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TORONTO - Scientists have long been searching for a way to preserve fertility in young boys who undergo cancer treatments and may be unable to father a child later in life. That's because chemotherapy and radiation can destroy the stem cells in the testes that give rise to sperm with the onset of puberty.
Now researchers, using macaque monkeys, have shown that small samples of testicular tissue that have been frozen can be thawed and re-implanted following chemotherapy to begin producing sperm.
The success in monkeys raises hope that the technique might one day be safely used in human males left infertile by life-saving treatment for cancer, say researchers, whose work is described in the November issue of the journal Cell Stem Cell, published Thursday.
"This demonstrates in an animal model that in fact it's feasible," said principal researcher Kyle Orwig, director of the fertility preservation program at the University of Pittsburgh.
Not only were most of the animals able to produce sperm cells, but sperm from one macaque was able to fertilize the eggs from female macaques, he added.
The monkey eggs were fertilized in the lab and allowed to grow through cell division only to the point in which they would have been able to implant in the female animal's uterine wall. There were no live macaque offspring produced.
Not all cancer therapy leads to permanent infertility — that depends on the type and dose of chemo drugs used, as well as the areas of the body targeted by radiation.
Still, uncertainty about one's ability to have a family in the future is no trivial matter for childhood cancer patients, most of whom must contend with a range of adverse health effects arising from treatment, often for the rest of their lives.
"Cancer patients report that their fertility status has a major impact on their quality of life, both in terms of their psychological well-being, but also their ability to develop relationships," Orwig said.
In fact, there are several clinics around the world that have preserved testicular tissue from pre-pubescent boys subsequently treated for cancer, "in anticipation that (their) stem cells can be used in the future to achieve a pregnancy," he said.
"We're all gambling that things that are in the research pipeline will be translatable to the clinic ... I think we've demonstrated that it's feasible and I think this is an important step towards translating it to the clinic."
However, more research is needed before the experimental technique can be tried in humans, Orwig stressed.
For one thing, there is disagreement in the field as to when the stem cell-bearing tissue should be transplanted back into a testis.
"Some people think that you should put the cells in as soon as possible before the testis deteriorates to the point where it can't support sperm production," he said, referring to completion of treatment and a cancer-free status.
"Some people think you should wait all the way until these boys grow up and are ready to have children, which could be 20 years in the future."
Orwig believes that patients whose testicular tissue has been biopsied for cryopreservation will ultimately make that decision themselves.
But before researchers even attempt the procedure in humans, there is a risk they must deal with: the potential they could re-seed cancer cells into a testicle along with the stem cell transplant.
Leukemia, for instance, is a cancer of the blood, and that blood circulates through the tissues of the body, including the testes. Testicular tissue removed before treatment could potentially contain cancer cells, Orwig explained.
"And so if you take that tissue out before treatment and then you plan to transplant it back in later, there's a chance you could re-introduce a cancer," he said.
"That is certainly a risk. This is why there is more work to do in pre-clinical studies before it's time to translate to the clinic, because that would be the worst outcome, to re-introduce a cancer into a survivor. That would be terrible."
In an accompanying commentary, French researchers say the ability of transplanted stem cells to produce functional sperm in a non-human primate is a significant breakthrough.
"The work ... constitutes a milestone in the field of reproduction and generates hope for restoring fertility in survivors of childhood cancer," write Virginie Firlej, Pierre Fouchet and Virginie Barraud-Lange of the National Institute of Health and Medical Research in Paris.
However, they cautioned that much work still needs to be done to make sure the technique is safe before it is even tested in human males, given the potential for re-introducing cancer in certain cases.
Orwig pointed out that the procedure would not be an option for post-pubescent teens or men who have been treated for cancer but did not store a semen sample prior to chemotherapy and radiation.
"Our study won't help those men, because they probably don't have stem cells," he said.
"We know that chemotherapy and radiation for their cancer or other conditions can cause permanent infertility. And for that reason, a man who desires to have a family after their treatment, they should freeze a sperm sample.
"And there are a variety of ways those sperm can be used in the future to achieve a pregnancy," including in-vitro fertilization.


