New Online Community Highlights that Living with Parkinson’s Disease May Involve More Than Motion™

ATLANTA, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –To help people learn more about the full range of symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease, global biopharmaceutical company UCB, Inc., is launching a new online community — Parkinson’s More than Motion — that provides a platform for people living with Parkinson’s disease and their caregivers to interact and learn from others with the condition. Part of this launch is the debut of a new reality-style video series depicting real families living with the condition.

“My family and I are telling my story in the More than Motion community to encourage others to educate themselves about all symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, so they can best manage the condition,” said Jo-Ann Golec, who was diagnosed more than 15 years ago and has become an active Parkinson’s disease advocate.

The Parkinson’s More than Motion community includes a Facebook page where people can add their voices to the conversation, connect with experts, take quizzes and more:

One million Americans currently live with Parkinson’s disease. Symptoms of Parkinson’s disease are typically categorized as either affecting motor function or non-motor function. The cardinal motor symptoms include stiffness, tremors, slow movements and postural instability. In addition, the medical and research communities are starting to better understand the full spectrum of symptoms that can have a significant impact on a patient’s life. These include:

In celebration of Parkinson’s Awareness Month, which occurs each April in the U.S., Parkinson’s More than Motion will travel to community events this month including the American Academy of Neurology’s Brain Health Fair in New Orleans and the Parkinson’s Unity Walk in New York City.

To learn more about Parkinson’s More than Motion and to view the first installment of the video series, visit Facebook.com/ParkinsonsMorethanMotion.

More About Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive, neurological disease that occurs when certain cells in the brain stop producing enough of a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine plays several important roles in the body — it helps regulate movement and it plays a role in cognitive and emotional function.

As dopamine levels fall, the cardinal motor symptoms (stiffness, tremors, slow movement, and postural instability) can progress, along with the underlying non-motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, which are less well-recognized and may be under-treated. It is estimated that 60 percent of people with Parkinson’s have two or more non-motor symptoms, and that 25 percent have four or more.

Parkinson’s disease is the second most common neurological disorder affecting older people in the United States. Each year, between 50,000 and 60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease are diagnosed in the U.S.; worldwide it is estimated that 7 to 10 million people have Parkinson’s disease.

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New Neupro® Data in Parkinson’s Disease and Restless Legs Syndrome to be Presented at the 64th American Academy of …

ATLANTA, April 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ –Data examining the effect of Neupro (rotigotine transdermal system) in both Parkinson’s disease and Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) will be presented at the 64th American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, between April 21-28, 2012. Key data presentations will focus on post hoc analyses of pivotal and other studies of rotigotine transdermal system and are designed to investigate the impact of rotigotine transdermal system on the core symptoms of RLS and on the motor and underlying symptoms of Parkinson’s disease such as depression, anxiety, anehdonia, fatigue and pain.

“These resultsaddto thebody of clinical evidencesupporting rotigotine transdermal system. The dataunderscore UCB’s continuing commitment to discovering and developing therapies that address unmet medical needs for potentially debilitating central nervous system disorders,” said Dr. James Zackheim, PhD, Senior Medical Director, Central Nervous System Business Unit, UCB, Inc.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Neupro (rotigotine transdermal system) for the treatment of the signs and symptoms of advanced stage idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) and as a treatment for moderate-to-severe primary RLS. Neupro was previously approved by the FDA for the signs and symptoms of early stage idiopathic PD. The FDA has also approved UCB’s new formulation of Neupro.

Following is a guide to UCB-supported research featuring rotigotine transdermal system being presented during the AAN Annual Meeting. For more information please contact Andrea Levin at 404.483.7329 or Andrea.Levin@ucb.com.

Parkinson’s disease abstracts

1. [P.06.088] Abstract Title: Rotigotine Transdermal System Improves Neuropsychiatric Features (Apathy, Anhedonia, Anxiety, and Depression) and Fatigue in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease: A Post-hoc Analysis of Five Double-blind Placebo-controlled Studies Date/Time: Thursday, April 26, 20127:30 am 12:00 pm Session Info:Session P06: Assessment and Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

2. [P.06.085] Abstract Title: Rotigotine Transdermal System Improves Pain in Patients With Parkinson’s Disease: A Post-hoc Analysis of Patients Reporting Pain in the RECOVER StudyDate/Time: Thursday, April 26, 20127:30 am 12:00 pm Session Info:Session P06: Assessment and Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

3. Abstract Title: An International Study to Investigate Rotigotine Dose Response (2-8 mg/24 h) on ‘Off’ Time in Patients With Advanced Stage Parkinson’s Disease Date/Time: Wednesday, April 25, 2012 5:45 pm 7:00 pm

RLS abstracts

4. [P04.032] Abstract Title: Effects of 24-h Transdermal Delivery of Rotigotine on the Core Symptoms and Symptom Impact of Restless Legs Syndrome/Willis-Ekbom Disease: A Post-hoc Analysis of IRLS Single Item Data from a 6-month Placebo-controlled European StudyDate/Time:Wednesday, April 25, 20127:30 am 12:00 pm Session Info:Session P04: Movement Disorders: Restless Legs Syndrome, and Tardive Dyskinesia

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Genzyme Demonstrates Depth of MS Pipeline at AAN with Results from Multiple Sclerosis Phase lll Trials

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Genzyme, a Sanofi company (EURONEXT: SAN and NYSE: SNY), announced today that 12 data presentations, including six platform presentations, from the companys multiple sclerosis (MS) clinical trial programs for alemtuzumab and teriflunomide will be featured at the American Academy of Neurology’s (AAN) 64th Annual Meeting in New Orleans, La., April 21-28. Presentations will include full data results from CARE-MS II (The Comparison of alemtuzumab and Rebif Efficacy in Multiple Sclerosis), a Phase III trial investigating alemtuzumab in MS patients who had relapsed while receiving prior MS therapy, as well as new findings from the teriflunomide clinical program, one of the largest and broadest of any MS therapy in development.

