Three-dimensional printers have now assembled candy, clothing, and even mouse ovaries. But in the next decade, specialized bioprinters could begin to build functioning human organs in space. It turns out, the minimal gravity conditions in space may provide a more ideal environment for building organs than gravity-heavy Earth.

If successful, space-printed organs could help to shorten transplant waitlists and even eliminate organ rejection. Though they still have a long way to go, researchers at the International Space Station (ISS) hope to eventually assemble organs from adult human cells, including stem cells.

The medical field has only recently embraced 3D printing in general, particularly in biomedical fields like regenerative medicine and prosthetics. So far, these printers have produced early versions of blood vessels, bones, and different types of living tissue by churning out repeated layers of bioinka substance comprised of living human cells and other tissue thats meant to mimic the natural environment that surrounds growing organs.

Recently, researchers are finding that Earth might not be the best environment for growing freestanding organs. Because gravity is constantly pushing down on these delicate structures as they grow, researchers must surround the tissues in scaffolding, which can often debilitate the delicate veins and blood vessels and prevent the soon-to-be organs from growing and functioning properly. Within microgravity, however, soft tissues hold their shape naturally, without the need for surrounding supportan observation thats driven researchers to space.

And one manufacturing lab based in Indiana thinks its tech could play a key role in space. The 3D BioFabrication Facility (BFF) is a specialized 3D printer that uses bioink to build layers several times thinner than human hair. It cost about $7 million to build and employs the smallest print tips in existence.

The brainchild of spaceflight equipment developer Techshot and 3D printer manufacturer nScrypt, the BFF headed to the ISS in July 2019 aboard the SpaceX CRS-18.

Currently, the project focuses on building increasingly thick artificial cardiac tissue and delivering it back to Earth. Once the printed cardiac tissue reaches a certain thickness, it gets harder for researchers to ensure that a printed structures layers effectively grow into one another. Ultimately, though, theyd like the organs to arrive here fully formed.

Printed organs would eventually require vasculature and nerve endings to work properly, though that technology doesnt yet exist.

The next stagetesting heart patches under microscopes and within animalscould span over the next four years. As for whole organs, Techshot claims it plans to begin production after 2025. For now, the project is still in its infancy.

If you were to look at what we printed, it looks very modest, says Techshot vice president of corporate advancement Rich Boling. Its just a cuboid-type shape, this rectangular box. Were just trying to get cells to grow one layer into the next.

Cooking organs like pancakes

Compare the manufacturing process to cooking pancakes, Boling says. The space crew first creates a custom bioink pancake mix with the cells sent from Earth, which they load with syringe-like tools into the BFF.

Researchers then insert a cassette into the BFF containing a bioreactora system that mimics the normal bodily functions essential for growing healthy tissue, like providing nutrients and flushing out waste.

Approximately 200 miles below in Greenville, Indiana, Techshot engineers connect with ISS astronauts on a NASA-enabled secure digital pathway. The linkup allows Techshot to remotely command BFF functions like pump pressure, internal temperature, lighting, and print speed.

Next, the actual printing process occurs within the bioreactor and can take anywhere from moments to hours, depending on the shapes complexity. In the final production step, the cell-culturing ADvanced Space Experiment Processor (ADSEP) cooks the theoretical pancake; essentially, the ADSEP toughens up the printed tissue for its journey back to earth. This step could take anywhere from 12 to 45 days for different tissue types. When completed and hardened, the structure heads home.

The researchers have gone through three testing processes so far, each one getting more exact. This March, theyll begin the third round of experiments.

The bioprinter space race

The BFF lab is the sole team developing this specific type of microgravity bioprinter, Boling says. Theyre not the only ones looking to print human organs in space, though.

A Russian project has also entered the bioprinting space race, however their technique highly differs. Unlike the BFFs bioink layering method, Russian biotechnology laboratory 3D Bioprinting Solutions uses magnetic nanoparticles to produce tissue. An electromagnet creates a magnetic field in which levitating tissue forms the desired structuretechnology that appears ripped from the pages of a sci-fi novel.

After their bioprinter fell victim to an October 2018 spacecraft crash, 3D Bioprinting Solutions rebounded; the team now collaborates with US and Israeli researchers at the ISS. Last month, their crew created the first space-bioprinted bone tissue. Similar to the US project, 3D Bioprinting Solutions aims to manufacture functioning human tissues and organs for transplantation and general repair.

Just because we have the technology to do it, should we do it?

If the 3D BioFabrication Facility prospers in printing working human organs, theyd be subject to thorough regulation here on Earth. The US approval process is stringent for any drug, Rich Boling says, posing a challenge for this unprecedented invention. Techshot predicts at least 10 years for space-printed organs to achieve legal approval, though its an inexact estimate.

Along with regulatory acceptance, human tissue printed in microgravity may encounter societal pushback.

Each country maintains varying laws related to medical transplants. Yet as bioengineering advances into the the final frontier, the international scientific research community may need to shape new guidelines for collaboration among the stars.

As the commercialization of low-Earth orbit continues to ramp up in the next few years, it is certainly true that were going to have to take a very close look at the regulations that apply to that, says International Space Station U.S. National Laboratory interim chief scientist Michael Roberts. And some of those regulations are going to stray into questions related to ethics: Just because we have the technology to do it, should we do it?

Niki Vermeulen, a University of Edinburgh science technology and innovation studies lecturer, has researched the social implications of 3D bioprinting experiments. Like any Earth-bound project, she urges scientists not to get peoples hopes up too early in the process; individuals seeking organ transplants could read about the BFF online and think it could soon be ready to meet their needs.

The most important thing now, I think, is expectation management, Vermeulen says. Because its really quite difficult to do this, and of course we really dont know if its going to work. If it did, it would be amazing.

Another main issue is cost. Like other cutting-edge biotechnology innovations, the organs could also pose a major affordability challenge, she says. Techshot claims that a single space-printed organ could actually cost less than one from a human donor, since some people must pay for a lifetime of anti-rejection meds and/or multiple transplants. Theres currently no telling how long the BFF process would actually take, however, compared to the conventional donor route.

Plus, theres potential health risks for recipients: Techshot chief scientist Eugene Boland says cell manipulation always presents a possibility of genetic mutation. Modified stem cells can potentially cause cancer in recipients, for example.

The team is now working to define and minimize any dangers, he says. The BFF experiment adheres to the FDAs specific regulations for human cells, tissues, and cellular and tissue-based products.

Researchers on the ground now hope to perfect human cell manipulation: Over 100 US clinical trials presently test cultured autologous human cells, and several hundred test cultured stem cells with multiple origins.

What comes next

After the next round of printing tests this March, Techshot will share the bioprinter with companies and research institutions looking to print materials like cartilage, bone, and liver tissue. Theyre currently preparing the bioprinter for these additional uses, Boling says, which could advance health care as a whole.

To speed things up for space crews, Techshot is now building a cell factory that produces multiple cell types in orbit. This technology could cut down the number of cell deliveries between Earth and space.

The ISS has taken in plenty of commercial ventures in recent years, Michael Roberts says, and its getting crowded up there. Space-based experiments ramped up between 40 and 50 years ago, though until recently they mostly prioritized satellite communications and remote observation technology. Since then, satellites have shrunk from bus-sized to smaller than a shoebox.

Roberts has witnessed the scientific areas of interest broaden over the past decade to include medicine. Organizations like the National Institutes of Health are now looking to space to improve treatments, and everything from large pharmaceutical companies to small-scale startups want in.

Theyve got something stuck on every surface up there, he says.

As the ISS runs out of space and exterior attachment points, Roberts predicts that commercial ventures will build new facilities built for specific activities like manufacturing and plant growth. He sees it as a good opportunity for further innovation, since the ISS was originally designed for far more general purposes.

Space, as a whole, may start to look quite different from the first exploration age.

Baby boomers may remember glimpsing at a grainy, black-and-white moon landing five decades ago. Within the same lifetime, they could potentially observe the introduction of space-printed organs.

Read more:
Space might be the perfect place to grow human organs - Popular Science

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Space might be the perfect place to grow human organs – Popular Science | January 31st, 2020

A team of researchers at Osaka University in Japan successfully transplanted cardiac muscle cells created from iPS into a patient, who is now recovering in the general ward of the hospital.

The team, led by Yoshiki Sawa, a professor in the university's cardiovascular surgery unit, created the cardiac muscle cells from iPS cells in a clinical trial to verify the safety and efficacy of this type of procedure. The researches want to transplant heart muscle cells into ten patients who have serious heart malfunctions because of ischemic cardiomyopathy over a three year period.

RELATED: RESEARCHERS ORGANIZE STEM CELLS BASED ON A COMPUTATIONAL MODEL

Instead of replacing the heart of patients, the researchers developed degradable sheets of heart muscle cells that were placed on the damaged areas of the heart.

To grow the heart muscle cells in the lab, the researchers turned to induced pluripotent stem cells otherwise known as iPS. Researchers are able to take those iPS cells and make them into any cell they want. In this case, it was heart muscle cells.If the clinical trials prove successful it could remove someday the need for heart transplants.

I hope that (the transplant) will become a medical technology that will save as many people as possible, as Ive seen many lives that I couldnt save, Sawa was quoted at a news conference reported the Japan Times.

As for the patient, the team plans to monitor him during the next year to ascertain how the heart muscle cells perform. According to the Japan Times, the researchers opted to conduct a clinical trial instead of a clinical study because they want approval from Japan's health ministry for clinical application as soon as possible.

The report noted that during the trial the researchers will look at risks, probabilities of cancer and the efficacy of transplanting 100 million cells for each patient that could include tumor cells.

Read more:
Heart Muscle Cells Made in the Lab Successfully Transplanted into Patient - Interesting Engineering

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Heart Muscle Cells Made in the Lab Successfully Transplanted into Patient – Interesting Engineering | January 30th, 2020

Biomedical researchers from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and the University of Texas at El Paso are working on a joint project to send miniature 3D bioprinted hearts to space. The research project, which has received backing from the National Science Foundation (NSF), seeks to understand how a microgravity environment affects the function of the human heart.

Bioprinting in space is a growing venture. The microgravity environment found aboard the International Space Station (ISS) provides a unique setting for bioprinted tissues and cellular structures to culture and grow. Bioprinting specialists like CELLINK and 3D Bioprinting Solutions are showcasing the potential of bioprinting in space, both for the advancement of bioprinting technologies and to understand the impact of zero-gravity on the human body.

The three-year research project conducted by the Texas-based research team falls into the latter category. The team, led by Munmun Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., TTUHSC El Paso faculty scientist, and Binata Joddar, Ph.D., UTEP biomedical engineer, wants to understand how the human heart is impacted by microgravity by testing bioprinted cardiac organoids aboard the ISS.

The cardiac organoids consist of heart-tissue structures measuring less than 1 mm in thickness which are bioprinted using human stem cells. The organoids will be sent to the ISS, where they will exposed to microgravity environments. This will provide vital insights into a condition commonly experienced by astronauts.

