header logo image


Page 826«..1020..825826827828..840850..»

Cost is a major challenge in stem cells therapy: Dr Na’eem Sadiq – ETHealthworld.com

November 6th, 2019 8:43 am

Shahid Akhter, editor, ETHealthworld spoke to Dr Na'eem Sadiq, Medical Director, PLEXUS NEURO and STEM CELL RESEARCH CENTER, Bengaluru to know more about stem cell therapy and the challenges associated with it.

STEM CELL : TRENDSStem cell is a word which evokes lot of responses both positive and negative. Few people know that the origin was in the 1800s. The very first bone marrow transplant happened in the year 1968 and then subsequently stem cells have been used for various diseases and much more in blood cancer. They have also been used in chronic neurological disorders, autoimmune disorders and sports injuries.Globally, its all over the world such as in the US, Canada, Germany, China, Ukraine and of course in India as well. In India there are lots of centers and states who have been practicing stem cell technology for quite some time.

STEM CELLS : MARKETThe market is growing since stems cells promise hope for those who have lost hope, where there is no viable treatment and proper cure available for lots of diseases. Stem cells is emerging as a champion for all these people. It was much more available internationally and in the last decade India has taken up.

PLEXUS NEURO AND STEM CELL RESEARCH CENTER- JOURNEYI have been practicing in the field of neuroscience for the last 30 years. Neurosciences is a field where you see patients suffering from chronic diseases. I have been in this field right from early 90s and have been seeing trends changing, but when it comes to neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinsons, ALS, Multiple Sclerosis, billions of dollars have been spent, new treatment modalities have been found, but nothing has been found to be successful.

We have very strict and rigid eligibility criteria. Once the patient approaches us, we subject the patient to a thorough clinical examination, which lasts anywhere between 2- 3 hours. Once we find that the patient is clinically treatable, or that the patient can be helped, then we subject the patient to other investigations.

The other major difference we have at Plexus is that we do not do only stem cells. Stem cell therapy is a part of our complete regenerative rehabilitation. The program starts after we do the transplant. The patient undergoes rigorous rehabilitation, which includes the entire gamete of practices such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, hand splinting, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, speech therapy etc.

We customize and provide a tailor made program as per the patient's needs, with a goal once the patient joins the program and almost all the patients who are in the program get more than what we had aimed at achieving. At the end of the program we evaluate the goals and find that every single patient achieves them. We train the patients as to what they need to do once they finish the program and insist on regular follow up.

We have a team of learned scientists who are all qualified from the UK and our research is ongoing. We are working exclusively in the field of neurosciences to get the best quality of cells and to make it very affordable. Research is on and our data is huge, we will be publishing the results very soon.

PLEXUS : FUTURE PLANSWe have a complete state of the art rehabilitation center where we have some of the best therapists in the world working with us. In fact a few months back we launched one of its kind, Sensory Gym at Plexus and now we have started virtual and augmented reality.

In the last 4-5 years we have received more than 75 national and international awards and we stand as one of the leading regenerative rehabilitation centers not only in India, but in Asia.Our endeavor here is to make the treatment the best possible, to make the cells much more advanced, affordable to also provide the treatment in the shortest possible time.

Continued here:
Cost is a major challenge in stem cells therapy: Dr Na'eem Sadiq - ETHealthworld.com

Read More...

Takeda and MD Anderson Announce Collaboration to Accelerate the Development of Clinical-Stage, Off-The-Shelf CAR NK-Cell Therapy Platform – BioSpace

November 6th, 2019 8:43 am

Nov. 5, 2019 12:00 UTC

HOUSTON & OSAKA, Japan--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centerand Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) (Takeda) today announced an exclusive license agreement and research agreement to develop cord blood-derived chimeric antigen receptor-directed natural killer (CAR NK)-cell therapies, armored with IL-15, for the treatment of B-cell malignancies and other cancers.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191105005250/en/

Under the agreement, Takeda will receive access to MD Andersons CAR NK platform and the exclusive rights to develop and commercialize up to four programs, including a CD19-targeted CAR NK-cell therapy and a B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA)-targeted CAR NK-cell therapy. Takeda and MD Anderson will also conduct a research collaboration to further develop these CAR NK programs.

Our vision is to improve upon existing treatments by developing armored CAR NKs that could be administered off-the-shelf in an outpatient settingenabling more patients to be treated effectively, quickly and with minimal toxicities, said Katy Rezvani, M.D., Ph.D., professor of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy at MD Anderson. With their expertise in hematologic malignancies and commitment to developing next-generation cell therapies, Takeda is the ideal collaborator to help our team advance CAR NK-cell therapies to patients in need of treatments.

A Novel Approach to Delivering Off-the-Shelf CARs in an Outpatient Setting MD Andersons allogeneic CAR NK platform isolates NK cells from umbilical cord blood and engineers them to express CARs against specified cancer targets. CAR NK cells are modified with a retroviral vector to deliver genes and enhance their effectiveness to attack specific tumors. A CD19 CAR increases the cells specificity for B-cell malignancies while the immunocytokine IL-15 enhances the proliferation and survival of the CAR NK cells in the body.

In contrast to current CAR T-cell therapies that utilize a patients own genetically modified T-cells and require a multi-week manufacturing process, CAR NK cells are intended to be manufactured from a non-related donor source and stored for off-the-shelf use, allowing treatment to be delivered more rapidly.

It is anticipated that the CD19 CAR NK-cell therapy could be administered in an outpatient setting. In an ongoing phase 1/2a clinical study treating patients with relapsed and refractory B-cell malignances, the CD19 CAR NK-cell therapy has not been associated with the severe cytokine release syndrome (CRS) or neurotoxicity observed with existing CAR-T therapies.

The development of MD Andersons CAR NK platform is led by Dr. Rezvani and is further supported by the adoptive cell therapy platform, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Moon Shot and B-Cell Lymphoma Moon Shot, all part of the institutions Moon Shots Program, a collaborative effort to rapidly develop scientific discoveries into meaningful clinical advances that save patients lives.

Takeda: Accelerating the Development of Multiple Next-Generation CAR Platforms MD Andersons CAR NK platform represents the curative potential of cell therapies, which is why we are establishing the CD19 CAR NK as our lead cell therapy candidate in oncology, said Andy Plump, M.D., Ph.D., President of Research and Development at Takeda. We need to work swiftly and with purpose, and as such, we intend to initiate a pivotal study of the CD19 CAR NK in 2021.

In addition to CAR NK-cell therapies, Takeda and its partners are investigating multiple approaches to improving the safety, efficacy and accessibility of first-generation CAR T-cell therapies including gamma delta CAR Ts, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived CAR Ts, CAR Ts targeting solid tumors, and other next-generation approaches. Takeda plans to advance five oncology cell therapies to the clinic by the end of FY20.1 These platforms are being developed both with partners and by applying the expertise of Takedas translational cell therapy engine which provides bioengineering, chemistry, manufacturing and control (CMC), clinical and translational capabilities in a single footprint to overcome many of the manufacturing challenges experienced in cell therapy development.

Takeda is responsible for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of CAR NK products resulting under the agreement. MD Anderson will receive an upfront payment and is eligible to receive development and commercial milestones for each target as well as tiered royalties on net sales of any such CAR NK product.

MD Anderson and Takeda will continue research for the additional targets and CAR NK platform under the direction of a joint research committee. MD Anderson will implement an Institutional Conflict of Interest Management and Monitoring Plan for this research.

About MD Anderson The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston ranks as one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient care, research, education and prevention. The institutions sole mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the world. MD Anderson is one of only 50 comprehensive cancer centers designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is ranked No.1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Reports Best Hospitals survey. It has ranked as one of the nations top two hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has ranked first 15 times in the last 18 years. MD Anderson receives a cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes of Health (P30 CA016672).

About Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE:4502/NYSE:TAK) is a global, values-based, R&D-driven biopharmaceutical leader headquartered in Japan, committed to bringing Better Health and a Brighter Future to patients by translating science into highly-innovative medicines. Takeda focuses its R&D efforts on four therapeutic areas: Oncology, Gastroenterology (GI), Rare Diseases and Neuroscience. We also make targeted R&D investments in Plasma-Derived Therapies and Vaccines. We are focusing on developing highly innovative medicines that contribute to making a difference in people's lives by advancing the frontier of new treatment options and leveraging our enhanced collaborative R&D engine and capabilities to create a robust, modality-diverse pipeline. Our employees are committed to improving quality of life for patients and to working with our partners in health care in approximately 80 countries and regions. For more information, visit https://www.takeda.com

Forward-Looking Statements This press release and any materials distributed in connection with this press release may contain forward-looking statements, beliefs or opinions regarding Takedas future business, future position and results of operations, including estimates, forecasts, targets and plans for Takeda. In particular, this press release contains forecasts and management estimates related to the financial and operational performance of Takeda, including statements regarding forecasts for Revenue, Operating profit, Adjusted EBITDA, Profit before income taxes, Net profit attributable to owners of Takeda, Basic earnings per share, Amortization and impairment and other income/expense, Underlying Revenue, Underlying Core Earnings margin, Underlying Core EPS and Net Debt. Without limitation, forward looking statements often include the words such as targets, plans, believes, hopes, continues, expects, aims, intends, will, may, should, would, could anticipates, estimates, projects or words or terms of similar substance or the negative thereof. Any forward-looking statements in this document are based on the current assumptions and beliefs of Takeda in light of the information currently available to it. Such forward-looking statements do not represent any guarantee by Takeda or its management of future performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to: the economic circumstances surrounding Takedas business, including general economic conditions in Japan, the United States and worldwide; competitive pressures and developments; applicable laws and regulations; the success of or failure of product development programs; decisions of regulatory authorities and the timing thereof; changes in exchange rates; claims or concerns regarding the safety or efficacy of marketed products or products candidates; and post-merger integration with acquired companies, any of which may cause Takedas actual results, performance, achievements or financial position to be materially different from any future results, performance, achievements or financial position expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. For more information on these and other factors which may affect Takedas results, performance, achievements, or financial position, see Item 3. Key InformationD. Risk Factors in Takedas Registration Statement on Form 20-F filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, available on Takedas website at: https://www.takeda.com/investors/reports/sec-filings/ or at http://www.sec.gov. Neither Takeda nor its management gives any assurances that the expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements will turn out to be correct, and actual results, performance or achievements could materially differ from expectations. Persons receiving this press release should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Takeda undertakes no obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements contained in this press release or any other forward-looking statements it may make. Past performance is not an indicator of future results and the results of Takeda in this press release may not be indicative of, and are not an estimate, forecast or projection of Takedas future results.

