Dietary Supplement

A study of over 26,000 middle-aged UK women reveals those with a vegetarian diet had a 33% higher risk of hip fracture compared to regular meat-eaters. A study of over 26,000 middle-aged UK women reveals those with a vegetarian diet had a 33% higher risk of hip fracture compared to regular meat-eaters. University of Leeds research, published today (Thursday, August 11) in the journal BMC Medicine, investigated the risk of hip fracture in occasional meat-eaters; pescatarians, people who eat fish but not meat; and vegetarians compared to regular meat-eaters. Among 26,318 women, 822 hip fracture cases were observed over roughly 20 years -- that represented just over 3% of the sample population. After adjustment for factors such as smoking and age, vegetarians were the only diet group with an elevated risk of hip fracture. This study is one of very few studies to compare risk of hip fracture in vegetarians and meat-eaters where the occurrence of hip fracture was confirmed from hospital records. The scientists stress the need for more research into the exact causes of why vegetarians were at a greater risk of hip fracture. Vegetarian diets can be 'healthy or unhealthy' Study lead author James Webster, a doctoral researcher from the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, said: "Our study highlights potential concerns regarding risk of hip fracture in women who have a vegetarian diet. However, it is not warning people to abandon vegetarian diets. As with any diet, it is important to understand personal circumstances and what nutrients are needed for a balanced healthy lifestyle. "Vegetarian diets can vary widely from person to person and can be healthy or unhealthy, just like diets that include animal products. "However, it is concerning that vegetarian diets often have lower intakes of nutrients that are linked with bone and muscle health. These types of nutrients generally are more abundant in meat and other animal products than in plants, such as protein, calcium, and other micronutrients. "Low intake of these nutrients can lead to lower bone mineral density and muscle mass, which can make you more susceptible to hip fracture risk. This makes it especially important for further research to better understand factors driving the increased risk in vegetarians, whether it be particular nutrient deficiencies or weight management, so that we can help people to make healthy choices." Plant-based diets growing in popularity Vegetarian diets have gained popularity in recent years, with a 2021 YouGov survey putting the size of the UK vegetarian population at roughly 5-7%. It is often perceived as a healthier dietary option, with previous evidence that shows a vegetarian diet can reduce the risks of several chronic diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer compared to omnivorous diets. There is also a worldwide call for reducing the consumption of animal products in an effort to tackle climate change. Understanding hip fracture risk in vegetarians is therefore becoming increasingly important to public health. Study co-author Professor Janet Cade, leader of the Nutritional Epidemiology Group in the School of Food Science and Nutrition at Leeds, said: "Hip fracture is a global health issue with high economic costs that causes loss of independence, reduces quality of life, and increases risk of other health issues. "Plant-based diets have been linked with poor bone health, but there has been a lack of evidence on the links to hip fracture risk. This study is an important step in understanding the potential risk plant-based diets could present over the long-term and what can be done to mitigate those risks." The team used data from the UK Women's Cohort Study to investigate possible links between diet and hip fracture risk. The national cohort of middle-aged women was established at the University of Leeds to explore links between diet and chronic disease, encompassing a wide range of different eating patterns. Dietary information was collected using a food frequency questionnaire and was validated using a 4-day food diary in a subsample of women. At the time they were recruited into the cohort study, the women ranged in age from 35 to 69 years. Effect of low BMI The research team found that the average BMI among vegetarians was slightly lower than the average among the regular meat eaters. Previous research has shown a link between low BMI and a high risk of hip fracture. Lower BMI can indicate people are underweight, which can mean poorer bone and muscle health, and higher risk of hip fracture. Further investigation is needed to determine if low BMI is the reason for the observed higher risk in vegetarians. Study co-author, Dr Darren Greenwood, a biostatistician in the School of Medicine at Leeds, said: "This study is just part of the wider picture of diet and healthy bones and muscles in older age. "Further research is needed to confirm whether there could be similar results in men, to explore the role of body weight, and to identify the reasons for different outcomes in vegetarians and meat-eaters."

