Unlike scores of people who scrambled for the blockbuster drugs Ozempic and Wegovy to lose weight in recent years, Danielle Griffin had no trouble getting them. The 38-year-old information technology worker from New Mexico had a prescription. Her pharmacy had the drugs in stock. And her health insurance covered all but $25 to $50 of the monthly cost. For Griffin, the hardest part of using the new drugs wasn’t access. It was finding out that the much-hyped medications didn’t really work for her. “I have been on Wegovy for a year and a half and have only lost 13 pounds,” said Griffin, who watches her diet, drinks plenty of water and exercises regularly. “I’ve done everything right with no success. It’s discouraging.” In clinical trials, most participants taking Wegovy or Mounjaro to treat obesity lost an average of 15% to 22% of their body weight — up to 50 pounds or more in many cases. But roughly 10% to 15% of patients in those trials were “nonresponders” who lost less than 5% of their body weight. Now that millions of people have used the drugs, several obesity experts told The Associated Press that perhaps 20% of patients — as many as 1 in 5 — may not respond well to the medications. It's a little-known consequence of the obesity drug boom, according to doctors who caution eager patients not to expect one-size-fits-all results. “It's all about explaining that different people have different responses,” said Dr. Fatima Cody Stanford, an obesity expert at Massachusetts General Hospital The drugs are known as GLP-1 receptor agonists because they mimic a hormone in the body known as glucagon-like peptide 1. Genetics, hormones and variability in how the brain regulates energy can all influence weight — and a person's response to the drugs, Stanford said. Medical conditions such as sleep apnea can prevent weight loss, as can certain common medications, such as antidepressants, steroids and contraceptives. “This is a disease that stems from the brain,” said Stanford. “The dysfunction may not be the same” from patient to patient. Despite such cautions, patients are often upset when they start getting the weekly injections but the numbers on the scale barely budge. “It can be devastating,” said Dr. Katherine Saunders, an obesity expert at Weill Cornell Medicine and co-founder of the obesity treatment company FlyteHealth. “With such high expectations, there’s so much room for disappointment.” That was the case for Griffin, who has battled obesity since childhood and hoped to shed 70 pounds using Wegovy. The drug helped reduce her appetite and lowered her risk of diabetes, but she saw little change in weight. “It’s an emotional roller coaster,” she said. “You want it to work like it does for everybody else.” The medications are typically prescribed along with eating behavior and lifestyle changes. It’s usually clear within weeks whether someone will respond to the drugs, said Dr. Jody Dushay, an endocrine specialist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Weight loss typically begins right away and continues as the dosage increases. For some patients, that just doesn't happen. For others, side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea force them to halt the medications, Dushay said. In such situations, patients who were counting on the new drugs to pare pounds may think they’re out of options. “I tell them: It's not game over,” Dushay said. Trying a different version of the new class of drugs may help. Griffin, who didn't respond well to Wegovy, has started using Zepbound, which targets an additional hormone pathway in the body. After three months of using the drug, she has lost 7 pounds. “I'm hoping it's slow and steady,” she said. Other people respond well to older drugs, the experts said. Changing diet, exercise, sleep and stress habits can also have profound effects. Figuring out what works typically requires a doctor trained to treat obesity, Saunders noted. “Obesity is such a complex disease that really needs to be treated very comprehensively,” she said. “If what we’re prescribing doesn’t work, we always have a backup plan.” The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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A project which uses birdsong as a key to unlocking the secrets of wildlife has been launched in a collaboration between the UK Agri-Tech Centre and Chirrup.ai. Chirrup.ai launched the technology to help make nature monitoring an affordable solution for measuring and managing biodiversity. The project, ‘ChirrupNano’, with funding from Innovate UK, uses birdsong to monitor wildlife previously unseen in nature reserves and back garden bird counts. Hayley Gerry, project manager at the UK Agri-Tech Centre, said: “The expanse of knowledge we can gain about biodiversity in an area using the bioacoustics of bird song is extremely impressive. “To enable sustainable farming, we need to encourage multi-species habitats to enrich the areas, which in turn makes the farming of livestock and arable products sustainable. “In order to do this we need to be able to measure the baseline of the current situation, and that is where this project comes in.” The project will be put to the test in the spring of 2025 across the UK.
