StemCell Therapy

Puma Biotechnology, Inc. (Nasdaq: PBYI), a biopharmaceutical company, announced the release of two abstracts on its drug neratinib that will be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) 2017 Congress, which will be held September 8 12 in Madrid, Spain. Abstracts are available to the public online on the ESMO website: http://www.esmo.org.

Abstract #1490: Neratinib after trastuzumab-based adjuvant therapy in early stage HER2-positive breast cancer:5-year analysis of the Phase III ExteNET trial.The abstract will be presented as a proffered paper oral session on Friday, September 8.

Abstract #177P:Effects of neratinib on health-related quality of life in early stage HER2-positive breast cancer.The abstract will be displayed as a poster on Monday, September 11.

The ExteNET trial is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III trial of neratinib versus placebo after adjuvant treatment with trastuzumab (Herceptin) in women with early stage HER2-positive breast cancer.

U.S. Approval of Neratinib (NERLYNX)

Neratinib was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in July 2017 for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer, following adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy, and is marketed in the United States as NERLYNX (neratinib) tablets.

About HER2-Positive Breast Cancer

Approximately 20% to 25% of breast cancer tumors over-express the HER2 protein. HER2-positive breast cancer is often more aggressive than other types of breast cancer, increasing the risk of disease progression and death. Although research has shown that trastuzumab can reduce the risk of early stage HER2-positive breast cancer returning after surgery, up to 25% of patients treated with trastuzumab experience recurrence.

Indication

NERLYNX is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor indicated for the extended adjuvant treatment of adult patients with early stage HER2-overexpressed/amplified breast cancer, to follow adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy.

To help ensure patients have access to NERLYNX, Puma has implemented the Puma Patient Lynx support program to assist patients and healthcare providers with reimbursement support and referrals to resources that can help with financial assistance.More information on the Puma Patient Lynx program can be found at http://www.NERLYNX.com or 1-855-816-5421.

The full prescribing information for NERLYNX is available at http://www.NERLYNX.com. The recommended dose of NERLYNX is 240 mg (six 40 mg tablets) given orally once daily with food, continuously for one year. Antidiarrheal prophylaxis should be initiated with the first dose of NERLYNX and continued during the first 2 months (56 days) of treatment and as needed thereafter.

Important Safety Information

There are possible side effects of NERLYNX. Patients must contact their doctor right away if they experience any of these symptoms. NERLYNX treatment may be stopped or the dose may be lowered if the patient experiences any of these side effects.

Diarrhea

Diarrheais a common side effect ofNERLYNX. The diarrhea may be severe, and you may get dehydrated. Your healthcare provider should prescribe the medicine loperamide for you during your first 2 cycles (56 days) of NERLYNX and then as needed. To help prevent or reduce diarrhea:

Contact your healthcare provider right away if you have severe diarrhea or if you have diarrhea along with weakness, dizziness or fever.

Liver Problems

Changes in liver function tests are common with NERLYNX. The patients doctor will do tests before starting treatment, monthly during the first 3 months, and then every 3 months as needed during treatment with NERLYNX. NERLYNX treatment may be stopped or the dose may be lowered if your liver tests show severe problems. Symptoms of liver problems may include tiredness, nausea, vomiting, pain in the right upper stomach area (abdomen), fever, rash, itching or yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes.

Pregnancy

Patients should tell their doctor if they are planning to become pregnant, are pregnant, plan to breastfeed, or are breastfeeding. NERLYNX can harm your unborn baby. Birth control should be used while a patient is receiving NERLYNX and for at least 1 month after the last dose. If patients are exposed to NERLYNX during pregnancy, they must contact their healthcare provider right away.

Common side effects in patients treated with NERLYNX

In clinical studies, the most common side effects seen in patients taking NERLYNX were diarrhea, nausea, abdominal pain, fatigue, vomiting, rash, stomatitis (dry or inflamed mouth, or mouth sores), decreased appetite, muscle spasms, dyspepsia, changes in liver blood test results, nail problems, dry skin, abdominal distention, weight loss and urinary tract infection.

Patients should tell their doctor right away if they are experiencing any side effects. Report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 orhttp://www.FDA.gov/medwatch. Patients and caregivers may also report side effects to Puma Biotechnology at 1-844-NERLYNX (1-844-637-5969).

Please see Full Prescribing Information, available at http://www.NERLYNX.com.

About Puma Biotechnology

Puma Biotechnology, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company with a focus on the development and commercialization of innovative products to enhance cancer care. The Company in-licenses the global development and commercialization rights to three drug candidates PB272 (neratinib (oral)), PB272 (neratinib (intravenous)) and PB357. NERLYNX (neratinib) is approved for commercial use by prescription in the United States as extended adjuvant therapy for early stage HER2-positive breast cancer following adjuvant trastuzumab-based therapy and is marketed as NERLYNX. Neratinib is a potent irreversible tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks signal transduction through the epidermal growth factor receptors, HER1, HER2 and HER4. Currently, the Company is primarily focused on the commercialization of NERLYNX and the continued development of its other advanced drug candidates directed at the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. The Company believes that NERLYNX has clinical application in the potential treatment of several other cancers that over-express or have a mutation in HER2.

Further information about Puma Biotechnology can be found at http://www.pumabiotechnology.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the benefits of NERLYNX and neratinib, the Companys clinical trials and the announcement of data relative to those trials. All forward-looking statements included in this press release involve risks and uncertainties that could cause the Companys actual results to differ materially from the anticipated results and expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions, and actual outcomes and results could differ materially from these statements due to a number of factors, which include, but are not limited to, the fact that the Company has only recently commenced commercialization and shipment of its only FDA approved product; the Companys dependence upon the commercial success of NERLYNX (neratinib); the Companys history of operating losses and its expectation that it will continue to incur losses for the foreseeable future; risks and uncertainties related to the Companys ability to achieve or sustain profitability; the Companys ability to predict its future prospects and forecast its financial performance and growth; failure to obtain sufficient capital to fund the Companys operations; the effectiveness of sales and marketing efforts; the Companys ability to obtain FDA approval or other regulatory approvals in the United States or elsewhere for other indications for neratinib or other product candidates; the challenges associated with conducting and enrolling clinical trials; the risk that the results of clinical trials may not support the Companys drug candidate claims; even if approved, the risk that physicians and patients may not accept or use the Companys products; the Companys reliance on third parties to conduct its clinical trials and to formulate and manufacture its drug candidates; risks pertaining to securities class action, derivative and defamation lawsuits; the Companys dependence on licensed intellectual property; and the other risk factors disclosed in the periodic and current reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time, including the Companys Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2017. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company assumes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170830006310/en/

Go here to see the original:
Puma Biotechnology Announces Publication of Abstracts for ESMO 2017 - Markets Insider

Advertisement

Shares last traded at $93.95 barely above $87.37, the 50 day moving average and which is well above the 200 day moving average of $61.78. The 50 day moving average went up by +7.53% whereas the 200 day average was up by +52.06%. 820K shares changed hands by the end of trading on Friday. Overall, volume was down 80.71% under the stocks normal daily volume.

Traders are more bullish on Puma Biotechnology Inc of late looking at the fall in short interest. The firm had a fall in short interest between July 31, 2017 and August 15, 2017 of -0.12%. Short interest decreased 7,361 over that timeframe. The days to cover decreased to 6.0 and the percentage of shorted shares was 0.17% on August 15.

Here is the rundown on market activity for Puma Biotechnology Inc (NASDAQ:PBYI). Richard Paul Bryce, SR VP, CLINICAL RESEARCH & DEV sold $435,500 worth of shares at an average price of $87.10 on July 3rd. Bryce now owns $2,546,543 of stock as recorded in a recent Form 4 SEC filing.

Here are a few other firms who have also updated their positions. Janus Capital Management LLC divested its stake by shedding 2,714 shares a decrease of 0.1% from 12/31/2016 to 03/31/2017. Janus Capital Management LLC currently owns 2,209,599 shares worth $82,195,000. The total value of its holdings increased 21.0%. Rock Springs Capital Management Lp expanded its investment by buying 91,500 shares an increase of 96.8% as of 06/30/2017. Rock Springs Capital Management Lp claims 186,000 shares valued at $16,256,000. The value of the position overall is up by 362.5%.

