StemCell Therapy

Home Health News Mouse teeth shown to hold insight into future stem cell tissue regeneration

The use of stem cells throughout the years has been both a decisive topic and one that holds a lot of promise for potential medical therapy. They are essentially undifferentiated biological cells that havent yet been specialized for a specific purpose. The cells of your heart, stomach, and even your brain have all started out as stem cells, and it wasnt until some point during human development that biological processes channeled them to permanently becoming one type of cell. Scientists and researchers around the globe are always in search of the best way to learn about and harvest these valuable cells, and the latest reports suggest the teeth of rodents are an abundant source.

There are considered two main stem cell types in the body: one is from embryonic development when in the womb, and the other are adult stem cells that exist throughout the body. Harvesting embryonic stem cells has been controversial, as it often seen as unethical, but adult stem cellsfound in organs such as the bone marrow, blood vessel, and liver in mammalsis easier to obtain. Stomach linings, for example, require the constant shedding of their cell linings as the acid wears away at them, and having adult stems cells allows for quick replacement of these sloughed off cells.

Weve all seen mice before, and one of their defining characteristics are their front teeth. What most people arent aware of is that their front teeth, or incisors, constantly grow, as they rely on them to be consistently sharp for burrowing and self-defense, and of course, for eating away at your pantry food. As we grow older our teeth start to wear out, and in nature, once you dont have your teeth anymore, you die. As a result, mice and many other animals from elephants to some primates can grow their teeth continuously. Our labs objective is to learn the rules that let mouse incisors grow continuously to help us one day grow teeth in the lab, but also to help us identify general principles that could enable us to understand the processes of tissue renewal much more broadly, said UC San Franciscos Ophir Klein, MD, Ph.D., a professor of orofacial sciences in UCSFs School of Dentistry and of pediatrics in the School of Medicine.

While not all aspects of this process are fully understood just yet, as the exact signals triggering this process have yet to be identified. It, however, marks an advancement of knowledge in the field, and one that bodes well for the future of stem cell therapy. It may prove beneficial for tissue regeneration to treat everything from severe burns to growing entire organs from scratch.

Related:Stem cells from fat may be useful to prevent aging

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Stem cell technique may aid in bone repair

Osteoporosis can be reversed by stem cell therapy, new potential treatment

https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2017/04/406836/mouse-teeth-providing-new-insights-tissue-regeneration http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1934590917300942 http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/stem_cell

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Mouse teeth shown to hold insight into future stem cell tissue regeneration - Bel Marra Health

by: Clark Howard Updated: Apr 28, 2017 - 7:53 PM

Channel 2 consumer adviser Clark Howard says new research shows there may be a way to fill cavities by re-growing part of the tooth itself.

Fillings are one of the most common and least expensive dental procedures in America.

John Sieweke is the dental director at Good Samaritan Health Center in Atlanta. He says while common, fillings are also technique-sensitive.

If you do not follow that technique, then you are gonna get leakage between the tooth and the filling and that's gonna lead to more decay and more breakdown and potential pain, Sieweke explained. Depending on how far that is allowed to go could lead to the loss of the tooth.

Now a team of researchers at Kings College in London think theyve found a way to fill cavities, by stimulating a process that already takes place naturally when a tooth is damaged.

Teeth are a mineralized organ. Highly complex, they contain two different types of mineral: the enamel, which is the stuff on the outside that you see, and underneath they have another mineral called dentine, and right in the middle they have a soft tissue which has got blood supply and nerves, Paul Sharpe, a member of the King's College team, said.

Sharpe explained that when damage occurs, stem cells in the pulp are activated and begin the process of producing dentine to repair the tooth, but it only works when the damage is small.

When the damage is big, it just can't cope; the process is not robust enough to repair big holes... i.e., when a dentist has drilled out decay, he said.

Thats where Tideglusib comes in. Sharpe and his team used the drug to stimulate the process of dentine production in mice.

They placed a small amount of the drug on a sponge and inserted it in the tooth of a mouse where a hole was drilled. The result, Sharpe said, was a massive stimulation of the natural process.

So you get dentine formed and it completely fills the tooth, Sharp said. So the hole that's drilled is now filled with the natural material that's been removed that the tooth has created itself.

It took two to four weeks for the dentine to grow back. Sharpe says its a strong natural repair that could prevent more damage down the road.

Failure with the conventional treatment where you are using cement is that the cement can crack, Sharpe explained. You can get fissures and that can lead to a reinfection of the tooth and there you have to go back to the dentist and have a new one put in.

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According to the National Association of Dental Plans, 114 million in the U.S. had no dental coverage at the end of 2016, so making sure new treatments are affordable is key.

Thats one of the reasons Sharpe and his team chose Tideglusib.

It had already been used in patients for treatments in neurological disorders such as Alzheimers, he said. So that means this drug has been used systemically into the bloodstream at high concentrations ... and there is safety data ... so all the costs of drug development -- safety trials and everything else -- we don't have those. That's why I think among other things it could be cost-effective treatment.

Its also a relatively simple process, which also helps to keep cost down.

It's very uncomplicated, Sharpe said. Dentistry is massively high volume/low cost treatment -- so anything that's really over-complicated and expensive is never going to make the market.

It will still be about two years before there are human trials, but Sharpe stresses that even if this treatment goes mainstream, the drug is only meant to repair damage.

Sieweke agrees and says prevention is the best way to keep your dental costs down.

I think a lot of times that is getting lost in the real day-to-day treatment world. The focus is, What's broken? How do we fix it? And unfortunately too often also, What's the cost? And the cheapest way to bring down the cost of dental care is to prevent it, Sieweke said.

Clark says hes excited for the future.

You never know with science, but I think this one is the real deal for your mouth and mine, Clark said.

