Genetherapy

Story Summary: 8 Million to Drive Development of Parkinsons Disease Biomarker Pipeline, /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinsons Research today announced more than in awards for 13 new projects to speed the discovery of biomarkers of PD. The development of biomarkers is of critical importance to increasing the speed and efficiency of PD therapeutic development, allowing scientists and clinicians to more accurately identify appropriate subjects for clinical studies, measure disease progression and monitor treatment effects in clinical trials. The lack of clear and reliable biomarkers of PD is one of the greatest hurdles to developing and testing new treatments that slow, stop or even prevent the disease a key unmet need for Parkinsons patients. The development of drug biomarkers is also critical to provide researchers with a tool for conclusively assessing whether a given drug is reaching brain areas of interest and/or achieving its desired effect. The following is a complete list of funded projects, which are made possible through the generous support of The Brin Wojcicki Foundation. T-Cell Receptor Changes as a Biomarker of Parkinsons DiseaseChuanhai Cao, PhD, , College of MedicineAnalysis of the Enteric Nervous System Using Routine Colonoscopy Biopsies: a Biomarker of Neurodegeneration in Parkinsons Disease?, MD, PhD, Department of Neurology, Inserm U913, , QE3 Trial Ancillary Biomarkers Study, MD, DPhil, Development of an mGluR5 Imaging Marker for Parkinsons Disease, MD, Institute for Neurodegenerative DisordersAssessing Heart Rate Variability in the Parkinsons Associated Risk Study Cohort, MD, The Parkinsons InstituteValidating the Electrocardiogram as a Tool to Identify Pre-Motor Parkinsons Disease, MD, The Parkinsons InstituteValidation of Neuroimaging Biomarkers for Nigrostriatal Neurons, MD, in The Role of Striatal Serotonergic Terminals in L-Dopa Induced-Dyskinesia in PD Patients, MD, PhD, FRCP, Imperial College Raising Antibodies to Alpha-Synuclein, MD, University of Biomarkers of Pioglitazone Effects in PD, MD, PhD, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center ()High Resolution Diffusion Tensor MRI Imaging as a Biomarker of Parkinsons Disease Diagnosis and Disease Progression, MD, High Resolution Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Parkinsons Disease and Parkinsons Plus Syndromes, PhD, Development of alpha6-selective Neuronal Nicotinic Receptor Imaging Agent as a Parkinsons Disease Biomarker, PhD, Targacept, Inc. The Michael J. Fox Foundation has been a leader in the development of PD biomarkers for several years, with investments of nearly to date. The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to ensuring the development of better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for Parkinsons disease through an aggressively funded research agenda….Read the Full Story

