StemCell Therapy

Cataracts are the single leading cause of blindness worldwide, afflicting roughly 42 percent of the global population, including more than 22 million Americans. The disease, which causes cloudy patches to form on the eye's normally clear lens, can require surgery if left untreated. That's why Google's DeepMind AI division has teamed with the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and Moorfields Eye Hospital to train a neural network that will help doctors diagnose early stage cataracts.

The neural network is being trained on a million anonymized optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans (think of a sonogram, but using light instead of sound waves) in the hopes it will eventually be able to supplement human doctors' analyses, increasing both the efficiency and accuracy of individual diagnoses.

"OCT has totally revolutionized the field of ophthalmology. It's an imaging system for translucent structures that utilizes coherent light," Dr. Julie Schallhorn, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at UC San Francisco, said. "It was first described in 1998 and it gives near-cell resolution of the cornea, retina and optic nerve.

"The optic nerve is only about 200 microns thick, but you can see every cell in it. It's given us a much-improved understanding of the pathogenesis of diseases and also their response to treatments." The new iteration of OCT also measures the phase-shift of refracted light, allowing doctors to resolve images down to the capillary level and observe the internal structures in unprecedented detail.

"We're great at correcting refractive errors in the eyes so we can give you good vision far away pretty reliably, or up close pretty reliably," Schallhorn continued. "But the act of shifting focus from distance to near requires different optical powers inside the eye. The way the eye handles this when you're young is through a process called 'accommodation.'" There's a muscle that contracts and changes the shape of the lens to help you focus on close objects. When you get older, even before you typically develop cataracts, the lens will stiffen and reduce the eye's ability to change its shape.

"The lenses that we have been putting in during cataract surgery are not able to mimic that [shapeshifting] ability, so people have to wind up wearing reading glasses," Schallhorn said. There's a lot of work in the field to find solutions for this issue and help restore the eye's accommodation.

There are two front-runners for that: Accommodating lenses, which use the same ciliary muscle to shift focus, and multifocal lenses, which work just like your parents' multifocal reading glasses except that they sit directly on the eye itself. The multifocals have been on the market for about a decade, though their design and construction has been refined over that time.

To ensure the lenses that doctors are implanting are just as accurate as the diseased ones they're removing, surgeons are beginning to use optiwave refractive analysis. Traditionally, doctors relied on measurements taken before the surgery to know how to shape the replacement lenses and combined those with nomograms to estimate how powerful the new lens should be.

The key word there is "estimate." "They especially have problems in patients who have already had refractive surgery like LASIK," Schallhorn explained. The ORA system, however, performs a wavefront measurement of the cornea after the cataract has been removed to help surgeons more accurately pick the right replacement lens for the job.

Corneal inlays are also being used. These devices resemble miniature contact lenses but sit in a pocket on the cornea that's been etched out with a LASIK laser to mimic the process of accommodation and provide a greater depth of focus. They essentially serve the same function as camera apertures. The Kamra lens from AcuFocus and the Raindrop Near Vision Inlay from Revision Optics are the only inlays approved by the FDA for use in the US.

Glaucoma afflicts more than 70 million people annually. This disease causes fluid pressure within the eye to gradually increase, eventually damaging the optic nerve that carries electrical signals from the eye to the brain. Normally, detecting the early stages of glaucoma requires a comprehensive eye exam by a trained medical professional -- folks who are often in short supply in rural and underserved communities. However, the Cambridge Consultants' Viewi headset allows anyone to diagnose the disease -- so long as they have a smartphone and 10 minutes to spare.

The Viewi works much like the Daydream View, wherein the phone provides the processing power for a VR headset shell -- except, of course, that instead of watching 360 degree YouTube videos, the screen displays the flashing light patterns used to test for glaucoma. The results are reportedly good enough to share with you eye doctor and take only about five minutes per eye. Best of all, the procedure costs only about $25, which makes it ideal for use in developing nations.

And while there is no known cure for glaucoma, a team of researchers from Stanford University may soon have one. Last July, the team managed to partially restore the vision of mice suffering from a glaucoma-like condition.

Normally, when light hits your eye, specialized cells in the retina convert that light into electrical signals. These signals are then transmitted via retinal ganglion cells, whose long appendages run along the optic nerve and spread out to various parts of the brain's visual-processing bits. But if the optic nerve or the ganglion cells have been damaged through injury or illness, they stay damaged. They won't just grow back like your olfactory sensory nerve.

However, the Stanford team found that subjecting mice to a few weeks of high-contrast visual stimulation after giving them drugs to reactivate the mTOR pathway, which has been shown to instigate new growth in ganglion cells, resulted in "substantial numbers" of new axons. The results are promising, though the team will need to further boost the rate and scope of axon growth before the technique can be applied to humans.

Researchers from Japan have recently taken this idea of cajoling the retina into healing itself and applied it to age-related macular degeneration cases. AMD primarily affects people aged 60 and over (hence the name). It slowly kills cells in the macula, the part of the eye that processes sharp detail, and causes the central focal point of their field of vision to deteriorate, leaving only the peripheral.

The research team from Kyoto University and the RIKEN Center for Developmental Biology first took a skin sample from a human donor, then converted it into induced pluripotent stem (IPS) cells. These IPS cells are effectively blank slates and can be coerced into redeveloping into any kind of cell you need. By injecting these cells into the back of the patient's eye, they should regrow into retinal cells.

In March of this year, the team implanted a batch of these cells into a Japanese sexagenarian who suffers from AMD in the hope that the stem cells would take hold and halt, if not begin to reverse, the damage to his macula. The team has not yet been able to measure the efficacy of this treatment but, should it work out, the researchers will look into creating a stem-cell bank where patients could immediately obtain IPS cells for their treatment rather than wait months for donor samples to be converted.

And while there isn't a reliable treatment for dry-AMD, wherein fatty protein deposits damage the Bruchs membrane, a potent solution for wet-AMD, which involves blood leaking into the eyeball, has been discovered in a most unlikely place: cancer medication. "Genentech started developing a new drug when an ophthalmologist in Florida just decided to inject the commercially available drug into patients eyes," Schallhorn explained.

"Generally this is not a great idea because sometimes things will go terribly wrong," she continued, "but this worked super-well. It basically stops and reverses the growth of these blood vessels." The only problem is that the drugs don't last, requiring patients to receive injections into their eyeballs every four to eight weeks. Genentech and other pharma companies are working to reformulate the drug -- or at least develop a mechanical "reservoir" -- so it has to be injected only once or twice a year.

Stem-cell treatments like those used in the Kyoto University trial have already proved potentially effective against a wide range of genomic diseases, so why shouldn't it work on the rare genetic condition known as choroideremia? This disease is caused by a single faulty gene and primarily affects young men. Similar to AMD, choroideremia causes light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye to slowly wither and die, resulting in partial to complete blindness.

