characters of their choosing.

Thousand-Year Blood War Zenith Summons: Preeminence Official Showcase Video:
https://youtu.be/HKRutHER2BQ

*Please note that campaign contents and the campaign period are subject to change without notice.

*Please check the in-game news for further details.

New Match 3 Puzzle Game “BLEACH Soul Puzzle” is Now Available for Pre-Registration

“BLEACH Soul Puzzle”, a match 3 puzzle game that features characters from the BLEACH TV Animation Series: Thousand-Year Blood War, is now available for pre-registration.

Please check the news on the official website for more details on the game as well as an exclusive campaign where participants have the chance to win an Original Acrylic Stand of Ichigo.

Overview of Bleach: Brave Souls

Platform:                                  iOS /Android™/PC/PS4™/Nintendo Switch/Xbox One
Genre:                                      3D Action
Price:                                        Free-to-play (In-game purchases available)
Official Website:                      https://www.bleach-bravesouls.com/en/
Official X Account:                  @bleachbrs_en
Official Facebook Page:          https://www.facebook.com/BleachBS.en
Official YouTube Channel:      https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QJ4uNQeijEx0jlo4nqauA
Official Instagram:                   @bleachbravesouls_official
Official Discord:                       https://discord.com/invite/bleachbravesouls
Official TikTok:                         https://www.tiktok.com/@bleachbrs_en_official
Copyright:                                 © Tite Kubo/Shueisha, TV TOKYO, dentsu, Pierrot
                                                   © KLabGames

Download Here:

App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/app/id1003168863

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.klab.bleach

Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1201240/BLEACH_Brave_Souls

PlayStation Store: https://store.playstation.com/concept/10002097

Nintendo eShop: https://nintendo.com/us/store/products/bleach-brave-souls-switch

Xbox Store: https://www.xbox.com/games/store/bleach-brave-souls/9nnrnx65nknb

Source: KLab Inc.

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Telix Submits NDA for TLX101-CDx (Pixclara®) Brain Cancer Imaging Agent

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MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for TLX101-CDx, (Pixclara®[1], 18F-floretyrosine or 18F-FET), an investigational PET[2] agent for the characterisation of progressive or recurrent glioma (brain cancer) from treatment related changes in both adult and pediatric patients.

Given the potential to address significant unmet medical need, Pixclara®1 has been granted Orphan Drug[3] and Fast Track[4] designation by the FDA, which facilitates expedited review and closer consultation with the agency during the review process. FET PET (Pixclara®1) is already included in international clinical practice guidelines for the imaging of gliomas[5], however there is currently no FDA-approved targeted amino acid PET agent for adult and pediatric brain cancer imaging commercially available in the U.S.

There is a critical unmet need to improve the diagnosis and management of glioma, particularly in the post-treatment setting. With low survival rates and the need to make rapid decisions, precision imaging is paramount. Subject to regulatory approval, Pixclara®1 has the potential to address this need, enabling patients to receive greater clarity in their diagnosis and treatment decision making. Pixclara®1 is also being developed as the “companion” theranostic imaging agent for TLX101, Telix’s investigational neuro-oncology drug candidate, which targets the same amino acid transporter mechanism with therapeutic targeted radiation.

Kevin Richardson, Chief Executive Officer, Telix Precision Medicine, stated, “Gliomas are the most common primary brain tumours of the central nervous system. Conventional imaging with MRI[6] often yields inconclusive results in characterising recurrent disease and therefore delays time-sensitive decision making4. Limitations of conventional imaging techniques include the lack of biological specificity, dependency on blood-brain barrier disruption, and an inherent inability to differentiate between tumour progression or treatment-related causes[7]. Telix’s filing of this NDA for Pixclara®1 is an important milestone, reflecting our commitment to improved and accessible neuro-oncology imaging in the U.S., and taking us one step closer to commercial availability in 2025, subject to FDA approval.”

About TLX101-CDx

TLX101-CDx (Pixclara®1) is a PET imaging agent, which has been granted fast track and orphan drug designations by the FDA as an imaging agent for the characterisation of glioma. TLX101-CDx targets membrane transport proteins known as LAT1 and LAT2[8]. This enables TLX101-CDx to be potentially utilised as a companion diagnostic agent to TLX101 (4-L-[131I] iodo-phenylalanine, or 131I-IPA), Telix’s LAT1-targeting investigational glioblastoma (GBM) therapy, currently under investigation in the IPAX-2[9] and IPAX-Linz[10] studies. 

About gliomas in the U.S.

Gliomas are very diffusely infiltrative tumours that affect the surrounding brain tissue. They are the most common form of central nervous system (CNS) neoplasm that originates from glial cells, accounting for approximately 30% of all brain and CNS tumours and 80% of all malignant brain tumours[11]. In the U.S., there are six cases of gliomas diagnosed per 100,000 people every year. GBM is a high-grade glioma and the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer, with approximately 22,000 new cases diagnosed annually in the U.S.[12]. The mainstay of treatment for GBM comprises surgical resection, followed by combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite such treatment, recurrence occurs in almost all patients[13], with an expected survival duration of 12-15 months from diagnosis[14]

About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals and associated medical devices. Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with international operations in the United States, Europe (Belgium and Switzerland), and Japan. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical and commercial stage products that aims to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX).

