Here are eight things for spinal surgeons to know for Aug. 24, 2017.

Medtronic Q1 revenue jumps 3% to $7.4BMedtronic reported a slight revenue increase in the first quarter of the 2018 fiscal year. First quarter revenue hit $7.39 billion, up 3 percent over the same period last year. U.S. revenue increased 1 percent to $4 billion, representing 55 percent of the company's overall revenue. Non-U.S. revenue hit $2.3 billion, up 4 percent over the same period last year, and emerging market revenue was $1 billion, up 11 percent over last year.

DuPage Medical Group to grow with $1.45B investmentWith a $1.45 billion investment from Ares Management, DuPage Medical Group is looking to expand its services and the number of physicians, the Chicago Tribune reports. Currently, the group has a team of 800 providers and plans to grow to between 1,200 and 1,500. DuPage Medical Group is also considering expanding further beyond Illinois. Along with adding more physicians, DuPage Medical Group plans to add services such as imaging, immediate care, physical therapy and oncology.

Spineology receives $10M fundingDuring Spineology's latest round of funding, the company secured $10 million. Spineology began taking $25,000 investments for the recently closed round a year ago. The company has not announced its plans for the funding.

Former Yale Spine Co-Chief Dr. James Yue joins Connecticut Orthopaedic SpecialistsJames Yue, MD, joined Connecticut Orthopaedic Specialists. He previously served as the co-chief of orthopedic spine surgery at New Haven, Conn.-based Yale School of Medicine and director of the ACGME Yale Spine Fellowship. As a member of Connecticut Orthopaedic Specialists, Dr. Yue will see patients in Shelton, Hamden and Essex, Conn.

Merger: Advanced Pain Medicine now under Commonwealth Pain & Spine umbrella Lexington, Ky.-based Advanced Pain Medicine merged with Louisville, Ky.-based Commonwealth Pain & Spine. Commonwealth Pain & Spine consists of more than seven locations and 30 providers. The merger came to fruition due to Advanced Pain Medicine's Saroj Dubal, MD, deciding to retire.

Washington University School of Medicine new spinal cord injury clinical trial siteThe St. Louis-based Washington University School of Medicine is a new clinical study site for Asterias Biotherapeuturics SCiStar clinical trial of AST-OPC1 stem cells in patients with severe cervical spinal cord injuries. W. Zachary Ray, MD, a neurological and orthopedic surgery associate professor at Washington School of Medicine, will lead the site's investigation.

EIT acquires 22 patents from spine surgeon Dr. Morgan LorioEmerging Implant Technologies acquired a portfolio of patents from Morgan P. Lorio, MD, of Nashville, Tenn.-based Hughston Clinic Orthopaedics. The portfolio includes 22 issued and pending patents for 3-D printed expandable spinal fusion cages. EIT plans to leverage this technology to enhance its cellular titanium cages.

Global minimally invasive spine surgery market to grow at 7.6% CAGR through 2021The global minimally invasive spine surgery market is anticipated to grow at a 7.57 percent compound annual growth rate between 2017 and 2021, according to an Absolute Reports analysis. DePuy Synthes, Medtronic, NuVasive, Stryker and Zimmer Biomet lead the global MIS spine market. A key market trend is an increase in MI sacroiliac joint fusion.

More articles on spine:Cord lengthening: Part of comprehensive AIS treatment6 key findings on spinal epidural hematomaThe causes and treatments for spinal hemangiomas

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8 things for spine surgeons to know for Thursday Aug. 24, 2017 - Becker's Orthopedic & Spine

The idea of bringing people back from the dead could one day be more than just science fiction it could be a reality. Over the past few decades, there has been progress in keeping people alive via advanced surgical techniques, organ transplants, mechanical ventilators and even saving a beating heart that has once stopped. However, when it comes to the injured brain, stem cell therapy may show promise in bringing the brain dead back to life.

In BrainCraft's video, "Ways to Bring the Brain Dead Back to Life" host Vanessa Hill explains the brain is made up of trillions of connections; our life depends on these connections. If the heart stops pumping blood for a few minutes, the brain will fall into a state of frenzy where some neurons starve to death during the blackout and others fight for life. Neurotransmitters spill out neurons in high concentrations, which leads to uncontrollable electrical changes sweeping across the brain, causing toxic chemicals to pile up and burn holes in the membranes of neurons.

All of these events lead to programmed cell death. Neurons start to die one by one, until the brain stops functioning altogether.However, scientists have started to discover the brain does have a small reservoir of stem cells that can generate new neurons.

Researchers have hypothesized whether these cells could be coaxed to turn into new neurons that self-repair the brain's injured tissue. They have also theorized the possibility of injecting neural stem cells into the brain of a patient. So, if it becomes possible to replace dead neurons, it should be possible to resurrect a person via stem cell therapy who just died.

Previous research has shown it's possible to plant stem cells in the brains of mice and help them grow into fully functioning neurons that make connections with their neighbors. In the future, these methods could be used to repair the damage done to the brain by a stroke. Currently, several trials are underway to transplant new neurons into the brains of people with Parkinson's disease.

A Philadelphia-based company, Bioquark, hopes to use stem cells to reverse death by injecting them into the spinal cords of people who have been declared clinically brain dead. The subjects will also receive an injected protein blend, electrical nerve stimulation, and laser therapy directed at the brain. The ultimate goal is to grow new neurons and spur them to connect to each other, which can potentially bring the brain back to life.

Theres the potential thata cocktail of moleculesto spurr neuronal growth could come in pill form.

This concept does raise a lot of questions, like Will we be a different person if brand new neurons connect differently? Or ,How many cells can be replaced without fully becoming a whole different person?

Stem cells are currently used for a variety of conditions, from stroke to paralysis.

But, there's currently no FDA-approved stem therapy for brain conditions. Scientists are hopeful if this approach worked on mice, it could one day work on humans too.

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The Possible Ways To Bring Brain-Dead Patients Back To Life - Medical Daily

You might feel a bit down if you watch the news. Who wouldnt?

Angry people might be grabbing headlines and making you wonder about the future, but the antidote is all around you.

Talk to some of your neighbors. Chances are, no matter what they look like or where theyre originally from, youll find theyre actually pretty decent people just like you.

The little improvements we all try to make may not register much, but the accumulation of them all eventually does.

And if theres one tangible piece of proof that the world is changing for the better, its Lucas Lindner.

2016 was not a kind year for 22-year-old Lucas.

Last May he lost control of his pickup truck when a deer ran out on the road. The front passenger tire blew out. The truck rolled, throwing him out of the window.

When he woke up in the hospital, he was paralyzed from the neck down. He was just heading to the grocery store on a Wisconsin Sunday morning.

It was an accident that could happen to anyone, to a friend or relative.

Normally, people like Lucas have no hope of restoring motor control of their bodies ever again.

In the United States, this awful story plays out 17,000 times every year. There are a quarter of a million people in the country with paralysis.

But Lucas story is working out a little bit differently.

Lucas was airlifted to Froedtert Hospital, a teaching hospital of the Medical College of Wisconsin.

There, Dr. Shekar N. Kurpad, professor of neurosurgery, applied 15 years of research into cell transplantation for spinal cord injury.

The procedure revolutionary and so were the cells Dr. Kurpad used.

The new procedure used cells that were developed over many years by researchers at a two companies leading the way in regenerative medicine.

Researchers at these companies have discovered how to grow stem cells and make them reliable for transplantation use.

On doctor, in fact, who Ive researched extensively, has been called the father of regenerative medicine.

