After many a valiant searches and researches, it is now universally accepted that, it is not medication but yoga that is the most effective treatment for various types of back pain.
This is, however, not to say that all types of yoga exercises relieve back pain. Your yoga teacher will be able to tell you, depending upon the severity of your back pain, the types of exercises you need to start with.
There are specific poses for relieving the back pain. Yoga exercises should not be done under pressure or with artificial compulsion. That is, hold on to each poses for 5 to ten seconds. Yoga is never done on bare floor. Use a mat or any soft supportive surface. Yoga exercises need to be done regularly. Morning hours are preferred though.
Some of the important yoga postures mentioned in relation to back pain are Cat Stretch, Wind Releasing pose, Corpse pose, Sage Twist, Palm Tree, Fish pose, Locust, Bending forward pose and many more.
The problem with the modern lifestyles, whether in office or at home, is that your body gets limited type of physical exercise. For example, you sit in a particular position in the office, for 8 to 10 hours. Other parts of the body are virtually left lazy. Even blood circulation is at times impaired. Toxins get deposited and the blood circulation is not proper so the problems start in that area.
Treatment for back pain has much to do with muscle relaxation. If muscles are stressed in particular part of the body, that surely means you have pain. Your local herbal medicine specialist or the Chinese Medical practitioner will be able to help you relieve your back pain, with medical formulations tested for back pain for thousands of years. The virtue of this sort of treatment is that they do not create any side effects.
Medication is okay, when you have back pain, herbal or any other. But, the real solution to get rid of the problem once and for all is to understand your body alignment. An insignificant looking thing may be the cause of your recurring back pain.
For example, the chair on which you sit. You sit in this chair for hours together and even if the alignment is slightly wrong, you suffer for the whole day. You feel uncomfortable, go on shifting from angle to angle, but over a period of time, your body will protest in the way, it should- by reporting pain. Unless the basic cause of the pain is treated, any medication is not going to do you any good.
So, home back pain relief methods are the best, only you have to chose your method and follow it with regularity and sincerity.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Life in 2056: longer, healthier - and not alone
· Scientists predict bonding with aliens and animals
· Advances in physics could finally explain big bang
A limitless supply of spare organs, hard evidence for aliens and a machine that puts you in the mind of an animal.
These are some of the predictions about the world of 2056 by a batch of the planet's most prominent scientists, including the psychologist Steven Pinker, the philosopher Dan Dennett, the astronomer royal, Sir Martin Rees, and the architect of the Beagle 2 Mars mission, Colin Pillinger.
New Scientist magazine has assembled their thoughts to mark its 50th anniversary, and high on the list was proof that we are not alone.
A visit from little green men in flying saucers seems unlikely by 2056, but the experts are convinced the universe will soon feel a less lonely place. Freeman Dyson at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton is undeterred by our failure to find any cosmic neighbours so far. He told the magazine: "That proves life is rarer than we hoped, but does not prove that the universe is lifeless." Once we find proof of extraterrestrials, further discoveries will follow quickly, as we will know what we are looking for, he said.
Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University in Tempe, speculated that we may not have to look far. "There could be aliens right here, under our noses. Most life is microbial, and you can't tell just by looking whether a microbe is 'our' life or alien," he said. "The search for terrestrial aliens has only just begun. If they are here, they could be identified soon."
"How different might alien life be?" asked Chris McKay at NASA, "It might be as different as English and Chinese."
Life on Earth will also be transformed, scientists predict, with farms designated to grow human organs. By 2056, even the most sophisticated medicine of the 20th century will begin to look barbaric.
There will be no need to take transplant organs from dead people, according to Bruce Lahn, a human geneticist at the University of Chicago. Instead, human organs will be grown in animals such as pigs. "When a patient needs a new organ - a kidney, say - the surgeon will contact a commercial organ producer and supply them with the patient's immunological profile ... One organ that is probably off limits though is the brain."
Another way forward is drugs to regrow lost limbs and organs. "Advances in heart regeneration are around the corner, digits will be regrown within five to 10 years, and limb regeneration will occur a few years later," Ellen Heber-Katz at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia told the magazine. "Within 50 years whole-body replacement will be routine."
Fertility treatment and our understanding of sexual reproduction could see science transform sex just as the invention of the pill caused a revolution for the baby-boomer generation. Carl Djerassi at Stanford University, co-inventor of the pill, predicts that women will routinely extend their reproductive lifespan by a decade or more by storing ovarian tissue or eggs extracted in their youth.
Scientists also expect major advances in the understanding of sexual pleasure and sexual health problems, according to Beverly Whipple, secretary general of the World Association for Sexual Health. She told New Scientist of her hopes to see sexual health recognised as a universal human right. "Sexual violence and abuse will be eliminated, universal access to sexual health education will be promoted, and the spread of sexually transmitted infections will be halted," she added.
Advances in particle physics, astronomy and astrophysics may finally shed light on where life, the universe and everything came from.
Nearly 14bn years ago, the universe exploded into being and has since cooled and expanded, leaving clumps of matter we see as planets, stars and galaxies. But the cause of the big bang, what existed before it and what fills much of the universe are still mysteries. "We can say with confidence what the universe was doing one second later, but our best theories all break down at the moment of the big bang. There is good reason to hope that this will change," said Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist at Caltech.
Sir Martin Rees, the astronomer royal, hopes we will also know whether ours was just one of a series of big bangs. "The decades to come might very well be when the human race finally figures out where it all came from," said Dr Carroll.
As science unravels the mysteries of the universe, humans will take their first tentative steps to set up colonies away from Earth, according to J Richard Gott, an astrophysics at Princeton University. "Establishing a self-supporting colony on Mars ... would provide a life insurance policy against whatever catastrophes might occur on Earth," he told the magazine.
It might not lead to an elixir for life, but by 2056, scientists anticipate unravelling the crucial complex molecular mechanisms that govern wear and tear in our cells, causing damage that manifests as ageing. Richard Miller, professor of pathology at the University of Michigan, envisages "the first class of centenarians who are as vigorous and productive as today's run-of-the-mill sexagenarians".
Sticking his neck out among the future-gazers is Daniel Pauly, director of the Fisheries Centre at the University of British Columbia, with predictions of a device allowing humans to experience the emotions and "fleeting, inarticulate thoughts of animals".
Rather than ushering in an era of obedient pets and happy cattle, Dr Pauly sees it as the saviour of the oceans and the demise of meat-eating humans. "It would cause, obviously, a global revulsion at eating flesh of all kinds, and we would all become vegetarians," he told the magazine.
· Advances in physics could finally explain big bang
A limitless supply of spare organs, hard evidence for aliens and a machine that puts you in the mind of an animal.
These are some of the predictions about the world of 2056 by a batch of the planet's most prominent scientists, including the psychologist Steven Pinker, the philosopher Dan Dennett, the astronomer royal, Sir Martin Rees, and the architect of the Beagle 2 Mars mission, Colin Pillinger.
