Simple isn't better when talking about science, Stanford philosopher suggests

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By Barbara Wilcox The Humanities at Stanford

As part of her work, philosopher of science Helen Longino investigates assumptions made by users of behavioral research.

Studies of the origins of human sexuality and aggression are typically in the domain of the sciences, where researchers examine genetic, neurobiological, social and environmental factors.

Behavioral research findings draw intense interest from other researchers, policymakers and the general public. But Stanford's Helen E. Longino, the Clarence Irving Lewis Professor of Philosophy, says there's more to the story.

Longino, who specializes in the philosophy of science, asserts in her latest book that the limitations of behavioral research are not clearly communicated in academic or popular discourse. As a result, this lack of communication distorts the scope of current behavioral research.

In her book Studying Human Behavior: How Scientists Investigate Aggression and Sexuality, Longino examines five common scientific approaches to the study of behavior quantitative behavioral genetics, molecular behavioral genetics, developmental psychology, neurophysiology and anatomy, and social/environmental methods.

Applying the analytical tools of philosophy, Longino defines what is and is not measured by each of these approaches. She also reflects on how this research is depicted in academic and popular media.

In her analysis of citations of behavioral research, Longino found that the demands of journalism and of the culture at large favor science with a very simple storyline. Research that looks for a single "warrior gene" or a "gay gene," for example, receives more attention in both popular and scholarly media than research that takes an integrative approach across scientific approaches or disciplines.

Longino spoke with the Stanford News Service about why it is important for scientists and the public to understand the parameters of behavioral research:

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Simple isn't better when talking about science, Stanford philosopher suggests

Anti Aging 5 Steps To Looking 10 Years Younger Only 90 Minutes A Week Youth Enhancing Body Shaping – Video

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Anti Aging 5 Steps To Looking 10 Years Younger Only 90 Minutes A Week Youth Enhancing Body Shaping
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Anti Aging 5 Steps To Looking 10 Years Younger Only 90 Minutes A Week Youth Enhancing Body Shaping - Video

BU researchers discover that Klotho is neuroprotective against Alzheimer's disease

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Jul-2014

Contact: Gina DiGravio gina.digravio@bmc.org 617-638-8480 Boston University Medical Center

(Boston)Boston University School of Medicine researchers may have found a way to delay or even prevent Alzheimer's disease (AD). They discovered that pre-treatment of neurons with the anti-aging protein Klotho can prevent neuron death in the presence of the toxic amyloid protein and glutamate. These findings currently appear in the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Alzheimer's disease is the most frequent age-related dementia affecting 5.4 million Americans including 13 percent of people age 65 and older and more than 40 percent of people over the age of 85. In AD the cognitive decline and dementia result from the death of nerve cells that are involved in learning and memory. The amyloid protein and the excess of the neurotransmitter, glutamate are partially responsible for the neuronal demise.

Nerve cells were grown in petri dishes and treated with or without Klotho for four hours. Amyloid or glutamate then were added to the dish for 24 hours. In the dishes where Klotho was added, a much higher percentage of neurons survived than in the dishes without Klotho.

"Finding a neuroprotective agent that will protect nerve cells from amyloid that accumulates as a function of age in the brain is novel and of major importance," explained corresponding author Carmela R. Abraham, PhD, professor of biochemistry and pharmacology at BUSM. "We now have evidence that if more Klotho is present in the brain, it will protect the neurons from the oxidative stress induced by amyloid and glutamate.

According to the researchers, Klotho is a large protein that cannot penetrate the blood brain barrier so it can't be administered by mouth or injection. However in a separate study the researchers have identified small molecules that can enter the brain and increase the levels of Klotho. "We believe that increasing Klotho levels with such compounds would improve the outcome for Alzheimer's patients, and if started early enough would prevent further deterioration. This potential treatment has implications for other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's, ALS and brain trauma, as well," added Abraham.

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Funding for this study was provided by the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation.

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BU researchers discover that Klotho is neuroprotective against Alzheimer's disease

Bodybuilder & neurosurgeon debunks five training myths

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While big chunks of Americas population continue to be ravaged by obesity, causing other problems such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, there are many millions who choose to prevent those conditions by exercising regularly.

