NASA Astronauts Bring Wonder of International Space Station to the Bay Area

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Ever wonder what it's like to be an astronaut and to live and work in space? Find out directly from NASA astronauts who will be in the Bay Area the week ofFeb. 17as NASA shares the accomplishments, promise and opportunities for research aboard the International Space Station.

Space station veteran astronautsDoug WheelockandReid Wisemanand former NASA astronaut and station residentDan Burschwill share their stories and be available for media during the week. Space station scientistsKirt CostelloandCamille Alleyne, spacesuit systems engineerMarlon Coxand Center for Advancement of Science in Space's (CASIS) director of business developmentCynthia Bouthotalso will participate.

Wheelock lived and worked off the Earth, for the Earth aboard the station for 163 days in 2010, supporting more than 120 microgravity experiments in human research, biology and biotechnology, physical and materials sciences, technology development and Earth and space sciences. Wheelock was the lead spacewalker for three unplanned spacewalks to fix the station's cooling system. Wiseman returned from a six-month stay on the station in November, gaining notoriety for sharing his experience through social media, including the first Vine video post from space. Bursch lived and worked on the station for 196 days in 2001, conducting two spacewalks and enhancing the station's research capabilities.

NASA's Ames Research Center, at the Bay Area'sMoffett Field, makes local contributions to the International Space Station Program that will be highlighted at several Destination Station events. Ames' expertise fuels research in molecular, cell and model organism science, and affordable payload development. The center provides unique ground research facilities, advanced research concepts and hardware, and state-of-the-art development of technologies such as the free-flying SPHERES interior satellites.

OnFeb. 14and 15, NASA will participate in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Family Science Days. Bursch will speak at1 p.m.Feb. 15, and CASIS will participate from11 a.m. to 5 p.m. PSTboth days.

OnFeb. 17, Kaiser Permanente will host a Microgravity Industry Day to share the importance of space station research including presentations by NASA, CASIS and its staff. Guests will have the opportunity to touch a 4-billion-year-old moon rock inside the "Driven to Explore" mobile exhibit from9 a.m. to 2 p.m.This event is not open to the public. Media planning to attend should contact Amanda Wardell at 510-267-7364 for access.

OnFeb. 18, Wheelock, CASIS, Costello andStanford Universityscientists will discuss station research opportunities from9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.at the university's Oberndorf Event Center.

OnFeb. 19, visitors to the Children's Creativity Museum inSan Franciscowill have the opportunity to learn about spacesuit design from Cox, who has been developing NASA spacesuits for nearly a decade. Cox will make hourly presentations for all ages and the museum will host space-themed activities from10 a.m. to 2 p.m.The Children's Creativity Museum is a hands-on multimedia arts and technology experience for children. Visitwww.creativity.orgfor more details.

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NASA Astronauts Bring Wonder of International Space Station to the Bay Area

Dr Chien-Lung Wang – Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) Seminar – Video

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Dr Chien-Lung Wang - Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) Seminar
Dr Chien-Lung Wang of National Chiao Tung University (NCTU), Taiwan, delivered a WIN seminar entitled "The Role of Aromatic Structural Units of Conjugated Co...

By: Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology

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Dr Chien-Lung Wang - Waterloo Institute for Nanotechnology (WIN) Seminar - Video

Nano-antioxidants prove their potential

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18 hours ago A polyethylene glycol-hydrophilic carbon cluster developed at Rice University has the potential to quench the overexpression of damaging superoxides through the catalytic turnover of reactive oxygen species that can harm biological functions. Credit: Errol Samuel/Rice University

Injectable nanoparticles that could protect an injured person from further damage due to oxidative stress have proven to be astoundingly effective in tests to study their mechanism.

Scientists at Rice University, Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School designed methods to validate their 2012 discovery that combined polyethylene glycol-hydrophilic carbon clustersknown as PEG-HCCscould quickly stem the process of overoxidation that can cause damage in the minutes and hours after an injury.

The tests revealed a single nanoparticle can quickly catalyze the neutralization of thousands of damaging reactive oxygen species molecules that are overexpressed by the body's cells in response to an injury and turn the molecules into oxygen. These reactive species can damage cells and cause mutations, but PEG-HCCs appear to have an enormous capacity to turn them into less-reactive substances.

The researchers hope an injection of PEG-HCCs as soon as possible after an injury, such as traumatic brain injury or stroke, can mitigate further brain damage by restoring normal oxygen levels to the brain's sensitive circulatory system.

The results were reported today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

"Effectively, they bring the level of reactive oxygen species back to normal almost instantly," said Rice chemist James Tour. "This could be a useful tool for emergency responders who need to quickly stabilize an accident or heart attack victim or to treat soldiers in the field of battle." Tour led the new study with neurologist Thomas Kent of Baylor College of Medicine and biochemist Ah-Lim Tsai of UTHealth.

PEG-HCCs are about 3 nanometers wide and 30 to 40 nanometers long and contain from 2,000 to 5,000 carbon atoms. In tests, an individual PEG-HCC nanoparticle can catalyze the conversion of 20,000 to a million reactive oxygen species molecules per second into molecular oxygen, which damaged tissues need, and hydrogen peroxide while quenching reactive intermediates.

