Stem Cell Clinics in the United States

Stem Cell Clinics Map

There are now more than 500 stem cell clinics in the United States and the FDA has been holding hearings to decide if they should be closed down or much more strictly regulated. The move comes at an awkward time because research on stem cell treatments is just starting to bear fruit. Tantalizing results from a series of small studies suggest injections with certain types of stem cells may be effective treatments for conditions such as stroke and multiple sclerosis. Also thousands of patients have been able to avoid joint surgery after receiving injections with stem cells and platelet rich plasma. Since Medical Doctors in Stem Cell Clinics generally use cells they?ve isolated from a patient?s own fat, and because those cells are considered only ?minimally manipulated,? the FDA has not regulated the treatments as it would a traditional pharmaceutical.

Patients who want immediate treatment for their conditions and Doctors who perform these treatments say the FDA is being pressured into taking a tough line by academics and pharmaceutical giants who want to control, and profit from, the stem cell industry.

?The problem is, if we do well, it hurts their business plan,? said Dr. Mark Berman, a plastic surgeon in Beverly Hills, California.

Back in 2002, Dr. Berman cofounded a chain of clinics called the Cell Surgical Network. He says he and other physicians in the network have conducted some 5,000 stem cell treatments including on himself and his wife for conditions such as arthritis and hip, back and joint pain. He called the draft regulations arbitrary and hypocritical.

The fight over regulation comes at a time when leading stem cell researchers, after years of disappointing results, are increasingly excited about new studies showing the cells appear to be safe and may be effective in treating a variety of crippling diseases, including macular degeneration and Parkinson?s.

?It?s a very exciting time,? said Sally Temple, a stem cell researcher at the Neural Stem Cell Institute in Rensselaer, N.Y. ?We?re going to see many treatments for diseases that are currently untreatable.?

The results researchers are so excited about are only possible because of decades of tedious work to establish safety protocols, test concepts and learn how to grow, produce, and manipulate stem cells, she said.

?It?s hard to have people understand how long this whole process takes,? said Temple, who also serves as president of the International Society of Stem Cell Research. ?You would not believe what we have to do in my lab to prepare cells properly.?

Stem cells can be extracted from a number of different tissues. They?re highly flexible and can turn into other kinds of cells ? heart cells, say, or retinal cells. That ability lets them act as a kind of internal repair system.

Stem cells extracted from bone marrow have long been used to treat cancer, and blood and immune disorders. Now a variety of types of stem cells are being tested in a slew of other applications.

For example, a team at Stanford and the University of Pittsburgh announced in June in the journal Stroke that they had restored mobility in some stroke patients by injecting a particular kind of modified stem cell directly into their brains. Most stroke patients don?t improve much after six months, but some who received the treatment gained mobility a year or more after their strokes. Some who had been confined to wheelchairs even began to walk.

Dr. Gary Steinberg, a neurosurgeon at Stanford and the study?s lead author, said he thought the cells might be helping by secreting factors that led to the regeneration or reactivation of patient?s cells. ?We didn?t imagine we could restore neurologic function in these chronic stroke patients with severe disability,? said Steinberg.

The study just 18 patients; so Dr. Steinberg is recruiting 156 more for an additional study.

In another promising effort, a team from the University of Southern California announced they had restored some mobility in a 21-year-old man, Kris Boesen, who had become paralyzed from the neck down after a car accident this spring.

The team, led by USC neurosurgeon and bioengineer Dr. Charles Liu, injected 10 million specialized cells created from embryonic stem cells directly into the patient?s spine.

To be sure, it?s unclear whether, or how much, the treatment helped; the patient may also have recovered spontaneously. But whatever the mechanism, the improvement was dramatic: Three months after the treatment, the patient was feeding himself, hugging his family, and using his cell phone.

?The first thing he did when he could use his hands was text his girlfriend,? Liu said.

This patient was one of five enrolled in a multicenter clinical trial using cells that support nervous system functioning created from embryonic cells by Asterias Biotherapeutics, which plans to release results from several other patients Wednesday at an International Spinal Cord Society meeting in Vienna.

?If it bears out, it?s going to be huge,? Liu said. ?This was the difference between someone using his hands or not.?

Toxic Chemicals Commonly Found in Household Dust

Household Dust

Household dust exposes people to a wide range of toxic chemicals from everyday products, according to a study led by researchers at Milken Institute School of Public Health (Milken Institute SPH) at the George Washington University. The multi-institutional team conducted a first-of-a-kind meta-analysis, compiling data from dust samples collected throughout the United States to identify the top ten toxic chemicals commonly found in dust. They found that DEHP, a chemical belonging to a hazardous class called phthalates, was number one on that list. In addition, the researchers found that phthalates overall were found at the highest levels in dust followed by phenols and flame retardant chemicals.

