StemCell Therapy

"In answer to your question, we
are proposing changes to the Conflict of Interest Code based upon
recommendations from the California Fair Political Practices
Commission (FPPC). The Political Reform Act requires state
agencies like CIRM to review their Conflict of Interest Codes every
two years.  The FPPC, which is charged with enforcing the
Political Reform Act, is responsible for reviewing and approving
CIRM's Conflict of Interest Code.  In preparation for this
review, CIRM's counsel met with the FPPC staff who suggested the
proposed amendments which are the subject of the upcoming Governance
Subcommittee meeting.  The proposed amendments to CIRM's
Conflict of Interest Code are consistent with the FPPC's position
that agencies should tailor their disclosure categories to type of
work performed by the agency.  For example, CalPERS's
conflict of interest code requires CalPERS officials to disclose
investments in, and income from, entities that are of the type with
which CalPERS contracts and entities in which funds administered by
CalPERS could be invested.  Likewise, the State Board of
Education requires its members to disclose investments, business
positions, and income from a publisher, manufacturer, or vendor of
instructional materials, or services offered to educational
institutions in the State of California and investments, positions of
management and income from any private school in the State of
California.  Similar to these codes, the FPPC proposed that
CIRM's Code be tailored to the nature of CIRM's work.  Thus,
the FPPC proposed that CIRM require its board members and high-level
employees to disclose investments in, and income from, entities that
are of the type with which CIRM would contract or from which CIRM
could procure goods or services as well as investments in, and income
from, biotech and pharmaceutical companies.  Because these
are the types of entities that are likely to create potential
conflicts of interest, we believe the disclosure categories are
appropriate.  It is important to remember, however, that
this is a preliminary proposal.  CIRM will seek input from
the Governance Subcommittee, the Board, and members of the public
before seeking approval of the amendments."

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

Source:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/integratedmedicine

The $3 billion California stem cell agency, which is moving to engage the biotech industry ever more closely, is proposing a major weakening of the financial disclosure requirements for its board of directors and executives.

The move comes as the agency is also seeking to raise cash from the private sector to continue the state research effort's existence.  CIRM's dimming of transparency runs counter to government trends nationally for more disclosure rather than less, including regulations enacted last year by the NIH.

The proposed changes will be considered next Thursday by the CIRM directors' Governance Subcommittee, which will have public teleconference sites in San Francisco and Irvine and two each in Los Angeles and La Jolla.

Currently CIRM board members and top executives must disclose all their investments and income – in a general way – along with California real property that they hold. Under the changes, disclosures would instead be required only "if the business entity or source of income is of the type to receive grants or other monies from or through the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine." CIRM offered no explanation of what it means by "of the type to receive" funds from the agency.

The proposal further narrows disclosure in connection with income or investments in enterprises that provide facilities or services used by CIRM. With the removal of the requirement for reporting all investments, CIRM's changes also specified disclosure of income and investments connected to business entities (nonprofits are not mentioned) that are engaged in biomedical research or the manufacture of biomedical pharmaceuticals.

The new code would appear to give CIRM directors and executives wide personal latitude in determining what should be disclosed. The current language simply states that "all" investments, etc., must be disclosed. That language originated in the 1974 ballot initiative that created the state disclosure requirements. The initiative's intent was to give the public and interested parties access to key information that would allow them to determine what forces are at work in government and whether conflicts of interests exist – as opposed to simply trusting the assertions of officials without additional substantiation.

The new code also appears to relieve CIRM officials of reporting investment in or income from venture capital or other firms that may be engaged in financing biotech or stem cell enterprises, since the firms do not receive cash from CIRM or engage in biomedical research.

While the code appears to provide more reporting freedom for board members and executives, it also may indirectly impose a burden on them to determine whether any of their investments may involve biomedical research or enterprises that could possibly receive funds from CIRM at some point

Earlier this week, the California Stem Cell Report asked the stem cell agency about such issues. Kevin McCormack, CIRM's new senior director of public communications and patient advocate outreach, replied that the changes were "proposed" by the state Fair Political Practices Commission, which oversees state disclosure laws.

He said the FPPC says agencies "should tailor their disclosure categories to type of work performed by the agency."

McCormack cited as examples the State Board of Education and the state retirement system.

As for the specific changes in CIRM's code, McCormack said,

"Because these are the types of entities that are likely to create potential conflicts of interest, we believe the disclosure categories are appropriate."

McCormack did not comment on whether the proposed code would give board members more reporting latitude or whether it relieve them of reporting investments tied to the financing of biotech or stem cell firms. (The text of his response can be found here.)

The California Stem Cell Report is querying the FPPC concerning its policy regarding disclosure codes. CIRM's new code is expected to go before the the full CIRM board in late May. The changes are subject to review by the FPPC and then must formally go through the state administrative law process during which the public can comment and the code modified before final adoption.

Our take? The proposed changes are not in the best interests of CIRM or the people of California. The absence of transparency and disclosure only breeds suspicious speculation of the worst sort. The agency is already burdened by conflicts of interest that are built in by the ballot measure that created it in 2004. Nearly all of the $1.3 billion that CIRM has handed out has gone to institutions linked to CIRM directors. Weakening disclosure at a time when the biotech industry will become more closely tied to CIRM inevitably raises questions about financial linkages – present and future – between CIRM directors and executives and industry. For the past seven years, CIRM directors and staff have been able to comply with
more complete disclosure. They should continue to do so for the life of the agency, which will expire in less than a decade unless it finds additional sources of cash.

