Background:
The enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic plant biomass into fermentable sugars is a crucial step in the sustainable and environmentally friendly production of biofuels. However, a major drawback of enzymes from mesophilic sources is their suboptimal activity under established pretreatment conditions, e.g. high temperatures, extreme pH values and high salt concentrations. Enzymes from extremophiles are better adapted to these conditions and could be produced by heterologous expression in microbes, or even directly in the plant biomass.
Results:
Here we show that a cellulase gene (sso1354) isolated from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus can be expressed in plants, and that the recombinant enzyme is biologically active and exhibits the same properties as the wild type form. Since the enzyme is inactive under normal plant growth conditions, this potentially allows its expression in plants without negative effects on growth and development, and subsequent heat-inducible activation. Furthermore we demonstrate that the recombinant enzyme acts in high concentrations of ionic liquids and can therefore degrade alpha-cellulose or even complex cell wall preparations under those pretreatment conditions.
Conclusion:
The hyperthermophilic endoglucanase SSO1354 with its unique features is an excellent tool for advanced biomass conversion. Here we demonstrate its expression in planta and the possibility for post harvest activation. Moreover the enzyme is suitable for combined pretreatment and hydrolysis applications.Source:
http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/rss/
Monthly Archives: September 2012
One-pot bioethanol production from cellulose by co-culture of Acremonium cellulolyticus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Background:
While the ethanol production from biomass by consolidated bioprocess (CBP) is considered to be the most ideal process, simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) is the most appropriate strategy in practice. In this study, one-pot bioethanol production, including cellulase production, saccharification of cellulose, and ethanol production, was investigated for the conversion of biomass to biofuel by co-culture of two different microorganisms such as a hyper cellulase producer, Acremonium cellulolyticus C-1 and an ethanol producer Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Furthermore, the operational conditions of the one-pot process were evaluated for maximizing ethanol concentration from cellulose in a single reactor.
Results:
Ethanol production from cellulose was carried out in one-pot bioethanol production process. A. cellulolyticus C-1 and S. cerevisiae were co-cultured in a single reactor. Cellulase producing-medium supplemented with 2.5 g/l of yeast extract was used for productions of both cellulase and ethanol. Cellulase production was achieved by A. cellulolyticus C-1 using Solka-Floc (SF) as a cellulase-inducing substrate. Subsequently, ethanol was produced with addition of both 10%(v/v) of S. cerevisiae inoculum and SF at the culture time of 60 h. Dissolved oxygen levels were adjusted at higher than 20% during cellulase producing phase and at lower than 10% during ethanol producing phase. Cellulase activity remained 8--12 FPU/ml throughout the one-pot process. When 50--300 g SF/l was used in 500 ml Erlenmeyer flask scale, the ethanol concentration and yield based on initial SF were as 8.7--46.3 g/l and 0.15--0.18 (g ethanol/g SF), respectively. In 3-l fermentor with 50--300 g SF/l, the ethanol concentration and yield were 9.5--35.1 g/l with their yields of 0.12--0.19 (g/g) respectively, demonstrating that the one-pot bioethanol production is a reproducible process in a scale-up bioconversion of cellulose to ethanol.
Conclusion:
A. cellulolyticus cells produce cellulase using SF. Subsequently, the produced cellulase saccharifies the SF, and then liberated reducing sugars are converted to ethanol by S. cerevisiae. These reactions were carried out in the one-pot process with two different microorganisms in a single reactor, which does require neither an addition of extraneous cellulase nor any pretreatment of cellulose. Collectively, the one-pot bioethanol production process with two different microorganisms could be an alternative strategy for a practical bioethanol production using biomass.Source:
http://www.biotechnologyforbiofuels.com/rss/
Discovery May Improve Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s
WEDNESDAY, Aug. 29 (HealthDay News) — Four indicators, or “biomarkers,” found in cerebrospinal fluid can help differentiate patients with Alzheimer’s disease from those with other forms of dementia, and a different biomarker can distinguish patients with Parkinson’s disease from those with parkinsonian disorders, researchers say.
Overlapping symptoms, especially in the early stages, can make it difficult to distinguish between regular Parkinson’s disease and atypical Parkinsonism, and also between Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia, the study authors explained.
The investigators identified the five biomarkers by analyzing cerebrospinal fluid samples from 453 patients with Parkinson’s, Parkinson’s disease with dementia, Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia.
“Together with earlier published data, our results indicate that these five [cerebrospinal fluid] biomarkers might have clinical value in the differential diagnosis of dementia and/or parkinsonism,” concluded Dr. Sara Hall, of Skane University Hospital in Sweden, and colleagues.
The study was published online Aug. 27 in the journal Archives of Neurology.
The findings represent “a significant step forward, demonstrating how a relatively modest panel of robust [cerebrospinal fluid] protein biomarkers can categorize dementias and parkinsonian syndromes on the basis of pathology rather than clinical/behavioral changes,” Dr. Richard Perrin, of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, wrote in an accompanying editorial.
