conferences

A new type of sirolimuseluting stent (SES) successfully showed significantly greater neointimal suppression than the paclitaxeleluting stent (PES) with greater vessel wall integrity surrounding the stent, confirming the finding of superiority of the SES over the PES stent for the trials primary endpoint of instent late loss.

Results from the RESELUTION I Trial on the safety and effectiveness of a new sirolimuseluting stent in the treatment of coronary artery disease (a single atherosclerotic lesion) in native coronary arteries will be presented at the 21st annual Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium, sponsored by the Cardiovascular Research Foundation (CRF).

RESELUTION I, which began in March 2008, is a multicenter, randomized, singleblind controlled trial comparing the sirolimuseluting reservoirbased stent (SES) with a paclitaxeleluting stent (PES) system in de novo native coronary artery lesions. A total of 394 subjects were randomized to treatment with either the sirolimuseluting or paclitaxeleluting stents. Principal investigators of the trial included Alexandre Abizaid, MD, John Ormiston, MD and Christian Spaulding, MD.

Clinical results will be presented by John A. Spertus, MD on Thursday, September 24 at 245 p.m. during the Featured Clinical Trials First Report Investigations session in Room 131. In addition to the oral presentation, a detailed intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) analysis is being displayed as a poster abstract (TCT360) on Tuesday, September 22 between 800 a.m. and 1000 a.m. in Hall D of The Moscone Center. The poster is being presented by Hiromasa Otake, MD of Stanford University (Stanford, Calif.) on behalf of the RESELUTION I investigators.

This new sirolimuseluting stent (SES) utilizes a reservoir technology that incorporates a number of small wells, each acting as a depot into which drugpolymer compositions are loaded. The stents design achieves both a significant reduction in total polymer load as well as a reduction in tissuepolymer contact by more than 75% compared to conventional DES in which the entire stent surface is coated with polymer. Its use of a bioresorbable polymer is another theoretical advantage from the safety perspective, allowing the drugeluting stent to become simple bare metal within the vessel wall approximately 3 months after deployment.

In this clinical trial, detailed arterial responses to the new DES technology were also investigated in vivo using intravascular ultrasound (IVUS). With IVUS, a tiny catheter is inserted into a coronary vessel where highfrequency sound waves reflect off tissue or vessel walls. The reflected waves create a crosssectional image from within the vessel to aid in visualizing its structure, thereby providing both quantitative and qualitative information on vessel reaction after stenting.

Serial IVUS (immediately poststenting and 6month followup) was performed in a predefined IVUS subset of 100 patients (52 SES in 50 patients; 52 PES in 50 patients). Volumetric IVUS analysis demonstrated significantly less neointimal proliferation in the sirolimuseluting stent (% neointimal volume 5.5±11.0 vs. 11.5±9.7, p=0.016), resulting in less late lumen area loss and smaller maximum crosssectional narrowing (neointimal area/stent area) than PES. In addition, serial IVUS analysis revealed significantly less outward vessel remodeling in the SES than in PES. The incidence of lateacquired incomplete stent apposition (ISA) was similar between the SES and PES. However, SES was associated with less outward vessel remodeling at the ISA segment, possibly suggesting different underlying mechanisms of this phenomenon.

“Our study is the first report investigating the detailed arterial responses to this new DES technology, with a randomized, blinded comparison of sirolimuseluting stents with paclitaxeleluting stents in human de novo native coronary lesions,” said Dr. Otake.

“The combination of a different formulation strategy with different types of drug appeared to impact arterial response after DES therapy,” Dr. Otake added. “Our study confirmed that the advanced formulation strategy of this new DES can perform with efficacy exceeding a firstgeneration DES with the potential for improved longterm safety because it turns into a bare metal stent within 3 months. This stent may be a promising DES option to treat the patients with coronary artery disease while embracing the longterm safety of bare metal stents.”

Source
Judy Romero

The latest research on macular degeneration, its causes, potential cures, current treatments and strategies for living well with it will be the focus of the first Cape Cod Macular Degeneration Symposium on September 17. A free public educational program, the symposium will take place from 9 am to noon at the Barnstable Senior Center, 825 Falmouth Road (Rt. 28) in Hyannis

Jointly sponsored by Schepens Eye Research Institute, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School (HMS), and Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, the program will include a worldclass scientist, a clinician and a patient who has lived with the disease for 30 years.