The condition in question is cardiac atrophy and it is caused by a weakening of heart tissue. The condition can lead to other problems, like fainting, irregular heartbeats and even heart failure. Because astronauts often suffer from cardiac atrophy after spending long stints in space, the researchers want to better understand the link.

Cardiac atrophy and a related condition, cardiac fibrosis, is a very big problem in our community, said Dr. Chattopadhyay. People suffering from diseases such as diabetes, muscular dystrophy and cancer, and conditions such as sepsis and congestive heart failure, often experience cardiac dysfunction and tissue damage.

The project, which officially started in September, is currently focused on research design. In this stage of the research, the team is developing bioprinted cardiac organoids and exploring different material compositions using cardiac cells to create heart-like tissue. The second stage of the research will be focused on preparing to launch to organoid to space. The final stage will consist of analyzing data collected during the organoids time in space, once they have returned to Earth.

Dr. Chattopadhyay expressed excitement about the ongoing research project, saying: Knowledge gathered from this study could be used to develop technologies and therapeutic strategies to better combat tissue atrophy experienced by astronauts, as well as open the doorforimproved treatmentsforpeople who suffer from serious heart issues due to illness.

The researchers also hope to engage the community with their research by offering a workshop for K-12 students about their experiments aboard the ISS. The team will also host a seminar for medical students, interns and residents about conducting research in space and on Earth.

Go here to see the original:
El Paso researchers sending bioprinted mini hearts to ISS - 3DPMN

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on El Paso researchers sending bioprinted mini hearts to ISS – 3DPMN | January 30th, 2020

Two high-tech companies have teamed up to take 3D printing in space to the next level. A new 3D printer, sent to the space station on a SpaceX cargo resupply mission last July, is now officially open for business. Its goal: to print human tissue in space.

Formally known as the 3D BioFabrication Facility (or BFF), the printer will use adult human cells (like stem cells) as its feedstock. The BFF is just the first step to a much larger goal of printing human organs such as hearts or lungs in space.

The initial phase for BFF, which could last about two years, will involve creating test prints of cardiac-like tissue of increasing thickness, Techshot representatives said in a statement. (Techshot is collaborating on the project with nScrypt, a 3D bioprinter and electronic printer manufacturer.)

If all goes according to plan, the company would then graduate to printing heart patches in space. Once printed, they would be shipped back to Earth and tested in small animals (such as rats) to see how they do. The next step after that could be entire organs.

Ultimately, long-term success of BFF could lead to reducing the current shortage of donor organs and eliminate the requirement that someone must first die in order for another person to receive a new heart, other organ or tissue, Techshot said.

Imagine needing a organ and instead of having to wait on the transplant list for an one that could never come, using a bit of your own DNA, a new organ could be printed for you in space.

Researchers on Earth have celebrated some success with the 3D printing of bones and cartilage, but when it comes to soft tissues, they havent had the same luck.

Tissues collapse under their own weight due to gravity. This results in not much more than a puddle of biomaterial. But when these sames components are used in space, they retain their shape.

However, without additional conditioning, once these new tissues return to Earth, theyd collapse just like there terrestrial counterparts. Heres where BFF comes in.

In addition to launching a bioprinter, Techshot has also developed a means of curing the newly printed tissues. This way they will remain solid even after returning to Earth. The company says that the actual printing process will take less than a day, the strengthening process will take an estimated 12-45 days. It all depends on the tissue.

This could lead to less people dying as they wait on transplant lists, and it could also mean less dependency on anti-rejection medications. Assembling a whole human organ (such as a heart or lung) was once strictly science fiction. While its still a few years away, it is now a possibility.

Visit link:
3D printed organs are coming to an International Space Station near you - Teslarati

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on 3D printed organs are coming to an International Space Station near you – Teslarati | January 30th, 2020

In what is a world-first and potentially the dawn of a new medical technology to treat damaged hearts, scientists in Japan have succeeded in transplanting lab-grown heart cells into a human patient for the first time ever. The procedure is part of a cutting-edge clinical trial hoped to open up new avenues in regenerative medicine, with the treatment to be given to a further nine patients over the coming years.

The clinical trial harnesses the incredible potential of induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs), a Nobel Prize-winning technology developed at Kyoto University in 2006. These are created by first harvesting cells from donor tissues and returning them to their immature state by exposing them to a virus. From there, they can develop into essentially any cell type in the body.

Professor Yoshiki Sawa is a cardiac surgeon at Osaka University in Japan, who has been developing a technique to turn IPSCs into sheets of 100 million heart muscle cells, which can be grafted onto the heart to promote regeneration of damaged muscles. This was first tested on pigs and was shown to improve organ function, which led Japans health ministry to conditionally approve a research plan involving human subjects.

The first transplantation of these cells is a huge milestone for the researchers, with the operation taking place earlier this month and the patient now recovering in the general ward of the hospital. The sheets are biodegradable, and once implanted on the surface of the heart are designed to release growth factors that encourage new formation of healthy vessels and boost cardiac function.

The team will continue to monitor the first patient over the coming year, and over the next three years aims to carry out the procedure on a total of 10 patients suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy, a condition caused by a heart attack or coronary disease that has left the muscles severely weakened.

I hope that [the transplant] will become a medical technology that will save as many people as possible, as Ive seen many lives that I couldnt save, Sawa said at a news conference on Tuesday, according to The Japan Times.

Source: The Japan Times

View post:
Lab-grown heart cells implanted into human patient for the first time - New Atlas

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Lab-grown heart cells implanted into human patient for the first time – New Atlas | January 30th, 2020

Stem Cell Therapy Market: Snapshot

Of late, there has been an increasing awareness regarding the therapeutic potential of stem cells for management of diseases which is boosting the growth of the stem cell therapy market. The development of advanced genome based cell analysis techniques, identification of new stem cell lines, increasing investments in research and development as well as infrastructure development for the processing and banking of stem cell are encouraging the growth of the global stem cell therapy market.

To know Untapped Opportunities in the MarketCLICK HERE NOW

One of the key factors boosting the growth of this market is the limitations of traditional organ transplantation such as the risk of infection, rejection, and immunosuppression risk. Another drawback of conventional organ transplantation is that doctors have to depend on organ donors completely. All these issues can be eliminated, by the application of stem cell therapy. Another factor which is helping the growth in this market is the growing pipeline and development of drugs for emerging applications. Increased research studies aiming to widen the scope of stem cell will also fuel the growth of the market. Scientists are constantly engaged in trying to find out novel methods for creating human stem cells in response to the growing demand for stem cell production to be used for disease management.

It is estimated that the dermatology application will contribute significantly the growth of the global stem cell therapy market. This is because stem cell therapy can help decrease the after effects of general treatments for burns such as infections, scars, and adhesion. The increasing number of patients suffering from diabetes and growing cases of trauma surgery will fuel the adoption of stem cell therapy in the dermatology segment.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Overview

Also called regenerative medicine, stem cell therapy encourages the reparative response of damaged, diseased, or dysfunctional tissue via the use of stem cells and their derivatives. Replacing the practice of organ transplantations, stem cell therapies have eliminated the dependence on availability of donors. Bone marrow transplant is perhaps the most commonly employed stem cell therapy.

Osteoarthritis, cerebral palsy, heart failure, multiple sclerosis and even hearing loss could be treated using stem cell therapies. Doctors have successfully performed stem cell transplants that significantly aid patients fight cancers such as leukemia and other blood-related diseases.

Get Discount on Latest Report @CLICK HERE NOW

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Key Trends

The key factors influencing the growth of the global stem cell therapy market are increasing funds in the development of new stem lines, the advent of advanced genomic procedures used in stem cell analysis, and greater emphasis on human embryonic stem cells. As the traditional organ transplantations are associated with limitations such as infection, rejection, and immunosuppression along with high reliance on organ donors, the demand for stem cell therapy is likely to soar. The growing deployment of stem cells in the treatment of wounds and damaged skin, scarring, and grafts is another prominent catalyst of the market.

On the contrary, inadequate infrastructural facilities coupled with ethical issues related to embryonic stem cells might impede the growth of the market. However, the ongoing research for the manipulation of stem cells from cord blood cells, bone marrow, and skin for the treatment of ailments including cardiovascular and diabetes will open up new doors for the advancement of the market.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Market Potential

A number of new studies, research projects, and development of novel therapies have come forth in the global market for stem cell therapy. Several of these treatments are in the pipeline, while many others have received approvals by regulatory bodies.

In March 2017, Belgian biotech company TiGenix announced that its cardiac stem cell therapy, AlloCSC-01 has successfully reached its phase I/II with positive results. Subsequently, it has been approved by the U.S. FDA. If this therapy is well- received by the market, nearly 1.9 million AMI patients could be treated through this stem cell therapy.

Another significant development is the granting of a patent to Israel-based Kadimastem Ltd. for its novel stem-cell based technology to be used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other similar conditions of the nervous system. The companys technology used for producing supporting cells in the central nervous system, taken from human stem cells such as myelin-producing cells is also covered in the patent.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Regional Outlook

The global market for stem cell therapy can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America emerged as the leading regional market, triggered by the rising incidence of chronic health conditions and government support. Europe also displays significant growth potential, as the benefits of this therapy are increasingly acknowledged.

Asia Pacific is slated for maximum growth, thanks to the massive patient pool, bulk of investments in stem cell therapy projects, and the increasing recognition of growth opportunities in countries such as China, Japan, and India by the leading market players.

Request TOC of the Reportfor more Industry Insights @CLICK HERE NOW

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Competitive Analysis

Several firms are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships, apart from product development with a view to attain a strong foothold in the global market for stem cell therapy.

Some of the major companies operating in the global market for stem cell therapy are RTI Surgical, Inc., MEDIPOST Co., Ltd., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., NuVasive, Inc., Pharmicell Co., Ltd., Anterogen Co., Ltd., JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., and Holostem Terapie Avanzate S.r.l.

About TMR Research:

TMR Research is a premier provider of customized market research and consulting services to business entities keen on succeeding in todays supercharged economic climate. Armed with an experienced, dedicated, and dynamic team of analysts, we are redefining the way our clients conduct business by providing them with authoritative and trusted research studies in tune with the latest methodologies and market trends.

Excerpt from:
Stem Cell Therapy Market Predicted to Accelerate the Growth by 2017-2025 - Jewish Life News

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Stem Cell Therapy Market Predicted to Accelerate the Growth by 2017-2025 – Jewish Life News | January 30th, 2020

FRESNO, California (KSEE/KGPE) After getting a breast cancer diagnosis, your heart health may be the last thing on your mind. But, if the cancer is in your left breast right over your heart treatment is more difficult. The medical director and the manager of radiation oncology at Community Cancer Institute explain a new and improved technique of radiation therapy that keeps your heart safer during treatment.

