UCD: A New Medical Discovery

After contributing eighteen years of research, the key to curing many deseases, pains, is natural and low cost. Many think that the first sign of dehydration is a dry mouth or the sensation of thirst. However dehydration kicks in much sooner. This research has shown that simple dehydration can be the cause of many pains, disorders, and even cancer. Many companies has spent billions on reasearching different cures and medicines that often can lead toward making things worse, or causeing new issues.

They have successfully treated 3,000 people suffering from peptic ulcer disease with only water. the findings were publised in the main editorial of the Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology in June. To the clinician doing the research it become obvious that they were labeling issues as 'disease' when it was simply dehydration.

I liked this article because I think it was something different than what I would normally choose to blog about. It's a good reminder to simplify our lives. We complicate things too much, and overdo every aspect of life. We continue to move forward looking toward the next thing when sometimes the thing that could actually help is simple and right in front of us.

Erica Williams
VTPP 435-502

www.watercure.com/udc.html

Lung cancer researchers suspect therapy can be targeted to specific patients

In an ever advancing world of medicine in our society, new methods of “personalized medicine” are being discovered. Houston scientists are reporting evidence that lung cancer treatment can be individualized based on a patient's tumor characteristics, a first for the usually fatal disease.
Results from an unusual biopsy-mandated study conducted at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center showed matched treatments to specific molecular signatures, or biomarkers. Some pairings identified in the study were shown to improve survival.
Dr. Edward Kim, a professor of thoracic oncology and the study's principal investigator, claims, “this trial changes the landscape of lung cancer research.” “It suggests we can supplant existing toxic therapies with drugs targeted for the right population” he says.
This study is supposed to lead to smaller, more precise clinical trials where lung cancer sufferers take part in target therapy, or treatment based on their own particular biomarker. Larger lung cancer research studies done in the past, open to all patients have “historically showed minor effects because they don't tease out the patient subset that might benefit from a particular drug,” Kim said.
Targeted therapy such as Herceptin and Gleevec have radically enhanced the treatment of breast cancer and leukemia, but no clinically relevant biomarkers have been found for lung cancer, which kills 160,000 Americans a year, more than any other cancer. Since patients are set apart only by the specific anatomy of their tumors (i.e. small cell or nonsmall cell lung cancer), doctors have limited treatment options.
Biopsies from 225 patients were taken in the M.D. Anderson study, in which they were analyzed for which of five molecular signatures fueled their growth and assigned them to one of four therapies, most either still experimental or for other cancers. All the patients had advanced lung cancer and been previously treated with chemotherapy. The average life expectancy for advanced lung cancer patients is eight months.
The article states that “the study found evidence that each of the drugs targeted specific molecular signatures better than the other three. Overall, it found 46 percent of patients gained “disease control,” nonprogression of a tumor seen as an indicator of survival, after two months of targeted treatment, compared with untargeted therapy's 30 percent disease control rate in advanced lung cancer patients historically.”
One of the study's patients was a man from Atlanta, Georgia who went to M.D. Anderson soon after he was diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer, the day after his son was born. The metastasis has been reduced to practically nonexistent and the tumor in the lower left lobe has been reduced significantly, the article says. His son is now 3½.
For the study, the first 97 patients were uniformly randomized to the four groups. But as the trial went on, patients were more likely to be matched with a drug that had been effective for earlier patients with the same biomarkers.
Biomarkers matched to those drugs used in the trial prevented disease progression in up to 71 percent of patients. In less successful matches, the prevention of disease typically occurred in about 30 or less percent of patients. Only 6.5 percent of patients experienced any significant side effects.

I found this study to be a very interesting advancement because the idea of being able to personalize treatments of cancer to more effectively treat them is amazing. I hope that more is done to pursue this new therapy, so it can be used to save more lives.

Link to article: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/health/6964927.html

Charlcie Northrop
VTPP 435-502

Tumor Cells HIDE from Immune System

A recent study was held at EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne), a Swiss research facility. The study involved getting a closer look at how tumor cells develop and spread in the body. The main focus of the study was to analyze certain proteins that are produced by healthy cells. These cells have been suggested to be produced by tumor cells as well and the study took a closer look into that theory.

Through research at the facility in Switzerland , it was discovered that tumor cells secrete this protein which in turn convinces the immune system that the tumor cells are good cells instead of bad cells. It has long been common knowledge that the main reason tumors grow is that the immune system for some reason does not go after them and therefore they have unlimited growth. After the completion of this study, a lot of knowledge about this relationship has been gained and therefore the thoughts on cancer treatment are soon to change. Tumors usually cause big problems when they have grown un-checked for a long time; this new theory could help treatments stop this growth far in advance of what it is now. If this growth was stopped short, it is more possible for the tumors to be treated and therefore more cancers could be cured. The results from this study have shown these certain things about how tumor cells escape detection, but the use of this information will have a much bigger impact. Cures for tumor and cancer cells will surely spawn from this discover in the near future.

I think this is really interesting because these tumors cells seem like they are smart. They sort of hide out from the immune system so that they don’t get discovered. It’s as if they know they shouldn’t be there and therefore they are trying to hide. It is also great that this could possibly lead to a cure for tumor and cancer cells. That is something that we have been trying to find for a very long time.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/03/100325143042.htm

Robin Terry
VTPP 435-502

Infection, kill thyself

Currently, patients that have wounds that require dressings are prone to infection, and the methods of treating them are imperfect. One common method of infection treatment utilizes silver, but this has the potential to kill human cells or cull the bacteria into a stronger population. Scientists have impregnated bandages with capsules of antibacterial agents. Bacteria that secrete toxins dissolve the capsules and release the antibiotics. There are a coulpe of potential problems with this approach; only cells that release toxins will dissolve the capsules and the agent inside the capsules is also pontially harmful to human cells.

I find this interesting because it one potential approach to specific drug delivery. As the research into this concept progresses further, I could foresee varied types of capsules designed to be dissolved by different types, ranging anywhere from a specific type of bacteria or possibly even a specific type of cancer cell.

http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/58697/title/Infection%2C_kill_thyselfv

Regenerating The Body

There may be way to regenerate cells without stem cells. Their is a family of proteins called Wnt proteins. “Gut, skin, brain, muscle, cardiac muscle, corneas, retinas — people have studied the role of Wnt signals in all those tissues,” said Stanford University reconstructive surgeon and study co-author Jill Helms. “Maybe there could be a therapeutic approach to all this.”

