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 'cell'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:52:43 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5174216&cid=t_103980_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FrmUugv8zTgM%2F Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Abbie Smith Vincent, Rich, and Abbie review a broad spectrum antiviral protein, and selective pressure applied by a failed HIV-1 vaccine. Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV 146 (78 MB .mp3, 107 minutes). Subscribe to TWiV (free) in iTunes , at the Zune Marketplace, by the RSS feed, by email, or listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app. Links for this episode: Broad spectrum antiviral (PLoS One) Selection by failed HIV-1 vaccine (Nature Medicine) HIV vaccine impacts virus (EurekAlert!) TWiV on Facebook Letters read on TWiV 146 Weekly Science Picks Vincent - Hypothetical Risk: Cambridge City Council’s Hearings on Recombinant DNA Research Rich – Z Corporation 3-D printer (YouTube) Listener ... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5174216 Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:46:30 +0100 5174216 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159199&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F08%2F25%2Fto-heal-after-an-affair-and-rebuild-the-relationship%2F “For many people, an affair is deeply traumatizing [and] some marriages can’t recover from it,” said Jason Seidel, PsyD, founder and director of The Colorado Center for Clinical Excellence in Denver. But if you decide to work on your relationship post-affair, you must accept a hard truth: Another affair can happen. This is the paradox of healing, Seidel said. Often, partners who’ve been cheated on will demand full access to their spouse’s email, cell phone records, Facebook and other accounts (or they’ll sneak around to get the access), he said. They see this as legitimate and essential to helping reestablish trust in the relationship. A common belief is “How could I ever trust you again unless you give me full access?” While this thinking is understandable, it simply doesn... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159199 Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:40:21 +0100 5159199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159878&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F08%2Fwclc-2011-oral-presentations-more-genomics.html This study showed the potential for using DNA methylation profiles in targeted therapy profiles.  This seemed like a lot of fancy razzle-dazzle in this context and I'm unclear what it would really add in a practical sense; it seems to me most of the work on DNA methylation patterns in lung cancer has been focused on identifying markers for early diagnosis in serum. (Source: The Daily Sign-Out) The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159878 Tue, 23 Aug 2011 20:12:54 +0100 5159878 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159691&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fi-wouldnt-try-this.html I think the whole concept of stem cells and stem cell transplants is pretty cool and could open the door to many medical advances. However, I would not try with Governor Perry did. He went had back surgery in July and a very controversial stem cell transplant. He had fat cells taken from his body by liposuction and they were put back into his spine and blood stream. The controversy is that stem cells are done with other cells - not fat cells. It is not known if fat cells will turn into a good kind of cells or cause a blood clot or turn into cancer cells. In addition the cells were grown in a petri dish where their sterility could have been compromised. There are additional concerns because he is a powerful and influential person. Will his risky behavior influence others to have similar ... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159691 Sat, 20 Aug 2011 11:06:00 +0100 5159691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5125976&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F08%2Fwclc-2011-oral-presentations-squamous-cell-carcinoma.html This study involved a tissue microarray constructed from 568 patients with stage 1 NSCLC with detailed histopathological and clinical data.  SOX2 gene data was determined by FISH and SOX2 protein expression was assessed by IHC.  This data was correlated then with clinicopathological findings and OS and cancer-specific survival. Increased SOX2 gene amplification or polysomy was found in 4% of (17/429) evaluable samples but 16/17 (94%) were associated with non-ADC histology.  SOX2 protein expression was found in 48% of NSCLC and was associated with non-ADC histology (P<0.001): SOX2 expression was identified in 78% of SQC specimens (178/227) but only in 15% of ADC (29/191).  Further, SOX2 protein expression was significantly associated with high grade tumors, patien... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5125976 Fri, 12 Aug 2011 12:05:00 +0100 5125976 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118645&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhat-do-monks-psychiatric-patients-and-prison-inmates-have-in-common%2F2011.08.10 I’ve always been struck by the similarity between solitary confinement inmates and monks. Historically, monks were kept under the vow of silence. They could only leave their cells to attend religious services. The only visitors they were allowed tohave were their religious advisors. (If any of you have seen the movie Into Great Silence you’ll know what I’m talking about.)  The idea of the modern penitentiary came from this ‘penitence’ process: put someone in a room by himself, give him religious guidance while he’s there and he’ll reflect, repent and reform. This was how prisons were run in the Nineteenth Century too: prisoners were kept under the rule of silence and they could only come out of their cells for religious services or for work. No o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118645 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 21:00:00 +0100 5118645 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119013&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F08%2Fwclc-2011-summary-from-plenary-session.html There were three themes from the Monday, July 3 plenery session at the 2011 14th World Conference on Lung Cancer.  First, the effect of smoking cessation on lung cancer incidence was discussed in relation to a recent study showing that women who smoke 20 cigarettes a day have a risk of developing lung cancer 30 times higher than non-smokers.  However, the study also showed that quitting before age 50 reduced the risk to sic times higher and quitting before age 40 reduced it to 1.2 times higher almost completely eliminating the risk from smoking. The second major theme discussed the shift from squamous cell carcinoma (SQC) to adenocarcinoma (ADC) as the most prevalent histologic type of lung cancer.  The development of cigarette filters was discussed as one reason for this... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119013 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 20:30:00 +0100 5119013 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5119014&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F08%2Fwclc-2011-oral-presentations-genomics.html This study provides some preliminary benchmarking data to discuss with clinicians, although I would provide a caveat that there is likely to be a referral bias (since this is a single-institutional study from one of the world’s most reknown cancer centers) that overestimates the frequency of driver mutations in ADC. Finally, O016.06 is another presentation from the MSKCC that examined the prognostic impact of driver mutations in lung ADC with respect to smoking history.  There is important background that puts this study in context, namely, the demonstration of an independent dose-dependent relationship between smoking history and survival in patients with advanced stage NSCLC with never-smokers living 50% longer than smokers (Janjigian et al., Cancer 2010).  The authors revi... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5119014 Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:09:27 +0100 5119014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5107519&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhow-to-soothe-that-itchy-sunburn%2F2011.08.08 Have you ever had a sunburn? First it hurts. Then it itches. And itches. And itches. Why is that? Sunburn is caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage to your skin. Too much UV damages your skin cell’s DNA, and your immune system responds by killing off the bad cells. Because UV radiation doesn’t penetrate (unlike X-rays for example), it damages only the surface layer of your skin. This outermost layer happens to be loaded with special nerve fibers called C-fibers which are responsible for itch. Itch is a mechanism to (more…) *This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5107519 Mon, 08 Aug 2011 14:00:10 +0100 5107519 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086570&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F08%2Fwclc-2011-oral-presentations-tumor-microenvironment.html This study highlights the importance of localization of immune cell response but also underscores the challenge for future studies to use more refined quantitative assessments of immune cell subpopulations and relative expression of IHC staining intesity (such as utilizing digital imaging and image analysis).  MO 22.04, also from session VIII, presented interesting complementary data to the above presentation. This study examined 196 resected stage 1-3A NSCLC using IHC for infiltrating CD8+ and FOXP3+ cells.  They counted cells expressing these markers in tumor and stromal regions in five "randomly selected" high-power-fields and reported their data as the number of cells per mm2 for each region.  They used median cell count as the cutoff to define patient subgr... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086570 Tue, 02 Aug 2011 10:01:00 +0100 5086570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5086258&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F07%2F31%2Flifesaving-list%2F Help save lives by sharing this list. Online Suicide Prevention Resources is a small wiki focussed on crisis resources available online without a telephone. There are listings for social media, secure IM chat, and public forums. It was inspired by the International Suicide Prevention Wiki, created by Post Secret, which features a table of links and directories for telephone crisis hotlines and resources all over the world. The list I created today is solely for non-phone contacts. Included are details of the hours for each service. Why make such a list? In today’s cell phone family plan homes, calls show up on bills read by parents, and youth might want privacy for a long list of reasons including the parents being the problem. By using the Internet, people can connect one on one to ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5086258 Sun, 31 Jul 2011 19:00:50 +0100 5086258 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069442&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fce8sbIDKoeA%2F By Julian SanchezBack in May, during the debates over reauthorization of the Patriot Act, Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Udall (D-CO) began raising a fuss about a secret interpretation of the law’s so-called “business records” authority, known to wonks as Section 215, arguing that intelligence agencies had twisted the statute to give themselves domestic surveillance powers Congress had not anticipated or intended. At the time, I marshaled a fair amount of circumstantial evidence that, I thought, suggested that the “secret authority” involved location tracking of cell phones. Wyden backed off after being promised a secret hearing to address his concerns—but indicated he’d be returning to the issue if he remained unsatisfied. The hearing occurred early ... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069442 Tue, 26 Jul 2011 21:36:26 +0100 5069442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5051095&cid=t_103980_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=5035787&cid=t_103980_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FVa5oMI-q_js%2F Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Rich Condit, and Alan Dove Vincent, Rich, and Alan discuss a method for identifying viruses of individual environmental bacteria, and the using a picornavirus for oncotherapy. Click the arrow above to play, or right-click to download TWiV 142 (69 MB .mp3, 95 minutes). Subscribe to TWiV (free) in iTunes , at the Zune Marketplace, by the RSS feed, by email, or listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app. Links for this episode: Probing individual bacteria for their viruses (Science) Looking in vivo at virus-bacterium interactions (ScienceDaily) Integrated fluidic circuit (Fluidigm) Oncotherapy with Seneca Valley Virus (Clin Cancer Res) Epidemiology of Seneca Valley virus (pdf) Senecavirus at ViralZone Small cell lung cancer (NCBI) ECOG performance st... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5035787 Sun, 17 Jul 2011 12:30:20 +0100 5035787 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008571&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F07%2Fstem-cells.html Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment (a novel event) and had to wait a few minutes to see the doctor so I grabbed a copy of A Woman's Health magazine (since I left my book on the check in desk and didn't realize it for a while). I found the magazine relatively interesting and a couple article caught my eye - especially one on the uses of stem cells. I didn't realize you could use stem cells for much else than a few kinds of cancer but evidently you can. This is interesting. Maybe they will be able to cure all kinds of ailments with stem cells in the future. And they don't have to use the controversial embryonic cells, they can get them from adults.Just a little interesting advance on something that has been known for a while.That's all I have to say today. Other than the doctor was the s... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008571 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:18:00 +0100 5008571 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008411&cid=t_103980_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D295 Electrically-enhanced chemotherapy has produced exciting clinical results.  The technology offers the promise of a safer, quicker therapy with lower costs from fewer agents and treatment sessions.  The NovoTTF system was recently FDA approved in the U.S. for patients suffering from end-stage glioblastoma and has been in use in Europe for several years.  Further studies are also underway for skin, breast, and early-stage brain tumors, three of the deadliest and most costly cancers to treat.  Chemotherapy has been in use as a treatment for cancer since the early 20th century.  Since then, it has grown to a $42 billion world market.  Electrically-enhanced chemotherapy uses a pulsed electrical field to increase the cell membrane’s permeability.  This allows the anticancer drug molecul... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008411 Tue, 05 Jul 2011 14:03:42 +0100 5008411 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992689&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F5-important-reasons-to-protect-your-eyes-from-the-suns-uv-radiation%2F2011.07.01 A Pterygium Dermatologists have done a great job promoting sun safety. We all know that we should use sunscreen or sunblock to avoid burns, and to reapply it religiously when we plan to be outdoors for long periods of time. But how often do we think about protecting our eyes from the same UV rays? A dear friend of mine has been on a long-term medicine that makes her skin especially sun-sensitive. She did not take sufficient precautions to protect her eyes from UV radiation (though she always wore sunscreen on her skin), and she developed a pterygium that looks just like the photograph above. Her condition reminded me of the importance of eye protection, and I thought I’d offer you 5 excellent reasons to start shielding your eyes from the sun. UV protection is critical for avoiding: 1... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992689 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 18:00:52 +0100 4992689 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4968485&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fis-your-cell-phone-carrying-bacteria%2F2011.06.26 Alright doctors, time to give up the cell phones. (Never mind that there has not been a study linking cell phones and hospital acquired infections). From the American Journal of Infection Control: A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine bacterial colonization on the mobile phones (MPs) used by patients, patients’ companions, visitors, and health care workers (HCWs). Significantly higher rates of pathogens (39.6% vs 20.6%, respectively; P = .02) were found in MPs of patients’ (n = 48) versus the HCWs’ (n = 12). There were also more multidrug pathogens in the patents’ MPs including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella spp, high-level aminoglycoside-resistant Enterococcus spp, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4968485 Sun, 26 Jun 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4968485 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4953028&cid=t_103980_112_f&fid=34971&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.drmalpani.com%2F2011%2F06%2Fhow-to-improve-vitrification-of.html This is a guest post by our embryologist, Sai Gundeti.Vitrification is the newer alternative to the traditional ‘slow freezing’ technique of cryopreservation of embryos for storage and future use. It is far more efficient and effective than the older technique, which is why we now use only vitrification in our clinic for cryopreservation of eggs and embryos.It is the duty of the embryology team to learn this new technique, so they can offer the best possible care to their patients.Here’s how we vitrify embryos in our lab.It’s usually the supernumerary embryos which are vitrified, which is why embryo vitrification is generally carried out after the best ( top ) embryos have been transferred in the fresh IVF cycle . However, in some cases we may electively freeze all embryos , and no... The Patient's Doctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4953028 Sat, 18 Jun 2011 03:12:00 +0100 4953028 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4944540&cid=t_103980_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FITJ523nRjp8%2F This article was written for extra credit by a student in my recently concluded virology course. by Ian Blubaugh A team at MIT has been able to use a genetically engineered virus to help build carbon nanotubes, microscopic cylinders that are integral in constructing high-efficiency solar cells. These nanotubes had proven difficult to construct due to their small size, and traditional techniques were doing a poor job. However, a virus that was custom made for the job was able to build the nanotubes relatively easy and with a significantly higher level of efficiency and is a promising new technology for the environmental industry. Angela Belcher, a researcher of Biological Engineering at MIT, believes that viruses can help us build a smarter and better future. She was inspired by the disco... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4944540 Fri, 17 Jun 2011 01:05:23 +0100 4944540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921517&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F11%2F6-ideas-for-creating-fun-rituals-with-your-family%2F My parents and I have always been like the Three Musketeers. When I lived at home, we’d sit down to dinner every single night—no TV or cell phones, though my dad would leave the soccer game on in the living room and spring from his chair to stand at the edge of the kitchen to catch a good play. (Or if he heard the signature “Gooaaaallllll!” roaring from the announcer.) We took family vacations regularly and rarely experienced big events separately. For instance, whenever I had a performance at school, my parents always made sure that one of them was there. If they had to, they’d miss work to support me during one of my silly shows. My father passed away almost two years ago, but my mom and I still try to eat dinner together and regularly have shopping dates. When my g... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921517 Sat, 11 Jun 2011 12:31:41 +0100 4921517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921424&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcell-phones-and-brain-cancer-evidence-of-a-link-is-limited%2F2011.06.10 If the recent announcement by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that cell phones may cause brain cancer has you worried, you might want to wait a bit before trashing your mobile phone and going back to a land line. Last week, the IARC convened experts from around the world to assess what, if any, cancer threat cell phones pose to the 5 billion or so people who use them. After reviewing hundreds of studies, the IARC panel concluded that cell phone use may be connected to two types of brain cancer, glioma and acoustic neuroma. That sounds mighty scary. But the IARC said the evidence for this conclusion was “limited.” Most studies have shown no connection between cell phone use and brain cancer. In the relatively small number of studies that have observed a connectio... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921424 Fri, 10 Jun 2011 12:00:11 +0100 4921424 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921521&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F06%2F09%2Fhow-our-intuitions-deceive-us-part-2-interview-with-daniel-simons%2F In part one of this interview, we began exploring the limits of human perception with Daniel Simons, a Psychology professor and co-winner of an Ig Noble prize.  This conversation is part two of that discussion. Assuming you can name only one, what is one of the most popular myths associated with attention? How about one for memory? We assume that we will automatically notice anything that appears before our eyes, regardless of what else we’re doing.  But, in reality, we’re only aware of a tiny subset of the world around us, and our awareness depends critically on the focus of our attention. Without focusing our attention, we can look without seeing.  We tend to miss unexpected objects and events because they do not attract our attention. And, without our attention, we don&#8... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921521 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 10:15:05 +0100 4921521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893542&cid=t_103980_107_f&fid=36672&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sciencebase.com%2Fscience-blog%2Flatest-spectroscopy-and-crystallography.html Electric microbes – X-ray diffraction has been used to reveal the structure of proteins attached to the surface of the microbe Shewanella oneidensis, a species found in deep-sea anaerobic habitats. These proteins can transfer electrons making this micro-organism potentially rather interesting as an electricity-generating system. The research could allow researchers to tether bacteria directly to electrodes creating efficient microbial fuel cells or bio-batteries powered by human or animal waste. Such an advance could also hasten the development of system based on microbial agents that can clean up oil spills or provide a new approach to remediating radioactive waste. Uranium and Raman – Scientists at the Indira Gandhi Centre for Atomic Research in Tamil Nadu have carried out th... Sciencebase Science Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893542 Thu, 02 Jun 2011 09:32:50 +0100 4893542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4840507&cid=t_103980_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FK_TcIei6UQI%2F Hosts: Vincent Racaniello, Margaret McFall-Ngai, Cliff Mintz, Elio Schaecter, and Michael Schmidt. On episode #7 of the podcast This Week in Microbiology, Vincent, Cliff, Elio, Margaret, and Michael discuss programmed cell death in E. coli, and the daily synthesis and degradation of enzymes needed for photosynthesis and nitrogen fixation by cyanobacteria. Click the arrow above to play, or right click to download TWiM #7 (44.5 MB, .mp3, 64 minutes). Subscribe to TWiM (free) on iTunes, Zune Marketplace, via RSS feed, by email or listen on your mobile device with the Microbeworld app. Image of Cyanobacteria in Lake Littoistenjärvi by Stefe via flickr Links for this episode: E. coli extracelluar death factor EDF mRNA cleavage by MazF toxin Myxococcus programmed cell death Using toxins in ... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4840507 Thu, 19 May 2011 18:16:33 +0100 4840507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4813336&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FYt9QCh2viY8%2Fupdate-stem-cells-and-fat-grafting.html Conclusion: In Authors' retrospective analysis no effect of PRP was seen in enhancing fat graft take when compared to Coleman fat graft. Further research and prospective clinical studies are strongly needed to understand the role of PRP, if any, in fat grafting. (Source: Suture for a Living) Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4813336 Wed, 11 May 2011 11:15:00 +0100 4813336 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803058&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1326     Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer’s  son was diagnosed with sickle cell anemia. He and his wife (at the time) decided to have stem cells transplanted from a healthy sibling to Carmani, who has the disease.  Its  been 4 years since then and all is well with the little boy once diagnosed with the devastating disease. “It teaches you how precious life really is,” Boozer said, remembering the profound effect of witnessing families losing their children. “You can’t really sweat the things that don’t matter.” You can read the entire article here. THere are many diseases that can be treated with stem cells and the list is growing all the time. Read here for a list of conditions treated with stem cells and consider banking your newbo... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803058 Mon, 09 May 2011 19:06:39 +0100 4803058 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4795068&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F05%2Fddr2-kinase-mutations-in-lung-squamous-cell-carcinoma.html Yes--you read that right! The journal Cancer Discovery reports in a publish ahead-of-print article (abstract)the discovery of mutations in the discoidin domain receptor 2 tyrosine kinase (DDR2) gene in a series of lung squamous cell carcinomas (SQC) that may identify a  potential therapeutic target similar to those described for lung adenocarcinomas.  Interestingly, DDR2 is a receptor kinase that normally binds collagen as its ligand and has been shown to promote cell migration, proliferation, and survival when activated by ligand binding and phosphorylation. While subtypes of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) have been increasingly better defined and characterized on multiple levels with respect to identifying therapeutic targets/responses, minimal progress has been made with squamous... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4795068 Fri, 06 May 2011 16:40:35 +0100 4795068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4768264&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F04%2Fasco-issues-provisional-clinical-opinion-on-egfr-testing-in-non-small-cell-lung-cancer.html Hot off the electronic press is the PCO issued by ASCO recommending that patients with advanced stage NSCLC should have their tumors tested for EGFR mutation if they are being considered candidates for EGFR-TKI therapy.  Read here  for the abstract or Download ASCO EGFR testing in NSCLC for more deets. Provisional Clinical OpinionOn the basis of the results of five phase III randomized controlled trials, patients withNSCLC who are being considered for first-line therapy with an EGFR TKI (patients who havenot previously received chemotherapy or an EGFR TKI) should have their tumor tested forEGFR mutations to determine whether an EGFR TKI or chemotherapy is the appropriatefirst-line therapy. If you haven't been following this topic, the paper nicely summarizes the clinic... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4768264 Fri, 29 Apr 2011 16:50:41 +0100 4768264 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4762756&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1288         The big day has arrived, your contractions are minutes apart, and you’re on your way to the hospital. The idea of finally getting to hold your perfect baby in your arms helps you through the contractions. Already your mind is dancing with visions of your baby’s future — first smile, first tooth, first word, first step, holidays, and sporting events. The furthest thoughts from your mind are the first illness or, should the unspeakable happen, your child ever became seriously ill. No parent wants to think their child might get sick someday but it is wise to consider the possibility. There is a decision available when your baby is born that could greatly influence his future health. It’s the decision to bank your infant’s cord blood. So much media attent... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4762756 Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:36:40 +0100 4762756 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4753841&cid=t_103980_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fa-decade-living-with-multiple-sclerosis-diagnosis%2F There is a generation of Americans who can tell you exactly where they were when they heard of JFK’s assassination. The next generation has space shuttle Challenger to hold as a common cultural experience. And 9/11 is etched into every living psyche the way December 7th, 1941 lives in the hearts of the “Greatest Generation.” We all have personal dates which we cannot shake as well; dates of births and deaths and, in the case of many of us with multiple sclerosis, there are dates of diagnosis. Today is the 10 year anniversary of my Dx. When I look back, like many of us can, before I heard the words “you have MS”, I know that I’d lived with this disease for many years prior. In fact, a reexamination of mysterious symptoms I experienced in high school lead me (along with my medic... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4753841 Mon, 25 Apr 2011 21:17:34 +0100 4753841 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4684777&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2011%2F04%2Faberrant-wnt1-and-beta-catenin-expression-in-nsclc.html This month's April 2011 Journal of Thoracic Oncology has an interesting paper by Xu and colleagues (abstract) that examines Wnt1 expression in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in relation to downstream Wnt signaling molecules, including beta-catenin, and correlates different marker expression with traditional clinicopathological parameters. This is an immunohistochemical study of a tissue microarray composed of 262 NSCLC resected specimens.    The authors define aberrant beta-catenin expression as: 1) decreased membranous pattern in less than 70% of tumor cells, 2) cytoplasmic pattern of expression, or 3) nuclear pattern of expression.  As expected, the majority of patients are stage 1 or 2 but nearly 36% of the study population are never-smokers--over 50% in ... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4684777 Tue, 05 Apr 2011 19:55:50 +0100 4684777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4677021&cid=t_103980_133_f&fid=35452&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.graphictruth.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fright-to-life-means-you-have-no-rights.html H/T Red Rambler: Is Pro-Life really Pro-Life?Image via Wikipedia  Have you ever noticed that when Social Conservatives use a bumper sticker term like "Right To Life," it often means something entirely different than what ordinary English Usage would suggest? "Right to Life" - you would think - would imply a broad reverence for life and a reluctance to interfere in matters of individual liberty. But in fact, the only real right to life they seem to respect is their right to interfere with your life, and there are two iconic causes here - any chance that a woman might control her own reproduction, even in cases of rape or incest (one is tempted at times to use the word especially)  and of course the gun-culture fetishism. It is not Right to Life when the direct outcome of policy an... Graphictruth blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4677021 Mon, 04 Apr 2011 23:28:00 +0100 4677021 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4622382&cid=t_103980_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fnew-stem-cell-research-for-progressive-ms%2F People with progressive forms of MS have long felt like they were on the sidelines of any MS treatment. Being that the largest population of people with multiple sclerosis lives with relapsing/remitting MS (RRMS), all of the disease modifying drugs have been tested on – and thus only approved for – RRMS. In a long-term study released today (March 21) by the journal Neurology, replacing bone marrow with autologus (one’s own) stem cells has shown success in slowing and even reversing the progression of so called “rapidly progressing” MS. According to the researchers, “chemotherapy drugs are used to kill all of the patient’s blood cells, including the immune cells that are believed to be attacking the body’s own central nervous system. Bone marrow stem cells removed from t... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4622382 Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:23:01 +0100 4622382 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592394&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-new-treatment-for-lupus%2F2011.03.15 Lupus, an autoimmune disease, [recently] turned up on the front page of the Wall Street Journal (WSJ). It cropped up, also, on the first page of the New York Times business section, and elsewhere. Scientific American published a nice online review just now. The reason is that the FDA has approved a new monoclonal antibody for treatment of this condition. The drug belimumab (Benlysta), targets a molecule called BlyS (B-lymphocyte Stimulator). The newspapers uniformly emphasize that this drug marks some sort of triumph for Human Genome Sciences, a biotech company that first reported on BlyS in the journal Science way back in 1999. BlyS triggers B cells to produce antibodies that in patients with lupus tend to bind and destroy their own cells’ needed machinery, causing various joint, lung... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592394 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 18:00:36 +0100 4592394 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4575010&cid=t_103980_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fhistoplasmosis%2F Pathophysiology 1) fungal infection causes by Histoplasma capsulatum 2) immunocompetent patient – infection is self-limited and largely asymptomatic 3) symptomatic in patients with defective cell-mediated mechanisms 4) clinically resembles tuberculosis (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4575010 Fri, 11 Mar 2011 04:59:26 +0100 4575010 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4565891&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1181 Cheers to the women in your life, those who surround you when you need them most, the women who raised you, nursed you, yelled at you and comforted you in times of need.  Yesterday was the 100th Anniversary of International Women’s Day. Not that we needed a day to recognize the power of women because we’ve all seen it firsthand , but just in case you’re having one of those days, the team over at Fitpregnancy.com has a  wonderful article expressing the power of women. Relax and enjoy! Also, remember  those who might benefit from cord blood transplantation. Those whose lives hang in the balance of the hope that cord blood cells collected at birth just might be their only answer. Baby JOhn is such patient. Here is a short video about his successful cord blood transplant. ... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4565891 Wed, 09 Mar 2011 21:24:44 +0100 4565891 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4552071&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F03%2F05%2Fthe-dangers-of-texting-while-driving%2F Does text messaging while driving have a big influence on driving abilities?  I think most people would agree that texting definitely does not help us drive any better. But, by consistently texting while at the wheel, many individuals act as if text messaging has a small negative effect on driving skill. “I can drive fine while text messaging,” says the confident texter. And that’s the problem — all of us feel capable, but none of us really are as capable as we think we are. Especially when it comes to multi-tasking well with two attention-demanding tasks. Let’s look at what the research says… Hosking and colleagues (2009) investigated the effects of using a cell phone on the driving performance of young novice drivers.  Twenty inexperienced drivers used a ce... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4552071 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 20:17:42 +0100 4552071 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4549708&cid=t_103980_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F03%2Fwaldenstroms-macroglobulinemia%2F Pathophysiology 1) type of B-cell lymphoma 2) characterized by monoclonal proliferation of IgM and hyperviscosity syndrome Signs and Symptoms 1) lymphadenopathy 2) hepatosplenomegaly 3) dizziness 4) headache 5) peripheral neuropathy 6) deafness 7) ecchymoses and purpura (especially of the legs) 8) hemorrhagic infarct of fingers and toes 9) recurrent infections 10) visual problems and blindness 11) dilated retinal veins 12) coma Characteristic Test Findings Laboratory – 1) increased serum IgM 2) Bence Jones’ proteins in urine (kappa or alpha immunoglobulin light chains) 3) decreased factor 8 4) positive Coombs’ test Histology/Gross Pathology 1) cells are small lymphocytes with moderate cytoplasm, eccentric nuclei, and plasmacytoid differentiation 2) Dutcher’s bodies ... Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4549708 Sat, 05 Mar 2011 06:13:45 +0100 4549708 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4525031&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdoes-cell-phone-use-stimulate-brain-activity%2F2011.02.26 We all know that using a cell phone can stimulate the brain to work a bit harder. “Mr. Skerrett? This is Dr. LeWine’s office. Do you have a minute to talk about your test results?” or “Dad, a bunch of kids are going to Casey’s house after the dance. Can I go?” But a new study published in JAMA is making me wonder what the energy emitted by the phone itself — not just the information it delivers — is doing to my brain. Here’s the study in a nutshell. Dr. Nora Volkow and her colleagues recruited 47 volunteers to have their brain activity measured twice by a PET scanner. Both times the volunteer had a cell phone strapped to each ear. During one measurement, both phones were turned off. During the other, one phone was turned on but muted so the volunteer didn’t know... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4525031 Sat, 26 Feb 2011 22:00:29 +0100 4525031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4517300&cid=t_103980_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2FuRLi06BF4A8%2F Yesterday, we found out that cell phone use definitely affects brain activity, thanks to a study linking talk time with a spike in the brain’s glucose metabolism. Today, we were alerted to another study showing that cell phones can also control our minds (don’t ask us the difference between minds and brains; that’s a topic for a different publication). A study published in Psychological Science showed that when we dial phone numbers, the corresponding letters and words come to mind even if we’re not consciously aware of them. What’s more, subjects seem to prefer dialing numbers that correspond to positive words (like LOVE and DREAM) than negative ones (SLIME was one example used in the study). So what’s the implication? Researchers say this helps prove t... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4517300 Thu, 24 Feb 2011 21:30:04 +0100 4517300 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512413&cid=t_103980_99_f&fid=35344&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzackarysholemberger.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F02%2Fcall-me-on-your-cell-sugar.html In this study, the regional cerebral glucose consumption rate was about 37 μmol/100 g per minute. So 2.4 μmol/100 g per minute is less than a tenth of the normal value (if I understand correctly). Whether a change of less than 10% is significant - again, I'm trying to find the relevant literature.Historical Update: A friend comments:The first author [of the glucose and cell-phones paper] is Trotsky's great granddaughter. Maybe she should have tested whether ice picks near the head change glucose metabolism.Ouch. (Source: Zackary Sholem Berger) Zackary Sholem Berger blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512413 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:17:00 +0100 4512413 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4512540&cid=t_103980_131_f&fid=34989&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.b5media.com%2F%7Er%2Fb5media%2FGeneticsHealth%2F%7E3%2F_gxxM0Dih34%2F The notion that cell phones may cause cancer is hardly new. And, while both proponents and skeptics of the theory have been battling it out for years with no firm evidence pointing in either direction, a new study shows that cell phones are, at least, definitely doing something to your brain. The question is: What? A study published this week in The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that cell phone use causes a demonstrable spike in the brain’s glucose metabolism. Dr. Nora Volkow, the study’s lead author, told CNN: “When glucose metabolism goes up, it activates cells. The findings are an indication that exposure to cell phones activates the brain much more easily than we previously thought.” In other words, dirty talk with your long-distance like/l... Genetics and Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4512540 Wed, 23 Feb 2011 18:43:33 +0100 4512540 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4482746&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1141 Choosing a name for your baby could be a wonderful exercise for your and your significant other.  Remembering loved ones who have passed or honoring those in our families is one way we choose the name.  This can get very sticky knowing your mother would want to you name him after  uncle Joe  (whom you never even met) or your great great grandmother gladys back in the old country…. Well first of all take a deep breath, luckily you have a few months to calm the waters.  Put together a list of possibilities,even the most outrageous, and put it away for a week or two and revisit it again then.  When you prepare your list of things to do while you’re  pregnant and for the hospital, add it to your list of things  so every time you check something off it will be right there, s... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4482746 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 22:27:04 +0100 4482746 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4459995&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FBOFqtKR3r5w%2F Stunner Suzanne Somers... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4459995 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 02:49:13 +0100 4459995 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455292&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=34805&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FAwfulPlasticSurgery%2F%7E3%2FBOFqtKR3r5w%2F Stunner Suzanne Somers... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit MyWebsite.com for full links, other content, and more! ]] (Source: Awful Plastic Surgery) Awful Plastic Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455292 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 02:49:13 +0100 4455292 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4455482&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FuEu4Ajq_SyY%2F In 2005, AstraZeneca ran into a problem with its Iressa cancer drug, which had been approved two years earlier to treat non-small cell lung cancer as part of the FDA accelerated approval program. This meant the drugmaker was required to conduct so-called confirmatory studies, but the follow-up failed to show a survival benefit and Iressa was withdrawn, except for patients already being treated. In fact, this turned out to be the first of five instances in which such follow-up trials flopped and a drug was subsequently yanked or new restrictions were imposed. This was a distinction that, no doubt, AstraZeneca would like to forget. Of course, the drugmaker was not helped after receiving reports of serious illness and deaths due to a lung disease associated with the med in Japan. However, con... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4455482 Wed, 09 Feb 2011 22:11:48 +0100 4455482 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424176&cid=t_103980_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F02%2Ffda-links-rare-cancer-breast-implants%2F The FDA is concerned about the association of breast implants with the development of anaplastic large cell lymphoma and is advising women accordingly. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424176 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 01:14:36 +0100 4424176 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4424396&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F31%2Fyale-university-scientists-synthesize-long-sought-after-anticancer-agent%2F A team of Yale University scientists has synthesized for the first time a chemical compound  called “lomaiviticin aglycon, ” which led to the development of a new class of molecules that appear to target and destroy cancer stem cells. A team of Yale University scientists has synthesized for the first time a chemical compound called [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4424396 Tue, 01 Feb 2011 07:25:18 +0100 4424396 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411528&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ffda-reports-on-association-of-breast-implants-and-a%25c2%25a0rare-form-of-cancer%2F2011.01.28 The FDA [has] issued an alert about a pos­sible link between breast implants — saline or sil­icone — and a rare form of lym­phoma called anaplastic large cell lym­phoma (ALCL). These lym­phoma cases are exceed­ingly rare, but the asso­ci­ation appears to be significant. The FDA iden­tified a total of approx­i­mately 60 ALCL cases in asso­ci­ation with implants, worldwide. Of these, 34 were iden­tified by review of pub­lished medical lit­er­ature from 1997 to May, 2010; the others were reported by implant man­u­fac­turers and other sources. The agency esti­mates the number of women worldwide with breast implants is between five and 10 million. These numbers translate to between six and 12 ALCL cases in the breast, per million women with breast implan... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411528 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:00:26 +0100 4411528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4411724&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FpVHziCcV3_E%2F Hired someone new and exciting? Promoted a rising star? Finally solved that hard-to-fill spot? Share the news with us and we’ll share with it others. That’s right. Send us your announcements and we’ll find a home for them. Don’t be shy. Everyone wants to know who is coming and going, especially with all the layoffs. Despite the downsizing, there is movement. Here are some of the latest changes. Recognize anyone? And here is our regular feature. Send us a photo and we will spotlight a different person each week. This time around, we note that Angelini Labopharm named Mary Anne Heino as president. She was formerly senior vp of sales and marketing at Labopharm, which last spring formed a joint venture with Angelini to commercialize an antidepressant. Before joining Labopharm, Heino wa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4411724 Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:16:55 +0100 4411724 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4405777&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbreast-implants-and-lymphoma-new-safety-alert-from-the-fda%2F2011.01.27 From the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety alert yesterday: ISSUE: The FDA announced a possible association between saline and silicone gel-filled breast implants and anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL), a very rare type of cancer. Data reviewed by the FDA suggest that patients with breast implants may have a very small but significant risk of ALCL in the scar capsule adjacent to the implant. BACKGROUND: In total, the agency is aware of about 60 cases of ALCL in women with breast implants worldwide. This number is difficult to verify because not all cases were published in the scientific literature and some may be duplicate reports. An estimated 5 million to 10 million women worldwide have breast implants. According to the National Cancer Institute, ALCL appears in different pa... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4405777 Thu, 27 Jan 2011 14:00:36 +0100 4405777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4394507&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FlApJ7a3KQeM%2Ffacing-monday.html Last Monday was reported to be the saddest day of this year.   So to help you and I face Monday and the beginning of a new week, in case you missed these stories….. Roger Ebert has written in his Chicago Sun Times blog of how he will once again be “Leading with my chin.”  ………..That was the beginning of a two-year process that has now resulted with my coming into possession of a silicone prosthesis. Dr. Reisberg brought in David Rotter, also from the University of Illinois, and he involved Julie Jordan Brown, a Milwaukee artist and anaplastologist. Working from molds, they created a prototype prosthesis and sculpted it carefully to more closely resemble what had been there before. This device would fit over my lower face and neck and, colored to match my skin, w... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4394507 Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:12:00 +0100 4394507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377561&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1069 So there you are. In your ob/gyn’s  office, getting ready to hear your baby’s heartbeat, get measured and weighed. You’ve been discussing your birth plan with your doctor, making decisions such as whether you will be banking your baby’s umbilical cord blood and whether or not you will  have pain medication.  Have you ever left the ob/gyn office really wanting to know the sex of your baby but they just couldn’t tell you. Or you didn’t ask, or you got cold feet… Here are some fun ways to predict whether you’re carrying a boy or a girl…if you’re carrying low, it may be a boy or if the heart rate is higher it may be a girl… either way you will have a good laugh trying to predict the sex of your baby!  At parenting.com you w... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377561 Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:33:10 +0100 4377561 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372048&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsynthetic-blood-via-artificial-cells-and-platelets-from-stem-cells%2F2011.01.19 There’s hema­tology news, times two (at least): 1. Progress in devel­oping syn­thetic red blood cells A University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill research group has created hydrogel par­ticles that mimic the size, shape and flex­i­bility of red blood cells (RBCs). The researchers used PRINT® (Particle Replication in Non-wetting Templates) tech­nology to gen­erate the fake RBCs, which are said to have a rel­a­tively long half-life. The findings were reported on-line yes­terday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) (abstract available, sub­scription required for full text). According to a PR-ish but inter­esting post on Futurity, a website put forth by a con­sortium of major research uni­ver­sities, tests of the par­ticles’ ability to ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372048 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:00:47 +0100 4372048 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4314006&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhenrietta-lacks-and-her-immortal-cells%2F2011.01.05 If you like science, true history, and an engaging story, pick up the new book by journalist Rebecca Skloot, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” and prepare for a great read. I knew nothing about the young black woman whose cells were taken back in 1951 by a scientist at Johns Hopkins Hospital and how those cells have revolutionized modern cell biology and research. The HeLa (named after HEnrietta LAcks) cells were taken as she lay dying on the “colored” ward at Johns Hopkins Hospital of aggressive cervical cancer at age 30. Everyone who studies basic cell biology has heard of HeLa cells because they were the first human cell line to be successfully grown in culture and they are alive today. HeLa cells were sent to researchers all across the globe and have been... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4314006 Wed, 05 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4314006 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309820&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F01%2F04%2Flab-on-a-chip-veridex-mgh-collaborate-on-next-generation-circulating-tumor-cell-test%2F Veridex, LLC announces a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital to develop and commercialize a next-generation circulating tumor cell technology for capturing, counting and characterizing tumor cells found in patients’ blood. Yesterday, Veridex, LLC (Veridex) announced a collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) to develop and commercialize a next-generation circulating tumor cell (CTC) technology for capturing, counting and characterizing tumor [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309820 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:52:21 +0100 4309820 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4302096&cid=t_103980_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fasymptomatic-cholelithiasis-gallstones%2F Cholelithiasis (gallstone formation) is a common disease and is 50% – 60% of cases is first diagnosed through an incidental finding on ultrasound or computed tomography. Only 10% – 20% of these patients ever become symptomatic and almost all of these patients have at least one episode of biliary colic before experiencing more significant complications such as pancreatitis or cholangitis. Thus, almost all patients with asymptomatic gallstones should be managed expectantly, epecially as cholecystectomy is an invasive procedure with well-described serious morbidity and mortality risks. However, there are a few subsets of patients where prophylactic cholecystectomy should strongly be considered. Patients with chronic hemolytic syndromes generally should be managed with elective cho... Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4302096 Fri, 31 Dec 2010 18:17:31 +0100 4302096 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4294670&cid=t_103980_99_f&fid=35344&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzackarysholemberger.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fmaybe-cell-phones-do-maraud-little-bit.html Now, instead of thinking that the concern for cancer risk from cell phones is BS, I think the concerns are exaggerated and misplaced. Let me explain.When I wrote my previous post, I was not aware of the meta-analysis from 2009 by Myung et al. in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. (A meta-analysis uses statistical techniques to classify and then pool results from a number of studies.) The work by Myung et al. needs some detailed discussion, but it presents some findings which bear consideration: first, that in the subgroup of studies they considered which were of higher quality, there is a positive association between any cell-phone use (compared to rare or never use) and brain tumors both benign and malignant. Second, there is a significant association, in all studies which consider cell-ph... Zackary Sholem Berger blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4294670 Wed, 29 Dec 2010 03:49:00 +0100 4294670 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4275599&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F12%2Foptimal-panel-for-differentiating-nsclc-in-small-specimens.html This study makes several practical points that can be nicely summarized as bullets: For ADC the most sensitive marker and best negative predictor is CK7: 93% sensitivity, 91% NPV. For ADC the most specific marker and best positive predictor is Napsin A: 94% specificity, 90% PPV. TTF-1 has similar specificity as Napsin A for ADC. For SQC the most sensitive marker and best negative predictor is p63: 84% sensitivity, 86% NPV. For SQC the most spepcific marker and best positive predictor is NTKR2 (a neurotrophic tyrosine kinase receptor, rarely used outside of research labs) but CK5/6 has a nearly identical specificity and PPV: about 95% specificity, about 95% PPV. No single marker is BOTH highly sensitive and specific for either ADC or SQC. The authors identified a 6-marker panel that inclu... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4275599 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:22:00 +0100 4275599 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4237896&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdiagnosising-sepsis-in-under-an-hour%2F2010.12.07 Because current sepsis tests can take up to two days to provide a diagnosis, many patients fail to receive proper treatment until it is too late. However, researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology hope to improve survival rates with the MinoLab, a new testing platform which they claim will be able to provide results in under an hour. The MinoLab uses magnetic nanoparticles to carry the analyte through multiple reaction chambers before providing a final diagnosis. More from the announcement: Dr. Dirk Kuhlmeier, a scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, explains how all that works: “After taking a sample of blood, magnetic nanoparticles bind themselves to the target cells in the blood sample through specific catcher molecules. We... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4237896 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 15:00:28 +0100 4237896 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4238160&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F12%2Fa-consensus-statement-of-egfr-mutation-testing-in-nsclc.html The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) and European Thoracic Oncology Platform recently published a consensus statement regarding EGFR mutation testng in NSCLC.  There was agreement that the decision to request EGFR mutation testing should be made by the treating physician.  The worskshop group underscored that the most important issue is cooperation and communication between the various disciplines with regard to tumor specimen handling.  The group did not reach a consensus on a preferred methodology but did stress the need for good laboratory practice with regard to validation and standardization of whatever methodology is used.  You can read more in the October 2010 Journal of Thoracic Oncology. This is interesting because of the fact ... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4238160 Tue, 07 Dec 2010 12:25:00 +0100 4238160 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233139&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007721.html British researchers have managed to stimulate stem cells to repair damaged myelin sheath (nerve insulator). This holds promise for multiple sclerosis treatment. The results come from the Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair and the Edinburgh Centre for Translational Research, two of the Society's major investments. We hope these results lead to clinical trials in people with MS in the next five years and the possibility of treatment within 15 years. Chief Executive Simon Gillespie said: "for people with MS this is one of the most exciting developments in recent years. It’s hard to put into words how revolutionary this discovery could be and how critical it is to continue research into MS. We're delighted to have funded the first stage of... (Source: FuturePundit) FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233139 Sun, 05 Dec 2010 00:00:00 +0100 4233139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225373&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F02%2F5-tips-for-a-low-stress-customer-service-experience%2F “Thank you for calling customer service! My name is Summer. How can I help you?” Wait, it’s after 5 pm. And this is the internet, not a phone. And I’m at my kitchen table, not in my drab fabric-walled cubicle. And I’m not wearing a headset. Let me switch hats for a moment and return to being a writer for the next few minutes. Tomorrow, I celebrate my last day of working in a customer service call center. (Despite the rumors, it’s not an easy gig.) Over the past few years, I’ve been called some less-than-savory names through the phone lines. A few customers have threatened me. Even more have called me a liar, played psychological games with me, and screamed words that their grandmothers would be ashamed to hear. Lesson learned: contacting a customer... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225373 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:57:02 +0100 4225373 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4205935&cid=t_103980_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=4200582&cid=t_103980_99_f&fid=35344&url=http%3A%2F%2Fzackarysholemberger.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Flet-us-discuss-murderous-cell-phones.html Cancer and cell phones - I meant to blog about this for some time, since it has long trended among the most read articles at the Times website. To be charitable, the article did make me go and look up the literature, so that's not a bad thing. In short, however, the Times treatment is irresponsible and fear-mongering.First, let me remark that the Times article mentions by name a refereed study of cellphones in humans only in the 14th paragraph. And it neglects to mention the multiple studies which have shown no connection.Now, let's consider the INTERPHONE study referred to in the Times piece (it's one of these with the fake acronyms). It showed no connection between cell phone use and cancers, when all brain cancers are taken together. Now, it's reasonable for them to analyze different ca... Zackary Sholem Berger blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4200582 Thu, 25 Nov 2010 19:03:00 +0100 4200582 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4190208&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FWU2DY-YNwLo%2Frisks-of-fat-grafting-in-breast-cancer.html Fat grafting as a means of either (cosmetically) enlarging breasts or (reconstructively) correcting defects / asymmetries after breast cancer surgery/radiation therapy has been gaining ground as an acceptable method in the past few years.  True, much debate is still occurring but research is being encouraged to answer questions regarding safety (short and long-term) and efficacy. The two articles (full references below) from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine suggests that it is NOT safe to use adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) that may be part of fat grafting in any patient with active tumor cells.  From the first article’s abstract (bold emphasis is mine): Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) have been proposed to stabilize autologous fat grafts fo... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4190208 Mon, 22 Nov 2010 12:15:00 +0100 4190208 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4183299&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealth-information-whos-using-a-cell-phone-to-find-it%2F2010.11.18 What do cell phones and health-information seeking have in common? Very little, at least among the chronically ill (e.g., the folks who are driving healthcare use and cost). An American Medical News article about the latest Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project study on mobile phone use caught my eye. The introduction to the article reads: Despite the proliferation of cell phones in the United States, the number of people using them to access health information is low. But experts believe the sheer number of people using mobile phones and wireless devices means that health information eventually will get more mobile as well. According to the study, 85 percent of Americans use mobile phones, but only 17 percent of cell phone owners have used them to look up he... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4183299 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:00:44 +0100 4183299 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175842&cid=t_103980_117_f&fid=38158&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.drneedles.comhttp%3A%2F%2Famericanacupuncture.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fbrown-cell-treatment-for-obesity.html BROWN CELL TREATMENT FOR OBESITY We all know there’s good and bad cholesterol. It turns out that there is also good and bad fat. White fat White fat is considered bad. It is distributed to widely throughout the body.  These specialized cells is door lipids or adipocytes. They are defined in childhood and stay steady throughout life. 10% of the cells are renewed each year.  