Posted in: History | Comments (0)

A copy of the Declaration of Independence.

Following is the text of the Declaration of Independence in celebration of Independence Day, July 4th, 2017:

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Natures God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harrass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation. He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands. He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our Brittish brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

The 56 signatures on the Declaration appear in the positions indicated:

Column 1

Georgia:

Button Gwinnett

Lyman Hall

George Walton

Column 2

North Carolina:

William Hooper

Joseph Hewes

John Penn

South Carolina:

Edward Rutledge

Thomas Heyward, Jr.

Thomas Lynch, Jr.

Arthur Middleton

Column 3

Massachusetts:

John Hancock

Maryland:

Samuel Chase

William Paca

Thomas Stone

Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:

George Wythe

Richard Henry Lee

Thomas Jefferson

Benjamin Harrison

Thomas Nelson, Jr.

Francis Lightfoot Lee

Carter Braxton

Column 4

Pennsylvania: Robert Morris

Benjamin Rush

Benjamin Franklin

John Morton

George Clymer

James Smith

George Taylor

James Wilson

George Ross

Delaware: Caesar Rodney

George Read

Thomas McKean

Column 5

New York:

William Floyd

Philip Livingston

Francis Lewis

Lewis Morris

New Jersey:

Richard Stockton

John Witherspoon

Francis Hopkinson

John Hart

Abraham Clark

Column 6

New Hampshire:

Josiah Bartlett

William Whipple

Massachusetts:

Samuel Adams

John Adams

Robert Treat Paine

Read more here:
Anti tb drugs side effects pdf - Antioch Herald

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Two-year-old Nathan DeAndrea who underwent two stem cell transplants to treat neuroblastoma is free of cancer, according to his mother.

Testing last week that included a CT scan and a full-body scan showed no evidence of cancer, Shannon DeAndrea said during an interview at her home Monday morning.

No more cancer! said Nathans sister, 4-year-old Kailynn.

However, the DeAndreas are awaiting the results of a bone marrow biopsy performed on Nathan last week, Shannon said. Everyone is optimistic.

The doctor said he has never seen a bone marrow biopsy come back positive when everything else is clear, she said.

Results are expected this week, Shannon said.

Nathan was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma on Aug. 23, 2016. He had a tumor in his abdomen that spread to his bone marrow. He had spots on his skull, ribs and spine. He has had several rounds of chemotherapy, radiation and two stem cell transplants.

Neuroblastomas are cancers that begin in early nerve cells of the sympathetic nervous system, according to the American Cancer Society.

The scans results brought relief to Shannon and her family.

Its like I could breathe, she said.

As Kailynn put it, We said, hooray!

The next phase of treatment will include strengthening Nathans immune system. He will be in the hospital one week a month for six months, Shannon said.

Its to keep it [the cancer] from coming back, she said.

His immune system is still compromised. The genetic makeup of Nathans tumor put him at a higher risk of relapse, Shannon said.

Nathans first transplant included four or five days of chemo. The new stem cells following the chemo that killed off his old stem cells from the transplant were like a rescue, she said.

Its wiping you out and then giving you your cells back to restart your immune system, DeAndrea said.

A second round of heavy chemo was to try to kill what was left of the cancer and replenish cells, she said.

Nathans stem cell transplants were from his own cells, Shannon said.

Two types of stem cell transplants include autologous, which uses stem cells from the patients own body, and allogeneic using stem cells from another person.

The procedure is used for conditions including multiple myeloma, lymphoma, sickle cell anemia and leukemia, and other blood and immune disorders.

Stem cell transplants began in the late 50s/early 60s with the first successful procedure done in an identical twin. However, stem cell transplants were limited until medicines that prevent rejections became available.

The number of procedures increased in the 1980s.

Betsie Letterle, community engagement representative with BeTheMatch in Burlington, North Carolina, said there are more than 14 million bone marrow/stem cell donors in the BeTheMatch registry.

Bone marrow transplants traditionally involved taking the marrow from the back of the donors hip. But since then, weve progressed tremendously, Letterle said.

The newest way is to take stem cells from a vein in the donors arm, Letterle said. The donor receives an injection of medication to help their body manufacture a large amount of stem cells, she said.

Those are taken from the vein, similar to a plasma donation. Letterle said.

Anyone aged 18-44 can join the registry, but commitment is paramount among donors, she said.

Commitment is important because patients depend on us, Letterle said. We dont want anyone whos not really sure they could donate if called.

Only about one in 540 registered donors end up donating, she said. Everyone is an active donor until they turn 61, Letterle said.

Younger donors are healthier and make the most stem cells, she said.

We want to give the patient the optimum opportunity to get the best stem cells they can, she said.

If a donor comes up as a match, they will be asked for about 20-30 hours of their time over several weeks, Letterle said.

We work around the donors schedule, she said.

They get blood work done, and a physical to make sure theyre healthy enough to donate, Letterle said.

The donor never pays for anything, she said.

The doctor determines whether the procedure would be a stem cell or a traditional bone marrow transplant. That depends on the patients or recipients age and condition, Letterle said.

About 80 percent of registered donors are Caucasian, and BeTheMatch is looking for more minority donors, Letterle said. Many minority patients have trouble finding a match, she said.

The recipients blood type becomes whatever blood type the donor has, Letterle said.

Dr. William Clark with the Massey Cancer Center at Virginia Commonwealth University will speak about bone marrow and stem cell transplants from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 11 at Ballou Recreation Center. A bone marrow/stem cell donor drive will also be held that day.

For more information on stem cell/bone marrow transplants, call Betsie Letterle at BeTheMatch at (877) 601-1926, ext. 7721.

JohnCrane reports for the Danville Register & Bee. Contact him atjcrane@registerbee.comor(434) 791-7987.

Link:
Tests show no signs of cancer for Danville 2-year-old - GoDanRiver.com

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

The arthritis in Maureen Munsies ankles was so intense until barely a year ago, she literally had to crawl on hands and knees to get upstairs.

The pain, she recalls now, took my breath away, and played havoc with the avid hikers favourite pastime.

In desperation, Munsie turned to a Toronto-area clinic that provides a treatment many experts consider still experimental, unproven and of questionable safety.

The 63-year-old says the stem cells she received at Regenervate Medical Injection Therapy 18 months ago were transformational, all but eliminating the debilitating soreness and even allowing her to hike Argentinas Patagonia mountains two months ago.

For me its been a life saver, Munsie says. Ive been able to do it all again I dont have any of that pain, at all.

Canadians drawn to the healing promise of stem cells have for years travelled outside the country to such places as Mexico, China or Arizona, taking part in a dubious form of medical tourism.

But Regenervate is one of a handful of clinics in Canada that have begun offering injections of stem cells, satisfying growing demand but raising questions about whether a medical idea with huge potential is ready for routine patient care.

Especially when those patients can pay thousands of dollars for the service.

Clinics in Ontario and Alberta are treating arthritis, joint injuries, disc problems and even skin conditions with stem cells typically taken from patients fat tissue or bone marrow.

The underlying idea is compelling: stem cells can differentiate or transform into many other types of cell, a unique quality that evidence suggests allows them to grow or regenerate tissue damaged by disease or injury.

Researchers including hundreds in Canada alone are examining stem-cell treatments for everything from ailing hearts to severed spinal cords.

With few exceptions, however, the concept is still being studied in the lab or in human trials; virtually none of the treatments have been definitively proven effective by science or approved by regulators like Health Canada.

The fact that Canadian clinics are now offering stem-cell treatments commercially is concerning on a number of levels, not least because of safety issues, says Ubaka Ogbogu, a health law professor at the University of Alberta.

Three U.S. women were blinded after receiving stem-cell injections in their eyes, while other American patients have developed bony masses or tumours at injection sites, Ogbogu said.

Stem cells have to be controlled to act exactly the way you want them to act, and thats why the research takes time, he said. It is simply wrong for these clinics to take a proof of concept and run with it.

Ogbogu says Health Canada must crack down on the burgeoning industry but says the regulator has so far been conspicuous by its inaction.

Other experts say the procedures provided here typically for joint pain are likely relatively safe, but still warn that care must be taken that the stem cells do not develop into the wrong type of tissue, or at the wrong place.

Alberta Health Services convened a workshop on the issue late last year, concluding there is an urgent need to develop a certification system for cell preparation and delivery to avoid spontaneous transformation of (stem cells) into unwanted tissue.

But one of the pioneers of the service in Canada says theres no empirical evidence that such growths can develop, and suggests the treatments only real risk as with an invasive procedure is infection.

Meanwhile, patients at Regenervate have enjoyed impressive outcomes after paying fees from $750 to $3,900, says Dr. Douglas Stoddard, the clinics medical director.

About 80 per cent report less pain, stiffness and weakness within a few months of getting their stem-cell injection, he said.

I believe medical progress is not just limited to the laboratory and randomized double-blind trials, Stoddard said. A lot of progress starts in the clinic, dealing with patients You see something works, you see something has merit, and then its usually the scientists that seem to catch up later.

The Orthopedic Sport Institute in Collingwood, Ont., the Central Alberta Pain and Rehabilitation Institute and Cleveland Clinic in Toronto all advertise similar stem-cell treatments for orthopedic problems.

Edmontons Regen Clinic says it plans to start doing so this fall.

Ottawas Innovo says it also treats a range of back conditions with injections between the vertebrae, and uses stem cells to alleviate nerve damage.

Orthopedic Sport says its doctor focuses on FDA and Health Canada approved stem-cell injection therapy for patient care.

In fact, no treatment of the sort the clinics here provide has ever been authorized.

