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The Global Nanomedicine Market 2017 Industry Research Report' report provides a basic overview of the industry including its definition, applications and manufacturing technology. Then, the report explores the Global major industry players in detail.

The Global Nanomedicine Market Research Report 2017 renders deep perception of the key regional market status of the Nanomedicine Industry on a global level that primarily aims the core regions which comprises of continents like Europe, North America, and Asia and the key countries such as United States, Germany, #China and Japan.

Complete report on Nanomedicine market report spread across 116 pages, profiling 12 companies and supported with tables and figuresavailable @

The report on 'Global Nanomedicine Market is a professional report which provides thorough knowledge along with complete information pertaining to the Nanomedicine industry propos classifications, definitions, applications, industry chain summary, industry policies in addition to plans, product specifications, manufacturing processes, cost structures, etc.

The potential of this industry segment has been rigorously investigated in conjunction with primary market challenges. The present market condition and future prospects of the segment has also been examined. Moreover, key strategies in the market that includes product developments, partnerships, mergers and acquisitions, etc., are discussed. Besides, upstream raw materials and equipment and downstream demand analysis is also conducted.

Report Includes:-

The report cloaks the market analysis and projection of 'Nanomedicine Market on a regional as well as global level. The report constitutes qualitative and quantitative valuation by industry analysts, first-hand data, assistance from industry experts along with their most recent verbatim and each industry manufacturers via the market value chain. The research experts have additionally assessed the in general sales and revenue generation of this particular market. In addition, this report also delivers widespread analysis of root market trends, several governing elements and macro-economic indicators, coupled with market improvements as per every segment.

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Global Nanomedicine market competition by top manufacturers/players, with Nanomedicine sales volume, Price (USD/MT), revenue (Million USD) and market share for each manufacturer/player; the top players including: GE Healthcare, Johnson & Johnson, Mallinckrodt plc, Merck & Co. Inc., Nanosphere Inc., Pfizer Inc., SigmaTau Pharmaceuticals Inc., Smith & Nephew PLC, Stryker Corp, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., UCB (Union chimique belge) S.A

The report is generically segmented into six parts and every part aims on the overview of the Nanomedicine industry, present condition of the market, feasibleness of the investment along with several strategies and policies. Apart from the definition and classification, the report also discusses the analysis of import and export and describes a comparison of the market that is focused on the trends and development. Along with entire framework in addition to in-depth details, one can prepare and stay ahead of the competitors across the targeted locations. The fact that this market report renders details about the major market players along with their product development and current trends proves to be very beneficial for fresh entrants to comprehend and recognize the industry in an improved manner. The report also enlightens the productions, sales, supply, market condition, demand, growth, and forecast of the Nanomedicine industry in the global markets.

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Every region's market has been studied thoroughly in this report which deals with the precise information pertaining to the Marketing Channels and novel project investments so that the new entrants as well as the established market players conduct intricate research of trends and analysis in these regional markets. Acknowledging the status of the environment and products' up gradation, the market report foretells each and every detail.So as to fabricate this report, complete key details, strategies and variables are examined so that entire useful information is amalgamated together for the understanding and studying the key facts pertaining the global Nanomedicine Industry. The production value and market share in conjunction with the SWOT analysis everything is integrated in this report.

Table of Contents

1 Nanomedicine Market Overview 2 Global Nanomedicine Market Competition by Manufacturers 3 Global Nanomedicine Capacity, Production, Revenue (Value) by Region (2011-2016) 4 Global Nanomedicine Supply (Production), Consumption, Export, Import by Regions (2011-2016) 5 Global Nanomedicine Production, Revenue (Value), Price Trend by Type 6 Global Nanomedicine Market Analysis by Application 7 Global Nanomedicine Manufacturers Profiles/Analysis

8 Nanomedicine Manufacturing Cost Analysis 9 Industrial Chain, Sourcing Strategy and Downstream Buyers 10 Marketing Strategy Analysis, Distributors/Traders 11 Market Effect Factors Analysis 12 Global Nanomedicine Market Forecast (2016-2021) 13 Research Findings and Conclusion

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Global Nanomedicine Industry 2017 Market Growth, Trends and Demands Research Report - MENAFN.COM

September 6, 2017 - By Clifton Ray

Avalon Advisors Llc decreased Comcast Corporation Cmn Class (CMCSA) stake by 3.04% reported in 2016Q4 SEC filing. Avalon Advisors Llc sold 4,568 shares as Comcast Corporation Cmn Class (CMCSA)s stock rose 3.16%. The Avalon Advisors Llc holds 145,911 shares with $10.08M value, down from 150,479 last quarter. Comcast Corporation Cmn Class now has $194.05B valuation. The stock increased 1.23% or $0.5 during the last trading session, reaching $41.17. About 14.24M shares traded. Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) has risen 28.96% since September 6, 2016 and is uptrending. It has outperformed by 12.26% the S&P500.

Neuralstem, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The company has market cap of $13.81 million. The Firm is engaged in research, development and commercialization of central nervous system therapies based on its human neuronal stem cells and its stem-cell derived small molecule compounds. It currently has negative earnings. The Firm has approximately three assets: its NSI-189 small molecule program, its NSI-566 stem cell therapy program and its chemical entity screening platform.

Investors sentiment decreased to 1.01 in Q4 2016. Its down 11.82, from 12.83 in 2016Q3. It turned negative, as 58 investors sold CMCSA shares while 518 reduced holdings. 123 funds opened positions while 431 raised stakes. 1.89 billion shares or 0.35% more from 1.88 billion shares in 2016Q3 were reported. Quantitative Investment Mgmt Ltd Liability Co reported 0.19% in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). 88 were reported by Sun Life Incorporated. Moreover, Twin Tree Mngmt LP has 0.01% invested in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) for 15,085 shares. North Carolina-based Bb&T has invested 0.48% in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). Wetherby Asset Mngmt owns 38,194 shares or 0.52% of their US portfolio. Fiduciary Wi has invested 4.13% of its portfolio in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). Janus Capital Mgmt Limited Company has 18.62M shares for 1.08% of their portfolio. Roberts Glore Co Il invested in 5,382 shares or 0.26% of the stock. Tower Bridge Advsrs reported 65,524 shares or 0% of all its holdings. Van Hulzen Asset Mngmt Limited Liability has 274,360 shares. Pacad Inv accumulated 138,501 shares. Dumont & Blake Invest Advsr Lc stated it has 0.5% in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). The New Hampshire-based Tru Advisors Ltd has invested 3.17% in Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA). Grisanti Mgmt Ltd Com reported 189,525 shares. Delphi Management Inc Ma invested in 32,962 shares.

Among 26 analysts covering Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA), 21 have Buy rating, 1 Sell and 4 Hold. Therefore 81% are positive. Comcast Corporation had 56 analyst reports since July 27, 2015 according to SRatingsIntel. As per Monday, January 4, the company rating was maintained by Macquarie Research. The stock of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) earned Buy rating by Pivotal Research on Thursday, January 26. Telsey Advisory Group maintained Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) on Tuesday, January 24 with Outperform rating. The firm has Buy rating given on Wednesday, May 4 by Goldman Sachs. The stock of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) earned Buy rating by Oppenheimer on Thursday, July 27. The stock has Buy rating by Macquarie Research on Wednesday, July 5. Nomura maintained Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) rating on Monday, June 27. Nomura has Buy rating and $73 target. The firm has Buy rating by Pivotal Research given on Tuesday, September 27. The stock of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) earned Buy rating by Wunderlich on Wednesday, September 16. Suntrust Robinson initiated the stock with Neutral rating in Wednesday, November 11 report.

Since March 20, 2017, it had 0 buys, and 6 selling transactions for $12.52 million activity. 20,572 shares valued at $762,193 were sold by BLOCK ARTHUR R on Wednesday, March 22. The insider BURKE STEPHEN B sold $10.07 million. On Thursday, May 25 BACON KENNETH J sold $303,713 worth of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ:CMCSA) or 7,500 shares.

Avalon Advisors Llc increased Intl Business Machines Corp Cm (NYSE:IBM) stake by 65,901 shares to 239,076 valued at $39.68 million in 2016Q4. It also upped Chevron Corporation Cmn (NYSE:CVX) stake by 27,633 shares and now owns 377,867 shares. Asml Holding N V N Y Registry (NASDAQ:ASML) was raised too.