The study has taken 20 years to see the role of Wnt genes in regeneration in the body. Their role is to help stem cells copy themselves and guide them to differentiate. Their found in most animals and become more active in injured sites. The repair cells work faster with Wnt proteins present.

Roel Nusse is one of the co-author has had success in copying the Wnt proteins and making tissues with them. “This pathway may be the key to regenerating, or at least rapidly repairing, tissues,” said Helms. “We’re augmenting nature’s own response to injury.”

They tested the Wnt genes on mice with broken bones and found that after 3 days the mice with the Wnt genes used had 3 times more bone regrowth than those without the treatment. There are no obvious side effects right now. They hope to use it for larger wounds and organs.

This was interesting in that we can one regenerate organs or limbs without stem cells and it would be less ethical issues. It still early in the experiment but it looks promising.

Read More http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/04/accelerated-healing/#ixzz0me4ihsid

Sex of Baby Drives Response to Pregnancy Stress

Researchers at the University of Adelaide in southern Australia have observed sex-specific physiological responses of in-utero babies in reaction to stressors during pregnancy.

The research group, led by Associate Professor Vicki Clifton, determined that the response of developing babies to stresses such as disease, cigarette use, and psychological stress, is a change in the baby’s growth pattern. However, the notable finding by Professor Clifton is that this adjustment of their growth pattern is different between male and female babies. Professor Clifton described the male response as the baby “pretending it’s not happening” and continues to maximize his growth potential, while the female response to the same stress is to reduce her growth rate slightly below average. Furthermore, continued stress or the addition of another stressor leads to differing risks of pre-term delivery, or fetal problems/death. While the female can cope with the increased stress and continue to grow to an acceptable state, the male baby is not able to handle the increased stress as well and is at a much higher risk of complications during the pregnancy.

Professor Clifton’s group observed this differing growth response in pregnancies where the mother introduced stresses due to asthma, pre-eclampsia, and cigarette use, but Clifton notes that the same effects are likely to take place in response to psychological stresses as well.

Clifton characterized the stimulus for the sex-specific growth response is the change in placental function due to cortisol; a stress hormone produced by the mother. The activation of the cortisol pathway causes changes in the placenta that reduce the female baby’s growth; however, this effect of cortisol on placental function is nonexistent in the case of a male baby.

The findings of Professor Clifton’s research group are important because they could potentially lead to “sex-specific therapies in pre-term pregnancies and premature newborns”. In addition to this, they clarify certain aspects of fetal growth in “at-risk” pregnancies, which can help obstetricians more accurately interpret the development of the baby in these special cases.


http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100429092930.htm

Exercise Induced Vomiting

Recently I have taken up endurance sports and on certain days after cycling or swimming I have been getting nauseous. I have read an article about the causes and prevention of exercise induced vomiting. The article says the four main causes of exercise induced vomiting are low blood sugar levels due to exercising on an empty stomach, overexertion, dehydration, and motion sickness from performing abdominal exercises. The article says if the nausea is caused by an empty stomach then you should eat a snack that is highly enriched with carbohydrates and low in fat content about an hour before the work out. If overexertion is the supposed cause of exercise induced vomiting, the article says to scale down the activity level and work your way up to higher levels of activity. To prevent dehydration during exercise, drink 17-20 ounces of fluid about two to three hours before working out and an additional 7-10 ounces ten to twenty minutes before the workout. If abdominal exercises are the cause, the article said to look at a fixed point while doing the exercise and perform abdominal exercises at the end of your workout session. Personally, I think my exercise induced vomiting is caused by not eating anything or over eating before the workout. The high carbohydrate and low fat snack sounds like it should be the perfect thing to eat because carbohydrates are easy for the body to digest (so digestion is completed before exercising and blood is not being utilized by the GI tract during the exercise) and the carbohydrates should provide enough energy to perform the exercise.

Source: http://fitness.suite101.com/article.cfm/how_to_avoid_exerciseinduced_nausea

Cycling Provides a Break for Some With Parkinson’s

Recently, Dr Bastiaan R Bloem, a professor of neurology and medical director of the hospital's Parkinson's Center, was intrigued by a 58 year-old man from the Netherlands who suffered from Parkinson's disease for 10 years, but was able to ride a bicycle. Parkinson's affects the brain by killing the cells that control movement. The man was freezing his movements after every few steps before riding the bike as well. His disease had progressed to where it was severely affecting his life. However, the man claims to be a regular exerciser, which is not supposed to be possible for a man at his stage in his disease, according to Dr. Bloem. While riding the bike, it appeared as though all the man's symptoms were gone. When he stepped off the bike, all his symptoms returned.

Dr. Bloem then asked 20 other severly affected patients to ride a bike and all could do it. It is not clear why this is possible. Sometimes people with Parkinson's are able to dance, run, walk smoothly, or do complex movements for a bit when given appropriate signals, such as emotional or visual cues. An example is when there was a fire, some Parkinson's patients were able to run down steps and escape, but froze when they got outside. This effect is formally known as the kinesia paradox. It does not last for very long. Dr. Bloem says that bicycling can offer patients an opportunity to be symptom-free as well as get some real cardiovascular exercise.

Dr. Bloem says that an explanation for this may be that bicycling uses a different part of the brain than walking and might not be as severely affected by Parkinson's disease. It also could be that the rhythmic pressure of the pedals on the patient's feet cues the nervous system to allow a cycling movement. He hopes that regular exercise might cause the progession of the disease to slow down. He proved that his theory applied to rats. However, he is currently running a clinical trial with 600 patients to see if exercise can slow down the disease in humans.

I found this article interesting because of my device design project on Parkinson's disease. I also like Dr. Bloem's innovative approach to slowing down the symptoms and progression of the disease.

found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/health/01parkinsons.html?ref=research

Sarah Biemer
VTPP 435-502

Brain “Pacemaker” Beneficial for Parkinson’s

New research confirms that the stimulation of the deep brain benefits Parkinson’s patients in term of symptom control and quality of life. The study shows that deep brain surgery, along with medication, can reduce the movement related symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.

The surgical process involves the placement of electrodes deep into the brain that block the electrical signals that cause the movement disorders. The small battery operated device is implanted under the skin and controls the stimulations.

