Anti-Inflammatory Drug Breakthrough

medicalnews.com/medicalnews.php?newsid.6409

A biochemist professor in Israel used BL 3030 to treat mice that had severe rheumatiod arthritis, surprisingly after 6 days of treatment the mice showed improvement. The drug shows promise in treating inflammation in elderly caused by arthritis. I found this article interesting because there isn't many medical alternitives to treat patients with arthritis. Inflammation in elderly has proven to cause severe medical problems. The study of BL 3030 may prove this method as a safe alternative to treat inflammation in arthritis patients

Pacemakers and Exercise

I had wondered if patients with pacemakers were able to exercise normally and if the pacemaker could change the heart rate. According to this article (www.clinsci.org/cs/109/0493/1090493.pdf) varying the heart rate with exercise doesn't change cardiac output or increase cerebral perfusion. Apparently it does not matter that pacemakers only cause one contraction rate.

Vitamins A, C and E don't help you live longer

Researchers at the Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark are reporting that the popular vitamins do not aid you in living longer. The study was conducted with over 230,000 people and data is suggesting that the vitamins had no effect on life excpectancy when taken in pill form. Some theories are that antioxidants work better when eaten in food rather than just taking a pill. Also, when looking only at quality studies the researchers found that taking the people taking the vitamins had a higher risk of death. With Americans spending 2.3 billion dollars a year on nutritional supplements and vitamins, this research could cause companies that have invested time and resources into researching new nutritional supplements to lose lots of money.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17364607/

Adenosine Teaches The Lungs To Cope With Low Levels Of Oxygen

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=63737

(ok... so I think I finally have one that hasn't been posted yet...)

This article is about hypoxia and the possibility of hypoxic preconditioning being used to protect the body from some of the severe effects of hypoxia. This would involve expose to moderately decreased levels of oxygen. Because inflammation is often a response of the body to hypoxia, by preconditioning the body, the inflammtion could be reduced, and the side effects of this would then be decreased. In studies done on mice, the decrease in inflammation was due to adenosine, which is produced by cells exposed to hypoxic preconditioning. Adenosine inactivated a protein (cullin-1) that is required for NF-kappa-B, which is a pro-inflammatory regulator, activation by a process known as deneddylation. This study was done on lung tissue, however, more studies will be done on whether this same mechanism would protect other tissues from the severe effects of hypoxia.

Color Sensor Breath Test Can Detect Lung Cancer

This sounds pretty cool. There is a new revolutionary breath test that can be used to detect lung cancer with "moderate accuracy" even in the early stages. This test uses a chemical color sensor that can detect tiny changes in the unique chemical signature of the breath of people with lung cancer. When a patient has lung cancer, the lung cancer cells undergo metabolic changes, leading to the production of volatile organic compounds, which are detected in the breath of these patients. A study on the test reveals that it can be used to accurately predict the presence of cancer in approxiamately three out of four people with lung cancer. Another important characteristic of the test is that it is not affected by age, gender, or stage of disease. In the past, other methods have been used, such as gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, but these require more skill and are quite costly.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=63860

Micro Bubbles

Micro bubbles is a new form of ultrasound that is capable of tracking cancer and metastases. Small gas bubbles are injected into a vein. The bubbles circulate through the body and collect in suspicious areas. The new ultrasound allows the detection of these bubbles quickly and safely. The bubbles do eventually disappear when the gas within dissolves into the blood. The article goes on about this new method very interesting.

http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=1321

Micro Bubbles

Micro bubbles is a new form of ultrasound that is capable of tracking cancer and metastases. Small gas bubbles are injected into a vein. The bubbles circulate through the body and collect in suspicious areas. The new ultrasound allows the detection of these bubbles quickly and safely. The bubbles do eventually disappear when the gas within dissolves into the blood. The article goes on about this new method very interesting.

http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=1321

Two weapons ready for AIDS fight

According to this article from http://news.monstersandcritics.com/health/features/article_1271040.php/Two_weapons_ready_for_AIDS_fight, two new drugs have been developed to combat HIV virus. The first drug, Raltegravir, made by Merck, is an "investigative integrase inhibitor that blocks HIV replication. Integrase is one of the three enzymes the virus uses to duplicate itself. The other two enzyme inhibitor drugs have already been developed. The other drug, Maraviroc, developed by Pfizer, is a CCR5 inhibitor. To put it in plain language, "in order for HIV to enter a cell, it has to go through a doorway. The virus is like a key to that door, but it requires a receptor, CCR5 or CXCR4, to turn the combination of that lock." Both drugs are shown to reduce HIV virus load in 77% to 98% of patients whose virus have developed immunity to other drugs. This means that people who were on the ropes to heaven/hell has say about another 2-3 years to live until those drugs fail. While this break through in HIV medicine is noteworthy, I have a few problems with it. As you all probably know, I'm somewhat of a social critic who has a rather sarcastic view of the world. These drugs will not cure a HIV infected person; the drug will just prolong their meaningless/miserable life. It's like gambling in Vegas, you might come across some good luck, but you know the house always wins in the end. This discover opens two scenarios. A. an AIDs patient has the money for the drug, but knows that he/she will only live for 2-3 more years. B. an AIDs patient doesn't have the money and will certainly die but knows that he/she could have been saved to stay alive for a little longer. Both cases are depressing, I don't know which one is worse, knowing that death is imminent or the fact that you are going to die sooner, but could have been saved. This leads to my final point. While those drugs are great, they only benefit those who can afford it. The wealthy are but a small percentage of people who catch AIDs. It's like how the poor are usually obese. (Only the rich has the time and money to eat healthy and get a personal fitness instructor.) If we really want to do something about this epidemic, we need to target the high risk groups. Otherwise, I say, it's better being dead. You save your family money and the long emotional ordeal over the years, not to mention the contribution to decreasing number of HIV/AIDS carriers. I'd rather see my loved one die and get on with life than knowing that they are struggling physically and mentally every day just to go through life. That's not life, that's torture for every one involved.

