Scientists discover new mechanism that leads to inflammation in ... Science Daily New research findings suggest that synovial CD4+ T cells that produce IL-21 contribute to joint inflammation by activating synovial fibroblasts in rheumatoid ... |
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Scientists believe that certain synovial cells contribute to inflammation by activating synovial fibroblasts in people who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They believe that having a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of inflammation in the disease is important for designing new therapies for RA.
In a study published in theJournal of Leukocyte Biology, points to synovial CD4+ T cells that produce IL-21 as the contributing factor to joint inflammation when they trigger synovial fibroblasts.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis with active disease (inflamed joints) have difficulty for instance in using their hands and also with walking, said Maria Cristina Lebre, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam, Department of Experimental Immunology in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
New targeted therapies such as that proposed in this study (decrease in inflammation) will certainly improve the quality of life of patients by increasing their mobility, she added.
Using a novel isolation method, scientists isolated T cells from synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis that produced IL-21 and TNF and compared these with cells that did not produce this cytokine.
When cells that produced IL-21 were put in culture with synovial fibroblasts (which are the main contributors to joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis), they induced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by these synovial fibroblasts, and cells that do not produce IL-21, did not demonstrate this same outcome.
The results of this study suggest that a combined therapy targeting IL-21 and TNF might be beneficial for patients that do not respond to anti-TNF therapy or other current therapies.
This research could also have an impact on other diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis and Crohns disease.
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis often become refractory to treatment provoking the need to try different drugs targeting different pathways, said John Wherry, Ph.D., Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. The identification of a new inflammatory target in rheumatoid arthritis holds promise for better treatment for these patients and perhaps those with other autoimmune or inflammatory diseases.
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New Mechanism that Triggers Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Discovered - National Pain Report
Home Kidney Health National Kidney Month: Rheumatoid arthritis and kidneys, nephrotic syndrome, kidney damage, and yoga poses
March is kidney month as detailed by the American Kidney Fund. In recognition, here is Bel Marra Healths kidney health update, featuring information on rheumatoid arthritis, nephrotic syndrome, kidney damage, and yoga to improve kidney health.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients are at an increased risk for chronic kidney disease. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have found that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have a higher risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) along with an increase in inflammation within the first year of diagnosis, corticosteroid usage, hypertension, and obesity. The researchers recommend that rheumatoid arthritis patients be tested periodically for signs of kidney problems. Patients should also work to manage blood pressure by avoiding high-salt diets and scaling back on medications that can harm the kidneys.
The study looked at 813 Mayo Clinic patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 813 patients without the condition. Over the course of 20 years, rheumatoid arthritis patients had a one in four chance of developing chronic kidney disease, in comparison to the general public who had a one in five chance.Continue reading
Nephrotic syndrome is a kidney disorder that results from the release of too much protein in the urine. When damage is caused to the blood vessels within the kidneys, which filter waste and water, it can lead to nephritic syndrome. Nephrotic syndrome leads to swelling of the feet and ankles, along with other health conditions as well.
To treat nephritic syndrome, its important to treat the underlying health issue causing it. Because nephrotic syndrome can lead to other complications, its important to begin treatment right away.Continue reading
A deficiency of the anti-aging hormone klotho has been found in patients with diabetes who are also suffering from early stage kidney diseasea discovery that may lead to the development of new treatments. This hormone has previously been linked to the protection of the vascular system and has been found to help prevent abnormal symptoms of aging, such as atherosclerosisthe thickening of the artery walls. Atherosclerosis is characteristic of many age-related medical conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and hypertension, making klotho levels extremely relevant to healthy aging.
This newest study was conducted by Kings College London and tested blood and urine samples gathered from 78 participants with type 1 diabetes. Thirty-three of these participants were also showing signs of early stage diabetic kidney disease, also referred to as microalbuminuria. These 33 patients had much lower levels of klotho circulating in their systems, while the remaining participants had levels similar to those seen in healthy adults.Continue reading
A new method for detecting and locating kidney damage has been developed by researchers from Aarhus University. The method combines the use of blood tests and/or urine tests to first diagnose whether the kidney has been injured by measuring the levels of an enzyme called fumarase. Fumarase is released from the cells of the kidney when they are damaged by an outside factor. Researchers have concluded that the higher the level of fumarase present in the blood or urine tests, the greater the damage sustained to the kidney.
Once damage has been confirmed, patients are placed in a scanner that allows doctors to determine which kidney is damaged, as well as the specific location of the damaged tissue. This method is effective as early as half an hour after the injury first occurs, and for as long as one full week afterwards. The whole process takes approximately 45 minutes, making it extremely efficient in diagnosing patients so the treatment can start sooner and any further damage is prevented.Continue reading
Yoga can be beneficial in promoting kidney health. The main role of the kidneys is to help filter waste from the body, along with secreting necessary hormones and stabilizing blood pressure. The kidneys also help maintain homeostasis which goes to show how important the kidneys really are for the healthy functioning of the entire body, not just the urinary system.
Although modern medicine has come a long way in improving treatment for kidney diseases, there are natural remedies that can offer relief, too. Case in point, yoga can be an effective approach to the risk of kidney stones and improving kidney function.
Yoga promotes overall well-being and a healthy lifestyle. It is a safe mode of treatment for kidney disease patients because it is not associated with any adverse side effects.
Yoga can stimulate and massage various organs, this way promoting health. When paired with a kidney-friendly diet, it can yield even better results and more significant improvement.Continue reading
Related: Urinary tract infection update: Kidney stones vs UTI and risk factors, prevention, and natural treatment of UTI
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National Kidney Month: Rheumatoid arthritis and kidneys, nephrotic syndrome, kidney damage, and yoga poses - Bel Marra Health
Q. A friend of mine just had an LVAD inserted. What's that?
A. LVAD stands for left ventricular assist device. The left ventricle is the pumping chamber of the heart. When it is damaged, its pumping ability is reduced, and the patient may develop heart failure, often manifested by shortness of breath, ankle swelling, cough, fatigue and exercise intolerance. The damaged left ventricle can be helped by medication, but in extreme cases, sometimes the only option is a new heart a heart transplant. But some people (because of age or other medical conditions) may not be transplant candidates. And others are candidates but are so sick that in the past they used to die while waiting for a donor heart to become available. That's where an LVAD can come into play. It is a mechanical pump that is surgically implanted, and it works with the patient's own heart to improve circulation and blood flow. Symptoms often are improved, and LVADs have been a lifesaver for many patients. The devices have become better, more reliable, smaller and safer over the years. And while they certainly have important complications associated with their use, LVADs have enabled very sick patients to live better and longer lives.
Wynne is vice president for health affairs at UND, dean of the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and a professor of medicine. He is a cardiologist by training.
Submit a question to Health Matters at healthmatters@med.und.edu or Health Matters, 501 North Columbia Road, Stop 9037, Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037. Remember, no personal details, please.
The content of this column is for informational purposes only and does not substitute for professional medical advice or care. The information provided herein should not be used for diagnosing or treating a health problem or disease. If you have or suspect you may have a health problem, you should consult your health care provider. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read in this column.
