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Answers to questions about cord blood and tissue stem cells and what banking could mean for your family.
There are two primary types of newborn stem cells that have the potential to be used for different treatments: hematopoietic (he•ma•to•poi•et•ic) and mesenchymal (mes•en•chy•mal). Hematopoietic stem cells are blood-forming cells with the ability to self-renew. While mesenchymal stem cells can form bone, cartilage, and tissue cells and are predominantly found in the cord tissue. Cord blood predominantly contains hematopoietic stem cells and cord tissue primarily contains mesenchymal stem cells.
Cord blood comes from a newborn's umbilical cord and is collected immediately after birth. Once the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut, the remaining blood in the umbilical cord is drawn into a collection bag.
This blood contains powerful stem cells that have been used to regenerate healthy blood and immune systems in more than 30,000 transplants worldwide.68
Doctors are using cord blood to save lives today and researching cord blood as potential treatment for diseases that currently have no cure.
Stem cells are the body's "master cells" because they are the building blocks of organ tissues, blood, and the immune system. Stem cells from bone marrow were first used to regenerate blood and immune cells for patients who had received chemotherapy for cancer. In the late 1980s, doctors started using cord blood stem cells to treat diseases that had previously been treated with bone marrow transplantation.
Today, cord blood stem cells are successfully being used to save lives. They also are being researched in an exciting new area of medicine called regenerative medicine, where scientists are studying the use of cord blood stem cells in experimental treatments for conditions like brain injury and acquired hearing loss.
Yes. Cord blood stem cells are biologically younger and are more flexible compared to adult stem cells from other sources like bone marrow. When saved, they have unique qualities and advantages:
|Comparison of Stem Cell Sources
|Ability to differentiate into various cell types
|High proliferation capacity
|Low risk of tumor formation
|Low risk of viral contamination
|Capacity for autologous transplantation
|Established/proven treatment in human patients
Stem cells can heal the body, promote recovery, and offer an enormous amount of therapeutic potential. Cord blood stem cells are not embryonic stem cells and are not controversial.
The opportunity for expectant families to collect and store their newborns' umbilical cord blood stem cells has been available since late 1995. Currently, thousands of parents are taking advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In fact, CBR has banked cord blood for more than 500,000 newborns.
Stem cells are found throughout the body, but in larger numbers in the blood system. Stress on the body can cause even more stem cells to circulate in the blood, and birth is a very stressful event for a newborn.
Once the baby is born, the blood that remains in the umbilical cord still contains a "reservoir" of stem-cell rich blood that can be easily collected without risk to the newborn or mother.
Yes. Saving cord blood for each child gives your family more options because:
Thousands of autologous stem cell transplants – those using one's own stem cells from cord blood, bone marrow, and peripheral blood – are performed every year.
Autologous cord blood stem cells have many advantages as a stem cell source, including no risk of graft vs. host disease (a leading cause of death for transplant patients). In addition, like all saved cord blood, it is available quickly and the stem cells have a low risk of having been affected by environmental damage or viruses.
Experimental treatments with cord blood focus on regenerative medicine – where doctors study the use of stem cells to repair damaged tissues and organs in the body. Currently, for these applications, a child's own cord blood is required.
However, there are certain medical conditions that would not use autologous stem cells:
In cases in which autologous stem cells cannot be used, a matched sibling's cord blood is the next best option, which is one of the key reasons why it is important to bank cord blood for each child in the family.
Any family member who is a suitable match may be able to use your baby's cord blood stem cells for transplant medicine. Siblings are the most likely to be compatible matches, with 25% of these cases offering a perfect match. It is less likely that other family members will be a sufficient match, and there is no guarantee that an adequate stem cell match will be found for any given patient.
Your baby will always be a perfect match to his or her own stem cells and may use them for a number of diseases, however, not generally for inherited genetic conditions. In those cases, a matched sibling's stem cells would be the first choice.
The use of cord blood has increased significantly in the past 15 years. As uses expand, so does the likelihood that the stem cells may be needed by a member of your family. Based on the most recent data, the likelihood of needing a stem cell transplant from any source is:
However, this data does not reflect potential therapies using stem cells that may be developed in the future. Currently, there are more than 30 FDA-regulated clinical trials researching medical uses for cord blood stem cells, including studies for cerebral palsy, brain injury, juvenile diabetes, and hearing loss.
Cord blood collection is painless, easy, and safe for both mother and newborn. The cord blood is collected after your baby is born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The cord blood being collected is blood that would normally be discarded after birth. Your caregiver will not alter the normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your baby's cord blood. Cord blood collection can take place after a vaginal or C-section birth and collection can still be performed after delayed clamping.
Many families have no history of disease but recognize the current and future value of their newborns' cord blood stem cells as a resource for medical treatments.
Family History:
Family history is not a reliable indicator of need because most forms of leukemia (the most common reason for needing a stem cell transplant) are not hereditary, and the causes of many cancers and diseases are unknown. In fact, numerous serious diseases treatable with cord blood are not hereditary and occur without warning.
Odds of Use:
Although no one can predict future illness or injury, published estimates of the odds of needing stem cells for current uses in transplant medicine are 1 in 217.
Based on current data, cord blood stem cells should remain useful indefinitely, so your family may be able to use the cells for diseases and injuries that occur decades from now. The fastest growing use of cord blood stem cells for CBR families has been in regenerative medicine research for the treatment of brain injury, for which there is no family history, and juvenile diabetes.
Transplant Medicine:
In transplant medicine, a patient generally will undergo chemotherapy to treat the underlying disease and then receive an infusion of cord blood stem cells to create a new healthy blood and immune system. In fact, cord blood stem cells have been used to treat many life-threatening diseases, such as leukemia and other cancers.
Regenerative Medicine:
New research with cord blood focuses on regenerative medicine, where doctors evaluate stem cells ability to repair damaged tissues and organs in the body.
Our Newborn Possibilities Program® provides cord blood and cord tissue collection, processing, and five years of storage at no cost to eligible families with a medical need. Families may apply to the Designated Treatment Program for a qualifying relative who has been diagnosed with a life-threatening disease treatable with donor stem cells. For more information on the Designated Treatment Program, please click here.
Like any medical procedure, newborn stem cell treatments may involve risks, which should be discussed with your doctor. Ultimate use of newborn stem cells will be determined by your treating physician.
Banking may give families a powerful resource against injuries and diseases that can occur in the future. Every month, thousands of new parents, a number of them doctors, nurses, and scientists, store their newborn's stem cells with CBR. Some of the important reasons to save cord blood include the following:
It is important to know that, for certain inherited genetic conditions, the child's own cord blood may not be used; in those cases, a matched sibling's stem cells would be the first choice. There is no guarantee that an adequate stem cell match will be found for any given patient.
Yes. CBR can generally send your family's sample for treatment anywhere you need it, subject to local regulations. Please contact us so that we can discuss specifics about your family's situation.
HLA matching is the criteria used to determine donor and recipient compatibility. In cord blood, it generally refers to six proteins called human leukocyte antigens (HLA) that appear on the surface of white blood cells and other tissues in the body. A transplant will only be performed if there is an adequate HLA match between the donor and recipient. A perfect six out of six match is best. Siblings have a 25% chance of being a perfect match.
You have two options to save your baby's cord blood:
Family banking: Your baby's cord blood is stored for a fee for exclusive use by your family.
Newborn Possibilities Program®: CBR offers cord blood and cord tissue collection, processing and storage at no cost for five years when a family member has been diagnosed with a condition that can be treated with stem cells.
Public donation: Your baby's cord blood is donated anonymously for potential use by a patient who needs a transplant. You must give birth in a participating hospital.
If you choose not to family bank or donate, your baby's cord blood is discarded at the hospital.
When you donate for public use, if the sample is eligible and stored, the cord blood may be available to any patient who needs a transplant, so you cannot assume that it will be available for your family if ever needed.
If someone in your family needs stem cells, the most important considerations are:
As with other medical procedures, therapies using cord blood involve risk, which should be discussed with your physician. For current experimental regenerative medicine applications, the child's own cord blood is required, so storing your baby's cord blood in a family bank is the only option.
"A patient's best chance of finding a match is with a brother or sister." -National Marrow Donor Program
Possibly. However, if a patient is in need of a transplant, the physician will look first for a suitable stem cell donor within the patient's family. Using cord blood from your own family has advantages for treating cancers and blood disorders. Matched cord blood from within your own family can result in:
Additionally, saving cord blood for all of your children is important for participation in current clinical trials, for which the child's own cord blood is required. There is no guarantee that an adequate stem cell match will be found in either a public bank or within your family.
