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Hip And Back Fractures Increase Mortality Rates In People Older Than 50
Vertebral and hip fractures are associated with an increased risk of death, found a new study of 7753 people in Canada aged 50 years and older published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). According to the results, approximately 25% of people (both men and women) living in the community who develop a hip fracture and 16% who develop a spine fracture will die over a 5 year period.
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Northern California Cancer Center's First-of-Its-Kind Research Reveals Low Socioeconomic Status Often Equals Poor Chance Of Lymphoma Survival
The Northern California Cancer Center (NCCC) recently found that lower socioeconomic status is "significantly associated with substantially poorer survival" of follicular lymphoma in California.
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'Complacency,' 'Stigma' Hindering Efforts To Reduce HIV/AIDS In Black Communities, Opinion Piece Says
"Nearly 30 years after the discovery of HIV and AIDS, the epidemic is still ravaging black neighborhoods in Baltimore and across the nation," Kevin Fenton -- director of CDC"s National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD and TB Prevention -- writes in a Baltimore Sun opinion piece. Fenton writes that "complacency about HIV and the continued stigma associated with the disease are hindering progress by preventing too many African-Americans from seeking either HIV testing and treatment or support from their friends and family," adding that "this is a challenge that can be overcome."According to Fenton, the Obama administration last month "took an important step in confronting the United States" HIV epidemic" when CDC and White House officials announced a five-year campaign called Act Against AIDS, which is "designed to refocus the nation"s attention on the HIV crisis here at home." Fenton notes that 14 black civic organizations -- including the NAACP, the National Urban League, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference and the National Council of Negro Women -- are "joining the CDC to increase knowledge, awareness and action within black communities across the country." He adds that the campaign "will harness the strength and reach of these organizations by enhancing their ability to make HIV prevention a core component of their daily activities." "By raising the visibility of HIV and AIDS, the new campaign also aims to confront and overcome the fear and stigma that help keep HIV alive in black communities," Fenton says. He adds that he has "been encouraged in recent years to see black leaders, including black faith leaders, speak out more openly across the nation about the need to confront HIV and the stigma that persists surrounding this disease." Fenton writes that "[e]nding this epidemic will require not only frank and difficult discussions about HIV but also a shared sense of responsibility and commitment," concluding, "All of us can and must be part of the solution" (Fenton, Baltimore Sun, 5/27).
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International Collaboration Funds Stem Cell Research

The potential of using stem cells to treat Alzheimer"s disease and other illnesses will be investigated by Victorian and Californian researchers under a US$22 million (US$28.7 million) collaboration, Innovation Minister Gavin Jennings said recently. The funding grants for four projects are the first step in a three-year collaboration, established last year between the Brumby Government and the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM), that will establish strategic projects on stem cell research aimed at accelerating treatments of disease. Other joint projects focus on moving basic research toward therapies by addressing safety, quality and technical hurdles in the safe use of stem cells for human therapies. "This collaboration highlights that Victoria and California are world leaders in biotechnology and stem cell research, and the Brumby Government is taking action with this project to improve the quality of life of the millions of people around the world suffering from Alzheimer"s disease, Parkinson"s disease and diabetes," Mr Jennings said. "These important projects are the first to emerge since the Premier, John Brumby, and I signed the historic agreement last year with CIRM president Alan Trounson to establish a pan-Pacific "stem cell airbridge" between Victoria and CIRM." Mr Jennings met with Professor Trounson, former director of the Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratories at Monash University, and CIRM chairman Robert Klein at BIO2009, an international biotechnology convention in Atlanta, USA, to announce details of the collaboration. The Brumby Government will fund the Victorian teams while CIRM will fund the Californian teams. There are four joint projects so far being funded by the alliance. "With these grants, CIRM and Victoria have taken the first step in funding translational research that will be critical for the development of future therapies," Professor Trounson said. "We hope that these first projects will spur on greater cooperation and collaboration between other Victorian and Californian scientists and that this new alliance will continue to focus on helping patients and delivering new therapies in this cutting-edge medical field." Mr Klein said the battle against chronic diseases needed to be a global initiative. "The medical research mission must be global to capture the best minds of every nation to fight chronic diseases that have plagued mankind throughout history. The Australian collaboration with California marks a historic milestone for stem cell research in globalizing the battle against chronic disease," said Mr Klein. Victoria is home to more than 43 per cent of Australia"s medical research activity including specialist stem cell centres such as the Australian Stem Cell Centre, Monash Immunology and Stem Cell Laboratory and the Australian Regenerative Medicine Institute. The projects receiving Victorian Government and CIRM funding are: Australian Stem Cell Centre, Melbourne and the University of California, Irvine To determine whether stem cells may one day be able to be used in the clinic as a treatment for Alzheimer"s disease. Alzheimer"s is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects over 4.5 million Americans. Over 500,000 Australians live with the disease currently. There are currently no effective therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer"s. This project will use human embryonic stem cells which are transformed into human neural stem cells and test their ability to improve memory and function, without rejection by the immune system, in an animal model of Alzheimer"s disease. Professor Richard Boyd (Australia) and Frank LaFerla (California) will lead the project. Florey Neuroscience Institutes, Melbourne and Burnham Institute of Medical Research, La Jolla Parkinson"s disease severely debilitates about two per cent of the US population and approximately 80,000 Australians, with more than 2,225 new cases diagnosed each year in Victoria. Whilst there is currently no cure available for the disease, transplantation (to replace the dying nerve cells in the brain) offers long term hope for many patients. Using mouse and human embryonic stem cells, this collaboration will identify and isolate the best candidate cell for transplantation. The project will be led by Professor Colin Pouton, Dr Clare Parish (Australia) and Professor Evan Snyder (California). Australian Stem Cell Centre, Melbourne and the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla Human embryonic stem cells that have not yet been turned into specialised cell types are not suitable for transplant into a patient as they may grow unchecked and / or become the wrong cell type or types. There is a risk that these unspecialised cells may also form a type of benign tumour known as a teratoma. This collaboration will develop specific tools and quality control measures for scientists to identify and remove the rare unwanted cells from the specialised cells that are destined for use in the treatment of injury or disease, therefore increasing the safety of future cell therapies and overcoming a major barrier to the advancement of stem cell treatments. The project will be led by Dr Andrew Laslett (Australia) and Dr Jeanne Loring (California). Monash University and Novocell Inc, San Diego Human embryonic stem cells have great potential as the starting material for future treatments using cellular therapies. For example, insulin dependent diabetes is an illness that may one day be treated using a stem cell based therapy. However, there are both scientific and safety hurdles still to be overcome. This project will develop standardised tests to ensure the safety of future embryonic stem cell based products which may contribute to stem cell based treatments for a range of illnesses including diabetes. The project will be led by Professor Ed Stanley and Professor Andrew Elefanty (Australia) and Dr Justine Cunningham (California). Australian Stem Cell Centre


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