1 Takedas 2020 fiscal year begins April 1, 2020 and ends March 31, 2021.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20191105005250/en/

Link:
Takeda and MD Anderson Announce Collaboration to Accelerate the Development of Clinical-Stage, Off-The-Shelf CAR NK-Cell Therapy Platform - BioSpace

Read More...

Fate Therapeutics Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Highlights Operational Progress – GlobeNewswire

November 6th, 2019 8:43 am

First Patients Treated with FT516, an Off-the-Shelf NK Cell Cancer Immunotherapy for AML and for B-cell Lymphoma in Combination with Rituximab

Received FDA Clearance of IND Application for FT596, an Off-the-Shelf, Multi-Antigen Targeted CAR NK Cell Product Candidate

Opened State-of-the-art cGMP Facility Dedicated to Manufacturing iPSC-derived Cell Therapies

$303 Million in Cash & Short-term Investments as of September 30, 2019 following Completion of $173 Million Common Stock Offering

SAN DIEGO, Nov. 05, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fate Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FATE), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of programmed cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders, today reported business highlights and financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019.

We achieved several significant clinical milestones over the past three months including treating the first patients with FT516, the first-ever engineered iPSC-derived cellular immunotherapy, and securing FDA clearance to initiate clinical investigation of FT596, the first-ever cellular immunotherapy engineered to express three active anti-tumor modalities. We also successfully opened our new cGMP facility specifically designed to enable consistent, large-scale, and cost-effective manufacture of allogeneic NK cell and CAR-T cell products using clonal master iPSC lines as a starting cell source, said Scott Wolchko, President and Chief Executive Officer of Fate Therapeutics. We look forward to the ASH annual meeting in December, where we have had six abstracts accepted and will be sharing our first-in-human insights into the clinical safety and tolerability of FT500, the first-ever iPSC-derived cell therapy to be administered off-the-shelf in multiple doses over multiple cycles. With the completion of our recent common stock offering in September, we are well-positioned to generate clinical data across our iPSC-derived, cell-based cancer immunotherapy pipeline in 2020.

Clinical Programs

Corporate Highlights

Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results

Today's Conference Call and WebcastThe Company will conduct a conference call today, Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. ET to review financial and operating results for the quarter ended September 30, 2019. In order to participate in the conference call, please dial 877-303-6235 (domestic) or 631-291-4837 (international) and refer to conference ID 4748666. The live webcast can be accessed under "Events & Presentations" in the Investors & Media section of the Company's website at http://www.fatetherapeutics.com. The archived webcast will be available on the Company's website beginning approximately two hours after the event.

About Fate Therapeutics iPSC Product PlatformThe Companys proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform enables mass production of off-the-shelf, engineered, homogeneous cell products that can be administered with multiple doses to deliver more effective pharmacologic activity, including in combination with cycles of other cancer treatments. Human iPSCs possess the unique dual properties of unlimited self-renewal and differentiation potential into all cell types of the body. The Companys first-of-kind approach involves engineering human iPSCs in a one-time genetic modification event and selecting a single engineered iPSC for maintenance as a clonal master iPSC line. Analogous to master cell lines used to manufacture biopharmaceutical drug products such as monoclonal antibodies, clonal master iPSC lines are a renewable source for manufacturing cell therapy products which are well-defined and uniform in composition, can be mass produced at significant scale in a cost-effective manner, and can be delivered off-the-shelf for patient treatment. As a result, the Companys platform is uniquely capable of overcoming numerous limitations associated with the production of cell therapies using patient- or donor-sourced cells, which is logistically complex and expensive and is subject to batch-to-batch and cell-to-cell variability that can affect clinical safety and efficacy. Fate Therapeutics iPSC product platform is supported by an intellectual property portfolio of over 250 issued patents and 150 pending patent applications.

About FT500FT500 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line. The product candidate is being investigated in an open-label, multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of advanced solid tumors (clinicaltrials.gov ID number NCT03841110). The study is designed to assess the safety and activity of three once-weekly doses of FT500 as a monotherapy and in combination with one of three FDA-approved immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies nivolumab, pembrolizumab or atezolizumab in patients that have failed prior ICI therapy. Despite the clinical benefit conferred by approved ICI therapy against a variety of tumor types, these therapies are not curative and, in most cases, patients either fail to respond or progress on these agents. One common mechanism of resistance to ICI therapy is associated with loss-of-function mutations in genes critical for antigen presentation. A potential strategy to overcome resistance is through the administration of allogeneic NK cells, which have the inherent capability to recognize and directly kill tumor cells with these mutations.

About FT516FT516 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered to express a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 Fc receptor, which has been modified to prevent its down-regulation and enhance its binding to tumor-targeting antibodies. The product candidate is being investigated in an open-label, multi-dose Phase 1 clinical trial as a monotherapy for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia and in combination with CD20-directed monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of advanced B-cell lymphoma (clinicaltrials.gov ID number NCT04023071). CD16 mediates antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), a potent anti-tumor mechanism by which NK cells recognize, bind and kill antibody-coated cancer cells. CD16 occurs in two variants, either with high (158V) or low (158F) affinity for the Fc domain of IgG1 antibodies. Numerous clinical studies with FDA-approved tumor-targeting antibodies, including rituximab, trastuzumab and cetuximab, have demonstrated that patients homozygous for the 158V variant, which is present in only about 15% of patients, have improved clinical outcomes. In addition, ADCC is dependent on NK cells maintaining active levels of CD16 expression, and the expression of CD16 on NK cells has been shown to undergo considerable down-regulation in cancer patients, which can significantly inhibit anti-tumor activity.

About FT596FT596 is an investigational, universal, off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cell cancer immunotherapy derived from a clonal master induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) line engineered with three anti-tumor functional modalities: a proprietary chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) optimized for NK cell biology, which contains a NKG2D transmembrane domain, a 2B4 co-stimulatory domain and a CD3-zeta signaling domain, that targets B-cell antigen CD19; a novel high-affinity 158V, non-cleavable CD16 Fc receptor that has been modified to augment antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity by preventing CD16 down-regulation and enhancing CD16 binding to tumor-targeting antibodies; and an IL-15 receptor fusion (IL-15RF) that promotes enhanced NK cell activity. The FDA has allowed investigation of FT596 in an open-label Phase 1 clinical trial as a monotherapy, in combination with rituximab for the treatment of advanced B-cell lymphoma, and in combination with obinutuzumab for the treatment of chronic lymphocytic leukemia. In preclinical studies of FT596, the Company has demonstrated that dual activation of the CAR19 and CD16 receptors, in combination with IL-15RF signaling, convey synergistic anti-tumor activity. Increased degranulation and cytokine release were observed upon dual receptor activation in lymphoma cancer cells as compared to activation of each receptor alone, indicating that multi-antigen engagement may elicit a deeper and more durable response. Additionally, in a mixed cellular composition cytotoxicity assay comprised of CD19+ and CD19- tumor cells, FT596 combined with CD20-directed monoclonal antibody therapy effectively eliminated the heterogeneous population of tumor cells, a result that was not observed with single-antigen targeted CAR19 T cells.

About Fate Therapeutics, Inc.Fate Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of first-in-class cellular immunotherapies for cancer and immune disorders. The Company has established a leadership position in the clinical development and manufacture of universal, off-the-shelf cell products using its proprietary induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) product platform. The Companys immuno-oncology product candidates include natural killer (NK) cell and T-cell cancer immunotherapies, which are designed to synergize with well-established cancer therapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies, and to target tumor-associated antigens with chimeric antigen receptors (CARs). The Companys immuno-regulatory product candidates include ProTmune, a pharmacologically modulated, donor cell graft that is currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial for the prevention of graft-versus-host disease, and a myeloid-derived suppressor cell immunotherapy for promoting immune tolerance in patients with immune disorders. Fate Therapeutics is headquartered in San Diego, CA. For more information, please visit http://www.fatetherapeutics.com.

