StemCell Therapy

The term molecular genetics is now redundant because contemporary genetics is thoroughly molecular. Genetics is not made up of two sciences, one molecular and one non-molecular. Nevertheless, practicing biologists still use the term. When they do, they are typically referring to a set of laboratory techniques aimed at identifying and/or manipulating DNA segments involved in the synthesis of important biological molecules. Scientists often talk and write about the application of these techniques across a broad swath of biomedical sciences. For them, molecular genetics is an investigative approach that involves the application of laboratory methods and research strategies. This approach presupposes basic knowledge about the expression and regulation of genes at the molecular level.

Philosophical interest in molecular genetics, however, has centered, not on investigative approaches or laboratory methods, but on theory. Early philosophical research concerned the basic theory about the make-up, expression, and regulation of genes. Most attention centered on the issue of theoretical reductionism. The motivating question concerned whether classical genetics, the science of T. H. Morgan and his collaborators, was being reduced to molecular genetics. With the rise of developmental genetics and developmental biology, philosophical attention has subsequently shifted towards critiquing a fundamental theory associated with contemporary genetics. The fundamental theory concerns not just the make-up, expression, and regulation of genes, but also the overall role of genes within the organism. According to the fundamental theory, genes and DNA direct all life processes by providing the information that specifies the development and functioning of organisms.

This article begins by providing a quick review of the basic theory associated with molecular genetics. Since this theory incorporates ideas from the Morgan school of classical genetics, it is useful to sketch its development from Morgan's genetics. After reviewing the basic theory, I examine four questions driving philosophical investigations of molecular genetics. The first question asks whether classical genetics has been or will be reduced to molecular genetics. The second question concerns the gene concept and whether it has outlived its usefulness. The third question regards the tenability of the fundamental theory. The fourth question, which hasn't yet attracted much philosophical attention, asks why so much biological research is centered on genes and DNA.

The basic theory associated with classical genetics provided explanations of the transmission of traits from parents to offspring. Morgan and his collaborators drew upon a conceptual division between the genetic makeup of an organism, termed its genotype, and its observed manifestation called its phenotype (see the entry on the genotype/phenotype distinction). The relation between the two was treated as causal: genotype in conjunction with environment produces phenotype. The theory explained the transmission of phenotypic differences from parents to offspring by following the transmission of gene differences from generation to generation and attributing the presence of alternative traits to the presence of alternative forms of genes.

I will illustrate the classical mode of explanatory reasoning with a simple historical example involving the fruit fly Drosophila melanogastor. It is worth emphasizing that the mode of reasoning illustrated by this historical example is still an important mode of reasoning in genetics today, including what is sometimes called molecular genetics.

Genes of Drosophila come in pairs, located in corresponding positions on the four pairs of chromosomes contained within each cell of the fly. The eye-color mutant known as purple is associated with a gene located on chromosome II. Two copies of this gene, existing either in mutated or normal wild-type form, are located at the same locus (corresponding position) in the two second-chromosomes. Alternative forms of a gene occurring at a locus are called alleles. The transmission of genes from parent to offspring is carried out in a special process of cellular division called meiosis, which produces gamete cells containing one chromosome from each paired set. The half set of chromosomes from an egg and the half set from a sperm combine during fertilization, which gives each offspring a copy of one gene from each gene pair of its female parent and a copy of one gene from each gene pair of its male parent.

Explanations of the transmission of traits relate the presence of alternative genes (genotype) to the presence of alternative observable traits (phenotype). Sometimes this is done in terms of dominant/recessive relations. Purple eye-color, for example, is recessive to the wild-type character (red eye-color). This means that flies with two copies of the purple allele (the mutant form of the gene, which is designated pr) have purple eyes, but heterozygotes, flies with one copy of the purple allele and one copy of the wild-type allele (designated +), have normal wild-type eyes (as do flies with two copies of the wild-type allele). See Table 1.

To see how the classical theory explains trait transmission, consider a cross of red-eyed females with purple-eyed males that was carried out by Morgan's collaborators. The offspring all had red eyes. So the trait of red eyes was passed from the females to all their offspring even though the offspring's male parents had purple eyes. The classical explanation of this inheritance pattern proceeds, as do all classical explanations of inheritance patterns, in two stages.

The first stage accounts for the transmission of genes and goes as follows (Figure 1): each offspring received one copy of chromosome II from each parent. The maternally derived chromosomes must have contained the wild-type allele (since both second-chromosomes of every female parent used in the experiment contained the wild-type allele -- this was known on the basis of previous experiments). The paternally derived chromosomes must have contained the purple allele (since both second-chromosomes of every male parent contained the purple allele -- this was inferred from the knowledge that purple is recessive to red eye-color). Hence, all offspring were heterozygous (pr / +). Having explained the genetic makeup of the progeny by tracing the transmission of genes from parents to offspring, we can proceed to the second stage of the explanation: drawing an inference about phenotypic appearances. Since all offspring were heterozygous (pr / +), and since purple is recessive to wild-type, all offspring had red eye-color (the wild-type character). See Figure 1.

Notice that the reasoning here does not depend on identifying the material make-up, mode of action, or general function of the underlying gene. It depends only on the ideas that copies of the gene are distributed from generation to generation and that the difference in the gene (i.e., the difference between pr and +), whatever this difference is, causes the phenotypic difference. The idea that the gene is the difference maker needs to be qualified: differences in the gene cause phenotypic differences in particular genetic and environmental contexts. This idea is so crucial and so often overlooked that it merits articulation as a principle (Waters 1994):

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Molecular Genetics (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

More than 400 mutations were found in the healthy white blood cells of a 115-year-old woman, according to a new study that may advance what is known about limits of the human life span.

Genetic mutations have been linked to diseases such as cancer, but these findings suggest that mutations in white blood cells are largely harmless over a lifetime, the researchers said.

Blood is continually replenished by hematopoietic (meaning "to make blood") stem cells that are inside the bone marrow and divide to produce different types of blood cells.

Cell division can lead to genetic mutations and hundreds of mutations have been found in patients with blood cancers. However, little was known about white blood cells and mutations.