About 121,853 shares traded. Neuralstem, Inc. (CUR) has risen 3.35% since September 6, 2016 and is uptrending. It has underperformed by 13.35% the S&P500.

Ratings analysis reveals 100% of Neuralstems analysts are positive. Out of 2 Wall Street analysts rating Neuralstem, 2 give it Buy, 0 Sell rating, while 0 recommend Hold. CUR was included in 2 notes of analysts from August 29, 2016. The rating was initiated by Roth Capital with Buy on Monday, August 29. The rating was initiated by Aegis Capital on Monday, November 7 with Buy.

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Avalon Advisors Has Decreased Its Comcast Cmn Class (CMCSA) Position; Neuralstem (CUR)'s Sentiment Is 0 - High Point Observer

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KERX) and PTC Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PTCT) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, valuation, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, earnings and risk.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

65.2% of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 81.4% of PTC Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. 3.1% of Keryx Biopharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 8.1% of PTC Therapeutics shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings for Keryx Biopharmaceuticals and PTC Therapeutics, as provided by MarketBeat.

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals currently has a consensus price target of $7.50, indicating a potential downside of 1.19%. PTC Therapeutics has a consensus price target of $15.44, indicating a potential downside of 28.53%. Given Keryx Biopharmaceuticals stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Keryx Biopharmaceuticals is more favorable than PTC Therapeutics.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Keryx Biopharmaceuticals and PTC Therapeutics revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

PTC Therapeutics has higher revenue and earnings than Keryx Biopharmaceuticals. PTC Therapeutics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Keryx Biopharmaceuticals and PTC Therapeutics net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Risk & Volatility

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals has a beta of 5.24, suggesting that its share price is 424% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, PTC Therapeutics has a beta of 1.39, suggesting that its share price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

PTC Therapeutics beats Keryx Biopharmaceuticals on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Keryx Biopharmaceuticals

Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of medicines for people with renal disease. The Company is engaged in the manufacture, development and commercialization of products for use in treating human diseases. Its marketed product, Auryxia (ferric citrate), which is an orally available, absorbable, iron-based medicine is approved in the United States for the control of serum phosphorus levels in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) on dialysis. Auryxia is marketed in Japan under the brand name Riona. It is investigating the use of ferric citrate for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in adults with non-dialysis dependent (NDD), CKD and NDD-CKD. It focuses on Keryx Patient Plus program to assist with patient accessibility to Auryxia. It has completed a Phase II clinical trial and a Phase III clinical trial of ferric citrate to gain Food and Drug Administration approval to use ferric citrate in patients with NDD-CKD.

About PTC Therapeutics

PTC Therapeutics, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of medicines using its expertise in ribonucleic acid (RNA) biology. Its product pipeline includes Ataluren (Translarna), PTC596 and RG7916. Its product candidate, ataluren, is an orally administered small-molecule compound for the treatment of patients with genetic disorders due to a nonsense mutation. Ataluren is in clinical development for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy caused by a nonsense mutation (nmDMD) and cystic fibrosis caused by a nonsense mutation (nmCF). PTC596 is an orally active small molecule that targets tumor stem cell populations by reducing the function, activity and amount of BMI1. RG7916 is an investigational oral therapeutic, which is in two clinical studies: SUNFISH, a trial in childhood onset (Type II/III) spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) patients, and FIREFISH, a trial in infant onset (Type I) SMA patients.

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Contrasting PTC Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PTCT) & Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (KERX) - The Ledger Gazette

The field of genetics has long been an object of global fascination, beginning with Mendels pea plant experiments in the 19th century and peaking when the human genome was sequenced (albeit not completely) in 2003. But epigenetics as the next level up from genetics is still mysterious to most. Efforts are already underway to make this next leap in our therapeutic understanding of DNA to unlock the potential of epigenetics.

Genetics has gone mainstream and people get really excited about it, but when I tell people I work on epigenetics, I have to explain what I do, laughed Dr. Jason Mellad, CEO of Cambridge Epigenetix.

While there has been much excitement as epigenetics advances with the development of diagnostics, therapeutic applications are still in their infancy. Historically, epigenetic discovery has been expensive, the right tools havent existed to do it, and interpreting the data has been challenging, he explained.

Mellad and his company are working to change that by establishing themselves in diagnostics to lay the groundwork for more diverse applications. Initially, we sold kits to academic researchers so that they could examine how certain enzymes regulate interpretation of the genetic code, he explained to me in an interview after ON Helix. We started there to prove ourselves and enable discovery; now we are harnessing the power of epigenetics in diagnostics and thereby laying the foundation for new therapeutics.

Cambridge Epigenetix was spun out of its eponymous university to address a challenge a colleague lobbed at Sir Shankar Balasubramanian, Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Cambridge. Professor Balasubramanian co-invented the sequencing-by-synthesis platform at the heart of Solexa, which was subsequently snapped up by DNA sequencing giant Illumina.

As Mellad recounted, the colleague noticed that a particular epigenetic enzyme, TET2, is highly mutated in acute myeloid leukemia and produces a new DNA modification called 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC). Balasubramanianwondered, could this modification be detected by sequencing and used as a novel diagnostic epigenetic biomarker?

A DNA methyltransferase, DNMT3, which transfers methyl groups in DNA to regulate gene expression and activity. Such an enzyme could serve as a target for epigenetic medicine.

Balasubramanian and his PhD student, Michael Booth, took on the challenge and developed a selective chemical oxidation methodology that made it possible to accurately and quantitatively sequence 5hmC and other methylated variants of the DNA base cytosine for the first time. On the heels of its 2012 publication in Science, Cambridge Epigenetix was born with this methodology as its foundational platform.

The following year, Mellad was recruited for business development as Employee #3. We were still camped out in the lab at that point, he told me. But it soon built up steam: After its first fundraising round in 2014, the company went on to raise a $21M (18M) Series B led by none other than Google Ventures (GV). GV was excited by the tech and the team, but they also saw the potential and long-term vision, said Mellad.

So what was this promise that Google saw in epigenetics? Big companies seem to be rushing to jump on board: AstraZeneca has already launched its own exploration of the field with MRC Technology, now known as LifeArc. Could epigenetics be the next generation of genetic medicine?

Though the field still feels brand new, there are a handful of epigenetic drugs already on the market. These drugs are largely histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors targeted at T cell lymphomas; the most recent approval went to Belinostat, which was developed by a formerly Copenhagen-based company known as TopoTarget, now part of the French Onxeo.

Epigenetics has taken a particularly strong hold in the cancer niche. As scientists from Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute discussed in a Science review last July, recent cancer genome projects [have] unexpectedly highlighted the role of epigenetic alterations in cancer development and suggested that these changes are responsible for the so-called hallmarks of cancer.

Unfortunately, HDAC inhibitors seem to have limited use in this arena. A pair of Italian researchers concluded in the British Journal of Cancer that they are effective on a small set of [cancer] patients with selected hematological diseases, but their use as a monotherapy has not been satisfactory. The efficacy of these drugs has been marred by individual sensitivities to them that are difficult to untangle such that patient stratification is not an option.

A German company, 4SC, has taken heed of such findings, combining its lead candidate resminostat with Bayers kinase inhibitor, Nexavar (sorafenib). In January, 4SC was able to show that its HDAC in tandem with this first-line liver cancer treatment reducedthe risk of death and extended patient survival from 5.1 months to 13.7 months.

The hallmarks of cancer (Source)

Carlos Buesa, Founder and CEO of Oryzon Therapeutics, is optimistic about the rise of a new generation of epigenetic treatments that his company is leading. Weve seen very recently that the second generation of epigenetic modulators could be druggable in a selective manner overcoming the problems that the old-fashioned HDAC inhibitors have gone through, he told me at BIO Europe Spring earlier this year.

His Barcelona-based company, founded in 2000, is leading the charge in this direction. Its lead candidate ORY-1001 just cleared Phase I for acute leukemia and is under investigation in small cell lung cancer. It inhibits lysine specific demethylase 1 (LSD1), which in 2004 became the first histone demethylase to be discovered of approximately 30 thus far described.

