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Stem cell bank gets harvesting equipment

blessedayesha — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 20:11:19 +0000

CHENNAI: A city-based stem cell bank on Wednesday urged the Rotary Foundation to add stem cells to the bouquet of projects it runs at the national level. Dr Saranya Narayan, co-founder and medical director of Jeevan Blood Bank and Research Centre, made the request after receiving a stem cell harvesting equipment that was donated by the Rotary Club of Madras East, along with RI District 3230, Rotary Foundation and Rotary Club of Makati Ayala. The equipment, costing about Rs 25 lakh, will be used to recover stem cells from cord blood donated to Jeevan’s stem cell bank.

With 42,000 registered childbirths everyday, India can contribute substantially towards the cure of blood and blood-related diseases through stem cells, Dr Narayan said. Stem cells, she said, could be used to treat both thalassemia and leukemia.

Speaking on the club’s anti-polio efforts, Rotarian W Anand, governor, RI District 3230, said the disease could be eradicated in India in three years, with efforts by both the Rotary Foundation and the Indian government.

Recalling the Rotary Foundation’s global role in the eradication of polio, Anand said serious efforts should be made to make India polio-free.

MUST-SEE: Adult stem cells cure child with sickle cell anemia

Wintery Knight — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 10:00:42 +0000

Amazing story! (H/T BioEdge via ECM)

My previous posts on ASCR

Previous posts on abortion

STEM CELL REFRESHER COURSE

David Granovsky — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:56:44 +0000

*** DO STEM CELL TREATMENTS WORK? http://www.repairstemcells.org/newsletters/NL100909.htm - *** ARE

Global Stem Cell and Advanced Technologies Market, healthcare-market-reports.com

hcaremarket — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 12:00:17 +0000

Report Description

The stem cell market is growing rapidly due to increasing regulatory approval and public acceptance bodies. The benefits of stem cell therapy are attracting an increasing number of patients. The product submarket for human and embryo stem cells are expected to drive the growth of the overall market. In addition, intensive R&D efforts and the increasing investments into research on stem cells therapy are soon expected to improve the efficacy of stem cell treatment. However, the high cost of the therapy may affect market growth.

The global stem cell market is estimated to be $88.3 billion by 2014, growing at a CAGR of 14.8 % from 2009 to 2014. The U.S. currently holds a 60% share of the global stem cell market; and forms an especially lucrative market for areas such as bone marrow transplantation through stem cells. This research report will help stakeholders gain a better understanding of product pricing and regulatory framework governing the dynamics of the stem cell market. The key players in the market include Osiris Therapeutics, Stem Tronix Inc., Stemcell Technologies, Genzyme Corp., Cytori, and Geron.

Market Estimates and Forecasts

The report categorizes the global stem cell market as follows:

Stem Cell Products (adult stem cell, human embryonic stem cell, and other stem cell types)
Stem Cell Services (stem cell banking, stem cell acquisition and testing, drug discovery and target identification, isolation/characterization services, and molecular biology )
Stem Cell Technologies (stem cell acquisition, stem cell production, cryopreservation, and expansion and subculture)
Stem Cell Applications (regenerative medicine – neurological disorders, orthopedics, cancer, hematological disorders, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular diseases, injuries, diabetes, liver disorder, incontinence, and drug development)

Each section will provide market data, market drivers, trends and opportunities, top-selling products, key players, and competitive outlook. This report will also provide market tables for various geographic regions covering the sub-segments and micro-markets. In addition, the report also provides more than 35 company profiles for each of its sub-segments.

What makes our reports unique?

We provide the longest market segmentation chain in this industry- not many reports provide market breakdown upto level 5.
We provide 10% customization. Normally it is seen that clients do not find specific market intelligence that they are looking for. Our customization will ensure that you necessarily get the market intelligence you are looking for and we get a loyal customer.
We conduct detailed market positioning, product positioning and competitive positioning. Entry strategies, gaps and opportunities are identified for all the stakeholders.
Comprehensive market analysis for the following sectors:

Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Biotechnology, Semiconductor and Electronics, Energy and Power Supplies, Food and Beverages, Chemicals, Advanced Materials, Industrial Automation, and Telecom and IT. We also analyze retailers and super-retailers, technology providers, and research and development (R&D) companies.

Key questions answered

Which are the high-growth segments/cash cows and how is the market segmented in terms of applications, products, services, ingredients, technologies, and stakeholders?
What are market estimates and forecasts; which markets are doing well and which are not?
Where are the gaps and opportunities; what is driving the market?
Which are the key playing fields? Which are the winning edge imperatives?
How is the competitive outlook; who are the main players in each of the segments; what are the key selling products; what are their strategic directives, operational strengths and product pipelines? Who is doing what?

Powerful Research and analysis

The analysts working with MarketsandMarkets come from renowned publishers and market research firms, globally, adding their expertise and domain understanding. We get the facts from over 22,000 news and information sources, a huge database of key industry participants and draw on our relationships with more than 900 market research companies across the world. We, at MarketsandMarkets, are inspired to help our clients grow by providing qualitative business insights with our huge market intelligence repository.