New Scientist magazine has assembled their thoughts to mark its 50th anniversary, and high on the list was proof that we are not alone.
A visit from little green men in flying saucers seems unlikely by 2056, but the experts are convinced the universe will soon feel a less lonely place. Freeman Dyson at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton is undeterred by our failure to find any cosmic neighbours so far. He told the magazine: "That proves life is rarer than we hoped, but does not prove that the universe is lifeless." Once we find proof of extraterrestrials, further discoveries will follow quickly, as we will know what we are looking for, he said.
Paul Davies, a physicist at Arizona State University in Tempe, speculated that we may not have to look far. "There could be aliens right here, under our noses. Most life is microbial, and you can't tell just by looking whether a microbe is 'our' life or alien," he said. "The search for terrestrial aliens has only just begun. If they are here, they could be identified soon."
"How different might alien life be?" asked Chris McKay at NASA, "It might be as different as English and Chinese."
Life on Earth will also be transformed, scientists predict, with farms designated to grow human organs. By 2056, even the most sophisticated medicine of the 20th century will begin to look barbaric.
There will be no need to take transplant organs from dead people, according to Bruce Lahn, a human geneticist at the University of Chicago. Instead, human organs will be grown in animals such as pigs. "When a patient needs a new organ - a kidney, say - the surgeon will contact a commercial organ producer and supply them with the patient's immunological profile ... One organ that is probably off limits though is the brain."
Another way forward is drugs to regrow lost limbs and organs. "Advances in heart regeneration are around the corner, digits will be regrown within five to 10 years, and limb regeneration will occur a few years later," Ellen Heber-Katz at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia told the magazine. "Within 50 years whole-body replacement will be routine."
Fertility treatment and our understanding of sexual reproduction could see science transform sex just as the invention of the pill caused a revolution for the baby-boomer generation. Carl Djerassi at Stanford University, co-inventor of the pill, predicts that women will routinely extend their reproductive lifespan by a decade or more by storing ovarian tissue or eggs extracted in their youth.
Scientists also expect major advances in the understanding of sexual pleasure and sexual health problems, according to Beverly Whipple, secretary general of the World Association for Sexual Health. She told New Scientist of her hopes to see sexual health recognised as a universal human right. "Sexual violence and abuse will be eliminated, universal access to sexual health education will be promoted, and the spread of sexually transmitted infections will be halted," she added.
Advances in particle physics, astronomy and astrophysics may finally shed light on where life, the universe and everything came from.
Nearly 14bn years ago, the universe exploded into being and has since cooled and expanded, leaving clumps of matter we see as planets, stars and galaxies. But the cause of the big bang, what existed before it and what fills much of the universe are still mysteries. "We can say with confidence what the universe was doing one second later, but our best theories all break down at the moment of the big bang. There is good reason to hope that this will change," said Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist at Caltech.
Sir Martin Rees, the astronomer royal, hopes we will also know whether ours was just one of a series of big bangs. "The decades to come might very well be when the human race finally figures out where it all came from," said Dr Carroll.
As science unravels the mysteries of the universe, humans will take their first tentative steps to set up colonies away from Earth, according to J Richard Gott, an astrophysics at Princeton University. "Establishing a self-supporting colony on Mars ... would provide a life insurance policy against whatever catastrophes might occur on Earth," he told the magazine.
It might not lead to an elixir for life, but by 2056, scientists anticipate unravelling the crucial complex molecular mechanisms that govern wear and tear in our cells, causing damage that manifests as ageing. Richard Miller, professor of pathology at the University of Michigan, envisages "the first class of centenarians who are as vigorous and productive as today's run-of-the-mill sexagenarians".
Sticking his neck out among the future-gazers is Daniel Pauly, director of the Fisheries Centre at the University of British Columbia, with predictions of a device allowing humans to experience the emotions and "fleeting, inarticulate thoughts of animals".
Rather than ushering in an era of obedient pets and happy cattle, Dr Pauly sees it as the saviour of the oceans and the demise of meat-eating humans. "It would cause, obviously, a global revulsion at eating flesh of all kinds, and we would all become vegetarians," he told the magazine.
Sex education 'only does so much'
Sex education alone is not enough to cut pregnancies and abortions among teenagers in the UK, say experts.
A Medical Research Council study, in the British Medical Journal, examined sex education in 25 secondary schools.
It found pregnancy and abortion rates among girls taught with an enhanced sex education scheme were the same as among girls given conventional sex education.
The authors say other sexual health strategies are urgently needed to cut the UK's teenage pregnancy rate.
Patchy provision
The rate in the UK is the highest in Western Europe.
All schools in England and Wales have to teach sex education to 11-14-year-olds as part of the science curriculum.
In Scotland, schools are not obliged to provide sex and relationship education, so provision is patchy.
England has also had a strategy for reducing teenage pregnancy rates running since 1999, with a target of halving the under-18 conception rate in England by 2010.
Pregnancy rates among under-18s are currently at their lowest for 20 years in England.
Part of the strategy is improving the provision of sex and relationship education, which has sparked mixed views.
Some believe education will help and recommend children as young as 10 should be taught about contraception.
But others say it fuels the problem, encouraging children to be promiscuous.
Investigators from the Medical Research Council evaluated the impact of an enhanced sex education programme, known as SHARE.
The main difference from conventional sex education is SHARE's intensive teacher training and focus on developing skills using role-playing, rather than simply providing information and discussing values.
For example, teachers are trained how to teach children skills so they can negotiate sexual encounters, handle condoms and access services.
Economic factors
The study, which focused on 25 Scottish secondary schools, found SHARE did have a positive impact on sexual health knowledge and quality of relationships, and was preferred to conventional sex education by both pupils and teachers.
But it had no impact on the number of pregnancies or abortions among school girls.
Lead researcher Dr Marion Henderson said: "It is clear that economic circumstances still largely determine the likelihood of teenage pregnancy.
"To have a stronger impact, alternative interventions should be considered."
She suggested parents should be more involved in providing guidance to their children.
Director of the fpa (Family Planning Association) in Scotland, Tim Street, said: "SHARE and other sex education programmes like it are good. But they are just one tiny piece of the jigsaw.
"There are very few areas in the UK that are doing the whole gambit of information, services and education.
"Adults are not setting the best examples for children. There is also a severe lack of funding for sexual health."
A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "Sex education is only part of the story.
"High quality Personal Social Health Education is a vital part of a successful strategy which must also include easy access to advice and contraception for young people.
"Our research shows that areas which deliver their strategies in this way have seen much greater successes in bringing down rates and our latest guidance urges all local authorities and primary care trusts to work in this way."
A Medical Research Council study, in the British Medical Journal, examined sex education in 25 secondary schools.