“Our study is the first comprehensive analysis of consumer product chemicals found in household dust,” says lead author Ami Zota, ScD, MS, assistant professor of environmental and occupational health at Milken Institute SPH. “The findings suggest that people, and especially children, are exposed on a daily basis to multiple chemicals in dust that are linked to serious health problems.” Fortunately there are ways to reduce your exposure.

Chemicals from consumer products are released into the air and get into dust, which can settle on household items or on the floor. People can inhale or ingest small particles of dust or even absorb them through the skin. Infants and young children are particularly at risk for exposure to the chemicals found in dust because they crawl, play on dusty floors, and put their hands in their mouths, the authors say.

Zota and colleagues pooled data from 26 peer-reviewed papers and one unpublished dataset that analyzed dust samples taken from homes in 14 states. They found 45 potentially toxic chemicals that are used in many consumer and household products such as vinyl flooring, personal care and cleaning products, building materials and home furnishings. The meta-analysis combines information from smaller dust studies and thus offers solid conclusions with greater statistical power, the authors say.

The team found that:

? Ten harmful chemicals are found in ninety percent of the dust samples across multiple studies, including a known cancer-causing agent called TDCIPP. This flame retardant is frequently found in furniture, baby products and other household items.

? Indoor dust consistently contains four classes of harmful chemicals in high amounts. Phthalates, substances that are used to make cosmetics, toys, vinyl flooring, and other products, were found in the highest concentration with a mean of 7,682 nanograms per gram of dust-an amount that was several orders of magnitude above the others. Phenols, chemicals used in cleaning products and other household items, were the number two highest chemical class followed by flame retardants and highly fluorinated chemicals used to make non-stick cookware.

? Chemicals from dust are likely to get into young children’s bodies. A flame retardant added to couches, baby products, electronics and other products, TCEP, had the highest estimated intake followed by four phthalates–DEP, DEHP, BBzP and DnBP. The intake numbers in this study probably underestimate the true exposure to such chemicals, which are also found in products on the drug store shelf and even in fast food the authors say.

? Phthalates such as DEP, DEHP, DNBP, and DIBP, are not only found at the highest concentrations in dust but are associated with many serious health hazards. Phthalates are thought to interfere with hormones in the body and are linked to a wide range of health issues including declines in IQ and respiratory problems in children.

? Highly fluorinated chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS are also high on the potential harm scale. These types of chemicals, which are found in cell phones, pizza boxes, and many non-stick, waterproof and stain-resistant products have been linked to numerous health problems of the immune, digestive, developmental and endocrine systems.

? Small amounts can add up. Many of the chemicals in dust are linked to the same health hazards, such as cancer or developmental and reproductive toxicity, and may be acting together. Exposure to even small amounts of chemicals in combination can lead to an amplified health risk, especially for developing infants or young children, the authors say.

“The number and levels of toxic and untested chemicals that are likely in every one of our living rooms was shocking to me,” said co-author Veena Singla, PhD, staff scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council. “Harmful chemicals used in everyday products and building materials result in widespread contamination of our homes–these dangerous chemicals should be replaced with safer alternatives,” Singla adds.

In the meantime, consumers who want to reduce their exposure to chemicals in household dust and the environment around them can take a few simple steps:

1. Keep dust levels low by using a strong vacuum with a HEPA filter and vacuum frequently. The HEPA filter is important because with ordinary vacuums many of the chemicals will go right back into the air you breathe instead of staying in the bag or filter.

2. Wash hands frequently

3. Avoid personal care and household products that contain potentially dangerous chemicals. Examples include cleaning solvents, pesticides, chlorine bleach (use hydrogen peroxide bleach), toxic drain cleaners (use the enzyme based kind from the health food store), many cleaning products (buy those based on non-toxic ingredients), and many cosmetics.

4. Change the furnace filter regularly

5. Install a HEPA air purifier in any room you spend a lot of time in or better yet put a whole house unit on the furnace.

6. Open windows a few inches when weather permits to bring in fresh air. Most homes are more polluted than outdoors.

7. Have your carpets cleaned once a year by an environmentally friendly company like Chem-Dry that uses safe natural cleaning solutions.

