StemCell Therapy

Poway, CA (PRWEB) February 06, 2014

Stem Cell Therapy for Feline Kidney Disease is a special interest piece produced by Nicky Sims, the owner of Kitters, who recently had Vet-Stem Regenerative Cell Therapy for his Feline Kidney Disease. Nicky highlights Kitters journey through diagnosis of the disease and his recent stem cell therapy, as well as educating about stem cells and their benefits.

Nickys film explains that Kitters began showing signs of kidney failure at the age of 15, exhibiting classic symptoms. Lack of appetite, excessive thirst, nausea and lethargy. In 2012, Kitters was officially diagnosed with Chronic Renal Failure. Kidney disease. He was prescribed a low protein diet and subcutaneous fluids for rehydration. This has been the standard treatment for decades although it's only been shown to slow the progression of the disease. Not reverse it.

Dr. Richter at Montclair Veterinary Hospital thinks that there is something else that can help. In recent years, his hospital has begun using stem cells to treat animals for various orthopedic conditions such as pain from arthritis and dysplasia. In October 2013, Kitters would be the first cat he'd treated with stem cell therapy for Feline Kidney Disease.

Dr. Richter explains why this could work for Kitters, Stem cells are cells within your body that are able to turn into any other cell in the body. Kitters has kidney issues. What weve done is harvested some fat from his abdomen and sent that fat to Vet-Stem in San Diego. What they do is isolate the stem cells from the fatty tissue. They concentrate them and send them back to us. In the case of an animal with kidney disease, we just give the stem cells intravenously. What that's going to do is begin the healing and rebuilding process.

Nickys film explores the importance of kidneys stating they play a vital role, ridding the body of toxins. As kidney disease progresses scar tissue develops making it harder to filter toxins. Damage to the kidneys makes the animal vulnerable to a number of other health conditions. Unfortunately the disease usually goes undiagnosed given that the symptoms of the disease often don't show until 2/3 of the kidneys are damaged.

Kitters own stem cells were used with the hope of repairing his damaged tissue Dr. Richter goes on, The nice thing about stem cells is that there is no issue of tissue rejection, since it's Kitters own stem cells. Additionally, if there is anything else going on in his body beyond the kidneys its going to address that as well. So, it's a really wonderful systemic treatment.

To find out more or view the special interest piece by Nicky Sims, Stem Cell Therapy for Feline Kidney Disease, visit this link.

About Vet-Stem, Inc.

Vet-Stem, Inc. was formed in 2002 to bring regenerative medicine to the veterinary profession. The privately held company is working to develop therapies in veterinary medicine that apply regenerative technologies while utilizing the natural healing properties inherent in all animals. As the first company in the United States to provide an adipose-derived stem cell service to veterinarians for their patients, Vet-Stem, Inc. pioneered the use of regenerative stem cells in veterinary medicine. The company holds exclusive licenses to over 50 patents including world-wide veterinary rights for use of adipose derived stem cells. In the last decade over 10,000 animals have been treated using Vet-Stem, Inc.s services. Vet-Stem is actively investigating stem cell therapy for immune-mediated and inflammatory disease, as well as organ disease and failure. For more on Vet-Stem, Inc. and Veterinary Regenerative Medicine visit http://www.vet-stem.com or call 858-748-2004.

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Stem Cell Therapy for Feline Kidney Disease, a Video ...

Each kidney in the human body consists of about 1 million nephrons that are basically filtering units. Every nephron features a glomerulus which consist of a cluster of tiny blood vessels. Inside a kidney, toxins in blood may be removed through the glomerulusstructure. High blood sugar often make the blood vessels thicken and become damaged triggering the Kidney Failure process.

Kidney Failure tends to disproportionately affect patients with other underlying medical conditions such as Polycystic Kidney Disease,pancreatitis, orDiabetes Mellitus. Doctors believe that sustained uncontrolled high blood sugar (and also high blood pressure) is the main cause of kidney failure for most people. Not all Diabetic patients have to suffer from eventual failure requiring a transplant or require emergency reversal of kidney disease with stem cells. TheKidneys have the function of eliminating excess fluids from the blood through our urine. When kidneys start to fail, this function gets disrupted. More fluids start collecting in the body. Then, swelling begins. Patients often report have swollen eyes as well as swollen legs after some time the entire body might swells up.

When excess fluids and waste cant be removed from the body naturally, patients begin to lose appetite. They might even begin vomiting frequently as the bodies struggles with the excess stored waste. As kidney begin to lose functions other symptoms take hold, such as retaining helpful proteins in the blood supply called proteinuria. Proteinuria canbe easily discovered with a simple urine test. Kidney disease patients who also have Diabetes can find that their urine turns out to be a little foamy in appearance.

Clinical studies have shown that red blood cells have the function of carrying oxygen from the lungs to provide all of the bodys requirements and to provide you the energy youll need for your day-to-day activities. Nevertheless, a failing kidney cannot secrete sufficient erythropoietinand lower levels of erythropoietindo not stimulate the bone marrow to be able to produce more red cells which results in anemia. When a patient has anemia, they might notice the skin or gums in the mouth are pale in color.(18564903)

Stem cells are the humans bodies repair mechanism. Stem cells can differentiate into any functional tissue cells. Kidney cells necrosis and/or decreased kidney functions can be seen in abnormal creatinine levels. OurApproved Stem cell Transplantsfor Renal Failure helpto replenish the required kidney cells and thus promote a more normal healthy kidney function. There are two types of stem cells treatments that may be utilized in ourRegenerative protocols for Renalfailure usingstem cells. One part of treatment is focuses on promoting proper kidney function, and the other would be to replenish red blood cell amounts to help reverse the decline in HGB level. The autologous mesenchymal cells are transfused back into your body through a simple blood transfusion that allows the circulating stem cells could to reach the kidneys via normal blood circulation. This breakthrough treatment for renal failure can be done with and without dialysis and demands no surgical operation that requires extended hospital stays only at the Regeneration Center of Thailand. The mesenchymal stem cell treatment for kidney disease is done in multiple stages but each daily session takes about two hours each time.(20620502)

For those suffering from moderate to late/terminal stage kidney failure, allogeneic cell therapy could help them by eliminating the need for dialysis or decreasing the frequency of dialysis. For patients with early stage of renal failure or kidney disease, the stem cell therapy prevents further damage on the kidneys functions, thus promoting regular kidney function. This treatment gives the patient an assurance that he/she will continue living his/her normal life without worrying about worsening of his/her kidneys.(18688653)

Please Note Late Stage Renal Failure Presents Many Complications. Travel to Thailand may not be ideal and may result in Disqualification for Treatment. All Treatments Must Be Approved in Advance Upon Submission of Current/Actual Medical Records From Patients Home Country.

Number of MSCsInjections for Treatment of NephronFailure: 2-8 Infusionsof Allogeneic Hematopoietic Mesenchymal Kidney Stem cells (Per Treatment stage requirement) Types of Stem Cells and Delivery Method:Lab Enriched Mesenchymal Stem cells that are derived from HLA Matched Allogeneic stem cells, Cord blood stem cells,Placenta derived cells or for less severe conditions using Autologous cells that are derived from Peripheral Blood or Adipose Tissue depending on the severity of the underlying disease as needed. Our treatment does not require dangerous surgeries and the delivery of the cells will are usually made via a Guided CT Scanner (when necessary) or more commonly through anIntravenous Drip,Direct injection or Intrathecal Injections.(22553996)

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Nephron Cells To Reverse Kidney Disease & Renal Failure

Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) scientists have identified a new therapeutic approach for treating polycystic kidney disease (PKD), one of the most common life threatening, inherited diseases in humans, affecting more than 1 in 500 individuals. Patients with the disease experience an abnormal proliferation of kidney cells that ultimately results in cysts and a decline in organ function leading to kidney failure.

PKD comes in two forms. Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) develops in adulthood and is quite common, while autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD) is rare but frequently fatal. ADPKD is caused by mutations in either of two proteins, polycystin-1 and polycystin-2, while ARPKD is caused by mutations in a protein called fibrocystin. There is no cure or widely adopted clinical therapy for either form of the disease.

The mechanisms that cause cysts to form have long been poorly understood because doctors cant routinely remove scientifically useful amounts of diseased cells from patients. Instead, a team of scientists from the HSCI Kidney Disease Program at Brigham and Women's Hospital were able to reprogram the skin cells from five PKD patientsthree with ADPKD and two with ARPKDinto induced pluripotent stem cells, which can give rise to many different cell types, and then differentiate them into other cell types.

Led by HSCI Executive Committee member Joseph Bonventre, MD, PhD, and his colleagues Benjamin Freedman, PhD, and HSCI Affiliated Faculty member Albert Lam, MD, the research team examined the patient-derived cells under the microscope, and discovered that the polycystin-2 protein traveled normally to the cilia in cells from ARPKD patients, but did not in ADPKD patients.

