Summary for the July 2012 meeting of the Alliance for Research Progress.
Monthly Archives: September 2012
Meeting Announcement » Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
Meeting Announcement
October 14, 2012 – October 17, 2012
Washington, DC
Sponsored by:
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Meet NIMH Staff at the NIMH Booth
Booth Schedule (PDF file, 2 pages)
SfN meeting participants and guests are invited to visit the NIMH exhibit booth (Booth #3613) on October 14-17 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily. NIMH staff will be available throughout the meeting to discuss funding opportunities available at NIMH, including research grant mechanisms and training and career development programs, as well as NIH Common Fund and NIH Neuroscience Blueprint activities in which NIMH participates. The NIMH exhibit is also a resource for grants policy information. Informative literature on a variety of mental health disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder will be available as well.
Sleep Plasticity Pathways: Synapses, Circuits and Memory Consolidation
SfN Symposia Meeting
Date & Time: Wednesday, October 17, 1:30 PM – 4:00 PM
Location: New Orleans Morial Convention Center, La Nouvelle C
This symposium will present two opposing concepts linking sleep-dependent plasticity mechanisms with cognition and memory processes: systems consolidation and synaptic homeostasis. Maladaptive cognitive consequences of extended wakefulness will also be discussed.
Dynamical Neuroscience XIX (Two-day event, October 11 & 12)
Satellite Symposia Meeting
Date & Time: Thursday, October 11, 8:00 AM – 9:00 PM and Friday, October 12, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Location: Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel, Theatre Room
The study of social behavior presents unique challenges to the neuroscientist because it requires us to move beyond the study of individual brains. Traditional behavioral and systems neuroscience focuses on an individual, manipulates stimuli affecting that individual, and measures the neurobiological outcome of those manipulations at the individual level. Physiological correlates of individual behavior can be obtained in real-time, using single unit recording, EEG/ERP’s, fMRI BOLD, or PET. Dynamical neuroscientists have been examining temporal sequencing and correlated activity within a single brain for decades. Social neuroscience has recently begun to investigate the complex biological bases of human social cognitive abilities, but the majority of studies have focused on studying brains in isolation, using paradigms that only examine social cognition from afar. That is, studies provide only a detached observer's point of view—asking study participants to read out the mental states of others without being engaged in an interaction with them. Consequently, the two-way neural correlates and physiological underpinnings of real-time social interaction have remained elusive. Investigating the neurobiological bases of social interactions requires something new: the ability to observe and measure simultaneous activity across brains while two (or more) individuals are interacting. To that end, social and dynamical neuroscientists have recently begun to develop a set of new methodological and analytical approaches. In this symposium, we propose to provide an introduction to these new approaches, and to examine how they have been used across a range of social interaction paradigms. Ideally, the symposium will provide a platform for discussion of the challenges involved in imaging interacting brains, and a window into the future of social neuroscience and its enhancement with a dynamical systems approach.
To register: http://neuro.dgimeetings.comExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
Coordinated Neural Activity Supporting Cognitive Processes
Satellite Symposia Meeting
Date & Time: Friday, October 12, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Grand Salon A
Electrophysiological studies over the last two decades have provided evidence suggesting that many cognitive functions depend on the coordination of distributed neural responses. In particular, synchronized oscillatory activity has been associated with the neuronal processes supporting normal cognitive functions, such as attention and memory. There is also increasing evidence that aberrant oscillatory activity may be associated with psychiatric illnesses involving disordered cognition, such as schizophrenia. Recent methodological advances enabling the manipulation of brain areas, circuits, and cells (e.g., microstimulation, optogenetic tools, and combined EEG-TMS) present a timely opportunity to test the causal role of brain oscillations in supporting cognition in both humans and animal model systems. These basic studies may provide the foundation for the development of novel diagnostics, systems-level assays for therapeutics, and new treatments for psychiatric disorders. This symposium will bring together both basic and clinical investigators to highlight recent developments, and identify the next steps in understanding the role of coordinated neural activity in normal and disordered cognition. We expect this symposium will be of interest to multiple NIH Institutes and will have broad appeal to investigators working in basic, clinical, and cognitive neuroscience.