Ghost Tree Capital, LLC reduced its holdings by selling 75,000 shares a decrease of 33.3% in the quarter. Ghost Tree Capital, LLC now holds 150,000 shares with a value of $13,110,000. The value of the position overall is up by 56.6%. As of the end of the quarter Graticule Asia Macro Advisors LLC had sold 6,200 shares trimming its holdings by 13.4%. The value of the investment in (PBYI) went from $1,726,000 to $3,514,000 a change of 103.6% quarter over quarter.

July 18 investment analysts at Credit Suisse maintained a stock rating of Outperform and raised the price target to $118.00 from $111.00.

In the market the company is trading up by 1.57% since yesterdays close of $92.5. In the last earnings report the EPS was $-8.14 and is expected to be $-8.68 for the current year with 37,205,000 shares outstanding. Analysts expect next quarters EPS to be $-2.09 and the next full year EPS is projected to be $-4.71.

Puma Biotechnology, Inc., launched on September 15, 2010, is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on the development and commercialization of products for the treatment of cancer. The Company focuses on in-licensing the global development and commercialization rights to the three drug candidates, including PB272 (neratinib (oral)), PB272 (neratinib (intravenous)) and PB357. Its neratinib has clinical application in the treatment of several other cancers as well, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and other tumor types that over-express or have a mutation in HER2..

Originally posted here:
Puma Biotechnology Inc (NASDAQ:PBYI) Stock Closed 7.5% Above Its 50 Day Average - Modern Readers

Virtually all cells in the human body contain genes, making them potential targets for gene therapy. However, these cells can be divided into two major categories: somatic cells (most cells of the body) or cells of the germline (eggs or sperm). In theory it is possible to transform either somatic cells or germ cells.

Gene therapy using germ line cells results in permanent changes that are passed down to subsequent generations. If done early in embryologic development, such as during preimplantation diagnosis and in vitro fertilization, the gene transfer could also occur in all cells of the developing embryo. The appeal of germ line gene therapy is its potential for offering a permanent therapeutic effect for all who inherit the target gene. Successful germ line therapies introduce the possibility of eliminating some diseases from a particular family, and ultimately from the population, forever. However, this also raises controversy. Some people view this type of therapy as unnatural, and liken it to "playing God." Others have concerns about the technical aspects. They worry that the genetic change propagated by germ line gene therapy may actually be deleterious and harmful, with the potential for unforeseen negative effects on future generations.

Somatic cells are nonreproductive. Somatic cell therapy is viewed as a more conservative, safer approach because it affects only the targeted cells in the patient, and is not passed on to future generations. In other words, the therapeutic effect ends with the individual who receives the therapy. However, this type of therapy presents unique problems of its own. Often the effects of somatic cell therapy are short-lived. Because the cells of most tissues ultimately die and are replaced by new cells, repeated treatments over the course of the individual's life span are required to maintain the therapeutic effect. Transporting the gene to the target cells or tissue is also problematic. Regardless of these difficulties, however, somatic cell gene therapy is appropriate and acceptable for many disorders, including cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy, cancer, and certain infectious diseases. Clinicians can even perform this therapy in utero, potentially correcting or treating a life-threatening disorder that may significantly impair a baby's health or development if not treated before birth.

In summary, the distinction is that the results of any somatic gene therapy are restricted to the actual patient and are not passed on to his or her children. All gene therapy to date on humans has been directed at somatic cells, whereas germline engineering in humans remains controversial and prohibited in for instance the European Union.

Somatic gene therapy can be broadly split into two categories:

Originally posted here:
Overview of Gene Therapy Methods and Types of Gene Therapy

In BriefResearchers healed bone fractures by attracting stem cells to the area and injecting a mix of microbubbles and DNA encoding a bone protein at the break. This method could replace bone grafting for nonhealing fractures.

Fixing broken limb bones after serious injuries can challenge even the most skilled orthopedic surgeons. Too much bone loss makes regrowth impossible, and even smaller fractures make bone growth problematic if the patient is in poor health or at an advanced age.

When physicians encounter these kinds of nonhealing fractures, autologous bone grafts are the gold standard for treatment. These bone grafts involve harvesting a segment of healthy bone, typically from the pelvis of the patient, which is then used to bridge the portion of the break that isnt growing new bone adequately. However, bone grafts are not always possible, depending on the patients health and the extent of the damage from the break.

Some doctors in recent years have started to try something new: incorporating bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) into bone implants to enhance healing. This isnt a sure thing, though. Through their traditional administration, BMPs come with significant side effects including bone formation in soft tissues and bone resorption.

These side effects might haveoccurred because BMPs wereadministered in large doses, so researchers came up with a new strategy: use gene therapy to deliver not the protein itself, but the underlying gene instead. This way the cells will get BMP at physiological levels solely at the site of the injury.

However, gettinggene therapiesinto the right cells isnt always easy. The genes are typically delivered using viral vectors, and these come with their own safety concerns. The researchers in this case used a relatively new delivery mechanism instead: sonoporation.

In sonoporation, an ultrasound is used to cause gas-filled microbubbles with lipid shells to oscillate and create tiny, easily repaired holes in cells. These tiny holes allow DNA for gene therapy to enter into the right place without affecting other areas. The next step was ensuring that the gene therapy targeted the correctcells. The team targeteda special form of stem cells that can become bone cells and produce BMPs proficiently.

The researchers trialled their new strategy in broken pig shinbones and found that the technique healed fractures after a single dose. They first inserted collagen scaffolds, because they attract the stem cells, and then waited for two weeks to allow the scaffolds to recruit sufficient numbers of stem cells.

Next, they injected a mix of microbubbles and BMP-encoding DNA at the fracture site, and applied an ultrasound pulse. The team then waited for eight weeks after the single instance of the gene therapy. The experimental fractures were healed, while the control animals fractures were not.

This innovative therapy could improve the recovery of millions of people around the world. While human trials must be conducted before we know whether hospitals should adopt the procedure,many of its components have shown enough promise for scientists to utilize them insimilar bone-healing experiments: One fracture-fixing strategy incorporates a specific form of BPM, and another therapy uses stem cells to revitalize bone growth.

View post:
Soon, Broken Bones Could be Fixed Using Gene Therapy and Microbubbles - Futurism

Boston Business Journal

Lexington biotech plots $86M IPO as key gene therapy trial nears Boston Business Journal A Lexington biotech developing gene therapy treatments for rare eye diseases has announced plans to raise up to $86 million in an initial public offering. Nightstar Therapeutics, a 23-employee company with a 3,300 square foot office in Lexington and a ... Nightstar files for $86M IPO to fund gene therapy trialsFierceBiotech all 14 news articles »

Original post:
Lexington biotech plots $86M IPO as key gene therapy trial nears - Boston Business Journal

If you listen closely to gut bacteria and host cells, you learn that they speak the same language. You might then pick up the language yourself, giving you the ability to join the microbiomehost conversation, which is known to have implications for human health. And if you ever had trouble being heard, you could try putting words in the mouths of all those jabbering bacteria, steering the microbiomehost conversation toward healthy conclusions.

When bacteria and host cells talk, they do so via signaling molecules, such as the ligands that interact with membrane-bound G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). To keep an ear out for such ligands, scientists based at Rockefeller University and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai used the tools of bioinformatics and synthetic biology. These scientists, led by Sean Brady, Ph.D., director of Rockefeller University's Laboratory of Genetically Encoded Small Molecules, were particularly attuned to N-acyl amides, which interact with GPCR receptors.

Dr. Brady and colleagues, including co-investigator Louis Cohen, Ph.D., found that gut bacteria and human cells may not speak in the same dialect, but they can understand each other. Building on this observation, the scientists developed a method to genetically engineer the bacteria to produce molecules that have the potential to treat certain disorders by altering human metabolism. In a test of their system on mice, the introduction of modified gut bacteria led to reduced blood glucose levels and other metabolic changes in the animals.

