Latest news with #MCRI
ABC News
2 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
Australian measles vaccine advice reviewed as research suggests earlier jabs
Some Australian babies could face an increased risk of measles infection because of current vaccination guidelines, according to new research which suggests babies as young as four months may need to be vaccinated. The research lands as Australia's official vaccine advisory body, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisations (ATAGI), reviews existing measles vaccine recommendations. Every region of the world is experiencing a major escalation in measles infections, which has prompted ATAGI to launch the review of Australia's two-dose schedule. In Australia, a first dose is recommended at 12 months of age and a second at 18 months. An early, additional dose can be given at six months in specific situations, such as when a child is travelling to a country where measles is endemic. But new research suggests that might even be too late. Do you have a story to share? Email The Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) has called for authorities to urgently consider whether the first measles vaccine should be recommended at four months of age. Historically, children in their first year of life were thought to be protected from measles by maternal antibodies. These are transferred from mother to child through the placenta during pregnancy and provide temporary protection against the virus. But data has emerged showing these antibodies wane before children become eligible for vaccination, which creates a gap in immunity. MCRI researchers recently published a paper in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, which analysed data from more than 8,000 babies under nine months of age from over 30 low and middle-income countries including China, India, Turkey and South Africa. They found 81 per cent of babies had measles antibodies at birth, but 70 per cent had zero remaining antibodies by the time they were just four months old. Only about 18 per cent of the babies had antibodies at seven months. "In most countries, the number of children who have lost their immunity by three months is very substantial," said Professor Kim Mulholland, who specialises in paediatric immunology and was involved in the research. Previous research showed some babies in Belgium had an absence of measles antibodies as early as two months old, while antibody protection in Dutch babies lasted for about 3.3 to 5.3 months. A four-month dose is already recommended in New Zealand as a prevention tool during outbreaks. Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus and lower vaccination rates combined with increased global travel has led to a surge in cases globally. This year, 77 cases have been recorded in Australia so far, compared to the 57 recorded for the whole of 2024. This upward trend comes as vaccination rates among Australian children reach "critical levels" and, in some cases, have dropped below the threshold needed for herd immunity. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Aged Care said ATAGI was "closely monitoring" the situation and international evidence to inform any updates to vaccine recommendations. The ATAGI review would "ensure that timing and number of doses continues to provide the most effective protection for infants", they said. Professor Mulholland said Australia's immunisation coverage was still stronger than a lot of other countries and an earlier dose would be most critical in countries like Vietnam, where there were currently high infection numbers among young children. Infections are more deadly in children under the age of one and there is also the risk of a phenomenon called immune amnesia — where the immune system forgets how to fight infections it has acquired before. Immune amnesia is not a risk for people protected by the measles vaccine. Willingness to get an extra, earlier vaccine could be low among some groups given the rise of vaccine hesitancy, fuelled by fears about safety and efficacy. There are also some trade-offs to administering an earlier vaccine. Some reports suggest an early dose could be associated with a more rapid decline in antibody levels — so by the time a child is four or five years old they might have lower protection than if they waited longer to receive their first dose. "But measles in a child who has had a vaccine and then has declining antibodies is not as serious at that age, [however] they might circulate it and give it to younger infants who are higher risk," Professor Mulholland said. Archana Koirala, a paediatrician and infectious diseases specialist at the University of Sydney who was not involved in the research, agreed an earlier vaccine had a role to play during outbreaks. She said that was made more relevant due to young adults today having lower levels of antibodies than those in past decades. Research on blood donors published last year found older Australians had much higher levels of measles antibodies than younger adults, because they had grown up during a time when more measles was circulating. "Pregnant women [are now] starting with a low antibody titre [volume], thus less transfer to their infant resulting in faster decay of immunity in infants," Dr Koirala said. Dr Koirala said the arguments for a four-month vaccine had merit, but there were already a lot of kids not keeping up with the recommended vaccinations. "A lot of people aren't aware that if you're going anywhere overseas you should get your baby vaccinated [against measles] from six months," she said. Measles importation after international travel is the most common cause for infections in Australia. Professor Mulholland said Australia needed to make bigger efforts to improve immunisation globally, especially after the US withdrew funding of critical vaccine supply in developing nations. "Measles elimination is possible but it has to be global … Australia is not a country that's been particularly generous when it comes to foreign aid — it's probably time to change that position."