LSD1 is thought to play a role in epigenetic reprogramming during cell proliferation among other biological processes, making it an attractive target for potential cancer therapies. We know now that its key to hematopoietic differentiation in normal progenitors, and we know that in some cancers its responsible for the differentiation blockade, as in some leukemias, Buesa said.

The role of epigenetics in cancer (Source)

Oryzon presented its Phase I/IIa results at the American Society for Hematology conference last fall: ORY-1001 proved itself to be safe and likely effective, on top of indicating a number of useful biomarkers to monitor patient responses. We were the first company to ever present [clinical] results with such an inhibitor, Buesa told me proudly. More recently, 4SC launched a program to develop an LSD1 inhibitor, 4SC-202, but it has yet to enter the clinic.

For the Oryzon, much has been riding on the success of ORY-1001: Having been shown to provoke the differentiation of cancer cells accompanied by a preliminary clinical response, it now serves as the companys proof of concept.

Even though Roche abandoned the biotech when it reprioritized its portfolio, Oryzon is pressing on, so far alone. Were seeing now that this is opening a door for a personalized approach, and its giving us information about diseases that have an underlying epigenetic component, said Buesa, explaining the companys determination to move ahead.

Though approved epigenetic drugs are limited to oncology, applications to other indications are also receiving attention. A recent mouse study published by the American Society for Microbiology in mBio suggested they might work as antivirals that would be effective against Herpes Simplex Virus, while an investigation into the treatment of HIV/AIDS is still at an early stage. Various neurodegenerative diseases are also topics of interest.

In order to build a foundation for the development of such a wide range of therapeutics, Cambridge Epigenetix plans to continue its technology and diagnostic development programs to illuminate epigenetic signatures that improve our understanding of biology to develop better therapeutics, said Mellad. Whats important is to first understand the biology.

Thats the sticking point for epigenetics at the moment: as reflected in the global scarcity of biotechs in the space, its still such new territory with a largely unknown extent that effective therapeutics may be an overreach.

As an intermediate step, Cambridge Epigenetix hopes that its diagnostic assays will become standard screening practice before treatment decisions, since, as he argues, the epigenetic versions are more effective than their genetic counterparts. Were developing a companion diagnostic strategy to be used from day one to get the best efficacy and patient outcomes, Mellad told me. Genetic sequencing is informative, but epigenetics is better for monitoring and predicting responses [to treatments].

Such an addition is already an important dimension of checkpoint inhibitor regimens as pharmas like Bristol-Meyers Squibb and Merck compete to dominate the niche. BMS was quick to knock the necessary genetic test for its rivals candidate, Keytruda, as cumbersome, while its own comparatively easy drug, Opdivo, maintainednearly a half billion-dollar sales lead in the first half of 2016.

The tide turned in May this year when the FDA approved Keytruda for solid tumors with a specific genetic signature. For the first time in history, cancer was classified not by location but by the genetic mutation believed to be at its root.

Keytrudas biomarker approval changed how people see diagnostics like the ones were working on,Mellad continued, hailing the FDA decision as a milestone for not just cancer genetics but epigenetics as well. And, Mellad said, this grown-up version of genetics could be even more useful, since epigenetics provides a more nuanced view of responses to therapeutics as a mirror of the bodys dynamic response to its environment.

More and more companies are jumping on board, making epigenetics increasingly mainstream versus a niche, remarked Mellad. As personalized medicine takes hold and such drugs become more successful in the treatment of diseases like cancer, epigenetics may soon capture the public imagination following in the footsteps of its predecessor.

Images via petarg, Leigh Prather, ESB Professional / shutterstock.com

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The Next Generation of Genetic Medicine: A Review of Epigenetics - Labiotech.eu (blog)

Newswise TORONTO, September 6, 2017 The Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research today announces that Dr. Raymond Kim is its newest scientific lead, guiding efforts at the countrys only clinic devoted to cardiac genomics.

The Ted Rogers Centre Cardiac Genome Clinic is Canadas first such program to investigate the genetic causes of heart failure in both children and adults. At one of the worlds only cardiac genome clinics, researchers use whole genome sequencing to help identify the cause, formulate appropriate treatment options and optimize the management of patients and family members.

Genomics is a major part of our mission to better understand the nature of heart failure in order to develop novel treatments and preventative strategies, said Dr. Mansoor Husain, executive director of the Ted Rogers Centre. We are excited to have Raymond on board to build a unique program that is set up to have a very positive impact on heart failure care across the lifespan.

Dr. Kim, one of a handful of dual-trained internal medicine and medical genetics specialists in Toronto, is a rising star in medical genetics. He holds appointments at the Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics at SickKids, at the Fred A. Litwin Family Centre in Genetic Medicine that is jointly run by UHN and Mount Sinai Hospital, and at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. His research interests include genomic medicine, rare disorder registries and weaving novel genetic technologies into patient care.

Dr. Kim will co-direct the Cardiac Genome Clinic along with fellow medical geneticist Dr. Rebekah Jobling (SickKids), who is medical geneticist in the SickKids Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics and molecular geneticist in its Genome Diagnostics Molecular Laboratory.

The clinic opens up the incredible opportunity for families facing cardiovascular issues to have a team of scientists search for answers in the genome, said Dr. Kim. Genome testing will gradually become a normalized part of care, and we are at the forefront of this evolution, and are already helping shape best practices in this area.The addition of unique team members like Dr. Jobling makes our team world-class.

Dr. Kim joins three other scientific leads of the Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research: Dr. Seema Mital, Dr. Heather Ross, and Professor Craig Simmons who are respective experts in genetics, heart failure, and cell and tissue engineering. Together, they are helping direct a vast, collaborative effort to change the lives of Canadians who live with, or are at risk of, heart failure a costly disease that is a global epidemic.

ABOUT THE TED ROGERS CENTRE FOR HEART RESEARCH

The Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research aims to develop new diagnoses, treatments and tools to prevent and individually manage heart failure Canadas fastest growing cardiac disease. Enabled by an unprecedented gift of $130 million from the Rogers family, the Centre was jointly conceived by its three partner organizations: The Hospital for Sick Children, University Health Network, and the University of Toronto. Together, they committed an additional $139 million toward the Centre representing a $270 million investment in basic science, translational and clinical research, innovation, and education in regenerative medicine, genomics, and the clinical care of children and adults. It is addressing heart failure across the lifespan. http://www.tedrogersresearch.ca / @trogersresearch

To transform the care of children and adults with heart failure through discovery, innovation and knowledge translation.

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New Medical Geneticists Join Ted Rogers Centre for Heart Research - Newswise (press release)

Shares of Sarepta Therapeutics soared 12 percent in early trading Wednesday after the biopharmaceutical company reported positive results from a clinical trial of an experimental medicine for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

The drug, golodirsen, would be Sarepta's second to treat the rare, genetic disease, which causes muscle wasting and can be fatal before patients turn 30. Sarepta focuses on the discovery and development of precision genetic medicines to treat rare neuromuscular diseases.

The new study, conducted in Europe, involved 25 boys with confirmed deletions of the DMD gene amenable to skipping exon 53. Exons are part of the DNA code. The treatment targets a genetic mutation affecting about 8 percent of patients with DMD.

Sarepta's first drug for DMD, Exondys 51 approved on a conditional basis by the FDA last year pending more testing to confirm results treats a mutation affecting about 13 percent. Exondys 51 costs about $300,000 per year.

"Our goal is to treat 100 percent" of DMD suffers, Sarepta CEO Doug Ingram told CNBC's "Squawk Box." "The data that we have this morning shows we're on the right path."

The results, announced before Wall Street's open bell, showed that golodirsen increased production of the protein dystrophin to 1.02 percent of normal levels from about 0.095 percent without the drug. Analysts said those results were higher than expected, but scientists wonder whether that's enough to increase muscle strength and have a clinical benefit.

According to Sarepta, the underlying cause of DMD is a mutation in the gene for dystrophin, which is an essential protein involved in muscle fiber function. DMD occurs in one in every 3,500 to 5,000 males worldwide. Symptoms usually start in early childhood, usually between 3- and 5-years old. It primarily affects boys. But in rare cases can affect girls.