Since cells from these ADPKD patients had different mutations in the gene that encodes polycystin-1, as confirmed by collaborators at the Mayo Clinic, the investigators explored the relationship between polycystin-1 and polycystin-2 and found that the mutated polycystin-1 was not able to shepherd the polycystin-2 protein to the cilium to an extent seen in normal cells carrying normal polycystin-1.

"When we added back a healthy form of polycystin-1 to cells, it traveled to the cilium and brought its partner polycystin-2 with it, suggesting a possible therapeutic approach for PKD," explained Freedman in a press release. "This was the first time induced pluripotent stem cells have been used to study human kidney disease where a defect related to disease mechanisms has been found."

The scientists next plan to use a clinical trial in a dish approach to identify therapeutics that potentially may never have been considered before for kidney disease. The procedure works by screening a library of small molecules using the patient-derived stem cells to see which of the compounds can facilitate polycystin-2 movement to the cilium, a possible approach to the prevention of cyst growth in people with ADPKD.

Since you have the abnormalities in the cells, you could potentially try different therapeutic agents that could correct that abnormality, providing a rationale for trying those therapeutic agents first in experimental animals and then potentially in people, Bonventre said.

The research was funded by the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, the National Institutes of Health, and the March of Dimes. The iPS cells were created with the help of Laurence Daheron, PhD, and her team at the HSCI iPS Core Facility.

Research Cited: Reduced ciliary polycystin-2 in induced pluripotent stem cells from polycystic kidney disease patients with PKD1 mutations. Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. September 5, 2013

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Patient Stem Cells Offer Insight into Origins of ...

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute is developing new therapies to repair kidney damage, reducing the need for dialysis and transplantation.

Diabetes is a corrosive illness. The imbalance of blood sugar causes small changes in the body that slowly lead to blurry vision, skin rashes, and damaged nerves. In serious cases, diabetes wears away the path of blood to the kidneys, causing eventual organ failure. In fact, half of all kidney failures in the United States are caused by diabetes. For the majority of patients who end up on the waiting list for a kidney transplant, a diagnosis of kidney failure means a choice between dialysis and certain death.

Dialysis costs both time and money. Most patients must drive to a dialysis center three times per week to be hooked up to a machine for four hours per session. The annual costs for this treatment are about $80,000 per patient and rising. The total amount of private and public funds spent on the procedure will soon reach $50 billion per year. A single kidney transplant is equivalent in cost to about two-and-a-half years of dialysis, but it usually takes three years to find an available donor match.

The Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) Kidney Group has short, medium, and long-term strategies to develop new therapies for diabetes-related kidney damage (diabetic nephropathy). This multi-pronged approach aims to capitalize on promising translational achievements in the near future, while pursing potential drugs and the ultimate goal of creating an entirely artificial kidney using stem cells.

Mesenchymal stem cells are the bodys natural defense against kidney damage. Found in the bone marrow, these stem cells protect the kidneys from injury and accelerate healing. Harvard Stem Cell Institute scientists have identified protein candidates secreted from mesenchymal stem cells that may be administered independently to aid in kidney repair. In another approach, mesenchymal stem cells are being incorporated into miniature dialysis machines that expose the patients blood to these cells, allowing pro-repair proteins to be delivered directly to the kidneys.

Having identified the kidney cell types that are most susceptible to injury during diabetes, the HSCI Kidney Group now plans to target them with new drugs. In order to screen for potential drug targets, researchers must first identify genes that change in diabetic kidney cells, and then identify compounds that slow or stop the destructive gene expression. A drug for disease-related kidney damage has the potential to eliminate the need for dialysis.

The project with the greatest potential impact on diabetes patients is HSCIs large, multi-disciplinary effort to create an artificial kidney using stem cells and nanotechnology.

The functional unit of the kidney is a nephron a long tube that filters blood at one end and then turns that filtrate into urine. HSCI scientists plan to isolate kidney stem cells, mix them with soluble gels, and mold them into the architecture of a nephron. Scientists have already successfully created an artificial rat kidney that produces urine once transplanted into the animal, making artificial organ transplantation a highly possible reality for humans.

HSCI Kidney Program Leader Benjamin Humphreys, MD, PhD, at Brigham and Women's Hospital answers patient frequently asked questions about kidney disease and stem cells.

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Kidney Disease | Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI)

About the kidney

The kidneys are towards the back of the body, roughly 10 cm above the hipbones and just below the ribcage. They are the bodys filtering units, maintaining a safe balance of fluid, minerals, salts and other substances in the blood. They produce urine to remove waste and harmful substances from the body. They also produce several hormones: erythropoietin (EPO), which acts on the bone marrow to increase the production of red blood cells; calcitriol (active Vitamin D3), which promotes absorption and use of calcium and phosphate for healthy bones and teeth; and the enzyme renin, which is involved in monitoring and controlling blood pressure.

The key working component of the kidney is the nephron.

The nephron - the functional unit of the kidney: The best evidence so far for stem cells in the adult kidney suggests they might be found in the blue area, called the urinary pole. Some studies have also suggested stem cells may be found in the parts of the nephron marked in green.

The nephron is made up of:

Kidney diseases usually involve damage to the nephrons and can be acute or chronic. In acute kidney disease there is a sudden drop in kidney function. It is usually caused by loss of large amounts of blood or an accident and is often short lived, though it can occasionally lead to lasting kidney damage. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is defined as loss of a third or more of kidney function for at least three months. In CKD kidney function worsens over a number of years and the problem often goes undetected for many years because its effects are relatively mild. Some of the symptoms associated with CKD are: headache, fatigue, high blood pressure, itching, fluid retention, shortness of breath.

However, kidney disease can lead to kidney failure (less than 10% kidney function). Once this happens, patients need dialysis or a kidney transplant to stay alive. The risk of developing CKD is increased by old age, diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity and smoking. At least 8% of the European population (40 million individuals) currently has a degree of CKD, putting them at risk of developing kidney failure. This figure is increasing every year and there are not enough organ donors to provide transplants for so many patients. This makes the development of new therapeutic options for treating CKD increasingly important.

Scientists are still debating whether kidney stem cells exist in the adult body and if so, where they are found and how they can be identified. Cells found in a number of places within the nephrons have been proposed as candidates for kidney stem cells. The most convincing evidence for the existence of such stem cells is the discovery of a group of cells at the urinary pole of the Bowmans capsule of the nephron (marked in blue in the diagram above). These cells have some of the key features of stem cells and researchers have shown them to be responsible for production of podocytes specialised cells involved in the filtration work of the nephron and that need to be replaced continuously throughout our lifetime. Studies also suggest that these same proposed stem cells might be able to generate a second type of specialised cell found in the nephron lining, called proximal tubular epithelial cells. Other suggested locations for kidney stem cells include certain places in the tubules (marked green in the diagram). As well as kidney stem cells, cells with some of the characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells have very recently been isolated from the kidney.

A number of different types of cells from the bone marrow have been tested in animals and in clinical studies for potential use in kidney disease. Amongst all the cells under investigation, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have shown the most promising results to date. Studies suggest that MSCs may be able to enhance the intrinsic ability of the kidney to repair itself.

MSCs of the bone marrow can differentiate to produce specialised bone, fat and cartilage cells. Researchers investigating the therapeutic effects of these MSCs within the kidney have suggested these cells may release proteins that can help kidney cells to grow, inhibit cell death and that could encourage the kidneys own stem cells to repair kidney damage. Further research is needed to establish whether these ideas are correct and if so, how this could lead to a treatment for patients.

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Kidney disease: how could stem cells help? | Europe's stem ...

March is National Kidney Month. This month medical professionals and healthcare organizations are taking the time out to raise awareness of kidney disease in order to help prevent kidney disease and to assist in the early detection of the disease.

Did you know that diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure? Here we take a look at how diabetes can lead to kidney failure and how stem cell therapy can be used to treat type 2 diabetes and kidney failure.

Diabetes And Kidney Failure

The process our bodies use to digest protein results in waste products, which are filtered out by our kidneys and taken from our body in the form of urine. The filters in the blood vessels of our kidneys are too small to take out useful substances like protein and red blood cells and are designed only to filter out waste products.

When a person has type one or type two diabetes, this waste system can be impaired. High blood glucose levels can put a strain on the kidneys filtering system and, after years of stress, the kidneys can start to leak, allowing larger cells, such as protein, to be lost in urine. The process of losing small amounts of protein in the urine is known as microalbuminuria and occurs without any symptoms.

Over time, the kidneys start to lose functionality and waste products can build up in the blood. Eventually, if left untreated, this will lead to kidney failure. This is why diabetics need regular check-ups to check their urine doesnt contain protein and their blood is being filtered properly.

