May 12, 2017 Credit: Vetmeduni Vienna

Alpacas, a species of New World camelids, have very thick wool. This requires them to be shorn regularly, just like sheep. But shearing is a source of stress for the animals. This has now been confirmed for the first time by researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna based on an evaluation of clinical, hormonal and behavioural parameters. The scientists were able to show that even the act of restraining the animals in different positions released higher concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol. Shearing the animals on the floor or on a special tilt table also resulted in changed clinical parameters such as heart rate. These values remained at normal levels only when the animals were sheared in a standing position. But shearing animals in the standing position is only possible if the alpacas do not resist being restrained with a risk of injury to themselves or to their handlers. These animals should be restrained on a mattress on the ground or on a tilt table. The study was published in Veterinary Records with organisational and financial support from the Alpaca Association e.V. of Germany and the Austrian Buiatric Association.

Alpacas are members of the camel family and, like llamas, guanacos and vicuas, belong to the New World camelids. Domesticated they are of great importance in South America, especially in Peru, where they have been kept and bred for their wool for thousands of years. In Europe, on the other hand, alpaca breeding is relatively uncommon. But the number of animals and breeders has been growing for years. Just like sheep, alpacas must be shorn regularly to harvest their wool. The procedure is an unusual one for the animals and thus a source of stress. An interdisciplinary team of researchers from Vetmeduni Vienna has now investigated for the first time which shearing position produces the least amount of stress for the animals and therefore represents the least stressful method from the point of view of the animal's wellbeing.

Stress hormone detectable in saliva and faeces

Unlike sheep, which are usually turned onto their backs, alpaca breeders use several different methods of restraint. The animals are either held by assistants in a standing position, restrained on a mattress on the ground or placed on special shearing tables. Previously, there had been no studies as to which method produced the least stress among the animals. "The stress of the animals can be determined based on clinical parameters, by observing the animals' behaviour or through the laboratory analysis of saliva and faeces," explains senior author Susanne Waiblinger of the Institute of Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare. Saliva and faeces contain cortisol, which is an important stress marker. Saliva cortisol is considered to reflect a short-term stress response, whereas faecal cortisol shows longer-lasting stress responses. Besides measuring stress-induced hormonal levels, the researchers also looked at clinical parameters, such as heart rate, respiratory rate and body temperature, as well as the animals' behaviour.

Clinical parameters nearly unchanged when shearing in standing position

To describe the impact of shearing on the alpacas, the team divided its study into two parts. Part one studied the level of stress caused by each of the restraining methods, as the shearing itself represents a separate stress factor. In part two, the animals were divided into groups and shorn using one of the methods. Animals that were restrained without shearing exhibited no significant changes in terms of the clinical parameters. Both the respiratory rate and heart rate remained at normal levels. "The body temperature was unchanged during this part of the study. But if the animals were restrained and also shorn, the clinical values changed significantly in the animals that were restrained on the floor or on the table. For all restraining methods, however, body temperature remained unchanged. This makes alpacas different from sheep or from the alpaca's relative, the vicua," says first author Thomas Wittek of the University Clinic for Ruminants.

Stress hormone shows that alpacas are only stressed by the restraint

The analysis of the cortisol concentrations in saliva and faeces, on the other hand, showed that the animals were also stressed in the first part of the study despite the almost unchanged clinical parameters. Saliva cortisol levels were clearly higher after just 20 minutes and increased even further within 40 minutes. The cortisol concentrations then remained unchanged, although the higher levels could be demonstrated in faeces even 33 hours later. During restraint and shearing, the cortisol values also increased regardless of the shearing position. When animals were restrained on the ground, however, this led to a more significant increase of hormone levels over time compared to the other two methods. Faecal cortisol levels remained at the same high levels in all three groups.

Animal behaviour just as important for choice of restraining method

"At first glance, it appears difficult to compare or associate the two experiments," says Wittek. "But we can assume that just the sound of the shearing machine and the duration of the restraint cause stress for the animals. This means that you can practically add the values." Merely positioning the animals is a source of stress, which then increases further through the act of shearing. The standing position was tolerated the best by the alpacas in terms of the clinical parameters. Restraining the animals in the standing position, however, only makes sense and is only possible if the alpacas remain calm. If they resist from the beginning, the risk of injury to themselves or to one of the handlers is too great, says first author Wittek. These animals should therefore be restrained on a table. The handlers usually know the behaviour of their animals and can decide in advance which method to use.

Explore further: Can aromatherapy calm competition horses?

More information: T. Wittek et al. Clinical parameters and adrenocortical activity to assess stress responses of alpacas using different methods of restraint either alone or with shearing, Veterinary Record (2017). DOI: 10.1136/vr.104232

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Shearing of alpacas is necessary, but also stressful - Phys.Org

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It's the season of longer days, and many forgo a good night's rest to tackle that to-do list. Just because the sun stays up longer, doesn't mean you must.

KING 5 Healthlink and NBC News , KING 6:07 PM. PDT May 11, 2017

As the days grow longer, you might stay up longer and wake earlier, but doctors say getting seven to 9 hours of sleep should be a priority.

Most of us know the importance of a good night's sleep, but research shows that few of us get the recommended seven to nine hours a night.

"It's more of a reminder to make sure that you're not sleep deprived and making sure that you get enough sleep. Make sure that you make sleep a priority," said Dr. Charles Bae, a neurologist at the Cleveland Clinic.

To make sure you're getting quality sleep, it's important to limit exposure to stimulants such as caffeine, energy drinks, and the blue light that comes from tiny screens on our cell phones or tablets. That can interfere with your circadian rhythm or natural sleep-wake cycle.

Baesays not getting enough sleep or being sleep deprived increases a person's likelihood for decreased alertness, especially while driving, a decline in memory and cognitive function, as well as an increased risk for several other health risks.

"Linked to increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, also there's connections to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and that's all from not getting enough sleep," saidBae.

And getting enough sleep is equally important for kids. Sleep triggers the body to release a hormone that promotes healthy growth in children and teens, boosting muscle mass and repairing cells and tissue.

2017 KING-TV

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Adherence to Topical Testosterone Therapy in Primary and Secondary Hypogonadism Endocrinology Advisor A retrospective study of males with primary or secondary hypogonadism reports that low adherence to topical testosterone therapy shows an "unmet need and scope for improved health outcomes in this population of men," presented Michael Grabner, PhD, ...

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Adherence to Topical Testosterone Therapy in Primary and Secondary Hypogonadism - Endocrinology Advisor

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Home General Health 19 foods that lower testosterone levels

Testosterone is an important male hormone and one that can be depressed by foods that lower testosterone. It is important to recognize that both males and females have this sex hormone coursing through their bodies and produce them in varying amounts. The difference is that males produce much more of it than females, giving men their defining characteristics.

Testosterone also goes by the name androgen and is produced in the testes. Inadequate amounts may lead to infertility in men as the process of sperm production requires it. Testosterone is also implicated in libido and plays a role in fat distribution, production of bone mass, muscle size and strength, and red blood cell creation.

As men age, testosterone levels lower, which is often referred to as low T syndrome or late-onset hypogonadism. After the age of 40, testosterone levels fall as much as 1.6 percent every year for most men. Low testosterone levels can be further augmented by the foods you eat, with the following being some examples.