The best way to keep your dental bill down is to brush your teeth. Do you know how to do it correctly? Clark reecntly learned that he did not.

Here's a tutorial from a dentist on how to brush correctly.

2017 Cox Media Group.

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Never get another filling? Drug helps regrow your teeth - WSB Atlanta

New research is constantly going on and studies in the world of medicine are rapid and profound. In dentistry, new research has come in that show promising results. It has been deduced that baby teeth contain stem cells and when used to make medicines they can be used to treat quite a few degenerative diseases like leukemia etc. This is the reason why many people in developed countries are banking baby teeth so that regenerative medicine can be produced and then used more frequently.

This practice of preserving baby teeth of children or young adults is known as cryopreserving of wisdom teeth and has been around for some 10 years or so. Even though it is as yet not too common, it is becoming more popular because of its many uses. The reason why this practice is becoming widespread is that research shows that stem cells in baby teeth can help to save lives in the future, be it for dental usage or other medicinal causes.

Stem cell treatment is the future. It can potentially be the difference of life and death for any people going through adverse conditions or diseases. But is it really as advantageous as it is hyped u to be? Some scientists and researchers dont believe so. According to Ben Scheven senior lecturer in oral cell biology in the school of dentistry at the University of Birmingham Research is still mostly in the experimental (preclinical) phase. He went on to say, Dental stem cells may provide an advantageous cell therapy for repair and regeneration of tissues someday.

Dr. Pamela Robey of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research agrees that research is very progressive and promising but, she believes that there is still very little concrete evidence. She points out that there is still a long way to go before major breakthrough can be made.

Colleague of Dr. Robey, Songtao Shi conducted lots of research on wisdom teeth as well as baby teeth. They discovered that when there was a cavity, the tooth produced a substance known as dentin that filled up the hole in order to protect it. Below this is the pulp where lies nerve tissues and blood supply that provide nourishment to the tooth and gums. Shi deduced from his work that it was the molars that made dentin, not the baby teeth. They had different kind of properties. They not only made dentin, but none like structure too.

The process of stem cell extraction from the pulp is very critical and needs to be cautiously done. The people doing the process need to be very careful to make sure that no infection is mixed in. the stem cells are extracted with the aid of a drill. Scientists claim that small amounts of dental pulp can be used for millions of stem cells.

As per the instructions of the president of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Jade Miller its critical that the nerve tissue in pulp tissue, the nerve supply and blood supply, still remain intact and alive. He also said that, Typically, the best baby teeth to harvest are the upper front six or lower front six incisors and cuspids.

If parents want to harvest their childrens teeth, they need to make their decision early on and enough their pediatrician so that proper measures can be taken in advance.

Even though the end decision is that of the parents and their children, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry encourages dentists to follow future evidence-based literature in order to educate parents about the collection, storage, viability, and use of dental stem cells with respect to autologous regenerative therapies.

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Baby teeth can be used to make medicines! - Dental News Pakistan

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Stem cells to fight Alzheimer's disease on Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman Monsters and Critics.com Tonight's Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman looks at the exciting subject of reversing Alzheimer's disease and the magic of stem cells. The episode, titled Can We Cheat Death?, sees Freeman looks at how we can unlock the secrets of certain cells ... and more »

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Stem cells to fight Alzheimer's disease on Through the Wormhole with Morgan Freeman - Monsters and Critics.com

Combination therapy could provide new treatment option for ovarian cancer Science Daily In 2015, Memarzadeh and her team uncovered and isolated carboplatin-resistant ovarian cancer stem cells. These cells have high levels of proteins called cIAPs, which prevent cell death after chemotherapy. Since the cancer stem cells survive carboplatin ...

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Combination therapy could provide new treatment option for ovarian cancer - Science Daily

Brooklyn Berry has seen and done many things in her three seasons on the West Forsyth girls soccer team.

Berry, however, is limited in what she can see. The Titans talented junior forward has been blind in her left eye since eighth grade.

I tore half my retina, but the half that I tore is the half that we dont use. So I never knew it, Berry said. One day I couldnt see anything. I started losing vision, so I went to the doctor, and they told me that I had torn the half that I didnt use. And they told me it had been torn for months or years.

They told me that couldnt tell how long or what caused it because it had been so long.

Despite playing a majority of the time on the right side of the field, the lack of vision has not slowed her down.

She broke one of Alison Prices records on Tuesday and is on pace to break another. Berry broke the single-season school record of 43 goals, which was held by Price, a rising senior at Louisville, on Tuesday at Reynolds. She scored three times and now has 44 for the season.

Berry, who has verbally committed to UNC Wilmington, now has 104 career goals, 10 short of tying Prices all-time record of 114 at West Forsyth.

The cause of the injury to Berrys eye was never figured out.

Ive had so many concussions, so they told me it could really be anything, Berry said. And they told me it was just a matter of time until the rest of it (retina) fell off. So I had to get retina surgery.

The doctors inserted a new lens, but it didnt take.

I had surgery, and I had to wear an eye patch. I could only sleep on my left side. There were a bunch of things I was supposed to do. The lens shifted after, like, two days, and I went blind again, Berry said.

Some people, the lens just doesnt take. Your body just rejects it. My body just didnt take it right.

Coach Scott Bilton knew of Berrys blindness before she came to West Forsyth.

Its just been such a driving force for her, Bilton said. Shes compensated for that with the way that shell position her body so that shes able to see everything she needs to and things of that nature.

Adjusting to being able to see in just one eye has been difficult.

The first season, I had to play on the left side. Its been three or four years, so its still kind of hard, Berry said. I sometimes run into people and I dont really notice it. Ill be running and therell be somebody on my left side, and I cant really tell.

