Public release date: 4-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Catriona Kelly Catriona.Kelly@ed.ac.uk 44-131-651-4401 University of Edinburgh

Scientists have shed light on how the liver repairs itself with research that could help develop drugs to treat liver disease.

Researchers at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh have discovered how to enhance the production of key cells needed to repair damaged liver tissue.

The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, could help heal livers affected by diseases such as cirrhosis or chronic hepatitis.

Scientists were able to unpick the process of how different cells in the liver are formed.

When the liver is damaged it produces too many bile duct cells and not enough cells called hepatocytes, which the liver needs to repair damaged tissue.

They found they could increase the number of hepatocyte cells which detoxify the liver by encouraging these cells to be produced instead of bile duct cells.

Understanding how liver cells are formed could help to develop drugs to encourage the production of hepatocytes to repair liver tissue. This could eventually ease the pressure on waiting lists for liver transplants.

Professor Stuart Forbes, Associate Director at the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Edinburgh, who is a consultant hepatologist and was the academic leader of the study, said: "Liver disease is on the increase in the UK and is one of the top five killers. Increasing numbers of patients are in need of liver transplants, but the supply of donated organs is not keeping pace with the demand. If we can find ways to encourage the liver to heal itself then we could ease the pressure on waiting lists for liver transplants."

Continued here:
Boosting cell production could help treat liver disease

Recommendation and review posted by sam

To read Hard Cell by Mayrav Saar (PostScript, Feb. 26), one would think the only form of stem-cell therapy is the embryo-destroying kind. There wasnt a single mention of non-embryonic adult stem cells.

One attraction of embryonic versus non-embryonic research for some is political the chance to stick it to pro-lifers. But it grieves me to see ailing people used as pawns in this culture war and being denied the possible benefits of adult stem-cell research.

Flushing such an idea down the memory hole, as you help do with this article, is against the spirit of scientific inquiry.

Bob Hunt, Hillsborough, NJ

Wrong on the right

If social conservatives had won out in history, women would not be able to vote and we would still have slavery (Why Social Issues Matter, Jeffrey Bell, PostScript, Feb. 26).

Their thinking denigrates the role of science and promotes antiquated religious beliefs. Many of the causes taken up by social conservatives have been seen to be wrong in light of later progressive thought.

While social conservatives say some good things, history has shown that their views work against American freedoms an obscurantism that continues today.

Jeffrey Bell should balance his thought with facts and not be led blindly by evangelicals.

Eduardo Rodriguez, Corona

Read more:
Stem-cell pawns

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

by Jeff Metcalfe - Mar. 3, 2012 03:38 PM The Arizona Republic

Even in a today's football-crazed culture, nothing is more quintessentially American than a father and son playing catch.

Who doesn't choke up with Ray Kinsella, Kevin Costner's character in "Field of Dreams, when he asks his long-dead father, "You wanna have a catch?" "I'd like that," says the mystically resurrected John Kinsella.

Playing catch in front of the house in Corona, Calif., is how it started for Dale Hahn and his oldest son, Cory. Buying a glove for the 4-year-old lefty in a family of right-handers. Starting out in T-ball and moving through Little League until by age 9 Cory showed enough talent to play on a club travel team.

"I had to invest in a screen to protect myself from him" while throwing batting practice said Dale, good enough to play college baseball at Chico State. His wife, Christine, played softball at Butte College (Calif.) and their younger son, Jason is a senior second baseman at Mater Dei High School.

But it was Cory for whom baseball was a higher calling.

He was first-team all-state by his junior season at Mater Dei. In fall 2009, he helped the U.S. win a gold medal at the Pan American Junior Championships. Then Hahn went to another level as a senior in 2010, tackling pitching as well as center field. He threw five innings in a combined perfect game in the California Southern Section Division I state final as well as homering in a 2-0 win.