In April of 2016, a team of researchers from Oxford University performed an experimental surgery on a 24-year-old man suffering from the disease. They first injected a small amount of liquid into the back of the eye to lift a section of the retina away from the interior cellular wall. The team then injected functional copies of the gene into that same cavity, replacing the faulty copies and not only halting the process of cellular death but actually restoring a bit of the patient's vision.

Gene therapy may be "surely the most efficient way of treating a disease," lead author of the study, Oxford professor Robert MacLaren, told BBC News, but its widespread use is still a number of years away. Until then, good old-fashioned gadgetry will have to suffice. Take the Argus II, for example.

The Argus II bionic eye from Second Sight has been in circulation since 2013, when the FDA approved its use in treating retinitis pigmentosa. It has since gotten the go-ahead for use with AMD in 2015. The system leverages a wireless implant which sits on the retina and receives image data from an external camera that's mounted on a pair of glasses. The implant converts that data into an electrical signal which stimulates the remaining retinal cells to generate a visual image.

The Argus isn't the only implantable eyepiece. French startup Pixium Vision developed a similar system, the IRIS II, back in 2015 and implanted it in a person last November after receiving clearance from the European Union. The company is already in talks with the FDA to bring its IRIS II successor, a miniaturized wireless subretinal photovoltaic implant called PRIMA, to US clinical trials by the end of this year.

Ultimately, the goal is to be able to replace a damaged or diseased eye entirely, if necessary, using a robotic prosthetic. However, there are still a number of technological hurdles that must be overcome before that happens, as Schallhorn explained.

"The big thing that's holding us back from a fully functional artificial eye is that we need to find a way to interface with the optic nerve and the brain in a way that we transmit signals," she said. "That's the same problem we're facing with prosthetic limbs right now. But there are a lot of smart people in the field working on that, and I'm sure they'll come up with something soon."

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High-tech solutions top the list in the fight against eye disease - Engadget

Vision Express has discovered that 92% of the patients tested on its Vision Van, as part of a recent UK tour during Macular Week, are not attending regular eye checks.

The multiple revealed that 64% to the patient it saw required a new prescription, 19% had not had their sight checked for over 10 years and 5% admitted never having an eye exam before their visit to the Vision Van.

Referrals were also made for further medical attention that related to suspected high cholesterol, central vision problems and a freckle on the eye.

CEO of Vision Express, Jonathan Lawson, told OT: Our Vision Van continues to receive a fantastic response from the public, but its very concerning that we are still seeing a worrying neglect for eye health, with such a high percentage of visitors to the van admitting to not having had their eyes checked in over 10 years. Worse still, several visitors told us they had never had an eye test.

The Vision Van toured the UK during Macular Week (2630 June) in a bid to improve the countrys prospects for age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of sight loss in the UK.

The mobile eye testing unit visited Boston, Wrexham and Leicester, after each city was identified as having a high percentage of people aged over 65. The van also visited Blackpool because of its reputation for smoking, and Huddersfield, where the rate of sight loss due to AMD is higher than the national average.

I hope that by continuing to take our Vision Van out on the road, targeting UK eye health hotspots, we can encourage even more people to consider maintaining regular sight check- ups. Our key concern is for the public to take eye care seriously, and the starting point is a simple examination, Mr Lawson said.

The CEO also revealed that the majority of people Vision Express spoke to on the tour did not realise that an eye test can detect other health-related problems and added that this is the reason why theres a need for initiatives like the Vision Van.

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Nine out of ten Vision Van visitors do not attend regular eye checks - AOP

A transplant can cure end-stage liver cirrhosis - hardening of the liver - but not all patients have this option.

For those who are not eligible for a transplant, an alternative may be in sight.

A clinical trial was launched yesterday to explore the use of stem cells to reverse liver cirrhosis.

In the study conducted by a multi-centre team led by the National University Hospital (NUH), doctors aim to determine if stem-cell therapy can improve liver function. Stem cells will be taken from a patient's own bone marrow and will be isolated and injected directly into the patient's liver to initiate the repair.

The $2.6 million Phase III trial will use biopsy and clinical measurements of liver function to test the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of the stem-cell treatment.

The study is funded by the National Medical Research Council, and a total of 46 patients will be recruited. It will run for four years, and patients will not need to bear the costs of stem-cell treatment.

Liver cirrhosis is caused by diseases such as chronic hepatitis B and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. A liver transplant provides a definitive cure to end-stage cirrhosis. However, in Singapore, less than 5 per cent of end-stage liver cirrhosis patients receive a liver transplant.

The number of people on the waiting list for a liver transplant has been increasing over the years, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health.

Last year, there were 57 on the waiting list, up from nine in 2007. There are around 50 waiting for a liver transplant this year.

Many patients do not fulfil the eligibility criteria for a transplant because of other health complications or because they are above the age limit of about 70 years.

Ms Jac Low, 44, who works in the engineering sector, is optimistic. Her 70-year-old mother suffers from liver cirrhosis and is waiting to enter the trial.

"This brings new hope to patients, and my mother is happy to learn about it," said Ms Low.

While similar therapy treatments have been conducted overseas in countries such as Egypt and India, they have not been fully evaluated for efficacy.

Associate Professor Dan Yock Young, a senior consultant in the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at NUH, said: "We are conducting the study in a systematic and scientific manner in order to get definitive evidence of the effects of the treatment."

He said stem-cell therapy is not a substitute for a liver transplant but provides an option for those who are not eligible for one.

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Can't go for liver transplant? There's hope still, Health News & Top ... - The Straits Times

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WSET) -- Some scientists say they've figured out how to safely 'shut off' genes.

WCAV in Charlottesville reported that it could potentially lead to curing some genetic diseases.

'Gene editing,' using something called using the CRISPR system, has been around for a few years, but a team at UVA says it found a way to 'silence' genes without harming surrounding cells.

The discovery could eventually help doctors turn off genes that are making patients sick.

It will also help scientists be able to more directly research genes individually.

"For a lot of these genes in our body, we still don't know their functions," said Dr. Mazhar Adli, with the UVA Dept. of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics. "So now we are able to go and inactivate each gene and to study what the gene is doing."

Among the diseases that doctors could possible treat with the gene-silencing method are cystic fibrosis and hemophilia.

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UVA scientists say they can safely 'shut off' genes. | WSET - WSET.com - WSET

Published Wednesday, Jul. 12, 2017, 7:35 am

Front Page Events New way to shut off genes speeds battle against genetic diseases

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Gene editing using the CRISPR system is transforming genetic research and could be poised to transform the treatment of genetic diseases such ashemophiliaandcystic fibrosis. Now aUniversity of Virginia School of Medicineresearcher has found a safer and highly efficient way to use the system to silence genes.

