Gregory J. Cole, Ph.D., of NCCU’s Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, led the investigation, which uses a zebrafish model.

“This study raises concerns regarding the safety to fetal health, with cannabis use by pregnant women potentially as detrimental as alcohol use in terms of the long-term effects,” said Gregory J. Cole, Ph.D.

DURHAM, N.C. (PRWEB)
September 27, 2019

North Carolina Central University researchers have found evidence that prenatal exposure to cannabinoids, the active compounds in marijuana, heightens the risk of developmental abnormalities normally associated with fetal alcohol syndrome.

Their findings were published in the August 2019 issue of the Birth Defects Research journal. Gregory J. Cole, Ph.D., of the Department of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, led the investigation, which uses a zebrafish model.

“This study raises concerns regarding the safety to fetal health, with cannabis use by pregnant women potentially as detrimental as alcohol use in terms of the long-term effects,” Cole said.

The researchers found that physical and behavioral changes associated with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder could be triggered by exposure to cannabinoids. The two substances share the SHH genetic pathway, known as sonic hedgehog, which has a role in regulating bone growth and organization of the brain, among other functions.

“The study also suggests that lower levels of combined alcohol and marijuana use can alter biological systems and lead to greater risk-taking behaviors in humans at lower levels than either substance alone,” Cole said.

Individuals with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, in which fetal alcohol syndrome is the most severe, may have abnormalities of the face and skull, as well intellectual disabilities, central nervous system impairments and impeded growth.

The human central nervous system has been shown to be sensitive to alcohol throughout the gestational period, especially the third trimester when the fetal brain undergoes a state of rapid growth.

Zebrafish are used as a behavioral model for research because they have similar genetics to humans and exhibit behavioral complexity and dose-dependent responses to alcohol that mimic a human response, Cole said.

In previous studies, zebrafish have displayed increased anxiety and altered social behavior after a brief exposure to alcohol while still embryos.

“Both zebrafish and rodents have been shown to have similar behavioral responses to different doses of cannabinoids,” Cole said. “However, the effects of combined exposure to both alcohol and cannabinoids during pregnancy have not been well studied.”

Co-authors of the research paper are Oswald Boa-Amponsem, a Ph.D. candidate in the Integrated Biosciences program at NCCU; Chengjin Zhang, Ph.D., research associate at Julius L. Chambers Biomedical/Biotechnology Research Institute at NCCU; Somnath Mukhopadhyay, Ph.D., associate professor in chemistry and biochemistry at NCCU; and Iman Ardrey, a Ph.D. candidate in Integrated Biosciences.

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InTouchMD Becomes Pulse Health

“This name change marks a major step forward in our efforts to provide strategy and focus around the Pulse brand,” said Ryan Alovis, Chief Executive Officer of Pulse Health.

GARDEN CITY, N.Y. (PRWEB)
September 25, 2019

InTouchMD, the leading provider of cloud-based technology and services for the life science industry, announced that it will change its name to Pulse Health effective September 25th. The new corporate brand demonstrates Pulse Health’s long-term commitment to providing pharmaceutical companies a single partner for engagement and intelligence.

Founded in 2014, InTouchMD quickly evolved into the premiere destination for life science companies taking a brand to commercialization or looking to amplify an existing brand.

Pulse Health achieved industry recognition with its Pulse CRM platform. Pulse CRM is a first of its kind SaaS based technology combining marketing automation, robust HCP digital persona pages, email marketing, analytics/insights, and healthcare CRM on a brand by brand level. Beyond its core offerings, Pulse CRM integrates with external platforms to provide the client with a real-time 360 view of how the brand is performing.

“This name change marks a major step forward in our efforts to provide strategy and focus around the Pulse brand,” said Ryan Alovis, Chief Executive Officer of Pulse Health. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished as InTouchMD and confident that that this will only help strengthen our mission of being a best-in-class life science solutions company.”

Pulse Health is committed to bringing effective solutions to an industry that is plagued with inefficiencies ranging from disparate data sources, to the reliance of multiple single-feature industry general platforms, absentee client support, or the inability to access actionable data in real-time.

It’s been a banner year for Pulse Health as they recently sponsored Digital Pharma East, where their CEO led an expert panel on HCP omnichannel engagement. Additionally, they launched Pulse Insights, a powerful analytics extension to Pulse CRM which provides its pharmaceutical partners with a visually stimulating and digestible view of the brands marketing performance.