“Consumers have the power to make healthier choices and protect themselves from harmful chemicals in everyday products,” says Robin Dodson, an environmental exposure scientist at Silent Spring Institute. “These things can make a real difference not only in their health but also in shifting the market toward safer products.”

Secrets of Acciaroli where 1 in 10 are Centenarians

Acciaroli

Researchers from Rome’s Sapienza University and the San Diego School of Medicine spent six months studying the residents of Acciaroli in order to determine why over 10% of the population is more than 100 years old. This small village in Italy is best known for its natural beauty and healthy fruits and vegetables.

With a population of 700 people Acciaroli is part of an area that thrives on a diet of Mediterranean foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, fish, and olive oil. This is where Ancel Keys, a nutritionist from the United States, found convincing proof that the Mediterranean diet provides excellent health benefits. Researchers also found that the people living in these small communities, and in nearby villages appear to be almost immune to chronic illnesses, such as heart disease and dementia. These illnesses are common among aging citizens living in the Western World.

The Researchers discovered that Adrenomedullin, a hormone that widens blood vessels, was found to be present in small quantities in the test subjects. Adrenomedullin is present “in a much reduced quantity in the subjects studied and seems to act as a powerful protecting factor, helping the optimal development of microcirculation”, or capillary circulation, they said in a statement. In older people, capillary blood vessels usually degenerate, but the seniors in Cilento had capillaries of the sort found in much younger people, even those in their 20s.

The study also describes “metabolites present (in the bodies of those studied) which may have a positive influence on longevity and the well-being of Cliento’s centenarians”, without giving further details. The research has been expanded to include more data from blood tests, neurological reading and cardiac exams.

The scientists are looking into whether genetics could combine with lifestyle factors including diet and physical activity to extend the villager’s longevity.
The residents eat rosemary almost every day, which is known to improve brain activity. Walking, gardening, fishing and other physical activities are other important ingredients for a long, healthy, prosperous life that are practiced regularly by the residents.

Quality of life and longevity tend to improve the more people eat unprocessed natural foods with lots of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds. Most centenarians are not vegetarians, but generally eat a relatively small amount of meat.

The researchers have decided to extend the study and expand their research, including by launching a fundraising campaign. Aside from blood tests, the researchers also carried out cardiac and neurological tests, Alan S. Maisel, the San Diego cardiologist heading up the project.

Stem Cell Breakthrough

Corn

Researchers have used CRISPR a revolutionary new genetic engineering technique to convert cells isolated from mouse connective tissue directly into neuronal cells.

In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka, a professor at the Institute for Frontier Medical Sciences at Kyoto University at the time, discovered how to revert adult connective tissue cells, called fibroblasts, back into immature stem cells that could differentiate into any cell type. These so-called induced pluripotent stem cells won Yamanaka the Nobel Prize in medicine just six years later for their promise in research and medicine.

Since then, researchers have discovered other ways to convert cells between different types. This is mostly done by introducing many extra copies of “master switch” genes that produce proteins that turn on entire genetic networks responsible for producing a particular cell type.

Now, researchers at Duke University have developed a strategy that avoids the need for the extra gene copies. Instead, a modification of the CRISPR genetic engineering technique is used to directly turn on the natural copies already present in the genome. This is important because one of the risks of using current IPS cells for stem cell therapy is introducing genetically altered DNA into a person’s body. This method does not require adding any new genes to the cells.

These early results indicate that the newly converted neuronal cells show a more complete and persistent conversion than the method where new genes are permanently added to the genome. These cells could be used for modeling neurological disorders, discovering new therapeutics, developing personalized medicines and, perhaps in the future, implementing cell therapy.

The study was published on August 11, 2016, in the journal Cell Stem Cell.

“This technique has many applications for science and medicine. For example, we might have a general idea of how most people’s neurons will respond to a drug, but we don’t know how your particular neurons with your particular genetics will respond,” said Charles Gersbach, the Rooney Family Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering and director for the Center of Biomolecular and Tissue Engineering at Duke. “Taking biopsies of your brain to test your neurons is not an option. But if we could take a skin cell from your arm, turn it into a neuron, and then treat it with various drug combinations, we could determine an optimal personalized therapy.”

“The challenge is efficiently generating neurons that are stable and have a genetic programming that looks like your real neurons,” says Joshua Black, the graduate student in Gersbach’s lab who led the work. “That has been a major obstacle in this area.”

In the 1950s, Professor Conrad Waddington, a British developmental biologist who laid the foundations for developmental biology, suggested that immature stem cells differentiating into specific types of adult cells can be thought of as rolling down the side of a ridged mountain into one of many valleys. With each path a cell takes down a particular slope, its options for its final destination become more limited.