Radiation therapy is one of the most common treatments for cancer. It works by damaging genetic material within cancer cellscausing them to die. However, normal cells can also be affected by the radiation.

Alec Beach, the Manager of Radiation Oncology for Community Cancer Institute says, So Surface Guided Radiation Therapy is a new modality relatively new and new to us in the Valley, to help align patients even better and also to provide some techniquesimprovements in accuracy, alignment and also in the breathing cycle of the patient to deliver radiation therapy at the optimal time.

Surface Guided Radiation Therapy or SGRT has been particularly successful in treating breast cancer patients with cancer in the left breast.

Dr. William Silveira the Medical Director of the Department of Radiation Oncology at Community Cancer Institute says, The problem with left sided breast cancer is that the heart is very close to the breast tissue. If we can get the heart out of the way, that helps tremendously. When we monitor the surface of the patient, we can have the patient take a very deep breath, pulling the heart down and out of the way, and therefore we can treat the patient while the heart is essentially completely out of the way, out of the beams, out of harms way.

Its all about timing and the careful placement of SGRT that will minimize the dosage of radiation to the normal tissues while delivering the maximum amount to the cancerous cells.

Theres a significant reduction in the dose received by the heart with this technology. Many of our patients are now surviving, and down the road we dont want them to experience cardiac disease. Radiation therapy for left sided breast cancer can contribute to cardiac disease. So, although it has a tremendous impact on survival and local control for breast cancer, we also have this potential complication down the road. Minimizing the dose to the heart, really saves patients a lot of trouble, said Dr. Silveira.

The possible cardiac risks of radiation therapy are significantly reduced with SGRT treatment.

I think theres a lot of fear regarding radiation therapy and a lot of it has to do with heart disease. I, myself, do worry about heart disease from radiation therapy quite a bit. This technology allows us to reduce the risk of heart disease significantly by essentially taking the heart almost out of the picture. The risk to the heart would be minimalmuch less than 5 percent, Dr. Silveira said.

SGRT helps to keep the heart safe, but can also be used throughout the body.

So SGRT can be used in multiple anatomical sites head and neck treatment in particular. Obviously, were treating the head or neck, the brain or the brain stem areatheres a lot of critical structures in that area and the alignment in that area is crucial so the mm accuracy is crucial so thats a particularly good area that well be implementing this in. But, it can also be used throughout the body, the abdomen, the pelvis for GYN cancer, for example, prostate treatment, basically anything where the surface can be used to align the treatment, said Beach.

Community Cancer Institute is the only one in the Valley using this advanced technology and Beach says the program strives to be second to none.

I would hope that the patients would take away that were here to do the very best that we can for themyes, its technology, but its not just technology for technologys sake, its with an outcome in mind and I want patients to know that we might take a little extra time to treat you, but I think thats worth it, Beach said.

And Dr. Silveira says it takes a collective effort, It takes a lot to implement, however and we have a great team. Our physicist, dosimetrist and therapist all are really fantastic in putting this program together. So its technology plus people.

To learn more about how community medical centers can help you or a loved one in prevention and treatment, visit http://www.CommunityMedical.org/Cancer.

For local, national, and breaking news, and to get weather alerts, download our FREE mobile app from theApple App Storeor the Google Play Store.

Original post:
MedWatch Today: Surface Guided Radiation Therapy Protects the Heart During Treatment - YourCentralValley.com

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on MedWatch Today: Surface Guided Radiation Therapy Protects the Heart During Treatment – YourCentralValley.com | January 30th, 2020

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

Risk & Volatility

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

Insider and Institutional Ownership

39.7% of National Research shares are held by institutional investors. 4.5% of National Research shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 16.7% of US Stem Cell shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

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

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

Profitability

This table compares National Research and US Stem Cells net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for National Research and US Stem Cell, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Summary

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

About National Research

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.

About US Stem Cell

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.

Receive News & Ratings for National Research Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for National Research and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

Read the original:
Contrasting US Stem Cell (OTCMKTS:USRM) and National Research (OTCMKTS:NRC) - Riverton Roll

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Contrasting US Stem Cell (OTCMKTS:USRM) and National Research (OTCMKTS:NRC) – Riverton Roll | January 30th, 2020

$1 Million in Funding from the USAISR Supporting Collaborative Research Project

Pilot Animal Study Successfully Completed; Larger Preclinical Study Underway

NEW YORK, Jan. 28, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MicroCures, a biopharmaceutical company developing novel therapeutics that harness the bodys innate regenerative mechanisms to accelerate tissue repair, today announced the advancement of its ongoing collaborative research project with the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research (USAISR) in the area of burn wound healing. The collaboration, which is being carried out under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the USAISR and supported by $1 million in funding, is focused on evaluating the therapeutic potential of MicroCures lead product candidate, siFi2, in accelerating the healing of burn wounds. siFi2, a small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutic that can be applied topically, is designed to enhance recovery after trauma. Following the successful completion of the collaborations initial pilot animal study, MicroCures and the USAISR have initiated a second, larger preclinical burn study of siFi2.

MicroCures technology is based on foundational scientific research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine regarding the fundamental role that cell movement plays as a driver of the bodys innate capacity to repair tissue, nerves, and organs. The company has shown that complex and dynamic networks of microtubules within cells crucially control cell migration, and that this cell movement can be reliably modulated to achieve a range of therapeutic benefits. Based on these findings, the company has established a first-of-its-kind proprietary platform to create siRNA-based therapeutics capable of precisely controlling the speed and direction of cell movement by selectively silencing microtubule regulatory proteins (MRPs).

The company has developed a broad pipeline of therapeutic programs with an initial focus in the area of tissue, nerve and organ repair. Unlike regenerative medicine approaches that rely upon engineered materials or systemic growth factor/stem cell therapeutics, MicroCures technology directs and enhances the bodys inherent healing processes through local, temporary modulation of cell motility. The companys lead drug candidate, siFi2, is a topical siRNA-based treatment designed to silence the activity of Fidgetin-Like 2 (FL2), a fundamental MRP, within an area of wounded tissue. In doing so, the therapy temporarily triggers accelerated movement of cells essential for repair into an injury area. Importantly, based on its topical administration, siFi2 can be applied early in the treatment process as a supplement to current standard of care.

Our ongoing collaboration with the USAISR is progressing well and we greatly value the support that this partnership is providing us as we work to advance siFi2 toward the clinic. To date, our work with the USAISR has resulted in the successful completion of a pilot study of siFi2 in a preclinical burn wound model and the recent initiation of a larger preclinical study in this indication, said Derek Proudian, chief executive officer of MicroCures. This project highlights a deliberate strategy by MicroCures to align with trusted military and government organizations, such as the USAISR, other Department of Defense entities, Federal Agencies, and the National Institutes of Health, to collaboratively support the development of our novel therapeutic platform. We look forward to continuing these relationships and ultimately developing innovative treatments that can provide important therapeutic benefits to those in the military, as well as the broader public.

About MicroCures

MicroCures develops biopharmaceuticals that harness innate cellular mechanisms within the body to accelerate and improve recovery after traumatic injury. MicroCures has developed a first-of-its-kind therapeutic platform that precisely controls the rate and direction of cell migration, offering the potential to deliver powerful therapeutic benefits for a variety of large and underserved medical applications.

MicroCures has developed a broad pipeline of novel therapeutic programs with an initial focus in the area of tissue, nerve and organ repair. The companys lead therapeutic candidate, siFi2, targets excisional wound healing, a multi-billion dollar market inadequately served by current treatments. Additional applications for the companys cell migration accelerator technology include dermal burn repair, corneal burn repair, cavernous nerve repair/regeneration, spinal cord repair/regeneration, and cardiac tissue repair. Cell migration decelerator applications include combatting cancer metastases and fibrosis. The company protects its unique platform and proprietary therapeutic programs with a robust intellectual property portfolio including eight issued or allowed patents, as well as eight pending patent applications.

Story continues

For more information please visit: http://www.microcures.com

Contact:

Vida Strategic Partners (On behalf of MicroCures)

Stephanie Diaz (investors)415-675-7401sdiaz@vidasp.com

Tim Brons (media)415-675-7402tbrons@vidasp.com

Read more from the original source:
MicroCures Advances Burn Wound Healing Program Under Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical...

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on MicroCures Advances Burn Wound Healing Program Under Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical… | January 28th, 2020

Research using heart cells from squirrels, mice and people identifies an evolutionary mechanism critical for heart muscle function.

Gene defect that affects a protein found in the heart muscle interferes with this mechanism to cause hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a potentially fatal heart condition.

Imbalance in the ratio of active and inactive protein disrupts heart muscle's ability to contract and relax normally, interferes with heart muscle's energy consumption.

Treatment with a small-molecule drug restores proper contraction, energy consumption in human and rodent heart cells.

If affirmed in subsequent studies, the results can inform therapies that could halt disease progression, help prevent common complications, including arrhythmias and heart failure.

The heart's ability to beat normally over a lifetime is predicated on the synchronized work of proteins embedded in the cells of the heart muscle.

Like a fleet of molecular motors that get turned on and off, these proteins cause the heart cells to contract, then force them to relax, beat after life-sustaining beat.

Now a study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women's Hospital and the University of Oxford shows that when too many of the heart's molecular motor units get switched on and too few remain off, the heart muscle begins to contract excessively and fails to relax normally, leading to its gradual overexertion, thickening and failure.

Results of the work, published Jan. 27 inCirculation, reveal that this balancing act is an evolutionary mechanism conserved across species to regulate heart muscle contraction by controlling the activity of a protein called myosin, the main contractile protein of the heart muscle.

The findings--based on experiments with human, mouse and squirrel heart cells--also demonstrate that when this mechanism goes awry it sets off a molecular cascade that leads to cardiac muscle over-exertion and culminates in the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common genetic disease of the heart and a leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young people and athletes.

"Our findings offer a unifying explanation for the heart muscle pathology seen in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that leads to heart muscle dysfunction and, eventually, causes the most common clinical manifestations of the condition," said senior author Christine Seidman, professor of genetics in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women's Hospital and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator.

Importantly, the experiments showed that treatment with an experimental small-molecule drug restored the balance of myosin arrangements and normalized the contraction and relaxation of both human and mouse cardiac cells that carried the two most common gene mutations responsible for nearly half of all HCM cases worldwide.

If confirmed in further experiments, the results can inform the design of therapies that halt disease progression and prevent complications.

"Correcting the underlying molecular defect and normalizing the function of heart muscle cells could transform treatment options, which are currently limited to alleviating symptoms and preventing worst-case scenarios such as life-threatening rhythm disturbances and heart failure," said study first author Christopher Toepfer, who performed the work as a postdoctoral researcher in Seidman's lab and is now a joint fellow in the Radcliffe Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford.

