Multiple Sclerosis News Blog

Vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

2008-09-13T07:18:00.001-07:00

Fingolimod
Forecast Insight - Multiple Sclerosis - www.companiesandmarkets ...
PR-Inside.com (Pressemitteilung) - Wien,Austria
Datamonitor remains highly positive on Novartis´s FTY720 (fingolimod).
FTY720 is expected to achieve the greatest sales of all current late-stage pipeline ...

Fampridine
Market Report -- In Play (WIRES)
MSN Money - USA
On The Wires Acorda Therapeutics (ACOR) announces that data from its recently-completed Fampridine-SR Phase 3 trial will be presented during a poster ...
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?

feed=BCOM&date=20080912&id=9135146
Acorda Therapeutics To Present Phase 3 Fampridine-SR Data at World ...
Centre Daily Times - Centre,PA,USA
The poster, "Sustained-Release Fampridine Consistently Improves Walking Speed And Leg Strength In Multiple Sclerosis: A Phase 3 Trial," will be presented by ...
http://www.centredaily.com/business/technology/story/835521.html
Acorda Therapeutics To Present Phase 3 Fampridine-SR Data at World ...

MarketWatch - USA
today announced that data from its recently-completed Fampridine-SR Phase 3 trial (MS-F204) will be presented during a poster session at the World Congress ...
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/acorda-therapeutics-present-phase-3/story.aspx?guid=%7B8AB6E8BE-E968-43FF-AE47-175F51B55D70%7D&dist=hppr
New mechanism behind autoimmunity development found

Smash Hits - India
The researchers observed that mice lacking furin in these cells developed systemic autoimmune disease, suggesting that the immune systems of the mice ...
http://news.smashits.com/283284/New-mechanism-behind-autoimmunity-development-found.htm

Clinical Drug Trials listed on CenterWatch.com

You are receiving this email because you registered your email address with CenterWatch to stay informed about clincial trials. New clinical trials have been posted on the CenterWatch web site www.centerwatch.com in your areas of interest and geographic locations.

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder.
Berkeley, CA

Downey, CA

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Long Beach, CA

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Laguna Hills, CA

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Denver, CO

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder
Fairfield, CT

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Middlebury, CT

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder.
Miami, FL

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder
Bradenton, FL

Melbourne, FL

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Bradenton, FL

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Sarasota, FL

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Greenbelt, MD

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder
Chapel Hill, NC

Winston Salem, NC

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Sewell, NJ

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
West Orange, NJ

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder.
Rochester, NY

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Garden City, NY

Williamsville, NY

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder
Philadelphia, PA

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Lancaster, PA

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Pittsburgh, PA

A research study for patients with symptoms of overactive bladder due to spinal cord injury or multiple sclerosis
Myrtle Beach, SC

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Vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

Vitamin B12 may help protect brain in elderly
Canada.com - Don Mills,Ontario,Canada
People who had higher vitamin B12 levels were six times less likely to experience brain shrinkage compared with those who had lower levels, according to a ...
http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/story.html?id=841f6b59-1c61-4949-9602-c59466e6e294

Key vitamin can protect ageing
Londra Gazete - London,UK
The study showed that those with lower vitamin B12 levels in their blood were six times more likely to experience brain shrinkage compared with those who ...
http://www.londragazete.com/haber_detay.asp?haberID=1945

Going veggie shrinks the brain
Courier Mail - Australia
... were retested five years later the medics found those with the lowest levels of vitamin B12 were also the most likely to have brain shrinkage. ...
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24336544-23272,00.html

FDA Cites Brain Virus With Rituxan

http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1836409&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33

Associated Press DataStream FFF - Sep. 11, 2008
WASHINGTON_Federal regulators said Thursday one case of a deadly brain infection has been reported in a patient taking Genentech and Biogen Idec's blockbuster arthritis and cancer drug Rituxan.

The Food and Drug Administration said the woman died of the rare viral infection more than a year and a half after discontinuing the drug. Genentech and Biogen Idec comarket the drug in the U.S.

Cases of the infection have previously been reported in patients taking Rituxan for unapproved uses, including lupus. But FDA said the latest case is the first reported in a patient taking the drug for arthritis. The drug is also approved for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

A company spokeswoman for Genentech noted the drug's label already mentions risks of the infection.
"The patient had a number of confounding factors that make it difficult to assess the potential role, if any, that Rituxan exposure may have played," said Tara Cooper. Genentech first disclosed the death during its July earnings call, Cooper added.

According to the posting on FDA's Web site, the patient was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment for cancer in the months before she developed the infection.
FDA said doctors should immediately stop using Rituxan in patients who develop the infection, called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or PML. The agency noted there are no known treatments for PML.

South San Francisco-based Genentech sent a letter to doctors about the case earlier this month.

Rituxan is Genentech's second-best selling drug with $2.28 billion in sales last year, just behind the cancer therapy Avastin. Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen claimed $617 million from those sales in 2007.

Reports of PML with Biogen Idec's multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri have weighed on company shares in recent months. In July the company reported two new cases of the disease in European patients. The drug was pulled from the market in 2005 after being linked to the rare brain disease but was reintroduced under restricted sales conditions in mid-2006.

Shares of Genentech Inc. rose $1.41, or 1.5 percent, to $97.1 Thursday. Shares of Biogen Idec Inc. gained $1.17, or 2.5 percent, to $48.47.Of Rituxan
http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1836409&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33

Big Pharma Set for Costly Shopping Spree
http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1835542&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33

Reuters Health - Sep. 11, 2008
By Ben Hirschler, European Pharmaceuticals Correspondent

LONDON (Reuters) - The existing drugs aren't working, so big pharmaceutical companies are set to step up the hunt for assets to buy in promising fields like biotechnology, as well as non-prescription areas of healthcare.

The risk is they could end up overpaying.
Screening for acquisitions will be high on the "to do" list of newly appointed Sanofi-Aventis Chief Executive Chris Viehbacher, when he takes the helm at the French drugmaker on Dec. 1, industry analysts and bankers say.

He is not alone. GlaxoSmithKline -- the company Viehbacher is leaving -- is also expected to strike one or more significant deals to boost its consumer health business as part of a new growth strategy.
Roche and Bristol-Myers Squibb, meanwhile, are locked in multibillion-dollar battles for two prime biotech assets, Genentech and ImClone Systems.
News this week of a second bid for ImClone, topping an earlier offer from Bristol, suggests competition is fierce.

The identity of the new bidder is unknown but analysts said ImClone could attract the likes of Pfizer, Novartis, Glaxo and Sanofi -- but it might be too big a bite for Merck KGaA, its partner on cancer drug Erbitux.
"I think it's the natural way of things that Big Pharma is going to take over the biotech world sooner or later," Carl Icahn, ImClone's billionaire chairman, told the company's annual shareholder meeting on Wednesday.
Japanese companies, too, are flexing their muscles on the global scene, with Takeda splashing out for U.S. biotech firm Millennium earlier this year and Daiichi Sankyo buying India's Ranbaxy.
SHAKING UP SANOFI

"The large guys worldwide are looking really aggressively for assets wherever they can find them, and diversification is a strong theme," said one banker, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The ousting of Gerard Le Fur as Sanofi's CEO after less than two years in the job and the appointment of an outsider signals radical change inside a group that has suffered worse than most from an inability to get enough new drugs to market.
With shareholders demanding action, dealmaking is an obvious way forward.
"We see this option as a practicable way to shake things up quickly," said Morgan Stanley analyst Andrew Baum.

Just what Viehbacher might decide to buy is less clear. A brief statement from Sanofi announcing his appointment on Wednesday highlighted overhauling drug research, growth in emerging markets and diversification as key priorities.

The last two both imply acquisitions, according to Amit Roy and colleagues at Citigroup.

French financial daily Les Echos reported that Sanofi was planning to diversify even more widely than most of its peers into health foods, vitamins and mineral supplements.

And Deutsche Bank analyst Michael Leuchten thinks a mega-merger could also be back on the cards for Sanofi, with its powerful chairman, Jean-Francois Dehecq, likely open to the idea.

Sanofi has long been tipped as a buyer for its U.S. partner Bristol-Myers, which has a market value of around $43 billion.
RISK FOR INVESTORS

The risk for investors in all these cases is that drug company executives, desperate to reinvigorate anaemic sales, may end up overpaying.

Roche stock has been capped in the last two months by worries it will have to offer substantially more than $44 billion for the rest of Genentech, while Bristol-Myers fell on Wednesday on fears of a costly bidding war for ImClone.

In the case of Sanofi, Citi's Roy said likely competition for assets with other pharmaceutical or consumer companies clearly raised the risk of overpayment.

So far, though, the biggest player in the pharmaceutical industry has been surprisingly quiet. Pfizer's failure to buy another big rival has surprised many, given its need to find new products to offset the 2011 loss of U.S. patent on its $13 billion-a-year blockbuster Lipitor.

The combination of growing generic competition, major research problems for particular drugs, and fears of a tougher U.S. regulatory and political climate mean drug stocks have been a poor investment overall this year.

Yet since June, the American Stock Exchange's pharmaceutical index, which includes leading U.S. and European companies, has outperformed the broader market by some 13 percent as fears for the global economy have fuelled demand for defensive stocks.
(Additional reporting by Lewis Krauskopf in New York; Editing by Erica Billingham)
http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1835542&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33

Study: Retail Stores With Pharmacies Have $2.4 Trillion Impact on Economy
According to a new study, the total economic impact of retail stores with pharmacies have a total annual economic impact of $2.42 trillion, based on 2007 data - approximately 17 percent of the gross domestic product. The report also said the 39,000 chain pharmacies across the country dispensed more than 2.5 billion prescriptions in 2007, about 72 percent of the total filled in the U.S. Overall, the retail prescription market reached nearly $260 billion in 2007.
http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=570701&categoryid=9&newsletter=1

Discovery Of Protein That Regulates Gene Critical To Dopamine-Releasing Brain Cells
Researchers have identified a protein they say appears to be a primary player in maintaining normal functioning of an important class of neurons - those brain cells that produce, excrete and then reabsorb dopamine neurotransmitters.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/121161.php

The Human Brain Relies On Old And New Mechanisms For Diminishing Fear
A new study suggests that although humans may have developed complex thought processes that can help to regulate their emotions, these processes are linked with evolutionarily older mechanisms that are common across species.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/121148.php

Meat may prevent memory loss
meatinfo.co.uk - Crawley,England,UK
A vitamin found in meat can help prevent brain shrinkage and protect against memory loss in old age, a new study has found. In a study conducted by the ...
http://www.meatinfo.co.uk/articles/66570/Meat-may-prevent-memory-loss.aspx?categoryid=9045

Varied aspects of research revelations - VI
Merinews - New Delhi,India
... slows down their brain shrinkage and helps in fighting memory loss among them. It has been found that the elderly with lower than average vitamin B12 ...
http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?title=Varied%20aspects%20of%20research%20revelations%20-%20VI&articleID=140993

High Levels of Vitamin B12 in Elders Reduce Risk of Brain Shrinkage

http://www.docguide.com/gpc.nsf/doc?CreateDocument&n=22&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&t=00-00-00;AM&l=email-09-11-2008w&u=/redirect.nsf/we_link?OpenForm&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&ntype=int&newsid=852571020057CCF6852574BF0064DB78

Combination Treatment for Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Induces Remission, Prevents Progression

Combination Drug Taken Early Relieves Migraine Symptoms (DGNews)

NJ, PA hospital mistakes not being reported

http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,11xk7,osy,7lih,8pkj,5ewk,1y5l

By Anne Zieger
While hospitals in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are supposed to be reporting serious mistakes, it appears that too often, they aren't doing so. That, at least, is the conclusion drawn by observers in those states who argue that the hospitals' failure to comply with regs is compromising ongoing efforts to boost patient safety. In theory, hospitals in both states have been required to report mistakes and complications to state monitoring agencies for a number of years. But in practice, it doesn't always happen.

For example, researchers found several major errors and complications at hospitals in Pennsylvania last year, none of which had been reported to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. In New Jersey, five of the state's 80 hospitals didn't report any preventable mistakes at all last year, and in Pennsylvania, some facilities didn't report any serious mistakes or even near misses. While good safety records are admirable, it's unlikely that these facilities had absolutely perfect records, which suggests that something is wrong, observers say.

Such reporting gaps, in part, can be solved by training more staff members and working to improve treatment, according to hospital associations in both states. However, reporting gaps like these also suggest that it may be quite some time before the large number of states requiring such reporting--a total of 26 at present--can actually have a shot at making the impact they'd hoped to make. (Whether such reporting can really help hospitals make appropriate changes in the first place, of course, is a discussion all its own.)
To learn more about this issue:
- read this Philadelphia Inquirer piece
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,11xk7,osy,61v9,6u7c,5ewk,1y5l

MS Vaccines

2008-09-13T01:09:00.001-07:00

Sexy Impulses: Treating Multiple Sclerosis with Hormones
Miller-McCune.com - Santa Barbara,CA,USA
But when it breaks down, as it does with the disease multiple sclerosis, unwieldy symptoms emerge. Paralysis, tingling, uncoordinated movements, ...
http://www.miller-mccune.com/article/672

Identificaion Of A Protein Essential In Long Term Memory Consolidation
New research at the University of Haifa identified a specific protein essential for the process of long term memory consolidation. This is the latest of several discoveries that are leading us towards a better understanding of one of the most complex processes in nature - the process of memory creation and consolidation in the human brain. 11 Sept 2008

California Approves End-of-Life Bill
Catholic.net - North Haven,CT,USA
“I was on hospice and I almost died,” said Koch, who has Multiple Sclerosis. “If it wasn’t for my mom trying to feed me what little I could eat, ...
http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=979&category=News%20&%20Media~News

Spirit Of Da Vinci Award Goes To MIT Bio-Mechantron Professor - Amputee Designing The Next Generation Of Prostheses
Medical News Today Fri, 12 Sep 2008 3:11 AM PDT
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Chapter has announced the 2008 Spirit of da Vinci Award winner: MIT Professor Hugh Herr. The Spirit of da Vinci Award is presented annually to an individual for their courage, perseverance and creative use of assistive technology.

Treatment

Dr. Schapiro
Clinical Professor of Neurology

View BIO

http://www.msanswers.ca/ExpertBio.aspx?L=2&EID=19

Q :

I have been taking Rebif for a number of years. I need to take a blood test every six months. What exactly does the blood test analyses?

A :

All of the interferons have the potential to react in the body in ways that are not intended. We may call those reactions "side-effects" but sometimes they are silent side-effects in that we do not feel them. They are metabolized or disposed of in the liver. If they cause an over-reaction in the liver, damage to the liver may occur. We can measure whether liver damage is happening by measuring the enzymes produce by a damaged liver. We expect some elevation of the enzymes when taking interferon but if it is more than expected, a dose adjustment of the interferon is necessary. Other medications may influence the liver as well and may work in conjunction with the interferon to cause an issue. We also measure the blood count and distribution of blood cells to insure that the interferon is not producing too great an immune effect which could result in increased likelihood of infection. That is why we test these about every 6 months--trying to get ahead of any potential problem.
9/13/2008 1:47:13 AM

More answers from Dr. Randall T. Schapiro
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=19&L=2
More answers in the category: Treatment
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionList.aspx?CID=2&L=2

DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that this information does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MS Society of Canada, and is not intended as medical advice. For specific advice and opinion, always consult a physician.
© 2008 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada | www.mssociety.ca

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=1626

Daily Living with MS

Dr. Myles
Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Alberta
View BIO
http://www.msanswers.ca/ExpertBio.aspx?L=2&EID=2

Q :

I have experienced symptoms that I know are not attacks or serious enough to see my neurologist about. Such as sharp pains in my legs or problems with my vision that last for 2-3 days. I am not sure if these symptoms are because I am lacking something or doing something wrong, or that there is just no explanation for them. My question is besides rest, is there something I should do when experiencing theses symptoms?

A :

Transient neurologic symptoms in MS may be related to symptom fluctuations, pseudo-relapses or true MS relapses/attacks and sometimes it can be difficult to differentiate them with certainty when they first appear. Some non-specific symptoms, such as pain or periods of fatigue may or may not even be directly related to MS, and should be checked out by your family physician to rule out other causes.

It is not uncommon for MS symptoms to fluctuate somewhat in severity from day to day. Sometimes this is because of fatigue, stress, or other factors, such as an elevation of body temperature or with one’s menstrual period. This typically involves a very transient worsening of previous symptoms that then settle back down to their baseline level. This does not mean that new damage is occurring. Some people certainly do find that rest helps, and this may be their body’s way of saying it needs to re-energize. No medical treatment is required for day to day symptom fluctuations.

A more pronounced but transient worsening of symptoms, called a “pseudo-relapse” can also occur in MS. This can vary from a mild and transient worsening of symptoms in someone with mild relapsing-remitting MS to a more pronounced worsening of symptoms that can temporarily alter function in those with more severe disease or progressive MS. The most common cause is infection (such as a bladder infection or cold) but it can also occur for other reasons, such as with a hot spell in summer. Again, this does not mean that new damage is occurring. The symptoms resolve back to baseline as the infection (or other precipitant) resolves. If the worsening of symptoms occurs in the one to two weeks after an infection however (rather than only during it), then it is much more likely that the symptoms represent a true relapse (especially common after viral infections).

A distinct and persistent worsening of old symptoms can represent a true relapse. The appearance of brand new neurologic symptoms is also more likely to represent a true relapse. To be considered a true relapse the symptoms must be present on a continuous basis for at least 24 hours but the truth is that most relapses last weeks. Disabling relapses are frequently treated with corticosteroids whereas rest alone may be used if the symptoms are milder and non-disabling. It is sometimes tough to be certain if symptoms represent a true relapse if they are short-lived but it is very important that you mention to your neurologist any new symptoms that have occurred and lasted over 24 hours and whether or not any potential cause for the transient worsening could be identified (extra stress, poor sleep, etc). Short-lived, self-limiting relapses would not be treated with corticosteroids but the occurrence of multiple mild relapses may prompt re-evaluation of your disease modifying therapy. Your neurologist may be able to find subtle changes on your examination even months later if the symptoms were indeed related to true relapses. In some cases, if new disease activity is suspected, but the examination cannot determine whether or not there has been new damage, a repeat MRI might even be considered. While it would not be appropriate or helpful to switch therapy for symptom fluctuations or pseudo-relapses, if there were ongoing mild relapses and an accumulation of new lesions on MRI then a change in therapy might reasonably be considered.
9/13/2008 2:56:11 AM

More answers from Dr. Mary Lou Myles
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=2&L=2
More answers in the category: Daily Living with MS
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionList.aspx?CID=8&L=2

In the Spotlight
from Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D.
After a couple of alarmed calls and e-mails following last week's newsletter on fatigue and depression, I thought I'd swing the pendulum the other way. I'd like to introduce you all to my new friends, MS vaccines. Yes, they are still in trials (and, no, I am not participating in any of these trials) - but these guys just make me smile. They are a new hopeful approach to stopping this stupid disease in its tracks. I'll be bringing you more about these soon.
For those of you fortunate enough to be feeling the first hints of Fall, congratulations - we made it through that summer (for the rest of you - it's not much longer)... Take care of yourselves, my friends.
http://search.about.com/fullsearch.htm?terms=Julie%20Stachowiak,%20Ph.D.
http://search.about.com/fullsearch.htm?terms=Julie%20Stachowiak,%20Ph.D.

In the Spotlight

MS Vaccines
A vaccine for multiple sclerosis (MS)? Okay, I know it sounds a little weird. It might seem even more bizarre when you learn more about this exciting new class of MS therapy. However, to me, it seems like the researchers are getting closer and closer to finding the "big one." In order to get on board with the notion of an MS vaccine, you are going to have to change your ideas about what vaccines are and bend your brain a little to understand what exactly these experimental vaccines are trying to do. However, once you get a glimpse into the world of how scientists are trying to tweak the immune system and target the nasty T-cells that are causing those of us with MS to tingle, stumble and hurt, I promise you - you will be excited, too.
Read the full article: MS Vaccines
http://glclk.about.com/?zi=8/5rVf
http://ms.about.com/od/multiplesclerosis101/a/ms_intro.htm
http://ms.about.com/od/newsresearch/a/ms_vaccines.htm

FTY720

Rare case explains why some infected with HIV remain symptom free ...
News-Medical.net - Sydney,Australia
AIDS experts at Johns Hopkins say they have compelling evidence that some people with HIV who for years and even decades show extremely low levels of the ...
http://www.news-medical.net/?id=40669
Burnham medical researcher describes the challenge of brain illnesses

Orlando Sentinel - Orlando,FL,USA
They are some of the world's most vexing diseases: Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's and Lou Gehrig's. Though treatments exist, better therapies ...
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/orange/orl-burnham1108sep11,0,4894722.story

Furin Autoimmunity
Novel Mechanism That Controls The Development Of Autoimmunity ...
Science Daily (press release) - USA
They focused on the protein furin, an enzyme that plays an important role in the functioning of T cells. Scientists have been limited in their ability to ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080813144359.htm
Hollis-Eden Pharmaceuticals Reports Update on Autoimmunity Program ...

Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
Likewise, in two models of chronic autoimmune inflammation (lupus erythematosus and multiple sclerosis), disease scores were reduced after treatment with ...
http://www.businesswire.com/news/google/20080912005208/en
The Best Fish to Eat

Stop Aging Now - Washington,DC,USA
The Anti-Aging Bottom Line: The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish can help you live a longer, healthier life. And, if you select the fish you eat carefully, ...
http://www.stopagingnow.com/news/news_flashes/4676/The-Best-Fish-to-Eat
Celery Works Great for Inflammation, Gout, Cancer, and High Blood ...

Natural News.com - Phoenix,AZ,USA
An old Chinese remedy for high blood pressure is to drink celery juice, which you can make in a blender or juicer. One to two glasses daily can help prevent ...
http://www.naturalnews.com/024135.html
Survey: Health Info Websites Grow 21 Percent

A new study says the health information website category has grown 21 percent during the past year – more than four times the growth rate of the total U.S. Internet population. The survey cited WebMD as the top site with 17.3 million visitors in July, followed by Everyday Health, Revolution Health Network, AOL Health and About.com Health.
http://emailactivity.ecn5.com/engines/linkfrom.aspx?b=129992&e=27496801&l=http://pharmalive.com/news/index.cfm?articleID=570360&categoryid=9&newsletter=1
Heavier People Have Heart Attacks Earlier (09/09/2008, HealthDay)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_69082.html
World's Largest-Ever Study Of Near-Death Experiences

The University of Southampton is launching the world's largest-ever study of near-death experiences this week. The AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation) study is to be launched by the Human Consciousness Project of the University of Southampton - an international collaboration of scientists and physicians who have joined forces to study the human brain, consciousness and clinical death.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/121028.php

Killing Bacteria Not Enough to Restore Full Immunity

2008-09-11T19:40:00.001-07:00

BioMS Medical's lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298) for the treatment ...
Stockhouse - Vancouver,BC,Canada
Dirucotide (MBP8298) is currently being evaluated in a US pivotal phase III trial, named MAESTRO-03, at 68 sites with approximately 510 patients. ...
http://www.stockhouse.com/News/CanadianReleasesDetail.aspx?n=7034962

Top-Line Data from Opexa's Phase IIb Tovaxin(R) Study to be ...
MarketWatch - USA
... measure of MS treatment effectiveness) for Relapsing-Remitting MS (RRMS) and Secondary-Progressive MS (SPMS) patients comparable to, or greater than, ... http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/top-line-data-opexas-phase-iib/story.aspx?guid=%7BB9777FC2-B949-4B47-AF06-C19BC14716BE%7D&dist=hppr

Tories 'would only pay drug companies if treatments work'
Telegraph.co.uk - United Kingdom
It has blocked treatments for kidney diseases, Alzheimer's, multiple sclerosis and arthritis. Many Britons lost their sight after NICE took two-years to ...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/2778088/Tories-would-only-pay-drug-companies-if-treatments-work.html

Neural Cells Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cells Reduce Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
Hadassah University Hospital and Hadasit, the technology transfer company of Hadassah Medical Organization, announced that scientists at Hadassah University Hospital have discovered a new application for human embryonic stem cells.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120874.php

DNA origami based nanomachine for future microsurgery and neuro ...
Next Big Future - San Ramon,CA,USA
... targeted to attach cells like neurons, and deliver an electrical impulse to stimulate a damaged region from diseases such as multiple sclerosis.s.
http://nextbigfuture.com/2008/09/dna-origami-based-nanomachine-for.html

Sugar's Healing Powers
MarketWatch - USA
>From the Microbiology Infectious Diseases Journal, Vol. 7, 1998, p. 524-25: "Sugar is thought to exert an antibacterial effect by lowering water activity; ...
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/sugars-healing-powers/story.aspx?guid=%7B54896CB9-34BB-40D8-8B64-8309488BDB23%7D&dist=hppr

SPOTLIGHT ON... Could your doctor be laughing at you?