Health Canada says the vast majority of stem-cell therapies would constitute a drug and therefore need to be authorized after a clinical trial or new drug submission.

A number of stem-cell trials are underway, but only one treatment Prochymal has been approved, said department spokesman Eric Morrissette. Designed to combat graft-versus-host disease where bone marrow transplants for treating cancer essentially attack the patients body its unlike any of the services the stem-cell providers here offer.

But as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration aggressively pursues the hundreds of clinics in America, Health Canada says only that its committed to addressing complaints it receives.

It will take action based on the risk posed to the general public, said Morrissette, who encouraged people to pass on to the department information about possible non-compliant products.

Stoddard said the injections his clinics provide are made up of minimally manipulated tissue from patients own bodies and any attempt to crack down would be regulation for the sake of regulation.

But academic experts remain skeptical about the effectiveness of the treatments.

Scientific evidence suggests the injections may help alleviate joint pain temporarily, but probably just because of anti-inflammatory secretions from the cells not regeneration, said Dr. David Hart, an orthopedic surgery professor at the University of Calgary who headed the Alberta workshop.

Theres a need for understanding whats going on here and theres a need for regulation, he said.

Most of the clinics say they use a centrifuge to concentrate the stem cells after removing them from patients fat tissue or bone marrow. But its unclear if the clinics even know how many cells they are eventually injecting into patients, says Jeff Biernaskie, a stem-cell scientist at the University of Calgary.

Munsie, on the other hand, has no doubts about the value of her own treatment, even with a $3,000 price tag.

The procedure from extraction of fat tissue in her behind to the injection of cells into her ankles took barely over an hour.

Within three months, the retired massage therapist from north of Toronto says she could walk her dogs again. Last week, she was hiking near Banff.

Im a real believer in it, and the possibility of stem cells, says Munsie. I just think Wow, if we can heal with our own body, its pretty amazing.

tblackwell@nationalpost.com

See the article here:
Canadian clinics begin offering stem-cell treatments experts call unproven, possibly unsafe - National Post

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Are you suffering from chronicjoint pain? If so, you may want to ask your doctor whetherstem cellinjections are right for you. If you want to avoid the surgical route of repairing a damaged knee or treating an arthritic shoulder, a stem cell injection may give you the relief you need.

Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy

Stem cells are specialtypes of cells with the ability to self-renew or multiply. They have the potential to replicate any cell in your body. In other words, they canbecome a cartilage cell, a muscle cell or a nerve cell, says orthopedic surgeonAnthony Miniaci, MD.

They have a tremendous capacity to differentiate and form different tissues, so thats the thought behind regenerating cartilage, regenerating nerve cells and healing any injured tissues, he says.

The source of stem cells isfound in your own bone marrow orfat or you can also receive stem cells from donor sources, particularlyamniotic sourcessuch as the placenta or the amniotic fluid and lining surrounding a fetus. These cells are not part of the embryo, Dr. Miniaci says.

The number of stem cells that you have and theirquality and activity diminish as you get older, he says. Amniotic stem cells, on the other hand, are from young tissue, so theoretically these are younger, more active cells.

Thetreatment team harvests stem cells from your bone marrow or fat or uses donor cells . Later on, your treatment team injects the cells preciselyinto your joint, ligament or tendon.

Theoretically, the cells will then divide and duplicate themselves and develop into different types of cells depending on the location into which they have been injected. For example, if you have damagedknee cartilage, stem cells placed near the damaged cartilage can develop into new cartilage tissue.

However, for patients with asevere loss of cartilageor no cartilage at all, a stem cell injection is unlikely to createa new joint, Dr. Miniaci says.

Severe loss of cartilage typically leads to bone erosion or bone deformity, so a stem cell injection is highly unlikely to work in terms of reversing those changes, he says.

It can, however, improve your symptoms of pain and swelling.

The earlier you can treat someones joint pain, the better chance this has of working, making it less painful for thepatient, less inflamed, and improve their function, he says.

The main risk from a stem cell injection is in harvesting the stem cells. When taking the cells from your bone marrow, the treatment team inserts a large needle into your pelvis and removes some blood and the cells.

Any time you make incisions or insert sharp instrument into somebodys pelvis, they can have problems such as acquiring an infection, Dr. Miniaci says.

If youre taking the stem cells from fat, you you can remove some out from under the skin, he says. Again, you have a risk for an infection because were making little nicks into the skin to get to the fat.

While the use of stem cell injections to treatjoint painholds much promise, Dr. Miniaci cautions that this treatment option is still very new. Researchers needto study its effectiveness further.

We dont have a lot of data or proof indicating that stem cell injections actually repair the joint, he says.

He explains that if you have cartilage orbone damage, stem cells candifferentiate and produce bone and cartilage and tissues. So, theoretically, they could heal damaged tissue within a muscle, tendon, bone or cartilage.

Thats the theory behind it, but this type of treatment and research is just in its infancy, he says.

We really dont know whats effective, whats not effective, how many cells are necessary, how many actual injections you need and how often, he says. Nobody knows how well it works yet. But we will eventually.

Anecdotally, Dr. Miniaci finds that some patients can have significant improvement in their symptoms with stem cellinjections. But he has not seen any proof yet that they are regrowing or regenerating a joint.

Many people think that theyre going to come in with their arthritic joint and leave with a newer version of their knee joint. That doesnt happen, he says.

What does occur is a biological reaction which makes the environment in their joints a little healthier, which probably makes it less inflamed, and as result, gives them less pain.

Original post:
Stem Cell Injections: Emerging Option for Joint Pain Relief - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic (blog)

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Emerald baseball coach Stanley Moss called current College of Charleston infielder Bradley Dixon one of the better players and kids he's ever coached.

The former Emerald standout was a slick-fielding shortstop, according to Moss, who was a cornerstone to the Emerald program.

"He was one of my favorites of all time," Moss said. "He always did what he was asked to do and went above and beyond to try to represent our program."

Dixon shared the field with current Clemson commit Sheldon Reed, who was a year under him at Emerald. Having the two of them play together was a joy and pleasure to be a part of, Moss said.

"(Dixon) and Sheldon hit in the middle of our lineup the whole time," Moss said. "They were big producers for us offensively."

Dixon's dominant play at Emerald earned him an opportunity to play Division I baseball with the Cougars. Dixon's senior season at Emerald, College of Charleston made it to a Super Regional which was just the second appearance in the program's history.

"It's what you grow up dreaming to do, playing Division I baseball," Dixon said. "Whenever you get an opportunity to do it, you take it and make the best of it."

But dreams have sometimes been met with struggles for Dixon. His freshman year in 2015 a week before opening weekend he sprained his MCL, ACL and suffered a bone contusion, forcing him to redshirt.

The following season, though, Dixon's redshirt freshman campaign, everyone got a glimpse of what he could do on the ball field when he's healthy.

Dixon started 45 games and was fourth on the team in batting average hitting .273 with a homer. They weren't the most eye-popping stats, but they proved what he was worth when on the field.

His 2017 season, however, was met with more injuries. Dixon recently had to get stem cells taken from the bone marrow in his hip and injected into the sesamoid bones in both his feet.

All the cartilage had worn down, which meant Dixon didn't have any protection around his bones. He played through the injury the entire season, hitting just .251.

+3

Moss believes he'll be a force again once healthy.

"Bradley's work ethic has always been where you would like to be," he said. "He's that kid in the offseason. Obviously if he can get himself completely healthy he's the kind of kid that can definitely go out and have a big year for College of Charleston."

The recovery time for his injury is 12 weeks, Dixon said, which means he'll be ready for the fall.

The team put together an underwhelming year last season, going just 13-11 in the Colonial Athletic Association, 28-31 overall and losing to Northeastern in the conference tournament.

On top of that, College of Charleston's coach, Matt Heath, was fired on Friday.

Despite the setbacks, Dixon is looking help right the ship.

"I really want to increase some of the numbers I had last year," Dixon said. "And just do better for my teammates, know my role and do whatever I can to help us win."

Contact staff writer Julian McWilliams at 864-223-1814 or on Twitter @JulianMack105

More:
Former Emerald standout eyes next season - Index-Journal

Recommendation and review posted by sam

BAREILLY: Dog owners from across the country, including Delhi and Gujarat, are turning up with their paralytic pets at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) here for stem cell therapy. Scientists treat a paralyzed dog by transplanting stem cells from healthy dogs. IVRI is the second institute in the country to offer this treatment, after Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.

According to scientists, no research has been conducted to determine the number of dogs who suffer from paralysis every year in India. However, the institute receives at least four cases every week of spinal trauma which causes paralysis in dogs. IVRI recorded 143 cases of posterior paralysis in 2016. These were treated with stem cell therapy and medicines.

"If dogs are treated only with medicines, recovery is witnessed only in a few cases," said Amarpal (who goes by his first name), head and principal scientist, division of surgery, IVRI. On an average, 17% recovery rate was noted among dogs administered only medicines.

However, the best response was recorded among severely affected dogs when they were treated using stem cells, where almost all the patients responded to treatment to variable extent, said the scientist. "Though we have cases where recovery was 100%, the average recovery rate is about 50%. The experiment proved the efficacy of stem cell therapy in cases of paralysis due to spinal trauma," said Amarpal. After seven years of research, stem cell therapy was started at IVRI five years ago for clinical purposes on a nominal registration fee of Rs 30.

Due to its success, pet owners from various parts of the country have started visiting the institute.