His final senior statistics -- 14-1 record, 0.89 ERA, 92 strikeouts in 94.2 innings, .411 batting, 10 home runs -- brought multiple Player of the Year awards including Cal-Hi Sports Mr. Baseball, a prestigious list with eight winners now in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

"Baseball is a big part of our family," Dale Hahn said. "The things Cory accomplished, as a father you're very proud. You feel like all the hard work we put in on the field or in the weight room and (batting) cages is paying off for him."

Then, in the seconds its takes to dash 90 feet, everything changed.

Read more:
In rehabilitation, Cory Hahn's attitude on life hasn't changed

Recommendation and review posted by sam

02-03-2012 16:01 My name is Joel Baumgartner, MD, founder of Rejuv MEDICAL. As many of you know who have been reading JR's articles, our focus is to get the body healthy and don't believe in a "quick fix". This is also true in our non-surgical orthopedics and regenerative medicine side of the company. I get a lot of questions like, what is Regenerative Medicine?...It is a new field in medicine focusing on getting to the root of the problem or condition and not just covering it up. We don't practice the "Band-Aid" approach. For example, if you 'd come in to Rejuv MEDICAL with knee pain and we make the diagnosis of arthritis, we don't mask the problem with a cortisone shot or pain medication, but offer you with cutting edge treatments to get the body's immune system to repair itself. That's right...you read it correctly. Heal itself! Our bodies have an amazing ability to repair if stimulated and turned on to do so. Look what happens when you trip and sprain your ankle....you swell up and get bruised and the ankle is very unstable. Do you limp around with a weak, unstable joint forever? NO...It repairs itself, right? The body sends healing cells with platelets, growth factors and cells that lay down new tissue. 3-6 weeks later you are chasing the kids or grandkids around the house again. Presto...you are healed. Sometimes the body doesn't repair fully after an injury and you are left with partial or unrepaired tissue. This can lead to chronic pain and eventually arthritic problems. Other ...

The rest is here:
What is Regenerative Medicine? Rejuv Medical of Saint Cloud, MN - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

HOUSTON (KPRC/CNN) Doctors are teaming up to cure cancer in dogs with the hope that it will one day do the same for humans.

Veterinarians have teamed up with researchers at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center for a T cell therapy trial in companion dogs.

"In many ways, dog and human cancers are the same," said Dr. Laurence Cooper of the Anderson Cancer Center.

T cells are the naturally occurring immune cells that circulate around the body, fighting infections and viruses.

The process requires that doctors draw blood from the cancer-stricken dogs and send it to M.D. Anderson. There, they isolate the T cells, grow even more and then return them to the Texas A&M Small Animal Clinic. The cells are then infused back into the sickened dogs, which are already undergoing regular chemotherapy.

In using T cell therapy, veterinarians found that dogs in the study were living longer and tumor-free for about nine months. There were also less side effects than with standard chemotherapy.

Dayna Willems remembers the exact moment last May when she realized something was wrong with her pound pup, Mokey.

"I just reached down to pet her and noticed that she had two large lumps under her jaw," Willems said.

The diagnosis was non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Less than 20 percent of dogs live longer than two years after they receive the diagnosis.

However, researchers are making progress.

Here is the original post:
Researchers working to cure canine cancer

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Washington, March 1 (IANS) An enzyme overproduced in the brains of Alzheimer's patients creates a blockade that shuts off genes necessary to form new memories, says a new research.

Furthermore, by inhibiting that enzyme in mice, the researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were able to reverse Alzheimer's symptoms.

The finding suggests that drugs targeting the enzyme, known as HDAC2, could be a promising new approach to treating the disease, which affects 5.4 million Americans alone, the journal Nature reports.

The number of Alzheimer's victims worldwide is expected to double every 20 years, and President Barack Obama recently set a target date of 2025 to find an effective treatment, according to an MIT statement.

Li-Huei Tsai, who led the MIT research team, says that HDAC2 inhibitors could help achieve that goal, though it would likely take at least 10 years to develop and test such drugs.

"I would strongly advocate for an active program to develop agents that can contain HDAC2 activity," said Tsai, director of the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory at MIT.

"The disease is so devastating and affects so many people, so I would encourage more people to think about this," added Tsai.