Nearly 10 million Americans suffer from agerelated macular degeneration, which destroys the tiny center of the retina, known as the macula, along with central vision and a persons ability to read, drive, recognize faces and see details of any scene. The retina is a thin tissue at the back of the eye that transmits images from the outside world to the brain. The disease can be in a “dry” form caused by a build up of debris on the retina and a “wet” form caused by growth of abnormal blood vessels that leak into and damage the delicate retinal tissue.

Schepens senior scientist, Patricia A. DAmore, PhD, will describe what is known about the causes of this devastating condition and some of the work the Institute is doing to find cures. DAmore, who is also a professor at HMS, has devoted much of her career to investigating the relationship between blood vessel growth and eye disease and has contributed to the basic research that has led to new drugs such as Lucentis, which are effective in slowing the progression of the macular degeneration.

In her presentation, DAmore will describe AMD and how the current therapies are working to slow disease progression and even restore vision. She will also review the Institutes focus on understanding how AMD develops and on efforts to treat, cure and ultimately prevent AMD.

Clinician David Liao, MD, PhD, a Vitreoretinal Specialist at Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston, will describe the most effective current therapies and what he hopes will be the most promising future therapies for AMD. Drugs such as Lucentis have revolutionized the treatment of wet macular degeneration. Promising new drugs are currently in clinical trials and may provide even more effective therapeutic options. Innovations are also being made in the treatment of dry macular degeneration.

Wrapping up the event will be Richard A. Godfrey, the patient liaison at Schepens and an MD sufferer himself, who will tell the story of his struggle with low vision and the strategies he has developed for living productively and happily, despite his central blindness.

Schepens Eye Research Institute is an affiliate of Harvard Medical School and the largest independent eye research institute in the nation. The Institute fights blindness by developing new technologies, therapies and knowledge to retain and restore vision. Through a continuum of discovery, the Institute works toward a future in which blindness is prevented, alleviated, and, ultimately, cured.

Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston (OCB) was founded in 1969 with the primary goal of providing patients with eye care, laser and surgical treatment of the highest quality. Their staff of 26 ophthalmologists cares for over 150,000 patients each year with all categories of eye disorders and visual system diseases. This level of care has earned Ophthalmic Consultants of Boston a national and international reputation for excellence.

Source Schepens Eye Research Institute

Response Genetics Inc. (Nasdaq RGDX), a company focused on the development and sale of molecular diagnostic tests for cancer, will announce the results of separate analyses of KRAS gene mutations and TS and RRM1 gene expression in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during the 13th World Conference on Lung Cancer, which will be held July 31 to August 4. Results will provide insights into which patient subtypes are most likely to benefit from the commonly prescribed chemotherapies pemetrexed and gemcitabine.

Results will be presented orally, during two sessions, by Dr. David R. Gandara, University of California, Davis Cancer Center, and Dr. Philip Mack, University of California, Davis.

“Personalized medicine is having a profound impact on the way physicians approach making the best treatment choices for their patients with lung cancer,” said David R. Gandara, M.D., professor of medicine, associate director of clinical research and director of the Thoracic Oncology Program, University of California Davis Cancer Center, and a director of Response Genetics. “This approach is the future and the future is now.”

“Based upon strong scientific and medical evidence, the use of predictive biomarkers in the clinical setting is gaining acceptance,” said Kathleen Danenberg, president and CEO of Response Genetics. “Results such as ours are paving the way to getting the right drug to each patient the first time.”

All studies presented used technology developed by Response Genetics to isolate RNA from formalinfixed, paraffinembedded (FFPE) archived tissue for quantitative RTPCR analysis of gene expression. Following is a summary of presentations

Sunday, August 2, 1230 to 400 p.m.; Level 2, Moscone West 2001 2005

Abstract B9.3 KRAS mutation analysis in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) versus colorectal cancer (CRC) Implications for EGFRdirected therapies.