See the article here:
Dog owners flock IVRI for pets' cure - Times of India

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

| Newsline

UCI-led study to advance understanding of the role of micoglia in Alzheimers disease

Using human skin cells, University of California, Irvine neurobiologists and their colleagues have created a method to generate one of the principle cell types of the brain called microglia, which play a key role in preserving the function of neural networks and responding to injury and disease. The finding marks an important step in the use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells for targeted approaches to better understand and potentially treat neurological diseases such as Alzheimers. These iPS cells are derived from existing adult skin cells and show increasing utility as a promising approach for studying human disease and developing new therapies. Skin cells were donated from patients at the UCI Alzheimers Disease Research Center. The study, led by Edsel Abud, Wayne Poon and Mathew Blurton Jones of UCI, used a genetic process to reprogram these cells into a pluripotent state capable of developing into any type of cell or tissue of the body.

Click here to read more.

Be the first to reply using the above form.

Continue reading here:
Skin Stem Cells Used to Generate New Brain Cells - AANS ...

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Scientists have discovered that microscopic 'vampire' amoebae existed hundreds of millions of years ago, and they may have been some of the first predators on Earth. By examining ancient fossils with an electron microscope, paleobiologist Susannah Porter from UC Santa Barbara discovered tiny holes which may have been drilled by vampiric microbes. The tiny creatures are believed to be the ancestors of modern Vampyrellidae amoebae, and punctured holes in their prey before sucking out the contents of their cells

Susannah Porter

An Earth-like planet orbiting a star 1,200 light years away could have conditions suitable for life, say scientists. Kepler 62f is about 40 per cent larger than the Earth and may possess surface oceans. It is the outermost of five planets circling a star that is smaller and cooler than the sun discovered by the American space agency Nasa's Kepler space telescope in 2013

PA

Scientists have taken a leaf out of the script of The Martian by showing how easy it would be to grow your own veg on the Red Planet. In the hit Ridley Scott film, a stranded astronaut played by Matt Damon uses his botanical skills to cultivate potatoes. Now his success has been emulated by researchers in the Netherlands who harvested tomatoes, peas, rye, rocket, radish and cress raised on simulated Martian soil supplied by Nasa

An ancient Roman estate complete with its own wine press and bathhouse has been unearthed in Jerusalem. A series of buildings dating back at least 1,600 years were discovered underneath the city's famous Schneller Orphanage which operated on the site from 1860 until the end of the Second World War, when it was turned into an army base. The ruins were discovered by archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority who were excavating the site ahead of building new flats for the city's Orthodox Jewish community

Scientists believe they may have found a new species of octopus likened in appearance to Casper, the friendly cartoon ghost. Researchers with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration made the discovery by chance as they searched the seabed on an unrelated mission collecting geological samples. Teams were operating an unmanned submarine on the Pacific Ocean floor at depths of more than four kilometres (two-and-a-half miles) in the Hawaiian Islands when they spotted the unusual creature

Astronomers have captured a black hole eating a star and then sicking a bit of it back up for the first time ever. The scientists tracked a star about as big as our sun as it was pulled from its normal path and into that of a supermassive black hole before being eaten up. They then saw a high-speed flare get thrust out, escaping from the rim of the black hole. Scientists have seen black holes killing and swallowing stars. And the jets have been seen before.But a new study shows the first time that they have captured the hot flare that comes out just afterwards. And the flare and then swallowed star have not been linked together before

Brains cannot be categorised into female and male, according to the first study to look at sex differences in the whole brain. Specific parts of the brain do show sex differences, but individual brains rarely have all male traits or all female traits. Some characteristics are more common in women, while some are more common in men, and some are common in both men and women, according to the study

A British scientist has uncovered the fossil of a dog-sized horned dinosaur that roamed eastern North America up to 100 million years ago. The fragment of jaw bone provides evidence of an east-west divide in the evolution of dinosaurs on the North American continent. During the Late Cretaceous period, 66 to 100 million years ago, the land mass was split into two continents by a shallow sea. This sea, the Western Interior Seaway, ran from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic Ocean. Dinosaurs living in the western continent, called Laramidia, were similar to those found in Asia

A huge asteroid is set to skim by Earth on Halloween, just three weeks after it was first spotted. The rock is travelling through space at 78,000 miles per hour, and will fly past the Earth at a distance of only 300,000 miles only slightly further away than our moon, and easily close enough for Nasa to class it a potentially hazardous object. The asteroid is bigger than a skyscraper

Life may have come to earth 4.1 billion years ago, hundreds of millions of years earlier than we knew. The discovery, made using graphite that was trapped in ancient crystals, could mean that life began "almost instantaneously" after the Earth was formed. The researchers behind it have described the discovery as a potentially transformational scientific advance. Previously, life on Earth was understood to have begun when the inner solar system was hit by a massive bombardment from space, which also formed the moon's craters

Earth could be in danger as our galaxy throws out comets that could hurtle towards us and wipe us out, scientists have warned. Scientists have previously presumed that we are in a relatively safe period for meteor impacts, which are linked with the journey of our sun and its planets, including Earth, through the Milky Way. But some orbits might be more upset than we know, and there is evidence of recent activity, which could mean that we are passing through another meteor shower. Showers of meteors periodically pass through the area where the Earth is, as gravitational disturbances upset the Oort Cloud, which is a shell of icy objects on the edge of the solar system. They happen on a 26-million year cycle, scientists have said, which coincide with mass extinctions over the last 260-million years

Chinese scientists have created genetically-engineered, extra-muscular dogs, after editing the genes of the animals for the first time. The scientists create beagles that have double the amount of muscle mass by deleting a certain gene, reports the MIT Technology Review. The mutant dogs have more muscles and are expected to have stronger running ability, which is good for hunting, police (military) applications, Liangxue Lai, one of the researchers on the project. Now the team hope to go on to create other modified dogs, including those that are engineered to have human diseases like muscular dystrophy or Parkinsons. Since dogs anatomy is similar to those of humans, intentionally creating dogs with certain human genetic traits could allow scientists to further understand how they occur

Nasa has announced that it has found evidence of flowing water on Mars. Scientists have long speculated that Recurring Slope Lineae or dark patches on Mars were made up of briny water but the new findings prove that those patches are caused by liquid water, which it has established by finding hydrated salts.

With warmer summers, flowers in the Rockies have become shallower and more suited to shorter-tongued bees

The titular alien character from 2011's 'Paul' - a poll has found the majority of the public in Britain, Germany and the US believe that intelligent life is out there in the universe

Scientists say that the new dinosaur, known as Ugrunaaluk kuukpikensis, challenges everything we thought about a dinosaurs physiology. Florida State University professor of biological science Greg Erickson said: It creates this natural question. How did they survive up here?

New research has become the first to isolate the particular scent of human death, describing the various chemicals that are emitted by corpses in an attempt to help find them in the future. The researchers hope that the findings are the first step towards working on a synthetic smell that could train cadaver dogs to be able to more accurately find human bodies, or to eventually developing electronic devices that can look for the scent themselves.

Researchers in the Middle East have asked for seeds including those of wheat, barley and grasses, all of which are chosen because especially resistant to dry conditions. It is the first withdrawal from the bank, which was built in 2008. Those researchers would normally request the seeds from a bank in Aleppo. But that centre has been damaged by the war while some of its functions continue, and its cold storage still works, it has been unable to provide the seeds that are needed by the rest of the Middle East, as it once did.

Illustrations of the Earth and moon show the two to be quite close together, Mr Overstreet said. This is inaccurate, the reason being that these images are not to scale.

People lie more convincingly if they have a full bladder, according to research by academics at California State University. Iris Blandn-Gitlin's team asked 22 students to lie to a panel of interviewers. Half were given 700ml to drink before the interview and the other half, just 50ml. The students with the full bladders showed fewer signs that they were lying and their untrue answers were longer and more detailed, meaning interviewers were less able to detect that they were telling porkies. PM David Cameron has previously attested to giving speeches on a full bladder.

View original post here:
Within 30 years we will no longer use sex to procreate, says Stanford professor - The Independent

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Within three decades, we won't be making babies naturally, apparently.

That's the opinion of one Stanford University professor, who believes thatmaking a baby will be carried out in a lab.

Hank Greely, the director of Stanford's Centre of Law and Biosciences claims that the reproductive process will start by parents choosing from a rangeof embryos with their DNA.

Even though this already takes place for people who struggle to conceive, Hank thinks it will become cheaper and the safest option in the long run.

The process would involve taking a female's skin sample to make stem cells, which would then be used to create eggs.

The eggs are then fertilised by sperm cells, which produce the embryos.

"I think one of the hardest things about this will be all the divorces that come about when she wants embryo number 15 and he wants embryo number 64, Hanksaid at Aspen Ideas Festive,Tribunereported.

I think the decision making will be a real challenge for people. How do you weigh a slightly higher chance of diabetes with slightly lower risk of schizophrenia against better musical ability and a much lower risk of colon cancer? Good luck.

Well, it'll certainly be interesting to see.

Original post:
In 30 years we won't be having sex to make babies, says science - SHEmazing

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Boston Business Journal

After raising $50M, virtual gene therapy startup sets up shop in Cambridge Boston Business Journal LogicBio Therapeutics becomes the latest local entrant to the field of gene therapy, a method of inserting healthy genes into cells to replace missing or faulty ones. ... Research the 3+ year digital archive, and People on the Move leads database download. and more »

See the original post:
After raising $50M, virtual gene therapy startup sets up shop in Cambridge - Boston Business Journal

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

July 3, 2017 Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Beta-blocker drugs serve a key role in the treatment of heart failure, preventing bombardment of the heart by catecholamines - substances like epinephrine and norepinephrine - which overexcite and stress the heart. But not all heart failure patients respond to beta-blockers, for reasons that have been unclear. Now, in new work, researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) show that dysfunction of beta-adrenergic receptor 3 (3AR) - a novel beta-blocker target - and consequent decreases in a critical cardioprotective phospholipid may be to blame.

