OLYMPIA, Wash. Republican state Sen. Mike Carrell, who has a blood condition and has been hospitalized since last month, will receive a stem cell transplant from his brother next week. In an email sent to constituents this week, Carrell says he started initial treatment on Wednesday at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. He said that the 100-day process begins with low doses of chemotherapy to lower his body's defenses and help increase his chances that next Tuesday's procedure will be successful. Earlier this year, Carrell was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome, also known as pre-leukemia. The chronic disease affects blood-forming stem cells. Carrell was hospitalized last month after contracting a complicating illness while serving in Olympia, and he has not been back to the Capitol since. Republican leaders have said he would only be called back to the Legislature if his presence is needed for a crucial vote. Lawmakers are nearing the end of the 105-day session, which is set to end on April 28. Carrell said he'll first undergo a low dose of full-body radiation, and then within a few hours will be injected with his brother's stem cells. "Doctors are hopeful that my brother's healthy stem cells will march … Continue reading →

Apr. 18, 2013 Declining levels of the protein BubR1 occur when both people and animals age, and contribute to cell senescence or deterioration, weight loss, muscle wasting and cataracts. Mayo Clinic researchers have shown that adult progenitor or stem cells -- important for repair and regeneration of skeletal muscle and maintenance of healthy fat tissue -- are subject to cellular senescence, and that clearance of these cells limits age-related deterioration of these tissues. The findings appear today online in the journal Cell Reports. BubR1 is an essential part of the mitotic checkpoint, the mechanism controlling proper cell division or mitosis. Without sufficient levels of BubR1, chromosomal imbalance will occur, leading to premature aging and cancer. Using mutant mice that expressed low levels of BubR1, the researchers found development of dysfunctional tissue with impaired cell regeneration. In analyzing the progenitor populations in skeletal muscle and fat, they found that a subset of progenitors was senescent and that the tumor suppressor p53 was acting to prevent this from happening through activation of p21. "Earlier we discovered that senescent cells accumulate in tissues with aging and that removal of these cells delays age-related functional decline in these tissues," says Jan van Deursen, Ph.D., … Continue reading →

A recent New York Times article examines the legitimacy of doctors' claims that stem cell facelifts effectively reduce the visual signs of aging. Dr. Simon Ourian of Epione Beverly Hills is skeptical of the anecdotal evidence reported to date. Los Angeles, California (PRWEB) April 17, 2013 As reported by the Times, the stem cell facelift harvests fat from the thigh, stomach or other area with excess fat, then separates out stem cells to boost the effectiveness of injections around the eyes, the hollows of the cheeks or another part of the face that is lacking volume. For stem cell facelift opponents, the main issue is not necessarily stem cell use. Rather, they simply claim that all success is anecdotal and cannot be attributed directly to the stem cells. I definitely fall into the skeptics camp, says Dr. Ourian, Medical Director of Epione Beverly Hills. Until there is verifiable, scientific data I dont plan on introducing this procedure to my practice and patients. The article goes on to say that some are skeptical, believing that many doctors who promise great results simply remove fat, spin it a bit in a centrifuge and inject it into the face. This line of thinking … Continue reading →

MONTREAL, April 16, 2013 /CNW Telbec/ - A team led by Dr. Patrick Cossette at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre* (CRCHUM) has been awarded $10.8 million from Genome Quebec and Genome Canada to conduct a four-year study to develop a personalized medicine approach to early diagnosis of various types of epilepsy. Along with the project's co-leaders, Dr. Jacques Michaud, CHU Sainte-Justine Research Centre, and Dr. Berge Minassian, Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, the team will focus specifically on drug-resistant forms of epilepsy. Approximately 3% of Canadians experience epileptic seizures during their lifetime. Each seizure increases the risk of brain damage, especially in childhood. Although there are over 20 different anti-epileptic drugs available today, these drugs are ineffective in about one third of patients. "Epilepsy is particularly problematic in children since uncontrolled seizures in the developing brain largely contribute to cognitive decline," explains Dr. Cossette. However, managing epilepsy associated with intellectual disability is especially challenging since these symptoms are associated with a high rate of resistance to anti-epileptic drugs. "Our challenge is to rapidly identify patients who will not benefit from currently existing drugs so that we can use alternative therapies before the damage caused by epilepsy becomes … Continue reading →

Apr. 17, 2013 Researchers at the University Department of Neurology at the MedUni Vienna have identified a gene behind an epilepsy syndrome, which could also play an important role in other idiopathic (genetically caused) epilepsies. With the so-called "next generation sequencing", with which genetic changes can be identified within a few days, it was ascertained that the CNTN2 gene is defective in this type of epilepsy. This was investigated by a team led by Elisabeth Stgmann in collaboration with Cairos Ain Shams University and the Helmholtz Centre Munich with reference to a particular Egyptian family, in which five sick children have resulted from the marriage of one healthy cousin to his, likewise healthy, second cousin. The children affected suffer from a specific epilepsy syndrome, in which different types of epileptic attacks occur. This constellation has the "advantage", according to Stgmann, that both alleles of the gene, which is how one designates different forms of the gene, demonstrate this defect: "As a result the defect becomes symptomatic and identifiable. "20,000 to 25,000 genes, including all the "protein coding" ones, were sequenced for this. When this was done a mutation was found in the CNTN2 gene. CNTN2 undertakes an important function in … Continue reading →

DUBLIN, April 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Research and Markets announces the addition of "EpiCast Report: Epilepsy - Epidemiology Forecast to 2022" to its catalogue. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130307/600769 ) Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide each year and is one of the most common neurological conditions in the world (WHO, 2005). Epilepsy is defined as a collection of brain dysfunction disorders characterized by recurrent and unpredictable seizures. The prevalence of epilepsy varies among countries due to a mosaic of economic, political, and social differences. GlobalData epidemiologists expect that the number of active and lifetime prevalent cases of epilepsy will increase during the forecast period (2012-2022) in the nine markets covered. In 2012, we estimated that there was a total of 17,542,651 active prevalent cases of epilepsy in the nine markets, and GlobalData epidemiologists forecast that by 2022, the number of active prevalent cases will grow to 18,565,967. A major strength of this analysis is that the forecast methodology was consistent across the nine markets to allow for a meaningful comparison of the patient populations in each country. Scope - The Epilepsy EpiCast Report provide an overview of risk factors and global trends for epilepsy. - Data is provided for the seven major … Continue reading →

SYRACUSE It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that autism has risen to one in every 88 births in the United States. In order to raise awareness about the programs and services available to families affected by autism, the New York State Senate has commemorated April 2013 as Autism Awareness Month. I have long been a committed advocate for individuals and families living with autism. I successfully fought for the New York Autism Health Insurance Reform Law that now requires state-regulated health insurance policies to provide coverage for the screening, diagnosis and treatment of patients on the autism spectrum. This landmark law, which took effect last year, is one of the strongest autism insurance reforms in the Nation. It has opened the door for thousands of families to receive early intervention services, which are key to improving the treatment of autism. Some of these important services include behavioral health treatments, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. Furthermore, the law prohibits an insurance company from terminating coverage or refusing to issue, adjust, renew or execute a policy solely because a person has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. As your state senator, I will continue … Continue reading →