World First In Medical Robotics: Researchers Successfully Control Wireless Device Inside Artery

World First In Medical Robotics: Researchers Successfully Control Wireless Device Inside Artery
This article really interested me because it showed the issues surrounding nanotechnology and how far we have come in a relavtively short amount of time. We are now able to guide in vivo and via computer control a microdevice inside an artery at a speed of 10 cm per second.
This procedure was carried out under the control of Professor Sylvain Martel, holder of the Canada Research Chair in Micro/Nanosystem Development, Construction and Validation, and in collaboration with researchers at the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM).
They were successful in their project of injecting, propelling and controlling by means of software programs an initial prototype of an device that was not connected to a computer directly which also contained a ferromagnetic 1.5-millimetre-diameter sphere within the carotid artery of a living animal placed inside a clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. Due to their positive results they are now trying to do the same thing with reduced sized blood vessels. This could mean great things for treating many different illnesses.
I find this interesting because of the device design projects that we are working on with our groups. This has proven to us that what we are trying to accomplish is worth it as we try to get nano sized particles in to the circulatory system or just into the body period. It is essential that we have a way to control the bots once they have reached the areas necessary to accomplish their goals. I believe this is just the beginning of what is to come with controlling the ability to control bots and hopefully control that and increasing speeds.

Jonathan Dougherty


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070319113137.htm

Gaining Too Much Weight During Pregnancy Nearly Doubles Risk Of Having A Heavy Baby

A study from Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research of more than 41,540 women and their babies found that women who gained over 40 pounds during their pregnancies were nearly twice as likely to have a heavy baby.

One in five women gains excessive weight during pregnancy, doubling her chance of having a baby weighing more than 9 pounds. So many women gain too much weight, and their baby is at a higher risk of being overweight when born and obese later in life because of it. A big baby may lead to vaginal tearing, bleeding, and often C-sections in women and stuck shoulders and broken collar bones in the babies. Less than 12 percent of the women with normal weight gain had heavy babies.

At greatest risk are the women who gain more than 40 pounds and have gestational diabetes, since nearly thirty percent of them had heavy babies in the study. Only 13 percent of the women with gestational diabetes but gained less than 40 pounds had heavy babies.

“The take-home message is that all pregnant women need to watch their weight gain, and it is especially important for women who have risk factors like gestational diabetes,” said Dr. Hillier, MD, MS, an endocrinologist and senior investigator at the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research in Oregon and Hawaii.

I find this very interesting because of the reproductive lectures in class. Before we can understand in vitro cloning, we first must understand every little detail of the birthing process, and at the moment, scientists are playing with fire. There are too many unknowns, too many variables, and too many unanswered questions.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081031102041.htm

Daniel Grunden

Addiction Breakthrough May Lead To New Treatments

It has often been debated whether or not changes in brain chemistry in drug addicts is caused from the actual drug addiction or if it’s these addicts are inclined to drug addiction. This question has also been associated with people who have compulsive behavior disorders. Until recently, no one was able to find the answer; they only knew that certain chemical changes in the brain have been linked with drug addiction in humans.

Dr. Jeff Dalley and colleagues at the Behavioural and Clinical Neuroscience Institute used PET scans to find that rats that were “behaviorally impulsive” had a lot less brain dopamine receptors than those rats who were more restrained. These “behaviorally impulsive” rats were not exposed to drugs at this time. They were also found to be more inclined to self administer cocaine. The overall findings were that the changes in dopamine receptors came before drug use, as well as being characterized as impulsive or “behaviorally impulsive,” therefore showing that the actual drug addiction is not the cause of it.

These findings are very important for many addictive drugs such as nicotine and opiates. The next step will to find the genes that are responsible for the reduced amount of these certain brain receptors. Further research can lead to helping individuals with ADHD, drug addiction, and pathological gambling.

This article was of interest to me due to our current lectures in neurophysiology. There is still so much to learn about the brain, so any new findings are very exciting and can be of use to biomedical engineers.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070302082810.htm

Janelle Fawver
VTPP 434-502

The Allure of Red

Red has been viewed as the color of love since rituals in ancient times to the modern Valentines Day traditions. The color has always seemed to hold a form of mystique over the mind of men that draws there attention, and, as it turns out, the male brain does find "the woman in red" more attractive.

A recent article in LiveScience presents the results of five psychological exams performed on men by researchers at the University of Rochester. They found that there does appear to be a distinct link between the color red and how attractive a man feels a woman is; even if it is the same woman. The tests consited of such things as showing men a multitude of images of women framed by the color red or wearing red. In the images the men were shown women wearing closthes of various colors and were standing in front of various color backgrounds, however, digitally enhance images of some of the same women showing them in front of a red background or wearing red were shown to the men. In every instance men perceive the women in or framed in red to be significantly more attractive.

The study is belived to be the first to provide scientific data to support the idea that men are more attracted to women when said women are wearing red. The study also mentions that this link between the color red and attractiveness appears to only be present in men and not in women.


http://www.livescience.com/culture/081028-red-attraction.html

Neural Interface System

Scientists have been working for some time to devise a way to enable paralyzed people to control devices with the brain. Studies have shown that monkeys can control a computer with electrodes implanted into their brain. According to a recent news, a professor (and scientist) by the name of John Donahue at the Brown University, Rhode Island, has devised a chip that is capable of reading a human being’s thoughts. It is expected that people using this system, called the BrainGate system, will employ a personal computer as the gateway to a range of self-directed activities. This BrainGate System is based on Cyberkinetics' platform technology to sense, transmit, analyze and apply the language of neurons. The BrainGate Neural Interface System is currently the subject of a pilot clinical trial being conducted under an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) from the FDA.



Matthew Nagle, who was paralyzed neck down in 2001 due a knife attack underwent a pioneering surgery of implanting that chip into his brain and now he is able to control everyday objects just by a mere thought of them. The chip is called the BrainGate (whole system is called the BrainGate system as I mentioned in the above paragraph) and it consists of nearly 100 hair-thin electrodes implanted a millimeter deep into part of the motor cortex of his brain that controls movement. The principle of operation behind the BrainGate System is that with intact brain function, brain signals are generated even though they are not sent to the arms, hands and legs. The signals are interpreted and translated into cursor movements, offering the user an alternate "BrainGate pathway" to control a computer with thought, just as individuals who have the ability to move their hands use a mouse. The computer acts like a TV remote’s control panel and in order to do something the person has to just pass the cursor over the icon which would be equivalent of clicking it. For example, if Matthew wanted to turn on the lights, he has to just think about moving the cursor on the screen to the icon for lights and once he hovers over the icon for lights, the lights are turned on. This was a trivial example but the real help is moving his wheel chair for example, is something that Matthew can now do by just thinking about it. I have a link to the video where you can see Matthew using this amazing device. He has also been able to use thought to move a prosthetic hand and robotic arm to grab sweets from one person's hand and place them into another. During recent experiments four more people, two of them partly paralyzed wheelchair users, were able to move a computer cursor while wearing a cap with 64 electrodes that pick up brain waves.