Have you ever wondered if your doctor has secretly laughed at you? Well, according to a survey of 110 medical interns, 17 percent have made fun of a patient while they were knocked out. At least most of those surveyed realized that doing so was wrong. Article

http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,11wlu,osy,lxn6,kuaz,5ewk,1y5l

Treatment

Dr. Marrie

Assistant Professor of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba
View BIO

http://www.msanswers.ca/ExpertBio.aspx?L=2&EID=55

Q :

I have just been diagnosed with MS and had a discussion with my doctor concerning the preferred medication, either Copaxone or interferon. Other than dosage, what is the difference? I was surprised to hear that with Copaxone there is a possibility of regenerating neurons! Is this true?

A :

Several differences exist between glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) and the interferon-betas (Avonex, Betaseron, Rebif). These include frequency of administration, route of administration, onset of action, and mechanisms of action. Copaxone is taken daily. Avonex is taken once weekly. Betaseron is taken every other day, and Rebif is taken three times weekly. Copaxone is taken subcutaneously (under the skin, like insulin) as are Betaseron and Rebif. Avonex is given into muscle. The onset of action of Copaxone is later than for the interferon-betas. Recent research has suggested that Copaxone may have neuroprotective effects, but further research is needed.
9/11/2008 9:27:07 PM

More answers from Dr. Ruth Anne Marrie
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=55&L=2
More answers in the category: Treatment
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionList.aspx?CID=2&L=2

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2078

DG Alert: The FDA is working with the manufacturer to amend the label for Tysabri (natalizumab) based on 2 new cases of PML in European patients with multiple sclerosis receiving Tysabri monotherapy for more than 1 year.

More at www.docguide.com

http://www.docguide.com/news/content.nsf/news/852571020057CCF6852574B0007050D9

and in the next Doctor's Guide Weekly Edition.
This alert is brought to you by DG Alert (tm), a service from Doctor's Guide designed to highlight breaking news our medical editors identify as being of major importance to our readers.

Killing Bacteria Not Enough to Restore Full Immunity
DALLAS -- Even though the bacteria causing an infection have been killed off, the immune system may not be recovered fully to withstand a second attack, researchers here said. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/InfectiousDisease/GeneralInfectiousDisease/tb/10864

FDA: Genentech's Rituxan may be linked to brain disorder death
Bizjournals.com - Charlotte,NC,USA
Both Rituzxn and multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri -- which reportedly also triggered the brain disorder in rare cases -- are built on antibodies that ...
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/stories/2008/09/08/daily79.html

FDA warns of PML risk for Rituxan
MarketWatch - USA
Both Rituxan and Tysabri are based on antibodies that manipulate the immune system. The FDA said that the Rituxan PML patient developed PML about 18 months ...
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fda-warns-pml-risk-rituxan/story.aspx?guid=%7BD7A6C4C2-83C1-4777-93FD-4EB9C7185997%7D&dist=hplatest

Yale Scientists May Have Found Brain's Center For Self-Control
Intelligence offers some protection against succumbing to immediate gratification, but psychologists have been unsure why. Yale University researchers report that they may have found the first clue to the mystery in an area of the brain that governs abstract problem solving and goal management.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120963.php

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Causes Brain Shrinkage, Neurological Disorders

2008-09-11T00:42:00.001-07:00

Neural Cells Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cells Reduce Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms
Medical News Today Wed, 10 Sep 2008 5:15 AM PDT
Hadassah University Hospital and Hadasit, the technology transfer company of Hadassah Medical Organization, announced that scientists at Hadassah University Hospital have discovered a new application for human embryonic stem cells.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120874.php

Multiple sclerosis support group revitalized
NRToday.com - Roseburg,OR,USA
In March 2003, Francis was diagnosed with primary-progressive multiple sclerosis, which means that his symptoms and condition continually get more severe. ...
http://www.nrtoday.com/article/20080910/NEWS/809099923/1063/NEWS&ParentProfile=1055

Total Recall - MIT Researchers: Human Memory Capacity Much Bigger Than Previously Thought
In recent years, demonstrations of memory's failures have convinced many scientists that human memory does not store the details of our experiences. However, a new study from MIT cognitive neuroscientists may overturn this widespread belief: They have shown that given the right setting, the human brain can record an amazing amount of information.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120460.php

How Memories Are Made, And Recalled
What makes a memory? Single cells in the brain, for one thing. For the first time, scientists at UCLA and the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have recorded individual brain cells in the act of calling up a memory, thus revealing where in the brain a specific memory is stored, and how it is able to recreate it.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120783.php

Cannabis extract or skin cancer?
PR CannaZine (press release) - South Wales,UK
Clearly this could be a valid theory as it has also been announced today that another Multiple Sclerosis drug, Tysabri, has been placed under FDA ...
http://pr.cannazine.co.uk/content/view/654/27/

Tysabri Trial for Multiple Myeloma Gets Under Way
FDA news (subscription) - Falls Church,VA,USA
Elan and Biogen Idec have started a Phase I/II clinical trial of their multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri to treat multiple myeloma, a plasma cancer. ...
http://fdanews.com/newsletter/article?issueId=11938&articleId=110212

Male Ejaculation
Corsavoo.com - Bastia,Corse,France
It is commonly found in men who have multiple sclerosis, diabetes, or after some types of prostate surgery. Before you get worried, it can also occur ...
http://www.corsavoo.com/men-s-issues/0,2577,315764,00.html

Alnylam Adds Another RNA Approach, Vertex Tackles Hardest Hep C ...
Xconomy - Cambridge,MA,USA
... (LON:ASM) and learned about the British biotech company’s strategy in buying Cambridge, MA, drug developer Xanthus Pharmaceuticals this past spring. ...
http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2008/09/10/alnylam-adds-another-rna-approach-vertex-tackles-hardest-hep-c-cases-zafgen-places-big-bet-on-fat-shrinkers-more-life-sciences-news/

Brain Injury Patients Cope by Using More of Their Brains
TORONTO -- Patients who recover fully from brain trauma may have to use more of their brains than they did before the injury to perform the same mental tasks, researchers found. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/HeadTrauma/tb/10844

http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=2033&l=15&ctl=DEA4:961584531C0AE512D520BFF9334D9ABF

Symptoms and Management

Ms. Spring
MS Nurse Clinician at the Fraser Health MS Clinic in Burnaby, BC
View BIO
Q :
Besides exercise and rest, is their anything to alleviate numbness and discomfort of the legs and feet?
A :
“Numbness” by itself is sometimes regarded as a more manageable symptom of MS for some patients and is generally not an indication that the disease is worsening, nor is it related to the degree of disability that a person has or will develop. If the numbness is related to an active “relapse” that is producing these symptoms, steroids may be considered to speed up the recovery time from the relapse to provide relief from the symptoms sooner.
The is currently no medical treatment for “numbness” when it is present as an isolated symptom (i.e. not related to a relapse), however numbness is very often reported in conjunction with other symptoms including temperature sensitivity, various descriptions or types of pain, tingling or allodynia (which is when pain is induced in situations that should otherwise not produce pain, such as when simply touching the skin with clothing can cause discomfort). If any of these other symptoms are present with numbness, then assessment is made to determine the best treatment which may include medication to treat the pain or tingling sensations which in turn can provide some comfort from the overall discomfort that the numbness is causing.
9/11/2008 2:39:43 AM
More answers from Ms. Janene Spring

More answers in the category: Symptoms and Management

DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that this information does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MS Society of Canada, and is not intended as medical advice. For specific advice and opinion, always consult a physician.
© 2008 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada | www.mssociety.ca
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=1924

CNN’s Toobin: Palin ‘Very Extreme’ on Embryonic Stem Cell Research
NewsBusters - USA
... families who have multiple sclerosis, who have Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, all these decisions where stem cell research is promising. ...
http://newsbusters.org/blogs/matthew-balan/2008/09/10/cnn-s-toobin-palin-very-extreme-embryonic-stem-cell-research

Neural Cells Derived From Human Embryonic Stem Cells Reduce ...
Medical News Today (press release) - UK
Multiple sclerosis, the most common cause of neurological disabilities in young adults, is caused by an inflammatory reaction of the patient's own immune ...
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120874.php

Pluristem Successfully Concludes Final Pre-Clinical Safety Studies ...
MarketWatch - USA
The Company's products in development also include PLX-IBD, targeting Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD); PLX-MS, targeting Multiple Sclerosis; PLX-BMT, http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/pluristem-successfully-concludes-final-pre-clinical/story.aspx?guid=%7BFF6C185A-C1C3-4845-8AEB-E42378CA5BEA%7D&dist=hppr

Vitamin B12 Linked to Brain Shrinkage
HealthNews - Carslbad,CA,USA
However, those with the lowest levels of B12 were more than six times as likely to experience brain shrinkage, compared to those with the highest B12 levels ...
http://www.healthnews.com/medical-updates/vitamin-b12-linked-brain-shrinkage-1737.html

Vitamin B-12 may help lessen dreaded brain shrinkage
Philadelphia Inquirer - Philadelphia,PA,USA
But a new study shows that getting plenty of vitamin B-12 may minimize brain shrinkage. British researchers measured the brain volume in 107 people between ...
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/20080910_Vitamin_B-12_may_help_lessen_dreaded_brain_shrinkage.html

Vitamin B-12 may help you live longer
WNDU-TV - South Bend,IN,USA
They found those who had the highest amount of vitamin B-12 in their blood were six times less likely to have brain shrinkage.
http://www.wndu.com/healthnews/headlines/28055519.html

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Causes Brain Shrinkage, Neurological Disorders
Natural News.com - Phoenix,AZ,USA
Subscribe now to receive a summary of each day's most important natural health stories, plus get full, free access to the entire archives of books on ...
http://www.naturalnews.com/News_000272_vitamin_B12_brain_function_neurological_disorders.html

Take vitamin B12 to counter memory loss.
ITvoir - New Delhi,Delhi,India
B12 in their body are likely to suffer from brain shrinkage, research has proved this. ITVoir brings to you highly comphrensive database of computer vendors ...
http://www.itvoir.com/portal/boxx/modules/blogs/Blog-Detail.asp?BlogID=3529

Vitamin B-12 may prevent memory loss
SmartBrief - Washington,DC,USA
Older people with lower-than-average levels of vitamin B-12 are more likely to experience brain shrinkage, which is linked to memory loss and dementia. ...
http://www.smartbrief.com/news/fmi_pharma/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=7A5710B4-CC97-494B-BD58-14DF7891F9A8&copyid=9B7CA5FF-3096-437F-8F9A-2D59D4283A70

Type 1 Diabetes In Adults Better Controlled With Continuous Monitors
A study by a diabetes research foundation discovered that adults with type 1 diabetes were better at controlling their glucose levels when instead of the traditional method of pricking a finger a few times a day, they used continuous monitors that sampled blood every five minutes through a small tube under the skin and alerted them so they could adjust their eating or take insulin more promptly.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120725.php

Continuous Glucose Monitoring Improves Blood Sugar Control For People With Type 1 Diabetes
Patients with type 1 diabetes who used continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices to help manage their disease experienced significant improvements in blood sugar control, according to initial results of a major multicenter clinical trial funded by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120736.php

Brush Your Teeth To Reduce The Risk Of Heart Disease
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. However, many people with cardiovascular disease have none of the common risk factors such as smoking, obesity and high cholesterol. Now, researchers have discovered a new link between gum disease and heart disease that may help find ways to save lives, scientists heard (Tuesday 9 September 2008) at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn meeting being held this week at Trinity College, Dublin.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120687.php

Study: Biotech patent system broken

By Maureen Martino
Researchers at Canada's McGill University studied patent systems from around the world and have found that, regardless of the country, the world's patent system is in serious trouble. "We found the same stumbling blocks in the traditional communities of Brazil as we did in the boardroom of a corporation." said Richard Gold, chair of the International Expert Group that produced the report. "Most striking is that no matter where we looked, the lack of trust played a vital role in blocking negotiations that could have benefited both sides, as well as the larger public." The study authors call the biotech patent system "outdated," and contrast it with the far more successful IT patenting system.
The problems, they say, is that fixation on patents and privately-controlled research has hampered innovation. Those that hold the the most patents are the least likely to collaborate, and the current system breeds mistrust among companies and researchers. "We need an IP system that will support collaborations...This means the laws may have to be changed, but more importantly, it means that we have a lot of work to do to change behaviors and build trust among all the players," observed Gold.
The study, which can be viewed here, included recommendations for governments, industry leaders, researchers and universities.
- see the patent study release
http://www.fiercebiotech.com/press-releases/landmark-study-reports-breakdown-biotech-patent-system?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal&cmp-id=EMC-NL-FB&dest=FB

MS Patient Turns To TroubleShooter For Help Getting Medical Lift - vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

2008-09-10T22:29:00.001-07:00

My Impression of Frankenstein
By TickledPink(TickledPink)
It was my entry into the No Kidding This is IT part of the trial where I don't have to wonder, "Is it Fingolimod or is it Avonex? Only her hairdresser knows for sure." I'm just hoping the lack of the proper verbiage...where they were ...
Fingolimod and Me - http://fty720.blogspot.com/

Gene Therapy For Blindness Improves Vision, Safety Study Indicates
Science Daily (press release) - USA
"This groundbreaking gene therapy trial builds on 15 years of research sponsored by the National Eye Institute of NIH," said Paul A. Sieving, MD, Ph.D., ...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080908185316.htm

MS Patient Turns To TroubleShooter For Help Getting Medical Lift
WKRC TV Cincinnati - Cincinnati,OH,USA
44 year old Connie Johnson, of Guilford, has primary progressive multiple sclerosis. Her husband Ralph, along with their two young daughters, help care for ...
http://www.local12.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=d94aee15-4366-4824-baeb-97210f659803

A diabetic turns to the tattoo as medical I.D.

By Joshua Sandoval

A personalized design reflects his vocation and defines his illness. >>

Pre-diabetes is worth treating

By Valerie Ulene

Millions of Americans fall in between normal blood glucose levels and diabetic. Treatment, including exercise, better diet and weight loss, may prevent the full-on disease. >>

Positive Sativex® Study Confirms Long Term Efficacy in MS ...
PipelineReview.com (press release) - Barcelona,Spain
... positive results from a placebo-controlled “randomized withdrawal” study of Sativex® in patients with neuropathic pain due to Multiple Sclerosis (MS). ...
http://www.pipelinereview.com/content/view/21931/109/

Neuroinformatics 2008, Sept. 7-9: The First Congress Dedicated To The Emerging Field Of Neuroinformatics
The first INCF Congress of Neuroinformatics will convene September 7-9 at the Stockholm City Conference Center in Stockholm. The emerging neuroinformatics field combines neuroscience and informatics research to develop advanced tools and approaches to understanding the structure and function of the brain.http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120598.php

vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

Low vitamin B12 level may cause brain shrinkage in old
Xinhua - China
9 (Xinhuanet)-- Low vitamin B12 level in old people may cause brain atrophy or shrinkage, according to a UK study in Tuesday's Neurology. ...
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-09/09/content_9867745.htm

Low Vitamin B-12 Seems To Cause Faster Brain Shrinkage
Methuselah Foundation - Washington,DC,USA
Keep up your vitamin B-12 levels so that your brain doesn't shrink any faster than it has to. Oh, and we really need gene therapies, stem cell therapies, ...
http://www.mprize.org/index.php?ctype=news&pagename=blogdetaildisplay&BID=2008095-08081753&detaildisplay=N
Health: Overweight Children
CBS 3 - Philadelphia,PA,USA
Older people who had higher vitamin B-12 levels... were six times less likely to experience brain shrinkage. Doctors say the nutrient can found in meat, ...
http://cbs3.com/local/overweight.children.obesity.2.812734.html
Neuromyelitis Optica Responds to Rituximab
LIVERPOOL, England -- Rituximab (Rituxan) appeared to be effective in slowing progression of neuromyelitis optica, but the drug is no panacea, researchers here said. full story
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/MultipleSclerosis/tb/10839

Low B12 Linked to Brain Atrophy
OXFORD, England -- Low levels of vitamin B 12 are associated with increased rates of brain atrophy in older people, researchers here said. full story
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Neurology/GeneralNeurology/tb/10835
Poor Sleep Elevates Fall Risk for Older Women
SAN FRANCISCO -- For older women, poor sleep at night may be an independent risk factor for falls, according to researchers here. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/PrimaryCare/SleepDisorders/tb/10838

http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=2028&l=15&ctl=DD61:961584531C0AE5128877C8E795A22769

Scientists uncover the key to controlling how stem cells develop
Laboratory Products News - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Drs Séguin and Rossant, along with their colleagues Dr Jonathan Draper of the Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute at McMaster University, and Dr Andras ...
http://www.labcanada.com/issues/ISArticle.asp?id=87987&issue=08072008
Hadassah Hospital Study Shows That Neural Cells Derived From Human ...
MarketWatch - USA
... that transplanted neural cells derived from human embryonic stem cells can reduce the clinical symptoms in animals with a form of multiple sclerosis. ...
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/hadassah-hospital-study-shows-neural/story.aspx?guid=%7B8A603512-F245-4B77-8F4A-999A389E9339%7D&dist=hppr

Tysabri

Latest FDA Report Highlights: 8 Drugs That Carry Potential Risks
Seeking Alpha - New York,NY,USA
In February 2005, Tysabri was voluntarily removed from the market after two cases of PML were reported. However, the FDA has recently issued a statement ...See all stories on this topic
http://seekingalpha.com/article/94557-latest-fda-report-highlights-8-drugs-that-carry-potential-risks

Elan's MS treatment listed as possibly harmful
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
By Ailish O'Hora ELAN'S Multiple Sclerosis treatment, Tysabri, has been added to a Federal Drug Administration (FDA) list of drugs currently being used by ...
http://www.independent.ie/business/world/elans-ms-treatment-listed-as-possibly-harmful-1472189.html

New Tysabri Trials Underway, Despite Serious Risks
Newsinferno.com - New York,NY,USA
Despite the fact that it has been tied to a deadly brain infection, and is being investigated for a possible link to melanoma, the makers of Tysabri are ...
http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/3778

Biogen, Elan start testing Tysabri as cancer treatment
SmartBrief - Washington,DC,USA
Biogen Idec and Elan began a Phase I/II clinical trial of Tysabri -- a multiple sclerosis drug -- as a treatment for multiple myeloma. ...
http://www.smartbrief.com/news/aabb/storyDetails.jsp?issueid=7CA933C4-C3F8-4011-90C5-F7709E18BC83&copyid=6C36E4D3-F1BB-4D3A-9BD8-1BD795B66243

Daily Living with MS

Dr. Myles

Associate Clinical Professor of Neurology at the University of Alberta
View BIO

Q :
I was diagnosed with MS in 2001, I go through episodes when breathing becomes difficult and will have to focus on getting a deep breath by yawning. I feel like I am suffocating but I know that I am not. Eating definitely aggravates the feeling. Any ideas on the cause and why I feel like this?
A :
Excessive yawning has been reported with a number of different neurologic conditions, including MS. In MS, it is believed to be due to involvement of the brainstem by MS plaques, yet it occurs only in a very small number of people with MS with brainstem involvement. Excessive yawning can also occur as a prodrome before migraine and this is actually fairly common so if you have headaches (migraine affects about 18 % of women and 6% of men in the population), watch for this connection. Excessive yawning can also occur with certain medications, including certain commonly used anti-depressants that work on serotonin (the SSRIs or selective serontonin reuptake inhibitors). The feeling of suffocating can sometimes be a symptom of anxiety. I am not sure why eating would aggravate the symptoms. It might be helpful to discuss these episodes in greater detail with your physician to determine if your MS, anxiety, medication side effects or some other medical condition is causing your symptoms.9/9/2008 9:09:15 PM
More answers from Dr. Mary Lou Myles
More answers in the category: Daily Living with MS

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=1783

vitamin D
Light shines on vitamin D deficiency epidemic
Scarlet Scuttlebutt - East Brunswick,NJ,USA
They still might be susceptible to an epidemic that's starting to gain the notice of pediatricians and bone doctors across the country: vitamin D deficiency ...
http://www.mycentraljersey.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/HEALTH/809090308/-1/newsfront

Food, Disease, and You
American Chronicle - Beverly Hills,CA,USA
Oranges, bell peppers, broccoli, and parsley are excellent sources of Vitamin C. Vitamin D deficiency that is associated with weak bones now has been ...
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=73577

Treat Seasonal Depression With Vitamin D Supplements
Corsavoo.com - Bastia,Corse,France
Luckily, we can easily treat seasonal depression with Vitamin D Supplementation. Believe it or not, the sun supplies our bodies with Vitamin D. When our ...
http://www.corsavoo.com/depression/0,2577,455085,00.html

Teens Should Increase Vitamin D Intake by 1000 Percent to Avoid ...
Natural News.com - Phoenix,AZ,USA
(NaturalNews) The vitamin D recommendations for older children should be raised by 10 times, according to a study conducted by researchers from the American ...
http://www.naturalnews.com/024099.html

Today's Top News

1. Salary survey shows big hike in scientists' pay

By John Carroll

U.S. life scientists are feeling somewhat flush these days. The Scientists' fifth annual salary survey shows that median compensation in the U.S. jumped 15 percent since 2006, rising from $74,000 to $85,000. As usual, industry scientists set the pace, at $107,000 a year compared to $77,900 for academics and private institutions. And a growing slice of the annual take-home is coming in the form of bonuses. Close to 12 percent of company pay is provided for bonuses now, compared to only 3.8 percent in 1991.

The salary survey also shows some big gaps between women and men in science. Female professors with 15 to 19 years experience earned a median salary of $126,000 compared to $164,000 for men. And the coasts offered more than anyplace in between. Tenured faculty earned $150,000 in California while the younger set of assistant professors can often earn more than $100,000 in Massachusetts.

- read the article from The Scientist

Also Noted

Stem Cell Research

A showdown between the board of the Australian Stem Cell Centre and the universities and research institutions that belong to it has led to the mass resignation of all board members. The exodus follows the firing of chief executive Stephen Livesey over their commercial direction. In announcing the move, the board said that the goal of becoming self-financing by 2011 was unrealistic. Report

Implanting embryonic stem cells into the brains of mice developed with MS halted progression of the disease. Story

The World Stem Cell Summit is headed to Madison, WI September 22 and 23. Story

Genetics

The Broad Institute has gained a $400 million endowment to further its work exploring the link between genetics and disease. Some 1,200 researchers at Harvard, MIT and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research work on Broad Institute projects. Report

After decades of often ineffective work in identifying which toxic therapies could attack cancer, powerful new gene sequencing machines are honing in on which genetic variations trigger cancer--offering a more targeted approach to finding new therapies. Researchers herald this as a new era in cancer research. Story

Scientists have uncovered new evidence that strengthens the link between a host-cell gene called Apobec3 and the production of neutralizing antibodies to retroviruses. Published in the Sept. 5 issue of Science, the finding adds a new dimension to the set of possible explanations for why most people who are infected with HIV do not make neutralizing antibodies that effectively fight the virus. Release

Cancer Research

A German-American scientific team has developed a new method to make gold nanoparticles that can be more effective at fighting cancer. By using ionic liquid as their medium of crystallization they eliminate the need for cytotoxic materials currently used to make the rod-shaped particles needed to kill tumor cells. Report

Reactivating the RUNX3 gene may slow colorectal cancer, according to a team of investigators in Singapore. Report

Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, may reduce serum levels of the prostate biomarker, PSA, and hence may alter the detection of prostate cancer in individuals who take these medications. Release

And Finally... A study of the Amish shows that plenty of physical activity can overcome a genetic propensity for fat. Article

BioMS Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gets FDA Fast Track - Human stem cells help mice in MS research

2008-09-08T19:53:00.001-07:00

BioMS Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gets FDA Fast Track
From Reuters Health - Sep 04, 2008
OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian biotechnology company BioMS Medical Corp said on Thursday its lead drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis was granted fast-track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Read Full Article Article Summary
http://emailactivity.ecn5.com/engines/linkfrom.aspx?b=129347&e=27513351&l=http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentvalue=1832201&contenttype=sentryarticle&channelID=30

BioMS Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gets FDA Fast Track

Reuters Health - Sep. 04, 2008

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian biotechnology company BioMS Medical Corp said on Thursday its lead drug for the treatment of multiple sclerosis was granted fast-track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Fast-track designation could help development and speed the review process of dirucotide, for the treatment of secondary progressive MS, now being evaluated in a U.S. Phase 3 trial.

