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About seven days after conception, something remarkable occurs in the clump of cells that will eventually become a new human being. They start to specialize. They take on characteristics that begin to hint at their ultimate fate as part of the skin, brain, muscle or any of the roughly 200 cell types that exist in people, and they start to form distinct layers.

Although scientists have studied this process in animals, and have tried to coax human embryonic stem cells into taking shape by flooding them with chemical signals, until now the process has not been successfully replicated in the lab. But researchers led by Ali Brivanlou, Robert and Harriet Heilbrunn Professor and head of the Laboratory of Stem Cell Biology and Molecular Embryology at The Rockefeller University, have done it, and it turns out that the missing ingredient is geometrical, not chemical.

Understanding what happens in this moment, when individual members of this mass of embryonic stem cells begin to specialize for the very first time and organize themselves into layers, will be a key to harnessing the promise of regenerative medicine, Brivanlou says. It brings us closer to the possibility of replacement organs grown in petri dishes and wounds that can be swiftly healed.

In the uterus, human embryonic stem cells receive chemical cues from the surrounding tissue that signal them to begin forming layers a process called gastrulation. Cells in the center begin to form ectoderm, the brain and skin of the embryo, while those migrating to the outside become mesoderm and endoderm, destined to become muscle and blood and many of the major organs, respectively.

Brivanlou and his colleagues, including postdocs Aryeh Warmflash and Benoit Sorre as well as Eric Siggia, Viola Ward Brinning and Elbert Calhoun Brinning Professor and head of the Laboratory of Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics, confined human embryonic stem cells originally derived at Rockefeller to tiny circular patterns on glass plates that had been chemically treated to form micropatterns that prevent the colonies from expanding outside a specific radius. When the researchers introduced chemical signals spurring the cells to begin gastrulation, they found the colonies that were geometrically confined in this way proceeded to form endoderm, mesoderm and ectoderm and began to organize themselves just as they would have under natural conditions. Cells that were not confined did not.

By monitoring specific molecular pathways the human cells use to communicate with one another to form patterns during gastrulation something that was not previously possible because of the lack of a suitable laboratory model the researchers also learned how specific inhibitory signals generated in response to the initial chemical cues function to prevent the cells within a colony from all following the same developmental path.

The research was published June 29 in Nature Methods.

At the fundamental level, what we have developed is a new model to explore how human embryonic stem cells first differentiate into separate populations with a very reproducible spatial order just as in an embryo, says Warmflash. We can now follow individual cells in real time in order to find out what makes them specialize, and we can begin to ask questions about the underlying genetics of this process.

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Using Geometry, Researchers Coax Human Embryonic Stem Cells to Organize Themselves

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The Cell Therapy Catapult Official Opening Event
The Cell Therapy Catapult official opening event was a great succes with many colleagues from industry, government and universities attending including RT Hon Dr. Vince Cable MP, Secretary...

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The Cell Therapy Catapult Official Opening Event - Video

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How to Grow Your Hair Faster and Longer: Ovation Cell Therapy
Here is a review/how to on how i #39;ve been growing my hair with ovation cell hair therapy. I cut 6.5 inches in december which was A LOT! So now I #39;m on the trac...

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How to Grow Your Hair Faster and Longer: Ovation Cell Therapy - Video

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A new approach demonstrated that the recognition of unique cancer mutations appeared to be responsible for complete cancer regressions in two metastatic melanoma patients treated with a type of immunotherapy called adoptive T-cell therapy. This new approach may help develop more effective cancer immunotherapies, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"This study provides the technical solution to identify mutated tumor targets that can stimulate immune responses, which is one of the major bottlenecks in developing a new generation of adoptive T-cell therapy," said Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD, chief of surgery at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland. "The two targets identified in this study play important roles in cancer cell proliferation.

"Immunotherapy has the potential to successfully treat cancer by targeting tumor mutations. We've moved one step closer because of this study," Rosenberg added.

Adoptive T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy in which the immune cells infiltrating a patient's tumor, so called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs, which are T cells), are harvested, activated and expanded in the laboratory, and transferred back to the patient. Such activated cells are capable of efficiently attacking tumor cells.

"In a clinical trial, up to 72 percent of the patients with metastatic melanoma experienced tumor regression after adoptive T-cell transfer. However, not all patients benefited. This is because the specificity of the TILs remains largely unclear. Our goal was to establish an efficient method to identify the specificity of these cells," explained Rosenberg.

The researchers took tumor samples from two patients who had benefited from the therapy and pursued two screening approaches to identify the tumor targets recognized by the clinically effective T cells. First, they used a conventional screening method called cDNA library screening to identify nonmutated targets. Second, they used a novel method called tandem minigene library screening to identify mutated targets that cannot be found by the conventional method of screening.

For the second approach, the researchers used next-generation DNA sequencing to sequence the coding regions of the DNA from the two patients' tumors, and identified mutations. Next, they generated a library of these mutations. Instead of synthesizing the entire mutated gene, they synthesized only a small region surrounding the mutation (hence the name "minigene" library). They then screened the minigene library to identify those targets in the patients' tumors that were recognized by their TILs.

Using cDNA library screening, the researchers identified three novel nonmutated tumor targets, and four previously known non-mutated tumor targets.

Using tandem minigene library screening, they identified two novel mutated tumor targets, KIF2C and POLA2, which play important roles in cell proliferation.

