Stem Cell Clinic

How firms respond to opportunities created by pandemic will say a lot about their corporate cultures – NutraIngredients-usa.com

By adminApril 24, 2020Stem Cell Clinics

First off, a caveat: To say companies are profiting from the crisis sounds overly harsh, and is not meant to be so. But there has been a lot of in crisis opportunity like statements being made. And one of these opportunities is the opportunity to make money.

Any business that aims to operate for long has to turn a profit, and preferably every year. And even a company that be cast as cynically making hay while the pandemic sun shines is still keeping people employed, which is an important service in and of itself in this time of unprecedented job losses. Surviving this year is going to be a grave challenge for many firms, and the more that can stay in business, the better.

Certainly there are cynical profiteers on display. The Federal Trade Commission just announced a further 21 warning letters sent out to companies making improper disease claims. These run the gamut from dietary supplement companies, to those advocating injections of Vitamin C to stem cell clinics. One thing that unites them all in FTCs view: They do not have adequate research to back their findings. According the US Food and Drug Administration, there is to date no approved treatment for COVID-19.

Some industry stakeholders have moved to try to reign in potential excesses. The Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) for example has warned members against making immunity claims connected to omega-3s. Any such claim in the current climate could be implied as COVID-19 treatment claim, and the trade group believes there is insufficient evidence to support either positive general or viral immunity outcomes in a healthy population.

Other immune health claims have abounded. Vitamin C and elderberry products have been flying off the shelves to the point that supplies have gotten very short, and astragalus and echinacea products are in high demand, too. I dont doubt the people marketing many of these products honestly believe in their benefits, and argue that having an immune system loaded with all of the tools it needs to perform at peak efficiency is the best way to go during these pandemic times. You do get the feeling, though, that if some consumers misunderstand and believe these products will actually help fight the virus directly, well, thats something theyre willing to live with.

Interestingly, a couple of companies that have dietary supplement ingredients that have actual, direct immune health data, Kerry with its Wellmune product and Embria Health Sciences (Cargill) with its EpiCor ingredient, have steered clear of any COVID-19 tie-ins. In a section on the virus on its website, Kerry merely says this: We remain committed to providing the best possible immune health ingredient through our dedication to safety, efficacy and scientific research. No nudge-nudge, wink-wink type statements like: We cant treat COVID-19, BUT . . . Embria has chosen to avoid mentioning COVID-19 altogether.

Some companies have chosen to be of service in other ways. Several manufactures of CBD ingredients, companies that have existing large ethanol supply chains for their primary hemp extractions, have opted to apply for rapid OTC approval to transition into hand sanitizer production. In this way they are meeting a critical need in the marketplace while also bolstering their own operations.

There has been some question in the CBD markets about a mismatch between extraction capacity and demand. While demand for the existing consumer products has held steady, because the federal regulatory logjam on the ingredient seems to have stalled, big CPG players have held back in launching SKUs containing hemp extracts. This has left some of these companies holding the bag for big investments made to meet a demand which has not yet materialized. Making hand sanitizer could be a way to make use of equipment, keep workers on the job and help the broader community while trying to weather this particular storm.

Other companies in the dietary supplements and functional foods industries have worked to help people impacted by the crisis directly. Companies like Modere and Liquid I.V. have donated products to first responders and doTerra has launched a fund raising drive to raise money for personal protective equipment purchases for health care workers.

Companies will find a variety of ways to respond to this crisis, and how they go about capitalizing on these opportunities will say a lot about their corporate cultures.

The Dermatologist Whos Obsessed With Sun Damage – The Cut

By adminApril 24, 2020Platelet Rich Plasma Injections

Photo: Courtesy of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York

Dermatologist Robert Anolik treats some of New Yorks most discerning faces his clients include Stephanie Seymour and Kelly Ripa but that doesnt stop him from worrying about fictional characters, too. Over the past few weeks, he, his wife, and their 7- and 5-year-old kids have been watching The Singing Detective, an 80s-era BBC show about a hospitalized mystery writer.

It has great music in it, but my kids keep asking me all these questions about the main character, whos covered in psoriasis and has psoriatic arthritis, says Anolik, a dermatologist at the Laser & Skin Surgery Center of New York. All I can think about is how that patient could be helped dramatically today with the approach of medical dermatology.

Anolik was a protege of the late Dr. Fredric Brandt, who was well-known in the beauty world for popularizing Botox. But what initially drew him to cosmetic dermatology wasnt injections or chemical peels, but DNA, RNA, and proteins. As a molecular biology major at Princeton, he spent one summer at the Institute for Genomic Research, studying the science of sequencing the human genome. In medical school, I saw how protein sequence analysis touched every field in medicine, but particularly skin and aging, he says. I approach skin with that kind of molecular framework to make it healthy and beautiful.

During his dermatological training at NYU, Anolik landed a fellowship with famed dermatologist Roy Geronemus, director of the Laser & Skin Surgery Center. Brandt was also part of the practice, and when he wanted to divide his time more evenly between his Miami and New York practices, Anolik became his official associate.

He wanted someone who also had laser expertise, which he knew I had, says Anolik. Even though we looked like total opposites, our personalities clicked.

