The birds and the bees as we know them are changing. A new process called in vitro gametogenesis (IVG) is currently being developed, and if successful, it will completely transform the way humans think about reproduction.

In 20 to 40 years, people will still have sex. But when they want to make babies, theyll go to a lab, predicts Stanford University Professor Henry T. Greely. Its also the premise of his book The End of Sex and the Future of Human Reproduction.

The process of IVG creates sperm and egg cells in a lab from just about any adult cell. IVG uses skin or blood cells to reverse engineer a special type of cells calledinduced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs).

IVG could eliminate the need for egg and sperm donors. With IVG, post-menopausal women could generate viable eggs. Same-sex couples could make a biological family. Virtually anyone with skin would have the ability to produce eggs or sperm.

Although 40 years might seem a lifetime away, theres a lot to figure out before we can safely, ethically, and responsibly add in vitro gametogenesis to our list of fertility treatment options.

Read full, original post: IVG: Making Babies From Skin Cells

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Video: In 40 years, babies could be made in the lab from skin cells - Genetic Literacy Project

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The Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) the professional body that represents psychiatrists in India, strongly condemned the use of stem cell therapy in psychiatric disorders, particularly autism, until such a time that research evidence substantiated its effectiveness.

IPS, in its position statement on stem cell therapy on January 17, said that till now, there is no scientifically validated and scrutinized research evidence that proves that stem cells are helpful in any psychiatric disorders including autism.

Autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder with no known single cause.

The advisory from the IPS comes at a time when stem cell therapy clinics that claim to have developed stem cell therapies to treat complex psychiatric problems such as autism, cerebral palsy (movement disorder), muscular dystrophy (weakness of muscles), mental retardation, spinal cord injury and brain stroke have mushroomed across the country.

These stem cell therapy centres extract stem cells from the bone marrow of each child and then inject it into the childs spinal canal. The whole procedure takes place under general anaesthesia.

These clinics use aggressive marketing techniques and false claims to lure parents of children who are suffering from disease like autism.

The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has already published guidelines that cover the various diseases that are applicable for stem cell treatment. No psychiatric disorders, including autism, are listed there under this advisory.

Stem cells are special human cells that have the ability to develop into many different cell types, from muscle cells to brain cells. In some cases, they also have the potential to repair damaged tissues, and provide a cure for various diseases. But the clinical evidence at this point is low.

Psychiatric disorders including autism are combined derangements of both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative trajectories of brain and are polygenetic in origin. So they actually are symptomatic manifestations of a variety of different pathogenetic processes about which scientific evidence is as yet inconclusive, IPS said.

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The following are the top rated Healthcare stocks according to Validea's Small-Cap Growth Investor model based on the published strategy of Motley Fool. This strategy looks for small cap growth stocks with solid fundamentals and strong price performance.

ZYNEX INC. (ZYXI) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 83% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Zynex, Inc. operates through the Electrotherapy and Pain Management Products segment. The Company conducts its business through its subsidiaries and the operating subsidiary is Zynex Medical, Inc. (ZMI). Its other subsidiaries include Zynex Monitoring Solutions, Inc. (ZMS) and Zynex Europe, ApS (ZEU). ZMI designs, manufactures and markets medical devices that treat chronic and acute pain, as well as activate and exercise muscles for rehabilitative purposes with electrical stimulation. ZMS is in the process of developing its blood volume monitoring product for non-invasive cardiac monitoring. ZEU intends to focus on sales and marketing its products within the international marketplace, upon receipt of necessary regulatory approvals. It markets and sells Zynex-manufactured products and distributes private labeled products. Its products include NexWave, NeuroMove, InWave, Electrodes and Batteries. ZMI devices are intended for pain management to reduce reliance on drugs and medications.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

For a full detailed analysis using NASDAQ's Guru Analysis tool, click here

LEMAITRE VASCULAR INC (LMAT) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 80% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. is a provider of medical devices for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease. The Company develops, manufactures and markets medical devices and implants used primarily in the field of vascular surgery. It is engaged in the design, marketing, sales and technical support of medical devices and implants for the treatment of peripheral vascular disease industry segment. The Company's product lines include valvulotomes, balloon catheters, carotid shunts, biologic vascular patches, radiopaque marking tape, anastomotic clips, remote endarterectomy devices, laparoscopic cholecystectomy devices, prosthetic vascular grafts, biologic vascular grafts and powered phlebectomy devices. Its portfolio of peripheral vascular devices consists of brand name products that are used in arteries and veins outside of the heart, including the Expandable LeMaitre Valvulotome, the Pruitt F3 Carotid Shunt, VascuTape Radiopaque Tape and the XenoSure biologic patch.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

For a full detailed analysis using NASDAQ's Guru Analysis tool, click here

INMODE LTD (INMD) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 79% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Inmode Ltd is an Israel-based company. It designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes energy-based, minimally-invasive surgical aesthetic and medical treatment solutions. The Company's proprietary technologies are used by physicians to remodel subdermal adipose, or fatty, tissue in a variety of procedures including fat reduction with simultaneous skin tightening, face and body contouring and ablative skin rejuvenation treatments. Its products target a wide array of procedures including simultaneous fat killing and skin tightening, permanent hair reduction, skin appearance and texture, among others. The Company's products may be used on a variety of body parts, including the face, neck, abdomen, upper arms, thighs and intimate feminine regions. It owns six product platforms: BodyTite, Optimas, Votiva, Contoura, Triton and EmbraceRF. All are market and sell traditionally to plastic and facial surgeons, aesthetic surgeons and dermatologists, among others.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

For a full detailed analysis using NASDAQ's Guru Analysis tool, click here

BIOLIFE SOLUTIONS INC (BLFS) is a small-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 76% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: BioLife Solutions, Inc. (BioLife) is engaged in the developing, manufacturing and marketing a portfolio of biopreservation tools and services for cells, tissues and organs, including clinical grade cell and tissue hypothermic storage and cryopreservation freeze media and a related cloud hosted biologistics cold chain management application for shippers. The Company's product offerings include hypothermic storage and cryopreservation freeze media products for cells, tissues, and organs; generic blood stem cell freezing and cell thawing media products; custom product formulation and custom packaging services; cold chain logistics services incorporating precision thermal packaging products and cloud-hosted Web applications, and contract aseptic manufacturing formulation, fill and finish services of liquid media products. Its products include HypoThermosol FRS, CryoStor, BloodStor, Cell Thawing Media, PrepaStor and biologistex cold-chain management service.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

For a full detailed analysis using NASDAQ's Guru Analysis tool, click here

MEDPACE HOLDINGS INC (MEDP) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Biotechnology & Drugs industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Motley Fool is 76% based on the firms underlying fundamentals and the stocks valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.

Company Description: Medpace Holdings, Inc. is a clinical contract research organization. The Company provides clinical research-based drug and medical device development services. The Company partners with pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies in the development and execution of clinical trials. The Company's drug development services focus on full service Phase I-IV clinical development services and include development plan design, coordinated central laboratory, project management, regulatory affairs, clinical monitoring, data management and analysis, pharmacovigilance new drug application submissions, and post-marketing clinical support. The Company also provides bio-analytical laboratory services, clinical human pharmacology, imaging services, and electrocardiography reading support for clinical trials. The Company's operations are principally based in North America, Europe, and Asia.

The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.

For a full detailed analysis using NASDAQ's Guru Analysis tool, click here

Since its inception, Validea's strategy based on Motley Fool has returned 639.27% vs. 234.94% for the S&P 500. For more details on this strategy, click here

About Motley Fool: Brothers David and Tom Gardner often wear funny hats in public appearances, but they're hardly fools -- at least not the kind whose advice you should readily dismiss. The Gardners are the founders of the popular Motley Fool web site, which offers frank and often irreverent commentary on investing, the stock market, and personal finance. The Gardners' "Fool" really is a multi-media endeavor, offering not only its web content but also several books written by the brothers, a weekly syndicated newspaper column, and subscription newsletter services.

About Validea: Validea is an investment research service that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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Validea's Top Five Healthcare Stocks Based On Motley Fool - 1/19/2020 - Nasdaq

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Validea’s Top Five Healthcare Stocks Based On Motley Fool – 1/19/2020 – Nasdaq | January 20th, 2020

Remember being a teenager in high school and thinking 40 was old? I distinctly recall being 15 or 16 years old and thinking Id have it all figured out by the time I was 25. In my mind, Id be a proper grown-up by then in the career of my dreams and married with a baby25 seemed so far away. For the record, I knew nothing at age 25 and felt anything but grown-up. But oh, how quickly time passes. Here I am, a year from turning 40, Ive been married for 12 years, and our son just turned 11. Even now, I cant say with confidence that I feel like an adult. My husband and I still turn to each other with a quizzical expression wondering how we both got here. Im sure many of you reading this can relate.

Of course, the old adage still rings true, and you are only as old as you feel, but even if I dont feel like it, the mirror tells me a different story. Its a daily reminder that time will have her way and you cant stop her. And dont get me wrongIm all about aging gracefully, but I want to look good while I do. For me, its all about taking care of my skin health. Ive been on a cleanse-tone-moisturize-sunscreen routine since I was 14 years old (thanks, Mom!), and its slowly developed into monthly facials, lasers, and a few injectables.

With my big 4-0 coming up, I wanted to try a few buzzy skincare treatments to help turn back the clock a little and make sure my skin looks 100 when the day finally arrives. Read on to find out what Idid along with my honest thoughts, and feel free to DM me at @skinlexicon if you have any questions!

I have already written about my experience with under-eye fillers and lip filler, and I loved both, but Im definitely very careful about who I see for injectables and what filler I use. Most people have some apprehension about trying fillers because there are a lot of examples where it has gone wrong.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people walking around with filler that you can see and recognize that it was done badly with an unnatural result, says Nancy Samolitis, MD, FAAD, of Facile Dermatology + Boutique in Los Angeles. Because of this, many people have the misconception that all filler treatments will look this way. When the appropriate filler product is used with the correct technique, injected at the correct depth in the correct amount, it should not be visible or look unnatural. This was the case with my experience having a liquid facial. Samolitis chose different types of filler and Botox to suit specific areas of my face to ensure a natural look that still had movement and didnt look stiff or overdone.

There is still a lot of confusion around when/where/how fillers or Botox are used, so I asked Samolitis to settle the debate once and for all.

Botulinum toxin (Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau are all different brands): "This is what's known as a neuromodulator," Samolitis explains. "That means it binds to a specific receptor in a nerve ending that prevents the nerve from communicating with a muscle, therefore reducing the muscle activity. These products are used to reduce wrinkles that are associated with certain facial movements/expressions. This is most commonly used for areas such as the frown line between the eyebrows (aka the "elevens"), forehead lines, and crow's-feet lines. It can also be used for upper lip lines, chin dimpling, and lines in the neck.

Newer techniques are using these products to create lift by relaxing muscles that are natural depressors in the face and neck. For example, that muscles that pull down on the brows or the jowls can be relaxed to create a very slight lifted look. Even more exciting and new uses for these products include injecting micro-droplets into the skin (instead of the muscle) to reduce oil production in pores, reduce sweating, shrink blood vessels to reduce redness/flushing, and smooth skin texture. There may even be some benefit for treating acne and rosacea, but this is still being studied.

Fillers: These products replace volume. The most commonly used fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, which is a sugar molecule that is bound into a gel-like injectable and placed into various levels of the skin and deeper tissues to replace tissue that we have lost with aging or enhance tissue that we don't have naturally. Certain thicker fillers are used more appropriately on bone and in the fat compartment in the face to create contour (for example, volumizing and contouring the cheeks, temples, and jawline).

"Fillers that are smooth and [bouncier and more elastic] are used for smoothing and plumping lips and around the mouth where there is a lot of movement," Samolitis explains. "If a thicker filler is used in these areas or injected superficially, it can create an unnatural stiff or overly plumped look. Finally, very thin, almost watery, fillers are used to create a hydrated effect in the top layers in the skin or fill in very fine lines or acne scars."

Samolitis used various types of filler and botox around my face during the treatment, and in most cases, she says we need a combination of the products described above to create a harmonious overall result. Signs of aging in the face are usually a combination of volume loss including bone resorption and decreasing the size of the fat pockets that give our face its characteristic shape and thinning of the skin leading to fine lines and texture change, she explains. Injectables should also always be combined with skin rejuvenation techniques including a good skincare regimen, sun protection, and in-office procedures like micro-needle or laser resurfacing. She tells me any medspa that only provides injectables is doing the patient a disservice by not treating the skin and educating the patient on sun and environmental damage. Hear, hear.

The other bonus of getting filler is that it actually helps to create more collagen. The injection creates a tiny wound and a stretching of the cells called fibroblasts in the dermal layer of the skin. This stimulus initiates a cascade of wound-healing signals that ultimately lead to new collagen production. Obviously, this is on a very small scale, but often repeated filler injection in the same area (most commonly the lips, a fine wrinkle, or acne scars) will lead to longer-lasting results over time.

Of course, injectables arent cheap but the good news is, you dont need to get them that often. Botulinum toxin averages three to four months while filler can be anywhere from three months to several years (it depends on the type of filler, area treated, amount of filler used, and the person's metabolism).

