What is Genetic Engineering?
Learn about how genetic engineering works and how it can be applied in science.

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Genetic Engineering Video 678

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IMAGE:Journal of Caffeine Research covers the effects of caffeine on a wide range of diseases and conditions, including mood disorders, neurological disorders, cognitive performance, cardiovascular disease, and sports performance.... view more

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New Rochelle, NY, March 31, 2015-The proposed link between caffeine and reductions in the beta amyloid plaque accumulation characteristic of Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggest a possible role for caffeine in AD treatment. The latest evidence linking beta amyloid protein to Alzheimer's disease and exploring the relationship between caffeine and beta amyloid are featured in a review article in Journal of Caffeine Research: The International Multidisciplinary Journal of Caffeine Science, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Caffeine Research website at http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/jcr.2014.0027 until May 1, 2015.

In the article "Caffeine as Treatment for Alzheimer's: A Review", Abhishek Mohan, BS, Old Dominion University (Norfolk, VA), and coauthors identify the potential opportunities for using caffeine to reduce beta amyloid levels as a means of preventing, treating, and slowing the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

"To say that strategizing medicines to treat Alzheimer's disorders is important is an understatement," says Patricia A. Broderick, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Caffeine Research, Medical Professor in Physiology, Pharmacology & Neuroscience, The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education, The City College of New York, The City University of New York, and Adjunct Professor in Neurology, New York University Langone Medical Center and Comprehensive Epilepsy Center. "Moreover, to say that caffeine is just an ordinary staple in our lives, whether caffeine is part of coffee or a chocolate bar, is also an understatement. Thus, what Dr. Mohan has published herein is elegant in its simplicity; his work is critically on target."

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About the Journal

Journal of Caffeine Research: The International Multidisciplinary Journal of Caffeine Science is a quarterly journal published online with Open Access options and in print. The Journal covers the effects of caffeine on a wide range of diseases and conditions, including mood disorders, neurological disorders, cognitive performance, cardiovascular disease, and sports performance. Journal of Caffeine Research explores all aspects of caffeine science including the biochemistry of caffeine; its actions on the human body; benefits, dangers, and contraindications; and caffeine addiction and withdrawal, across all stages of the human life span from prenatal exposure to end-of-life. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Journal of Caffeine Research website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jcr.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Breastfeeding Medicine, Journal of Medicinal Food, and Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website at http://www.liebertpub.com.

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Can caffeine be used to treat or prevent Alzheimer's disease?

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IMAGE:Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (JCAP), celebrating 25 years in 2015, is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 10 times a year in print and online. The Journal... view more

Credit: Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers

New Rochelle, NY, March 30, 2015--At present the key symptom for diagnosing major depressive disorder (MDD) in adolescents is irritability. However a new study has found that the severity of anhedonia (the inability to gain pleasure from experiences that usually are enjoyable) rather than of irritability is associated with more severe MDD and worse clinical outcomes and suicide scores. Results of the study are published in Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (JCAP), a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers, and is available free on the JCAP website until April 30, 2015.

Vilma Gabbay, MD, and coauthors at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and New York University Langone Medical Center (New York, NY), and Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research (Orangeburg, NY), used a quantitative approach to focus on symptoms of irritability and anhedonia simultaneously in 90 adolescents with MDD. Only anhedonia severity showed a significant correlation with the severity of overall outcomes, including illness severity, episode duration, and number of MDD episodes. In the article "Anhedonia, but not Irritability Is Associated with Illness Severity Outcomes in Adolescent Major Depression," the authors emphasize the importance of closely monitoring highly anhedonic depressed adolescents.

"This is a pivotal study of the critical aspects of adolescent depression," says Harold S. Koplewicz, MD, Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology and President of the Child Mind Institute in New York. "The authors provide us with an insight that has significant implications for early intervention and effective treatment. Their work also reinforces the need for targeted studies of this disease in the adolescent population if we want to understand it and mitigate its harmful effects on youth."