It found pregnancy and abortion rates among girls taught with an enhanced sex education scheme were the same as among girls given conventional sex education.
The authors say other sexual health strategies are urgently needed to cut the UK's teenage pregnancy rate.
Patchy provision
The rate in the UK is the highest in Western Europe.
All schools in England and Wales have to teach sex education to 11-14-year-olds as part of the science curriculum.
In Scotland, schools are not obliged to provide sex and relationship education, so provision is patchy.
England has also had a strategy for reducing teenage pregnancy rates running since 1999, with a target of halving the under-18 conception rate in England by 2010.
Pregnancy rates among under-18s are currently at their lowest for 20 years in England.
Part of the strategy is improving the provision of sex and relationship education, which has sparked mixed views.
Some believe education will help and recommend children as young as 10 should be taught about contraception.
But others say it fuels the problem, encouraging children to be promiscuous.
Investigators from the Medical Research Council evaluated the impact of an enhanced sex education programme, known as SHARE.
The main difference from conventional sex education is SHARE's intensive teacher training and focus on developing skills using role-playing, rather than simply providing information and discussing values.
For example, teachers are trained how to teach children skills so they can negotiate sexual encounters, handle condoms and access services.
Economic factors
The study, which focused on 25 Scottish secondary schools, found SHARE did have a positive impact on sexual health knowledge and quality of relationships, and was preferred to conventional sex education by both pupils and teachers.
But it had no impact on the number of pregnancies or abortions among school girls.
Lead researcher Dr Marion Henderson said: "It is clear that economic circumstances still largely determine the likelihood of teenage pregnancy.
"To have a stronger impact, alternative interventions should be considered."
She suggested parents should be more involved in providing guidance to their children.
Director of the fpa (Family Planning Association) in Scotland, Tim Street, said: "SHARE and other sex education programmes like it are good. But they are just one tiny piece of the jigsaw.
"There are very few areas in the UK that are doing the whole gambit of information, services and education.
"Adults are not setting the best examples for children. There is also a severe lack of funding for sexual health."
A Department for Education and Skills spokesman said: "Sex education is only part of the story.
"High quality Personal Social Health Education is a vital part of a successful strategy which must also include easy access to advice and contraception for young people.
"Our research shows that areas which deliver their strategies in this way have seen much greater successes in bringing down rates and our latest guidance urges all local authorities and primary care trusts to work in this way."
New Help For Cancer That Has Spread
Drug Fights Cancer And Tumors
Nov. 29 - When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it can be deadly. But now a new drug that seems to be able to stop advanced breast cancer from progressing and even reduces the size of tumors.
About 10 years ago, Karen Pike got the news. The mother of two had breast cancer.
Karen Pike, Breast cancer survivor: "I don't have any history in my family, so at 37, it was pretty scary. Our kids are 5 and 7, and I just went numb."
Karen's faith - and family - helped her stay strong. She needed the strength when the cancer came back three more times.
Karen Pike: "I couldn't have done any of this without my family. I know that I couldn't."
Karen has also relied on a team of doctors - and is now part of a clinical trial on a drug called sutent. In a study, the pill shrank tumors by one-third or more in 15 percent of patients - significant because they had very advanced disease and didn't have any luck with other treatments.
Doctor George Sledge says Sutent could be used as a frontline treatment for breast cancer that has spread.
George Sledge, M.D., Oncologist: "This holds out so much promise that I think if you are a physician dealing with breast cancer research you can only be excited about this."
Karen's only been on the drug for a month, but the lump in her neck has already drastically gone down in size - keeping her optimistic for the future.
Karen Pike: "Seeing both of my kids graduate from college, get married, have children, live a long life and be healthy for the rest of my life."
A simple dream she hopes will come true.
Sutent is an interesting drug. It has also shown promise in treating gastrointestinal and kidney tumors when other treatments start to fail. Right now, right now, it's just under investigation but could become FDA approved for certain cancers in the next year.
Researchers say, this drug is part of an entirely new class of agents and is working through mechanisms that haven't been used before.
Nov. 29 - When breast cancer spreads to other parts of the body, it can be deadly. But now a new drug that seems to be able to stop advanced breast cancer from progressing and even reduces the size of tumors.
About 10 years ago, Karen Pike got the news. The mother of two had breast cancer.
Karen Pike, Breast cancer survivor: "I don't have any history in my family, so at 37, it was pretty scary. Our kids are 5 and 7, and I just went numb."
Karen's faith - and family - helped her stay strong. She needed the strength when the cancer came back three more times.
Karen Pike: "I couldn't have done any of this without my family. I know that I couldn't."
Karen has also relied on a team of doctors - and is now part of a clinical trial on a drug called sutent. In a study, the pill shrank tumors by one-third or more in 15 percent of patients - significant because they had very advanced disease and didn't have any luck with other treatments.
Doctor George Sledge says Sutent could be used as a frontline treatment for breast cancer that has spread.
George Sledge, M.D., Oncologist: "This holds out so much promise that I think if you are a physician dealing with breast cancer research you can only be excited about this."
Karen's only been on the drug for a month, but the lump in her neck has already drastically gone down in size - keeping her optimistic for the future.
Karen Pike: "Seeing both of my kids graduate from college, get married, have children, live a long life and be healthy for the rest of my life."
A simple dream she hopes will come true.
Sutent is an interesting drug. It has also shown promise in treating gastrointestinal and kidney tumors when other treatments start to fail. Right now, right now, it's just under investigation but could become FDA approved for certain cancers in the next year.
Researchers say, this drug is part of an entirely new class of agents and is working through mechanisms that haven't been used before.
General Info about Breast Cancer
Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer among women. Breast cancer mostly occurs in women over the age of 50, and the risk is especially high for women over age 60. Breast cancer is also found to occur more often in white women than African American or Asian women.
Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes. Within each lobe are many smaller lobules (milk producing glands). Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules and bulbs are all linked by thin tubes called ducts (milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple). Fat surrounds the lobules and ducts. These ducts lead to the nipple in the center of a dark area of skin called the areola. There are no muscles in the breast, but muscles lie under each breast and cover the ribs.
Each breast also contains blood vessels and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels carry colorless fluid called lymph, and lead to small bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes. Clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla (under the arm), above the collarbone, and in the chest. Lymph nodes are also found in many other parts of the body.
Each breast has 15 to 20 sections called lobes. Within each lobe are many smaller lobules (milk producing glands). Lobules end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules and bulbs are all linked by thin tubes called ducts (milk passages that connect the lobules and the nipple). Fat surrounds the lobules and ducts. These ducts lead to the nipple in the center of a dark area of skin called the areola. There are no muscles in the breast, but muscles lie under each breast and cover the ribs.
Each breast also contains blood vessels and lymph vessels. The lymph vessels carry colorless fluid called lymph, and lead to small bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes. Clusters of lymph nodes are found near the breast in the axilla (under the arm), above the collarbone, and in the chest. Lymph nodes are also found in many other parts of the body.