Some Vitamin Supplements Increase Death Risk Say Researchers

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/healthnews.php?newsid=64100\

The title of this article caught my eye. The article says that research from a recent study suggests that taking certain vitamin supplements actually increases your risk of death. An international research team reviewed the published evidence on beta carotene, vitamin A, vitamin E, Vitamin C and selenium and then published their findings. Many people take these dietary supplements because they are antioxidants and should improve health and guard against diseases like cancer and heart disease by eliminating free radicals. Antioxidants are also thought to slow down the aging process, which promotes their use even further. When looking at the studies with the least bias in them, the researchers found that Vitamin A increased death risk by 16 per cent, beta carotene by 7 per cent, and Vitamin E by 4 per cent. As for Vitamin C, the results suggest that it increases death risk by 6 per cent, either on its own or in combination with other supplements. An interesting find in this study was that selenium appears to reduce death risk by 10 per cent, either on its own or in combination with other supplements. These results are only for dietary supplements, and usually death risk increases when too much is taken. The conclusion of the study was that research shows that beta carotene, vitamin A and vitamin E may increase mortality risk, but vitamin C and selenium need further study. There is the possibility that the data from these trials could be slightly off because some of the patients may have already been sick.

Reasons given for the results of this study were that possibly free radicals, that are thought to cause the oxidative stress, really are the byproducts and there is another underlying cause. Another theory is that free radicals may play an important role in the immune system and eliminating them causes a problem. Between 10 and 20 per cent of people in Europe and North America take dietary supplementsm, so finding more conclusive data on this is important.

Electroporation Cancer Treatment

The shocking technology is carried out by Inovio Biomedical, in which the potential membrane of cells are disturbed with electroporation to create openings for drugs that would otherwise not be able to diffuse into the cells.

This greatly enhances the amount of drug taken into a cancerous cell and has the added advantage of reducing side effects.

Check out the full article at http://biz.yahoo.com/seekingalpha/070226/27991_id.html?.v=1

Possible Down's Syndrome Treatment

Down’s syndrome, a genetic disorder caused by an extra chromosome, leads to a learning disability, the severity of which ranges from mild to severe. A new theory attributes the learning disability to over activity of the drug GABA in the brain. The hypothesis is that the over activity of GABA slows nerve cell activity. Fortunately, a new drug pentylenetrazole has been found that will suppress or block the action of GABA. If the GABA were to be suppressed, then normal brain activity could be restored or acquired. This drug has been tested in mice that have been genetically altered to have the equivalent of Down’s syndrome. They showed signs of improvement after 2 weeks and were able to maintain the improvement for a month after treatment stopped. These are amazing results; however, the drug has not been approved for human consumption and will need to go through extensive tests and human experiments before it will be able to be used as a treatment.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6396473.stm

Antioxidant Supplements Tied to Death Risk

http://news.aol.com/topnews/articles/_a/antioxidant-supplements-tied-to-death/20070227174509990001?cid=2194

Last semester, we learned about free radicals. Antioxidants (such as Beta carotene, vitamin A, and vitamin E) are believed to fight these free radicals, which are atoms formed in such a way that they can cause cell damage and possibly lead to cancer. The article contradicts the negative beliefs associated with free radicals. Instead, it says that with increased synthetic supplemental antioxidants (and therefore decreased free radicals), we "interfere with some essential defensive mechanisms." This lack of free radicals was determined to cause a five percent (a conservative estimate) higher risk of mortality than those not given supplements.
The study was a review of 68 studies that looked at nearly a quarter-million people, but it has a lot of critics who say that it is flawed. The opponents argue that the conclusions are based largely on studies of people who were already chronically ill before they were treated with the supplements. I found this article interesting because I like to explore controversial subjects and make my own judgments about them. I found this especially intriguing because we had focused so much on free radicals last semester, and the study directly contradicts what we learned. However, I think more research needs to be done to make a sound decision about the subject. If antioxidants actually do increase the likelihood of death, then something needs to be done quickly because 10 percent to 20 percent of adults in North America and Europe -- up to 160 million people -- may consume the supplements involved.

