200-year-old condom decorated with erotic art goes on display in Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Netherlands' national museum has a new object on display that merges art with Amsterdam's infamous Red Light District: a nearly 200-year-old condom, emblazoned with erotic art.
The Rijksmuseum said in a statement that the playful prophylactic, believed to be made around 1830 from a sheep's appendix, 'depicts both the playful and the serious side of sexual health.'
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Medscape
6 hours ago
- Medscape
Worm-Inspired Treatments Inch Toward the Clinic
The experiment was a striking attempt to investigate weight control. For 6 weeks, a group of mice gorged on lard-enriched mouse chow, then scientists infected the mice with worms. The worms wriggled beneath the animals' skin, migrated to blood vessels that surround the intestines, and started laying eggs. Bruno Guigas, a molecular biologist at the Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases in the Netherlands, led this study some years back and the results, he says, were 'quite spectacular.' The mice lost fat and gained less weight overall than mice not exposed to worms. Within a month or so, he recalls, the scientists barely needed their scale to see that the worm-infested mice were leaner than their worm-free counterparts. Infection with worms, it seems, reversed obesity, the researchers reported in 2015. While it's true that worms gobble up food their hosts might otherwise digest, that doesn't seem to be the only mechanism at work here. There's also some intricate biology within the emerging scientific field of immunometabolism. Over the past couple of decades, researchers have recognized that the immune system doesn't just fight infection. It's also intertwined with organs like the liver, the pancreas and fat tissue, and implicated in the progression of obesity and type 2 diabetes. These and other metabolic disorders generate a troublesome immune response — inflammation — that worsens metabolism still further. Metabolic disease, in other words, is inflammatory disease. Scientists have also observed a metabolic influence of worms in people who became naturally infected with the parasites or were purposely seeded with worms in clinical trials. While the physiology isn't fully understood, the worms seem to dampen inflammation, as discussed in the 2024 Annual Review of Nutrition . 'We're never going to cure or treat metabolic disease with worm infections,' says Guigas. They cause unpleasant side effects like nausea, and it would be impractical to dose millions of people with parasites. But worms can be valuable tools for scientists to understand the feedback between inflammation and metabolism. The findings could inspire more traditional, less ick-inducing treatments. The Worms' Good Turns The worms we're talking about are helminths such as flukes and roundworms. While they've largely been eliminated from developed nations, an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide carry them. They can be dangerous in high numbers, and cause symptoms such as diarrhea and malnutrition in those at high risk, including children and immunocompromised individuals, and during pregnancy. But for most people, infection with a few worms is pretty benign. 'Throughout human evolution, I think, there's been this nice sort of truce,' says Paul Giacomin, an immunologist at James Cook University in Cairns, Australia. As part of that detente, he says, helminths evolved molecules that tell the human immune system, 'I'm not here, don't worry about me.' In turn, people might have evolved to depend a bit on worms to temper inflammation. Today, metabolic disease is a massive global problem, with obesity affecting an estimated 890 million people. Another 580 million have type 2 diabetes, which arises when the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar levels, is in short supply or the body's cells become insensitive to it. Links between metabolic disease and worm infection emerged from research on human populations. Studies in Australia, Turkey, Brazil, China, India and Indonesia showed that people with metabolic conditions such as diabetes were less likely to have helminth infections, and vice versa. 'This observation is quite strong,' says Ari Molofsky, an immunologist at the University of California, San Francisco. Going a step further, scientists observed what happened when they provided deworming treatments.' The overwhelming majority of the studies showed that deworming worsens your metabolic health,' says Giacomin. Scientists looked to lab mice for additional clues. Molofsky and colleagues, in 2011, reported that when they infected mice on high-fat food with the gut worm Nippostrongylus brasiliensis , the infection improved blood sugar control. Similarly, in Guigas' study, published in 2015, the worms — blood flukes called Schistosoma mansoni — improved not just weight, but also blood sugar processing. And the worms needn't be alive: Even molecules collected from crushed worm eggs improved metabolism. The going hypothesis is that metabolic problems kick off a vicious immunometabolic cycle. First, Guigas says, damaged cells in metabolic organs cry for help, releasing