StemCell Therapy

Stem cell therapies provide an alternative to pain relievers and total joint replacement for those suffering from osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis plagues millions of older adults throughout the world. It is the most common type of degenerative joint disease. Commonly referred to as OA, osteoarthritis is an inevitability for many people. It occurs as the rubber-like cartilage that protects the ends of human bones gradually breaks down. It eventually leads to a situation where bones rub against one another as little, if any, cartilage remains. OA can occur in any of the body's joints. However, it is more common in the hips, knees, spine and hands.

OA sounds like a particularly gruesome condition with painful bone-on-bone contact yet hope is available. Patients currently use physical therapy, pain relievers, cortisone injections and even surgery. Scientists have recently pinpointed stem cells as a possible catalyst for OA healing.

How the Human Body Might be Able to Heal Itself

Emory Orthopaedics and Spine Center physicians made waves five years ago when they launched regenerative stem cell therapy. This is a form of treatment for OA as well as related joint maladies. It makes use of the patient's stem cells to remedy damaged tissues, minimize pain and hasten the healing process. Stem cells are taken from the patient's body with a needle. These stem cells are derived from abdominal fat and/or the hip's bone marrow. They are then placed in a centrifuge and spun in a rapid manner to generate a concentrate. This process isolates the stem cells. These cells are injected right back into the patient's compromised joint minutes later. This reapplication of stem cells catalyzes the healing process.

The use of stem cells takes about an hour and a half. The best part is it involves minimal comfort and produces few side effects for the vast majority of patients. The stem cells are taken from the patient himself in order to decrease the odds of rejection. This method of treatment has proven quite effective, helping patients enjoy a substantial improvement in joint health in as little as one month.

Stem Cells: The Darling of Regenerative Medicine

The medical community is quickly determining stem cells enhance the healing process better than other treatments. The predecessor was platelet-rich plasma for the treatment of OA and joint damage. This method debuted nearly a decade ago. Stem cell therapy launched in 2012 and has proven incredibly effective. Stem cells are highly specialized cells that can replicate themselves and potentially differentiate into different cell types for varying functions within the body.

Though there are numerous different stem cell types, those that help promote ligament, tendon and cartilage healing are referred to as mesenchymal stem cells. The human body has a substantial amount of these cells available to repair damaged tissues. Though there is minimal evidence that adding a concentration of such cells can replace joint cartilage that has been lost, they serve as important signaling cells that promote the transmission of proteins like cytokines. These are molecular harbingers that mitigate cartilage degeneration and control pain.

Advancements in stem cells might eventually make it theoptimal means of repair for cartilage cells. Such cells aredamaged due to everyday wear and tear, sports participation, obesity, andgenetics. As of now, stem cells have proven quite effective in reducing the stiffness and pain tied to OA. It is an excellent alternative to total joint replacement surgery and pain relievers.

The FDA's Take on Stem Cells

Certain medical professionals consider stem cells to be an experimental treatment. The FDA is now attempting to determine how the number of stem cell therapies should be regulated. Unfortunately, many types of insurance do not cover stem cell treatments. Stay tuned for more developments.

Excerpt from:
Healing Osteoarthritis with Stem Cells - Anti Aging News

Solar eclipse safety

SOUTHERN COLORADO, Colo. - In a little less than three weeks, the moon will cross in front of the sun, creating a total solar eclipse. While it's a sight to behold, you need to do so safely.

Millions are gearing up to see the total solar eclipse across the country. The astronomical feat happens when the sun, moon and Earth align completely. The moon's shadow falls on the earth's surface. However, only select cities across the U.S. will be the path of totality. Along this line, the stars will come out in the middle of the day.

Right here in Colorado, we'll only experience 90 percent of the eclipse. While it will be impressive, it won't be quite as life-changing as experiencing the event along the path of totality which sits to our north. If you plan on participating in the event, just remember to use ISO certified eye glasses to protect your eyesight. Never look into the sun without protection.

"When it does that, it can cause irreversible vision damage like loss of visual acuity or spots in your vision that don't go away, said optometrist Dr. Lindsay Sallecchai.

Dr. Sallecchai says it's not enough to just use your eclipse glasses, peer through the lens and call it good. In fact, your telescope or camera intensifies the sun's power, damaging your glasses and damaging your eyes as a result.

"Just because there's an eclipse doesn't mean the sun lessens in power. It's still the sun, "said Keith Barger. "It can damage your eye and even damage cameras if they're not protected."

Barger from the Space Foundation showed us how to use special filters for your telescope.

You can also put a piece of cardboard around the lens and cast a shadow onto a white sheet of paper to view the moon passing in front of the sun.

Don't forget, you can also attach your camera to the telescope to capture the phenomenon. As long as you have the filter over the telescope, you're good to go.

If you don't have the right filters for your telescope or the certified eclipse glasses, there's still another method for viewing the eclipse safely. Put a thumbtack in the middle of a paper plate. Hold it up to the sun, and cast a shadow onto a white piece of paper.

Buyers beware! Some vendors are selling counterfeit eclipse glasses that aren't certified. To find a list of approved vendors, head to our main webpage and click under the hot button.

The rest is here:
Solar eclipse eye safety - KRDO

Spenser Heaps, Deseret News

Dr. Jeff Pettey, associate professor of ophthalmology, speaks about the risks of viewing the upcoming solar eclipse without proper eye protection at the John A. Moran Eye Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2017.

SALT LAKE CITY Dr. Jeff Pettey suggests there is an easy way for every person to determine whether their eye gear provides enough protection for viewing a solar eclipse.

"You know you have a good pair of solar eclipse glasses if you can't see anything except for if you look at the sun," Pettey, an ophthalmologist and a professor at the University of Utah, told reporters Wednesday at the John A. Moran Eye Center.

The unyielding light resistance of lenses made specifically for an eclipse only allowing in about one-millionth of the sun's rays have recently made for some amusing online reviews of those products filled with angry complaints about not being able to see, Pettey said with a wry smile.

"Unfortunately, they didn't take a moment to actually look at the sun," he cracked.

As extreme as its design is, Pettey said that eyewear as opposed to ineffective binoculars, dark sunglasses or "even five pairs of dark sunglasses" is precisely what will be needed to adequately protect the eyes of any person hoping to witness the highly anticipated solar eclipse sweeping across the continental United States on Aug. 21.

Otherwise, he said, looking directly at the sun for even as long as a few seconds can wreak havoc on a tiny part of the eye called the fovea, close to the center of the retina, that is critical for sharp vision in the midpoint of a person's gaze.

"If you damage that part of your eye, you would lose your ability to recognize faces and even your ability to recognize fine print," said Pettey, who is also director of education for the Moran Eye Center, chief of ophthalmology at Salt Lake's Veteran Affairs hospital and an official Utah Jazz team doctor. "That is the part of the eye we're worried about."

Other ways to check on eyewear suitability for a solar eclipse are looking for the International Organization for Standardization certification on the inside of the glasses and checking online to ensure the vendor is considered reputable within its particular industry.

Nina Waters, a Moran Eye Center patient, injured her left eye 18 years ago while viewing a solar eclipse in her native Russia, when she was convinced that looking through a piece of a colored glass bottle would protect her eyes.

"Somebody told me 'this is actually safe to use,' and I believed this person," recalled Waters, who now lives in Salt Lake City.

Later, she said, she had a sensation that "felt like a bee sting in my eye," but didn't know her vision would be damaged long term. Soon after, Waters forgot about it, but her vision eventually became worse and worse, until at an eye doctor appointment in the United States "years and years" after the eclipse, she learned she had a burn from the sun in her eye.

"Then I realized it (came) from that time," Waters said.

Surgery has since helped Waters overcome her sight problems to an extent, but to this day she regrets her lack of caution.

"I wish I would've never looked at the sun," she lamented.

A person whose eyes are damaged from viewing a solar eclipse may not notice any symptoms for even a few days, Pettey said. Multiple symptoms are similar to that of macular degeneration, he said.

One potential symptom is the persistent existence of a sight-blocking spot "right in the center of our vision," Pettey explained. The damage can be permanent in some cases.

Pettey said the Moran Eye Center doesn't want to discourage Utahns from viewing the eclipse, which is the first total eclipse across the continental United States since 1918. But the eye center does want to ensure people don't harm their eyes. Beginning Friday at 8:30 a.m., 1,000 free pairs of eclipse glasses will be handed out at nine Moran locations, said Elizabeth Neff, the center's spokeswoman.