More:
Reversing Alzheimer's gene 'blockade' restores memory

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ad83a7/artificial_cells) has announced the addition of Woodhead Publishing Ltd's new book "Artificial cells, cell engineering and therapy" to their offering.

Artificial cells, cell engineering and therapy are emerging technologies which will make a significant impact on the future of medicine and healthcare. However, research within the field is vast. This unique book provides a comprehensive study of the most recent advances in the field and its practical applications.

The first part of the book offers the reader an introduction to the basics of artificial cell technology with chapters on its origins, design and current status within medicine and future prospects. Part 2 covers apoptosis, the use of bone marrow stromal cells in myocardial regeneration together with signalling and tissue engineering. Part 3 discusses artificial cells for therapy, procedures for various clinical conditions and the current status of the discipline within the field. The book concludes with a final section on the role of artificial cells in medicine with particular focus on the use of artificial cells as blood substitutes and their potential use in myocardial regeneration, drug delivery and in treating kidney and bowel diseases, diabetes and cancer.

Key Topics Covered:

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/ad83a7/artificial_cells

Follow this link:
Research and Markets: Artificial cells, Cell Engineering and Therapy

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Chimpanzee populations that live as neighbours have more genetic variation than humans from different continents, a study has found.

The findings, published in the online journal Public Library of Science Genetics, are believed to have important implications for chimp conservation.

Scientists studied DNA from 54 African chimpanzees looking for variations between different populations. Even though the chimps lived in relatively close proximity, with two groups separated only by a river, their populations were substantially more different genetically than humans from around the world.

Professor Peter Donnelly, director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford University, who co-led the study, said: "Relatively small numbers of humans left Africa 50,000-100,000 years ago. All non-African populations descended from them, and are reasonably similar genetically.

"That chimpanzees from habitats in the same country, separated only by a river, are more distinct than humans from different continents is really interesting.

"It speaks to the great genetic similarities between human populations, and to much more stability, and less interbreeding, over hundreds of thousands of years, in the chimpanzee groups."

Three distinct chimpanzee populations, or sub-species, have long been recognised. The western, central and eastern chimpanzees all live in equatorial Africa. A fourth group, the Cameroonian chimpanzee, has been proposed to live in southern Nigeria and western Cameroon.

However, there has been controversy over whether it really constitutes a separate population. The new research confirmed that Cameroonian chimpanzees are distinct from the other sub-species, said study leader Dr Rory Bowden, from Oxford University.

He said: "These findings have important consequences for conservation. All great ape populations face unparalleled challenges from habitat loss, hunting and emerging infections, and conservation strategies need to be based on sound understanding of the underlying population structure.

"The fact that all four recognised populations of chimpanzees are genetically distinct emphasises the value of conserving them independently."

Read the original:
Chimps 'have more gene variations'

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Newswise Rare genetic diseases, long overlooked because they affect relatively few people, are getting new attention. Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are reaching out to patient advocacy groups and offering to decode the DNA of 99 patients with rare diseases to help find the genetic alterations responsible for their illnesses.

The patients DNA will be sequenced at the universitys Genomics and Pathology Services (GPS) at no cost to patients or the advocacy groups. The new effort is known as the Rare99X Clinical Exome Challenge.

The genomics revolution provides many of the tools that may unlock the secrets of rare diseases, says Jimmy Lin, PhD, research instructor in pathology and immunology. We are excited to form partnerships with patient advocacy groups to apply these technologies to advance clinical understanding of these diseases.

Collectively, an estimated 7,000 rare diseases affect some 25 million Americans. They range from Huntingtons disease, a neurodegenerative disorder diagnosed in adulthood, to Neimann-Pick, a metabolic disorder which can occur in infancy.

In recent years, advances in technology have made DNA sequencing cheaper, faster and more accurate. For patients with rare diseases, scientists now can use that technology to find the genetic error or errors that most likely caused their illness.

Many rare diseases are thought to be caused by genetic variations in the small portion of the DNA that codes for proteins, collectively known as the exome. This is the part of the DNA that will be sequenced.