If you want to change that destination, one option is to push the cell vertically back up the mountain — that’s the idea behind reprogramming cells to be induced pluripotent stem cells. Another option is to push it horizontally up and over a hill and directly into another valley.

“If you have the ability to specifically turn on all the neuron genes, maybe you don’t have to go back up the hill,” said Gersbach.

Previous methods have accomplished this by introducing viruses that inject extra copies of genes to produce a large number of proteins called master transcription factors. Unique to each cell type, these proteins bind to thousands of places in the genome, turning on that cell type’s particular gene network. This method, however, has some drawbacks.

“Rather than using a virus to permanently introduce new copies of existing genes, it would be desirable to provide a temporary signal that changes the cell type in a stable way,” said Black. “However, doing so in an efficient manner might require making very specific changes to the genetic program of the cell.”

In the new study, Black, Gersbach, and colleagues used CRISPR to precisely activate the three genes that naturally produce the master transcription factors that control the neuronal gene network, rather than having a virus introduce extra copies of those genes.

CRISPR is a modified version of a bacterial defense system that targets and slices apart the DNA of familiar invading viruses. In this case, however, the system has been tweaked so that no slicing is involved. Instead, the machinery that identifies specific stretches of DNA has been left intact, and it has been hitched to a gene activator.

The CRISPR system was administered to mouse fibroblasts in the laboratory. The tests showed that, once activated by CRISPR, the three neuronal master transcription factor genes robustly activated neuronal genes. This caused the fibroblasts to conduct electrical signals — a hallmark of neuronal cells. And even after the CRISPR activators went away, the cells retained their neuronal properties.

“When blasting cells with master transcription factors made by viruses, it’s possible to make cells that behave like neurons,” said Gersbach. “But if they truly have become autonomously functioning neurons, then they shouldn’t require the continuous presence of that external stimulus.”

The experiments showed that the new CRISPR technique produced neuronal cells with an epigenetic program at the target genes matching the neuronal markings naturally found in mouse brain tissue.

“The method that introduces extra genetic copies with the virus produces a lot of the transcription factors, but very little is being made from the native copies of these genes,” explained Black. “In contrast, the CRISPR approach isn’t making as many transcription factors overall, but they’re all being produced from the normal chromosomal position, which is a powerful difference since they are stably activated. We’re flipping the epigenetic switch to convert cell types rather than driving them to do so synthetically.”

The next steps, according to Black, are to extend the method to human cells, raise the efficiency of the technique and try to clear other epigenetic hurdles so that it could be applied to model particular diseases.

“In the future, you can imagine making neurons and implanting them in the brain to treat Parkinson’s disease or other neurodegenerative conditions,” said Gersbach. “But even if we don’t get that far, you can do a lot with these in the lab to help develop better therapies.”

Reference: Joshua B. Black, Andrew F. Adler, Hong-Gang Wang, Anthony M. D?Ippolito, Hunter A. Hutchinson, Timothy E. Reddy, Geoffrey S. Pitt, Kam W. Leong, Charles A. Gersbach. Targeted Epigenetic Remodeling of Endogenous Loci by CRISPR/Cas9-Based Transcriptional Activators Directly Converts Fibroblasts to Neuronal Cells. Cell Stem Cell, 2016; DOI: 10.1016/j.stem.2016.07.001

Soluble Corn Fiber Helps Build and Protect Bone

Corn

Supplementing with soluble corn fiber can help build and retain calcium in bone, according to new research from Purdue University. The study focused on two critical times in a woman’s life adolescence and post-menopause, however the results may be beneficial to all adolescents and adults regardless of age.

“We are looking deeper in the gut to build healthy bone in girls and help older women retain strong bones,” said Connie Weaver, distinguished professor and head of nutrition science. “Soluble corn fiber, a prebiotic, helps the body better utilize calcium during both adolescence and post-menopause. The gut microbiome is the new frontier in health.”

The post-menopause findings are published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and the adolescent findings are published in Journal of Nutrition. The studies are funded by Tate & Lyle Ingredients America LLC. Weaver serves on the scientific advisory board for Pharmative LLC.

A prebiotic fiber passes through the gut for the microbes in the lower gut to digest. Here is where Weaver found that soluble corn fiber is broken down into short chain fatty acids to aid in bone health.

