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 'calcium'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:53:18 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051095&cid=t_105303_136_f&fid=36162&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myelomablog.com%2F2011%2F07%2F20%2Fdr-berenson-at-asco-in-june-2011%2F From patientpower.info.  Dr. Berenson talks about Zometa, Vitamin D, Calcium, Stem Cell Transplant and other treatments for multiple myeloma. Myeloma Update from ASCO from Patient Power® on Vimeo. (Source: beth's myeloma blog) beth's myeloma blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5051095 Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:59:08 +0100 5051095 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803135&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcalcium-supplements-good-for-your-bones-but-bad-for-your-heart%2F2011.05.10 Calcium is good for us, right? Milk products are great sources of calcium, and we’re told to emphasize milk products in our diets. Don’t (or can’t) eat enough dairy? Calcium supplements are very popular, especially among women seeking to minimize their risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis prevention and treatment guidelines recommend calcium and vitamin D as an important measure in preserving bone density and reducing the risk of fractures. For those who don’t like dairy products, even products like orange juice and Vitamin Water are fortified with calcium. The general perception seemed to be that calcium consumption was a good thing – the more, the better. Until recently. In a pattern similar to that I described with folic acid, there’s new safety signals from trials with calciu... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803135 Tue, 10 May 2011 13:00:59 +0100 4803135 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4780341&cid=t_105303_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Fcurrent-science-news-3.html Carbon dioxide resurrected – A new kind of alchemy sees demonized carbon dioxide resurrected as an oxygen source for speedy cyclic alkene conversions while laser beams guide atoms for future quantum interference devices. In medicine, the discovery of a protein made by TB but not present in current vaccines offers hope of a new approach to diagnosis and prevention. However, concerns are raised regarding the effect of anti-inflammatory analgesics on the efficacy of antidepressants. In energy news, solar goes organic and nudges up the efficiency. Finally, the American Chemical Society Public Service Award is announced for 2011. Calcium supplements and heart attack risk – The emerging safety data on calcium may yet become another cautionary tale about the unexpected and undesirable... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4780341 Tue, 03 May 2011 07:00:08 +0100 4780341 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4419146&cid=t_105303_88_f&fid=38129&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emergencyweb.net%2Flibrary%2Fmp3.php%3Ff%3Dviolenceeditv2.mp3 The LITFL Review is your regular and reliable source for the highest highlights, sneakiest sneak peaks and loudest shout-outs from the webbed world of emergency medicine and critical care (Source: Life in the Fast Lane) Life in the Fast Lane blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4419146 Mon, 31 Jan 2011 06:14:07 +0100 4419146 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4389158&cid=t_105303_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fsigns-symptoms-tumoral-calcinosis%2F Tumoral calcinosis is an uncommon condition marked by deposition of tumor-like calcium deposits around joints, particularly the hips, shoulders, and elbows. It most typically presents with a painless periarticular mass that can interfere with range of motion of the joint. Related Posts Tumoral calcinosis (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4389158 Sun, 23 Jan 2011 05:21:32 +0100 4389158 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4360980&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffarm-woo-and-our-food%2F2011.01.18 Google is an amazing thing — it occasionally tosses you a link that lands you in an alternate universe of folks you’d never encounter in real life. Like cattle ranchers. I’ve just spent the good part of an hour wandering their world — reading about their concerns (water, wolves, the economy), seeing how cattle breeding has changed (you pick a sire at Bullsemen.com, then do genomic profiling on your stock — did you know that cows bred for docility have more tender meat ?), and learning that ranchers are not immune to marketing from the world of scientific woo. Check this out — it’s called SOP Life Vibration or “Serio Bio-Hygienization.” They’re selling it to farmers and ranchers in Europe and the U.S. as the latest and greatest answer to bacterial growth... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4360980 Tue, 18 Jan 2011 14:00:17 +0100 4360980 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4214107&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-recommendations-for-vitamin-d%2F2010.11.30 Vitamin D has been talked about as the vitamin — the one that might help fend off everything from cancer to heart disease to autoimmune disorders, if only we were to get enough of it. “Whoa!” is the message from a committee of experts assembled by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) to update recommendations for vitamin D (and for calcium). The IOM committee’s report, released this morning, says evidence for many of  the health claims for vitamin D is “inconsistent and/or conflicting or did not demonstrate causality.” The exception is the vitamin’s well-documented (and noncontroversial) benefits on bone growth and maintenance. The IOM panel’s report also says most North Americans (Canadians as well as Americans) have more than enough vitamin D in their blood to a... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4214107 Tue, 30 Nov 2010 19:00:45 +0100 4214107 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125289&cid=t_105303_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fdental-recovery%2F This article may help but one may also consider seeing a dentist. With all the whitening and brightening products available for your teeth, it’s easy to forget that cosmetics aren’t enough to achieve a healthy mouth. There’s regular brushing and flossing, of course, but your teeth and gums need even more. Like the rest of your body, good health in your mouth starts with getting the right dietary nutrients. What you eat makes a difference in whether your gums, teeth and the bone they attach to are able to stand strong against plaque bacteria that can cause disease. Among the dental health nutritional standouts: Calcium: The more milk, cheese and yogurt you consume, the less likely you are to develop periodontal, or gum, disease, a chronic bacterial infection. Calcium is i... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125289 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:51:02 +0100 4125289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4025620&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Feat-more-calcium-to-prevent-calcium-containing-kidney-stones%2F2010.10.02 Over the years I have had a number of patients with painful kidney stones and once they have passed (or been removed) I have felt at a loss to helping them prevent them. ”Stay hydrated” somehow didn’t seem adequate, although we know fluid intake can help stave off recurrent kidney stone attacks. Some textbooks said “avoid calcium” since most stones are made of calcium oxylate. High oxylate levels can be found in some fruits and vegetables, as well as in nuts and chocolate. Yet there was no real scientific evidence that these foods caused stones. The evidence for who got kidney stones was all over the ballpark and for a physician, that means no prevention advice is really proven. A new study published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Neph... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4025620 Sat, 02 Oct 2010 15:00:00 +0100 4025620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3848953&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F09%2Fcameleon-nanos-high-affinity-gecis%2F Takeharu Nagai’s lab has published in Nature Methods, Spontaneous network activity visualized by ultrasensitive Ca2+ indicators, yellow Cameleon-Nano, demonstrating a new set of calcium indicators based on yellow cameleon. Back when he was still Take-san, Take’s ability to churn out and manually screen hundreds of cameleon variants was impressive and inspiring. With high-throughput GECI pipelines now ramping up at Janelia, the idea of laboriously screening 200 variations on a theme (be it cameleons or GluSnFRs), seems a bit archaic. However, this paper is a good example of the progress that can still be made by understanding the needed sensor parameters and fiddling with the primary amino acid structure in a relatively low-throughput way. Take-sensei’s results are another... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3848953 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 03:52:04 +0100 3848953 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3808652&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F191755%2F Calcium Supplements Increase Heart Attack Risk: Many people pop calcium tablets to ward off osteoporosis, but they may increase the risk of heart attack by 30%. (via Reuters) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3808652 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:20:20 +0100 3808652 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3845084&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=35060&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthnewsblog.com%2Fblog%2F730101 CNN's Elizabeth Cohen reports on a study that suggests taking calcium supplements can increase a person's risk of having a heart attack. The study found taking the supplements can give a person a 30% increase risk of having a heart attack. Take a look: Permalink | Recent Headlines | News Feeds (Source: HealthNewsBlog.com) HealthNewsBlog.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3845084 Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:00:00 +0100 3845084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3691131&cid=t_105303_167_f&fid=38271&url=http%3A%2F%2Frebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F06%2F23%2Ffuel-up-to-play-60-gives-tips-for-a-healthy-summer-with-the-kids%2F By: Carlene Helble- Elite Nutrition Intern Over the past year more than 60,000 schools were involved in ‘Fuel Up to Play 60’, an online challenge between schools. Students kept track of healthy options they took advantage of within their schools and at home. The first place winner was Enslow Middle School of Huntington, WV (yes, Food Revolution Huntington)! One fantastic thing the school did was to hold a taste test event to help choose healthy lunches to be made in their cafeteria, as well as start a walking club. Even though school is out for summer, it’s important to remember to help kids eat nutritious foods through their vacation. Snacks are an easy way to help teach your family how to prepare healthy dishes in the form of a ‘mini lesson’ providing some great family bondin... Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3691131 Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:53:32 +0100 3691131 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560187&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fwhen-should-you-get-a-mammogram-our-daily-health-quiz%2F photo: Thinkstock How much do you really know about your health? You may think you know all the ins and outs of staying well, but our daily Health Smarts Quiz will test your knowledge on the spot. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the correct answer and your next pop quiz. Today’s Question: You regularly visit your gynecologist for checkups and pap smears, right? But what about mammograms? Let’s test your smarts about when to start getting these very important (albeit uncomfortable) pictures taken of the twins, in order to catch breast cancer at its earliest stage. #MicroPollDiv_255015 { width: 250px; margin: 0px auto; } Answer to Monday’s Question: Which foods have the most calcium? We asked which of the following non-dairy foods have ... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560187 Thu, 13 May 2010 01:12:52 +0100 3560187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524115&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmcdonald%25e2%2580%2599s-vs-dash-two-days-two-diets%2F2010.05.01 This week I’ve been trying to eat according to the DASH guidelines for lowering blood pressure. It actually hasn’t been too difficult — partly because I’m not following their strictest guidelines, which call for just 1,300 milligrams of sodium and 16 grams of saturated fat a day. I’ve been shooting for 2,300 milligrams of sodium and 22 grams of saturated fat. In 2003, I tried a somewhat different “diet,” which in some ways was more difficult to follow, even though it only lasted one day. My son Jim (then age 11) and I ate every meal at McDonald’s for an entire day (yes, this was before Super Size Me). We recorded the experience on the Web. I thought it would be interesting to compare my day at McDonald’s to a typical day on DASH. (more…) *This blog p... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524115 Sat, 01 May 2010 16:00:38 +0100 3524115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515302&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fdaily-health-quiz-do-you-know-whats-in-your-yeast-infection%2F How much do you really know about health? You might think you know all the ins and outs of staying healthy, but our daily Health Smarts Quiz will tell you how good your knowledge really is. Answer our question, below, and check back tomorrow for the correct answer and your next pop quiz. Most women experience vaginal yeast infections, but do you know what really causes them? Today’s Question: Itchy, smelly, and uncomfortable down there? It’s probably a yeast infection. They’re caused by an overabundance of naturally occurring fungus, that’s normally found in the mouth, skin, digestive system, and reproductive organs. Most women experience at least one vaginal yeast infection in their lifetime, and some experience them regularly. Do you know what the yeast is call... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515302 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:39:23 +0100 3515302 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487400&cid=t_105303_167_f&fid=36994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition-news.