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Man walks, courtesy stem cell therapy
Tribune News Service ^ | 02.25.07 | Arup Chanda

Posted on 03/04/2007 5:19:08 PM PST by Coleus

A 23-year-old man, who was paralysed from below the waist, is now able to walk after the first successful stem cell therapy in India for spinal cord injuries was conducted at a hospital here. According to Dr J.S. Rajkumar, chairman, Lifeline Hospitals, the young man, Akbar Ali, suffered serious injuries in his spinal cord when he fell from the fourth floor of a building last October. He was then working at a construction site in Abu Dhabi.

Though he underwent a surgery to stabilise his spinal cord, it was not successful. After he returned to India a month later, he lost sensation in his legs and was paralysed below the waist. He could not control his urine and bowel movements and was thus admitted to Lifeline Hospitals. The doctors there diagnosed him as a patient for autologous stem cell therapy wherein the stem cells from the patient's body are taken and used at the injured spot.

The technology, which is available at the hospital in collaboration from the Nichi-In Centre for Regenerative Medicine, Japan, was applied to Ali’s body. Nearly 100 ml of his bone marrow was removed, harvested and isolated before the stem cells were injected near the injured spot in his spinal cord. The stem cells emit trophic factors, which enable neurons and vessels to grow; a part of them becomes integral to the region, another component becomes part of the growing nerves.

Two months into the therapy, Ali has now regained 50 per cent sensation below his waist. He can control his urine for up to two hours and can also walk. Lifeline doctors said this treatment could be used for paraplegics, but usually worked better on younger people with more recent injuries. The hospital is presently examining the use of this therapy in treating cardiac problems, liver failure, diabetes, multiple sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

Of the various sources of stem cells, the autologous stem cell therapy was used by the hospital as there was no risk of rejection nor was there any concern of medical ethics. Doctors say that preserving stem cells is a kind of bio-insurance for an entire family as the stem cells could help in the treatment of the person’s siblings, parents and even grandparents. While preserved cord blood stem cells are a perfect match for the child from whose umbilical cord it was collected, there is only a 25 per cent chance of it being a perfect match for other family members.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adultstemcells; india; medical; spinalcord; stemcells; tech
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To: Coleus

As research continues to progress, more and more liberal arguments are thrown out the window. I wish this young man luck and long life with his recovery.


21 posted on 03/04/2007 6:45:47 PM PST by WestVirginiaRebel (A liberal is a man too broadminded to take his own side in a quarrel-Robert Frost)
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To: Humble Servant
I am all for Adult Stem Cell research. In fact a very young company called Pluristem (PLRS OTBB) is advancing possibilities for bone marrow transfusion. They are a small penny stock company but the potential Market Cap is $30 billion...not a bad risk at this point if you invest but the great thing is they are getting major research dollar infusion because they strictly want to advance ONLY Adult stem cell research!

This could change many peoples lives....

22 posted on 03/04/2007 6:51:57 PM PST by oust the louse
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To: goodnesswins
WHY oh WHY don't they say FETAL CELLS in the headline!@!!!

You can be sure if embryonic stem cells were involved, the word embryonic would be in the headline and lead paragraph. When it is not there, it is an attempt to have people interpret it as if embryonic stem cells were involved. The MSM is about propaganda, not information.

23 posted on 03/04/2007 7:12:10 PM PST by Freee-dame
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To: Coleus

Fantastic list.


24 posted on 03/04/2007 7:34:13 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: Coleus; nickcarraway; sandyeggo; Lady In Blue; NYer; american colleen; ELS; Pyro7480; livius; ...
Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

25 posted on 03/04/2007 7:35:20 PM PST by Salvation (†With God all things are possible.†)
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To: LibKill
"WHY oh WHY don't they say FETAL CELLS in the headline!@!!!

Fetal cells were not used. They took the stem cells from the patient's own body.

No baby was murdered. The patient walks again.

I'd say that this is a good thing.

Check and Mate. I only hope it can be utilized in more severe cases someday.

26 posted on 03/04/2007 8:18:05 PM PST by Desron13 (If you constantly vote between the lesser of two evils then evil is your ultimate destination.)
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To: Coleus
Of the various sources of stem cells, the autologous stem cell therapy was used by the hospital as there was no risk of rejection

Translating that into English, they performed a procedure where they harvested that man's own adult stem cells for transplantation. That is to say no babies were harmed in the making of this movie.
27 posted on 03/04/2007 8:20:54 PM PST by Old_Mil (Duncan Hunter in 2008! A Veteran, A Patriot, A Reagan Republican... http://www.gohunter08.com/)
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To: LibKill
I think that should drive a stake through the heart of fetal stem cell research.

Sorry, it won't. It should, but it won't. Doesn't fit the agenda. The DemocRATs, liberals and commies need more and more to justify their sacrament of abortion, and so they will always search for any excuse they can find to murder others of their choosing.

28 posted on 03/04/2007 8:25:11 PM PST by ducdriver ("Impartiality is a pompous name for indifference, which is an elegant name for ignorance." GKC)
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To: Coleus

I saw a program on tv that followed a quad to China for his stem cell surgery.

