Latest news with #2040
The Independent
6 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Weight-loss drugs among breakthrough trials offering ‘hope' for dementia prevention
Dozens of breakthrough drug trials, including one using the main ingredient in weight-loss jabs, offer patients 'hope' for the treatment and prevention of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Some 138 treatments are being assessed in clinical trials in 2025 - an 11 per cent rise on the year before - according to new research published on Tuesday. Experts have said that 2025 could be a 'landmark year' in breakthrough medicines as four drugs that could prevent the disease, not just treat it, have progressed to large clinical trials. Some trials include drugs currently used to treat other conditions. One such trial is assessing whether semaglutide, the main ingredient for the weight loss and diabetes drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, can slow the progression of dementia. An estimated 982,000 people are living with dementia in the UK, and this is projected to rise to 1.4 million in 2040, according to the Alzheimer's Society. Dr Emma Mead, chief scientific officer of the Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, added: 'Today we are at a tipping point in dementia research as we understand more and more about the diseases that drive dementia. 'This gives us opportunities to slow and ultimately stop this devastating condition, and today's announcement demonstrates that researchers are able to translate these understandings towards potential new treatments.' Dr Richard Oakley, associate director of research at Alzheimer's Society, said: '2025 is shaping up to be a landmark year for Alzheimer's disease drug development. 'With more trials underway than ever before and more drugs entering the pipeline, there is hope on the horizon for the nearly one million people living with dementia in the UK.' A report from the University of Nevada in the US and published in the journal Alzheimer's and Dementia: Translational Research and Clinical Interventions, said a 'robust' range of drugs was being trialled in 2025 and a 'notable increase' showed 'momentum toward identifying new therapies for the treatment of alzheimer's disease'. Experts said that drugs, such as such as lecanemab and donanemab, that target amyloid protein build-up in the brain - a key characteristic of both diseases - are 'only one part of the overall strategy' as they expressed excitement over the variety of new drugs being tested. James Rowe, professor of cognitive neurology at the University of Cambridge and consultant neurologist, said: 'One of the most exciting things of this report is the number of large-scale late-stage trials on prevention. And the aspiration to prevent, not just treat, is starting to be seen in the figures we see in these charts today.' He added: 'The ones that are in trial at the moment are really… bringing forward an effective treatment to earlier stage.' For instance, people with a genetic risk of Alzheimer's could receive some drugs earlier to see if they protect them against developing the disease. Dr Sheona Scales, director of research at Alzheimer's Research UK, said that, as well as more drugs coming through the pipeline, the treatment targets are 'more diverse' and 'looking at all stages of the disease'. She added: 'What this paper is showing us is that the pipeline of drug development is growing, it's diversifying and accelerating.' Meanwhile, academics said lecanemab and donanemab, which can be used for treating mild cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's patients, are an 'important first step' in the battle against the disease. The treatments were initially approved for UK use by regulators but then deemed not cost-effective for NHS use. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is taking more evidence on donanemab and lecanemab and is expected to announce its decision in the summer. Dr Scales added: 'Lecanemab and donanemab have represented a huge leap forward in our understanding and ability to be able to treat Alzheimer's disease. 'What they've done is they've proved that we're able to modify the course of Alzheimer's disease, and what that has done is opened up the door to future treatments that we hope are more effective, easier to deliver and and able to deliver for our patients.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lopez: If people taking care of our elders get deported, will anyone take their place?
