Neuroscience

Phoenix Childrens Is the First-Ever Health System in the U.S to Use Medtronic Stealth Autoguide Cranial Robotic Guidance Platform for Neurosurgery -…

Pediatric Health System First to Use Groundbreaking Cranial Robotic System in a Patient Surgery

DUBLIN and PHOENIX, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nationally ranked pediatric leader, Phoenix Childrens Hospital, is the first-ever health system in the U.S. to receive and deploy the newly FDA-cleared Medtronic Stealth Autoguide platform. Medtronic, a global leader in medical technology, chose Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) at Phoenix Childrens as its first partner using this robotic technology. The highly advanced surgical tool is intended for use with the Medtronic StealthStation system, and Phoenix Childrens Hospital will use it in surgery for pediatric patients suffering from a range of neurological conditions.

Phoenix Childrens is proud to invest in the best possible technology for use while we provide outstanding care to children, said Daniel Ostlie, M.D., surgeon in chief and chair of Surgery at Phoenix Childrens. We are committed to being at the forefront of surgical innovation and having the most advanced solutions for pediatric patients.

BNI at Phoenix Childrens surgical staff have undergone comprehensive training with the Medtronic team as they prepared to use the Stealth Autoguide robotic guidance system in patient neurosurgery cases in early January.

The Stealth Autoguide is a tremendous addition to the neurosurgical teams tools at Phoenix Childrens, said P. David Adelson, division chief of Neurosurgery and director of BNI at Phoenix Childrens. Neurosurgery is such an intricate specialty, and having this technology at our fingertips perfectly aligns with our mission to provide state-of-the-art care to improve the health and quality of life for the children we see here.

Ranked a top pediatric neuroscience, neurosurgery and neurology program by U.S. News & World Reports Best Childrens Hospitals, BNI at Phoenix Childrens is eager to combine its deep bench of clinical talent with Medtronics cutting-edge innovation.

With our new technology deployed, we are thrilled to work with Phoenix Childrens and to support their mission of providing exceptional care for pediatric patients, said Dave Anderson, vice president and general manager, Enabling Technologies, which is part of the Restorative Therapies Group at Medtronic.

Phoenix Childrens Hospital Foundation received funding for the Stealth Autoguide from close community partners who support Phoenix Childrens in providing the best care by advancing pediatric medical solutions.

"We are extremely appreciative of the communitys support of the Stealth Autoguide, said Steve Schnall, senior vice president at Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation. We are grateful to the Del E. Webb Foundation, Thunderbirds Charities, and WINGS, the womens auxiliary board of Phoenix Childrens, for investing in this state-of-the-art technology."

About Phoenix Childrens HospitalPhoenix Childrens Hospital is Arizonas only childrens hospital recognized by U.S. News & World Reports Best Childrens Hospitals with rankings in all ten specialties. Phoenix Children's provides world-class inpatient, outpatient, trauma, emergency and urgent care to children and families in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. As one of the largest childrens hospitals in the country, Phoenix Childrens provides care across more than 75 pediatric specialties. The Hospital is poised for continued growth in quality patient care, research and medical education. For more information about the hospital, visithttp://www.phoenixchildrens.org.

About Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's HospitalBarrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital heals children with neurological and mental health diseases and disorders so that they can have a happy and healthy quality of life by offering the most comprehensive inpatient and outpatient neurological care and services to infants, children and teens. Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a leading Neuroscience Center for our collaborative and comprehensive approach to clinical medicine, Barrow at Phoenix Children's is largest pediatric neuroscience center in the Southwest. This is due in large part to BNIs commitment to education and research, along with the integration of pediatric neurosurgery, neurology, psychology, psychiatry, neurodevelopmental pediatrics and rehabilitation in the global care of children. Specialized medical equipment, pediatric patient rooms and pediatric specialists, in addition to a family-centered focus, make the institute and hospital uniquely qualified to treat complex neurological disorders in pediatric patients. For more information, visit:http://barrow.phoenixchildrens.org.

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About Stealth AutoguideTheMedtronic Stealth Autoguideis designed for accurate positioning of instruments to support a variety of neurological procedures. The technology can generally be used as a tool during stereoelectroencephalographies (sEEG), biopsies, and Visualase procedures. The Stealth Autoguide combines advanced software, navigation and instrumentation to enable accuracy during surgical procedures.

About MedtronicMedtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is among the worlds largest medical technology, services and solutions companies alleviating pain, restoring health and extending life for millions of people around the world. Medtronic employs more than 90,000 people worldwide, serving physicians, hospitals and patients in more than 150 countries. The company is focused on collaborating with stakeholders around the world to take healthcare Further, Together.

Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual results may differ materially from anticipated results.

-end-

David T. YoungMedtronic plcPublic Relations+1-774-248-2746

Ryan WeispfenningMedtronic plcInvestor Relations+1-763-505-4626

Erica SturwoldPhoenix ChildrensMedia Relations+1-602-933-5871

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Phoenix Childrens Is the First-Ever Health System in the U.S to Use Medtronic Stealth Autoguide Cranial Robotic Guidance Platform for Neurosurgery -...

Neuroscience

Nerve Stimulation Therapy Could Cut Fibromyalgia Pain – HealthDay

THURSDAY, Jan. 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For people with the mysterious chronic pain condition fibromyalgia, researchers say nerve stimulation may offer some relief.

In a recent study, use of TENS -- transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation -- during movement or activity was shown to significantly reduce pain associated with fibromyalgia after just four weeks.

Dr. Lesley Arnold, who was not involved with the new study, lauded its outcomes. "The improvements in pain and fatigue were remarkable," she said. Arnold, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, suggested that the study may help guide physicians in use of TENS for symptom management.

TENS uses a battery-operated machine to deliver electrical currents via electrodes attached to the skin. This is believed to activate nerve pathways that inhibit pain.

People with fibromyalgia are encouraged to engage in physical activity as a way to manage their symptoms. But, paradoxically, movement can be painful for them.

In the study, researchers randomly divided more than 300 women with fibromyalgia into three groups: active TENS; placebo (sham) TENS; or no TENS. Those in the TENS groups were instructed to use the device over four weeks, at home, for two hours daily during activity. The patients were told to apply the device's electrodes to two specific areas along the back -- one upper and one lower -- and to activate the machine at a modulated, or varying, frequency at the highest intensity bearable.

After four weeks, participants in the active-TENS group reported significant reductions in movement-and-resting pain and fatigue, especially compared to the no-TENS group.

Lead study author Kathleen Sluka, a University of Iowa research professor, said this study represents the culmination of years of animal research in which she and co-investigators experimented with variations in the use of TENS. Over time, the investigators learned that alternating between low and high frequency worked best to provide pain relief. So too did cranking up the machine to its highest intensity possible. "Strong, but not painful," she said.

While Sluka sees promise in the study's results, she was careful to note that TENS is not a cure for fibromyalgia.

"This is another tool that's not a drug that patients can use to manage their pain," one that may allow someone to reach for something other than ibuprofen or opioids as a first line of defense, Sluka said.

That TENS is readily available and comes with minimal risk also make it appealing. TENS devices can be bought over-the-counter at pharmacies for less than $50. As far as adverse effects, slight irritation at the site where the electrodes were applied was the primary adverse effect reported. And that is minor and easily adjustable, Sluka noted.

Superstar Lady Gaga shined a light on fibromyalgia when she canceled several concert tour dates in 2017 and 2018 due to reported flare-ups.

The condition is believed to affect about 10 million Americans, according to the National Fibromyalgia Association.

As researchers continue to look for safe and effective ways to alleviate the pain of fibromyalgia, much about it remains a mystery.

Diagnosis is usually based on a patient's medical history and exam; there's no blood test or other biomarker to identify it. And while its biological origins are unclear, most experts believe it is associated with alterations in the central nervous system that affect how the body responds to pain.

Management of the condition, which affects women disproportionately, has improved in recent years, said Arnold. It's being identified earlier; general awareness of the condition has improved; and, recently, a few medications have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to manage it.

"But there's still a great deal of unmet need," Arnold said.

The report was recently published online in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology.

More information

There's more on fibromyalgia at the National Fibromyalgia Association.