Preventing Diabetes Induced Kidney Disease

People with diabetes wont definitely get kidney disease; there are things you can control to help reduce your risks of developing kidney failure. These include regular check-ups, keeping blood glucose levels within target range, taking medication correctly, reducing cholesterol and blood pressure, becoming more physically active and limiting alcohol intake.

Stem Cell Therapy For Type 2 Diabetes

Stem cells work by reacting to chemicals that are released by cells and tissues in distress. When the distress signal is sent out by a tissue, the body creates more stem cells, which track the signal and go to that site, replicating the cells of the area and replacing damaged cells. In chronic disease and injury, the body is unable to produce enough stem cells to repair all of the damage. This is the case with diabetes, a progressive condition that, if uncontrolled, can have serious health effects.

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All About.. Diabetes, Kidney Disease and Stem Cell ...

By Dr. Becker

Sadly, studies show that about half of all pet cats over the age of 10 suffer from chronic kidney disease. Once the condition is full-blown, it is irreversible and can be difficult to manage. Treatment is strictly supportive and typically involves trying to slow the progression of the disease through dietary changes, fluid injections, and other therapies.

In recent years, researchers at Colorado State University have been investigating a novel therapy for its potential to help cats with kidney failure.

Veterinarians at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Colorado State University have been studying stem-cell therapy as a potential treatment option for kitties with chronic kidney disease, and have recently embarked on their fifth clinical trial.

After a pilot study conducted last year, the team concluded that stem-cell therapy did show promise as a treatment option. And according to the researchers, additional studies have shown that stem-cell therapy can reduce inflammation, support regeneration of damaged cells, slow the loss of protein through urine, and improve kidney function.

According to Dr. Jessica Quimby, a veterinarian who is leading the research project:

"In our pilot study last year, in which stem cells were injected intravenously, we found stem-cell therapy to be safe, and we saw evidence of improvement among some of the cats enrolled in the trial. In this [fifth] study, we will further explore stem-cell therapy with the new approach of injecting the cells close to the damaged organs. We hope this proximity could yield even better results."

Currently CSU researchers are conducting their fifth clinical trial to further evaluate whether stem cells are able to repair damaged kidneys. They are seeking cats with the disease to participate in the study. They are looking specifically for cats local to the CSU area, and kitties with concurrent diseases arent eligible.

This fifth trial involves injecting stem cells grown from the fat tissue of young, healthy cats (who are not harmed, according to CSU researchers) into the study cats in the area around the kidney called the retroperitoneal space. The kitties receiving the stem cells are given a mild, fast-acting sedative that is reversed after the procedure.

Diagnostic tests including a complete blood count, blood biochemistry, urinalysis, and urine protein-creatinine ratio will be performed immediately before the injection, two weeks post-injection, and again a month after injection. A test called a glomerular filtration rate will also be performed on each kitty at the beginning and end of the study to evaluate kidney function. This test also requires use of a mild sedative.

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Can Stem-Cell Therapy Treat Chronic Kidney Disease in Cats?

I. Introduction

Total United States expenditure on end-stage renal disease (ESRD1) therapy topped $25 billion in 2002, an increase of 11.5% on the previous year (U.S. Renal Data System, 2004), representative of a trend extending back to the early 1970s and projected to continue into the foreseeable future (Lysaght, 2002). This reflects not only a steady increase in patient numbers (431,284 on December 31, 2002, up 4.6% from 2001) (U.S. Renal Data System, 2004) but also rising costs of treatment and extended therapy periods as survival rates improve. Morbidity and mortality rates associated with maintenance dialysis, however, remain high, with a dialysis patient in their early 20s having the same expected remaining lifespan as a 70-year-old in the general population (U.S. Renal Data System, 2004). Outcomes are considerably improved following transplantationa transplant patient in their early 20s can expect to survive as many years as a member of the general population in their early 40sbut organ supply lags far behind demand, with only around one-quarter of the extant ESRD population having benefited from a transplant (U.S. Renal Data System, 2004).

The statistics for patients suffering from acute renal failure (ARF) are even worse. Affecting up to 200,000 people in the United States annually, or approximately 5% of all long-term hospital patients, the current mortality rate of around 50% has remained unchanged since the advent of dialysis 30 to 40 years ago (Thadhani et al., 1996; Lieberthal and Nigam, 2000; Nigam and Lieberthal, 2000). ARF develops predominantly due to the injury and necrosis of renal proximal tubule cells (RPTCs) as a result of ischemic or toxic insult (Lieberthal and Nigam, 1998). The cause of death subsequent to ARF is generally the development of systemic inflammatory response syndrome, frequently secondary to bacterial infection or sepsis, resulting in cardiovascular collapse and ischemic damage to vital organs, culminating in multiple organ failure (Breen and Bihari, 1998).

There is growing recognition that the disease state arising from renal failure is the result of more than just the loss of blood volume regulation, small solute, and toxin clearance that are replaced by conventional dialysis therapy (Humes, 2000). The kidney's role in reclamation of metabolic substrates, synthesis of glutathione, and free-radical scavenging enzymes, gluconeogenesis, ammoniagenesis, catabolism of peptide hormones and growth factors, and the production and regulation of multiple cytokines critical to inflammation and immunological regulation are not addressed by current treatment modalities (Kida et al., 1978; Tannen and Sastrasinh, 1984; Deneke and Fanburg, 1989; Maak, 1992; Frank et al., 1993; Stadnyk, 1994).

Thus, there is considerable drive to develop improved therapies for renal failure with the capacity to replace a wider range of the kidney's functions, thereby reducing morbidity, mortality, and the overall economic impact associated with this condition. Such an ambition lies beyond the reach of conventional medicine, with its mainly monofactorial approach to the treatment of disease. Into this breach steps the nascent and expanding field of cell therapy, which offers the promise of harnessing the native abilities of the cell, endowed to it by a billion years of evolution (Humes, 2003).

Cell therapy, as a blanket term covering the disciplines of regenerative medicine, tissue, and bioengineering, is dependent on cell and tissue culture methodologies to expand specific cells to replace important differentiated functions lost or deranged in various disease states. Central to the successful development of cell-based therapeutics is the question of cell sourcing, and advances in stem cell research have a vital impact on this problem.

Stem cell is itself a blanket term that covers a number of separate entities, although, as discussed below, there is at present a great deal of speculation over the extent to which stem cell populations traditionally considered distinct may in fact be interchangeable. As an in-depth treatment of the biology of stem cells and their relationship to more general aspects of regenerative medicine lies outwith the scope of this paper; the reader is directed to several recent reviews (Alison et al., 2002; Rosenthal, 2003; Grove et al., 2004; Rippon and Bishop, 2004).

Briefly, stem cells are characterized by their capacity for self-renewal and ability to differentiate into specialized cell types. Levels of competence form the basis of their classification as totipotent (giving rise to all three embryonic germ layers as well as extraembryonic tissues), pluripotent (able to contribute to all three germ layers of the embryo), and multipotent (with the potential to differentiate into multiple cell types, but not derivatives of all three germ layers). Progenitor cells are more lineage-restricted than stem cells but retain the proliferative capacity lacking in terminally differentiated cells.

ES cells, pluripotent derivatives of the inner cell mass of the blastocyst, are the most primitive cell type likely to find application in cell therapy. Their potential to generate any given cell type of the embryo makes them in some ways the most attractive stem cell for cell therapy but also the one with the greatest challenges to surmount in the laboratory. The political and ethical questions that surround the use of human ES cells have added a further layer of complexity to research aimed at bringing their potential benefits into the clinical arena (Daley, 2003; de Wert and Mummery, 2003; Drazen, 2003; Phimister and Drazen, 2004). These factors have combined to intensify the focus on multipotent adult stem cells such as hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and neural stem cells as sources for cell-based therapeutics.

In this review, we consider several potential cell-based therapies for renal failure that are currently under development and which provide a route, direct or indirect, for the application of stem cell technology. The direct route is exemplified by simple administration of stem cells to the diseased or injured organ and relies on their inherent capabilities for differentiation, organization, and integration into existing tissues to restore function. Indirect routes include the bio- and tissue-engineering approaches, which are based on in vitro differentiation of stem cells and the organization of their derivatives within matrices or in association with biomaterials to augment or replace function following implantation or as part of an extracorporeal circuit.

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Stem Cell Approaches for the Treatment of Renal Failure

Sitting against the fence on the Stuart Field turf, Mike Tucker for reasons obvious and not liked what he saw as he watched his University of Dayton womens soccer team practice for Fridays Atlantic 10 Conference opener at Massachusetts.

Im sitting here now just kind of enjoying the stuff were doing, Tucker said as the ball went to Flyers star Colleen Williams, who, without hesitation, passed to a teammate in better position for a shot.