The woman in the study - whose name was not revealed - was the oldest person in the world when she died in 2005. She is thought to be the oldest person ever to donate her body to science. The hundreds of mutations identified in her white blood cells appeared to be tolerated by the body and did not cause disease.

The researchers also found possible new insight into the limits of human longevity, according to the authors of the study published online April 23 in the journal Genome Research.

"To our great surprise we found that, at the time of her death, the peripheral blood was derived from only two active hematopoietic stem cells (in contrast to an estimated 1,300 simultaneously active stem cells), which were related to each other," lead author Dr. Henne Holstege said in a journal news release.

The researchers also found that the woman's white blood cells' telomeres were extremely short. Telomeres, which are at the ends of chromosomes and protect them from damage, get a bit shorter each time a cell divides.

"Because these blood cells had extremely short telomeres, we speculate that most hematopoietic stem cells may have died from 'stem cell exhaustion,' reaching the upper limit of stem cell divisions," Holstege said.

Further research is needed to learn whether such stem cell exhaustion is a cause of death in extremely old people.

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Scientists seek genetic clues to longevity from 115-year ...

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With several companies on the verge of mass-marketing genetic tests that claim to read agings cellular clock, some researchers say the science isnt yet ready for prime-time use.

The tests measure telomeres, or protein sheaths that prevent the tips of chromosomes from fraying. As time passes, they grow shorter, a process hastened by stress, environmental insult and disease. If they get too short, cell breakdown follows. A large body of research links telomere deterioration to deteriorating health.

That makes telomeres an alluring target for quantifying the ravages of aging, which have proved surprisingly difficult to measure. But the clinical use of telomeres has yet to be determined.

Aging is extremely complex. Its going to involve many behavioral and genetic factors, said Boston University gerontologist Thomas Perls, who runs the worlds largest study of centenarian health. Its going to be unwise to try and pin it down on one particular marker. There are going to be many different factors.

Telomere tests came to public notice this week after an article in The Independent described a test being developed by Life Length, a Madrid startup company. In the article, University of Texas Southwestern geneticist and Life Length consultant Jerry Shay extolled the tests potential.

When youre looking at a whole bunch of people, you conclude that shorter telomeres are bad. But that doesnt mean you can take an individual and tell them their risk.

Telomere length is actually a pretty good representation of your biological age, he said. People might say If I know Im going to die in 10 years, Ill spend all my money now. Or, If Im going to live for 40 more years Ill be more conservative in my lifestyle.'

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To Measure Longevity, Common Sense Trumps Genetic Test

Check out the Whats New section of our website. This month were featuring a recent presentation by Dr. Bartnof conducted on for the benefit of Smartlifeforum.org LONGER Life, LONGER Quality-of-Life with LONGER Telomeres: A Role for TA-65?. Dr. Bartnof was pleased to conduct this presentation Thursday August 18, 2011. Read more on our Whats New page now!

Men, if you have any one or more of the following, you could have ANDROPAUSE: fatigue, lower sex drive, erections softer, increased belly fat, work-outs more difficult, muscle decline, mood change, or noticing that your overall vitality is just not the same. Testosterone decline with symptoms occurs in 10% of men in their 40s, 25% of men in their 50s, a third of men in their 60s, and even higher for older men. There are now several published studies that men with low testosterone dont live as long and are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or pre-diabetes, osteoporosis (weak bones), and more likely to develop Alzheimers disease. Treatment is safe with ongoing monitoring by a competent and experienced physician. Men, you dont need to suffer.

Women, if you have any one or more of the following, you could have MENOPAUSE: hot flashes, sweats, sleep problems, fatigue, foggy brain, increased weight (especially belly fat), lower sex drive, mood changes (irritability, depression), hair thinning, skin wrinkling increase, joint aches, dry vagina, or dry eyes. Even before menopause, hormone imbalances occur that can cause several of the symptoms listed above, in addition to pre-menstrual symptoms. Early menopause with low estrogen means increased risk of osteoporosis (weak bones), Alzheimers disease and a shorter life. There is significant supportive evidence published in the medical journals that Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy is very likely to be safer than those that are not Bio-Identical. Bio-Identical Hormones have been used in Western Europe for several decades. Ladies, you dont need to suffer with a compromised quality-of-life. Treatment is safe with ongoing monitoring by a competent and experienced physician.

If you have any of the following symptoms, you could have SOMATOPAUSE (Decline in Growth Hormone): fatigue, increased body fat with less muscle, skin thinning, high cholesterol, vascular disease (atherosclerosis in heart, neck or other arteries), less motivation, depression, or tendency to less socializing. We evaluate for traditional Adult Onset Growth Hormone Deficiency.

AGE MANAGEMENT MEDICINE represents a comprehensive, multi-faceted program in health, wellness and disease prevention to address all aspects of the aging process for men and women. The majority of people will start to notice some slow-down symptoms as they enter middle-age (30s and older). The changes may be subtle in onset, but they eventually occur. People dont need to suffer with these symptoms. This is often accompanied by one or more medical conditions or diseases that western medicine will want to treat with drugs. With a comprehensive program of Age Management Medicine, these symptoms and conditions may be delayed and even preventedmany patients are able to come off their drugs. The program includes Individualized Aging Evaluation and Treatments. Our Longevity and Vitality Program includes: Preventive and Integrative Medicine, Regenerative Medicine, Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Therapy, Optimized Nutrition, Optimized Vitamin and Nutraceutical Supplementation, Exercise, Stress Management, and Toxicity Elimination.

11th Annual New Living Expo on Sunday, April 29th, 2012 at the San Francisco Concourse Exhibition Center. Panel: Antiaging, Longevity and Health

Title of presentation:

LONGER Life with LONGER Telomeres Since the Nobel Prize was awarded in 2009 for research about Telomeres, we have learned much about how these caps on chromosomes affect aging. Shorter telomeres = shorter life, while longer telomeres = longer life! Come to hear about how you can help keep your telomeres more youthful and longer. This will improve your quality-of-life, help to avoid many diseases and possibly extend your lifespan!

