Factbox: Neurotechnologies in spotlight of UK ethics review

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's Nuffield Council on Bioethics, which examines ethical issues raised by new developments in biology and medicine, launched a consultation on Thursday on the ethics of new technologies and devices that intervene in the human brain.

The three main areas of the group's focus are brain-computer interfaces, neurostimulation and neural stem cell therapy.

Here are some details about each area of research and how it is being explored.

* Brain computer interfaces (BCIs)

BCIs measure and analyze a person's brain signals and convert them into an output such as movement.

A paralyzed person, for example, could use a BCI to operate a wheelchair, or someone who has extreme difficulty speaking could use a BCI to communicate via a computer voice.

These sorts of applications have been shown to be successful in a few reported cases, but the technology has not yet been developed for regular clinical use and there are questions over whether these technologies are reliable enough for use in everyday life.

Military applications, such as remote control of vehicles and machinery are not yet in wide use but are being researched and tested, mainly in the United States.

Some commercial BCI developments are already on the market in the gaming sector. Gamers can buy a wireless headset that aims to replace a joystick by controlling game play through brain signals.

The use of BCIs sometimes require surgery to implant electrodes into a person's brain, although the most successful current developments are less invasive ones That detect brain signals from the scalp.

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Factbox: Neurotechnologies in spotlight of UK ethics review

UCLA scientists identify crucial cell and signaling pathway in placental blood stem cell niche

Public release date: 1-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Irwin kirwin@mednet.ucla.edu 310-206-2805 University of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences

UCLA stem cell researchers have discovered a critical placental niche cell and signaling pathway that prevent blood precursors from premature differentiation in the placenta, a process necessary for ensuring proper blood supply for an individual's lifetime.

The placental niche, a stem cell "safe zone," supports blood stem cell generation and expansion without promoting differentiation into mature blood cells, allowing the establishment of a pool of precursor cells that provide blood cells for later fetal and post-natal life, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular cell and developmental biology and a researcher at the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

Mikkola and her team found that PDGF-B signaling in trophoblasts, specialized cells of the placenta that facilitate embryo implantation and gas and nutrient exchanges between mother and fetus, is vital to maintaining the unique microenvironment needed for the blood precursors. When PDGF-B signaling is halted, the blood precursors differentiate prematurely, creating red blood cells in the placenta, Mikkola said.

The study, done in mouse models, appears March 1, 2012, in the peer-reviewed journal Developmental Cell.

"We had previously discovered that the placenta provides a home for a large supply of blood stem cells that are maintained in an undifferentiated state. We now found that, by switching off one signaling pathway, the blood precursors in the placenta start to differentiate into red blood cells," Mikkola said. "We learned that the trophoblasts act as powerful signaling centers that govern the niche safe zone."

The study found that the PDGF-B signaling in the trophoblasts is suppressing production of Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine that controls red blood cell differentiation.

"When PDGF-B signaling is lost, excessive amounts of EPO are produced in the placenta, which triggers differentiation of red blood cells in the placental vasculature," said Akanksha Chhabra, study first author and a post-doctoral fellow in Mikkola's lab.

Mikkola and Chhabra used mouse models in which the placental structure was disrupted so they could observe what cells and signaling pathways were important components of the niche.

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UCLA scientists identify crucial cell and signaling pathway in placental blood stem cell niche

Meet Cord Blood Registry’s Leader of Laboratory Operations – Video

28-02-2012 16:31 Learn more about cord blood stem cells here http://www.cordblood.com Cord Blood Registry takes pride in leading the cord blood banking industry with its state-of-the-art lab. Meet Kristen, who leads the effort to make sure we're providing our clients with the best once their babies' stem cells arrive in Tucson. Kristen is one of the many people who make sure that, from that first phone call to the day your baby's stem cells are collected and stored, you receive the industry's best service and support. For more information on CBR's processes, visit: http://www.cordblood.com

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Meet Cord Blood Registry's Leader of Laboratory Operations - Video

Women Can Make New Eggs After All, Stem-Cell Study Hints

Women may make new eggs throughout their reproductive yearschallenging a longstanding tenet that females are born with finite supplies, a new study says. The discovery may also lead to new avenues for improving women's health and fertility.

A woman has two ovaries, which release eggs during her monthly ovulation.(Learn more about the human body.)

Previous research had suggested that a woman is born with all the egg cells she will ever have in her lifetime.

But in recent experiments, scientists discovered a new type of stem cell in the ovaries thatwhen grown in the labgenerates immature egg cells.The same immature cells isolated from adult mouse ovaries canturn into fertile eggs.

Stem cells,found in embryos and certain adult body tissues, have the potential to grow into many different types of cells.

(See"Liposuction Fat Turned Into Stem Cells, Study Says.")

The finding reinforces the team's previous experiments in mice, which had identified a new type of ovarian stem cell that renews a female mouse's source of eggs throughout its fertile years.

That study, published in the journal Nature in 2004, was the "first to reach the conclusion that this long-held belief in our fieldthat young girls are given a bank account at birth that you can no longer deposit eggs to, just withdraw fromwas no longer true," said study leaderJonathan Tilly.

By reinforcing these earlier results in people, the new study is a "big step forward" from the mouse work, emphasized Tilly, director of the Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

From a purely biological perspective, the concept that a woman would continually generate new eggs during her reproductive years makes sensesince men constantly replenish their sperm, Tilly added. (Read how men produce 1,500 sperm a second.)