Table of contents

Executive summary
MARKET OVERVIEW
Stem cell market dynamics
OPPORTUNITIES
Stem cells product market
OPPORTUNITIES
Stem cells technology market
Stem cells services market
Stem cells applications market
Geographic analysis
Competitive landscape

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. KEY TAKE-AWAYS
1.2. REPORT DESCRIPTION
1.3. Research METHODOLOGY
1.4. STAKEHOLDERS

2. Summary

3. market overview
3.1. Defining the stem cell market
3.2. Factors influencing the stem cells market
3.3. Stem cell market inhibitors
3.4. Regenerative medicine dominates stem cell applications
3.5. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE STEM CELLS MARKET
3.5.1. U.S. Liberal Politics
3.5.2. Guidelines for responsible stem cells research
3.5.3. European national policies and legal issues
3.5.4. E.U. funding for stem cells research
3.5.5. Asia Pacific
3.6. Stem cell patent analysis

4. Stem cell market dynamics
4.1. Drivers
4.1.1. Potential of stem cells in regenerative medicine
4.1.2. Key to anti-ageing and prolonging life
4.1.3. Increasing R&D INVESTMENTS in adult stem cell research
4.1.4. EASE of administration
4.1.5. Reduced risk of tissue rejection in transplants
4.1.6. Federal funding for stem cell research
4.2. Restraints
4.2.1. safety issues
4.2.2. Ethical issueS
4.2.3. minimal Insurance coverage
4.3. Opportunities
4.3.1. technological innovations
4.3.2. Emerging application as a drug discovery tool
4.3.3. other promising applications

5. Global stem cells product market
5.1. Stem cell classification on the basis of potency
5.2. Adult stem cells
5.2.1. Drivers
5.2.1.1. Applications in cancer and chronic disease treatment
5.2.1.2. Availability of adequate safety & efficacy evidence
5.2.1.3. Technology innovations
5.2.1.4. Lower costs & no ethical issues
5.2.2. Restraints & Opportunities
5.2.2.1. Lower therapeutic potential
5.2.2.2. Need for minimising intervention
5.2.3. Hematopoietic Stem Cells
5.2.3.1. Drivers & Restraints
5.2.3.1.1. Wide range of applications
5.2.3.1.2. Enhanced usage due to recent technology advancements
5.2.3.1.3. Underused treatment, ineffective GvHD management
5.2.4. Mesenchymal stem cells
5.2.4.1. Drivers
5.2.4.1.1. Huge potential of MSCs
5.2.4.1.2. Advantageous cell type for allogenic transplantation
5.2.4.2. Restraints & Opportunities
5.2.4.2.1. Low number of mesenchymal stem cells in bone marrow
5.2.4.3. Potential applications of MSC therapy
5.3. Embryonic stem cells
5.3.1. Drivers & REStraints
5.3.1.1. Immense potential due to pluripotent nature
5.3.1.2. Ban on federal funding lifted
5.3.1.3. Ethical issues and inadequate safety data
5.3.2. Umbilical cord stem cells
5.3.3. Neuronal stem cells
5.3.4. Dental stem cells
5.3.5. Other novel cell types

6. stem cells technology market
6.1. Stem cell production
6.1.1. Somatic nuclear transfer / Therapeutic cloning
6.1.2. IVF (In vitro fertilization)
6.1.3. Isolation & Cell culture
6.2. Expansion & Sub culture
6.3. Stem cell acquisition
6.3.1. Bone marrow harvest
6.3.2. Apheresis
6.3.3. Umbilical cord blood stem cells acquisition
6.4. Cryopreservation & storage

7. Global stem cells services market
7.1. Stem cell banking
7.1.1. Ethical issues on stem cell banking
7.2. Stem cell acquisition & testing
7.3. Characterization services
7.3.1. HLA typing services
7.3.2. Stem cell custom services
7.3.3. Stem cell custom antibody services
7.4. Molecular biology
7.5. Drug screening & target validation

8. Global stem cells applications market
8.1. Regenerative medicine
8.1.1. Drivers & Restraints
8.1.1.1. Simple and cost-effective production method
8.1.1.2. Public & political support
8.1.1.3. High cost of treatment and low reimbursements
8.1.2. Neurological disorders
8.1.2.1. Alzheimer’s disease
8.1.2.2. Parkinson’s disease
8.1.2.3. Multiple sclerosis
8.1.2.4. Others
8.1.3. Myocardial Infarction & cardiovascular diseases
8.1.4. Cancer
8.1.4.1. Breast cancer
8.1.4.2. Multiple myeloma
8.1.4.3. Other diseases
8.1.5. Injuries
8.1.6. Incontinence
8.1.7. Diabetes
8.1.8. Orthopedics
8.1.9. Liver disorders
8.1.10. Hematological disorders
8.1.10.1. Other applications
8.1.10.1.1. Limb Ischemia
8.1.10.1.2. Systemic lupus
8.2. Drug Discovery & Development

