
Quantum Computing Firm IonQ Buys UK Startup in $1 Billion Deal
US quantum computing company IonQ has agreed to buy UK startup Oxford Ionics in a $1.08 billion deal that highlights increasing commercial confidence in what has largely been an experimental field of computing.
The takeover, which consists of roughly $1.07 billion in shares of IonQ and about $10 million in cash, will bring together Maryland-based IonQ's quantum hardware and software capabilities with Oxford Ionics' quantum chip technology, the companies said in a statement on Monday. The transaction is expected to close in 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
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Medscape
15 minutes ago
- Medscape
Novel Gene Risk Score Predicts Outcomes After RYGB Surgery
A novel gene risk score, informed by machine learning, predicted weight-loss outcomes after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, a new analysis showed. The findings suggested that the MyPhenome test (Phenomix Sciences) can help clinicians identify the patients most likely to benefit from bariatric procedures and at a greater risk for long-term weight regain after surgery. 'Patients with both a high genetic risk score and rare mutations in the leptin-melanocortin pathway (LMP) had significantly worse outcomes, maintaining only 4.9% total body weight loss [TBWL] over 15 years compared to up to 24.8% in other genetic groups,' Phenomix Sciences Co-founder Andres Acosta, MD, PhD, told Medscape Medical News . The study included details on the score's development and predictive capability. 'More Precise Bariatric Care' The researchers recently developed a machine learning-assisted gene risk score for calories to satiation (CTSGRS), which mainly involves genes in the LMP. To assess the role of the score with or without LMP gene variants on weight loss and weight recurrence after RYGB, they identified 707 patients with a history of bariatric procedures from the Mayo Clinic Biobank. Patients with duodenal switch, revisional procedures, or who used antiobesity medications or became pregnant during follow-up were excluded. To make predictions for 442 of the patients, the team first collected anthropometric data up to 15 years after RYGB. Then they used a two-step approach: Assessing for monogenic variants in the LMP and defining participants as carriers (LMP+) or noncarriers (LMP-). Then they defined the gene risk score (CTSGRS+ or CTSGRS-). The result was four groups: LMP+/CTSGRS+, LMP+/CTSGRS-, LMP-/CTSGRS+, and LMP-/CTSGRS-. Multiple regression analysis was used to analyze TBWL percentage (TBWL%) between the groups at different timepoints, adjusting for baseline weight, age, and gender. At the 10-year follow-up, the LMP+/CTSGRS+ group demonstrated a significantly higher weight recurrence (regain) of TBW% compared to the other groups. At 15 years post-RYGB, the mean TBWL% for LMP+/CTSGRS+ was -4.9 vs -20.3 for LMP+/CTSGRS-, -18.0 for LMP-/CTSGRS+, and -24.8 for LMP-/CTSGRS-. Further analyses showed that the LMP+/CTSGRS+ group had significantly less weight loss than LMP+/CTSGRS- and LMP-/CTSGRS- groups. Based on the findings, the authors wrote, 'Genotyping patients could improve the implementation of individualized weight-loss interventions, enhance weight-loss outcomes, and/or may explain one of the etiological factors associated with weight recurrence after RYGB.' Acosta noted, 'We're actively expanding our research to include more diverse populations by age, sex, and race. This includes ongoing analysis to understand whether certain demographic or physiological characteristics affect how the test performs, particularly in the context of bariatric surgery.' The team also is investigating the benefits of phenotyping for obesity comorbidities such as heart disease and diabetes, he said, and exploring whether early interventions in high-risk patients can prevent long-term weight regain and improve outcomes. In addition, Acosta said, the team recently launched 'the first prospective, placebo-controlled clinical trial using the MyPhenome test to predict response to semaglutide.' That study is based on earlier findings showing that patients identified with a Hungry Gut phenotype lost nearly twice as much weight on semaglutide compared with those who tested negative. Overall, he concluded, 'These findings open the door to more precise bariatric care. When we understand a patient's biological drivers of obesity, we can make better decisions about the right procedure, follow-up, and long-term support. This moves us away from a one-size-fits-all model to care rooted in each patient's unique biology.' Potentially Paradigm-Shifting Onur Kutlu, MD, associate professor of surgery and director of the Metabolic Surgery and Metabolic Health Program at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, commented on the study for Medscape Medical News . 'By integrating polygenic risk scores into predictive models, the authors offer an innovative method for identifying patients at elevated risk for weight regain following RYGB.' 