Donating to a public bank may not be possible for several reasons:
With public donation, you may be able to donate your baby's cord blood for use by an anonymous patient in need. In 2009, the National Marrow Donor Program® facilitated more than 4,800 marrow and cord blood transplants for patients who did not have matching donors in the family. For more information about donation, visit BeTheMatch.org.
Cord tissue is your baby's umbilical cord, which contains mesenchymal stem cells. These stem cells can form connective tissues such as bone, cartilage, and tendon, and have unique properties that make them promising for cellular therapies. Studies are evaluating cord tissue stem cells as possible treatments for many injuries and diseases.
Stem cells from cord tissue have demonstrated the power to heal spinal cord, brain, and cartilage injuries in laboratory studies. This research is now beginning to move into clinical trials. It is at an early stage and medical treatments may never be developed.
A newborn's umbilical cord tissue contains several different types of cells, each with different potential uses.
Because cord tissue research is still in its early stages, CBR stores your baby's cord tissue whole, preserving all of the cells within it for your family's potential future use. The cord tissue is cryogenically stored for long-term preservation so it can be processed to extract the cells needed using the best technology of the future.
A newborn's umbilical cord tissue is comprised of several different cell types and each cell type has different potential.
Some potential medical treatments include:
|Damaged tissue, ligaments and organs
|Wounds, burns and ulcers
|Vascular damage
Contains unique and powerful stem cells that may help repair and heal the body in different ways than cord blood. These cells create structural and connective tissue and are currently being evaluated in 30+ clinical trials to treat heart disease, stroke and spinal cord damage, among others.
Three key cell types from six cord tissue regions:
All cell types from a variety of tissues are being researched to potentially treat 11+ therapeutic areas:
Skeletal disease and injury
Wounds, burns and ulcers
Autoimmune and inflammatory disease
Ocular surface disease
Heart and vascular disease
Vascular damage
Gastrointestinal disease
Transplant complications
Neurological disease and injury
Cord tissue is a rich source of mesenchymal stem cells, which create connective tissue. Cord blood is a rich source of hematopoietic stem cells, which create the blood and immune system. Because of the different functions of these stem cells, cord blood and cord tissue may help repair the body in different ways. Cord tissue research is still in its early stages, and safe and effective therapies may never be developed.
Banking cord blood can change or even save a life. Cord blood stem cells have certain advantages over bone marrow stem cells in transplant, and have been used for 20 years to treat more than 80 life-threatening diseases and disorders.34 Today stem cell therapies continue to evolve, bringing new hope to patients and their families.
Below are just a few diseases and disorders that have been treated with cord blood stem cells. If you have stem cell treatment questions, please click here to request more information.
Saving or donating cord blood stem cells makes them available to treat diseases like those listed above. For inherited genetic conditions, the child may not be able to use his or her own stem cells. In these cases, a matched sibling's stem cells would be the first choice. Only family banking also offers access to current regenerative medicine clinical trials in autism, cerebral palsy, and pediatric stroke.
CBR has more experience providing cord blood for use in treatment than any other family bank. To date, we have released more than 300 samples for families to use. All of the cord blood units released for client use have been viable — the ultimate validation of our processing and storage methods.
Over the past 20 years, cord blood stem cells have been used in 30,000 transplants to treat many life-threatening diseases, such as leukemia and other cancers. In transplant medicine, a patient generally will undergo chemotherapy and then receive an infusion of cord blood stem cells to create a healthy blood and immune system.
In addition, a new field, called regenerative medicine, is evaluating cord blood stem cells' ability to help repair and replace cells that have been damaged by disease or injury. These are conditions that have no cure today, such as autism, cerebral palsy, and pediatric stroke. These therapies are still experimental and there is no guarantee that treatments will be available.
Yes. CBR has established leadership in advancing clinical research with newborn stem cells. We are the exclusive family bank partner in studies at several prestigious medical institutions, including Sutter Neuroscience Institute in Sacramento, CA, Georgia Regents University in Augusta, GA, and The University of Texas Health Science Center, in Houston (UTHealth).
Clinical trials are experimental treatments using human subjects. They are FDA-regulated and conducted by physicians and medical institutions. Pre-clinical laboratory research uses animals and in vitro studies and is performed prior to clinical trials.
Florida Hospital for Children and Cord Blood Registry® (CBR) are launching a FDA-regulated, Phase I safety study of the use of cord blood stem cells to treat children with sensorineural hearing loss.
Approximately 15 percent of children in the U.S. suffer from low or high-frequency hearing loss. The most common type of hearing loss, especially at high frequencies, is sensorineural. Acquired sensorineural hearing loss results from damage to hair cells in the inner ear (cochlea) and can be caused by illness, medication, noise exposure, birth injury, or head trauma.
"Babies are surviving prematurity in historically high numbers today, and with this advance we are seeing more young children born with acquired hearing loss. To date, there are no treatments to repair a damaged inner ear," said James Baumgartner, MD, Surgical Director of Florida Hospital for Children's Comprehensive Pediatric Epilepsy Center, and the study's principal investigator. "Although hearing aids and cochlear implants provide valuable access to sound, they do not restore the complexity of a fully functioning biological ear. Using cord blood stem cells to trigger the body's own repair mechanisms could provide a non-invasive avenue to normal hearing."
The study will enroll 10 children between the ages of 6 weeks and 6 years old, who meet the inclusion criteria for the study. Children with genetic deafness are ineligible for study participation. To ensure consistency in cord blood stem cell quality, CBR is the only family stem cell bank providing units from clients for the study.
The study will enroll 30 children between the ages of two and seven, who meet the inclusion criteria for the study. Enrolled participants will receive two infusions—one of the child's own cord blood stem cells and one of a placebo—over the course of 13 months. Both the participants and the lead investigators will be blinded from knowing the content of each infusion. To ensure consistency in cord blood stem cell quality, CBR is the only family stem cell bank providing units from clients for the study.
Sutter Neuroscience Institute in Sacramento, California, and Cord Blood Registry have launched the first FDA-regulated clinical trial to assess the use of a child's own cord blood stem cells to treat select patients with autism. This first-of-its-kind placebo-controlled study is important because 1 in 88 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders each year. The clinical trial will evaluate the ability of an infusion of cord blood stem cells to help improve language and behavior in children with autism.
"Autism is a growing public health issue. This study goes beyond treating symptoms to understanding how stem cells may initiate repair or healing in chronic conditions like cerebral palsy or autism," stated Dr. Chez, director of pediatric neurology at Sutter Medical Center and principal study investigator. "We have evidence to suggest that certain children with autism have dysfunctional immune systems that may be damaging or delaying the development of the nervous system," continued Dr. Chez. "Cord blood stem cells may offer ways to modulate or repair the immune systems of these patients, which would also improve language and some behavior in children who have no obvious reason to have become autistic."
Cerebral palsy, caused by a brain injury or lack of oxygen in the brain before birth or during the first few years of life, can impair movement, learning, hearing, vision, and cognitive skills. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that roughly 1 in every 323 children in the United States has been diagnosed with cerebral palsy.
Researchers at Georgia Regents University, in partnership with Cord Blood Registry, are conducting a landmark FDA-regulated clinical trial to evaluate the use of a cord blood stem cell infusion for the treatment of cerebral palsy in children.
Dr. James Carroll, the principal investigator of the study, notes that "autologous stem cell transplantation, in which the transplant recipient is also the donor, is the safest form of stem cell transplantation because it carries virtually no threat of immune system rejection."
For more information on this clinical trial, sign up here.
Recruiting efforts are underway to enroll 40 children, between the ages of 1 and 12, diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Any level of cerebral palsy severity will be allowed. The subjects will be children whose parents have saved their infant's cord blood, who have clinical evidence of a non-progressive motor disability, and whose parents intend to have a cord blood infusion.
To ensure consistency in cord blood stem cell quality, CBR is the only family stem cell bank providing units from clients for the study. Study participants must have been unable to sit independently by 12 months or unable to walk by 18 months and must be seizure-free or have seizures that are adequately controlled.
Researchers at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, in collaboration with Cord Blood Registry, are commencing an innovative FDA-regulated clinical trial to investigate two forms of stem cell therapy in children diagnosed with cerebral palsy. The study aims to compare the safety and efficacy of an intravenous infusion of banked cord blood stem cells to freshly harvested bone marrow stem cells.