The main determinants of obesity are the number of adipocytes and their societies.All fat cells in the body stays the same since new cells are offset by an equal loss of cells that die. Losing weight as an adult only shrinks the mass of the cells, which is quickly  recovered by new cells. It’s hard to maintain the weight you reached after a reducing diet since the new fat cells that... Dr. Needles Medical Blogs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175842 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 01:38:00 +0100 4175842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175981&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F11%2Fassociation-between-egfr-mutations-and-ercc1-expression-in-nsclc.html Gandara and colleagues from UC Davis Cancer Center have published ahead-of-print on October 21, 2010 in Journal of Thoracic Oncology an interesting article examining the association between EGFR activating mutations and ERCC1 gene expression in NSCLC. NSCLC tumors that show EGFR activating mutations are also more likely to show low expression of ERCC1 mRNA levels according to this study.  This might explain (at least in part) the clinical observation that suggest enhanced efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLCs. The authors performed microdissection of tumors from 1207 patients with NSCLC and analyzed EGFR mutation by allele-specific by PCR and ERCC1 mRNA expression by RT-PCR. Median ERCC1 expression was histology-related: adenocarcinoma (ADC... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175981 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:04:00 +0100 4175981 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4159242&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fstem-cell-researchers-turn-skin-into-blood-could-help-cancer-treatment%2F2010.11.12 From The Australian: Stem cell researchers have found a way to turn a person’s skin into blood, a process that could be used to treat cancer and other ailments, according to a Canadian study published today. The method uses cells from a patch of a person’s skin and transforms it into blood that is a genetic match, without using human embryonic stem cells, said the study in the journal Nature. Wow. Very cool. I wonder if hopefully someday this could be a replacement for random blood donation? *This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4159242 Fri, 12 Nov 2010 13:00:50 +0100 4159242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4142785&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2FVEd4PPsksjU%2Fstem-cells.html The October issue of the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal has a nice review article of stem cells (bold emphasis is mine).  The article gives an overview of current advancements in the field of stem cell research, as well as perspectives for future clinical applications. Stem cells are defined by their capacity to both self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell lines. Traditionally, they have been divided into two main groups based on their potential to differentiate. Pluripotent stem cells (embryonic) can differentiate into every cell of the body, whereas multipotent stem cells (adult) can differentiate into multiple, but not all, cell lineages. In addition to the traditional stem cell classification, a new class of stem cells has recently been described—induced ... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4142785 Mon, 08 Nov 2010 11:14:00 +0100 4142785 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4134164&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=39026&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarolinemfr.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Finteresting-adventure.html Cancer relapse or the 'Cancer Sleeper Cell' are oh-so-reassuring (NOT!). I read this article and paid attention to it - through all five pages. So they are now trying to figure out if cancer has its own stem cells. But they haven't quite figured it out yet. They are trying. They have been working in this area since at least 1974 - so in 36+ years they still aren't sure.On one level its quite interesting and almost exciting that they are looking at cancer down at the cell level to see which ones are stem cells - capable of regenerating themselves. They are this deep into cancer biology that they are looking at it cell by cell, detail by detail. They can define different kinds of cells and know which ones they should treat differently.On the other hand, its been more than 36 years so this mu... Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4134164 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:25:00 +0100 4134164 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125064&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F11%2F01%2Fbad-mommy-the-baby-blues-and-postpartum-depression%2F Eighteen years ago, when I gave birth to my son, I was a wreck; depressed and racked with guilt over it. I learned later I wasn’t alone. Many mothers felt the same way when their kids were born, only they kept it quiet. Today, thank God, the silence is broken and women can admit just how imperfect their mommy-ness feels at times. Back in the old days, however, it was odd for a woman to confess that she didn’t feel a strong traditional pull to be a mother. We’re talking way back — before cell phones, before the Internet, before Facebook, even before reality television shows! For my husband and me, circumstances beyond our control forced us to consider life without children. Having the choice taken away from us because of my chronic illness was depressing and we had to wo... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125064 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 16:56:02 +0100 4125064 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125295&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F11%2Fdetecting-alk-in-endobronchial.html The October 15, 2010 issue of Clinical Cancer Research has an intriguing article that could have major implications for staging and prognostication in lung cancer.  Sakairi and colleagues from Chiba Cancer Center in Japan show the feasibility of using endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) to obtain specimens suitable for testing for EML4-ALK fusion gene in NSCLC lung cancer patients with proven hilar and/or mediastinal lymph node metastasis. The protocol for this study involved chest CT followed by EBUS-TBNA for lymph nodes >5 mm.  They obtained a histologic core using a 22-gauge needle and divided the specimen into two parts with one part placed in 20% (!) formalin and the other half placed in a cryopreservative solution and then froze... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125295 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 11:45:00 +0100 4125295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4122024&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2F31%2Fgirls-with-stage-i-ovarian-germ-cell-tumors-can-safely-skip-chemotherapy-until-recurrence%2F Researchers from Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center found that as many as 50 percent of young girls treated for germ-cell ovarian tumors may be safely spared chemotherapy using a “watch and wait” strategy to determine whether follow-up treatment is needed. Researchers from Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC) found that as many as 50 percent of young girls [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4122024 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 22:23:31 +0100 4122024 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119713&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fiqx9Ideosb4%2F There’s nothing like a nasty battle over the rights to a drug under development to make for interesting reading. And so we present you with some intense legal haggling over a molecule known as WZ4002, which was discovered by researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston for combating non small-cell lung cancer with specific gene mutations. The compound is potentially quite valuable because it may be able to treat patients who don’t respond to existing cancer pills. The dispute, however, is not your run-of-the-mill spat over development rights. Instead, the lawsuit peels back the curtain on some of the jockeying that occurs among universities, drugmakers and scientists when potentially lucrative intellectual property rights are in play. Here’s why: the legal ba... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119713 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:35:42 +0100 4119713 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119748&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F10%2Falk-inhibition-in-nsclc.html Great stuff in this week's NEJM! Today's (October 28, 2010) New England Journal of Medicine has no less than three articles reporting the use of small molecule ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitor crizotinib (PF-02341066, Pfizer) in non-small-cell lung cancers harboring the oncogenic fusion gene EML4-ALK and in a patient with ALK-rearrangement positive inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, a distinctive but uncommon soft tissue neoplasm.   Pathologists should be familiar with these articles--at least so you can suggest appropriate testing for ALK rearrangement but also that you might "shine" at your next Tumor Conference ; )  BTW, the article by Kwak et al. presents in paper form the data that rocked this past summer's ASCO Annual Meeting regarding criz... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119748 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 04:51:39 +0100 4119748 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4119079&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F28%2Fmilitary-mental-health-theres-an-app-and-money-for-that%2F Two good pieces of good news came out of the military this week — especially for soldiers and veterans who are facing mental health concerns. The first is the Monday announcement by Pentagon officials of a free smart phone application for Android devices designed to help soldiers and veterans to track their emotional health. It’s called the T2 Mood Tracker (from the National Center for Telehealth and Technology) is available free free download now. (The iPhone app is in the works.) It’s basically a mood tracker, allowing users to track their mood, happiness and stress levels throughout the day. Anyone can download and use the app, free of charge. The second piece of good news is the announcement that the U.S. Army will spend $17 million over 3 years to study suicide in so... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4119079 Thu, 28 Oct 2010 21:43:36 +0100 4119079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098513&cid=t_103980_180_f&fid=38607&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fsuccessbeginstoday%2FBHWQ%2F%7E3%2F8jNamSpOnH8%2F I am not a naturally organized person. Over the years I have developed some tools that help me stay on track with the myriad of daily interruptions that can lead me astray. My favorite tool that I use is a paper based daily planner. Mine has morphed over the years and currently has six boxes at the top for my daily priorities with four boxes along the side for e-mail, phone calls, meetings, and notes. The bottom has a to-do list. It looks like this… I’ve tried organization apps on my computer and cell phone, but I always come back to paper. While this works for me, my question is this: What organizational tools do you use to stay on track? (Source: Success Begins Today) Success Begins Today blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098513 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 13:37:03 +0100 4098513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4098113&cid=t_103980_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FrXAasmOrgSc%2F One of the really interesting things that I’ve heard at the Mobile Health Expo has been the use of text messages to assist with patient compliance. I think this is at least the third time at this conference that I’ve been hearing about the use of text messages in healthcare as a way to remind patients of their need to comply with the doctors instructions. In one case, NoMoreClipboard is working with a hospital to use medical minutes (basically subsidizing their cell phone plan) for participants in a diabetes program. In this program, users would access the NoMoreClipboard PHR through their cell phone where they can update their blood glucose levels or other information as designed by their hospital. This is pretty cool, but the interesting part is the way they’re using te... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4098113 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:08:18 +0100 4098113 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4086528&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F10%2Fa-little-bit-more-about-bac-of-lung.html Literally within minutes of publishing my previous post following up on a digital case challenge on bronchioloalveolar carcinoma (BAC) of the lung, I discover this month's (October 2010) Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine on my desk which contains a nice article by Lindsay Schmidt and Jeffrey Myers titled, "Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma and the Significance of Invasion: Predicting Biologic Behavior" (Arch Pathol Lab Med 2010;134:1450-1454). The issue is how to designate tumors that show stromal invasion but are mostly BAC (think Miracle Max from The Princess Bride: "It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead.").  Ah, but how much is mostly?  This ... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4086528 Wed, 20 Oct 2010 10:56:00 +0100 4086528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4082183&cid=t_103980_113_f&fid=39278&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblogsite.mdbuyline.com%2F%3Fp%3D63 The heart is an amazing device in itself but has one major drawback: once damaged, it has a limited ability to repair itself.  So, calling the use of your own cells to repair damaged heart tissue “groundbreaking” is an understatement!  However, Dr. Warren Sherman, MD, FACC, FSCAI Director, Cardiac Cell-Based Endovascular Therapies Center for Interventional Vascular Therapy, Columbia University Medical Center, is a leading authority on autologous cell therapy and explained its potential to me.  He stated, “We’re looking at cell therapy for the treatment of heart muscle disease after it’s been damaged, meaning weeks, months, or years after it’s been damaged.  For patients with congestive heart failure, the impact could be huge.” Autologous cell therapy is a process that use... MD Buyline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4082183 Tue, 19 Oct 2010 15:36:17 +0100 4082183 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4074464&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fgerm-cell-tumor-web-page-available.html The recent blog series on germ cell tumors has been packaged into a single web page available at:http://www.julesberman.info/factoids/germcell.htm- © 2010 Jules Berman key words: carcinogenesis, neoplasia, neoplasms, tumor development, tumour development, tumor biology, tumour biology, carcinogenesis (Source: Specified Life) Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4074464 Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:12:00 +0100 4074464 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4065327&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2Fyour-cell-phone-tweets-takes-pics-and-gives-you-a-tumor%2F photo: Thinkstock Check out this post from Emily Tan on Lemondrop. From cell phones and Crackberries to iPhones and laptops, technology has become such an intricate part of our daily lives, we sure wouldn’t know how to live without it. However, as convenient as these devices make our lives, a new book argues they may take a not-well-known toll on our health. In “Zapped: Why Your Cell Phone Shouldn’t Be Your Alarm Clock and 1,268 Ways To Outsmart The Hazards of Electronic Pollution,” Dr. Ann Louise Gittleman, author of the New York Times Bestseller “Fat Flush Plan,” as well as 30 other books on health and nutrition, explores the various ways our bodies are affected by “electronic pollution” — and how to protect ourselves from these elec... Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4065327 Wed, 13 Oct 2010 15:15:35 +0100 4065327 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4061078&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJm5q94WjWFs%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day has arrived. We have gotten off to a reasonable start by hustling one of the short people to the schoolhouse on time. Of course, there is still much to do. So join us as we peruse the news of the world and celebrate the passing of another year with a cup of stimulation. Hope your day goes well and do stay in touch… Lundbeck Buys Rights To Merck’s Bipolar Disorder Drug (Bloomberg News) Halozyme Cuts Workforce By 25 Percent (InPharma-Technologist) Sara Bloom Fights Health Care Fraud (The Washington Post) Four Big Drugmakers Bid For Paras Pharma (The Business Standard) Pfizer Reports Promising Data On NSCLC Drug (PharmaTimes) Turkey’s Biofarma May Be For Sale (Reuters) (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4061078 Tue, 12 Oct 2010 12:05:00 +0100 4061078 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4045403&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F10%2Fi-pulled-this-from-fiercebiotech-news-which-i-thought-you-who-are-interested-in-breast-and-lung-cancer-should-note-hours.html I pulled this from FierceBiotech news which I thought you who are interested in breast and lung cancer should note: Hours ahead of the 2010 European Society for Medical Oncology meeting in Milan, Roche CEO Severin Schwan is talking up data from two of his company's cancer drugs: T-DM1, a breast cancer treatment, and MetMab, a drug for lung cancer. "I think a lot of people will be very excited about what we have to present," said Schwan, as quoted by Reuters. "I think the T-DM1 results are stunning; MetMab results are stunning." The remarks were made at a press and analyst event in Tokyo. In a head-to-head Phase II study, T-DM1 demonstrated a higher response rate and lower toxicity than Roche's blockbuster Herceptin. TheStreet notes that ... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4045403 Fri, 08 Oct 2010 19:59:41 +0100 4045403 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040802&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fgerm-cell-cancers-of-testes-conclusion.html This is the last entry on a series of blogs on germ cell cancers of the testes.I've added forward and backward links for each of the blogs in the series, so you can visit the first blog in the series and click forward or backward through the sequential entries.Basically, in this series, we showed, using the SEER public use data files, that there has been a large increase in the incidence of germ cell cancers of the testis in white non-Hispanic males since the first SEER observation year (1973) up to the most recent data year (2007).Along with the increase in seminomatous germ cell cancers was a lesser but parallel increase in the non-seminomatous germ cell cancers of the testis, when compared in birth cohort populations. The seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell cancers, though deriv... Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040802 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 20:38:00 +0100 4040802 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4040601&cid=t_103980_106_f&fid=36682&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSutureForALiving%2F%7E3%2Fp-o3PNCbQX0%2Fstem-cell-face-lifts.html It’s been almost a month since the LA Times ran the article by Chris Woolston:  The Healthy Skeptic: Stem cell face-lifts on unproven ground.  It’s well written and presents a fairly balanced view.  While I am a fan of stem cell research, I think the “claims” are often put ahead of the science.  This is one of those times.  I can’t find any decent articles to support the claims of the plastic surgeons doing “stem cell face-lifts.” My view is echoed in the article (bold emphasis is mine): Rubin says he's excited about the potential of stem cells in the cosmetic field and beyond. Still, he adds, there are many unanswered questions about the cosmetic use of stem cells, and anyone who claims to have already mastered the technique is jumping the gun. As ... Suture for a Living blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4040601 Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:17:00 +0100 4040601 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036956&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F10%2Ffollow-up-on-adenocarcinoma-with-bac-features.html My last post was a "Digital Case Challenge" presenting a case of pulmonary adenocarcinoma with non-mucinous bronchioloalveolar (BAC) features. Here's my synopsis of 3 recent papers on bronchioloalveolar carcinoma that focus on the clinicopathological, histological, and molecular differences between the two subtypes, non-mucinous and mucinous, as well as the practical importance in distinguishing these two subtypes. 1.  Wislez et al, in a recently published paper in Lung Cancer (2010;68:185-191), studied 50 cases of non-resectable adenocarcinoma with bronchioloalveolar (ADC-BAC) features who were enrolled in a multicenter study to evaluate gefitinib as a first-line therapy for non-resectable ADC-BAC.  Previous trials (SWOG S0126 and IFCT0401) have shown that ... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036956 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 21:13:32 +0100 4036956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036957&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fexplaining-rise-in-testicular-germ-cell.html In yesterday's blog we saw that the rise in testicular cancer rates in white males showed a parallel increase in seminomatous and non-seminomatous germ cell cancers among birth cohorts.What can explain this increase?There is one class of conditions that is overwhelmingly associated with the development of germ cell tumors of the testis: disorders of sex development of the testes.[1] Among the conditions within this general group are testicular dysgenesis, testicular feminization (insensitivity to androgens), and cryptorchidism. Disorders of sex development of the testis raise the incidence of intratubular germ cell neoplasia or of gonadoblastoma, both of which are testicular precancers. As you might expect, along with the observed increase in testicular germ cell cancers in white males, th... Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036957 Wed, 06 Oct 2010 12:31:00 +0100 4036957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4036958&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fexplaining-germ-cell-cancer-rates.html In yesterday's blog we explained how the precancer of testicular germ cell tumors, intratubular germ cell neoplasia, gives rise to seminomas (differentiated germinomatous lineage) and non-seminomas (tumors of pluripotent progenitor cells that are not of germ cell lineage).In the first blog of this series on germ cell tumors , we noted that the increase in occurrences of seminomas has outpaced the occurrences of the nonseminomatous germ cell tumors. Here is a graph, produced from the SEER public use data sets, of the crude occurrences of seminoma and non-seminoma testicular germ cell tumors, in white males, since 1973.The light blue bars are the seminomas, and the maroon bars are the non-seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testes. Since 1973, the seminomas increased from a number much lowe... Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4036958 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 15:47:00 +0100 4036958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4022914&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftech-nitis-new-overuse-injuries-from-too-much-personal-technology%2F2010.10.01 It’s not surprising to people that I’m a “techy” type of guy. Reading tech stories about the latest gadgets is a nice occasional escape from work. One of the ways that medicine and tech intersect is in some “overuse injuries” that I’ve seen and talked with people about. When the Nintendo Wii first came out, there were many stories of “Wii-itis” and tendonitis-related injuries. Last week American Medical News interviewed me for a story posted on their site [on September 27th] called “New Personal Technology Creating New Ailments.” The article opens like this: When Mike Sevilla, MD, sees young patients at his Salem, Ohio, family practice, he often finds them text messaging or listening to music on portable media players. The... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4022914 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 12:00:00 +0100 4022914 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013207&cid=t_103980_93_f&fid=38821&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheapstudent.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Ftrouble-with-tissues.html I don't think I've ever met a person who could identify tissues of the body on sight on their first day of trying. And yet many A&P students get frustrated just because they can't "get it" after only one day of trying. Identifying tissue types by sight is difficult for everyone, at first—for  several reasons.First, each example is unique. No two examples look exactly alike, just like no two fingerprints look exactly alike.So you have to learn to look for patterns. And you can't do that until you've looked at a lot of examples. And that takes time—and a lot of practice.Second, not all examples are stained in exactly the same way. Even when the same general type of staining is used, a lot depends on the quality of the sample, the quality of the stain used, and how well the prepa... The A and P Student blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013207 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4013207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013597&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fnon-seminomatous-germ-cell-tumors.html In yesterday's blog, we examined the enormous increase in the incidence of seminomatous germ cell tumors occurring in white non-Hispanic males.There are two categories of germ cell tumors: seminomatous and non-seminomatous.The seminomatous tumors are tumors composed predominantly of a single cell type, the gonocyte. The non-neoplastic gonocyte would normally produce sperm cell in the testis. Seminomas are permitted to contain a few neoplastic trophoblasts, but otherwise, seminomas are composed of a population of large, round, monomorphic cells. The other type of germ cell tumors is the non-seminomatous tumors, and these tumors are composed of malignant cells resembling those of the pluripotent primitive embryonic (from the early embryo) or extra-embryonic (from the placenta) malignant cell... Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013597 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 19:00:00 +0100 4013597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003451&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=39055&url=http%3A%2F%2Fjulesberman.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fgerm-cell-tumors-problems.html Germ cell tumors are very rare neoplasms that occur most often in young adults and children.For a variety of reasons, which I'll try to explain in the next few blog posts, much of what we think we understand about these tumors is highly confusing and probably wrong.Considering that these are rare tumors, you might accept a certain degree of ignorance, but sometimes the mysteries that surround rare tumors must be solved before we can make any headway understanding the more common tumors.Also, for some strange reason, the incidence of seminomatous germ cell tumors of the testes, in the white population, has been increasing over the past 35 years (at least).Here are the numbers, computed from the SEER (the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results) public use ... Specified Life blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003451 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 12:40:00 +0100 4003451 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3999052&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=36089&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthesituationist.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F24%2Fthe-situation-of-halfalogues%2F From EurekAlert: “Yeah, I’m on my way home.” “That’s funny.” “Uh-huh.” “What? No! I thought you were – ” “Oh, ok.” Listening to someone talk on a cell phone is very annoying. A new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science, finds out why: Hearing just one side of a conversation is much more distracting than hearing both sides and reduces our attention in other tasks. Lauren Emberson, a psychology Ph.D. candidate at Cornell University, came up with the idea for the study when she was taking the bus as an undergraduate student at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. “I was commuting for 45 minutes by bus every day and I really felt like... The Situationist blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3999052 Fri, 24 Sep 2010 04:01:53 +0100 3999052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3983293&cid=t_103980_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fmost-americans-sleep-with-cell-phones.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3983293 Mon, 20 Sep 2010 00:24:00 +0100 3983293 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976531&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F09%2F16%2Fwhy-are-cell-phone-conversations-so-distracting%2F We’ve all been there — sitting in a public place, and feeling like that person over there, talking on their cell phone, is so annoying. Why are they so annoying? What makes a cell phone conversation that you overhear so distracting? Four researchers, led by Lauren Emberson (2010) from Cornell University, set to find out. Previous research has shown that we don’t seem to be as distracted when listening to a full dialogue between two people as when we are listening to a “halfalogue” — that is, just one side of a two-sided conversation. In two small studies conducted exclusively on 41 college undergraduates, the researchers devised tasks to measure how distracting mobile phone conversations are when we hear only one side of the conversation. Specifically, t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976531 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 18:44:51 +0100 3976531 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973117&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fb2h0UB6N-As%2F Rise and shine, everyone. Another day is upon us. But this is a good thing. As one of our favorite sages, the Morning Mayor, used to say: Every brand new day should be unwrapped like a precious gift. While you tug on the ribbon, we will brew the mandatory cup of stimulation and poke around for interesting items. Here, in fact, are a few to help you get started. Have a good one and stay in touch… Roche Rules Out Merging R&D With Genentech (Reuters) Abbott To Close Canadian Baby Formula Plant (Brockville Recorder & Times) China’s BGI And Merck Form Alliance (Bio-IT World) Abbott Fights To Keep Meridia Diet Pill On The Market (Reuters) K-V Pharmaceutical Secures A $20M Loan (Fox Business) Genentech CEO Resigns From Dendreon Board (Xconomy) Cell Therapeutics Appeals FDA R... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973117 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:51:18 +0100 3973117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3954493&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F09%2Fgrading-system-for-lung-adenocarcinoma-still-elusive.html The August 2010 issue of American Journal of Surgical Pathology features an article from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center group proposing a grading system for lung adenocarcinoma in stage 1 cancer. Sica G, Yoshizawa A, Sima CS, et al.  A grading system of lung adenocarcinoma based on histologic pattern is predictive of disease recurrence in stage I tumors.  Am J Surg Pathol 2010;34:1155-1162. The authors articulate the frustration pathologists experience in dealing with the histological heterogeneity of lung adenocarcinoma (ACa) since the vast majority are mixed subtype as well as the lack of an objective, clinically relevant grading system for lung ACa.  Recent literature has shown that mixed subtype tumors with solid or micropapillary components appear to ha... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3954493 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 11:20:00 +0100 3954493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3924877&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F198049%2F Stem Cell Case: The Justice Department has filed an appeal regarding the temporary ban on federal funding for stem cell research. (via NPR) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3924877 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:52:41 +0100 3924877 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907795&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F08%2Flung-adenocarcinoma-variants.html There are five common types of adenocarcinoma (actually I would say four since "mixed" doesn't seem to me a specific 'type") recognized in the WHO classification of lung cancer.  But this classification also includes five rare but distinctive variants: fetal adenocarcinoma, mucin-producing adencarcinomas (mucinous "colloid" adenocarcinoma, mucinous cystadenocarcinoma, and signet ring adenocarcinoma), and clear cell adenocarcinoma.  While rare to exceedingly rare as pure tumors, the variant patterns are important to be aware of because they occur much more commonly as a component of mixed type adenocarcinomas, are associated with particular clinicopathologic features, and often require the exclusion of a different primary site.  