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The rapid advance of the Lost Horse Creek Fire has prompted an evacuation notice for a neighborhood north of Fairbanks.

In an online update posted early Friday, the Alaska Division of Forestry & Fire Protection said the blaze was currently at 1,900 acres, with ground crews in place to engage it. A total of 40 personnel are fighting the fire.

Fairbanks North Star Borough spokesperson Lanien Livingston says the Level 3 GO evacuation notice, issued late Wednesday night, covers a portion of the Haystack subdivision, off the Elliot Highway.

For the upper Haystack Drive area, residents were instructed to go, evacuate, leave that area immediately, Livingston said. Its my understanding that fortunately there are not a lot of residences in that area.

Livingston says larger areas to the south and the north were put into Level 2, or SET status.

The lower part of Haystack Drive area and the more northeastern part, which is the Poker Flat area, those folks in those areas need to be prepared to leave at a moments notice, she said.

The evacuation notices were issued Wednesday evening due to an increase in activity on the Lost Horse Creek Fire, east of the Elliot Highway near Mile 18, about three and a half miles north of Haystack. The fire was among dozens started by lightning last week. Forestry and Fire Protection spokesperson Sam Harrel says it plotted in a limited-modified protection area.

It exhibited no active fire, no active fire growth, Harrel said. It was just a little duffer, we call em. It was just a little smoke.

Harrel says that changed Tuesday with the return of warm, dry weather, so the state began hitting the Lost Horse Creek Fire with water and retardant drops. But despite the attention, Harrel says its continued to burn through dense forest including large areas of highly flammable black spruce, expanding significantly by Wednesday night.

Air attack was guessing that it was between 2,000 and 2,500 acres, he said.

Harrel says crews are being deployed to work the blaze, and into the Haystack subdivision to assess properties for structure protection. He says Alaskas Type 2 incident management team will be taking over management of Lost Horse Creek and several smaller wildfires burning in the general area north of town. Harrel emphasizes that many areas of the borough are under Level 1 or READY evacuation notices.

We all need to know our plan for what to do if an evacuation is called for our area, Harrel said. If we have large animals, we need to have a plan on what to do with those. If we have a kennel full of sled dogs, you need a plan for what to do. If youre a caretaker, if you have elderly folks who arent as mobile, need a little more time to get placesthese are the things you need to be working on in a READY status.

The borough is still in the process of ramping up services for evacuees, and Livingston says emergency operations does not currently have an evacuation shelter available.

That detail is still being worked out, Livingston said. We have been in contact with the local Red Cross, and I expect to have a little bit more information about that a little bit later.

Livingston says the borough has some capacity to help with evacuated animals.

We normally would have a pet or livestock emergency evacuation area located at the Tanana Valley Fairgrounds; however, the fair is going on right now, she said. The good news is we will be able to accept and assist a certain number of household animals at the animal control shelter.

The threat of additional evacuations is real. There are 140 active wildfires in the state, mostly in the Interior, and fire conducive weather is predicted to intensify. National Weather Service forecaster Dustin Salpzman says temperatures in the 80s and possibly 90s are expected this weekend, along with southerly airflow and chinook conditions.

And with that chinook flow, you also get drying of the air, which is really good for the spread of wildfires, Salpzman said. So its just going to be another one of those fire weather patterns that people in the Interior are very familiar with.

A special statement from the Weather Service says the chinook wind will develop Friday near the Alaska Range and also push into the Tanana Valley. It says the hot, dry conditions are forecast to last into Monday before a slow cool-down begins.

Dan Bross is a reporter at KUAC in Fairbanks.

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Fast-moving wildfire prompts evacuation notice near Fairbanks - Alaska Public Media News

For its article Former U.S. Officials Urge New Export Alliance on China, EE Times quoted Akin international trade partner Kevin Wolf. The article is the product of consultations by the publication on the need to establish a new alliance to control semiconductor technology exports to China in the face of weakening current restrictions.

Kevin, a former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Export Administration, Bureau of Industry and Security, said that the current effort being led by the United States with Japan and the Netherlands still falls short and that, in the long term, more nations need to ally under a new multilateral regime. He pointed to the Cold War-era alliance known as the Coordinating Committee for Multilateral Export Controls.

He said, With any unilateral controls, they will lose their effectiveness over time as foreign competitors come online and are not subject to the same controls. Although the Japanese and Dutch controls will significantly enhance the effectiveness of the goal of cutting off advanced-node production in China, there are other parts of the industry involving lots of other electronics that are currently becoming ineffective and counterproductive because there are [alternative] foreign sources. He added that the U.S. may adopt restrictions on Chinas use of cloud services that have helped it end-run semiconductor controls.