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1. Michael J. Fox Foundation Awards (Dollor) 2.1 Million for High-Risk/High-Reward Approaches to Parkinsons Disease Under Rapid Response Innovation Awards 2009
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Story Summary: Study reveals new genetic culprit in deadly skin cancer– 30 Aug 2009 — Drawing on the power of DNA sequencing, National Institutes of Health researchers have identified a new group of genetic. New technique could eliminate inherited mitochondrial disease– 26 Aug 2009 — Researchers have developed an experimental technique with the potential to prevent a class of hereditary disorders passed. The MCG researchers think it may also play a role in cancer treatment by inactivating a protein required for cancer growth. The celastrol induces the protein to form fibrils and clusters it together, which inactivates it, said Dr Chadli, whose research was published in the January edition of The Journal of Biological Chemistry. When they are clustered, theyre not available for other functions that help cancer grow. The research was funded by a seed grant from the MCG Cardiovascular Discovery Institute and a Scientist Development Grant from The American Heart Association. They can hopefully be used in combination with other therapeutic agents to reduce the probability of cancer resistance, he said. Source: Medical College of Georgia– 23 August 2009Johns Hopkins scientists say they have figured out how bacteria that cause diarrhoea may also be the culprit in some colon cancers. Source: Medical College of Georgia– 23 August 2009Johns Hopkins scientists say they have figured out how bacteria that cause diarrhoea may also be the culprit in some colon cancers. — full story– 15 July 2009An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic worm, commonly known as a blood fluke, that infects 210 million in 76 countries through. — full story– 15 July 2009An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic worm, commonly known as a blood fluke, that infects 210 million in 76 countries through….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: Now researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have shown that a protein that controls DNA accessibility is responsible for the cells unruly ways. But neural crest cells are a spectacular example of migratory cells that are capable of becoming over 100 different cell types, including neurones, the bone and cartilage of the face, jaw and teeth, pigment cells and certain heart structures. Wysocka is the senior author of the research, which will be published online Feb. 3 in Nature. Most DNA in a cell is tightly wrapped around proteins and compacted into what is called chromatin. Choosing which portions of DNA to expose and which to keep tightly bundled can control cell fate. And yet, CHD7s involvement in CHARGE indicated that this chromatin remodeller is a critical component of the proper migration and specialisation of the neural crest. The neural crest forms early in development (in humans, at three to five weeks of gestation) when a portion of the cells that will become the embryo folds inward into a tube that will become the brain and the spinal cord. For obvious ethical reasons, the researchers couldnt study the effect of tweaking CHD7 levels in human embryos. Because the problems occur so early in development, Wysocka and her colleagues turned to frog embryos to test how CHD7s activity affected neural crest cells in a living animal. Researchers found that blocking CHD7 expression or its activity in frog embryos interfered with the ability of the neural crest cells to migrate during development. This gave us confidence that we were on the right track, said Wysocka. Its apparent that CHD7 is required for the reprogramming and migration of the neural crest cells, which is when one would predict major changes in chromatin organisation would be taking place. Further research showed that CHD7 works with another protein called PBAF to bind areas of DNA associated with, but far from, genes involved in neural crest cell specialisation and migration. Interestingly, CHD7 duplications have been recently associated with small-cell lung cancer, one of the most highly metastatic and aggressive types of cancer. — full story– 15 July 2009An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic worm, commonly known as a blood fluke, that infects 210 million in 76 countries through. — full story– 15 July 2009An international team of scientists has sequenced the genome of Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic worm, commonly known as a blood fluke, that infects 210 million in 76 countries through….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: More than 30 percent of seniors are not immunized against pneumonia in 36 statesA new report, Adult Immunization: Shots to Save Lives, released today by the Trust for Americas Health (TFAH), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) found that more than 30 percent of adults ages 65 and older had not been immunized against pneumonia in 36 states as of 2008. The U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other experts recommend that all seniors should be vaccinated against pneumonia, which is a one-time shot for most individuals, since seniors who get the seasonal flu are at risk for developing pneumonia as a complication. 1 percent of seniors had not been immunized against pneumonia, and even in the state with the highest immunization rate – Oregon – more than one quarter (26. 8 percent) of seniors were not immunized. 8 percent) of seniors were not immunized. Washington, D. C. had the lowest number of seniors immunized, with nearly half (45. Washington, D. C. had the lowest number of seniors immunized, with nearly half (45. Overall, the Adult Immunization report found millions of American adults go without routine and recommended vaccinations each year, which leads to an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 preventable deaths, thousands of preventable illnesses, and $10 billion in preventable health care costs each year. In addition to low rates of pneumonia immunizations, only 2. In addition to low rates of pneumonia immunizations, only 2. 1 percent of eligible adults have had the tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough vaccine; only 10 percent of eligible adult women have had the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine; and only 36. 1 percent of all adults were vaccinated against the seasonal flu in 2008. Thousands of lives could be saved each year if we could increase the number of adults who receive routine and recommended vaccinations, said Jeffrey Levi, PhD, Executive Director of TFAH. We need a national strategy to make vaccines a regular part of medical care and to educate Americans about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. We need a national strategy to make vaccines a regular part of medical care and to educate Americans about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. Today, the vast majority of vaccine-preventable diseases, hospitalization and deaths occur among adults. This is tragic, because currently-available vaccines can prevent many of these illnesses, said William Schaffner, MD, FIDSA, chair of IDSAs Immunization Work Group and co-author of the report. The report identified several key reasons why adult vaccination rates remain low in the United States despite the recommendation of medical experts, including: Limited access: Most adults are outside of institutionalized settings, like the military or colleges, where vaccines can be required; Limited care and insurance coverage: Primary and preventive care for adults is limited, particularly for the uninsured and underinsured; Limited financing for immunizations: Many adults have medical insurance that does not pay for vaccines and their administration, so out-of-pocket costs may be prohibitive for many individuals; Misunderstanding and misinformation: Many adults are misinformed about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines; and Limited research and development: Vaccine research, development, and production have been limited in the United States for decades. The report identified several key reasons why adult vaccination rates remain low in the United States despite the recommendation of medical experts, including: Limited access: Most adults are outside of institutionalized settings, like the military or colleges, where vaccines can be required; Limited care and insurance coverage: Primary and preventive care for adults is limited, particularly for the uninsured and underinsured; Limited financing for immunizations: Many adults have medical insurance that does not pay for vaccines and their administration, so out-of-pocket costs may be prohibitive for many individuals; Misunderstanding and misinformation: Many adults are misinformed about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines; and Limited research and development: Vaccine research, development, and production have been limited in the United States for decades. The report identified several key reasons why adult vaccination rates remain low in the United States despite the recommendation of medical experts, including: Limited access: Most adults are outside of institutionalized settings, like the military or colleges, where vaccines can be required; Limited care and insurance coverage: Primary and preventive care for adults is limited, particularly for the uninsured and underinsured; Limited financing for immunizations: Many adults have medical insurance that does not pay for vaccines and their administration, so out-of-pocket costs may be prohibitive for many individuals; Misunderstanding and misinformation: Many adults are misinformed about the safety and effectiveness of vaccines; and Limited research and development: Vaccine research, development, and production have been limited in the United States for decades. This country has a first-rate system for immunizing children, but too many adults are falling through the cracks, said Richard J. Whitley, MD, FIDSA, president of IDSA. Clearly, we need to build a better system for immunizing adults. Thousands of adults die each year from vaccine preventable diseases, yet adult vaccination rates remain low, said Litjen (LJ) Tan, MS, PhD, Director of Medicine and Public Health for the American Medical Association. The health care community can take a lead role in raising immunization rates by educating their adult patients on the safety and efficacy of vaccines and letting them know that getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect themselves and loved ones from disease. The health care community can take a lead role in raising immunization rates by educating their adult patients on the safety and efficacy of vaccines and letting them know that getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect themselves and loved ones from disease. The health care community can take a lead role in raising immunization rates by educating their adult patients on the safety and efficacy of vaccines and letting them know that getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect themselves and loved ones from disease. The health care community can take a lead role in raising immunization rates by educating their adult patients on the safety and efficacy of vaccines and letting them know that getting vaccinated is one of the best ways to protect themselves and loved ones from disease. The report outlines a number of policy recommendations to increase rates of adult vaccinations. Some top recommendations include: Close coverage gaps: Providers should be required to offer full coverage for all vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP); Medicare should fully cover all recommended vaccinations under Part B; and a Vaccines for Uninsured Adults (VFUA) Program should be created to cover all adults who are uninsured. Consider post-health reform scenarios: As any vaccine-related provisions are being phased in, steps should also be taken to expand support of existing adult vaccine programs during the interim time before these proposals are in full effect, and a Vaccines for Uninsured Adults (VFUA) Program would still need to be created to cover adults who will remain uninsured after reform. Increase public education: CDC and local and state health departments should receive increased resources to create and manage broad public education campaigns targeted at improving adult immunization rates, including communicating about the effectiveness and safety of vaccines. Increase provider and patient information: Standard practices should be developed to review patients immunization histories and vaccinations should be offered at appropriate medical encounters, such as during physicals, cancer screenings, and pre-natal visits. Health providers should also play an increased role in reducing transmission of disease and set an example by complying with the recommended vaccines to protect themselves, their staffs, and their patients. Increase research, development, and production: The National Institutes of Health (NIH), CDC, and the U. S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should receive increased resources for vaccine research and development, including safety surveillance and research, and incentives should be provided for development and research in the United States to assure supplies of vaccines, especially during times of crisis. Percent of Seniors NOT Vaccinated Against Pneumonia by StateRates listed are the number of adults aged 65 and older who have not been vaccinated against pneumonia. Rankings are based on combining three years of data (2006-2008) from the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventions Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System to stabilize data for comparison purposes. Illinois (40. Illinois (40. Texas (36. (tie) Alabama (36. 0%), Georgia (36….Read the Full Story