Some of the current therapies used for HCM include medications to relieve symptoms, surgery to shave the enlarged heart muscle or the implantation of cardioverter defibrillators that shock the heart back into rhythm if its electrical activity ceases or goes haywire. None of these therapies address the underlying cause of the disease.

Imbalance in the motor fleet

Myosin initiates contraction by cross-linking with other proteins to propel the cell into motion. In the current study, the researchers traced the epicenter of mischief down to an imbalance in the ratio of myosin molecule arrangements inside heart cells. Cells containing HCM mutations had too many molecules ready to spring into action and too few myosin molecules idling standby, resulting in stronger contractions and poor relaxation of the cells.

An earlier study by the same team found that under normal conditions, the ratio between "on" and "off" myosin molecules in mouse heart cells is around 2-to-3. However, the new study shows that this ratio is off balance in heart cells that harbor HCM mutations, with disproportionately more molecules in active versus inactive states.

In an initial set of experiments, the investigators analyzed heart cells obtained from a breed of hibernating squirrel as a model to reflect extremes in physiologic demands during normal activity and hibernation. Cells obtained from squirrels in hibernation--when their heart rate slows down to about six beats per minute--contained 10 percent more "off" myosin molecules than the heart cells of active squirrels, whose heart rate averages 340 beats per minute.

"We believe this is one example of nature's elegant way of conserving cardiac muscle energy in mammals during dormancy and periods of deficient resources," Toepfer said.

Next, researchers looked at cardiac muscle cells from mice harboring the two most common gene defects seen in HCM. As expected, these cells had altered ratios of "on" and "off" myosin reserves. The researchers also analyzed myosin ratios in two types of human heart cells: Stem cell-derived human heart cells engineered in the lab to carry HCM mutations and cells obtained from the excised cardiac muscle tissue of patients with HCM. Both had out-of-balance ratios in their active and inactive myosin molecules.

Further experiments showed that this imbalance perturbed the cells' normal contraction and relaxation cycle. Cells harboring HCM mutations contained too many "on" myosin molecules and contracted more forcefully but relaxed poorly. In the process, the study showed, these cells gobbled up excessive amounts of ATP, the cellular fuel that sustains the work of each cell in our body. And because oxygen is necessary for ATP production, the mutated cells also devoured more oxygen than normal cells, the study showed. To sustain their energy demands, these cells turned to breaking down sugar molecules and fatty acids, which is a sign of altered metabolism, the researchers said.

"Taken together, our findings map out the molecular mechanisms that give rise to the cardinal features of the disease," Seidman said. "They can help explain how chronically overexerted heart cells with high energy consumption in a state of metabolic stress can, over time, lead to a thickened heart muscle that contracts and relaxes abnormally and eventually becomes prone to arrhythmias, dysfunction and failure."

Restoring balance

Treating both mouse and human heart cells with an experimental small-molecule drug restored the myosin ratios to levels comparable to those in heart cells free of HCM mutations. The treatment also normalized contraction and relaxation of the cells and lowered oxygen consumption to normal levels.

The drug, currently in human trials, restored myosin ratios even in tissue obtained from the hearts of patients with HCM. The compound is being developed by a biotech company; two of the company's co-founders are authors on the study. The company provided research support for the study.

In a final step, the researchers looked at patient outcomes obtained from a database containing medical information and clinical histories of people diagnosed with HCM caused by various gene mutations. Comparing their molecular findings from the laboratory against patient outcomes, the scientists observed that the presence of genetic variants that distorted myosin ratios in heart cells also predicted the severity of symptoms and likelihood of poor outcomes, such as arrhythmias and heart failure, among the subset of people that carried these very genetic variants.

What this means, the researchers said, is that clinicians who identify patients harboring gene variants that disrupt normal myosin arrangements in their heart muscle could better predict these patients' risk of adverse clinical course.

"This information can help physicians stratify risk and tailor follow-ups and treatment accordingly," Seidman said.

View original post here:
Researchers trace the molecular roots of potentially fatal heart condition - Jill Lopez

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Researchers trace the molecular roots of potentially fatal heart condition – Jill Lopez | January 28th, 2020

Biomedical researchers from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso (TTUHSC El Paso) and The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) are collaborating to develop artificial mini-hearts using 3D bioprinting technology for space.

These heart-tissue structures will be sent to the International Space Station (ISS) to gain insight into how microgravity affects the function of the human heart, particularly in regards to the health condition known as cardiac atrophy.

The artificial mini-heart, otherwise known as a cardiac organoid, will be produced using a combination of human stem cells and 3D bioprinting. The project, which began in September 2019, will take course over the next three years. It is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the space stations U.S. National Laboratory.

TTUHSC El Paso faculty scientist Munmun Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., a researcher on the project, states:

Knowledge gathered from this study could be used to develop technologies and therapeutic strategies to better combat tissue atrophy experienced by astronauts, as well as open the door for improved treatments for people who suffer from serious heart issues due to illness.

How does microgravity affect our hearts?

Researchers taking part in the project are Dr. Chattopadhyay and UTEP biomedical engineer Binata Joddar, Ph.D. Dr. Chattopadhyay is an assistant professor in TTUHSC El Pasos Center of Emphasis in Diabetes and Metabolism, part of the Paul L. Foster School of Medicines Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine. Dr. Joddar is an assistant professor in the UTEP College of Engineering and leads research in the universitys Inspired Materials and Stem Cell-Based Tissue Engineering Laboratory.

Together, the researchers will collaborate to 3D bioprint small cardiac organoids using human stem cells. These heart-tissue structures will then be sent to the ISS, where they will be exposed to the near-weightless environment of the orbiting space station. The researchers hope that this will provide a better understanding of cardiac atrophy, which is a reduction and weakening of heart tissue, leading to difficulty pumping blood to the body. This condition commonly affects astronauts who spend long periods of time in microgravity, which causes significant problems as a weakened heart muscle can lead to symptoms such as fainting, irregular heartbeat, heart valve problems, and even heart failure.

Cardiac atrophy and a related condition, cardiac fibrosis, is a very big problem in our community. People suffering from diseases such as diabetes, muscular dystrophy and cancer, and conditions such as sepsis and congestive heart failure, often experience cardiac dysfunction and tissue damage, comments Dr. Chattopadhyay.

The first phase of the project will focus on research design. During this stage, taking place over the first year, Dr. Joddar will use 3D printing to fabricate the cardiac organoids. This will be achieved by coupling cardiac cells in physiological ratios to mimic heart tissue. Moving on to the second year, the researchers will be preparing the organoid payload for a rocket launch and mission in space. The third and final year of the project will center on analyzing the data from the experiment once the organoids have been returned to Earth.

Additionally, Dr. Chattopadhyay and Dr. Joddars project will provide an educational opportunity for the El Paso community. A workshop for K-12 students will be set up engaging young minds in the local area around the subject of tissue engineering, with focus placed on projects taking place on the space station. A seminar will also be provided for medical students, interns and residents to enable a discussion regarding the benefits and challenges of transitioning research from Earth-based laboratories into space.

3D bioprinting aboard the ISS

The TTUHSC El Paso and UTEP collaborative research project is one of just five research proposals selected by the NSF and ISS National Lab in 2019 as part of the organizations collaboration on tissue-engineering research funding. The NSF awarded Dr. Chattopadhyay $256,892 and Dr. Joddar $259,350 for their roles in the project.

A number of 3D bioprinting research projects have taken place aboard the ISS, as companies and organizations seek further understanding of how space flight affects astronauts.

For example, Russian bio-technical research laboratory 3D Bioprinting Solutions developed its Organ.Aut magnetic 3D bioprinter to study how living organisms are affected by long flights in outer space. In 2018, it was delivered to the ISS onboard the Soyuz MS-11 manned spacecraft following a previous failed launch from the Soyuz MS-10 spaceflight. In late 2019 it was announced that the company was able to 3D bioprint bone tissue in zero gravity aboard the ISS using the Organ.Aut. The experiment is part of a plan to create bone implants for astronaut transplantation during long-term interplanetary expeditions.

Additionally, the 3D BioFabrication Facility (BFF) bioprinter from nScrypt, a Florida-based 3D printing system manufacturer, and spaceflight equipment developer Techshot is also onboard the ISS. Delivered to the ISS aboard the SpaceX CRS-18 cargo mission in 2019, the system is capable of manufacturing human tissue in microgravity conditions. It was sent to the ISS in order to facilitate the production of self-supporting tissues that could lead to the development of therapeutic treatments.

Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter for the latest news in additive manufacturing. You can also stay connected by following us on Twitter and liking us on Facebook.

Looking for a career in additive manufacturing? Visit 3D Printing Jobs for a selection of roles in the industry.

Featured image shows the ISS Exterior. Photo via Roscosmos/ NASA/TTUHSC El Paso.

More here:
El Paso scientists to deliver 3D bioprinted miniature hearts to the ISS - 3D Printing Industry

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on El Paso scientists to deliver 3D bioprinted miniature hearts to the ISS – 3D Printing Industry | January 27th, 2020

The hearts ability to beat normally over a lifetime is predicated on the synchronized work of proteins embedded in the cells of the heart muscle.

Like a fleet of molecular motors that get turned on and off, these proteins cause the heart cells to contract, then force them to relax, beat after life-sustaining beat.

Now a study led by researchers at Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Womens Hospital and the University of Oxford shows that when too many of the hearts molecular motor units get switched on and too few remain off, the heart muscle begins to contract excessively and fails to relax normally, leading to its gradual overexertion, thickening and failure.

Get more HM news

Results of the work, published Jan. 27 inCirculation,reveal that this balancing act is an evolutionary mechanism conserved across species to regulate heart muscle contraction by controlling the activity of a protein called myosin, the main contractile protein of the heart muscle.

The findingsbased on experiments with human, mouse and squirrel heart cellsalso demonstrate that when this mechanism goes awry it sets off a molecular cascade that leads to cardiac muscle over-exertion and culminates in the development of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the mostcommon genetic diseaseof the heartand aleading causeof sudden cardiac death in young people and athletes.

Our findings offer a unifying explanation for the heart muscle pathology seen in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that leads to heart muscle dysfunction and, eventually, causes the most common clinical manifestations of the condition, said senior authorChristine Seidman, professor of genetics in the Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, a cardiologist at Brigham and Womens Hospital and a Howard Hughes Medical InstituteInvestigator.

Importantly, the experiments showed that treatment with an experimental small-molecule drug restored the balance of myosin arrangements and normalized the contraction and relaxation of both human and mouse cardiac cells that carried the two most common gene mutations responsible for nearly half of all HCM cases worldwide.

If confirmed in further experiments, the results can inform the design of therapies that halt disease progression and prevent complications.

Correcting the underlying molecular defect and normalizing the function of heart muscle cells could transform treatment options, which are currently limited to alleviating symptoms and preventing worst-case scenarios such as life-threatening rhythm disturbances and heart failure, said study first authorChristopher Toepfer,who performed the work as a postdoctoral researcher in Seidmans lab and is now a joint fellow in the Radcliffe Department of Medicine at the University of Oxford.

