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 'beta?'. Tue, 04 May 2010 18:19:47 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346578&cid=t_299642_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Falzheimers-disease-beta-and-immune.html Old Enemy Might Help to Prevent Alzheimer’sBy GINA KOLATAThe New York TimesPublished: March 8, 2010"Harvard researchers are taking a new look at beta amyloid, which was thought to be a chief villain in Alzheimer’s whose function was that of a waste product in the brain."Read the full article (Source: BrainBlog) BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346578 Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:02:00 +0100 3346578 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322438&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FEHP0aLsDTKU%2F The FDA is not supposed to be in the business of practicing medicine. Their role related to medicine is to approve or not approve medications, and to warn doctors of potential problems with certain types of drugs. Some doctors are now expressing concern about the latest recommendation from the FDA, calling for earlier discontinuation of certain asthma drugs. The doctors, experts in the field of treating asthma, are saying that this recommendation may be very risky for some patients. They expressed their concern at press meeting held at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI) 2010 Annual Meeting. Last month, the FDA came out with warnings about using certain types of asthma medications after a certain amount of time (FDA Urging Caution with Asthma Pumps). The FDA bas... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322438 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 16:59:04 +0100 3322438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3287809&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FIRWQnw1WH60%2F They seem to be everywhere: medication pumps and devices for people with asthma. For people who have asthma, these pumps and inhalers are literal life savers sometimes. Asthma medications that are inhaled by pump, disk, or inhaler, come in a couple of categories: Immediate action and prophylactic (preventative), although some medications provide a bit of both. The immediate action medications are ones such as Ventolin, which helps open the airways and allows for air exchange. The preventative ones often have long-acting beta agonist, or LABA, in them, to help keep the airway open. These medications include Advair and Symbicort, which combine LABA with corticosteroids, and Serevent and Foradi, which contain the LABA only. Because these inhaled versions of medication are everywhere, it does ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3287809 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 15:16:53 +0100 3287809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3288021&cid=t_299642_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F-_UgZLt8oAw%2F And so once again, another week will soon draw to a close. We hope this has been a productive stretch, although today is not yet history. Still, this may be a good time to ponder the weekend activities. Any interesting plans? We plan to huddle with some of our favorite humans and, of course, walk the dog. While you consider your own possibilities, here are a few items to help you close out the week. Have a nice time, everyone… Merck To Consolidate Media Spending (AdWeek) FDA Issues Warnings On Long-Acting Beta Agonists (Bloomberg News) Novartis’ Tasigna Gets FDA Priority Review (Reuters) Roche Wins Approval To Market Rituxan For CLL (Bloomberg News) Novavax Presents Swine Flu Data (Associated Press) AIDS Vaccine Effect May Wear Off (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3288021 Fri, 19 Feb 2010 12:57:38 +0100 3288021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3224805&cid=t_299642_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F01%2Fcreutzfeldtjakob-disease%2F Pathophysiology 1) degenerative disease of CNS caused by presence of infectious protein called a prion 2) presents with myoclonus and dementia; relentlessly progresses to death, usually within 1 year 3) in the past decade new-variant CJD has been described that is a human infection by the etiologic agent causing bovine spongiform encephalopathy (”mad cow” disease) Signs and Symptoms 1) in one third of cases a prodrome of malaise, fatigue, sleep problems, headache, and weight loss occurs 2) myoclonus 3) dementia 4) choreoathetoid movements 5) vision deficits Characteristic Test Findings EEG – 1) early in disease can be normal or show only scattered theta activity 2) as disease progresses episodic triphasic and polyphasic spikes are seen Histology/Gross Pathology 1) affecte... Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3224805 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 20:39:48 +0100 3224805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3193805&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F0LUJ4zuNX0s%2F Multiple sclerosis is a neurological disease that strikes most often in adults who are just getting going with their life – they’re establishing their careers, starting families, and they have plans. MS is a disease that can progress slowly, allowing those affected by it to live fairly “normal” lives. Unfortunately, others deteriorate quickly to the point that they can’t care for themselves before they die. MS is seen more in northern countries, so there is a theory that sunlight – or lack of sunlight – plays a role in the development of the disease. Canada has the dubious distinction of having the highest rate of MS in the world. What MS Is In MS, the nerves in the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain and spinal cord, degene... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3193805 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 15:53:03 +0100 3193805 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153592&cid=t_299642_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F01%2F07%2Felevated-proteins-may-warn-of-ovarian-cancer-but-sufficient-lead-time-predictive-value-still-lacking%2F Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center researchers discovered that concentrations of the serum biomarkers CA125, human epididymis protein 4 (HE4), and mesothelin began to rise 3 years before clinical diagnosis of ovarian cancer, according to a new study published online December 30 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. However, the biomarkers became substantially elevated only [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153592 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:22:08 +0100 3153592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2967246&cid=t_299642_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F06%2Ftwitter-lists-of-medical-and-other-scientific-journals%2F In the previous two posts (“Biomedical Journals on Twitter” and List(s) of Tweeting Journals: Your Votes Please!) I introduced the Google-spreadsheet of (Bio-)medical Journals, manually compiled by the concerted effort of many people on Twitter. At a certain point other non-biomedical scientific journals were added, which made the list more complete, but less useful for [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2967246 Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:33:43 +0100 2967246 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2857384&cid=t_299642_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F03%2Fnlms-pillbox-a-new-pill-identification-system%2F The National Library of Medicine (NLM) not only launched a redesigned PubMed interface, but also another service (though still in beta): Pillbox beta for “rapid identification and reliable information. The web address is http://pillbox.nlm.nih.gov/ Pillbox was developed to aid in the identification of unknown solid dosage pharmaceuticals. The system combines high-resolution images of tablets and capsules [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2857384 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:30:57 +0100 2857384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851967&cid=t_299642_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F4lh20j6D4h4%2F A good eight hours of sleep really does our life good, well into the twilight years! A new study has found that sleep abnormalities in midlife may be linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s later in life. Chronic sleep abnormalities include  insomnia, late-night habits, sleep deprivation and irregular sleep habits. Alzheimer’s is triggered as the peptide amyloid-beta transforms into plaque in the brain’s fluid, and amyloid-beta naturally increases during the day and decreases at night. Published in Science Express, neurologist Jae-Eun Kang and her colleagues found, in both men and mice, that concentrations of amyloid-beta increases during periods of sleep deprivation. When the researchers kept mice awake for an extra 6 hours, the levels of amyloid-beta spiked. So the scientists are ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851967 Wed, 30 Sep 2009 22:13:00 +0100 2851967 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766234&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fdiabetic-skin-cells-morphed-into-beta-cells-theyre-human.html {Editor’s Note: apparently I’m all over Time magazine this week, or it’s all over me…} Finally, some breakthrough diabetes research that does not only involve mice! Time magazine’s August 31 issue reports on new a stem-cell-based study that involved taking skin cells from two people with type 1 diabetes, exposing the cells to “a cocktail of [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766234 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:00:32 +0100 2766234 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2681845&cid=t_299642_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F08%2Flists-of-tweeting-journals-your-votes-please%2F In the previous post “Biomedical Journals on Twitter” I showed a spreadsheet of biomedical Journals This list was made on request of and for doctors, hence the original list name: Medical Journals. As this Google-spreadsheet serves as a wiki, anyone (having g-mail) can edit the list. This was quite successful, as there were many additions made. However, some [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2681845 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:30:26 +0100 2681845 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606201&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FZ2mmDsqxq-s%2Fdimebolin-increases-brain-beta-amyloid.html "This result is highly unexpected in what may prove to be a clinically beneficial Alzheimer's drug," Samuel Gandy said. "We need more research to further clarify how dimebolin affects beta amyloid levels in the brain.""A number of ideas need to be pursued. It may turn out that the drug works by getting toxic amyloid out of brain nerve cells. Or, the effects of dimebolin on other brain systems may override its effect on increasing beta amyloid. Finally, the drug's beneficial actions might have nothing to do with amyloid, which, if true, indicates the existence of important therapeutic targets independent of beta amyloid," Gandy added.For more Insight into Alzheimer's DiseaseSubscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading RoomSurprisingly, Dimebolin Increases Brain Beta Amyloid in Alzheimer's Mouse Mod... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606201 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:06:36 +0100 2606201 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606200&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FY3bw0QgKeZI%2Fimmunotherapy-against-tau-tangles-in.html "We believe that these results point to the therapeutic potential of phosphorylated-tau-immunotherapy in Alzheimer's," Rosenmann said. "We devoted significant effort to address not only the anti-tangle effect but also safety of a phosphorylated-tau vaccine. This was done in order to identify early in the preclinical stage any potential hazard of this potential Alzheimer's therapy."For more Insight into Alzheimer's DiseaseSubscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading RoomImmunotherapy Against Tau Tangles in Alzheimer's Mouse ModelsImmunotherapy (treatment by inducing, enhancing, or suppressing an immune response) targeting beta amyloid is being researched widely by companies and academics as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer's disease. Earlier, late stage, anti-amyloid immunotherapy trials in peopl... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606200 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 13:09:12 +0100 2606200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602198&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FZ2mmDsqxq-s%2Fdimebolin-increases-brain-beta-amyloid.html "This result is highly unexpected in what may prove to be a clinically beneficial Alzheimer's drug," Samuel Gandy said. "We need more research to further clarify how dimebolin affects beta amyloid levels in the brain.""A number of ideas need to be pursued. It may turn out that the drug works by getting toxic amyloid out of brain nerve cells. Or, the effects of dimebolin on other brain systems may override its effect on increasing beta amyloid. Finally, the drug's beneficial actions might have nothing to do with amyloid, which, if true, indicates the existence of important therapeutic targets independent of beta amyloid," Gandy added.For more Insight into Alzheimer's DiseaseSubscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading RoomSurprisingly, Dimebolin Increases Brain Beta Amyloid in Alzheimer's Mouse Mod... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602198 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:46:29 +0100 2602198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580350&cid=t_299642_117_f&fid=36026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Fzimney-health-and-medical-news-you-can-use%2Fcaffeine-cures-alzheimers-and-other-misleading-headlines%2F Not really, but I’d imagine that headline caught your eye and grabbed your attention, which is what it was supposed to do. The study on which that claim is based was widely and often quite misleadingly trumpeted across the Internet yesterday (July 6, 2009). Although some responsible sites included in the headline that the tests were done in mice, many concealed this important fact until you were well into the article and had already been exposed to whatever advertising was on the page. I’d already seen several misleading headlines before I realized the studies were in mice and I’m sure that many people didn’t ever get the full story. The entire webisode was set in motion by the University of South Florida Health’s press release, a slick piece of PR entitled &#... Dr. Z's Medical Report blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580350 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:37:16 +0100 2580350 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441452&cid=t_299642_97_f&fid=35606&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.theangriestpharmacist.com%2F2009%2F05%2F22%2Fwho-let-the-quacks-loose%2F I’ve done nothing but battle with crazy ass QUACKS this last two weeks. From the battle with SmartMoney.com to my letters to the editor, I’ve been a busy little bee! Pharmagirl10 brought this crap to my attention: One Doctor’s Quest to Cut Unneeded Treatments (Behold These Six Common Medical Procedures That Do No Patient Any Good) What happened to responsible journalism? What happened to not scaring the shit out of uneducated, not-all-of-them-are-f.ing-doctor Americans? You simply CANNOT tell patients this kind of stuff and expect them to not go jumping off a cliff. There is no such thing as a grain of salt. If it’s on ABC news, it’s fact. The average American is naive and actually believes in responsible journalism. They believe that articles like this have b... The Angriest Pharmacist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441452 Fri, 22 May 2009 23:35:54 +0100 2441452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2414883&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F15%2F10-more-stress-busters%2F Awhile back I shared with you 10 of my stress busters. But lately I’ve needed 20. So here are 10 more. 1. Avoid stimulants and sugar. Here’s the catch-22: the more stressed you get, the more you crave coffee and doughnuts, pizza and Coke. But the more coffee, Coke, doughnuts, and pizza in your system, the more stressed you get. It’s not your imagination. When you are stressed and have low levels of serotonin, your brain produces cravings for sugar and simple carbohydrates, which primes the beta-endorphin system to want more and more. The same with caffeine. It’s a powerful drug that affects a number of neurochemicals in your brain, which means it produces withdrawal symptoms that can make you very very very very irritable. 2. Compare and despair. The last thing you ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2414883 Fri, 15 May 2009 18:00:27 +0100 2414883 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2382729&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fnew-study-proves-conclusively-byetta.html A study published in this month's Diabetes Care is titled in a way that makes it sound like Byetta "improves beta cell function."But if you read even the abstract you will see that "improving beta cell function" is NOT the same as rejuvenating beta cells--the claim that the drug manufacturer has been making for Byetta ever since it was released. In fact, what this study proves is the exact opposite: . While Byetta causes more insulin to be secreted in people who are taking the drug, this effect ends as soon as the drug is discontinued.Here's the study: One-Year Treatment With Exenatide Improves β-Cell Function, Compared With Insulin Glargine, in Metformin-Treated Type 2 Diabetic Patients. A randomized, controlled trial Mathijs C. Bunck. Diabetes Care 32:762-768, 2009What they did here wa... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2382729 Fri, 01 May 2009 14:20:00 +0100 2382729 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349592&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FmkOsjMYc4OA%2Falzheimers-new-findings-resolve-long.html This is interesting and exciting news. Definitely worth reading and considering."When you understand these mechanisms better, you have a better chance of being able to pharmaceutically counteract them as a possible treatment. For instance, if amyloid-beta thins membranes, this general effect might be difficult to treat. On the other hand, if it forms pores, this effect might be treatable with pore blockers. Ion channel blockers are medications sold today to treat a variety of diseases," Mayer said.Follow the Alzheimer's Reading Room on TwitterSubscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via EmailFor a decade, Alzheimer's disease researchers have been entrenched in debate about one of the mechanisms believed to be responsible for brain cell death and memory loss in the illness.Now researchers... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349592 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:19:19 +0100 2349592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349596&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35426&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FTheAlzheimersReadingRoom%2F%7E3%2FJMXpTLn2tGw%2Ftwins-suffering-from-alzheimers-get-fda.html The FDA has granted special permission for two, five year old twins girls, to receive intravenous infusions of 2-Hydroxypropyl-beta-Cyclodextrin (also known as HPBCD). The girls received the go ahead for the treatment after a "compassionate use" exception was granted. The girls are suffering from Niemann Pick Type C disease, a fatal cholesterol metabolism disorder that is often referred to as the "Childhood Alzheimer’s".This is a gut wrenching story. If you would like to learn more, or meet Addi and Cassi Hempel, go here.Subscribe to The Alzheimer's Reading Room--via EmailBob DeMarco is a citizen journalist, blogger, and Caregiver. In addition to being an experienced writer he taught at the University of Georgia , was an Associate Director and Limited Partner at Bear Stearns, the CEO of ... Alzheimer's Reading Room, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349596 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:43:55 +0100 2349596 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2323829&cid=t_299642_132_f&fid=35006&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnsaunders.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F07%2Fbrief-words-on-the-friendfeed-beta%2F The best place for discussion about the latest FriendFeed beta is at FriendFeed, of course. However, it would be amiss of me not to record a couple of thoughts. On the whole, there’s little about which I feel strongly for better or worse - which rather suggests that the current design is just fine. With three major exceptions: The service favicons and service filtering Someone has decided that the source of information is less important than the content - in fact, that the source is irrelevant. I and many others disagree strongly. It seems that many people use the small icons that identify the item source as a subconscious visual cue, in ways that the designers have not anticipated. Richard describes this concisely. Retain source icon and ability to filter by source. Merging of roo... What You're Doing Is Rather Desperate blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2323829 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:06:37 +0100 2323829 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2321724&cid=t_299642_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fnext-generation-interferons-for-ms%2F Oral drugs are the hottest topic among people living with multiple sclerosis.  We are all tired of daily, weekly injections (sometimes thrice weekly!), monthly or quarterly infusions.  “If only a pill for this” seems to be a mantra. The thing is: no drug is without potential (and in the case of MS, serious) side effects. Then you may ask, “what about the people who are stable on their current meds?”  If you are doing “well” on your current drugs, is it even a good idea to switch for the simple reason of convenience? I attended a meeting a few weeks ago where I learned about the next generation of “injectables” and it seems pretty interesting. This particular drug was a new version of the Interferon Beta drugs.  Unlike the current formulat... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2321724 Fri, 03 Apr 2009 22:02:41 +0100 2321724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2258118&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fbetablocker_weakens_fearful_memories.htm A team of Dutch researchers under the leadership of NWO-VICI award-winner Merel Kindt has successfully reduced the fear response in humans. They weakened fear memories in volunteers by administering the beta-blocker propranolol. Interestingly, the fear response does not return over the course of time. Until recently, it was assumed that the fear memories could not be deleted. However, Klindt's team has demonstrated that changes can indeed be made in the emotional memory of human beings. Before fear memories are stored in the long-term memory, there is a temporary labile (adaptable) phase. During this protein synthesis takes place that 'records' the memories. The traditional idea was that the memory is established after this phase and can, therefore, no longer be altered. However, this prot... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2258118 Fri, 13 Mar 2009 06:58:00 +0100 2258118 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2250033&cid=t_299642_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F08%2Fadvanced-neuritis-in-pubmed%2F Almost a year ago (June 2008) I discussed PubMed’s Advanced Search Beta in a series entitled PubMed: Past, Present and Future. At that time I was not particularly impressed by disliked Advanced Search Beta and I still do. November last year some of its features have improved: like the addition of a Clear Button, Focused Queries, [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2250033 Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:50:25 +0100 2250033 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2222556&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F02%2Fmicroislet-this-little-piggys-cells-might-cure-diabetes.html Get ready for a post with a lot of fancy science words. It can’t be helped. That’s because if you’re going to use pig cells to potentially cure type 1 diabetes, you need a LOT of science. MicroIslet Inc. is a biotech firm based in San Diego, CA, that ironically declared bankruptcy last year, but is [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2222556 Mon, 23 Feb 2009 13:00:39 +0100 2222556 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2195053&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FJb2hXvV0Bw4%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(320,215,624956,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() Well this is exciting news for diabetics everywhere! Scientists have isolated a protein called CXCL10 that “induces inflammation that can trigger the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.” This may be the cause of Type 1, and perhaps Type 2 diabetes. This research could help predict Type 2 diabetes in certain individuals, and has the potential to lead to get us closer to the ultimate goal: a cure. Tags: beta cell loss, cause of diabetes, cxcl10, protein, ResearchShare This (Source: Diabetes Notes) Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2195053 Wed, 18 Feb 2009 03:22:32 +0100 2195053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2190988&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fdrug_banishes_bad_memories.htm Take pill, remember fear, remove fear Kerri Smith In the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a couple have their memories of each other wiped when their relationship ends badly. But now in a real-life twist to that tale, Dutch scientists show that, in humans, a fearful memory can be erased by a drug that is usually used to control blood pressure. More... © 2009 Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited. All Rights Reserved. (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2190988 Tue, 17 Feb 2009 07:54:00 +0100 2190988 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2111011&cid=t_299642_113_f&fid=36504&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FMedicalRecordShow%2F%7E3%2F512728618%2F In what seems like a consistent extension of President-elect Obama’s recent statements on healthcare, Tom Daschle called for a rethinking of the problem, and constructive action to fix it, during a January 8th Senate Hearing. This AAFP article summarized his statements nicely. As a primary care physician involved in medial IT and EMR’s, it’s difficult to find fault with his ideas: Fleshing-out the base of the wellness pyramid: primary care medicine, which is currently the tiny tip of an inverted pyramid Incentivizing primary care medicine via reimbursement reform and tuition assistance Focusing on outcomes as a basis for Medicare payments, especially improved outcomes at a lower cost Making corrective action to fix the system a reality Interoperability among EMR’s ... The EMR/EHR Show: Making Your Electronic Medical Records Really Work blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2111011 Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:24:04 +0100 2111011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2033592&cid=t_299642_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F482015108%2F A two-day meeting yields good news and bad news - Glaxo’s Serevent and Novartis’ Foradil both pose serious risks that outweigh their benefits for treating adults, adolescents and children with asthma, an FDA advisory committee decided. At the same time, Glaxo’s Advair and AstraZeneca’s Symbicort, both of which are much more widely used, have acceptable safety profiles for asthma patients. The panel reportedly voted 27-0 that Advair benefits outweighed its risks, and the committee voted 23-3, with one member abstaining, in saying the benefits outweighed the risks in adolescents ages 12 to 17 years old. Advair, by the way, is Glaxo’s biggest-selling med. The drugs are known as long-acting beta-agonists, or LABAs, and are used when asthma patients find their symp... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2033592 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 21:00:20 +0100 2033592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2018094&cid=t_299642_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F476110210%2F In an advance of an advisory committee meeting next week, FDA staffers are recommending approval be withdrawn for several asthma meds known as long-acting beta agonists, or LABAs, for children younger than 18 years old, due to an increased risk of asthma-related deaths and attacks (back story here and here on FDA concerns and requests for more data). The drugs include Glaxo’s Advair and Serevent, AstraZeneca’s Symbicort and Novartis’ Foradil, which Schering-Plough markets in the US. The FDA staffers, in fact, also urge yanking approval of Serevent and Foradil for asthma in people of all ages and question whether LABAs should still be approved for treating ashtma (these are the FDA briefing materials). Serevent and Foradil contain LABAs only, while Advair and Symbicort com... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2018094 Fri, 05 Dec 2008 22:24:51 +0100 2018094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2006974&cid=t_299642_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F470489968%2F Great article in the New York Times on Obama's emotional self-regulation abilities: The Cool Factor: Never Let Them See You Sweat - "We even elevate such equilibrium to the superhuman: calm, as applied to No Drama Obama, often comes linked to the modifier “preternatural.” - "But the calm temperament is not so superhuman, nor is it entirely the gift of the chosen few. It can be cultivated, even as the world cleaves around us." - "So how do we get there without a steady diet of beta blockers and Xanax? Calm, per se, doesn’t appear in the taxonomy of those who study personality and temperament." As the article later discloses, this ability is often called "emotional self-regulation" by cognitive scientists, and its development can assisted with tools s... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2006974 Sun, 30 Nov 2008 18:34:09 +0100 2006974 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1985548&cid=t_299642_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F462979024%2F Like all psychiatric disorders, ADHD is diagnosed based on the presence of particular behavioral symptoms that are judged to cause significant impairment in an individual's functioning, and not on the results of a specific test. In fact, recently published ADHD evaluation guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) explicitly state that no particular diagnostic test should be routinely used when evaluating a child for ADHD. While most ADHD experts would agree that no single test could or should be used in isolation to diagnose ADHD, there are several important reasons why the availability of an accurate objective test would be useful. First, many children do not receive a careful and comprehensive assessment for ADHD but are instead diagnosed with based on evaluation procedure... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1985548 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 17:11:23 +0100 1985548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1853820&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Feye_disease_drops_linked_to_depression.htm Eye drops taken for the blinding eye disease, glaucoma, can cause depression in some people, according to specialists who warn of serious side effects in eye drugs. More... © 2008 AAP (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1853820 Mon, 06 Oct 2008 07:32:00 +0100 1853820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1754785&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=35137&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdiabetesupdate.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F09%2Fbeta-blockers-worsen-blood-sugar-may.html Many people know that it is a bad idea for anyone who takes insulin or a sulfonylurea drug to take a beta blocker. This is because it has long been known that these drugs block the counter-regulatory response that prevents a dangerous hypo or--if it cannot prevent the hypo--at least gives the victim some warning that one is coming by causing shakes and pounding pulse. Now evidence from a huge study of almost 20,000 people has learned that beta blockers are dangerous to anyone with any blood sugar abnormality. The study is Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial-Blood Pressure Lowering Arm (ASCOT-BPLA,). It was published in Diabetes Care in May. Determinants of new-onset diabetes among 19,257 hypertensive patients randomized in the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes Trial--Blood Pressure... Diabetes Update blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1754785 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:06:00 +0100 1754785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1649039&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D3741 When I was a medical student, I was thought that beta blockers either precipitate or aggravates psoriasis. When I was a Masters student, I was told the same thing by a dermatologist. Now, I teach medical students the same thing. Looks like things have come full circle. But now, a large case control analysis involving more than 36 thousand people in UK may just put this myth to rest. You can read more about it here: Beta blockers and psoriasis, is there a link? I shall no longer propagate this belief. a Association Between Beta-Blockers, Other Antihypertensive Drugs and Psoriasis: Population-based Case-control Study (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1649039 Wed, 23 Jul 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1649039 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1616153&cid=t_299642_132_f&fid=35021&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.pansapiens.com%2F2008%2F06%2F26%2Fsoftware-review-producing-two-dimensional-diagrams-of-membrane-proteins%2F I recently needed to make a simple, two dimensional figure of a beta-barrel membrane protein. I went hunting for programs that might take a sequence and/or structure and produce a pretty looking diagram to save me constructing everything by hand. Here are two I found and tried. TMRPres2D Ioannis C. Spyropoulos, Theodore D. Liakopoulos, Pantelis G. Bagos and Stavros J. Hamodrakas TMRPres2D: high quality visual representation of transmembrane protein models Bioinformatics. 2004; 20: 3258-3260. (link) Pros: Cross-platform (Java) Simple interface, GUI (zero learning curve) Lots of input options (defines transmembrane regions directly from SwissProt or PIR annotations online, takes input from several transmembrane region predictors) Lots of output formats and options (Postscript, gif, jp... Your bones got a little machine. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1616153 Sat, 28 Jun 2008 06:28:50 +0100 1616153 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1543324&cid=t_299642_132_f&fid=35021&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FYourBonesGotALittleMachine%2F%7E3%2F319983599%2F I recently needed to make a simple, two dimensional figure of a beta-barrel membrane protein. I went hunting for programs that might take a sequence and/or structure and produce a pretty looking diagram to save me constructing everything by hand. Here are two I found and tried. TMRPres2D Ioannis C. Spyropoulos, Theodore D. Liakopoulos, Pantelis G. Bagos and Stavros J. Hamodrakas TMRPres2D: high quality visual representation of transmembrane protein models Bioinformatics. 2004; 20: 3258-3260. (link) Pros: Cross-platform (Java) Simple interface, GUI (zero learning curve) Lots of input options (defines transmembrane regions directly from SwissProt or PIR annotations online, takes input from several transmembrane region predictors) Lots of output formats and options (Postscript, gif, jp... Your bones got a little machine. blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1543324 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 20:30:22 +0100 1543324 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1543150&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F25%2Fpromising-new-alzheimers-research-published%2F Which came first, the beta-amyloid plaque or the Alzheimer’s? It’s the plaque, but only one subtype, according to a new report by Harvard researchers in the online journal Nature Medicine and profiled in this TIME article from Sunday. Physicians and researchers have long noted the presence of these plaques, made up of “sticky” beta-amyloid proteins, in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients, and wondered whether there might be some connection between the plaque and the disease. To complicate things, however, beta-amyloid plaques have also been found in patients with no sign of the disease, making scientists wonder whether the plaques could be an advance warning sign of Alzheimer’s rather than a byproduct of the disorder. So, how was this chicken-and-egg problem solved? Researcher... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1543150 Wed, 25 Jun 2008 06:16:46 +0100 1543150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1512329&cid=t_299642_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F310409734%2F For the past few years, safety questions have hovered over Advair, a long-acting beta agonist that includes a steroid and a $6 billion seller. An FDA alert was issued in 2005; last November, an FDA panel recommended more warnings for kids both Advair and Glaxo’s Serevent, which doesn’t include a steroid; and the agency asked drugmakres for more data as a prelude to an advisory committee meeting later this year. In an attempt to get out in front of the controversy, Glaxo sponsored a review in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that Advair decreases the risk of severe side effects, doesn’t appear to alter the risk for hospitalization, and may not change the risk for asthma-related deaths when compared with the use of steroids alone. In reaching this conclusion, the resea... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1512329 Thu, 12 Jun 2008 13:45:27 +0100 1512329 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1443134&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fsurgery_beta_blockers_up_risk.htm The use of beta blocker drugs before surgery to cut the risk of heart problems may be counter-productive, a study suggests. ..."Also, the results of this trial - of a relatively high dose of a beta blocker given before surgery - do not mean patients stabilised on long term beta blocker therapy will be at increased risk if they have surgery." (Emphasis added, Ed.)More... BBC © MMVIII (Source: Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info) Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1443134 Thu, 15 May 2008 08:08:00 +0100 1443134 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1432738&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F287186977%2F Researchers and scientists out of Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis discovered a very distinct and precise action of the immune cells that can cause diabetes. Researchers were able to examine the immune cells from isolated insulin-making structures in the pancreas known as the islets of Langerhans. They caught the immune cells, known as dendritic cells, “red-handed”: Carrying insulin and fragments of insulin-producing cells known as beta cells. This can be the first step toward starting a misdirected immune system attack that destroys the beta cells, preventing the body from making insulin and causing type 1 diabetes. Due to dendritic cells being very tiny and minimal in numbers, only about 5 to 10 of them per islet, each of which contains a thousand cells, ... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1432738 Sat, 10 May 2008 00:31:48 +0100 1432738 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1411841&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=35671&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.anxietyinsights.info%2Fis_medicated_memory_manipulation_ethically_sound.htm And perhaps more importantly, who should be charged with the decision to deliver such a treatment: patient or physician? Elisa Hurley, a philosophy professor, is seeking answers to these questions in her research currently underway at The University of Western Ontario. In the Academy Award-winning film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a fictional, non-surgical procedure called 'targeted memory erasure' is used to delete painful memories the afflicted wish to forget - permanently. And while the story's science-fiction based concept earned the movie an Oscar for best original screenplay, real-life scientists are conducting clinical trials today using beta-blockers - drugs traditionally used for varying heart conditions - for manipulating the memories of people, who may go on to suffer... Latest entries from www.anxietyinsights.info blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1411841 Thu, 01 May 2008 07:56:00 +0100 1411841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1375068&cid=t_299642_132_f&fid=35024&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FBlindscientist%2F%7E3%2F270973742%2F We are releasing multiGUI (Windows Vista and XP) as a limited beta. If you are interested in trying the software send an email to multigui at genedrift dot org. We are intending to provide a group of 20-30 users the opportunity to try the program, what would allow us to work on future improvements, kill some bugs that weren’t found in the development/test phase and check for the level of interest of our application in the scientific community. (Source: Blind.Scientist) Blind.Scientist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1375068 Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:10:07 +0100 1375068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1363862&cid=t_299642_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F267704516%2F Who’d have thunk it? Yet 27 percent admit to using prescription meds for non-medical reasons, according to a survey of 1,427 people who work at scientific institutions in more than 60 countries that was conducted by Nature. Which meds? Ritalin, the Provigil narcolepsy treatment, or beta blockers, which are used for cardia arrhythmia, but also have an anti-anxiety effect. The survey was triggered by a recent essay by a pair of behavioral neuroscientists who surveyed their colleagues on the use of drugs that purportedly enhance focus and attention. The survey found that one in five take the drugs to improve concentration, improving focus for a specific task and counteracting jet lag, behind ‘other.’ What as listed as other? partying, housecleaning and “to actually see if ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1363862 Thu, 10 Apr 2008 13:16:57 +0100 1363862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1336897&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F260474131%2F Beta blockers prove to treat heart failure at the brain level- not just directly in the heart. Very cool when you think about the implications. Heart failure patients are routinely given beta-blockers, although doctors do not know exactly how these drugs boost cardiac performance and reduce the risk of death. The UCL study, based on the rat model of postmyocardial infarction-induced heart failure and published in the journal Circulation Research, has discovered that the beta-adrenoceptor blocker metoprolol acts directly in the brain to slow the progression of heart failure. The action seems to be localised to a group of brain cells that UCL researchers have identified previously as being crucial in the control of blood pressure and heart rate. Will this provide more research to examine tr... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1336897 Sun, 30 Mar 2008 00:51:58 +0100 1336897 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1253247&cid=t_299642_145_f&fid=35710&url=http%3A%2F%2Fstoryofhealing.com%2F2008%2F02%2F25%2Fmedia-in-medicine-the-big-guns-are-on-it%2F Before I share the main course for today, let me first touch base with the chosen labels for our endless babble involving technology’s role in potentially enhancing or carrying medicine and health care to the next better level—Media, Medicine 2.0 and Health 2.0. I initially have veered away from the latter term in my previous posts as I would like to apply my time more on Media (being mostly new media) and Medicine 2.0. These are more tangible to my focus at this point. I wanted to alleviate the great confusion these digital surnames bring us all. Though further on, I also realized that I too have to be educated on what these terms entail. The differences in detail between the two are also important. We could all learn something new everyday. That said, what is Medicine 2.0 and Hea... the story of healing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1253247 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 08:51:32 +0100 1253247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1187113&cid=t_299642_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F1%2F30%2Fin-praise-of-the-old-fashioned-diuretics-are-still-the-best.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.DWhen I was a (relatively) young resident training in Internal Medicine we, the hot shot residents in an elite medical school, used to indulgingly sneer at our attending physicians when they would recommend some passé treatment, like the quaint diuretics ( for heaven’s sake!) for hypertension. Haven’t they heard of ACE inhibitors, or calcium channel inhibitors, or at the very least an old fashioned beta blocker? In fact, today’s hypertensives, especially those who also have the metabolic syndrome, are a walking pharmacopea-they take all of the above. Now, I am not arguing here that the other drug groups should not be used in the management of hypertension, especially the ones refractive to diuretics. But a study in the latest Archive of Inter... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1187113 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 02:00:04 +0100 1187113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1121296&cid=t_299642_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2F207847098%2F I have shared in the past that one of my guilty pleasures in life is perusing the website Perez Hilton for all the important news in and around Hollywood, hahaha. I was joking on the important part… Well, one of my other very embarrassing, as my husband calls it, lil’ pleasures in life is my good ol’ People magazine! I love the dirt, the accusations and the occasional really good, informative story, which is what this would fall under. Some of you might have already seen the article and read through it but for those that didn’t, I’m going to share. The story is about a Chicago first grader Lilly Jaffe who has been diabetic since she was one month old and her trials, complications and use of an insulin pump. At this point in her very young and full life Lilly d... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1121296 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 03:12:22 +0100 1121296 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1120856&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F207805933%2F Test question… True or False? There is a no difference between diabetic and non diabetic hearts in how they burn energy. Hmm, I am going to bet that at least half of you got this answer correct. If you answered false, you are a big winner! Diabetic hearts rely almost exclusively on fats for energy while a “normal” heart relies on fats and sugars for food. Let me break it down for you. Both PPAR-alpha and PPAR-beta/delta are proteins that are found in heart tissue. In the diabetic heart, enhanced activity of PPAR-alpha drives the use of fats as fuel, but the role of PPAR-beta/delta has been unknown, which is unfortunate being that this protein increases cardiac function. In the mice that were engineered to mimic a diabetic heart, increased PRAR-alpha, there was increased f... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1120856 Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:04:04 +0100 1120856 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1103497&cid=t_299642_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F202250891%2Fforest_labs_and_mylans_bystoli.html Forest Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:FRX) and Mylan Inc.(NYSE:MYL) have received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for their beta blocker Bystolic.Bystolic, indicated for the treatment of hypertension, is a one daily medication that can be used in conjunction with other high blood pressure drugs or alone. The drug is a beta blocker which is one of the most prescribed classes of drug in the U.S. In several clinical trials Bystolic showed significant decreases in sitting diastolic and systolic blood pressure in a group of patients that included 26 percent black, 54 percent male, 19 percent elderly and 8 percent diabetic."Bystolic is the newest beta blocker approved for the treatment of hypertension in the U.S. and should prove useful due to its efficacy in a broad range of patie... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1103497 Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:00:43 +0100 1103497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1034178&cid=t_299642_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F11%2F17%2Fdiabulimia-underdosing-on-insulin-a-dangerous-way-to-lose-we.html by Pat SalberI was pretty shocked when I first heard about diabulemia. This is a practice some teens and young women with Type 1 diabetes, are using in order to lose weight. They purposely underdose their insulin allowing their blood glucoses to skyrocket. The excess blood glucose is eliminated in the urine. “Traditional” bulimics purge excess calories by forcing themselves to vomit. Diabulimics purge excess calories by underdosing on insulin and peeing out unmetabolized glucose.Girls and young women with diabulimia will tell you they feel really crummy as their glucose levels increase and they increasingly rely on metabolizing fatty acids for energy instead of glucose. The end result of underdosing insulin is a state known as diabetic ketoacidosis, that is characterized b... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1034178 Sat, 17 Nov 2007 22:59:41 +0100 1034178 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1024444&cid=t_299642_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F11%2Falzheimers-society-has-more-new.html Today the BBC News has an article titled "Healthy Diet Cuts Dementia Risk," subtitled "More evidence that a diet rich in oily fish and vegetables can reduce the chances of dementia later in life has been uncovered by scientists." The Mediterranean Diet has long been known to help protect against dementia. Several new studies showed beta-carotene, which contains anti-oxidents, helps the brain avoid damage.The article explains a study with 8,000 participants. The ones who ate a diet high in omega-3, an oil found in fish, had a higher percentage of avoiding dementia. People who ate fish once per week had a 40% less chance of dementia during the four years of the study. Eating fruit and vegetables reduced dementia risk by 35%.Another study followed 4,000 participants for 18 years. Half of the ... The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1024444 Wed, 14 Nov 2007 00:09:00 +0100 1024444 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=988487&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F176817444%2F And yet another link to Alzheimer’s disease from another chronic disease process… It seems that anti-hypertensives have proven to benefit in the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. Such implications could aid in the ultimate cure and care of this dreadful mind altering disease. Just what anti-hypertensives made the list? …significantly benefit from the treatment with the anti-hypertensive agent Valsartan, found to pharmacologically prevent beta-amyloid production in the brain even when delivered to Alzheimer’s disease mice at doses 3-4 fold lower than the minimal equivalent dose prescribed for the treatment of hypertension in humans. Other anti-hypertension drugs with beneficial results included Propranolol HCI, Carvedilol, Losartan, Nicardipine H... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=988487 Mon, 29 Oct 2007 19:34:37 +0100 988487 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=958838&cid=t_299642_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F10%2F17%2Falzheimers-disease-is-there-daylight-at-the-end-of-the-tunne.html So let’s be honest, baby boomer, aren’t you worried about turning a geezer boomer soon? After all, the first of you just got on Social Security. And what about those memory lapses? In your heart of hearts, are’nt you scared just a little bit? If you are not—read on. Here are some sobering statistics. · More than 5 million Americans are estimated to have Alzheimer’s disease or AD today. It is projected that 14.3 million Americans will have the disease by mid-century: a 350 percent increase from 2000, when there were 4 million people with the disease. Reason for the expected explosive growth: a tidal wave of aging baby boomers turning old geezers. In the United States, AD was the 7th leading cause of death in 2004 , with 65,829 number of deaths (and risin... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=958838 Wed, 17 Oct 2007 00:07:25 +0100 958838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=877652&cid=t_299642_132_f&fid=35014&url=http%3A%2F%2Fharijay.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F09%2F17%2Fwhy-are-our-bioinformatics-workflows-so-complicated%2F Last week to answer one question I had to resort to information from several sources . A lot of them contributed immense value to my “workflow” and were also either difficult to perform or very easy. For a start I have ranked them in terms of both Value ( 1 for no value to 10 for a lot of value) to ease of use ( 1 for very complicated to 10 for very easy) # Assembling my sequences in DNAstar (Value 10 : Ease 7 ) # Compiling my sequences and pulling them into Jalview. Ran CLUSTALW web service on edited alignments and realized that all of my clones had basically two sequences for their CDRs . . Jalviews excellent web-service CLUSTALW interface allowed me to quickly edit the 32 sequences , align them interactively and realize they belonged to two types. This got me thinking that... The Omics world blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=877652 Mon, 17 Sep 2007 16:03:16 +0100 877652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2510400&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F09%2F14%2Fwomen-common-vitamins-wont-help-your-hearts%2F Filed under: DietNow that many of us are under pressure to make our lifestyles healthier, many will opt for what they believe quick-fixes to their unhealthy habits, rather than making the effort to completely overhaul their lives. I think the increased use to vitamins is evidence of this -- rather than trade in french fries for 5-10 servings of fruits and veggies a day, people seem to instead opt to get their nutrients in pill form. Vitamins can be beneficial in people who already have a healthy lifestyle but it's not a substitute for healthy habits. Take these findings for instance -- new studies show that taking common vitamins does little to promote heart health in women, whereas eating fruits and veggies high in vitamin C, E and Beta Carotene on a daily basis can help your ticker. Ther... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2510400 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 23:00:00 +0100 2510400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=869532&cid=t_299642_132_f&fid=35014&url=http%3A%2F%2Fharijay.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F09%2F13%2Fncbi-oddities%2F I have often blogged about my trials and tribulations with the NCBI database.This morning I was trying to locate all the kappa light chain genes from the NCBI database. I tried the following search Immunoglobulin kappa mouse in the Genome database subsection. The results I got were a curious mix of microbe genomes ranging from Aspergillus Niger to Salmonella enterica. Maybe I left my search skills at home or my eyes are playing tricks on me. Addendum: Eric Jane from Uniprot showed me how to do the same query on Uniprot beta. Uniprot really rocks. Not only could I do the query , but also downloaded the results in batch mode as fasta sequences and in the xml format.Thanks eric , I would definitely recommend uniprot beta to everyone. Isabelle phan from uniprot did post an excellent screencast... The Omics world blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=869532 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 22:34:51 +0100 869532 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=868212&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F09%2F13%2Fthe-specials-tonight-are-fulminant-and-non-fulminant%2F This study may be the antithesis of conventional wisdom for preventing complications. Staking all hopes on blood sugar control is heavily optimistic. Yes controlling blood sugar does lessen the workload for existing beta cells, and thus extends the lifespan of each beta cell. Research suggests that c-peptide offers protection to beta cells, both from apoptosis (cell death) and encourages new cell growth. This new cell growth applies to beta cells and other cells of the body that endure long-term Type 1 diabetes complications. Diabetics are instructed that maintaining normal blood sugars is the Holy Grail of preventing long-term complications. Yes and no. The truth is controlling your blood sugar will not allow complications of Type 1 diabetes to develop as quickly, presuming you still had ... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=868212 Thu, 13 Sep 2007 04:00:00 +0100 868212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=832700&cid=t_299642_158_f&fid=36018&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcaregiversbeacon.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fgoogle-apology-for-violation-error-on.html The Caregiver's Beacon was mistakenly listed as being in violation for several days due to an error made by the beta anti-spam software used by Google.Today an email arrived apologizing for the error made by the beta anti-spam software from Google and for the inconvenience this has caused to the website.When I searched the internet to try to solve the problem, it became apparent that other sites were asking for help in the google support forums for the same thing. If this happens to your site you can go to google blog support and find a contact form to send to them. (Source: The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News) The Caregiver's Beacon - Resources, Links, Ideas, News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=832700 Thu, 30 Aug 2007 23:54:00 +0100 832700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=828377&cid=t_299642_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F143822115%2F All righty then. I found research out of UT Southwestern Medical Center that is a bit taboo. They have found a drug that can counteract the symptoms associated with a cocaine overdose. That handy little drug is most often seen in the operating room or ICU’s and is used as a anesthetic. And it’s name… dexmedetomidine. They found that the drug was effective in reversing the actions of cocaine on heart rate, blood pressure and vascular resistance in the skin by interfering with the ability of cocaine to increase nerve activity. “Typically, patients with cocaine overdoses in the emergency room are treated with nitroglycerin, sedatives such as Valium, and some blood-pressure medications such as calcium channel blockers and some beta blockers,” Dr. Vongpatanasin sai... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=828377 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:31:14 +0100 828377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=793007&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35371&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthecaregiver.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F08%2Fnewly-discovered-antibody-may-be-bodys.html In what could prove to be an important development in the search for a treatment of Alzheimer's disease, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center physician-scientists say the results of an initial (Phase I) clinical study provide encouraging evidence that antibodies derived from human plasma can capture the beta-amyloid protein in blood and exert positive effects on patients' thinking abilities.Read more at the Alzheimer's Reading Room: Newly Discovered Antibody May Be Body's Natural Defense Against Alzheimer's (Gammagard) (Source: CareGiver, The) CareGiver, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=793007 Fri, 10 Aug 2007 15:47:00 +0100 793007 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=783899&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F08%2F07%2Fmagnetocapsules-protect-transplanted-beta-cells%2F Filed under: Type 1, Childhood, Adult Onset, Research, CareExperimentally used to treat type 1 diabetes, pancreatic beta cell transplants require immunosupressive drugs and have yielded inconsistent results. Johns Hopkins researchers state part of the challenge is an inability to track the cells after transplantation. Currently, transplanted cells can be attacked by a recipient's immune system, and the cells cannot be seen, blinding researchers in determining why the cells stop making insulin over time. A team at Hopkins is testing a new technique which encapsulates transplanted cells in magnetic capsules, allowing the cells to be tracked via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After mixing alginate (gooey stuff from seaweed) and Feridex, a material containing magnetic iron ore, they surrou... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=783899 Tue, 07 Aug 2007 04:00:00 +0100 783899 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=733635&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F13%2Fbeta-blocker-wont-cause-weight-gain%2F Filed under: Type 2, Drugs, Research, Daily NewsThe beta-blocker carvedilol does not cause weight gain in diabetic patients, declares a new study just out. Significance? It means the drug does away with a problematic side-effect of other (earlier) beta-blockers, which are medications prescribed to correct high blood pressure. The study has been published in the American Journal of Medicine (July 2007) and was conducted by researchers at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York.Around eleven hundred patients participated in the study, all of whom have Type 2 diabetes and also suffer from high blood pressure. Some took the new drug carvedilol, while others were given the standard metoprolol. Over the course of five months the patients on metoprolol gained an average of 1.19 kg/2.6 lb... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=733635 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 733635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=716549&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F05%2Fyour-blood-pressure-meds-may-have-a-sneaky-benefit%2F Filed under: PreventionPeople taking beta-blockers for their blood pressure may be getting a positive benefit they didn't even realize: new research shows that beta-blockers can help keep arteries from clogging. Experts are somewhat surprised to discover this effect since beta-blockers were never intended or designed to impact the inflammation and cholesterol that contributes to blocked arteries, and in some cases have even been known to worsen certain cholesterol counts. Nevertheless, the data is there to show that somehow they're helping -- and if science can learn how we'll be in even better shape.Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments (Source: The Cardio Blog) The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=716549 Thu, 05 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 716549 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=682485&cid=t_299642_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F6%2F20%2Fa-newly-discovered-cause-of-diabetes-depression.html I recently came across an article in the April 23 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (vol. 167, pp. 802-807; 2007) describing a newly-discovered connection between depression and diabetes type 2 in older adults. The study enrolled 4,681 non-diabetic men and women over age 65, and followed them for 10 years. The participants filled out every year a questionnaire to measure their depressive symptoms, and every 2-4 years had their blood pressure measured. After removing confounding factors that are well known to increase the incidence of diabetes, like increased body mass index, alcohol consumption, and smoking, they discovered that even a single report of high depressive symptoms is highly associated with increased risk of diabetes type 2. In fact, there was a 60% increased chance of... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=682485 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 07:59:50 +0100 682485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=675454&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F13%2Fcan-hypnosis-help-people-with-diabetes%2F Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, Research, Services, SupportSleep disorders have been linked to exacerbating or even precipitating diabetes as well as depression. Poor sleep robs people of their health in general. But, for diabetics it can cause a worsening of their condition. A hypnotist can assist a person with diabetes by helping them to positively alter their behavior. A study explained how people who do not get enough sleep on a regular basis tend to become less sensitive to insulin over time. The study found that healthy adults who averaged 5.2 hours of sleep a night secreted 50% more insulin than their more rested counterparts, who averaged 8 hours of sleep a night. As a result, "short sleepers" were 40% less sensitive to insulin. Devin Hastings is a certified hypnotist... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=675454 Wed, 13 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 675454 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=629247&cid=t_299642_107_f&fid=35025&url=http%3A%2F%2Frrresearch.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F05%2Ftime-course-and-iptg-dependence.html I've finished the two experiments I described in the last post: (1) a time course to find out how long it takes for induction of sxy by IPTG to give production of beta-galactosidase by the ppdA::lacZ gene fusion, and (2) a 'dose-response curve' to see how much IPTG is needed to induce the fusion. And I'm posting the resulting graphs, along with a sketch of the E. coli cells I'm using for this experiment.The sketch shows that the cells contain two plasmids. The one on the left is pASKAsxy; it carries the E. coli sxy gene (red) under the control of the Plac promoter (blue arrow). This promoter is normally OFF in these cells so the sxy gene is not expressed, but the promoter can be activated by adding a lactose-analog called IPTG. The plasmid on the right carries the lacZ gene, which codes fo... RRResearch blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=629247 Mon, 21 May 2007 00:25:00 +0100 629247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=623483&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F19%2Flack-of-adrenaline-causes-insulin-induced-hypoglycemia%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, Drugs, ResearchWhen blood sugar is falling, the stopper built into the body is the release of glucagon from the liver. However, when hypoglycemia is due to injected insulin - the stopper isn't entirely in place. Scientists explain how epinephrine (adrenaline) plays a major role in regulating glucose in times of low blood sugar and how this response could be adversely affected by the use of beta-blockers. During insulin-induced hypoglycemia in dogs, the roles of epinephrine and glucagon were evaluated. The dogs fasted overnight to remove excess glucose from the blood. The dogs also had their adrenal glands removed. The adrenal glands are the source of epinephrine. Epinephrine is released into the bloodstream in response to phys... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=623483 Sat, 19 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 623483 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=587882&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F03%2Ftoo-much-insulin-could-lead-to-heart-disease%2F Filed under: Type 2, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, Drugs, Research, Daily NewsResearchers defined a link between high insulin levels and defective lipid metabolism but the cause may not be exactly what you think. According to a study published in June, 2005 -- this could be due to their choice in blood sugar lowering medication. The conclusion of the study identified obese insulin-resistant subjects taking metformin (brand names Glucophage, Diabex, Diaformin, Fortamet, Riomet, Glumetza) and rosiglitazone both improve insulin sensitivity (increase insulin production) but DO NOT improve lipid metabolism. Rosiglitazone (brand name Avandia) may have a detrimental effect on chylomicron metabolism Blood vessels of insulin-resistant rats build up a substance called chylomicron cholesterol following a ... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=587882 Thu, 03 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 587882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=583209&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F01%2Fgenetic-modification-to-control-the-forces-of-nature%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, Drugs, Research, OpinionIt's logical that the Nation is up-in-arms about putting genetically modified meats and produce on the shelves in grocery stores and getting due diligence from the government for it. It makes a lot of sense to test something you will use to fuel your body before it is permitted to penetrate the market. So how did genetically modified human insulin overtake the market again? Oh - there must not be any side effects like a diabetes epidemic or something crazy like that, right? But I digress on the topic in honor of springtime, when "love is in the air". As we all know, love is one of the strongest forces of nature. So is it fair that it went unnoticed by the FDA that human synthetic insulin results in a lo... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=583209 Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 583209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=579298&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F30%2Fnovocell-a-stem-cell-engineering-company%2F Filed under: Type 1, Childhood, Drugs, Research, Services, SupportNovocell is the first company to use polyethylene glycol (PEG) to encapsulate clusters of insulin-producing cells. This biocompatible substance allows glucose and insulin to pass freely through the coating while preventing the body's immune system from destroying the islets. The encapsulated islets release human insulin through natural mechanisms in response to the recipient's blood glucose. The islet cells used in this study are isolated from human cadavers. The implant procedure is performed under local anesthesia and the encapsulated islets are injected into a surgically formed micropocket in the subcutaneous tissues of the thigh or lower abdomen of the recipient. The patients received temporary low dose cyclosporine (50-... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=579298 Mon, 30 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 579298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=556860&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F20%2Fstudy-tests-oral-insulin-to-prevent-type-1-diabetes%2F Filed under: Type 1, Childhood, Drugs, Research, Events, SupportIt's still going - the TrialNet and the NIH are continuing to recruit patients for their clinical study of oral insulin to slow the onset of type 1 diabetes. In the study, researchers are testing whether an insulin capsule taken by mouth once a day can prevent or delay diabetes in individuals at high risk for developing type 1 diabetes. An earlier trial suggested that oral insulin might delay type 1 diabetes for about four years. This was found to be true in people with autoantibodies to insulin in their blood. Some scientists think that introducing insulin via the digestive tract induces tolerance of the immune system. Insulin taken orally has no effect on glucose because the digestive system breaks it down quickly. To lower... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=556860 Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 556860 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=534116&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F04%2F10%2Funiversally-remote-pancreatic-cells%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Research, Daily NewsThe scientists at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine discovered that it is possible to regenerate damaged cells of the pancreas. Although the cells that revealed this discovery are not the beta cells of the pancreas, researchers believe that this research could find new ways to replenish the organs ability to produce insulin in diabetics. The pancreas is made up of two compartments with different functions: the islet compartment of insulin-producing beta cells and the much larger exocrine compartment composed of duct cells and acinar cells that make and deliver enzymes to the intestine for digestion. Diabetes is caused by the failure of the beta cells to make insulin, whereas pancreatic cancer usually orig... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=534116 Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:00:00 +0100 534116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=525719&cid=t_299642_107_f&fid=35025&url=http%3A%2F%2Frrresearch.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F04%2Fpreparing-for-e-coli-sxy-induction.html The strain and plasmids we've been waiting for arrived on Wednesday (thank you to the Pugsley lab), so now I can get started on my attempts to induce sxy expression in E. coli. And we do already have an E. coli sxy knockout from the Japanese group, so solving the recombineering problems isn't critical (though I should get to work on that anyway).What to do first? The initial tests will use a reporter strain carrying a fusion of the ppdD gene to lacZ. The person who sent the strain says it should be pale blue on X-gal plates, indicating weak baseline expression of lacZ. I should first characterize its lacZ expression more precisely by growing it under defined conditions and measuring the amount of beta-galactosidase (the lacZ product) with the substrate ONPG. This is a simple classic assay,... RRResearch blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=525719 Fri, 06 Apr 2007 12:42:00 +0100 525719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=513011&cid=t_299642_137_f&fid=35371&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthecaregiver.blogspot.com%2F2007%2F03%2Falzheimers-reading-room-weblog-myriad.html Myriad Genetics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MYGN) (www.myriad.com) announced today that it presented additional results of its completed Phase 2 follow-on study of Flurizan™ in patients with mild Alzheimer's disease at the annual meeting of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP), held March 1-4, 2007 in New Orleans.Read the release in its entirety at The Alzheimer's Reading Room Weblog (Source: CareGiver, The) CareGiver, The blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=513011 Tue, 06 Mar 2007 00:46:00 +0100 513011 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=478757&cid=t_299642_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F03%2Fincreased-pancreatic-cancer-risk-in-type-1%2F Filed under: Type 1, Type 2, Childhood, Adult Onset, Lifestyle, ResearchIt is well known that people with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of pancreatic cancer, and now it seems that the risk extends to those with type 1 diabetes. The risk was assed as small, but nonetheless - increased compared to those without diabetes. The research found that the likelihood of developing pancreatic cancer was twice as high in subjects with type 1 or young-onset diabetes as in people without diabetes. This increased risk is similar in magnitude to that seen with type 2 diabetes. There are many theories about the link between diabetes and pancreatic cancer. A cancer-inducing role of the insulin-producing beta-cells in the pancreas, is ruled-out because in type 1 diabetes these cells have largely or e... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=478757 Sat, 03 Mar 2007 05:00:00 +0100 478757 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=461139&cid=t_299642_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F2%2F22%2Fyou-ate-it-but-did-it-get-absorbed.html When it comes to absorbing nutrients, it makes a difference how you prepare a food (cooked or raw) and what foods you eat with it. The science of understanding nutrient absorption is an area called “bioavailability.”BBC NEWS online has an interesting, easy to read article, titled "Getting the Best Out of Your Food," that will help you understand the best ways to eat certain foods to maximize their nutritional value to you. Here are a few hints from the article.Eat your spinach with a glass of orange juice.We all know spinach is a good source of iron. It is an important source if you are a vegetarian. But did you know that the iron in spinach is in a form that is not readily absorbed? By drinking orange juice along with your spinach, you change the iron in spinach from... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=461139 Fri, 23 Feb 2007 06:33:58 +0100 461139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=472275&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=34794&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadseg-shu.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F09%2Fthrough-wisdom-of-soon-to-be-dr.html Through the wisdom of (soon-to-be) Dr. Karen Little at Milf's Anatomy (her feet above), I have figured out why some (including Dinah) cannot comment here. Listen, please, to (soon-to-be) Dr. Little:OK, I'm aware of the commenting problem created by my changeover to Beta Blogger. To comment on my blog now, you need to follow one of three options:1. Sign in using your Google accountDon't use your old blogger login - use the login you do to get into Gmail, or your google account.If you have no Google account:2. Please select 'other' to commentYou will have space to type in your name and your own URL, so I will be able to visit you from your comment.3. Comment as 'anonymous'Obviously the least ideal, but you can still leave your name and URL in the comment body itself.Please try these options ... Turn Your Head and Scoff blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=472275 Mon, 04 Sep 2006 18:15:00 +0100 472275 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=472276&cid=t_299642_109_f&fid=34794&url=http%3A%2F%2Fadseg-shu.blogspot.com%2F2006%2F09%2Fim-not-here-by-choice.html I was setting up a blog for my department. My PowerBook was out for repair (another story...). I was working from my department-issued Dell laptop with Windows XP (another rant...). I had set up the blog on Blogger-BETA because it has a lot of great features (don't do it...). On Friday, when I returned to my PowerBook, I can view my old site, but I can't administrate or post - Blogger immediately signs me into BETA. I check all the Blogger help, then switch to the Blogger Google Group where I find numerous forms of hysteria about the same problem, particularly from people who use their blog for business. Best suggestion: Blogger's "Last Resort" scenario, contact them.I receive an automated message telling me that they "cannot respond to every inquiry," and they provide a long list of link... Turn Your Head and Scoff blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=472276 Sun, 03 Sep 2006 19:51:00 +0100 472276