Author Archives: Fredricko

“Everyday Matters” Brings Unique Resources to People Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

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NEW YORK, Aug. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --Five people living with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been selected from nearly 1,200 entries to receive one-on-one support as they set out to overcome a challenge that affects their everyday life. Their journeys will be chronicled as part of Everyday Matters, a first-of-its kind program that draws on practical and scientific applications of positive psychology to engage and inspire those living with or affected by MS.

To view the multimedia assets associated with this release, please click: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/55567-everyday-matters-multiple-sclerosis/

Positive psychology is the scientific study of what makes people thrive. Research in this field has found a strong connection between an individual's mindset, social support system, and well-being. Using positive psychology, these individuals will address key aspects of their lives: wellness, work/education, relationships, family, and empowerment. These five topics represent aspects of life that matter most to the MS community, according to a June 2012 poll by the National MS Society.

"We've only just launched and are already thrilled by the level of interest Everyday Matters has received from the community," said National MS Society President and CEO Cyndi Zagieboylo. "This interest underscores the desire people have to define how they want to live their lives, addressing aspects that are most central to who they are as individuals, rather than being defined by their MS."

Guiding Everyday Matters is renowned positive psychology expert Shawn Achor, author of the bestselling book, The Happiness Advantage. "Our hope is to empower the MS community through simple techniques and inspiring stories," said Shawn. "Each of these individuals brings their own background, experience and perspective to the program. We can all learn from them as they practice new strategies for approaching unique yet relatable goals."

The following individuals will help to illustrate how positive psychology can help make a difference in the everyday lives of people living with MS:

Michelle Clos, a life coach certified by the International Coach Federation who is living with MS, has personally benefited from positive psychology and will work hand-in-hand with these individuals through personalized coaching sessions designed with their unique goals in mind.

"I know first-hand that 'staying positive' can become that much more challenging after being diagnosed with a chronic and unpredictable disease like MS," said Michelle. "Yet, I also know that it is possible. I have so much confidence in these five individuals and look forward to working with them each week toward achieving their personal goals, and showing the entire MS community what we can accomplish."

Each participant's journey is being chronicled in a video series produced by Kristen Adams, an Emmy-award winning producer living with MS, as well as through personal text, video, and photo journals showcased on http://www.everydayMSmatters.org. The site also offers toolkits and other resources related to positive psychology, wellness, work/education, relationships, family, and empowerment.

Everyday Matters is a joint program developed by the National MS Society and Genzyme, a Sanofi Company.

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"Everyday Matters" Brings Unique Resources to People Affected by Multiple Sclerosis

Prosecutor: Former psychiatrist William Ayres faked dementia to avoid prosecutionAt re, omnos atquonihi, unces pero, C …

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REDWOOD CITY -- A once-respected Bay Area child psychiatrist faked dementia to avoid being prosecuted on charges he molested five boys in his care, a prosecutor said Friday in court.

William Ayres, 80, of San Mateo used his psychiatric knowledge to fool doctors into thinking his mind was so far gone to Alzheimer's related-dementia that he wasn't able to stand retrial on nine felony counts of abusing his patients, Deputy District Attorney Melissa McKowan said at Ayres' bail hearing.

The stunning revelation in the nearly seven-year legal saga comes courtesy of a report from Napa State Hospital, where Ayres had been held since the fall. The July 24 document from state psychologist John McIlnay, however, is under seal by order of San Mateo County Superior Court John Grandsaert.

"I am skeptical of anything the doctor has done up to this point," McKowan said outside court. "Based on the report, we have reason to believe this whole thing was a hoax and we have been duped."

McKowan didn't oppose the judge's order to keep the document sealed, saying that a near emergency need would have been required to successfully argue for the report's public release.

Ayres looked pale, bony and grey during the hearing, which he attended shackled and in orange jail clothes. He sat, without reaction, in a wheelchair at the defense table. Grandsaert put off a decision on bail to Wednesday.

When asked outside the court about the alleged ruse,

The defense attorney said he will contest the hospital psychiatrist's conclusions. Grandsaert set an Oct. 1 date for a full hearing on the report that is to include testimony from psychiatrists, nurses and even custodial staff from Napa hospital.

"The burden of proof is on the defense" to show Ayres is not competent, said McDougall.

For Ayres' accusers and their families, the news means the man they thought had escaped justice could still end up in prison. But the road ahead is fraught with opportunities for the case to end without a conviction, said Rinaldo Brutoco, whose son took the stand against Ayres. A conviction would help, but won't repair the damage.

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Prosecutor: Former psychiatrist William Ayres faked dementia to avoid prosecutionAt re, omnos atquonihi, unces pero, C ...

Hope for more patient care for dementia sufferers

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EXTRA care housing for people with dementia could be increased under plans being pursued by Redcar and Cleveland Council.

The authority is looking to attract the interest of care providers in building extra care developments on three sites in the borough.

The councils cabinet has agreed that efforts should be made to boost interest in providing dementia care as part of the developments.

Figures provided to the cabinet showed that the number of people with dementia in the borough could increase by 66% to more than 3,000 in the next 20 years.

Councillor Sheelagh Clarke, cabinet member for health and social well-being, said she did not want to see single dementia care developments and that they should be part of multi-purpose care facilities.

She said: Extra care is an alternative to residential care. In some cases it can delay a move into residential care.

We have to be prepared for the increasing number of people with dementia.

Loftus councillor Mary Lanigan said: In East Cleveland we also need more respite care. Dementia carers have a very difficult job and respite care through the council or the private sector is desperately needed so relatives can have a break.

The cabinet agreed:

:: To look to develop a dementia extra care facility to rent on the former Wheatacres site in Redcar;

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Hope for more patient care for dementia sufferers

Virtual Experience Gives Families Better Understanding of Dementia, Alzheimer's

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Someone in the United States is diagnosed with Alzeimer's Disease every 69 seconds, according to the Alzheimer's Association. While Alzheimer's victims make up the largest category, dementia comes in many forms.