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New devices help diabetes patients - Grand Forks Herald
Science Daily | New treatment for fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes burns up fat in liver Science Daily It is linked to obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Up to 30 percent of subjects with NAFLD develop non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in which hepatic inflammation and scarring can lead to cirrhosis and liver ... |
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New treatment for fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes burns up fat in liver - Science Daily
The Zimbabwe Daily | New potential cause of type 1 diabetes Science Daily T1D, previously known as juvenile diabetes, affects an estimated 1.5 million Americans and is the result of the loss of insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. The prevailing belief was that the root cause of T1D was the immune system mistakenly ... Curing Diabetes Natural Home Remedies Offer Type 2 Diabetes Cure Is the cure for Diabetes here? |
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Researchers at Columbia University have retracted a 2013 paper in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, after uncovering abnormalities in the stem cell lines that undermined the conclusions in the paper.
Last year, corresponding author Dieter Eglidiscoveredhe could notreproduce key data in the 2013 paper because almost all the cell lines first author Haiqing Hua used contained abnormalities, casting doubt on the overall findings. When Egli reached out to Hua foranswers, Hua could not explain the abnormalities. As a result, Hua and Egli agreed the paper should be retracted.
Since some of the details of how the paper ended up relying on abnormal cells remain unclear, the university confirmed to us that it is investigating the matter.
Heres the retraction notice for iPSC-derived cells model diabetes due to glucokinase deficiency, cited 42 times:
The corresponding authors were made aware of karyotype abnormalities through a routine quality control test of pluripotent stem cells used in the studies reported in this paper. After extensive internal review and genetic analysis, they found that the karyotypes of some of the cells used for the experiments reported were abnormal and that the normal karyotypes shown in Figure 1 and Supplemental Figure 2 were not from cell lines used in the study. They also cannot confirm the endonuclease-mediated correction of the mutant GCK G299R allele. H. Hua takes responsibility for the characterization and presentation of cell line karyotypes and the genetic manipulations. Because of these discrepancies, the authors wish to retract the article. They apologize for these errors and for any inconvenience caused to others.
In the fall of 2009, Hua joined Rudolph Leibels diabetes and nutrition lab at Columbia University, under the co-supervision ofEgli, who brought an expertise in stem cell biology. Hua told us:
The aim of my research project was to leverage the expertise of both Dr. Egli (on stem cell biology) and Dr. Leibel (on diabetes) and to demonstrate the concept that the islet cells generated in the lab from diabetic patients through stem cell technology would present comparable dysfunction as the islet cells in the patients body. Because we chose patients with genetic mutations that cause diabetes, we were hoping to demonstrate that correction of the mutations would restore the normal function of the islet cells.
But, Hua noted, he wasnt and still isnt an expert in stem cell biology, so he had to learn on the job:
When I began the project, I never worked with cells before and had no experience or understanding of cell line karyotype.
Hua started by generating several cell lines from a diabetic patient. To check that the genetic makeup of these cell lines were the same, he sent several for analysis to a contracted service, which examines 20 cells per cell line and generates a report:
I did karyotype analysis for the cell lines right after I derived them, probably in 2011, before I started to do any experiments on them. The reports came back with some cells being normal and some being abnormal. To be fair, I thought what I learned from Dr. Egli was that it is a normal phenomenon that some cells are abnormal as long as the number is not high.
Indeed, Egli, an assistant professor of stem cell biology at Columbia University Medical Center, confirmed that pluripotent stem cells are often prone to undergo abnormalities:
Karyotypic abnormalities are common, and occur in many cells upon extended cultures, so this is not in and of itself a concern. Often one can go back to earlier cultures that are normal.
Hua published the work in 2013, along with a relatedpaper in Diabetes in 2014, -Cell Dysfunction Due to Increased ER Stress in a Stem Cell Model of Wolfram Syndrome. Hua believes, at a conceptual level, both papers achieved the goal of demonstrating that the correction of the mutations would restore the normal function of the islet cells.
In 2014, Hua told usthat he moved back to China for family reasons.
Last year, other investigators asked Egli to share the cells lines from the 2013 study. To ensure he was providing high quality material, Egli sent what he believed to be normal cell lines from the study for quality control testing. Egli said thats when he learned many of the cell lines contained abnormalities.
To suss out the problem, Egli went back to the cell lines stored in the lab to look for normal cells:
Dr. Hua had already left the University at that time and so I personally started to look for karyotypically normal cells. There were no normal cells to be found.
Egli explained what the abnormalities meant for the study results:
You could best describe the abnormalities of the [cell] lines [Hua] used as mumbo-jumbo. There were multiple rearrangements in the chromosomes in the cell lines and thus you wouldnt know if the effects you saw were due to gene modifications or simply due to those rearrangements. Essentially, the abnormal cell lines question the entire paper, and its very unlikely the paper would have been accepted at the journal.
When Egli failed to reproduce the data from the 2013 paper, he contacted Hua to find out where the normal cell lines were. But Hua was not sure in fact, he told us it was a surprise to learn that most of the cell lines he had used contained abnormalities, adding:
another layer of complication is that when cells became karyotype abnormal, they could behave like cancer cells, namely they could start as minor portion in the culture but later on took over and became majority. So another mistake we made was that we didnt perform karyotype analysis at the end of the study to make sure that after all the experiments we did, the cells were still normal.
A spokesperson at Columbia University verified that the university is conducting an investigation into the issues:
I could confirm that there is an ongoing investigation.
When Hua was informed of these issues, he suggested the study be retracted:
Immediately, I proposed to Dr. Egli and Dr. Leibel that we should retract the publication because we were not certain about the conclusion any more.
Hua takes responsibility for what happened, adding:
So this was done at very early phase of my research, and I was busy with a lot of parallel projects since I was the first post-doc of Dr. EgliBecause I wasnt understanding the problem correctly, I put up the figures with normal karyotype as first figure for the publication and continued my research with one particular cell line.
Egli also talked about the experience of retracting a paper:
Retracting a paper is not a rewarding process, and often reports stay in the literature even if they should not. Retracting the paper exposes us to the possibility of damage. I took proactive steps to investigate and retract because I wanted to correct the record. This would not have happened without my initiative involving 2-3 months of benchwork.
Hua described this as a truly unfortunate and painful chapter, which he hopes others can learn from:
The health of academic world and advance of science really depends on correction of previous mistakes and clearance of uncertainties. [A]voiding overwhelming multitasking is important. At the first year of my research, I was setting the lab together with Dr. Egli and meanwhile performed more than 100 experiments. Each of them would took more than 10 days and I was really stacking all the experiments. This particular project was about one fourth of my effort at that time. My biggest recommendation or reflection would be that it is very very very important to quality control and characterize starting materials of a project. Many people, including myself, are more focused on rushing the project forward and do not realized that if the starting materials are flawed, anything built on them has no solid foundation.
Hat tip: Rolf Degen
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Unexplained abnormalities in stem cells prompt Columbia researchers to pull diabetes paper - Retraction Watch (blog)
Meg Farris talks about a new diabetes study.
Meg Farris , WWL 5:32 PM. CST March 02, 2017
NEW ORLEANS - Diabetes,or high blood sugar,causes damage to the blood vessels over time, and that can lead to heart attacks and strokes.
A study in Metairie,funded by the National Institutes of Health, is looking into a different way of preventing heart attacks in people with type-2 diabetes.
Alfred Gagliano or 'Gags' as he is called, found out he was moving toward having type-2 diabetes.
"I did have some studies. Doctor did some blood tests and saidI was close. Had to watch the sweets, whichI do," said Gagliano, who has pre-diabetes.