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

"In answer to your question, we
are proposing changes to the Conflict of Interest Code based upon
recommendations from the California Fair Political Practices
Commission (FPPC). The Political Reform Act requires state
agencies like CIRM to review their Conflict of Interest Codes every
two years.  The FPPC, which is charged with enforcing the
Political Reform Act, is responsible for reviewing and approving
CIRM's Conflict of Interest Code.  In preparation for this
review, CIRM's counsel met with the FPPC staff who suggested the
proposed amendments which are the subject of the upcoming Governance
Subcommittee meeting.  The proposed amendments to CIRM's
Conflict of Interest Code are consistent with the FPPC's position
that agencies should tailor their disclosure categories to type of
work performed by the agency.  For example, CalPERS's
conflict of interest code requires CalPERS officials to disclose
investments in, and income from, entities that are of the type with
which CalPERS contracts and entities in which funds administered by
CalPERS could be invested.  Likewise, the State Board of
Education requires its members to disclose investments, business
positions, and income from a publisher, manufacturer, or vendor of
instructional materials, or services offered to educational
institutions in the State of California and investments, positions of
management and income from any private school in the State of
California.  Similar to these codes, the FPPC proposed that
CIRM's Code be tailored to the nature of CIRM's work.  Thus,
the FPPC proposed that CIRM require its board members and high-level
employees to disclose investments in, and income from, entities that
are of the type with which CIRM would contract or from which CIRM
could procure goods or services as well as investments in, and income
from, biotech and pharmaceutical companies.  Because these
are the types of entities that are likely to create potential
conflicts of interest, we believe the disclosure categories are
appropriate.  It is important to remember, however, that
this is a preliminary proposal.  CIRM will seek input from
the Governance Subcommittee, the Board, and members of the public
before seeking approval of the amendments."

Source:
http://californiastemcellreport.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

There could be a path to a simpler recovery after a heart attack. Duke University Medical Center scientists have discovered a way to turn the scar tissue that forms after cardiac arrest into healthy muscle tissue, which would make a stem cell transplant unnecessary.

To achieve this, researchers introduced microRNA to scar tissue cells in a living mouse. These hardened cells, called fibroblasts, develop as a result of a heart attack, and impede the organ's ability to pump blood. The microRNAs, which are molecules that govern the activity of several genes, were able to manipulate the fibroblasts to transform into cells that looked like cardiomyocytes, which comprise heart muscle.

The results of their study have been published in the journal Circulation Research. While further exploration is required, the find is promising for the millions of people in the U.S. that suffer from heart disease, the leading cause of death in this country. But it has application beyond that. If it works for the heart, theoretically it would help regenerate tissues in the brain, the kidneys, and other organs.

Now that this cell reversal technique has proven successful, researchers plan to test it with larger animals. If it works, they'll try it in humans, and hopefully have a practical application developed within the decade. [Science Dailyvia Reddit]

See the original post:
Scientists Have Found a Way to Regenerate Muscle Tissue After a Heart Attack [Medicine]

Public release date: 24-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Dr Boris Kovacic Boris.Kovacic@vetmeduni.ac.at 43-125-077-5622 University of Veterinary Medicine -- Vienna

Although people generally talk about "cancer", it is clear that the disease occurs in a bewildering variety of forms. Even single groups of cancers, such as those of the white blood cells, may show widely differing properties. How do the various cancers arise and what factors determine their progression? Clues to these two issues, at least for leukaemias, have now been provided by Boris Kovacic and colleagues at the University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna (Vetmeduni Vienna). The results are published in the current issue of the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine and have extremely important consequences for the treatment of a particularly aggressive type of leukaemia.

It is well known that many types of cancer arise as a result of a mutation within a cell and prevailing wisdom has held that the stage of differentiation of this cell determines exactly what form of cancer develops. For example, it was believed that so-called chronic myeloid leukaemia or CML arises from bone marrow stem cells, while a different type of leukaemia, known as B-cell acute lymphoid leukaemia or B-ALL, results from B-cell precursors. This belief has been spectacularly refuted by the latest results from Boris Kovacic and colleagues in the Vetmeduni Vienna's institutes of Animal Breeding and Genetics and of Pharmacology and Toxicology.

The researchers have now shown that both CML and B-ALL arise from the most primordial kind of blood cell (long-term haematopoietic stem cells), although the pathways by which the diseases progress are different. The usual causes of CML and B-ALL are two highly related versions of the same oncogene, BCR/ABL. If the primordial blood cells are transformed or made potentially cancerous by a particular version of BCR/ABL, for technical reasons termed BCR/ABLp210, the result is chronic myeloid leukaemia or CML. The long-term haematopoietic stem cells remain and act as the dreaded cancer stem cells, or CSCs, which ensure that the disease persists. Curing chronic myeloid leukaemia requires the complete elimination of the CSCs. However, if the long-term haematopoietic stem cells are transformed by a related version of BCR/ABL, BCR/ABLp185, the result is a highly aggressive form of leukaemia, B-ALL. The finding that B-ALL actually originates from the same stem cells as CML was both unexpected and highly provocative.