Keeping cancer away
Watching what you eat and getting regular exercise are important to your health. And this advice is especially important if you're a cancer survivor according to a new report.
If you're a cancer survivor, living a healthy lifestyle should be a top priority.
"Our message to cancer survivors, absolutely, is eating well, being active is really important to get you through cancer treatment and certainly as you look forward to that life beyond cancer," Colleen Doyle of the American Cancer Society said.
The American Cancer Society's new report finds that a healthy lifestyle will help patients feel better during treatment, and could reduce their risk of cancer coming back.
"There is much more evidence that being overweight, as a cancer survivor, has some really bad effects," Doyle said. "In particular for breast cancer survivors, breast cancer survivors who are overweight at diagnosis or have gained weight after diagnosis are more likely to have cancer occurrence and also are more likely to die of that cancer."
The cancer society's best advice:
"Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, eat a lot of whole grains, breads, cereals, pastas, cut back on high-fat meat, high-fat dairy products," Doyle said. "Watch the amount of saturated fats you eat. These are the same type of things we tell anybody that is trying to improve their health and reduce their risk of chronic disease."
If you're a cancer survivor, living a healthy lifestyle should be a top priority.
"Our message to cancer survivors, absolutely, is eating well, being active is really important to get you through cancer treatment and certainly as you look forward to that life beyond cancer," Colleen Doyle of the American Cancer Society said.
The American Cancer Society's new report finds that a healthy lifestyle will help patients feel better during treatment, and could reduce their risk of cancer coming back.
"There is much more evidence that being overweight, as a cancer survivor, has some really bad effects," Doyle said. "In particular for breast cancer survivors, breast cancer survivors who are overweight at diagnosis or have gained weight after diagnosis are more likely to have cancer occurrence and also are more likely to die of that cancer."
The cancer society's best advice:
"Eat a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, eat a lot of whole grains, breads, cereals, pastas, cut back on high-fat meat, high-fat dairy products," Doyle said. "Watch the amount of saturated fats you eat. These are the same type of things we tell anybody that is trying to improve their health and reduce their risk of chronic disease."
Condom talks not publicized
Two unpublicized meetings happened about the proposed initiative to bring condoms to the residence halls about three weeks ago, Residence Hall Association President Justin Ginter said.
Ginter was not able to attend the meetings, but he said the Interim Chief Diversity Officer Roger Worthington moderated both.
Ginter said the meetings were held to get a “cross-section” of people, especially because the people at the first public meeting were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal.
Worthington was unavailable for comment.
The initiative, originally sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, proposed providing free condoms and sexual health information in restrooms and common areas of residence halls.
Deaton halted the plan in mid-October, with the reasoning that he wanted more discussion about the plan.
Deaton has declined to state what the next step will be after holding one public forum.
In addition, a forum to discus the plan was held for student staff members of the residence halls at 5 p.m. on Monday.
“(Residential Life Director Frankie Minor) wanted to make sure their voices were heard,” Ginter said.
RHA is compiling letters from several organizations in support of the proposal.
Ginter said RHA would present Deaton with the letters in late January or early February, unless he has rescinded his decision.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs conducted the first meeting, but was unavailable for comment.
Representatives from RHA, the Missouri Students Association, the Legion of Black Collegians and Sexual Health Advocacy Peer Education also spoke at the first meeting, which was held in early November.
Ginter was not able to attend the meetings, but he said the Interim Chief Diversity Officer Roger Worthington moderated both.
Ginter said the meetings were held to get a “cross-section” of people, especially because the people at the first public meeting were overwhelmingly in favor of the proposal.
Worthington was unavailable for comment.
The initiative, originally sponsored by Phi Beta Sigma fraternity, proposed providing free condoms and sexual health information in restrooms and common areas of residence halls.
Deaton halted the plan in mid-October, with the reasoning that he wanted more discussion about the plan.
Deaton has declined to state what the next step will be after holding one public forum.
In addition, a forum to discus the plan was held for student staff members of the residence halls at 5 p.m. on Monday.
“(Residential Life Director Frankie Minor) wanted to make sure their voices were heard,” Ginter said.
RHA is compiling letters from several organizations in support of the proposal.
Ginter said RHA would present Deaton with the letters in late January or early February, unless he has rescinded his decision.
Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Cathy Scroggs conducted the first meeting, but was unavailable for comment.
Representatives from RHA, the Missouri Students Association, the Legion of Black Collegians and Sexual Health Advocacy Peer Education also spoke at the first meeting, which was held in early November.
Silicone Implants available with local doctors
The wait is over. Women who want silicone breast implants can now have them -- thanks to the lifting of a 14-year ban by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
The implants were taken off the market in 1992 after some women complained that they leaked silicone into their bodies and caused serious health problems. Several extensive studies have since been conducted in and outside the United States, and some doctors say claims the implants are harmful have not been proven.
"Essentially, they found through fairly exhaustive studies that the new generation silicone implants are safe for people," said Dr. Peter Butler, a plastic surgeon with Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery in Gulf Breeze. "The main factor is that leaking does not cause tissue problems —— simply put, we don't want silicone leaking into our systems."
Butler and his partner, Dr. Jocelyn Leveque, both certified plastic surgeons, have been involved in a four-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study, which began in 1997. The agency appointed the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the study, which was underwritten by two California companies, Allergan Medical and Mentor Medical, manufacturers of the gel-based silicone implants.
Both doctors have enrolled some of their patients in the study, and each patient will be followed for at least 10 years.
"To date, Dr. Leveque has used silicone implants in 99 of her patients; I have used the implants in 73 cases in Pensacola," Butler said. Before then, Butler practiced in North Carolina. So far, he said none of their patients has experienced any problems.
When the implants were taken off the market, women were concerned that leaking silicon implants were causing a number of diseases. At the time, the doctors said, there was no research to disprove the claims. But new studies have found that the gel implants are much more cohesive and are safe for use.
This is good news for Jan Carlo, one of Butler's patients, who is also part of the study. Four months ago, Carlo, 50, was fitted with the implants following gastric bypass surgery. But not before doing some personal research.
"When you have surgery, you lose a lot of breast volume," said Carlo, a registered nurse. "I knew the silicone implants were more natural feeling and looking. I feel comfortable making the decision to have them."
Still, the FDA will continue to monitor the products and is requiring each company to conduct follow-up studies. Both companies are expected to track about 40,000 women for 10 years after they receive implants. The agency said package labeling should alert women who opt for the silicone implant to consider these factors as well:
· Breast implants are not lifetime devices, and a woman will likely need additional surgeries on her breast at least once over her lifetime.
· Many of the changes to a woman's breast following implementation are irreversible.