He is getting his blood sugar levels under control with medication and exercise.
"I ride a bike.I walk.I like to shop, soI walk around the mall a few timeseveryday," saidGagliano.
That's important, because diabetes puts you at high risk for having heart attacks and strokes. The National Institutes of Heath is funding a study to see if chelation can lower a diabetic's risk. Chelation is an IVtreatment that helps flush the body of heavy metals that are toxic.
"Not everybody in the environment obviously has toxicity,but we all have a certain amount of heavy metals just from living in an industrialized society," explained Dr. Robert Jeanfreau, an internist withMedPharmics.
A study 15 years ago, found that people with type-2 diabetes who had had a heart attack and got chelation, were less likely to have future attacks.
"What they found was there was about a 43 percent reduction in second cardiovascular events," said Dr. Jeanfreau.
A free national study going on in Metairie, is looking to see if 40IV chelation treatments, will keep diabetics who have had a heart attack, from having another one. Study participants will come in once a week and relax while getting a three-hour infusion. Gags has never had a heart attack so he doesn't qualify for the study, but hopes it will help others.
"I've known some people that have had full blown diabetes andI had a friend, a couple of friends, that have died from it," said Gagliano.
Doctors are looking for people with type-2 diabetes, 50 and older, who have had a heart attack in the past. To see if you qualify for this free study call MedPharmics at 504-457-2721.
( 2017 WWL)
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Local study seeks to prevent heart attacks in Type-2 diabetes patients - WWLTV.com
Swiss Engineer Michele Angelo Besso was a close friend of Einsteins. Upon his death, the father of relativity said, "Now Besso has departed from this strange world a little ahead of me. That means nothing. People like us ... know that the distinction between past, present and future is only a stubbornly persistent illusion."
We often think of the afterlife as a spiritual or religious belief, when in a way, its pursuit is also somewhat familiar to science. Robert Lanza, M.D. takes things one step further. He thinks we start out with a wrong assumption, that we have it all backward. It isnt the universe which is supreme, but life. In fact, life and in particular consciousness are essential to the makeup of the universe, he says. Through the theory of biocentrism, he believes he can prove that space and time do not exist, unless our consciousness says they do.
This is an all-encompassing theory which in Greek means life center. Though radical, if one day proven correct, it could have ramifications for the study of physics, biology, consciousness, the brain, and even AI. Consider a blade of grass. Your brain through your eyes tells you its green. But what if a neuroscientist could reconnoiter that part of the brain where the concept registers, and make it indicate red or yellow instead? Lanza reminds us that all reality is sensory information interpreted by our brain.
Its our consciousness that puts our reality together. For instance, space-time in physics is different from how we experience these, separate concepts in real life. Science treats the space-time continuum as a solid principle. According to Lanza they are simply tools of our mind. Death too in his view cannot exist in any real sense.
Dr. Robert Lanza in his laboratory, 2009.
Notice how, for instance, when you are a child, days and weeks seem to drag on, while when you get older, they fly by. Time itself hasnt changed, just our perception of it. Whether the universe actually works the way in which we perceive it isnt readily known. One of the fundamental laws of Newtonian physics is that energy isnt created or destroyed, it simply takes another form. The energy trapped in our brain must take another form then, even when a person dies. Meanwhile, our senses tell us that its their end. But where does this energy go? In a world with endless space and time, could death really exist? If not, is immortality a phenomenon which occurs within space-time or outside of it?
Dr. Lanza isnt some newfangled guru. Hes a biotech Zion, and currently, the Chief Scientific Officer of the Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine (http://www.robertlanza.com/). Hes studying stem cells and their application for treating disease. Previous to this, he did some research on embryonic stem cells and in cloning, both with animals and humans. Lanza is also an adjunct professor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina.
In quantum physics, particles can be observed in several different states at the same time. This is called superposition. They in fact, exist in all possible states simultaneously. In terms of predicting what a particle will do, nothing is absolute. Each state has its own range of probability. In Lanzas view, each corresponds with a different universe.
This coincides with the many worlds theory, also known as the multiverse. Each universe is thought to operate with its own physical laws. Anything that can occur does, with one possibility playing out in each realm. Our life, Lanza believes, at one stage or another, is occurring across many universes simultaneously. Yet, your life on one world wouldnt influence your life in another.
What are the chances that death is a portal into another universe?
What has long plagued particle physicists is that observation affects reality. Consider the famous double-slit test. In this classic experiment, physicists observe a particle passing through two slits in a barrier. When the phenomenon is observed, it behaves like a particle, a little cannonball shooting directly through the slits. If it isnt observed, it performs like a wave, gliding through both openings at once. This shows that energy and matter are made up of both particles and waves, and that ones mere observation changes its form.
Such inconsistencies dont prove the existence of the multiverse, however. Yet, through the scaffolding of biocentrism or this new Theory of Everything, the physics begins to take shape. Consciousness is an essential force in the universe, according to this theory, which shows why the properties of energy, matter, space, and time, depend on whether or not a conscious mind is observing them. Lanza uses other research to support his view.
A 2002 study of photons or light particles, showed that they communicated with one another. When one photon was guided to a certain place, it was picked up by a detector. Researchers used a scrambler to force it to remain a particle rather than a wave. After one was sent out and reached its destination, the second photon crossed the same space instantaneously. It was as if it knew where it was going, and the knowledge must have traveled back to it faster than the speed of light. Another supporting factor in an entirely different category, is the Goldilocks principle. This is the theory that the universe was made just right for supporting life.
Photons being smashed at the CERN large hadron collider. By ESO/M. Kornmesser [CC BY 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Critics argue that unexplained phenomena in physics only occurs on the quantum level. They also point out that there is no direct evidence of the existence of other universes. Several physicists have told Forbes that Lanzas writings look more like works of philosophy rather than science. The doctor himself states that he is healing a glaring rift, and applying innovative methods from biotech to physics. He also admits his theory lacks a mathematical basis. As such, Lanzas working on the supporting mathematical structure. Papers are expected to follow in scientific journals.
Another competing theory accounts for inconsistencies in quantum physics by stating that the universe is an illusion. It could be for instance, a projection created by a highly advanced quantum computer. Though still entirely theoretical, biocentrism offers those of us who want the comfort of an afterlife scenario or even of reincarnation, without giving up a devotion to science, an avenue to explore. In this vein, Lanza wrote, Life is an adventure that transcends our ordinary linear way of thinking. When we die, we do so not in the random billiard-ball-matrix but in the inescapable-life-matrix. Life has a non-linear dimensionality; it's like a perennial flower that returns to bloom in the multiverse.
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Biocentrism Posits That Death Is Merely Transport into Another Universe - Big Think
Suicide Switch for Transplanted Stem Cells The Scientist The researchers took advantage of a previously developed inducible Caspase 9 system, called iCaspase9, in which a chemical that can be administered to cells or injected intraperitoneally in mice causes dimerization and rapid cell death. They used a ... |
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Suicide Switch for Transplanted Stem Cells - The Scientist
SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane rallied to save her life once before, and now she needs the community's help again.
The "Cure For Cat" campaign helped Cat Davis pay for a transplant that doctors thought would save her life, but she relapsed, and now needs another transplant.
"My gut feeling is that if this doesn't happen, she might have a year, at best," said Sally Davis, Cat's mother.