By early last year, exome sequencing had already helped researchers identify the genetic causes for 39 rare diseases. Scientists think this is only the beginning.

Identifying and validating gene alterations linked to disease is now enabled by the advent of new sequencing methods that allow for highly sensitive analysis of the patients genetic makeup, says Karen Seibert, PhD, director of GPS and research professor of pathology and immunology.

GPS began accepting proposals for exome sequencing from patient advocacy groups on Feb. 29, which was designated as Rare Disease Day. Final selection of the projects will occur this summer. A panel of genetics experts will review the proposals to help GPS leaders choose the projects most likely to improve care of patients with rare diseases.

Lin is the founder of the Rare Genomics Institute, a nonprofit that designs personalized research studies for rare disease patients, connects them with the latest technology and top researchers and helps secure funding with an online platform. The institutes mission is to make gene sequencing and other advanced techniques accessible to patients with rare diseases. The institute is preparing online training sessions and other activities to help advocacy organizations create their proposals for the Rare99X Clinical Exome Challenge.

Continue reading here:
DNA to Be Sequenced for Patients with Rare Diseases

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

29-02-2012 11:12 http://www.pressingontx.org - Pressing On client Billy N. doing wide push ups...a great exercise for upper body strength. For more information on our intense training program for neurological disorders, please visit http://www.pressingontx.org

Read the original post:
Billy N. C-7/C-8 Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury - Pushups - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

29-02-2012 10:12 In this episode of The JFK Download, David Avitabile, President, JFK Communications, explains the importance of diagnostics and personalized medicine in the pharmaceutical and life sciences industries. JFK Communications is proud to sponsor BioNJ's Innovation Summit taking place March 14 at Princeton University. If you're involved in personalized medicine and diagnostics, don't miss out on a great opportunity to hear from industry leaders on this topic. For more information and to register: http://www.bionj.org

More here:
JFK Download Dave Avitabile - The Importance of Diagnostics and Personalized Medicine 2.m4v - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

By Turna Ray

After the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute held a meeting this week to gather public input on its comparative effectiveness research priorities, personalized medicine stakeholders are still uncertain to what degree the institute will fund studies that aim to define how well drugs work in molecularly distinct patient groups or if it will mostly fund research to gauge how interventions work in the general population.

Another unknown as PCORI further defines its CER framework is whether "patient-centered research" a term the institute has been working to define with public input will explicitly mention personalized medicine principles. Whether it does or not could signal whether comparisons of genomic medicine to the standard of care will be a major focus of PCORI's CER efforts.

PCORI, a non-profit organization formed by the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, has issued a draft document outlining the research areas in which it wants to conduct studies comparing the safety and efficacy of medical interventions, healthcare delivery models, and infrastructure. The findings from such CER, PCORI hopes, will help drive informed healthcare decision making, improve patient outcomes, and reduce unnecessary spending in healthcare.

The public was invited to discuss the preliminary research agenda with PCORI and key stakeholders at a meeting this week. PCORI is also accepting written comments on its draft research agenda until March 15.

PCORI is planning to spend $122 million for research activities in 2012, and it's possible that some of this money may go toward funding CER on molecularly targeted personalized medicine products. According to PCORIs statutory purpose, the research the institute supports must consider how disease can be prevented, diagnosed, and treated in patient subpopulations, which could include groups defined by molecular subtypes.

Regardless, some believe that the focus areas outlined in PCORI's draft research agenda are too broad, and personalized medicine principles, which are still new and evolving, can very easily get lost in the mix.

"PCORI was designed to address specific, practical questions of national importance," Amy Miller, vice president of public policy for the advocacy organization Personalized Medicine Coalition, said at the meeting according to prepared comments provided to PGx Reporter. "However, the broad and vague drafting of the research priorities is more appropriate for traditional, investigator-driven research, which may or may not address the types of questions PCORI must answer."

In addition, "since broad drafting does not allow for an examination of individual research proposals, topics, or research questions, it is not possible to say whether PCORIs work will support personalized medicine or not," Miller said.