The long term aim of professor Donahue is to design a package of a size of a mobile phone that will run on batteries, and to electrically stimulate the patient's own muscles (but as we all can imagine, it is extremely difficult to do something like that) and he hopes that ultimately implants such as this will allow people with paralysis to regain the use of their limbs.

This BrainGate system is important to us since we are learning about the brain, its functions, different pathways via which the body’s movement is controlled, and the brain waves that were recently discussed. It is cool and really innovative and can be something that biomedical engineers could be interested in to learn more about.





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDiWFcA0gaw

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4396387.stm


Mithil Chokshi
VTPP 501

Bypassing Paralyzed Nerves

New research has shown that scientists may have found a primitive way to connect animal’s muscles to a single neuron. By electronically connecting a monkeys forearm to it’s brain, it was able to regain motion in an otherwise paralyzed limb. An electrode was implanted into the brain picked up the signal of a single neuron. The monkey then learned to control the activity of that neuron to regain control of the wrist. This experiment proved successful even if the neuron was in a sensory part of the brain rather than one that controls muscle movement. This experiment marks the remarkable flexibility of the brain as well as the first time an animals brain has been electronically linked to it’s muscles. This artificial connection is hoped to be able to replace nerve signals that are blocked in paralyzed patients.

This experiment was performed to show the possibility of completing such a loft goal. However, there is still much research to be done. Skeptics argue that this procedure may not be suitable for restoring motion to paralyzed individuals due to the vast complexity of muscle coordination that was needed. In the aforementioned experiment, the monkey was only able to control two of the muscles in the forearm, allowing for a motion similar to that of revving up a motorcycle. Simple, everyday activities require the use of numerous muscles, each of which would have to be consciously controlled by the individual. This technique would ultimately prove very difficult to train.
Scientists have already been successful in connecting the monkey’s brain to a robotic arm. The monkeys neural activity while using it’s natural arm was observed and decoded, then connected to a robotic arm that would adapt to the monkey. This allowed for the monkey to will the movement of the arm, rather than having controlling each individual aspect. The processing of all this information takes quite a fast computer however. The goal is to ultimately to be able to interpret a signal neuron with chips that can be implanted into the patient. Although this technology is quite a ways off, hope is slowly rising for paralyzed individuals seeking to move again.

Michael Whitely VTTP 434 502

The Blind Shall See, the Deaf Shall Hear

For centuries the idea of curing the blind or deaf was considered miraculous or even biblical. However, recent advances in biomedical technologies have made these ideas a reality. Scientists have been using neural implants to convert natural signals the brain receives from the sensory organs and converts them into electronic input channels. Even though the researchers do not understand every detail of the brain's function, they are understanding the neural codes which the sensory organs (such as the eyes, ears, nose, etc.) give off.

These devices researchers and engineers have created are know as Digital Signal Processors, or DSP's. These DSPs use a variety of microphones, video cameras, pheromone detectors, and pressure sensors to give off sensory input, which is then encoded into neural spike-train and sent to the brain.

One example of this technology is implants for the deaf. In the ear, the cochlea transduces the sound waves vibrating the eardrum, the send a spike train down the nerves and into the brain where it is processed. Those who have hearing problems or are completely deaf usually suffer from damage or some other problem concerning the cochlea. Therefore, these people are in need of artificial cochleas. Physicians can implant a small encased device that connects to the nerve and send aural pulses to the brain. These devices communicate with an electronic ear clip with a microphone, a radio frequency transmitter, and a DSP transmitter. These devices have successfully allowed previously deaf people to hear again, thanks to a combination of medical researchers and engineers.

Another example of these DSPs are the creation of the artificial retina. Artificial retinas have been inserted into patients suffering from retinitis pigmentosa and macular degeneration. These devices consist of mostly an analog chip, roughly 3mm^2, that stimulate the ganglion cells, which are prewired to the optic nerve, resulting in a new stimulation of the visual cortex. After a couple of weeks of adaptation, the user will be able to see very blurringly, but see nonetheless.

This design consists of a video camera mounted on a pair of glasses which sends a mega-pixel scene to a pack worn on the belt, where the DSP and the microcontroller encode the image into a pulse train similar to a natural retina. From there a high radio frequency transmits the information to the implanted artificial retina, which then stimulates ganglion cells.

As of right now the artificial retina far from behaving like a natural retina. Unlike natural retinas that contain millions of neurons in the eye, the artificial retina prototypes of today have a grand total of 16 electrodes. Nonetheless, patients that have had the artificial retina implanted were able to distinguish between two objects after several weeks.

The series of prototypes will consist of greater numbers of pixels, ranging from 64 to 100 pixels. Scientists hope that by the third stage of development, they will be able to use a chip containing 1064 electrodes, but hardware problems such as trying to fit that many electrodes on one chip may prove difficult.

http://www.eetimes.com/story/OEG20030923S0053

Regenerative Medicine

A man accidentally slices off the tip of his finger, and 4 weeks later, it has regenerated back completely and you wouldn’t have known he was missing part of his finger a few weeks earlier. Bogus or fact? Amazingly, a new field of medicine has begun emerged: regenerative medicine. After the man, Lee Spievack, lost part of his finger, his brother, Alan, who is a medical scientist, sent Lee a powder and told him to cover his wound in it. Lo and behold his finger complete again in 4 weeks. The powder is an extracellular matrix which is substance made from pig bladders. The mix of proteins and connective tissues somehow “directs” cells into growing into what is necessary, such as a blood vessel, a nerve, or a muscle cell, ect. It is believed that cells have the potential to regenerate, since “heart cells are programmed to make more heart tissue, [and] your bladder cells are programmed to make more bladder cells”, and that the cells just need to be “activated” into doing so.