Details of this work appeared August 30 in the journal Nature, in an article entitled Commensal Bacteria Make GPCR Ligands That Mimic Human Signalling Molecules. The article describes newly discovered commonalities in bacteria and host signaling, and it explains how these commonalities suggest ways gut flora could be engineered to have therapeutically beneficial effects on disease.

We found that N-acyl amide synthase genes are enriched in gastrointestinal bacteria and the lipids that they encode interact with GPCRs that regulate gastrointestinal tract physiology, wrote the articles authors. Mouse and cell-based models demonstrate that commensal GPR119 agonists regulate metabolic hormones and glucose homeostasis as efficiently as human ligands, although future studies are needed to define their potential physiological role in humans.

The language shared by bacteria and host cells involves the lock-and-key relationship of ligands, which bind to receptors on the membranes of human cells to produce specific biological effects. In this case, the bacteria-derived molecules are mimicking human ligands that bind to GPCRs. Many of the GPCRs are implicated in metabolic diseases, Dr. Brady noted, and are the most common targets of drug therapy. And they're conveniently present in the gastrointestinal tract, where the gut bacteria are also found.

"If you're going to talk to bacteria," explained Dr. Brady, "you're going to talk to them right there." (Gut bacteria are part of the microbiome, the larger community of microbes that exist in and on the human body.)

In its work, the team led by Drs. Cohen and Brady engineered gut bacteria to produce N-acyl amides that bind with a specific human receptor, GPR 119, which is known to be involved in the regulation of glucose and appetite and has previously been a therapeutic target for the treatment of diabetes and obesity. The bacterial ligands they created turned out to be almost identical structurally to the human ligands, said Dr. Cohen, an assistant professor of gastroenterology in the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai.

Among the advantages of working with bacteria, continued Dr. Cohen, who spent five years in Dr. Brady's lab as part of Rockefeller's Clinical Scholars Program, is that their genes are easier to manipulate than human genes and much is already known about them. "All the genes for all the bacteria inside of us have been sequenced at some point," he pointed out.

Although the ligands are the product of nonhuman microorganisms, Dr. Brady says it's a mistake to think of the bacterial ligands they create in the lab as foreign. "The biggest change in thought in this field over the last 20 years is that our relationship with these bacteria isn't antagonistic," he commented. "They are a part of our physiology. What we're doing is tapping into the native system and manipulating it to our advantage."

"This is a first step in what we hope is a larger-scale, functional interrogation of what the molecules derived from microbes can do," Dr. Brady said. His plan is to systematically expand and define the chemistry that is being used by the bacteria in our guts to interact with us.

See the rest here:
Gene Therapy for the Bacteria of Our Microbiome Could Improve Our Health - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Twenty-five per cent of Australian adults are estimated to be clinically obese. The common view is that obesity is a self-inflicted condition. But one Melbourne clinic is challenging that perception.

Austin Health Obesity Physician, Professor Joe Proietto says he treats obesity as a chronic genetic disease.

"The view that obesity is genetic is controversial, however the evidence is very strong that there is a genetic predisposition to obesity," said Professor Proietto.

In a new SBS documentary Obesity Myth, doctors are trying to treat patients through a combination of diet, medication and surgery, tailored specifically for their genetic make-up.

Professor Proietto believes the environment has far less bearing on weight than genetics.

But Sydney University Obesity Research Director, Dr Nick Fuller says blaming genetics is only going to make the obesity crisis worse.

"We are finding more and more genes that contribute to obesity but genetics are not the reason for the increase in prevalence of obesity," said Dr Fuller.

Dr Fuller believes dieting is not the most effective solution.He believes weight loss should happen slowly, to trick the body into believing it is at a new set weight point.

"They need to lose a small amount of weight before the usual response to weight loss kicks in and maintain that weight so they can reprogram their set weight before going on to lose weight," said Dr Fuller.

Helene Jagdon has been trying to lose weight for 30 years. She has tried every fad diet and training regime in the book.

Only in the last few years under Dr Fuller's strategy has she been able to lose 14 kilograms and keep it off.

"He didn't make us feel like we were on a diet, he was just guiding us to what foods we can eat and not really saying what foods we can't eat.

"He was just saying if you feel like having a laksa, have a laksa, but maybe limit it to one takeaway treat in a week," said Ms Jagdon.

Now sitting at a comfortable 68 kilograms, Helene has maintained her passion for cooking and is inspiring people half her age to lose weight without dramatically changing their lives.

Preview: The Obesity Myth

The three-part documentary series The Obesity Myth starts September 4 on SBS at 7.30pm.

Link:
Could genetics be the reason behind obesity? - SBS

Its a beautiful, sunny, fall-esque day here on Long Island, and I have something personal to share with you. After a nuclear stress test taken earlier in the week, my dads cardiologist recommended he check himself into the hospital on Thursday to have an angiogram. My dads had a couple of heart attacks in the past, and while his doctor didnt think it was anything too too serious, he wanted to make sure.

The angiogram showed a 99% blockage in one of his arteries. Because of this, three stents were put in to open it up. An additional stent is being put in as we speak, and if all goes well, he should be out by tomorrow. My dad is in good spirits and looks pretty good, so Im very optimistic that this will be the last we hear of this for a while.

That being said, something I heard his doctor tell him disturbed me quite a bit. Somehow, the topic of genetics came up in the conversation. My father was essentially told that this was all genetic, there was nothing he could do to improve his condition, and that once he gets out and he rests for about a week, he can resume all regular life activities.

The cardiac wing of the hospital was also feeding him garbage for his heart, like bread (derived from grains, which are inflammatory) and margarine (a trans fat, which is bad for the heart) but we wont even get into that today

While I know genetics can play a role in the acquisition of several diseases, theres a new study called EPIGENETICS. The premise behind this field of study is that based upon your chosen environment and your personal lifestyle habits, you can manipulate your genetic code, and either keep a negative genetic trait like heart disease dormant, or you can completely REVERSE that genes expression, and thus, never develop a hereditary disease in the first place!

Ive heard plenty of would-be clients over the years use genetics as an excuse for their being overweight. My parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles were all fat, so this is just something I have to deal with!

Often, when somebody is overweight, its due to poor diet. Plain and simple. Theres a small percentage of the population that has hormonal imbalances, and thus, theres a bit more to it than that. That being said, most hormone issues can be regulated (and even corrected!) by certain dietary strategies that will get those levels back to normal, and then enable them to both function and lose weight normally.

When the folks who blame genetics review their nutrition with me, Ill tell you one thing: It aint just geneticsIf its even genetics, at all! Their diets tend to be comprised of excessive amounts of sugar, grains and processed foods, which, when ingested in large quantities as they were in these instances, are ALL linked to an increased risk of obesity, Type-2 Diabetes, heart disease, various forms of cancer, and even neurological diseases like Parkinsons and Alzheimers!!

Whether youre dealing with weight issues, whether youre diabetic, or whether youre even suffering from a heart condition like my dad is, youre rarely too far gone!!! There are healthy dietary changes you can make that will not only help you in regulating these conditions, but also help in the REVERSAL of many of these conditions.

Moral of the Story: I was highly DISTURBED to hear this explanation given to my dad. Its never too late to change and improve the quality of your life. The question is: Whatre you going to do to change your circumstances?

pete@weightlossbypete.com

P.S. If you feel you need more help on the nutritional side, then youre definitely going to want to invest in my Food Guide and Healthy Recipe Book!

The Food Guide lays out the three phases of nutrition I use with my Permanent Weight Loss clients. Phase 1 gets you in the habit of making healthier choices, while Phase 2 really cleans up the frequency with which you eat healthier. Phase 3 is a strict macronutrient breakdown that will help expedite the process of weight loss, all while improving your health and making your body a well-oiled machine!

My Healthy Recipe Book includes 72 recipes spanning breakfast,lunch, dinner, snacks, appetizers and desserts. Im constantly adding to it, but these recipes are easy to make, simple and enable you to have your cake and eat it, too!

Normally, I sell each of these books for $10 a piece, but because Im feeling generous today, you can get BOTH for just $13.99!:-)

Read the rest here:
Weight Loss Tip: It Ain't Just About Genetics! - HuffPost

Scientists from the Duke University School of Medicine say they have found a set of genes and regulatory elements in the intestinal lining that has stayed the same from fish to humans. They note that a good number of these genes are linked to human diseases, including inflammatory bowel disorders, diabetes, and obesity.