Since PCORI was formed, the PMC has been trying to remind the institute's leaders that their charge isn't just to look at whether most people respond better to one drug over another, but to investigate how and why treatments work best in some people with a unique set of characteristics. "It is not enough, in the PMCs opinion, to say that one therapy works for most people in the aggregate," Miller said. "To enable personalized medicine, research must explain why a therapy works and for what types of patients."

Read this article:
Will PCORI's Patient-Centered Comparative Effectiveness Research Track with Personalized Rx?

Recommendation and review posted by sam

28-02-2012 13:33

See original here:
Jerry Walker Lokomat spinal cord injury - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Newswise UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individuals lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell safe zone, supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells, Mikkola said. We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone.

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature, said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkolas lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

The idea was, if we mess up the home where the blood stem cells live, how do these cells respond to the altered environment, Chhabra said. We found that it was important to suppress EPO where blood stem cell expansion is desired and to restrict its expression to areas where red blood cell differentiation should occur.

The finding, Chhabra said, was exciting in that one single molecular change was enough to change the function of an important blood stem cell niche.

View post:
UCLA Scientists Identify Cell and Signaling Pathway that Regulates the Placental Blood Stem Cell Niche

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

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

UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

"We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells," Mikkola said. "We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone."

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

"When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature," said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkola's lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

Excerpt from:
UCLA scientists identify crucial cell and signaling pathway in placental blood stem cell niche

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

ScienceDaily (Mar. 1, 2012) UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

"We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells," Mikkola said. "We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone."

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

"When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature," said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkola's lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

"The idea was, if we mess up the home where the blood stem cells live, how do these cells respond to the altered environment," Chhabra said. "We found that it was important to suppress EPO where blood stem cell expansion is desired and to restrict its expression to areas where red blood cell differentiation should occur."

The finding, Chhabra said, was exciting in that one single molecular change "was enough to change the function of an important blood stem cell niche."

See the rest here:
Cell and signaling pathway that regulates the placental blood stem cell niche identified

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

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

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT, OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced year-end results for the year ended December 31, 2011. The Company utilized $13.6 million in cash for operations during the year, compared to $8.8 million in the year-earlier period. The increase in cash utilization resulted primarily from ACTs ongoing clinical activities in the US and Europe. ACT ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of $13.1 million, compared to $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents in the year-earlier period.

Some of the 2011 highlights included:

2011 was a very important and successful year for ACT as we began our Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of macular degeneration, said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are very excited about the preliminary Phase 1/2 clinical data from our dry-AMD and Stargardts disease trials, which were published in The Lancet earlier this year. The data demonstrated the safety of ACTs human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for the treatment of both diseases. The vision of both patients appears to have improved after transplantation, and no adverse safety issues have been observed. We look forward to validating these early findings as we expand these clinical activities throughout this year. Additionally, we made significant progress in advancing our scientific platform, expanding our board of directors and management team and strengthening our balance sheet.

The Company also announced today that it expects to shortly file a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in which it will seek shareholder approval for a reverse split of between 1-for 20 and 1-for 80 shares. The Company is pursuing the reverse split for the sole purpose of meeting the requirements necessary for a listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Company believes that a listing on a national change will allow it to expand its shareholder base and improve the marketability of its common stock by attracting a broader range of investors.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow, during which it will discuss 2011 results and provide an update on clinical activities. Interested parties should dial (888)264-3177 followed by the reference conference ID number: 57426004. The call will be available live and for replay by webcast at: http://us.meeting-stream.com/advancedcelltechnology030212

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

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

Forward-Looking Statements

Original post:
Advanced Cell Technology Announces 2011 Financial Results

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

06-01-2012 12:16 Spinal cord injury treatment. http://www.projectwalk.org exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement.

Link:
"Annette Ross", "Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recovery" - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

06-01-2012 13:44 Spinal cord injury treatment. http://www.projectwalk.org exists to provide an improved quality of life for people with spinal cord injuries through intense exercise-based recovery programs, education, support and encouragement.