Living with scleroderma means everyday is a fight for survival for Cat.
"Right now I'm alive, but I'm not living," she said. "I want more for myself and I want more for everyone else who struggles with scleroderma."
The 29-year-old has spent most of her adult life raising awareness for the disease, which hardens the skin and internal organs. It all began with a diagnosis, which sparked the Cure For Cat campaign.
Four years ago the Spokane community raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for a stem cell transplant that helped Cat keep the disease at bay. Until it didn't.
"We had such high hopes for the first transplant and now that she's relapsed from them, we have to face the fact that we have to do this all over again," said Sally Davis.
Cat must now fight again, this time going through a transplant using her brother's stem cells. The chance of death for Cat this time around is somewhere near 50%.
"I want to fight for those who have died and because of everything that's happened to me over the last few years because of Scleroderma, I'm ready to take that risk," Davis said.
She's launching round two of the Cure For Cat campaign. It began with a video release Wednesday. She hopes the second time through this, she can provide hope for everyone who fights each day to survive. Cat would be the first person with scleroderma to receive this second groundbreaking transplant.
"Yesterday, on Wednesday, we launched the second Cure For Cat campaign and it's been awesome. And the main thing I want people to understand is it's so much different than the first campaign," she said.
On March 18th, Cat will hold a benefit concert at the Service Station as a kickoff fundraiser. She says there are also some events in the works that will be announced soon.
"Spokane is an incredible community and we can do this together and I know, in the end, together we are better and we're going to make a difference," she said.
For more information about events and how you can donate, visit cureforcat.com.
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Cure For Cat campaign launches a second time to save Cat Davis' life - KXLY Spokane
If ever there were a problem that might seem tailor-made for philanthropy, it's fighting blindness. Losing sight is a horrifying fate for anyone to contemplate, and it's not surprising that blindness has motivated some deep-pocketed donors for at least a century. Over the past few decades, significant gains have been made in this area. In the United States, for example, the Foundation Fighting Blindnessco-founded by venture capitalist George Gund in 1971has raised over $600 million to fund research advances to prevent and cure retinal degenerative diseases that affect more than 10 million Americans. Worldwide, a range of efforts have sought to bring poor countries affordable cataract surgery. Cataracts are the main cause of blindness for half of the 40 million or so people who cannot see. Millions of people can see today because of these efforts.
This fight would seem eminently winnable, given that the World Health Organization estimates that 80 percent of blindness is avoidable, meaning it can be either prevented or reversed. Spurred on by that hopeful fact, the WHO galvanized a plan in 1999 called Vision 2020,a global initiative to prevent avoidable blindness, with a coalition that includes a number of foundations and top nonprofits.That milestone is now just three years away, and much work remains.
As usual, one key obstacle to faster progress has been funding. Never mind that the world's 2,500 billionaires now have assets of around $7.6 trillionthere's just never enough private or public money to fight blindness. Today's wealthy spend a fortune on luxuries even as millions of their fellow human beings cannot see. As a practical matter, reducing blindness has to compete with a bunch of other global health priorities, starting with diseases that actually kill people, like malaria and HIV/AIDS.
In addition, there aren't nearly as many major funders focused on preventing blindness as you might think. Very few of the largest U.S. foundations have made this a priority.
The Gates Foundation has patched in and out of this issue over the past 18 years, spending tens of millions fighting neglected tropical diseases that cause blindness, including large grants in the past to the Carter Center, the Task Force for Global Health, and Johns Hopkins University. But blindness hasn't been a big priority lately, at least compared to the foundation's investments in other areas.
Recently, the MacArthur Foundation announced that two of its eight semi-finalists for a special $100 million grant were organizations fighting blindness: Himalayan Cataract and the Carter Center. The fact these two made it into the top tier out of 2,000 proposals underscores the potential for big new money to make a huge impact (which is the goal of Mac's 100&Change competition).
While MacArthur's entry into the blindness space could be a game-changer, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation stands out as one of the steadier big funders here. In particular, it's worked tirelessly to eliminate trachoma, a major cause of blindness. Trachoma is a result of repeated chlamydia trachomatis infections in the eyes. The infection, which typically starts in infancy or childhood, causes the eyelid to turn inward, resulting in corneal scarring caused by the eyelashes rubbing on the eyeball. Trachoma is incredibly painful, and if left untreated, leads to irreversible blindness. The debilitating disease is endemic in some of the poorest countries in the world.
Hilton uses the World Health Organizations (WHO) SAFE strategy (surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement) approach to eliminating blinding trachoma in Mali, Niger, and Tanzania. The foundation has played a crucial role in eliminating the disease in Ghana, which achieved its elimination targets in 2014. While this is a major success, Hilton isnt celebrating just yet. The foundation still has blinding trachoma in its sights and just awarded millions in grants to eliminate the disease.
Related: Researching Blindness Treatments? Conrad N. Hilton Foundation is on Your Side
Hilton made a total of $11.725 million in grants to three organizations that know more than a little bit about trachoma and avoidable blindness.
At just under $6 million, Helen Keller International received the largest award in this round. Established over 100 years ago, Helen Keller International has been on the front lines of the global trachoma battle since the 1950s, and has over 120 programs across Africa and Asia. Using the WHO's SAFE strategy as well, Helen Keller administered more than 80.5 million integrated neglected tropical disease (NTD) treatments in six African countries in 2016.
Coming in a close second behind Helen Keller International, the Carter Center received a $5.1 million grant from Hilton. The Carter Center has been a leader for over 30 years in the war against NTDs such as guinea worm, river blindness and trachoma. Since 1999, Carter has implemented the SAFE strategy in Mali and Niger. The Carter Center has facilitated thousands of surgeries and administered more than 500 million doses of antibiotics through its mass drug administration programs. Carter has also backed the construction of nearly 220,000 latrines in Mali and Niger. Better water, sanitation, and hygiene plays a critical role in preventing the spread of trachoma.
The final grant in this round was awarded to Sightsavers, which received $650,000. Sightsavers is a U.K.-based organization that has been working to eliminate avoidable blindness for six decades in over 30 countries around the world. Over the years, the group has supported more than 575 million treatments for blinding and potentially blinding conditions, and backed over 8 million surgeries to restore sight. Caroline Harper, CEO of Sightsavers, called Hiltons donation vital to meeting the WHO target for eliminating blinding trachoma by 2020.
Helen Keller International and the Carter Center are using the Hilton grants for trachoma prevention and elimination programs in Mali and Niger. Sightsavers is using its donation from Hilton to back its work in Mali. Both countries are within reach of their trachoma elimination targets.
Related: Where Have Hiltons Global Grants Been Going Lately?
The Hilton Foundations $11.725 million in grants certainly provides a nice boost toward eliminating trachoma in Mali and Niger, and the leveraging power of those funds could help both countries reach the elimination finish line. Hiltons latest trachoma grants require a dollar-for-dollar match by 2020 from each organization. Meaning, the foundation is effectively mounting a three-year, $23.45 million trachoma eradication campaign.
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Philanthropy vs. Blindness: What's the Latest? Inside Philanthropy - Inside Philanthropy
The New Hampshire Association for the Blind doesnt want to limit its mission because of its name.
As a result, this week the 105-year-old organization announced that it is changing its name to Future in Sight, which the group says better reflects its goal and overall duties within the state.