A study in the UK included 366 patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease. Three-fourths of these patients cited involuntary, jerky movements and were considering the surgery. A year after half the patients had the surgery 48% reported of having no jerky movements during the day, compared to the 14% of patients only on medication. 29% of the patients who had surgery said they had complete control of their movements throughout the day, compared to the 3% of the medication only patients.

However, along with any other surgery this surgery has some risks. 25% of the patients reported serious treatment related problems and one patient even died during surgery. Neurologists believe that many people who could benefit from the surgery are not getting it. Roughly 10 to 20% of Parkinson’s patients exhibit symptoms severe enough to qualify for the surgery. Dr. Michael Okun, MD, hopes that studies like this one, published in Lancet Neurology, will help more patients decide to have the surgery.


-Kelli Martinez
VTPP 435-501


http://www.webmd.com/parkinsons-disease/news/20100428/brain-pacemaker-beneficial-parkinsons

How the Brain Actually Improves with Age

The article I selected is about how the human brain actually improves in some respects as it ages. Barbara Strauch, author of the new book The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind, was interviewed for this article. Her answers reveal some interesting facts about the middle-aged brain.

Brains do experience short-term memory loss as they age, which is due to slower processing speed and degradation of neurotransmitters. However, the middle-aged brain (defined as the years from forty to sixty-five) is still developing. “Inductive reasoning and problem solving – the logical use of your brain and getting to solutions” and “social expertise” actually improve with age. Memory loss problems clearly do not indicate a loss of brain function as it ages. These improvements are caused by increased connections within the brain that develop as it ages.

To keep the brain in good condition, exercise is very important. It aids in brain growth and development. Making the brain work, like talking to those who disagree with you, is also beneficial. Additionally, there is proof that increasing your social atmosphere can also increases cognitive function. Examples of this include activities like volunteering and working with children.

Strauch ended by saying that she was impressed with the hope for the middle-aged brain that was exhibited by scientists. There are many myths about the middle ages being depressing that are unfounded. In fact, a study of men found that their well-being was highest at age sixty-five.

I chose this article because I found it very interesting. I’m a young college student now, but I will inevitably age as time passes. It’s good to know that my brain will stay in good condition, and actually improve, for many more decades.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/04/30/the-talents-of-a-middle-aged-brain/?ref=health

--Nicole Wanlass, VTPP 435-502

Breakdown of Carbon Nanotubes in Humans

A team of Swedish and American scientists have discovered a process in which the human body can break down carbon nanotubes into water and carbon dioxide. Previously believed to be biopersistent (unable to be disabled by the body), nanotubes were thought to contribute to toxicity and tissue damage as a result of their longevity. Recent findings on the study of bacteria-neutralizing endogenous myeloperoxidase (MPO) – located in neutrophils – have uncovered the enzyme’s ability to dismantle carbon nanotubes into water and carbon dioxide. The resulting compounds have shown no propensity to cause toxicity or inflammation in mice. This is important in both the safety standards of nanotube manufacturing and in the medical field.

As a result of this finding, carbon nanotubes have additional potential for applications in applied medicine. Made of tubular patterns of single layers of carbon atoms, nanotubes are prized for their structural support, low mass, and unique heat-conductive and electrical capabilities. Previously considerations for implantable devices and drug delivery technologies can now proceed with a means to ensure nanotube technologies will present minimal toxicity.
I found this article interesting because nanotubes have such exceptional properties and are going to be a vital component in the next generation of medicine. Drugs and prosthetics are likely to rely heavily on carbon nanotubes, especially if they can be rendered nontoxic.

I found this article at http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-04/enzyme-blood-cells-breaks-down-carbon-nanotubes-paving-way-nano-delivered-drugs

- Scott Blasczyk, VTPP 435-502

Biomarker Studies Help To Improve Personalized Cancer Medicine

Scientists have come to learn a lot about the biology of cancer, but survival rates of patients with cancer have not improved much. According to Science Translational Medicine, scientists are commenting that strategies need to be created to match new and already existing drugs with the specific tumor characteristics of the patient in order to further the survival rate of cancer.

Research shows that most types of cancer are not just one disease, but instead many complex disorders with specific causes. An example of this would be breast cancer which is comprised of fifteen different diseases. Due to there being many types that are classified as one cancer, subtle differences in the tumor’s genes, or biomarkers, result in medications working for only some patients and not working in the others. To progress more specific drugs more assays of tumor genetic mutation and changes in gene expression are needed. As reported in the New York Times, the growth factor receptor HER2 has increased expression in twenty percent of breast cancers. Testing for this HER2 receptor is done by a biopsy which is done with any cancer, but what is not done is taking another tumor sample right before initiating treatment to document the changes since the first biopsy.

The problem with having to go through multiple biopsies on the same person is not necessarily the money but trying to find enough patients to do the clinical trials needed to make more personalized medicine for each patient possible.

I think this article is interesting because it seems to tie together a lot of the things discussed in class lately. For the clinical trials needed I think better advertising and education would get more people to consent to the study. This article also goes to show why pharmacology is so difficult because no single drug is the all fix for every patient diagnosed with the same cancer.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=biomarkers-personalized-cancer-medicine

New genetic tests lets patients skip biopsies

AlloMap, a new genetic test by Xdx Inc, allows recipients of heart transplants to avoid biopsies. Ordinarily, recipients of heart transplants are required to undergo regular biopsies to check for signs of organ rejection. In these very unpleasant procedures, a catheter is inserted into a vein in the patient’s neck and a sample of heart tissue is removed. Not only is this unpleasant, it also carries a small risk of damaging the heart.
AlloMap works by detecting whether certain genes are being expressed by the body. These genes are normally activated when the body rejects an organ. The test is currently priced at 75% the cost of doing a biopsy. AlloMap is currently offered at 65 facilities in the US and was approved by the FDA in 2008.
Tests like AlloMap stand at the forefront of an exciting and growing field of research into pathological detection via blood sampling. The end goal of this research is to develop a “lab on a chip.” Such a device would allow doctors to perform many tests very quickly and cheaply.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63L3R020100422