Dr. Charles Cox, the principal investigator of the study, notes that "there is preclinical data indicating that the ongoing neuroinflammatory response is a driver of further injury in CP so the hope is to reduce this neuroinflammation." "Our goal is to break the cycle of inflammation and injury," adds Cox.
For additional information regarding this clinical trial, sign up here.
Recruiting efforts are underway to enroll 30 children, between the ages of 2 and 10, diagnosed with cerebral palsy: 15 with a CBR processed and stored cord blood unit who may be administered an autologous stem cell infusion and 15 children who may undergo a bone marrow harvest and autologous stem cell infusion. To evaluate improvement in functional status among participants, five children in each group will be randomized to a placebo control group during the baseline/treatment visit.
Parents will not be informed if their child received stem cells or were given a placebo until the 1-year follow-up examination. At that time, parents whose children were administered the placebo may elect to have their child receive the stem cell treatment, either through bone marrow harvest or cord blood. In order to be eligible to participate in the cord blood arm of the trial, families must have a qualified CBR processed unit that was collected at birth.
The trial will enroll 10 children who have their umbilical cord blood banked with Cord Blood Registry, have experienced a perinatal stroke and who meet the inclusion criteria for the study. Children up to 6 years of age who suffered a perinatal stroke and who have access to their own CBR-processed cord blood cells may be eligible for the study. Please contact us if your child meets these criteria and is suffering from the effects of a stroke.
Families who have saved their children's cord blood with Cord Blood Registry® now have access to a new use for the stem cells. A new clinical trial will investigate using a child's own cord blood stem cells as treatment after a pediatric stroke. Below are details on how Cord Blood Registry is helping uncover new potential uses for cord blood stem cells.
While stroke is often thought of as a disease of the older population, the other time in life when risk is highest is from 28 weeks gestation to 4 weeks old. Stroke occurs when blood flow is interrupted to part of the brain, leading to the destruction of brain cells. Stroke is one of the top 10 causes of death for children64. This trial is important because 50 to 80 percent of surviving children will have permanent neurological deficits35. If you think your child may be eligible for this FDA-regulated clinical trial, please complete this form.
Clinical trials are evaluating cord blood stem cells for their ability to help conditions and injuries like autism, pediatric stroke, cerebral palsy, and traumatic brain injury. Currently, all FDA-regulated clinical trials require the use of a child's banked cord blood stem cells. Several of these trials are only available to children who have their own stem cells banked with CBR.
The inclusion criteria for each trial are different. To get connected to future clinical trials that are open to CBR families, please visit CBR's Center for Regenerative Medicine.
Regenerative medicine is a new approach to treatment. It's all about establishing normal function in the body through exciting areas such as gene therapies, tissue engineering and cell-based therapies, which stem cells play a vital role in1. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has identified the value of this cutting-edge approach and stated that "regenerative medicine is a rapidly growing field of biomedicine that will revolutionize health care treatment2." In fact, it's estimated that 1 in 3 people in the U.S. may benefit from a regenerative therapy in their lifetime3.
In addition to current, FDA-regulated clinical trials, the same types of stem cells that are found in cord blood and cord tissue are being used in early-stage research. Although researchers can't say what these studies will yield, newborn stem cells are demonstrating a growing range of potential uses across a variety of therapeutic areas.
A study published in June 2010 in the journal Spine, found that newborn cord blood stem cells can improve the neurologic function of rats after an acute spinal cord injury.24 The rats treated in the study experienced a significantly improved recovery of locomotor function (the ability to move from place to place) over a six-week period compared to untreated rats. In addition, six weeks after treatment, the injured area was noticeably smaller in the treated animals than in the untreated animals. This study adds to the growing body of evidence that supports the therapeutic potential of cord blood stem cells for nerve repair.
Research shows that mesenchymal stem cells from cord blood may significantly reduce lung injury and inflammation in infants suffering from bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). BPD is a lung disease that usually occurs in premature infants who receive ventilator support and oxygen supplementation to treat respiratory distress. The damage associated with BPD can lead to long-term complications and even death. Recent animal studies suggest that newborn stem cells may offer a treatment option.15
Mesenchymal stem cells found in cord tissue are being evaluated in animal studies for their ability to treat ishemic stroke, a condition that occurs when an artery to the brain is blocked. Animals treated with cord tissue stem cells experienced a decrease in the size of injury, with increased blood flow to the affected area. Treated animals also experienced increased motor control, likely due to the stem cells' ability to secrete factors that promote blood flow and encourage the brain's natural healing process.16
Early laboratory studies suggest that mesenchymal stem cells from cord tissue can help improve motor function in animals afflicted with Parkinson's disease, a disorder of the nervous system that affects movement. One study indicated that the stem cells reduced some functional effects of the disease, making stem cell treatment a potential therapeutic strategy.17
Alzheimer's disease is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that is characterized by insoluble protein deposits in the brain called beta amyloids. A study evaluating the effect of human cord blood mesenchymal stem cells on Alzheimer's disease in mice showed a marked reduction in beta amyloids, as the stem cells actively migrated to the affected parts of the brain. These results have led to human clinical trials.18
Peripheral artery occlusive disease, a hardening and narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the arms and legs, can result in decreased blood flow to the limbs, which could result in pain, wounds that don't heal properly, and a noticeable change in skin color. Animal studies using stem cells from cord blood show promising results in the creation of new blood vessels and restoring blood flow. In animals, limbs injected with cord blood stem cells experienced an increase in the number and density of blood vessels over the limbs that weren't injected.20
Early laboratory studies evaluating the effects of mesenchymal stem cells from cord blood on liver cirrhosis showed significant improvements in function after infusion. Liver cirrhosis is characterized by tissue scarring, fluid retention, and risk of infection. Results of stem cell infusion showed increased generation of glucose and insulin, which improves liver function.21
According to laboratory research conducted at the University Hospital of Munich in 2008, umbilical cord blood may help repair defective heart valves in infants. In the study, stem cells were seeded onto eight heart valve scaffolds constructed of a biodegradable material. The bio-engineered valves acted similarly to natural heart valves when they were tested for normal blood flow and pressure. Over time, the scaffolds dissolved, leaving behind fully formed valves made from the stem cells.22
In March 2010, researchers at Columbia University made significant progress in an area of regenerative medicine focusing on bone repair. They report that they created a tissue-engineered jaw bone using mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow. These stem cells, which are also found in cord blood and tissue, naturally generate connective tissue such as bone and cartilage, making bone regeneration one of the most investigated therapeutic areas for mesenchymal stem cells today. These studies demonstrate the possibilities of bringing tissue-engineered bone to the operating room. A number of global institutions are testing tissue-engineered bones from a variety of mesenchymal stem cell sources for safety and feasibility.23
Early studies are investigating the effect of human cord blood stem cells on wound healing in diabetic mice. Slow wound healing in diabetics may be caused by poor circulation, nerve damage, or complications with the immune system. Results of these animal studies show a significantly accelerated healing process in the mice that were injected with cord blood stem cells, especially those injected directly into the wound. Researchers also found, as the wound healed, the number of newly formed blood vessels increased in the mice that received the cord blood.25
Rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and pain in the joints, is triggered by an increase in the number of certain cells in the joints. Laboratory studies using mesenchymal stem cells derived from cord tissue were able to slow down the increase of these cells in the joints and suppress their inflammatory effects. Researchers note that injecting cord tissue MSCs in mice reduced the severity of the disease on a whole.26
Collecting cord blood is a simple, safe, and painless procedure that usually takes less than five minutes and happens immediately after birth. After the umbilical cord has been cut, the remaining blood in the cord is collected. Your healthcare provider will be familiar with this procedure and does not need to alter the normal birthing process in any way. The cord blood is then shipped to the laboratory, processed, and frozen in cryogenic storage tanks for long-term preservation. If you do not save your baby's cord blood, it will be discarded after birth.
Cord tissue collection is safe for both the mother and baby and can be done after vaginal or C-section births. After your baby's umbilical cord has been clamped and cut, and after cord blood collection, your doctor or midwife will collect a 4- to 8-inch segment of the umbilical cord and place it in the CBR CordCup® container. The collection kit is then returned to CBR's laboratory by an express courier.
If you do not save your baby's cord tissue, it is discarded as medical waste.
Cord blood stem cells have been successfully used in transplant medicine for more than 20 years. Cord blood has been used to treat many life-threatening diseases including leukemia, other cancers, blood disorders, metabolic disorders, and immune diseases.