With the minigene library approach, Rosenberg and colleagues recently reported another novel tumor target recognized by the activated T cells of a patient with bile duct cancer, who responded to adoptive T-cell transfer.

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Cancer mutations identified as targets of effective melanoma immunotherapy

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

1-Jul-2014

Contact: Jeremy Moore jeremy.moore@aacr.org 215-446-7109 American Association for Cancer Research

PHILADELPHIA A new approach demonstrated that the recognition of unique cancer mutations appeared to be responsible for complete cancer regressions in two metastatic melanoma patients treated with a type of immunotherapy called adoptive T-cell therapy. This new approach may help develop more effective cancer immunotherapies, according to a study published in Clinical Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.

"This study provides the technical solution to identify mutated tumor targets that can stimulate immune responses, which is one of the major bottlenecks in developing a new generation of adoptive T-cell therapy," said Steven A. Rosenberg, MD, PhD, chief of surgery at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) in Bethesda, Maryland. "The two targets identified in this study play important roles in cancer cell proliferation.

"Immunotherapy has the potential to successfully treat cancer by targeting tumor mutations. We've moved one step closer because of this study," Rosenberg added.

Adoptive T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy in which the immune cells infiltrating a patient's tumor, so called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs, which are T cells), are harvested, activated and expanded in the laboratory, and transferred back to the patient. Such activated cells are capable of efficiently attacking tumor cells.

"In a clinical trial, up to 72 percent of the patients with metastatic melanoma experienced tumor regression after adoptive T-cell transfer. However, not all patients benefited. This is because the specificity of the TILs remains largely unclear. Our goal was to establish an efficient method to identify the specificity of these cells," explained Rosenberg.

The researchers took tumor samples from two patients who had benefited from the therapy and pursued two screening approaches to identify the tumor targets recognized by the clinically effective T cells. First, they used a conventional screening method called cDNA library screening to identify nonmutated targets. Second, they used a novel method called tandem minigene library screening to identify mutated targets that cannot be found by the conventional method of screening.

For the second approach, the researchers used next-generation DNA sequencing to sequence the coding regions of the DNA from the two patients' tumors, and identified mutations. Next, they generated a library of these mutations. Instead of synthesizing the entire mutated gene, they synthesized only a small region surrounding the mutation (hence the name "minigene" library). They then screened the minigene library to identify those targets in the patients' tumors that were recognized by their TILs.

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New approach identifies cancer mutations as targets of effective melanoma immunotherapy

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DALLAS, July 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ --

The report "Cell Culture Marketby Equipment (Bioreactor, Incubator, Centrifuge), by Reagent (Media, Sera, Growth Factors, Serum Free Media), by Application (Cancer Research, Gene Therapy, Drug Development, Vaccine Production, Toxicity Testing) - Global Forecast to 2018" published by MarketsandMarkets, provides a detailed overview of the major drivers, restraints, challenges, opportunities, current market trends, and strategies impacting the global Cell Culture Market along with the estimates and forecasts of the revenue and market share analysis.

Browse 91 market data tables and 13 figures spread through 210 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Cell Culture Market"

http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/cell-culture-market-me ...

Early buyers will receive 10% customization on this report.

The global Cell Culture Market was valued at an estimated $14,772 million in 2013. This market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.71% between 2013 and 2018, to reach $24,574 million in 2018.

The Cell Culture Market is segmented on the basis of cell culture equipment and cell culture media, sera, and reagents. Each of these two market segments is further divided into multiple product segments and subsegments. The cell culture equipment market consists of five segments, namely, bio-safety cabinets, consumables, lab equipment, sterilization equipment, and storage equipment. Of these, the lab equipment product segment had the largest share of the cell culture equipment market in 2013, whereas the consumables product segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2013 and 2018. The subsegments of the lab equipment segment are cell counters, centrifuges fermentors & bioreactors, and incubators. The subsegments of the storage equipment segments are cryogenic storage and refrigerators and freezers.

The cell culture media, sera, and reagents market consists of six segments, namely, contamination detection kits, cryoprotective agents, lab reagents, media, serum, and other reagents. Of these, the serum product segment had the largest share of the cell culture media, sera, and reagents market in 2013, whereas the media product segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2013 and 2018. The subsegments of the lab reagents segment are balanced salt solutions, buffers and chemicals, cell dissociation reagents, and supplements and growth factors. The subsegments of the media segment are basal media, reduced serum media, and serum-free media.

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The application segments included in this report are biopharmaceutical production, cancer research, drug screening and development, gene therapy, tissue culture and engineering, toxicity testing, vaccine production, and other applications. The biopharmaceutical production application segment had the largest share of the cell culture equipment market in 2013, whereas the vaccine production application segment is expected to grow at the highest CAGR between 2013 and 2018. The geographic segments included in this report are North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of the World.

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Cell Culture Market worth $24,574 Million by 2018

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

1-Jul-2014

Contact: Jean Horrigan neinews@nei.nih.gov 301-496-5248 NIH/National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI) have described the functions of a gene responsible for anchoring cilia sensory hair-like extensions present on almost every cell of the body. They show in a mouse model that without the gene Cc2d2a, cilia throughout the body failed to grow, and the mice died during the embryonic stage. The finding adds to an expanding body of knowledge about ciliopathies, a class of genetic disorders that result from defects in the structure or function of cilia. NEI is part of the National Institutes of Health.

