Five local spinal cord injury organizations gathered at G.F. Strong Rehabilitation Centre on Monday to celebrate the homecoming of the Rick Hansen 25th Anniversary Relay to B.C.

The relay, being held 25 years later, to the day, of Hansen's Man in Motion world tour, retraces the Canadian segment of the original tour.

This time, however, about 7,000 Canadians are participating in the relay, passing along a Rick Hansen medal produced by the Royal Canadian Mint.

The relay began Aug. 24, 2011 in Cape Spear, NL and crossed into B.C. from Alberta on Monday, arriving in Prince George.

Art Reitmayer, CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation, said there is much to be celebrated in advances to spinal cord injury research during the last quarter century.

"You're starting to see now situations where individuals, had they been injured 25 years ago, they wouldn't have walked away," said Reitmayer, who spoke at the event in Vancouver.

Increased awareness has also led to greatly improved accessibility for people with spinal cord injuries, he said.

"The discussion back then didn't even happen around awareness - curb cuts, lowered counters, accessible washrooms. That's the difference that 25 years of working on this makes."

About 70 staff members and clients from the B.C. Paraplegic Association, the B.C. Wheelchair Basketball Society, the B.C. Wheelchair Sports Association, the Neil Squire Society and the Sam Sullivan Disability Foundation - collectively known as the B.C. Spinal Cord Injury Community Services Network - as well as patients from G.F. Strong attended the event.

The relay ends May 22 in Vancouver with a celebration at the Pacific Coliseum.

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Anniversary rally retraces route 25 years later

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Dr. Konstantine K. Yankopolus

The state Department of Health restricted a second doctor's license for working under the direction of Dr. Zannos Grekos in performing a stem cell treatment and for falsifying a medical report after a patient died, according to the state order.

The emergency license restriction is against Dr. Konstantine K. Yankopolus, 3880 Colonial Blvd., Suite 2, Fort Myers, according to the order issued by the state health department late Monday.

The restriction only prohibits Yankopolus from doing anything with stem cells. After a career as an obstetrician/gynecologist, he is now in general practice.

"We attempted a life-saving procedure on a very sick patient and it didn't go well," Yankopolus said Monday night. "Our motivation was pure the patient had no other option."

The state's action comes on the heels of Grekos attorney last week issuing a statement that another doctor, and not his client, was involved in the treatment of a 77-year-old Indiana man who died March 2. Grekos attorney also denied that a stem cell treatment was performed, only liposuction.

The state health department suspended Grekos license after the death, saying Grekos violated an earlier restriction that he not to do anything with stem cells or bone marrow aspirate in his practice at 9500 Bonita Beach Road, Suite 310.

Lee County sheriff's authorities identified the man as Richard Poling, of Newburgh, Ind. The Sheriff's Office also is conducting a criminal probe.

Grekos has been under state scrutiny by state health regulators for well over a year when an earlier patient, a 66-year-old breast cancer patient, went to him for stem cell treatment in 2010 for neurological problems. She later fell, suffered severe brain damage and was taken off life support. After her death, the state ordered Grekos not to do anything with stem cells or bone marrow aspirate in his practice.

The restriction did not prohibit him from conducting educational seminars in the community about stem cell therapy or from arranging for patients to go for the treatment in the Dominican Republic.

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State: Second doctor's license restricted for performing stem cell treatment on patient who died

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Nigeria launches its first ever bone marrow registry, which should make it easier to find matches for black people around the world.

By Jef Akst | March 19, 2012

Bone marrow transplants, or hematopoietic stem cell transplantations (HSCT), treat more than 70 different diseases, including some types of leukemia, lymphoma, and sickle cell anaemia. But such treatment often requires the matching of strangers for their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) tissue type. And while 70 percent of Caucasian patients are successfully matched, only 17 percent of black people in the United States are as lucky, according to The New York Stem Cell Foundation, likely because only 8 percent of donors in US registries are black.

The Bone Marrow Registry in Nigeria (BMRN), the countrys first ever bone marrow registry and the continents second (South Africa having the only other accredited registry), aims to change all that. The registry follows the excitement surrounding Nigerias first bone marrow transplant last October, in which a young sickle cell anaemia patient received bone marrow from a sibling. In addition to providing an invaluable service to the people of Nigeria, the registry, launched by Seun Adebiyi of Yale University, should help black patients around the world find matched donors. The launch of the registry was discussed at the NCD Child Conference currently being held in San Francisco.

Adebiyi also plans to establish another Nigerian source for stem cell transplantsan umbilical cord blood bank. With as little as $75,000, we could build [a cord blood bank] in Nigeria by the end of this year instead of discarding this valuable source of stem cells, he said in a Lancet press release. There are almost 400 distinct ethnic groups and over 154 million people in Nigeria alone, and there is a huge population of umbilical stem cells just waiting to be banked in the maternity wards of hospitals around the country.

By Hannah Waters

Replacing immune cells in a mouse model of Rett syndrome, a developmental brain disorder, improved symptoms, suggesting a new target for treatment.

By Megan Scudellari

The biomedical institute seeks up to 30 new investigators in its first nationwide search in 5 years.

By Cristina Luiggi

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New African Bone Marrow Registry

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Lindsay Porter's kidneys were failing rapidly when a friend offered to donate one of his. Then she made an unusual request: Would he donate part of his immune system, too?

Every day for the rest of their lives, transplant recipients must swallow handfuls of pills to keep their bodies from rejecting a donated organ. The Chicago woman hoped to avoid those problematic drugs, enrolling in a study to try to trick her own immune system into accepting a foreign kidney.

It's one of a series of small, high-stakes experiments around the country that has researchers hopeful that they're finally closing in on how to help at least some transplant patients go drug-free. The key: Create a sort of twin immunity, by transplanting some of the kidney donor's immune-producing cells along with the new organ.

"I'm so lucky," says the 47-year-old Porter, who stumbled across the research at Chicago's Northwestern University. Porter was able to quit her pills last summer, a year after her transplant, and says, "I feel amazing."