Cord blood also is being used in regenerative medicine research, where stem cells are being evaluated for their ability to induce healing and regenerate cells to repair tissues. Clinical trials are evaluating a child's own cord blood stem cell infusions as experimental therapies to treat cerebral palsy, brain injury, juvenile diabetes, and acquired hearing loss.
Your physician will determine if cord blood stem cells should be used and if one's own stem cells or a matched donor's would be the best course of treatment. Like other medical procedures, therapies using cord blood may involve risk, which should be discussed with your physician.
Yes. In transplant medicine, having more stem cells can improve medical outcomes, including faster recovery and fewer complications.
GvHD is one of the most common and life-threatening side effects of using stem cells from another individual or "donor" to treat the patient. In fact, GvHD is the leading cause of death following a transplant. GvHD occurs when the transplanted stem cells from a donor recognize the recipient's body as foreign and attack it. Stem cells from cord blood are less likely to cause GvHD than bone marrow or peripheral blood stem cells. Family banked cord blood can help reduce GvHD and improve treatment outcomes because:
HLA matching is the criteria used to determine donor and recipient compatibility. In cord blood, it generally refers to six proteins called human leukocyte antigens (HLA) that appear on the surface of white blood cells and other tissues in the body. A transplant would only be performed if there is an adequate HLA match between donor and recipient. A perfect six out of six match is best. Siblings are the most commonly used related donors.
Based on published regulatory guidelines and current science involving cryogenic storage of cells, cord blood stem cells should remain useful indefinitely, so your family may be able to use the cells for diseases and injuries that occur decades from now.
Like any medical procedure, newborn stem cell treatments may involve risks, which should be discussed with your doctor. Ultimate use of newborn stem cells will be determined by your treating physician.
The practice of letting the umbilical cord remain attached to the baby for some period of time after the baby is delivered prior to clamping and cutting the umbilical cord.
Yes! Providers have been able to collect a sufficient volume of cord blood even when practicing delayed cord clamping. An informal survey of collectors who routinely practice delayed cord clamping showed that they are able to collect adequate volumes of blood. Providers who practice delayed cord clamping can maximize the collection volume by keeping the bag and ActiveFlo chamber below the level of the cord and placenta to enhance the effects of gravity.
Cord blood collection is painless, easy, and safe for both mother and newborn. The cord blood is collected after your baby is born and the umbilical cord has been clamped and cut. The cord blood being collected is blood that would normally be discarded after birth. Your caregiver will not alter the normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your baby's cord blood. Cord blood collection can take place after a vaginal or C-section birth and collection can still be performed after delayed clamping.
Click here to view CBR's pricing options for saving your newborn's cord blood and/or cord tissue stem cells.
The first-year fee for newborn stem cell banking is similar to common household purchases, such as a vacation or a new TV. After the initial collection and processing, the annual storage fee works out to be about $11/month.
Compared to the other ways you already protect your family, such as home or auto insurance, saving your baby's cord blood could offer the most valuable protection of all. Because if you ever need it, the lifesaving potential of cord blood stem cells is priceless.
CBR offers several options to help make cord blood banking affordable for every family:
CBR also offers a Newborn Possibilities Program, which provides cord blood and cord tissue collection, processing, and five years of storage at no cost to families with a medical need.
Learn more about the value of cord blood and tissue banking and your payment options for saving this potentially lifesaving resource.
CBR has special pricing available in the event of multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.). Click here to view our multiple births pricing.
Today, family banking is not an FSA or HSA eligible expense. In order for cord blood banking — or any service or product that falls under the category of "Ineligible Expense" per IRS sec 213 (d)(1) — to qualify under a plan or program, a health care professional must provide evidence of medical necessity with the infant or other family member covered under the HSA/FSA for the cost of harvesting and storing cord blood to be an eligible medical expense.
Similar to services like circumcision, your provider may charge a fee to collect your newborn's stem cells. Please check with your insurance carrier to see if they cover this fee.
Your baby's banked stem cells belong to your baby. As your baby's legal guardian, you act on your baby's behalf in deciding what to do with the stem cells until the child turns 18 years old. After the child is 18 years old, only he or she can decide what to do with the cells. If you terminate the storage contract with CBR before the child turns 18, you are deciding that it is your child's best interests to not save these stem cells anymore. In such case, CBR will own the sample. If you terminate the storage contract after the child turns 18, we will attempt to contact the child for instruction on whether to terminate the account.
The CBR Gift Registry is available to any family that is interested in storing their child's newborn stem cells with CBR. You do not have to be enrolled with CBR's cord blood banking service in order to start your gift registry.
Parents who register with the CBR Gift Registry can easily share their personalized registry page via email, printed announcement cards, or through various online social networks. Anyone can contribute prior to your baby's birth. Your CBR Gift Registry will automatically close when your newborn's sample is received and stored. If a contributor has specific questions about our gift registry, they may call 1.877.CORD.BLOOD (Mon – Fri: 6am – 5:30pm PST).
The CBR Gift Registry only accepts contributions online with a valid credit card.
To contribute to the CBR Gift Registry, you will need a valid credit card including the 3 digit code found on the back of the card. All credit transactions are secured with SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. Your account will be charged immediately after you authorize your contribution.
If you opt to pay your processing fee in full, your contributions will be deducted from the amount you would have paid. Remember, you are not charged until after your baby is born. For example, you opted to pay in full once the baby is born ($1,995) and receive $900 in contributions. Your new total due would be $1,095 once your baby is born.
Your account closes on the day your baby's newborn stem cells arrive at the lab so we can reconcile your account before you are billed. Once your account is closed, it will no longer accept additional contributions. You will still be able to log in and check your account and remaining balance but you will not be able to send announcements.
All contributions will be refunded directly to the contributor's credit card.
By participating in CBR's Gift Registry, you consent to have your information viewed by visitors to this site. Your name, state, and month due will be displayed. In addition, you are authorizing CBR to send an email (Gift Registry announcements) to your friends and family on your behalf.
If you do not enroll in CBR's service or do not store your newborn's cord blood stem cells, contributions to your CBR Gift Registry account will be refunded back to contributors. Contributions will be refunded directly to the credit card of the contributor.
The Terms and Conditions that govern www.cordblood.com apply to www.cordblood.com/giftregistry.
Call 1-888-588-1292 for One-Step ShippingSM* when your baby's cord blood is ready to be shipped to our laboratory.
Hospital pickup is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please have the following available when you call:
CBR's One-Step ShippingSM* option makes returning your collection kit to our lab as simple as one phone call. CBR prearranges shipping with an experienced courier service. In order to take advantage of One-Step ShippingSM, you must use the enclosed airbill to return the kit.*
You may check the status of your collection kit while in route to our lab by entering the airbill number (8 digit number printed in red on the top right-hand side of the airbill) on Quick International's website: http://quick.aero/quickintl. We will notify you by e-mail when your collection kit reaches our lab.
* You are not required to use the One-Step Shipping option; you may use any express courier of your choice.
As part of our complete customer service, we notify each of our clients after their newborns' stem cells have been stored. If you provide CBR with your email address, you will receive instant notification the moment your baby's cord blood is received at our lab. You will also be contacted by phone within seven business days of the sample being processed. Your baby's Certificate of Deposit will be available through your online account three weeks after the cord blood has been received. This certificate can be viewed and printed for your records.
Should the need arise, CBR will work with your physician to make arrangements for confirmatory testing, release, and transportation of your baby's stem cells to a designated hospital.
The enrollment process is quick and easy. We offer two methods of enrollment for your convenience — either online or over the phone.
Call 1.877.CORD.BLOOD
Monday through Friday, 6:00 am to 9:00 pm PT
Saturday and Sunday, 6:00 am to 4:00 pm PT
We will ship your CBR CellAdvantage Collection Kit immediately after your enrollment is complete.
Enrolling with CBR means that you have decided to save your baby's cord blood with CBR, a family bank. Saving privately means that your baby's stem cells will be available for your family's use, should the need ever arise and the family member is an HLA match for the stem cells. There is a fee to save privately, but you will not be charged until after your baby's cord blood is safely stored.
Many babies arrive before their due date. You only have one opportunity to bank your baby's cord blood and cord tissue, so we strongly recommend making the decision during your second trimester, if possible. However, CBR can overnight a collection kit to you if your due date is near.
