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 'glutamate'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 02:38:40 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3889174&cid=t_148275_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F08%2F20%2Fsoftware-update-ephus-scanimage-neuroptikon%2F Three excellent pieces of neuroscience software have been recently updated or freshly released.  I have used two of them, Ephus and ScanImage, on a daily basis as primary data collection tools. The third, Neuroptikon, is quite useful for post-hoc illustration of neural circuits. Ephus is a modular Matlab-based electrophysiology program that can control and record many channels of tools and data simultaneously.  Under control of a sophisticated internal looper or external trigger, you can initiate an ephys recording, trigger camera frames, adjust galvo positions, open/close shutters, trigger optical stimulation, punishments, rewards, etc.  It is a workhorse program for non-imaging related in vitro and in vivo electrophysiology experiments.  Ephus is named for the fabled baseball pitch,... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3889174 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:51:53 +0100 3889174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2182654&cid=t_148275_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F02%2F11%2Fsymposium-a-revolution-in-fluorescence-imaging%2F This coming Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb 17th & 18th) at UCSD, there will be a symposium honoring Roger Tsien, featuring presentations from 32 former and current members of the Tsien Lab. The topics are quite diverse, concentrated in genetically-encoded indicators, but also featuring fluorescent cell penetrating peptides for cancer therapy, photophore ligases for imaging synaptic development, and even a radical new design for the internal combustion engine. The quality of speakers and subjects looks to be outstanding.  Here is a complete schedule.  You may notice that at 11:15 AM on Tuesday in Price Center East Ballroom, I will be presenting recent progress we have made in the development of genetically-encoded calcium indicators and their application to in vivo imaging.  Don’t... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2182654 Thu, 12 Feb 2009 04:45:42 +0100 2182654 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1964123&cid=t_148275_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F11%2F15%2Fraw-data-vesicular-release-from-astrocytes%2F When I was working on my Ph.D. thesis, I was trying to find some biological question to definitively answer with GluSnFR, my glutamate sensitive fluorescent reporter. One possibility was the study of glutamate release from astrocytes.  Around that time, 2003/2004, there was increasing evidence that glutamate was not just scavenged by astrocytes, but was also released from astrocytic vesicles. It released in response to calcium elevations within the cell.  Existing methods for measuring this release were somewhat crude, so it seemed a great test system for GluSnFR.   Unfortunately, since there seemed to be no specialized areas on the astrocyte where the vesicles fused, and the release rate was relatively slow, we were unable to detect glutamate release with GluSnFR. I thought this might ... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1964123 Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:21:38 +0100 1964123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1605867&cid=t_148275_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F7%2F11%2Fquitting-is-hard-staying-clean-is-hell.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.D We all heard this refrain; drug addicts kicking the habit, only to go through a lifetime of a constant battle to stay clean. Why is it so hard? Why is it getting progressively harder within days after quitting? Who is the “devil that made them do it”? The received wisdom for many years was that the reward system in the brain, which is the seat of all manners of addiction, is driven exclusively by dopamine receptors. But frankly, this belief had some problems. Here is a big one: the dopamine system is geared to maintaining homeostasis, which is the property of a living organism to regulate its internal environment so as to maintain a stable, constant condition. For example, exposure of dopaminergic neurons to increased concentrations of cocaine results i... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1605867 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 03:46:40 +0100 1605867 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1298678&cid=t_148275_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2008%2F3%2F12%2Fschizophrenia-the-making-of-a-new-paradigm.html By Dov Michaeli MD, Ph.DYou never know where investment ideas are going to come from. Jim Cramer, a well known hedge fund manager and now a TV guru found some of his best ideas in trade magazines, like Advertising Age, Gardening—the guy reads everything. But revolutionary scientific development in the business literature? The New York Times Sunday Business section of Feb. 24 had a great article titled “Daring to Think Differently About Schizophrenia”, by Alex Berenson. His science explication is so good that it should be required reading for anybody interested in the subject. The opening paragraph is a classical description of how paradigm shifts come about: “Scientists who develop drugs are familiar with disappointment -- brilliant theories that don't pan out or pr... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1298678 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:15:39 +0100 1298678 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1298766&cid=t_148275_122_f&fid=35068&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbrainwindows.wordpress.com%2F2008%2F03%2F12%2Foptical-imaging-of-neuronal-glutamate-release-and-spillover-with-glusnfr%2F This post is difficult to craft. I’ve been struggling with whether to write an epic post describing the history of glutamate imaging, the major advances and players in the field and where I fit into it, or a simple post focused on my new paper. Since glutamate imaging is my field, I’ve got tons to say about it, but also there is probably no way to avoid significant personal bias in my account. So, I’ll go with the short form. For those interested in further reading, please check out these earlier reports, including our brief mention of neuronal glutamate measurements with GluSnFR prototypes, neuronal glutamate measurement with FLIPE and the optimization of FLIPE constructs from Wolf Frommer’s group, and the use of FLIPE’s in brain slice to look at broad patter... Brain Windows blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1298766 Wed, 12 Mar 2008 22:11:05 +0100 1298766 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1255022&cid=t_148275_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2008%2F02%2Fdrug-development-glutamate-and.html From Sunday's New York Times:Daring to Think Differently About SchizophreniaBy ALEX BERENSONPublished: February 24, 2008"A new drug aimed at treating schizophrenia turns its focus away from dopamine and instead on the effects of glutamate, another powerful neurotransmitter."[ ... Read the article ... ] (Source: BrainBlog) BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1255022 Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:28:00 +0100 1255022 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=1106307&cid=t_148275_151_f&fid=35823&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2F%7Er%2FAddictionInbox%2F%7E3%2F202786820%2Fwhat-is-drug-craving.html Exploring the engine of drug relapse“In terms of treatment, you can’t just attack the rewarding features of the drug. In the case of alcohol, we already have a perfect drug to make alcohol aversive--and that’s Antabuse. But people don’t take it. Why don’t they take it? Because they still crave. And so they stop taking it. You have to attack the other side, and hit the craving.”--Dr. Ting-Kai Li, 1990 interviewIt causes relapses and treatment failure. It leads good people to break good promises and do harm to themselves and others. What is this thing called craving? Isn’t it just another word for lack of will power?Scientists have gained a much deeper understanding of how and why addicts crave. For years, craving was represented by the tortured tremors and sweaty nightmares of... Addiction Inbox blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1106307 Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:29:00 +0100 1106307 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=891464&cid=t_148275_117_f&fid=34612&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedoctorweighsin.com%2Fjournal%2F2007%2F9%2F21%2Fwhats-all-the-fuss-about-lead.html Poor Mattel; three huge recalls of lead-tainted toys, despite conscientious testing efforts. Those babe-in-the-woods quality control experts were no match to the wily new capitalists from China, determined to maximize profit. Isn’t that the name of the game?What’s next? A toxic Barbie? That may actually be a blessing in disguise.But, it’s not only toys. Here is an item from today’s San Jose Mercury:Lunchbox warning: Health officials say toss themUNSAFE LEVEL OF LEAD FOUND IN GIVEAWAYSBy Steven HarmonMediaNews Sacramento BureauArticle Launched: 09/21/2007 01:33:38 AM PDTSACRAMENTO - "The state's public health department asked parents Thursday to toss certain Chinese-made lunchboxes potentially containing dangerous levels of lead - the same ones it distribut... The Doctor Weighs In blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=891464 Fri, 21 Sep 2007 23:33:33 +0100 891464