Bionics Changing Lives

A Scottish company called Touch Bionics has been releasing robotic prosthetic limbs such as the i-Limb bionic hand and ProDigits. The i-Limb device was the first robotic hand in which all of the fingers could be controlled individually, and which also has an opposable thumb. The hand was released in 2007 and has already helped over 1,200 patients across the globe. It can open, close, and grab objects. ProDigits are bionic fingers which can be “slipped on like a glove,” and which can replace “any or all fingers on a hand.” Located at the base of each replacement finger is a tiny motor and gear box, and a computer chip controls all movement. The need for individual fingers is greater than that of full hands, but the mechanisms behind the ProDigit invention were actually more challenging. ProDigits cost somewhere from $60,000-75,000 including the price of fittings. They are powered by a switch on the side, and can be charged overnight, similar to a cell phone. Sensors are built into these fingers to pick up the signals sent by the muscles, and then send the message to the computer chip which controls the motor. Pads at the base of the fingers detect pressure, and this pressure can send signals which will cause the fingers to open and close. I think it is very awesome and inspiring that we have gotten to the advanced technology today which allows us to not only replace complete limbs, but individual digits. The ability to incorporate electrical signals and computer technology in place of our biological sensors is intellectually stimulating and really makes you want to learn more about how the body works, and how we can engineer the same stimulants.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/11/business/11novel.html

Amanda Rose

Naps and Dreaming Help You Learn Better

Our brains process the new information we acquire throughout the day while we sleep. A study done at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) demonstrates how taking a nap immediately after learning a task and also dreaming about the task helps the brain better process the information and commit it to memory. The researchers had 99 subjects play a computer game that required them to navigate through a maze. A number of them were then instructed to take a 90 minute nap, while the others were instructed to do other quiet activites, while still thinking about navigating through the maze. After the nappers woke up, all subjects were instructed to navigate through the maze again. Those who did not take naps did not improve. Those who took naps but did not have dreams about the maze showed little improvement. Those who took naps and also dreamed about navigating through the maze were most successful. Subjects who performed best in the second trial performed poorly in the first trial. This shows that when the brain is presented with a challenging task, it works harder to learn it. Being asleep allows the brain to focus on the difficult task and process the information faster.

I liked this article because I like taking naps. It gives me a good reason to take more naps.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100422153753.htm

Gold nanocages that destroy tumor cells

Cancer research is extremely important right now and it is improving every day. Being that killing tumor cells without destroying other cells in the body is a challenge, it is extremely difficult to treat cancer without weakening the patient’s body. That is why, this late research that approaches the destruction of tumor cells in a different and more effective way, could be a possible solution to the many problems that arise when looking for a way to cure cancer.

Professor of Biomedical Engineering Younan Xia, Professor of Radiology Michael Welch and their colleagues proposed the employment of gold nanocages that would use caloric energy (heat) to destroy targeted tumor cells. The nanocages can absorb a certain wavelength of light and convert it to heat. Then the nanocages can destroy the tumor cells through a process called local tumor hyperthermia. The advantage of using gold for the nanocages is that since gold is inert, it would not be disposed of by the liver. This would allow for the nanocages to remain in circulation and thus target as many tumor cells s possible in the patient’s body.

The way in which the nanocages are supposed to target tumor cells is by implanting antibodies into them, which can specifically recognize tumor cells. This way, the nanocages are only destroying tumor cells and not healthy ones. This presents an advantage that this method has over currently used ones because it aims to cause as little damage as possible on healthy cells, thus decreasing side effects.

the article can be found at http://www.studlife.com/news/2010/04/19/gold-nanocages-at-forefront-of-modern-cancer-treatment/

Geraldine Pena-Galea

Breakthrough treatment for Prostate cancer

Dendreon Corp, a biotechnology company, recently released a first-of-its-kind prostate cancer treatment that utilizes the body’s natural defense mechanism to fight the disease. It is intended for malignant prostate cancer that is not responding to hormone therapy and that has spread elsewhere in the body. Provenge, as the treatment is called, has been very successful in prolonging the lives of men with advanced prostate cancer. Company studies have showed that by taking Provenge, men with APC actually increased their average life span by four months. Though it may not sound like a lot, this surpasses the three months afforded by the only approved chemotherapy treatment for prostate cancer available, Taxotere. Doctors hope that if this drug is given earlier in the course of the disease, Provenge would have a much greater benefit. Each regimen of Provenge is tailored to the patient’s immune system using a very time-consuming formulation process. Special blood cells that help the immune system recognize cancer as a threat are collected from each patient. These cells are then mixed with a protein found on most prostate cancer cells and another substance to stimulate the immune system. The resulting "vaccine" is given back to the patient as three infusions two weeks apart. Provenge offers an alternative to more taxing treatments of cancer such as chemotherapy, radiation, and invasive surgery. Side effects of Provenge are relatively mild (chills, fatigue, fever, headache). Dendreon estimates that the drug will cost the patients $93,000.

Jonathan Vo

In response to our recent device design project, and the stem cell scaffold potential, I came across this article In the article, they describe a recent innovation through the University of Minnesota. In this development, they took heart from a dead rat, washed out all the interior cells, leaving only the shell of the organ. They then injected the cell with cells from newborn rat hearts, and a few days later, they had grown into the shell of the heart and actually began beating on its own, essentially reanimating a dead heart. They say that they hope that in the future, the cadaver heart will no longer be necessary, but will be replaced by an artificial scaffold that will do the same thing, allowing the patient to give their cells and in a few days have a new heart.

This process has phenomenal implications to the transplant process as well as the treatment of defective, failing, or deformed hearts. If this procedure could be perfected, then donor organs from cadavers or organ donors would no longer be necessary as the patient could have an operating organ of their very own in only a few days time. At the current time, however, there is not a proven way to build large tissues on artificial scaffolds, and the cadaver organs are still necessary. This means that instead of a direct transplant, the cadaver organ could be washed, then operate as the scaffold for a new organ.

Dr. Taylor, the project lead, says of the process: "The cells began to reorganize in the wall of that heart. The ones that were going to make blood vessels moved to the spot where the blood vessels had been and relined the blood vessels, and the ones that were going to make muscle lined up in the wall and started to make new muscle. And what it says is a couple of things. It says that this scaffold has a lot more information than we thought and that the cells know how to respond to that in some way."

