Latest news with #Wiseman
Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
Clues To Diagnosing Parkinson's And MSA Discovered
Press Release – University of Auckland Australasian brain scientists have made a breakthrough that could help to diagnose Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Researchers at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research – Dr Victor Dieriks and Dr James Wiseman – and University of Sydney Professor Glenda Halliday have discovered distinctive markers in the brains of people with the two diseases, which are often mistaken for one another in the early stages. 'It's vital to be able to accurately distinguish between Parkinson's and MSA early on, because this directly impacts on treatment decisions and patients' well-being,' says Dieriks. Currently, diagnosis of Parkinson's and MSA is based on patients' symptoms. Misdiagnosis often occurs, because the two conditions have similar symptoms. 'When misdiagnosed, patients with MSA are often given the Parkinson's drug, levodopa, which not only fails to help, but can worsen symptoms in some cases,' says Dieriks. While both conditions affect movement, Parkinson's typically progresses slowly with tremors, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement. In contrast, MSA advances rapidly and includes problems such as severe balance issues, and disturbances in blood pressure and heart rate. The team used an innovative technique to study donated brain tissue in the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank in Auckland and the Sydney Brain Bank. They focused on a protein involved in both diseases – -synuclein – and found distinctive patterns and levels in Parkinson's, compared with MSA. 'We discovered this protein clumps differently in the brains of people with Parkinson's and MSA and the levels in MSA are far higher,' says Dieriks. Their discovery could pave the way for a simple, non-invasive test, such as a nasal swab, blood test, or urine sample, to reliably tell the two conditions apart. Lead researcher Wiseman says it's a significant breakthrough to be able to definitively diagnose Parkinson's and MSA from brain tissue. 'What's really exciting is we're a step closer to being able to diagnose these disorders by using readily available body fluids. 'This means we could pick up Parkinson's and MSA early, potentially before people even start to experience symptoms,' says Wiseman. Parkinson's disease affects millions globally, while MSA is far rarer, impacting about five in every 100,000 people. But MSA's toll is devastating, says Dieriks. 'MSA can turn active, independent people into individuals needing full-time care within just a few years. 'Whereas people with Parkinson's may live for decades, those with MSA typically survive only three to ten years after symptoms begin,' says Dieriks. Globally, research on Parkinson's is progressing rapidly, he says. 'We're closer than ever to developing a diagnostic test for Parkinson's. And the sooner we can catch these diseases, the better chance we have of slowing or stopping their progression.'
Scoop
a day ago
- Health
- Scoop
Clues To Diagnosing Parkinson's And MSA Discovered
Australasian brain scientists have made a breakthrough that could help to diagnose Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Researchers at the University of Auckland's Centre for Brain Research – Dr Victor Dieriks and Dr James Wiseman – and University of Sydney Professor Glenda Halliday have discovered distinctive markers in the brains of people with the two diseases, which are often mistaken for one another in the early stages. 'It's vital to be able to accurately distinguish between Parkinson's and MSA early on, because this directly impacts on treatment decisions and patients' well-being,' says Dieriks. Currently, diagnosis of Parkinson's and MSA is based on patients' symptoms. Misdiagnosis often occurs, because the two conditions have similar symptoms. 'When misdiagnosed, patients with MSA are often given the Parkinson's drug, levodopa, which not only fails to help, but can worsen symptoms in some cases,' says Dieriks. While both conditions affect movement, Parkinson's typically progresses slowly with tremors, muscle stiffness, and slowness of movement. In contrast, MSA advances rapidly and includes problems such as severe balance issues, and disturbances in blood pressure and heart rate. The team used an innovative technique to study donated brain tissue in the Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank in Auckland and the Sydney Brain Bank. They focused on a protein involved in both diseases – -synuclein – and found distinctive patterns and levels in Parkinson's, compared with MSA. 'We discovered this protein clumps differently in the brains of people with Parkinson's and MSA and the levels in MSA are far higher,' says Dieriks. Their discovery could pave the way for a simple, non-invasive test, such as a nasal swab, blood test, or urine sample, to reliably tell the two conditions apart. Lead researcher Wiseman says it's a significant breakthrough to be able to definitively diagnose Parkinson's and MSA from brain tissue. 'What's really exciting is we're a step closer to being able to diagnose these disorders by using readily available body fluids. 'This means we could pick up Parkinson's and MSA early, potentially before people even start to experience symptoms,' says Wiseman. Parkinson's disease affects millions globally, while MSA is far rarer, impacting about five in every 100,000 people. But MSA's toll is devastating, says Dieriks. 'MSA can turn active, independent people into individuals needing full-time care within just a few years. 'Whereas people with Parkinson's may live for decades, those with MSA typically survive only three to ten years after symptoms begin,' says Dieriks. Globally, research on Parkinson's is progressing rapidly, he says. 'We're closer than ever to developing a diagnostic test for Parkinson's. And the sooner we can catch these diseases, the better chance we have of slowing or stopping their progression.'