CBR has participated in hundreds of adoption cases for our clients. We are very experienced with the unique issues surrounding the adoption process as it relates to newborn stem cell collection and storage. For more details, please contact a Cord Blood Education Specialist at 1.877.CORD.BLOOD.
CBR takes confidentiality seriously. Because of the sensitive nature of families' medical information, all CBR employees sign confidentiality agreements. The collection and use of your personal information is governed by our privacy policy. Click here to view our privacy policy.
We proudly serve clients in more than 80 countries around the world. International couriers are available to provide customs clearance and typically provide delivery to our laboratory within 36 hours of collection. International shipping fees will vary.
The purpose of processing is to separate stem cells from the rest of the cord blood, producing a sample that can be used safely and successfully.
CBR uses AXP® processing technology when separating out the cell concentration rich in stem cells from your family's cord blood collection for ultimate precision. The AXP AutoXpress® Platform* is FDA-cleared and automated to assist with cGMP (current good manufacturing practice) and cGTP (current good tissue practice) compliance.
Product Feature77
|Benefits to Our Families
|Automated, functionally closed, sterile system for volume reduction of blood components.
|Consistently provides high recoveries of stem-cell rich MNCs from cord blood.
|Quick and accurate data tracking with XpressTRAK® software.‡
Having more stem cells for treatment has been shown to improve medical outcomes.10
Additional resources comparing cord blood processing methods
Reference: Rosenthal J, Brown HL, Harris DT. Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2008;14(2). Abstract presented at the 2008 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation (ASBMT) Annual Meeting.
Reference: Papassavas AC, Gioka V, Chatzistamatiou T, et al. A strategy of splitting individual high volume cord blood units into two half subunits prior to processing increases the recovery of cells and facilitates ex vivo expansion of the infused hematopoietic progenitor cells in adults. Int J Lab Hematol. 2008;30(2):124-132.
Reference: Kurtzberg J, Cairo MS, Fraser JK, et al. Results of the cord blood transplantation (COBLT) study unrelated donor banking program. Transfusion. 2005;45(6):842-855.
CBR has processed and stored more than 550,000 cord blood and cord tissue stem cell units and has helped many families use their stem cells for lifesaving transplants and other therapies. Our long history of experience and proven track record delivers confidence in the quality and dependability of our service.
Red blood cell depletion or reduction is a procedure performed by almost every cord blood bank prior to cryogenic storage. It is the process of removing most of the red blood cells from a cord blood sample before storage.
Most cord blood banks, including CBR, remove the majority of red blood cells from the sample because they may cause severe complications if the sample is used in a transplant. Red blood cells are not part of the healing stem cell population in your baby's cord blood, so removing them has little effect on the cells you want to save. CBR's processing system separates the red blood cells from the lifesaving stem cells. Our published cell recovery rate of 99% is the highest in the industry and based on the cells you want to save.
Cryogenically frozen red blood cells often burst when thawed for use. Jagged red blood cell fragments in a transplant unit may lead to complications such as anemia, jaundice, and shock, if the cord blood is used in treatment.
Also, keeping the red blood cells requires using more cryopreservative for freezing. Increasing the amount of cryopreservative also increases the likelihood that nausea, vomiting, and side effects to the respiratory, cardiovascular, and central nervous system can occur.
Your baby's cord blood will be stored at Cord Blood Registry's state-of-the-art laboratory and storage facility in Tucson, Arizona, which is one of the safest cities in the nation in terms of risk from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, winter storms, and tornados. Our 80,000-square-foot laboratory is the largest newborn stem cell bank in the world with some of the most advanced technology in the industry. We currently have the capacity to safely store cord blood for more than 5 million newborns.
Our processing, quality-control, and quality-assurance metrics are in accordance with FDA guidelines, and we are accredited by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) and certified by CLIA (a federal program to ensure quality laboratory testing). CBR's laboratory technology provides secure, long-term protection for your baby's stem cells.
CBR has created the world's only collection device designed specifically for cord blood stem cells.
Cord blood collection is safe and painless for you and your baby. Your healthcare provider does not need to alter the normal birthing process in any way.
Radiopaque needle cover offers extra safety:
gives physician control over sterility and blood flow.
covers the needle before and after cord blood collection.
sends any blood remaining in the tubing after collection into the bag, resulting in higher collection volumes.
Our unique ActiveFlo® chamber allows physicians to visually monitor the collection, helping to maximize blood flow and collection.
CBR chose to use heparin because it is proven to be safe. It is a more effective anticoagulant than CPD in contributing to a higher cell recovery69.
Dry heparin anticoagulant in the ActiveFlo chamber gives your healthcare provider clear visibility of blood volumes, reducing the risk of ending the collection too soon.
CBR created the first cord tissue collection system in the U.S., including CordPrep® and CordCup®, to protect the tissue and minimize contamination during transportation to the lab.
provide instructions to make the collection process simple.
Unique kit design folds into a crush-resistant, temperature protected, and electronically tracked device that actively transforms into a cube to help ensure that it is protected and delivered safely.
In 2007, CBR launched the Healthcare Provider Network (HPN) as a resource center for education and information about cord blood collection services. Because cord blood collection is typically not covered by insurance, CBR reimburses healthcare providers for their time and effort in providing a professional service. CBR only provides payment for collections to physicians and midwives who are affiliated with the Healthcare Provider Network. The HPN seeks to:
CBR does not compensate doctors affiliated with the HPN for patient enrollment or referrals. CBR's client enrollment forms advise patients that healthcare providers in the HPN are compensated for the collection procedure. Client contracts are consistent with the American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommendation that physicians disclose financial interests. More information from ACOG is available here: Umbilical Cord Blood Banking
Additional resources: See how heparin benefits our families during collection
Cord blood collection is safe and painless for you and your baby. Your healthcare provider does not need to alter the normal birthing process in any way, except to collect your baby's cord blood after the cord has been clamped and cut. Cord blood collection is a simple procedure that usually takes about 5 minutes.
More than 35,000 healthcare providers have collected cord blood for our clients at more than 3,500 hospitals and birthing centers throughout the U.S. and in more than 80 countries. We have provided extensive educational resources and training to physicians, midwives, and hospitals to help ensure effective collections.
Yes. Your collection kit should be kept at room temperature both before and after your baby's cord blood and cord tissue collection. Never refrigerate the collection kit or expose it to freezing temperatures or extreme heat, like in a closed vehicle or car trunk.
All cord blood collections require the use of an anticoagulant, which prevents blood clot formation and loss of stem cells during transit. Heparin and CPD are both anticoagulants to prevent blood clots from forming. Bone marrow stem cells are routinely collected in heparin, while whole blood donations are routinely collected in CPD. The selection of an anticoagulant has an impact on processing, collecting, and transporting stem cells. It is important to have your stem cells collected using the anticoagulant of choice for stem cell collections.
Yes. For over forty years, standard physician protocol has been to collect bone marrow-derived hematopoietic stem cells in heparin. These are the same type of stem cells found in cord blood. In addition, dry heparin helps physicians collect a larger volume of cord blood and allows for greater cell recovery during processing.
Heparin and CPD are both anticoagulants to prevent blood clots from forming. Bone marrow stem cells are routinely collected in heparin, while whole blood donations are routinely collected in CPD. The selection of an anticoagulant has an impact on processing, collecting, and transporting stem cells. It is important to have your stem cells collected using the anticoagulant of choice for stem cell collections.
Anticoagulant selection impacts the number of stem cells recovered during processing. This is critical as the Total Nucleated Cell count, or TNC, (a cell population rich in stem cells) is a primary selection criterion for transplant physicians. Lyophilized (dry) Heparin has a 17% greater mean TNC recovery in the product storage bag than units collected in CPD69.
Dry heparin allows cord blood to be collected without dilution, preventing acidification and other dilution-related issues. Prolonged exposure of cells to an acidic environment, similar to that found with CPD at low blood to CPD dilutions, may induce losses in cell viability and can adversely impact cell recovery.76 Compared to CPD, lyophilized heparin does not dilute the cord blood and increases cell recovery up to 73%, over the wide range of cord blood sample volumes collected by family banks.70
Anticoagulant and transport time can have a significant impact on cell viability and concentration.
A study recently published in Transfusion reported that for cord blood units collected in CPD, cell viability was significantly affected by the collection volume and time to freezing. Researchers believe that the decreased viability in smaller volume collections may be due to a higher ratio of CPD anticoagulant to blood.72
Cord blood collection occurs after birth, immediately after the umbilical cord has been cut. The remaining blood in the cord is drawn into a collection bag. Your healthcare provider can collect cord blood after a vaginal or C-section birth. The CBR CellAdvantage® collection system helps experienced providers collect more cord blood.