These experiments are a big gamble. If the technique fails, patients could lose their new kidney, possibly their lives. Doctors stress that no one should try quitting anti-rejection drugs on their own.

AP

Why risk it even in a careful scientific study? Anti-rejection medications can cause debilitating, even deadly, side effects, from fatigue and infections to an increased risk of cancer and kidney damage.

Without the drugs, "the hope for me is I'm able to keep this kidney for the rest of my life," Porter says.

Across the country, Stanford University is testing a slightly different transplant method and hosted a reunion earlier this month for about a dozen kidney recipients who've been drug-free for up to three years.

"These people who are off their drugs, they're cured," says Dr. Samuel Strober, who leads the study of Stanford's approach. "If they have to be on drugs the rest of their life, it doesn't have the same meaning of 'cure.'"

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Transplant Patients Seek Life Without Drugs

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Stem Cell Therapy Helping Heroic Dogs Recover

News4's Darcy Spencer explains how a breakthrough treatment is helping search and rescue dogs like Red recover after years of working in disaster zones.

A breakthrough treatment is helping area search-and-rescue dogs that played key roles on Sept. 11, 2001, and during other disasters.

Red's first assignment as a search, rescue and recovery dog was at the Pentagon following the 9/11 attacks. Years of rescue work and a 12-foot fall from a ladder have taken a toll. Arthritis forced Red into retirement in July and turned her into a couch potato.

The 12-year-old black lab received a breakthrough stem cell treatment today that will ease her pain and give her more mobility.

Her veterinarian, Dr. John Herrity, of the Burke Animal Clinic, has done more than two dozen of the stem cell operations developed by Medivet America, which also donated the cost of the procedure.

The treatment won't bring Red back out of retirement, but it is expected to put spring back in her step within a couple of months.

Two other 9/11 search-and-rescued dogs have been treated with stem cell therapy and are back to their normal activities.

More here:
Hero Dog Receives Stem Cell Therapy

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Lindsay Porter's kidneys were failing rapidly when a friend offered to donate one of his. Then she made an unusual request: Would he donate part of his immune system, too?

Every day for the rest of their lives, transplant recipients must swallow handfuls of pills to keep their bodies from rejecting a donated organ. The Chicago woman hoped to avoid those problematic drugs, enrolling in a study to try to trick her own immune system into accepting a foreign kidney.

It's one of a series of small, high-stakes experiments around the country that has researchers hopeful that they're finally closing in on how to help at least some transplant patients go drug-free. The key: Create a sort of twin immunity, by transplanting some of the kidney donor's immune-producing cells along with the new organ.

"I'm so lucky," says the 47-year-old Porter, who stumbled across the research at Chicago's Northwestern University. Porter was able to quit her pills last summer, a year after her transplant, and says, "I feel amazing."

These experiments are a big gamble. If the technique fails, patients could lose their new kidney, possibly their lives. Doctors stress that no one should try quitting anti-rejection drugs on their own.

AP

Why risk it even in a careful scientific study? Anti-rejection medications can cause debilitating, even deadly, side effects, from fatigue and infections to an increased risk of cancer and kidney damage.

Without the drugs, "the hope for me is I'm able to keep this kidney for the rest of my life," Porter says.

Across the country, Stanford University is testing a slightly different transplant method and hosted a reunion earlier this month for about a dozen kidney recipients who've been drug-free for up to three years.

"These people who are off their drugs, they're cured," says Dr. Samuel Strober, who leads the study of Stanford's approach. "If they have to be on drugs the rest of their life, it doesn't have the same meaning of 'cure.'"

See more here:
Transplant Patients Seek Life Without Drugs

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WINSTON-SALEM, N.C., March 19, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Tengion, Inc. (NASDAQ: TNGN - News), a leader in regenerative medicine, today announced it will host a conference call and live audio webcast on Monday, March 26, 2012, at 5:00 p.m. EDT to provide a business update and discuss its fourth quarter 2011 financial results.

To participate in the call, please dial 1-800-638-4930 (domestic) or 1-617-614-3944 (international) and reference access code 34844557.

The conference call can be accessed from the Investors section of the Company's website or directly at http://edge.media-server.com/m/p/o4v89uyi/lan/en. The webcast will also be archived on the website.

About Tengion

Tengion, a clinical-stage regenerative medicine company, is focused on discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing a range of neo-organs, or products composed of living cells, with or without synthetic or natural materials, implanted or injected into the body to engraft into, regenerate, or replace a damaged tissue or organ. Using its Organ Regeneration Platform, the Company creates neo-organs using a patient's own cells, or autologous cells. Tengion's proprietary product candidates harness the intrinsic regenerative pathways of the body to regenerate a range of native-like organs and tissues. The Company's product candidates are intended to delay or eliminate the need for chronic disease therapies, organ transplantation, and the administration of anti-rejection medications. An initial clinical trial is ongoing for the Company's lead product candidate, the Neo-Urinary Conduit, an autologous implant that is intended to catalyze regeneration of native-like bladder tissue for bladder cancer patients requiring a urinary diversion following bladder removal. The Company's lead preclinical candidate is the Neo-Kidney Augment, which is designed to prevent or delay dialysis by increasing renal function in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease. Tengion has worldwide rights to its product candidates.

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Tengion to Host Conference Call to Provide a Business Update and Report Fourth Quarter 2011 Financial Results on March ...

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HUNTSVILLE Tomi Garrison had no idea what her future would hold when she agreed to have her mouth swabbed during a bone marrow donor drive in the spring of2010.

The Sam Houston State University softball player and psychology major was a sophomore when the Be The Match Registry did a presentation in her health class, calling on volunteers to start the process that would determine if they had compatible bone marrow to someone who desperately needed it.

My friend and I said yeah well do it, never thinking wed be called on, because statistically the chances of us being a match were so slim, said Garrison, now a senior at SHSU.