Dr. Harvey S. Bartnof, M.D. Topic: Telomere Effects on Healthspan and Lifespan: Can We Fix It? Date: Saturday, May 24, 2012 at 3PM Venue: Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Symposium at Westin St. Francis Hotel on Union Square. Preventive Aging Specialist Dr. Harvey Bartnof Speaks at Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement Symposium. Preventive aging specialist will provide a presentation entitled Telomere Effects on Healthspan and Lifespan: Can We Fix it at the three-day Symposium on in San Francisco.

TA-65 NOW AVAILABLE AT CALIFORNIA LONGEVITY AND VITALITY MEDICAL INSTITUTE: UNIQUE SUPPLEMENT IMPROVES BIOLOGIC AGING TA-65, an oral, natural supplement derivative that improves aspects of biologic aging in humans and mice, is now available at California Longevity and Vitality Medical Institute. TA-65 increases telomerase, an natural enzyme, which in turn increases the length of telomeres that protect the ends of chromosomes in cells.Existing patients at our Institute are encouraged to discuss TA-65 at their next Consultation. If you are interested in taking TA-65 or learning more about TA-65 Click Here. You may also contact the Institute at 415-986-1300 to discuss today.

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Welcome to DrBartnof.com and the California Longevity and ...

Gene therapy is the insertion of genes into an individual's cells and tissues to treat a disease, and hereditary diseases in which a defective mutant allele is replaced with a functional one.

Although the technology is still in its infancy, it has been used with some success.

Antisense therapy is not strictly a form of gene therapy, but is a genetically-mediated therapy and is often considered together with other methods.

In most gene therapy studies, a "normal" gene is inserted into the genome to replace an "abnormal," disease-causing gene.

A carrier called a vector must be used to deliver the therapeutic gene to the patient's target cells.

Currently, the most common type of vectors are viruses that have been genetically altered to carry normal human DNA.

Viruses have evolved a way of encapsulating and delivering their genes to human cells in a pathogenic manner.

Scientists have tried to harness this ability by manipulating the viral genome to remove disease-causing genes and insert therapeutic ones.

Target cells such as the patient's liver or lung cells are infected with the vector.

The vector then unloads its genetic material containing the therapeutic human gene into the target cell.

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Gene therapy - Science Daily

Stem Cells from Fat: Cells with Potential

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We now know that fat tissue is the bodys most important reserve of vital cells, including stem cells and so-called progenitor cells. Since its foundation in 1994 body fat and its potential are in the focus in Clinic DDr. Heinrich. The regenerative effects documented in many studies suggest therapeutic applications in orthopaedics and other areas of medicine.

These findings are not new: Over the course of many years, practitioners of veterinary medicine have made positive experiences in the therapeutic use of autologous stem cells for thousands of dogs and racehorses. Stem cells extracted from the animals autologous fat appear to be suited for the regeneration of damaged joints, bones and cartilages. Furthermore, they are administered with the goal of general regeneration and increasing performance.

Centers worldwide are now also carrying out therapy with adult stem cells from autologous fat on humans. Due to the enormous potential for success and possible huge benefits, Clinic DDr. Heinrich is now offering regenerative stem cell therapy.

Regenerative stem cell therapies have the potential to regenerate weakened tissue and organs and therefore can be used for treating a variety of diseases resulting from organ or tissue weakness. Numerous studies have been made worldwide in which stem cells are used in the therapy of heart disease, diabetes, joint disease, neurological and endocrinological diseases and many other degenerative processes.

When stem cells differentiate into adult cells, the micro-environment plays an important role. The surrounding tissue in which the stem cells lodge apparently determines which type of cells (skin, fat, muscle cells, etc.) evolve out of them. Stem cells are currently not used in cases of cancer, because they could stimulate the growth of existing tumors.

Stem cell therapy with autologous stem cells from fat tissue is carried out on an outpatient basis using local anesthesia. During the first step, a small quantity of fat is obtained with gentle liposuction using microcannulas. The stem cells isolated from it in a complex procedure are injected immediately afterwards according to the indication, either locally at the affected organ or tissue or systemically. In case of systemic administration (usually intravenous using infusion), stem cells seem to find their own way to those building sites in the body at which their regenerative and healing effect is needed. Repeat treatment sessions are often recommended.

The therapeutic effect generally begins several weeks after the application. Any further treatment can be carried out several months later at the earliest, regardless of the improvement achieved. Check-ups after surgery are scheduled on an individual basis.

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Stem Cell Therapy with Stem Cells from Autologous Fat ...

About the Procedure

Your fat is your best weapon to naturally combat signs of aging. As we age, we lose volume to areas such as the face, breasts, buttocks and hands, making us look and feel older than we are. In the past the approach has been to lift, nip and tuck the loose skin which often yields unnatural looking results.

New techniques in fat transfer and stem cell augmentation have made fat transfer a viable and successful option for many people. Fat from unwanted areas can be transferred to other parts of the body to permanently restore volume with a youthful, natural looking appearance without traditional invasive surgery.

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"Can you take some fat from down there and put it up here? That is the question women have been asking cosmetic surgeons for years. Natural breast augmentation is an excellent option for women who want to restore lost volume and enhance their appearance without the un-natural look or feel implants.

Using advanced technology and technique, fat is carefully harvested from unwanted areas of the body and transferred to the places you do want it. This procedure can be enhanced with your own adult stem cells that are transferred for optimal results, faster recovery, and improved skin tone.

continue reading | or See Before & After Pictures

The buttocks are an important factor in the shape of a woman. Women with flat buttocks had very few options for enhancing their shape until now. Fat transfer is a natural option that takes fat from unwanted areas of the body and moves it to the places you do want to permanently increase volume and create a rounder, more desirable shape.

No other procedure offers the beautiful, natural looking, long term results that are achieved with natural buttocks augmentation.

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Natural Breast Augmentation | Stem Cell Breast ...

