Unstable genetic "capacitor" can "discharge" to accelerate the pace of evolutionary change. Scientists historically have argued that evolution proceeds through gradual development of traits. But how can incremental changes apply to the binary switch between two sexes, male or female? Researchers at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine have found that a genetic process among the many species of rodents could have significant implications regarding our assumptions about sex determination and the pace of evolution. "What we addressed is a long-standing puzzle in natural history: why different types of rodents can exhibit profound differences in how male sex is determined in the embryo," said Michael Weiss, MD, PhD, chairman of the Department of Biochemistry, the Cowan-Blum Professor of Cancer Research and a professor of biochemistry and medicine. "Some rodent populations have both XY males and XY females, and in other populations the Y chromosome has disappeared entirely." In a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Weiss and his research team analyzed the Sry gene, which is part of the Y chromosome. This mammalian gene, which steers differentiation in the embryonic gonad toward the development of testes, begins the process leading to the birth of males. … Continue reading →

Washington, July 29 (ANI): Scientists have discovered that a faulty genetic pathway could be responsible for a range of allergies. The research by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and the Johns Hopkins Institute of Genetic Medicine has found that aberrant signalling by a protein called transforming growth factor-beta, or TGF-beta, may be responsible for disrupting the way immune cells respond to common foods and environmental allergens, leading to a wide range of allergic disorders. It was found that mutations in the genes that lead to abnormal TGF-beta signaling are also keys to Marfan and Loeys-Dietz syndromes, genetic conditions marked by blood vessel laxity and dangerous stretching of the aorta, the body's largest blood vessel. "Disruption in TGF-beta signalling does not simply nudge immune cells to misbehave but appears to singlehandedly unlock the very chain reaction that eventually leads to allergic disease," senior investigator Harry "Hal" Dietz, M.D. said. The study involved 58 children with LDS, ages 7 to 20, followed at Johns Hopkins. Most of them had either a history of allergic disease or active allergies, like allergic rhinitis, eczema, food allergies, asthma, and gastrointestinal and esophageal allergic disease. These patients also had abnormally high levels of several traditional markers … Continue reading →

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Featured Article Academic Journal Main Category: Stroke Also Included In: Neurology / Neuroscience;Stem Cell Research Article Date: 29 Jul 2013 - 0:00 PDT Current ratings for: Stem cell discovery: Astrocytes could repair stroke brain damage 4.5 (6 votes) Stem cell researchers have discovered that astrocytes may prove useful against stroke and other brain disorders. Astrocytes - neural cells that form the blood-brain barrier and so control what can and cannot enter the brain from the blood supply - have previously been overlooked in this area of stroke research. A collaborative study published in Nature Communications suggests that astrocytes can do far more than simply support nerve cells (neurons). Wenbin Deng, senior author of the study and associate professor of biochemistry and molecular medicine at UC Davis in California, told Medical News Today: "This exciting research uncovers the brain-protective powers of stem cell-derived astrocytes. Astrocytes may help to limit the spread of damage after an ischemic brain stroke in patients, and may also help to regenerate and repair damaged brain cells. Both of these actions may lead to better functional recovery in patients." Visit link: Stem cell discovery: Astrocytes could repair stroke brain damage … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, NY and PETAH TIKVA, ISRAEL--(Marketwired - Jul 29, 2013) - BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics (OTCQB: BCLI), a leading developer of adult stem cell technologies for neurodegenerative diseases, today announced that the European Commission has granted Orphan Drug Designation for NurOwn, the Company's stem cell therapy consisting of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells secreting neurotrophic factors, for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.NurOwn received Orphan Drug Designation from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2011. Orphan drugs benefit from 10 years market exclusivity in the European Union (EU) after marketing approval. Additional benefits for sponsor companies include reduced fees for various centralized activities including applications for marketing authorization, inspections and protocol assistance, as well as possible eligibility for EU grants and other R&D-supporting initiatives. BrainStorm is currently conducting a Phase IIa dose-escalating trial with 12 ALS patients at the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, Israel. The company anticipates launching a Phase II multi-center trial at three leading institutions in the United States towards the end of 2013, pending FDA approval. About BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics, Inc.BrainStorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company engaged in the development of first-of-its-kind adult stem cell … Continue reading →