When your star players have the attitude that theyre just as happy to get an assist as a goal, it carries over to everybody else.

That team attitude was never more evident than just before practice when Tucker and his players made the biggest assist theyll make all season.

With a university film crew on hand, the entire team chorused a get-well wish and senior players also offered individual messages to one of the their biggest fans and someone who has become especially dear to Tucker.

Krystal Byrne, a 27-year-old recent UD grad, is someone who for years has shown she dearly loves the school and, because of it, has ended up getting that love in return.

A top student, a star athlete, someone with an effervescent personality, she came to UD from Ottoville, her small hometown in northwest Ohio, in August 2004. After a semester, she had a 3.8 grade-point average, had joined the dance team and hoped to walk onto Tuckers soccer team.

But during the spring she was diagnosed with biphenotypic acute leukemia (BAL) and that began a staggering eight-year odyssey that included heart failure, a kidney transplant, a stem cell transplant, chemotherapy, full-body radiation, other surgeries, and even last rites. She was forced to drop out of school five times and, she estimates, another 15 times her medical condition forced her to leave UD for home although she was able to do her work from afar and stay enrolled.

And yet she never gave up and each time she returned to her beloved school, she reached for more. She became a regular on the Deans List and joined the Red Scare, sometimes showing up at basketball games with her face painted red and blue.

Because of her embrace of soccer she had played on the boys varsity at Ottoville and her upbeat attitude, Tucker took a liking to her. He had her address his team and gave her an open invitation to sit on the bench during games.

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A get-well wish from UD soccer

02-07-2012 21:07 Mrs Itana was diagnosed with diabetic nephropathy 15 years ago and in February, 2012 she was told by her doctor her kidneys did not work well and dialysis was necessary. Before she came to China for STEM CELL and TRANDITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE TREATMENT, she was hospitalized in local couple of times because she was very weak and had short of breath, heart failure and so many. After the first stem cells transplant, she felt she was back 16 years old person and so energetic. Therefore, she wants to share his treatment experiences to all kidney disease patients and wish her words and successful experience can be widely spread out. And, more of the cancer patients can seek for the proper treatment in China. And yet, in her country Mrs Itana only has one choice -- kidney transplant.

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Mrs. Itana, a diabetic nephropathy from Papua New Guinean for Stem Cells and TCM Treatment - Video

Details Published on Thursday, 28 June 2012 00:00 Written by PHILIP S. CHUA

Excessive video gaming (desktop or hand-held) is hazardous to childrens body, brain, and health in general, causing anxiety, depression and poor performance in school.

ARE soft drinks really bad for our health?

Most definitely, yes. On average, there are 10 to 15 calories per ounce of non-diet soft drinks, so a 12-ounce can contains 120-180 calories. Drinking a can of this liquid candy a day adds an extra 120 calories to the days diet. Statistics show that an extra 100 calories a day leads to a weight gain of 10 pounds a year. Imagine what drinking a can with every meal could do to your health. But, worse than calories, is the more dangerous fact that imbibing soft drinks is associated with the development of Metabolic Syndrome (central obesity leading to high blood pressure, high cholesterol, insulin resistance, diabetes, heart attack, stroke).

All of us should abandon soft drinks and also save our children from this dangerous drink. Red wine, even for children (as practices in some European countries), would be safer than these treacherous and subtle poisons.

I hate daily insulin shots; any alternative?

If your diabetes is not controlled by pills and your physician prescribes diet, exercise and insulin for you, it will be wise for you to follow this custom-tailored regimen, otherwise complications of diabetes could ravage your entire body and shorten your life. Since you hate insulin shots like every diabetic, you could consider implantation of an Insulin Pump.

This is the state-of-the-art method of administering insulin to insulin dependent diabetic patients. The small device is implanted under the skin and the catheter connected to it is inserted into a vein. The computerized pump contains insulin in its chamber and delivers a precise dose of insulin at a preset time schedule. The insulin chamber is refillable. This pump replaces the needle injection as a method of giving insulin. Further down the line, embryonic stem cell transplant may someday become a routine cure for diabetes.

Do video games hurt children?

Excessive video gaming (desktop or hand-held) is hazardous to childrens body, brain, and health in general, causing anxiety, depression and poor performance in school, according to a study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Malaya Business Insight

Study mice were able to produce their own insulin following human stem cell transplant

By Daily Mail Reporters

PUBLISHED: 11:33 EST, 27 June 2012 | UPDATED: 11:34 EST, 27 June 2012

Scientists have successfully reversed diabetes in mice using stem cells, paving the way for a breakthrough treatment for the illness.

The research is the first to show that human stem cell transplants can successfully restore insulin production and reverse diabetes in mice.

Crucially, the team re-created the 'feedback loop' that enables insulin levels to automatically rise or fall based on blood glucose levels.

Diabetics must take regular blood tests to check their blood glucose levels. Scientists have been able to restore normal insulin-producing cells in mice

Diabetes affects more than two million people in Britain.

After the stem cell transplant, the diabetic mice were weaned off insulin, a procedure designed to mimic human clinical conditions. Three to four months later, the mice were able to maintain healthy blood sugar levels even when being fed large quantities of sugar.

Transplanted cells removed from the mice after several months had all the markings of normal insulin-producing pancreatic cells.

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Diabetes breakthrough as experts learn how to completely reverse the condition in mice

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Article date: February 27, 2012

By Stacy Simon

Someone being treated for cancer often needs a lot of help at home, too. Usually a spouse, partner, adult child, or close friend becomes the primary caregiver who provides transportation, keeps house, prepares meals, provides emotional support, and communicates with other relatives and friends. The caregiver may also help feed, dress and bathe the patient, give drugs, manage side effects, report problems, and manage financial and insurance issues.

The physical and emotional toll of these tasks often leads to a lot of stress and a negative impact on the caregivers own health. In fact, the level of distress for the caregiver can sometimes be as high as it is for the patient. Caregivers have less time for their own needs, and often spend less time on leisure activities, have less contact with family and friends, dont get as much sleep or exercise, and ignore their own physical health concerns.

There may also be a financial impact. Caregivers may work fewer hours, take a leave of absence, or move closer to the patient.

Researchers from the National Institutes of Health say health care providers should devote some attention to caregivers, in addition to the patients theyre caring for, to help relieve some of this burden. The researchers detailed the case of one caregiver in a recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The caregiver was a 53-year-old woman whose husband had an aggressive bone marrow cancer called acute myeloid leukemia. He was hospitalized to undergo a stem cell transplant, a complicated procedure that can often have major side effects. His hospital stay and recovery was prolonged because of complications that included fluid around the heart, kidney failure, pneumonia, and graft vs. host disease. During the next several weeks, he was readmitted twice for additional complications including heart failure. He died during his last hospital stay.

During the time she cared for her husband, the wife, like many caregivers, complained little to the health care team, not wanting to take the focus away from the person being cared for. But when asked, she reported symptoms of stress that included anxiety, depression, loneliness, emotional distress, fatigue, lack of energy, trouble sleeping, and difficulty staying focused. Financial concerns added to her stress level. The transplant center was 143 miles away, so the couple had to move into temporary housing near the center. Both were unemployed due to disability, yet she was also supporting her father, mother and aunt.

The stresses associated with caregiving can increase the risk of illness in the caregiver. And like many caregivers, the wife in the case study already had a history of health problems and was dealing with additional stressful events. She had had heart bypass surgery and arthritis, and she was a smoker. Four months after her husbands death, her father died. Shortly after that, she had a heart attack and needed a pacemaker.

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Case Study: When You Care for Someone with Cancer

Public release date: 7-Jun-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Candice Debleu eularpressoffice@cohnwolfe.com 44-789-438-6425 European League Against Rheumatism

Berlin, Germany, June 7 2012: Initial results from an international, investigator-initiated, open label phase III trial were presented at EULAR 2012, the Annual Congress of the European League Against Rheumatism. Data indicate that haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) results in better long term survival than conventional treatment for patients with poor prognosis early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis.

The ASTIS (Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation International Scleroderma) trial enrolled more than 150 patients between 2001 and 2009, and randomised patients to the HSCT arm or to intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide treatment. As of May 1, 2012, significantly more deaths have occurred in the conventional treatment group. Half of the deaths in the HSCT group occurred early and were deemed treatment-related according to an independent data monitoring committee. In the conventional treatment group in contrast, none of the deaths were deemed to be treatment-related; but more deaths occurred later and most were related to progressive disease.

"Systemic sclerosis is a debilitating disease that can lead to heart, lung or kidney failure and premature death, especially in patients who have the diffuse cutaneous form of the condition, where skin thickening is more generalised and involvement of vital organs more common. The ASTIS study shows that such patients may benefit from early intensive immunosuppressive treatment," said Professor Jaap van Laar from Newcastle University, Professor Dominique Farge, Assistance Publique Hopitaux de Paris (Sponsor in France, Paris 7 University) and Professor Alan Tyndall from Basel University, on behalf of their colleagues from the EBMT EULAR Scleroderma Study Group. "These initial results are very encouraging and will help identify patients who benefit from stem cell transplantation."