If you havent heard ofThe Beauty Sandwich yet then Id suggest checking it out on Instagramstat. The creator,Ivn Pol, is ringing in a new age of noninvasive and nontoxic beauty treatments with his unique skin-tightening methodand the Hollywood A-list are lining up. As a long-time fashion and celebrity makeup artist, Pol wanted an alternative way to reduce the look of wrinkles without needles and saw an opportunity in the market for a natural alternative to "looking our best" and staying young. So he developed The Beauty Sandwich, a unique and customized combination of advanced radiofrequency including monopolar, bipolar, and infrared RF. The method organically plumps and builds collagen to give a filler-like appearance, and Im obsessed!

So whats the magic sauce? Why does it work? While there are a lot of devices out there that show improvement in resurfacing and remodeling the skin, Pol has found that the secret to delivering lasting results is through combining or stacking one procedure on another, just like a sandwich. Pol stacks two radio frequency (RF) devices on top of each other. The first is a monopolar system called Pellev, which means the RF (radio frequency) can penetrate deeply until the tissue reaches a certain temperature. This deep energy (which feels like heat to the client) tightens the skin while at the same time stimulates the fibroblasts, which are the workforce cells that produce new collagen and elastic fibers in the skin.

The second is the eMatrix system, which is a bipolar RF device that limits its energy to the upper levels of the skin. This too stimulates the fibroblasts as well as causes some superficial exfoliation. The combination of the two creates The Sandwich, which gives an immediate tightening effect with the long-term stimulation of the fibroblasts. Add some great topical skincare, and youll get that radiant glow were all after.

But, of course, the big question is, how much does it cost and how long does it last? While the results are case by case, Pol tells me he typically recommends six to eight treatments with touch-ups before big events, but the results can last up to a year or more. They range in price from $850 to $1400, so its not exactly cheap, but when you think about how long it lasts, its comparable to filler, and its completely natural and safe. This is the natural alternative to have a filler-like appearance to the skin, says Pol. I think of The Beauty Sandwich as weight training. We are strengthening and toning the muscles to help with collagen stimulation which plumps and lifts the skin, contouring the face and defining jawline.

As you can see from the pictures, the method shows visible results after just one session, and that continues two weeks after. In fact, I had the post-treatment glow for up to three days after the procedure, but it is the gift that keeps on giving. Pol says four to 15 days after the treatment, your bodys natural reaction to heal comes into play as fibroblasts become present, and the collagen rebuilding process begins. And it continued to do so days, weeks, even months after treatment.

But aside from the aesthetic results, the biggest transformation Pol has seen is in the way women feel about themselves after a series of treatments. That boost in their self-esteem, the voicemails I receive when they love what they see, that empowerment is why I created The Beauty Sandwich, he tells me. I have always believed that beauty comes from within. It starts from the bed and the sheets you sleep on to what you ingest. Same goes for what you put on your skin.

I have been seeing celebrity estheticianMatthew Miller for monthly facials for at least the past year. He is one of my favorites in the L.A. area and definitely the most reasonably priced that Ive found here, too. So when he told me about his new treatment,DermalStem Regeneration, my ears pricked and I immediately booked an appointment with him. In a nutshell, this treatment is an amazing alternative to micro-needling without any pain or downtime. While I was there for the anti-aging effects, it can also help other concerns like acne, hyperpigmentation, and dry skin.

So what is it? Well, DermalStem Regeneration is another treatment that stimulates the growth of, you guessed it, collagen. Firstly, a Bio-Brasion wet/dry microdermabrasion is used to exfoliate the skin. Then he uses a dermastamp to create microchannels on the skins surface. These microchannels allow a serum derived from bone marrow stem cells to penetrate deeper into the skin. Yes, I said bone marrow stem cells! This game-changing serum is packed with next-level growth factors that trigger the skins natural renewal process and promote the formation of collagen and elastin to provide firmness and elasticity. Read: Sign me up! This is quickly followed with a hyaluronic acid serum and 20 minutes of LED to accelerate healing and reduce redness. Both of these together give you the benefits of physical and chemical exfoliation without the irritation or downtime.

Youll see results instantly with this facial, and it just keeps getting better even up to a month post-treatment as the bone marrow stem cells continue to work. You do need to give your body time to produce the collagen to heal the skin after this one, so theres no need to rush back in straight away or sign up for multiple treatments, but Miller says you will see a noticeable difference after three of these. So how much does it cost? The treatment is pricey at $475, but I really do see the value in this one. You can get discounted rates when you buy in bulka three-pack series is $1210, while a six-pack series is $2280.

As I mentioned earlier, I am very picky about who I allow to inject my face. I have seenJennifer Herrmann, MD, twice now for both under-eye fillers and lip fillers, and her work is very subtle and natural. So when I wanted to try the PiQo4 laser to remove a few dark spots, she was my first port of callshe also turned my own blood into an anti-aging serum.

So what is the PiQo4 laser? According to Herrmann, its a picosecond laser thats used to treat unwanted pigmentation and tattoos. It uses energy to target pigment particles, shatters them, and then your bodys immune system helps clear them away, she says. Because it hits its targets so quicklyat picosecond burstsit converts laser light energy into sound almost instantly as it interacts with targets, generating very little heat in the process. This results in less unwanted damage to surrounding tissues, fewer side effects, increased safety for darker skin, and less pain and downtime for patients. In a nutshell, this game-changing laser can pinpoint dark spots and treat them individually without having to treat the entire face. And it works!

But its not just for people with hyperpigmentation like me. You can also use it to remove unwanted tattoos, sunspots, brown spots. In fact, its one of Herrmanns favorite lasers for diffusing brown spots caused by the sun. She also used a fractionated setting on my skin to treat summer sun damage, and it only took one treatmentmy skin is so much clearer and more even. And it only took a week for the dark spots to completely disappear, too.

How many treatments you need all depends on what is being treated. Discrete brown spots can clear in a single treatment, while tattoos can take more than 10 treatments. Prices begin at $250 per session, which is a small price to pay for clearer, healthier skin.

For my fourth treatment, I went to see the much-adored Camille FieldsTyLynn Nguyen is a regular. When you meet Fields, its easy to see why influencers, models, and celebrities book months in advance to have their faces in her magical hands. Fields has been in the industry for 20 years, and her own glowing skin is proof that her treatments and skincare philosophy works. Shes all about strengthening your skin from the inside outSakara and The Beauty Chef products sit proudly alongside her skincare recommendations

Speaking of which, Fields is an officialBiologique Recherche salonthe beloved French skincare line that has a global cult following. Aside fromits groundbreaking, science-based line, Biologique Recherche offers a series of specialty treatments to enhance the effectiveness ofits products, and the Le Grand Soin is the crown jewel. During this treatment, Fields uses specialty boosters, co-factors, masks, serums, and the world-renowned Remodeling Face Machine (the ultimate for firming and lifting the facial muscles), as well as lymphatic and sculptural massage, LED light therapy, and ultrasound. By the end, your face is taut, clear, bright, and glowy. (I have the pictures and videos to prove it!)

All of this will set you back $550, but if you are looking for a treatment that provides long-lasting, skin healthboosting results, this is itmy skin was transformed. But, of course, total skin health is about so much more than just one treatment. As Fields explains, Our skin is just a reflection of our internal health. To truly address the root cause of any skin concern, we have to first look within. Incredible changes can occur when we respect and understand the physiology of our bodies.

Below, I'm sharing the skincare products I used daily to maintain my glow. Keep scrolling to shop my favorite, ride-or-die formulas.

Cosmedix Salicylic Acid Foaming Cleanser ($39)

I love an exfoliating cleanser to slough off dead skin cells to keep blackheads away and keep my skin feeling smooth and fresh. Both of these are also incredibly gentle on the skin and never irritate or dry my skin out. I'm obsessed with Cosmedix's new foaming cleanser. It's a salicylic acid foaming cleanser, but it's so gentle and doesn't have any parabens, which I love.

Cosmedix Purity Balance Exfoliating Prep Toner ($38)

I'm a big fan of using acids, and this one has both of my favorites,salicylic and lactic acids. I have been using this toner for at least 10 years now, and it is truly one of my hero products. I love how it removes excess oil or residue (including makeup) to reveal smooth, clear skin. It can also be used as a spot treatment for breakouts, and I've even used it in lieu of a cleanser when I forgot to pack it on a work trip once. It's really an amazing product.

IS Clinical White Lightening Complex ($145)

I was gifted with this product about two months ago and have been using it every day since.I do think that my skin overall is brighter and firmer. It's really lightweight (a waterlike essence consistency) too, which I like because I use a lot of serums, and if they're too heavy, it can pill, which I loathe. It is also paraben-free.

The other brightening cream I LOVE isSkinMedica'sLytera 2.0 Pigment Correcting Serum ($154). This product really works to help even skin tone and manage pigmentation.I'm super obsessed with even skin tone, so I have several brightening serums in my regimen, includingCosmedix X-Cell($71), which also has niacinamide and microencapsulated Retinol. I love mixing it withitsvitamin C crystals for an added boost.

IS Clinical Super Serum Advance ($155)

This one is also lightweight, but I love it because it has a really high concentration ofL-ascorbic acid (vitamin C), a whopping 15% to be exact. I also love theCosmedixVitamin C Crystals ($32), which you can combine with any serum or moisturizerVersed also has onefor $20.

Cosmedix Refine RX ($78)

I have been using retinol for years, so I can handle the highest-strength version from Cosmedix, but if you're just starting out or have sensitive skin,the brand hasa range of retinol, so you can work your way up.Serum 16($80) is a good place to start.

SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator ($178)

There are a lot of hyaluronic acid serums out there. I mean a lot. But after trying almost everything out there (well, not all, but a lot!), I consistently come back to this one. It works, plain and simple. I recently started testing out the IS Clinical Hydracool serum after my friend and celebrity estheticianCandace Marinorecommended it. It's packed with hyaluronic acid and feels incredibly cooling to the skinI'm already a convert.

Cosmedix Cell ID ($110)

My estheticianMatthew Millerrecommends this serum to almost everyone. It has really high levels of niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3 that helps tomanage acne, rosacea, pigmentation issues, and wrinkles. This is a really nice everyday defense serum.

IS Clinical Active Serum ($138)

I mix a few drops of this with the IS ClinicalSuper Serum Advance($155) and the White Lightening Serum ($145) morning and night straight after I've toned my skin. I've been doing this for a few months now, and I can honestly say it instantly tightens and brightens my skin. I have definitely noticed a difference. I really love how fresh it makes my skin feel toothe results are immediate. Not sure how I ever lived without it.

Cosmedix X-Age ($160)

I have been using this moisturizer for about a year now, and I notice the difference in my skin texture and overall appearance when I stop using it. This is worth the $$. It has encapsulated vitamin A and a ton of antioxidants to help improve the texture and elasticity of aging skin. I just really love it. I mix it with my face oil every night for added hydration and dewy skin.Humidify($90) is also lovely when I want something hydrating but lightweight.

DMK Seba-E Oil ($0)

I was first introduced to this face oil through Matthew Miller, and I have been hooked on (actually, I think it's safe to say obsessed with)this face oil ever since. I love to mix it with my moisturizer and even reapply it throughout the day for dewy, glowy skin. It can be mixed with makeup too.Mara BeautyAlgae + Moringa Universal Face Oil ($72) is also really beautiful and great mixed with makeup as is the new face 100% organic oil byKohza Numbers(touted as a daily supplement serum withvitamins A, C, and E). It's super lightweight and looks insane when mixed with foundation. I just love it; I just DEW!

Cosmedix Eye Doctor ($130)

This magical eye cream is hands down one of the best out there. I promise. It is like eye cream and a highlighter in one.TheOpti-Eye Crystal ($95) (which is slightly cheaper) is also great and one ofthe brand'sbest-selling products. But I personally prefer the Eye Doctor because it has retinol and feels more targeted to my anti-aging needs.

IS Clinical Eclipse SPF 50 Plus ($45)

This is almost like a mousse in texture. It's light, not too oily, and mixes into the skin without leaving a white residue but also keeps my skin dewy. I love the size of the bottle, and I use it for my face and body. It's paraben-free and doesn't have any active chemical ingredients. Side note: My husband had a terrible reaction tooxybenzone and avobenzone, so if you're sensitive, please look out for that ingredient and avoid sunscreens that have it.

IS Clinical Copper Firming Mist ($35)

I have triedso many face mists, but this is by far my favorite. It does feel firming and is a great spritz to set makeup. I also really loveCosmedixMystic ($42). It smells so good and is incredibly hydrating.

Up next,18 Reasons Kate Bosworth Is Benjamin Buttoning Right Before Our Eyes

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Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on I Tried 5 Buzzy Skincare Treatments Before My 40th BirthdayHere Are My Reviews – Yahoo Lifestyle | January 19th, 2020

obal Cell Therapy Technologies Marketwas valued US$ 12 billion in 2018 and is expected to reach US$ 35 billion by 2026, at CAGR of 12.14 %during forecast period.