The Centers for Disease Control recently estimated that only 20 percent of us get the recommended amount of daily exercise, says Dr. Brett Osborn, author of Get Serious, A Neurosurgeons Guide to Optimal Health and Fitness, http://www.drbrettosborn.com.

Given our diet and lifestyles, its no wonder that some of our first-world diseases have reached epidemic proportions.

Lets be clear: This is your health. There is nothing more important. If you dont have good health, you will eventually die, preventing you from doing everything else, from spending time with your loved ones to enjoying your money.

If youre going to exercise which Osborn applauds he warns that you will do more harm than good if youve bought into some of the myths and conventional wisdom that is, in fact, simply wrong.

Osborn, an avid bodybuilder, shatters some of those misconceptions:

More exercise is always better. Everyone wants more muscle and less fat, Conventional wisdom says that hours and hours of exercise will achieve those results. Thats completely wrong, Osborn says. Overkill is not only unnecessary, it can be counterproductive. Youll get the best results with a strength-training regimen, tailored to meet your needs, which can be accomplished in three to four hours per week.

More cardio is better than lifting. For all you chronic dieters and cardio enthusiasts out there trying to shed fat, the right strength-training program can boost your metabolism and help burn off more fat. By increasing lean muscle mass, you will increase your basal metabolic rate, BMR. Activated, contracting muscles are the bodys furnace. Excessive cardio and dieting can eat muscle tissue away, compromising this furnace.

Women: But I dont want to look like a man. Females who lift weights wont look like men; they do not have the hormonal support to pile on a significant amount of muscle mass. Female lifters will, however, assume a shapelier figure. In fact, 99.99 percent of men older than 30 do not have the natural hormonal support to do so either. All elite professional bodybuilders use androgenic agents, including steroids.

You need to buy product X. We live in a very money-based culture so much so that we often place the almighty dollar above health. Get out of this mindset, at least regarding exercise. What counts for building muscle includes determination, intensity, consistency and safety. If you think buying the most expensive formula, training uniform or machine is necessary for reaching your potential, youre wrong. Machines often compromise the intensity required for the body you desire.

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Malcolm K. Brenner receives Pioneer Award for advances in gene-modified T cells targeting cancer

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Jul-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY, July 24, 2014Malcolm K. Brenner, MD, PhD, Baylor College of Medicine (Houston, TX) has devoted his career in basic and clinical research toward understanding how tumors are able to escape detection by the body's immune defense system, and developing genetically modified T cells that can effectively target tumors. In recognition of his scientific achievements and leadership in the field, Dr. Brenner is the recipient of a Pioneer Award from Human Gene Therapy, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. Human Gene Therapy is commemorating its 25th anniversary by bestowing this honor on the leading 12 Pioneers in the field of cell and gene therapy selected by a blue ribbon panel* and publishing a Pioneer Perspective by each of the award recipients. The Perspective by Dr. Brenner is available on the Human Gene Therapy website.

In "Gene Modified Cells for Stem Cell Transplantation and Cancer Therapy", Dr. Brenner recounts the highlights of his career to date. He describes the evolution of his research, which has contributed significantly to advancing the field of gene transfer using retroviral vectors in the development of both autologous (AUTO) and allogeneic (ALLO) hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) approaches to cancer immunotherapy, and the strategy of using chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) to modify T cells stimulating their activation, proliferation, and anti-tumor activity.

Dr. Brenner received a PhD in immunology and early in his career sought to understand how B cells interact with T cells to produce antibodies. After pursuing the development of cellular therapies to treat immune disorders, Dr. Brenner shifted the focus of his research to bone marrow transplantation, or what is now called HSCT. Together with colleagues he developed and tested an approach to improve patients' immune recovery after their T cells are depleted in preparation for a transplant. As Dr. Brenner explains, "This work was the forerunner of our later efforts to improve antiviral and antitumor immunity by adoptive transfer of T cells."

"Malcolm has been driving the field of cell-based gene therapy forward since its infancy. His contributions have been truly seminal," says James M. Wilson, MD, PhD, Editor-in-Chief of Human Gene Therapy and Director of the Gene Therapy Program, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia.

