A new fat-burning substance is discovered in the labs at Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Matt Doyle has the story.
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Monday’s decision by the Supreme Court that LGBTQ people deserve equal treatment in the workplace is being celebrated by some while being a disappointing development to others. Kevin Barnhart has the story.
Cut 2 (31) “…I’m Kevin Barnhart”
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Revisions to a regular session tort reform bill that was vetoed by the Governor appear to have won the effort a veto-proof majority in the House…
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Pennington Biomedical Research Center researchers say a chemical compound called BAM15 shows great promise as a metabolism increasing fat burner.
Pennington Executive Director Dr. John Kirwan says they found the compound in a chemical library and administered it to lab mice. He says the results were impressive.
BAM15 is not a substance that occurs naturally in the human body.
Kirwan says BAM15 infiltrated fat cells in those lab mice and showed weight loss in the test group without any additional physical exertion compared to the control group.
BAM15 was also shown to reduce blood sugar and insulin levels in lab mice.
Test results showed BAM15 actively increased passive fat burn in test mice for hours after it was taken. Kirwan says it is also easy to administer as a supplement.
The substance will have to move to human trial next and would likely not be available for several years should it prove safe and effective.
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The US Supreme Court’s decision on Monday of extending the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to apply to gay and transgender workers is being considered a historic ruling. Louisiana Family Forum President Gene Mills says it may result in unknown ramifications.
Cut 7 (11) “…releasing an employee.”
Mills says this could result in an uptick of lawsuits between workers and their employers.
Cut 8 (11) “…litigation-rich field.”
Executive Director of the Louisiana Democratic Party Stephen Handwerk says this decision means that LGBTQ individuals can now go to work with the peace of mind knowing that they have every right to be there.
Cut 9 (08) “…over their head.”
The decision came on a 6-3 vote, with two votes coming from conservative judges, including President Trump appointee Neil Gorsuch. Handwerk says this is another step in the right direction for equality for those in the LGBTQ community.
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Louisiana Highway 1 in Lafourche Parish receives $135 million in federal grant money to construct an 8.3 mile elevated highway from Leeville Bridge to Golden Meadow, making it the largest transportation grant in America. Congressman Garret Graves says the road is vital to get to Port Fourchon.
Cut 11 (13) “…the United States.”
The money comes as part of the FAST Act which requires that projects which support national energy security priority consideration for the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America grant program.
Sections of the highway are so low that the road can go under water with a high tide or a strong wind, but experiences the most trouble with storm surge from tropical systems. Graves says shutdowns of the roadway have widespread impacts.
Cut 12 (12) “…of extended period.”
Graves says the plans have been in the works since the mid-90’s and the total construction time would likely span 18 to 24 months.
Cut 13 (11) “…quarter of 2021.”
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The House passes legislation making revisions to the tort reform effort that was vetoed by the Governor, winning a veto-proof majority for the bill in the process.
Bill sponsor Chalmette Representative Ray Garofalo says the legislation requires insurance companies to meet with the Insurance Commissioner to see how much money this legislation has saved them…
The bill makes a few adjustments relative to legislation that was vetoed by Governor Edwards, namely decreasing the jury trial threshold further to 5,000 dollars from the previous bill’s 10,000 dollars. The current threshold is 50,000 dollars.
New Orleans Representative Mandie Landry says just because companies are required to meet with the Commissioner, doesn’t mean he can, or will force them to lower rates.
Landry noted even the ten percent promised reduction in rates would still give us some of the top five highest rates in the nation, which needs to be addressed through other legislation.
Erath Representative Blake Miguez they’ve worked hard to make sure this bill ensures Louisiana’s legal system more closely reflects our neighbors who pay much lower premiums.
But Amite Representative Robby Carter tore into the bill over how it would impact our ability to fund court systems and ensure injured victims receive just compensation.
The bill heads to the Senate.
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