The objective of the report is to present comprehensive assessment projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. The report helps in understanding Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market dynamics, structure by identifying and analyzing the market segments and projecting the global market size. Further, the report also focuses on the competitive analysis of key players by product, price, financial position, growth strategies, and regional presence. To understand the market dynamics and by region, the report has covered the PEST analysis by region and key economies across the globe, which are supposed to have an impact on market in forecast period. PORTERs analysis, and SVOR analysis of the market as well as detailed SWOT analysis of key players has been done to analyze their strategies. The report will to address all questions of shareholders to prioritize the efforts and investment in the near future to the emerging segment in the Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market.

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Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market: OverviewCell therapy is a transplantation of live human cells to replace or repair damaged tissue and/or cells. With the help of new technologies, limitless imagination, and innovative products, many different types of cells may be used as part of a therapy or treatment for different types of diseases and conditions. Celltherapy technologies plays key role in the practice of medicine such as old fashioned bone marrow transplants is replaced by Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, capacity of cells in drug discovery. Cell therapy overlap with different therapies like, gene therapy, tissue engineering, cancer vaccines, regenerative medicine, and drug delivery. Establishment of cell banking facilities and production, storage, and characterization of cells are increasing volumetric capabilities of the cell therapy market globally. Initiation of constructive guidelines for cell therapy manufacturing and proven effectiveness of products, these are primary growth stimulants of the market.

Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market: Drivers and RestraintsThe growth of cell therapy technologies market is highly driven by, increasing demand for clinical trials on oncology-oriented cell-based therapy, demand for advanced cell therapy instruments is increasing, owing to its affordability and sustainability, government and private organization , investing more funds in cell-based research therapy for life-style diseases such as diabetes, decrease in prices of stem cell therapies are leading to increased tendency of buyers towards cell therapy, existing companies are collaborating with research institute in order to best fit into regulatory model for cell therapies.Moreover, Healthcare practitioners uses stem cells obtained from bone marrow or blood for treatment of patients with cancer, blood disorders, and immune-related disorders and Development in cell banking facilities and resultant expansion of production, storage, and characterization of cells, these factors will drive the market of cell therapy technologies during forecast period.

On the other hand, the high cost of cell-based research and some ethical issue & legally controversial, are expected to hamper market growth of Cell Therapy Technologies during the forecast period

AJune 2016, there were around 351 companies across the U.S. that were engaged in advertising unauthorized stem cell treatments at their clinics. Such clinics boosted the revenue in this market.in August 2017, the U.S. FDA announced increased enforcement of regulations and oversight of clinics involved in practicing unapproved stem cell therapies. This might hamper the revenue generation during the forecast period; nevertheless, it will allow safe and effective use of stem cell therapies.

Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market: Segmentation AnalysisOn the basis of product, the consumables segment had largest market share in 2018 and is expected to drive the cell therapy instruments market during forecast period at XX % CAGR owing to the huge demand for consumables in cell-based experiments and cancer research and increasing number of new product launches and consumables are essential for every step of cell processing. This is further expected to drive their adoption in the market. These factors will boost the market of Cell Therapy Technologies Market in upcoming years.

On the basis of process, the cell processing had largest market share in 2018 and is expected to grow at the highest CAGR during the forecast period owing to in cell processing stage,a use of cell therapy instruments and media at highest rate, mainly in culture media processing. This is a major factor will drive the market share during forecast period.

Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market: Regional AnalysisNorth America to held largest market share of the cell therapy technologies in 2018 and expected to grow at highest CAGR during forecast period owing to increasing R&D programs in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. North America followed by Europe, Asia Pacific and Rest of the world (Row).

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Scope of Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market

Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market, by Product

Consumables Equipment Systems & SoftwareGlobal Cell Therapy Technologies Market, by Cell Type

Human Cells Animal CellsGlobal Cell Therapy Technologies Market, by Process Stages

Cell Processing Cell Preservation, Distribution, and Handling Process Monitoring and Quality ControlGlobal Cell Therapy Technologies Market, by End Users

Life Science Research Companies Research InstitutesGlobal Cell Therapy Technologies Market, by Region

North America Europe Asia Pacific Middle East & Africa South AmericaKey players operating in the Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market

Beckman Coulter, Inc. Becton Dickinson and Company GE Healthcare Lonza Merck KGaA MiltenyiBiotec STEMCELL Technologies, Inc. Terumo BCT, Inc. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. Sartorius AG

MAJOR TOC OF THE REPORT

Chapter One: Cell Therapy Technologies Market Overview

Chapter Two: Manufacturers Profiles

Chapter Three: Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Competition, by Players

Chapter Four: Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Size by Regions

Chapter Five: North America Cell Therapy Technologies Revenue by Countries

Chapter Six: Europe Cell Therapy Technologies Revenue by Countries

Chapter Seven: Asia-Pacific Cell Therapy Technologies Revenue by Countries

Chapter Eight: South America Cell Therapy Technologies Revenue by Countries

Chapter Nine: Middle East and Africa Revenue Cell Therapy Technologies by Countries

Chapter Ten: Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Segment by Type

Chapter Eleven: Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Segment by Application

Chapter Twelve: Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Size Forecast (2019-2026)

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Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Industry Analysis And Forecast (2018-2026) Dagoretti News - Dagoretti News

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Global Cell Therapy Technologies Market Industry Analysis And Forecast (2018-2026) Dagoretti News – Dagoretti News | January 19th, 2020

Libby Clegg, 29, has represented both Scotland and Great Britain at international sporting events. She won a silver medal at the 2008 Summer Paralympics and won gold at the 2016 Paralympic Games. Clearly up for any challenge, the sprinter is now competing in ITVs Dancing On Ice.

But why exactly is the star registered as blind? The sporting star has a deteriorating eye condition known as Stargardts Macular Dystrophy which gives her only slight peripheral vision in her left eye.

Libby has described her eyesight as being like looking at a pixelated computer screen or a scrunched-up firework, when speaking to The Daily mail.

She added: I have some peripheral sight - barely any - and with what little sight I do have I was able to use to use to follow the lines on the track.

Libby wasnt born blind, and started losing her eyesight at the age of 9.

But theres currently no treatment for Stargardt, and eventually, the mother-of-one will lose her entire sight.

She continued: Im at the age where my sight should be stabilising but its still deteriorating.

Things will never go black, but I dont know yet exactly what I will be able to see.

Speaking to The Radio Times about her learning process on the ice rink, Live explained: Its been a learning process.

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On the track I run with a guide runner and were attached all the time, but basically its like learning a different vocabulary to communicate.

Myself and my partner Mark Hanretty use touch and verbal communication.

Im not as bad as I thought I was going to be, but its not as easy as it looks.

Its a lot harder than I thought itd be, its very technical."

Moorfields Eye Hospital, part of the NHS Foundation Trust, says Stargardt disease is a rare inherited condition affecting one in 8,000 to 10,000 people.

It explains: In Stargardts the light-sensitive layer of cells in the macular region of the eye degenerate.

The macular is the area at the back of the eye which is responsible for the fine detailed vision necessary for activities such as watching TV and reading.

Symptoms of the condition include:

Moorfields Eye Hospital says UV blocking sunglasses can offer some protection for remaining vision, but the condition is currently untreatable.

It adds: A number of novel interventions are currently under investigation, including stem cell therapies. Stem cells are a special type of cell which, when put under the right conditions, can develop into many other types of cell including those found in the macular. It is hoped that new cells derived from stem cells can be grown in a laboratory to be transplanted into the eye to replace areas of dead or non-functioning cells. Stem cells can be sourced from a number of places including blood, bone marrow, umbilical cord and fertilized egg cells.

Researchers are involved in Europes first ongoing stem cell trial for Stargardts. More research will need to be undertaken in the future to determine to what extent stem cell therapy might help improve vision for people with Stargardts.

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Libby Clegg health: Dancing On Ice star is registered blind - what is her condition? - Express

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Libby Clegg health: Dancing On Ice star is registered blind – what is her condition? – Express | January 19th, 2020

SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Allele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (President and CEO: Jiwu Wang, Ph.D., Allele), a San Diego-based private company, and Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., Astellas), through its Massachusetts-based subsidiary Astellas Institute for Regenerative Medicine (AIRM), entered into a licensing agreement to expand Astellas access to Alleles induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technologies for various cell therapy programs.

Astellas, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Japan and already a leader in the development of cell-based therapeutics, has further dedicated to development of the field through its commitment to state-of-the-art iPS cell generation, modification, and manufacturing. iPSC lines can differentiate into all somatic tissue types, enabling a wide variety of therapeutic applications. The field of iPSC-derived cells has seen dramatic growth in clinical trials recently--the majority of the ~12 clinical trials around the world were initiated within the last 18 months and many more are upcoming.

Allele has been developing its core strength in reprogramming somatic cells into iPSCs with granted patents and the first commercial cGMP system it developed over the past 10 years. Allele also engages in more than a dozen different human tissue derivation activities through its own R&D efforts for internal programs and partnerships. To realize the unparalleled potential of iPSC, Alleles researchers and cGMP team are committed to setting up and validating cell assays for product quality control, genome analysis pipelines, closed-system automation for reprogramming, and machine learning in iPSC-related fields.

Under the terms of the new license agreement, Astellas will pay Allele upfront and milestones, product-based royalties, and potentially manufacture fees.

About AlleleAllele Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals was founded in 1999. In 2015, the company completed an 18,000 square foot state-of-the-art facility in San Diego for the production of GMP-grade human iPSC lines. The facility also supports the production of tissue-specific cells differentiated from these iPSCs, including pancreatic beta cells, neural progenitor cells, and cardiomyocytes.

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Allele and Astellas Enter into an Expanded License for the Development of iPSC Lines - Business Wire

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Ryan Straschnitzki, a 20-year-old hockey player who was involved in the Humboldt Broncos bus crash is home after undergoing surgery in Thailand. Straschnitzki was paralyzed when the team bus hit a western semitrailer truck on April 6, 2018. 16 people on the bus were killed due to the horrific accident.

On Sunday evening, Straschnitzki left for Calgary Airport from Thailand. He told Global News, It feels good. I mean I felt the cold and cold wind hit my legs, so Im feeling good. Its good to be back.

We do it again. 35 days away. Big thanks for our looks at Thailand and Air Canada. Cant wait for Family Christmas Decoration. Quarreling. Haha. Ryan with his therapy cat, Bronze (Name after Dana) and Dexter. The hugs were big and long. pic.twitter.com/Ujshile6nd Strazsr (@strazsr) December 9, 2019

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Straschnitzki had been paralyzed from the chest down in the accident and had to have an epidural stimulant in his spine, along with the injected stem cells.

Straschnitzki is quoted as saying, It was extraordinary. I mean the last time I walked by my dad was before the accident and before I left. So doing it again and just looking into his eyes is motivating for me. .

His father, Tom, said: When I saw him actually moving his foot, it just made me imagine his last steps crossing that bus that lucky day. And I was just thinking that he might come back bus one day.

The surgery Straschnitzki requested has not yet been approved by Health Canada, or covered by public insurance, so it could cost close to $ 100,000. Because of this, Straschnitzki and his family had to make the trip to Thailand, unhappy with the Canadian healthcare system.

Our health care system is lacking in this area for spinal cord injuries and I think its great that Thailand and some other countries are starting this.

Licensed Spinal Stimulants are provided by Health Canada but are for pain relief only and not for motor skill recovery.

Just to get that feeling of being able to move something, that I wasnt able to move before, and know that core is a big part of my disability, so anything below my chest is essential. And after programming it really helped, Straschnitzki said.

He is planning to take some time off to rest before turning to ice and physiotherapy. Straschnitzki is also optimistic about making the Canadian Olympic hockey team sled in the future.

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No more feeling self-conscious about your scarring.

But there are other ingredients that aren't as harsh on the skin.

Salicylic acid is a fabulous way to combat acne in all skin types and can be found in a wash or in a lotion. If you tend to get small acne bumps known as comedonal acne, try OTC Differin lotion which is a retinoid. In general, those are strong enough to cause the skin to purge out those small bumps (which means it will be a little worse before getting better), and then prevent them from recurring, adds Dr. Mariwalla.

Contrary to what some people may think, having acne still means you need to moisturize. However, there are some precautions to consider. According to Dr. Mariwalla,Be sure not to use a heavy cream. Try a moisturizing gel or even a serum. A hyaluronic acid serum is ideal for acne=prone skin because it wont typically make you break out.

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Anti BacAcne Clearing Lotion is clinically proven to target pores to help clear existing acne, minimize excess oil production, and eliminate blackheads. Using an ultra-fine delivery system, benzoyl peroxide is delivered via a microscopic particle to affected areas, without over-drying.

(Sephora, $42)

Vichy Normaderm Beautifying Anti-Acne Treatment is an acne treatment moisturizer for adults with acne-prone skin. Thisnew formula with Air Licium and Phe resorcinoltechnology acts on the appearance of pores and shine. With salicylic acid to treat, blemishes disappear, leaving your skin looking radiant and beautiful.