9. Geographic analysis
9.1. North America
9.2. Europe
9.3. Asia
9.4. ROW

10. Competitive landscape
Appendix
10.1. Government policies & guidelines
10.1.1. Patents for united states
10.1.2. Patents for europe
10.1.3. Patents for Japan

11. Company Profiles
11.1. Advanced Cell Technology Inc
11.2. Aldagen
11.3. Angel Biotechnology
11.4. Angioblast Systems Inc
11.5. Aastrom Biosciences Inc
11.6. Athersys
11.7. Bioheart Inc
11.8. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics
11.9. California Stem Cell
11.10. Celgene Corporation
11.11. Cellartis AB
11.12. Cellerant Therapeutics
11.13. Cellular Dynamics International, Inc
11.14. Cellular Engineering Technologies
11.15. CordLife Ltd
11.16. Cytori Therapeutics Inc
11.17. ES Cell International
11.18. Gamida Cell Ltd
11.19. Genzyme Corporation
11.20. Geron Corporation Inc
11.21. Global Stem Inc
11.22. Intercytex (and its subsidiary Axordia)
11.23. Medistem Inc
11.24. Mesoblast Ltd
11.25. MultiCell Technologies, Inc
11.26. Neostem
11.27. Novocell Inc
11.28. NeuralStem Biopharmaceuticals, Ltd.
11.29. Opexa Therapeutics
11.30. Osiris Therapeutics, Inc
11.31. Plureon Corp
11.32. Pluristem Therapeutics
11.33. ReNeuron, Inc
11.34. StemCells, Inc
11.35. StemLifeLine
11.36. t2cure Gmbh
11.37. TheraVitae
11.38. Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc
11.39. Thermogenesis Corporation
11.40. VetCell Bioscience Ltd

Global Stem Cell and Advanced Technologies Market

Estimated size of stem cell market in 2009

Source: http://www.healthcare-market-reports.com/

JOHN STEWART HAS STEM CELL TREATMENT...

David Granovsky — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 19:28:19 +0000

John Stewart has repair stem cell treatment patient and musician Jack Mennequin on the Daily Show.

Global Stem Cell and Advanced Technologies Market, biotech-market-reports.com

biotechmarkets — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:09:45 +0000

Report Description

Market Estimates and Forecasts

The report categorizes the global stem cell market as follows:

Stem Cell Products (adult stem cell, human embryonic stem cell, and other stem cell types)
Stem Cell Services (stem cell banking, stem cell acquisition and testing, drug discovery and target identification, isolation/characterization services, and molecular biology )
Stem Cell Technologies (stem cell acquisition, stem cell production, cryopreservation, and expansion and subculture)
Stem Cell Applications (regenerative medicine – neurological disorders, orthopedics, cancer, hematological disorders, myocardial infarction and cardiovascular diseases, injuries, diabetes, liver disorder, incontinence, and drug development)

What makes our reports unique?

We provide the longest market segmentation chain in this industry- not many reports provide market breakdown upto level 5.
We provide 10% customization. Normally it is seen that clients do not find specific market intelligence that they are looking for. Our customization will ensure that you necessarily get the market intelligence you are looking for and we get a loyal customer.
We conduct detailed market positioning, product positioning and competitive positioning. Entry strategies, gaps and opportunities are identified for all the stakeholders.
Comprehensive market analysis for the following sectors:

Key questions answered

Which are the high-growth segments/cash cows and how is the market segmented in terms of applications, products, services, ingredients, technologies, and stakeholders?
What are market estimates and forecasts; which markets are doing well and which are not?
Where are the gaps and opportunities; what is driving the market?
Which are the key playing fields? Which are the winning edge imperatives?
How is the competitive outlook; who are the main players in each of the segments; what are the key selling products; what are their strategic directives, operational strengths and product pipelines? Who is doing what?

Powerful Research and analysis

Global Stem Cell and Advanced Technologies Market

Table of contents

1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. KEY TAKE-AWAYS
1.2. REPORT DESCRIPTION
1.3. Research METHODOLOGY
1.4. STAKEHOLDERS

2. Summary

9. Geographic analysis
9.1. North America
9.2. Europe
9.3. Asia
9.4. ROW

10. Competitive landscape
Appendix
10.1. Government policies & guidelines
10.1.1. Patents for united states
10.1.2. Patents for europe
10.1.3. Patents for Japan

Estimated size of stem cell market in 2009

Source: http://www.biotech-market-reports.com/

AMNIOTIC FLUID CONTAINS POWERFUL STEM CELLS

David Granovsky — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:33:33 +0000

New Research Shows Versatility of Amniotic Fluid Stem Cells ScienceDaily (Nov. 23, 2009) — For the f

The Chronicles of Narcissism: The Lie-in', the Bitch, and the Wardrobe

trojoe — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:34:23 +0000

Oh, Sarah Palin. I just absolutely adore you. </sarcasm>

In fairness, to some degree, I do adore Sarah Palin. She gives me material for thought and conversation. She lassoes people into large collectives which are easily recognizable at a distance, making it easier for me to avoid them altogether. She provides me with an easy example to help define ‘irony’ and ‘hypocrisy’ to children and, in some cases, adults. Overall, she is kinda great.