This is amazing news for several reasons. If you lose a limb or virtually anything, you could potentially grow it all back (hypothetically) and be perfectly fine as if nothing had happened. Also, this may make prosthetic limbs obsolete, unless prosthetics become better than actual human body parts, such the Cheetah blades, it all boils down to a personal choice and what laws are passed on these medical choices. Regenerative medicine will also help in making transplants 100% effective. Instead of waiting around for a donated organ, one could be made from the person’s own cells in a matter of weeks. This all was quite a shock to me as it opens up so many new doors of possibilities in our lives, and at the same time, it seems unreal that this is all possible. Just imagine how much longer our life spans will be because if an organ starts failing, just find a healthy batch of compatible cells and replace what you want. I guess we’ll have to wait for the future and the heated debate on ethics and morals that will erupt from this new field.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/03/22/sunday/main3960219.shtml

Nicotine's New Appeal

The negative affects of cigarette smoking are well known, including the addiction to nicotine. Smokers have noted that nicotine can calm muscle spasms, increase cognition, and weight loss. Scientists at Targacept Inc are currently working on a series of pharmaceuticals that act similar to nicotine to help improve the brain activity in Alzheimer's disease, decrease tremors in Parkinson's disease, and treating hyperactivity, pain, and mental diseases.

Many neurological diseases are caused by problems with neurotransmitters. While most drugs act on a single neurotransmitter, nicotine can affect many at one time. It binds to several receptors at once, mostly those for acetylcholine. Acetylcholine is known to affect attentiveness, learning, and memory. The drug developed for Alzheimer's disease is designed to bind to the alpha-4-beta-2 receptors in the brain and boost other neurotransmitters.

Much of the research has been inhibited by the views of the negative effects of nicotine, especially that it is very addictive. It is thought that even though the drugs only mimic nicotine that they will still be addictive and cause other unwanted side effects. First time users of these early pharmaceuticals experienced similar effects as first time smokers: nausea, dizziness, and diahrea.

I found this article interesting because scientists are using the effects of a known "harmful" drug and are attempting to modify it to improve the living conditions of the mentally impaired, whether through loss of memory or loss of muscle control.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/37955/title/Nicotines_new_appeal

Brain Regions and Information Stimulus

There has been a pretty significant amount of frustration among foreign language educators of older adults. It takes a significant amount more time in older students than in the younger. It has long been known that a young child has a greater ability to learn things. I believe the term is called plasticity. But why is this? How are these connections made, and why does it seem to degrade with age? Many of these questions are extremely hard to answer because of the lack of understanding available as to how the brain learns and wires connections.

Some pretty interesting new research has been done with the ever hastening advancement in the understanding of physiology. It has been known for some time that there are certain areas of the brain that process certain kinds of information. The frontal lobes are used for abstract thinking/reasoning and planning. While at the back of the brain, or posterior lobes, are involved in processing visual stimulus. While this has been known, why it is the way it is has not necessarily been known too well.

It was believed that we had this genetic imprint from birth of the way that our brains would develop. That this area here would be designated for this kind of information processing and etc… The recent studies, however, have shown that this is not the case. The studies show that specialized functions in the specific locations of the brain are not due to location, but rather the stimulus that is being processed.

When neurons in the visual cortex were transplanted, in a young animal, to regions of the brain involved in sensory functions, they would lose their capacity for processing visual information and began acting like sensory neurons. Also, if stimulus input from the eyes was rerouted to the auditory region of the brain, the region being stimulated would develop the capacity to process visual information.

This is quite interesting and reveals that it is not so much the specific region of the brain but the actual information type that is being processed. It shows the nature of the brain as being a super processor that is like a blank slate and learns to program itself based on the type of stimulus it’s receiving.

How does this all relate? While fully understanding learning and memory is still very far off, more and more research into how the brain works may lead to an ability to get around problems such as slow learning due to age. However, it is clear that it is possible for the brain to reroute, rewire and has great capacity at any age to learn, even things as complex as language. So take that frustration you educators and rest in that advancements are made every day to understanding these problems, and that the labor put into the oldest student is not in vain.

http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/brain.htm

Why Do We Need Sleep?

What happens if we dont get enough sleep? Sleep is an essential period of rest and rejuvenation that plays is an important part of normal body function. Sleep helps to organize memories, improve concentration, and effects emotions, social interaction, and decision making. It also benefits our immune system, nervous system, and development. Without proper sleep, the immune system becomes weak and your body is more suceptable to disease. Sleep is also the period where you undergo neuron repair. Many hormones, substances produced to trigger or regulate particular body functions, are timed to release during sleep or right before sleep. Growth hormones, for example, are released during sleep, vital to growing children but also for restorative processes like muscle repair.Sleep deprevation can be short term, which occurs regularly in college students staying up late to study, or ir can be chronic which is continuous sleep deprevation. Sleep deprivation adds up to what is called a sleep debt, which can range from one night’s very poor sleep to the accumulation of many days of not enough sleep. It can take days to repair from chronic sleep deprevation. Your sleep is regulated by an internal body clock, sensitive to light, time of day and other cues for sleep and awakening. When you fall asleep, your sleep goes in cycles throughout the night, moving back and forth between deep restorative sleep and more alert stages and dreaming. There are four stages, the first of which is drowsiness where you are relaxed but easily awakened, the second is light sleep wehre eye movement stops, body temperature decreases, and heart rate slows. The third is deep sleep whereblood flow is distributed more to the muscles to repair them and your immune system. If awakened during this stage, often feel groggy and disoriented. At about 70 to 90 minutes into your sleep cycle, you enter REM sleep. You usually have three to five REM episodes per night. This stage is associated with processing emotions, retaining memories and relieving stress. Breathing is rapid, irregular and shallow, the heart rate increases, and blood pressure rises.

http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm

Diabetic Awareness Dogs are Gaining Popularity

Being a diabetic for twelve years now I am fully aware of the complications associated with the disease. Last year, in fact, I fell into a hypoglycemic coma in my sleep twice. The paramedics had to be called and it was a frightening ordeal for my family members. I recently ran across an interesting technique, however, to warn diabetics in their sleep if their blood glucose drops to hypoglycemic levels: dogs. That’s right specially trained dogs are now being used to sense when a diabetic’s blood glucose level falls below normal. These dogs then alert the diabetic out of sleep before the patient is too “low” to return to a stable reading. These dogs are able to sense a change in blood sugar by an odor, undetectable to humans, that is produced. These trained dogs are typically very successful and are becoming more popular in the diabetic community. While they are an effective tool, they are quite expensive ranging from $7500 to 25000.

Some of the dogs are also able to be further trained to not only detect low blood glucose levels but high levels as well. These dogs are trained for patients with more severe cases. Many stories have been published about the success of these dogs and the vitality to some of their patient's everyday routine.