With Stem Cells being used in the media and by other surgeons like an every day word, we want to clarify our standings on its use

Fat transfer, also known as fat grafting or autologous fat transfer, is the process of using the patients own fat to increase the volume of fat in another area of their body. The fat is harvested or extracted with a liposuction cannula. They are prepared for reintroduction into the body and injected into the new part of the body where the additional bulk is used for medical or cosmetic purposes. The most common donor areas, where fat is taken from, are the stomach, thighs, and waist.

The procedure is minimally invasive making it very appealing. Another advantage of fat transfer is that the body does not reject it because it is the patients own fat. However, there is a rate of absorption, a percentage of the transferred fat, that does not survive. Therefore, it is extremely important to select a surgeon that uses a proven technique with the highest fat survival rate.

Many women have turned to the Miami Breast Center looking for natural and permanent results. Dr. Khouri is a pioneer in the use of autologous fat to reconstruct and augment breasts. He is able to rebuild an entire breast using only the patients fat and the external tissue expander BRAVA. The BRAVA bra is worn a few weeks prior to surgery and stretches the tissue, both externally and internally, creating a matrix into which the transferred fat will be injected. This matrix is essential for fat placement and survival.

Dr. Khouri uses a very fine needle-like cannula, that he developed, to gently perform liposuction. The fat naturally contains stem cells, which are harvested in the process along with the fat and preserved in the transfer. However, nothing artificial is added nor biologically manipulated within the harvested fat.

Studies have shown that breasts rebuilt with this fat transfer process, pre-expanded with BRAVA, result in high fat survival and last forever. They look and feel natural and retain near-normal sensation. Compared to implants that on average need to be replaced every 10 years and can leave a woman with non-sensate breasts and nipples, Dr. Khouri offers a great alternative.

Growing concerns have emerged over the clinical practices and marketing claims made by the plastic surgery community promoting stem cell use in fat transfers. The term stem cells is hyped by the media and used by some surgeons like an everyday word. A small group of unethical practitioners are deliberately misleading and exploiting the public with false claims. Therefore, a task force was convened to address the false advertising claims that are not substantiated by scientific evidence.

The task force was made up of two of the worlds largest organizations of board-certified plastic surgeons, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). They issued a joint position statement during The Aesthetic Meeting 2011, the annual meeting of ASAPS.

Dr. Roger Khouri himself sat on the task force and participated in the joint position statement. Here are a few of the recommendations made by the task force:

Dr. Khouri is a strong proponent of truth in advertising and very clearly states that his technique is a fat grafting procedure and not a stem cell procedure. Our technique of fat harvesting, preparation, and grafting preserves the native stem cells in the fat graft because we use very fine needle-like cannulas to gently liposuction the patients fat. The harvested fat is naturally rich in stem cells. Nothing artificial is added nor biologically manipulated within the harvested fat.

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Fat Transfer, Grafting to Breast using Stem Cells Truth ...

At the 2010 annual ASPS plastic surgery meeting in Toronto, I listened to Dr. Alexandra Cond Greens research presentation which concluded that 1) you can find quantities of stem cells using centrifugation techniques only without the use of collagenase, 2) the pellet at the bottom of the tube contains the highest % of stem cells and 3) stem cell enhanced fat grafting is better than regular fat grafting.

After she presented her paper, Dr. Peter Rubin, University of Pittsburgh Plastic Surgery Chief, (aka Mr. Stem Cell) said: Dr. Cond Green what you are proposing is quite provocative.

We believe that Dr. Rubin was referring to her findings that you can obtain stem cells by simply centrifuging the fat. This would be the golden minimal manipulation that could keep the FDA out of reach because these stem cells would not be classified as a drug! Dr. Cond Green, a plastic surgeon working with Dr. Pitanguys lab in Brazil, is onto something big here and I have invited her to share her results with you. Please see her comments below.

Figure 1

Autologous fat graft is considered nowadays the ideal soft-tissue filler because it is abundant, host compatible, and can be harvested easily and repeatedly. However many variations in long-term results of transplanted adipose tissue have been reported due to absorption and volume loss. Careful measures are employed to harvest, process and inject the fat in order to get the best possible intake. Still there is no consensus on the best method to prepare the fat and many controversies exist among these different steps.

Also, we have yet to know which part of the adipose tissue is more important for the graft take, the adipocytes, the other cells (stem cells, endothelial cells) or both.(Fig 1)

New evidence points to an improvement in vascularity and blood flow when stem cells are more concentrated in the fat to be transplanted. For therapeutic approaches, reproducible protocols of adipose-derived stem cells isolation and a large amount of cells are necessary, in order to respond to the increasing demand. Therefore, to practically understand what happens when adipose tissue is manipulated in the operating room, we studied the most common methods of fat processing employed by most plastic surgeons, in order to see which method yields the highest quantity of stem cells.

Under loco regional anesthesia, we aspirated adipose tissue from the inferior abdomen of healthy adult females undergoing liposuction with a blunt 3 mm cannula attached to a 10 ml Luer-lock syringe, using the superwet technique (at a rate of 1 ml of a solution containing normal saline with 1:1,000,000 of epinephrine per milliliter of aspirated tissue).

The lipoaspirates were separated into three samples that were processed by decantation (under the action of gravity in the syringe), washing with normal saline (in a ratio of 1:1 (vol/vol), 3 times) and centrifugation at 3,000 rpm/ 1,200g for 3 minutes.

Figure 2

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Centrifugation of Fat Tissue Yields More Stem Cells than ...

What is "Stem Cell Facelift"?

"Stem Cell Facelift" is not really an accurate description for a procedure where the patient's own fat is transplanted to the face in certain key areas to replace volume lost with aging. In many cases this is done with some type of facelift to address both volume loss and the effects of gravity. But the term stem cell facelift is only referring to the fat transfer to the face and therefore it should not be called a facelift.

What is fat grafting?

Sometimes also called fat transfer, autologous fat grafting, fat injections or fat grafting refers to the procedure of obtaining one's own fat from the abdomen or other parts of the body and re-implanting it with micro needles into the face, preferably within the deeper tissues of the face to obtain volume. As an injectable filler, your own fat is much better than a synthetic filler since it is your own tissue and lasts longer than any other filler.

