DaVinci Biosciences LLC in collaboration with University of Utah, Southern California Center for Regenerative Medicine and Omni Hospital in Ecuador, announce the discovery of a previously unidentified stem cell population from adult human testis in Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications (BBRC), an international peer-reviewed journal focused on the rapid dissemination of timely and significant experimental results in diverse fields of biological research. Termed gonadal stem cells (GSCs) these adult derived stem cells, unlike previous reported population of stem cells found within the testis, have been found to demonstrate adult stem cell properties. Published in the current journal of Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications, the data from this collaborative study describes a multipotent adult stem cell population that has the capacity to readily differentiate into multiple cell types. The study evolved from an international collaboration aimed at identifying novel cell populations at different geographical laboratory locations and for different HLA types.
Pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, advocacy groups and others with a stake in health reform continue to lobby in hopes of winning concessions in the overhaul, or at least surviving the changes unscathed. "One of the groups key to working any deal is the pharmaceutical industry, which has been quite active behind the scenes," National Public Radio reports. NPR interviewed former congressman Billy Tauzin, who is president of PhRMA, the drug industry"s lobbying
group. Tauzin said he couldn"t predict whether health reform, which his group supports, would make the industry wealthier, but added, "we"ll do okay" (7/30). Meanwhile, one Texas hospital has aggressively pursued a lobbying and fundraising campaign to encourage lawmakers to "soften measures that could choke its rapid growth," the New York Times reports. 
Under economic pressure, states are slashing funding for health services from Connecticut to California. The cuts frustrate providers and lawmakers are looking for ways to limit harm. The Associated Press reports: "Washington is pouring $87 billion in federal stimulus money into the states to help maintain state-run Medicaid health care for the needy - and to handle the expected surge in enrollment. But Connecticut and other cash-strapped states say they still must slash
spending on health care to cover massive budget deficits. At least 21 states have already restricted low-income children"s and families" eligibility for health insurance or their access to services; at least 22 states and the District of Columbia are cutting services for low-income elderly or disabled patients." AP also reports: "The programs that do face cuts are diverse. 
Nine-year-olds can and should learn CPR. A study of 147 schoolchildren, published in BioMed Central"s open access journal Critical Care, has shown that, although the smallest may lack the requisite strength, the knowledge of how to perform basic life support is well retained by young children. Fritz Sterz, from the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, led a team of researchers who studied children who had received six hours of life support training. Upon examination
four months after the training, 86% performed CPR correctly. Sterz said, "The usefulness of CPR training in schools has been questioned since young students may not have the physical and cognitive skills needed to perform such complex tasks correctly. We found that, in fact, students as young as 9 years are able to successfully and effectively learn basic life support skills. As in adults, physical strength may limit depth of chest compressions and ventilation volumes, but skill retention is good."
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging companies to ensure that sufficient safety procedures and risk assessments are in place to properly protect staff. The call comes after the prosecution of John Stacey and Sons Ltd at Winchester Crown Court. The prosecution follows an incident at the company"s Tadley site on 1 June 2007. An employee, Frederick Aubrey, was run over and died five days later from his injuries. John Stacey and Sons Ltd pleaded guilty to section
2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 at an earlier hearing at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on 29 June.