The designation is reserved for products intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions with the potential to address unmet medical needs. Multiple sclerosis is caused by an immune attack against normal components of the central nervous system.

About 510 patients have been recruited for the company's U.S. trial at 68 sites and will receive either dirucotide (MBP8298) or a placebo intravenously every six months for two years.

BioMS signed a licensing and development deal with Eli Lilly in December for dirucotide, sending its shares 50 percent higher.

The arrangement gives Lilly worldwide rights to dirucotide and BioMS an upfront payment of $87 million with potential milestone payments of up to $410 million and escalating royalties on sales if the drug is approved.

The companies said they would collaborate on development of dirucotide, with Lilly responsible for future research and development, manufacturing and marketing.

BioMS Chief Executive Kevin Giese told Reuters that it hoped for approval of the compound in Canada and Europe by 2011 and in the United States by 2012.

Shares in BioMS closed at C$3.21 on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday. So far this year, the stock has dropped about 19 percent. ($1=$1.06 Canadian)

(Reporting by Susan Taylor, Editing by Frank McGurty)

Copyright © 2006 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.

http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentvalue=1832201&contenttype=sentryarticle&channelID=30#

Second Opinion: Botox can have uses beyond the cosmetic

The Sacramento Bee Sun, 07 Sep 2008 0:10 AM PDT
My health plan denied Botox injections for me, which were recommended by my neurologist in order to relieve severe muscle spasticity caused by multiple sclerosis.
http://www.sacbee.com/health/story/1211370.html

Trimesta

Natural Substance Knock Offs in the FDA Pipeline Could be Dangerous
Food Consumer - Lisle,IL,USA
Pipex Therapeutics is seeking approval for something called Trimesta. This is just a knock off of natural estriol, the very same substance that the FDA has ...
http://foodconsumer.org/7777/8888/C_onsumer_A_ffair_26/090606512008_Natural_Substance_Knock_Offs_in_the_FDA_Pipeline_Could_be_Dangerous.shtml

MN-166

MediciNova to Present At Merriman Curhan Ford's 5th Annual ...
MarketWatch - USA
... assets in its development pipeline: MN-221 for the treatment of acute exacerbations of asthma and MN-166 for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. ...
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/medicinova-present-merriman-curhan-fords/story.aspx?guid=%7BAD7B603A-CC42-4B31-A53F-7F900D37C8AC%7D&dist=hppr
Update on Relapsing-Remitting MS: B-cell Depletion with Rituximab

IIn this article review, Dr. Bruce Cree comments on a recent clinical trial that explored the use of rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against CD20+ B lymphocytes, as therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis.
Source: Projects In Knowledge [more]
http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=2023&l=15&ctl=DD2F:961584531C0AE512D8C0D0FBD0BA0109
Potential Mechanisms of the Human Polyomavirus JC in Neural ...

RedOrbit - Dallas,TX,USA
In addition to its occurrence as an AIDS- associated disorder, PML was also recently observed in patients with multiple sclerosis undergoing integrin ...
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1546181/potential_mechanisms_of_the_human_polyomavirus_jc_in_neural_oncogenesis/
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1546181/potential_mechanisms_of_the_human_polyomavirus_jc_in_neural_oncogenesis/

Diagnosis and Types of MS

Dr. Grand'Maison
MS Clinic Director – Neuro Rive-Sud
Greenfield Park, QC
View BIO
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Q :

I would like to know if the terms "lesion load," "disease burden" and "lesion volume" are interchangeable.

A :

“Lesion load", "disease burden" and "lesion volume" are often used interchangeably. They usually refer to the total volume of T2 lesions on an MRI scan. Accurate measurements of lesion volume are complex and time-consuming and are unfortunately not performed for clinical purposes, only for research purposes. Clinically, radiologists report on the number, size and localization of lesions as well as whether they meet Barkhoff's criteria for dissemination in space or in time.
9/8/2008 8:05:59 PM
More answers from Dr. François Grand'Maison
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=27&L=2
More answers in the category: Diagnosis and Types of MS
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionList.aspx?CID=3&L=2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2216

Pot-candy owner sentenced on federal drug charges

Martin said he joined the medical marijuana movement after seeing his father die painfully of prostate cancer in 2002 after a 10-year battle. His father
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/06/BAGS12OSPG.DTL

Dear Bill,

We Need YOUR Support To Help People Living With MS

There are only 3 days left to reach our online membership goal by September 10th.

Make your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift today.

As long as multiple sclerosis exists, we have to work even harder to keep people moving. Can you please help?

There are just three days left to reach our 1,500 online member goal before September 10th — click here to make your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift today.

As a 2008-2009 member, you will help us:

Fulfill our promise to achieve $35 million in research funding — the Promise: 2010 Campaign targets under-explored areas of promise, including a groundbreaking partnership to help children with MS.
Break down barriers to critical government programs — like Medicare, Social Security Disability, and Veterans Affairs Benefits — and drive support for disability rights that keep people with MS moving forward.
Invest in technology and tools to deliver programs and services to more people affected by MS, regardless of where they live.

Over 400,000 Americans live with the challenge of MS each day. And every hour, every day, someone else hears the words “you have multiple sclerosis.” Here at the National MS Society, we are doing everything in our power to find the cause and cure for MS.

Our continued success depends on the generous support of people like you — so don’t wait, make your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift today.

With your continued support, we are doing everything in our power to find the causes and cures for MS.

Warmly,

Weyman T. Johnson
Chairman, National MS Society Board of Directors
Diagnosed in 1990

P.S. If you’ve already sent your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift, thank you.

National MS Society

Society Store

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MS stops people from moving. The National MS Society exists to make sure it doesn’t.
We are a collective of passionate individuals, moving together to create a world free of MS.
JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Early and ongoing treatment with an FDA-approved therapy can make a difference for people with multiple sclerosis. Learn about your options by talking to your health care professional and contacting the National MS Society at www.nationalmssociety.org or 1-800-344-4867.
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stem cells

Trio wants Lions Club to back stem cell research
The Patriot-News - PennLive.com - Harrisburg,PA,USA
... about stem cell research. It started when Ted Anspach, a member of the Lions Club, went to Johns Hopkins for treatment for his multiple sclerosis. ...
http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/09/trio_wants_lions_club_to_back.html

PROGRESS IN SIGHT
The Patriot-News - PennLive.com - Harrisburg,PA,USA
Ted Anspach, who is being treated at Johns Hopkins for multiple sclerosis, is also lobbying the Lions to back stem cell research. Anspach said he is working ...
http://www.pennlive.com/news/patriotnews/index.ssf?/base/news/122083081158890.xml&coll=1

Human stem cells help mice in MS research
Jerusalem Post - Israel
... Human embryonic stem cells injected by Hadassah University Medical Center scientists in the brains of mice with an animal model of multiple sclerosis ...
http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1220802278350&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

More positive data for GW Pharma's Sativex
Pharma Times (subscription) - London,UK
... of its cannabis-based product Sativex which confirm the long-term efficacy of the drug in patients with neuropathic pain due to multiple sclerosis. ...
http://www.pharmatimes.com/WorldNews/article.aspx?id=14287

Teacher refuses to allow his illness to win
Charleston Daily Mail Mon, 08 Sep 2008 7:21 AM PDT
SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Two years ago, when things were especially difficult for Roger Samples - hfe was missing more school, having more episodes - a doctor told him to stop teaching. The teacher had multiple sclerosis, and the disorder was winning.Sam...
http://dailymail.com/rssFeeds/200809080206

Rising bills for new drugs are changing health insurance
Macon Telegraph Mon, 08 Sep 2008 0:12 AM PDT
Sally Garcia, a 53-year-old lawyer disabled by multiple sclerosis, was torn
http://www.macon.com/142/story/457341.html

Tuition-free medical school deluged with applicants
By Anne Zieger

At Harvard Medical School, there were 40.2 applicants for every open slot. At Yale University School of Medicine, faculty members accepted one student in 50.2, and Duke University School of Medicine admitted one in 53 prospective students. Then, there's the University of Central Florida College of Medicine. For its first class, it got 67.5 applicants for every open slot.

So, why is an as-yet unknown medical school in central Florida attracting such attention from first-rate students with high GPAs and MCAT scores yet? Actually, there are 160,000 reasons. UCF is taking the unprecedented step of offering accepted students $40,000 per year for four years to the 40 students admitted to its program. As of early September, the school had received more than 2,700 applicants for those 40 slots, small wonder given that most prospective doctors will graduate with average debt levels of about $140,000.

The scholarship was spearheaded by Dr. Deborah German, UCF College of Medicine's dean. Dr. German, who received a full scholarship to Harvard, wanted other students to have the advantage she had, so she fought to build a fund that could cover all incomings. After a long period of relentless fundraising, Dr. German pulled together $7 million in scholarship funds. Students will receive $20,000 per year for tuition and $20,000 for personal expenses.
To learn more about UCF's scholarship program:
- read this AMNews piece

http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,11tej,osy,lsix,2ts6,5ewk,1y5l

The science of happiness

By Marnell Jameson

Being happy has always seemed like a good idea. But now science, with research to back it up, can finally show us how to get there. >>

http://link.latimes.com/r/FGRUKJ/IQFB1/YCBFZN/37LR/7TFDC/4O/h

Multiple Sclerosis Treatments | BioMS Medical Corporation - Third Clinical Trial Shows Pine Bark Naturally Reduces Knee Osteoarthritis

2008-09-06T16:19:00.001-07:00

Welcome to BioMS Medical

BioMS Medical is a biotechnology company engaged in the development and commercialization of novel therapeutic technologies with emphasis on the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Learn More >

Global Trials

BioMS Medical is currently conducting late-stage clinical trials for its lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298), for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

MAESTRO-01 (phase III Canadian and European trial for secondary progressive MS)
MAESTRO-02 (open-label, follow-on trial for MAESTRO-01)
MAESTRO-03 (phase III U.S. trial for secondary progressive MS)
MINDSET-01 (phase II relapsing-remitting MS trial)

http://www.biomsmedical.com/

Things to Try if You Have MS: Vitamin B12
People with MS are much more likely to be deficient in vitamin B12. The thing about B12 is that, if you are even a little deficient, you can have symptoms like fatigue, depression and memory loss, making these familiar MS symptoms feel even worse.
Read more

MS Symptoms (Whether Anyone Believes It or Not)

Neurological Diseases May Be Caused By Fatal Protein Interactions
In a collaborative study at the University of California, San Diego, investigators from neurosciences, chemistry and medicine, as well as the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) have investigated how proteins involved in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease interact to form unique complexes.

Specific Brain Regions Show Increased Activity During Hallucinations
Ever seen or heard something that wasn't there? For most of us such experiences - termed hallucinations - are a normal, fleeting, brain glitch; yet for a few they are persistent, distressing and associated with a range of psychiatric, neurological and eye conditions.

FDA posts list of potential problem drugs

Tysabri testing underway
Boston Globe - United States
By Todd Wallack Biogen Idec Inc. still hopes to find new uses for its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri, even though some patients have contracted a ...

FDA posts list of potential problem drugs
The Associated Press -
One emerging concern that previously got little attention involved Tysabri, a newer, widely used multiple sclerosis drug. The FDA said it is investigating a ...

FDA posts list of drugs that may be unsafe
Los Angeles Times - CA,USA
Today's report includes the antidepressant Cymbalta and links to urinary retention; the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri and reports of melanoma skin cancer, ...

FDA Posts List Of Drugs With Potential Problems
RTT News - Williamsville,NY,USA
... which has the danger of naphylactic-type reactions, and the multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri, which has the possible issue with skin melanomas. ...

Drugs from Biogen, Eli Lilly on FDA review list
CNNMoney.com - USA
The FDA disclosed it is investigating reports of skin cancer with Biogen Idec Inc.'s multiple sclerosis treatment Tysabri. ...

FDA change worth watching
Investerms.com - Los Angeles,CA,USA
(NYSE: ELN) have their multiple scerosis treatment Tysabri under review. The pharmaceutical sector as a whole is not reacting to this development today, ...

US FDA lists drugs under safety probes
guardian.co.uk - UK
Biogen spokeswoman Shannon Altimari said two cases of melanoma were reported in Tysabri patients in February in the New England Journal of Medicine. ...

Research

Dr. Kalb

Director of the Professional Resource Center at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in New York City, NY
View BIO

Q :

Are there any studies that show stress or traumatic events can cause MS or make it worse?

A :

In spite of numerous studies in this area, the relationship between stress and the onset or worsening of MS remains unclear. The challenge lies in the fact that stress is a complex phenomenon that includes a variety of factors, each of which may be experienced differently by different people. This challenge has been further complicated by the fact that the studies have defined and measured stress in different ways.

Most of the early studies found no relationship between stressful life events and the onset or progression of MS. Recent studies, however, have suggested that a relationship might exist. People with MS are more likely to report a stressful event of some kind prior to their first MS symptom than are people with other disorders. A study in Denmark found that parents who had lost a child were at greater risk of developing MS than parents who had not.

There have also been studies showing that stress increases the risk of exacerbations.The relationship isn’t at all clear, however, since studies have also demonstrated that not all stresses are alike in their impact. It appears, for example, that more moderate but chronic stresses, including ongoing marital distress or problems on the job, may increase a person’s risk of exacerbation more than a severe, negative life event such as the death of a family member. In one study in Israel, for example, clinical trial participants with MS had fewer exacerbations during the Persian Gulf War (while under actual or threatened missile attacks) and for the two-month period thereafter then they had at other times. David Mohr and his colleagues studied people with MS who received MRI scans every four weeks for 28–100 weeks, and found that increased stress due to ongoing conflict and disruption in daily routine increased the risk of developing a new brain lesion eight weeks later, while major life events did not.

Although it appears that stress may have some effect on MS disease processes, we still do not understand what the relationship might be, or why the impact of stress differs from one person to another. People living with MS need to find comfortable ways to manage the inevitable stresses of daily life; efforts to rid one’s life of stress can only lead to further stress!
9/6/2008 6:26:03 PM
More answers from Dr. Rosalind Kalb
More answers in the category: Research
For more information related to this topic, please click Research Page

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=21

A Tale of Twin Cities
Galen Institute - Alexandria,VA,USA
... Emmy Award-winning talk show host Montel Williams, who spoke about the pain and daily challenges of his 20-year struggle with multiple sclerosis. ...

Third Clinical Trial Shows Pine Bark Naturally Reduces Knee Osteoarthritis
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), osteoarthritis, the most common type of arthritis, is on the rise. A new study published in the August journal of Phytotherapy Research, reveals Pycnogenol, bark extract from the French maritime pine tree, reduced overall knee osteoarthritis (OA) symptoms by 20.9 percent and lowered pain by 40.3 percent. To date, this is the third clinical trial on osteoarthritis treatment with Pycnogenol. This study investigated what happens to joint symptoms after treatment with Pycnogenol is terminated and the results show that no relapse occurred after two weeks. Pycnogenol acts as potent anti-inflammatory and the lasting effects found in this study suggest that Pycnogenol may help the joints to recover.

"The anti-inflammatory potency of Pycnogenol explains the success in lowering joint pain and stiffness for arthritic joints," said Rohdewald. "After three recent clinical studies on osteoarthritis, Pycnogenol continues to demonstrate its effectiveness for osteoarthritis symptoms making it a viable, natural and safe alternative for individuals. This is the first study that investigated whether a relapse of symptoms occurs after taking Pycnogenol is stopped. The results show a lasting effect after discontinuation which suggest the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of Pycnogenol has allowed the joints to recover."

In another study this year (also published in the journal of Phytotherapy Research), Pycnogenol was shown to reduce osteoarthritis symptoms by 56 percent. Moreover, patients required 58 percent less standard pain medication, which greatly improved the gastrointestinal complications resulting from the pain medication by 63 percent. Last year, a study on osteoarthritis carried out at the University of Arizona Tucson (published in Nutrition Research) discovered that Pycnogenol was effective for improving pain and joint function. After three months in the Pycnogenol group, there was a reduction of 43 percent in pain, 35 percent in stiffness and 52 percent in physical function subscales, respectively. The placebo group showed no significant scores throughout the entire study.

About Pycnogenol®
Pycnogenol® is a natural plant extract originating from the bark of the maritime pine that grows along the coast of southwest France and is found to contain a unique combination of procyanidins, bioflavonoids and organic acids, which offer extensive natural health benefits. The extract has been widely studied for the past 35 years and has more than 220 published studies and review articles ensuring safety and efficacy as an ingredient. Today, Pycnogenol® is available in more than 600 dietary supplements, multi-vitamins and health products worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.pycnogenol.com/.

Natural Health Science Inc. (NHS), based in Hoboken, New Jersey, is the North American distributor for Pycnogenol® (pic-noj-en-all) brand French maritime pine bark extract on behalf of Horphag Research. Pycnogenol® is a registered trademark of Horphag Research Ltd., Guernsey, and its applications are protected by U.S. patents #5,720,956 / #6,372,266 and other international patents. NHS has the exclusive rights to market and sell Pycnogenol® in North America and benefits from more than 35 years of scientific research assuring the safety and efficacy of Pycnogenol® as a dietary supplement. For more information about Pycnogenol® visit our Web site at http://www.pycnogenol.com/.

Source: Melanie Nimrodi
MWW Group
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120343.php

Opexa Therapeutics And Myelin Repair Foundation Partner On Novel Multiple Sclerosis Research Program - Biogen to test Tysabri as a cancer treatment

2008-09-05T22:15:00.001-07:00

Opexa Therapeutics And Myelin Repair Foundation Partner On Novel Multiple Sclerosis Research Program
Medical News Today Fri, 05 Sep 2008 6:17 AM PDT
Opexa Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:OPXA), a company dedicated to the development of patient-specific cellular therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and diabetes, announced the establishment of a novel MS research partnership with the Myelin Repair Foundation, Inc. (MRF).http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/120376.php

Opexa, Myelin Repair partner on sclerosis research programme
PharmaBiz Fri, 05 Sep 2008 3:39 AM PDT
Opexa Therapeutics, Inc, a company dedicated to the development of patient-specific cellular therapies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and diabetes, announced the establishment of a novel MS research partnership with the Myelin Repair Foundation, Inc (MRF). As part of this collaboration, Opexa and the MRF will work to identify therapeutically relevant ...
http://www.pharmabiz.com/article/detnews.asp?articleid=45947

Pregabalin as Efficacious as Naltrexone in Alcohol Dependence but Superior in Patients With Psychiatric Comorbidity: Presented at ECNP

(DGDispatch) http://www.docguide.com/gpc.nsf/doc?CreateDocument&n=22&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&t=00-00-00;AM&l=email-09-04-2008w&u=/redirect.nsf/we_link?OpenForm&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&ntype=int&newsid=852571020057CCF6852574B6007A90FC

Biogen to test Tysabri as a cancer treatment
Bizjournals.com - Charlotte,NC,USA
Biogen Idec has begun testing the multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri as a treatment for blood cancer. Cambridge, Mass.-based Biogen (Nasdaq: BIIB) and ...
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/09/01/daily34.html

Biogen’s battered MS drug in cancer treatment trials
Mass High Tech - MA, USA
By Mass High Tech Staff Cambridge biotech Biogen Idec and Irish drug partner Elan Corp. began testing their multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri in a phase 2/3 ...
http://www.masshightech.com/stories/2008/09/01/daily51-Biogens-battered-MS-drug-in-cancer-treatment-trials.html

Biogen Idec and Elan Corp Announce Start of Trials with Tysabri as ...
Network Médica - Buenos Aires,Argentina
Elan Corp PLC and Biogen Idec Inc announced the start of Phase I/II trials with Tysabri, their multiple scelerosis and Crohn´s disease drug, with the goal ...
http://en.networkmedica.com/noticia/seccion/128/articulo/20985/Biogen_Idec_and_Elan_Corp_Announce_Start_of_Trials_with_Tysabri_as_Cancer_Treatment.html

Elan and Biogen Idec Initiate First Clinical Trial of TYSABRI® in ...
elEconomista.es - Madrid,Madrid,Spain
The first dose of TYSABRI was administered yesterday in the trial. The objectives of this Phase I/II study are to evaluate the safety and potential ...
http://www.eleconomista.es/empresas-finanzas/noticias/736123/09/08/Elan-and-

Biogen Idec testing Tysabri as a cancer treatment
Boston Globe - United States
Tysabri is already approved for treating multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, but there have been setbacks. Tysabri was originally launched in 2004 but ...
http://www.boston.com/business/ticker/2008/09/biogen_idec_tes.html

Biogen and Elan start testing Tysabri in cancer
Forbes - NY,USA
PLC said they have started the first clinical trial of their multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease drug Tysabri as a treatment for cancer. ...
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/09/05/ap5392590.html

Elan, Biogen launch Tysabri trial in oncology
Reuters UK - UK
I: Quote, Profile, Research) have launched the first clinical trial of their multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri for patients with relapsed or refractory ...
http://uk.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNews/idUKWLA907820080905

Tysabri clinical study underway
Hays Pharma - London,Greater London,UK
Elan Corporation and Biogen Idec have announced that the first clinical trial of Tysabri has begun. The phase-one and phase-two studies seek to assess the ...
http://www.hayspharma.com/news/news-item/18765851

Elan, Biogen launch Tysabri trial in oncology
Reuters - USA
I: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) have launched the first clinical trial of their multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri for patients with relapsed or ...
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSWLA907820080905

Market Report -- In Play (WIRES)
MSN Money - USA
On The Wires Elan (ELN) and Biogen Idec (BIIB) announce the initiation of the first clinical trial of TYSABRI in oncology; the first dose of TYSABRI was ...
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?feed=BCOM&date=20080905&id=9106101

Symptoms and Management

Dr. Devonshire

Director of the University of British Columbia MS Clinic

View BIO

Q :

I have been diagnosed with MS and I experience a feeling of having bands around my legs. I am a science major and understand the cause of MS but I am curious to what EXACTLY causes these bands.
(physiology)

A :

Banding is a common, but often overlooked MS symptom. It feels like there is something tight around a limb or trunk. The muscles are not actually tight, nor is there any swelling. The sensation of banding is seen in both in MS and spinal cord injury, We therefore assume that the anatomic localization for banding is lesions of the spinal cord. Although the exact physiology is not known, it is likely a form of reduced or altered sensory messaging from the spinal cord to the area of the brain that perceives sensation. Something similar would be the way your face feel ”fat” when you have dental freezing.
9/5/2008 10:05:52 PM

More answers from Dr. Virginia Devonshire
More answers in the category: Symptoms and Management

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2213

Update on Relapsing-Remitting MS: B-cell Depletion with Rituximab
IIn this article review, Dr. Bruce Cree comments on a recent clinical trial that explored the use of rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against CD20+ B lymphocytes, as therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis.
Source: Projects In Knowledge
http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=2020&l=15&ctl=DCE0:961584531C0AE512FC05815C81B36A4B

Accelerated Cure Project informal status for the month of August 2008

>>> Research
Repository:
o As of the end of August, we had enrolled 1294 subjects into our
repository.
o We distributed data from our repository database to Alan Ruttenberg
of ScienceCommons, who is developing methods for structuring and
analyzing data and would like to apply these methods to better
understanding MS.
o We received one new proposal for use of repository samples and data
and are currently reviewing it.
o Sara, Art and Hollie had a phone call with Phil DeJager and Ben
Greenberg about potential future collaborations.
o Hollie talked with Silke Schmidt from Duke University to get her
advice about using our repository for gene/environment studies.
o Hollie and Art spoke with Nancy Barrand and Theresa Dixon of the
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, who wanted to know more about the
repository.
Other Science Efforts:
o A newly updated version of our MS genetic studies database has been
posted and can be found here:
http://www.acceleratedcure.org/downloads/phase2-genetic-studies.xls
o Hollie and Art had lunch with scientific advisor Maria Lopez-Bresnahan
to learn about her new job at i3 Research.
>>> Education
o Poll - What is your natural hair color?
http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org/node/3367
o We continue our daily MS News updates
http://msnews.acceleratedcure.org
>>> Fundraising
o Nothing new to report
>>> Community Building
o As always, a few more T-shirt pictures are available:
http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/tshirt.php
>>> Upcoming Events
Detailed information about all of our upcoming events can be found on
our web site:

http://www.acceleratedcure.org/events/calendar.php

Statin Therapy Underused in Elderly Patients With Atherosclerosis
CHICAGO -- August 28, 2008 -- Use of statin therapy to combat the adverse cardiovascular outcomes from atherosclerosis is underused is elders, according to new research published in the September 2008 issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery. In a 10-year population-based study (1995-2005) of 343,154 elderly patients in Ontario, ...Full Story
http://www.docguide.com/gpc.nsf/doc?