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Created by Beverly Hills plastic surgeons Dr. John Layke and Dr. Payman Danielpour, Beverly Hills MDAdvanced Scar Therapy contains advanced botanical ingredients that soothe and nourish damaged skinto dramatically diminish the appearance of stubborn scars. It contains an infusion of oxygen and antioxidants, for healthy-looking complexion and fewer visible imperfections.

(Beverly Hills MD, $80)

The Elina Organics Omega Serumcontains wild cod collagen, an antioxidant powerhouse that acts as a filler for scars. The serum promotes collagen regeneration and helps to firm, calm, and rejuvenate. Layer it with your nightly moisturizerfollowing exfoliation, and it helps your skin maintain its elasticity, increases hyaluronic acid production, and enhances skin hydration.

(ElinaOrganics, $52)

A powerful plant-based stem cell formulation decreases the appearance of fine lines, and softens and rejuvenates the skin. Stem cells help to support the longevity of aging skin by encouraging the regeneration of new skin cells, which stimulates the production of collagen in the skin.

(Knockout Beauty, $160)

Mela-Even Cream contains the lipid forms of the antioxidant vitamin C and E, which help to reclaim the appearance of healthy-looking, luminous skin. Not only does it help reduce scars, but it also helps to improve the appearance of uneven skin tone and fine lines, and assists in maintaining a healthy skin appearancewhile supporting its natural sun defence against the harmful effects of UV rays.

(Environ Skincare, $86)

This is a powerful skin lightening treatment gel featuring hydroquinone that rapidly reduces post-acne skin discoloration and helps combat breakouts. Willow bark and tea tree leaf extract help treat blemishes and reduce irritation as AHAs exfoliate to restore clarity and tone. This works best with normal, oily and combination skin types.

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This treatment fights the main causes of acne by regulating skin cell turnover and reducing inflammation deep in the skin to clear and prevent pimples, blackheads and clogged pores. Differin contains the first OTC Rx-strength acne-fighting retinoid. Its gentler on your skin, while still effective, giving you the clearskin you want.

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Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Dark Spot Corrector instantly brightens skin, with a high-potency fast absorbing formula that delivers the highest concentration of Vitamin C. With highly concentrated Accelerated Retinol SA, this advanced corrector works to renew the look of skin, brightening tone and helping fade stubborn dark spots and discoloration.

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RELATED:How To Get Clear Skin Fast: 15 Tips For A Smooth, Acne-Free Complexion

Formulated with state-of-the-art UV filters, this high protection moisturizing sunscreen helps prevent UV induced collagen breakdown and UV-induced dark spots. It protectsskin from UVA and UVB rays, is easily absorbed into the skin, and comes in a lightweight formula.

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Nia 24 Rapid D Tone Correcting Serum visibly diminishes the appearance of dark spots and discoloration to significantly improve brightness, clarity and tone. Vitamin C normalizes pigment production while increasing collagen and providing antioxidant protection. Willowbark extract exfoliates dull, dead skin cells while betaine smoothes the skin.

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These powerful, easy-to-use pre-soaked pads are formulated with glycolic, lactic, citric, hyaluronic and salicylic acids, plus Pro-Vitamin B5 and Niacinamide that reduce pore size, fine lines, and wrinkles, and improve skin tone, texture and luminosity. Purslane Extract acts as a strong soother, itch reliever and antioxidant, and also promotes collagen production and cell turnover.

(Knockout Beauty, $79)

This pro-level retinol night treatment is formulated with 4.5 percent retinol in the patent-pending SB-100 delivery system, arguably one of the highest concentration in any over-the-counter retinol product. Retinol is the gold standard in treating acne scars by stimulating cell regeneration for brighter, more even skin. Clinical results show that 90 percent of subjects noticed an improvement in skin texture.

(Sephora, $105)

A medicated formula that exfoliates and reduces excess oil that can lead to breakouts. It unclogs pores and controls excess shine. Ingredients salicylic acid and acetyl glucosamine help clear dead skin cells that can contribute to clogged pores.Lamincaria Sacharina extract helps reduce shine and addresses future breakouts.

(Sephora, $17)

A unique and highly effective oil-free, non-comedogenic, lightweight moisturizer for combination to oily skin. Using clay that is mined in Umbria, Italy, it helps regulate sebum production, absorb impurities from blocked pores, calm flare-ups, and neutralize excess acidity on the skin which purifies and brightens the skin. This lightweight lotion gently hydrates, tones, and balances the complexion.

(Sephora, $38)

This is a redness-reducing lotion to help correct and prevent future blemishes. Ithelps to correct and prevent future blemishes, while reducing the appearance of dullness and rough texture. Formulated with acne-clearing salicylic acid and pine bark extract, this lotion calms and soothes redness and evens skin tone for a clearer complexion.

(Sephora, $48)

A gentle, oil-free exfoliating lotion for dry or combination skin. Developed by Clinique's dermatologists, the smoothing formula whisks away flakes and refines pores to reveal a clearer complexion. The cool, refreshing formula removes dead cells from the surface of the skin helping moisturizer and makeup to apply evenly.

(Sephora, $17)

This lightweight, oil-free moisturizer helps reduce shine and refine the appearance of pores for smoother skin texture without causing blemishes. Retinol supports natural cell turnover to help keep pores clear while hyaluronic acid and honey extract hydrate. Allantoin and arnica soothe, smooth, and condition skin.

(Sephora, $42)

This moisturizing treatment helps surround skin in an age-defending protective bubble. Silver tip white tea and revitalizing trehalose serve up an extra helping of hydration. It leaves skin soft and prepared for treatments to follow.

(Sephora, $27)

Fast-acting benzoyl peroxide attacks acne-causing bacteria to treat blackheads, blemishes and clogged pores at the source, and helps to control excess oil that can become trapped in pores and cause new breakouts. Botanical brighteners battle redness from existing and past blemishes, helping to fade the appearance of acne marks and reducing irritation from active breakouts. Antioxidants defend against the effects of free radical damage.

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RELATED:21 Best Creams That Help Clear Up Scars

AlyWalanskyisa NY-basedlifestyles writer who focuses on health, wellness, and relationships. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly.Visit her on Twitteroremail her.

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A thorough study of the competitive landscape of the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services Market has been given, presenting insights into the company profiles, financial status, recent developments, mergers and acquisitions, and the SWOT analysis. This research report will give a clear idea to readers about the overall market scenario to further decide on this market projects.

The report analysis the leading players of the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market by inspecting their market share, recent developments, new product launches, partnerships, mergers, or acquisitions, and their target markets. This report also includes an exhaustive analysis of their product profiles to explore the products and applications their operations are concentrated on in the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market. Additionally, the report gives two distinct market forecasts, one from the perspective of the producer and another from that of the consumer. It also offers valuable recommendations for new as well as established players of the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market. It also provides beneficial insights for both new as well as established players of the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market.

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This report provides detailed historical analysis of global market for Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services from 2014-2019, and provides extensive market forecasts from 2019-2025 by region country and subsectors. It covers the sales volume, price, revenue, gross margin, historical growth and future perspectives in the Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market

some of the major players in the automotive performance tuning and engine remapping services market, such as Quantum Tuning, RS Tuning, Turbo Dynamics, EcuTek Technologies Ltd., Roo Systems, ABT Sportsline GmbH, and Tuning Works Inc.

Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services Market: Segmentation

By Vehicle Type

By Fuel Type

By Tuning Stage

By Tuning Method

By Application

By Region

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Racing

Fuel Economizing

Performance Tuning

North America

Latin America

Europe

South Asia

East Asia

Oceania

Middle East and Africa

Research Methodology

The initial stage of the research study includes the formulation of assumptions, which are necessary for primary and secondary research. Further stages of research involved the triangulation of the data collected from these two approaches. To analyse the global automotive performance tuning and engine remapping services market trends and opportunities for tuning service providers, the market has been segmented on the basis of vehicle type, fuel type, tuning stage, tuning method, application, and region.

For the analysis of service instances, we have considered FY 2018 as the base year. Basic data was collected from manufacturers annual reports, newsletters, public reports published by government, valve manufacturing organisations, private agencies, World Banks sources, etc.

For final analysis of the market data, we considered demand-side as well as supply-side drivers and trends in various regional markets. We have forecasted the market data on the basis of key developments, regional trends, and production-consumption scenario of the automotive performance tuning and engine remapping services market. For forecasting the market data, we have considered historic data for the period of 2014-2018.

The global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market research is carried out at the different stages of the business lifecycle from the production of a product, cost, launch, application, consumption volume and sale. The research offers valuable insights into the marketplace from the beginning including some sound business plans chalked out by prominent market leaders to establish a strong foothold and expand their products into one thats better than others.

We provide detailed product mapping and investigation of various market scenarios. Our expert analysts provide a thorough analysis and breakdown of the market presence of key market leaders. We strive to stay updated with the recent developments and follow the latest company news related to the industry players operating in the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market. This helps us to comprehensively analysis the individual standing of the companies as well as the competitive landscape. Our vendor landscape analysis offers a complete study to help you gain the upper hand in the competition.

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Reasons why you should buy this report

Understand the current and future of the Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services Market in both developed and emerging markets.

The report assists in realigning the business strategies by highlighting the Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services business priorities.

The report throws light on the segment expected to dominate the Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services industry and market.

Forecasts the regions expected to witness the fastest growth.

The latest developments in the Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services industry and details of the industry leaders along with their market share and strategies.

Saves time on the entry level analysis because the report contains very important info regarding growth, size, leading players and segments of the business.

Save and reduce time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the growth, size, leading players and segments in the global Market.

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Table of Contents

Report Overview: It includes six chapters, viz. research scope, major manufacturers covered, market segments by type, Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market segments by application, study objectives, and years considered.

Global Growth Trends: There are three chapters included in this section, i.e. industry trends, the growth rate of key producers, and production analysis.

Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services Market Share by Manufacturer: Here, production, revenue, and price analysis by the manufacturer are included along with other chapters such as expansion plans and merger and acquisition, products offered by key manufacturers, and areas served and headquarters distribution.

Market Size by Type: It includes analysis of price, production value market share, and production market share by type.

Market Size by Application: This section includes Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market consumption analysis by application.

Profiles of Manufacturers: Here, leading players of the global Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market are studied based on sales area, key products, gross margin, revenue, price, and production.

Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services Market Value Chain and Sales Channel Analysis: It includes customer, distributor, Automotive Performance Tuning and Engine Remapping Services market value chain, and sales channel analysis.

Market Forecast Production Side: In this part of the report, the authors have focused on production and production value forecast, key producers forecast, and production and production value forecast by type.

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Stem Cell Therapy Market by Key Driver, Challenges and Opportunities in 2017 to 2025 - Fusion Science Academy

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Thats something 13-year-old Floyd Korzan learned the hard way when his father, Matt, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, a highly-deadly form of blood cancer, after he fell ill on a family hiking trip in the Black Hills in 2012.

Matts fight against the disease has since taken the Mitchell family on a journey of frightening lows and celebratory highs and led Floyd to start Relentless Pledge, a non-profit organization that encourages patients to be as relentless as his father as they fight to achieve the goal of overcoming cancer.

We basically have two goals. The first one is to inspire others to overcome obstacles and dream their dreams. And the second part of the goal is to give a Relentless wristband to every cancer patient in Mitchell, our hometown, and eventually, if we get big enough, South Dakota and the United States, Floyd said in an interview with the Daily Republic.

Its a goal borne out of Floyds experience when he sat with his father at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota as he underwent treatments for the disease. Matt beat the leukemia once, but it later returned, a bad sign when associated with this particular kind of cancer. It went into remission again but returned again in 2017, and doctors were not hopeful.

With few options remaining, Matt agreed to a stem cell donation treatment that would use cells provided by his sister, Margaret, who happened to be a 100 percent match, injected into his system following an intense round of chemotherapy. The treatment was difficult, but after 8 million donor cells were circulated through his system, the doctors began to see good results.

Little by little, I came back, Matt said. After 30 days, they did a bone marrow biopsy that showed no evidence of leukemia whatsoever. They did another one at the end of the year, still no evidence of leukemia. They did one at the two-year mark, still no evidence of leukemia.

Visitors to relentlesspledge.org can nominate individuals to receive Relentless wristbands, which remind people to stay the course when attempting to achieve their goals. (Erik Kaufman / Republic)

Floyd recounted the scary days of his dads fight in an essay posted on his website relentlesspledge.org. He asked his father at the time how he could be as strong as he was even as he suffered from the disease and the side effects of his treatment. Matts response was that there may be times in life when the only person left who believes in you is you, and in those times, you must be relentless in order to make it through.

Floyd had found his own inspiration in his fathers fight, and he wanted to spread that inspiration to others who were suffering. Normally a private person, Matt agreed to share his story with the public and helped his son form Relentless Pledge, which encourages people to live life to the limit, to dare, to dream, and be relentless in overcoming challenges.

Visitors to the website can take the pledge, as well as nominate individuals to receive one of the symbols of the organization: a wristband bearing the word Relentless. Visitors can also order wristbands for themselves, family members, friends as well as cancer patients.

The goal is to spread the message of hope to every cancer patient in America, Floyd said. He has shipped orders of wristbands to 26 states around the country and three continents already, and the pair plan to pass out the wristbands to people in the leukemia ward at the Mayo Clinic, where Matt returns periodically for continued treatments. More wristbands will be given out at the Avera Cancer Center in Mitchell.