In the post-menopausal study, calcium retention was measured in 14 women by using an isotope to measure the excretion of 41Ca to measure bone loss. The women consumed 0 grams, 10 grams or 20 grams of this nondigestible carbohydrate each day for 50 days. Bone calcium retention was improved by 4.8 percent and 7 percent for those who consumed 10 grams and 20 grams, respectively. These amounts of soluble corn fiber would be found in supplement form.

“If projected out for a year, this would equal and counter the average rate of bone loss in a post-menopausal woman,” said Weaver, an expert in mineral bioavailability, calcium metabolism, botanicals and bone health.

The calcium 41 technology, an isotope measure to trace calcium deposits through accelerator mass spectrometry in the Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory (PRIME Lab), can measure atomic quantities. In the adolescent study, 44Ca and 43Ca were used.

Thirty-one girls either consumed 0 grams, 10 grams or 20 grams of soluble corn fiber carbohydrate each day for three weeks while maintaining their regular diets. Both 10 grams and 20 grams led to improved calcium absorption by 12 percent for female adolescents, which would build 1.8 percent more skeleton a year.

In both studies, gastrointestinal symptoms were minimal and the same for the control groups, as well as in those who consumed soluble corn fiber.

“Most studies looking at benefits from soluble corn fiber are trying to solve digestion problems, and we are the first to determine that this relationship of feeding certain kind of fiber can alter the gut microbiome in ways that can enhance health,” Weaver said. “We found this prebiotic can help healthy people use minerals better to support bone health.”

Calcium is considered a shortfall nutrient, and few people meet the recommended intake of 1,300 milligrams of calcium for healthy bone mass.

“The finding doesn’t mean we should diminish our recommendation to consume calcium and follow a well-balanced diet. This is a strategy to better utilize your minerals,” Weaver said. “Calcium alone suppresses bone loss, but it doesn’t enhance bone formation. These fibers enhance bone formation, so they are doing something more than enhancing calcium absorption.”

Weaver’s team is looking into the mechanisms of how soluble corn fiber boosts calcium absorption and retention, as well as if the prebiotic fiber benefits the body in other ways.

Soluble Corn Fiber can be purchased at many health food stores.

References:

S. A. Jakeman, C. N. Henry, B. R. Martin, G. P. McCabe, L. D. McCabe, G. S. Jackson, M. Peacock, C. M. Weaver. Soluble corn fiber increases bone calcium retention in postmenopausal women in a dose-dependent manner: a randomized crossover trial. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2016; doi: 10.3945/ajcn.116.132761

Corrie M Whisner, Berdine R Martin, Cindy H Nakatsu, Jon A Story, Claire J MacDonald-Clarke, Linda D McCabe, George P McCabe, and Connie M Weaver. Soluble Corn Fiber Increases Calcium Absorption Associated with Shifts in the Gut Microbiome: A Randomized Dose-Response Trial in Free-Living Pubertal Females. J. Nutr. jn227256; 2016; doi: 10.3945/jn.115.227256

Fasting Promotes Stem Cell Regeneration

Adult Stem Cells

Fasting as little as eight days a year could help bodies become healthier, according to new research from the University of Southern California.

Fasting two to four days at a time every six months causes stem cells to awake from their normal dormant state, and start regenerating. Researchers discovered this practice eliminated damaged and older cells, and caused new cells to be born, effectively renewing the immune system. This is the first time any natural intervention has ever been shown to trigger this self-renewal.

In mice and humans, white blood cell counts were significantly lowered after long periods without food. These bodies are vital to the human immune system. But, when their numbers decline to a critical point, pathways for hematopoietic stem cells were switched on. These cells manage the immune system and generate new blood.

“When you starve, the system tries to save energy, and one of the things it can do to save energy is to recycle a lot of the immune cells that are not needed, especially those that may be damaged,” Valter Longo of the USC Davis School of Gerontology, said.

Going without food for 48 to 96 hours shifts human bodies to consume stores of fat, glucose (sugar), and ketones (created when fats are broken down for energy). Unhealthy white blood cells are also broken down, so that their components can be reused for the next generation of cells. This process is akin to recycling for the immune system.

After a period of fasting, human immune systems generate new blood cells when nutrients start flowing back into the body. Researchers at USC wanted to know what drives body systems to rebuild the cells.

Protein kinase A, an enzyme known to inhibit cell regeneration, was reduced in the systems of people who are fasting, the study found. Concentrations of a growth-factor hormone called IGF-1 were also lowered in those who have not eaten in days.

Of course most people would not want to fast on only water for two to four days at a time and it is probably not safe except under medical supervision. There are several alternatives that produce some of the same benefits including juice fasting and time restricted eating for people that are healthy enough to do a less extreme form of fasting.