Laboratories can use this rapid, cost effective test to distinguish malignancy-driven anemia from other causes NEW HAVEN, Conn., June 08, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Specialty diagnostics company Precipio, Inc. (NASDAQ: PRPO), announced that it has launched the HemeScreen® Anemia Panel as part of its suite of diagnostic tests. The purpose of this panel is to help physicians address one of the more significant clinical challenges they face: anemia of unknown cause. Precipio’s HemeScreen Anemia Panel is a simple blood test that identifies molecular genetic errors which point to potentially fatal acute leukemia. Precipio’s rapid, simple test, performed in the doctor’s office, directs the physician to perform further appropriate hematology testing and treatment. The Diagnostic Challenge of Anemia According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 24% of the global population, or 1.62 billion people are affected by anemia1; according to the American Society of Hematology, approximately 3 million people present with anemia in the US annually.2 While the definition of anemia is a deficiency in the number or volume of red blood cells or their content of hemoglobin, there are multiple factors that can cause these deficiencies. Those factors may include iron deficiency, bleeding, inherited disease, nutrient deficiencies and others. Anemia is also seen in patients with malignant and premalignant diseases of the blood forming cells of the bone marrow, which affect the body’s ability to generate sufficient red blood cells. The importance of understanding the driver of the anemia is critical to patient care because it directs the physician’s choice of therapy. The Simplicity of the HemeScreen Anemia Panel One of the ways to rule out whether the anemia may be associated with a malignancy, is through molecular testing to identify genetic aberrations in bone marrow or blood cells. However, there are limited diagnostic methods available for testing patients with anemia-related symptoms. Tests currently on the market are either too simple - for example a Complete Blood Count (CBC) which measures various components within the blood, yet provides no insight into the genetics of the patient; or too slow and expensive, such as next generation sequencing (NGS), which test for hundreds of genes, cost thousands of dollars and can take weeks to return results. The HemeScreen Anemia Panel examines genes that have been demonstrated to be associated with anemia in bone marrow diseases. The composition of the HemeScreen Anemia panel is based on an in-depth analysis of clinically relevant and actionable genes; it is both focused and comprehensive to provide the physician with the key information they are seeking in order to determine the patient’s status. This targeted panel enables laboratories to run the test quickly and cost efficiently, and deliver to the patient same-day3 results. Clinical utility and impact to patient care As mentioned above, there are certain molecular mutations that may indicate that the anemia is related to a malignancy. The evaluation of these gene mutations is gradually becoming standard of care for diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and differentially tailored treatment strategies. Furthermore, the importance of correctly identifying the disease and quickly treating patients suspected of having anemia makes this HemeScreen panel a valuable tool placed directly in the hands of physicians running these panels in their POL. The following is a brief outline of the genes tested in Precipio’s new Anemia panel, and their clinical importance: In addition to the important breakthrough of this panel as a new diagnostic tool placed in the hands of physicians and laboratories, this panel has the potential to increase revenues to Oncology Physician Office Laboratories (POLs) by approximately 25% (subject to their patient volume). It is also expected to similarly increase Precipio’s revenues from existing and future Oncology POL and other laboratory customers who incorporate this panel into their operations. “The anemia panel provides a unique tool that enables physicians to differentiate the root-causes of a common blood-disorder symptom and deliver immediate care to those who may be at risk of cancer,” said Ilan Danieli, Precipio’s Chief Executive Officer. “Precipio’s R&D team continues to produce products that leverage our proprietary HemeScreen technology, generating clinical utility as well as economic benefit to Precipio and to its customers. We look forward to this panel joining the other products in the HemeScreen suite of diagnostic tools.” About Precipio Precipio has built a platform designed to eradicate the problem of misdiagnosis by harnessing the intellect, expertise and technology developed within academic institutions and delivering quality diagnostic information to physicians and their patients worldwide, as well as proprietary products that serve laboratories worldwide. Through its collaborations with world-class academic institutions specializing in cancer research, diagnostics and treatment such as the Yale School of Medicine, Harvard’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and the University of Pennsylvania, Precipio offers a new standard of diagnostic accuracy enabling the highest level of patient care. For more information, please visit . Please follow us on Twitter @PrecipioDx and on Facebook. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including, among others, statements related to the expected or potential impact of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and the related responses of the government, consumers, and the Company, on our business, financial condition and results of operations, and any such forward-looking statements, whether concerning the COVID-19 pandemic or otherwise, involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties. Except for historical information, statements about future volumes, sales, growth, costs, cost savings, margins, earnings, earnings per share, diluted earnings per share, cash flows, plans, objectives, expectations, growth or profitability are forward-looking statements based on management’s estimates, beliefs, assumptions and projections. Words such as “could,” “may,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “will,” “targets,” “goals,” “projects,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “predicts,” and variations on such words, and similar expressions that reflect our current views with respect to future events and operational, economic and financial performance, are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are only predictions, subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results could differ materially from those discussed. Important factors that could affect performance and cause results to differ materially from management’s expectations, or could affect the Company’s ability to achieve its strategic goals, include the uncertainties relating to the impact of COVID-19 on the Company’s business, operations and employees and the other factors that are described in the sections entitled “Risk Factors” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis” in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2020, as updated from time to time in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The Company’s forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current views, beliefs, assumptions and expectations regarding future events and speak only as of the date of this release. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by the federal securities laws. 1 World Health Organization2 3 Subject to laboratory workflow 4 5 6 7 8