CreateDocument&n=22&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&t=00-00-00;AM&l=email-09-04-2008w&u=/redirect.nsf/we_link?OpenForm&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&ntype=int&newsid=852571020057CCF6852574B3006FC9C9

Mental Skills Decline in Elders Years Before Death, Even Without Dementia

(DGNews)
http://www.docguide.com/gpc.nsf/doc?CreateDocument&n=22&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&t=00-00-00;AM&l=email-09-04-2008w&u=/redirect.nsf/we_link?OpenForm&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&ntype=int&newsid=852571020057CCF6852574B3006F9DCB
Treadmill Exercise Retrains Brain and Body of Stroke Victims, Even Years After Stroke

(DGNews) http://www.docguide.com/gpc.nsf/doc?CreateDocument&n=22&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&t=00-00-00;AM&l=email-09-04-2008w&u=/redirect.nsf/we_link?OpenForm&id=66B03AF3258F523F85256FAA0021D865&ntype=int&newsid=852571020057CCF6852574B4004955BA

FDA 'fast track' granted to BioMS Medical for lead drug, dirucotide for the treatment of multiple sclerosis - BioMS Medical's lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298) for the treatment ...

2008-09-05T03:22:00.001-07:00

BioMS Medical's lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298) for the treatment ...
Canada NewsWire (press release) - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
"Based on previous clinical results, we believe dirucotide is well-positioned to become a first-in-class treatment for secondary progressive MS patients, ...

FDA 'fast track' granted to BioMS Medical for lead drug, dirucotide for the treatment of multiple sclerosis
News-Medical-Net Thu, 04 Sep 2008 6:10 AM PDT
BioMS Medical Corp has announced that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States has granted fast track designation for the Company's lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298), for the treatment of secondary progressive MS (SPMS). Dirucotide (MBP8298) is currently being evaluated in a U.S. pivotal phase III trial, named MAESTRO-03, at 68 sites with approximately 510 patients.

BioMS says its lead drug has received a fast-track designation from the FDA
The Canadian Press via Yahoo! Canada News Thu, 04 Sep 2008 7:18 AM PDT
EDMONTON - Drug developer BioMS Medical Corp. said Thursday the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had granted its lead multiple sclerosis compound "fast track" status, which may expedite the drug's review process.

MS Market Is Estimated To Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion In 2008, With A Growth Rate Of 10.6% Year-On-Year
Medical News Today Thu, 04 Sep 2008 6:12 AM PDT
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "CNS Drug Discoveries: Multiple Sclerosis Chapter" report to their offering. This chapter of CNS Drug Discoveries focuses on the multiple sclerosis market.

MS Market Is Estimated To Be Worth Almost US$8B In 2008, With A Growth Rate Of 10.6% Year-On-Year
PharmaceuticalOnline Thu, 04 Sep 2008 3:59 AM PDT
Research and Markets has announced the addition of the "CNS Drug Discoveries: Multiple Sclerosis Chapter" report to their offering.

Regulatory Immune Cells Not Defective In Multiple Sclerosis
Medical News Today Thu, 04 Sep 2008 6:11 AM PDT
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that causes neurodegeneration, resulting in numerous physical and mental disabilities. It is thought to be caused by out of control immune cells that attack the proteins that make up the protective sheath in which nerve cells are encased.

Multiple Sclerosis - Jeffery D. Kocsis, Ph.D. And Wayne State Graduate To Receive The Da Vinci Lifetime Achievement ...
Medical News Today Wed, 03 Sep 2008 6:09 PM PDT
Dr. Jeffery D. Kocsis is to receive the da Vinci Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Michigan Chapter. Dr. Kocsis received his Ph.D. in 1976 from Wayne State University and has a long history of research and publications on transplantation-based approaches for protecting and repairing nerve functions in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Dr.

Opexa partners with foundation to study multiple sclerosis biomarkers
SmartBrief - Washington,DC,USA
Opexa hopes that the research will bolster the development of diagnostics and its Tovaxin -- a cellular vaccine undergoing clinical trials -- for MS ...

Multiple Sclerosis - Jeffery D. Kocsis, Ph.D. And Wayne State ...
Medical News Today (press release) - UK
Dr. Kocsis and his team from the Yale University School of Medicine have shown that injecting cells that form myelin including human bone marrow stem cells ...

Other News To Note
TMCnet - USA
Under the terms of its collaboration with Opexa, the foundation will receive and analyze patient samples and clinical data from Opexa's Phase IIb study with ...

Montel Williams MS Foundation announces recipients of 2008 ...
EurekAlert (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
3, 2008 ─ Continuing its commitment to furthering the scientific study of Multiple Sclerosis, The Montel Williams MS Foundation announces the recipients of ...

'Sharing Miracles' Television Program to Feature Emmy Award ...
Earthtimes (press release) - London,UK
Finally in 1999, Williams was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. His prognosis at the time was not good; in this month's episode, he says the doctor ...

Clinical Briefs
U.S. Medicine - Washington,DC,USA
Trial participants included both patients new to HBV therapy (375) and patients (51) who had received prior nucleoside treatment. ...

Identifying and Addressing Safety Signals in Clinical Trials
New England Journal of Medicine (subscription) - MA,USA
... leukoencephalopathy were identified in randomized trials evaluating natalizumab (Tysabri) in patients with multiple sclerosis and Crohn's disease, ...

Symptoms and Management

Dr. Short

Medical Chair Neurorehabilitation Program QEII Health Sciences Centre
View BIO

Q :

I have had MS for 4 years now and have been having some issues with balance lately. Should I be seeing my Neurologist? I don't think do I just have to wait it out don’t I?

A :

If you are having any new symptoms you should always be reassessed by a physician. You could start with your family physician as there are things besides MS that can cause decreased balance. If it does seem to be you MS a visit to your neurologist would be a good idea. You may not need to change your MS treatment as far a medication but you may benefit from other therapies such as a physiotherapy program for balance and lower extremity strengthening that may help with your balance and overall mobility. The physiotherapist referral can be generated by your neurologist or family doctor or if you are followed by a physiatrist (specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation).
9/5/2008 4:41:14 AM

Is the common cold becoming a killer?

03 September 2008
Debora MacKenzie
Magazine issue 2672

IN APRIL last year, Paige Villers was finishing basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas when she came down with a cold. She struggled to shake it off. Then came a prolonged battle with pneumonia, followed by an immune over-reaction that killed her.

"She had symptoms that just looked like a cold or the flu," Villers's mother told reporters. "You hear of people dying of pneumonia, but it's usually older people. Not a 19-year-old in the prime of her life."

It turned out that Villers had been infected by an adenovirus, a family of viruses that normally causes no more than a common cold. But this virus was a nasty new strain called Ad14, which killed at least 140 people in the US in 2007. The real toll may well have be much higher, as the viruses behind such deaths are rarely diagnosed.

The emergence of Ad14 ...

The complete article is 1734 words long.

http://www.newscientist.com/channel/health/mg19926721.900?DCMP=NLC-nletter&nsref=mg19926721.900

Natural birth 'may aid baby bond'

Natural birth may make mothers more responsive

Mothers who give birth naturally are more responsive to the cry of their baby than those who choose to have a Caesarean, American research suggests.

Brain scans on 12 new mothers soon after birth found more activity in areas linked to motivation and emotions in those who had a vaginal delivery.

The Yale University team says differences in the hormones generated by birth could be the key.

The women in this study were those who elected to have a Caesarean.

There is no doubt that many women who have a caesarean turn out to be wonderful mothers.

Professor James Walker
Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

The contractions which are an essential part of a natural birth trigger the release of the hormone oxytocin, which is thought to play a key role in shaping maternal behaviour.

However, undergoing a Caesarean does not trigger the same release of hormones.

The procedure has been linked to an increased risk of post-natal depression.

The Yale team carried out brain scans on 12 women two to four weeks after they had given birth - known as the early postpartum period.

Half had a Caesarean, the other half gave birth naturally.

The differences in brain activity were found in regions that not only appeared to influence a mother's response to her child, but also to regulate her mood.

Lead researcher Dr James Swain said the study, reported in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, might help provide a better understanding of the chemistry underpinning the attachment between a mother and her baby.

"Our results support the theory that variations in delivery conditions such as with caesarean section, which alters the neurohormonal experiences of childbirth, might decrease the responsiveness of the human maternal brain in the early postpartum."

Personality factors

Professor James Walker, a spokesman for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "We have long recognised that people who have a caesarean section do sometimes have some problems bonding with their baby."

Women who have a Caesarean section should be encouraged to cuddle their newborn against their skin straight after birth

Belinda Phipps
National Childbirth Trust

However, Professor Walker said the reason for this was unclear. In some instances, it might be related to clinical difficulties which made a caesarean necessary in the first place.

The latest study selected only women who opted for an elective Caesarean alongside the six who gave birth naturally, but Professor Walker said there might be specific personality characteristics within the former group which made maternal bonding more difficult.

He said it was also possible that women who had a Caesarean were slightly disengaged from the birth process in comparison to those who went through a natural delivery.

Professor Walker said there were no long-term studies assessing whether mothers who had a Caesarean had longer-term problems bonding their baby.

"There is no doubt that many women who have a Caesarean turn out to be wonderful mothers," he said.

Contact

Belinda Phipps, of the National Childbirth Trust, said: "Bonding between a mother and baby is highly important and responding to a new baby's cry is a key part of maternal attachment.

"Women who have a Caesarean section should be encouraged to cuddle their newborn against their skin straight after birth and be offered practical support to help them fed and care for their baby."

Between 10% and 20% of all births in the UK are now delivered by Caesarean.

There is concern that too many women opt for an elective Caesarean, a major surgical procedure, with a risk of side effects.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7594282.stm

Wake Forest Doctors Working On Pill For Multiple Sclerosis

2008-09-03T22:22:00.001-07:00

Wake Forest Doctors Working On Pill For Multiple Sclerosis
WFMY News 2 - Greensboro,NC,USA
Doctors say they're they're working on that answer with a pill called Laquinimod. It's in clinical trials right now, but doctors want to stress that it's ...

New Cases of Brain Infection Linked to Tysabri
InjuryBoard.com - Tampa,FL,USA
The multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri has been linked to two new cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in Europe. ...

Opexa Therapeutics and Myelin Repair Foundation Partner on Novel ...
MarketWatch - USA
"Through our collaboration with Opexa and our analysis of patient samples from the Tovaxin Phase IIb study, we hope to discover novel therapeutic, ...

OPXA: Research Partnership w/Myelin Repair Foundation
Trading Markets (press release) - Los Angeles,CA,USA
... important insight to support the continued development of Tovaxin(R), Opexa's T-cell vaccine currently in Phase IIb clinical testing in MS patients. ...

Allos Therapeutics to Present at the 3rd Annual Citi Biotech Day
Centre Daily Times - Centre,PA,USA
WESTMINSTER, Colo. — Allos Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALTH), a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative small ...

Auction to benefit neurodegenerative disease research
News Transcript Tue, 02 Sep 2008 4:43 PM PDT
A live auction of fine art, sports memorabilia, music memorabilia and more, hosted by the Brandeis National Committee Harmony Chapter, will be held at Eagle Ridge Golf Club, 2 Augusta Blvd., Lakewood, Sept. 11. All funds raised will benefit the Science Laboratory Fund for research in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, multiple sclerosis and others.

Treatment

Dr. Girard

Neurologist, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital (CHUM)in Montreal, QC
View BIO

Q :

I’ve had secondary progressive MS for 16 years. Last year I was taking glatirmer acetate (Copaxone) every day. My neurologist thinks it is not a good idea to continue this treatment. I am now taking it twice a day because I wanted to continue. I’d like to know why this treatment provides neuronal protection for relapsing-remitting forms of MS, while it’s less effective for the progressive forms. Isn’t the protection of neurons the same?

A :

According to certain studies, it is indeed true that Copaxone seems to have a certain neuronal protective effect. In spite of that, Copaxone does not ensure complete protection against axonal degeneration. Several studies have shown that Copaxone is unfortunately not as effective on progressive forms of MS, whether primary or secondary. This lack of efficacy is also true for other immunomodulators such as interferons. Your neurologist is right to question the relevance of continuing to Copaxone in your case.
9/3/2008 9:30:45 PM
More answers from Dr. Marc Girard
More answers in the category: Treatment

DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that this information does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MS Society of Canada, and is not intended as medical advice. For specific advice and opinion, always consult a physician.
© 2008 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada | www.mssociety.ca

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=331

Daily Living with MS

Dr. Yeung

Director MS Clinical Trials Research Unit Foothills MS Clinic, Calgary
View BIO

Q :

Do you think the increase rate of women with MS while incidence rates in men have remained stable could be linked to the overall changes of women’s roles in society? Patterns of child birth, oral contraception and additional pressures on work stress have all changed dramatically in that period and there is some evidence suggesting pregnancy hormones can reverse or delay MS activity.

A :

The increasing rate of MS in women is a relatively recent observation. The underlying cause of this is unknown, but is being investigated by researchers such as Dr. D. Sadovnick in Vancouver.
9/3/2008 9:52:12 PM
More answers from Dr. Michael Yeung
More answers in the category: Daily Living with MS

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2182

Multiple Sclerosis

In the Spotlight | More Topics |
from Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D.

Some experts say that doctors can throw out all of the questionnaires and complicated diagnostic criteria that they use to determine if someone is depressed and just ask one or two questions: "Have you lost interest in things that you used to be interested in?" and "Have you felt depressed or sad much of the time?"

Apparently, a "yes" answer to one or both of these is a pretty good indicator of depression. However, what about the person suffering from fatigue related to multiple sclerosis (MS)? I can tell you that when I am fatigued (around 11:00 am on muggy July mornings, for instance), I sure as heck have no interest in anything except feeling better - and, damn straight, I am sad about it. Sometimes this feeling lasts for days on end. Last summer it was months in a row without relief.

Is this depression? Is this fatigue? Is it a combination? I guess what is hard here is not just seeking a diagnosis, but determining how to treat the problem - I think depression should be treated by psychiatrists, plain and simple. However, how many of them specialize in MS and would have a general understanding of what the physiological effects of MS-related fatigue are? If you are unfamiliar with the fatigue induced by MS, it sounds rather unbelievable (and, frankly, falls right along the lines of many of the depression symptoms).

Anyway, the point of all of this is that while there are treatments for both fatigue and depression, treating either or both of these in the patient with MS takes some skill and patience to get right. Remember, this is not your fault. Take care of yourselves.

In the Spotlight

MS-Related Fatigue
I probably don't have to tell anyone reading this that the fatigue that comes with MS is beyond what anyone could really believe possible without experiencing it. It is the most life-sapping, soul-crushing feeling there is. And, yes - just to reiterate - it is depressing.

Read the full articles:

MS-Related Depression
I know that much of depression is "organic," coming from chemical or other imbalances in the brain. However, I can also say that it is very lonely sometimes to have MS-related fatigue and feel desperate and misunderstood. Read the full article: Depression as a

Symptom of MS

Treating MS-Related Fatigue and Depression
On a more positive note, there are treatments available for both depression and fatigue. It might take awhile to find the right concoction or mix of therapies. You may find that exercise helps or that "talk therapy" is useful. Whatever the solution might eventually be, don't stop until you feel better. You can get relief.

Read the full articles:

"HiCy" relieves MS symptoms

2008-09-03T01:45:00.001-07:00

Update on Relapsing-Remitting MS: B-cell Depletion with Rituximab
IIn this article review, Dr. Bruce Cree comments on a recent clinical trial that explored the use of rituximab, a monoclonal antibody directed against CD20+ B lymphocytes, as therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis.
Source: Projects In Knowledge [more]
http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=2006&l=15&ctl=DB6C:961584531C0AE5126CFF4A85DF5E0100

MS Market is Estimated to Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion in 2008 ...
MarketWatch - USA
Orchestra Therapeutic's NeuroVax targets three proteins expressed on T-cell receptors whilst Opexa Therapeutics' Tovaxin uses attenuated autologous cells to ...

Woman living with MS urges education
Morehead News - Morehead,KY,USA
There are four types of MS: Relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis, Primary-progressive multiple sclerosis (also called PPMS), Secondary-progressive ...

New Quality Assurance On The Way For Health And Social Care Information, UK
The MS Society has been chosen by the Department of Health from over 120 applications to participate in the testing phase of a new scheme to ensure good quality information across the health and social care sector.

Teva Initiates Phase III Study To Confirm Increased Efficacy Of ...
By Phil(Phil)
About Multiple Sclerosis Multiple Sclerosis (MS) be the intervening organize to of neurological disability in childlike adults. It is inexact that 400000 relations in the United States be wooden with this illness, ...

Symptoms and Management

Dr. Murray

Professor Emeritus of Medicine (Neurology)
View BIO

Q :

I was diagnosed with MS about 12 years ago and over time have noticed that my symptoms are much improved on the first day of my period. Is there any research into the impact of hormone level fluctuation on MS?

A :

The observation that symptoms of MS might improve on the first day of a menstrual period may again demonstrate the way the disease has very individual effects on each person. This is an interesting but unusual observation, as most women note no difference with their periods and those who do usually complain that their symptoms are worse in the days prior to a period.

As to hormonal research in MS, there has been a lot of study as some observations have been long noted - MS relapses are decreased during pregnancy, and increased in the three to six months post-partum; and as mentioned some women note worsening of symptoms before a period. Also, there has been interest in some estrogen compounds as potential therapy for MS, and there are some studies now underway. Hormonal connections and their feed- back mechanisms are very complex, so our understanding of the possibilities here for improvement and worsening are very incomplete.

In the course of investigations of MS characteristics we always find some people who seem to have differences or even opposite responses and these are not only interesting, but may be informative, so keeping a close record of these could be important.
9/2/2008 11:10:38 PM

More answers from Dr. Jock Murray
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=32&L=2
More answers in the category: Symptoms and Management
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionList.aspx?CID=10&L=2
DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that this information does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MS Society of Canada, and is not intended as medical advice. For specific advice and opinion, always consult a physician.
© 2008 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada | www.mssociety.ca
http://www.mssociety.ca
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2181

Newsletter
September 2008

Connect with others whose lives are affected by MS, like songwriter Mark Gilligan.

read his story
and many others

The average onset of symptoms is between 30 and 35 years of age. Most people are diagnosed with MS between 20 and 50.

more facts

Society-funded Study Shows Evidence of Nerve Regeneration within MS Lesions

more news

Research News

The Hunt Is On!
A recent study proved what many people with MS suspected: genes play a role in making people susceptible to the disease. Now the hunt for genetic MS triggers is expanding — and the Society is helping.
Read more >>

Getting Results

Much Music; More Money
MS activists in New Jersey have become impresarios, raising millions with an annual concert. This year Smokey Robinson headlined, but the real news was how many people with MS the program will support.
Read more >>

Moving Forward

Scolarship Program
This fall Laura Hermanns started college with a four-year Presidential Scholarship from the Society. She credits her father Walter, who lives with MS, as being a great influence. Read more about Laura and other Society scholars >>

Get Involved

2008-2009 Membership Drive
Help us reach our goal so we can help people with MS reach theirs. Your gift today will help us reach our goal — 1,500 new members online by midnight on September 10th. Make your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift today!

This communication is partially sponsored through the generous support of Biogen Idec, EMD Serono, Inc. and Pfizer, Inc.

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JOIN THE MOVEMENT

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Study: Direct-to-Consumer Ads May Be Waste of Cash
Pharma may be throwing away billions of dollars on ad campaigns in the U.S., according to a probe into the effectiveness of media blitzes to promote a drug directly with the public. "People tend to think that if direct-to-consumer advertising wasn't effective, Pharma wouldn't be doing it," said the study's leader. "But as it turns out, decisions to market directly to consumers are based on scant data." To overcome that, the study's leader went to Canada to study the English-speaking population, who are exposed to DTC advertising from the U.S. versus the French, who are not.
http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1831148&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33

Study: Direct-to-Consumer Ads May Be Waste of Cash

AFP World News / English - Sep. 02, 2008
PARIS, Sept 2, 2008 (AFP) -
Big Pharma may be throwing away billions of dollars on ad campaigns in the United States, according to a probe into the effectiveness of media blitzes to promote a drug directly with the public.

In 1997, the United States lifted a ban on prescription-drug ads that are pitched directly at the public rather than at doctors or other health professionals.
The change prompted pharmaceutical companies to invest heavily in retail advertising, and annual spending in this sector now averages more than five billion dollars (four billion euros).
Advocates of direct-to-public drug advertising say it raises awareness and encourages the treatment of neglected conditions.
Critics counter that it artificially drives up demand for expensive novel drugs that have not been tested over the long haul.

Both sides, though, have assumed that the marketing technique works -- but the new study suggests they have got it flat wrong.
"People tend to think that if direct-to-consumer advertising wasn't effective, Pharma wouldn't be doing it," said Harvard Medical School professor Stephen Soumerai, who led the investigation.
"But as it turns out, decisions to market directly to consumers are based on scant data."

Even when sales increase, it has been nearly impossible to isolate the impact of targeting consumers from, say, marketing campaigns directed at doctors and health professionals.

Ideally, one would want to compare two otherwise identical populations before and after one of them is exposed to direct-to-consumer ads for certain drugs in order to measure the difference.
In the United States that is not possible, so Soumerai came up with a clever idea: Canada.

Direct-to-consumer ads for prescription drugs are illegal north of the US border, but English-speaking Canadians are still massively exposed to pharma advertising on American television and radio, and in US magazines.

Their French-speaking neighbours in the Canadian province of Quebec, however, are not, which provided the investigators with a useful group for making a comparison.
The study focused on three drugs: Enbrel, for arthritis; Nasonex, for allergies; and Zelnorm, for irritable bowel syndrome.

All three had been on the market in both countries for at least one year before the direct-to-consumer campaigns began in the United States.
The question was simple: once the ads kicked in, did sales increase more quickly in English-speaking Canada than in Quebec?

Based on data from a registry of 2,700 pharmacies, the answer for the first two drugs was a clear "no", while for the third drug, sales initially leapt in the Canadian anglophone market but then fell back.
The study was published online on Tuesday by the British Medical Journal (BMJ).

Sales of Zelnorm initially jumped 40 percent, but within a couple of years prescription rates in both groups were the same again.
Given that Zelnorm was the only drug available for that syndrome, it might have sold as well without the direct-to-consumer ads.
Soumerai thinks the ads failed because the process of buying prescription drugs is not as easy or spontaneous as buying over-the-counter medication such as aspirin.

A person has to see an ad, get motivated, contact their doctor, show up for an appointment, communicate both the condition and the drug, convince the doctor to prescribe it, and then actually fill the prescription, which is also likely to carry an out-of-pocket cost, he explained.