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About the Journal

Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology (JCAP), celebrating 25 years in 2015, is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 10 times a year in print and online. The Journal is dedicated to child and adolescent psychiatry and behavioral pediatrics, covering clinical and biological aspects of child and adolescent psychopharmacology and developmental neurobiology. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the JCAP website.

About the Publisher

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers is a privately held, fully integrated media company known for establishing authoritative peer-reviewed journals in many promising areas of science and biomedical research, including Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, Games for Health Journal, and Violence and Gender. Its biotechnology trade magazine, Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (GEN), was the first in its field and is today the industry's most widely read publication worldwide. A complete list of the firm's 80 journals, books, and newsmagazines is available on the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers website.

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What is the best measure of depression severity in adolescents?

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New research from The University of Manchester published in the Journal of Community Genetics reveals a stark variation in genetic testing services for inherited eye disease in England.

The study, which was part-funded by Fight for Sight, shows that service provision in the North-east is much lower than expected based on population size and demographics, while in London and the South-east, it's much higher.

Genetic tests have been available on the NHS for over a decade for a limited number of inherited retinal dystrophies such as retinitis pigmentosa. However, new technology, known as 'next-generation sequencing' (NGS), has made it possible to map many genes simultaneously, saving time and money.

NGS means that many more patients with inherited retinal dystrophies could receive accurate genetic diagnoses and appropriate genetic counselling on how the condition might affect their families. But in order to plan for an expansion in NHS service provision, it is necessary to know how well existing services are working.

In the current study, the research team looked back at genetic testing in 2003-2011 for common mutations in six genes linked to dominantly inherited and X-linked retinitis pigmentosa. They quantified the variation in testing rate between the nine NHS regions in England, based on population size and demographics.

Results showed that by 2011, 4.5 per 100,000 males and 2.6 per 100,000 females in England had been tested. However, there was a wide variation in testing rates between the regions.

In north-east England there were approximately half as many tests as expected, whereas in the south-east, the rate was over a third more than expected. Only in the west Midlands and east England were test rates in line with the overall rate for England.

"It is likely that a number of factors have contributed to this variation in access to genetic services," said Professor Graeme Black from the Centre for Genomic Medicine at The University of Manchester, who led the research. "For instance, the at-risk population is not uniform across England; the way in which diagnostic tests are made available to clinicians varies between regions; and it's unclear whether there is variation in the way that clinicians and genetic counsellors explain the tests to patients.

"However, it is clear that we are unlikely to achieve equal access across the regions by chance. We need a consistent approach in providing information to patients about the availability and perceived value of testing and we need a strong evidence base to support the value of genetic testing on grounds of clinical and economic utility.

"In this way we can begin to develop a single, national strategy that will make it possible to fulfil the huge potential of next-generation sequencing to improve patient care and drive research forward."

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South-east England ahead on genetic tests for inherited eye conditions

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DNA sequencing and synthesis are two sides of the same coin, the read and write functions of genetic material. The field and its requisite technology took off in the 1990s with the Human Genome Projects effort to sequence billions of bases and unlock a new era of genetically informed medicine. The resulting science is still a work in progress it turns out the genetic code is more complicated than anticipated but the technologies and companies it helped spawn are an impressive legacy.

Integrated DNA Technologies (IDT) got its start during the Human Genome Project, as it produced single nucleotides (the As, Ts, Cs, and Gs that comprise the genetic code) and short oligonucleotide chains (or oligos) to help facilitate a massive sequencing effort around the world. Of course, sequencing technology has advanced dramatically in the intervening decades, but you still need oligos to do the sequencing, explains Jerry Steele, IDTs Director of Marketing, especially in the next gen sequencing space. Sequencing and DNA synthesis go hand in hand.

The current sequencing method of choice is Illumina, a process that frequently returns millions of bases of DNA sequence by reading distinct stepwise fluorescent signals associated with each base in a massively parallel array. To distinguish genetic material from different samples (a few hundred are often run on the same plate), scientists label each samples DNA extract with a distinct barcode. With each barcode comprised of about ten nucleotides, the demand for synthetic DNA chains in the sequencing process is substantial.