Related: 7 Ways to boost testosterone levels naturally

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Is male menopause real? Low testosterone level signs and treatment tips

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http://www.shawacademy.com/blog/6-foods-to-avoid-to-optimise-natural-testosterone/ http://build-muscle-101.com/foods-that-lower-testosterone/ https://www.anabolicmen.com/foods-that-decrease-testosterone/ https://www.thedailymeal.com/11-foods-are-killing-your-sex-drive http://vkool.com/foods-that-lower-testosterone/ http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/276013.php http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/01/14/testosterone-benefits/

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19 foods that lower testosterone levels - Bel Marra Health

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MoneyMakingArticles

AYTU BIOSCIENCE, INC. (OTCMKTS:AYTU) Files An 8-K Results of Operations and Financial Condition Market Exclusive Aytu BioScience, Inc. is a commercial-stage healthcare company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing products in the field of urology. The Company focuses on hypogonadism, prostate cancer, urinary tract infections and male infertility. Aytu Bioscience Inc (OTCMKTS:AYTU) Releases Financial Results and Business UpdateStockNewsUnion EPS for Lands' End, Inc. (LE) Expected At $-0.25; AYTU ...MoneyMakingArticles all 3 news articles »

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AYTU BIOSCIENCE, INC. (OTCMKTS:AYTU) Files An 8-K Results of Operations and Financial Condition - Market Exclusive

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Summary

Orbis Research Presents Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market Research Report which Examine into the present trends, highlights the recent market growth, sales volume, Demand Scenarios and Opportunities emerging for business players in the near future.

Description

The Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market is estimated to be USD XX billion in 2017 and is expected to reach USD XX billion by 2022, registering a healthy CAGR of XX%, during 2017-2022 (forecast period).

The increase in malignant, cardiac, & neurological disorders, immediate need for effective and novel therapies, the rising human embryonic stem cell awareness and better healthcare infrastructure with government initiatives are expected to accelerate the global human embryonic stem cells market, during the forecast period.

The major companies discussed in this report are

A majority of companies are investing in the human embryonic stem cell research, globally. The high-prevalence of cardiac and malignant diseases, increasing R&D investments & research initiatives, increasing support from government & private institutions and rapid growth in medical tourism are accelerating the market growth. However, the stringent regulatory guidelines and ethical & moral concerns are restraining the market.

Get a PDF Sample of Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market Report at: http://www.orbisresearch.com/contacts/request-sample/280434

The global embryonic stem cells market is segmented based on application and geography. The applications segment includes regenerative medicine, stem cell biology research, tissue engineering and toxicology testing. Based on geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East & Africa and Latin America. The Asia-Pacific human embryonic stem cells market has the potential, owing to increasing initiatives of the governments & private organizations for research in human embryonic stem cells.

Key Deliverables

Market analysis, with region-specific assessments and competition analysis on a global and regional scale.

Market definition along with the identification of key drivers and restraints.

Identification of factors instrumental in changing the market scenario, growing prospective opportunities, and identification of key companies that can influence the market.

Extensively researched competitive landscape section with profiles of major companies, along with their market share.

Identification and analysis of the macro and micro factors that affect the market on both, global and regional scale.

A comprehensive list of key market players along with the analysis of their current strategic interests and key financial information.

A wide-range of knowledge and insights about the major players in the industry and the key strategies adopted by them to sustain and grow in the studied market

Insights on the major countries/regions where the industry is growing, and identify the regions that are still untapped.

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Global Human Embryonic Stem Cells Market 2017: Government Initiatives & Medical Tourism are Accelerating this ... - MilTech

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12 May 2017 Bone marrow: be someones match A bone-marrow donation is not a scary procedure and doesnt involve drilling into your bones. We found out more.

Unfortunately many people still believe that donating bone marrow means doctors will need to drill into your bones. The reality is the donation process requires no surgery, no general anaesthetic and no drilling.

South African patients who have leukaemia or other blood disorders need a life-saving stem cell transplant and rely on the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR) to find a match.

The challenges faced in growing the SABMR lies in the sentence itself, says Alana James, CEO of the Sunflower Fund. Its called The South African Bone Marrow registry, so when people see the word bone marrow they go Oh no I cant do that, it will hurt!

Understanding bone marrow

Bone marrow is found inside your bones its a soft, fatty tissue that helps with the production of red blood cells (to carry oxygen), white blood cells (to find infection) and platelets (to prevent bleeding). Some of the cells in the bone marrow can be pushed into the blood stream, where it can be collected and then used to help someone in need of a donation.

Real-life hero

Carey Symons, a blood stem cell donor and long-time support of The Sunflower Fund, was on the registry for 10 years before she was called to help a leukaemia patient.

The stats of a perfect match are 1 in 100 000 so you can only imagine my joy in being that 1 in 100 000 and that I was able to contribute to giving someone a second chance.

She travelled from Durban to Mediclinic Constantiaberg in Cape Town where she had a series of painless Neupogen injections that helped stimulate the production and release of blood stem cells.

Three days of injections later she was able to begin the donation process.

1. Two needles (similar to those used when you donate blood) were inserted in each arm. 2. Blood was drawn from one arm and circulated through a cell-separator machine. 3. Her stem cells were collected and the remaining blood was returned through the other arm.

Typically, the donation process takes between four and six hours.

I realised that the day I signed as a donor, I was only hoping to make a difference. I will never know whose life I made a difference to, and part of that mystery excites me. Its a blessing to give without knowing and without being thanked.

Harsh reality

There are just under 74 000 donors on the registry, but at least 400 000 are needed.

We definitely still have a mountain to climb and are committedly doing so. Registering as a donor on the SABMR is a simple process and can be very rewarding, says James. You could be someones perfect match.

There is a 1 in 100 000 chance of being a match. (Image: iStock)

Be someones 1 in 100 000

Signing up to be a donor is simple- if you do meet the criteria, you will receive a reference number and form to fill out. Next, youll go to your nearest Donor Recruitment Clinic where theyll take two test tubes of blood.

Your blood is analysed and put onto the national database. Unfortunately the tissue typing test is expensive (it costs R2 000) but you can make a donation to help free up their funds.

Youll receive your donor card in six to eight weeks, and if youre ever a match for a patient, you will be called.

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A leukaemia patient who had recently undergone a bone marrow transplant received a massive surprise when Taylor Swift visited him n hospital. When she saw that he had a keyboard in his room she asked him to play for her. As he plays Adele's "Someone like you", Taylor joins in, singing along!

CANSAs purpose is to lead the fight against cancer in South Africa. Its mission is to be the preferred non-profit organisation that enables research, educates the public and provides support to all people affected by cancer. Questions are answered by CANSAs Head of Health Professor Michael Herbst and Head of Advocacy Magdalene Seguin. For more information, visit cansa.org.za.

The information provided does not constitute a diagnosis of your condition. You should consult a medical practitioner or other appropriate health care professional for a physical exmanication, diagnosis and formal advice. Health24 and the expert accept no responsibility or liability for any damage or personal harm you may suffer resulting from making use of this content.

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Bone marrow: be someone's match - Health24

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Science World Report

Artificial tissues can provide bone marrow The Hindu Bone marrow transplants are used to treat patients with bone marrow disease. Before a transplant, a patient is first given doses of radiation, sometimes in combination with drugs, to kill off any existing stem cells in the patient's bone marrow. This ... Newly Discovered Synthetic Bone Implant Could Provide Healthy ...Science World Report all 4 news articles »

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Artificial tissues can provide bone marrow - The Hindu

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South African patients suffering from Leukaemia and other blood disorders who need a life-saving stem cell transplant, rely on the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SAMBR) to find a donor who is a genetic match.

But, the untrue and frightening belief that donating blood stem cells, or bone marrow, involves drilling through bones is a common misconception and is one of the challenges faced in growing the SAMBR.

These misconceptions, often stopping people from registering to become donors and giving someone the hope of life.

The Sunflower Fund educates, raises funds and recruits potential blood stem cell donors to this registry and pays for the tissue typing test cost for each person who joins.

The fund also prioritises educating people on the truths of becoming a donor and works hard to debunk any myths that exist. Sometimes it is just the words themselves that act as barriers. The challenges faced in growing the SABMR lies in the sentence itself, Alana James, CEO of the Sunflower Fund said. Its called The South African Bone Marrow registry, so when people see the word bone marrow they go Oh no I cant do that, it will hurt!.