I found this article to be really interesting because it tells us that such possible means to replace transplant lists, etc. with working replacements, with few defects, are being undertaken and are being met with success. I only hope that the process can be advanced and refined in the coming years.

http://www.thestar.com/sciencetech/science/article/293721

Blood Test May Reduce Biopsies After Transplant

Studies have shown that a new blood test, called Allomap, may be the new wave of the future in detecting rejection in patients who have received heart transplants.  Currently, the most common way of monitoring for rejection is by biopsy.  In order to biopsy tissue from the heart, a tube is inserted into a vein in the neck and threaded to the heart to pick up tiny pieces of tissues that can be tested.  Not only is this procedure painful for the patient but it is also very expensive.  Each biopsy costs between $4,000 and $5,000, while each blood test only costs around $3,000.  The Allomap, which has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, work by analyzing the activity level of 11 genes and computing a score that indicated the likelihood that rejection is occurring.  A new way of detecting rejection has in demand for quite awhile, because nearly a one-quarter of all transplant recipients experience rejection episodes that require treatment within the first year after surgery.  Although patients use immune-supressing drugs to try to ward off rejection, they are not always effective, and in some cases, rejection can be fatal.  Allomap blood tests may be the best way to recognize rejection early and be able to treat it with medication right away, giving the patient valuable time.

 

This article interested me so much because it relates to our device design project.  Although many of our designs were extremely biocompatible, they are also not able to be produced currently, so transplant is still the best way to save a patient’s life.  Because some transplant centers perform biopsies as frequently as once a week after surgery, the Allomap may save thousands of people from having to experience hundreds of painful procedures.  The money saved by avoiding biopsy would also be great in a health care system that seems to be running out of money.  

Brittany Guth

VTPP 435-501

Article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/23/business/23blood.html?ref=research 

It has been found at the Ansary Stem Cell Institute and the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell College that when a certain gene was taken away from mice, they developed behaviors that we much a like those that people with obsessive compulsive disorder exhibit. The researchers were looking at the role of the gene called Slitrk5, which had been linked to blood stem cells and vascular cells, when they stumbled across this finding. Once this gene was disabled the mice started obsessively grooming themselves and became extremely anxious. The frontal lobe-to-striatum circuitry of these mice changed to such a way that is extremely similar to those with OCD.

This discovery is huge in the fact that it gives researchers a very easily attained model of someone with OCD. Dr. Shahin Rafii and Dr. Francis S.Y. were the leaders of the group that discovered this and believe that this gene not functioning properly leads to the development of OCD. This finding could lead to better understanding of the disorder itself and could lead to new treatments.

The only problem with this finding is that the gene is found in vascular cells and blood stem cells. The researchers had no real clue as to why genes in these cells would lead to a disorder in the brain. They think that it might be the cross-talk between the vascular system and the neurons might have something to do with it.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100426131555.htm

-Charles Brown

Brain 'Pacemaker'

Parkinson's disease is characterized by a loss of muscle control. Drug treatments are only moderately effective as a method of treatment. A new study shows that brain surgery is more effective in long term treatment of Parkinson's disease. The procedure most often used places a pacemaker like device in the brain that sends tonic signals through three leads to stimulate the brain. The wires run down to a controller in the abdomen which is implanted subcutaneously. The electrodes' signals block brain signals that are responsible for tremors and loss of muscle control.
The study was done in the UK, where over 300 of these brain pacemaker surgeries have been performed. Patients reported dramatic decrease in the number of severe and moderate tremors. This is an important area of research because so little can be done at the moment to stop the progression of Parkinson's disease. It affects many older people all over the world with no cure and only mild drug treatments available. I found this article interesting because I find it interesting that one biomedical device, a pacemaker, can be changed slightly and used to correct a different problem in a completely different part of the body. As biomedical devices become used more widely, it is important to consider their many different applications.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8649344.stm

David Szafron

An inside look in to the Heart

In a lab in the basement of a University of Minnesota building, researchers have performed heart transplants with humans, swine, canines and guinea pigs acting as donors. But the recipient of the different transplant hearts always stays the same.

The Visible Heart Laboratory transplants a heart and maintains its physiological processes by placing it into an apparatus that allows for truly unique research for scientists and premier bench testing for the lab’s collaborator, Medtronic, a medical technology company based in Minneapolis.

Paul Iaizzo, associate director of the Institute for Engineering in Medicine, said male swine otherwise going to the slaughterhouse provide the majority of the hearts used for research. However, the lab has also had the opportunity to work with about 40 human hearts deemed unfit for the donor list.

Once the heart is acquired, it is cut out of the donor in a room adjacent to the apparatus, according to Iaizzo, who said he is the only person to perform the procedure for the 700-800 hearts the lab has seen since it began work in 1997.

Iaizzo, who is the principal investigator of the lab, said he then places the heart into the apparatus, which is another process he has performed exclusively since the lab started.
Placing the heart into the apparatus to mimic the correct physiology is a procedure many scientists have not been able to replicate because of the delicate nature of the process, according to Iaizzo.

This article is really interesting because of the unique way these researchers are observing the heart. They are taking images of the heart that have never been taken before. By allowing the heart to function outside of the body they can actually see how everything works as if the heart was in its natural place. Images taken by these researchers give us a better understanding of the anatomy of the heart as well. They mimic the physiology of the body through the equipment attached to the heart and future experiments can mimic abnormal physiological conditions such as heart attack, thus they can witness what really happens to the heart during a heart attack.

http://www.mndaily.com/2010/04/29/u-researchers-get-inside-look-heart

Hybrid Artificial Blood Vessels

In the past, many materials have been tested to see if they would be able to replace a real blood vessel. Such materials include glass, aluminum, polyethylene, siliconized rubber, vinyon, Teflon, and Dacron. Of these materials, Teflon and Dacron have yielded the best results, but I will be focusing on Dacron.
It has been found that artificial blood vessels made of Dacron work extremely well provided that the vessel has a large radius. The problem with Dacron vessels is that as they are shrunk to smaller and smaller radii, they become more and more thrombogenic due to the somewhat rough nature of Dacron.
In 1990 however, a bio-research company out of Massachusetts called Organogenesis began animal testing of their "hybrid" Dacron vessels. In an attempt to solve the thrombogenic problem caused by small Dacron vessels, Organogenesis worked out a way to harvest endothelial cells from human cadaver arteries, grow them in a laboratory, and mold them on to the inner lining of small Dacron vessels. This makes the inner lining of the vessel much smoother and decreases the chance of a small Dacron vessel forming clots.
I found this article interesting because it represents where the field of bioengineering is headed: closer and closer to a blurry distinction between what is real and what is not. I find it fascinating to think of the health benefits that can result from applications of bioengineering. However, I cannot help but be mindful of the ethical issues that will arise from further hybridizations in the future.