Telix’s lead imaging product, gallium-68 (68Ga) gozetotide injection (also known as 68Ga PSMA-11 and marketed under the brand name Illuccix®), has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[15], by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) [16], and by Health Canada[17]. No other Telix product has received a marketing authorisation in any jurisdiction.

Visit www.telixpharma.com for further information about Telix, including details of the latest share price, announcements made to the ASX, investor and analyst presentations, news releases, event details and other publications that may be of interest. You can also follow Telix on X and LinkedIn.

Telix Investor Relations

Ms. Kyahn Williamson
Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Email: kyahn.williamson@telixpharma.com

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Disclosure Committee on behalf of the Board.

Legal Notices

You should read this announcement together with our risk factors, as disclosed in our most recently filed reports with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) or on our website.

The information contained in this announcement is not intended to be an offer for subscription, invitation or recommendation with respect to securities of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (Telix) in any jurisdiction, including the United States. The information and opinions contained in this announcement are subject to change without notification.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, Telix disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any information or opinions contained in this announcement, including any forward-looking statements (as referred to below), whether as a result of new information, future developments, a change in expectations or assumptions, or otherwise. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or opinions expressed in the course of this announcement.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that relate to anticipated future events, financial performance, plans, strategies or business developments. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “outlook”, “forecast” and “guidance”, or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on Telix’s good-faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other risks and considerations that exist and affect Telix’s business and operations in the future and there can be no assurance that any of the assumptions will prove to be correct. In the context of Telix’s business, forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Telix’s preclinical and clinical trials, and Telix’s research and development programs; Telix’s ability to advance product candidates into, enrol and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals for Telix’s product candidates, manufacturing activities and product marketing activities; Telix’s sales, marketing and distribution and manufacturing capabilities and strategies; the commercialisation of Telix’s product candidates, if or when they have been approved; Telix’s ability to obtain an adequate supply of raw materials at reasonable costs for its products and product candidates; estimates of Telix’s expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; Telix’s financial performance; developments relating to Telix’s competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Telix’s product candidates, if and after they have been approved. Telix’s actual results, performance or achievements may be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and the differences may be adverse. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

©2024 Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited. The Telix Pharmaceuticals®, Illuccix® and Pixclara® names and logos are trademarks of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited and its affiliates – all rights reserved. Pixclara trade name is subject to final regulatory approval.

[1] Brand name subject to final regulatory approval.

[2] Positron emission tomography.

[3] Telix ASX disclosure 6 October 2020.

[4] Telix ASX disclosure 16 April 2024. Fast Track is a process designed to facilitate the development, and expedite the review of drugs to treat serious conditions and fill an unmet medical need. The purpose is to get important new drugs to the patient earlier. More: https://www.fda.gov/patients/fast-track-breakthrough-therapy-accelerated-approval-priority-review/fast-track

[5] Joint European Association of Nuclear Medicine//European Association of Neurooncology/Response Assessment in Neurooncology practice guidelines/Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging procedure standards for the clinical use of PET imaging in gliomas.

[6] Magnetic resonance imaging.

[7] Smith NJ et al. J Nucl Med. 2023.

[8] Large amino acid transporters 1 and 2.

[9] Telix media release 8 August 2023. ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05450744.

[10] Telix media release 22 November 2022.

[11] Goodenberger et al. Cancer Genet. 2012.

[12] Ostrom 2022, CBTRUS (Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States) Statistical Report.

[13] Park et al. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2010.

[14] Ostrom et al. Neuro Oncol. 2018.

[15] Telix ASX disclosure 20 December 2021.

[16] Telix ASX disclosure 2 November 2021.

[17] Telix ASX disclosure 14 October 2022.

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Should you ‘fix’ your posture? Why experts say always sitting up straight won’t help your back pain.

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Did your parent or a grandparent ever poke your back so you would pull your shoulders back? Or perhaps a teacher reminding you to sit up straight and at attention? Or maybe you (like me) have gotten those targeted Instagram ads trying to sell you Taylor Swift’s posture trainer?

Good posture has long been touted as part of the picture of health (and respectability) and a way to prevent back pain. But what if it isn’t? Recent research is questioning decades of advice about how we should sit, stand and lift. There’s a good chance everything you think about posture is flawed.

Read on for the myths experts want to dispel, and the habits that can prevent back pain.

In the U.S. and much of the Western world, we’ve long been fixated on standing and sitting up straight. When standing, that means keeping feet a little more than shoulder-width apart and facing forward, your hips tucked, back straight, core engaged, shoulders back and pulled down away from the chin, neutral neck and the chin slightly tucked. It’s similar for sitting: straight back, shoulders back, weight distributed evenly on each hip, knees at a right angle and feet flat on the floor.