Blood stem cell donor and long-time supporter of the Sunflower Fund Carey Symons shares her own story at events and conferences, spreading the message that the process of potentially saving a life is not as scary as we might think, encouraging others to do the same.

The stats of a perfect match are 1 in 100 000 so you can only imagine my joy in being that 1 in 100 000 and that I was able to contribute to giving someone a second chance, Symons said, who was called ten years after joining the registry to donate her stem cells to a patient suffering from leukaemia.

The Durban mother travelled to Constantiaberg hospital in Cape Town, to begin a series of painless Neupogen injections which stimulate the production and release of blood stem cells.

After three days of injections, she was ready to begin the donation process: Two needles, similar to the ones used when donating blood, were inserted; one in each arm. Blood was drawn from one arm, circulated through a cell-separator machine where her stem cells were collected and the remaining blood was returned through the other arm.

After 4-6 hours, the life-saving stem cells were harvested and for Symons, the process was over.

She said she often thought about the person she donated her stem cells to and sometimes wonders who they were. I realised that the day I signed as a donor, I was only hoping to make a difference. I will never know whose life I made a difference to, and part of that mystery excites me. Its a blessing to give without knowing and without being thanked.

There are just under 74 000 donors on the registry, but at least 400 000 are need. We definitely still have a mountain to climb and are committedly doing so. Registering as a donor on the SABMR is a simple process and can be very rewarding, James explained. You could be someones perfect match.

Find out more about becoming a blood stem cell a donor by contacting The Sunflower Fund on toll-free number: 0800 12 10 82 or visit http://www.sunflowerfund.org.za.

About The Sunflower Fund:

The Sunflower Fund, a South African Non-Profit Company (NPC), is dedicated to creating awareness, educating the public and handling the registration process for people to join the South African Bone Marrow Registry (SABMR).

The Sunflower Fund pays for the test cost of people joining the SABMR. This is fundamental to saving the lives of thousands of South Africans each year. The chance of finding a matching donor is 1 in 100,000 and as ethnic origin plays a significant role in the search for a donor, South Africas rainbow nation is at a distinct disadvantage, requiring a large pool of prospective donors.

Should you wish to become a donor, support one of the fundraising projects or make a financial contribution, please contact The Sunflower Fund on toll-free number:

0800 12 10 82. Visit http://www.sunflowerfund.org.za to learn more or look out for the DONATE button to make a cash donation via the website.

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The simple truth of saving lives - Independent Online

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Be The Match BioTherapies LLC, a recently created subsidiary of the Minneapolis-based National Marrow Donor Program/Be The Match, this month emerged as a biotechnology venture investor with its participation in a $50 million financing round for a Massachusetts stem cell company. And, its leaders say, it likely wont be the last time the 17-month-old nonprofit spinoff will take part in venture funding to support the commercialization of biotech related to NMDP/Be The Matchs mission of advancing cell therapies for leukemia patients and others needing bone marrow/stem cell transplants. NMDP/Be The Match moved its 995 employees into a newly constructed headquarters building in the North Loop in December 2015. It runs a network of more than 486 organizations that support marrow transplant worldwide, including 178 transplant centers in the United States and more than 45 international donor centers and cooperative registries. Wholly-owned subsidiary Be The Match BioTherapies was among the Series B investors for Magenta Therapeutics of Cambridge, Massachusetts, a biotech company developing therapies to improve and expand the use of curative stem cell transplantation for more patients. Other participants in the oversubscribed round included new lead investor GV (formerly Google Ventures) and existing investors such as Atlas Venture, Third Rock Ventures, Partners Innovation Fund and Access Industries. A major feature of the Magenta deal was also Be The Match BioTherapies new involvement as a strategic partner for the company, under which the two sides will explore opportunities to work together across all of Magentas research efforts, from discovery through clinical development. Magentas lead drug candidate is MGTA-456, which it claims is capable of expanding the number of cord blood stem cells available for transplantation, thus achieving superior clinical outcomes compared to standard transplant procedures. John Wagner M.D., executive medical director of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Program at the University of Minnesota is leading the research. The strategic agreement allows Magenta to leverage Be The Match BioTherapies capabilities, including its cell therapy delivery platform, industry relationships, clinical trial design and management and patient outcomes data generated from the parent organization. According to NMDPs 2015 annual report, Be The Match BioTherapies was established on Dec. 4, 2015, and authorized to do business as a nonprofit limited liability company. The report said it was anticipated the subsidiary would conduct certain business in the field of cellular therapy consistent with the nonprofit mission of its parent corporation, National Marrow Donor Program, but outside the scope of NMDPs customary core business. Led by NMDP Chief Financial Officer Amy Ronneberg, Be The Match BioTherapies says it is making the parent organizations capabilities available to commercial entities developing new allogeneic and autologous cellular therapies. For example, it says it is collaborating with an unnamed biotech company to design a donor identification and cell harvest strategy for white blood cells from donors with specific human leukocyte antigen types. When asked if the subsidiarys venture investment into Magenta Therapies was a sign that it is staking out ground as a stem cell industry investment player, company spokeswoman Melissa Neill told TCB its indeed a scenario that could play out again. We are continually looking for ways to advance science and research in new cellular therapies, she said in an email. In the future, this might mean investments in or additional partnerships with companies whose goals align with our goal of developing and delivering cellular therapies to positively impact patients lives.

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Be The Match Subsidiary Emerges as a Biotech Venture Player - Twin Cities Business Magazine

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Men's Health

This Gun Sprays Stem Cells, Helps Burn Victims Grow Skin in Days Men's Health A revolutionary new technique is enabling burn victims to heal quicker, less painfully, and with more normal skin. And it's all thanks to a gun. The SkinGun sprays stem cells onto wounds and allows patients to grow a new, healthy layer of skin in as ...

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This Gun Sprays Stem Cells, Helps Burn Victims Grow Skin in Days - Men's Health

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Scientists unveil the UK's largest resource of human stem cells from healthy donors Science Daily The Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (HipSci) project used standardised methods to generate iPSCs on a large scale to study the differences between healthy people. Reference sets of stem cells were generated from skin biopsies donated by ... and more »

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Scientists unveil the UK's largest resource of human stem cells from healthy donors - Science Daily

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Technology Networks

UK's Largest Resource of Human Stem Cells from Healthy Donors Unveiled Technology Networks The Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (HipSci) project used standardised methods to generate iPSCs on a large scale to study the differences between healthy people. Reference sets of stem cells were generated from skin biopsies donated by ... and more »

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UK's Largest Resource of Human Stem Cells from Healthy Donors Unveiled - Technology Networks

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May 12, 2017

A new study from Lund University in Sweden shows that the behaviour of stem cells in plants and animals is surprisingly similar. The researchers were able to produce mathematical equations that reveal very small differences in the behaviour of the proteins. The results can hopefully be used in stem cell research involving humans.

"The plant and animal kingdoms were separated through evolution more than 1.6 billion years ago. It is surprising that the interactions between the handful of key genes that control the fate of each stem cell are so similar in both cases", says Carsten Peterson, professor at the Faculty of Science at Lund University.

Carsten Peterson is one of the researchers behind the recent study on differences and similarities between animal and plant stem cells. With a background in theoretical physics, he and his colleagues have tackled the stem cells from a different perspective, which proved successful.

By formulating mathematical equations, the researchers have performed a detailed study of the proteins that are central to the stem cells in mammals and plants. The proteins are linked to the genes that control the stem cells. In particular, the researchers have studied how these proteins mutually affect one another through interaction as the cells evolve.

"Although the proteins in mammalian and plant stem cells are very different when studied separately, there are major similarities in the ways in which they interact, that is, how they strengthen or weaken each other", says Carsten Peterson.