For more information about Pulse Health, visit https://pulsehealth.tech/

About Pulse Health

Pulse Health (formerly InTouchMD) is the industry leader in cloud-based engagement software and services for the life science industry. Powering a brands journey from launch to life. Pulse Health’s suite of products range from Pulse CRM, Pulse Sample Management, Pulse Data Access, Pulse Insights, and Pulse MCM Tactics. At the heart of Pulse Health is Pulse CRM, an award-winning, all-in-one customizable engagement solution for all HCP, Patient and Caregiver communication efforts – deploying the brands messaging while providing actionable data in real-time.

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Paul Crowe, CEO of NuView Life Sciences, discusses how cancer confirmatory testing can revolutionize the industry.

“We need to look at these alternative ways to effectively diagnose and treat those with disease.”

PARK CITY, Utah (PRWEB)
September 24, 2019

Questions around the rise in cancers in former Air Force pilots are causing concerns about the role of cockpit radar and current cancer screening technologies used by the military. Those questions are also elevating the need for new cancer detection processes to catch possible tumors sooner and less invasively. Paul Crowe, CEO of NuView Life Sciences, highlights the important of non-invasive confirmatory cancer screenings in light of this recent study.

“These fighter pilots fought for our lives -we need to fight for theirs with confirmatory cancer tests,” said Crowe. “Testing for all is extremely important, but this event especially draws attention to the overwhelming need to relook at cancer screening within the healthcare industry today.”

According to a recent Veterans Affairs study, the number of unique prostate cancer cases in Air Force veterans skyrocketed between fiscal years 2000 and 2018 by 195 percent[1]. While other data suggests that cases of prostate cancer were not significantly different between pilots and non-pilots, the logistics of pilot testing, including when, how often and the technologies used, remain a concern.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), high doses of radiation can lead to cancer, including prostate cancer, which is the leading cause of cancer death among men of all races and populations[2].

Currently, the military’s health care system covers prostate cancer screenings at age 50 for service members with no family history of the disease, and as young as age 40 if there is a family history of the disease in two or more family members and based on the shocking number of cancer cases in former Air Force pilots, now is the time to bring new screening technologies to the market.

The most common prostate screening is a PSA test, which measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by both cancerous and noncancerous tissue in the prostate, a small gland that sits below the bladder in men.

Dr. Jay Bishoff, a proponent of NuView Life Science’s breakthrough screening technology, confirmed the challenges that exist with the current PSA testing method. “Many things can cause a rise in PSA levels,” said Dr. Bishoff. “PSA testing can be faulty in that it is testing for something that can be raised by many other factors besides prostate cancer such as infection or manipulation.”

The new look of prostate cancer screening is in the works by NuView Diagnostics, a subsidiary of NuView Life Sciences. The company is developing a NV-VPAC1TM technology that may be used for detecting shed cancer cells in voided urine. The technology is an in vitro diagnostic unit dose and works by attaching a fluorophore to an NV-VPAC1TM peptide, allowing the VPAC1 to be visualized microscopically with cancer cells becoming illuminated when viewed under a confocal microscope.

Due to the simple and convenient nature of the NV-VPAC1 urine screen diagnostic test, it has the potential to complement or simply replace the PSA test as part of routine screening of prostate cancer.

“Prostate cancer is the number one killer of men,” Crowe said. “We need to look at these alternative ways to effectively diagnose and treat those with disease.”

About NuView Life Sciences:

Founded in 2005, NuView Life Sciences is a clinical stage oncology company located in Park City, Utah, working to improve the way cancer is diagnosed and treated in our modern healthcare system. NuView is focused on creating precision cancer diagnostics and therapeutics to improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs through the development and clinical application of its exclusive peptide analog technology, NV-VPAC1.

Led by a team of industry experts with decades of combined experience in healthcare and medical imaging technologies, NuView is poised to change how we look for and respond to cancer. To learn more about NuView Life Sciences, please visit http://www.nuviewlifesciences.com

Sources

1. Copp, Tara, and Shirsho Dasgupta. “Are Fighter Pilots at Greater Risk for Prostate Cancer? The Air Force Is Now Asking.” Mcclatchydc, McClatchy Washington Bureau.

2. “Radiation Studies – CDC: Health Effects of Radiation.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

3. “PSA Test.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, May 4, 2019.

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A lot of things have changed since we started SSCI, and we still believe in face-to-face interactions with other scientists to discuss research problems and solutions. Now with our new company, Improved Pharma, we are renting a 10 by 10 booth near the posters and will start the process again

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (PRWEB)
September 24, 2019

Improved Pharma LLC will be presenting their latest research in the area of high-level X-ray methods using synchrotron-produced X-rays to study amorphous drug formulations. On Monday, November 4th, Dr. Pamela Smith, COO of Improved Pharma, will present “Synchrotron X-Ray Diffraction and Pair Distribution Function Analysis of Drug/Polymer Dispersions: A Comparison of Subtraction Techniques to Isolate Intra- and Intermolecular Interactions”. The poster will be presented from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM in Poster Forum 6. The full abstract of the poster can be accessed here.

