By Luis Fabregas
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
The Bernard Madoff scandal has hit a high-profile Parkinson's disease research project at the University of Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases operated for five years with a $750,000 annual grant from the Picower Foundation, which shut down last week because of the $50 billion fraud scheme that wiped out investors around the world.
The foundation notified Pitt officials it will not be able to fulfill the remainder of its pledge, which was expected to last another year-and-a-half. Without the money, the institute's mission to find a cure for Parkison's could be threatened, its director said Tuesday.
"No one would have guessed that a scandal in New York would suddenly affect research in Pittsburgh," said Dr. Tim Greenamyre, a professor of neurology at Pitt's School of Medicine and the institute's director since 2005. "All of a sudden, it comes to affect all of the research that we conduct on Parkinson's."
The institute, located in Biomedical Science Tower 3 in Oakland, was looking into causes of Parkinson's, a brain disorder characterized by tremors, slowness of movement and stiffness. About a dozen workers at the laboratory are studying aspects of the disorder, including environmental causes, the viability of gene therapy treatments and ways to stem its development.
The Picower Foundation grant was the main source of funding for the institute because federal grants from the National Institutes of Health diminished in recent years, Greenamyre said.
"We're scrambling for any potential source we can get," he said. "Our hope is that we can generate some philanthropic giving this season."
David Von Hofen of the Pittsburgh chapter of the National Parkinson Foundation said more research like Pitt's is needed at a time when there is no known way to slow the progression of the disorder. About 1.5 million Americans have the disease.
"There have been new medications to help reduce symptoms, but right now there is no clinically proven medication that slows its progress," said Von Hofen, the chapter's director of programs and outreach. "Even though it is manageable to a great extent for a number of years, there isn't anything yet that will even slow it down."
Greenamyre said his laboratory has attracted talented scientists from around the world. The Picower Foundation provided funding to five other laboratories that conducted Parkison's research.
"It's getting difficult to get biomedical research funding these days," he said. "This could have a potentially devastating impact."
Madoff, a former Nasdaq stock market chairman, is accused of running a Ponzi scheme that paid returns to certain investors out of the principal received from others.
The scam included a global roster of investors, from retirees on Long Island to the International Olympic Committee, to charities worldwide. So far, investors said they lost more than $30 billion, according to an Associated Press calculation.
Luis Fabregas can be reached at lfabregas@tribweb.com or 412-320-7998.
Saturday, December 27, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
AFFiRiS Begins Development of a Parkinson's Vaccine
Last update: 7:02 a.m. EST Dec. 11, 2008
VIENNA, Austria, December 11, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- AFFiRiS has started pre-clinical development of a Parkinson's vaccine. The vaccine, known as PD01, can be used to target a specific protein that is closely associated with the causes of this degenerative neurological disease. Excellent product candidates from discovery studies have prompted the company to file a patent application and proceed immediately with development. Similarly positive results from external assessments impelled the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) to provide considerable financial funding for the project. The vaccine is based on the company's AFFITOME technology, which, among other things, has already been used to develop two Alzheimer's vaccines, which are currently both in phase I clinical testing.
AFFiRiS, based in Vienna, Austria, today announced the start of the pre-clinical development of its first Parkinson's vaccine PD01. The vaccine will be investigated for efficacy ("proof of concept") in Parkinson models. On successful conclusion of this preclinical evaluation, initial clinical testing could start in 2010/11. The Parkinson's vaccine specifically targets the alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) protein, which is considered to be a key contributory element in Parkinson's disease.
Although all details of the disease are not yet fully understood, there is clear scientific evidence that the concentration and enrichment of alpha-syn in the brain are contributing factors in the progression of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, reducing the alpha-syn burden in the brain should have a positive impact on the course of the disease - a hypothesis that was recently confirmed by the results of U.S. researchers working on animal models.
The Parkinson's vaccine from AFFiRiS has been developed to delivery efficacy in combination with an excellent safety profile, as Dr. Walter Schmidt, CEO of AFFiRiS, explains: "Alpha-syn is an attractive target for treating the cause - not just the symptoms - of Parkinson's. However, it is important to bear in mind that alpha-syn is a human protein belonging to a family of proteins with very similar structures like e.g. beta-syn, an essential neuroprotective factor. Therefore, treatment to reduce alpha-syn must not lead to the reduction of related proteins, such as beta-syn. Our AFFITOME technology enables us to develop vaccines that induce antibody specifically targeting alpha-syn only."
Frank Mattner, Chief Scientific Officer at AFFiRiS, adds: "The great potential offered by our AFFITOME technology has been confirmed by external experts, who appraised our development of a Parkinson's vaccine for the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). Their assessment prompted the FFG to provide considerable financial support for this project."
The AFFITOME technology from AFFiRiS provides a means of targeting very specific structures of human rogue proteins with patented product candidates. AFFiRiS has already succeeded in developing two vaccines and a hemodialysis program for the treatment of Alzheimer's. These therapies only target specific structures found on harmful fragments of beta-amyloid, which is said to be responsible for Alzheimer's. Both Alzheimer's vaccines are currently being trialled on Alzheimer patients. In October, a licence option agreement worth up to EUR 430 million was concluded with GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals for their further clinical development market launch and sales.
About AFFiRiS GmbH (as at December 2008):
AFFiRiS GmbH develops peptide-based vaccines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis and other serious diseases. The company has established its AFFITOME platform technology. It employs 35 highly qualified members of staff on 1,800sqm of rented laboratory facilities at the Campus Vienna Biocenter ( http://www.affiris.com). AFFITOME and AFFITOPE are registered trademarks of AFFiRiS GmbH.