The findings are published in the online journal Nature Communications. Senior author Anand Swaroop, Ph.D., is chief of the NEI laboratory of Neurobiology-Neurodegeneration and Repair. Lead author Shobi Veleri, Ph.D., is a research fellow in the laboratory.

Cilia are responsible for cell communication and play a key role in the receptor cells of sensory systems. For example, they are essential for odor detection in the nose and light reception in the eye. Because cilia are such a key element of cells, defects in genes that are involved in cilia development or function can cause complicated syndromes involving multiple organs and tissues

Bardet-Biedl and Joubert syndromes are examples of ciliopathies with symptoms that include deafness, kidney disease, and degeneration of the retina. Meckel syndrome is a ciliopathy so dangerous babies with the genetic defect rarely make it to term.

On individual cells, cilia grow from the basal body, a circular dent on the outer membrane acting as a platform. Supporting structures called distal and subdistal appendages, which are like the flying buttresses supporting Notre Dame Cathedral, anchor the platform in the basal body, priming it for the growth of cilia. Once anchored, the structures that form the cilium begin to extend from the site. Inside are a variety of proteins essential to maintain the cilium. Cc2d2a is believed to make a structural protein needed for cilia growth, but its precise functions have been unclear.

Researchers developed a mouse lacking Cc2d2a to investigate the gene.

When they looked at the tissues of the mutant mice in very early stages of development, researchers found very few to no cilia, suggesting the gene plays a critical role at an early time. Looking closely at where the cilia should exist, the researchers saw that the supporting structures needed for cilia to grow were either completely missing or abnormal. In other experiments, the researchers found that the absence of Cc2d2a affected the activity of other genes and proteins involved in mouse nervous system development, including the key signaling protein, sonic hedgehog.

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NIH study reveals gene critical to the early development of cilia

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Published: Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 6:01 a.m. Last Modified: Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at 4:29 p.m.

Genetic engineering is such a polarizing topic that it is hard to have an even-handed debate of the issue.

Some opponents of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, spread false claims about safety while ignoring the vast amount of research to the contrary.

That frustrates University of Florida researchers who have made advances in genetic engineering that might provide benefits in fighting crop diseases and reducing the need for pesticides if they could get beyond public misconceptions.

As The Sun reported this week, UF researchers have taken a gene found in bell peppers and transferred it to tomatoes. The process has made tomatoes that are resistant to a particularly troublesome crop disease and have a higher yield.

Contrary to scare stories about Frankenfoods, these methods represent a more technologically advanced way of doing the kind of crop breeding that has happen for millennia.

But Florida tomato growers worry they wouldn't be able to sell a GMO product, hampering the ability of researchers to attract investors.

"People are afraid, they don't understand why, they are just told they should be," Sam Hutton, a UF plant scientist involved in the research, told The Sun. "The anti-GMO crowd screams really loud, and there is a lot of fearmongering. It sounds bad to people who don't understand the science."

Other GMOs being developed at UF include a strawberry that can be grown without fungicides. A researcher involved in that effort told The Sun that the crop likely won't go beyond the lab without a change in public attitudes.

"You have solutions that can help the environment, help farmers and help people in the developing world, and you can't use it," said Ken Folta, professor and chairman of UF's Horticultural Sciences Department.

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Editorial: Fanning GMO fears

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

1-Jul-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, July 1, 2014Christof von Kalle, MD, PhD (National Center for Cancer Research, Heidelberg, Germany) began his medical and research career with a focus on oncology and virology. He subsequently devoted much of his efforts to studying the use of viral vectors to deliver therapeutic genes into host cells and understanding the mechanisms of insertional mutagenesis. In recognition of his leadership and accomplishments, Dr. von Kalle has received a Pioneer Award from Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Human Gene Therapy is commemorating its 25th anniversary by bestowing this honor on the leading 12 Pioneers in the field of cell and gene therapy selected by a blue ribbon panel* and publishing a Pioneer Perspective by each of the award recipients. The Perspective by Dr. von Kalle is available on the Human Gene Therapy website.

In "Vector Integration and Tumorigenesis," Dr. von Kalle recalls his early experiences working with retroviral vectors and the growing body of knowledge that was developing about their ability to cause mutations at the sites where they integrated into the host cell genome. He discusses the teamwork, intensive research, and technology advances that led to a growing understanding of the link between vector insertion, mutation, and malignant transformation of cells. Tracing the progress of the field forward to the present and looking to the future, Dr. von Kalle comments on the revolutionary impact that next generation sequencing technologies, molecular tools and techniques, and omics studies are having on gene therapy.

"The level of sophistication that Dr. von Kalle has brought to the analysis of vector integration is truly remarkable," says James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Human Gene Therapy, and Director of the Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia. "This has established a solid scientific foundation to a critically important performance feature of retro- and lenti-based vectors."

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*The blue ribbon panel of leaders in cell and gene therapy, led by Chair Mary Collins, PhD, MRC Centre for Medical Molecular Virology, University College London selected the Pioneer Award recipients. The Award Selection Committee selected scientists that had devoted much of their careers to cell and gene therapy research and had made a seminal contribution to the field--defined as a basic science or clinical advance that greatly influenced progress in translational research.