In total, they estimate theyve given out about 400 of them so far. And the campaign is officially less than two weeks old.

It seemed to strike a chord with people, Matt said.

As the young program grows, Floyd said the organization could expand to include more than just cancer patients in its message. There are others who are trying to accomplish goals, as well, such as public servants or community-minded individuals.

Its not all about cancer. Now were looking at giving them out to local heroes," Floyd said. "So far, weve given them to local firefighters and the librarians at the Mitchell Public Library, and were thinking about the police department."

Floyd hopes Relentless Pledge continues to grow. He is eyeing expanding the Relentless line to include t-shirts that would promote the Relentless Pledge, but for now he is concentrating on fulfilling orders for the wristbands and getting them in the hands of people who need inspiration.

I have big dreams in the future where this organization could expand to have a full line of accessories, Floyd said. Relentless gear.

Matt said he is recovering a little more each day, and hes grateful. Hes been able to throw the ball around in the yard with Floyd again, and he is working to become stronger as he continues his recovery. He said hes grateful for the love and support of Floyd as well as his wife Bam and other children Alexis, Cassidy, Hailey and Jackson. Hes thankful for doctors like Kebede Begna and Lucio Margallo, both of whom Matt described as relentless in helping him fight for his health.

And hes happy to help Floyd spread the message of hope through Relentless Pledge, he said.

I think its great. I think its a noble project, and I think its good for Floyd. Of all the ways a teenager can spend their time, this is pretty solid, Matt said.

Floyd said he plans to continue his work with the organization well into the future. He has a little over four years left before he leaves for college, and with that time he plans to do everything he can to remind those who are struggling to remain relentless.

One Relentless wristband at a time.

The next step is spreading the word, Floyd said.

The rest is here:
Learning to be relentless - The Daily Republic

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Learning to be relentless – The Daily Republic | January 18th, 2020

US Stem Cell (OTCMKTS:USRM) and National Research (NASDAQ:NRC) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, risk and institutional ownership.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

39.7% of National Research shares are held by institutional investors. 16.7% of US Stem Cell shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.5% of National Research shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

This table compares US Stem Cell and National Researchs net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares US Stem Cell and National Researchs top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

National Research has higher revenue and earnings than US Stem Cell.

Risk and Volatility

US Stem Cell has a beta of 4.87, suggesting that its share price is 387% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, National Research has a beta of 0.78, suggesting that its share price is 22% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for US Stem Cell and National Research, as provided by MarketBeat.

Summary

National Research beats US Stem Cell on 7 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

US Stem Cell Company Profile

U.S. Stem Cell, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of chronic and acute heart damage, and vascular and autoimmune diseases in the United States and internationally. Its lead product candidates include MyoCell, a clinical therapy designed to populate regions of scar tissue within a patient's heart with autologous muscle cells or cells from a patient's body for enhancing cardiac function in chronic heart failure patients; and AdipoCell, a patient-derived cell therapy for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction, chronic heart ischemia, and lower limb ischemia. The company's product development pipeline includes MyoCell SDF-1, an autologous muscle-derived cellular therapy for improving cardiac function in chronic heart failure patients. It is also developing MyoCath, a deflecting tip needle injection catheter that is used to inject cells into cardiac tissue in therapeutic procedures to treat chronic heart ischemia and congestive heart failure. In addition, the company provides physician and patient based regenerative medicine/cell therapy training, cell collection, and cell storage services; and cell collection and treatment kits for humans and animals, as well operates a cell therapy clinic. The company was formerly known as Bioheart, Inc. and changed its name to U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. in October 2015. U.S. Stem Cell, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Sunrise, Florida.

National Research Company Profile

National Research Corporation (NRC) is a provider of analytics and insights that facilitate revenue growth, patient, employee and customer retention and patient engagement for healthcare providers, payers and other healthcare organizations. The Companys portfolio of subscription-based solutions provides information and analysis to healthcare organizations and payers across a range of mission-critical, constituent-related elements, including patient experience and satisfaction, community population health risks, workforce engagement, community perceptions, and physician engagement. The Companys clients range from acute care hospitals and post-acute providers, such as home health, long term care and hospice, to numerous payer organizations. The Company derives its revenue from its annually renewable services, which include performance measurement and improvement services, healthcare analytics and governance education services.

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US Stem Cell (OTCMKTS:USRM) and National Research (OTCMKTS:NRC) Head to Head Review - Slater Sentinel

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on US Stem Cell (OTCMKTS:USRM) and National Research (OTCMKTS:NRC) Head to Head Review – Slater Sentinel | January 17th, 2020

An international collaboration called BioRescue has taken a step forward in bringing back the Northern White Rhino with the creation of three embryos, which it hopes to bring to term in a surrogate in the coming months.

The BioRescue team, including researchers based at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Germany, extracted egg cells from the ovaries of the last two remaining northern white rhino females. They then artificially fertilized the eggs using sperm taken from now-deceased male rhinos and stored the embryos in liquid nitrogen. The team managed to create two embryos in September 2019 and has recently created a third.

Before the BioRescue team came, no one had ever created an embryo from a northern white rhino except for the rhino itself, Steven Seet, Head Public Relations & International Affairs at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, told me. This species is functionally extinct. Nevertheless, we have achieved the production of a third embryo now. This is incredible.

As the last two females are unable to become pregnant, the plan now is to implant the embryos into surrogate female southern white rhinos, a distinct subspecies, in the coming months. Every additional embryo increases the probability of getting a pregnancy The more, the better! Seet said.

There are many technical challenges remaining before the team can save the Northern White Rhino from extinction. First of all, it will need a lot more than three embryos to rebuild a healthy population. To meet this challenge, the team is developing technology to transform stem cells from northern white rhino skin tissue into egg and sperm cells. Our Japanese cooperation partner succeeded in doing so in a mouse model, Seet said. We are adapting this to the rhinos.

A second challenge may lie in implanting a northern white rhino embryo into a surrogate southern white rhino mother, which might have compatibility issues.

It might be that there are epigenetic components involved as the biological system of the southern rhinos might differ from the northern, Seet told me. A possible assessment of this could be conducted when we have the first calves on the ground. This is further research then.

Also involved in the BioRescue project was the German big pharma Merck KGaA, which donated a specialized incubator where the egg cells could be fertilized with monitoring by HD cameras.

Merck has donated access to its innovative fertility technologies to Project BioRescue to give this challenge the best possible chance of success and protect the Northern White Rhino from extinction, Jan Kirsten, Mercks Head of Global Business Franchise for Fertility, told me. While there is a long way to go on this journey, we hope these steps will pave the way for this technique to potentially be used in other species.

According to Kirsten and Seet, the biotechnology industry will likely play a strong role in the conservation of endangered species in the coming years. However, argued Seet, reproductive medicine and stem cell technology should remain a last resort to save a species.

It would be better to react much earlier to avoid using the BioRescue technology, he said. Humans must learn from this best practice project and evaluate biodiversity and conserve it.

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International Collaboration on Brink of Resurrecting Northern White... - Labiotech.eu

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on International Collaboration on Brink of Resurrecting Northern White… – Labiotech.eu | January 17th, 2020

Research findings show that rare mutations from donor stem cells can be passed onto patients who receive them, potentially causing health concerns.

Researchers from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis discovered this while analyzing bone marrow samples from 25 adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Heart damage, graft-versus-host disease and, potentially, new leukemias, are the risks associated with these mutations.

There have been suspicions that genetic errors in donor stem cells may be causing problems in cancer patients, but until now we didnt have a way to identify them because they are so rare, senior author Dr. Todd E. Druley, an associate professor of pediatrics, said in a news release. This study raises concerns that even young, healthy donors blood stem cells may have harmful mutations and provides strong evidence that we need to explore the potential effects of these mutations further.

The harmful mutations were found in surprisingly young donors, explained the researchers. Healthy donors ranged in age from 20 to 58, with an average age of 26 years old. Interestingly, the mutations, because they are so rare, were not detected using usual genome sequencing techniques.

In the study, the researchers sequenced 80 genes that are associated with AML using a technique called error-corrected sequencing. They found at least one harmful genetic mutation in 11 of the 25 donors. Eighty-four percent of the mutations identified in the donor samples were potentially harmful and 100% of the harmful mutations were found in the recipients the most common mutation seen is a gene associated with heart disease.

We didnt expect this many young, healthy donors to have these types of mutations, Druley said. We also didnt expect 100% of the harmful mutations to be engrafted into the recipients. That was striking.

These harmful mutations persisted over time, and many increased in frequency, explained the researchers.

In addition, 75% of patients who received at least one harmful mutation developed chronic graft-versus-host disease. In patients who didnt receive a mutation, 50% developed the condition. Graft-versus-host disease either acute or chronic, can occur in patients who receive an allogeneic transplant, which consists of donor stems cells versus a patients own stem cells.

The researchers plan to examine the mutations in a larger study to answer the questions that this study revealed.

Transplant physicians tend to seek younger donors because we assume this will lead to fewer complications co-author Dr. Sima T. Bhatt, an assistant professor of pediatrics who treats pediatric patients with blood cancers at Siteman Kids at St. Louis Childrens Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, said in a news release. But we now see evidence that even young and healthy donors can have mutations that will have consequences for our patients. We need to understand what those consequences are if we are to find ways to modify them.

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Mutations in Donor Stem Cells Could Harm the Health of Patients with Cancer, Study Finds - Curetoday.com

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Mutations in Donor Stem Cells Could Harm the Health of Patients with Cancer, Study Finds – Curetoday.com | January 17th, 2020

Doctors use stem cell transplants to treat patients with certain cancers or blood disorders. And donors, whose blood or bone marrow is used for the procedures, are typically young, for a variety of reasons.

But a pilot study released Wednesday raised the possibility that such donors are also passing along mutations in stem cells that could lead to health problems for some recipients.

The study found that nearly 45% of younger donors had mutations in the transplanted stem cells that could raise the risk of conditions that are sometimes seen in recipients, a higher rate than presumed. Researchers also reported that some of these mutations persisted and proliferated in the recipients bone marrow for at least a year.

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What remains unknown is whether those mutations are actually contributing to health problems for recipients.

The study was small, with just 25 donors included and was not large enough and did not last long enough to determine whether people who received cells with these mutations had worse outcomes after a transplant than recipients who got cells without those mutations. Dr. Todd Druley, the senior author of the paper, which was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, emphasized that patients should continue to receive these stem cells to treat their leukemias or anemias when recommended.

What were trying to say is that now we can provide surveillance before, during, and after a bone marrow transplant so that if theres an increased risk for a particular outcome, treatment for that and surveillance for that can be instituted sooner, said Druley, a pediatric oncologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

Researchers not involved with the study praised its technical prowess, and said it was worth investigating further to see if the transplanted mutations did lead to worse outcomes for recipients projects that Druley and his colleagues have underway. But they agreed it should not yet change clinical practice.

Donors are already screened to make sure they have a clean bill of health and make for a good match for recipients, based on their immune systems. Experts said it would be unrealistic to screen every potential donor for the kinds of mutations Druley and his team found. Those mutations were infrequent, and it wasnt clear they posed health risks to recipients.

We know that younger donors are better than older donors. We know that the better the donor the better the outcomes. We dont know how these ultra-low level mutations affect outcomes at all, said Dr. Corey Cutler, the medical director of the adult stem cell transplantation program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Hematopoietic stem cells generate blood and immune cells. They are sometimes transplanted into patients with certain blood or immune disorders or cancers whose own cells have been wiped out by chemotherapy, essentially restocking the recipients with healthy cells.

But recipients of these transplants sometimes experience graft versus host disease (when the transplant attacks the recipients tissues), heart or immune conditions, or even secondary cancers. Some experts have suspected these conditions might be caused by mutations in donor stem cells, among other factors. Its in part why they favor younger donors, who are expected to have fewer mutations than older donors. (Donors from 18 to 44 account for 86% of transplants for unrelated patients. Relatives often make for better donors because they are more likely to be matched to recipients based on immune system molecules.)

Most of these mutations are probably benign. But its possible that other mutations not only pose a health risk, but also give their host cells a boost over other cells, helping them proliferate over time. That might mean someone who is 40 could have a bad mutation in one in 5,000 cells, but by the age of 50, it could be in one in 50 cells, Druley explained.

The challenge is detecting those mutations. Standard sequencing technology may pick up mutations if they appear in just a small percentage of cells, but for young donors, it would be like finding the few pebbles in a beach full of sand.

Next-generation sequencing is good if you want to find a mutation thats in 20% of cells youre looking at, or even 5%, Druley said. Were looking at mutations that are one in a thousand, or down to one in ten thousand.

For the new study, Druley and colleagues trained a more powerful tool they call error-corrected sequencing on the cells of the 25 donors, who ranged from 20 to 58 years old. (Fifty-eight would be considered older donors, but the median age of the donors in the study was 26.) They looked for mutations in 80 genes in particular, including genes that, when mutated, are associated with leukemia.