"Sarepta is a small company. We have already invested $1 billion fighting Duchenne muscular dystrophy. And we're not done yet," said Ingram, who was appointed as CEO in July. Ahead of Wednesday, Sarepta had a stock market value of $2.6 billion.

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Shares of drugmaker that targets gene mutations soar after positive muscular dystrophy study - CNBC

Dr. Krupp's NIH-ACMG Fellowship begins in September 2017 and will last 24 months. She will do five three-month rotations beginning at ACMG and then through the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD), and the Precision Medicine Initiative All of Us Research program, followed by a six-month elective.

"I feel privileged to be the first recipient of the NIH-ACMG Fellowship in Genomic Medicine Program Management," said Dr. Krupp. "Responsible leadership is key both to further develop our understanding of human genome variation and to best support genome based predictive medicine programs. This fellowship provides unprecedented opportunities to engage with leaders at NIH and ACMG as they provide contemporary management of such programs. This will foster leadership attributes invaluable for my career goal to contribute leadership oversight in genomic medicine research and program implementation."

Dr. Krupp earned her medical degree from the St. Louis University School of Medicine and is board certified in Anesthesiology. She completed a Pediatric Anesthesiology Fellowship at Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Most recently, she was a fellow in Medical Genetics and Genomic Medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. Dr. Krupp has been devoted to medical volunteer work throughout her career and has completed numerous volunteer medical assignments throughout the world including Venezuela, Peru, Haiti, Cambodia and the Dominican Republic.

About the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and ACMG Foundation

Founded in 1991, ACMG is the only nationally recognized medical society dedicated to improving health through the clinical practice of medical genetics and genomics. The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (www.acmg.net) provides education, resources and a voice for more than 2100 biochemical, clinical, cytogenetic, medical and molecular geneticists, genetic counselors and other healthcare professionals, nearly 80% of whom are board certified in the medical genetics specialties. The College's mission is to develop and sustain genetic initiatives in clinical and laboratory practice, education and advocacy. Three guiding pillars underpin ACMG's work: 1) Clinical and Laboratory Practice: Establish the paradigm of genomic medicine by issuing statements and evidence-based or expert clinical and laboratory practice guidelines and through descriptions of best practices for the delivery of genomic medicine. 2) Education: Provide education and tools for medical geneticists, other health professionals and the public and grow the genetics workforce. 3) Advocacy: Work with policymakers and payers to support the responsible application of genomics in medical practice. Genetics in Medicine, published monthly, is the official ACMG peer-reviewed journal. ACMG's website offers a variety of resources including Policy Statements, Practice Guidelines, Educational Resources, and a Find a Geneticist tool. The educational and public health programs of the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics are dependent upon charitable gifts from corporations, foundations, and individuals through the ACMG Foundation for Genetic and Genomic Medicine.

Contact Kathy Beal, MBA

ACMG Media Relations,

kbeal@acmg.net

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/jennifer-krupp-md-is-first-recipient-of-the-new-nih-acmg-fellowship-in-genomic-medicine-program-management-300515082.html

SOURCE American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics

http://www.acmg.net

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Jennifer Krupp, MD is First Recipient of the New NIH-ACMG Fellowship in Genomic Medicine Program Management - PR Newswire (press release)

TUESDAY, Sept. 5, 2017 (HealthDay News) -- If a gym visit elicits more grimaces than grins, you might be genetically predisposed to dislike exercise, Dutch researchers suggest.

The notion that at least part of a penchant for enjoying exercise -- or not -- may be inherited came from tracking the exercise habits and feelings of several hundred sets of identical twins, fraternal twins, and non-twin siblings between the ages of 12 and 25.

The study team further found that people who enjoyed working out spent more time doing so. And that raises the prospect that new interventions might eventually help boost exercise pleasure among those who've inherited a bias against it.

"Despite the persistent general belief that exercise makes everyone feel better, this is not always the case," said study lead author Nienke Schutte.

"There are large differences in how people feel during and after exercise," Schutte said. She's a postdoctoral researcher in the department of public and occupational health with the VU Medical Center in Amsterdam.

"In our study," she added, "we submitted healthy adolescent twin pairs to a 20-minute exercise test on a cycle and a 20-minute exercise test on a treadmill. During and after the exercise tests, we asked them to indicate how they felt."

And in the end, Schutte said, "we showed that up to 37 percent of the differences in the subjective experience of exercise was due to genetics."

The study included 115 pairs of identical twins, 111 pairs of fraternal twins and 35 of their non-twin siblings. All of the study volunteers completed a 20-minute stationary bike ride and a 20-minute treadmill run. Both were characterized as "non-vigorous," although an additional bike ride had participants (which also included six non-twin sibling pairs) ride until they were exhausted.

During each ride and run participants were asked to describe how good or bad they felt, and whether the workout made them energetic, lively, jittery or tense. Lifestyle interviews were also conducted to gauge routine exercise habits.

In the end, the research team estimated that genetic predisposition accounted for anywhere between 12 to 37 percent of the variations seen in exercise enjoyment. And the more a person said they enjoyed exercising, the more often they routinely worked out.

That said, the study authors stressed that what they identified for now is simply an association between exercise pleasure and genetics, rather than a definitive case of cause and effect.

But "an important conclusion is that a one-size-fits-all approach to get people to exercise might not be very effective," Schutte said. "Now we know that how you feel during and shortly after an exercise bout is heritable, we can look for the actual genes that are involved."

And successful identification of such genes could mean that "in the future, depending on your genetic profile, interventions [could] be tailored to set realistic person-specific exercise goals," she added.

James Maddux is an emeritus professor in psychology with George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. He said that "the findings make sense," in his opinion.

"And given the accumulating research findings on the role of genes in individual differences among people on biological and psychological factors [such as] intelligence, personality [or] self-control, I'm not at all surprised," he added.

Maddux also suggested that the mere acknowledgement of a genetic underpinning to exercise enjoyment could end up being of practical benefit, even without knowing which specific genes are involved.

"You don't need to identify the genes that may be partly responsible for individual differences in the experience of pleasure and pain during exercise in order to use descriptions of those individual differences to design individualized exercise programs," he said.

What's more, said Maddux, "knowing that there is a genetic contribution may help the high-exercise-discomfort person engage in less self-blame, which can be demoralizing and discouraging. In fact, this could be useful information for personal trainers to pass along to their high-discomfort clients. It could help both of them be a little more patient."

The study was published in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise.

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Hate to Work Out? Your DNA May Be to Blame - Ravalli Republic

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Global Psoriatic Arthritis Market and Competitive Landscape - 2017" report has been added to Research and Markets' offering.

The latest research, Global Psoriatic Arthritis Market and Competitive Landscape - 2017, provides comprehensive insights into Psoriatic Arthritis pipeline, epidemiology, market valuations, product sales, market forecast, product forecasts, and market shares. This study accurately estimates and forecast Psoriatic Arthritis market size and drug sales. This research also provides insights into Psoriatic Arthritis epidemiology and late stage pipeline.

The report is classified into twelve sections - Psoriatic Arthritis overview with definitions, symptoms, etiology, diagnosis, treatment options; Psoriatic Arthritis pipeline insights covering late stage clinical trials pipeline; Psoriatic Arthritis prevalence trends by countries; Psoriatic Arthritis market size and forecast by countries, market events, trends; product sales and forecast by countries; market shares by countries. The research scope includes G7 countries - US, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, UK, Japan, Europe, Global.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Psoriatic Arthritis: Disease Overview

2. Psoriatic Arthritis Pipeline Insights

3. Psoriatic Arthritis Epidemiology Analysis

4. US Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

5. Germany Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

6. France Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

7. Italy Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

8. Spain Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

9. UK Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

10. Europe Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

11. Japan Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

12. Global Psoriatic Arthritis Market Insights

13. Research Methodology

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/q3gzk9/global_psoriatic

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Global Psoriatic Arthritis Market and Competitive Landscape 2017-2021 - Research and Markets - Business Wire (press release)

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is seen as a monster in most people's closets, sending them on a terrifying rage, suffering from joint pain and stiffness. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes joint pain, stiffness, swelling and decreased movement of the joints. In some people, the condition can damage a number of body systems, including the skin, eyes, lungs, heart and blood vessels.