The ASTIS trial was a unique collaborative project of 27 multidisciplinary teams from 10 countries conducted under the auspices of two leading organisations in the respective fields, the European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (EBMT; http://www.ebmt.org) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR;www.eular.org). The primary endpoint of the trial was event-free survival, defined as survival until death or development of major organ failure.

Systemic sclerosis is a rare but severe autoimmune systemic connective tissue disease*. Increased fibroblast activity results in abnormal growth of connective tissue which causes vascular damage and fibrosis of the skin, gastrointestinal (GI) tract and other internal organs**. Characteristics of systemic sclerosis include vasomotor disturbances; fibrosis; subsequent atrophy of the skin, subcutaneous tissue, muscles, and internal organs and immunologic disturbances*. Systemic sclerosis is estimated to occur in 2.3-10 people per one million*. Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis cases make up 30% of all systemic sclerosis cases and involve the upper arms, thighs and trunk**. Lung fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension are important causes of mortality in these patients and there is no curative treatment available so far*.

###

Abstract Number: LB0002

*Schwartz R A. (2011) Medscape Reference: Systemic Sclerosis. [Online] Available from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1066280-overview [Accessed 8 May 2012]

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Haematopoietic stem cell transplantation increases survival in systemic sclerosis patients

Terms Used Across Specialties Advanced clinical services Availability of specified teams, programs, and resources that address the needs of particular types of patients. The mix of services varies by specialty. See individual specialties below. Advanced technologies Availability of specified technologies for diagnosis and treatment. The technologies vary by specialty. See individual specialties below. Clinical support services Access to selected medical and surgical services. The services vary by specialty. See individual specialties below. Committing to best practices Use of guidelines, registries, and other accepted measures. The measures vary by specialty. See individual specialties below. Committing to quality improvement Participation in activities that can enhance care, such as external review of patient and parent satisfaction, public reporting of quality-related performance data, and participating in national quality initiatives. Engaging parents and family Enlistment of family members in the care process. Having a parent advisory committee; parents or family members on two key standing committees; and involving parents in clinical decisions through family-centered rounds, care conferences, and other participatory programs are examples. Infection-prevention program Indicates diligence and success in reducing hospital-acquired infections through proven measures such as hand hygiene, vaccination, and use of antimicrobials. Nurse Magnet hospital Meets American Nurses Credentialing Center standards for excellence in nursing care. Nurse-patient ratio Relative ratio of fulltime registered nurses to daily average number of inpatients. The higher the ratio, the more nurses caring for patients. In Neonatology, the ratio reflects the number of neonatal ICU nurses and the average daily number of NICU patients. Patient and family services Reflects how many of these services are offered: family resource center, sleep rooms for parents and siblings, school intervention program, Ronald McDonald house or other residential facility, and family access to certified child life specialists, family support specialists, pediatric psychologists, and interpreters. Availability of additional services in Neonatology and Nephrology is shown below. Patient volume Relative number of patients in past year who had certain specified disorders or received specified procedures). Procedure volume Relative number of tests and noninvasive procedures (in Orthopedics, the relative number of tests and surgical procedures. Rank The top 50 hospitals in 10 specialties are ranked by U.S. News Score. Reputation with specialists Percentage of pediatric specialists responding to U.S. News surveys who named hospital as among the best for especially challenging cases and procedures. Responses were combined from surveys in 2010, 2011, and 2012. Specialized clinics and programs Availability of certain defined programs for patients with particular conditions. The programs vary by specialty. See individual specialties below. Success in reducing ICU infections Measures success at minimizing bloodstream infections in pediatric ICU patients. Surgical volume Relative number of patients who had specified operations in past year. Use of health information technology Hospitals received credit for implementation and appropriate use of electronic medical records and computerized physician order entry. U.S. News Score A number from 0 to 100 that sums up a hospital's quality of care as determined by the U.S. News methodology. The top-performing hospital in each specialty automatically received a score of 100. NA Not applicable. NR No response. Specialty-Specific Terms Cancer 100-day BMT survival Survival of patients receiving stem cell transplants at 100 days following transplant. Accredited transplant program Meets standards set by Foundation for the Accreditation of Cellular Therapy for transplanting bone marrow and tissue. Advanced clinical services (out of 18) Examples: primary oncologist participates in more than half of clinical visits with each patient, pediatric cancer pharmacist rounds with care team, consultation with experts in complementary health. Advanced technologies (out of 14) Examples: PET or PET/CT scanner, intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging, intensity-modulated radiation therapy, bone scan. Bone marrow transplant services Number of available bone marrow transplant services, such as transplantation from both related and unrelated donors; recognition by the National Marrow Donor Program; membership in the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium; transplant volume. Clinical support services (out of 10) Surgical ICU, genetic testing/counseling, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 21) Examples: regular morbidity and mortality conferences, quarterly tumor boards, and significant time spent in managing certain conditions. Committing to clinical research (out of 12) Examples: degree of participation in clinical trials and bench-to-bedside research, such as cancer research networks and phase 1 and 2 clinical trials for leukemia, brain tumors, and sarcomas. Fellowship programs (out of 2) Active training programs in pediatric hematology-oncology and pediatric endovascular surgical neuroradiology. Five-year cancer survival Reflects survival of patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and neuroblastoma five years after beginning treatment. New-patient volume Relative number of new cancer patients in past two years. Palliative care program Formal program for families of children with end-of-life illnesses or with chronic or life-limiting conditions. Additional credit for cancer patients referred to program. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 9) Examples: clinical brain tumor program, clinical bone and soft tissue sarcomas program, clinical leukemia/lymphoma program, comprehensive longer-term survivors program, pediatric limb-sparing surgery program, and fertility preservation program. Subspecialist availability (out of 14) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as a pediatric anesthesiologist and pediatric head and neck surgeon. Cardiology & Heart Surgery Adult congenital heart program Availability of adult heart program for inherited or congenital heart disorders. Additional credit if program was listed with Adult Congenital Heart Association and if program offers formal plan to transition patients from pediatric to adult program, among other features. Advanced clinical services (out of 18) Examples: dedicated cardiac surgical OR, remote patient monitoring, fetal echocardiographic testing, ventricular assist devices, congenital heart disease clinic, heart failure program. Advanced technologies (out of 5) CT angiography, cardiac MRI, transcatheter arrhythmia ablation, ECMO program available 24/7, transesophageal echocardiographic testing during surgeries. Catheter procedure volume Relative frequency of catheter procedures such as stent and atrial and ventricular tachycardia procedures performed in past year. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, reverse isolation/infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 21) Examples: participation in regular morbidity and mortality conferences, active home surveillance for infants with heart defects, follow-up program for patients with or at risk for neurodevelopmental complications. Committing to clinical research (out of 10) Degree of participation in clinical trials and bench-to-bedside research. Examples: externally audited, national quality improvement research networks such as Pediatric Heart Research Network, Congenital Cardiac Anesthesia Society, and National Cardiovascular Disease Registry. Congenital heart program Credit for tracking and reporting data and for volume and type of procedures performed, including 100 or more congenital heart procedures in past year and treating at least one patient with a Berlin heart or other ventricular assist device. Fellowship programs (out of 2) Active training programs in pediatric cardiology and thoracic surgery. Heart transplant program Reflects recognition by United Network for Organ Sharing as heart or heart-lung transplant program and number of transplants in past three years Norwood surgery volume Reflects number of Norwood Stage 1 procedures in past year. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 11) Certain catheter procedures offered to one or more patients in past year. Examples: balloon angioplasty, stent implantation, transcatheter occlusion of cardiac shunts, transcatheter arrhythmia ablation, ablation for atrial tachycardia. Subspecialist availability (out of 14) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon, pediatric cardiac intensivist, interventionalist, and electrophysiologist. Survival after heart transplant Reflects one- and three-year post-transplant survival. Survival after Norwood surgery Reflects survival from Norwood Stage 1 procedure. Survival after surgery Survival following moderately complex to very difficult heart surgery in past two years. Diabetes & Endocrinology Advanced clinical services (out of 19) Examples: certified trainers in continuous glucose monitoring for families; diabetes and endocrinology support staff with social workers, dietitians, and psychologists; diabetes-specific support group for parents and families. Advanced technologies (out of 10) Examples: PET or PET/CT scanning, diagnostic radioisotope scan, endocrine testing, radiation isolation room, thyroidectomy, fine needle aspiration of thyroid nodule. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU, genetic testing/counseling, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, reverse isolation/infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 62) Examples: clinical database for assessing quality of diabetes care, written consensus protocols for inpatient management of diabetic ketoacidosis, high percentage of inpatients seen by member of diabetes program, high percentage of outpatients with documented blood sugar results. Committing to clinical research Degree of participation in specialty-specific research activities such as clinical trials and other bench-to-bedside research. Diabetes management Reflects successful prevention of serious problems in children with type 1 diabetes and keeping blood sugar levels in check. Diabetes options How many of four alternatives are available to patients in a pediatric diabetes program: insulin pump for children age 5 or older, insulin pump for children younger than age 5, pump plus basal insulin injection, and basal insulin injection with rapid-acting insulin analog. Fellowship program Active training program in pediatric endocrinology. Hypothyroid management Relative percentage of treated hypothyroid children who test normal and of hypothyroid infants who began treatment before three weeks of age. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 7) Programs for lipid disorders, hypertension, comprehensive weight management, and Turner syndrome; clinics for outpatients with type 2 diabetes, outpatients with pre-diabetes, and adolescents and young adults with diabetes. Subspecialist availability (out of 11) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric neurosurgeon and pediatric endocrinologist. Gastroenterology Advanced clinical services (out of 8) Examples: pediatric GI and liver specialists; pediatric interventional radiologists; support groups for inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, liver disease and other digestive disorders. Advanced technologies (out of 10) PET or PET/CT scanner, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, magnetic resonance enterography, dual-emission X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, capsule endoscopy, endoscopic band ligation, esophageal impedance monitoring, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, and antroduodenal and full colonic motility studies, esophageal dilation. Clinical support services (out of 10) Surgical ICU, genetic testing/counseling, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, infection control facilities. Committing to clinical research Degree of participation in specialty-specific research activities such as clinical trials and other bench-to-bedside research. Fellowship program Active training program in pediatric gastroenterology. Liver transplant program Reflects United Network for Organ Sharing-recognized liver transplant program and relative number of patients receiving liver transplants in the past 2 years. Nonsurgical procedure volume Reflects relative number of tests and noninvasive procedures. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 9) Examples: programs for intestinal rehabilitation, cystic fibrosis treatment, childhood obesity management, inflammatory bowel disease, chronic liver disease. Subspecialist availability (out of 8) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric general surgeon and pediatric gastroenterologist. Survival after liver transplant Reflects patient survival three years following transplant. Neonatology Advanced clinical services (out of 5) Examples: Level 1 or 2 pediatric trauma center status as certified by American College of Surgeons or state licensing board, neonatal ICU-specific pharmacist who rounds with clinical team, NICU-designated nutritionist, social workers. Advanced technologies (out of 5) PET or PET/CT scanner, continuous EEG monitoring with pediatric neurology support, unsedated MRI, molecular diagnostic/virology laboratory, specialized chemistry laboratory with tandem mass spectroscopy. Clinical support services (out of 7) Genetic testing/counseling, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, rapid response team, infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 33) Examples: adhering to recommended maximum patient loads, standardized handoff tools, simulation/training laboratories for neonatal intensive care procedures, newborn cardiac patients receiving neonatology consults. Committing to clinical research (out of 4) Degree of participation in clinical trials and bench-to-bedside research. Examples: externally audited, national NICU treatment, quality-improvement research networks such as the Vermont Oxford Network and Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) data exchange network. ECMO (heart-lung machine) 24-hour availability of heart-lung machine for newborns (extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), trained ECMO team. Fellowship programs (out of 15) Active training programs in pediatric neonatology. Examples: pediatric neurology, congenital cardiac surgery, neonatal-perinatal medicine, pediatric cardiology. Patient and family services (out of 17) The eight services listed in "Terms used across specialties," above, plus an additional nine. Examples: family support center, breast pumping rooms, lactation specialists, 24/7 parental visitation, sibling visitation, neonatal ICU-specific parent advisory committee, and NICU-specific parent-to-parent support groups. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 12) Examples: craniofacial team, spina bifida team, comprehensive retinopathy of prematurity program, neonatal-neuro intensive care program, NICU specific palliative care program, metabolic team, bowel rehabilitation team, home ventilator management team, and neuro-developmental follow-up clinic for high-risk NICU patients. Subspecialist availability (out of 15) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as a pediatric head and neck surgeon, pediatric neonatologist, and critical care certified registered nurse. Nephrology Advanced clinical services (out of 8) Continuous renal replacement therapy; hemodialysis; peritoneal dialysis; UNOS-recognized kidney transplant program; maintenance dialysis staff that includes clinical nurses, social workers, and dietitians, and level 1 or 2 pediatric trauma center. Advanced technology PET or PET/CT scanning. Catheter procedure volume Relative number of catheter placements in past two years. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU; pediatric acute pain/sedation service; neonatal ICU; pediatric anesthesia program; pediatric infectious disease program; pediatric pain management program; pediatric ICU; rapid response team; infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 25) Examples: participation in regular interdisciplinary clinical conferences for urology/uroradiology and renal pathology to review and coordinate patient care, offering formal transition program for kidney transplant patients from pediatric to adult care, maintaining database of kidney transplant patients. Committing to clinical research Participation in specialty-specific research activities such as clinical trials and other bench-to-bedside research. Dialysis patients receiving transplants Reflects percentage of patients on maintenance dialysis who received kidney transplant within two years. Dialysis volume Relative number of patients in past two years who received regular dialysis. Fellowship program Active training program in pediatric nephrology. Kidney biopsy volume Relative number of kidney biopsies during past two years. Kidney transplant volume Relative number of transplants during past two years from deceased or living donors. Managing dialysis patients Reflects percentage of patients on dialysis in past two years with satisfactory lab tests. Patient and family services (out of 12) The eight services listed in "Terms used across specialties," above, and four additional services: programs to support patients in maintenance dialysis such as teachers dedicated to working with patients, standard review of patient's individualized education program, and/or summer camp. Preventing biopsy complications Reflects percentage of patients without complications after receiving kidney biopsy. Subspecialist availability (out of 8) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric infectious disease specialist, pediatric anesthesiologist, and pediatric nephrologist. Success in preventing dialysis-related infections Success in minimizing dialysis-related infections. Survival after kidney transplant Reflects one- and three-year survival of patients and transplanted kidneys. Neurology & Neurosurgery Advanced clinical services (out of 18) Examples: pediatric headache clinic with psychologists specializing in headache biofeedback and preventive therapy, specialized epilepsy treatment center, sleep lab, neuroanesthesia program, neurological rehabilitation program. Advanced technologies (out of 7) Examples: PET or PET/CT scan, 3T MRI, neurophysiological intraoperative monitoring, magnetoencephalography. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, reverse isolation/infection control facilities. Clinic volume Relative number of clinic patients in past year with certain disorders or who received certain specified care. Committing to best practices (out of 15) Examples: neuropsychological evaluations before and after surgery for benign and malignant brain tumors, maintaining a surgical mortality database, regular interdisciplinary care conferences. Committing to clinical research (out of 4) Participation in clinical trials and bench-to-bedside research. Additional credit for belonging to a national Phase 1 neuro-oncology clinical research consortium. Epilepsy management Relative success at treating children and infants with epilepsy. Epilepsy treatment volume Relative number of evaluations and procedures for epilepsy in past year. Fellowship programs (out of 2) Active training programs in pediatric neurology and neurosurgery. Preventing surgical complications Success in avoiding surgical complications and readmissions. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 15) Examples: clinics or programs for cerebrovascular accident, movement disorders, spina bifida, tuberous sclerosis, brachial plexus, and neonatal neurology. Subspecialist availability (out of 12) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric neurosurgeon, pediatric neurologist, certified neuroscience nurse. Surgical survival Reflects relative number of deaths following surgery for selected neurological disorders such as brain tumors, head trauma, and medically untreatable epilepsy. Orthopedics Advanced clinical services (out of 6) Examples: comprehensive pediatric orthopedic program with dedicated pediatric imaging center, multidisciplinary musculoskeletal oncology program, motion laboratory. Advanced technologies (out of 3) PET/CT scanning, bone scan, remote retrieval of test results, images, and medical records. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU; pediatric acute pain/sedation service; neonatal ICU; pediatric anesthesia program; pediatric infectious disease program; pediatric pain management program; pediatric ICU; rapid response team; infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 15) Examples: having one or more active or candidate members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America, pediatric imaging center with ultrasonographers having specialized training in hip exams, pediatric imaging center that minimizes radiation exposure, regular multidisciplinary morbidity and mortality conferences. Committing to clinical research Degree of participation in specialty-specific research activities such as clinical trials and other bench-to-bedside research. Fellowship program Active training program in pediatric orthopedics. Preventing surgical complications Reflects percentage of patients without complications following surgery for scoliosis, additional credit for low percentage of infections following spinal fusion surgery. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 8) Clinics or programs for brachial plexus, muscular dystrophy, neurofibromatosis, pain, skeletal dysplasia, spasticity, spina bifida, and sports medicine. Subspecialist availability (out of 16) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric anesthesiologist, pediatric radiologists specializing in diagnostic and interventional radiology, pediatric orthopedic surgeon. Pulmonology Advanced clinical services (out of 11) Examples: respiratory therapists, certified asthma educators, gastroenterologist and endocrinologist who participate in patient care conferences, cystic fibrosis center accredited by Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, sleep center and sleep lab accredited by American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Advanced technology Availability of PET or PET/CT scanning. Asthma inpatient care Reflects care for asthma patients admitted to hospital based on mean length of stay, percentage of inpatient deaths attributable to asthma, percentage of inpatients readmitted within seven days of discharge for asthma-related symptoms. Asthma management Reflects percentage of patients following specific asthma management protocols. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 14) Examples: consensus treatment and management plans for asthma exacerbations, bronchiolitis, croup, cystic fibrosis, pneumonia, and tracheostomy or ventilator-dependent patients. Committing to clinical research Degree of participation in specialty-specific research activities such as clinical trials and other bench-to-bedside research. Cystic fibrosis management Reflects success at managing lung function and nutritional status in cystic fibrosis patients. Fellowship program Active training program in pediatric pulmonology. Lung disease of prematurity management Reflects percentage of patients younger than 24 months of age receiving recommended care for this condition. Lung transplant program Reflects United Network for Organ Sharing recognition, number of transplants in past two years, and three-year survival rate. Neuromuscular weakness disorder management Reflects percentage of muscular dystrophy patients age 5 or older who had a lung function test in past year or within 90 days of undergoing general anesthesia. Preventing deaths of patients on ventilators Reflects success at preventing deaths of patients on ventilators as a result of accidental obstruction or other events. Subspecialist availability (out of 10) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric radiologist, pediatric pulmonologist, pediatric sleep medicine physician. Urology Advanced clinical services (out of 8) Examples: shock wave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, American College of Surgeons level 1 or 2 pediatric trauma center certification, laparoscopic variococelectomy and orchiopexy, and percutaneously nephrolithotripsy. Advanced technologies (out of 4) PET or PET/CT scan, onsite urodynamic equipment, video pediatric urodynamic fluoroscopy, surgical robot. Clinical support services (out of 9) Surgical ICU, pediatric acute pain/sedation service, neonatal ICU, pediatric anesthesia program, pediatric infectious disease program, pediatric pain management program, pediatric ICU, rapid response team, infection control facilities. Committing to best practices (out of 8) Examples: having a formal program for tracking surgical site infections for major urological procedures and regular mortality and morbidity conferences. Committing to clinical research (out of 3) Degree of participation in clinical trials and bench-to-bedside research. Additional credit for prospective randomized clinical trials, prospective observational studies, or prospective clinical databases on patient care. Fellowship program Active training program in pediatric urology. Minimally invasive procedure volume Relative number of patients in past year who had any of certain minimally invasive procedures such as shock wave lithotripsy, uteroscopy, and laparoscopic orchiopexy. Specialized clinics and programs (out of 6) Clinics or programs for spina bifida, voiding difficulties, kidney and urinary-tract stones, prenatal intervention, disorders of sexual differentiation, and genitourinary reconstructive surgery. Subspecialist availability (out of 12) Having certain specialists, surgeons, and other medical staff available for consultation and care, such as pediatric critical care specialist, pediatric urology surgeon, pediatric urologist. Success in preventing surgical complications Reflects relative success at avoiding surgical complications and readmissions. Complications and adverse events include pyeloplasty failure, orchiopexy failure, reoperation or readmission. Success in reducing urinary tract infections Success in preventing catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI).

