January 18, 2022

Taconic Biosciences Adds New Humanized Immune System (HIS) Model to Its Portfolio For Immuno-Oncology Research

New huNOG-EXL EA Model Extends Study Windows Significantly

RENSSELAER, N.Y., Jan. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Taconic Biosciences, a global leader in providing drug discovery animal model solutions, announces the launch of the huNOG-EXL EA (Early Access) humanized immune system (HIS) mouse. This product expands Taconic’s widely used HIS portfolio. huNOG-EXL EA significantly lengthens the study window during which a myeloid-lineage HIS mouse model can be used successfully.

Taconic’s huNOG-EXL models support human myeloid and lymphoid cells, making these mice especially useful for immuno-oncology research and other immune-related applications. With the longest lifespan of any myeloid-supportive HIS model, the original huNOG-EXL model (now called huNOG-EXL SA, or Standard Access) has been successfully applied in preclinical drug discovery research since 2016. The huNOG-EXL SA model is provided after a quality control step at 10 weeks post-engraftment. Feedback from users suggests research applications requiring particularly long study timelines or importation into regions with long quarantine periods present experimental and logistical hurdles that can limit the utility of the Standard Access (SA) model.

The new huNOG-EXL EA model removes those challenges by providing access to huNOG-EXL mice soon after engraftment, extending the useful study window. This makes the huNOG-EXL EA ideal for engraftment of slow-growing tumors, longer treatment paradigms, or various study customizations. Early access to an extended myeloid lineage model is also advantageous to researchers who face model importation quarantines, which would otherwise consume a significant portion of the useful study window for these mice. Because the huNOG-EXL EA model is shipped before an engraftment QC step is possible, it is made using cells from donors previously validated to engraft well so as to reduce the risk of engraftment failures.

“The huNOG-EXL EA model meets critical scientific needs for investigators performing immuno-oncology research or studying other immune-related diseases,” said Dr. Michael Seiler, vice president of commercial products at Taconic. “After conducting extensive research and development, along with rigorous beta testing with several industry partners, Taconic is excited to now offer the new model and expand the usefulness of this unique humanized mouse.”

To learn more about Taconic’s huNOG-EXL EA model, please contact us at 1-888-TACONIC (888-822-6642) in the US, +45 70 23 04 05 in Europe, or email info@taconic.com.

About Taconic Biosciences, Inc.

Taconic Biosciences is a fully licensed, global leader in genetically engineered rodent models and services. Founded in 1952, Taconic provides the best animal solutions so that customers can acquire, custom-generate, breed, precondition, test, and distribute valuable research models worldwide. Specialists in genetically engineered mouse and rat models, microbiome, immuno-oncology mouse models, and integrated model design and breeding services, Taconic operates three service laboratories and six breeding facilities in the U.S. and Europe, maintains distributor relationships in Asia and has global shipping capabilities to provide animal models almost anywhere in the world.

Media Contact:

Nancy J Sandy

CEO

608-332-6320

Nancy.Sandy@taconic.com

January 18, 2022

OKX overtakes global crypto exchanges as 2nd largest, rebrands as cross-platform services provider

Formerly OKEx, OKX’s new brand highlights the platform’s robust suite of crypto, NFT and DeFi investing products

VICTORIA, Seychelles, Jan. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — OKX, which recently became the second largest cryptocurrency exchange in the world by spot trading volume, today announced a company-wide rebrand that reflects the dynamism and accelerating adoption of cryptocurrency. Founded in 2017 as a cryptocurrency trading service, OKX has since amassed over 20 million users and expanded its suite of digital asset investing products to include OKX Earn, a tool for earning passive crypto income; an NFT marketplace and decentralized application discovery hub; and most recently, MetaX, OKX’s new decentralized mode that features a cross-chain dashboard and self-custody Web 3.0 wallet for storing digital assets, including NFTs.