Kovacic and colleagues have shown further that B-ALL only develops if the transformed stem cell is exposed to a particular growth factor, interleukin-7. If interleukin-7 is present (it usually is), the transformed long-term haematopoietic stem cells undergo a differentiation step to CSCs, which in this case correspond to pro-B cells. If interleukin-7 is absent during the initial phase of transformation, B-ALL cannot develop.

In other words, two distinct types of cell are involved in leukaemia development, the primordial cells (also termed the cells of origin of cancer) and the cancer stem cells that cause the disease to progress. Unless the CSCs are eliminated, fresh cancer cells can arise at any time and the leukaemia will recur. The problem is that current leukaemia therapies are not designed to target CSCs. The primordial CSCs in CML are highly quiescent and thus difficult to target. In contrast, the CSCs in B-ALL are abundant and have a high turnover rate, which makes them susceptible to treatment. Treatment of B-ALL may thus succeed in eliminating most CSCs but if even a single cell remains intact it is likely that the patient will relapse, possibly with an even more aggressive form of leukaemia. "A therapy that targets the bulk of tumour cells will not work," as Kovacic succinctly summarizes his results. "To treat B-ALL successfully it will be necessary for us to learn much more about the development of the disease. A combined therapy is required, so future work should aim at developing drugs that target the long-term haematopoietic stem cells from which B-ALL is derived."

###

The paper "Diverging fates of cells of origin in acute and chronic leukemia" by Boris Kovacic, Andrea Hoelbl, Gabriele Litos, Memetcan Alacakaptan, Christian Schuster, Katrin M. Fischhuber, Marc A. Kerenyi, Gabriele Stengl, Richard Moriggl, Veronika Sexl and the late Hartmut Beug is published in the current issue of the journal "EMBO Molecular Medicine" (2012, Vol. 4 pp. 283-297).

The work was initiated at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP) and was performed together with groups at the Medical University of Vienna and the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Cancer Research in Vienna.

Read more here:
Leukaemia cells have a remembrance of things past

A previously hairless mouse following an implantation of bioengineered hair follicles recreated from adult tissue-derived stem cells

Researchers lead by Professor Takashi Tsuji from the Tokyo University of Science have successfully induced the natural hair growth and loss cycle in previously hairless mice. They have achieved this feat through the implantation of bioengineered hair follicles recreated from adult-tissue derived stem cells. While these results offer new hope for curing baldness, the work has broader implications, demonstrating the potential of using adult somatic stem cells for the bioengineering of organs for regenerative therapies.

The method devised by Professor Tsujis team involves reconstructing hair follicle germs from adult epithelial stem cells and cultured dermal papilla cells (dermal papilla are nipple-like projections at the base of hairs) and implanting these germs within or between skin layers. To recreate the desired hair densities normally about 120 hair shafts per square centimeter (0.15 square inch) or 60-100 hair shafts per square centimeter following a conventional hair transplantation method 28 bioengineered follicle germs were transplanted onto a circular patch of cervical skin measuring 1 cm (0.39 in) in diameter. The resulting hair density of 124 hair shafts per square centimeter (plus or minus 17 shafts) turned out to be satisfactory, but there was more good news.

Far more importantly, the implanted follicle germs developed all the proper structures and formed correct connections with the surrounding host tissues, including epidermis, arrector pili muscle and nerve fibers. Also, the stem and progenitor cells along with their niches were recreated in the bioengineered follicles, making a continuous hair-growth cycle possible.

The method has been shown to work with all types of hair follicles, regardless of function, structure and color (depending on the type of the origin follicle). In fact, some features of the hair shaft, such as pigmentation, may be controlled fancy a new permanent hair color?

Although more research is still necessary (such as further study of stem cell niches and optimizing the way origin follicles are to be sourced for clinical applications), the study constitutes another milestone on the way to next generation regenerative therapies.

Source: Tokyo University of Science

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Adult stem cells used to induce the natural hair growth cycle in hairless mice

A judicial technicality may decide the fate of NIH-funded human embryonic stem cell research.

By Sabrina Richards | April 24, 2012

Wikimedia Commons, Avjoska

The legality of federally funding human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research is being questioned in court again, and the decision may rest on a technicality, reported ScienceInsider.

National Institutes of Health guidelines released in 2009 lifted the Bush-era restrictions on hESC research, but were met with a lawsuit by adult stem cell researchers that August. A preliminary injunction by the US District Court in Washington, DC, prevented NIH funding for hESCs in August 2010. Just 2 weeks later, the US Court of Appeals for the District Court stayed the injunction, then overturned it for good in April 20113 months before the appeals court dismissed the lawsuit altogether. Now, the case is once again in appeals court, and current arguments focus on whether this earlier decision is binding.

The plaintiffs argue that the 2009 NIH guidelines contravene the 1996 Dickey-Wicker Amendment, which prohibits federal funding for research that may harm or destroy human embryos. NIH argues that the earlier decision should be binding because the plaintiffs are not presenting new arguments, but the plaintiffs counter that the court has yet to rule on whether the NIH guidelines create demand for new hESC lines, which are derived from embryos.

