Contrary to what you've probably (definitely) read on the internet, there is at least one benefit to the month with an average national contiguous temperature of 32 degrees. It is that you are automatically granted the excuse to send that "raincheck? lol" text any chilly evening you so choose, and instead snuggle up with your ugliest jogger sweatpants, a glass of Rioja, and brand-new skincare products. (It's called self-care, look it up.)

With the plethora of face creams, cleansers, serums, treatments, and oils hitting the market this February, however, it can be hard to decide which formulas are truly deserving of your Friday night. That's why we've asked our beauty editors to share their favorite at-home spa-day indulgences ahead, so you can stock up on the skincare products worth canceling all your plans for this month. (Well, at least until your friends start responding with the eye roll emoji.)

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17 Brand-New Skincare Products Our Editors Are Using to the Very Last Drop This Month - POPSUGAR

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on 17 Brand-New Skincare Products Our Editors Are Using to the Very Last Drop This Month – POPSUGAR | February 4th, 2020

I think it was around the time I was in high school that I learned that people were using stem cells to repair otherwise diseased organs. Science is crazy, right? But now, I see plant stem cells touted as skin-care ingredients in beauty productsall the timeand immediately my mind goes back to the laboratories. WTF are they actually?

The term stem cells is a generic phrase which refers to a special type of cell in an organism that can develop into many different types of cells, explains cosmetic chemist Perry Romanowski. Embryonic stem cells can be developed into all types of human cells like nerve cells, skin cells, muscle cells, etc. Its important to know that these are human cells that are specific to an individual.

In laymans terms, theyre undifferentiated cells that have not chosen a path as to what cells they are going to be yet, adds Purvisha Patel, MD, board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. More specifically, however, Im looking at plant stem cellswhich are different, but have somewhat similar functions. In plants, these cells live in the meristems of plants, says Dr. Patel. They help and regenerate live plants after they have an injury.

The similarity comes in how the cells act, though. Stem cells have the ability to self renew and self repair, just like human stem cells, says Ginger King, cosmetic chemist. The difference is that the plant ones actually have stronger antioxidant properties than human cells because plants are stationary. They have to protect themselves from the insults of weather.

Thats where the benefits to your skin come into playthese cellular components of plants are packed with antioxidants, which helps your skin to fend off free radicals that might otherwise aim to damage it. Plant stem cell benefits to the skin include anti-aging, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, says King.

These cellular components of plants are protective, and that translates when you apply one to your face.

But while we use the term stem cell it doesnt necessarily mean theyre alive like in the lab. When in skin-care products, the stem cells are not live, but you get the same benefits of antioxidants, amino acid content, and ability to boost collagen synthesis from these stem cell extracts, says King.

Original studies on plant stem cells on skin came using Swiss apple stem cells, according to Dr. Patel. Stem cell extracts were found to reverse the aging process of cultured fibroblasts, she explains. One of the first specific studies showed a decrease in the appearance of crows feet after extract administration. Other studies have followed, and it seems that the major benefit of plant stem cells is in the repair of the skin. These extracts may be beneficial as an anti-aging agent, especially if mixed with tissue exfoliating agents such as retinol, bakuchiol and alpha-hydroxy acids.

That said, even though experts affirm the skin benefits of plant stem cells, Romanowski says to take it with a grain of salt: In my opinion, stem cells are put into cosmetics because consumers hear the words stem cells and think it must refer to some type of advanced biomedical technology, he says. In reality, theyre just plant extracts, albeit super potent ones in many cases.

To find them on beauty product labels, King says to look for the words cell culture extract. Or the packaging will market it as a main ingredient. Product labels will usually have words stem cell on the product to show that they have the extract in them, says Dr. Patel. Other words such as phyto cells, plant extracts, and fruit extracts may be used on the label as well. Remember as with all skin-care ingredients, not all products are created equal and not all plants show efficacy with their stem cells. Look for brands that have clinical trials and results to back up the claims.

To shop the plant stem cell extracts for your own regimen, Ive rounded up some of the most noteworthy products, below.

Other ingredients to add to your skin-care regimen include some form of retinol, along with a trusty vitamin C serum.

Original post:
The low-down on plant stem cells in skin care | Well+Good

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on The low-down on plant stem cells in skin care | Well+Good | February 3rd, 2020

During his teen years, Longview native Heath Jordan said, he struggled with skin problems such as rosacea and acne.

Ive always had fair skin, he said, and he sought treatment at a dermatologist. I had a lot of blemishes and outbreaks.

He didnt let his conditions get under his skin. Jordan, 25, said challenges with his own skin inspired him to launch Tend + Temple out of his home in Forth Worth while pursuing a business degree at Texas Christian University.

That was a natural choice for me, he said of the business idea. I learned about skin care.

Jordan, son of Charlotte Hatley and the late Ken Jordan, said he came up with the name for his fledgling business after consulting a branding company that also devised a marketing plan.

He has developed three products with a chemist and dermatologist: a moisturizer, retinol mask (with a Vitamin A formula) and a facial cleanser.

All the products are contained in a tube and use plant stem cells and organic aloe, Jordan said. He also uses exotic ingredients such as snow algae and sea buckthorn oil.

Jordan said his skin-care line will be helpful for both men and women, athletes and people with a variety of skin types.

He plans to market the products at first to three target demographic groups: active-military or veterans (Jordan served in the Air Force), people on the go such as millennials and members of the LGBTQ community. He said he will offer discounts to teachers, active-duty military, veterans and first responders.

Im already talking to some businesses about eventually carrying the brand, he said. Online marketing will come later, then theyll be going into independent pharmacies and medical spas.

Jordan said he plans to formally launch Tend + Temple in June, but first he has to raise financing. Hes launched a campaign on the online fundraising tool Kickstarter that closes at 11:59 p.m. Feb. 29. His goal is raising $60,000.

That will complete the launch and get everything ready and stuff, Jordan said. Ive been using my own money.

If he does not raise the full amount through Kickstarter, Jordan said he would return the money to the contributors. However, he is determined to get his business going, and cited growing up with parents who encouraged ambitions.

There was nothing I could never do, they always kind of instilled in me and my sister (Mackenzie), he said.

His Spanish teacher at Pine Tree High School, Jenny Enriquez, said she recalls Jordan as being a hard worker.

I do not think Spanish was his favorite subject, said Enriquez, now a stay-at-home mom who has remained in touch with Jordan. Even if he struggled with the materials, he was always one of those students who was determined. He was going to get the grade he wanted.

Enriquez said Jordan stayed after class and sought extra credit.

And he remains determined. He joined the Air Force four days after graduating from high school and served six and a half years as a medic before his discharge. He now is a sophomore at TCU.

Once launched, he said, his plan is to expand the skin-care line over the next five years.

Id eventually like to branch off into other product categories such as food and beverages, Jordan said.

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College student from Longview seeks to make the grade with skin-care startup - Longview News-Journal

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on College student from Longview seeks to make the grade with skin-care startup – Longview News-Journal | February 3rd, 2020

Legends from around the world feature characters whose sadness turns their hair grey overnight. Bizarre as they appear to be, those stories actually include an element of truth. Researchers at Harvard University confirmed that stress can indeed lead to grey hair and discovered the reasons behind it.

In a study published in Nature, the authors found that the nerve cells involved in the fight-or-flight response cause permanent damage to the pigment-regenerating stem cells in hair follicles in mice. This finding advances our understanding of how stress impacts the hair, moving researchers one step closer to blocking its negative effects.

To discover the cause of grey hair, researchers tested and eliminated different possible sources. They initially hypothesized immune attacks on pigment-producing cells were the cause, but mice without immune cells were still susceptible to grey hair.

They proceeded to other theories such as cortisol, the hormone elevated by stress. The theory of cortisol was disproved by further experiments on mice. After the mice lost their abilities to produce cortisol, they could still grow grey hairs under stress.

After several rounds of the process of elimination, the scientists landed on the sympathetic nerve system, which is responsible for the body's fight-or-flight response, as the culprit. Sympathetic nerves branch out into every hair follicle on the skin. When stressed, the nerves will release chemicals that are taken up by nearby stem cells, activating them into pigment-generating cells used to color the hair. An excess amount of pigment-generating cells will be activated when under stress, and the pigment reservoirs of these cells will be prematurely depleted. Once depleted, there are no longer cells that can color ones hair.

This finding helps scientists move towards moderating or blocking the effects of stress. In stressful environments, people are going to get grey hair at an earlier age. Currently, there are over 1.5 million posts with the hashtag #Greyhair on Instagram, and research in 2018 shows that 32 percent of British women under the age of 30 have already started to go grey. Indeed, grey hair is beginning to impact even those in their 20s. Even though factors like nutrition, medication, and genetics also play essential roles in greying hair, stress might have the greatest impact overall.