molecular signals that call in immune cells. When the immune cells arrive, they morph into forms that promote a type of inflammation called Th1. Th1 responses are good at combating viruses, but they're the wrong choice here. Th1 can aggravate metabolic problems by impairing insulin manufacture, altering insulin signaling and amplifying insulin resistance. Thus, instead of helping, the immune cells cause further stress in the metabolic tissues. So the tissues call in more immune cells — and the cycle repeats. Worms seem to break the cycle. In great part, that's probably because their 'I'm not here' message causes a different kind of immune response, Th2, that dampens the Th1 reaction and re-normalizes the system. Other mechanisms might also be at work: Worms might reduce appetite; it's known they can alter gut microbes; and Guigas suspects they can also manipulate creatures' metabolisms via non-immune pathways. 'The parasitic worms are real masters at controlling inflammation,' says Giacomin, who coauthored an article on helminths and immunity in the 2021 Annual Review of Immunology . Thus, scientists interested in controlling immunometabolic disease might take cues from these wriggly little metabolic masterminds. In fact, researchers have already tested helminths to control inflammation in autoimmune conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease. The accumulating evidence linking worms to metabolic benefits in animals and people inspired Giacomin and colleagues to conduct a trial of their own. Commencing in 2018, they decided to try the hookworm Necator americanus in 27 obese people who had insulin resistance, putting them at risk for type 2 diabetes. The researchers applied worm larvae in patches on the subjects' arms; after passing through the skin, the worms would travel through the blood stream, to the lungs and then to the small intestine. An additional 13 participants were assigned to placebo patches with Tabasco sauce to mimic the itch of entering worms. N americanus is a common cause of hookworm infections across much of the world. While most cases are asymptomatic, the time when the worms are attaching to the intestinal wall can cause symptoms like nausea and low iron levels, especially if there are a lot of worms. So the main goal was to determine if the treatment was safe, trying doses of 20 or 40 worms. Many subjects suffered short-term unpleasantness such as bloating or diarrhea as they adjusted to their new intestinal tagalongs, but overall, most did fine. After 12 months, the people who got hookworms had lower insulin resistance and reduced fasting blood sugar levels. After two years, those who received 20 worms had lost an average of 11 pounds — though not all individuals lost weight, and some gained. 'It was quite convincing that the worms were having some sort of beneficial effect,' says Giacomin. The subjects were convinced too: When the study was over, the researchers offered deworming, but most participants elected to keep their worms. Giacomin and Guigas hope to identify worm components or invent worm-inspired molecules to produce similar effects without whole parasites. Giacomin cofounded a company, Macrobiome Therapeutics in Cairns, to develop hookworm molecules into treatments. Such medications might be based on the wriggly parasites, but they'd be an easier pill to swallow.
Associated Press
9 hours ago
- Associated Press
Acurx Pharmaceuticals Announces Presentation of Results from Leiden University Medical Center Public-Private Partnership for Its DNA pol IIIC Inhibitors at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Scientific Conference
Results are from Acurx's ongoing scientific collaboration with Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) partially under a grant from Health Holland to further study the mechanism of action of DNA pol IIIC inhibitors LUMC highlighted Acurx's new class of promising antimicrobials, ibezapolstat and related analogues Novel chemotype specifically targeting gram-positive bacteria through an unexploited target Ibezapolstat ready to enter pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials for C. difficile Infection (CDI), with no cross resistance reported to date Ibezapolstat has previously been granted FDA QIDP and Fast-Track Designations and has received SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) designation by the EMA STATEN ISLAND, N.Y., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: ACXP) ('Acurx' or the 'Company') is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. Its lead antibiotic candidate, ibezapolstat (IBZ), is ready to advance to international pivotal Phase 3 clinical trials for treatment of patients with C. difficile infection (CDI). The Company today announced that a presentation of a poster and an oral presentation regarding Acurx's overall DNA pol IIIC inhibitor platform was presented at a scientific conference on May 21 by Mia Urem, PhD, from Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands entitled: 'A Unique Inhibitor Conformation Selectively Targets the DNA Polymerase PolC of Gram-Positive Priority Pathogens'. This scientific conference is sponsored by the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology and is the premier venue for