· Rupture of a silicone gel-filled breast implant is most often silent, which means that usually neither the woman nor her surgeon will know that her implants have ruptured.
· A woman will need regular screening MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) exams over her lifetime to determine if a rupture has occurred; a woman should have her first MRI three years after the initial implant surgery and every two years thereafter. The cost of MRI screening over a women's lifetime may exceed the cost of her initial surgery and may not be covered by medical insurance. And if the implant rupture is noted on an MRI, the implant should be removed and replaced, if needed.
"FDA has reviewed an extensive amount of data from clinical trials of women studied for up to four years, as well as a wealth of other information, to determine the benefits and risks of these products," said Dr. Daniel Schultz, FDA director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "The extensive body of scientific evidence provides reasonable assurance of the benefits and risks of these devices. This information is available in the product labeling and will enable women and their physicians to make informed decisions."
The implants were taken off the market in 1992 after some women complained that they leaked silicone into their bodies and caused serious health problems. Several extensive studies have since been conducted in and outside the United States, and some doctors say claims the implants are harmful have not been proven.
"Essentially, they found through fairly exhaustive studies that the new generation silicone implants are safe for people," said Dr. Peter Butler, a plastic surgeon with Gulf Coast Plastic Surgery in Gulf Breeze. "The main factor is that leaking does not cause tissue problems —— simply put, we don't want silicone leaking into our systems."
Butler and his partner, Dr. Jocelyn Leveque, both certified plastic surgeons, have been involved in a four-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study, which began in 1997. The agency appointed the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences to conduct the study, which was underwritten by two California companies, Allergan Medical and Mentor Medical, manufacturers of the gel-based silicone implants.
Both doctors have enrolled some of their patients in the study, and each patient will be followed for at least 10 years.
"To date, Dr. Leveque has used silicone implants in 99 of her patients; I have used the implants in 73 cases in Pensacola," Butler said. Before then, Butler practiced in North Carolina. So far, he said none of their patients has experienced any problems.
When the implants were taken off the market, women were concerned that leaking silicon implants were causing a number of diseases. At the time, the doctors said, there was no research to disprove the claims. But new studies have found that the gel implants are much more cohesive and are safe for use.
This is good news for Jan Carlo, one of Butler's patients, who is also part of the study. Four months ago, Carlo, 50, was fitted with the implants following gastric bypass surgery. But not before doing some personal research.
"When you have surgery, you lose a lot of breast volume," said Carlo, a registered nurse. "I knew the silicone implants were more natural feeling and looking. I feel comfortable making the decision to have them."
Still, the FDA will continue to monitor the products and is requiring each company to conduct follow-up studies. Both companies are expected to track about 40,000 women for 10 years after they receive implants. The agency said package labeling should alert women who opt for the silicone implant to consider these factors as well:
· Breast implants are not lifetime devices, and a woman will likely need additional surgeries on her breast at least once over her lifetime.
· Many of the changes to a woman's breast following implementation are irreversible.
· Rupture of a silicone gel-filled breast implant is most often silent, which means that usually neither the woman nor her surgeon will know that her implants have ruptured.
· A woman will need regular screening MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) exams over her lifetime to determine if a rupture has occurred; a woman should have her first MRI three years after the initial implant surgery and every two years thereafter. The cost of MRI screening over a women's lifetime may exceed the cost of her initial surgery and may not be covered by medical insurance. And if the implant rupture is noted on an MRI, the implant should be removed and replaced, if needed.
"FDA has reviewed an extensive amount of data from clinical trials of women studied for up to four years, as well as a wealth of other information, to determine the benefits and risks of these products," said Dr. Daniel Schultz, FDA director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "The extensive body of scientific evidence provides reasonable assurance of the benefits and risks of these devices. This information is available in the product labeling and will enable women and their physicians to make informed decisions."
Abortion Pill May Help Prevent Breast Cancer
cancer in women at high risk for the disease.
New research finds the chemical compound in RU486 prevented tumors from growing in mice that were genetically engineered to carry the BRCA1 breast cancer gene.
RU486, or mifepristone, blocks the production of the hormone progesterone, and this anti-progesterone effect could have prevented the growth of tumors in these mice, the authors speculated. RU486 aborts a pregnancy via the same mechanism.
Still, all this is a far cry from recommending RU486 as breast cancer therapy in people, experts cautioned.
"It's an interesting observation," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology/oncology at Ochsner Health System, in Baton Rouge, La. "It's basically showing that this particular agent can change some of the mammary function, but it's a real leap to say that it may be useful in cancer prevention."
The study appears in the Dec. 1 issue of Science.
Genes can greatly influence breast cancer risk. Experts have long known that women with mutations in the BRCA1 gene are at a much higher risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. The mutations mainly affect hormone-responsive tissues, although experts have been unclear as to why.
For this study, researchers studied mice that carried the mutated form of BRCA1, causing them to be highly susceptible to breast cancer.
As it turned out, the mice's mammary epithelial cells accumulated high levels of progesterone receptors and then divided and proliferated at an abnormally rapid rate.
However, Mice treated with RU486 did not develop breast tumors by the time they reached 1 year of age. On the other hand, untreated mice developed tumors by eight months.
Progesterone may encourage the proliferation of mammary cells that carry a breast cancer gene, the researchers said.
Although the study was done in mice, the same mechanism occurs in human cells, said study author Eva Lee, a professor of developmental and cell biology and biological chemistry at the University of California, Irvine.
She speculated that clinicians may one day be able to use progesterone-blocking compounds to prevent breast cancer in women with a genetic predisposition.
But RU486 may not be the best candidate, however.
"It is the most widely available anti-progesterone drug," Lee said. "We are currently testing a more specific anti-progesterone drug to see whether it has the same effect and if that's proven, we'll go to a small clinical trial to see if that anti-progesterone is effective in a high-risk population."
New research finds the chemical compound in RU486 prevented tumors from growing in mice that were genetically engineered to carry the BRCA1 breast cancer gene.
RU486, or mifepristone, blocks the production of the hormone progesterone, and this anti-progesterone effect could have prevented the growth of tumors in these mice, the authors speculated. RU486 aborts a pregnancy via the same mechanism.
Still, all this is a far cry from recommending RU486 as breast cancer therapy in people, experts cautioned.
"It's an interesting observation," said Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology/oncology at Ochsner Health System, in Baton Rouge, La. "It's basically showing that this particular agent can change some of the mammary function, but it's a real leap to say that it may be useful in cancer prevention."
The study appears in the Dec. 1 issue of Science.
Genes can greatly influence breast cancer risk. Experts have long known that women with mutations in the BRCA1 gene are at a much higher risk of developing both breast and ovarian cancer. The mutations mainly affect hormone-responsive tissues, although experts have been unclear as to why.
For this study, researchers studied mice that carried the mutated form of BRCA1, causing them to be highly susceptible to breast cancer.