Five years later, tragedy struck and Brandt took his own life. Anolik seamlessly took over, with high-profile clients now trusting their complexions to him.

These days, until he can see those patients again, hes been volunteering at Bellevue Medical Center, tending to patients with post-op wounds and other surgery-related issues. Stuff that needs attention by a physician, he says. Theyre all so overwhelmed, so hopefully I can help decrease the burden.

Anolik spoke with the Cut about the calming presence of Angela Lansbury, his complicated relationship with fruit, and why now is the perfect time to exfoliate.

Whats your definition of beauty? The Keats line beauty is truth; truth beauty is a chestnut for a reason. When I look at a face, my goal is to reveal its truth, that is to let its beauty become manifest, which is why I work very hard to eliminate distortions, both external (e.g., sun damage) and internal (e.g., psychological negativity).

What do you think of when you hear the term clean beauty? I get wary when I hear it. I believe in the sentiment that drives the clean beauty concept. As a scientist, however, I also believe in rigorous study over intuition and guesswork. Just because something grows on a tree doesnt mean its safe and/or effective. And even the cleanest ingredients in too high a quantity can be dangerous. For example, drinking too much water will kill us. And, conversely, an ingredient that sounds strange or worrisomely artificial can, in fact, be beneficial. A word of caution for those experimenting with only clean or alternative therapies: If you believe something is strong enough to help you, its likely strong enough to hurt you as well. So dont overdo it! And be sure to consult with a board-certified dermatologist about safe strategies.

Where, if anywhere, in your beauty (or life) routine are you not quitethat clean, green, or sustainable? I drink diet soda. Its dumb and I know better, but I do it anyway.

Please fill in the blank as it pertains to beauty or wellness: I think about ______a lot. SUN DAMAGE.

What is the opposite of beautiful? An artificial appearance. Lips that are too big or faces that are frozen are not beautiful. And believe me, I cringe more than you do when its obvious someone has had work done. Just because we can do something in cosmetic dermatology, doesnt mean we should.

What is your morning skin-care routine? Alastin Gentle Cleanser or Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Cleanser, shave, sulfacetamide wash to reduce shave irritation, LaRoche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In Sunscreen Milk SPF 60, SkinMedica HA5 Rejuvenating Hydrator.

Whats the last product you use every night? A prescription retinoid, then moisturizer. Usually Alastin Ultra-Nourishing Moisturizer or Cerave Cream.

Who cuts your hair? Garren. Asking Garren to cut my hair is like asking van Gogh to paint on a milk carton. But hes my friend; he pretends not to mind.

Toothbrush of choice: My wife bought me a Sonicare but I still use the freebie from the dentist.

Razor of choice: Gilette Fusion 5.

Shaving cream of choice: Gillette Fusion Hydra Shave Gel Ultra-Sensitive.

Hand wash of choice: Dove Foaming Hand Wash.

Hand sanitizer of choice: Purell.

Fragrance of choice: Hermes Eau dorange verte Eau de cologne.

Bath or shower: Shower, with Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash with Shea Butter, R&Co. Television Shampoo, Television Conditioner, and Acid Wash.

What was your first grooming product obsession? In third grade, I discovered mousse. Id blow-dry my hair with it. Maybe I watched St. Elmos Fire a few too many times.

Daily carry-all of choice: Prada nylon shoulder bag. A gift from Dr. Brandt. Prada was a favorite brand of his.

What do you splurge on? My wifes very particular about our sons footwear. Lots of tiny pairs of Air Jordans, Converse, Vans, and Adidas Gazelles by our front door.

What is your classic uniform (under your lab coat)? Black or navy Brooks Brothers pants and black or navy Ralph Lauren crew neck sweater.

Whose shoes are you usually wearing? Greats Royale sneakers.

What do you own too many of? Medical journals. I know at this point that the past issues are all online where I read the new ones, but theres something enjoyable about referencing them with your handwritten notes. At some point, theyll find their way to the recycling bin.

Any secret talent or skill you possess? I can juggle.

What is your own personal definition of misery? Fruit of any kind in my desserts. I love cake but Im crushed when it turns out to be carrot, and I cannot get enough ice cream but I pout when the flavor turns out to be strawberry.

What is your own personal definition of glee? Getting my cholesterol tested. I dont eat all that well, and Im not great about exercising, but my cholesterol is always low. I find that so gratifying.

Favorite way or place to spend a weekend? Nantucket. My wifes family has a house there, and they make fun of me when I wear my aqua socks to the beach.

What do you most often disagree with others about? People who insist they need to get a base tan before a tropical vacation. This is nuts. You should avoid getting a tan before your tropical vacation and during your tropical vacation and after your tropical vacation. Heres what you should get instead: sunscreen and sun-protective clothing.

What must you adjust or fix when you see it done incorrectly? Bad Botox on someone who comes in for a first-time consultation.

Favorite CBD product: Ridgway Hemp Love Balms.

What calms you down? Seinfeld reruns on Netflix. And when Im really feeling stressed: Murder, She Wrote reruns on Amazon Prime (dont judge).

Comfort food: Oreos and milk.

Vice snack: Chili-roasted pistachios and Empire Bakery house-made Twinkies.