Read the original post:
"Brook", "Project Walk Spinal Cord Injury Recovery" - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

24-02-2012 14:27 Birmingham's NBC 13 [WVTM-TV] talk show, Daytime Alabama featured UroMed's motivational program, Life After Spinal Cord Injury to bring awareness to the positive role that adaptive sports can play for wheelchair users worldwide. As part of the story, Daytime Alabama anchor Wendy Garner interviewed two UroMed employees, David Williams and Bert Burns [UroMed's founder] who share their experiences as wheelchair users as well as discussing their involvement with the Life After Spinal Cord Injury motivational program. "By offering LASCI programs, UroMed tries to address not only the urological needs of people like me, but also their social and emotional needs. Through LASCI events and online peer counselor conversations, we explain that people who use wheelchairs can have anything in life they pursue," Burns says. LASCI is sponsored by UroMed, [ http://www.uromed.com ] one of the largest urological supply companies in the country.

Continue reading here:
NBC 13's Daytime Alabama Profiles UroMed's Life After Spinal Cord Injury Motivational Program - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

This experienced team of educators, clinicians, researchers and engineers work to provide education, products and rehabilitation solutions for adult and pediatric populations with motor control-related disabilities. They design and manufacture the LiteGait collection of products, used in treating stroke, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, head injury, amputation, orthopedic problems, arthritis, balance issues and chronic pain.

Elberton, GA (PRWEB) March 02, 2012

The LiteGait mobility frames are mutually beneficial for rehabilitation facilities, therapists and patients. Facilities can increase efficiency and revenue by growing the number of patients receiving gait therapy, by reducing the risk of back injuries to staff and the risk of falls to patients, and by offering therapy to patients not previously eligible for gait therapy due to the complexity or severity of their conditions or cognitive levels. Therapists can provide more efficient treatment, without the risk of injury to themselves or their patients, and more properly and effectively facilitate a wide variety of gait, balance and alignment therapies. And patients can experience a sense of accomplishment with this supported suspension, learning to walk in an environment free from falls. The LiteGait allows the patient to begin training earlier in the rehabilitation process, and at a lower level, while offering improved interaction with the therapist.

Available in a multitude of sizes, styles and specifications, the LiteGait also offers a pediatric version for children in supported gait training and pre-gait developmental postures and movements. When employed as a dynamic stander, the LiteGait Walkable 100MX mobility frame enables children who cannot stand without assistance to interact more easily with others and their environment. We are proud to offer these amazing assistive mobility devices to more consumers, said Hulet Smith, Founder and CEO of Rehabmart. The LiteGait products from Mobility Research are used in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, physical therapy centers, resident care homes and private homes and are extremely useful for any patient challenged with mobility issues.

About Rehabmart.com:

As Occupational Therapists, the founders of Rehabmart have the breadth of knowledge and experience necessary to match the needs of its customers with the very latest innovative products in the field of medical supplies and rehabilitation equipment. As parents of special needs children, they have a personal interest in finding the best products to improve the lives of those who are disabled and medically challenged. Rehabmart.com is committed to provide superior customer service, competitive pricing and exceptional product offerings.

###

Hulet Smith, CEO RehabMart (800) 827-8283 Email Information

Read more here:
Assistive Mobility Devices Designed by Mobility Research Now Offered by Rehabmart.com

Recommendation and review posted by sam

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

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT, OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced year-end results for the year ended December 31, 2011. The Company utilized $13.6 million in cash for operations during the year, compared to $8.8 million in the year-earlier period. The increase in cash utilization resulted primarily from ACTs ongoing clinical activities in the US and Europe. ACT ended the year with cash and cash equivalents of $13.1 million, compared to $15.9 million in cash and cash equivalents in the year-earlier period.