Genzymes robust development programs for alemtuzumab and teriflunomide were designed to understand how these therapies can best address significant unmet medical needs of people living with MS, said David Meeker, M.D., President and CEO, Genzyme. We are committed to becoming a long-term partner to the MS community with the goal of raising the expectation of what life with MS can be.

Marketing applications for teriflunomide for the treatment of relapsing forms of MS are under review by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA). Genzyme is on track to submit applications to the FDA and EMA for approval of alemtuzumab to treat relapsing forms of MS in the second quarter of this year.

Following are selected scientific abstracts highlighting new results from the Phase III CARE-MS II and CARE-MS I trials for alemtuzumab, as well as the Phase III TEMSO (Study of Teriflunomide in Reducing the Frequency of Relapses and Accumulation of Disability in Patients With Multiple Sclerosis) trial for teriflunomide.

ALEMTUZUMAB CARE-MS II Platform Presentation:

ALEMTUZUMAB CARE-MS I Platform Presentations:

TERIFLUNOMIDE TEMSO Platform Presentation:

Additional Genzyme MS portfolio data to be presented include:

ALEMTUZUMAB:

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Swimming With Multiple Sclerosis: Top 5 Florida Swim Destinations

I have been swimming all over the state of Florida. I frequent the state of Florida in the summertime because this is the most exciting state to swim in. Where else can you enjoy a good relaxing swim with this many sea creatures? My swims in Florida have brought me face-to-face with dolphins, manatees, and barracudas. This is the reason I love to swim in Florida.

I also enjoy the white sandy beaches, and the perfectly clear waters that Florida has to offer.

This is the reason I want to share with you the 5 best locations to swim in Florida:

Destination number one

Our first stop for a good swim comes from the Miami Seaquarium. The Seaquarium offers a unique experience, which is the reason I put it first on my list. The Seaquarium allows people of all ages to interact with the dolphins. The Seaquarium educates you about the dolphins first. Then allows you to interact and swim with the dolphins.

This was not a free swim, though. It cost me about $200 for this swim. The most exciting part to me was the opportunity to go into the deeper end of the water and get a ride back. I was able to grab a hold of the fin on the dolphins back, and go for a quick ride. These animals sure can move. I have never been able to interact like I did this day with the dolphins. It made me forget that I even had multiple sclerosis, as it was the most memorable day I have ever had.

Destination number two

Crystal River, Fla., is my second stop to swim with the manatees. There are a lot of different trips you can take in Crystal River to go and swim with the manatees. I have to say that it is a special treat every time I get to swim with these beautiful creatures. The manatees are rather friendly animals for all the experiences I’ve had with them.

The reason I love to swim with the manatees is that while you are enjoying the water you do not have to try very hard to encounter one of these animals. I have noticed that as long as you are swimming in their vicinity they will come up to you. I have noticed when I swim with the manatees they seem to be as interested in me as I am in them. Being that at anytime my multiple sclerosis could get worse and put me in a wheelchair, I take every chance I can to enjoy these creatures.

Destination number three

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Clinical trial launches to see whether vitamin D helps treat multiple sclerosis

Public release date: 19-Apr-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Arney Rosenblat arney.rosenblat@nmss.org 212-476-0436 National Multiple Sclerosis Society

New York Doctors at several centers across the U.S. are recruiting people who have multiple sclerosis (MS) to determine the effectiveness of high-dose vitamin D supplements for reducing MS disease activity. The vitamins would be added to standard therapy with glatiramer acetate (Copaxone, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries). The study, funded by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, is being led by Ellen Mowry, MD, MCR, at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Other cities with centers recruiting participants include Portland, St. Louis, and San Francisco, and additional centers are being established.

A number of genetic and environmental factors influence whether a person will get MS. These factors may also impact the severity of the disease. Mounting evidence has been pointing to a reduced level of vitamin D in the blood as a risk factor for developing MS. In lab mice, vitamin D can reduce the effects of EAE, an MS-like disease, and growing evidence suggests it is time to test whether vitamin D can provide benefits to people who have MS.

Investigators are seeking 172 clinical trial participants between the ages of 18 and 50, who have been diagnosed with the relapsing-remitting form of MS. More details on the enrollment criteria are available at: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01490502.

Participants will begin standard Copaxone treatment daily and will be randomly assigned to take the current recommended daily allowance of vitamin D or a high dose. The primary goal of the study is to determine whether vitamin D can reduce the proportion of people who experience a relapse. Other outcomes being studied include relapse rates, quality of life, brain tissue volume, disability progression, and safety.

###

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis, an unpredictable, often disabling disease of the central nervous system, interrupts the flow of information within the brain, and between the brain and body. Every hour in the United States, someone is newly diagnosed with the disease. Symptoms range from numbness and tingling to blindness and paralysis. The progress, severity and specific symptoms of MS in any one person cannot yet be predicted, but advances in research and treatment are moving us closer to a world free of MS. Most people with MS are diagnosed between the ages of 20 and 50, with at least two to three times more women than men being diagnosed with the disease. MS affects more than 400,000 people in the U.S. and over 2.1 million worldwide.