What do you foresee as the top beauty and wellness trends for 2020? Combination therapy, specifically more one-day treatments that combine multiple lasers and injections. We have been developing this for years and are now presenting safety data on the subject.Also, laser-assisted drug therapy, such as resurfacing lasers followed by topical applications of skin-brightener serums and platelet-rich plasma. Heres what I hope is the top beauty/wellness trend in 2020: a public repudiation of non-board-certified dermatologists performing cosmetic dermatology procedures on people.

What treatment at your practice is misunderstood and should be morepopular? Laser resurfacing. Granted, this is already a very popular treatment in our office, but I believe it should be even more popular. Somepatients come in with misinformation that laser resurfacing thins theskin. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it does theopposite. It targets collagen-producing cells in the dermis andgenerates a stronger, more resilient skin.

What treatment is currently your favorite (understanding that thiscould change all the time)? Botox. And it has been for years. Precise treatment avoids artificial outcomes and allows for a refined, rejuvenated, lifted, rested appearance.

What activity do you do when the stress becomes too much these days?Cook. Ive been spending a lot of time with my cast-iron skillet. My cast-iron pizza is a favorite.

What have you been binge-watching? Ozark season three for suspense how good is Tom Pelphrey as Laura Linneys brother? And Cheers for laughs.

What has been an upside to this crazy time for you? My time with my wife and young sons, except during the screaming. And the homeschooling. And the cleaning.

Whats a good beauty treatment for someone whos stuck at home? Exfoliation. A downside of exfoliation is it can sometimes leave the skin dry and flaky, but if youre staying home, thats okay!

Conversely, what in your own grooming routine are you less on top of these days?Shaving, although my wife prefers a cleaner look, so early signs of a beard appear only now and then.

When this is all over, what are the first three to five things youll do or places youll go? The office will be my first stop! I miss my amazing patients! I expect Ill be there in overtime mode for a while getting everyone in. Id love a flat white at Laughing Man in Tribeca, maybe a burger at Odeon. Also we watched King Kong with the kids during quarantine, so my oldest wants me to take him to the top of the Empire State Building. He thinks King Kongs going to be there. I havent had the heart to set him straight.

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Normal human uterus is colonised by clones with cancer-driving mutations that arise early in life, study finds – Cambridge Network

By adminApril 24, 2020Somatic Stem Cells

The work, just published in Nature, provides insights into the earliest stages of uterine cancer development.

The endometrium is the inner part of the uterus, more commonly known as the womb lining. It is regulated by hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone and enters different states during childhood, reproductive years, pregnancy and after menopause.

Uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women in the UK, accounting for five per cent of all new female cancer cases. Around 9,400 new cases are diagnosed every year, leading to the death of 2,300 women. Most cases occur in the seventh and eighth decades. Since the early 1990s, the incidence of uterine cancer has risen by 55 per cent in the UK*.

All cancers occur due to changes in DNA, known as somatic mutations, which continuously occur in all of our cells throughout life. A tiny fraction of these somatic mutations can contribute to a normal cell turning into a cancer cell and are known as driver mutations, which occur within a subset of cancer genes.

This study used whole-genome sequencing to better understand the genetic changes in healthy endometrial tissue. The team developed technology to sequence the genomes of small numbers of cells from individual glands in the endometrial epithelium, the tissue layer that sheds and regenerates during a womans menstrual cycle.

Laser-capture microscopy was used to isolate 292 endometrial glands from womb tissue samples donated by 28 women aged 19 to 81 years**, before DNA from each gland was whole-genome sequenced. The team then searched for somatic mutations in each gland by comparing them with whole genome sequences from other tissues from the same individuals.

The researchers found that a high proportion of cells carried driver mutations, even though they appeared completely normal under the microscope. Many of these driver mutations appear to have arisen early in life, in many cases during childhood.

Dr Luiza Moore, the lead researcher based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: Human endometrium is a highly dynamic tissue that undergoes numerous cycles of remodelling during female reproductive years. We identified frequent cancer driver mutations in normal endometrium and showed that many such events had occurred early in life, in some cases even before adolescence. Over time, these mutant stem cells accumulate further driver mutations.

Despite the early occurrence of the first cancer-driver mutations, it takes several decades for a cell to accumulate the remaining drivers that will lead to invasive cancer. Typically, three to six driver mutations in the same cell are required for cancer to develop. As such, the vast majority of normal cells with driver mutations never convert into invasive cancers. When an invasive cancer develops, it may have been silently evolving within us for most of our lifetime.

Dr Kourosh Saeb-Parsy, University of Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Biorepository for Translational Medicine (CBTM), said: Incidence of uterine cancers have been steadily rising in the UK for several decades, so knowing when and why genetic changes linked to cancer occur will be vital in helping to reverse this trend. This research is an important step and wouldnt have been possible without the individuals who gifted precious samples for this study, including transplant donors and their families.

Professor Sir Mike Stratton, Director of the Wellcome Sanger Institute, added: New technologies and approaches to investigating DNA mutations in normal tissues are providing profound insights into the procession of genetic changes that convert a normal cell into a cancer cell. The results indicate that, although most cancers occur at relatively advanced ages, the genetic changes that underlie them may have started early in life and we may have been incubating the developing cancer for most of our lifetime.