Breath Test to Detect Lung Cancer

Scientists have known that there are certain chemical changes that happen in a person's breath when they acquire lung cancer. Now, by detecting the presence of these chemicals, non-invasively, through a simple breath test, they will be able to detect lung cancer in patients. Chemicals called volatile organic compounds (VOCs), are produced by lung cancer cells and these compounds are then breathed out. What the new machine, which is about the size of a U.S quarter dollar, will do is that it will detect these VOCs and through a similar reaction as in the pH strips, the presence or absence of VOCs will change the color of the strip on the machine, and thus confirm or deny the presence of lung cancer in the patient being tested. During the current research, about seventy five percent of patients with lung cancer were confirmed using this method, and in some cases, even the early stages of lung cancer were detected through this technique. This detection method may be crucial in helping detect early stages of lung cancer in patients because it is fairly difficult to treat it during the late stages. Also, the inexpensive cost to build and supply this small hand-held machine will prove as a useful weapon in the battle against lung cancer.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6387773.stm

I thought that this article was very interesting in that it really shows that there are many advances in the detection of different types of cancer. I think that it is amazing that a simple reaction was used to change color, just like a pH strip, to accurately detect presence of lung cancer.

Child Asthma

The rate of child asthma has gone up in the last few years in the industrialized countries. Due to this fact researchers are trying to understand why. As for a team of researchers led by Juha Pekkanen the underlying cause is living conditions in the home. After doing an extensive analysis with many children, ones in homes with mold and ones without the ones with mold were much more likely to develop child asthma. According to their research there is a chemical in the cell walls in certain funghi that can induce a immnune response. However the mecahnism is unknown at the time. This might be a problem that can be fixed and child asthma rates may be able to be brought under control.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=64078

MRI Finds Hidden, High-Risk Fat in Teens

In this particular article, it examined a new technique to determine the fat content in teenagers. Researchers used two current MRI techniques to examine the fat content in the abdomin of 30 teenagers: single-slice MRI and multislice MRI. The overall main focus of this study was to determine the heart disease risk in teenagers.

After completing the research, the teams compared the results to the two currently established techniques, anthropometry and DEXA. It was concluded that this technique is an improvement over the current techniques. It allowed for much more accurate information of the abdomin whereas the anthropometry was not very precise and DEXA involved radiation. An important notice is that this technique is only for research right now and not for public use.

It is very interesting that they are improving on this technique.

http://health.msn.com/centers/diabetes/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100156844

Asthma Demographics

This article talks about how asthma-related morbidity and mortality have risen sharply in the USA since the late 1970s. Hospitalization for asthma, a potentially avoidable outcome, is an important population-level marker of asthma severity. Several studies of adults were done and it was concluded that two demographic factors (low income and non-white race) were associated with a greater risk of hospitalization for asthma.

The hospitalization rate, another population-level marker of asthma severity, remains substantial, generating nearly one-half of all US health care costs for asthma, Hospitalization rates for asthma have actually increased in some demographic subgroups, such as young adults and the urban poor, despite recent therapeutic advances. The relationship between low income and asthma hospitalization has many potential explanations, including inadequate health care access. Low income persons in a population-based survey were approximately three times more likely to report difficulty paying for physician bills or prescription drugs than those persons with higher income

Reliance on the emergency department for urgent asthma care was also associated with a greater risk of subsequent hospitalization. Greater asthma severity, as indicated by recent asthma hospitalization and systemic corticosteroid use, was related to an increased likelihood of hospitalization.

http://respiratory-research.com/content/pdf/rr37.pdf

Mid-day naps lower the risk of death by heart disease?

New studies have started about the link between a mid-day nap and a decrease in heart diseases. This study was started because researchers were curious as to why the Mediterranean and Latin American countries death rates due to heart disease were lower. The findings were that a 30 minute nap three times a week lowered the risk of dying by heart disease by 37%. The researchers reasoning behind this is that it reduces stress, letting a person's heart rest. This goes along with the SNBAL article we read last friday saying that the heart can heal itself if given time to rest. There have not been enough studies to determine if this is a concrete finding yet, but research is underway.

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/news/20070212/take-a-nap-protect-your-heart

FDA tests bird-flu vaccine effectiveness

According to the Food and Drug Administration, the country's first bird flu vaccine is less successful than formerly thought. After trials, the two shot vaccine seemed to help only 45 percent of adults who had the largest dose of the SA vaccine. A previous test, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in March 2006, suggested that the vaccine worked in 56 percent of the patients. The FDA released the new results prior to a meeting where a panel of experts from outside the organization will review the vaccination, which is the first for the H1N1 strain to try to get the FDA's approval. The study showed that the vaccine would be safe, but it is unclear if it is effective. The original study used interim results; however the more recent study used final data. The more recent study had tougher standards. The effectiveness of the vaccine was "measured by the antibodies patients developed against the flu strain." According to the World Health Organization, 167 people worlwide have been killed by the H5N1 strain of bird flu. Health experts worry that the virus could mutate into a form that could spread easily between people. I found this article interesting because bird flu was discussed in class. A vaccine for bird flu would be a good preventitive measure for a potential mutation.