What they found: 11 donors had a collective 19 mutations that were not picked up by standard sequencing technology 16 of which were pathogenic, meaning disease causing.

The researchers also studied the recipients, finding that 14 of the 19 mutations had engrafted, or been taken up by the recipient and started to generate other cells, and were still there a year after the transplant. Thirteen of these mutations were pathogenic.

Researchers said it made sense that younger adults had these types of mutations, even if scientists hadnt previously been able to spot them.

Its known that mutations accumulate over time, said Dr. Ross Levine, a leukemia specialist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, who was not involved in the new study. The question has always been in other scenarios if you can detect these clones at earlier or in different contexts, and if they mean anything.

The new study was not set up to answer that last question.

Thats the next phase of this research, Druley said. Some of these mutations, if theyre going to have an effect, may not have an effect for many, many years. And we had a small population. So we didnt have enough numbers or enough time.

Outside researchers said that if these stem cell mutations do contribute to diseases once transferred to recipients, it might take so long or happen so infrequently that it would be difficult to study. Dana-Farbers Cutler said that, for example, cases of donor-derived leukemia when the recipient develops blood cancer after a transplant occur in less than 1% of transplants from unrelated donors.

If the mutations do increase the likelihood of complications in recipients, then why arent they posing a problem for the donors themselves? That might also be tied to the prevalence of these mutations, the researchers said.

In donors, these mutations might appear in, say, 1% of cells, and there is competition among cells of all different types of genetic variants to multiply. Plus, donors have healthy immune systems that can help suppress bad actors.

But if cells with these mutations make their way into recipients who have had their own cells blasted away with chemotherapy, its a new race. The mutations might give them some advantage to multiply faster than other cells that were transplanted. And as the percentage of cells with these mutations rises, they might be more likely to cause disease.

When you have these mutations in a host, it may take decades for them to expand to the point of causing issues, Levine said. In a recipient, however, its almost like youve reset the playing field.

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Study: Mutations in stem cells of young donors can be passed to recipients - STAT

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Study: Mutations in stem cells of young donors can be passed to recipients – STAT | January 17th, 2020

In November 2018, Chinese biophysics researcher He Jiankuimade a historic announcement.

Two twin girls nicknamed Lulu and Nana had become the worlds first genetically modified human beings.

Using a gene-editing technology known as CRISPR, He had manipulated the DNA of the embryos that would become the girls in an effort to make them immune to the HIV virus.

What first seemed like a historic triumph of science, however, quickly became one of the most infamous scandals in medical history.

The researcher was swiftly fired from his university, put under police investigation, and denounced by experts around the world who said he jumped the gun and carried out an experiment that was unsafe and unethical.

In December, He was sentenced to three years in prison for illegally carrying out human embryo gene-editing intended for reproduction. Its unclear whether the experiment caused any genetic damage to Lulu and Nana or if they are even resistant to the HIV virus.

Kiran Musunuru, one of the worlds foremost genetics researchers, was the first expert to publically condemn Hes experiment.

Nonetheless, Musunuru says the birth of the Chinese twins marks the beginning of a new human era, the possibilities of which are boundless.

Potential future implications of gene-editing technology range from preventing genetic diseases to producing designer babies with custom traits to creating superhumans and controlling our own evolution.

With the release of his new book, The CRISPR Generation: The story of the Worls First Gene-Edited Babies, The Globe Posts Bryan Bowmanspoke to Musunuru about where this technology could go from here and what it could mean for the future of humanity.

The following interview is lightly condensed and edited for length and clarity.

Bowman: Could you explain what CRISPR is broadly and how that technology evolved to where it is today?

Musunuru: CRISPR is one type of gene-editing tool. Gene editing is a technology that allows us to make changes to genes in the DNA and in the cells in the body. If were talking about human beings, typically were talking about changes that are related to health or disease.

There are several types of gene editing tools, but CRISPR is by far the most popular one. CRISPR is interesting because it wasnt invented. It actually exists naturally in all sorts of bacteria. It evolved as a sort of an immune system that can fight off viral infections. Just like we can get viral infections, it turns out bacteria can get viral infections as well. And so bacteria created a system by which they can fight off viruses. So thats where CRISPR came from.

Over the past couple of decades, a variety of very talented scientists identified it, discovered it in bacteria, and then were able to adapt it into a gene-editing tool that can now be used in human cells.

What we can do with CRISPR is either turn off genes and thats easier to do or we can make more precise changes to genes such as correcting a mutation that causes disease.

Bowman: Last year, there was the famous or infamous case where Dr. He Jiankui in China covertly created the first gene-edited babies. And I understand that you were the first expert to publicly condemn the experiment. What exactly did Dr. He do and why did you feel it was so unethical?

Musunuru: What he was trying to do was use CRISPR to turn off a gene called CCR5. By turning off this gene, he was hoping to make the babies that were born resistant to HIV infection, HIV being the virus that causes AIDS.

There are many people who are naturally born with this chain turned off and theyre resistant to HIV. So the rationale was, well, Im going to try to create babies who have the same trait.

What he did was problematic for two reasons. One, it was, to put it lightly, a scientific disaster. Everything you worry about going badly with CRISPR actually did happen. Any technology has a potential for a lot of good with the potential for bad. I compare it to fire. It can be very useful. But if youre not careful, it can cause wildfires and a lot of damage and hurt a lot of people. Its the same with CRISPR. It can do a lot of good. It can help patients who have bad diseases. But if youre irresponsible with it, it could actually cause unintended genetic damage.

Its not clear whether these kids that were born they were twin girls nicknamed Lulu and Nana its not clear whether theyre actually protected against HIV infection. Its not clear whether they might have suffered some genetic damage that might have health consequences for them. Its not clear whether the genetic damage if it did occur could get passed down to their children and affect future generations.

So scientifically, there are a lot of problems with it. The work was very premature. I would say that if we were ever going to do this in a reasonable, rational, safe way, were years away from doing it. But he went ahead and just did it anyway. You can call him a rogue scientist, as clich as it is. And he did it in conditions of secrecy. There was essentially no oversight. And potentially these twins and future generations might suffer the consequences.

The other problem is a problem of ethics. The way in which he did it basically violated every principle of ethical medical research in the textbook. Basically, everything that you could do wrong, he did it wrong.

Whenever we do an experimental procedure, we hope that the benefits greatly outweigh the risks. What he was trying to do was protect these kids from HIV. But the truth is, they were in no particular danger of getting HIV compared to the average person. In China, the prevalence of HIV is about 0.1 percent. So there wasnt really much for them to gain. Even if they did somehow during their lifetime get the HIV infection, we have good treatments to prevent it from proceeding to full-blown AIDS.

So what was the benefit of doing this procedure? You have to balance that against the harms. And the genetic damage thats possible that raises risks of things like cancer and heart disease and other diseases. When you have those risks and very little benefit, then its just not a favorable ratio. And thats intrinsically unethical.

Bowman: Seeing as you said that were years away from doing something like this in a more responsible and ethical way, what are the greatest challenges to getting to a point where parents will have the option to go forth with a gene-editing procedure that might prevent their children from suffering from some kind of genetic disease?

Musunuru: There are really two aspects to this. One is a scientific or medical aspect. Can we get to a place where gene-editing of embryos is well-controlled? Where we know that what were doing is truly safe and appropriate from that perspective?

The second issue is really a decision more for broader society. Is this something that we should be doing, something we want to be doing? This is less about the science and more about ethics and morality and legality and religious values and all sorts of other things. Reasonable people can disagree on whats appropriate and whats not appropriate.What complicates things here is that its not really an all or nothing decision. There are different scenarios where you could see parents using gene-editing on behalf of their unborn children.

I like to break it down is three scenarios. The first scenario is with parents who have medical issues that make it so that theres no way they can have natural biological children or healthy babies if they both have a bad disease and theyre going to pass it on to all of their kids unless you do something like editing. These are unusual situations, but they do exist.

The second scenario is one where parents might want to quite understandably reduce the risk of their child having some serious illness at some point in their lifetime. Im talking about things that are fairly common, like Alzheimers disease or breast cancer or heart disease or whatnot. Theres no guarantee that the editing will eliminate that risk. But you can see how parents might want to stack the odds in their kids favor. Its still medical, but its not perhaps as severe a situation with a kid whos definitely going to get the disease unless you do something.

The third scenario would be cases in which parents want to make changes that are not really medical but are more of what we would think of as enhancements. These could be cosmetic changes like hair color, eye color, things like that.

But it could potentially be much more serious things like intelligence or athletic ability or musical talent. Now, to be fair, thats theoretical. I dont think we are anywhere near knowing enough about how genes influence these things to be able to do it anytime soon. You might actually have to change hundreds of genes in order to make those changes. But you can imagine how certain parents might want to do that, might want to advance their children in the ways that they feel personally are desirable.

Bowman: Can gene editing only be performed on embryos or is it possible to edit genes in later stages of pregnancy or even post-birth?

Musunuru: Theres actually a lot of exciting work going on using gene editing to help patients, whether its adults or children. Right now its been focused mostly on adults who have terrible diseases and its really being used as a treatment to alleviate their suffering or potentially cure the diseases.

Just recently, we got the exciting news that two patients one in the U.S. and one in Europe were participating in a clinical trial. They each had a severe blood disorder. One of them had sickle cell disease. The other had a disease called beta-thalassemia. Earlier this year, they got a CRISPR-based treatment. And whats very exciting is that it looks like not only have their conditions improved significantly, it looks like they might actually be cured.

If that bears out, it would really be historic because these are diseases that affect millions of people around the world and were previously incurable. This treatment is also being explored for things ranging from cancer to liver disease to heart disease.

So theres enormous potential for benefit for living people who have serious diseases. But its a very different situation than editing embryos because youre talking about a person who is in front of you. We are trying to alleviate their suffering. That patient has the ability to freely give consent to the procedure, to weigh the benefits and risks and come up with a decision.

Bowman: How does that work? Is it some kind of cell transplant where the new cells then replicate throughout the rest of the body?

Musunuru: Yeah. It depends on the situation. I mentioned those two patients with the blood disorders. The way it worked there was the medical team used bone marrow stem cells. They basically took bone marrow as if they were going to do a transplant and then edited blood stem cells in a dish outside of the body to fix the genetic problem. And then they took those edited stem cells and put them back into the same patient. Those cells start making the blood cells that are now corrected or repaired. And by doing that, to cure the disease.

Another potential implementation is I work on heart disease. And what wed like to be able to do is turn off cholesterol genes in the liver. So what I envision is that a patient with heart disease would get a single treatment and it would deliver CRISPR into the liver and just the liver. It would turn off genes that produce cholesterol in the liver. The effect of that is permanent reduction of cholesterol levels and lifelong protection against heart disease.

This actually works really well in mice. Ive been working on this in my own laboratory for six, almost seven years now experimenting with it in monkeys. And if looks like it works and Im pretty confident that it will work we could be looking at clinical trials in a few years where were taking patients who have really bad heart disease or a very high risk for heart disease and actually giving them the single treatment within their own bodies that would turn off these cholesterol genes.

Bowman: In terms of more cosmetic applications, theres this popular idea that designer babies will be a reality at some point in the future. But how feasible would it be to use gene-editing for something very basic like choosing eye color or hair color? Are there many genes involved in determining traits like that? Are we close to being able to do that if we choose to?

Musunuru: Well, eye color, hair color, those actually turned out to be fairly simple. Theres only a small number of genes that control those. So in theory, if you wanted to do it, it wouldnt be that difficult.

Personally, my point of view is thats a trivial thing. Like why would you go through all that trouble? Do I care if your kid has blue eyes versus green eyes versus brown eyes? Maybe some parents feel that thats very important. So I think simple things like hair color, like eye color, it could be done fairly readily. I just dont see it as serious enough to warrant doing it.

The more complex things like intelligence, gosh, thats going to be so challenging. I mean, intelligence is just such a complex phenomenon. Theres some genetics involved in it, but there are so many other factors that come into that like upbringing and environment. Were not even getting close to an understanding of how someones intelligence comes about, to be perfectly honest about it.

I will point out that even though some of these things are simpler, in general, the vast majority of people are very, very uncomfortable with the idea of using gene editing of embryos for enhancements.

And I think this reflects a couple of things. I think this reflects the fact that people are more sympathetic if something like this is being used for medical purposes and much less comfortable if its being done to give a child an advantage in a way thats not medical.

It brings to mind the recent scandal where wealthy parents were trying to get their kids into good colleges by actively bribing admissions officers, faking test scores, fabricating resums. That kind of thing makes people very uncomfortable that certain people, particularly wealthy people, might try to use this technology to an extreme to advantage their children.

Theres an economic aspect to that. Wealthy parents might have better access to this technology than those who are not as wealthy. And what does that mean? If wealthy parents are somehow able to make designer babies who somehow are advantaged and other people are not, does that exacerbate socio-economic inequalities in our society?

So I think there are a few reasons why people are uncomfortable with the idea of enhancement, whereas on the whole, the majority seem to be at least somewhat open to the idea that there might be good medical uses.

Bowman: Im really happy that you brought up that socio-economic inequality aspect because I was going to ask you about that. But if we table those concerns for a moment and go way out there, theres this notion you write about that we could ultimately, theoretically, control our own evolution.