Unlike other biotech companies prioritizing longer constructs or gene variants, IDT specializes in relatively short oligos. These chains are used not only in Illumina barcoding, but also as primers consistent patches of sequence that may border unknown regions and facilitate PCR-based amplification. Both techniques next gen Illumina sequencing and primer-based amplification are staples of any self-respecting applied or research-based microbiology laboratory, as they allow researchers to identify constituent organisms or confirm a genes presence.

With such short sequences, a single nucleotide discrepancy could mean the difference between two Illumina samples from opposite ends of the world, or between a gene native to the Firmicutes or the Proteobacteria. Its a small margin for error, so every base better be right, explains Steele. As weve grown, its just a matter of maintaining that consistency on a larger scale. In the spirit of not fixing something that needs no repairs, IDT shipped an entire fabrication room from its headquarters in Des Moines to Belgium when that facility was being built.

Fundamental as they are to modern biology, oligos are used every day in thousands of laboratories around the world, often in innovative ways that the company itself may not have predicted. The things that people are doing with DNA are really inspiring, notes Steele. One of his favorite use cases involves low-impact prenatal tests: rather than a painful and invasive amniosyntesis, weve discovered that now because of sequencing, we can see the babys DNA in a blood draw from the mother. Improved sequencing fidelity and throughput are expanding the resolution of the technique, and Steele soon envisions scientists using next gen sequencing to detect cancer cells from the blood stream as an early diagnosis tool. Biology is really leaving the lab and coming into the real world, Steele explains, and its going to improve a lot of lives.

*This article is part of a special series on DNA synthesis and was previously published at SynBioBeta, the activity hub for the synthetic biology industry.

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Newswise Boston (March 31, 2015) Coronary heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the United States, are diseases associated with heightened platelet reactivity. A new study in humans suggests an underlying reason for the variability in the risk of clotting is due to a genetic variation in a receptor on the surface of the platelet. Additionally, the current study suggests that people expressing this genetic variant may be less protected from clotting and thrombosis when taking current anti-platelet therapies such as Aspirin and other blood thinning medications.

Antiplatelet therapy has helped to drastically reduce mortality associated with heart attacks and strokes; however, some individuals taking antiplatelet drugs are not fully protected from platelet clot formation. For example, black individuals are disproportionately burdened by these diseases compared to white individuals even after adjusting for clinical and demographic factors.

Benjamin Tourdot, Ph.D., a Postdoctoral Fellow on a research team led by Michael Holinstat, Ph.D., at the University of Michigan Department of Pharmacology recently discovered a genetic variant in a key platelet receptor, PAR4, which enhances platelet reactivity and is more frequently expressed in blacks than whites. The research will be presented at the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics (ASPET) Annual Meeting during Experimental Biology 2015.

While the genetic variation is more common in blacks than whites it is still relatively common in both races with 76 percent of blacks and 36 percent of whites expressing at least one copy of the gene responsible for the hyper-responsiveness.

To determine if individuals with the hyper-responsive form of PAR4 may be less protected following a myocardial infarction or stroke even after receiving recommended antiplatelet therapy, the investigators compared healthy individuals and cardiac patients with and without the mutation for their responsiveness to PAR4 who were taking standard of care antiplatelet therapy (Aspirin and Plavix). The preliminary data demonstrated that independent of race individuals with a copy of the hyperactive variant of PAR4 have an increase in PAR4-mediated platelet reactivity compared to individuals without the variant even in the presence of antiplatelet therapy.

This work could identify the PAR4 T120A variant as a potential risk factor for thrombosis, and would require a new approach to treating patients with this genetic variant including the development of PAR4 antagonists.

A greater understanding of which patients benefit the most from current therapeutic strategies and which patients remain at elevated risk for a thrombotic event will aid in the development of new therapeutic targets for at-risk populations.

This study reinforces the personalized medicine approach to therapeutic intervention and challenges the one size fits all approach, which often leaves at risk populations without adequate protection from thrombotic events and stroke.

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Genetic Variability in the Platelet Linked to Increased Risk for Clotting

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Bankdrcken steigerung / Bodyupdate - Irin-Genetics - Tolga Gn
Heute mal eine kleine kraftsteigerung beim Bankdrcken, von 80x7 auf 80x10.. Was sagt ihr zu meiner momentanen Form? Instagram: Iron_Genetics.