For the past five years, Jo Anne Froelich has been taking care of her mom, who has Alzheimer's. It hasn't been an easy journey.

"I just think it's really important for people to step back and try to step in their shoes," Froelich said.

And now Froelich will get that chance. She's taking part in the Virtual Dementia Tour, along with Jennifer Peterson, whose mother is in the beginning stages of dementia. The tour is designed to provide a personal, hands-on look into the many challenges and frustrations experienced by people with Alzheimer's or Dementia, all in the hope of helping people become better caretakers for their loved one.

First staff at the Grandhaven Living Center in Lansing help get Peterson and Froelich in the right garb: blurry goggles to simulate vision loss, spiked shoe inserts and rubber gloves to mimic arthritis and nerve pain, and headphones with loud clutter and static. They're each given five different tasks to complete in 8 minutes.

Froelich's tasks are to to "put a belt through the loop on the pants, match 6 pairs of socks, clear the dinner table, draw a picture of your family and name them, and find neck tie and put it on."

Led into the apartment set-up, Froelich and Peterson get to work.

"You feel pretty out of control," Froelich described. "When they've given you a list of things to do and you have noise in your ears, your vision is blurred, there's pain in your feet, and you can't necessarily hear what you've been told so you're trying really hard to concentrate because you want to be successful."

But neither one could finish, or even remember, all five tasks. Afterwards, Peterson says she felt shaky, overwhelmed, and in admiration of her mom.

"This totally gives you a new sense for what's going on and builds your compassion level," said Peterson. "You really understand to some degree. I mean, I'm amazed that she functions at all."

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Virtual Experience Gives Families Better Understanding of Dementia, Alzheimer's

Virtual Experience Gives Families Better Understanding of Dementia, Alzheimer’s

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Someone in the United States is diagnosed with Alzeimer's Disease every 69 seconds, according to the Alzheimer's Association. While Alzheimer's victims make up the largest category, dementia comes in many forms.

For the past five years, Jo Anne Froelich has been taking care of her mom, who has Alzheimer's. It hasn't been an easy journey.

"I just think it's really important for people to step back and try to step in their shoes," Froelich said.

And now Froelich will get that chance. She's taking part in the Virtual Dementia Tour, along with Jennifer Peterson, whose mother is in the beginning stages of dementia. The tour is designed to provide a personal, hands-on look into the many challenges and frustrations experienced by people with Alzheimer's or Dementia, all in the hope of helping people become better caretakers for their loved one.

First staff at the Grandhaven Living Center in Lansing help get Peterson and Froelich in the right garb: blurry goggles to simulate vision loss, spiked shoe inserts and rubber gloves to mimic arthritis and nerve pain, and headphones with loud clutter and static. They're each given five different tasks to complete in 8 minutes.

Froelich's tasks are to to "put a belt through the loop on the pants, match 6 pairs of socks, clear the dinner table, draw a picture of your family and name them, and find neck tie and put it on."

Led into the apartment set-up, Froelich and Peterson get to work.

"You feel pretty out of control," Froelich described. "When they've given you a list of things to do and you have noise in your ears, your vision is blurred, there's pain in your feet, and you can't necessarily hear what you've been told so you're trying really hard to concentrate because you want to be successful."

But neither one could finish, or even remember, all five tasks. Afterwards, Peterson says she felt shaky, overwhelmed, and in admiration of her mom.

"This totally gives you a new sense for what's going on and builds your compassion level," said Peterson. "You really understand to some degree. I mean, I'm amazed that she functions at all."

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Virtual Experience Gives Families Better Understanding of Dementia, Alzheimer's

Prosecutor: Ex-shrink faked dementia to avoid trial in sex abuse case

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REDWOOD CITY -- A once-respected Bay Area child psychiatrist faked dementia to avoid being prosecuted on charges he molested five boys in his care, a prosecutor said Friday in court.

William Ayres, 80, of San Mateo, used his psychiatric knowledge to fool doctors into thinking his mind was so far gone to Alzheimer's related-dementia that he wasn't able to stand retrial on nine felony counts of abusing his patients, deputy district attorney Melissa McKowan said at Ayres' bail hearing.

The stunning revelation in the nearly seven-year legal saga comes courtesy of a report from Napa State Hospital, where Ayres had been held since the fall. The July 24 document from state psychologist John McIlnay, however, is under seal by order of San Mateo County Superior Court John Grandsaert.

"I am skeptical of anything the doctor has done up to this point," McKowan said outside court. "Based on the report, we have reason to believe this whole thing was a hoax and we have been duped."

McKowan didn't oppose the judge's order to keep the document sealed, saying that a near-emergency need would have been required to successfully argue for the report's public release.

Ayres looked pale, bony and grey during the hearing, which he attended shackled and in orange jail clothes. He sat, without reaction, in a wheelchair at the defense table. Grandsaert put off a decision on bail to Wednesday.

When asked outside the court about the alleged ruse,

The defense attorney said he will contest the hospital psychiatrist's conclusions. Grandsaert set an Oct. 1 date for a full hearing on the report that is to include testimony from psychiatrists, nurses and even custodial staff from Napa hospital.

"The burden of proof is on the defense" to show Ayres is not competent, said McDougall.

For Ayres' accusers and their families, the news means the man they thought had escaped justice could still end up in prison. But the road ahead is fraught with opportunities for the case to end without a conviction, said Rinaldo Brutoco, whose son took the stand against Ayres. A conviction would help but won't repair the damage.

Originally posted here:
Prosecutor: Ex-shrink faked dementia to avoid trial in sex abuse case

Doctor likens dementia to diabetes

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DEMENTIA needs to be approached in the same way as diabetes, including changing the fatalistic attitudes of doctors who feel they can't do anything for patients, a Gold Coast psychiatrist said on Wednesday.