The use of these indicators in cerebrospinal fluid could improve the efficiency of clinical trials and speed up the development and evaluation of new treatments for neurological diseases, Perrin concluded.
— Robert Preidt
Copyright 2012 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SOURCE: Archives of Neurology, news release, Aug. 27, 2012
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Discovery May Improve Diagnosis of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's
Perelman School of Medicine Granted $11.9 Million Renewal of NINDS Support for Morris K. Udall Parkinson’s Disease …
PHILADELPHIA Researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine will receive $11.9 million over the next five years from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) for the Penn Udall Center for Parkinsons Disease (PD) research. This grant is a renewal of an NINDS funded PD center that successfully completed its research program over the last five years.
Parkinsons is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, second only to Alzheimer’s disease in the number of people affected. Estimates suggest that approximately 1,000,000 Americans have PD.
Cognitive impairment, executive dysfunction and dementia add to the burden of PD and increase mortality, but the underlying basis of dementia in PD is unclear. There are no effective disease modifying therapies. Despite important research advances, the exact causes of PD, Parkinsons with dementia (PDD), and dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) are unknown. To address this, a NINDS Morris K. Udall Parkinsons Disease Research Center of Excellence was launched at Penn in 2007.
This renewal for years six through ten of the Penn Udall Center builds on recent progress advancing researchers understanding of the progression of PDD from normal cognition to cognitive impairment, executive dysfunction and dementia in PDD, and disease progression in DLB, in addition to central nervous system degeneration mediated by progressive accumulations of pathological alpha-synuclein.
Recent Penn Udall Center studies raise the provocative, but highly plausible possibility that the progression of PD/PDD/DLB is linked to the cell-to-cell spread of pathological alpha-synuclein. Therefore, the overarching goals of the Penn Udall Center are to explore mechanisms of disease progression and alpha-synuclein transmission through collaborations between basic and translational research projects that work with each of the cores to implement the mission of the Penn Udall Center in the renewal period.
“The Penn Udall Center will elucidate mechanisms of cognitive impairment, executive dysfunction and dementia in Parkinsons Disease as well as mechanisms of neurodegeneration that are mediated by the transmission of alpha-synuclein pathologies, said Center Director John Trojanowski, MD, PhD, director of Penn’s Institute on Aging and professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine in the Perelman School of Medicine. By using new approaches and model systems to achieve its goals, the Penn Udall Center will investigate novel disease mechanisms in Parkinsons and advance efforts to develop new interventions and better diagnostics for this disorder.
The Penn Udall Center is based on 20 years of basic research on neurodegenerative diseases within the Center for Neurodegenerative Disease Research and clinical programs at the Parkinsons Disease and Movement Disorders Center, both within Penn Medicine.
The Udall Centers of Excellence were developed in honor of former Congressman Morris K. Udall, who died in 1998 after a long battle with Parkinsons disease. The first center was named in 1997.
The Udall Center renewal grant (P50 NS053488) will include four core groups focusing on clinical care: neuropathology, biomarker and genetics; data management, biostatistics and bioinformatics; and administration. Planned projects will look for an immune therapy to block PD transmission in animal models, biomarkers to evaluate and predict cognitive decline in Lewy Body spectrum disorders, language and executive dysfunction in PD, and how transmission of alpha-synuclein occurs in neurons. The Penn Udall Center team includes John Trojanowski, MD, PhD, Howard Hurtig, MD, Dan Weintraub, MD, Vivianna Van Deerlin, MD, PhD, Edward B. Lee, MD, PhD, Sharon Xie, PhD, Li-San Wang, PhD, Alice Chen-Plotkin, MD, Murray Grossman, MD, PhD, Rachel Gross, MD, Kelvin Luk, PhD, and Virginia M-Y Lee, PhD, MBA.
The Perelman School of Medicine is currently ranked #2 in U.S. News & World Report’s survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation’s top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $479.3 million awarded in the 2011 fiscal year.
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Perelman School of Medicine Granted $11.9 Million Renewal of NINDS Support for Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease …
Fighting Back -Ordinary People Battling The Everyday Effects Of MS
Posted on: 7:20 pm, August 31, 2012, by Kelley Hoskins, updated on: 07:14pm, August 31, 2012
ST. LOUIS (KPLR)-A diagnosis of multiple sclerosis doesnt happen to just one person, it affects the whole family. Its a life long disease , and an unpredictable We take a closer look a two ordinary people dealing with life and the ups and downs of the disease. Two very different people with two very different life styles. MS affects the ability of nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord to communicate with each other effectively
One is aprominent St. Louis Pastor the other a local nurse . But what they do have is in common they both are battling multiple sclerosis. Pastor Charles Roach is very active at Trinity Mount Carmel Baptist Church in St. Louis County .He also served his country in the United States Air Force as Staff Sergeant.