To register: http://dgimeetings.cvent.com/d/lcqqpkExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
6th Annual Julius Axelrod Symposium
Satellite Symposia Meeting
Date & Time: Sunday, October 14, 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM
Location: Sheraton New Orleans, Grand Ballroom
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) are co-sponsoring the 6th Annual Julius Axelrod Symposium, an award ceremony which celebrates the career of Dr. Julius Axelrod, one of the founders of modern neuropharmacology. This special event features a commemoration of Dr. Axelrod's achievements and contributions to neuroscience, and is highlighted by a keynote presentation by this year’s Julius Axelrod Prize winner. The Julius Axelrod Prize is awarded by the Society for Neuroscience and endowed by the Eli Lilly Foundation. A reception and poster presentations by early career investigators to honor the dedication of Dr. Axelrod to neuropharmacology research and the mentoring of young investigators will immediately follow the keynote presentation.
To register: http://www.seiservices.com/nida/axelrod2012/External Link: Please review our disclaimer.
Researchers Who Invent: An Opportunity to Meet with Small Businesses that Commercialize Neurotechnologies
Satellite Reception
Date & Time: Monday, October 15, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
Location: Hilton New Orleans Riverside, Compass Room
This social invites academic scientists and inventors who enjoy dabbling in the design and development of innovative neuroscience technologies, to meet informally with small businesses/biotech companies that are experienced at commercializing technologies. The intent is to create an environment that encourages informal conversations on technology development with the hope of forming future collaborations to move neurotechnologies toward commercialization. Registration to this reception is strongly recommended.
To register: http://dgimeetings.cvent.com/events/researchers-who-invent-an-opportunity-to-meet-with-small-businesses-that-commercialize-neurotechnolo/event-summary-27832795d51e4686be19f239286fb445.aspxExternal Link: Please review our disclaimer.
Meeting Announcement » Society for Neuroscience (SfN)
SfN meeting participants and guests are invited to visit the NIMH exhibit booth (Booth #3613) on October 14-17 from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM daily. NIMH is also sponsoring/organizing a range of events at the meeting. Click the link above to view descriptions and access registration pages.
Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuit Case Facts or allegations
Yaz and Yasmin Lawsuit Case Facts or allegations
Laying a foundation for the basic facts and allegations in a Yaz Lawsuit or Yasmin Lawsuit case is necessary in the filing of the complaint. The complaint is what is commonly referred to as the Yaz Lawsuit. The term complaint is used regardless of whether a case is being filed in a Yasmin Class Action Lawsuit , added to a Yaz Multidistrict Litigation or in an independent Yaz Lawsuit.
The allegations in a Yaz or Yasmin Lawsuit complaint are allegations only when the complaint is filed. The point of the Yaz or Yasmin Litigation process is to establish and prove the allegations made by the person filing the complaint, who is named as plaintiff. In the Yaz or Yasmin Lawsuit.
Proving the allegations in any lawsuit is the burden of the Plaintiff. In a case like the Yaz/Yasmin Lawsuit the facts and allegations spelled out in the complaint may look very similar from one case to another. Below is how the background or nature of the case ( allegations) were made in a Yasmin Lawsuit filed by a Tennessee woman in the Yas/ Yasmin Multidistrict Litigation currently underway in illinois.
Yaz Lawsuit Nature of case
NATURE OF THE CASE
Bayer’s Combined Oral Contraceptives – Yasmin and Yaz
Yasmin and Yaz are birth control pills manufactured and marketed by Bayer. They are combination oral contraceptives, or “COCs,” meaning that they contain an estrogen component and a progestin component. Together, these steroidal components work together in COCs to suppress ovulation, fertilization, and implantation and thus prevent pregnancy.
Yasmin and Yaz were approved by the Food and Drug Administration for marketing in 2001 and 2006 respectively.
Yasmin and Yaz Contain a “Fourth Generation” Progestin
The estrogen component in Yasmin and Yaz is known generically as ethinyl estradiol. The progestin component is known as drospirenone. Yasmin contains 0.03 milligrams of ethinyl estradiol, and Yaz contains 0.02 milligrams of ethinyl estradiol. Both products contain 3 milligrams of drospirenone.