About MIG-Fonds:
The participation of MIG Verwaltungs AG in Affiris GmbH represents the continuation of a tried-and-tested approach. Investment is only made in selected companies in Germany and Austria after their viability has been thoroughly audited. Their innovative, high-potential products and the entrepreneurial skills of their management teams are both key. MIG Verwaltungs AG is supported by Alfred Wieder AG. This specialist in venture capital is experienced in the sale of holdings and is therefore the first point of contact for any potential investors.
Contact for Affiris GmbH:
Mag. Agnes Meyer
Campus Vienna Biocenter
1030 Vienna
T +43-1-798-15-75-10
E Agnes.Meyer@affiris.com
Copy Editing & Distribution:
PR&D - Public Relations for Research & Education
Campus Vienna Biocenter 2
1030 Vienna
T +43-1-505-70-44
E contact@prd.at
W http://www.prd.at
VIENNA, Austria, December 11, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- AFFiRiS has started pre-clinical development of a Parkinson's vaccine. The vaccine, known as PD01, can be used to target a specific protein that is closely associated with the causes of this degenerative neurological disease. Excellent product candidates from discovery studies have prompted the company to file a patent application and proceed immediately with development. Similarly positive results from external assessments impelled the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG) to provide considerable financial funding for the project. The vaccine is based on the company's AFFITOME technology, which, among other things, has already been used to develop two Alzheimer's vaccines, which are currently both in phase I clinical testing.
AFFiRiS, based in Vienna, Austria, today announced the start of the pre-clinical development of its first Parkinson's vaccine PD01. The vaccine will be investigated for efficacy ("proof of concept") in Parkinson models. On successful conclusion of this preclinical evaluation, initial clinical testing could start in 2010/11. The Parkinson's vaccine specifically targets the alpha-synuclein (alpha-syn) protein, which is considered to be a key contributory element in Parkinson's disease.
Although all details of the disease are not yet fully understood, there is clear scientific evidence that the concentration and enrichment of alpha-syn in the brain are contributing factors in the progression of Parkinson's disease. Therefore, reducing the alpha-syn burden in the brain should have a positive impact on the course of the disease - a hypothesis that was recently confirmed by the results of U.S. researchers working on animal models.
The Parkinson's vaccine from AFFiRiS has been developed to delivery efficacy in combination with an excellent safety profile, as Dr. Walter Schmidt, CEO of AFFiRiS, explains: "Alpha-syn is an attractive target for treating the cause - not just the symptoms - of Parkinson's. However, it is important to bear in mind that alpha-syn is a human protein belonging to a family of proteins with very similar structures like e.g. beta-syn, an essential neuroprotective factor. Therefore, treatment to reduce alpha-syn must not lead to the reduction of related proteins, such as beta-syn. Our AFFITOME technology enables us to develop vaccines that induce antibody specifically targeting alpha-syn only."
Frank Mattner, Chief Scientific Officer at AFFiRiS, adds: "The great potential offered by our AFFITOME technology has been confirmed by external experts, who appraised our development of a Parkinson's vaccine for the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). Their assessment prompted the FFG to provide considerable financial support for this project."
The AFFITOME technology from AFFiRiS provides a means of targeting very specific structures of human rogue proteins with patented product candidates. AFFiRiS has already succeeded in developing two vaccines and a hemodialysis program for the treatment of Alzheimer's. These therapies only target specific structures found on harmful fragments of beta-amyloid, which is said to be responsible for Alzheimer's. Both Alzheimer's vaccines are currently being trialled on Alzheimer patients. In October, a licence option agreement worth up to EUR 430 million was concluded with GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals for their further clinical development market launch and sales.
About AFFiRiS GmbH (as at December 2008):
AFFiRiS GmbH develops peptide-based vaccines for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis and other serious diseases. The company has established its AFFITOME platform technology. It employs 35 highly qualified members of staff on 1,800sqm of rented laboratory facilities at the Campus Vienna Biocenter ( http://www.affiris.com). AFFITOME and AFFITOPE are registered trademarks of AFFiRiS GmbH.
About MIG-Fonds:
The participation of MIG Verwaltungs AG in Affiris GmbH represents the continuation of a tried-and-tested approach. Investment is only made in selected companies in Germany and Austria after their viability has been thoroughly audited. Their innovative, high-potential products and the entrepreneurial skills of their management teams are both key. MIG Verwaltungs AG is supported by Alfred Wieder AG. This specialist in venture capital is experienced in the sale of holdings and is therefore the first point of contact for any potential investors.
Contact for Affiris GmbH:
Mag. Agnes Meyer
Campus Vienna Biocenter
1030 Vienna
T +43-1-798-15-75-10
E Agnes.Meyer@affiris.com
Copy Editing & Distribution:
PR&D - Public Relations for Research & Education
Campus Vienna Biocenter 2
1030 Vienna
T +43-1-505-70-44
E contact@prd.at
W http://www.prd.at
Friday, December 12, 2008
Bogus Stem Cell Therapies Sold on Internet
By Amanda Gardner
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Expensive, sham stem cell therapies are being hawked directly to desperate patients over the Internet, experts say.
In response, the leading organization of stem cell scientists on Wednesday issued guidelines to steer research in the field toward responsible, practical uses.
"Stem cell research is progressing so rapidly and has sparked a lot of interest in translational research [including] among patients in hopes for therapies," said Insoo Hyun, lead author of the paper outlining the guidelines and an associate professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.
"At the same time," he said, "legitimate science is speeding ahead and getting to the point where there needed to be more of a road map to take the basic knowledge to clinical applications."
Although Hyun had not heard of patients actually been harmed by so-called stem cell therapies, he said he feared that "it's only a matter of time."
The new guidelines were published in the December issue of Cell Stem Cell.
Experts hailed the move.
"We clearly need guidelines for around the world to make sure that appropriate research is done before clinical work is undertaken in patients," said Paul Sanberg, distinguished professor of neurosurgery and director of the University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair in Tampa. "We see desperate patients all the time and want to make sure that any therapies they take come from responsible research groups."
