English Recordings

It's not hard to see how important this trial is. Everybody you talk to in the spinal-cord community worries about patients traveling overseas for risky, ambiguous cellular therapies, forking out tens of thousands of dollars and praying for a miracle. Kate Willette, whose husband was paralyzed in a skiing accident eight years ago, understands the desire to get better. Earlier this month she attended a gathering of researchers and the spinal-cord community where she watched Keirstead, dressed in jeans and an untucked white shirt, tell the crowd, "I can't promise you anything, but we're doing our damnedest." Willette, who moderates an online forum for families of people with spinal-cord injuries, says Keirstead is cautious, but exudes a welcome sense of confidence. "I can't tell you how exciting it is," she says of the Geron trial. "Either it's going to work or it's not, but we'll have something to hang our hats on." Of Keirstead, she says: "He's a rock star."
Keirstead's animal research was published in a peer-reviewed journal, but much of Geron's other preclinical documentation has been under wraps; only the company and the FDA know what it says. That leaves some researchers feeling unsettled. What's the precise mechanism of action? Could the cells prompt an immune response in patients? Or generate certain fibers that cause pain? Should Geron perform experiments in other types of animals before they go to humans? John Gearhart, a pioneering researcher whose early stem-cell work was funded by Geron and who is now director of the Institute for Regenerative Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, says he wants the trial to succeed, but he constantly worries about safety. Gearhart wonders if there might not be some number of cells in Geron's therapy that don't behave as scientists want them to—they don't differentiate themselves into the desired cell type after they're injected. Research has shown that such cells may form tumors or interfere with normal function, and it is difficult to say for sure how many months or years later that might occur. For Larry Goldstein, director of the University of California, San Diego, stem-cell program, a key issue is risk versus benefit. While paraplegia is by no means easy to endure, people do adapt and can have fulfilling lives. What if the treatment causes harm? Ideally, Goldstein would have liked the first human embryonic-stem-cell therapy tested in a disease that leads inexorably to death, like ALS. "I'm nervous," he says. This first trial is "a high-wire act."

From the start, Geron's MO has been to put foot to accelator. It is, after all, a company ($200 million in the bank) whose primary goal—for patients and, of course, stockholders—is to get a treatment to market. In 2001 it funded Keirstead's research, which tested a therapy manufactured from human embryonic stem cells (from a Bush-approved cell line), called oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, in rats with a partial spinal-cord injury. When the cells were injected into the damaged area, they restored the spinal cord's insulation, which conducts nerve impulses from the brain to the rest of the body, allowing movement. In Keirstead's study, rats who had 10-month-old injuries didn't improve because too much scarring had developed. But the outcome was striking in animals whose injuries were just seven days old. Two months after treatment, rats who'd lost control of their trunk muscles, tail and hind legs—they could move, but not much—now exhibited "substantially improved locomotor ability." They could walk.
Nice if you're a rat. Now the company had to figure out how to move the cells into humans. It spent years creating the optimal oligodendrocyte progenitor cell, then focused on how to make a bunch of them identically under strict quality control—a process that's a whole lot harder with a living cell than a pill. It even designed a computer-controlled device to position the syringe and control the injection to be sure that the right number of cells went to the right spot. By the time Geron filed its application to the FDA last year, it had 22,500 pages of documentation. Total count: 24 studies, 1,977 rodents, $45 million.
Now Geron is negotiating with up to eight neurotrauma centers to conduct human trials. It will be recruiting people who have injuries in the thoracic, or middle region of the spine—paraplegics who are paralyzed from the chest area down. Because the injuries must be new—less than 14 days old—the patients Geron wants to start enrolling this summer are actually healthy people today who haven't yet been injured. But that hasn't stopped the interest among people who are already paralyzed. When the FDA approval was announced in January, Geron's voice-mail system broke down from the flood of calls.

Hope—and anxiety—run high as the first clinical trial of embryonic-stem-cell therapy begins this

Six weeks before the hoopla over President Barack Obama's executive order lifting restrictions on embryonic-stem-cell research, Hans Keirstead, a scientist at the University of California, Irvine, was already sipping champagne. In 2005 Keirstead had published a study showing that a therapy derived from human embryonic stem cells could make partially paralyzed rats walk. Now he'd gotten word that the FDA had cleared the way for Geron, a small biotech company in California, to launch the first clinical trial of the treatment in human beings with spinal-cord injuries. It was incredible news,not just for Keirstead, who'd been wanting to invent a therapy for brain and spinal-cord disorders since he was 11 years old, but for scientists who believe human embryonic stem cells can teach them about complex diseases and potentially lead to cures. Keirstead, 41, and his team of scientists hailed the news over a case of chilled Veuve Clicquot. "We put the last bottle down about six hours later," Keirstead says. "It was just a really fun time."
Opinions about the moral status of an embryo won't change with presidential decrees or FDA decisions, so you can bet that the debate over embryonic-stem-cell research is far from over. But no matter how loud the chatter gets, the science is about to leave the Petri dish. For years, academic researchers have felt stymied by limitations imposed by George W. Bush that allowed federal funding only for research on 21 embryonic-stem-cell lines that already existed. Scientists who wanted to pursue newer cells had to find private dollars, some of which came from state initiatives. Geron, meanwhile, had its own money and was doggedly pursuing its mission to get human embryonic-stem-cell treatments into people. This summer, the company plans to enroll the first of up to 10 patients in a clinical trial that everyone—clinicians, scientists, biotechs, patients, ethicists—will be watching. There is plenty of excitement from people with spinal-cord injuries and their physicians, who can offer little hope for any significant improvement right now. But some scientists are concerned that the research may not be ready for prime time. The simple truth: even if all goes perfectly in the early stage of the trial, which tests for safety, no one with a spinal-cord injury is going to be cured any time soon. Peter Kiernan, chairman of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, says he is constantly balancing hope against hype among patients. "I feel like I'm in a car turning the steering wheel at the same time that I'm pushing on the brakes."

