Medicine posts
- March 14, 2013
- 03:48 PM
- 137 views
Extremophilic Eukaryotes
by Christen Rune Stensvold in Blastocystis Parasite Blog
A post on evidence of horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria in a free-living extremophilic eukaryote with parallels to HGT in anerobic intestinal parasitic protists.... Read more »
Schönknecht G, Chen WH, Ternes CM, Barbier GG, Shrestha RP, Stanke M, Bräutigam A, Baker BJ, Banfield JF, Garavito RM.... (2013) Gene transfer from bacteria and archaea facilitated evolution of an extremophilic eukaryote. Science (New York, N.Y.), 339(6124), 1207-10. PMID: 23471408
Keeling PJ. (2009) Functional and ecological impacts of horizontal gene transfer in eukaryotes. Current opinion in genetics , 19(6), 613-9. PMID: 19897356
Loftus B, Anderson I, Davies R, Alsmark UC, Samuelson J, Amedeo P, Roncaglia P, Berriman M, Hirt RP, Mann BJ.... (2005) The genome of the protist parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Nature, 433(7028), 865-8. PMID: 15729342
Denoeud F, Roussel M, Noel B, Wawrzyniak I, Da Silva C, Diogon M, Viscogliosi E, Brochier-Armanet C, Couloux A, Poulain J.... (2011) Genome sequence of the stramenopile Blastocystis, a human anaerobic parasite. Genome biology, 12(3). PMID: 21439036
- March 14, 2013
- 12:54 PM
- 181 views
NSAIDs mobilize hematopoietic stem cells into the blood stream
by beredim in Stem Cells Freak
A recent study on mice, baboons and few volunteering patients revealed that a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) called meloxicam increases significantly the number of hematopoietic stem cells entering the blood stream. The study can potentially help patients requiring a hematopoietic stem cell (HSC), most notably leukemia victims. The study was carried out by researchers, led by Louis Pelus, at Indiana University's School of MedicineFull Story... Read more »
Hoggatt, J., Mohammad, K., Singh, P., Hoggatt, A., Chitteti, B., Speth, J., Hu, P., Poteat, B., Stilger, K., Ferraro, F.... (2013) Differential stem- and progenitor-cell trafficking by prostaglandin E2. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/nature11929
- March 13, 2013
- 02:55 PM
- 90 views
Molecule’s structure reveals new therapeutic opportunities for rare diabetes
by Heather Buschman, Ph.D. in Beaker
3D structure of HNF-4α, a protein mutated in a rare, inherited form of diabetes, reveals new pockets that could be targeted with therapeutic drugs... Read more »
Chandra, V., Huang, P., Potluri, N., Wu, D., Kim, Y., & Rastinejad, F. (2013) Multidomain integration in the structure of the HNF-4α nuclear receptor complex. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/nature11966
- March 13, 2013
- 10:23 AM
- 132 views
Protip: check the genome of your cell line. HeLa cells are “strikingly aberrant”
This is a paper I’ve been waiting for: the analysis of the HeLa genome. I was aware of a lot of issues with the cell lines and missing or duplicated regions from the ENCODE data that was coming along some time ago: Mining the “big data” is…fascinating. And necessary. People may be familiar with HeLa [...]... Read more »
Landry1 JJM, Pyl1 PT, Rausch T, Zichner T, Tekkedil1 MM, Stütz AM, Jauch A, Aiyar RS, Pau G, Delhomme N.... (2013) The Genomic and Transcriptomic Landscape of a HeLa Cell Line. G3. info:/10.1534/g3.113.005777
- March 13, 2013
- 10:12 AM
- 150 views
ECT Reverses Depression Brain Connectivity Deficit
by William Yates, M.D. in Brain Posts
Electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) remains one of the most effective treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD).The mechanism of action for ECT in MDD is unclear. Research targeting brain changes in ECT is an important pathway to understanding the mechanism of action for ECT.Patients with MDD show disruptions in brain functional connectivity as measures by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The connectivity abnormalities in MDD have included changes in limbic, cortical........ Read more »
Abbott, C., Lemke, N., Gopal, S., Thoma, R., Bustillo, J., Calhoun, V., & Turner, J. (2013) Electroconvulsive Therapy Response in Major Depressive Disorder: A Pilot Functional Network Connectivity Resting State fMRI Investigation. Frontiers in Psychiatry. DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2013.00010
- March 13, 2013
- 08:00 AM
- 241 views
One Man’s Poison Is Another Man’s Cure
by Mark Lasbury in As Many Exceptions As Rules
In the early 16th century Paracelsus stated that it is the dose that makes the poison. He had to be thinking about botulinum toxin. This most potent of all toxins known to man has been used as a cosmetic agent for several years, but is now moving into the realm of the necessary pharmacopia, not merely the vanity market.