Mazhar Adli, PhD, and his team have developed a technique to prevent genes from carrying out their function without causing the extensive DNA damage the current approach requires. This is important because silencing genes allows scientists to understand what individual genes do and identify the ones that cause disease. Gene silencing also may one day let doctors better treat and even cure genetic diseases with abnormal gene activity.

Our genes the blueprints for life are segments of the long double strands of DNA in our cells. To silence genes using the current approach, the CRISPR system cuts both strands. Doing this too often causes the cells to die a major limitation for CRISPR. Even cuts that are not fatal to cells can have unintended effects that result from the bodys efforts to repair the broken DNA.

Adlis approach, on the other hand, avoids cutting the DNA altogether. Instead, it takes advantage of the fact that DNA is made of four main building blocks: cytosine, adenine, guanine and thymine. Adlis method lets scientists use CRISPR to convert one building block into another to artificially create what are called stop codons the off switches that naturally occur at the end of genes. Turn cytosine into thymine, for example, and the whole gene is silenced, meaning there is no protein production from that gene.

We found around 17,000 genes we can target this way, and, as you know, we have roughly 20,000 genes, Adli explained.So a very large fraction of the genome we can target with this CRISPR stop approach.

He noted the benefits of the new techniques genetic alchemy: Its about as efficient as what we used previously, he said. But more importantly, it is safer. It doesnt cause cell death. Further, the new approach is compatible with high-throughput screening that lets scientists do their research much more quickly. You can delete basically every single gene [of certain types] in a population of cells and then watch the entire population to see whats going to happen to them, he said. So with a single experiment you can interrogate the function of thousands and thousands of genes.

Adli, of UVAs Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, is making his technique available for free to scientists around the world. Any lab that uses CRISPR should have the capability to use it, he said. He expects it will initially be used for research in labs like his, but, with the first human tests of gene editing now beginning, that may change in the future.

Adlis team has outlined the new technique in an article in the scientific journalNature Methods. The article was written by Cem Kuscu, Mahmut Parlak, Turan Tufan, Jiekun Yang, Karol Szlachta, Xiaolong Wei, Rashad Mammadov and Adli.

The work was supported by a V Scholar award from the V Cancer Research Foundation and a pilot project award from the UVA Cancer Center.

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New way to shut off genes speeds battle against genetic diseases - Augusta Free Press

The Baylor College of Medicine Board of Trustees, Academic Council and Faculty Senate have approved a new Genetic Counseling Program, which will award a Master of Science degree through the School of Allied Health Sciences.

The two-year program prepares graduates to engage individuals and families who are at risk for, or affected by, conditions that may have a genetic cause. Genetic counselors provide information, facilitate understanding, identify support resources and explain genetic testing options for individuals in whom a genetic condition may be present. Genetic counselors educate families about the pros and cons of genetic testing, the possible outcomes, and when testing is desired, arrange testing and help interpret results.

In many stressful, complex and scary situations involving an individuals health and well-being, there is a discomfort in knowing what healthcare decisions to make, said Daniel Riconda, program director and associate professor of molecular and human genetics at Baylor College of Medicine. Genetic counselors often engage with families under moments of stress, duress and uncertainty. They respond to the patients needs in a sensitive and empathic manner. Genetic counselors foster families adjustment to the circumstances and allow them to adapt in the best way they can.

The Masters degree program is well positioned to leverage Baylors extraordinary strengths in genetics to train students in a dynamic clinical and research intensive environment. Baylor College of Medicines Department of Molecular and Human Genetics is ranked No. 1 in the country in National Institutes of Health funding.

As a health sciences university, Baylor College of Medicine values the role that each member of a patients healthcare team plays in providing care. It is an opportune time to add this important program to our portfolio of excellent training opportunities for the next generation of healthcare professionals, said Dr. Alicia Monroe, provost and senior vice president of academic and faculty affairs at Baylor College of Medicine.

The program will include foundational courses as well as clinical rotations throughout the Texas Medical Center and will allow students to sit for the American Board of Genetic Counseling Certification Exam upon completion of the program. The inaugural cohort for the program will consist of eight students.

Genetic Counseling is natural fit to our growing School of Allied Health Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine, which also includes a Physician Assistant Program, Doctor of Nursing Practice Program in Nurse Anesthesia and an Orthotics and Prosthetics Program, said Dr. Robert McLaughlin, dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences at Baylor. The new program builds on the national reputation our programs have earned for excellence and innovation.

Graduate programs in genetic counseling must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC) before students enroll so that their graduates are eligible to take the American Board of Genetic Counseling certification exam. The Baylor College of Medicine Genetic Counseling Program is not yet accredited, but the required letter of intent to apply for accreditation to the ACGC was submitted in June 2017. An accreditation decision must be obtained before the March 15, 2018, deadline for programs to be eligible to enroll in the 2018 match that pairs each applicant to a program that student wishes to attend.

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Baylor to offer new genetic counseling degree program - Baylor College of Medicine News (press release)

Kiwi agricultural research in genetics and breeding will be boosted by a new Massey University-led centre launched today.

The AL Rae Centre - named in memorial for the late Massey emeritus professor who was one of the founders of modern animal breeding - will headed by world-leading Kiwi scientist Professor Dorian Garrick, who has returned to New Zealand for the top role of chief scientist.

It aims to advance quantitative breeding, genetics and genomics to benefit the agricultural sector, along with a new wave of scientists through postgraduate courses.

Positions for four PhD scholarships, one postdoctoral fellow and two eminent visiting scientists have been created with a $250,000 gift from The Norman FB Barry Foundation.

"We cannot stress the importance of those funds to what we seek to do," co-director Professor Hugh Blair said.

"The country's top students were enticed away from discovery science in genetics because of the greater salaries in banking and other agribusinesses areas."

Low salaries for PhD students in New Zealand had resulted in more attractive opportunities for these talented people elsewhere - either completing their PhD studies overseas or going directly into employment here, Blair said.

"This had led to underachievement in discovery science for a number of years, with similar science centres around New Zealand suffering from lack of resources and a short-term focus driven by an industry keen on solving the issues at hand.

"For a number of years there has been a lack of research in quantitative genetics, in favour of molecular genetics. We want to marry these two areas to get a picture of the overall merit of the animal."

The centre will be based in AgResearch's Ruakura Research Centre, away from the university's three campuses, but closer to industries it will work with.

Blair said its big drawcard would be Garrick, who has been involved in animal evaluation programmes, performance recording databases and breeding schemes around the world.

"He is one of the world's top animal breeders and he has worked on a variety of genetic improvement programs around the world, including beef cattle, dairy cattle, dual-purpose sheep, fine-woolled sheep, pigs, elk, chickens, salmon and tree breeding."

Garrick said New Zealand had many opportunities to boost returns from its primary industries, through selection based on accurate predictions of performance using genomic data.

The work led by the centre would apply to a wide range of traits and species, and could comprise large pedigrees of millions of animals.