In an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio, Future in Sight President and CEO David Morgan noted that 93 percent of the people the organization serves have some form of sight loss but arent blind.
From the interview:
Up until recently, we never served babies. We served seniors, but not outside their home. And more and more, were discovering there are some 30,000 New Hampshire residents with profound sight loss, and we only served about 1,100 last year. So theres certainly a compelling need out there thats left unfulfilled. And frankly, the word blind in our name inhibited a lot of conversations, particularly in doctors offices and between doctors and their patients.
The latter situation proved a significant problem for the organization, according to Morgan, who told the Concord Monitor that the group had expanded its mission in recent years, partly because of changes with the states offerings. As a result, the association has received more referrals from doctors.
But these referrals created problems because members of the public were thrown off by the name.
The new name already has had an important impact on these conversations, Morgan stated.
As we stopped using the word blind, what we did was create new conversation around the word sight and the use of whats left for residual sight for both school-age kids and adults, he explained in his New Hampshire Public Radio interview.
In a blog post, Morgan added that the group is also expanding its mission to bordering states around New Hampshire.
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Association's Name Change Focuses on Sight, Not Blindness - Associations Now
Color blindness affects a large percentage of the population. Studies have shown that up to 8% of males and 0.5% of females of Northern European heritage are affected by red-green color blindness for instance. The ability to distinguish between colors gets worse with age as well.
As a webmaster, you may want to make sure that your site is accessible to visitors with color blindness, or difficulties distinguishing certain color patterns.
This gives those users a better experience on your site, and may prevent part of them from insta-closing the site when they run into accessibility issues.
Probably the best way of checking your websites quickly when it comes to accessibility for color blind visitors is to use a browser extension. Some sites and services may require more than that, but the extensions should be fine for the majority of webmasters out there.
RGBlind is a simple extension. It adds an icon to the main Firefox (or Chrome) toolbar on installation that you can click on to switch between two color blindness simulation modes.
You may switch to test Protanopia or Deuteranopia, and will notice that the color scheme of the site you are on changes immediately once you make a selection. The difference between the two forms is that in protanopia, the red retinal photoreceptors are missing, whereas in deuteranopia, it is the green photoreceptors that are missing.
Basically, what the test does is simulate color blindness, so that you can see how a color blind person would see the website.
Dalton for Chrome adds tests for eight different types of color blindness to the browser. Simple navigate to the website that you want to check for accesibility, click on the extension icon, and select one of the available types (Achromatomaly, Achromatopsia, Tritanomaly, Tritanopia, Deuteranomaly, Deuteranopia, Protanomaly, Protanopia)
The extension pains the colors of the site accordingly, so that you can verify what works, and what does not.
You need to click on each type separately to test them all. An option to rotate through all types automatically would be useful, but is not provided.
Another browser extension for Google Chrome that you may use to test a site#s accessibility for the color blind.
It works almost identical to Dalton above: click on the icon, select one of the available types, and watch as the site's color scheme gets modified accordingly by the extension. Supports the same eight types as Dalton.
Colorblind test extensions for Firefox and Chrome are helpful to webmasters and designers, as it allows them to test a site's or design's accessibility. The extensions are easy to use, and it should not take longer than a couple of minutes to run initial tests to find out how well, or not, the site displays for visitors affected by the various types of color blindness.
Now You: are you color blind? Are there many sites out there that don't show up correctly for you?
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Article Name
Run color blindness tests on your websites
Description
Find out how to run color blindness tests on your websites or designs, to make sure they are accessible by people affected by the various types of color blindness.
Author
Martin Brinkmann
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Ghacks Technology News
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Run color blindness tests on your websites - gHacks Tech News - Ghacks Technology News
What happened
Puma Biotechnology (NASDAQ: PBYI) ended the day down 13.8% after Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY) reported that its rival breast cancer drug, Perjeta, had passed its phase 3 trial, dubbed "Aphinity."
Image source: Getty Images.
In Roche's trial, patients either took Perjeta and Herceptin with chemotherapy or just Herceptin with chemotherapy, and then took Perjeta and Herceptin, or just Herceptin, for an additional year. Roche didn't release the full data from the clinical trial, but it did say the triple combination reduced the risk of recurrence of invasive disease or death compared to Herceptin and chemotherapy alone.
The potential to establish a new standard of care where patients take Herceptin and Perjeta for a year could be problematic for Puma Biotechnology because its drug candidate, neratinib, was tested after just Herceptin use, the current standard of care.
Without any data, doctors will likely wonder whether neratinib helps patients that have received Herceptin and Perjeta. And the relapse rate for patients on the current standard of care is already quite low; if adding Perjeta decreases it further, doctors and their patients may decide taking another drug after that isn't worth it, especially given neratinib's side-effect profile.
Investors will have to wait for the full data from Aphinity -- perhaps at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in June -- to know how much better Herceptin plus Perjeta is than Herceptin alone, and how that might affect neratinib's sales, assuming it's approved later this year.
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Why Puma Biotechnology Inc. Got Hammered Today - Madison.com
Julie Kelly, cooking instructor, food writer, blogger and a Mom who lives in the Chicago area. In 2015, she got passionate about GMOs. Kelly is a contributing writer to the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Huffington Post, The Hill and other media outlets.| March 2, 2017
HIGHLIGHTS:
Hollywood is in our homes daily,often spreading misconceptions about science, and GE crops in particular Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Organic and Just Label It, is the key celebrity organizer Gwyneth Paltrow has emerged as the face of celebrity moms who question the safety of GE foods Mark Ruffalo questions GE foods but also rejects biotechnological solutions beyond food, such as the gene-edited mosquito that could curtail the Zika virus Celebrity misinformation campaigns have filled a void created by the agricultural and food industries, which have been reticent to defend the science of biotechnology While the Internet and social media are valuable tools for disseminating information about complicated subjects like science and agriculture, it has also given rise to a modern-day monster: the expert celebrity From movie stars to television chefs, a cadre of self-promoting yet often ill-informed celebrities are influencing the public discussion about topics way beyond their expertise, particularly consequential issueslike vaccines and biotechnology
The explosive growth of cable television and more recently of the Internet has led to a celebrication of everyday lifeHollywood has invaded our homes in an oddly intimate way. Celebrities have long weighed in on public issues, which is okay if the issue is what clothes to wear next season, but science is different: it actually can impact peoples lives.
If Big Bang star Mayim Bialik talks about Zikas impact on the brain, we might be interested because she has a PhD in neurosurgeryshe has genuine credentials. But science-educated stars are few and far between. For example, campaigns led by Robert Kennedy, Jr., reality TV star Jenny McCarthy and her former husband Jim Carrey and flip comments by Bill Maher have convinced a lot of credulous fans to forgo getting their kids vaccinated the lowest vaccination rates in the country are in the swanky Hollywood suburban playgrounds. And thats just one of many misguided celebrity-driven campaigns.
Celebrities may have any number of motives for injecting themselves into the middle of debates over controversial, scientific issues. Ego, for example. Its a way to get publicity for themselves (McCarthy is more known now for her anti-vaccine activism than for her acting.) And as we know, stars are eager to follow the cause du jour. It is science-as-fashion.