But the unlikely scenario became reality a year later when Garrison got an email that would soon change not only her life but also someone elses.

The email said I was a possible match and asked if I would do more testing. So I went in for testing at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, where they took a lot of blood and tested to see if the antigens matched up, she said. Even then the chances of being an accurate match werent good, but I was hoping I would be a match.

Garrisons hopes came true in October 2011, when she received word that she had compatible bone marrow to a 59-year-old woman who suffers frommultiple myeloma.

She quickly agreed to become a donor for a woman shed never met.

My mom cries about everything, said Garrison. So she started crying because she was just proud of me because this was solely my decision.

The tears continued when Garrison shared the news with SHSU health instructor Susie Stone and Roseanne Keathley, acting chair of the SHSU Department of Health and Kinesiology.

We just screamed and cried, Keathley said. We were so excited that one of our students here in the health department was a match and that she was willing to take the time away from school to do this.

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SHSU senior donates bone marrow to cancer victim

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Huntingtons Disease Also Included In: Stem Cell Research Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 10:00 PDT

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However, according to a study published March 15 in the journal Cell Stem Cell, a special type of brain cell created from stem cells could help restore the muscle coordination deficits that are responsible for uncontrollable spasms, a characteristic of the disease. The researchers demonstrated that movement in mice with a Huntington's-like condition could be restored.

Su-Chun Zhang, a University of Wisconsin-Madison neuroscientist and the senior author of the study, said:

In the study Zhang, who is an expert in creating various types of brain cells from human embryonic or induce pluripotent stem cells, and his team focused on GABA neurons. The degradation of GABA cells causes the breakdown of a vital neural circuit and loss of motor function in individuals suffering from Huntington's disease.

According to Zhang, GABA neurons generate a vital neurotransmitter, a chemical that helps support the communication network in the brain that coordinates movement.

Zhang and his team at the UW-Madison Waisman Center, discovered how to generate large quantities of GABA neurons from human embryonic stem cells. The team's goal was to determine whether these cells would safely integrate into the brain of a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

The researchers discovered that not only did the cells integrate, they were projected to the right target and were able to effectively restore the damaged communication network and restore motor function.

Zhang says that the results were astonishing, as GABA neurons reside in the basal ganglia, a part of the brain which plays a vital role in voluntary motor coordination. However, the GABA neurons exert their influence at a distance on cells in the midbrain via the circuit powered by the GABA neuron chemical neurotransmitter.

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Huntington's Disease - Stem Cell Therapy Potential

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ZUG, SWITZERLAND and SAN DIEGO, CA--(Marketwire -03/19/12)- Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CYTX - News) announced today the publication of RESTORE-2 trial results in the peer-reviewed European Journal of Surgical Oncology.

RESTORE-2 is a 71 patient multi-center, prospective clinical trial using autologous adipose-derived regenerative cell (ADRC)-enriched fat grafting for reconstruction of the breast after cancer surgery. The majority of patients underwent radiation prior to the procedure, creating an unfavorable ischemic environment for which breast reconstruction with ADRC-enriched fat grafting appears to be ideally suited.

Key findings of the trial were:

"Following cancer treatment, the patient's breast tissue can suffer from radiation injury, scarring and tight skin," said Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon Mrs. Eva Weiler-Mithoff, co-principal investigator for RESTORE-2 at the NHS Glasgow Royal Infirmary Hospital. "This new technique is exciting because it may offer the opportunity to resolve some of the most difficult to treat conditions where other approaches, including fat alone, do not achieve satisfactory results."

ADRC-enriched partial mastectomy breast reconstruction is marketed in the EU as the RESTORE Procedure and represents an innovative treatment option with significant cost savings potential. The procedure can be performed on an outpatient basis. Satisfactory results can be achieved in a single procedure for the majority of patients. In contrast, competitive approaches are more costly with lengthy hospital stays, require repeat procedures and increase the overall burden on the healthcare system. Furthermore, because of these limitations, physicians are often reluctant to recommend reconstruction for patients with partial mastectomy defects and radiation-induced damage in the breast.

Each year, approximately 450,000 European women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of the newly diagnosed breast cancer cases, 70-80% are eligible for breast conserving surgery, where only a portion of the breast is removed rather than the full breast. In the European G5, there are an estimated 1.25 million women who have undergone partial mastectomy. The majority of these patients are left with a sizeable volume defect, scarring and often radiation damage.

"Given that there is no widely accepted reconstructive option available today for partial mastectomy patients, this procedure could well address this substantial unmet need and help complete the overall cancer treatment," said Marc H. Hedrick, president of Cytori.

The European Journal of Surgical Oncology is the official journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology.

About the RESTORE Procedure

During the RESTORE Procedure, fat is taken from the patient's stomach, hips, thighs, or other areas by liposuction. Some of the tissue is processed in Cytori's Celution system to extract the patient's own regenerative cells which occur naturally inside the tissue. The extracted cells are then combined with the remaining fat tissue, forming an ADRC-enriched fat graft that is injected into the breast to restore its natural look and feel. In addition to providing an entirely natural reconstruction, the procedure is minimally invasive with the potential to reduce scarring. The Celution system is not commercially available in the United States.

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Cytori Breast Reconstruction Cell Therapy Trial Results Published

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f8a4c2/glioblastoma_multi) has announced the addition of Global Markets Direct's new report "Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012" to their offering.

Global Markets Direct's, 'Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012', provides an overview of the Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) therapeutic pipeline. This report provides information on the therapeutic development for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM), complete with latest updates, and special features on late-stage and discontinued projects. It also reviews key players involved in the therapeutic development for Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). 'Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012' is built using data and information sourced from Global Markets Direct's proprietary databases, Company/University websites, SEC filings, investor presentations and featured press releases from company/university sites and industry-specific third party sources, put together by Global Markets Direct's team.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f8a4c2/glioblastoma_multi

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Research and Markets: Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM) - Pipeline Review, H1 2012

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Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Also Included In: Genetics;Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 11:00 PDT

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The researchers found that the mutation in the Bdnf (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene undermines brain neurons' ability to pass insulin and leptin chemical signals through the brain. Their study involved mice.