Hurt-Knees Rx: Surgical method promotes ligament regeneration

NEW GROWTH. Ligament (arrow) is vulnerable to damage in the human knee (left). Cross-section of a recently developed artificial ligament (right) 12 weeks after surgery shows new ligament tissue (green indicates collagen, purple indicates cells) filling the spaces between the polymer threads (white) of the implant.Artville; PNAS

Over 200,000 people tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. Orthopedic surgeons traditionally fix the problem by harvesting another less important ligament from elsewhere in the leg and replacing the torn ACL with this ligament. Scientists at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville may be on track to eliminating the need to harvest the extra ligament; the researchers have developed an artificial ACL that led to new tissue growth in rabbit knees. The scientists implanted rabbit ligament cells into a braided mesh of polyL-lactide which was then formed into an artificial ACL. In just 12 weeks after implantation, significant growth of new ligament was recorded. The polymer is biodegradable, thus the tissue will eventually completely replace the artificial ligament. While many kinks need to worked out and more trials done, this is an exciting development in the orthopedic arena!

http://sciencenews.org/articles/20070224/fob3.asp

Lung cancer 'colour breath test'

Scientists in the US have developed a color test which shows chemical changes in the breath of people with lung cancer. The resulting colors of 36 detection dots detect cancer almost 75 percent of the time. Experts have known for some time that the air a person with lung cancer breathes out is different than that of a normal person. Cancer cells give off special volatile compounds. Dogs, for instance, can smell the difference. This new test is revolutionary because it is the size of a quarter and very inexpensive. The test was able to predict several early cancers that may not have been caught. This is important because lung cancer often goes unnoticed until too severe to fix. I like this article because this is actual biomedical engineering. The scientists took a well known fact and developed a useful device.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6387773.stm

Study shows breath test for lung cancer possible

Researcher reported that a simple breath test can sometimes detect lung cancer in patients even in the early stages of the disease. The test is possible in principle if someone developed amore accurate version because this breath test device, the size of a coin, had many false positives.
Researchers know that tumor cells produce different compounds than normal cells. These volatile organic compounds should be detectable, especially in lung cancer, because people exhale air that is affected by the cells. The devie was made with 36 little spots of compounds designed to be triggered by some of these compounds. These dots would change color if they interacted with the compounds.

Full article:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?chanID=sa011&articleID=AC9409D10EA7B978D52B9E977EF787CC

Advance in Neurotechnology Helps Quadriplegic

A device known as BrainGate was implanted onto a quadriplegic victim’s motor cortex to aid in the function of motor movement. BrainGate contained a brain-computer interface to enable paralyzed victims to control their movement. After the successful surgery, the device allowed the patient to use a TV remote control, move a computer cursor, and operate a prosthetic hand.

Although the tasks performed by the patient are rudimentary, the neuro-implant is a leap in a positive direction for neurotechnology. In the near future, scientists plan on implementing hiccocampus replacements for Alzheimer’s victims, and creating other implants to aid in other medical functions.

Click on the link below to read the article:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/07/17/braingate.donoghue/index.html

Job burn outs likely to develop type 2 diabetes

Studies at the Tel Aviv University in Israel have shown that job burn outs are twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Also when their blood pressure levels were higher than usual, the chances of getting it were our fold higher.They linked high stress levels to higher blood pressures which in turn is a factor in developing type 2 diabetes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6390389.stm

Tanisha Sharma

Brain's Clock Has Millisecond Hand

It is well known that our brain’s has an internal clock that can sense time. This ability of our brain allows us to translate time dependent information, like Morse code. If we were unable to sense time, Morse code would simply sound like one long beep. Research is being done to uncover clues on how this mental clock works. Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles are using an idea called state-dependency to try and figure out how our mental clock works. Using the example of Morse code, they believe when you hear the first beep, a set of neurons fire. This causes the brain to change states and be in a different state than before you heard the beep. Likewise, when another beep is heard the brain changes to another state. Keeping track of the differences between the states allows the brain to keep time. Many researchers now believe that the natural firing of neurons in the brain may give us the ability to sense time.

I found this article very interesting because it related what I heard learned about neuro-physiology and the concept of time.

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2007/201/3

Producing medicines in plant seeds

Scientists from Ghent University have been using plants to make proteins that can be used for medicinal purposes. The plants produce seeds that are made up of proteins that have a very high resemblanceto antibodies found inside our bodies. The researchers have also demonstrated that these new antibodies are just as effective as the ones that already occur naturally.
The advantages of making medicine this way, as compared to current methods, could be huge. It would be less expensive and it could be produced on a much larger scale by growing it like a crop. This could result into lower costs for the consumer and easier production by the pharmaceutical company.
As a future doctor, certain medications that would have once been too expensive for some of my patients may soon become more affordable. Hopefully, money won't be as much of an issue when it comes to saving someones life.

http://www.bionity.com/news/e/60906/?ps=&pw=a&t=&defop=and&wild=yes&sdate=01/01/1995&edate=02/14/2007&sort=1

Molecular Clock and Heart Attacks

In a recent study done by University of Pennsylvania, connections were shown between heart attacks and the internal molecular clock. In this study, mice were taken and the genes that control the internal molecular clock were cut. Since the blood pressure is on a 24 hour cycle of peaks and lows, when the genes were cut out this had a direct effect on the blood pressure. Since blood pressure usually spikes in the morning hours, cutting these genes out can help prevent the pressure from spiking, and thus decrease the chance of a heart attack.