While I do not have a dog, my parents have suggested the possibility of getting one. Although no plans have been made yet, there is a possibility that I may own one of these dogs in the future.

www.heavenscentpaws.com
www.allpurposecanines.com/alert.html
healthcorner.walgreens.com/display/1873.htm

-Lance Wyatt
Section 434

Device Allows Monkeys to Move Paralyzed Wrists

Researchers from the University of Washington have found a method for allowing monkeys to regain the use of their paralyzed wrists. What they did was reroute control signals from the brain around the problem area using artificial connections. The hope is that this new finding could become a potential treatment for those with spinal cord injuries that resulted in paralysis.

They set up a very interesting experiment using monkeys. First, they hooked up electrodes to the motor cortex of the monkeys that monitored the cell activity. These electrodes then sent a signal to a computer which was wired to the monkey’s wrists. They injected a drug into the arm of these monkeys that induced paralysis in the wrists. Then they told the monkeys to play a familiar video game (one that they had played before and could do easily). The video game required movement of the wrists, and the only way that they would be able to move their wrists would be to change the activity of the neurons in the brain. The monkeys were able to move their wrists normally using this new system.

What makes this approach so interesting is that it is different; it forces the brain to adjust to something completely different. The brain had to teach itself how to use the computer system and it did very quickly. Many studies had previously been done that look for brain signals to specific parts of the body, yet nothing had been demonstrated about the brain being able to learn a new pathway on its own.

I found this article very interesting because this technology sounds promising for those suffering from spinal cord injuries. The researchers said that this system would be intended for those with paralysis from the neck down, but also said that this technology is still decades away from being used clinically. Another interesting consequence of this study was that it could be used in neuroprosthetic control. This study indicates that it could be beneficial to have direct connections between the brain and different parts of the body which is currently not the way that prosthetics are controlled.

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/pdf/nature07418.pdf
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE49E9RY20081015

Cancer Requires Support From Immune System To Develop

Who would have ever thought that cancer would require the aid of cells in the immune system to grow? At UT-Southwestern Medical School, a research team led by Dr. Luis Parada, are investigating cases of exactly that. Instead of injecting laboratory mice with drugs that attack the tumor, they are concentrating the drug therapy on immune cells surrounding the tumor. The results were a reduction in size and a slowing of the metabolism of the tumor. The research was focused around tumors known as plexiform neurofibromas, which are typically located around peripheral nerves. Due to their location and complexity, these tumors are extremely difficult to remove, and therefore are typically non-curable.

The initial alterations of the mice’s genetic structure provided a lot of information essential to this discovery. They noticed that in order for the tumors to develop in the mice, the Schwann cells had to have two mutated copies of the Nf1 gene, and the other cells had to have at least one copy of the mutated Nf1 gene. In addition, it was noted that before the tumors would even form, mast cells would migrate to the area. This migration indicated the importance of the mast cells, part of the immune system, in the tumor’s formation. The mast cells contain “c-kit”, a molecule on the cell’s membrane that primarily controls cell migration and proliferation. In their experiments, they treated these genetically engineered mice with Gleevac, a drug used in the treatment of other cancers, for its ability to inhbit this “c-kit” molecule. Using PET scans, the results showed that metabolism of the tumor cells had been cut by half, and the size of the tumors had decreased in comparison to the control group of mice.

I found this article extremely interesting, as it deals with both genetics and investigations/treatments of cancers. It also incorporates the nervous system and immune system, both of which we have been talking about recently. Such success in these lab mice is paving the way for clinical trials towards potential human treatment. They were also able to test the effects of Gleevac on a girl suffering from neurofibramitosis-1, and found that the tumor shrank by 70%, left no side effects, and remained dormant for six months after the treatment. With this knowledge, researchers may be able to take a new approach in finding suitable treatments for previously untreatable cancer ailments and tumors.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081030123945.htm

Shawn Schepel
VTPP 434-502

"Cutting By Color"

Surgery, to remove cancerous tissue, has always included cutting away a portion of healthy tissue around the lesion for assurance that all of the bad cells are, in fact, removed. 

Researchers have begun early clinical trials with an imaging system used to emphasize cancerous tissue in the body with color so that surgeons no longer have issues with distinguishing between diseased and normal tissue. Known as FLARE, or Fluorescence-Assisted Resection and Exploration, this new system uses "a near-infrared (NIR) imaging system, a video monitor, and a computer" to target cancer cells after dyes have been injected into the patient. The images that are shown by the video monitor are then "superimposed over the images of the normal surgical field" to provide a better view of what would normally be "invisible." This technique can now be developed for many other uses by coming up with specific agents for different parts of the body to be highlighted for visualization.

As students, we may sometimes find ourselves ignorant of the fact that the colorful and well defined regions of the body are not in occurrence in real life. We use textbooks and aids that accommodate the learning of physiology with pictures that include purple endocrine systems and blue frontal lobes but reality does not offer such visual assistance. With new biotechnology that can provide for well defined, colorful areas of the body, we may be able to memorize the regions as well as the colors when studying and eventually perform more precise and conscious surgeries.  

"Cutting By Color: New Imaging Technique For More Precise Cancer Surgery"

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080819160055.htm

Brittany Sanchez

VTPP 434-502

Nicotine's New Appeal

Throughout history, nicotine has had a pretty bad rap. Known as the main ingredient that gives cigarettes its addictive kick, nicotine has ultimately led to the death of 100 million smokers worldwide in the 20th century, and will led to one billion deaths in the 21st century if smoking trends continue. But let’s face it; there are some good qualities about nicotine too. Smokers may use it to calm jitters, perk themselves up, and (though not suggested) to lose weight loss. Patients of mental illness have a high rate of tobacco smoking because of nicotine’s calming affects. Because of these talents, scientists have sought after compounds that could deliver the “good without the harm,” for over 20 years. Now, they have developed experimental drugs containing molecules that are mere shadows of nicotine that are able to have to positive effects of nicotine. These drugs offer new therapies for diseases that now have few treatment options—boosting cognition in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, calming hyperactivity, relieving pain or treating mental illness. Similar drugs are also in early testing for Parkinson’s disease, inflammation and even obesity. How do these nicotine-like drugs work, you say?

Well, to start off, the brain has a myriad of nicotinic receptors. Receptors are like docking stations, allowing molecules to attach to a cell and set a chain of events in motion. Normally, in a tobacco-free existence, these receptors are not waiting around for nicotine, but instead for acetylcholine (which nicotine just happens to be an “impostor” of), a powerful neurotransmitter associated in the brain with attention, learning and memory. Chemists have produced molecules with selectivity for only one particular nicotinic receptor type at a time, particularly with nicotinic receptors alpha-4-beta-2 and alpha-7, which are both very common in the brain. In 2006, researchers released the results of a study of a nicotine-like drug designed to improve cognition in people with Alzheimer’s disease. The drug is designed to bind only to the alpha-4-beta-2 receptors in the brain and boost other neurotransmitters. After taking the drug for 16 weeks, patients showed improvements on tests of attention and memory.

