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Skin-like Tissue Developed From Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Dental and tissue engineering researchers at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts have harnessed the pluripotency of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) to generate complex, multilayer tissues that mimic human skin and the oral mucosa (the moist tissue that lines the inside of the mouth). The proof-of-concept study is published online in advance of print in Tissue Engineering Part A.
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Court Of Appeal To Re-Evaluate NICE Osteoporosis Decision, UK
Servier Laboratories Limited has been granted permission by the Court of Appeal to challenge a High Court decision made at a Judicial Review in February this year, in which Servier was previously successful in its claim that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) had unlawfully failed to provide the economic model underlying its Guidance for the primary and secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. 1,2
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Washington Post Column Examines Issues Surrounding Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings
"When a Supreme Court nominee such as Judge Sonia Sotomayor comes before the Senate for confirmation, she is promised a full, fair hearing," yet "every nominee"s path is booby-trapped by the history of previous confirmation battles," Washington Post columnist David Broder writes. Broder examines prior confirmation hearings, noting that the "[o]ne thing that may make it harder to forget the partisan and ideological battles of the past is that President Obama found reasons to oppose" Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito while he was in the Senate.During Roberts" confirmation hearing, Obama said that although he was "sorely tempted to vote for Judge Roberts," he had issues with Roberts in cases where "precedent and rules of construction" are insufficient and where justice "can only be determined on the basis of one"s deepest values." Obama added that the rights of women and minorities are dependent on cases in which "the critical ingredient is supplied by what is in the judge"s heart." Obama said Roberts" record on women"s rights and other issues was not strong enough to quell doubts about Roberts" "deepest values."Broder continues, "Based on the Obama precedent, the White House can hardly complain if Republicans push beyond the question of Sotomayor"s qualifications and examine her values -- and her biases." He concludes, "Someday, the Senate may again be satisfied to examine only professional credentials, recognizing the uncertain dynamics of a nine-person bench," but while past precedents survive, "that is not likely" (Broder, Washington Post, 6/4).
Endocrinology

Discovery Of Fetal Short-Term Memory In 30-Week-Old Fetuses

Memory probably begins during the prenatal period, but little is known about the exact timing or for how long memory lasts. Now in a new study from the Netherlands, scientists have found fetal short-term memory in fetuses at 30 weeks. The study provides insights into fetal development and may help address and prevent abnormalities. Published in the July/August 2009 issue of the journal Child Development, it was conducted by researchers at Maastricht University Medical Centre and the University Medical Centre St. Radboud. The scientists studied about 100 healthy pregnant Dutch women and their fetuses, measuring changes in how the fetus responds to repeated stimulation. After receiving a number of stimuli, the fetus no longer responds to the stimulus as observed by ultrasonography and the stimulus is then accepted as "safe." This change in response is called "habituation." In a second session, the fetus "remembers" the stimulus and the number of stimuli needed for the fetus to habituate is then much smaller. Based on their research, the scientists found the presence of fetal short-term memory of 10 minutes at 30 weeks. They determined this because a significantly lower number of stimuli was needed to reach habituation in a second session, which was performed 10 minutes after the first session. They also found that 34-week-old fetuses can store information and retrieve it four weeks later. Fetuses were tested at 30, 32, 34, and 36 weeks, and again at 38 weeks. The 34- and 36-week-old fetuses habituated much faster than the 38-week-old fetuses that had not been tested before. This implies that these fetuses have a memory of at least 4 weeks - the interval between the test at 34 weeks and that at 38 weeks. "A better understanding of the normal development of the fetal central nervous system will lead to more insight into abnormalities, allowing prevention or extra care in the first years of life and, as a consequence, fewer problems in later life," according to the study"s authors. Summarized from Child Development, Vol. 80, Issue 4, Aspects of Fetal Learning and Memory by Dirix, CEH, and Nijhuis, JG (Maastricht University Medical Centre), Jongsma, HW (University Medical Centre St. Radboud), and Hornstra, G (Maastricht University Medical Centre). Copyright 2009 The Society for Research in Child Development, Inc. All rights reserved. Sarah Hutcheon Society for Research in Child Development


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