SOURCES: Kathleen Sluka, P.T., Ph.D., research professor, University of Iowa, Iowa City; Lesley Arnold, M.D., professor, psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine; Nov. 18, 2019, Arthritis & Rheumatology, online

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Nerve Stimulation Therapy Could Cut Fibromyalgia Pain - HealthDay

Neuroscience

Functional Ultrasound Advance Could Improve Brain Tumor Removal – Technology Networks

Researchers of CUBE (Center for Ultrasound Brain imaging @ Erasmus Medical Center) have managed to image live cerebral blood flow during awake brain surgery using functional Ultrasound (fUS). This cutting-edge technique could aid neurosurgeons in their effort to remove brain tumors without damaging surrounding functional brain tissue. Additionally, the researchers demonstrate that the technique can also pinpoint the healthy, functional areas in the brain during surgery. Their work was recently published in Frontiers in Neuroscience.

During tumor removal, it is essential to prevent damage to the surrounding healthy tissue. In brain tumors this might even be more critical, as damage to brain tissue may cause speech deficits, motor problems or worse. Using fUS, as implemented by CUBE, it is now possible to image both the vascular structure of a tumor as well as specific functional brain areas during awake brain surgery. Pieter Kruizinga and Sadaf Soloukey from CUBE: For the first time, we now have access to a technique with which we can image the living brain directly and with an unprecedented level of precision.

Functional Ultrasound (fUS) displays very small changes in blood flow. For tumor tissue, this means that we can see feeding vessels of the tumor in extreme detail, allowing for tumor delineation. For healthy tissue, this technique gives us immediate access to brain activity. During awake brain surgeries we could also ask our patients to perform tasks such as speaking and moving. By identifying exactly those areas where the blood flow follows the pattern of the functional task, we can determine whether or not that brain area is involved. As such, we can image the eloquent areas of the brain and inform the surgeon which brain areas to avoid.

Kruizinga and Soloukey were especially impressed by their language-related measurements: We asked our patients to think about words, which we could then display live in our ultrasound images. This means we can now actually image the thought of language using ultrasound. This observation has an impact that reaches even further than just the neurosurgical domain.

For the future, the CUBE-team has high hopes. Kruizinga and Soloukey: We are now in the middle of finalizing our last technical developments: we aim to make live 3D images in the OR, and compare them to conventional pre-operative MRIs. We are also working towards live and continuous imaging of the brain during the full length of the surgery, to give the neurosurgeon direct feedback on the procedure. The true breakthrough will be when we manage to image the brain without the need for skull removal, as is now still necessary. These types of challenges are especially ones we are good at solving at the Erasmus MC in Rotterdam.

Reference: Soloukey, S., Vincent, A. J. P. E., Satoer, D. D., Mastik, F., Smits, M., Dirven, C. M. F., Strydis, C., Bosch, J. G., van der Steen, A. F. W., De Zeeuw, C. I., Koekkoek, S. K. E., & Kruizinga, P. (2020). Functional Ultrasound (fUS) During Awake Brain Surgery: The Clinical Potential of Intra-Operative Functional and Vascular Brain Mapping. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2019.01384

This article has been republished from materials provided by Erasmus Medical Center. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

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Functional Ultrasound Advance Could Improve Brain Tumor Removal - Technology Networks

Neuroscience

Cerevel Therapeutics Initiates Phase 3 Program of Tavapadon for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease | Small Molecules | News Channels -…

DetailsCategory: Small MoleculesPublished on Wednesday, 15 January 2020 09:35Hits: 556

Studies to Enroll Approximately 1,200 Patients to Determine Effectiveness of Tavapadon Across the Full Spectrum of Early- and Late-Stage Parkinsons

BOSTON, MA, USA I January 14, 2020 ICerevel Therapeutics, a company dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the brain to treat neuroscience diseases, today announced the initiation of its registration-directed Phase 3 program evaluating tavapadon in patients with Parkinsons disease. The company plans to conduct three 27-week trials designed to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of fixed doses (TEMPO-1) and flexible doses (TEMPO-2, TEMPO-3) of tavapadon as either monotherapy in patients with early-stage Parkinsons disease or as adjunctive therapy to levodopa in patients with late-stage Parkinsons disease who are experiencing motor fluctuations. A fourth 58-week, open-label, safety extension trial will also be conducted as part of the program.

Parkinsons disease affects approximately 10 million people worldwide, and there remains an important need for better and more effective therapies across the spectrum of this debilitating disease, said Raymond Sanchez, M.D., chief medical officer of Cerevel Therapeutics. We believe tavapadon has the potential to improve outcomes for patients with both early-stage and late-stage Parkinsons. It is our expectation that the innovative design of each of these Phase 3 trials will allow us to demonstrate tavapadons ability to improve patients motor symptoms and functioning. We anticipate data from these trials to be available beginning in the second half of 2022.