Ive had the pleasure of meeting with him on a number of occasions.

Whenever I am in the San Francisco Bay Area, I try to visit him to learn whats going on in the field.

And from what Ive seen the therapeutic potential is hard to understate.

And were starting to see the results in people like Lucas Lindner.

Hes still wheelchair-bound we have a lot more to learn but he now has fine motor skills in his upper body. Thats extraordinary in cases like his.

Lucass miraculous improvement is due to newly designed pluripotent stem cells They are called pluripotent because they have the power to transform into any other cell type in the body.

And this Bay Area doctors company has accumulated the technology to make that happen.

Over the next few months, well get more clinical data from patients being treated with the full 20 million-cell dose and potentially more great news of restored motor function.

The recent headlines may have been about a few angry people rioting and hating each other, but the real important news is this

Recently, when the Cincinnati Reds played the Milwaukee Brewers, Lucas threw out the opening pitch.

Many U.S. presidents and other famous people have thrown pitches, but no pitch has been as historic as this one. And the advances I highlighted today are the reason why.

As this therapy matures and gets closer to market, I believe it will make a big impact on shares of companies in this space.

Which means the right-timed move in the upcoming months means a huge potential windfall of cash for you.

More to come soon.

For Tomorrows Trends Today,

Ray BlancoforThe Daily Reckoning

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A Year Ago He Was Paralyzed From the Neck Down Then This Happened - Daily Reckoning

The pernicious effect of a heart attack includes the permanent damaging of heart muscles capacity to pump blood, causing healthy tissue to scar. People who suffer from this condition are often fatigued and cannot do as many things as they used to. They are also more prone to cardiac arrest, a condition that leads to death. Medication can help, and a heart transplant is sometimes used, though the necessity of using powerful anti-rejection drugs makes that option dangerous at the very least. The availability of donor hearts is also a limiting factor.

According to the CDC, 5.7 million Americans suffer from #Heart Failure.

Half of the people with the diagnosis die within five years. Heart failure costs the United States $30.7 billion a year in health care services, medication, and lost productivity.

A new option for people with this kind of heart failure is on the horizon, according to Mach. The idea is to grow patches of beating heart cells from a patients own tissue and then cover the parts of the heart that have been scarred by a cardiac event. The technology has the promise to allow heart failure patients to live nearly normal lives and to reduce the need for heart transplants.

Beating heart cell patches are created when blood cells are extracted from the patient and are transformed into stem cells using well known genetic engineering techniques. Then the stem cells would be used in a 3D printer to create living heart tissue, geared to match the exact size and shape of the area of the heart that has been scarred.

Then an open heart surgery procedure would be undertaken to implant the patch on the scarred tissue, including blood vessel grafts that would integrate the new tissue into the patients cardiovascular system.

The procedure would be a delicate one. The surgeon might cut the scarred tissue away and replace it with the patch or just overlay it with the theory that the scarring would go away in time. The hope is that the new tissue will beat in synchronicity with the rest of the heart.

The beauty of the procedure that even though it would cost $100,000, it will still be cheaper than a heart transplant, which costs $500,000 not including the expense of the anti-rejection drugs.

Researchers have enjoyed some success with the procedure in mice and pigs. The hope is that human trials can start in five years with the procedure being available in a clinical setting in about #Ten Years. #Stem Cell

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Using stem cell patches to fix heart failure - Blasting News

Madalayna and Tamara Ducharme, 33 days after Madalayna received her bone marrow transplant. Photo provided by Tamara Ducharme) By Adelle LoiselleAugust 25, 2017 5:10am

Six months ago, Windsor residents came out in droves to help baby Madalayna Ducharme find a bone marrow match.

Saturday, they can help again by taking part in a bowl-a-thon dedicated to supporting the families of those who still need a transplant.

The 12th annual Bowling for Bone Marrow Bowl-a-Thon takes place Saturday at Rose Bowl Lanes on Dougall Ave. in Windsor. Check-in is at noon, and the fundraiser gets underway at 1pm.

It is the Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Associations biggest fundraiser of the year, and this year it can count Madalayna among its success stories.

The baby girl, who celebrated her first birthday this week, likes to dance and can stand while holding her parents fingers. Her mother, Tamara Ducharme is grateful for every day.

We were unsure if we were going to make it there, to the first birthday, she says. Were hoping that shell be a healthy little girl.

However, the struggle is not over. Friday, the family is driving up Hwy. 401 for Madalaynas six-month post-transplant appointment at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto.

Ducharme says her daughter has bi-weekly hospital visits to ensure her medication is up to date. Madalayna still uses a feeding tube, and even months later, there is still the question whether the bone marrow transplant from her brother is working.

Theyll probably do an x-ray, says Ducharme about the upcoming appointment. Shes had a little growth. If her bones show changes that means shes on the track of getting better. Now, if there is no change, I dont know what were going to do.

Life with a young child who has received a transplant can also be very isolating, and Ducharme admits it has not been easy.

Were bubbled. We really go anywhere. We dont really play with other kids, she says. Youve gotta take the proper steps to take care of your child. If she could catch anything and it could be really detrimental.

She says the association has been very good to her family and they are grateful for their, and the communitys support over a challenging chapter in their lives.

Bryan and Joanne Bedard understand the difficulties faced by families of children waiting for a donor. They lost their three-year-old daughter, Katelyn in 2005 at the age of 3 when they were unable to find one.

Since then, they have raised money for donor clinics and awareness of the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network which now has 6,500 registered donors. The Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Association has also donated $115,000 to stem cell and bone marrow transplant research at both the University of Windsor and the Universite de Montreal.

With files from Maureen Revait

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Bowl-A-Thon For Stem Cell Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients - BlackburnNews.com

Erica Honoway is scheduled to speak at the annual "Run for Mandi" charity event in Saskatoon, after her son Lincoln was saved by a bone marrow transplant.Michael Bell / Regina Leader-Post

An annual run honouring a late Canadian hockey player is working with a bone marrow and stem cell registry group in hopes of helping more people in her name.

The Run for Mandi is named for Saskatchewan hockey player Mandi Schwartz, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 2008 while she was part of the Yale Bulldogs hockey team. She died in 2011.

The event kicks off Sunday afternoon at River Landing. The five-kilometre run and the one-kilometre family walk will start at two, and for the first time a bone marrow and stem cell registry group will be set up at the run.

Mandis mother, Carol Schwartz, said shes proud of the work being done by the Mandi Schwartz Foundation in her daughters name.

It just makes these events more meaningful lives are being saved, Schwartz said. Theres probably no greater gift than meeting someone who got a successful match.

The OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, a part of Canadian Blood Services, will accept registrations at Sundays event. Schwartz said theyve handed out information before, but this is the first time OneMatch will swab volunteers at the event to register them in the network.

Bobbylynn Stewart with Breck Construction, the title sponsor for the event, said she has a personal stake in helping organize the run because her mother also died of acute myeloid leukemia. Its a chance for the company and the community to help other families with similar struggles, she said.

When you have a blood cancer or disorder, often times you are relying on a stem cell match through the network, Stewart said. So growing that network is vital.

Alongside the run will be a charity silent auction and a barbecue. Mandis brothers, professional hockey players Jayden and Rylan Schwartz, are also expected to attend, along with NHL players Ryan Murray and JC Lipton, and AHL player Brandon Gormley.

Erica Honoway, scheduled to speak before the run, said she is haunted by how close her family came to sharing in the Schwartzs tragedy.