The theory is that standing or sitting straight reduces the amount of stress on your muscles, joints, ligaments and each intervertebral disc — the rubbery, shock-absorbing spacers between your vertebrae — to prevent this padding from degrading which, in turn, causes pain.

But in practice, it’s not that simple, experts say.

The jury is still out on whether straight posture is better for your spine and overall well-being than bent posture. In fact, there really isn’t a great deal of research on the topic. One team of Australian researchers compiled all the studies they could locate about posture and lower back pain and injuries, hoping in vain to get closer to a conclusive answer to the best spinal alignments for preventing problems. Another Australian study tried to establish whether neck posture (think the “tech neck” position you’re probably in while reading this) correlated to pain in teenagers. It didn’t.

“Posture — sitting, standing, bending, lifting— is highly variable in people with and without pain,” Peter O’Sullivan, one of the Australian researchers and a professor of physiotherapy and exercise science at Curtin University, tells Yahoo Life. “The systematic reviews don’t show a difference in basic posture between pain and no pain [and] there is little evidence that ‘poor posture’ is a cause of back pain.” In fact, in their study of lifting posture, O’Sullivan and his colleagues found that those without low back pain lift with a more curved or “flexed” back on average.

Instead, bent, slouching or otherwise “poor” posture might be a reaction to pain rather than a cause. “People with pain tend to over-protect their backs, [moving] slower and stiffer — with more muscle tension,” observes O’Sullivan.

Historically, posture has been a fairly loaded topic, Beth Linker, a medical historian and author of Slouch, tells Yahoo Life. Linker found that our fixation with being upright can be traced back to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, which suggested that it was humankind’s ability to stand up straight that separated humans from other primates, rather than our larger and more complex brains.

Then, during World War I, military officials started doing physical examinations to determine the fitness of servicemen. These included posture exams, and doctors began “thinking that a physical value had predictive value,” when in fact, they didn’t, at least not when it came to posture, says Linker.

Around the 1940s, scientists started to consider a causal link between posture and back pain. “Pain is really hard to pinpoint and we have all these different pain theories,” says Linker. “There often aren’t biomarkers of pain, so [looking at posture has been] an attempt to find the biomarker.”

O’Sullivan says that being inactive, sedentary, stressed, sleeping poorly, suffering from mental health issues, smoking and being overweight can all lead to back pain. And, of course, you can injure your back by trying to lift or carry things that are too heavy.

Linker, who was a physical therapist before she became a historian, emphasizes that while posture may neither cause nor prevent back pain in otherwise healthy people, “postural therapies to alleviate pain” in someone already hurting are valid. She suggests seeing a doctor if you have chronic back pain, and, ideally, a physical therapist who can tell you precisely which muscles to strengthen and stretch.

O’Sullivan and Linker agree that sitting or standing in any one position — however straight or slouched — for too long can leave you achy. “There is some evidence that holding tense upright postures can be painful for some people, and relaxing the posture in these cases eases pain,” says O’Sullivan. “For others [who may be] sitting slumped for long periods, if that is painful, they can benefit from being more upright. … The key is variability of posture.”

O’Sullivan says that rather than trying to wrench yourself upright to prevent back pain, being less sedentary and exercising are the best defenses, since too much sitting is a major risk factor for back pain. “Movement is important for the spine, so varying your posture and taking care of all aspects of your health is key,” including sleeping well and getting regular exercise,” O’Sullivan says. Conversely, “if you sit all day and don’t engage in physical activity, that’s unhealthy for all aspects of health.”

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Labor Day 2024 travel: These US and international cities are trending vacation destinations

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New statistics show which cities in the United States and beyond are trending spots for Labor Day travel this year. 

Booking.com released information about the vacation destinations that most people are looking at as they close out the summer of 2024. 

Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, the travel company examined search sessions of American travelers between June 22, 2024, and June 29, 2024, for check-in dates around the first weekend of the September holiday.

LABOR DAY TRAVEL: 5 CITIES MIGHT SEE INFLUX OF FLY-INS OVER THE HOLIDAY WEEKEND

Nine spots in the United States are trending — with two of them up a significant amount year over year, according to the data.

In terms of international travel, Booking.com said five locations are the most popular right now — with one of the spot’s search data up 802% year over year. 

American flag and labor gear

Labor Day is an American holiday celebrated on the first Monday of every September. (iStock)

Find out if your Labor Day travel destination made the most searched list. 

Trending Labor Day travel destinations, United States

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Las Vegas, Nevada

People on beach vacation

Booking.com said these vacation destinations were trending for Labor Day weekend — three of them located in the sunny state of Florida. (iStock)

Panama City, Florida

New York, New York

Orlando, Florida

Destin, Florida

Miami Beach, Florida

Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Chicago, Illinois

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle

In no particular order, the nine U.S. cities are popular Labor Day weekend destinations for those looking to get away one last time this summer, according to the source. 