The three double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group Phase 3 clinical trials will enroll patients ages 40 to 80 years with either early-stage Parkinsons disease (TEMPO-1, TEMPO-2) or patients with late-stage Parkinsons disease who are experiencing motor fluctuations on levodopa treatment (TEMPO-3). Approximately 1,200 patients will be enrolled across all three trials. The primary endpoint of the TEMPO-1 and TEMPO-2 trials is the change from baseline in the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinsons Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) Part II and Part III combined score. The primary endpoint of the TEMPO-3 trial is the change from baseline in total daily on time without troublesome dyskinesias.

In each of the three 27-week trials, participants will be randomized to tavapadon or placebo groups. In the TEMPO-1 trial, study participants will be titrated up to a fixed dose of either 5 mg once daily (QD) or 15 mg QD of tavapadon. In the TEMPO-2 and TEMPO-3 trials, participants will be titrated upward to a dose of between 5 mg and 15 mg QD in a flexible dosing paradigm.

The TEMPO-1 and TEMPO-2 trials have already initiated screening of patients, and the TEMPO-3 trial will begin screening later this year.

About Tavapadon Tavapadon is a potent, orally-bioavailable, selective partial agonist of the dopamine D1 and D5 receptors. This investigational therapeutic is being evaluated for the once-daily symptomatic treatment of Parkinsons disease.

About Parkinsons Disease Approximately 10 million people worldwide are living with Parkinsons disease, according to the Parkinsons Foundation. The disease is characterized by a progressive degeneration of dopaminergic neurons (the main source of dopamine) leading to a loss of critical motor and non-motor functions. Symptom severity and disease progression differ between individuals but typically include slowness of movement (bradykinesia), trembling in the extremities (tremors), stiffness (rigidity), cognitive or behavioral abnormalities, sleep disturbances and sensory dysfunction.1 There is no laboratory or blood test for Parkinsons disease, so a diagnosis is made based on clinical observation,2 which may contribute to an underestimation of the incidence of the disease.

About Cerevel Therapeutics Cerevel Therapeutics is dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the brain to treat neuroscience diseases. The company seeks to unlock the science surrounding new treatment opportunities through understanding the neurocircuitry of neuroscience diseases and associated symptoms. Cerevel Therapeutics has a diversified pipeline comprising five clinical-stage investigational therapies and several preclinical compounds with the potential to treat a range of neuroscience diseases, including Parkinsons, epilepsy, schizophrenia and substance use disorder. Headquartered in Boston, Cerevel Therapeutics is advancing its current research and development programs while exploring new modalities through internal research efforts, external collaborations or potential acquisitions. For more information, visit http://www.cerevel.com.

1 J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2008;79:368-376. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2007.131045. 2 Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2012;2:a008870.

SOURCE: Cerevel Therapeutics

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Biochemistry

Surveying all the Proteins on a Neuron’s Surface – Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Scientists have found a new way to home in on the proteins covering a particular cells surface. The feat offers insight into how brain cells form intricate networks during development.

As if casting a tiny net, a new technique has rounded up all the proteins on the surface of neurons in the brains of fruit flies. The roundup uncovered 20 new molecules involved in wiring the developing brain.

The find furthers scientists understanding of how neurons in the brain form complex networks, researchers report January 16, 2020, in the journal Cell. And it demonstrates for the first time that this protein-finding method actually works in intact brain tissues not just cells grown in the lab, says study coauthor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator, Liqun Luo.

Thats important because the tissue environment is crucial for cells development, and lab cell cultures cant replicate it. Until now, scientists had no way to monitor all the proteins on cell surfaces in complex tissues like the brain. The new approach provides a way to survey this previously mysterious landscape.

What really blew me away was the biological follow-up, says biochemist Matthias Mann of the Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry. Luos team was able to find a trove of proteins whose biological role was previously unknown, says Mann, who was not involved with the work.

Cell surfaces are incredibly dynamic places, especially for cellular communication, says Luo, a neurobiologist at Stanford University. In the nervous system, proteins on the surfaces of nerve cells help the cells find each other and link up. Luos team wanted a complete view of the proteins that direct connections in the developing fly brain. The researchers focused on proteins involved in forming olfactory networks, which control a flys sense of smell.

