MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'advance'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:02:21 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107724&cid=t_118635_118_f&fid=34702&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmspblog%2F%7E3%2FgVDUE-B6AIo%2F The frail, elderly patient was so pale as to be nearly invisible against the crisp white sheets.  Any ability to give voice to his thoughts had been taken away by the ventilator tubes in his throat.  The soft restraints on his wrists prevented him from dislodging those tubes, either in confusion or by design.  Other tubes silently pumped fluids in or drained them out.  During his lucid moments he wondered how it had come to this… I sit on the Ethics Committee at my hospital; it is a group that deals with complex, challenging and sometimes heartbreaking dilemmas. Participants need a knowledge of state and federal law, an understanding of the essential workings of the healthcare system, and perhaps most importantly, wisdom and compassion. We are fortunate to be led by a p... MSSPNexus Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107724 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:47:38 +0100 5107724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107464&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008229.html Ray Kurzweil predicts a breakthrough in artificial intelligence will enable the emergence of near immortal transhumanists by 2045. That was Kurzweil's real secret, and back in 1965 nobody guessed it. Maybe not even him, not yet. But now, 46 years later, Kurzweil believes that we're approaching a moment when computers will become intelligent, and not just intelligent but more intelligent than humans. When that happens, humanity — our bodies, our minds, our civilization — will be completely and irreversibly transformed. He believes that this moment is not only inevitable but imminent. According to his calculations, the end of human civilization as we know it is about 35 years away. The underlying assumption here is that artificial intelligence will speed up... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107464 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:00:00 +0100 5107464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103484&cid=t_118635_136_f&fid=37850&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.carinforkaren.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1734 For you to receive your online payday loan referral bonus, cash advance direct lender loansInsuranque settlers insurancelittle insurancelabor insureince freeselling insurancebenefitstaxfree freepawtucket insurancebusinesses. the idea takes its inspiration from efforts in the past and at present that encourage and recognize givers of all financial means and backgrounds. cash advance boynton beach [...] (Source: Carin' For Karen) Carin' For Karen blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103484 Sun, 07 Aug 2011 09:44:17 +0100 5103484 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4952758&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008150.html An article in Technology Review about synthetic biology (e.g. create custom organism to make stuff) includes an interesting fact at the end: the costs of DNA synthesis is dropping as fast as the cost of DNA sequencing. Fortunately, the cost of DNA synthesis technology, much like that of DNA sequencing technology, is dropping rapidly. George Church, director of the Center for Computational Genomics at Harvard, noted in his talk that the costs of both DNA synthesis and sequencing technologies have been decreasing at an astonishing rate—lately by a factor of 10 each year. The dropping costs for DNA synthesis will accelerate the rate at which scientists try out new designs of genes and organisms. Where does this lead in the... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4952758 Mon, 20 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4952758 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921358&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008129.html At the end of a press release from UC Davis about a research cooperation deal struck with a big genomics research institute in China the Chinese center's genome sequencing capacity is mentioned and it is quite large. BGI was founded in 1999 as the Beijing Genomics Institute. It now has several branches and subsidiaries including: BGI-Shenzhen, a nonprofit research institute; BGI-Hong Kong, a private institute that manages international collaborations and transfers profits to BGI; and BGI-Americas, located in Boston, which just celebrated its one-year anniversary and announced new joint projects with the Broad Institute and the United Kingdom. BGI has about 4,000 employees and the capacity to sequence the equivalent of 1,600 complete human genomes each day. What caught my... (Source: Future... FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921358 Wed, 08 Jun 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4921358 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4767964&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008052.html Writing at The Atlantic at Megan McArdle takes a look (with home kitchen video for demonstration) at just how much time modern appliances save us in the kitchen. When my grandmother was growing up in the 1920s, the average woman spent about 30 hours a week preparing food and cleaning up. By the 1950s, when she was raising her family, that number had fallen to about 20 hours a week. Now, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, women average just 5.5 hours—and those who are employed, like me, spend less than 4.4 hours a week. And that’s not because men are picking up the slack; they log a paltry 15 minutes a day doing kitchen work. One market-research firm,... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4767964 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4767964 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696599&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F008010.html A mildly interesting discovery turns up a gene that might some day help lead to a treatment for insulin-resistant diabetes. But the actual discovery isn't the most important part of it. LA JOLLA, CA – New research by scientists at The Scripps Research Institute and collaborating institutions has identified a key regulator of fat cell development that may provide a target for obesity and diabetes drugs. In a paper published in the latest issue of Cell Metabolism, the scientists describe a protein called TLE3 that acts as a dual switch to turn on signals that stimulate fat cell formation and turn off those that keep fat cells from developing. TLE3 works in partnership with a protein that is already the... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696599 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4696599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4670182&cid=t_118635_111_f&fid=39123&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fnursingcomments%2Ftdtc%2F%7E3%2FnFy2XanbhfQ%2F Good afternoon all!  It has been awhile and I’m sorry for the delay – today’s post is actually a guest post by Maryanne Osberg and her contact information is included in the post.  Good to be back!  Stephanie _______________________________________ If you’re interested in medicine and would like to work in this field, perhaps becoming a nurse is the best way to go.  Sure it’s great to be a doctor, but you must spend at least ten years of your life in school before you get to practice medicine on a full-time basis.  If you want to start earning in a shorter time (yet stay in the field of medicine), nursing is your best bet – you don’t have to go to college for more than four years initially.  Further, you’re all set to begin once you complete the certificat... Nursing Comments blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4670182 Fri, 01 Apr 2011 19:36:05 +0100 4670182 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4664334&cid=t_118635_118_f&fid=34702&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmspblog%2F%7E3%2Fk7yiYCoqFfc%2F In a word – Yes. Every adult* should give serious thought to having and maintaining this important document. Establishing advance directives regarding future health care decisions can ensure that your wishes are met and can also relieve your family members of the stress of having to make difficult decisions for you. A living will tells others how you feel about care intended to sustain your life.  There are many issues to consider, including The use of dialysis and breathing machines If you want to be resuscitated if breathing or heartbeat stops Tube feeding Organ or tissue donation A durable power of attorney for health care is a document that names someone you trust to make health decisions for you if at any time you are unable to make them. Always carry a copy of your personal... MSSPNexus Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4664334 Thu, 31 Mar 2011 18:06:47 +0100 4664334 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4653345&cid=t_118635_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Flifeinthefastlane%2FWZHV%2F%7E3%2FYyCwSBM_XLk%2F Get ready for an insanely edutaining roller-coaster ride through the perils of ruling the resus... Oh, and try to stay out of the courtroom if you can. (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4653345 Mon, 28 Mar 2011 23:00:16 +0100 4653345 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4450292&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fend-of-life-care-when-medicine-prolongs-dying-not-living%2F2011.02.08 The recent Washington Post article entitled, Who decides when medicine prolongs dying, not living? perfectly captures my earlier blog on why we’re afraid of death. An excerpt from the Post piece: [There's a] huge gap between Americans’ wishes about end-of-life care, as expressed in numerous public opinion polls, and what actually happens in too many instances–futile, expensive, often painful procedures performed on people too sick to leave the hospital alive–much less survive with a decent quality of life. Ninety percent of Americans say they want to die at home but only 20 percent do so. Half of Americans die in hospitals and another 25 percent in nursing homes, after a long period of suffering from chronic, incurable conditions that finally become untreatable. An ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4450292 Tue, 08 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4450292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399528&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fend-of-life-planning-makes-it-easier-to-say-goodbye%2F2011.01.25 This is a guest post by Dr. Barbara Okun and Dr. Joseph Nowinski. *********** End-Of-Life Planning Makes It Easier To Say Goodbye Saying goodbye as the end of life approaches can be difficult, even for those with a gift for words. In a moving account in a recent issue of The New Yorker, writer Joyce Carol Oates describes the last week of her 49-year marriage, as her husband was dying from complications of pneumonia. Like A Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion’s poignant memoir of her husband’s sudden death and its aftermath, Oates’ essay highlights the need for each of us to think about death and dying — and discuss them with loved ones — long before they become a likelihood. In our work with individuals and families facing death, we have seen too many people miss the op... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399528 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:00:02 +0100 4399528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4355711&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007828.html Razib points to a debate about how fast and how far DNA sequencing costs will drop. John Hawks expects $50 for full genome sequencing in less than 5 years. The inevitability of the $1000 genome has already made it irrelevant. We should expect a $1000 genome announcement this year. This will be hype, because the real $1000 genomes won't be here until...next year! Before the end of 2014, whole genome sequences at 4x coverage will cross the $100 mark. I think there's a good chance they will be less than $50 at that time. Based on numbers I've seen, those numbers are around six months optimistic. Geneticists are already planning projects anticipating $100 genomes -- some suggest that the next... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4355711 Sat, 15 Jan 2011 00:00:00 +0100 4355711 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294589&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007784.html Here are some excerpts from IBM's predictions for the next 5 years. What do you think of these predictions? You'll beam up your friends in 3-D In the next five years, 3-D interfaces – like those in the movies – will let you interact with 3-D holograms of your friends in real time. Movies and TVs are already moving to 3-D, and as 3-D and holographic cameras get more sophisticated and miniaturized to fit into cell phones, you will be able to interact with photos, browse the Web and chat with your friends in entirely new ways.  Scientists are working to improve video chat to become holography chat - or "3-D telepresence." The technique uses light beams scattered from objects... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294589 Tue, 28 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4294589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205936&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fend-of-life-wishes-how-to-engage-with-grace%2F2010.11.27 As patients, as family members, as friends, as health care providers, we have all faced end-of-life issues at one time or another, and we will face them again. And again.  This weekend the “Engage With Grace” message is being broadcast virally, through a “blog rally,” at a time when many people are with family and friends over the long weekend. The point is: We all need to have the potentially uncomfortable conversation with people close to us about what kind of treatment we would want, and they would want, if incapable of making or communicating healthcare decisions. CNN ran a story on “Engage With Grace” yesterday. End-of-life decision-making has long been an issue of great personal and professional interest to me, and I am proud to have played a r... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205936 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 13:00:00 +0100 4205936 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118827&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007607.html Nature estimates that the number of sequenced human genomes will go up by about an order of magnitude between now and the end of 2011. Although far from comprehensive, the tally indicates that at least 2,700 human genomes will have been completed by the end of this month, and that the total will rise to more than 30,000 by the end of 2011. This is an example of why I keep saying that the floodgates on genetic data are opening, that the rate of discovery of what genetic mutations mean is rapidly accelerating, and that we will soon learn enormous amounts about what many thousands of our genetic variants mean. The utility of getting yourself genetically tested is going to... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118827 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 23:00:00 +0100 4118827 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3794775&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-insulting-term-physician-extender%2F2010.07.27 “Physician Extender.” It sounds like the name of a male enhancement product. It’s a term often used to describe a nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant. I hate it. It’s insulting. A nurse practitioner is not an adjunct physician. They do not supplement the care of a physician. They provide essential advance-practice nursing services, services that include diagnosis and provision of medical care. While some of these services overlap those of medicine, nurse practitioners are not extensions of another profession, they provide care in their own right — as educated, licensed practitioners. Sometimes the only care provider for a community is a nurse practitioner. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Emergiblog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3794775 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 12:00:12 +0100 3794775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764129&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007347.html The cost of genome sequencing continues its rapid descent. Illumina now will charge $19,500 for the service. Users must follow a physician-mediated process. That's down from the $48,000 the firm was charging when actress Glenn Close revealed in March that Illumina had sequenced her genome. But Illumina's price falls to $14,500 per person for groups of at least five that are referred by the same physician. And it falls to just $9,500 when a referring physician certifies that the sequencing could lead to a treatment for a patient's disease or condition. Note the bit about "a physician-mediated process". Regulators won't let you find out our own genetic sequence without a visit to a doctor to get permission. What's the point... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764129 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3764129 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3635709&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007231.html The genes which are active in the hypothalamus in the brain have been identified. By analyzing all the roughly 20,000 genes in the mouse genome, the team identified 1200 as strongly activated in developing hypothalamus and characterized the cells within the hypothalamus in which they were activated. The team then characterized the expression of the most interesting 350 genes in detail using another gene called Shh, for sonic hedgehog, as a landmark to identify the precise region of the hypothalamus in which these genes were turned on. This involved processing close to 20,000 tissue sections - painstakingly sliced at one-fiftieth of a millimeter thickness and then individually examined. While the hypothalamus is small compared to the brain as a whole... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3635709 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3635709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3603596&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffrom-winnie-the-pooh-edward-bear-and-primary-care%2F2010.05.26 Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.  – From A.A. Milne’s “Winnie the Pooh and the House at Pooh Corner.” Internists, I expect, will identify with Edward Bear. Richard Baron’s study in the NEJM on the amount of work he and his colleagues do outside of an office visit — the “bump, bump, bump” of a busy internal medicine (IM) practice — has resonated with many of his colleagues. Jay Larson, who often posts comments on this blog, did a similar analysis for his general IM practice in Monta... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3603596 Wed, 26 May 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3603596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3592427&cid=t_118635_160_f&fid=36189&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.skinmdblog.com%2F85%2Fadvances-in-dermatology-still-badly-needed%2F Scientists have been working to advance dermatology and make changes.  We need change, because the old “tried and true” approaches are ineffective and probably doing more harm to our skin than good. Sometimes it seems that for every scientific conclusion, there is a contradictory one.  An example is found in treating and identifying the causes of acne. Prior to the 1950s, dermatologists agreed that diet played a role in acne.  In particular, they blamed sugary snacks and junk food. Research conducted in the late 1960s and early 1970s proclaimed that there was no connection between diet and acne.  Within the last couple of years, scientists have again demonstrated that there is a connection between the consumption of carbohydrates and the severity of acne.  They were also able to p... Skin MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3592427 Mon, 24 May 2010 00:12:50 +0100 3592427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585566&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007190.html Faster DNA sequencing by feeding single DNA strands at a time thru nanopores. BOSTON (5-19-10) -- Sequencing DNA could get a lot faster and cheaper – and thus closer to routine use in clinical diagnostics – thanks to a new method developed by a research team based at Boston University. The team has demonstrated the first use of solid state nanopores — tiny holes in silicon chips that detect DNA molecules as they pass through the pore — to read the identity of the four nucleotides that encode each DNA molecule. In addition, the researchers have shown the viability of a novel, more efficient method to detect single DNA molecules in nanopores. "We have employed, for the first time, an... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585566 Wed, 19 May 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3585566 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185299&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006881.html More genetic variants that influence blood sugar and insulin have been identified. A major international study with leadership from Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers has identified 10 new gene variants associated with blood sugar or insulin levels. Two of these novel variants and three that earlier studies associated with glucose levels were also found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. Along with a related study from members of the same research consortium, associating additional genetic variants with the metabolic response to a sugary meal, the report will appear in Nature Genetics and has been released online. "Only four gene variants had previously been associated with glucose metabolism, and just one of them was known to affect type 2... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185299 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0100 3185299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3111685&cid=t_118635_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyruucDZmB2s%2F R&D spending by India’s 25 biggest drugmakers grew nearly 17 percent in 2008-09, with several increasing their investments by over 40 percent, according to a survey by Pharmabiz. Total R&D spending by the drugmakers reached $683 million, or 7.75 percent of their sales, up from 7.6 percent in the previous year. Among those that boosted R&D spending by more than 40 percent during the year were Jubilant Organosys, Matrix, Sun Pharma Advance, Ind-Swift, Stride Arcolab and Piramal Healthcare. But the biggest spender was Ranbaxy, spending a total of $100 million, up 2.4 percent from the previous year. The next biggest spender was Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, then Lupin. The survey also forecasts a growing numbers of Abbreviated New Drug Applications and Drug Master Files in highl... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3111685 Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:17:13 +0100 3111685 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2995710&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006718.html Out of the 60,000 vertebrate species still in existence an international group of scientists wants to sequence 10,000 of them. Scientists have an ambitious new strategy for untangling the evolutionary history of humans and their biological relatives: a genetic menagerie made of the DNA of more than 10,000 vertebrate species. The plan, proposed by an international consortium of scientists, is to obtain, preserve, and sequence the DNA of approximately one species for each genus of living mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. A bigger effort is needed to collect samples from many individual animals of each species so that their genetic diversity can be preserved in the face of declining numbers. Habitat loss is cutting into the numbers of many... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2995710 Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2995710 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967253&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006693.html Futuristic speculative questions sometimes become present day practical questions. Have you asked yourself what price you'd be willing to pay to get your genome fully sequenced? Complete Genomics, a start-up based in Mountain View, CA, has again lowered the stick in the financial limbo dance of human genome sequencing, announcing in the journal Science that it has sequenced three human genomes for an average cost of $4,400. The most recently sequenced genome--which happens to be that of genomics pioneer George Church--cost just $1,500 in chemicals, the cheapest published yet. This doesn't mean you can get your genome sequenced for $4400. They also had labor, equipment, and lab space costs as well as data post-processing costs. But the overall costs are... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967253 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2967253 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2785885&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006527.html Just a month ago Stephen Quake sequenced his genome for $50000. That represents a drop of 80% from the $250k cost of a year ago and orders of magnitude lower... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2785885 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2785885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688646&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006440.html Stanford microfluidics researcher Stephen Quake used a new DNA sequencing machine from Helicos Biosciences (a company he co-founded) to sequence his own genome in a week to 95% completeness for... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688646 Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2688646 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670794&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006419.html Small, fast, cheap, and automated microfluidic chips are cutting the cost of research and drug development. A team at UCLA has developed a chip that can screen for binding of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670794 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2670794 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645287&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006400.html Another example of why the future is coming sooner than you might expect. BOSTON, Mass. (July 26, 2009) — High-throughput sequencing has turned biologists into voracious genome readers, enabling them... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645287 Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2645287 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473242&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006285.html How cheap does DNA sequencing have to get before you'll pay to get sequenced? The cost of a personal genome has dropped from about the price of a luxury sedan... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473242 Sat, 13 Jun 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2473242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2399113&cid=t_118635_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fsmoking-gun-did-avandia-kill-those.html Doctors in the US have been told the ACCORD study "proved" it was dangerous for people with diabetes to shoot for a 6.5% A1c. ACCORD study found that a higher rate of heart attack was seen in the group with lower blood sugars. This is leading many doctors to give the tragically flawed advice to patients that they should keep their A1cs up, closer to 7% to preserve health.In contrast, another, larger and longer study, ADVANCE, found no harm and slightly fewer heart attacks in the intensive control group who attained those A1cs of 6.5% over a period of five years.The full text publications describing both the ACCORD and ADVANCE studies are now available for free and it seems to me they make it crystal clear what killed people in the ACCORD study. ACCORD is the study that found excess deaths ... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2399113 Thu, 07 May 2009 11:53:00 +0100 2399113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2306902&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F006106.html Using algorithms for a limited form of artificial intelligence a robot named Adam used knowledge about yeast genetics to formulate hypotheses and carry out experiments. As reported in the latest... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2306902 Sun, 05 Apr 2009 04:00:00 +0100 2306902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2205040&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005985.html Why pay for years long and expensive diet studies on bone health when a powerful scientific instrument can get you answers in 7 weeks? The proposal also takes advantage of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2205040 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2205040 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2172953&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005951.html DNA sequencing costs are falling so far so fast that in 10 years DNA sequencing of babies will be commonplace at birth. Cuckolds will learn of their plight while standing... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2172953 Tue, 10 Feb 2009 05:00:00 +0100 2172953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1856060&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005607.html Our biotechnological future is coming even faster than I expected. A Mountain View California biotech start-up, Complete Genomics, operating in stealth mode since a 2006 founding, has announced availability of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1856060 Tue, 07 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1856060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1828035&cid=t_118635_111_f&fid=34615&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emergiblog.