She rides three buses from her Panorama City home to her job as a caregiver for an 83-year-old Sherman Oaks woman with dementia, and lately she's been worrying about getting nabbed by federal agents. When I asked what she'll do if she gets deported, B., who's 60 and asked me to withhold her name, paused to compose herself. 'I don't want to cry,' she said, but losing her $19 hourly job would be devastating, because she sends money to the Philippines to support her family. The world is getting grayer each day thanks to an epic demographic wave. In California, 22% of the state's residents will be 65 and older by 2040, up by 14% from 2020. 'At a time where it seems fewer and fewer of us want to work in long-term care, the need has never been greater,' Harvard healthcare policy analyst David C. Grabowski told The Times' Emily Alpert Reyes in January. So how will millions of aging Americans be able to afford care for physical and cognitive decline, especially given President Trump's big beautiful proposed cuts to Medicaid, which covers about two-thirds of nursing home residents? And who will take care of those who don't have family members who can step up? There are no good answers at the moment. Deporting care providers might make sense if there were a plan to make the jobs more attractive to homegrown replacements, but none of us would bet a day-old doughnut on that happening. Nationally and in California, the vast majority of workers in care facilities and private settings are citizens. But employers were already having trouble recruiting and keeping staff to do jobs that are low-paying and difficult, and now Trump administration policies could further shrink the workforce. Earlier this year, the administration ordered an end to programs offering temporary protected status and work authorization, and the latest goal in Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration is to make 3,000 arrests daily. Read more: 7 million people have Alzheimer's. Why is the Trump administration derailing research? 'People are worried about the threat of deportation … but also about losing whatever job they have and being unable to secure other work,' said Aquilina Soriano Versoza, director of the Pilipino Workers Center, who estimated that roughly half of her advocacy group's members are undocumented. In the past, she said, employers didn't necessarily ask for work authorization documents, but that's changing. And she fears that given the political climate, some employers will 'feel like they have impunity to exploit workers,' many of whom are women from Southeast Asia, Africa, the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America. That may already be happening. 'We've seen a lot of fear, and we've seen workers who no longer want to pursue their cases' when it comes to fighting wage theft, said Yvonne Medrano, an employment rights lawyer with Bet Tzedek, a legal services nonprofit. Medrano said the workers are worried that pursuing justice in the courts will expose them to greater risk of getting booted out of the country. In one case, she said, a worker was owed a final paycheck for a discontinued job, but the employer made a veiled threat, warning that showing up to retrieve it could be costly. Given the hostile environment, some workers are giving up and going home. 'We've seen an increase in workers self-deporting,' Medrano said. Conditions for elder care workers were bleak enough before Trump took office. Two years ago, I met with documented and undocumented caregivers and although they're in the healthcare business, some of them didn't have health insurance for themselves. Read more: They take care of aging adults, live in cramped quarters and make less than minimum wage I met with a cancer survivor and caregiver who was renting a converted garage without a kitchen. And I visited an apartment in Panorama City where Josephine Biclar, in her early 70s, was struggling with knee and shoulder injuries while still working as a caregiver. Biclar was sharing a cramped studio with two other caregivers. They used room dividers to carve their space into sleeping quarters. When I checked with Biclar this week, she said four women now share the same space. All of them have legal status, but because of low wages and the high cost of housing, along with the burden of supporting families abroad, they can't afford better living arrangements. B. and another care provider share a single room, at a cost of $400 apiece, from a homeowner in Panorama City. B. said her commute takes more than an hour each way, and during her nine-hour shift, her duties for her 83-year-old client include cooking, feeding and bathing. She's only working three days a week at the moment and said additional jobs are hard to come by given her status and the immigration crackdown. She was upset that for the last two months, she couldn't afford to send any money home. Retired UCLA scholar Fernando Torres-Gil, who served as President Clinton's assistant secretary on aging, said 'fear and chaos' in the elder care industry are not likely to end during this presidential administration. And given budget constraints, California will be hard-pressed to do more for caregivers and those who need care. But he thinks the growing crisis could eventually lead to an awakening. 'We're going to see more and more older folks without long-term care,' Torres-Gil said. 'Hopefully, Democrats and Republicans will get away from talking about open borders and talk about selective immigration' that serves the country's economic and social needs. The U.S. is not aging alone, Torres-Gil pointed out. The same demographic shifts and healthcare needs are hitting the rest of the world, and other countries may open their doors to workers the U.S. sends packing. 'As more baby boomers' join the ranks of those who need help, he said, 'we might finally understand we need some kind of leadership.' It's hard not to be cynical these days, but I'd like to think he's onto something. Meanwhile, I'm following leads and working different angles on this topic. If you're having trouble finding or paying for care, or if you're on the front lines as a provider, I'm hoping you will drop me a line. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hospitality Net