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
Macquarie Sticks to Their Buy Rating for Santos Limited (STOSF)
In a report released today, Mark Wiseman from Macquarie maintained a Buy rating on Santos Limited (STOSF – Research Report), with a price target of A$8.85. The company's shares closed yesterday at $4.96. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter According to TipRanks, Wiseman is a 3-star analyst with an average return of 1.4% and a 47.67% success rate. Wiseman covers the Energy sector, focusing on stocks such as Amplitude Energy, Ampol Limited, and Santos Limited. In addition to Macquarie, Santos Limited also received a Buy from Citi's Paul McTaggart in a report issued yesterday. However, on the same day, Morgans downgraded Santos Limited (Other OTC: STOSF) to a Sell. STOSF market cap is currently $14.62B and has a P/E ratio of 11.67. Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 14 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is positive on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders buying their shares of STOSF in relation to earlier this year.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Major renovations underway at NOLA's St. Louis Cathedral, how you can help
NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — The St. Louis Cathedral has been the city's center of worship for over 280 years, but the current building has stood for almost 175 years. That building now needs special care. WGNO's LBJ and Photographer Jeff Kent got a chance to document the work being done and what it will cost to save this historic landmark. New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson explained, 'For many, many years it was just neglected. I mean when you go in the building initially it looks beautiful. But if you look a little closer, you could see the plaster coming down, and the art work is not as polished as it was.' Benson is a longtime parishioner of the cathedral and she's leading the effort to restore this national treasure, where the damage to the structure has mostly been caused by our city's location in the Southern U.S. and the climate we live in. 'It's the combination of heat, water, sometimes we get extreme cold and then when air conditioning inside the cathedral meets that hot humid air outside all kinds of bad things happen near the entryway. So weather and occasional hurricanes, that's a problem. This is a common problem on any older building in the French Quarter and elsewhere, but it's water intrusion from the outside,' said Executive Director of the Catholic Cultural Center Chris Wiseman. The work has already begun and it's expected to take three to four years. The team is also taking extra care with the damaged art that adorns the walls and ceilings of the cathedral. 'This is canvas, painted and placed on there so you'll see later this summer we'll have scaffolding. We'll do some analysis to see what it will take to get that canvas off, restore it, and then put it back,' said Wiseman. The restoration planners also drew on an internationally famous cathedral renovation for their expertise. 'Mrs. Benson actually sent out two lead architects to Paris so they could talk to the people doing the Notre Dame renovation and learn some things,' according to Wiseman. At a cost of over $45 million to repair and restore the exterior and interior, Benson has been generous in her giving and solicited donations from around the world. But there is also an appeal to locals who hold the church dear and want to see it preserved. 'Everybody needs to have and invested interest in this and if they do, then they know they were a part of it and we get a lot of checks for small amounts which is very touching because it shows me that these people really care,' said Benson. There are also plans for a new, larger gift shop where the rectory now resides, and two new restrooms. To donate toward the St. Louisiana Cathedral renovation, visit the Our City, Our Cathedral renovations underway at NOLA's St. Louis Cathedral, how you can help Will Chrysler's next 100 years be electrified? Hamlin gets 3rd 2025 win at Michigan Told he'd never talk, NOLA 6-year-old now starts conversation at Xavier University White House dismisses Pride Month as WorldPride gathers in Washington Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Ballerina 'director breaks down the ending and its 'brutal' consequences for John Wick and Eve