BIND Therapeutics, a Cambridge nanomedicine company developing programmable drugs, said Monday that it has dosed the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of BIND-014 as a second-line therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The company is using a nano-engineering platform to develop Accurins, programmable therapeutics designed to target specific cells or tissues and concentrate a drug payload at the site of disease. The thinking is that this approach will enhance the effectiveness of the treatment while minimizing adverse effects on healthy tissues. BIND-014 represents the first Accurin nanomedicine to reach the clinic from the companys Medicinal Nanoengineering platform, the company said in a press release. In pre-clinical studies, BIND said it has been able to demonstrate that Accurins can improve tumor growth suppression and achieve higher concentrations of the payload in tumors compared to the payload administered in conventional form. In a statement, BIND chief medical officer Gregory Berk, MD, said: There are limited options for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the second-line setting. We are pleased our Phase 1 trial of BIND-014 established the safety profile and appropriate Phase 2 dose for this drug candidate, and we are advancing BIND-014 into Phase … Continue reading →

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BIND Therapeutics, a clinical-stage nanomedicine platform company developing targeted and programmable therapeutics called AccurinsTM, announced today that it has dosed the first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial to assess the safety and efficacy of BIND-014, a PSMA-targeted Accurin containing docetaxel, as second-line therapy in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. There are limited options for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer in the second-line setting. We are pleased our Phase 1 trial of BIND-014 established the safety profile and appropriate Phase 2 dose for this drug candidate, and we are advancing BIND-014 into Phase 2 development to further evaluate its clinical activity as a potential treatment option for patients who are in need of more effective therapies, said Gregory Berk, MD, Chief Medical Officer of BIND Therapeutics. This 40 patient, open label, single arm, multi-center study is designed to determine the efficacy of BIND-014 as measured by objective response rate in patients with Stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer who have failed one prior platinum-containing chemotherapy regimen for advanced or metastatic disease. For more specific information on the trial, including patient eligibility and clinical trial endpoints, please visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01792479). BIND-014 represents the first … Continue reading →

A Vail doctor is in the midst of employing cutting edge medical technology that could bring an end to invasive reconstructive surgery for people with joint and cartilage injuries. Dr. Scott Brandt, M.D., medical director of ThriveMD in Edwards, has a background in anesthesiology and specializes in regenerative and restorative medicine. He is one of a handful of doctors in the country who recently began employing the natural regenerative benefits of stem cells as an alternative to highly invasive joint replacement surgeries for patients with acute and chronic pain in their knees, shoulders, wrists, ankles, hands, feet, hips, elbows and certain spinal conditions. In addition, because stem cells can take the form of bone, cartilage, ligament, tendons, muscle or fat, they also can be used to treat debilitating conditions, such as degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Trained at the University of Illinois and Michael Reese hospitals in Chicago, Brandt first began practicing in Denver. Although he moved to Vail eight years ago, he waited until last September to move his practice and open ThriveMD. Ive been specializing in bioidentical therapy in some form (since 1997), but I didnt think this procedure was quite ready for prime time until about … Continue reading →

Forget about cash-start banking your body. Using a technology that echoes science fiction movies, a French company is offering people a "bank" to store their own stem cells for years in a bet that those cells may be used to grow replacement organs and possibly save their lives someday. "It's a personal deposit of your cell," said Dr. Andr Choulika, CEO of the biotech company Cellectis, which is launching the stem-cell bank known as Scil this month. Given the rate of developments in stem-cell research and their potential for curbing health costs, Choulika thinks Scil's model of creating and storing stem cells one day will become so cheap that it will become mandatory for people with medical insurance. "This pace of science currently goes so fast, probably in a few years, less than 10 years, everyone will have their own cell backup, and it will be a requirement," said Choulika, whose company is named after the Gaelic word for "story," and is pronounced "sail" by Choulika. "We believe that regenerative medicine is the future," he said. In the present, though, it is anything but cheap. Scil's services cost $60,000, Choulika said, adding that it is "a one-time payment, for your … Continue reading →

Forget about cashstart banking your body. Using a technology that echoes science fiction movies, a French company is offering people a "bank" to store their own stem cells for years in a bet that those cells may be used to grow replacement organs and possibly save their lives someday. "It's a personal deposit of your cell," said Dr. Andr Choulika, CEO of the biotech company Cellectis, which is launching the stem-cell bank known as Scil this month. Given the rate of developments in stem-cell research and their potential for curbing health costs, Choulika thinks Scil's model of creating and storing stem cells one day will become so cheap that it will become mandatory for people with medical insurance. "This pace of science currently goes so fast, probably in a few years, less than 10 years, everyone will have their own cell backup, and it will be a requirement," said Choulika, whose company is named after the Gaelic word for "story," and is pronounced "sail" by Choulika. "We believe that regenerative medicine is the future," he said. In the present, though, it is anything but cheap. Scil's services cost $60,000, Choulika said, adding that it is "a one-time payment, for your … Continue reading →