Some of the 2011 highlights included:

2011 was a very important and successful year for ACT as we began our Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of macular degeneration, said Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are very excited about the preliminary Phase 1/2 clinical data from our dry-AMD and Stargardts disease trials, which were published in The Lancet earlier this year. The data demonstrated the safety of ACTs human embryonic stem cell (hESC)-derived retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells for the treatment of both diseases. The vision of both patients appears to have improved after transplantation, and no adverse safety issues have been observed. We look forward to validating these early findings as we expand these clinical activities throughout this year. Additionally, we made significant progress in advancing our scientific platform, expanding our board of directors and management team and strengthening our balance sheet.

The Company also announced today that it expects to shortly file a preliminary proxy statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission in which it will seek shareholder approval for a reverse split of between 1-for 20 and 1-for 80 shares. The Company is pursuing the reverse split for the sole purpose of meeting the requirements necessary for a listing on the Nasdaq Global Market. The Company believes that a listing on a national change will allow it to expand its shareholder base and improve the marketability of its common stock by attracting a broader range of investors.

Conference Call

The Company will hold a conference call at 9:00 a.m. EST tomorrow, during which it will discuss 2011 results and provide an update on clinical activities. Interested parties should dial (888)264-3177 followed by the reference conference ID number: 57426004. The call will be available live and for replay by webcast at: http://us.meeting-stream.com/advancedcelltechnology030212

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

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

Forward-Looking Statements

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Advanced Cell Technology Announces 2011 Financial Results

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HOLLISTON, Mass., March 1, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Harvard Bioscience, Inc. (Nasdaq:HBIO - News), a global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of a broad range of tools to advance life science research and regenerative medicine, today reported unaudited financial highlights for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2011.

Fourth Quarter Reported Results

Revenues were $29.0 million for the three months ended December 31, 2011 which was above the guidance range of $27.5-$28.5 million provided by management. Fourth quarter revenues were down approximately 1.7% compared to the same period in 2010. Currency exchange rates had a negative 0.2% effect on revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared with the fourth quarter of 2010. The Company's acquisition of CMA Microdialysis in July 2011 had a positive 2.9% effect on revenues in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of 2010. Excluding the effects of currency exchange rates and acquisitions, the Company's fourth quarter revenues were down 4.4% compared to the same period in the previous year.

Net income, as measured under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP"), was $0.7 million, or $0.02 per diluted share, for the three months ended December 31, 2011 compared to $2.2 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, for the same period in 2010. The unfavorable year-to-year quarterly GAAP earnings comparison was primarily due to increased spending in the Company's development-stage Regenerative Medicine Device ("RMD") business, and in the Company's Life Science Research Tools ("LSRT") business, a less favorable sales mix and lower year-to-year shipments of our nanovue microvolume spectrophotometer ("Nanovue") product.

Core Life Science Research Tools Results

Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share for our core LSRT business for the fourth quarter of 2011 was $0.10 per diluted share, within management's guidance of $0.09-$0.10 per diluted share, compared with $0.12 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2010.

Regenerative Medicine Device Results

Non-GAAP adjusted earnings per share for our developmental RMD business for the fourth quarter of 2011 was a loss of $0.03 per diluted share, compared with a loss of $0.01 per diluted share for the fourth quarter of 2010, and reflected greater activities in developing this new initiative.

Year to Date Reported Results

Revenues for the year ended December 31, 2011 were $108.9 million, an increase of $0.7 million, or 0.6%, compared to revenues of $108.2 million for the year ended December 31, 2010. Currency exchange rates had a positive 1.5% effect on revenues for 2011 compared with the same period in 2010. The Company's acquisition of Coulbourn Instruments in August 2010 and CMA Microdialysis in July 2011 had a positive 2.9% effect on revenues. Excluding the effects of currency exchange rates and acquisitions, the Company's revenues were down 3.8% from the previous year.

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HBIO Reports Fourth Quarter 2011 Results

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For nearly 18 years Graham and Britton Douglas believed they were fraternal twins. That was until Britton needed a bone-marrow transplant because chemotherapy for his leukemia had failed.

The Fort Worth, Texas, brothers learned that they were identical twins, sharing the same DNA, and therefore Britton could not receive his brother's bone marrow because their genetic make-up was too similar to fight the cancer.