The article can be found at: http://www.discoveriesinmedicine.com/Apg-Ban/Artificial-Blood-Vessels.html

Daniel Verona

non-rem sleep helps memory also

In an article from sciencenews.com, neuroscientists from Harvard University found that drinking about a specific task helps recall, not just the act of sleeping itself. This effect is more dramatic than just simply thinking about the task while still awake or just taking a break from the activity. This study was mainly aimed at NREM, or non-rapid eye movement sleep. This interests me because previously I thought that only REM sleep was beneficial to memory formation. The study subjects were asked to remember the path to a certain spot in a maze and then to recall this path later in the day after various activities. The participants that took the short nap and dreamed about the maze, or other aspects of what was going on at that time, recalled the event better than the control group that did not take the nap and even better than those that did sleep but did not dream of the maze. The scientists speculate that the increased memory formation is still due to activity in the Hippocampus, as was originally thought with REM sleep. Also, the subjects that did dream about the event did poorly in recalling their way around the maze before their naps. This is interesting because it suggests that the information was still in their brains, but they were unable to recall this information until it was processed by the hippocampus during sleep. This is interesting to me as with most college students, I usually do not obtain the recommended eight hours of sleep a night, but naps could still help me increase my memory recall without falling into REM sleep.



Stephen Infanger

source: http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/58525/title/Dream_a_little_dream_of_recall

The Most Complex Face Transplant Ever Performed

Humans may be more like a Mr. Potato head than originally thought. The ability to interchange human body parts is as eerie as it is miraculous. Normal transplantation has always been associated with kidneys, liver, hearts, and lungs; however, it seems there is no roof to what can be done

A man suffering from the loss of most of his face, incurred during a shooting accident (no, he wasn’t hunting with Dick Cheney), has received the most complex face transplant to date. After a 22-hour, arduous operation with a team of 30 Spanish doctors, the man received a pre-owned set of facial features with skin, muscles, a nose, teeth, and lips from what I hope was a cadaver. Although 10 other facial transplants have been carried out in the world, this is the first full transplant. After a run of failed previous operations, the man was left with no other options as he couldn’t breathe, talk, or swallow properly. Metal plates are used to support the new facial structure, which included reconstructing the roof of the mouth. The donor's nerves, blood vessels and skin were connected to the patient. The patient will have to take anti-rejection drugs for the rest of his life.

The main reason I chose this article was that the title alone sounded incredulous. The fact that humans can be patchworked like Frankenstein’s monster when you consider all of the small, discrete muscles, blood vessels, and nerves that have to be attached is astounding. The fact that the body can adopt a donor face, albeit with some complications, makes me feel like we are more quasi-machine than we are raised to believe. It’s amazing when doctors challenge the limits of expectations.

Jason Dwight
Section 502
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8639437.stm

Fibroblasts and Cell Mechanobiology

This paper summarizes how fibroblasts respond to topography and cyclic stretching. The fibroblast cells sense the structural shape of the substrate that they are adhered to which helps determine their cell shape, function, and spreading. "Simultaneous in vitro work showed that topographic features affect cellular alignment, direction of proliferation, cellular attachment, growth rate, metabolism, and cytoskeleton arrangement." When the dermal fibroblasts were cultured on substrates with grooves, the fibroblasts aligned along the grooves. It was shown that increased groove depth increased the rate of fibroblast orientation. With the V-groove topography, the fibroblasts were more clearly aligned because of the increased groove depth. It was shown that increased groove depth was more important in the alignment of fibroblasts than the spacing between the grooves. The grooves perpendicular to the direction of stretch had a better fibroblast alignment. On the square groove substrate the fibroblasts were flat and they protruded to the bottom of the grooves. On the controlled smooth substrates, the fibroblasts spread out randomly and they did not produce any kind of alignment.

When the cells are under the influence of cyclic stretch, the fibroblasts tend to orient themselves perpendicular to the direction of stretch. Also, the expressions of the main molecules in cell-matrix adhesion (collagen type 1, fibronectin, and α1 and β1 integrins) were affected by cyclic stretch. The concentration of β1-integrins and collagen type 1 increased with cyclic stretch. Alternatively, α1-integrin concentration decreased with increased cyclic stretch.

This experiment showed that fibroblasts first change their shape according to the topography of the substrate, while the secondary role is mechanical forces. The cells reaction to the mechanical forces can take place only after the cell has adhered, established a connective arrangement (integrins, cytoskeleton, and ECM), and spread out. These components are important for the fibroblast cells so they will have support for mechanical forces. Also, cell spreading helps turn off apoptosis. I found this topic interesting to find out that cells first respond to the topography of the substrate then to the mechanical forces.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16110493

Recording Brain Activity ++;

Recording brain activity is a subject, which has been of moderate interest recently. It has several useful applications, assisting in functions such as determining consciousness. One of the drawbacks with the current measurement devices is that these function as needle-like probes, which are inserted into the brain. The problem with this approach is that when the electrodes are plunged through the brain tissue, they cause damage to this tissue. Scientists are developing an alternative measurement method, which is much less invasive,acting like a shrink-wrap to conform to the brain shape make measurements.
This technology is essentially an array of flexible mini probe electrodes, which are attached in a silicon grid. While this technology did exist to some extent, it is being improved by this research group. These metal electrodes are about five times thicker than a human hair and less sharp and rigid than the previously used probes. Since these implants are more flexible than the previous probes, and adhere to the brain surface more closely, they are able to withstand any shifting within the skull and maintain the proper readings, which used to be a problem in the past. Using this device, scientists may be able to monitor patients with neurological dysfunctions such as epilepsy, and administer therapy in real time when a crisis occurs. This research is a collaboration between scientists at UPenn, Tufts, and University of Illinois.
I chose this article because neural engineering is one of my top three areas of interest in biomedical engineering, and this new improvement to brain recording technology certainly piqued my interest.