Luo, along with his doctoral student Jiefu Li and collaborators at Stanford and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, modified a method pioneered by study coauthor Alice Ting. In this method, called proximity labeling, researchers use an enzyme to add a molecular tag to a particular protein of interest, plus all the neighboring proteins. Researchers can then identify the tagged proteins using a chemical analysis called mass spectrometry.

Luos team added a new twist to the technique. They made the enzyme target proteins on fruit fly olfactory neurons at a particular point in brain development: when neurons are making decisions about which connections to form. The team compared the proteins present in adult cells with those present in the developing brain. The difference is actually very striking, Luo says.

The team identified 20 proteins that were more abundant on the surfaces of developing neurons and knocked them down one by one to see if their absence had an effect on brain wiring. Surprising even to the researchers, all 20 were involved in wiring the fly olfactory network. Whats more, many of the proteins they found hadnt even been known to play a role in neural development.

Luo and Li hope their approach will be useful for researchers in other fields as well. Li says it could be applied to immunology as well as to understanding how organs develop or modeling disease. For example, he adds, cell surface proteins are altered in cancer cells, so profiling those proteins could help scientists understand how cancer cells behave within tissues.

Id love to use [this technique], says Joshua Sanes, a neuroscientist at Harvard University who was not involved in the research. Like Luo, Sanes (who is a member of HHMIs Scientific Review Board) is interested in how neurons form the precise patterns of connections that lead to all the complex neural circuitry underlying behavior. But he studies the brains of mammals, not flies. So, first, Sanes says, the method will have to be optimized for mammalian cells a goal that has so far been elusive.

###

Citation

Jiefu Li et al. Cell-Surface Proteomic Profiling in the Fly Brain Uncovers New Wiring Regulators. Cell. Published online January 16, 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.12.029

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Surveying all the Proteins on a Neuron's Surface - Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Biochemistry

The CEO of Impossible Foods, the startup behind the wildly popular veggie burger backed by Serena Williams and Katy Perry, shares the biggest piece of…

captionImpossible Foods CEO Pat Brown holds up an Impossible Burger 2.0, the new and improved version of the companys plant-based vegan burger that tastes like real beef.sourceRobyn Beck/Getty Images

Impossible Foods CEO Pat Brown is on a mission to make meat obsolete, and it looks like hes off to a pretty promising start.

Impossible Foods wildly popular plant-based burger can now be found at thousands of restaurants across the United States, and the company is bringing a new faux-sausage breakfast sandwich to Burger King by the end of the month.

Plus, last spring, the company raised $300 million in a Series E round led by Temasek and Horizon Ventures, who were joined by more than a dozen superstar investors ranging from Serena Williams to pop icon Katy Perry and rapper Jay-Z, bringing its valuation to $2 billion.

Suffice it to say that Browns bleeding meatless burger has caught on. But Brown didnt necessarily have any of these milestones in mind before starting Impossible Foods. Rather, the key to starting a successful company has less to do with business-oriented goals like fundraising and retail partnerships and more to do with the problem youre aiming to solve, says Brown.

The main thing I would say to people who are entrepreneurial is, pick a problem that matters to the world, Brown, who is in his 60s, said to Business Insider when asked what advice he would give to his 20-year-old self. Really, that solves a big problem in the world, and dont talk yourself out of it.

Brown started Impossible Foods in 2011 when he was on sabbatical from his roles as a biochemistry professor at Stanford Universitys medical school and an HHMI investigator. But he says he wishes he had a better understanding of the meat industry earlier on in his career so that he could have started Impossible Foods sooner.

If I would have realized how catastrophic the use of animals in the food system was when I was in my 20s, instead of going into biomedical research, I would have gone right to working on this problem, he says.

Impossible Foods recently unveiled its first new foods since debuting the original Impossible Burger in 2016: Impossible Pork and Impossible Sausage. The company is testing a new Burger King breakfast sandwich that includes the meatless sausage at 139 locations in the US, but it has not said when Impossible Pork will be launching.

Impossible Foods decided to go with pork for its next major product expansion for two reasons: its the most widely eaten meat in the world, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and Impossible Foods hopes to cut back on the detrimental effects that pig farming can have on the environment.