What is longevity of fat grafting or injections?

Our doctor believes fat grafts persist longer than any other filler and does not involve any allergic reactions. With Our doctor's microinjection methods and with his careful harvesting techniques done at low pressures to preserve the membranes of the fat cells, 50 percent of the injected fat can last for 5 years. Our doctor has specialized methods to get the fat cells to preserve its integrity which is important for longevity. Our doctor points out that it is not the fat that is important but the fat cell for longevity of the transplanted graft to last.

Can fat transplantation to the face "so called stem cell facelift" be done as an isolated procedure without a traditional facelift?

Yes, if the problem is only volume loss, then autologous fat transplantation can be done alone. However, very often gravitational skin looseness in the neck and jowl also needs to be addressed with volume replenishment. Our doctor states the stem cell fat grafting and traditional facelifts are complementary and each address different components, ie. Volume loss and gravity.

What exactly is all the "hype" about stem cells?

Facial fat transfer procedures revolumize lost facial volume and give a very youthful effect but there is strong evidence that fat contains adult stem cells. Our doctor, a New York City facial plastic surgeon, believes that these stem cells may be responsible for a rejuvenating effect on the skin and other tissues of the face, other than just a volume filling effect from fat. Much research is currently being done about these extra benefits of stem cells and Our doctor is currently performing research on this topic with other worldwide researchers to determine its validity.

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Stem Cell Fat Grafting | Fat Transplantation

With a new document released today the FDA is more clearly on a path to regulate dubious stem cell clinics in the US.

There are more than 100 such American clinics that are selling stem cell treatments to patients and almost all of them use non-FDA approved stem cell products isolated from fat tissue.

The clinics have argued that they do not need FDA approval and just keep on raking inbig profits from vulnerable patients.

They have claimed no need for FDA approval because they believe that the stem cells isolated from fat tissue that they use are not drugs because they are not more than minimally manipulated. In English that means that the clinics are arguing that the purified fat stem cells are basically the same as overall fat tissue.

To me that doesnt make any sense.

A groundbreaking draft guidance statement today by the FDA for the first time sends the messagetothe clinics that the clinics are very likely wrong and could be subject to future regulatory action.

Itis important to point out that this FDA statement that mentions fat stem cells isdraft guidance meaning that it is not yet finalized, but make no mistake that this is the clearest snapshot to date on the FDAs views on fat stem cells and it is unlikely to fundamentally change during the comment period.

The bottom line is that fat stem cells are viewed by the FDA as drugs that must be vetted and approved prior to use by physicians and clinics.It also reinforces statements fromdraft guidance issued earlier in October that narrowed exceptions to the same-day surgical procedure guidance for use of biological materials such as stem cells.

In the new document today, the FDA even sets out isolation of fat stem cells as an example of more than minimal manipulation (emphasis mine):

Example 10-1: Original relevant characteristics of adipose tissue, a structural tissue, to pad and cushion against shocks generally include its bulk and lipid storage capacity. A manufacturer recovers adipose tissue by tumescent liposuction and processes the adipose tissue to isolate cellular components, commonly referred to as stromal vascular fraction, which is considered a potential source of adipose-derived stromal/stem cells. The HCT/P generally is considered more than minimally manipulated because the processing breaks down and eliminates the structural components that provide cushioning and support, thereby altering the original relevant characteristics of the HCT/P relating to its utility for reconstruction, repair, or replacement.

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Breaking: New FDA Draft Guidance Views Fat Stem Cells As ...

Yes, the search included looking for frozen peas or sausage

by KAREN DAVIS, RDH, BSDH

As I listened to a presentation by Provia Labs about the potential to use dental stem cells from extracted teeth to treat various medical conditions, I got a bit teary eyed. My daughter, Madeline, has Crohn's disease, and she was scheduled to have her wisdom teeth extracted. My heart raced as I watched a video about advances in the field of stem cell research for many conditions, including Crohn's disease. The idea of preserving Madeline's dental stem cells from extracted wisdom teeth through the Store-A-Tooth company resonated with me. I didn't know a lot about dental stem cell research at that point, but I knew I didn't want to miss an opportunity should future research provide a pathway to a cure. I contacted the company to learn more about dental stem cell preservation and banking, and made arrangements for Madeline's extracted wisdom teeth not to end up in the trash.

The Store-A-Tooth website by Provia Labs is a great resource to learn more about dental stem cells and ongoing research, and it answered my questions about getting the extracted teeth to the lab. The process almost seemed too easy. However, I managed to complicate things, which at this point I can only laugh about. My first wrong step was in not listening to my daughter, who repeatedly tried to convince me that she really wanted to be put to sleep for her extractions. Upon reviewing her X-rays and consulting with the dentist, I was convinced these would be simple extractions that could be handled with a mild tranquilizer and nitrous oxide. We orchestrated the extraction date immediately following completion of her college semester, and before she was to leave town 10 days later for a wedding.

All arrangements with Provia Labs had been made, and they explained that a box would be shipped to me with the Store-A-Tooth container necessary to ship the extracted teeth to the company. They provided cool packs that I needed to freeze the night before her extractions so that the wisdom teeth could be placed in a secure container for transport. This was to help preserve the integrity of the dental stem cells inside the pulp of the wisdom teeth. I was arriving back in town the night before her appointment, and I felt confident that once I was home I would be able to unpack the box and freeze the cold packs so that I could carry them to the office for the extraction procedure. However, I forgot.

It didn't occur to me that I had completely forgotten my role until 10 minutes before we were to leave for the dental office. Madeline was already groggy from the tranquilizer she had taken, and I transformed into a panicked dental hygienist mom. I searched my freezer for frozen peas, frozen sausage, anything that could keep the dental stem cells cool enough to ship them to Store-A-Tooth.

In route to the dental office I received a calm phone call from Store-A-Tooth wanting to know if I had any questions before the procedure. I was relieved to hear her voice and confessed my mistake about the cold packs. She reassured me that I would have plenty of time to freeze the packs at the dental office since the courier pick-up was a few hours after the extractions.