*Information and statistics about uterine cancers are available from the Cancer Research UK website: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/health-professional/cancer-statistics/statistics-by-cancer-type/uterine-cancer

**The Cambridge Biorepository for Translational Medicine (CBTM) supports research requiring human tissue that aims to improve healthcare for patients. Tissue samples used in this study were from post-mortem or transplant donors, with samples also coming from biopsies for non-endometrial diseases. The authors would like to acknowledge all those who provided tissue used in this study, one third of whom were post-mortem or transplant donors. Their generous contribution is incredibly important for facilitating research that will help to improve the quality of healthcare for patients. https://www.cbtm.group.cam.ac.uk/aboutus

Luiza Moore, Daniel Leongamornlert and Tim H. H. Coorens et al. (2020). The mutational landscape of normal human endometrial epithelium. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2214-z

Image: Endometrial_glands_Luiza Moore_ Wellcome Sanger Institute

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Normal human uterus is colonised by clones with cancer-driving mutations that arise early in life, study finds - Cambridge Network

Study provides new insight into the neural circuitry underlying irritability and anxiety in youths – PsyPost

By adminApril 24, 2020Gene Therapy Clinics

New neuroimaging research published in JAMA Psychiatry helps to untangle the links between irritability, anxiety, and brain functioning in youths. The findings suggest that irritability and anxiety have interactive, rather than additive, effects when processing negative social information.

I am a practicing child and adolescent psychiatrist. Over the years, I have met with families struggling with all types of anxiety and irritability, explained study author Joel Stoddard of the University of Colorado and Childrens Hospital Colorado.

When I was early in my career, I began to appreciate that even though anxiety and irritability seem like straightforward symptoms, their presentation is often intermingled. We simply dont know why they co-occur or conversely why a child might have one symptom but not the other.

Moreover, there was very little work looking at both symptoms together, especially without a focus on traditional mental health diagnoses. At the time this study started, mental health research was moving away from traditional diagnoses because most arent well grounded in biology. Though the transition has been difficult, it also gave clinical scientists room to restart simply, said Stoddard, who also leads the Emotion and Development Lab.

In this study we examined symptoms in a group of children diagnosed with clinically significant affective issues. Are these symptoms related to how the basic emotion recognition circuitry responds to facial expressions?

The researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the brain activity of 115 youths aged 8 to 17 years as they completed a face emotion processing task. About 90 of the participants had been diagnosed with anxiety, disruptive mood dysregulation, and/or attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorders. The youths and their parents also completed assessments of the participants irritability and anxiety.

Stoddard and his colleagues found that high levels of both anxiety and irritability were associated with decreased connectivity between the amygdala and medial prefrontal cortex when viewing angry facial expressions. High levels of anxiety but low levels of irritability, on the other hand, were associated with increased connectivity in this brain circuit. The amygdala is known to be important for responses to threatening situations, while the medial prefrontal cortex is associated with decision-making processes.

This is a demonstration that the response of amygdala-centered brain networks to emotional expressions differs by anxiety and irritability in children who we might very well see in the clinic, Stoddard told PsyPost.

Had we looked at either symptom alone, we might have missed how they respond differently. For example, we observed that changes in the prefrontal-amygdala network during viewing angry faces differ by an individuals degree of anxiety or irritability. These differences offer important clues about the neural function youth who may express anxiety, irritability, or both. But these are clues, I dont think much more should be taken from this study by itself.

Increased irritability by itself, meanwhile, was associated with increased activity in several brain regions in response to angry faces and happy faces compared to fearful faces.

But as with all research, the study includes some limitations.

This study used functional magnetic imaging in children with serious emotional issues, these facts are the source of strengths and weaknesses. Clearly major strengths are that we examined the clinical population directly and used a noninvasive, largely safe method of measuring localized brain activity. However, it is very difficult to get a good brain signal from youngsters because they move, causing a blurry image (especially for network imaging), or get tired of the task (so their brain responses may change), Stoddard explained.

Also, we could not ethically ask the participants to stop their medications or pause therapy risking harm. Also, if we did so, we might be studying the effects of discontinuation. On the other hand, if we only invited kids who didnt need treatment, we might not study a group of youth who represent the conditions we see in clinics. We also didnt focus on anxiety and irritability in some conditions like bipolar disorder or active posttraumatic stress or in different cultural contexts. Though there are caveats with each aspect of the study, it represents an interesting result and considerable effort by participants and experts.

This type of work is critical to build a strong foundation for understanding the brain mechanisms. It is part of a growing body of literature that is revealing how brain networks function differently by development, experience, or clinical symptoms. I personally find this emerging literature satisfying, because I see complicated clinical pictures. Some stories are simpler, such as dysfunction in a single gene or brain region. These occasionally explain a lot for rare conditions, but rarely much for common conditions, Stoddard added.

This work was a team effort. I contributed to it as part of my research training fellowship at the National Institutes of Mental Health and as an assistant professor at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. I continue to have that latter title and am an outpatient psychiatrist at the Childrens Hospital Colorado. Im supported by all those organizations to study pediatric anxiety and irritability. The content is solely my responsibility and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, the University of Colorado, or Childrens Hospital Colorado.