Kevin noted that the three allies controls will eventually become less effective: Competitors will start making comparable tools to substitute from countries outside of the Netherlands, the U.S. and Japan. Theres a constant need for evolution of controls. In the inspection and the metrology space, there are lots of really good companies in [South] Korea and Israel, for example, that could make substitutes.

To read the full article, click here.

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CDC is recommending a new immunization starting this fall to help protect all infants under 8 months and some older babies at increased risk of severe illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

Today, CDC director Mandy Cohen, MD, MPH, adopted the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendation for the use of nirsevimab, trade name BeyfortusTM, a long-acting monoclonal antibody product, which has been shown to reduce the risk of both hospitalizations and healthcare visits for RSV in infants by about 80 percent.

Antibodies are part of our immune system and help us fight infections. Monoclonal antibodies are man-made proteins that mimic the antibodies that our bodies naturally produce. Making this immunization available means that babies will be able to receive antibodies to prevent severe RSV disease, providing a critical tool to protect against a virus that is the leading cause of hospitalization among infants in the U.S.

RSV is one of the most common causes of childhood respiratory illness and results in annual outbreaks of respiratory illnesses in all age groups. An estimated 58,000 to 80,000 children under 5 years of age, most of them infants, are hospitalized each year nationwide due to RSV infection, with some requiring oxygen, intravenous (IV) fluids, or mechanical ventilation (a machine to help with breathing). Each year, an estimated 100 to 300 children younger than 5 years of age die due to RSV.

This new RSV immunization provides parents with a powerful tool to protect their children against the threat of RSV, said Dr. Cohen. RSV is the leading cause of hospitalizations for infants and older babies at higher risk and today we have taken an important step to make this life saving product available.

CDC recommends one dose of nirsevimab for all infants younger than 8 months, born during or entering their first RSV season (typically fall through spring). For a small group of children between the ages of 8 and 19 months who are at increased risk of severe RSV disease, such as children who are severely immunocompromised, a dose is recommended in their second season.

Nirsevimab, which was approved last month by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is administered as an injection and provides infants and toddlers with antibodies to protect against severe RSV illness. It provides critical protection during a babys first RSV season, when theyre most at risk for severe illness.

Nirsevimab is expected to be available this fall. Expectant parents and parents of infants under the age of 8 months, as well as those with older babies, should talk with their healthcare providers and request this added layer of protection against RSV this season.

ACIP voted to include nirsevimab in the Vaccines for Children program, which provides recommended vaccines and immunizations at no cost to about half of the nations children. CDC is currently working to make nirsevimab available through the Vaccines for Children program. Healthcare providers will be a key partner in CDCs outreach efforts. Additional clinical guidance and healthcare provider education material will be provided by CDC in the coming months.

As we head into respiratory virus season this fall, its important to use these new tools available to help prevent severe RSV illness, said Cohen. I encourage parents of infants to talk to their pediatricians about this new immunization and the importance of preventing severe RSV.

For more information on nirsevimab, trade name BeyfortusTM, visit CDCs website: RSV in Infants and Young Children | CDC.

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CDC Recommends a Powerful New Tool to Protect Infants from the ... - CDC

Research published in Science today shows that a naturally occurring bacterium discovered by GSK scientists Delftia tsuruhatensis Tres Cantos 1 (TC1) could be the basis for new anti-malarial interventions. Studies done in collaboration at the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health show that the bacterium can significantly reduce the malaria parasite load in both the mosquito midgut and salivary glands indicating the potential of TC1 to inhibit transmission of the parasite to humans via the mosquito.

The potentially ground-breaking research, which also includes data from preliminary semi-field studies conducted with Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sant (IRSS) in a contained MosquitoSphere facility in Burkina Faso suggest that laboratory findings could be successfully translated to the field for malaria control.

Thomas Breuer, Chief Global Health Officer, GSK, said: This new discovery is the result of our ongoing commitment to malaria innovation at GSK, adding to the first ever vaccine against malaria, and the first ever radical cure for P. vivax malaria. An additional tool, Delftia tsuruhatensis Tres Cantos 1 (TC1), as an entirely novel approach for malaria control, has potential to further reduce the huge burden of malaria in endemic countries and is more evidence that through deploying a range of prevention approaches, we may be able to finally eradicate this terrible disease.

The discovery of the TC1 bacterium was made by scientists at GSKs Global Health Medicines R&D site in Tres Cantos, Spain, working on next generation malaria medicines. They observed that mosquitoes from an An. stephensi colony in their insectary were no longer able to sustain P. falciparum infection the most prevalent and fatal type of malaria in Africa, as well as other parts of the world. Experiments confirmed that a particular strain of Delftia tsuruhatensis, which has been named TC1, was responsible for the loss of infectivity.