Some of the current therapies used for HCM include medications to relieve symptoms, surgery to shave the enlarged heart muscle or the implantation of cardioverter defibrillators that shock the heart back into rhythm if its electrical activity ceases or goes haywire. None of these therapies address the underlying cause of the disease.

Imbalance in the motor fleet

Myosin initiates contraction by cross-linking with other proteins to propel the cell into motion. In the current study, the researchers traced the epicenter of mischief down to an imbalance in the ratio of myosin molecule arrangements inside heart cells. Cells containing HCM mutations had too many molecules ready to spring into action and too few myosin molecules idling standby, resulting in stronger contractions and poor relaxation of the cells.

An earlier study by the same team found that under normal conditions, the ratio between on and off myosin molecules in mouse heart cells is around 2-to-3. However, the new study shows that this ratio is off balance in heart cells that harbor HCM mutations, with disproportionately more molecules in active versus inactive states.

In an initial set of experiments, the investigators analyzed heart cells obtained from a breed of hibernating squirrel as a model to reflect extremes in physiologic demands during normal activity and hibernation. Cells obtained from squirrels in hibernationwhen their heart rate slows down to about six beats per minutecontained 10 percent more off myosin molecules than the heart cells of active squirrels, whose heart rate averages 340 beats per minute.

We believe this is one example of natures elegant way of conserving cardiac muscle energy in mammals during dormancy and periods of deficient resources, Toepfer said.

Next, researchers looked at cardiac muscle cells from mice harboring the two most common gene defects seen in HCM. As expected, these cells had altered ratios of on and off myosin reserves.The researchers also analyzed myosin ratios in two types of human heart cells: Stem cell-derived human heart cells engineered in the lab to carry HCM mutations and cells obtained from the excised cardiac muscle tissue of patients with HCM. Both had out-of-balance ratios in their active and inactive myosin molecules.

Further experiments showed that this imbalance perturbed the cells normal contraction and relaxation cycle. Cells harboring HCM mutations contained too many on myosin molecules and contracted more forcefully but relaxed poorly. In the process, the study showed, these cells gobbled up excessive amounts of ATP, the cellular fuel that sustains the work of each cell in our body. And because oxygen is necessary for ATP production, the mutated cells also devoured more oxygen than normal cells, the study showed. To sustain their energy demands, these cells turned to breaking down sugar molecules and fatty acids, which is a sign of altered metabolism, the researchers said.

Taken together, our findings map out the molecular mechanisms that give rise to the cardinal features of the disease, Seidman said. They can help explain how chronically overexerted heart cells with high energy consumption in a state of metabolic stress can, over time,lead to a thickened heart muscle that contracts and relaxes abnormally and eventually becomes prone to arrhythmias, dysfunction and failure.

More:
Revving the Engine - Harvard Medical School

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Revving the Engine – Harvard Medical School | January 27th, 2020

Bones are an important part of the musculoskeletal system. This article, the first in a two-part series on the skeletal system, reviews the anatomy and physiology of bone

The skeletal system is formed of bones and cartilage, which are connected by ligaments to form a framework for the remainder of the body tissues. This article, the first in a two-part series on the structure and function of the skeletal system, reviews the anatomy and physiology of bone. Understanding the structure and purpose of the bone allows nurses to understand common pathophysiology and consider the most-appropriate steps to improve musculoskeletal health.

Citation: Walker J (2020) Skeletal system 1: the anatomy and physiology of bones. Nursing Times [online]; 116: 2, 38-42.

Author: Jennie Walker is principal lecturer, Nottingham Trent University.

The skeletal system is composed of bones and cartilage connected by ligaments to form a framework for the rest of the body tissues. There are two parts to the skeleton:

As well as contributing to the bodys overall shape, the skeletal system has several key functions, including:

Bones are a site of attachment for ligaments and tendons, providing a skeletal framework that can produce movement through the coordinated use of levers, muscles, tendons and ligaments. The bones act as levers, while the muscles generate the forces responsible for moving the bones.

Bones provide protective boundaries for soft organs: the cranium around the brain, the vertebral column surrounding the spinal cord, the ribcage containing the heart and lungs, and the pelvis protecting the urogenital organs.

As the main reservoirs for minerals in the body, bones contain approximately 99% of the bodys calcium, 85% of its phosphate and 50% of its magnesium (Bartl and Bartl, 2017). They are essential in maintaining homoeostasis of minerals in the blood with minerals stored in the bone are released in response to the bodys demands, with levels maintained and regulated by hormones, such as parathyroid hormone.

Blood cells are formed from haemopoietic stem cells present in red bone marrow. Babies are born with only red bone marrow; over time this is replaced by yellow marrow due to a decrease in erythropoietin, the hormone responsible for stimulating the production of erythrocytes (red blood cells) in the bone marrow. By adulthood, the amount of red marrow has halved, and this reduces further to around 30% in older age (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018).

Yellow bone marrow (Fig 1) acts as a potential energy reserve for the body; it consists largely of adipose cells, which store triglycerides (a type of lipid that occurs naturally in the blood) (Tortora and Derrickson, 2009).

Bone matrix has three main components:

Organic matrix (osteoid) is made up of approximately 90% type-I collagen fibres and 10% other proteins, such as glycoprotein, osteocalcin, and proteoglycans (Bartl and Bartl, 2017). It forms the framework for bones, which are hardened through the deposit of the calcium and other minerals around the fibres (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018).

Mineral salts are first deposited between the gaps in the collagen layers with once these spaces are filled, minerals accumulate around the collagen fibres, crystallising and causing the tissue to harden; this process is called ossification (Tortora and Derrickson, 2009). The hardness of the bone depends on the type and quantity of the minerals available for the body to use; hydroxyapatite is one of the main minerals present in bones.

While bones need sufficient minerals to strengthen them, they also need to prevent being broken by maintaining sufficient flexibility to withstand the daily forces exerted on them. This flexibility and tensile strength of bone is derived from the collagen fibres. Over-mineralisation of the fibres or impaired collagen production can increase the brittleness of bones as with the genetic disorder osteogenesis imperfecta and increase bone fragility (Ralston and McInnes, 2014).

Bone architecture is made up of two types of bone tissue:

Also known as compact bone, this dense outer layer provides support and protection for the inner cancellous structure. Cortical bone comprises three elements:

The periosteum is a tough, fibrous outer membrane. It is highly vascular and almost completely covers the bone, except for the surfaces that form joints; these are covered by hyaline cartilage. Tendons and ligaments attach to the outer layer of the periosteum, whereas the inner layer contains osteoblasts (bone-forming cells) and osteoclasts (bone-resorbing cells) responsible for bone remodelling.

The function of the periosteum is to:

It also contains Volkmanns canals, small channels running perpendicular to the diaphysis of the bone (Fig 1); these convey blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves from the periosteal surface through to the intracortical layer. The periosteum has numerous sensory fibres, so bone injuries (such as fractures or tumours) can be extremely painful (Drake et al, 2019).

The intracortical bone is organised into structural units, referred to as osteons or Haversian systems (Fig 2). These are cylindrical structures, composed of concentric layers of bone called lamellae, whose structure contributes to the strength of the cortical bone. Osteocytes (mature bone cells) sit in the small spaces between the concentric layers of lamellae, which are known as lacunae. Canaliculi are microscopic canals between the lacunae, in which the osteocytes are networked to each other by filamentous extensions. In the centre of each osteon is a central (Haversian) canal through which the blood vessels, lymph vessels and nerves pass. These central canals tend to run parallel to the axis of the bone; Volkmanns canals connect adjacent osteons and the blood vessels of the central canals with the periosteum.

The endosteum consists of a thin layer of connective tissue that lines the inside of the cortical surface (Bartl and Bartl, 2017) (Fig1).

Also known as spongy bone, cancellous bone is found in the outer cortical layer. It is formed of lamellae arranged in an irregular lattice structure of trabeculae, which gives a honeycomb appearance. The large gaps between the trabeculae help make the bones lighter, and so easier to mobilise.

Trabeculae are characteristically oriented along the lines of stress to help resist forces and reduce the risk of fracture (Tortora and Derrickson, 2009). The closer the trabecular structures are spaced, the greater the stability and structure of the bone (Bartl and Bartl, 2017). Red or yellow bone marrow exists in these spaces (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018). Red bone marrow in adults is found in the ribs, sternum, vertebrae and ends of long bones (Tortora and Derrickson, 2009); it is haemopoietic tissue, which produces erythrocytes, leucocytes (white blood cells) and platelets.

Bone and marrow are highly vascularised and account for approximately 10-20% of cardiac output (Bartl and Bartl, 2017). Blood vessels in bone are necessary for nearly all skeletal functions, including the delivery of oxygen and nutrients, homoeostasis and repair (Tomlinson and Silva, 2013). The blood supply in long bones is derived from the nutrient artery and the periosteal, epiphyseal and metaphyseal arteries (Iyer, 2019).

Each artery is also accompanied by nerve fibres, which branch into the marrow cavities. Arteries are the main source of blood and nutrients for long bones, entering through the nutrient foramen, then dividing into ascending and descending branches. The ends of long bones are supplied by the metaphyseal and epiphyseal arteries, which arise from the arteries from the associated joint (Bartl and Bartl, 2017).

If the blood supply to bone is disrupted, it can result in the death of bone tissue (osteonecrosis). A common example is following a fracture to the femoral neck, which disrupts the blood supply to the femoral head and causes the bone tissue to become necrotic. The femoral head structure then collapses, causing pain and dysfunction.

Bones begin to form in utero in the first eight weeks following fertilisation (Moini, 2019). The embryonic skeleton is first formed of mesenchyme (connective tissue) structures; this primitive skeleton is referred to as the skeletal template. These structures are then developed into bone, either through intramembranous ossification or endochondral ossification (replacing cartilage with bone).

Bones are classified according to their shape (Box1). Flat bones develop from membrane (membrane models) and sesamoid bones from tendon (tendon models) (Waugh and Grant, 2018). The term intra-membranous ossification describes the direct conversion of mesenchyme structures to bone, in which the fibrous tissues become ossified as the mesenchymal stem cells differentiate into osteoblasts. The osteoblasts then start to lay down bone matrix, which becomes ossified to form new bone.