Use as a muscle relaxant in spasmodic dysphonic and even plantar fasciitis is common now, but a new study links botulinum toxin to chronic pain treatment. It seems that opiod........ Read more »
Vacca, V., Marinelli, S., Luvisetto, S., & Pavone, F. (2013) Botulinum toxin A increases analgesic effects of morphine, counters development of morphine tolerance and modulates glia activation and μ opioid receptor expression in neuropathic mice. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2013.01.088
- March 13, 2013
- 05:32 AM
- 142 views
Just say NO to sapropterin for autism
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Actually the title of this post is a bit of a misnomer.I'm not really asking readers to say 'no' to sapropterin, otherwise known as tetrahydrobiopterin or BH4, for autism as if it were some kind of Zammo-esque drugs in the toilet scenario (note: for anyone born post-Grange Hill golden era or for my non-UK readers, you might want to follow this link to see what I'm going on about). But neither am I saying yes, as per my prime directive on this blog: no medical or clinical advice given or intended........ Read more »
Frye RE, Delatorre R, Taylor HB, Slattery J, Melnyk S, Chowdhury N, & James SJ. (2013) Metabolic effects of sapropterin treatment in autism spectrum disorder: a preliminary study. Translational psychiatry. PMID: 23462988
- March 13, 2013
- 05:10 AM
- 177 views
Mesenchymal stem cells against brain cancer
by beredim in Stem Cells Freak
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University released yesterday a study showing that mesenchymal stem cells may one day be an important ingredient in an effective treatment against Glioblastoma (brain cancer). The researchers, led by Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa compared two types of mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs derived from fat and MSCs derived from bone marrow.Full Story... Read more »
Pendleton, C., Li, Q., Chesler, D., Yuan, K., Guerrero-Cazares, H., & Quinones-Hinojosa, A. (2013) Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Adipose Tissue vs Bone Marrow: In Vitro Comparison of Their Tropism towards Gliomas. PLoS ONE, 8(3). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058198
- March 13, 2013
- 12:04 AM
- 141 views
Avoiding Refeeding Syndrome in Anorexia Nervosa
by Tetyana Pekar in Science of Eating Disorders
Refeeding syndrome (RS) is a rare but potentially fatal condition that can occur during refeeding of severely malnourished individuals (such as anorexia nervosa patients). After prolonged starvation, the body begins to use fat and protein to produce energy because there are not enough carbohydrates. Upon refeeding, there’s a surge of insulin (because of the ingested carbohydrates) and a sudden shift from fat to carbohydrate metabolism. This sudden shift can lead to a whole set o........ Read more »
O'Connor G, & Goldin J. (2011) The refeeding syndrome and glucose load. The International journal of eating disorders, 44(2), 182-5. PMID: 20127933
Kohn, M., Madden, S., & Clarke, S. (2011) Refeeding in anorexia nervosa. Current Opinion in Pediatrics, 23(4), 390-394. DOI: 10.1097/MOP.0b013e3283487591
- March 12, 2013
- 06:32 PM
- 188 views
Great news for spinal cord injury victims
by beredim in Stem Cells Freak
The recent findings of a placebo-controlled human clinical trial give new hope to spinal cord injury victims, as they clearly show that a combination of stem cells and physical therapy can partially restore both sensory and motor functions. The study was conducted by a team of researchers, led by Hatem E. Sabaawy, at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.Full Story... Read more »
El-Kheir WA, Gabr H, Awad MR, Ghannam O, Barakat Y, Farghali HA, Maadawi ZM, Ewes I, & Sabaawy HE. (2013) Autologous bone marrow-derived cell therapy combined with physical therapy induces functional improvement in chronic spinal cord injury patients. Cell transplantation. PMID: 23452836
- March 12, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 148 views
Mesenchymal stem cells may aid in Diabetic foot ulcers
by beredim in Stem Cells Freak