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How to solve simple Mendelian genetics problems

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MWV95 - The Power of Fungal Genetics
ASMCultures magazine traveled to Colombia to speak with and film the researchers behind an innovative biotechnology project that is producing exciting results. The international Swiss ...

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The Sims 3 - Perfect Genetics Challenge - Pt12 - Daddys Girl
If you like this video please leave a thumbs up, it really helps Open fully for *NEW SCHEDULE* info and social media links Weekly Schedule (Subject to change) Monday - Disney...

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The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine announces the first recipient of the ACMG Foundation/David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award at the 2015 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah

The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine is proud to announce that Marcus Miller, PhD of Baylor is the recipient of the inaugural ACMG Foundation/David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award. The Award was presented during the 2015 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award was created in memory of the late Dr. David L Rimoin, one of the founders of ACMG who passed away in 2012. Dr. Rimoin touched the lives of generations of patients as well as trainees and colleagues. This award is a cash award given to a selected student, trainee, or junior faculty ACMG member whose abstract submission is chosen as a platform presentation during the ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting and complements the David L. Rimoin Lifetime Achievement Award, which will begin at the 2016 ACMG Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting in Tampa, Florida. Dr. Miller was selected to receive this award for his platform presentation, "Metabolomic Analysis Uncovers Significant Trimethylamine N-oxide Production in Patients with Inborn Errors of Metabolism Requiring Supplemental Carnitine Despite Dietary Meat Restrictions."

Dr. Miller completed his PhD in Genetics at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and his BS in Biology at Purdue University. He is currently a molecular genetics laboratory fellow at Baylor College of Medicine, he is working on research topics that include Metabolomic analysis using high precision mass spectrometry, approaches to metabolomic data analysis, molecular genetics of VLCAD deficiency especially as it relates to newborn screening, next generation sequencing, mitochondrial disorders, approaches to molecular genetic testing, and general human genetic disorders.

"The ACMG and ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine would not be where it is today without the hard work of Dr. Rimoin, who was our founding president. This award will help keep his legacy alive in students, trainees and junior faculty ACMG members" said Bruce R. Korf, MD, PhD FACMG, president of the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine.

Ann Garber, Dr. Rimoin's widow said, "The Rimoin family is excited that Dr. Miller's outstanding work will be recognized and supported through the David L. Rimoin Inspiring Excellence Award. It would make David happy that the individualized therapeutic approaches advocated by Dr. Miller's findings are being brought to the forefront, as this was a major emphasis of his work and passion."

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The ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of supporters and contributors who understand the importance of medical genetics in healthcare. Established in 1992, the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine supports the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics; mission to "translate genes into health" by raising funds to attract the next generation of medical geneticists and genetic counselors, to sponsor important research, to promote information about medical genetics, and much more.

To learn more about the important mission and projects of the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine and how you too can support this great cause, please visit http://www.acmgfoundation.org or contact us at acmgf@acmgfoundation.org or 301/718-2014.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Combined gene/cell therapies provide long-term and pervasive rescue of multiple pathological...
Combined gene/cell therapies provide long-term and pervasive rescue of multiple pathological symptoms in a murine model of globoid cell leukodystrophy. Alessandra Ricca et al (2015), Human...

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DNA GENE THERAPY
Vision restored to patient with DNA GENE THERAPY.

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GENE THERAPY FOR GENETIC EYE DISORDERS
FROM HAND MOVEMENT TO 6/60 VISION WITH #GENETHERAPY #DRAGARWALHOSPITALS #BANGALORE #DRSUNITAAGARWAL #INDIA #MEDICALTOURISM.

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Imagine if instead of using drugs or surgery, a doctor could simply insert a gene into a patient's cell to treat or prevent disease.

Gene therapy is endeavoring to do just that and could emerge in the coming years as a viable alternative for treatment. Certain conditions that previously couldn't be treated, such as forms of blindness, types of cancer or more rare conditions like sickle cell disease are now being researched with this alternative treatment.