As President-elect builds out his , one nominee has emerged as a potential favorite of Democrats — and a headache for Republicans. Trump announced last month that he's nominating Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, a first-term Republican who just lost a tough reelection fight in a Democratic-leaning Oregon district, to serve as his Secretary of Labor. Unlike most Republicans, she's positioned herself as an ally of labor unions, has co-sponsored major Democratic pro-union bills, and has earned the backing of some prominent labor leaders ahead of her Senate confirmation battle next year. "Oftentimes, you'll get a nominee out of a Republican administration who has had an anti-labor record," said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia. "Her track record would suggest she could be a good advocate." Chavez-DeRemer is one of just three House Republicans who've cosponsored the PRO Act, a that would override state-level "right-to-work" laws that Republicans have long supported while strengthening workers' ability to form unions. She was also one of just eight House Republicans to cosponsor a separate bill that would guarantee public-sector employees the right to organize. "I've only heard good things," said Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania. "She's a supporter of the PRO Act, and that's like the holy grail of labor." Several Democratic senators have offered conditional praise for Chavez-DeRemer, indicating that they're willing to support her nomination if she commits to strengthening labor unions in her new position. Meanwhile, many Republicans are declining to weigh in on her support for pro-labor legislation, saying they'd like to meet with her first. But a handful of them, particularly those who are more supportive of right-to-work laws, have publicly expressed reservations about her. Sen. Bill Cassidy, the top Republican on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, that he needed a "better understanding of her support for Democrat legislation in Congress that would strip Louisiana's ability to be a right to work state, and if that will be her position going forward." "I don't know her, don't really know much about her record, other than what I've read," said Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin. "Some of those things she supports would give me some concern." A spokesperson for Chavez-DeRemer told BI that she would reserve comment on her nomination out of respect for the confirmation process, but that she looks forward to advancing the Trump administration's policies. Chavez-DeRemer's nomination comes as the GOP's relationship with labor has begun to shifted, with self-styled populists like Sens. JD Vance of Ohio and Josh Hawley of Missouri to take a more worker-friendly approach than it has before. And in recent years, organized labor and labor unions have enjoyed a bipartisan . Fetterman argued that it was "smart" for Trump to nominate Chavez-DeRemer, given the drift of union voters into the GOP in recent elections. "I think that means that he's making a move to continue to grab even more votes out of the unions," said Fetterman. But Chavez-DeRemer won't have singular power of labor policy in America, and Trump's appointees to the National Labor Relations Board will likely be especially consequential for . Biden's NLRB — which weighs in on labor-related cases and can investigate different labor disputes — has, among other labor-friendly moves, that are unlawful and set new precedents making it . By contrast, Trump's NLRB took including organizers's abilities to leaflet at employers' property and restricting areas where union organizers could be. "Donald Trump has not exactly been an ally of working families and and labor. So if she's confirmed, we'll see how she does," said Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, who said he wanted to make sure his fellow Oregonian got a "fair shake" in her confirmation hearings. "I'll be listening closely to her testimony." In a statement offering conditional praise for Chavez-DeRemer, Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts argued that Chavez-DeRemer's nomination offers an "early test" of whether Trump will "stand strong with workers or bow down to his corporate donors and the Republican establishment's opposition." "If Republican Senators block Trump's labor nominee for standing with unions, it will show that the party's support for workers is all talk," said Warren. Hawley, who supports Chavez-DeRemer's nomination, said that her confirmation will indeed be a "test of whether or not the party is going to follow this president on his agenda for labor and for workers." For now, many Republicans appear to be in wait-and-see mode — and a GOP desire to show party unity could help keep Republican support from cratering. "My bias is supporting President Trump in staffing his administration with the people he wants around him," said Johnson. "I don't support the PRO Act. I think the PRO Act is not good policy," said Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas. "But I'll assess every nominee on the merits." Read the original article on