Each and every Sunday he delivers a powerful message to his congregation. Pastor Roach says multiple sclerosis runs in his family and he wants to empower , equip and educate others about the disease. Its important that all of us to share an experience of some types of difficulty . It may not be physical as mine but it could be mental or emotional . But one has to learn how to conquer that. We have enough tenacity in us to conquer any difficut situation, said Pastor Roach.
Now we take a look a Michelle Keating a health care provider. a phenomenal women and volunteer with the St. Louis Gateway Area Chapter of Multiple Sclerosis. Keating says the diagnosis changed his life forever. Together they both have learned to adjust in different ways as MS affects what they can do .My first reaction was of denial and worry , what would my future be like?But my future has been very beautiful. I have two children I have raised and I continue my career as a nurse and wife.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially debilitating disease in which your bodys immune system eats away at the protective sheath that covers your nerves. This interferes with the communication between your brain and the rest of your body. Ultimately, this may result in deterioration of the nerves themselves, a process thats not reversible.
Symptoms vary widely, depending on the amount of damage and which nerves are affected. People with severe cases of multiple sclerosis may lose the ability to walk or speak. Multiple sclerosis can be difficult to diagnose early in the course of the disease because symptoms often come and go sometimes disappearing for months.
Like anyone else in the MS movement, they actively volunteer and seek effective means to move closer to a world free of MS.
At this point theres no cure for multiple sclerosis. If you would like to join the movement with over 3,000 other cyclists riding towards a world free of MS, you can team up for the Bike MS Gateway Getaway Ride September 8&9 2012 in Columbia Missouri.
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Fighting Back -Ordinary People Battling The Everyday Effects Of MS
Current treatment options for multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects approximately 400,000 people in the United States. Caused by damage to the myelin sheath the protective coating of the nerves in the brain MS is marked by an array of symptoms, including muscle spasms, loss of vision and difficulty moving arms and legs.
While there is no cure for MS, there are various treatments available for those suffering from the disease. Dr. Michael Devereaux, a neurologist for University Hospitals Case Medical Center, spoke with FoxNews.com about the many options for MS patients looking for symptom relief. According to him, there are two main goals when it comes to treating MS.
One is treating the acute attacks, Devereaux said. And then, what youre really interested in even more is reducing the frequency of attacks and reducing overall disability over time. Thats been a harder to question to answer from studies and the like, because all the drugs are promoting the idea that they can reduce frequency and overall disability, but theres been some debate about that.
Modifying the disease
During MS, white blood cells, called T-cells, become activated and cross the blood-brain barrier into the brain. While there, they cause an inflammatory response, ultimately damaging the myelin sheath and destroying the axons of the nerves.
Various drugs, called immunologeratory agents, have been developed to dampen the inflammatory response for those with relapsing-remitting MS. The main injectable drugs include beta interferons (Avonex, Betaseron, Extavia), glatiramer acetate (Copaxone), and the somewhat controversial drug, natalizumab (Tysabri)
Tysabri has been in the news a lot because it led to breakouts of another condition progressive multifocal encephalopathy (PML), Devereaux said. Its a very small percentage of cases. Its often given to people not doing well. Its highly effective, but it has this significant, but small, real risk.
The last agent is an oral agent called fingolimod (Gilenya), and is the most convenient for patients, according to Devereaux.
Treating MS attacks
MS is marked by periods of remission, alternating with periods of mild to severe exacerbations. While the agents are used to prevent these flare-ups, there are also treatment options for when exacerbations do occur. The main treatment is to give patients a high dose of glucocorticosteroids
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Current treatment options for multiple sclerosis
COA to host dementia caregivers event
COA to host dementia caregivers event
SAGINAW Living with a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimers Disease can be a defining moment in anyones life. On Thursday, Sept. 27, the Dementia Advisory Board, a program of the Saginaw County Commission on Aging, will host a conference for caregivers working with persons with dementia.
The program will take place at the Riverfront Grille, 128 N Front St. in Chesaning from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and includes lunch (with a $5 donation).
We have seen such an increase in cases with people caring for loved ones with Alzheimers Disease or some other form of dementia, said Nicole Wiesenauer, care manager at the Saginaw Commission on Aging. Caregiver stress is at an all-time high. We are hoping to educate the residents of Saginaw County about this disease and to invite them to take advantage of the resources and support that are available throughout our area.
Carol Waarala, LMSW from Avalon Hospice, will be the keynote speaker for the event, and several local agencies and memory care experts will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. Seating is limited and reservations can be made by calling Wiesenauer at 1-866-763-6336.
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COA to host dementia caregivers event
Nobody noticed dementia?
Re: Dementia case puts Senate on the spot, Aug. 29
Dementia to the point of being declared incompetent does not happen overnight? Didnt any of Joyce Fairbairns colleagues notice that something was not quite right? Then again, I guess that its all relative.
Claude Gannon, Markham
So a Senator declared mentally incompetent continued for four months to perform her duties, and none of her colleagues noticed? Or worse, perhaps, noticed but said or did nothing? Makes you wonder about their mental competence.