Box 1. Types of bones

Long bones typically longer than they are wide (such as humerus, radius, tibia, femur), they comprise a diaphysis (shaft) and epiphyses at the distal and proximal ends, joining at the metaphysis. In growing bone, this is the site where growth occurs and is known as the epiphyseal growth plate. Most long bones are located in the appendicular skeleton and function as levers to produce movement

Short bones small and roughly cube-shaped, these contain mainly cancellous bone, with a thin outer layer of cortical bone (such as the bones in the hands and tarsal bones in the feet)

Flat bones thin and usually slightly curved, typically containing a thin layer of cancellous bone surrounded by cortical bone (examples include the skull, ribs and scapula). Most are located in the axial skeleton and offer protection to underlying structures

Irregular bones bones that do not fit in other categories because they have a range of different characteristics. They are formed of cancellous bone, with an outer layer of cortical bone (for example, the vertebrae and the pelvis)

Sesamoid bones round or oval bones (such as the patella), which develop in tendons

Long, short and irregular bones develop from an initial model of hyaline cartilage (cartilage models). Once the cartilage model has been formed, the osteoblasts gradually replace the cartilage with bone matrix through endochondral ossification (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018). Mineralisation starts at the centre of the cartilage structure, which is known as the primary ossification centre. Secondary ossification centres also form at the epiphyses (epiphyseal growth plates) (Danning, 2019). The epiphyseal growth plate is composed of hyaline cartilage and has four regions (Fig3):

Resting or quiescent zone situated closest to the epiphysis, this is composed of small scattered chondrocytes with a low proliferation rate and anchors the growth plate to the epiphysis;

Growth or proliferation zone this area has larger chondrocytes, arranged like stacks of coins, which divide and are responsible for the longitudinal growth of the bone;

Hypertrophic zone this consists of large maturing chondrocytes, which migrate towards the metaphysis. There is no new growth at this layer;

Calcification zone this final zone of the growth plate is only a few cells thick. Through the process of endochondral ossification, the cells in this zone become ossified and form part of the new diaphysis (Tortora and Derrickson, 2009).

Bones are not fully developed at birth, and continue to form until skeletal maturity is reached. By the end of adolescence around 90% of adult bone is formed and skeletal maturity occurs at around 20-25 years, although this can vary depending on geographical location and socio-economic conditions; for example, malnutrition may delay bone maturity (Drake et al, 2019; Bartl and Bartl, 2017). In rare cases, a genetic mutation can disrupt cartilage development, and therefore the development of bone. This can result in reduced growth and short stature and is known as achondroplasia.

The human growth hormone (somatotropin) is the main stimulus for growth at the epiphyseal growth plates. During puberty, levels of sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone) increase, which stops cell division within the growth plate. As the chondrocytes in the proliferation zone stop dividing, the growth plate thins and eventually calcifies, and longitudinal bone growth stops (Ralston and McInnes, 2014). Males are on average taller than females because male puberty tends to occur later, so male bones have more time to grow (Waugh and Grant, 2018). Over-secretion of human growth hormone during childhood can produce gigantism, whereby the person is taller and heavier than usually expected, while over-secretion in adults results in a condition called acromegaly.

If there is a fracture in the epiphyseal growth plate while bones are still growing, this can subsequently inhibit bone growth, resulting in reduced bone formation and the bone being shorter. It may also cause misalignment of the joint surfaces and cause a predisposition to developing secondary arthritis later in life. A discrepancy in leg length can lead to pelvic obliquity, with subsequent scoliosis caused by trying to compensate for the difference.

Once bone has formed and matured, it undergoes constant remodelling by osteoclasts and osteoblasts, whereby old bone tissue is replaced by new bone tissue (Fig4). Bone remodelling has several functions, including mobilisation of calcium and other minerals from the skeletal tissue to maintain serum homoeostasis, replacing old tissue and repairing damaged bone, as well as helping the body adapt to different forces, loads and stress applied to the skeleton.

Calcium plays a significant role in the body and is required for muscle contraction, nerve conduction, cell division and blood coagulation. As only 1% of the bodys calcium is in the blood, the skeleton acts as storage facility, releasing calcium in response to the bodys demands. Serum calcium levels are tightly regulated by two hormones, which work antagonistically to maintain homoeostasis. Calcitonin facilitates the deposition of calcium to bone, lowering the serum levels, whereas the parathyroid hormone stimulates the release of calcium from bone, raising the serum calcium levels.

Osteoclasts are large multinucleated cells typically found at sites where there is active bone growth, repair or remodelling, such as around the periosteum, within the endosteum and in the removal of calluses formed during fracture healing (Waugh and Grant, 2018). The osteoclast cell membrane has numerous folds that face the surface of the bone and osteoclasts break down bone tissue by secreting lysosomal enzymes and acids into the space between the ruffled membrane (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018). These enzymes dissolve the minerals and some of the bone matrix. The minerals are released from the bone matrix into the extracellular space and the rest of the matrix is phagocytosed and metabolised in the cytoplasm of the osteoclasts (Bartl and Bartl, 2017). Once the area of bone has been resorbed, the osteoclasts move on, while the osteoblasts move in to rebuild the bone matrix.

Osteoblasts synthesise collagen fibres and other organic components that make up the bone matrix. They also secrete alkaline phosphatase, which initiates calcification through the deposit of calcium and other minerals around the matrix (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018). As the osteoblasts deposit new bone tissue around themselves, they become trapped in pockets of bone called lacunae. Once this happens, the cells differentiate into osteocytes, which are mature bone cells that no longer secrete bone matrix.

The remodelling process is achieved through the balanced activity of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. If bone is built without the appropriate balance of osteocytes, it results in abnormally thick bone or bony spurs. Conversely, too much tissue loss or calcium depletion can lead to fragile bone that is more susceptible to fracture. The larger surface area of cancellous bones is associated with a higher remodelling rate than cortical bone (Bartl and Bartl, 2017), which means osteoporosis is more evident in bones with a high proportion of cancellous bone, such as the head/neck of femur or vertebral bones (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018). Changes in the remodelling balance may also occur due to pathological conditions, such as Pagets disease of bone, a condition characterised by focal areas of increased and disorganised bone remodelling affecting one or more bones. Typical features on X-ray include focal patches of lysis or sclerosis, cortical thickening, disorganised trabeculae and trabecular thickening.

As the body ages, bone may lose some of its strength and elasticity, making it more susceptible to fracture. This is due to the loss of mineral in the matrix and a reduction in the flexibility of the collagen.

Adequate intake of vitamins and minerals is essential for optimum bone formation and ongoing bone health. Two of the most important are calcium and vitamin D, but many others are needed to keep bones strong and healthy (Box2).

Box 2. Vitamins and minerals needed for bone health

Key nutritional requirements for bone health include minerals such as calcium and phosphorus, as well as smaller qualities of fluoride, manganese, and iron (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018). Calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D are essential for effective bone mineralisation. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption in the intestines, and deficiency in calcium or vitamin D can predispose an individual to ineffective mineralisation and increased risk of developing conditions such as osteoporosis and osteomalacia.

Other key vitamins for healthy bones include vitamin A for osteoblast function and vitamin C for collagen synthesis (Waugh and Grant, 2018).

Physical exercise, in particular weight-bearing exercise, is important in maintaining or increasing bone mineral density and the overall quality and strength of the bone. This is because osteoblasts are stimulated by load-bearing exercise and so bones subjected to mechanical stresses undergo a higher rate of bone remodelling. Reduced skeletal loading is associated with an increased risk of developing osteoporosis (Robson and Syndercombe Court, 2018).

Bones are an important part of the musculoskeletal system and serve many core functions, as well as supporting the bodys structure and facilitating movement. Bone is a dynamic structure, which is continually remodelled in response to stresses placed on the body. Changes to this remodelling process, or inadequate intake of nutrients, can result in changes to bone structure that may predispose the body to increased risk of fracture. Part2 of this series will review the structure and function of the skeletal system.

Bartl R, Bartl C (2017) Structure and architecture of bone. In: Bone Disorder: Biology, Diagnosis, Prevention, Therapy.

Danning CL (2019) Structure and function of the musculoskeletal system. In: Banasik JL, Copstead L-EC (eds) Pathophysiology. St Louis, MO: Elsevier.

Drake RL et al (eds) (2019) Grays Anatomy for Students. London: Elsevier.

Iyer KM (2019) Anatomy of bone, fracture, and fracture healing. In: Iyer KM, Khan WS (eds) General Principles of Orthopedics and Trauma. London: Springer.

Moini J (2019) Bone tissues and the skeletal system. In: Anatomy and Physiology for Health Professionals. Burlington, MA: Jones and Bartlett.

Ralston SH, McInnes IB (2014) Rheumatology and bone disease. In: Walker BR et al (eds) Davidsons Principles and Practice of Medicine. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone.

Robson L, Syndercombe Court D (2018) Bone, muscle, skin and connective tissue. In: Naish J, Syndercombe Court D (eds) Medical Sciences. London: Elsevier

Tomlinson RE, Silva MJ (2013) Skeletal blood flow in bone repair and maintenance. Bone Research; 1: 4, 311-322.

Tortora GJ, Derrickson B (2009) The skeletal system: bone tissue. In: Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.

Waugh A, Grant A (2018) The musculoskeletal system. In: Ross & Wilson Anatomy and Physiology in Health and Illness. London: Elsevier.

More here:
Skeletal system 1: the anatomy and physiology of bones - Nursing Times

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Skeletal system 1: the anatomy and physiology of bones – Nursing Times | January 27th, 2020

MAPLE GROVE, Minn., Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --StemoniX, a biotech company revolutionizing how new medicines are discovered, announced today that its Director of Applications, Oivin Guichert, Ph.D., will deliver a podium presentation highlighting the company's microBrain technology at the SLAS (Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening) 2020 International Conference & Exhibition at the San Diego Convention Center, Jan. 27-29, 2020. The presentation will be featured as part of the Assay Development and Screening Session during the annual meeting.

During the podium presentation, entitled "New innovation to solve unmet needs: Implementing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural spheroids as a robust screening platform for phenotypic-based central nervous system drug discovery," Dr. Guichert will detail how performing a high-throughput functional screening assay on StemoniX's human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived 3D neural spheroid platform demonstrated the ability to identify a wide range of hits spanning multiple target areas. He will highlight how this model could provide relevant human platforms for disease-specific drug discovery to help overcome traditional hurdles of CNS-targeted drug discovery and development efforts.

Ping Yeh, co-founder and CEO of StemoniX, said: "The SLAS 2020 International Conference & Exhibitionis an ideal event to showcase the value potential of our microOrgan platform and AnalytiX data management and analytical software. As presented by Dr. Guichert and in the six posters, microBrain, microHeart, microPancreas and AnalytiX offer the potential to reshape how drugs are discovered and developed by providing the opportunity to go from model to molecule to validated drug in a fraction of the time and cost required with traditional methods. This includes the near-term potential to identify and advance novel therapeutic targets for Rett syndrome by leveraging our groundbreaking in vitro microBrain model in partnership with AI drug discovery pioneer, Atomwise."