A lot of people on my team, they forget. Ive definitely gotten used to it a lot better than I used to.

Berry is not immune to injuries breaking her elbow her freshman year, pulling both hamstrings last season, and she is currently playing with a stress fracture in her foot.

In his 10th season coaching the Titans, Bilton has never seen anything like this.

Its definitely different, I guess, Bilton said. And its, obviously, something thats shocking to do what shes able to do. Shes had broken bones, just a bunch of stuff. Shes just found a way to be successful.

The Titans just clinched their seventh straight Central Piedmont 4-A conference championship and have won eight of the last 10. Before the Reynolds game, they were 18-1-1 and 10-0 with just a 4-1 loss to Cornelius Hough on April 21.

Berry has been there for the past three championships, scoring 27 goals her freshman season and 33 last season.

If the Titans make a deep run in the NCHSAA Class 4-A tournament, which starts next week, she could threaten Prices school scoring record this season. The team reached the state semifinals last season, losing 1-0 to Charlotte Providence.

The all-time state record, according to the NCHSAA, is 217 set bet Carolyn Lindsay of Hope Mills South View from 2000-03. It is possible for Berry to reach the top 15 on the list next season. Elizabeth Spencer, who played at Wilson Fike from 1996-99, has 152 goals.

The Forsyth County record set by Leigh Murray, who played at East Forsyth 1986-89, is 169 goals.

Berry said she hasnt spoken to Price about the record.

Shes a competitor, first and foremost, Bilton said of Berry. And competitors, when they set a goal, thats something that they want to go for.

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Field of vision: Despite blindness in left eye, West Forsyth's Brooklyn ... - Winston-Salem Journal

Boston, MA May 2, 2017 New England College of Optometry and PlatformQ Health to host three live, online sessions in May and July, covering new insights into age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy. Optometrist, ophthalmologist, and retina specialists can interact with leading medical faculty and earn COPE-accredited continuing education (CE).

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a chronic disease and the leading cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly of industrialized countries. The advanced form of dry AMD is geographic atrophy (GA) or atrophic AMD, a progressive, irreversible and blinding disease for which effective treatment remains a significant unmet medical need.

Optometrists play a crucial role in the ongoing eye care of patients with AMD and GA, from screening to combining imaging or functional data with a careful patient history to determining the need for subsequent care. They readily assess recognized risk factors with advanced AMD and provide disease management in the early stages, as well as prompt referral and follow up after treatment.

However, as a practical consideration for delivering eye care, the historic methodology of optometric practice may not keep pace with population aging, which leads to a corresponding increase in the prevalence of several macular diseases,and there are proportionally fewer eye care providers to care for older patients.

To help close this gap, New England College of Optometry (NECO) and PlatformQ Health are partnering to launch a free online Continuing Edseries on ClinicalSeriesLive, one of PlatformQ Healths virtual learning channels. PlatformQ Health is honored to partner with NECO on this innovative series for optometry health care professionals, says Robert Rosenbloom, CEO of PlatformQ Health. We look forward to helping bring much needed attention to the most prevalent cause of blindness inour aging population.

Clinicians can engage live with two top optometry faculty:

Age related macular degeneration is the leading cause of visual loss in older adults. Thus far, diagnosis and treatment have been limited to the wet or exudative form of this disease.New emerging insights in the dry or non-exudative form have added a significant understanding to the mechanisms of this disease, says Rishi P. Singh, MD. This online series will educate those on the front line optometrist, ophthalmologist, and retina specialists on screening, diagnosis, as well as future treatments which might be available."

This program intends to improve awareness, knowledge, and competency of optometrists about AMD and GA. The three-part series will cover screening, how to interpret results, underlying pathophysiology, the importance of referral to specialists, the crucial role of follow up, monitoring of therapeutic response in patients receiving treatment, and more. All three programs will be available on- demand following the live broadcasts.

Details on the series:

New Insights into Age-Related Macular Degeneration and Geographic Atrophy

Session I - Geographic Atrophy: Causes and Consequences Thursday, May 18, 2017 from 3:00-4:00 PM ET

Session II - The Referral to the Ophthalmologist and Treatment Options for Patients with Geographic Atrophy Thursday, May 18, 2017 from 4:00-5:00 PM ET

Session III - Focus on the Patient: Empowering Communication for Improved Outcomes Wednesday, July 12, 2017 from 2:00-3:00 PM ET

Learn more and register today.

About New England College of Optometry

New England College of Optometry, NECO,is an independent graduate college of optometry that educates students for careers in eye care delivery, research, and education. For over 120 years, New England College of Optometry has been educating optometrists and leaders in the field. Originally founded in 1894 as the Klein School of Optics, NECO prepares the next generation of eye care providers, educators, leaders, and innovators through a rigorous curriculum and extensive clinical experiences. http://www.neco.edu

Media Contact:Ingrid Hoogendoorn, Director of Communications phone:617-587-5722 email:hoogendoorni@neco.edu

About PlatformQ Health PlatformQ Health is the leading provider of live online medical education events, with 15 websites dedicated to different therapeutic areas. Their unique education platform allows physicians and other healthcare professionals to connect online from any computer, learn about the latest treatments options, and engage in real-time Q&A with top faculty. http://www.platformqhealth.com

Media Contact:Megan Cater phone:617-938-6031

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Online Continuing Education Series Tackles Leading Cause of ... - New England College of Optometry (press release) (blog)

To the Editor:

About 400 years ago, in 1609, Henry Hudson explored the Hudson River.

Though long ago, his trip is still of great local interest:

The source of the Hudson is smack in the middle of the 21st Congressional District. A year later, he set about to find the Northwest Passage.