The relationship between stress, hair, and stem cells could also lead to new discoveries about how stress affects organ functions and blood vessels in comparison to stem cells. Scientists across many disciplines hope to ultimately exploit this relationship to find a way to control stem cells.

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Stressful situations cause grey hair - CMU The Tartan Online

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Stressful situations cause grey hair – CMU The Tartan Online | February 3rd, 2020

John T Lear,1 Axel Hauschild,2 Eggert Stockfleth,3 Nicholas Squittieri,4 Nicole Basset-Seguin,5 Reinhard Dummer6

1Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK; 2Klinik Fr Dermatologie, Venerologie Und Allergologie Universittsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Germany; 3Universittshautklinik Bochum, Bochum, Germany; 4Sun Pharmaceutical Industries, Inc., Princeton, NJ, USA; 5Department of Dermatology, Hpital Saint Louis, Paris, France; 6Skin Cancer Center University Hospital, Zrich, Switzerland

Correspondence: John T LearUniversity of Manchester, 46 Grafton Street, Manchester M13 9NT, UKTel +44 161 276 4173Fax +44 161 276 8881Email john.lear@srft.nhs.uk

Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS), or Gorlin syndrome, is a rare hereditary disease characterized by the development of multiple cutaneous basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) from a young age.1 Loss-of-function germline mutations in the hedgehog-related patched 1 (PTCH1) tumor suppressor gene are the most common cause of NBCCS.1 The hedgehog signaling pathway plays a major role in embryonic development, and in adulthood, is involved in the renewal and maintenance of distinct tissues, including hair follicles, muscle stem cells, and gastric epithelium.2 Its abnormal activation is thought to drive the formation of both sporadic BCCs and those resulting from NBCCS.1 Patients with NBCCS inherit one inactive copy of PTCH1 and then acquire a second-hit mutation, resulting in hedgehog pathway activation and BCC formation.1 Mutations in Suppressor of fused (SUFU) or the PTCH1 homolog PTCH2 have also been found in a subset of patients meeting criteria for NBCCS.1,3

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Efficacy and Safety of Sonidegib in Adult Patients with Nevoid Basal C | CCID - Dove Medical Press

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Efficacy and Safety of Sonidegib in Adult Patients with Nevoid Basal C | CCID – Dove Medical Press | February 3rd, 2020

The market analysis and insights included in the Cosmetic Skin Care market report presents key statistics on the market status of global and regional manufacturers and is an essential source of guidance which provides right direction to the companies and individuals interested in the industry. To prosper in this competitive market place, businesses are highly benefited if they adopt innovative solutions such as this Cosmetic Skin Care market research report. This wide-ranging market research report acts as a backbone for the success of business in any sector. The market drivers and restraints have been explained in the report with the use of SWOT analysis.

Global cosmetic skin care market is set to witness a substantial CAGR of 5.5% in the forecast period of 2019- 2026. The report contains data of the base year 2018 and historic year 2017. Increasing self-consciousness among population and rising demand for anti- aging skin care products are the factor for the market growth.

Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market By Product (Anti-Aging Cosmetic Products, Skin Whitening Cosmetic Products, Sensitive Skin Care Products, Anti-Acne Products, Dry Skin Care Products, Warts Removal Products, Infant Skin Care Products, Anti-Scars Solution Products, Mole Removal Products, Multi Utility Products), Application (Flakiness Reduction, Stem Cells Protection against UV, Rehydrate the skins surface, Minimize wrinkles, Increase the viscosity of Aqueous, Others), Gender (Men, Women), Distribution Channel (Online, Departmental Stores and Convenience Stores, Pharmacies, Supermarket, Others), Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2026 ;

Complete report on Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market Research Report 2019-2026 spread across 350 Pages, profiling Top companies and supports with tables and figures

Market Definition: Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market

Cosmetic skin care is a variety of products which are used to improve the skins appearance and alleviate skin conditions. It consists different products such as anti- aging cosmetic products, sensitive skin care products, anti- scar solution products, warts removal products, infant skin care products and other. They contain various ingredients which are beneficial for the skin such as phytochemicals, vitamins, essential oils, and other. Their main function is to make the skin healthy and repair the skin damages.

Key Questions Answered in Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market Report:-

Our Report offers:-

Top Key Players:

Market Drivers:

Market Restraints:

Key Developments in the Market:

Customize report of Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market as per customers requirement also available.

Market Segmentations:

Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market is segmented on the basis of

Market Segmentations in Details:

By Product

By Application

By Gender

By Distribution Channel

By Geography

North America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

South America

Middle East & Africa

Competitive Analysis: Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market

Global cosmetic skin care market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of cosmetic skin care market for Global, Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.

About Data Bridge Market Research:

Data Bridge Market Researchset forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.

Contact:

Data Bridge Market Research

Tel: +1-888-387-2818

Email: [emailprotected]

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Cosmetic Skin Care Market Enhancement And Its growth prospects forecast 2019 to 2026 - Dagoretti News

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Cosmetic Skin Care Market Enhancement And Its growth prospects forecast 2019 to 2026 – Dagoretti News | February 3rd, 2020

At left, image shows white blood cells (red) from one of the X-CGD clinical trial participants before gene therapy. At right, after gene therapy, white blood cells from the same patient show the presence of the chemicals (blue) needed to attack and destroy bacteria and fungus.

UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center/Nature Medicine

University of California - Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers are part of an international team that reported the use of a stem cell gene therapy to treat nine people with the rare, inherited blood disease known as X-linked chronic granulomatous disease, or X-CGD. Six of those patients are now in remission and have stopped other treatments. Before now, people with X-CGDwhich causes recurrent infections, prolonged hospitalizations for treatment, and a shortened lifespanhad to rely on bone marrow donations for a chance at remission.

"With this gene therapy, you can use a patient's own stem cells instead of donor cells for a transplant," said Dr. Donald Kohn, a member of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA and a senior author of the new paper, published Jan. 28 in the journal Nature Medicine. "This means the cells are perfectly matched to the patient and it should be a much safer transplant, without the risks of rejection."

People with chronic granulomatous disease, or CGD, have a genetic mutation in one of five genes that help white blood cells attack and destroy bacteria and fungus using a burst of chemicals. Without this defensive chemical burst, patients with the disease are much more susceptible to infections than most people. The infections can be severe to life-threatening, including infections of the skin or bone and abscesses in organs such as lungs, liver or brain. The most common form of CGD is a subtype called X-CGD, which affects only males and is caused by a mutation in a gene found on the X-chromosome.

Other than treating infections as they occur and taking rotating courses of preventive antibiotics, the only treatment option for people with CGD is to receive a bone marrow transplant from a healthy matched donor. Bone marrow contains stem cells called hematopoietic, or blood-forming, stem cells, which produce white blood cells. Bone marrow from a healthy donor can produce functioning white blood cells that effectively ward off infection. But it can be difficult to identify a healthy matched bone marrow donor and the recovery from the transplant can have complications such as graft versus host disease, and risks of infection and transplant rejection.

"Patients can certainly get better with these bone marrow transplants, but it requires finding a matched donor and even with a match, there are risks," Kohn said. Patients must take anti-rejection drugs for six to 12 months so that their bodies don't attack the foreign bone marrow.

In the new approach, Kohn teamed up with collaborators at the United Kingdom's National Health Service, France-based Genethon, the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, and Boston Children's Hospital. The researchers removed hematopoietic stem cells from X-CGD patients and modified the cells in the laboratory to correct the genetic mutation. Then, the patients' own genetically modified stem cellsnow healthy and able to produce white blood cells that can make the immune-boosting burst of chemicalswere transplanted back into their own bodies. While the approach is new in X-CGD, Kohn previously pioneered a similar stem cell gene therapy to effectively cure a form of severe combined immune deficiency (also known as bubble baby disease) in more than 50 babies.

The viral delivery system for the X-CGD gene therapy was developed and fine-tuned by professor Adrian Thrasher's team at Great Ormond Street Hospital, or GOSH, in London, who collaborated with Kohn. The patients ranged in age from 2 to 27 years old; four were treated at GOSH and five were treated in the US, including one patient at UCLA Health.

Two people in the new study died within three months of receiving the treatment due to severe infections that they had already been battling before gene therapy. The seven surviving patients were followed for 12 to 36 months after receiving the stem cell gene therapy. All remained free of new CGD-related infections, and six of the seven have been able to discontinue their usual preventive antibiotics.

"None of the patients had complications that you might normally see from donor cells and the results were as good as you'd get from a donor transplantor better," Kohn said.

An additional four patients have been treated since the new paper was written; all are currently free of new CGD-related infections and no complications have arisen.