Stephen Whitzman, Toronto
I suspect Prime Minister Stephen Harpers promise of Senate reform has slipped his mind until the next election. Since our country is foolish enough to reduce corporate taxes for greedy banks, insurance and gas companies, I may still have a shot at becoming a senator.
Although I am not a good fighter, I could drink a lot at lunch and be abusive to my staff in the afternoon. Do not worry about how I vote on bills because I will not show up very often anyway. With the generous salary and quarter million dollar plus expense account, I could probably attract a wife over 40 years my junior and take her on government-paid business-class flights, but I promise not to fight with her until we land.
Although I was never in the NHL I did not get hit too often in peewee so I am sure I could be a wise member of the upper chamber well into my old age. I hear government pensions are very generous and it will take Mr. Harper a few more elections to make insignificant changes to the plan.
My main qualification as a Conservative senator would be that I would support all of their bills no matter how harmful they are to the environment or how much pressure it puts on the working class.
Jim Ypma, Georgina
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Nobody noticed dementia?
Norfolk dementia unit to close this autumn
County Hall, Norwich.
David Freezer Friday, August 31, 2012 5:52 PM
Dementia patients and their families have been reassured that every effort will be made to smooth their transition from a closing day centre in Blofield to a larger unit in Norwich.
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News that Stocks Lane Day Centre is to close has been confirmed by Norfolk County Council and been described as very bad news by one person involved with the Blofield day centre.
The person, who asked not to be named, said: The patients will be moved from a very small, intimate and secure nine-person unit, to a very large unit.
This is very bad news because people with dementia dont like crowds or noise.
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Norfolk dementia unit to close this autumn
Even in dementia, medic cares for vet
(CBS News) NORTHPORT, N.Y. – It’s a story that makes you think, “What are the chances?” It started with a mystery at a nursing home we visited, “On the Road.”
John Angerame says when you love someone with advanced dementia — like his father has — you can’t help but wonder: Are they still in there?
John asks his dad Augie for even the littlest signs that he’s present, like a wink or blink.
Fortunately, although Augie can’t communicate, by all indications he is aware — beyond words.
Augie Angerame served in the Korean War, in an artillery unit. He was a medic, which may partly explain his recent behavior at his VA nursing home on Long Island.
A few months ago, Augie started going into the room of another veteran with dementia named Frank Dibella.
“And I was like, ‘What’s this man doing?’” recalled Frank’s daughter, Mary Rose Monroe. “He’d rub his back and then he’d walk away.”
“Just check on him,” John Angerame added, “like maybe a medic would do as he made rounds.”
The kids agreed: It seemed like Augie was trying to care for Frank — like he was back in the war. Frank didn’t seem to mind. The staff eventually moved the two men into the same room.
And that’s when John started putting the pieces together.
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Even in dementia, medic cares for vet
Axing of autism home tuition ‘rash cost-cutting’
By Claire OSullivan
Saturday, September 01, 2012
Children with autism are having their home tuition halted and instead are being ordered to attend new special needs units, according to one of the countrys leading autism support groups.
The Department of Education announced that 91 new classes for children with special needs are to be introduced at special needs units at the countrys schools.
Shine Ireland, the Irish Progressive Association for Autism, initially welcomed the investment but yesterday criticised it as “rash cost- cutting” saying they hadnt realised then that such units would be used to replace more costly home tuition.
The home tuition service is used by hundreds of children with autism, some as young as two, who need specific learning support, seen as a form of early one- on-one intervention.
Shine Ireland said families have been told in the past fortnight their home tuition will no longer be funded.
Its CEO Kieran Kennedy said: “The children are being sent wherever. There has been no consultation, no chance to talk to teachers or the principal at school.
“There has been no chance to see if the needs of child can be met. No parent of a regular child would be told that you have to put your child into a particular school at four years of age.”
A Department of Education spokesperson denied grants were being cut.
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Axing of autism home tuition ‘rash cost-cutting’
Autism and schizophrenia in kids linked to fathers’ age
A new study finds that babies of older fathers have increased health risks due to genetic mutations that increase with age.
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SALT LAKE CITY Older fathers are more likely to father a child with autism or schizophrenia, due to genetic mutations that increase with age, according to a new study published online Wednesday in the journal Nature.
Researchers examined 78 Icelandic families with children who had been diagnosed with autism or schizophrenia. They found that a 40-year-old passes 65 genetic mutations to his child, while a 20-year-old passes 25. Fathers transmitted two new mutations in their DNA each additional year, while mothers passed on 15 new mutations at every age.
The research corrected false assumptions that the risks lie in the older ages of women alone, the Los Angeles Times reported. “Although older mothers are more likely to have children with chromosomal disorders such as Down syndrome because of problems with older eggs, the study found that practically all of the novel mutations detected in children came from the father’s sperm.”