Sarah Palin

But it isn’t what’s great about her that has me indoors on a Friday night writing a 20 paragraph blog. It’s what I find disturbing about her that has me here. What do I find so dangerous about a soccer mom? Her political ideology and her followers.

John McCain plucked her out of relative obscurity to serve his own selfish purpose. When the Senator was running for President and Hillary finally exited stage left, he realized he might win some of her former supporters by finding another charming lady to put on his arm– er, ticket. Palin was as unknown to John McCain as she was to you and I prior to campaign season. It was a risk, be he had to take it. Fast forward two years and the regret for having brought her on to the world stage is as plain in his television appearances as is the nose on his face. Who wouldn’t regret working with someone they rarely got along with? Someone who pushed the blame for every misstep solely on your shoulders. I’d regret it to.

John McCain isn’t the only one finding that decision regrettable. The vast majority of Americans do too. Even with the knowledge that 72% of Americans would not support her as a Presidential candidate – I am cautious. I’m cautious because of the blind devotion she has from many people. First, when she was introduced to the world and now after the release of her book. Despite the fact that Sarah Palin continues to campaign for policies and ideologies that seem to have stepped straight out of the 19th century; She still has the complete, unwavering, support of millions.

Mrs. Palin doesn’t believe global climate change is man-made. During an interview with the far-right Newsmax publication she stated, “A changing environment will affect Alaska more than any other state, because of our location. I’m not one though who would attribute it to being man-made.” Despite the mountains of scientific data and evidence, she continues to speak out against actions and legislation that would move our nation toward domestic clean and renewable energy. In July of this year she published an op-ed in The Washington Post entitled “The ‘Cap and Tax’ Dead End.” In it she suggests that our new energy policy should include building oil rigs and drilling in the American National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR), building more coal-burning plants to utilize the mountains of coal we have stored domestically (which is the most pollutant fuel on the planet), and the construction of nuclear power plants in each state (despite the abhorrent risks associated with nuclear energy.) She then asks, “Do we want to control our energy supply and its environmental impact? Or, do we want to outsource it to China, Russia and Saudi Arabia? Make no mistake: President Obama’s plan will result in the latter.” I find this to be an incredibly irresponsible statement. The entire purpose behind the Cap-and-Trade plan is to promote the construction of renewable energy sources in America, to create jobs that can not be outsourced; utilizing hydroelectric, wind, and solar energy. I’m not sure how Mrs. Palin came to the conclusion that building clean energy solutions domestically would result in the outsourcing of jobs. Perhaps it has something to do with, under Cap-and-Trade, Alaska not being given the opportunity to increase its profit margin twelve-fold.

Sarah Palin is anti-choice. She has made many statements in the past regarding her desire for a constitutional amendment that would outlaw all abortions, save pregnancy resulting from incest or in cases in which the mother’s life is in danger. She has been quoted as saying, “We’re proud of Bristol’s decision to have her baby and even prouder to become grandparents.” which, to me, says that she doesn’t understand the issue of abortion all-that-well. If she is proud of her daughters choice, perhaps she should also be grateful that her daughter had a choice at all. Under a McCain/Palin administration, she wouldn’t have.

Sarah Palin and stem Cells make the cover of The Economist

Sarah would like to see another constitutional amendment banning stem cell research. Research that has literally led to the regeneration of limbs, the curing of debilitating diseases within animals, and could potentially cure diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS.

Perhaps to better understand Sarah Palin we should look at the historical record of her leadership and decision making abilities.

She was mayor of Wasilla, AK from 1996 to 2002. In that time she managed destroy the small town financially with the construction of a sports arena. The 15 million dollar multi-use indoor ice arena was supposed to be her legacy as the mayor. The price tag was a big deal for a city that had an annual budget of only $3.9 million in 1996 (increased to $5.8 million in 2002). Although the city subsidy has gone down from the initial $600k per year to about $125k per year, the sports complex still does not break even. In addition, the complex was built on someone else’s land without regard for their rights as a land owner. This led to a long and costly lawsuit which was, in turn, paid for by the residents of Wasilla. In the end she raised sales tax and managed to break laws in order to bankrupt a city of less than 10,000 people for a sports complex that was entirely unnecessary– but, as those close to her at the time are quick to remind us, the complex was supposed to be Mrs. Palin’s legacy. Ironically, it seems to be a legacy of incompetence.

Also, when Mrs. Palin was mayor of Wasilla, she supported local legislation requiring rape victims to pay for the law enforcement procedures necessary for solving the crime. In other words, rape victims had to pay for a rape kit before law enforcement would work on the victim’s behalf. A rape examination can cost anywhere between $300 and $1,200. If a victim could not afford the procedure, no criminal investigation began. Maria Comella, a McCain/Palin advisor, said that this requirement is a “misrepresentation of her [Palin's] commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice.” Yet, in her six years of being mayor, she made no effort to repeal the legislation.

Palin is also admittedly anti-equal rights. She has stated time and again that she does not support same-sex marriage. In 2006, while running for governor, she said she would support a ballot initiative that denied benefits to same-sex couples, but her first veto as governor shot down such a bill. (Palin said she vetoed it because the Alaska Supreme Court deemed it unconstitutional, not because she supports gay-marriage or same-sex couple’s rights.)