Orchard Therapeutics, a biotechnology company of which Kohn is a scientific co-founder, acquired the rights to the X-CGD investigational gene therapy from Genethon. Orchard will work with regulators in the US and Europe to carry out a larger clinical trial to further study this innovative treatment. The aim is to apply for regulatory approval to make the treatment commercially available, Kohn said.

Kohn and his colleagues plan to develop similar treatments for the other forms of CGDcaused by four other genetic mutations that affect the same immune function as X-CGD.

"Beyond CGD, there are also other diseases caused by proteins missing in white blood cells that could be treated in similar ways," Kohn said.

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6 Patients with Rare Blood Disease Doing Well after Gene Therapy Clinical Trial - Lab Manager Magazine

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on 6 Patients with Rare Blood Disease Doing Well after Gene Therapy Clinical Trial – Lab Manager Magazine | February 2nd, 2020

An intriguing experiment has led researchers to conclude that people who develop early-onset Parkinsons disease between the age of 21 and 50 may have been born with abnormal brain cells that go undetected for decades.

These disordered cells allow gradual accumulation of the -synuclein protein that forms abnormal deposits in the brain, and dysregulated lysosomal proteins that ordinarily play a role in clearing abnormal proteins from cells.

The researchers from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center say they are investigating an FDA approved skin cancer drug they believe might help correct these abnormalities before they become symptomatic.

In other words, they suggest that early-onset Parkinsons the form of the disease that Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with at the age of 29 may be treatable or even prevented. Its an astonishing claim.

To perform the study, the research team generate pluripotent stem cells master cells that can potentially produce any cell or tissue the body needs to repair itself from blood cells of three patients with young-onset Parkinsons disease.

The patients were aged 30-39 and had no known familial history of the disease and no Parkinsons disease mutations.

When generated in the laboratory, these master cells called induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In their experiment, the Cedars-Sinai researchers described this process as taking adult blood cells back in time to a primitive embryonic state.

The team used the stem cells to produce dopamine neurons from each patient and then cultured them in a dish and analysed the neurons functions.

In Parkinsons patients, brain neurons that make dopamine a neurotransmitter that works to coordinate muscle movement become impaired or die.

Our technique gave us a window back in time to see how well the dopamine neurons might have functioned from the very start of a patients life, said Dr Clive Svendsen, PhD, director of the Cedars-Sinai Board of Governors Regenerative Medicine Institute, and the studys senior author.

According to a statement from Cedars-Sinai, the researchers detected two key abnormalities in the dopamine neurons in the dish:

Dr Svendsen said the experiment allowed the researchers to see the very first signs of young-onset Parkinsons.

It appears that dopamine neurons in these individuals may continue to mishandle alpha-synuclein over a period of 20 or 30 years, causing Parkinsons symptoms to emerge.

The investigators went further, using their iPSC to test a number of drugs that might reverse the lab-born abnormalities.

They found that that one drug, PEP005 already approved by the Food and Drug Administration for treating pre-cancers of the skin reduced the elevated levels of alpha-synuclein in both the dopamine neurons in the dish and in laboratory mice.

The drug also countered another abnormality they found in the patients dopamine neurons elevated levels of an active version of an enzyme called protein kinase C. However, the role of this enzyme version in Parkinsons is not clear.

The drug PEP005 is only available in gel form and the researchers plans to investigate how it might be delivered to the brain to potentially treat or prevent young-onset Parkinsons.

In Parkinsons disease, the symptoms including slowness of movement, rigid muscles, tremors, loss of balance and impaired mood control get worse over time. In most cases, the exact cause of neuron failure is unclear, and there is no known cure.

Just about every week, a new insight into the disease is published. Last week, The New Daily reported on new research that found living less than 50 metres from a major road or less than 150 metres from a highway has been linked to significantly higher incidence of dementia and Parkinsons disease.

In 2018, we published an exciting Australian study that suggested subject to clinical testing the inflammation of the brain that causes so much of the progressive damage in Parkinsons disease (PD) could be halted by taking a single pill each day.

Both these studies might eventually prove to be correct. But its a long wait for the more than 10 million sufferers worldwide and their families.

This latest study could be a game-changer. But it could just as easily wither on the vine. Still, better to take heart than not.

Most patients are 60 or older when they are diagnosed, about 10 per cent are between 21 and 50 years old. .

Young-onset Parkinsons is especially heartbreaking because it strikes people at the prime of life, said Dr Michele Tagliati, director of the Movement Disorders Program, vice chair and professor in the Department of Neurology at Cedars-Sinai, and co-author of the study.

This exciting new research provides hope that one day we may be able to detect and take early action to prevent this disease in at-risk individuals.

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Early onset Parkinsons might begin in the womb: Prevention a possibility - The New Daily

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Early onset Parkinsons might begin in the womb: Prevention a possibility – The New Daily | February 2nd, 2020

NEW BEDFORD The New Bedford Fire Department is mourning the death of one of their own.

On Monday morning Russ Horn, who worked for the department for over 30 years, died of occupational cancer, according to the president of New Bedford Firefighters Union, Billy Sylvia.

Sylvia said Horn, who was in his 50s, was forced to retire from the department after being diagnosed with multiple myeloma.

According to a patient blog on the Dana Farber Cancer Institutes website, Horn was diagnosed with cancer of plasma cells in 2014 after a minor slip at work sent him to the emergency room. There they discovered he had two broken ribs and a punctured lung as a result of the cancer already attacking his bones.

After receiving stem cell transplants and participating in clinical trials, Horn retired from the department in 2017.

Firefighters face a 1.53 times greater risk of getting multiple myeloma, according to the Firefighter Cancer Support Network.

Sylvia said he has seen a lot of cancer diagnoses among his colleagues in his 14 years as a firefighter, its adding up really quickly... its more than a handful.

We have active guys dealing with this, we have guys that are contracting it after retirement... studies show how much more susceptible we are, Sylvia said.

Its more than just the smoke theyre breathing thats putting them at risk, according to Sylvia; firefighters also can end up absorbing things through their skin and some of its coming from the gear thats supposed to protect us.

The issue is affecting firefighters across the country, Sylvia said, Were learning more and more, trying to get it under control, but theres still a lot of work that can be done.

Sylvia said Horns family has been proactive about making firefighters aware of their cancer risk and teaching them what to look for and the importance of early cancer screenings.

He was a very strong individual, both mentally and physically, Sylvia said of Horn, Eventually it just took its toll.

In 2019, Horn told Dana-Farber, Id do it all again, referring to his 30 years as a firefighter. This has been really hard, but having the guys behind me 100 percent makes it all a little easier.

Both the New Bedford Fire Department and the union have updated their profile pictures on Facebook to include a black stripe over their logos, honoring Horn.

In a post to the unions Facebook page announcing Horns passing, Sylvia said, Russ was the perfect example of what a firefighter, husband, father, and friend, that anyone could ever be. He was surrounded by his family, friends, brother and sisters firefighters throughout his fight and now beyond.

Sylvia closed the post with, We Love You Russ, Well see you again At the Big One.

On their own Facebook page the New Bedford Fire Department posted, "Our hearts are broken as we learned this morning that our retired brother, FF Russell Horn has lost his brave and courageous battle. We will never forget you and we will keep your family in our thoughts and prayers."

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

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New Bedford firefighter dies of occupational cancer - SouthCoastToday.com

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on New Bedford firefighter dies of occupational cancer – SouthCoastToday.com | February 2nd, 2020

The Cosmetic Skin Care report makes available a thoughtful overview of product specification, technology, product type and production analysis taking into account major factors such as revenue, cost, and gross margin. The report is sure to offer brilliant solution to the challenges and problems faced by industry. This business document comprises of extensive study about miscellaneous market segments and regions, emerging trends, major market drivers, challenges and opportunities in the market. This Cosmetic Skin Care business document also displays the key developments in the industry with respect to current scenario and the approaching advancements.

Global cosmetic skin care market is set to witness a substantial CAGR of 5.5% in the forecast period of 2019- 2026. The report contains data of the base year 2018 and historic year 2017. Increasing self-consciousness among population and rising demand for anti- aging skin care products are the factor for the market growth.

Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market By Product (Anti-Aging Cosmetic Products, Skin Whitening Cosmetic Products, Sensitive Skin Care Products, Anti-Acne Products, Dry Skin Care Products, Warts Removal Products, Infant Skin Care Products, Anti-Scars Solution Products, Mole Removal Products, Multi Utility Products), Application (Flakiness Reduction, Stem Cells Protection against UV, Rehydrate the skins surface, Minimize wrinkles, Increase the viscosity of Aqueous, Others), Gender (Men, Women), Distribution Channel (Online, Departmental Stores and Convenience Stores, Pharmacies, Supermarket, Others), Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, South America, Middle East and Africa) Industry Trends and Forecast to 2026 ;

Complete report on Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market Research Report 2019-2026 spread across 350 Pages, profiling Top companies and supports with tables and figures

Market Definition: Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market

Cosmetic skin care is a variety of products which are used to improve the skins appearance and alleviate skin conditions. It consists different products such as anti- aging cosmetic products, sensitive skin care products, anti- scar solution products, warts removal products, infant skin care products and other. They contain various ingredients which are beneficial for the skin such as phytochemicals, vitamins, essential oils, and other. Their main function is to make the skin healthy and repair the skin damages.

Key Questions Answered in Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market Report:-Our Report offers:-

Top Key Players:

Market Drivers:

Market Restraints:

Key Developments in the Market:

Customize report of Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market as per customers requirement also available.Market Segmentations:Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market is segmented on the basis of

Market Segmentations in Details:By Product

By Application

By Gender

By Distribution Channel

By GeographyNorth America

Europe

Asia-Pacific

South America

Middle East & Africa

Competitive Analysis: Global Cosmetic Skin Care Market

Global cosmetic skin care market is highly fragmented and the major players have used various strategies such as new product launches, expansions, agreements, joint ventures, partnerships, acquisitions, and others to increase their footprints in this market. The report includes market shares of cosmetic skin care market for Global, Europe, North America, Asia-Pacific, South America and Middle East & Africa.

About Data Bridge Market Research:Data Bridge Market Researchset forth itself as an unconventional and neoteric Market research and consulting firm with unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are determined to unearth the best market opportunities and foster efficient information for your business to thrive in the market. Data Bridge endeavors to provide appropriate solutions to the complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process.Contact:Data Bridge Market ResearchTel: +1-888-387-2818Email:corporatesales@databridgemarketresearch.com

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Cosmetic Skin Care Market 2020: Overview, Trends, Opportunities, Impact of Drivers, Key Vendors, Types, Applications, Forecast by Focusing Companies...

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Cosmetic Skin Care Market 2020: Overview, Trends, Opportunities, Impact of Drivers, Key Vendors, Types, Applications, Forecast by Focusing Companies… | February 2nd, 2020

NEW YORK Last month, Cytovia Therapeutics unveiled two partnerships in succession: one with the New York Stem Cell Foundation, and one with Justin Eyquem's laboratory at the University of California, San Francisco. These partnerships, which contain a three-year research agreement between the three institutions, will support Cytovia's foray into developing natural killer (NK) cell-based therapies for cancer.

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Cytovia's CAR NK Alliance With NYSCF, UCSF Aims to Overcome Negative Side Effects of CAR T Drugs - Precision Oncology News

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Cytovia’s CAR NK Alliance With NYSCF, UCSF Aims to Overcome Negative Side Effects of CAR T Drugs – Precision Oncology News | January 31st, 2020

Parkinson's disease comes with slowness, rigidity, tremors, and loss of balance due to an insufficiency of the dopamine that coordinates muscle movement. This disease, of which the rate of diagnosis is rising, occurs when the neurons responsible for producing dopamine malfunction or die. About 500,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson's each year.

Most of the time, Parkinson's disease is a condition of the elderly, diagnosed in people 60 and older. However, about 10% of the time, it's detected in people between 21 and 50. "Young-onset Parkinson's is especially heartbreaking because it strikes people at the prime of life," says Michele Tagliati, an author of a new study from Cedars-Sinai.

The study of brain cells from Parkinson's younger victims has found that the misbehaving neurons are present long before diagnosis typically taking some 20 or 30 years to produce detectable symptoms and may even be present prior to birth. The revelation raises hope for combatting Parkinson's because there's already an approved drug that can mitigate the damage done by the troublemaking neurons before the disease ever appears.

The research is published in the journal Nature Medicine.

Image source: Kateryna Kon/Shutterstock

The authors' investigation began with an examination of neurons based on cells from young-onset Parkinson's (YOPD) patients who had no known mutations. From the cells, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) were generated and differentiated into dishes containing cultures of dopamine neurons. Senior study author Clive Svendsen says, "Our technique gave us a window back in time to see how well the dopamine neurons might have functioned from the very start of a patient's life."

The scientists observed lysosomes within the YOPD neurons malfunctioning. Since lysosomes are counted on as "trash cans" for unnecessary or depleted proteins, the castoff chemicals began to pile up. In particular, substantial accumulations of soluble -synuclein, a protein implicated in different types of Parkinson's, were seen.

Says Svendsen, "What we are seeing using this new model are the very first signs of young-onset Parkinson's,"revealing that, "It appears that dopamine neurons in these individuals may continue to mishandle -synuclein over a period of 20 or 30 years, causing Parkinson's symptoms to emerge."

The researchers also saw unexpectedly high levels of the enzyme protein kinase C in its active form, though what that has to do with Parkinson's, if anything, is unknown.

Image source: sruilk/Shutterstock

The researchers tested a number of drugs on the cultures to see if any might address the observed accumulations of -synuclein. (They performed parallel tests of laboratory mice.) One drug, PEP005, which is already approved by the FDA for treating skin pre-cancers, did effectively reduce the -synuclein buildup, both in the iPSCs and the mice.

Since PEP005 is currently administered in gel form for treating skin, the researchers are now exploring how the drug might be modified so it can be delivered directly to the brain. The team also plans follow-on research to see if their findings apply equally to forms of Parkinson's beyond YOPD.

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Can Parkinsons be prevented as it stealthily develops? - Big Think

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Can Parkinsons be prevented as it stealthily develops? – Big Think | January 31st, 2020

Robots are pathetic. You need only watch a robot soccer fail compilation to see that humans ancient quest to build synthetic replicas of ourselves out of nuts, bolts and wiring has been a bust. Every new, groundbreaking robot inevitably turns out to be an ungodly abomination, either physically inept or utterly incapable of social interaction. Our latest attempt at a full-on humanoid, Sophia, looks like a pre-loved department store mannequin and sounds like a 2007-era chatbot dialed to the VERY DEPRESSED setting. Shed be a walking repudiation of brainless techno-optimism, if she could actually walk.

Even attempts to build simpler, dog-like droids, such as Boston Dynamics Spot, have produced robots barely worthy of the name. They dont look much better than what youd expect from an adult Erector set enthusiasts weekend garage projects. Some people find these things terrifying, but I take my cues from the manufacturers, who seem incredibly proud when one of their creations performs a task as easy as opening a door.

Imitating human intelligence in software has also proven a task more difficult than expected. Despite the well-financed wet dreams of companies like Uber, the automotive industry has begun to quietly admit that truly self-driving cars are going to happen in decades, not just a few years from now. The Blue Brain project, which received a billion euros from the EU in 2013 and promised to simulate a human brain by 2019, did not succeed. Blue Brain seems to have had some success building a 3D atlas of a mouse brain, but the projects supercomputer, which takes up an entire room, is heaving and groaning under the strain of doing the same for a human mind. Valiant efforts to simulate a transparent, one millimetre nematode called C. elegans, ongoing since 2004, have yielded similarly slow progress. C. elegans has 302 neurons. The human brain has 86 billion.

These stuff-ups are endlessly amusing to me. I dont want to mock the engineers who pour thousands of hours into building novelty dogs made of bits of broken toasters, or even the vertiginously arrogant scientists who thought they could simulate the human brain inside a decade. (Inside a decade! I mean, my god!) Well, okay, maybe I do want to mock them. Is it a crime to enjoy watching our cultures systematic over-investment in digital Whiggery get written down in value time and time again?

On the other hand, maybe the people doing this stuff have just figured out that attaching the terms robot or artificial intelligence to whatever youre up to is a great way of attracting investment from rich idiots. Sometimes I feel naive for thinking anyone takes these wild claims seriously, but that is precisely the power of a good ideology. The promises of robotics and AI are so seductive that people suspend their critical faculties. Whether you are a business like Uber striving to eliminate the messy and expensive production input known as human beings, or a normal person desperate for easy transportation or someone to keep your elderly relatives company, the way we talk about robots and AI suggests these smart solutions are just around the corner. Even people with their heads screwed on properly dont seem to understand how credulously the media hypes up their coverage of AI.

What these doomed overreaches represent is a failure to grasp the limits of human knowledge. We dont have a comprehensive idea of how the brain works. There is no solid agreement on what consciousness really is. Is it divine? Is it matter? Can you smoke it? Do these questions even make sense? We dont know the purpose of sleep. We dont know what dreams are for. Sexual dimorphism in the brain remains a mystery. Are you picking up a pattern here? Even the seemingly quotidian mechanical abilities of the human body running, standing, gripping, and so on are not understood with the scientific precision that you might expect. How can you make a convincing replica of something if you dont even know what it is to begin with? We are cosmic toddlers waddling around in daddys shoes, pretending to work at the office by scribbling on the walls in crayon, and then wondering where our paychecks are.