"There is tremendous confusion about the two types of stem cells -- embryonic stem cells and adult progenitor stem cells. The difference is monumental, and needs to be clarified," said Dr. Darwin J. Prockop, director of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White, who also holds the Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine at the center.
In an accompanying commentary, Canadian researchers analyzed 19 Web sites unearthed by a regular Google search, all of which peddled expensive stem cell therapies for everything from stroke to allergies.
Different clinics in China (Beike Biotech), the Ukraine (ACT) and elsewhere claim to have treated thousands of patients for neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's disease, congenital conditions such as autism and cerebral palsy, as well as allergies, heart conditions and even cosmetic procedures. However, the University of Alberta team was unable to find any studies that had even investigated stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease or for Alzheimer's, for example.
Nowhere, apparently, was there any authentication of whether the stem cells actually were stem cells, or where they had come from.
Stem cells most often, but not always, came from the patient's own bone marrow. Others reportedly came from aborted fetuses, animal tissues or donor tissues.
Web site information tended to be heavily skewed toward the alleged benefits of the process, and away from its risks. And the price? According to the paper, when advertised, the average cost of these therapies -- excluding airfare and accommodation -- was $21,500.
The new guidelines are meant to guide research toward what is practical and responsible, Hyun said. Previous scientific guidelines and regulations have regulated human-subjects research and clinical research in general, as well as gene transfer research, but not stem cell research, which poses a number of independent issues.
"Most of the time, stem cell products are presenting entirely novel products that are unpredictable in humans," Hyun said. "Unlike drugs, you can't just create a batch and put them on the shelf and expect they will be the same. We need uniform quality control and manufacturing. And if they're embryonic or pluripotent stem cells, they could form unwanted tissues or tumors. So, we have to be very careful about following up and monitoring patients."
Accordingly, the guidelines, written by a task force of stem cell specialists from 13 countries, addressed issues of ethical review, quality and safety of the stem cells; voluntary informed consent of participants in research projects along with careful monitoring of these volunteers and caution in using stem-cell-based therapies outside a research context.
Despite its promise, stem-cell based treatment is the standard of care for only a few diseases and conditions. These include hematopoietic stem cell transplants for leukemia and epithelial-stem-cell-based treatments for burns and corneal (eye) disorders.
Still, the potential of stem cell research is vast, experts said. Although research has not yet translated directly into abundant therapies for patients, the gains have been substantial, albeit indirect.
"For patients, it's not surprising that there are not direct applications, but what is often lost to public is that so much knowledge had been gained from stem cell research," Hyun said. "The advancements for patients are going to come sooner through these indirect routes, not direct cell-based therapy, from the expansion of knowledge."
More information
There's a patient handbook on the new guidelines at the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
SOURCES: Insoo Hyun, Ph.D., associate professor, bioethics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland; Paul Sanberg, distinguished professor, neurosurgery, and director, University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Tampa; Darwin J. Prockop, M.D., director and the Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White, Temple; December 2008, Cell Stem Cell
HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Expensive, sham stem cell therapies are being hawked directly to desperate patients over the Internet, experts say.
In response, the leading organization of stem cell scientists on Wednesday issued guidelines to steer research in the field toward responsible, practical uses.
"Stem cell research is progressing so rapidly and has sparked a lot of interest in translational research [including] among patients in hopes for therapies," said Insoo Hyun, lead author of the paper outlining the guidelines and an associate professor of bioethics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland.
"At the same time," he said, "legitimate science is speeding ahead and getting to the point where there needed to be more of a road map to take the basic knowledge to clinical applications."
Although Hyun had not heard of patients actually been harmed by so-called stem cell therapies, he said he feared that "it's only a matter of time."
The new guidelines were published in the December issue of Cell Stem Cell.
Experts hailed the move.
"We clearly need guidelines for around the world to make sure that appropriate research is done before clinical work is undertaken in patients," said Paul Sanberg, distinguished professor of neurosurgery and director of the University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair in Tampa. "We see desperate patients all the time and want to make sure that any therapies they take come from responsible research groups."
"There is tremendous confusion about the two types of stem cells -- embryonic stem cells and adult progenitor stem cells. The difference is monumental, and needs to be clarified," said Dr. Darwin J. Prockop, director of the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White, who also holds the Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine at the center.
In an accompanying commentary, Canadian researchers analyzed 19 Web sites unearthed by a regular Google search, all of which peddled expensive stem cell therapies for everything from stroke to allergies.
Different clinics in China (Beike Biotech), the Ukraine (ACT) and elsewhere claim to have treated thousands of patients for neurological disorders including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury and Alzheimer's disease, congenital conditions such as autism and cerebral palsy, as well as allergies, heart conditions and even cosmetic procedures. However, the University of Alberta team was unable to find any studies that had even investigated stem cell therapy for Parkinson's disease or for Alzheimer's, for example.
Nowhere, apparently, was there any authentication of whether the stem cells actually were stem cells, or where they had come from.
Stem cells most often, but not always, came from the patient's own bone marrow. Others reportedly came from aborted fetuses, animal tissues or donor tissues.
Web site information tended to be heavily skewed toward the alleged benefits of the process, and away from its risks. And the price? According to the paper, when advertised, the average cost of these therapies -- excluding airfare and accommodation -- was $21,500.
The new guidelines are meant to guide research toward what is practical and responsible, Hyun said. Previous scientific guidelines and regulations have regulated human-subjects research and clinical research in general, as well as gene transfer research, but not stem cell research, which poses a number of independent issues.
"Most of the time, stem cell products are presenting entirely novel products that are unpredictable in humans," Hyun said. "Unlike drugs, you can't just create a batch and put them on the shelf and expect they will be the same. We need uniform quality control and manufacturing. And if they're embryonic or pluripotent stem cells, they could form unwanted tissues or tumors. So, we have to be very careful about following up and monitoring patients."