Palin has been confronted with 19 separate ethics complaints by her former constituents. These accusations range from her using her power as governor to have a dis-liked family member dismissed from his job to, the most recent allegation, her abuse of ‘per diem’ payments from state revenue. Though she has been cleared of 14 of these 19 charges (by groups that could be arguably biased), 5 charges still remain.

Photo of Sarah Palin and friends proudly wearing their kills.

Mrs. Palin is no friend to wildlife. As governor she openly endorsed a program that rewarded the slaughter of wolves with a $150 bounty. This policy is compounded by the fact that she sued, using state revenue, the Department of the Interior over the listing of Polar Bears and the Beluga whale on the endangered species list. Again, despite all evidence, she insists that she knows more about the welfare of bears and whales than the experts who have devoted their lives to the study. Also, Palin supports aerial hunting (the video in this link has some disturbing footage) and spent $400,000 of state money to print and disseminate propaganda supporting it.

The proposed location for MRs. Palin's "bridge to no where"

Let’s not forget the infamous “bridge to nowhere,” or it’s more proper name, the “Gravina Island Bridge.” The bridge was intended to replace the ferry system being used to connect the mainland to the small island village of Ketchikan which boasts the second largest airport in south-east Alaska and approximately 50 residents. In addition to the bridge, a road needed to be built. In Palin’s 2006 gubernatorial campaign, she claimed that a bridge was essential to the prosperity of Ketchikan and even wore a shirt that read “Nowhere Alaska 99901″ – referencing “the bridge to nowhere” and the zip code for the village. This pro-bridge attitude made a hasty departure during the 2008 Presidential campaign, much to the dismay of the people of Alaska who had spent two years working with her on getting the bridge built. The estimated cost of the bridge was 398 million dollars. However, in the two years following, she failed to receive full funding from the federal government and fell 329 million short. The funding her state did receive from the federal government was never returned after the plans were canceled. In short, “Thanks but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere.” should have been followed by “but thanks for all the free money.” Also, I doubt it was coincidence that the “road to nowhere” was all but present during the national conversation. The road to which I refer is an 8-mile long stretch of pavement that sits isolated in the forest. Traffic has no access to the road as it was intended for use with the bridge; Since the bridge was never built, the road sits as useless asphalt… a 25 million dollar reminder of frivolous spending. When Palin was asked why the road was built even after it was decided the bridge would not be, she said that otherwise the money would have had to be returned.

Lastly, and perhaps most irresponsibly, is the release of her book Going Rogue. In the book she takes liberty with the facts and cleverly reinvents them as needed. A few of my favorite out-and-out lies in her book are as follows: First, the by-line. Sarah Palin did not write Going Rogue, a ghost writer by the name of Lynn Vincent did. Second, she claims she was left with $50,000 in legal fees regarding her Vice-Presidential vetting despite the fact that she was not vetted and McCain campaign advisors stating that it is simply “untrue.” Third, Palin asserts that her effort to award a license for a natural gas transmission line was turning a “pipe dream” into a pipeline. Although she claimed otherwise in her speech at the GOP convention in 2008, there is no pipeline. It remains a pipe dream. Also, Palin complains that McCain advisors were adamant about keeping her “on the script.” McCain advisor Steve Schmidt says they were regularly tasked with keeping Palin from lying or misleading the public during the campaign as she had with the campaign staffers. Finally, my favorite out-right lie in her book – by far – is when she criticizes President Obama for bailing out the private sector. She seems to have conveniently forgotten that former President George W. Bush’s signature is at the bottom of those bailouts and she has also neglected to mention that at the time Bush signed it, she supported it. …and that is just the beginning. She also didn’t know if Africa was a country or continent, she didn’t understand the difference between Great Brittain and England, she once stated that “God put dinosaurs here 4,000 years ago so we can fuel our pickup trucks,” and she regularly attempted to usurp the spotlight from John McCain; All of this comes directly from McCain campaign staffers. Moreover, there is not one single sentence in the entire book in which she takes responsibility for her actions. Every problem she faced, every blundered opportunity is attributed to the incompetence of someone else.

Palin's book cover

However, the largest and most worrisome aspect of Palin’s political history is that she resigned as governor citing no particular reason as to why. She simply quit.

It seems clear that Sarah Palin isn’t fit to hold office and yet she has the blind devotion of millions. Visit her Facebook Page for examples of the undeserved devotion. In addition to Palin’s many lies (there are no laws regarding accuracy within social networking, allowing Palin to invent and maintain fiction such as “death panels”) you’ll find many comments left by supporters. Comments like:

Pistol Mangino “I’d buy the book even if I couldn’t read, I just would like to drive the Main Stream Media Crazy. Sarah what do we do now to stop this madness on health car. God Bless we love the book. Reload and lets keep these people running.”

Mike Terwilliger “I heard your radio interviews with Hannity and Levin. They were great. You are the most honest politician America has. That’s why the liberal bias reporters want to smear, discredit and demean you. They are not journalist but are Obama mouthpieces.”