The world is an astonishing place, and the idea that we have in our possession the basic tools needed to understand it is no more credible now than it was in Aristotles day, writes philosopher Thomas Nagel. But accepting this epistemic knuckle sandwich doesnt mean abandoning the pursuit of robotics.

Enter the frogbot, a living machine synthesized by a research team at the Allen Discovery Center at Tufts University in Boston.

Frogbots (called xenobots by their creators, a stupid name I refuse to use), are tiny little artificial animals made out of stem cells from the African clawed frog. They cant do much yet move around on two stumpy legs, carry tiny objects in a pouch but to me, they are stranger and scarier than any robot weve made out of metal and plastic.

A "frogbot" developed by researchers at Tufts University.

There are three basic steps to the frogbot process. First, stem cells that will develop into frog skin and frog heart are grown in a dish. (The proto-heart cells produce rhythmic contractions, which is how the finished frogbots move around.) Second, a computer runs an algorithm that simulates thousands and thousands of different frogbot designs in a virtual environment to see which ones are capable of whatever action you want them to perform. Finally, the designs that are likely to work are physically produced from clusters of stem cells using microsurgery, then let loose in another dish to see what they actually do. So far, they do pretty much whatever we want them to do, within reason.

This is very cool. Even though frogbots are tiny and stupid at the moment, they impress me way more than the conga line of faildroids weve managed to cobble together so far. Of course it makes sense to use materials from existing animals; weve been doing this using selective breeding techniques since the dawn of time. What are pigs or cows or sheep but frogbots built over thousands of years? The key innovation here is modelling selective evolution quickly, instead of standing around like idiots for millenia, waiting for hundreds of generations of dogs to fuck.

It makes perfect sense. Why try to reinvent the wheel when you could simply hijack biological processes that already exist? This is a classically human way of solving a problem, cleverer and yet also lazier than the futile pursuit of purely artificial robotics. A big congratulations to the scientists who figured this out, using only keen wit, a positive attitude, and a gigantic pile of money from the U.S. military research agency.

Yes, naturally this exciting new field of science is being used to develop weapons of war. This, not simply the prospect of new intelligences, is the upsetting thing about groundbreaking developments in robotics and AI. Will frogbots be a military invention that simply slides into everyday life, like the internet, canned food, and microwaves? Or will they be used to administer dangerous MKULTRA hallucinogens to innocent populations America decides are in its way? In a world controlled by a small and powerful elite that can essentially do whatever it wants, were forced to be suspicious of new technologies. Will the frogbot become bigger, smarter, and stronger? Yes, probably. Will it be my comrade? Thats another question entirely.

Eleanor Robertson is a writer and editor from Sydney, Australia.

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Robots don't have to be so embarrassing - The Outline

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Robots don’t have to be so embarrassing – The Outline | January 30th, 2020

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Win an Image Renewal Ritual Collection worth 140 from Allure - image.ie

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Win an Image Renewal Ritual Collection worth 140 from Allure – image.ie | January 30th, 2020

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak has sparked a speedy response, with scientists, physicians, and front-line healthcare professionals analyzing data in real-time in order to share findings and call out misinformation. Today, The Lancet published two new peer-reviewed studies: one which found that the new coronavirus is genetically distinct from human SARS and MERS, related viruses which caused their own outbreaks, and a second which reports clinical observations of 99 individuals with 2019-nCoV.

The first cases of the coronavirus outbreak were reported in late December 2019. In this new study, Nanshan Chen and colleagues analyzed available clinical, demographic, and laboratory data for 99 confirmed coronavirus cases at the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital between Jan 1 to Jan 20, 2020, with clinical outcomes followed until 25th January.

Chen and colleagues reported that the average age of the 99 individuals with 2019-nCoV is around 55.5 years, where 51 have additional chronic conditions, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular (blood flow to the brain) diseases. Clinical features of the 2019-nCoV include a fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, and a sore throat. 17 individuals went on to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, resulting in death by multiple organ failure in 11 individuals. However, it is important to note here that most of the 2019-nCoV cases were treated with antivirals (75 individuals), antibiotics (70) and oxygen therapy (75), with promising prognoses, where 31 individuals were discharged as of 25th January.

Based on this sample, the study suggests that the 2019 coronavirus is more likely to affect older men already living with chronic conditions but as this study only includes 99 individuals with confirmed cases, it may not present a complete picture of the outbreak. As of right now, there are over 6,000 confirmed coronavirus cases reported, where a total of 126 individuals have recovered, and 133 have died.

In a second Lancet study, Roujian Lu and their fellow colleagues carried out DNA sequencing on samples, obtained from either a throat swab or bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, from eight individuals who had visited the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, and one individual who stayed in a hotel near the market. Upon sequencing the coronaviruss genome, the researchers carried out phylogenetic analysis to narrow down the viruss likely evolutionary origin, and homology modelling to explore the virus receptor-binding properties.

Lu and their fellow colleagues found that the 2019-nCoV genome sequences obtained from the nine patients were very similar (>99.98% similarity). Upon comparing the genome to other coronaviruses (like SARS), the researchers found that the 2019-nCoV is more closely related (~87% similarity) to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses, but does not have as high genetic similarity to known human-infecting coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV (~79%) orMiddle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) CoV (~50%).

The study also found that the 2019-nCoV has a similar receptor-binding structure like that of SARS-CoV, though there are small differences in certain areas. This suggests that like the SARS-CoV, the 2019-nCoV may use the same receptor (called ACE2) to enter cells, though confirmation is still needed.

Finally, phylogenetic analysis found that the 2019-nCoV belongs to the Betacoronavirus family the same category that bat-derived coronaviruses fall into suggesting that bats may indeed be the 2019-nCoV reservoir. However, the researchers note that most bat species are hibernating in late December, and that no bats were being sold at the Huanan seafood market, suggesting that while bats may be the initial host, there may have been a secondary animal species which transmitted the 2019-nCoV between bats and humans.

Its clear that we can expect new findings from the research community in the coming days as scientists attempt to narrow down the source of the 2019-nCoV.

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My cat's coat is mostly white with dark tabby patches. What's going on? - Massive Science

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on My cat’s coat is mostly white with dark tabby patches. What’s going on? – Massive Science | January 30th, 2020

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak has sparked a speedy response, with scientists, physicians, and front-line healthcare professionals analyzing data in real-time in order to share findings and call out misinformation. Today, The Lancet published two new peer-reviewed studies: one which found that the new coronavirus is genetically distinct from human SARS and MERS, related viruses which caused their own outbreaks, and a second which reports clinical observations of 99 individuals with 2019-nCoV.

The first cases of the coronavirus outbreak were reported in late December 2019. In this new study, Nanshan Chen and colleagues analyzed available clinical, demographic, and laboratory data for 99 confirmed coronavirus cases at the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital between Jan 1 to Jan 20, 2020, with clinical outcomes followed until 25th January.

Chen and colleagues reported that the average age of the 99 individuals with 2019-nCoV is around 55.5 years, where 51 have additional chronic conditions, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular (blood flow to the brain) diseases. Clinical features of the 2019-nCoV include a fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, and a sore throat. 17 individuals went on to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, resulting in death by multiple organ failure in 11 individuals. However, it is important to note here that most of the 2019-nCoV cases were treated with antivirals (75 individuals), antibiotics (70) and oxygen therapy (75), with promising prognoses, where 31 individuals were discharged as of 25th January.

Based on this sample, the study suggests that the 2019 coronavirus is more likely to affect older men already living with chronic conditions but as this study only includes 99 individuals with confirmed cases, it may not present a complete picture of the outbreak. As of right now, there are over 6,000 confirmed coronavirus cases reported, where a total of 126 individuals have recovered, and 133 have died.

In a second Lancet study, Roujian Lu and their fellow colleagues carried out DNA sequencing on samples, obtained from either a throat swab or bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, from eight individuals who had visited the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, and one individual who stayed in a hotel near the market. Upon sequencing the coronaviruss genome, the researchers carried out phylogenetic analysis to narrow down the viruss likely evolutionary origin, and homology modelling to explore the virus receptor-binding properties.

Lu and their fellow colleagues found that the 2019-nCoV genome sequences obtained from the nine patients were very similar (>99.98% similarity). Upon comparing the genome to other coronaviruses (like SARS), the researchers found that the 2019-nCoV is more closely related (~87% similarity) to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses, but does not have as high genetic similarity to known human-infecting coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV (~79%) orMiddle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) CoV (~50%).