Professor Philip Morris appeared before a House of Representatives inquiry into early diagnosis and intervention on dementia.

According to the latest government data, nearly 175,000 Australians had dementia in 2003 - a figure expected to rise to 465,000 by 2031, partly due to Australia's ageing population.

While there was no cure for dementia, Prof Morris said the nation's approach to the disease should emulate the approach taken on diabetes to help more patients be able to live well.

But he said a crucial hurdle in changing the approach to dementia was to change doctors' negative attitude in treating the disease.

"I take the view that there is a lot we can do - in diabetes, certainly, there's a lot you can do," Prof Morris said.

"Now (doctors are) expected to know what are you going to do for the education of the (diabetes) patient, the rehabilitation for the individual, the potential for their vocational career.

"I think that's where we need to move to on dementia."

Prof Morris said some, but not all, doctors' attitudes to dementia also meant the medications that were available to help patients live with the disease may not be prescribed to all patients who could use the medicinal help.

He said another perception, that dementia and Alzheimer's disease was a part of ageing, was also hindering attitudes to the problems.

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Doctor likens dementia to diabetes

Teachers get lesson on autism awareness

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As autism awareness increases, questions regarding the disorder are changing especially for teachers.

Cherie Arnn, director of autism services for the Madeline Center on West Main Street in Danville, taught certification courses this summer at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research to help teachers work with autistic students.

The first course focused on what to expect from the student and the second was on behavior modification.

Arnn says the most common misconception regarding children with autism is that they cannot be taught.

They can be taught through increasing visual strategies in the classroom, said Arnn in a news release. With rates of autism going up, more teachers are familiar with the disorder so they are beginning to ask how to teach these students.

Arnn they respond better to visual stimulation than audible instructions.

At the Madeline Centers Danville office, Arnn works all aspects of autism, from behavioral analysis to family training to teaching certification.

The autism teaching certification classes are taught at Averett University, which opened the Carrington Autism Resource Center to help children in the region in November. Now the classes are housed at the Institute. Arnn the center can use the Institutes massive resources and reach a wider range of people.

Most of the teachers are local, but some come from outside the area just because the certification is often highly sought out.

Arnn has taught the classes for several years now.

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Teachers get lesson on autism awareness

SAGE® Labs and Autism Speaks Expand Collaboration to Develop Rat Models for Translational Autism Research

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ST. LOUIS, August 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Sigma-Aldrich Corporation (SIAL) today announced that Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (SAGE) Labs, an initiative of Sigma Life Science and Autism Speaks, the nation's largest autism science and advocacy organization, expanded a collaboration to develop the first rat models with modified autism associated genes, intended to accelerate discovery and translational autism research.

Expansion of the collaboration follows initial behavioral studies demonstrating that the first two publicly available gene knockout rats, part of the seven rats generated through the collaboration to date, exhibit hallmark characteristics of autism, such as social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Many behavioral characteristics of autism observed in these rats are not seen in other animal models currently used for autism research. SAGE Labs and Autism Speaks now plan to generate additional genetically modified rat models of key autism-associated genes, including CNTNAP2 and MET.

"Autism spectrum disorders are a complex condition with significant unmet medical needs. Although uniquely human, fundamental aspects of the biology underlying autism can be effectively modeled in animals to advance our understanding of cause and enable translation of basic scientific discovery into medical breakthroughs that improve the quality of life for individuals on the spectrum," says Robert Ring, Ph.D., Vice President of Translational Research at Autism Speaks. "These new autism-relevant rat models have already demonstrated great potential for the field. Our new agreement ensures that additional models will continue to be developed and made available to accelerate progress along the entire translational research continuum, from academia to the pharmaceutical industry."

"Modeling human conditions in rats, rather than the mice that have come to predominate preclinical studies, enables more predictive studies of complex neurobehavioral conditions. Rats are unique in that they exhibit richer, more human-like social behaviors than mice, juvenile play being one example. The more complex neural circuitry and greater cognitive capacity in rats also enables researchers to complete many of the demandingand crucially informativecognitive tests that mice cannot perform. In addition, on a practical level, performing initial studies in rats also provides a direct path for drug development," says Edward Weinstein, Ph.D., Director of SAGE Labs.

Initial behavioral studies of the gene knockout rats generated by SAGE Labs are being conducted by Richard E. Paylor, Ph.D., Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine. In some cases, behaviors observed in the rat models have differed from existing mouse models. For example, whereas FMR1 knockout mice exhibit elevated social interactions, rats lacking the same gene participate much less in social play and emit fewer ultrasonic squeaks during play sessions than control rats. These types of social impairments, such as reduced verbal and interactive play, more closely parallel social behavior symptoms seen in humans with FMR1 mutations. Rat models lacking functional NLGN3 and FMR1 genes also display other unexpected characteristics, including compulsive chewing on water bottles and wood blocks. Compulsive and repetitive behaviors are core symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

"At SAGE Labs we use CompoZr Zinc Finger Nuclease technology to perform targeted genetic modifications in species previously not amenable to such modifications be it gene knockout, transgene insertion, point mutations, or conditional gene knockout. We can help researchers and pharmaceutical companies access rats, rabbits and other species that best model a medical condition of interest and provide a direct path for preclinical efficacy and toxicology testing," says Weinstein.

Currently SAGE Labs publicly provides two rat lines with knockouts of autism-associated FMR1 and NLGN3 genes. The remaining five gene knockout rat lines developed in the original collaborationfor the genes MECP2, NRXN1, CACNA1C, PTEN, and MGLUR5are expected to be released soon. The CNTNAP2 and MET knockout rat lines to be generated in the expanded collaboration are expected to be available in 2013.

