NOTCH1 Signaling Promotes T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Initiating Cell Regeneration Newswise Research suggests that patients with leukemia sometimes relapse because standard chemotherapy fails to kill the self-renewing leukemia initiating cells, often referred to as cancer stem cells. In such cancers, the cells lie dormant for a time, only to later begin cloning, resulting in a return and metastasis of the disease. One such type of cancer is called pediatric T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or T-ALL, often found in children, who have few treatment options beyond chemotherapy. A team of researchers led by Catriona H. M. Jamieson, MD, PhD, associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Director of Stem Cell Research at UC San Diego Moores Cancer Center studied these cells in mouse models that had been transplanted with human leukemia cells. They discovered that the leukemia initiating cells which clone, or replicate, themselves most robustly activate the NOTCH1 pathway, usually in the context of a mutation. Earlier studies showed that as many as half of patients with T-ALL have mutations in the NOTCH1 pathway an evolutionarily conserved developmental pathway used during differentiation of many cell and tissue types. The new study shows … Continue reading →

Public release date: 2-Jul-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Sarah Jackson press_releases@the-jci.org Journal of Clinical Investigation In Parkinson's disease, the loss of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain causes well-characterized motor symptoms. Though embryonic stem cells could potentially be used to replace dopaminergic (DA) neurons in Parkinson's disease patients, such cell therapy options must still overcome technical obstacles before the approach is ready for the clinic. Embryonic stem cell-based transplantation regimens carry a risk of introducing inappropriate cells or even cancer-prone cells. To develop cell purification strategies to minimize these risks, Dr. Lorenza Studer and colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York developed three different mouse lines to fluorescently label dopaminergic neurons at early, mid, and late stages of differentiation. Their data suggest that mouse embryonic stem cells induced to the mid stage of neuronal differentiation are best suited for transplantation to replace dopaminergic neurons. Further, their work identified new genes associated with each stage of neuronal differentiation. Their results in the mouse model system help define the differentiation stage and specific attributes of embryonic stem cell-derived, dopamine-generating cells that hold promise for cell therapy applications. ### TITLE: Identification of embryonic stem cellderived midbrain dopaminergic neurons … Continue reading →

MagForce AG / Magforce announces financial results 2011 . Processed and transmitted by Thomson Reuters ONE. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. * Laying significant foundations for marketing the NanoTherm therapy * Completed installation of first treatment center at Charit in Berlin, Germany * Establishing network of medical key opinion leaders * Initial development cooperation with Mayo Clinic, USA, and distribution partnerships with DELRUS and Tek Grup (after the end of the reporting period) * Corporate restructuring program to significantly reduce operating expenses * Secured financing till mid-2013 Berlin, Germany, July 02, 2012 - MagForce AG (Frankfurt, XETRA: MF6), a leading medical device company in the field of nanomedicine with a focus on oncology, announced today the financial results for the fiscal year 2011 ending December 31, 2011. Dr. Andreas Jordan commented: "2011 was a year full of major challenges for MagForce. The chosen route to market NanoTherm therapy turned out to be less successful than initially expected. We have therefore redefined our strategy and started to lay the foundations for medical community acceptance and the future commercialization of NanoTherm therapy in order to further develop the company. A new trial, which is expected to … Continue reading →

Laying significant foundations for marketing the NanoTherm therapy Completed installation of first treatment center at Charit in Berlin, Germany Establishing network of medical key opinion leaders Initial development cooperation with Mayo Clinic, USA, and distribution partnerships with DELRUS and Tek Grup (after the end of the reporting period) Corporate restructuring program to significantly reduce operating expenses Secured financing till mid-2013 Berlin, Germany, July 02, 2012 - MagForce AG (Frankfurt, XETRA: MF6), a leading medical device company in the field of nanomedicine with a focus on oncology, announced today the financial results for the fiscal year 2011 ending December 31, 2011. Dr. Andreas Jordan commented: "2011 was a year full of major challenges for MagForce. The chosen route to market NanoTherm therapy turned out to be less successful than initially expected. We have therefore redefined our strategy and started to lay the foundations for medical community acceptance and the future commercialization of NanoTherm therapy in order to further develop the company. A new trial, which is expected to start in early 2013, will validate the benefits of NanoTherm therapy. Building confidence among leading medical experts and possible strategic partners in the therapeutic potential of our technology is of major importance.Together with … Continue reading →