The study also found that the 2019-nCoV has a similar receptor-binding structure like that of SARS-CoV, though there are small differences in certain areas. This suggests that like the SARS-CoV, the 2019-nCoV may use the same receptor (called ACE2) to enter cells, though confirmation is still needed.

Finally, phylogenetic analysis found that the 2019-nCoV belongs to the Betacoronavirus family the same category that bat-derived coronaviruses fall into suggesting that bats may indeed be the 2019-nCoV reservoir. However, the researchers note that most bat species are hibernating in late December, and that no bats were being sold at the Huanan seafood market, suggesting that while bats may be the initial host, there may have been a secondary animal species which transmitted the 2019-nCoV between bats and humans.

Its clear that we can expect new findings from the research community in the coming days as scientists attempt to narrow down the source of the 2019-nCoV.

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You can add almost anything to improve graphene's function, even bird poop - Massive Science

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on You can add almost anything to improve graphene’s function, even bird poop – Massive Science | January 30th, 2020

As amphibians go, axolotls are pretty cute. These salamanders sport a Mona Lisa half-smile and red, frilly gills that make them look dressed up for a party. You might not want them at your soiree, though: Theyre also cannibals. While rare now in the wild, axolotls used to hatch en masse, and it was a salamander-eat-salamander world. In such a harsh nursery, they evolved or maybe kept the ability to regrow severed limbs.

Their regenerative powers are just incredible, says Joshua Currie, a biologist at the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute in Toronto whos been studying salamander regeneration since 2011. If an axolotl loses a limb, the appendage will grow back, at just the right size and orientation. Within weeks, the seam between old and new disappears completely.

And its not just legs: Axolotls can regenerate ovary and lung tissue, even parts of the brain and spinal cord.

Unlike many amphibians, axolotls do not undergo metamorphosis. They stay in their aquatic, larval form (complete with frilly gills) even as they become sexually mature. They can regrow lost limbs, again and again, making them appealing to scientists who want to understand regeneration.

CREDIT: MARK LEAVER, PHD

The salamanders exceptional comeback from injury has been known for more than a century, and scientists have unraveled some of its secrets. It seals the amputation site with a special type of skin called wound epithelium, then builds a bit of tissue called the blastema, from which sprouts the new body part. But until recently, the fine details of the cells and molecules needed to create a leg from scratch have remained elusive.

With the recent sequencing and assembly of the axolotls giant genome, though, and the development of techniques to modify the creatures genes in the lab, regeneration researchers are now poised to discover those details. In so doing, theyll likely identify salamander tricks that could be useful in human medicine.

Already, studies are illuminating the cells involved, and defining the chemical ingredients needed. Perhaps, several decades from now, people, too, might regrow organs or limbs. In the nearer future, the findings suggest possible treatments for ways to promote wound-healing and treat blindness.

The idea of human regeneration has evolved from an if to a when in recent decades, says David Gardiner, a developmental biologist at the University of California, Irvine. Everybody now is assuming that its just a matter of time, he says. But, of course, theres still much to do.

In a working limb, cells and tissues are like the instruments in an orchestra: Each contributes actions, like musical notes, to create a symphony. Amputation results in cacophony, but salamanders can rap the conductors baton and reset the remaining tissue back to order and all the way back to the symphonys first movement, when they first grew a limb in the embryo.

The basic steps are known: When a limb is removed, be it by hungry sibling or curious experimenter, within minutes the axolotls blood will clot. Within hours, skin cells divide and crawl to cover the wound with a wound epidermis.

Next, cells from nearby tissues migrate to the amputation site, forming a blob of living matter. This blob, the blastema, is where all the magic happens, said Jessica Whited, a regenerative biologist at Harvard University, in a presentation in California last year. It forms a structure much like the developing embryos limb bud, from which limbs grow.

This movie shows immune cells, labeled to glow green, moving within a regenerating axolotl fingertip. Scientists know that immune cells such as macrophages are essential for regeneration: When they are removed, the process is blocked.

CREDIT: JOSH CURRIE

Finally, cells in the blastema turn into all the tissues needed for the new limb and settle down in the right pattern, forming a tiny but perfect limb. This limb then grows to full size. When all is done, you cant even tell where the amputation occurred in the first place, Whited tells Knowable Magazine.

Scientists know many of the molecular instruments, and some of the notes, involved in this regeneration symphony. But its taken a great deal of work.

As Currie started as a new postdoc with Elly Tanaka, a developmental biologist at the Research Institute of Molecular Pathology in Vienna, he recalls wondering, Where do the cells for regeneration come from? Consider cartilage. Does it arise from the same cells as it does in the developing embryo, called chondrocytes, that are left over in the limb stump? Or does it come from some other source?

To learn more, Currie figured out a way to watch individual cells under the microscope right as regeneration took place. First, he used a genetic trick to randomly tag the cells he was studying in a salamander with a rainbow of colors. Then, to keep things simple, he sliced off just a fingertip from his subjects. Next, he searched for cells that stuck out say, an orange cell that ended up surrounded by a sea of other cells colored green, yellow and so on. He tracked those standout cells, along with their color-matched descendants, over the weeks of limb regeneration. His observations, reported in the journal Developmental Cell in 2016, illuminated several secrets to the regeneration process.

Regenerative biologist Joshua Currie labeled the cells in axolotls with a rainbow of colors, so that he could follow their migration after he amputated the tip of the salamanders fingertips. In this image, three days after amputation, the skin (uncolored) has already covered the wound.

CREDIT: JOSH CURRIE

For one thing, cell travel is key. Cells are really extricating themselves from where they are and crawling to the amputation plane to form this blastema, Currie says. The distance cells will journey depends on the size of the injury. To make a new fingertip, the salamanders drew on cells within about 0.2 millimeters of the injury. But in other experiments where the salamanders had to replace a wrist and hand, cells came from as far as half a millimeter away.

More strikingly, Currie discovered that contributions to the blastema were not what hed initially expected, and varied from tissue to tissue. There were a lot of surprises, he says.

Chondrocytes, so important for making cartilage in embryos, didnt migrate to the blastema (earlier in 2016, Gardiner and colleagues reported similar findings). And certain cells entering the blastema pericytes, cells that encircle blood vessels were able to make more of themselves, but nothing else.

The real virtuosos in regeneration were cells in skin called fibroblasts and periskeletal cells, which normally surround bone. They seemed to rewind their development so they could form all kinds of tissues in the new fingertip, morphing into new chondrocytes and other cell types, too.

To Curries surprise, these source cells didnt arrive all at once. Those first on the scene became chondrocytes. Latecomers turned into the soft connective tissues that surround the skeleton.

How do the cells do it? Currie, Tanaka and collaborators looked at connective tissues further, examining the genes turned on and off by individual cells in a regenerating limb. In a 2018 Science paper, the team reported that cells reorganized their gene activation profile to one almost identical, Tanaka says, to those in the limb bud of a developing embryo.

Muscle, meanwhile, has its own variation on the regeneration theme. Mature muscle, in both salamanders and people, contains stem cells called satellite cells. These create new cells as muscles grow or require repair. In a 2017 study in PNAS, Tanaka and colleagues showed (by tracking satellite cells that were made to glow red) that most, if not all, of muscle in new limbs comes from satellite cells.

If Currie and Tanaka are investigating the instruments of the regeneration symphony, Catherine McCusker is decoding the melody they play, in the form of chemicals that push the process along. A regenerative biologist at the University of Massachusetts Boston, she recently published a recipe of sorts for creating an axolotl limb from a wound site. By replacing two of three key requirements with a chemical cocktail, McCusker and her colleagues could force salamanders to grow a new arm from a small wound on the side of a limb, giving them an extra arm.

Using what they know about regeneration, researchers at the University of Massachusetts tricked upper-arm tissue into growing an extra arm (green) atop the natural one (red).

CREDIT: KAYLEE WELLS / MCCUSKER LAB

The first requirement for limb regeneration is the presence of a wound, and formation of wound epithelium. But a second, scientists knew, was a nerve that can grow into the injured area. Either the nerve itself, or cells that it talks to, manufacture chemicals needed to make connective tissue become immature again and form a blastema. In their 2019 study in Developmental Biology, McCusker and colleagues guided by earlier work by a Japanese team used two growth factors, called BMP and FGF, to fulfill that step in salamanders lacking a nerve in the right place.

The third requirement was for fibroblasts from opposite sides of a wound to find and touch each other. In a hand amputation, for example, cells from the left and right sides of the wrist might meet to correctly pattern and orient the new hand. McCusckers chemical replacement for this requirement was retinoic acid, which the body makes from vitamin A. The chemical plays a role in setting up patterning in embryos and has long been known to pattern tissues during regeneration.