According to certified personal trainer Carol McPherson, getting lots of exercise is an important part of coping with rheumatoid arthritis.

"My job is physically demanding and RA has hindered me from doing certain aerobics routines and exercises." she told Flair. "I would have flare-ups experiencing pain, stiffness and swelling in my knee from walking or standing for long periods. After my diagnosis, I did intense research on RA and found that exercise can help to improve your health and fitness without hurting your joints," McPherson explained.

With the correct treatment programme, McPherson and psychotherapist Desmond Thompson stress that exercise can strengthen the muscles around the joints, helping to maintain bone strength and enhance the quality of life for those suffering from the disease.

Before engaging in any form of exercise, it is important to stretch to prepare your muscles and joints for the exercise routine. You should also stretch after your exercises to prevent stiffness. It is OK to rest a day between your workouts, and take an extra day or two if your joints are painful or swollen.

With the help of McPherson and Thompson, today Flair shares a few exercises that persons suffering from RA can indulge in and feel much better for it.

There are three sets of exercises you can kick off RA with: range of motion exercises such as cycling, elliptical workout, strengthening exercises like leg presses, hip extensions, and aerobics exercises such as walking, cycling and making use of the treadmill.

These exercises relieve stiffness and increase your ability to move your joints through their full range of motion. Aerobics exercises help with your overall fitness, and strengthening exercises help to build strong muscles that support and protect your joints.

kimberly.goodall@gleanerjm.com

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Kicking rheumatoid arthritis - Jamaica Gleaner

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

In a major public move that has been long-awaited by proponents of evidence-based stem cell science, FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb issued alengthy statement on August 28, 2017on the FDAs new policy steps and enforcement efforts to ensure proper oversight of stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine.The short version is that the Agency will:

Step up enforcement against stem cell actors who claim that their unproven and unsafe products will address a serious disease, but instead put patients at significant risk. To that end, Dr. Gottlieb also announced the creation of an internal working group to identify and pursue such actors and clinics through whatever legally enforceable means are necessary to protect the public health.

Develop and advance a comprehensive policy framework that will more clearly describe the rules of the road for this new field, based on FDAs existing authority. The science-based policy would be aimed at accelerating the proper development of stem cell and other regenerative medicine products, and it is expected to be released Fall 2017. Dr. Gottlieb also noted that the Agency would be issuing a compliance policy that, with the exception of outliers potentially harming public health in a significant way right now, will give current product developers a very reasonable period of time to interact with the FDA in order to determine if they need to submit an application for marketing authorization. And we will also be developing a novel approach to FDA approval that we believe will allow very small product developers to gain all the benefits of FDA approval through a process that is minimally burdensome and less costly. The latter part of this statement clearly takes into account that individual clinicians working in academic hospitals and other venues to innovate in their respective specialties make up a large portion of regenerative medicine product developers, and putting in place an overly burdensome or expensive process would not be in the publics best interest.

The widely differing viewpoints about the appropriateness of FDA oversight of human cell and tissue-based products (HCT/Ps) and their potential risks and benefits were aired during a two-day public hearing in September 2016, as wereported on at the time. From the second prong of Dr. Gottliebs announcement, we would expect that the four draft HCT/P guidance documents debated during the public hearing may be revised or finalized, and they may also be supplemented with additional guidance to further clarify jurisdictional lines or procedural flexibility for very small product developers.

In conjunction with the Commissioners statement, FDA also took specific enforcement action against two high-profile stem cell entities operating in California and Florida:

Supplies of smallpox vaccine, intended to be mixed with fat-derived stem cells and administered to patients as a treatment for cancer, were seized from San Diego-based company StemImmune Inc. Related to the Governments investigation into the unapproved stem cell treatment will be how the company obtained access to the smallpox vaccine in the first place, as it is not commercially available. FDAs announcement about the StemImmune action is availablehere.

A Warning Letter was issued to US Stem Cell Clinic in Florida related to its manufacture of an unapproved drug using fat-derived stem cells and deviations from good manufacturing practices for cell-based products. The Agency announcement about the US Stem Cell Clinic action, along with a link to the complete Warning letter, is availablehere.

US Stem Cell Clinic quicklysubmitted a response to FDA, which it has alsoposted on its website, and which challenges the legal basis for Agency action against a patients own body tissue. We will continue to monitor this case to see whether it progresses into a Federal judicial review of FDAs approach to regulating HCT/Ps.

Finally, as we previously reported, the December 2016 bipartisan 21st Century Cures Act (Cures Act) included a newaccelerated approval pathway for regenerative medicineproducts. FDA has begun implementing the Cures Act provisions under itsRegenerative Medicine Advanced Therapy (RMAT) Designation program. Commissioner Gottliebs recent statement also emphasized the relationship between realizing the promise of the Cures Acts RMAT Designation Program and the need to effectively police the growing marketplace of unproven stem cell treatments. His strongly worded August 28th statement ended with the following:

We must put in place the framework to separate the promising treatments from those products that pose significant risks or offer patients little to no chance of benefit. We will also continue to take steps to keep those who would exploit this promising area from harming patients and abusing the publics trust. We cant let a small number of unscrupulous actors poison the well for the good science that holds the promise of changing the contours of human illness and altering the trajectory of medicine and science.

We are hopeful that the Agency will follow these words with consistent enforcement actions (especially given how manyhundreds of self-named stem cell clinicscurrently operate in the U.S.), in order to enhance regulatory certainty and encourage investment in legitimate business enterprises. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has already confirmed that it will soon be examining the potential effect of unproven stem cell therapies on the broader regenerative medicine field, as part of its oversight of Cures Act implementation more generally. Of course, we will keep our readers posted on important developments regarding these issues.

1994-2017 Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. All Rights Reserved.

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FDA Commissioner Announces Stem Cell Enforcement Shift, Plans to Develop Comprehensive Regenerative Medicine ... - The National Law Review

Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine, established by Dr. Daniel Savarino, recently opened its doors in Tinton Falls to meet the growing need for Sports Medicine services in Monmouth County. Dr. Savarino is here to answer your most pressing questions about Sports Medicine, musculoskeletal injury and the services offered at Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine.

What kind of injuries do you treat?

Musculoskeletal injuries can happen to anyone, regardless of age, fitness level or whether or not you are an athlete. Sports medicine physicians treat injuries that affect mobility, flexibility and strength and help prevent movement-related injuries.

Musculoskeletal injuries can be acute or chronic. Acute injuriesoccur because of an impact, fall or trauma and might include a sprain, strain, dislocation or fracture. Acute injuries should be treated immediately. Chronic injuries develop over time, as a result of repetitive motion, or when you dramatically increase the duration, frequency or intensity of an activity. Chronic injuries can also occur when you do not warm up sufficiently before beginning an activity, or use improper technique and/or equipment. Chronic injuries include stress fractures, tendinopathy or shin splints. If left untreated, chronic injury will become more severe over time.

What exactly is a sports medicine specialist?

A sports medicine specialist is a physician who has received training in the prevention and non-surgical management of injuries, or an orthopedic surgeon with specialized sports medicine training. At Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine we specialize in non-operative and regenerative treatments.

Over 90 percent of injuries treated by a sports medicine specialist are non-surgical, according to the American Medical Society for Sports Medicine. At Apex we offer cutting edge, minimally invasive procedures using ultrasound guidance, which result in less downtime than surgery, so youre able to resume your favorite activities more quickly. We also offer a wide range of regenerative treatments, like PRP, stem cell therapy and high dose laser therapy to help your body recover from injury.

What happens at a typical appointment?

To diagnose your injury and determine treatment, we will take a thorough history of your health background and activities, as well as a physical exam. We may also take X-rays or conduct imaging tests, depending on the nature and severity of the injury.

You dont have to be a competitive athlete to benefit from the care of a sports medicine doctor. Whether youre suffering from a musculoskeletal injury, hoping to alleviate pain and increase mobility so you can carry out daily activities, or youre an athlete hoping to improve your performance, a sports medicine physician can design and carry out a treatment plan to help you to stay active.

Do you accept my insurance?