The plaintiffs also argue that comments from opponents of hESC research should have been considered by the NIH when the guidelines were crafted, but the NIH disputes this, saying that the agency was responding to an order from President Obama asking how, not whether, to fund such research.

The Appeals Court may rule within 4 to 6 months, but some observers expect the case to eventually reach the US Supreme Court.

By Jef Akst

Science adviser John Holdren speaks out about how the Obama Administration is handling the controversial research that rendered avian flu transmissible between ferrets.

Original post:
Embryonic Stem Cells in Court Again

Public release date: 25-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Irwin kirwin@mednet.ucla.edu 310-206-2805 University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences

Can one feel too attached? Does one need to let go to mature? Neural stem cells have this problem, too.

As immature cells, neural stem cells must stick together in a protected environment called a niche in order to divide so they can make all of the cells that populate the nervous system. But when it's time to mature, or differentiate, the neural stem cells must stop dividing, detach from their neighbors and migrate to where they are needed to form the circuits necessary for humans to think, feel and interact with the world.

Now, stem cell researchers at UCLA have identified new components of the genetic pathway that controls the adhesive properties and proliferation of neural stem cells and the formation of neurons in early development.

The finding by scientists at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA could be important because errors in this pathway can lead to a variety of birth defects that affect the structure of the nervous system, as well as more subtle changes that impair cognitive and motor functions associated with disorders such as autism.

The results of the four-year study are published April 26, 2012 in the peer-reviewed journal Neuron.

The UCLA team found that a delicate balance of gene expression enables the pool of neural stem and progenitor cells in early development to initially increase and then quickly stop dividing to form neurons at defined times.

"One of the greatest mysteries in developmental biology is what constitutes the switch between stem cell proliferation and differentiation. In our studies of the formation of motor neurons, the cells that are essential for movement, we were able to uncover what controls the early expansion of neural stem and progenitor cells, and more importantly what stops their proliferation when there are enough precursors built up," said Bennett G. Novitch, an assistant professor of neurobiology, a Broad Stem Cell Research Center scientist and senior author of the study. "If the neurons don't form at the proper time, it could lead to deficits in their numbers and to catastrophic, potentially fatal neurological defects."

During the first trimester of development, the neural stem and progenitor cells form a niche, or safe zone, within the nervous system. The neural stem and precursor cells adhere to each other in a way that allows them to expand their numbers and keep from differentiating. A protein called N-cadherin facilitates this adhesion, Novitch said.

See the article here:
Growing up as a neural stem cell: The importance of clinging together and then letting go

Mike Ivey writes on all matters money in the spirit of Capital Times founder William T. Evjue, who believed that the concentration of wealth in the U.S. is not healthy for the Democracy.

When UW-Madison's James Thomson in 1998 became the first scientist to grow human embryonic stem cells in a lab, it generated tremendous excitement about the medical possibilities.

Thomson tried to downplay the breakthrough but talk spread about cures for Alzheimers or Parkinsons disease, growing livers for cirrhosis suffers or producing healthy heart cells for cardiac patients.

The miracle cures have been slow in coming, however. Scientists can replicate healthy nerve cells in a Petri dish but havent found a way to replace defective spinal cells in ALS victims, for example.

In many ways, were still at the first steps,Anita Bhattacharyya, a senior scientist in the stem cell program at the UW's Waisman Center, told a business group Tuesday.

Butproducing stem cells for others to use is proving one of Madisons more promising new business ventures. Pharmaceutical companies in particular are using stem cells to test drugs before launching into expensive further testing.

Were making these cells available to the masses, says Chris Parker, chief technology officer at Cellular Dynamics International.

Launched by Thomson -- and backed with $100 million from a local investor group -- Cellular Dynamics International was lauded recently by MIT as one of the 50 most important companies in the world

Since its founding in 2005, the company now counts 107 employees at it offices in University Research Park and is continuing to grow.

Im hiring right now, Parker joked toa lunch crowd of the Wisconsin Technology Council Tuesday.

Read more from the original source:
Biz Beat: Making stem cells "available to the masses"

BELGRADE, Mont., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BONE), a leader in the development of revolutionary bone graft material and antimicrobial coatings for medical applications, has secured an accounts receivable credit facility with Midcap Financial LLC and Silicon Valley Bank. The revolving loan credit facility allows Bacterin to borrow up to $5 million through January 1, 2015. The facility allows borrowings based upon a predetermined formula of up to 80% of Bacterin's eligible accounts receivable, as defined in the credit and security agreement.

"Due to the high working capital needs of our business associated with the necessity for our inventory to be consigned to our hospital accounts, the accounts receivable facility is an efficient way for Bacterin to access cash, from time to time, without diluting equity," said Guy Cook, Chairman and CEO of Bacterin. "Our strong relationships with Silicon Valley Bank and Midcap Financial helped us to secure this non-dilutive financing option, as we prepare for the next stage of growth at Bacterin International."

About Bacterin International Holdings

Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BONE) develops, manufactures and markets biologics products to domestic and international markets. Bacterin's proprietary methods optimize the growth factors in human allografts to create the ideal stem cell scaffold to promote bone, subchondral repair and dermal growth. These products are used in a variety of applications including enhancing fusion in spine surgery, relief of back pain, promotion of bone growth in foot and ankle surgery, promotion of cranial healing following neurosurgery and subchondral repair in knee and other joint surgeries.