Stem cells are a hot topic in medical contexts, especially when it comes to cancer and autoimmune diseases. A stem cell is capable of evolving into several different types of cells and is thus a sort of mother cell to all of the body's specialised cell types. In animals, these specialised cells can never return to a stem cell state on their own. In plants, however, they can.

"Specialised cells of plants can return to being stem cells without external manipulation. In the plant world, there is a natural reprogramming process", says Carsten Peterson.

The mathematical equations show that very small differences are sufficient to explain why plant cells are so flexible while cells of mammals require artificial reprogramming to return to a stem cell state.

"When cells are influenced externally artificially for animals or naturally for plants the minor differences in interaction play a greater role, and the differences appear to be of greater significance", says Carsten Peterson.

He believes that a lot of work remains with regard to the efficiency of reprogramming of animal cells and therefore hopes that insights from the plant world can contribute. The current study provides clues about why it is so much easier to make a cell go back to being a stem cell in plants compared to mammals.

Reprogramming is a frequently used word in stem cell contexts today, ever since the Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology in 2012. One of the prize winners, Shinya Yamanaka, had demonstrated how to externally manipulate cells to return to an embryonic stem cell state by increasing the concentration of certain proteins. Turning back the clock this way has enormous potential in clinical contexts. For example, on an individual basis, skin cells can be reprogrammed into embryonic stem cells, and be made into desired cell types by manipulating certain proteins. This process is known as regenerative medicine.

The study was recently published in the scientific journal PLoS ONE.

Explore further: Study shows adipose stem cells may be the cell of choice for therapeutic applications

More information: Victor Olariu et al. Different reprogramming propensities in plants and mammals: Are small variations in the core network wirings responsible?, PLOS ONE (2017). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175251

Journal reference: PLoS ONE

Provided by: Lund University

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Scientists have discovered the gene essential for chemically reprogramming human amniotic stem cells into a more versatile state similar to embryonic stem cells, in research led by UCL and Heinrich Heine University.

A protein that stays attached on chromosomes during cell division plays a critical role in determining the type of cell that stem cells can become. The discovery, made by EPFL scientists, has significant implications for ...

Researchers from the Vavilov Institute of General Genetics, Research Institute of Physical Chemical Medicine and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT) have concluded that reprogramming does not create differences ...

Stem cells are typically thought to have the intrinsic ability to generate or replace specialized cells. However, a team of biologists at NYU showed that regenerating plants can naturally reconstitute their stem cells from ...

University of Dundee scientists have solved a mystery concerning one of the most fundamental processes in cell biology, in a new discovery that they hope may help to tackle cancer one day.

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Stem cells in plants and animals behave surprisingly similarly - Phys.Org

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

by Tim Beck at Drexel University College of Medicine

Humanitys unnerving cruelty is perhaps only balanced by its kindness and innovation. It remains to be seen on which side of the scale CRISPR, a remarkable genome-editing tool and one of the most exciting scientific innovations of the 21st century,will land.

In their monumental 1953 Nature paper stretching over little more than one glorious page and including only a simple diagrammatic illustration and a fuzzy x-ray image Nobel laureates James Dewey Watson and Francis Harry Compton Crick proclaimed the following, We wish to suggest a structure for the salt of deoxyribose nucleic acid (D.N.A.). This structure has novel features which are of considerable biological interest. Of considerable biological interest, indeed, and a critical aspect of the discovery of CRISPR.

The Human Genome Project (HGP) taught us how to read long stretches of Watson and Cricks miraculous DNA double-helix: it taught us how to read the code of life. CRISPR/Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR associated protein 9) is the most recent step along the path towards absolute control over the human genome. CRISPR provides us with the ability to edit the code of life seemingly at will.

In the most basic of terms, CRISPR can recognize specific DNA sequences, using complementary guide RNA and recruit cutting-enzymes (e.g., the endonuclease Cas9), which precisely cut-out the targeted piece of genetic material. Under the right conditions, the cut region is subsequently filled-in with new DNA by the cells normal DNA-repair machinery.

The scientists to unlock the full genomic-editing potential of CRISPR (expanding on the work of numerous other great scientists), and likely future Nobel-laureates, Jennifer Doudna (Berkeley, California), Emmanuelle Charpentier (Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology, Berlin) and Feng Zhang (Broad MIT), published two papers in quick succession in 2012/13, describing the remarkable capability of CRISPR to precisely and reliably (to varying degrees) edit the genomes of cells, including of mammalian cells.

The promise of CRISPR technology is highlighted by the contentious ongoing patent dispute between Berkley and Broad, to clarify who discovered what when and who holds the rights to technology estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

Why is this technology worth billions of dollars? For one, think about every genetic disease you have ever heard of. Did cystic fibrosis (CF) come to mind? Do you know anyone with Tay-Sachs Disease? Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, going once, going twice, sold to the fastest gene-editor. In theory, by combining in vitro fertilization with CRISPR technology, every known hereditary single-gene disease (you may have noticed that the above examples are all generally caused by single gene mutations) can be eliminated. Not in a year from now. Not tomorrow. Today!

Chinese researchers have validated that CRISPR/Cas9 can be used to alter human embryos, and recently Kang et al. (The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China) used CRISPR to cure human embryos of beta-thalassemia and glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency. The success rate (i.e., the percent of embryos that were successfully altered using CRISPR) varied significantly between studies, a concerning aspect of the technology that is likely going to be optimized rapidly, considering that CRISPR has only been in the scientific mainstream for a few short years.

Eradicating more complex diseases in embryos is a bit more complicated and will take some time. Editing genomes to treat cancer, for example, in mature individuals will also take a bit more time. However, the FDA approved a clinical trial in 2016 to test the potential of CRISPR as a tool to enhance the ability of immune cells modified outside the body, similar to the idea of modifying embryos in vitro to destroy cancer cells.

There are ethical challenges to consider. Luminaries like David Baltimore, Paul Berg and others have described these challenges in detail and have proposed appropriate steps to consider. Changes to the genome are of course permanent and as such are potentially passed on from generation to generation (i.e., changes made to an embryo are potentially passed on to subsequent offspring). Evolution at the speed of light if you will. Would it be possible to use CRISPR to create super-humans? To implant kill-switches into human cells? To prolong the lives of those that can pay for it?

The decision in February of 2016 by the UK Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) to grant permission to UK researchers to edit the genome of human embryos is emblematic of the global embrace of CRISPR. Even in the US, a country generally less accommodating when it comes to research on human embryos, an international committee convened by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) and the National Academy of Medicine concluded earlier this year that editing the DNA of a human embryo to prevent disease could be ethically permissible under the right set of circumstances.

If nothing else, history (Robert Oppenheimers opinion on the matter would be intriguing) has taught us that world-altering technologies like CRISPR cannot be un-invented. We all have front row seats to watch in awe as CRISPR transforms medicine, science and perhaps human evolution itself. Our best hope is to educate each other, to stay informed and to try to minimize the abuse of a tool powerful enough to re-write the code of life and the future of humanity.

Medical Student Editor

Drexel University College of Medicine

I am an MD/PhD Candidate at Drexel University College of Medicine/Fox Chase Cancer Center. My research focuses on cancer cell signaling, drug resistance, cancer cell invasion and discovery of prognostic biomarkers. Politics (national and international), foreign affairs and healthcare policy are additional topics I am particularly interested in.

Read more here:

CRISPR: The Future of Medicine and Human Evolution - in-Training

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Ammentorp/123RF

Generous employee perks are as much a part of the tech industry as long work hours, office Nerf gun battles, and people overusing the word disruption. But while most firms only go so far as free meals, on-site yoga classes, and maybe the occasional indoor climbing wall, an artificial intelligence-driven hedge fund is taking things to the next level.