Ive heard it suggested that it could be theoretically possible to incorporate traits from other organisms that could be advantageous into our own DNA and essentially enter a new post-human stage of evolution. Is that total science fiction or do you think were entering a period where that is increasingly possible?

Musunuru:Well, with the way things are going with this technology. I mean, weve taken a step towards that. But there are many, many, many, many steps that would need to be taken to actually get to that point. But I think youre right. You see the path. We have the technology. Then its a question of perfecting the technology. A question of learning more about what genes from other species might be advantageous.

The cats out of the bag. The technology is here. Whether its five years from now or 10 years from now or 50 years from now or 100 years from now, these sorts of things will inevitably start to happen. And Im not sure theres much that those who would like to not see that happen will be able to do to stop it in the long run.

China Jails Scientist Who Gene-Edited Babies

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Controlling Our Own Evolution: What is the Future of Gene-Editing? - The Globe Post

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Controlling Our Own Evolution: What is the Future of Gene-Editing? – The Globe Post | January 17th, 2020

Stem Cell Assay Market: Snapshot

Stem cell assay refers to the procedure of measuring the potency of antineoplastic drugs, on the basis of their capability of retarding the growth of human tumor cells. The assay consists of qualitative or quantitative analysis or testing of affected tissues and tumors, wherein their toxicity, impurity, and other aspects are studied.

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With the growing number of successful stem cell therapy treatment cases, the global market for stem cell assays will gain substantial momentum. A number of research and development projects are lending a hand to the growth of the market. For instance, the University of Washingtons Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM) has attempted to manipulate stem cells to heal eye, kidney, and heart injuries. A number of diseases such as Alzheimers, spinal cord injury, Parkinsons, diabetes, stroke, retinal disease, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and neurological diseases can be successfully treated via stem cell therapy. Therefore, stem cell assays will exhibit growing demand.

Another key development in the stem cell assay market is the development of innovative stem cell therapies. In April 2017, for instance, the first participant in an innovative clinical trial at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health was successfully treated with stem cell therapy. CardiAMP, the investigational therapy, has been designed to direct a large dose of the patients own bone-marrow cells to the point of cardiac injury, stimulating the natural healing response of the body.

Newer areas of application in medicine are being explored constantly. Consequently, stem cell assays are likely to play a key role in the formulation of treatments of a number of diseases.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Overview

The increasing investment in research and development of novel therapeutics owing to the rising incidence of chronic diseases has led to immense growth in the global stem cell assay market. In the next couple of years, the market is expected to spawn into a multi-billion dollar industry as healthcare sector and governments around the world increase their research spending.

The report analyzes the prevalent opportunities for the markets growth and those that companies should capitalize in the near future to strengthen their position in the market. It presents insights into the growth drivers and lists down the major restraints. Additionally, the report gauges the effect of Porters five forces on the overall stem cell assay market.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Key Market Segments

For the purpose of the study, the report segments the global stem cell assay market based on various parameters. For instance, in terms of assay type, the market can be segmented into isolation and purification, viability, cell identification, differentiation, proliferation, apoptosis, and function. By kit, the market can be bifurcated into human embryonic stem cell kits and adult stem cell kits. Based on instruments, flow cytometer, cell imaging systems, automated cell counter, and micro electrode arrays could be the key market segments.

In terms of application, the market can be segmented into drug discovery and development, clinical research, and regenerative medicine and therapy. The growth witnessed across the aforementioned application segments will be influenced by the increasing incidence of chronic ailments which will translate into the rising demand for regenerative medicines. Finally, based on end users, research institutes and industry research constitute the key market segments.

The report includes a detailed assessment of the various factors influencing the markets expansion across its key segments. The ones holding the most lucrative prospects are analyzed, and the factors restraining its trajectory across key segments are also discussed at length.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Regional Analysis

Regionally, the market is expected to witness heightened demand in the developed countries across Europe and North America. The increasing incidence of chronic ailments and the subsequently expanding patient population are the chief drivers of the stem cell assay market in North America. Besides this, the market is also expected to witness lucrative opportunities in Asia Pacific and Rest of the World.

Global Stem Cell Assay Market: Vendor Landscape

A major inclusion in the report is the detailed assessment of the markets vendor landscape. For the purpose of the study the report therefore profiles some of the leading players having influence on the overall market dynamics. It also conducts SWOT analysis to study the strengths and weaknesses of the companies profiled and identify threats and opportunities that these enterprises are forecast to witness over the course of the reports forecast period.

Some of the most prominent enterprises operating in the global stem cell assay market are Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc (U.S.), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (U.S.), GE Healthcare (U.K.), Hemogenix Inc. (U.S.), Promega Corporation (U.S.), Bio-Techne Corporation (U.S.), Merck KGaA (Germany), STEMCELL Technologies Inc. (CA), Cell Biolabs, Inc. (U.S.), and Cellular Dynamics International, Inc. (U.S.).

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Stem Cell Assay Market Predicted to Accelerate the Growth by 2017-2025 Dagoretti News - Dagoretti News

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Assay Market Predicted to Accelerate the Growth by 2017-2025 Dagoretti News – Dagoretti News | January 17th, 2020

The first squeeze of my left thumb is gentle, almost reassuring. I rate it as 0 out of 100 on the pain scale.

But as a technician ramps up pressure on the custom-made thumb-squeezing device, it becomes less pleasant. I give ratings of 2, 6 then 36. A few squeezes later, Im at 79.

At 84, Im glad the test is over as I put my tender thumb to my lips.

Ive offered myself up for a pain study at the University of Michigan, in a long, low-slung building northeast of the universitys main campus in Ann Arbor. As the day wears on, Ill undergo needle pokes, leg squeezes and an MRI scan all part of a grand bid to better understand the root cause of an individuals pain, and point to the best solutions.

Its an understanding thats sorely needed. Lucky for me, Im just a control in this experiment, and I can cry for mercy whenever I want. Thats not the case for the multitudes of people 50 million in the US alone who have ongoing, chronic pain, for whom the medical pause buttons are far from adequate.

The thumb pressure test, in which participants rate their pain level on a scale from 0 to 100 as their thumbs are subjected to increasing pressure, is one of several ways that clinicians and researchers can evaluate a persons pain responses. Since peoples thresholds to pain in tests like this vary according to pain syndrome, such tests can help with diagnosis.

CREDIT: AMBER DANCE

Our treatments for chronic pain are very bad, says Richard E. Harris, a neuroscientist at the University of Michigans Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center and a co-researcher on the study, which should ultimately help to improve diagnoses and therapies. Today, doctors mostly define pain by where it is: the abdomen, the lower back, the joints. Then they offer up treatments, usually anti-inflammatories or opioids, that too often do nothing to the cells and molecules causing a person to hurt. A recent analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that opioids reduced pain by an average of less than one point on a 10-point scale, across a variety of chronic conditions.

As part of the precision medicine movement and thanks to modern brain-imaging technology, scientists are starting to puzzle out the different types of pain: what causes them, how to diagnose them and how to prescribe treatments to match. Its an area that is far from settled. As recently as 2017, the International Association for the Study of Pain defined a new pain type, called nociplastic. Its characterized by the absence of any nerve or tissue damage in the parts that hurt.

Dan Clauw, director of the Michigan pain center, is passionate about helping people with this kind of long-misunderstood pain, which could underpin chronic conditions, such as fibromyalgia, that afflict millions. His blue eyes flash behind spectacles as he describes crisscrossing the globe to educate other physicians about nociplastic pain. Hes wearing a navy blazer and slacks when we meet for lunch between my testing sessions, because hes just returned from giving a presentation about marijuana and pain. He jokes that his colleagues wont recognize him out of his usual jeans.

Imaging the brain, along with doing prodding and poking tests of the type I endured, is beginning to point to signatures that explain the problem and suggest solutions. Eventually, this knowledge will help scientists to develop more targeted therapies, so doctors can treat patients better.

In broad strokes, pain falls into three categories: nociceptive, neuropathic and nociplastic. (Noci- is from the Latin for to do harm.)

Nociceptive pain results from inflammation or direct damage to tissues. When that torture device squeezes my thumb, for example, pain-sensing nerves notice the pressure and spring into action. They transmit messages to my spinal cord, which sends them on to my brain, telling me Ouch!

This kind of discomfort is often short-lived; mine dissipates after Ive sucked on my thumb for a few moments. Nociceptive pain can also be chronic, though for example in osteoarthritis, where the cartilage in joints wears away and causes stretching of tendons and ligaments, or through the ongoing inflammation of rheumatoid arthritis.

Neuropathic pain, in contrast, happens when the pain-sensing nerves themselves are damaged or irritated, so that they send inappropriate Ow! signals to the brain. It typically results from some injury or disease, such as diabetes or shingles. It can also happen when a nerve is pinched, as in the case of carpal tunnel syndrome, when a nerve in the wrist gets squeezed. Its often long-lasting, unless the damage is repaired.

And nociplastic, the newly named type, results from no obvious inflammation or injury. Rather, its as if the volume knob for pain is turned up way too high, not at the pain site itself but further afield. Nociplastic pain seems to arise in parts of the central nervous system the brain or spinal cord that receive, transmit, or process those Ouch! signals. These nerves misfire, creating a sensation of pain even though nothing may be wrong. The location of the problem, the central nervous system, is why Clauw prefers to call it central sensitization. The classic example is fibromyalgia, which causes pain that seems to stem from muscles, tendons and joints, despite the real problems lying in the brain or spinal cord.

Scientists understanding of pain continues to evolve and so do the various terms used to describe it. Ideally, definitions are standardized and reflect the biology underpinning the pain, but the lack of straightforward tests for parsing types of pain makes defining it a challenge. Nociceptive pain involves pain-sensing nerves called nociceptors, which also can be involved in neuropathic pain. A third pain type is believed to arise wholly in the central nervous system. But there can be overlap: Nociceptive and neuropathic pain can, over time, lead to central nervous system-generated pain.

Complicating the picture, a person might have more than one type of pain going on at the same time. In 2012, the journal Pain published a case report of a person with burning, prickling pain on both sides of the body. Treatment with pregabalin, an epilepsy medication that can also address neuropathic pain and central sensitization, relieved pain on the right side of the body, but not the left.

All this pain classifying is more than an academic exercise: It should help guide how to treat people. For example, consider a patient with knee pain. If the issue is nociceptive, anti-inflammatories or knee surgery should help. But if the problem is central, those treatments probably wont make much difference. A better bet would be medications that can directly influence the misfiring central nervous system. Some antidepressants, for example, act on the brains chemical messengers neurotransmitters that are involved in pain, altering their signaling to quell the Ouch message.

Nondrug treatments such as acupuncture and cognitive behavioral therapy also may help because they influence how the brain perceives pain. Acupuncture boosts availability of brain receptors that respond to the bodys natural painkillers. A recent analysis in JAMA Internal Medicine of more than 6,000 people taking opioids found that treatments such as meditation, hypnosis and cognitive behavioral therapy reduced pain and diminished the drug doses needed to control it.

Though the term nociplastic is new, Clifford Woolf, a neurobiologist at Boston Childrens Hospital and Harvard Medical School, first proposed the concept in 1983. Yet the idea has been slow to catch on. In the 1990s, when Clauw began studying fibromyalgia, it was a disease so vague, so puzzling, that some physicians simply denied its existence.

Today, fibromyalgia is more likely to be accepted as a real condition. But many doctors still dont appreciate how centralized problems might underlie pain even when the symptoms look nociceptive or neuropathic, Clauw says. The distinctions between pain types are not clean: If left untreated, nociceptive pain may sensitize the nervous system, turning a temporary problem into chronic, nociplastic pain, for example. Clauw and his Michigan colleagues believe that central sensitization shows up in myriad conditions, from irritable bowel syndrome to chronic pelvic pain to dry eye disease. And in the study Ive signed up for, they want to clarify how often this happens and how doctors might detect it in patients who show up begging for pain relief.

To that end, the team has enrolled people with three different pain disorders that seem, on the surface, to be nociceptive or neuropathic. The scientists will test their pain before and after standard treatments. If the pain is in fact central, the treatments shouldnt work a disappointment for the participants, but one that might eventually lead to better understanding and treatment for them and others like them.

Two categories of subjects have what looks like nociceptive pain: those with osteoarthritis of the hip, who will receive a hip replacement, and those with inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis, who will be treated with modern medications. A third group, people with carpal tunnel syndrome, represent neuropathic pain and will get surgery to receive the pressure on the nerve.

But if Clauw and his crew are right, then some of these people will really be suffering from central sensitization, instead of or in addition to the nociceptive or neuropathic problem. Two control groups will help tease that out: People with fibromyalgia will show the researchers what pure central sensitization looks like, and those like me, with no chronic pain, will represent the non-central state.

The primary way that physicians measure pain today is to ask someone how much theyre hurting. Identification of biomarkers from, for example, brain imaging or blood tests could provide more objective measures of pain that would offer benefits in a variety of settings.

Once all the data are in, the researchers hope that pain features shared by the people with fibromyalgia and the others whose treatments dont work will reveal a potential signature for central sensitization.