Bacterin's Medical Device division develops, employs, and licenses bioactive coatings for various medical device applications. Bacterin's strategic coating initiatives include antimicrobial coatings designed to inhibit biofilm formation and microbial contamination. For further information, please visit http://www.bacterin.com.

About MidCap Financial, LLC

MidCap Financial is a commercial finance company focused on middle market lending in the broad national healthcare industry. MidCap specializes in $5 million to $200 million loans. The company is headquartered in Bethesda, MD, with offices in Chicago and Los Angeles, and focuses in four areas:

-Asset-Based working capital loans to healthcare providers collateralized by third-party accounts receivable and other assets;

-Leveraged loans to healthcare companies backed by private equity sponsors;

-Life Sciences loans to VC-backed and public pharmaceutical, biotech, and medical device companies;

Read more:
Bacterin Secures Accounts Receivable Credit Facility

It was a mixed day on the market, as tech stocks lagged. Outside of tech, it was a nice bounce back for stocks, and we'd expect sentiment around Apple's (AAPL - News) strong earnings to help influence the market's mood tomorrow. In general, we're still looking for a spring/summer pullback, but continue to view it as a buying opportunity. Apple's pullback, though, may have already occurred, and once again it looks like the company is proving the skeptics wrong.

The Stem Cell Stocks Index was the top performing tickerspy Index on the day, led by BioTime (BTX - News) with a 14% gain. The Discount Retailer Stocks Index was the day's worst performing tickerspy Index, with Big Lots (BIG - News) down -24%.

Stocks finished mixed, with the Dow the lone loser off -9 points to 2,962. The Dow climbed 74 points to 13,002, while the Nasdaq rose 5 points to 1,372. Oil edged up 44 cents to $103.55 a barrel, while gold jumped $11.20 to $1,643.80 an ounce.

In economic news, the Conference Board said April's consumer confidence reading slid to 69.2 from a downwardly revised 69.5 in March. Economists had expected a reading of 69.7. Elsewhere, The S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index showed the 10- and 20-city measures both fell -0.8% month over month in February and slid -3.6% and -3.5%, respectively, year over year. The Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, meanwhile, said new home sales fell -7.1% last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 328,000. The February number was revised higher to 353,000 from 313,000. Economics were looking for a March rate of 318,000.

In earnings news, shares of Coach (COH - News), the maker of high-end handbags, slipped -4.3% after the company posted a fiscal third-quarter profit of $225 million, or 77 cents per share, compared with $186 million, or 62 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue climbed 17% to $1.11 billion. Same-store sale rose 6.7%, but that was down from a year-earlier increase of 8.8%. Analyst had expected EPS of 75 cents on sales of $1.1 billion.

Shares of Align Technology (ALGN - News) surged 15.7% after the company said its first-quarter profit rose to $21.0 million, or 26 cents per share, from $15.8 million, or 20 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue climbed to $135.1 million from $104.9 million. Analysts had expected a profit of 22 cents per share on $128.2 million in revenue. Align forecast an adjusted second-quarter profit of 26-28 cents per share on $140.2-143.7 million in sales. Analysts were expecting a profit of 24 cents per share and $135.6 million in revenue.

Dow component 3M (MMM - News), the maker of Post-its and other products, said its first-quarter profit climbed to $1.13 billion, or $1.59 per share, easily topping the $1.48 per share analysts expected. Revenue increased 2% to $7.49 billion, matching analyst estimates. Minnesota-based 3M raised its full-year guidance to $6.35-$6.50 a share from $6.25-$6.50. Shares of 3M rose 1.6%. More than 150 pros held 3M in their portfolios at the end of Q4 and more than 1,000 tickerspy members own the stock in their portfolios.

Shares of BigLots plunged -24.1% after the closeout retailer said its first-quarter same-store sales figure will be slightly negative, news that is in stark contrast to a previous forecast calling for a 2-4% gain. The company's fiscal first quarter ends on April 28. Fifteen pros counted BigLots among their top holdings at the end of Q1 and nearly 160 tickerspy members own the stock in their portfolios.

Shares of Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD - News) fell -5.9% after the company accidently released its Q1 results in an 8-K about an hour before the market closed. EPS jumped 21% to 98 cents, while sales climbed 38% to $251.1 million. Analysts were looking for EPS of 95 cents on revenue of $251.2 million.

Fun and informative, tickerspy.com is a free investing website where you can track multiple stock portfolios and compare against 250 proprietary Indexes tracking themes from dividends to ETFs to green energy to precious metals. Best of all, tickerspy.com lets you spy on the portfolios of nearly 3,000 Wall Street institutions and hedge funds and see graphs of their performance. Try tickerspy.com today and find out how you stack up against investing legends like Warren Buffett!

Read more here:
Apple to the Rescue

BELGRADE, Mont., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BacterinInternational Holdings, Inc. (BONE), a leader in the development of revolutionary bone graft material and antimicrobial coatings for medical applications, will release its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2012 after the close of regular market trading on Thursday, May 3, 2012. A conference call will follow at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time (1:30 p.m. Pacific Time).