Experts said the finding might influence reproductive decisions, but was hardly reason to forgo fatherhood at an older age, The New York Times reported. There is a 2 percent overall risk to a man in his 40′s or older, as well as other contributing factors that remain unknown.
The study found that as many as 20 to 30 percent of cases of autism diagnoses were linked to an older average age in fathers.
“The findings also give us insight into how our gene pool is changing, and what, in modern times, is driving the genetic diversity that is critical to the survival of our species,” the Washington Post observed. “Every difference in our DNA that distinguishes each of us as individuals, or that separates Homo sapiens from other species, arguably got its start as a mutation. Some of these alterations in DNA occur by chance, during cell division, others are triggered by exposure to environmental factors, while still others are selected for when they happen to confer some survival advantage, such as an ability to ward off disease.”
The only important thing when it came to explaining the mutations was the age of the father, study author Kari Stefansson, the chief executive officer of deCode Genetics, told the Bloomberg News. Theres very little else to be accounted for. Thats a stunning observation.
Originally posted here:
Autism and schizophrenia in kids linked to fathers' age
Autism: It’s personal
Theres a saying: If you meet one person with autism, youve met one person with autism, Cathy Louden said.
Autism is a term used for complex disorders of brain development and symptoms tend to be very personal and different for each person.
These disorders are characterized, in varying degrees, by difficulties in social interaction, verbal and nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors, the Autism Society of West Shore website said.
In Loudin’s home it rings true, she and her husband, Shawn Loudin and their two boys, Jason, 8, and Andrew, 11, are all have autism and they are all very different, she said, each with their own needs, their own quirks.
Andy is more withdrawn, Jason is the social butterfly, Cathy Loudin said. But it flips sometimes.
Andrew perfers to be left alone. Jason will pick on his brother.
Yet each has similarities too; they can focus for some time on electronic games.
Neither Cathy nor Shawn knew they had autism until they started noticing signs in their sons. They recognized things from their own childhoods, and it just made sense. The knowledge has strengthened their relationship and has given them a better understanding of each other, she said. They’ve learned to avoid situations that make them uncomfortable, such as large crowds.
As she learns the needs of her boys, Cathy found having a solid support system was a must. The family found that in the Autism Society of West Shore, the local chapter of the Autism Society of America.
ASWS has monthly coffee socials, Cathy said, where parents can just talk and share tips, tricks and ideas. They have a free speakers series with topics such as how to get through the individualized education plan, she said.
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Autism: It's personal
Autism support center plans to open this fall
Children with Autism will soon have a new place to receive services in Siouxland.
The PierCenter for Autism, a non-profit organization, plans to open a center sometime this fall at 709 Iowa Street, according to founder Josh Cobbs.
Cobbs, whose 12-year-old son Noah has autism, said he formed the non-profit in hopes of filling a great and growing need in Sioux City.
According to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention survey released in March, 1 in 88 children in the United States has autism. The prevalence of the condition has risen nearly 80 percent over the last decade, according to the CDC.
At the PierCenter, board certified behavior analysts will offer applied behavior analysis therapy to school-age children and certified teachers will also be on hand to provide tutoring support. From there, Cobbs said he only expects services to slowly grow.
“We really want to try to connect the spans as they go through life, so if an individual needs something at age 7, we want to provide that service for them,” Cobbs said. “If they need something at age 17, because those needs are different, we want to be able to provide that service.”
Many Sioux City area families, including his, Cobbs said, have driven long distances in order for their children to receive services.
“That’s common to a lot of families in this area. They drive to maybe Des Moines or Omaha or Sioux Falls or Iowa City,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to replace all of those services that families go out of town for, but we’re hoping to certainly supplement and cover some of those services.”
Although Cobbs said his group has talked about opening a center for children with autism for years, he said the idea took off in January. A seven-person board was formed and an agreement was reached to lease space from St. Joseph’s Catholic Church.
The center’s name, Cobbs said, plays off of the meaning of the word “pier” – a support for a bridge.
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Autism support center plans to open this fall
UCLA Researchers Discover "Missing Link" Between Stem Cells and the Immune System
Newswise UCLA researchers have discovered a type of cell that is the missing link between bone marrow stem cells and all the cells of the human immune system, a finding that will lead to a greater understanding of how a healthy immune system is produced and how disease can lead to poor immune function.
The studies were done using human bone marrow, which contains all the stem cells that produce blood during postnatal life.
We felt it was especially important to do these studies using human bone marrow as most research into the development of the immune system has used mouse bone marrow, said study senior author Dr. Gay Crooks, co-director of the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and a co-director of the Cancer and Stem Cell Biology program at UCLAs Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. The few studies with human tissue have mostly used umbilical cord blood, which does not reflect the immune system of postnatal life.
The research team was intrigued to find this particular bone marrow cell because it opens up a lot of new possibilities in terms of understanding how human immunity is produced from stem cells throughout life, said Crooks, a professor of pathology and pediatrics.
Understanding the process of normal blood formation in human adults is a crucial step in shedding light on what goes wrong during the process that results in leukemias, or cancers of the blood.
