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 'biological'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:55:04 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5103482&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F08%2F05%2Fin-depth-review-the-cancer-genome-atlas-reports-on-landmark-analysis-of-high-grade-serous-ovarian-cancer%2F An analysis of genomic changes in high grade serous ovarian cancer provides the most comprehensive and integrated view of cancer genes for any cancer type to date. Ovarian serous adenocarcinoma tumors from 489 patients were examined by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network and its analyses are reported in the June 30, 2011 issue [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5103482 Sat, 06 Aug 2011 00:24:26 +0100 5103482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5096207&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fliquid-material-may-someday-be-used-to-restore-damaged-soft-tissue%2F2011.08.04 Yesterday, I came across this press release from Johns Hopkins regarding a new composite material which may someday be used to restore damaged soft tissue.  (photo credit) The liquid material is a composite of biological and synthetic molecules which is injected under the skin.  Transdermal light is then used to “set” the material into a more solid structure. The results of the early experiments in rats and humans has been reported in the July 27 issue of Science Translational Medicine (full reference below). It is hoped that the new liquid material is a biosynthetic soft tissue replacement composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hyaluronic acid (HA). From the press release (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living* (Source: B... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5096207 Thu, 04 Aug 2011 12:00:00 +0100 5096207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5097042&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F02%2Fmerck_rnai_alnylam_and_so_on.php And while we're on the topic of Merck, I note that they're closing their RNAi facility in Mission Bay, the former Sirna. That was a pretty big deal when it took place, wasn't it? The piece linked to in that earlier post also talks about the investment that Merck was making in the very facility that they're now closing down, but if I got paid every time that sort of thing happened in this industry, I wouldn't have to work. This isn't going to help the Bay Area biotech/pharma environment, nor the atmosphere around RNA interference as a drug platform. Merck says that they're not getting out of the field, and that they've integrated the technology for use in their drug discovery efforts. But they paid a billion dollars for Sirna, which is not the sort of up-front price you generally see for a... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5097042 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 13:55:34 +0100 5097042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077773&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2F6sS4sxfqvDo%2F URL: http://www.jeffstanden.net/Jeff Standen is a psychology professor. His website is chock full of useful bits of psychology information. Listed on the Jeff Standen website are: links to web resources and other websites that you will find useful, as well as links to recent items of topical interest Links to interactive pages with quizzes, challenges and revision pointers. For: Anyone, StudentsTopics: Academia, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, General Psychology, Health Psychology, Life, Mental Health, OCR Level-A Psychology, Social Psychology, Teaching PsychologyFeatures: Articles, File Sharing, Information, Links, Resources, e-learning Jeff Standen is a psychology professor.  His website is chock full of useful bits of psychology information. Listed... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077773 Fri, 29 Jul 2011 17:00:53 +0100 5077773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5077836&cid=t_112075_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D315 Have you noticed that there has been a lot of news focused on the development of artificial livers?  Although life support devices have been used for years for kidney, heart, and lung transplant patients, liver functions are very difficult to mimic and over 30,000 Americans die each year awaiting a liver transplant.  But, several companies have been developing technologies that are in various stages of clinical trials.  The first goal is to function as a life support for patients suffering from end-stage liver disease.  Currently, there are both mechanical and biological filters; biological systems are designed to remove metabolic wastes and produce liver serum proteins (albumin and alpha-fetoproteIn). I spoke with Dr. Jeffrey D. Punch, MD, FACS, a leading transplant surgeon, about the... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5077836 Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:55:42 +0100 5077836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069799&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F27%2Fbait_and_switch_for_type_b_gpcrs.php You hear often about how many marketed drugs target G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). And it's true, but not all GPCRs are created equal. There's a family of them (the Class B receptors) that has a number of important drug targets in it, but getting small-molecule drugs to hit them has been a real chore. There's Glucagon, CRF, GHRH, GLP-1, PACAP and plenty more, but they all recognize good-sized peptides as ligands, not friendly little small molecules. Drug-sized things have been found that affect a few of these receptors, but it has not been easy, and pretty much all of them have been antagonists. (That makes sense, because it's almost always easier to block some binding event rather than hitting the switch just the right way to turn a receptor on). That peptide-to-receptor binding al... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069799 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:33:49 +0100 5069799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008635&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F06%2Fa_first_step_toward_a_new_form_of_life.php There's been a real advance in the field of engineered "unnatural life", but it hasn't produced one-hundredth the headlines that the arsenic bacteria story did. This work is a lot more solid, although it's hard to summarize in a snappy way. Everyone knows about the four bases of DNA (A, T, C, G). What this team has done is force bacteria to use a substitute for the T, thymine - 5-chlorouracil, which has a chlorine atom where thymine's methyl group is. From a med-chem perspective, that's a good switch. The two groups are about the same size, but they're different enough that the resulting compounds can have varying properties. And thymine is a good candidate for a swap, since it's not used in RNA, thus limiting the number of systems that have to change to accommodate the new base. (RNA, of... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008635 Wed, 06 Jul 2011 12:03:57 +0100 5008635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992755&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F02%2Fhow-the-dsm-developed-what-you-might-not-know%2F The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is widely known as the bible of psychiatry and psychology. But not many people know how this powerful and influential book came to be. Here’s a brief look at the DSM’s evolution and where we are today. The Need for Classification The origins of the DSM date back to 1840 — when the government wanted to collect data on mental illness. The term “idiocy/insanity” appeared in that year’s census. Forty years later, the census expanded to feature these seven categories: “mania, melancholia, monomania, paresis, dementia, dipsomania and epilepsy.” But there was still a need to gather uniform stats across mental hospitals. In 1917, the Bureau of the Census embraced a publication called the Statistical Manual for ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992755 Sat, 02 Jul 2011 10:43:12 +0100 4992755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992977&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F01%2Fthe_histamine_code_you_say.php I've been meaning to link to John LaMattina's blog for some time now. He's a former R&D guy (and author of Drug Truths: Dispelling the Myths About Pharma R & D, which I reviewed here for Nature Chemistry), and he knows what he's talking about when it comes to med-chem and drug development. Here he takes on the recent "Scientists Crack the Histamine Code" headlines that you may have seen this week. Do we have room, he wonders, for a third-generation antihistamine, or not? (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992977 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:59:46 +0100 4992977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4945136&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F14%2Fthe_uses_of_disorder.php We spend a lot of time thinking about proteins in this business - after all, they're the targets for almost every known drug. One of the puzzling things about them, though, is the question of just how orderly they are. That's "order" as in "ordered structure". If you're used to seeing proteins in X-ray crystal structures, they appear quite orderly indeed, but that's an illusion. (In fact, to me, that's one of the biggest things to look out for when dealing with X-ray information - the need to remember that you're not seeing something that's built out of solid resin or metal bars. Those nice graphics are, even when they're right, just snapshots of something that can move around). Even in many X-ray studies, you can see some loops of proteins that just don't return useful electron density. ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4945136 Tue, 14 Jun 2011 11:23:41 +0100 4945136 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4934740&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F11%2F2011-asco-exelixis-reports-expanded-cabozantinib-xl184-phase-ii-data-for-advanced-ovarian-cancer-six-deaths-reported%2F Exelixis, Inc. reported expanded Phase 2 study data with respect to cabozantinib (XL184) use in advanced ovarian cancer patients at the recent 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting. The overall solid tumor Phase 2 safety and tolerability data reference six deaths, including two ovarian cancer patients. Exelixis, Inc. reported expanded Phase 2 study [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4934740 Sat, 11 Jun 2011 16:10:03 +0100 4934740 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921689&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F09%2F2011-asco-additional-phase-iii-study-data-support-the-potential-role-of-avastin-in-newly-diagnosed-recurrent-ovarian-cancer%2F Positive results from two bevacizumab (Avastin®) phase III clinical studies were presented at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting on June 4. The data reported add to the growing body of evidence in support of bevacizumab use to treat recurrent and newly-diagnosed ovarian cancer. Positive results from two bevacizumab (Avastin®) phase III [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921689 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 23:15:13 +0100 4921689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902643&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F05%2F2011-asco-ec145-demonstrates-85-percent-improvement-in-progression-free-survival-for-treatment-of-platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer%2F EC145, in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil®/Caelyx®) in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, met its primary endpoint by showing an 85 percent (2.3 month) improvement in median progression-free survival in the intent-to-treat population, and a 260 percent (4.0 month) improvement in a subset of folate receptor positive patients. The final EC145 phase 2 clinical study data were presented [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902643 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 05:08:29 +0100 4902643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893809&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F06%2F03%2F2011-asco-entremed%25e2%2580%2599s-enmd-2076-demonstrates-clinical-activity-in-recurrent-platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer-patients%2F EntreMed, Inc. announced that ENMD-2076 demonstrated clinical activity — a six-month progression free survival rate of 19% – when administered as a single agent to platinum drug-resistant recurrent ovarian cancer patients. The announcement is based upon interim phase 2 data presented today at the 2011 American Society of Clinical Oncology Annual Meeting.  EntreMed, Inc., a clinical-stage [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893809 Sat, 04 Jun 2011 05:10:24 +0100 4893809 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893894&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F02%2Fbiomarkers_revisited_unfortunately.php Your genome - destiny, right? That's what some of us thought - every disease was going to have one or more associated genes, those genes would code for new drug targets, and we'd all have a great time picking them off one by one. It didn't work out that way, of course, but there are still all these papers out there in the literature, linking Gene A with the chances of getting Disease B. So how much are those worth? While we're at it, everyone also wanted (and still wants) biomarkers of all kinds. Not just genes, but protein and metabolite levels in the blood or other tissue to predict disease risk or progression. I can't begin to estimate how much work has been going into biomarker research in this business - a good biomarker can clarify your clinical trial design, regulatory picture, and... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893894 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:44:45 +0100 4893894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872164&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F26%2Fsexual-chemistry-and-keeping-your-relationship-alive%2F Our partner, YourTango.com, recently completed a scientific survey of over 20,000 people with their partner sites, MSN’s lifestyle website Glo.com and Chemistry.com, on sexual chemistry and what keeps a relationship alive and growing. The effort was overseen by a leading biological anthropologist and relationship expert, Dr. Helen Fisher, who also analyzed the results. Some of their findings might just surprise you, including the finding that 90 percent of men and women believe that dwindling attraction in a relationship can be rekindled. Their findings are detailed below. Did you know? The Truth About Sexual Chemistry (Video) The New Age Of Relationships: Sex, Love And Attraction In 2011 (An interview with Helen Fisher) Survey: 90% Of Americans Believe Attraction Can Be Rekindled... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872164 Thu, 26 May 2011 16:34:38 +0100 4872164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4862635&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2Fa9JCMwbkQUE%2F URL: http://psychfutures.ning.com/PsychFutures is an open network, albeit designed for individuals at various stages of their psychology career, from A-Level to degree-level to professionals. Primarily, we are about choosing your next step in psychology. For A-Level psychology students who are thinking about studying the subject at degree level, there’s advice on exam preparation and applying to university or college. For undergraduates thinking about post-degree options, our members provide peer-to-peer advice about postgrad psychology. For those looking beyond studying we have a section devoted to psychology careers. For: Anyone, Anyone, Clinicians, Researchers, Students, TeachersTopics: Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Anger, Behaviour Management, Child and Adolescent, Clinical Psycholo... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4862635 Tue, 24 May 2011 17:00:53 +0100 4862635 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841886&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fasco-2011-novel-multi-targeted-agent-cabozantinib-xl184-has-significant-effect-on-several-advanced-solid-tumors%2F Cabozantinib (XL184) demonstrated high rates of disease control in patients with prostate, ovarian and liver cancers. The investigators concluded that cabozantinib exhibits clinical activity in ovarian cancer patients with advanced disease, regardless of prior platinum drug status, as reflected by the high rates of response.  ASCO Releases Studies From Upcoming Annual Meeting – Important Advances [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841886 Thu, 19 May 2011 21:53:46 +0100 4841886 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841954&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2011%2F05%2F19%2Fget_yer_telomeres_measured_step_right_up.php Hmm. Remember when the Nobel Prize came out for telomere research? Now there are competing companies offering telomere-length screening, and one of them (Telome Sciences) was partly founded by Elizabeth Blackburn, one of the Nobel awardees. That isn't going down well with. . .one of the other awardees: But among the critics of such tests is Carol Greider, a molecular biologist at Johns Hopkins University, who was a co-winner of the Nobel Prize with Dr. Blackburn. Dr. Greider acknowledged that solid evidence showed that the 1 percent of people with the shortest telomeres were at an increased risk of certain diseases, particularly bone marrow failure and pulmonary fibrosis, a fatal scarring of the lungs. But outside of that 1 percent, she said, “The science really isn’t there to tell u... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841954 Thu, 19 May 2011 16:59:40 +0100 4841954 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4841890&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F05%2F17%2F2011-pharmaceutical-research-manufacturers-of-america-report-lists-58-drugs-in-development-for-ovarian-cancer%2F Currently, 851 medicines are in development for diseases that exclusively or disproportionately affect women, according to a report unveiled today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). Currently, 851 medicines are in development for diseases that exclusively or disproportionately affect women, according to a report unveiled today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4841890 Tue, 17 May 2011 23:19:03 +0100 4841890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4615192&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FK2_jnK1fizk%2F URL: http://www3.uakron.edu/ahap/The Archives of the History of American Psychology (AHAP) was established in 1965 at The University of Akron to promote research in the history of psychology by collecting, cataloguing, and preserving the historical record of psychology. The central feature of the AHAP is the manuscript collection, which includes the papers of over 740 psychologists. The growth of the repository exceeded projections, both in the rate at which materials were donated and in their diversity. This expansion led in 1976 to the establishment of the Child Development Film Archives, a unit that cares for both research footage and instructional films. This expansion was followed, in 1980, by a decision to supplement the numerous unsolicited gifts of books by devoting space to the pu... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4615192 Sat, 19 Mar 2011 17:00:29 +0100 4615192 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4610849&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2Fr3j9-44Vpwc%2F URL: http://www.psychonomic.org/The Psychonomic Society was founded by a group of experimental psychologists during a meeting in Chicago, Illinois, in December 1959. The main goal was to create a society that would support open communication about psychological science with minimal structure. For: ResearchersTopics: Academia, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, General Psychology, Health Psychology, Teaching PsychologyFeatures: Articles, Collaborative News, Community and Social Networking, Group Management, Information, Journals, Links, Research, Societal or Organizational Membership The Society currently consists of approximately 2,000 members and 650 associate members. To be eligible for membership, a person must hold the Ph.D. degree or equivalent, a... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4610849 Fri, 18 Mar 2011 18:41:34 +0100 4610849 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4570588&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FGiBsQliafv8%2F URL: http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/society/psychol_soc.htmlThis is one of a set of subject pages in the Scholarly Societies Project, which facilitates access to websites of scholarly societies across the world. This subset of the main website, is set up to try and include ALL websites of societies involved with psychology. The main website includes MOST websites that are involved with any scientific societies. For: Anyone, Clinicians, Researchers, StudentsTopics: Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, General Psychology, Health Psychology, History of Psychology, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, OCR Level-A Psychology, Psychology and Technology, Social Psychology, Teaching PsychologyFeatures: Community and Social Networking, Group Management, Information, L... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4570588 Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:00:49 +0100 4570588 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4566304&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F03%2F08%2Fohio-state-university-reports-that-ovarian-cancer-drug-bevacizumab-is-not-cost-effective%2F An analysis conducted by Ohio State University cancer researchers found that adding the targeted therapy bevacizumab to the first-line treatment of patients with advanced ovarian cancer is not cost effective. An analysis conducted by Ohio State University cancer researchers found that adding the targeted therapy bevacizumab [Avastin®] to the first-line treatment of patients with advanced [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4566304 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 00:51:51 +0100 4566304 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512429&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F02%2F23%2Fcellphone-use-may-increase-brain-activity%2F Brain studies get more interest in the media, because the brain is truly one of the last great unknowns of the human body. While our understanding of the brain has made great strides in the past few decades, we still have only very basic and rudimentary knowledge of this important organ. Honestly, researchers still aren’t quite sure how the brain even works. When you consider where we are with our understanding of the brain’s basic functions, you have to take studies that use brain imagery with a healthy grain of salt. The consumption of sugar by the brain is thought to indicate important brain activity, but it’s a correlational association that researchers have documented. The latest “gee whiz!” brain study showed that when you put a muted cell phone next to ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512429 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 19:28:44 +0100 4512429 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482756&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-womens-tears-do-to-men%2F2011.02.16 Humans are the only living things that cry when they are overcome with emotion. Why do we do this? A study by Noam Sobel and colleagues at the Weizmann Institute provide part of the answer, at least as it relates to women. The scientists showed that when men get a whiff of women’s tears, they experience a temporary, generalized loss of libido and a dip in testosterone. Really. (And you thought that red, runny nose was the turn off, didn’t you?) Scientists have known for decades that the chemical composition of “emotional tears” differs from tears shed due to simple irritation. But now, it appears that some of the chemicals contained in the former are actually pheromones; biological substances that create behavioral changes in others who are exposed to them. Such chemicals were kno... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482756 Wed, 16 Feb 2011 15:00:32 +0100 4482756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419452&cid=t_112075_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FiDdu3SBp4VA%2F A scandal over tainted blood plasma products that made headlines periodically over the past decade has finally been settled. Although Bayer and three other companies, which were blamed for infecting hemophiliacs with HIV in nearly two dozen countries, were rather reluctant to acknowlege any resolution until an activist group in Europe disclosed the deal. The backdrop: A former Bayer division known as Cutter Biological introduced a new version of its med in 1984, but continued to sell the old one overseas, according to documents filed in federal court in Illinois. By doing so, Cutter avoided a build-up of inventory of its old Factor VIII concentrate, which provided a missing ingredient that allows a hemophiliac’s blood to clot. Why would a build-up have occurred? A new version, which was... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419452 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 14:01:37 +0100 4419452 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4295001&cid=t_112075_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fphysical-effects-of-alcohol-on-women-3%2F Women’s bodies react differently to alcohol than men’s bodies and this can be explained by biological differences:Women have approximately 10% more fatty tissue and less body water than men. This means that women attain a higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) than men for the same volume of alcohol consumed.Women have lower levels of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), an enzyme involved in the metabolism of alcohol. As a result, women experience the effects of alcohol more quickly, and for longer, than men.On average, women weigh less than men and, therefore, have less tissue to absorb alcohol.Women’s hormone levels fluctuate during the menstrual cycle and this may affect the rate of alcohol metabolism in the body, causing women to experience higher blood alcohol levels at different poi... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4295001 Sun, 26 Dec 2010 15:28:00 +0100 4295001 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4272361&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F19%2Fhelping-someone-with-borderline-personality-disorder%2F The following post is the Afterword of the newly released “Overcoming Borderline Personality Disorder” by Valerie Porr. I have reprinted it here with permission of Oxford University Press. There are so many misconceptions about this disorder today. A friend of mine, recently diagnosed with BPD, has helped me to understand her illness. I hope this piece further educates people who attach stigma where there should be none. Research shows us that 70 percent of people with Borderline Personality Disorder drop out of treatment. According to John Gunderson, medical director of the Center for the Treatment of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) at McLean Hospital, in Boston, Massachusetts, failure to involve the family as support for treatment of BPD makes patients’ involvemen... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4272361 Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:55:17 +0100 4272361 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205935&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbiological-cinematography-animating-the-cells-of-life%2F2010.11.27 The New York Times published an article (with VIDEO) about molecular animators, scientists who can visualize the microscopic segments of life in a professional way: If there is a Steven Spielberg of molecular animation, it is probably Drew Berry, a cell biologist who works for the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, Australia. Mr. Berry’s work is revered for artistry and accuracy within the small community of molecular animators, and has also been shown in museums, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. In 2008, his animations formed the backdrop for a night of music and science at the Guggenheim Museum called “Genes and Jazz.” “Scientists have always done pictures to explain their ideas, but now we’re discov... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4205935 Sat, 27 Nov 2010 15:00:29 +0100 4205935 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179467&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F18%2Fexelixis-reports-promising-interim-data-from-ovarian-cancer-patients-treated-with-xl184%2F Exelixis reports promising interim data from ovarian cancer patients treated with XL184, including:  a  32% confirmed response rate per RECIST in patients with platinum-resistant or platinum-sensitive disease, and a 64% overall week-12 disease control rate. Exelixis, Inc.  today reported interim data from the cohort of patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer, primary peritoneal, or fallopian tube [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179467 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:03:41 +0100 4179467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179321&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpregnancy-after-45-a-high-risk-dilemma%2F2010.11.18 As more older women attempt to beat the biological clock and conceive, they are at greater risk for developing birth-related complications. For women over 45, there is less than a 1 percent chance of getting pregnant using their own eggs. Successful pregnancy for women over 45 is nearly always the result of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and the use of an egg donor. Researchers at Tel Aviv University reviewed birth records from 2000 to 2008, specifically looking at the records of 177 women who gave birth at the age of 45 and beyond. The majority of the women had IVF and received donor eggs, and 80 percent of the babies were delivered via cesarean section (C-section). Despite their celebrity, Kelly Presley (age 47), Celine Dion (age 42), and Mariah Carey (age 40), are older pregnant women ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179321 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 17:00:27 +0100 4179321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179468&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F17%2Fparp-inhibitor-mk-4827-shows-anti-tumor-activity-in-first-human-clinical-study%2F MK-4827, a new drug that targets proteins responsible for helping cancer cells repair their damaged DNA, has shown promising anti-tumor activity in its first human clinical trial. MK-4827, a new drug that targets proteins responsible for helping cancer cells repair their damaged DNA, has shown promising anti-tumour activity in its first human clinical trial. Some patients with [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179468 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:34:33 +0100 4179468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4163029&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F12%2Fovarian-cancer-drug-amg-386-shows-promise-with-move-to-phase-3-trials-in-australia-canada-europe%2F A new drug (AMG 386) designed to arrest ovarian cancer cell growth by inhibiting blood vessel formation is being readied for a phase 3 trial in Australia, Canada and Europe. AMG 386, a new drug designed to arrest ovarian cancer cell growth by inhibiting blood vessel formation, is being readied for a phase 3 trial [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4163029 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:27:07 +0100 4163029 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4152225&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F08%2Fepigenetics_the_code_isnt_the_object.php Here's an excellent background article on epigenetics, especially good for getting up to speed if you haven't had the opportunity to think about what gene transcription must really be like down on a molecular level. This also fits in well with some of the obituaries that I and others have written for the turn-of-the-millennium genomics frenzy. There is, in short, an awful lot more to things than just the raw genetic code. And as time goes on, the whole the-code-is-destiny attitude that was so pervasive ten years ago (the air hasn't completely cleared yet) is looking more and more mistaken. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4152225 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 16:21:12 +0100 4152225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4134198&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F03%2Ftrim21_a_cure_for_the_common_cold_maybe_not_.php This article is getting the "cure for the common cold" push in a number of newspaper headlines and blog posts. I'm always alert for those, because, as a medicinal chemist, I can tell you that finding a c-for-the-c-c is actually very hard. So how does this one look? I'd say that this falls into the "interesting discovery, confused reporting" category, which is a broad one. The Cambridge team whose work is getting all the press has actually found something that's very much worth knowing: that antibodies actually work inside human cells. Turns out that when antibody-tagged viral particles are taken up into cells, they mark the viruses for destruction in the proteosome, an organelle that's been accurately compared to an industrial crushing machine at a recycling center. No one knew this up un... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4134198 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 11:19:52 +0100 4134198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4134151&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F11%2F02%2Fpeptide-being-tested-for-atherosclerosis-inhibits-ovarian-cancer-growth-clinical-trial-planned%2F A drug in testing to treat atherosclerosis significantly inhibited growth of ovarian cancer in both human cell lines and mouse models, marking the first such report of a peptide being used to fight malignancies, according to a study by researchers at UCLA’s Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. A drug in testing to treat atherosclerosis significantly inhibited [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4134151 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:59:25 +0100 4134151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125255&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F01%2Fare_genes_patentable_or_not.php There seems to be some disagreement within the US government on the patentability of human genes. The Department of Justice filed an amicus brief (PDF) in the Myriad Genetics case involving the BRCA genes, saying that it believes that genes are products of nature, and therefore unpatentable. But this goes opposite to the current practice of the US Patent and Trademark Office, which does indeed grant such patents. No lawyers from the PTO appear on the brief, which may be a significant clue as to how they feel about this. And at any rate, gene patentability is going to be worked out in the courts, rather than by any sort of statement from any particular agency, which takes us back to the Myriad case. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125255 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:06:16 +0100 4125255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121855&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-puberty-ends%2F2010.10.30 I heard a 23-year-old woman complain: “I must be getting old when 11:00 at night is late.” It got me thinking. It turns out that the explanation for why teens are natural night owls has recently been elucidated. They can’t help it — they just don’t get tired until way later in the evening. Then, of course, their bodies want to stay asleep well into the next morning in order to feel sufficiently rested. Since most of them are stuck with the artificial structure of school hours, they’re screwed — and condemned to suffer constant fatigue from cumulative sleep deprivation. Old news. Then I started wondering about the back end of this phenomenon. Even though our American “youth culture” attributes great coolness to late-night happenings, since this pubertal sleep s... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121855 Sat, 30 Oct 2010 19:00:40 +0100 4121855 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098412&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F21%2Flaser_nematode_surgery.php There's a headline I've never written before, for sure. A new paper in PNAS describes an assay in nematodes to look for compounds that have an effect on nerve regeneration. That means that you have to damage neurons first, naturally, and doing that on something as small (and as active) as a nematode is not trivial. The authors (a team from MIT) used microfluidic chips to direct single nematodes into a small chamber where they're held down briefly by a membrane. Then an operator picks out one of its neurons on an imagining screen, whereupon a laser beam cuts it. The nematode is then released into a culture well, where it's exposed to some small molecule to see what effect that has on the neuron's regrowth. It takes about 20 seconds to process a single C. elegans, in case you're wondering, ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098412 Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:06:45 +0100 4098412 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4077248&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaby-born-from-a-20-year-old-embryo%2F2010.10.17 There appears to be a new record for a cryopreserved embryo birth. From NPR: In 1990 a couple underwent In Vitro Fertilization. They eventually had a healthy baby. They also, as is common, had a number of microscopic embryos that hadn’t been implanted, but were viable. They decided to anonymously donate them. Now, one of those embryos has produced a little boy, 20 years after being created. In other embryo-related news, Colorado has another personhood rights bill (Amendment 62) on the ballot for November: As used in sections 3, 6, and 25 of Article II of the state constitution, the term “person” shall apply to every human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being. So here’s my question: Under the proposed Colorado amendment, would this kid be leg... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4077248 Sun, 17 Oct 2010 15:00:14 +0100 4077248 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040760&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F07%2Fmore_on_garage_biotech.php Nature has a good report and accompanying editorial on garage biotechnology, which I wrote about earlier this year. . . .Would-be 'biohackers' around the world are setting up labs in their garages, closets and kitchens — from professional scientists keeping a side project at home to individuals who have never used a pipette before. They buy used lab equipment online, convert webcams into US$10 microscopes and incubate tubes of genetically engineered Escherichia coli in their armpits. (It's cheaper than shelling out $100 or more on a 37 °C incubator.) Some share protocols and ideas in open forums. Others prefer to keep their labs under wraps, concerned that authorities will take one look at the gear in their garages and label them as bioterrorists. For now, most members of the do-it-y... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040760 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 12:19:46 +0100 4040760 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3994309&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F23%2Fchemical_biology_the_future.php I agree with many of the commenters around here that one of the most interesting and productive research frontiers in organic chemistry is where it runs into molecular biology. There are so many extraordinary tools that have been left lying around for us by billions of years of evolution; not picking them up and using them would be crazy. Naturally enough, the first uses have been direct biological applications - mutating genes and their associated proteins (and then splicing them into living systems), techniques for purification, detection, and amplification of biomolecules. That's what these tools do, anyway, so applying them like this isn't much of a shift (which is one reason why so many of these have been able to work so well). But there's no reason not to push things further and fin... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3994309 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:38:01 +0100 3994309 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907775&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F26%2Fvinca_alkaloids_and_where_they_end_up.php The Vinca alkaloids are some of the most famous chemotherapy drugs around - vincristine and vinblastine, the two most widely used, are probably shown in every single introduction to natural products chemistry that's been written in the past fifty years. But making them synthetically is a bear, and extracting them from the plant is a low-yielding pain. A new paper in PNAS shows that there's still a lot that we don't know about these compounds. What has been known for a long time is that they're derived from two precursor alkaloids, vindoline and catharanthine. This new work shows that the plants deliberately keep those two compounds separated from each other, which helps account for the low yield of the final compounds. As it turns out, if you dip the leaves in chloroform, which dissolves... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907775 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:04:05 +0100 3907775 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3881078&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F18%2Freverseengineering_the_human_brain_really.php News like today's gamma-secretase failure makes me want to come down even harder on stuff like this. Ray Kurzweil, whom I've written about before, seems to be making ever-more-optimistic predictions with ever-more-shortened timelines. This time, he's saying that reverse-engineering the human brain may be about a decade away. I hope he's been misquoted, or that I'm not understanding him correctly. But some of his other statements from this same talk make me wonder: Here's how that math works, Kurzweil explains: The design of the brain is in the genome. The human genome has three billion base pairs or six billion bits, which is about 800 million bytes before compression, he says. Eliminating redundancies and applying loss-less compression, that information can be compressed into about 50 m... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3881078 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:52:28 +0100 3881078 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802572&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F29%2Fcraig_venter_venting.php Craig Venter has never been a person to keep a lot of things bottled up inside him. But check out this interview with Der Speigel for even more candor than usual. For instance: SPIEGEL: Some scientist don't rule out a belief in God. Francis Collins, for example … Venter: … That's his issue to reconcile, not mine. For me, it's either faith or science - you can't have both. SPIEGEL: So you don't consider Collins to be a true scientist? Venter: Let's just say he's a government administrator. There's more where that came from. The title is "We Have Learned Nothing From the Genome", and it just goes right on from there. Well worth a look. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802572 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 02:22:34 +0100 3802572 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710780&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Fstable_helical_peptides_can_do_it_all.php Now, this could get quite interesting. A recent paper in PNAS talks about "downsizing" biologically active proteins to much shorter mimics of the alpha-helical parts of their structures. These show a good deal more stability than the parents, and show a sometimes startling amount of biological activity. The building block for all this is the smallest helical peptide yet reported, a cyclic pentapeptide (KAAAD) curled as as a lactam between residues 1 and 5. Joining two or more of these up give you more turns, and replacing the alanines gives you plenty of possible mimics of endogenous proteins. An analog of nociceptin turned out to be the most potent agonist at ORL-1 ever described (40 picomolar), and an analog of RSV fusion protein is, in its turn, the most potent inhibitor of that viral ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710780 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:05:12 +0100 3710780 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3706641&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwould-you-take-a-blood-test-that-predicts-menopause%2F photo: Thinkstock A study presented today showed that a simple blood test could predict when women as young as their 20s could start menopause. Researchers say this test could help women make reproductive decisions about when to start a family. For instance, if a woman knows she’ll start menopause at 46, she might opt to start a family much earlier. And the predictions have generally been accurate within about three to four months. We’re not so sure about this development. While this info would definitely be handy for family planning, we don’t know if we’d want to know the age that menopause would hit us. We feel like it might make us dread the future entirely, and become hypersensitive to every little change in our bodies. What do you think? Would you want to know ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3706641 Mon, 28 Jun 2010 20:51:54 +0100 3706641 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3676724&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F18%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-june-18-2010%2F I was away earlier this week because my mom was in town. And in a few days, it will be Father’s Day. Spending all this time with my parents has made me aware of a lot of things. For one it’s given me the opportunity to see them in a new light. Not one of admiration or awe, but something a bit more realistic. I saw them as two separate people who tried to do the best they could in the situation that they were in. I then saw myself as my own individual who tries the best that I can with whatever things come my way. Funny how learning to accept my parents as imperfect has helped me to accept myself for my own imperfections. Seeing them and celebrating this coming Father’s Day are just a reminder to me that we can only do the best we can and that doing so is enough. I think t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3676724 Fri, 18 Jun 2010 10:43:10 +0100 3676724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672043&cid=t_112075_151_f&fid=35805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Ftwelvestepfacilitation%2FwAgT%2F%7E3%2FAfjobfsd9VI%2F The American National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism has announced a ‘Five Year Strategic Plan’ titled ‘Alcohol Across the Lifespan’   The Lifespan Perspective Investigators traditionally have pursued solutions to the wide range of alcohol-related issues through studies of alcohol’s effects on biological systems, the genetic factors underlying these biological effects, and the environmental and cultural factors that influence alcohol use. This Plan applies a new organizing principle – the lifespan perspective – to these diverse areas of alcohol research. Scientists now recognize that human biology and behavior continues to change throughout life and changes occurring throughout the lifespan affect individuals’ drinking pa... Twelve Step Facilitation.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672043 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 05:29:25 +0100 3672043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3611939&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FToT9Pefn2Ho%2F URL: http://www.youtube.com/user/psychetruthI make internet videos of things I am interested in, including but not limited to, health, alternative health, art, comparative religion, science, mental health reform, philosophy or anything else I want to know about. I like knowing stuff. I think you should like knowing stuff too. For: AnyoneTopics: Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Behaviour Management, Biological Psychology, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Counselling, Depression, Eating Disorders, Educational Psychology, General Psychology, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Psychology and Technology, Psychology and the MediaFeatures: Collaborative News, Commentary and Blogs, Community and Social Networking, Links, Multimedia, e-learningPsyche = Mind, ... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3611939 Sat, 29 May 2010 17:00:58 +0100 3611939 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3611909&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcan-we-stop-aging%2F2010.05.29 Dr. Aubrey de Grey, a contemporary popularizer of the very old idea that biological aging can be put on hold, gave this talk at TEDMED 2009: *This blog post was originally published at Medgadget* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3611909 Sat, 29 May 2010 16:00:21 +0100 3611909 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607813&cid=t_112075_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FI1mi3UFatwo%2F Do you recall the case of Becky McClain? She was a Pfizer scientist who claims she was infected by an experimental virus while working at the drugmaker’s Groton, Ct., labs and was awarded $1.37 million by a federal jury (back story and her lawsuit). Workers’ rights groups hailed the verdict and called the decision a major milestone for biotech and nanotech workers everywhere. Why? There is growing concern that the estimated 232,000 people who work in biotech labs around the US face numerous hazards and inadequate federal safety regulations. The New York Times cites some examples: an Agriculture Department scientist who spent a month in a coma after being infected by the E. coli bacteria her colleagues were experimenting with, and a University of Chicago scientist died after apparently ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607813 Fri, 28 May 2010 13:11:33 +0100 3607813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585817&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F05%2F20%2Fa_synthetic_genome_a_new_species.php As had been widely expected, Craig Venter's team has announced the production of an organism with a synthetic genome. All the DNA in these new mycoplasma cells was made first on synthesizer machines (in roughly 6 KB stretches), then assembled first enzymatically and finally in yeast into working chromosomes. And we know that they work, because they then transplanted them into mycoplasma and ended up with a new species. The cells grow normally, with the same morphology as wild-type, and sequencing them shows only the synthetic genome - which, interestingly, has several "watermark" sequences imbedded in it, a practice that this team strongly recommends future researchers in this area follow. In this case, there's a coded version of the names of the team members, a URL, and an e-mail address... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585817 Thu, 20 May 2010 18:20:43 +0100 3585817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573755&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2Fzpt1KQw8A4g%2F URL: http://psychbloggers.groupsite.com/main/summaryThe PBN is an international online community for health professionals, researchers, academics and writers who blog in the areas of psychology, neuroscience, mental health and academia. For: Clinicians, ResearchersTopics: Academia, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Educational Psychology, General Psychology, Health Psychology, Mental Health, Psychology and Technology, Social PsychologyFeatures: Careers, Commentary and Blogs, Community and Social Networking, Research Commentary, Research Tools, Societal or Organizational Membership Welcome to the Psychology Bloggers Network (PBN). The PBN is an international online community for health professionals, researchers, academics and writers who blog in the areas of psychology, neuro... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573755 Mon, 17 May 2010 17:00:19 +0100 3573755 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519696&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F30%2Frosettahome.php Many readers will have heard of Rosetta@Home. It's a distributed-computing approach to protein folding problems, which is certainly an area that can absorb all the floating-point operations you can throw at it. It's run from David Baker's lab at the University of Washington, and has users all over the world contributing. A reader sends along news that recently the project seems to have come across a good hit in one of their areas, proteins designed to bind to the surface of influenza viruses. It looks like they have one with tight binding to an area of the virus associated with cell entry, so the next step will be to see if this actually prevents viral infection in a cell assay. At that point, though, I have to step in as a medicinal chemist and ask what the next step after that could be... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519696 Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:20:22 +0100 3519696 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515612&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F29%2Fcurse_of_the_plastic_tubes.php In keeping with the problem discussed here ("sticky containers"), there's a report that a lot of common spectrometric DNA assays may have been affected by leaching of various absorbing contaminants from plastic labware. If the published work is shown relative to control tubes, things should be (roughly) OK, but if not, well. . .who knows? Especially if the experiments were done using the less expensive tubes, which seem to be more prone to emitting gunk. We take containers for granted in most lab situations, but we really shouldn't. Everything - all the plastics, all the types of glass, all the metals - is capable of causing trouble under some conditions. And it tends to sneak up on us when it happens. (Of course, there are more, well, noticeable problems with plastics in the organic chem... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515612 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:51:00 +0100 3515612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3501683&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F04%2F23%2Fparp-inhibitor-olaparib-benefits-women-with-inherited-ovarian-cancer-based-upon-platinum-drug-sensitivity%2F Olaparib (AZD2281), a new type of cancer drug known as a “PARP inhibitor,” produced promising results in patients with platinum-refractory, platinum-resistant, and platinum-sensitive ovarian cancer linked to an inherited BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation. A new type of cancer drug — known as a “PARP inhibitor” — produced promising results in patients with ovarian cancer linked [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3501683 Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:38:57 +0100 3501683 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494371&cid=t_112075_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdoctorandpatient.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fhow-to-monitor-your-biological-clock_22.html (Source: The Patient's Doctor) The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494371 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:59:00 +0100 3494371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490793&cid=t_112075_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2Ff2l0gmXkdQQ%2F Oprah’s having a rough month. First, Kitty Kelley releases a dishy, unauthorized biography on the Queen of Talk. Now, Norh Robinson, an ailing 84-year-old farmer from Mississippi, has come forward claiming to be her biological father. The New York Post caught up with Oprah in Manhattan outside the Four Seasons Hotel and asked her whether or not she was going to address Robinson’s claims. The normally cool-as-a-cucumber media maven snapped: “I will not be taking a paternity test, ever!” And can you blame her? Oprah has survived – flourished, even – for 56 years without knowing the identity of her biological dad. She considers her mother’s long-term boyfriend (the man who raised her) to be her true father, biology be damned. And, frankly, if Robinson was altruistically ... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490793 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 22:06:18 +0100 3490793 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3449126&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F08%2Flets_sequence_these_guys.php A very weird news item: multicellular organisms that appear to be able to live without oxygen. They're part of the little-known (and only recently codified) phylum Loricifera, and these particular organisms were collected at the bottom of the Mediterranean, in a cold, anoxic, hypersaline environment. They have no mitochondria - after all, they don't have any oxygen to work with. Instead, they have what look like hydrogenosome organelles, producing hydrogen gas and ATP from pyruvate. I'm not sure how large an organism you can run off that sort of power source, since it looks like you only get one ATP per pyruvate (as opposed to two via the Krebs cycle), but the upper limit has just been pushed past a significant point. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3449126 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 16:22:38 +0100 3449126 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3440747&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fwho-am-i-anyway-adoption-dna-testing-and-figuring-myself-out%2F This article by Elizabeth Spiers originally appeared on our sister site, TheGloss.com. The earliest available photos of me were taken when I was five months old, just after I was adopted. I have dark hair and freakishly large eyes that seem far too big for my face, like a Japanese anime character. In fact, they’re so big and dark that the rest of my facial features seem almost invisible. All you see are eyes. “Alien baby!” shrieks my friend Clare, spotting one of the photos on the wall of my grandmother’s house. “Look at your eyes!” She puffs out her cheeks and opens her eyes as wide as possible, and laughs. It’s 2003, and Clare has decided that my native Alabama would be more anthropologically interesting than her native U.K. for the Christmas hol... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3440747 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:54:47 +0100 3440747 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3437918&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F05%2Fsickened_by_an_engineered_virus.php What to make of the case of Becky McClain? She's a former Pfizer scientist who sued the company, claiming that she had been injured by exposure to engineered biological materials at work. She's just won her case in court, although Pfizer may well appeal the verdict. It's important to note that her most damaging claim, that the company engaged in willful misconduct, was thrown out at the beginning. The jury found that Pfizer had violated whistleblower laws and wrongfully terminated McClain as an employee. But what I'd most like to know is whether the claim at the core of her case is true, and I don't think anyone knows that yet. McClain says that she was exposed to embryonic stem cells and to various engineered lentiviruses (due to poor lab technique on the part of co-workers, if I'm follo... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3437918 Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:22:37 +0100 3437918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3436249&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fhave-sex-to-save-animals-endangered-species-condoms%2F First rule of advertising? Sex sells. And the Center for Biological Diversity is using that to full advantage with their hilarious Endangered Species Condoms. They’re distributing 350,000 of the rubbers through volunteers in all 50 states in an effort to help spread the message that human population growth is driving species extinction. The slogans on these prophylactic wrappers are some of the funniest ways we’ve seen to communicate the contraceptive conceit: via geekosystem.com Post from: BlissTree Have Sex to Save Animals: Endangered Species Condoms (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3436249 Fri, 02 Apr 2010 19:20:09 +0100 3436249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3429436&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F04%2F01%2Fwhat_do_nanoparticles_really_look_like.php We're all going to be hearing a lot about nanoparticles in the next few years (some may feel as if they've already heard quite enough, but there's nothing to be done about that). The recent report of preliminary siRNA results using them as a delivery system will keep things moving along with even more interest. So it's worth checking out this new paper, which illustrates how we're going to have to think about these things. The authors show that it's not necessarily the carefully applied coat proteins of these nanoparticles that are the first thing a cell notices. Rather, it's the second sphere of endogenous proteins that end up associated with the particle, which apparently can be rather specific and persistent. The authors make their case with admirable understatement: The idea that the... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3429436 Thu, 01 Apr 2010 12:40:42 +0100 3429436 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3383068&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F19%2Fa_bit_more_garage_biotech.php Here's the sort of thing we'll be seeing more and more of - on the whole, I think it's a good development, but it's certainly possible that one's mileage could vary: Ginkgo’s BioBrick Assembly Kit includes the reagents for constructing BioBrick parts, which are nucleic acid sequences that encode a specific biological function and adhere to the BioBrick assembly standard. The kit, which includes the instructions for putting those parts together, sells for $235 through the New England BioLabs, an Ipswich, MA-based supplier of reagents for the life sciences industry. Shetty didn’t release any specific sales figures for the kit, but said its users include students, researchers, and industrial companies. The kit was also intended to be used in the International Genetically Engineered Mach... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3383068 Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:21:27 +0100 3383068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3374360&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F17%2Fbiotimes_cellular_aging_results.php A small company called BioTime has gotten a lot of attention in the last couple of days after a press release about cellular aging. To give you an idea of the company's language, here's a quote: "Normal human cells were induced to reverse both the "clock" of differentiation (the process by which an embryonic stem cell becomes the many specialized differentiated cell types of the body), and the "clock" of cellular aging (telomere length)," BioTime reports. "As a result, aged differentiated cells became young stem cells capable of regeneration." Hey, that sounds good to me. But when I read their paper in the journal Regenerative Medicine, it seems to be interesting work that's a long way from application. Briefly - and since I Am Not a Cell Biologist, it's going to be brief - what they're ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3374360 Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:28:54 +0100 3374360 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3366171&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Flark-or-owl-whats-your-sleep-power-animal%2F From Monday to Friday, most working Americans keep pretty similar hours. We get to work around 9 a.m., which dictates the schedule of our days and nights, including when and how much we sleep. Yet, intuitively, it’s obvious: We don’t all march to the tick of the same clock. The timing of our alertness and our drowsiness, according to the National Sleep Foundation, not only has to do with how much sleep we got last night, but also with our “circadian biological clock”. Some research indicates that our internal clocks could be genetically pre-coded, at least in part. But there are also ways to control that clock and get your sleep in step with your schedule. The BBC’s “Sleep Profiler Quiz”, below, helps to determine whether you’re a lark or an owl, and how to get the most out... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3366171 Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:00:12 +0100 3366171 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3359206&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F12%2Fthe_psa_test_for_prostate_cancer_useless.php The discoverer of the prostate-specific antigen (Richard Ablin) has a most interesting Op-Ed in the New York Times. He's pointing out what people should already know: that using PSA as a screen for prostate cancer is not only useless, but actually harmful. The numbers just aren't there, and Ablin is right to call it a "hugely expensive public health disaster". Some readers will recall the discussion here of a potential Alzheimer's test, which illustrates some of the problems that diagnostic screens can have. But that was for a case where a test seemed as if it might be fairly accurate (just not accurate enough). In the case of PSA, the link between the test and the disease hardly exists at all, at least for the general population. The test appears to have very little use in detecting pros... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3359206 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:27:34 +0100 3359206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3359208&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F12%2Fgarage_biotech.php Freeman Dyson has written about his belief that molecular biology is becoming a field where even basement tinkerers can accomplish things. Whether we're ready for it or not, biohacking is on its way. The number of tools available (and the amount of surplus equipment that can be bought) have him imagining a "garage biotech" future, with all the potential, for good and for harm, that that entails. Well, have a look at this garage, which is said to be somewhere in Silicon Valley. I don't have any reason to believe the photos are faked; you could certainly put your hands on this kind of equipment very easily in the Bay area. The rocky state of the biotech industry just makes things that much more available. From what I can see, that's a reasonably well-equipped lab. If they're doing cell cul... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3359208 Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:22:25 +0100 3359208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3346713&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F09%2Fa_gsksirtris_wrapup.php Nature Biotechnology weighs in on the GSK/Sirtris controversy. They have a lot of good information, and I'm not just saying that because someone there has clearly read over the comments that have showed up to my posts on the subject. The short form: The controversy over Sirtris drugs reached a tipping point in January with a publication by Pfizer researchers led by Kay Ahn showing that resveratrol activates SIRT1 only when linked to a fluorophore. Although Ahn declined to be interviewed by Nature Biotechnology, a statement issued by Pfizer says the group's findings “call into question the mechanism of action of resveratrol and other reported activators of the SIRT1 enzyme.” Most experts, however, say it's too soon to write off Sirtris' compounds altogether, assuming they're clinicall... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3346713 Tue, 09 Mar 2010 13:46:28 +0100 3346713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335553&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F05%2Fyour_own_personal_bacteria.php There's a report in Nature on the bacteria found in the human gut that's getting a lot of press today (especially for a paper about, well, bacteria in the human gut). A team at the Beijing Genomics Institute, with many collaborators, has done a large shotgun sequencing effort on gut flora and identified perhaps one thousand different species. I can well believe it. The book I recommended the other day on bacteria field marks has something to say about that, pointing out that if you're just counting cells, that the cells of our body are far outnumbered by the bacteria we're carrying with us. Of course, the bacteria have an advantage, being a thousand times smaller (or more) than our eukaryotic cells, but there's no doubt that we're never alone. In case you're wondering, the average Europea... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335553 Fri, 05 Mar 2010 12:53:52 +0100 3335553 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322619&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F03%2F02%2Fthe_plasmid_committee_will_see_you_now.php From Nature comes word of a brainlessly restrictive new law that's about to pass in Turkey. The country started out trying to get in line with EU regulations on genetically-modified crops, and ended up with a bill that forbids anyone to modify the DNA of any organism at all - well, unless you submit the proper paperwork, that is: . . .Every individual procedure would have to be approved by an inter-ministerial committee headed by the agriculture ministry, which is allowed 90 days to consider each application with the help of experts. The committee would be responsible for approving applications to import tonnes of GM soya beans for food — but also for every experiment involving even the use of a standard plasmid to transfer genes into cells. Work with universally used model organisms, ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322619 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:56:01 +0100 3322619 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3311889&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F25%2Fgenentech-announces-positive-results-of-avastin-phase-iii-study-in-women-with-advanced-ovarian-cancer%2F Genentech announces positive results of Avastin Phase III study (GOG 218) in women with advanced ovarian cancer. The study showed that women who continued maintenance use of Avastin alone, after receiving Avastin in combination with chemotherapy, lived longer without the disease worsening compared to those who received chemotherapy alone. This is the first Phase [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3311889 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 18:40:30 +0100 3311889 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3302371&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fgo-take-a-nap%2F Well, the latest research confirms the positive effects of a mid-afternoon nap. Adults in the latest — albeit small — study suggest that people who took a 90-minute power nap after lunch did better on a battery of cognitive tests than those who didn’t. The improvement rate was about 10 percent better. Some cultures have built in the concept of an afternoon break from the long and non-stop workday. There seems to be some empirical support for the benefits of such a break, in that a mid-afternoon break (including a nap) seems to help with our ability to focus, especially with tasks that need short-term memory (which is what a lot of desk jobs entail). This should not be particularly surprising, since we already have a wealth of research demonstrating the benefits of a full,... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3302371 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 17:44:13 +0100 3302371 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3283808&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F18%2Fbiology_by_the_numbers.php I've been meaning to write about this paper in PNAS for a while. The authors (from Cal Tech and the Weizmann Institute) have set up a new web site, are calling for a more quantitative take on biological questions. They say that modern techniques are starting to give up meaningful inputs, and that we're getting to the point where this perspective can be useful. A web site, Bionumbers, has been set up to provide ready access to data of this sort, and it's well worth some time just for sheer curiosity's sake. But there's more than that at work here. To pick an example from the paper, let's say that you take a single E. coli bacterium and put it into a tube of culture medium, with only glucose as a carbon source. Now, think about what happens when this cell starts to grow and divide, but thin... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3283808 Thu, 18 Feb 2010 13:02:33 +0100 3283808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3212589&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F27%2Fenzymes_and_fluorines.php It hit me, one day during my graduate career, that I was spending my nights, days, weekends, and holidays trying to make a natural product, while the bacterium that produced the thing in the first place was sitting around in the dirt of a Texas golf course, making the molecule at ambient temperature in water and managing to perform all its other pressing business at the same time. This put me in my place. I've respected biosynthesis ever since. But there are some areas where we humans can still outproduce the small-and-slimies, and one of those is in organofluorine compounds. Fluorine's a wonderful element to use in medicinal chemistry, since it alters the electronic properties of your molecule without changing its shape (or adding much weight), and the C-F bond is metabolically inert. Bu... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3212589 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:17:37 +0100 3212589 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3197879&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F22%2Freceptors_moving_and_shaking.php I've written here before about how I used to think that I understood G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), but that time and experience have proven to me that I didn't know much of anything. One of the factors that's complicated that field is the realization that these receptors can interact with each other, forming dimers (or perhaps even larger assemblies) which presumably are there for some good reason, and can act differently from the classic monomeric form. A neat paper has appeared in PNAS that gives us some quantitative numbers on this phenomenon, and some great pictures as well. What you're looking at is a good ol' CHO cell, transfected with muscarinic M1 receptors. Twenty years ago (gulp) I was cranking out compounds to tickle cell membranes of this exact type, among others. The r... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3197879 Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:59:55 +0100 3197879 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3194004&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F21%2Fan_enzyme_inhibitor_you_have_never_ever_considered.php I promise you that. Take a look at this abstract: ". . .an unappreciated physicochemical property of xenon has been that this gas also binds to the active site of a series of serine proteases. Because the active site of serine proteases is structurally conserved, we have hypothesized and investigated whether xenon may alter the catalytic efficiency of tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), a serine protease that is the only approved therapy for acute ischemic stroke today." They go on to provide evidence that xenon is indeed a tPA inhibitor. And as it turns out, there's more evidence for xenon having a number of physiological effects, and enzyme inhibition has been proposed as one mechanism. Who knew? Now, there's an SAR challenge. . . (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3194004 Thu, 21 Jan 2010 16:36:26 +0100 3194004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3159966&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F11%2Fmagl_a_new_cancer_target.php I do enjoy some good chemical biology, and the latest Cell has another good example from the Cravatt group at Scripps (working with a team at Brigham and Women's Hospital over here on this coast). What they've done is profile various types of tumor cells using an activity-based probe to search for changes in serine hydrolase enzymes. Those are a large and diverse class (with quite a few known drug targets in them already), and there had already been reports that activity in this area was altered as cancer cell lines became more aggressive. What they tracked down was an enzyme called MAGL (monoacylglyceride lipase). That's an interesting finding. Cancer cells have long been known to have different ideas about lipid handling, and several enzymes in that metabolic area have been proposed ove... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3159966 Mon, 11 Jan 2010 12:45:04 +0100 3159966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3153618&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F07%2Fis_xmrv_the_cause_of_chronic_fatigue_syndrome_or_anything.php Last fall it was reported that a large proportion of patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome also showed positive for a little-understood retrovirus (XMRV). This created a lot of understandable excitement for sufferers of a conditions that (although often ill-defined) seems to have some puzzling biology buried in it somewhere. Well, let the fighting begin: a new paper in PLoS One has challenged this correlation. Groups from Imperial College and King's College have failed to detect any XMRV in a similar patient population: . . .Unlike the study of Lombardi et al., we have failed to detect XMRV or closely related MRV proviral DNA sequences in any sample from CFS cases. . .Based on our molecular data, we do not share the conviction that XMRV may be a contributory factor in the path... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3153618 Thu, 07 Jan 2010 16:47:58 +0100 3153618 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3149306&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2010%2F01%2F06%2Ffive_technologies_for_the_scrap_heap.php Xconomy has a piece on biotechnologies that look to be headed for obsolescence. I think the list is mostly correct - it includes the raw proteomic approach to understanding disease states and a lot of the biomarker work being done currently. I won't spoil the rest of the list; take a look and see what you think. Note: RNA interference is not on it, in case you're wondering. Nor are stem cells. (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3149306 Wed, 06 Jan 2010 18:33:00 +0100 3149306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133701&cid=t_112075_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2009%2F12%2F31%2Fcatalina-vallejos-statement-of-purpose-art%2F I devote my life to the momentary constructions for the purpose of maintaining a regular study of neural biochemistry, processes, patterns, and networks whose effects on a performance installation would successfully present a solution. An example of this is affecting a site’s mood initally set up by a pre-set design, with a resulting performance based upon the affected concentration of biochemicals in each present body. The modulation of mood and perception, as evoked or supressed by the artwork itself. A more specific example of this is the observation of different levels of dehydration which affect the integral effectiveness of body enzymes by varying concentrations. This type of work is relevant since exemplary leading behaviours are that which initiate communication before utterance ... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133701 Thu, 31 Dec 2009 05:23:25 +0100 3133701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3133702&cid=t_112075_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2009%2F12%2F30%2Fnew-brain-model-applied-to-%25e2%2580%259cpythagorean-harmonics%25e2%2580%259d%2F Neurodudes kindly allowed me to post links to my “alternative brain models” in 2006 ( http://neurodudes.com/2006/09/14/new-brainmind-theory/ ) and 2007 ( http://neurodudes.com/2007/02/24/more-on-quad-nets-new-brainmind-theory/ ) and I hope a third occasion is permitted as there is no comparable resource for a person like me.  I am an amateur in brain science but have a solid technical background (B.S.E.E. MIT; M.A. Physics/Materials Science, UC Berkeley). I have developed a new class of proposed devices called “timing devices.”  Timing devices are idealized models of neurons, with a variety of forms and components.  The timing devices system resembles that of components (resistances, capacitances, transistors, etc.) used in standard electronic circuits.  In both cases, there is... neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3133702 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:51:53 +0100 3133702 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3071434&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F12%2F08%2Fous-non-toxic-drug-makes-ovarian-cancer-cells-respond-to-new-treatment-undergo-cell-suicide%2F “Cancer researchers at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center have found a way to turn ineffective new cancer drugs into cancer-fighters. By using their patented chemical compound, SHetA2, researchers tricked cancer cells into responding to new treatments and undergoing cell suicide. … [T]he compound will work with several cancers, including lung, kidney, ovarian, colon [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3071434 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:19:58 +0100 3071434 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3037091&cid=t_112075_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Falcoholism-what-is-it%2F Alcoholism is a term with multiple and sometimes conflicting definitions. In common and historic usage, alcoholism refers to any condition that results in the continued consumption of alcoholic beverages despite the health problems and negative social consequences it causes. Medical definitions describe alcoholism as a disease which results in a persistent use of alcohol despite negative consequences. Alcoholism may also refer to a preoccupation with or compulsion toward the consumption of alcohol and/or an impaired ability to recognize the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption. Although not all of these definitions specify current and on-going use of alcohol, some do, as well as remarking on the long-term effects of consistent, heavy alcohol use, including dependence and sympt... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3037091 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 11:57:09 +0100 3037091 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015439&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F20%2Fpi3k-pathway-a-potential-ovarian-cancer-therapeutic-target%2F …[T]here are several PI3K signaling pathway targeting drugs in clinical development for use against ovarian cancer and solid tumors, including GDC-0941, BEZ235, SF1126, XL-147, XL-765, BGT226, and PX-866.  The results of two recent medical studies suggest that the use of PI3K-targeted therapies may offer an effective therapeutic approach for patients with advanced-stage and recurrent ovarian [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015439 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 22:06:25 +0100 3015439 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3015326&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FFA64n_rZiwk%2F URL: http://www.icsahome.com/ICSA’s mission is to apply research and professional perspectives to the problems encountered by family members and former group members adversely affected by a cultic involvement and to forewarn those who might become involved in potentially harmful group situations. For: Anyone, ConsumersTopics: Abnormal, Attachment, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Common Factors, General Psychology, Lifestyle, Social SupportFeatures: Articles, Collaborative News, Information, Links, e-learning ICSA’s mission is to apply research and professional perspectives to the problems encountered by family members and former group members adversely affected by a cultic involvement ... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3015326 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:00:03 +0100 3015326 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2984847&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FZ6IfFtR8Ks8%2F URL: http://www.tsa-usa.org/Founded in 1972 in Bayside New York, the national Tourette Syndrome Association is the only national voluntary non-profit membership organization in this field. For: ConsumersTopics: Academia, Anxiety, Behaviour Management, Biological Psychology, Child and Adolescent, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Cognitive Training, Depression, Educational Psychology, General Psychology, Life, Varied TreatmentsFeatures: Advertising, Articles, Glossary, Information, Links, Research, e-learning Founded in 1972 in Bayside New York, the national Tourette Syndrome Association is the only national voluntary non-profit membership organization in this field.  Our mission is to identify the cause of, find the cure for and control the effects of Touret... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2984847 Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:00:11 +0100 2984847 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2963293&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F04%2F%25c3%25a6terna-zentaris-lhrh-receptor-targeted-therapy-aezs-108-produces-positive-preliminary-results-in-advanced-stage-ovarian-cancer%2F Preliminary Phase II clinical study evaluation shows that primary efficacy endpoint has been met for patients with advanced-stage, platinum-resistant, taxane-pretreated ovarian cancer who were treated with the targeted therapy AEZS-108. Æterna Zentaris Inc. , a global biopharmaceutical company focused on endocrine therapy and oncology, today announced positive efficacy data from a Phase II study with its [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2963293 Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:39:09 +0100 2963293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2958913&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FRFuLqBhF0w0%2F URL: http://posbase.uib.no/posbase/index.phpThis is a prototype system containing presentations from experimental psychology. We hope that it can guide both students and teachers in gaining a deeper understanding within the field of psychology. For: Students, TeachersTopics: Academia, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Common Factors, Educational Psychology, Emotional Health, General Psychology, Health Psychology, Mental Health, Psychiatry, Psychology and TechnologyFeatures: Articles, Databases, Information, Links, Multimedia, PresentationsThis is a prototype system containing presentations from experimental psychology. We hope that it can guide both students and teachers in gaining a deeper understanding within the field of psychology. (S... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2958913 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:00:13 +0100 2958913 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2934937&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F28%2Fnanotech_armor.php Now here's a completely weird idea: a group in Korea has encapsulated individual living yeast cells in silica. They start out by coating the cells with some charged polymers that are known to serve as a good substrate for silication, and then expose the yeast to silicic acid solution. They end up with hard-shell yeast, sort of halfway to being a bizarre sort of diatom. The encapsulated cells behave rather differently, as no doubt would we all under such conditions. After thirty days in the cold with no nutrients, the silica-coated yeast is at least three times more viable than wild-type cells (as determined by fluorescent staining). On the other hand, when exposed to a warm nutrient broth, the silica-coated yeast (Source: In the Pipeline) In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2934937 Wed, 28 Oct 2009 15:05:53 +0100 2934937 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2916403&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F21%2Fendocytes-ec145-produces-significant-anti-tumor-activity-in-advanced-stage-chemoresistant-ovarian-cancer-patients%2F Endocyte, Inc., … presented data from a Phase 2a clinical trial for EC145, … In 49 women with advanced-stage ovarian cancer, EC145 was shown to have anti-tumor activity in a significant percentage of participants in the trial. …[T]he overall disease control rate, defined as stable disease, partial or complete response to therapy, was 40.8 [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2916403 Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:00:40 +0100 2916403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2902814&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F18%2F7-myths-of-depression%2F Depression is often viewed as the “common cold” of mental disorders, because it is so prevalent in our lives. The lifetime prevalence of depression suggests that more than 1 in 9 people could be diagnosed with the disorder at one point in their lives. And unlike some other mental disorders, depression affects virtually every aspect of what you do and how you interact with others. Every year, it wreaks havoc in millions of Americans’ lives, especially amongst those who believe it is something you should just “get over” on your own. Here are seven common myths about depression, and the facts that answer them. 1. Depression means I’m really “crazy” or just weak. While depression is indeed a serious mental disorder, it is no more serious than mos... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2902814 Sun, 18 Oct 2009 11:05:35 +0100 2902814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2899186&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F16%2Fengineering_receptors_not_quite_there_yet_not_exactly.php There have been several reports over the years of people engineering receptor proteins to make them do defined tasks. They've generally been using the bacterial periplasmic binding proteins (PBPs) as a starting point, attaching some sort of fluorescent group onto one end, so that when a desired ligand binds, the protein folds in on itself in a way to set off a fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET). That's a commonly used technique to see if two proteins are in close proximity to each other; it's robust enough to be used in many high-throughput screening assays. So the readout isn't the problem. But something else certainly is. In a new PNAS paper, a group at the Max Planck Institute in Tübingen has gone back and taken a look at these receptors, which are reported to bind a number ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2899186 Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:17:52 +0100 2899186 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2890697&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FxYSuZIOYB1k%2F URL: http://www.facetheissue.com/Features narrated animations and facts about addiction, eating disorders, depression, and other mental health concerns. For: AnyoneTopics: ADHD, Addiction, Anger, Anxiety, Biological Psychology, Bipolar, Clinical Psychology, Depression, Eating Disorders, Health Promotion, Health Psychology, Health and Social Services, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Mental Health Promotion, Self-helpFeatures: Case Studies, Commentary and Blogs, Documentary, Forums, Information, Self Monitoring, Videos, e-learning Features narrated animations and facts about addiction, eating disorders, depression, and other mental health concerns.  Adds a “real-life” dimension to each disorder listed on the site.  A must see. (Source: PsychSplash) PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2890697 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:13 +0100 2890697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2872028&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F07%2Fa_nobel_for_ribosome_structure.php This was another Biology-for-Chemistry year for the Nobel Committee. Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (Cambridge), Thomas Steitz (Yale) and Ada Yonath (Weizmann Inst.) have won for X-ray crystallographic studies of the ribosome. Ribosomes are indeed significant, to put it lightly. For those outside the field, these are the complex machines that ratchet along a strand of messenger RNA, reading off its three-letter codons, matching these with the appropriate transfer RNA that's bringing in an amino acid, then attaching that amino acid to the growing protein chain that emerges from the other side. This is where the cell biology rubber hits the road, where the process moves from nucleic acids (DNA going to RNA) and into the world of proteins, the fundamental working units of a day-to-day living cell.... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2872028 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 12:36:09 +0100 2872028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2862739&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F10%2F05%2Fa_nobel_for_telomerase.php As many had expected, a Nobel Prize has been awarded to Elizabeth Blackburn (of UCSF), Carol Greider (of Johns Hopkins), and Jack Szostak (of Harvard Medical School/Howard Hughes Inst.) for their work on telomerase. Blackburn had been studying telomeres since her postdoc days in the late 1970s, and she and Szostak worked together in the field in the early 1980s, collarborating from two different angles. Greider (then a graduate student in Blackburn's lab) discovered the telomerase enzyme in 1984. She's continued to work in the area, as well she might, since it's been an extremely interesting and important one. Telomeres, as many readers will know, are repeating DNA stretches found on the end of chromosomes. It was realized in the 1970s that something of this kind needed to be there, since... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2862739 Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:32:36 +0100 2862739 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855727&cid=t_112075_122_f&fid=35066&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneurodudes.com%2F2009%2F10%2F01%2Frobust-systems%2F A great essay by Gerald Sussman, “Robust Systems”. In the first half or so (my favorite part) he describes architectural principals of biological systems that contribute to robustness. In the second half, he gives proposals for making computers more robust. (Source: neurodudes) neurodudes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855727 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 03:11:47 +0100 2855727 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851971&cid=t_112075_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F09%2Fno-sht-psychology.php Women Prefer Taken Guys:The most striking result was in the responses of single women. Offered a single man, 59 per cent were interested in pursuing a relationship. But when he was attached, 90 per cent said they were up for the chase.This is just a subset of the wisdom of Seinfeld. (Source: Gene Expression) Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851971 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:25:00 +0100 2851971 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774906&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F08%2Fright_where_you_want_them.php Imagine a drug molecule, and imagine it's a really good one. That is, it's made it out of the gut just fine, out into the bloodstream, and it's even slipped in through the membrane of the targeted cells. Now what? Well, "cells are gels", as Arthur Kornberg used to say, and he was right. There's not a lot of bulk water sloshing around in there. It's all stuck to and sliding around with enzymes, structural proteins, carbohydrates, and the like, and that's what any drug molecule has to be able to do as well. And there's no particular reason for most of them to go anywhere particular inside the cell, once they're inside. They just diffuse around until they hit their targets, to which they stick (which is something they'd better do). What if things didn't work this way? What if you could micr... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774906 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:13:00 +0100 2774906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719966&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F20%2Fstill_semaphoring_even_from_the_bottom_of_the_swimming_pool.php It's hard to think of a more important class of drug targets than the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRS). And back about fifteen years ago, I thought I had a reasonable understanding of how they worked. I was quite wrong, even given the standards of knowledge at the time, but since then the GPCR world has become gradually crazier and crazier. The classic way of thinking about these receptors is that they live up on the cell surface, with part of the protein on the outside and part on the inside. The inside face is associated with various G-proteins, and the outside face has a binding site for some sort of signaling molecule. If the right molecule shows up and slots in the correct way into this binding cavity, the transmembrane helices of the protein rearrange, sliding around to change th... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719966 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:47:03 +0100 2719966 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709383&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F18%2Fschematic_notation_for_biology.php I see that there's a serious effort underway to standardize biochemical diagrams. About time! As a chemist, I don't mind admitting that I've been confused by many of these things over the years. As the current task force points out, one reason for that is that there are too many processes that all get drawn the same way: with a curved arrow. Enzymatic cleavage? Allosteric regulation? Product inhibition? Nucleic acid splicing? Enzyme activation? A curvy arrow should do nicely. And if the same scheme includes several of those phenomena at once, then we'll just use more arrows, making sure, of course, that they're all exactly the same size and style. The new proposal seems to be based on the ideas behind electrical circuit diagrams and flow-chart conventions, and will attempt to convey infor... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709383 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:27:58 +0100 2709383 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691763&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F11%2Fdealing_with_hedgehog_screening_results.php I was looking over a paper in PNAS, where a group at Stanford describes finding several small molecules that inhibit Hedgehog signaling. That's a very interesting (and ferociously complex) area, and the more tools that are available to study it, the better. But let me throw something out to those who have read (or will read) the paper. (Here's the PDF, which is open access). The researchers seem to have done a screen against about 125,000 compounds, and come up with four single-digit micromolar hits. Characterizing these against a list of downstream assays showed that each of these acts in a somewhat different manner on the Hedgehog pathway. And that's fine - the original screen would have picked up a variety of mechanisms, and there certainly are a variety out there to be picked up. I c... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691763 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 15:35:29 +0100 2691763 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691734&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F10%2Fnovel-targeted-gene-therapies-use-diphtheria-toxin-to-fight-ovarian-cancer-future-clinical-trials-anticipated%2F Two separate research teams reported promising results last week based upon preclinical studies involving the use of diphtheria toxin to fight ovarian cancer. … A targeted gene therapy was utilized in both studies, wherein a gene fragment capable of producing diptheria toxin was combined with a nanoparticle which was [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691734 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:16:33 +0100 2691734 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688866&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F10%2Fnovel-targeted-gene-therapies-use-diphtheria-toxin-to-fight-ovarian-cancer-future-clinical-trials-anticipated%2F Two separate research teams reported promising results last week based upon preclinical studies involving the use of diphtheria toxin to fight ovarian cancer. … A targeted gene therapy was utilized in both studies, wherein a gene fragment capable of producing diptheria toxin was combined with a nanoparticle which was [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688866 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:16:33 +0100 2688866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2662629&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F01%2Fm-d-andersons-epha2-targeted-therapy-delivers-chemo-directly-to-ovarian-cancer-cells%2F With a novel therapeutic delivery system, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has successfully targeted a protein that is over-expressed in ovarian cancer cells. Using the EphA2 protein as a molecular homing mechanism, chemotherapy was delivered in a highly selective manner in preclinical models of [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2662629 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:49:10 +0100 2662629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2645475&cid=t_112075_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F07%2Femotional-reaction-to-moral-issues.php A new neuroscience take on moral psychology, Right or Wrong? The brain's fast response to morally objectionable statements:How does the brain respond to statements that clash with a person's value system? We recorded EEG potentials while respondents from contrasting political-ethical backgrounds completed an attitude survey on drugs, medical ethics, social conduct and other issues. Our results show that value-based disagreement is unlocked by language extremely rapidly, within 200-250 milliseconds after the first word at which a statement begins to clash with the reader's value system (e.g., "I think euthanasia is an acceptable/unacceptable...."). Furthermore, strong disagreement rapidly influences the ongoing analysis of meaning, indicating that even very early processes in language compr... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2645475 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 06:50:00 +0100 2645475 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613898&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34752&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPsychsplash%2F%7E3%2FlnugTf92w3o%2F URL: http://library.med.utah.edu/24languages/Electronic access to over 200 health education brochures in 24 different languages. For: AnyoneTopics: ADHD, Abnormal, Academia, Addiction, Biological Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Health Promotion, Health Psychology, Health and Social Services, Healthcare Information TechnologyFeatures: Articles, Information, e-learning Electronic access to over 200 health education brochures in 24 different languages.  This is a project of the Spencer S. Eccles Health Sciences Library, in partnership with the Utah Department of Health, the Immunization Action Coalition, AAPCHO, and many others to improve access to health materials in multiple languages. We wish to thank the Institute of Museum and Library Services and the National Network of Libraries ... PsychSplash blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613898 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:00:19 +0100 2613898 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2580467&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F07%2Fwhats_so_special_about_ribose.php While we're on the topic of hydrogen bonds and computations, there's a paper coming out in JACS that attempts to answer an old question. Why, exactly, does every living thing on earth use so much ribose? It's the absolute, unchanging carbohydrate backbone to all the RNA on Earth, and like the other things in this category (why L amino acids instead of D?), it's attracted a lot of speculation. If you subscribe to the RNA-first hypothesis of the origins of life, then the question becomes even more pressing. A few years ago, it was found that ribose, all by itself, diffuses through membranes faster than the other pentose sugars. This results holds up for several kinds of lipid bilayers, suggesting that it's not some property of the membrane itself that's at work. So what about the ability of... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2580467 Tue, 07 Jul 2009 15:42:27 +0100 2580467 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2553088&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F29%2Fchasing-the-genetic-ghosts-of-mental-illness%2F For decades, scientists have been making claims about the genetic roots of mental illness, ranging from schizophrenia and depression, to bipolar disorder and attention deficit disorder (ADHD). And for decades, they’ve largely been chasing ghosts. Eric Kandel, writing for Newsweek, makes the at-least-annual appeal that scientists are making “certain advances in genetics” which give “us new reasons for optimism” in understanding the biological basis for mental illness. As someone who’s been tracking the progress of such genetic advances over the past two decades, I have to say, I remain squarely skeptical. It doesn’t help that Kandel’s own arguments are exercises in circular logic: One major advance has been the discovery that there is much mo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2553088 Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:19:49 +0100 2553088 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2513140&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F22%2Fgenzymes_virus_problems.php We organic chemists have it easy compared to the cell culture people. After all, our reactions aren't alive. If we cool them down, they slow down, and if we heat them up, they'll often pick up where they left off. They don't grow, they don't get infected, and they don't have to be fed. Cells, though, are a major pain. You can't turn your back on 'em. Part of the problem is that there are, as yet, no cells that have evolved to grow in a dish or a culture bottle. Everything we do to them is artificial, and a lot of it what we ask cultured cells to do is clearly not playing to their strengths. Ask Genzyme: they use the workhorse CHO (Chinese Hamster Ovary) cells to produce their biologics, but they've been having variable yield problems over the past few months. Now it turns out that their p... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2513140 Mon, 22 Jun 2009 12:23:30 +0100 2513140 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2473571&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2009%2F06%2F12%2F9-myths-of-bipolar-disorder%2F Bipolar disorder has been the focus of attention in recent years, as a new slew of psychiatric medications have been developed to help treat it. Such medications drive pharmaceutical marketing and increased educational efforts surrounding bipolar disorder (for better or worse). But many myths surround bipolar disorder — what it is, what it means, and how it’s treated. Here’s to busting a few of the most common ones. 1. Bipolar disorder means I’m really “crazy.” While bipolar disorder is a serious mental disorder, it is no more serious than most other mental disorders. Having a mental disorder doesn’t mean you’re “crazy,” it just means you have a concern that is negatively impacting how you live your life. Left unaddressed, this co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2473571 Fri, 12 Jun 2009 13:11:46 +0100 2473571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2441269&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F05%2Fbiological-colonialism-comedic-tour-de.html Secondhand Smokette and I went to a Barnes and Noble this morning and I stumbled upon a new book: Larry's Kidney: Being the True Story of How I Found Myself in China with My Black Sheep Cousin and His Mail-Order Bride, Skirting the Law to Get Him a Transplant--and Save His Life, by Daniel Asa Rose. Great: A comedic tale of biological colonialism and exploitation, I thought. Just what the world needs.So, I have perused a few reviews. Here's a sample: This book is a side-splitting tour de force that whisks readers off to China on a quest to get a transplant for the author's cousin Larry. Second-time memoirist Rose recounts their exploits with an insuperable wit that will appeal to readers who crave unrelenting humor. In a more serious vein, Larry's challenging journey to China will resonate ... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2441269 Sat, 23 May 2009 19:13:00 +0100 2441269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2417147&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F18%2Fmesothelin-a-potential-new-target-for-ovarian-cancer-immunotherapy%2F Researchers have generated altered immune cells that are able to shrink, and in some cases eradicate, large tumors in mice. The immune cells target mesothelin, a protein that is highly expressed, or translated in large amounts from the mesothelin gene, on the surface of several types of cancer cells. The approach, developed by researchers at [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2417147 Tue, 19 May 2009 04:51:22 +0100 2417147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2406159&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F05%2F13%2Fexercise_and_vitamins_now_wait_a_minute_.php Now, this is an example of an idea being followed through to its logical conclusion. Here’s where we start: the good effects of exercise are well known, and seem to be beyond argument. Among these are marked improvements in insulin resistance (the hallmark of type II diabetes) and glucose uptake. In fact, exercise, combined with losing adipose weight, is absolutely the best therapy for mild cases of adult-onset diabetes, and can truly reverse the condition, an effect no other treatment can match. So, what actually causes these exercise effects? There has to be a signal (or set of signals) down at the molecular level that tells your cells what’s happening, and initiates changes in their metabolism. One good candidate is the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the mitochondria... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2406159 Wed, 13 May 2009 12:20:42 +0100 2406159 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2405977&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F05%2F12%2Fupci-launches-clinical-trial-for-patients-with-hereditary-breast-and-ovarian-cancers%2F “The University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI) will be the primary site for a clinical trial of ABT-888, a drug previously proven in combination treatments to improve chemotherapy’s effectiveness by lowering cancer cells’ resistance to treatment. This trial will, for the first time, examine ABT-888 as a single agent for patients with cancers related to [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2405977 Wed, 13 May 2009 01:59:01 +0100 2405977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2365380&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F23%2Fpreclinical-results-validate-lpathomab-as-a-potential-future-treatment-for-ovarian-cancer%2F “Lpath, Inc. … , the category leader in bioactive-lipid-targeted therapeutics, reported compelling new in vivo and in vitro results relating to its preclinical drug candidate, Lpathomab, in various ovarian cancer studies …” “Lpath Presents Compelling New Preclinical Results of Its Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate, Lpathomab(TM), at the AACR 100th Annual Meeting - New In Vivo and In Vitro [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2365380 Thu, 23 Apr 2009 23:28:32 +0100 2365380 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2357978&cid=t_112075_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdentists-go-green-for-the-good-of-mankind-the-earth-and-marketing%2F First of all, let me wish you a very happy Earth Day. Surely you began your day sipping on shade-grown coffee brewed with rainwater through recycled coffee filters - and you aren’t using a disposable cup, right? Dump those used coffee grounds in your garden! And please excuse me while I hug a tree. Wait a minute. You don’t have to go overboard to celebrate Earth Day 2009. In fact, your dental office could do a few simple things that will reduce your carbon Sketcher print and make you an eco-friendly business. Some dentists are “going green” and taking advantage of marketing their practices as eco-frienldy. (See websites and articles below.) Earlier this year, DentalBlogs posted about Generation G - remember? With the current turn in our economy, it’s wis... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2357978 Wed, 22 Apr 2009 13:30:04 +0100 2357978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349509&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F20%2Fnovogens-nv-128-targets-mtor-pathway-to-block-differentiation-and-induce-cell-death-in-ovarian-cancer-stem-cells%2F “Data just presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Denver has demonstrated that NV-128, a Novogen, Limited (ASX: NRT NASDQ: NVGN) synthetic isoflavonoid compound, not only induces cell death in Ovarian Cancer Stem Cells (OCSCs), but also blocks their differentiation into structures which are required to support tumor [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349509 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 22:50:41 +0100 2349509 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2353788&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fhuman-embryo-is-to-baby-he-or-she.html It is an intentional tactic on the part of some who push for the instrumental use of nascent human life to make the sophistical argument that human embryos are not really organisms until they implant in a uterus. Ironically, these advocates make this bogus claim in the name of boosting science. But this is anti-science because it is utterly inaccurate from a biological perspective. But the point is to tie opponents down with endless and circular debates about what constitutes a living human organism so that the real discussion about whether and when it is appropriate to use human life instrumentally can be avoided.I am really tired of dealing with this over and over again, but will make this one last foray into the issue: Let's look at the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly. It is the sa... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2353788 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:19:00 +0100 2353788 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347905&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F04%2Fhuman-embryo-is-to-baby-he-or-she.html It is an intentional tactic on the part of some who push for the instrumental use of nascent human life to make the sophistical argument that human embryos are not really organisms until they implant in a uterus. Ironically, these advocates make this bogus claim in the name of boosting science. But this is anti-science because it is utterly inaccurate from a biological perspective. But the point is to tie opponents down with endless and circular debates about what constitutes a living human organism so that the real discussion about whether and when it is appropriate to use human life instrumentally can be avoided.I am really tired of dealing with this over and over again, but will make this one last foray into the issue: Let's look at the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly. It is the sa... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347905 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:19:00 +0100 2347905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2349512&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F19%2Faddition-of-dasatinib-sprycel-to-standard-chemo-cocktail-may-enhance-effect-in-certain-ovarian-cancers%2F “The addition of a chemotherapeutic drug for leukemia to a standard regimen of two other chemotherapy drugs appears to enhance the response of certain ovarian cancers to treatment, according to a pre-clinical study led by researchers in the Duke Comprehensive Cancer Center.  ‘We know that a pathway called SRC is involved in cell proliferation in [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2349512 Mon, 20 Apr 2009 06:42:05 +0100 2349512 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2341833&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F04%2F17%2Fgenes_to_diseases_hard_work_you_say.php So I see that the headlines are that it’s proving difficult to relate gene sequences to specific diseases. (Here's the NEJM, free full-text). I can tell you that the reaction around the drug industry to this news is a weary roll of the eyes and a muttered “Ya don’t say. . .” That’s because we put our money down early on the whole gene-to-disease paradigm, and in a big way. As I’ve written here before, there was a real frenzy in the industry back in the late 1990s as the genomics efforts started really revving up. Everyone had the fear that all the drug targets that ever were, or ever could be, were about to be discovered, annotated, patented – and licensed to the competition, who were out there fearless on the cutting edge, ready to leap into the future, while we (on the oth... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2341833 Fri, 17 Apr 2009 13:49:29 +0100 2341833 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2347842&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=35052&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FWomensBioethicsBlog%2F%7E3%2ForruJl646OI%2Fextending-womans-fertility-indefinitely.html In a quick and driveby post, a colleague and friend had commented that he and his wife were trying for another child, but they not had success recently -- he was still optimistic, though, and said that they would try again in another ten years -- and it looks like they might be able to!:"Scientists have produced strong new evidence challenging one of the most fundamental assumptions in biology: that female mammals, including women, are born with all the eggs they will ever have. In a provocative set of experiments involving mice, Chinese researchers have shown for the first time that an adult mammal can harbor primitive cells in her ovaries that can become new eggs and produce healthy offspring, they reported yesterday. While much more research is needed to confirm and explore the finding... Women's Bioethics Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2347842 Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:01:05 +0100 2347842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326616&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F07%2Fcnto-328-shows-promise-for-ovarian-cancer-in-small-clinical-trial-say-uk-scientists%2F British scientists have developed and clinically tested a drug that could prolong the lives of ovarian cancer patients. A clinical trial of the drug, codenamed CNTO328, has been carried out at the Centre for Experimental Cancer Medicine, which is part of Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry. … The drug is an [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326616 Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:04:22 +0100 2326616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2326617&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F04%2F07%2Fgog-reports-on-evaluation-of-pemetrexed-in-treatment-of-recurrent-platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer%2F A phase II Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) clinical study found that pemetrexed (Altima®)-an antifolate antineoplastic agent that disrupts folate-dependent cell replication metabolic processes-is sufficiently active in the treatment of recurrent platinum-resistant ovarian cancer to warrant further investigation.  “Thus [pemetrexed] should be considered for combination with other agents, especially carboplatin, in first-line therapy,” said David Miller, [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2326617 Tue, 07 Apr 2009 22:48:07 +0100 2326617 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2299060&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F31%2Fpresident-of-md-anderson-outlines-10-steps-to-achieve-progress-against-cancer%2F “The Houston Chronicle recently published a commentary by John Mendelsohn, M.D., president of M. D. Anderson, outlining actions the nation should take to achieve great progress against cancer. … Here are 10 steps we can take to ensure that deaths decrease more rapidly, the ranks of survivors swell, and an even greater number of cancers [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2299060 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 01:03:00 +0100 2299060 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2296198&cid=t_112075_132_f&fid=35028&url=http%3A%2F%2Flurena.vox.com%2Flibrary%2Fpost%2Fwhy-secure-synthetic-biology-biosysbio-2009.html%3F_c%3Dfeed-rss Piers Millett Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit, UN Biology is inherently dual-use: can be used for beneficial and malignant purposes. Synbio is value neutral - it's the purpose it's put to that determines if it is bad or ... Read and post comments | Send to a friend (Source: Systems Biology & Bioinformatics) Systems Biology & Bioinformatics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2296198 Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:42:33 +0100 2296198 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2300972&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F24%2Fgrabbing_onto_a_proteins_surface.php I’ve written here before about the "click" triazole chemistry that Barry Sharpless’s group has pioneered out at Scripps. This reaction has been finding a lot of uses over the last few years (try this category for a few, and look for the word "click"). One of the facets I find most interesting is the way that they’ve been able to use this Huisgen acetylene/azide cycloaddition reaction to form inhibitors of several enzymes in situ, just by combining suitable coupling partners in the presence of the protein. Normally you have to heat that reaction up quite a bit to get it to go, but when the two reactants are forced into proximity inside the protein, the rate speeds up enough to detect a product. Note that I said “inside the protein”. My mental picture of these things has involved ... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2300972 Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:34:52 +0100 2300972 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2260416&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F09%2Fmd-anderson-researchers-find-gm-csf-and-rifn-gamma1b-plus-carboplatin-effective-for-the-treatment-of-recurrent-platinum-sensitive-ovarian-cancer%2F Researchers working in the Gynecologic Oncology Department of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, reported Phase II clinical study results from their evaluation of the use of carboplatin, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and recombinant interferon gamma 1b (rIFN-gamma1b) in women with recurrent, platinum-sensitive ovarian, fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancer. … Researchers working in [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2260416 Mon, 09 Mar 2009 23:35:16 +0100 2260416 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2233862&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F03%2F04%2Fgene_expression_you_havent_been_thinking_big_enough.php Well, here’s another crack at open-source science. Stephen Friend, the previous head of Rosetta (before and after being bought by Merck), is heading out on his own to form a venture in Seattle called Sage. The idea is to bring together genomic studies from all sorts of laboratories into a common format and database, with the expectation that interesting results will emerge that couldn’t be found from just one lab’s data. I’ll be interested to see if this does yield something worthwhile – in fact, I’ll be interested to see if it gets off the ground at all. As I’ve discussed before, the analogy with open-source software doesn’t hold up so well with most scientific research these days, since the entry barriers (facilities, equipment, and money) are significantly higher than t... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2233862 Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:49:29 +0100 2233862 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2228346&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F03%2F01%2Fa-potential-treatment-for-ovarian-cancer-claudin-3-gene-silencing-using-small-interfering-rna%2F “… Ovarian tumors highly express two proteins, claudin-3 and -4. These proteins are associated with both an increase is cellular motility and survival of ovarian tumor cells.  Claudin-3 is also over expressed in breast and prostate tumors. This new therapy is targeting claudin-3 (CLDN3) using small interfering RNA (siRNA). More specifically, this team has developed [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2228346 Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:27:48 +0100 2228346 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2224465&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F28%2Finfinity-announces-hedgehog-pathway-ovarian-cancer-preclinical-data-results-indicate-significant-inhibition-of-tumor-growth-in-primary-ovarian-cancer%2F Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:INFI), an innovative cancer drug discovery and development company, … announced the presentation of preclinical data from the natural product foundation of IPI-926, Infinity’s orally-available inhibitor of the Hedgehog pathway, demonstrating significant inhibition of tumor growth in a primary ovarian cancer model. “CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Feb. 9, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2224465 Sun, 01 Mar 2009 01:52:16 +0100 2224465 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2202581&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F20%2Fendocyte-begins-phase-ii-clinical-trial-of-ec145-for-treatment-of-women-with-platinum-resistant-ovarian-cancer%2F “Endocyte Inc. has announced the initiation of a randomized Phase II clinical study of the company’s investigational drug EC145 in women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. The phase II trial, also called the “PRECEDENT study,” will evaluate the efficacy and safety of EC145 when administered in combination with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). …The PRECEDENT study will [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2202581 Fri, 20 Feb 2009 21:35:15 +0100 2202581 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182799&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=36168&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmargaret.healthblogs.org%2F2009%2F02%2F11%2Fclock-gene-slows-cancer-growth%2F Don (Myeloma Hope blog) has recently been discussing chronotherapy, or chrono-modulated therapy, in which the chemo is administered at the time of day that takes advantage of a person’s biorhythms to maximize the benefit and minimize the side effects of the drug (see http://myelomahope.blogspot.com/2009/02/plateau-continued.html).   It just so happens that I just finished reading a Science Daily article [...] (Source: Margaret's Corner) Margaret's Corner blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182799 Wed, 11 Feb 2009 18:53:41 +0100 2182799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2147608&cid=t_112075_131_f&fid=34994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.gnxp.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fherding-cats.php Just watched the film Today's Man, which is about an individual, Nicky Gottlieb, with Asperger Syndrome. Near the end of the film he attends a meeting with others who are not "neurotypicals." Gottlieb has some weird ticks throughout the film which shows quite clearly that he's not "all there" (or, more precisely, no one else is there in his own mind). But it was really interesting to see a meeting of people with the same lack of normal social skills...they all seemed "out of sync" with each other (or, perhaps they were in sync in a different way which I wasn't able to perceive). The most peculiar aspect for me was that physically these were all human beings, but their manner, gestures (or lack of) and social fluidity was almost like that of alien species. I've met people who have major soc... Gene Expression blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2147608 Sat, 31 Jan 2009 03:02:00 +0100 2147608 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2100836&cid=t_112075_87_f&fid=34825&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wesleyjsmith.com%2Fblog%2F2009%2F01%2Fproblem-of-biological-colonialism.html To The Source asked me to write an essay for its newsletter on what I call biological colonialism. I was pleased to comply. From the article: Commentators who reflect on this moral crisis [the weakening of the sanctity/equality of life ethic] usually focus on "culture of death" issues such as assisted suicide, abortion, and Terri Schiavo-type cases. But there is another profound threat posed by this ongoing rejection of human exceptionalism; the commoditization and exploitation of the body parts and functions of the poor, effectively treating human beings as mere natural resources to be exploited and/or harvested.I discuss, at some length, problems such as the rich buying the organs of the poor, womb renting, embryo purchasing, the potential for exploiting destitute women for their eggs fo... Secondhand Smoke blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2100836 Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:43:00 +0100 2100836 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1952388&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F11%2Fwash_your_tubes_mess_up_your_data.php I wrote a while back about the problem of compounds sticking to labware. That sort of thing happens more often than you’d think, and it can really hose up your assay data in ways that will send you running around in circles. Now there’s a report in Science of something that’s arguably even worse. (Here's a good report on it from Bloomberg, one of the few to appear in the popular press). The authors were getting odd results in an assay with monoamine oxidase B enzyme, and tracked it down to two compounds leaching out of the disposable plasticware (pipette tips, assay plates, Eppendorf vials, and so on). Oleamide is used as a “slip agent” to keep the plastic units from sticking to each other, but it’s also a MAO-B inhibitor. Another problem was an ammonium salt called DiHEMDA, w... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1952388 Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:24:09 +0100 1952388 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1939680&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F11%2F07%2Fsystem_biology_ready_or_not.php Systems biology – depending on your orientation, this may be a term that you haven’t heard yet, or one from the cutting edge of research, or something that’s already making you roll your eyes at its unfulfilled promise. There’s a good spread of possible reactions. Broadly, I’d say that the field is concerned with trying to model the interactions of whole biological systems, in an attempt to come up with come explanatory power. It’s the sort of thing that you could only imagine trying to do with modern biological and computational techniques, but whether these are up to the job is still an open question. This gets back to a common theme that I stress around here, that biochemical networks are hideously, inhumanly complex. There’s really no everyday analogy that works to descr... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1939680 Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:21:52 +0100 1939680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1863019&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F10%2F09%2Fmore_glowing_cells_chemistry_comes_through_again.php I’ve spoken before about the acetylene-azide “click” reaction popularized by Barry Sharpless and his co-workers out at Scripps. This has been taken up by the chemical biology field in a big way, and all sorts of ingenious applications are starting to emerge. The tight, specific ligation reaction that forms the triazole lets you modify biomolecules with minimal disruption (by hanging an azide or acetylene from them, both rather small groups), and tag them later on in a very controlled way. Adrian Salic and co-worker Cindy Yao have just reported an impressive example. They’ve been looking at ethynyluracil (EU), the acetylene-modified form of the ubiquitous nucleotide found in RNA. If you feed this to living organisms, they take it up just as if it were uracil, and incorporate it int... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1863019 Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:00:46 +0100 1863019 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1816188&cid=t_112075_107_f&fid=36585&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FHighlightHEALTH%2F%7E3%2F399892651%2F This article was published on Highlight HEALTH. Other Articles You May LikeNovel Gene Suppresses Tumor Growth in Multiple CancersTumor Suppressors and OncogenesThe Promise of Stem Cells to Repair the HeartMapping Connections in the Human BrainIncreased Coffee Consumption Associated with Lower Risk of Liver Cancer (Source: Highlight HEALTH) Highlight HEALTH blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1816188 Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:46:49 +0100 1816188 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1754691&cid=t_112075_132_f&fid=35028&url=http%3A%2F%2Flurena.vox.com%2Flibrary%2Fpost%2Fintroduction-and-update-on-mged-standards.html%3F_c%3Dfeed-rss Chris Stoeckert Afternoon Session, 2 September (11th MGED Meeting, 1-4 September, 2008) How do we tie together the various "silos" of communities and data? There is a real ecosystem of biomedical standards. Not just MGED, but also PSI, MSI, OBO, ... Read and post comments | Send to a friend (Source: Systems Biology & Bioinformatics) Systems Biology & Bioinformatics blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1754691 Tue, 02 Sep 2008 12:20:25 +0100 1754691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1734247&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F08%2F26%2Fnew_improved_dna.php As all organic chemists who follow the literature know, over the last few years there’s been a strong swell of papers using Barry Sharpless’s “click chemistry” triazole-forming reactions. These reaction let you form five-membered triazole rings from two not-very-reactive partners, an azide and an acetylene, and people have been putting them to all kinds of uses, from the trivial to the very interesting indeed. In the former category are papers that boil down to “We made triazoles from some acetylenes and azides that no one else has gotten around to using yet, and here they are, for some reason”. There are fewer of those publications than there were a couple of years ago, but they’re still out there. For its part, the latter (interesting) category is really all over the place... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1734247 Tue, 26 Aug 2008 12:37:06 +0100 1734247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1727802&cid=t_112075_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F08%2F03%2Fcombination-targeted-therapy-with-sorafenib-bevacizumab-shows-antitumor-activity%2F The results from a recent Phase I solid tumor clinical trial indicate that combination targeted therapy with sorafenib and bevacizumab produces anti-tumor activity (and enhanced toxicity) with respect to 43% of the ovarian cancer patients enrolled in that trial. Sorafenib (Nexavar®) inhibits the Raf kinase and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) receptor. Bevacizumab (Avastin®) is [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1727802 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 02:36:13 +0100 1727802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1668384&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F30%2Fwhat-causes-schizophrenia-maybe-rare-gene-variants%2F The New York Times today had a great grounded piece on the state of our knowledge into schizophrenia, a relatively uncommon mental disorder (that gets a lot of attention more because of its severity, not because of its prevalence). The reality is that after hundreds of research studies into the biology and genetics of schizophrenia, all signs point to the fact that schizophrenia may be caused by thousands of rare gene variants. In other words, if you have one of these rare gene variants, you would be at greater risk for the disorder. Of course, the problem with this is that there are only limited ways the pharmaceutical industry can help if this is the case (notwithstanding one of the researchers’ quotes in the article). In fact, if the disorder is caused by thousands of different ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1668384 Thu, 31 Jul 2008 00:23:31 +0100 1668384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1631575&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F07%2F16%2Freceptors_cant_live_with_em_cant_understand_em.php At various points in my drug discovery career, I’ve worked on G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets. Most everyone in the drug industry has at some point – a significant fraction of the known drugs work through them, even though we have a heck of a time knowing what their structures are like. For those outside the field, GPCRs are a ubiquitous mode of signaling between the interior of a cell and what’s going on outside it, which accounts for the hundreds of different types of the things. They’re all large proteins that sit in the cell membrane, looped around so that some of their surfaces are on the outside and some poke through to the inside. The outside folds have a defined binding site for some particular ligand - a small molecule or protein – and the inside surfaces inte... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1631575 Wed, 16 Jul 2008 12:52:08 +0100 1631575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1492037&cid=t_112075_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2008%2F06%2F03%2Fwhy-are-we-so-darned-optimistic%2F Is the glass half full or half empty? Ask most people and they’ll say “half full,” suggesting a natural bias toward optimism in humans. Research has shown that up to 80% of people in a study display characteristics of optimism. Researchers think that this may be a part of our biological makeup, and are now looking at the brain for additional answers. From an evolutionary standpoint, it may make some sense. An optimist can view a situation, see the positive, and work toward achieving it. And therefore, possibly, surviving and thriving more than the pessimist. An article that sheds some light on the optimism/pessimism biases in people appeared the other day in The Boston Globe: Optimism — and pessimism — are considered stable personality traits, and it is un... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1492037 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 18:56:42 +0100 1492037 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1461240&cid=t_112075_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2008%2F05%2F22%2Fkilling_proteins_wholesale.php Benjamin Cravatt at Scripps has another interesting paper out this week – by my standards, he hasn’t published very many dull ones. I spoke about some earlier work of his here, where his group tried to profile enzymes in living cells and found that the results they got were much different than the ones seen in their model systems. This latest paper is in the same vein, but addresses some more general questions. One of his group members (Eranthi Weerapana, who certainly seems to have put in some lab time) started by synthesizing five simple test compounds. Each of them had a reactive group on them, and each molecule had an acetylene on the far end. The idea was to see what sorts of proteins combined with the reactive head group. After labeling, a click-type triazole reaction stuck a fl... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1461240 Thu, 22 May 2008 11:31:04 +0100 1461240