Juice fasting involves drinking raw fruit and vegetable juices usually for one day at a time. Some people juice fast once a week and others once a month. It is important to use at least 50% vegetables to make juice and not overdue the fructose sugars that are concentrated in fruit juice. Typically between 2 and 3 quarts of juice are consumed per day. There are now many brands of pressure pasteurized juices available in health food stores that are raw. High pressure is used to destroy the bacteria instead of heat. Water is not restricted on a juice fast.

Another approach to fasting which has produced beneficial results is time restricted eating. It involves eating with no limit on quantity during an 8 hour consecutive period and then going without food until the next day. Water is available to drink 24 hours each day and not restricted. Some people eat this way every day. A scientific study of time restricted eating which showed impressive results was published in Cell Metablolism.

Reference: Prolonged Fasting Reduces IGF-1/PKA to Promote Hematopoietic-Stem-Cell-Based Regeneration and Reverse Immunosuppression. Cell Stem Cell, Volume 14, Issue 6, p810?823, 5 June 2014

Meditation Improves the Brain’s Physical Structure

Meditation

Several years ago, researchers at UCLA found that specific regions in the brains of long-term meditators were larger and had more gray matter than the brains of individuals in a control group. This suggested that meditation may indeed be good for all of us since, alas, our brains shrink naturally with age.

Now, a follow-up study suggests that people who meditate also have stronger connections between brain regions and show less age-related brain atrophy. Having stronger connections influences the ability to rapidly relay electrical signals in the brain. And significantly, these effects are evident throughout the entire brain, not just in specific areas.

Eileen Luders, a visiting assistant professor at the UCLA Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, and colleagues used a type of brain imaging known as diffusion tensor imaging, or DTI, a relatively new imaging mode that provides insights into the structural connectivity of the brain. They found that the differences between meditators and controls are not confined to a particular core region of the brain but involve large-scale networks that include the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes and the anterior corpus callosum, as well as limbic structures and the brain stem.

“Our results suggest that long-term meditators have white-matter fibers that are either more numerous, more dense or more insulated throughout the brain,” Luders said. “We also found that the normal age-related decline of white-matter tissue is considerably reduced in active meditation practitioners.”

The study consisted of 27 active meditation practitioners (average age 52) and 27 control subjects, who were matched by age and sex. The meditation and the control group each consisted of 11 men and 16 women. The number of years of meditation practice ranged from 5 to 46; self-reported meditation styles included Shamatha, Vipassana and Zazen, styles that were practiced by about 55 percent of the meditators, either exclusively or in combination with other styles.

Results showed pronounced structural connectivity in meditators throughout the entire brain’s pathways. The greatest differences between the two groups were seen within the corticospinal tract (a collection of axons that travel between the cerebral cortex of the brain and the spinal cord); the superior longitudinal fasciculus (long bi-directional bundles of neurons connecting the front and the back of the cerebrum); and the uncinate fasciculus (white matter that connects parts of the limbic system, such as the hippocampus and amygdala, with the frontal cortex).

“It is possible that actively meditating, especially over a long period of time, can induce changes on a micro-anatomical level,” said Luders, herself a meditator.

As a consequence, she said, the robustness of fiber connections in meditators may increase and possibly lead to the macroscopic effects seen by DTI.

“Meditation, however, might not only cause changes in brain anatomy by inducing growth but also by preventing reduction,” Luders said. “That is, if practiced regularly and over years, meditation may slow down aging-related brain atrophy, perhaps by positively affecting the immune system.”

But there is a “but.” While it is tempting to assume that the differences between the two groups constitute actual meditation-induced effects, there is still the unanswered question of nature versus nurture.

“It’s possible that meditators might have brains that are fundamentally different to begin with,” Luders said. “For example, a particular brain anatomy may have drawn an individual to meditation or helped maintain an ongoing practice — meaning that the enhanced fiber connectivity in meditators constitutes a predisposition towards meditation, rather than being the consequence of the practice.”

Still, she said, “Meditation appears to be a powerful mental exercise with the potential to change the physical structure of the brain at large. Collecting evidence that active, frequent and regular meditation practices cause alterations of white-matter fiber tracts that are profound and sustainable may become relevant for patient populations suffering from axonal demyelination and white-matter atrophy.”

While the study looked at more traditional meditation there is also evidence from other studies that similar improvements may apply to moving forms such as Tai Chi, Qigong and Shen Zhen.