In a separate collaboration with The Michael J. Fox Foundation, SAGE Labs created the first animal models of Parkinson's disease that display deficits in movement similar to those developed by humans. Other genetically modified research models created by SAGE Labs include rats for Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, cancer, and cardiovascular disease research, as well as rats for toxicology testing in drug development. SAGE Labs' model generation services are available for rats, rabbits, mice and other organisms.

For more information, visit http://www.sageresearchmodels.com.

Cautionary Statement: The foregoing release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "enable," "initial data demonstrates," "predictive," "encourage" or similar expressions, or by expressed or implied discussions regarding potential future revenues from products derived there from. You should not place undue reliance on these statements. Such forward-looking statements reflect the current views of management regarding future events, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such statements. There can be no guarantee that gene knockout rat models of autism-associated genes or related services will assist the Company to achieve any particular levels of revenue in the future. In particular, management's expectations regarding products associated with gene knockout rat models of autism-associated genes or related services could be affected by, among other things, unexpected regulatory actions or delays or government regulation generally; the Company's ability to obtain or maintain patent or other proprietary intellectual property protection; competition in general; government, industry and general public pricing pressures; the impact that the foregoing factors could have on the values attributed to the Company's assets and liabilities as recorded in its consolidated balance sheet, and other risks and factors referred to in Sigma-Aldrich's current Form 10-K on file with the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Sigma-Aldrich is providing the information in this press release as of this date and does not undertake any obligation to update any forward-looking statements contained in this press release as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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SAGE® Labs and Autism Speaks Expand Collaboration to Develop Rat Models for Translational Autism Research

Autism Speaks and SAGE® Labs develop rat models for translational autism research

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Public release date: 2-Aug-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Jane E. Rubinstein jrubinstein@rubenstein.com 212-843-8287 Autism Speaks

New York, N.Y. (August 2, 2012) Autism Speaks, the world's leading autism science and advocacy organization, today announced its expanded collaboration with Sigma Advanced Genetic Engineering (SAGE) Labs, an initiative of Sigma Life, to develop the first rat models with modified autism associated genes, intended to accelerate discovery and translational autism research.

Expansion of the collaboration follows initial behavioral studies demonstrating that the first two publicly available gene knockout rats, part of the seven rats generated through the collaboration to date, exhibit hallmark characteristics of autism, such as social deficits and repetitive behaviors. Many behavioral characteristics of autism observed in these rats are not seen in other animal models currently used for autism research. SAGE Labs and Autism Speaks now plan to generate additional genetically modified rat models of key autism-associated genes, including CNTNAP2 and MET.

"Autism spectrum disorders are a complex condition with significant unmet medical needs. Although uniquely human, fundamental aspects of the biology underlying autism can be effectively modeled in animals to advance our understanding of cause and enable translation of basic scientific discovery into medical breakthroughs that improve the quality of life for individuals on the spectrum," says Robert Ring, Ph.D., Vice President of Translational Research at Autism Speaks. "These new autism-relevant rat models have already demonstrated great potential for the field. Our new agreement ensures that additional models will continue to be developed and made available to accelerate progress along the entire translational research continuum, from academia to the pharmaceutical industry."

"Modeling human conditions in rats, rather than the mice that have come to predominate preclinical studies, enables more predictive studies of complex neurobehavioral conditions. Rats are unique in that they exhibit richer, more human-like social behaviors than mice, juvenile play being one example. The more complex neural circuitry and greater cognitive capacity in rats also enables researchers to complete many of the demandingand crucially informativecognitive tests that mice cannot perform. In addition, on a practical level, performing initial studies in rats also provides a direct path for drug development," says Edward Weinstein, Ph.D., Director of SAGE Labs.

Initial behavioral studies of the gene knockout rats generated by SAGE Labs are being conducted by Richard E. Paylor, Ph.D., Professor at the Baylor College of Medicine. In some cases, behaviors observed in the rat models have differed from existing mouse models. For example, whereas FMR1 knockout mice exhibit elevated social interactions, rats lacking the same gene participate much less in social play and emit fewer ultrasonic squeaks during play sessions than control rats. These types of social impairments, such as reduced verbal and interactive play, more closely parallel social behavior symptoms seen in humans with FMR1 mutations. Rat models lacking functional NLGN3 and FMR1 genes also display other unexpected characteristics, including compulsive chewing on water bottles and wood blocks. Compulsive and repetitive behaviors are core symptoms in individuals with autism spectrum disorders.

"At SAGE Labs we use CompoZr Zinc Finger Nuclease technology to perform targeted genetic modifications in species previously not amenable to such modifications be it gene knockout, transgene insertion, point mutations, or conditional gene knockout. We can help researchers and pharmaceutical companies access rats, rabbits and other species that best model a medical condition of interest and provide a direct path for preclinical efficacy and toxicology testing," says Weinstein.

Currently SAGE Labs publicly provides two rat lines with knockouts of autism-associated FMR1 and NLGN3 genes. The remaining five gene knockout rat lines developed in the original collaborationfor the genes MECP2, NRXN1, CACNA1C, PTEN, and MGLUR5are expected to be released soon. The CNTNAP2 and MET knockout rat lines to be generated in the expanded collaboration are expected to be available in 2013.

###

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Autism Speaks and SAGE® Labs develop rat models for translational autism research

Pets May Help Kids With Autism

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Study Shows Bonding With New Pet May Improve Socialization

By Salynn Boyles WebMD Health News

Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD

Aug. 1, 2012 -- By just about any measure of accomplishment, Danny Gross would be considered a successful young adult.

The 25-year-old is a popular graduate student in cinematic arts at the University of Southern California, and his mother, Patty, calls him an all-around great kid.

He is also on the autism spectrum.