The cardioprotective molecule, known as sphingosine 1-phosphate 1 (S1P), keeps heart cells from dying following events such as heart attack and heart failure. "The higher the levels of S1P in heart failure, the better the outcome," explains Walter J. Koch, PhD, W.W. Smith Endowed Chair in Cardiovascular Medicine, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmacology and Director of the Center for Translational Medicine at LKSOM, as well as senior investigator on the new study.

According to Dr. Koch, beta-blocker drugs increase S1P levels by attenuating hyperactive beta-adrenergic receptor signaling, with most of the drugs acting selectively on 1ARs. "But the drugs can also have stimulatory effects on 3AR, promoting 3AR activity," he says. "Our new work shows that when 3AR is dysfunctional, the protective effects of S1P are lost."

The findings were published online July 3 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

"Our group has spent more than a decade investigating beta-blocker mechanisms," explains Alessandro Cannavo, PhD, a research associate in the Center for Translational Medicine and Department of Pharmacology at LKSOM and lead author on the new report. "We know that a kinase called GRK2 that is downstream of beta-adrenergic receptor activation is responsible for downregulation (decreased production) of the S1P receptor 1 (S1PR1), which functions in cardioprotective signaling. We have also demonstrated in rats that restoration of S1PR1, via gene-therapy, can correct heart failure."

In their new study, Dr. Koch and colleagues looked more deeply into the mechanisms driving S1PR1 downregulation in heart failure, as well as the effects on S1P of metoprolol, a commonly used beta-blocker drug. Experiments in cells exposed to isoproterenol (to mimic the condition of heart failure) showed that treatment with metoprolol prevented S1PR1 downregulation. Microscopic studies revealed that whereas isoproterenol triggered S1PR1 internalization, with receptors retreating from their active front at the cell surface into the interior of the cell, metoprolol produced the opposite effect.

The researchers further showed in mice that treatment with either metoprolol or S1P effectively halts heart failure progression following heart attack. To determine whether those effects were related to 3AR, Dr. Koch's team performed a series of experiments in 3AR knockout mice. S1P levels remained low in 3AR knockout animals, despite treatment with metoprolol. Moreover, in the absence of 3AR, metoprolol failed to ameliorate cardiac damage suffered post-heart attack, whereas metoprolol improved cardiac function after heart attack in mice with normal 3AR expression.

Analyses of samples from heart failure patients taking 1AR blockers confirmed the clinical relevance of the findings. Compared to untreated patients, circulating levels of S1P were significantly elevated in patients that had been treated with the drugs.

"In the concept of precision medicine, our study suggests that altered 3AR or S1P signaling can be responsible for the diverse response to beta-blockers between human patients usually observed in clinical practice," says Dr. Cannavo.

"Mechanistically, we've identified a novel means by which 1AR blockers prevent the progression of heart failure, whereby 3AR must be active for metoprolol to work," adds Dr. Koch.

The team plans next to explore the effects of beta-blockers that lack activity at 3AR.

Explore further: Some heart attack patients may not benefit from beta blockers

Contracting shingles, a reactivation of the chickenpox virus, increases a person's risk of stroke and heart attack, according to a research letter published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Please sign in to add a comment. Registration is free, and takes less than a minute. Read more

Go here to see the original:
Researchers identify novel mechanism underlying efficacy of common heart failure drug - Medical Xpress

Recommendation and review posted by sam

President Donald Trump and Pope Francis have voiced their support for the parents of critically ill British baby Charlie Gard. The pair have been engaged in a long legal battle to take their son to the U.S. for treatment for a rare genetic disease.

Who is Charlie Gard, and why is his case so significant? Here's what you should know.

In September 2016, Charlie Gard, who's now 10 months old, was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called mitochondrial depletion syndrome, which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage. He cannot move his limbs or eat or breathe without assistance.

His parents, Chris Gard and Connie Yates, are both carriers of the faulty gene, but were unaware of it until Charlie turned three months old. According to a fundraising page they set up, Charlie is only the sixteenth known person in the world with the condition.

Charlie's parents believe an experimental medication offered in the U.S. may be able to help the child, who is on life support.

"After endlessly researching and speaking to [doctors] all over the world we found hope in a medication that may help him and a [doctor] in America has accepted him in his hospital," wrote the parents on Charlie's fundraising page. "It hasn't been tried on anyone with his gene before . . . but it's had success with another mitochondrial depletion syndrome called TK2 which is similar."

Gard and Yates added that they "strongly feel . . . Charlie should get a chance to try these medications" and he has "literally has nothing to lose but potentially a healthier, happier life to gain."

The pair set up a GoFundMe page to help raise money to send Charlie to the U.S. They raised 1.3 million ($1.68 million) in five months, with donations from 83,563 people.

Charlie's doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children, or GOSH, believe there is no cure for his condition, which is terminal.

A statement on the hospital's website explains that "GOSH explored various treatment options" including nucleoside therapy, the experimental treatment offered by the U.S. hospital. "GOSH concluded that the experimental treatment, which is not designed to be curative, would not improve Charlies quality of life," the statement says.

After balancing whether the experimental treatment was in Charlie's best interests or not, the GOSH doctors said they thought it would be best to stop providing life support for Charlie and instead move on to a palliative care regime, allowing him to "die with dignity."

"One of the factors that influenced this decision was that Charlies brain was shown to be extensively damaged at a cellular level. The clinician in the U.S. who is offering the treatment agrees that the experimental treatment will not reverse the brain damage that has already occurred," the statement says.

"The entire highly experienced U.K. team, all those who provided second opinions and the consultant instructed by the parents all agreed that further treatment would be futile meaning it would be pointless or of no effective benefit," it adds.

Because Charlie's parents disagreed with the doctors' decision about Charlie's future treatment, the decision went to the Family Division of Britain's High Court in London.

The High Court ruled last April "with the heaviest of hearts" that it was in Charlie's best interests for GOSH to "lawfully withdraw all treatment save for palliative care to permit Charlie to die with dignity.

The judge said his decision not to allow Charlie to go to the U.S. was not related to funding. I dare say that medical science may benefit objectively from the experiment, but experimentation cannot be in Charlies best interests unless there is a prospect of benefit for him," he said, referring to the trial treatment, The Guardian reported at the time.

On May 2, the couple took their fight to the Court of Appeal, asking the judges not to take away the only remaining hope." However, on May 25, three Court of Appeal judges upheld the High Court ruling. Britain's Supreme Court then agreed to review the case, but ruled that Charlie's life support must be switched off.

Charlie's parents took the case to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). But on June 27, the ECHR ruled that, in agreement with the domestic courts' ruling, "undergoing experimental treatment with no prospects of success" would offer Gard "no benefit, and continue to cause him significant harm. In a statement acquired by The Guardian, the ECHR declared the decision as "final."

Our thoughts are with Charlies parents on receipt of this news that we know will be very distressing for them," said a spokesperson for GOSH. "Todays decision by the European court of human rights marks the end of what has been a very difficult process and our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlies parents as we prepare for the next steps."

In a Facebook post , Charlie's parents wrote that they are "utterly heartbroken." The post added: "We're not allowed to choose if our son lives and we're not allowed to choose when or where Charlie dies. We and most importantly Charlie have been massively let down throughout this whole process."

Following the ECHR's decision, campaigners gathered at Buckingham Palace to protest the ruling, chanting "save Charlie Gard" and "release Charlie Gard" and holding placards, with one reading, "It's murder."

"If we can help little # CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so," wrote Trump on Twitter Monday morning.

His comment came one day after Pope Francis said in a statement that he was following the case "with affection and sadness," adding that he was praying that Gard's parents' "wish to accompany and treat their child until the end isnt neglected.

Continue reading here:
What to Know About Charlie Gard, the Terminally Ill Baby Trump Wants to Help - TIME

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Floyd is a horticulturist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service. He can be reached at 498-4071 in Ector County or 686-4700 in Midland County or by email at Jeff.Floyd@ag.tamu.edu

Floyd is an Agri-Life Extension agent for Ector and Midland counties. To learn more, call the Ector County Extension office at 432-498-4072, or the Midland County Extension office at 432-686-4700, or email jeff.floyd@ag.tamu.edu.

Posted: Sunday, July 2, 2017 3:00 am

GARDENING: Reviving St. Augustine grass By Jeff Floyd Odessa American

Weve discussed a lot of the problems that St. Augustine grass experiences in West Texas lawns but a recent question caused me to realize we havent talked about a basic St. Augustine maintenance schedule for our area.

Question: We have had great success growing Bermuda and St. Augustine, we have mostly shade, and the St. Augustine took over most of the yard. Last year we noticed the St. Augustine was not growing and yellowing and disappearing. It continues to get worse this year. This season I have fertilized, insect and bug killer granules, and Fungicide. No change. Last year I tried Ironite with no change. This month I laid down a strip of dolomite lime, and on the other side of yard a strip of aluminum sulfate. No detectable difference on either side.

Answer: Thank you for the question to Extension. Avoid applying any more amendments or fertilizers until youve gotten on track with a basic maintenance plan and start to see some recovery.

For St. Augustine lawns showing signs of stress, begin with a soil test. Visit http://www.soiltesting.tamu.edu for forms and instructions.

Call the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office if you are having turf grass problems at 498-4071.