'Their findings support the hypothesis that genetic predisposition — particularly involving energy homeostasis pathways — may underlie differential postoperative trajectories,' he said. 'This approach has the potential to shift the paradigm from reactive to proactive management of weight recurrence.' Because current options for treat weight regain are 'suboptimal,' he said, 'prevention becomes paramount. Preoperative identification of high-risk individuals could inform surgical decision-making, enable earlier interventions, and facilitate personalized postoperative monitoring and support.' 'If validated in larger, prospective cohorts, genetic risk stratification could enhance the precision of bariatric care and improve long-term outcomes,' he added. 'Future studies should aim to validate these genetic models across diverse populations and explore how integration of behavioral, psychological, and genetic data may further refine patient selection and care pathways.' The study presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2025 was funded by Mayo Clinic and Phenomix Sciences. Gila Therapeutics and Phenomix Sciences licensed Acosta's research technologies from the University of Florida and Mayo Clinic. Acosta declared receiving consultant fees in the past 5 years from Rhythm Pharmaceuticals, Gila Therapeutics, Amgen, General Mills, BI, Currax, Nestle, Phenomix Sciences, Bausch Health, and RareDiseases, as well as funding support from the National Institutes of Health, Vivus Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, Apollo Endosurgery, Satiogen Pharmaceuticals, Spatz Medical, and Rhythm Pharmaceuticals. Kutlu declared having no conflicts of interest.


Forbes
15 minutes ago
- Forbes
Five Ways Medicaid Supports Main Streets Across America
Business district of Marquette, Michigan Gerald Bernard - In May, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget reconciliation bill that includes significant cuts to Medicaid. Specifically, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that the legislation would lead to more than $700 billion in cuts to Medicaid, and nearly 11 million people losing coverage, including nearly 8 million people who rely on Medicaid. The bulk of these reductions would come through work requirements. A common misconception about Medicaid is that it is simply a standalone program that provides health insurance to Americans living below or near the federal poverty level. In reality, communities and small businesses rely on the stability it brings. Here are five ways Medicaid supports Main Streets across America. 1. Employee Health and Productivity Many small businesses have tight budgets and struggle to provide basic benefits, much less comprehensive health insurance to all employees. This is especially true in underserved communities, with part-time or low-wage workers being impacted the most. Medicaid provides coverage to employees who may not qualify for employer-sponsored insurance. This ensures that workers have access to preventive care, which reduces absenteeism and improves productivity. It also lowers the burden of medical debt among workers, giving them better financial stability. 2. Expanded Labor Pool Medicaid's healthcare safety net allows more people to enter or remain in the workforce. This also allows more entrepreneurs to take the risk of starting a business, knowing their families are covered. In addition, this support also increases the number of individuals they can hire in their communities. 3. Reduced Hiring and Training Costs Access to quality healthcare coverage is generally a factor every American weighs when making a career decision. However, when workers have consistent healthcare through Medicaid, they are less likely to leave jobs for health insurance elsewhere. In turn, small businesses can save money on recruiting and training new staff and focus on growth instead of turnover-related challenges. 4. Empowered Entrepreneurs For self-employed individuals or those starting a business, Medicaid provides crucial health coverage during the startup phase when income is uncertain. Perhaps more importantly, it also empowers them to pursue their dream of entrepreneurship instead of staying in a job just for the health insurance. 5. Stronger Local Economies When people don't have to spend all of their income on healthcare, they have more money to spend at local businesses. These Medicaid dollars also support healthcare providers, including rural clinics and pharmacies, that serve as small businesses themselves. In addition, Medicaid also indirectly benefits businesses by creating jobs in areas that include retail, construction, and landscaping. It is estimated that the proposed Medicaid cuts could lead to nearly 450,000 job losses in 2026 with roughly half coming in healthcare and the rest in other business sectors. The strength of the economy in many ways boils down to the health of its workforce and entrepreneurs. Medicaid supports workforce stability, entrepreneurship, economic mobility, and small business growth. In a future column, I will explore the impact of these proposed cuts on Main Streets and their communities.


Skift
16 minutes ago
- Skift
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