His search was sponsored by financial interests that could have benefited immensely from its discovery (think Suez Canal, Panama Canal) because it shortened the commercial trade routes between Europe and China. He didnt find it, because it didnt exist - at the time.

Observations show that ice coverage of the arctic has systematically decreased during the last half century.

Political blindness in the U.S. refuses to acknowledge this trend. At the same time, political pragmatism has prepared Russia to take advantage of this trend. Russia has a far larger fleet of icebreakers than the U.S. and has just launched the largest nuclear-powered icebreaker of all, the Arctika, on June 16, 2016.

While American politicians are debating the reality of global warming, the Russians are set to profit from it. They have opened up the long-sought Northwest Passage and are preparing to benefit from it twice over: from the trade it will enable and from the mineral resources that are now accessible under the Arctic Sea.

Our political blindness is redirecting a large source of income from the U.S. Treasury to the treasuries of other countries.

Robert Gilmore

Tupper Lake

Originally posted here:
Political blindness is nothing new - Sun Community News

14:46 Tuesday 02 May 2017

A determined dad has overcome his blindness to become an acclaimed chess player once again.

In fact Graham Pennington is so good that he is one of only four British people now selected to compete in the International Braille Chess Association Championships in Macedonia next month.

Former plasterer Graham started playing chess at just 12 years old after his brother Stephen taught him all the moves.

It was relatively easy to learn at this time because Graham was fully sighted and he used to play in the chess club in the Tamar pub, on Wigan Road, then began playing competitively around the age of 20.

But in 2006, when in his early 50s Graham lost his sight due to the diabetes he had been battling for years.

Facing these life-changing circumstances the father of one thought his chess-playing days were over and announced that he was giving up the game he loved so much.

But it was only after two of his good friends who recognized his skill and knew how much he loved chess encouraged him to continue playing that he took up his favourite interest again.

The now 61-year-old of Parkedge Close, has a Braille chess board where the black squares are raised and one set of pieces have raised dots on the top to help him identify them from his opponents pieces.

He has a speaking clock so he can time his moves and he uses an abacus to keep track of the number of moves made.

Graham has previously played for Lancashire and is now a member of the Atherton Chess Club and plays with sighted people here and in the Warrington League.

The Atherton Club were winners of the league this season and now Graham is getting ready for his trip to the Balkans with wife Kathleen next month.

He said: When I lost my sight I thought that was it for playing chess, but my friends persuaded me otherwise and I am so glad that they did because I love it.

I feel my way around the board and then visualise where I can next place a piece and I reckon now I am up to the standard I was before I lost my vision. Its a battle of wits more than anything else.

I do play sighted competitors and have claimed my share of scalps and I am so proud to be representing the Braille Chess Association.

There will be representatives from probably 20 other countries in Macedonia and I am so looking forward to the trip.

I am so glad that I didnt give up my main hobby and I guess it shows what you can do in the face of adversity if you put your mind to it.

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Chess ace's comeback in the face of blindness - Wigan Today

May 2, 2017By Joel Hans

Researchers are using AI and other deep learning methods to create an algorithm thats capable of detecting DR with an accuracy rate of 94 percent

When we talk about artificial intelligence here at RTInsights, we typically cover topics like recommendation engines, such as selling houses on Trulia, or implementing some kind of predictive analysis to make CRM or marketing more effective.

But artificial intelligence can be used for actually improving the lives of ordinary peopleaccording to a new study conducted by researchers from the Byers Eye Institute at Stanford University, AI could soon be used to fight vision loss due to a complication that stems from diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy(DR)affects the blood vessels at the back of the eye while a patient has diabetes, and its known to cause preventable blindness. The researchers are using AI and other deep learning methods to create an algorithm thats capable of detecting DR with an accuracy rate of 94 percent. That number applies to all the disease stagesmild to severeso its not only beneficial to those who are dealing with severe vision issues due to DR. Those in the earliest stages, when treatment can be successful at preventing vision loss, could then seek out the right specialist to mitigate any further damage.

Theodore Leng, M.D., the lead author of the report, says that this algorithm is actually quite accessibleit can be run on an ordinary personal computer, or even a smartphone, with a current average-grade processor. In order to develop the algorithm, the team used a training network of 75,000 images from patients across a range of ethnicities, to ensure the algorithm was universal. These images were then used to differentiate between a healthy patient and those with any stage of the disease.

Why use AI for the detection of DR? Diabetes affects in every 11 adults worldwide, and 45 percent of those will have some level of DR in their lifetime. Simply put, thats a lot of people, and DR is currently diagnosed by first examining the eye and then evaluating color photographs. Its a time-consuming process, even for specialists. According to Dr. Leng, doctors in areas with fewer resources are disproportionate affected, and have the most to gain from any boost in diagnostic ability.

According to Dr. Leng, fewer than half of diabetic patients are aware about how DR might be affecting them. If the algorithm could be used to detect even a portion of those patients, it could make significant inroads in helping stop preventative blindness around the world. Pilot trials will hopefully be started in the near future, followed by approval from the FDA.

Dr. Leng says, If properly implemented on a worldwide basis, this algorithm has the potential to reduce the workload on doctors and increase the efficiency of limited healthcare resources. We hope that this technology will have the greatest impact in parts of the world where ophthalmologists are in short supply.

Weve seen this trend before, with overworked radiologists who could benefit from an algorithm capable of making their work more manageable and accurate. Its not about outsourcing or replacing a doctors expertise on diagnosis, but rather giving them more tools to work from.

Researchers at Harvard Medical School have also recently been hard at work on an algorithm that can detect breast cancer with 92 percent accuracy. When paired with a trained human pathologist, the accuracy of detection rose to 99.5 percentan impressive figure that will likely save lives when rolled out widely.