The study, Association of Irritability and Anxiety With the Neural Mechanisms of Implicit Face Emotion Processing in Youths With Psychopathology, was authored by Joel Stoddard, Wan-Ling Tseng, Pilyoung Kim, Gang Chen, Jennifer Yi, Laura Donahue, Melissa A. Brotman, Kenneth E. Towbin, Daniel S. Pine, and Ellen Leibenluft.

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Study provides new insight into the neural circuitry underlying irritability and anxiety in youths - PsyPost

VIDEO: Is It Allergies or COVID-19? – HealthDay Live – HealthDay Coronavirus Liveblog

By adminApril 24, 2020Stem Cell Doctors

Regular exercise can potentially prevent life-threatening cases of COVID-19, according to a review from Zhen Yan, a top exercise researcher at the University of Virginia School of Medicine.

Cardiovascular exercise increases the production of an antioxidant called extracellular superoxide dismutase (EcSOD). Yan compiled a comprehensive review of existing research to find that increased levels of this antioxidant protect the lungs from developing a severe complication associated with COVID-19, called acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Even a single session of exercise increases the production of this lung-protecting antioxidant.

Some cases of COVID-19 progress to the lungs and cause ARDS, a condition in which fluid collects in the lungs and deprives the body of oxygen. ARDS is a major cause of death in COVID-19 patients. Around 20% to 42% of patients hospitalized with the virus develop ARDS, and approximately 45% of those that develop severe cases of ARDS will die, according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention and prior research.

Yan's review suggests that exercise can prevent or reduce the severity of ARDS, according to a press release about the project. "Regular exercise has far more health benefits than we know. The protection against this severe respiratory disease condition is just one of the many examples," said Yan. The findings were published in the journal Redox Biology.

Read the full press release.

How effective is PLX cell therapy in treating coronavirus? Experts answer all queries and more – India TV News

By adminApril 24, 2020Stem Cell Doctors

Pluristem Therapeutics or PLX cell therapyuses placentas to grow smart cells, and programs them to secrete therapeutic proteins in the bodies of sick people. It has just treated its first American COVID-19 patient after treating seven Israelis. The patients were suffering from acute respiratory failure and inflammatory complications associated with Covid-19. Now, this theraphy is being touted as a possible 'cure'' for the deadly coronavirus with scientisst conducting varied researches on the same. In an exclusive interaction with India TV, doctors from India and abroadcame together for discussing about how effective can cell therapy be in treating coronavirus. Dr Solomon from Israel, Dr Anil Kaul from the US, DrSanjeev Chaubey from Shanghai and Dr Padma Srivastv and Dr Harsh Mahajan from India threw light upon the stem cell therapy and the possibility of incorporating the same in treating COVID-19 pateints.

‘I Will Not Kill Children to Live’ – Church Militant

By adminApril 24, 2020Adult Stem Cells

TYLER, Texas (ChurchMilitant.com) - The bishop of Tyler, Texas has issued a pastoral letterrousing Catholics to understandthe mortal dangerof any coronavirusvaccine developed using stem cells from aborted babiesand is urgingthemto fight.

Announcing his April 23 letter, Bp. Joseph Strickland encouraged "all who believe in the Sanctity of Life in the womb" to reflect on his message, as "it is critical for the whole human family."

In the letter, Strickland explainedthat the pandemichas opened his eyes to the dangerousreality ofthe "use of in line stem cells from aborted babies in developing vaccines."

"I urge you to join me, NOW, in passionately but prayerfully speaking out against this practice," he urged.

"We must insist that legislators create legislation which establishes the illegal and immoral nature of any use of the remains of aborted babies for research," said Strickland. "Further, we must insist that pharmaceutical companies comply with such legislation." he said.

"I believe this can be a significant building block in a culture of life which eliminates the taint of economic gain that too easily infects the abortion industry," the bishop added.

Strickland stressed that there are ethical ways to develop vaccines. "Scientists I've spoken with assure me that there is no medical necessity for using aborted children in order to develop the much-needed vaccine to protect us from this particular strain of Coronavirus," he noted. "Thankfully, ethical means are available and can prove to be just as effective in developing vaccines; umbilical cells, placental cells, adult stem cells and other sources of cells, including even those of insects, provide completely viable paths to an effective vaccine.""We all know the sad saga of abortion in our nation and throughout the world which continues to grow more diabolical even as we energetically proclaim, with ever deeper clarity, the precious gift of every unborn child," he lamented.

Strickland declaredthatthis new threat a coronavirus vaccine fashioned from the cells of murdered childrenmust be countered.

"Just because the crime of abortion is considered legal in our nation does not mean it is morally permissible to use the dead bodies of these children to cure a global pandemic," he warned. "Emphatically, this practice is evil."

The bishop recalled how recent popes have raised their voices in defense of life from conception to natural death and to warn about the dangers of scientific research unchecked by moral truth.

Pope St. John Paul II's 1995 encyclical "The Gospel of Life" (Evangelium Vitae) warned of the growingclash between the "culture of death" and the "culture of life," reiterating,"The killing of innocent human creatures, even if carried out to help others, constitutes an absolutely unacceptable act."