The research ("Genomic Dissection of Conserved Transcriptional Regulation in Intestinal Epithelial Cells"),which appears in PLOS Biology, marks fish as a model organism for studying how this old genetic information (covering over 420 million years of evolution) controls the development and dysfunction of the intestine.

"The intestinal epithelium serves critical physiologic functions that are shared among all vertebrates. However, it is unknown how the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms underlying these functions have changed over the course of vertebrate evolution. We generated genome-wide mRNA and accessible chromatin data from adult intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in zebrafish, stickleback, mouse, and human species to determine if conserved IEC functions are achieved through common transcriptional regulation. We found evidence for substantial common regulation and conservation of gene expression regionally along the length of the intestine from fish to mammals and identified a core set of genes comprising a vertebrate IEC signature," write the investigators.

"We define an IEC transcriptional regulatory network that is shared between fish and mammals and establish an experimental platform for studying how evolutionarily distilled regulatory information commonly controls IEC development and physiology."

"Our research has uncovered aspects of intestinal biology that have been well conserved during vertebrate evolution, suggesting they are of central importance to intestinal health," said John F. Rawls, Ph.D., senior author of the study and associate professor of molecular genetics and microbiology. "By doing so, we have built a foundation for mechanistic studies of intestinal biology in nonhuman model systems like fish and mice that would be impossible to perform in humans alone."

According to Dr. Rawls, researchers for years have used animal models to collect information on intestinal epithelial cells that could help combat human diseases. But no one knew how alike these cells were across multiple species. Heand colleagues took a comparative biology approach to address this issue.

Research associate Colin R. Lickwar, Ph.D., and the team obtained genome-wide data from intestinal epithelial cells in four species: zebrafish, stickleback fish, mouse, and human. Dr. Lickwar then created maps for each of the species that showed both the activity level of all of the genes and the location of specific regulatory elements that turned the genes on and off.

The group found a surprising amount of similarity between the different vertebrate species. Dr. Lickwar identified a common set of geneslabeled an intestinal epithelial cell signaturesome of which had shared patterns of activity in specific regions along the length of the intestine. Many of these genes had previously been implicated in a variety of human diseases, and Drs. Lickwar and Rawls wanted to know if this conserved genetic signature was controlled by regulatory elements that might also be shared between species.

They took regulatory elements from fish, mice, and humans and put them into the zebrafish, which are transparent organisms. The scientists then looked under the microscope for color patterns to tell whether a green fluorescent protein or red fluorescent protein, which they had inserted along with the regulatory element, had been turned on in the intestine. They found that this was the case, indicating a very high level of conservation.

"Our findings suggest that intestinal epithelial cells use an ancient core program to do their job in the body of most vertebrates," said Dr. Lickwar, who is lead author of the study. "Now that we have identified this core program, we can more easily translate results back and forth between humans and zebrafish."

Go here to read the rest:
Ancient Gut Genetic Core Program Finding May Lead to New ... - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

GABRIELLA FIORINO

We trust our doctors with our lives. However, what is the reaction when some medical professionals allow unsanitary measures and diseases to break out into the population? Four institutions in the U.S. came under fire recently by the FDA for improperly handling microbiological organisms and exposing the public to smallpox after conducting unapproved techniques, endangering hundreds of lives.

The FDA identified four medical centers in California and Florida as utilizing unapproved stem cell therapies for those with cancer and other serious illnesses. One of the institutes, California Stem Cell Treatment Centers, applied a method developed by StemImmune Inc., which consisted of injecting clients with a mixture of the smallpox vaccine and stem cells. Dr. Mark Berman, co-founder of the California center, described their methods as cutting edge therapy for stage-4 cancer patients, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.

The consequences of such methods are worrisome; as the FDA claims exposure to the smallpox vaccine significantly increases the risk of life-threatening complications, including heart inflammation. Perhaps even more troubling is the fact that individuals in contact with those receiving the vaccine may develop similar symptoms, possibly infecting hundreds of others. The FDA is currently investigating how StemImmune Inc. received shipments of the vaccine, as the product is unavailable on the market.

The Stem Cell Clinic of Sunrise, Florida is another facility under investigation by the FDA for taking improper sanitary measures to prevent contamination during their therapies. According to the agency, the clinic refused to permit entry of an FDA inspector without an appointment, which is a violation of federal law. This refusal would not be the first time the Florida institution came under fire. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, three clients suffering from macular degeneration sustained blindness following treatment at the facility.

A variety of sources derive stem cells, including bone marrow, blood, umbilical cords, and controversially, human embryos. These products aid in the development and restoration of healthy human tissue, and help battle cancer, heart disease, and Parkinsons disease, as noted by the University of Utah. These products are also employed for spinal cord injuries, indicating critical applications, as the central nervous system does not naturally permit neuro-regeneration following damage. Excitingly, organs growth for those requiring life-saving transplants is another possible advancement.

These innovations are not without consequences, however. According to the Mayo Clinic, some may develop graft-versus-host disease, a condition in which a donors stem cells attack the patients tissues and organs, possibly leading to death. Risks of brain tumor development are also an increased possibility for those receiving injections in the spinal cord, as abnormal tissue growth may result.

As the FDA investigates unsound practices by the four institutes endangering the lives of hundreds, Americans should not be misled regarding stem cell therapies. Through proper sanitary measures, their uses are a huge medical development, comprising a myriad of medical advantages. Liberty Nation will keep readers up to date regarding the actions of the FDA against the four clinics.

Gabi is a Biomedical Sciences major and manages a Cognitive Neuroscience Research Lab at the University of Central Florida. A Libertarian, Gabi says shes surrounded on by whiny, wannabe anti-capitalists, posting about their victimhood on Facebook.Although leftists often confuse her with privileged white girls, Gabi is Puerto Rican and Italian.Make sense of that, liberals!

See the rest here:
Stem Cells and Mishandling Smallpox - Liberty Nation (registration) (blog)

A new project in the field of biotechnology, telemedicine, clinical research and medical services is completing preparations for pre-ICO. Open Longevity is organizing research of anti-aging therapies in humans by providing online advisory services. Their ultimate goal is to find and introduce effective methods of radical life extension into clinical practice. Therefore, the tokens are called YEAR.

The project claims they will combine the capabilities of modern IT-systems, the expertise of leading scientific analysts and the energy of the patients themselves. Another driving force they emphasize is openness and rejection of commercial benefits in those matters where this can affect the objectivity of scientific research.

One of the common concerns, when antiaging drugs are being mentioned, is that, once proven effective, anti-aging medicine will become available only to the elite. The fact that the trials results will belong to the patients community, might be a possible solution to this potential problem.

Mikhail Batin, the CEO of Open Longevity, states he is sure that effective ways to delay the onset of aging will be foundit is only a matter of time. He and his colleagues just want to accelerate the research.

The project consists of two parts: clinical trials and online service. Part of the funds raised through ICO will be spent on the first three studies: Longevity Diet-1 (a variant of a fasting mimicking diet); Alzheimers disease therapy (vitamin B12) and atherosclerosis therapy (sartans + statins). One can even find documents for the first trial in progress, though just in Russian yet. As the trial is planned to be submitted to NIHs https://clinicaltrials.gov, the documents will be translated into English at some point.

All the subsequent studies will later be also funded: life extension projects are expected to be submitted for voting on a general basis, voting will be conducted among all the YEAR token holders.

All clinical trials will be carried out in strict accordance with existing norms. Thus CROs (contract research organizations), laboratories, and clinical institutions that traditionally carry out similar research, will be involved. But OL team is already talking about making all paperwork more automated.

Another part of the funds will be spent on creating an online platform. By uploading biomedical data, users will be able to monitor their health and aging status in dynamics; receive recommendations from specialists and expert system based on AI; and also become volunteers in trials.

The service will be accessible to everyone. But payment with YEAR tokens is promised to be more favorable than paying with fiat currencies due to 50% discount. This, among other points mentioned in projects WP, has to maintain a constant token flow within the system and ensure the stability of its exchange rate.