About the National Multiple Sclerosis Society

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EMD Serono to Present New Data on Multiple Sclerosis at the American Academy of Neurology’s 64th Annual Meeting

ROCKLAND, Mass.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

EMD Serono, Inc., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today that new data from the companys multiple sclerosis (MS) portfolio will be presented at the American Academy of Neurologys 64th Annual Meeting, taking place from April 21 to 28, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The data presented will focus on Rebif (interferon beta-1a), an established therapy for relapsing forms of MS, and ONO-4641 (S1P receptor agonist), an investigational oral drug in Phase II for the treatment of relapsing-remitting MS, for which Merck KGaA signed a collaboration agreement with Ono Pharmaceuticals in October 2011.

Presentations to be made at the upcoming AAN meeting further improve our understanding of the clinical effects of Rebif and show Phase II results on our new investigational drug ONO-4641, said Dr. Annalisa Jenkins, Head of Global Drug Development and Medical at Merck Serono, a division of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. We are committed to advancing multiple sclerosis care, research and outcomes in order to provide treatments for people living with this devastating disease.

The following abstracts have been accepted for presentation at the 64th AAN Annual Meeting:

Rebif(interferon beta-1a) Data blitz1presentation followed by a poster presentation – Efficacy of two dosing frequencies of subcutaneous interferon beta-1a on the risk of conversion from a first demyelinating event to multiple sclerosis and on MRI measures of disease: 3-year results of Phase III, double-blind, multicentre trials (REFLEX and REFLEXION) (presentation #014, Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 6:24 PM)* * The formulation used in these studies is currently not approved in the United States

Poster presentations – Subcutaneous interferon -1a in children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis: an international retrospective study of 307 patients (poster session P04.119, Wednesday, April 25, 2012)** – Disease characteristics, dosing, and outcomes of subcutaneous interferon -1a treatment differ between children and adolescents with multiple sclerosis (poster P04.120, Wednesday, April 25, 2012)** ** This retrospective cohort study examines both Rebif and the serum-free formulation of Rebif. The serum-free formulation of Rebif is currently not approved in the United States. – Association of Targeted Blood Biomarkers with Interferon Beta-1a Treatment Administration, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Activity, and Treatment Response (poster P02.089, Tuesday, April 24, 2012)

ONO-4641 (S1P receptor agonist) Data blitz1presentation followed by a poster presentation – A double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase II, 26-week DreaMS trial of a selective S1P receptor agonist ONO-4641 in patients with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis (presentation #013, Wednesday, April 25, 2012, 6:21 PM)

1 A data blitz presentation is a 3 minute oral presentation included in a 45 minutes oral session.

About Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic, inflammatory condition of the central nervous system and is the most common, non-traumatic, disabling neurological disease in young adults. It is estimated that there are approximately 400,000 people in the United States living with MS.

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Multiple Sclerosis and Baseball: Top 5 Tips to Staying in the Game

They say the boys of summer are baseball players. So I guess this would make me one of the girls of summer. All my life I grew up with boys around. I had one sister, and she also hung out with the boys. I was the competitive one; I did not care if it was against guys or girls. This may be the reason that in the summertime I played baseball with the boys.

I have been playing baseball for the last 20 years. I play competitively against the boys. I have always said if a boy can do it, so can I. I have a mean arm on me, and can play with the best of them. Since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, though, I can no longer bat. I cannot run as fast as I need to in order to be able to bat. This is the reason that we use a pinch hitter in my place.

I have compiled a list of ways that keep me in the game even with my multiple sclerosis:

Tip number one

I have to maintain a cool body temperature. In order to do this I drink plenty of water. I maintain enough water to keep me hydrated and cool. I wear bright colors in order to keep the sun rays off of me as well.

The reason that playing baseball is still important to me even with multiple sclerosis is that I want to show the boys I can still strike them out. This is something that I have always taken great pride in being able to do. I told myself that I would never give up playing baseball, unless I ended up in a wheelchair. Well, I have not ended up in a wheelchair, so I still look forward to striking the boys out.

Tip number two

I always stretch before every game. I always spend about 15 minutes warming up before a game because it loosens up the muscles. This allows me to stay in the game longer. It also means that I get to make the boys suffer. I can still throw a mean fastball as long as I’m warmed up. This is the reason I stick to warming up for 15 minutes.

Tip number three

Even though I’m still competitive on the mound, it does not mean I can overdo it. The saying “no pain, no gain” is a saying I do not listen to when it comes to my multiple sclerosis. I know I’m still in pretty good shape for somebody that has a disability like multiple sclerosis, but I know not to overdo it. The mentality of sitting out the game when my multiple sclerosis has the best of me is what has allowed me to endure 20 years of this sport.

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Top Five Ways Swimming is Beneficial to People With Multiple Sclerosis

Swimming in the summertime is one of my favorite activities. There are a lot of reasons that I enjoy going for swims in the summertime, and there are plenty of benefits to swimming for me since I have multiple sclerosis. I try and swim at least three times a week in the summertime since it allows me to choose between a swimming pool and a lake.

The benefits, for me, are both health and social benefits.

Benefit number one

Social interaction is the first reason I love to swim. I’m able to interact with people that are perfectly healthy, and people that have medical conditions like me. Since I’m not able to work any longer I choose to swim to get my source of social interaction.

I have met many new friends swimming at the local swimming pool. Without these friends my life would be more difficult since I would be closed up inside my house. I spend time going out to eat, and just talking with these friends. My new-found friends have given a sense that not all is lost in my life, even though I have multiple sclerosis.