Insurance carriers refer to Apex as an out-of-network facility. This does not mean that we do not accept your insurance, but rather, it means that we do not currently have a contract with your health insurance provider. However, if you have an insurance policy with out-of-network benefits (i.e., a PPO policy), you can be reimbursed for your visit. Our staff is happy to answer any questions about insurance and payment.

Apex Sports and Regenerative Medicine is located at 55 N. Gilbert St. suite 1101 in Tinton Falls and is open Monday-Friday. To learn more about the practice or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Savarino, please call the office at 732-385-APEX (2739) or visit our website at apexsportsnj.com.

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Meet Dr. Daniel Savarino - centraljersey.com

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A young racing enthusiast battling blindness is making the most of his eyesight before his driving dreams are ended.

Ethan Tailor, nine, suffers from Stargardt disease, a rare degenerative condition that could blind him and has already left him relying on a magnifier to read at Goffs Oak Primary School.

Mum Bhavna, from Goffs Oak, was heartbroken when her son turned to her a year after he was diagnosed in January 2016 and said 'mummy, I am never going to be able to drive am I?'

But after featuring in a BBC news report, the mother of two-time world champion go-karter Matt Luff, 16, was compelled to reach out and offer a one-to-one session last Tuesday (August 29) at Brentwood Kartway.

Ethan described the experience as 'the best day ever'.

"This really made his year, he loved it and it was such a kind-hearted thing to do," said Bhavna.

"Matt has also invited him to watch him race at Silverstone. He has never been there so he is really excited for it. He said go-karting with Matt was the best day ever."

READ MORE: Hertford boy, 10, with rare genetic disorder fronts national Jeans for Genes campaign

With no cure or current treatment available for the disease, Ethan's family does not know when he could lose his sight completely.

Ethan was registered as sight-impaired in January 2016 and cannot even recognise his friends in the playground.

As the disease is hereditary, there is a 25 per cent chance of Ethan's four-year-old sister, Elise, inheriting the disease.

But Bhavna is determined to help her son make the most of his sight and raise awareness of the disease.

READ MORE: Middleton School in Ware receives new minibus after fundraising by 15-year-old

She said: "As a mother, I feel a little helpless but we will still fight his corner and do all we can to give him the best.

"The hardest part is not knowing how long it will take [for his sight to go]. He can only read two lines off the sight chart now."

Ethan has remained upbeat and last year delivered a school assembly to explain the disease to his classmates.

His message was that he can overcome the physical problem, and he pointed to the example set by Paralympic sprinter and gold medallist Libby Clegg, who also has Stargardt.

Mrs Tailor sets time aside for the family to capture visual memories, which have included a VIP trip to Universal Studios in California, a visit to Yosemite and fishing trips.

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Cheshunt boy facing blindness, 9, races with world champion - Hertfordshire Mercury

India currently has the highest number of visually impaired and blind people and according to experts majority of cases is because of cataract. It is the sole largest factor for blindness in India and accounts for nearly 63 per cent of the total vision impairment in the country.

Ramanjit Singh Sihota, Professor of Ophthalmology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), said after cataract (62.7 per cent), in descending order of prevalence, the causes of blindness were uncorrected refractive error (19.7 per cent), glaucoma (5.8) per cent, posterior segment disorder (4.7 per cent) and corneal blindness (1 per cent). In this backdrop, aiming to understand the real burden of visual impairment and blindness in children of north India over the last one decade, the AIIMS is conducting nation's first large-scale community-based study in Delhi where 20,000 children will be screened.

The study, results of which are expected in a year's time, is currently underway in small clusters of east Delhi's Trilokpuri. According to the doctors, the clusters have been divided and from every cluster 500 children are being examined. Once the results are out, the study will also be carried out in other parts of India.

"In India, there are nearly 0.8 crore blind and 5.4 crore visually impaired. Nearly 80-90 per cent blindness is avoidable and more than 90 per cent of it is seen in people aged 50 years and above," said Praveen Vashist, head of Community Ophthalmology at AIIMS. "It is an epidemiological study on childhood blindness. The age group being examined is 0-15 years. This is a pilot study and will be implemented in other parts of the country," said Atul Kumar, Chief of Rajendra Prasad Eye (RP) Centre for Ophthalmic Sciences at AIIMS.

Stating that patients were ignorant about various causes which damaged optic nerves, Jeevan S. Titiyal, Professor of Ophthalmology at AIIMS, said that tobacco, betel nut and lime also caused damage to eyes, without the patients having any idea. On being asked if steroids were also a reason behind blindness, Titiyal said: "This is becoming common and nearly 20 per cent of children with blindness is because of the steroids. However, with the advancement in age, chances of people going blind due to steroids become less."

The RP Centre is also conducting a "National Blindness Survey 2015-18" with a sample size of 90,000 people, using Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB)-6 method. Blindness surveys have been completed in 23 districts to date and is scheduled to be completed in all 30 districts by June 2018. Doctors said that the survey would provide the most reliable representative current estimates of blindness and visual impairment among those aged 50 and above. It will also generate, for the first time, the burden of diabetic retinopathy and sight threatening diabetic retinopathy in a representative community sample.

Lens is usually made of water and protein but while ageing protein may start covering lens making it difficult for the person to see. Cataract which leads to blur vision and faded colour is most common in adults.

(With IANS inputs)

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63% blindness cases in India is caused by cataract, say experts - India TV

Since 2014, Dialogue in the Dark Ace Take 1 has trained 4,100 PwDs and created 3,000 job opportunities for the differently-abled across 18 sectors.

Most people come up with a feeling of sympathy when they meet us. But I/we dont need sympathy. I can do every normal thing, like everyone else, all by my own. I am used to working in the darkness, says 25-year-old Faizal, when asked about the challenges faced by a visually-impaired person. And like Faizal, many others with visual impairment or physical disabilities, believe that they dont need sympathy or help from the society; rather, a mutual feeling of equality is what they stake a claim for.

But this natural outburst of sorry feeling mixed with sympathy towards people with disabilities (PwDs) is the norm. It leads to discrimination and largely hinders the availability of economically empowering opportunities for them across the country. While many consider physical disability as a weakness cursed upon them, people like Faizal want to subvert this notion. And as more progressive social groups join hands to build up a mutually inclusive society for all, the view, that the so-called disabled are not disabled but differently-abled, should prevail.

Dialogue in the Dark ACE Take 1 came to the fore with an aim to bring about a mindset change in the corporates of India for creating employment opportunities for PwDs. With the conviction that experiences and encounters are powerfully effective pedological tools, Dialogue in the Dark provides an empathy experience for its visitors by putting them through daily life situations, in complete darkness.

With a mission to facilitate social inclusion of the disabled community on a global basis, Dialogue in the Dark was founded by Andreas Heinecke at Hamburg, Germany, in 1988. With the goal to change the mindset of people towards disability and diversity, and consequently boost employment creation for PwDs, in the past 27 years, Dialogue in the Dark has been presented in more than 41 countries. Today, it is available in across 21 countries and 29 cities worldwide. Its exhibitions and workshops, where people undergo day-to-day activities in complete darkness, have witnessed more than 9 million visitors.

Introduced to the Indian audience by SV Krishnan and Sudha Krishnan, Dialogue in the Dark has received 8,000 pledges till date, through its sensitisation mission. According to SV Krishnan, in 2009, while waiting for a delayed flight in Atlanta, he came upon an exhibit of DID. He was deeply enthralled by its powerful message and the innovative way of showing how ordinary events like walking in the park, shopping, taking a boat ride in complete darkness were empowering. This encounter inspired him to begin thinking about the pedagogical power of such experiences and employing entertainment as a medium to convey socially relevant messages.

Visitors are assisted by tour guides through the exhibition, but the fact the guides are visually-impaired is not revealed to the visitors. At the end of the experience, the visitors are led out of the exhibition into the light by the guide. This role reversal brings about a transformation in the mindset of the visitors, thereby leaving them with the understanding that the disabled need empowering opportunities and not sympathy, says SV Krishnan.

With the determination to bring the concept to India, Krishnan established DID in Hyderabad in 2011. It has now expanded to other cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Raipur. DID has also been set up across 15 cities on a temporary basis for conducting corporate sensitisation workshops on the abilities of PwDs.

