Monthly Archives: February 2012

OLDSMAR, Fla., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (OTC:QB Markets Group Symbol: CCEL) (the "Company"), the world's first private cord blood bank to separate and store stem cells in 1992, today announced results for its fiscal year 2011. "Cryo-Cell fiscal 2011 results are indicative of a company that is in the process of making many organizational and operational improvements," stated David Portnoy, Cryo-Cell's Chairman and Co-CEO. "Although the implementation of these steps is still in the early stages, we are encouraged in our belief that our goals will be achieved." Mark Portnoy, Cryo-Cell's Co-CEO, added, "With the transition of the new Board of Directors last year, the Company made significant changes over the last six months. We are continuing to improve the IT systems and website, and have embarked on a major rebranding/marketing effort. Although these efforts have increased our expenses, we have balanced that somewhat with cost reductions. We feel these are appropriate and necessary investments for the Company's future. In addition, the Company has implemented its previously announced stock repurchase plan, and to date, has repurchased 415,117 shares on the open market and in private transactions." Financial Results Consolidated revenues for fiscal year ended 2011 were approximately … Continue reading →

SILVER SPRING, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nuvilex, Inc. (OTCQB:NVLX), an emerging biotechnology provider of cell and gene therapy solutions, announced today Goldman Small Cap Research has reissued its buy recommendation on Nuvilex with a short term price target of $0.50 per share. According to the research report prepared by Goldman, The current share price represents but a fraction of its true value, in our view. With recently increased interest and valuation in the pancreatic cancer treatment arena, we believe that Nuvilex is worth $0.20 just on the oncology therapies alone and that the shares will reach $0.50 in the next six months. Looking ahead, as milestone events occur, $1.00 per share is within reach over the next 12-18 months. Goldman bases this value projection, in part, on the pending acquisition of SG Austria assets, and with it complete control over the cell encapsulation technology that forms the backbone of Nuvilexs planned biotechnology development. The report states in part the following: Following execution of the SG Austria asset acquisition, we expect to see a flurry of events and progress on the development side which will serve as catalysts, including when management submits its protocol for the next stage pancreatic cancer trial. We would … Continue reading →

By David Cyranoski of Nature magazine With Texas pouring millions of dollars into developing adult stem-cell treatments, doctors there are already injecting paying customers with unproven preparations, supplied by an ambitious new company. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not approved any such stem-cell treatment for routine clinical use, although it does sanction them for patients enrolled in registered clinical trials. Some advocates of the treatments argue, however, that preparations based on a patient's own cells should not be classed as drugs, and should not therefore fall under the FDA's jurisdiction. There are certainly plenty of people eager to have the treatments. Texas governor Rick Perry, for instance, has had stem-cell injections to treat a back complaint, and has supported legislation to help create banks to store patients' harvested stem cells. One company that has benefited from this buoyant climate is Celltex Therapeutics, which "multiplies and banks" stem cells derived from people's abdominal fat, according to chairman and chief executive David Eller. Its facility in Sugar Land, just outside Houston, opened in December 2011 and houses the largest stem-cell bank in the United States. Celltex was founded by Eller and Stanley Jones, the orthopaedic surgeon who performed Perry's … Continue reading →

Its a misconception that women with epilepsy have difficulties conceiving, having healthy babies and that epilepsy worsens during pregnancy. File Photo: K.R. Deepak Being a woman and an epileptic is not easy in our country. But take away the myths and the woman can have a normal healthy family life says Dr.Sanjeev V. Thomas Go girl go. Live life to the fullest in spite of epilepsy. That is what Dr.Sanjeev V. Thomas and his team of doctors at Sree Chitra Thirunal Institute of Medical Sciences and Technology have been propounding. He is responsible for founding the Kerala Registry for Epilepsy and Pregnancy in 1998. One of just five Registries in the world, KREP treats women with epilepsy and related issues. One of the most important conclusions this body of research has reached is that a woman (or man) with epilepsy can live a full and satisfying life. Dr. Thomas, who is currently the Secretary of the Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN) had positive words for patients at the 13th Annual Conference of the Indian Epilepsy Association and The Indian Epilepsy Society, in Kochi. There are no gender differences in how epilepsy manifests in men and women, but women with epilepsy … Continue reading →