Phil Nadeau, biotechnology analyst with Cowen and Company, predicts there will be several gene therapy products approved by the F.D.A. within the next few years. He told CNBC recently he sees more than $1 billion in gene therapy sales worldwide, which ultimately means significant investments in gene therapy in the near future.

"In the past, most major companies stayed away from having gene therapy programs. In the future, we think, it's going to be a standard treatment," he said.

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MultiVir, a biotech developing gene therapies for cancer, filed on Monday with the SEC to raise up to $70 million in an initial public offering.

The Houston, TX-based company, which was founded in 2009, plans to list on the NASDAQ under the symbol MVIR. MultiVir initially filed confidentially on December 22, 2014. RBC Capital Markets is the sole bookrunner on the deal. No pricing terms were disclosed.

Investment Disclosure: The information and opinions expressed herein were prepared by Renaissance Capital's research analysts and do not constitute an offer to buy or sell any security. Renaissance Capital, the Renaissance IPO ETF (symbol: IPO) or the Global IPO Fund (symbol: IPOSX) , may have investments in securities of companies mentioned.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc.

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Cancer gene therapy biotech MultiVir files for a $70 million IPO

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1. Introduction

Neuromuscular disease is a very broad term that encompasses many diseases and aliments that either directly, via intrinsic muscle pathology, or indirectly, via nerve pathology, impair the functioning of the muscles. Neuromuscular diseases affect the muscles and/or their nervous control and lead to problems with movement. Many are genetic; sometimes, an immune system disorder can cause them. As they have no cure, the aim of clinical treatment is to improve symptoms, increase mobility and lengthen life. Some of them affect the anterior horn cell, and are classified as acquired (e.g. poliomyelitis) and hereditary (e.g. spinal muscular atrophy) diseases. SMA is a genetic disease that attacks nerve cells, called motor neurons, in the spinal cord. As a consequence of the lost of the neurons, muscles weakness becomes to be evident, affecting walking, crawling, breathing, swallowing and head and neck control. Neuropathies affect the peripheral nerve and are divided into demyelinating (e.g. leucodystrophies) and axonal (e.g. porphyria) diseases. Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) is the most frequent hereditary form among the neuropathies and its characterized by a wide range of symptoms so that CMT-1a is classified as demyelinating and CMT-2 as axonal (Marchesi & Pareyson, 2010). Defects in neuromuscular junctions cause infantile and non-infantile Botulism and Myasthenia Gravis (MG). MG is a antibody-mediated autoimmune disorder of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) (Drachman, 1994; Meriggioli & Sanders, 2009). In most cases, it is caused by pathogenic autoantibodies directed towards the skeletal muscle acetylcholine receptor (AChR) (Patrick & Lindstrom, 1973) while in others, non-AChR components of the postsynaptic muscle endplate, such as the muscle-specific receptor tyrosine kinase (MUSK), might serve as targets for the autoimmune attack (Hoch et al., 2001). Although the precise origin of the autoimmune response in MG is not known, genetic predisposition and abnormalities of the thymus gland such as hyperplasia and neoplasia could have an important role in the onset of the disease (Berrih et al., 1984; Roxanis et al., 2001).