Bishop Strickland also pointed to Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's 1987 "Respect for Human Life" (Donum Vitae), whichgave clear warning that"what is technically possible is not for that very reason morally admissible."

He noted these historic pontificalpleas have gone largely unheeded.

Twice in theletterin both his opening and his conclusion Stricklandpromisedto help those who join their voices with his, vowing to helpthem"navigate the storm" of the current troubled times"as best he can."

The bishop also pledged that in the upcoming week he will provide a guide to assist the faithful "in speaking the truth to your elected officials, the pharmaceutical industry, and your local community."The guidewillbe posted on theSt. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelizationwebsite,a resource center dedicated to teaching the Faith.

Speaking with Church Militant, Dr. Stacy Trasancos, Executive Director of the St. Philip Institute,summed up the significance of the bishop'shistoric call:

If we stand with Bp. Strickland and let it be known that we will refuse a vaccine made from the exploitation of aborted children, then we can influence the research, development, and market. I don't want to find myself a year from now being required to accept an immorally produced vaccine knowing that I did not speak up when I had the chance. I won't leave that legacy to my children and grandchildren.

Trasancos added, "Bishop Strickland is asking us all, the entire human race, to stand up with him and say, 'I will not kill children to live.'"

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'I Will Not Kill Children to Live' - Church Militant

Morning Update: Canadas data gaps are hurting our ability to fight the pandemic – The Globe and Mail

By adminApril 24, 2020Adult Stem Cells

Good morning,

Crucial data gaps are hurting Canadas ability to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving Canadians in the dark about who is being infected or struggling with the devastated economy.

Canada has a long-standing problem of information gaps, The Globe and Mail found in a year-long series, and that has left us vulnerable during public health crises before. But now, these blind spots could blunt the federal economic rescue effort, hide inequities in deaths from the disease and slow our emergence from self-isolation in the months ahead.

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Father Victor Fernandes puts on personal protection equipment prior to visiting with a patient in the COVID-19 intensive care unit at St. Paul's hospital in downtown Vancouver on April 21, 2020.

JONATHAN HAYWARD/The Canadian Press

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Nova Scotia shooting: Premier Stephen McNeil is urging his mourning province to help investigators unravel questions around a gunmans weekend rampage. A new tip line was created specifically for the killings. He acknowledged there is anger over the RCMPs decision not to use the provincial emergency alert system during the 12-hour manhunt, but he asked people to be patient, and wait for answers.

New details are emerging about the chaos that ensued as police tried to capture the killer disguised as an RCMP officer. Audio recordings of first responders communicating on two-way radios provide a glimpse of frantic attempts to help the first victims in the village of Portapique.

A couple pays their respects at a memorial in Portapique, N.S., on April 22, 2020.

Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press

Economy: Saskatchewan has laid out a detailed, comprehensive plan to reopen its economy, and is the first province in the country to do so. On May 4, the five phases will begin, opening non-essential medical procedures, and the reopening of provincial parks, campgrounds and golf courses.

In Quebec, Premier Franois Legault is preparing to lay the groundwork next week for a plan to gradually restart the provinces economy and get children back to school.

Rent: Ottawa is proposing to offer commercial rent relief, in the form of loans for landlords of small and medium-sized businesses, that would cover up to 75 per cent of tenants payments for three months, according to sources familiar with the negotiations.

When it comes to investment properties, small landlords across Canada might not qualify for government assistance and are scrambling to figure out how to accommodate rent reductions while making their mortgage payments.

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World news:

Researchers at the University of Oxford are racing to develop a vaccine for COVID-19 and plan to make a million doses of it this summer. The team has been working since January, and clinical trials involving more than 500 volunteers began yesterday. The testing is expected to take several months, but the researchers have already teamed up with manufacturers globally to produce the doses September and millions more by the end of the year. The Globes Paul Waldie reports.

An aerial view of people queuing outside a bank in downtown Quito, Ecuador, on April 22, 2020.

RODRIGO BUENDIA/AFP/Getty Images

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Scheer, Tories refrain from criticizing MP accused of racist comments: People of Asian descent have faced a spike in hate crimes and slurs since the COVID-19 pandemic began in China last year and experts say the comments from an elected official give licence for the attacks to continue.

Child protection organizations seeing significant uptick in predators: In dark-web forums, sexual predators are increasingly discussing the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity to exploit children online as they spend more time out of school and on the internet.

Ontarios Serious Fraud Office investigates Bondfield: A special unit of Ontario police officers and prosecutors launched the investigation in 2019, looking into allegations of wrongdoing by a major builder of hospitals, transit stations and other public infrastructure across the province.

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Parents of teen girls killed by Paul Bernardo seek to obtain his file with the parole board: The two families filed for judicial review this month after their requests for the documents under access to information legislation were denied.

MPs seek to overcome hurdle in getting WHO adviser to testify: A parliamentary committee scrutinizing the response to the pandemic is working to get key World Health Organization adviser Bruce Aylward to testify. The WHOs legal counsel has said that Dr. Aylward cannot testify unless he receives authorization from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

World stocks fall on worries over EU stimulus details, coronavirus drug: Global shares fell on Friday, spurred by delays to an agreement on divisive details of the European Unions stimulus package and doubts about progress in the development of drugs to treat COVID-19. In Europe, Britains FTSE 100 was down 0.93 per cent around 6 a.m. ET. Germanys DAX and Frances CAC 40 fell 1.07 per cent and 1.03 per cent, respectively. In Asia, Japans Nikkei fell 0.86 per cent. Hong Kongs Hang Seng fell 0.61 per cent. New York futures were flat. The Canadian dollar was trading at 71.05 U.S. cents.