In their experiment, McCuskers team removed a small square of skin from the upper arm of 38 salamanders. Two days later, once the skin had healed over, the researchers made a tiny slit in the skin and slipped in a gelatin bead soaked in FGF and BMP. Thanks to that cocktail, in 25 animals the tissue created a blastema no nerve necessary.

About a week later, the group injected the animals with retinoic acid. In concert with other signals coming from the surrounding tissue, it acted as a pattern generator, and seven of the axolotls sprouted new arms out of the wound site.

The recipe is far from perfected: Some salamanders grew one new arm, some grew two, and some grew three, all out of the same wound spot. McCusker suspects that the gelatin bead got in the way of cells that control the limbs pattern. The key actions produced by the initial injury and wound epithelium also remain mysterious.

Its interesting that you can overcome some of these blocks with relatively few growth factors, comments Randal Voss, a biologist at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. We still dont completely know what happens in the very first moments.

If we did know those early steps, humans might be able to create the regeneration symphony. People already possess many of the cellular instruments, capable of playing the notes. We use essentially the same genes, in different ways, says Ken Poss, a regeneration biologist at the Duke University Medical Center in Durham who described new advances in regeneration, thanks to genetic tools, in the 2017 Annual Review of Genetics.

Regeneration may have been an ability we lost, rather than something salamanders gained. Way back in our evolutionary past, the common ancestors of people and salamanders could have been regenerators, since at least one distant relative of modern-day salamanders could do it. Paleontologists have discovered fossils of 300-million-year-old amphibians with limb deformities typically created by imperfect regeneration. Other members of the animal kingdom, such as certain worms, fish and starfish, can also regenerate but its not clear if they use the same symphony score, Whited says.

These fossils suggest that amphibians called Micromelerpeton were regenerating limbs 300 million years ago. Thats because the fossils show deformities, such as fused bones, that usually occur when regrowth doesnt work quite right.

CREDIT: NADIA B. FRBISCHET AL / PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B 2014

Somewhere in their genomes, all animals have the ability, says James Monaghan, a regeneration biologist at Northeastern University in Boston. After all, he points out, all animals grow body parts as embryos. And in fact, people arent entirely inept at regeneration. We can regrow fingertips, muscle, liver tissue and, to a certain extent, skin.

But for larger structures like limbs, our regeneration music falls apart. Human bodies take days to form skin over an injury, and without the crucial wound epithelium, our hopes for regeneration are dashed before it even starts. Instead, we scab and scar.

Its pretty far off in the future that we would be able to grow an entire limb, says McCusker. I hope Im wrong, but thats my feeling.

She thinks that other medical applications could come much sooner, though such as ways to help burn victims. When surgeons perform skin grafts, they frequently transfer the top layers of skin, or use lab-grown skin tissue. But its often an imperfect replacement for what was lost.

Thats because skin varies across the body; just compare the skin on your palm to that on your calf or armpit. The tissues that help skin to match its body position, giving it features like sweat glands and hair as appropriate, lie deeper than many grafts. The replacement skin, then, might not be just like the old skin. But if scientists could create skin with better positional information, they could make the transferred skin a better fit for its new location.

Monaghan, for his part, is thinking about regenerating retinas for people who have macular degeneration or eye trauma. Axolotls can regrow their retinas (though, surprisingly, their ability to regenerate the lens is limited to hatchlings). He is working with Northeastern University chemical engineer Rebecca Carrier, whos been developing materials for use in transplantations. Her collaborators are testing transplants in pigs and people, but find most of the transplanted cells are dying. Perhaps some additional material could create a pro-regeneration environment, and perhaps axolotls could suggest some ingredients.

Carrier and Monaghan experimented with the transplanted pig cells in lab dishes, and found they were more likely to survive and develop into retinal cells if grown together with axolotl retinas. The special ingredient seems to be a distinct set of chemicals that exist on axolotl, but not pig, retinas. Carrier hopes to use this information to create a chemical cocktail to help transplants succeed. Even partially restoring vision would be beneficial, Monaghan notes.

Thanks to genetic sequencing and modern molecular biology, researchers can continue to unlock the many remaining mysteries of regeneration: How does the wound epithelium create a regeneration-promoting environment? What determines which cells migrate into a blastema, and which stay put? How does the salamander manage to grow a new limb of exactly the right size, no larger, no smaller? These secrets and more remain hidden behind that Mona Lisa smile at least for now.

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Regeneration: The amphibian's opus - Knowable Magazine

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Regeneration: The amphibian’s opus – Knowable Magazine | January 30th, 2020

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan. 29, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The story of Alzheimer's disease is familiar and heartbreaking. As neurons degenerate and die, patients slowly lose their memories, their thinking skills, and ultimately, their ability to perform basicday-to-day tasks.

For years, clinical trials investigating potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease have come up short. That's why researchers at Gladstone Institutes are delving deeper into the question of what drives this complex disease.

Now, a team led by Senior Investigator and President EmeritusRobert Mahley, MD, PhD, has received $4.8 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to study a promising culprit: apoE4, a protein associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

ApoE4 is one of the forms of apolipoprotein E, a protein that aids repair processes in neurons injured by aging, stroke, or other causes. The most common form is called apoE3, but apoE4 is not rare: it is found in one-quarter of the human population and in about two-thirds of all Alzheimer's patients, which makes it the most important genetic risk factor for the disorder.

"ApoE4 dramatically rewires cellular pathways in neurons and impairs their function," Mahley said. "Our goal is to understand how this rewiring occurs and identify potential new treatment strategies to negate the detrimental effects."

ApoE3 and apoE4 differ at only a single point in the sequence of their amino acid building blocks. But that single change gives apoE4 a very different shape from apoE3, making it more susceptible to being broken down into smaller fragments within a neuron.

"Our work suggests that these apoE4 fragments are toxic to neurons and cause sweeping changes to the collection of proteins expressed within a neuron," Mahley said. "We suspect that their toxicity may underlie much of the neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer's disease."

A Powerful Partnership

With the new NIH funding, Mahley hopes to illuminate the specifics of apoE4's toxicity in unprecedented molecular detail. Key to this work is his new partnership with Senior InvestigatorNevan Krogan, PhD, and Gladstone Mass Spectrometry Facility Director Danielle Swaney, PhD, who together have extensive expertise in studying how proteins interact with each other.

To get to the bottom of apoE4's impact, they will use a technique called affinity purification mass spectrometry (AP-MS)to first determine which proteins, out of the thousands found in a single cell, interact directly with apoE4 fragments.

"AP-MS is an important first step because it will allow us to define physical interactions between proteins that may underlie the functional deficits observed in neurons that express apoE4," Swaney said. The AP-MS work will be performed in mouse-derived neuronal cells that are similar to human neurons.

In addition to AP-MS, the collaborators will use other advanced protein analysis techniques perfected in Krogan's lab to better understand the cellular processes that are dysregulated in apoE4-expressing neurons. This additional protein work will be performed in neurons derived from human induced pluripotent stem (hiPS) cells. These stem cells are produced from human skin cells, using the procedure developed byShinya Yamanaka, MD, PhD, a Gladstone senior investigator and 2012 Nobel prize winner.

"We are quite excited to be involved in this project," Krogan said. "My lab has successfully applied AP-MS and other cutting-edge proteomic and genetic techniques to many different diseases, and we now hope to enable a much deeper understanding of apoE4."

When combined, results from the APMS work and the additional protein analyses will reveal a list of key proteins involved in processes that are specifically altered in apoE4 neurons compared to apoE3 neurons.

From that list, Mahley and Swaney will select top candidates for further investigation in neurons grown from hiPS cells. Senior InvestigatorYadong Huang, MD, PhD, who has also studied apoE4 extensively, will provide guidance on the use of the hiPS cells.

Using a gene-editing tool called CRISPR, the researchers will see if they can reverse the detrimental effects of apoE4 by activating or inhibiting genes that control their top candidate proteins in the hiPS cell-derived neurons. Finally, they will validate the findings in mice.

"By the end of the project, we hope to narrow down our list to just a few target genes or proteins that protect or restore neuronal health when we activate or inhibit them in live mice with the apoE4 gene," Swaney said. "They could then be explored as potential targets for Alzheimer's treatment in humans."

New Hope for Alzheimer's Disease

Mahley and Swaney already have some ideas about where this work may lead. Earlier this year,they publishedevidence that apoE4 broadly impacts the mitochondriaorganelles that produce the energy that powers a celland perturbs normal energy production.

"Anything could be a target at this point, but I'm particularly interested in the possibility of small-molecule drugs that could protect mitochondria from toxic apoE4 fragments," Mahley said.