the newest research and technological trends in molecular 'machines' inside the human body that ensure DNA replication and expression of genes to create proteins that make up a cell. The distinctive non-planar conformation of ACX-801 and IBZ, together with high conservation of the induced binding pocket in PolC, suggests that this is a general mechanism for this class of inhibitor and is conserved in Gram-positive bacteria. According to Dr. Wiep Klaas Smits, Associate Professor/Principal Investigator, Leiden University Medical Center: 'Our findings with regards to the structural biology of DNA pol IIIC in complex with inhibitors have important implications for the development of this novel class of antibiotics to treat high priority, multi-drug resistant, gram-positive infections.' Acurx's Executive Chairman, Bob DeLuccia, stated: 'This research outcome provides a deeper understanding of the mechanism of action and selectivity of ibezapolstat in the gut. These data will guide the rational design of new compounds with improved inhibitory activity and drug-like characteristics that will be crucial in addressing the pandemic of antimicrobial resistance.' POSTER AND PRESENTATION ARE ON ACURX WEBSITE About the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Since its inception 20 years ago, this conference has been the premier venue for the newest research and technological trends that aid in studying the molecular 'machines' inside the human body. These biological elements ensure faithful DNA replication and expression of genes to create the many proteins that make up a cell. The Machines on Genes scientific conference covers all aspects that govern the central building blocks of life, DNA replication, transcription, and translation, as well as activities that impact these processes such as DNA repair, DNA editing, and RNA editing. There is special emphasis on how they work, how they interact with one another, and how they may be used as diagnostic tools or as targets for novel therapies. About Leiden University Medical Center Antimicrobial resistant microorganisms are a major threat to global health and pose a significant economic burden. Increasing resistance to multiple agents and resistance to so called last-resort antibiotics underscore the necessity to develop therapeutics that have a novel mode of action. DNA replication is a process that can be successfully targeted by small molecules. Ibezapolstat, an inhibitor of the replicative DNA polymerase pol IIIC from Gram-positive bacteria identified by screening library of dGTP analogues, has shown promising results for the treatment of Clostridioides difficile Infection in a recent Phase 2a clinical trial, but the molecular basis of selective inhibition is not fully characterized as no structural information is available on pol IIIC proteins from pathogens. Ongoing research project will determine the structure of pol IIIC from the multidrug-resistant organisms methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococci (VRE) and/or penicillin resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (PRSP) in the absence and presence of lead compounds. These results will reveal the structural space of inhibitor-binding and guide the rational design of inhibitors with optimal pharmacological properties and organism-specificity that will be demonstrated by in vitro polymerase inhibition assays and in vivo minimal inhibitory concentration determination. Leiden University was the first university to be established in the Netherlands. Its motto is praesidium libertatis – bastion of freedom. The University wishes to create an increasingly attractive and challenging working climate for top academics and young researchers that is guided by quality and excellence. Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) research aims to meet the highest international standards of quality and academic integrity. LUMC promotes excellent research through greater collaboration, both disciplinary and interdisciplinary; stronger positioning and greater scope for top talent; and better supervision and more support for young researchers. The presented research was performed in part as a public-private partnership that includes the Dutch Top Sector Life Sciences and Health ('Topconsortium voor Kennis en Innovatie' or 'TKI' Life Sciences and Health) and is represented by Stichting Life Sciences Health – TKI (aka, Health~Holland). This foundation is tasked by the Dutch government to promote and stimulate public-private partnerships (PPPs) to undertake R&D projects in the life sciences. To promote such partnerships, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy has allocated certain funds to Stichting LSH-TKI, to grant allowances to projects under the TKI-programme Life Sciences & Health. Stichting LSH-TKI has designated the Board of Directors of LUMC as delegated grantor for the PPP allowance allocated to the LUMC. Together with Acurx Pharmaceuticals the PPP has led to the research project entitled 'Bad bugs, new drugs: elucidation of the structure of DNA polymerase C of multidrug resistant bacteria in complex with novel classes of antimicrobials.' The collaboration project was co-funded by the PPS Allowance made available by Health~Holland, Top