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Women Can Make New Eggs After All, Stem-Cell Study Hints

Cryo-Cell Reports Financial Results for Fiscal 2011

OLDSMAR, Fla., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Cryo-Cell International, Inc. (OTC:QB Markets Group Symbol: CCEL) (the "Company"), the world's first private cord blood bank to separate and store stem cells in 1992, today announced results for its fiscal year 2011.

"Cryo-Cell fiscal 2011 results are indicative of a company that is in the process of making many organizational and operational improvements," stated David Portnoy, Cryo-Cell's Chairman and Co-CEO. "Although the implementation of these steps is still in the early stages, we are encouraged in our belief that our goals will be achieved."

Mark Portnoy, Cryo-Cell's Co-CEO, added, "With the transition of the new Board of Directors last year, the Company made significant changes over the last six months. We are continuing to improve the IT systems and website, and have embarked on a major rebranding/marketing effort. Although these efforts have increased our expenses, we have balanced that somewhat with cost reductions. We feel these are appropriate and necessary investments for the Company's future. In addition, the Company has implemented its previously announced stock repurchase plan, and to date, has repurchased 415,117 shares on the open market and in private transactions."

Financial Results

Consolidated revenues for fiscal year ended 2011 were approximately $17.9 million compared to approximately $17.7 million for fiscal 2010. The revenues for fiscal 2011 consisted of approximately $16.5 million in processing and storage fee revenue and approximately $1.4 million in licensee income compared to approximately $16.2 million in processing and storage fee revenue and approximately $1.5 million in licensee income for fiscal 2010. Licensee income for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2011 primarily consisted of approximately $1.3 million in royalty income earned on the processing and storage of cord blood stem cell specimens in geographic areas where the Company has license agreements. The remaining licensee income of approximately $41,000 related to installment payments of non-refundable up-front license fees from the licensees of the Company's umbilical cord blood program in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Germany. Licensee income for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2010 primarily consisted of approximately $1.3 million in royalty income earned on the processing and storage of cord blood stem cell specimens in geographic areas where the Company has license agreements. The remaining licensee income of $175,000 related to installment payments of non-refundable up-front license fees from the licensees of the Company's umbilical cord blood program in Chile, Colombia, Peru, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Curacao, Bonaire, St. Maarten, Aruba and Suriname.

The Company reported a net loss in fiscal 2011 of approximately ($2.1 million), or ($0.18) per basic and diluted share, compared to net income of approximately $3.5 million, or $0.29 per basic and diluted share in fiscal 2010. The decrease in net income for fiscal 2011 principally resulted from a 31% increase in marketing, general and administrative expenses. The increase was due in part to an increase in fees associated with the annual meeting. The total fees expended for the 2011 Annual Meeting were approximately $957,000. The increase was also due to a write-off of approximately $211,000 for abandoned patents and trademarks due to the decision of management to discontinue pursuing certain patents and trademarks and an approximate $627,000 impairment of previously capitalized costs associated with the development of internal use computer software. Also, included in marketing, general and administrative expenses is approximately $950,000 related to an accrual of severance in accordance with the employment agreement of Mercedes Walton, the Company's former Chairman and CEO dated August 15, 2005, as amended July 16, 2007 because the circumstances relating to her termination are in dispute. Per the employment agreement, Ms. Walton would be entitled to severance in the amount up to $950,000 related to lost salary, bonuses and benefits if she had not been terminated for Cause, as defined in the agreement. The Company believes that Ms. Walton has not earned the right to this severance and intends to defend this position. Excluding all one-time charges noted above, the Company had net income before one-time charges in fiscal 2011 of approximately $645,000, or $0.05 per basic and diluted share before one-time charges. Included in the net income of $3.5 million for fiscal 2010 was the reversal of approximately $1.7 million of the Company's valuation allowance for income taxes. The decision to reverse a portion of the allowance was based on the Company's historical operating performance and future projections of taxable income.

As of November 30, 2011, the Company had approximately $7.3 million in cash, cash equivalents, marketable securities and other investments compared to $9.5 million as of November 30, 2010, representing a 23% decrease. The decrease is primarily attributable to the funding of a Grantor trust in the amount of $2,500,000 to escrow amounts that may become payable to the Company's former Chief Executive Officer and other executive officers of the Company under their respective Employment Agreements as a result of a change in control. The Company had no long-term debt at the end of fiscal 2011.

About Cryo-Cell International, Inc.

Cryo-Cell International, Inc. was founded in 1989 and was the world's first private cord blood bank to separate and store stem cells in 1992. Today, Cryo-Cell has over 240,000 clients worldwide from 87 countries. Cryo-Cell's mission is to provide our clients with the premier stem cell cryopreservation service and to support the advancement of regenerative medicine.

Cryo-Cell operates in a state-of-the-art Good Manufacturing Practice and Good Tissue Practice (cGMP/cGTP)-compliant facility, is ISO 9001:2008 certified and accredited by the AABB. Cryo-Cell is a publicly traded company. OTC:QB Markets Group Symbol: CCEL. Expectant parents or healthcare professionals may call 1-800-STOR-CELL (1-800-786-7235) or visit http://www.cryo-cell.com.

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Cryo-Cell Reports Financial Results for Fiscal 2011