Blesson John
VTPP 435-502

Link: http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/content/view/34059/

The Conversion of Pancreatic α-cells to β-cells

In a normal patient, the pancreatic α-cells and β-cells are kept at a stable level, where α-cells divide to form more α-cells and β-cells divide to form more β-cells. This study demonstrates the effect of α-cells being converted to β-cells. But various damages to the pancreas and other internal organs can cause an unforeseen difference in the cell types. In rats, a toxic diet can cause liver cells to form in the pancreas and intestinal cells to form in the liver. Because of this 'transdifferentiation' phenomena, Thorel and colleagues develop an idea where certain cells in the body are being converted into a different, but necessary cell.

To study the effects of diabetes, first, Thorel et al. chemically destroyed almost all the β-cells within adult mice. These pancreatic β-cells are responsible for secreting insulin, which is essential for the control of the blood glucose under physiological levels. For type 1 diabetes, the β-cells are destroyed and in type 2 diabetes, there are insufficient or nonfunctional β-cells to compensate for insulin resistance. In either case of diabetes, the abnormally high blood glucose levels can cause kidney, eye and nerve damage, and cardiovascular disease.

After the destruction of the β-cells , the mice were then kept alive with insulin treatment, and the regeneration of the cells was studied. It was observed that it was not the rarely survival of the remainder β-cells that kept the rats in sufficient, regenerated β-cell count. When Thorel et al. searched for the answers to the replenished β-cells, it was noted that the new cells arose from the reprogramming of the pancreatic α-cells. Also, once the new β-cells were replicated from the conversion, it seems that the β-cells do not take over the replication process; therefore, α-cell counts become diminished. It might be important to note that α-cells may become necessary to be replenished to maintain a correct glucagon/insulin ratio.

This work has a potential to be the starting point for an alternative therapy for diabetes treatment. Because the α-cell count is usually healthy and abundant, this interconversion between the two types of cells can be a pivotal approach to curing diabetes.

Shu Ho

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v464/n7292/full/4641132a.html

Device Avoids Open-Heart Surgery When Artificial Valve Fails

Doctors and researchers are working together to start putting to use a new novelty in heart valve surgery. Implanting a mechanical valve inside an artificial valve derived from a cow or pig could be the answer to all questions. Researchers say that "once expanded and opened, the new valve opens and functions similarly to the patient's own valve." The advantage is that failing valves can be replaced without the need for open-heart surgery, specially for high-risk patients.

The article reported on 24 high-risk patients who underwent surgery that transplanted a new artificial valve into the existing artificial one. The valves were inserted through a catheter and expanded with the help of balloons that pushed the old valves away. These patients proved to recover rapidly, but this strategy isn't appropriate in all cases, even though it's a lesser risk.

I was particularly interested in this article because of the device design project. When I found out about the device design for this semester, I was very excited to be focusing on such a neglected population when it comes to heart diseases. Artificial hearts are themselves incredibly interesting but a pediatric artificial heart is even more so. Of course, to design one, we first must learn about valves and all.

This article was revolutionary for me. Putting a mechanical valve inside an already artificial valve, is truly thinking out of the box. I believe this finding will benefit many people that could possibly die in surgery otherwise.

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=115477

The spice in a chili pepper is related to chronic pain in the body

In a study conducted at the University of Texas, they found that the substance that gives chili peppers their spice, capsaicin, is similar to a fatty acid found in areas of pain. When eaten, the substance binds to receptors in the body to create a burning sensation. When injured, the fatty acid, oxidized linoleic acid metabolites (OLAMs), was discovered to bind to receptors to cause pain. When the substance is blocked, it was discovered that chronic pain was eliminated. The gene responsible for the production of the OLAMs was knocked out in mice and the subjects became unresponsive to capsaicin. New non-addictive therapies have been created from this study to potentially treat chronic pain.

I found this article interesting because you would never expect that a substance that most people use for a spice is so similar to a component used in our own bodies to give the sensation of pain. Harnessing this information to its full potentional could result in revolutionary treatments in cancer and inflammatory diseases by either stopping the production of the substance or learning how to block the receptors that bind to this fatty acid.

Novel Artificial Pancreas Successfully Controls Blood Sugar More Than 24 Hours

Steven Russel, MD, PhD and Edward Damiano, PhD co-led a research team at Boston University in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. They developed an artificial pancreas system, “combining a blood glucose monitor and insulin pump technology with software that directs administration of insulin and the blood-sugar-raising hormone glucagon”.

They performed their first clinical trial of this system in people with type 1diabetes at Massachusetts General Hospital, confirming it's use of both hormones, insulin and glucagon. Usually, in type 1 diabetes, the insulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas are destroyed by the patients immune system which then requires insulin treatments to regulate blood sugar levels. It is very demanding and difficult to keep up with the intensive glucose control (need frequent blood sugar testing and insulin administration). As was stated, “continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps can help, but patients remain at risk for hypoglycemia”.

This new pancreas system accounts for the rate of insulin absorption as well as incorporating glucagon (a hormone naturally released by the pancreas to raise blood sugar levels). Their current study is primarily testing the software that controls the system on 11 adults with type 1 diabetes. Their blood sugar was controlled by the system for 27 hours where they ate three normal meals and slept through the night at the hospital. Six participant's glucose levels were kept close to the target range, while the other five needed a dose of orange juice to raise their blood sugar. The researches have edited their software, slowing the insulin absorption rates, and retested the same participants. This time there was no need to intervene.

I found this article interesting because it reminded me of our device design project. Their envision for this pancreatic system is to be wearable and incorporate a glucose sensor under the skin which will communicate wirelessly with a pump that administers insulin and glucagon. This device seems much more realistic for today's world. People would not have to constantly check their blood sugar levels and make decisions on how to treat their condition every couple hours. Although this does not cure type 1 diabetes, it is a very innovative way to create a “functioning pancreas” as a therapy for it.

Link:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100414152127.htm

EVA SZABUNIEWICZ

VTPP 435-501

MSC's response to shear stress

Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human bone marrow are important factors in the ongoing research of stem cells. They can differentiate into multiple cell lineages which makes them important prospects for tissue engineering. What makes them differentiate into those different cell lines is still unknown. Scientists at the Institute for Science in Technology and Medicine tested the effect of shear stress on the MSC's and how it affected their differentiation. The cells were exposed to multiple magnitudes of shear stress through fluid flow for varying time exposure. The results showed "significant differential gene expression for two integrin genes," and there was also some evidence of some "down-regulation" extracellular matrix gene. This proves that mechanical forces play a significant role in differentiation in MSC's. This will further help scientist understand the mystery behind cell differentiation and what makes them become a certain cell. If they can fully understand this process, then the field of tissue engineering will forever be changed.

http://springerlink.com/content/j87j267635v15262/?p=0fd0e43781064c77a742d5f9f1f5c7bd&pi=8

Chocolate decreases heart problems

This article goes in depth about how chocolate has been found to lower the risk of heart attack and stroke—only this time it’s for real. Through a study from the German Institute of Human Nutrition involving around 20,000 people over a period of eight years, it was found that those who ate a diet that included one quarter ounce of chocolate a day had 27 percent and 48 percent reduced risk of heart attack and stroke. These results are quite staggering when considering that the factor was something as common as chocolate.