Forward-Looking StatementsThis release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 including statements regarding the Companys results of operations, financial condition and sufficiency of its cash and cash equivalents to fund its operations, as well as statements regarding the advancement of and plans related to its product candidates, clinical studies and preclinical research and development programs, the Companys progress, plans and timelines for the manufacture and clinical investigation of its product candidates, the timing for the Companys receipt of data from its clinical trials and preclinical studies, the Companys development and regulatory strategy, and the therapeutic and market potential of the Companys product candidates. These and any other forward-looking statements in this release are based on management's current expectations of future events and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the risk that results observed in prior studies of the Companys product candidates, including preclinical studies and clinical trials, will not be observed in ongoing or future studies involving these product candidates, the risk of a delay or difficulties in the manufacturing of the Companys product candidates or in the initiation of, or enrollment of subjects in, any clinical studies, the risk that the Company may cease or delay preclinical or clinical development of any of its product candidates for a variety of reasons (including requirements that may be imposed by regulatory authorities on the initiation or conduct of clinical trials or to support regulatory approval, difficulties or delays in subject enrollment in current and planned clinical trials, difficulties in manufacturing or supplying the Companys product candidates for clinical testing, and any adverse events or other negative results that may be observed during preclinical or clinical development), and the risk that the Companys expenditures may exceed current expectations for a variety of reasons. For a discussion of other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause the Companys actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the risks and uncertainties detailed in the Companys periodic filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including but not limited to the Companys most recently filed periodic report, and from time to time in the Companys press releases and other investor communications.Fate Therapeutics is providing the information in this release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Availability of Other Information about Fate Therapeutics, Inc.Investors and others should note that the Company routinely communicates with investors and the public using its website (www.fatetherapeutics.com) and its investor relations website (ir.fatetherapeutics.com) including, without limitation, through the posting of investor presentations, SEC filings, press releases, public conference calls and webcasts on these websites. The information posted on these websites could be deemed to be material information. As a result, investors, the media, and others interested in Fate Therapeutics are encouraged to review this information on a regular basis. The contents of the Companys website, or any other website that may be accessed from the Companys website, shall not be deemed incorporated by reference in any filing under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations and Comprehensive Loss(in thousands, except share and per share data)(unaudited)

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets(in thousands)(unaudited)

Contact:Christina TartagliaStern Investor Relations, Inc.212.362.1200christina@sternir.com

Go here to see the original:
Fate Therapeutics Reports Third Quarter 2019 Financial Results and Highlights Operational Progress - GlobeNewswire

Read More...

Contrasting of Spero Therapeutics Inc. (SPRO) and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BCLI) – FinanceMercury

November 6th, 2019 8:43 am

Spero Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:SPRO) and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BCLI), both competing one another are Biotechnology companies. We will compare their profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, earnings and valuation, institutional ownership.

Valuation & Earnings

Table 1 showcases the gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation of Spero Therapeutics Inc. and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

Profitability

Table 2 has Spero Therapeutics Inc. and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.s return on assets, return on equity and net margins.

Liquidity

The Current Ratio and Quick Ratio of Spero Therapeutics Inc. are 17.5 and 17.5 respectively. Its competitor Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.s Current Ratio is 1 and its Quick Ratio is 1. Spero Therapeutics Inc. can pay off short and long-term obligations better than Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

Analyst Recommendations

Spero Therapeutics Inc. and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. Ratings and Recommendations are available on the next table.

Spero Therapeutics Inc.s average target price is $28, while its potential upside is 166.67%. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. on the other hand boasts of a $9 average target price and a 134.99% potential upside. The results from earlier shows that analysts opinion suggest that Spero Therapeutics Inc. seems more appealing than Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

Spero Therapeutics Inc. and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. has shares owned by institutional investors as follows: 53.1% and 11.4%. Insiders owned roughly 23.71% of Spero Therapeutics Inc.s shares. Insiders Competitively, owned 0.6% of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. shares.

Performance

Here are the Weekly, Monthly, Quarterly, Half Yearly, Yearly and YTD Performance of both pretenders.

For the past year Spero Therapeutics Inc. was more bullish than Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc.

Summary

Spero Therapeutics Inc. beats Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. on 6 of the 11 factors.

Spero Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on identifying, developing, and commercializing novel treatments for multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacterial infections in the United States. It is developing SPR994, an oral carbapenem-class antibiotic for use in adults to treat MDR gram-negative infections; SPR741 that has completed Phase I clinical trial to treat MDR gram-negative infections in the hospital setting; SPR206, an agent that is in preclinical development stage to disrupt the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria; and SPR720, an oral antibiotic that is in preclinical development stage for the treatment of pulmonary non-tuberculous mycobacterial infections. The company was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company, develops adult stem cell therapies for neurodegenerative disorders that include amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, Parkinsons disease, and others. The company holds rights to develop and commercialize its NurOwn technology through a licensing agreement with Ramot of Tel Aviv University Ltd. Its NurOwn technology is based on a novel differentiation protocol, which induces differentiation of the bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into neuron-supporting cells and secreting cells that release various neurotrophic factors, including glial-derived neurotrophic factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor for the growth, survival, and differentiation of developing neurons. The company was formerly known as Golden Hand Resources Inc. and changed its name to Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. in November 2004 to reflect its new line of business in the development of novel cell therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey.

Receive News & Ratings Via Email - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings with our FREE daily email newsletter.

The rest is here:
Contrasting of Spero Therapeutics Inc. (SPRO) and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:BCLI) - FinanceMercury

Read More...

Diabetes 1 Breakthrough: Researchers Are Now Able to Create Insulin-Producing Cells – Gilmore Health News

November 6th, 2019 8:42 am

After years of trying, researchers finally were able to transform human stem cells into mature cells that produce insulin. In the long term, this can cure people with diabetes. It can change the lives of millions of people worldwide with type 1 diabetes. For the first time, according to a study published in the journal Nature Cell Biology, American researchers have successfully transformed human stem cells into mature cells that produce insulin in the laboratory.

Diabetes Test

This success is the result of many years of work. The cells produced were trapped in an immature stage where they could not respond adequately to blood glucose and secrete insulin according to Matthias Hevrock of the San Francisco Diabetes Center, the author of the study. Then he and his team realized that the key to success is the neglected aspect of beta cell development, the physical process by which cells are separated from the rest of the pancreas and form the so-called Islets of Langerhans.

Then the researchers reproduced this process in the laboratory, artificially separating the stem cells from the pancreas and transforming them into groups of islets. As a result, beta cells and other cells delta and alpha cells began to react to glucose as mature insulin-producing cells.

The researchers then transplanted these islets into healthy mice and found that they worked for several days, producing insulin that reacts to blood sugar levels just like the natural islets in life animals.

According to Matthias Hevrock now they can produce insulin cells that look and act like the pancreatic cells that we have in our body. This is a big step towards our goal of creating cells that can be transplanted into diabetic patients.

Type 1 diabetes accounts for 10% of all diabetes cases worldwide. It is an autoimmune disease that occurs most often in childhood and destroys the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas. Without the insulin that regulates blood glucose levels, sugar peaks can cause severe organ damage and even death. Although the disease can be treated with regular insulin injections, some people still suffer from acute or chronic complications due to poor blood glucose control. These include retinopathy, neuropathy, heart disease, lower limb arteriopathy and renal failure. These complications can be fatal. Therefore, diabetics who are at risk of death may now receive pancreatic transplants which in most cases will be in addition to kidney transplants.

https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acssynbio.9b00262

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/type1.html

Continue reading here:
Diabetes 1 Breakthrough: Researchers Are Now Able to Create Insulin-Producing Cells - Gilmore Health News

Read More...

Why you need to brush and floss your kid’s teeth until he’s 6 – INQUIRER.net

November 6th, 2019 8:41 am

While the spotlight has lately been on dengue, polio and other virus-borne diseases, the most widespread illness in childrenfive times more prevalent than asthmacontinues to affect many kids. Im talking about early tooth decay.

Cavities? No big deal, kids get them, their baby teeth will fall out anyway, right?

No, its a disease. Cavities are triggered by bacteria that use sugar to make acids that damage teeth. It erodes the structure of teeth by draining off the calcium. Even without causing pain, decaying baby teeth could mean rotten permanent teeth.

When permanent teeth come into an environment where the baby teeth have already decayed, the same bacteria will attack the new teeth, said Burton Edelstein, DDS, MPH, professor of dentistry and health policy at Columbia University.

There are more cases of early tooth decay partly because kids are eating more processed food like pretzels, crackers, sweets, juice and soda than before. Gummy candy/vitamins are also to blame.

Kids need their parents to brush and floss their teeth for them until theyre 6 because they cant do it well yet. They tend to brush the same teeth in the front over and over again, but dont get to the back teeth or the inside surfaces, said Paul Casamassimo, DDS, chief of dentistry at Nationwide Childrens Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

Mary Lynn R. Abellera, DMD, pediatric dentist at Dental Nook Santana Grove Sucat, is more conservative: Usually at 8-9 years old they have already developed the dexterity to brush their own teeth. Thats right along the time when theyre adept enough to tie their own shoes.

I let my feisty 4-year-old daughter brush her teeth by herself, but I follow up with an inspection, going over it again. We then add a tongue scraping to get rid of bad breath-causing gunk.

Its a great time to also introduce flossing, as its the only way to reach the cavity-causing plaque between teeth and below the gums.

Loose tooth

What to do when a child starts having a loose tooth? Parents should condition the child that they will lose a tooth because theres a new one coming out. Encourage the child to use the tooth in biting and brush it properly so it will wiggle more, said Abellera.

Tempting as it may be, dont yank it out. Said Grace Yum, DDS, a pediatric dentist at Childrens Memorial Hospital Chicago: Its better to let it come off on its own. Removing it early can be painful and may cause gum infection. Most kids are fascinated with wiggling a loose tooth and thats okay, but be certain her hands are clean.

What about when a child complains of pain during tooth development? Generally, an erupting tooth does not cause pain, but if it does, see a dentist. In the meantime, its safe to give paracetamol, advised Abellera.

With new permanent teeth in place, how else can we take better care of them? Ask your dentist to apply dental sealants, plastic coatings that can lower the chances of decay by about 89 percent.