Posted in Gardening on Sunday, July 2, 2017 3:00 am. | Tags: Texas A&m Agrilife Extension Office, Jeff Floyd, Pecans, Pruning, Prune, Soft Landscape Materials, Landscape, Gardening, Gardener, Food, Integra, Repeat Applications, West Texas

Go here to see the original:
GARDENING: Reviving St. Augustine grass - Odessa American

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Visakhapatnam: Lack of awareness on the importance of becoming a blood stem cell donor is hindering the treatment of people suffering from blood cancer and other fatal blood disorders like thalassemia and aplastic anaemia.

Since the only cure is a blood stem cell transplant, the need of the hour is to sensitise people of the city on the necessity of becoming a potential blood stem cell donor to save lives, experts say.

According to oncologists based in Vizag, the cases of blood cancer are increasing and the treatment options are very few. Moreover, patients with blood cancer are sent to Hyderabad and other centres for treatment as neither there are donors nor equipment for stem cell transplant in the port city.

For a successful transplant, patients suffering from fatal blood disorders need blood stem cells from a healthy and genetically matched donor. Unfortunately, the probability of finding a genetically matched donor is one in 10,000 to one in over a million.

Only about 25 per cent of the patients find a donor from within their family. Rest need to wait for a life-saving donor.

"The chances of finding a match for patients suffering from these fatal blood disorders could only widen if there are more number of donors registered," says Ravindranath Chava, co-ordinator of a Chennai-based blood stem cell donors registry- DATRI.

Read the original:
Lack of stem cell donations plagues patients - Times of India

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Bareilly: Dog owners from across the country, including Delhi and Gujarat, are turning up with their paralytic pets at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) here for stem cell therapy. Scientists treat a paralyzed dog by transplanting stem cells from healthy dogs. IVRI is the second institute in the country to offer this treatment, after Madras Veterinary College, Chennai.

According to scientists, no research has been conducted to determine the number of dogs who suffer from paralysis every year in India. However, the institute receives at least four cases every week of spinal trauma which causes paralysis in dogs. IVRI recorded 143 cases of posterior paralysis in 2016. These were treated with stem cell therapy and medicines.

If dogs are treated only with medicines, recovery is witnessed only in a few cases, said Amarpal (who goes by his first name), head and principal scientist, division of surgery, IVRI. On an average, 17% recovery rate was noted among dogs administered only medicines.

However, the best response was recorded among severely affected dogs when they were treated using stem cells, where almost all the patients responded to treatment to variable extent, said the scientist. Though we have cases where recovery was 100%, the average recovery rate is about 50%. The experiment proved the efficacy of stem cell therapy in cases of paralysis due to spinal trauma, said Amarpal.

The paralytic dog is first administered anesthesia before the stem cells are injected into its spinal cord. It takes only one session for a dog to undergo the therapy and it is discharged the same day.. After this, the owner has to bring his pet for check-ups for two or more times so that vets can monitor how the animal is responding to the treatment and if it is suffering from any reaction, said Amarpal.

Visit link:
Stem cell therapy to treat paralytic dogs draws pet owners from across country to IVRI - Times of India

Recommendation and review posted by sam

For over 20 years autologous hematopoietic stem cell treatment (AHSCT) has been a therapy for autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and lupus; however, the exact mechanism of action remains unclear. Recent clinical research has also been exploring the use of stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes, another autoimmune disease which affects over 422 million individuals globally.

Type 1 diabetes, formerly known as juvenile or insulin-dependent diabetes, is a chronic condition where little or no insulin is produced by the pancreas. Immune cells attack pancreatic beta cells which produce insulin, leading to inflammation. Insulin is an essential hormone for energy production as it enables the breakdown of sugars to enter the cells and produce energy. The onset of type 1 diabetes occurs when significant inflammation damages beta cells and results in insufficient maintenance of glucose haemostasis (balance of insulin and glucagon to maintain blood glucose levels).

Therapies currently used in type 1 diabetes treatment include insulin administration, blood glucose monitoring and screening for common comorbidities and diabetes-related complications. However, these treatments fail to reduce the damage on a patients immune system. The use of autologous hematopoietic stem cells as a potential type 1 diabetes therapy is based upon the ability of the stem cells to reset the immune system. Autologous hematopoietic stems cells are retrieved from a patients own bone marrow or peripheral blood (blood which circulates the body and contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets) and after conditioning are injected intravenously.

A recent study by Ye and colleagues published in Stem Cell Research & Therapy (2017) investigated the effects AHSCT had on the immune response in recently diagnosed diabetes type 1 patients. The study included 18 patients (12-35 years old) with type 1 diabetes who had been diagnosed within less than 6 months. Of these 18 participants, 10 received a traditional insulin injection as treatment and eight received AHSCT. An additional 15 patients who matched in age, gender and BMI of these two groups were enrolled as a control group.

To test the effects of the treatment on immune response, patients peripheral blood cells were assessed. Samples were taken before they started treatment and then again 12 months after either the AHSCT or insulin-only therapies were administered.

Before treatment, peripheral blood cell distribution was almost equivalent in the two groups; however, after 12 months a significant difference was observed. The results of this clinical trial showed that patients receiving AHSCT exhibited significantly reduced development and function of Th1 and Th17 cells (types of T cells which cause inflammation in autoimmune diseases), compared to those only receiving the insulin treatment.

The inhibition of T-cell proliferation and function, along with decreased production of cytokines (pivotal chemical messengers which aid an immune response) observed in patients receiving AHSCT treatment suggests there is a strong link between the therapy and effects on the patients immune response. This may explain why AHSCT results in better therapeutic effects when compared with insulin-only traditional therapy.

The authors note that the small number of participants and length of the study are the two main limitations. Future clinical studies should include a larger number of patients and long-term follow up, especially since AHSCT can cause damage to the bone marrow and lead to potentially serious infections.

Progression of type 1 diabetes, as mentioned above, results in unavoidable immune damage from inflammation. This study suggests the combination of therapies including AHSCT treatment and high-dose immunosuppressive drugs may be a potential new therapeutic approach to type 1 diabetes. It is hypothesized that this combination has the ability reset the immune system and increase the recovery capacity of beta cells. Further clinical studies are essential though, to shed more light on the mechanism and use of stem cell therapy for type 1 diabetes.

Written By:Lacey Hizartzidis, PhD

See original here:
Stem Cell Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes - Medical News Bulletin

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The calls had been coming for a few years, and Bill Holowaty couldn't say yes. His baseball spirit was willing. His body wasn't.

Holowaty won four national championships and 1,404 games before he stepped down in 2013 after 45 years as coach at Eastern Connecticut. Becoming president of the Greater Hartford Twilight Baseball League seemed perfect for a septuagenarian with baseball in his DNA, baseball in his blood.

The problem was this: Holowaty's DNA isn't the same. His blood type isn't the same.

That's what happens with Myelodysplastic Syndrome. That's what happens when your body that had carried you through the third most victories in Division III history no longer could make enough healthy blood cells. In short, Holowaty had bone marrow failure and needed a stem cell transplant last June 23 that changed his DNA and blood type from O to A. Otherwise, he wasn't going to be around for long.

"I'm celebrating my first birthday," Holowaty said recently. "June 23, my new birthday."

Fortunately, Type A loves baseball, too.

So Holowaty said yes this past winter to becoming president of the GHTBL, the amateur wood-bat league now in its 88th year. Over the decades, it is a league that has produced a large number of major leaguers, including 2017 Hall of Fame inductee Jeff Bagwell. It also is a league that has had to fight softball, other baseball leagues and the evolution of modern sports interest to keep its place on the map.

The first thing Holowaty did was bring together the managers for a couple of meetings at his house.

"I was extremely impressed with their enthusiasm and their desire to make the league better," Holowaty said. "I needed that. They motivated me. Look, I'm not going to change the world and make it the best league in the United States, etc. I told them I'll try to help. I just love to watch baseball and see it played the right way."

Holowaty, who played basketball at UConn, played for Wally Widholm on the playoff champion Hamilton Standard team in the summer of 1966. His sons played in the GHTBL, too.

"Wally taught me how to win, how to play the game of baseball," Holowaty said. "Later on, my son came to me and he said, 'Dad, I played in wood-bat leagues and played all over the place. I had my best experience playing for Gene Johnson this past summer.' Winning was important, not showing off. I loved that."

There was no way Holowaty could do this by himself. He surrounded himself with a strong executive committee that includes vice presidents Bill DePascale, Ed Slegeski and former UConn coach Andy Baylock.

"I've known Billy forever, since the '60s," said Baylock, who played two summers in the GHTBL. "He has had a lot health problems, but this is something he can put his heart into. He called and asked me to be a vice president. I said, 'Billy, will this make you happy if I join?' He said yes. I told him, 'I'll be with you.' Gene Johnson, who was such a mainstay in the league, died [in November 2014] and I felt this would be a good way to give back to the league and Gene."

The two state baseball legends obviously add recognition to the league. Yet it had to be more than that.

There is nothing worse, Holowaty said, than playing on a lousy field. Trinity College has a beautiful new facility. The league secured it for the playoffs. The teams are going to play throughout July 9 at Dunkin' Donuts Park. Holowaty, convinced the job of running a team is too big for one guy, wants each team to have a general manager. There were a couple of new teams added this year. There were sponsorships found. Holowaty also wants each team to have a mentor or two. On opening day, Holowaty and Baylock talked to the players about playing the game smart, aggressively, hustling, showing up on time. Little things that can become big things, like coaches wearing protective helmets at first and third base.