Canada must protect itself from Americas response to COVID-19

Robyn Urback: It is not implausible that Mr. Trump would retaliate in some sort of petty but potentially grave economic way on supply lines for essential goods, for example if Canada refuses to lift restrictions on non-essential travel if and when the President decides that time is up.

This Ramadan, in solitude, will be more meaningful than ever

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Fatima Al Fahim: But the pandemic need not dampen Ramadan spirits. Physical distancing gives us a reminder of the true meaning of the holy month.

The world has a big China problem now

Campbell Clark: We dont know precisely what happened in China in the early days of COVID-19, but we know some whistle-blowers were stifled and, for whatever reason, officials waited for days to tell the world after learning they faced a serious epidemic.

By Brian Gable

Brian Gable/The Globe and Mail

What you really need is a room edit, not a reno

Especially while in isolation, you may be looking for curatorial guidance, but are keen to avoid the expense of a full interiors overhaul. Some people would rather rip out a wall or buy a bigger house, when all it often takes is reimaging and reworking what you already have, says Joanna Teplin, the Nashville co-founder of the Home Edit. If you want to remodel, read about how you might be able to make the change with what you already have.

Snuppy, right, the first male dog cloned from adult cells by somatic nuclear cell transfer, and the male Afghan hound from which an adult skin cell was taken to clone Snuppy, are seen in this handout photo released in Seoul on Aug. 3, 2005.

Seoul National University via Reuters

Snuppy worlds first cloned dog is born

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If he were born today, Snuppy would be dubbed, in internet lingo, a very good pupper or an excellent doggo. Instead, Snuppy, the first successful clone of a dog, had to settle for merely being hailed as a breakthrough in biotechnology. A team of 45 South Korean researchers, led by stem-cell researcher Hwang Woo-suk, produced the pup using a process called somatic cell nuclear transfer with a cell from the ear of a male Afghan dog, Tai. Snuppy was named for Seoul National University (SNU) and puppy. While other mammals had been cloned successfully starting with Dolly the sheep in 1996 cloning mans best friend proved more challenging. The achievement suggested that, given time and expertise, almost any mammal could be reproduced. Defying concerns that clones would be rife with ailments, Snuppy was generally healthy. He fathered 10 pups by artificial insemination and produced, by stem-cell clone, a litter with three surviving pups. Snuppy died of cancer, a common fate in dogs, just days after his 10th birthday in 2015. Jessie Willms

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Induced pluripotent stem cells and CRISPR reversed diabetes in mice – Drug Target Review

By adminApril 24, 2020Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Induced pluripotent stem cells made to produce insulin and CRISPR, used to correct a genetic defect, cured Wolfram syndrome in mice.

Using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) produced from the skin of a patient with a rare, genetic form of insulin-dependent diabetes called Wolfram syndrome, researchers transformed the human stem cells into insulin-producing cells and used CRISPR-Cas9 to correct a genetic defect that had caused the syndrome. They then implanted the cells into lab mice and cured the unrelenting diabetes in those models.

The findings, from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, US, suggest this CRISPR-Cas9 technique may hold promise as a treatment for diabetes, particularly the forms caused by a single gene mutation and it also may be useful one day in some patients with the more common forms of diabetes, such as type 1 and type 2.

This is the first time CRISPR has been used to fix a patients diabetes-causing genetic defect and successfully reverse diabetes, said co-senior investigator Dr Jeffrey Millman, an assistant professor of medicine and of biomedical engineering at Washington University. For this study, we used cells from a patient with Wolfram syndrome because, conceptually, we knew it would be easier to correct a defect caused by a single gene. But we see this as a stepping stone toward applying gene therapy to a broader population of patients with diabetes.

Wolfram syndrome is caused by mutations to a single gene, providing the researchers an opportunity to determine whether combining stem cell technology with CRISPR to correct the genetic error also might correct the diabetes caused by the mutation.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have transformed stem cells into insulin-producing cells. They used the CRISPR gene-editing tool to correct a defect that caused a form of diabetes, and implanted the cells into mice to reverse diabetes in the animals. Shown is a microscopic image of insulin-secreting beta cells (insulin is green) that were made from stem cells produced from the skin of a patient with Wolfram syndrome [credit: Millman lab Washington University].

Millman and his colleagues had previously discovered how to convert human stem cells into pancreatic beta cells. When such cells encounter blood sugar, they secrete insulin. Recently, these researchers developed a new technique to more efficiently convert human stem cells into beta cells that are considerably better at controlling blood sugar.

In this study, they took the additional steps of deriving these cells from patients and using the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing tool on those cells to correct a mutation to the gene that causes Wolfram syndrome (WFS1). Then, the researchers compared the gene-edited cells to insulin-secreting beta cells from the same batch of stem cells that had not undergone editing with CRISPR.