In the story many others have flocked to China includng kids w/parents hoping to cure their Cerebral Palsy (as my son who has lived with for 27yrs).

Well the story ended exposing a huge fraud.
Yes the stem cell surgery was done but there was no significant improvements just a whole lot of dissapointed people.

So number one, my son will not use fetal stem cells for his own health care and two I have to see these cases with my own eyes and lots of them before I get any hopes of a cure.

Besides 27yrs later we have put our hope into eternal life.
The odds are better IMO.


29 posted on 03/04/2007 8:30:01 PM PST by Global2010 ( I am just ole Lab dog with my head stickin' out the window and my ears a flappin' in the wind.htp)
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To: Coleus
I thought this would only happen if Kerry were elected.

This is absolutely fantastic news, though. What a blessing for these people.

30 posted on 03/04/2007 8:34:19 PM PST by Richard Kimball (Why yes, I do have a stupid picture for any occasion)
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To: Coleus

Once again... as in many cases... Adult Stem Cells work.


No rejection, no moral issues.

Thanks Coleus. I went to see Fr. Tad in Manhattan yesterday. He has a new video, Cutting through the spin on Stem Cells. Excellent. NCBC has it.


31 posted on 03/04/2007 8:43:54 PM PST by AliVeritas (Stop Global Dhimming. Demand testicular fortitude from the hill. Call the crusade.)
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To: Global2010
My middle daughter has CP, but we've been blessed. She walks with a cane and teaches at the same college where I teach. We've met with other parents who have children with significantly worse involvement. She's had something like eleven surgeries on her legs. There's nothing quite like sitting in the waiting room during surgery.

You don't talk about the level of your son's involvement, but I suspect it's more involved than my daughter's. Prayers for you and yours. I haven't walked your path, but have been close enough to know it's tough.

32 posted on 03/04/2007 8:44:08 PM PST by Richard Kimball (Why yes, I do have a stupid picture for any occasion)
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To: Coleus

Do me a favor. Send me links of all the cures/improvements you have, so I can take them to Albany for Life Lobby Day next week. Could you ping your list as well to send what they have?


33 posted on 03/04/2007 8:45:26 PM PST by AliVeritas (Stop Global Dhimming. Demand testicular fortitude from the hill. Call the crusade.)
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To: goodnesswins
WHY oh WHY don't they say FETAL CELLS in the headline!@!!!

Same reason they don't put the (D) after Democrats' names when they get into legal trouble.

34 posted on 03/04/2007 8:47:30 PM PST by Cementjungle
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To: newzhawk

There was a call in to one of EWTN radio shows the other day.

Question: If at conception a life begins and God gives that life a soul....how does a soul get into a petri dish when it is done by man?

Answer: Well God did not orchrestrate that conception.
And I believe they went on to say a baby has not been conceived in a dish yet, I am not sure what I heard on that venue.
Close to the Q and A don't quote my memory.
It was a simple answer as in oh yeah true.

It went on and I didn't get the whole answer but the Answer guys also were discussing that scientists are now try to zap life with an electrical current into the sperm and egg to get it to copy Gods creation.
Then the caller asked if the zapped conception would have a soul?
The answer guys said hasn't been successful so no one knows and again only God can create a human body complete with a soul.
Or something to that.

Like I said I only had one ear listening as I was working.


35 posted on 03/04/2007 8:48:21 PM PST by Global2010 ( I am just ole Lab dog with my head stickin' out the window and my ears a flappin' in the wind.htp)
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To: LibKill

"I think that should drive a stake through the heart of fetal stem cell research."

Stakes through the heart is vampires. Can't say for sue what it takes to kill demons?


36 posted on 03/04/2007 8:51:02 PM PST by incredulous joe ("When everyone’s super, no one will be!" - Syndrome, from "The Incredibles")
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To: LibKill

Nice choice of metaphor, but the Moloch of Autonomy, to whom the human sacrifices of abortion are offered is, I fear, a bit more resiliant than a vampire.

We've had some 80 different disorders with adult stem cell therapies go to clinical trial, we had other lame people walk on the basis of autodonation adult stem cell therapy, but still the high priest(esse)s of the Cult(ure) of Death insist that embryonic stem cells are the only ones with 'real potential', and still their acolytes in the press and fools among the people heed their claims.


37 posted on 03/04/2007 8:52:03 PM PST by The_Reader_David (And when they behead your own people in the wars which are to come, then you will know. . .)
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To: Coleus

Adult stem cells , will wonders never cease.


38 posted on 03/04/2007 8:55:00 PM PST by TASMANIANRED (No stinking peanut butter.)
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To: Richard Kimball

Freep Mail call for Mr Kimball.


39 posted on 03/04/2007 9:10:49 PM PST by Global2010 ( I am just ole Lab dog with my head stickin' out the window and my ears a flappin' in the wind.htp)
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To: Coleus

Awesome! Soon there will be idiots here denouncing stems cells as killing babies! /sar


40 posted on 03/04/2007 9:14:44 PM PST by TheLion (How about "Comprehensive Immigration Enforcement," for a change)
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