They've gone to games at various sites.

"Not to be a cop," Baylock said, "but to try to make sure things look good."

"We're not out there second-guessing managers," Holowaty said. "But a lot of great players have played in the league over nearly 90 years. I don't want a beer league. Baseball is one of the hardest games to teach and play. We've got a good league and want to make it better, a nice, competitive league where the guys enjoy themselves and learn the right way to play."

Those words came over the phone from Omaha a couple of weekends ago. He was out there for the College World Series. Holowaty is on the board of the American Baseball Coaches Association, its past president. This was a big trip for Holowaty.

"I couldn't go on an airplane for a year, or go out to eat," he said. "I had to wear a mask and gloves on the plane. The doctor told me I could go but have to be careful. My daughter [Jennifer] came with me to give my wife [Jan] four days' vacation.

"My wife has been taking care of me. Thank God for her."

In 2015, he was inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame. It was in August of that year that Holowaty, after undergoing knee surgery, was told his blood cell counts had been dropping. He consulted a hematologist. He would have a bone marrow test late in 2015. Holowaty would need a stem cell transplant or else to use his words "I wasn't going to be around long, maybe a year." With plans to spend the winter in Florida, he would go to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville. There he began his treatment before returning to Connecticut.

A match in Germany, a young man, was found for Holowaty. On June 17, 2016, he went to the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center in Boston. For nearly a week he underwent chemotherapy for six hours a day to kill his old blood cells. The stem cells were flown overnight from Germany and the next day, June 23, Holowaty was receiving a transplant.

There would be more chemo. The fight has been hard. His immune system had to start from scratch. He must be ultra-careful to avoid germs, mold, etc., thus the gloves and the mask.

Holowaty went through his problems like he was reading a lineup card. He had pneumonia. A blood vessel broke when he had a lung biopsy. He had some blood clots in his legs and lung that took months to be rid of. His heart went out of rhythm. He had an aneurysm in his stomach. The man always was a tough coach and now, physically, mentally, spiritually, he has been called on to be even tougher.

Jan drives Bill up to Boston once or twice a week.

"They take my blood and see where I am with red and white blood cells," Holowaty said. "You get new blood. The remaining old blood tries to fight off the new blood.

"You feel good. You want to feel good. You just can't feel good. You go to bed, get a night's sleep and wake up tired. I'll feel great and then last week I had a hard time walking across the room. It's exhausting. It's not painful. I'm fighting it. I could never do this alone."

He has found a source of inspiration in his former ECSU assistant coach Ron Jones.

"Ron has had the same thing," Holowaty said. "He started calling me up and telling me how to prepare myself, helping me get through this. Here's the thing he has called me every day since last June. We just talked today. He has had a tough time. Last October, he had pacemaker put in, and he's doing well now.

"Think about that. He calls me every single day."

That's what great baseball guys do. They take care of each other.

Holwaty paused for a second on the phone.

"The Twilight League," he said softly, "this is my way of giving back to the game I love."

Read the rest here:
Jeff Jacobs: Hall Of Fame Coach Holowaty Fights Illness And Gives Back - Hartford Courant

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Written by Kavitha Iyer | Jalna | Updated: July 3, 2017 9:17 am GBIT got around 12,000 male OX513A mosquitoes in 2011, several generations have evolved in its Jalna lab.

EVEN as urban local bodies gear up for annual monsoon outbreaks of dengue and malaria, inside a nondescript mesh cage at Jalna in central Maharashtra, trials are underway on several generations of a friendly mosquito that a handful of countries are already experimenting with for vector control programmes.

In the cage are hundreds of Aedes Aegypti vector mosquitoes, responsible for spreading dengue and chikungunya among other diseases, but engineered through advanced biotechnology to be self-limiting in other words, genetically modified to cause offspring to die.

While GM Mustard continues to await a final nod from the Union government, Gangabishan Bhikulal Investment and Trading Limited (GBIT), which is testing the transgenic mosquitoes along with Oxitec Limited, an Oxford University spin-out biotech company, is pinning its hopes on the urgency around finding effective vector management technologies.

The Aedes Aegypti mosquito, the vector responsible for dengue and chikungunya outbreaks, has survived traditional fumigating and there is no immediate mass-scale programme to control these outbreaks. From a public health perspective, this is a crucial area where intervention can be made, says Shirish Barwale, director of GBIT, one of the Barwale Group companies that include hybrid seed major Mahyco.

Already, Oxitec is partnering with agencies in Brazil, Panama, the US and the Cayman Islands for trials and pilot projects. In India, GBIT expects to approach regulators seeking permissions for the next phase limited trials in an open field early next year. Phase One of the trials was in the laboratory, and Phase Two, a contained trial in cages, is currently underway. Once the results of this phase are ready, then we expect to go into Phase Three, which would be open field trials, said Dr Shaibal Dasgupta, GBITs lead scientist on the project. By February or March 2018, we will be more or less ready and will submit results.

Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) director Dr Soumya Swaminathan agrees that there is a need for a graded response to trials around GM technology meant for disease control. We definitely need to look for alternative technologies for the future, she said.

The friendly Aedes has already been trademarked by Oxitec. These are transgenic male mosquitoes with a self-limiting gene inserted through advanced genetics. Banking upon the males natural instinct to mate with a wild female, the OX513A strain is inherited by offspring, causing the larvae to die before maturing into adult mosquitoes.

What we do is a regular quality check on the effectivity of the gene. We mate the OX513A male mosquito with the local female and check the mortality. That is the test of effectivity of the gene, says Dr Dasgupta. GBIT says their quality checks have shown no deviation from the expected performance of the gene in subsequent generations of the mosquito. At Oxitec, over 150 generations of the mosquito have been tested by now, only batches getting tetracycline surviving into adulthood. Again, no deviation has been found in gene penetrance.

Asked whether the local agricultural community around the Jalna facility is aware of the active test site, GBIT says they have a detailed engagement plan to set into motion before open trials. We would need to involve the local community for the next round of open trials, as and when we get approvals. At present, discussion with the village close to the site is on and is at the initial stages, said an official of GBIT.

Among the things they expect to tell villagers is that only male mosquitoes are to be released the male Aedes Aegypti neither bites humans nor spreads disease. Also, the OX513A gene being self limiting, it does not remain in the environment unless it gets tetracycline. Scientists also say no toxins are introduced in the bio-engineered OX513A mosquitoes, so birds eating these mosquitoes will not be in any danger. Also, as the Aedes Aegypti only mates with its own kind, DNA sequences will not be spread to any other organism.

But one problem, is the absence of convincing data from previous trials on the impact of a reduced vector population on incidence of disease. Other doubts include the possibility that the wild female will, over generations, prefer only the wild male Aedes Aegypti.

For all the latest India News, download Indian Express App

View original post here:
Scientists arming new weapon against dengue, malaria mosquitoes - The Indian Express

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

The Hindu

The problematics of genetics and the Aryan issue The Hindu Finally, the study opines that genetic influx from Central Asia in the Bronze Age was strongly male-driven, consistent with the patriarchal, patrilocal and patrilineal social structure attributed to the inferred pastoralist early Indo-European society ...

Read more:
The problematics of genetics and the Aryan issue - The Hindu

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Natural -BioIdentical -Hormone Replacement Therapy

Many of the most common signs of aging includingfatigue,weight gain, joint pain, and poor libidoare a direct result of a loss of hormones in our bodies. As we grow older our hormone production slowly decreases, leaving us feeling much different than we did in our youth. As a solution, natural hormone replacement therapy can be used to help replenish hormone levels and reverse the effects of aging.

OUR ANTI-AGING THERAPY PROGRAM

At Z Med Clinics(Internet Medical Clinics ) we have a unique approach to hormone replacement therapy as a part of our anti-aging program:

HORMONE OPTIMIZATION: THE BELL CURVE

Hormone levels are optimized for each individual on a bell curve, very much like the way the bell curve is used in school grading. For example, when you take a test in school your grade depends on where your score fell along the bell curve. Although the students who were on the low end of the bell curve passed, they didn't do as well those who were at the upper end.

This works very much the same way with hormone levels. When you are tested for hormones most laboratories look at whether or not you fall within a "normal rage". However, these ranges are not scaled based on a patient's age, race, sex, or other underlying medical factors. Therefore, they most often are an inaccurate representation of how well your hormones are working in your body.

When we are younger we tend to have hormone levels at the upper end of the bell curve. However, as we age our levels begin to decline, sliding us further and further down the curve. At Z Med Clinic (Internet Medical Clinics ) our healthcare providers help replace patient hormone levels until they are back up to the upper end of the curve, just like when you were younger.

For example:A patient may present with symptoms of of thyroid hormone deficiency such as weight gain, fatigue, depression and fluid retention, but have a thyroid hormone level within a "normal range". In most cases this patient would not be treated with thyroid hormone replacement, but rather with medications to combat the symptoms such as anti-depressants. However, at Internet Medical Clinics our specialists recognize that although this patient hormone was within normal ranges, it was at the low end of the bell curve and needed hormone replacement to bring it back up to the upper end. This sort of hormone optimization would alleviate all of those symptoms due to a decrease in thyroid hormone production.

Click hereto learn more about menopause hormonal optimization in women.

NATURAL BIO-IDENTICAL HORMONES

Estrogens are hormones that cause feminizing effects in the body. There are hundreds of different types of estrogens available in nature and created synthetically; however there are only two that are made naturally in women: Estriol and Estradiol. According to a large research study conducted on women and hormones, these are the only two that can be safely used in replacement therapy. Other synthetic or plant estrogens such as Premarin, Premphase and Prempro can cause significant health risks when used in women.