This shift, as highlighted by the company’s name change from OKEx to OKX, reflects the platform’s growing number of wealth creation opportunities beyond the exchange, which investors use to trade hundreds of digital assets on spot, margin and derivatives markets.

As part of the move, OKX has declared its mission to be “to remove barriers to wealth creation by giving you access to everything our decentralized future holds.” This underscores the platform’s ongoing evolution towards decentralization, which includes giving investors the option to self-custody their digital assets. Distinct from other centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, OKX is committed to gradually decreasing the company’s level of involvement in user activity, with the ultimate goal of shedding intermediation entirely.

“OKX is moving beyond the standard centralized exchange model to give our customers an end-to-end cryptocurrency experience,” said Jay Hao, CEO of OKX. “Most importantly, we’re doing this while upholding the core principles of crypto — decentralization and autonomy. Our goal is to give customers the tools they need to easily and securely earn, transfer, and spend their wealth as they see fit, without intermediation from us. We’ve dropped the ‘E’ from our name because we’re so much more than an exchange, just like crypto is so much more than a speculative asset.”

OKX, which lists over 250 digital assets and has long held the #1 rank for cryptocurrency futures trading volumes, recently became the second largest cryptocurrency spot trading platform in the world. In 2021, total trading volume on the platform, including spot and derivatives instruments, grew over 700%, while the number of trades executed on the platform increased over 480%. Staking, savings and DeFi offerings via OKX Earn saw over $5.1 billion deposited by users, and paid out over $314 million in passive income this past year.

To learn more, please visit OKX.com and follow @OKX on Twitter.

About OKX

Founded in 2017, OKX is a world leading cryptocurrency exchange and ecosystem. OKX has innovatively adopted blockchain technology to reshape the financial ecosystem and offers some of the most diverse and sophisticated products, solutions and trading tools on the market. Trusted by more than 20 million people in 180 regions across the globe, OKX’s mission is to remove barriers to wealth creation by offering access to everything the decentralized future holds. With its unwavering commitment to innovation, OKX envisions a world of financial inclusion for all through the power of crypto and decentralized finance.

Contact us

Email: media@okx.com
Olivia Capozzalo:
olivia.capozzalo@okx.com
@oliviacap (Telegram)

January 18, 2022

Good news for kung fu enthusiasts around the world – Shaolin Temple launches kung fu online games

DENGFENG, China, Jan. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — With the Chinese New Year around the corner, China’s Songshan Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Culture Centers across the world have launched a global kung fu contest – “Happy Chinese New Year: Shaolin Kung Fu Online Games.”

“Shaolin kung fu boasts the value of fitness, enlightenment, and harmony,” said the abbot of the Shaolin Temple, Master Shi Yongxin. “As countries around the world battle the COVID-19 pandemic, the Shaolin Temple launched the competition online with the aspiration of promoting peace, friendship, and health, hoping that kung fu fans around the globe gain health, fitness, and happiness,” the abbot added.

The Shaolin Temple organizes year-end kung fu examinations for the monks at the end of each year to encourage kung fu monks to be more brave and diligent.

This year, the examination will be launched online for kung fu lovers of all ages across the globe. Participants will only need to upload a video to the official website of the activity.

The online kung fu games promote communication and interaction between people around the globe against the backdrop of epidemic curbing. The online games are not only an arena for global competitors but also a joyous “family reunion” of all kung fu enthusiasts.

The Chinese zodiac sign of 2022 is the Tiger, and the tiger represents justice, majesty, bravery, and diligence in Chinese culture, which identifies with the concept of Shaolin kung fu.

Shaolin Kung fu has a long history of more than 1,500 years and is one of China’s top-level martial art schools with a complete system. As a national intangible cultural heritage of China, Shaolin kung fu illustrates the desire for supernatural powers and the pursuit of extraordinary wisdom.