Vacation calendar

With the national holiday falling on a Monday, many workers take off additional time to travel for a vacation.  (iStock)

Booking.com noted that the search data for Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is up 2% year over year — while data is up 25% year over year for Chicago, Illinois. 

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International travel data also showed which vacation destinations people are looking for this upcoming holiday weekend. 

Trending Labor Day travel destinations, international

Paris, France

Tokyo, Japan

Cancun, Mexico

Barcelona, Spain

London, United Kingdom

Booking.com said these international destinations were top of mind for travelers. 

According to the company’s search data, travelers searched Tokyo, Japan 27% more year over year with the main star of the show being Barcelona, Spain, search up 802% year over year. 

Vacation calendar and people on the beach

Booking.com released the trending travel destination spots for this upcoming Labor Day holiday. (iStock)

Angela Cavis, director of communications for Booking.com North America. told Fox News Digital that there were also some surprising newcomers not mentioned on the original list — specifically in Latin America. 

INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS YOU CAN TRAVEL TO THIS SUMMER FOR THE ULTIMATE VACATION

“While U.S. hotspots like Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Destin, Florida; and Chicago, Illinois, as well as international favorites such as Tokyo, Paris, and Barcelona continued to maintain strong interest from Memorial Weekend through Labor Day, there have been some surprising newcomers, especially in Latin America,” she said. 

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Other international potshots Cavis mentioned were Guayaquil, Ecuador; Cali, Colombia; Lima, Peru, and Buenos Aires, Argentina.

She said, “These trends highlight a growing desire among American travelers to explore beyond traditional destinations, seeking out rich cultural experiences that offer authentic connections.”

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Fall leaf-peeping New England travel has Americans eyeing 6 states and dates

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As summer starts to wind down, the days are getting crisper and the first day of fall, September 22nd, is beginning to creep up.

Millions of tourists flock to rustic New England in hopes of catching the best views of fall foliage.

In 2023, 3.6 million people visited New Hampshire alone in the fall, according to the New Hampshire Department of Business and Economic Affairs.

10 ‘MOST FUN’ STATES IN AMERICA: DID YOUR FAVORITE MAKE THIS LIST?

FOX Weather reported that foliage in the Northeast will have a delayed start due to warm temperatures but will be vibrant due to an over-abundance of precipitation.

Heat waves occurring in late summer and early fall can delay the relaxation of chlorophyll production in trees, keeping leaves greener for longer into the season.

stow vt fall

Heat waves occurring in late summer and early fall can delay the relaxation of chlorophyll production in trees, keeping leaves greener for longer into the season, according to FOX Weather. (Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

In areas experiencing drought, the stress on trees can alter the timing of leaf shedding and lead to more muted colors.

Dana Honor, travel magazine Visit New England publisher, told Fox News Digital via email that she hopes this year’s leaves have extra-vibrant colors.

“October is the time to head to New England to see some great color.”

“The expectation is the peak will be the days leading up to Halloween in the northern and western-most points of the region and in the days following Halloween for more central, southern, and eastern areas,” Honor said.

new hampshire road leaves

Southern Vermont will be the first state to reach peak leaf viewing on Sept. 24, 2024, according to weather experts.  (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

Visit New England has been advising travelers and tourists to discover the Northeast region since 1996. 

Honor said Vermont tends to be the most popular state for fall foliage, followed by New Hampshire and Maine. 

For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews/lifestyle 

“So far this year, we’re seeing Maine slightly outpace New Hampshire, but the season is still early,” Honor said.

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While the top destinations tend to be the Green Mountains, Vermont, the White Mountains, New Hampshire, Western Maine and the Berkshires in Massachusetts, other spots in New England are also great to see fall foliage.

FALL LEAVES NEW ENGLAND SPLIT

Visit New England publisher Dana Honor says they’re seeing more travelers visit Maine this year. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images/Visions of America/Joseph Sohm/Universal Images Group)

“While hiking trails and bonfires are incredibly cozy during the cool fall nights, it’s also beautiful to escape to cities like Boston, Newport and Portland to experience the fall colors as you meander the streets or explore the coastline,” said Honor.

Leaf peepers can take in the red, orange and yellow while driving through the region. 

Honor suggests experiencing road trips driving along Route 7, Upper Connecticut River Valley Loop, and the Castine and Penobscot Bay Loop.

HERE ARE THE 10 HAPPIEST CITIES IN AMERICA, WITH SOME ‘ASTONISHING’ LOCATIONS

The Merritt Parkway, which connects New England to New York, is one of the oldest roads in the country, according to the Merritt Parkway Conservancy.

The parkway is known for its scenic sprawling trees and unique bridges

“October is the time to head to New England to see some great color, with our best picks for October 12-15 in the more northern parts of New England and a bit later for southern areas,” a Farmers’ Almanac representative told Fox News Digital.

Check out this list of six states and peak leaf viewing dates. 