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(From Left to Right)
Dr. David Keith
Dr. Philip Rasch
Dr. Klaus Lackner
Dr. Robert Jackson

Geoengineering is a wonderful example of taboo science. Most people would fall within 2 camps. Camp 1 considers geoengineering with disdain as it mucks with the natural environment. Camp 2 probably wouldn’t want their government involved in planetary climate control. With those entrenched camps where do scientists fit in?

Scientists were called as witnesses before The House Subcommittee on Energy & Environment last week in regards to geoengineering. The witnesses invited were…

• Klaus Lackner (Geophysics,
  Earth and Environmental Engineering): Covering CO₂ sequestration
• Robert Jackson (Biology): Covering Biological and Land Strategies to lower CO₂
• Philip Rasch(Atmospheric Science but a chemist by training): Calling for a Manhattan project type approach to researching geoengineering
• David Keith (Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering): Mainly advocating that some sort of global policy towards geoengineering needs to be developed. The most sane and coherent witness; scientists don’t usually fair well before politicians.

So why care about taboo science? The simple matter is that it would cost 1-2 billion a year to return the planet to pre-industrial levels of temperature, assuming they use cheap sulphates to do the job. This means any number of nations, frankly any wealthy enough cohort of industrialists, can take climate control into their own hands.

Since geoengineering is a delicate subject to broach to the public, transparency is crucial and wasn’t loss on the chairman Brian Baird (D-WA). Congressman Baird mentions how some citizens believe their government is placing psychotropic drugs in jet fuels, the so called chemtrails and remarked “…legitimate scientific research [in geoengineering] must not get tied up in these kind of things.”

However, all the scientists were taken aback by Randy Neugebauer (R-TX), my favorite exchange was the following.

Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)

Randy Neugebauer, “What percent of the atmosphere is CO₂?”
Scientist, “390 parts per million”.
Randy Neugebauer, “This tiny minuscule amount…[can't] be more important factor in our climate than solar activity”.

I’m not even sure where to begin to broach such a deep misunderstanding of science and climate. I would have mentioned to Mr. Neugebauer that he would be dead if that minuscule amount of CO₂ was removed from the atmosphere, as all plants would die followed by animals in short order. The concept of small amounts having huge impacts in large dynamic systems is an important concept to convey, even more so to do it dexterously. These types of exchanges went on for some time. I’m left wondering why Randy Neugebauer is even on the Subcommittee on Energy & Environment in the first place.

The ranking Republican, Bob Inglis (R-SC), had this to say in his last remarks, “I believe in a basic role of government is to do basic research, its an important function that we do.” It is nice to know that basic science research is appreciated by both sides, even though there is always a rogue member in every committee.