In a recent preclinical study on rabbits, researchers from the National University of Ireland Galway showed that administering allogeneic mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) has the potential to speed up wound recovery in diabetic patients. The study may help one day help treat wounds of diabetic patients, especially the ones presenting with diabetic foot ulcers, which often lead to debilitating leg amputations.Full Story... Read more »
O'Loughlin, A., Kulkarni, M., Creane, M., Vaughan, E., Mooney, E., Shaw, G., Murphy, M., Dockery, P., Pandit, A., & O'Brien, T. (2013) Topical Administration of Allogeneic Mesenchymal Stem Cells Seeded in a Collagen Scaffold Augments Wound Healing and Increases Angiogenesis in the Diabetic Rabbit Ulcer. Diabetes. DOI: 10.2337/db12-1822
- March 12, 2013
- 03:50 PM
- 160 views
Scientists decode the first embryonic cell movements
by beredim in Stem Cells Freak
Biologists from the University of Freiburg, Germany just made an announcement saying that they have identified, in a zebrafish model, a signalling molecule that activates the first cell movements in the embryo, explaining the deeper molecular mechanisms which transform the initially tightly connected embryonic stem cells so that their very first cell migration takes place.Full Story... Read more »
Song, S., Eckerle, S., Onichtchouk, D., Marrs, J., Nitschke, R., & Driever, W. (2013) Pou5f1-Dependent EGF Expression Controls E-Cadherin Endocytosis, Cell Adhesion, and Zebrafish Epiboly Movements. Developmental Cell, 24(5), 486-501. DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2013.01.016
- March 12, 2013
- 12:41 PM
- 223 views
Nanoparticles loaded with bee venom kill HIV
by Perikis Livas in Tracing Knowledge
Nanoparticles carrying a toxin found in bee venom can destroy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) while leaving surrounding cells unharmed, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown. The finding is an important step toward developing a vaginal gel that may prevent the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.... Read more »
Julia Evangelou Strait. (2013) Nanoparticles loaded with bee venom kill HIV. Washington University in St. Louis Newsroom. info:/
- March 11, 2013
- 01:49 PM
- 158 views
Bromodomain Inhibitors – an exciting new target in cancer research?
by Sally Church in Pharma Strategy Blog
One of the interesting things about basic cancer research is that new targets emerge all the time, offering fresh opportunities…
... Read more »
Filippakopoulos, P., Qi, J., Picaud, S., Shen, Y., Smith, W., Fedorov, O., Morse, E., Keates, T., Hickman, T., Felletar, I.... (2010) Selective inhibition of BET bromodomains. Nature, 468(7327), 1067-1073. DOI: 10.1038/nature09504
Puissant, A., Frumm, S., Alexe, G., Bassil, C., Qi, J., Chanthery, Y., Nekritz, E., Zeid, R., Gustafson, W., Greninger, P.... (2013) Targeting MYCN in Neuroblastoma by BET Bromodomain Inhibition. Cancer Discovery, 3(3), 308-323. DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-12-0418
Lin, C., Lovén, J., Rahl, P., Paranal, R., Burge, C., Bradner, J., Lee, T., & Young, R. (2012) Transcriptional Amplification in Tumor Cells with Elevated c-Myc. Cell, 151(1), 56-67. DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2012.08.026
Mertz, J., Conery, A., Bryant, B., Sandy, P., Balasubramanian, S., Mele, D., Bergeron, L., & Sims, R. (2011) Targeting MYC dependence in cancer by inhibiting BET bromodomains. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 108(40), 16669-16674. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1108190108
Schnepp, R., & Maris, J. (2013) Targeting MYCN: A Good BET for Improving Neuroblastoma Therapy?. Cancer Discovery, 3(3), 255-257. DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.CD-13-0018
- March 11, 2013
- 01:20 PM
- 308 views
Is Food Addictive?
by Neuroskeptic in Neuroskeptic_Discover
Can food be addictive? Is obesity sometimes a form of substance abuse? In a new paper, neuroscientist and Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nora Volkow, muses on ‘The Addictive Dimensionality of Obesity’ Volkow and her coauthors start out with a disclaimer – “we do not claim that obesity is the result [...]... Read more »
Volkow ND, Wang GJ, Tomasi D, & Baler RD. (2013) The Addictive Dimensionality of Obesity. Biological psychiatry. PMID: 23374642
- March 11, 2013
- 05:49 AM
- 163 views
Inflammatory bowel disease in autism: distinctive features?