Neff said glasses will be available until 5 p.m. or supplies run out in three Salt Lake City locations, as well as in Farmington, Park City, Murray, South Jordan, Riverton and Orem. There is a limit of two pairs per family.

Moran Eye Center will also sell several hundred pairs next week for $1.50 each without a per family limit, she said.

Pettey said people's curiosity about the eclipse is understandable and should be encouraged, adding that it could turn out to be "the most tweeted about event perhaps in history."

"We should take advantage of the event. ... We should all be able to look at the sun as long we have our solar eclipse glasses," Pettey said.

Still, ever conscious of her previous experience, Waters doesn't plan to take any chances. "I'm scared," she admits.

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Eye center warns against viewing eclipse without special glasses - Deseret News

Cases of blindness could treble by 2050, scientists believe.

New research from Anglia Ruskin University suggests by the middle of the century 115 million people worldwide could be blind, compared to 36 million people in 2015.

Vision impairment as a result of ageing is said to be one of the main contributors to rising eye-sight problems in our growing elderly populations.

Researchers said action was need on a global, regional and country level to slow the acceleration of vision impairment.

The study, led by Professor Rupert Bourne and funded by the Brien Holden Vision Institute, analysed the prevalence of blindness and vision impairment in 188 countries between 1990 and 2015.

Its findings revealed that 2.05 per cent of men and 2.79 per cent of women in the UK have moderate to severe eye sight problems, with 0.16 percent and 0.23 percent respectively being blind.

These Kodi add-ons are still working

Researchers estimated that as ageing populations expand, prevalence rates could see an upturn by 2020.

They predict further increases in the number of cases by 2050 if treatment is not improved with almost 115 million cases of blindness and 588 million people with moderate to severe vision impairment.

Professor Bourne, of Anglia Ruskins Vision and Eye Research Unit, said: "Even mild visual impairment can significantly impact a persons life, for example reducing their independence in many countries as it often means people are barred from driving, as well as reducing educational and economic opportunities.

ITV is looking for people with stammers to take part in documentary

"With the number of people with vision impairment accelerating, we must take action to increase our current treatment efforts at global, regional and country levels.

"Investing in these treatments has previously reaped considerable benefits, including improved quality of life, and economic benefits as people remain in work.

"Interventions for vision impairment provide some of the largest returns on investment, and are some of the most easily implemented interventions in developing regions because they are cheap, require little infrastructure and countries recover their costs as people enter back into the workforce.

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Number of blind people to TRIPLE by 2050 due to ageing population - Cambridge News

THE longtime friend of a man who was airlifted after being shot in the eye has raised 1,150 for the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS).

Brian Cook, 64, arranged a charity clay pigeon shoot on the top of Carlton Bank in the North York Moors, on behalf of his friend Jim Harding, 63.

In October 2014, Mr Harding was working on a shoot on the Danby Estate in North Yorkshire, which has been his job for more than 30 years.

The incident happened when firing started before father-of-one Mr Harding had put on his safety glasses. One of the pellets that was fired hit him in the left eye which severed the optic nerve and damaged his vision, causing him to lose his sight in that eye.

Mr Harding, from Whitby, said: A gentlemen shot in my direction, and when I heard the shot, I wondered what was that? and then I turned round and another shot was fired and I could see it coming towards me before it hit me in the eye. It happened in an instant, and felt like when you get something caught in your eye."

I was situated two miles from the road, so this is just one example of why we need air ambulances. If we didnt have them, a lot of people probably wouldnt get to hospital in time. After ringing 999, GNAAS came in straight away and I was flown to James Cook Hospital.

Despite everyones best efforts, Mr Harding lost the sight in one eye. But he still wanted to thank GNAAS for their service, so him and his son Sam Harding, 38, asked Mr Cook to help them arrange a clay pigeon shoot to raise money for the charity.

Mr Cook, 64, said: Ive organised clay pigeon shoots in the past, so when Jim and Sam asked if I would put one together for GNAAS I obviously said yes.

My daughter has been airlifted twice after being in horse riding accidents, and its surprising how many of her riding friends have also fell and required the assistance of GNAAS.

I really appreciate the service the air ambulance provides as you never know when you are going to need it.

The clay pigeon shoot was held alongside a BBQ and a raffle, and the organisers said the event was a huge success. Plans are now being put in place to hold it annually, with the winner of each shoot getting their name put on a trophy shield.

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Benefit shoot for air ambulance after man lost an eye - The Press, York

SALEM, Ore. - With many children struggling early in their school years due to undiagnosed vision issues, a simple investment can make a world of difference for thousands of Oregon's young people.

Oregon Senate Bill 187 -- which was unanimously approved and passed by both the Oregon House and Senate and was signed into law today by Governor Kate Brown -- helps to address that issue by allocating $1 million to cover vision screenings for students in public school districts and preschools statewide.

"Nothing in a child's life is as important as good vision. It is the key to academic success, socialization and full participation in learning, creativity and thinking. Senators spoke with one voice regarding the importance of universal vision screening with the passage of SB 187," said Senate Republican Leader Ted Ferrioli, of John Day.

"We know 25% of children have undiagnosed vision problems significant enough to affect their performance in school. SB 187 helps provide treatment which can dramatically improve student achievements and graduation rates. This bill will assist in ensuring students have the tools they need to learn and succeed," said Rep. Greg Smith, of Heppner.

The new law establishes the Vision Health Account and directs the Oregon Department of Education to reimburse public schools and preschool programs for costs associated with vision screening for students.

It also allows the Oregon Department of Education to designate non-profit providers to administer the screenings and adopt administrative rules for prioritizing grants if reimbursement requests exceed the allotted amount. Gifts and outside grants can be used to supplement the account, which will include $1 million in state funding.

Vision is critical to a child's ability to learn, as 80 percent of all learning during a child's first 12 years comes through vision, according to written testimony submitted by the Oregon Optometric Physicians Association during the committee process.

That same document adds that 25 percent of school-age children have vision problems, and 60 percent of students identified as problem learners have undetected vision problems. The picture gets more bleak, according to the report, when vision problems go undiagnosed, as 70 percent of juvenile offenders have undiagnosed vision problems.

Doug Thompson, executive director of the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation, who requested the bill, said: "The passage of this law will ensure that more Oregon students that need them will get eye exams and new eyeglasses, they will see better and read at grade level, and they will be more likely to succeed in school and graduate from high school. This is a real win for Oregon's children!"

The new law takes effect immediately.

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Oregon lawmakers invest in vision screening for students - KTVZ

Don Wolford holds the vision screening device at the County Fair

The Custer County Fair was full of exciting events and organizations this past week, including the Broken Bow Lions Club who brought its Spot Vision Screener to offer free vision screening. The screenings provide digital readings of the eyes with immediate results.

The screening is as simple as having your picture taken and is 85-90% accurate in detecting vision problems. The machine can detect problems such as corneal irregularities, farsightedness, and nearsightedness. There are 20 of these machines across the state of Nebraska. Broken Bow Lions Club treasurer Don Wolford said these screenings are possible thanks to grants received from the Lions Club International Foundation and the Nebraska Lions Foundation.

Now we have this sight machine here in Broken Bow and we wanted to bring it out to the fair and have people have their eyes checked because it doesnt take but just a few minutes, as youve seen, Wolford said.

Wolford said the organization aims to end preventable blindness for anyone who needs to take that first step in getting their eyes checked, especially kidswho can be tested as young as six months old.

If kids get past seven years of age, a lot of times you cannot correct the problem. You doctor it forever, but you cant correct the problem. If you get it early enough, a lot of times you can catch it and take care of it, Wolford said.

The free screening is not meant to replace regular eye doctor appointments as not all problems (such as glaucoma) can be detected using the Spot Vision Screener.

Anyone interested in learning more about the Lions Club and free vision screening should contact a Lions Club member such as Wolford at 308-870-2426 or Tarin Burrows at 308-870-1321.

Originally posted here:
Lions Club Offers Free Vision Screening - Sand Hills Express

The experts at the science center say you've got to be careful with an eclipse.