Also, there has been evidence that the nicotinic drugs have not shown signs of causing cravings or dependence. This means that, for the first time in human history, drugs may come along that have a nicotine-like relationship with the brain in a way that has nothing to do with addiction. This means that, for the first time in human history, nicotinic drugs may come along that have a nicotine-like relationship with the brain in a way that has nothing to do with addiction; which is a much, much better improvement than its past life-killing reputation.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/feature/id/37955/title/Nicotines_new_appeal

Tarah James
Section 502

Wireless Tumor Tracker: An Implantable Dosimeter

Researchers at Purdue University are in the process of developing a "dime-sized" device which will measure the amount of radiation receieved by the tissues within the body after radiation therapy as well as track . Locating tumors can can be difficult with the shifting of organs during body movement. The goal of this device is to monitor the movement of tumors and measure radiation levels.

The procedure will involve placing the tracker in the tumor or the surrounding tissue to track the movement of the tumor or to assess the damage. The small dosimeter will "wirelessly" transmit information regarding radiation exposure and tumor location.
Electrical coils are used to activate the device externally. They are also used to detect the device and locate the tumor. It operates in the same way as electrical microphones. The microphone vibrations change the amount of electricity that can be stored in the device; these changes in electric flow creates a signal which relates information from the dosimeter to the external receiver wirelessly.

After hearing about the advances in the tracking studies and the possibility of cheaper more effective treatment, patients are eager to try something new.

URL:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2006/0905-wireless_tumor_tracker.htm

Acacia Ho

(VTPP 434-501)

What did you say?

Most people have had to ask this question at least once in their lives after a particularly loud event (shooting fireworks, rock concerts, etc), but most do not realize the seriousness of that constant, annoying, high pitched buzzing (tinnitus) after these occasions. Hearing loss is an extremely common phenomenon, and usually is a slow, gradual, almost unnoticeable process. Whenever the ear is exposed to sounds above 85 decibels, nerve ending located in the inner ear are shaken inside their fliud-filled compartments and destroyed. The cells that die first are the ones that resonate higher pitches, and then when those high-pitched sounds drop out, words sound more muffled and conversations become frustrating. Or louder, depending on who you are talking to. The specific mechanism that causes the death of these cells is similar to overloading an electrical circuit. Human ears are structured in a way that causes the nerve endings to vibrate at different rates that are proportional to varying frequencies, and these vibrations are sent to the brain as auditory impulses. When the cells are overexcited, they emit toxic oxidation products that cause them to swell and eventually die.


However, not only absurdly loud noises are the causes of hearing loss. Daily activities such as blowdrying your hair, blaring music through headphones, doing yardwork, vacuuming, working with power tools, and just being in a loud room can affect inner ear nerve endings. Studies show that there is an increasing number of adolescents requiring hearing aids, along with middle-aged people that simply did not realize that certain noises were harmful.


Do not fear! There are several ways you can diagnose and/or prevent hearing loss. By completing a questionaire on health.usnews.com, you can determine the probability that you have any damage to your hearing. These questions deal with several areas such as conversations, TV volume, and telephones. Also, though they may seem unnecessary or silly, certain precautions can be taken to avoid eventual hearing problems. When going to a rock concert where you might have awesome spots right in front of the band (even standing in the back can be damaging), maybe a nice, bright orange pair of ear plugs would complete your concert outfit. Protective ear-wear is also available for work in the yard, garage, or workshop. Lat but not least, if everyone around you can hear the tunes from your Ipod, it's too loud.

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070708/16healy.htm

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070706/6healy.loud.htm

http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/articles/070706/6healy.poll.htm

Jeehyun Park

Virus Detection on the Go

An Australian company has revolutionized the way the medical world will now measure the concentration of viruses in a sample. The company Australo has engineered an instrument that surpasses all competitor’s devices without doubt. Previous models equaled washing machines in size, took days to complete a measurement, and cost about $50,00. The new instrument, known as qViro, is the size of a toaster, portable, calculates the virus concentration in minutes, costs 1/5 the price, and is powered by a computer’s USB port. qViro calculates the viral concentration of single biological molecules by pulling the molecule through a small adjustable hole (nanopore). The technology driving the virus detection is scanning ion occlusion spectroscopy. Using SIOS with fixed apertures to detect particles has been used since the 1950’s, except only at the micro-scale. Bioengineers at Australo have “down-sized” the technology to the nanopore level and allowed for adjustable aperature. The device utilizes nanoparticles coated with antibodies, oligonucleotides, and peptide nucleic acids to detect the presence of target molecules or DNA structure. A reaction with the target molecule causes a change in properties of the nanoparticle which are then quickly and accurately detected by the SIOS instrument. The device is especially unique because if its ability to adjust its aperture, allowing for the detection of a wide range of virus, such as HIV and the flu virus. Rapid calculation of virus concentration in a sample will allow efficient analysis of the effect of anti-viral drugs on specific viruses, proper determination of dosage, and drug regime. These qualities will prove beneficial in the treatment of HIV due the complex and toxic drugs used in treatment. Airborne pollutants toxic to the lungs are among many other dangerous molecules qViro can use its innovative biotechnology to detect.

http://www.news-medical.net/?id=42248

French Scientists Develop Artificial Heart

Its is believed that 20,000 people who need heart transplants a year are unable to receive them because of donor shortage. For this reason, France's leading cardiac surgeon, Alain Capentier of Carmat, has developed an artificial heart that beats in a very similar way as a normal human heart. Using electronic sensors, the heart maintains appropriate blood flow and heart rate, behaving like a human heart, under both stress and when at rest. Several motors power the two chamber heart, pumping oxygen poor blood from the right chamber into the oxygen rich left chamber and then out into the arteries. Oxygen levels are closely monitored within the heart and pump according to need.

Previously developed artificial hearts, while showing some success, have showed flaws, leading to blood clots. This new heart, which is made of biosynthetic, microporous materials, behaves as a "pseudo-skin," reducing the risk of clots. The other problem with previous designs is source of power, which before come from wires that protruded the skin. Capentier is considering various options for power. The battery they are looking into would only last between 5 and 16 hours and would thus require frequent charging. The first method allows the battery to be charged by placing an exterior electric transformer next to one within the skin connected to the battery. The second method places a titanium receiver into the skull. This receiver would be connected to the heart and would only require an external battery near the receiver to power the heart.    