Clinton D. Rencher “Sarah, Our voices have not been heard loud enough!! We must band together and rid this Country of a virus that has snuck into this Country’s political system and is making this Country sick with it’s disease.”

Those are a few comments on her page. It seems clear that her followers are as unfamiliar with fact as Palin is.

…but I digress. Though at times her cult of followers gives me pause, I remember that she is generally considered to be a joke on the political stage. Roughly 80% of the GOP openly discredits Palin. The majority Americans see her for what she is, unfit to lead. If numbers are your thing, maybe this will set your mind at ease: Sarah Palin’s Facebook page has 1,057,544 fans at the time that I write this article. President Obama’s Facebook page has 6,935,188 fans. If these numbers are any indication, if Sarah Palin runs for President in 2012 and manages to come out of the primaries, Obama will mop the floor with her.

Do your part in ensuring a Palin-free Presidency in 2012. Write the members of your party of choice and urge them not to support any would-be candidate with such little understanding of the world. Also, tell your friends and family who may be reading her book to not simply accept her words (or rather Vincent’s words) as fact. There are plenty of sources who’s sole purpose is to check facts. Additionally, you can join groups on Facebook (or this one) meant to take away the pedestal on which some have placed her.

Below are a few select video clips of Sarah Palin proving how uneducated she is:

Yes, that’s right — we need to get tougher on Iraq to stop Iran.

An angry crowd of people begins shouting after Palin quits signing books abruptly — much like she quit her job as governor.

Sarah asks “What does a VP do?”

More evidence that she didn’t know much about the job she was campaigning for.

Woman's own stem cells produce new body part

1websurfer — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:30:09 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

A young mother has become the first in the world to get a new part of her body made from her own stem cells. The woman in Spain received a new windpipe — grown in a lab. British doctors who were involved in the revolutionary transplant say it heralds a new era in medicine…Health Correspondent Thomas Moore explains.

AUSTRALIAN LIES ABOUT STEM CELL TREATMENTS LEAVE BAD TASTE

David Granovsky — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:05:49 +0000

THIS article is full of so many holes, inconsistencies, half truths, biases and misinformation that

Stem cells in breast milk could fulfil baby’s ‘genetic destiny’

David Granovsky — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 07:01:58 +0000

Stem cells in breast milk are adult or repair stem cells. Is it any wonder repair stem cells are so

AUSTRALIA LIES ABOUT STEM CELL TREATMENTS

David Granovsky — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:51:17 +0000

THis article has been revised. Please go here: http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/11/23/austra

Ethics War

walten — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 20:15:07 +0000

Like Lindsay, our class on chimeras really got me thinking. This field of genetic experimentation has so much promise… but should the distant goal of miracle cures allow us to do whatever we want with test animals? Creating a mouse with a functioning, thinking, and feeling human brain would be cruel. I went on to the nat geo website to learn more about this controversial subject.

In 2005, a mouse with functioning human brain cells was created. But, only one tenth of one percent of all the mouse’s brain cells were human. This is not enough to make the mouse have a “human” brain, but it proved that embryonic human stem cells can grow functionally in a foreign environment. This information is amazing, as it illustrates the amazingly promising versatility of stem cells. Scientists hope that one day stem cells can be used to cure many degenerative nerve diseases. In order to prevent ethical debate, they carefully monitor the subject mouse’s brain activity, to make sure that it doesn’t display any “human” brain activity.

But even if a mouse does not have a totally functioning human brain, is it ethical to put even a small amount of human brain cells into a mouse? Machiavelli would say it is. But many bioethicists say it is not. The opposition to this research dubs it “inhumane,” and that it “crosses the natural border.” Is this overreacting? One researcher states that “A few thousand human brain cells will not turn a house pest into Mickey Mouse.” Maybe this is true, maybe it isn’t. I honestly haven’t formed a concrete opinion on this issue yet, because both sides have such valid arguments. Are we impeding the progress of finding miraculous cures to life-threatening human diseases in defense of mice? Or are we putting innocent creatures through insufferable pain and defying Nature itself? There are definitely boundaries to how much science should interfere with the life of an animal, but I think this early brain cell testing is ok for the time being. The mouse is still a mouse with a mouse brain, just with a few human cells thrown into the stew. Just like Robin Williams with his new bovine-valve heart is still human, the mouse is still a mouse. The genetic change in its brain hasn’t changed how it lives (as of now).

Mickey mouse hasn’t been created just yet, and hopefully never will be. There are many laws setting regulations on research such as this, defining just how “human” you can make an animal. In Canada, it is forbidden to create a human-animal “chimera.” Are there loopholes in laws such as these though? At what point does an animal become “too human?” Everything is very subjective. I expect even more debate to emerge in the coming years over this controversial issue. My advice for the scientists: cure the sick and ailing parents of the bioethicists with the results of your stem cell research. That should quiet them. My advice for the bioethicists: Keep a careful eye on those scheming scientists, but actually learn about the research being done before you condemn it. Come off as educated people, not hippie-nazis.