Doyle Rice, USA TODAY , KING 6:47 AM. CDT August 01, 2017

Carbondale, Ill., the home of Southern Illinois University, is promoting itself as the "Eclipse Crossroads of America." (Photo: Carbondale Tourism)

Millions of Americans will flock outside Aug. 21 to gaze upward as the "Great American Eclipse" crosses the country. And they will all need eye protection.

That's because it's never safe to view the sun with the naked eye. The suns surface is so bright that if you stare at any portion of it, no matter how small, it produces enough light to permanently damage your retina.

Related:Solar lens needed for eclipse photography

Length of time doesn't matter either. Without proper eye protection, you can suffer eclipse blindness a serious injury in which the eyes retina is damaged by solar radiation within seconds of starring at the sun, according to the American Optometric Association.

Most victims eventually recover their eyesight, but some suffer permanent loss of some or all of their vision.

Solar filters, special eclipse glasses or welder's goggles must be used to view the partial eclipse. Experts suggests that one widely available filter for safe solar viewing is number 14 welder's glass.

WATCH:Prepare for the Solar Eclipse at the Planetarium's new exhibit

A partial eclipse will be visible everywhere across the nation as well as in the hours before and after a far shorter total eclipse, which will only be visible for 2-3 minutes along a 67-mile wide path from Oregon to South Carolina.

It is not safe to look at the uneclipsed or partially eclipsed sun through regular sunglasses, unfiltered telescopes or magnifiers or cameras, polarizing filters, CDs/DVDs or space blankets.

The only time it's ever safe to look at the sun is during a total eclipse, when the sun is completely behind the moon. However, holding binoculars or any other device while you're wearing your eclipse glasses or other eye protection can still cause injury because the concentrated solar rays damage the solar filter and enter your eye.

Talking Tech: Tips for capturing the solar eclipse

When the moon completely blocks the suns bright face for 2 or 3 minutes during the total eclipse, the otherwise hidden solar corona the suns outer atmosphere will become visible. Bright stars and planets will become visible as well.

"But you've got to be careful," said optometrist Myron Wasiuta. "Just before it's over, you'll see beads of light starting to form on the trailing edge. That's the sign that you need to avert your eyes. The sun can be bright enough to cause retinal damage."

USA Today

If you buy eclipse glasses, be sure that they are made by one of the five companies the American Astronomical Society has certified as safe for use. The companies are American Paper Optics, the Baader Planetarium (in Germany), Rainbow Symphony, Thousand Oaks Optical, and TSE 17.

American Paper Optics of Bartlett, Tenn., hoped to produce 100 million pairs of glasses, president John Jerit said last month, but may fall short of that goal. The company usually employs about 35 people but nearly 80 work there now.

Another tried-and-true method is with an old-school, home-made pinhole camera. Here's how to make one:

2017 USATODAY.COM

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'Eclipse blindness' is a real thing. Here's how to watch the solar eclipse safely - KSDK

Our vision is just one of those things we take for granted, until that awful moment when we start to realize it isnt as good as it used to be. The human eye is an amazingly intricate and beautiful organ, culminating millions of years of evolution to provide something that can sense tiny variations in light and project them to the brain as real-time ultra-HD images. No fancy-schmancy TV could ever hope to compete with that!

But with something so intricate and delicately balanced, theres a lot that can go wrong. Depending on a combination of your genetics and the environment you live in, your vision could begin to decline at any point in your life. After that, its regular trips to the optician and countless pairs of prescription glasses or contact lenses. Something youd definitely want to avoid, if you could.

But what if there was a way to give your eyes a much-needed vacation and improve your vision in the process? While many optometrists would scoff at the idea of simple, natural remedies for improving eyesight and halting the decline of your vision, others would disagree. Theres plenty of people out there that can attest, first hand, to the vision-supporting powers of simple daily eye-friendly routines. Heres a selection of the more popular eyesight remedies.

Ayurvedic practitioners place great faith in Triphala churna, the powdered form of a medicinal herb used for millennia in India and parts of Asia. In the literature, Triphala shows considerable promise as a general-purpose therapeutic herb, possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antibacterial and anticarcinogenic properties.

Considering its many therapeutic abilities, its perhaps no wonder that Ayurvedic practitioners often recommend a Triphala eyewash, otherwise known as a tridoshic eyewash. Rather than washing out clogged or tired eyes with straight water, soak your Triphala churna overnight in a bowl with filtered water. In the morning, strain the liquid through a cheesecloth to remove any solids, then gently wash your eyes with it. This can be repeated twice a day to help relieve stress and tension in the eyes.

The history of using eye exercises for improving vision and ocular health is a long and controversial one. As early as the 1940s, eye exercises were being studied by researchers and employed by cutting-edge optometrists to correct visual impairments. This 1944 study, for example, explains how repetition is a fundamental law of biology, implying that by repeatedly performing structured eye exercises the eye can learn to improve its vision and maintain a health musculature. Jumping forward to the 1970s, scientists were still interested in this fringe practice, with many stating that eye exercises were an effective way to improve reading performance.

Today, the controversy continues, with some studies showing positive effects of these exercises on ocular motility disorders, learning disabilities, visual field defects and more. Others, however, have been unable to find any significant improvements from the practice.

To me, eye exercises do make a lot of sense. Eyes use an intricate network of muscles and nerves to expand, contract and move around within their sockets, so why wouldnt a series of carefully controlled exercises help to improve their mobility and help them stay on top of their game? This is especially true when you think about how much time we spend staring at the same spot all day at computers, books, TVs or at the road in front of us.

If youre keen to try out eye exercises for better vision, heres a few basic starting points.

Theres plenty of other eye exercise techniques that, based on anecdotal evidence at least, are a great way to improve your vision. My personal favorite is simply looking out the window at least every 20 minutes, especially if Im sitting in front of a computer. This forces the eyes to re-focus and helps alleviate pent-up tension from looking at one spot too long.

While the above remedies are certainly effective ways to ensure better vision, easily the most important thing youll ever do for your eyes is to eat nutrient-dense foods.

Getting a wide range of colorful fruits and veggies, with a particular emphasis on dark leafy greens and a good mix of herbs and spices, will provide the nutritional foundation for great eye health. Youve probably also heard your mom say that carrots help you see in the dark it turns out this old wives tale is actually not too far off the mark! Beta carotene, the antioxidant that gives carrots and other orange vegetables their color, is an important nutrient for supporting good vision and healthy eyes.

Next, getting plenty of saturated fats from sources like cold-pressed coconut oil, grass-fed butter and avocados is important for maintaining healthy eyes and reducing the detrimental effect of aging. Finally, ensuring that you get lots of omega-3 fatty acids every day is vitally important to maintaining good vision. Foods high in omega-3s include cold water fatty fish like wild salmon and sardines, and of course fermented cod liver oil.

Liivi Hess

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Soak Your Eyeballs In This For Better Vision - The Alternative Daily (blog)

Although The Jerusalem Posts reporter is seated right next to him, Abbass Abbass cannot tell his skin color, eye color or hair color. Suffering from birth from a debilitating disease of the retina he recognizes people only from their voices.

The condition is steadily getting worse. It is like tunnel vision and all the time the tunnel becomes narrower. My angle of vision disappeared. At night I cant see at all. I have to walk with someone. Even during the day time I can see less than half a meter ahead so I have to walk with someone.

Yet Abbass, 41, the director of the Nazareth-based al-Manarah Association for Arab Persons with Disabilities in Israel is decidedly one of the more upbeat persons in Israel and for that matter, the entire Middle East. He gushes with enthusiasm, especially when talking about al-Manarahs flagship project, the worlds only online library of audio books in the Arabic language.

We are hoping to translate David Grossmans When a Horse Goes into a Bar into Arabic and add it to the collection, he says. This is no idle boast since last year al-Manarah translated Amos Ozs short story collection Between Friends into Arabic and recorded it.

Now, visually impaired people throughout the Arab world can listen to it and the other 4,500 titles of the library, 95% of which are in Arabic, either through the Internet http://www.Arabcast.org or on their cellphones with an app that al-Manarah created, Arabcast.

With its slogan Close Your Eyes and Read, the library has over 50,000 unique users who access it on a daily or weekly basis. The service is free but to gain access one must furnish al-Manarah (Arabic for lighthouse) with proof of being print disabled.

Topics range from childrens books, to health education to novels and the readers come from Israel, Libya, Egypt, Gaza, Saudi Arabia and the US among other places. MK Michal Rozin (Meretz) read a childrens story in Hebrew for the library and Oz read from his latest work Judas.

