Daily Business Report: March 19, 2024
Scientist Xueqin Sun
seeks to illuminate
underlying causes of cancer
Growing up in China, the world’s second most populous country at 1.425 billion people, Xueqin “Sherine Sun, Ph.D.,says she was acutely aware of the presence of cancer and its consequences. Almost one-quarter of new cancer cases each year occur in China, and one in three deaths.
“I have seen the enormous disability, suffering and mortality caused by cancer,” says Sun. “As it becomes more prevalent globally, I believe that almost everyone has or will experience cancer at personal level, in their families or among friends. I’ve lost many relatives and friends to cancer and I have always been curious about what is cancer, why people get cancer and why we cannot treat cancer like other curable diseases?”
Image courtesy of National Cancer Institute.
As a new assistant professor at Sanford Burnham Prebys faculty, Sun seeks to better understand the genetic and epigenetic underpinnings of cancers, using genome editing technologies, animal and patient-derived models, and other tools to develop more effective cancer therapies.
She’s already helped make progress. Working previously with Alea Mills, Ph.D., a professor at the National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory in New York, Sun co-published findings last year explaining why a gene called P53, generally regarded as protective against malignancies, sometimes suffers its own debilitating that renders it powerless against the deadliest type of brain tumors called glioblastomas.
Bottom photo:A colorized magnetic resonance image of a patient with brain cancer depicts a glioblastoma or tumor (blue) metastasizing in the occipital lobe (bottom of MRI).
Image courtesy of National Cancer Institute.
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California schools gained billions during
COVID-19. Now the money is running out
By Caroline Jones | CalMatters
After years of cash windfalls, California schools are bracing for a stretch of austerity that could jeopardize students’ already precarious recovery from the pandemic.
An end to billions of dollars in federal Covid relief funds, declining enrollment, staff raises, hiring binges and stagnant state funding should combine over the next few months to create steep budget shortfalls, with low-income districts affected the most.
“The fiscal cliff is going to vary,” said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab at Georgetown University. “The districts that got the most Covid relief dollars, those that have the most low-income students, are going to face the biggest losses.”
In his budget proposal released in January, Gov. Gavin Newsom largely spared schools, keeping intact popular initiatives like transitional kindergarten, universal school meals, community schools and after-school programs. He proposed dipping into reserves and delaying some expenses to make up a projected multi-billion-dollar shortfall.
But the exact numbers are shifting. The Legislative Analyst’s Office predicted that the
shortfall may be much higher than Newsom calculated and cuts will be unavoidable. Newsom will release a revised budget in May, and the Legislature has until June 15 to pass a final budget.
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California’s opioid deaths increased by 121
percent in 3 years. What’s driving the crisis?
By Ana B. Ibarra, Erica Yee and Nigel Duara | CalMatters
It is nearly impossible to escape reminders of today’s boiling opioid epidemic — the billboard advertising Narcan on your commute, a local news story of a teen’s accidental overdose, or the ever-growing public debate over how to best address it.
In just three years, between 2019 and 2021, California’s opioid-related deaths spiked 121 percent,according to the state’s health department. The vast majority of these deaths were linked to fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid.
While pharmaceutical fentanyl has long been used to treat severe pain, say, after surgery, cheaply manufactured illicit fentanyl has become a growing threat in large cities, rural communities and suburban neighborhoods. Oftentimes the harm lies in counterfeit prescription pills and party drugs that, unbeknownst to the user, are laced with fentanyl. And drug trends are ever-changing. What in the 1990s was an epidemic driven largely by people abusing prescription opioids, today is one where fentanyl can be mixed with other substances like xylazine, commonly known as “tranq,”a powerful sedative approved for veterinary use.
Citing the rise in overdose deaths and feeling the pressure to act, lawmakers introduced about three dozen proposals this legislative session and held special hearings. They want to answer the question: How can California prevent more overdose deaths?
Photo: An evidence bag containing pills of synthetic fentanyl disguised as Oxycodone at a Fresno County Sheriff’s Office press conference in 2020. (Photo by Craig Kohlruss, The Fresno Bee via Reuters)
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Royal Jordanian Airlines to elevate passenger experience
with Viasat’s state-of-the-art in-flight Wi-Fi across multiple fleets
Royal Jordanian Airlines and Carlsbad-based Viasat, a global leader in satellite communications, announced that the airline will officially make high-speed Wi-Fi a priority to enhance its future passenger experience by selecting Viasat’s in-flight connectivity (IFC) solution across multiple fleets. In line with the airline’s strategic plan to increase and modernize its fleet, Royal Jordanian Airlines will equip more than 40 total aircraft with Viasat connectivity systems, including plans to factory-install the system on its new Embraer E2, Airbus A320, Airbus 321 and Boeing 787-9 fleets. The airline also plans to retrofit its Boeing 787-8 widebody aircraft with the advanced Wi-Fi solution.
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Del Mar residents sue transit district over bluffs fencing project
By Laura Place
A lawsuit filed by a group of Del Mar residents seeks to halt the North County Transit District’s contract with Exbon Development Inc. to carry out a railroad fencing project along the Del Mar Bluffs, alleging that the district is skirting local and state development laws.