Yasmin and Yaz are different from other combined hormonal birth control pills in that they contain drospirenone, a progestin that is unlike other progestins available in the United States and was never before marketed in the United States prior to its use in Yasmin.
Shortly after the introduction of combined oral contraceptives in the 1960 , doctors and researchers found that women using birth control pills had a higher risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes than women not using the pill. As a result, the various brands of birth control pills were reformulated to reduce the amounts of estrogen. As the amounts of estrogen levels reduced, so too did the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes.
During this time, new progestins were being developed, which became known as “second generation” progestins (e.g. lovenorgestrel). These second generation progestins, when combined with the lower amounts of the estrogen, ethinyl estradiol, helped to reduce the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes and were considered safer for women.
During the 1990’s, new “third generation” progestins were developed. Unfortunately, these “third generation” progestins (e.g. gestodene and desogestrel) have been associated with a greater risk of blood clots in the deep veins (deep vein thrombosis or “DVT”) and lungs (pulmonary embolism or “PE”). As a result of this increased risk of blood clots, the FDA has required that products containing third generation progestins include a Warning of the potentially increased risk of thrombosis.
Yasmin and Yaz contain the same estrogen component, ethinyl estradiol, that has been used in the lower dose birth control pills for decades.
However, drospirenone is a new type of progestin and is considered a “fourth generation” progestin. No other birth control pills contain drospirenone, except for a recently approved generic version of Yasmin and Yaz marketed under the trade name Ocella.
Since drospirenone is new, there are not decades of data available to support its safe use as there are with second generation progestins. Studies that were done prior to FDA approval, however, indicate that drospirenone has certain effects that are different from those of traditional second generation progestins, and potentially more dangerous.
One possible mechanism of action is that drospirenone interacts differently with ethinyl estradiol compared to other progestins, such that it does not sufficiently counterbalance the clotting effects of estrogen as do other progestins, particularly the second generation progestins.
Another possible mechanism of action is that drospirenone causes an increase in potassium levels in the blood, which can lead to a condition known as hyperkalemia if the potassium levels become too high.
Hyperkalemia can cause heart rhythm disturbances, such as extrasystolies, pauses, or bradycardia. If left untreated, hyperkalemia can be fatal.
End of Excerpt from Yaz Lawsuit
We did not include all of the allegations made in the Yasmin Lawsuit excerpt, our purpose was to provide some of the typical allegations of facts made in a Yaz Lawsuit or Yasmin Lawsuit. We have truncated the actual filings for the sake of brevity.
Concept Clearance » Building an Evidence-Based Response to Disaster and Mass Trauma Events
This initiative seeks to leverage the existing disaster response infrastructure and workforce to integrate evidence-based and promising interventions into current mental health response. Partnership between researchers and disaster response providers will enable the field to plan, in advance of large scale emergencies, rigorous intervention and services research studies to improve care for new and complex mental health needs in the wake of disasters.
Blog Post » Experimental Medicine
Dr. Insel discusses the crisis of medication development for mental disorders.
Blog Post » Junk No More
If genes comprise only 2 percent of our DNA, what is the function of the remaining 98 percent? A massive ENCODE project has revealed that nearly 80 percent of our genome is read out, or transcribed – much of it devoted to regulating the turning on and off of genes.
Science News » Most Children with ASD Diagnosed After Age 5, Use Multiple Services and Medications
New data detail the experiences of young children with autism spectrum disorder, describing when they are first identified as having ASD, who is making those identifications, and the services and medications the children use to meet their developmental needs.
Concept Clearance » Genomic Risk and Resilience in 22q11 Deletion Syndrome: A Window into the Genetic Architecture of Mental Disorders
The goal of this initiative is to use 22q11 deletion syndrome (DS) as a model to study and discover genetic risk and resilience factors and pathways for neurodevelopmental disorders, including schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder.
Director’s Update » NIMH Employees Honored with 2012 NIH Director’s Awards
NIMH employees were recently recognized by the NIH Director, for going above and beyond their duties.