Accordingly, the guidelines, written by a task force of stem cell specialists from 13 countries, addressed issues of ethical review, quality and safety of the stem cells; voluntary informed consent of participants in research projects along with careful monitoring of these volunteers and caution in using stem-cell-based therapies outside a research context.
Despite its promise, stem-cell based treatment is the standard of care for only a few diseases and conditions. These include hematopoietic stem cell transplants for leukemia and epithelial-stem-cell-based treatments for burns and corneal (eye) disorders.
Still, the potential of stem cell research is vast, experts said. Although research has not yet translated directly into abundant therapies for patients, the gains have been substantial, albeit indirect.
"For patients, it's not surprising that there are not direct applications, but what is often lost to public is that so much knowledge had been gained from stem cell research," Hyun said. "The advancements for patients are going to come sooner through these indirect routes, not direct cell-based therapy, from the expansion of knowledge."
More information
There's a patient handbook on the new guidelines at the International Society for Stem Cell Research.
SOURCES: Insoo Hyun, Ph.D., associate professor, bioethics, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland; Paul Sanberg, distinguished professor, neurosurgery, and director, University of South Florida Center for Aging and Brain Repair, Tampa; Darwin J. Prockop, M.D., director and the Stearman Chair in Genomic Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Scott & White, Temple; December 2008, Cell Stem Cell
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Vets' Brain Injuries Linked To Long Term Health Problems
05 Dec 2008
A report by a non-profit US medical organization suggests that military personnel who suffer severe or moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at greater risk of long term health problems including Alzheimer's-like dementia, aggression, symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, depression, and memory loss.
Titled "Gulf War and Health: Volume 7: Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury", the report is published by the National Academies press and compiled by a committee of experts working under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine. The study was funded by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.
The researchers reviewed evidence of the long term consequences of TBI and concluded that even mild TBI is linked to some of the severe health consequences. They also noted that brain injuries from explosions that don't directly impact the head may be under-diagnosed because there is not enough research on blast injury: one of the most common hazards of serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The report said the US Defense and Veteran Affairs Departments should set up more clinical and animal studies into brain injuries caused by blasts, also known as blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT).
Chair of the committee that wrote the report, George W. Rutherford, who is professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine and also vice chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, said patterns of war-related brain injury have changed recently:
"Explosive devices and other weaponry have become more powerful and devastating throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are seeing much higher rates of nonpenetrating traumatic brain injury and blast-induced injury among military personnel who have served in these countries than in earlier wars."
"It is important to identify and understand any long-term health effects of these injuries so that wounded service members do not lose valuable time for therapy and rehabilitation," he added.
According to the Department of Defense, up to January this year, over 5,500 troops have suffered TBI in the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Explosives have become the hallmark of these conflicts, with more and more personnel suffering blast-related injuries, often as a result of experiencing more than one explosion.
There has been a prevailing tendency among neurologists to assume that the human skull protects most people from blast-related injury where no blow to the head occurs, and that neurological damage, both short and long term, is relatively unlikely. However, there is an increasing body of clinical research and military experience that says otherwise, according to the authors.
The authors said there are no adequate animal models of BINT and that the Departments of Veteran Affairs (VA) and Defense should sponsor research to establish some. Without these, it is not possible to conduct reliable experiments and accurately assess, diagnose and treat the changes in brain function and behaviour that veterans exposed to bomb blasts may develop.
There are mild and severe forms of TBI, and there is sufficient evidence to show that the seizures that can occur from skull piercing TBI wounds can also occur in non-penetrating TBI and less severe brain injury. Studies show that moderate and severe TBI is linked to other long term consequences too, including increased risk of a dementia that is like Alzheimer's, a disorder that is like Parkinson's, and reduced ability to form and maintain social relationships. Other studies shows that mild TBI is linked to increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
The evidence does not show that the TBI causes these problems, only that it is linked to increased risk of developing them. It also shows that even mild TBI is linked to increased incidence of aggressive behaviour, depression, and problems with concentration and memory.
The authors said there is limited evidence that TBI is also linked to increased risk of diabetes and psychosis.
Because the evidence is not strong, it is not possible to say whether mild TBI is also linked to many of the risks associated with moderate and severe TBI.
The authors also recommended that troops be more carefully screened before they are deployed so as to establish a baseline for diagnosing post-injury consequences. The VA should also include uninjured personnel in the health registry it is compiling on TBI veterans, so that better comparisons can be made, they said.
"Gulf War and Health: Volume 7: Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury."
Committee on Gulf War and Health: Brain Injury in Veterans and Long-Term Health Outcomes
Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice (BPH), Institute of Medicine (IOM)
Published by the National Academies Press, 2008.
Click here for details of how to order a copy and to read the report online.
Sources: IOM.
Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
A report by a non-profit US medical organization suggests that military personnel who suffer severe or moderate traumatic brain injury (TBI) are at greater risk of long term health problems including Alzheimer's-like dementia, aggression, symptoms similar to Parkinson's disease, depression, and memory loss.
Titled "Gulf War and Health: Volume 7: Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury", the report is published by the National Academies press and compiled by a committee of experts working under the auspices of the Institute of Medicine. The study was funded by the US Department of Veteran Affairs.
The researchers reviewed evidence of the long term consequences of TBI and concluded that even mild TBI is linked to some of the severe health consequences. They also noted that brain injuries from explosions that don't directly impact the head may be under-diagnosed because there is not enough research on blast injury: one of the most common hazards of serving in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The report said the US Defense and Veteran Affairs Departments should set up more clinical and animal studies into brain injuries caused by blasts, also known as blast-induced neurotrauma (BINT).