The good news? Numeraisnew employee benefit is quite literally the coolest one we have heard about. The bad news? You wont be able to enjoy it until youre dead.

We are allowing employees cryonic body preservation as a benefit, Richard Craib, founder of Numerai, told Digital Trends. Employees sign up through a life insurance policy and upon legal death, the life insurance claim is handed over to cryonics provider Alcor.

While the idea of whole-body preservation cryonics being a benefit isnt necessarily going to appeal to everyone, the hope is that it will appeal to the right kind of people, who will have something to bring to Numerai. That means folks with an interest (and, preferably, plenty of impressive qualifications) in artificial intelligence. Strong education backgrounds in mathematics and statistics are also advantageous, Craib continued.

The company is clearly doing something right in this department because it already includes former employees from Apple and Google DeepMind among its (soon to be frozen) ranks.

As to how long successful candidates will be frozen for well, that depends on a whole lot on scientific advances. According to Alcors website, Revival of todays cryonics patients will require future repair by highly advanced future technology, such as molecular nanotechnology. Technology that is advanced enough to repair a cryopreserved brain would by its nature also be able to regrow new tissues, organs, and a healthy body for the revived person.

Dont expect too much free time to explore your new futuristic home when you are thawed, though, because Craib is joining employees in the cryonics process. The only worse thing than being reanimated years in the future, to find that all your friends and family are long-since dead and youre a living fossil with outdated 21st-century views? Waking up in the aforementioned scenario, only to immediately be put back to work by your boss.

I personally signed up for Alcor recently, he explained. Many of the other Numerai employees were intrigued as to why and generally agree with the argument that a small chance of eternal life is worth the risk of an unconventional post-death experience. After discussing the idea on This Week In Startups, we decided to offer it to all employees.

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Cryonic freezing is the coolest employee perk in Silicon Valley literally - Yahoo News

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

After deals and acquisitions with Spark Therapeutics and Bamboo, Pfizer is once again looking to bolster its rare and gene therapy pipeline as it outlines a new drug pact with Sangamo.

The collaborationlicense agreement focuses on the development and eventual sale of the biotechs gene therapy programs for hemophilia A, including SB-525, one of Sangamos four lead product candidates.

This early candidate is slated to enter the clinic this quarter, centering on testing safety as well as blood levels of Factor VIII protein, and other efficacy endpoints.

Sangamo gets $70 million upfront from the Big Pharma, and could gain $475 million in biobucks and sales royalties on any medications from the collaborationthat gain approval.

Under the deal, Sangamo will take the lead on the SB-525 phase 1/2 test as well as unspecified manufacturing activities.

Pfizer, meanwhile, will be operationally and financially responsible for subsequent research, development, manufacturing and commercialization activities for the therapy, as well as any additional products, if any.

Sangamo will also work with Pfizer on manufacturing and technical ops using viral delivery vectors.

SB-525 works as a AAV vector carrying a Factor VIII gene construct driven by a synthetic, liver-specific promoter. The FDA has already cleared the start of human trials for SB-525, and given it an orphan drug tag.

The deal has proved powerful for Sangamo, with its shares jumping 44% after hours on the news last night.

This marks another step into the new world of gene therapies for Pfizer, coming less than a year after its $700 million buy of Bamboo Therapeutics, adding advanced recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV)-based gene therapies to its pipeline.

It also has a long-standing deal with Spark Therapeutics, in hemophilia, penned in 2014. Back in January, Pfizer in fact paid a $15 million milestone bonus to Spark for hitting its marks in the ongoing hemophilia B phase 1/2 trial FDA breakthrough-tagged SPK-9001.

Pfizer also has a series of preclinical gene therapies, including a neuromuscular candidate for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), as well as preclinical candidates to treat Friedreichs ataxia and Canavan disease, and a phase I candidate for giant axonal neuropathy.

Pfizer also gained an operating gene therapy manufacturing facility that Bamboo bought from the University of North Carolina last year.

The pharma also has several academic research agreements, including one with Kings College London to develop a series of rAAV gene therapy vectors and another with the University of Iowa Research Foundation to develop a potential gene therapy for cystic fibrosis.

And its partnered with Emeryville, CA-based Molecular Therapeutics (4DMT) to discover and develop targeted next-generation rAAV vectors for cardiac disease; it made an investment in the company a few years back.

Once seen as the next big thing in research, gene therapies have however come under pressure in recent months about just how viable they are on the market. After struggling for years to make a commercial success out of Glybera, the worlds first approved gene therapy, uniQure recently called it quits on the treatment.

The drugmaker said it wouldnt bother asking European authorities to renew the $1-million-plus gene therapys marketing authorization when it expires in October, and comes after it abandoned plans to gain an approval in the U.S. Reports from MIT Technology Review suggest only one patient ever used the med.

GlaxoSmithKline has also been struggling in Europe with its bubble boy syndrome gene therapy Strimvelis. Mindful of Glyberas cost, GSK put its price tag at half that of Glybera, at $665,000, and also offered a money-back guarantee.

Its been approved in Europe for nearly a year, but it only treated its first patient this month, according to Business Insider.

Treatment is tough as the drug is not so much manufactured as it is created for each individual patient, with a site in Italy currently the only approved site in the world for this type of manufacture, and thus the only place where patients can be treated. Only around 15 patients in Europe are believed to have the condition.

Other biotechs are however working on the manufacturing side in order to try and make these therapies more available for patients, and thus open up their viability.

There are already a number of medications on the market for hemophilia, such as from Biogen spin-off Bioverativ and Sobi, with gene therapy predicted by some also working in the space, including uniQure and BioMarin, to be the next class for treating the blood disorder.

But speaking to FierceBiotech at the start of the year, Bioverativs new chief and former Biogen exec John Cox told me that while they are to working on gene therapy approaches to hemophilia, there are reasons to be cautious: There are of course question marks over gene therapy: The obvious one is safety, because of the history here, and this is a risk-averse population, for good reason, and the other question is naturally over efficacy, and how long does it last, as well as manufacturing, scale and so on.

Were all hoping for a cure, and of course were doing work on gene therapy now, but I dont think people are looking at these now as a permanent cure; the questions are over durability, rather than cure.

He said that investors and even doctors talk a lot about gene therapy in the hemophilia space, but that if you talk to hemophilia A patients about what they really want, being able to dose, once a week [which is the target with its candidate, or even just less frequently, is what they want.

The rest is here:
Pfizer doubles down on gene therapy pipeline with $70M Sangamo buy-in - FierceBiotech

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Pfizer has upped its presence in the gene therapy space through collaboration with Sangamo Therapeutics on its programmes worth up to $720m.

The agreement sees Pharma giant Pfizer pay Sangamo $70m upfront, but the Californian genome editing firm could receive up to $475m in milestone payments for its lead haemophilia A gene therapy SB-525, and a further $175m for other candidates developed under the collaboration.

Sangamos gene therapies are based on its multi-platform technology, including its zinc finger nuclease (ZFN) knock-out gene tool, and both adeno associated virus (AAV) and messenger RNA delivery tech.

Sangamo brings deep scientific and technical expertise across multiple genomic platforms, and we look forward to working together to advance this potentially transformative treatment for patients living with Hemophilia A, Pfizers president of Worldwide R&D Mikael Dolsten said in a statement.

The deal is the latest venture for Pfizer in the haemophilia gene therapy sector. The firm has a long-standing haemophilia B collaboration with Spark Therapuetics, inked in December 2014 when Pfizer also established its gene therapy research unit.

Pfizer has since acquired Bamboo Therapeutics for $150m, adding an advanced recombinant AAV vector design and production technology and several pipeline therapies, and begun assessing sites in North Carolina to expand its gene therapy manufacturing capabilities.