Were not going to solve the problem by declaring war on the incumbent industry or telling people to change their diets, Brown said in a previous interview with Business Insider. The only way to do it is by making products that do a better job of delivering what consumers value from meat and these other foods.

All told, even if your company fails, youll at least know your efforts have gone toward a worthy cause if you choose to address a meaningful problem, Brown says.

If you think you have the capability of coming up with a useful solution to the problem, thats the big opportunity, he said. I feel like the world does not need more gadgets to collect data on everyone, Alexa-enabled toothbrushes or whatever. Do something actually useful.

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The CEO of Impossible Foods, the startup behind the wildly popular veggie burger backed by Serena Williams and Katy Perry, shares the biggest piece of...

Immunology

The global plasma fractionation market was valued at $16,823 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $30,536 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of…

Global Plasma Fractionation Market by Product (Albumin, Immunoglobulins, and Coagulation Factor VIII), Application (Neurology, Hematology, Immunology, Critical Care and Others), End User (Hospitals, and Research Laboratories): Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20182028

New York, Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Global Plasma Fractionation Market by Product, Application, End User : Global Opportunity Analysis and Industry Forecast, 20182028" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05836984/?utm_source=GNW

The global plasma fractionation market was valued at $16,823 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $30,536 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of 6.1% from 2019 to 2026. Fractionation is a mechanical process carried out to separate a certain quantity of mixture. Plasma is the liquid part of the blood which is yellowish and holds blood cells. Plasma fractionation is carried out to separate high quality, proteinaceous products such as albumin, immunoglobulins, and others. These derived products are known as plasma derivatives obtained from fractionation. Moreover, these products are used in various medical fields such as in neurology, hematology, critical care, immunology, and others. For instance, in critical care, plasma is prescribed to prevent and stop bleeding. In addition, plasma products are widely used in clinical research laboratories and hospitals. The factors that boost the growth of the plasma fractionation market include surge in geriatric population across the globe, which is predisposed to various rare diseases that require the use of plasma derivatives. Moreover, rise in use of immunoglobulins and alpha-1-antitrypsin in areas of medicine worldwide also fuel the growth of the plasma fractionation market. Furthermore, surge in plasma collection centers worldwide is another major factor that contributes toward the growth of this market. In addition, favorable governmental support to spread awareness related to the use of plasma derived products also fuels the growth of the plasma fractionation market. However, high cost of plasma derived products restricts the growth of the market. Conversely, growth potential in emerging economies is expected to create lucrative opportunities for the market growth during the forecast period. The global plasma fractionation market is segmented on the basis of product, application, end user, and region. On the basis of product, the market is divided into albumin, immunoglobulins, and coagulation factor VIII. Moreover, immunoglobulins are further divided into subcutaneous immunoglobulin (SCIG) and coagulation factor VIII. By application, the market is classified into neurology, hematology, immunology, critical care, and others. On the basis of end user, it is categorized into hospitals and clinical research laboratories. By country, it is analyzed across Russia, Kazakhstan, Indonesia, China (Including Taiwan), India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Vietnam, Argentina, Thailand, and Nigeria.

KEY BENEFITS FOR STAKEHOLDERS This report entails a detailed quantitative analysis along with the current global plasma fractionation market trends from 2019 to 2026 to identify the prevailing opportunities along with the strategic assessment. The market size and estimations are based on a comprehensive analysis of key developments in the industry. A qualitative analysis based on innovative products facilitates strategic business planning. The development strategies adopted by the key market players are enlisted to understand the competitive scenario of the market

Key Market Segments By Product o Albumin o Immunoglobulins o Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin (SCIG) o Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIG) o Coagulation Factor By Application o Neurology o Hematology o Immunology o Critical Care o Others By End User o Hospitals o Clinical Research Laboratories By Country o Russia o Kazakhstan o Indonesia o China (Including Taiwan) o India o Saudi Arabia o Egypt o Vietnam o Argentina o Thailand o Nigeria o Rest of the World

List of key players profiled in the report: Grifols SA Baxter International Inc CSL LTD. Bio Product Laboratory Octapharma AG Sanquin Laboratoire Franais Du Fractionnement Et Des Kedrion Biotest Takeda Pharmaceuticals

LIST OF OTHER PLAYERS IN THE VALUE CHAIN (These players are not profiled in the report. The same will be included on request) LFB S.A. Shanghai RAAS Blood Products Co., Ltd.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05836984/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

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The global plasma fractionation market was valued at $16,823 million in 2018, and is expected to reach $30,536 million by 2026, registering a CAGR of...