Podium Presentation Details

Title:

New innovation to solve unmet needs: Implementing human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived neural spheroids as a robust screening platform for phenotypic-based central nervous system drug discovery

Session:

Assay Development and Screening

Event

SLAS 2020 International Conference & Exhibition

Date:

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Time:

4:00 4:30 p.m. PST

Location:

San Diego Convention Center

Room/Location:

6C

Poster Presentations:

About StemoniXStemoniX is accelerating the discovery of new medicines to treat challenging diseases via the world's first ready-to-use assay plates containing living human microOrgans, including electrophysiologically active neural (microBrain) and cardiac (microHeart) cells. Predictive, accurate, and consistent, StemoniX's products combined with its proprietary data management and analytical tools (AnalytiX) are revolutionizing traditional drug discovery and development by radically improving the speed, accuracy and costs required to identify new drugs and conduct initial human cell toxicity and efficacy testing. Through its Discovery as a Service offering, the company partners with organizations to screen compounds as well as to create customized microOrgan models and assays tailored to specific discovery and toxicity needs. Visit http://www.stemonix.com to learn how StemoniX is helping global institutions humanize drug discovery and development to bring the most promising medicines to patients.

Tiberend Strategic Advisors, Inc.

Investor Contact:Maureen McEnroe, CFA+1.212.375.2664mmcenroe@tiberend.com

Media Contact:Ingrid Mezo+1.646.604.5150imezo@tiberend.com

Go here to see the original:
StemoniX's microBrain to be Featured in Podium Presentation at SLAS 2020 International Conference & Exhibition - Crow River Media

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on StemoniX’s microBrain to be Featured in Podium Presentation at SLAS 2020 International Conference & Exhibition – Crow River Media | January 27th, 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 dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation, earnings, risk, institutional ownership and profitability.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares US Stem Cell and National Researchs revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

39.7% of National Research shares are owned by institutional investors. 16.7% of US Stem Cell shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.5% of National Research shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

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 breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for US Stem Cell and National Research, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

Profitability

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

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.

Receive News & Ratings for US Stem Cell Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for US Stem Cell and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.

More:
Contrasting National Research (NASDAQ:NRC) and US Stem Cell (NASDAQ:USRM) - Slater Sentinel

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Contrasting National Research (NASDAQ:NRC) and US Stem Cell (NASDAQ:USRM) – Slater Sentinel | January 25th, 2020

Irving Weissman and Joseph McCune, Opinion contributors Published 7:00 a.m. ET Jan. 24, 2020

Severe Trump administration restrictions mean millions of Americans of all political and religious stripes won't benefit from fetal tissue research.

Last summer the Trump administration curtailed federal funding of medical research using human fetal tissue; the new rulestook effect Oct. 1. More recently, the administration addedrestrictions that are even more severe.

Immediately, important work at two NIH-supported labs in Montana and California that are fighting the AIDS epidemic stopped because they were testing new medications against HIV using mice with human immune systems derived from human fetal tissue. In the near term, all National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding of research using fetal tissuewill likely cease.

More than 30years ago, we invented SCID-hu mice for biomedical research on diseases affecting humans, by implanting human fetal blood-forming and immune system tissuesinto mice whose immune systems had been silenced. The implanted immune tissues came from an aborted fetus, and allowed our otherwise immune-deficient mice to exist and be vulnerable to viruses that infect humans.

Tissues from living infants would not have worked;they are too far along in development and nearly impossible to obtain. This mouse model (and later versions of it) became the only living system, outside of a human, in which advanced therapies for diseases like AIDS and other viral infections could be evaluated before they were given to people.

Our work with human fetal tissue proceeded with the highest level of caution and vigilance. We received advice from bioethicists, clergyand government officials, which led to the establishment of strict guidelines that are still used today. No woman was asked or paid to terminate a pregnancy, the termination process was unaltered, and the women were asked for donation of the organs only after they had decided to terminate the pregnancy. Thus, obtaining the fetal tissue for medical research had no impact on ending pregnancies.

Since then, mice with transplanted human fetal tissues have been successfully used by scientists to identify blood stem cells and to devise treatments now availableor in clinical trialsfor cancer, various viral infections, Alzheimers disease, spinal cord injuries, and other diseases of the nervous system. Such diseases kill or cripple many Americans including pregnant women, fetusesand newborn infants. Many of them have only a short window of opportunity wherein a new therapy can treat them, and a delay can be fatal.

National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, on Oct. 21, 2013.(Photo: *, Kyodo)

The Trump administration's new rules are tantamount to a funding ban. In academic labs, the experiments are done by students and fellows in training, and the new rules block any NIH-funded students or fellows from working with human fetal tissue. Those who imposed the banmust bear responsibility for the consequences: People will suffer and die for lack of adequate treatments.

Americans pay the price:Trump administration's 'scientific oppression' threatens US safety and innovation

At a December 2018 meeting at NIH,after hearing scientific evidence about alternative research methods such as the use of adult cells, experts concluded that the use of fetal tissue is uniquely valuable. Nonetheless, the administration severely restricted the use of fetal tissue, thereby denying millions of Americans the fruits of such research Americans of all political stripes, since deadly viruses and cancers do not care who you vote for.

These restrictions subvert the NIH mission, which is to advance medicine and protect the nations health. To the extent that it was motivated by the religious beliefs of those in charge, it bluntly transgresses the American principle of separation of church and state. As a result, both believers and non-believers will die.

Of course, all who take the Hippocratic Oathto "do no harm,"which includes all medical doctors, will always offer and deliver all types of therapies that are available.

Restricting science: Trump EPA's cynical 'transparency' ploy would set back pollution science and public health

However, we believe that thoseresponsible forthis de facto ban, and perhapsthose who agree with them, should personally accept its consequences. We challenge them tobe true to their beliefs. They should pledge to never accept any cancer therapy, any AIDS medication, any cardiac drug, any lung disease treatment, any Alzheimers therapy, or any other medical advance that was developed using fetal tissue including our mice. Its a long list, one that you can learn about from us here. Should this apply to you, be faithful and be bold: Take the pledge.

Irving Weissman is a Professor of Pathology and Developmental Biology and the Director of the Stanford Institute of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine and Ludwig Center for Cancer Stem Cell at Stanford University School of Medicine. Joseph McCune is Professor Emeritus of Medicine from the Division of Experimental Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. The views expressed here are solely their own.

Autoplay

Show Thumbnails

Show Captions

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2020/01/24/trump-fetal-tissue-research-ban-hurts-all-americans-column/4553379002/

Go here to read the rest:
If you want to ban fetal tissue research, sign a pledge to refuse its benefits - USA TODAY

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on If you want to ban fetal tissue research, sign a pledge to refuse its benefits – USA TODAY | January 25th, 2020

EL PASO, Texas -- Biomedical research scientists from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and The University of Texas at El Paso are partnering up to send "artificial mini-hearts" to the International Space Station to better understand how microgravity affects the function of the human heart.

The three-year project, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the space station's U.S. National Laboratory, brings together TTUHSC El Paso faculty scientist Munmun Chattopadhyay, Ph.D., and UTEP biomedical engineer Binata Joddar, Ph.D. The researchers will collaborate in their Earth-bound labs to create tiny (less than 1 millimeter thick) heart-tissue structures, known as cardiac organoids, using human stem cells and 3D bioprinting technology.

By exposing the organoids to the near-weightless environment of the orbiting space station, the researchers hope to gain a better understanding of a health condition known as cardiac atrophy, which is a reduction and weakening of heart tissue. Cardiac atrophy often affects astronauts who spend long periods of time in microgravity. A weakened heart muscle has difficulty pumping blood to the body, and can lead to problems such as fainting, irregular heartbeat, heart valve problems and even heart failure. Cardiac atrophy is also associated with chronic disease.

The first year of the project, which began in September, will focus on research design. During this phase, Dr. Joddar will use 3D printing to fabricate the cardiac organoids by coupling cardiac cells in physiological ratios to mimic heart tissue. The second year will be centered on preparing the organoid payload for a rocket launch and mission in space. The third and final year of the research will involve analyzing data from the experiment after the organoids are returned to Earth.

The project will also provide an educational opportunity for the El Paso community, with a workshop for K-12 students to learn about tissue engineering projects on the space station. It will also include a seminar for medical students, interns and residents about the benefits and challenges of transitioning research from Earth-based laboratories into space.

Read the original here:
El Paso scientists team up for heart research project at the International Space Station - KVIA El Paso

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on El Paso scientists team up for heart research project at the International Space Station – KVIA El Paso | January 25th, 2020

In 2019, the Stem Cell Therapy market is spectated to surpass ~US$ xx Mn/Bn with a CAGR of xx% over the forecast period. The Stem Cell Therapy market clicked a value of ~US$ xx Mn/Bn in 2018. Region is expected to account for a significant market share, where the Stem Cell Therapy market size is projected to inflate with a CAGR of xx% during the forecast period.

In the Stem Cell Therapy market research study, 2018 is considered as the base year, and 2019-2019 is considered as the forecast period to predict the market size. Important regions emphasized in the report include region 1 (country 1, country2), region 2 (country 1, country2), and region 3 (country 1, country2).

Request Sample Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=B&rep_id=1787&source=atm

Global Stem Cell Therapy market report on the basis of market players

The report examines each Stem Cell Therapy market player according to its market share, production footprint, and growth rate. SWOT analysis of the players (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) has been covered in this report. Further, the Stem Cell Therapy market study depicts the recent launches, agreements, R&D projects, and business strategies of the market players including

Key Trends

The key factors influencing the growth of the global stem cell therapy market are increasing funds in the development of new stem lines, the advent of advanced genomic procedures used in stem cell analysis, and greater emphasis on human embryonic stem cells. As the traditional organ transplantations are associated with limitations such as infection, rejection, and immunosuppression along with high reliance on organ donors, the demand for stem cell therapy is likely to soar. The growing deployment of stem cells in the treatment of wounds and damaged skin, scarring, and grafts is another prominent catalyst of the market.

On the contrary, inadequate infrastructural facilities coupled with ethical issues related to embryonic stem cells might impede the growth of the market. However, the ongoing research for the manipulation of stem cells from cord blood cells, bone marrow, and skin for the treatment of ailments including cardiovascular and diabetes will open up new doors for the advancement of the market.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Market Potential

A number of new studies, research projects, and development of novel therapies have come forth in the global market for stem cell therapy. Several of these treatments are in the pipeline, while many others have received approvals by regulatory bodies.

In March 2017, Belgian biotech company TiGenix announced that its cardiac stem cell therapy, AlloCSC-01 has successfully reached its phase I/II with positive results. Subsequently, it has been approved by the U.S. FDA. If this therapy is well- received by the market, nearly 1.9 million AMI patients could be treated through this stem cell therapy.

Another significant development is the granting of a patent to Israel-based Kadimastem Ltd. for its novel stem-cell based technology to be used in the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other similar conditions of the nervous system. The companys technology used for producing supporting cells in the central nervous system, taken from human stem cells such as myelin-producing cells is also covered in the patent.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Regional Outlook

The global market for stem cell therapy can be segmented into Asia Pacific, North America, Latin America, Europe, and the Middle East and Africa. North America emerged as the leading regional market, triggered by the rising incidence of chronic health conditions and government support. Europe also displays significant growth potential, as the benefits of this therapy are increasingly acknowledged.