Mitch

Story Summary: The researchers stress that exercise has benefits, regardless of whether or not a person can improve aerobic capacity. Indeed, elite athletes often have very high VO2 maxs compared with average Joe. However, about 20 years ago, some scientists started to question whether or not the link between training and fitnesslevel was so clearcut. In other words, a good portion, but not all, of a persons capacity to get more fit was set by their heredity. Exercise genesTo find out, Bouchard and his colleagues, who came from 14 different institutions, used data from three separate exercise studies, including the Heritage. They initially identified, using a novel approach, a set of 29 genes that seemed to predict a persons ability to improve their VO2 max. Of this 50 percent, the newly identified genes can only explain about 23 percent of the variation in an individuals ability to be trained to improve VO2 max. With this we can identify, with a reasonable degree of precision, who is a low responder to exercise, an average responder, or a high responder, Bouchard said. In addition, in the Heritage study, the people who improved their fitness (VO2 max) the most werent necessarily the ones who improved their blood pressure the most, or lowered their cholesterol. Real-world implicationsWhile Bouchard feels this study is a big step forward, more work is needed before it can have real-world applications, including finding more genes and then verifying the markers in other populations. But down the road, the findings may have practical uses. For instance, if someone learns they are a low responder to exercise, they know they may need to be more aggressive with their training in order to see an increase in their endurance. While other scientists agree that the work is intriguing, and notable for its unique approach to find and verify genes, they feel more research is needed. I think the question still remains as to how important these genes are in contributing to the improvements….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: There are about 300 million malaria cases worldwide each year, resulting in more than one million deaths, most of them African children. The parasite is treatable using medications, though drug resistance is a relatively common problem. Eradicating the disease has become a priority for scientists and health officials worldwide. The vaccine consists of a form of the AMA-1 protein, invented and manufactured by WRAIR, and the AS02 Adjuvant System, developed and manufactured by GSK. Previous studies in the U. S. and in Mali already have found the vaccine to be safe and to produce strong immune responses in adults. The blood stage is the period after the mosquito bite, when the parasite multiplies in the blood, causing disease and death. Other blood stage vaccines have been tested but none has shown the ability to prevent malaria disease. The children were randomly assigned to receive either one of three escalating doses of the malaria vaccine or a control rabies vaccine. All three doses of the vaccine proved to be safe and well tolerated, and all three doses also showed very strong antibody responses that were sustained for at least a year. That study also will examine whether the vaccine — though it is based on a single strain of malaria — can protect against the broad array of malaria parasites that exist. The University of Maryland employs hundreds of researchers worldwide in 23 countries outside of its home campus in Baltimore, says E. Albert Reece, M. D. , Ph. D. , M. B. A. , dean of the School of Medicine, vice president for medical affairs of the University of Maryland and the John Z. and Akiko K. Bowers Distinguished Professor. Dr. Plowe is a world-leading malaria researcher, and this groundbreaking work is representative of the global impact of the Center for Vaccine Development and the rest of the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Story Source:Adapted from materials provided by , via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS. Get the latest science news with our free email newsletters, updated daily and weekly….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers and their colleagues have found the key factors that cause proteins to turn into sticky, fibrous clumps that can grind cellular activity to a halt. The new findings show how some organisms prevent amyloid clumps from forming and point the way toward drugs that might one day do the same for humans. HHMI investigator David Eisenberg has been searching for a better molecular explanation for how and why amyloid proteins gum up the works. In the latest research they validated their algorithm using a set of protein segments from the well-studied enzyme ribonuclease A. They showed that when left on their own in a test tube, the segments of protein that they had computationally predicted would form amyloids actually did form long, thin fibrils that could be seen with an electron microscope. In contrast, two test segments predicted not to form amyloids retained their normal globular state under the same conditions. The team also shuffled the amino-acid sequences of the amyloid-forming ribonuclease segments to see whether a different arrangement of the same amino acids would still form amyloids. They applied the same test to 12,000 proteins catalogued in a database for which the three-dimensional structures of the proteins were already known. Eisenberg says evolution must have provided powerful prevention mechanisms — otherwise, he says, we would all fill up with amyloid fibrils. When Eisenberg and his team looked for the positions of these high-propensity segments within known protein structures, they quickly found one clue to what keeps their amyloid state at bay. In folded proteins, these segments tend not to be on the surface, or if they are on the surface, theyre not in the extended form needed to create fibrils, he said. Just one of these high-propensity segments in a loop where it has some flexibility can force a protein to form amyloid fibrils, even if it would never do so otherwise, he said. The findings appear to match what is known about proteins that do commonly form amyloids. Proteins such as amyloid beta, which is associated with Alzheimers disease, dont seem to have a highly structured native state, so they probably offer the exposure and the flexibility thats necessary for amyloid fibrils to form, Eisenberg said. Proteins such as amyloid beta, which is associated with Alzheimers disease, dont seem to have a highly structured native state, so they probably offer the exposure and the flexibility thats necessary for amyloid fibrils to form, Eisenberg said. According to Eisenberg, the findings are consistent with previous research showing that amyloid formation can sometimes be triggered by changing the structure of proteins with heat or chemicals, a process known as denaturing. According to Eisenberg, the findings are consistent with previous research showing that amyloid formation can sometimes be triggered by changing the structure of proteins with heat or chemicals, a process known as denaturing. A philanthropy serving society through biomedical research and science education….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: Once inside the mosquito, the parasites reproduce in the gut and accumulate in the salivary glands, ready to infect another human host with the next bite. Play movie (Requires Flash Plug-in)The Life cycle of Malaria Part 1: Human HostWhen a malaria-carrying mosquito bites a human host, the malaria parasite enters the bloodstream, multiplies in the liver cells, and is then released back into the bloodstream, where it infects and destroys red blood cells. The antibody levels that the vaccinated children achieved were as high or higher than those measured in adults whose lifelong exposure to malaria protects them against the disease. More than 80 percent of those deaths occur among African children younger than age five. No approved vaccine is available to protect against the disease. Medications are available to treat malaria, but resistance to these drugs is a common problem that is worsening. The human immune system recognizes the presence of AMA1 molecules and generates antibodies that prevent invasion of red blood cells by the merozoites. Some of the children experienced temporary pain and swelling at the site of the injections, but the effects were generally well-tolerated, according to Plowe. Prior to receiving the vaccine, the children in the trial had only low levels of antibodies against AMA1 in their blood. Those antibody levels increased more than 100-fold in the children receiving the malaria vaccine and remained high during a year of follow-up blood tests. The vaccine was invented and manufactured by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research and formulated with an adjuvant — a compound that boosts the immune response to the vaccine — from GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals. The results of the larger trial will shed light on a key uncertainty surrounding malaria vaccines. The AMA1 molecule occurs in many different forms both within Africa and around the world, and a vaccine against some forms of the molecule may not protect against other forms. The AMA1 molecule occurs in many different forms both within Africa and around the world, and a vaccine against some forms of the molecule may not protect against other forms. The AMA1 molecule occurs in many different forms both within Africa and around the world, and a vaccine against some forms of the molecule may not protect against other forms….Read the Full Story