*The blue ribbon panel of leaders in cell and gene therapy, led by Chair Mary Collins, PhD, MRC Centre for Medical Molecular Virology, University College London selected the Pioneer Award recipients. The Award Selection Committee selected scientists that had devoted much of their careers to cell and gene therapy research and had made a seminal contribution to the field--defined as a basic science or clinical advance that greatly influenced progress in translational research.

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IUPUI mathematician receives prestigious NSF Early Career Development Award

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

24-Jul-2014

Contact: Cindy Fox Aisen caisen@iupui.edu 317-843-2276 Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Science

INDIANAPOLIS -- Roland Roeder, Ph.D., a mathematician from the School of Science at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), will receive $460,000 over the next five years from the National Science Foundation's Division of Mathematical Sciences to support his research in pure math and the training of students from the graduate to high school levels.

The Faculty Early Career Development award is the NSF's most prestigious award in support of junior faculty. It is given to individuals who "exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research."

The award will support Roeder's research on dynamics in several complex variables, an area of pure mathematics focusing on the theoretical underpinnings of systems that change with time.

"Systems that change with time appear at the core of nearly all scientific endeavors, including biology, chemistry, physics and the social sciences," he noted. "Given the current state of a system, can one predict its future state? How does this evolution of the state of the system depend on the parameters of the system?

"Many such dynamical systems are far too complicated for a rigorous study, so one often resorts to simpler models, which are hoped to indicate the types of behavior that one should expect experimentally. One venue for such simpler models is the iteration of holomorphic maps, the topic of my NSF-supported research."

According to Roeder, insights obtained from complex dynamics have already provided a deeper understanding of real-world problems in a variety of fields including the study of magnetic materials and astrophysics.

In addition to supporting Roeder's research, his CAREER grant will provide research training including tuition and living expenses for one or two doctoral students he will supervise over the next five years. The funding will also enable Roeder and the Department of Mathematical Sciences to hold two workshops for graduate mathematics students from universities throughout the United States. Each workshop will provide opportunities for students to make presentations and will bring top researchers to IUPUI to speak and interact with the students.

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Forever Strong Personal Training Now Available in New Columbia Location; Open House Sept. 6

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Forever Strong Personal Training Now Available in New Columbia Location; Open House Sept. 6

The Kelly Scott Forever Strong Fitness System aligns perfectly with many of the sports chiropractic and functional medicine techniques that we use in our practice to restore health and wellness. I see Forever Strong as a perfect complement to our practice and what we do. I embrace it wholeheartedly, Elite Chiropractic owner Dr. Josh Bross remarked.

Forever Strong, part of Kelly Scotts Forever Strong Fitness System, is a powerful strength-building, fat burning and muscle toning program proven to increase energy and endurance. Until now, it has only been available at its original location in Fulton, MD.

Designed as a restorative strength program that uses free weights, suspension training and bodyweight movements, the program boasts many health benefits including increased bone density, lower blood pressure, reduced risk of diabetes, heart disease, or stroke, suppressed appetite, higher metabolism and release of anti-aging hormones.

The Forever Strong personal training is unique in that it provides a customized program for each individual that is adapted as the trainee gets progressively stronger. Limited to 4 persons per trainer, each still gets plenty of one-on-one coaching to train safely and effectively.

With just two to three hours per week, Scott notes that her clients report a feeling of increased strength, more confidence and optimal well-being.

Teaming up with Dr. Bross, a strong advocate for health and wellness in Howard County, was an obvious win-win as we both share a passion for helping others achieve better health, Scott adds.

The Columbia open house will be held at Elite Chiropractic, 6325 Woodside Court, Suite 225. For more information on Kelly Scotts Forever Strong Fitness System, go to http://www.fultonkettlebells.com

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Why you should download the Disney Infinity: Toy Box app ahead of Infinity 2.0

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Sarah Jacobsson Purewal | July 23, 2014

Until E3 2014, I had no idea what Disney Infinity really was--probably because I'm not exactly Disney's target demographic. So when I wandered over to the Disney Interactive booth during last month's gaming trade show, I was completely in the dark about how the company is helping along the whole video-game-toy-mash-up thing with its play sets, interactive figurines, and platform-agnostic gameplay.