Molar erosion

My 8-year-old son grinds his teeth in his sleep. This has led to the erosion of his molars, which makes biting painful. Since my son is too young to be fitted for a mouth guard, his bite is raised by applying a composite (pasta or filling) on the applicable surfaces every few months, depending on the severity of the erosion.

Night grinding or bruxism is an unconscious habit. It is a sleep-related movement disorder. There is still no concrete cause but its usually a combination of psychological, genetic and physical factors, explained Abellera. Sometimes thats how the child releases stress. Some grinders dont need treatment, but they can wear night guards to protect their teeth.

For parents who can afford it, cord blood banking is considered for its stem cell possibilities.

What about tooth banking?

Said Abellera: Tooth banking is saving or storing baby teeth, wisdom teeth or healthy extracted teeth for regenerative medicine. The dentist will extract the tooth at a certain time to preserve the vitality of the pulp, then it will be stored properly and be collected by the tooth bank. Like insurance, theres an annual cost for storage.

Teeth are an excellent source of stem cells, the dental pulp, especially if its a young permanent tooth. Since regenerative therapies are on the rise, tooth banking is gaining popularity. However, its still not prominent in the Philippines. Usually its used only for autogenous grafting for dental implants, not for regenerative therapies.

Looks like the tooth fairy is still in business. CONTRIBUTED

Read more from the original source:
Why you need to brush and floss your kid's teeth until he's 6 - INQUIRER.net

Read More...

Global Stem Cell Assay Market is anticipated to grow at a 19.9% CAGR from 2019 to 2030 – Health News Office

November 6th, 2019 8:41 am

Latest Survey on Silicon Steel Sheet Market:

The Silicon Steel Sheet Market research report 2019-2026 provides the newest industry data and industry future trends, allowing you to identify the products and end users driving Revenue growth and profitability.Silicon Steel Sheet market report helps businessman/investor avoiding unpleasant surprises. Intuition and experience can be helpful at times, but research and facts often paint a more accurate picture of your market.

This study categorizes the global Silicon Steel Sheet breakdown data by manufacturers, region, type, and application, also analyzes the market status, market share, growth rate, future trends, market drivers, opportunities and challenges, risks and entry barriers, sales channels, distributors.

Major key-companies of this report: SSMC, Severstal, POSCO, JFE Steel, AK, CSC, Acroni, C.D. W Lzholz, TATA, Mapes & Sprowl, SESS, Arnold Magnetic Technologies, ThyssenKrupp AG, MARTIN MARIETTA MAGNESIA, ERDEMIR ROMANIA, Baosteel, WISCO, Ma Steel, An Steel, Tisco, Valin

Request a customized copy of Silicon Steel Sheet report: https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/sample-request/226920/

Silicon Steel Sheet Market

Silicon Steel Sheet Market Based on Types: Oriented Electrical Steel, Non-Grain Oriented Electrical Steel

Silicon Steel Sheet Market Based on Applications: Transformers, Generators, Electric Motor, Others

The report serves a professional and detailed study of the latest key business trends, major drivers responsible for the growth of Silicon Steel Sheet market as well as constraints that can hamper the growth. It provides a complete analysis of major players, segmentation and forecast analysis. It serves a comprehensive view of size; trends and aspect have been included in this report to analyze factors that will perform a momentous impact in propelling the sales of Silicon Steel Sheet market.

Use Corporate ID to avail Discount on this Silicon Steel Sheet Market Report report: https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/discount-request/226920/

Regional Analysis For Silicon Steel Sheet Market

North America (the United States, Canada, and Mexico)Europe (Germany, France, UK, Russia, and Italy)Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, and Southeast Asia)South America (Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, etc.)The Middle East and Africa (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Nigeria, and South Africa)

Here are the important points covered in the report:

Complete assessment of opportunities and risk factors involved in the growth of Silicon Steel Sheet Market. Additionally, major events and innovations in Silicon Steel Sheet Market report. Technological advancements and changing trends striking Silicon Steel Sheet Market. Get to know about the leading market players, both current and emerging in the Global Silicon Steel Sheet. The report focuses on global major leading Silicon Steel Sheet Market players providing information such as company profiles, product picture, and specification, capacity, production, price, cost, revenue and contact information.

Reasons to Buy This Research Report

Key trends, drivers and restraints for globalSilicon Steel Sheet Market.

To comprehend the future standpoint and prospects of Market.

The Silicon Steel Sheet Market Production Analysis with respect to different regions, types, and applications.

To identify the latest developments, market shares, and strategies employed by the major Market players.

The intensive approach towards Silicon Steel Sheet market drivers, constraints, chances, and trends moving the market can assist to create spectacular business plans.

Get Full Report Description, TOC, Table of Figures, Chart, etc. @ https://www.acquiremarketresearch.com/industry-reports/silicon-steel-sheet-market/226920/

The evaluations featured in the report have been derived using appropriate research methodologies and conclusion. By doing this, the Silicon Steel Sheet Market research report offers a reservoir of study and data for every aspect of the market.

Read more:
Global Stem Cell Assay Market is anticipated to grow at a 19.9% CAGR from 2019 to 2030 - Health News Office

Read More...

Free Integrative Health Expo Focuses on Holistic Wellness – Tamarac Talk

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

By: Jill Fox

After desk jobs continuously left him with back and neck issues, Dr. Jonathan Fields, an acupuncture physician and doctor of oriental medicine in Coral Springs, changed careers 15 years ago.

Fields spent too much time sitting at the computer, working on digital media, web design, and social media marketing, leading him to the field.

Now, in practice at Integrative Medicine US, his goal is to help others suffering from health issues like he experienced, achieve a new way of life through Chinese medicine.

I knew I needed to make a lifestyle change, said Fields, who has made it a family affair. His wife, Lauren, is an acupuncturist, and they are expecting their first child in December.

At Integrative Medicine US, the staff considers everything about an individuals physical, mental, and emotional health when making a holistic plan. Now, they are holding a free community-wide event to educate the public on alternative ways to get active and be healthy.

The Second Annual Integrative Health Expo, open to all ages, and residents in Tamarac. It will take place at the Coral Springs Gymnasium on Saturday, November 16, and Sunday, November 17, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and it is FREE to the public.

The mission of the expo is to use an integrative health approach as a method of engaging the community and promoting a combination of preventative, holistic, and conventional medicine as a way to achieve optimal health.

People have their medications and their doctors, but when thats not working, we want to give them options to try different things, said Fields.

Once held in Coconut Creek, the event was changed to Coral Springs to make it entirely free for everyone.

At the expo, various fitness classes will be taking place for people to try and to get exposed to a variety of things that could be beneficial.

The Health Expo in Coral Springs will include free health screenings, blood pressure check-ups, and vendor booths with local health providers of all different specialties. Participants will be able to learn about and try acupuncture, massage, chiropractic reflexology, cupping, herbal teas, qi gong, tai chi, yoga classes, boot camp fitness, nutritional counseling, CBD, and healthy food and drinks.

The goal is to promote general health, wellness, and preventative medicine through lifestyle changes, including fitness, diet, nutrition, and social habits.

Not everybody wants to do yoga or CrossFit, but maybe taking a walk every day is good for them, said Fields.

Attendees can also observe the Legacy Kung Fu Tournament, an international kung fu exhibition featuring hundreds of competitors from all over the country.

Fields said a big part of Chinese medicine comes from kung fu. One of his kung fu teachers, also an acupuncturist, introduced him to Chinese medicine, which is thought to be holistic mind, body, and spirit, with the first part being diet and exercise.

There is no separation between the Chinese martial arts and Chinese medicine, said Fields. It was something he wanted to incorporate, and he wanted it to provide some entertainment for the people coming to the expo.

In addition to kung fu, attendees can learn about tai chi and qi gong, gentle movements that anyone at any age can do with benefits they wont get from other exercises. And, they can be done at home, with no need to join a gym or buy a special outfit.

Fields said this is what has kept some civilizations living long, healthy ages with a good quality of life, without medicines or being overweight.

By making the expo free and open to everyone, he hopes people will come out and look to see if there is something that possibly could benefit them.

There will also be onsite entertainment for children and families, like lion dance, drumming, calligraphy, art, games and stationary surfboards.

We see anxiety in younger kids, with some being put on medications. But if theyre taught how to breathe, meditate, and do some of these mindfulness practices from a young age, I think well have a little less of that, said Fields.

What hes most looking forward to is being able to educate people on what Integrative Medicine US does and why its is so beneficial.

The best part for me is to be able to help people who are having trouble and not getting the results they need with traditional, conventional medicine, he said.

The Coral Springs Gymnasium is located at 2501 Coral Springs Drive.

For more information and to view the schedule of events, go to integrativemedicine.us/health-expo. For more information about the kung fu tournament, visit lostlegacysystems.com/kung-fu-tournament.

Read the rest here:
Free Integrative Health Expo Focuses on Holistic Wellness - Tamarac Talk

Read More...

Gong Bath Meditation is becoming more popular in Wisconsin – WTMJ-TV

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

MILWAUKEE In 2019, alternative methods of self help and integrative medicine are becoming more and more popular. CBD products are found in large department stores. Yoga, while it has been prevalent in American culture for a long time, is still growing in popularity. Meditation is common, but there is one type of meditation that is gaining steam in Milwaukee and the United States. It's called Gong Bath Meditation.

"There's a lot of sound and it sounds really good," Andrew Royal, a psychotherapist and host of gong baths, said in simple terms.

It's a form of sound or music therapy.

The participant lays down on a yoga mat. They can use a pillow and/or blanket for added comfort. The host of the meditation will hit a gong, and the swelling sound and reverberations are meant to relax you.

"We dim the lights and then start to play and then let the sounds carry us all to whoever it needs to," Royal said.