Conference Call Details:

Date: Thursday, May 3, 2012 Time: 4:30 p.m. Eastern time (1:30 p.m. Pacific time) Dial-In Number: 1-877-941-1429 International: 1-480-629-9857 Conference ID#: 4535021

The conference call will be broadcast simultaneously and available for replay here and at the investor section of the company's Web site at http://www.bacterin.com/index.htm.

Please call the conference telephone number 5-10 minutes prior to the start time. An operator will register your name and organization. If you have any difficulty connecting with the conference call, please contact Hayden IR at 1-646-755-7412.

A replay of the call will be available after 7:30 p.m. Eastern time on the same day and until June 3, 2012.

Replay number: 1-877-870-5176 International replay number: 1-858-384-5517 Replay pin number: 4535021

About Bacterin International Holdings Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. (BONE) develops, manufactures and markets biologics products to domestic and international markets.Bacterin's proprietary methods optimize the growth factors in humanallografts to create the ideal stem cell scaffold to promote bone,subchondral repair and dermal growth. These products are used in a variety of applications including enhancing fusion in spine surgery, relief of back pain, promotion of bone growth in foot and ankle surgery, promotion of cranial healing following neurosurgery andsubchondral repair in knee and other joint surgeries.

Bacterin'sMedical Device division develops, employs, and licenses bioactive coatings for various medical device applications.Bacterin's strategic coating initiatives include antimicrobial coatings designed to inhibitbiofilm formation and microbial contamination. For further information, please visit http://www.bacterin.com.

Important Cautions Regarding Forward-looking Statements This news release contains certain disclosures that may be deemed forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to significant risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements include statements that are predictive in nature, that depend upon or refer to future events or conditions, or that include words such as "continue," "efforts," "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "projects," "forecasts," "strategy," "will," "goal," "target," "prospects," "potential," "optimistic," "confident," "likely," "probable" or similar expressions or the negative thereof. Statements of historical fact also may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. We caution that these statements by their nature involve risks and uncertainties, and actual results may differ materially depending on a variety of important factors, including, among others: the Company's ability to launch beta and full product releases, the Company's ability to obtain FDA concurrence use for anti-microbial coatings in a timely manner; the Company's ability to meet its obligations under existing and anticipated contractual obligations; the Company's ability to develop, market, sell and distribute desirable applications, products and services and to protect its intellectual property; the ability of the Company's sales force to achieve expected results; the ability of the Company's customers to pay and the timeliness of such payments, particularly during recessionary periods; the Company's ability to obtain financing as and when needed; changes in consumer demands and preferences; the Company's ability to attract and retain management and employees with appropriate skills and expertise; the impact of changes in market, legal and regulatory conditions and in the applicable business environment, including actions of competitors; and other factors. Additional risk factors are listed in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K under the heading "Risk Factors." The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law.

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Bacterin International Holdings, Inc. Schedules First Quarter 2012 Financial Earnings Conference Call

23-04-2012 17:37 Warning! After spending $25000 on stem cells, the Regenerative Medicine Institute is IGNORING ME. They do not want to give me more stem cells unless I pay another $25000.00!!! THEY TOLD ME I ONLY NEEDED ONE TREATMENT!!!

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Hospital Angeles Regenerative Medicine Institute PART 1 Tijuana Dr. Jesus Perez stem cells - Video

23-04-2012 22:03 Caution! Warning! After spending $25000 on stem cells, the Regenerative Medicine Institute is IGNORING ME. They do not want to give me more stem cells unless I pay another $25000.00!!! THEY TOLD ME I ONLY NEEDED ONE TREATMENT!!!

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Hospital Angeles Regenerative Medicine Institute PART 3 Tijuana Stem Cells Dr. Jesus Perez - Video

MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, announced today that the Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB), an independent group of medical experts closely monitoring the Companys three ongoing clinical trials, have recently authorized the Company to move forward with enrollment and treatment of additional patients with Stargardts disease (SMD). In the U.S. SMD trial, ACT will screen and enroll patients for the second cohort, who, in keeping with trial protocol, will be injected with 100,000 retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells - as compared with the 50,000 cell dose used in the patients of the first cohort. The Company has also been approved to treat the final two patients to round out the initial dosing arm in its European trial. The use of pluripotent stem cells to derive RPE cells, and the use of the resulting RPE cells for treating a wide range of macular degenerative disorders, are covered by a robust patent portfolio owned by ACT, including a number of issued broad patents in key world markets.

DSMB authorization to move to the next higher dosage of cells in our U.S. clinical trial and complete the treatment of the first cohort of patient in our European trial represents yet another significant advancement for our clinical programs, commented Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are pleased with the pace of progress and the continued finding of safety amongst the participants in both the U.S. and European trials. The results so far have been encouraging, and with our SMD programs having been granted orphan medicinal product designation in both the U.S. and Europe, we look forward to eventually reaching a stage at which we can further avail ourselves of all the regulatory and financial benefits this designation brings.

The three procedures comprising the first cohort of patients in the U.S. SMD trial were all conducted at University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), by Steven Schwartz, M.D., Ahmanson Professor of Ophthalmology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and retina division chief at UCLA's Jules Stein Eye Institute. The first procedure in the E.U. trial was conducted at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, by a team of surgeons led by Professor James Bainbridge, consultant surgeon at Moorfields and Chair of Retinal Studies at University College London.