Until E3 2014, I had no idea what Disney Infinity really was probably because I'm not exactly Disney's target demographic. So when I wandered over to the Disney Interactive booth during last month's gaming trade show, I was completely in the dark about how the company is helping along the whole video-game-toy-mash-up thing with its play sets, interactive figurines, and platform-agnostic gameplay.

And while what Disney has in store for Infinity 2.0, which launches later this year, is pretty awesome a collection of Marvel superheroes, in-game currency, and special Toy Box games it turns out that Infinity 1.0 (not the official name, but I'm going to call it that) offers comprehensive gameplay in its own right. I took a look at the app, Disney Infinity: Toy Box, and I think you should, too.

Enter: The Toy Box

At first glance, it looks like the Disney Infinity franchise leans heavily toward those with consoles and PCs. After all, the game is predicated on physical toy figurines with built-in NFC chips that players can place on special NFC readers that plug into their console or PC. Placing a figurine on the reader brings that toy "to life" in your game: The character pops up on your screen and they can move around, perform special moves, and pick up and use objects.

The character is now inside the Disney Infinity Toy Box, which is the sandboxy, open world of the Infinity franchise. In the Toy Box, your character can play through pre-made campaigns (much like a traditional video game), or you can build your own game world complete with varying terrain, obstacles, and enemies.

But the Toy Box is where Disney Infinity differs from similar game sets, such as Activision's Skylanders. The Toy Box is cloud-based and platform-agnostic, which means that you can access your Toy Box from any platform that Disney Infinity is available on, including mobile.

"You get the full Disney Infinity experience on the app," explains Ryan Rothenberger, senior producer for Disney Interactive. "We've made it truly platform-agnostic. You can pick up your iPad and start playing from wherever you left off on your console, play for a little while, and then go back to your console and keep going."

Most games are, at most, operating system-agnostic you can play them across iOS and Android, or Windows and Mac not platform-agnostic. In fact, Disney's platform-agnosticism is so comprehensive, Rothenberger says, that the company has actually patented the technology.

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Seize the Franciscan moment, Rohr advises

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EAGER TO LOVE: THE ALTERNATIVE WAY OF FRANCIS OF ASSISI By Richard Rohr Published by Franciscan Media, $21.99

The ideas of Franciscan Fr. Richard Rohr are ubiquitous. Thousands find them in the morning on their computer screens, grist for meditation; thousands more find them in his more than 30 books; others are taught them at the Center for Action and Contemplation, which he founded in Albuquerque, N.M., in 1986.

In all, Rohr's intent is to deepen contemporary spirituality by linking it to Christian mysticism and the contemplative tradition. In Eager to Love, he reclaims the mysticism inherent in the Franciscan legacy and he offers it as an alternative to the hierarchical, patriarchal and authoritarian Christianity that he suggests has primary responsibility for so much of contemporary agnosticism in the West.

He claims to want to "reignite the Franciscan revolution," which is universally accessible and inclusive, offering healing and liberation. As such, he is building a bridge between the Christian mystical tradition and estranged seekers of every ilk.

Eager to Love is neither a biography of Francis nor a history of the Franciscan order, but Rohr's reflections on the best aspects of the Franciscan heritage as lived out by its founder and its early worthies -- Clare, Bonaventure and Dun Scotus. The book's publication is timely, not only because Franciscan spirituality is foundational to Rohr's entire understanding of spirituality, but because the elevation of a Jesuit pope has made it so by his selection of name and his claiming as his own the Franciscan charism of poverty.

The message of Francis, the saint, offers an alternative way of life, one anchored in a sacramental understanding of the world, an appreciation of contemplation as a different way of knowing, a wisdom that is nondualistic, and a pedagogy that teaches through living and being rather than through creedal affirmation.

According to Rohr, the starting point for Francis was not the reality of human sinfulness, but rather human suffering. He held up not the desire for self-perfection but rather the desire to enter into, to love, that which was other -- the poor, the outsider. As such, the Franciscan tradition is prophetic rather than priestly. It offers a third way of heterodoxy, one between traditional orthodoxy and heresy.