Sector Life Sciences & Health, to stimulate public-private partnerships. Acurx previously announced that it had received positive regulatory guidance from the EMA during its Scientific Advice Procedure which confirmed that the clinical, non-clinical and CMC (Chemistry Manufacturing and Controls) information package submitted to EMA supports advancement of the ibezapolstat Phase 3 program and if the Phase 3 program is successful, supports the submission of a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) for regulatory approval in Europe. The information package submitted to EMA by the Company to which agreement has been reached with EMA included details on Acurx's two planned international Phase 3 clinical trials, 1:1 randomized (designed as non-inferiority vs vancomycin), primary and secondary endpoints, sample size, statistical analysis plan and the overall registration safety database. With mutually consistent feedback from both EMA and FDA, Acurx is well positioned to commence our international Phase 3 registration program. The primary efficacy analysis will be performed using a Modified Intent-To-Treat (mITT) population. This will result in an estimated 450 subjects in the mITT population, randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either ibezapolstat or standard- of-care vancomycin, enrolled into the initial Phase 3 trial. The trial design not only allows determination of ibezapolstat's ability to achieve Clinical Cure of CDI as measured 2 days after 10 days of oral treatment, but also includes assessment of ibezapolstat's potential effect on reduction of CDI recurrence in the target population. In the event non-inferiority of ibezapolstat to vancomycin is demonstrated, further analysis will be conducted to test for superiority. About the Ibezapolstat Phase 2 Clinical Trial The completed multicenter, open-label single-arm segment (Phase 2a) study was followed by a double-blind, randomized, active-controlled, non-inferiority, segment (Phase 2b) at 28 US clinical trial sites which together comprise the Phase 2 clinical trial. This Phase 2 clinical trial was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of ibezapolstat in the treatment of CDI including pharmacokinetics and microbiome changes from baseline. from study centers in the United States. In the Phase 2a trial segment,10 patients with diarrhea caused by C. difficile were treated with ibezapolstat 450 mg orally, twice daily for 10 days. All patients were followed for recurrence for 28± 2 days. Per protocol, after 10 patients of the projected 20 Phase 2a patients completed treatment (100% cured infection at End of Treatment (10 of 10). In the Phase 2b trial segment, 32 patients with CDI were enrolled and randomized in a 1:1 ratio to either ibezapolstat 450 mg every 12 hours or vancomycin 125 mg orally every 6 hours, in each case, for 10 days and followed for 28 ± 2 days following the end of treatment for recurrence of CDI. The two treatments were identical in appearance, dosing times, and number of capsules administered to maintain the blind. In the Phase 2b trial, the Clinical Cure rate in patients with CDI was 96% (25 out of 26 patients), based on 10 out of 10 patients (100%) in Phase 2a in the Modified Intent to Treat Population, plus 15 out of 16 (94%) patients in Phase 2b in the Per Protocol Population, who experienced Clinical Cure during treatment with ibezapolstat. Notably, in the combined Phase 2 trial, 100% (25 of 25) ibezapolstat-treated patients ) who had Clinical Cure at EOT) (End of Treatment) remained cured through one month after EOT, as compared to 86% (12 of 14) for the vancomycin patient group. Ibezapolstat was well-tolerated, with no serious adverse events assessed by the blinded investigator to be drug- related. The Company is confident that based on the pooled Phase 2 ibezapolstat Clinical Cure rate of 96%, Sustained Clinical Cure Rate of 100% and the historical vancomycin Clinical Cure Rate range of 70% to 92% and a Sustained Clinical Cure historical range of 42% to 74%, we will demonstrate non-inferiority of ibezapolstat to vancomycin in Phase 3 trials, in accordance with the applicable FDA Guidance for Industry (October 2022), with favorable differentiation in both Clinical Cure and Sustained Clinical Cure. In the Phase 2 clinical trial (both trial segments), the Company also evaluated pharmacokinetics (PK) and microbiome changes and test for anti-recurrence microbiome properties, including the change from baseline in alpha diversity and bacterial abundance, especially overgrowth of healthy gut microbiota Actinobacteria and Firmicute phylum species during and after therapy. Phase 2a data demonstrated complete eradication of colonic C. difficile by day three of treatment with ibezapolstat as well as the observed overgrowth of healthy gut microbiota, Actinobacteria and Firmicute phyla species, during and after therapy. Very importantly, emerging data show an increased concentration of secondary bile acids during and following ibezapolstat therapy which is known to correlate with colonization resistance against C. difficile. A decrease in primary bile acids and the favorable increase in the ratio of secondary-to-primary bile acids suggest that ibezapolstat may reduce the likelihood