About the Journal

Human Gene Therapy, the Official Journal of the European Society of Gene and Cell Therapy, British Society for Gene and Cell Therapy, French Society of Cell and Gene Therapy, German Society of Gene Therapy, and five other gene therapy societies, is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published monthly in print and online. Human Gene Therapy presents reports on the transfer and expression of genes in mammals, including humans. Related topics include improvements in vector development, delivery systems, and animal models, particularly in the areas of cancer, heart disease, viral disease, genetic disease, and neurological disease, as well as ethical, legal, and regulatory issues related to the gene transfer in humans. Its sister journals, Human Gene Therapy Methods, published bimonthly, focuses on the application of gene therapy to product testing and development, and Human Gene Therapy Clinical Development, published quarterly, features data relevant to the regulatory review and commercial development of cell and gene therapy products. Tables of content for all three publications and a free sample issue may be viewed on the Human Gene Therapy website.

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Christof von Kalle, M.D., Ph.D. receives Pioneer Award

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

30-Jun-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, June 30, 2014Zebrafish, a model organism that plays an important role in biological research and the discovery and development of new drugs and cell-based therapies, can form embryonic stem cells (ESCs). For the first time, researchers report the ability to maintain zebrafish-derived ESCs for more than 2 years without the need to grow them on a feeder cell layer, in a study published in Zebrafish, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Zebrafish website.

Ho Sing Yee and coauthors from the Malaysian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (Pulau Pinang), Universiti Sains Malaysia (Penang), and National University of Singapore describe the approach they used to be able to maintain zebrafish stem cells in culture and in an undifferentiated state for long periods of time. The ability to establish and grow the zebrafish ESCs without having a feeder layer of cells to support them simplifies their use and could expand their utility. In the article "Derivation and Long-Term Culture of an Embryonic Stem Cell-Like Line from Zebrafish Blastomeres Under Feeder-Free Condition", the authors show that the ESCs retain the morphology, properties, and ability to differentiate into a variety of cell types that is characteristic of ESCs, and were used to generate offspring after transmission through the germline.

"By addressing a major technical bottleneck in the field, this new culture system enables an array of exciting cellular and molecular genetic manipulations for the zebrafish," says Stephen Ekker, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Zebrafish and Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

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About the Journal

Zebrafish is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published bimonthly in print and online. It is the only peer-reviewed journal to focus on the zebrafish and other aquarium fish species as models for the study of vertebrate development, evolution, toxicology, and human disease. Tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on the Zebrafish website.

About the Publisher

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New method to grow zebrafish embryonic stem cells can regenerate whole fish

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Newswise The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA is one of six institutions nationwide chosen by the National Institutes of Health to join their effort in tackling the most difficult-to-solve medical cases and develop ways to diagnose rare genetic disorders. Part of a $120 million initiative called the Undiagnosed Diseases Network, the four-year $7.2 million UCLA grant will enable comprehensive bedside to bench clinical research to support physicians efforts to give long-sought answers to patients who have been living with mystery diseases.

Undiagnosed diseases take a huge toll on patients, their families and the health care system, said Dr. Katrina Dipple, a co-principal investigator of the grant with Drs. Stanley Nelson, Christina Palmer and Eric Vilain. This funding will accelerate and expand our clinical genomics program, enabling us to quickly give patients a firm diagnosis and clarify the best way to treat them.

Despite extensive clinical testing by skilled physicians, some diseases remain unrecognized because they are extremely rare, underreported or atypical forms of more common diseases. An interdisciplinary team of geneticists at each of the network sites will examine and study patients with prolonged undiagnosed diseases.

A vast number of children and adults suffer from severe, often fatal undiagnosed disorders, explained Vilain. This program will enable us to discover new genes causing ultra-rare medical conditions and to identify environmental factors that lead to disease or interact with genes to cause disease.

Patients will undergo an intensive week-long clinical assessment that includes a clinical evaluation, consultations with specialists and medical tests, including genome sequencing to identify genetic mutations. The team will also evaluate the impact of genetic counseling and genomic test results on patients and families to develop best practices for conveying this information.

The Undiagnosed Diseases Network capitalizes upon the strengths of UCLAs genetic medicine program, particularly its Clinical Genomics Center, which utilizes powerful sequencing technology to diagnose rare genetic disorders. Using a simple blood sample from a patient and both parents, the test simultaneously searches 37 million base pairs in 20,000 genes to pinpoint the single DNA change responsible for causing a patients disease. To date, a specific genetic explanation has been identified in a quarter of the cases evaluated with this test, as well as a number of novel disease-causing genes.

UCLA is the only facility in the western U.S. and one of only three nationwide that has a laboratory that can perform genomic sequence directly usable for patient care. The UCLA Medical Genetics Clinic cares for more than 750 new patients per year, and offers comprehensive pre- and post-test genetic counseling.

All patient studies will take place on the university campus at the Clinical Translational Research Center of the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. Network investigators will share genomic and clinical data gleaned from patients with their research colleagues nationwide to enhance understanding of rare and unknown diseases.

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UCLA Awarded $7 Million to Unravel Mystery Genetic Diseases

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

1-Jul-2014

Contact: Maya Sandler medicinepress@plos.org PLOS

Some of the increase in asthma risk toward the end of the 20th century could be attributed to the increase in body mass index (BMI) in mid-childhood, according to new research published in this week's PLOS Medicine. The study, led by Raquel Granell from the University of Bristol, UK, and colleagues, provides genetic evidence that higher fat mass and lean mass increase the risk of asthma in mid-childhood.