The Shaolin Temple has established Shaolin Culture Centers in more than 120 cities on five continents, with more than tens of millions of disciples. Former South African President Nelson Mandela praised Shaolin culture for the human values it instills. Moreover, Stephen Orlins, president of the National Committee on United States-China Relations recalled the legacy of the “ping-pong diplomacy” when talking about Shaolin kung fu, after watching a kung fu performance at the United Nations headquarters.

Registration for the games is now open until January 20 at 24:00, local time. Please visit the official website and App of the Shaolin Temple for more details.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1728275/image_1.jpg

January 18, 2022

Large Asteroid to Pass Near Earth Tuesday

A large asteroid is expected to pass within 1.93 million kilometers of Earth on Tuesday, according to NASA.

The asteroid known as 7482 (1994 PC1), which was discovered in 1994, is about one kilometer wide or “bridge size” as NASA called it.

NASA says the asteroid will again make a pass by Earth in July, but it won’t be as close. The space agency says the asteroid will again pass our planet on Jan. 18, 2105, when it is projected to come within 2.32 million kilometers.

The closest known approach of an asteroid happened on Jan. 17, 1933, when one passed within 1.12 million kilometers of Earth

Even at its closest, 7482 (1994 PC1) won’t be visible without the aid of a small telescope.

Nancy Chabot, chief planetary scientist at Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory, told CBS News that there are about 25,000 near-Earth asteroids that are at least 152 meters wide. Were one of those to impact Earth, it would be “devastating,” she said.

Source: Voice of America

January 18, 2022

Americans Begin Ordering Free At-Home COVID Tests

The U.S. government quietly conducted a soft launch Tuesday of its website where Americans can request free rapid coronavirus tests — a day ahead of the scheduled rollout.

Covidtests.gov quickly became the most accessed federal government website as millions of households began placing orders for test kits.

“COVIDtests.gov is up and running to help prepare for the full launch tomorrow. We have tests for every residential address in the U.S. Please check back tomorrow if you run into any unexpected issues,” said a notice at the top of the government website.

This reporter mid-Tuesday was able to complete an order within about a minute after clicking on the link that connects to a U.S. Postal Service form.

Some occupants of apartments and other multi-unit dwellings, however, complained on social media that the website’s address verification tool was enforcing the four-per-person household, only allowing one family per building to request the tests.

A member of Congress from the state of New York, Carolyn Maloney, tweeted advice on how apartment residents might avoid the glitch.

“Every website launch, in our view, comes with risk,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters during Tuesday’s White House briefing. “We can’t guarantee there won’t be a bug or two, but the best tech teams across the administration and the Postal Service are working hard to make this a success.”

An administration official last week promised reporters, “we’re ready for this,” explaining that four individual rapid antigen tests would be shipped in seven to 12 days via the Postal Service after a completed online order.

“The 650,000 women and men of the United States Postal Service are ready to deliver and proud to play a critical role in supporting the health needs of the American public,” Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement last week. “We have been working closely with the Administration and are well prepared to accept and deliver test kits on the first day the program launches.”

President Joe Biden last week announced the government will purchase another 500 million at-home tests for the public, in addition to the order made last month for half a billion tests.

The Biden administration’s plan is a classic case of big government seeming to be “needed” because it is difficult for private forces to address the problem, according to Jeffrey Miron, director of economic studies at the Cato Institute and a Harvard University economist.

Americans have the option to purchase tests at pharmacies and other stores. New federal rules went into effect Saturday requiring private medical insurance companies to cover the cost of those at-home tests, but insurers say it could take weeks to sort out the reimbursement procedures, adding another headache to the process.

“This federal intervention would never have been necessary had the private sector been free to develop, test, and sell test kits without interference from the Food and Drug Administration or Centers for Disease Control,” Miron told VOA. “Other countries had rapid tests widely available many months ago; so, the technology was clearly available.”

Given the existing rules and regulations about private production and sale of test kits, however, “federal distribution is perhaps a useful step that will reduce the delays and bottlenecks that many people are experiencing in purchasing kits from private suppliers,” Miron said.

Source: Voice of America