While some people wisely ignore celebrity advice, their ill-informed and selectively ignorant comments can sway public opinion in destructive ways. Thats whats happening in the ongoing debate over our food and farming systems. In the last few years, movies such as Consumed and GMO OMG have fueled misperceptions about genetic engineering. And celebrity chefs such as Tom Colicchio have joined the fray, partnering with other anti-GMO chefs in a Facebook page, Chefs Against GMOs, and making appeals in Washington and on TV shows. But Hollywood is where anti-GMO groups draw their most visible campaigners.
A slew of Hollywood celebrities, have lent their names to one anti-GMO or pro-labeling campaign or another, among them a fading generation of actors and musicians: Morgan Freeman, Paul McCartney, Dave Mathews, Danny DeVito, Woody Harrelson and Neil Young, to name just a few. But there are some younger faces who have lobbied hard against modern agriculture, mostly B-list actresses, with Gwyneth Paltrow the most prominent. They rail against GMOs in an effort to persuade consumers our food system is hopelessly broken, and that crop biotechnology is scary, unnatural and part of a corporate conspiracy to control the worlds food supply. Its easily dismissible nonsense to those who know the consensus science, but their distortions have consequences outside of clickbait headlines.
Paltrow has emerged as the face of the anti-GMO movement over the last few years. Its unclear exactly how or why she decided to take up this cause except that she has worked closely with one of the most powerful figures in the organic movement, Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Organic, who also started Just Label It, which has campaigned for mandatory labels. Just Label it and the organic industry in general have spent hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years to demonize conventional agriculture and mislead consumers into thinking organic food is healthier, safer and more nutritious than conventional food.
Although state-of-the-art meta studies conclude there are no meaningful differences, and some research shows organic farming is more stressful on the environment than farming using advanced technology including genetically engineered crops, organic companies peddle that narrative in hopes of driving consumers toward their pricier products. As the self-appointed priestess of all that is healthy and good in the world, Paltrow promotes organic food, which is by definition non-GMO.
Hirshberg has fueled and funded anti-GMO advocacy under the guise of promoting mandatory GMO labels. He has organized several anti-GMO groups, and has used celebrities like Paltrow to push his agenda. At his invitation, Paltrow was featured at a press conference on Capitol Hill in August 2015 to voice her support for mandatory GMO labeling. A bill the organic industry opposed had just passed in the House, and Paltrow wanted to use her powers of persuasion to stop the bill from advancing in the Senate:
Im not here as an expert, Im here as a mom who honestly believes I have the right to know whats in the food I feed my family. And we dont even know, the science is still inconclusive about GMOs, there are arguments they could possibly be harmful and there are arguments that they could be incredibly beneficial. But at this point, we just dont know.
The presser echoed widely on social media, but most disturbingly, her comments were reported uncritically by major media sites, giving her credibility on an issue she did not deserve.
Here is where Paltrow is wrong. We do know that GMOs are safe. They hold tremendous potential and promise to alleviate global hunger now and into the future as food demands are expected to nearly double by 2050.Nearly every major independent scientific organization and governmental agency in the world, including most recently the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NAS), have affirmed that genetically engineered crops and food are just as healthy and environmentally safe as other conventionally grown foods, including organic. American farmers have been using genetically modified seeds for 20 years and most of the corn, soy, cotton and sugarbeets grown are from those seeds. This has cut down on the use of pesticides (since some of those crops have been developed to include natural pesticides already used by organic farmers), which has reduced crop losses and increased yield, a huge boon to both farmers and consumers.
In its analysis of the GMO controversy, the NAS also noted several problems with mandatory labeling, such as higher costs to consumers and the probability that companies might eliminate genetically engineered ingredients in order to avoid labels. The report also outlined several crops that can only be achieved through genetic engineering that boost nutrients, withstand climate challenges and resist crop diseases. Promising new crops in the pipeline include nutritionally enhanced rice and bananas and disease-resistant cassava, a plant that hundreds of millions depend on every day. So, its galling for an ultra-rich celebrity to spread falsehoods about a technology that can feed and fortify the diets of hundreds of millions of poor people around the world.
That wasnt the last we heard from Paltrow. In April 2016, she made a brief cameo in a video sponsored by Just Label It (with Hirshberg taking a star turn) entitled GMO Transparency in the Real World. A harried mother attempts to use her smart phone to scan a QR code on a can of soup to see if the soup contains GMOs (QR codes are anathema to the pro-GMO labeling crowd). As she stumbles to use her smart phone, and her kids smash a watermelon in the aisle, a fresh-faced Paltrow appears from the dairy aisle, asking the distraught mom if she has a scanner on her smart phone that she could use.
Paltrow isnt the only actress to play the Im not an activist, Im a mom card. Around Mothers Day 2015, several B-list mom-actresses appeared in a Moms Against GMOs video produced by another Hirshberg group to talk about GMOs, including Sarah Michelle Gellar, The Talks Sarah Gilbert, UnREALs Constance Zimmer, Once Upon a Times Ginnifer Goodwin, Furious 7s Jordana Brewster, The Biggest Losers Jillian Michaels, Mariel Hemingway and Sharon Osbourne. They pledged to protect their little ones from the dangers of GMOs: This Mothers Day, give moms the right to know whats in the food we feed our kids. Tell the FDA to require GMO labeling.
These actresses are now part of a coordinated, calculated attack on American agriculture and an attempt to stop millions of farmers from using technological tools necessary for their livelihood and Americas food security. They are part of a destructive campaign to hurt American farmers and our overall agricultural and food system.
Since a bill requiring mandatory GMO labels passed Congress and was signed into law by President Obama in August 2016, the GMO labeling groups have been more forthcoming about their true motives. Anti-GMO activist and Institute for Responsible Technology founder Jeffrey Smith, who makes regular appearances on Dr. Oz and other celebrity-type shows, acknowledged their real agenda:
Labeling GMOs was never the end goal for us. It was a tactic. Labels make it easier for shoppers to make healthier non-GMO choices. When enough people avoid GMOs, food companies rush to eliminate them. Labeling can speed up that tipping pointbut only if consumers are motivated to use labels to avoid GMOs.
Some celebrities brazenly profit by spreading misinformation about biotechnology. Jessica Alba parlayed her fame into selling organic, non-GMO products as part owner of The Honest Company. She boasts about the naturality of her products, from organic baby formulameticulously blended using non-GMO, naturally derived, organicto organic tampons to non-GMO lip balm. Many items brandish a non-GMO label. Alba explains her healthy eating habits as trying to have the least amount of GMOs and pesticides you have energy, arent starving and dont have to count calories.
Actor and progressive environmental activist Mark Ruffalo, who does not have a college education, has embraced any number of controversial causes, from fracking to GMOs, where the science is contested. He became a rock star in the anti-GMO community, even confronting Monsanto CEO Hugh Grant in a CBS green room rant before a joint TV appearance and later bragging about it.
You are wrong, he lectured Grant. You are engaged in monopolizing food. You are poisoning people. You are killing small farms. You are killing bees. What you are doing is dead wrong. Its the horrible stuff you guys do that makes you and your company horrible. People like you and your company are horrible because you are horrible.
He has more than 2 million followers on Twitterthats scary. His obsession to demonize genetic engineering took a bizarre turn earlier this year when he started tweeting that the Zika virus was caused by a chemical manufactured by an obscure Japanese company that has a research pact with Monsanto, the bete noire of anti-GMO activists. By doing so, he deflects attention from what experts now say is the only feasible solution to containing Zikathe release of genetically engineered sterile mosquitoes to drive out the poison-carrying ones.