Tour and Kent led the earlier research that determined an infusion of nontoxic PEG-HCCs may quickly stabilize blood flow in the brain and protect against reactive oxygen species molecules overexpressed by cells during a medical trauma, especially when accompanied by massive blood loss.

Their research targeted traumatic brain injuries, after which cells release an excessive amount of the reactive oxygen species known as a superoxide into the blood. These toxic free radicals are molecules with one unpaired electron that the immune system uses to kill invading microorganisms. In small concentrations, they contribute to a cell's normal energy regulation. Generally, they are kept in check by superoxide dismutase, an enzyme that neutralizes superoxides.

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Nano-antioxidants prove their potential

Department of Molecular Medicine – Cleveland Clinic Lerner …

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The Lerner Research Institute is home to all laboratory-based research at Cleveland Clinic. Our mission is to understand the underlying causes of human diseases and to develop new treatments and cures.

The Department of Molecular Medicine focuses on the fundamentals of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Cell Biology in the context of human health and disease.

Molecular Medicine Faculty have academic appointments in Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute (LRI) and the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (CCLCM). The LRI is home to all laboratory-based research at Cleveland Clinic, and the Faculty are the foundation of the Institute's integrated research community consisting of 11 Departments and more than a dozen Centers of Research. Faculty work in basic, translational and clinical research. CCLCM is a unique medical school program partnership between Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) that trains physician/scientists through integrating laboratory research and clinical medicine.

The Department Chair is Paul E. DiCorleto, Ph.D., who is also Chair of the Lerner Research Institute.

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Department of Molecular Medicine - Cleveland Clinic Lerner ...

Molecular Diagnostics Technologies 2015-2024 – Markets and Companies Report

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DUBLIN, Feb .10, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --Research and Markets

(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/mggz6b/molecular) has announced the addition of Jain PharmaBiotech's new report "Molecular Diagnostics - Technologies, Markets and Companies" to their offering.

This report describes and evaluates the molecular diagnostics technologies that will play an important role in practice of medicine, public health, pharmaceutical industry, forensics and biological warfare in the 21st century. This includes several polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based technologies, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), peptide nucleic acids (PNA), electrochemical detection of DNA, sequencing, mitochondrial DNA, biochips, nanotechnology and proteomic technologies.

Initial applications of molecular diagnostics were mostly for infections but are now increasing in the areas of genetic disorders, preimplantation screening and cancer. Genetic screening tests, despite some restrictions is a promising area for future expansion of in vitro diagnostic market. Molecular diagnostics is being combined with therapeutics and forms an important component of integrated healthcare. Molecular diagnostic technologies are also involved in development of personalized medicine based on pharmacogenetics and pharmacogenomics. Currently, there has been a considerable interest in developing rapid diagnostic methods for for point-of-care and biowarfare agents such as anthrax.

The number of companies involved in molecular diagnostics has increased remarkably during the past few years. More than 1,000 companies have been identified to be involved in developing molecular diagnostics and 339 of these are profiled in the report along with tabulation of 802 collaborations. Despite the strict regulation, most of the development in molecular diagnostics has taken place in the United States, which has the largest number of companies.

The markets for molecular diagnostics technologies are difficult to estimate. Molecular diagnostics markets overlap with markets for non-molecular diagnostic technologies in the in vitro diagnostic market and are less well defined than those for pharmaceuticals. Molecular diagnostic markets are analyzed for 2014 according to technologies, applications and geographical regions. Forecasts are made up to 2024. A major portion of the molecular diagnostic market can be attributed to advances in genomics and proteomics. Biochip and nanobiotechnology are expected to make a significant contribution to the growth of molecular diagnostics.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

1. Introduction

2. Molecular Diagnostic Technologies

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Molecular Diagnostics Technologies 2015-2024 - Markets and Companies Report

Jefferson brings center for integrative medicine to Villanova

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RADNOR >> A new health center specializing in integrative medicine will open its doors in Villanova this fall.

Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals received a $14 million grant from The Marcus Foundation Inc., which will be used to open the Marcus Integrative Health at Myrna Brind Center Villanova.

At Jefferson, we are committed to reimagining healthcare, education and discovery to create unparalleled value, said Dr. Stephen K. Klasko, president and CEO of Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health System. Thanks to the generosity and vision of Bernie Marcus and The Marcus Foundation, this new integrative health center will bring the best of all worldsintegrative, global and traditional healthto patients in the greater Philadelphia area and beyond.

The foundation chose Jefferson because of our shared vision for the future of medicine, said Bernie Marcus, co-founder of the Home Depot and chairman of the Marcus Foundation. Jefferson is on the forefront of innovating integrative medicine, a transformation I want to be part of.

Klasko said Marcus goal is to have this be the best of both worlds, a center taking global medicine and traditional medicine and looking at research, anything from cancer to Alzheimers. Many medical centers are either traditional medicine or alternative medicine, he said. Were both. Were looking at what other countries around the world do.