The incidence of asthma, a chronic condition caused by inflammation of the airways, has been rising steadily over the past few decades, and it is estimated that 200 million adults and children worldwide are affected by asthma. The underlying causes of asthma are not known; however, some experts think obesity may be one of the causes. Obesity, like asthma, is increasingly common, and observational studies in children have reported that body mass index is positively associated with asthma. However, observational studies cannot prove that obesity causes asthma, so in this study the researchers applied a method called Mendelian randomization, which uses both genetic information and observational data,in order to assess whether BMI has a causal effect on asthma.

In a Mendelian randomization study, causality can be inferred from associations between genetic variants that are known to affect a modifiable risk factor (in this case, body mass) and the outcome of interest (childhood asthma). The researchers investigated causal effects of BMI, fat mass, and lean mass on current asthma at age 7.5 years in 4,835 children enrolled in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC, a long-term health project that started in 1991). A weighted genetic score based on 32 independent BMI-related DNA sequence variations was calculated, and associations with BMI, fat mass, lean mass, and asthma were estimated. The authors found that the genetic score was strongly associated with BMI, fat mass, and lean mass, and with childhood asthma, and that the relative risk of asthma increased by 55% for every extra unit of BMI.

These findings suggest that a higher BMI increases the risk of asthma in mid-childhood, and that public health interventions designed to reduce obesity may also help to limit the global rise in asthma.

The authors note some limitations to their study, in that it is possible that the observed association between BMI and asthma reported in this study is affected by genetic pleiotropy, in which some of the genetic variants included in the BMI genetic score could also independently increase the risk of asthma. There is also some evidence that body composition (lean body mass) influences asthma through pathways not related to obesity-induced inflammation, and future studies will need to address this relationship.

The authors conclude, "environmental influences on the development of asthma in childhood have been extensively investigated in epidemiological studies, but few of these provide strong evidence for causality [higher BMI in mid-childhood] could help explain some of the increase in asthma risk toward the end of the 20th century, although the continued rise in obesity but with a slowing in the rise in asthma prevalence in some countries implies that other non-BMI-related factors are also likely to be important."

###

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Genetic evidence that body mass increases the risk of asthma in mid-childhood

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4thWorld congress on Cell Science Stem Cell Research
The OMICS Group Conferences #39; 4thWorld congress on Cell Science Stem Cell Research deliberates on the broader areas of Evolution of cancer, Tumorogenesis, Recombinant DNA technology, Cancer...

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4thWorld congress on Cell Science & Stem Cell Research - Video

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A stem-cell transplant reversed sickle cell disease in adults, according to a study that offers a potential cure for the debilitating condition.

Half of those who had the transplant, which involved the patient and a sibling, also were able to stop taking immunosuppressant drugs without experiencing rejection or having the donor cells attack their body, research released today in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed. People undergoing stem-cell transplants usually must take immunosuppressants for the rest of their lives.

More than 90,000 people in the U.S. have sickle cell disease, a genetic disorder found mostly in people of African descent, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The condition can cause severe pain, organ damage and stroke. Study author Matthew Hsieh said its too soon to say the researchers have found a cure as patients have been followed only for an average of 3 1/2 years, but he is optimistic.

Theyre sickle-cell free for now, Hsieh, a staff clinician at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, said today in a telephone interview. We are cautiously optimistic they are cured.

Children with sickle cell can receive a transplant that combines chemotherapy with stem cells, he said. Adults though are usually considered too sick for that treatment.

For a lot of adults, the only option for them is a partial transplant like ours, he said.

The study included 30 patients ages 16 to 65 years who received a transplant that combined their own stem cells and those of a sibling. All the patients had a sibling who was a full match at the white blood cell level, something that occurs about 20 percent of the time, Hsieh said.

Sickle cell disease was reversed in 26 patients, or 87 percent. Fifteen patients discontinued immunosuppressants one year after their transplant and didnt experience rejection or have the donor cells attack their body, the study showed. Patients were enrolled from July 2004 to October 2013.

The research also found that following transplant, the patients use of narcotics for pain declined as did the rate of hospitalization. Lung function also improved, Hsieh said.

Allison King, who wrote an accompanying editorial, said future studies will need to examine if stem cells from partially matched siblings can be just as beneficial.

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Stem Cell Transplant Stops Sickle Cell in Potential Cure

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Miami (PRWEB) July 01, 2014

Global Stem Cells Group announced the grand opening of Regenestem Asia in Manila, Philippines, adding a new state-of-the-art clinic to the international stem cell medicine company's growing worldwide presence. With clinics in Miami, New York, Los Angeles and Dubai, Regenestem Asia now offers the same comprehensive stem cell treatments and experienced medical staff that have fueled the company's worldwide growth.

The launch of Regenestem Asia is a collaborative effort between Global Stem Cells Group and Eric Yalung, M.D. of the Cosmetic Surgery Institute-Manila, Inc., a prominent plastic surgeon committed to taking stem cell medicine, research and practice in the Philippines to a world-class level. The first Regenestem brand clinic in the Philippines, Regenestem Asia is a 22,000 square foot facility with a focus on offering the most advanced protocols in cosmetic cellular medicine to patients from around the world.