KRAS mutations have both prognostic and predictive value in NSCLC and CRC. In CRC, only patients whose tumors have wildtype KRAS benefit from the EGFRtargeted monoclonal antibody cetuximab, whereas in NSCLC KRAS mutations do not seem to play a predictive role for cetuximab therapy. To test the hypothesis that the unique molecular biology and etiology of NSCLC contribute to this divergence in KRAS dependency, KRAS status in NSCLC versus CRC was analyzed using the large Response Genetics Inc. (RGI) database. Results show differences in KRAS status between NSCLC and CRC in regard not only to mutation incidence, but also in the frequency of specific base substitutions in codons 12 and 13. Of particular distinction were increased frequencies in DNA transversions, which were likely, linked to smoking history. Differences in KRAS mutation frequency were also observed between ethnicities. These findings, in combination with the underlying molecular milieu, may explain prognostic and predictive differences seen between these two forms of cancer.

Tuesday, August 4, 1230 to 200 p.m.; Level 2, Moscone West 2007 2011

Abstract D7.1 Thymidylate synthase (TS) RNA expression in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Implications for personalizing pemetrexed therapy.

TS plays an important role in chemotherapeutic response to pemetrexed, a widelyused drug in combination with platin studies to date show that low levels of TS are a predictive biomarker for pemetrexed activity in NSCLC. To better predict the range of response differences with pemetrexed, the distribution of TS expression was investigated in various histological subtypes of NSCLC. Results of the analysis demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in individual patient TS expression levels within the NSCLC subtypes adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA). Overall, a statistically significant difference was observed between grouped AC versus SCCA TS levels. These findings suggest that determining TS levels may help support decision making for personalizing pemetrexed therapy in patients with NSCLC.

Tuesday, August 4, 1230 to 200 p.m.; Level 2, Moscone West 2007

Abstract D7.4 Ribonucleotide reductase (RRM1) expression in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) Implications for personalizing gemcitabinebased therapy.

As the target of gemcitabine a drug when used in combination with cisplatin elicits improved outcomes over pemetrexedcisplatin in squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) versus nonSCCA RRM1 has an important role in the chemotherapy of NSCLC. Low gene expression levels of RRM1 are reported to have predictive value for platinum and gemcitabinebased therapy in NSCLC. To better predict the range of response differences with gemcitabine, RRM1 expression levels were assessed in adenocarcinoma (AC) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCCA) NSCLC histological subtypes. Results show significantly higher RRM1 RNA expression levels in SCCA versus AC as well as considerable heterogeneity among individual patient RRM1 expression levels. These findings suggest that assessment of RRM1 in individual patients may optimize personalized therapy of NSCLC.

Source
Response Genetics, Inc.

As part of its study of how much vitamin D and calcium people need, a committee convened by the Institute of Medicine will hold a public workshop to gather insights and data from experts on Tuesday, Aug. 4. Among the workshops presentations will be a discussion of a recent vitamin D and calcium report released by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, which can be found at ahrq.gov/clinic/tp/vitadcaltp.htm. A workshop agenda with a list of presentations is available at iom.edu/?id=68400.

The workshop will run from 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. in Room 100 of the National Academies Keck Center, 500 Fifth St., N.W., Washington, D.C. Due to space limitations, advance registration is required.

Source
Christine Stencel

More than 5,000 sociologists will convene in San Francisco this August to explore ideas and scientific research about how community affects contemporary social issues as part of the American Sociological Associations 104th annual meeting.

In addition to three plenary sessions featuring leading sociological minds, a minisymposium will examine how the election of Barack Obama might signal a refreshed spirit of community activism and involvement. More than 200 additional sessions will feature the latest sociological research and perspectives from the leading minds in social science.

WHAT The American Sociological Associations 104th Annual Meeting “The New Politics of Community”

WHEN Friday, Aug. 7, through Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2009

WHERE Hilton San Francisco and Parc 55 HotelSan Francisco, Calif.

MAJOR PLENARY SESSIONS

+ Building Excellent, Diverse and Just Communities A Conversation Among Artists, Academics and Activists
Friday, Aug. 7, 700 900 p.m.
A distinguished and diverse panel will address the connections between social justice and communitybuilding, discussing the needs of contemporary and future communities with a special focus on youth.

+ Why Obama Won (and What that Says About Democracy and Change in America)
Saturday, Aug. 8, 1230 215 p.m.
Social scientists examine the potential for change the oftused buzzword of the Obama campaign in the postelection era, taking into account new forms of political engagement; the changing American population; and the revitalization of democratic institutions. Panelists will discuss the actual and potential significance of Barack Obamas victory.