26-05-2025
- Business
- Hospitality Net
Beyond Opulence: How Travel in 2040 Will Transform You
The year is 2040. A guest checks into their suite, not with a passport or a keycard, but with a retinal scan that triggers a pre-personalized welcome. The room adjusts its lighting, scent, temperature, and curated playlist in sync with their biometric data and circadian rhythm. Dinner, precisely tailored to their microbiome and mood, awaits in a regenerative dining garden grown on-site. Yet, amid all the ambient intelligence and technological wonder, it's a human, a softly spoken empathic host, who gently senses the guest's travel fatigue and offers a moment of genuine connection. Welcome to the future of luxury and lifestyle travel hospitality: where high-tech meets high-touch, and purpose, well-being, and human connection take centre stage. A Shift from Opulence to Meaning Luxury in 2040 is no longer defined by marble lobbies or private butlers, but by transformation, authenticity, and intention. The new elite traveller doesn't want to escape life, they want to expand it. They seek wellness not as an add-on, but as a central philosophy: from longevity programs and sleep optimization suites to epigenetic spa rituals and breathwork under the stars. Trips are designed by AI-powered concierges that understand not just where you want to go, but who you want to become. Predictive systems curate itineraries based on your energy levels, mental state, and aspirations. And yet, it's the human moments that matter most, because in a world increasingly driven by algorithms, connection becomes the ultimate luxury. Luxury in 2040 isn't about escape. It's about evolution. The Conscious Travel Revolution Gone are the days of shallow sustainability pledges. The future belongs to regenerative hospitality, hotels and resorts that give more than they take. Expect carbon-negative architecture, circular design, and community co-ownership models. Travelers will measure luxury by impact: How did my stay enrich the place I visited? Whose lives did it uplift? Cultural immersion evolves into cultural stewardship. Guests co-create experiences with local artisans and elders, participating in ceremonies, preservation efforts, and storytelling. This isn't curated tourism-it's co-authored humanity. The future of luxury is not where you go. It's how you're changed by the going. The Employees Who Make It All Matter Perhaps the most remarkable evolution is the role of the hospitality employee. In 2040, they are no longer invisible facilitators, they are the heartbeat of the experience. Today's luxury traveller doesn't just want service, they want soulful guidance. That's why brands are investing in multi-passionate talent: think neuroscientists-turned-wellness-guides, chefs who are also climate activists, or cultural historians who double as concierge storytellers. These individuals are not just employees - they are curators of meaning. They use technology to enhance, not replace, intuition. A wearable might signal a guest's elevated stress levels, but it's the host who offers a grounding conversation, a restorative tea ritual, or a spontaneous hike at golden hour. Emotional intelligence is the new six-star service. The luxury employee of 2040 is the heartbeat of the brand-emotionally intelligent, culturally fluent, and spiritually aware. Hospitality's Internal Revolution Luxury hospitality brands now understand that employee well-being is guest well-being. Burnout isn't tolerated, it's actively designed against. Staff work in regenerative cycles, enjoy wellness-focused environments, and are empowered through flat, human-cantered leadership models. The employee experience becomes the brand's litmus test. Those who foster dignity, growth, and ownership among their teams are the ones guests trust most. The best brands no longer compete on amenities, they compete on internal culture. Employees are no longer service providers, they're strategic partners in cultural delivery. Where We're Headed In this brave new world of luxury and lifestyle travel, the most coveted status symbol is not a jet or a villa, it's how consciously you travel, and how deeply you connect. It's a future where biometrics and blockchain enhance ease, augmented reality tells forgotten stories, and space hotels and underwater retreats redefine frontiers. But the true luxury lies not in the extraordinary destination, but in the extraordinary people who guide you through it, and the transformative path you take within. As we look to 2040, one thing is clear: the future of hospitality will not be defined by what we build, but by how we make people feel, and who we empower to lead those moments of meaning. Tomorrow's true luxury isn't a far-flung destination; it's the extraordinary people who guide you there and the transformation you carry home. Nicolas Frangos, Disruptive yet Pragmatic Tourism Travel Hospitality CEO
Bloomberg
20-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
India Plans to Spend $10 Billion on Homebuilt Oil Tanker Fleet