As it turned out, the mice's mammary epithelial cells accumulated high levels of progesterone receptors and then divided and proliferated at an abnormally rapid rate.
However, Mice treated with RU486 did not develop breast tumors by the time they reached 1 year of age. On the other hand, untreated mice developed tumors by eight months.
Progesterone may encourage the proliferation of mammary cells that carry a breast cancer gene, the researchers said.
Although the study was done in mice, the same mechanism occurs in human cells, said study author Eva Lee, a professor of developmental and cell biology and biological chemistry at the University of California, Irvine.
She speculated that clinicians may one day be able to use progesterone-blocking compounds to prevent breast cancer in women with a genetic predisposition.
But RU486 may not be the best candidate, however.
"It is the most widely available anti-progesterone drug," Lee said. "We are currently testing a more specific anti-progesterone drug to see whether it has the same effect and if that's proven, we'll go to a small clinical trial to see if that anti-progesterone is effective in a high-risk population."
Too young for breast cancer?
BOSTON -- Eleven thousand women under age 40 are diagnosed with breast cancer each year -- a small but significant percentage of the overall cancer population. One doctor is reaching out to help young patients deal with the cancer.
Cynthia Shelton is enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. The 35-year-old single mom works full-time and is in the Army Reserves. Two years ago, she also found out she had breast cancer. “I had just got divorced a couple of months before I found out, so it was a bad year all around,” Shelton said.
Suddenly, questions like would she date again and could she -- or should she -- have more children became more complicated. “I was afraid that breast cancer would run genetically in a female,” Shelton explained.
Breast Cancer Specialist Ann Partridge, M.D., from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, helps young women like Shelton cope with their diagnosis. “Younger women, in general, have a harder time finding one another to discuss the issues related to their breast cancer and treatment,” Dr. Partridge said.
Those issues include premature menopause, emotional issues, such as dating with one breast or scars, and preserving fertility. Options include freezing eggs, freezing ovarian tissue, and in-vitro fertilization. Dr. Partridge continued, “The only technique that has been actually shown to work is the IVF prior to chemotherapy.” But there is good news. “To date, there is no evidence that having a pregnancy after a diagnosis of breast cancer increases the risk that a breast cancer would return.”
Dr. Partridge’s passion comes from the experience of her friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 30. “She was initially told, ‘Oh, you have nothing to worry about, you’re too young to get breast cancer.'” She urges young women to never tolerate such a response if they notice lumps or a skin change.
Dr. Partridge works closely with the Young Survival Coalition, a network of young breast cancer survivors. The non-profit group advocates for more studies about young women and breast cancer, educates young women about detecting cancer, and brings together survivors to talk about some of their unique issues.
Cynthia Shelton is enjoying a rare moment of relaxation. The 35-year-old single mom works full-time and is in the Army Reserves. Two years ago, she also found out she had breast cancer. “I had just got divorced a couple of months before I found out, so it was a bad year all around,” Shelton said.
Suddenly, questions like would she date again and could she -- or should she -- have more children became more complicated. “I was afraid that breast cancer would run genetically in a female,” Shelton explained.
Breast Cancer Specialist Ann Partridge, M.D., from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, helps young women like Shelton cope with their diagnosis. “Younger women, in general, have a harder time finding one another to discuss the issues related to their breast cancer and treatment,” Dr. Partridge said.
Those issues include premature menopause, emotional issues, such as dating with one breast or scars, and preserving fertility. Options include freezing eggs, freezing ovarian tissue, and in-vitro fertilization. Dr. Partridge continued, “The only technique that has been actually shown to work is the IVF prior to chemotherapy.” But there is good news. “To date, there is no evidence that having a pregnancy after a diagnosis of breast cancer increases the risk that a breast cancer would return.”
Dr. Partridge’s passion comes from the experience of her friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 30. “She was initially told, ‘Oh, you have nothing to worry about, you’re too young to get breast cancer.'” She urges young women to never tolerate such a response if they notice lumps or a skin change.
Dr. Partridge works closely with the Young Survival Coalition, a network of young breast cancer survivors. The non-profit group advocates for more studies about young women and breast cancer, educates young women about detecting cancer, and brings together survivors to talk about some of their unique issues.
Overweight women’s breast cancer risk lower: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Overweight and obese women have a lower risk of breast cancer prior to menopause, researchers said on Monday in a finding they said both puzzles them and contradicts conventional wisdom.
The researchers admitted they do not know why the extra pounds (kg) may protect premenopausal women from breast cancer, but noted obesity actually greatly boosts breast cancer risk after menopause, when the disease more often is diagnosed.
“It is so puzzling. And it is not a good public health message,” said Karin Michels, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and lead researcher in the study.
“I don’t want women to use this as an excuse to be overweight. Therefore, it’s even more important for us to find out what the mechanisms are. I mean, the last thing we want is, in this day and age, to advise people to gain weight,” Michels said in a telephone interview.
The findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, were based on medical data from 113,130 premenopausal registered nurses tracked from 1989 to 2003. During that time, 1,398 cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed.
Women with a body mass index (a weight-for-height scale) of 30 or above — considered obese by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — had a 19 percent lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer than women in a normal weight range (body mass index between 20 and 22.4), the study found.
The lower risk was especially evident in young adults. Those with a body mass index at age 18 of 27.5 or higher, which makes them overweight or obese, had a 43 percent lower risk of breast cancer before menopause than women of normal weight at the same age.
Being overweight is linked to a broad range of health risks. The World Health Organization describes obesity as a growing problem in high-income nations as well as increasing numbers of low- and middle-income nations.
OVULATION FACTORS
Michels said some experts had suspected the reduced premenopausal breast cancer risk was the result of these women not ovulating as much due to their larger body size.
Some overweight women have irregular or long menstrual cycles, or develop a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome in which ovaries malfunction. These are linked to disruptions in ovulation that lower levels of certain hormones.
The suspicion had been that these lower hormone levels might explain the diminished breast cancer risk. But the researchers weighed these factors and concluded that they did not appear to be the cause.
“Now we’re back to square one in trying to explain with which kind of mechanisms a larger body size might protect women from breast cancer,” Michels said, adding she plans further research.
She speculated the findings might be explained by the fact that obese women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, and that is harder to detect tumors in these women.
“If we just detect the cancer later and therefore delay the time of diagnosis of the cancer into their post-menopausal years, then that might be an explanation,” Michels said.
Michels said the link between weight and breast cancer risk varies by age. High weight at birth and then after menopause is linked to a heightened risk, while high weight in young adulthood is associated with a reduced risk, she said.
The researchers admitted they do not know why the extra pounds (kg) may protect premenopausal women from breast cancer, but noted obesity actually greatly boosts breast cancer risk after menopause, when the disease more often is diagnosed.
“It is so puzzling. And it is not a good public health message,” said Karin Michels, associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School and lead researcher in the study.