When a human being has eaten, leptin and insulin are released into the body and literally tell the body to stop consuming food. However, if the signals do not reach parts of the brain they are supposed to - within the hypothalamus - the person will continue feeling hungry, and will carry on eating.

Baoji Xu, Ph.D., said:

Dr. Xu has been carrying out research on the Bdnf gene for years. He explains that this gene produces a growth factor that regulates how neurons communicate with each other.

Xu has demonstrated that during development, BDNF plays a major role in the formation and maturity of synapses. A synapse is the point where two nerve cells connect; a specialized junction at which a neuron (nerve cell) communicates with a target cell - this is done via chemical signals. The Bdnf gene produces one short and one long transcript. When the long-form BdnfN transcript is not there, the growth factor BDNF is only produced in the body of the neuron, but not in its dendrites. This results in the production of too many immature synapses, which undermines learning and memory in mice.

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Gene Mutation Causes Uncontrolled Obesity

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

ScienceDaily (Mar. 18, 2012) Researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center have revealed how a mutation in a single gene is responsible for the inability of neurons to effectively pass along appetite suppressing signals from the body to the right place in the brain. What results is obesity caused by a voracious appetite.

Their study, published March 18th on Nature Medicine's website, suggests there might be a way to stimulate expression of that gene to treat obesity caused by uncontrolled eating.

The research team specifically found that a mutation in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) gene in mice does not allow brain neurons to effectively pass leptin and insulin chemical signals through the brain. In humans, these hormones, which are released in the body after a person eats, are designed to "tell" the body to stop eating. But if the signals fail to reach correct locations in the hypothalamus, the area in the brain that signals satiety, eating continues.

"This is the first time protein synthesis in dendrites, tree-like extensions of neurons, has been found to be critical for control of weight," says the study's senior investigator, Baoji Xu, Ph.D., an associate professor of pharmacology and physiology at Georgetown.

"This discovery may open up novel strategies to help the brain control body weight," he says.

Xu has long investigated the Bdnf gene. He has found that the gene produces a growth factor that controls communication between neurons.

For example, he has shown that during development, BDNF is important to the formation and maturation of synapses, the structures that permit neurons to send chemical signals between them. The Bdnf gene generates one short transcript and one long transcript. He discovered that when the long-form Bdnf transcript is absent, the growth factor BDNF is only synthesized in the cell body of a neuron but not in its dendrites. The neuron then produces too many immature synapses, resulting in deficits in learning and memory in mice.

Xu also found that the mice with the same Bdnf mutation grew to be severely obese.

Other researchers began to look at the Bdnf gene in humans, and large-scale genome-wide association studies showed Bdnf gene variants are, in fact, linked to obesity.

But, until this study, no one has been able to describe exactly how BDNF controls body weight.

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How a single gene mutation leads to uncontrolled obesity

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In PLoS One this week, researchers at Thailand's National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology present microPIR, a database of "microRNA-promoter target interactions for experimental microRNA researchers and computational biologists to study the microRNA regulation through gene promoter." The database "integrates various annotated genomic sequence databases repetitive elements, transcription factor binding sites, CpG islands, and SNPs offering users the facility to extensively explore relationships among target sites and other genomic features," the authors write. "The built-in genome browser of microPIR provides a comprehensive view of multidimensional genomic data." The resource also includes a PCR primer design module to facilitate experimental validation, and functional data from the OMIM and other resources, the team adds.

Elsewhere in the journal, a Japanese team led by investigators at Kitasato University presents the carbonic anhydrase XII, or CAXII, antibody as a sero-diagnostic marker for lung cancer, based on immunoprecipitation and MADLI TOF/TOF-mass spectrometry analysis.

Over in PLoS Genetics, the University of California, Davis' Daniele Filiault and Julin Maloof report on a GWAS for variants associated with increased hypocotyl elongation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Filiault and Maloof describe variants that underlie the shade-avoidance response in the plant.

A team led by investigators at Princeton University this week describes the "genetic architecture of highly complex chemical resistance traits across four yeast strains," through an extreme QTL mapping approach. The team says its results "improve our understanding of complex traits in yeast and have implications for study design in other organisms."

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This Week in PLoS

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ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2012) Research from a Kansas State University professor may make it easier to recover after spinal cord injury or to study neurological disorders.

Mark Weiss, professor of anatomy and physiology, is researching genetic models for spinal cord injury or diseases such as Parkinson's disease. He is developing technology that can advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine -- a type of research that can greatly improve animal and human health.

"We're trying to build tools, trying to build models that will have broad applications," Weiss said. "So if you're interested in neural differentiation or if you're interested in response after an injury, we're trying to come up with cell lines that will teach us, help us to solve a medical mystery."

Weiss' research team has perfected a technique to use stem cells to study targeted genetic modifications. They are among a handful of laboratories in the world using these types of models for disease. The research is an important step in the field of functional genomics, which focuses on understanding the functions and roles of these genes in disease.

The researchers are creating several tools to study functional genomics. One such tool involves developing new ways to use fluorescent transporters, which make it easier to study proteins and their functions. These fluorescent transporters can be especially helpful when studying neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.

"People who have spinal cord injury do not experience a lot of regeneration," Weiss said. "It is one of the problems of the nervous system -- it is not great at regenerating itself like other tissues."

The researchers want to discover a way to help this regenerative process kick in. By studying signals from fluorescing cells, they can understand how neural stem cells are reactivated.

"We want to try and make these genetic markers, and then we can test different kinds of treatment to see how they assist in the regenerative process," Weiss said.

Weiss' stem cell research has appeared in two recent journals: Stem Cells and Development and the Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics. His research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health and university funds, including the Johnson Cancer Research Center.

Weiss' seven-member research team includes a visiting professor, two full-time researchers, a graduate student and three undergraduates. He has also been collaborating with researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center.