Pfizer has made significant investments in gene therapy over the last few years and we are building an industry-leading expertise in recombinant adeno-associated virus (rAAV) vector design and manufacturing, said Dolsten.

We believe SB-525 has the potential to be a best-in-class therapy that may provide patients with stable and durable levels of Factor VIII protein with a single administration treatment.

See more here:
Pfizer expands hemophilia gene therapy pipeline with $720m Sangamo deal - BioPharma-Reporter.com

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Scientists led by Associate Professor Vijay Reddy, Ph.D., at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) say they have discovered the structural details that make one virus a better tool for future therapies than a closely related virus. The team wrote inScience Advances("Cryo-EM structure of human adenovirus D26 reveals the conservation of structural organization among human adenoviruses") thatthe structure of a less prevalent species D adenovirus may work well as a gene-delivery vector because its structure doesn't allow it to wind up in the liver, thus minimizing liver toxicity. The Reddy Lab's study reportedly is the first to show the structural details on species D's surface that set it apart from another common subtype of adenovirus, called species C, which does travel to the liver.

"Greater understanding of the structures of adenoviruses from different species will help generate better gene therapies and/or vaccine vectors," said Dr. Reddy.

Using cryo-electron microscopy, the researchers discovered that while these two species of adenoviruses share the same shell-like core, they have different surface structures called decorations or loops, whichare key to a virus's behavior. They determine which receptors on human cells the virus can bind to. For species C adenoviruses, specific loops help the virus attach to blood coagulation factors (adaptor proteins) and get targeted to the human liver.Species D adenoviruses display distinctly different loop decorations. For use in gene and vaccine therapies, the virus would deliver helpful genes instead.

Species D also has one more important advantage over species C: Humans are constantly exposed to species C adenoviruses, so most people have developed antibodies to fight them off. These same antibodies would fight off the species C viruses even if they were designed for beneficial therapies. On the flip side, many of the species D adenoviruses are rare, and it's unlikely that a patient would have antibodies to fight them off, according to the investigators. That makes species D viruses better for delivering therapies, explains Dr. Reddy, who adds that scientists are already testing ways to use it to generate malaria and Ebola virus vaccines.

The researchers next plan to look at members of the other five species of adenoviruses to see if they would have useful traits as viral therapy vectors.

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Gene Therapy Advanced by Structural Study of Potential Viral Vectors - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Repairing beating human hearts with living patches is the aim of Avery Therapeutics, a startup company founded on technology developed by University of Arizona researchers.

The company recently licensed a new heart-graft technology from the UA and is working to get it into human clinical trials to treat heart failure within a few years.

Avery was co-founded in 2014 by cardiologist Dr. Steve Goldman of the UAs Sarver Heart Center and Jordan Lancaster, who earned his UA doctorate in physiology while working in Goldmans lab.

Averys biologically active heart graft, dubbed MyCardia, combines commercially available living cells called fibroblasts, heart-muscle cells derived from stem cells and a biologically absorbable scaffold.

The resulting graft can be sewn onto a live heart where it can build up new muscle cells to improve heart function as it grows with the patients own tissue.

You can basically think of it as a living Band-Aid, said Lancaster, who is chief science officer of Avery.

Goldman and Lancaster began research in the area in 2009 at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, where Goldman was chief of cardiology, for a San Francisco-based company developing a heart graft using fibroblasts on a scaffold material to treat angina, or heart-related chest pain.

That project ended when studies showed little improvement with the graft, Lancaster said.

But Goldman and Lancaster extended the research at the UA, tapping Nobel Prize-winning technology developed by Japanese scientists using so-called induced pluripotent stem cells which have the ability to turn into any kind of cell to create a new kind of living heart patch.

The Avery research team already has published scientific studies showing improvement in heart function in rats treated with the heart patch.

Immersed in a nutritive medium, the companys prototype patches contract in rhythm, on their own.

Theyre waving or winking at you, every time you see them in the lab, Lancaster said.

Though much work remains to be done even to get to human clinical trials, Avery is proceeding apace to commercialize the technology with the help of Tech Launch Arizona, the UAs technology-commercialization arm.

Jen Koevary, who earned her doctorate in biomedical engineering from the UA, joined Avery as chief operating officer after helping the company as a business-development officer for TLA.

Avery also is being advised by Bruce Burgess, a TLA mentor-in-residence with more than 30 years of entrepreneurial experience in medical devices, diagnostics and drug delivery.

Though an approved product is still years away, the company has published numerous scientific papers, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars in research grants and won one patent, with more in the pipeline.

In August, Avery was awarded a Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research grant of nearly $500,000 by the National Institutes of Healths National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute to develop manufacturing, cryopreservation, storage and reconstitution methods for the MyCardia patch.

Lancaster noted that Phase I SBIR contracts are generally up to $150,000, so the much larger NIH grant was significant.

The company also has won a $750,000 grant through the UA from the Arizona Biomedical Research Commission, and $60,000 in cash and prizes at Tucsons Get Started business-pitch competition in October.

The company has delivered its pitch internationally, at the Falling Walls Venture conference in Berlin in November.

Last week, Avery presented at the TechCode event space in Mountain View, California, where Silicon Valley investors learned about the company along with four other UA spinoffs.

Koevary said the company will keep pitching its technology and writing grants to raise money for further studies, likely including a bid for a larger Phase II SBIR grant.

Avery plans to present its technology at the 2017 BIO International Convention one of the biggest biotech events in the world in San Diego in June.

Scientifically, the next step is to test the patch in large-animal studies using pigs, which provide a close match to humans, she said.

Theres a lot that still needs to be done, Koevary said, noting that induced pluripotent stem cells have been tested in just one clinical trial, a Japanese effort focused on treating the eye.

We have to do a lot of work on the manufacturing side, in proving we can manufacture a quality product every time, she said.

After the animal studies the company also will have to submit a rigorous lab-practices study, which the company hopes will pave the way to start human clinical trials by 2020, Koevary said.

Koevary said the company will likely need upward of $10 million to take the heart patch to human clinical trials.

Avery is working on a private investment round among friends and family, she said, adding that the company also is establishing relationships with investor groups and looking at partnerships with established biomedical companies.

Researchers worldwide are working on regenerative tissue therapies, including a University of Minnesota group that recently published a paper on a heart graft made by 3-D printing heart-muscle stem cells and growing them in the lab.

But Lancaster said Avery named for his daughters middle name has a big advantage with Goldman and his lab, which he said offers a rare combination of clinical expertise in cell culturing, bioengineering and animal modeling.

Being able to cover that spectrum has really allowed us to move faster than others, Lancaster said. I think weve got a very good head start on a lot of people.

Tucson Tech runs Thursdays or Sundays in the Star. Contact senior reporter David Wichner at dwichner@tucson.com or 573-4181. On Twitter: @dwichner

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Tucson Tech: University of Arizona startup advances living heart patch - Arizona Daily Star

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

A project of the university's transfusion medicine department, the stem cell bank would roll out stem cell therapy to patients of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.

A public sector stem cell bank is set to come up at UP's King George's Medical University. A project of the university's transfusion medicine department, the stem cell bank would roll out stem cell therapy to patients of thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia. The proposal is awaiting clearance from state department of medical education.

Stem cells are found in human bone marrow and can be derived from the umbilical cord which contains blood vessels that connect baby in the womb to the mother to ingest nutrition required for development.

Research on the therapeutic use of stem cells is underway in US, Europe, China, South East Asia besides India. In UP, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and KGMU are both trying to explore the potential of stem cells to treat various health problems. SGPGI has, so far, restricted itself to use of allogenic (stem cells derived from bone marrow of a person), while KGMU has used stem cells derived from the umbilical cord.

KGMU has sustained access to umbilical cord because of a very developed obstetrics and gynaecology department. The proposal is worth Rs 9 crore including infrastructure cost. Stem cell bank promises to become financially self-sustaining within 2-3 years of inception.