The first three days of pre-ICO is going to be in the format of Private Placement. The registration has started already, but the date of preICO launch itself will be announced in advance in projects channels in Telegram.

Related

advertisement

Read the rest here:
Open Longevity Project: a Scientific Approach to Conquer Aging - Blockchain News

A tweet answered the biggest question in the AFC North in fewer than 100 characters, no less.

"Informed the team I am looking forward to my 14th season," Ben Roethlisberger told the Twitterverse in April. "Steeler Nation will get my absolute best."

With that, the division's pecking order was established. It's the Steelers and everyone else in a division that slumped significantly last season and is counting on its unmatched run of quarterback continuity to get it back among the NFL's best.

No other division has been as proficient in sending teams to the playoffs lately 18 in the past nine seasons. It's had multiple playoff teams in seven of the past nine seasons.

A big part of that starts with the most important position, and the AFC North excels and finding and keeping the good ones well, with one exception, of course.

Roethlisberger has nine playoff appearances, six division titles and two Super Bowl rings in his 13 seasons. Joe Flacco entering his 10th season helped Baltimore win playoff games in each of his first five seasons and added a Super Bowl MVP season. Andy Dalton got the Bengals into the playoffs in five of his six seasons, although they have yet to win one in the postseason.

And then there's Cleveland, where each new season brings a new quarterback and another lesson in why it's so important to have a proven quarterback. Rookie DeShone Kizer becomes QB No. 27 since they returned as an expansion team in 1999.

Some things to watch in the AFC North this season:

BEN'S POSSE: The Steelers went 13-6 and won their second division title in three years, losing to New England in the AFC title game with a depleted offense. It's well-stock ed this time around, with receiver Martavis Bryant returning from a 13-month drug suspension.

The only question was running back Le'Veon Bell, who balked at signing his franchise tender but reassured that he planned to rejoin the team as soon as the preseason games ended.

The defensive secondary has some soft spots that Tom Brady exposed in the AFC title game, but the defense overall is good enough to win another division title and challenge the Patriots for AFC supremacy if Roethlisberger can stay healthy.

OUCHY RAVENS: No team in the division has been affected by injuries more than the Ravens, who are at it again. Flacco didn't play in the preseason because of a bad back the opener in Cincinnati will mark his debut. A knee injury ended his 2015 season prematurely and led to a 5-11 finish. Flacco was back last season, but the Ravens struggled to an 8-8 finish, missing the playoffs for the third time in four years.

The Ravens spent the offseason upgrading the defense, but the offense is the main concern heading into the season. The offensive line is in flux because of injuries, along with the tight end position. And Flacco's back is the wild card in all of it.

"We've been missing guys pretty much all the way through," coach John Harbaugh said.

LEWIS FINISHES IT OUT: Coach Marvin Lewis enters his 15th season there's that AFC North continuity again even though he's 0-7 in the playoffs, an NFL record for futility. He failed to get a contract extension after the Bengals finished 6-9-1, leaving him on the final year of his deal. Whether he returns for 2018 depends upon how things turn out, and that likely will come down to two areas.

The offense is intact after missing A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard for roughly half the season. But the offensive line is inexperienced and lacks depth, and younger players are moving into bigger roles on a defense that will miss suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones for one game and linebacker Vontaze Burfict for five. Lewis' fate depends upon how it all holds together.

"It probably adds a little bit of pressure and becomes a talking point," owner Mike Brown said.

NEXT UP IN CLEVELAND: Young Kizer, it's your turn. And good luck with it. The Browns won only one time during Hue Jackson's first season as head coach, repeatedly letting games slip away. They're setting themselves up for another challenging season by going with the rookie, who got the job after completing just 6 of 18 passes for 93 yards with an interception in the third preseason game. Brock Osweiler and Cody Kessler are there if he needs to be bailed out.

Kizer is the fifth quarterback to start the season opener in the past five years. The Browns are 20-60 over that span.

"I need to go out there and work hard every day to stop that tradition here," Kizer said.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Browns.

Read more from the original source:
AFC North revolves largely around QB longevity - MyAJC.com - MyAJC

A healthy diet with lots of seasonal fruit and vegetables and no processed food, often vigorous daily exercise, a clean natural environment and a different outlook on life, where one is happy with little these are among the reasons often cited for the longevity of the inhabitants of the island of Icaria, who are among the longest-living people in the world.

Whats striking is that the same demographics and environmental characteristics existed on Icaria 400 years ago. Then, an archbishop described it as a small island that was the poorest but happiest in all the Aegean where you would often meet people whod made it to 100 years of age.

His name was Iosif Georgirinis, the archbishop of Samos, who described life on Nikaria (Icaria), as well as Samos, Patmos and Mount Athos, in a book he published in London in 1678. In it, he said of Nikaria, The air and the land are so healthy that they make its residents live a very long time. Its common come across centenarians. This is quite shocking when one considers their hardworking life. When it comes to the islands diet, the archbishop wrote, Before meal time, it is impossible to find bread anywhere on the island. Just before its time to eat, they use the necessary amount of wheat, grind it with the hand wheel, bake the dough on a slab of stone, and, when its ready, the head of the family shares out equal parts of this bread among the members of his family.

If there is a guest, they are offered a share, which is taken out of the family members, and they drink a third of the wine. Their diet is poor but their bodies are sturdy and hardy, and they generally live a long time. He also said, They live as if they wont live to see another day, thankful they managed to cope with the basic needs of the day.

Three-and-a-half centuries later, Icarians are still outliving their counterparts elsewhere around the world. According to the latest statistics, just 0.1 percent of Europeans live beyond the age of 90. On Icaria, however, that figure shoots up to more than 1 percent.

According to cardiology professor Christodoulos Stefanidis, the longevity of Icarians inspired a study that has so far yielded tremendous information on the island lifestyle and specific environmental factors. Dr Stefanidis notes, The Mediterranean diet, rich in fiber, vegetables, fruits and fish, the preference for Greek coffee, moderate consumption of wine, daily exercise, lower stress, less frequent cases of depression, companionship and social activity are a few of the behaviors common to young and elderly residents which, combined with the geophysical characteristics of the area, contribute to longevity.

The most significant finding on the island of longevity is that everything we observed in the IKARIA study was also observed 400 years ago, says cardiologist Panagiota Pietri, who is the director of the hypertension unit at the Athens Medical Center.

The writings of Iosif Georgirinis on this subject were recently published in the scientific journal Nature in an article titled Environment: An Old Clue to the Secret of Longevity. New findings on the longevity of Icaria residents will be unveiled at an international conference titled Longevity: A Realistic Goal, which will take place at the Athens Hilton on September 8 and 9.

Read the original:
Traveling archbishop picked up on Icarians' longevity 400 years ago - Kathimerini

Lola Adelaida during her daughter Marina Zrokas wedding in 1994. CONTRIBUTED

CHICAGO What can you say about a lola who dies at the age of 102? A lot. A lot of good memories, and how to live long like she did.

Filipino American resident Adelaida Battad Avila reached the century mark in December of 2014. She passed away in Chicago last February 27 and was interred in the Philippines.

She taught elementary school as a single young woman in her hometown of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur. After getting married, her husband Arturo Avila asked her to focus instead on raising their children and taking care of the household.

She was in her early thirties during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines and World War II.

As a mother to her firstborn baby, Napoleon, she was accidentally separated from her husband when a Japanese soldier apprehended her and her baby.

She pleaded to the Japanese soldier to let her and her baby go. The soldier eventually gestured with his hand for them to go, according to her daughter, Elizabeth Elayda.

The baby would have been thrown up in the air and be caught by a Japanese soldiers bayonet.

She raised seven children in Ilocos Sur. She was a grandmother to 14 and great-grandmother to 15.

Yet, Adelaida managed to take care of herself well. It was always her habit to take an afternoon nap and she kept this up until she was under the care of a 24-hour daily caregiver, Elizabeth said.

Gardening

She also tended to her gardens outside the house.

