Articles - January 2004 en-us http://www.thescizone.com/news N/A http://www.thescizone.com/news michael@thescizone.com 20 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/392/1/Chinese-Scientists-Grow-Embryonic-Stem-Cells-To-Motor-Neurons/Page-1.html Scientists reported Sunday that they coaxed human embryonic stem cells to become spinal motor neurons, critical nervous system pathways that relay messages from the brain to the rest of the body. The new research, published in the on-line version of the journal Nature Biotechnology, was conducted by Chinese scientists working at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Sat, 31 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/381/1/School-Uses-Cells-From-Aborted-Fetuses/Page-1.html Researchers at the Georgetown University Medical Center, a Catholic institution, are using cells derived from aborted fetuses in medical research. Catholic doctrine opposes abortion, but the university decided to let researchers who have been using the cells continue their work into treatments for illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease, Spinal Cord Injury and Cancer. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Fri, 30 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/529/1/After-spinal-cord-injury---getting-muscles-to-respond/Page-1.html ANN ARBOR, Mich. (USA)--When someone's spinal cord is completely severed, brain signals can no longer reach the legs to tell the legs to walk. A study in this month's journal Spinal Cord shows that those who have suffered a spinal cord injury can generate muscle activity independent of brain signals. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Tue, 27 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/528/1/Nanofiber-Gel-Could-Heal-Spinal-Damage/Page-1.html A gel of tiny fibers could help reverse paralysis from spinal cord injury. The gel, created by scientists from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, contains a three-dimensional network of nanoscale fibers that form a scaffold to promote neuron growth. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Mon, 26 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/526/1/Iraqi-Childs-Life-In-Balance/Page-1.html 12-year-old Paralyzed by Accidental Mortar Being Evacuated to USA BETHESDA, Md., Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- A U.S. mortar attack that hit the wrong target has threatened the future of a child in Iraq. But the National Spinal Cord Injury Association (NSCIA) is stretching its reach to help her rebuild her life. Ma'rwa Ahteemi, a 12-year-old living in the dangerous Sunni Triangle, was at home when the mortar hit. Seventeen family members were injured, and five were killed. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Thu, 22 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/525/1/The-Kresge-Foundation-Awards-Jewish-a-15-Million-Challenge-Grant-for-Frazier-Rehab/Page-1.html Louisville, KY… The Kresge Foundation has awarded Jewish Hospital HealthCare Services (JHHS) a $1.5 million challenge grant to aid in the completion of Frazier Rehab Institute's $88 million capital campaign. As part of the challenge grant, the Jewish Hospital Foundation must raise $9.4 million for Frazier Rehab Institute by June 1, 2005 to receive the $1.5 million grant award. As of December 2003, The Kresge Foundation has awarded 138 grants in 2003 totaling more than $104 million. The Frazier Rehab Institute grant of $1.5 million is significant because the average Kresge Foundation grant in 2003 was $758,000. Other recipients in the Louisville area include some of the most well-known and well-run charities such as The Center for Women and Families, Bernheim Forest and The Home of the Innocents. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Wed, 14 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/524/1/Axon-Growth-and-Guidance/Page-1.html Currently, an important question in spinal cord repair is how to influence nerve fibers to regenerate across long distances and make meaningful connections. During the development of the nervous system, immature nerve cells receive signals from various molecules, proteins and cells. One class of molecule, cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), are particularly important in influencing nerve cells to extend their axons and find correct targets. Several CAMs, such as L1 and N-cadherin, have been shown to guide the growth of developing axons. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Wed, 07 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/139/1/Exercise-therapy-gives-student-hope/Page-1.html  Crash victim thinks routine will help her walk again  MUNCIE, Ind. -- Chrissy Parker laboriously drags one leg in front of the other, the top of her blue adidas gym shoe skidding across the treadmill's slowly moving runner. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Sun, 04 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.thescizone.com/news/articles/523/1/Phase-II-Trials-of-ProCord/Page-1.html Proneuron Biotechnologies Teams with Craig Hospital in Denver to Expand IND Phase II Trial of ProCord for the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injuries to the U.S. Following tissue injury, a type of white blood cell, called a macrophage, quickly starts to remove cell debris. These macrophages then start to secrete growth factors that promote a controlled inflammatory reaction to initiate the wound healing process. While this process occurs effectively in most tissues including peripheral nerves, it does not occur effectively in the CNS. Discoveries led by Prof. Michal Schwartz of the Weizmann Institute of Science have shown in pre-clinical studies that specially treated macrophages, however, promoted recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI). Based on these findings, Proneuron is now developing ProCord as a clinical product to treat patients with spinal cord injury. ProCord consists of macrophages isolated from the patient's own blood, activated through a proprietary process and then injected directly into the patient's injured spinal cord. It is crucial that the investigators are notified of a potential candidate within a few days of their spinal cord injury in order to give ample time for patients to enroll and participate in the 14-day window of the clinical trial. michael@thescizone.com (Michael Feger) Thu, 01 Jan 2004 00:00:00 -0500