Under Yalung's leadership as Regenestem Medical Director, patients will receive the latest and least-invasive techniques in Stem Cell medicine available. Yalung is joined by a team of talented stem cell specialists to provide world-class patient treatment and follow-up care under the Regenestem brand.

In addition to cosmetic treatments, Regenestem offers stem cell treatments for arthritis, autism, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), diabetes and multiple sclerosis among many other medical conditions at various facilities worldwide.

As part of its commitment to maintaining the highest standards in service and technology, Regenestem Asia provides an international staff experienced in administering the leading cellular therapies available.

Like all Regenestem facilities, Regenestem Asia is certified for the medical tourism market, and staff physicians are board-certified or board-eligible. Regenestem clinics provide services in more than 10 specialties, attracting patients from the United States and around the world.

For more information, visit the Regenestem website, email bnovas(at)regenestem(dot)com or call 305-224-1858.

About Regenestem:

Regenestem is a division of the Global Stem Cells Group, Inc., is an international medical practice association committed to researching and producing comprehensive stem cell treatments for patients worldwide. Having assembled a highly qualified staff of medical specialists-professionals trained in the latest cutting-edge techniques in cellular medicine-Regenestem continues to be a leader in delivering the latest protocols in the adult stem cell arena.

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Global Stem Cells Group Subsidiary Regenestem Announces Grand Opening of State-of-the-Art Regenestem Asia Stem Cell ...

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The Daytripper Photo Show #90 - Event Photography
Since the Daytripper Photo community began, we have volunteered our services to shoot all kinds of events. Some of the event #39;s we cover are the Run, Walk, and Roll charity for spinal cord...

By: Bryan Weiss

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The Daytripper Photo Show #90 - Event Photography - Video

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Spinal Cord Injury Success Stories - The Association of People with Disabilities
APD takes you through the lives of a few individuals who suffered from spinal cord injuries, with little or no hope of recovering. Through intensive and supportive care, these individuals were...

By: APD India

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Spinal Cord Injury Success Stories - The Association of People with Disabilities - Video

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Apollo Health City team did autologous stem cell procedure to save both the hip joints

Hyderabad, June 30:

A team of doctors from a city hospital have harvested stem cells of a person using bone morrow from the pelvis area to replace some dead tissues in the hip. In this process, they saved the patient from undergoing a hip replacement.

The Apollo Health City team, headed by orthopaedic specialist Paripati Sharat Kumar, diagnosed a 39-year-old woman to be suffering from Avascular Necrosis, making her writhe with pain in her two hip joints. Her condition would require undergoing a replacement of hips.

After assessing her condition, the team has decided to go for autologous stem cell procedure (where donor and the receiver is the same person) to save both the hip joints.

The minimally invasive procedure involved taking bone marrow aspirate from the patients pelvis. Stem cells were harvested from the aspirate, through a process that takes about 15 minutes. Stems cells were planted in the area of damage under fluoroscopy control following core decompression, Sharat Kumar said here in a statementon Monday.

He felt that autologous stem cell treatments could edge out joint replacement procedures to a large extent in days to come. The scope of this procedure in orthopaedics and sports medicine is enormous. This could be extended to indications include osteoarthritis of knee, shoulder, hip, elbows, ankle and spine, he said.

(This article was published on June 30, 2014)

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Her own stem cells saved her from hip replacement

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Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby has become the latest person to sign up to the Anthony Nolan bone marrow register

Geordie Shore star Charlotte Crosby has spat out her support for a baby in need of a life-saving operation.

Charlotte has signed up with the Anthony Nolan Trust after reading about the plight of nine-month-old Joey Ziadi, who is suffering from a rare blood disorder that affects one in nine million people.

The tot from Northampton needs a lifesaving transplant but has not yet found a matching donor so Charlotte has enlisted her 1.89m twitter followers to join the cause.

After hearing about Joeys plight, Charlotte tweeted a selfie with her Anthony Nolan spit kit - the simple piece of equipment which allows people to leave a DNA sample and go on the bone marrow donor register.

She said: I saw the gorgeous Joey Ziadi in the news and I couldnt believe it when I heard how ill he was and that only one in nine million people have his condition I felt like crying. I knew I had to do something, but I didnt know how to help.

When I found out how simple it was to sign up to the Anthony Nolan register, I didnt have to think about it. I just thought Its so easy, why doesnt everyone do this?

Anthony Nolan saves lives by matching people willing to donate their bone marrow or blood stem cells to patients in need of a transplant.

The charity also needs more young men to sign up, as they are most likely to be chosen to donate but make up just 14% of the register. Charlotte said: I was quite shocked that young lads are so underrepresented on the register though. Come on lads, just sign up online and spit into a tube! Im doing it, and I just hope one day I have the chance to save a life.

Joey was diagnosed with an extremely rare blood disorder Diamond Blackfan Anaemia in February. His family have been campaigning to recruit more potential donors to the Anthony Nolan donor register after being told that his best hope of a cure is a bone marrow transplant from a stranger.

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Newswise New York, NY (June 30, 2014) By switching off a single gene, scientists at Columbia Universitys Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center have converted human gastrointestinal cells into insulin-producing cells, demonstrating in principle that a drug could retrain cells inside a persons GI tract to produce insulin.

The new research was reported today in the online issue of the journal Nature Communications.

People have been talking about turning one cell into another for a long time, but until now we hadnt gotten to the point of creating a fully functional insulin-producing cell by the manipulation of a single target, said the studys senior author, Domenico Accili, MD, the Russell Berrie Foundation Professor of Diabetes (in Medicine) at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC).