Benefit number two

Strength training is easiest for me to accomplish through swimming. While I enjoy other strength training exercises like cycling, scuba diving, and walking, swimming is the easiest on my body. I’m able to build strength in my arms and legs through this one healthy exercise. The strength training of swimming comes from the motions in swinging my arms and kicking my legs.

Before I got back into swimming I had to use a walker to get around. Since I started strength training through swimming I have regained my strength and am now able to walk freely. I no longer require the use of a walker or a cane on a daily basis. There are times that my multiple sclerosis is so bad, though, I do use my cane to get around.

Benefit number three

It is easy to become relaxed while swimming. With my multiple sclerosis, high levels of stress are not good for me. High levels of stress can lead me to a relapse in my multiple sclerosis. This is another reason I love to swim. Swimming allows me to relax, therefore bringing down my stress level.

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Dreams of Olympic and Paralympic Games Stripped Away by Multiple Sclerosis

I have spent my entire life playing sports both competitively and for fun. I idolized another athlete, though, that had multiple sclerosis and was supposed to represent America in the 1988 Olympics as a cyclist. This athlete’s name is Maureen Manley. She lost her Olympic dream, which is the reason I always wanted to be like her and one day make it.

Since this is the year of the Olympics, I will look at another type of Olympic Games. The Olympic Games I will look at will focus on the Olympics that people with disabilities are able to compete in. These Olympic Games are the Paralympics. The Paralympics are played alongside the Olympic Games, which come every four years.

I have always competed at the highest level I could with the dreams of making the Olympics. This dream was stripped away in 2006 with my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, though. I knew that I was not able to compete with healthy bodied people the way that I once was able to. This dream being taken away did not take away the drive to still be the best at the sports I participate in, though.

There are a number of sports that I will follow at the Paralympics, since I have participated in these sports at some point in my life.

Wheelchair Basketball

I played basketball in junior high and high school. I still like to play games such as horse and around the world. With my multiple sclerosis, running has been removed from my life even though I still go for walks. Since I’m not bound to a wheelchair, the game of wheelchair basketball is not something I can compete in. I will be watching the wheelchair basketball players, as I still love the game of basketball.

Paralympic Shooting

I was in the United States Navy in 2000, which where I first fell in love with shooting. The shooting range was my favorite part of boot camp. I learned that I was actually a pretty good shooter while in the Navy, but now enjoy going target practicing in the summertime when it is nice outside. I had dreams of one day participating in the Olympic Games as a marksman for the United States. This dream was stripped away after my diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, though. This is the reason that I will be following the Paralympic shooters.

Paralympic Cycling-Road

I grew up riding bikes and fell in love with the sport of cycling. I do not enjoy track cycling, though. I have multiple sclerosis and like the feeling of the open road versus track cycling as I have a fear that I will be in a crash with countless other cyclist. For this reason I stick to road cycling. I look forward to seeing the road cycling events being held at the Paralympics this year in London.

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For Elders With Dementia, Musical Awakenings

Enlarge Michael Rossato-Bennett

Joe, a nursing home resident, broke into song during a personalized music session. His story and others are documented in the film Alive Inside.

Joe, a nursing home resident, broke into song during a personalized music session. His story and others are documented in the film Alive Inside.

Henry, an elderly Alzheimer’s patient in an American nursing home, recently became a viral star. In a short video that has been viewed millions of times online, he starts out slumped over and unresponsive but undergoes a remarkable transformation as he listens to music on a pair of headphones.

The clip is part of a documentary called Alive Inside, which follows social worker Dan Cohen as he creates personalized iPod playlists for people in elder care facilities, hoping to reconnect them with the music they love. Cohen tells NPR’s Melissa Block that the video of Henry is a great example of the link between music and memory.

“He is able to actually answer questions and speak about his youth, and this is sort of the magic of music that’s familiar for those with dementia,” Cohen says. “Even though Alzheimer’s and various forms of dementia will ravage many parts of the brain, long-term memory of music from when one was young remains very often. So if you tap that, you really get that kind of awakening response. It’s pretty exciting to see.”

Cohen says his goal is to make access to personalized music the standard of care at nursing facilities. An early concern, he says, was that headphones might isolate the patients even further. But when he first implemented the project on a large scale in 2008, putting 200 iPods in four facilities around New York, he got the opposite result: a flood of stories from the staff about increased socialization.

“People wanted to share their music with others: ‘Here, you’ve gotta listen to this,’ or ‘What was the name of that song?’ ” Cohen says. “The music is great, but to me, perhaps the even bigger win is people having better and more relationships with those around them.”

Get the playlist right. Find out the person’s tastes and create a varied mix: no more than five to seven songs per artist. Have them weed out tracks that are so-so, so you end up with 100 or 200 songs that all resonate.

Keep it simple. Make sure the elder knows how to use the player, or that someone nearby can help. Use over-ear headphones rather than earbuds, which can fall out.

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Cycling With Multiple Sclerosis: 5 Stop Tour

I grew up cycling in the summertime. This is the reason I still love cycling. It provides me with a great form of exercise for my multiple sclerosis as well. I have cycled in some beautiful places all across the United States as both a child and an adult.

This is the reason I will take you on a 5-stop tour for cyclist. These are 5 of the top places that I have either been cycling as a child or an adult. These 5 stops are also the most memorable stops that I have made in my lifetime.

Stop number one

I grew up in the Hudson Valley area in New York. This is one of the reasons that I love to revisit this area as one of my cycling destinations. The one park that I have returned time and time again to ride through is Minnewaska State Park. This is one of the most beautiful places to go cycling in New York’s Hudson Valley area.