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Two Studies Find Artefill® to Be a Long-Term Treatment Option for Facial Lipoatrophy

Investigator-Initiated Studies Examine Artefill’s Use with Age-Related and HIV-Associated Facial Lipoatrophy Patients

SAN DIEGO, CA – Suneva Medical, a privately-held aesthetic medical device company, today announced that two clinical studies suggest Artefill may be a safe, effective, long-term treatment option for age-related and HIV lipoatrophy patients. The studies were presented at the Advances in Cosmetic and Medical Dermatology’s “Maui Derm 2010” Meeting in Maui, Hawaii January 23-27th and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dermatology (AACS) Scientific Meeting in Orlando, Florida January 28-31st.

A retrospective review of 11 patients was presented by Joseph A. Eviatar, M.D., FACS, Chelsea Eye and Cosmetic Surgery Associates, New York Medical College, at the AACS Scientific Meeting. The study evaluated the safety and efficacy of pan facial soft tissue augmentation with Artefill for the correction of lipoatrophy in HIV patients. Three patients were previously treated with Sculptra, six with Radiesse. Patients received Artefill injections over a six-month period until full correction was achieved. Changes were evaluated from baseline using a 0 to 4 atrophic grading scale. The results showed that all patients had improvement and no adverse events were reported. In total, 54.5 percent of patients improved at least two grades based on this four point grading scale at their evaluation time point, which ranged from 2 to 25 months.

Dr. Eviatar

Dr. Eviatar commented, “Artefill proved to be effective in restoring volume to the face in these HIV lipoatrophy patients and we believe may offer a more long-term, cost effective treatment option for this patient population.”

In a poster session at Maui Derm 2010, Dr. Farhad Niroomand, Attending, Baylor University Medical Center (Dallas) and Associate Clinical Professor of Dermatology, University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center, presented a retrospective review of 8 patients, 6 with HIV lipoatrophy and 2 with age-related lipoatrophy, from a pool of 100 Artefill-treated patients. The availability of good pre and post-treatment photographs and the diversity of ethnic backgrounds were the main selection criteria. Patients were treated with Artefill in varied intervals ranging from six weeks to one year and changes were evaluated from baseline. Improvement was seen in all HIV lipoatrophy patients ranging between 50-100 percent. Non-HIV patients experienced overall facial contour improvement.

“We believe Artefill is a viable treatment option for lipoatrophy and non-surgical anti-aging enhancement. Our patients found Artefill to be effective, long-lasting and less painful compared to other fillers,” commented Dr. Niroomand.

About Artefill
Artefill is the first and only FDA-approved microsphere-enhanced collagen filler for the correction of nasolabial folds, better known as smile lines. Since Artefill was approved in 2006, over 20,000 patients have been treated successfully with very high satisfaction rates.

About Suneva Medical
Suneva Medical, Inc. is a medical technology company focused on developing, manufacturing and commercializing novel, differentiated aesthetic products for the dermatology, plastic and cosmetic surgery markets. The Company’s lead product is Artefill®, the first and only microsphere-enhanced collagen filler for the correction of nasolabial folds, or smile lines.