Her son Lincoln was diagnosed with aplastic anemia last year, but a bone marrow transplant helped save his life.

In all the registries in the world, they found two matches for Lincoln, Honoway said. Every single person who gets on is another chance for someone to have their life saved.

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Annual 'Run for Mandi' hosting bone marrow registry to combat cancer - Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Bacterial infection activates hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow and significantly reduces the ability to produce blood through induced proliferation. Credit: Professor Hitoshi Takizawa

It has been thought that only immune cells would act as the line of defense during bacterial infection. However, recent research has revealed that hematopoietic stem cells, cells that create all other blood cells throughout an individual's lifetime, are also able to respond to the infection. A collaboration between researchers from Japan and Switzerland found that bacterial infection activates hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow and significantly reduces their ability to produce blood by forcibly inducing proliferation. These findings indicate that bacterial infections might trigger dysregulation of blood formation, such as that found in anemia or leukemia. This information is important to consider in the development of prevention methods for blood diseases.

Background: Bacterial Infection and the Associated Immune Reaction

When a person becomes infected with a virus or bacteria, immune cells in the blood or lymph react to the infection. Some of these immune cells use "sensors" on their surfaces, called Toll-like receptors (TLR), to distinguish invading pathogens from molecules that are expressed by the host. By doing so, they can attack and ultimately destroy pathogens thereby protecting the body without attacking host cells.

Bone marrow contains hematopoietic stem cells which create blood cells, such as lymphocytes and erythrocytes, throughout life. When infection occurs, a large number of immune cells are activated and consumed. It therefore becomes necessary to replenish these immune cells by increasing blood production in bone marrow. Recent studies have revealed that immune cells are not the only cells that detect the danger signals associated with infection. Hematopoietic stem cells also identify these signals and use them to adjust blood production. However, little was known about how hematopoietic stem cells respond to bacterial infection or how it affected their function.

Proof: Hematopoietic Stem Cell Response to Bacterial Infection

Researchers from Kumamoto University and the University of Zurich analyzed the role of TLRs in hematopoietic stem cells upon bacterial infection, given that both immune cells and hematopoietic stem cells have TLRs. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), one of the key molecules found in the outer membrane of gram negative bacteria and known to cause sepsis, was given to laboratory animals to generate a bacterial infection model. Furthermore, researchers analyzed the detailed role of TLRs in hematopoietic stem cell regulation by combining genetically modified animals that do not have TLR and related molecules, or agents that inhibit these molecules.

The results showed that LPSs spread throughout the body with some eventually reaching the bone marrow. This stimulated the TLR of the hematopoietic stem cells and induced them to proliferate. They also discovered that while the stimulus promoted proliferation, it also induced stress on the stem cells at the same time. In other words, although hematopoietic stem cells proliferate temporarily upon TLR stimulation, their ability to successfully self-replicate decreases, resulting in diminished blood production. Similar results were obtained after infection with E. coli bacteria.

Future Work

This study reveals that hematopoietic stem cells, while not in charge of immune reactions, are able to respond to bacterial infections resulting in a reduced ability to produce blood. This suggests that cell division of hematopoietic stem cells forced by bacterial infection induces stress and may further cause dysregulated hematopoiesis like that which occurs in anemia or leukemia. "Fortunately we were able to confirm that this molecular reaction can be inhibited by drugs," said one of the study leaders, Professor Hitoshi Takizawa of Kumamoto University's IRCMS. "The medication maintains the production of blood and immune cells without weakening the immune reaction against pathogenic bacteria. It might be possible to simultaneously prevent blood diseases and many bacterial infections in the future."

This finding was posted online in Cell Stem Cell on 21 July 2017, and an illustration from the research content was chosen as the cover of the issue.

Explore further: Innate reaction of hematopoietic stem cells to severe infections

More information: Hitoshi Takizawa et al, Pathogen-Induced TLR4-TRIF Innate Immune Signaling in Hematopoietic Stem Cells Promotes Proliferation but Reduces Competitive Fitness, Cell Stem Cell (2017). DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2017.06.013

Journal reference: Cell Stem Cell

Provided by: Kumamoto University

Link:
Bacterial infection stresses hematopoietic stem cells - Medical Xpress - Medical Xpress

The parents of a Saskatchewan-born Yale University hockey player are trying to connect more people with a bone marrow and stem cell network that could save lives.

Rick and Carol Schwartz will be in Saskatoon on Sunday for the sixth annual Run for Mandi named after their daughter Mandi Schwartz, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in December 2008 and died in April 2011.

READ MORE: Could you save his life? Edmonton boy needs to find stem cell match

Officials from the OneMatch Stem Cell and Marrow Network, part of Canadian Blood Services, will take swabs from volunteers in hopes of connecting donors with patients who need stem cell transplants.

Its the first time the event will have on-site registration for the network.

Fewer than 25 per cent of people find a stem cell donor in their family and only 50 per cent find a match in the international network of donors, according to Blood Services.

Mandi never found one.

It was frustrating to know that. Its almost like we let her down, Rick Schwartz said.

In 2010, his daughter penned a letter, stating her hope that doctors would find her a life-saving match. She also hoped to increase the donor registry to help others.

If someone else in Mandis family needed a stem cell transplant, she wouldve been the first person to help out, her mother said.

I just know she would be front and centre in leading a drive if she were with us today, Carol Schwartz said.

Another registration drive in Mandis name happens annually at Yale University. So far, more than 6,000 people have registered and 37 have resulted in stem cell matches.

Ideal candidates are between the ages of 17 and 35 and meet certain health criteria.

If a person registers and matches with a person in need, its usually as easy taking blood, according to Run for Mandi co-organizer Bobbylynn Stewart.

Fifteen per cent of the time, they do require your bone marrow, said Stewart, who lost her mother to acute myeloid leukemia.

They go in through your hip and draw it through there, so its under anesthesia. Its about an hour-long process.

READ MORE: Run for Mandi raises over $20K for memorial bursary funds

Sundays event lasts from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and running isnt required.

Lincoln Honoway, who was three when he was admitted to Regina General Hospital last year with dangerously low blood counts, will be in attendance.

After finding a stem cell transplant, Lincolns blood cell counts have started to rise and stabilize.

The run is planned for River Landing, with pro hockey players Ryan Murray, JC Lipon and Brandon Gormley expected to be there.

Mandis brother, Jaden Schwartz of the St. Louis Blues, will attend as well.

2017Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.

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Family of Mandi Schwartz connecting donors with stem cell network - Globalnews.ca

NBC-5 News anchor Rob Stafford will return to the air Monday, after months of grueling treatment for a rare blood disorder that gave him a harrowing look at "my own mortality."

"I thought we'd get this thing nipped in the bud," said Stafford, 58, who took a leave of absence in March after being diagnosed to be in the early stages of amyloidosis.

Instead, Stafford said, he spent much of the last six months too sick to eat, drink or walk while learning that the road back to health from serious illness is a process.

"You learn that everybody reacts to these drugs differently and there is no guarantee of any outcome," he said.

Amyloidosis occurs when abnormal protein called amyloid is produced in bone marrow and can be deposited in tissues and organs. There are more than 40 types of the disorder that affect the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen, nervous system and digestive tract. Stafford's type known as light chain amyloidosis is rare, according to Dr. Ronald Go, Stafford's hematologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

Doctors had planned to remove or "harvest" stem cells from Stafford's own bone marrow and freeze millions of healthy ones. After wiping out the unhealthy cells using chemotherapy, Stafford was to have the healthy stem cells transplanted back into his bone marrow, where they were to reproduce themselves, Go said in March.

Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune

Rob Stafford, shown Aug. 24, 2017, is planning to return to the anchor desk at NBC-5 News on Aug. 28 after months battling amyloidosis.

Rob Stafford, shown Aug. 24, 2017, is planning to return to the anchor desk at NBC-5 News on Aug. 28 after months battling amyloidosis. (Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune)

But Stafford ran into several complications immediately after the transplant process began that forced him to remain hospitalized for most of March.

"There were times in the hospital when I thought he might not make it," said his wife, Lisa Stafford, who would jog around the Rochester area to alleviate her stress.

"On the runs, I would stop at every church to pray and light a candle."

Stafford returned to his home in Hinsdale in early April, too weak sometimes to walk across the room, drink a milkshake or even stay awake for the news, he said.

In June, test results showed the bone marrow transplant did not work as they had planned, and Stafford would need a new course of action to fight the disease, he said.

It was a terrifying place to be, Stafford said.

"You think, 'What if nothing works?'" he said. "I have clearly thought about my own mortality."

Doctors at Rush University Medical Center started Stafford on a new regimen of weekly chemotherapy, which dramatically improved his health. While he has not yet reached the low amyloid measurements that define remission, doctors are optimistic about his recovery and have cleared Stafford to return to work, he said.

Stafford will return to the 10 p.m. news. Dick Johnson and Patrick Fazio will share anchoring duties with Allison Rosati at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. until Stafford is ready to return to those newscasts, said Frank Whittaker, station manager and vice president of news for NBC Chicago.

"We are eagerly looking forward to Rob's return on Monday night," Whittaker said in an email. "He has inspired all of us with his courage and determination over the past six months. It will be great to have him back in our newsroom."

Stafford said he remains grateful for the support he and Lisa felt from viewers, who sent him a steady stream of Facebook messages, cards and personal stories.

"It's like running a marathon, and there are all these people along the side cheering you on," Stafford said. "It helps you get through it."

vortiz@chicagotribune.com

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After treatment for serious illness, NBC-5 anchor Rob Stafford returning to air - Chicago Tribune

I didnt want it to affect my job as a BBC correspondent covering religious affairs. But in 2015 I went numb down one side of my body for several weeks. A scan showed multiple lesions, and a specialist confirmed I had relapsing-remitting MS. It felt like a life sentence. My family wasnt surprised wed long known it was a possibility. No tears were shed; my parents are of the stiff-upper-lip generation.

The next drug failed to stop another relapse. I wanted to keep reporting for as long as possible, but last September I finally stepped down frommy job, and my bosses helped me find other options involving less travel and with more predictable hours.

My MS seemed to be moving from relapsing-remitting to secondary progressive, as my body became less able to repair the brain damage caused by each relapse. So, after months of research, I decided to take a risk and have an autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) a chemotherapy treatment that wipes out then regrows your immune system at a private clinic in Mexico.

HSCT has long been used to treat blood cancers, but its use in autoimmune diseases like MS is still undergoing trials. It destroys the malfunctioning cells thought to be responsible for damaging the myelin sheath, while stem cells harvested from your bone marrow are given back to shorten your time without a working immune system.

HSCT holds the most promise for people having regular MS attacks and its now offered to some MS patients at a few NHS hospitals in England under tight criteria. I didnt qualify, but I met several others who had been helped by it.

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'I approached my 50th birthday unable to balance or speak' - Telegraph.co.uk

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From clot-busting drugs to bypass surgery, cardiologists have many options for treating the 700,000-plus Americans who suffer a heart attack each year. But treatment options remain limited for the 5.7 million or so Americans who suffer from heart failure, an often debilitating condition in which damage to the heart (often resulting from a heart attack) compromises its ability to pump blood.

Severe heart damage can pretty much incapacitate people, says Dr. Timothy Henry, director of cardiology at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. You cant climb a flight of stairs, youre fatigued all the time, and youre at risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Medication is available to treat heart failure, but its no panacea. And some heart failure patients undergo heart transplantation, but it remains an iffy proposition even 50 years after the first human heart was transplanted in 1967.

But soon, there may be another option.

A patch for the heart

Researchers are developing a new technology that would restore normal cardiac function by covering scarred areas with patches made of beating heart cells. The tiny patches would be grown in the lab from patients own cells and then surgically implanted.

The patches are now being tested in mice and pigs at Duke University, the University of Wisconsin and Stanford University. Researchers predict they could be tried in humans within five years with widespread clinical use possibly coming within a decade.

The hope is that patients will be again to live more or less normally again without having to undergo heart transplantation which has some serious downsides. Since donor hearts are in short supply, many patients experiencing heart failure die before one becomes available. And to prevent rejection of the new heart by the immune system, patients who do receive a new heart typically must take high doses of immunosuppressive drugs.

Heart transplants also require bypass machines which entails some risk and complications, says Dr. Timothy Kamp, co-director of the University of Wisconsins Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine Center and one of the researchers leading the effort to create heart patches. Putting a patch on doesnt require any form of bypass, because the heart can continue to pump as it is.

To create heart patches, doctors first take blood cells and then use genetic engineering techniques to reprogram them into so-called pluripotent stem cells. These jack-of-all-trade cells, in turn, are used to create the various types of cells that make up heart muscle. These include cardiomonocytes, the cells responsible for muscle contraction; fibroblasts, the cells that give heart tissue its structure; and endothelial cells, the cells that line blood vessels.

These cells are then grown over a tiny scaffold that organizes and aligns them in a way that they become functional heart tissue. Since the patches would be made from the patients own blood cells, there would be no chance of rejection by the patients immune system.

Once the patch tissue matures, MRI scans of the scarred region of the patients heart would be used to create a digital template for the new patch, tailoring it to just the right size and shape. A 3D printer would then be used to fabricate the extracellular matrix, the pattern of proteins that surround heart muscle cells.

The fully formed patch would be stitched into place during open-heart surgery, with blood vessel grafts added to link the patch with the patients vascular system.

In some cases, a single patch would be enough. For patients with multiple areas of scarring, multiple patches could be used.

Inserting patches will be delicate business, in part because scarring can render heart walls thin and susceptible to rupture. Researchers anticipate that heart surgeons will look at each case individually and decide whether it makes more sense to cut out the scarred area and cover the defect with a patch or simply affix the patch over the scarred area and hope that, over time, the scars will go away.

Another challenge will be making sure the patches contract and relax in synchrony with the hearts onto which theyre grafted. We think this will happen because cells of the same type like to seek each other out and connect over time, Kamp says. We anticipate that if the patch couples with the native heart tissue, the electrical signals which pass through the heart muscle like a wave and tell it to contract, will drive the new patch to contract at the same rate.

How much would it cost to patch a damaged heart? Researchers put the price tag at about $100,000. Thats far less than the $500,000 or so it costs give a patient a heart transplant. And regardless of the cost, researchers are upbeat about the possibility of having a new way to treat heart failure.

Using these patches to repair the damaged muscle is likely to be very effective, says Henry. Were not quite there yet itll be a few years before you see the first clinical trials. But this technology may really provide a whole new avenue of hope for people with these conditions who badly need new treatment options.

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'Beating Heart' Patch Offers New Hope for Desperately Ill Patients - NBCNews.com

The St. Louis-based Washington University School of Medicine is a new clinical study site for Asterias Biotherapeuturics SCiStar clinical trial of AST-OPC1 stem cells in patients with severe cervical spinal cord injuries.