Visit UK Food Bloggers Association

I make this soup often especially when there are leftovers to be used up. I try not to waste any food if I can help it. So as for the vegetables in this soup you can add as many or as few of any kind that you like or have on hand. I wanted to add corn but I ran out of space in my pot. We ate this stuff for three different meals it was so good. Last night's dinner finished it off with a piece of crusty bread.
* Just a note I used Emeril's SW Essence which is mostly chilipowder, cumin, coriander and sweet paprika, so if you don't have it you might try a combination or one of those ingredients or nothing it doesn't require it.

Ingredients:
1 rib celery
* 2 tsp Emeril's SW Essence - optional
1 tsp rock salt
3/4 c black beans precooked
1 tsp smokehouse ground black pepper (any black pepper will do)
1 pound ground beef or ground mince
2 shallots chopped
2 cans chopped tomatoes
3 large potatoes, chopped and pre-cooked
3 carrots, chopped and pre-cooked
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cabbage pre-cooked
1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke - optional but recommended
1/2 c green garden peas
Oil for browning the meat (I use ground nut oil aka sunflower oil)
Parsley chopped, optional for garnish

Brown the ground beef in a little oil, when it's mostly done add in the shallots and celery and continue to brown until the shallots are caramelized a little. Set aside.
In large pot add tomatoes,chicken stock, Emeril's essence, beef mixture,Liquid Smoke and rock salt. Let this all simmer for about 10 minutes. Add in remaining vegetables except garden peas and turn down to the lowest simmer you have, put a lid on it and let it simmer for 30 minutes. Take lie off and remove from heat and stir in garden peas. Put lid back on and let it sit for about 15 minutes before you serve. Enjoy !

Posted by Sherrie

昔赤頭巾と呼ばれる女の子がいました。
Once upon a time there was a little girl called Little Red Riding Hood.

ある日、お母さんが言いました。
One day her mother said to her,

「おばあちゃまがご病気なの。お見舞いにケーキとワインを届けてちょうだい。道草をしてはダメよ。」
"Grandmama is sick so I want you to take this cake and wine to her. And remember, don't stray from the path."

「はい。」
"Yes, Mum."

赤頭巾は元気よく出かけました。
So Little Red Riding Hood set off happily.

森の中でオオカミに会いました。
In the woods, she met a wolf.

「赤頭巾ちゃん、どこへ行くの？」
"And where might you going to Little Red Riding Hood?" asked the wolf.

「おばあちゃんのお見舞いよ。」
"I"m going to visit Grandmama", said Little Red Riding Hood.

「それなら、お花を摘んでいくといいよ。」
"Well then, how about you pick some flowers to take to her?" asked the wolf.

「そうね。そうするわ。」
"What a good idea! I'll do just that", said Little Red Riding Hood and

赤頭巾は、お花を摘み始めました。
she began to pick some flowers.

その間にオオカミはおばあちゃんの家に先回り。
Meanwhile, the wolf ran on ahead to Grandma's house.

トントン！
Knock, knock!

「おばあちゃん赤頭巾よ。」
"Grandmama, it's me, Little Red Riding Hood"

オオカミは赤頭巾の声を真似て言いました。
said the Woolf in a voice like Little Red Riding Hood's.

「赤頭巾かい、おはいり。」
Is that you, Little Red Riding Hood?! Come in.

オオカミは部屋に飛び込みおばあちゃんをぱくりと飲み込みました。
The wolf burst into Grandma's room and ate her up in one gulp.

それからおばあちゃんの振りしてベッドに潜り込みました。
Then he slipped into grandma's bed and pretended to be her.

トントン！
Knock, knock!

「おばあちゃん赤頭巾よ。」
"Grandmama, it's me, Little Red Riding Hood."

「おや、赤頭巾かい、早くおはいり。」
"Little Red Riding Hood, is it? Come in. Come in.",

オオカミはおばあちゃんの声を真似て言いました。
said the Wolf in a voice like Grandma's.

部屋に入ると、なんだか変です。
When Little Red Riding Hood entered the room, she felt somehow that something was not quite right.

「おばあちゃんのお耳どうしてそんなに大きいの？」
"Ohh, Grandmama, what big ears you have!"