Clinical tests will begin in two to three years time for patients with terminal heart failure. The device has already been successfully tested on sheep and calves and looks very promising. Carmat is looking at about 100 million Euros in funding in the next couple of years, hoping to have the artificial heart ready for an alternative to transplants as early as 2013.

  

The Times

Bayer Health Care in Trouble with FDA

Bayer Health Care has been warned about two over the counter aspirins by the US Food and Drug Administration. The aspirins contain supplements that say they are not only effective for pain relief but also against heart disease. Because of the labels and the supplements; the drugs should have been approved by the FDA. The two aspirins unapproved are Bayer Women’s low Dose Aspirin + Calcium(Bayer women’s) and Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage(Bayer Heart Advantage). The problem with these pills is that they contain two different things in the same tablet. Separately they can be labeled describing them as a drug and dietary supplement, but when they are put into one tablet they are subject to FDA regulation. The FDA is considering them new drugs and therefore must go through the FDA’s drug approval process. Bayer’s Women’s also claims to “fight” osteoporosis. The FDA says “the drugs are misbranded and since such uses take the products out of the OTC category because these conditions should be diagnosed by a health care professional.” The worry with these drugs is that OTC drugs are often misused and without supervision the products can put the consumers at a risk for internal bleeding or other adverse effects. A Bayer spokesperson told press that the company stands behind their products. They believe at the aspirin should be marketed as labeled. Bayer said “advertisements tell consumers to check with their health professional before taking aspirin with supplements” This just shows even drugs sold OTC can be dangers. A consumer has to know what they are taking and if it is what they need to be taking; it doesn’t just need to have a good label.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127229.php

Pain In Chronic Headache Alleviated By Nerve Stimulation Therapy

Up to 35 million Americans suffer migraine and other forms of headache, according to the American Academy of Neurology. A new study from the University of California in San Francisco revealed that a new therapy using a miniature nerve stimulator (as opposed to medication) improved the experience of pain in patients with chronic headaches by 80-95%. This gives the promise of a non-drug treatment option for those unable to handle indometacin, which is the current leading drug to alleviate chronic headache pain and has been known to cause stomach bleeding in some patients.

The device used to issue the nerve stimulation is called a bion and is about the size of a matchstick. It is a rechargeable battery-powered electrode that is implanted near the occipital nerve in the back of the neck where it alleviates pain by generating pulses that the nerve receives. An external wireless remote control can be used to turn the bion on or off. Previous versions of this device have been used in patients with osteoarthritis and dislocated joints of those recovering from stroke.

The study followed six patients from ages 37 to 64 with hemicrania continua, a rare headache disorder (patients have 15 days or more of headache per month). At the beginning, the patients underwent minimally invasive surgery in order to implant the bion at the occipital nerve at the back of the neck. Then each patient received three months of continuous simulation, followed by a fourth during which the bion was shut off, and then a fifth with the bion continually stimulating once more (Switching off the bion enabled researchers to measure whether the device - rather than the placebo affect - was responsible for pain modulation). To test long-term safety and efficacy of nerve stimulation therapy, the patient met up with a researcher and device technician once per month for four months. They also kept diaries once an hour while they were awake, which included a pain severity scale ranging from 1 to 10 points. These diaries were shared with the researcher after the fifth month.

Researchers found that between 6 to 21 months after implantation of the bion, 5 out of 6 patients reported sufficient benefit from the device. 4 out of 6 had improvement from 80 to 95%, one had improvement at 30%, and one worsened by 20%. Overall, the team found that participants not only improved with the bion therapy, but their pain worsened when the bion was switched off during the fourth month. Also, diary entries revealed an overall reduction in the pain score of five to eight points. Not only will this greatly improve living conditions for people with chronic headaches, but this study is also the first systemic use of the second generation of neurostimulators for the alleviation of primary headache, which opens the door for more options. Occipital nerve stimulation is currently being studied for use in migraine treatment. I am interested in this research simply because I have had my share of migraines and would welcome any new treatment options.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/125047.php
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/laneur/article/PIIS1474-4422(08)70217-5/fulltext

Brooke Hallmark
Section 501

OvaSure Renounced by FDA

LabCorp, the manufacturer of a blood test for early detection of ovarian cancer, has agreed to pull the test known as OvaSure off the market. LabCorp expedited availability of the test by an FDA regulation exemption and began selling OvaSure in June 2008. The company claimed the exemption for the product via a government stipulation that allows tests developed and marketed by a single company to bypass federal approval. The FDA, however, claims OvaSure is not eligible for the exemption because it was developed at Yale, not within the company. This claim surfaced after public concern was expressed regarding the accuracy of the test. The test measures the level of six proteins produced either by cancer cells themselves or by the body in response to the presence of cancer. These measurements are then used to calculate the probability of the presence of malignant cancer. The method has shown to have a 0.6-1% false positive result, causing unnecessary surgical ovary removal for patients without cancer. Developers suggest limiting availability to high risk populations and requiring a second test for positive results in order to decrease unnecessary surgeries. High risk populations include women with BRCA1 or BRCA2 genetic mutations and those with a family history of breast or ovarian cancer. The test could also be combined with imaging procedures to verify diagnosis. OvaSure does not effectively detect recurrent cancer.

The agreement raises questions within the industry over efeective regulatory policy. The FDA recognizes the conflict between readily available and efficient diagnostic tools. The Administration began revising the current policy for complex testing procedures like OvaSure two years ago, but has yet to finalize a procedure. Competing companies, such as Vermillion which submitted OVA1 as a similar test for approval in June, believe all products should be held to the same standards. Companies in the private sector can benefit form university research only if they are willing to comply with federal regulation. Even if the procedure is not 100% accurate, it's imporant to have such diagnostic tools. There are other methods available to support or disprove OvaSure test results, but without the test many cases may go undiagnosed. As of Friday, however, OvaSure will not be available to doctors and at risk patients. They will have to wait for goverment approval for this and similar tests, which could be the difference between life and death for some.

Medical News Today Article:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127260.php
New York Times Article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/health/26ovar.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

~Angie Burrer
Section501

Autism and Antiterrorism?

Some of the latest research on Autism being done in the ROAR lab (Research on Autism at Rutgers) is being done in hope that it can be a anti terrorism measure. The research headed by Maggie Shiffrar, investigating Autism on how it affects connections between visual analysis, body movement and our ability to interact. The ultimate goal of the project, which is receiving funding from the department of Homeland Security, is to create computer programs that train people to be able to pick out a terrorist in crowded public areas based on their movements.