Asia Pacific is slated for maximum growth, thanks to the massive patient pool, bulk of investments in stem cell therapy projects, and the increasing recognition of growth opportunities in countries such as China, Japan, and India by the leading market players.

Global Stem Cell Therapy Market: Competitive Analysis

Several firms are adopting strategies such as mergers and acquisitions, collaborations, and partnerships, apart from product development with a view to attain a strong foothold in the global market for stem cell therapy.

Some of the major companies operating in the global market for stem cell therapy are RTI Surgical, Inc., MEDIPOST Co., Ltd., Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., NuVasive, Inc., Pharmicell Co., Ltd., Anterogen Co., Ltd., JCR Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., and Holostem Terapie Avanzate S.r.l.

Report available at a discounted price exclusively!!! Offer ends today!!!

Request For Discount On This Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=D&rep_id=1787&source=atm

The Stem Cell Therapy market report answers the following queries:

The Stem Cell Therapy market report provides the below-mentioned information:

Customize This Report @ https://www.tmrresearch.com/sample/sample?flag=CR&rep_id=1787&source=atm

Research Methodology of Stem Cell Therapy Market Report

The global Stem Cell Therapy market study covers the estimation size of the market both in terms of value (Mn/Bn USD) and volume (x units). Both top-down and bottom-up approaches have been used to calculate and authenticate the market size of the Stem Cell Therapy market, and predict the scenario of various sub-markets in the overall market. Primary and secondary research has been thoroughly performed to analyze the prominent players and their market share in the Stem Cell Therapy market. Further, all the numbers, segmentation, and shares have been gathered using authentic primary and secondary sources.

Here is the original post:
Soaring Demand for Clean-label Food Products to Trigger the Growth of the Stem Cell Therapy Market 2017 2025 - Fusion Science Academy

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Soaring Demand for Clean-label Food Products to Trigger the Growth of the Stem Cell Therapy Market 2017 2025 – Fusion Science Academy | January 24th, 2020

Global Mafura Butter Market Report Market Size, Share, Price, Trends and Forecast is a professional and in-depth study on the current state of the global Mafura Butter industry.

The report also covers segment data, including: type segment, industry segment, channel segment etc. cover different segment market size, both volume and value. The compilation also covers information about clients from different industries, which is very important for the manufacturers.

There are 4 key segments covered in this Mafura Butter market report: competitor segment, product type segment, end use/application segment, and geography segment.

Request Sample Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/sample/6309?source=atm

Quantifiable data:-

Geographically, this report studies the top producers and consumers, focuses on product capacity, production, value, consumption, market share and growth opportunity in these key regions, covering North America, Europe, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, India Companies

The information for each competitor includes:

* Company Profile

* Main Business Information

* SWOT Analysis

* Sales, Revenue, Price, and Gross Margin

* Market Share

Send Enquiry On This Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/enquiry/264?source=atm

key players and product offerings

MRR.BIZ has been compiled in-depth market research data in the report after exhaustive primary and secondary research. Our team of able, experienced in-house analysts has collated the information through personal interviews and study of industry databases, journals, and reputable paid sources.

The report provides the following information:

Tailwinds and headwinds molding the markets trajectory Market segments based on products, technology, and applications Prospects of each segment Overall current and possible future size of the market

The main aim of the report is to:

MRR.BIZ is a leading provider of strategic market research. Our vast repository consists research reports, data books, company profiles, and regional market data sheets. We regularly update the data and analysis of a wide-ranging products and services around the world. As readers, you will have access to the latest information on almost 300 industries and their sub-segments. Both large Fortune 500 companies and SMEs have found those useful. This is because we customize our offerings keeping in mind the specific requirements of our clients.

Important key questions answered in Mafura Butter market report:

What will the market growth rate, overview, and analysis by type of global Mafura Butter in 2029?

What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the drivers, challenges, and business risks in Mafura Butter market?

What is dynamics, this overview includes analysis of scope and price analysis of top manufacturers profiles?

What are the opportunities, risks, and the driving forces behind of Mafura Butter market? What are the major upstream raw materials sourcing and downstream buyers?

What is the business overview by type, applications, gross margin, and market shares?

What are the opportunities and threats faced by manufacturers in the global Mafura Butter market?

Check Discount On This Report @ https://www.marketresearchreports.biz/sample/checkdiscount/6309?source=atm

Excerpt from:
Polyaspartic Coatings Market Insights on Revenue Analysis and Competitive Intelligence Study By 2026 : Key Players are Covestro AG; The...

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Polyaspartic Coatings Market Insights on Revenue Analysis and Competitive Intelligence Study By 2026 : Key Players are Covestro AG; The… | January 24th, 2020

TheFabric Refresher Markethas grown exponentially in the last few years and this trend is projected to continue following the same trend until 2026. Based on the industrial chain, Fabric Refresher Market report mainly elaborates the definition, types, applications and major players of Fabric Refresher market in details. Deep analysis about market status (2014-2020), enterprise competition pattern, advantages and disadvantages of enterprise products, industry development trends (2020-2026), regional industrial layout characteristics and macroeconomic policies, industrial policy has also be included.

Access Sample Copy of this Reporthttps://www.orianresearch.com/request-sample/735942

From raw materials to downstream buyers of this industry will be analyzed scientifically, the feature of product circulation and sales channel will be presented as well. In a word, this report will help you to establish a panorama of industrial development and characteristics of the Fabric Refresher market.

Geographically,the global Fabric Refresher market is segmented into North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East & Africa and South America. This report forecasts revenue growth at a global, regional & country level, and provides an analysis of the market trends in each of the sub-segments from 2020 to 2026.

The information for each competitor includes:* Company Profile* Main Business Information* SWOT Analysis* Sales, Revenue, Price and Gross Margin* Market Share

Global Fabric Refresher Industry 2020 Market Research Report is spread across 114pages and provides exclusive vital statistics, data, information, trends and competitive landscape details in this niche sector.

The report also includesa discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. Some of the leading players in the global Fabric Refresher market are:

Whirlpool, P&G (Febreze), Astonish, Kao, Duskin, SC Johnson (Deb Group), PDQ Manufacturing, Hunan Taitang Nano Science & Technology,

Order a Copy of Global Fabric Refresher Market Report 2020 @https://www.orianresearch.com/checkout/735942

Segment by Type:

CanBottle

Segment by Application

HomeBusiness OfficesRestaurants

This report focuses on Fabric Refresher volume and value at global level, regional level and company level. From a global perspective, this report represents overall Fabric Refresher market size by analyzing historical data and future prospect. Regionally, this report focuses on several key regions: North America, Europe, China and Japan. At company level, this report focuses on the production capacity, ex-factory price, revenue and market share for each manufacturer covered in this report.

The report is useful in providing answers to several critical questions that are important for the industry stakeholders such as manufacturers and partners, end users, etc., besides allowing them in strategizing investments and capitalizing on market opportunities.

Key Target Audience are: Manufacturers of Fabric Refresher Raw material suppliers Market research and consulting firms Government bodies such as regulating authorities and policy makers Organizations, forums and alliances related to Fabric Refresher

Major Points from Table of Contents1 Report Overview1.1 Study Scope1.2 Key Market Segments1.3 Players Covered1.4 Market Analysis by Type1.4.1 Global Fabric Refresher Market Size Growth Rate by Type (2014-2026)1.5 Market by Application1.5.1 Global Fabric Refresher Market Share by Application (2014-2026)1.5.2 Large Enterprises1.5.3 SMEs1.6 Study Objectives1.7 Years Considered

2 Global Growth Trends2.1 Fabric Refresher Market Size2.2 Fabric Refresher Growth Trends by Regions2.2.1 Fabric Refresher Market Size by Regions (2014-2026)2.2.2 Fabric Refresher Market Share by Regions (2014-2020)2.3 Industry Trends2.3.1 Market Top Trends2.3.2 Market Drivers2.3.3 Market Opportunities

3 Market Share by Key Players3.1 Fabric Refresher Market Size by Manufacturers3.1.1 Global Fabric Refresher Revenue by Manufacturers (2014-2020)3.1.2 Global Fabric Refresher Revenue Market Share by Manufacturers (2014-2020)3.1.3 Global Fabric Refresher Market Concentration Ratio (CR5 and HHI)3.2 Fabric Refresher Key Players Head office and Area Served3.3 Key Players Fabric Refresher Product/Solution/Service3.4 Date of Enter into Fabric Refresher Market3.5 Mergers & Acquisitions, Expansion Plans

4 Breakdown Data by Type and Application4.1 Global Fabric Refresher Market Size by Type (2014-2020)4.2 Global Fabric Refresher Market Size by Application (2014-2020)

5 United States5.1 United States Fabric Refresher Market Size (2014-2020)5.2 Fabric Refresher Key Players in United States5.3 United States Fabric Refresher Market Size by Type5.4 United States Fabric Refresher Market Size by Application

6 Europe6.1 Europe Fabric Refresher Market Size (2014-2020)6.2 Fabric Refresher Key Players in Europe6.3 Europe Fabric Refresher Market Size by Type6.4 Europe Fabric Refresher Market Size by Application

7 China7.1 China Fabric Refresher Market Size (2014-2020)7.2 Fabric Refresher Key Players in China7.3 China Fabric Refresher Market Size by Type7.4 China Fabric Refresher Market Size by Application

8 Japan

8.1 Japan Fabric Refresher Market Size (2014-2020)8.2 Fabric Refresher Key Players in Japan8.3 Japan Fabric Refresher Market Size by Type8.4 Japan Fabric Refresher Market Size by Application

9 Southeast Asia9.1 Southeast Asia Fabric Refresher Market Size (2014-2020)9.2 Fabric Refresher Key Players in Southeast Asia9.3 Southeast Asia Fabric Refresher Market Size by Type9.4 Southeast Asia Fabric Refresher Market Size by Application

Continued

The projections featured in the report have been derived using proven research methodologies and assumptions. By doing so, the research report serves as a repository of analysis and information for every facet of the market, including but not limited to: regional markets, product, and application.

About Us

Orian Researchis one of the most comprehensive collections of market intelligence reports on the World Wide Web. Our reports repository boasts of over 500000+ industry and country research reports from over 100 top publishers. We continuously update our repository so as to provide our clients easy access to the worlds most complete and current database of expert insights on global industries, companies, and products. We also specialize in custom research in situations where our syndicate research offerings do not meet the specific requirements of our esteemed clients.

Read this article:
Fabric Refresher Market 2020 Demand Analysis, Production, Revenue and Industry Share of Manufacturer - Fusion Science Academy

Cardiac Stem Cells Comments Off on Fabric Refresher Market 2020 Demand Analysis, Production, Revenue and Industry Share of Manufacturer – Fusion Science Academy | January 24th, 2020