Although he includes many pages of endnotes as documentation, Rohr admits that he is not a scholar, but a popularizer who is laying out a different approach to the inherited Christian tradition. The strength of the book is his rendering of the many positive aspects of Francis' contribution and that of his early followers. Eager to Love is written to convince. Its language is exuberant, and while many ideas are provocative, Rohr's treatment -- and he acknowledges this -- is not systematic. He not only ranges widely over some eight centuries of church history with glances back to the life of Jesus and the early church, he also gives short shrift to many theological and philosophic issues.

Ever optimistic, Rohr sees the present moment as fecund, and his readers -- most of whom will be Catholics, disaffected or otherwise -- as pivotal in giving birth to a new understand of a very old mystical tradition.

Rohr both values the institutional church and suggests ways to survive within it. The autobiographical import of this statement is not lost on the reader. He admonishes Christians to give priority to Jesus and his message and to make use of both the inherited wisdom of the church and the protection it affords that message.

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New method for reducing tumorigenicity in induced pluripotent stem-cell based therapies

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

23-Jul-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY -- The potential for clinical use of induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) technology for transplant-based therapeutic strategies has previously been hindered by the risk of dysregulated cell growth, specifically the development of tumors. The ability to use etoposide treatment to halt teratoma formation in iPSCs for the treatment of heart disease, specifically acute myocardial infarction, is demonstrated in an article in Stem Cells and Development, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available on the Stem Cells and Development website.

In the article 'Inhibition of DNA topoisomerase II selectively reduces the threat of tumorigenicity following induced pluripotent stem cell-based myocardial therapy' Saranya Wyles, Andre Terzic, Timothy Nelson, and coauthors, Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), discovered a strategy that alone or in conjunction with other methods could significantly reduce the risk of a tumorigenic event occurring. Their work demonstrates how pretreatment with genotoxic etoposide significantly lowered the threat of abnormal growths by removing the contaminated pluripotent cells and establishing an adjunctive therapy to further harness the clinical value of iPSC-derived cardiac regeneration.

"For anyone seeking to exploit iPSC technology in a clinical setting, the Mayo Clinic has described a strategy that significantly mitigates the risk of tumor development. Furthermore, the paper provides benchmark strategies for assessing the localization and persistence of cell-based treatments in a preclinical model," says Editor-in-Chief Graham C. Parker, PhD, The Carman and Ann Adams Department of Pediatrics, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI.

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About the Journal

Stem Cells and Development is an authoritative peer-reviewed journal published 24 times per year in print and online. The Journal is dedicated to communication and objective analysis of developments in the biology, characteristics, and therapeutic utility of stem cells, especially those of the hematopoietic system. Complete tables of content and a free sample issue may be viewed on the Stem Cells and Development website.

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New method for reducing tumorigenicity in induced pluripotent stem-cell based therapies

Insights from the Behavioral Science Guy: The worst (and best) things to say to someone who is grieving

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Too many times, we avoid those in pain because we arent sure what to say.

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Editor's note: A version of this column was published previously at crucialskills.com.

Dear Joseph,

My husband recently passed away, and although Im sure they dont mean to hurt me, several of my friends and family members have made insensitive comments about my loss or the way I grieve. For example, people have told me, It was Gods will and Its time to get on with your life. I know they are trying to help, but I dont know what to say when somebody belittles my pain. How can I respond to seemingly insensitive comments about my husbands death?

Signed,

Dont Make It Worse

Im so sorry about your husband. Im especially sorry that the pain youre feeling has been compounded by others actions. I wish I could help with the first problem, but I hope to offer some helpful ideas for solving the second.

I asked readers to share their perspective. Many wrote back about their experiences from which three clear messages emerged.

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Should men at risk for cardiovascular disease receive earlier cholesterol treatment?

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

22-Jul-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY -- New guidelines on cholesterol treatment and cardiovascular risk assessment state that men have at least double the risk of dying from atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or of having a heart attack or stroke as do women with a similar risk profile (based on age, smoking history, and cholesterol and blood pressure levels). The implications of this finding for when and how aggressively to treat high cholesterol are examined in an Editorial in Journal of Men's Health, a peer-reviewed publication from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the Journal of Men's Health website at http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/jomh.2014.1500 until August 22, 2014.