Aside from analysis of diagnostic imagery, AI is being used in hospitals, along with IoT and other connectivity technology, to help seal up communication gaps and ensure that every doctor on a particular patents team is fully up-to-date on the latest progress. Even the devices used in day-to-day hospital workflows are being upgraded with networking capabilities and smart design. The AdhereTech pill bottle detects when the bottle is open, transmits information to the patients doctor, and reminds patients to take the medication. The company claims a 20 percent boost in medication adherence.

Thats a big number, but even small percentages make a big impact when it comes to peoples health. If Dr. Lengs new algorithm only improves DR detection by a single percentage point, that could still affect millions of people. And when it comes to ending preventable blindness, every correct diagnosis counts.

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The Next Challenge for AI: Fighting Blindness - RTInsights (press release) (blog)

Barron's

iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Upgraded at Vetr Inc. The Cerbat Gem iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index logo Vetr upgraded shares of iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (NASDAQ:IBB) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report report published on Wednesday, April 5th. They currently have $298.93 target ... iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Stake Increased by ...Markets Daily iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Rating Increased to Buy at Vetr Inc.Transcript Daily iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Stock Rating Upgraded ...Sports Perspectives Barron's -Petro Global News 24 -Chaffey Breeze all 14 news articles »

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iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (IBB) Upgraded at Vetr Inc. - The Cerbat Gem

Dr. Felister Makini, Deputy Director General (crops) at the Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), noted that African women play a critical role in ensuring food security. She urged the government to make farming easier for them by providing modern tools such as biotechnology. As African women, we are the ones who suffer most whenever drought and food shortages strike, despite the availability of technological solutions to these problems, she said. We need to speak with one voice and advocate for a predictable policy environment. I have children and a family to protect. I cannot advocate for something that I know would affect them she added.

On her part, Prof. Caroline Thoruwa, Chairperson, African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE), noted that for Africa to advance in agri-biotech, women must be involved. It is time to tell the public about the positive side of biotechnology. We need to raise up the status of women in biotechnology and also encourage women to network in order to achieve the noble goal of sharing their science, she said.

The GLP aggregated and excerpted this blog/article to reflect the diversity of news, opinion, and analysis. Read full, original post:AFRICAN WOMEN IN BIOSCIENCES CALL FOR SUPPORTIVE POLICIES ON BIOTECHNOLOGY

For more background on the Genetic Literacy Project, read GLP on Wikipedia

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Kenyan scientists push for female farmers' access to biotechnology - Genetic Literacy Project

The Cerbat Gem

Rodman & Renshaw Reiterates Buy Rating for Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. - American Depositary Shares (APOP) The Cerbat Gem Rodman & Renshaw reissued their buy rating on shares of Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. American Depositary Shares (NASDAQ:APOP) in a research report report published on Tuesday, April 4th. Rodman & Renshaw currently has a $1.00 price objective on ... Cellect Gets Green Light From FDA For ApoGraft IND Submission in the U.S.Nasdaq all 2 news articles »

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Rodman & Renshaw Reiterates Buy Rating for Cellect Biotechnology Ltd. - American Depositary Shares (APOP) - The Cerbat Gem

Cellect Biotechnology Ltd, based in Israel, has developed an innovative technology which enables the production of stem cells to therapies and treatments that require stem cells as the main raw material. The company trades on both the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE) and NASDAQ, and had a market capitalisation at TASE of ca. 45 million USD (prior to the release of Frost & Sullivan report today).

Frost & Sullivan publishes equity research reports on technology, biomed and healthcare companies that are listed on the TASE, within the framework of the analysis program that the TASE has initiated. Key goals of the program are enhancing global awareness of these companies and enabling more informed investment decisions by investors interested in hot Israeli hi-tech and healthcare companies.

In the coming months, Frost & Sullivan will release 9 additional initiation coverage reports, covering the other companies that have joined the programme: 6 biomed companies Aposense, Brainsway, BiolineRX, Kitov Pharmaceuticals, D.N.A. Biomedical Solutions, and Redhill Biopharma; and 3 technology companies: Safe-T Group, Vonetize and Energix Renewable Energies.

For the purpose of equity research services, Frost & Sullivan, the leading global consulting, and market research firm, will leverage relevant analysts, experts and growth consultiants among a staff of 1,800, at ca. 50 branches across 6 continents, including in Israel. Frost & Sullivan will utilize the experience and know-how accumulated over the course of 55 years in medical technologies, life sciences, technology, energy, and other industrial fields, including the publication of tens of thousands of market and technology research reports, and economic analyses and valuations.

Starting September 2016 Edison Investment Research released analyses of 11 companies, and a significant increase in trading volume and in the exposure of the companies included in the project to both the local and foreign investing public is evident. It is noteworthy that in most of the reviewed dual listings, trading volume has increased significantly both in Israel and the United States.

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Frost & Sullivan Publishes Initiation Coverage Report On Cellect Biotechnology - Equity Research Is Published In The ... - Exchange News Direct

Rheumatoid arthritis is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints and mainly affects the hands feet and wrists.

People suffering with rheumatoid arthritis often experience periods where the symptoms are worse.

These can be difficult to predict but there is treatment available which can ease pain and prevent long-term damage to the joints.

Some people with rheumatoid arthritis also experience problems in other parts of the body, or more general symptoms such as tiredness and weight loss.

New research led by Sarah Skeoch and Professor Ian Bruce at the Arthritis Research UK Centre for Epidemiology at the University of Manchester, looked at the link between chronic inflammation and increased cardiovascular risk.

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The research used advanced imaging techniques to highlight the greater risk of cardiovascular problems among people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Published in the medical journal Scientific Reports, the researchers aimed to provide evidence that chronic inflammation drives increased cardiovascular risk in patients by accelerating atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis is a condition characterised by the buildup of fatty substances called plaques in the arteries - while also leading to the development of higher-risk plaque types.