We are gratified to be moving to the next stage in both of our SMD trials, commented Robert Lanza, M.D., ACTs chief scientific officer. We remain very encouraged by the preliminary data in the first four SMD patients treated with the lowest dose of RPE cells at UCLA and Moorfields Eye Hospital. We are doubling the number of cells that will be transplanted in the next group of patients in the U.S. trial. We will be anxious to see if the higher dosage of RPE cells will impact visual function and photoreceptor rescue.

ACT is conducting three clinical trials in the U.S. and Europe using hESC-derived RPE cells to treat forms of macular degeneration. Each trial will enroll a total of 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients each in an ascending dosage format. These trials are prospective, open-label studies, designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients with dry-AMD or Stargardt's macular dystrophy (SMD) at 12 months, the studys primary endpoint. On January 20, 2012, the first SMD patient enrolled in the Companys U.K. clinical trial was treated at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London. The final patient of the first cohort in the companys SMD trial in the U.S. was treated on February 13, 2012.

Further information about patient eligibility for the dry AMD study and the concurrent study on SMD is also available on http://www.clinicaltrials.gov; ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT01345006, NCT01469832 and NCT01344993.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc., is a biotechnology company applying cellular technology in the field of regenerative medicine. For more information, visit http://www.advancedcell.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

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ACT Announces Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) Approval to Increase RPE Dosage for Stargardt’s Disease Patients ...

BOLOGNA, Italy--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Silicon Biosystems, S.p.A., a provider of specialized molecular and cellular biology technologies, will present at the Fourth World Circulating Tumour Cells Summit, April 25, 2012 at 3:30 p.m. at the Maritim Hotel in Berlin. Dr. Nicol Manaresi, founder and chief technology officer of Silicon Biosystems, will provide an overview of the DEPArray system, which uses image-based single-cell sorting to deliver pure populations of rare tumor cells.

As part of the presentation, Dr. Manaresi will also offer recent data demonstrating single-CTC molecular characterization based on Whole Genome Amplification using the companys proprietary Ampli1 WGA kit followed by sequencing with Ion Torrent.

Silicon Biosystems is a device manufacturer leading the field in the detection and isolation of single cells for cancer research and prenatal genetic testing. The companys DEPArray technology exploits microelectronics and the principles of dielectrophoresis to find, sort, isolate, and collect 100 percent pure populations of rare cells, such as CTCs, for single-cell based genomic and transcriptional profiling.

The collection of pure individual CTCs from biological samples is a game changer in the quest to obtain clinical utility of these cells as it enables individual cell-based molecular profiling for personalized therapy, going beyond existing cell counting approaches for prognostic purposes, said Manaresi. We show that 100 percent pure single-CTC sorting by DEPArray and DNA amplification with our Ampli1 WGA seamlessly integrates with Ion Torrent AmpliSeq Cancer Panel sequencing to deliver a comprehensive overview of the mutational status, cell-by-cell, in a streamlined and automated manner. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time this has been achieved.

There are multiple large and expanding market opportunities for technology that find and isolate rare cells for molecular analysis. Silicon Biosystems DEPArray is used for translational medicine applications in metastatic cancer, cardiovascular disease, prenatal genetics, and stem cells research.

The World CTC Summit attracts important members across the CTC study community including diagnosticians, drug developers, technology providers and clinicians, said Manaresi. Silicon Biosystems is eager to join our peers and share the excitement of this achievement, and the impact of our unique method for CTC collection and analysis for the advancement of patient diagnosis and decision making.

About Silicon Biosystems

Silicon Biosystems, Inc. was formed in October 2010 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Silicon Biosystems, S.p.A. based in Bologna, Italy. The company manufactures and sells the DEPArray platform which is based on the principle of dielectrophoresis to isolate and manipulate cells in suspension with a microelectronic array. The approach, patented by Silicon Biosystems, offers the unique ability to control individual cells and micro-particles inside a disposable cartridge. The DEPArray platform makes it possible to find, sort, select and separate individual cells for further analysis or culturing. For more information on Silicon Biosystems visit http://www.siliconbiosystems.com.

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Silicon Biosystems to Present Single-Circulating Tumor Cell Molecular Characterization at the Fourth World CTC Summit

ZUTPHEN, the Netherlands, April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

In line with its continuous efforts to improve internal stem cell procedures, Cryo-Save proudly announces the appointment of the highly knowledgeable stem cell expert Dr. Marcin Jurga. Dr. Jurga will supervise new process validation at the Cryo-Save labs and study new processing techniques for umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and fat tissue, to ensure quality and use of the highest technology available on the market.

Marcin Jurga is specialized in adult stem cells biology, neuroscience and tissue engineering. His field of interest focuses on developing new methods for adult stem cell applications in in-vitro toxicology and regenerative medicine. Part of his validation study and internal research at Cryo-Save includes studies on fresh and frozen cells isolated from fat tissue and cord tissue, to explain the quality of these and their ability for extensive growth in vitro and multilineage differentiation.