The wide acceptance and success of Dialogue in the Dark led to the establishment of ACE Take 1. It aims to create employment opportunities for PwDs through skill development trainings and by bridging the gap between the market requirement and PwD skill levels through vocational skill training.

Through its ACE Take 1 skill development training, DID has trained 4,100 PwDs, created 3,000 job opportunities for them across 18 sectors of the country.

According to Krishnan, Through DID, corporates are sensitised towards hiring PwDs as they get to experience their abilities without even knowing that they are hosted and taken care of by a visually-impaired.

While Dialogue in the Dark changes the views of several visitors by providing an empathy experience, the differently-abled connected to it consider it a blessing in disguise.

Rohit Gowlikar, who is currently working as Probationary Assistant Manager in Syndicate Bank, says, Ignorance of the society about what a PwD like me can do resulted in me not getting a job for three years till Dialogue in the Dark hired me. Working at Dialogue in the Dark has immensely boosted my self-confidence.

Another PwD guide at DID, Nasir Hashmi, has over the last four years interacted with more than 10,000 guests and conducted over 100 workshops across India, spreading the message of diversity and social inclusion.

Meanwhile, Dialogue in the Dark plans to expand to other Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru by 2018. Furthermore, it aims to provide employment enhancing vocational skills training for 5,000 PwDs, annually, across India till 2020.

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Sensitising 90 lakh people worldwide about blindness, Dialogue in the Dark shows the way - YourStory.com

Dopamine is a naturally occurring chemical that plays several key roles in the brain and body.

But the use of foetal tissue is fraught with practical and ethical problems.

So Takahashi and his colleagues, in a medical first, substituted so-called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which can be easily made from human skin or blood.

Within a year, some monkey's who had could barely stand up gradually recovered mobility.

"They became more active, moving more rapidly and more smoothly," Takahashi said by email. Animals that had taken to just sitting "start walking around in the cage."

"These findings are strong evidence that human iPSC-derived dopaminergic neurons can be clinically applicable to treat Parkinson's patients," he said.

Experts not involved in the research described the results as encouraging.

The treatment, if proven viable, "has the potential to reverse Parkinson's by replacing the dopamine cells that have been lost -- a groundbreaking feat," said David Dexter, deputy research director at Parkinson's UK.

"Not only did the new cells survive... but they also integrated with the existing neuronal network," he said.

Neurons made from foetal tissue grafted into brains have been known to survive for more than a decade, and the researchers said they expected those derived from iPSCs to last just as long.

Tilo Kunath, Parkinson's Senior Research Fellow at the University of Edinburgh, said the outcome was "extremely promising," and highlighted the advantage of avoiding stem cells extracted from human foetal tissue.

"It means that this therapy can be used in any country worldwide," including Ireland and most of South America, where medical use of human embryonic stem cells is banned.

The results, reported in the journal Nature, were not the same for the dozen monkeys in the experiment, each of which received donor neurons from a different person.

"Some were made with cells from healthy donors, while others were made from Parkinson's disease patients," said lead author Tetsuhiro Kikuchi, also from Kyoto University.

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Human stem cells restore mobility in Parkinson's monkeys: study - Times LIVE

Dr. Lee Denney of Cushing, has beennamed the 2017 Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year by the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Association.

Im very honored, said Denney. I feel unworthy but also Im very grateful. It was a very humbling experience to be in that room with my colleagues.

Denney, a lifetime resident of Cushing, earned her DVM degree from Oklahoma State University in 1978.

When asked why she chose OSU, she remarked, Oh, you just have to say why not? Being an instate resident and having a vet school with an excellent reputation was a great combination and thats why I picked it.

I always knew I wanted to do something in the medical field. Loved biology and the variety of species, the variety in your daily routine was very appealing. And then add in the medical aspect, veterinary medicine seemed like the likely choice.

Immediately upon graduation, she went into private practice.

At the time, I was married to a veterinarian and we opened a mixed practice in Cushing and had that practice for 35 years.

In addition to veterinary medicine, Dr. Denney has another professional interest that impacts animal owners in a different way. She served in the Oklahoma legislature for 12 years, the maximum amount of time allowed.

I got interested in politics probably 10 to 12 years before I was elected and realized what an impact it does have on our state, said Denney. I think a lot of us just go through life voting all the time, making sure we vote but not really paying attention to what those that we put in office actually do. And with money being tight these days and regulations changing, I thought it was important to spend my time in public service.

I think its very important for veterinarians to be engaged. At the time I was in the legislature, we had three veterinarians. We were an active voice, not only for veterinary medicine, but also for production agriculture. And I think it was very important; colleagues looked to us.

Today Dr. Denney serves as an instructor and department head for the Veterinary Technology Department at the Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City campus.

I hope Im remembered as someone who is open minded and willing to learn and willing to change. And approachable on all areas whether its in veterinary medicine, teaching students here at OSU-OKC or even in the legislature. Someone who values other peoples opinions and is willing to work with those people. Maybe not always agreeing with opinions but willing to have a civil discourse and move through problems that we have in todays society.

Denney has many areas of accomplishments her family, her veterinary practice, and her time in the legislature.

Raising kids to be productive adults is always a great accomplishment, she said. Also in the field of veterinary medicine, even protecting the Practice Act and things like that in the legislature have been great. If you drill it down even further, when someone brings you their dog or their cat and its their lifelong companion and they feel like the outcome is going to probably be euthanasia but you find out that its not and just the joy on their face is wonderful. To return that animal to their family is really a great accomplishment.

When asked what advice she would offer someone who is considering becoming a veterinarian, Dr. Denney had this to say:

Do it. Its a wonderful profession. Its like anything; there is good and bad. You know at 2 a.m. when youre at the clinic delivering puppies, you kind of think why did I do this? But when those puppies are all going yip, yip, yip and sucking on their mom and you get to go home and go back to bed, its rewarding. And the variety of it (veterinary medicine) and the people you meet. Its been a great profession. Not only on the small animal side but veterinarians are extremely necessary to protect our food supply and protect us from a lot of foreign animal diseases that were starting to see creep back into society. So do it. Its very rewarding. Theres so many different avenues you can take and you will be very lucky to be a veterinarian.

Other Oklahoma State veterinary graduates recognized during the Oklahoma Veterinary Medical Associations Annual Convention were:

Dr. Christopher Kelley (97), Companion Animal Practitioner of the Year

Dr. Byron Schick (87), Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Jarod Kennedy (06), Food Animal Practitioner of the Year

Original post:
Lee Denney named 2017 Oklahoma Veterinarian of the Year - Stillwater News Press

We know that theres a lot of pseudoscience in the world of medicine. There are doctors promoting homeopathic remedies, selling anecdotes as if theyre scientific facts, and offering alternative (useless) treatments to very real problems.

But we dont often hear those stories when they involve animals.

Brennen McKenzie is a veterinarian whos been working to expose BS in his field through his blog The SkeptVet. In an interview with NPR over the weekend, he offered an example of what he fights against:

Take anti-vaccine activism: Some people claim that veterinary vaccines should be avoided because their risks are greater than their benefits and they cause all sorts of horrible diseases. But theres no evidence that vaccines actually do that.

There are people out there refusing to vaccinate their pets because they think itll do damage to them. Jesus I had no idea Jenny McCarthy dabbled in veterinary medicine, too.

Check out the full interview.

(Image via Shutterstock)

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There's Plenty of Pseudoscience in Veterinary Medicine, Too - Patheos (blog)

For many livestock keepers in South Sudan, there is little that can be done to help a sick or injured animal. If one of our cows was sick, it was either slaughtered or left to die because we didnt know how to deal with sick cows, says Marial Madit, from the Maraya cattle camp in Aweial County. But now, Madit has new knowledge and tools to help heal a sick animal. Along with 24 other young South Sudanese, Madit recently completed a FAO-sponsored training to become a Community Animal Health Worker.

In South Sudan, the death of an animal is the loss of an important asset. Cattle are used not only for milk and meat, but also to pay dowry, what a man must give to a womans family before he is able to marry her. Sick livestock can also mean decreased production and limited marketing opportunities, explains Marco Makur Nyariel, a FAO Animal Health Officer based in Rumbek. If your livestock is sick you may not be able to get good milk. You also may not be able to take care of your family, he says.