of CDI recurrence when compared to vancomycin. The company also reported positive extended clinical cure (ECC) data for ibezapolstat (IBZ), its lead antibiotic candidate, from the Company's recently completed Phase 2b clinical trial in patients with CDI. This exploratory endpoint showed that 5 of 5 IBZ patients followed for up to three months following Clinical Cure experienced no recurrence of infection. Furthermore, ibezapolstat-treated patients showed lower concentrations of fecal primary bile acids, and higher beneficial ratio of secondary to primary bile acids than vancomycin-treated patients. About Ibezapolstat Ibezapolstat is the Company's lead antibiotic candidate planning to advance to international Phase 3 clinical trials to treat patients with C. difficile infection. Ibezapolstat is a novel, orally administered antibiotic, being developed as a Gram-Positive Selective Spectrum (GPSS®) antibacterial. It is the first of a new class of DNA polymerase IIIC inhibitors under development by Acurx to treat bacterial infections. Ibezapolstat's unique spectrum of activity, which includes C. difficile but spares other Firmicutes and the important Actinobacteria phyla, appears to contribute to the maintenance of a healthy gut microbiome. In June 2018, ibezapolstat was designated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) for the treatment of patients with CDI and will be eligible to benefit from the incentives for the development of new antibiotics established under the Generating New Antibiotic Incentives Now (GAIN) Act. In 2019, FDA granted 'Fast Track' designation to ibezapolstat for the treatment of patients with CDI. The CDC has designated C. difficile as an urgent threat highlighting the need for new antibiotics to treat CDI. About Clostridioides difficile Infection According to the 2017 Update (published February 2018) of the Clinical Practice Guidelines for C. difficile Infection by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and Society or Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), CDI remains a significant medical problem in hospitals, in long-term care facilities and in the community. C. difficile is one of the most common causes of health care- associated infections in U.S. hospitals (Lessa, 2015, NEJM). Recent estimates suggest C. difficile approaches 500,000 infections annually in the U.S. and is associated with approximately 20,000 deaths annually. (Guh, 2020, NEJM. Based on internal estimates, the recurrence rate for the antibiotics currently used to treat CDI is between 20% and 40% among approximately 150,000 patients treated. We believe the annual incidence of CDI in the U.S. approaches 600,000 infections and a mortality rate of approximately 9.3%. About the Microbiome in C. difficile Infection and Bile Acid Metabolism C. difficile can be a normal component of the healthy gut microbiome, but when the microbiome is thrown out of balance, the C. difficile can thrive and cause an infection. After colonization with C. difficile, the organism produces and releases the main virulence factors, the two large clostridial toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB). (Kachrimanidou, Microorganisms 2020.) TcdA and TcdB are exotoxins that bind to human intestinal epithelial cells and are responsible for inflammation, fluid and mucous secretion, as well as damage to the intestinal mucosa. Bile acids perform many functional roles in the GI tract, with one of the most important being maintenance of a healthy microbiome by inhibiting C. difficile growth. Primary bile acids, which are secreted by the liver into the intestines, promote germination of C. difficile spores and thereby increase the risk of recurrent CDI after successful treatment of an initial episode. On the other hand, secondary bile acids, which are produced by normal gut microbiota through metabolism of primary bile acids, do not induce C. difficile sporulation and therefore protect against recurrent disease. Since ibezapolstat treatment leads to minimal disruption of the gut microbiome, bacterial production of secondary bile acids continues which may contribute to an anti-recurrence effect. Beneficial effects of bile acids include a decrease in primary bile acids and an increase in secondary bile acids in patients with CDI, which was observed in the Company's Ph2a trial results and previously reported (Garey, CID, 2022). In the Ph2b trial, ibezapolstat-treated patients showed lower concentrations of fecal primary bile acids, and higher beneficial ratio of secondary to primary bile acids than vancomycin-treated patients. About Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Acurx Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing a new class of small molecule antibiotics for difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The Company's approach is to develop antibiotic candidates with a Gram-positive selective spectrum (GPSS®) that blocks the active site of the Gram-positive specific bacterial enzyme DNA polymerase IIIC (pol IIIC), inhibiting DNA replication and leading to Gram-positive bacterial cell death. Its R&D pipeline includes antibiotic product candidates that target Gram-positive bacteria, including Clostridioides