These aren't small echoes either. The gong creates a thick and full sound that reverberates throughout the room and you can feel it in your chest.

Plus, there is no sheet music or specific song. It is all improvised, his partner and fellow practitioner Adriana Royal, said.

"It's usually just receiving the sound and responding to it," Adriana Royal, an acupuncturist, said.

Both can play at once or they can switch off playing the two gongs they own. They have different sized and textured mallets which they use to generate various sounds and frequencies. Some mallets are large, hollow, and soft. Others are small, dense, and hard.

"Size and also the density of it will create loud or softer sounds," Adriana said.

The setting of a gong bath is designed to create maximum comfort to allow the participant to loose themselves in the sound.

"We try to not describe at all what's going to happen, but we ask people to be receptive as they can be to whatever it is that's going to happen," Andrew Royal said.

Both Royals noted that gong baths can have various effects on a person. While the goal is to put you in an almost sedated-trance-like-state, that doesn't mean your mind will go blank.

"(Two people) laying right next to each other on the floor, and one person says something like it was so loud I could barely stand it and then the person next to them says I thought it was really quiet," Andrew Royal said.

The first descriptions of gongs dates back to 6th century China; however, it is believed that gongs were used for thousands of years before that. In the 1790's, gongs were used in western European orchestra performances. It's unclear when they became a specific meditative practice or brought to the U.S., but gongs have always been used for ceremonial, musical, and religious purposes.

"There (are) some people who know this is not like a secret anymore," Andrew Royal said.

Now, gong baths are gaining popularity in the U.S. and Milwaukee. There are some of the places that offer gong bath meditations in southeast Wisconsin including:

Gong baths can also be done during commemorative times. The Royals have hosted meditations at baptisms, birthdays, and memorial services.

"Literally we are holding space for people to meditate together," Adriana Royal said.

Original post:
Gong Bath Meditation is becoming more popular in Wisconsin - WTMJ-TV

Read More...

Here’s Everything You Need to Know About Fish Oil Supplements – Yahoo Lifestyle

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

One of the most popular supplements on the market is fish oil. Celebrities and wellness gurus alike take it to make their hair thicker, their skin more supple, and their nails stronger. Doctors recommend it for its anti-inflammatory benefits: It can actually help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, dementia, symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, and age-related macular degeneration, among other diseases, says Sydney Axelrod, a dietitian at the Mount Sinai Health System. "For people who are at high risk of developing cardiovascular disease, taking fish oil supplements for at least six months has been shown to reduce risk of heart-related events, such as a heart attacks, and even death," she says.

Omega-3 fatty acids are the star nutrients in fish oil that give them these healthful, anti-inflammatory benefits. In a nutshell, omega-3s are a group of polyunsaturated fats that the body doesn't make on its own, so it's essential to get them from food. There are three well-known types of omega-3s: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). ALA can be found in nuts and plants, but EPA and DHA can only be sourced from fish. All three, however, are needed for healthy mental and physical functionand fish oil supplements can help increase DHA and EPA levels. However, these supplementsas with everythingare neither a magic pill nor a quick fix. Here, everything you need to know about fish oil supplements.

Related: Should You Take a Dietary Supplement?

"As with many supplements, there is a difference between getting the nutrient from its source and getting it extracted into a supplement," says Dr. Richard Firshein, founder of the Firshein Center for Integrative Medicine. "My advice is always to get nutrients from foods first. With fish, twice per week would be ideal. Salmon and sardines are the best source of omega-3s, without the risk of excessive mercury exposure," he says.

Choose your supplement wisely, since fish oils can be contaminated with mercury or heavy metals. An easy way to protect yourself? Use one that's pharmaceutical grade. Look for a "third-party tested" stamp on them, too (a popular third-party tester is GOED, the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3); it's essentially a stamp of approval for purity. "It shows the supplements are probably safe and actually contain what they say they do," Alexrod says. Ensure that your supplement contains about 1,000 milligrams of fish oil, with 180 milligrams of EPA and 120 milligrams of DHA, she explains, adding that Nutrigold Triple Strength Fish Oil Omega-3 Gold ($22.38, nutrigold.com)covers all of those bases.

Finally, Axelrod says to consider fish oil that is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, the Environmental Defense Fund, or a similar organization, as "small fish with short lifespans tend to be more sustainable," she says. And don't forget to check the expiration date. "Omega-3s are prone to going rancid," she says. "Once they go bad, they will have a foul smell, and become less potent or even harmful." Make sure the supplement contains an antioxidant, like vitamin E, which will keep it fresh and help prevent oxidation, she adds.

"Omega-3s are essential nutrients for both mom and baby," says Perri Halperin, clinical nutrition coordinator at Mount Sinai. "Research has shown that including EPA and DHA in the diet during pregnancy has a positive effect on the cognitive development of the baby and reduces the risk of pre-term labor."

The anti-inflammatory properties in fish oil can protect hair follicles and reduce dryness and irritation, Dr. Firshein says. "Some studies have shown a positive relationship between omega-3 fatty acids containing supplements and hair health," Halperin adds. "However, these studies are limited and more research is needed to examine the effect of fish oil on hair growth."

Related: What to Eat for Your Healthiest Hair Ever

While Axelrod says the anti-inflammatory factor in fish oil may reduce acne in some people, in others, they may actually cause blemishes, Dr. Firshein warns. "Fish oils may interact with hormones, and this may create an imbalance that promotes acne in people who are predisposed," he says. "Other less understood factors may include reactions to bacteria in the gut, and excess oil or sebum production, which stimulate bacterial growth on the skin."

"Taking too much fish oil can lead to vitamin toxicities and an overdose of omega-3 fatty acids," Halperin says. "The FDA recommends no more than three grams per day of EPA and DHA combined, including up to two grams per day from dietary supplements." Side effects from over-supplementation can include bleeding problems, compromised immune function, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. (Plus, fish oils may thin blood, Dr. Firshein says, so if you have a history of bleeding disorders or stroke, be sure to discuss taking supplements with your doctor; take the same approach if you have a diagnosed fish allergy.)

"This is a relatively new concern as we continue to pollute the earth with plastics and marine life consumes them," Dr. Firshein says. "At this point, I wouldn't recommend people just taking a fish oil pill without understanding why they are taking them. But with current purification processes, we can be relatively assured there is a low risk of plastic exposure. We currently lack tests to determine the smallest molecules, however fish liver would most likely be contaminated the most."

As for mercury? Halperin says that one independent study regarding fish oil supplements found that all of the products tested contained only very low levels of mercury, ranging from one six parts per billion per serving, which is well below 100 parts per billion, the upper safety limit set by the Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s. Even if fish oil supplements don't do everything doctors hoped, "they're still an important supplement to consider for anyone concerned about their health," Dr. Firshein says.

Excerpt from:
Here's Everything You Need to Know About Fish Oil Supplements - Yahoo Lifestyle

Read More...

The Future of Personal and Planetary Well Being : An invitation to Sages and Scientists Symposium, Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville Arkansas -…

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

Deepak Chopra, Special to SFGate

By Deepak Chopra, MD

Despite a steady increase in life expectancy, medical science is facing diminishing returns. It has been estimated that every increase in lifespan since 1990 has resulted in only ten months of increased healthy life; the rest is only prolonged suffering and the decline of aging. Globally more people now die of so-called lifestyle diseases than from infectious diseases. Doctors cannot make choices about lifestyle; only the patient can. Finally, half of all heart attacks before old age occur in people who live a good lifestyle, managing their weight, eating right, and exercising regularly.

What lies beyond lifestyle? Thats a matter of much speculation. Will human existence be improved in the future through technology, genetic manipulation, nano-robots in the bloodstream serving as cancer hunters? Or will it take a new philosophical conception, one that entices people away from a life of speed, constant activity, and stress?

By all odds it will take both, because innovations in technology cant succeed if we continue to define well-being in old, outworn ways. Consider the following statements, which almost everyone, including doctors, take as fact:

In reality none of these statements is correct. The body isnt a machine; machines cannot heal themselves. The body isnt mindless; every cell is imbued with vast knowledge that far surpasses anything found in medical textbooks. The brain doesnt produce the mind; thats merely an assumption that has never been proved.

The most urgent need facing each of us is how to envision our bodies without the burden of outworn assumptions, which is why, starting in two weeks, an annual symposium known as Sages & Scientists Symposium will bring together the best thinkers with views both humanistic and scientific. This years theme is The Future of Well-Being, and the public is invited to attend. There is nothing on the planet as open to the free exchange of ideas, from every kind of thinker and researcher, all aiming to find a way forward into a viable future.

In my view a total rethink of the human body is long past due. To begin with, the division between mind and body is totally arbitrary. The body is a super-highway of information traveling to every cell, and thousands of different molecules inside a cell know exactly what their precise function is. The bodys ability to heal, along with the immune systems encyclopedic knowledge of all the disease organisms our ancestors encountered (and defeated), far exceeds current medicine.

To get real about your body, you need to see it as a bodymind, a wholeness whose capacity for survival is only exceeded by its capacity to evolve. As the British physicist David Deutsch pointed out in a TED talk this past April, human beings have freed ourselves from the laws of nature that govern the physical universe, and this freedom has allowed us to define entirely how our future will look. Thats a startling reinvention of what it means to be human, because everyone assumes that the laws of nature are vastly more powerful than human beings.

In reality the possibilities created in our consciousness are infinite, but we will remain limited, insecure, and fearful until a new vision tells us who we really are. The body is as conscious as any thought, which is why bodymind is the right conception of our wholeness. Consciousness creates, governs, and organizes every process in the bodymind, and the source of this unlimited knowledge is you. There is no higher power or law of nature dictating your future. The limitations we ascribe to illness, aging, and death are largely mind-made, and the worst of these limitations is our belief that we must be limited.