Several diseases affect muscles: they are classified as acquired (e.g. dermatomyositis and polymyositis) and hereditary (e.g. myotonic disorders and myopaties) forms. Among the myopaties, muscular dystrophies are characterized by the primary wasting of skeletal muscle, caused by mutations in the proteins that form the link between the cytoskeleton and the basal lamina (Cossu & Sampaolesi, 2007). Mutations in the dystrophin gene cause severe form of hereditary muscular diseases; the most common are Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (BMD). DMD patients suffer for complete lack of dystrophin that causes progressive degeneration, muscle wasting and death into the second/third decade of life. Beside, BMD patients show a very mild phenotype, often asymptomatic primarily due to the expression of shorter dystrophin mRNA transcripts that maintain the coding reading frame. DMD patients muscles show absence of dystrophin and presence of endomysial fibrosis, small fibers rounded and muscle fiber degeneration/regeneration. Untreated, boys with DMD become progressively weak during their childhood and stop ambulation at a mean age of 9 years, later with corticosteroid treatment (12/13 yrs). Proximal weakness affects symmetrically the lower (such as quadriceps and gluteus) before the upper extremities, with progression to the point of wheelchair dependence. Eventually distal lower and then upper limb weakness occurs. Weakness of neck flexors is often present at the beginning, and most patients with DMD have never been able to jump. Wrist and hand muscles are involved later, allowing the patients to keep their autonomy in transfers using a joystick to guide their wheelchair. Musculoskeletal contractures (ankle, knees and hips) and learning difficulties can complicate the clinical expression of the disease. Besides this weakness distribution in the same patient, a deep variability among patients does exist. They could express a mild phenotype, between Becker and Duchenne dystrophy, or a really severe form, with the loss of deambulation at 7-8 years. Confinement to a wheelchair is followed by the development of scoliosis, respiratory failure and cardiomyopathy. In 90% of people death is directly related to chronic respiratory insufficiency (Rideau et al., 1983). The identification and characterization of dystrophin gene led to the development of potential treatments for this disorder (Bertoni, 2008). Even if only corticosteroids were proven to be effective on DMD patient (Hyser and Mendell, 1988), different therapeutic approaches were attempted, as described in detail below (see section 7).

The identification and characterization of the genes whose mutations caused the most common neuromuscular diseases led to the development of potential treatments for those disorders. Gene therapy for neuromuscular disorders embraced several concepts, including replacing and repairing a defective gene or modifying or enhancing cellular performance, using gene that is not directly related to the underlying defect (Shavlakadze et al., 2004). As an example, the finding that DMD pathology was caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene allowed the rising of different therapeutic approaches including growth-modulating agents that increase muscle regeneration and delay muscle fibrosis (Tinsley et al., 1998), powerful antisense oligonucleotides with exon-skipping capacity (Mc Clorey et al., 2006), anti-inflammatory or second-messenger signal-modulating agents that affect immune responses (Biggar et al., 2006), agents designed to suppress stop codon mutations (Hamed, 2006). Viral and non-viral vectors were used to deliver the full-length - or restricted versions - of the dystrophin gene into stem cells; alternatively, specific antisense oligonucleotides were designed to mask the putative splicing sites of exons in the mutated region of the primary RNA transcript whose removal would re-establish a correct reading frame. In parallel, the biology of stem cells and their role in regeneration were the subject of intensive and extensive research in many laboratories around the world because of the promise of stem cells as therapeutic agents to regenerate tissues damaged by disease or injury (Fuchs and Segre, 2000; Weissman, 2000). This research constituted a significant part of the rapidly developing field of regenerative biology and medicine, and the combination of gene and cell therapy arose as one of the most suitable possibility to treat degenerative disorders. Several works were published in which stem cell were genetically modified by ex vivo introduction of corrective genes and then transplanted in donor dystrophic animal models.

Stem cells received much attention because of their potential use in cell-based therapies for human disease such as leukaemia (Owonikoko et al., 2007), Parkinsons disease (Singh et al., 2007), and neuromuscular disorders (Endo, 2007; Nowak and Davies, 2004). The main advantage of stem cells rather than the other cells of the body is that they can replenish their numbers for long periods through cell division and, they can produce a progeny that can differentiate into multiple cell lineages with specific functions (Bertoni, 2008). The candidate stem cell had to be easy to extract, maintaining the capacity of myogenic conversion when transplanted into the host muscle and also the survival and the subsequent migration from the site of injection to the compromise muscles of the body (Price et al., 2007). With the advent of more sensitive markers, stem cell populations suitable for clinical experiments were found to derive from multiple region of the body at various stage of development. Numerous studies showed that the regenerative capacity of stem cells resided in the environmental microniche and its regulation. This way, it could be important to better elucidate the molecular composition cytokines, growth factors, cell adhesion molecules and extracellular matrix molecules - and interactions of the different microniches that regulate stem cell development (Stocum, 2001).