by Paul Whiteley in Questioning Answers
Where to start with this very long post... where to start?That autism, some cases of autism, also coincide with various comorbidities sometimes including severe gastrointestinal (GI) issues is a relatively undisputed finding these days. I'm actually getting a little bored of saying this myself on this blog and I'm sure some readers are getting bored of hearing it too.Health inequalityLymphocytic infiltration @ Wikipedia The reason why I continue to keep hammering away at this line however ........ Read more »
Walker, S., Fortunato, J., Gonzalez, L., & Krigsman, A. (2013) Identification of Unique Gene Expression Profile in Children with Regressive Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Ileocolitis. PLoS ONE, 8(3). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0058058
- March 11, 2013
- 01:31 AM
- 169 views
Physiological responses to chew & spit – ghrelin and obestatin
by Shelly Fan in Neurorexia
This is my second guest post for Science of Eating Disorders blog. Tetyana has a lovely piece up looking at Deep Brain Stimulation as a potential therapy for intractable AN. If you haven’t seen it yet, please go check it out and join the discussion! Your body responds to food long before it reaches your [...]... Read more »
Monteleone P, Serritella C, Martiadis V, & Maj M. (2008) Deranged secretion of ghrelin and obestatin in the cephalic phase of vagal stimulation in women with anorexia nervosa. Biological psychiatry, 64(11), 1005-8. PMID: 18474361
Méquinion, M., Langlet, F., Zgheib, S., Dickson, S., Dehouck, B., Chauveau, C., & Viltart, O. (2013) Ghrelin: Central and Peripheral Implications in Anorexia Nervosa. Frontiers in Endocrinology. DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2013.00015
- March 11, 2013
- 12:04 AM
- 170 views
Comparing PRP, Glucocorticoid, and Saline Injections for Lateral Epicondylitis
by Kris Fayock in Sports Medicine Research (SMR): In the Lab & In the Field
Lateral epicondylitis (tennis elbow) continues to be a common musculoskeletal disorder that is associated with substantial costs, health care use, and frustration among patients competing in sports or activities that involve the upper extremities Recent research has focused on platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections for epicondylitis, but very few studies have compared PRP and glucocorticoid injections to a placebo injection. Therefore, the purpose of this double-blind, randomized clinical trial........ Read more »
Krogh TP, Fredberg U, Stengaard-Pedersen K, Christensen R, Jensen P, & Ellingsen T. (2013) Treatment of Lateral Epicondylitis With Platelet-Rich Plasma, Glucocorticoid, or Saline: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. PMID: 23328738
- March 10, 2013
- 10:00 PM
- 154 views
Japanese man dies after 25 hospitals reject him
by Rogue Medic in Rogue Medic
In January, in Japan, 25 hospitals refused to permit an ambulance to transport a man who was pronounced dead when he finally arrived at a hospital.
Were the patients already in the ED (Emergency Department) less stable than this patient?
Was this patient going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back and result in the deaths of other patients already in the ED?
What kind of evidence do we have to justify diversion?
... Read more »
Khaleghi, M., Loh, A., Vroman, D., Chan, T., & Vilke, G. (2007) The Effects of Minimizing Ambulance Diversion Hours on Emergency Departments. The Journal of Emergency Medicine, 33(2), 155-159. DOI: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2007.02.014
Vilke, G., Castillo, E., Metz, M., Upledger Ray, L., Murrin, P., Lev, R., & Chan, T. (2004) Community trial to decrease ambulance diversion hours: The San Diego county patient destination trial. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 44(4), 295-303. DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2004.05.002
Burke, L., Joyce, N., Baker, W., Biddinger, P., Dyer, K., Friedman, F., Imperato, J., King, A., Maciejko, T., Pearlmutter, M.... (2013) The Effect of an Ambulance Diversion Ban on Emergency Department Length of Stay and Ambulance Turnaround Time. Annals of Emergency Medicine, 61(3), 303-3110. DOI: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2012.09.009
- March 10, 2013
- 05:00 PM
- 36 views
Bone injury and the transition to minimalist running
by Craig Payne in Running Research Junkie
I have held off somewhat commenting on this research while I watched a number of other blog posts and forum threads on it. As I have stated many times, it is intriguing how so many who are not experienced in the reading, interpretation and critical appraisal of research actually read, interpret and appraise research, especially if it contradicts their world view.... Read more »
Ridge ST, Johnson AW, Mitchell UH, Hunter I, Robinson E, Rich BS, & Brown SD. (2013) Foot Bone Marrow Edema after 10-week Transition to Minimalist Running Shoes. Medicine and science in sports and exercise. PMID: 23439417
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