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Best Children's Hospitals 2012-13: Guide to the Terms

Anda Berada di Sini : Dunia Berita

31 Mei, 2012 12:03 PM

Over 70,000 Orphans In China Receive Free Insurance For Severe Illnesses

BEIJING, May 31 (Bernama) -- More than 70,000 orphans in China have been given free insurance contracts that cover the costs of treating 12 critical illnesses as a joint insurance programme supported by the government and a charity organisation continues to expand.

The 12 major illnesses covered include malignant tumors, illnesses requiring organ or stem cell transplants, acute kidney failure, aplastic anemia, acute hepatitis and infantile paralysis, among others.

The most recent beneficiaries are from Beijing, Qinghai, Tianjin, Henan, Shanxi and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, Xinhua news agency reported.

An insurance fund created through public donations will be accessible for one year from June 1 or Children's Day, Dr.Heidi Hu, managing director of China Children Insurance Foundation (CCIF) said Thursday.

The foundation launched the programme in collaboration with the Ministry of Civil Affairs in 2009 to provide free insurance for children of poor families and 712,000 orphans under 18.

"So far, we have distributed about 500,000 insurance contracts to children in 20 provincial regions, including the quake-hit province of Sichuan and the plateau areas of Qinghai and Tibet," said Hu.

Each insured child is covered for 100,000 yuan (about US$15,750) at a premium of 50 yuan a year.

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Over 70,000 Orphans In China Receive Free Insurance For Severe Illnesses

A pink butterfly, fluorescent mountains and glowing green orbs surrounded by bubbles are some of the imagery that appears in the winning entries in a "bio-art" competition, which sought to highlight the most artistic portrayals of biomedical research.

This year, 10 images out of about 100 entries were honored in the first Bio-Art Competition, created by the Federation for American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB). The winning entries weren't ranked and all were generated by scientists as a byproduct of of biomedical research.

Art wasn't the purpose of research to create artificial stem cell factories, explore the biological basis for psychiatric disease or look at the production of new neurons in the adult brain. Even so, the winning entries included brightly colored and sometimes abstract images.

The winners include one image depicting a scaffold, which resembles the weave of a fabric, upon which cells can grow to form new tissue. Glowing green orbs surrounded by bubbles reveal systems intended to produce muscle stem cells; and images of species of electric fish are trailed by recordings of the discharges.

"Electric fish recognize other members of their own species using the species-specific waveforms of these heartbeatlike discharges," writes the team lead by Matthew Arnegard of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, who created the image. (Under the contest guidelines, the image and the statement accompanying it should be visually arresting and clearly communicate a cutting-edge concept in biomedical science.)

Another winning entry depicts what looks like a fluorescent three-dimensional map, but is actually genetically labeled cells covering the walls of capillaries in a mouse kidney. [ See Photos of the Winning BioArt ]

University of Iowa's Li-Hsien Lin captured an image that appears to be a pink butterfly, but is actually a rat spinal cord showing the distribution of different types of enzymes. Understanding how these enzymes work and interact in the nervous system, Lin writes, could lead to better treatments for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and heart failure.

Other honorees included: abstract art created from tissue from a colon biopsy stained for a particular receptor; converging fibers that form the optic nerve in a mouse retina and their attendant immune cells; a 3-D image of the limb from a transgenic, embryonic mouse, with bright colors differentiating the muscles, tendons, bones and nerves; and the growth of new neurons in the adult brain.

FASEB is a coalition of biomedical research associations in the United States. For this competition, the organization sought original, laboratory-based images produced by current or former National Institutes of Health-funded investigators, contractors, trainees or members of FASEB constituent societies, according to a news release.

You can follow LiveScience senior writer Wynne Parry on Twitter @Wynne_Parry. Follow LiveScience for the latest in science news and discoveries on Twitter @livescience and on Facebook.

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Rat spinal cord, mouse kidney glow for science

In the news release, Amgen's BiTE Antibody Blinatumomab (AMG 103) Achieved High Rate of Complete Response in Adult Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, issued 16-May-2012 by Amgen over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that the third paragraph now includes additional safety information. The complete, corrected release follows:

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Amgen (AMGN) today announced updated results from a Phase 2 study that showed treatment with blinatumomab (AMG 103) helped achieve a high-rate of complete response (CR) in 72 percent of adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated in the study. Blinatumomab is the first of a new class of agents called bi-specific T cell engagers (BiTE) antibodies, designed to harness the body's cell-destroying T cells to kill cancer cells. Blinatumomab targets cells expressing CD19, a protein found on the surface of B-cell derived leukemias and lymphomas, such as ALL. Full results of the study will be presented during an oral abstract session at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on June 4. (Abstract Number 6500; Oral Presentation, 8:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. CDT, E354a).

In this Phase 2 single-arm dose-ranging trial, 26 of the 36 patients treated with blinatumomab across all of the tested doses and schedules achieved a CR or complete response with partial hematologic recovery (CRh*). All but two patients achieved a molecular response, meaning there was no evidence of leukemic cells by polymerase chain reaction.

