Public release date: 15-Feb-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Beata Mostafavi bmostafa@umich.edu 734-764-2220 University of Michigan Health System ANN ARBOR, Mich. Researchers don't know the exact cause of Behet's disease, a chronic condition that leads to oral and genital sores and serious complications such as blindness, but new research brings better understanding to what makes some people more susceptible to being affected. In one of the most extensive genetic analyses of Behet's disease, a University of Michigan-led, international team of researchers has identified novel gene variants in the inflammatory disorder and uncovered data that could apply to studies of other diseases. The results appear in the journal Nature Genetics. "This disease is associated with significant complications and because it is not well understood, treatment options are limited," says lead author Amr Sawalha, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine in the division of rheumatology at the U-M Medical School. "We were able to identify and localize robust genetic risk factors associated with Behet's disease in a way that will hopefully bring us a step closer to better understanding this devastating illness." The UMHS research, a collaboration that includes researchers from Turkey, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, identifies how a … Continue reading →

Newswise ANN ARBOR, Mich. Researchers dont know the exact cause of Behet's disease, a chronic condition that leads to oral and genital sores and serious complications such as blindness, but new research brings better understanding to what makes some people more susceptible to being affected. In one of the most extensive genetic analyses of Behet's disease, a University of Michigan-led, international team of researchers has identified novel gene variants in the inflammatory disorder and uncovered data that could apply to studies of other diseases. The results appear in the journal Nature Genetics. This disease is associated with significant complications and because it is not well understood, treatment options are limited, says lead author Amr Sawalha, M.D., associate professor of internal medicine in the division of rheumatology at the U-M Medical School. We were able to identify and localize robust genetic risk factors associated with Behets disease in a way that will hopefully bring us a step closer to better understanding this devastating illness. The UMHS research, a collaboration that includes researchers from Turkey, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands, identifies how a specific group of genes are linked to Behets disease. The disease can affect people from all ethnicities, but has … Continue reading →

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., Feb. 15, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Verinata Health, Inc., a privately-held company dedicated to maternal and fetal health, today presented data demonstrating its approach to detect aneuploidies in maternal blood from multiple gestation pregnancies. (Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120425/SF94380LOGO) Contrary to previous study findings by other investigators, this study demonstrated that each fetus in twin pregnancies contributes approximately 50 percent less cell-free fetal DNA to a maternal blood sample when compared to the cell-free DNA makeup of singleton pregnancies. As a result of this reduced fetal fraction, deeper sequencing is necessary to determine if a chromosome abnormality is or is not present in one or both of the fetuses with a high degree of confidence. "While we were able to correctly detect aneuploidy in twin pregnancies with a sequencing depth similar to that currently implemented for singleton pregnancies, deeper sequencing offers better resolution and discrimination for these complex samples," said Richard Rava, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Verinata Health."Thus, it may reduce the number of false negatives and increase the confidence in the results for multiple gestation pregnancies." The analysis included 85 maternal plasma samples that were previously excluded from Verinata's large, blinded, prospective validation study of singleton pregnancies. The full … Continue reading →

Stem Cell Surgery Study by Dr. Ruth Roberts of SDCM - Kidney Disease STEM CELL TRANSPLANT STUDY IN CATS AND DOGS POINTS TO GROUNDBREAKING TREATMENT FOR KIDNEY DISEASE Sabrina is a fourteen-year-old cat, diagnosed with kidney disease. Yet, Sabrina's luck has changed due to a groundbreaking study in cats and dogs for the treatment of kidney disease. The research study by Dr. Ruth Roberts with Sun Dog Cat Moon Veterinary Clinic (SDCM) is stem cell transplant surgery. Sabrina's procedure was on January 21, 2013. During surgery, stem cells were harvested from a four-ounce sample of her own fat tissue. "Modified stem cells find their way to the appropriate locations of the damaged kidneys, engrafting themselves into key areas for renal function, resulting in reduced inflammation, allowing regeneration of tissue and improved function in the kidney. There is a need in veterinary medicine for a regenerative treatment in kidney failure," says Dr. Ruth Roberts. For more information on Dr. Ruth Roberts' study on stem cell therapy for chronic renal failure in cats and dogs, please contact SDCM at 843-437-0063 and info@SunDogCatMoon.com Visit http://www.SunDogCatMoon.com Dr. Ruth Roberts DVM / CVA / CVH 843-437-0063 Info@SunDogCatMoon.com For media: Penelope Jean Publicist … Continue reading →

Muscular Dystrophy Improvement seen in just 4 days He is a known case of MD with history of gradual onset of lower extremities muscle weakness noticed since age of 12 years with complaints of footwear slipping, frequent falling, difficulty in stairs climbing and getting up from floor. Gradually weakness progressed to upper extremities with difficulty in overhead activities. He even reports difficulty in pronunciation of "Ra", "La". He has no family history of MD. Functionally, he is modified independent in all ADL and mobility. On FIM he scores 79. After Stem Cell Treatment 1. Feels more energetic. Stamina has improved. 2. Sitting posture has improved. 3. Walking and standing posture is more erect. 4. Balance while walking has improved. 5. He can maintain kneeling position. 6. Bending and rotation from trunk is easier because of increase in back extensor strength. 7. Slow rate of speech achieved. 8. Lisping reduced. 9. Correct articulation for fricatives /s/, /sh/ and velar /ksha/ achieved in isolation. Stem Cell Therapy done at Dr Alok Shrama NeuroGen Brain and Spine Institute Surana Sethia Hospital Sion-Trombay Rd, Suman Ngr Opp Corporate Park, Chembur, Mumbai -- 71. Tel : 022 - 25283706, 022 - 25281610, Mob : +91 … Continue reading →

By Daniela Dadurian, M.D. Question: What is Stem Cell Facial Therapy? Answer: Stem cell therapy has been used by doctors since as early as the 16th century to heal damaged cells or tissue. Only for about a decade have we started using this process again in modern medicine instead of medications that use chemicals to treat illness and/or suppress it. A new Stem Cell Facial Therapy uses stem cells derived from sheeps placenta. The placenta and umbilical cord tissue cells are ethically harvested from sheep, post birth, so there is absolutely no harm to animals. The pluripotent stem cells are extremely nutrient and very similar to embryonic stem cells, which means that they have the ability to repair every type of cell in the body. When applied in sufficient concentrations, large numbers of bio-active stem cells immediately de-age the skin by stimulating the dermal layer to produce increased levels of collagen and elastic fibers. This can be described as skin food that provides cellular renewal and reduces inflammation and hydrates the skin. This results in thicker, younger-looking skin. For more information, call (561) 655-6325. Daniela Dadurian, M.D., specializes in anti-aging medicine and is an expert in non-surgical body contouring techniques. … Continue reading →