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Stem cell bank to come up at KGMU - BSI bureau (press release)

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith

Sensational 8-Year-Old Violinist Living With Painful Disease

WINSTON-SALEM, NC Its hard to walk through life without hitting a sour note or two. In Winston-Salem, there's a young boy with talent beyond his years and a disease that nearly crippled him. His father gave up his career to take care of his son and to get him healthy.

We only listen to classical music at home, said Lucas Sant, a father of three living in Winston-Salem. He sits with his youngest, Helen, 2, on his lap. His second oldest daughter, Maria-Anita, 7, sits on his right and his only son, Caesar, 8, sits to his left.

Hes telling WFMY News 2s reporter, Hope Ford, about his sons remarkable talent.

When he was just a baby, we bought Baby Einstein, and you know, they have the animals and the music. So, we bought him a little toy piano, Lucas began. And one day, when he was seven months old, we heard this music coming from the room. It sounded like the toy piano, but it was the music from the Baby Einstein.

Lucas turned to his wife, Aline, with a knowing smile and said, We have our work to do with this boy.

Videos uploaded to YouTube, show a baby Caesar, waving his arms along to classical music such as Beethoven, almost as if he were conducting a symphony.

A baby Caesar and his father listening to classical music. (Photo: Sant family)

Violin lessons started the age of two.*

He started playing Vivaldi. He would pick up things very quick, said Lucas. Everybody was very impressed.

GoFundMe

All the Sant children are homeschooled and it would be no surprise to learn Caesar is just as brilliant with a pencil as he is with an instrument. The young boy is ahead in math and other subjects and earned a black belt in karate at 5-years-old.

Lucas sat in his seat, as baby Helen decided she wanted to leave the room to see what her mom was up to. As she ran into the next room, Lucas continued his story.

Immediately, he started to get sick. Before five, he had the first stroke.

Caesar has sickle cell anemia.

You never know anything until you experience, Lucas said in a soft voice.

Sickle cell anemia is a blood disease. Normal red blood cells are round and flexible to carry oxygen throughout the body. Caesars blood cells are sickle-shaped or bent and get stuck, slowing the flood of blood and oxygen.

Lucas explained, Its different. Its my son and I never seen this thing.

Caesar, who up until this point sat quietly next to his father with his violin in his lap said, I feel bad. I dont feel good when Im sick.

The curly haired violinist has three strokes before the age of six. The first two left his arms weak, but he rebounded, performing the National Anthem at the Grasshoppers Game in 2013.

The third one was a different stroke, said his dad.

Caesar lost feeling in his arms and legs after his third stroke, leaving him partially paralyzed for nearly six months.

At first, even his eyes was not moving. But, when he did wake up, all of a sudden your son not walk, not run, not stand up, Lucas said as if he was still trying to make sense of it all.

Doctors told the Sant family, It is very unlikely your son is going to die but do not expect much from him.

Lucas paused for a moment and continued, But the good thing there, you really meet God. What am I supposed to do God? Please tell me.

The only thing that seemed right at the time, was for Lucas to give up his career. The father of three was a neuroscientist at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.

Forget about my life. I said, Im going give my life to this boy.

Young Caesar in the hospital. (Photo: Sant family)

The Sant family built a small play gym in the basement of their home. Here, Lucas would help Caesar with physical therapy, as they could not afford to hire someone full time to help him regain strength and movement in his arms and legs.

Some days and good and some are bad. Three years after his last stroke, Caesar still winces in pain as he goes through his exercises. But, he finds moments to laugh with his siblings, who cheer him on. And as an 8-year-old, he is a little hard to get under control. For Lucas, the physical therapy takes a toll on his as well.

First, Im not a physical therapist. I have a lot of patience but its very hard for you see your son one way, said Lucas. Sometime, we have to take breaks because it is difficult and it sometimes weighs on my own health.

But, once again, Caesar regained his strength, returning to the Grasshoppers stadium in 2017 to perform the National Anthem once again.

Every month, Caesar and his family travel to Charlotte for blood transfusions to lower the risk of Caesar having another stroke. He'll have to do this for the unforeseeable future and there are risks.*

Frequent blood transfusions can lead to iron overload which is sometimes fatal. Caesar's family is trying for a bone marrow transplant which has a higher percentage of curing his sickle cell disease.

They have a donor- his baby sister, Helen.

As if she knew her name had been mentioned, the young girl, called the boss of the family, walked back into the room, sharing bites of her rice with her siblings and father.

Lucas and his wife wanted another child, but they also wanted to ensure the next child would not have the sickle cell anemia trait. they also wanted to ensure they would have a 100 percent genetic match for Caesar's procedure.

Maria-Anita was also born with sickle cell anemia, but unlike her brother, has yet to experience any complications.

So, Aline got pregnant via in vitro fertilization. Doctors only planted cells that were a genetic match and only healthy cells were selected. Thus, Helen was conceived and at birth, her umbilical cord was collected.

Helen, was born sickle-cell free.

They took the stem cells from the umbilical cord and now they have perfect cells, to do the transplant on him, said Lucas.

The Sant family is trying to raise money for a bone marrow/stem cell transplant. The process is long and costly. According to Johns Hopkins, one hospital that specializes in bone marrow/stem cell transplants, they say the cost can run as high as $500,000.

However, sickle cell anemia can be cured with the procedure.

Offering her big brother another big of food, Helen, Caesars sisterly hero, smiled and ran off.

Lucas continued to explain the familys financial situation.

Its difficult, with me not having a job. But, we have had people help us along the way. But, we are still trying so hard to raise money for the surgery.

A GoFundMe account was started in 2013. To date, $38,000 has been raised. The family also started a website to give updates and sell merchandise to help raise funds as well.

Caesar still walks with a limp and must be careful when sitting down. Lucas looked at his son and said Were so happy because he got back. He got back, but the job is not done. Faith, hope, these things so real. Cause if dont have what you can do? You give up right there.

Caesar piped in again, Sometimes I tell my father, papa, I dont know when Im going to be back, but God is always with me.

Lucas isnt giving up. His hope, to have son healthy by 2018.

And Caesars hope?

I want to be a musician and a conductor.

*This story has been updated to correct information. Lessons for Caesar started at the age of 2 and 300ml of his blood is replaced every month during his blood transfusions.

5 Facts About Sickle Cell Disease (CDC)

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Sensational 8-year-old violinist living with painful disease - 13newsnow.com

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Jonathan Pitre was exhausted on Tuesday, but he found some strength while watching the Ottawa Senators close out the New York Rangers in Game 6 of their second-round playoff series. -

His white blood cell count rising slowly, Jonathan Pitre will have a medical test Thursday to answer a crucial question: Are the new cells in his bloodstream genetically different?

The answer will reveal whether his second stem cell transplant has taken root in his bone marrow.

I want to be excited but Im holding back until we know for sure, said Pitres mother, Tina Boileau, who has been at his side in Minnesota since the transplant one month ago. Once we know, it seems like well be able to put one foot in front of the other and move on.

The family is taking a cautious approach since Pitres first transplant ended in disappointment in October when doctors learned that his own stem cells had recolonized his bone marrow.

Thursdays test will determine the source of Pitres new cells by isolating his white blood cells and examining the DNA they contain. All of Pitres cells will have a pair of X and Y chromosomes, but doctors will be hoping to find cells with a pair of X chromosomes since those cells can only come from his mother.

Such a discovery would provide evidence that the stem cells donated by Boileau have taken root in her sons bone marrow, and have started to produce new blood cells.

Im really hoping for a positive outcome; I think were due for good news, said Boileau, who expects to learn the results on Monday.