On Tuesday, November 5th, Dr. Smith will present “Synchrotron X-ray Analysis of Amorphous Drugs and Drug:Polymer Dispersions” in the Rapid Fire: Formulation and Quality – Chemical session. The session takes place in Exhibit Hall 234 from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Much of our research focuses on using synchrotron X-ray Pair Distribution Function (SXPDF) techniques to probe atom-atom distances in amorphous materials and dispersions. Not all amorphous materials are equivalent, and the PDF patterns reflect the degree of disorder in the materials. SXPDF can provide important regulatory information regarding the sameness of various formulations or lots prepared using different techniques (e.g. spray drying and melt extrusion). SXPDF can also detect neighboring drug molecules in a drug-polymer dispersion. If present, the dispersion is more likely to crystallize as compared to dispersions where no drug domains are detected. This information is extremely important, especially when assessing the risk of a formulation undergoing unwanted changes during manufacturing, scale-up, or storage. SXPDF can also help guide improved formulations of existing products, extending intellectual property protections.

Improved Pharma will be exhibiting in booth 551, conveniently located in the Formulation and Quality section next to Poster Forum 2. We look forward to meeting with you to discuss the latest advances in pharmaceutical research and development. Have a problem with solubility or bioavailability? Want to reformulate your drug product? Looking for assistance with patent litigation? Or, do you just need some analytical testing services? Feel free to stop by to see if we can help you. If you’d like to book an appointment or have a discussion prior to the meeting, please contact us at info@improvedpharma.com.

Stephen Byrn, CSO of Improved Pharma, has a long history associated with the AAPS meeting and was featured as the Member Spotlight of the August 2019 issue of AAPS News Magazine. You can read the article here. As noted in the article, Byrn successfully launched his first business (SSCI) through AAPS. He stated: “My wife and I started our company with only two people. We purchased the AAPS mailing list and taught short courses, both on our own and through AAPS. After we opened our lab, we rented a 10-foot by 10-foot booth near the posters, and I stood in the walkway and told people why they needed our services since we were a research and information company. We eventually grew to 100 employees and sold the company in 2006. Some of the funds from the sale helped fund our work in Africa, especially in the early days. Now we’ve started a new research and information company called Improved Pharma. Although a lot of things have changed since we started our first company, we are still going to rent a 10-foot by 10-foot booth near the posters at this year’s AAPS meeting and start the process all over again.”

About Improved Pharma

Improved Pharma is a research and information company dedicated to improving pharmaceutical methods, formulations, and processes. Dr. Stephen Byrn and Sarah Byrn founded the company in 2006 after the successful acquisition of their first company, SSCI. Dr. Pamela Smith joined the company in 2018 after an 18-year tenure with SSCI. Improved Pharma offers services such as analytical testing, synchrotron-based formulation design, and expert consulting aiding the development and defense of intellectual property matters.

For more information about the techniques discussed in this press release or about Improved Pharma’s services, please contact us at 1-765-463-9951 or info@improvedpharma.com.

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We are extremely excited to be included in this highly educational event specific to the key testing methods for container and package integrity testing

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. (PRWEB)
September 23, 2019

Leak Detection Associates, the leading global supplier of helium based leak detection systems for the Pharmaceutical, Biotechnology and Medical Device Industries, is excited to announce that it will be a contributing instrument manufacturer and technical presenter at the Parenteral Drug Association (PDA) Container Closure Integrity Testing Training Course. Held in conjunction with PDA Europe’s Universe of Pre-Filled Syringe Conference, the two-day training program encompasses presentations on theory and real-life applications of all deterministic container closure integrity test (CCIT) technologies referenced in USP 1207. Critically, participating attendees are given the opportunity to witness demonstrations of actual instrumentation, with the unique opportunity for hands-on use in an engaging and learning-based environment.

The PDA Universe of Pre-Filled Syringe Conference will be held in Gothenburg, Sweden the week of October 21, 2019 and the CCI specific training course is scheduled for October 24th and 25th. Presenting on behalf of Leak Detection Associates will be Brandon Zurawlow, the lead CCI Principal for Containsure, while Jeff Morrow Lucas, LDA’s Director of Engineering, will host the hands-on technical training for attendees. In support of these technical presentations and hands-on activities, Leak Detection Associates will be providing its newest model, the SIMS 1915+ Helium Leak Detection System. Attendees will gain an understanding of how the system can be used to establish inherent integrity, optimize manufacturing, and more for a range of package systems and at extreme levels of sensitivity. LDA will also be featuring its new, low temperature add-on system that enables analysis of packages down to -80°C, critical for product-packages stored at these aggressive temperatures.