My daughter proceeded to the treatment room to undergo nitrous oxide while I slipped the cold packs into the freezer. It wasn't too long before the dentist emerged with what I thought must have been the fastest extractions in history, but he informed me that strangely enough, the tranquilizer coupled with my daughter's high anxiety and lack of sleep the night before created a situation in which she had become combative when they tried to give her an injection. Oh my. He recommended we reschedule the extractions with an oral surgeon and IV sedation. I should have listened to my daughter!

I removed the cold packs from the freezer while Madeline inhaled oxygen, and I analyzed my calendar in an attempt to find another time to squeeze in her extractions before she attended the wedding. I remembered what she told me: "Mom, I don't want to look like a chipmunk at the wedding." Almost miraculously, I found an opening that day with an oral surgeon we trusted, so I filled out the registration forms online and gathered up my daughter to drive her to the next office. Before walking out the door, I remembered the cold packs that I had removed from the freezer after the failed extraction attempt. I grabbed the unfrozen cold packs and my daughter, and I called Store-A-Tooth on the way to the next office to ask them to change the courier pick-up to the oral surgeon's office. Unfazed, they got the new address for pick-up, reassured me that I could freeze the cold packs at the new office during the extractions, and that by the time the courier came, they would be cold enough to safely transport the wisdom teeth, preserving the precious stem cells.

While waiting for my daughter during her extractions, it occurred to me that in my haste and panic that morning, I had inadvertently discarded the customized shipping box from Store-A-Tooth to return the container holding the wisdom teeth, cold packs, and Styrofoam container. I checked my watch. The timely recycling service had surely come and retrieved all trash, including the customized items I had thoughtlessly discarded. I knew Madeline would be finishing her procedure within minutes, and I didn't have time to go shopping for a shipping box, so I did what most stressed out dental hygienist moms would do I called her dad.

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Finding humor in dental stem cell collection and storage ...

Toothless No More Researchers Using Stem Cells to Grow New Teeth

Polymer scaffolds guide stem cells growth into customized sizes and shapes.

It may be hard to remember what it was like to lose a tooth as a child, but many adults get an unpleasant reminder as they age when their teeth begin to fall out (even those who don't play hockey) and must consider dentures or dental implants. For years, researchers have investigated stem cells in an effort to grow teeth made for a person's own cells. Toward this end, endodontics professor Dr. Peter Murray and colleagues from the College of Dental Medicine at Nova Southeastern University (NSU) have developed methods to control adult stem cell growth toward generating dental tissue and "real" replacement teeth.

The NSU researchers' approach is to extract stem cells from oral tissue, such as inside a tooth itself, or from bone marrow. After being harvested, the cells are mounted to a polymer scaffold in the shape of the desired tooth. The polymer is the same material used in bioreabsorable sutures, so the scaffold eventually dissolves away. Teeth can be grown separately then inserted into a patient's mouth or the stem cells can be grown within the mouth reaching a full-sized tooth within a few months.

So far, teeth have been regenerated in mice and monkeys, and clinical trials with humans are underway, but whether the technology can generate teeth that are nourished by the blood and have full sensations remains to be seen. Teeth present a unique challenge for researchers because the stem cells must be stimulated to grow the right balance of hard tissue, dentin and enamel, while producing the correct size and shape.

As Dr. Murray explains it, humans already have two sets of teeth, baby and adult sets, over the course of their lifetimes, so "All we are trying to do is copy nature and give the person the third option to re-grow their teeth." Not only could this be important for replacing lost teeth, but it could become a standard treatment when extreme orthodontics is necessitated. And if the tooth is malformed or fails, it can be extracted and a new one put into place.

To date, the NSU researchers have received about $1.7 million in grants for their dental stem cell research.

Dr. Murray believes that if they can demonstrate control over tooth re-growth and prove that the technology is safe, these teeth will be the first to see widespread adoption in the US. He also reports that interest has been high from the public and even fellow dentists, as evidenced by the recent selling out of his Regenerative Endodontic Procedures presentation at the American Dental Association conference in Las Vegas.

You can check out a news piece about NSU's research here.

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Hill: stem cells grow new teeth 2012 - Singularity HUB

Summary: Users rarely look at display advertisements on websites. Of the 4 design elements that do attract a few ad fixations, one is unethical and reduces the value of advertising networks.

I've been reluctant to discuss one of the findings from our eyetracking research because the conclusion is that unethical design pays off.

In 1997, I chose to suppress a similar finding: users tend to click on banner ads that look like dialog boxes, complete with fake OK and Cancel buttons. Of course, instead of being an actual system message such as "Your Internet Connection Is Not Optimized" the banner is just a picture of a dialog box, and clicking its close box doesn't dismiss it, but rather takes users to the advertiser's site. Deceptive, unethical, and #3 among the most-hated advertising techniques. Still, fake dialog boxes got many more clicks than regular banners, which users had already started to ignore in 1997.

After much soul-searching, I've now decided to take a different approach and publish our new findings, despite their ethical implications. In reality, it's not possible to suppress research results because anybody who bothers to run the study will get the same findings. There are no secrets of usability any more than there are secrets of astronomy. If you point your telescope at Saturn, you will see that it has rings. And, if you conduct a series of usability studies, you will discover the same insights as we do assuming you employ the correct methodology.

Many people without a grounding in behavioral user-research principles use bogus methodology and thus get misleading findings. Poor methodology is especially common for eyetracking studies, and thus most published studies in this area are wrong.

For example, unskilled researchers often ask users to simply look at a page, rather than have them encounter it as part of a task flow. Users naturally look at things differently depending on the context. For example, if you want to know how users look at the elements of a form, you can't just present the form on a stand-alone page and ask them to fill it out. Instead, you have to present the form in the context of a meaningful task that they might attempt in the real world. That is, users should encounter the form in response to particular actions, such as deciding to check out from an e-commerce site.

Still, even though most eyetracking studies are misleading, some studies do produce valid results. Trying to keep any results a secret is thus a lost cause.