Stephen L. Kopecky, MD, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, and Ajay Nehra, MD, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, discuss the risk factors on which the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association based their new guidelines. They describe the value in developing 10-year risk and lifetime risk estimates and their use in educating patients and encouraging lifestyle changes. The authors note the omission of erectile dysfunction as a risk marker, and they explain the new cholesterol treatment recommendations in the Editorial entitled "Cardiovascular Risk and Cholesterol Management in Men: Implications of the New Guidelines."

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About the Journal

Journal of Men's Health is the premier peer-reviewed journal published quarterly in print and online that covers all aspects of men's health across the lifespan. The Journal of Men's Health publishes cutting-edge advances in a wide range of diseases and conditions, including diagnostic procedures, therapeutic management strategies, and innovative clinical research in gender-based biology to ensure optimal patient care. The Journal of Men's Health addresses disparities in health and life expectancy between men and women; increased risk factors such as smoking, alcohol abuse, and obesity; higher prevalence of diseases such as heart disease and cancer; and health care in underserved and minority populations. Journal of Men's Health meets the critical imperative for improving the health of men around the globe and ensuring better patient outcomes. Tables of content and a sample issue can be viewed on the Journal of Men's Health website at http://www.liebertpub.com/jomh.

About the Societies

Journal of Men's Health is the official journal of the International Society of Men's Health (ISMH), American Society for Men's Health, Men's Health Society of India, and Foundation for Men's Health. The ISMH is an international, multidisciplinary, worldwide organization, dedicated to the rapidly growing field of gender-specific men's health.

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Should men at risk for cardiovascular disease receive earlier cholesterol treatment?

Some food companies are quietly dumping GMO ingredients

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Listen Story audio 4min 47sec

A tour of the Ben & Jerry's factory in Waterbury, Vt., includes a stop at the "Flavor Graveyard," where ice cream combinations that didn't make the cut are put to rest under the shade of big trees.

One recently deceased flavor has yet to be memorialized there: Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, one of the company's best-sellers. Ben & Jerry's CEO Jostein Solheim says the company had to remove the key ingredient, Heath bars made by Hershey, and rework the flavor. Its replacement is called Coffee Toffee Bar Crunch. (Some fans have blasted the company in online forums, claiming it doesn't taste as good.)

The reason for the change? Hershey makes Heath bars with genetically engineered ingredients, and Ben & Jerry's has made a pledge to remove all GMO ingredients from its ice cream.

The company has taken a vocal stand in recent years in support of states looking at legislation that would require manufacturers to disclose food that is made with genetic engineering. And Vermont recently passed a law that will require labeling starting in 2015. Ben & Jerry's co-founder Jerry Greenfield recently launched a campaign to help fill the coffers of Vermont's crowd-sourced defense fund set up to combat lawsuits over its labeling law.

The news that Ben & Jerry's is taking a stand on a controversial issue is no surprise; it's part of the company's calling card. But some other mainstream companies are carefully and much more quietly calibrating their non-GMO strategies.

General Mills' original plain Cheerios are now GMO-free, but the only announcement was in a company blog post in January. And you won't see any label on the box highlighting the change. Grape Nuts, another cereal aisle staple, made by Post, is also non-GMO. And Target has about 80 of its own brand items certified GMO-free.

Megan Westgate runs the Non-GMO Project, which acts as an independent third-party verifier of GMO-free products, including Target's. She says her organization knows about "a lot of exciting cool things that are happening that for whatever strategic reasons get kept pretty quiet."

The Non-GMO Project has certified more than 20,000 products since it launched in 2007, and Westgate says this is one of the fastest growing sectors of the natural food industry, representing $6 billion in annual sales. But just because they're testing the water doesn't mean most mainstream companies are ready to start publicizing their changes.