Public release date: 29-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Ian Evans i.evans@elsevier.com 44-186-584-3584 Elsevier New York, February 29, 2012 A revealing study published in Epilepsy & Behavior provides evidence that the perception of epilepsy is not faring well in social media. Kate McNeil and colleagues from Dalhousie University in Canada analyzed data collected from Twitter to provide a snapshot of how epilepsy is portrayed within the twitter community. Twitter, a social networking platform launched in 2006, allows its users to communicate through posting of "tweets" limited to 140 characters. Twitter has gained worldwide popularity since its inception, with approximately 110 million tweets per day from 200 million users worldwide counted in January 2011. Twitter's role in a number of revolutions, including the 2011 Egyptian revolution and the 2010-2011 Tunisian protest, has confirmed its ability to influence culture and perceptions on a global scale. In their study McNeil and colleagues analyzed 10,662 tweets collected during one week in April 2011 mentioning the word "seizure" or "seizures". They found that 41% of these seizure-related tweets were considered to be derogatory in nature. Fortunately there were a few tweets that spoke out against mocking those with seizures. For instance, "Why do … Continue reading →

28-02-2012 13:40 Read the original here: The Son - Rise Program - Fun is The Name of The Game - Video … Continue reading →

WASHINGTON - Early diagnosis is considered key for autism, but minority children tend to be diagnosed later than white children. Some new work is beginning to try to uncover why and to raise awareness of the warning signs so more parents know they can seek help even for a toddler. "The biggest thing I want parents to know is we can do something about it to help your child," says Dr. Rebecca Landa, autism director at Baltimore's Kennedy Krieger Institute, who is exploring the barriers that different populations face in getting that help. Her preliminary research suggests even when diagnosed in toddlerhood, minority youngsters have more severe developmental delays than their white counterparts. She says cultural differences in how parents view developmental milestones, and how they interact with doctors, may play a role. Consider: Tots tend to point before they talk, but pointing is rude in some cultures and may not be missed by a new parent, Landa says. Or maybe mom's worried that her son isn't talking yet but the family matriarch, her grandmother, says: Don't worry Cousin Harry spoke late, too, and he's fine. Or maybe the pediatrician dismissed the parents' concern, and they were taught not to … Continue reading →

Public release date: 29-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Maureen Nagg naggm@ccf.org 216-444-5703 Cleveland Clinic Wednesday, Feb. 29, 2012, Cleveland: Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital has launched a study to determine whether genetic markers can be used to help identify children who are at risk of developing autism. The study is designed to confirm the predictive value of established genetic markers and is a follow-up to retrospective studies that have been completed. Thomas Frazier, Ph.D., of Cleveland Clinic Children's Hospital Center for Autism, is the principle investigator for the study being funded by IntegraGen, a French biomedical company. The study will enroll 600 children over the next two years. "This is the first time anyone has done a prospective study on a combination of genetic markers to examine whether a genetic risk score is helpful in identifying children with autism," Dr. Frazier said. "Autism is currently assessed by looking at behavioral characteristics of children. If we can develop a genetic test to assist in the earlier diagnosis of autism, we can provide beneficial treatment that leads to improved outcomes more quickly." This study launches as the autism community prepares for the American Psychiatric Association's publication of the fifth edition … Continue reading →

Public release date: 29-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Leslie Capo lcapo@lsuhsc.edu 504-568-4806 Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans, LA Research led by Nicolas Bazan, MD, PhD, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, has found that a synthetic molecule protected the brain in a model of experimental stroke. Dr. Bazan was issued a patent on the molecule called LAU-0901, a low molecular weight drug that crosses the blood-brain barrier. The findings are published in the March 2012 issue of Translational Stroke Research. During an ischemic stroke, the most common kind, the body releases signals that cause neuroinflammation which leads to a buildup of chemicals that harm the brain. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) accumulates, and inhibition of this process plays a critical role in neuronal survival. "LAU-0901 is able to reduce this incorrect signaling and inhibit the PAF receptor, which reduces multiple neuroinflammatory signals and greatly lessens the severity of damage in experimental stroke," notes Dr. Bazan. The research team used magnetic resonance imaging in conjunction with behavior and immunohistopathology to further study this novel therapeutic approach. The researchers report that LAU-0901, given two hours after the … Continue reading →