The finding raises the possibility that cells lost in type 1 diabetes may be more easily replaced through the reeducation of existing cells than through the transplantation of new cells created from embryonic or adult stem cells.

For nearly two decades, researchers have been trying to make surrogate insulin-producing cells for type 1 diabetes patients. In type 1 diabetes, the bodys natural insulin-producing cells are destroyed by the immune system.

Although insulin-producing cells can now be made in the lab from stem cells, these cells do not yet have all the functions of naturally occurring pancreatic beta cells.

This has led some researchers to try instead to transform existing cells in a patient into insulin-producers. Previous work by Dr. Accilis lab had shown that mouse intestinal cells can be transformed into insulin-producing cells; the current Columbia study shows that this technique also works in human cells.

The Columbia researchers were able to teach human gut cells to make insulin in response to physiological circumstances by deactivating the cells FOXO1 gene. Accili and postdoctoral fellow Ryotaro Bouchi first created a tissue model of the human intestine with human pluripotent stem cells. Through genetic engineering, they then deactivated any functioning FOXO1 inside the intestinal cells. After seven days, some of the cells started releasing insulin and, equally important, only in response to glucose.

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It May Take Guts to Cure Diabetes

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Newswise Philadelphia, June 30, 2014 In the first genome-wide analysis of postsurgical pain in children, pediatric researchers identified variations in genes that affect a childs need for pain-control drugs. The findings suggest that at some point physicians may calibrate pain-medication dosages according to a childs individual genetic makeup.

Although this research is only a first step for our team, it provides tremendous new insight into the biological mechanisms and brings us a little closer to personalizing medicine for pain control, said Scott D. Cook-Sather, M.D., a pediatric anesthesiologist at The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). He is co-first author with CHOP statistician Jin Li, Ph.D., and is the corresponding author of the study.

Cook-Sather and colleagues published the study online June 9 in the journal Pain. He collaborated with Hakon Hakonarson, M.D., Ph.D., director of CHOPs Center for Applied Genomics, and the senior author of the study.

The study team performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of more than 600 children between ages 4 and 18 who had tonsils and adenoids removed in day surgery procedures. The retrospective study analyzed whether gene variants were associated with the need for higher or lower than average dosages of morphine for pain control. The researchers also analyzed genetic links to postoperative pain scores.

The GWAS identified one gene location linked to increased morphine requirement: the TAOK3 locus, a site not previously linked to morphine sensitivity. Genes within the TAOK3 locus carry the code for a protein with a key role in signal transduction for many cell types, including neurons involved with transmitting the sensation of pain.

It makes sense that genes related to signaling systems would modify how patients feel pain and respond to analgesics, said Cook-Sather. Follow-up studies are necessary to identify the fundamental neurobiology and details of the mechanisms involved.

While scientists already know that morphine works by binding to specific opioid receptors in the nervous system, added Cook-Sather, we dont know exactly why there is, in this setting, a tenfold variation in how much morphine patients require for pain relief. The study team found that two single-base gene variants at the TAOK3 locus were associated with approximately 8 percent of that tenfold variance in morphine requirement, comparable to that portion of the variance associated with age, body mass and overall health status combined.

Cook-Sather explained that multiple genes are assumed to contribute to these analgesic effects, and that further investigations, with larger numbers of patients, are needed to understand and prioritize the full array of genes that modify morphine response.

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Gene Variants Found That Increase Pain Sensation After Common Childhood Surgery

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The Courier Your Messenger For The River Valley

Dr. Cole taught economics at ATU for 37 years retiring in 2007. He served as Department Head in the Business and Economics Department from 1976-80. When the School of Business was formed in 1987, he was named Dean and served in that capacity until 1994. He was instrumental in developing a strategic plan and laying the foundation for international accreditation of the School of Business. In addition to his teaching and administrative duties, Dr. Cole participated in professional organizations where he presented papers at national and regional meetings as well as published many articles. His insatiable appetite for learning led him to many conferences and meetings around the world.

During his early years, Gene Cole lived at St. Josephs in North Little Rock. He attended Subiaco Academy and then graduated from Benton High School in 1955. He attended Southern State College where he played football. For a time Gene worked as a sales representative for Arkansas Louisiana Gas Company. A transfer to Russellville and the opportunity to take classes at ATU started his career change. He earned a B.S. degree in 1969 and then went on to University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, where he earned a Master of Arts (1970) and a Ph.D. (1976) in economics.

In addition to being a strong academician, Gene Cole was an athlete who was involved in various sports in both high school and college. He refereed both football and basketball games for many years. He treasured his lifelong friendships and adventures and often spoke of his days at Benton High School and Southern State College.

Family was the center of Gene Coles life. He was involved in all aspects of his childrens lives whether it was sports, scouts, dance, education or parties. His subtle sense of humor and practical jokes kept them entertained. His interest in family extended beyond his immediate household. One of his passions was genealogy. He published a book, The Cole Family of Green County, Arkansas and discovered many facts, some good and some not so good from his extensive research. His slide presentations and vocal narratives about the Cole family provided entertainment at family reunions, which he loved to organize. He and Cathie traveled extensively doing genealogy research.