Al-Manarah has a studio on site and some of the readers have home studios. Our dream is to have readers from all over the Arab world, Abbass says. He also says he dreams of President Reuven Rivlin recording a childrens story.

A picture of Helen Keller graces the al-Manarah offices and Abbass likes to quote from her that Life is either a daring adventure or nothing. His journey to establishing al-Manarah in 2005 was laced with painful experiences from his visual impairment but also achievements from being smart and motivated.

The attitude of Arab society is that people with disabilities are marginalized, the attitude is so negative generally that they dont receive the basic opportunity to be included in education in the best way and social life.

His father, a lawyer, and his mother were always supportive and he was able to excel in his studies. But he still sighs as he recalls what he went through after completing high school and going for an eye exam in Nazareth in order to be eligible for a blindness certificate.

The ophthalmologist told me my eyesight was very low and asked me what my plans are for the future. I said I got the highest grades in my class and I want to go to the Hebrew University law school. He said you cant see half a meter. People like you have to stay in a warm corner of the house and listen to the radio. My mother was crying outside the clinic and I said Mom, I promise that one day youll be so proud of your son.

This is the story of millions of people especially in Arab countries being judged without the opportunity to express themselves, he says.

It was another bitter experience, after he had earned a masters in law from the Hebrew University in 2004, that helped push him to found al-Manarah. He applied for a job as a human rights researcher at an NGO and initially received an enthusiastic response. But when he showed up for the interview and the recruiter saw he was visually impaired, he was told that the schedule is so tough and cant suit a person like you.

Abbass explained that this was a turning point. I said to myself If I am not for myself who will be for me? I thought no one is taking action so I have to. I decided to go back to my hometown and establish al-Manarah.

In Abbasss view Arab citizens of Israel with disabilities are doubly discriminated against.

Our own community is paternalistic and we are part of an Arab minority that is discriminated against. The main discrimination is in resources. While Haifa, Jerusalem and Raanana have centers for independent living for people with disabilities, Nazareth does not, he notes.

He says accessibility is poor in Arab towns and villages not only because they have smaller budgets than Jewish towns but also because the municipalities themselves do not prioritize this. He adds that the government must create more opportunities in the labor market for Arabs with disabilities and cites statistics indicating that only 10% of Israeli Arabs with disabilities are employed, compared to 52% for Israeli Jews.

As part of its outreach, al-Manarah facilitates workshops in schools so that pupils will have a positive attitude to people with disabilities. The message of the workshops, which are facilitated by people with disabilities, is that yes, there are differences between persons with disabilities and others but what they have in common is more than what they dont have in common. Both want to develop, to learn, to be included in the labor market, to have families. The message is of accepting the other, including the other.

Al-Manarahs funding comes from US-based philanthropic foundations, Arab and Jewish businesses and the Ministries of Culture and Social Services and the National Insurance Institute. Amos Oz said al-Manarah does work that is sacred. They spread literature and culture to people with disabilities. Of Abbass, he says: I consider him a friend and esteem him. Hes an idealist, very dedicated, a lover of peace and a lover of culture.

Culture Minister Miri Regev recently reduced al-Manarahs funding, but Likud MK Anat Berko is trying to reverse that decision. I decided to help them, she said.

They have a genuine desire to help people with disabilities and this is worthy of support. It doesnt matter if its in Hebrew or Arabic or any other language. Abbass Abbass impresses me as coming from a good place. He shows a lot of goodwill to help people with disabilities coming from the difficulties he himself experienced and was able to bridge, Berko explained.

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In Nazareth, blind man's vision gives boost to region's visually impaired - The Jerusalem Post

Primary care is where preventative medicine takes place. It is the job of your primary care provider or family doctor to help you prevent illness or disease from occurring. Your health and well-being is our No. 1 priority. Our goal is to protect you from disease, promote and maintain your good health and prevent disability or even death. Preventative medicine involves many things from the simple to the complex and from the young to the elderly.

As a primary care provider, it is my responsibility to manage my patients chronic medical conditions and provide information and education on how to prevent chronic illness. This is accomplished through resources and one-on-one teaching about healthy lifestyle choices and preventative screenings.

Starting with the very young, well-child examinations are vital to ensure the child is growing and developing as a normal child should. As a primary care provider, I measure developmental milestones with each year of age. These exams occur from the time the child is born until the adolescent becomes an adult at 18 years of age. Vision and hearing screening as well as immunizations are an important part of preventing disease and keeping children well. Dental screenings are essential to prevent cavities and other more serious mouth issues. Parents are educated on the proper nutrition, activities and healthy habits that will help children learn and grow. This is where prevention starts! Teaching children good healthy habits now prevents them from becoming obese, having type 2 diabetes, joint problems, cavities and many other ailments. Mental health screenings are also performed as children grow and become more like adults during their middle and high school years.

Young adults are the next area of focus for preventative medicine. Similar to children, hearing and vision screenings are performed and good dental health habits are encouraged by keeping regular checkups. Immunizations continue with young adults to include HPV, meningitis, TDAP and annual flu vaccines. Sexually transmitted disease screenings and PAP smears begin with young adults. Educating young adults on alcohol, tobacco and drugs continues. Many aspects of safety to prevent accident or injury are discussed as well. All of the education provided to children continues into adulthood, with emphasis on issues like diet, exercise and avoiding risky behaviors.

Middle age is another very important era where preventative medicine continues to build. In addition to the preventative topics already shared, patients now become more regularly engaged with regard to routine check-ups to monitor weight, blood pressure and blood work to screen for high cholesterol or even thyroid issues. Mammograms to screen for breast cancer, PSA levels/prostate exams to screen for prostate cancer, PAP smear exams for cervical cancer screening and annual immunizations are done. Chest X-rays and low dose CT scans of the lungs are completed for smokers and smoking cessation options are discussed and encouraged. Screening for alcohol abuse is involved as well.

As we continue to age and approach our senior years of life, preventative medicine remains crucial. Pneumonia and shingles vaccine are very important in this age group as these immunizations can help prevent these infections from occurring or reduces the severity if they do occur. In addition, DEXA scans to monitor bone density looking for osteoporosis begin. This is the top of the pyramid, so to speak, as all of the other things we taught the little ones in the very beginning of life are the base.

Preventative medicine expands throughout the lifespan from infancy to the elderly. There are many areas of prevention that I have not covered in this short article, so it is vital to have an appointment scheduled with your primary care provider or family physician. Your health truly is your wealth. Making routine visits with your primary care provider when you are healthy could prevent you from a long-term chronic illness in the future.

Dr. Lorina Zenz is a certified nurse practitioner with Lima Memorial Internal Medicine & Family Healthcare.

Follow this link:
Prevent issues through lifetime of medical care - Lima Ohio

Across Europe, a shift towards greater prevention, earlier diagnosis and treatment is needed in order to contain the growing cost of healthcare.

But how can healthcare systems make this transition and how do pharmaceutical companies play a role in this, while also growing their market?

A forthcoming webinar hosted by pharmaphorum with sponsor PHOENIX group looks at how harnessing the data and expertise of pharmacies, and via greater engagement with patients, consumers and shoppers can meet this emerging need.

Key topics include:

Why watch the webinar?

The expert panel will provide practical advice and real-life examples of how pharmaceutical companies can work with pharmacies to grow their market and better serve patient needs.

Thelive webinar will take place on Wednesday 6 September at 14.00 GMT/15.00 CET/09.00 EST. To register, please click here or on the button above/below.

Participants

John Munson, Head of Global Accounts, MylanJohn Munson is the Head of Global Accounts at Mylan, responsible for the account management of global customers and key European accounts. John joined Mylan in the UK in 2007 as Sales & Marketing Director and moved into the Country Manager role for the UK & IRE before taking up his current position. John has a 20 year history in pharmaceuticals with roles at Astra, Ivax and Ranbaxy and during his time at Mylan he has also held the position of Area Director for Northern and Western Europe. John studied Business, Finance and Marketing in Bournemouth and later gained an MBA from the same college. He is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Nemanja Jankovic, Head of Commercial Partnerships Europe, PHOENIX groupNemanja Jankovic heads the Commercial Partnerships at PHOENIX group and is responsible for strategic cooperation with the pharmaceutical industry on a European level. After working in the pharmaceutical industry for many years, the experienced market expert joined PHOENIX group four years ago.