The study appears Sept. 2 in the early online edition of Nature Immunology.
Before this study, researchers had a fairly good idea of how to find and study the blood stem cells of the bone marrow. The stem cells live forever, reproduce themselves and give rise to all the cells of the blood. In the process, the stem cells divide and produce intermediate stages of development called progenitors, which make various blood lineages like red blood cells or platelets. Crooks was most interested in the creation of the progenitors that form the entire immune system, which consists of many different cells called lymphocytes, each with a specialized function to fight infection.
Like the stem cells, the progenitor cells are also very rare, so before we can study them we needed to find the needle in the haystack. said Lisa Kohn, a member of the UCLA Medical Scientist Training Program and first author in the paper.
Previous work had found a fairly mature type of lymphocyte progenitor with a limited ability to differentiate, but the new work describes a more primitive type of progenitor primed to produce the entire immune system, Kohn said
Once the lymphoid primed progenitor had been identified, Crooks and her team studied how gene expression changed during the earliest stages of its production from stem cells.
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UCLA Researchers Discover "Missing Link" Between Stem Cells and the Immune System
Research and Markets: Cell Therapy – Technologies, Markets and Companies – Updated 2012 Report
DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–
Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/9fkkzb/cell_therapy_tec) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech’s new report “Cell Therapy – Technologies, Markets and Companies” to their offering.
This report describes and evaluates cell therapy technologies and methods, which have already started to play an important role in the practice of medicine. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is replacing the old fashioned bone marrow transplants. Role of cells in drug discovery is also described. Cell therapy is bound to become a part of medical practice.
Stem cells are discussed in detail in one chapter. Some light is thrown on the current controversy of embryonic sources of stem cells and comparison with adult sources. Other sources of stem cells such as the placenta, cord blood and fat removed by liposuction are also discussed. Stem cells can also be genetically modified prior to transplantation.
Cell therapy technologies overlap with those of gene therapy, cancer vaccines, drug delivery, tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Pharmaceutical applications of stem cells including those in drug discovery are also described. Various types of cells used, methods of preparation and culture, encapsulation and genetic engineering of cells are discussed. Sources of cells, both human and animal (xenotransplantation) are discussed. Methods of delivery of cell therapy range from injections to surgical implantation using special devices.
Cell therapy has applications in a large number of disorders. The most important are diseases of the nervous system and cancer which are the topics for separate chapters. Other applications include cardiac disorders (myocardial infarction and heart failure), diabetes mellitus, diseases of bones and joints, genetic disorders, and wounds of the skin and soft tissues.
Regulatory and ethical issues involving cell therapy are important and are discussed. Current political debate on the use of stem cells from embryonic sources (hESCs) is also presented. Safety is an essential consideration of any new therapy and regulations for cell therapy are those for biological preparations.
The cell-based markets was analyzed for 2011, and projected to 2021. The markets are analyzed according to therapeutic categories, technologies and geographical areas. The largest expansion will be in diseases of the central nervous system, cancer and cardiovascular disorders. Skin and soft tissue repair as well as diabetes mellitus will be other major markets.
The number of companies involved in cell therapy has increased remarkably during the past few years. More than 500 companies have been identified to be involved in cell therapy and 284 of these are profiled in part II of the report along with tabulation of 274 alliances. Of these companies, 154 are involved in stem cells. Profiles of 70 academic institutions in the US involved in cell therapy are also included in part II along with their commercial collaborations. The text is supplemented with 55 Tables and 11 Figures. The bibliography contains 1,050 selected references, which are cited in the text.
Key Topics Covered:
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Research and Markets: Cell Therapy – Technologies, Markets and Companies – Updated 2012 Report
Are You a Pre-Health Student?
Do you want to become more involved around campus and the community while becoming more exposed to the healthcare field? You should consider joining Alpha Epsilon Delta, a pre-health honorary at the U of A. We have philanthropy, social and fundraising events as well as exclusive shadowing opportunities and speakers from the health professions at every meeting. Get exclusive opportunities to win scholarships for test prep courses (up to $2000 for Kaplan and Princeton) or $500 cash scholarships. It is a great way for pre-med, pre-pharmacy, public health majors, pre-nursing, pre-dental, and any other pre-health field to network with professionals and other students who have similar interests and are willing to help you along your career path. Our first meeting is September 4th at 5pm at Bio Science West. Please visit our website at http://www.alphaepsilondelta.com or add our orgsync page https://orgsync.com/2759/chapter for information on the application, or email Aed_vp@yahoo.com with any questions.
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NovoPath Announces Partnership with McKesson to Provide Anatomic Pathology Solution
This makes perfect sense for the LIS space. McKesson needed an AP solution to add to their portfolio and increases NovoPath's presence in laboratories under McKesson's corporate strategy.