His mother is convinced that his childhood golden retriever, Madison, who joined the family when Danny was 7, played a part in his success, and a new study backs up the claim.

Although there is plenty of anecdotal evidence linking pet ownership to better socialization in children with autism, the study is among the first to explore the connection.

Researchers in France tested behavior and intelligence in 260 children with autism who did and did not have pets -- mostly dogs and cats.

They found that those who became pet owners after the age of 5 performed better than children without pets on two key measures of social functioning -- offering comfort and offering to share.

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Pets May Help Kids With Autism

International Autism Conference Concludes in Jerusalem

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JERUSALEM--(Marketwire -08/02/12)- The 2012 International Autism Conference concluded today in Jerusalem with organizers laying out a detailed plan for ICare4Autism to lead the global movement to help those on the autism spectrum. After two days of intense panels that included over a thousand participants from over twenty different countries, ICare4Autism has announced that it will focus on three key areas over the next twelve months.

"We will continue to work tirelessly to realize our dream of ICare4Autism's new global headquarters on Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem, we will move quickly to implement a state-of-the art database system to allow families and caregivers to check information from various governmental and NGO offices in one place, and finally, we will work to implement a workforce initiative for training young adults with autism and placing them in appropriate level jobs," said Dr. Joshua Weinstein, founder CEO of ICare4Autism.

Mayor Nir Barkat greeted the conference participants, "With strong research and care, we have the ability to send a message all over the world." Mayor Barkat's greetings were followed by speeches from Dr. Shekhar Saxena of the World Health Organization, and First Lady Marta Linares de Martinelli of Panama.

"As the keynote speaker at the conference, I was extremely impressed with the depth and diversity presented," said Dame Stephanie Shirley, the founding UK Ambassador for Philanthropy.

Dr. Shekhar Saxena noted that, "The key is collaboration for NGOs, developmental organizations and social activists to work together to make a difference for affected families."

Dr. Joshua Weinstein indicated, "We firmly believe that collaboration will lead to the breakthroughs necessary to best confront this condition and we are confident that ICare4Autism will be the catalyst in this global process."

Over the two-day event, the focus was on important disciplines relating to autism; "Policy and Awareness," "Bio-Medical Research and Practice," "Education and Behavioral Techniques," and "Technology and Resources."

Dr. Eric Hollander, the Chairman of the ICare4Autism Advisory Council, added, "The ICare4Autism 2012 Global Conference was a unique opportunity for leading researchers, clinicians, educators and policymakers to share their latest findings and create powerful new international collaborations. This global cross-disciplinary gathering will speed the development of improved methods of autism detection and treatment that are urgently needed by patients and the families."

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International Autism Conference Concludes in Jerusalem

BioLife Cell Bank and Intrexon Establish Worldwide Exclusive Collaboration for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

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DALLAS and GERMANTOWN, Md., Aug. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioLife Cell Bank, Inc., the leader in cryogenic storage of adipose (fat) tissue and adult mesenchymal stem and regenerative cells, and Intrexon Corporation, a synthetic biology company that utilizes its proprietary products to provide control over cellular function, announced today the formation of a global exclusive research collaboration. Under the collaboration, BioLife, with its extensive physician network and stem cell experience coupled with Intrexon's innovative technology, will strive to produce new treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA).

"With the tremendous potential of this collaboration, we are more than excited for the SMA community," said John A. Carbona, Chief Executive Officer of BioLife. "Intrexon's impressive suite of technologies will give researchers access to unprecedented resources including new techniques and processes which could rapidly propel us toward the development of new treatments and products to help treat children with SMA."

Carbona continued, "I am happy to help realize the dream of our founders, Dr. David G. Genecov and John D. Harkey Jr., to make a positive and sustainable impact in health care. We're elated by our new collaboration with Intrexon and will undertake immediately the establishment of relationships with the world's leading scientists in SMA research such as: Dr. Arthur Burgess of Ohio State, Dr. Brian Kaspar of Nationwide Children's Hospital, Dr. Charlotte Sumner of Johns Hopkins, Dr. Chris Lorson at the University of Missouri, and Dr. Kathy Swaboda at the University of Utah. BioLife, through its ongoing relationships with Intrexon and these dedicated individuals, hopes for great strides toward lessening the impact of this terrible disease, if not curing it completely--which, of course, is our ultimate goal."

Thomas D. Reed, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Science Officer of Intrexon, said, "Intrexon's mission is to invent, acquire, and integrate the diverse technology platforms required to modulate cellular behavior through genome re-engineering. We are dedicated to building the molecular toolbox and scientific expertise needed to empower clinicians to treat previously intractable diseases. SMA is a devastating genetic disorder that requires a gene rescue paradigm. Intrexon looks forward to working with BioLife and their growing network of clinical specialists to define, explore, and develop several different cell therapy approaches for treating SMA."

Under the collaboration, Intrexon, acting through its Human Therapeutics Division, will be applying its technologies to the discovery of autologous, genetically-modified stem cell therapeutics. BioLife will be supplying the collaboration with stem cells and clinical expertise. BioLife also will be responsible for conducting preclinical and clinical development of candidate SMA therapeutic products that may be advanced out of the collaboration, as well as for aspects of manufacturing and regulatory approval.

About Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is an autosomal-recessive genetic disorder characterized by progressive weakness of the lower motor neurons. SMA is caused by a genetic defect in the SMN1 gene which codes SMN, a protein necessary for survival of motor neurons. SMA kills more infants than any other genetic disease in today's world.