+ Bringing Communities Back In Setting a New Policy Agenda
Monday, Aug. 10, 1230 215 p.m.
Given the influence of social networks on individual actions and beliefs, prominent sociologists discuss how sociologys conception of communities can assist in the development of public policies that effectively address social problems.

ADDITIONAL SESSIONS OF INTEREST

MiniSymposium on the Social Significance of Barack Obama
+ A Defining Moment? Youth, Power and the Obama Phenomenon
Saturday, Aug. 8, 1030 a.m. 1210 p.m.

+ Through the Lens of Gender, Race, Sexuality and Class The Obama Family and the American Dream
Sunday, Aug. 9, 1030 a.m. 1210 p.m.

+ Understanding Democratic Renewal The Movement to Elect Barack Obama
Sunday, Aug. 9, 830 a.m. 1010 a.m.

+ The Future of Community Organizing During an Obama Presidency
Sunday, Aug. 9, 230 p.m. 410 p.m.

+ AsianAmerican Movements, Identities and Politics A New Racial Project in the Obama Years?
Saturday, Aug. 8, 430 p.m. 610 p.m.

Selected Author Meets Critics Sessions + Black on the Block The Politics of Race and Class in the City by Mary E. Pattillo
Sunday, Aug. 9, 230 p.m. 410 p.m.

+ God Needs No Passport Immigrants and the Changing Religious Landscape by Angie Y. Chung
Saturday, Aug. 8, 430 p.m. 610 p.m.

+ Opting Out Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home by Pamela Stone
Saturday, Aug. 8, 1030 a.m. 1210 p.m.

+ Shopping for Safety How We Changed from Protecting the Environment to Protecting Ourselves by Andrew Szasz
Monday, Aug. 10, 230 p.m. 410 p.m.

+ Toxic Exposures Contested Illnesses and the Environmental Health Movement by Phil Brown
Saturday, Aug. 8, 230 p.m. 410 p.m.

+ Wont You Be My Neighbor Race, Class and Residence in Los Angeles by Camille Zubrinsky Charles
Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1030 a.m. 1210 p.m.

Visit asanet.org/cs/meetings/2009 for the meetings searchable preliminary program and additional details.

Source
Jackie Cooper

Program Highlights

APS President Walter Mischel will lead this years Presidential Symposium, “The New Genetics and What it Means for Psychological Science” on Saturday May 23 at 600 PM.

Research on selfcontrol has come a long way since Walter Mischels pivotal Marshmallow Task experiment in the late 1960s. Now, Mischel and colleagues are using fMRIs and genetic testing in hopes of outlining the neural circuitry of selfcontrol. Michels newest endeavor will put decades of research to the test as he plans to see if selfcontrol skills can be taught to schoolchildren and maintained over a long period of time.

Richard Nisbett is presenting this years Bring the Family Address on Sunday, May 24 at 600PM.

Nisbetts research on the environments impact on intelligence reveals all geniuses arent born smart. Author Malcolm Gladwell called Nisbetts new book, Intelligence and How to Get It Why Schools and Cultures Count, “persuasive” and said “Few Americans have done as much [as Nisbett] to deepen our understanding of what it means to be human.”

As Nisbetts research examines the environments impact on intelligence, Michael Meaneys recent research findings reveal how our childhood environment affects the very expression of our genes. In particular, Meaneys research showed how early childhood abuse can influence the development of a receptor linked to how we handle stress. Meaney is speaking during the Presidential Symposium “The New Genetics and What It Means for Psychological Science” on Saturday, May 23 at 600PM.

Other Headliners Include

Martha Farah, University of Pennsylvania
Award Address “Cognitive Neuroscience in the 21st Century From Lab and Clinic to Home, School, and Office”

Elke Weber, Columbia University Invited Address
Symposium Presentation “Multiple Determinants of Risk Taking”

Sara M. Gorchoff, University of California, Berkeley Invited Address
Symposium Presentation “Improvements in Marriage Effects of EmptyNest and Investment in a Satisfying Marriage”

Michael Inzlicht, University of Toronto, Canada Invited Address
Symposium Presentation “Belief in God Predicts Lower Anterior Cingulate Cortex Activity”

Source
Catherine AllenWest