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Genetic research develops tools for studying diseases, improving regenerative treatment

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ScienceDaily (Mar. 19, 2012) A growing body of evidence underscores the importance of human gut bacteria in modulating human health, metabolism, and disease. Yet bacteria are only part of the story. Viruses that infect those bacteria also shape who we are. Frederic D. Bushman, PhD, professor of Microbiology at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, led a study published this month in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that sequenced the DNA of viruses -- the virome -- present in the gut of healthy people.

Nearly 48 billion bases of DNA, the genetic building blocks, were collected in the stools of 12 individuals. The researchers then assembled the blocks like puzzle pieces to recreate whole virus genomes. Hundreds to thousands of likely distinct viruses were assembled per individual, of which all but one type were bacteriophages -- viruses that infect bacteria -- which the team expected. The other was a human pathogen, a human papillomavirus found in a single individual. Bacteriophages are responsible for the toxic effects of many bacteria, but their role in the human microbiome has only recently started to be studied.

To assess variability in the viral populations among the 12 individuals studied, Bushman's team, led by graduate student Samuel Minot, looked for stretches of bases that varied the most.

Their survey identified 51 hypervariable regions among the 12 people studied, which, to the team's surprise, were associated with reverse transcriptase genes. Reverse transcriptase enzymes, more commonly associated with replication of retroviruses such as HIV, copy RNA into DNA. Of the 51 regions, 29 bore sequence and structural similarity to one well-studied reverse transcriptase, a hypervariable region in the Bordetella bacteriophage BPP-1. Bordetella is the microbe that causes kennel cough in dogs.

BPP-1 uses reverse transcriptase and an error-prone copying mechanism to modify a protein to aid in entering and reproducing in a wide array of viral targets. Bushman and colleagues speculate that the newly discovered hypervariable regions could serve a similar function in the human virome, and microbiome, by extension.

"It appears there's natural selective pressure for rapid variation for these classes of bacteriophages, which implies there's a corresponding rapidly changing environmental factor that the phage must be able to quickly adapt to," says Minot. Possible reasons for change, say the authors, include evading the immune system and keeping abreast of ever-evolving bacterial hosts -- a kind of mutation-based host-pathogen arms race. Whatever the case, Minot says, such variability may be helping to drive evolution of the gut microbiome: "The substrate of evolution is mutation."

Evolutionary analysis of the 185 reverse transcriptases discovered in this study population suggests that a large fraction of these enzymes are primarily involved in generating diversity. Now, Minot says, the challenge is to determine the function of the newly discovered hypervariable regions, and understand how their variability changes over time and in relationship to disease.

"This method opens a whole new world of 'diversity-generating' biology to discover what these clearly important systems are actually doing," he says.

In addition to Bushman and Minot, co-authors are Stephanie Grunberg (Department of Microbiology); Gary Wu (Division of Gastroenterology); and James Lewis (Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology), all from Penn.

The research was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health, Pennsylvania Department of Health, and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America.

Continued here:
Genetic variation in human gut viruses could be raw material for inner evolution

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Dr. Charis Eng

For the promise of personalized medicine to be realized, the health industry needs more people who can interpret genetic data and make that data meaningful to patients, according to a prominent Cleveland Clinic geneticist.

The ability to tailor treatment to a patients genetic profile plus, the rapidly declining cost of technology to analyze genetic data holds lots of possibilities for improving health, but also brings risks, according to Dr. Charis Eng, chair of Cleveland Clinics Genomic Medicine Institute.

For example, data analyzed incorrectly could be dangerous, while data presented badly could create unjustified fears in patients, Eng told MIT Technology Review.

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The people who are very facile at interpreting [information] to the patient are very few and far between, she said.

Eng spoke with Technology Review about a recent paper in the journal Cell, in which a Stanford University genetics professor for two-and-a-half years tracked a host of his own personalized health data at the molecular level. This article reminds us that the future is now, Eng said.

Eng placed at No. 31 in MedCity News list of the The 50 best Cleveland Clinic doctors. Ever. In 2010, she was elected to the Institutes of Medicine.

Her research has led to the discovery of three genetic mutations that are linked to thyroid cancer.

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Geneticist: We need more people who can explain genetic data to patients

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Public release date: 19-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Marla Paul marla-paul@northwestern.edu 312-503-8928 Northwestern University

CHICAGO --- A genetic pathway previously known for its role in embryonic development and cancer has been identified as a target for systemic sclerosis, or scleroderma, therapy. The finding, discovered by a cross-disciplinary team led by John Varga, MD, John and Nancy Hughes Distinguished Professor of Rheumatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, was recently published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

"We showed, for the first time, that the Wnt signaling pathway is abnormally activated in scleroderma patients," said Varga, who is also a physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. "This is significant for three reasons. First, it gives a better picture of scleroderma and fibrosis in general. Second, it provides a strategy for assessing disease severity, progression, and activity. And third, it opens a door for the design of treatments that aim to block the Wnt pathway and restore its normal controlled activity."

Varga's laboratory collaborated with a pulmonary team at Northwestern, along with teams at Case Western Reserve University and Dartmouth University on the discovery.

Researchers studied skin and lung biopsies from scleroderma patients and found that the Wnt pathway was 'turned on', in contrast to healthy individuals where the pathway was 'turned off.' Varga said this activation may be due to loss of Wnt inhibitors that normally serve as 'brakes' on the pathway to prevent its activation.

The team also examined what the pathway does using fibroblasts and stem cells from healthy people. They found Wnt causes fibroblast activation and blocks the development of fat cells (adipocytes), which directly contribute to scar formation and tissue damage seen in scleroderma.

Scleroderma is a chronic autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks itself. It causes progressive thickening and tightening (fibrosis) of the skin and also can lead to serious internal organ damage and, in some cases, death. Scleroderma affects an estimated 150,000 people in the United States, most frequently young to middle-aged women.

"Scleroderma is a complex and poorly understood disease with no cure," said Varga. "Our findings suggest that treatments targeting the Wnt signaling pathway could lead to an effective treatment."