Autism is a brain development disorder that impairs ones ability to interact socially, impairs communication and cause restrictive and repetitive behavior. This disease once considered rare is now prevalent in about 1 in every 150 births. According to Shiffrar everyone has autistic tendencies, it is just that most of us exhibit few of them. Her studies have shown that those with Autism identify the movement of people and objects equally, meaning that they see the world without emotion. While those who do not have Autism identify people over objects when given limited information. In her study Shiffrar fillmed the movemens of people, animal, and other objects by placing lights on the key joints. The research subject where then shown the tapes. The subject with Autism could not distinguish between people and the object, while the subjects without Autism easily identified the people from the objects.

It has been revealed that in people with Autism the connection between the amygdala, the portion of the brain that involved with emotion, and the portion that perceives movement is impaired. Shiffrar is focusing her research on determining if this impairment with their visual systme causes their problem with perception of peoples actions or if it is the fact that they isolate themselves form people and that leads to their lack of perception. This arcticle expains why everyone may not be diagnosed with autism, some people act differently in different situations. I think that with more research on this subject doctors in the future may be able to predict which people are going to become leaders or strong public figures from those who are just going to be part of the crowd.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/124911.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autism#Pathophysiology

Pill Video Camera Works Well in Elderly

In 2003 researchers found a new way to receive images of a live human bowel and GI tract without a snaking probe/camera. This primitive design involved the patient swallowing a pill-like capsule with the camera inside. In 2005 the 20,000 images became a continuous feed in the refined video camera capsule. Useful in both studying the bowel and GI tract and diagnosing cancerous tumors, the technique is becoming increasingly popular. Unfortunately, there were questions on whether age had an affect on the patient’s ability to safely swallow and process the capsule in the bowels.



In October 2008, examinations in Greece have shown that the successful video camera-in-a-capsule technique is not compromised by increased age. Dr. Angelos A. Papadopoulos from Attikon University General Hospital, Athens describes their study of video-capsule endoscopy in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.



The study involved 120 video-capsule examinations, 32 in patients younger than 40, 36 in patients between the ages of 40 and 64, and 52 in patients aged 65 years or older. "Our study showed for the first time that there is no excess of incomplete video-capsule endoscopy examinations in the elderly," the team reports. The completion rate of the examinations was similar for each of the three groups (around 80%) and differing only by 3%; furthermore, the capsule’s travel rate through the intestines was similar for the three groups as well.



The study also revealed four tumors – all of which were in the elderly group. From this, and the knowledge that more lesions are seen as age increased, suggests that the elderly are "the group of patients that benefits more from the examination," the investigators point out.



They conclude, based on their study, that older patients can undergo video-capsule endoscopy "without concerns over increased complications or suboptimal results due to preparation or motility issues."



SOURCE: American Journal of Gastroenterology, October 2008.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_70821.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3606947/

Rebecca Rulla
Section 502

Saving Lives in a Virtual World

Second Life is a new 3-D virtual reality training method for parametics. This online tool portrays a world of different possible scenarios that parametics would deal with daily. At St. George’s Hospital, the University of London, and Kingston University Second Life is being used in the classroom.

In the virtual world the students can portray characters that are responsible for responding to patients in different life threatening situations by checking a pulse, dressing wounds and administering drugs. The characters are fully equipped with a “toolkit” that contains equipment typically found in an ambulance, such as an ECG (electrocardiogram) and oxygen masks. Each week the students are emailed a new Second Life URL. This takes them to a scene where a mannequin needs their help. After providing preliminary care and deciding how to get the patients into the ambulance, the students set the GPS system to direct them to the nearest hospital and give the “doctors their preliminary response notes,” or email the real-life tutor their assessments for feedback.

Aside from inspiring the students to learn and keeping their interest, this method of training allows the students practice what they have been learning and safely make mistakes. Administering the wrong drug to a virtual patient poses zero risk in comparison to administering the wrong drug to a live patient. Dr Ahmed Younis, principle lecturer, said 90% of students who tested the system said Second Life had aided their learning and would help them handle real-life cases more smoothly. They can practice real life situations instead of just reading about them in a textbook. Emily Conradi, e-Projects Manager at St George's, said the course was proving invaluable. The Second Life system is in the process of expanding to training in a broad range of healthcare such as for midwifery and physiotherapy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7686595.stm

Rebecca Rulla
Sect. 502

Exploring The Use Of Fat Cells As Heart Attack Therapy

A large problem that faces heart attack survivors is the death of heart cells. During a heart attack cells in the heart are deprived of oxygen, which causes a percentage of them to die, leaving behind damaged tissue.

Researchers at the University of Houston are looking in to using adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) to reduce the damage caused by this lack of oxygen. ADSCs can be found in and easily removed from fatty tissue. ADSCs are different from most cells in that they have the ability to develop into different types of cells (a lot like stem cells) and produce chemicals that have the potential to protect or rejuvenate heart muscles.

Using a special bioreactor, developed for use on the space station, a sample of canine cardiomyocytes was deprived of oxygen for 24 hours, then the stromal cells were introduced and the sample was cultured under normal oxygen levels for 24 hours (during the reoxygenation of heart cells is when most of the damage takes place). This sample was then compared to a control sample in which the stromal cells were not introduced. The results showed that without the ADSCs the rate of apoptosis was 15% as opposed to just 3% when ADSCs were present.

The best part about this treatment is that it comes from fatty tissue which is readily available because of today’s liposuction market, and the ADSCs are relatively easy to extract. A main goal of the research is to be able to develop a drug treatment rather than having to do co-cultures to get the desired results.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/127161.php

(Source: Angela Hopp, University of Houston)

Nanoparticles in Spinal Cord Injury Treatments

Recently, at Purdue University, researchers have been incorporating the use of nanoparticles to help aid in the treatment of rats with spinal cord injuries. The overall goal of this research is to help make life better for animals that have suffered head/spinal cord injuries. From previous research, it was discovered that the presence of a polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) benefited rats with brain injuries by specifically targeting and sealing the injured areas, reducing the spread of damage, and helping to restore cell function.

The researchers ran into a problem because the concentration and composition of PEG limited the amount that they would be able to administer. If you were to change the concentration of PEG, then it would be more viscous, and it would be harder to administer through an injection. If PEG was changed to become more potent, then it would produce ethylene glycol, which is the poison that is found in antifreeze.