The March 21 lawsuit filed in San Diego County Superior Court by nonprofit Friends of the Del Mar Bluffs is the latest development in a saga of heated pushback against the proposed fencing project, as residents claim it will block pedestrian and surfer access to the trails and beach and damage the sensitive terrain.
The NCTD’s Phase 1 fencing proposal in Del Mar includes 3,723 linear feet of fencing along the upper bluffs, beginning at the Coast Boulevard railroad crossing, with a combination of a 4-foot high black vinyl-coated, chain link fence and a 6-foot black, welded wire mesh fence.
“The fencing described by NCTD that it planned for the Upper Bluff and Lower Bluff would be damaging to the environment, including by permanently altering the bluffs, accelerating erosion, and creating artificial physical barriers with a prison-like, industrial appearance,” the complaint states.
QDOBA names Jeremy Vitaro as chief development officer
QDOBA,America’s No. 2 restaurant brand in the Mexican fast-casual category, announced that Jeremy Vitarohas joined the company as chief development officer and head of international. Vitaro brings more than 20 years of development experience and is responsible for QDOBA’s asset light development strategy, including new restaurant growth, system remodeling, refranchising, acquisition, prototype design, and real estate and construction.
Cordial’s AI strategy delivers greater brand impact
Cordial, the leading marketing platform that automates billions of data-driven emails, SMS and mobile app messages for companies like Tillys, Realtor.com and REVOLVE, has released its roadmap for leveraging AI to drive a deeper understanding for brands. Grounded in the latest tools and advancements, this approach will translate into sustainable revenue growth and long-lasting customer relationships for leading retailers and companies.
Luxshare TECH to showcase latest AI and data center
With the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI), high-performance computing and data transmission have become critical to the development and deployment of AI applications. As a leading player in the optical interconnect industry, Luxshare-TECH is committed to providing innovative and high-quality products and solutions that empower the AI industry.
At the upcoming OFC 2024, Luxshare-TECH will showcase its latest AI and data center optical interconnect products and solutions.
FASHIONPHILE announces purchase of Two Authenticators Inc. assets
FASHIONPHILE, a leading resale e-commerce platform in pre-owned, ultra-luxury accessories, anounced it has purchased the assets of Two Authenticators Inc., a Montreal-based wholesale distributor of authenticated, pre-owned luxury vintage.
Cetera introduces bitcoin ETF policy
Cetera Financial Group, the premier financial advisor Wealth Hub, announced that it has introduced a new policy regarding the usage of bitcoin ETFs in brokerage accounts. The policy includes education and resources designed to help affiliated financial professionals guide their clients in incorporating bitcoin ETFs into their investment portfolios. Cetera is among the first wealth management firms to roll out a formal policy on bitcoin ETFs as exponentially more investors are exploring the products and investing in bitcoin.
Viavi Solutions expands fiber optic test solutions portfolio
Viavi Solutions Inc. expanded its fiber optic test solutions portfolio with the addition of the INX 760 probe microscope. The first fully automated probe microscope on the market. The INX 760 will be showcased at the Optical Fiber Communication (OFC) Conference and Exposition from March 26-28, 2024 in San Diego.
Geekplus celebrates 75th North American project
Geekplus, the global leader in mobile robot and smart logistics solutions, has deployed more than 75 projects in North America, the company’s fastest-growing region. Last year, Geekplus empowered customers with mobile order fulfillment robots at more than 38 project sites across 20 states and one Canadian territory. Geekplus will celebrate the milestone and the U.S. debut of its Tote-to-Person solution, the industry’s tallest mobile order fulfillment robot in Atlanta in March.
Top-Tier San Diego attorney joins forces with Moore, Schulman & Moore APC
Moore, Schulman & Moore APC is adding ABC Family Law & Mediation Center’s founding partner, Lesa Christenson, to their team. The merger allows MSM to expand its ability to provide superior family law services from North County to Downtown San Diego. Christenson has spent nearly four decades providing legal servides.
SkylineDX announces upcoming presentation in San Diego
SkylineDx, an innovative molecular diagnostics company, announced the forthcoming presentation of an impactful poster by Dr. Yu, from University Hospital Cleveland Medical Center, at the upcoming AAD Annual Meeting in San Diego. The abstract concludes that the CP-GEP assay improved risk stratification for nodal metastasis and disease recurrence in patients with cutaneous melanoma. The CP-GEP model was developed by Mayo Clinic and SkylineDx BV and it has been clinically validated in multiple studies
Dr. Seemal R. Desai assumes presidency of American Academy of Dermatology
Dallas-based board-certified dermatologist Seemal R. Desai, MD,, will begin his one-year term as president of the American Academy of Dermatology at the close of the AAD’s Annual Meeting in San Diego. Dr. Desai will lead the world’s largest dermatologic society that represents nearly 21,000 physicians who specialize in diagnosis and treatment of skin, hair, and nail conditions. He will also hold the same position for the American Academy of Dermatology Association, a sister organization focused on government affairs, health policy, and practice information.