Gene Cole was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Mary Catherine Cathie Cole; parents, Nan Nolan and O. J. Mutt Wilhite and Elva and Raymond Louis Cole and sister, Judy Speights.

He is survived by three daughters and two sons: Dana and Eugene Duvall of Atkins, Kim Drumm and Bruce Carlson of Lafayette N.Y., Suzy and Scott Griffin of Russellville, Johnnie and Amanda Cole of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Mike and Barbara Cole of Russellville; nine grandchildren: Trevor and Brooke Taylor, Josh Drumm, Kelli and Zach Moore, Brittany Drumm, Jasper Cole, Cody Duvall, Emily and Kalob Shipley, Reed Cole and Cole Duvall; four great-grandchildren: Dakota Shipley, Gemma Taylor, Kolton Shipley and Ethan Shipley. Also surviving are five sisters and one brother, Betty Jo Jones, Janet Bray, Patty Cole Niebling, Saline Sinkoe, Nancy Bartlett and Louie Cole. In addition, there are numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends.

Gene Cole was a kind person who loved life and his family. His always hopeful and positive outlook will continue to guide and influence them throughout their lives.

Following a private burial under the direction of Shinn Funeral Service of Russellville, there will be a public reception to memorialize Gene Coles life and legacy from 1-3 p.m. on Monday, June 30, 2014, in Williamson Dining Hall at Arkansas Tech University. Memorials in his name may be made to ATU College of Business Endowment Fund, 8820 Tech Lane, Russellville AR 72801.

The online obituary and guestbook are available at http://www.shinnfuneral.com.

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Obituary: Gene Cole

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Irvine, CA and Annapolis Junction, MD (PRWEB) June 30, 2014

Proove Biosciences, the commercial and research leader in personalized medicine, presented research and exhibited the companys genetic testing products and services at the 2014 Florida Academy of Pain Medicine(FAPM) Scientific Meeting. The meeting was held in conjunction with the Florida Society of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and the American Academy of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine.

The research studies that we showcase illustrate how genetic testing can be an integral part of an effective personalized pain treatment regimen, stated Brian Meshkin, President of Proove Biosciences. Failed treatments for uncontrolled chronic pain lead to escalating healthcare costs and unnecessary patient suffering.

FAPMs meeting is the premier event for pain treatment professionals, researchers, and practitioners. The conference is designed to promote a better understanding of pain and features the latest products and techniques for pain management and diagnosis. In addition to scientific sessions, this years meeting included three hands-on preconference workshops and panel discussions about the legal and political challenges facing the practice of medicine.

Florida has a startlingly high rate of prescription drug abuse and overdose deaths, and both the State and FAPM are on the cutting edge of developing new methods to combat the problem, Meshkin said. Prooves products and services are utilized throughout the country including Florida to help doctors efficiently prescribe pain treatments and lower healthcare costs.

About Proove Biosciences

Our mission is to change the future of medicine by providing proof to improve healthcare decisions. We envision a future when clinicians will know how patients are likely to respond to medications before writing a prescription. We believe such knowledge can be provided by genetic testing: Using a simple cheek swab, Proove performs proprietary genetic tests in its CLIA-certified laboratory. Healthcare providers use the results to evaluate how their patients will metabolize medications, and to screen for the likelihood of medication misuse.

Founded in 2009 with offices in Southern California and the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, Proove Biosciences is the leader in genetics-related personalized pain medicine research with hundreds of clinical research sites across the U.S. For more information, please visit http://www.proovebio.com or call toll free 855-PROOVE-BIO (855-776-6832).

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Proove Biosciences Presents Research at the Florida Academy of Pain Medicines 2014 Annual Scientific Meeting

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30-Jun-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, June 30, 2014St. John's wort is the most frequently used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatment in the U.S. for depression and similar psychiatric disorders. The many commonly prescribed medications that St. John's wort can interact withsometimes with serious consequences such as serotonin syndrome or heart diseaseare reviewed in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine website.

In the article "Use of St. John's Wort in Potentially Dangerous Combinations", Scott Davis, Steven Feldman, MD, PhD, and Sarah Taylor, MD, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, NC, present the results of a large-scale search of a national medical database across 17 years to assess how often St. John's wort is prescribed and taken with other medications that may result in adverse reactions, such as oral contraceptives, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), blood thinners, chemotherapy medicines, digoxin, statins, immunosuppressants, or HIV medicines, for example.

About the Journal The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine is a monthly peer-reviewed journal publishing observational, clinical, and scientific reports and commentary intended to help healthcare professionals and scientists evaluate and integrate therapies into patient care protocols and research strategies. Complete tables of content and a sample issue may be viewed on The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine 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 Alternative & Complementary Therapies, Medical Acupuncture, Brain and Gut, and Journal of Medicinal Food. 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.

Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. 140 Huguenot St., New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215 Phone: (914) 740-2100 (800) M-LIEBERT Fax: (914) 740-2101 http://www.liebertpub.com

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., (914) 740-2100, kruehle@liebertpub.com

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St. John's wort can cause dangerous interactions with many common medications

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Abraham Hicks - Genetics and Inherited Diseases
Special Subjects Series (full albums in playlists) For more information on Abraham, Esther Jerry Hicks visit http://www.abraham-hicks.com You can also support Abraham-Hicks Foundation and purchase...

By: SecretsOfLife

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Abraham Hicks - Genetics and Inherited Diseases - Video

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