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fcouncil-tried-to-seize-veggie-child.html - Times OnlineIt's bizarre that that in this day and age with healthy vegan heroes such as Leona Lewis proving a vegan diet is not just viable but superior to the average diet, truly bizarre that a family was criticised for avoiding meat and dairy.Even the MRSA ridden, pill popping, Burger King hosting, constipation afflicted, dehydrated NHS admit "children can be brought up healthily on a vegan diet"What on earth was going on in Lewisham where a family was threatened by social services and health professionals with having a child taken into care and denied legal aid for deciding not to feed their children Meat and Dairy.The family weren't even vegetarian let alone vegan, they eat fish, to attack them for avoiding two groups of food that are consistently negatively implicated in studies a... Healthy Eating and Nutrition News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487400 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:03:00 +0100 3487400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3463701&cid=t_105303_117_f&fid=38856&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.timemastermd.com%2F%3Fp%3D896 Goat milk has long been regarded as the ultimate skin luxury, making it good for the body inside and out! Goat milk is full of tons of calcium so it is good for the bones and the behind! It is said that Cleopatra’s beauty secret was bathing in goat milk. Karolina Kurkova has great skin and looks great from the front to the behind! She must be swimming in milk! Goat milk is nourishing because it has more vital vitamins and triglycerides (fats) than either cow’s milk or water. It is packed with vitamins A, B, C & D as well as protein, calcium, potassium and magnesium.                       Goat milk is gentle because it has a pH level that is closest to that of our skin which is very soothing. (Especially when you are bathing in it!) Goat milk is moisturizing because its... Timemaster MD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3463701 Mon, 12 Apr 2010 20:21:04 +0100 3463701 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3331443&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F03%2F04%2Fjournal-scan-calcium-imaging-in-auditory-and-visual-cortex%2F A few papers on in vivo calcium imaging have just come out and are worth a careful read. The first two examine the fine organization of layer 2/3 of the mouse auditory cortex.  The canonical view of auditory cortex organization is that neurons are arranged in a tonotopic pattern, with a smooth gradient in auditory frequency tuning across the surface of the cortex.  Using two-photon imaging in anesthetized mice, the groups saw that, while there was an overall gradient, the tuning of neighboring neurons was highly variable.  These are similar results to what Sato et al and Kerr et al found in the whisker barrel cortex back in 2007.  Moral of the story : mapping brain organization by microstimulation or sparse sampling (as in the classic papers) can be very misleading. Functional organiza... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3331443 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:18:48 +0100 3331443 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3259100&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F02%2F09%2Fmonte-carlo-calcium-spike-detection%2F I somehow missed that Josh Vogelstein’s method on action potential detection was published last summer. In Spike Inference from Calcium Imaging Using Sequential Monte Carlo Methods, the authors use a Monte Carlo approach to determine spike times from calcium imaging with superior performance to other deconvolution methods.  It does a great job on simulated and in vitro data, I’d love to see performance on real in vivo recordings.  If you are serious about calcium imaging, you should definitely get in touch with Josh and see what magic he can do with all that math.  You should also ask him about the benefits of linen pants vs. denim, he’s got strong opinions on that subject as well… Using only strongly saturating and very noisy in vitro fluorescence measuremen... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3259100 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:01:42 +0100 3259100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2977425&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F11%2F09%2Fthree-cheers-for-gcamp%2F Three papers are out online in Nature Methods that show big improvements in calcium imaging with genetically encoded sensors.  They are are based on the fluorescence intensity indicator, GCaMP.   GCaMP, first developed by Junichi Nakai, consists of a GFP that has been circularly permuted so that the N and C termini are fused and new termini are made in the middle of the protein.  Fused to one terminus is calmodulin and the other is a peptide, M13, that calmodulin (CaM) binds to in the presence of calcium. The name is supposed to look like GFP with a CaM inserted into it, G-CaM-P.  Normally the GFP is dim, as there is a hole from the outside of its barrel into the chromophore.  Upon binding calcium, this hole is plugged and fluorescence increases. The first paper, A genetically encod... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2977425 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:54:11 +0100 2977425 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2891026&cid=t_105303_167_f&fid=36988&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.happynutritionistsnuggets.com%2F2009%2F10%2F10-vitamin-d-facts.html I thought we'd get back to the series on Vitamins and their benefits with Vitamin D. This wonderful vitamin benefits us in the following ways:1. Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb and use calcium and phosphorus properly.2. Vitamin D aids in the synthesis of protein which, like calcium, helps in building strong bones, teeth and skin.3. Vitamin D is needed for a healthy nervous system4. Vitamin D brings health to the kidneys.5. Vitamin D deficiency is generally not a big concern for most, it seems to be more of a problem with older individuals, blood tests help determine this, for example, my Mom who is in her 80's has been told she is low in V. D and should spend time in the sun and supplement with Vit. D3 in particular.6. A natural source of vitamin D is the sun, which acts on the oils on o... Happy Nutritionist's Nuggets blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2891026 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:54:00 +0100 2891026 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2857491&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F02%2Fautomated-roi-analysis-for-calcium-imaging%2F One of the most time consuming and frustrating tasks associated with fluorescence imaging in the brain is picking out your regions of interest.  Which pixels do you include in as part of the cell and which are part of the surrounding neuropil?  Often, the answer is not obvious, and even with painstaking selections you can make errors.  Eran Mukamel et. al, from Mark Schnitzer’s lab just published this Neurotechnique Automated Analysis of Cellular Signals from Large-Scale Calcium Imaging Data that aims to simplify and improve the results of ROI selection.  The authors used a multistage approach to identify and quantify the calcium-dependent fluorescence changes of imaged neurons. First, they used principal component analysis to identify the components of the image that were likel... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2857491 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:04:54 +0100 2857491 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2387226&cid=t_105303_150_f&fid=36939&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscientific-misconduct.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F05%2Fcalcium-and-weight-loss-barking-up.html Here is a some more dismal behavior by scientists back in my own area of voyeuristic interest (skeletal medicine and calcium physiology). This bit of jiggery pokery involves a study looking at calcium supplementation as an aid to losing weight. The study was published (1) with much media fanfare (4,5,6,7) a few weeks ago. It suggests, based on a supposedly randomized and blinded placebo-controlled trial, that calcium supplements help some obese individuals lose weight. Study funding was from Wyeth. Big time stuff, and also very controversial. It is certainly possible - but needs some proper science with reasonable numbers.The worry comes from the same pot of dubiousness described in my previous post (the Wang case). Scientific authors, having published some findings and having enjoyed a me... Scientific Misconduct Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2387226 Mon, 04 May 2009 13:08:00 +0100 2387226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2342042&cid=t_105303_167_f&fid=36994&url=http%3A%2F%2Fnutrition-news.