WikiLeaks fallout: Tighter access to US secrets?

WASHINGTON — Call it the big information chill, looming across the military and intelligence communities. After the massive Afghan war data spill by WikiLeaks, some veteran intelligence officers and experts are calling for a tightening of access to information and more monitoring in the spy community’s lower levels.
They’re blaming … Read more >>.

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Playstation, TVs boost Sony to $294 million profit
TOKYO — Sony bounced back to profit last quarter and raised its full-year earnings forecast, fueled by stronger demand for its PlayStation 3 gaming consoles, personal computers and televisions.
The Tokyo-based electronics and entertainment giant said Thursday it booked a net profit of 25.7 billion yen — … Read more : PlayStation and TVs drive Sony back to black in April-June quarter.

BSkyB Q4 net profit up nearly fourfold
LONDON — British Sky Broadcasting’s profit nearly quadrupled in its fourth quarter, the satellite broadcaster said Thursday as it announced an exclusive deal to carry new Home Box Office programming in the U.K.

BSkyB reported a profit of 336 million pounds ($525 million) in the three months ending June 30, …. Source article  : BSkyB Q4 net profit up nearly fourfold, announces deal to carry HBO programs.

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Panasonic buying out Sanyo, Panasonic Electric
TOKYO — Panasonic is planning to take 100 percent ownership of its subsidiaries Sanyo Electric and Panasonic Electric Works in a move costing up to $9.4 billion to strengthen green businesses such as electric cars and solar panels.
Panasonic Corp., Japan’s biggest consumer electronics maker, said in a statement … Original source on Gaea Times at : Panasonic plans to buy out subsidiaries Sanyo, Panasonic Electric under $9.4B green initiative.

France Telecom first half net profit up 45 pct

PARIS — France Telecom SA said Thursday that first half net profit rose 45 percent due to a one-off gain, although revenue and margins were eroded by regulatory costs and competition in the home market in France.
Net profit in the six months to the end of June … Read more >>.

Taiwan chipmaker TSMC says profit up 65 percent

TAIPEI, Taiwan — Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s largest contract chipmaker, said its second quarter profit jumped 65 percent year-on-year amid strong worldwide demand for electronic goods.
Net profit for the April-June period was a record 40.3 billion New Taiwan dollars ($1.3 billion) on consolidated revenue of NT$105 …. Read the original article  : here.

Toshiba returns to the black in April-June quarter

TOKYO — Toshiba Corp. returned to the black last quarter thanks to a recovery in global demand for flash memory chips used in smartphones and digital cameras.
The Japanese conglomerate — whose vast business ranges from household appliances to nuclear power systems — said Thursday its net profit was … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Toshiba returns to the black in April-June quarter on brisk global demand for memory chips.

Symantec fiscal 1Q net income more than doubles

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Symantec Corp. said Wednesday that its fiscal first-quarter net income more than doubled, but revenue missed Wall Street’s expectations in part because corporate customers were still cautious about spending on technology.
Symantec also projected fiscal second-quarter results below analyst estimates, and investors sent shares of …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Symantec posts higher fiscal 1st-qtr income but sees ‘continued cautiousness’ in IT spending.

Akamai picks digital ad veteran as next president

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Akamai Technologies Inc., which makes Web traffic management technology, said Wednesday that David W. Kenny will take the job as company president starting Sept. 7.
Currently, CEO Paul Sagan is also Akamai’s president.
Kenny, 48, has been member of Akamai’s board since 2007.
He was most recently managing …. Original source  : Akamai names digital advertising veteran and board member Kenny next president.

Amazon hopes new Kindles stoke sales
SEATTLE — Amazon.com hopes to entice consumers with a new smaller, lighter version of its Kindle e-reader, which can wirelessly download e-books over 3G cellular networks, and a cheaper Wi-Fi-only version.

Amazon says that it will start shipping the latest Kindle to customers on Aug. 27. It is 21 percent smaller … Original source on Gaea Times at : Amazon CEO hopes new Kindles, including a version costing $139, stoke desire for e-reader.