Immunology

Scientists Find Powerhouses That Fight Tumours From Within – New Vision

In recent years, doctors have turned to a new treatment for cancer, immunotherapy, which works by leveraging the body's immune system to fight tumours.

The new treatment for cancer, immunotherapy, works by leveraging the body's own immune system to fight tumours. Photo/AFP

In recent years, doctors have turned to a new treatment for cancer, immunotherapy, which works by leveraging the body's immune system to fight tumours.

HEALTH

Lurking deep inside some tumours are "factories" full of immune cells that help the body fight a rearguard action against cancer and are key to helping some patients recover, new research has shown.

In recent years, doctors have turned to a new treatment for cancer, immunotherapy, which works by leveraging the body's immune system to fight tumours.

The technique has largely focused on white blood cells called T-cells, which are "trained" to recognise and attack cancer cells.

But the innovative treatment only works well for around 20 percent of patients, and researchers have been trying to understand why some people respond better than others.

Three papers published on Thursday in the journal Nature point the way, identifying a key formation inside some tumours: tertiary lymphoid structures (TLS).

These structures function like "factories or schools" for immune cells that help the body fight cancer, said Wolf H. Fridman, a professor emeritus of immunology at the Cordeliers Research Centre of the Paris Descartes University medical school, who helped lead one of the studies.

"The cells need to be educated in schools, which are the tertiary lymphoid structures," where they effectively learn to recognise and attack cancer cells, Fridman told AFP.

- No longer 'innocent bystanders' -

Key to the findings is that T-cells are far from the only immune cells capable of taking the fight to cancer, with researchers finding the TLS were full of B-cells, a kind of immune cell that produces antibodies.

"We have been T-cell addicts for 15 years in cancer," Fridman said with a laugh.

"We analysed these sarcomas to see what groups they had and what's striking is that these B-cells appeared."

Beth Helmink, a fellow in surgical oncology at the University of Texas's MD Anderson Cancer Center who worked on a second study, said the research changed perceptions of the role of B-cells in immunotherapy.

"Through these studies, we find that B-cells are not just innocent bystanders, but are themselves contributing in a meaningful way to the anti-tumour immune response," she said in a statement issued by the Center.

The discovery is something of a surprise, as an abundance of B-cells in cancer patients has sometimes been seen as a marker for poor prognosis.

But the studies found that patients with high levels of B-cells inside TLS in their tumours were more likely to respond well to immunotherapy.

"This series of studies are exciting because they represent real progress in the treatment of different types of cancer," said Louisa James, a lecturer in immunology at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London.

"In the short term, these results provide a new tool to help predict which patients are likely to benefit from treatment with immunotherapy and may also pave the way for improved treatments in the future," added James, who was not involved in the studies.

Improving cancer treatment

There are still many unanswered questions, including why the structures form in some tumours and not others.

And while it now seems clear that B-cells inside the structures play a key role in the success of immunotherapy, scientists are not sure precisely how.

It may be that the B-cells are on the frontlines, producing antibodies that attack cancer cells efficiently.

Or they may be bolstering T-cells, or perhaps doing both.

And not all TLS are created equal: the researchers found three categories, but only one type was "mature" enough to churn out cancer-fighting immune cells.

The research opens several promising avenues, the authors said.

Initially, it could help doctors screen patients to see which are most likely to respond well to immunotherapy.

And eventually, the research could mean more patients are successfully treated with the technique, said Goran Jonsson, a professor of oncology and pathology at Lund University in Sweden who worked on a third study.

"If we come up with a treatment that could enhance TLS formation, we could combine this with current immunotherapy regimens," he told AFP.

"Most likely this would lead to more patients responding to immunotherapy."

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Scientists Find Powerhouses That Fight Tumours From Within - New Vision

Immunology

Board of Trustees to be created at RSPC for pediatric oncology, hematology and immunology – TVR

The Board of Trustees will monitor the development of the center: it will coordinate the work of the business and the healthcare system and will inform the population. Natalia Kochanova expressed her wish for all the senators to be involved. The chairwoman of the Upper House visited young patients and held a round table discussion on the implementation of the pilot project, housing construction for employees, improving the working conditions of young specialists with the representatives of the Ministry of Health.