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New centre to boost Kiwi agricultural research - NZ Herald - New Zealand Herald

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- Researchers at the University of Virginia have come up with a safe way to successfully "shut off" genes, potentially leading to a cure for genetic diseases.

Gene editing, using the CRISPR system, has been around for several years, but cells would often be damaged in the editing process.

However, a team at UVA has figured out a way to silence genes without harming surrounding cells, opening the door to new methods of treating and preventing diseases that are written in an individual's genome.

The team says the discovery will eventually help doctors turn genes off that are making patients sick, while also enabling scientists to more directly research individual genes.

"For a lot of these genes in our body, we still don't know their functions," said Mazhar Adli, assistant professor in UVAs Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics. "So now we are able to go and inactivate each gene and to study what the gene is doing."

Cystic fibrosis and hemophilia are among the diseases doctors could possibly treat with the gene-silencing method.

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UVA scientists successfully, safely "shut off" genes - The Charlottesville Newsplex

Michel Stevens of Harpers Ferry, W.Va., has been a chef for more than 35years. Its a profession that monopolizes her waking hours. Sometimes it infiltrates her sleeping ones, too.

I dream up recipes in my sleep, Michel wrote. Often my dreamtime recipes come out somewhat better than my waking recipes. My husband, John, thinks I should write a cookbook called Dream On: Adventures in Sleepcooking.

Over the last few days, Ive shared stories of how aggravating dreams about work can be. But sometimes good things happen.

[Eyes wide shut: Dreaming about work is as common as a coffee break]

As a computer engineer/programmer for over 40years, sometimes my work does find its way into my dreams, wrote Fred Myers of South Bend, Ind. Occasionally, Ill work out an approach to solving a problem in a dream, wake up, write it down, and then it actually pans out when I get to work. Very satisfactory.

Sheri Bellow, a licensed psychologist from Crofton, Md., has had similar experiences.

I can report that I wrote much of my doctoral dissertation while I slept, Sheri wrote. Id be immersed for hours each day in research and writing, often stopping when I reached a stumbling block, uncertain of what my next step would be. At that point, I was generally exhausted and would sleep, waking later with my first thoughts containing the solution to my quandary. I learned the importance of keeping pen and paper nearby while I slept.

Sleep: Theres a reason we spend a third of our lives doing it, even if we arent sure what that reason is.

It must be important, said Rachel Salas, a Johns Hopkins Medicine neurologist who studies sleep and treats sleep disorders. And if sleeping is important, that would suggest that dreaming is important.

But scientists arent sure exactly why.

There are a lot of theories out there, Salas said. The bottom line is we just dont know. There is some research suggesting that dreams are the brain processing or getting rid of unwanted memories, kind of consolidating memories as were sleeping.

On a biological level, sleep cleanses the cerebrospinal fluid in which the brain and spinal column bathe. If the fluid doesnt get cleaned, Salas said, theres a higher risk for developing Alzheimers disease or dementia.

Great, another thing to worry about as we try in vain to drift off to sleep.

As for dreams, some scientists think they can play a role in creativity. Theres some research showing that musicians have been inspired during their dreams and have actually composed music during sleep, Salas said.

So maybe those job dreams arent so bad, though I guess it depends on the job and the dream.

Most of us dream about four to six times a night, even if we dont remember those dreams when we wake up. Salas said research suggests that dreams about things that happened at work or home, or about people you know, occur during non-REM sleep, the type of sleep that accounts for about 75percent of our slumber.

REM sleep is a deeper sleep, but one in which the brain goes into overdrive. Brain activity during REM sleep resembles that in a waking brain.

Bizarre dreams, where were flying or talking to an alien and we believe it, those are more likely to be in REM sleep, Salas said.

REM sleep characterized by rapid-eye movement and increased heart rate and respiration is also the setting for an unsettling condition known as REM behavioral sleep disorder.

These people tend to be older over 50 and they start having these very vivid dreams, usually during REM sleep in the early morning, around 4a.m., Salas said. These people act out their dreams. In normal people our brain is kind of in check, otherwise we would all be acting out our dreams. These people, they lose that. They have violent dreams.

Salas said one of her patients fractured his clavicle during an episode.

People who suffer from depression or anxiety tend to have higher incidents of nightmares, Salas said. Some patients who have unsettling dreams can benefit from integrative medicine therapies, such as hypnotherapy, meditation and mindfulness.

Dreams may not mean anything, except to a Freudian. Even so, Salas said that if a patient comes to her and describes dreams of choking, suffocating or drowning, thats actually a red flag in my mind. It could suggest that person maybe is not breathing correctly and may have sleep apnea.

For the rest of us, work dreams may just be an inevitable, occasional nighttime visitor.

Talking in your sleep

Rachel Salas will be answering sleep-related questions from noon to 1p.m. Thursday during a Facebook chat. Visit facebook.com/johns.hopkins.medicine.

Bye for now

Heres what Im dreaming of: vacation. Im taking some time off to cleanse my cerebrospinal fluid. Look for me back in this space on July31. Until then, sweet dreams.

Twitter: @johnkelly

For previous columns, visit washingtonpost.com/johnkelly.

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Snooze you can use: Sleep is important, so dreams must be, too, right? - Washington Post

Its a meditation garden. A plant-based restaurant. A culinary academy. And as of late, an educational institution.

Sacred Space Miami, a 12,000-square-foot center for healing and well-being, is partnering with the University of Miamis new Osher Center for Integrative Medicine to host a seven-part lecture series on topics like medicinal cannabis, gut health and mindfulness.

The Wynwood locales founder, Karla Dascal, said she's envisioned this type of partnership since she created Sacred Space 12 years ago. She will work with Osher Center Director Dr. Robert Schwartz, who shares her passion for alternative medicine.

Schwartz was named director of the new Osher Center in May as a result of a $5 million endowment from the Bernard Osher Foundation. Schwartz is also the chair of the UM Miller School of Medicines department of Family Medicine and Community Health, which educates students on topics similar to the sacred principles upon which Sacred Space was founded.

The sacred principles include nutrition, sleep, the mind and meditation. Dascal said the series will bring in evidence-based experts to break down these principles for the community. The series will be held on the second Thursday of the month through the remainder of the year and will focus on such topics as mindfulness, conquering emotional eating and sleep health.

By creating the wellness series, Dascal said she and Schwartz can help their community lead richer, more balanced lives.

The two met earlier this year when the doctor and his wife visited Sacred Spaces plant-based restaurant, Plant Food + Wine. They started chatting with Dascal and over time, found a mutual passion for integrative medicine. Schwartz said by combining alternative and conventional medicine, the integrative practices presented can give the community a better understanding of which alternative methods work.

UMs Miller School of Medicine has held similar public events through a program called iCamp, which hosted holistic boat cruises, acupuncture sessions and nutrition courses.

Dascal hopes that the series will grow in size. Since the space can hold up to 400 people, she said there is plenty of opportunity for the community to interact and learn.