Farmers’ Almanac list of peak fall leaves 

Connecticut

October 12 to 28

Maine

Inland: October 1 to 17

Coastal: October 5 to 21

Massachusetts

Inland: October 5 to 21

Coastal: October 12 to 28

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New Hampshire

Inland: September 28 to October 9

Coastal: October 5 to 21

Rhode Island

October 12 to 28

Vermont

Northern: September 24 to October 10

Southern: October 5 to 14

Andrew Wulfeck of Fox Weather contributed reporting. 

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HKBU research identifies potential of phosphocholine in counteracting PM2.5 toxicity in lung diseases

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HONG KONG, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — A research team led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has discovered that phosphocholine, an important component in the body’s metabolism, could counteract the adverse effects of PM2.5 toxicity on lung cells. This discovery highlights the therapeutic potential of phosphocholine in treating lung diseases associated with PM2.5 such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer, and contributes to developing health measures against air pollution.

The research findings have been published in the international academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

PM2.5 increases health risks

The World Health Organisation has linked air pollution to an estimated seven million deaths annually, and recognising it as the leading environmental risk factor globally. PM2.5, a major air pollutant, increases the risk of health problems such as heart and lung diseases. Every type of PM2.5 component possesses distinct impacts on human health. However, the understanding of the toxicity effects of individual PM2.5 components remains limited, and the respective preventive solutions for PM2.5-associated health problems are lacking.

To understand the effects of different PM2.5 components on the underlying cell metabolism associated with lung diseases, a team led by Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis, and Dr Yang Zhu, Assistant Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU, analysed a total of 82 components in PM2.5 samples collected from Taiyuan in Shanxi Province and Guangzhou in Guangdong Province between 2017 and 2018.

It was found that the overall PM2.5 profiles were similar in both cities. Inorganic ions are the most abundant pollutants, followed by metals and organic compounds polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). However, a large difference was observed in the relative proportions of PAHs and their derivatives.

PM2.5 composition contributes to toxicity

The research team discovered that the proportion of PAHs was significantly higher in Taiyuan, especially during the heating season. Since the abundance of PAHs is closely associated with coal combustion, the result suggested that coal combustion was one of the major sources of PM2.5 in the city. Conversely, the seasonal variance of PAHs in Guangzhou was significantly lower. Traffic emissions were the predominant PM2.5 in Guangzhou.

Given the disparity in pollutant composition, the research team conducted toxicity and health risk analysis of PM2.5 samples from both cities. A cytotoxicity test revealed that the PM2.5 from winter Taiyuan exhibited much stronger toxicity than the samples from Guangzhou or from other seasons of Taiyuan with the same PM2.5 concentration, as indicated by cell viability which measures the proportion of healthy living cells. Assessment using the incremental lifetime cancer risk model, which estimates increased cancer risk from carcinogen exposure, highlighted that the regional difference in cancer risks linked to PAHs and its derivatives nitro-PAHs’ concentration was much higher than the variation in overall PM2.5 concentration. These findings underscore that PM2.5 toxicity cannot be solely attributed to its concentration but also to its composition.

Phosphocholine counteracts PM2.5 toxicity

The research team further employed correlation analysis to examine the impact of specific PM2.5 components on metabolic alterations in lung cells, and identified 11 metabolites that showed a significant correlation with PM2.5 components. Among these metabolites, the researchers focused on the functions of eight ones whose amount reduced significantly after PM2.5 exposure. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that only supplementing phosphocholine to PM2.5-exposed cells was effective in both rescuing cell viability and stimulating adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. ATP is a critical molecule for energy storage, which provides the energy needed for a wide range of cellular processes within living cells.

Under normal circumstances, lung cells primarily rely on glucose for energy production. However, PM2.5 conditions might impair energy supply from glucose. Fatty acid oxidation is a process in cells that breaks down fatty acids to generate energy. Under normal conditions, the utilisation of fatty acid oxidation pathway contributes minimally to energy production in lung cells. It was found that phosphocholine can reprogramme cellular metabolism to increase fatty acid oxidation to meet the shortfall in energy supply during the PM2.5 challenge, which helps to alleviate cellular dysfunction induced by PM2.5.

Professor Cai said: “Our findings highlighted the potential of phosphocholine as a therapeutic agent for lung diseases associated with PM2.5. As air pollution caused by PM2.5 has been recognised as a significant global health risk factor, our discovery provides the prospect of developing novel treatments for related health issues, potentially helping to address this public health challenge.”

In future, the research may also contribute to the development of diagnosis protocol for lung diseases caused by PM2.5 apart from its potential as a therapeutic agent.

Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis (left), and Dr Yang Zhu, Assistant Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU (right), discover the potential of phosphocholine in counteracting PM2.5 toxicity in the lungs.
Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis (left), and Dr Yang Zhu, Assistant Professor of the Department of Biology at HKBU (right), discover the potential of phosphocholine in counteracting PM2.5 toxicity in the lungs.