Chair of the committee that wrote the report, George W. Rutherford, who is professor of epidemiology and preventive medicine and also vice chair of the department of epidemiology and biostatistics at the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, said patterns of war-related brain injury have changed recently:
"Explosive devices and other weaponry have become more powerful and devastating throughout the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and we are seeing much higher rates of nonpenetrating traumatic brain injury and blast-induced injury among military personnel who have served in these countries than in earlier wars."
"It is important to identify and understand any long-term health effects of these injuries so that wounded service members do not lose valuable time for therapy and rehabilitation," he added.
According to the Department of Defense, up to January this year, over 5,500 troops have suffered TBI in the fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. Explosives have become the hallmark of these conflicts, with more and more personnel suffering blast-related injuries, often as a result of experiencing more than one explosion.
There has been a prevailing tendency among neurologists to assume that the human skull protects most people from blast-related injury where no blow to the head occurs, and that neurological damage, both short and long term, is relatively unlikely. However, there is an increasing body of clinical research and military experience that says otherwise, according to the authors.
The authors said there are no adequate animal models of BINT and that the Departments of Veteran Affairs (VA) and Defense should sponsor research to establish some. Without these, it is not possible to conduct reliable experiments and accurately assess, diagnose and treat the changes in brain function and behaviour that veterans exposed to bomb blasts may develop.
There are mild and severe forms of TBI, and there is sufficient evidence to show that the seizures that can occur from skull piercing TBI wounds can also occur in non-penetrating TBI and less severe brain injury. Studies show that moderate and severe TBI is linked to other long term consequences too, including increased risk of a dementia that is like Alzheimer's, a disorder that is like Parkinson's, and reduced ability to form and maintain social relationships. Other studies shows that mild TBI is linked to increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
The evidence does not show that the TBI causes these problems, only that it is linked to increased risk of developing them. It also shows that even mild TBI is linked to increased incidence of aggressive behaviour, depression, and problems with concentration and memory.
The authors said there is limited evidence that TBI is also linked to increased risk of diabetes and psychosis.
Because the evidence is not strong, it is not possible to say whether mild TBI is also linked to many of the risks associated with moderate and severe TBI.
The authors also recommended that troops be more carefully screened before they are deployed so as to establish a baseline for diagnosing post-injury consequences. The VA should also include uninjured personnel in the health registry it is compiling on TBI veterans, so that better comparisons can be made, they said.
"Gulf War and Health: Volume 7: Long-Term Consequences of Traumatic Brain Injury."
Committee on Gulf War and Health: Brain Injury in Veterans and Long-Term Health Outcomes
Board on Population Health and Public Health Practice (BPH), Institute of Medicine (IOM)
Published by the National Academies Press, 2008.
Click here for details of how to order a copy and to read the report online.
Sources: IOM.
Written by: Catharine Paddock, PhD
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Rude Robots, Stay Away From Homes
Agam Shah, IDG News Service
Robots are fun to play with, but they can be insolent during social interaction with humans if badly programmed, a researcher said on Tuesday.
It is important to program robots to change moods by better understanding and adapting to human behavior, especially as robots play a bigger role in assisted living, said Maja Matari_, founding director of the University of Southern California's Center for Robotics and Embedded Systems, during a speech at the RoboDevelopment conference on Tuesday in Santa Clara, California.
"You can endow a robot with a personality ... but it should not be rude," Matari_ said. Unlike some humans, robots are not sociopaths, Matari_ said. Robots can stay a distance away and still interact with a person. However, people, especially at-risk patients, need social interaction, so the closer and more mobile a robot, the better.
By taking cues from body movement and health readings gathered from a body, robots can adapt behavior and take better care of patients, Matari_ said.
USC is experimenting with robots as coaches that direct the exercise and movement of patients suffering from cardiac or mental diseases. With the help of wearable technologies like sensors on humans, robots are able to judge and monitor human behavior and activity, based on which patients are directed to do certain activities.
For example, by collecting information from bracelet sensors on hands, robot coaches are encouraging cardiac patients to exercise. Robots are also helping Parkinson's disease patients move more appropriately by detecting walking movement with the help of a leg band on patients.
Cameras in a robot are another way to detect movement, but sensors are effective for patients concerned about privacy issues, Matari_ said. Wearable sensors can also keep track of human health.
Humans need to feel cared for and encouraged to do activities, but for sustained engagement, robots need to understand a patient and adapt to their behavior, Matari_ said. By taking real-time cues from health and movement reads, robots are now being programmed to motivate patients and adapt to changing moods and needs.
Robots can talk in engaging tones to motivate patients, but also need to know when to play music or read a book to calm a patient. Cardiac patients can reach high frustration levels, and certain sensors monitoring a patient's heart rate and blood pressure can indicate those levels, based on which a robot can react.
Customizable robots can also detect early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, for which they can provide continued support, Matari_ said. Robots detecting sustained wayward movement in a person can identify it as an early sign of dementia.
Close to 1 million residents in the U.S. in assisted living have dementia, and 26 million worldwide have Alzheimer's disease, with the number expected to reach 100 million by 2050, Matari_ said.
The assistive robots being developed by USC will be ready for commercial use in a few years; venture capitalists just need to look at the technology and invest in it, Matari_ said in an interview after the speech. The need for caretakers is dire -- well-trained workers are few and nursing shortages are already an issue, and robots can fill that role, Matari_ said.
A professional company also needs to repackage the robots to make them attractive to consumers. The industry could take off if health insurance companies reimburse patients for charges related to assistive robots, she said.
Robots are fun to play with, but they can be insolent during social interaction with humans if badly programmed, a researcher said on Tuesday.
It is important to program robots to change moods by better understanding and adapting to human behavior, especially as robots play a bigger role in assisted living, said Maja Matari_, founding director of the University of Southern California's Center for Robotics and Embedded Systems, during a speech at the RoboDevelopment conference on Tuesday in Santa Clara, California.