The beauty of the space is that you can come here to dinner, come to the lecture, she said. You can meet other people who are doing similar things.

All events are held at Sacred Space Miami, 105 NE 24th St. The series is open to the public with tickets starting at $45. For tickets, visit consciouscityguide.com.

All events are held from 7 to 9 p.m. the second Thursday evening of the month at Sacred Space Miami, 105 NE 24th St. The series is open to the public with tickets starting at $45. For tickets, visit consciouscityguide.com.

The event on Thursday, July 13, will focus on Affirmative Health: Visualize, Verbalize, Actualize. The speaker will be Rebecca Hunton, M.D., MBA.

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Sacred Space, University of Miami partner to educate community on wellness - Miami Herald

DELMAR, N.Y. (NEWS10) The LymeSeq test could change the way you are tested for Lyme disease. They will be taking peoples blood later this month and they already have 80 participants.

The samples will be collected and brought to SUNY Adirondack Community College.

Tiny ticks, some as small as a poppy seed, can cause serious illness to those they attach to. Your blood is their food and now the Stram Center of Integrative Medicine, in part with Adirondack CC, wants to test your blood to find out if tick born diseases like Lyme disease can be detected in your DNA.

The new test is called LymeSeq.

People that might have had Lyme, tested positive, or have been treated for Lyme in the past and that just dont feel well or that feel that they may have Lyme disease, thats kind of what were looking for, Jennifer Mager NP, of the Stram Center, said.

If that applies to you, you might want to sign up for the clinical study.

Mager says the Western Blot Test currently used is deeply flawed.

Probably detects less than 50 percent of cases of Lyme disease.

The LymeSeq test will also detect other infections carried by ticks.

It also can detect some of the big co-infections that were seeing and that can be just as if not more problematic than Lyme.

In Virginia, doctors must tell patients that get a negative Western Blot result that that doesnt mean they dont have Lyme disease.

We see so many sick people with Lyme disease and a lot of people never have ever had a positive test but have multiple known tick bites in their history.

New York State Health Department Research Scientist Bryon Backenson says he believes errors are made in regards to when patients receive the test.

I think often we get a lot of negatives because the test is done a little bit too early, but again, it is sort of what we have so far, and if theres a better way to test for Lyme disease that gives good consistent results, wed be all for it, Backenson said.

Information from the CDC.

The clinical study is being held on July 27 at the Stram Center in Delmar.

Call 518-689-2244 ext.*108 to arrange an appointment. Appointments are preferred, but a limited number of walk-ins will be accommodated as time allows.

For inquiries, please contact the Stram Center atlymelab@stramcenter.com.

Learn more about ticks and tick prevention from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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In a new set of rules, the Vatican outlawed gluten-free bread for Holy Communion. Sean Dowling (@seandowlingtv) has more. Buzz60

Pope Francis during the communion at the Easter Vigil mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in April.(Photo: Claudio Peri, EPA)

The expanding market for wine and bread used as part of Catholic masses prompted Pope Francis to remind priests and bishops across the world that gluten-free bread is a no-go when it comes to communion.

The pope issued a letter in mid-June saying all bread used during communion must have at least some gluten, anaturally occurring protein in wheat, whichis common in breads, pastas, cakes and cereals.

"Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist," wrote Cardinal Robert Sarah on behalf of the pope. Low-gluten hosts,he added, can be used, "provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread."

Church rules dictate bread used for communion must be recently made, be unleavened and made purely of wheat. Any other additions including fruit, sugar or honey make the bread unusable.

The directive was a reiteration of a 2003 missive from the church about thelegitimacy of holy wine and bread. At Catholic masses, congregants eat bread and drink wine, which signify the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

When and where someone was born could be an indicator to if they have celiac disease. Keleigh Nealon (@keleighnealon) has the story. Buzz60

Apart from the gluten rules, the churchallows for bread and wine made with genetically modified organisms and mustum, a type of grape juice.

Sarah said he issued the letter to help churches validate the bread and wine they're using.

"Until recently it was certain religious communities who took care of baking the bread and making the wine for the celebration of the Eucharist," the letter said. "Today, however, these materials are also sold in supermarkets and other stores and even over the Internet."

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The church's stance comes as more people adopt a gluten-free diet and itspromised health benefits.

A national study in 2016found about 2.7 million Americans avoid gluten, although just 1.8 million had celiac disease. People with celiac disease can endure damage to their small intestines if they eat gluten, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Yet the merits of a gluten-free diet have been challenged by researchers, some of which have chalked it up to a passing fad. Lynn Wagner, an integrative medicine specialist at BayCare Clinic in Wisconson, said people who choose gluten-free foods think they're beinghealthy, while reality suggests gluten-free foods offer little to no nutritious value.

Follow Sean Rossman on Twitter: @SeanRossman

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The ongoing story of Charlie Gard - a baby born in London with a rare genetic disorder known as Mitochondrial Depletion Syndrome - has gained international attention, with such prominent figures as Pope Francis and President Donald Trump commenting on his familys ordeal.

Charlie, born on August 4, 2016, has been on life support for several months at the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. As his condition continues to deteriorate, his parents are battling with the European courts over how to move forward with his care.

Last week, New York Presbyterian/Columbia Medical University Hospital offered to administer experimental treatment therapy to Gard as long as the British government approves a safe medical transfer to the United States. Thus far, the courts have denied the transfer, but Charlies parents have continued their battle with the legal system.

Meanwhile, Charlies incredibly rare form of mitochondrial disease has generated global attention. Here are some of the common questions about Mitochondrial Depletion syndrome.

MDS is one of a suite of rare disorders that affect the mitochondria - often described as the tiny powerhouses of the cell. Certain genes ensure that these mitochondria are healthy and produce the energy the cells need. Genes come in pairs, one copy comes from the mother and one from the father. When a baby has MDS, it means that both copies received from the parents for this particular gene - the one that keeps mitochondria healthy - are defective. The result is progressive muscle weakness and devastating multi-organ damage.

This disease is very uncommon, with perhaps fewer than 100 cases in the range of related disorders reported worldwide, according to a 2014 study.

Initially, development may appear normal; however, before these children reach 24 months of age, they usually start exhibiting certain signs of muscle weakness -- for example, weakening of eye muscles leading to droopy eyelids and facial weakness. These children may also exhibit signs of organ failure, such as brain and nervous system problems leading to seizure activity, hearing loss, liver damage and difficulty walking, talking, and swallowing.

The prognosis, unfortunately, is very poor. Many children with this condition begin having lung muscle weakness early in life. Normally, this progresses rapidly to respiratory failure and death within a few years of onset. The most common cause of death is infection of the lungs.