“I don’t want women to use this as an excuse to be overweight. Therefore, it’s even more important for us to find out what the mechanisms are. I mean, the last thing we want is, in this day and age, to advise people to gain weight,” Michels said in a telephone interview.
The findings, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, were based on medical data from 113,130 premenopausal registered nurses tracked from 1989 to 2003. During that time, 1,398 cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed.
Women with a body mass index (a weight-for-height scale) of 30 or above — considered obese by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — had a 19 percent lower risk of premenopausal breast cancer than women in a normal weight range (body mass index between 20 and 22.4), the study found.
The lower risk was especially evident in young adults. Those with a body mass index at age 18 of 27.5 or higher, which makes them overweight or obese, had a 43 percent lower risk of breast cancer before menopause than women of normal weight at the same age.
Being overweight is linked to a broad range of health risks. The World Health Organization describes obesity as a growing problem in high-income nations as well as increasing numbers of low- and middle-income nations.
OVULATION FACTORS
Michels said some experts had suspected the reduced premenopausal breast cancer risk was the result of these women not ovulating as much due to their larger body size.
Some overweight women have irregular or long menstrual cycles, or develop a condition called polycystic ovary syndrome in which ovaries malfunction. These are linked to disruptions in ovulation that lower levels of certain hormones.
The suspicion had been that these lower hormone levels might explain the diminished breast cancer risk. But the researchers weighed these factors and concluded that they did not appear to be the cause.
“Now we’re back to square one in trying to explain with which kind of mechanisms a larger body size might protect women from breast cancer,” Michels said, adding she plans further research.
She speculated the findings might be explained by the fact that obese women are less likely to be screened for breast cancer, and that is harder to detect tumors in these women.
“If we just detect the cancer later and therefore delay the time of diagnosis of the cancer into their post-menopausal years, then that might be an explanation,” Michels said.
Michels said the link between weight and breast cancer risk varies by age. High weight at birth and then after menopause is linked to a heightened risk, while high weight in young adulthood is associated with a reduced risk, she said.
Isotechnika Enrols First Patient in European/Canadian Phase III Psoriasis Clinical Trial
Edmonton, Canada (ots/PRNewswire) - Isotechnika Inc. (TSX: ISA) announced today that the Company has enrolled its first patient in a pivotal Phase III European/Canadian clinical trial for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis with its lead immunosuppressive drug, ISA247.
The Phase III European/Canadian psoriasis trial (ESSENCE trial) will be performed at thirty-six clinical centres in Canada, Germany, and Poland involving a total of 500 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. The 24-week trial will be conducted as a randomised, orally administered placebo and cyclosporine controlled study with 300 patients receiving ISA247 (0.4 mg/kg twice daily), 100 patients receiving cyclosporine (1.5 mg/kg twice daily), and 100 patients receiving placebo. In an effort to maximise the benefit to patients randomised to the placebo group, those patients will be administered the ISA247 0.4 mg/kg twice daily dose subsequent to the first 12 weeks of the trial.
To determine successful completion of the trial, the following parameters will be measured; Static Physician's Global Assessment (SPGA) scores, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and kidney function.
"Enrolling our first patient prior to year-end should facilitate us achieving our psoriasis development timelines," stated Dr. Randall Yatscoff, Isotechnika's President & CEO. "We are confident that ISA247 will continue to demonstrate a strong safety and efficacy profile when directly compared to cyclosporine."
About Isotechnika Inc.
Isotechnika Inc. is an international biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Drawing upon its expertise in medicinal chemistry and immunology, the Company is focused on the discovery and development of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics that are safer than currently available treatments. Its entrepreneurial management and world-class team of scientists are building a pipeline of immunosuppressive drug candidates for treatment of autoimmune diseases and for use in the prevention of organ rejection in transplantation. Isotechnika looks to become the leader in development of immunosuppressant therapies.
Isotechnika's lead compound, ISA247 has completed an extension protocol of a Canadian Phase III human clinical trial for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and a North American Phase IIb human clinical trial for the prevention of kidney graft rejection. The Company also has an additional immunosuppressive compound in its drug pipeline, TAFA93 which successfully completed Phase I clinical trials.
Isotechnika Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ISA. More information on Isotechnika can be found at www.isotechnika.com.
Partnerships with Isotechnika Inc.
Isotechnika Inc. signed a collaboration agreement with Hoffman La Roche on April 9, 2002, which licensed the worldwide rights to develop and commercialise ISA247 for all transplant indications.
On September 30, 2005, Isotechnika Inc. entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Atrium Medical Corporation for the use of ISA247 and TAFA93 specifically with drug eluting devices for the non-systemic treatment of vascular, cardiovascular, target vessel and tissue disorders.
Isotechnika Inc. and Cellgate Inc. signed an option agreement on April 25, 2006, granting Isotechnika the option to obtain an exclusive license to develop and commercialise conjugates consisting of Cellgate's patented transporter technology for the topical delivery of ISA247 in patients suffering from mild to moderate psoriasis.
On May 25, 2006, Isotechnika Inc. signed an agreement with Lux Biosciences, Inc. of Jersey City, New Jersey granting Lux Biosciences worldwide rights to develop and commercialise Isotechnika's lead drug, ISA247 for the treatment and prophylaxis of all ophthalmic diseases.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, including the Company's belief as to the potential of its products, the Company's expectations regarding the issuance of additional patents and the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the ability to economically manufacture its products, the potential of its products, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully commercialise its products, the ability of the Company to defend its patents from infringement by third parties, and the risk that the Company's patents may be subsequently shown to be invalid or infringe the patents of others. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
The Phase III European/Canadian psoriasis trial (ESSENCE trial) will be performed at thirty-six clinical centres in Canada, Germany, and Poland involving a total of 500 patients with moderate to severe psoriasis. The 24-week trial will be conducted as a randomised, orally administered placebo and cyclosporine controlled study with 300 patients receiving ISA247 (0.4 mg/kg twice daily), 100 patients receiving cyclosporine (1.5 mg/kg twice daily), and 100 patients receiving placebo. In an effort to maximise the benefit to patients randomised to the placebo group, those patients will be administered the ISA247 0.4 mg/kg twice daily dose subsequent to the first 12 weeks of the trial.
To determine successful completion of the trial, the following parameters will be measured; Static Physician's Global Assessment (SPGA) scores, Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) scores and kidney function.
"Enrolling our first patient prior to year-end should facilitate us achieving our psoriasis development timelines," stated Dr. Randall Yatscoff, Isotechnika's President & CEO. "We are confident that ISA247 will continue to demonstrate a strong safety and efficacy profile when directly compared to cyclosporine."
About Isotechnika Inc.