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A tale of two travel recoveries: Japan soars, while China struggles to lure travelers back

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With a plum position atop many “Best Places to Travel” lists, Japan is on track to welcome a record-breaking number of travelers in 2024.

But China faces a different reality: a far slower return of international visitors.

Both countries dropped Covid-related border restrictions relatively late — Japan in October 2022, and China in January 2023 — but their post-pandemic recovery trajectories have diverged ever since.   

Demand rises for both countries

Demand to visit China is on the rise, according to its National Immigration Administration, which announced a 130% year-on-year increase in foreign visitors from January to July.

Summer trips are up too, with inbound bookings doubling since last summer, a representative from the travel website Trip.com told CNBC Travel.

However, arrivals are still far below pre-pandemic levels. In 2019, China welcomed some 49.1 million travelers — as of July this year, around 17.25 million foreigners had arrived, according to Chinese state media.

Not as many people are traveling to China these days. Here's why

Japan, for its part, is also struggling — but under the weight of its own popularity.

More than 3 million international travelers have visited each month since March — well above 2019 levels.

Beyond the cultural fascination with Japan, the country’s current “it” status is partially the product of initiatives put in place by the Japanese government, said Joydeep Chakraborty, chief strategy and investment officer at the Southeast Asian travel app Traveloka.

“The government has long been focused on making Japan a top travel destination through pro-tourism efforts, such as enhancing traveler experiences and simplifying the travel process for international visitors,” he said.

These efforts were then accelerated by the depreciation of the yen, he said.

“The USD/JPY exchange rate [moved] from approximately 140 in January 2024 to over 160 by July 2024, making Japan more affordable,” said Chakraborty.

Crowds of people pack the walkways of Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, Japan, on Nov. 11, 2023.

Jasmine Leung | Sopa Images | Lightrocket | Getty Images

Now “overtourism” in Japan is making headlines again, as crowds pack Kyoto’s famed temples and jockey for space during peak cherry blossom season.

The country’s labor market — one of the tightest in the advanced world before the pandemic hit — is straining to keep up. This year, 85% of travel and hospitality operators limited operating hours because of labor shortages, according to the Japan Federation of Service & Tourism Industries Workers’ Unions.

Why interest to visit China is down

Flight capacity into China is still below pre-pandemic levels from many countries, notably from the United States (-77%), according to the airline analytics company Cirium.

But geopolitical tensions are taking a toll too, according to the policy network East Asia Forum.

“The Chinese government’s tightening grip on societal regulations could potentially cause discomfort for foreign travellers in China,” states an article on its website titled “Visa-free policies alone will not revive China’s inbound tourism.”  

China’s expansion of its visa-free policies is spurring demand to visit. Some 58% of arriving travelers in the first half of 2024 came countries with such arrangements, according to its National Immigration Administration.

But a Pew Research Center report shows that, among 35 surveyed countries, more than half have unfavorable views of China. According to the July report, some of the world’s biggest travel spenders — such as those from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom and France — maintain largely negative views of China.

China’s favorability views in the report are highest in sub-Saharan Africa as well as Asia, though opinions are mixed in the latter.

“Views tend to be among the most and least positive in the Asia-Pacific region — more positive in middle-income countries like Malaysia and Thailand, and more negative in high-income ones like Australia, Japan and South Korea,” the report states.

Difficulties getting around

Problems navigating around China may be keeping some at home too.

Since the pandemic, China has pushed more payment and booking systems online, causing headaches for foreigner travelers who are unfamiliar with popular Chinese software.

Addressing those issues is imperative to attracting foreign travelers back, writes Songshan Huang, a professor at Australia’s Edith Cowan University, in East Asian Forum.

“Booking high-speed train tickets or entry tickets to popular tourist attractions necessitates the use of WeChat’s embedded program,” he wrote. “Many establishments exclusively accept WeChat Pay or AliPay, leaving foreign tourists in a predicament if they rely solely on cash or credit cards.”

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Mosquito-borne illnesses are back in the news. 4 ways to protect yourself.

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It’s a bad year for mosquito-borne illnesses: Mosquitoes carrying Eastern equine encephalitis are prompting people in Massachusetts to stay indoors at night. Dr. Anthony Fauci was hospitalized earlier this month with West Nile virus. And record numbers of dengue fever cases are spreading globally, including in Puerto Rico and other parts of the U.S. Experts say the surge in human diseases spread by the insects is due, in part, to climate change. But that doesn’t mean you’re powerless against the bugs and the infections they carry.

Find out more about the diseases that mosquitoes are spreading and why — and how to stay safe from their potentially infectious bites.