Anoth... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907795 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:20:00 +0100 3907795 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3902872&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F196962%2F Stem Cell Debate: Officials from the Obama administration said that they would appeal the federal ruling temporarily prohibiting federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. (via Reuters) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3902872 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 13:15:47 +0100 3902872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3902947&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F25%2Fproof-positive-generosity-as-a-business-model%2F Good works are links that form a chain of love. — Mother Teresa My nickname is eleven-fifty-nine. That is the time I show up at the bank on Saturdays. They close at noon. I know the tellers. They laugh each week when I come in. I laugh too. I always promise I will try to get there earlier next week. I never do.   Life just gets in the way. I went to the bank this past Friday. It is my writing day, and I was writing what you are now reading. I got there about 10 a.m. The tellers laughed, checked their imaginary or real watches and wondered out loud what day it was. I told them not to expect this from me again. As I filled out the deposit slip, an unkempt, scraggly man carrying a satchel got in line. I noticed the tellers paying attention to him and his sack. My anti-terrorism parano... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3902947 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 11:39:58 +0100 3902947 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3876910&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F08%2Fscreening-for-egfr-and-kras-mutations-by-clinicopathologic-featuresa-contraposition.html Dr. Sonia Dacic and the lung pathology group at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center recently published in Modern Pathology an article (full text here), "Clinicopathologic predictors of EGFR/KRAS mutational status in primary lung adenocarcinomas."  The authors state that the aim of the study was "to determine whether clinicopathological characteristics and morphology of lung adenocarcinomas might be used as predictors of tumor mutational status, which then may be implemented as the selection criteria for molecular profiling of lung adenocarcinomas in clinical practice."  Implicit in this statement are the assumptions that molecular testing of lung adenocarcinoma is expensive and that screening cases for molecular testing by morphological criteria would be... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3876910 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 11:30:00 +0100 3876910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3868719&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=34902&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.futurepundit.com%2Farchives%2F007408.html Fun with cell engineering. The Howard Hughes Medical Institute funds a lot of cool stuff btw. Therapeutic cells, such as those implanted in the body to battle cancer or replenish devastated populations of stem cells, may someday be able to carry their own life-support packets. New research, led by Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) investigator Darrell J. Irvine, shows how transplanted cells can be loaded with minuscule particles, or nanoparticles, which contain substances that help the therapeutic cells survive and flourish. These tiny packets of drugs may provide more effective support for the therapeutic cells, and cause less harm overall, because doctors might be able to achieve therapeutic effects with smaller doses of medicine. In this case the researchers are... (Source: FutureP... FuturePundit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3868719 Sat, 14 Aug 2010 23:00:00 +0100 3868719 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3831398&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F08%2F06%2Fbest-of-our-blogs-august-6-2010%2F I remember being in my early twenties sitting in my beat-up Nissan right in the peak of traffic hour. I had no air conditioning. The music was not on. I think the only people who owned cell phones back then were doctors and dentists. It was so hot that my palms were sweaty and slippery against the hot steering wheel. The unforgiving heat from the cars all around me felt suffocating. This was an ordinary day and I was just on my way home from work. I would not have remembered it other than the fact that I had an extraordinary experience sitting there being very ordinary. Suddenly, I just felt plain loved. I felt grateful for being me, for every hardship I had ever endured, for every fear I had, for every imperfection that made me unique. In the midst of all that traffic while people were ho... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3831398 Fri, 06 Aug 2010 12:23:27 +0100 3831398 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3827000&cid=t_103980_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fcontroversial-ncaarequired-genetic-screening-start-month%2F The controversial new NCAA rule that college athletes competing in NCAA athletic programs must undergo genetic screening for sickle cell trait is due to start next month. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3827000 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 12:05:44 +0100 3827000 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3807528&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F07%2Fmrna-subtypes-in-lung-squamous-cell-carcinoma.html With all the recent studies looking at various distinct histological and molecular subtypes in lung adenocarcinoma, lung squamous cell carcinoma has been somewhat neglected.  Pathologists have recognized variability in morphological appearances in squamous cell carcinomas and there is a wide range of clinical outcomes.  Although the recent WHO classification recognizes four uncommon histological variants, their biological and clinical significance is not clear.  Moreover, clinical differences between other less-defined morphological patterns are unknown.A paper published online on July 19, 2010 on Clinical Cancer Research by Wilkerson et al. from University of North Carolina sheds a new light of lung squamous cell carcinoma (abstract).  They describe four novel repr... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3807528 Sat, 31 Jul 2010 14:19:12 +0100 3807528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946233&cid=t_103980_139_f&fid=38879&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FVirologyBlog%2F%7E3%2FVsA8GRuYb4Q%2F The illustration at left depicts a virion – the infectious particle that is designed for transmission of the nucleic acid genome among hosts or host cells. A virion is not the same as a virus. I define virus as a distinct biological entity with five different characteristics. Others believe that the virus is actually the infected host cell. The idea that virus and virion are distinct was first proposed by Bandea in 1983. He suggested that a virus is an organism without a cohesive morphological structure, with subsystems that are not in structural continuity: Viruses are presented as organisms which pass in their ontogenetic cycle through two distinctive phenotypic phases: (1) the vegetative phase and (2) the phase of viral particle or nucleic acid. In the vegetative phase, considered... virology blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946233 Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:12:51 +0100 3946233 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3772185&cid=t_103980_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fstudies-show-adult-stem-cells-programmable-embyro-stem-cells%2F Stem cell harvest Studies led by Dr. George Daly of Children’s Hospital in Boston and Dr. Ihor Lemischka of the Black Family Stem Cell Institute in New York have found that adult stem cells are not as completely “reprogrammable” as embryo stem cells and still retain some memory of their original tissue type. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3772185 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 00:18:15 +0100 3772185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3767335&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F07%2Fmucinous-bronchioloalveolar-carcinoma-of-lung-and-alk-mutation.html In this study, 96% of responders had adenocarcinoma histology--primarily signet ring morphology.This is surely a very exceptional case since mucinous ACa/BAC is a very distinctive histological subtype and has been also characterized at the molecular level as being associated with KRAS mutation.  The point is that histology is not a perfect predictor of potentially druggable molecular pathologies.  If targeted therapy is being contemplated in NSCLC, we should adopt a systematic approach to all NSCLC regardless of histology.  At this point, while we are identifying patients who may potentially benefit from targeted therapy, we are building a database that will allow a more full appreciation of the relationship between histological type and molecular pathology.Thanks t... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3767335 Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:06:14 +0100 3767335 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3764269&cid=t_103980_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F07%2F18%2Fchallenges-of-enriched-environment-significantly-curb-cancer-growth-in-mice%2F Living in an environment rich with physical, mental and social stimulation – a setting that causes mild stress – appears by itself to curb cancer growth in mice, according to a new study led by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3764269 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:32:50 +0100 3764269 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3762903&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwill-science-succeed-with-an-anti-aging-revolution%2F2010.07.17 Wouldn’t it be great if we could find a way to prolong our lives and to keep us healthy right up to the end? Ponce de León never found that Fountain of Youth, but science is still looking. What are the chances science will succeed? How’s it doing so far? In his new book The Youth Pill: Scientists at the Brink of an Anti-Aging Revolution, David Stipp tries to answer those questions. From the title of the book, I expected hype about resveratrol or some other miracle pill, but instead it is a nuanced, levelheaded, entertaining, informative account of the history and current state of longevity research. It makes that research come alive by telling stories about the people involved, the failures and setbacks, and the agonizingly slow process of teasing out the truth with a series of experi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3762903 Sat, 17 Jul 2010 12:00:59 +0100 3762903 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3761276&cid=t_103980_146_f&fid=38266&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepeducation.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fwhy-iphone-and-droid-arent-smart-for.html (Source: Sleep Education) Sleep Education blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3761276 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:49:00 +0100 3761276 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3754079&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=38374&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FePharmaSummit%2F%7E3%2FFvzsBN83Vls%2Fcan-mobile-health-lead-to-medicaid.html Heath Care at MSNBC recently looked at the work Dr. Richard Katz is doing in Washington, DC, to work with inner city individuals to monitor their diabetes daily. By using cell phones as medical devices, they are hoping to take daily readings of blood sugar and send reports back to the doctors. Then, if numbers are incorrect, the doctors can communicate with the patients as to what they need to do to get their blood sugar back to normal. Then upon normal doctors visits, all of the information is recorded at NoMoreClipboard.com. Thus, encouraging individuals to consistently monitor their health on a daily basis before conditions worsen. Read the full article here. As this experiment is focused in inner-city Washington, DC, the daily healthcare will contribute to Medicare saving.What do you t... ePharma Summit blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3754079 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:16:00 +0100 3754079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3750027&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fverizon-opens-green-store-an-empty-gesture%2F photo: Thinkstock Verizon Wireless announced plans to open a state-of-the-art green store in the Bank of America Tower in New York City. The Bank of America Tower is certified from the Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design — so, basically, it’s super green. But cell phones are definitely not. A Huffington Post article suggests that it would be more beneficial to the environment for Verizon to have a “Turn Off Your Cellphone Hour” rather than open up one eco-friendly storefront. What do you think? Is it hypocritical for a company that sells a not-eco friendly product to operate out of a green store? Or does every little green effort count? via Huffington Post Post from: BlissTree Verizon Opens Green Store: An Empty Gesture? (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3750027 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 20:03:23 +0100 3750027 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3854769&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38406&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FThe1xObjective%2F%7E3%2FcYPOf08KSOo%2F [via MedGadget] GEN (Genetic Engineering & BioTech News) is sponsoring a contest over at it’s website.  If you can decipher the posted cryptogram, you get a cash prize as well as a free... Catch the rest of the story after the break... (Source: The 1x Objective) The 1x Objective blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3854769 Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:14:04 +0100 3854769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3740570&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Ffriday-photo-throwback-the-first-cell-phone%2F We consider anything that happened in Back to the Future Part II and is happening now a total technological success. For example, video calling is definitely up there, because the new iPhone offers video phone. And to think that we might not even have cell phones if Martin Cooper didn’t dream of a portable telephone way back in 1973. Watch Cooper below, demonstrating a cellular phone call in New York City. photo via CNN via CNN Post from: BlissTree Friday Photo Throwback: The First Cell Phone (Source: Breastfeeding 1-2-3) Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3740570 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 19:55:29 +0100 3740570 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3746687&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=34872&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Ffeel%2F187954%2F Link Between HPV and Skin Cancer: A new study suggests that the risk for developing squamous cell carcinoma is higher if you have HPV, especially if you’re taking drugs like glucocorticoids to suppress the immune system. (via US News and World Report) Post from: BlissTree (Source: Healthbolt) Healthbolt blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3746687 Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:40:16 +0100 3746687 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737080&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F08%2Fdating-some-self-esteem-savers%2F I have been in the single arena, and it is an arena, for nearly a year. In this time frame I have learned, lost, cried and felt elation, all at varying levels. How does a woman know when the guy actually likes her? How does a woman know what to say or do and not seem crazy? The answers are there are no answers. Sometimes one person may feel a connection when the other does not. Sometimes we come across potential partners who are super-sexy, successful and have that “catch me if you can” attitude. They’re not worth running after if they won’t run right after you too. Dating is hard. But I think the key to positive dating is to attempt to remain objective as possible. I know this is nearly impossible for some and I am guilty of it. Many of us have hopes and ideas of t... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737080 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 10:30:29 +0100 3737080 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733055&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Femail-signatures-unprofessional%2F photo: Thinkstock Yes, we know that some people have awesome smartphones that put our basic flip-phones to shame, but are email signatures indicating the $300+ device they were sent on really necessary? We’ve all seen them: “Sent from my Verizon Wireless Blackberry”, or “Sent from my iPhone”. It seems like just blatant marketing on the part of the phone manufacturer or service provider, but in the business world it’s come to be seen as an excuse for a sloppy or short email. It’s even worse if the signature has this tacked onto it: “Sent from my iPhone sorry for typos.” Proofread, people. Make sure there aren’t any typos, even if you need to stop walking, eating, or talking to do it. Lifehacker suggests including the reason for you... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733055 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:27:52 +0100 3733055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3710537&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2F3-ways-to-maximize-your-leisure-time%2F photo: Thinkstock We know. It feels weird to unplug and just think about nothing for a few minutes, let alone an hour. But leisure time really is important for our mental and physical health. Women get about a half-hour less of daily leisure time than men – which translates to four weeks every year. Excuse us? We women do more of the domestic chores at home than our partners, so we cannot tolerate this news. Jane Has a Job gave us three big tips for making the most of our free time and being as relaxed and happy as we can (and at least as much as a dude): 1. Sign up for a scheduled group activity: Though it might seem like just another commitment, if you’re a part of a book club or tennis league, you probably won’t blow it off to do some chores. It’ll encourage you to s... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3710537 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 18:59:03 +0100 3710537 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671784&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F06%2F17%2Fput-down-your-iphone-while-driving%2F Not only is it dangerous to drive while talking on your mobile phone or iPhone or Blackberry, it’s also not good for your relationship either. So says a professor who thinks that if driving while distracted by your technological gadget is bad enough, imagine what trying to hold up your end of the conversation in your relationship might be. Relationships rely on good, clear communication. Driving relies on good, clear undivided attention and no distraction. The two don’t seem entirely compatible, so it seems to reason the good professor has a point. “In general, cell phone usage while driving might lead to missed relationship stop lights, slow reactions to dangerous relationship circumstances, loss of control of one’s part of the interaction, and interaction mistakes that co... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671784 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:28:19 +0100 3671784 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3636043&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F06%2Fasco-2010-erlotinib-plus-novel-cmet-inhibitor-in-nsclc.html I was attending the 2010 ASCO Annual Meeting this past weekend, June 5-6, and will post some blogs about my "highlights."  This is a perk of living in Chicago since the meetings were here from 2006-2008 and will be here for the next ten meetings!Dr. Joan H. Schiller, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, presented the findings of the the ARQ 197-209 Clinical Trial Group during Saturday’s Clinical Science Symposium on “Molecularly Targeted Trials in Lung Cancer” (Abstract LBA7502).  ARQ 197-209 is an investigational agent that is an inhibitor of c-MET, a high-affinity tyrosine kinase receptor for hepatocyte growth factor.  The c-MET receptor is an attractive anticancer target in NSCLC given that c-MET gene amplification correlates with a... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3636043 Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:50:55 +0100 3636043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629605&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fplant-my-phone-donate-your-old-cell-phones-to-plant-a-tree%2F photo: Thinkstock Your old cell phone can actually do something positive and earth-friendly – and not just take up space in a drawer. Thanks to Plant My Phone, you can recycle your phone, and the company will use the money from the sold materials to plant as many trees as they can. An average phone that you’ve had for two years will plant 15 trees, while a first-generation iPhone in good condition will plant as many as 79. (Plus, you can download a prepaid shipping label from Plant My Phone’s website.) Check out this chart to see how many trees your old phone could potentially create. Currently, only 10% of the 140 million cell phones that become “old” are recycled each year – the rest just sit in landfills or homes. Plant My Phone is a much better (and more tec... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629605 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 22:04:15 +0100 3629605 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3629636&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fsynthetic-life-created-the-first-micro-avatar%2F2010.06.03 For the first time in history, a living organism has been manufactured with the help of a computer-generated genome. Dr. Jon LaPook reports on the groundbreaking discovery’s widespread implications. Watch CBS News Videos Online The First Micro-Avatar Craig Venter and his team of scientists recently announced that they had created the first “synthetic cell” — a bacterium controlled by genetic material that they had designed on a computer and concocted from four bottles of chemicals. This is the closest thing to creating life that has happened outside of a science-fiction movie. If it doesn’t fire your imagination, then you should fire your imagination. Basically, what Venter et al did was remove the “brain” (the genetic material that runs the cell) from one species o... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3629636 Thu, 03 Jun 2010 19:51:56 +0100 3629636 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3610314&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fhealth-care-by-text-in-rwanda-texting-saves-pregnant-women%2F photo: Thinkstock When it comes to pregnancy and childbirth, women in the developed world are notorious for hopping in a car and zipping to the hospital at the first signs of labor, but in in the developing world, it’s not always an option. In Rwanda, where hospital access is scarce, a new Rapid SMS service was introduced in August of 2009 to help give people living in remote regions of the country quick access to healthcare. The system, a joint initiative between three United Nations organizations, is being tested in the Musanze District of Rwanda. Cell phones were given to 432 health workers in the Musanze District who then register pregnant women in their villages through SMS text messages. They can send updates on their conditions to a central server in the capital city of Kigali... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3610314 Fri, 28 May 2010 17:54:51 +0100 3610314 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3607842&cid=t_103980_155_f&fid=38412&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpathlabmed.typepad.com%2Fsurgical_pathology_and_la%2F2010%2F05%2Fmutations-amok-in-lung-cancer.html A team from Genentech reports their findings in this week's Nature 465, 473-477 (27 May 2010) of direct tumor sequencing of a 51-year-old man with a 19-pack-year smoking history.  Note the greater than 50,000 mutations compared with paired "normal" lung. (egads!!!)  Not surprisingly, they found mutation of KRAS.  The magnitude and breadth of mutations is staggering and was surprising to the researchers.  Certainly give pause to ongoing efforts to identify oncogene-addicted tumors amenable to targeted therapy.excerpt from abstract:Here we present the complete sequences of a primary lung tumour (60× coverage) and adjacent normal tissue (46×). Comparing the two genomes, we identify a wide variety of somatic variations, including >50,000 high-confi... The Daily Sign-Out blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3607842 Thu, 27 May 2010 20:30:00 +0100 3607842 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3585666&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34730&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F05%2Fstressed-out-shrink-rapper.html http://psychiatrist-blog.blogspot.com/2010/05/stressed-out-shrink-rapper.htmlYes, shrinks get stressed out, too. Can I tell you about it?I hate paperwork, in case I never mentioned it. And I hate dumb things that are mandated by institutions and don't make sense. So I'm getting ready to go to APA this weekend ( see you there?) and I'm trying to tie things up. It's not going so well. Here's my list:MEDICARE.Remember I told you that I moved and tried to change my address with Medicare? Ah, 221 downloadable forms on the Medicare website, and not one of them is a change of address form. To change my address, I had to re-enroll. 27 pages. Then they wanted my office utility bills. But I don't have utility bills, they are included in my rent. I faxed my rent invoice--it has my address, and it say... Shrink Rap blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3585666 Fri, 21 May 2010 03:41:00 +0100 3585666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3567894&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhen-your-family-has-a-technology-gap%2F2010.05.15 Do you have a technology participation gap in your family? We do. In fact, most families do somewhere. For us, we have a few older relatives who firmly believe that technology is for “the younger generation.” What’s interesting is that some of these people are not that old — at least not “old” as I define it. One relative, for example, was a working woman in her younger days. Retired now, she never bought into any technology past the 1970s! Beyond the automobile, refrigerator, TV, radio, dishwasher, washer and drier, she has seen no need for anything else. Although  she has grudgingly begun to use email and the Web, she has deemed herself  ”old” and refused to use a cell phone or any other “high-tech device.” (more…) *This blog post was originall... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3567894 Sat, 15 May 2010 12:00:10 +0100 3567894 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3545435&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36941&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mazecordblood.com%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D489 It’s not news that pregnant women should abstain from alchohol.  Evidence of fetal distress syndrome due to extreme alchohol consumption during pregnancy is clear.  So the picture of my mom, pregnant with me, holding a cigarette and a martini is sobering when we look at it today (I’m fine. Really.) On a less humorous note is a new study from the Research Center for Human Nutrition in France; results draw from already-published studies, and resolve that drinking alchohol during pregnancy is associated with a 56% increase in acute myeloid leukemia, or AML, a disease that afflicts about 700 children in the US each year. Fortunately, in addition to the startling headlines  (“Alchohol in Pregnancy Boosts Childhood Leukemia!”), there is balanced reporting that explor... Cord Blood News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3545435 Fri, 07 May 2010 19:49:06 +0100 3545435 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515321&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36050&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblisstree.com%2Flive%2Fcell-phone-radiation-%25e2%2580%2593-talking-your-ear-off%2F photo: Thinkstock A recent episode of NPR’s This American Life focused on true urban legends – one of which is the idea that radiation from cell phones causes cancer. The segment was an interview with Christopher Ketcham, who wrote an article in GQ in February about the controversial issue, and how no one in the U.S. seems to care about it. The article highlights startling facts about cell phone usage and tumors, early onset Alzheimer’s, brain-aging, and other not-so-super-fun effects. Another article, in the current Harper’s, looks at results of studies of cell phone radiation side effects, and the findings are anything but consistent: “Cell-phone radiation slows one’s cognitive reaction time” or “It makes one think faster” or “It ha... Breastfeeding 1-2-3 blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515321 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:45:41 +0100 3515321 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3487043&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLuDCqoLtJ8E%2F By Julian SanchezStop me if you think you’ve heard this one before. The Washington Post reports that the National Security Agency has halted domestic collection of some type of communications metadata—the details are predictably fuzzy, though I’ve got a guess—in order to allay the concerns of the secret FISA Court that the NSA’s activity might not be technically permissible under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. Naturally, there’s the requisite quote from the anonymous concerned intel official: “This is a basic tool we used to have, and it’s now gone,” said one intelligence official familiar with the impasse. “Every day, every week that goes by, there’s just one more week of information that we’re not collecting. You... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3487043 Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:02:21 +0100 3487043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3476081&cid=t_103980_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FUS9QAvJBpCU%2F And so another work week will soon draw to a close. What do your weekend plans call for? A walk in the park? A long, cozy nap? Tending to chores? Schlepping your own short people from place to place? Whatever you do, we hope you have a nice time. Meanwhile, there is today to wrap up. So here are a few items of note. See you soon… Genzyme Patients Feel Betrayed By Shortages (The New York Times) Pfizer Is Voted Best Employer In Czech Republic (Prague Daily Monitor) J&J Axes Execs In India (Economic Times) Cell Therapeutics Cuts 36 Employees (Xconomy) Rexahn Stumbles Over MDD Drug (Montgomery Gazette) photo thx to tipiro on Flickr creative commons (Source: Pharmalot) Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3476081 Fri, 16 Apr 2010 11:38:17 +0100 3476081 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471768&cid=t_103980_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FzbZBJW-JsFY%2F By Tim LynchWhen school administrators discovered nude photos of teenage girls in the cell phones of some boys at school, they decided to set an example and crack down on “sexting.”  The school officials took the matter to the local prosecutor.  The prosecutor, in turn, informed the parents of the girls that the youngsters would either have to attend a multi-session education and counseling class or face felony child pornography charges. The letter to the parents explaining the “program” stated, “Participation in the program is voluntary. …  However, charges will be filed against those that do not participate.”  Hmmm.  This curious arrangement was challenged in a lawsuit and the court found the prosecutors’ actions illegal.  Go here (... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471768 Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:23:59 +0100 3471768 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3524319&cid=t_103980_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F10341790%2F1cfov8%2Fneuromarketing%7EUse-Your-Cell-Phone-Save-Your-Brain.htm Neuromarketing readers know I sometimes venture into the non-marketing area of brain fitness, and I couldn’t resist passing along this bit of research on cell phone use. For years, we’ve been hearing alarming claims that cell phone use causes brain cancer, though no reputable study has established such a link. Now, a study [...] CommentsWhat a bunch of phooey!! Cell phones are harmful and we need to ... by CellPhoneSafetySince this was a mouse study, Mike, I'd think twice before ... by Roger DooleyWow I never thought I'd hear that phone radiation is good for ... by Mike (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3524319 Tue, 13 Apr 2010 12:43:53 +0100 3524319