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With the help of the Laboratory for Public Scholarship and Democracy at Penn State Berks, students from Penn State Berks documented and preserved some of the community's Jewish history through a book of photographs. Their efforts has resulted in a printed book titled "Jewish Reading and Berks County."
"Jewish Reading and Berks County," a photographic history of Berks County's Jewish community, was published by Arcadia Publishing for the "Images in America Series." The book was produced by 12 students in Laurie Grobman's spring 2011 upper-level interdisciplinary course, "Jewish Representation in History, Literature, Art, and Photography." The students gathered more than 200 images and high-quality photographs, researched and wrote captions for each photo, and helped to design the layout of the book. The project was supported by the Laboratory for Public Scholarship and Democracy at Penn State Berks; the book was edited by Grobman, professor of English and women's studies and coordinator of the lab, and Jessica Didow, program assistant at the lab.
This project is a form of public scholarship, connecting students' coursework and community work through partnerships between colleges/universities and community organizations.
The book will be available for sale beginning Oct. 17, 2011. Proceeds will benefit Jewish Federation of Reading and the Laboratory for Public Scholarship and Democracy at Penn State Berks.
For more information about the book, contact Grobman at firstname.lastname@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


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A new exhibition by writer/artist/publisher/technologist James Bridle, "The Glomar Response," is on view through September 5, 2015 at NOME, Berlin. Here, Bridle discusses the exhibition with Fiona Shipwright.
James Bridle, Fraunhofer Lines 001 (Committee Study of the Central Intelligence Agency's Detention and Interrogation Program) (2015). Photo by Bresadola+Freese/drama-berlin.de
The title of the show is "The Glomar Response"—the official term for the response that one can "neither confirm nor deny" a particular fact. What do you find compelling about this term?
What I find so extraordinary about the Glomar Response is its spread. The fact that this thing—which was developed by the CIA at the height of the Cold War to disguise a top-secret operation to retrieve nuclear misses from the bottom of the ocean—is now a standard part of the vernacular of your local council. But it's also interesting because within that response is this kind of deep ambiguity of these knowledge forms; there's the danger of overloading the visible/invisible idea, the notion that "I've made this all transparent and possible for you to understand," because that assumes that it is even possible to do.
That is the underlying basis for these kind of technological forms of knowledge, this kind of data ontology. It's the same principle that surveillance relies on, the idea that "we'll just keep on gathering information, then we'll know for sure," that some absurd level of truth can be reached. At that point the Glomar Response actually almost feels like a kind of honest response to the genuine complexity of the world, that's now undeniable. Or rather it should be undeniable but we keep trying to generate these simplistic stories out of it.


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Although we all know organic food is good for us, sometimes it's hard to accept this healthy alternative to our bad-for-you favorites. Well, Calistro has broken the cycle by offering healthy, organic and, best of all, great-tasting meals.
All the products in the restaurant's fresh Mediterranean-inspired fare are sourced through local and regional organic and sustainable farms in Arizona and the Western United States. In addition, Calistro is taking its dedication to sustainability a step further by being a member of the Green Restaurant Association and doing its part in promoting green business practices to help the environment.
The restaurant's decor is both modern and warm. An oversize wine rack sits at the center of the dining room floor, adding stylish touches to the inviting and elegant layout. The heart of the open kitchen is the wood-burning oven, and together these elements set the stage for a laid-back environment that's perfect for a relaxed meal.
My dining companions and I began the evening with my personal favorite — hummus. Comprised of a delicate balance of lemon, cumin, tahini, tomato and sumac the hummus was served with warm, freshly baked flatbread. The dish had just the right consistency, taste and texture that I would expect from a great hummus, with the added bonus of being organic.
We rounded out our choice of appetizers with crab cakes and lamb meatballs. All the dishes we chose were tasty, but the fresh crab meat, made with panko, seasonal tomato salad and avocado mousse took the cake, so to speak, as everyone's favorite.
Next, we sampled the salads. The calistro caprese salad, made with organic heirloom tomatoes (from Arizona farms), mozzarella (made in house), pickled shallots and topped off with an herb pesto vinaigrette made an impression on the table. But it was the Caesar salad, a mixture of romaine (organic, of course), tapenade croutons, fresh lemon and a light Caesar dressing that really had us singing its praises. The lettuce was crisp and fresh and the soy-based dressing had just enough kick.
Though we'd already had quite a few items from the menu, we were ready for the entrées. The organic meal was satisfying to our taste buds and the freshness of the products was savored in every bite. Each entrée had something to offer and gave us a glimpse into the appetizing possibilities of organic cooking.
The chicken was very well received, with sweet and crispy prosciutto enveloping the all-natural chicken breast. The chicken's delicious balance of flavors was topped with caramelized fruit, pommes puree and Madeira jus. But it was the Doc Crosby short ribs that took the prize as the table favorite. The impossibly tender, red-wine braised ribs, complemented by pommes puree, seasonal organic vegetables and horseradish breadcrumbs, simply melted in your mouth.
Always a sucker for dessert, we rounded out the meal with dairy-free rice pudding, butterscotch crème brulee and, my personal favorite, the chocolate soufflé cake. Each dessert was heavenly and since it was organic, sampled all three guilt-free.
The cuisine at Calistro is a testament to what all food should be — fresh, healthy and tasty. The ingredients truly do "speak for themselves" and serve as the basis for Chef Devin Walsh's belief that what tastes good can also be good for you.
If You Go:
18221 N Pima Road, Scottsdale
(480) 502-0325