Still, mitochondria are just one aspect of the bigger picture. Mahley suspects that what we call "Alzheimer's disease" is actually a collection of related conditions with different underlying causes for different patients.

"Ultimately, I think the treatment of Alzheimer's disease will be similar to the treatment of high blood pressure, in that two, three, sometimes four drugs are needed to control the disorder," he said. "So, we may need a mitochondrial protector, we may need a drug that will correctapoE4's shapeso that it is more like apoE3, and more."

Understanding the complex effects of apoE4as well as the other Alzheimer's disease-associated factorsbeing explored at Gladstonecould one day enable just such a comprehensive approach.

Media Contact:Megan McDevittmegan.mcdevitt@gladstone.ucsf.edu415.734.2019

Related Images

team-of-researchers-who-received.jpg Team of Researchers who Received the Grant Gladstone Senior Investigator and President Emeritus Bob Mahley (center) will collaborate with the director of the Gladstone Mass Spectrometry Facility, Danielle Swaney (left), and Senior Investigator Nevan Krogan (right) to uncover the mechanisms of apoE4 toxicity in Alzheimer's disease.

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Gladstone Scientists Funded by NIH to Dive Deep Into ApoE4's Role in Alzheimer's Disease - P&T Community

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Gladstone Scientists Funded by NIH to Dive Deep Into ApoE4’s Role in Alzheimer’s Disease – P&T Community | January 30th, 2020

(MENAFN - GetNews) Primary Cells Market: Information by Source (Hematopoietic Cells, Skin Cells, Gastrointestinal Cells, Liver Cells, Lung Cells, and Skeletal and Muscle Cells) Type (Human Primary Cells and Animal Primary Cells), End User (Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies and Research Institutes) and Region - Forecast till 2025

Market Highlights

Primary Cells Market is expected to register a CAGR of8.13% during the forecast period, with a market value of USD 1,233.67 Million till 2025. Primary human cells are isolated directly from normal human tissue or blood cells via the enzymatic or mechanical method. Primary cells retain their fundamental cellular functions. Hence, their use in cell-based research programs is increasing significantly.

Numerous factors such as rapid growth in the biotechnology and biopharmaceutical industries, growing cancer research, rising adoption of primary cells over cell lines, increasing demand for monoclonal antibodies, and rising healthcare expenditure are anticipated to drive the growth of the market during the forecast period. Additionally, the growing research on personalized therapies and stem cells is likely to contribute to market growth. However, the high cost of advanced primary cells and risk of contamination may hamper the growth of the market. The increasing preference of primary cells in research and development to develop new drug acts as opportunities for the growth of the primary cells market.

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Segment Analysis

The Global Primary Cells Market is segmented into Source, Type, and End User. By source, the market has been segmented into hematopoietic cells, skin cells, gastrointestinal cells, liver cells, lung cells, and skeletal and muscle cells.

Based on type, the market has been segmented into human primary cells and animal primary cells. Based on end user, the market has been segmented into pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies and research institutes.

Regional Analysis

The Global Primary Cells Market, based on region, has been divided into the Americas, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa.

The Americas is expected to hold the largest share of the global primary cells market. This is owing to the increasing prevalence of cancer and growing government funding in research. Also, the key players in the market are engaged in new launches and strategic collaborations to hold their market position. For instance, in January 2017, STEMCELL Technologies Inc. entered into a license agreement with Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, to commercialize the center's technology for producing gastrointestinal organoids from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Thus, all these factors are driving the primary cells market.

The European market holds the second-largest position in the global primary cells market. Factors attributing to the growth of the market include the rising prevalence of lifestyle-associated conditions, and the presence of developed economies such as Germany, the UK, and France boosts the market growth.

Asia-Pacific is estimated to be the fastest-growing region owing to the rising prevalence of chronic and acute diseases such as HIV, cancer, and diabetes, and the development of new infrastructure to support the healthcare industry are expected to drive the market growth.

The primary cells market in the Middle East & Africa is expected to grow at a significant rate owing to the implementation of a new business strategy such as a growing distribution channel, product launch in the untapped market by the healthcare companies increases the market growth in this region.

Key Players

MRFR recognizes the following companies as theKey Players in the Global Primary Cells Market Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (US), AllCells (US), American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) (Virginia), Axol Bioscience Ltd (UK), Cell Biologics, Inc. (Chicago), Lonza Group, AG (Switzerland), Merck KGaA (Germany), PromoCell (UK), STEMCELL Technologies Inc. (Canada), ZenBio, Inc. (Research Triangle Park, NC), and among others.

Key Findings of the Study

The Global Primary Cells Market was valued at USD 722.61 Million in 2018, is estimated to grow at USD 1,233.67 Million by 2025 at a CAGR of 8.13% during the assessment period

Asia-Pacific accounted for the largest share of the global market due to the increasing per capita health spending, growing geriatric population base, and developing countries enhance the market growth

Based on source, the hematopoietic cells segment accounted for the largest market share in 2018

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Primary Cells Market Is Expected to Reach Register USD 1233.67 Million at a CAGR of 8.13% By 2025 - MENAFN.COM

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Primary Cells Market Is Expected to Reach Register USD 1233.67 Million at a CAGR of 8.13% By 2025 – MENAFN.COM | January 30th, 2020

The 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak has sparked a speedy response, with scientists, physicians, and front-line healthcare professionals analyzing data in real-time in order to share findings and call out misinformation. Today, The Lancet published two new peer-reviewed studies: one which found that the new coronavirus is genetically distinct from human SARS and MERS, related viruses which caused their own outbreaks, and a second which reports clinical observations of 99 individuals with 2019-nCoV.

The first cases of the coronavirus outbreak were reported in late December 2019. In this new study, Nanshan Chen and colleagues analyzed available clinical, demographic, and laboratory data for 99 confirmed coronavirus cases at the Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital between Jan 1 to Jan 20, 2020, with clinical outcomes followed until 25th January.

Chen and colleagues reported that the average age of the 99 individuals with 2019-nCoV is around 55.5 years, where 51 have additional chronic conditions, including cardiovascular and cerebrovascular (blood flow to the brain) diseases. Clinical features of the 2019-nCoV include a fever, cough, shortness of breath, headaches, and a sore throat. 17 individuals went on to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome, resulting in death by multiple organ failure in 11 individuals. However, it is important to note here that most of the 2019-nCoV cases were treated with antivirals (75 individuals), antibiotics (70) and oxygen therapy (75), with promising prognoses, where 31 individuals being discharged as of 25th January.

Based on this sample, the study suggests that the 2019 coronavirus is more likely to affect older men already living with chronic conditions but as this study only includes 99 individuals with confirmed cases, it may not present a complete picture of the outbreak. As of right now, there are over 6,000 confirmed coronavirus cases reported, where a total of 126 individuals have recovered, and 133 have died.

In a second Lancet study, Roujian Lu and their fellow colleagues carried out DNA sequencing on samples, obtained from either a throat swab or bronchoalveolar lavage fluids, from eight individuals who had visited the Huanan seafood market in Wuhan, China, and one individual who stayed in a hotel near the market. Upon sequencing the coronaviruss genome, the researchers carried out phylogenetic analysis to narrow down the viruss likely evolutionary origin, and homology modelling to explore the virus receptor-binding properties.

Lu and their fellow colleagues found that the 2019-nCoV genome sequences obtained from the nine patients were very similar (>99.98% similarity). Upon comparing the genome to other coronaviruses (like SARS), the researchers found that the 2019-nCoV is more closely related (~87% similarity) to two bat-derived SARS-like coronaviruses, but does not have as high genetic similarity to known human-infecting coronaviruses, including the SARS-CoV (~79%) orMiddle Eastern Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) CoV (~50%).

The study also found that the 2019-nCoV has a similar receptor-binding structure like that of SARS-CoV, though there are small differences in certain areas. This suggests that like the SARS-CoV, the 2019-nCoV may use the same receptor (called ACE2) to enter cells, though confirmation is still needed.

Finally, phylogenetic analysis found that the 2019-nCoV belongs to the Betacoronavirus family the same category that bat-derived coronaviruses fall into suggesting that bats may indeed be the 2019-nCoV reservoir. However, the researchers note that most bat species are hibernating in late December, and that no bats were being sold at the Huanan seafood market, suggesting that while bats may be the initial host, there may have been a secondary animal species which transmitted the 2019-nCoV between bats and humans.

Its clear that we can expect new findings from the research community in the coming days as scientists attempt to narrow down the source of the 2019-nCoV.

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Rapid analysis shows that the 2019-nCoV coronavirus resembles viruses from bats - Massive Science

Skin Stem Cells Comments Off on Rapid analysis shows that the 2019-nCoV coronavirus resembles viruses from bats – Massive Science | January 30th, 2020