Most of our eyetracking findings on Web advertising present no ethical dilemmas. For example, we know that there are 3 design elements that are most effective at attracting eyeballs:

I don't have a problem presenting details of these findings in the seminar on Top Web UX Design Guidelines; it's important that all Web designers know where users look on pages.

The most prominent result from the new eyetracking studies is not actually new. We simply confirmed for the umpteenth time that banner blindness is real. Users almost never look at anything that looks like an advertisement, whether or not it's actually an ad. (Indeed, banner blindness is moving beyond the online realm, for example into ballot design.)

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Banner Blindness: Old and New Findings, 10-year research ...

Psoriatic arthritis (also arthritis psoriatica, arthropathic psoriasis or psoriatic arthropathy) is a type of inflammatory arthritis[1][2] that will develop in up to 30 percent of people who have the chronic skin condition psoriasis.[3] Psoriatic arthritis is classified as a seronegative spondyloarthropathy and therefore occurs more commonly in patients with tissue type HLA-B27.

The exact causes are not yet known, but a number of genetic associations have been identified in a genome-wide association study of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis including HLA-B27.[7][8]

There is no definitive test to diagnose psoriatic arthritis. Symptoms of psoriatic arthritis may closely resemble other diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. A rheumatologist (a doctor specializing in diseases affecting the joints) may use physical examinations, health history, blood tests and x-rays to accurately diagnose psoriatic arthritis.

Factors that contribute to a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis include:

Other symptoms that are more typical of psoriatic arthritis than other forms of arthritis include inflammation in the Achilles tendon (at the back of the heel) or the Plantar fascia (bottom of the feet), and dactylitis (sausage-like swelling of the fingers or toes).[9]

Magnetic resonance image of the index finger in psoriatic arthritis (mutilans form). Shown is a T2 weighted fat suppressed sagittal image. Focal increased signal (probable erosion) is seen at the base of the middle phalanx (long thin arrow). There is synovitis at the proximal interphalangeal joint (long thick arrow) plus increased signal in the overlying soft tissues indicating oedema (short thick arrow). There is also diffuse bone oedema (short thin arrows) involving the head of the proximal phalanx and extending distally down the shaft.

Magnetic resonance images of the fingers in psoriatic arthritis. Shown are T1 weighted axial (a) pre-contrast and (b) post-contrast images exhibiting dactylitis due to flexor tenosynovitis at the second finger with enhancement and thickening of the tendon sheath (large arrow). Synovitis is seen in the fourth proximal interphalangeal joint (small arrow).

(a) T1-weighted and (b) short tau inversion recovery (STIR) magnetic resonance images of lumbar and lower thoracic spine in psoriatic arthritis. Signs of active inflammation are seen at several levels (arrows). In particular, anterior spondylitis is seen at level L1/L2 and an inflammatory Andersson lesion at the upper vertebral endplate of L3.

Magnetic resonance images of sacroiliac joints. Shown are T1-weighted semi-coronal magnetic resonance images through the sacroiliac joints (a) before and (b) after intravenous contrast injection. Enhancement is seen at the right sacroiliac joint (arrow, left side of image), indicating active sacroiliitis.

There are five main types of psoriatic arthritis:

Follow this link:
Psoriatic arthritis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edited By Spine Team Last updated: December 31, 2009

Basics of lumbar radiculitis

Low back pain may be caused by disk herniation, facet joint arthritis, congenital narrowing of the spinal canal, and other conditions. Some patients have back pain that also associated with pain and/or other symptoms in their legs.

Lumbar radiculitis is an inflammation or irritation of a nerve root in the lower region of the spine. Often it stems from a herniated or prolapsed disc pressing against a nerve where the nerve enters the spinal column. Arthritis of a spines facet joints also can lead to nerve root irritation.

The compression or irritation creates pain that radiates out through the nerve's tendrils in the patient's back and down the leg.

Lumbar radiculitis may involve nerves originating from each side of the five lumbar vertebrae, as well as one nerve branching out from the sacrum. These nerves innervate all the muscles in the legs, and also communicate sensation from the legs to the brain.

Patients often describe a sharp and burning, or dull and aching, pain that can run through the gluteal muscle, to the thigh, calf, and foot. As symptoms worsen, the patient may begin to experience weakness, numbness and tingling in their legs, as well.

Immediate medical attention

Immediate medical attention is warranted if back pain and numbness is accompanied by any of the following:

Patients who have back pain associated with fever, or which interrupts a patient's sleep or causes a fall should be evaluated by a healthcare provider.

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Low Back Pain - UW Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Seattle

Americans are herding to Costa Rica for stem cell treatments

The stories are starting to come in the man with the heart attack, now with a stem cell transplant, his glands can now generate insulin. The Florida parents of 7-year-old, who has autism, are taking him to Costa Rica at the end of this month for adult stem cell treatments.

Success stories have grabbed international media attention, with cable and TV networks jumping on the bandwagon by running stories like Paralyzed valley woman holds hope in Costa Rica treatment and Glenburn boy returns from Costa Rica after having adult stem cell therapy.

Adding to the hype of stem cell treatment, back in March, 2009 US President Barack Obama issued an executive order that lifted Bush-era restrictions on federal funding for stem cell research, but much of the treatment is still a long way off, experts say. With all this media attention, and America still in the Black Ages, the list of Americans seeking stem cell treatment in Costa Rica has tripled in the last year.

But the media and presidential endorsement of treatments (well at lease to a point) has made doctors in the U.S. nervous for the obvious reasons.

Its common knowledge that overall Costa Ricas medical tourism and the use of their wellness centers has doubled and tripled. Now the number of foreigners seeking and undergoing stem cell treatment in Costa Rica for ailments from bone fractures to multiple sclerosis has doubled. Costa Rican doctors say they are providing these medical tourists with groundbreaking treatments.

But I would not jump on the next plane to Costa Rica, stem cell scientists in the U.S. accuse Costa Rica of offering false hope by pushing techniques that have not been scientifically proven.

But it has not stopped Costa Rican legislators because they are putting the finishing touches on a law to promote and regulate adult stem cell research and treatment across a spectrum of diseases. Obviously, this could fuel further debate over techniques that U.S. doctors say have only produced anecdotal success but it certainly has not stop the flow of stem cell medical tourism.