text: Discuss the skills, riding techniques and riding roadcraft required to get the most from your motorbike and you as its rider or pillion. This section can also be used for any questions relating to advanced training or motorbike tests (i.e. Direct Access (DAS), Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) or Accelerated Access), motorbike law or any general discussion relating to rider safety or the highway code.


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Bird Baths & Water Dishes
Our hanging water dishes and bird baths are great for small garden birds, whose diet consists mainly of seeds and are in most need of fresh drinking water as it is not naturally present in their diet. They can also be used as hanging feeders to hang from a tree, bird table to feeding station.
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Jordan Renee Jarnagin and Leighton James Schmidt were married Aug. 3, 2013, at Western Riviera Events Center, Grand Lake, Colo., with the Rev. Gordon England officiating.
Parents of the couple are Kent and Susan Jarnagin, Protection, and Steve and Jean Schmidt, Hays.
Grandparents of the couple are Kenneth and Pearl Brewer, Anthony, Garlon and Ramona Jarnagin, Protection, Gerald and Elaine Schmidt, Hays, and Melvin and JoAnn Schmidt, Catherine.
The bride was escorted by her father.
Honor attendant was Lauren Jarnagin, sister of the bride. Attendants were Leslie Girk, Melissa Borthwick, Heather Manley and Lexy Teeter, all friends of the bride.
Best man was Lancelot Williams, friend of the groom. Groomsmen were Devin Schmidt, brother of the groom, Mike Kelly, Scott Kuhn and Lance Legleiter, all friends of the groom.
Ushers were Clayton Jarnagin, brother of the bride, and Amado Rodriguez, friend of the groom.
The bride is a graduate of South Central High School and Southwestern College. She is a registered nurse and is attending Minneapolis School of Anesthesia.
The groom is a graduate of Hays High School and Southwestern College. He is a financial analyst at IBM.
Following a wedding trip to Costa Rica, the couple is at home in Hopkins, Minn.


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In a candid moment of brilliance this morning, Mika Brezinski took "Morning Joe" co-host Joe Scarborough to "news school" this morning. Visibly flustered before breaking into the conversation, she called Joe (and media as a whole) out for promoting speculative conspiracies related to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 as news.
From a different perspective, the media has been grasping at whatever straw it can reach over the past 18 days since flight 370 went missing. Seemingly pressured to outdo their competitors, outlets have resorted to reporting any and every possible lead as true facts and reliable information have been hard to come by.
via digg.com/video


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Learning Index >> The Life and Work of Bernard Leach
In 1909, at the age of 22, Leach set sail for Japan. Here he had a traditional house built, tried to teach etching with limited success, and married his cousin. He did, however, make contact with Shirakaba, a group of progressive scholars and writers, who included the critic Soetsu Yanagi. The big revelation, however, was raku, the technique of placing decorated and glazed pots into a glowing hot kiln and removing them, after about 30 minutes, when the glaze has melted. Raku parties were civilised events where artists and poets decorated biscuit-fired pots, which were then fired in a portable charcoal kiln, enabling the guests to take away the fired pieces. Leach was at once seized by a desire to learn the craft, and studied for two years with Kenzan the sixth, Urano Shigkichi, a traditional court potter working in the old-fashioned Rimpa style, and living in the suburbs of Tokyo. Leach liked and respected the old potter, learning how to throw, decorate and fire pots, although at this time he did not see his future as a potter. At the end of the two years Kenzan presented Leach, and his fellow student Tomimoto, with a hand-painted Densho, bestowing on them the title of Seventh Kenzan. This beautiful document is in the archive.
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