As well as cutting down the blood pressure, these genes have a direct effect on epinephrine and norepinephrine. Since these drugs can dilate or constrict the vessels, these can also have a chance of creating larger risks for heart attacks. When the clock genes were suppressed, these drugs no longer carried an effect when stresses arrived in the normal day cycle. This also decreased the chances of heart attacks in response to stress.

So by shutting off these genes, heart attacks that were caused by early morning pressure spiking, and those that were caused by ep. and norep. drug levels during stress were dramatically decreased.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=63463

-Oliver Hunt

Adipose Stem Cells and the Celution (TM) System

Just recently, a clinical trial has been done to investigate the possibility of using adipose stem cells as a form of effective therapy for heart problem patients. What is more interesting is how they obtain the adipose tissue. The trail by Cytori Therapeutics utilized a system called the Celution (TM) System. This system is able to perform complex tasks that "releases stem and regenerative cells locked within adipose tissue". The system will then extract the cells via liposuction-like procedure. By doing so, they are able to obtain patient specific cells to be used.

The adipose trails
http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/070205/20070205005478.html?.v=1

The Celution (TM) System
http://www.cytoritx.com/products/cs_overview.html
http://www.shareholder.com/visitors/print_release.cfm?releaseid=170799

Tamoxifen Cuts Long Term Cancer Risks

Tamoxifen is a drug that is typically taken by caner patients to prevent their diseased condition from resurfacing, but a new use of the medication has opend doors to new treatments. If has been found that healthy women who are at high risk of disease can take Tamoxifen and benefit from long-term cancer protention. The benefits have been made obvious through the factual results of clinical testing. One of the main areas of success has been seen in the study of breast cancer patients. Studies have shown that cancer has appeared quickly follwoing the removal of the drug from a patient treatmet regiment. Further reaserach is being conducted in regards to a more complete understanding of the drug itself and its usage in the UK and the US.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6378327.stm

Snake Venom Used As Ischemic Stroke Treatment

A new study performed at the Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York shows that a venom extract from the Malayan pit viper could help stroke patients. It was discovered when victims of the viper didn't clot for a few days after the bite. This extract would help by extending the window of treatment time after the onset of symptoms. Currently, sufferers of ischemic stroke only have around 3 hours to begin treatment of symptoms. With the new extract (Viprinex), this window may extend up to 6 hours. When compared with current treatments for Ischemic stroke, the numbers look promising. More research must be done before the drug is available for widespread use but it is an interesting concept that is worth looking into. The full article can be found here.

http://www.webmd.com/stroke/news/20070208/snake-venom-extract-fights-stroke

Diabetic Mothers and Memory Loss

New research shows that children born to diabetic mothers are more likely to suffer from memory loss, and therefore, associated the associated learning disabilities. High blood-sugar levels have been found to affect the development of the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain. Although the exact mechanism of this is not exact, Dr. Tracy DeBoer believes that low iron levels may be associated. In rodents, the fetus of diabetic rodents develops an iron shortage that dampens neuronal activity in this particular region of the brain.

This research is of special importance because it emphasizes the importance of controlling expecting mothers' diets so as to protect the child of the fetus. Also, this research may serve as an explanation for children that suffer from memory loss.

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2007/217/3

Seasonal variations in vitamin D status and calcium absorption do not influence bone turnover in young women

A study was done by the university of Bonn in Germany in 76 females to assess the potential benefit of a vitamin D supplementation during the summer for young women. The researchers concluded the following:

We could demonstrate seasonal differences in fractional
calcium absorption, in urinary calcium and in urinary
phosphorus excretion. This effect of season most likely
depends on variation in serum 25OHD levels. Decreased
vitamin D status and reduced fractional calcium absorption
in winter had no effect on bone turnover due to a diminished
vitamin D susceptibility of young women. Thus, with
a high calcium and phosphorus intake (>1200 mg=d) a
vitamin D supplementation of young females is not
required.

However, postmenopausal women and elderly subjects do benefit from vitamin D supplements.

http://www.nature.com/ejcn/journal/v52/n7/pdf/1600591a.pdf

Autism Gene Discovered

Scientists working for the Autism Genome project have recently discovered a gene named Neurexin 1 that could code for autism after studying 1,500 families, an effort that took 120 scientists from 50 institutions over 5 years. The gene analysis was done using DNA microchip arrays and has fingered the neurexin 1 gene which lies in the 11th chromosome. Despite the good news professor John Burns cautioned: "There will almost certainly be an interaction between several genes so this one discovery doesn't provide a complete answer and may not lead straight to a genetic test but it could be a key step in development for effective treatments as it provides a target for drug development." It is hoped that the new find will help point a direction for future treatment possibilities.

How Much can you learn from Someone's Eyes??