Americans already make up close to 90 percent of the stem cell patients at CIMA Hospital. Dr. Fabio Solano who directs the stem cell institute at San Joses CIMA Hospital, one of the countrys leading private hospitals says his team has treated as many as 400 patients with procedures that involve stem cells.

However in Costa Rica, Catholicism is the state religion, working with human embryos is out of the question. So there is contentious debate around stem cells by prohibiting work with human embryos and instead promoting research on whats known as adult stem cells derived from tissue including body fat and umbilical blood or tissue.

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Americans Heading to Costa Rica For Stem Cell Treatments

Personalized Medicine: The Background

Personalized medicine is an extension of traditional approaches to understanding and treating illness. Since the beginning of the study of medicine, physicians have employed evidence found through observation to make a diagnosis or to prescribe treatment. In the past, this was presumably tailored to each individual, but personalized medicine makes treatment more specific.

In the modern conception of personalized medicine, the tools provided to the physician are more precise, probing not just the obvious, such as a tumor on a mammogram or cells under a microscope, but the very molecular makeup of each patient. Looking at the patient on this level helps the physician get a profile of the patients genetic distinction, or mapping. By investigating this genetic mapping, medical professionals are then able to profile patients, and use the found information to plan out a course of treatment that is much more in step with the way their body works. Genomic medicine and personalized medicine use genetic information to prevent or treat disease in adults or their children.

Having a genetic map or a profile of a patients genetic variation can then guide the selection of drugs or treatment processes. This can be used to minimize side effects or to create a strategy for a more successful outcome from the medical treatment. Helping the physician cover all the bases is imperative. Genetic mapping can also indicate the propensity to contract certain diseases before the patient actually shows recognizable symptoms, allowing the physician and patient to put together a plan for observation and prevention.

The ability to profile how genes are put together in sequence and expression level is helping to redefine the ways in which medical professionals classify diseases and discover treatments, allowing physicians to go beyond the "one size fits all" model that may be ineffective or have undesirable side effects. Through further organization, and the use of personalized medicine, medical professionals are developing many sub populations for complex diseases and physical conditions such as these.

Personalized medicine may be able to help the medical community make the most effective clinical decisions for each patient on an individual level.

Personalized medicine, when coupled with personal pharmacogenetics, is a unique approach that may be well suited for the health challenges we face in the new millennium. Although the medical and scientific communities, through research and discovery, got the upper hand over many of the diseases weve encountered since the advent of advanced medicine, we are still threatened by many more complicated diseases.

Diseases like Diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimers are thought to caused by a combination of genetic and other factors. Coupled with the fact that they tend to be chronic, they place a significant burden on not only the patient, but on the healthcare system as a whole. Personalized medicine aims to provide the tools and knowledge to fight chronic diseases and treat them more effectively than ever before.

Genetic profiles can help physicians to better discern subgroups of patients with various forms of cancer in addition to other complex diseases, helping to guide doctors with accurate forms of predictive medicine and preventative medicine. With personalized medicine, the physician is intending to select the best treatment protocol or even, in many cases, avoid passing the expense and risks of unnecessary medical treatments on to the patient altogether. Also, personalized medicine, when used correctly, aims to guide tests that detect variation in the way individual patients metabolize various pharmaceuticals. Personalized medicine is working to help determine the right dose for a patient, helping to avoid hazards based on familial history, environmental influences, and genetic variation.

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Personalized Medicine - Information and Resources

Given the nature of personalized medicine, the FDA places high priority on helping to ensure that the agency, drug manufacturers, physicians and patients have adequate information about the product and its use. Product labeling and tracking of use in the marketplace are critical to the proper application of personalized medication tools.

Product Labeling

The FDA requires product labeling to be balanced, scientifically accurate and not misleading, and that clear instructions be communicated to healthcare practitioners for drug prescribing and/or administration. Personalized medicines that may only be safe and effective in particular sub-populations, or must be administered in different doses in different sub-populations, must be labeled accordingly. To date, the labeling of more than 100 approved drugs contain information on genomic biomarkers (including gene variants, functional deficiencies, expression changes, chromosomal abnormalities, and others).

Post-market Surveillance

While personalized medicine will likely allow for more focused clinical trials by increasing the proportion of responders in the trial or increasing the average effect size, or both, one implication of dramatically smaller pre-market exposure is a general increase in the importance of and emphasis on post-market monitoring, because relatively rare adverse events, in particular, are unlikely to show up when a drug is being tested in a small population, may arise when a broader population is treated. Post-market surveillance, then, is critical to the success of personalized medicine.

For more information:

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Personalized Medicine - Food and Drug Administration

Personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics Pharmacogenomics holds the promise that drugs might one day be tailored to your genetic makeup. By Mayo Clinic Staff

Modern medications save millions of lives a year. Yet any one medication might not work for you, even if it works for other people. Or it might cause severe side effects for you but not for someone else.

Your age, lifestyle and health all influence your response to medications. But so do your genes. Scientists are working to match specific gene variations with responses to particular medications.

With that information, doctors can tailor treatments to individuals. That's what pharmacogenomics is all about. Part of a new field called personalized medicine, pharmacogenomics offers the promise of predicting whether a medication is likely to help or hurt you before you ever take it.

Imagine you've had a heart attack and your doctor wants to give you medication to lower your risk of having another. Taking into account such factors as your weight, age and medical history, your doctor might prescribe a blood-thinning drug to help prevent blood clots from causing another heart attack.

Without testing, neither you nor your doctor knows exactly how you'll react to the medication. It may not work for you, or you may have serious side effects such as bleeding. You might have to try different doses or even different medications before finding a treatment that works for you.

Pharmacogenomics speeds up that process. Before you take a single dose of medication, you can have a test to see how you're likely to respond to the medication. With that information, your doctor can tailor the dose or avoid that drug entirely and prescribe a different one.

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Personalized medicine and pharmacogenomics - Mayo Clinic