About BioLife

As part of their core business, BioLife Cell Bank, Inc. offers individuals a way to safely store their adipose (fat) tissue and/or their adipose-derived stem and regenerative cells--giving patients and physicians easy, multi-use access to cells and tissue for future cosmetic, reconstructive, and regenerative therapies. Tissue is extracted via liposuction and sent to BioLife in a collection kit (validated to E.T.L. standards). Tissue is processed using proprietary technology and Cytori Therapeutics' (CYTX) products. Tissue is cryogenically preserved, and may be stored indefinitely. BioLife is registered with the FDA as a processing bank and complies with FDA regulations and guidance including current Good Tissue Practice (cGTP). BioLife is based in Dallas, Texas, at Forest Park Medical Center. For more information: http://www.biolifecellbank.com.

About Intrexon Corporation

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BioLife Cell Bank and Intrexon Establish Worldwide Exclusive Collaboration for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA)

Embryonic Blood Vessels that Make Blood Stem Cells can also Become Beating Heart Muscle Cells

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Newswise UCLA stem cell researchers have found for the first time a surprising and unexpected plasticity in the embryonic endothelium, the place where blood stem cells are made in early development.

Scientists found that the lack of one transcription factor, a type of gene that controls cell fate by regulating other genes, allows the precursors that normally generate blood stem and progenitor cells in blood forming tissues to become something very unexpected - beating cardiomyocytes, or heart muscle cells.

The finding is important because it suggests that the endothelium can serve as a source of heart muscle cells. The finding may provide new understanding of how to make cardiac stem cells for use in regenerative medicine, said study senior author Dr. Hanna Mikkola, an associate professor of molecular, cell and developmental biology in Life Sciences and a researcher with the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA.

It was absolutely unbelievable. These findings went beyond anything that we could have imagined, Mikkola said. The microenvironment in the embryonic vasculature that normally gives rise to blood cells can generate cardiac cells when only one factor, Scl, is removed, essentially converting a hematopoietic organ into a cardiogenic organ.

The two-year study is published Aug. 3, 2012 in the peer-reviewed journal Cell.

The findings were so surprising, in fact, that Mikkola and her team did not want to believe the results until all subsequent assays proved the finding to be true, said Amelie Montel-Hagen, study co-first author and a post-doctoral fellow.

To make sure we had not switched the samples between blood forming tissues and the heart we ran the experiments again and repeatedly got the same results, Montel-Hagen said. It turns out Scl acts as a conductor in the orchestra, telling the other genes in the endothelium who should be playing and who shouldnt be playing.

The team used microarray technology to determine which genes were playing in embryonic endothelium to generate blood stem and progenitor cells and found that in the absence of Scl, the genes required for making cardiomyocytes were activated instead, said study co-first author Ben Van Handel, a post-doctoral fellow.

The lone difference was that Scl was missing in the process that resulted in the fate switch between blood and heart.

Scl has a known role as a master regulator of blood development and when we removed it from the equation, no blood cells were made, Van Handel said. That the removal of Scl resulted in fully functional cardiomyocytes in blood forming tissues was unprecedented.

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Embryonic Blood Vessels that Make Blood Stem Cells can also Become Beating Heart Muscle Cells

Stemcells, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

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NEWARK, Calif., Aug. 2, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- StemCells, Inc. (STEM), a leading stem cell company developing and commercializing novel cell-based therapeutics and tools for use in stem cell-based research and drug discovery, today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2012 and provided a business update.

"We continue to be encouraged by our progress in developing cell-based therapeutics for a broad array of disorders affecting the central nervous system," said Martin McGlynn, President and CEO of StemCells, Inc. "We have already reported top line results from our Phase I PMD trial and I am pleased to report that the manuscript with the complete PMD trial data is under peer review for publication by a top tier journal.

Our other clinical development efforts also continue to advance. We recently reported interim safety data from our chronic spinal cord injury trial, showing that our cells and the procedure have been well tolerated. We have also initiated a Phase I/II trial in dry AMD and look forward to enrolling our first patients in this study soon. Lastly, we recently reported preclinical data showing that our cells restored memory in two animal models relevant to Alzheimer's disease without having to reduce beta-amyloid or tau burden that are the pathological hallmarks of the disease. Results of this kind underscore the potential of our HuCNS-SC cells to potentially address a number of devastating CNS disorders.

Financially, we aim to do more with less and continue to carefully manage our burn rate. Last week's decision by CIRM to award us a $20 million disease team award is exciting and welcome. This award will not only provide additional resources, but is also a vote of confidence in our technology, our program and our people. Moving forward, we will continue to generate clinical data from our HuCNS-SC program in a thoughtful, cost effective manner, which is, we believe, the best pathway to grow shareholder value."

Second Quarter and Recent Business Highlights

Second Quarter Financial Results

Revenue from product sales increased 14% to $211,000 in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the same period of 2011 as our SC Proven media and reagents business continued to see increased unit volume. Total revenue in the second quarter of 2012 was $249,000, compared to $234,000 in the same period of 2011.

Our operating expenses decreased 24% to $5,535,000 in the second quarter of 2012 compared to the same quarter of 2011. Research and development expenses were 26% lower, and selling, general and administrative expenses were 16% lower, compared to the second quarter of 2011. The significant reduction in operating expenses was primarily attributable to continuing tight cost controls and a number of measures taken last year to reduce infrastructure and overhead costs, including a reduction in workforce implemented in May 2011.

Other income in the second quarter of 2012 was $6,184,000, compared to $3,055,000 in the second quarter of 2011. This increase was primarily due to a decrease in the estimated fair value of warrant liability. Our outstanding warrants are classified as a liability, with subsequent changes in the estimated fair value recorded as income or loss.

Loss from operations in the second quarter of 2012 was $5,350,000, a 25% decrease compared to the same period in 2011. Net income for the quarter was $834,000, or $0.03 per share, compared with a net loss of $4,035,000, or $(0.29) per share, for the second quarter of 2011.