Years later, Elizabeth, who was already in the US, petitioned her mother to come and join her, which only took a few months to get approved. Adelaida arrived in June of 1980 at age 67. Subsequently, Adelaida petitioned for her husband, Arturo.

Her grandchild, David Avila, 38, remembers his grandmother.

I know she was always proud of all her grandchildren. I always felt that she put education as a top priority, and speaking for myself I never wanted to disappoint her.

She always sent me a letter (most times with cash) during my birthday, David added.

There was a dish that I always fond of that my grandmother made whenever I was hungry or wanted a quick snack. She would take leftover rice, put in a couple scoops of the Nestle Quik powder, and add water and mix it all up. I could never duplicate the way she made it taste.

Adelaida Battad Avila, circa 1920s or 30s. CONTRIBUTED

Adelaidas husband predeceased her in 1989 at the age of 75.

Further aging

Several factors may have contributed to her longevity.

According to the website The Centenarian UK, a physical commonality of centenarians is not showing any signs of cognitive difficulties or dementia before the age of 92.

Adelaida was able to add two-digit numbers and could still spell words with 100 percent accuracy at age 100, but that ability declined as she advanced in age, according to Elizabeth.

At age 100, she developed early stages of dementia. Adelaida had also developed high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation (irregular heartbeat).

Being in America also helped in prolonging her good quality of life from the special services she got from the statehospitalization, therapy and homemaker services, and support from her children and their spouses, Elizabeth explained.

Although she had much care, and practical nurses around the clock, she declined a recommended pacemaker placement and kypoplasty surgeries, which probably would have prolonged her life further, Elizabeth said.

She added that her mother was only hospitalized once while being in the US since 1987.

Commonality

Another physical commonality centenarians share according to The Centenarian UK is having a lean body. Adelaida kept a consistent diet.

She ate oatmeal for breakfast every day. She liked to eat spinach and broccoli and avoided fatty foods, which helped her keep a slim figure, according to Elizabeth.A third physical commonality the website mentions is having at least one other long-lived close relative in their family histories.

Among eight siblings, Adelaida was one of four who reached the age of 80, along with her father Severino B. Battad, who passed away at the age of 80 in 1970.

So, I hope you took notethat is if you want to reach the century mark. Just like Lola Adelaida.

Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.

View post:
How Adelaida Battad Avila, who died at 102 in Chicago, achieved longevity - Inquirer.net

After 21 seasons, all with the Winnipeg Jets/Arizona Coyotes franchise, Shane Doan announced his retirement from the NHL on Wednesday. Although his biography doesn't include many individual or team awards, he will be remembered for his consistency and longevity, and for what that meant to hockey in Arizona.

Doan's peak never reached great heights, but he sustained a top-line level of performance that made him one of the most valuable players to his team for a prolonged period.

Throughout his NHL career, Doan was deployed as a classic power forward. He was used primarily in the offensive zone and on the power play, and tasked with hitting and scoring. He was 18th in the League with 1,856 hits since the 2005-06 season, when hits were first recorded, and ranked seventh among active NHL players with 402 goals at the time of his retirement, 11th with 570 assists, and 10th with 972 points. He scored 313 points on the power play, which ranked 13th.

There are two key factors when breaking down a player's career performance: how well he played at his peak and how long he could perform at or near that level. Doan's career was relatively unspectacular by the former criterion but exceptional from the latter.

[RELATED: Doan offers 'thank you' to fans | Doan's most memorable moments]

Doan reached his peak at the unusually late age of 31, with 78 points (28 goals, 50 assists) in 80 games in 2007-08, and had 73 points (31 goals, 42 assists) in 82 games the following season. That makes him one of 14 players to have at least 70 points twice in his 30s without doing so previously.

How great was his peak? A player's peak is measured using three seasons, to avoid temporary fluctuations caused by hot streaks that can occur during a few seasons. From 2006-09, Doan had 206 points (86 goals, 140 assists) in 235 games, which ranked 28th in the NHL.

Advancing beyond goals and assists, there are catch-all statistics that attempt to measure a player's contributions in a single number. The most popular one for which data is available for all of Doan's NHL career is Tom Awad's Goals Versus Threshold (GVT), which estimates how many goals a player scored and/or prevented, relative to the best available replacement in the NHL (or elsewhere).

From that perspective, Doan's peak performance improved the Coyotes by 37.6 goals during that three-year peak, which would place him just outside the top 50 players in the NHL. However, there is plenty of subjective evidence that confirms that Doan was among the top 30 forwards in the League at his peak. He was selected to represent Canada at the 2006 Torino Olympics, and he finished sixth in voting for the NHL All-Star Game in 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Video: Top Moment #6: Doan's 400th Goal & 1,500th Game

Regardless of how high he ranked at his best, Doan's career isn't remarkable for the height of its peak but for how long it was sustained and how much that meant to a franchise that was otherwise devoid of top talent.

Starting with his promotion to a top-six forward in 1999-2000, Doan finished among the top three on the Coyotes in scoring for 13 consecutive seasons. Since 1999-2000, Doan scored at least 20 goals in a season 13 times, tied with Patrick Marleau for third behind Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa, who each has done so 15 times in that span.

Doan led the Coyotes in scoring seven consecutive seasons from 2003-11. During this time, he scored 455 points (181 goals, 274 assists) in 550 games, which was 291 more points than defenseman Ed Jovanovski, who was second on the Coyotes with 164 points (47 goals, 117 assists) in 332 games.

That was the largest gap between first and second place in the NHL, ahead of Iginla, then of the Calgary Flames (288 points), and Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals (260 points). Although Doan's scoring peak may not have reached the same heights as Iginla's, his longevity certainly has, and his value to the Coyotes was just as significant.

As one of the most versatile power forwards in the League, not all of Doan's contributions can be measured in terms of goals and assists. In addition to hitting, scoring, and playing with the man-advantage, Doan could be trusted in all three zones and against various levels of opponents, could take a regular shift killing penalties, was 12 for 40 in the shootout, and had positive shot-based metrics relative to his team each of the past eight seasons that the information has been available.

Doan also played a key leadership role as captain of the Coyotes from 2003-17. Even in his final season, Doan proved his value by helping to develop rookie forwards Brendan Perlini and Christian Dvorak on an effective third line.

Some players establish their place in hockey history with scoring records and trophies. Others, like Doan, have earned their place among the game's greats by having a consistently significant impact to his team in the long term.

Visit link:
Consistency, longevity highlight Doan's NHL career - NHL.com

Adults who drank four cups of coffee a day had a 64% lower risk of dying during a new 10-year Spanish study, compared to those who rarely or never drank the beverage. The link between coffee and reduced mortality risk was strongest for people over 45, the authors say, suggesting that the drinks protective elements are even more important in older age.

The new research, presented Sunday at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Barcelona, has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed medical journal. Previous studies have suggested that coffee consumption reduces the risk of early death from all causes, but this provided some additional insights into how coffee might affect people of different ages.

For the study, researchers analyzed health data and food-frequency questionnaires from nearly 20,000 Spanish university graduates who were involved in a long-term research project and followed for an average of 10 years.

Those who drank the most coffee (four or more cups a day) were 64% less likely to die during the study than those who drank the least (seldom or never) coffee. Overall, every two cups of coffee people consumed per day was associated with a 22% lower risk of death over 10 years.

That association remained even when the researchers controlled for factors including gender, smoking status, and whether the coffee drinkers added sugar to their coffee.

When the researchers looked at different age groups, they also found that the benefits were largely confined to older participants: For adults who were at least 45 when the study began, every two cups of coffee per day was associated with a 30% lower risk of dying over the next 10 years. In those younger than 45, there was no significant effect in either lowering or increasing mortality.

The study could not prove a cause-and-effect relationship between coffee consumption and mortality rates. Lead author Dr. Adela Navarro, a cardiologist at Hospital de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, says the results do, however, suggest that coffee may have a stronger protective effect among older adults. Drinking four cups of coffee a day can be part of a healthy diet in healthy people, she says. That endorsement echoes a similar conclusion published in Food and Chemical Toxicology earlier this year, which found that up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (about four 8-ounce cups of coffee) is safe for most people.