Suneva Medical
858.550.9999
www.sunevamedical.com

Source: Suneva Medical

Story Summary: The winners of this yearas awards will be honored during a presentation ceremony that will held in Madrid during the month of June and the award brings with it a 400,000 euro prize. Furthermore, there are many GPCRs linked to disease that cannot be translated into medicines because of specific target-related adverse effects. Trevenaas novel drug discovery approach is based on Dr. Lefkowitzas work and is focused on discovering and developing a linked portfolio of GPCR ligands that are abiaseda toward either activating or blocking specific signaling pathways mediated through individual GPCRs. Unlike traditional, broad GPCR approaches, the enhanced focus and specificity of these biased ligands for specific targets enables Trevena to engage only the desired signaling pathway and deliver optimal therapeutic effects – without many of the unwanted effects seen with less selective GPCR approaches. Following undergraduate and medical studies at Columbia University in New York, and Residency training in Internal Medicine at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Lefkowitz spent two years at the National Institutes of Health. After completing his clinical training in medicine and cardiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, he joined Duke in 1973, where he continues to teach in addition to conducting research. About TrevenaTrevena, Inc. is a privately-held pharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) targeted medicines. Trevenaas proprietary Advanced Biased Ligand Explorer, or ABLEaC/, platform is a fully integrated collection of tools for identifying and characterizing biased GPCR ligands. The platform includes customized assays, proprietary software, animal models and unique biological signaling information across multiple GPCRs….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: It is a devastating and incurable muscle-wasting disease associated with specific inborn errors in the gene that codes for dystrophin, a protein that plays a key structural role in muscle fiber function. By age 10, braces may be required for walking, and most patients are confined to a wheelchair by age 12. Eventually, this progresses to complete paralysis and increasing difficulty in breathing requiring ventilatory support. The condition is terminal and death usually occurs before the age of 30. About AVI BioPharmaAVI BioPharma is focused on the discovery and development of RNA-based drugs utilizing proprietary derivatives of its antisense chemistry (morpholino-modified phosphorodiamidate oligomers or PMOs) that can be applied to a wide range of diseases and genetic disorders through several distinct mechanisms of action. Unlike other RNA therapeutic approaches, AVIs antisense technology has been used to directly target both messenger RNA (mRNA) and its precursor (pre-mRNA), allowing for both up- and down-regulation of targeted genes and proteins. AVIs antiviral programs have demonstrated promising outcomes in Ebola Zaire and Marburg Musoke virus infections and may prove applicable to other viral targets such as Junin, influenza, HCV or Dengue viruses. For more information, visit www. com….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: If perceptions that the outbreak is over spread, those who now say they intend to get the vaccine may ultimately decide not to. But there remains a steady core of adults who, regardless of messaging and other efforts, has chosen not to get the H1N1 vaccine. This groups set of attitudes has proven very difficult for public health officials to change. However, 12% think there is still a shortage in their community. Findings from this poll suggest that a majority of the public nonetheless believes it is more appropriate for public health officials to purchase enough vaccine so there is no possibility of a shortage in the long run, even if this decision means that they will spend money on vaccines that are not used rather than order a more limited supply of vaccine that might mean there is a shortage if it turns out more people than estimated want the vaccine (59% vs. 38%). Majority of Adults Do Not Intend to Get the Vaccine, but a Majority of Children Have Been or Will be VaccinatedSince the beginning of November, according to this latest poll, there has been an increase in the number of adults overall who have gotten the H1N1 vaccine (21% in January vs. 14% in December vs. 5% in November). Parents, however, have made more efforts to vaccinate their children. This latest poll found that 53% of parents got the vaccine for all or some of their children or intend to get it for them before the end of February 2010. Among parents who did get their children vaccinated, most got their children vaccinated at traditional sites including a physicians/other health care providers office (46%) or a health clinic (22%). The majority of parents say their children got the injectable vaccine (61%) while 35% got the nasal spray. For those parents who did not get the vaccine for their children and do not intend to (44%), the most commonly cited major reason for this decision was a concern about the safety of the vaccine (56%). Secondarily, parents who made this decision explained that they could treat H1N1 with medication if their children got sick with it (33%), and they dont think the H1N1 outbreak is as serious now as public officials once thought (32%). Survey Finds Just 40% of Adults Absolutely Certain They Will Get H1N1 Vaccine, October 2, 2009National Survey Finds Six in Ten Americans Believe Serious Outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1) Likely in Fall/Winter, July 15, 2009Survey Finds Many Americans Have Taken Steps to Protect Themselves Against H1N1, May 8, 2009Survey Finds Nearly Half of Americans Concerned They Or Their Family May Get Sick from Swine Flu, May 1, 2009. The study was designed and analyzed by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). Interviews were conducted via telephone (including both landline and cell phone) for HORP by SSRS/ICR of Media (PA) January 20 through January 24, 2010 among a nationally representative sample of 1,419 respondents age 18 and older, including 377 parents. Possible sources of non-sampling error include non-response bias, as well as question wording and ordering effects. To compensate for these known biases, sample data are weighted to the most recent Census data available from the Current Population Survey for gender, age, race, education, and region….