In the test tube and in mice with a severe form of diabetes, the newly grown beta cells that were edited with CRISPR more efficiently secreted insulin in response to glucose. Diabetes disappeared in mice with the CRISPR-edited cells implanted beneath the skin and the animals blood sugar levels remained in normal range for the entire six months they were monitored. Animals receiving unedited beta cells remained diabetic. Although their newly implanted beta cells could produce insulin, it was not enough to reverse their diabetes.

We basically were able to use these cells to cure the problem, making normal beta cells by correcting this mutation, said co-senior investigator Dr Fumihiko Urano, the Samuel E. Schechter Professor of Medicine and a professor of pathology and immunology. Its a proof of concept demonstrating that correcting gene defects that cause or contribute to diabetes in this case, in the Wolfram syndrome gene we can make beta cells that more effectively control blood sugar. Its also possible that by correcting the genetic defects in these cells, we may correct other problems Wolfram syndrome patients experience, such as visual impairment and neurodegeneration.

Were excited about the fact that we were able to combine these two technologies growing beta cells from induced pluripotent stem cells and using CRISPR to correct genetic defects, Millman said. In fact, we found that corrected beta cells were indistinguishable from beta cells made from the stem cells of healthy people without diabetes.

Moving forward, the process of making beta cells from stem cells should get easier, the researchers said. For example, the scientists have developed less intrusive methods, making iPSCs from blood and they are working on developing stem cells from urine samples.

The study is published in Science Translational Medicine.

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Induced pluripotent stem cells and CRISPR reversed diabetes in mice - Drug Target Review

Reversing diabetes with CRISPR and patient-derived stem cells – FierceBiotech

By adminApril 24, 2020Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells

Insulin injections cancontrol diabetes, but patients still experience serious complications such as kidney disease and skin infections. Transplanting pancreatic tissues containing functional insulin-producing beta cells is of limited use, because donors are scarce and patients must take immunosuppressant drugs afterward.

Now, scientists atWashington University in St. Louis havedeveloped a way to use gene editing system CRISPR-Cas9 to edit a mutation in human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then turnthem into beta cells. When transplanted into mice, the cells reversed preexisting diabetes in a lasting way, according to results published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.

While the researchers used cells from patients with Wolfram syndromea rare childhood diabetes caused by mutations in the WFS1 genethey argue that the combination of a gene therapy with stem cells could potentially treat other forms of diabetes as well.

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This virtual event will bring together industry experts to discuss the increasing pace of pharmaceutical innovation, the need to maintain data quality and integrity as new technologies are implemented and understand regulatory challenges to ensure compliance.

One of the biggest challenges we faced was differentiating our patient cells into beta cells. Previous approaches do not allow for this robust differentiation. We use our new differentiation protocol targeting different development and signaling pathways to generate our cells, the studys lead author, Kristina Maxwell, explained in a video statement.

Making pancreatic beta cells from patient-derived stem cells requires precise activation and repression of specific pathways, and atthe right times, to guide the development process. In a recent Nature Biotechnology study, the team described a successful method that leverages the link between a complex known as actin cytoskeleton and the expression of transcription factors that drive pancreatic cell differentiation.

This time, the researchers applied the technology to iPSCs from two patients with Wolfram syndrome. They used CRISPR to correct the mutated WFS1 gene in the cells and differentiated the edited iPSCs into fully functional beta cells.

After transplanting the corrected beta cells into diabetic mice, the animals saw their blood glucose drop quickly, suggesting the disease had been reversed. The effect lasted for the entire six-month observation period, the scientists reported. By comparison, those receiving unedited cells from patients were unable to achieve glycemic control.

RELATED:CRISPR Therapeutics, ViaCyte team up on gene-edited diabetes treatment

The idea of editing stem cells with CRISPR has already attracted interest in the biopharma industry. Back in 2018, CRISPR Therapeutics penned a deal with ViaCyte to develop off-the-shelf, gene-editing stem cell therapies for diabetes. Rather than editing iPSCs from particular patients themselves to correct a faulty gene, the pairs lead project used CRISPR to edit healthy cells so that they lackedthe B2M gene and expressed PD-L1 to protect against immune attack. The two companies unveiled positive preclinical data inSeptember.

Other research groups working on gene therapy or stem cells for diabetes include a Harvard University scientist and his startup Semma Therapeutics, whichdeveloped a method for selecting beta cells out of a mixture of cells developed from PSCs. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison recently proposed that removing the IRE1-alpha gene in beta cells could prevent immune T cells from attacking them in mice with Type 1 diabetes.

The Washington University team hopes its technology may help Type 1 diabetes patients whose disease is caused by multiple genetic and environmental factors as well as the Type 2 form linked to obesity and insulin resistance.

We can generate a virtually unlimited number of beta cells from patients with diabetes to test and discover new drugs to hopefully stop or even reverse this disease, Jeffrey Millman, the studys co-senior author, said in the video statement. Perhaps most importantly, this technology now allows for the potential use of gene therapy in combination with the patients own cells to treat their own diabetes by transplantation of lab-grown beta cells.

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Reversing diabetes with CRISPR and patient-derived stem cells - FierceBiotech