The United States is one of only two countries in the world -- along with New Zealand -- where direct-to-consumer ads for prescription medication is legal.
In March 2007, Zelnorm was pulled from the market due to concerns about increased risk of heart attack and stroke.
mh/ri/gk
http://www.therapeuticsdaily.com/news/article.cfm?contentValue=1831148&contentType=sentryarticle&channelID=33

MS Market is Estimated to Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion in 2008 ...
StreetInsider.com (subscription) - Birmingham,MI,USA
... GLOSSARY - MS REFERENCES - ACRONYMNS Key Products Analysed and Forecast: - BG-12 - Biogen Idec - Campath - Bayer - Fingolimod - Novartis - Lacquinimod ...
http://www.streetinsider.com/Press+Releases/MS+Market+is+Estimated+to+Be+Worth+Almost+US$8+Billion+in+2008,+with+a+Growth+Rate+of+10.6%25+Year-on-Year/3954366.html

MS Market is Estimated to Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion in 2008, with a Growth Rate of 10.6% Year-on-Year

Last update: 10:10 a.m. EDT Sept. 2, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland, Sep 02, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f0d42d/cns_drug_discoveri) has announced the addition of the "CNS Drug Discoveries: Multiple Sclerosis Chapter" report to their offering.

This chapter of CNS Drug Discoveries focuses on the multiple sclerosis market.

With the launch of up to 12 new disease-modifying agents, three vaccines and one novel drug designed to treat the symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and improve quality of life, the MS market is in an exciting phase of evolution.

The MS market is estimated to be worth almost US$8 billion in 2008, with a growth rate of 10.6% year-on-year. It is the fifth largest segment of the CNS markets considered in this report and has attracted considerable R&D investment from the big pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies and specialty pharma.

Over the next six years a number of oral agents are expected to be launched that could drastically change the way in which MS patients are treated. These include: Novartis' fingolimod, Teva's laquinimod, Merck KGaA's Mylinax (cladribine), sanofi-aventis' teriflunomide and Biogen Idec's BG-12 in Phase III development, and GSK/Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma's firategrast, MediciNova's ibudilast and Biogen/UCB's CDP323 in Phase II development.

Three companies have taken on the ambitious task of developing vaccines to treat MS and each has adopted a unique approach to addressing the underlying causes of the disease. Orchestra Therapeutic's NeuroVax targets three proteins expressed on T-cell receptors whilst Opexa Therapeutics' Tovaxin uses attenuated autologous cells to stimulant an immune response. Bayhill Therapeutics is developing BHT-3009, a tolerising DNA vaccine. All vaccines are in Phase II development and could reach market by 2012.

Key MS questions answered:

-- What is the estimated global population for MS in 2014 and what % will be diagnosed and treated?

-- Which off-patent MS treatments are resistant to generic competition?

-- Will Biogen Idec, Teva and Merck KGaA be able to defend their leading positions in 5 years time?

-- There are 7 late-phase pipeline products which target the underlying cause of MS -- what are their strengths and weaknesses?

    Key Topics Covered:

- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- THE FACTS
- PATIENT STATISTICS
- PATIENT MODEL
- DRUG GROWTH DRIVERS
- DRUG GROWTH RISKS/DAMPENERS
- THE MS MARKET
- CURRENT MS TREATMENTS
- GLOBAL SALES FORECASTS OF CURRENT TREATMENTS 2007A-2014E
- ANALYSIS OF PHASE III DRUGS
- GLOBAL SALES FORECASTS OF PHASE III MS DRUGS 2009E-2014E
- ANALYSIS OF PHASE II DRUGS
- GLOBAL SALES FORECASTS OF PHASE II MS DRUGS 2011E - 2014E
- COMPETITOR RATIO ANALYSIS
- COMPETITOR RATIO ANALYSIS - PRODUCTS
- COMPETITOR RATIO ANALYSIS - COMPANIES
- WINNERS & LOSERS
- DISCONTINUATION OF DRUGS
- MS GLOSSARY
- MS REFERENCES
- ACRONYMNS

Key Products Analysed and Forecast:

- BG-12 - Biogen Idec
- Campath - Bayer
- Fingolimod - Novartis
- Lacquinimod - Teva
- MBP 8298 - BioMS/Lilly
- Mylinax - Merck KGaA
- Teriflunomide - sanofi-aventis
- Neurelan - Elan/Acorda

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f0d42d/cns_drug_discoveri

Source: Espicom Business Intelligence Ltd

SOURCE: Research and Markets Ltd.

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax (USA): 646-607-1907
Fax (International): +353-1-481-1716

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ms-market-estimated-worth-almost/story.aspx?guid={F051E7AA-E1AC-4CC9-AF3C-6BEE4211FA43}&dist=hppr

Jobs for old brain's new neurons
A close look at neurogenesis in two regions of the adult brain
By Andrea Gawrylewski

Obama: Yes to stem cells, funding
The Democratic presidential nominee's responses to a science policy survey outlines support for science
By Bob Grant

Stem cell alchemy
Researchers flip fully-differentiated cells in vivo into another type of cell without first reprogramming them to a pluripotent state By Andrea Gawrylewski

Scientists report converting cells to new type
directly:
Research described as a major advance sidesteps
previous complications with the production of stem
cells for medical treatment.
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/080827_cells

Cancer cells may "prepare" earlier than thought:
New studies on mice suggest disturbing conclusions
but also could inspire new therapeutic strategies,
researchers say.
http://www.world-science.net/othernews/080829_cancer

Location, Location, Location Important For Genes, Too
Cells become cancerous mainly because they lose control of their growth. To better understand how this happens, a new study at Ohio State University's Comprehensive Cancer Center looks at four genes that help regulate cell growth in embryos and that contribute to cancer in adults.

Natural ways to lower blood pressure

By Joe Graedon, Teresa Graedon

Also: Atkins diet and good HDL levels >>

http://link.latimes.com/r/LV1G9U/A4WOQ/NUJXHK/GSHK/I2XA5/D5/h

The People's Pharmacy

Natural ways to lower blood pressure

Also: Atkins diet and good HDL levels

Joe Graedon, Teresa Graedon, The People's Pharmacy
September 1, 2008

We've learned that a British product called HeartBeet is showing promise lowering blood pressure naturally. Are beets really effective for natural hypertension control? Are there any other foods that control hypertension?

HeartBeet is a "beetroot" juice brand sold in Britain. We have not seen it in the U.S.

A study published in Hypertension (March) showed that two cups of beet juice daily lowered blood pressure by about 10 points, equivalent to the effect of many blood-pressure medicines.

Beets and certain other vegetables are high in nitrates. Eating a diet rich in natural nitrates seems to increase nitric oxide, a compound made in the body that relaxes blood vessels and lowers blood pressure.

Your husband should not stop taking his medication, but he might consider adopting a vegetable-rich DASH diet and including pomegranates, Concord grapes or a little dark chocolate in his diet as well. Weight loss and relaxation exercises can also contribute to natural blood-pressure control.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I heard that eating an Atkins diet could raise good HDL levels. Surely that is not true! Presumably all that saturated fat raises bad cholesterol even more.

In a recent study (New England Journal of Medicine, July 17), a low-carb Atkins-style diet resulted in higher good HDL cholesterol and lower triglycerides than a standard low-fat diet. Bad LDL cholesterol was not significantly different.

Reach Joe Graedon, a pharmacologist, and Teresa Graedon, an expert in medical anthropology and nutrition, at www.peoplespharmacy.com or in care of this newspaper.

Computed Tomography Provides Anatomy - We Need Ischemia!
Cardiac computed tomography has revolutionized cardiac imaging in recent years by providing exquisitely detailed cardiac anatomy, including, but not limited to, coronary anatomy. Non-invasive coronary angiography by computed tomography (CTA) is performed in ever increasing numbers, over 150 000 per year in the United States.

Fertility News
Discovery Of Master Switch In The Brain That Regulates Appetite And Reproduction
Body weight and fertility have long known to be related to each other - women who are too thin, for example, can have trouble becoming pregnant. Now, a master switch has been found in the brain of mice that controls both, and researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies say it may work the same way in humans.

MS Market is Estimated to Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion in 2008, with a Growth Rate of 10.6% Year-on-Year

Last update: 10:10 a.m. EDT Sept. 2, 2008

DUBLIN, Ireland, Sep 02, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Research and Markets ( http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f0d42d/cns_drug_discoveri) has announced the addition of the "CNS Drug Discoveries: Multiple Sclerosis Chapter" report to their offering.

This chapter of CNS Drug Discoveries focuses on the multiple sclerosis market.

Key MS questions answered:

-- What is the estimated global population for MS in 2014 and what % will be diagnosed and treated?

-- Which off-patent MS treatments are resistant to generic competition?

-- Will Biogen Idec, Teva and Merck KGaA be able to defend their leading positions in 5 years time?

-- There are 7 late-phase pipeline products which target the underlying cause of MS -- what are their strengths and weaknesses?

    Key Topics Covered:

- EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- THE FACTS
- PATIENT STATISTICS
- PATIENT MODEL
- DRUG GROWTH DRIVERS
- DRUG GROWTH RISKS/DAMPENERS
- THE MS MARKET
- CURRENT MS TREATMENTS
- GLOBAL SALES FORECASTS OF CURRENT TREATMENTS 2007A-2014E
- ANALYSIS OF PHASE III DRUGS
- GLOBAL SALES FORECASTS OF PHASE III MS DRUGS 2009E-2014E
- ANALYSIS OF PHASE II DRUGS
- GLOBAL SALES FORECASTS OF PHASE II MS DRUGS 2011E - 2014E
- COMPETITOR RATIO ANALYSIS
- COMPETITOR RATIO ANALYSIS - PRODUCTS
- COMPETITOR RATIO ANALYSIS - COMPANIES
- WINNERS & LOSERS
- DISCONTINUATION OF DRUGS
- MS GLOSSARY
- MS REFERENCES
- ACRONYMNS

Key Products Analysed and Forecast:

- BG-12 - Biogen Idec
- Campath - Bayer
- Fingolimod - Novartis
- Lacquinimod - Teva
- MBP 8298 - BioMS/Lilly
- Mylinax - Merck KGaA
- Teriflunomide - sanofi-aventis
- Neurelan - Elan/Acorda

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/f0d42d/cns_drug_discoveri

Source: Espicom Business Intelligence Ltd

SOURCE: Research and Markets Ltd.

Research and Markets
Laura Wood, Senior Manager
press@researchandmarkets.com
Fax (USA): 646-607-1907
Fax (International): +353-1-481-1716

http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/ms-market-estimated-worth-almost/story.aspx?guid={F051E7AA-E1AC-4CC9-AF3C-6BEE4211FA43}&dist=hppr

Biogen Testing Regenerative Medicine Drug to Reverse Multiple Sclerosis - Studies suggest underlying pathology different between different formsof MS

2008-09-02T00:45:00.001-07:00

Diagnosis and Types of MS

primary progressive MS

Dr. Yeung

Director MS Clinical Trials Research Unit Foothills MS Clinic, Calgary

View BIO

Q :

In the interview with Dr. Owens in MS Canada, he stated, that primary progressive MS "seems to be a disease with a different primary cause" and although the cause is unknown "it looks and feels like a different disease". Could someone expand on the latter statement? It is so difficult to obtain information on primary-progressive that any information is most welcome.
A :

There are four clinical patterns of multiple sclerosis: relapsing remitting (RRMS), secondary progressive (SPMS), primary progressive (PPMS), and progressive relapsing (PRMS). Definitions of these can be found on the MS Society website by clicking here.
About 85% of patients with MS have relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). This is characterized by exacerbations (episodes of neurological dysfunction such as paralysis, optic neuritis, numbness, etc.) with or without complete recovery. They are clinically stable between attacks. This form is most common in young women, and the disease can be treated with the immunomodulatory therapies (interferon-betas, glatiramer acetate, mitoxantrone, and natalizumab).

In primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS), there is gradual progression of disability (neurological symptoms progress without recovery) from onset without superimposed relapses; this occurs in ~10% of MS patients. There is a preponderance in middle-aged men, and the immunomodulatory treatments seem to have no effect; the mainstay of treatment is management of symptoms. There have also been some studies suggesting the underlying pathology may be different between the different forms of MS; the reason for this is currently unknown and further research is underway.
Because of these differences, it is possible that "multiple sclerosis" is an umbrella term, and that the different clinical forms align along a spectrum under that umbrella. Further clarification from future studies is necessary to delineate this further.
9/2/2008 3:03:11 AM
More answers from Dr. Michael Yeung
More answers in the category: Diagnosis and Types of MS

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=1291

Life Sciences 25
Boston Globe - United States
Biogen Idec gave a positive update on two Tysabri patients suffering from a potentially fatal side effect; a judge reduced a patent award against Boston ...

Preventive migraine therapy with a proven safety profile
Looking for a different treatment option for migraine patients? Consider the #1 medication prescribed by neurologists for migraine prevention1. Click to learn more about a treatment option with a proven safety profile. 1.IMS Health January 2008 . Source: Ortho-McNeil Neurologics [more]

Do drugs prevent the progression into secondary progressive MS?

Dr. Schapiro

Clinical Professor of Neurology

View BIO

Q :

It seems that 90% of people with relapsing remitting MS develop secondary progressive MS in time. What is the currently available data on the effects of beta-interferon or glatiramer acetate? Do these drugs delay the time of onset of the transformation? Do they prevent the progression into secondary progressive MS?

A :

The data that 90% of people with relapsing MS develop secondary progressive MS is to be questioned. The reality is that when the population is sampled at any one time 55% have relapsing MS and 33% have secondary progressive.

If 90% developed secondary progressive it would change the number of those with that diagnosis greatly over time and it simply doesn't. That number comes from a misinterpretation of old natural history data and the desire to scare people onto therapy instead of being reasonable and understanding.

The other issue is that studies on immune modulating medication are relatively short. That is out of practical necessity. However each medication has attempted to get long term data and in every case there is a clear difference made by treatment. Thus it seems reasonable to assume that these medications have made a major difference in delaying the time to transformation (even if the transformation had been previously exaggerated).

They certainly delay the progression if not prevent it in many but clearly not all. I usually answer this by pointing out I used to have a floor in the hospital devoted to MS with 18 patients hospitalized daily. Now I have 1-2 in the hospital at any one time. That is quite a difference and the reason appears to be treatment oriented.
9/2/2008 3:20:11 AM
More answers from Dr. Randall T. Schapiro
More answers in the category: Treatment

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=1605

Source: Projects In Knowledge [more] ESC: Statin Flops While Fish Oil Supplement Floats in Chronic Heart Failure
MUNICH -- A fish oil capsule atop standard therapy for chronic heart failure significantly reduced mortality and hospital admissions whereas a potent statin had no comparable benefits, researchers reported here. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ESCCongress/tb/10733

Campaign ’08: Obama Wraps Up Convention with Promise of Better Healthcare
DENVER -- Barack Obama laid out a bare-bones sampling of his healthcare plan as he accepted the presidential nomination of the Democratic National Convention. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Campaign08/Campaign08/tb/10717

Cellular research holds promise for diabetes
Honolulu Star-Bulletin - Honolulu,HI,USA
... blood sugar levels fell to near-normal. The study's senior researcher has strong motivation to seek new treatment. His children have Type 1 diabetes.

2008-08-31T04:22:00.000-07:00

Repair Stem Cell Institute Says Stanford University's Stem Cell Study Confirms The Futility Of Embryonics In Human Therapy
The Repair Stem Cell Institute LLC (RSCI; http://www.RepairStemCells.org) reported that Stanford University School of Medicine's recent discovery there may be limitations to the effectiveness of human therapies derived from embryonic stem cells (ESC) because the cells injected in mice stimulated the kind of immune rejection seen with transplanted organs clearly delivers a blow to proponents of embryonic stem cell research who continue to ballyhoo the promise of ESC when in effect, as the Stanford study showed, the transplanted stem cells were dead within about seven to 10 days.

Repair Stem Cell Institute Says Stanford University's Stem Cell Study Confirms The Futility Of Embryonics In Human Therapy

Main Category: Stem Cell Research
Article Date: 29 Aug 2008 - 3:00 PDT

The Repair Stem Cell Institute LLC (RSCI; http://www.RepairStemCells.org) reported that Stanford University School of Medicine's recent discovery there may be limitations to the effectiveness of human therapies derived from embryonic stem cells (ESC) because the cells injected in mice stimulated the kind of immune rejection seen with transplanted organs clearly delivers a blow to proponents of embryonic stem cell research who continue to ballyhoo the promise of ESC when in effect, as the Stanford study showed, the transplanted stem cells were dead within about seven to 10 days.

According to Don Margolis, founder and chairman of the RSCI, "The new Stanford findings further confirm the futility of embryonics in human therapy despite what proponents of human ESC research have been promising, that transplanted ESC can mature into several different types of tissue. Those cells could not survive in the mouse, suggesting the same would likely occur in a patient." He noted a statement from Stanford radiologist Dr. Joseph Wu, part of the research team: "I think there's some promise [to human ESCs] but you don't want to be foolish and say these cells are going to cure things in the next five years."

Mr. Margolis said in addition to the Stanford findings presenting difficulties to one day permit human trials, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not approved "the injection of ESCs into patients because they also have the potential to become cancerous."

He also said, "With over 100 diseases already being treated with Repair Stem Cells by the world's finest doctors, the need for further ESC research merely to add to 10 years of futility is called into question."

Visit http://www.RepairStemCells.org/StemCellTreatmentCenters.php for RSCI's global listing of stem cell treatment centers and the practitioners meeting its standards of excellence who are already treating those 100+ medical conditions with success.

About the RSCI

The Repair Stem Cell Institute LLC is a global independent public service company dedicated to bringing the news about Repair Stem Cell treatments to the public. The RSCI was founded in April 2008 and is based in Bangkok with administrative headquarters in Dallas and a communications, government and public affairs office in Washington.

The Repair Stem Cell Institute LLC
http://www.RepairStemCells.org

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/119614.php

UT Southwestern Researchers Find Antidepressants Need New Nerve Cells To Be Effective

2008-08-31T04:11:00.001-07:00

- NIH scientists find a novel mechanism that controls the ...
What they discovered was that mice without furin in these cells developed systemic autoimmune disease. This means that the immune systems of the mice ...

Tysabri

Elan reports narrower losses
Athlone Advertiser - Westmeath,Ireland
This comes following news earlier this week that two European patients who recently developed a dangerous brain infection after taking Tysabri are now ...
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FDA Advises Healthcare Providers on Tysabri Risk
FDA news (subscription) - Falls Church,VA,USA
Prescribing information for Tysabri (natalizumab) will be revised to include information telling prescribers and patients that cases of PML have occurred in ...
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She's on the run to help find a cure for MS
Miami Herald Fri, 29 Aug 2008 1:58 PM PDT
Eileen Friedman, 46 Plantation MS diagnosis: I was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 2000 after a head-on accident that totalled my car. I probably had MS 12 years prior because the symptoms came and went like a toothache. The pain in my head was intense, but I thought it was related to the accident. My brother has MS, so I went to see his neurologist.

UT Southwestern Researchers Find Antidepressants Need New Nerve Cells To Be Effective
Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered in mice that the brain must create new nerve cells for either exercise or antidepressants to reduce depression-like behavior.In addition, the researchers found that antidepressants and exercise use the same biochemical pathway to exert their effects.

Bioengineered Drugs Heal, but at a Big Cost
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New PML Cases Reported With Tysabri Monotherapy
By Shirley(MDhealthChannel.com)
August 26, 2008 — Two new cases of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) have been reported in European multiple sclerosis patients receiving natalizumab (Tysabri, Biogen Idec, Inc), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ...
- http://ms-news-channel-3.blogspot.com/

Distinguishing A Bad Mood From Depression In Teenagers, From The Harvard Mental Health Letter
The teenage years are a time of emotional highs and lows. So how do you distinguish normal teenage mood swings and rebellion from actual depression? The September 2008 issue of the Harvard Mental Health Letter highlights some ways to tell.

Even Without Dementia, Mental Skills Decline Years Before Death
A new study shows that older people's mental skills start declining years before death, even if they don't have dementia. The study is published in the August 27, 2008, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Demonstration Of Subliminal Learning In The Human Brain
Although the idea that instrumental learning can occur subconsciously has been around for nearly a century, it had not been unequivocally demonstrated. Now, a new study published by Cell Press in the August 28 issue of the journal Neuron used sophisticated perceptual masking, computational modeling, and neuroimaging to show that instrumental learning can occur in the human brain without conscious processing of contextual cues.

The Addicted Brain May Be Protected By Cocaine-Induced Brain Plasticity
A new study has unraveled some of the mysteries of the cocaine-addicted brain and may pave the way for the design of more effective treatments for drug addiction. The research, published by Cell Press in the August 28 issue of the journal Neuron, identifies specific brain mechanisms that underlie addiction-related structural changes in the brain and provides surprising insight into how these changes may actually defend the brain during excessive drug use.

Research

Dr. Yong

Professor in the Departments of Oncology & Clinical Neurosciences, University of Calgary, AB
View BIO

Q :

I heard that more than just myelin is destroyed in the brain by MS and that the brain actually shrinks. Is that true and is any research taking place to try and stop it?

A :

Yes, the brain actually shrinks in MS. This is due to continuing degeneration (neuro-degeneration) of constituents within the brain as the disease progresses. These constituents include not only myelin and the oligodendrocytes that make myelin in the first place, but also nerve cells (neurons) and their fibers. The shrinkage of the brain, referred to as “brain atrophy”, can be detected by MRI scans of the brain when conducted over periods of years. At autopsy, the loss of brain tissue can be quite obvious to the naked eye.

Neuro-degeneration and brain atrophy are the major factors that account for the progress of disability in patients with MS that deteriorate neurologically. It is thus critical to prevent neuro-degeneration and brain atrophy in MS. Scientists worldwide are actively researching on the reasons for neuro-degeneration and they are beginning to understand some of the molecules that cause this. As a result, a number of medications are being tested in animal models of MS in attempts to prevent the loss of brain tissue. There are indeed many “neuro-protective agents” that seem promising in laboratory studies. Providing for neuro-protection is in fact one of the most active areas of research in MS currently.

There is evidence that the two major types of immunomodulators used in MS, glatiramer acetate (Copaxone) and interferon-betas (Avonex, Rebif and Betaseron), not only affect the immune system but that they also can confer some degree of neuro-protection. The mechanisms by which these immunomodulators provide for neuro-protection seem different, with glatiramer acetate’s action being more direct within the brain tissue, while that of the interferon-betas may be considered more indirect by preventing the entry of molecules that go into the brain to destroy that structure. Many neurologists therefore advocate the use of these immunomodulators in relapsing-remitting MS and to encourage patients to stay on their medications.

We currently have no clear evidence that the loss of brain tissue in progressive MS can be reduced. However, research is quite active in this area.
Overall, we now recognize that neuro-degeneration is very significant in MS, leading to the loss of brain tissue. Research to stop this is very active and several potential neuro- protective medications are in the pipeline.
8/31/2008 4:19:40 AM
More answers from Dr. V. Wee Yong
More answers in the category: Research

For more information related to this topic, please click Research Page
DISCLAIMER: Please be aware that this information does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MS Society of Canada, and is not intended as medical advice. For specific advice and opinion, always consult a physician.
© 2008 Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada | www.mssociety.ca

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=35

Potent Promise: Back to the Womb: Reverting adult cells to an ...
Science News - USA
Doctors would then transplant these converted cells into the afflicted organ to treat the illness, whether it’s multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ...
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Riders lend support
Leader Post - Don Mills,ON,Canada
... is trying to raise $30000 for stem cell treatments in Costa Rica, said this was just the boost he needed to keep on fighting multiple sclerosis. ...
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Early Arthritis Symptoms | Which Joint Hurts? | What Is Arthritis? | Types of Arthritis | Arthritis Diagnosis

Arthritis is not a single condition. Arthritis comprises over 100 different diseases and conditions -- the most common are osteoarthritis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and fibromyalgia. Common symptoms include pain, aching, stiffness, and swelling in or around the joints. Some forms of arthritis, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus, can affect multiple organs and cause widespread symptoms.

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory type of arthritis. Recognizing the symptoms leads to an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Read more...

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Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common type of arthritis. Recognizing the symptoms leads to an accurate diagnosis and proper treatment. Read more...

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Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures

2008-08-29T06:36:00.001-07:00

Treatment

Dr. Smyth

Neurologist, MS Specialist
View BIO
http://www.msanswers.ca/ExpertBio.aspx?L=2&EID=57

Q :

My husband has primary MS and is considering going to the Sanoviv Clinic, have you ever heard of any successes they have had with MS? I can't seem to find anything about it on any of the MS web sites.