Two studies published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in July also found that regular coffee consumption was associated with a reduced risk of deathone in a U.S. population that included African-American, Japanese-Americans, Latino, and white participants, and one in a European population spanning 10 countries.

What components in coffee could be contributing to longevity in older people? Besides caffeine, coffee contains several bioactive compounds with potential beneficial properties, Navarro said Sunday during her presentationincluding compounds that are known to fight inflammation, a common contributor to age-related health problems. And because of coffees popularity around the world, she added, even a small health effect could have important public health consequences.

View post:
Coffee's Health Perks May Be Strongest for People Over 45 - TIME

A tweet answered the biggest question in the AFC North in fewer than 100 characters, no less.

"Informed the team I am looking forward to my 14th season," Ben Roethlisberger told the Twitterverse in April. "Steeler Nation will get my absolute best."

With that, the division's pecking order was established. It's the Steelers and everyone else in a division that slumped significantly last season and is counting on its unmatched run of quarterback continuity to get it back among the NFL's best.

No other division has been as proficient in sending teams to the playoffs lately 18 in the past nine seasons. It's had multiple playoff teams in seven of the past nine seasons.

A big part of that starts with the most important position, and the AFC North excels and finding and keeping the good ones well, with one exception, of course.

Roethlisberger has nine playoff appearances, six division titles and two Super Bowl rings in his 13 seasons. Joe Flacco entering his 10th season helped Baltimore win playoff games in each of his first five seasons and added a Super Bowl MVP season. Andy Dalton got the Bengals into the playoffs in five of his six seasons, although they have yet to win one in the postseason.

And then there's Cleveland, where each new season brings a new quarterback and another lesson in why it's so important to have a proven quarterback. Rookie DeShone Kizer becomes QB No. 27 since they returned as an expansion team in 1999.

Some things to watch in the AFC North this season:

BEN'S POSSE: The Steelers went 13-6 and won their second division title in three years, losing to New England in the AFC title game with a depleted offense . It's well-stock ed this time around, with receiver Martavis Bryant returning from a 13-month drug suspension.

The only question was running back Le'Veon Bell, who balked at signing his franchise tender but reassured that he planned to rejoin the team as soon as the preseason games ended.

The defensive secondary has some soft spots that Tom Brady exposed in the AFC title game, but the defense overall is good enough to win another division title and challenge the Patriots for AFC supremacy if Roethlisberger can stay healthy.

OUCHY RAVENS: No team in the division has been affected by injuries more than the Ravens, who are at it again. Flacco didn't play in the preseason because of a bad back the opener in Cincinnati will mark his debut. A knee injury ended his 2015 season prematurely and led to a 5-11 finish. Flacco was back last season, but the Ravens struggled to an 8-8 finish, missing the playoffs for the third time in four years.

The Ravens spent the offseason upgrading the defense, but the offense is the main concern heading into the season. The offensive line is in flux because of injuries, along with the tight end position. And Flacco's back is the wild card in all of it.

"We've been missing guys pretty much all the way through," coach John Harbaugh said.

LEWIS FINISHES IT OUT: Coach Marvin Lewis enters his 15th season there's that AFC North continuity again even though he's 0-7 in the playoffs, an NFL record for futility. He failed to get a contract extension after the Bengals finished 6-9-1, leaving him on the final year of his deal. Whether he returns for 2018 depends upon how things turn out, and that likely will come down to two areas.

The offense is intact after missing A.J. Green, Tyler Eifert and Giovani Bernard for roughly half the season. But the offensive line is inexperienced and lacks depth, and younger players are moving into bigger roles on a defense that will miss suspended cornerback Adam "Pacman" Jones for one game and linebacker Vontaze Burfict for five . Lewis' fate depends upon how it all holds together.

"It probably adds a little bit of pressure and becomes a talking point," owner Mike Brown said.

NEXT UP IN CLEVELAND: Young Kizer, it's your turn. And good luck with it. The Browns won only one time during Hue Jackson's first season as head coach, repeatedly letting games slip away. They're setting themselves up for another challenging season by going with the rookie, who got the job after completing just 6 of 18 passes for 93 yards with an interception in the third preseason game. Brock Osweiler and Cody Kessler are there if he needs to be bailed out.

Kizer is the fifth quarterback to start the season opener in the past five years. The Browns are 20-60 over that span.

"I need to go out there and work hard every day to stop that tradition here," Kizer said.

PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH: Steelers, Bengals, Ravens, Browns.

For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP

Excerpt from:
NFL 2017: AFC North revolves largely around QB longevity - ABC News

Shares of US Stem Cell Inc (USRM) opened the last session at 0.0200, touching a high of 0.0200 and a low of 0.0200 , yielding a change of0.0011. The latest reading places the stock below the Ichimoku cloud which indicates negative momentum and a potential sellsignal for the equity.

The Ichimoku cloud is a favorite technical indicator used primarily in Asian markets. The cloud is one of the only indicators that is both forward and backward looking. The cloud produces better levels of support and resistance and is a breakout traders best friend. The cloud is also one of the easiest indicators to use. Any trader, regardless of skill level or expertise, can use the cloud to quickly and efficiently analyze any product on any time frame. The cloud shines in the fact that it can be universally applied to any trading plan by any trader.

It is a type of chart used in technical analysis to display support and resistance, momentum, and trend in one view. TenkanSen and KijunSen are similar to moving averages and analyzed in relationship to one another. When the shorter term indicator, TenkanSen, rises above the longer term indicator, KijunSen, the securities trend is typically positive. When TenkanSen falls below KijunSen, the securities trend is typically negative. TenkanSen and KijunSen as a group are then analyzed in relationship to the Cloud, which is composed of the area between Senkou A and Senkou B.A multi-faceted indicator designed to give support/resistance levels, trend direction, and entry/exit points of varying strengths. General theory behind this indicator states that if price action is above the cloud, the overall trend is bullish, and if below the cloud, the overall trend is bearish. There are also moving averages (the Tenkan and Kijun lines) which act like the MACD crossover signals with the Tenkan crossing from underneath the Kijun as a bullish signal, while crossing overhead giving a bearish signal.

It is no secret that most investors have the best of intentions when diving into the equity markets. Making sound, informed decisions can help the investor make the most progress when dealing with the markets. Often times, investors may think they have everything in order, but they still come out on the losing end. Investors may need to figure out ways to keep emotion out of stock picking. Sometimes trading on emotions can lead to poor results. Making hasty decisions and not paying attention to the correct data can lead to poor performing portfolios in the long-term.

Checking on some popular technical levels, US Stem Cell Inc (USRM) has a 14-day Commodity Channel Index (CCI) of -84.33. The CCI technical indicator can be employed to help figure out if a stock is entering overbought or oversold territory. CCI may also be used to help discover divergences that may signal reversal moves. A CCI closer to +100 may provide an overbought signal, and a CCI near -100 may provide an oversold signal.

Tracking other technical indicators, the 14-day RSI is presently standing at 38.60, the 7-day sits at 38.88, and the 3-day is resting at 48.14 for US Stem Cell Inc (USRM). The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is a highly popular technical indicator. The RSI is computed base on the speed and direction of a stocks price movement. The RSI is considered to be an internal strength indicator, not to be confused with relative strength which is compared to other stocks and indices. The RSI value will always move between 0 and 100. One of the most popular time frames using RSI is the 14-day.

Moving averages have the ability to be used as a powerful indicator for technical stock analysis. Following multiple time frames using moving averages can help investors figure out where the stock has been and help determine where it may be possibly going. The simple moving average is a mathematical calculation that takes the average price (mean) for a given amount of time. Currently, the 7-day moving average is sitting at 0.02.

Lets take a further look at the Average Directional Index or ADX. The ADX measures the strength or weakness of a particular trend. Investors and traders may be looking to figure out if a stock is trending before employing a specific trading strategy. The ADX is typically used along with the Plus Directional Indicator (+DI) and Minus Directional Indicator (-DI) which point to the direction of the trend. The 14-day ADX for US Stem Cell Inc (USRM) is currently at 69.43. In general, and ADX value from 0-25 would represent an absent or weak trend. A value of 25-50 would support a strong trend. A value of 50-75 would signify a very strong trend, and a value of 75-100 would point to an extremely strong trend.