Mosquitoes carry multiple diseases that they can spread to humans, according to the World Health Organization. Some of these primarily affect other countries — especially those in the global south — but several are pressing issues in the U.S. That’s especially true this summer. Some making headlines in the U.S. this year include:

• West Nile virus is the most common mosquito-borne illness in the U.S. It can cause fever, headaches, body aches, vomiting, diarrhea and a rash, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Most people bitten by a West Nile-carrying mosquito never develop symptoms. People over 60 and those with underlying health conditions including diabetes are at a greater risk of getting severely ill and requiring hospitalization. About 10 days ago, Fauci spent nearly a week being treated in-hospital for the virus, though he’s now recovering at home, a spokesperson told the Washington Post. Fauci is one of 216 people in the U.S. infected with West Nile virus this year, according to the CDC. Of those, 142 people have had infections that progressed to affect their spinal cords or brains. If the disease reaches this stage, survivors can suffer long-term fatigue and other neurological issues.

• Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) is caused by a virus that infects animals including horses (hence the name) and birds, primarily in eastern U.S. states. Mosquitoes that bite these infected animals and then bite humans can transmit the virus to us.

EEE causes flu-like symptoms, including fever, body aches and, most importantly, headache. The headache (and sometimes neck ache) that comes with the infection is a sign of the third “E”: encephalitis, or brain swelling. Some people may also develop confusion or can even fall into a coma, Dr. Daniel Kuritzkes, chief of the infectious diseases division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, tells Yahoo Life. He adds that the disease is perhaps the most concerning mosquito-borne illness in the U.S., because about a third of infected people die, and many who recover have long-term neurological issues, according to the CDC.

“Fortunately, it’s a rare infection,” says Kuritzkes. “Some seasons we [in Massachusetts] might have just one or no cases; others, a dozen or half a dozen. But the problem is that it’s a highly lethal infection.” So far this year, just three cases have been reported in the U.S. (a Massachusetts case, plus one each in New Jersey and Vermont). What’s more, there are no effective vaccines or antivirals to treat EEE, so doctors can only provide supportive care, he adds.

• Dengue fever is a virus carried by mosquitoes that live primarily in tropical and subtropical areas, according to the World Health Organization. The disease is most prevalent in South America, Central America, Southeast Asia and in the Caribbean and Pacific islands. It’s also a major issue in Puerto Rico, which declared a state of emergency over the disease this year. The CDC also issued a warning about dengue amid an unusually high number of infections (almost all of which were related to travel) this spring and summer.

Like West Nile, symptoms of dengue fever include a high fever, headache, body aches, nausea and a rash. Up to 400 million people are infected with dengue annually, and there are no specific treatments or vaccines (though rest, fluids and acetaminophen help), the CDC says. However, most cases are asymptomatic and it’s rarely lethal, according to the WHO.

Experts blame three main factors: warmer weather, wetter climates and the ever-expanding human habitat. Mosquito-borne infections “are emerging or reemerging due to a confluence of climate change and urbanization and the ones we’re seeing now are only a start,” Dr. Peter Hotez, co-director of the Texas Children’s Hospital Center for Vaccine Development and dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life.

Mosquitoes breed in warm, still water. So the more it rains and the higher the temperatures climb, the more the bugs see a population boom. And with more development (and travel) near the marshes and swamps mosquitoes prefer, people are bound to get bit.

That’s why Kuritzkes suspects EEE is back in Massachusetts following the state’s particularly wet spring and summer. For dengue, on the other hand, he thinks that immunity rates have fallen cyclically, leaving more people vulnerable to infection this year than last.

  1. Drain any standing water. For example, don’t let water collect in unused flowerpots, pools or pool covers, and change birdbath water frequently. Those items provide a perfect place for mosquitoes to breed.

  2. Dawn or dusk? Don’t go out. That’s what Massachusetts health officials are asking people in 10 communities to do (the state is also spraying pesticide to try to kill the infectious pests). The types of mosquitoes that are most likely to transmit EEE in the region are most active during sunrise and sunset.

  3. Dress in long pants and sleeves. If you have to be outside amid mosquito season (from late spring to early fall), covering up as much as possible can protect you from the bites of potentially infected mosquitoes. Legs may be particularly vulnerable to dengue-carrying mosquitoes, which “are very skittish and adept at hovering around people, looking for the perfect opportunity to land and take a quick bite,” Chad Huff, a public information officer with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District, previously told Yahoo Life. “Often, they choose to gravitate towards the lower legs and ankles where they are less likely to draw attention or a slap.” So you might want to take extra care to cover and protect your lower body.

  4. DEET yourself. Make sure to spray yourself with mosquito repellent when you’re going outside, advises Kuritzkes. Take particular care to spray any exposed skin not covered up with the long pants and sleeves, ideally with a repellent containing the safe and highly effective chemical DEET, he adds.

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Telix Announces Reorganisation to Deliver on Strategic Priorities

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MELBOURNE, Australia, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX, Telix, the Company) today announces new leadership appointments as part of an internal reorganisation to align its operations across four business units, reflecting its focus as a therapeutics-led radiopharmaceutical company committed to precision oncology. 

The updated business model comprises: Therapeutics, Precision Medicine (Diagnostics), Lightpoint (Medtech) and Telix Manufacturing Solutions (TMS).