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: When the virus encounters a host cell, this pent-up energy is released, propelling the viral DNA into the cell and turning it into a virus factory. For the first time, Carnegie Mellon University physicist Alex Evilevitch has directly measured the energy associated with the expulsion of viral DNA, a pivotal discovery toward fully understanding the physical mechanisms that control viral infection and designing drugs to interfere with the process. Additionally, viruses mutate over time and may become less susceptible to the medication. But instead of forcing in harmful, viral DNA, gene therapy delivers helpful, functional genes. Until now, only indirect measurements of this energy have been available. They describe this new method in the Feb. 5 issue of the Journal of Molecular Biology. Were currently investigating the rotavirus, which causes stomach flu, using our new technique. In the Journal of Molecular Biologyreport, Evilevitch used ITC to measure the thermal energy released during genome ejection, which is the same as the stored internal energy that results from genome packaging. Understanding the energy profile for viral genome release provides information on how to interfere with the process….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: Human miR-135b is highly expressed in colon cancer specimens relative to normal colon tissues. Rosetta Genomics has filed more than 35 patent applications in the U. S. and more than 36 patent applications worldwide to protect each aspect of its commercial diagnostic products. Many of these applications protect the specific microRNAs used in the companyas products. In addition, the company is pursuing more than 50 patent applications to protect methods of detecting microRNAs and methods of diagnosing and treating diseases with microRNAs. Building on its strong IP position and proprietary platform technologies, Rosetta Genomics is working on the application of these technologies in the development of a full range of microRNA-based diagnostic tools. The companyas first three microRNA-based tests, miRviewaC/ squamous, miRviewaC/ mets and miRviewaC/ meso, are commercially available through its Philadelphia-based CLIA-certified lab. Rosetta Genomics is the 2008 winner of The Wall Street Journalas Technology Innovation Awards in the medical/biotech category. Forward-Looking StatementsVarious statements in this release concerning Rosettaas future expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation, statements relating to Rosettaas intellectual property and patent coverage and advancement of Rosettaas pipeline of products, constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-Looking StatementsVarious statements in this release concerning Rosettaas future expectations, plans and prospects, including without limitation, statements relating to Rosettaas intellectual property and patent coverage and advancement of Rosettaas pipeline of products, constitute forward-looking statements for the purposes of the safe harbor provisions under The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: The companyas SynConaC/ technology enables the design of auniversala vaccines capable of protecting against multiple a including newly emergent, unknown a strains of pathogens such as influenza. Other partners and collaborators include Merck, Tripep, University of Southampton, National Cancer Institute, and HIV Vaccines Trial Network. This press release contains, in addition to historical information, forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on managementas current estimates and expectations and are subject to a number of uncertainties and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements. Actual events or results may differ from the expectations set forth herein as a result of a number of risks, uncertainties and other factors, including but not limited to: Inovio has a history of losses; all of Inovioas potential human products are in research and development phases; no revenues have been generated from the sale of any such products, nor are any such revenues expected for at least the next several years; Inovioas product candidates will require significant additional research and development efforts, including extensive preclinical and clinical testing; uncertainties inherent in clinical trials and product development programs, including but not limited to the fact that pre-clinical and clinical results may not be indicative of results achievable in other trials or for other indications, that results from one study may not necessarily be reflected or supported by the results of other similar studies, that results from an animal study may not be indicative of results achievable in human studies, that clinical testing is expensive and can take many years to complete, that the outcome of any clinical trial is uncertain and failure can occur at any time during the clinical trial process, and that Inovioas electroporation technology and DNA vaccines may fail to show the desired safety and efficacy traits in clinical trials; all product candidates that Inovio advances to clinical testing will require regulatory approval prior to commercial use, and will require significant costs for commercialization; the availability of funding; the ability to manufacture vaccine candidates; the availability or potential availability of alternative therapies or treatments for the conditions targeted by Inovio or its collaborators, including alternatives that may be more efficacious or cost-effective than any therapy or treatment that Inovio and its collaborators hope to develop; whether Inovioas proprietary rights are enforceable or defensible or infringe or allegedly infringe on rights of others or can withstand claims of invalidity; and the impact of government healthcare proposals….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: These parts did other jobs for the bacterium, and were cobbled together by evolution to do something new and more exciting. The research consisted of two components, the first used computers to read, compare and understand DNA sequences. From this, experiments were designed to do actual laboratory testing using a bacterium that is the closest living relative to the original ancestor of the mitochondria. From these sequences we find tell-tale clues to the past. Our findings are relevant to all species, including the evolution of humans, Professor Lithgow said. It continues to amaze that this theory, proposed in the century before the advent of molecular investigations, is so accurate on a molecular scale. This improved understanding is directly relevant to the big picture timeline for the evolution of life. Professor Lithgow said the findings will be regarded by some scientists as controversial as many have long-held views on the process of evolution as a tinkerer….Read the Full Story

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By as early as 7 years of age, being obese may raise a child’s risk of future heart disease and stroke, even in the absence of other cardiovascular risk factors.