India plans to spend 850 billion rupees ($10 billion) to purchase 112 crude carriers through 2040, people familiar with the matter said, as the world's third-biggest importer of oil seeks to have its own fleet to secure supplies. State-owned oil companies currently operate an aging fleet that's mostly on-charter from global companies and the shipping and petroleum ministries want to change that, said the people, who asked not to be identified citing rules. The plan's first phase involves purchasing 79 ships, of which 30 of them would be medium-range vessels, they said.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Should You Buy IonQ Stock to Ride the Quantum Computing Revolution? The Answer May Surprise You
IonQ's stock has soared along with investor enthusiasm for quantum computing. The company has minimal revenue and huge operating losses. Like other hyped-up technology themes, quantum computing stocks are likely to perform poorly over the long haul. 10 stocks we like better than IonQ › Science fiction is slowly turning into science fact. At least, that's what it looks like when we have self-driving cars, humanoid robots, and now quantum computers emerging into the limelight. Researchers predict that quantum computing will create $850 billion in economic value by 2040, and investors are scooping up shares of quantum computing stocks like they're going out of style. IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) is up over 300% in the last 12 months as of this writing, making huge gains for shareholders. Is now the time to hop on the IonQ train and ride the quantum computing revolution? The answer is more complicated than you think. We can easily understand why society would value self-driving cars or humanoid robots. They take work previously done by humans and offload it to machines, allowing people to have more leisure time. But why would we want quantum computers? A simple answer: They promise unprecedented speeds in advanced computations. Traditional semiconductor-based supercomputers can take hours or even days to finish calculations in advanced mathematics, artificial intelligence (AI), or simulations. Quantum computers use quantum mechanics to do these calculations in just a few seconds, potentially saving time and money in the process. This could provide an immense value to society and revolutionize the entire computer industry, from personal devices to the cloud. It sounds great, but working out the kinks in this technology has proven remarkably difficult. That is where researchers like IonQ step in. The company is slowly building quantum computers for commercialization and selling supplies to other research teams to help work on their own quantum research. It has even started selling its quantum computing services over the public cloud providers, although there are still a lot of errors to fix with the technology. If IonQ can win the race to quantum computing supremacy and commercialize the technology, there is a ton of promise for this business. This is why investors have bid up the stock to new heights and its current market cap of $8.6 billion. Since it's an early stage start-up trying to build a new technology in public markets, IonQ does not have the prettiest financials. It generated just $7.6 million in revenue last quarter and lost $75.7 million. The company's operating loss has gotten worse for many years now and will likely continue to worsen as it pours more research into quantum computing. On the bright side, IonQ does have $700 million in cash on the balance sheet through various capital raises. This money was not free for shareholders and did lead to major share dilution, with shares outstanding up 29% in the last couple of years. At the current burn rate, IonQ only has a few years left to get to profitability, and it does not look like quantum computers will be commercialized for at least another five years, if not longer. There is a lot of uncertainty in investing in cutting-edge technology when we don't even know if it will ever work. This presents a big risk for IonQ. Quantum computing stocks can feel exciting. But these are simply not the type of stocks that make money for an investor's portfolio. Hyped-up technologies come and go in public markets. In the last two decades we've had clean energy, 3D printing, cannabis (not a technology, but inspired by legalization), electric vehicles, and now quantum computing stocks, just to name a few. Some of these innovative things have produced real-world results for companies and consumers. Most of the stocks have done terribly for investors. Building a new technology in public is difficult and comes with high risks. IonQ and the other quantum computing stocks are losing a boatload of money, and have minimal sales and large market caps. This is a recipe for poor stock performance over the long haul. Despite it doing so well in the last 12 months, I think IonQ stock is one investors should stay far away from right now. New technologies can be interesting, but they rarely make for good stocks. Before you buy stock in IonQ, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the for investors to buy now… and IonQ wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $642,582!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $829,879!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor's total average return is 975% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 172% for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join . See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of May 12, 2025 Brett Schafer has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy IonQ Stock to Ride the Quantum Computing Revolution? The Answer May Surprise You was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