"Cryo-Save is truly committed to the advancement of stem cell therapy. Storing stem cells is utterly important and our core business, but we are also committed to increasing the potential use of these stem cells and building the tools needed to tackle un-met medical needs with stem cells", said Arnoud Van Tulder, CEO of Cryo-Save.

Dr. Jurga is an experienced stem cell researcher with broad international experience; he was team leader and senior researcher at the Cell Therapy Research Institute in Lyon, France and previously completed a post doc at the Centre for Life, Newcastle University in the UK. He got Ph.D. degree in Poland, at the Mossakowski Medical Research Centre of Polish Academy of Sciences in Warsaw. In May, Dr. Jurga is also planning to get a habilitation degree at Lyon 1 Claude-Bernard University in France. The habilitation thesis entitled: "Stem Cell Therapy and Neutral Tissue Engineering in Regeneration of Central Nervous System".

Cryo-Save, the leading international family stem cell bank, stores more than 200,000 samples from umbilical cord blood, cord tissue and adipose tissue. There are already many diseases treatable by the use of stem cells, and the number of treatments will only increase. Driven by its international business strategy, Cryo-Save is now represented in over 40 countries on four continents, with ultra-modern processing and storage facilities in the United States, Belgium, Germany, Dubai, India, South Africa and France (validation in progress).

Cryo-Save: http://www.cryo-save.com/group

Cryo-Save Group N.V.

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Cryo-Save Hires Stem Cell Expert in the Flagship Lab in Niel, Belgium

EMBARGOED UNTIL PRESENTATION TIMES

PROGRAMMING HIGHLIGHTS: AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ANATOMISTS ANNUAL MEETING

Newswise The American Association of Anatomists will gather this week for its annual meeting in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2012 conference, which will draw more than 14,000 scientists from industry, government and academia. Below are some programming highlights for the anatomy meeting. All presentations will be made at the San Diego Convention Center.

Stem cells derived from breast milk that behave like embryonic stem cells

Scientists in Australia have discovered that human breast milk contains stem cells that behave very much like embryonic stem cells. These breast-milk-derived, embryonic-like stem cells are able to turn into various body cell types, including bone, fat, liver, pancreatic and brain cells. Because breast milk is plentiful and can be accessed noninvasively and ethically, this discovery opens new avenues for exploration of innovative stem-cell therapies. Also, breast milk stem cells can be used as a physiological model to study malignant transformation that occurs in breast cancer, and therefore the findings may set the basis for research into new treatments for this disease. The group is now trying to understand the potential role of these breast milk cells for breastfed babies. (12:30 p.m.2 p.m. Tuesday, 4/24, poster in exhibit area)

The buzz about the exquisite little brains of big insects

A long tradition of studying invertebrates to learn about nervous systems has contributed greatly to our understanding of the functional organization, development and evolution of the intricate networks and the neural mechanisms that are at the root of behavior. Insects in particular offer powerful experimental model systems. Today, the most prominent example is the fruit fly, whose genetic and genomic advantages attract many researchers, but whose small size is limiting for some kinds of studies. This session focuses on much larger insects with beautiful and experimentally tractable nervous systems that permit investigations that complement and extend those accomplished with diminutive species. (10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Monday, 4/23, Room 9)

From babies to bandages: reactivation of embryonic processes in adult injury repair

Embryonic tissue development and adult wound repair happen at different points in the life spectrum, but the molecules, cells and processes in that give rise to embryonic development are the same as those activated after injury. Only, the time it takes and the extent of the tissue-forming activities are quite different. Nonetheless, at this session, you might come to find that development and wound repair are just two sides of the same coin. (10:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Monday, 4/23, Room 7A)

Could cartilage transplants eliminate the need for bone grafts?

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Programming Highlights: American Association of Anatomists Annual Meeting

Public release date: 23-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Andrea Boyle Tippett aboyle@udel.edu 302-831-1421 American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Biology Major Adam Reese may have found the key to keep fat cells from forming.

The University of Delaware junior believes he has identified the trigger that turns a stem cell into a fat cell. Located on the surface of cells, the trigger, a protein called endoglin, regulates what type of cell an existing stem cell will become.

Working in the biological science department's laboratory of cellular signaling and dynamics with Assistant Professor Anja Nohe, Reese investigates ways to combat osteoporosis; his findings may also have implications for obesity.

Reese will present his work at 12:25 p.m. Monday at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology's annual meeting, which is being held in San Diego in conjunction with the Experimental Biology 2012 conference.

Patients afflicted with osteoporosis lose bone mass as they age. Bone is a dynamic tissue, constantly renewed by removal or reabsorption of old bone and formation of new bone. Through this cellular remodeling process, roughly one fifth of an adult's skeleton is replaced each year. Of the limited treatments developed to reduce bone loss, most have potentially serious side effects, are cost prohibitive or difficult to use.

Reese, with the help of graduate student Joyita Dutta, found the amount of endoglin on a cell's surface indicates whether the cell will become a fat cell or a bone cell.

"What would happen if you could make the cell stop making the protein?" Reese said. "You could affect whether or not it's even a fat cell."

If the amount of endoglin on the cell surface could be decreased, the amount of cells turning into bone would rise, leading to an increase in bone strength, thus ending osteoporosis.

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The fat stopper