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Amazon CEO hopes new Kindles stoke sales
SEATTLE — Jeff Bezos isn’t just confident you’ll want a Kindle e-book reader. The CEO of Amazon.com is bracing for a future in which you’ll also want ones for your kid heading to college, your spouse in a book club and perhaps even Grandpa.
And despite increased competition …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

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Summary Box: Amazon hopes new Kindles stoke sales
KINDLE GETS UPDATED: Amazon will start selling a smaller, lighter version of its Kindle electronic reader that can download books wirelessly over 3G cellular networks and over Wi-Fi for $189. A Wi-Fi-only version will cost $139.
PRICE COMPARISONS: The $139 Kindle will be $10 cheaper than Barnes …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Summary Box: Amazon CEO hopes new Kindles, including a model costing $139, stoke sales.

Report: Easing of FBI Internet access sought

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration reportedly wants to make it easier for the FBI to obtain records on individual Internet activities without first obtaining a court order when it involves terrorism or intelligence investigations.
The Washington Post reported on its website Wednesday night that the administration wants to add to …. Read the original article  : here.

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Indian outsourcer HCL quarterly profit up 6.9 pct
MUMBAI, India — Indian outsourcer HCL Technologies Ltd. said quarterly profit grew 6.9 percent in dollar terms, beating expectations on strong global demand for software services despite weaker European currencies and rising staff costs.
A war for talent among India’s outsourcers is pinching margins as companies offer … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Indian outsourcer HCL Technologies quarterly profit up 6.9 percent to $74M on strong demand.

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Softbank profits fall in April-June on heavy taxes
TOKYO — Softbank Corp., which runs the only Japanese mobile carrier to offer the iPhone and iPad, said Thursday that its businesses prospered during the April-June quarter, but net profit fell 29 percent as it booked large tax expenses.
The Tokyo-based Internet and communications conglomerate said it …. Original source  : Japan iPhone carrier Softbank says business soared in April-June but profits fell due to taxes.

Australian scientists from the Monash Institute of Medical Research have “reprogrammed” adult mouse fat cells and neural cells to become stem cells that can differentiate into a variety of different cells (pluripotency). The cells, called “induced pluripotent stem cells” (iPS), are nearly identical to the naturally occurring pluripotent stems cells, such as embryonic stem cells, which are highly …

In a world first, scientists have coaxed stem cells in live rabbits to rebuild the bone and cartilage of a missing leg joint, according to a new study.

The Evolving Science of Cancer Stem Cells by Carmen Phillips, NCI Cancer Bulletin 2010(Jul 27); 7(15). Excerpt:

Researchers from Stanford University earlier this month reported in Nature that they had found a marker, CD271, that identified a somewhat unique population of cells that could produce melanoma in highly immunocompromised mice; anywhere from 2.5 percent to 41 percent of cells in their human tumor samples expressed the marker. In additional experiments using similar mice on which human skin was engrafted, only tumor cells with the marker could produce tumors and metastases in the mice. (In his lab, Dr. Morrison noted, the same marker did not differentiate tumor-forming from nontumor-forming cells.)

The publication about CD271 is: Human melanoma-initiating cells express neural crest nerve growth factor receptor CD271 by Alexander D Boiko and 11 colleagues, Nature 2010(Jul 1); 466(7302): 133-7. [PubMed citation].

Comments: The sentence: “In his lab, Dr. Morrison noted, the same marker did not differentiate tumor-forming from nontumor-forming cells” is noteworthy. Why the difference in results for CD271?

The publication by Boiko and co-authors was cited in a previous post to this blog, “Melanoma-initiating cells identified“, dated July 1, 2010.

See also an earlier post to this blog, “Tumorigenic cells not rare in human melanoma“, dated December 3, 2008.

International Stem Cell Corporation (OTCBB:ISCO), www.internationalstemcell.com, via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology® (Lifeline) www.lifelinecelltech.com, and Sristi Biosciences, www.sristibio.com, have entered into a distribution agreement for the Lifeline® brand of human cell culture products in India.

Lifeline specializes in development, manufacture and distribution of primary human cells and media and growth factors for optimized culturing of cells, including stem cells. These products are being requested by customers internationally, including in India, which represents one of the fastest growing markets for products of this kind.

According to Lifeline’s CEO and SVP of Operations at ISCO, Jeffrey Janus, ‘Sristi Biosciences is part of one of the most experienced biotechnology companies in India and the first to advance cell therapy into human trials in that country. Their network among academic and corporate researchers and experience and capacity to import and handle primary cell cultures, media and growth factors in India will be highly valuable for Lifeline to continue the international commercial expansion of its brand.’