At Internet Medical Clinics we use bio-identical hormone replacement, which means natural estrogen and progesterone, in order to ease symptoms of pre-menstrual syndrome, hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, fatigue, poor energy, slow metabolism, weight gain, an inability to focus and concentrate and other discomforts associated with menopause. Natural bio-identical estrogen and progesterone can be taken as a cream or capsule or through the insertion of a timed-released pellet under the skin placed three to four times a year.

Humans make 2 kinds of thyroid hormones: Thyroxine 3 and Triiodothyronine 4. When a patient is suffering from insufficient thyroid hormone he or she may experience weight gain, poor energy levels, hair loss and hair thinning, swelling, cold extremities, depression and sleep disturbances. Natural thyroid replacement given twice daily as an oral tablet can help alleviate these uncomfortable symptoms.

Testosterone and DHEA are two types of hormones known as androgens, which cause masculinizing effects on the body. Both plants and animals make many types of androgens as well as scientists can make unique synthetic androgens. However, men and women only make two major androgens: testosterone and dihydroepiandosterone (DHEA). These are the only two that should be used in humans for hormone replacement. For men and women testosterone and DHEA replacement helps significantly with decreased libido, loss of muscle and bone strength, decreased exercise tolerance, mental sharpness and recovery from injury. The preferred route of administration of testosterone is as an insertion of a timed released pellet under the skin twice a year. It may also be used as a cream-used twice daily or as an intramuscular injection every 7-10 days.

Click hereto learn more about our Low Testosterone Treatments for men.

As we get age our adrenal glands, located on top of the kidneys, can burn out and cease to produce appropriate levels of the hormone called cortisol. This causes what is called "adrenal fatigue", or a general feeling of tiredness in many patients. Cortisol is usually supplemented as a capsule taken in the morning and titrated to a level that gets the patient feeling his or her best.

Anti-oxidants are small substances found in food that are very important in neutralizing harmful chemicals that damage our cells and tissues. We encourage our patients to take a daily natural anti-oxidant regimen which can help protect the organs which produce hormones and prevent further decline in production levels. It is recommended that you eat six servings of raw fruits and vegetables a day in order to maintain healthy antioxidant levels.

The society we live in today makes us exposed to many substances that are alien for the body. The environmental changes and our stressful lifestyle brings a shift in the hormonal balance in our body, and as we start to age, all of this adds up to impact the ability of our body to work towards attaining the optimum hormone level. Common symptoms associated with hormonal imbalance and the inability of our body to produce the required levels of hormones include fatigue, memory loss, weight gain, insomnia, poor libido, confusion, joint pain, and irritability to name a few. These hormone imbalances make both men and women suffer, especially the latter in their pre and post menopausal years. Men and women should both understand that natural (bio-identical) hormone therapy can optimize hormone naturally in the body, which can help in improving the quality of life.

Z Med Clinic has the resources and expertise to provide bio-identical hormone replacement therapy to men and women who have noticed a dip in their energy levels, and other symptoms common with hormonal imbalance.

Whether its estrogen and progesterone replacement, natural thyroid replacement, natural cortisol replacement, or natural testosterone hormone therapy for men, we can help you with advanced treatments to overcome the symptoms and enable you to lead a better and more fulfilling life.

We use bio-identical hormones that are similar in structure to hormones that are naturally produced inside our body. Once you are diagnosed with hormonal imbalance, we will make sure that it is corrected, and all the signs and symptoms associated with this condition are completely eliminated.

Find your Clinic:

Read the rest here:
Bio-Identical Hormone Therapy - Z Med Clinic

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

It was close to midnight Friday when the volunteers got off an MTA bus and began their two-hour walk through Hollywoods streets.

Starting at Western Avenue and armed with clothing vouchers, granola bars and condoms, they headed down Santa Monica Boulevard in groups, turning onto side streets and peering into alleys.

Less than five minutes in, Teanna Herrera who works as an advocate for transgender people at St. Johns Health Center in Santa Monica was encouraging two people on a bus bench to visit the clinic to learn about hormone therapy.

Ive done what theyre doing, said Herrera, 49, explaining that she had been a prostitute on those same streets at age 16. [I want] to let them know: I know what its like to be out here and theres hope for every one of us.

Several dozen volunteers have met five times since January for the Midnight Stroll an initiative organized by various LGBTQ groups and Los Angeles city agencies that reaches out to those on the street, including transgender sex workers and the homeless population.

City Councilman Mitch OFarrell participated in Fridays walk, which started with an orientation at Blanks 2nd Stage Theatre. On the walk back from Western Avenue, the volunteers invited those they met on the streets to come back to the theater for food; a mobile HIV testing unit was parked nearby.

We really want to get them on a different path, said Jazzmun Crayton, an HIV testing counselor with the Asian Pacific AIDS Intervention Team. Once you have a record, its very difficult to continue to navigate through the various systems that are in place.

The Midnight Stroll grew out of discussions between the LAPD and transgender community leaders, two groups whose relationship has improved significantly in recent years, said Karina Samala, chair of the Transgender Advisory Council. Community leaders have assisted in training police on how to interact with transgender individuals, including respecting their preferred gender identity.

Habib Munoz, a sergeant in the LAPDs Hollywood Division, said the department receives complaints about transgender prostitution especially on Santa Monica between Western and La Brea avenues.

By providing some kinds of outreach services, hopefully were able to get people out of that lifestyle, Munoz said. We do have a group of people that need help and we want to help them but at the same time, there are crimes being committed. And those crimes are affecting the community.

Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times

Jazzmun Crayton rides an MTA bus to begin Friday's Midnight Stroll walk at Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue.

Jazzmun Crayton rides an MTA bus to begin Friday's Midnight Stroll walk at Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue. (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times)

Many of the transgender people the volunteers encounter are homeless. According to a survey by the city this year, 1% of the homeless respondents identified as transgender.

When our communities are not accepted by their own families theyre finding themselves homeless, said Jim Wen, who heads the Transgender Advisory Councils housing and homelessness committee.

About an hour into Fridays stroll, some of the volunteers stopped in front of a homeless encampment, calling out offers of free food and clothing.

Gia Olaes, who works with incarcerated transgender individuals with the Center for Health Justice, talked with Kay a 20-year-old she knew from seeing him at the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

Some of them have temporary housing, but they relapse, said Olaes, who once was homeless herself. Its about letting them know that this is a time to change.

About an hour later, Olaes came across Mimi, a 23-year-old transgender woman who said she dreams of helping others by opening a transgender homeless shelter.

Mimi who wore a black dress and red Converse sneakers said she had been on a waiting list at the LGBT Center for two months and planned to visit other shelters next week. In public shelters, she said, its difficult to be housed according to her gender identity.

Thats why I want my own shelter, she said. Because I know what its like.

Olaes offered encouragement.

Come see me, she told Mimi.

leila.miller@latimes.com

Twitter: @leilamillersays

See original here:
On a midnight stroll, activists reach out to Hollywood's transgender and homeless population - Los Angeles Times

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Gender confirmation surgery is becoming more mainstream among surgeons, as doctors learn more about the role surgery plays in caring for transgender individuals.

It was a little over a year ago when, for the first time in its 89-year history, a conference hosted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeonsheld a session on the topic.

Arkansans searching for trans-related healthcare, including surgery, currently have limited options to do so in-state. There is uncertainty over where to find qualified providers.

In 2009, Dr. Janet Cathey, an OBGYN who specializes in the field, opened the states first gender clinic at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) because she says she saw a need for healthcare within the community.

"The first trans patient I had, I had an endocrinologist in Little Rock call and say Ive got a patient thats male, hes on hormones, hes a genetic female and he wants a hysterectomy and I cant find anyone that will do it. Will you take care of them? and its like, why would I not?" Cathey said.

Though services for transgender patients are on the rise, some treatments are not yet available in Arkansas, especially gender reassignment surgery.

"Weve got some options close for doing trans female, male-to-female reassignment surgery. Its kind of new to the area, but weve got someone whos willing to do it," Cathey said.

"Right now as far as what we say the bottom surgery for both, its an out-of-state sort of thing. Most of them go out-of-state."

Her clinic provides hormone therapy for men and women who want to transition. Also hysterectomies and breast reduction surgery for men.

But, she says, the demand for gender reassignment surgery remains greater than the options available.

"There is a big need for qualified people that do gender reassignment surgery,"Cathey said.

Kendra Johnson is the Arkansas director for the Human Rights Campaign, an advocacy group for the transgender community. She says she thinks with the community becoming more visible in recent years, options for healthcare are growing.

"There were no providers who were out saying these are the services that I offer. For example, UAMS and Arkansas Childrens Hospital and some other private doctors have started to state that they may have some services," Johnson said.

Dr. Cathey with the gender clinic says the endpoint for some of those transitioning is hormone therapy, which she can provide, and not necessarily a surgical procedure. It's a spectrum, she explains.

"When they get that sense of wellbeing, sometimes theyre fine with that, thats all they want. Some people want surgery, some trans males only want top surgery,"Cathey said.

Krystopher Stephens, 30, with the Arkansas Transgender Equality Coalition is currently on hormone therapy under the supervision of his primary care doctor. He says he's been on a waiting list to see Dr. Cathey for over six months.

"Shes amazing, and the doctors around here that are affirming, for the most part, the quality of their care has been great," Stephens said.

"As far as the nation as a whole or even the state as a whole outside of Little Rock, quantity and quality arent necessarily the same just because theres a lot doesnt mean theyre all great."