difficile, methicillin- resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin resistant Enterococcus (VRE), drug- resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP) and B. anthracis (anthrax; a Bioterrorism Category A Threat-Level pathogen). Acurx's lead product candidate, ibezapolstat, for the treatment of C. difficile Infection is Phase 3 ready with plans in progress to begin international clinical trials next year. The Company's preclinical pipeline includes development of an oral product candidate for treatment of ABSSSI (Acute Bacterial Skin and Skin Structure Infections), upon which a development program for treatment of inhaled anthrax is being planned in parallel. To learn more about Acurx Pharmaceuticals and its product pipeline, please visit Forward-Looking Statements Any statements in this press release about our future expectations, plans and prospects, including statements regarding our strategy, future operations, prospects, plans and objectives, and other statements containing the words 'believes,' 'anticipates,' 'plans,' 'expects,' and similar expressions, constitute forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results may differ materially from those indicated by such forward-looking statements as a result of various important factors, including: whether ibezapolstat will benefit from the QIDP designation; whether ibezapolstat will advance through the clinical trial process on a timely basis; whether the results of the clinical trials of ibezapolstat will warrant the submission of applications for marketing approval, and if so, whether ibezapolstat will receive approval from the FDA or equivalent foreign regulatory agencies where approval is sought; whether, if ibezapolstat obtains approval, it will be successfully distributed and marketed; and other risks and uncertainties described in the Company's annual report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, and in the Company's subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such forward- looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release, and Acurx disclaims any intent or obligation to update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such statements, except as may be required by law. Investor Contact: Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; David P. Luci, President & CEO Tel: 917-533-1469; Email: [email protected] View original content: SOURCE Acurx Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Yahoo
On This Day, June 9: Laverne Cox is first transgender person on cover of Time
On this date in history: In 1534, French navigator Jacques Cartier became the first European explorer to discover the St. Lawrence River in present-day Quebec. In 1898, Britain leased Hong Kong from China for 99 years. The territory returned to Chinese rule in 1997. In 1934, Donald Duck made his first screen appearance in "The Wise Little Hen." In 1973, Secretariat, having won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness, captured racing's Triple Crown with a spectacular victory in the Belmont Stakes. The big chestnut colt, ridden by Ron Turcotte, was the first horse to do so since Citation in 1948. In 1982, Gen. Efrain Rios Montt declared himself president of Guatemala. He overthrew the government in a coup d'etat in March 1982, and was himself overthrown in August 1983 by Defense Minister Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores. In 1993, Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito married former diplomat Masako Owada in Tokyo in a Shinto ceremony. In 1997, recognizing the findings of The National Bioethics Advisory Commission, which unanimously recommended a new federal law banning the creation of human babies through cloning, President Bill Clinton urged Congress to ban human cloning, saying it reflects ''our humanity and it is the right thing to do." In 1998, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar was sworn in as Nigeria's military ruler, one day after the death of Gen. Sani Abacha of a heart attack. In 2005, after weeks of protests, Bolivian President Carlos Mesa resigned. In 2008, Internet providers Verizon, Sprint and Time Warner agreed to block access to websites that distribute child pornography. In 2014, actor Laverne Cox became the first transgender person to appear on the cover of Time. "People need to be willing to let go of what they think they know about what it means to be a man and what it means to be a woman. Because that doesn't necessarily mean anything inherently," she told the magazine. In 2018, Justify won the Belmont Stakes, becoming the 13th horse to win the Triple Crown and only the second to do so while still undefeated. In 2019, Ali Stroker became the first actor who uses a wheelchair to win an acting Tony Award. She won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Oklahoma! In 2020, the Senate voted unanimously to make Gen. Charles Q. Brown the Air Force's 22nd chief of staff, the first Black official to lead a U.S. military branch. In 2023, former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned as a member of Parliament after receiving a pre-publication copy of a Privileges Committee report evaluating if he misled Parliament about gatherings he held at Downing Street during the COVID-19 pandemic.