In reality there is no must about it. The reason science talks about biology as destiny and evolutionists talk about humans as higher apes rests upon a deeply rooted mistake, that we are physical creations glommed together from bits and pieces of matter. This is the same as saying that a masterpiece by Leonardo da Vinci or Picasso is just daubs of oil paint. The entire point of a great painting is the consciousness that goes into it, fashioning beauty and meaning first and foremost.

Likewise, human beings are conscious agents whose existence, first and foremost, is rooted in beauty and meaning also, to which can be added everything else we most value: love, compassion discovery, curiosity, creativity, and evolution. These are aspects of consciousness, and the bodymind is our vehicle for exploring them. The future will be viable only if we have the confidence to see ourselves as expressions of higher consciousness.

I inaugurated Sages & Scientists Symposium so that the best thinkers would feel comfortable in each others company. Instead of compartmentalization, which is the norm in the academic world, there is a free and open field in which anything, from artificial intelligence to Vedanta, from virtual reality to epigenetics, is given time and space to be expressed. The concept has borne fruit beyond anything I originally envisioned. Now it can be truly said that well-being has a future and not simply a repeat of the past. The only way to know if human potential is unlimited is to test it through unlimited imagination, discovery, and deep understanding. The sooner every individual grasps this, the more we can live in hope and optimism.

Deepak Chopra MD, FACP, founder ofThe Chopra Foundationand founder of Chopra Global and co-founder of Jiyo, is a world-renowned pioneer in integrative medicine and personal transformation, and is Board Certified in Internal Medicine, Endocrinology and Metabolism. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and Clinical Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California, San Diego. Chopra is the author of more than 85 books translated into over 43 languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers. His latest book is Metahuman: Unleashing Your Infinite Potential. Chopra hosts a new podcast Infinite Potential and Daily Breath available on iTunes or Spotifywww.deepakchopra.com

Read the original post:
The Future of Personal and Planetary Well Being : An invitation to Sages and Scientists Symposium, Crystal Bridges Museum, Bentonville Arkansas -...

Read More...

Want to be a better person? Meditation is not enough. – Thrive Global

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

Photo byZoltan TasionUnsplash

For about 7 years, our team, now known as YogaX , has been promoting the integrative nature of yoga practice and philosophy. We have demonstrated via research that integrated yoga can be helpful in the fields of medicine, psychology, and physical exercise. It is now becoming clear that our emphasis on teaching a yoga that is inclusive of holistic lifestyle practices is also important to the field of mindfulness. Over the past decades, mindfulness has emerged as a powerful intervention in many contexts. Thanks to influential scientists, such as Jon Kabbat-Zin and Rick Hanson, and technology solutions, such as Calm, Headspace, and Insight Timer, mindfulness has become a widely-accepted and common practice.

Mindfulnesshas achieved a can-do-no-harmreputation. However, have you ever met adaily meditator who creates harm, lacks awareness, demands attention, fishesfor compliments, or plays on a phone through a conversation? Of course, we all have! Meditation cannotexcuse us from being human and it is not a complete solution for lifeimprovement.

Psychologicalresearch asserts that awareness is necessary but not sufficient forchange. Mindfulness is often practiced asan attention-strengthening activity. Forexample, the act of listening to a meditation for 5 minutes in the morning ornoticing your breathing for 10 minutes after lunch helps build the capacity forpaying attention. Enhanced attention isincredibly helpful and a necessary ingredient for change. However, without a path to help place attentionon life practices that create harmony and purpose, attention is simply noticing;in and of itself, it not transformed into change.

A recent article by Eric Dolan in PsyPost this August (link here) reviewed a study demonstrating that the non-judgmental practice of mindfulness may actually increase immoral behavior in meditators. The study involved 714 German adults (Study linked here) assigned to a brief mindfulness meditation practice or listened to a control recording. Participants assigned to the mindfulness condition showed less effort toward repairing damage, for example, after losing a friends bicycle. One possible explanation is that non-reactiveness facilitated by meditation reduced negative feelings caused by losing the bicycle. This reduction in negative affect may have resulted in less effort to repair the relationship and make amends.

Although researchers continue to question and explore themechanism of action that might have given rise to this finding, the point iswell taken. Mindfulness by itself doesnot provide guidance about how to live an ethical life. It is designed to increase the capacity forawareness and concentration. While theseskills have a number of standalone benefits, including decreased stress andstress-related physical reactions, they are not skills that necessarilytranslate into ethical or moral action.

Yoga philosophy, on the other hand, treats mindfulness asonly one part of a larger system of living called the eight limbs of yoga. The eight limbs of yoga detail a path towardsawakening, the final state of meditative consciousness. The eight limbs are as follows:

Limb 1 Yamas: ethical life choices

Limb 2 Niyamas: disciplined lifestyle

Limb 3 Asana: movement and posture

Limb 4 Pranayama: breath and energy awareness

Limb 5 Pratyahara: sense withdrawal to turn inward

Limb 6 Dharana: concentration

Limb 7 Dhyana: meditation

Limb 8 Samadhi: absorption or union with a greater whole

The foundational practices of the eight limbs are the ethicaland disciplined lifestyle choices (called the Yamas and Niyamas, which you canread about in our blog). Yoga ethics encourage us to promotepeacefulness (non-harming), truthfulness, non-stealing, moderation, andnon-passiveness. Yoga discipline guidesus towards living a life of purity, contentment, discipline, self-reflectionand dedication to the greater good.These practices lay the necessary foundation and create a helpfulcontainer for the development of breath work, movement, and the inner practicesof concentration and meditation.

In this tradition of yoga, mindfulness and meditation practicesare not recommended until ethical practices, personal discipline, breath awareness,embodied movement, and withdrawal of senses are in place. The contemporary urge is to cultivate mindfulnessas a quick tool that facilitates a better system of living. In yoga, however, mindfulness and meditationare practices that rest on and support a holistic and comprehensive lifestyleof compassion, lovingkindness, and joy.

We hope that these yogic wisdoms widen your understanding ofmindfulness and to consider situating your mindfulness practice within a largersystem of living that includes self-inquiry, breathing, and physicalpractice. This holistic approach mightjust enhance your experience of meditation and make you a better person in theprocess.

Thank you for reading.

YogaX

Originally posted here:
Want to be a better person? Meditation is not enough. - Thrive Global

Read More...

blocked growth of J&K higher education institutions: Singh – IndiaPost.com

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

KATRA (J&K): Union minister Jitendra Singh on Monday said Article 370, which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir, had blocked the growth of higher education in the erstwhile state, and halted the academic institutions to evolve at par with those in the rest of India.

Singh said even though Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave highest priority to the state and the Centre went out of the way to approve new institutions of higher education, growth of such institutions got thwarted by the vested interests using the bogey of Article 370.

The minister of state in the Prime Ministers Office (PMO) was addressing the inaugural session of the three-day international conference on applied biology and biotechnology at the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU).

In the past five years, Singh said, the state was given two All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), an Indian Institute of Management (IIM) and Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), nearly eight centrally-funded medical colleges, including three of them in his parliamentary constituency of Udhampur.

The minister said these institutions failed to pick up because of lack of faculty and lack of research module despite liberal funding from the Modi government,

According to Singh, for any university or institute of higher education to grow, the basic prerequisites include exclusive department or streams of study for research and high standards of research publications, which, in turn, depend upon eminent faculty members selected purely on the basis of merit.

However, the minister added, in the garb of Article 370, no eminent faculty was ready to come here because instead of providing them incentives, they were being offered no incentives.

He also took a dig at the votaries of Article 370 for wrongly citing the name of Maharaja Hari Singh, who signed the instrument of accession to merge Jammu and Kashmir into the Union of India in 1947, to support their argument.

The minister said it was Hari Singh who had brought Ram Nath Chopra from Kolkata and offered him the facility and incentive to start the drug research laboratory (DRL), which is now known as the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM), Jammu, and is one of the important nationally-renowned institutions.

Much before Independence, he said, Hari Singh used to ensure best of the teaching faculty from outside for the then Prince of Wales College at Jammu.Jitendra Singh emphasised the need to go for the best faculty from any part of the country without any compromise. He suggested greater collaboration of the university with other eminent academic institutions in the region, which according to him, could help in value addition to the education standards. PTI

comments

Excerpt from:
blocked growth of J&K higher education institutions: Singh - IndiaPost.com

Read More...

Dr. David Friedman’s book Food Sanity wins first place at the Author Academy Awards – PR Web

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

WILMINGTON, N.C. (PRWEB) November 04, 2019

Over a thousand authors worldwide were nominated for their work in one of 16 categories. Entries were reviewed and evaluated on popular vote, social contribution, and overall presentation (cover, content, flow, and originality) by a panel of select judges.

Friedman presented his book synopsis at the Author Academy Awards Red Carpet Sessions, which was then followed by a Red Carpet Meet and Greet, and the Author Academy Awards Ceremony.While other winners thanked those that supported and believed in them, during Friedmans acceptance speech, he thanked those that did not believe in him. This included the agents and publishers that told him his book wasnt worthy of being published. Dr. Friedman shared how he turned this REJECTION into REDIRECTION which motivated him to work even harder. The results paid off and Food Sanity went on to become an international award-winning, #1 best-selling book. After giving a shout out to those that decided not to publish Food Sanity, Friedman held up his award and said, In the words of Julia Roberts from Pretty woman, Big Mistake!