Several groups published different works concerning adult stem cells such as muscle-derived stem cells (Qu-Petersen et al., 2002), mesoangioblasts (Cossu and Bianco, 2003), blood- (Gavina et al., 2006) and muscle (Benchaouir et al., 2007)-derived CD133+ stem cells. Although some of them are able to migrate through the vasculature (Benchaouir et al., 2007; Galvez et al., 2006; Gavina et al., 2006) and efforts were done to increase their migratory ability (Lafreniere et al., 2006; Torrente et al., 2003a), poor results were obtained.

Embryonic and adult stem cells differ significantly in regard to their differentiation potential and in vitro expansion capability. While adult stem cells constitute a reservoir for tissue regeneration throughout the adult life, they are tissue-specific and possess limited capacity to be expanded ex vivo. Embryonic Stem (ES) cells are derived from the inner cell mass of blastocyst embryos and, by definition, are capable of unlimited in vitro self-renewal and have the ability to differentiate into any cell type of the body (Darabi et al., 2008b). ES cells, together with recently identified iPS cells, are now broadly and extensively studied for their applications in clinical studies.

Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells derived from the early embryo that are characterized by the ability to proliferate over prolonged periods of culture remaining undifferentiated and maintaining a stable karyotype (Amit and Itskovitz-Eldor, 2002; Carpenter et al., 2003; Hoffman and Carpenter, 2005). They are capable of differentiating into cells present in all 3 embryonic germ layers, namely ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm, and are characterized by self-renewal, immortality, and pluripotency (Strulovici et al., 2007).

hESCs are derived by microsurgical removal of cells from the inner cell mass of a blastocyst stage embryo (Fig. 1). The ES cells can be also obtained from single blastomeres. This technique creates ES cells from a single blastomere directly removed from the embryo bypassing the ethical issue of embryo destruction (Klimanskaya et al., 2006). Although maintaining the viability of the embryo, it has to be determined whether embryonic stem cell lines derived from a single blastomere that does not compromise the embryo can be considered for clinical studies. Cell Nuclear Transfer (SCNT): Nuclear transfer, also referred to as nuclear cloning, denotes the introduction of a nucleus from an adult donor cell into an enucleated oocyte to generate a cloned embryo (Wilmut et al., 2002).

ESCs differentiation. Differentiation potentiality of human embryonic stem cell lines. Human embryonic stem cell pluripotency is evaluated by the ability of the cells to differentiate into different cell types.

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Pompano Beach, Florida (PRWEB) March 30, 2015

The top stem cell therapy practice in South Florida, Center of Regenerative Orthopedics, is now offering procedures to help patients avoid the need for hip and knee replacement. The procedures are partially covered by insurance and are offered by a highly skilled, Board Certified Orthopedic doctor in an outpatient setting. Call (954) 399-6945 for more information and scheduling.

Stem cell procedures for joint arthritis and pain are now mainstream and represent a cutting edge option for patients. Most nonoperative joint treatments do not actually alter the course of the disease, rather, simply act as a proverbial bandaid for relief. Stem cells, on the other hand, have the capacity to actually repair and regenerate damaged tissue such as cartilage, tendon and ligament.

Degenerative and rheumatoid arthritis affects tens of millions of Americans. Stem cell procedures have been showing excellent results for pain relief and functional improvements in small studies. By having the procedures partially covered by insurance, it makes them convenient for the general public to obtain the cutting edge option.

Joint replacement should be considered a last resort option for treatment. While typically successful, there are potential complications and they are not meant to last forever. In addition, there is minimal downtime after the stem cell procedures. Joint replacements take months to recover from afterwards.

Center of Regenerative Orthopedics is located in Pompano Beach, and sees patients throughout South Florida as well as from all over the United States. Call (954) 399-6945 to schedule with the top stem cell clinic in South Florida.

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Center of Regenerative Orthopedics in South Florida Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Help Avoid Hip and Knee ...