Researchers found plaque was more prevalent in people with rheumatoid arthritis, with a higher prevalence of plaque calcification also found.

They found higher levels of the biomarkers hs-CRP and IL6 can be linked to greater inflammation.

WHAT IS RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS?

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Rheumatoid arthritis is an incredibly debilitating condition that affects more than 400,000 people within the UK.

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune condition, which means it is caused by the immune system attacking healthy body tissue - such as the lining go the joints.

It causes joints to become sore and inflamed and damages bones, cartilage, tendons and ligaments.

If the condition isn't treated, these chemicals gradually cause the joint to lose its shape and alignment.

Experts said the results could reveal that a combination of IL6 and hs-CRP represent a significant driver of cardiovascular risk.

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The researchers concluded: "This study confirms increased prevalence of atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis and provides data to support the hypothesis that patients have a high-risk plaque phenotype."

Dr Natalie Carter, head of research liaison and evaluation at Arthritis Research UK, said: "Rheumatoid arthritis is an incredibly debilitating condition that affects more than 400,000 people within the UK.

The condition can not only limit a person's ability to live their everyday life to the full, but it can also put them at higher risk of cardiovascular disease.

"This study not only reinforces the link between rheumatoid arthritis and cardiovascular disease, but the results can also help us understand what causes atherosclerosis in both patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the general public."

Atherosclerosis occurs when fatty material called atheroma builds up in the lining of your artery walls and narrows your arteries.

Over time it can grow bigger until your arteries become so narrow that they cant let enough blood through.

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Rheumatoid arthritis could be linked to heart condition ... - Express.co.uk

UNC student dispels stereotype, seeks arthritis cure News & Observer Barber has had arthritis since she was 13. She is one of two Triangle residents chosen by the Triangle/Coastal Office of the Arthritis Foundation to be the face of arthritis and to help spread the word about the Triangle Walk to Cure Arthritis on ...

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UNC student dispels stereotype, seeks arthritis cure - News & Observer

BISMARCK, N.D. Everyday activities can sometimes be taken for granted.

For years, a Bismarck woman couldn't perform actions as simple as turning a key because of rheumatoid arthritis.

For most of us, a task like opening the door doesn't require much thought.

But, for Julie Pfliiger, it's one of the many simple actions that gave her pain for years.

"At the time my husband had to get me out of bed. Tie my shoes. I was really incapacitated," said Pfliiger.

Pfliiger suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, a disorder that causes painful swelling in joint linings.

Opening jars, turning a faucet, and even driving challenged her.

"I really didn't go anywhere other than work. And work was really tough at the time," said Pfliiger.

Pfliiger had the condition for 12 years before she underwent surgery at Sanford Health.

During a series of four surgeries, her tendons were tightened and one of her wrists was fused.

Then she started working with a hand therapist to make the surgery effective.

"We went from supporting it, protecting it, to getting the motion, to strengthening within the course of several months," said Cory-Vatnsdal Gezk, hand and occupational therapist

Vatnsdal Gezk says Pfliiger's condition was one of the most extreme she's ever seen in patients, but her recovery was one of the most successful ones.

"To help her son get dressed, to turn a key in her car, to turn a doorknob, get dressed, do her laundry. Cook, cut food, the things that you and I take for granted she does wonderful now," said Vatnsdal Gezk.

Pfliiger continues to work with her therapist to gain strength in her hands and wrists.

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Sanford Health helps woman with rheumatoid arthritis - KFYR-TV

The survey found that because treatments don't always work as well as patients would like, people living with RA have tried an average of more than four prescription medications in the last 5 years.1

In addition, the survey revealed a need for more support of RA patients, particularly when it comes to the conversations they have with their physicians about treatments. Although a majority of respondents say that doctors are their go-to source for information on treatment options for RA (91 percent), many people living with RA (58 percent) delay seeing a doctor right away if their treatment stops working.1 Those surveyed cited several reasons for the delay, including because they think the symptoms will go away on their own (41 percent of those who delay) or they don't want to switch to a perceived stronger medication with potentially more side effects (37 percent of those who delay).1

"The Honestly RA results reveal there is a clear need for more support of RA patients from management of the disease impact on their life to the conversations that they have with their physicians," said Dr. Olga Petryna, Rheumatologist and Clinical Instructor at NYU Langone. "Many patients are dissatisfied with their current treatment and express frustration when a switch in treatment is needed. That's why physicians and the broader support community need to engage those patients who may be struggling to meet their treatment goals in an open conversation."

Notably, people with RA also feel a lack of empathy from others around them. Ninety percent of Honestly RA respondents said that given RA is a largely "invisible" disease, it is frustrating when others do not understand how much pain they are in.1

"My pain affects almost every area of my life work, travel, spending time with friends and family and it can be frustrating when someone doesn't understand the impact," said RA patient, blogger and advocate, Angela Lundberg. "I know it can be difficult, but I encourage everyone living with RA to not be afraid of speaking up, initiating a conversation with your doctor about treatment and celebrating all of your little achievements no matter how small they seem, or how hard they are for someone else to understand."

About the Survey Honestly RA included data from 1,004 patients aged 18 and up in the U.S. who self-reported they were diagnosed with RA and whose treatment journey had progressed beyond just a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID). The online survey was fielded between July 25 and August 8, 2016 by Edelman Intelligence on behalf of Sanofi and Regeneron.

About Sanofi Sanofi, a global healthcare leader, discovers, develops and distributes therapeutic solutions focused on patients' needs. Sanofi is organized into five global business units: Diabetes and Cardiovascular, General Medicines and Emerging Markets, Sanofi Genzyme, Sanofi Pasteur and Consumer Healthcare. Sanofi is listed in Paris (EURONEXT: SAN) and in New York (NYSE: SNY).

AboutRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Regeneron (NASDAQ: REGN) is a leading science-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, invents, develops, manufactures and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions. Regeneron commercializes medicines for eye diseases, high LDL cholesterol, atopic dermatitis and a rare inflammatory condition and has product candidates in development in other areas of high unmet medical need, including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, pain, cancer and infectious diseases. For additional information about the company, please visit http://www.regeneron.com or follow @Regeneron on Twitter.

Sanofi Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. These statements include projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives, intentions and expectations with respect to future financial results, events, operations, services, product development and potential, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements are generally identified by the words "expects", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "plans" and similar expressions. Although Sanofi's management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of Sanofi, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include among other things, the uncertainties inherent in research and development, future clinical data and analysis, including post marketing, decisions by regulatory authorities, such as the FDA or the EMA, regarding whether and when to approve any drug, device or biological application that may be filed for any such product candidates as well as their decisions regarding labelling and other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of such product candidates, the absence of guarantee that the product candidates if approved will be commercially successful, the future approval and commercial success of therapeutic alternatives, Sanofi's ability to benefit from external growth opportunities and/or obtain regulatory clearances, risks associated with intellectual property and any related pending or future litigation and the ultimate outcome of such litigation, trends in exchange rates and prevailing interest rates, volatile economic conditions, the impact of cost containment initiatives and subsequent changes thereto, the average number of shares outstanding as well as those discussed or identified in the public filings with the SEC and the AMF made by Sanofi, including those listed under "Risk Factors" and "Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements" in Sanofi's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2016. Other than as required by applicable law, Sanofi does not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements

1 Honestly RA Survey Results PPT, Oct. 2016. 2 Mayo Clinic. "Rheumatoid Arthritis." Available at http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/home/ovc-20197388. Last accessed March 2017.

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-results-show-eighty-percent-of-rheumatoid-arthritis-patients-report-life-altering-pain-daily-or-multiple-times-a-week-despite-treatment-300449267.html

SOURCE Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

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Survey Results Show Eighty Percent of Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Report Life-Altering Pain Daily or Multiple ... - PR Newswire (press release)

The ability of stem cells to divide into different mature cell types has ignited the field of regenerative medicine. Stem cells promise to repair and regenerate damaged or diseased tissues without the need for orthodox medical or surgical interventions.

However, there is disparity between the expectations held by the general public and some medical professionals versus the reality of the emerging clinical evidence. This disconnect was highlighted recently by the case of three elderly patients who were blinded by the use of an unproven stem cell therapy at a clinic in Florida, USA (BioNews 893).

While stem cell therapies in the field of haematology are showing promise, there are still many challenges in using them in any other disease models. In some countries, medical professionals are using unproven stem cell therapies as medical procedures to treat patients in lieu of conventional treatment pathways. What is more, these practitioners are operating under the premise of a trial.

Proponents of using stem cell therapies outside the context of a true clinical trial believe that these therapies are inherently safe, particularly if the stem cells derive from the individual patient themselves. And the medical professionals offering unproven stem cell therapies are convinced that the potential benefits of undergoing the therapy far outweigh the potential risks.

These benefits are used as an argument to forge ahead with unproven therapies outside ofclinical trials, as regulatory bodies are often to slow to regulate for the fast-paced field of regenerative medicine;gaining regulatory approval is usually a lengthy and costly process. And the regulation that is in place is often narrow in scope and does not account for the variety of products and manipulative techniques used in the field.

An anecdotal account of a stem cell therapys potential to cure a disease, however, does not make for an adequate standard of evidence. In the Florida case, three elderly patients with a progressive eye disease sought out an unproven stem cell therapy. The clinic involved was offering the therapy under the guise of a trial, however the patients had to pay for the procedure (in itself a 'red flag') that promised to 'cure' their disease. The therapy not only failed, but all three patients are now blind as described in The New England Journal of Medicine on 16 March.

Referring back to the disparity in expectations, how the word 'trial' is understood helps to clarify the basis of thedisconnect between the public and clinicians, and emerging evidence. The word 'trial' in the sense of a clinical trial calls for a robust experimental framework and sets of regulations and standards that safeguard the enrolled patients' rights and overall health. Furthermore, trials are performed in a phased manner to ensure any potential risks are minimised. The results generated from a certain phase informs the researchers as to the most effective way to proceed or indeed not proceed.

Using the word 'trial' in the sense of administering a therapy outside of the setting described above, however, only truly refers to the inherent risk of the therapy not working. Moreover, when being administered by a trusted medical professional, the harms of the therapy are often overshadowed by the promise of a'cure' relayed bythese professionals.

The differences in the interpretation of the word trial among medical professionals is reflected by the lack of strict regulation among professional bodies, such as medical councils and regulatory bodies including the Food & Drug Administration (FDA). While the FDA, for example, has published more specific guidelines in October 2015, these are unenforceable on a global scale.

Interestingly, on a regulatory level, there are opportunities afforded to medical professionals to use unproven stem cell therapies outside the context of a clinical trial as noted in the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR) 2016 guidelines:

...the ISSCR acknowledges that in some very limited cases, clinicians may be justified in attempting medically innovative stem cell-based interventions in a small number of seriously ill patients.

However the ISSCR goes on to clarify that it 'condemns' the use of unproven stem cell therapies in any other setting where clinical need is not deemed serious.