The reason I love this park so much is that it offers some of the most beautiful landscaping in New York. As I ride through this park I enjoy stopping and looking over the cliffs at the scenery below. It offers views of the surrounding lakes. As I continue to ride through the park I eventually arrive at my favorite spot. This is the wonderful waterfall that runs through the park.

This allows me time to stop and reflect as an adult who is fighting multiple sclerosis. This is the reason I always find the time to stop by this waterfall.

Stop number two

I was born and raised in Palm Springs, Calif.; this is the reason it is stop number two on my tour. My favorite stop in the Palm Springs region is Joshua Tree National Park. This ride is one that allows me to reflect, while riding through this park. I always tend to forget about my multiple sclerosis while riding in this park. There are miles of ground to cover and for me the longer I’m able to ride on these trails the better I feel about my accomplishments in life.

Stop number three

Murrells Inlet, S.C., is my third stop on this cycling tour. In particularly I will be heading straight for Huntington Beach State Park. This is a ride that blows my mind every time I take it. Huntington Beach State Park is known for its alligators, and, boy, have I ever seen them. These are creatures that put fear into me. The only time I do not seem to fear these creatures is when I ride in this park.

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Eating Alkaline Green Vegetables and Fruit Can Prevent Type

Children born to mothers who ate plenty of alkaline green vegetables and fruit during pregnancy are less likely to have type 1 diabetes, Swedish researchers say."This is the first study to show a link between vegetable intake during pregnancy and the risk of the child subsequently developing Type 1 diabetes, but more studies of various kinds will be needed before we can say anything definitive," study author Hilde Brekke, a clinical nutritionist at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, said in a news release from the university.Brekke and colleagues studied 6,000 5-year-olds and found that 3 percent either had fully developed Type 1 diabetes or had elevated levels of antibodies that indicate a risk of developing the disease. The risk was twice as high in children whose mothers rarely ate vegetables during pregnancy, and lowest among children whose mothers ate vegetables every day of their pregnancy.According to Dr. Robert O. Young, Director of Research at the pH Miracle Living Center, "Type 1 diabetes begins in the small bowel where new stem cells and blood are made. Eating animal protein and dairy products damages the intestinal villi of the small intestine which sets the stage for Type I diabetes. Children eating chicken and beef are more likely to be constipated and then diabetic because of the constipation from undigested animal protein."The study was recently published online in the journal Pediatric Diabetes. Read more...


AyurGold for Healthy Blood 

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Eating Alkaline Green Vegetables and Fruit Can Prevent Type

Children born to mothers who ate plenty of alkaline green vegetables and fruit during pregnancy are less likely to have type 1 diabetes, Swedish researchers say."This is the first study to show a link between vegetable intake during pregnancy and the risk of the child subsequently developing Type 1 diabetes, but more studies of various kinds will be needed before we can say anything definitive," study author Hilde Brekke, a clinical nutritionist at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, said in a news release from the university.Brekke and colleagues studied 6,000 5-year-olds and found that 3 percent either had fully developed Type 1 diabetes or had elevated levels of antibodies that indicate a risk of developing the disease. The risk was twice as high in children whose mothers rarely ate vegetables during pregnancy, and lowest among children whose mothers ate vegetables every day of their pregnancy.According to Dr. Robert O. Young, Director of Research at the pH Miracle Living Center, "Type 1 diabetes begins in the small bowel where new stem cells and blood are made. Eating animal protein and dairy products damages the intestinal villi of the small intestine which sets the stage for Type I diabetes. Children eating chicken and beef are more likely to be constipated and then diabetic because of the constipation from undigested animal protein."The study was recently published online in the journal Pediatric Diabetes. Read more...


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Fulbright Program:

Are you interested in spending a year abroad – taking classes, performing a research project, or teaching English – after you graduate?
Then you should consider applying for the Fulbright Program for U.S. Students. The Fulbright is one of the most prestigious awards available for U.S. students. It is open to individuals from any discipline. The award supports a year in one of over 130countries, during which you can take classes, carry out a research project, or serve as an English Teaching Assistant. Undergraduates who will have a Bachelor’s degree by August 2013, alumni, and graduate students are eligible to apply. Find out more at the:
Fulbright Program for U.S. Students Information Session
Wednesday, April 18 @ 3:00pm
Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering building, University of Arizona Campus, Room S212
Open to the entire UA community
Please RSVP and/or request more information at http://goo.gl/IhNwr. You can also read more about the Fulbright Program at http://us.fulbrightonline.org/.

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Frost & Sullivan Honours PathXL with Enabling Technology Award

PathXL Recognised for its Pioneering Digital Pathology Solutions

Congratulations to PathXL for this web-based software technology award. 
LONDON, April 19, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Based on its recent analysis of web-based software platforms for tissue analysis and quantification, Frost & Sullivan recognise PathXL (Northern Ireland) with the 2012 European Web-based Software Platforms Enabling Technology Award.

"PathXL's pioneering digital pathology solutions are highly versatile," notes Frost & Sullivan Senior Research Analyst Prasanna Vadhana Kannan. "They allow pathologists to adopt digital pathology for inter-laboratory collaboration and then expand the utility of these systems to diverse digital pathology services such as remote consultations, quality assurance programmes, proficiency testing and training, quantitative imaging and pattern recognition."

The proprietary PathXL TMA (tissue microarray) software represents a biomarker discovery tool that can facilitate the identification and scoring of tissue biomarkers in high throughput tissue microarray format. As a preclinical biomarker discovery research-enabling tool, the PathXL TMA software is entirely web-enabled and allows researchers to share TMA slides instantly across large geographical distances, score the slides simultaneously, and integrate dispersed research laboratories.