Varga said Northwestern researchers next plan to conduct multi-center preclinical studies to evaluate treatments that block the Wnt pathway in animal models and measure Wnt activity in additional scleroderma biopsies to see if it can be clinically useful as a biomarker.

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New genetic path for scleroderma

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions through its ongoing acquisition of the assets of SG Austria, today discussed the proprietary Cell-in-a-Box technology, providing additional information about the science and technology behind the product.

Creation of Cell-in-a-Box was a technological concept over 20 years ago, originally designed for studying potential ways to create protection for cells and destruction of viruses through neutralizing antibody production. This concept soon became a reality and developed over time to have a wide variety of uses, some of which are still being realized. In the past decade, this concept has advanced to the point we can now fully address the enormous humanitarian value and applications as well as substantial clinical potential for treatment of an extremely diverse set of diseases.

The founding principle was to develop an artificial, semi-permeable capsule with sufficient permeability that oxygen and nutrients could reach encapsulated cells while cellular products could be released into the bloodstream or adjacent tissues. In addition, the capsule material had to remain robust, yet restrictive enough to exclude antibodies and immune cells. Otherwise, antibodies or immune cells would cause or allow recognition of the foreign capsule material, or the cells inside, and ultimately cause rejection and destruction of the live cellular implant.

After substantial research, initial capsules were created which offered strength and durability. The SG Austria Cell-in-a-Box patented encapsulation platform uses natural cotton, or cellulose sulphate, as the building blocks for the capsule itself, ultimately providing an optimum permeability balance. One of the best and most exciting properties was that the resulting capsules were non-allergenic. Additional intervening years included advances in purification, manufacturing, and chemistry of the cellulose sulphate to enable careful manipulation of the materials to allow specific size and characteristic capsules to be made.

Over time, advances in material science made it possible to vary the capsule size giving rise to a range from ~0.7 to 1.4 cm in diameter, about the size of the head of a pin. Further refinement has produced an extremely robust, yet flexible material. This capability enables varying numbers of cells to be placed inside each capsule, anywhere from a few cells to 10,000 or more cells. Even specific pore sizes can be created for the capsule based on the application. This unusual feature therefore provides an ability to limit or regulate what components or constituents can enter and exit the capsules.

During the past several months together SG Austria and Nuvilex have been provided an opportunity to make new advances in the encapsulation material, production and resulting capsules, some of which will be destined for use in future company activities. Thus, the encapsulation technology platform and its resulting capsule can thus be viewed as a robust, implantable device which provides strength, support, protection and durability for live cells inside yet flexible enough to allow transplantation into animals and humans without giving rise to an immune response and therefore they alleviate the need for immunosuppression.

Dr. Robert Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Nuvilex, commented, Together with SG Austria, we are working to commercialize the Cell-in-a-Box technology platform through co-development activities and by establishing out-licensing deals with other companies that have potentially useful therapeutic cell systems that they would like to encapsulate and implant. Given the unique and advantageous properties of the Cell-in-a-Box technology, we anticipate seeing it incorporated into the cutting edge of medical treatments across a broad swath of unmet medical needs.

About Nuvilex

Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX) is an emerging international biotechnology provider of live, clinically useful, encapsulated cells and services for the research and medical communities. Through substantial effort, all aspects of our corporate activities alone and in concert with SG Austria are moving toward completion and a strong future together. Our companys planned clinical offerings will include cancer, diabetes and other treatments using the companys industry-leading cell and gene therapy expertise and cutting edge, live-cell encapsulation.

Original post:
Nuvilex Highlights the Technology and Advances Behind the Cutting-Edge Cell-in-a-Box® Technology Platform

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

CLEARWATER, FL--(Marketwire -03/19/12)- Biostem U.S., Corporation (OTCQB: BOSM.PK - News) (Pinksheets: BOSM.PK - News) (Biostem, the Company), a fully reporting public company in the stem cell regenerative medicine sciences sector, announced today the addition of Perinatologist Sanford M. Lederman, MD to its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors (SAMBA).

As Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, Dr. Lederman is consistently recognized by New Yorker Magazine's list of "Top Doctors" in New York. A specialist in high-risk pregnancy issues, Dr. Lederman has authored a number of scientific papers and is a highly regarded public speaker. He adds a very important dimension to the Biostem Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors by bringing specialized knowledge regarding the potential use of stem cell applications for the health of women and children.

Biostem President Dwight Brunoehler said, "Dr. Lederman is one of the most highly respected Obstetric and Gynecological physicians in the country. Sandy and I have worked together very actively on stem cell projects for over 18 years, including setting up a cord blood stem cell national donation system where all expectant moms have a chance to donate their baby's cord blood to benefit others."

Dr. Lederman stated, "Biostem's expansion plans mesh well with my personal interest in developing and advancing the use of non-controversial stem cells to improve the health of women and children. I have a particular interest in increasing the use of cord blood stem cells for in-utero transplant procedures, where stem cells are used to cure a potential life threatening disease such as sickle cell or thalassemia and other selective genetic disorders in a baby before it is even born."

Prior to accepting his current position with New York Methodist Hospital, Dr. Lederman was Residency Program Director and Vice Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and gynecology at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn. At various times, he has served as a partner at Brooklyn Women's Health Care, President at Genetics East and Clinical Associate Professor at the State University of New York. He has served on the medical advisory board of several companies. He previously was Medical Director of Women's Health USA and was a founding member of the Roger Freeman Perinatal Society.

A graduate of Hunter College in New York, he received his initial medical training at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine. His initial internship was at New York Medical College in the Bronx. During the course of his career, Dr. Lederman has served and studied in various capacities at Long Island College Hospital in the Bronx, North Shore University Hospital in New York, Kings County Medical Center in Brooklyn, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California and the University of California at Irvine.