Here are seven takeaways:

1. Patients participating in the trial are categorized into:

AIS-A patients: those who have lost all motor and sensory functions below their injury sites.

AIS-B patients: those who have lost all motor function but have minimal sensory function below their injury site.

2. The stem cells are administered 21 to 42 days post injury and patients are followed by neurological exams and imaging procedures to asses the progress and safety of the trial.

3. W. Zachary Ray, MD, a neurological and orthopedic surgery associate professor at Washington School of Medicine, will lead the site's investigation.

4. Asterias Biotherapeuturics receive FDA clearance to progress its clinical study after phase one of the trial showed five patients with neurologically complete thoracic spinal cord injuries improved motor function after being administered 2 million AST-OPC1 cells.

5. The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine granted Asterias Biotherapeuturics $14.3 million in funding for the clinical trial and other product development activities for AST-OPC1.

6. There are now nine centers across the U.S. participating in the clinical trial.

7. Asterias Biotherapeuturics is a biotechnology company focuses on developing regenerative medicine.

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Washington University School of Medicine new spinal cord injury clinical trial site: 7 takeaways - Becker's Orthopedic & Spine

For Immune System Stem Cell Studies, Mice Aren't Enough Science 2.0 Stem cell therapy is all the rage, with suspect companies sprouting up like supplement stores, claiming to be a benefit for this and that. Often all they have are mouse studies and FDA disclaimers on ... The authors found that two varieties of ... and more »

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For Immune System Stem Cell Studies, Mice Aren't Enough - Science 2.0

Soon we will be closing the pool, putting away the patio furniture, and getting jackets out of the closet. As summer comes to an end, our skin is usually in need of some tender loving care and it is a good time to think about repairing your summer skin damage.

Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa, in Peru, Illinois, provides medical-grade professional cosmetic treatments for the skin. We asked them to give their opinion on the top 3 procedures they do to reverse sun damage. Dr. NicoleNorris says Microneedling, Laser Photofacial and Chemical peels are by far the most effective ways to reverse damage from thermal energy safely and effectively.

We all know that UVA and UVB radiation from the sun is stronger in the summer, although it affects our skin all year long. This radiation produces free radicals in our skin and slows our skins ability to repair itself. When damage persists and the skin cannot keep up with the repair backlog, wrinkles, poor texture and skin laxity are formed. Microneedling, also referred to as collagen induction therapy, utilizes a device with multiple small needles which penetrate the skin, stimulating the skin to repair itself. Through these new open channels in the skin, products can also be introduced into the dermis without any barrier. Dr. Norris comments, At our office, we like to put hyaluronic acid, a building block of collagen, into the skin while the microneedling channels are still open. We are also seeing great results with a new product on the market that stimulates brand new skin stem cells. When we are born, a certain number of skin stem cells are activated that we use our whole lives to repair injured skin. These old stem cells get tired out, so activating new ones is really at the forefront of skin rejuvenation . Microneedling is done with topical numbing medicine making it very tolerable. There is some initial redness after the procedure but special make-up can be applied, if necessary, to cover it. Results are gradually seen over time as it takes our bodies about 3 to 6 months to make new collagen. The degree of skin damage determines how many treatments are needed.

When it heats up outside, we are not only exposed to UVA and UVB radiation that directly contributes to older looking skin, but also to heat. Heat stimulates our pigment cells which produce pigment or melanin. These pigment deposits create our tan, but also freckles, and worse yet, age spots. A laser treatment called Photofacial or Intense Pulse Light (IPL) is the most effective way to destroy pigment that has accumulated in the skin. The treatment is quick and feels like a few warm rubber band snaps. There is no downtime. In 7-14 days, you begin to see the pigment slough off. Depending how deep the pigment is deposited, determines how many IPL treatments you will need.

Medical-grade chemical peels are performed to treat unwanted pigment deposits in the skin as well as lines, skin texture and skin laxity. A combination of acids are applied to the skin for a brief period of time in multiple layers. The acids stimulate the skin to repair itself. A medium to deep chemical peel stimulates skin cell turnover which is important in treating aging skin. When we are 20 years old, our skin cell turnover to repair damaged skin is 10 days. Every 10 years, the time it takes to produce new skin goes up by 10 days. This is the physiologic reason that we gradually look older. Chemical peels decrease our time for new skin production resulting in reversal of facial aging states Tamara Smith, RN at Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa. Chemical peels are usually done in a series and are customized to each patient. If done correctly, chemical peels are not painful and you may experience a few days of mild flaking after the procedure.

I think many patients are fearful of these medical-grade skin rejuvenation procedures because of what they see on reality television and what they read on the internet. I encourage anyone interested in improving their appearance, repairing their summer sun damage, or deciding to not age gracefully to try these procedures under the supervision of a qualified physician, advises Dr. Norris. At Nicole Norris MD Medical Spa, they are offering a Flight of Medical Spa Procedures Package. This is a great way to rejuvenate your summer skin while sampling some new procedures. The flight includes 1 Microneedling procedure, 1 IPL Photofacial, and 1 Chemical Peel and is being offered for $300 off through September 30, 2017. Call 815-780-8264 for your appointment today. Mention Medical Spa Flight when you call. Procedures are typically done 3-4 weeks apart.

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Three Medical Spa Procedures to Reverse Your Summer Skin Damage - LaSalle News Tribune

- Meeting medical and beauty standards, the mask focuses on skincare and rejuvenation with advanced technologies

GUANGZHOU, China, Aug. 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- French traditional medicine manufacturer Santinov has developed and launched its CICABEL mask using stem cells as the main material, through its strong technological power and years of research. The mask focuses on daily skincare based on advanced technologies, and meets medical standards, aiming to become a premium beauty product.

Based on 130 years of French brand heritage

In 1887, the great-grandfather of M.D. Jean-Pierre, the owner of the CICABEL brand, founded medical institutions and laboratories for skin wound healing. In 2007, M.D. Jean-Pierre founded a laboratory specializing in the research on facial skin based on more than 130 years of experience in skin rejuvenation and wound healing, and officially created the CICABEL brand. The CICABEL mask is the first mask product under the brand, and is one of the few beauty products on the market that feature bio-medical technologies.

Bold breakthrough, aiming to create revolutionary skin aesthetics

In terms of ingredients, the CICABEL mask selects purified elements that can provide energy for skin stem cells, to protect and activate the cells and promote the proliferation of skin epidermal cells and the anagenesis of skin fibrosis. This improves facial skin's self-healing and rejuvenation speed, achieving the goal of deep skincare.

Future mask innovator goes global

Facial rejuvenation is becoming the main theme of skincare, which provides a huge development space for CICABEL's proprietary technologies and drives the brand to go global. The brand is expected to set off an upsurge in the high-tech medical skincare sector.

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TROY The second annual Buckeye Be The Match will build on its opening year by adding bikes to the event while raising awareness for bloodborne cancers this Saturday.

The Buckeye Be The Match will begin at 8 a.m. Aug. 26, at Treasure Island Park. New this year is a 15-mile and 50-mile bike route in addition to the 5K and 1K Fun Run in the park.

The event added the 15-mile family bike ride north to Piqua and back to Treasure Island as well as a more challenging 50-mile ride throughout the county to expand the use of the nearby bike paths to include cyclists of all levels. Bikers may begin to ride as early as 7:30 a.m. Saturday.