Nina Felton, Head of Business Intelligence, PHOENIX groupNina has extensive experience in the healthcare industry,having worked for companies such as Pfizer and Wyeth in marketing and sales roles, which involved the launching of new products. She also worked for over 12 years with IMS Health in their management consulting division. Nina started her career as a biochemist and has gained experience as the Managing Director of a primary market research company, in medical communications and is a qualified psychotherapist and executive coach. She joined the PHOENIX group two years ago and is responsible for developing their new initiatives in Business Intelligence, working across Europe.

Andrew McConaghie,Managing Editor, pharmaphorum (moderator)Andrew is pharmaphorums managing editor, feature media. He writes on a range of topics covering pharmaceutical and biotech R&D, marketing and market access, and issues affecting patients and global healthcare systems, especially the UKs NHS.

View post:
Pharma and proactive, preventative healthcare: how to use the pharmacy channel - pharmaphorum

By Nancy Sarnoff, Houston Chronicle

A rendering of Vivacity at Valley Ranch.

A rendering of Vivacity at Valley Ranch.

A site plan of Valley Ranch.

A site plan of Valley Ranch.

At more than 1.5 million square feet, the retail portion of this development is bigger than the Woodlands Mall and is considered 2016's biggest retail project in the Houston area.

At more than 1.5 million square feet, the retail portion of this development is bigger than the Woodlands Mall and is considered 2016's biggest

An outdoor ampitheater with seating for approximately 10,000 people is in the conceptual phase.

An outdoor ampitheater with seating for approximately 10,000 people is in the conceptual phase.

The entertainment district will also include a splash pad and Cinemark movie theater.

The entertainment district will also include a splash pad and Cinemark movie theater.

Plans for the development's medical district include an acute care hospital and 500,000 square feet in medical office buildings.

Plans for the development's medical district include an acute care hospital and 500,000 square feet in medical office buildings.

The commerce district will include a full-service hotel, conference center and Class-A office space, set to attract a large corporate relocation.

The commerce district will include a full-service hotel, conference center and Class-A office space, set to attract a large corporate relocation.

Academy Sports + Outdoors will be the first business to open at Valley Ranch, with a soft opening on Sept. 23 and a grand opening on Sept. 30, 2016.

Academy Sports + Outdoors will be the first business to open at Valley Ranch, with a soft opening on Sept. 23 and a grand opening on Sept. 30, 2016.

Other businesses moving into the center include Hobby Lobby, Sam's Club, a Kroger Marketplace, an array of fast food restaurants and more.

Other businesses moving into the center include Hobby Lobby, Sam's Club, a Kroger Marketplace, an array of fast food restaurants and more.

The northwest corner of the property will include 500 garden-style, multi-family units.

The northwest corner of the property will include 500 garden-style, multi-family units.

New Caney ISD's Texan Drive football stadium, opened in 2014, is near the town center.

New Caney ISD's Texan Drive football stadium, opened in 2014, is near the town center.

Five home builders have joined Valley Ranch, and developer The Signorelli Co. expects the community to sell out in two to three years.

Five home builders have joined Valley Ranch, and developer The Signorelli Co. expects the community to sell out in two to three years.

The developer boosted the 1,400-acre development's non-residential percentage to 50 percent after realizing the area's demand for entertainment, healthcare and business options.

The developer boosted the 1,400-acre development's non-residential percentage to 50 percent after realizing the area's demand for entertainment, healthcare and business options.

Residents in East Montgomery County fought to change the liquor laws back in 2006, which helped set the stage for new developments.

Residents in East Montgomery County fought to change the liquor laws back in 2006, which helped set the stage for new developments.

CHI St. Luke's heading to Valley Ranch in far northeast Houston area

A local developer has inked a deal with CHI St. Luke's Health to be part of a new medical district proposed in the far northeast corner of the Houston area.

The Signorelli Co. said the "partnership" with the hospital group is a first critical piece in creating a complex that addresses the next generation of health care. Plans for what the hospital would build were not released.

The medical district will comprise 186 acres in Valley Ranch, a 1,400-acre planned community in the New Caney areaat the intersection of Grand Parkway and U.S. 69.

RELATED:Once rural area north of town attracts development

The Woodlands-based developer has branded the project "Vivacity." Its master plan calls for more than 2.5 million square feet of health, wellness and life science facilities along with hospitality, retail and other services.

"Vivacity is focused on becoming the destination where emerging preventative wellness and Personalized Medicine will be brought to the individual in a unique, patient-friendly environment," Signorelli's Tom Wittenberg said in an announcement.

Read more from the original source:
CHI St. Luke's heading to Valley Ranch in far northeast Houston area - Chron.com

3 August 2017

Chakras are amazing! If you havent heard about them before here are the top ten things you need to know.

The Little Book of Chakras

Chakras have been known about in India since ancient times possibly for 5,000 years.

Chakras are our vital link to the energy that keeps us alive. In yoga terms this is called Prana.

Like electricity, chakra pranic energy cannot be seen or touched, but lack of it results in increasing levels of physical illness, whilst balanced chakra energies bring vitality, mental strength, management of anger, inner sight, tranquillity and compassion to name just a few qualities.

Looking after our chakras and auric field is preventative medicine, an energy medicine that keeps us well. Imagine these energies playing together in a dance of nourishing rainbow coloured light bringing this essential energy into your body and returning any unwanted or disharmonious thoughts, feelings and energies into the earth.

Chakras do this for us all the time we dont even have to think about it, but if we do it improves our conscious connection to our body, mind and what some call spirit.

Yogic teaching tells us that there are seven major chakras and around twenty-one minor ones.

Focussing upon each of our seven major chakras in turn (from Base to Crown) means that their delicate coloured light frequencies can be fine tuned and balanced, leading to optimum health and wellbeing.

There are many ways to re-balance our chakras, including Yoga asanas, correct breathing, aromatherapy oils, crystals, herbs, mindfulness meditation and other stress reduction techniques.

Our chakras respond to colour, in our environment, in meditational visualization and even in the colours of the clothes we choose to wear.

When our chakras are functioning well, we become like a rainbow of energy to those gifted people who can see auras. Actually, we know our own chakras very well after all they are with us all the time!

Discover all you need to know in Patricia Merciers latest book, The Little Book of Chakras, just published by Gaia/Octopus, brings chakra teachings to life with easy explanations of chakras and prana and how they can be balanced with simple relaxation techniques, colour, essential oils, yoga and meditation. She is also the author of the best-selling The Chakra Bible, The Complete Chakra Workshop, other books on Chakras, New Awareness, Maya Cosmovision, as well as being a trained yoga teacher and holistic healer/practitioner.

Read this article:
10 Things You Never Knew About Chakras By Patricia Mercier - FemaleFirst.co.uk

Before I dissect the Democrats Better Deal for America, which is just repackaging of the same tired socialistic schemes that have always failed and will always fail, I want to address the dysfunction of Republicans in Congress.

It appears our squishy GOP leaders cant find their way out of a sock. What is wrong with you people? Voters gave you the House, the Senate and the White House in November so why are you not getting anything done?

We expected you all to get to work reversing the destructive health care policies, and others, enacted by the Obama Administration. Instead, you wring your hands and offer a Skinny Obamacare Repeal that does nothing. Are you kidding me right now?

The horrible and largely unvetted health care plan approved by Democrats only hours after it was unveiled in 2010 is on life support and you promised to pull the plug.

I suggest Republicans in the Senate review the U.S. Constitution to refresh themselves on its guiding principles. That will probably be much less exciting than planning your next campaign but then, you probably are going to get kicked to the curb if you dont get your act together. Do what you say and say what you mean.

Republicans, you must grow a spine and stand against the craziness being perpetrated by Democrats, who should be ashamed of their infantile behavior. Their obstruction is unprecedented, borders on madness and threatens to unravel the underpinnings of our government.

As just one example, President Obama had 206 of his nominees for judicial and administration positions confirmed by the Senate in the first six months of his administration. Trump has only managed to get 55 nominees throughDemocratic roadblocks, even when the individuals are non-controversial.

Gridlock does not benefit the 323 million Americans that Congress is supposed to represent. Enough of this nonsense.