Stephens says the Transgender Coalition received a grant about two years ago to work with UAMS to educate doctors about the trans experience.

"Education is definitely the biggest problem, just staff being culturally competent and being informed on trans issues, and it could be as simple as using the right pronoun," Stephens said.

"Some things are complicated but some things are simple, but if you dont know what to do, it just builds up. Especially on the patient, thats put on them, your misunderstanding or your misinformed opinion, youve projected that onto the patient when you refuse to take care of them or you refuse to acknowledge they are trans."

Cathey says the grant is allowing UAMS to work with its centers around the state to provide this type of education outside of central Arkansas as well. The University is also incorporating LGBTQ care into its course curriculum for med students. Some dont have experience with patients from the community.

Kendra Johnson with the Human Rights Campaign says while trans healthcare is limited for now, the growth shes seen makes her hopeful for the future.

"I think we could get to a point where theres a safety net in the medical community for people who are transitioning and to me thats really exciting because I never thought, given all the prejudice and all the work that we still have to do in this state, that we would have this response from the medical community as seeing it absolutely necessary," Johnson said.

Disclaimer: Kendra Johnson of the Human Rights Campaign is also on the fundraising board for KUAR and KLRE.

Read more from the original source:
The Struggles Of A Transgender Arkansan Looking For Healthcare - KUAR

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Dr. Ren Halverson can emphasize with his patients. Like many of those who walk through his doors at Advanced Chiropractic in Brunswick, he has also experienced injuries and the pain they cause.

I had a torn labrum in my right shoulder, a torn rotator cuff in my left shoulder and and torn meniscus in my right knee. I already had two surgeries on my knees, he said. It was a daily challenge treating patients.

In order to help his patients and himself find relief, the chiropractor is always on the lookout for the latest in scientific health developments that might help. He spends countless hours studying the latest in medical innovations. Not too long ago, Halversons research paid off when he came across amniotic stem cells.

Of course, Halverson was already familiar with stem cells and the long term research concerning some for joint treatment. But the new data, methods and results were something he simply couldnt ignore.

World-wide the results with stem cells are off the charts. There are different types of stem cells ... blood marrow, which is best used for blood diseases. Amniotic, which is the membrane surrounding the placenta and is the safeguard between the mothers blood flow and the babys. That is what we are talking about here, he said. It has proven to be best for joint and tendon repair.

Amniotic arent, however, the same as the controversial fetal stem cells that gained so much attention over the past decade. Halverson says these types of stem cells raise no moral or ethical questions. They are also more effective than other types of stem cells in healing musklo-skeletal injuries.

These are offered by willing, cesarean donors. The FDA has approved the process and it is very strictly regulated. The hosts, the mothers who donate, are screened for all blood born pathogens before they are able to donate.

The regenerative field of medicine is something that has proven itself invaluable over the past few decades. It has convinced Halverson to open that door to his patients. After all, he has experienced the positive effects of the treatment first hand.

I wanted to try the stem cell treatment first. I did it about three months ago and the results are just incredible, he said, moving his arms to illustrate his range of motion.

It takes about eight months for the full effects to set in but Im swimming again. I couldnt do that before. In many cases worldwide, patients have been able to fully heal arthritic joints and tendons or cartilage tears without having to have surgery.

He feels the statistics truly speak for themselves. The company Halverson uses has conducted more than 100,000 similar treatments.

Stem cells contain Hyaluronic Acid which provides a scaffold for mesenchymal growth cells to begin the rebuilding process. They also contain natural anti inflammatory agents known as Cytokines.

Halverson says there is not one documented case of a side effect reported.

There has never been a negative reaction. Patient satisfaction is/over 98 percent ... thats just in the U.S. They are doing this heavily in Europe and Israel, he said. The results are unbelievable. Pre- and post -X-rays show remarkable results.

He will however bring on new faces who will run the expanded medical clinic.

Our medical director is Dr. Theresa Cezar, who is a great internist but has extensive experience in physical medicine. We also have Cynthia White who is our nurse practitioner. They are both excellent, he said. We have a really exceptional staff here.

In addition to the stem cell treatments, Halverson is offering an expanded line of medical services, designed to treat musklo-skeletal patients with a cutting edge integrated approach. Those include trigger point injections, state of the art spinal bracing, biomechanics as well as the regeneration therapy, which includes stem cell and Hormone Replacement Therapy.

Halverson is excited about the opportunity to bring these innovative techniques to the Golden Isles. He sees these treatments as a significant building blocks in the future of healthcare, a departure from relying on medication, dangerous opioids and other invasive options.

Ive experienced it and I know it works. Even Medicare says integration with medicine, chiropractic and therapies together are the wave of the future. We are combining what weve already been doing ... the chiropractic and rehabilitation to really take this to the next level, Halverson said.

See the article here:
Doctors to offer stem cell treatments - The News (subscription)

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

SES and MDA, a global communications and information company, has announced an agreement for an initial satellite life extension mission using an on-orbit refuelling vehicle being built by SSL, a US based subsidiary of MDA and a leading provider of innovative satellites and spacecraft systems.

SES will be the first commercial customer to benefit from the satellite refuelling service, and will be able to activate the service whenever required with minimal disruption to spacecraft operation. The agreement also includes an option for further life extension missions.

SES will work with a new venture, Space Infrastructure Services (SIS), which will commercialise sophisticated satellite servicing capabilities. SIS has contracted SSL to design and build the highly-capable satellite servicing spacecraft vehicle to meet the needs of the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)'s Robotic Servicing of Geosynchronous Satellites (RSGS) programme, which is designed to inspect, repair, relocate and augment geosynchronous satellites and plans to include a refuelling payload to extend the life of satellites that are low on propellant.

"Satellite in-orbit servicing is of upmost importance to next-generation architectures for communications satellites. It enables satellite operators like us to have more flexibility in managing our fleet and meeting our customers' demands," said Martin Halliwell, Chief Technology Officer at SES.

"After witnessing the due diligence of SSL's and MDA's technical expertise, we are confident that its new venture is the best partner in the refuelling mission field, and will be able to help SES get more value out of an on-orbit satellite."

"As a pioneer in next-generation fleet capabilities, SES is clearly committed to improving the space and satellite ecosystem," said Howard L. Lance, President and CEO at MDA. "We are very pleased to have this refuelling contract with SES and are excited to provide them with more options in fleet management."

The satellite servicing spacecraft vehicle is planned for launch in 2021.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

Excerpt from:
SES and MDA Announce First Satellite Life Extension Agreement - Space Daily

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Contractors and suppliers to Oceana Gold in Macraes, East Otago have been buoyed by news the mine could have its life extended to a decade.

Like Rio Tintos aluminium smelter at Tiwai Point, near Bluff, the company employs hundreds of staff but the flow-on effect of contract work accounts for many more pay packets overall.

Oceanas chief executive earlier this week raised the possibility of Macraes mine life being pushed out from beyond 2020 to 10 years, on the back of positive exploration results during the past quarter.

Oceana general manager at Macraes Dale Oram was contacted and confirmed exploration at Macraes was accruing at a rate that in two years could mean a formal five-year mine life.

Oceana has more than 500 employees at Macraes, using a further 60 contractors on site and for shut-down maintenance, and can employ a further up to 150 casual staff.

Skevington Contracting managing director Blair Skevington said the potential for a 10-year mine life was "pretty huge for us", being one of the larger contractors to Oceana.

"Yes, there should be some potential for [company] growth for us," he said.

Skevington is a preferred contractor at Macraes and has been there 14 years, employing up to 13 staff operating the smaller earthmoving equipment such as diggers, bulldozers and lighter trucks.

Amalgamated Workers Union secretary Calvin Fisher said "any life-of-mine extension had to be welcomed".

"There would be a significant economic down side to Dunedin, and wider Otago, if Macraes closed. They have one of the biggest payrolls in the area."

Because of the high pressure on cost controls, it was always "unsettling" for staff when they faced restructuring, such as changes to hours, rostering or salaries.

"We have differences of opinion ... but wed like to think we can do it collaboratively," Mr Fisher said.

Waikouaiti Auto & Engineers Dunedin workshop branch manager Barin Black said the potential extension was "great news for us and the community".

"People dont realise just how many jobs, directly and indirectly, there are," he said.

Between Dunedin and Waikouaiti the company had almost 40 staff, doing most of the engineering work on the Macraes ore-processing equipment.

Mr Black said the length of mine life was "all important", as Oceana was more likely to upgrade equipment sooner if the formal mine life was five years and not three years.

Waikouaiti Auto & Engineers also supplied casual staff for maintenance shutdowns when processing equipment was refurbished.

Mr Oram highlighted Macraes had to "compete" with Oceanas other sites for exploration cash each calendar year.

Exploration spending this year at Macraes is likely to come in at the budgeted $US8 million ($NZ10.9 million).

He was "hopeful" Macraes would attract similar, up to $US8 million, amounts for exploration for both 2018 and 2019.

He said not all areas had been explored as planned this year, but more drilling was proposed at the Round Hill site, where studies had been undertaken into dual tungsten and gold mining.

However, the price of tungsten had since fallen and there were processing issues that were still being studied, he said.

"More than likely it will be a gold site, but its make or break if it goes ahead."

He had appointed a community and environment manager this year, given the interaction with local stakeholders, such as farmers, who saw the greatest impact from mining activities, he said.

"Some locals mentioned the other day they were expecting us to be here for five or seven years, but here we are 27 years on," he said.

simon.hartley@odt.co.nz

View original post here:
Possible mine-life extension good news for contractors - Otago Daily Times

Recommendation and review posted by simmons