Online registration ends on Thursday, but registration in person will continue through 8 a.m. Saturday at the park. Opening events kick off at 9 a.m. All proceeds benefit the Be The Match organization, which helps build a national registry to find potential donors through a simple cheek swab.

The funding goes to Be The Match, which is dedicated to finding the bone marrow matches or stem cell matches for those with blood born cancers. It is very vital, said city council member Tom Kendall. If you dont want to run or be part of the bike ride, you do have the opportunity to save a life also. They will be taking swabs of those who would like to be put on the registry to be a potential donor for a person in need.

Kendall said Rum River Blend will provide entertainment as well as family-friendly activities through noon. There also will be a ceremony featuring the Be The Hero award, which nominates someone who has helped a survivor during their treatment and will be given out at the event.

Kendalls daughter, Lisa, was diagnosed at 28 with acute myeloid leukemia in 2011. She received a stem cell transplant that saved her life. Shes been a coordinator of the event and advocate for the Be The Match organization since it moved to Troy last year from Columbus.

Kendall said previous the Buckeye Be The Match raised more than $11,000 last year, exceeding its goal of $10,000.

For more information, visit http://www.bethematchfoundation.org.

Event to raise funds and awareness for bone marrow registry

Follow Melanie Yingst on Twitter @Troydailynews

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Buckeye Be The Match set for Saturday - Piqua Daily Call

It sounds like science fiction: with a light zap of electricity, a tiny stamp-like device transforms your skin cells into reservoirs of blood vessels or brain cells, ready to heal you from within.

Recently, a team of medical mavericks at the Ohio State University introduced a device that does just that. The technology, dubbed tissue nanotransfection (TNT), is set to blow up the field of organ regeneration.

When zapped with a light electrical jolt, the device shoots extra bits of DNA code from its nanotube arrays directly into tiny pores in the skin. There, the DNA triggers the cells to shed their identity and reprograms them into other cell types that can be harvested to repair damaged organs.

Remarkably, the effect spreads with time. The rebooted cells release tiny membrane bubbles onto their neighboring skin cells, coaxing them to undergo transformation. Like zombies, but for good.

So far, the device has already been used to generate neurons to protect the brains of mice with experimental stroke. The team also successfully healed the legs of injured mice by turning the skin cells on their hind limbs into a forest of blood vessels.

While still a ways from human use, scientists believe future iterations of the technology could perform a myriad of medical wonders: repairing damaged organs, relieving brain degeneration, or even restoring aged tissue back to a youthful state.

By using our novel nanochip technology, injured or compromised organs can be replaced. We have shown that skin is a fertile land where we can grow the elements of any organ that is declining, says lead author Dr. Chandan Sen, who published the result in Nature Nanotechnology.

In my lab, we have ongoing research trying to understand the mechanism and do even better, adds Dr. L. James Lee, who co-led the study with Sen. So, this is the beginning, more to come.

The Ohio teams research builds on an age-old idea in regenerative medicine: that even aged bodies have the ability to produce and integrate healthy, youthful cellsgiven the right set of cues.

While some controversy remains on whether replacement cells survive in an injured body, scientistsand some rather dubious clinicsare readily exploring the potential of cell-based therapies.

All cells harbor the same set of DNA; whether they turn into heart cells, neurons, or back into stem cells depend on which genes are activated. The gatekeeper of gene expression is a set of specialized proteins. Scientists can stick the DNA code for these proteins into cells, where they hijack its DNA machinery with orders to produce the protein switchesand the cell transforms into another cell type.

The actual process works like this: scientists harvest mature cells from patients, reprogram them into stem cells inside a Petri dish, inject those cells back into the patients and wait for them to develop into the needed cell types.

Its a cumbersome process packed with landmines. Researchers often use viruses to deliver the genetic payload into cells. In some animal studies, this has led to unwanted mutations and cancer. Its also unclear whether the reprogrammed stem cells survive inside the patients. Whether they actually turn into healthy tissue is even more up for debate.

The Ohio teams device tackles many of these problems head on.

Eschewing the need for viruses, the team manufactured a stamp-sized device out of silicon that serves as a reservoir and injector for DNA. Microetched onto each device are arrays of nanochannels that connect to microscopic dents. Scientists can load DNA material into these tiny holding spots, where they sit stably until a ten-millisecond zap shoots them into the recipients tissue.

We based TNT on a bulk transfection, which is often used in the lab to deliver genes into cells, the authors explain. Like its bulk counterpart, the electrical zap opens up tiny, transient pores on the cell membrane, which allows the DNA instructions to get it.

The problem with bulk transfection is that not all genes get into each cell. Some cells may get more than they bargained for and take up more than one copy, which increases the chance of random mutations.

We found that TNT is extremely focused, with each cell receiving ample DNA, the authors say.

The device also skips an intermediary step in cell conversion: rather than turning cells back into stem cells, the team pushed mouse skin cells directly into other mature cell types using different sets of previously-discovered protein factors.

In one early experiment, the team successfully generated neurons from skin cells that seem indistinguishable from their natural counterparts: they shot off electrical pulses and had similar gene expression profiles.

Surprisingly, the team found that even non-zapped cells in the skins deeper layers transformed. Further testing found that the newly reprogrammed neurons released tiny fatty bubbles that contained the molecular instructions for transformation.

When the team harvested these bubbles and injected them into mice subjected to experimental stroke, the bubbles triggered the brain to generate new neurons and repair itself.

We dont know if the bubbles are somehow transforming other brain cell types into neurons, but they do seem to be loaded with molecules that protect the brain, the researchers say.

In an ultimate test of the devices healing potential, the researchers placed it onto the injured hind leg of a handful of mice. Three days prior, their leg arteries had been experimentally severed, whichwhen left untreatedleads to tissue decay.

The team loaded the device with factors that convert skin cells into blood vessel cells. Within a week of conversion, the team watched as new blood vessels sprouted and grew beyond the local treatment area. In the end, TNT-zapped mice had fewer signs of tissue injury and higher leg muscle metabolism compared to non-treated controls.

This is difficult to imagine, but it is achievable, successfully working about 98 percent of the time, says Sen.

A major draw of the device is that its one-touch-and-go.

There are no expensive cell isolation procedures and no finicky lab manipulations. The conversion happens right on the skin, essentially transforming patients bodies into their own prolific bioreactors.

This process only takes less than a second and is non-invasive, and then youre off. The chip does not stay with you, and the reprogramming of the cell starts,says Sen.

Because the converted cells come directly from the patient, theyre in an immune-privileged position, which reduces the chance of rejection.

This means that in the future, if the technology is used to manufacture organs immune suppression is not necessary, says Sen.

While the team plans to test the device in humans as early as next year, Sen acknowledges that theyll likely run into problems.

For one, because the device needs to be in direct contact with tissue, the skin is the only easily-accessible body part to do these conversions. Repairing deeper tissue would require surgery to insert the device into wounded areas. And to many, growing other organ cell types is a pretty creepy thought, especially because the transformation isnt completely localnon-targeted cells are also reprogrammed.

That could be because the body is trying to heal itself, the authors hypothesize. Using the chip on healthy legs didnt sprout new blood vessels, suggesting that the widespread conversion is because of injury, though (for now) there isnt much evidence supporting the idea.

For another, scientists are still working out the specialized factors required to directly convert between cell types. So far, theyve only had limited success.

But Sen and his team are optimistic.

When these things come out for the first time, its basically crossing the chasm from impossible to possible, he says. We have established feasibility.