By

Read more:
US Stem Cell Inc (USRM) Holds Negative Momentum As Price is Below the Cloud - Rockville Register

Scott McIntyre calls himself a walking miracle, and he wants to tell the world about it.

I was given three to six months to survive and Im 16 months in remission, said the 53-year-old South Bend man. I would love to get the story out and let people have hope. Dont give up. You never know.

On Friday, a University of Chicago Medicine marketing team shot video and still images of Scott at Shamrock Truck Sales, the semi-truck sales and service business he co-owns near LaPaz. His face will adorn billboards, digital and print ads in Chicagoland and northwest Indiana as soon as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves what UCM is calling a revolutionary breakthrough in cancer treatment.

If that FDA approval comes and UCM is preparing for it to come very soon UCM will have one of the only facilities in the Midwest certified to administer chimeric antigen receptor T-cell infusion, or CAR T-cell, a newer form of immunotherapy.

Video: CAR T treatment gives hope in cancer fight

In CAR T-cell therapy, a type of white blood cell called T-cells are extracted from the patients blood and modified in the lab to recognize specific cancer cells. These supercharged T-cells are then infused back into the patient, where they search out and destroy cancer cells.

The therapy, often described as a living drug because it is customized with each patients T-cells, will be marketed as Kymriah by Swiss pharmaceutical maker Novartis.

Scott was excited to hear news Wednesday that the FDA approved the same treatment for a form of childhood leukemia, meaning, he hopes, that it won't be long before it's approved for his form of cancer, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The FDA called the approval "historic" because it marks the first cell-based gene therapy approved in the United States.

Scott is one of 130 patients nationally in the clinical trial for his form of lymphoma, and he was the first to receive the treatment at UCM. That happened in May 2016, when he had exhausted all other options.

Scott has been feeling good for just less than a year. Chemotherapy has taken his hair three times but he has a full head of it once again. He can play an entire round of golf with his son. An avid Notre Dame football fan and season ticket holder, he had to miss each game in 2015, but plans to attend every game this season.

In May 2013, Scott noticed a painful growth in his groin area. His family doctor, Dr. Joseph Caruso, said he had developed a swollen lymph node, which could have resulted from his body trying to fight off an infection. Caruso asked him if he had recently had an infection, and Scott recounted recently stepping on a rusty nail while the roof on his home was being replaced. Caruso prescribed an antibiotic and the swelling seemed to go away.

But four months later, while in the shower, Scott noticed another lump under his arm. He went back to Caruso, who referred him to South Bend-based Beacon Health System oncologist Dr. Thomas Reid. After some scans, Reid diagnosed Stage 3 lymphoma.

Reid administered the standard treatment, four cycles of a chemotherapy regimen known as R-CHOP, an effective but highly toxic blend of drugs causing severe side effects. The fourth cycle had to be delayed because he developed appendicitis, and it was tougher than the first three.

After all of that, the cancer started growing again just two months later.

Reid referred him to Dr. Sonali Smith, professor of medicine and director of UCMs lymphoma program. Smith and her team knew the CAR T-cell therapy was being investigated in a few select centers. Their short-term goal was to keep him alive until they could be cleared to administer the clinical trial.

In February 2015, Scott received a stem-cell transplant, which went smoothly. But three months later, the cancer again started growing. Participation in two more clinical trials and some precisely targeted radiation therapy bought a little more time, but by late 2015, his lymphoma was gaining on him.

Then, in early February 2016, the UCM team received the go-ahead for the CAR T-cell treatment and began harvesting his T cells, a process that resembles dialysis. Scott said another patient had been slated to receive the treatment first, but that patient died.

It was during an appointment in May 2016, just a week before the treatment, that Scott first grasped how close he was to dying. Smith told him the treatment could cause severe side effects, including death. Five people in the trial had died.

I said, I understand. What other options do I have? Scott recalled. She says, Oh youve already surpassed all expectations. I said, What do you mean by that? And thats when she said, after the stem cell, if it comes back, life expectancy is six months. It was a rough day. On the way home I was pretty shaken up.

A little after 9:30 a.m. on May 18, 2016, Scott, sporting a Notre Dame baseball cap, was prepared for the treatment. Carefully observing was Dr. Michael Bishop, professor of medicine and director of the Hematopoietic Cellular Therapy Program at UCM, and about a dozen members of his team. A technician brought in his modified T-cells, thawed them out and infused them into Scott intravenously.

Ten minutes later, the treatment was finished. Afterward, he and his wife Cindy spent 28 days in the hospital and then were required to live in an apartment within 10 minutes of the university hospital. They were allowed to move back home to South Bend in July, about two months after the treatment.

Its incredible, Cindy said of Scotts recovery thus far. We did not realize what we were getting into, all of the risks, until days before. She (Dr. Smith) may have mentioned it but it didnt sink in. We both realized that win, lose or draw, theyre going to learn so much, just from how he responds to it.

Cindy praised how well Drs. Reid and Smith worked together between South Bend and Chicago, and how they told them just enough to be informed without telling them so much that they panicked.

She said, theres this trial, Cindy said. This is for you. You were designed for this trial and it was designed for you. We just have to keep you going until we can give it to you.

The treatment was on a Wednesday. By Friday night, his first fever came and it wasnt a surprise. Once they enter the body, each T cell multiplies rapidly, producing thousands of offspring. Then they launch a vigorous assault. All of that warfare occurring inside the body can cause severe flu-like symptoms: fever, swelling, low blood pressure.

On Sunday his fever spiked to 104 degrees. They packed him in ice around his neck and under his arms, and managed to break the fever without sending him into intensive care.

He also experienced some neurological effects, including tremors, cognitive delays and blurred vision.

Now, more than a year later, Smith still wants to see Scott every three months, and he remains very susceptible to infections because his immunity will always be compromised not from the CAR T-cell but from all of the chemotherapy. He still has some swelling because the scar tissue from three surgeries restricts the flow of lymphotic fluids.

I feel it all the time and I have very limited range of movements but it doesnt stop me, he said.

Unless the lawn needs to be mowed, then it really bothers him, she said. Some things will never change.

She said she never imagined she had married a pioneer.

I knew I had married somebody very unique, very special, but definitely not a pioneer, she said. He was the last person you ever thought would be sick. Doesnt drink. Doesnt smoke. Never had ventured on the wild side. This wasnt supposed to happen.

So far the FDA has only approved T-cell treatments for blood cancers, such as lymphoma and leukemia, but not solid tumor cancers, such as breast and colon cancer, which kill many more people. But Bishop of UCM said that day is coming. He expects those clinical trials to begin within a year or two, and receive FDA approval within about five years.

Its very exciting, Bishop said. The technology is a little more complicated but it has the potential to treat a broad spectrum of cancers. Ive been doing this for 25 years and this is one of the most significant advances Ive seen in my career.

Meanwhile, Scott will keep telling his story of hope to everyone he can, including himself. Bishop said Scott's cancer has a 10- to 20-percent chance to recur.

Youre still thinking that the other shoe can drop, Scott said. The mantra I use when negative thoughts enter my head is, Alright Scott, are you giving up? No. Are you quitting? No. Then shut up. I dont know if that will ever go away.

Read the original:
South Bend man a 'walking miracle' after cancer treatment breakthrough - South Bend Tribune

The effects of spaceflight on the human body have been studied actively since the mid-20th century and it is widely known that microgravity influences metabolism, heat regulation, heart rhythm, muscle tone, bone density, the respiration system.

Last year research from the US also found that astronauts who travelled into deep space on lunar missions were five times more likely to have died from cardiovascular disease than those who went into low orbit, or never left Earth.

Astronauts are fitter than the general population and have access to the best medical care, meaning that their health is usually better than the general population. Those of comparable age but who never flew, or only achieved low Earth orbit, had less than a one in 10 chance of death from cardiovascular disease.

But the chance of death rose to 43 per cent for those who reached the Moon or deep space, probably because of the impact of deadly space radiation.

Read more from the original source:
How our immune systems could stop humans reaching Mars - Telegraph.co.uk