Vladimir Karanik, Minister of Health of Belarus: "We are in the top twenty countries in the cure rate of the children in the world. In general, 75% of childrens oncology diseases are cured. This figure has not reached 100 percent, but we will continue to work to improve the results."

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Board of Trustees to be created at RSPC for pediatric oncology, hematology and immunology - TVR

Immunology

Probiotics: Don’t Buy the Online Hype – HealthDay

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Many people turn to the internet with health questions, but how reliable is the information you find? When it comes to probiotics, a new study urges caution.

The research found that of 150 websites that came up with a search of probiotics, most were commercial sites, hoping to sell a product. Others were news sites or health portals (providing links to other sites). Many of these sites mentioned potential benefits of probiotics, though not all had scientific evidence to back up those claims. And just 1 in 4 of the websites mentioned any potential side effects from taking probiotics.

"This study demonstrates that a number of online claims on the health benefits of probiotics are not supported by scientific evidence," said study co-author Dr. Michel Goldman, a professor of immunology at the Universite Libre de Bruxelles in Belgium.

Probiotics are "good" bacteria found in yogurt and other fermented foods and in dietary supplements, according to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Some of these bacteria are also found naturally in the human body. They may help digest food, fight germs that can cause disease, or produce vitamins.

"Probiotics can clearly be helpful in the management of infectious diarrhea, in pregnant women with gestational diabetes, and as an adjunct to food allergy desensitization therapy," Goldman said. He added that probiotics might also be helpful for the skin condition eczema and for some urinary or genital infections in women.

But his team saw some broad claims online about probiotics' benefits, such as being beneficial in treating cancer. There's no scientific evidence to support those claims.

For the study, Goldman and his colleagues looked at the first 150 pages brought up by Google in response to a search for "probiotics." They reviewed the information on these pages for reliability and searched a large database of clinical trials for evidence supporting those claims.

One bright spot was that Google appears to prioritize more reliable sources of information over commercial websites.

Still, consumers should be wary of health information they get online.

"Consumers should look whether there is scientific information published in peer-reviewed medical journals supporting claims to probiotics and over-the-counter health products that are not regulated as rigorously as prescription drugs. They should discuss with their doctors, the benefits they can expect from probiotics," Goldman said.

Dr. Melinda Ring, executive director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago, said she wasn't surprised by the findings.

"This is a big problem in the natural product and dietary supplement area. There's a preponderance of less reputable information from sales and commercial sources," said Ring, who wasn't part of the research.

"People really need to look at the claims websites are making. Are they promising unrealistic cures? Are they referencing scientific data?" she said.

One area where probiotics may be helpful is in maintaining the body's natural balance of beneficial bacteria -- the gut microbiome. "We know the human microbiome is incredibly important to our health and the development of disease, but we're just in the infancy of understanding how to manipulate the microbiome," Ring said.

If you're interested in improving your gut's microbiome, the first place to start is improving your diet, because what you eat is also food for your microbiome, Ring said. Focus on vegetables, fruits and whole grains.

A number of foods have probiotics, such as yogurt and fermented foods. But sometimes the probiotics that occur naturally in foods can be destroyed by processing and preserving. Ring recommended looking for "live cultures" on the packaging.

If you take probiotic supplements, she suggested sticking with reputable brands, and perhaps taking more than one product to make sure you're getting a diversity of probiotics.

Andrea Wong is senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs for the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), which represents the supplement industry. She said that research demonstrates that probiotics are safe and have health benefits.

"When it comes to reliable information on probiotics and other dietary supplements, doctors and other health care practitioners are the most trusted sources. CRN encourages consumers to be smart shoppers and do their due diligence when looking for dietary supplement information," Wong said.

The findings were published Jan. 15 in Frontiers in Medicine.

More information

Learn more about probiotics from the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.

SOURCES: Michel Goldman, M.D., Ph.D., professor, immunology, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, and co-director, 13th Institute, Belgium; Melinda Ring, M.D., executive director, Osher Center for Integrative Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago; Andrea Wong, Ph.D., senior vice president, scientific and regulatory affairs, Council for Responsible Nutrition; Jan. 15, 2020, Frontiers in Medicine

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Probiotics: Don't Buy the Online Hype - HealthDay