Reference: Luders E., Clark K., Narr K. L., Toga A. W. (2011). Enhanced brain connectivity in long-term meditation practitioners. Neuroimage 57, 1308?1316. 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.05.075

How much exercise makes up for sitting all day?

Walking my way to 100

Last year a study showed that sitting continuously for one hour or more was unhealthy. Now a newer and more extensive study of data of over 1 million individuals specifically looked at how much exercise is needed to counter the negative effects of sitting. According to an international team of researchers the health risks associated with sitting for eight or more hours a day whether at work, home or commuting can be eliminated with an hour or more of physical activity a day.

Ever since a study back in 1953 discovered that London bus drivers were at greater risk of heart disease compared to bus conductors, scientists have found increasing evidence that lack of physical activity is a major risk factor for several diseases and for risk of early death. Recent estimates suggest that more than 5 million people die globally each year as a result of failing to meet recommended daily activity levels.

Studies in high-income countries have suggested that adults spend the majority of their waking hours sitting down. A typical day for many people is driving to work, sitting in an office, driving home and watching TV. Current physical activity guidelines recommend that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week. But, is that enough?

In an analysis published today in The Lancet that draws together a number of existing studies, an international team of researchers asked the question: if an individual is active enough, can this reduce, or even eliminate, the increased risk of early death associated with sitting down?

In total the researchers analysed 16 studies, which included data from more than one million men and women. The team grouped individuals into four quartiles depending on their level of moderate intensity physical activity, ranging from less than 5 minutes per day in the bottom group to over 60 minutes in the top. Moderate intensity exercise was defined as equating to walking at 3.5 miles/hour or cycling at 10 miles/hour, for example.

The researchers found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per day were sufficient to eliminate the increased risk of early death associated with sitting for over eight hours per day. However, as many as three out of four people in the study failed to reach this level of daily activity.

The greatest risk of early death was for those individuals who were physically inactive, regardless of the amount of time sitting — they were between 28% and 59% more likely to die early compared with those who were in the most active quartile — a similar risk to that associated with smoking and obesity. In other words, lack of physical activity is a greater health risk than prolonged sitting.

“There has been a lot of concern about the health risks associated with today’s more sedentary lifestyles,” says Professor Ulf Ekelund from the Medical Research Council Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge. “Our message is a positive one: it is possible to reduce — or even eliminate — these risks if we are active enough, even without having to take up sports or go to the gym.

“For many people who commute to work and have office-based jobs, there is no way to escape sitting for prolonged periods of time. For these people in particular, we cannot stress enough the importance of getting exercise, whether it’s getting out for a walk at lunchtime, going for a run in the morning or cycling to work. An hour of physical activity per day is the ideal, but if this is unmanageable, then at least doing some exercise each day can help reduce the risk.”

The researchers acknowledge that there are limitations to the data analyzed, which mainly came from participants aged 45 years and older and living in western Europe, the US and Australia. However, they believe that the strengths of the analysis outweigh these limitations. Most importantly, the researchers asked all included studies to reanalyze their data in a harmonized manner, an approach that has never before been adopted for a study of this size and therefore also provides much more robust effect estimates compared with previous studies.

Reference: Ulf Ekelund, Jostein Steene-Johannessen, Wendy J Brown, Morten Wang Fagerland, Neville Owen, Kenneth E Powell, Adrian Bauman, I-Min Lee. Does physical activity attenuate, or even eliminate, the detrimental association of sitting time with mortality? A harmonised meta-analysis of data from more than 1 million men and women. The Lancet, 2016; DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30370-1

Nanog Gene Reverses Aging in Adult Stem Cells

Nanog Gene

The ability to reverse aging may reside in a stem cell gene named Nanog.

In a series of experiments at the University at Buffalo, the gene kicked into action dormant cellular processes that are key to maintaining healthy bones, arteries and other telltale signs of growing old.

The findings, published June 29 in the journal Stem Cells, also show promise in counteracting premature aging disorders.

“Our research into Nanog is helping us to better understand the process of aging and ultimately how to reverse it,” says Stelios T. Andreadis, PhD, professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and the study’s lead author.

Additional authors come from UB’s Department of Biomedical Engineering, a joint program between UB’s engineering school and the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB, and the Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo.

To battle aging, the human body holds a reservoir of nonspecialized cells that can regenerate organs. These cells are called adult stem cells, and they are located in every tissue of the body and respond rapidly when there is a need.

But as people age, fewer adult stem cells perform their job well, a scenario which leads to age-related disorders. Reversing the effects of aging on adult stem cells, essentially rebooting them, can help overcome this problem.