Kary Oberbrunner, founder of the Author Academy Awards said, The Author Academy Awards is an honor bestowed for literary merit and publishing excellence in the writing and publishing industry. Our goal is to help further connect this global community of authors, and maintain excellence and integrity of the book publishing industry.

"It's truly been a 'pinch me' year!" Dr. Friedman says." It took six years to research over one thousand clinical studies and interview hundreds of scientists and renowned doctors before Food Sanity came to fruition. Being an Author Academy Award winner will further help my mission to change the world one plate at a time.

Jack Canfield, New York Time's best-selling author of Chicken Soup for The Soul, says, "I'm very impressed with the level or research Dr. Friedman has done and how he's integrated this information into helping people, including me! With so much confusion and contraindications on what we should and shouldn't be eating, Food Sanity will add more years to your life and life to those years."

About Dr. David Friedman:Dr. David Friedman is a multiple award-winning, #1 national best-selling author of Food Sanity, how to eat in a world of fads and fiction (Turner Publishing.) He's a Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Chiropractic Neurologist. He received a post-doctorate certification from Harvard Medical School, is a Board Certified Alternative Medical Practitioner and Board Certified in Integrative Medicine. He's a former teacher of neurology and author of the college textbook, "Understanding the Nervous System." As the Health Expert for Lifetime Television's morning show and host of To Your Good Health Radio, millions of people have enjoyed his weekly, cutting-edge health features. Dr. Friedman is also a contributing writer for many leading news, health and fitness magazines including U.S News & World Report, Newsweek, Readers Digest, Better Nutrition, Mind Body Green, AARP Magazine, and Saturday Evening Post, just to name a few. For more information about Dr. David Friedman visit: DrDavidFriedman.com

About the Author Academy AwardsThe Author Academy Awards is an award bestowed for literary merit and publishing excellence in the writing and publishing industry. It is presented annually by Author Academy Elite, a premium service provider for authors, at the Author Academy Awards Ceremony. For more information on the awards, visit AuthorAcademy.com

Share article on social media or email:

Go here to read the rest:
Dr. David Friedman's book Food Sanity wins first place at the Author Academy Awards - PR Web

Read More...

Lecture: The Natural Path to Boosting Immunity and Mood – New Canaan Advertiser

November 5th, 2019 2:49 pm

Updated 5:02pm EST, Monday, November 4, 2019

Photo: Contributed Photo.

New Canaan Library seeks natural path to well-being

Winter is fast approaching and while many enjoy the New England change of seasons, the winter months also bring the challenge of preserving good health and mood. New Canaan Library welcomes nutritionist/dietiian Jay Wolkoff, who will discuss how integrative and natural strategies can boost immunity and ones overall sense of well-being on Sunday, Nov. 10, at 2 p.m. in the Adrian Lamb Room. To register, visit newcanaanlibrary.org.

While modern-day living allows us to largely insulate ourselves from the outdoors and enjoy produce from temperate and tropical climates, there also is a certain beauty to acclimating our bodies to the cooler months with warming foods, herbs, and spices, an announcement said. In his presentation, Jay Wolkoff uses his extensive knowledge of nutrition and the sciences combined with integrative strategies to demonstrate how one can support his or her bodys natural immunity as well as keep his or her mood up during the darker and cooler months.

Wolkoff, nutritionist/dietician, MS, CNS, CDN, is passionate about providing individualized and comprehensive dietary and lifestyle support to his clients, the announcement said. His approach toward health effortlessly weaves together his background in evidence-based nutrition and the emerging sciences, clinical herbalism, appreciation for mind-body medicine, passion for organic gardening, and love of the outdoors, the announcement said.

Read more here:
Lecture: The Natural Path to Boosting Immunity and Mood - New Canaan Advertiser

Read More...

Anivive and Basepaws form new partnership to study feline genetics and diabetes – Yahoo Finance

November 5th, 2019 2:48 pm

LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ --Anivive Lifesciences, a pet pharmaceutical company, and Basepaws, a pet DNA sequencing company, have formed a new partnership to study feline genetics and diabetes. The companies are encouraging veterinarians and cat owners interested in participating to sign up on AniviveTrial.com.

Anivive and Basepaws Logos

"Participants will not only be helping advance feline diabetes research, but they will also receive a free genetic breed and health report about their cat," said Anivive's Founder and CEO, Dylan Balsz. "We are excited to work directly with cat owners to increase our understanding of diabetes. This partnership underscores how Anivive's software is accelerating the development of new pet medicines."

"Feline diabetes is a growing problem, but available treatments are expensive and rely mostly on symptom control through insulin therapy and dietary management," explained Anivive's Chief Medical Officer David Bruyette, DVM, DACVIM. "There is currently no clear understanding of the contribution of genetic factors to feline diabetes. This study offers cat owners the opportunity to take a direct role in developing genetics-based precision medicine tools aiming to improve and extend the lives of diabetic cats."

Beginning today, owners can visit AniviveTrial.com to complete a short survey about their cat's health. Anivive will mail eligible participants a free DNA collection kit. After collecting a DNA sample (a single saliva swab from their cat's mouth), owners mail the kit back with pre-paid postage. Anivive and Basepaws are covering the entire cost of the study, including the genetic test ($129 value).

"As a consumer pet health company, we focus on partnering with innovative companies like Anivive, who are leading research to advance our understanding of feline biology and improve the health management of cats around the world," said Basepaws' Chief Veterinary Officer Chris Menges, DVM, MPH.

Pet owners and their cats will help advance the development of new, targeted and potentially disease-modifying therapies, as well as genetics-based diagnostic tools for feline diabetes.

To learn more about this exciting new partnership and to join the movement to advance feline healthcare, please visit AniviveTrial.com/CatDNA.

About AniviveAnivive Lifesciences is a veterinary pharmaceutical company focused on reshaping pet healthcare by bringing together experts in software development, veterinary medicine, and clinical research to accelerate the development of novel pet therapeutics. Currently, only 15% of pet diseases and conditions have an approved veterinary treatment. We create therapeutics for the other 85%. Anivive. "Smarter for pet health."

About BasepawsBasepaws is a personalized pet health company that has developed the first consumer genetics test for cats. With a mission to improve and extend the lives of pets everywhere and help foster stronger bonds between humans and their pets, Basepaws offers pet owners insights into their cat's unique background, including detailed information about breeds, traits, health, and genetic markers for hereditary diseases. With new data from each CatKit completed, Basepaws' database continues to provide new and valuable information into genetic correlations and cat-specific diseases.

Story continues

Read the rest here:
Anivive and Basepaws form new partnership to study feline genetics and diabetes - Yahoo Finance

Read More...

Why Didnt She Get Alzheimers? The Answer Could Hold a Key to Fighting the Disease – The New York Times

November 5th, 2019 2:48 pm

When you have delayed onset of Alzheimers by three decades, you say wow, said Dr. Bu, chairman of the neuroscience department at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., who was not involved in the study.

He said the research suggests that instead of drugs attacking amyloid or tau, which have failed in many clinical trials, a medication or gene therapy targeting APOE could be promising.

Dr. Reiman, who led another newly published study showing that APOE has a bigger effect on a persons risk of getting Alzheimers than previously thought, said potential treatments could try to reduce or even silence APOE activity in the brain. People born without APOE appear to have no cognitive problems, but they do have very high cholesterol that requires treatment.

Dr. Huang, who co-wrote a commentary about the study and is affiliated with two companies focusing on potential APOE-related treatments, said the findings also challenge a leading Alzheimers theory about the role of amyloid.

Since the woman had huge amounts of amyloid but few other Alzheimers indicators, it actually illustrates, to my knowledge for the first time, a very clear dissociation of amyloid accumulation from tau pathology, neurodegeneration and even cognitive decline, he said.

Dr. Lopera said the woman is just beginning to develop dementia, and he recently disclosed her genetic profile to her four adult children, who each have only one copy of the Christchurch mutation.

The researchers are also evaluating a few other members of the Colombian family, who appear to also have some resistance to Alzheimers. They are not as old as the woman, and they do not have the Christchurch mutation, but the team hopes to find other genetic factors from studying them and examine whether those factors operate along the same or different biological pathways, Dr. Reiman said.

Read more here:
Why Didnt She Get Alzheimers? The Answer Could Hold a Key to Fighting the Disease - The New York Times

Read More...

Anivive, Basepaws Partner to Study Feline Genetics and Diabetes – Pet Age

November 5th, 2019 2:48 pm

Press release: Anivive Lifesciences

Anivive Lifesciences, a pet pharmaceutical company, and Basepaws, a pet DNA sequencing company, have formed a new partnership to study feline genetics and diabetes. The companies are encouraging veterinarians and cat owners interested in participating to sign up online.

Participants will not only be helping advance feline diabetes research, but they will also receive a free genetic breed and health report about their cat, said Anivives founder and CEO, Dylan Balsz. We are excited to work directly with cat owners to increase our understanding of diabetes. This partnership underscores how Anivives software is accelerating the development of new pet medicines.

Feline diabetes is a growing problem, but available treatments are expensive and rely mostly on symptom control through insulin therapy and dietary management, explained Anivives chief medical officer David Bruyette, DVM, DACVIM. There is currently no clear understanding of the contribution of genetic factors to feline diabetes. This study offers cat owners the opportunity to take a direct role in developing genetics-based precision medicine tools aiming to improve and extend the lives of diabetic cats.

Beginning today, owners can visit the website to complete a short survey about their cats health. Anivive will mail eligible participants a free DNA collection kit. After collecting a DNA sample (a single saliva swab from their cats mouth), owners mail the kit back with pre-paid postage. Anivive and Basepaws are covering the entire cost of the study, including the genetic test ($129 value).