Nathan Hendricks, an agricultural economist at Kansas State University, says big food producers are trying to gauge what direction consumers are headed in. "Ultimately," he says, "these big companies aren't just friends with Monsanto or something. They want to make a profit, and they want to be able to do what's going to make them money." So they'd better have a product line in the works if consumer sentiment starts to shift more heavily toward GMO-free food.

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Novel methods may help stem cells survive transplantation into damaged tissues

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PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

22-Jul-2014

Contact: Kathryn Ruehle kruehle@liebertpub.com 914-740-2100 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc./Genetic Engineering News

New Rochelle, NY -- Stem cells offer much promise for treating damaged organs and tissues, but with current transplantation approaches stem cell survival is poor, limiting their effectiveness. New methods are being developed and tested to improve the survival and optimize their therapeutic function after transplantation, as described in a Review article in BioResearch Open Access, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. The article is available free on the BioResearch Open Access website.

In the article 'Preconditioning Stem Cells for In Vivo Delivery,' Sbastien Sart, Ecole Polytechnique (Palaiseau, France) and Teng Ma and Yan Li, Florida State University (Tallahassee) examine the leading strategies for preconditioning stem cells prior to transplantation to prepare them for the environment often found in damaged tissue. Preconditioning methods might include exposing stem cells to microenvironments characterized by reduced oxygen levels, heat shock, and oxidative stress, creating three-dimensional stem cell aggregates or microtissues, and using hydrogels in which to embed or encapsulate the cells.

"This article provides an extensive review of the current methods of stem cell preconditioning for transplantation," says BioResearch Open Access Editor Jane Taylor, PhD, MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Scotland. "It also highlights the cutting edge technologies employed to do this."

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About the Journal

BioResearch Open Access is a bimonthly peer-reviewed open access journal led by Editor-in-Chief Robert Lanza, MD, Chief Scientific Officer, Advanced Cell Technology, Inc. and Editor Jane Taylor, PhD. The Journal provides a new rapid-publication forum for a broad range of scientific topics including molecular and cellular biology, tissue engineering and biomaterials, bioengineering, regenerative medicine, stem cells, gene therapy, systems biology, genetics, biochemistry, virology, microbiology, and neuroscience. All articles are published within 4 weeks of acceptance and are fully open access and posted on PubMedCentral. All journal content is available on the BioResearch Open Access website.

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Dr. Edmund Chein, Palm Springs Life Extension Institute-Hormone Therapy – Video

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Dr. Edmund Chein, Palm Springs Life Extension Institute-Hormone Therapy
http://www.totalhormonegenetherapy.com Dr. Chein is the Director of the Life Extension Institute in Palm Springs and is regarded by many as one of the founding fathers of longevity and anti-aging...

By: Corp Shorts

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Lutronic Builds on the Success of the Infini RF Microneedle System by Launching New Tip Options, User Education and …

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Fremont, CA (PRWEB) July 22, 2014

Infini has been steadily gaining worldwide attention from the Aesthetic physicians as clinical results continue to show promise. The latest release of the small size tip that features 16 insulated gold plated microneedles and is especially beneficial for small areas such as around the eyes. This smaller tip is also less expensive than the larger 49-microneedle tip, which is best for treating large areas. As I continue to see the clinical results come in, I am excited by the possibilities presented by Infini, stated Dr. Vic Ross, Director of the Laser and Cosmetic Center at Scripps Clinic in San Diego. He went on to state that The main advantage of Infini, is that it delivers the RF energy in a very precise and controllable manner, which allows for more predictable and dramatic results, with less damage to surrounding tissue for less downtime than other competing procedures. I am particularly enthusiastic about the potential for off the face rejuvenation.

As part of their ongoing commitment to education (for both physicians and patients alike), they announced the availability of the latest webinar on Infini featuring world renowned Dr. Matteo Tretti Clementoni, a plastic surgeon in the Laser and Surgery Department of the Istituto Dermatologico Europeo in Milan, Italy. Dr. Clementoni stated, The device (INFINI) is very easy to use and after the first couple of patients it is possible to perform full face and neck treatment in less than 15 minutes. Varying energy, pulse duration, depth of needles penetration and number of passages it is possible to customize the treatment to the skin of each patient. He went on to add, Finally we have a device/treatment that really allows us to obtain good results on the lower 1/3 third of the face and the neck. Dr. Clementoni presented his treatment technique and shared his latest astounding results in a live webinar on July 10th; those interested can view the recording on the Lutronic website.