This article contains spoilers for Eve's (Ana de Armas) fight has only just begun by the end of Ballerina. The John Wick spinoff movie introduces a new ruthless assassin on a quest for vengeance, and director Len Wiseman tells Entertainment Weekly that there's so much more yet to come with Eve's story after this movie. And despite Keanu Reeves' titular killer advising her multiple times to walk away from this life, she continues to dive deeper into the world of contract killings even after she finally gets her revenge. "She's checked herself into the Continental, and her next move is really sorting out how her whole life has been a lie," Wiseman tells EW of where Eve goes from here. "She now understands what her father was really doing for her, understands where she came from, and decided, 'I've made a choice. I've got the answers that I needed, but there are consequences in this world.'" If Ballerina gets a sequel to continue exploring that open-ended conclusion, the director says it will need to unpack the fallout from Eve's choices. "She has to now deal with the consequences that John Wick laid out to her, that Winston [Ian McShane] laid out to her," Wiseman says. "It is a brutal world. You don't walk off into the sunset very easily. And so now Eve's next move is how to deal with the consequences of her actions in this [movie]." Ballerina is essentially Eve's origin story, beginning with her tragic childhood. When her father (David Castañeda) is killed in front of her, she's given over to the Ruska Roma for training in both killing and ballet. Twelve years later, she graduates to become a hired gun. Only two months into her new career, she discovers a clue about who really killed her father, motivating her to find and punish the mysterious cult of assassins responsible for his death. While the Ruska Roma's Director (Anjelica Huston) tries to dissuade Eve from seeking revenge, she immediately goes rogue, getting intel from New York's Continental owner Winston that helps her track down the tribe's leader, the Chancellor (Gabriel Byrne), and his entire town of trained assassins. While fighting her way through the town, Eve learns she was actually stolen away from this place when she was a child by her father, who wanted her to have a better, less violent life. That's why the Chancellor had her father killed, to punish him for kidnapping Eve. She also meets her long-lost older sister Lena (Catalina Sandino Moreno) in the town, but she's killed pretty quickly — no emotional hugs here. Eventually, the Baba Yaga himself, John Wick, is sent to kill Eve to stop her from causing a war between the Ruska Roma and the Chancellor's gang of killers, who have had a truce for over 100 years. But John doesn't follow through on his contract, instead helping Eve kill the Chancellor and save a little girl named Ella (Ava Joyce McCarthy) from a life of murder. Eve helps Ella reunite with her father, Daniel (Norman Reedus), ultimately finding redemption for her own tragic childhood. It's not a totally happy ending, though, since Eve discovers at the very end of the movie that a contract has been put out on her for $5 million, forcing her into action once again. Her original mission may have ended, but her troubles are only just beginning. "The Chancellor relates to her at the ending that this cycle will continue: 'You kill me, you've cut the head of the snake, but the body still lives,'" Wiseman says. "There will be ramifications of that. And she didn't kill the entire village." The filmmaker would love to explore what would happen if Eve's mother isn't actually dead, as everyone believes. What if she returns to see her entire home destroyed and Lena dead?"If I really were to get my full fantasy of that, her mother would discover that village and see it decimated and her daughter has been killed, so the ramifications can come in many different forms," Wiseman says. "And also, is John completely off the hook for helping her out at the end? He technically was going by the rules in a sense, but he kind of fudged the rules a little bit. I don't think anybody gets off kindly in this world." The director thought it was a no-brainer that John defied his orders and helped Eve in her mission instead of killing her, especially considering that this movie takes place between John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. "It comes down to John and what John has gone through in his life and what circumstances he's been put in at this point," Wiseman says. "And there's an understanding of how sometimes this life takes things from you. He was somebody that is having to deal with the consequences of the revenge path that he went on and what he had lost, and so it really is him seeing a bit of himself in her and how personal it is and what has been destroyed about her life. So he feels for her in that moment." Ballerina is now playing in theaters. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