B+ve to A+ve, he beats thalassemia

blessedayesha — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:23:25 +0000

Courtesy by: timesofindia

AHMEDABAD: Exactly 49 days ago, Harshil Nanda was a severely ill thalassemic patient with B positive blood group. Today, he is a healthy infant with A positive blood group and a confirmed evidence of how stem cell transplant can cure thalassemia.

The change in his blood group is in fact proof that Harshil’s procedure, the country’s second stem cell transplant from umbilical cord blood of a stranger child received from a private bank, has worked.

Harshil’s rapid recovery has cheered stem cell transplant surgeons at Gujarat Cancer Research Institute (GCRI) where the first such transplant was performed nearly a year ago.

“This means that unrelated umbilical stem cell transplant can be termed as an established treatment. As they say, first success could be luck but second is science,” said director of bone marrow transplant department at GCRI Dr Sandip A Shah. The transplant was assisted by Dr Kinnari Patel and Dr Kamlesh Shah.

The first success story was of Rishi, a thalassemic major child from Kutch, who was cured by umbilical cord stem cells transplanted from an unrelated donor as he did not have siblings. Harshil is also the only child of his parents.

“While it took three months in Rishi for the donor blood cells to completely take over and change his blood group, Harshil has recovered within two months,” said Dr Shah.

For children without siblings and suffering from thalassemia, aplastic anaemia and similar blood problems, this is good news. The success rate of such transplants is 70 per cent.

Doctors are now poised to perform a third unrelated umbilical cord stem cell transplant. “The third patient is a girl called Zeel, who has got Rs 10 lakh as donation from Bollywood star Ajay Devgan to perform the transplant,” said Dr Shah.

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"Yes We Can" and the Abolition of Man

pelinore — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:48:33 +0000

The President’s campaign theme was simple but effective because it found a receptive ear in the general populace. The campaign placards simply said “Change” or sometimes “Change we can believe in.” He suggested one such change in the course of his victory speech. It was subtle and important. He described our nation’s timeless creed as “Yes we can.” A creed can be timeless only if varying political opinions, mores or traditions cannot change it, meaning no matter how much things change around and in us our belief in the what the creed says never changes. I suppose the president’s formulation cannot change. It is so general. It’s like saying: “We can change” or “Yes we are” or “Yes we will.” What we are left with is an amoral call to action, just like the omni-present, value-free, urge to embrace “change.” As if changing anything we can change is the tonic for America’s perceived ills. But this is not our timeless creed.

To set the record straight, our creed is not some general, emotive, affirmation; it is a statement conceived in principle and purchased with blood. It is the Declaration of Independence. This act of independence, expressed through a document dated July 4, 1776, cannot be changed or amended; it is truly timeless. The Declaration is the historical event which created our country. And to deny it is like a child denying it has parents. Our true creed is as different from the new creed as patriotic cries from airy feeling, sacrifice from good intentions, medicine from placebos. Let the inspiring Dr. King remind us of the core tenet of our Declaration: “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal.’” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Washington, D.C., August 28, 1963.

On the night of November 5, 2008 with all the world his stage, President Obama could have recited those heroic words of Dr. King. He could have inspired many with our true American creed. Indeed, our belief that all men are created equal is why people from all over the world want to come to our country. They want to believe in our creed even before becoming Americans, even before setting one foot here. They become Americans by their very desire for the freedoms we enjoy. They see America as the land of freedom and opportunity because of the principle of equality. They believe that everyone, no matter who they are or where they are from, has a fair chance to be happy. Those Declaratory words that surged through our Revolutionary parents and moved their minds and limbs to throw off the stiff yoke of England reach through time and beyond our shores to the farthest deserts and mountain reaches of earth.

Why didn’t the president follow the path of Dr. King? What is consistent between Dr. King and the Declaration is an acknowledgement of the natural law. This is the intellectual bond, or shall we say heritage that was passed from our Declaration to Frederick Douglass all the way to Dr. King, Supreme Court Justice Thomas and Dr. Alveda King, the niece of Dr. King, an outspoken proponent for the pro-life cause. Where does the president stand in this heritage? Outside of it. From the articulation of his campaign positions and goals and the adoption of a new American creed, it is clear that an understanding of the natural law is not the intellectual heritage of our new president. Rather, his heritage is one of pragmatic moralism, or more simply, relativism in pursuit of power. How else do we explain the urbane dismissal of the aborted born alive infant with the oh-so generous promise of a lonely comfort room but no comforting arms, no human touch for the defenseless, gasping human? The former Illinois state senator’s position was the product of intellect in service of the quest for power. (Welcome to the gentle barbarism of the progressive elite.) How else do we explain an agreement to sit down as if with equals those who would proclaim the deaths of millions of innocent Jewish lives as their national imperative? The answer is accomodation for the sake of power and position. And the past associations between our president-elect and various sophisticated ruffians are but another reflection of this feature of his intellectual heritage – these individuals promised access to political power and backing in corrupt Chicago. Such a heritage is not surprising. It lives and feeds on minds in our leading educational institutions, where teaching begins with a winking nod about searching for the truth and graduates with lettered disdain for the very concept of truth.