The Democrats and the left-media are defining the narrative and you, the GOP leaders, are allowing that to happen by not uniting and getting out a clear message about the need for change.

This is the defining battle of our times for the heart and soul of our culture and the Democrats Better Deal clearly outlines how high the stakes are.

As usual, liberals offer three empty slogans: Better jobs, better wages and a better future. Although the rhetoric sounds great, you cannot achieve any of those goals when you are over-regulating businesses and spending more money than the government takes in.

Our national debt is perilously high and our industries are being choked by red tape that is driving them out of the country or out of business.

Nancy Pelosi, the princess of the Democratic Party, gushes about the Better Deal creating 10 million more American jobs in the next five years.

Of course, the way to pay for this is to impose even tougher standards and more regulations on evil corporations, you know, the ones actually creating the jobs.

Democrats seem oblivious to the fact that eight years of excessive regulations was the primary reason for the slowest period of economic growth in our nations history.

There is nothing in the Better Deal about letting the free market create the competition needed to lower prescription drug costs or reverse any of the other failed policies that Americans have rejected at the ballot box.

Every proposal that Democrats have made is the antithesis of what our founders intended for America: Less government, more freedom and more individual rights and responsibilities.

Republicans, the people have nowhere to go to get order restored if you continue to be cowards.

Do something about this mess, and do it now. More than two million soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines have died to defend our way of life. You owe it to them to do your part in your time.

If the GOP cant get it together, and if Democrats refuse to see that the people dont want their regressive proposals, then there is no hope to stop Americas slide into mediocrity, or worse.

Unless the people finally realize that only term limits will truly drain the swamp of corrupt politicians.

RaeLynn Ricarte

When RaeLynn suggest the Democrat's Better Deal as a crosstalk topic I hadn't heard much about it.

Presented early this week, the Better Deal has three components: raising wages, lowering costs, and giving workers "the tools to succeed."

A quick look below the rhetoric, and there is very little better, and nothing new, in this deal: A major infrastructure overhaul, but with few details as to what that means or how it will be funded; an increase in the minimum wage; and lowering costs (the party promises to "lower the crippling cost of prescription drugs and the cost of a college or technical education that leads to a good job.")

It also says it "will fight for families struggling with high monthly bills like childcare, credit card fees, and cable bills."

In Oregon we have just raised the minimum wage, and for years now the Oregon Health Plan has promised to lower the cost of health care and prescription drugs: The theory was that having more people covered would lower the overall cost of care, preventative medicine being cheaper than emergency care.

Instead, a great deal of money was spent with little or no return and the state is seeking to increase taxes and fees to replace the federal seed money to keep a flawed system afloat.

I'll speak more to this, but since RaeLynn said she was going to start off railing at the Republicans I have to take a moment to speak in their support:

I am pleased to report that, according to New York Times White House correspondent Mark Lander in an interview on National Public Radio's Fresh Air, both the House and Senate have passed legislation meant to tie the hands of President Trump regarding Russian sanctions.

Once reconciled, the bill will go to the president for his signature. Lander noted the president will have little choice but to sign it... although as we have learned you never really know what Trump will do.

In the same interview, Lander reported that suggestions Trump will fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions have also hit opposition from the Republican-controlled House and Senate, whose leadership has threatened to block even a temporary interim replacement.

While I personally think Sessions has his legal head buried in the sand of the mid-1980s with his drug war and three strikes mentality, I find it encouraging that the Republican Party is opposing Trump on these issues.

Where was I? Oh yeah, the economy. The idea of closing the skill's gap in America sounds fine and Democratic, but as Pedro Nicolaci da Costa writes in an opinion piece for the Business Insider, Heidi Shierholz, former chief economist at the Labor Department, has a great saying when it comes to an alleged 'skills gap' in the job market: 'If you hear an employer complain they cant find skilled workers, always ask, at what wage?'

Research shows that if such a gap really existed, wages would be rising more quickly because of a shortage of available workers, and companies would not be shy about investing in training themselves, Costa said.

American companies are rushing to outsource a host of jobs from creative work to product descriptions to English-speaking countries in Africa and elsewhere, where individuals contract to work from home via the internet at fantastically low wages.

I understand you can have an app built for $50, which calculates out to something like 10 cents an hour, according to a friend who does that sort of thing.

Thousands of long-haul semi-truck drivers are looking forward to being replaced by robotic convoys. College graduates struggle to find living-wage employment, skilled though they may be.

We don't need a New Deal re-named to be a Better Deal, with all the economic shadow puppets and hype thrown out by both Republicans and Democrats. We need real solutions focused on real needs and threats to our economy.

We don't have a skill gap, we have a wage and wealth gap, an environmental crisis and we are rapidly approaching a time when the words refugee and immigrant will be used not for those fleeing war or economic collapse abroad but for Americans fleeing economic collapse within America itself.

Mark Gibson

Here is the original post:
Crosstalk: It's time to stop the nonsense - Dalles Chronicle

Mitalipov's team is not the first to genetically modify human embryos. This was first accomplished in 2015 by a group of Chinese scientists led by Junjiu Huang. Mitalipov's team, however, may be the first to demonstrate basic safety and efficacy using the CRISPR technique.

This has serious implications for the ethics debate on human germline modification which involves inserting, deleting or replacing the DNA of human sperm, eggs or embryos to change the genes of future children.

Ethically controversial

Those who support human embryo research will argue that Mitalipov's research to alter human embryos is ethically acceptable because the embryos were not allowed to develop beyond 14 days (the widely accepted international limit on human embryo research) and because the modified embryos were not used to initiate a pregnancy. They will also point to the future potential benefit of correcting defective genes that cause inherited disease.

This research is ethically controversial, however, because it is a clear step on the path to making heritable modifications - genetic changes that can be passed down through subsequent generations.

Beyond safety and efficacy

Internationally, UNESCO has called for a ban on human germline gene editing. And the "Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Dignity of the Human Being with regard to the Application of Biology and Medicine" the Oviedo Convention specifies that "an intervention seeking to modify the human genome may only be undertaken for preventive, diagnostic or therapeutic purposes and only if its aim is not to introduce any modification in the genome of any descendants."

In a move away from the positions taken by UNESCO and included in the Oviedo Convention, in 2015 the 12-person Organizing Committee of the first International Summit on Human Gene Editing (of which I was a member) issued a statement endorsing basic and preclinical gene editing research involving human embryos.

The statement further stipulated, however, that: "It would be irresponsible to proceed with any clinical use of germline editing unless and until (i) the relevant safety and efficacy issues have been resolved, based on appropriate understanding and balancing of risks, potential benefits, and alternatives, and (ii) there is broad societal consensus about the appropriateness of the proposed application."

Mitalipov's research aims to address the first condition about safety and efficacy. But what of the second condition which effectively recognizes that the human genome belongs to all of us and that it is not for scientists or other elites to decree what should or should not happen to it?

Modification endorsed

Since the 2015 statement was issued, many individuals and groups have tried to set aside the recommendation calling for a broad societal consensus.

For example, in February 2017, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Medicine published a report endorsing germline modification. It states unequivocally that "clinical trials using heritable germline genome editing should be permitted" provided the research is only for compelling reasons and under strict oversight limiting uses of the technology to specified criteria.

Seeds of change in Canada

In Canada, it is illegal to modify human germ cells. Altering "the genome of a cell of a human being or in vitro embryo such that the alteration is capable of being transmitted to descendants" is among the activities prohibited in the 2004 Assisted Human Reproduction Act.

Worried that "Canadian researchers may fall behind on the international scene" and that "restrictive research policies may lead to medical tourism," the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (with input from the Canadian Stem Cell Network) has begun to plant the seeds of change.

In its Human Germline Gene Editing report, CIHR hints at the benefits of changing the legislation. It also suggests professional self-regulation and research funding guidelines could replace the current federal statutory prohibition.

Future of the species

With the recent announcement of Mitalipov's technological advances and increasing suggestions from researchers that heritable modifications to human embryos be permitted, it is essential that citizens be given opportunities to think through the ethical issues and to work towards broad societal consensus.

We are talking about nothing less than the future of the human species. No decisions about the modification of the germline should be made without broad societal consultation.

Nothing about us without us!

Explore further: Genome editing in human cells

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

See more here:
Opinion: Human genome editingwe should all have a say - Phys.Org

What are the criteria for patentability in your jurisdiction?