A :
I have never heard of the Sanoviv Clinic before. I looked it up on the internet and read about it. I have never heard of MS patient successes from the Sanoviv Clinic.
Primary progressive MS is a type of MS that slowly progresses over time without relapses. People notice that they just can’t do things as well as they could one or two years earlier. There have been no medical treatments that have been shown to slow down the progression of this type of MS. However, some studies have shown that people with primary progressive MS may plateau out for years, and sometimes stabilize.
We concentrate on treating this type of MS by treating the symptoms that a person is having. Much of those symptom management treatments involve exercise, healthy diet and looking after yourself. None of my patients have gone to the Sanoviv Clinic. I would be a little cautious about the Sanoviv clinic. Much of its claims seem to involve healthy life strategies that you may be able to adopt through less expensive means. There is no miraculous cure for MS. I have no doubt that you would feel better once you have rested there for a time, followed a healthy diet and done an exercise program. However, I think that you may be able to achieve many of those goals through exploring local physiotherapists in developing exercise programs, consulting a dietician, and resting properly. All of these lifestyle changes have been shown to help MS.
8/29/2008 8:02:30 AM
More answers from Dr. Penelope Smyth
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=57&L=2
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http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2164

‘I’m sorry, but another apology for MS sufferer Janet just isn’t ...
Camden New Journal - London,UK
Janet has secondary progressive MS, a particularly violent form of the disease that attacks the nervous system. Although she began to experience symptoms as ...
http://www.thecnj.co.uk/camden/2008/082808/news082808_08.html

MRI in Differential Diagnosis of MS
In this case-based CME/CE newsletter, Dr. Tracy DeAngelis seeks an accurate diagnosis for a patient whose MRI suggests chronic demyelinating disease by applying updated McDonald Criteria and performing additional workups to rule out other potential causes of the MRI abnormalities.
Source: Projects In Knowledge [more]

http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=1989&l=15&ctl=D9DE:961584531C0AE512EEDCC8A7857BDC93

Symptoms and Management

Dr. Girard

Neurologist, Hôtel-Dieu Hospital (CHUM)in Montreal, QC
View BIO
http://www.msanswers.ca/ExpertBio.aspx?L=2&EID=26

Q :

I have MS and my right arm currently feels uncomfortable and numb. Since the discomfort is mild, will it go away by itself after awhile, or do I really need to take cortisone to alleviate this symptom? I was diagnosed quite recently, and I still have some difficulty knowing when cortisone is really necessary.
A :
You seem to be having a mild relapse. This type of relapse will generally resolve within a few weeks. Cortisone usually helps you to recover faster when you have a relapse, but not any better than if you did not have cortisone. For that reason, we only administer cortisone for more severe relapses that affect how you function (loss of vision, paralysis, dizziness, painful numbness) to reduce their duration.

When a neurologist decides to administer cortisone, he or she must take into account the extent of the relapse compared with cortisone’s side effects: a blood sugar level imbalance, heartburn, sleep disturbances and, subsequently, a higher risk of cataracts and hip fractures.

In your case, it does not seem to be necessary to use cortisone.
8/28/2008 2:12:48 AM

More answers from Dr. Marc Girard
http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionListByExpert.aspx?EID=26&L=2

More answers in the category: Symptoms and Management

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionList.aspx?CID=10&L=2

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Elan says Tysabri brain disease link uncertain
ShareCast via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance Thu, 28 Aug 2008 5:16 AM PDT
Irish drug giant Elan said the risk of a fatal brain disease in patients treated with its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri "cannot be precisely estimated."

http://uk.biz.yahoo.com/080828/214/i5qho.html

Tysabri

Elan says Tysabri brain disease link uncertain
ShareCast - London,UK
LONDON (SHARECAST) - Irish drug giant Elan said the risk of a fatal brain disease in patients treated with its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri “cannot be ...
http://www.sharecast.com/cgi-bin/sharecast/story.cgi?story_id=2301668

Dublin market flat in early trading
Irish Times - Dublin,Ireland
... up 11 cent to €9.46 after it said it had narrowed it first half loss on the back of a strong rise in sales for its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. ...
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0828/breaking21.htm

Elan as Tysabri sales rise
Irish Times - Dublin,Ireland
Irish pharmaceutical firm Elan has narrowed it first half loss on the back of a strong rise in sales for its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. ...
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2008/0828/breaking18.htm

FDA Changes Course for Elan and Biogen Idec
Motley Fool - USA
Three months later, in February 2005, the drugmakers "voluntarily" withdrew Tysabri from the market because of two occurrences of a rare and frequently ...
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Biogen Idec (BIIB) NewsBite - BIIB Revises Drug Warning
Market Intelligence Center - Charlottesville,VA,USA
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Elan's shares jump 10pc on Tysabri hopes
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
By Ailish O'Hora Business News Editor SHARES in drugmaker Elan surged by more than 10pc yesterday on hopes that a new warning on its Tysabri medicine for ...
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Tysabri sales narrow Elan H1 loss
RTE.ie - Ireland
Sales of Tysabri were worth almost $360m in the six months, almost treble the amount in the same period a year earlier, bringing in revenue of $134.3m for ...
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Elan reports total revenue increased by 18% in H1 2008; Net loss ...
FinFacts Ireland - Ireland
Total in-market sales of the MS (multiple sclerosis) Tysabri drug were $359.7 million in the first half of 2008, an increase of 199% over the $120.5 million ...
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Exclusive: Martial arts champion hit by multiple sclerosis denied ...
Glasgow Daily Record - Glasgow,Scotland,UK
Alan added: "With the advances in stem cell research, there is some suggestion there could be a cure within the next five years, which gives us hope. ...

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Diabetes researchers convert pancreas cells to produce insulin
http://link.latimes.com/r/ZEZWGA/MRJMH/F9K2FA/U82N/1FJEQ/W1/h

By Karen Kaplan

The Harvard study may ultimately shift treatment options away from stem cells for a variety of diseases.

http://link.latimes.com/r/ZEZWGA/MRJMH/F9K2FA/U82N/1FJEQ/W1/h

http://broadcaster.medpagetoday.com/t?r=2&c=1989&l=15&ctl=D9E3:961584531C0AE512EEDCC8A7857BDC93

Obesity-Related Impairment in Older Adults Called Ticking Time Bomb
PLYMOUTH, England -- Obesity in later life substantially increases the risk of disability but not mortality, according to data from a longitudinal study of aging. full story

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Stem cell alchemy

Researchers flip fully-differentiated cells in vivo into another type of cell without first reprogramming them to a pluripotent state

By Andrea Gawrylewski
http://strongmail.the-scientist.com:80/track?type=click&mailingid=867&messageid=1&databaseid=8&serial=1204298075&emailid=fooledbyasmile@mountaincable.net&userid=54355&extra=&&&2013&&&http://www.the-scientist.com/blog/display/54976/

NOVA | scienceNOW | Stem Cell Breakthrough: Related Science News | PBS

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 Stem Cell Advance Turns Skin Cells into Nerve Cells .... A top scientist using stem cells from human embryos to cure disease and repair ...
www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0305/03-related.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0305/03-related.html

Thu, 31 Jul 2008

Stem Cell Advance Turns Skin Cells into Nerve Cells

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=778485

Researchers are one step closer to reprogramming skin cells into tailor-made, healthy replacements for diseased cells.

Applying the technique first developed by James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, scientists at Harvard and Columbia universities reported online Thursday in the journal Science that they had turned skin cells from two elderly patients with the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) into motor neurons, the nerve cells that become damaged in ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

This is the first time that scientists have coaxed embryonic-like cells from adult patients suffering from a genetic-based disease, then induced the cells to form the specific cell types that would be needed to study and treat the disease.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/0305/03-related.html

Stem cell advance turns ailing sisters' skin cells into nerve cells

Elderly siblings have Lou Gehrig's disease

By ELIE DOLGIN
edolgin@journalsentinel.com

Posted: July 31, 2008

Researchers are one step closer to reprogramming skin cells into tailor-made, healthy replacements for diseased cells.
90283
Applying the technique first developed by James Thomson of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University, scientists at Harvard and Columbia universities reported online Thursday in the journal Science that they had turned skin cells from two elderly patients with the neurodegenerative disorder amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) into motor neurons, the nerve cells that become damaged in ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

"It's a big step forward," said Stephen Duncan, a stem cell researcher at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Wauwatosa, who was not involved in the research. "It opens the door for people to go confidently into generating (reprogrammed stem) cells for other disease models."

"We're on the threshold of a new era of technology where we might have some definitive strategies to better treat or cure diseases like ALS or other neurodegenerative diseases," said Medical College neurologist Paul Barkhaus.

A team led by Kevin Eggan of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute in Boston started with skin cells from two sisters, ages 82 and 89, who both carried a rare gene associated with a slowly progressing form of ALS.

Around the world, one or two people per 100,000 develop ALS each year, which is marked by a wasting away of certain spinal cord nerve cells called motor neurons. The single-gene form of ALS studied by Eggan's team affects only about 2% of ALS sufferers, while the vast majority of ALS cases are sporadic.

In their laboratory, the researchers inserted four genes into the cells using a virus - just as Thomson and Yamanaka had done last November - that rewound the cell's developmental clock into an embryonic-like state.

The researchers then bathed the cells in signaling molecules to produce motor neurons and the nerve cells that support and protect the neurons, called glial cells.

"It's possible to use these cells to make the actual cell type that is destroyed in that person's disease," Eggan said. "It takes the study of disease out of the patient, where it's very difficult, and into the petri dish."

The researchers' ultimate goal is to create genetically matched, patient-specific cells to treat debilitating diseases. But the current technique of inserting genes with viruses has potential cancerous side effects, making transplanting these cells into humans too risky.

"The process leads to genetic modification of these cells," Eggan said. "For the moment, that would preclude the use of these exact cells in these patients."

Future research should find safer reprogramming methods, scientists say. In the meantime, the new reprogrammed stem cells will be valuable for understanding and combating the damage ALS does to the nervous system.

"These patient-specific stem cells will be useful for pathological studies, and potentially also for drug screening," said UW-Madison stem cell researcher Su-Chun Zhang, who was not involved in the study.

"Using these cells, we can test chemical compounds for their ability to prevent (neuron) degeneration," said Christopher Henderson, a neurologist at Columbia University and a co-author of the study.

UW-Madison's Junying Yu, the first author on Thomson's pioneering reprogramming study, published last year, said the new research is a natural extension of their earlier "proof of principle" work.

"It essentially proves that (reprogrammed stem) cells can be derived from diseased human (skin) cells as well" as from healthy patients, "at whatever age, young people or old people."

Yu said her lab also reprogrammed skin cells from patients suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, a neurodegenerative disease that controls voluntary muscle movement.

Like Eggan's group, Yu said her team then successfully formed the muscle cells normally lost by the disease, although the work is not yet published.

Eggan's study shows that specialized cells can be made from skin cells in the lab, but the researchers didn't test whether the cells function in the same way as normal motor neurons, noted UW-Madison stem cell researcher Clive Svendsen.

"The hard work now is to establish whether the ALS (reprogrammed) cells are any different from those taken from normal patients."

Because reprogrammed stem cells can trigger cancer, scientists stress that research involving human embryonic stem cells is still needed.

Researchers step closer to using stem cells to cure disease

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=778485

www.kansascity.com | 08/27/2008 | Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures
...

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/770312.html

27 Aug 2008 ... WASHINGTON | Scientists have transformed one type of fully developed adult ... Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures ...
www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/770312.html

Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures

By ROB STEIN

The Washington Post

WASHINGTON | Scientists have transformed one type of fully developed adult cell directly into another inside a living animal.

It’s a startling advance that could lead to cures for a plethora of illnesses and sidestep the political and ethical quagmires that have plagued embryonic stem cell research.

Through a series of experiments involving mice, the Harvard biologists pinpointed three crucial molecular switches that, when flipped, completely convert a common cell in the pancreas into the more precious insulin-producing ones that diabetics need to survive.

The feat, published online Wednesday by the journal Nature, raises the tantalizing prospect that patients suffering from not only diabetes but also heart disease, strokes and many other ailments could eventually have some of their cells reprogrammed to cure their afflictions without the need for drugs, transplants or other therapies.

“It’s kind of an extreme makeover of a cell,” said Douglas Melton, co-director of the Harvard Stem Cell Institute, who led the research. “The goal is to create cells that are missing or defective in people. It’s very exciting.”

The findings left other researchers in a field that has become accustomed to rapid advances reaching for new superlatives to describe the potential implications.

“I’m stunned,” said Robert Lanza, chief scientific officer of Advanced Cell Technology in Worcester, Mass., a developer of stem cell therapies. “It introduces a whole new paradigm for treating disease.”

Melton and other researchers cautioned that many years of research lay ahead to prove whether the development would translate into cures.

The research is the latest development in the explosive field of “regenerative medicine,” which is trying to create replacement tissues and body parts tailored to patients. That dream appeared within reach after scientists discovered human embryonic stem cells, which can develop into any type of cell in the body. But stem cell research has been plagued by political and ethical debates because the cells can only be obtained by destroying embryos, which has been opposed by President Bush and others who believe that even the earliest stages of human life have moral standing.

The new work raises new promise.

“This experiment proves you don’t have to go all the way back to an embryonic state,” said George Daley, a stem cell researcher at Children’s Hospital in Boston.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation/story/770312.html

Study: Single rooms should become standard for new hospitals

http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,11mca,osy,isrf,bfum,5ewk,1y5l

By Anne Zieger

Have you noticed, lately, that when hospitals and health systems announce a new facility, it usually comes with private rooms? That's not a coincidence. Increasingly, hospital planners are reaching a consensus that the benefits to single-patient rooms far outweigh the costs, argue the authors of a new paper appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

The authors note that studies have shown single rooms to reduce infections, particularly important in the age of MRSA and other "superbugs," and that they may also cut medication errors. Also, with single rooms, physicians can talk with patients privately, and families can be there. What's more, since they're quieter, single rooms help lower patient blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rates, as well as improving the quality of sleep and helping with pain management.

While the authors admit that single-room hospitals increase construction costs, with added expenses of $182 to $400 per patient for a new single-room ward versus $122 to $500 for a ward with double rooms, many of these expenses are capital costs that will be recouped comparatively quickly, researchers suggest.
To learn more about this study:
- read this HealthDay News piece
http://www.uptilt.com/c.html?rtr=on&s=69l,11mca,osy,1n89,m5zs,5ewk,1y5l

2008-08-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Biogen Idec Testing Regenerative Medicine Drug to Reverse the Path of
Multiple Sclerosis
Luke Timmerman 8/27/08

Biogen Idec has made a lot of its money on Avonex and Tysabri, drugs
that slow down the rate of flare-ups for people with multiple
sclerosis. Now the Cambridge, MA-based biotech company (NASDAQ: BIIB)
is pursuing a loftier goal. It is working on the first experimental
drug that may reverse the symptoms of the neurodegenerative disease.

The drug, being tested in animals and prepped for its first human
trial, is designed to block a protein called Lingo-1 that interferes
with body's production of myelin, the fatty protective coating around
nerve fibers. People with multiple sclerosis have an overactive immune
system that eats away at the myelin layer, and they have no ability to
regenerate myelin in the brain or spinal cord, says Sha Mi, a Biogen
researcher. That means nerve impulses that control speech, vision, and
movement get short-circuited, sort of like when an electrical wire is
stripped of its insulation. Biogen thinks it now has engineered a drug
that can stop Lingo-1 from doing its dirty work, allowing the body to
regenerate myelin coating around nerves. That could restore normal
functions, like walking.

"People around the company are very excited about this," says Kenneth
Rhodes, Biogen's vice president of discovery neurobiology. "It's
potentially a transformational therapy." Sha Mi, the Biogen scientist
who discovered the molecular switch that paved the way for the
program, put it this way, "As a scientist, I came all the way from
China. If we can create a new medicine to affect patients, that is my
dream."

The drug hasn't even entered clinical trials yet, and it's already
been an eight-year odyssey. Sha Mi (who goes by the name Misha) joined
the company in 2000 from Wyeth's Genetics Institute unit in Cambridge,
MA. Not long after joining Biogen, she found the Lingo-1 protein in a
database and learned it was expressed solely in the central nervous
system and, then, only in neurons. Later experiments showed that when
scientists delete the gene that makes Lingo-1 in mice, those altered
mice would recover from a disease in which the immune system eats away
at myelin, called autoimmune encephalomyelitis. The same recovery was
seen in mice when they were given an antibody drug designed to block
the Lingo-1 protein. There were no side effects or dangers seen from
producing too much myelin, because the body will only produce the
amount needed to cover nerves, Sha Mi says. The combination of
experiments, conducted by Biogen scientists and collaborators in
China, made the cover of Nature Medicine last October.

Other researchers are working on myelin repair, such as a group led by
Bruce Trapp at the Cleveland Clinic, says Rhodes, the Biogen vice
president. Madison, NJ-based Wyeth (NYSE: WYE) has attempted to
develop conventional small molecule drugs against Lingo, but hasn't
been successful, he says.

Biogen is developing a genetically engineered antibody against Lingo
because that approach should do a better job of binding with the Lingo
protein target on the surface of cells, Rhodes says. The first
version, however, wasn't quite "optimal," and a newer one is being
engineered with better properties, he says. The latest version is made
with fully human DNA, instead of partial mouse DNA, because
researchers want to be confident that the drug won't spark the immune
system to reject it, especially if it needs to be given chronically.
The company is planning to ask the FDA for permission to start its
first human clinical trials, although he wouldn't say when.

No details are available yet on how the trials will be crafted, but
Rhodes made clear that the company's vision is for Lingo to be used in
combination with Avonex or Tysabri. The idea is that those drugs can
reduce the immune system's assault on neurons, quieting the storm.
That would give an opportunity for the anti-Lingo-1 drug to step in
and regenerate myelin around the nerves.

Since 400,000 people in the U.S. suffer from MS, and there's nothing
else quite like this program poised for clinical trials, it seems
unlikely that Biogen will have much trouble recruiting patients in the
first study. If they show they can regenerate myelin in even a few
people, Biogen will be a few steps closer to fulfilling Sha Mi's dream.

http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2008/08/27/biogen-idec-testing-regenerative-medici\
ne-drug-to-reverse-the-path-of-multiple-sclerosis/

FDA Wants Tysabri Warning Revised

2008-08-27T19:42:00.001-07:00

FDA Wants Tysabri Warning Revised
Prescribing instructions for Biogen Idec and Elan's drug Tysabri should be revised to note cases of a serious brain disorder in patients who were using it as their sole treatment for multiple sclerosis, the FDA said yesterday. The FDA said it was working to amend the Tysabri label after two cases of the brain disorder, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, were reported in Europe.

FDA Wants Biogen, Elan Drug Warning Revised
Reuters Health - Aug. 25, 2008
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Prescribing instructions for Biogen Idec and Elan Corp's drug Tysabri should be revised to note cases of a serious brain disorder in patients who were using it as their sole treatment for multiple sclerosis, U.S. health regulators said on Monday.
The Food and Drug Administration said it was working to amend the Tysabri label after two cases of the brain disorder, progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), were reported in Europe.
"While the two patients who developed PML were on monotherapy, the FDA still believes that Tysabri monotherapy may confer a lower risk of PML than when Tysabri is used together with other immunomodulatory medications," the FDA said in a statement on its website.
(Reporting by Lisa Richwine; Editing by Braden Reddall)

FDA seeks changes on labelling for Tysabri
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert saying it is working with Biogen Idec and Elan Corp to change the product labelling for Tysabri
read more

Tysabri

Elan shares gain on positive Tysabri news
Therapeutics Daily (subscription) (press release) - Newtown,PA,USA
SHARES IN Irish drug developer Elan jumped yesterday following reassuring comments from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and an update at a ...

FDA Informs Doctors about Reports of Progressive Multifocal ...
AboutLawsuits.com - Baltimore,Maryland,USA
Both users developed PML after taking Tysabri for at least 14 months, without simultaneous use of another multiple sclerosis drug. ...

Wednesday Newspaper Review - Irish Business News and International ...
FinFacts Ireland - Ireland
By Finfacts Team The Irish Independent reports that shares in drugmaker Elan surged by more than 10pc yesterday on hopes that a new warning on its Tysabri ...

In the know: Elan, Newbury Racecourse, Taylor Nelson Sofres
Times Online - UK
Shares in Elan, the Irish drugmaker, rose by nearly 14 per cent, or €1.25, to €10.28 amid relief that Tysabri, its multiple sclerosis drug, ...

Heath Winners & Losers: Biogen Idec, Elan
TheStreet.com - USA
Also late Monday, the FDA said it was updating the prescribing information for Biogen IdecBIIB and Elan'sELN Multiple Sclerosis (MS) drug Tysabri after two ...

Galway meeting a success
Irish Medical Times - Dublin,Ireland
The latest neuroscience research into diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Multiple Sclerosis were also discussed during the meeting. ...

Biogen Idec Testing Regenerative Medicine Drug to Reverse the Path ...
Xconomy - Cambridge,MA,USA
Biogen Idec has made a lot of its money on Avonex and Tysabri, drugs that slow down the rate of flare-ups for people with multiple sclerosis. ...

Dear Bill,

Make your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift today.

We are committed to a world free from multiple sclerosis. Your generous support of our 2008-2009 Member Drive is urgently needed.

Your gift today will help us reach our goal — 1,500 new members online by midnight on September 10th.

The National MS Society helps make sure people keep moving, despite the challenges of MS. We've changed the way MS is researched and treated — and created a wide variety of programs and services for people with MS and their families.

We're making unprecedented progress. Our members make it all possible.

In fact, with the generous support of people like you, the National MS Society has provided vital programs to individuals and families since 1946.

Your member benefits will include:

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Don't wait to help us reach our goal — support this important Member Drive today.

I want to thank you, in advance, for your support.

Warmly,

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Diagnosed in 1990

P.S. If you've already sent your 2008-2009 Member Drive gift, thank you.

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Editor's Note: The intent of this newsletter is to provide information on various medical conditions, medications, treatments, and procedures for your personal knowledge and to keep you informed of current health-related issues. It is not intended to be complete or exhaustive, nor is it a substitute for the advice of your physician. Should you or your family members have any specific medical problem, seek medical care promptly.

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In This Issue

* Tysabri Label Update

* Clinical Trial Enrolling for Rebif Injection Device

* Novantrone Heart Health Alert

* Neuron Growth May Be Possible in MS Lesions

* Study Examines Interferon Use During Pregnancy

* Erectile Dysfunction Drugs Do Double Duty

* 2009 Medicare Premiums Announced

* Foods That Fight Fatigue

* Website to Watch: Online Library of MS Research

MSF News

* New >From the MSF Library

* Book Now for 2009 Cruise for a Cause

* Caregiver’s Night Out Deadline Extended

* Apply for a Brighter Tomorrow

* Fall Fundraisers Will Benefit MSF

Tysabri Label Update

The FDA has approved changes to Tysabri package inserts following two new cases of the potentially deadly brain infection progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) in people taking the drug in the European Union.

The changes update Tysabri’s label to include information about the two new cases, as well as to indicate that the cases occurred in people who were taking the drug as a monotherapy. Previous cases of PML occurred in people who were taking Tysabri in combination with another immunomodulatory drug.

Tysabri’s packaging now states that the connection between the duration of treatment and PML is unknown, but that most cases of the infection have been seen in people taking the drug for more than one year.

Both people who were diagnosed with PML in the EU have now undergone plasma washing to remove Tysabri from their systems. No further update on their condition is available at this time.

The FDA-approved changes also make clearer who is a candidate for Tysabri, saying that the drug generally is recommended for patients who have had an inadequate response to, or are unable to tolerate, an alternate MS therapy. Previously, the packaging indicated Tysabri was for use in people who had tried several other failed therapies. The change may assist people taking Tysabri in getting coverage of the drug from their insurance company.
Despite the recent cases, the FDA has said it still believes there is a lower risk of PML when Tysabri is taken as a monotherapy.

The updated prescribing information and patient medication guide for Tysabri can be viewed at www.tysabri.com.

Clinical Trial Enrolling for Rebif Injection Device

Those taking Rebif may be eligible to enroll in a 12-week trial of a new injection device, RebiSmart.

RebiSmart is being tested to see if it is suitable for injection of the updated formulation of Rebif, as well as to measure any side effects or issues experienced during use.