PathXL's software operates with a large spectrum of image formats, spanning different whole slide scanning instruments. PathXL puts workflow at the heart of its products, bringing new capabilities to customers who are investing in hardware to scan tissue pathology.

"The company's products are designed to integrate with existing IT systems within research and clinical laboratories enabling PathXL to develop solutions for a wide application range," adds Prasanna Vadhana Kannan. "PathXL's digital pathology educational and management solutions underpin a wide range of applications including education and training in pathology, digital slide archiving, cloud-based digital pathology, biobanking, biomarker discovery and data management, and web-based image analysis for tissue research."

PathXL Ltd. has been actively partnering with cancer research programmes in Northern Ireland, providing the backbone tissue management software for these initiatives. The company's web-based solutions have allowed Northern Ireland's research community to share their microscope samples globally with other researchers via the web, thereby improving the identification of disease markers and development of newer cancer therapies.

PathXL has also worked closely with medical and scientific staff at the Northern Ireland Biobank to develop a new comprehensive biobank workflow software platform. This new product - PathXL Biobank- meets the increasing needs of modern biobanks, supporting researchers that need access to human tissues for biomarker discovery.

Digital Pathology Workflow, a configurable solution that manages and streamlines digital pathology workflow in hospitals and pathology laboratories, is PathXL's latest product offering. On the corporate front, PathXL's strategic partnership with DigiPath Inc. in the United States aims to increase user adoption of the suite of PathXL digital pathology educational products.

"PathXL's full range of national and international research collaborations emphasize the uniqueness behind the company's digital pathology services that offer exceptional speed, flexibility, and objectivity needed for biomarker assessment in particular," concludes Prasanna Vadhana Kannan. "Frost & Sullivan feels that PathXL's integrated digital pathology solutions are poised for easy transition and high recognition."

The Enabling Technology Award is presented to the company that has excelled in enabling the creation of new products and applications and/or has enhanced current products. Potential for market acceptance and breadth of access to technology are other criterion in which the company is seen to have excelled.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices awards recognise companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research to identify best practices in the industry.

 

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Digital Pathology Offerings at University College London (UCL)

University College London (UCL) showcases their digital pathology offerings, examples using Slidepath viewing software over the web from Lecia SCN400F scanner and costs for slide scanning and storing services.  Great images and reasonable prices for high resolution scanning and storage.

From their website:

High Resolution Digital Pathology

Archiving Slides

We can archive precious bright field and fluorescent  research and diagnostic pathology samples at high resolution. Our slide scanner (LEICA SCN400F) digitises entire histological slides. 

We can simply scan your slides and make the files available to you or we can store them on a secure, password-protected server

Comparison of multiple slides

The system is ideal for comparison of slidesfor permanent archiving of entire fluorescent slides simply or for taking snapshots of your slides, in perfect contrast, white balance and in vivid colours. Images can be accessed at any time with any web browser, platform-independent or with an app on your iPad . 

Remote Access

We can give researchers exclusive access to their selection of slides. 

Researchers and Pathologists can get a login to access the slide collection on our server

Examples:

Price List: High resolution scanning and digital archive

High Resolution Slide scanning

Registration, scanning, storage and export 

Includes 1 months storage

Gigabyte file size£ 1.00
Storage of High Resolution imagesStorage on File serverGigabyte per month£ 0.20

 

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/divisions/neuropathology/ion-histology/DigitalPathology

 

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Pathology called the “absolute dumbest profession” by lab sales and marketing expert

The micturition contest (no pun intended) in regards to self-referral practices, particularly within urology groups continues.

In the latest diaglogue between The Pathology Blawg and In-Office Pathology co-founder, Mr. Bernie Ness, Mr. Ness writes that "I have never met a pathologist in my 10 years of private consulting before IOP who knw what the positivity rate was for their lab.  NEVER. Pathology is the absolute dumbest profession I have ever seen in my life.  I have never seen a group of professionals so clueless as to the rules and regs that govern them."

Mian_pic_test
Someone told me many years ago never to send an e-mail to someone you wouldn't want forwarded or put on a website.  I learned that lesson the hard way years ago as a senior resident/junior staff pathologist in the Army.  Even if you are right and have the data that you think supports your point, think about who may or can see this.

Many years ago, while head coach of the New York Jets, Herman Edwards once said "You play to win the game. Hello? You play to win the game."  In more recent years, when referring, specifically to athletes texting or posting content online, ESPN plays a soundbite of him saying "Think before you hit send!

Think about that message being forwarded and think before you hit send.  Good advice. 

Confident Mr. Ness was aware of the risks sharing his innermost thoughts with a blogger and put them in writing.  Probably the first time I have seen pathology called "the absolute dumbest profession" but perhaps I am not reading the right material.  

He is welcome to his opinion.  Or a second opinion for that matter.  Of course he will defend his business practices as being sound clinical business practices but I wouldn't expect to hear or see this kind of rhetoric from someone who has spent over 30 years in sales and marketing within the laboratory industry, even if he/she thought it were true.  

According to the In-Office Pathology website (see below), it claims that Mr. Ness has helped with such innovations as client electronic interfaces, image enhanced reporting and of course, in-sourcing of pathology services in physician office practices.  

If an expert in sales and marketing within the pathology and laboratory industry mentions "Pathology is the absolute dumbest profession I have ever seen in my life", what does that say about our profession?  

From In-Office Pathology:

Bernie Ness has distinguished himself over the past 30 years as one of the experts in sales and marketing within the laboratory industry. His experience encompasses both large national lab companies as well as private, venture capital funded, startup companies. He is a recognized expert in the field of anatomic pathology sales and marketing.