"You can endow a robot with a personality ... but it should not be rude," Matari_ said. Unlike some humans, robots are not sociopaths, Matari_ said. Robots can stay a distance away and still interact with a person. However, people, especially at-risk patients, need social interaction, so the closer and more mobile a robot, the better.
By taking cues from body movement and health readings gathered from a body, robots can adapt behavior and take better care of patients, Matari_ said.
USC is experimenting with robots as coaches that direct the exercise and movement of patients suffering from cardiac or mental diseases. With the help of wearable technologies like sensors on humans, robots are able to judge and monitor human behavior and activity, based on which patients are directed to do certain activities.
For example, by collecting information from bracelet sensors on hands, robot coaches are encouraging cardiac patients to exercise. Robots are also helping Parkinson's disease patients move more appropriately by detecting walking movement with the help of a leg band on patients.
Cameras in a robot are another way to detect movement, but sensors are effective for patients concerned about privacy issues, Matari_ said. Wearable sensors can also keep track of human health.
Humans need to feel cared for and encouraged to do activities, but for sustained engagement, robots need to understand a patient and adapt to their behavior, Matari_ said. By taking real-time cues from health and movement reads, robots are now being programmed to motivate patients and adapt to changing moods and needs.
Robots can talk in engaging tones to motivate patients, but also need to know when to play music or read a book to calm a patient. Cardiac patients can reach high frustration levels, and certain sensors monitoring a patient's heart rate and blood pressure can indicate those levels, based on which a robot can react.
Customizable robots can also detect early signs of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, for which they can provide continued support, Matari_ said. Robots detecting sustained wayward movement in a person can identify it as an early sign of dementia.
Close to 1 million residents in the U.S. in assisted living have dementia, and 26 million worldwide have Alzheimer's disease, with the number expected to reach 100 million by 2050, Matari_ said.
The assistive robots being developed by USC will be ready for commercial use in a few years; venture capitalists just need to look at the technology and invest in it, Matari_ said in an interview after the speech. The need for caretakers is dire -- well-trained workers are few and nursing shortages are already an issue, and robots can fill that role, Matari_ said.
A professional company also needs to repackage the robots to make them attractive to consumers. The industry could take off if health insurance companies reimburse patients for charges related to assistive robots, she said.
Mercer stem cell researcher talks at CEC
By Brenda Pedraza-Vidamour
The Times-Herald
Dr. Henry Young, expert on adult stem cell research, spoke to biology and medical profession students at Central Educational Center in Newnan about his research Thursday morning.
Unlike the controversial embryonic stem cell research, adult stem cell research involves extracting cells venally (from marrow) or from cadaveric or live adult tissue, such as the skin or muscle. They are the cells many scientists believed didn't exist when Young started his research 30 years ago.
Today, four types of stem cells are recognized: embryonic, amniotic, umbilical cord and adult.
Proof that adult stem cells exist and have viable medical applications has received lots of international attention recently following some work five months ago by doctors in Bristol, England, and Barcelona, Spain. The doctors used adult stem cells to create a new windpipe in a Bristol lab for transplantation into a 30-year-old Colombian woman.
The stem cells were harvested from the trachea of a 51-year-old who died and the woman's own bone marrow. The lab-made windpipe was then transplanted into Claudia Castillo in Barcelona. She has suffered no complications nor risked rejection since her body recognizes that new section of her trachea as her own.
The work is regarded as a medical milestone and precursor to "a new age in surgical care," per Wednesday's report on CNN.
Young, a professor of anatomy at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, said the international team's work proves that adult stem cell transplants work, and could be more successful because patients aren't required to take the necessary anti-rejection drugs to help the body accept the organ. Young explained transplant patients eventually require a second transplant -- a kidney transplant -- within 10-15 years after their original transplant because of the body's reaction to the donor antigens.
In a two-and-one-half-hour series of slide show presentations, Young explained how embryonic stem cells are derived and how his lab has isolated, classified and characterized adult stem cells. In response to a question, Young explained why he chose adult over embryonic stem cell research.
"A lot of the public finds a moral and ethical dilemma with stem cell research. With me, personally, I chose adult stem cell because I have an issue with embryonic stem cell research, but there's a need for embryonic stem cell research. We're not allowed to do research on embryos so embryonic stem cell research should go forward and be funded for treatment of embryos and fetuses in the womb. I've made my choice, and I let other people make their choices."
Young, who also serves as an adjunct professor in Mercer's departments of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, is credited with discovering the adult totipotent blastomere-like stem cells (BLSCs), adult pluripotent epiblast-like stem cells (ELSCs) and adult-derived germ layer stem cells (GLSCs). He has 11 current and pending patents, which he pointed out aren't to protect any profitable interests, but to further medical research.
"I believe in the Wal-Mart approach rather than the Mercedes approach -- high value and low cost. I want to see people treated rather than make lots of money," he said.
Young covered with the crowd of about 150 students the extensive medical applications of adult stem cells and what makes them better for medical application including a quiescent characteristic, which means the cells don't spontaneously differentiate (break down into a lot of other different cells) like embryonic stem cells. Young explained the cells act much like his 17-year-old daughter who sits on the couch all day and won't do anything until somebody tells her what to do. The cells' quiescence allows researchers the ability to regulate and control their differentiation.
Young said there's interest in stem cell research because of the varying medical uses. One ongoing problem with it, however, is that there are still shortages in numbers of donors and research is slow-paced. He encouraged students to make tissue donations, volunteer to do research work and spread the word about clinical trials. Currently, the Mercer lab has 17 patients involved in experimental trials who are being treated for various disorders ranging from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to Parkinson's disease.
Barbara Rickles, a biotechnology teacher at CEC, invited Young to speak after meeting him at a conference last summer. Included in the audience were students from her biotechnology class, AP biology classes from Coweta's three public high schools and nursing students from CEC and West Central Technical College.