Researchers from GSK, Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute and Fundacin MEDINA then found that TC1 secretes very small quantities of a molecule, harmane, that inhibits early stages of P. falciparum development in the mosquito midgut. Importantly, mosquitoes exposed to either the TC1 bacterium or very low concentrations of harmane showed a significant reduction in the form of the Plasmodium parasite which is transmitted to humans by the bite of a mosquito. Once in the midgut, the bacterium stably populates the mosquito gut and P. falciparum inhibition lasted for more than 16 days and potentially for the entire mosquito lifespan.

Delftia tsuruhatensis is a naturally occurring bacterium which is already widely distributed in different ecosystems (fresh and marine water, soil and plants) suggesting potential for safe release into the environment. Mosquitoes do not release the bacterium with their saliva when feeding, suggesting it is not transmitted to humans.

TC1 was effective in An. stephensi and An. gambiae mosquitoes which are the main vectors of malaria in the Indo-Iranian region and Africa. TC1 was also shown to inhibit two types of malaria parasite P. falciparum which is the most prevalent type of malaria in Africa and the rodent malaria parasite, P. berghei. These results suggest it has potential to inhibit the development of all malaria parasites which affect humans (P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae in addition to P. falciparum).

Several characteristics of TC1 suggest there is low potential for either mosquitoes or the malaria parasite to develop resistance. It does not impact the fitness or reproductive ability of the mosquito avoiding the selection of resistant mosquitoes. By targeting the parasite in the mosquito instead of in humans, parasite numbers are much smaller, so the chances of the parasite developing resistance are greatly reduced.

Todays data demonstrates the potential for TC1 to be used in field settings using low-cost technologies, indicating that TC1-based products could be used as an entirely novel approach for malaria control, adding to the toolbox of interventions needed to get ahead of the disease. A GSK led extensive semi-field study is currently underway with partners at IRSS in Burkina Faso and additional studies on efficacy, manufacturability and safety are currently underway.

Dr Abdoulaye Diabat, Director of Medical Entomology and Parasitology, IRSS, said: Malaria is a major public health threat that kills millions of children and profoundly restricts socioeconomic development in Africa. Discoveries such as TC1 bacterium hold huge potential for Africa. We hope to provide a viable solution that can be readily adopted in field settings to control and prevent malaria transmission which could have a profound impact on public health, ultimately helping to save the lives of millions of children and fostering sustainable development in malaria endemic regions."

GSK will continue to pursue this ground-breaking research while engaging with global health institutions and partners to identify the most effective and sustainable approach for development and mobilisation if successful.

Collaborators

In conducting this research programme, in addition to the Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute, GSK also worked with scientists from Fundacin MEDINA, Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Sant (IRSS) and used mathematical modelling done in conjunction with scientists from Imperial College London. The Innovative Vector Control Consortium (IVCC) provided technical guidance for the development of potential TC1-based tools.

Potential deployment of TC1

Investigations have found three potential active ingredients (the live bacterium, cell-free supernatant and harmane) which could be incorporated into different mosquito-targeted products for malaria control. Each of these have unique features which allow for deployment to mosquitoes via different routes of administration: all three can be administered to mosquitoes orally, and the supernatant and harmane can also be taken up through contact via the mosquito exoskeleton. This suggests there could be multiple ways to administer these active ingredients for malaria control.

About malaria

Malaria continues to be a major health threat in many parts of the world with nearly half of the worlds population at risk of contracting the disease. In 2021, there were an estimated 247 million cases of malaria and over 619,000 deaths, the majority of whom were children under the age of 5 living in Africa. Progress against this devastating disease has stalled since the pandemic, with an additional 13 million cases and 63,000 more deaths in 2020 and 2021.[1] The warming climate is predicted to expand the areas where malaria spreads and increase the length of the malaria transmission season in many places. Extreme weather events like flooding, which are becoming increasingly frequent, also lead to surges in malaria infections.[2],[3],[4] With mosquitoes becoming increasingly resistant to insecticides and the malaria parasite developing resistance to medicines, novel interventions are urgently needed to get ahead of the disease.[5]

About GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com/company.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D 'Risk factors in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2022, and Q2 Results for 2023 and any impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References

[1] Malaria (who.int)

[2] The 2022 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: health at the mercy of fossil fuels - The Lancet

[3] Malaria and dengue predicted to affect billions more people if global warming continues uncurbed | LSHTM

[4] Felled by a Warming World: Will Malaria Be the Next Pandemic? - Opinion - The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria

[5] Malaria (who.int)

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New research published in Science highlights potential of a ... - GSK

With its FORWARD! action plan, special chemical company LANXESS counteracts the phase of weak economic development. This will initially save LANXESS around EUR 100 million in 2023 through one-time cost reductions and lower investments. In addition, the Group is positioning itself more efficiently and will permanently reduce its annual costs by around EUR 150 million from 2025 onward.