He is well known for his expertise in revamping troubled sales organizations, adding innovation, marketing new technology and organizing and training sales forces. Bernie established one of the first computer-to-computer links for client order entry and lab results reporting. He launched several technologies that have become standards in oncology, infectious disease, pathology, and genetics, including color digital image anatomic pathology reporting. Bernie is often quoted in lab industry publications such as The Dark Report, Small Business Reports and Advance. 

He is a graduate of Southern Illinois University with a degree in biology and a minor in microbiology. He was a board member of BioDiagnostics Laboratory, Inc.,Torrance (CA), a member of Biomedical Marketing Association and The Medical Marketing Association. Bernie formed BJ Ness Consulting Group that specialized in pathology business management. He also started several medical ventures, including a revolutionary new logistics product to keep medical specimens frozen for four days without dry ice. He is co-founder of the predecessor company of recently renamed In-Office Pathology, the market leader for in-sourcing pathology referrals from specialty medical practices in urology, gastroenterolgy, and dermatology. 

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Pathology Visions 2012 – Pre-Meeting Announcement

MAKE YOUR HOTEL RESERVATION TODAY FOR PATHOLOGY VISIONS 2012

The DPA has secured a special group rate for attendees of Pathology Visions at the Hilton Baltimore, $189 + tax per night for a single and double occupancy room. For overnight guest room accommodations, please make reservations here or by contacting the Hilton Baltimore directly by phone at (443) 573-8700. Be sure to mention that you are with the group Pathology Visions in order to receive the contracted group rate.

Room Rate:

$189 Single/Double + tax
Check-in: 3:00 PM
Check-out: Noon

Self Parking: $28, In/Out privilege

Valet parking: $40, In/Out privilege

Room Guarantee Information:

Hotel reservations must be received prior to October 1, 2011. All hotel reservations must be guaranteed with a credit card. You must be registered to attend Pathology Visions to receive the special rate.

Hilton Baltimore

The Hilton Baltimore hotel is ideally located in the exciting Baltimore Inner Harbor district downtown, a prime business, historic and cultural district in Baltimore, Maryland. We’re directly connected to the Baltimore Convention Center, adjacent to Camden Yards, and across from M&T Stadium, home of the Baltimore Ravens. The Connie Award winning Hilton Baltimore, MD hotel is a property designed to impress and accommodate every need of today's traveler

Guest Accommodations: 
As one of the premier hotels in Baltimore, the Hilton Baltimore offers luxurious accommodations in the downtown Baltimore area. Pamper yourself with our Hilton Serenity Collection™ bedding while you enjoy a luxurious guest room that features today’s latest technology - large, plasma high-def televisions, high speed Internet access and MP3 player clock radios. 
  
Hotel Address:

Hilton Balitmore

401 West Pratt Street

Baltimore, Maryland, United States 21201

Tel: 1-443-573-8700   

Fax:  1-443-683-8841

 

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CAP Response to Mitchell Study

The College of American Pathologists recently mentioned, as I discussed last week a study looking at the number of specimen containers collected (and billed to Medicare) for prostate biopsies for self-referring (in-office laboratories) versus non self-referring urologists (send specimens to a lab to be processed and read).  There has been some concern that urologists, who have a stake in a lab they may own, would have financial incentive to do more biopsies, generate more cups and generate more 88305 codes than if they simply sent the work to a lab to be done.  

The null hypothesis for the study by a noted public policy economist at Georgetown University was that there would be no difference in number of specimens between those who owned their labs versus those who referred to laboratories.

The study found otherwise, that self-referring labs generate more cups for themselves than those who sent the specimens to another laboratory.  If you make more, you do more.  Simple economics.

Sadly, despite doing more biopsies, the cancer detection rate did not increase.  It actually decreased.  I don't think a multivariate analysis was done, based on how study was contructed (Medicare claims for these specimens from 2005 - 2007), but nevertheless, doing more biopsies did not yield more cancer.  

So, what does the CAP do with this information?  Essentially nothing in the course of the past week.

There was a Statline release with a link to the study by Dr. Mitchell last Monday and a members-only Webinar on the matter last Friday.  Dr. Mitchell reviewed her design study, methods, results and conclusions for about 30 minutes and then a member-driven Q&A followed for the remaining time.  

The session was moderated by Dr. George Kwass, a practicing pathologist in Massachusetts and CAP Board of Governors member.  

The member generated questions that were read by staff to Dr. Kwass and Dr. Mitchell ranged from design characteristics to what the College plans to do with the information.

This perhaps was the most disappointing part of the webinar.  Dr. Kwass specifically responded to the question of what does the College plan to do with "It is a work in progress".

On April 12th, the AUA fired off this letter, applauding the Journal which published the Mitchell Study and mentioned the "turf war" between pathology and urology on this matter and defended their practice of 12 cores versus less.

An organization called LUGPA which stands for The Large Urology Group Practice Association had a press release on Friday, hours before the CAP Webinar to its members.

The press release states: "This study simply furthers the political agenda of its sponsors to recapture lost market share and does not deserve credible recognition," states Dr. Deepak A. Kapoor, President of LUGPA and Chairman and CEO of Integrated Medical Professionals, PLLC. "To suggest that certain practices are performing extra and unnecessary pathology work for their own remuneration when they are working within rational clinical guidelines is offensive. It shows a total lack of understanding of proper prostate cancer diagnosis."

The College of American Pathologists published an alert, link to study, information on its advocacy site which I mentioned last week and holds a members-only webinar.  