Bret Eady, a Northgate High School junior, said Young's work was fascinating.
"I just thought it was really interesting that you have cells in your body now that can still mimic the cells you had as an infant," he said.
The Times-Herald
Dr. Henry Young, expert on adult stem cell research, spoke to biology and medical profession students at Central Educational Center in Newnan about his research Thursday morning.
Unlike the controversial embryonic stem cell research, adult stem cell research involves extracting cells venally (from marrow) or from cadaveric or live adult tissue, such as the skin or muscle. They are the cells many scientists believed didn't exist when Young started his research 30 years ago.
Today, four types of stem cells are recognized: embryonic, amniotic, umbilical cord and adult.
Proof that adult stem cells exist and have viable medical applications has received lots of international attention recently following some work five months ago by doctors in Bristol, England, and Barcelona, Spain. The doctors used adult stem cells to create a new windpipe in a Bristol lab for transplantation into a 30-year-old Colombian woman.
The stem cells were harvested from the trachea of a 51-year-old who died and the woman's own bone marrow. The lab-made windpipe was then transplanted into Claudia Castillo in Barcelona. She has suffered no complications nor risked rejection since her body recognizes that new section of her trachea as her own.
The work is regarded as a medical milestone and precursor to "a new age in surgical care," per Wednesday's report on CNN.
Young, a professor of anatomy at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, said the international team's work proves that adult stem cell transplants work, and could be more successful because patients aren't required to take the necessary anti-rejection drugs to help the body accept the organ. Young explained transplant patients eventually require a second transplant -- a kidney transplant -- within 10-15 years after their original transplant because of the body's reaction to the donor antigens.
In a two-and-one-half-hour series of slide show presentations, Young explained how embryonic stem cells are derived and how his lab has isolated, classified and characterized adult stem cells. In response to a question, Young explained why he chose adult over embryonic stem cell research.
"A lot of the public finds a moral and ethical dilemma with stem cell research. With me, personally, I chose adult stem cell because I have an issue with embryonic stem cell research, but there's a need for embryonic stem cell research. We're not allowed to do research on embryos so embryonic stem cell research should go forward and be funded for treatment of embryos and fetuses in the womb. I've made my choice, and I let other people make their choices."
Young, who also serves as an adjunct professor in Mercer's departments of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, is credited with discovering the adult totipotent blastomere-like stem cells (BLSCs), adult pluripotent epiblast-like stem cells (ELSCs) and adult-derived germ layer stem cells (GLSCs). He has 11 current and pending patents, which he pointed out aren't to protect any profitable interests, but to further medical research.
"I believe in the Wal-Mart approach rather than the Mercedes approach -- high value and low cost. I want to see people treated rather than make lots of money," he said.
Young covered with the crowd of about 150 students the extensive medical applications of adult stem cells and what makes them better for medical application including a quiescent characteristic, which means the cells don't spontaneously differentiate (break down into a lot of other different cells) like embryonic stem cells. Young explained the cells act much like his 17-year-old daughter who sits on the couch all day and won't do anything until somebody tells her what to do. The cells' quiescence allows researchers the ability to regulate and control their differentiation.
Young said there's interest in stem cell research because of the varying medical uses. One ongoing problem with it, however, is that there are still shortages in numbers of donors and research is slow-paced. He encouraged students to make tissue donations, volunteer to do research work and spread the word about clinical trials. Currently, the Mercer lab has 17 patients involved in experimental trials who are being treated for various disorders ranging from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to Parkinson's disease.
Barbara Rickles, a biotechnology teacher at CEC, invited Young to speak after meeting him at a conference last summer. Included in the audience were students from her biotechnology class, AP biology classes from Coweta's three public high schools and nursing students from CEC and West Central Technical College.
Bret Eady, a Northgate High School junior, said Young's work was fascinating.
"I just thought it was really interesting that you have cells in your body now that can still mimic the cells you had as an infant," he said.
Philips Forms Several Health Research Alliances: Philips has signed research agreements with several partners recently
Abstract:
NeuroNexus Technologies and Philips Research have signed a joint research agreement to develop next-generation deep brain stimulation devices with the ambition to improve the treatment of neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. By combining Philips Research's strengths in microelectronics, signal processing, ultra-low power system design and miniaturization with NeuroNexus Technologies' expertise in micro-scale electrode design and fabrication, the two companies aim to show the technical feasibility of highly programmable and MRI-safe deep brain stimulation devices. Their initial research will aim to meet the functional requirements of a deep brain stimulation device for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs people's motor skills and speech, leading to a progressive loss in quality of life. Recent publications suggest that deep brain stimulation could also be suitable for treating psychiatric disorders such as clinical depression.
Philips Forms Several Health Research Alliances: Philips has signed research agreements with several partners recently.
Germany | Posted on November 20th, 2008
Late-stage Parkinson's disease is increasingly being treated using deep brain stimulation - a technique that involves implantation of a medical device, a "brain pacemaker" that sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the patient's brain via permanently inserted electrodes. The pacemaker control unit is normally implanted into the patient's chest or abdomen, with a connecting lead routed under the skin to the brain electrode. While offering an effective therapy that helps many patients, currently available technologies have significant limitations.
"As currently used, deep brain stimulation poses several challenges to both the patient and the physician: The implantation requires a lengthy surgical procedure involving both neurosurgeons and neurologists. Following surgery, setting the right stimulation parameters requires painstaking efforts on the part of the neurologists before the patient can be sent home. In the long term, patients may for example develop spine problems that would require further examination using MRI, but with current implants MRI scans are not possible due to the materials used in the fabrication of DBS electrodes and the stimulators," explains Prof. Maximilian Mehdorn, Head of Neurosurgery at the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany.