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Rxsight's co-president Ilya Goldshleger sells $143,078 in stockNoneSAN FRANCISCO , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- RapidTranslate.org announces the strategic integration of three leading language resource platforms into its comprehensive translation services ecosystem. The company has partnered with Languages Without Limits ( www.languageswithoutlimits.co.uk ), Workshop on Immigrant Languages ( www.workshoponimmigrantlanguages.org ), and Arctic Languages ( www.arcticlanguages.com ) to enhance its educational and research offerings while maintaining these platforms' valuable existing resources. This integration coincides with RapidTranslate.org 's significant expansion into the European market, where the company now provides certified translations in over 60 languages across Germany , France , Spain , Italy , and the United Kingdom . This dual focus on educational resources and certified translations reinforces RapidTranslate.org 's position as a trusted global language services provider. Key Highlights of RapidTranslate.org 's Offerings: Comprehensive Language Support: Enhanced educational and research resources through the integration of three respected language platforms, serving educators, researchers, and language enthusiasts worldwide. Certified Translations: Professional translation services for official and legal documents, backed by a 100% USCIS acceptance guarantee. Global Reach: Expanded European presence supporting individuals, families, businesses, and professionals across key markets. A Leader in Certified Translations RapidTranslate.org delivers professional translations for immigration documentation, legal submissions, business contracts, and academic records. Every document is processed by experienced human translators to ensure linguistic and cultural accuracy. Services include: "By creating a centralized hub for both language resources and certified translation services, we're meeting the evolving needs of our increasingly connected world," says CEO and founder of RapidTranslate.org . "Our expansion into Europe represents our commitment to providing accessible, professional language services to a global audience." Supporting a Multilingual World RapidTranslate.org continues to advance its mission of fostering global communication through its combination of advanced technology and professional human expertise. With over 350,000 successfully translated documents and a growing repository of language learning resources, RapidTranslate.org remains dedicated to quality, security, and accessibility in language services. About RapidTranslate.org Founded in 2020, RapidTranslate.org has grown from a specialized translation service to a comprehensive language solutions provider. The company serves clients ranging from individual immigrants to Fortune 500 companies, maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and security in document translation while advancing language education and research. Connect with RapidTranslate.org : Website: www.rapidtranslate.org View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/rapidtranslateorg-centralizes-language-resources-and-expands-certified-translation-services-globally-302314613.html SOURCE Rapid Translate
Jury awards $310 million to parents of teen killed in fall from Orlando amusement park ride ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The parents of a 14-year-old Missouri boy who fell to his death from a Florida amusement park ride has won a $310 million verdict against the attraction's Austrian builder. The Orlando jury on Thursday ordered Funtime to pay Tyre Sampson's parents $155 million each. The trial lasted only a day as Funtime never appeared in court to defend itself. Icon Park had already settled with Sampson’s family for an undisclosed amount. Sampson stood 6 foot, 2 inches tall and weighed 380 pounds. He fell from the Orlando Free Fall ride at Icon Park because the harness did not fit him and he wasn't warned. Princess of Wales takes another step in return to public life after chemotherapy with carol service LONDON (AP) — The Princess of Wales is taking another step in her return to public life following cancer treatment as she hosts her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey. This year’s concert is designed to celebrate the support people give to one another, especially as they struggle through difficult times, a theme that may have particular resonance for the princess after abdominal surgery and chemotherapy forced her to step back from public duties for much of 2024. The princess, often referred to simply as Kate, alluded to this in a letter thanking the 1,600 people invited to attend the event because of their efforts to help others in their communities. Hall of Famer Randy Moss is stepping away from ESPN for an extended time to deal with health issue Hall of Fame wide receiver Randy Moss is stepping away from his ESPN analyst role for an extended time to focus on a personal health challenge, the network said in a statement. Moss revealed last week that he’s