LANXESS business figures for the second quarter were again dominated by the weak global demand in many customer industries: Sales amounted to EUR 1.778 billion, down 11.1 percent from the previous years figure of EUR 1.999 billion. EBITDA pre exceptionals decreased by 57.7 percent from EUR 253 million to EUR 107 million. For the full year 2023, LANXESS expects EBITDA pre exceptionals of between EUR 600 million and EUR 650 million. The Group therefore confirmed the provisional guidance for the second quarter and the full year 2023 published on June 19.

The negative earnings performance was due to continued weak demand in many customer industries, ongoing inventory reduction among customers, and lower selling prices. China, the worlds largest chemical market, also failed to stimulate demand. Only the Consumer Protection segment achieved growth in sales. The contribution from the Microbial Control business acquired from IFF at the beginning of July 2022 had a positive effect here.

The Groups EBITDA margin pre exceptionals was 6.0 percent, against 12.7 percent in the prior-year quarter. Net income from continuing operations declined to EUR -145 million in the second quarter compared with EUR 48 million in the prior-year quarter.

The chemical industry and LANXESS are in a difficult situation right now. There is currently no sign of a recovery in demand anticipated for the second half of the year. We are therefore taking countermeasures: With our FORWARD! action plan, we are stabilizing our earnings in the short term, lowering our costs in the long term and refining our structures and processes. When the economy picks up again, we want to get back on track quickly, said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management of LANXESS AG. But that is not enough. Politicians need to finally wake up. In the current phase of economic weakness, the location Germany is not competitive internationally. We urgently need sustainable framework conditions above all an internationally competitive electricity tariff for the industry, the reduction of excessive bureaucracy and faster approval procedures.

The FORWARD! action plan has three parts. As a first step, the Group has taken immediate measures to quickly stabilize its earnings for the current fiscal year. The measures include strict cost discipline in all areas as well as a Europe-wide hiring freeze. This will result in one-time savings of EUR 100 million, half of which from cost reductions and half from lower investments.

With a package of structural measures, the Group intends to become more efficient in the long term and reduce its costs by EUR 150 million a year. The measures will be implemented successively and will take full effect from 2025 onwards. LANXESS projects one-time costs of around EUR 100 million for the implementation. The focus is on analyzing energy-intensive operations among the global plants and facilities and a streamlining of administrative structures.

Among the German production facilities, the plans are focused on the Krefeld-Uerdingen site: The hexane oxidation there is very energy-intensive and is to be shut down by 2026. The facility for chromium oxide production at this location is to be sold. For the event that a sale cannot be realized, LANXESS is also considering shutting down this facility.

The third part of the action plan is the further refinement of the business model. In recent years, we have consistently reoriented our portfolio toward specialty chemicals and already achieved leading market positions in many areas. It is now time to fully leverage the potential of our new businesses. In addition, we want to further expand our range of sustainable products, said Zachert.

LANXESS significantly reduced its debt in the second quarter. Net financial liabilities decreased by 24.9 percent from EUR 3.814 billion as of December 31, 2022, to EUR 2.863 billion as of June 30, 2023. The decrease resulted primarily from the payment received in connection with the formation of the joint venture Envalior. As of April 1 this year, LANXESS contributed its High Performance Materials business unit to the joint venture with the private equity investor Advent International in return for a payment of around EUR 1.27 billion from Advent.

The integration of the Microbial Control business acquired as of July 1, 2022, made a significant contribution to the Consumer Protection segments sales in the second quarter of 2023. Sales rose by 8.2 percent from EUR 558 million in the prior-year period to EUR 604 million. However, lower selling prices and volumes had the opposite effect. EBITDA pre exceptionals therefore amounted to EUR 82 million, down 8.9 percent on the prior-year periods figure of EUR 90 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals reached 13.6 percent, against 16.1 percent a year ago.

Weak demand, especially from the construction and electronics industries, negatively affected the Specialty Additives segments sales and earnings. Sales amounted to EUR 620 million in the second quarter of 2023, down 18.8 percent compared with the prior-year quarters figure of EUR 764 million. EBITDA pre exceptionals amounted to EUR 37 million in the second quarter of this year, down a considerable 72.4 percent from the previous years figure of EUR 134 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals decreased from 17.5 percent in the previous year to 6.0 percent.

Lower selling prices and volumes negatively affected the Advanced Intermediates segments figures. Demand was weak from the construction and chemical industries in particular. Sales amounted to EUR 484 million in the second quarter of 2023, down 17.5 percent from the previous years figure of EUR 587 million. EBITDA pre exceptionals decreased by 68.9 percent from EUR 74 million in the prior-year period to EUR 23 million. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals declined to 4.8 percent, against 12.6 percent a year ago.

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LANXESS lowers costs and increases efficiency - Lanxess