Regenerative medicine company Orthocell has been recognised in a prestigious peer-reviewed journal for its tendon injury treatment, which uses stem cell technology. The treatment, known as Autologous Tenocyte Implantation (ATI), involves taking a biopsy of the patient's healthy tendon, isolating and cultivating tendon stem cells from the tissue, then injecting them into the injured tendon. The Perth-based company says the process takes about 20 minutes and is less invasive than surgery. Professor Ming Hao Zheng of the University of Western Australia's Centre for Translational Orthopaedic Research, who led the development team, said treatment options for people suffering from tendon injury and related disorders were limited. "There are no targeted drug therapies and surgery often delivers unsatisfactory results," Prof Zheng said. But ATI has been hailed in the American Journal of Sports Medicine as a safe and effective procedure that repairs tendons and reduces the pain of conditions such as tennis elbow. "This novel treatment is encouraging for the treatment of tendinopathy and warrants further evaluation," the journal concluded. Orthocell managing director Paul Anderson said the company was now focused on offering the treatment more widely to patients throughout Australia and New Zealand, and was also investigating potential overseas markets. Read … Continue reading →

Penn State Behrend will host the 5th annual Autism in Our Community Event on Oct. 26 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event brings together various agencies/organizations to highlight their services as related to autism. It will provide information about the goods and services available to families influenced by and managing autism in their lives. Attendees will have the opportunity to attend panels, workshops, and hear keynote speaker Nancy Minshew, Professor of psychiatry and neurology at the University of Pittsburgh. She will present "The Science of Autism: Transformative Advances Paving the Way to A New Future in Treatment and Care." The event is free, and free on-site qualified child care and a teen club with preregistration will be provided. An optional box lunch is available for purchase with registration. For more information, contact the Autism Society -- Northwestern Pennsylvania at 455-3540 or e-mail autismsociety@nwpaasa.org. To register, please visit: http://www.nwpa-asa.org/ace.aspx. UPMC Health Plan's commercial and Medicaid plans finished among the highest-ranked health plans in the nation, according to a report released by the National Committee for Quality Assurance. UPMC For You, the plan's Medicaid HMO program was the highest-ranked Medicaid plan in Pennsylvania in "NCQA's Medicaid Health Insurance Plan Rankings … Continue reading →

It has been nearly a year since Dana Summers heard her 3-year-old son speak. He said Mama and Dada when he was younger, but even now, he doesnt say those words anymore. But he has before, so we know its there. We know hes capable, the 32-year-old mother from Springfield said. Her son, Landon, was diagnosed with severe autism in October 2012 when his ability to communicate ceased. Landons autism, coupled with a neurological muscular disorder, is why Dana and her husband, PJ, are determined keep him in the Applied Behavior Analysis Therapy program an intensive treatment that focuses on positive reinforcement. ABA therapy is costly and not covered by insurance. Depending on the level, treatment could cost the family $45,000 or more annually. To help cover the cost, Summers and his wife took part in the fundraising event Landons Voice on Sunday at Lewis Memorial Park. The event also was an opportunity for the family to raise autism awareness. Dana Summers said the ABA program was Landons best shot at speaking again. Its one-on-one and really intensive. Children with autism need to be pushed to their limits. They need routine. They need to know that if you do this, … Continue reading →

Westlake Village, CA (PRWEB) September 30, 2013 Autism Research Group (ARG), a nonprofit dedicated to using science to improve the quality of life for individuals with autism and their families, will host a one-day workshop titled, Teaching Perspective Taking to Individuals with Autism on Nov. 6, 2013, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Westlake Village Inn in Westlake Village. Attendees will learn how to apply relational frame theory to make behavior analytic treatment programs for individuals with autism spectrum disorder more comprehensive, progressive, and powerful. Continuing education units (CEUs) and complimentary lunch will be offered. Online registration is required at http://workshop.autismresearchgroup.org. The workshop will feature presentations by ARG Executive Director Jonathan Tarbox, PhD, BCBA-D, who will provide an introduction to relational frame theory; Marianne L. Jackson, PhD, BCBA-D, who will discuss a relational frame theory approach to perspective taking and research; and Adel Najdowski, PhD, BCBA-D, who will discuss behavioral research and practical strategies related to teaching perspective taking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one in every 88 children in the U.S. is diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), making it more prevalent than juvenile diabetes, pediatric cancer, and childhood AIDS combined. Research … Continue reading →