Isotechnika Inc. is an international biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Drawing upon its expertise in medicinal chemistry and immunology, the Company is focused on the discovery and development of novel immunosuppressive therapeutics that are safer than currently available treatments. Its entrepreneurial management and world-class team of scientists are building a pipeline of immunosuppressive drug candidates for treatment of autoimmune diseases and for use in the prevention of organ rejection in transplantation. Isotechnika looks to become the leader in development of immunosuppressant therapies.
Isotechnika's lead compound, ISA247 has completed an extension protocol of a Canadian Phase III human clinical trial for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and a North American Phase IIb human clinical trial for the prevention of kidney graft rejection. The Company also has an additional immunosuppressive compound in its drug pipeline, TAFA93 which successfully completed Phase I clinical trials.
Isotechnika Inc. is a publicly traded company on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol ISA. More information on Isotechnika can be found at www.isotechnika.com.
Partnerships with Isotechnika Inc.
Isotechnika Inc. signed a collaboration agreement with Hoffman La Roche on April 9, 2002, which licensed the worldwide rights to develop and commercialise ISA247 for all transplant indications.
On September 30, 2005, Isotechnika Inc. entered into an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Atrium Medical Corporation for the use of ISA247 and TAFA93 specifically with drug eluting devices for the non-systemic treatment of vascular, cardiovascular, target vessel and tissue disorders.
Isotechnika Inc. and Cellgate Inc. signed an option agreement on April 25, 2006, granting Isotechnika the option to obtain an exclusive license to develop and commercialise conjugates consisting of Cellgate's patented transporter technology for the topical delivery of ISA247 in patients suffering from mild to moderate psoriasis.
On May 25, 2006, Isotechnika Inc. signed an agreement with Lux Biosciences, Inc. of Jersey City, New Jersey granting Lux Biosciences worldwide rights to develop and commercialise Isotechnika's lead drug, ISA247 for the treatment and prophylaxis of all ophthalmic diseases.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements, including the Company's belief as to the potential of its products, the Company's expectations regarding the issuance of additional patents and the Company's ability to protect its intellectual property, involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, the availability of funds and resources to pursue research and development projects, the ability to economically manufacture its products, the potential of its products, the success and timely completion of clinical studies and trials, the Company's ability to successfully commercialise its products, the ability of the Company to defend its patents from infringement by third parties, and the risk that the Company's patents may be subsequently shown to be invalid or infringe the patents of others. Investors should consult the Company's quarterly and annual filings with the Canadian commissions for additional information on risks and uncertainties relating to the forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against placing undue reliance on forward-looking statements.
Syphilis test campaign may increase tests
A social marketing campaign urging gay and bisexual men in San Francisco to get checked for syphilis has been linked to an increase in syphilis tests.
Cartoons advocating the tests were placed in a gay newspaper, and poster-sized reproductions were posted on the streets, on bus shelters, on Webs sites and in gay bars.
The researchers, led by Katherine Ahrens of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, conducted two surveys -- one at six months and one at 2.5 years after the campaign had begun. Gay and bisexual men were asked whether they were aware of the cartoons and about their sexual health.
Ahrens and colleagues found the men who were aware of the cartoons were more likely than those unaware to have been tested recently for syphilis and to have greater knowledge about it. This effect was sustained for almost three years, according to evaluations published in PLoS Medicine.
"The social marketing campaign was effective in augmenting syphilis testing and increasing syphilis awareness and knowledge in the San Francisco gay and bisexual community," say the authors. "This effect might have contributed to decreased syphilis incidence in 2005."
Cartoons advocating the tests were placed in a gay newspaper, and poster-sized reproductions were posted on the streets, on bus shelters, on Webs sites and in gay bars.
The researchers, led by Katherine Ahrens of the San Francisco Department of Public Health, conducted two surveys -- one at six months and one at 2.5 years after the campaign had begun. Gay and bisexual men were asked whether they were aware of the cartoons and about their sexual health.
Ahrens and colleagues found the men who were aware of the cartoons were more likely than those unaware to have been tested recently for syphilis and to have greater knowledge about it. This effect was sustained for almost three years, according to evaluations published in PLoS Medicine.
"The social marketing campaign was effective in augmenting syphilis testing and increasing syphilis awareness and knowledge in the San Francisco gay and bisexual community," say the authors. "This effect might have contributed to decreased syphilis incidence in 2005."
An hypocaloric diet is never the solution
An hypocaloric diet is never the solution !!!
Here is the scientifical reason:
First of all, It is necessary to understand the mechanism of the adipocytes:
The adipocyte plays a critical role in energy balance.
Adipose tissue growth involves an increase in adipocyte size and the formation of new adipocytes from precursor cells. For the last 20 years, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of adipocyte differentiation have been extensively studied using preadipocyte culture systems. Committed preadipocytes undergo growth arrest and subsequent terminal differentiation into adipocytes.
This is accompanied by a dramatic increase in expression of adipocyte genes including adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and lipid-metabolizing enzymes. Characterization of regulatory regions of adipose-specific genes has led to the identification of the transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), which play a key role in the complex transcriptional cascade during adipocyte differentiation. Growth and differentiation of preadipocytes is controlled by communication between individual cells or between cells and the extracellular environment. Various hormones and growth factors that affect adipocyte differentiation in a positive or negative manner have been identified. In addition, components involved in cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions such as preadipocyte factor-1 and extracellular matrix proteins are also pivotal in regulating the differentiation process. Identification of these molecules has yielded clues to the biochemical pathways that ultimately result in transcriptional activation via PPAR-gamma and C/EBP. Studies on the regulation of the these transcription factors and the mode of action of various agents that influence adipocyte differentiation will reveal the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying adipose tissue development
Here is the scientifical reason:
First of all, It is necessary to understand the mechanism of the adipocytes:
The adipocyte plays a critical role in energy balance.
Adipose tissue growth involves an increase in adipocyte size and the formation of new adipocytes from precursor cells. For the last 20 years, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of adipocyte differentiation have been extensively studied using preadipocyte culture systems. Committed preadipocytes undergo growth arrest and subsequent terminal differentiation into adipocytes.
This is accompanied by a dramatic increase in expression of adipocyte genes including adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and lipid-metabolizing enzymes. Characterization of regulatory regions of adipose-specific genes has led to the identification of the transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP), which play a key role in the complex transcriptional cascade during adipocyte differentiation. Growth and differentiation of preadipocytes is controlled by communication between individual cells or between cells and the extracellular environment. Various hormones and growth factors that affect adipocyte differentiation in a positive or negative manner have been identified. In addition, components involved in cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions such as preadipocyte factor-1 and extracellular matrix proteins are also pivotal in regulating the differentiation process. Identification of these molecules has yielded clues to the biochemical pathways that ultimately result in transcriptional activation via PPAR-gamma and C/EBP. Studies on the regulation of the these transcription factors and the mode of action of various agents that influence adipocyte differentiation will reveal the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms underlying adipose tissue development
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