About Biostem U.S., CorporationBiostem U.S., Corporation (OTCQB: BOSM.PK - News) is a fully reporting Nevada corporation with offices in Clearwater, Florida. Biostem is a technology licensing company with proprietary technology centered around providing hair re-growth using human stem cells. The company also intends to train and license selected physicians to provide Regenerative Cellular Therapy treatments to assist the body's natural approach to healing tendons, ligaments, joints and muscle injuries by using the patient's own stem cells. Biostem U.S. is seeking to expand its operations worldwide through licensing of its proprietary technology and acquisition of existing stem cell related facilities. The company's goal is to operate in the international biotech market, focusing on the rapidly growing regenerative medicine field, using ethically sourced adult stem cells to improve the quality and longevity of life for all mankind.

More information on Biostem U.S., Corporation can be obtained through http://www.biostemus.com, or by calling Kerry D'Amato, Marketing Director at 727-446-5000.

Original post:
Biostem U.S., Corporation Continues Building Its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors With Appointment of Leading ...

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

(MENAFN - Arab Times) Ministry of Health (MoH) employees holding PhD degrees announced that they will participate in the sit-in demonstration carried out by the Labor Union of Health Ministry, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

In the press release, they said they are protesting against the fact that they are receiving the same salary scale and benefits as any other ministry employee with lower qualifications and if necessary, they are ready to even burn their PhD certificates at the sit-in to get the benefits they deserve according to their qualifications.

The sit-in will be carried out in front of Health Ministry headquarters in Sulaibikhat at 10 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012.

The number of PhD holders has exceeded 100 considering the participation of PhD holders from other ministries as well.

Meanwhile, the MoH has banned stem cell therapy in the country until the committee tasked to set the standards for the treatment completes its work, reports Al-Anba daily quoting Director of Health License Department Dr Marzouq Al-Bader.

Al-Bader disclosed the ministry had earlier formed the committee to ensure the stem cell procedures are carried out in an appropriate manner to protect the patients. He added the ministry will also issue a decision soon to regulate the use of antibiotics in the private health sector.

Meanwhile, Al-Bader confirmed the ministry has endorsed around 51,000 female doctors in private hospitals and health centers. He said the ministry closely monitors the performance of female doctors and those found to have violated the law will be referred to the Medical Council for the necessary action.

On the issuance of licenses through the Internet, Al-Bader revealed his department has asked the ministry to activate the e-link system for this purpose.

He said the ministry has asked the Kuwait Municipality to issue permit for the construction of a building fit for the department's operations.

Meanwhile, the Medical Emergency Department at the Ministry of Health has affirmed its readiness to deal with emergency cases that may arise due to a series of dust storms engulfing the country.

Read more from the original source:
Stem cell therapy banned in Kuwait

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

MANHATTAN A Kansas State University professor is doing research that may one day help make it easier to recover after spinal cord injury or to study neurological disorders.

Mark Weiss, professor of anatomy and physiology, is researching genetic models for spinal cord injury or diseases such as Parkinsons disease. He is developing technology that can advance cellular therapy and regenerative medicine a type of research that can improve animal and human health.

"Were trying to build tools, trying to build models that will have broad applications," Weiss said. "So if youre interested in neural differentiation or if youre interested in response after an injury, were trying to come up with cell lines that will teach us, help us to solve a medical mystery."

Weiss research team has perfected a technique to use stem cells to study targeted genetic modifications. The research is an important step in the field of functional genomics, which focuses on understanding the functions and roles of these genes in disease.

The researchers are creating several tools to study functional genomics. One such tool involves developing new ways to use fluorescent transporters, which make it easier to study proteins and their functions. These fluorescent transporters can be especially helpful when studying neurological disorders such as Parkinsons disease, stroke and spinal cord injury.

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K-State professor’s research hopes to ‘solve a medical mystery’

Recommendation and review posted by sam

CLEARWATER, FL--(Marketwire -03/19/12)- Biostem U.S., Corporation (OTCQB: BOSM.PK - News) (Pinksheets: BOSM.PK - News) (Biostem, the Company), a fully reporting public company in the stem cell regenerative medicine sciences sector, announced today the addition of Perinatologist Sanford M. Lederman, MD to its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors (SAMBA).

As Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at New York Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, Dr. Lederman is consistently recognized by New Yorker Magazine's list of "Top Doctors" in New York. A specialist in high-risk pregnancy issues, Dr. Lederman has authored a number of scientific papers and is a highly regarded public speaker. He adds a very important dimension to the Biostem Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors by bringing specialized knowledge regarding the potential use of stem cell applications for the health of women and children.

Biostem President Dwight Brunoehler said, "Dr. Lederman is one of the most highly respected Obstetric and Gynecological physicians in the country. Sandy and I have worked together very actively on stem cell projects for over 18 years, including setting up a cord blood stem cell national donation system where all expectant moms have a chance to donate their baby's cord blood to benefit others."

Dr. Lederman stated, "Biostem's expansion plans mesh well with my personal interest in developing and advancing the use of non-controversial stem cells to improve the health of women and children. I have a particular interest in increasing the use of cord blood stem cells for in-utero transplant procedures, where stem cells are used to cure a potential life threatening disease such as sickle cell or thalassemia and other selective genetic disorders in a baby before it is even born."

Prior to accepting his current position with New York Methodist Hospital, Dr. Lederman was Residency Program Director and Vice Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and gynecology at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn. At various times, he has served as a partner at Brooklyn Women's Health Care, President at Genetics East and Clinical Associate Professor at the State University of New York. He has served on the medical advisory board of several companies. He previously was Medical Director of Women's Health USA and was a founding member of the Roger Freeman Perinatal Society.

A graduate of Hunter College in New York, he received his initial medical training at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara School of Medicine. His initial internship was at New York Medical College in the Bronx. During the course of his career, Dr. Lederman has served and studied in various capacities at Long Island College Hospital in the Bronx, North Shore University Hospital in New York, Kings County Medical Center in Brooklyn, Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in California and the University of California at Irvine.