Yes. CBR's cord blood collection system is fully sterile and may be used following a C-section.
Yes. Typically, collecting more cord blood means collecting more stem cells. This is important because having more stem cells for treatment can improve medical outcomes if the cells are needed for transplant. That's why CBR's CellAdvantage collection system is designed to collect more cord blood. The combination of CBR's anticoagulant and superior processing technology yields us the highest published stem cell recovery rate in the industry.
No. You will receive a CBR CellAdvantage Collection Kit from CBR or your healthcare provider. Your kit contains all the items your healthcare provider needs to safely and painlessly collect your baby's cord blood and cord tissue. However, you must remember to take the kit with you to the hospital when you deliver.
For the best results, we recommend our clients call the One-Step Shipping number as soon as possible after collection. With CBR's One-Step Shipping, the collection kit is typically delivered to CBR's Arizona facility from anywhere in the U.S. in less than 19 hours.
Time is critical for the preservation of newborn stem cells. After 20 years and 500,000 cord blood and cord tissue stem cell collections in 3,500 hospitals in over 100 countries, we've become experts in stem cell transport. With one phone call, CBR's convenient One-Step ShippingSM service arranges an express courier pick-up from your hospital room so you can relax with your new baby and know your baby's stem cells are safe.
To be safe, CBR uses dry heparin anticoagulant to help ensure collections remain viable in the case of unavoidably long shipping times.
CBR works with Quick International, a private courier service with 30 years of experience as the market leader in the transport of cord blood, tissue, organs, and the US blood inventory.
CBR's safe shipping device and private medical courier gets your kit to the lab fast for processing. This means that, no matter where a family gives birth, their baby's cord blood may be safely stored before mom and the little one head home.
Your baby's cord blood will be stored at Cord Blood Registry's state-of-the-art laboratory and storage facility in Tucson, Arizona, which is one of the safest cities in the nation in terms of risk from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, winter storms, and tornados. Our 80,000-square-foot laboratory is the largest newborn stem cell bank in the world with some of the most advanced technology in the industry. We currently have the capacity to safely store cord blood for more than 5 million newborns.
Our processing, quality-control, and quality-assurance metrics are in accordance with FDA guidelines, and we are accredited by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) and certified by CLIA (a federal program to ensure quality laboratory testing). CBR's laboratory technology provides secure, long-term protection for your baby's stem cells.
CBR's One-Step ShippingSM service makes returning your baby's collection kit to our lab as simple as a single phone call. After the collection, the labor and delivery staff will return the collection kit to you or a designated family member. The collection kit is pre-labeled and folds into a crush-resistant cube.
With one phone call, CBR's convenient One-Step Shipping arranges an express courier pick-up from your hospital room so you can relax with your new baby. Real-time tracking and next-flight service to our lab in Tucson, Arizona, helps us ensure fast delivery, which is important for maximum cell viability. You will receive confirmation from us as soon as your baby's cord blood is received and processed.
The safety and viability of your baby's stem cells are far more important than the proximity of the storage location to your home. Therefore, a safe geographic location combined with a high-quality processing system are the most important factors when it comes to choosing a bank. Should your family ever need them, CBR will quickly ship your stem cells to any medical center in the world.
It is also important for the bank's laboratory and storage facility to be in a location that is not subject to major environmental disasters:
Most families will require long-term storage. Therefore, it is important to choose a cord blood bank that is financially stable and more likely to be there if you need your stem cells:
Your baby's cord blood is constantly tracked and easily found through our identification system:
At CBR, all processing, quality control, and quality assurance metrics are in accordance with:
Yes. CBR has a long-term affiliation with the University of Arizona through Dr. David T. Harris, professor of microbiology and immunology. Dr. Harris was the first to preserve a child's own cord blood stem cells for future use.
CBR also has established leadership in advancing clinical research with newborn stem cells. We are the exclusive family bank partner for studies at several prestigious medical institutions, including Georgia Health Sciences University, Memorial Hermann Healthcare Institution and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UT Health).
Yes. CBR's consistent corporate leadership and financial stability is unparalleled in this industry. Our continued investment in the best technology and our state-of-the-art lab demonstrates our commitment to being here for you in the future.
Yes. Our cutting-edge laboratory was designed and built specifically for newborn stem cell processing and storage. At 80,000-square feet and currently holding more than 400,000 cord blood and tissue samples and with the capacity to safely store cord blood for more than five million newborns, our laboratory is the largest newborn stem cell bank in the world. CBR's lab is located in Tucson, Arizona, one of the safest cities in the nation in terms of risk from hurricanes, floods, earthquakes, winter storms, and tornados.
Our state-of-the-art processing, quality-control, and quality-assurance metrics are in accordance with FDA guidelines, and we are accredited by the AABB (formerly the American Association of Blood Banks) and certified by CLIA (a federal program to ensure quality laboratory testing). CBR's storage technology system provides highly secure, long-term protection for your baby's stem cells.
CBR takes confidentiality seriously. Because of the sensitive nature of families' medical information, all CBR employees sign confidentiality agreements. The collection and use of your personal information is governed by our privacy policy. Click here to view our privacy policy.


text:
Test Your Multichannel FM Car Radio
More InfoLess Info
Special services such as the radio data system (RDS), which have long been established in many countries, must also be supported by the test system. Combining the new R&S UPP audio analyzers with the R&S SMB100A signal generators provides the most compact and fastest test solution for modern FM car radios. Read this application note to learn more.
J3rrYcid Posted Aug 31, 2012
What is the reason for the test? Is the radio test used to validate the number of stations and its ability to pick up signals, or is it more of a quality test? When such equipment are needed, does the consumer have the means to do such checks themselves? Thomas - http://www.carid.com/

subset: commoncrawl


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1958 Morgan Plus 4 Drophead s/n 30672, engine no. TS16905E Two Tone Black and Cream with Black Interior Morgan's famously anachronistic sports cars represent the quintessential British... More
1951 Vanguard engined "Flat Rad" Plus Four Drophead Coupe KNP 5 (P2216). Dark Blue with black leather upholstery and black Mohair Hood. KNP 5... More
1955 Morgan Plus 4 Four Passenger Drophead Coupe 2 tone Blue Dark Blue Leather interior Triumph Tr2 powered Beautiful restoration @#21/51 ever built Left hand drive ... More
45 Years of Southern California race history, over 100 events!! The ex Jim Belardi, "Butterscotch" ButterScotch body Irish Green Wings ButterScotch leather, piped in Toffee, all new Walnut burl... More
Morgans evolved slowly retaining distinctive classic Morgan features like the sliding pillar independent front suspension shared with the first Morgan 3-wheelers and the marques... More
1950 marked the last year of the 15 year old 4/4 and the introduction of a new replacement model, the +4. In addition to... More
Chequered Flag International Inc is pleased to offer this 1951 Morgan Plus Four Drophead in Yellow and Black with Black leather. Standard Vanguard engine... More
This 1958 Morgan Plus 4 2C roadster is a very nice example that wears a quality older restoration. Yellow with a black interior and... More
MORGAN: 1953 Plus 4 drophead coupe, rare, early drophead with factory upgrades. Hyman Ltd, 314-524-6000, MO; www.hymanltd.com... More


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Westchester: Palace Malice Preps for Met Mile
Just three opponents have signed on to face Palace Malice in the $150,000 Westchester Stakes (gr. III) May 11, when the 2013 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner returns to Belmont Park.
Just three opponents have signed on to face Palace Malice in the $150,000 Westchester Stakes (gr. III) May 11, when the 2013 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner returns to Belmont Park.
Al Kazeem, a triple group I winner in England last year, has returned to training after proving subfertile at stud, according to the Racing Post.
Grade I winner Grace Hall hasn't raced in 13 months but she makes her long-awaited return in the $250,000 Ruffian Stakes (gr. II), part of the Mother's Day stakes bill at Belmont Park May 11.
This year's $1 million Delta Downs Jackpot (gr. III) for 2-year-olds will be held at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino & Hotel Nov. 22, Boyd Gaming Corp. announced.
J. Keeler Johnson handicaps the Peter Pan Stakes (gr. II) at Belmont Park. read blog
California Chrome had no trouble handling the plethora of speed horses in the Kentucky Derby. Will the new wave of talented speed horses expected for the May 17 Preakness Stakes (gr. I) pose a bigger problem for him?