Although supportive therapy is available to help treat the conditions that accompany this syndrome - such as the seizures and hearing loss - there is currently no cure for MDS. Experimental therapies tested on mice are intended to target specific defective areas of the mitochondria. Thus far, these treatments have shown only modest success in these animals and some have begun to be tested in a few children. The parents of an American child with a different type of mitochondrial disorder spoke to Gard's parents, according to the Associated Press, about a nucleoside therapy treatment they have been using for their now 6-year-old son who appears to have shown some modest improvement.

Devika Umashanker, M.D., is a recent graduate of the Obesity Medicine fellowship at Weill-Cornell Medical College.

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After a disappointing initial public offering and a tough debt load looming for 2018 and 2019, Kadmon spent the latter half of 2016 putting its house in order, with a credit agreement renegotiation, staff cuts and optimization of its sales strategies. While these changes work in the background, in the foreground the company spent its R&D day yesterday celebrating some good news for KD025, its Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase 2 (ROCK2) inhibitor, which has shown similar efficacy to other drugs in development such as Imbruvica (ibrutinib) and Jakafi (ruxolitinib).

"These positive interim findings indicate activity and a favorable safety profile of KD025 in cGVHD, a fatal disease with no approved therapies,"said John Ryan,CMO of Kadmon. Steroids are the current standard therapy for cGVHD and have severe side effects associated with long-term use. We are pleased to see that the majority of patients in the first cohort have been able to reduce their steroid doses, indicating that KD025 potentially offers a well-tolerated treatment option for cGVHD patients."

The company will roll out further data for the other two cohorts, with more results on twice-daily dosing at 200 mg, and data on once daily dosing at 400 mg, during 2018. According to Jefferies analysts, Kadmon will seek breakthrough designation for KD025 by the end of 2017, and begin a clinical trial in newly diagnosed cGVHD in early 2018.

KD025 is also being assessed in a placebo-controlled Phase 2 clinical trial in moderate to severe psoriasis, and an open-label Phase 2 clinical trial in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The company's pipelineincludes tesevatinib, in Phase 2 for non-small cell lung cancer and glioblastoma, and in Phase 2 and 3 for polycystic kidney disease.

Chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) is a complication of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, often used to treat myeloma and leukemia. Symptoms affect skin, mouth, liver, eyes, gastrointestinal tract, vagina, esophagus, musculoskeletal tissue and lungs. While the global GVHD market is still a relatively small one, worth around $360 million in 2016, rising to an estimated $640 million by 2026, according to Visiongain.cGVHD affects up to 50% of patients who survive longer than three months post-transplant and has a major impact on quality of life in otherwise successfully treated patients.

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Kadmon ROCKing some positive results - BioPharma Dive

In a step toward one of stem cell sciences chief goals, UW-Madison researchers have grown functional human artery cells that helped lab mice survive heart attacks.

The development, from the lab of stem cell pioneer James Thomson, could help scientists create arteries to use in bypass surgeries for cardiovascular disease, the nations top killer. Several challenges remain, however, and studies in people are years away.

This work provides valuable proof that we can eventually get a reliable source for functional arterial endothelial cells and make arteries that perform and behave like the real thing, Thomson said in a statement.

The research, reported Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is part of a federally funded effort at UW-Madison to create artery banks for cardiovascular surgery from universally compatible donors.

In a related project, other UW-Madison researchers are testing three-dimensional heart patches of heart muscle cells, grown from stem cells, in pigs. The goal is to replace diseased or damaged heart tissue in humans.

Since Thomson became the first scientist to successfully grow human embryonic stem cells in a lab in 1998, researchers around the world have been coaxing the universal cells into various cell types heart, pancreas, kidney, brain to develop therapies and better understand diseases.

Today, many researchers use cells reprogrammed to their embryonic state from mature cells known as induced pluri- potent stem, or iPS, cells as the raw material. Thomson helped discover iPS cells in 2007.

Many labs can convert embryonic stem cells or iPS cells into specific cell types, but developing specialized cell lines that are pure, functional and robust has been a challenge.

Thomson and his team set out to find a recipe for growing artery cells that would really function like arteries.

The researchers used two new techniques: single-cell RNA sequencing to identify genes highly expressed in cells that initiate artery development, and CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to evaluate the function of the genes.

They found that five small molecules and growth factors are needed to encourage iPS cells to become functional artery cells. To their surprise, they discovered that insulin, a common growth factor that had been used before in trying to grow artery cells, actually inhibits such growth.

They used their recipe to make artery cells, and tested the cells in mice that had their left coronary arteries tied off to mimic heart attacks. Four weeks later, 83 percent of mice treated with the cells were alive, compared to 33 percent of mice that didnt get the cells.

We can use those cells to further create tissue-engineered arteries for bypass surgeries, said Jue Zhang, a scientist in Thomsons lab at the Morgridge Institute for Research and lead author of the study.

Developing off-the-shelf bypasses for surgery is the goal of an $8 million, seven-year grant UW-Madison received last year from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to create universal artery banks.

The blood vessels of many cardiovascular disease patients arent suitable for use as bypasses, doctors say, and growing bypasses from individual patients stem cells would be timely and expensive. The hope is to use iPS cells from a rare population of genetically compatible donors to grow arteries anyone could use.

UW-Madison scientists, including engineers Tom Turng and Naomi Chesler and pathologist Igor Slukvin at the Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, plan to grow artery cells on scaffolds and test them in monkeys. If successful, the cells would be produced for human studies at the Waisman Biomanufacturing facility on campus.

The heart patches involve another $8.6 million, seven-year National Institutes of Health grant, shared with the University of Alabama-Birmingham and Duke University.

The patches involve three types of heart cells, derived from iPS cells, said Dr. Tim Kamp, a UW-Madison cardiologist and co-director of the universitys Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center.

In studies in pigs, getting the patches to connect and survive when transplanted to pig hearts after heart attacks remains a challenge, Kamp said. Immune tolerance of the human grafts in pigs is another concern, he said.

But if such hurdles can be overcome, tests in humans could follow.

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Back to Browse Journals Journal of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Volume 4

Danijel Galun,1,2 Tatjana Srdic-Rajic,3 Aleksandar Bogdanovic,1 Zlatibor Loncar,2,4 Marinko Zuvela1,2

1Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Unit, University Clinic for Digestive Surgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, 2Medical School, University of Belgrade, 3Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia/Unit for Experimental Oncology, 4Emergency Center, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is characterized by a growing number of new cases diagnosed each year that is nearly equal to the number of deaths from this cancer. In a majority of the cases, HCC is associated with the underlying chronic liver disease, and it is diagnosed in advanced stage of disease when curative treatment options are not applicable. Sorafenib is a treatment of choice for patients with performance status 1 or 2 and/or macrovascular invasion or extrahepatic spread, and regorafenib is the only systemic treatment found to provide survival benefit in HCC patients progressing on sorafenib treatment. Other drugs tested in different trials failed to demonstrate any benefit. Disappointing results of numerous trials testing the efficacy of various drugs indicate that HCC has low sensitivity to chemotherapy that is in great part caused by multidrug resistance. Immunotherapy for HCC is a new challenging treatment option and involves immune checkpoint inhibitors/antibody-based therapy and peptide-based vaccines. Another challenging approach is microRNA-based therapy that involves two strategies. The first aims to inhibit oncogenic miRNAs by using miRNA antagonists and the second strategy is miRNA replacement, which involves the reintroduction of a tumor-suppressor miRNA mimetic to restore a loss of function.