The device is loaded with three doses of Rebif that are administered by a battery-powered electromechanical injector triggered by pressing a button. It can be adjusted for injection depth, insertion speed, medication injection speed and the amount of time the needle stays in the skin.

Eligible people must currently be using Rebiject to take 44 mcg doses of Rebif.

For more information, call (888) 275-7376 or visit http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00735007?term=NCT00735007&rank=1

Novantrone Heart Health Alert

Those treating their MS with Novatrone should be aware of recently re-issued recommendations regarding heart health from the FDA.

Since 2005, the agency has recommended that people taking Novatrone (mitoxantrone) be evaluated for a heart condition called left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) both before their first treatment and prior to each subsequent infusion.

LVEF and congestive heart failure have been associated with people whose cumulative dose of Novatrone was less than 100 mg/m2. The maximum lifetime cumulative dose for Novatrone for people with MS is 140 mg/m2, or eight to 12 doses in two to three years.

Those people who have finished treatment with Novatrone also should be evaluated yearly to detect cardiac problems.

For more information on the FDA’s advisory, visit http://www.fda.gov/MedWatch/safety/2005/Novantrone_ptinfomay24.pdf

Neuron Growth May Be Possible in MS Lesions

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute found evidence that neurons may regrow in brain lesions caused by MS, although it is not clear how much function those neurons would have.

The scientists looked at nine people with MS and four people with no known health conditions, finding that while neurons in the brain’s white matter were destroyed during the demylination process, in a small percentage of old lesions neurons in the white matter had increased by 72 percent, compared to normal brain tissue.

The research, which scientists said may influence future MS therapies, was published in the medical journal Brain.

Study Examines Interferon Use During Pregnancy

A small study by Italian researchers found that other than slightly lowered birth weight, there appeared to be no negative effects for babies exposed to interferon beta in utero.

The retrospective study looked at 38 women, including those who had never taken drugs for MS, those who had been treated with interferon beta but discontinued use before conception, and those who took interferon beta after their pregnancy began.

Researchers examined the health of the babies through their 18^th month of life, finding no developmental problems and that the lower birth weight of children who were exposed to beta interferon during pregnancy was not statistically significant.

Much remains unknown, however, about the effect of disease-modifying drugs on a developing fetus and no MS drug has been approved for use during pregnancy. Women in the US are advised to discontinue use of DMD prior to conception; those who become pregnant while taking MS drugs may enroll in registries established to help determine any potential negative effects.

For more information on pregnancy registries for MS drugs, visit http://www.fda.gov/womens/registries/registries.html.

Erectile Dysfunction Drugs Do Double Duty

Recent research has found that some drugs developed for erectile dysfunction in men may have helpful side effects, or be beneficial for women.

In two separate studies, scientists found that men with enlarged prostates who took Cialis (tadafil) had fewer UTI symptoms, while women with sexual problems linked to antidepressant use reported improvements in their sex life after taking Viagra.

The study, financed by Viagra-maker Pfizer, looked at 98 women who experienced at least a month of sexual troubles triggered by antidepressant use. After eight weeks, 72 percent of the women who took the drug saw improvements in arousal, sexual enjoyment and orgasm, though the women did report a higher rate of headaches and indigestion than the placebo group. Previous studies had shown Viagra did not work for women.

The study of Cialis looked at more than 1,000 men in five countries who took either placebo or 2.5, 5, 10 or 20 mg doses of the drug daily. It found that Cialis at any dose was an improvement over placebo, helping with UTI symptoms such as urination frequency, weak urine stream and straining.

The research will be published in an upcoming issue of The Journal of Urology.

2009 Medicare Premiums Announced

Premiums for Medicare Part D prescription drug plans will rise by an average of three dollars a month in 2009, an increase of about 12 percent over this year’s rates.

Individual premiums vary by plan and location. About 24.4 million Americans are enrolled in Part D plans nationwide.

The increase, announced by Medicare officials in August, is in part caused by the rising cost of prescription drugs. Despite the rise, the average annual costs of a Part D plan remains 37 percent lower than originally anticipated when the coverage was first conceived in 2003.

Those who pay an additional premium will be able to cover gaps in their coverage, commonly known as the “donut hole,” through enhanced plans. People on limited incomes may be eligible to get extra assistance or have the premiums waived through the Low Income Subsidy.

Those enrolled in Medicare plans will receive their annual handbook, Medicare & You 2009 in October. Annual enrollment for Part D begins Nov. 15.

For more information on your Medicare plan, visit http://www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

Foods That Fight Fatigue

While no one food provides the perfect energy boost, simple steps are important to keep your body running.

Eat breakfast – Blending carbohydrates and protein is best, even when you are on the go. Quick breakfasts include a whole grain bagel with cream cheese or whole grain toast with peanut butter and a piece of fruit.

Drink water – Use water to quench your thirst, instead of sugary drinks or soda. Carry a water bottle with you during the day and treat yourself to a fruity ice-pop for desert.
Eat often – Three large meals a day might not be what works best for your body. Try splitting up your calories into six smaller meals for sustained energy.
Be wary quick fixes – Sugar and caffeine provide a rapid energy boost, followed by a crash. Caffeine in drinks also can dehydrate your body.

For more tips, check out http://www.webmd.com/solutions/fight_fatigue.

Website to Watch: Online Library of MS Research

Journals, magazines, books and papers included in the United Kingdom’s Multiple Sclerosis Society library are now open to the public online.

The collection, which is searchable, has documents for people with MS, their doctors and children. Some medical journals will allow access to full text articles; abstracts will be provided for other publications with the full article on request.

For more information, or to search for articles, visit http://www.mssociety.org/uk/library

MSF News

New From the MSF Library

The Tortoise and the Chair: Living with Multiple Sclerosis
By Sally Rickert, Xlibris 2008

This gem of a book is filled with poetry, first-person narratives, and short stories that address some facet of the physical or emotional fallout associated with MS. If you’ve ever adjusted to using a cane or wheelchair, have allowed the fear associated with incontinence to shrink your world, or have watched your loving partner become your primary caregiver, Sally Rickert’s deft phrases (like “dry-pants people”) will resonate with you.

Sally previously has been featured in MSFocus. Formerly a Registered Nurse, she was diagnosed with MS in 1996. The Tortoise and the Chair is available through the MSF Lending Library. Purchase it by calling 1-888-795-4274, ext. 7876, or visiting major online booksellers.

Book Now for 2009 Cruise for a Cause

Have you ever wondered exactly what happens on the MSF Cruise for a Cause? Check out footage of the 2008 trip to find out more at http://www.msfocus.org/programs_cruise.php.

The MSF’s 2009 Cruise for a Cause departs February 8, 2009 from Miami, Florida, making stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas and Philipsburg, St. Maarten.

The program, “MS Center at Sea: The Benefits of a Comprehensive Healthcare Team,” promises to be empowering and educational, with a multidisciplinary team of speakers from the MS Institute at Shepherd Center.

Topics will include insurance issues, cognitive impairment and the benefits of occupational therapy for fatigue, as well as sessions on speech and swallowing, and bladder and bowel symptoms. Among our esteemed scheduled speakers are: neuropsychologist Robert Godsall, PhD; Emily Cade, a case manager specializing in vocational and disability issues for individuals with chronic illnesses; occupational therapist Melinda Hodgson; speech language pathologist Bonnie Schaude; physical therapist Candy Tefertiller; certified personal trainer Jeff Segal and nurse practitioner Tracy Walker; MSF Medical Advisor Ben Thrower and pediatrician Dr. Karen Thrower.

Cruise rates range from $655 to $1140 per person, based on double occupancy. Taxes and gratuities as well as fuel and port charges are additional.

For questions about the MSF Cruise for a Cause, please call our Program Development Department at 800-225-6495. To book your cabin, call Fun Cruise and Travel at 888-826-9660.

Caregiver's Night Out Deadline Extended

If a relative, child, partner or friend is making a difference in your life, honor them this November during National Family Caregivers Month. Nominations will be accepted until September 15 for the MSF’s 7th annual Caregiver’s Night Out contest.

Tell us your story for a chance to win dinner for two at a restaurant of your choice. Winning essays will be published in the Fall, 2008 issue of MSFocus.

To enter, send us your name, address, phone number and email address, along with 100 words or fewer about what makes your caregiver special.

Email your information to homecare@msfocus.org or download an application at http://www.msfocus.org/PDF/Caregiver_application.pdf and send it to Caregivers’ Night Out Contest, Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, 6350 N. Andrews Ave., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33309.

Apply for a Brighter Tomorrow

Applications for the MSF Brighter Tomorrow Grant Program will be accepted through October 1.

The Brighter Tomorrow Grant is a wish-based program and is not based solely on financial need. Its goal is to provide people with MS goods or services that will enhance their safety, self-sufficiency, comfort, or well-being. Previous grant recipients are ineligible.

Requests must be for specific goods or services. Applicants provide basic personal and financial information, along with a brief essay of 100 words or less describing their need and how the grant will help them have a brighter tomorrow. Applications are confidential and are reviewed by our grant committee.

Applications are available at http://www.msfocus.org/programs_grants_bwmg_app.php. For additional applications, call 1-888-MSFOCUS (673-6287).

Fall Fundraisers Will Benefit MSF

Settle into your stance and hit a long drive for the MSF this fall. Two golf fundraisers are in the works on the East Coast to raise money for the Foundation’s programs and services.

In September, the fourth annual MS Busters Golf Tournament in Davidsonville, Maryland is scheduled for Friday, September 19 at Renditions Golf Course. Players will have a chance to win a 1999 Ferrari Spider worth $115,000 while helping the MSF. For the third consecutive year, the tournament’s hole-in-one prize will be a car donated by http://www.b-dperformance.com/

For more information about the MS Busters, visit

www.ms-busters.com. To register or reserve a sponsorship opportunity for the golf tournament, call (410) 693-9302 or (301) 412-0409.

Then, in November, MSF’s Fifth Annual PAR for the Cause Golf Tournament will take place in Florida, the “Golf Capital of the World.” Presented by Toshiba Business Solutions and scheduled for Friday, November 21 at the Woodlands Country Club in Tamarac, Florida, the Par for the Cause will start with registration at 7:45 a.m., followed by breakfast at 8 a.m. and a 9 a.m. tee time.

To register for the Fifth Annual PAR for the Cause Golf Tournament, or for more information, call Annette Woods at (954) 776-6805 ext. 121.

Multiple Sclerosis

In the Spotlight | More Topics |

from Julie Stachowiak, Ph.D.
Okay, I'm upset. I get mail all the time from readers who say that their neurologist says that certain physical complaints couldn't possibly have anything to do with their MS. It might or it might not, but it seems that neurologists are awfully quick to dismiss things that go beyond tingling, tremor and walking difficulties. I am highlighting three things that can definitely be linked to MS, but don't automatically come to mind when one thinks of MS symptoms. Hope this helps. Take care of yourselves, my friends.

In the Spotlight

Headache as a Symptom of MS
I know that everyone gets headaches, constipation and the occasional cough. However, for those of us with multiple sclerosis (MS), these common ailments may be caused (or made worse) by our MS.

If you are bothered by any of these problems, mention them to your neurologist. If he/she seems dismissive, stand your ground and insist on help. We already battle so many little and big problems that we need relief from anything that can be treated - and all of these can.

Read the full article: Headaches as a Symptom of MS

Constipation as a Symptom of MS
While this can definitely be a symptom of MS, the things that we have to do to prevent and treat constipation are pretty much the same as everybody else: fiber, water, exercise...

Read the full article: Constipation as a Symptom of MS

Respiratory Problems and Coughing as a Symptom of MS
I always wondered why my colds turned into bronchitis, characterized by coughing fits that would leave me desperately gasping for air. Now I know that I just don't cough as efficiently and have to treat these coughs quickly and seriously to get relief.

Read the full article: Respiratory Problems and Coughing as a Symptom of MS

More Topics

Does Sleep Have A Core Function?
The potential necessaryfunctions of sleep were recently discussed in an article released onAugust 25, 2008 in the open-access journal PLoS Biology.Whileit is largely publicly accepted that sleep is essential, there arestill many mysteries surrounding its function and how essential it is.

Stem cell alchemy

Researchers flip fully-differentiated cells in vivo into another type of cell without first reprogramming them to a pluripotent state

By Andrea Gawrylewski

Viruses rule the deep sea

Viruses in the deepest ocean environments are unexpectedly strong regulators of the biosphere

By Alla Katsnelson

Vitamin D

Millions of US Children are Vitamin D Deficient, Warn Researchers
Natural News.com - Phoenix,AZ,USA
(NaturalNews) Vitamin D deficiency is widespread among infants and toddlers, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Children's Hospital in ...

Health Matters: Vitamin D Does a Woman's Body Good
WCTV - Tallahassee,FL,USA
A new study shows elderly women with lower levels of vitamin-D in their body are more at risk for hip fractures. Researchers measured vitamin-D levels and ...

FTY720

2008-08-26T05:24:00.001-07:00

Viral infection hope
ChronicleLive - Newcastle upon Tyne,England,UK
The drug, FTY720, works by trapping the immune system’s white blood cells in the lymph nodes. Scientists found that low doses of the drug actually boosted ...

Selective Killing of Autoimmune Cells Suggests Therapy for Type 1 Diabetes
BOSTON -- Laboratory studies of type 1 diabetes and other autoimmune diseases show that boosting levels of tumor necrosis factor or its receptor activity selectively destroys autoreactive T cells, suggesting a possible cure for the diseases, investigators here reported. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Diabetes/tb/10656

NIH - Research Matters - Protein Plays Role in Preventing Autoimmunity
Aug 25, 2008 ... Eliminating a protein called furin from immune cells in mice can lead to development of autoimmune disease, a new study reports. ...

Mechanism That Controls the Development of Autoimmunity
What they discovered was that mice without furin in these cells developed systemic autoimmune... disease. This means that the immune systems of the mice

Tysabri

Biogen (BIIB): A 'dirt cheap' biotech bet
BloggingStocks - USA
"Tysabri has succeeded in the marketplace because it is a superior treatment for MS -- and the patients who use it agree, despite its high cost of $30000 ...

FDA seeks changes on labelling for Tysabri
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert saying it is working with Biogen Idec and Elan Corp to change the product labelling for Tysabri
read more

FDA seeks changes on labelling for Tysabri
26 August 2008
The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert saying it is working with Biogen Idec and Elan Corp to change the product labelling for Tysabri.
The agency’s move is unsurprising after the firms reported two new cases of the rare brain disease progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in Europe in patients with multiple sclerosis taking Tysabri (natalizumab) as monotherapy. The agency confirmed that these are the first cases of PML that have been reported following the drug’s re-appearance on the market in June 2006.
However, the FDA said it "still believes that Tysabri monotherapy may confer a lower risk of PML than when Tysabri is used together with other immunomodulatory medications”. It also noted that no new cases have been seen in the USA, where about 3,300 patients have received the drug for at least one and a half years.
Meantime, a number of private equity firms are interested in making a bid for Elan’s drug delivery unit. Bain Capital has emerged as a potential buyer for Elan Drug Technologies and Reuters has reported that Warburg Pincus may also make an offer.
The sale of EDT is expected to bring in up to $1.4 billion for Elan, which has seen its shares collapse of late over mixed results for its Alzheimer's drug candidate bapineuzumab, being co-developed with Wyeth, as well as its Tysabri problems. Other bidders mentioned in dispatches include Texas Pacific Group, Cinven, and Kohlberg Kravis Roberts.
By Kevin Grogan
Latest forum comments
"The US Food and Drug Administration has issued an alert saying it is working with Biogen Idec and E.."
http://www.pharmatimes.com/WorldNews/article.aspx?id=14209&src=EWorldNews
Read more and comment in the forums

Gloucestershire pensioner has to pay for vital drugs
Evening Post - Bristol,England,UK
... for those who live with them as cancer (such as – to name but a few – motor neurone disease, heart failure and primary progressive multiple sclerosis). ...

Study Highlights Link Between Vitamin D And Multiple Sclerosis
Medical News Today Sat, 23 Aug 2008 4:15 AM PDT
Vitamin D, the principal regulator of calcium in the body, may prevent the production of malignant cells such as breast and prostate cancer cells and protect against specific autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis (MS) according to an article by Sylvia Christakos, PhD, of the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School.

Study Highlights Link Between Vitamin D and Multiple Sclerosis
Newswise Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:31 PM PDT
Vitamin D, the principal regulator of calcium in the body, may prevent the production of malignant cells such as breast and prostate cancer cells and protect against specific autoimmune disorders including multiple sclerosis.

MS Answers

Symptoms and Management

Dr. Marrie

Assistant Professor of Medicine and Community Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba

View BIO

Q :

I am wondering if MS can cause severe joint pain, or if a person can have Lupus and MS at the same?

A :

Multiple sclerosis does not directly cause severe joint pain. Joint pain could occur if you develop spasticity or weakness which alters the position of the joint, or the amount of support around the joint. Strictly speaking, lupus and MS should not co-exist. Other causes of joint pain, such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and gout can co-exist with MS. Talk with your GP abut this pain to rule out non-MS causes of joint pain.
8/26/2008 6:47:51 AM
More answers from Dr. Ruth Anne Marrie
More answers in the category: Symptoms and Management

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2136

Family Issues

Dr. Kalb

Director of the Professional Resource Center at the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in New York City, NY

View BIO

Q :
My father has been living with MS for 10 years and is noticeably disabled. I have recently been diagnosed and I am concerned about how to explain it to my 4 year old and 2 year old. The 4 year old understands that mommy is sick, but I do not want him to associate it with how sick Papa is. How do I explain all of this to him without scaring him even more than he already is? Would it be best simply not name it for now and let them grow into the understanding when they are older that mommy and Papa have the same thing?
A :

You mention that your 4-year-old knows that “mommy is sick,” but you didn’t describe what kinds of symptoms you’re having at this time. In order to help your kids understand what’s going on without scaring them unnecessarily, I would recommend the following strategies:
• First, remember that your two children probably have very different needs at this time. Although your 4-year-old may have some questions and worries about your health, your 2-year-old may not be interested in any of this for a while yet. So I would start by talking with your older child first, and then have separate conversations with your younger one as he or she begins to ask questions or show concerns.
• Rather than talking with your kids about being “sick,” explain any symptoms or problems you are having that they can see or that interfere with your daily activities, and describe what you are doing to try and make them better. For example, if fatigue is your primary problem, you might explain that you get very tired sometimes and need to rest more than you used to. If you’re having trouble with your vision right now, you could describe how your vision is affected and that you’re taking medication or wearing an eye patch or reading large print books until it gets better. If you’re having difficulty walking, you could explain that your leg isn’t feeling very strong right now and the cane is helping you keep your balance. By talking about specific challenges and the strategies you are using to manage them, you will limit your children’s fears and reassure them that you’re taking good care of yourself.
• Let the kids know that you have MS like Papa, but that everyone’s MS is different. If you don’t share this information with them, you run the risk that they will hear it from someone else—and it’s always better and more reassuring for children to hear important information from mom or dad. Since all children worry when a parent becomes ills or disabled, you can also reassure them that you’ll always love and take care of them.
• While it’s important to answer your children’s questions openly and honestly, there’s no reason to overwhelm them with too much information at any one time. Be prepared to start simply and add more detail as they grow older and their questions become more complex.
Check out the available resources for children:
MS Society of Canada Resources:
• Parenting with Multiple Sclerosis: How parents with MS – and their kids – adapt and get stronger.
• How to Talk about MS with Your Children This guide is a practical aid to help parents communicate better with their children about multiple sclerosis.
• Keep S'myelin, a resource for children of parents with MS, is a colourful activity book intended to help children find answers to questions about multiple sclerosis and talk with their family and friends about the changes MS can bring.
• Keep Your Balance! is a colourful publication for teens which includes basic information about MS and testimonies from teens who have a parent with MS.
• My Mommy has MS This booklet for pre-school children describes MS and its effects in an easy to understand manner.
• Benjamin: My Mum is Special This publication provides a view of MS through the eyes of a child struggling to understand his mother's mysterious and sometimes frightening illness.
National MS Society resources:
• My Grampy Can’t Walk – a colorful storybook for young children by Vanita Oelschlager.
• Timmy’s Journey—a DVD cartoon suitable for all ages that shares a little boy’s adventure learning about MS (available upon request from Kimberly Koch at kimberly.koch@nmss.org)
8/26/2008 7:31:32 AM
More answers from Dr. Rosalind Kalb
More answers in the category: Family Issues

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2146

Newest drugs may prove out of reach Cost of potent treatments threatens to unravel health care
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat Sun, 24 Aug 2008 4:40 AM PDT
SEATTLE -- Sally Garcia, a 53-year-old lawyer disabled by multiple sclerosis, was torn.A new-generation medication, Copaxone, was really working for her.After two decades of being in and out of hospitals, Garcia was taking steps to work again

Let's Give Them Something to Talk About: Stem Cell Research Update ...
jewishinstlouis.org - St. Louis,MO,USA
... the second line of stem cells in the world and which is involved in researching treatment for Parkinson’s disease, diabetes and multiple sclerosis (MS).

Run, bridesmaids, run!
Aurora Beacon News - Aurora,IL,USA
The entry fee was waived, but donations were taken for multiple sclerosis research. "My father suffers from that condition, so it's dear to my heart," ...

Health plans upset when employers help pay high deductibles

By Anne Zieger
By Anne Zieger

High-deductible health plans have been an extremely trendy idea of late, with the assumption being that consumers would use services more cautiously if they had to pay first-dollar coverage on their own. However, some employers have been muddying the waters a bit by buying high-deductible plans, then helping employees with the deductibles through their own payouts or added insurance coverage. The combined package may be as much as 40 percent cheaper than traditional coverage, while offering comparable benefits, according to one estimate for a 40-person business based in California.

Employers like this approach, which brokers have fostered in an effort to win their business. But lately, some health plans have raised a stink over this model, which they say can push costs up substantially by taking away employees' incentive to overuse services. In fact, some California plans are so upset that they're asking employers to sign statements saying that they won't combine high-deductible plans with some types of self-insurance. Employers who won't sign could lose coverage. "Wrap-around schemes really run the risk of destroying lower-premium health products by driving up the price or making them go away completely," says Chris Ohman, president and CEO of the California Association of Health Plans.
To date, Blue Shield, Health Net, Kaiser Permanente and Anthem Blue Cross have sent letters to insurance brokers threatening them with termination of their contract and loss of commissions if they sell so-called "wrap-around" packages. I doubt they're the last.

.- read this Sacramento Business Journal piece

NEW Clinical Drug Trials listed on CenterWatch.com

2008-08-22T15:31:00.001-07:00

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Burnaby, BC, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Gatineau, QC, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Sherbrooke, QC, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Edmonton, AB, Canada

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Montreal, QC, Canada

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Halifax, NS, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Levis, PQ, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Montreal, QC, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Ottawa, ON, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Quebec, QC, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Regina, SK, CANADA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Birmingham, AL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Cullman, AL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Huntsville, AL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Gilbert, AZ

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Phoenix, AZ

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Burlington, VT

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Seattle, WA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Tacoma, WA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Madison, WI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Milwaukee, WI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Salt Lake City, UT

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Newport News, VA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Wien, VA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Richmond, VA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Bennington, VT

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Nashville, TN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
San Antonio, TX

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Dallas, TX

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Galveston, TX

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Houston, TX

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Round Rock, TX

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
East Providence, RI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Providence, RI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Cordova, TN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Franklin, TN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Knoxville, TN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Memphis, TN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Portland, OR

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Erie, PA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Hershey, PA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Pittsburgh, PA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Philadelphia, PA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Pittsburg, PA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Patchogue, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Dayton, OH

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Bellevue, OH

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Cleveland, OH

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Oklahoma City, OK

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Medford, OR

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Stony Brook, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Amherst, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Buffalo, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Cedarhurst, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Columbus, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
New York, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Albuquerque, NM

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Las Vegas, NV

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Albany, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Staten Island, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Plainview, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Staten Island, NY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Charlotte, NC

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Winston-Salem, NC

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Lebanon, NH

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Dover, NH

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Lebanon, NH

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Teaneck, NJ

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Grand Rapids, MI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Minneapolis, MN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Saint Louis, MO

A Dose-Finding Study of Ocrelizumab in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
Charlotte, NC

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Charlotte, NC

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Raleigh, NC

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Worcester, MA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Boston, MA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Baltimore, MD

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Farmington Hills, MI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Ann Arbor, MI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Clinton Township, MI

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Louisville, KY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Shreveport, LA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Boston, MA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Hopedale, MA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Lexington, MA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Springfield, MA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Fort Wayne, IN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Indianapolis, IN

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Wichita, KS

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Kansas City, KS

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Lexington, KY

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Augusta, GA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Des Moines, IA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Meridian, ID

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Evanston, IL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Palos Heights, IL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Maywood, IL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Vero Beach, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Lighthouse Point, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Maitland, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Melbourne, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Miami, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Atlanta, GA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Naples, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Pompano Beach, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Saint Petersburg, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Sarasota, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Tallahassee, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Tampa, FL

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Boulder, CO

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Colorado Springs, CO

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Fort Collins, CO

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
New Haven, CT

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Washington, DC

A Dose-Finding Study of Ocrelizumab in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
Bradenton, FL

A Dose-Finding Study of Ocrelizumab in Patients With Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.
Berkeley, CA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Sacramento, CA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
San Francisco, CA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
La Jolla, CA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Loma Linda, CA

Investigational Oral Medication for RRMS
Pasadena, CA

About Clinical Research

Additional Resources

Patient Bookstore

FTY720 fingolimod Novartis

Neuroscience - Novartis.com
The Neuroscience Disease Area at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research ... FTY720 (fingolimod) for multiple sclerosis (MS) - Phase III clinical ...