Adjudged Arlington Million (gr. IT) victor Real Solution has some solid competition from grade II winners Lucayan and Grandeur in the May 11 Man o' War, along with grade III winner Imagining.
Dan the Tin Man, game winner of the Jacques Cartier Stakes on opening weekend of the 2014 Woodbine season, returns to the Toronto track May 11 as the 125-pound highweight in the $150,000 Vigil Stakes (Can-III).
Friday and Saturday are on display for the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby. See up close racing footage, breathtaking scenic shots, the red carpet, fashion, and more! watch video
If Social Inclusion was still having problems with the foot bruise that kept him out of the Sir Bear Stakes at Gulfstream Park, he showed no signs of it when he arrived at Pimlico the morning of May 8.
The annual meeting of Asian Racing Federation members will be held in Mumbai Jan. 24-26. Winfried Englebrecht-Bresges also has been named the new chairman of the ARF.
Arthur Sidney Grace, a veteran horse racing columnist and longtime writer for The Blood-Horse, died April 17 in Tallahassee, Fla., at age 88.
Hall of Fame trainer H. Allen Jerkens, who first arrived at Gulfstream Park in 1947, says his current plan is to remain stabled at Gulfstream year-round rather than return to New York.
Claire Novak and Frank Angst handicap three-year-olds in the Peter Pan Stakes at Belmont Park. watch video
The Jockey Club Tour on FOX makes its first and only stop at historic Belmont Park May 11, with live coverage of the $400,000 Man o' War Stakes (gr. IT) on FOX Sports 1 and FOX Deportes from 4:30-6 p.m. EDT.
While no agreement is in place and the two sides still disagree on some important details, Colonial Downs and the Virginia Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association have moved closer to an agreement.
Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) winner California Chrome moved into the fourth position on the Longines World's Best Racehorse Rankings off his May 3 victory in the Louisville classic.
The $500,000 Los Alamitos Derby (gr. II) July 5 and the $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes (gr. II) July 12 will highlight the stakes schedule during the inaugural summer Thoroughbred meet.
Craig Fravel, president and CEO of Breeders' Cup Limited, kicked off an Asian Racing Conference seminar on 'big events' May 8 in Hong Kong by taking credit for the idea. read blog
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Zayat Stables LLC
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: Steven M. Asmussen
Owner: Stonestreet Stables, McCormick, Harold
Jockey: Calvin H. Borel
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Zayat Stables, LLC, Moreno, Mike and Moreno, Tiffany
Jockey: Mike E. Smith
Trainer: Art Sherman
Owner: Coburn, Steven and Martin, Perry
Jockey: Victor Espinoza
Trainer: Ralph E. Nicks
Owner: GoldMark Farm, LLC
Jockey: Tyler Gaffalione
Trainer: Chad C. Brown
Owner: Sheep Pond Partners
Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr.
Trainer: Bob Baffert
Owner: Kaleem Shah, Inc.
Jockey: Martin Garcia
Trainer: Todd A. Pletcher
Owner: N. Favreau, K. Psoinos and M.B. Tabor
Jockey: Mike E. Smith
Trainer: Christophe Clement
Owner: Speedway Stable LLC
Jockey: John R. Velazquez
Trainer: Kiaran P. McLaughlin
Owner: Godolphin Racing LLC
Jockey: Joel Rosario


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SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea launched a satellite into space from its own soil for the first time Wednesday amid increased tensions after archrival North Korea accomplished a similar feat and was condemned by the United Nations.
The South Korean rocket blasted off from a launch pad in the southwestern coastal village of Goheung. Science officials told cheering spectators minutes later that the rocket delivered an observational satellite into orbit. Officials expect to know today whether the satellite is operating as intended.
A crowd gathered around a TV at a train station in downtown Seoul to watch the launch. "I'm proud we have entered the ranks of satellite powers," office worker Hyun Day-sun said.
The launch is a culmination of years of efforts by South Korea – Asia's fourth-largest economy – to advance its space program and cement its standing as a technology powerhouse whose semiconductors, smartphones and automobiles command global demand. North Korea's long-range rocket program, in contrast, has generated international fears that it is getting closer to developing nuclear missiles capable of striking the U.S.
South Korea's success comes amid increased tension on the Korean Peninsula over North Korea's threat to explode its third nuclear device. Pyongyang is angry over tough new international sanctions over its Dec. 12 rocket launch and has accused its rivals of applying double standards toward the two Koreas' space programs.
Washington and Seoul have called North Korea's rocket launch a cover for a test of Pyongyang's banned ballistic missile technology.
North Korea recently acknowledged that its long-range rockets have both scientific and military uses, and Kong Chang-duk, a professor of rocket science at South Korea's Chosun University, said the same argument could apply to the South.
Seoul may eventually be able "to build better missiles and scrutinize North Korea with a better satellite," Kong said. "... There are dual purposes in space technology."
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. had observed the "successful" satellite launch.
She said there was no basis for comparing the South and the North's rocket programs. Unlike the North, the South has developed its technology responsibly and is an active participant in international nonproliferation agreements, showing its program has no military intent, she said.
"The North should not see it as a threat because they too can enjoy the same transparency with regard to the program that the rest of us have, which is a far cry from how the DPRK behaves," Nuland told reporters. DPRK stands for the formal name for North Korea.
Both Koreas see the development of space programs as crucial hallmarks of their scientific prowess and national pride, and both had high-profile failures before success.
South Korean satellites were already in space, launched from countries including Japan, the United States and Russia. Seoul tried and failed to launch satellites on its own in 2009 and 2010; more recent launch attempts were aborted at the last minute.
U.S. experts have described the North's satellite as tumbling in space and said it does not appear to be functioning, though Pyongyang has said it is working.
Pyongyang's state television made no mention of the South Korean launch, but about an hour after liftoff it showed archive footage of North Koreans cheering the North's three-stage rocket from last month. Images from the launch frequently appear in North Korean propaganda.
The satellite launched by Seoul is designed to analyze weather data, measure radiation in space, gauges distances on earth and test how effectively South Korean-made devices installed on the satellite operate in space. South Korean officials said it will help them develop more sophisticated satellites in the future.
South Korea did need outside help to launch the satellite: The rocket's first stage was designed and built by Russian experts. North Korea built its rocket almost entirely on its own, South Korean military experts said earlier this month after analyzing debris retrieved from the Yellow Sea in December.
Kim Seung-jo, South Korea's chief space official, told reporters that his country should be able to independently produce a rocket capable of putting a satellite into orbit by as early as 2018.
Spending on science and technology is expected to increase under South Korea's incoming President Park Geun-hye, who takes office next month. She pledged during her campaign to increase such spending to 5 percent of the South Korea's GDP by the end of her five-year term.
South Korea launches rocket weeks after N. Korea
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Here you will find a collection of multi-disciplinary, interactive
exercises and activities based on the Sun and solar science, most
geared to grades 4-12. Most of these have been aligned to science
standards and approved by the NASA Product Review process.
The Stanford Solar Center has developed punch-out spectrographs suitable for grades 4-12.
These are available for free, but you need to pay a small shipping/handling fee.
To support the spectrographs, we have also developed
a number of educational resources including PowerPoints, comics, videos,
Check out the "Build Your own Spectrograph" activity below.
Spectrographs can be obtained through the non-profit group
Astronomers Without Borders. For information:
How to order spectrographs.
Want to inspire your students by using authentic solar data in your classroom? We have 2 new
opportunities for you:
SDO Data in the Classroom .
This series of research activities was designed for introductory physics and/or astronomy classes in community
college, but could easily be adapted to high school. Students observe near-real-time images of
solar activity, develop hypotheses relating to them, and produce their own videos to follow
up on their research. Web-based. Received rave reviews from the students!
The people at Sun|Trek from the University of Cambridge hav developed a series of
Suntrek Classroom Projects using Real Solar Data,
based on imagery from the SOHO, SDO, and Hinode solar missions. These investigations are designed
for grades 9-10 and focus on mathematics.
Want a scientific instrument for your classroom, so your students can collect and
analyze authentic scientific data? Check out our
SID Space Weather Monitors.
View Jay Pasachoff's second edition of his highly-successful
Colors and Motions of the Sun video.
Covers the role of eclipses and spectroscpy in studying the Sun, as well as solar telescopes and spacecraft.