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Stanford University (US) researchers transform ordinary mouse skin cells directly into neurons, bypassing the need for stem cells.

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German researchers find that moderate or high physical activity may lower the risk of developing cognitive impairment as we age.

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STANFORD, Calif. – Tiny circles of DNA are the key to a new and easier way to transform stem cells from human fat into induced pluripotent stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, say scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

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Story Summary: This study is particularly important as it provides the first direct correlation of gene expression data with in vivoadministration and histological localization of Tb4 in muscle tissue, stated Dr. Allan L. Goldstein, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC, and RegeneRxs chief scientific advisor. RegeneRx is focused on the discovery and development of novel peptides to accelerate tissue and organ repair. Currently, RegeneRx is developing three product candidates, RGN-137, RGN-259 and RGN-352 for dermal, ophthalmic, and cardiovascular tissue repair, respectively. These product candidates are based on Tb4, a synthetic copy of a 43-amino acid, naturally occurring peptide, in part, under an exclusive world-wide license from the National Institutes of Health. RegeneRx is also developing novel peptides for the cosmeceutical industry based on its experience with Tb4 and its biological activities in the skin. Tb4 is a synthetic version of a naturally occurring peptide present in virtually all human cells. RegeneRx has identified several molecular variations of Tb4 that may affect the aging of skin, among other properties, and could be important candidates as active ingredients in pharmaceutical and consumer products. Researchers at the National Institutes of Health, and at other academic institutions throughout the world, have published numerous scientific articles indicating Tb4s in vitroand invivo efficacy in accelerating wound healing and tissue protection under a variety of conditions. Any forward-looking statements in this press release represent the Companys views only as of the date of this release and should not be relied upon as representing its views as of any subsequent date….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: This detailed mapping is a significant move towards the success of targeted differentiation of stem cells into specific organs, which is a crucial consideration for stem cell therapy. The study was published in the genomics journal Genome Researchon February 4, 2010. DNA methylation causes specific subunits of DNA to be chemically modified, which controls which areas of the genome are active and which ones are dormant. We identified patterns of many genes that are methylated or de-methylated during differentiation….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: By taking heat shock proteins away from cells, the stabilization is taken away and cell death occurs. Dr. Chadli and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic believe celastrol holds the key to specificity, targeting the HSP90-activated protein required for folding steroid receptors. The celastrol induces the protein to form fibrils and clusters it together, which inactivates it, said Dr. Chadli, whose research was published in the January edition of The Journal of Biological Chemistry. When they are clustered, theyre not available for other functions that help cancer grow. Source: Jennifer HilliardMedical College of Georgia Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News TodayAny medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. Contact Our News EditorsFor any corrections of factual information, or to contact the editors please use our feedback form. PLEASE DONATE HEREThese are the most read articles from this news category for the last 6 months: Cellphones Cause Brain Tumors, Says New Report By International EMF Collaborative26 Aug 2009A new report, Cellphones and Brain Tumors: 15 Reasons for Concern, Science, Spin and the Truth Behind Interphone, was released today by a collaborative of international EMF activists. All of these treatments have potential physical and emotional side effects. All of these treatments have potential physical and emotional side effects. Discover how two women went through treatment and what they did to cope. Discover how two women went through treatment and what they did to cope….Read the Full Story

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Story Summary: Kim Orth is an original and creative biochemist and a tribute to our institution, said Dr. Daniel K. Podolsky, UT Southwestern president. With the addition of Dr. Orth, four of the nine Hackerman Award recipients have been UT Southwestern faculty members. Other winners from the medical center are Dr. Xiaodong Wang, professor of biochemistry, in 2003; Dr. Zhijian James Chen, professor of molecular biology, in 2005; and Dr. Patrick Harran, former professor of biochemistry, in 2007. Kim Orth has already made important contributions to our understanding of how bacteria cause disease and what proteins control signaling in the cell, said Ernest H. Cockrell, chairman of The Welch Foundation. For example, she found that an infectious ocean-dwelling bacterium found in oysters and other shellfish kills its hosts cells by causing them to burst, providing the invader with a nutrient-rich meal that can then be used to fuel proliferation. Understanding how this bacterium commandeers that process led to the discovery of an entirely new way that ATP – a molecule that helps provide energy to our cells – can alter other molecules. There is so much more to learn about the most fundamental mechanisms of life. Investing in basic research now pays dividends decades into the future, Dr. Orth said. She joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2001 as a W. W. Caruth Jr. Scholar in Biomedical Research. Since its inception in 1954, the Welch Foundation has supported basic chemical research in Texas through grants to researchers and chemistry departments at colleges and universities; funding of endowed chairs; an annual chemical research conference; and a summer program for high-school students, among other initiatives. Since its inception in 1954, the Welch Foundation has supported basic chemical research in Texas through grants to researchers and chemistry departments at colleges and universities; funding of endowed chairs; an annual chemical research conference; and a summer program for high-school students, among other initiatives….Read the Full Story

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