Today, at 27, Britton Douglas is a healthy, successful Dallas lawyer, thanks to a bone marrow donation by a stranger.

But his twin brother, knowing that he nearly lost his only sibling, has been obsessed for nearly a decade with finding better ways to get more Americans to become donors.

"It's indescribable how much I love my brother," said Graham. "I don't know what I would do without him."

Graham's concept was so simple and yet could save the lives of tens of thousands of Americans with leukemia who are waiting for a bone-marrow transplant: packing a swab kit inside a box of bandage strips.

A senior creative at the New York City advertising agency Droga 5, he found his inspiration last year while teaching a portfolio class at a commercial arts school.

Year after year, he has challenged his students to find a creative solution to attract more donors. Two students he refers to as the "Spanish team" -- Alfredo and Alberto -- came up with the "germ" of an idea last year, and it has now hit the market.

The consumer healthcare company Help Remedies partnered with Graham and the world's largest bone marrow registry, DKMS, to release the new product -- "help I've cut myself & I want to save a life." The cost is $4.

Before applying a bandage strip to a minor cut, consumers can swab their blood and then send the sample in a self-addressed, stamped envelope, along with their age and email address, to DKMS.

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Leukemia Patient Nearly Dies; Twin Has Idea to Save Thousands

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Nicole Giese Rura rura@wi.mit.edu 617-258-6851 Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research

FINDINGS: Devising a novel method to identify potential genetic regulators in planarian stem cells, Whitehead Institute scientists have determined which of those genes affect the two main functions of stem cells. Three of the genes are particularly intriguing because they code for proteins similar to those known to regulate mammalian embryonic stem cells. Such genetic similarity makes planarians an even more attractive model for studying stem cell biology in vivo.

RELEVANCE: Stem cells may hold the promise to regrow damaged, diseased, or missing tissues in humans, such as insulin-producing cells for diabetics and nerve cells for patients with spinal cord injuries. With its renowned powers of regeneration and more than half of its genes having human homologs, the planarian seems like a logical choice for studying stem cell behavior. Yet, until now, scientists have been unable to efficiently identify the genes that regulate the planarian stem cell system.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. Despite their unassuming appearance, the planarian flatworms in Whitehead Institute Member Peter Reddien's lab are revealing powerful new insights into the biology of stem cellsinsights that may eventually help such cells deliver on a promising role in regenerative medicine.

In this week's issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, Reddien and scientists in his lab report on their development of a novel approach to identify and study the genes that control stem cell behavior in planarians. Intriguingly, at least one class of these genes has a counterpart in human embryonic stem cells.

"This is a huge step forward in establishing planarians as an in vivo system for which the roles of stem cell regulators can be dissected," says Reddien, who is also an associate professor of biology at MIT and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) Early Career Scientist. "In the grand scheme of things for understanding stem cell biology, I think this is a beginning foray into seeking general principles that all animals utilize. I'd say we're at the beginning of that process."

Planarians (Schmidtea mediterranea) are tiny freshwater flatworms with the ability to reproduce through fission. After literally tearing themselves in half, the worms use stem cells, called cNeoblasts, to regrow any missing tissues and organs, ultimately forming two complete planarians in about a week.

Unlike muscle, nerve, or skin cells that are fully differentiated, certain stem cells, such as cNeoblasts and embryonic stem cells are pluripotent, having the ability to become almost cell type in the body. Researchers have long been interested in harnessing this capability to regrow damaged, diseased, or missing tissues in humans, such as insulin-producing cells for diabetics or nerve cells for patients with spinal cord injuries.

Several problems currently confound the therapeutic use of stem cells, including getting the stem cells to differentiate into the desired cell type in the appropriate location and having such cells successfully integrate with surrounding tissues, all without forming tumors. To solve these issues, researchers need a better understanding of how stem cells tick at the molecular level, particularly within the environment of a living organism. To date, a considerable amount of embryonic stem cell research has been conducted in the highly artificial environment of the Petri dish.

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Planarian genes that control stem cell biology identified

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