The challenge is that theres no simple blood test or X-ray that will distinguish one type of pain from another. Theres no single measure that, by itself, will represent pain, says Woolf, author of a paper in the Annual Review of Neuroscience about pain caused by problems in the sensory machinery. We need a composite.

To build that composite, scientists must resort to a variety of indirect measures, including responses to the pokes and prods being inflicted on me and other subjects.

This particular piece of the picture, called quantitative sensory testing or QST, measures the threshold at which a person can feel a given sensation such as pressure, heat or cold and when that sensation becomes painful. This can reveal how a persons nervous system deals with pain, and how that system might be off-kilter. Specific defects in nerves lead to specific changes in pain responses, helping scientists to distinguish one pain type from another.

Its simple, but revealing. For example, in the case of the thumb-press test, a person with fibromyalgia would probably start to feel pain at around four pounds of pressure. Clauw, who has no chronic pain of any stripe and is relatively pain-insensitive, says that he can handle up to about 18 pounds of pressure before it becomes uncomfortable. The average person would probably start to feel bothered at around eight pounds.

Or take a test where Im poked in the forearm with a needle. The device retracts into the handle like a Hollywood special-effects knife, so it doesnt pierce my skin, but it doesnt feel great I rate it a 7 out of 100. Then I get 10 pokes in quick succession. That hurts more, at 32. This is a normal response, but if I had central sensitization, I would likely have found the 10-poke series much more painful.

In addition to sorting out nociceptive or neuropathic from centralized pain, QST also seems able to reveal subtypes. In research published in 2017, three European consortia performed QST on 900 people with diverse pain conditions, all considered to be neuropathic. The testing separated the subjects into three clusters, and the study authors predicted that each would be suited to different treatments.

Better-defined markers for different types of pain could radically improve pain management. As shown, it would allow patients to be sorted into clinical trials that would reveal the best treatments for each pain subtype. Results of those trials would help physicians treat individual patients more effectively.

The first cluster was characterized by deficits in sensation to touch, heat, or pokes that would normally be painful. This suggests that central sensitization might be behind the pain in some of these people, says study coauthor Nadine Attal, a pain specialist at the Assistance Publique-Hpitaux de Paris. Opioids, antiepileptics or antidepressants (used for their effects on pain nerves, not mood) might help, because they act in the brain.

The second group was defined by extreme sensitivity to hot and cold like skin when its sunburned, which puts pain-sensing nerves on high alert. For this kind of neuropathic pain, local, numbing medications such as lidocaine, Botox or capsaicin (a therapeutic substance from hot peppers) might be the right choice.

People in the third group were particularly sensitive to pressure and pinpricks, and its members often reported pain akin to burning or electrical shock. This was a more complex group, Attal says; she thinks topical medications or antiepileptics might help. But now that researchers have the categories better defined, they can directly test medications to find what truly works best for each.

Looking at the brain in pain also can help scientists distinguish pain types, although the answers arent clear-cut. Theres no one, lone spot where pain lights up the brain, says Sean Mackey, chief of the division of pain medicine at Stanford University in California. Rather, the pain response is distributed across a circuit that encompasses several brain areas.

In the afternoon of my day as a pain-study subject, Im led to the universitys North Campus for an MRI. The technician slides me into a gray, General Electric-branded, upright donut about the size of a golf cart. The outside is festooned with frolicsome animal stickers (many subjects from other studies are children), but these do nothing to allay the discomfort of lying perfectly still with my head in a vise for an hour and a half.

As I lie there, listening to the scanners inharmonious beeps, rumbles and alien-laser-gun sounds, Im not thinking of anything in particular. Nonetheless, certain parts of my brain tend to draw blood at the same time, suggesting that theyre acting in sync. These are called networks.

Roughly half of people with rheumatoid arthritis experience pain even when using medications that control the inflammation. MRI scans of some of these patients reveal amped up connectivity between two brain regions, the default mode network and insula. This brain connectivity also has been found in people with fibromyalgia, a chronic pain condition with roots in the central nervous system. The discovery suggests that rather than inflammation alone, a dysfunctional central nervous system can also play a role in the pain of rheumatoid arthritis.

CREDIT: IMAGE ACQUIRED AND GENERATED FROM THE CHRONIC PAIN AND FATIGUE CENTER WITH ASSISTANCE FROM THE FMRI LABORATORY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN

One that Harris and colleagues are particularly interested in is called the default mode network. It turns on when Im at rest and my mind wanders to topics involving myself: what I had for breakfast, perhaps, or what Im planning for tonight once my day of pain is over.

Another network theyre watching is the salience network, which lights up when a person notices a new sensation say, the squeezing of their thumb to determine which sensations are worth responding to. It includes the insula, a pyramid-shaped bit of brain that Mackey and others have linked to pain.

Normally, the insula and the default mode network are unlikely to act at the same time. But Harris and colleagues discovered that in people with fibromyalgia, they were much more likely to flash in synchrony.

That makes sense, says Rob Edwards, a pain psychologist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Womens Hospital in Boston. For someone living with chronic pain, the pain can become a core part of their identity. The salience-related threat intrudes on, and even takes over, the way that you think about yourself, he says.

It may be possible to undo that intrusion, though. Edwards is currently testing cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, in people with fibromyalgia. In no way is he suggesting that their pain, or any pain, is imaginary, but therapy can help people deal with pain better and even reduce it. Its all about enforcing a sense of control and mastery, says Bob Kerns, a pain psychologist at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, who coauthored a paper in the Annual Review of Clinical Psychology on psychological treatment for chronic pain.

In the study so far, CBT seems to be disentangling the salience and default mode networks in some people with fibromyalgia. Edwards predicts those people will also experience pain relief.

Being able to forecast who will benefit from a given treatment could make a huge difference not just for individual patients, but also in clinical trials for new pain-relief drugs. If scientists test a pain drug on 100 people, but only a fraction of those subjects actually have the pain mechanism the drug can treat, the medicine will look like a flop even if its a superstar for a particular subset of patients. This has almost certainly happened in past trials, Woolf says.

Mackey envisions a future in which pain patients can be tested for the underlying problem, perhaps with the same kinds of tests I underwent at the University of Michigan, plus many more assessments. For example, scientists are analyzing nerve endings in small skin samples from pain patients, and others aim to tease out the role of genetics in chronic pain. Simple questionnaires can also help to identify pain types, all with this goal of prescribing medications tailored for a persons specific flavor of misery.

Medicine isnt quite there yet in fact, only 10 years ago Mackey would have called that scenario science fiction. Stay tuned, he says, because its no longer science fiction. . . . Were going to get there.

As required by the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board, Amber Dance was compensated $275 for her participation in the study at the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center. She donated that amount to the American Chronic Pain Association.

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The unexpected diversity of pain - Knowable Magazine

Spinal Cord Stem Cells Comments Off on The unexpected diversity of pain – Knowable Magazine | January 17th, 2020

Researchers have developed cytochalasin B-induced membrane vesicles which they suggest could be a new form of cell-free therapy in regenerative medicine.

Work on extracellular microvesicles (ECMVs) derived from human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has revealed a potential new form of cell-free therapy.

ECMVs are microstructures surrounded by a cytoplasm membrane; they have proven to be a prospective therapeutic tool in regenerative medicine due to their biocompatibility, miniature size, safety and regenerative properties. These can be used to circumvent the limitations of existing cell therapies without losing any effectiveness.

Cell therapies are grafts or implants of living tissue, such as bone marrow transplants, used to replace and regenerate damaged organ tissue. They currently have limited applications, as they work differently dependent on conditions and the environment they are placed into. They can also be rejected by the immune system.

A study at Kazan Federal University, Russia, has investigated cytochalasin B-induced membrane vesicles (CIMVs) which are also derived from MSCs and are very similar to natural ECMVs.

Proteome analysis of human MSCs and CIMVs-MSCs. Venn diagram of identified proteins MSCs and CIMVs-MSCs (A). Distribution of the identified proteins in organelles, percent of unique identified proteins (B) (credit: Kazan Federal University).

The scientists studied and characterised the biological activity of MSC-derived CIMVs. A number of biologically active molecules were found in CIMVs, such as growth factors, cytokines and chemokines; their immunophenotype was also classified.They also found that CIMVs could stimulate angiogenesis in the same way as stem cells.

The team came to the conclusion that human CIMVs-MSCs can be used for cell-free therapy of degenerative diseases. Induction of therapeutic angiogenesis is necessary for the treatment of ischemic tissue damage (eg, ischemic heart disease, hind limb ischemia, diabetic angiopathies and trophic ulcers) and neurodegenerative diseases (eg, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimers disease), as well as therapies for damage of peripheral nerves and spinal cord injury.

The group say they are continuing to research the therapeutic potential for artificial microvesicles for autoimmune diseases.

The study was published in Cells.

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Novel form of cell-free therapy revealed by researchers - Drug Target Review

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on Novel form of cell-free therapy revealed by researchers – Drug Target Review | January 17th, 2020

Phoebe Roskell was just four-years-old when she became very unwell with bone marrow failure.

She became blood and platelet transfusion dependent and was told she needed a bone marrow transplant

Mum Jacquie Roskell, from Catterall, said after many hospital appointments and tests, doctors discovered that Phoebe had a rare and currently incurable disease called Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC).

The telomere biology disorder only affects one in a million people worldwide in which the telomeres - the caps at the end of each strand of DNA - are not present and therefore the DNA becomes damaged and cells cannot do their job.

This can lead to the premature ageing of cells and can cause life-threatening complications as well as shortened life expectency.

Jacquie Roskell, 43, from Catterall, told LancsLive: "In May 2017 Phoebe, then aged just 4-years-old, became very unwell and was found to be in bone marrow failure. She became blood and platelet transfusion dependent and we were told she would need a bone marrow transplant.

"In August of that year and after many tests it was discovered she had the rare and currently incurable disease Dyskeratosis Congenita (DC).

"DC is a telomere biology disorder and only affects one in a million people worldwide. Telomeres are the caps at the end of each strand of DNA that protect our chromosomes, like the plastic tips at the end of shoelaces. Without the coating, shoelaces become frayed until they can no longer do their job.

"Just as without telomeres, DNA strands become damaged and our cells cant do their job. This in turn causes premature ageing of cells such as bone marrow hence why Phoebes failed. Telomeres naturally shorten as we age, but Phoebe was born with exceptionally short telomeres like those of a 100-year-old woman."

Many life threatening complications can be cause by DC, such as liver and lung failure, higher chances of cancer and shortened life expectancy, says Jacquie.

Children with this mutation are unlikely to live longer than 16-year-old.

"There are currently 15 gene mutations identified with this disease and the one Phoebe has is called TINF2," Jacquie explained.

In December 2017, Phoebe's older brother Woody heroically donated his stem cells for her bone marrow transplant at The Royal Manchester Childrens Hospital. He saved her life.

The bone marrow failure was successful, however the disease had not yet been cured.

Jacquie, 43, said: "The treatment was gruelling, and her recovery was long and exhausting. The bone marrow failure was successfully cured but the disease is not.

"Phoebe suffers with episodes of extreme fatigue and exhaustion, joint pains, headaches and migraines. Injuries such as a sprained wrist take longer to heal for Phoebe, and she is still very susceptible to common viruses following her transplant.

"She attends many hospital appointments always in Manchester and is regularly seen by different medical teams including Haematology, Respiratory, ENT, Ophthalmology, Dental and Oral Medicine."

"Phoebe has suffered so much in her very short life. But when she is feeling well she is like a pocket rocket and there is just no stopping her. When she feels unwell she crashes and needs time to recover again,"

"The disease is unpredictable and although much research has been done into Telomere biology disorders there is still a long way to go.

"Much research is being carried out by the incredible charity Team Telomere - that support us as a family. Their aim is to hopefully find a cure for this cruel disease and fingers crossed it is in Phoebes lifetime."

That is why Jacquie is helping to fundraise for Team Telomere.

The charity supports families worldwide in their battle with DC and related Telomere Biology Disorders who often face multiple complex illnesses such as bone marrow failure, lung fibrosis, cancer, and many other challenges.

It also helps to encourage the medical communitys research in finding causes and effective treatments, and to facilitate improved diagnosis by educating medical providers.

To help raise money for Team Telamore, Jacquie is co-organising a pre-loved wedding sale along with her friend Samantha Smith who is the events manager of the Wyrebank in Garstang.

The sale will be held at Wyrebank on the Moorings on Sunday, March 1 from 11pm until 1pm.

Samantha told LancsLive: "The idea is for brides and businesses to sell their wedding items to future wedding couples.

"People can also donate wedding dresses and bridesmaid or we will take a percentage of the sales, and sell them for them."

Bridal stalls cost 15 and business stalls are 40.

All proceeds will be going to Team Telomere.

Alternatively, donations can be made directly via the website here.

You can also find more details on the Wyrebank pre-loved wedding sale here.

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The young girl diagnosed with 'one in a million' genetic disease - LancsLive

Bone Marrow Stem Cells Comments Off on The young girl diagnosed with ‘one in a million’ genetic disease – LancsLive | January 17th, 2020