「お前の声が良〜く聞こえるようにさ！」
All the better to hear you with my dear.

「おばあちゃんのお目目どうしてそんなに大きいの？」
"Ohh, Grandmama, what big eyes you have!"

「お前を良〜く見るためさ！」
"All the better to see you with my dear"

「おばあちゃんのお手手どうしてそんなに大きいの？」
"Ohh, Grandmama, what big hands you have!"

「お前を良〜く抱きしめるためさ！」
"All the better to hug you with my dear"

「おばあちゃんのお口どうしてそんなに大きいの？」
"Ohh, Grandmama, what a big mouth you have!"

「それは。。。。。。」
"All the better to....

「お前を飲み込むためさー！ガオ」
eat you with!"

オオカミはペロリと赤頭巾を飲み込んでしまいました。
and the wolf gobbled up Little Red Riding Hood.

オオカミはいっぱいになった。
Feeling full, the wolf

オオカミはぐーぐー寝ています。
fell fast asleep and began to snore.

「ガオ〜。グオ〜」

ものすごい鼾を聞きつけて、猟師がやってきました。
The wolf's stupendous snoring was heard by a woodsman.

「やや、オオカミだ！あの大きいなお腹は。。。。。。もしかして。。。。。。」
Why, it's the wolf. Just look at that big tummy.. Could it be ....

猟師が急いでオオカミのお腹を切ると、赤頭巾とおばあちゃんが飛び出してきました。
And the woodsman quickly cut open the wolf's tummy and out jumped Little Red Riding Hood and her Grandma.

「悪いオオカミ、こうしてやる！３にんはオオカミのお腹に石を詰めました。
You Bad Wolf. We'll fix you. And the three of them stuffed the wolf's tummy with stones.

目を覚ましたオオカミは慌てて逃げようとしましたが、お腹が重くて歩けません。
When the wolf opened his eyes, he panicked and tried to run away but his tummy was so heavy that he couldn't even walk.

そのままぱったり倒れました。
And then, just like that, he fell down dead.

おばあちゃんは赤頭巾が持ってきたケーキとワインですっかり元気になりました。
Thanks to the cake and wine brought by Little Red Riding Hood, Grandma soon became
as fit as a fiddle.

おしまい。
The end.

Positive Inspirational Quotes
Just before beginning your day ask yourself about how you are going to spend this wonderful day. Would you think about bad experience in your past or worry about how to make your future better or live only for this day? Would you hate yourself because people are not liking you? Would you think that I am lonely because I don't have friends? Would you underestimate yourself if others said something which you felt to be right? Would you work only for money? Would you blame your parents or your life for whatever you are right now? Would you only think about yourself? Would you think about your problems, illness and disorder everyday? Would you react and get angry with everyone coming on your way due to carrying all those burdens mentioned above? The answer is simple. Forgive, Forget and move on. This is the day which will give you happiness, prosperity and peace. You decide something and go for it. If you believe that you can reach there then all you have to do is die for it. You are greater then you think. Your potential is beyond your imagination. The time will come that you know something about life which others cannot figure it out. ~ Tejas Patel

Positive Inspirational Quotes
" The Courage of Integrity: The highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity... choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience and truth over popularity. These are the choices that measure your life. Travel the path of integrity without looking back for there is never a wrong time to do what is right."-Unknown

Positive Inspirational Quotes

"Love is like a puzzle. When you're in love, all the pieces fit but when your heart gets broken, it takes a while to get everything back together." - Author Unknown

Positive Inspirational Quotes

Our thoughts are like we are listening to radio station. You love few songs and some you don’t love. If you don’t enjoy a particular song then all you need to do is change the frequency for listening to some other radio stations and don’t get bored or frustrated by listening to those songs which you don’t love. Change your thoughts, mood and emotions by doing what you love to do and don’t let anyone change your mood and feelings. Live Life in the present moment like a king having no money in his pockets. lol ~ Tejas Patel

Positive Inspirational Quotes

When there is no peace in your mind and you are not feeling good that shows something happened to you during the day which changed your mood. The reason behind your mood changed is because you allowed the situation or people to take charge on you. When there is love, happiness and peace within you, no outside sources will disconnect the harmony with your mind and heart. Learn to tackle that incident if it happens again apart from reacting a lot and saying all that my day was not good. Day starts with a Sunrise and ends with a Sunset. Your day should always start with smile and grateful for all the things you have in your life and ends with satisfaction for doing all those tasks which you were going to do on a particular day. Be strong, stronger and strongest day by day. Jot down all the mistakes that you made and how to overcome those if it occurs again. Remember that if you know something and learned from it then do only what you know. Application of your knowledge, wisdom and experience at the right place and right time is necessary. Others are not knowing what they are doing and it is not our duty to tell them what is right and what is wrong. Everybody has to learn his own lessons and we cannot force them to learn their lessons. In a practical scenario, people nowadays don't entertain any sort of advices. What remains is get tuned with your inner peace and happiness which attracts love and positive vibes towards you. ~ Tejas Patel