As part of this initiative, the Company announces three leadership changes:

  • Richard Valeix, Chief Executive Officer, Telix Therapeutics (formerly Group Chief Commercial Officer)[1], leading the Company’s therapeutic pipeline commercialisation and business development;
  • Kevin Richardson, Chief Executive Officer, Telix Precision Medicine (formerly Chief Executive Officer, Americas), leading the development of the Company’s diagnostics, global marketing and commercial operations in the U.S. and Canada;
  • Raphael Ortiz, Chief Executive Officer, Telix International, leading the “rest of world” commercial operations for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific (APAC) and Latin America regions (formerly Chief Executive Officer, EMEA & APAC).

Darren Patti remains Group Chief Operating Officer, with leadership responsibility for Telix’s internal manufacturing operations, including the operations of ARTMS, IsoTherapeutics and Optimal Tracers, which sit under the TMS umbrella.

Dr Christian Behrenbruch, Telix Managing Director and Group Chief Executive Officer said the new structure will optimise the development and commercialisation of theranostic radiopharmaceuticals. 

“Telix is at an inflection point: momentum in our therapeutics business is growing, with prostate, kidney and brain cancer therapeutic candidates currently in, or advancing to, pivotal clinical trials.  Precision medicine is our global commercialisation engine, to bring personalised, theranostic solutions to market and is underpinned by a growing manufacturing footprint that enables enhanced control over the supply chain. Telix is evolving, and the revised business model reflects our differentiated position, harnessing the power of targeted radiation at every step of the patient journey.”

About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited

Telix is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialisation of therapeutic and diagnostic radiopharmaceuticals and associated medical devices. Telix is headquartered in Melbourne, Australia, with international operations in the United States, Europe (Belgium and Switzerland), and Japan. Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical and commercial stage products that aims to address significant unmet medical needs in oncology and rare diseases. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX).

Telix’s lead imaging product, gallium-68 (68Ga) gozetotide injection (also known as 68Ga PSMA-11 and marketed under the brand name Illuccix®), has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)[2], by the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) [3], and by Health Canada[4]. No other Telix product has received a marketing authorisation in any jurisdiction.

Visit www.telixpharma.com for further information about Telix, including details of the latest share price, announcements made to the ASX, investor and analyst presentations, news releases, event details and other publications that may be of interest. You can also follow Telix on X and LinkedIn.

Telix Investor Relations

Ms. Kyahn Williamson
Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
SVP Investor Relations and Corporate Communications
Email: kyahn.williamson@telixpharma.com

This announcement has been authorised for release by the Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited Disclosure Committee on behalf of the Board.

Legal Notices

You should read this announcement together with our risk factors, as disclosed in our most recently filed reports with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) or on our website.

The information contained in this announcement is not intended to be an offer for subscription, invitation or recommendation with respect to securities of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (Telix) in any jurisdiction, including the United States. The information and opinions contained in this announcement are subject to change without notification.  To the maximum extent permitted by law, Telix disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any information or opinions contained in this announcement, including any forward-looking statements (as referred to below), whether as a result of new information, future developments, a change in expectations or assumptions, or otherwise. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained or opinions expressed in the course of this announcement.

This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that relate to anticipated future events, financial performance, plans, strategies or business developments. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of words such as “may”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “believe”, “outlook”, “forecast” and “guidance”, or the negative of these words or other similar terms or expressions. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on Telix’s good-faith assumptions as to the financial, market, regulatory and other risks and considerations that exist and affect Telix’s business and operations in the future and there can be no assurance that any of the assumptions will prove to be correct. In the context of Telix’s business, forward-looking statements may include, but are not limited to, statements about: the initiation, timing, progress and results of Telix’s preclinical and clinical trials, and Telix’s research and development programs; Telix’s ability to advance product candidates into, enrol and successfully complete, clinical studies, including multi-national clinical trials; the timing or likelihood of regulatory filings and approvals for Telix’s product candidates, manufacturing activities and product marketing activities; Telix’s sales, marketing and distribution and manufacturing capabilities and strategies; the commercialisation of Telix’s product candidates, if or when they have been approved; Telix’s ability to obtain an adequate supply of raw materials at reasonable costs for its products and product candidates; estimates of Telix’s expenses, future revenues and capital requirements; Telix’s financial performance; developments relating to Telix’s competitors and industry; and the pricing and reimbursement of Telix’s product candidates, if and after they have been approved. Telix’s actual results, performance or achievements may be materially different from those which may be expressed or implied by such statements, and the differences may be adverse. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

©2024 Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited. The Telix Pharmaceuticals® and Illuccix® names and logos are trademarks of Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited and its affiliates – all rights reserved.

[1] Under the updated structure, Richard Valeix is no longer classified as Key Management Personnel effective 19 August 2024.

[2] Telix ASX disclosure 20 December 2021.

[3] Telix ASX disclosure 2 November 2021.

[4] Telix ASX disclosure 14 October 2022.

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