Researchers from Orebro University conducted a study of the irises of 428 people in an attempt to see if personality can be ascertained just by looking into their eyes. They looked at the pits and line on the iris and gave each person a personality test. They concluded that general characteristics such as warm-heartedness and trust or neuroticism and impulsiveness, could be seen in the eyes. The major reason for this they say is the PAX6, a neurodevelopmental gene, which plays a role in determining iris color in an embryo and a mutation of this PAX6 is linked to impulsiveness and poor social skills.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6375381.stm

The New Map Of The Brain

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1580416,00.html

This is a very interesting article about the way the brain is mapped out and what is known about the brain. A fascinating point that was made is "the struggle of the mind to fathom the brain it inhabits is the most circular kind of search--the cognitive equivalent of M.C. Escher's lithograph of two hands drawing one another". The brain is now divided into multiple discrete regions, but still little is known about how when you have a problem with one part of the brain another part seems to help that area out. It is also still unknown about the part of the brain that controls conciousness, which tells us where we are and what we are doing.

Fossil Meat Found in 380-Million-Year-Old Fish

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/02/070212-fossil-tissue.html

An article in National Geographic News has a title to catch the eye (or nose) of seafood lovers: “Fossil Meat Found in 380-Million-Year-Old Fish.” Knowing how quickly fish spoils if left out, this might strike a reader as surprising. This placoderm, an extinct kind of armored fish, was found in the same formation as Gogonasus, another placoderm reported last year in Nature and judged to be an ancestor of tetra pods. Once again, a placoderm fossil from this vicinity is claimed to “shed light” on evolution. Two things are surprising the researchers about this fossil: (1) the soft tissue preservation, and (2) its “many features resembling those found on modern land animals.”

Restororation of Limited Sight to the Blind

About twenty-five million people, six million in the United States alone, have lost most or all of their vision due to diseases such as “retinitis pigmentosa" (RP), and macular degeneration (MD). "Retinitis pigmentosa" (RP) is the slow deterioration of retinal receptor cells, known as rods and cones. These retinal receptor cells are significant in capturing and translating light into an electrical pulse, which the brain then interprets as an image. Macular degeneration (MD) involves damage to the center of the retina and the loss of central vision. As a result, the patient can not focus clearly on objects that are straight ahead. As time progresses, driving, reading and face recognition are all damaged by macular degeneration(MD).

Recently, U.S. researchers have been exploring this new high-tech implant, which has restored at least some sight to people blinded by eye disease. “The prototype artificial retina used an array of 16 electrodes surgically inserted into a diseased eye to function as light-sensitive surrogates for damaged retinal photoreceptor cells.” Six blind patients gained limited ability to distinguish light, see motion, and recognize general shapes and objects from these implants. The second generation retinal prosthesis will be fitted with 60 electrodes, which is an increase that the researchers say will offer the blind the opportunity to acquire higher-resolution sight. Both the original and current versions of the retinal implants are intended to communicate with an external camera and computer. As of right now, when they put those electrodes and stimulate the retina, people can only see spots of light, transforming those spots of light into true images has not yet been achieved. I find this article interesting because eye problems seem to affect a lot of people. Hopefully, someday in the future through this new research and others we will be able to find a treatment to correct poor eyesight and blindness.


Source: http://health.msn.com/healthnews/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100156314

Restoration of Limited Sight to the Blind

About twenty-five million people, six million in the United States alone, have lost most or all of their vision due to diseases such as “retinitis pigmentosa" (RP), and macular degeneration (MD). "Retinitis pigmentosa" (RP) is the slow deterioration of retinal receptor cells, known as rods and cones. These retinal receptor cells are significant in capturing and translating light into an electrical pulse, which the brain then interprets as an image. Macular degeneration (MD) involves damage to the center of the retina and the loss of central vision. As a result, the patient can not focus clearly on objects that are straight ahead. As time progresses, driving, reading and face recognition are all damaged by macular degeneration(MD).

Recently, U.S. researchers have been exploring this new high-tech implant, which has restored at least some sight to people blinded by eye disease. “The prototype artificial retina used an array of 16 electrodes surgically inserted into a diseased eye to function as light-sensitive surrogates for damaged retinal photoreceptor cells.” Six blind patients gained limited ability to distinguish light, see motion, and recognize general shapes and objects from these implants. The second generation retinal prosthesis will be fitted with 60 electrodes, which is an increase that the researchers say will offer the blind the opportunity to acquire higher-resolution sight. Both the original and current versions of the retinal implants are intended to communicate with an external camera and computer. As of right now, when they put those electrodes and stimulate the retina, people can only see spots of light, transforming those spots of light into true images has not yet been achieved. I find this article interesting because eye problems seem to affect a lot of people. Hopefully, someday in the future through this new research and others we will be able to find a treatment to correct poor eyesight and blindness.


Source: http://health.msn.com/healthnews/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100156314

Rett Syndrome

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21215636-662,00.html

Children suffering from Rett syndrome, the most physically debilitating of
all the Autism disorders, usually die in their early teens. Researchers
at Edinburgh Univerisity have located the gene responsible for this
disorder. After replacing the gene MECP2 in mice, the symptoms
disappeared. There is a long way to go before knowing if this is a
potential treatment of cure, but the research definately shows promise. Ms
Morriss, whos daughter was diagnosed with Rett's said "I think it is a
huge development, the biggest since they discovered the disease and gave
it a name in 1983."