But despite the cultural and economic importance of livestock in South Sudan, access to veterinary care is limited. During the many years of fighting between the north and the south. the line of the education system within South Sudan was affected during the war, says Nyariel, explaining why very few South Sudanese have been trained in veterinary medicine.

Whats more, many livestock keepers live in remote cattle camps, where bad roads and insecurity can make access difficult. To help solve that problem, FAO is giving basic veterinary training to people who, like Marial Madit, already live in the cattle camps. The Organization is also supporting the state and national Ministries of Livestock, Animal Resources and Fisheries to fill this gap.

For two weeks in June, Madit and other trainees from Lakes State gathered in the town of Yirol for a two-week workshop. They learned about vaccination, prevention and treatment of diseases affecting cattle, sheep, goats and poultry. The trainees were also taught how to get rid of ticks and lice, which can transmit diseases that weaken the animals. At the end of the course, the newly-trained Community Animal Health Workers were given veterinary medicine and tools, and then sent back to work in their communities. Less than a month later, the trainees were already making a difference in the cattle camps where they live.

With the training we had last time in Yirol, I have been able to identify the different diseases that have been attacking our cattle and managed to treat some of these diseases, says Ding Anyoun Gak, who lives in the War-Abyei cattle camp near Rumbek. We have been able to treat diseases and pests like ticks, also sometimes the cattle come back from grazing when they have wounds that they got from animal attacks that as well we have been able to manage, adds Aborpei Gumwel, another Community Animal Health Worker at War-Abyei.

But Nyariel says that in addition to caring for livestock, the Community Animal Health Workers can also help create a more peaceful society. Every time the Animal Health Workers treat an animal, they are also encouraged to talk to the people about managing resources. Cattle raiding and disputes over pasture and water often causes fighting between cattle camps.

We must cooperate and talk about how to manage our natural resources for the benefit of our livestock and to avoid conflict, says Nyariel. The most important thing that you must put in your mind is that without peace you will not be able to do treatment, without peace you will not be able to do livestock vaccination.

Activities under this programme are funded by the European Union.

Excerpt from:
FAO trains cattle keepers in basic veterinary medicine - ReliefWeb

Posted Aug. 30, 2017

Aug. 30, 2017

During AVMA Convention 2017 this July in Indianapolis, the AVMA bestowed awards to recognize excellence in veterinary medicine.

Dr. L. Garry Adams received the AVMA Award, and the AVMA Meritorious Service Award went to Dr. Bruce Kaplan. Following are some key achievements of the other award recipients.

This award recognizes an AVMA member for accomplishments in the field of animal welfare involving leadership, public service, research, education, or advocacy.

Dr. Hans CoetzeeDr. Coetzee heads the Department of Anatomy and Physiology at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine. His interests include the development of pain assessment techniques and practical analgesic drug regimens for food-producing animals.

After earning his veterinary degree from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 1996, Dr. Coetzee worked in mixed animal practice in Northern Ireland and then in pharmaceutical research and development at Norbrook Laboratories Ltd. He received a certificate in Cattle Health and Production from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2000 and a doctorate in veterinary microbiology from Iowa State University in 2005. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology, American College of Animal Welfare, and European College of Animal Welfare and Behavioural Medicine. He has also published more than 110 peer-reviewed scientific papers and received more than $10 million in research funding.

This award recognizes a nonveterinarian for accomplishments in the field of animal welfare involving leadership, public service, research, education, or advocacy.

Joan MillerMiller has been an advocate for the health and well-being of cats for more than 45 years. During the 1970s and l980s, she was known for her award-winning Abyssinian cats and became a Cat Fanciers' Association judge of all breeds, retiring with emeritus status in 2013. She also was a board member of the CFA for 25 years.

From 1980-1996, Miller served as president of the Winn Feline Foundation, which funds feline health research. She then focused on cat population problems, including shelter issues and free-roaming unowned cats. In 1996, she coordinated a national workshop on feral cats.

Miller has been engaged in legislative advocacy for pet ownership, education programs for the general public at cat shows and pet expos, and shelter presentations on handling difficult cats and has served as a lecturer at the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

This award recognizes an AVMA member for outstanding public service while an employee of a government agency or for education of veterinarians in public service activities.

Dr. Valerie RaganDr. Ragan (Georgia '83) is director of the Center for Public and Corporate Veterinary Medicine at the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She focuses on veterinary public practice, including providing opportunities for student engagement in national and international veterinary and animal health organizations. She provides counseling and training for veterinarians wishing to make career changes. She also works around the world on the control and eradication of brucellosis and on projects related to building veterinary capacity.

Starting out as a small animal practitioner, Dr. Ragan transitioned to Veterinary Services with the Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. She rose to assistant deputy administrator of Veterinary Services, serving as the national coordinator of animal health surveillance and establishing the National Surveillance Unit at the USDA Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health. She then led a veterinary consulting company engaged in resolving animal health issues and building international veterinary capacity.

This award recognizes an AVMA member who has contributed to international understanding of veterinary medicine.

Dr. Andrew ClarkAfter earning his veterinary degree from Michigan State University in 1964, Dr. Clark served a Peace Corps assignment in what is now Tanzania. The assignment led to a 26-year international career, primarily in eastern and southern Africa and also in North Africa and the Near East. His work in Africa involved disease control in large populations of animals. As a veterinary officer in Tanzania, Dr. Clark was responsible for the health concerns of approximately 1 million cattle and 1 million sheep and goats, along with thousands of donkeys. In the late 1960s, he was involved with the initial efforts to eradicate rinderpest.

Dr. Clark went on to a 22-year career with the Oregon Department of Agriculture that ended with the role of state veterinarian. After retirement, he worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Egypt regarding highly pathogenic avian influenza and with the USDA and U.S. Agency for International Development in Nairobi.

Dr. Tom Meyer, 2016-17 AVMA president, chose the recipients of this award, which is for individuals or groups that have made a positive impact on health, veterinary organizations, or the profession.

Dr. Robert Kit FlowersDr. Flowers (Colorado State '78), executive director of the Christian Veterinary Mission, started his career in private practice in Walla Walla, Washington, followed by service as a captain in the Air Force based at Tyndall Air Force Base in Panama City, Florida. He subsequently opened a mixed animal practice in Panama City. He and his wife, Jan, did a short-term service trip to Haiti with the Christian Veterinary Mission, an organization founded in 1976 in response to a need in the developing world for training in animal health.

Dr. Flowers and his family then committed to long-term service in veterinary relief and development work in Kenya with the mission, serving with the Maasai people from 1985-90. Dr. Flowers returned to join the mission staff in Seattle. He has been the organization's president and executive director for nearly 25 years.

Dr. Richard DeBowesDr. DeBowes (Illinois '79) is a professor of equine surgery and director of the Professional Life Skills program at the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. He oversees the curriculum in practice management and teaches courses on leadership and clinical communication. He helped fund, develop, promote, and host the Cougar Orientation and Leadership Experience at WSU and the Veterinary Leadership Experience, a leadership training program for veterinary students and others.

Previously, Dr. DeBowes served as associate dean for veterinary development and external relations at WSU and chairman of the departments of clinical sciences at the Kansas State University and WSU veterinary colleges. He is a diplomate and former regent of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He has presented more than 400 programs on leadership, teamwork, communication, and organizational culture in 28 countries.

Kathleen Ruby, PhDDr. Ruby is a licensed professional clinical counselor with more than 35 years of experience in the counseling and educational fields. For the past 20 years, she has been on the faculty at the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine, where she has served as the director of counseling and wellness. In this capacity, she has worked with students and faculty to improve the culture of veterinary training and to create programs that enhance professional and personal well-being and emotional competence within the veterinary profession. These programs include training veterinary students in the realm of end-of-life care and personal leadership training.

Dr. Ruby helped develop the Veterinary Leadership Experience, a leadership training program for veterinary students and others, to teach psychological flexibility and enhance self-awareness and mindfulness in veterinary professionals. She also was the founding editor-in-chief of Veterinary Team Brief.

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AVMA recognizes excellence in veterinary medicine - American Veterinary Medical Association