The only catch is that the person must be disciplined enough to hold off on eating any more than the designated amount and in nearly all of the cases it should be dark chocolate. Otherwise, other health side-effects such as weight gain and in turn heart problems would quickly outweigh the benefits.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/03/30/chocolate.egg.per.day/index.html

In-vitro mapping of E-fields induced near pacemaker leads by simulated MR gradient fields

This article explores the problem of using an MRI machine on a patient with a cardiac pacemaker. Usually, in practice, MRI scanning of patients with cardiac pacemakers is avoided because the time varying magnetic field produced by the MRI machine may disrupt the pacemaker. First, the researchers mapped the magnetically induced electric field near the tips of wire leads in a saline tank (saline-to mimic the body's environment). The goal of the experiments was to determine the induced electric field and compare it to the actual electric field used in the pacemaker; to see if the MRI machine could, in-fact, cause pacing disruptions.

The researchers performed the experiment scaled down with a time varying magnetic field of 1 Tesla per second with a sinusoidal waveform of 1kHz. The researchers then scaled up their results to 30 Teslas/second and found that the induced electric field was actually greater than the electric field used in the device. They concluded that MRI scanning could potentially cause drastically altered paces depending on the situation and the pacemaker.

I found this interesting because this article highlights yet another problem with fully mechanical artificial hearts using electronics (relevant to our current device design project). My device design group is using magnetically powered motors in our artificial heart. MRI scanning could cause problems with the motor and delicate sensors in our device. This would make it harder to examine a patient with our device, adding to the long list of complications to having an artificial heart, this would be unfortunate.

Here's the link:

http://www.biomedical-engineering-online.com/content/8/1/39

Michael Serafino

VTPP 435-502

Robot Surgery, Thy Name is DaVinci

A company called Intuitive Surgical manufactures and sells the popular robotic surgery assist device known as "DaVinci." It allows its controller (usually a doctor in an adjacent room, or perhaps even across the globe) to make extremely small incisions and precision cuts, nearly eliminating the clumsiness factor of human hands. Though usually used for small-scale procedures such as prostate surgery and hysterectomies, the DaVinci is gaining much broader use, having recently been used in a kidney transplant surgery, and more complex surgeries are on the way.
Another really cool thing about the DaVinci is how it is controlled- 3D monitors provide the off-site doctor with excellent visuals during the surgery, and the computer converts every 5 inches of motion by the DaVinci's joystick controls into only 1 inch of motion by the actual surgical tool, giving it that nice and clean motion that you're always looking in a new surgical robot. According to the guys who built it, "using a robot leads to less tissue trauma, requires fewer surgical assistants, and is less physically taxing for the surgeon." Sounds like a pretty good deal.
A couple of setbacks about this machine, though, are its hefty pricetag of nearly $2 million and the fact that surgeons must acclimate themselves to using the device (luckily Intuitive Surgical has built a 3D simulation program for practice, which can be yours for only a huge amount of money).

I think this article was pretty fascinating because this is the kind of stuff that attracted me to biomedical engineering in the first place. Robot arms + surgery= awesome. This ain't your grandma's college degree plan.

http://singularityhub.com/2010/03/16/robot-surgery-thy-name-is-davinci/

9-Year-old's Leg Magnetically Lengthened As She Grows

An innovative way to perform treatment on patients with osteosarcoma (cancer of the bone) that can reduce the need for future operations. In the case of 9 year old Morgan LaRue of Houston, TX she lost an upper portion of her leg bone to the debilitating osteosarcoma. If previous procedures were used she would have to undergo up to 10 followup surgeries to keep her legs even with each other. Another reason that this surgery is good is that it replaces the bad bone with metal so the chances of rejection are little to none. When a visit is required to extend her leg she is simply placed in a donut shaped magnetic machine and the leg can be either extended or shortened. While this procedure is approved in Europe and regularly used is not yet FDA approved in the US; however, there are lobby groups working on this.


I chose this article simply because it greatly relates to our device design project, it deals with adolescents, it is used to prevent future operations and it's pretty cool.





http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/185822.php

Why Hair Turns Gray Is No Longer A Gray Area: Our Hair Bleaches Itself As We Grow Older

This article talks about the breakthrough researchers have made regarding the graying of people's hair as they age. Scientists in Europe have discovered that the changing of hair color to gray is due to a buildup of hydrogen peroxide in the hair. This buildup is due to the wear and tear of the hair follicles that occurs naturally as we age. After there is a buildup of the hydrogen peroxide, our body's ability to produce melanin (body's natural pigment) is blocked.

Everyone has a little bit of hydrogen peroxide in their hair, but as they age more of it appears and this dyes the hair from the natural color to gray to white. Just as some people choose to bleach their hair lighter, the natural buildup of hydrogen peroxide bleaches the hair from within.

The scientists found that the buildup of hydrogen peroxide was due to the lack or reduction in the amount of a catalase, an enzyme, that breaks hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. Other enzymes, MSR A and B, also play a part. They are normally used to repair the damage caused by hydrogen peroxide, but when a person's hair is graying, they have low levels of this enzyme. These two problems, the increase in hydrogen peroxide and the reduction in MSR A and B, leads to the final enzyme problem: low levels of tyrosinase. This enzyme plays a role in the production of melanin in hair follicles, which gives the hair (as well as skin and eyes) its color.

I found this really interesting because most people have to dye their hair when they get older to cover up the grays, or just live with gray hair. It was interesting to see how the science plays a role in this process. This could lead to ultimate solutions in fixing the problem of gray hair. If doctors could administer the enzymes that lack or are low, the graying of hair may be avoided.

Article Link

Jessica Sabbagh
VTPP 435-502