In relation to classifying unproven stem cell therapies as a medical procedure, the 2014 United States of America v Regenerative Sciences, LLC et al case dealt with the use of mesenchymal stem cells taken from a sample of a patient's own bone marrow to treat their own orthopaedic disorders. In this case, the court was not convinced that manipulating stem cells outside the body and reintroducing them to the patient was a matter of standard 'medical procedure', as argued by the companyRegenerative Sciences LLC. Instead, the court upheld the FDAs right to regulate the manufacturing (or manipulating) of these stem cells: however cases where there is significantly less manipulation of stem cells are yet to be tested.

Issues remain regarding how best to regulate the use of stem cell therapies, particularly in the early phases of their development. There have been calls for strict regulation through bodies such as the FDA, but others argue that strict regulation will only curtail the benefits stem cell therapies can impart. On the other hand, regulations that are too lenient, it is argued, will only harm the patient seeking the therapy, as a solid evidence base will not yet have been compiled for the therapy.

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BioNews - Unproven stem cell therapies promise versus evidence - BioNews

Stem cells that are grown in the lab are known to acquire mutations, but whether these mutations are particularly numerous or risky remains unclear. Mutations acquired in stem cell culture, it is feared, would complicate efforts to deploy stem cells in regenerative medicine. At the least, lab-grown stem cells may need to be screened for deleterious mutations, with special attention devoted to vulnerable portions of the genome or flaws that could lead to dire consequences, such as cancer.

To characterize the mutations that may arise among stem cells in vitro, scientists have been introducing gene-sequencing tests. For example, in a recent study, scientists based at Harvard have determined that human pluripotent stem cells are prone to develop mutations in the TP53 gene, which ordinarily helps suppress cancer. The mutated versions of the TP53 found by the Harvard team, however, tend to drive cancer development.

Details of this work appeared April 26 in the journal Nature, in an article entitled, Human Pluripotent Stem Cells Recurrently Acquire and Expand Dominant Negative P53 Mutations. This article describes how the Harvard team sequenced the protein-coding genes of 140 human embryonic stem cell (hES) cell lines26 of which were developed for therapeutic purposes using Good Manufacturing Practices, a quality control standard set by regulatory agencies in multiple countries. The remaining 114 human pluripotent stem cell lines were listed on the NIH registry of human pluripotent stem cells. This gene-sequencing exercise was followed by computational work that allowed the scientists to identify mutations present in a subset of cells in each cell line.

[We] identified five unrelated hES cell lines that carried six mutations in the TP53 gene that encodes the tumour suppressor P53, wrote the articles authors. The TP53 mutations we observed are dominant negative and are the mutations most commonly seen in human cancers. We found that the TP53 mutant allelic fraction increased with passage number under standard culture conditions, suggesting that the P53 mutations confer selective advantage.

The scientists also mined published RNA sequencing data from 117 human pluripotent stem cell lines, and observed another nine TP53 mutations, all resulting in coding changes in the DNA-binding domain of P53. In three lines, the authors of the Nature paper detailed, the allelic fraction exceeded 50%, suggesting additional selective advantage resulting from the loss of heterozygosity at the TP53 locus.

These findings suggest that cell lines should be screened for mutations at various stages of development as well as immediately before transplantation.

"Our results underscore the need for the field of regenerative medicine to proceed with care," said the study's co-corresponding author Kevin Eggan, Ph.D. "[They] indicate that an additional series of quality control checks should be implemented during the production of stem cells and their downstream use in developing therapies. Fortunately, these genetic checks can be readily performed with precise, sensitive, and increasingly inexpensive sequencing methods."

"Cells in the lab, like cells in the body, acquire mutations all the time," added Steve McCarroll, Ph.D., co-corresponding author. "Mutations in most genes have little impact on the larger tissue or cell line. But cells with a pro-growth mutation can outcompete other cells, become very numerous, and 'take over' a tissue. We found that this process of clonal selectionthe basis of cancer formation in the bodyis also routinely happening in laboratories."

Although the Harvard scientists expected to find some mutations in stem cell lines, they were surprised to find that about 5% of the stem cell lines they analyzed had acquired mutations the TP53 gene, which encodes the tumor suppressor protein P53.

Nicknamed the "guardian of the genome," P53 controls cell growth and cell death. People who inherit p53 mutations develop a rare disorder called Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, which confers a near 100% risk of developing cancer in a wide range of tissue types.

The specific mutations that the researchers observed are "dominant negative" mutations, meaning, when present on even one copy of P53, they are able to compromise the function of the normal protein, whose components are made from both gene copies. The exact same dominant negative mutations are among the most commonly observed mutations in human cancers.

The researchers performed a sophisticated set of DNA analyses to rule out the possibility that these mutations had been inherited rather than acquired as the cells grew in the lab. In subsequent experiments, the Harvard scientists found that P53 mutant cells outperformed and outcompeted nonmutant cells in the lab dish. In other words, a culture with a million healthy cells and one P53 mutant cell, said Dr. Eggan, could quickly become a culture of only mutant cells.

"The spectrum of tissues at risk for transformation when harboring a P53 mutation include many of those that we would like to target for repair with regenerative medicine using human pluripotent stem cells," noted Dr. Eggan. Those organs include the pancreas, brain, blood, bone, skin, liver, and lungs.

However, Drs. Eggan and McCarroll emphasized that now that this phenomenon has been found, inexpensive gene-sequencing tests will allow researchers to identify and remove from the production line cell cultures with concerning mutations that might prove dangerous after transplantation.

The researchers point out in their paper that screening approaches to identify these P53 mutations and others that confer cancer risk already exist and are used in cancer diagnostics. In fact, in an ongoing clinical trial that is transplanting cells derived from induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs, gene sequencing is used to ensure the transplanted cell products are free of dangerous mutations.

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Stem Cells in Culture Have Tendency to Develop Cancer-Linked Mutations - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News