Human metabolism recreated in lab

Bioengineers at University of San Diego, California have invented the world's first computer human metabolism model. This model can assist researchers to hypothesis what will happen to the specific cells in human body after use of certain chemicals. It is believed that this new model can assist people in many ways: developing new cures for certain condition of interests (e.g. high cholesterol), diet control, and so on.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6310075.stm
http://technologyreview.com/Biotech/18142/

HIV Protein Activates Apoptosis in Cancer Cells

Researchers at Washington School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered a way to get cancer cells to kill themselves. They have found this by using a portion of an HIV protein called TAT. TAT is a biological transporter that is capable of transporting large molecules around cells. Therefore, when TAT is bound with Bim, a tumor suppression molecule, the cell will go through apoptosis.

Although TAT is from an HIV protein, research has shown it to be very safe. This portion of the protein alone is not capable of causing AIDS. Studies in mice have shown the TAT-Bim combination to be very effective in treating cancers. The goal is to create numerous proteins similar to Bim so that multiple types of cancer can be treated. Currently, the researchers are developing a technique to target specifically cancer cells. Their main focus has been on linking anti-cancer proteins to tracer molecules which will only bind to cancerous cells. They aim at running clinical trials on humans in the next few years.

Erythroblastosis Fetalis

During class today, the subject of erythroblastosis fetalis came up which is a problem which arises when a mother has a negative blood type and her child has a positive blood type. The mother's body then produces antogens which can attack the baby's red blood cells.

The treatment includes giving the woman Rh0(D) immune globulin to prevent maternal sensitization and antibody production due to Rh incompatability, and if fetal blood is Rh positive and the baby shows signs of fetal anemia, the fetus can be given blood transfusions in the uterus by a specialist who cares for high-risk pregnancies. Transfusions occur every 1 to 2 wk until fetal lung maturity is confirmed (usually at 32 to 34 wk), when delivery should be performed.

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec18/ch263/ch263f.html

Fountain of Youth?

Not quite a fountain of youth, but researchers have found that niacin, a component of vitamin B3, may be useful in developping anti-aging drugs. The specific component is nicotinamide, which binds to the enzyme sirtuins and inhibits its activity. This enzyme has been used to extend the life of different organisms. Sirtuins may also be able to help with aging-related metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes and obesity. The way it works is by preventing nicotinamide from binding to the sirtuins. With the information we have now, it is unclear whether it will be able to extend the life in humans, but the possibility that it can help treat diseases is much more palpable.

http://health.msn.com/general/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100155386

Woven Scaffolds Could Improve Cartilage Repair

Using a unique weaving machine, Duke University Medical Center researchers have created a three-dimensional fabric "scaffold" that could greatly improve the ability of physicians to repair damaged joints with the patient's own stem cells. In the near future, surgeons will be able to impregnate custom-designed scaffolds with cartilage-forming stem cells and chemicals that stimulate their growth and then implant them into patients during a single procedure. By taking a synthetic material with the properties of cartilage and combining it with living cells, human tissue can be can be built and rapidly integrated into the body. This is a new and promising approach to tissue engineering!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070206132103.htm

"Switch off" HIV

Although there is no cure for HIV, a new treatment is under preliminary testing to switch the HIV virus off by deactivating a certain protein, resulting in a dormant virus.

http://www.whatsnextnetwork.com/technology/index.php/2007/01/12/possible_to_deactivate_hiv_with_genetic_

Bioengineers at Work

"Human guinea pigs advance medicine" - this article wasn't about a new invention or lastest discovery, but it talks about the 'self-tesing' scientists and researchers, who simply wanted to prove themselves and show commitment about their work to the others. For instance, Dr. Horace Wells, whose theeth had been extracted while testing the Nitrous oxide gas; Dr. William Morton, who conducted 'various' experiments on himself led to great advance in 'anesthesia;' Dr. Barry Marshall drank bacteria which was suspected to cause stomach ulcer and gastric bleeding to prove the bacteria's harmful effect on healthy person. Other than those people mentioned in the article itself, I have seeked few others who 'self-experienced,' and it was really surprising that there were so many human guinea pigs and their meritorious deed upon medical history. I respect, and admire, and hope to have the experiment spirit like theirs - well, not to kill myself, but to advance the medical developments and researches.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6335295.stm

A Prosthetic Arm That Acts Like a Real One

This article is impressed because of our biotechnology. By this technique the patients can use the nerves to control the prosthetic limbs. Basicly, the scientists transplanted to the upper chest both motor and sensory nerves that, prior to the amputation, would have traveled from the shoulder to muscles in the arm and hand. After the surgery, the transplanted nerves grew into the chest muscle. So they can eventually trigger twitches in the shoulder muscle when the patient thought about moving her hand or elbow. Scientists then mapped the precise pattern of muscle activity that occurred when the patient mentally executed specific movements, such as grasping or moving the elbow. There is also a company which can make a specialized prosthetic limb, which was programmed to sense muscle activity generated by the transplanted nerves and use it to control movement of a motorized elbow, wrist, and hand. By that way, the patient was able to use her new arm within a few days, becoming four times as fast on movement tests as she was with her traditional prosthetic.