The joint research project aims to address these clinical needs, and will leverage Philips' expertise in medical imaging and surgery planning with the aim of simplifying the implantation process and shortening the surgical procedure. Philips will also contribute to making the entire device MRI compatible so that patients fitted with the implant are not barred from MRI scans. With its world-leading track record in neural micro-electrodes, NeuroNexus Technologies brings in key technology and knowledge for novel brain probes.
"As neuroscientists become increasingly able to understand the language of the brain and fix neurological conditions with advanced electrical stimulation techniques, they will need a new generation of DBS devices that give them much greater flexibility in tailoring therapy," explains Daryl Kipke, chief executive officer of NeuroNexus Technologies. "With our unique micro-scale implantable electrode technology and Philips Research's integration expertise, we are well positioned to make a significant leap forward in delivering technologies that will support neurologists and neurosurgeons in improving patient treatment."
"Contributing to the development of MRI-compatible deep brain stimulation devices may ultimately allow us to combine DBS technology with our functional imaging, image-guided intervention and therapy planning capabilities to produce integrated treatment suites for neurodegenerative disease," says Henk van Houten, senior vice president of Philips Research and head of its Healthcare Research program. "It's yet another example of where the coming together of in-depth clinical knowledge and world-class technology expertise can work to the benefit of patients."
NeuroNexus Technologies and Philips Research have signed a joint research agreement to develop next-generation deep brain stimulation devices with the ambition to improve the treatment of neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders. By combining Philips Research's strengths in microelectronics, signal processing, ultra-low power system design and miniaturization with NeuroNexus Technologies' expertise in micro-scale electrode design and fabrication, the two companies aim to show the technical feasibility of highly programmable and MRI-safe deep brain stimulation devices. Their initial research will aim to meet the functional requirements of a deep brain stimulation device for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. This is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs people's motor skills and speech, leading to a progressive loss in quality of life. Recent publications suggest that deep brain stimulation could also be suitable for treating psychiatric disorders such as clinical depression.
Philips Forms Several Health Research Alliances: Philips has signed research agreements with several partners recently.
Germany | Posted on November 20th, 2008
Late-stage Parkinson's disease is increasingly being treated using deep brain stimulation - a technique that involves implantation of a medical device, a "brain pacemaker" that sends electrical impulses to specific parts of the patient's brain via permanently inserted electrodes. The pacemaker control unit is normally implanted into the patient's chest or abdomen, with a connecting lead routed under the skin to the brain electrode. While offering an effective therapy that helps many patients, currently available technologies have significant limitations.
"As currently used, deep brain stimulation poses several challenges to both the patient and the physician: The implantation requires a lengthy surgical procedure involving both neurosurgeons and neurologists. Following surgery, setting the right stimulation parameters requires painstaking efforts on the part of the neurologists before the patient can be sent home. In the long term, patients may for example develop spine problems that would require further examination using MRI, but with current implants MRI scans are not possible due to the materials used in the fabrication of DBS electrodes and the stimulators," explains Prof. Maximilian Mehdorn, Head of Neurosurgery at the Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel, Germany.
The joint research project aims to address these clinical needs, and will leverage Philips' expertise in medical imaging and surgery planning with the aim of simplifying the implantation process and shortening the surgical procedure. Philips will also contribute to making the entire device MRI compatible so that patients fitted with the implant are not barred from MRI scans. With its world-leading track record in neural micro-electrodes, NeuroNexus Technologies brings in key technology and knowledge for novel brain probes.
"As neuroscientists become increasingly able to understand the language of the brain and fix neurological conditions with advanced electrical stimulation techniques, they will need a new generation of DBS devices that give them much greater flexibility in tailoring therapy," explains Daryl Kipke, chief executive officer of NeuroNexus Technologies. "With our unique micro-scale implantable electrode technology and Philips Research's integration expertise, we are well positioned to make a significant leap forward in delivering technologies that will support neurologists and neurosurgeons in improving patient treatment."
"Contributing to the development of MRI-compatible deep brain stimulation devices may ultimately allow us to combine DBS technology with our functional imaging, image-guided intervention and therapy planning capabilities to produce integrated treatment suites for neurodegenerative disease," says Henk van Houten, senior vice president of Philips Research and head of its Healthcare Research program. "It's yet another example of where the coming together of in-depth clinical knowledge and world-class technology expertise can work to the benefit of patients."
Study links Parkinson's, agricultural fungicide
The Associated Press
Posted: 11/17/2008 12:59:16 PM PST
FRESNO, Calif.—A new study has made a connection between Parkinson's disease and residents in the San Joaquin Valley who have experienced long-term exposure to certain pesticides.
A University of California, Los Angeles study of 400 Valley residents with the neurological disease indicates a connection between Parkinson's and a fungicide called ziram, an agricultural toxin widely used on nut and fruit trees and grapes.
Research showed the fungicide kills certain brain cells associated with Parkinson's. Researchers say it could explain why the rate of Parkinson's seems to be higher in the San Joaquin Valley than elsewhere in the state.
A spokeswoman for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation says it's too early to discuss restrictions or a ban on ziram, but officials have made studying the potential link a priority.
Posted: 11/17/2008 12:59:16 PM PST
FRESNO, Calif.—A new study has made a connection between Parkinson's disease and residents in the San Joaquin Valley who have experienced long-term exposure to certain pesticides.
A University of California, Los Angeles study of 400 Valley residents with the neurological disease indicates a connection between Parkinson's and a fungicide called ziram, an agricultural toxin widely used on nut and fruit trees and grapes.
Research showed the fungicide kills certain brain cells associated with Parkinson's. Researchers say it could explain why the rate of Parkinson's seems to be higher in the San Joaquin Valley than elsewhere in the state.
A spokeswoman for the California Department of Pesticide Regulation says it's too early to discuss restrictions or a ban on ziram, but officials have made studying the potential link a priority.
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