The researchers resolved this problem by deciding to use nanoparticles. They used silica nanoparticles, which are about the same size as a large virus, so there is virtually no limit to the amount that you can inject. They are also harmless inside the body.



First, the researchers coated the silica nanoparticles with PEG and administered them to guinea pigs with spinal cord injuries; the result was improved physiological functioning.

Now, when cells become damaged, they naturally produce toxins, such as acrolein. Hydralazine is an antidote for this toxin; so, in the second experiement, researchers added PEG and hydralazine to the nanoparticles that were administered to the injury. It was then found that this treatment restored the damaged cell function caused by the acrolein.




The next step of this research is to test the PEG and hydralazine treatment on rats, and hopefully on paraplegic dogs.

http://www.neurosciencenews.com/nanoparticle-brain-spinal-treatment.htm


Staci Jessen Section 501

Artificial Heart Technology holds Promise for Alternatives

A new option for patients with heart failure might become available in the coming years. Researchers in Texas are designing a pulseless total artificial heart. Most importantly, this new artificial heart will have intelligence controls that allow the “heart” to adjust to the physiological needs of the body, since the body does not always use the same amount of blood. The device will be “seamlessly integrated with the patient’s body,” using an automatic feedback controller created by a mathematical model of the cardiovascular system. This model is also hoped to have future uses in assessment of blood conditions.

Besides the integrative, responsive functions of this heart, this device is novel in that it is a pulseless heart. Current artificial hearts try to mimic the pulsing mechanism of the natural heart, which leads to problems due to the physical size of a mechanical pump, and failure due to mechanical fatigue. The new device will use two continuous flow pumps, each merely the size of a C battery.

The hope is that someday we might be able to make a fully functional total artificial heart. The device in use now can only be used as temporary bridge until a heart transplant is available. “Heart disease is the leading cause of death” in the U.S., so developments in this area are crucial.

This thinking outside the box and differentiating from just trying to replicate real life might prove to be a big step in cardio research, and is one of the intriguing factors of this article. It says for one, that we realize nothing man-made is as good as the native organs, and that we might have to change our approach to achieve a reasonable quality of life for sick patients. Also, although a heart transplant will probably always be the best treatment for those with heart failure, these new approaches leave the possibility open to future cures or at the least an improved quality of life for all patients that can not receive a transplant. Possibly even, after the cardiovascular system, maybe someday integration with the nervous system will be possible, which could lead to implants like an artificial eye.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/125089.php
(Source: Lisa Merkl, University of Houston)

Bioengineers bring new slant to stem-cell research

Author:Michael McCarthy

The article is making the point that the “the key to successfully engineering a human organ may lie not in the cells but in the design of the fine mesh scaffolding, typically created from natural proteins or synthetic polymers, on which the cells are grown.” The majority of the study for engineering a human organ has been put into stem cell research, prior to recent discoveries in dealing with the scaffolding structure or material. In fact, recent research has shown that the scaffolding (designed to mimic the extracellular matrix) not only holds cells together, but “conveys crucial information to cells that can control their growth and development.” As we’ve studied in physiology, “almost every property of the scaffolding—its chemistry, its shape, and the way it moves when stressed—can influence cell behavior.” The scientists conducting the research have found that, by taking a cell that is undifferentiated, and apply it with different stresses can “lead to altered gene expression and changes in cell function.” In Bio-Engineering, we learned that adipose cells and bone cells come are formed the way they are because of the shear stress that was exerted on them during the differentiation process. Scaffolding changes can also affect cell growth. The scientists were astonished when they were able to create “a sheet of highly organized, synchronously beating myocytes” (heart muscle) by simply setting up a specific geometric scaffolding that they felt would work for their experiment. The cells also formed gap junctions! This is essential in heart tissue.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T1B-4FVCHYK-GJ&_user=952835&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=952835&md5=67982b367c1f7712b225f652843de69e

Telomeres and Ageing

Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequence which form a capped structure at the end of a chromosome. In each cell division, chromosome looses a section of base at its ends, but the telomere prevents from losing any bases that a part of genes for coding vital proteins. Telomeres shortens because of the end replication problem that occurs during DNA replication in eukaryotes. Therefore, Cell stops dividing when the telomeres are shorter. In human, a cell divides 50 times before telomeres becomes shorter. This phenomenon of limited cell division was observed by Leonard Hayflick, and is also called the Hayflick limit.

Researchers can use the length of telomeres to find the cell age and how many times it will replicate that results to anti ageing. Therfore, the extension of human life can be resulted by the lengthening of telomere by temporary activation of telomerase, or by gene therapy. However, this is not proven in humans. Scientists also believes that the cancerous cell stops dyeing because the length of telomere is not shortened by an enzyme telomerase. Therefore, Techniques to extend telomeres could be helpful for biomedical engineers, because they might permit healthy noncancerous mammalian cells to be cultured in amounts large enough to be engieering materials for biomedical repairs.

Sources:

http://mbbnet.umn.edu/doric/telomere.html
http://longevity.about.com/od/researchandmedicine/p/telomeres.htm

Sundeep Sharma

Multiple Sclerosis: Promising New Drug

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a debilitating disease of the body’s central nervous system. It causes the immune system to attack the myelin around the nerve cells of the brain and spinal cord. The current leading treatment, although there is no cure, is the drug interferon beta-1a.

Recently, a clinical trial of the drug alemtuzumab has led researchers to believe it may be a better treatment for MS. The clinical trial compared alemtuzumab to interferon beta 1-a and found that patients taking alemtuzumab were 74% less likely to experience relapses. Alemtuzumab has also been found to reduce the number of attacks and help the patient recover lost functions. The drug may also promote repair of the damaged brain tissue.

Alemtuzumab is indicated for the treatment of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This monoclonal antibody works by binding to the CD52 receptor on some cells of the immune system. After binding to the target, the drug triggers the destruction of those cells by the immune system.

As with any drug, there have been some adverse effects. The trial was temporarily suspended in September 2005 due to the fatality of a test patient. A current focus of research is to determine why patients are developing ITP. ITP is a disorder in which a low platelet count in the blood causes excess bleeding.

Although there have been setbacks, this drug seems to have promising results in the research of multiple sclerosis. Researchers at the University of Cambridge seem very hopeful that alemtuzumab will eventually be able to stop the advance of early-stage MS in millions of people worldwide.

REFERENCES:

1. Leukemia drug gives hopes to MS sufferers

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/23/ms.treatment/index.html?iref=newssearch

2. Genzyme And Bayer HealthCare Announce Detailed Interim Two-Year Alemtuzumab In Multiple Sclerosis Data Presented At AAN

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/69669.php