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TR BioSurgical, LLC Develops Breakthrough Osteoarthritis Implant
TR BioSurgical, LLC, announced highly encouraging results using their new medical device (bioscaffold) in canine patients with advanced osteoarthritis. The new bioscaffold is implanted in or near diseased tissue and provides a structural matrix for local repair cells, such as stem cells or fibroblasts, to attach and heal tissue by local, physiological repair mechanisms. The new bioscaffold implant contains no drugs, cells or growth factors and is eventually resorbed by the infiltrating cells. The implant is made from a proprietary, copolymerized collagen and is sterile, cost effective, and non- immunogenic.

Annual Convention Of The American Psychological Association
American Psychological Association 117th Annual Convention in Toronto, Canada, Aug. 6-9, 2009
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WHO Declares H1N1 Virus Spread A Pandemic
WHO has declared that the spread of the H1N1 (swine) flu virus has reached pandemic level, the AP/Google.com reports (AP/Google.com, 6/11). The Phase 6 pandemic alert indicates that two regions of the world are experiencing significant outbreaks, according to the Wall Street Journal. The declaration came after WHO held an emergency meeting Thursday about raising the threat level. The Wall Street Journal writes that the WHO wants to "eliminate misunderstandings about the virus to prevent overreactions in some countries" (Esterl, Wall Street Journal, 6/11).
Cardiovascular

Deet, The Popular Insect Repellent, Found To Be Neurotoxic

The active ingredient in many insect repellents, deet, has been found to be toxic to the central nervous system. Researchers writing in the open access journal BMC Biology say that more investigations are urgently needed to confirm or dismiss any potential neurotoxicity to humans, especially when deet-based repellents are used in combination with other neurotoxic insecticides. Vincent Corbel from the Institut de Recherche pour le Dē©veloppement in Montpellier, and Bruno Lapied from the University of Angers, France, led a team of researchers who investigated the mode of action and toxicity of deet (N,N-Diethyl-3-methylbenzamide). Corbel said, "We"ve found that deet is not simply a behavior-modifying chemical but also inhibits the activity of a key central nervous system enzyme, acetycholinesterase, in both insects and mammals". Discovered in 1953, deet is still the most common ingredient in insect repellent preparations. It is effective against a broad spectrum of medically important pests, including mosquitoes. Despite its widespread use, controversies remain concerning both the identification of its target sites at the molecular level and its mechanism of action in insects. In a series of experiments, Corbel and his colleagues found that deet inhibits the acetylcholinesterase enzyme - the same mode of action used by organophosphate and carbamate insecticides. These insecticides are often used in combination with deet, and the researchers also found that deet interacts with carbamate insecticides to increase their toxicity. Corbel concludes, "These findings question the safety of deet, particularly in combination with other chemicals, and they highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to the development of safer insect repellents for use in public health". Notes: Evidence for inhibition of cholinesterases in insect and mammalian nervous systems by the insect repellent deet Vincent Corbel, Maria Stankiewicz, Cedric Pennetier, Didier Fournier, Jure Stojan, Emmanuelle Girard, Mitko Dimitrov, Jordi Molgo, Jean Marc Hougard and Bruno Lapied BMC Biology (in press) Article available at journal website: http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcbiol/ Graeme Baldwin BioMed Central


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