Princeton, NJ (PRWEB) August 30, 2012
Delivering enhanced communications, productivity and accuracy to pathology lab professionals nationwide, NovoPath is a comprehensive workflow and reporting lab information software system specifically designed to support the unique needs of the anatomic pathology laboratory. The NovoPath solution has been installed in small, medium and large hospitals, as well as specialty practice anatomic pathology laboratories, and local, regional and national reference labs.
“We are excited about this new relationship with NovoPath, which has a track record of exceptional service and product offerings for the anatomic pathology laboratory market,” said John Yount, vice president, Lab Solutions.
Both companies look forward to providing a comprehensive anatomic pathology solution that complements McKesson’s suite of laboratory solutions.
“This partnership enables NovoPath to provide McKesson customers and the larger market with a tightly integrated anatomic pathology solution,” commented Rick Callahan, NovoPath’s vice president of sales and marketing. “This integration offers laboratories the best of both worlds; a seamless integration of a best-of-breed with an outstanding enterprise-wide solution.”
About NovoPath, Inc. NovoPath, Inc. develops and markets software solutions for the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory market segment that includes local, regional, national, in-house laboratories as well as community and university teaching hospitals and medical centers. Since the release of its flagship product in 1999, NovoPath, Inc. has focused exclusively on Anatomic Pathology. NovoPath's mission is to provide unique and unparalleled solutions and services to all aspects of the Anatomic Pathology sector in a way that improves workflow, reduces the probability of human error, ensures results accuracy for greater patient safety, protects patient confidentiality, and above all, produces more precise and informative diagnostic outcomes. More information is available at http://www.NovoPath.com.
About McKesson McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 178-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payers; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payers designed to improve outcomes for patients.
Read the full story.
Source:Digital Pathology Misconceptions Debunked by Digital Pathology Consultants
Amande Lowe, president of Digital Pathology Consultants, LLC has a great article for practicing pathologists about common misconceptions regarding the use of digital pathology in the practice of pathology and how and what the technology means in clinical practice under the current framework of government demands, regulations and consumer expectations.
Debunked: Digital Pathology Misconceptions
Yes, you can be reimbursed, and no, it won't slow you down.
By Amanda Lowe
Posted on: August 29, 2012
Misconception #1: The FDA has not approved digital pathology therefore it must not be safe. The FDA does not regulate laboratories and it does not issue blanket approvals for specific applications like digital pathology. The reality is that the FDA approves the digital pathology hardware and software produced by a manufacturer for a specific intended use (e.g., primary diagnosis of H&E slides). Digital pathology manufacturers are required to go through a premarket approval (PMA) process to have their systems approved as a Class III medical device; this process takes time and is very costly for manufacturers. These hurdles have made it difficult for manufacturers to apply for FDA approval, but they are working on it. However, several digital pathology manufacturers have received FDA 510(k) clearances for specific manual and semi-quantitative analysis of specific IHC assays including HER2, ER/PR, Ki-67, and p53.
Misconception #2: My lab will not pass a CLIA or CAP inspection if we use digital pathology. The College of American Pathologists (CAP) is a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) accredited organization that offers laboratory checklists which support the accreditation process and are designed to be a roadmap for a successful inspection. The Anatomic Pathology, Laboratory General and Cytopathology checklists all have items that apply to digital pathology. In 2011, a CAP Center working group created thirteen guidelines for validating digital pathology for clinical diagnostic use. CAP is expected to issue a final version of these guidelines soon. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) oversees CLIA and approves all CAP laboratory checklists. Therefore, if you use the available resources above then digital pathology will not become a risk to the accreditation of your lab.
Misconception #3: I cannot be reimbursed for digital pathology. Laboratories across the country are being reimbursed when they use digital pathology today. The most common reimbursements are for CPT codes 88360 and 88361, the manual and semi-quantitative analysis of IHC; 88321 and 88323 for consultations; and 88329, 88331, and 88332 for frozen section interoperative diagnosis.
Misconception #5: Digital pathology disrupts my laboratory workflow. How do you break something that is already broken? Many laboratories have a workflow that is manual, fragmented and extremely inefficient. Digital pathology will not be disruptive, instead digital pathology will make these workflow inefficiencies more apparent. These inefficiencies will need to be addressed to be a more productive and progressive laboratory. Digital pathology is often described as the scanning of a glass slide into a whole slide image; yet, it is much more. The pieces of digital pathology include acquisition, integration, data management and interpretation. If all of these pieces interlock together, then laboratory efficiency and the pathologists satisfaction with the technology will improve. Traditionally, when glass slides are prepared they are manually matched with the patient paperwork including patient history, requisition and gross review; then the slides and information are delivered to the pathologist. With digital pathology, the process starts to look a lot different. Now you have whole slide images that can be reconciled to the digital patient paperwork; this information is then electronically delivered to the pathologist. The only way to do this effectively is with a laboratory information system (LIS), electronic medical record (EMR) integration and barcodes. Barcodes will reduce human error, save time on the constant need for verification and rechecks, and improve quality assurance by clear tracking of all specimens throughout the histology process.