As a consumer pet health company, we focus on partnering with innovative companies like Anivive, who are leading research to advance our understanding of feline biology and improve the health management of cats around the world, said Basepaws chief veterinary officer Chris Menges, DVM, MPH.

Pet owners and their cats will help advance the development of new, targeted and potentially disease-modifying therapies, as well as genetics-based diagnostic tools for feline diabetes.

Excerpt from:
Anivive, Basepaws Partner to Study Feline Genetics and Diabetes - Pet Age

Read More...

First-of-its-kind study reveals genetic traits determining coat colors and physical appearance in over 200 dog breeds – PRNewswire

November 5th, 2019 2:48 pm

VANCOUVER, Wash., Nov. 4, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Wisdom Health - the world's leader in pet genetics and researchers at Purdue University today announced the most comprehensive study of dog coat color and physical trait genes ever conducted is published in PLOS ONE. The study "True Colors: commercially-acquired morphological genotypes reveal hidden allele variation among dog breeds, informing both trait ancestry and breed potential" found that many dog breeds carry gene variants for unexpected physical traits such as coat colors, which could randomly appear in future generations.

Thanks to the increasing popularity of at-home pet genetic testing, researchers utilized Wisdom Health's extensive database to provide insight into the physical trait variation of nearly 12,000 purebred dogs from 212 breeds, along with four wild canine species.

"As our study demonstrates, purebred dogs have so much more than meets the eye - literally. The information provided by a WISDOM PANEL dog DNA test can help us better understand the hidden elements of dog genetics," said Dr. Angela Hughes DVM PhD, veterinarian and canine genetics expert at Wisdom Health. "While our study focused primarily on purebred populations, these hidden traits can also have ramifications for mixed breed dogs. When unexpected or hidden traits are passed to mixed breed dogs from their purebred ancestors, it further complicates the already difficult task of visual breed identification making DNA tests the only reliable method of determining breed ancestry."

The study also found that the frequency of hidden gene variants in purebred dogs could provide information about the history and relatedness of certain seemingly disparate breeds - such as the Australian Shepherd and the Airedale Terrier.

"We used previously-identified genetic links between breeds to map a potential route of gene variant dispersal, such as the tailless gene variant that exists in both the Australian Shepherd and Airedale Terrier," said Dr. Kari Ekenstedt DVM PhD, assistant professor and dog genetics researcher at Purdue University's College of Veterinary Medicine. "Through genetic relationship analysis of purebred populations, we can examine the distribution of specific coat color and trait variations and help estimate a time frame for when these variations first came about. For instance, the presence of a particular allele in a wide variety of dog breeds suggests that the variant existed within domestic dogs well before pure breed development roughly 200 years ago."

Most important for future research, the study provides a baseline of trait frequency data for a given population of purebred dogs. Based on these findings, breeders can utilize DNA panel testing to identify their desired traits and avoid expression of undesirable traits in future litters.

"In many cases, the frequency of undesirable trait variants within a breed is very low. But the genetic potential to produce those traits exists, and knowing this potential can help breeders and breed organizations make informed decisions going forward," said Dr. Dayna Dreger PhD, the lead author on the PLOS ONE publication.

Wisdom Health has also simultaneously crossed another major milestone within the pet genetics industry: as of today, more than 1.5 million dogs worldwide have been tested with the WISDOM PANEL test.

"This study reveals the power of genetic testing to uncover the hidden stories of breed relationships and trait distribution across the globe," said Dr. Becca Chodroff Foran PhD, Research & Development Director at Wisdom Health. "With 1.5 million dogs tested with WISDOM PANEL and counting, our research program continues to invest in the development and discovery of actionable genetic insights to better understand and care for our beloved pets."

About the Study

About Wisdom HealthWisdom Health's mission is to facilitate responsible pet care by enhancing the well-being and relationship between pets, pet owners, breeders, shelters and veterinarians through valuable insights into pets as individuals. For more than a decade, Wisdom Health has researched and developed state-of-the-art genetic tests for companion animals, revolutionizing personalized pet care. By unlocking the secrets of their dog or cat's DNA, owners and veterinarians can work together to tailor wellness programs that fit the one-of-a-kind needs of their unique pet. For more information, visit http://www.wisdompanel.com, or follow Wisdom Panel on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

About KinshipAdvances in science, technology, health and nutrition offer an opportunity to transform the $100B+ pet care industry. With industry-leading data and analytics capabilities, a $100M venture fund and pioneering startup accelerator program, unique set of technology businesses like Whistle and Wisdom Health,Kinship is building the first-of-its-kind coalition of partners to transform the future of pet care. Kinship is a business division of Mars Petcare, the global leader in pet health, nutrition and services, dedicated to one purpose:A Better World for Pets. Follow @kinshipco to learn more.

About Mars PetcarePart of Mars, Incorporated, a family-owned business with more than a century of history making diverse products and offering services for people and the pets people love, the 85,000 Associates in Mars Petcare are dedicated to one purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS. With 75 years of experience, our portfolio of almost 50 brands serves the health and nutrition needs of the world's pets including brands PEDIGREE, WHISKAS, ROYAL CANIN, NUTRO, GREENIES, SHEBA, CESAR, IAMS and EUKANUBA as well as The WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition which has advanced research in the nutrition and health of pets for over 50 years. Mars Petcare is also a leading veterinary health provider through a network of over 2,000 pet hospitals including BANFIELD, BLUEPEARL, PET PARTNERS, VCA, Linnaeus and AniCura. We're also active in innovation and technology for pets, with WISDOM PANEL genetic health screening and DNA testing for dogs, the WHISTLE GPS dog tracker, and LEAP VENTURE STUDIO accelerator and COMPANION FUND programs that drive innovation and disruption in the pet care industry. As a family business and guided by our principles, we are privileged with the flexibility to fight for what we believe in and we choose to fight for: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.

SOURCE Wisdom Health

https://www.wisdompanel.com

See the original post:
First-of-its-kind study reveals genetic traits determining coat colors and physical appearance in over 200 dog breeds - PRNewswire

Read More...

Exercise May Help Ward Off Depression, Even If You’re Genetically Prone to It – Livescience.com

November 5th, 2019 2:48 pm

Getting a few hours of exercise a week may reduce the risk of depression, even in people who are genetically prone to the condition, a new study suggests.

The authors found that, although certain genes boost a person's risk of depression, increased levels of exercise essentially canceled out this genetic risk.

Overall, for every 4 hours of exercise per week (about 35 minutes per day), participants saw a 17% reduction in their chances of experiencing bouts of depression over the next two years. This protective effect of exercise held even for those at high genetic risk for depression.

Related: 7 Ways Depression Differs in Men and Women

"Our findings strongly suggest that, when it comes to depression, genes are not destiny and that being physically active has the potential to neutralize the added risk of future episodes in individuals who are genetically vulnerable," study lead author Karmel Choi, postdoctoral fellow in psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, said in a statement.

The study is published today (Nov. 5) in the journal Depression and Anxiety.

Depression can run in families, which suggests that genetic factors contribute to the risk of developing the disease, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Although research on the genetics of depression is in its infancy, studies suggest that multiple genes, each with a small effect, combine to increase a person's risk of the disease, according to the NIH.

In addition, previous studies have found that exercise can reduce people's risk of depression. But it wasn't clear if this benefit applied to those with certain risk factors, such as a genetic risk for depression, the authors said.

In the new study, the researchers analyzed information from nearly 8,000 participants in the Partners HealthCare Biobank, a database intended to help researchers better understand how people's genes, environment and lifestyle affect their health. Participants provided a blood sample, had their genomes analyzed and filled out a survey about their lifestyle behaviors, such as how much exercise they typically get in a week. This information was then linked with people's electronic health records (EHRs) within Partners HealthCare, a Boston-based health care system.

To be included in the new study, participants could not be currently depressed, and so the researchers excluded people who had visited a medical professional for depression within the past year. The authors then looked to see which of those remaining participants experienced a new episode of depression based on billing codes from their EHRs within the next two years.

The researchers also used genomic data to calculate a person's genetic risk for depression, and gave people a "score" based on their risk. This allowed the researchers to divide participants into three groups: those with low, intermediate and high genetic risk for depression.

The researchers found that, not surprisingly, those with a high genetic risk for depression were 50% more likely to experience a new episode of depression within the next two years, compared with those at low genetic risk.

However, across all risk groups, people who were more physically active were less likely to experience a new episode of depression. For example, among those in the high-risk group, the incidence of depression was nearly 13% for those who didn't exercise, compared with just 8% for those who exercised for about 3 hours a week.

What's more, both high-intensity exercises, such as running, and low-intensity exercises, such as yoga, were linked with a decreased risk of depression.

However, the study only found an association and cannot prove that a lack of exercise causes depression (although previous research has suggested that exercise likely helps ward off depression). In addition, the EHRs used in the study do not capture the severity of a depressive episode and do not reflect care outside of the Partners HealthCare system.

Still, the study provides "promising evidence" that doctors can use to counsel patients and "make recommendations to patients that here is something meaningful they can do to lower their risk even if they have a family history of depression," Choi said.

Of course, in addition to reducing depression risk, regular exercise has a slew of other health benefits, such as reducing people's risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). However, less than a quarter Americans meet national exercise guidelines, according to the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics.

Originally published on Live Science.

Go here to see the original:
Exercise May Help Ward Off Depression, Even If You're Genetically Prone to It - Livescience.com

Read More...

Page 826«..1020..825826827828..840850..»


2025 © StemCell Therapy is proudly powered by WordPress
Entries (RSS) Comments (RSS) | Violinesth by Patrick