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Phoenix, Arizona (PRWEB) March 30, 2015

Arizona Pain Specialists, are now offering stem cell therapy to help patients avoid hip and knee replacement. The outpatient treatments at Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute have been exceptionally effective and are administered by Board Certified pain doctors at ten locations Valleywide. Call (602) 507-6550 for more information and scheduling.

Over the past few years, stem cell therapy for hip and knee arthritis has become mainstream. The treatment involves either bone marrow derived or amniotic derived stem cells, neither of which involve fetal tissue. The previous ethical concerns over fetal tissue and embryonic stem cells are not an issue with these treatments, as neither are involved.

The stem cell procedures are outpatient and exceptionally low risk. The stem cells, growth factors, and additional proteins in the treatments are essential for the regeneration and repair of damaged soft tissues such as tendons, ligaments and arthritic cartilage.

Although hip and knee replacement have shown exceptionally good resuts, they are not risk free procedures. They are also not meant to last forever and should be avoided until absolutely necessary.

The procedures are available throughout the Valley with Arizona Pain Specialists highly skilled, Board Certified pain management doctors in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, East Valley and West Valley. Simply call (602) 507-6550. Research studies are available as well.

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Arizona Pain Stem Cell Institute Now Offering Stem Cell Therapy to Help Patients Avoid Hip and Knee Replacement

Recommendation and review posted by simmons

Muscle changes following cycling and/or electrical stimulation in pediatric spinal cord injury.
Johnston TE, Modlesky CM, Betz RR, Lauer RT. Muscle changes following cycling and/or electrical stimulation in pediatric spinal cord injury. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2011;92(12):1937-43. 1....

By: Daryl Lawson

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Muscle changes following cycling and/or electrical stimulation in pediatric spinal cord injury. - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Vibrant Spinal cord injury-John
This video is about John.

By: Neurovative Technologies Inc.

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Vibrant Spinal cord injury-John - Video

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The amazing Dr. John Apsley, expert in Regenerative Medicine!
Dr. John Apsley offers an very informative session on the construction of water, its vital qualities and the need to eat foods that are organic and mineral rich.

By: I AM NATURE

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The amazing Dr. John Apsley, expert in Regenerative Medicine! - Video

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What is Regenerative medicine in orthopedics
Siddharth Tambar MD, the physician at Chicago Arthritis, discusses regenerative medicine in orthopedics.

By: Chicago Arthritis

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What is Regenerative medicine in orthopedics - Video

Recommendation and review posted by sam

Stem cell research has long been seen as a new frontier for disease therapeutics. By coaxing stem cells to form 3D miniature lung structures, University researchers are helping explain why.

In a collaborative study, University researchers devised a system to generate self-organizing human lung organoids, or artificially-grown organisms. These organoids are 3D models that can be used to better understand lung diseases.

Jason Spence, the assistant professor of internal medicine and cell and developmental biology, who was a senior author of the study, said one of the key implications of these lungs is the controlled environment they offer for future research.

These mini lungs will allow us to study diseases in a controlled environment and to develop and test new drugs, he said.

Specifically, Spence said, scientists will be able to take skin samples from patients with a particular form of a lung disease, reprogram the cells into stem cells and then generate lung tissue for further study. He said by analyzing the disease in a controlled environment, researchers can gain insight into the progression of various diseases and then tailor drugs for treatment.

Rackham student Briana Dye was also a lead author of the study. She said the team manipulated numerous signaling pathways involved with cell growth and organ formation to make the miniature lungs.

First, Dye said the scientists used proteins called growth factors to differentiate embryonic stem cells into endoderm, the germ layer that gives rise to the lungs. Different growth factors were then used to cause the endoderm to become lung tissue.

We add specific growth factors, proteins that turn on pathways in the cells, that will then cause them to lift off the monolayer so that we have this 3D spherical tissue, she said.

Previous research has used stem cells in a similar manner to generate brain, intestine, stomach and liver tissue. Dye said one of the advantages of stem cell research is its direct path to studying human tissue.

We have worked with many animal models in the past, Dye said. Animal models present obstacles because they dont exactly behave the way human tissue and cells do. This is why stem cells are so promising.

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Research develops mini-lung structures

Recommendation and review posted by Bethany Smith