Keywords: hepatocellular carcinoma, drug resistance, multimodal treatment, chemotherapy

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Targeted therapy and personalized medicine in hepatocellular ... - Dove Medical Press

Margaretta Page, RN, MS, UCSF Neuro-Oncology Gordon Murray Caregiver Program, will discuss her experience in creating the first neuro-oncology caregiver program at UCSF and share some early caregiver survey data in a session entitled, "Improving Quality of Life for the Caregiver." Page's efforts to create the UCSF Neuro-Oncology Caregiver Program appear in a paper published in the June 2017 issue of Neuro-Oncology Practice.

"Neuro-oncology caregivers face unique challenges as they are caring for a loved one with a catastrophic, life-threatening diagnosis combined with progressive neurological decline that can produce great distress," Page said. "A tailored plan that includes information about the disease and disease transitions, the role of the caregiver, managing children in the home when a parent has a brain tumor, and the need for connection with others are among the high need areas."

Tobias Walbert, MD, PhD, MPH, Co-Director of the Hermelin Brain Tumor Center, Henry Ford Health System, is a board certified neurologist, neuro-oncologist and palliative care and hospice physician. His research focus includes helping patients and their families with symptom management, advance care planning, communication and end-of-life decision making.

Dr. Walbert, who believes that "cutting edge therapy needs to come together with a sense of family and a sense of hope," will share his approach to creating individualized supportive care plans for patients that begin with diagnosis and are evaluated and adapted to reflect evolving patient needs throughout the trajectory of the disease, in a breakout session entitled, "Supportive Care and Brain Tumors."

Break-out sessions are scheduled for Sat., Aug. 5. Additional topics include innovations in:

The ABTA National Patient & Family Conference, Redefining Survivorship Through Science, Technology and Clinical Innovation is being held at the Westin O'Hare in Rosemont, Ill., August 4-5. Advance registration is encouraged; walk-in registration will be based upon space availability.

To view the conference program and register, visit http://www.braintumorconference.org, or call 800-886-ABTA (2282) or email info@abta.org.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN BRAIN TUMOR ASSOCIATIONFounded in 1973, the American Brain Tumor Association was the first national patient advocacy organization committed to funding brain tumor research and providing education and information for people of all tumor types and all ages. For more information, visit http://www.abta.org or call 800-886-ABTA (2282).

CONTACT: Jennifer Keljik, jkeljik@abta.org, 773-577-8790

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/personalized-medicine-extending-to-supportive-needs-of-brain-tumor-patientscaregivers-300484724.html

SOURCE American Brain Tumor Association

http://www.abta.org

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Personalized Medicine Extending to Supportive Needs of Brain Tumor Patients/Caregivers - PR Newswire (press release)

OXNARD, California and TEL AVIV, Israel, July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ CURE Pharmaceutical (OTCQB: CURR), (CURE), a leading disruptive drug delivery technology and pharmaceutical cannabinoid molecule development company and Therapix Biosciences (NASDAQ: Ltd. (Nasdaq: TRPX), (Therapix), a specialty clinical-stage pharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of cannabinoid-based drugs headquartered in Israel, announced today that they signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to enter into a research collaboration with Israels largest and leading private medical services center, Assuta Medical Centers, Ltd., (Assuta). The Companies will collaborate to advance, research, develop and commercialize potential therapeutic products in the fields of personalized medicine and cannabinoids.

As CURE focuses on targeting unmet needs in traditional pharmaceutical markets that could be disrupted by cannabinoid-based options, we are continuously looking to help bring new therapeutic cannabinoid-based products to market and further efforts toward the creation of personalized medicine, said Robert Davidson, CEO of CURE Pharmaceutical. Our new collaboration with Therapix and Assuta, two leading companies in Israel, a Country that is at the forefront of cannabinoid-based research in the world, is the perfect place to start the development of these products.

CURE is the ideal partner for us to enter this promising and cutting-edge personalized cannabinoid-based therapeutics; this deal has all the signs of a fruitful venture.

As agreed to in the MOU, the Companies intend to formalize the pooling of professional, scientific, financial resources and expertise, in order to benefit from each of its respective advantages and capabilities to develop new therapeutic products in the fields of personalized medicine and cannabinoids. Specifically, CURE and Therapix will provide support and expertise in the development of pharmaceutical products, while Assuta will support the early research and development of potential projects through its research and facilities.

Assuta is happy to enter into the MOU with CURE and Therapix, and I am confident that the parties cooperation will be a successful one, with many other projects to follow. This new collaboration is yet another step Assuta is taking in the innovation world, and one of many steps to be taken by Assuta in the field of biopharma.

About CURE Pharmaceutical

Headquartered in Oxnard, California, CURE Pharmaceutical (OTC:CURE) is a fully integrated specialty pharmaceutical/bioscience company that leverages disruptive proprietary drug delivery technologies for a broad range of molecules serving the biopharmaceutical, veterinarian, medical foods and pharmaceutical cannabis markets. CURE develops its patented and proprietary delivery system (CureFilm), the most advanced oral thin film on the market today, from its industry leading full service cGMP manufacturing facility. The Companys mission is to deliver proven drugs in a fast and efficient manner and to improve quality of life.

For more information about CURE Pharmaceutical, please visit its website at http://www.curepharmaceutical.com.

About Therapix Biosciences Ltd.

Therapix Biosciences Ltd. (Nasdaq: TRPX) is a specialty clinical-stage pharmaceutical company focused on developing technologies and therapeutics based on cannabinoid pharmaceuticals. The Companys clinical pipeline assets follow a de-risked 505(b)(2) regulatory pathway benefitting from Therapixs unique proprietary formulations based on repurposing an FDA approved synthetic cannabinoid (dronabinol). Therapixs lead compound, THX-TS01, is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for Tourettes Syndrome and the Company intends to initiate a Phase 1 clinical study of THX-ULD01 for the treatment of Mild Cognitive Impairment, for which no FDA-approved therapies currently exist.

Please visit our website for more information at http://www.therapixbio.com.

About Assuta Medical Centers

Assuta Medical Centers (https://www.assuta.co.il/en/) is the largest private hospital network in Israel operating 8 hospitals and medical centers from north to south. Owned by Maccabi Healthcare, the second largest HMO in Israel, Assuta accounts for about 15% of the surgeries in Israel and takes care of the health of more than 1 million patients yearly. Assuta holds JCI quality accreditation with excellence and its service standards are ranked as top tier by the ministry of health.