Lifeline’s scientists have over 20 years of experience developing products for the culture of human cells. The company has made significant contributions to the creation and standardization of human cell systems used today for clinical applications and in academic, government and pharmaceutical research laboratories. The group sells over 75 standardized products directly and via its distributors in the US and abroad. It also engages in customized product development for its largest customers.

Dr. Sudhir Reddy, Sristi Biosciences’ CEO adds, ‘We are pleased to be the first company to introduce the Lifeline products to the growing Indian research market. Our cell culture experience and broad market reach in India will benefit the brand and help Sristi Biosciences further accelerate its commercialization and corporate growth in the biomedical field.’

ISCO recently announced the beginning of a collaboration on its human corneal tissue, CytoCor™, with leading Indian eye hospital and research center, Sankara Nethralaya, and Letter of Intent with Insight Bioventures India (IBVI) to seek funding and establishment of development and manufacturing operations for ISCO’s research and pharmaceutical products in India (ISCO India), including the Lifeline products and CytoCor.

‘The Lifeline distribution agreement with Sristi Biosciences is central to ISCO’s international expansion. Besides facilitating commercialization of the Lifeline products in India, Sristi Biosciences’ cell therapy development, regulatory and manufacturing expertise will be important as ISCO and IBVI seek to establish ISCO India with cost-efficient development and manufacturing of research and pharmaceutical products for the Indian and broader Asian markets,’ says Brian Lundstrom, ISCO’s President.

ABOUT INTERNATIONAL STEM CELL CORPORATION (ISCO.OB)

International Stem Cell Corporation is a California-based biotechnology company focused on therapeutic and research products. ISCO’s core technology, parthenogenesis, results in creation of pluripotent human stem cells from unfertilized oocytes (eggs). These proprietary cells avoid ethical issues associated with use or destruction of viable human embryos and, unlike most other major stem cell types, can be immune matched and be a source of therapeutic cells with minimal rejection after transplantation into hundreds of millions of individuals of differing racial groups. ISCO also produces and markets specialized cells and growth media for therapeutic research worldwide through its subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology, and is developing a line of cosmeceutical products via its subsidiary, Lifeline Skin Care. ISCO is advancing novel human stem cell-based therapies where cells have been proven to be efficacious but traditional small molecule and protein therapeutics have not. More information is available on ISCO’s website.

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ABOUT SRISTI BIOSCIENCES

Sristi Biosciences Private Limited is a result of twelve years of research and corporate development in the therapeutic space and is the healthcare component of leading biotechnology group, SRI Biotech, in India. Sristi Biosciences’ two main divisions include Tissue Engineering and Cell Therapy that has pioneered chondrocytes-based cell therapy in India and Drug Discoverythat covers the Indian research product market with natural compound libraries, molecular diagnostics and markers, informatics and cell-based products. Sristi’s integrated research and development facility in Hyderabad is state-of-the-art and the company has wide collaborative and commercial presence across the research market in India, including 23 leading biotech institutes and major corporate bodies.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements pertaining to anticipated developments and therapeutic applications, the potential benefits of collaborations, affiliations, and other opportunities for the company and its subsidiaries, along with other statements about the future expectations, beliefs, goals, plans, or prospects expressed by management constitute forward-looking statements. Any statements that are not historical fact (including, but not limited to statements that contain words such as “will,” “believes,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “estimates,”) should also be considered to be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, risks inherent in the development and/or commercialization of potential products and the management of collaborations, uncertainty in the results of clinical trials or regulatory approvals, need and ability to obtain future capital, application of capital resources among competing uses, and maintenance of intellectual property rights. Actual results may differ materially from the results anticipated in these forward-looking statements and as such should be evaluated together with the many uncertainties that affect the company’s business, particularly those mentioned in the cautionary statements found in the company’s Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The company disclaims any intent or obligation to update forward-looking statements.

Key Words: Stem Cells, Biotechnology, Parthenogenesis

International Stem Cell Corporation
Kenneth C. Aldrich, Chairman
760-940-6383
kaldrich@intlstemcell.com
Or
Brian Lundstrom, President
760-640-6383
bl@intlstemcell.com

OCEANSIDE, Calif. & HYDERABAD, India—-International Stem Cell Corporation , www.internationalstemcell.com, via its wholly-owned subsidiary, Lifeline Cell Technology® www.lifelinecelltech.com, and Sristi Biosciences, www.sristibio.com, have entered into a distribution agreement for the Lifeline® brand of human cell …