Chef Attack
Many celebrity chefs have taken up the anti-GMO crusade, apparently believing their ability to run a restaurant or cook on television gives them special insight into how food is grown on a farm. Tom Colicchio, the star of Bravos Top Chef program, gathered signatures of more than 4,000 chefs on a petition he delivered to Capitol Hill in March 2016 demanding mandatory GMO labels and rejecting a Senate bill that would have made the labels voluntary.
He claims he only supports the right to know. But his twitter feed is filled with anti-GMO propaganda and like most activists in the GMO labeling movement, he is also broadly against the technology. In a December 2015 op-ed in the New York Times entitled, Are you eating Frankenfish? Colicchio warned readers that the newly approved GE fast-growing salmon could escape enclosed tanks and endanger native speciesclaims multiple US and Canadian regulators have reviewed and rejected as untrue. Colicchio has also come out in opposition to insect-resistant eggplant, grown with government developed seeds distributed free to farmers in Bangladesh, which has reduced the spraying of dangerous chemicals by 85 percent.
Why are celebrities getting so much traction in their campaign against GMOs? They are filling an information void left by the scientific and agricultural communities. Scientists are reluctant to engage the public, either out of trepidation or arrogance, convinced that science will win the day. Infighting has plagued the science communications effort as leaders dispute the best way to fight misinformation from people like Paltrow and Ruffalo.
Some want to take a submissive approach and others want to fight fire with fire. The agricultural community and companies that benefit from genetic engineering arent standing up to defend the technology, either.
While science and farming communicators struggle with how to best educate consumers and the media, organic executives and celebrities are defining the narrative on GMOs. This is not without serious ramifications if we turn away from genetically modified crops. Food prices will rise and farmers will be forced to use more insecticide and more toxic herbicides. Its wonderful to celebrate the performances of TV, movie and music celebrities, but their opinions on science issues are no more relevantnow than they were when they were waiting tables in Hollywood and Nashville looking for a break. Hit the mute button when they start opining on serious policy issues that have considerable consequences for vulnerable people around the world.
Julie Kelly is a cooking instructor, food writer, blogger and mother of two who lives in the Chicago area. In 2015, she got passionate about GMOs. Kelly is a contributing writer to the Wall Street Journal, National Review, Huffington Post and other media outlets.
The Genetic Literacy Project is a 501(c)(3) non profit dedicated to helping the public, journalists, policy makers and scientists better communicate the advances and ethical and technological challenges ushered in by the biotechnology and genetics revolution, addressing both human genetics and food and farming. We are one of two websites overseen by the Science Literacy Project; our sister site, the Epigenetics Literacy Project, addresses the challenges surrounding emerging data-rich technologies.
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When Celebrity And Science Collide: Hollywood And The Anti ... - Genetic Literacy Project
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, announced publication of abstracts on neratinib for the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2017. The AACR Annual Meeting will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. from April 1 to April 5.
Full abstracts of the following presentations are available online at http://www.aacr.org:
Apr. 4, 2017, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT Abstract 4818 (Poster): Neratinib/fulvestrant but not fulvestrant alone maintain complete tumor responses after treatment with trastuzumab + paclitaxel of mice bearing ER+/HER2+ xenografts. L.J. Schwarz et al, Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
April 4, 2017, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT Abstract 4157 (Poster): Co-blockade of mTORC1, ERBB and estrogen receptor signaling pathways in endocrine resistant breast cancer: combating tumour plasticity. R. Ribas et al, Institute of Cancer Research.
April 4, 2017, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT Abstract 4038 (Poster): Exploring optimal targeted combination therapies with neratinib for HER2+ breast cancer. M. Zhao et al, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
April 5, 2017, 8:00 - 12:00 p.m. EDT Abstract 5167 (Poster): Stem-like colorectal cancer cell lines show response to the ERK1/2 inhibitor, SCH772984, alone and in combination with neratinib while the combination of MEK-162 and neratinib work to decrease tumor growth in inflammatory colorectal cancer subtypes. R. Pal et al, NSABP.
April 5, 2017, 8:00 - 12:00 p.m. EDT Abstract 5684 (Poster): NSABP FC-7 Correlative Study: HER2 amplification in circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) resistant to anti-EGFR therapy. S. Rim Kim et al, NSABP.
Full abstracts of the following presentations are expected to be available online March 31, 2017, after 4:00 p.m. EDT:
April 2, 2017, 12:45 - 3:00 p.m. EDT Abstract CT001 (Oral, Clinical Trials Plenary Session): Neratinib in HER2 or HER3 mutant solid tumors: SUMMIT, a global, multi-histology, open-label, phase 2 basket study. D. Hyman et al, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
April 2, 2017, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT Abstract CT011 (Oral, Minisymposium): Circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) sequencing for HER2 mutation (HER2mut) screening and response monitoring to neratinib in metastatic breast cancer (MBC). C. Ma et al, Washington University School of Medicine.
April 2, 2017, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT Abstract CT013 (Oral, Minisymposium): NSABP FB-10: Phase Ib dose-escalation trial evaluating trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1) with neratinib (N) in women with metastatic HER2+ breast cancer (MBC). J. Abraham et al, NSABP.
April 3, 2017, 10:30 a.m. 12:45 p.m. EDT Abstract LB103 (Oral, Major Symposium): Landscape of Somatic ERBB2 Mutations - Findings from AACR GENIE and Comparison to Ongoing ERBB2 Mutant Basket Study. A. Schram et al, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
April 4, 2017, 1:00 - 5:00 p.m. EDT Abstract CT128 (Poster): Effects of adding budesonide or colestipol to loperamide prophylaxis on neratinib-associated diarrhea in patients (pts) with HER2+ early-stage breast cancer (eBC): the CONTROL trial. E. Ibrahim et al, Beaver Medical Group LP.
About Puma Biotechnology:
Puma Biotechnology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on the development and commercialization of innovative products to enhance cancer care. The Company in-licenses the global development and commercialization rights to three drug candidatesPB272 (neratinib (oral)), PB272 (neratinib (intravenous)) and PB357. Neratinib is a potent irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks signal transduction through the epidermal growth factor receptors, HER1, HER2 and HER4. Currently, the Company is primarily focused on the development of the oral version of neratinib, and its most advanced drug candidates are directed at the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. The Company believes that neratinib has clinical application in the treatment of several other cancers as well, including non-small cell lung cancer and other tumor types that over-express or have a mutation in HER2.
Further information about Puma Biotechnology may be found atwww.pumabiotechnology.com.
Forward-Looking Statements:
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, the risk factors disclosed in the periodic reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
A mutation in the tumor-suppressing genePTENcauses uncontrolled growth in several types of cancer. Mount Sinai researchers foundan approved rheumatoid arthritis drug that stops this growth in its tracks and could be a possible new treatment for aggressive cancers.
PTEN mutations occur in many cancers, including the brain cancer glioblastoma, as well as lung, breast and prostate cancers. They modify a metabolic pathway in tumors, which accelerates DNA production and leads to the unchecked growth of the cancer.
The Mount Sinai team, led by Ramon Parsons, M.D., Ph.D., discovered thatthe drug leflunomide inhibits an enzyme in the pathway, which damages the DNA the pathway produces. This ends up destroying PTEN-mutant cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, according to the statement. Sanofi markets leflunomide as Arava.