dealing with a health issue and asked fans to pray for him and his family. The 47-year-old ESPN football analyst made his announcement on Instagram from the set of the network’s “Sunday NFL Countdown” show. He directed his message to men and urged them to get checkups and bloodwork done, without specifying any particular illness. More than a million oven gloves are being recalled after consumers report 92 minor burns NEW YORK (AP) — More than one million pairs of oven gloves are being recalled due to a burn hazard, after dozens of injury reports. Video and e-commerce retailer QVC is recalling about 1.1 million of its “Temp-tations Oven Gloves” because they fail to provide sufficient heat protection. According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, QVC has received 162 reports of insufficient heat protection, including 92 minor burns. Consumers in possession of the now-recalled gloves are urged to stop using them immediately — and contact QVC for a refund. Lionel Messi wins MLS MVP award, the latest trophy on a long list of honors for the Inter Miami star FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Lionel Messi is the MVP of Major League Soccer for 2024. The award comes after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He still factored into a league-high 36 goals by scoring 20 and assisting on 16 others. His 2.1 goal contributions per 90 minutes played is the best by any player in any season in MLS history. MLS revealed the voting results Friday. Messi edged out Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández for the award, which is determined by a poll of players, club technical staff and select media members. Alternative healer gets 10 years in UK prison for death of woman at slap therapy workshop LONDON (AP) — An alternative healer who advocated “slapping therapy” to treat a range of maladies has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for the death of a 71-year-old diabetic woman who stopped taking insulin during his workshop. Hongchi Xiao, 61, was sentenced Friday after being convicted of manslaughter by gross negligence for failing to get medical help for Danielle Carr-Gomm in 2016. Prosecutors say she was howling in pain and frothing at the mouth during the fourth day of a workshop. The California healer promoted paida lajin therapy that advocates slapping to release “poisonous waste” from the body. He was previously convicted of manslaughter in the death of a six-year-old boy in Australia. Stellantis recalling more than 300,000 Ram trucks for braking system defect Stellantis is recalling more than 300,000 Ram Heavy Duty pickup trucks because a faulty part could cause certain braking and tracking systems to fail. The Netherlands-based automaker said the hydraulic control unit on the trucks is prone to failure, which can cause the anti-lock brake, electronic stability control and traction control systems to not work properly. Stellantis said regular braking systems are not affected by the defective part and that it’s unaware of any related injuries. The trucks in question are all model years 2017-18 and include the Ram 2500, 3500, 4500 and 5500. The company is unaware of any injuries related to the defect. El Salvador's president is triumphant after his bet on bitcoin comes true SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele is triumphant about his big bet on bitcoin as the cryptocurrency reached historic highs, surpassing $100,000 for the first time. Bitcoin has been legal tender in the country since 2021 but it never quite matched the president’s enthusiasm. The value of the government’s reported investment now stands at more than $600 million. Bitcoin has rallied mightily since Donald Trump’s election victory last month, exceeding the $100,000 mark on Wednesday night, just hours after the president-elect said he intends to nominate cryptocurrency advocate Paul Atkins to be the next chair of the Securities and Exchange Commission. NBA returning to China for pair of Suns-Nets preseason games in 2025 The NBA is returning to China next season. The league has struck a deal to play preseason games there more than five years after the league was effectively banned for Commissioner Adam Silver not punishing Daryl Morey for tweeting support of anti-government protesters in Hong Kong. Brooklyn and Phoenix will play games in China’s gambling hub of Macao on Oct. 10, 2025, and again two days later. There are more games planned for China in 2026, a source told The Associated Press. F1 champion Max Verstappen to become first-time father with girlfriend Kelly Piquet ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen is set to become a father for the first time with his girlfriend Kelly Piquet. There’s racing heritage on both sides of the family. Verstappen secured his fourth F1 title last month and Kelly’s father Nelson Piquet was a three-time champion in the 1980s. Verstappen says on Instagram that "we couldn’t be happier with our little miracle.” Verstappen is aiming to win his 10th F1 race of the year at the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on Sunday. Practice gets underway later.