Government demands and consumer expectations are growing for transparency in medicine, improvements in patient safety and identification, electronic medical records, and more personalized treatment plans. Digital pathology supports this healthcare evolution, and enables the digital transformation of pathology. Change is hard; however, if we become complacent with how pathology is practiced today we will underestimate the significance of what the practice of pathology could become tomorrow.
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Source: Advance for Administrators of the Laboratory
Source:Coagulation App from CDC
Actually there is one now from informatics folks at the Centers for Diease Control (CDC).
Downloaded this yesterday and everything a (medical) app should be -- Low cost (free), intuitive, easy to use, practical, educational and informative. Not hard to use, navigate or get infrormation from.
CDC's PTT Advisor offers clinicians a tool to quickly select the appropriate follow-up tests to evaluate patients with a prolonged partial thromboplastin time (PTT) laboratory result and a normal prothrombin time (PT) laboratory result. PTT Advisor will run on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. PTT Advisor has been created by CDC in collaboration with experts in diagnostic coagulation with a collective experience of more than 50 years in the field.
CDC works 24/7 keeping America safe from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and domestic. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights it and supports communities and citizens to prevent it. CDC is the nation's health protection agency — saving lives, protecting people from health threats, and saving money through prevention.
FEATURES:
- Simple and easy-to-use interface
- Quickly navigate through the decision tree
- Additional information/footnotes provided at key decision points
- Quickly modify your answers and review all your selections at any point
- Can be used for both pediatric and adult populations
- No registration or login required
- No data is collected or stored
Contact e-mail: InformaticsLab@cdc.gov
Q: How do I get PTT Advisor?
A: You can download PTT Advisor for your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad from Apple's App Store — free of charge.
FAQs:
Q: How do I navigate through the application?
A: The toolbar at the bottom of the screen has three navigation buttons: 
(1) Back: Go back one step.
(2) Next: Go forward one step.
(3) Go to Last: Go to the last step you were presented, but haven't yet responded to.
Q: Each screen is labeled at the bottom with Step #. How many total steps are in an evaluation?
A: The number of steps per evaluation is determined by your responses. Certain responses will lead to additional steps, so there is no fixed total number of steps.
Q: How do I change my response to a question?
A: You can either:
(1) tap the Back button 
to navigate to the desired question, then change your response -OR-
(2) tap the Evaluation Review button 
, then tap the desired question listed under Completed Steps.
You will be returned to the selected question, where you can change your response.
Q: When I navigate back to previous steps, why are some buttons green with a checkmark?
A: The button that you tapped as your response will be green with a white checkmark.
Q: I changed a response, and a Change Decision Warning alert appears. What does this mean?
A: If you change your response to a previously answered question, all the responses you gave at steps beyond the question will be discarded. You will receive new questions and information from that point forward. For example, if you are at Step 5, but change the response for Step 2, your responses for Steps 3 through 5 will be discarded. You will get new questions/information at Step 3 and onward.
Q: What does the Footnotes button 
do?
A: The Footnotes button will be enabled on a step if footnotes are associated with the information presented. This will be indicated by a note at the end of the question/information that reads: [see footnotes]. Touching the Footnotes button launches the Footnotes screen, where any associated footnotes will be listed.
Q: What is the Evaluation Review screen?
A: The Evaluation Review screen is launched by touching the Evaluation Review button on the toolbar. This screen lists the steps you have completed thus far, as well as the current step (or recommendation, if you've reached the Recommendation step). From here, you can tap any step and return to it (to change your answer, for example), or just review the steps and responses thus far in the evaluation.
Q: If I restart the patient evaluation with the Restart button 
, will my previous responses be lost?
A: Yes, when you restart the patient evaluation, any previously entered responses will be discarded.
Q: I've made it to the Recommendation screen. What do I do now?
A: Once you have reached the Recommendation screen and read the recommendation, you can:
(1) start a new patient evaluation by tapping the Done button 
or the Restart button .
(2) review the evaluation and your responses by navigating backward with the Back button , or launching the
Evaluation Review screen with the Evaluation Review button .
(3) suspend or close PTT Advisor.
Q: Is the response data collected or stored?
A: No, your responses are discarded once you either (1) close the application, or (2) start a new patient evaluation.
CDC convened seven Institutes from 1984 to 2007 on critical issues in clinical laboratory practice (http://www.cdc.gov/dls/institutes/). National and international experts focused on the role of the clinical laboratory in providing quality testing to improve patient outcomes. The Clinical Laboratory Integration into Healthcare Collaborative (CLIHC)™, CDC’s Division of Laboratory Science and Standards (DLSS), is addressing some of the recommendations from these institutes by focusing on important “gaps” that must be filled to optimize the ability of practicing clinicians to effectively utilize laboratory services for better patient care.
The PPT Advisor was developed through CDC’s Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services by the DLSS’s CLIHC™, in partnership with the OSELS Informatics R&D Activity.
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