Image Credit: Researchers demonstrate tissue nanotransfection,courtesy of The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

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This Chip Uses Electricity to Reprogram Cells for Healing - Singularity Hub

In 2013, University of Virginia researcher Michael McConnell published research that would forever change how scientists study brain cells.

McConnell and a team of nationwide collaborators discovered a genetic mosaic in the brains neurons, proving that brain cells are not exact replicas of each other, and that each individual neuron contains a slightly different genetic makeup.

McConnell, an assistant professor in the School of Medicines Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, has been using this new information to investigate how variations in individual neurons impact neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and epilepsy. With a recent $50,000 grant from the Bow Foundation, McConnell will expand his research to explore the cause of a rare genetic disorder known as GNAO1 so named for the faulty protein-coding gene that is its likely source.

GNAO1 causes seizures, movement disorders and developmental delays. Currently, only 50 people worldwide are known to have the disease. The Bow Foundation seeks to increase awareness so that other probable victims of the disorder can be properly diagnosed and to raise funds for further research and treatment.

UVA Today recently sat down with McConnell to find out more about how GNAO1 fits into his broader research and what his continued work means for all neuropsychiatric disorders.

Q. Can you explain the general goals of your lab?

A. My lab has two general directions. One is brain somatic mosaicism, which is a finding that different neurons in the brain have different genomes from one another. We usually think every cell in a single persons body has the same blueprint for how they develop and what they become. It turns out that blueprint changes a little bit in the neurons from neuron to neuron. So you have slightly different versions of the same blueprint and we want to know what that means.

The second area of our work focuses on a new technology called induced pluripotent stem cells, or iPSCs. The technology permits us to make stem cell from skin cells. We can do this with patients, and use the stem cells to make specific cell types with same genetic mutations that are in the patients. That lets us create and study the persons brain cells in a dish. So now, if that person has a neurological disease, we can in a dish study that persons disease and identify drugs that alter the disease. Its a very personalized medicine approach to that disease.

Q. Does cell-level genomic variety exist in other areas of the body outside the central nervous system?

A. Every cell in your body has mutations of one kind or another, but brain cells are there for your whole life, so the differences have a bigger impact there. A skin cell is gone in a month. An intestinal cell is gone in a week. Any changes in those cells will rarely have an opportunity to cause a problem unless they cause a tumor.

Q. How does your research intersect with the goals of the Bow Foundation?

A. Let me back up to a little bit of history on that. When I got to UVA four years ago, I started talking quite a lot with Howard Goodkin and Mark Beenhakker. Mark is an assistant professor in pharmacology. Howard is a pediatric neurologist and works with children with epilepsy. I had this interest in epilepsy and UVA has a historic and current strength in epilepsy research.

We started talking about how to use iPSCs the technology that we use to study mosaicism to help Howards patients. As we talked about it and I learned more about epilepsy, we quickly realized that there are a substantial number of patients with epilepsy or seizure disorders where we cant do a genetic test to figure out what drug to use on those patients.

Clinical guidance, like Howards expertise, allows him to make a pretty good diagnosis and know what drugs to try first and second and third. But around 30 percent of children that come in with epilepsy never find the drug that works, and theyre in for a lifetime of trial-and-error. We realized that we could use iPSC-derived neurons to test drugs in the dish instead of going through all of the trial-and-error with patients. Thats the bigger project that weve been moving toward.

The Bow Foundation was formed by patient advocates after this rare genetic mutation in GNAO1 was identified. GNAO1 is a subunit of a G protein-coupled receptor; some mutations in this receptor can lead to epilepsy while others lead to movement disorders.

Were still trying to learn about these patients, and the biggest thing the Bow Foundation is doing is trying to address that by creating a patient registry. At the same time, the foundation has provided funds for us to start making and testing iPSCs and launch this approach to personalized medicine for epilepsy.

In the GNAO1 patients, we expect to be able to study their neurons in a dish and understand why they behave differently, why the electrical activity in their brain is different or why they develop differently.

Q. What other more widespread disorders, in addition to schizophrenia and epilepsy, are likely to benefit from your research?

A. Im part of a broader project called the Brain Somatic Mosaicism Network that is conducting research on diseases that span the neuropsychiatric field. Our lab covers schizophrenia, but other nodes within that network are researching autism, bipolar disorder, Tourette syndrome and other psychiatric diseases where the genetic cause is difficult to identify. Thats the underlying theme.

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Researcher Seeks to Unravel the Brain's Genetic Tapestry to Tackle Rare Disorder - University of Virginia

Deadly gene mutations removed from human embryos in landmark study, reports The Guardian. Researchers have used a gene-editing technique to repair faults in DNA that can cause an often-fatal heart condition called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

This inherited heart condition is caused by a genetic change (mutation) in one or more genes. Babies born with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have diseased and stiff heart muscles, which can lead to sudden unexpected death in childhood and in young athletes.

In this latest study researchers used a technique called CRISPR-cas9 to target and then remove faulty genes. CRISPR-cas9 acts like a pair of molecular scissors, allowing scientists to cut out certain sections of DNA. The technique has attracted a great deal of excitement in the scientific community since it was released in 2014. But as yet, there have been no practical applications for human health.

The research is at an early stage and cannot legally be used as treatment to help families affected by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. And none of the modified embryos were implanted in the womb.

While the technique showed a high degree of accuracy, its unclear whether it is safe enough to be developed as a treatment. The sperm used in the study came from just one man with faulty genes, so the study needs to be repeated using cells from other people, to be sure that the findings can be replicated.

Scientists say it is now important for society to start a discussion about the ethical and legal implications of the technology. It is currently against the law to implant genetically altered human embryos to create a pregnancy, although such embryos can be developed for research.

The study was carried out by researchers from Oregon Health and Science University and the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the US, the Institute for Basic Science and Seoul University in Korea, and BGI-Shenzen and BGI-Quingdao in China. It was funded by Oregon Health and Science University, the Institute for Basic Science, the G. Harold and Leila Y. Mathers Charitable Foundation, the Moxie Foundation and the Leona M. and HarryB. Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Shenzhen Municipal Government of China. The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Nature.

The Guardian carried a clear and accurate report of the study. While their reports were mostly accurate, ITV News, Sky News and The Independent over-stated the current stage of research, with Sky News and ITV News saying it could eradicate thousands of inherited conditions and the Independent claiming it opens the possibility for inherited diseases to be wiped out entirely. While this may be possible, we dont know whether other inherited diseases might be as easily targeted as this gene mutation.

Finally, the Daily Mail rolls out the arguably tired clich of the technique leading to designer babies, which seems irrelevant at this point. The CRISPR-cas9 technique is only in its infancy and (ethics aside) its simply not possible to use genetic editing to select desirable characteristics - most of which are not the result of one single, identifiable gene. No reputable scientist would attempt such a procedure.

This was a series of experiments carried out in laboratories, to test the effects of the CRISPR-Cas9 technique on human cells and embryos. This type of scientific research helps us understand more about genes and how they can be changed by technology. It doesnt tell us what the effects would be if this was used as a treatment.

Researchers carried out a series of experiments on human cells, using the CRISPR-cas9 technique first on modified skin cells, then on very early embryos, and then on eggs at the point of fertilisation by sperm. They used genetic sequencing and analysis to assess the effects of these different experiments on cells and how they developed, up to five days. They looked specifically to see what proportion of cells carrying faulty mutations could be repaired, whether the process caused other unwanted mutations, and whether the process repaired all cells in an embryo, or just some of them.

