Monthly Archives: February 2012

ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BioTime, Inc. (NYSE Amex: BTX), a biotechnology company that develops and markets products in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced that Chief Executive Officer Michael D. West, Ph.D. will present at the 7th Annual New York Stem Cell Summit at Bridgewaters New York City on Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 8:48 a.m. ET. Dr. West will provide an update and new information on the Company's manufacturing technologies and cell-based therapeutics in development. The presentation will be available online at http://www.biotimeinc.com. The annual New York Stem Cell Summit provides investors, industry, practitioners, and analysts with the latest developments and investment opportunities in the stem cell marketplace. About BioTime, Inc. BioTime, headquartered in Alameda, California, is a biotechnology company focused on regenerative medicine and blood plasma volume expanders. Its broad platform of stem cell technologies is developed through subsidiaries focused on specific fields of applications. BioTime develops and markets research products in the field of stem cells and regenerative medicine, including a wide array of proprietary ACTCellerate™ cell lines, culture media, and differentiation kits. BioTime's wholly owned subsidiary ES Cell International Pte. Ltd. has produced clinical-grade human embryonic stem cell lines that were derived following principles of Good … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2012) — A new study from the Infant Brain Imaging Network, which includes researchers at the Center for Autism Research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism. "It's a tremendously exciting finding," said Sarah Paterson, PhD, director of the Infant Neuroimaging Lab at CHOP's Center for Autism Research. "We found that the brains of the children who developed autism were markedly different even prior to the onset of behavioral symptoms of autism. Thus, our findings, while requiring replication, are a very important first step towards identifying a biomarker for autism risk. This would enable specialists to diagnose autism much earlier than what is currently possible through behavioral observations." The study also suggests that autism does not appear suddenly in young children but instead develops over time during infancy, note the authors. Intensive early intervention has been shown to improve outcomes in children with developmental delays and autism. "This research raises the possibility that we might be able to intervene even before a child is 6 months old, to blunt or … Continue reading →

The brains of children with autism start to differ from typical children as early as 6 months old, a new study found. The earlier timeframe could lead to therapies for autistic children during critical developmental stages, researchers suggested. On average, physicians diagnose infants at 18 months for autism, a disorder known for its symptoms of poor social skills, delay in learning to talk and limited interests in activities, according to the Mayo Clinic. "It's a promising finding," Jason Wolff, lead study author and postdoctoral fellow at the University of North Carolina, told EurekAlert. "At this point, it's a preliminary, albeit great, first step towards thinking about developing a [benchmark] for risk in advance of our current ability to diagnose autism." Like us on Facebook Researchers examined 92 at-risk infants who had autistic siblings. Autism affects one in 110 children in the United States, and researchers suspect the disorder has a genetic component since families with an autistic child have a one in five chance of having another, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers studied how different parts of the brains communicate with each other in infants aged 6, 12 and 24 months of age using magnetic … Continue reading →

When Caleb Geary was diagnosed with autism at age 3, he had never spoken or eaten solid food. Now 6, the boy speaks and tests at his first-grade level — progress that his parents attribute to insurance-based services at home and intensive behavioral intervention at the boy's school in Hamden. But they worry what will happen to Caleb's diagnosis — and the services that have come with it — if the American Psychiatry Association's proposal to change the definition of autism is adopted. Lori Geary said she has already fought to get her son the help he needs. Tom Zwicker, Caleb's father and the director of an autism center for the Easter Seals of Coastal Fairfield County, said he believes insurance companies will start requesting annual diagnostic evaluations if the definition is revised. As a result, his son — and many other children — will lose out on services to treat their conditions. "You have an entire group receiving services that would be left out in the cold," said Zwicker, who lives in Branford. "We're going to lose a whole generation of children." The autism community has been embroiled in a heated debate for the past few weeks over the … Continue reading →

(CBS) Brain scans of infants may predict high risk for autism, new research shows. While symptoms of an autism spectrum disorder usually appear before age three, they are typically not identified until after a child's first birthday. PICTURES - Autism-spectrum disorders: 24 warning signs The new study - published in the Feb. 17 edition of the American Journal of Psychiatry - looked at the brain development of 92 high-risk infants ages 6 to 24 months. The babies were considered high-risk because they all have older brothers or sisters who have been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder, said the researchers from the Infant Brain Imaging Study network. The infants underwent a type of MRI called diffusion tensor imaging at 6 months, 1 year and 2 years of age. With the repeated scans, researchers created 3D pictures that showed changes in white matter - the part of the brain embedded with nerve fibers that help different areas of the brain connect with one another. What did they find? Researchers saw differences in the brain matter of children who were eventually diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder by age 2. These children were more likely to show thicker, denser nerve-fiber readings at … Continue reading →

FRIDAY, Feb. 17 (HealthDay News) -- In children as young as 6 months old, changes in the brain that can lead to autism spectrum disorder may have already begun, preliminary research suggests. Although early signs of autism, such as problems communicating and repetitive behaviors, can often be seen as early as 1 year, processes in the brain linked to communication are seemingly being altered months earlier, University of North Carolina researchers report. "We know that there is evidence that autism affects the ability of different brain regions to communicate with each other. This study confirms that this atypical brain development begins very early in life," said study co-author Geri Dawson, the chief science officer at Autism Speaks. "These findings raise the possibility of developing imaging markers that could detect risk for autism in advance of actual symptoms, and [to] begin treatment before symptoms begin," she said. However, whether these brain changes occur in all autistic children isn't known, Dawson said. It is possible that the developmental problems of autism start even earlier, while in the womb, she said. "One can imagine a day when you would use these imaging biomarkers to identify a young baby who is at risk and … Continue reading →

Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital has received a stroke care awareness award after the hospital implemented a higher standard of stroke care. The American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association's Get With The Guidelines - Stroke Silver Plus Quality Achievement Award is given to hospitals that ensure stroke patients receive treatment according to nationally accepted standards and recommendations, according to a statement from Henry Mayo. The Santa Clarita Valley's only hospital has developed a comprehensive system for rapid diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients admitted to the Emergency Department, it said in a news release. The program means the hospital will always be equipped to provide brain imaging scans, have neurologists available to conduct patient evaluations and use clot-busting medications when appropriate. The program uses the time soon after a patient has had a stroke when he or she is most likely to listen to and follow doctor's guidance. Studies show patients who are taught how to manage their risk factors while still in the hospital reduce their risk of a second heart attack or stroke.     More: Henry Mayo receives stroke care awareness award … Continue reading →

Having developed the FAST acronym – face, arms, speech and time – which has been seen on TV ads, the University and NHS team are now trying out an app to help people who have had a stroke and their medical team work out which course of treatment is most suitable for them. Its potential benefits have caught the attention of the national NHS after the team were nominated by a public vote as one of the top 50 uses of technology. The app will be demonstrated to the Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, at the Maps and Apps Showcase in London (on Weds 22nd Feb). From the moment people suffer a stroke medics only have a four and a half hour window to treat them with clot busting drugs – and this means doctors, nurses, the patient and their families need to have a clear idea of the treatment options so they can make a considered but rapid decision. An iPad app, called DASH II, is being trialled in Newcastle and North Tyneside hospitals to help weigh up the risks and benefits of different treatments for people who have had an ischaemic stroke, caused by a blood … Continue reading →