“We are extremely excited to be included in this highly educational event to specifically represent a key test method for container and package integrity testing,” commented Brian Mulhall, LDA’s CEO. “For more than 20 years, Leak Detection Associates has held a leadership role in the development and use of helium technology for container leak testing and having the opportunity to advance our knowledge and experience as part of a unique training seminar such as this will enable the value of helium leak testing to be shared with many relevant participants who are looking for CCI solutions in this highly regulated area.”

This course focuses on theoretical and practical fundamentals of various CCI testing technologies and provides a systematic approach to apply these testing methods for CCI verification throughout drug product lifecycles. The course, as a whole, will enable the participants to implement CCI testing strategies to ensure adequate drug product protection and be compliant with relevant regulatory and compendial requirements. In this course, participants gain critical problem-solving skills through:

• 
  Interactive discussions with a panel of cross-functional technical experts consisting of CCI testing laboratory experts, testing instrument suppliers/manufacturers, and pharmaceutical packaging development engineers
• Hands-on testing training on the newest innovations and state-of-the-art instruments
• Real-world case studies

Being held in conjunction with the Universe of Pre-Filled Syringe meeting, this training course will utilize lectures, case studies, and interactive hands-on training on testing instruments to provide insight into the latest developments of Container Closure Integrity (CCI) Testing. It is expected that participants will develop an understanding of the most up-to-date regulatory and pharmacopeia requirements on CCIT while learning how to define CCI requirements for various container and drug product types using a risk-based approach. The key focus will be on practical applications using the deterministic methods such as tracer gas detection (e.g. helium leak detection), electrical conductivity and capacitance (HVLD), vacuum decay leak detection, laser-based gas headspace analysis, and mass extraction leak tests. Other key topic areas to be covered include selecting and applying appropriate testing methods for both laboratory and in-process testing to formulate comprehensive package integrity verification profiles, defining CCI testing method development and validation approaches and best practices, and avoiding common issues and pitfalls in CCI testing applications. To learn more about the conference and to register for attendance at this valuable training course, please visit http://www.pda.org.

About Leak Detection Associates, LLC

For over 20 years, Leak Detection Associates has been the premier manufacturer of custom helium leak detection instruments for the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical device and food packaging industries. LDA’s well-established technology has been incorporated into ASTM and compendial guidance documents. This robust industry experience, combined with the advanced capabilities of its newest model, the SIMS 1915+ helium leak detection unit, provides companies with tools to quantitatively evaluate leakage, improve the package development cycle, establish manufacturing controls, and ultimately reduce risk to the product and consumer throughout the lifecycle.

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YORBA LINDA, Calif. (PRWEB)
September 19, 2019

LabRoots, the leading scientific social networking website offering premier, interactive virtual events and webinars, will be hosting its 3rd Annual Cell Biology Virtual Event, on September 26, 2019, dedicated to advancing scientific discovery.

Ten sessions will comprise the agenda at this free, global educational forum covering a wide range of topics including Spatial Omics, Microbiome, and Cell Biology of Genetic Diseases.

This year’s keynote speaker is Dr. Sergio Grinstein, Senior Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children and Professor of Biochemistry, University of Toronto. In his address, Dr. Grinstein will review the basic features of phagocytosis and macropinocytosis and describe recent advancements and further share the role of phosphoinositides and inorganic ions revealed in the formation and maturation of phagosomes and macropinosomes.

“I became aware of LabRoots only recently and I feel it is a remarkable initiative. I am very enthused about sharing some of our ideas about innate immunity with the cyberspatial audience of LabRoots. In particular, I wanted to convey some of the recent findings from our laboratory regarding the intricate mechanical, metabolic and ionic processes that drive the eating and drinking habits of macrophages,” commented Dr. Sergio Grinstein, Senior Scientist at The Hospital for Sick Children and Professor of Biochemistry, University of Toronto.

Latest research results in genetics, molecular biology and related disciplines significant to the community will be highlighted during lectures presented by distinguished speakers on environment impacts on micro[biom]e functions, spatial genomics technologies and the need for the detection of melanoma, spatial gene expression providing deeper insight between tissue morphology and gene expression, and much more.

Tracy Salcido, Vice President of LabRoots added, “We feel it’s important that all these voices are heard as we spotlight the field’s most influential leaders as sponsors and speakers sharing innovative theories, effective methods, applications and what will continue to redefine cell research in the future.”

The online event produced on LabRoots’ world-class, interactive platform allows participants to watch, learn and connect seamlessly across all desktop and mobile devices. By participating in this event, attendees can earn Continuing Education credits.

To register for the event and for more information, click here. Participants can follow the conversation online by using #LRcellbio.

About LabRoots

LabRoots is the leading scientific social networking website, and primary source for scientific trending news and premier educational virtual events and webinars and more. Contributing to the advancement of science through content sharing capabilities, LabRoots is a powerful advocate in amplifying global networks and communities. Founded in 2008, LabRoots emphasizes digital innovation in scientific collaboration and learning. Offering more than articles and webcasts that go beyond the mundane and explore the latest discoveries in the world of science, LabRoots users can stay atop their field by gaining continuing education credits from a wide range of topics through their participation in the webinars and virtual events.

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Shady Grove Fertility Laboratory

The Joint Commission Lab Accreditation mirrors SGF’s commitment to excellence, professionalism, and quality, which is the core of the practice—a practice with more than 85,000 babies born.

WASHINGTON (PRWEB)
September 19, 2019

At a time when more and more people are turning to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to start or grow their families, the importance of choosing a fertility center that maintains the highest quality, safety, and security standards cannot be understated.

The Joint Commission Lab Accreditation mirrors SGF’s commitment to excellence, professionalism, and quality, which is the core of the practice—a practice with more than 85,000 babies born. The Accreditation symbolizes a culture of excellence evidenced by a continued investment in the latest technology to improve clinical outcomes and a continued drive for innovation.

SGF’s nine embryology, andrology and endocrine labs in Rockville, MD; Towson, MD; Chesterbrook, PA; Fairfax, VA; Richmond, VA; Atlanta, GA; Tampa, FL; New York, NY (opening this Fall); and Santiago, Chile are all equipped with the very latest technology to give patients every advantage on their journey to parenthood. The SGF labs operate under the distinct leadership of nationally and internationally known Michael J. Tucker, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Director of SGF’s IVF and Embryology Laboratories.

“The labs at SGF have reached national and international distinction for offering highly sophisticated laboratory procedures. One of the most important aspects of well-run laboratories is quality control, and at SGF we demonstrate exceptional performance when it comes to this. Our protocols ensure the upmost quality with virtually zero margin for error,” remarks Dr. Tucker.

SGF has redundant safeguards and quality control protocols in place at every step of the IVF process. With heated work stations that simulate the in vivo (Latin for “within the living”) environment, to anti-vibration tables that prevent harm to specimens should the table be disturbed, “SGF never compromises when it comes to maintaining the highest quality and safety standards,” adds Tucker.

“I would like to congratulate our stellar embryology and clinical staff on this achievement. The fact that these reviews are routinely favorable is a testament to the hard work and focus on patient outcomes and safety that make our practice such a special place,” said Eric A. Widra, M.D., Chief Medical Officer, who sees patients in SGF’s K Street and Sibley Campus, Washington, D.C. locations.

The Joint Commission is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization’s commitment to meeting or exceeding certain performance standards.

“The outstanding training processes put in place by SGF lab supervisors is reflected in our patients’ positive outcomes, as we attribute our remarkable success rates to both the technology and the talented team of laboratory specialists who run them,” remarks Desireé McCarthy-Keith, M.D., M.P.H., SGF Atlanta Medical Director, who sees patients in SGF’s Alpharetta and Atlanta-Northside, GA, locations.

The dedicated professionals who work within SGF’s labs partner with SGF clinicians in the completion of over 14,000 initiated in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles (based on preliminary 2017 data), and a near equal number of ovulation induction and intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles annually.

“This achievement and the relentless focus it represents is impressive. I think at times we take this standard of quality for granted, but our outstanding andrology, endocrine, and embryology labs are the foundation of our practice,” remarks Eugene Katz, M.D., Medical Director, SGF Laboratory, Towson, MD, who also sees patients in SGF’s Towson, MD, location.

To schedule an appointment with an SGF reproductive endocrinologist, please call the SGF New Patient Center at 1-888-761-1967 or submit this brief form.

About Shady Grove Fertility (SGF)

SGF is a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence with more than 85,000 babies born and counting. With 36 locations throughout FL, GA, MD, NY, PA, VA, D.C., and Santiago, Chile, we offer patients individualized care, accept most insurance plans, and make treatment affordable through innovative financial options, including treatment guarantees. More physicians refer their patients to SGF than any other center. Call 1-888-761-1967 or visit ShadyGroveFertility.com

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