Tysabri

Cinven drops out of race for EDT
Thomson Merger News (subscription) - London,UK
A loss of confidence in MS treatment drug Tysabri and uncertain results for trials of Bapineuzumab, an Alzheimer drug, mean it is under pressure to sell ...
See all stories on this topic

PDL Could Get $1.2B from BMS for Two Early Stage Antibodies
BioWorld Online - Atlanta,GA,USA
PDL derives antibody royalties from net sales of eight products including Avastin (bevacizumab, Genentech Inc.) and Tysabri (natalizumab, Biogen Idec Inc. ...
See all stories on this topic

Cinven drops out of EDT race
Healthcare Digital - UK
Shares lost almost half their value at the beginning of the month after Tysabri, a treatment for MS sufferers, was linked to a potentially lethal brain ...
See all stories on this topic

Equity giant pulls out of running for EDT buyout
Irish Independent - Dublin,Ireland
The focus on the auction comes after fresh concerns at Elan surrounding its leading drug and multiple sclerosis treatment, Tysabri. ...
See all stories on this topic

Chapman celebrates
Lac du Bonnet Leader - Lac du Bonnet,Manitoba,Canada
He is a top fundraiser for the annual Super Cities WALK for Multiple Sclerosis. The mayor’s roots certainly run deep in the community. ...
See all stories on this topic

A SUBTLE MAKEOVER FOR MICHELLE OBAMA
Volkskrant - Netherlands
Then a close friend from college died. So did her father, who had long suffered from multiple sclerosis; Michelle so adored him that she would curl up in his lap even as an adult. ...
See all stories on this topic

World-Class MS Information At The Touch Of A Button
People affected by the debilitating neurological condition multiple sclerosis (MS) now have world-class information at their fingertips thanks to a UK first by the MS Society. The charity, which is the largest of its kind supporting people affected by MS, has this week created an online library of the thousands of books, journals, papers and magazines that it has in its collection, searchable from anywhere with an internet connection.

Opexa Conducts Additional Analysis on Phase I/II Extension Study ...
istockAnalyst.com - Salem,OR,USA
... a T-cell therapy for multiple sclerosis which is in Phase IIb trials. The Company holds an exclusive worldwide license for adult multipotent stem cells ...
See all stories on this topic

North scientists in life-saving discovery
Journal Live - Newcastle upon Tyne,UK
Their work is the latest in a long line of North university success stories, with recent weeks seeing hope for rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis ...
See all stories on this topic

Scientists use cloned cells to heal injured mice
Telegraph-Journal - Saint John,New Brunswick,Canada
They used stem cells isolated from the menstrual blood of two women and cloned by a San Diego company to save the legs of eight severely injured mice. ...
See all stories on this topic

Guideline: Surgery May Be Considered For Extreme Face Pain
A new guideline developed by the American Academy of Neurology finds surgery may be considered for people who suffer from extreme, electric shock-like pain in their face and do not respond well to drugs.

Behavior Affected By False Memories: New Study
Do you know someone who claims to remember their first day of kindergarten? Or a trip they took as a toddler? While some people may be able to recall trivial details from the past, laboratory research shows that the human memory can be remarkably fragile and even inventive.

Dopamine Increased In The Human Brain By Just 1 Sleepless Night
Just one night without sleep can increase the amount of the chemical dopamine in the human brain, according to new imaging research in the August 20 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.

Symptoms and Management

Dr. Smyth

Neurologist, MS Specialist
View BIO

Q :
When you have MS can your menstrual period stop?
A :
MS is more common in women, and part of the female susceptibility to getting MS is believed to be related to female hormones. Conversely, the state of pregnancy has been shown to help protect against MS relapses.
Many women report that their MS symptoms worsen just before their menstrual period and stop once their menstrual period has stopped.
Multiple sclerosis usually doesn’t cause your menstrual period to stop. However, many of the medications used in MS can affect your menstrual period. SSRI’s (a family of antidepressant drugs) can cause irregular periods. Sometimes, chemotherapies such as mitoxantrone or cyclophosphamide are used for aggressive MS. Those chemotherapies can stop your menstrual periods. Beta-interferons (Avonex ®, Betaseron ®, and Rebif®) can cause spotting between periods.
If your menstrual period has stopped, I would follow up with your family doctor and your neurologist to look for other causes of menstrual irregularities not related to MS, and to review your medications.
8/22/2008 4:31:17 PM
More answers from Dr. Penelope Smyth
More answers in the category: Symptoms and Management

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2132

Man gets $350,000 heart bypass by stealing friend's identity

By Anne Zieger
Comment | Forward

John Parsons apparently believed he would die without heart bypass surgery. To get it, the uninsured 57-year-old ex-convict took a step that has hospital officials shaking their heads--he managed to pass himself off as a mentally-disabled friend and, using the friend's Medicaid card, obtained the surgery. Now, officials at Chicago's Northwestern Memorial Hospital are stuck with a big bill and a lot of questions as to how Parsons pulled it off.

According to the authorities, Parsons got the surgery at Northwestern in 2007, generating about $350,000 in expenses. When bills started arriving at the home of the friend, Philip Johnson, Johnson's live-in caregiver discovered the alleged scam and notified officials. Parsons has since admitted stealing Johnson's identity. Northwestern, for its part, has agreed to cover the cost of the surgery so Johnson won't be responsible for it.

What has healthcare officials puzzled is the extent of the apparent deception. To get the heart bypass, doctors would have needed a lot of clinical information, including patient blood type, cardiac history, medical history and more, records that would be very difficult to fake, notes CMS spokesman Jeff Nelligan. Northwestern continues to investigate the incident.

To learn more about the alleged scam:
- read this Chicago Tribune piece

Caregivers / Homecare News
More Than 10 Percent Of Older Americans Suffer Mistreatment According To U. Of Chicago Study
About 13 percent of elderly Americans are mistreated, most commonly by someone who verbally mistreats or financially takes advantage of them, according to a University of Chicago study that is the first comprehensive look at elder mistreatment in the country.

ACS: Ear Infections in Childhood Linked to Obesity in Grownups
PHILADELPHIA -- Children who develop moderate to severe middle ear infections may suffer damage to a critical taste-sensing nerve that leaves them prone to overeating and excessive weight, researchers said here. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/GeneralPediatrics/tb/10609

Dogs aren't stupid wolves; they are much smarter
Dogs have come a long way from their closest relative, the wolf. Living with humans seems to have rubbed off on their intellects says Kate Douglas

What would life be like on a two-star planet?
Marcus Chown finds out whether multiple-star systems could exist and what life would be like there

Looming water crisis simply a management problem
There's plenty to go round, so why is the world facing a water crisis, asks Jonathan Chenoweth

The power of the placebo effect
When Michael Brooks went in search of the placebo effect, he was shocked by what he found

First red blood cells grown in the lab
http://email.newscientist.com/cgi-bin1/DM/y/nBaby0MQ8Vq0keh0FEfb0Eb

high blood pressure

The You Docs: The easiest way to get healthier tonight
Seattle Post Intelligencer - USA
A group of 32- to 59-year-olds who got fewer than five hours of sleep a night for several years were twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as those ...
See all stories on this topic

See Clearly with Fish Oil
Stop Aging Now - Washington,DC,USA
By Carey Rossi Keep your eyes focused and your sight strong by consuming large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, suggests a new meta-analysis—the gold ...
See all stories on this topic

probiotics

Taking Probiotics Greatly Reduces Infections in Athletes
Natural News.com - Phoenix,AZ,USA
(NaturalNews) Athletes who took probiotic supplements suffered fewer infections and recovered more quickly than those who did not, in a study conducted by ...
See all stories on this topic

Probiotics As Functional Food For Health
Gorkhapatra - Kathmandu,Nepal
Probiotics are currently defined as live microorganisms which when consumed in sufficient quantity confer health benefits to the host. ...
See all stories on this topic

Cranberry juice
SheKnows.com - Scottsdale,AZ,USA
But new research also suggests that cranberry juice is just as effective as probiotics in maintaining good digestive health, too. ...
See all stories on this topic

vitamin D

Top 10 Myths About Vitamin D
RedOrbit - Dallas,TX,USA
By Skowron, Jared M Myth 1: Vitamin D is a vitamin. The Truth: Vitamin D is a hormone. It's derived from cholesterol. It activates cellular processes and ...
See all stories on this topic

If you don't get enough vitamin D, could it kill you?
Orlando Sentinel - Orlando,FL,USA
A lack of vitamin D has been found in some studies to play an unrecognized role in death among people suffering from a variety of medical problems, ...
See all stories on this topic

Significant Long Term Benefit For Low Back Pain Revealed By Major Study
A major study led by a Southampton researcher has found significant evidence that the Alexander Technique can provide long-term benefit for people with chronic or recurrent low back pain.The study, one of the first of its kind, is being published online today by the BMJ at BMJ.

EU OKs Cymbalta for Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Eli Lilly and Germany's Boehringer Ingelheim said today the European Commission has approved the use of Cymbalta for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. This approval is the fourth for duloxetine in Europe. According to PharmaLive's eKnowledgeBase, Cymbalta earned $2.1 billion last year.

SPOTLIGHT ON... As measles cases mount, officials blame fear of autism

Despite a seeming lack of sound evidence supporting their contention, a growing number of parents have come to believe that childhood vaccinations can cause autism. Officials now believe that a ricochet effect from such fears has appeared. Public health data has come demonstrating that more people had measles infections in the first seven months of this year than during any comparable period since 1996, many of whom were unvaccinated because of either their own beliefs or those of their parents. The question is, what can public health leaders do about it? Article

Fingolimod and Me

2008-08-20T16:32:00.001-07:00

Fingolimod and Me
Last week I thought we were only waiting for the main trial HQ in Berlin to approve my MRI. Now I have to get chunks of skin cut off like some sick hazing ritual to prove I am worthy of continuing with Fingolimod.

Truth be told, I'd probably let them shave me bald and tattoo "STUPID" across my forehead if it meant a new bottle of pills. I've become such a Fingolimod junky. Sheesh.
http://fty720.blogspot.com/

Suppressing Disease-Causing Genes Is Now Within Reach
Mount Sinai researchers have developed a new gene silencing technology that could be used to target genes that can lead to the development of certain diseases. This technology could pave the way for preventing diseases where gene dysfunction plays a role.

Expert Neurology Panel Weighs Impact of New Reports of PML in ...
Earthtimes (press release) - London,UK
New interferons, integrin inhibitors, B-cell inhibitors, S1Ps, fumarates, neuroprotection/neuroregeneration. -- The potential for vaccine or MAb approaches ...
See all stories on this topic

Medical microbiology

Immune Response to Human Embryonic Stem Cells in Mice Suggests ...
MarketWatch - USA
Davis, who is also an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, is a co-author of the paper, which will be published Aug. ...
See all stories on this topic

Stanford scientists suggest stem-cell monkey-wrench
Bizjournals.com - Charlotte,NC,USA
Wu and Davis — a professor of microbiology and immunology at Stanford — used new molecular imaging methods to watch cells live or die inside the mice during ...
See all stories on this topic

Peplin's $24M Private Placement to Fund Phase III Keratosis Trial
TMCnet - USA
Those proceeds will support a new drug application filing in the first quarter of 2009 as well as premarketing activities for Fampridine-SR, a drug intended ...
See all stories on this topic
Too Much Punishment for Amylin

Motley Fool - USA
... Elan (NYSE: ELN) and Biogen Idec (Nasdaq: BIIB) had to deal with new cases of a brain disorder in patients using their multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri. ...
See all stories on this topic

Managing chronic health conditions explored
Eureka Times-Standard Wed, 20 Aug 2008 1:40 AM PDT
The key to living with chronic health conditions -- whether it's diabetes, heart disease or multiple sclerosis or arthritis -- is developing one's management skills.

Biogen Idec reports 2nd-quarter results with Wall Street focused ...
CanadianBusiness.com - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
... the company and its partner Genentech Inc. said their drug Rituxan failed a mid- to late-stage study for primary-progressive multiple sclerosis, ...
See all stories on this topic

Complementary and Alternative Therapies

Dr. Yeung

Director MS Clinical Trials Research Unit Foothills MS Clinic, Calgary
View BIO

Q :

I read a article written by a popular radio personality doctor, who wrote that because his blood levels of vitamin D are low in winter - he has chosen to use UVB tanning lamps as opposed to supplements, because of a study from Australia which suggests that vitamin D supplement use may retard the body's ability to make vitamin D on its own. What are your thoughts on this?

A :

I am unable to find the Australian study that he mentions in this article; through a search of the medical literature, there are no studies that mention this association. However, there are numerous studies that show exposure to UVB (the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) required to convert 7-dehydrocholesterol to vitamin D) and any type of UVR (artificial or solar) can have significant side effects. UVR is a known carcinogen and excessive exposure to solar UVR increases risk of cancer of the lip, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, and cutaneous malignant melanoma. Solar UVR also increases risk of eye diseases including cataracts, some conjunctival tumours, and perhaps ocular melanoma. Cosmetically, it can increase the appearance of wrinkles and hasten aging. Similar effects likely occur with exposure to UVR from tanning beds. Taking an oral supplement of vitamin D would seem to be a safer alternative to UVR exposure and all its attendant potential side effects.
8/20/2008 3:56:02 PM
8/20/2008 3:56:02 PM
More answers from Dr. Michael Yeung
More answers in the category: Complementary and Alternative Therapies

http://www.msanswers.ca/QuestionView.aspx?L=2&QID=2110

Create a Healthy Brain Plan
http://alzheimers.about.com/od/prevention/ht/healthybrain.htm?nl=1
Blood Vessel Gene Influences Brain Size, Yale Researchers Find
The size of a key area of the brain involved in memory and mood disorders is influenced by variation in a growth factor gene that influences blood vessel growth and has been widely studied in heart disease and cancer, Yale University researchers have found.
Perspectives in Central Nervous System Malignancies
These 4 podcasts provide additional insights into the PCNSM4: Perspectives in Central Nervous System Malignancies conference, which discussed trends and treatment strategies associated with the management of CNS malignancies.
Source: Johns Hopkins Advanced Studies in Medicine (JHASiM) [more]
Arsenic in Drinking Water Linked to Type 2 Diabetes
BALTIMORE -- Millions of Americans may be at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes because of arsenic in their drinking water, researchers here said. full story

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Diabetes/tb/10600

Exercise: A drug-free approach to lowering high blood pressure
Exercise is a great way to control your blood pressure. Even small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference.

Doctors checking patients more for vitamin D levels
Seattle Post Intelligencer - USA
By LAURAN NEERGAARD AP WASHINGTON -- Don't be surprised if your doctor orders a vitamin D test during your next physical. Blood tests to check levels of the ...
See all stories on this topic

Researchers produce blood in lab from embryonic stem cells

By Karen Kaplan

The discovery marks a technical advance but has a long way to go before it can be considered an alternative to donor blood. >>

Stem cells used to grow blood in lab
Minneapolis Star Tribune - Minneapolis,MN,USA
Scientists said Tuesday they have devised a way to grow large quantities of blood in the lab using human embryonic stem cells, potentially making blood drives a relic of the past.
See all stories on this topic

Sleep Leads To Better Blood Pressure In Teens
KDKA - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
In adults, less than six hours sleep is associated with high blood pressure. Now, there's the first study to make a connection between blood pressure and ...
See all stories on this topic

Risk of high blood pressure higher among sleepier teens: study
CBC.ca - Toronto,Ontario,Canada
Teenagers who don't get enough shut-eye may not only be drowsy in class, but they could also be increasing their risk for high blood pressure and heart ...
See all stories on this topic

Stem Cell Research News

McCain, Obama Discuss Abortion, Embryonic Stem Cell Research During Forum At Saddleback Church
Presidential candidates Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.) on Saturday at a forum moderated by the influential evangelical minister Rev. Rick Warren at 19 Aug 2008

Limbs Saved By Menstrual Blood Stem Cells
Cells obtained from menstrual blood, termed 'endometrial regenerative cells' (ERCs) are capable of restoring blood flow in an animal model of advanced peripheral artery disease. A study published in BioMed Central's open access Journal of Translational Medicine demonstrates that when circulation-blocked mice were treated with ERC injections, circulation and functionality were restored.

Stem Cell Indicator For Bowel Cancer Should Lead To Better Survival Rates
Stem cell scientists have developed a more accurate way of identifying aggressive forms of bowel cancer, which should eventually lead to better treatment and survival rates. Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK.

Plerixafor Treatment Improves Mobilization Of Cells In Donors During Bone Marrow Stem Cell Collection Procedures
In a study of 25 bone marrow donors, treatment with plerixafor, an antagonist able to disrupt a critical pathway associated with stem cell mobilization, was shown to mobilize cells faster than treatment with granular colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), the current standard method used to collect bone marrow stem cells from healthy donors.

NIH creates new stem cell research center

August 19, 2008

By John Carroll

Tags bone marrow National Institutes of Health Stem Cells Rocky Tuan

http://www.fiercebioresearcher.com/story/nih-creates-new-stem-cell-research-center/2008-08-19?utm_medium=nl&utm_source=internal&cmp-id=EMC-NL-FBR&dest=FBR

The National Institutes of Health told staffers last week that it is setting up a bone marrow-stem cell transplant center within the National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, according to an article in Wired. The NIH sees the use of adult stem cells to regenerate muscle and bone as a looming opportunity. And in part the field is being driven by the experience of veterinarians, who now regularly use stem cells to treat animals. The use of stem cells to spur muscle growth in horses, for example, has now become almost routine. A precursor procedure that uses platelet rich plasma for injuries is already in use. But it won't be easy to adapt the same methods for horses for human use.

"After a few weeks (of lab growth), it will turn into something that resembles a tendon, but it has to be the mechanical equivalent and we don't know that we're there," said NIH researcher, Rocky Tuan, about one of his stem cell projects. "Stem cells are very promising, but what they do for horses may not work so well for humans because humans are the hardest animal to rebuild."
--read the article from Wired

Can the mere possession of a plant land you in jail?

It sure can.
In what must be one of the most bizarre episodes in
all human history, one of the most useful plants known
to man was criminalized by the US government in the
1930s or the benefit of a chemical company, a newspaper
mogul and a banker.
Details here:
http://www.brasschecktv.com/page/409.html
Brasscheck TV
2380 California St.
San Francisco, CA 94115
- Brasscheck

Multiple Sclerosis News Blog

Vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

Vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

MS Vaccines

Treatment

Daily Living with MS

In the Spotlight

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FTY720

Killing Bacteria Not Enough to Restore Full Immunity

Treatment

Vitamin B12 Deficiency Causes Brain Shrinkage, Neurological Disorders

Symptoms and Management

Study: Biotech patent system broken

MS Patient Turns To TroubleShooter For Help Getting Medical Lift - vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

vitamin B12 brain shrinkage

Tysabri

Today's Top News

Also Noted

BioMS Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gets FDA Fast Track - Human stem cells help mice in MS research

BioMS Multiple Sclerosis Drug Gets FDA Fast Track

MN-166

Diagnosis and Types of MS

stem cells

Multiple Sclerosis Treatments | BioMS Medical Corporation - Third Clinical Trial Shows Pine Bark Naturally Reduces Knee Osteoarthritis

Welcome to BioMS Medical

Global Trials

FDA posts list of potential problem drugs

Research

Opexa Therapeutics And Myelin Repair Foundation Partner On Novel Multiple Sclerosis Research Program - Biogen to test Tysabri as a cancer treatment

FDA 'fast track' granted to BioMS Medical for lead drug, dirucotide for the treatment of multiple sclerosis - BioMS Medical's lead drug, dirucotide (MBP8298) for the treatment ...

Is the common cold becoming a killer?

Wake Forest Doctors Working On Pill For Multiple Sclerosis

Multiple Sclerosis

In the Spotlight

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"HiCy" relieves MS symptoms

Symptoms and Management

Study: Direct-to-Consumer Ads May Be Waste of Cash

MS Market is Estimated to Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion in 2008, with a Growth Rate of 10.6% Year-on-Year

Natural ways to lower blood pressure

MS Market is Estimated to Be Worth Almost US$8 Billion in 2008, with a Growth Rate of 10.6% Year-on-Year

Biogen Testing Regenerative Medicine Drug to Reverse Multiple Sclerosis - Studies suggest underlying pathology different between different formsof MS

Diagnosis and Types of MS

primary progressive MS

Repair Stem Cell Institute Says Stanford University's Stem Cell Study Confirms The Futility Of Embryonics In Human Therapy

UT Southwestern Researchers Find Antidepressants Need New Nerve Cells To Be Effective

Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures

Elan says Tysabri brain disease link uncertainShareCast via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance Thu, 28 Aug 2008 5:16 AM PDTIrish drug giant Elan said the risk of a fatal brain disease in patients treated with its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri "cannot be precisely estimated."

Exclusive: Martial arts champion hit by multiple sclerosis denied ...Glasgow Daily Record - Glasgow,Scotland,UKAlan added: "With the advances in stem cell research, there is some suggestion there could be a cure within the next five years, which gives us hope. ...

Obesity-Related Impairment in Older Adults Called Ticking Time Bomb PLYMOUTH, England -- Obesity in later life substantially increases the risk of disability but not mortality, according to data from a longitudinal study of aging. full story

NOVA | scienceNOW | Stem Cell Breakthrough: Related Science News | PBS

Stem Cell Advance Turns Skin Cells into Nerve Cells

Stem cell advance turns ailing sisters' skin cells into nerve cells

Elderly siblings have Lou Gehrig's disease

By ELIE DOLGINedolgin@journalsentinel.com

Posted: July 31, 2008

www.kansascity.com | 08/27/2008 | Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures...

Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures

By ROB STEIN

The Washington Post

FDA Wants Tysabri Warning Revised

FTY720

MS Answers

NEW Clinical Drug Trials listed on CenterWatch.com

Fingolimod and Me

Stem Cell Research News

NIH creates new stem cell research center

More Topics

Can the mere possession of a plant land you in jail?

Elan says Tysabri brain disease link uncertain
ShareCast via Yahoo! UK & Ireland Finance Thu, 28 Aug 2008 5:16 AM PDT
Irish drug giant Elan said the risk of a fatal brain disease in patients treated with its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri "cannot be precisely estimated."

Exclusive: Martial arts champion hit by multiple sclerosis denied ...
Glasgow Daily Record - Glasgow,Scotland,UK
Alan added: "With the advances in stem cell research, there is some suggestion there could be a cure within the next five years, which gives us hope. ...

Obesity-Related Impairment in Older Adults Called Ticking Time Bomb
PLYMOUTH, England -- Obesity in later life substantially increases the risk of disability but not mortality, according to data from a longitudinal study of aging. full story

By ELIE DOLGIN
edolgin@journalsentinel.com

www.kansascity.com | 08/27/2008 | Scientists transform adult cell, which could lead to cures
...