The launch of the new Infini patient education website, InfiniAntiAging.com, is another piece of the ongoing patient education support provided by Lutronic. Patients will be able to find detailed information on the procedure, before and after pictures, and a physician finder. The physician finder, is an included service that is part of the marketing support offered by Lutronic to its customers, and is part of a much larger Marketing Support program that includes marketing materials, digital files and access to a practice marketing site where they can create customized practice and patient education materials.

About INFINI Infini is a unique microneedle fractional RF device that provides complete control over treatment depth and energy levels enabling customized treatments that you can perform regardless of tan or skin type.

For more information about Infini visit: http://www.lutronic.com/infini

About LUTRONIC Lutronic, a leading innovator in advanced aesthetic and medical laser and related technology, was established over 15 years ago to bring intuitive, robust, versatile devices that are affordable and efficacious to the worldwide medical community. Committed to improving medicine, Lutronic partners with key opinion leaders to advance science and ensure the efficacy of its systems. All systems are versatile and offer multiple setting and treatment options for customized treatments, which optimize outcomes for a wide variety of conditions and treatments including melasma, tattoo removal, soft tissue incision, vascular lesions, hair removal, wrinkle reduction, rejuvenation, body/face contouring, chronic pain, healing and more.

With a focus on physician needs and patient outcomes, Lutronic dedicates time and funding toward the development of devices that offer features and improvements not found in todays market. Devoting more than 20% of revenues to R&D, Lutronic holds more than 130 current and pending patents worldwide. With more than 230 employees worldwide, Lutronic has offices in the US, Korea, China, and Japan, a worldwide network of distributors, focused R&D centers in both the US and Korea, and is ever expanding.

For more information about Lutronic visit: http://www.lutronic.com.

The views and statements expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of Lutronic, Inc. and Lutronic Inc. does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of those views or statements and do not accept any legal liability whatsoever arising from any reliance on the views, statements.

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Lutronic Builds on the Success of the Infini RF Microneedle System by Launching New Tip Options, User Education and ...

National Association of Professional Women Announces Helen Stosel, M.D., Licensed Physician, as a 2014 Professional …

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Garden City, NY (PRWEB) July 22, 2014

NAPW honors Helen Stosel, M.D., as a 2014 Professional Woman of the Year. Dr. Stosel is recognized with this prestigious distinction for leadership in medicine. As the largest, most-recognized organization of women in the country, spanning virtually every industry and profession, the National Association of Professional Women is a powerfully vibrant networking community with over 600,000 members and nearly 300 Local Chapters.

Dr. Stosel is a licensed physician specializing in integrative and functional endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism. After graduating from UCLA with a Bachelors degree, she pursued a medical degree from UC Davis. Upon her completion of her internship and residency in Internal Medicine at Cedars Sinai Medical Center / UCLA, Dr. Stosel next completed her fellowship in endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism at Harbor / UCLA Medical Center.

In private practice in the south Orange County, California area for more than ten years, Dr. Stosel is known for the compassionate and thorough care she provides to her patients. She is also highly respected in the medical community for her exceptional knowledge of the field of endocrinology. Looked upon as an expert on the subject, Dr. Stosel is often asked to speak at both physician and patient education programs, and act as a consultant. She has also published a number of research papers in The Endocrinologist.

A firm believer in the mind / body connection, Dr. Stosel promotes an integrative approach to healthcare and stresses the importance of addressing the spirit as well as the mind and body. She is currently working on a fellowship for anti-aging, regenerative and functional medicine and her future goal is to expand her practice, incorporating an in-office lab and masseuse.

About NAPW NAPWs mission is to provide an exclusive, highly advanced networking forum to successful women executives, professionals and entrepreneurs where they can aspire, connect and achieve. Through innovative resources, unique tools and progressive benefits, professional women interact, exchange ideas, advance their knowledge and empower each other.

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National Association of Professional Women Announces Helen Stosel, M.D., Licensed Physician, as a 2014 Professional ...