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists develop breakthrough blood test for rare genetic disorders in children
In a major leap for genetic diagnostics, scientists from the University of Melbourne and the Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) have developed a groundbreaking rapid blood test that can accurately diagnose rare genetic diseases in infants and children, potentially within days. The new test could spare families from months or even years of uncertainty, replacing costly, invasive procedures like muscle biopsies with a single, comprehensive diagnostic tool. While genome sequencing has transformed the landscape of rare disease detection, it still fails to deliver answers in about half of all cases. The new blood test bridges this diagnostic gap by assessing the pathogenicity of thousands of gene mutations at once, dramatically accelerating the path to treatment and hope for affected families. Researchers say the new blood test can rapidly detect abnormalities in up to 50 percent of all known rare genetic diseases. 'If our blood test can provide clinical diagnoses for even half of the 50 percent of patients who don't get a diagnosis through genome sequencing, that's a significant outcome as it means those patients don't have to undergo unnecessary and invasive testing such as muscle biopsies, which for a baby requires general anaesthetic and that doesn't come without risks,' University of Melbourne Associate Professor David Stroud said in a release. Murdoch Children's Research Institute Professor David Thorburn said that by providing patients and their families with a rapid clinical diagnosis, the chances of survival increased, as treatment, if available, could begin much sooner. "Even in cases where a child has died from an undiagnosed genetic disease, this new test can be carried out on tissue samples to determine the genetic mutation responsible for their death. Such diagnoses not only provide closure to families, but this information can also be used in IVF to help the parents to have future children who have not inherited the life-threatening disease,' Thorburn said. The research team reportedly benchmarked their new test against an existing clinically accredited enzyme test provided by the Victorian Clinical Genetics Services at MCRI, with a focus on mitochondrial diseases—a group of severe and rare disorders that deplete the body's cells of energy, potentially leading to organ dysfunction or failure, and even death. They found that, in comparison, their new test was more effective in confirming a mitochondrial disease diagnosis, being significantly more sensitive, accurate, and capable of delivering faster results. 'A recent health economics analysis in collaboration with the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health showed that our test could be offered at a similar cost to the enzyme test that is currently offered clinically for mitochondrial diseases, but our test is much more cost-effective as it can test for thousands of different genetic diseases, whereas other functional tests are mostly targeted to a small number of genetic disorders,' Dr Daniella Hock said. "Thanks to a $3 million Australian Government Medical Research Future Fund grant, researchers are now in the process of recruiting 300 patients with a range of different genetic disorders to participate in a study to investigate the broad utility of their diagnostic test," he added. It is expected that the test will eventually be offered as a diagnostic service through the Victorian Clinical Genetic Services. The new research has been published in the journal Genome Medicine.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
2 Cash-Heavy Stocks with Promising Prospects and 1 to Avoid
A cash-heavy balance sheet is often a sign of strength, but not always. Some companies avoid debt because they have weak business models, limited expansion opportunities, or inconsistent cash flow. Just because a business has cash doesn't mean it's a good investment. Luckily, StockStory is here to help you separate the winners from the losers. That said, here are two companies with net cash positions that can leverage their balance sheets to grow and one best left off your watchlist. Net Cash Position: $61.28 million (4.2% of Market Cap) Established in 1993, Monarch (NASDAQ:MCRI) operates luxury casinos and resorts, offering high-end gaming, dining, and hospitality experiences. Why Is MCRI Not Exciting? Lackluster 4% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates the company is losing ground to competitors Estimated sales growth of 2% for the next 12 months implies demand will slow from its two-year trend ROIC of 14.4% reflects management's challenges in identifying attractive investment opportunities Monarch is trading at $79.26 per share, or 8.1x forward EV-to-EBITDA. Read our free research report to see why you should think twice about including MCRI in your portfolio, it's free. Net Cash Position: $156.5 million (1.9% of Market Cap) Founded in the 1950s as Microwave Associates, a communications supplier to the US Army Signal Corp, today MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ: MTSI) is a provider of analog chips