Nice introduction to solar science for grades 9-12.
Check out the awesome educational site Sun|Trek
from the University of Cambridge! And try our adaption of their
Classroom Projects using Real Solar Data (based on the SOHO, SDO, and Hinode missions)
Spectrographs can be obtained through the non-profit group
Astronomers Without Borders. For information:
How to order spectrographs.


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Hidden Stonehenge: A Temple in North America Reveals the Key to Ancient WondersPaperback
List price $23.26
You save $4.51 19% off
Free delivery worldwide
Dispatched in 1 business day
When will my order arrive?
- Publisher: Watkins Publishing
- Format: Paperback | 384 pages
- Dimensions: 173mm x 246mm x 28mm | 1,021g
- Publication date: 3 April 2012
- Publication City/Country: London
- Illustrations note: col. Illustrations
- Sales rank: 1,118,938
Product description
Hidden Stonehenge is a remarkable chronicle of one man's drive and determination to uncover the mystery of Canada's Stonehenge in the remote plains of southern Alberta, abandoned centuries ago and largely forgotten ever since. Astonishingly, it not only predates England's Stonehenge by about 800 years but also predates Egypt's pyramids. It has been proven that the calendar its design encapsulates is slightly more accurate than the Gregorian calendar currently used internationally. The author, Gordon Freeman, discovered the extensive Sun Temple more than twenty years ago, and he has dedicated almost the same number of years to unravelling its meaning. At the heart of his book is a detailed comparison betweent the Sun Temple and Stonehenge. He reveals that 5,000 years ago Britons and Plains Indians made precise astronomical observations at these two sites halfway around the world from each another at nearly the same latitude. These similarities make us think again about the supposedly 'primitive' nature of prehistoric peoples' understanding of the cosmos.
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Author information
Gordon Freeman was born in 1930 in Canada and was introduced to Stone Age artefacts at the age of six. His father collected stone projectile points and stone tools from the prairie after dry winds had blown away tilled soil. He has visited archaeological sites around the world. In 1980 he discovered an ancient Sun Temple in southern Alberta and has studied it ever since. He has an M.A. from the University of Saskatchewan, a Ph.D. from McGill and a D.Phil. from Oxford.


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City : Hotel Moab
Country : Hotel USA
Star rating : 3 star hotel
The hotel river canyon lodge Welcome to Moab! Let the River Canyon Lodge An Extended Stay Inn And Suites be your host to fun and adventure. Whether it's biking, jeeping, hiking, or sight seeing, The River Canyon Lodge will have a nice clean room for you. The River Canyon Lodge's downtown location is central to restaurants, shops, and galleries. Moab is a destination resort town located near Arches and Canyonlands National Park, the Colorado River, and the famous Slick Rock Bike Trail. Moab offers hiking, biking, river rafting, four wheeling, fishing, and much much more!! Our accommodations include a pool, hot tub, and Suites with refrigerator, microwave, wet bar, coffee maker, hide-a-bed sofa, sitting area, one queen bed, window seat, 25" television, and extended cable (ESPN, HBO, DISNEY). Double and single rooms are also available.it is a totally non-smoking hotel. River Canyon Lodge - an extended Stay Inn and suites is located in the center of town, 1/2 block from shops, restaurants, and galleries. Nearby Airports * Canyonlands Field - 18 miles * Walker Field - 115 miles * Salt Lake City - 255 miles (source: Hotel.info)


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Meet Bjb1932! We caught up with new member bjb1932 and asked a few fun questions. Get to know your new community member and don't forget to say Hello! EP: Good evening and welcome. Wonderful... [more]


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After flubbing his plan for an attack on Syria and being trapped into a Russian-sponsored process designed to preserve the Assad regime, President Obama doesn't have much foreign-policy credibility these days. But what little he has left is about to be spent on a new diplomatic initiative with Iran that will apparently be kicked off this week in New York with a face-to-face meeting between the leader of the free world and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. Perhaps even more than Obama's effective handing off of responsibility for Syria's chemical weapons to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the appointment with Rouhani will make it clear that this administration has no appetite for a confrontation with its enemies, signaling a new era in the Middle East in which the tyrants of Tehran and Damascus and their terrorist auxiliaries need not fear the United States.
That is a conclusion that the president's defenders reject absolutely. They claim that whatever the provenance of the Russian proposal or the lack of "style" points (to use the president's own words) in his fumbling approach to Congress on Syria, if it results in Assad losing his chemical weapons it is still a good thing. They argue that Obama's inability to pull the trigger on Syria will have no impact on Iran's evaluation of American intentions on its nuclear ambitions. Further, they say the U.S. has nothing to lose in talking to Iran and much to gain, since failure in negotiations will simply strengthen the president's hand when he then decides to use force.
If the administration was operating from a position of strength and with its intentions to uphold its interests undoubted, then these arguments might make sense. But the problem with both the Syrian fiasco and the opening to Iran is that it is no secret that the president has agreed to them out of weakness, not strength. What's more, both the Syrians and the Iranians know it. The United States may be still be the world's sole superpower and Syria and Iran midgets by comparison. But so long as these countries and their Russian friend know America is led by a man who choked when he could have struck Syria and is desperate for excuses to avoid the confrontation he has long threatened Iran with, they know who has the upper hand in talks.
Jeffrey Goldberg remains one of the more sensible of Obama's defenders and he has rightly derided the president's record on Syria as "disturbing." He also rightly puts down Rouhani's charm offensive as "nothing more than public relations until proven otherwise." But he also continues to cling to the notion that what has brought about the unsatisfactory deal with Russia on Syria and enticed Rouhani to come calling was Obama's "toughness." But for any objective observer to categorize the U.S. stance in the Middle East as "tough" requires us to come up with a new definition for the word.
Goldberg concedes Obama looked bad on Syria but still insists that his threat of force made any deal possible. But what happened was damaging not just because it has resulted in what looks to be U.S. acquiescence to Assad remaining in power indefinitely but because it showed that the president wouldn't follow through once he had threatened force. In other words, the world now knows the president lacks the will to act on his own authority and is also sadly aware that there is a bipartisan congressional majority opposing any use of force. That's a worse blow to U.S. credibility than if he had never issued any threats at all. The notion that Obama will now be empowered to strike if the Syrians and Russians thwart accountability on chemical weapons is absurd. They know very well that no matter what John Kerry says, the administration has moved on and will never attack Syria.
As for Iran, Goldberg also gives Obama credit for imposing tough sanctions on Iran that has created pressure on the regime. He also thinks the team of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu playing "bad cop" to Obama's "ambivalent cop" can force Iran to make a nuclear deal that will work. But the record of the last five years in which Obama's actions have never matched his rhetoric has convinced the real boss in Tehran—Supreme Leader Grand Ayatollah Ali Khamenei—that what was needed was a soft voice to entice Obama into endless negotiations, not the cartoonlike harshness of Rouhani's predecessor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. By meeting with Rouhani, Obama is signaling that he is falling for this tactic. But rather than Rouhani being on the spot as Goldberg insists, it is actually President Obama who will feel the need to make concessions to keep the talks going so as to avoid being put in a position where he will be forced to act.
Iran wants sanctions lifted, but there is no evidence that the supreme leader is the one who thinks he's in a corner. The ayatollahs have already observed that the one place Obama never wants to be is in a corner where he is forced to back up his threats. Meeting with Rouhani and treating this more presentable thug as an equal and a negotiating partner will send a signal throughout the Middle East that Iran is emerging from its diplomatic isolation. Combined with its triumph in Syria where, along with the Russians, it has saved Assad, that allows the Islamist regime to believe it can string out the West for as long as it needs to achieve its nuclear ambitions with no real fear that the U.S. will ever pull the plug on the talks or back up its threats.
Goldberg is right when he says that the only constant in the world is change. But if there's one thing we've learned it is that President Obama and his foreign-policy team are incapable of reacting to the shifting sands of the Middle East or to present their positions to the world in a way that makes dangerous regimes fear us. Whatever follows from these diplomatic initiatives will be the result of the president's weakness, not his strength.


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7:42 am
Fri April 19, 2013
Boston Marathon Bombers Described As Chechens
By Staff
Originally published on Fri April 19, 2013 9:45 am
Steve Inskeep talks to NPR's Corey Flintoff in Moscow for reaction to news that Boston Marathon bombing suspects are from Chechnya. One suspect has been killed and the other is on the run. Authorities have encouraged Boston-area residents to shelter in place.