A creation must first be considered an invention or utility model. There is no statutory definition of invention, although the Brazilian Patent Statute does provide a list of what is not an invention. A utility model, on the other hand, is defined as an object of practical use or a part thereof.

To be patentable, an invention must meet the requirements of novelty, inventiveness and industrial applicability. Utility models share the same requirements of novelty and industrial applicability, but the level of inventiveness required for utility models is lower than that required for inventions.

What are the limits on patentability?

The Patent Statute stipulates that the following are not considered to be inventions or utility models and are therefore unpatentable:

To what extent can inventions covering software be patented?

Only the softwareper se that is, the source code is excluded from patentability. Any technical result obtained from a given software can be patented (eg, a method carried out by software instructions and systems or devices affected by software instructions). The Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office (BPTO) Examination Guidelines state:

An industrial creation process or product associated with the process implemented by a computer program, which solves a problem found in the technique not solely concerning the way in which this computer program is written, can be considered an invention.

To what extent can inventions covering business methods be patented?

Business methodsper seare not patentable. However, the simple fact that a method has a commercial nature does not necessarily render it ineligible for patent protection. The claimed matter must be analysed as a whole, particularly if it solves a technical problem. For example, a method for authenticating a user for a financial transaction and a method for increasing the security of bank accounts both constitute patentable subject matter.

To what extent can inventions relating to stem cells be patented?

Stem cells are not eligible for patent protection a claim directed to a stem cell in its preamble will be rejected. Natural living beings (eg, animals), in whole or in part (eg, cells), are excluded from patentability even if they are in modified or recombinant form. Therefore, cells derived from animals are not considered to be inventions in Brazil.

However, compositions containing stem cells, the processes of obtaining stem cells and applications (ie, uses) thereof may be patentable if they do not imply or include a therapeutic or surgical method.

Are there restrictions on any other kinds of invention?

Yes, the Patent Statue sets out additional limitations on patentable subject matter. The following are not patentable:

Grace period

Does your jurisdiction have a grace period? If so, how does it work?

Yes. Any disclosure of the invention or the utility model made within one year before filing the application in Brazil or the priority date claimed will not be considered as a prior art reference, provided that such disclosure is made by:

Oppositions

What types of patent opposition procedure are available in your jurisdiction?

Pre-grant and post-grant oppositions are available. Pre-grant oppositions essentially entail submitting observations up to the end of the patent application examination period. It is not a formal opposition procedure, inasmuch as the applicant is not obliged to submit a response. The BPTO examiner will take into account any submitted observations during the substantive examination phase. Post-grant oppositions, on the other hand, must be formally commenced by a party with a legitimate interest within six months from grant. The patentee will be notified to respond within 60 days, after which a first opinion from the BPTO concerning the nullity request will be issued. Both parties will then have 60 days to submit their final considerations.

Apart from oppositions, are there any other ways to challenge a patent outside the courts?

Yes. If a patent application is rejected after substantive examination and the applicant decides to appeal, it is possible for a third party to submit counterarguments to the appeal within 60 days of its publication.

How can patent office decisions be appealed in your jurisdiction?

Before the BPTO or the courts.

Timescale and costs

How long should an applicant expect to wait before being granted a patent and what level of cost should it budget for?

The average backlog at the BPTO is around 11 years. This timeframe may increase, depending on the technical nature of the application (eg, backlogs for telecoms and pharmaceutical applications can extend up to 15 years). In view of this, applicants should consider using some of the fast-track options available. Costs will depend on the complexity of each matter, but applicants should budget $10,000 on average.

Enforcement through the courts

Strategy

What are the most effective ways for a patent owner to enforce its rights in your jurisdiction?

Filing an infringement suit before a state trial court is the best way to enforce patent rights in Brazil. The patent owner can request the court to grant preliminary injunctive relief against the infringer. In practice, the legal standards for obtaining injunctions are relatively low when compared to other jurisdictions, since there is no need to give notice to the defendant or to post a bond or give security, and typically there are no discussions regarding the balance of hardships or public interest. This makes Brazil an attractive jurisdiction for patent owners seeking to enforce their rights.

What scope is there for forum selection?

As a general rule, the plaintiff must file the suit before the state trial court of the venue where the infringer is headquartered. Nevertheless, patent infringement suits in which damages are claimed alongside restraining orders may be filed wherever the infringement is taking place or even where the plaintiff resides.

Pre-trial

What are the stages in the litigation process leading up to a full trial?

First, there is a mandatory conciliation hearing as an attempt at alternative dispute resolution, unless both parties indicate that they have no interest in doing so. Thereafter, if no agreement is reached, the parties are entitled to file briefs with their arguments and to present documents in support of their case. At this stage, it is common to file technical and legal opinions prepared by renowned scholars or experts in their respective fields. Next, the judge decides on the controversies that need to be resolved and an unbiased court-appointed expert prepares a technical report regarding the case. Courts typically rely on the technical report prepared by the court-appointed expert. After this, the parties can file briefs in response to the technical report prepared by the court-appointed expert and can present final arguments. Finally, the judge in charge of the case issues a decision on the merits (bench trial).

How easy is it for defendants to delay proceedings and how can plaintiffs prevent them from doing so?

Most of the delay depends on the judges schedule and willingness to rule on the case. Another factor is the time that it takes the court-appointed expert to deliver the technical report. Defendants often try to delay the proceedings by filing pointless motions, unnecessary questions for the courts expert or unnecessary interlocutory appeals. However, the new Federal Rules of Civil Procedure (adopted in 2015) provide parties fewer appeal opportunities, which makes delaying attempts less effective. Also, it is now harder to delay the proceedings because such attempts may be punished by a court-issued fine. Nevertheless, if the plaintiff can obtain preliminary injunctive relief, the defendant will have no interest in delaying the procedure.

How might a party challenge the validity of a patent through the courts in anticipation of a potential suit for infringement being issued against it?

Brazil has a bifurcated system (similar to the German and Japanese systems) whereby invalidity suits must be filed in separate court proceedings before federal district courts (while infringement actions are filed before state trial courts).

At trial

What level of expertise can a patent owner expect from the courts?

Most patent-related cases are filed before the courts sitting in Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Brasilia. Except for certain judges in these jurisdictions, most Brazilian courts have no expertise in patent law.

Are cases decided by one judge, a panel of judges or a jury?

Cases are decided by a single judge at the first-instance trial level and by a panel of appellate court judges at the appellate level. Juries do not decide IP-related disputes in Brazil.

If jury trials do exist, what is the process for deciding whether a case should be put to a jury?

Not applicable.

What role can and do expert witnesses play in proceedings?

Expert witnesses play a key role in convincing the judge to grant or reject a request for preliminary injunctive relief. Moreover, they work with the unbiased court-appointed expert during the expert examination, addressing questions to him or her and delivering opinions on his or her technical report.

Does your jurisdiction apply a doctrine of equivalents and, if so, how?

Yes, the Patent Statute provides for patent infringement on an equivalence of means basis. However, it does not set out the criteria for applying the doctrine of equivalents and there is no binding precedent establishing a test or standard for applying the doctrine.

Is it possible to obtain preliminary injunctions? If so, under what circumstances?

Yes. The legal requirements for obtaining injunctions arefumus boni juris(ie, there is a likelihood of the complaint being decided in favour of the plaintiff) andpericuluminmora(ie, immediate measures are needed to cease the infringement and thus prevent the plaintiff from bearing further damages).

How are issues around infringement and validity treated in your jurisdiction?

Infringement suits must be brought before state courts, while invalidity suits must be brought before federal courts against both the patent owner and the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office.

Will courts consider decisions in cases involving similar issues from other jurisdictions?

Attorneys typically quote foreign precedents in support of their arguments, particularly when there is no Brazilian precedent or rule dealing with the issue. However, judges rarely cite foreign cases or rely on them to ground their own decisions.

Damages and remedies

Can the successful party obtain costs from the losing party?

The prevailing party may recover a small part of the attorneys fees, in addition to court costs and the fees charged by the court-appointed expert.

What are the typical remedies granted to a successful plaintiff?

A permanent injunction preventing the defendant from using the claimed technology and damages.

How are damages awards calculated? Are punitive damages available?

Damages are calculated based on:

The basis chosen for damages calculation depends on what works best for the plaintiff. There are no statutory punitive damages and such requests are usually rejected pursuant to case law.