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fmilk-free-plant-based-calcium-study.html This study shows that even with lower intakes of calcium vegans on simple plant based diets are able to have a bone density that equals those eating meat and dairy with higher levels of calcium.One theory by Danish scientists that explains this is that calcium may be needed to bind to and process excess saturated animal fat and thus is wasted, literally flushed away. Another theory is that calcium is also used to buffer the acidity of animal protein and is passed out in urine - once again just flushed away. Sydney-based Professor Tuan Nguyen, from the Garvan Institute of Medical Research, collaborated with Dr Ho-Pham Thuc Lan from the Pham Ngoc Thach Medical University to undertake research on bone density in 105 nuns, who live in monasteries and temples in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City. �... Healthy Eating & Nutrition News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2342042 Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:49:00 +0100 2342042 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2233221&cid=t_105303_140_f&fid=35457&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fbattlingforhealthcom%2F%7E3%2Fu8OW8wtV0aU%2F Here is another study from the Women’s Health Initiative that gives disappointing results. At least disappointing for those who are big fans of vitamins and other dietary supplements. Previous studies suggested that vitamin D supplements may lead to a reduction in breast cancer risk. The current research by UCLA researchers looked at 36,282 postmenopausal women who were randomly assigned to two groups. One group took a pill containing 1,000 mg of calcium plus 400 IU of vitamin D every day while the other group took placebo which was identical in appearance to the vitamin pill. This way, the participants were not aware which drug they were taking. The study was originally designed to study the effects of supplements, especially calcium on the incidence of hip fractures. Fractures due ... Battling-Schizophrenia blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2233221 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:40:08 +0100 2233221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182654&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F11%2Fsymposium-a-revolution-in-fluorescence-imaging%2F This coming Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb 17th & 18th) at UCSD, there will be a symposium honoring Roger Tsien, featuring presentations from 32 former and current members of the Tsien Lab. The topics are quite diverse, concentrated in genetically-encoded indicators, but also featuring fluorescent cell penetrating peptides for cancer therapy, photophore ligases for imaging synaptic development, and even a radical new design for the internal combustion engine. The quality of speakers and subjects looks to be outstanding.  Here is a complete schedule.  You may notice that at 11:15 AM on Tuesday in Price Center East Ballroom, I will be presenting recent progress we have made in the development of genetically-encoded calcium indicators and their application to in vivo imaging.  Don’t... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182654 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:45:42 +0100 2182654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2097952&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F12%2Fupdate-structure-of-g-camp2%2F Today, Brain Windows welcomes its first guest contributor.  Dr. Jasper Akerboom is a post-doctoral associate in the lab of Loren Looger at Janelia Farm, and is the lead author on a recently published report on the structure of the genetically-encoded calcium sensor, G-CaMP2.  We are very grateful for his contribution! After the previous post describing G-CaMP2 crystallization two papers describing the crystallization and structure determination appeared online: Crystal structures of the GCaMP calcium sensor reveal the mechanism of fluorescence signal change and aid rational design. Akerboom J, Vélez Rivera JD, Rodríguez Guilbe MM, Alfaro Malavé EC, Hernandez HH, Tian L, Hires SA, Marvin JS, Looger LL, Schreiter ER. J Biol Chem. 2008 Dec 18. and Structural Basis for Calcium Sensing by... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2097952 Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:34:18 +0100 2097952 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2092629&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F01%2F09%2Fbrainstorm-1-the-calcium-memory-sensor%2F As mentioned in the previous post, this is the first installment of BrainStorm, a section of ideas I have under development, but don’t have the time to physically work on.  This section will contain organically developed ideas, organized by project.  Reader feedback is encouraged. How can we identify the group of neurons that encode a particular thought?   I don’t want to simply see correlations of in activity of a few scattered neurons with a given thought, but identify the entire neuronal ensemble.  Which neurons are active at a precise moment in a task?  How are they wired together? Which are the drivers of activity? Existing technology is inadequate to identify the entire neural ensemble that encodes a thought. Immediate early gene expression  patterns have not been s... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2092629 Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:06:39 +0100 2092629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2084213&cid=t_105303_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2FKKzPLpHQWXA%2F This question was ask of Dr. Gupta on CNN, is belly fat the worst type to have? The research that has been done in this area has proven that belly fat is the most dangerous type of fat. The fact is that belly fat is more biologically active, and causes build-up of calcium in the arteries. You may be in a normal BMI range, but if you carry belly fat you are at a greater risk of cardiovascular disease. On average the risk factor is 17% for men and 13% for women regardless of their BMI. We all know what our weight is and what it should be, but it seems as though we are always planning to go on a diet tomorrow. Keeping your weight down is important, but we should also keep track of our waist-to-hip ratio. By measuring the circumference around your belly button and your hips you find the waist... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2084213 Tue, 06 Jan 2009 16:36:48 +0100 2084213 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2063357&cid=t_105303_88_f&fid=38203&url=http%3A%2F%2Fprecordialthump.medbrains.net%2F2008%2F12%2F23%2Fanyone-seen-this-before%2F A 93 year-old woman was brought in by ambulance from a nursing home after 2 days of “not being her usual self”. She also had suffered from diarrhoea for 2 days and had not passed urine at all during the day of presentation. She looked dry and her blood pressure was 95/55 mmHg. But she remained incredibly chirpy and seemed to be enjoying the trip to hospital! A venous gas showed K 7.6 mM and Creatinine 436 mM. This was her ECG: Absent P waves and peaked T waves consistent with hyperkalemia, right?.. Look closely there are retrograde P waves that follow the QRS! After treatment with 10 mmol calcium gluconate IV, 10 units rapid-acting insulin  IV, 50 mL of 50% glucose IV, 5 mg nebulised salbutamol, and 500 mL normal saline her ECG was repeated: Back to sinus rhythm... the T waves... AEQUANIMITAS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2063357 Tue, 23 Dec 2008 11:36:52 +0100 2063357 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2053055&cid=t_105303_134_f&fid=36049&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FDiabetesNotes%2F%7E3%2FB_L4Prc2a28%2F var iamInit = function() {try{initIamServingHandler(420,639,351921,"http://cdn.pis.picapp.com/IamProd/Resources/Css/css2.css")}catch(ex){}}() A new study found that “nearly three-quarters of youths with diabetes insufficient in vitamin D.” The study will appear in the January 2009 issue of The Journal of Pediatrics. Calcium is needed throughout our lives for strong bones and teeth, but is especially important in children. Now that this information is known, I wonder if we will see documentation of diabetics breaking bones or developing other related problems. This is also evidence of just how much diabetes affects our bodies. It takes a toll, more than we even know at times. Tags: Diabetes, diabetic, lack of calcium, medical information, Research, strong bones and teeth, study... Diabetes Notes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2053055 Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:04:17 +0100 2053055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2027180&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F12%2F10%2Fpreview-structure-of-g-camp2%2F A high-resolution crystal structure of the genetically-encoded calcium indicator G-CaMP2 would aid in rational design of improved calcium indicators. Crystallization of G-CaMP2 was first reported here : Crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of the genetically encoded fluorescent calcium indicator protein GCaMP2 M. M. Rodríguez Guilbe, E. C. Alfaro Malavé, J. Akerboom, J. S. Marvin, L. L. Looger and E. R. Schreiter Fluorescent proteins and their engineered variants have played an important role in the study of biology. The genetically encoded calcium-indicator protein GCaMP2 comprises a circularly permuted fluorescent protein coupled to the calcium-binding protein calmodulin and a calmodulin target peptide, M13, derived from the intracellular calmodulin target myosin ligh... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2027180 Thu, 11 Dec 2008 04:07:29 +0100 2027180 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1975206&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F11%2F20%2Fsome-interesting-posters-sfn%2F Here’s a few posters that caught my eye at SfN.  Click the titles for the full abstract Optimizing two-photon activation of channelrhodopsin-2 for stimulation at cellular resolution J. P. RICKGAUER1,2, D. W. TANK1,2;  Spiral pattern of 2-photon excitation can drive neurons to spike.  A low NA objective helps. Need to do piezo-based Z-scanning if you use high NA, don’t with low NA. In vivo two-photon imaging 1 mm deep into cortical brain tissue with novel microprism probe  *T. H. CHIA, M. J. LEVENE;  A cute method to image 1mm into cortex with 2-photon imaging. They used 2-6 month old mice. The just took a triangular prism whose hypotenuse was silvered and stuck it in the cortex. Then they internally reflected the beam off the prism and fired it sideways into cortex. Got g... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1975206 Fri, 21 Nov 2008 03:27:11 +0100 1975206 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1964123&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F11%2F15%2Fraw-data-vesicular-release-from-astrocytes%2F When I was working on my Ph.D. thesis, I was trying to find some biological question to definitively answer with GluSnFR, my glutamate sensitive fluorescent reporter. One possibility was the study of glutamate release from astrocytes.  Around that time, 2003/2004, there was increasing evidence that glutamate was not just scavenged by astrocytes, but was also released from astrocytic vesicles. It released in response to calcium elevations within the cell.  Existing methods for measuring this release were somewhat crude, so it seemed a great test system for GluSnFR.   Unfortunately, since there seemed to be no specialized areas on the astrocyte where the vesicles fused, and the release rate was relatively slow, we were unable to detect glutamate release with GluSnFR. I thought this might ... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1964123 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:21:38 +0100 1964123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1939859&cid=t_105303_129_f&fid=36035&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.healthtalk.com%2Fchronic-pain%2Flife-with-chronic-pain%2Fa-friendly-chat-about-life-with-chronic-pain%2F Today I would like to just chat, as friends do, about what’s going on in my life. Last weekend was quite wonderful, having our son and grandson visit from Texas. I’m still recovering from all the sitting in restaurants and riding in the car but time will take care of it, I’m certain. Was it worth it? It certainly was. As far as I’m concerned, joy out trumps pain every time. I did have one episode which was a bit strange. The room started spinning and I had to sit on the floor until it passed. I assumed it was just fatigue and ignored it. After the guys left I was just very tired and sore everywhere. Then, on Monday morning I had another incident of vertigo. After I got out of the shower the room started spinning so I lay down, waiting for it to pass. It didn’t... Life with Chronic Pain blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1939859 Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:37:54 +0100 1939859 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1918199&cid=t_105303_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F434839486%2F The agency sent a pair of warning letters to Bayer HealthCare concerning what it calls two “unlawful,” over-the-counter aspirin products — Bayer Women’s Low Dose Aspirin + Calcium (Bayer Women’s) and Bayer Aspirin with Heart Advantage (Bayer Heart Advantage). Here is letter one and letter two. The products, which contain aspirin with either phytosterols or calcium, are unapproved new drugs that require an approved new drug application in order to be legally marketed, according to an FDA statement. In addition to being labeled for use as a pain reliever, both products are labeled for use in reducing the risks of heart disease. Bayer Women’s is also labeled for use in “fighting” osteoporosis. However, the FDA says that “neither product has b... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1918199 Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:56:20 +0100 1918199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1862826&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F10%2F08%2Fa-brief-history-of-calcium-imaging%2F A few months ago I threw together a short presentation on the history of calcium imaging for a journal club here at Janelia. It is incomplete. It lacks notes. It is technical. It focuses much attention on early genetically-encoded indicators. However, calcium imaging is so intertwined with the work of Roger Tsien, my Ph.D. thesis advisor, and since he just won the Nobel Prize, I thought it might be of interest to some of the audience of Brain Windows. It does provide a little bit of background for some of the more recent developments chronicled on this site. Enjoy.        (Source: Brain Windows) Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1862826 Wed, 08 Oct 2008 22:38:18 +0100 1862826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1782667&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34935&url=http%3A%2F%2Fmedicine.com.my%2Fwp%2F%3Fp%3D4409 While the California Milk Board has got a “Rock Star” for it’s public health campaign, I was interested to read that in Malaysia, we now have a “Bone girl” - none other than our very own Hollywood action movie star Datuk Michelle Yeoh. It’s not just about a good dietary calcium intake though, as one needs to exercise and keep physically active like what Michelle Yeoh does. That will help keep your bones strong and enable you to perform kung fu stunts a Bone girl (Source: Malaysian Medical Resources) Malaysian Medical Resources blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1782667 Tue, 09 Sep 2008 04:00:00 +0100 1782667 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1642713&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F07%2F21%2Fthe-great-geci-shootout%2F Dierk Reiff’s lab has done another head-to-head in vivo showdown between various GECIs and a synthetic dye. Their paper, Fluorescence changes of genetic calcium indicators and OGB-1 correlated with neural activity and calcium in vivo and in vitro, is very interesting and deserves a full write-up. I will present a detailed analysis of the paper in a future update.  For now, check the abstract. Recent advance in the design of genetically encoded calcium indicators (GECIs) has further increased their potential fordirect measurements of activity in intact neural circuits. However, a quantitative analysis of their fluorescence changes (F) in vivo and the relationship to the underlying neural activity and changes in intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) has not been given... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1642713 Mon, 21 Jul 2008 19:25:52 +0100 1642713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1536728&cid=t_105303_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F317623866%2F Still on the heels of the death of Tim Russert there is yet another test raving of benefits… calculating cardiac calcium scores. “Calcium scoring is helpful to see if somebody has coronary disease,” she said. “It’s not as helpful to determine … where critical blockages are or which plaque is going to cause a problem. It’s a good screening test. We go from there to try to reduce the risk of having a heart attack.” With a positive test the patient then has the knowledge to go and have a stress test and ultimately a cath to fix any blockages. via Baltimore Sun Tags: calcium cardiac scoring, heart-attack, heart-disease, tim russertShare This (Source: A Hearty Life) A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1536728 Sun, 22 Jun 2008 05:03:51 +0100 1536728 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1240219&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F02%2F18%2Fpulse-shaping-for-2-photon-signal-enhancement%2F Gains in signal to noise ratios of organic dyes and genetically encoded indicators often come in modest steps following screening of large numbers of compounds or clones. Improvements are usually specific to individual chromophores, leading to the pigeonholing of development efforts on a small handful of indicators that have already undergone systemic optimization (i.e. cameleons, G-CaMP and troponin-based GECIs). Indicator photobleaching imposes strict limits on the amount of information which can be extracted by optical indicators. Improvement of specific indicators and their constituents is a worthy and necessary goal, but more generalizable improvements can be made by changing the nature of the illumination source. A series of papers from a variety of groups has shown that careful mani... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1240219 Tue, 19 Feb 2008 06:11:59 +0100 1240219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1215321&cid=t_105303_97_f&fid=35050&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmaGazette%2F%7E3%2F231126901%2Fcalcium_channel_blockers_may_r.html Researchers in Switzerland found that patients on a regime of channel calcium blocker medication for hypertension for an extended period of time had a 23 percent lower risk of developing Parkinson's than patients not taking that type of drug.The study also investigated other types of high blood pressure medication including ACE inhibitors, ATII antagonists and beta blockers but none appeared to have the same protective effect of the calcium channel blockers."Long-term use of calcium channel blockers was associated with a reduced risk of developing Parkinson's disease, while no such association was seen for other high blood pressure medications," said Christoph Meier, lead author of the paper and a researcher at University Hospital in Switzerland.The study consisted of ove... PharmaGazette blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1215321 Thu, 07 Feb 2008 16:00:01 +0100 1215321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1161152&cid=t_105303_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F219027354%2F You say po-tae-to I say po-ta-to. Calcium supplements are now under fire. For years it has been thought that prescribing calcium to post menopausal women helped maintain bone health as well as possibly reducing the risk of high cholesterol. Apparently that news is ’so yesterday’. Researchers at the University of Auckland examined the effects of calcium supplementation on heart attacks stroke and sudden death. 1,471 healthy post-menopausal women aged 55 years or over took part in the study. And just what did they find? Dietary calcium intake was assessed and women were seen every six months over five years. Adverse events were recorded at each visit. Heart attacks were more commonly reported in the calcium group. The occurrence of any three vascular events (heart attack, stroke ... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1161152 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 19:34:28 +0100 1161152 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=961700&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F10%2F18%2Fthree-quick-paper-picks%2F Here are three papers that are worth reading over. No time for full reviews. New Single-FP GECIs The Russian fluorescent protein team has come out with some new single fluorescent protein G-CaMP/pericam-like sensors. They fiddled with the linker sites at the 145 and 148AA insertion points and found a great deal of fluorescence sensitivity to the amino acid composition at those sites. They note two new sensor constructs Case12 and Case16 that have 12-16.5x maximal changes in fluorescence upon calcium binding, a significant improvement over G-CaMP2. The tradeoff appears to be that they are dimmer. They show calcium responses in HeLa, PC-12 and cortical neuron cells, but no direct head-to-head with other sensors in cells. Multipoint multiphoton microscopy In this technical paper, an MIT gro... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=961700 Thu, 18 Oct 2007 19:55:09 +0100 961700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=918866&cid=t_105303_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F10%2F2%2Fnew-technology-to-determine-risk-of-heart-attack.html by Bill Bestermann, MDIn my last post, I discussed the untimely death of Wake Forest Basketball coach Skip Prosser and the relationship of vulnerable plaque to sudden cardiac death and myocardial infarction. Only 14% of heart attacks are caused by a fixed artery blockage of 70% or greater. For 70% of heart attack patients, the blockage in the coronary artery is less than 50% (non-obstructive). A non-obstructive plaque causes no symptoms and usually would not produce a positive stress test. Since the 50% blockage typically causes no symptoms, for 70% of myocardial infarction patients, the heart attack or sudden death is their first symptom. We try to overcome this by using the Framingham risk score, assigning points for risk factors including HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, age, t... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=918866 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 02:17:52 +0100 918866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=828377&cid=t_105303_111_f&fid=36048&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FAHeartyLife%2F%7E3%2F143822115%2F All righty then. I found research out of UT Southwestern Medical Center that is a bit taboo. They have found a drug that can counteract the symptoms associated with a cocaine overdose. That handy little drug is most often seen in the operating room or ICU’s and is used as a anesthetic. And it’s name… dexmedetomidine. They found that the drug was effective in reversing the actions of cocaine on heart rate, blood pressure and vascular resistance in the skin by interfering with the ability of cocaine to increase nerve activity. “Typically, patients with cocaine overdoses in the emergency room are treated with nitroglycerin, sedatives such as Valium, and some blood-pressure medications such as calcium channel blockers and some beta blockers,” Dr. Vongpatanasin sai... A Hearty Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=828377 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 19:31:14 +0100 828377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=733647&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F13%2Fsome-natural-solutions-for-high-blod-pressure%2F Filed under: Alternative therapies, Women Heart Health, Men Heart Health, Aging Heart HealthSometimes medication is necessary in order to get your blood pressure under control, but if you haven't reached that critical stage yet, there are some natural remedies that you can use to lower your blood pressure. So if you're serious about getting heart healthy, try these solutions from eDiets: Exercise: 30 minutes a day is all it takes ... so how about a walk this evening? Quit Smoking: Qutting's not easy, but it will make a world of difference Lower Salt Intake: Use a low-sodium salt alternative, or try cutting it out altogether Get More Fiber: Increasing your fibre intake doesn't have to mean eating cardboard-like cereal. Ask your doctor how to get more fibre Eat Dark Chocolate: Don... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=733647 Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 733647 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=727293&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F07%2F11%2Fcalcium-vitamin-d-intake-linked-to-t2-diabetes-risk%2F Filed under: Type 2, Diet, ResearchYet another reason why diary consumption can be beneficial: Tufts University researchers have concluded there's a link between calcium and vitamin D intake and reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. The Tufts people basically gathered all previous studies on the topic and examined them with a fine tooth comb. Finding Number One: People with low vitamin D levels have a greater risk (up to forty-six percent) for T2 diabetes. Finding Number Two: healthy adults don't really benefit from increased vitamin D intake alone, but rather do better with an increased intake of vitamin D and calcium. And this combo is found in all milk and, to a greater or lesser extent, in milk products. They say people with the highest dairy intake (three to five daily servings) had a fift... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=727293 Wed, 11 Jul 2007 04:00:00 +0100 727293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=710312&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F07%2F02%2Fan-update-and-new-fret-biosensor-software%2F Apologies for the long delay between updates. I’ve been writing up and editing my work, also spent the last 3 weeks at the CSHL Ion Channel Physiology course. Jeff Diamond, Mark Farrant, Kenton Swartz and Michael Hausser ran a very informative and entertaining program. So, what’s new in FRET sensor land? Producing useful FRET sensors requires some structural insight, theoretical knowledge, patience to screen many variants, and luck. Making a new sensor that works marginally well is often not that difficult. However, making a reversible sensor with high speed and S/N takes a lot of time and effort. How does a researcher select the protein substrate, linker sequences and fluorescent proteins from the vast space available? A new paper and software from Kevin Truong’s group ... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=710312 Mon, 02 Jul 2007 20:36:25 +0100 710312 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=690005&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34867&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thediabetesblog.com%2F2007%2F06%2F22%2Fwomen-in-their-50s-on-estrogen-have-healthier-arteries%2F This study has nothing to say about healthier arteries in those taking the combo hormone therapy. Besides, most menopausal women are afraid of hormone therapy after the National Institutes of Health suddenly stopped the WHI estrogen/progesterone trials five years ago after finding menopausal hormone therapy was associated with heart-attack risk. Possibly one BIG overreaction -- here's the key -- the heart effects of hormones depend on a woman's age and how recently she entered menopause. Start hormones ten or more years past menopause and you're at greater risk for heart attack, but using the hormones at the start of menopause appears to lower risk. Leading the analysis, WHI investigator JoAnn E. Manson says this does not mean women should start popping estrogen for heart health. Ho... The Diabetes Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=690005 Fri, 22 Jun 2007 04:00:00 +0100 690005 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=637981&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F24%2Ffdas-labelman-says-make-your-calories-count%2F Filed under: Prevention, Diets, Nutrition, Vitamins and nutrients, ServicesThe Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is making it easier for consumers to read food labels. With a quick stop at a website called Make Your Calories Count, we can all learn how to better decipher and truly understand the numbers we find printed on the back of food items. The FDA interactive site, featuring a cartoon character called Labelman, provides consumers with information related to healthful diets and calorie management. There are exercises, quizzes, and a training module available for download and printing. The program, which presents two nutrients that should be limited (saturated fat and sodium) and two that should be consumed in adequate amounts (fiber and calcium), may be just the resource we need in o... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=637981 Thu, 24 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 637981 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=583522&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34866&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecardioblog.com%2F2007%2F05%2F01%2Fcalcium-may-lower-cholesterol%2F Filed under: Diet, Prevention, ResearchTalk about annoying...I wrote this entire post toward the end of last week, only to have the whole thing erase on me just before it published. Oh well, I'll do my best to paraphrase from memory. Let's see, where was I? Oh yes, I was going to point out some new-found benefits of calcium. Milk does a body good -- yes, we all know the trite tag lines. Got milk? Yeah, we've heard all about that one, too. The thing is, this push for people to consume more calcium rich products has a great deal of merit, for there is more and more research pointing to how it can help you lose weight and, believe it or not, help you reduce cholesterol. Canadian researchers put 63 overweight women on a diet and gave half of them 1,200mg of calcium per day. The other half of ... The Cardio Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=583522 Tue, 01 May 2007 04:00:00 +0100 583522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=506832&cid=t_105303_87_f&fid=34865&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thecancerblog.com%2F2007%2F03%2F28%2Fpop-quiz-how-health-savvy-are-you%2F Filed under: All Cancers, Environment, Diets, Exercise, Vitamins and nutrients, MagazinesTime to test your smarts -- about sleep, sun, food, and alcohol. Just read the following questions, pick an option and then scroll down to determine if you really know what's best for your health. Is it healthier to sleep an extra hour or force yourself out of bed in the morning to exercise? Is it healthier to spend 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen or two hours in the sun wearing SPF 30? Is it better to have a second glass of wine at dinner or a sinful dessert? Is it healthier to sleep an extra hour or force yourself out of bed in the morning to exercise?It's healthier to get out of bed and exercise. Research shows a full eight hours of sleep -- often touted as the necessary amount of... The Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=506832 Wed, 28 Mar 2007 04:00:00 +0100 506832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=500882&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F25%2Fcshl-meeting-session-vii-super-resolution-optical-techniques%2F Jean-Louis Bessereau – Ultrastructural mapping of functional domains of synapse at the synapse using high pressure imaging High pressure freezing instantaneously converts up to 0.3mm thick water into amorphous ice. C Elegans only .1mm thick at maximum. HPF entire worm to obtain EM of ‘living’ synapses. Vesicle priming occurs within 100nm of presynaptic density, directly across from post receptors. However, vesicle recycling occurs only at sites >150nm lateral from presynaptic release sites. Mark Ellisman – Multiscale light and electron microscopic imaging of the nervous system Two-color correlated light and EM microscopy using FlAsH and ReAsH. Quantum dot immunohistochemistry for multicolor correlated light and EM. QDs of different wavelength are differently sized and can be dis... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=500882 Mon, 26 Mar 2007 07:22:36 +0100 500882 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=499497&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F24%2F19%2F Novel Methods to Dissect Neural Circuits - Saturday afternoon Dmitri Chklovskii, Janelia Farm Reconstruction of neuronal wiring diagram from automated serial EM. Must be able to track identity of segments between slices, determine synapses and the cells they belong to. Wiring diagram draft was done in c. elegans (~7000 synapses, 279 neurons) in 1986, Mitra’s student finished it in 2006. How do we do it? Automated alignment of serial sections by translation, slight rotation and elastic stretching. Automated segmentation of color coding, makes a draft that must be reviewed by human editor. State of art is 10x faster than manual tracing, reconstructed complete 10×10x10um^3 volume two man-months. 1000 synapses, 1000 axons, 100 dendrites. Biological results : If there are an equal # of s... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=499497 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 22:01:29 +0100 499497 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=499499&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F24%2Fcshl-meeting-session-iv%2F Evening Session - Optical Measures of Neuronal Excitation And Signaling Rainer Friedrich - Measuring spatio-temporal activity patterns by temporally deconvolved 2-photon calcium imaging Bulk loading of olfactory cortex with AM Ca dyes. Calcium signal is much slower than action potentials because the signal is a convolution of Ca trace with binary spikes. Deconvolution of the raw Ca signal with a canonical Ca response derives the firing rate. Reconstruction of population activity pattern improves only a little bit with letting tau or spike amplitude vary. This technique requires low noise. Published in nature methods. Application in olfactory bulb of zebrafish. Factor analysis of spatially clustered activity in OB maps regions of activity to amino acid properties (aromatic, long-chain, basi... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=499499 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 19:30:02 +0100 499499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=497786&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F23%2Fcshl-imaging-neurons-meeting-session-i%2F Wow! A very busy start to the conference on Imaging Neurons and Neural Activity at Cold Spring Harbor Labs. I arrived at 6:30pm Thursday. Since then, I have seen 30 talks with copious note-taking, seen too many posters, given 1 talk, seen Ohio State win, and had lots of informal science talk over some beers. Not a lot of sleep though! There is literally no time to refine my notes, but to be timely with my posts I will be posting raw notes that will be updated and refined over the course of the next week or two. Session I - Novel photoactivation and tagging methods Optical Probes Louis J. DeFelice, Vanderbilt - Neuronal transporters for monoamines analyzed with fluorescent substrates and fluorescently labeled transporters. The goal – take a small molecule orally and get spatially specific... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=497786 Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:49:45 +0100 497786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=487427&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F19%2Fin-vivo-electroporation-of-calcium-dyes%2F Hot on the heels of the recent report on optimized in vivo imaging of calcium using genetically-encoded calcium indicators, Nagayama et al. report a novel neurotechnique for calcium imaging with dyes in vivo. See also Helmchen and Nevian’s preview. Previously, there were three major methods of imaging intracellular calcium dynamics in vivo. Single cell loading of calcium dye through a patch or sharp electrode This method results in high dye concentrations and vivid contrast. However, this limits the imaging to single cells and it can be difficult to hold the cell for sufficient time to fully fill the cell with dye. Bulk loading of AM-ester forms of organic calcium dyes by perfusion This produces a stain which includes many cells, both neurons and astrocytes. Although this is effe... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=487427 Tue, 20 Mar 2007 02:43:48 +0100 487427 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=487429&cid=t_105303_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2007%2F03%2F08%2Fgecis-take-another-step-forward%2F In conclusion, the new FCIP mouse line provides important improvements for the analysis of Ca2+ signaling in the intact brain. These include (i) a homogeneous and bright staining of the entire cytosol of individual neurons down to secondary and tertiary dendrites, (ii) the full functionality of the sensor protein allowing measurement of small suprathreshold depolarizations consisting of as few as 2–3 action potentials, (iii) the linear response properties of CerTN-L15 within a physiologically relevant activity range, and (iv) the possibility of in vivo Ca2+ imaging with single-cell and even subcellular resolution. In other words, they are getting close, but they aren’t quite there yet. It might be surprising that they can see 2APs fairly easily but cannot reliably discern 1AP. This... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=487429 Thu, 08 Mar 2007 23:11:16 +0100 487429