used in optical, wireless, and satellite networks. Why Does MTSI Stand Out? Solid 6.6% annual revenue growth over the last two years indicates its offering's solve complex business issues Demand for the next 12 months is expected to accelerate above its two-year trend as Wall Street forecasts robust revenue growth of 21.2% Earnings growth has massively outpaced its peers over the last five years as its EPS has compounded at 49.2% annually At $112.29 per share, MACOM trades at 30.8x forward P/E. Is now the right time to buy? See for yourself in our in-depth research report, it's free. Net Cash Position: $348.1 million (23.5% of Market Cap) Originally launched as a way to make grocery shopping more rewarding for budget-conscious consumers, Ibotta (NYSE:IBTA) is a mobile shopping app that allows consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by completing tasks and submitting receipts. Why Will IBTA Beat the Market? Market share has increased this cycle as its 32% annual revenue growth over the last two years was exceptional Increase in total redemptions shows customers are eagerly embracing its offerings Incremental sales over the last two years have been highly profitable as its earnings per share increased by 58.8% annually, topping its revenue gains Ibotta's stock price of $50.19 implies a valuation ratio of 13.7x forward P/E. Is now a good time to buy? Find out in our full research report, it's free. The market surged in 2024 and reached record highs after Donald Trump's presidential victory in November, but questions about new economic policies are adding much uncertainty for 2025. While the crowd speculates what might happen next, we're homing in on the companies that can succeed regardless of the political or macroeconomic environment. Put yourself in the driver's seat and build a durable portfolio by checking out our Top 6 Stocks for this week. This is a curated list of our High Quality stocks that have generated a market-beating return of 175% over the last five years. Stocks that made our list in 2019 include now familiar names such as Nvidia (+2,183% between December 2019 and December 2024) as well as under-the-radar businesses like Sterling Infrastructure (+1,096% five-year return). Find your next big winner with StockStory today for free. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Casino Operator Stocks Q4 Earnings: Monarch (NASDAQ:MCRI) Firing on All Cylinders
Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company's progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at Monarch (NASDAQ:MCRI) and the best and worst performers in the casino operator industry. Casino operators enjoy limited competition because gambling is a highly regulated industry. These companies can also enjoy healthy margins and profits. Have you ever heard the phrase 'the house always wins'? Regulation cuts both ways, however, and casinos may face stroke-of-the-pen risk that suddenly limits what they can or can't do and where they can do it. Furthermore, digitization is changing the game, pun intended. Whether it's online poker or sports betting on your smartphone, innovation is forcing these players to adapt to changing consumer preferences, such as being able to wager anywhere on demand. The 9 casino operator stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues beat analysts' consensus estimates by 0.9%. Amidst this news, share prices of the companies have had a rough stretch. On average, they are down 20.4% since the latest earnings results. Established in 1993, Monarch (NASDAQ:MCRI) operates luxury casinos and resorts, offering high-end gaming, dining, and hospitality experiences. Monarch reported revenues of $134.5 million, up 4.9% year on year. This print exceeded analysts' expectations by 4.4%. Overall, it was a very strong quarter for the company with an impressive beat of analysts' EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts' adjusted operating income estimates. Monarch pulled off the biggest analyst estimates beat of the whole group. Investor expectations, however, were likely higher than Wall Street's published projections, leaving some wishing for even better results (analysts' consensus estimates are those published by big banks and advisory firms, not the investors who make buy and sell decisions). The stock is down 14.8% since reporting and currently trades at $73.04. Is now the time to buy Monarch? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Formerly Eldorado Resorts, Caesars Entertainment (NASDAQ:CZR) is a global gaming and hospitality company operating numerous casinos, hotels, and resort properties. Caesars Entertainment reported revenues of $2.80 billion, flat year on year, falling short of analysts' expectations by 1.1%. However, the business still had a very strong quarter with an impressive beat of analysts' EPS estimates and a solid beat of analysts' adjusted operating income estimates. The stock is down 30.6% since reporting. It currently trades at $24.20. Is now the time to buy Caesars Entertainment? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free. Headquartered in Providence, Rhode Island, Bally's Corporation (NYSE:BALY) is a diversified global casino-entertainment company that owns and manages casinos, resorts, and online gaming platforms. Bally's reported revenues of $580.4 million, down 5.1% year on year, falling short of analysts' expectations by 1.9%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts' adjusted operating income and EPS estimates. As expected, the stock is down 14.6% since the results and currently trades at $11.11. Read our full analysis of Bally's results here. Founded in 1976, Red Rock Resorts (NASDAQ:RRR) operates a range of casino resorts and entertainment properties, primarily in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Red Rock Resorts reported revenues of $495.7 million, up 7.1% year on year. This number topped analysts' expectations by 1.4%. Taking a step back, it was a slower quarter as it recorded a significant miss of analysts' EPS estimates and a slight miss of analysts' adjusted operating income estimates. The stock is down 22.4% since reporting and currently trades at $39.49. Read our full, actionable report on Red Rock Resorts here, it's free. Founded by the former Mirage Resorts CEO, Wynn Resorts (NASDAQ:WYNN) is a global developer and operator of high-end hotels and casinos, known for its luxurious properties and premium guest services. Wynn Resorts reported revenues of $1.84 billion, flat year on year. This result beat analysts' expectations by 2.8%. It was a strong quarter as it also put up a solid beat of analysts' EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts' adjusted operating income estimates. The stock is down 13.6% since reporting and currently trades at $69.50. Read our full, actionable report on Wynn Resorts here, it's free. Thanks to the Fed's rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has been on a steady path downward, easing back toward that 2% sweet spot. Fortunately (miraculously to some), all this tightening didn't send the economy tumbling into a recession, so here we are, cautiously celebrating a soft landing. The cherry on top? Recent rate cuts (half a point in September 2024, a quarter in November) have propped up markets, especially after Trump's November win lit a fire under major indices and sent them to all-time highs. However, there's still plenty to ponder — tariffs, corporate tax cuts, and what 2025 might hold for the economy. Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Strong Momentum Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate. Join Paid Stock Investor Research Help us make StockStory more helpful to investors like yourself. Join our paid user research session and receive a $50 Amazon gift card for your opinions. Sign up here.
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Monarch Casino & Resort's (NASDAQ:MCRI) Conservative Accounting Might Explain Soft Earnings
Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:MCRI) stock was strong despite it releasing a soft earnings report last week. However, we think the company is showing some signs that things are more promising than they seem. Check out our latest analysis for Monarch Casino & Resort Importantly, our data indicates that Monarch Casino & Resort's profit was reduced by US$29m, due to unusual items, over the last year. While deductions due to unusual items are disappointing in the first instance, there is a silver lining. We looked at thousands of listed companies and found that unusual items are very often one-off in nature. And that's hardly a surprise given these line items are considered unusual. If Monarch Casino & Resort doesn't see those unusual expenses repeat, then all else being equal we'd expect its profit to increase over the coming year. That might leave you wondering what analysts are forecasting in terms of future profitability. Luckily, you can click here to see an interactive graph depicting future profitability, based on their estimates. Unusual items (expenses) detracted from Monarch Casino & Resort's earnings over the last year, but we might see an improvement next year. Based on this observation, we consider it likely that Monarch Casino & Resort's statutory profit actually understates its earnings potential! And the EPS is up 6.3% annually, over the last three years. Of course, we've only just scratched the surface when it comes to analysing its earnings; one could also consider margins, forecast growth, and return on investment, among other factors. So while earnings quality is important, it's equally important to consider the risks facing Monarch Casino & Resort at this point in time. Case in point: We've spotted 2 warning signs for Monarch Casino & Resort you should be aware of. Today we've zoomed in on a single data point to better understand the nature of Monarch Casino & Resort's profit. But there are plenty of other ways to inform your opinion of a company. For example, many people consider a high return on equity as an indication of favorable business economics, while others like to 'follow the money' and search out stocks that insiders are buying. While it might take a little research on your behalf, you may find this free collection of companies boasting high return on equity, or this list of stocks with significant insider holdings to be useful. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