How common is it for courts to grant permanent injunctions to successful plaintiffs and under what circumstances will they do this?

Courts often grant permanent injunctions whenever the final ruling favours the rights holder.

Timescale and costs

How long does it take to obtain a decision at first instance and is it possible to expedite this process?

Most courts take approximately three years to issue a first-instance decision on the merits. The timescale depends on the judges schedule and willingness to rule on the case, as well as on how long the court-appointed expert takes to prepare and present his or her technical report.

How much should a litigant plan to pay to take a case through to a first-instance decision?

Costs vary significantly according to the case, but a litigant should expect to spend at least $200,000 from the beginning of the case until a first-instance decision on the merits, including legal fees, court costs and fees charged by the court-appointed expert.

Appeal

Under what circumstances will the losing party in a first-instance case be granted the right to appeal? How long does an appeal typically take?

The defeated party is always entitled to appeal the decision. A ruling by the court of appeals usually takes up to three years.

Options away from court

Are there other dispute resolution options open to parties that believe their patents to be infringed outside the courts?

Alternative dispute resolution methods are available, but they are not relevant to most patent infringement cases.

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Patents in Brazil - Lexology (registration)

Plans to change healthcare across Coventry, Nuneaton, Bedworth and Warwickshire and save around 250million are forging ahead with an action plan for maternity services expected in the autumn.

The Coventry and Warwickshire Sustainability and Transformation Plan (STP) has now been renamed the Better Health, Better Care, Better Value programme.

According to a report to the Warwickshire Health and Wellbeing Board, progress is underway on the plan and, under the transformation work stream updates, it states that an action plan is set to be agreed for maternity and paediatrics by October.

A Maternity System Transformation Group has been set up to look at implementing better births, improving maternal safety and wellbeing, reviewing and implementing the West Midlands Neonatal Review and implementing the saving lives care bundle.

The first draft of the STP, which must bridge a 250 million funding gap across Coventry and Warwickshire, was released in December and included proposals for stroke care across the region.

It was criticised for being vague and not giving details on how savings will be made.

The initial plans confirmed a review of the sustainability of under-pressure emergency care at George Eliot Hospital and UHCW, while also highlighting the potential need for capital to right size the A&E department in Coventry due to GEH and UHCW collaboration activity.

The latest report also outlines progress on what has been described as urgent and emergency care.

In the report it says that work is underway to assess progress of the national A&E plan and that an assessment of current capacity issues has taken place.

A patient mapping exercise is now being undertaken to identify patient flows to emergency and urgent care centres, the report adds.

Under the cancer section, the latest report says that a pilot project is underway in opthalmology to reduce patient follow-ups appointments in Coventry and Warwickshire North.

It also includes a section on the Health and Wellbeing Campus plan for the George Eliot Hospital, which could see education and housing brought on to the sprawling 34 acre site.

The Warwickshire Health and Wellbeing Board is made up of key stakeholders from across the county, and they specifically asked to be kept up-to-date on the progress of the STP.

After the initial STP was released in December, STP chief Prof Andy Hardy insisted no decision had been made over the future of A&E and maternity services at George Eliot as part of the process.

The 62-page initial STP report was slammed as opaque, incomprehensible and secretive at the time and one of the bosses at the head of the plan, Andrea Green, admitted it needed to be made easier to understand.

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Plan to plug 250million NHS funding gap in Coventry, Nuneaton and Warwickshire gathers pace - Coventry Telegraph

20th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet during March 05-07, 2018 at London, UK with a theme Future prospects for Biotechnology and Economic Growth. Conference Series LLC through its Open Access Initiative is committed to make genuine and reliable contributions to the scientific community.

Scope and Importance

Biotech Congress 2018 Conference aims to bring together the Professors, Researchers, scientists, business giants, and technocrats to provide an international forum for the dissemination of original research results, new ideas and practical development and discover advances in the field of biotechnology, management and education in relation to biotechnology as well as a breadth of other topics. The applications of biotechnology include therapeutics, diagnostics, genetically modified crops for agriculture, processed food, bioremediation, waste treatment, and energy production. Biotech Congress 2018 is an excellent opportunity for the delegates from Universities and Institutes to interact with the world class Scientists.

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20th World Congress on Biotechnology and Biotech Industries Meet - Technology Networks

Joe Cox, Ph.D., Bolder BioTechnology's President said: "Initiation of this clinical trial represents a major milestone for Bolder BioTechnology and the culmination of many years of effort by our dedicated and talented employees."

"BBT-015 is a novel G-CSF analog that exhibits a longer duration of action and greater potency than other G-CSF products. In preclinical studies, BBT-015 stimulated larger and longer-lasting increases in neutrophils, and faster neutrophil recovery in chemotherapy-treated, neutropenic animals compared to other G-CSF products.BBT-015 also significantly increased survival and accelerated recovery of neutrophils, platelets, and red blood cells in animals exposed to lethal doses of radiation, even when administered 24 hours following radiation exposure."

"BBT-015's increased potency and longer duration of action may stimulate faster neutrophil recovery in cancer patients and / or allow the drug to be administered less frequently and at lower doses than competing G-CSF products, with associated cost savings for patients."

"G-CSF products are some of the best selling biopharmaceuticals in the world, with annual worldwide sales exceeding $6 billion, primarily from the treatment of neutropenia in cancer patients."

About BBT-015BBT-015 is a long-acting G-CSF analog produced using site-specific PEGylation technology.G-CSF is a human protein that stimulates production of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that is important for fighting infections.G-CSF has a short half-life in humans and typically is administered to patients by daily injection.BBT-015 has been selectively modified with the polymer polyethylene glycol at a unique site in the protein, which allows the protein to last longer in patients, reducing the need for frequent administration and increasing the protein's ability to stimulate long-lasting production of neutrophils.

About Chemotherapy-Related NeutropeniaNeutropenia (severely reduced numbers of neutrophils) is a common side effect of chemotherapy treatment in cancer patients.Neutropenia increases the patient's risk of developing serious bacterial infection and requiring expensive hospitalization.G-CSF products are commonly administered to cancer patients following chemotherapy to accelerate neutrophil recovery and decrease the length of time that patients are neutropenic.

About Acute Radiation SyndromeAcute Radiation Syndrome, often referred to as radiation sickness, is a collection of illnesses that occurs following exposure to high doses of ionizing radiation within a short period of time, such as might occur following an accident at a nuclear power plant or detonation of a nuclear weapon.Bone marrow, which is responsible for producing new blood cells, is one of the most radiation-sensitive tissues, and subjects acutely exposed to high doses of radiation typically develop bone marrow aplasia and severe neutropenia and thrombocytopenia (low numbers of platelets) within a few weeks of exposure, Many subjects die from infections due to a lack of neutrophils, or from uncontrolled bleeding due to a lack of platelets.

About Bolder BioTechnologyBolder BioTechnology, Inc. is a private company that uses advanced protein engineering technologies to create proprietary human protein pharmaceuticals with enhanced therapeutic properties for the treatment of hematopoietic and endocrine disorders, cancer and infectious diseases. For additional information about Bolder BioTechnology, Inc., please visit our web site at http://www.bolderbio.com.

Government SupportPreclinical research reported in this press release was supported by The National Cancer Institute and The National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under awards R43CA078094, R44CA078094, R43AI084288, R44AI084288, andU01AI107340. The content of this press release is solely the responsibility of Bolder BioTechnology and does not necessarily represent the views of the National Institutes of Health.

Forward Looking StatementsStatements contained herein that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties.There are a number of important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statements made by the Company.These factors include, but are not limited to: (1) the Company's ability to successfully complete product research and development, including pre-clinical and clinical studies, and commercialization; (2) the Company's ability to obtain required government approvals; (3) the Company's ability to attract and/or maintain manufacturing, sales, distribution and marketing partners; and (4) the Company's ability to develop and commercialize its products before its competitors.

View original content:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bolder-biotechnology-announces-initiation-of-phase-1-clinical-trial-of-bbt-015-for-treating-neutropenia-and-acute-radiation-syndrome-300498287.html

SOURCE Bolder BioTechnology, Inc.

http://www.bolderbio.com

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Bolder BioTechnology Announces Initiation of Phase 1 Clinical Trial of BBT-015 for Treating Neutropenia and Acute ... - PR Newswire (press release)