Assuming the College did not know the results when the study was completed or during the peer-review process, it should have had 4 or 5 action items and more talking points ready to go, whether the results were favorable or unfavorable to the College's interests in this "turf war" as mentioned by our urology colleagues.  

Instead, we get "It is a work in progress".  A work in progress, strictly defined is "Material that has entered the production process but is not yet a finished product."  

Work in progress (WIP) therefore refers to all materials and partly finished products that are at various stages of the production process. WIP excludes inventory of raw materials at the start of the production cycle and finished products inventory at the end of the production cycle.

The term could also be used to ongoing projects, as I have used it, for example, months-long software implementations, home contruction or contract negotiations where everyone is working towards a common goal and end desired product.  

If the study was, say started in 2010 and in part, funded by the CAP, why is that an organization called LUGPA is firing their bullets and we are still having only, as far as I can tell members-only calls?

What is the College, its board, advocacy groups, political action committee or PR engine going to do before the likes of LUGPA, AUA or IOP continue to put their own spin on this?

Pathologists are data driven.  We have the data now.  Why don't we have a succint plan to use the data after many years?

 

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Visiopharm and Hamamatsu Announce Worldwide OEM Agreement and Reseller Partnership for Quantitative Digital Pathology

>PRWEB.COM Newswire

Hoersholm, Denmark (PRWEB) April 16, 2012

April 16, 2012 - Visiopharm, a leading provider of Quantitative Digital Pathology solutions, andHamamatsu, a leading provider of whole slide scanners and data management solutions for digital pathology, announce today a non-exclusive worldwide original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreement and reseller partnership for Visiopharm’s Quantitative Digital Pathology (QDP) solutions. Under the partnership Visiopharm will be an OEM for Hamamatsu’s new NDP.Analyze software, a research tool for tissue image analysis, which is fully compatible with Visiopharm’s entire suite of QDP solutions. Hamamatsu will market and sell the entire suite of QDP solutions, including CloudAnalysis, DeployedAnalysis, Stereology, and Application Protocol Packages (APPs) from Visiopharm’s new APPCenter. 
The NDP.Analyze will be exhibited at the Analytica on April 17-20 2012, in Munich, Germany.

Hamamatsu, who is known throughout the world for their NanoZoomer Digital Pathology (NDP) whole slide scanners, will expand their offering in digital pathology to include quantitative digital pathology. The full range of analysis solutions are integrated with the NDP.Serve data management software. The software will be available directly from Hamamatsu Worldwide.

Masafumi Oshiro, Product manager of Hamamatsu Photonics, stated “Hamamatsu is committed to provide complete solutions of high quality to its customers. Image analysis is becoming an increasingly important part of Digital Pathology. With the NDP.analyze and the software from Visiopharm fully integrated in the NDP environment, we are now able to provide a powerful image analysis solution. That scales well across the needs from individual academic researchers to large pharmaceutical companies with a regular and high-volume need for analysis. We are pleased to be able to offer image analysis APPs that provide a risk-free approach to image analysis for our customers, and at the same time provide immediate productivity with a very low learning curve.

NDP.Analyze integrated with Visiopharm’s innovative solutions for QDP, will provide Hamamatsu customers with leading technology and flexible options, including analysis of NanoZoomer whole slide images in the Cloud and unlimited access to Visiopharm’s patent-pending APPCenter. The APPCenter will provide both new and current NanoZoomer and Visiopharm customers with innovative, affordable options for their deployed solutions, but also allow them to expand their efforts to collaborate and share data in the Cloud.

Cloud analysis is an easy to budget solution for Hamamatsu customers who need access to sophisticated image analysis capabilities for a specific project which is limited in time. Whether it is for a week, a month, or longer customers will only pay for analysis when they need it. Hamamatsu customers can now have instant access, and be able to analyze whole slide images from work, home, or from anywhere.

Michael Grunkin PhD, CEO of Visiopharm, stated “We are very impressed with Hamamatsu and their innovative vision for digital pathology. The NanoZoomer is a very robust product capable of providing scanned images of a consistent high quality and with a very competitive scan speed. It is clear to us that Hamamatsu will play an important role in providing integrated and complete quality solutions to the research market. An OEM agreement and reseller partnership with Hamamatsu will expand the availability of Visiopharm’s QDP solutions worldwide, and enable the rapidly growing digital pathology market to work in an efficient, integrated digital workflow with Hamamatsu’s NanoZoomer Digital Pathology solutions.

About Visiopharm

Over the past 10 years, Visiopharm image analysis and stereology software has become the preferred Quantitative Digital Pathology solution for leading biopharmaceutical companies, clinical researchers, and academic researchers all over the world. Visiopharm has more than 300 deployed systems worldwide and a large network of distribution and support partners, and is featured in over 400 scientific publications.

About Hamamatsu 
Hamamatsu Photonics is a world-leading manufacturer of opto-electronic components and systems and employs over 4000 staff worldwide. The corporate headquarters are based in Hamamatsu City, Japan along with six manufacturing plants and central research laboratories. Since its inception in 1953, Hamamatsu Photonics has expanded to now enjoy a global presence with production facilities, business locations and associated companies throughout Asia, Europe and North America. 
Hamamatsu Photonics’ corporate philosophy stresses the advancement of Photonics through extensive research and development. The component- and system-products such as photosensors, cameras, complex systems are widely used in different research fields like communication, biomedical science, material science, pharmacology, medical science and many others.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/4/prweb9400579.htm

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/664835#ixzz1sAfUOgEw

 

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