JOHNSTOWN After developing epilepsy as the result of a medical error when she was 13, Debra Iachini-Lux spent the following 30 years of her life wondering when the next seizure would strike. The Geistown resident did not allow the disease to prevent her from starting a career in medical office management and going on to found her own medical billing and transcription business, Laurel Highlands Medical Consultants Inc. But the seizures would interfere with her business and her life. She was not permitted to drive a car and sometimes would zone out during a client meeting. In my darkest days Id just start talking about something that made no sense, Iachini-Lux said at the consulting businesss 1407 Eisenhower Blvd. office. A doctor warned her not to take meetings alone, advising her to bring a colleague to pick up the slack if a seizure struck. I would bounce right out, Iachini-Lux said. It was mental seizures not so much shaking and tremoring. That was in my sleep. The National Institutes of Health defines epilepsy as a brain disorder that causes people to have recurring seizures. The seizures happen when clusters of nerve cells, or neurons, in the brain send out the … Continue reading →

Californias historic move to require insurance companies to cover behavioral interventions for autism could still leave thousands of Californians with limited access to the expensive therapy. Monday, July 2: NBC4 Hosts Experts to Answer Your Questions About Behaviorally Based Treatment for Autism More: Mandated Coverage for Behavioral Interventions for Autism Begins Sunday Starting this month, most plans will have to cover the intervention, called applied behavioral analysis and widely believed to be one of the most effective treatments for the autism and other developmental disorders. The therapy involves working intensely with a child or adult to break down even the most simple of social and vocational tasks into tiny steps that can be learned by most people. But even though the goal was to make the intervention available to most Californians through their insurance, many plans will not offer it. Thats because most of the largest employers are exempt from state requirements under a 1970s-era law that was actually meant to protect privately funded pension plans. The law says that any company that is self-insured meaning that they pay for the care that their employees through a fund theyve set up to handle those expenses are subject to federal regulation, … Continue reading →

W.Va. autism forum aims to unite parents, insurers CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) - Advocates of children with autism hope a July 13 summit at Stonewall Jackson Resort will help West Virginians make the most of the state's new law requiring some insurance coverage for their treatment. The Lewis County round table event aims to unite parents, care providers, insurers and others so families can learn about, obtain and then use this coverage, said organizer Susannah Poe. "There are all sorts of questions from all sides," Poe said. "The goal is easier access for everyone." After years of debate, legislation enacted in 2011 calls on both public and private insurers to extend coverage for applied behavioral analysis, a treatment considered crucial for many children with these neurological disorders. An autism diagnosis can fall within a spectrum of conditions that range from mild to severe and can involve impaired thinking, feeling, speaking and the ability to relate to others. Poe cites figures estimating that one in 100 West Virginia children have an autism spectrum disorder, slightly higher than the national frequency. Autism, the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S., is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and Down Syndrome combined, Poe … Continue reading →

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Advocates of children with autism hope a July 13 summit at Stonewall Jackson Resort will help West Virginians make the most of the state's new law requiring some insurance coverage for their treatment. The Lewis County round table event aims to unite parents, care providers, insurers and others so families can learn about, obtain and then use this coverage, said organizer Susannah Poe. "There are all sorts of questions from all sides," Poe said. "The goal is easier access for everyone." After years of debate, legislation enacted in 2011 calls on both public and private insurers to extend coverage for applied behavioral analysis, a treatment considered crucial for many children with these neurological disorders. An autism diagnosis can fall within a spectrum of conditions that range from mild to severe and can involve impaired thinking, feeling, speaking and the ability to relate to others. Poe cites figures estimating that one in 100 West Virginia children have an autism spectrum disorder, slightly higher than the national frequency. Autism, the fastest-growing developmental disability in the U.S., is more common than childhood cancer, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and Down Syndrome combined, Poe said. As awareness and screening efforts improve, the number … Continue reading →