To test the drugs efficacy, the researchers transplanted human breast cancer cells into mice. Leflunomide drastically reduced the breast cancer tumors in the mice. The findings are published in Cancer Discovery.
A number of groups are studying PTEN to find new options for difficult-to-treat cancers. Earlier this year, Cold Spring Harbor scientists found that the proteinImportin-11protects the PTEN gene by transporting it into the nucleus of cells. They noticed that lung cancer patients with low levels of Importin-11 also lacked PTEN. Meanwhile, Ohio State researchers discovered that the enzyme PMRT5 blocked PTENs tumor-suppressing activity.
Mount Sinai's Parsonshopes to pit leflunomide against breast and colon cancer in a clinical trial. "Finding successful targeted therapies for cancer is a challenging but important goal in the face of insufficient treatment options," said Parsons in the statement. "Targeted therapies that are tumor-specific are much needed, and identifying changes based on specific tumor suppressor or oncogene alterations will facilitate this effort. Due to the high mutation rate of PTEN in cancer, the effects of PTEN could be at the heart of targeted therapy."
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Rheumatoid arthritis drug a potential targeted therapy for aggressive cancer - FierceBiotech
March 2, 2017 by Johannes Angerer A hand affected by rheumatoid arthritis. Credit: James Heilman, MD/Wikipedia
Between 3 and 5 percent of the population suffers from a form of inflammatory rheumatism. It affects approximately 250,000 to 400,000 people in Austria. Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most common and also the most dangerous forms of this inflammatory rheumatic disease. Around 30 percent of patients achieve remission, described as successful control of symptoms, after just one or two years. However, despite frequent changes in treatment, many patients endure the active form of the disease on an ongoing basis. A multicentre, multinational study headed up by rheumatologist Daniel Aletaha of MedUni Vienna as principal investigator has now shown that a new drug (sirukumab) is a promising treatment option for these "refractory" patients. The study has now been published in The Lancet.
Today, doctors change treatments for rheumatoid arthritis very quickly if one treatment fails to effect any significant improvement in a patient. This means that many patients can be helped very quickly. On the other hand, there are patients who do not show any significant improvement even after the second or third biologic drug treatment typically with tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. TNF is involved in systemic inflammation. The new drug now offers a promising option for such patients.
This is the result of one of the largest multicentre, international studies ever conducted into difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis. It focuses on a new mechanism of action, an interleukin-6 cytokine blockade. In this treatment, the monoclonal antibody sirukumab directly inhibits the messenger substance IL-6, which, like TNF, is responsible for inflammatory processes in the joints.
"We were able to demonstrate this in one of the largest study populations to date, with around 900 patients in 35 countries. Despite having previously received treatments with biologic drugs, these patients still had a persistently active disease. Treatment options had been practically exhausted for many of these patients. However, even in this group of patients, treatment with sirukumab brought about a significant reduction in the inflammatory action of the disease," says Daniel Aletaha of MedUni Vienna's Department of Medicine III.
The efficacy and safety of sirukumab were tested in two different dosages (injections of 50 mg every four weeks or 100 mg every two weeks). The 100 mg dosage proved to be slightly more effective. "These results are very significant in the case of a progressive, inflammatory, musculoskeletal disease such as rheumatoid arthritis, especially for those patients who are resistant to treatment," says the MedUni Vienna expert. The drug could be approved very soon.
At the same time, the new findings with sirukumab could lead to new efficacy studies being instigated for other inflammatory diseases, such as other forms of arthritis or other inflammatory diseases, e.g. vasculitis. There may also be other indications in areas other than rheumatology.
Explore further: New assay may lead to a cure for debilitating inflammatory joint disease
More information: Daniel Aletaha et al. Efficacy and safety of sirukumab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis refractory to anti-TNF therapy (SIRROUND-T): a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, multinational, phase 3 study, The Lancet (2017). DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(17)30401-4
Current treatments for rheumatoid arthritis relieve the inflammation that leads to joint destruction, but the immunologic defect that triggers the inflammation persists to cause relapses, according to research conducted at ...
(HealthDay)A non-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-targeted biologic is more effective than a second anti-TNF drug for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with insufficient response to a first anti-TNF drug, according ...
A Mayo Clinic study is shedding light on why some rheumatoid arthritis patients respond poorly when treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, part of a class of drugs called biologics. It comes down to proteins: specifically, ...
A well-known rheumatoid arthritis medication containing the active agent adalimumab, a therapeutic human monoclonal antibody, is also effective for treating non-infectious uveitis, a rare eye disease. This has now been discovered ...
The immediate use of a biological agent associated with more side effects and higher costs in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis yields no better results than a less aggressive plan with the delayed use of biological agents ...
Together with colleagues from the international rheumatic diseases research community, scientists of the Charit Universittsmedizin Berlin have presented a new therapy approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis ...
A research team led by scientists from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) has carefully scrutinized the immune cells from patients with rheumatoid arthritis, revealing a striking new subset of T-cells that collaborate with ...
Combining a drug for rheumatoid arthritis with one that targets the chikungunya virus can eliminate the signs of chikungunya arthritis in mice in the disease's earliest stage, according to researchers at Washington University ...
About one million Americans each year undergo total knee or hip replacements, but complications bring as many as 1 in 12 back to the hospital and result in higher use of post-acute services within 90 days.
Using a novel approach for imaging the movement of immune cells in living animals, researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Center for Immunology and Inflammatory Diseases (CIID) have identified what appear ...
Older adults who suffer from arthritis need to keep moving to be functionally independent. But in an examination of a goal that is daunting for most of this aging population, a new Northwestern Medicine study found that performing ...
(HealthDay)Everybody believes running can leave you sore and swollen, right? Well, a new study suggests running might actually reduce inflammation in joints.
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New treatment option for difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis patients - Medical Xpress
Home Anti-Aging Arthritis Depression increases the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis: Study
Those with the skin disease psoriasis may be at an increased risk for developing psoriatic arthritis if they also suffer from depression. This link has been confirmed by a new study recently published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology and asserts that depression can raise a psoriasis patients risk of developing psoriatic arthritis by as much as 37 percent.
The connection between depression and psoriatic arthritis is especially concerning, as the mental health condition is not uncommon in those living with the inflammatory skin disease.
Psoriasis causes red, itchy, and scaly patches to develop on the skin of patients that can sometimes be disfiguring and lead to negative thoughts about their appearance. While psoriatic arthritis can occur without the skin disorder, it most often accompanies it and causes joint pain, swelling, and has the potential to result in joint damage.
Previous research has linked major depressive disorder with an increased risk for systematic inflammation, meaning the mental condition can sometimes have physical manifestations as well. This systematic inflammation could increase the patients risk for developing psoriatic arthritis.
By analyzing data from over 70,000 psoriasis patients aged 25 and older, researchers were able to determine that those who had been or still were suffering from depression were at a much higher risk of developing psoriatic arthritis.
Depression has been linked to a number of chronic diseases as a factor that increases their risk of development, and this new research has revealed that psoriatic arthritis can be added to the list, at least in the case of those already diagnosed with psoriasis.
Related: Facts about psoriatic arthritis
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Link:
Depression increases the risk of developing psoriatic arthritis: Study - Bel Marra Health