They used skin cells (which were modified into stem cells) and sperm from one man, who carried the MYBPC3 mutation in his genome, and donor eggs from women without the genetic mutation. This is the mutation known to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Normally in such cases, roughly half the embryos would have the mutation and half would not, as theres a 50-50 chance of the embryo inheriting the male or female version of the gene.

The CRISPR-cas9 technique can be used to select and delete specific genes from a strand of DNA. When this happens, usually the cut ends of the strand join together, but this causes problems so cant be used in the treatment of humans. The scientists created a genetic template of the healthy version of the gene, which they introduced at the same time as using CRISPR-cas9 to cut the mutated gene. They hoped the DNA would repair itself with a healthy version of the gene.

One important problem with changing genetic material is the development of mosaic embryos, where some of the cells have corrected genetic material and others have the original faulty gene. If that happened, doctors would not be able to tell whether or not an embryo was healthy.

The scientists needed to test all the cells in the embryos produced in the experiment, to see whether all cells had the corrected gene or whether the technique had resulted in a mixture. They also did whole genome sequencing on some embryos, to test for unrelated genetic changes that might have been introduced accidentally during the process.

All embryos in the study were destroyed, in line with legislation about genetic research on embryos.

Researchers found that the technique worked on some of the stem cells and embryos, but worked best when used at the point of fertilisation of the egg. There were important differences between the way the repair worked on the stem cells and the egg.

Only 28% of the stem cells were affected by the CRISPR-cas9 technique. Of these, most repaired themselves by joining the ends together, and only 41% were repaired by using a corrected version of the gene.

67% of the embryos exposed to CRISPR-cas9 had only the correct version of the gene higher than the 50% that would have been expected had the technique not been used. 33% of embryos had the mutated version of the gene, either in some or all their cells.

Importantly, the embryos didnt seem to use the template injected into the zygote to carry out the repair, in the way the stem cells did. They used the female version of the healthy gene to carry out the repair, instead.

Of the embryos created using CRISPR-cas9 at the point of fertilisation, 72% had the correct version of the gene in all their cells, and 28% had the mutated version of the gene in all their cells. No embryos were mosaic a mixture of cells with different genomes.

The researchers found no evidence of mutations induced by the technique, when they examined the cells using a variety of techniques. However, they did find some evidence of gene deletions caused by DNA strands splicing (joining) themselves together without repairing the faulty gene.

The researchers say they have demonstrated how human embryos employ a different DNA damage repair system to adult stem cells, which can be used to repair breaks in DNA made using the CRISPR-cas9 gene-editing technique.

They say that targeted gene correction could potentially rescue a substantial portion of mutant human embryos, and increase the numbers available for transfer for couples using pre-implantation diagnosis during IVF treatment.

However, they caution that despite remarkable targeting efficiency, CRISPR-cas9-treated embryos would not currently be suitable for transfer. Genome editing approaches must be further optimised before clinical application can be considered, they say.

Currently, genetically-inherited conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy cannot be cured, only managed to reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death. For couples where one partner carries the mutated gene, the only option to avoid passing it on to their children is pre-implantation genetic diagnosis. This involves using IVF to create embryos, then testing a cell of the embryo to see whether it carries the healthy or mutated version of the gene. Embryos with healthy versions of the gene are then selected for implantation in the womb.

Problems arise if too few or none of the embryos have the correct version of the gene. The researchers suggest their technique could be used to increase the numbers of suitable embryos. However, the research is still at an early stage and has not yet been shown to be safe or effective enough to be considered as a treatment.

The other major factor is ethics and the law. Some people worry that gene editing could lead to designer babies, where couples use the tool to select attributes like hair colour, or even intelligence. At present, gene editing could not do this. Most of our characteristics, especially something as complex as intelligence, are not the result of one single, identifiable gene, so could not be selected in this way. And its likely that, even if gene editing treatments became legally available, they would be restricted to medical conditions.

Designer babies aside, society needs to consider what is acceptable in terms of editing human genetic material in embryos. Some people think that this type of technique is "playing God" or is ethically unacceptable because it involves discarding embryos that carry faulty genes. Others think that its rational to use the scientific techniques we have developed to eliminate causes of suffering, such as inherited diseases.

This research shows that the questions of how we want to legislate for this type of technique are becoming pressing. While the technology is not there yet, it is advancing fast. This research shows just how close we are getting to making genetic editing of human embryos a reality.

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Gene editing used to repair diseased genes in embryos - NHS Choices

Vitamin C may prompt faulty stem cells in bone marrow to die off, rather than multiplying to spur blood cancers.

A new study has found that vitamin C may communicate to faulty stem cells within bone marrow that they should mature and perish in a normal manner rather than multiplying to spur blood cancers. This is the insight gleaned from a study spearheaded by NYU Langone Health Perlmutter Cancer Center researchers. Study details were recently published in Cell.

About the Findings

The authors of the study state specific genetic alterations are known to decrease the ability of an enzyme referred to as tet methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2) to promote stem cell maturation and death in patients who have specific types of leukemia. They determined vitamin C activates TET2 functionality in mice designed to lack the enzyme. It is possible that vitamin C will prove to be a safe and effective treatment for diseases spurred by leukemia stem cells deficient in TET2. It is likely that vitamin C will be used in combination with other targeted therapies.

Study Details

The researchers used genetically altered mice in which TET2 was turned off. These mice endured abnormal stem cell activity. Such changes were reversed when a genetic trick restored TET2 expression. Providing high doses of vitamin C functioned similarly to restoring TET2 functionality on a genetic level. Vitamin C's promotion of DNA demethylation caused stem cells to mature and limited the advancement of leukemia cancer stem cells from humans that were implanted in mice. Vitamin C treatment affected leukemic stem cells similar to damaged DNA. Vitamin C was used in combination with a PARP inhibitor to produce an enhanced effect on such stem cells, sending them from self-renewal to maturity and subsequent death.

TET2 and Cancer

Alterations in the genetic code that decrease TET2 functionality are found in 10% of those who have acute myeloid leukemia (AML). About one-third of patients with a form of preleukemia known as myelodysplastic syndrome and upwards of half of those with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia have such genetic code mutations. These cancers spur anemia, bleeding and infection risk as abnormal stem cells multiply within bone marrow until they block the production of blood cells. Recent tests show about 2.5% of cancer patients living in the United States might develop TET2 alterations. This includes some patients with solid tumors and lymphomas.

About Cell Death Switch

The results of the study center on the relationship between cytosine and TET2. Cytosine is one of the several letters of nucleic acidthat make up genes' DNA code. Each cell type has thesame genes yet each receives unique instructions to turn on only those required in a specific cellular context. Examples of such epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation. This is an attachment of a diminutive molecule to cytosine bases to put a halt to the action of a gene containing them. Gene expression within stem cells is fine-tuned when methyl groups are attached and removed. Stem cellexpressions can then mature and multiplyto form muscle, nerve, bone and other types of cells. The bone marrow holds stem cell pools as adulthood is reached until they can become replacement cells. Inpatients with leukemia, signals that typically tell blood stem cells to mature end up malfunctioning. This allows for endless multiplication and a self-renewing rather than the generation of regular white blood cells required to combat infection.

TET2 empowers an alteration in the molecular structure of methyl groups required for their removal from cytosines. Such demethylation activates genes that direct stem cells to mature and commence a countdown to self-destruction as a component of regular turnover. This functions as a means of combating cancer yet it is disrupted in blood cancer patients who have TET2 mutations.

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Vitamin C May Help Slay Blood Cancer Stem Cells - Anti Aging News