A lot of my history has been trying to bring in global medicine into traditional medicine, said Klasko. It will be the best of both worlds. Mr. Marcus was thrilled (that) there was the president of the university he didnt have to convince.

He said, My dream was to find a place with a reputation like Jeffersons to do something like this.

Dr. Daniel Monti, professor and director of the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Jefferson, called the satellite location very exciting.

We have been wanting to broaden our geographic reach so more people can access the kind of health care model weve developed over the last 10 years, Monti said. Monti expects that Jefferson will open other locations for integrative medicine in the Philadelphia region and at some point nationally.

I think its a shared vision of the Marcus Foundation, said Monti. Theyve been very generous giving us the jumpstart to this satellite. Continued...

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Jefferson brings center for integrative medicine to Villanova

MONROE: Township police install medicine drop box

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MONROE The Township announced Monday that it has joined the New Jersey Attorney Generals "Project Medicine Drop" Initiative, and has installed a Project Medicine Drop box in Monroe Township Police Departments Lobby area.

Todays announcement makes it easier and more convenient for township residents to take an active role in the fight against the nationwide epidemic of opiate and heroin abuse that is often fueled by the abuse of prescription painkillers, according to a press release.

"Project Medicine Drop is part of our commitment to continue improvement of the quality of life and public safety in Monroe Township," said Monroe Townships Police Chief Michael Lloyd. "Medicines that languish in home cabinets are susceptible to misuse and abuse. The Medicine Drop box will give our residents the opportunity to help prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of expired, unused and unwanted prescription medication in a safe and healthy manner."

The Police Departments new Project Medicine Drop Box is located at police headquarters, 3 Municipal Plaza, according to the release.

Residents may visit the Police Department at any time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year to dispose of their unused or expired medications, the release said.

Through this initiative, the State Division of Consumer Affairs installs secure "prescription drug drop boxes" at police departments, sheriffs offices, and State Police barracks across New Jersey, allowing citizens to safely dispose of their unused, excess, or expired prescription medications.

Members of the public are invited to visit the Project Medicine Drop sites and drop off any unused prescription medications anonymously and with no questions asked.

Most Project Medicine Drop sites make this service available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, according to the release.

By giving New Jerseyans a safe and secure method to dispose of unneeded medications, Project Medicine Drop helps prevent the abuse of these drugs.

This initiative also protects New Jerseys environment by keeping these drugs out of landfills and out of the water supply, according to the release.

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MONROE: Township police install medicine drop box

SURGEON SIMULATOR 2013 – (1) – Jesse Plays With MC Scantron and AP Stacks! – Video

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SURGEON SIMULATOR 2013 - (1) - Jesse Plays With MC Scantron and AP Stacks!
Jesse finally fulfils his lifelong dream of becoming a surgeon! Naturally, he graduated top of his class from medical school. [From Wikipedia] "Surgeon Simulator 2013 is a surgical simulation...

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SURGEON SIMULATOR 2013 - (1) - Jesse Plays With MC Scantron and AP Stacks! - Video

Senate OKs Urbana medical school

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URBANA A new University of Illinois college of medicine in Urbana has cleared its first hurdle, though a more significant test will come in March.

The campus Academic Senate voted Monday to establish a small, engineering-focused medical school, billed as a new way to train physician-scientists for the 21st century and a "game-changing opportunity" for the campus.

Proposed last year by Chancellor Phyllis Wise, the medical school would be developed in partnership with Carle Health System, which has pledged more than $100 million toward the effort. As planned, it would use no state funding and be independent of the existing College of Medicine headquartered in Chicago, which operates regional campuses in Peoria, Rockford and Urbana.

"This is really a historic vote," Wise told senators Monday. "We do not start colleges very often."

The idea must still win approval from a university-wide Senates Conference and UI trustees, who are awaiting a recommendation due in March from President Bob Easter. The president is reviewing the plan and an alternative proposed by the UI College of Medicine, which would create a new "Translational BioEngineering Institute" with the College of Engineering at Urbana to promote biomedical research and economic development, in lieu of a new college of medicine.

Monday's discussion about the new college of medicine generated a few criticisms of Carle complaints about the health entity not paying its fair share of property taxes or questioning Carle's own billing as a "top 100" medical center. Carle Vice President Stephanie Beever deflected the tax question, saying it was up to state and federal courts to sort out and highlighting Carle's charity care.

But most comments about the proposal were supportive, including many from faculty at the existing regional medical school, which was created in the early 1970s.

"This is the most innovative thing I've heard of since then," said George Ordal, emeritus professor of biochemistry at the medical school. "It is a truly great idea."

The new plan would keep the existing regional medical school, which trains 100 first-year medical students every year, 75 upper-division students, and about 120 students in the Medical Scholars program, who earn both a medical degree and a Ph.D. in other disciplines.

Medical faculty at Urbana have complained for years about an unwieldy administrative arrangement of answering to a medical dean in Chicago but working with colleagues in Urbana.

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Senate OKs Urbana medical school