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Stemcells, Inc. Reports Second Quarter 2012 Financial Results and Provides Business Update

ACT Announces First Dry AMD Patient Treated with Higher Dosage of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived RPE Cells

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MARLBOROUGH, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. (ACT; OTCBB: ACTC), a leader in the field of regenerative medicine, today announced treatment of the fourth patient, the first in the second patient cohort, in the companys Phase I/II clinical trial for dry age-related macular degeneration (dry AMD) using retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The surgery was performed on Wednesday, Aug. 1 atWills Eye Institutein Philadelphia, by a surgical team lead by Carl D. Regillo, M.D., Chief of the Wills Eye Institute Retina Service, and professor of ophthalmology at Thomas Jefferson University. The patient was injected with 100,000 hESC-derived RPE cells and is recovering uneventfully.

We are very pleased to have the second dose cohort in both of our U.S. clinical trials underway, commented Gary Rabin, chairman and CEO of ACT. We are encouraged by our ongoing progress in all three of our clinical trials using our hESC-derived RPE cells to treat forms of macular degeneration. We have not observed any complications or side effects from the stem cell-derived RPE cells, and we will continue to monitor the patients for safety, tolerability and efficacy of this therapy.

The dry AMD trial is one of three clinical trials being carried out by the company in the U.S. and in Europe. Each trial will enroll 12 patients, with cohorts of three patients in an ascending dosage format. These trials are prospective, open-label studies, designed to determine the safety and tolerability of hESC-derived RPE cells following sub-retinal transplantation into patients with dry AMD or Stargardt's macular dystrophy (SMD) at 12 months, the studys primary endpoint. Preliminary results from the two U.S. trials were reported in The Lancet earlier this year.

Doubling the cell dosage in both our U.S. trials is an important step forward in our clinical programs, said Robert Lanza, M.D., ACTs chief scientific officer. We anticipate continued progress and safety findings in both our U.S. trials as well as our concurrent European trial.

Dry AMD is the most common cause of vision loss in patients over 50 years and affects around 30 million people worldwide, said Dr. Regillo. Dry AMD is a form of macular degeneration with no approved drug treatment available to date. ACTs hESC-derived RPE cells could address the unmet medical need of combating dry AMD and other macular degenerations such as Stargardts disease. We are looking forward to analyzing the safety and efficacy data.

Further information about patient eligibility for ACTs dry AMD study and the concurrent studies in the U.S. and the E.U. for SMD is available atwww.clinicaltrials.gov,with the following Identifiers: NCT01344993 (dry AMD), NCT01345006 (U.S. SMD), and NCT01469832 (E.U. SMD).

About dry AMD

Degenerative diseases of the retina are among the most common causes of untreatable blindness in the world. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people over age 60 in the United States, and the vast majority of cases of AMD are of the dry form, which is currently untreatable.

About Advanced Cell Technology, Inc.

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ACT Announces First Dry AMD Patient Treated with Higher Dosage of Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived RPE Cells

Stem Cell Therapy May Fix Defects From Injuries To Head And Mouth

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Editor's Choice Main Category: Stem Cell Research Article Date: 03 Aug 2012 - 14:00 PDT

Current ratings for: Stem Cell Therapy May Fix Defects From Injuries To Head And Mouth

4 (1 votes)

The clinical trial was a collaboration of researchers from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry and the Michigan Center for Oral Health Research together with Ann Arbor-based Aastrom Biosciences Inc. involving 24 patients who required jawbone reconstruction after tooth removal. The researchers divided the patients into two groups, with one group receiving experimental tissue repair cells (ixmyelocel-T) and the other group receiving traditional guided bone regeneration therapy. The tissue repair cells ixmyelocel-T are currently being development at Aastrom.

Leading investigator Darnell Kaigler, who is assistant professor at the U-M School of Dentistry said:

Kaigler stated that the treatment is best suited for large defects, like those resulting from trauma, diseases or birth defects, since these are very challenging to treat due to their complex nature of requiring various different tissue types, including bone, skin and gum tissue.

He continued saying that the key advantage of using stem cell therapy is that the patient's own cells are used to regenerate tissue instead of using man-made, foreign materials.

The study achieved promising results. Study participants in the cell therapy group received dental implants at 6 and 12 weeks after their experimental cell therapy and were noted to have a greater bone density and quicker bone repair compared with those who underwent traditional guided bone regeneration therapy. They also needed less secondary bone grafting when receiving their implants compared with the traditional bone regeneration group.

The team used cells extracted from the patient's hip bone marrow, which was subsequently processed using Aastrom's proprietary system. This allows the growths of many different cells, including stem cells, which were then relocated into different areas in the patient's mouth and jaw.

Kaigler concluded saying that stem cell therapies are still probably 5-10 years away from becoming a standard treatment for oral and facial injuries and defects and that more clinical trials need to be conducted, which include a larger number of patients with larger craniofacial defects.

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Stem Cell Therapy May Fix Defects From Injuries To Head And Mouth

Merck Serono Announces Creation of First Spin-Off Company From its Entrepreneur Partnership Program

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GENEVA, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Merck Serono, a division of Merck, Darmstadt, Germany, announced today the creation of Prexton Therapeutics, the first spin-off company resulting from its Entrepreneur Partnership Program launched in April 2012. Prexton Therapeutics will be formed around Merck Seronos R&D portfolio in the field of Parkinsons disease and will focus on programs that target the metabotropic glutamate receptors mGluR3 and mGluR4.

"We are really proud and satisfied that this first project is now coming to life. Through such initiatives, not only will we be able to maintain jobs in the Geneva area but also unique expertise, " said Franois Naef, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Merck Serono S.A. "The newly founded company will be headed by a highly experienced scientist and entrepreneur, which gives us a lot of confidence in the success of Prexton Therapeutics."