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fena-annual-meeting-i-made-it.html I can’t believe I am actually here in beautiful Minneapolis (land of James Lileks, my blogfather!) for the ENA Annual Meeting and Scientific Assembly! I already have a ton of post ideas - six, to be exact, and that was just from the keynote address! I did want to mention, before going on, that I met Zippy’s cousin today! This is Eenah the Lobster (get it? E-N-A = Eenah) and she is the mascot for the 2009 ENA Meeting in Baltimore! Zippy himself should be arriving at my door any day now. Hubby is expecting him! I hope I can show him as good a time as everyone else has. Hope he likes coffee. And NASCAR! And the Cleveland Browns! And Notre Dame! I’ll turn Zippy into such a Notre Dame fan he’ll turn irish green! ******************** The lovely lady on my left is Ms. Can... Emergiblog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1828035 Fri, 26 Sep 2008 05:41:15 +0100 1828035 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1704642&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2008%2F08%2Fdoroty-livadas-new-futile-care-case-in.html This is the future that Futile Care theorists hold for us. If you sign an advance medical directive granting a proxy the right to make your health decisions on your behalf in the event of incapacity--and that proxy wants life support ceased--that decision is sacrosanct, and woe betide the outsider (even other family members) who try to interfere. But, if doctors decide that the proxy's decision to maintain life support is "inappropriate," well then, to hell with the advance directive, and indeed, to hell with the proxy.Just such a scenario is unfolding today in Rochester. Dorothy Livadas named her daughter Ianthe to be her proxy. But Ianthe is exercising independent judgment requiring life support to continue that the hospital doesn't want to provide, and so the hospital has sued to have h... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1704642 Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:08:00 +0100 1704642 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1701442&cid=t_118635_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fchronic-pain%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fwho-do-you-love-in-a-life-with-chronic-pain%2F This may sound like silliness, such as “who’s your Mama?” as well as “who do you love?” but when it comes to self-care, it’s an important question. It’s not as easy as it sounds, to love one’s self. We all grew up being told to “love your neighbor…” but the rest of that quote is, “as yourself.” I have learned that you can’t give away what you do not have. If you don’t love or at least like yourself, how can you love others? You are the primary vessel from which your life flows. You have to be the leading lady/guy in your own life story. When it comes to living with a chronic illness and/or chronic pain, you have to be your own best friend. To look out for yourself, your health and your welfare is your prime responsibility. I’ve always been amazed, as a nurse... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1701442 Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:15:40 +0100 1701442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1674790&cid=t_118635_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2F55-of-responding-dentists-have-partially-or-fully-stopped-taking-insurance%2F At the WealthyDentist.com, a recent survey reveals that over half of the dentists who responded have completely or partially stopped accepting dental insurance. The 44% who claim that they only partially work with insurance companies may mean that they are not in network with any insurance company, but they will file claims as a courtesy. They may or may not accept the patient’s copay or deductible. For some dentists, rejecting insurance would put the kiss of death on their practice. Particularly in rural areas, general dentists must accept insurance if they are to sustain a business. However, in more affluent areas, patients may have the liquid funds to pay up front fees or to opt out of dental insurance altogether. Furthermore, cosmetics are not covered by insurance. A little les... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1674790 Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:41:02 +0100 1674790 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1655465&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005388.html Alexis Madrigal surveys the rapid progress in DNA sequencing technology. A prominent genetics institute recently sequenced its trillionth base pair of DNA, highlighting just how fast genome sequencing technology has... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1655465 Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1655465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1442703&cid=t_118635_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fchase-enters-dental-financing%2F You have your CareCredit, your CapitalOne HCF, your Wells Fargo, Springstone, and others. Basically, you have options when it comes to patient financing through a third party. Chase has officially thrown its hat in the ring with ChaseHealthAdvance. And if you’re wondering why Unicorn didn’t make the list of financing companies, Chase bought them out. So what’s going to differentiate Chase from the pack? According to the Dental Economics interview (April 2008), Chase has a few advantages to make their product appealing. They’ll offer no-interest for 3 to 24 months, a popular choice for patients who can pay off their dental expenses inside of two years. ChaseHealthAdvance also claims that they have a great approval rate, which appeals to dentists, and they finance up... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1442703 Wed, 14 May 2008 14:02:42 +0100 1442703 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1386049&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005150.html Long time readers know that I expect much more rapid advances in biotechnology because biological research is coming to resemble the computer industry with miniature lab devices designed for low... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1386049 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1386049 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1376666&cid=t_118635_114_f&fid=34646&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthcarebloglaw.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F04%2Fnational-healthcare-decisions-day-april.html Today (April 16, 2008) is “National Healthcare Decisions Day”, a collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity in the United States have the information and opportunity to properly communicate and document their healthcare decisions.My law partner, Sam Fox, who serves on the West Virginia State Bar's Law & Medicine Committee sent out an email a few weeks ago asking lawyers in West Virginia to participate in promoting this important initiative. To do my part I thought I would blog some information.Frist, check out the resources page on the NHDD website for more information on advanced directives and advanced care planning.Second, for more information on West Virginia advanced directives go to t... Health Care Law Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1376666 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 14:40:00 +0100 1376666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1304952&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F005070.html While the cost does not include labor or capital equipment the $60,000 for the reagents is an impressive achievement. FOSTER CITY, Calif. -- Applied Biosystems (NYSE:ABI), an Applera Corporation business,... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1304952 Fri, 14 Mar 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1304952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1287800&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34595&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnhsblogdoc.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F03%2Fgaviscon-gavison-advance-and-tums.html White medicine is in the news again.By white medicine I mean the bottle of plausible jollop you buy over the counter when you get indigestion. They are all much of a muchness and much dependent on their advertising budget. "Settlers bring express relief". Remember that one? Gaviscon is a perfectly adequate minor remedy for indigestion but has been promoted beyond all reason. With clever advertising it captured a corner of the market and was a nice little earner. When the patent ran out, the company lawyers moved in to prevent the introduction of a generic substitute. That cost the NHS £40 million. Yes, folks, £40 million. And then we had Gaviscon Advance which is an overpriced joke. I have never prescribed it. We do not see drug reps, but practices who do were subjected to the persuasive... NHS Blog Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1287800 Fri, 07 Mar 2008 22:47:00 +0100 1287800 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1231885&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2F234979698%2Flogic-or-rationale-of-dnr-order.html Whether we've discussed it or not, we've all thought about the prospect of Do Not Resuscitate Orders (DNRs). In most instances the need for them is no mystery nor does it require rocket science to... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Women's Bioethics Blog) Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1231885 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 14:22:42 +0100 1231885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1173167&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004945.html Remember when sequencing the DNA of just a single person was a great achievement? Now an international project will sequence 1000 times as many human genomes. An international research consortium... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1173167 Wed, 23 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1173167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1165321&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004937.html Venture capitalists see biotechnology as about to take off. Venture capitalists pumped a record $9.1 billion into privately held U.S. biotechnology and medical device companies last year, in hopes of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1165321 Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:00:00 +0100 1165321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1091374&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomensbioethics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F12%2Fdeath-casts-shadow-in-classroom.html (Source: Women's Bioethics Blog) Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1091374 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 06:12:00 +0100 1091374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1091347&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004853.html The trend of using computer semiconductor technologies to manipulate biological material promises to revolutionize biological science and biotechnology. Orders of magnitude cost reductions become possible when very small devices are... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1091347 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 05:00:00 +0100 1091347 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1064203&cid=t_118635_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2007%2F12%2F01%2Flearning-about-psychiatric-advance-directives%2F Last week the topic of a psychiatric advance directive, or PAD, came up in the Wall Street Journal in an article entitled, Helping Mental Patients Gain Some Control Over Treatment. A psychiatric advance directive allows a person with a mental illness to state preferences for, or dislikes of, specific treatments, designate a proxy decision-maker or make other advance decisions about their mental health care and treatment. For instance, if you know you have a bad reaction to Haldol, but may not be believed when you’re in a manic or delusional state, a psychiatric advance directive helps communicate that vital information to a treatment team. Why wouldn’t a doc just consult your medical chart for such information? Well, largely because charts are still paper and institutional or ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1064203 Sun, 02 Dec 2007 00:42:06 +0100 1064203 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=966930&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004699.html An article in The Scientist provides a sense of how much DNA sequencing costs have fallen. At the bottom of that page they show 3 costs from 3 different sequencing... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=966930 Sun, 21 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 966930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=923722&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004646.html Silicon technology applied to microfluidics is going to revolutionize biological science. Integrating silicon microchip technology with a network of tiny fluid channels, some thinner than a human hair, researchers at... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=923722 Wed, 03 Oct 2007 04:00:00 +0100 923722 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=833400&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004542.html Microfluidic chips are going to speed up the rate of biological experimentation by orders of magnitude. Here is another example of the power of microfluidics for studying biological systems. CHAMPAIGN,... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=833400 Fri, 31 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 833400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=815167&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004515.html MIT researchers have developed a microfluidic chip that automates research on the worm Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Genetic studies on whole animals can now be done dramatically faster using a... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=815167 Wed, 22 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 815167 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=804411&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004492.html Natural selection can only select between mutations that occur naturally. The number of mutations that might occur naturally in humans is limited by the number of humans and by which... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=804411 Fri, 17 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 804411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=654467&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004291.html DNA double helix co-discoverer James D. Watson has had his DNA sequenced at a much lower cost than previous genome sequencing attempts. On Thursday, James Watson was handed a DVD... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=654467 Sun, 03 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 654467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612001&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F16%2Fdecline-in-u-s-women-getting-mammograms%2F Filed under: Breast Cancer, ResearchThe researchers don't seem to know why, but there is a decline in the number of women in the United States age 40 or older who have had mammograms over the last two years. A study published in the journal Cancer says that during the period from 1987 to 2000, there was a steady increase in women receiving mammograms. They believe this to be somewhat responsible for the increase in breast cancer survival that occurred during that period. Supporting the phrase -- early detection saves lives. They evaluate the trends in mammography use by a survey that is administered to 35,000 adults called the National Health Interview Survey. The current analysis focused on women who had mammograms in the last two years. The survey showed that in the year 2000, 70 percent... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612001 Wed, 16 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 612001 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=612139&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004251.html Single DNA letter differences have garnered most of the popular and scientific attention for the study of human genetic differences. But larger genetic differences such as large copy variations (where... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=612139 Tue, 15 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 612139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=587937&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F004224.html Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) are widely used to synthesize DNA as part of DNA sequencing work. Dr. Victor Ugaz at Texas A&M University has found a way to speed up... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=587937 Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 587937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=536851&cid=t_118635_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwomensbioethics.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Ftexas-futile-care-law.html There is a case going on in Texas right now dealing with the Texas Futile Care Law. The bill, signed in 1999 by then Governor George W. Bush, allows hospitals to end life-sustaining treatment to patients whose medical treatment is declared "medically futile." Read the entire law here: Texas Statutes Health & Safety Code, Chapter 166. Advance Directives (specifically Section 166.046)From the Washington Post: Since Dec. 28, baby Emilio Gonzales has spent his days in a pediatric intensive care unit, mostly asleep from the powerful drugs he is administered, and breathing with the help of a respirator. Children's Hospital here declared his case hopeless last month and gave his mother 10 days, as legally required, to find another facility to take the baby. That deadline, extended once alread... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=536851 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:41:00 +0100 536851