Pitre, who turns 17 next month, has seen his white blood cell count climb recently from 0.0 to 0.4, which remains well below the normal range of 4.0 to 11.0. He continues to suffer fevers, pain and profound exhaustion.

On Tuesday night, he watched the Ottawa Senators close out the New York Rangers while his mother applied fresh dressings and gauze after his bath. It was the first time in his life, Boileau said, that her son did not have the strength to stand during the procedure.

We had the game on and I have to say it really helped us get through it, said Boileau. Jonathan got a bit of strength from the excitement, and it was just enough to help me finish his dressings.

Pitre told his mother Tuesday night that hes not sure if he can see this one through.

I said, Youre going to have to because theres no way Im going home without you,' Boileau said. He managed to crack a little smile and said, OK, mom.

The University of Minnesota Masonic Childrens Hospital is theonly facility in the world that offers a blood and marrow transplant as a treatment for those with severe epidermolysis bullosa (EB). If Pitres transplant is successful, his new stems cells will have the power to deliver to his injured skin cells that can secrete a missing protein essential to the development of collagen.

Collagen is the glue that gives skin its strength and structure, and those with Pitres disease, recessive dytstrophic EB, are missing it. The treatment holds the potential to dramatically improve Pitres skin and make his disease more manageable.

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An exhausted Jonathan Pitre will soon learn if his stem cell transplant has worked - Ottawa Citizen

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May 10, 2017 Eye stem cells. Credit: University of Southampton

Reported in Nature today, one of the largest sets of high quality human induced pluripotent stem cell lines from healthy individuals has been produced by a consortium involving the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. Comprehensively annotated and available for independent research, the hundreds of stem cell lines are a powerful resource for scientists studying human development and disease.

With collaborative partners from King's College London, the European Bioinformatics Institute, the University of Dundee and the University of Cambridge, the study also investigates in unprecedented detail the extensive variation between stem cells from different healthy people.

Technological advancements have made it possible to take an adult cell and use specific growth conditions to turn back the clock - returning it to an early embryonic state. This results in an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC), which can develop into any type of cell in the body. These iPSCs have huge scientific potential for studying the development and the impact of diseases including cancer, Alzheimer's, and heart disease.

However, the process of creating an iPSC is long and complicated and few laboratories have the facilities to characterise their cells in a way that makes them useful for other scientists to use.

The Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (HipSci) project used standardised methods to generate iPSCs on a large scale to study the differences between healthy people. Reference sets of stem cells were generated from skin biopsies donated by 301 healthy volunteers, creating multiple stem cell lines from each person.

The researchers created 711 cell lines and generated detailed information about their genome, the proteins expressed in them, and the cell biology of each cell line. Lines and data generated by this initiative are available to academic researchers and industry.

Dr Daniel Gaffney, a lead author on the paper, from the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, said: "We have created a comprehensive, high quality reference set of human induced pluripotent stem cell lines from healthy volunteers. Each of these stem cell lines has been extensively characterised and made available to the wider research community along with the annotation data. This resource is a stepping stone for researchers to make better cell models of many diseases, because they can study disease risk in many cell types, including those that are normally inaccessible."

By creating more than one stem cell line from each healthy individual, the researchers were able to determine the similarity of stem cell lines from the same person.

Prof Fiona Watt, a lead author on the paper and co-principal investigator of HipSci, from King's College London, said: "Many other efforts to create stem cells focus on rare diseases. In our study, stem cells have been produced from hundreds of healthy volunteers to study common genetic variation. We were able to show similar characteristics of iPS cells from the same person, and revealed that up to 46 per cent of the differences we saw in iPS cells were due to differences between individuals. These data will allow researchers to put disease variations in context with healthy people."

The project, which has taken 4 years to complete, required a multidisciplinary approach with many different collaborators, who specialised in different aspects of creating the cell lines and characterising the data.

Dr Oliver Stegle, a lead author on the paper, from the European Bioinformatics Institute, said: "This study was only possible due to the large scale, systematic production and characterisation of the stem cell lines. To help us to understand the different properties of the cells, we collected extensive data on multiple molecular layers, from the genome of the lines to their cell biology. This type of phenotyping required a whole facility rather than just a single lab, and will provide a huge resource to other scientists. Already, the data being generated have helped to gain a clearer picture of what a typical human iPSC cell looks like."

Dr Michael Dunn, Head of Genetics and Molecular Sciences at Wellcome, said: "This is the fantastic result of many years of work to create a national resource of high quality, well-characterised human induced pluripotent stem cells. This has been a significant achievement made possible by the collaboration of researchers across the country with joint funding provided by Wellcome and the MRC. It will help to provide the knowledge base to underpin a huge amount of future research into the effects of our genes on health and disease. By ensuring this resource is openly available to all, we hope that it will pave the way for many more fascinating discoveries."

Explore further: Stem cell consortium tackles complex genetic diseases

More information: Helena Kilpinen et al, Common genetic variation drives molecular heterogeneity in human iPSCs, Nature (2017). DOI: 10.1038/nature22403

http://www.yourgenome.org/facts/what-is-a-stem-cell

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Scientists unveil the UK's largest resource of human stem cells from healthy donors - Medical Xpress

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Induced pluripotent stem cells have revolutionized stem cell science in the decade since their invention. Theyre yielding clues into the nature of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimers, and are also being tapped for therapy.

But creating these IPS cells is lengthy, complicated and tricky, and the facilities equipped to make them cant accommodate all the scientists whod like to get their hands on them.

A UK-led consortium has removed that bottleneck, by producing 711 lines of ready-to-go IPS cells from healthy individuals. These lines are meant to help scientists understand the normal variations between healthy individuals and those involved in disease, as well as to understand normal human biology and development.

The IPS lines are available for research purposes to academic scientists and industry by contacting the Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Initiative (HipSci), at http://www.hipsci.org and the European Bank for induced Pluripotent Stem Cells at https://www.ebisc.org.

The accomplishment was announced in a study published in Nature. It can be found online at j.mp/711ips.

While many other efforts have generated IPS cells to address rare diseases, this study produces them from healthy volunteers to plumb common genetic variation, Fiona Watt, a lead author on the paper and co-principal investigator of HipSci, from King's College London, said in a statement.

"We were able to show similar characteristics of iPS cells from the same person, and revealed that up to 46 per cent of the differences we saw in iPS cells were due to differences between individuals, Watt said in the statement. These data will allow researchers to put disease variations in context with healthy people."

Andrs Bratt-Leal, director of the Parkinson's Cell Therapy Program at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, agreed.

This kind of study is extremely important because it leads to a deeper understanding of the differences between normal genetic variation and genetic changes that could negatively impact cell behavior, said Bratt-Leal, who was not involved in the study.

This data will help scientists using induced pluripotent stem cells to model diseases as well as scientists developing cell therapies, said Bratt-Leal, who works in the lab of stem cell researcher Jeanne Loring.

Because DNA sequencing has become a routine tool in the lab, enormous amounts of data have been produced, he said. Not only have we have observed a high level of genetic diversity between different people, but also a more subtle variation exists among the cells from an individual person. The next step is a better understanding of how this diversity translates to function and behavior of stem cells and mature cells derived from stem cells.

Loring and Bratt-Leal are studying the use of induced pluripotent stem cells to relieve symptoms of Parkinsons disease. They are in the process of translating the research into a therapy, aided with a grant from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine.

The work was the product of a large-scale collaboration of scientists from various institutions in the United Kingdom, including the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Cambridge; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Cambridge; the University of Dundee in Dundee; and the University of Cambridge. Also participating was St Vincent's Institute of Medical Research in Victoria, Australia.

bradley.fikes@sduniontribune.com

(619) 293-1020

UPDATES:

1:00 p.m.: This article was updated with additional details.

This article was originally published at 10:00 a.m.

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Hundreds of new stem cell lines ready to help research - The San Diego Union-Tribune

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