With a team composed of seasoned Merck Serono scientists with long-standing experience in neurology and a significant portfolio of chemical compounds stemming from Merck Seronos pre-clinical research, Prexton Therapeutics will be well positioned in the field of neurodegenerative diseases. The newly founded company will develop the mGluR programs from lead optimization up to clinical Phase I and seek partnership and licensing opportunities for further development. The company will be hosted in the offices and laboratory of Eclosion, a biotech start-up incubator located in Plan-les-Ouates, Geneva, and supported by the Geneva authorities. Merck Serono will invest EUR 2.1 million as seed funding. Merck Serono Ventures will manage the investment and will be represented on the companys board of directors.

"Metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) have been shown recently to be a key target to tackle the onset of Parkinsons disease. Therefore, modulating their response is certainly among the most promising ways to develop future treatments for one of the most severe brain diseases, " said Franois Conquet, founder and CEO of Prexton Therapeutics. "I have long been interested in the potential of mGluR-targeted therapies and now there is a great opportunity to further develop Merck Seronos programs in Parkinsons disease and offer new hopes to patients."

Announced in April 2012 in the framework of the efficiency measures being taken by Merck Serono, the Entrepreneur Partnership Program (EPP) is part of a EUR 30 million commitment to support the creation of spin-off and start-up companies focused on continuing activities and compounds that originated at Merck Serono. This program is aimed at reducing the impact on employment following closure of the Geneva headquarters due to the restructuring.

About Merck Serono

Merck Serono is the biopharmaceutical division of Merck KGaA. With headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, Merck Serono offers leading brands in 150 countries to help patients with cancer, multiple sclerosis, infertility, endocrine and metabolic disorders as well as cardiovascular diseases. In the United States and Canada, EMD Serono operates as a separately incorporated subsidiary of Merck Serono.

Merck Serono discovers, develops, manufactures and markets prescription medicines of both chemical and biological origin in specialist indications. We have an enduring commitment to deliver novel therapies in our core focus areas of neurodegenerative diseases, oncology and rheumatology.

About Merck

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Merck Serono Announces Creation of First Spin-Off Company From its Entrepreneur Partnership Program

Parkinson's diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

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Patients with symptoms of Parkinson's disease have often been misdiagnosed and told they're merely feeling the physical affects of the aging process. A new guideline developed for Canadian doctors by Parkinson's specialists hopes to reduce the number of misdiagnoses. (iStock)

A specialist with the Ottawa Hospital has helped to develop the first ever national guidelines for diagnosing Parkinson's, an often-misdiagnosed disease with subtle symptoms.

Accurately diagnosing the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system is confusing for some physicians because many of the symptoms such as tremors or a general slowing down can be brushed off as gradual physical wear-and-tear from old age, said Dr. David Grimes, director of Ottawa Hospital's Parkinson's Disease and Movements Disorders Clinic.

"It's not like having a stroke, where something dramatic happens all of a sudden, and so it's one of those conditions where symptoms creep into the picture and go on for many months, or sometimes years," Grimes said. "They're seeing their family doctor, and they're saying their sore shoulder is from this, or the hand's not moving because they have just a little bit of Arthritis, and so it can take quite a while before they're able to come up with the right diagnosis."

In a bid to help patients get the timely treatment and therapies they need, Grimes worked with other specialists for five years to create a tool for doctors across Canada that would help them more accurately diagnose Parkinson's patients in the early stages, before the disease progresses.

Paul Wing and Nick Kaethler count themselves among those who feel they may have lost time as far as being able to manage the disease due to delayed diagnosis.

Wing, whose doctor told him he was likely suffering from anxiety, didn't find out he actually had Parkinson's for eight months.

"It's really disconcerting. You're thinking, do I have AHLS, do I have MS, am I depressed? Is it cancer? It could be anything," Wing said. "It's hard to fight the good fight. It's hard when you don't have an enemy to fight."

Kaethler said he was told by his doctor, "You're just getting old. Live with it."

It took Kaethler five years to discover his enemy was Parkinson's.

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Parkinson's diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

Parkinson’s diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs

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Patients with symptoms of Parkinson's disease have often been misdiagnosed and told they're merely feeling the physical affects of the aging process. A new guideline developed for Canadian doctors by Parkinson's specialists hopes to reduce the number of misdiagnoses. (iStock)

A specialist with the Ottawa Hospital has helped to develop the first ever national guidelines for diagnosing Parkinson's, an often-misdiagnosed disease with subtle symptoms.

Accurately diagnosing the degenerative disorder of the central nervous system is confusing for some physicians because many of the symptoms such as tremors or a general slowing down can be brushed off as gradual physical wear-and-tear from old age, said Dr. David Grimes, director of Ottawa Hospital's Parkinson's Disease and Movements Disorders Clinic.

"It's not like having a stroke, where something dramatic happens all of a sudden, and so it's one of those conditions where symptoms creep into the picture and go on for many months, or sometimes years," Grimes said. "They're seeing their family doctor, and they're saying their sore shoulder is from this, or the hand's not moving because they have just a little bit of Arthritis, and so it can take quite a while before they're able to come up with the right diagnosis."

In a bid to help patients get the timely treatment and therapies they need, Grimes worked with other specialists for five years to create a tool for doctors across Canada that would help them more accurately diagnose Parkinson's patients in the early stages, before the disease progresses.

Paul Wing and Nick Kaethler count themselves among those who feel they may have lost time as far as being able to manage the disease due to delayed diagnosis.

Wing, whose doctor told him he was likely suffering from anxiety, didn't find out he actually had Parkinson's for eight months.

"It's really disconcerting. You're thinking, do I have AHLS, do I have MS, am I depressed? Is it cancer? It could be anything," Wing said. "It's hard to fight the good fight. It's hard when you don't have an enemy to fight."

Kaethler said he was told by his doctor, "You're just getting old. Live with it."

It took Kaethler five years to discover his enemy was Parkinson's.

Continued here:
Parkinson's diagnosis guide created for Canadian MDs