For patients who received the selected dose and schedule, the most common adverse events were grade one or two and included pyrexia (70 percent), headache (39 percent), tremor (30 percent) and fatigue (30 percent). These were most frequently seen at the onset of treatment in cycle one. Reversible central nervous system events led to treatment interruptions in six patients with two patients permanently discontinuing treatment. Cytokine release syndrome led to treatment interruption in two patients. One patient had a fatal event of fungal infection that the investigator considered related to treatment.

At the time of the analysis, median survival was 9.0 (8.2, 15.8) months with a median follow-up period of 10.7 months. In the group of patients who received the selected dose, median survival was 8.5 months. The median duration of response in the 26 patients who responded to treatment was 8.9 months.

"For these patients with limited treatment options, the remission rate observed in the trial is a vast improvement over the current standard of care," said Professor Max Topp, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Wuerzburg and chair of the study. "These results also represent significant progress in our research of immunotherapies; a new approach to fighting cancer that we believe could make a real difference for patients."

Phase 2 Study Design

This Phase 2 dose-ranging study evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of blinatumomab in adult patients with B-precursor ALL who had relapsed following treatment with standard front-line chemotherapy or allogeneic stem cell transplant. Patients received blinatumomab for 28 days followed by two weeks off therapy over a six week treatment cycle, for up to five treatment cycles. Patients received a continuous intravenous infusion of blinatumomab at an initial dose of five or 15 micrograms per meter squared per day, ranging up to 30 micrograms for the remainder of the treatment. The primary endpoint of the study was the rate of CR/CRh*. Secondary endpoints included molecular response rate, duration of response and overall survival. As of April 13, 2012, all 36 patients were evaluable for efficacy and safety.

In addition to the results from this study, data from studies of 12 Amgen investigational molecules and marketed products will be presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting. These include results from studies of the immunotherapy talimogene laherparepvec, pipeline molecules such as rilotumumab (AMG 102) and AMG 386 and marketed products. A complete listing of Amgen abstracts of interest can be found at http://www.amgen.com/media/featured_content.html. Abstracts are available online at http://www.asco.org.

About Blinatumomab

Read the rest here:
/C O R R E C T I O N -- Amgen/

THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., May 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Amgen (AMGN) today announced updated results from a Phase 2 study that showed treatment with blinatumomab (AMG 103) helped achieve a high-rate of complete response (CR) in 72 percent of adult patients with relapsed or refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated in the study. Blinatumomab is the first of a new class of agents called bi-specific T cell engagers (BiTE) antibodies, designed to harness the body's cell-destroying T cells to kill cancer cells. Blinatumomab targets cells expressing CD19, a protein found on the surface of B-cell derived leukemias and lymphomas, such as ALL. Full results of the study will be presented during an oral abstract session at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) on June 4 (Abstract Number 6500, 8:00 a.m. - 8:15 a.m. CDT, E354a).

In this Phase 2 single-arm dose-ranging trial, 26 of the 36 patients treated with blinatumomab across all of the tested doses and schedules achieved a CR with partial hematologic recovery (CRh*). All but two patients achieved a molecular response, meaning there was no evidence of leukemic cells by polymerase chain reaction. No treatment related deaths or serious adverse events (AEs) were reported in the study.

At the time of the analysis, median survival was 9.0 (8.2, 15.8) months with a median follow-up period of 10.7 months. In the group of patients who received the selected dose, median survival was 8.5 months. The median duration of response in the 26 patients who responded to treatment was 8.9 months.

"For these patients with limited treatment options, the remission rate observed in the trial is a vast improvement over the current standard of care," said Professor Max Topp, Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Wuerzburg and chair of the study. "These results also represent significant progress in our research of immunotherapies; a new approach to fighting cancer that we believe could make a real difference for patients."

For patients who received the selected dose and schedule, the most common adverse events were grade one or two and included pyrexia (70 percent), headache (39 percent), tremor (30 percent) and fatigue (30 percent). These were most frequently seen at the onset of treatment in cycle one. Reversible central nervous system events led to treatment interruptions in six patients with two patients permanently discontinuing treatment. Cytokine release syndrome led to treatment interruption in two patients.

In addition to the results from this study, data from studies of 12 Amgen investigational molecules and marketed products will be presented at the ASCO Annual Meeting. These include results from studies of the immunotherapy talimogene laherparepvec, pipeline molecules such asrilotumumab (AMG 102) and AMG 386, and marketed products. A complete listing of Amgen abstracts of interest can be found at http://www.amgen.com/media/amgen_asco_2012.html. Abstracts are available online at http://www.asco.org.

Phase 2 Study DesignThis Phase 2 dose-ranging study evaluated the efficacy, safety and tolerability of blinatumomab in adult patients with B-precursor ALL who had relapsed following treatment with standard front-line chemotherapy or allogeneic stem cell transplant. Patients received blinatumomab for 28 days followed by two weeks off therapy over a six week treatment cycle, for up to five treatment cycles. Patients received a continuous intravenous infusion of blinatumomab at an initial dose of five or 15 micrograms per meter squared per day, ranging up to 30 micrograms for the remainder of the treatment. The primary endpoint of the study was the rate of CR/CRh*. Secondary endpoints included molecular response rate, duration of response and overall survival. As of April 13, 2012, all 36 patients were evaluable for efficacy and safety.

About BlinatumomabBlinatumomab (AMG 103) is a bispecific T cell engager (BiTE) antibody designed to direct the body's cell-destroying T cells against target cells expressing CD19, a protein found on the surface of B-cell derived leukemias and lymphomas. The modified antibodies are designed to engage two different targets simultaneously, thereby juxtaposing T cells to cancer cells. Blinatumomab is the first of the BiTE antibodies and Amgen has received orphan drug designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of ALL, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), hairy cell leukemia, prolymphocytic leukemia and indolent B cell lymphoma and from the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of indolent B cell lymphoma, ALL, CLL and mantle cell leukemia (MCL).

About ALLAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is an aggressive cancer of the blood and bone marrow the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are made. The disease progresses rapidly and affects immature blood cells, rather than mature ones.(1) Worldwide, ALL accounts for more than 12 percent of leukemia. Of the 42,000 people diagnosed worldwide, 31,000 will die from the disease.(2)Patients with ALL have abnormal white blood cells (lymphocytes) that crowd out healthy white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets, leading to infection, anemia (fatigue), easy bleeding and serious side effects.(3,4)

AboutAmgenAmgen discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe, effective medicines from lab to manufacturing plant to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and vital medicines, visit http://www.amgen.com/. Follow us on http://twitter.com/amgen.

Original post:
Amgen's BiTE® Antibody Blinatumomab (AMG 103) Achieved High Rate of Complete Response in Adult Patients With Relapsed ...

14 May 2012

Xenetic Biosciences plc

('Xenetic' or 'the Company')

Appointment of Vice President for Drug Development

Xenetic Biosciences plc (LSE: XEN.L), a bio-pharmaceutical company specialising in the development of high-value differentiated biological and vaccines and novel cancer drugs, announces that Dr Henry Hoppe IV has been appointed as Vice President of Drug Development for the Company.

Dr Hoppe is a leading biotechnology drug development executive with over 20 years' experience in recombinant protein, monoclonal antibody and stem cell expression for clinical therapies. His is a key appointment for Xenetic that is a pivotal step in establishing the Company's new Drug Development Centre in Boston. Dr Hoppe's principal expertise lies in the processes surrounding regulatory submissions, IND filings and clinical trials, especially in the orphan and rare disease arena, exemplified in his 17 years at Genzyme Corporation (NasdaqGS: GENZ - news) where he was instrumental in the development and launch of many of their leading products.

About Dr Hoppe

Dr Hoppe is a biotechnology process development executive with over 20 years experience in recombinant protein, monoclonal antibody and stem cell expression for clinical therapies. He has written and reviewed IND/NDA CMC sections for numerous recombinant protein and gene therapy programs, including those for Cerezyme, Fabrazyme, Myozyme and Thyrogen, being four currently marketed products of the Genzyme Corporation. He has amassed more than 20 years experience with all aspects of therapeutic development from the bench through Phase II clinical trials including managing Clinical Manufacturing Organisations (CMOs) in both the United States and Europe (Chicago Options: ^REURUSD - news) .

Dr Hoppe graduated with a Ph.D. in Genetic Toxicology from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1980 having first gained his Bachelors degree at MIT in 1973. Between 1980 and 1984, Dr Hoppe held positions at the Harvard Medical School and the University Hospital of Boston.

From 1984 to 2001, Dr Hoppe worked for Genzyme Corporation focussing on therapies for rare genetic diseases. He was subsequently appointed Vice President of Therapeutic Development for ViaCell Inc. where he delivered stem cells to clinical trials and designed Phase II manufacturing processes.

Excerpt from:
Xenetic Biosciences - Appointment of VP for Drug Development