Which leads us to the tragic irony of our president. His election certainly is welcome and wondrous for it proclaims the end of effects of slavery. Yes his moral relativism leads us one step closer to an even more sinister form of slavery, one which results in the abolition of mankind. His vigorous embrace of embyronic stem cell research is no more and no less than the enslavement of one distinct human life unto his or her destruction for the benefit of another.

I am borrowing the phrase “abolition of man” from the brief and genius work by C.S. Lewis written in 1943 titled the same. The insight of Prof. Lewis was that man’s power over nature inevitably becomes some men’s power over other men. The starkest example of that is the technology of contraception which simply denies existence to a generation, or, through more precise techniques, selects whom in a generation should survive and whom should not. The timing of that book seems to be no accident. Shortly after World War II, it became clear that German scientists had energetically carried out their belief that some people were best used as experiments for the benefit of more deserving members of society. The categorization of “deficient” humans and the ghastly details of the experiments so meticulously recorded by that cruel regime are enough to shock even the 21^st century mind.

Yet it turns out that these scientists were merely before their time and had not the technological advances to show the world in a more refined way the real benefit their philosophy could bring to the world. Their time has come. As the junior senator from Illinois, the president was a co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, the effect of which would allow “excess” embryos from fertility treatments to be used in research. And let’s revisit the then-senator’s statement regarding an earlier piece of legislation he promoted in 2006: “Embryonic stem cells can be obtained from a number of sources, including in vitro fertilization. At this very moment, there are over 400,000 embryos being stored in over 400 facilities throughout the United States. The majority of these are reserved for infertile couples. However, many of these embryos will go unused, destined for permanent storage in a freezer or disposal. We should expand and accelerate research using these embryos, just as we should continue to explore the viability of adult stem cell use and cord blood use.” Sen. Barack Obama, Statement of Support for Stem Cell Research, Monday, July 17, 2006. The president supports the use of excess human life for the benefit of others.

Some philosophers or moralists will argue that this excess life is not a “person.” That is a semantic fog fit for the weak mind. Our scientific understanding of what happens at conception and through nourishment of the zygote shines through and dispels any fog, namely, that a unique, individual boy or girl comes about with all the distinguishing features of eye color, hair color, shape of nose, shape of ears, shape of feet, sound of laugh, sound of cough, sound of the future “I love you mama” . . . sound of life, ready to come to full blossom only through nourishment in the womb.

Yes we can . . . ? Let’s try: Yes we can – cure Alzeihmers through repeated experimentation with embryos. Or, why not hypothesize the following: Assume that our erstwhile scientists really believe that the most potent form of stem cells are in the late-term fetus. Now, since the aborted born alive are so much living waste, why not put that excess to use? Reformulated the creed is: Yes we can – cure Alzheimers through repeated experimentation with aborted born alive humans. There is no material distinction between the first and the second proposition. None at all. In fact, given the president’s focus on being efficient with “excess” human life, the second is almost required. Instead of a comfort room, we would mandate that a hospital administer death-causing agents so the born alive can be used in the research wing of that same hospital. And since medical poison might affect the cell tissues of the infant, what this will come down to is suffocation by a comfort pillow. Now that’s real change. Though not change we want to believe in.

The allure of the president’s new American creed is that it resonates with every American’s natural optimism. We are the “can-do” nation. Nations admire “American know-how.” So of course we like to hear and want to believe that we can overcome obstacles, we can together make real change for the good. But no one wants change at the expense of our true American creed: We believe that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. All have equal dignity. No man is deserving of slavery. And no man should be the tool of another.

Cryobanks to step up awareness on stem cell banking

blessedayesha — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:16:16 +0000

Courtesy by: business-standard.com

Cryobanks International India, a leader in umbilical cord blood stem cell banking, aims to expand its network in Orissa by involving more families in the state for storage of umbilical cord blood.

Around 200 families in the state have stored umbilical cord blood so far and the company expects this number to grow as it has lined up awareness programmes on this concept in different parts of Orissa.

Phagun Shah, medical advisor, Cryobanks International India said, “The people of Orissa have shown very keen interest in the concept of umbilical cord blood banking and hence we have seen fast growth in 2008. We look forward to developing more awareness on this subject in different parts of the state and expect more enrolments in 2009-10.”

“The umbilical cord blood is a rich source of stem cells and the bank will store them from any willing family for a certain fee. These cells will be vital in saving the life of a person suffering from leukemia, thalassemia, blood cancer and bone marrow transplant”, added Shah.

The people who opt for umbilical cord blood stem cell banking would have to pay Rs 75,000 for a storage duration of 21 years. The amount can be paid either upfront or through equated monthly installments (EMIs).

Cord blood banking is a process of preserving extra blood in the umbilical cord that is attached from the mother’s womb to the baby. The blood in the umbilical cord is rich in stem cells that can be restored and replenished for future use of the baby and his immediate family.

Ghazi Aasim, marketing head, Cryobanks International India said, “With the availability of cord stem cells, one is free from the hassle of arranging a matching bone marrow donor.

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