Andreadis previously showed that the capacity of adult stem cells to form muscle and generate force declines with aging. Specifically, he examined a subcategory of muscle cells called smooth muscle cells which reside in arteries, intestines and other tissues.

In the new study, Panagiotis Mistriotis, a graduate student in Andreadis’ lab and first author of the study, introduced Nanog into aged stem cells. He found that Nanog opens two key cellular pathways: Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) and Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-?).

In turn, this jumpstarts dormant proteins (actin) into building cytoskeletons that adult stem cells need to form muscle cells that contract. Force generated by these cells ultimately helps restore the regenerative properties that adult stem cells lose due to aging.

“Not only does Nanog have the capacity to delay aging, it has the potential in some cases to reverse it,” says Andreadis, noting that the embryonic stem cell gene worked in three different models of aging: cells isolated from aged donors, cells aged in culture, and cells isolated from patients with Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Additionally, the researchers showed that Nanog activated the central regulator of muscle formation, serum response factor (SRF), suggesting that the same results may be applicable for skeletal, cardiac and other muscle types.

The researchers are now focusing on identifying drugs that can replace or mimic the effects of NANOG. This will allow them to study whether aspects of aging inside the body can also be reversed. This could have implications in an array of issues to improve quality of life and lifespan.

Reference: Mistriotis, P., Bajpai, V. K., Wang, X., Rong, N., Shahini, A., Asmani, M., Liang, M.-S., Wang, J., Lei, P., Liu, S., Zhao, R. and Andreadis, S. T. (2016), NANOG Reverses the Myogenic Differentiation Potential of Senescent Stem Cells by Restoring ACTIN Filamentous Organization and SRF-Dependent Gene Expression. STEM CELLS. doi: 10.1002/stem.2452

Vibrating Stem Cells Create New Bone

Stem Cells Grow Bone

New treatments for osteoporosis or broken bones are on the horizon after scientists discovered they can grow new bone simply by vibrating stem cells.

Currently the only option for patients who suffer complicated breaks is to undergo painful surgery where doctors remove bone from a healthy part of their body and transplant it in the damaged site.

But now Scottish scientists have discovered that stem cells can be coaxed into turning into bone cells ? known as osteoblasts ? using low frequency vibrations in the lab, a technique dubbed ?nanokicking.?

Stem cells are thought to be the future of medicine because they can become any cell in the body depending on their environment.

Researchers at the University of West Scotland and the University of Glasgow believe that the 1000Hz frequency mimics conditions experienced by natural bone in the body and induces stem cells to turn into bone in around 28 days, which can then be implanted.

The scientists also hope the same frequency could be used to encourage healing from within the body without the need for a transplant.

?Our bodies are continuously experiencing mechanical stimuli, such as from our walking steps and our heart beat,? said Professor Stuart Reid of the University of West Scotland.

?We know that natural bone has some interesting mechanoelectrical properties, the piezoelectric effect – converting mechanical stress to electricity, which are optimal close to 1000Hz.

?It is also well known that bone can only remain healthy when it is actively being loaded, hence why astronauts lose bone mass when in space. So we believe that we are mimicking something that the cells experience in our bodies, however the exact details are still being untangled.?

Bone is the second most commonly transplanted tissue in the world, behind blood transplants, and is used in many common procedures.

The UK?s aging population means demand is increasing due to conditions such as osteoporosis and hip fractures.

Using a patient?s own stem cells to build new bone would mean there was no risk of rejection. The stem cells could be retrieved from a patient?s bone marrow or even from fat cells from liposuction.

The stem cells are ?jiggled? in petri dishes on a specially built vibrating platform called a bioreactor which uses the same technology that astrophysicists use to hunt for gravitational waves ? the distortions in space time which occur when black holes collide.

Professor Matt Dalby, of the University of Glasgow said: ?The bioreactor we have designed brings together fields of research from different ends of the spectrum: stem cell research on the building blocks of our bodies, to technology used to detect the ripples in space and time caused by the collisions of massive objects.

?It?s amazing that technology developed to look for gravitational waves has a down-to-earth application in revolutionizing bone treatments for cleaner, safer and more effective therapy.?

Prof Reid, added: ?The scale of movement that triggers the cells to transform is so small it would be the same as ?sliding a single sheet of paper in and out from under a football on a table?.?

The team aims to test their lab-grown bone in people within 3 years and that therapy could be available in 10 years.

Further down the line they hope it will be possible to stimulate stem cells directly to heal fractures without surgery.