The link of this article is:

http://www.technologyreview.com/Biotech/18134/

Internet Hype

I caught this article on the front of www.abcnews.com and thought that it brought up an excellent point on effects of the internet and rapid information exchange on medical research. Apparently, information about a potential cancer treatment has caused a lot of hype over the internet while it is still in its early stages, and this movement has taken many by surprise including people at the American Cancer Society. The research deals with DCA, dichloroacetic acid, and its effects on the metabolism of cancer cells. DCA is hypothesized to reverse the cells from the “bad metabolic pathways” or anaerobic pathways to regular pathways that the cell should follow (DCA, an organic chemical, is already being used to treat some patients of rare genetic diseases that produce too much lactic acid). The main point of the article is how the hype placed in such early research can become detrimental because the research is new and not enough is known to justify the “medical equivalent of a tsunami” it has created. The article makes anyone consider when the internet and the rapid exchange of information actually becomes detrimental to the public by raising false, unjustified hopes?

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/story?id=2848454&page=1

Virtual games and "video game therapy"

Nintendo has created yet another video game to no one's surprise : Wii. This is not the usual sit-on-the-couch-and-exercise-that-opposable-thumb-that-evolution-gave-you kind of game, but one where you actually move around and "imitate" the move in the game. Users have actually complained of "soreness, aching backs, etc" because of the exercise. This video game is now being considered for weight loss programs and for therapy for children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (children with only one side of the body partially parlyzed) to encourage using both sides of the body (it should improve motor functions in the weaker side).

http://www.time.com/time/business/article/0,8599,1584697,00.html?cnn=yes

Tiny engine boosts nanotech hopes

Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have made our device design projects from last semester one step closer to reality. This new nano-machine, rotaxane, can perform the task of moving and sorting molecules. It is powered by light and is modeled after molecules in nature that support photosynthesis and other light-incorporating processes.
This successful attempt at a functional nano-machine could likely spark a huge advancement in nano-scale technology in the next decade. The concept of "smart drugs" could take off after this technology is further developed. Maybe our device designs weren't so far fetched after all!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6320781.stm

Nitroglycerin May Help Premature Babies

Many babies are born prematurely. Premature births often cause severe health risks and consequences for those born this way. Many babies don't survive, and many of those that do have developmental problems and/or disabilities later on. Until now no drug has been proven to help improve the health and condition of premature babies before they are born without significant side effects. However, randomized studies have been conducted that show that Nitroglycerin may delay pre-term labor and thus improve the babies' physical conditions greatly with minimal side effects. Nitroglycerin would be easy for hospitals to administer today because it is a drug already widely used in hospital emergency rooms to delay the onset of angina. This, if implemented, could help countless premature babies survive and live more normal lives.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=62186

New role found in toxin-binding protein

Researchers at the University of Wisconsin - Madison found that the toxin-binding protein AHR not only recognizes industrial pollutants, it also helps maintain cardiovascular health. The protein recognizes toxic forms of cholesterol-carrying molecules in the blood and takes steps to eliminate them. In blood vessel linings, it recognizes the misfolded form of LDL. High levels of LDL can lead to atherosclerosis.

The researchers also explain what the source of the misfolded LDL can be - high levels of fluid shear stress. As the LDL travels roughly through the blood vessels, its shape and function can change. The researchers also note that the maligned carrier molecules can cause their own destruction by activating AHR signaling.

Another important note the researchers make is that moderation of this protective mechanism is the key, since high levels of AHR activity can be linked to serious health probelms like cancer and immune suppression.

Article

Nutritional Research and Public Health

Unhappy Meals

In a New York Times Magazine essay entitled "Unhappy Meals," Michael Pollan argues that food has become unnecessarily complicated by science and that, in some very significant ways, food science has proven to be detrimental to public health. Rather than overanalyzing nutrient and caloric intake, he suggests that what humans should eat is very intuitive and simple: "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." He argues that "nutritionism" is an ideology rather than a science and that the research behind faddy foods and supplements is often weak, presently contradictory or subject to future contradictions. In fact, he points out that nutritional research is more beneficial for packaged food producers than consumers, writing that the food industry can quickly re-engineer and re-package processed foods to woo consumers who have already been swayed by the free advertising provided by emerging research. All the while, "real foods" such as fruits and vegetables cannot reinvent and remarket themselves and are left behind.

Furthermore, Pollan suggests that there is a fundamental flaw in nutritional science because it isolates and studies one nutrient at a time. This decontextualizes the nutrient of interest, leading to perhaps misleading results because "people don't eat nutrients, they eat foods, and foods can behave very differently than the nutrients they contain." He notes that any one food a person consumes has a long list of chemical compounds that may work synergistically or individually in unknown ways and that it is futile to try to understand all of these complexities. But the good news is that "you don't need to fathom a carrot's complexity to reap its benefits."

While I do not believe that eating is so hopelessly complicated that it is beyond scientific understanding or that nutritional research does not have public health benefits, I do think that the food industry and people in general become too easily enamored with the latest findings, which generally require much more study to have any applicable value. Moreover, I think that health claims about specific ingredients in a product delude people into thinking a product as a whole is healthy (whole wheat cocoa puffs) and acceptable if eaten in large amounts. Also, just because one thing is proven to be bad for you, does not necessarily mean the alternative is any better (trans fats and interesterified fats).