About Biostem U.S., CorporationBiostem U.S., Corporation (OTCQB: BOSM.PK - News) is a fully reporting Nevada corporation with offices in Clearwater, Florida. Biostem is a technology licensing company with proprietary technology centered around providing hair re-growth using human stem cells. The company also intends to train and license selected physicians to provide Regenerative Cellular Therapy treatments to assist the body's natural approach to healing tendons, ligaments, joints and muscle injuries by using the patient's own stem cells. Biostem U.S. is seeking to expand its operations worldwide through licensing of its proprietary technology and acquisition of existing stem cell related facilities. The company's goal is to operate in the international biotech market, focusing on the rapidly growing regenerative medicine field, using ethically sourced adult stem cells to improve the quality and longevity of life for all mankind.

More information on Biostem U.S., Corporation can be obtained through http://www.biostemus.com, or by calling Kerry D'Amato, Marketing Director at 727-446-5000.

View post:
Biostem U.S., Corporation Continues Building Its Scientific and Medical Board of Advisors With Appointment of Leading ...

Recommendation and review posted by sam

-- Allure Image Enhancement Among First to Offer the Stem Cell Facelift and PRP Therapy in the Inland Empire --

UPLAND, CA (PRWEB) March 19, 2012

Stem Cell Facelift with PRP Therapy provides an amazing full facial restoration and can simulate the effects of a face lift, brow lift, and total facial rejuvenation in one sitting. In addition, the benefits of the PRP Therapy with growth factors enhance stem cell survival, giving long lasting and potentially permanent results, says John Grasso MD, Medical Director at Allure Image Enhancement. I find these procedures to be an exciting new approach to the world of dermal fillers. Rather than using lab derived products, patients can enjoy the benefits of volume and longevity from their own cells.

Stem Cells often thought of as controversial and futuristic, are the latest beauty secret now available. Although injectable wrinkle treatments are very popular, there are many who shy away from putting anything foreign into their face. The two most common requests my patients ask me when it comes to anti-aging rejuvenation are: 1. Is there something natural I can use? and 2. Is there anything that lasts longer? Autologous fat transfer enhanced with stem cells and platelet rich plasma is going to change the world of Anti-Aging skin care, says Mina Grasso NP, owner of Allure Image Enhancement. For those who do not have adequate fat deposits or choose not to have autologous fat transfer can still benefit from the healing and repair response of various growth factors and cytokines with PRP alone or combined with manufactured fillers.

Fat transfer has been around for many years and may yield inconsistent results: 50% of the transferred fat usually breaks down within 2 years. Fat is an abundant source of mesenchymal stem cells. The difficulty is that in obtaining fat using Liposuction, up to half of the natural stem cells may be damaged. By adding additional autologous stem cells to the suctioned fat, it closer approximates the original concentration of stem cells in fat in the body and may aid the transplanted fat cells in surviving longer. Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), which contains growth factors and cytokines, stimulates a repair response in soft tissue when added to the stem cell enhanced fat cells. The grafted fat and stem cells as well as surrounding local cells are activated by these growth factors to generate new growth that plumps up sagging areas. The growth factors enhance the quality of skin on the surface and repair sun damage and skin color irregularities.

Using this revolutionary new method, stem cells show promise in regenerating collagenproducing fibroblasts, cartilage, muscle and even bone cells. Research trials are under way using stem cells to repair other damaged tissue such as lungs, knees, and hearts and reverse neurological degenerative diseases. Stem Cell Facelift with PRP results in long-lasting volume in the treated area, and patients can start to see improvement in skin texture a healthy glow as soon as three weeks following treatment, with dramatic results occurring over a period of two to four months and lasting for years..

About Allure Image Enhancement, Inc.

Founded by Mina Grasso, RN, MSN, FNP-C, and her husband John Grasso MD. Allure Image Enhancement, Inc., for 15 years has served the Inland Empire with the latest in medical esthetics, providing services such as Botox Cosmetic, Restylane, Dysport, Juvderm, Latisse, Laser Hair Removal, Tattoo Removal, Laser Skin Rejuvenation, Vein Treatment, Body Shaping, and many more services.

Contact:

Nicholas Rodgers, CAC

Go here to see the original:
Breakthrough Beauty Procedure Using Your Own Stem Cells Offered in the Inland Empire

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

(MENAFN - Arab Times) Ministry of Health (MoH) employees holding PhD degrees announced that they will participate in the sit-in demonstration carried out by the Labor Union of Health Ministry, reports Al-Seyassah daily.

In the press release, they said they are protesting against the fact that they are receiving the same salary scale and benefits as any other ministry employee with lower qualifications and if necessary, they are ready to even burn their PhD certificates at the sit-in to get the benefits they deserve according to their qualifications.

The sit-in will be carried out in front of Health Ministry headquarters in Sulaibikhat at 10 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2012.

The number of PhD holders has exceeded 100 considering the participation of PhD holders from other ministries as well.

Meanwhile, the MoH has banned stem cell therapy in the country until the committee tasked to set the standards for the treatment completes its work, reports Al-Anba daily quoting Director of Health License Department Dr Marzouq Al-Bader.

Al-Bader disclosed the ministry had earlier formed the committee to ensure the stem cell procedures are carried out in an appropriate manner to protect the patients. He added the ministry will also issue a decision soon to regulate the use of antibiotics in the private health sector.

Meanwhile, Al-Bader confirmed the ministry has endorsed around 51,000 female doctors in private hospitals and health centers. He said the ministry closely monitors the performance of female doctors and those found to have violated the law will be referred to the Medical Council for the necessary action.

On the issuance of licenses through the Internet, Al-Bader revealed his department has asked the ministry to activate the e-link system for this purpose.

He said the ministry has asked the Kuwait Municipality to issue permit for the construction of a building fit for the department's operations.

Meanwhile, the Medical Emergency Department at the Ministry of Health has affirmed its readiness to deal with emergency cases that may arise due to a series of dust storms engulfing the country.

Read this article:
Stem cell therapy banned in Kuwait

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith