Is it a Moment or an Abuse: the Boom of iPSCs Research after 2012 Medicine Nobel Prize

On Creative Biomart website, we can read a report about the 2012 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine regarding the two winners. They bring hope for organ or tissue repair for human or even for rejuvenation, i.e. for long life through induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs).

Since the first appearance in 2006, iPSCs became the hit and focus. But there are still lots of unknowns waiting for us before achieving the ideal status. Thus, numerous scientists, researchers and businessmen are struggling and investing for that goal. Here are some examples:

On Dec. 5, 2012, Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) and the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI) announced today the launch of StemBANCC, a new academic–industry partnership that unites ten pharmaceutical companies and 23 academic institutions. Initiated and coordinated by Roche and managed by Oxford University, StemBANCC aims to use human induced pluripotent stem cells as research tools for drug discovery with the goal of using this ground-breaking new technology to develop human disease models and enhance drug development.

On Oct. 29, 2012, on the PANS Journal there is an article about Cartilage tissue engineering using differentiated and purified induced pluripotent stem cells.

On Oct. 4, 2012, on Cell Stem Cell, there is a report with the title be Genome Sequencing of Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Reveals Retroelement Stability and Infrequent DNA Rearrangement during Reprogramming.

On Jan. 30, 2012, on the PANS Journal, there is a report about modeling hepatitis C virus infection using human induced pluripotent stem cells, which make the individual and tailor therapy further.

Above are only a small part of such studies. People still wonder does it is the moment or an abuse on the iPSCs research. When someone reviewed one of the winners, Shinya Yamanaka, about his opinion on the challenge of iPSCs research, he said, “I have two research directions, the first is to establish human iPSCs bank that comply with clinical application standards. The second is to study the cell mechanism of iPSCs regenerating. And I think the current threat is still to be the safety problem as good research respects both scientific and ethical standards.”

But no one deny the great potential of iPSCs.

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Another £400m Into RBS’ PPI Compensation Fund, Says Missoldppiclaims.info

The Royal Bank of Scotland has earmarked an additional £400m to cover the cost of compensation and refunds relating to mis-sold payment protection insurance (PPI), says leading PPI Claims Company Missoldppiclaims.info.

The nationalised bank has released figures for the last quarter showing a pre-tax loss of£1.26bn, a proportion of which is due to the allocation of a further £400m to its PPIcompensation fund. In a move echoed around the banking industry in recent months, RBS now has increased its total PPI allocation to now stand at £1.7bn. However, it is unlikely to be the end of the compensation claims for the beleaguered bank.

Its recent computer problems resulted in significant numbers of RBS, Natwest and Ulster Bank customers being locked out of their accounts for days, a mistake which has cost£175million so far with a further £50m of compensation put aside.

RBS is also part of an investigation by regulators in the UK, US and Asia – including the fraud division of the US justice department – over the part it played in the manipulation of the LIBOR inter-bank lending rate. With settlement negotiations imminent, the fines that could potentially be applied RBS believe could have a “material” impact on the company.

Despite the problems, RBS showed operating profits for the third quarter increased from£650m to £1bn, while bad debt fell by £159m and staff costs were 5% lower due to a 7% reduction in staff.

Stephen Hester, chief executive of RBS, said: “The extraordinary challenges which RBS faced following the financial crisis are being worked through successfully. The five year restructuring plan is now in its later stages with important work still to do, including an emphasis on dealing with reputational issues now that the bank’s safety and soundness has advanced so well.”

A spokesperson for leading PPI Claims Management Company, Missoldppiclaims.info said: “It’s good to see RBS recognising its responsibilities towards customers that were mis-sold PPI policies, in particular the responsibility to put customers first and treat them fairly. This can be seen in its decision to increase lending to its business customers even though there was a downturn in loan applications, but it would be good to see a similar helpful response to borrowing for its non-business customers with personal loans and residential mortgages.

The reputational issues Mr Hester refers to are likely to be industry criticisms that RBS customers play second fiddle to the short-term interests of shareholders and staff. As a result, RBS has relaxed its lending position towards its small and medium (SMEs)businesses, which has led to a an increase of new lending by 3% since the second quarter despite a 25% drop in SME loan applications due to the Olympics and doubts over the stability of the UK economy.

Analyst Richard Hunter, head of equities at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “There is no doubting the immensity of the task RBS has faced in executing its turnaround plan, nor indeed the progress made so far.”

Contact Details: Missoldppiclaims.info
11 Somerset Place
Glasgow
G3 7JT

New Research into Impact investing endorsed by AAA

AAA has welcomed news that pension funds in the UK are increasing their exposure to impact investments.

Boston, MA, December 08, 2012 – Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has welcomed news that pension funds in the UK are increasing their exposure to impact investments.

Research carried out by social investment intermediary Social Finance, found that 48 per cent of the 47 pension funds it surveyed were planning to invest in socially and environmentally sound asset classes, such as microfinance, green energy and social housing over the coming 1 to 2 years.

At the moment, only 23 per cent of the pension funds, with assets under management totalling some $230 billion, hold such investments. AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson spoke on behalf of the alternative investment advocacy group: “We welcome the news that pension funds in the UK are starting to realise the benefits of social investment.”

“Here in the US, institutional investors and individuals alike are all starting to increase their exposure to both alternative investments and impact investments and we wholeheartedly welcome this transition to a more responsible approach to investments.”

AAA also claims that alternative, ethical investments are a great way to diversify an investment portfolio against risk.

Social Finance’s David Hutchison, stated, “Impact investment is a visible asset with clear cash flow, stability and low correlation to other asset classes.”

AAA said it agreed with this, adding that other alternatives, such as forestry and timberland investment through firms like Greenwood Management, which operated sustainable plantation projects in countries like Brazil and Canada – also carry very low correlation with other economic trends. Mr Johnson said, “This means when other asset classes are losing value due to wider economic factors, these alternatives are staying strong.”

Mr Hutchison added that the next step in encouraging impact investing is setting up diversified, larger funds, to ensure people can get involved without putting up hundreds of thousands of dollars in initial investment. This will allow more individuals to get involved with this ethical side of investment.

Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

FRA Welcomes Tetra Pak Sustainability Credentials

FRA has welcomed news that some 20 million cartons made by packaging giant Tetra Pak have carried the FSC logo in the past year.

Seattle, United States, December 8, 2012 — Forestry Research Associates (FRA) has welcomed news that some 20 million cartons made by packaging giant Tetra Pak have carried the FSC logo in the past year.

This means that 20 million of the cartons were sourced from renewable forests, certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council. It also represents a major increase from the 8 million that carried the logo in 2010.

Håkan Wirtén, from WWF Sweden, welcomed the news. He said, “This is a clearly positive achievement which contributes to protect forests and improve forest management globally.”

“WWF encourages Tetra Pak and other companies to continuously increase the use of FSC-certified materials and products.”

The WWF charity advocates the use of FSC-certified timber in packaging, furniture and building supplies manufacture. FRA, a research and analysis consultancy, specialising in forestry investment issues, also backs the use of FSC-certified timber. “There is really no excuse not to use sustainably produced timber these days, as it is widely available to all,” stated FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins.

The Tetra Pak cartons have been carrying the FSC logo since 2007, when UK supermarket chain store Sainsbury’s sold the first sustainably-sourced cartons. Now, the global brand supplies retailers in 39 countries with the FSC-certified cartons and continues to work towards improving its sustainability credentials all the time.

Tetra Pak’s vice president of marketing, Charles Brand, said that its decision to go sustainable wasn’t just to do with the boosting its credentials, but is also simply a response to consumer demand. “With more consumers and retailers demanding environmentally sound and ethically produced products, brands that carry the FSC label can attest that their products are packaged using material that has passed the toughest standards of responsible forest management.”

FRA backs sustainable forestry projects and encourages investment in plantations that are run sustainably, like those operated by firms like Greenwood Management in Brazil.

About Forestry Research Associates

Forestry Research Associates is a research and advisory consultancy that focuses on forestry management, sustainability issues and forestry investment around the globe.

Media Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com

AAA claims Alternatives becoming more Mainstream with Individuals

There have been further reports about large brokerage firms investing more in alternative investments, and it is all in response to demand from their customers, AAA has claimed.

Boston, MA, USA, December 8, 2012 — There have been further reports about large brokerage firms investing more in alternative investments, and it is all in response to demand from their customers, Alternative Asset Analysis (AAA) has claimed.

The alternative investment advocacy group has said that the days when only institutional investors looked towards alternatives are long gone and that average investors now call for less exposure to stocks and shares. Whether it be private equity, REITs, timberland investments or precious metals, alternatives are becoming increasingly ‘the norm’ for anyone that wants to reduce their exposure to risk by diversifying their portfolio.

As well as becoming more mainstream, alternative investments are also able to deliver some very high returns at a time when investing in traditional assets provides limited opportunity for a windfall. In fact, the volatility in the stock markets is what is attracting so many individuals to more left-field investments.

Investing in art, precious metals, wine and even antiques and whisky is growing in popularity. “People like to turn their hobby into an investment opportunity, particularly if they know the business,” explained AAA’s analysis partner, Anthony Johnson.

“Investors are also increasingly keen to see something in return for their investment, such as physical trees, a beautiful painting or a gold bar.”

AAA supports alternative investments, but particularly backs ethical and ecologically-responsible options like sustainable forestry investments through firms like Greenwood Management. Greenwood runs plantations of non-native trees like acacia and teak, which grow fast and are managed in a cyclical way to ensure that new growth is always following when trees are cut and sold.

“The rise in popularity of these alternative investments is all based on demand for the products or the assets,” explained Mr Johnson. “Much of this demand is coming from emerging economies like China and India, which are buying up huge amounts of raw materials to help with their urban developments.”

About Alternative Asset Analysis:
The remit of Alternative Asset Analysis is to analyse and provide news on the global performance of a wide range of alternative asset classes including, but not restricted to, commodities, real estate, forestry, foreign exchange, hedge funds, private equity and venture capital.

Media Contact:
Anthony Johnson
Alternative Asset Analysis
71 Commercial St
Boston, MA 02109-1320
617-939-9596
info@alternativeassetanalysis.com
http://www.alternativeassetanalysis.com

Finding Love in 2013 Keynotes Singles Convention

#1 New Years Resolution for Singles is to find a romantic partner. The 2013 Singles Convention enables to do so.

San Rafael, CA, December 8, 2012 — Dr. Wendy Lyon will keynote the 2013 Singles Convention, Friday, January 4, 2013, 7:30pm, at the Holiday Inn Tri-Valley, 6080 Regional Street, Dublin CA 94568. Her topic is “Finding Love in 2013.”

“Finding love is always the #1 New Years Resolution singles have,” says Dr. Wendy, “other than losing weight. Most singles believe they haven’t found the love they want because All the good ones are taken or There’s something wrong with me. Neither is likely to be true. The reason they haven’t found a lasting relationship is because they have said YES at the wrong times to the wrong people in the wrong situations. The solution is to learn when and how to just say NO!”

Wendy Lyon, Ph.D., is a psychologist, master relationship and life coach, author, and speaker who has guided hundreds of people to personal and professional success. She co-authored Roadmap to Success with Deepak Chopra and Ken Blanchard. A regular contributor to radio and magazines, Dr. Wendy has been featured by View from the Bay, Cosmopolitan magazine, and many others. Her website is http://www.MyTrueLovePath.com, which includes a True Love Test and other vital information for anyone interested in finding love. Dr. Wendy is available to the news media for interviews by calling 415-342-1300.

The Convention begins at 7:30pm with the Keynote Address and is followed by a giant Dance Party. Adults of all ages are welcome. The cost is $20 at the door.

The Convention is sponsored by The Society of Single Professionals, the world’s largest non-profit singles organization. Anyone wishing more information about this and many other events for singles may visit http://www.thepartyhotline.com or call 415-507-9962.

Media Contact:
Rich Gosse
Society of Single Professionals
205 Mark Twain Avenue, San Rafael CA 94903
415-507-9962
richgosse@richgosse.com
http://www.thepartyhotline.com

FRA welcomes Timber Investment Endorsement

FRA has welcomed a recent endorsement of timber and forestry investment from Adam Waldman of GreenWorld, through an article written for Tecnorati.com.

Bainbridge Island, WA, December 07, 2012 – Forestry Research Associates (FRA) has welcomed a recent endorsement of timber and forestry investment from Adam Waldman of GreenWorld, through an article written for Tecnorati.com. He points out that, while many people may not have thought about timber as an asset class option before, institutional investors are starting to see the potential in timber and individual investors should too.

Mr Waldman gives the example of how Harvard University is investing large amounts into forestry and timber, along with a major Russian and Chinese joint venture, which has recently decided to invest $200 million in the asset class.

FRA, a research and analysis organisation specialising in timber investment, has welcomed the article and backs Mr Waldman’s claims that forestry investment can provide a very effective hedge against inflation. He even points out that timber can act as a more affordable hedge than precious metals as timber prices follow general price trends, in much the same way as gold and silver.

As well as this benefit, he also points out the returns on timber investment have been very good over the past decade, outperforming stocks and shares returns by a considerable margin. FRA’s analysis partner, Peter Collins, added that forestry also provides a very good means of diversifying a portfolio against risk at a time when the stock market remains extremely volatile.

“If your trees reach maturity but timber prices aren’t that great, you can simply leave them growing and watch your asset gain value in front of your eyes, ready for a market upturn,” stated Mr Collins, In this way, timber investment is a relatively risk-averse investment, claims FRA.

FRA supports a number of forestry investment schemes all over the world, including Greenwood Management’s sustainable plantations in Brazil. These offer individuals the chance to invest in their own section of timberland for as little as $15,000.

Contact:
Peter Collins
Forestry Research Associates
620 Vineyard Lane
Bainbridge Island, WA 98110
(206) 316 8394
info@forestry-research.com
http://www.forestry-research.com