Original press release:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cure-pharmaceuticaltherapix-biosciences-signs-mou-with-israels-assuta-medical-center-to-develop-first-in-class-therapeutic-products-in-fields-of-personalized-medicinecannabinoids-300486025.html

The most reliable, fact-based information on Therapix Biosciences found only on its Investor Dashboard.

Before this cannabis stock news is here, it's published to subscribers on 420 Investor.

The NCV Newswire by New Cannabis Ventures aims to curate high quality content and information about leading cannabis companies to help our readers filter out the noise and to stay on top of the most important cannabis business news. The NCV Newswire is hand-curated by an editor and not automated in anyway. For questions contact us.

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Regenerative medicine is a revolutionary approach to treating many degenerative conditions and includes a variety of different techniques including stem cell therapy. This field joins nearly all disciplines of science and holds the realistic promise of repairing damaged tissue by harnessing the bodys ability to heal itself.

Adult stem cells are found in every part of the body and their primary role is to heal and maintain the tissue in which they reside. Stem cells are unspecialized cells capable of renewing themselves by cell division. In addition, they have the ability to differentiate into specialized cell types. Adult stem cells can be harvested from a patients own tissue, such as adipose (fat) tissue, muscle, teeth, skin or bone marrow.

One of the most plentiful sources of stem cells in the body is the fat tissue. In fact, approximately 500 times more stem cells can be obtained from fat than bone marrow. Stem cells derived from a patients own fat are referred to as adipose-derived stem cells. The mixed population of cells that can be obtained from fat is called a stromal vascular fraction (SVF). The SVF can easily be isolated from fat tissue in approximately 30-90 minutes in a clinic setting (under local anesthesia) using a mini-lipoaspirate technique. The SVF contains a mixture of cells including adipose-derived stem cells or ADSCs and growth factors and has been depleted of the adipocyte (fat cell) population.

ADSCs are multi-potential and can differentiate into a variety of different types of tissue including but not limited to bone, cartilage, muscle, ligament, tendon and fat. These cells have also been shown to express a variety of different growth factors and signaling molecules (cytokines), which recruit other stem cells to facilitate repair and healing of the affected tissue. ADSCs are very angiogenic in nature and can promote the growth of new blood vessels.

Based on research performed in our FDA registered facilities, stem cell quality and functionality can vary greatly depending on the methods utilized to obtain the cells. It is important to utilize a product that has undergone full characterization to include safety, identity, purity and potency. We have developed a method for harvesting and isolating stem cells from fat for therapeutic use. The use of a cell population that retains the ability to function in vivo will lead to more consistent patient results with long term success.

Adipose stem cells can be obtained from the patient easily, abundantly, and with minimal patient discomfort. Clinical applications for patients can be performed in an office setting safely, legally, and ethically using autologous ADSCs. Current applications include orthopedic conditions (tendon/ligament injuries, osteoarthritis, etc.), degenerative conditions (COPD, diabetes), neurological (MS, Parkinsons, spinal cord injuries, TBI, etc.) and auto-immune (RA, Crohns, colitis, lupus).

Stem cells possess enormous regenerative potential. The potential applications are virtually limitless. Patients can receive cutting edge treatments that are safe, compliant, and effective. Our team has successfully treated over 7000 patients with very few safety concerns reported. One day, stem cell treatments will be the gold standard of care for the treatment of most degenerative diseases. We are extremely encouraged by the positive patient results we are seeing from our physician-based treatments. Our hope is that stem cell therapy will provide relief and an improved quality of life for many patients. The future of medicine is here!

For additional information on our South Miami clinic, visit http://www.stemcellcoe.com.

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Mayo Clinic has confirmed that researchers from its regenerative medicine and genomics/individualized medicine programs will be among the first tenants of the initial Discovery Square medical office building in downtown Rochester.Last June, Mayo Business Development Chairman Jim Rogers told TCB that medical specialists from the clinics three transformational centers were among the likeliest early occupants of Discovery Squares first-phase building, which is seen as a key component in jump-starting Mayos ambitious Destination Medical Center effort.The trio of transformational centers include Center for Individualized Medicine, theCenter for Regenerative Medicine and theMayo Clinic Robert D. and Patricia E. Kern Center for the Science of Health Care Delivery.Development plans for the 60,000-square-foot Discovery Square Phase I building were announced in April by Mortenson Construction, which will build and own the structure with Mayo signed on as lead tenant. The goal of Discovery Square is to place Mayo researchers into close collaboration with biotech and medtech companies seeking to commercialize their innovations, thus hopefully establishing Rochester as one of the countrys premier bio-business clusters while also getting new devices and therapies out to patients sooner.The clinic recently officially revealed that researchers concentrating in regenerative medicine and individualized medicine/genomicsalong with a new Mayo/industry collaborative biotech incubator spacewill indeed be among those who will be located within the 30,000 square feet leased by Mayo in the DS-1 building when It opens in 2019.Our research presence in Discovery Square will serve as a catalyst for ideas and projects that transform medicine and accelerate the discovery, translation and application of life-changing therapies and technologies so our patients receive exactly the care they need when its needed,Gregory Gores, M.D., Mayos executive dean of research, said in the announcement.Gores described the three aspects of Mayos presence in the DS-1 Building:Biotech incubator: Calling this space a true science incubator, Gores said its work will concentrate on developing innovative ways to apply technologies to be initially focused on ultrasound. Its designed to be expanded into other modalities and engineering technologies as needed. The space will enable interaction with industry partners to jointly enhance and develop new uses for biomedical devices.Advanced manufacturing of regenerative products: Mayo said this area will focus on creating products that can be used for therapeutic treatment, particularly products for regenerative therapies. It will be set up to enable the development and potentially the production of these new therapies.Genomics-based diagnostics center: The clinic will use this space to collaborate with outside groups on new medical tests that can better diagnose disease, specifically using genomics and other tools to focus on conditions that dont yet have clinical diagnostic tests and develop better tests for those that do.Mortenson says groundbreaking on the DS-1 project is planned for late this year with a target completion date in 2019. Designed by Minneapolis-based RSP Architects, the facility will be built on what is now a Mayo employee parking lot at the corner of 4th Street S.W. and 2nd Avenue S.W., in the 16-block Discovery Square sub-district of the larger Destination Medical Center planning zone.It features a unique, integrated design with flexible, open workspaces allowing Mayo researchers to adapt to ever-changing needs in the life science industry, while centralized common spaces within the building is designed to promote interaction among Mayo scientists and commercial collaborators also leasing space there.The 20-year DMC vision calls for an eventual office space build-out of 2 million square feet within the Discovery Square sub-district.

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Mayo Confirms First Tenants at Discovery Square Project - Twin Cities Business Magazine