Thanoshi Balasuriya
May 18, 2014
Link: http://www.hngn.com/articles/31583/20140518/sleeping-pills-increases-cardiovascular-risk-heart-failure-patients-study.htm
Author: Vishakha Sonawane
Published: May 18, 2014
Summary: In Japan, scientists did a study on heart failure patients. The patients were tracked after being discharged from the hospital. The endpoint for their tracking was if and when they had a cardiovascular event or were taken back to the hospital for a heart failure. Since not being able to sleep is common with heart failure patients, many had sleeping pills prescribed for them. However, these pills were shown to be worse for the patients with the data collected by the scientists. It seems that the sleeping pills cause cardiovascular events to take place. Many of the patients that were prescribed sleeping pills were readmitted to the hospital within the 180 days of tracking, whereas most other patients without the pills were found not to have any attacks within those 180 days. Obviously, this is a serious problem for patients with heart failure, especially because it is extremely common to want to sleeping pills with the condition of heart failure, which causes sleeping problems. The scientists plan to do a larger study, so that they can figure out the exact processes going on with the sleeping pills
Connection: In class, we have been studying the circulatory system. The heart is a major organ in the body, and plays a key role in the circulatory system. Also, we recently watched the presentation on the circulatory system, where all of the diseases were heart diseases. Heart failure is a common form of heart disease as well. With this study, scientists can possibly figure out how heart failure works, the exact causes and problems caused, etc. Also, if sleeping pills can cause more problems with the heart, there may be other medicines that might have fatal side effects as well. The chemical composition of these medicines may affect the heart drastically, affecting the whole circulatory system and body, ultimately causing homeostatic imbalance.
Showing posts with label Medical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Medical. Show all posts
Sunday, May 18, 2014
Thursday, May 15, 2014
New Important Immune Discovery
Immune discovery article
Summary:
Scientists have discovered a new kind of immune system response where the cells do not circulate throughout the body, but instead only reside in a single organ. This discovery could lead to a whole new set of opportunities to use immune cells to help fight cancers and viral infections. The liver, skin and uterus each have their own set of immune cells that never leave, which are called tissue-resident natural killer cells. If scientists are able to create specialized medications to activate only these organ specific cells, they would be a massive selective weapon against tumors and infections. Results of further testing suggest that there are four types of natural killer cells, instead of just one; which was previously thought.
Connection:
This article relates to a few key human body systems and ways to treat certain threats that the body faces. The immune system is a system that we are yet to learn about, but it plays a key role to protect other organs, such as the liver which aids in the digestive system. It also resides in the integumentary system in the sense that these specialized cells reside in the skin to help protect the body from pathogens.
Summary:
Scientists have discovered a new kind of immune system response where the cells do not circulate throughout the body, but instead only reside in a single organ. This discovery could lead to a whole new set of opportunities to use immune cells to help fight cancers and viral infections. The liver, skin and uterus each have their own set of immune cells that never leave, which are called tissue-resident natural killer cells. If scientists are able to create specialized medications to activate only these organ specific cells, they would be a massive selective weapon against tumors and infections. Results of further testing suggest that there are four types of natural killer cells, instead of just one; which was previously thought.
Connection:
This article relates to a few key human body systems and ways to treat certain threats that the body faces. The immune system is a system that we are yet to learn about, but it plays a key role to protect other organs, such as the liver which aids in the digestive system. It also resides in the integumentary system in the sense that these specialized cells reside in the skin to help protect the body from pathogens.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Mutant enzymes help break cocaine habit
Sarah Jackman
Royal Society of Chemistry
Author: Jason Woolford
Published: September 30, 2013
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/09/cocaine-addiction-enzyme-treatment-butyrylcholinesterase
Summary:
A new discovery from the University of Kentucky have found a possible treatment for cocaine addiction. Currently, there are no medications that have been officially proven to do so. Chang-guo Zhan, a worker at the University of Kentucky, found that the enzyme (butyrylcholinesterase) that changes the route of cocaine in the body and turns the harmful substance into harmless products. Through experiments, mutations of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were produced that effectively decomposed cocaine. The mutated enzyme was able to break down cocaine 1000 times faster than the original enzyme. This discovery is "very promising" and one mutant version on BChE is being tested in human trials.
Connection :
In this term, we spent a while discussing enzymes and did a lab using catalase. The article connects to what we have learned about enzymes such as that they can break substrates down into products(decomposition). For example, in the enzyme lab we took a harmful substance to the body(hydrogen peroxide), and added the enzyme catalase to make a harmless product. The article describes something similar. Butyrylcholinesterase transforms the harmful substance, cocaine, into products that are safe for the body.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Author: Jason Woolford
Published: September 30, 2013
http://www.rsc.org/chemistryworld/2013/09/cocaine-addiction-enzyme-treatment-butyrylcholinesterase
Summary:
A new discovery from the University of Kentucky have found a possible treatment for cocaine addiction. Currently, there are no medications that have been officially proven to do so. Chang-guo Zhan, a worker at the University of Kentucky, found that the enzyme (butyrylcholinesterase) that changes the route of cocaine in the body and turns the harmful substance into harmless products. Through experiments, mutations of butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) were produced that effectively decomposed cocaine. The mutated enzyme was able to break down cocaine 1000 times faster than the original enzyme. This discovery is "very promising" and one mutant version on BChE is being tested in human trials.
Connection :
In this term, we spent a while discussing enzymes and did a lab using catalase. The article connects to what we have learned about enzymes such as that they can break substrates down into products(decomposition). For example, in the enzyme lab we took a harmful substance to the body(hydrogen peroxide), and added the enzyme catalase to make a harmless product. The article describes something similar. Butyrylcholinesterase transforms the harmful substance, cocaine, into products that are safe for the body.
Friday, October 18, 2013
BRANDING CANCER STEM CELLS: Discovery of a hot new intestinal cancer ste...
Grant Larson
P. 2
Mr. Matheiu The origin of cancer cells: could they be from stem cells?
21 October 2013
(http://www.yourekascience.com/Branding_Cancer_Stem_Cells.html)
Summary:
The video above describes the recent discovery of certain stem cells being the producers of the rapid reproducing cancer cells that create tumors in the body. These particular stem cells can copy themselves and produce many more rapidly producing cancer cells. Scientists isolated a protein called DCLK1 found in some normal stem cells, but also primarily in the cancerous intestinal stem cells that produce rapid reproducing cells which lead to intestinal tumors. They conducted an experiment using the cells in the intestines of mice and a blue marker which they used to track the DCLK1 as the cells reproduced. Their goal was to find the origin of the rapid producing cancer cells which could possibly find a more effective therapy that has less of a chance of a reoccurring tumor than chemo. This is because chemo kills the rapidly producing cells, not the stem cells that they originate from.
Relevance:
This subject is related to cell reproduction and cancerous cells/tumors. It is also related to the scientific method. The scientists propose a question, which leads them to form a hypothesis, which in this case was: where do fast reproducing cancer cells come from? which leads to: well, they might come from stem cells. From there, scientists run an experiment and make a series of observations which was the blue dye experiment and observing where the blue dye marker showed up. After they come out with results, they are lead to asking another series of questions like: how can I eliminate the stem cells as a treatment?
P. 2
Mr. Matheiu The origin of cancer cells: could they be from stem cells?
21 October 2013
(http://www.yourekascience.com/Branding_Cancer_Stem_Cells.html)
Summary:
The video above describes the recent discovery of certain stem cells being the producers of the rapid reproducing cancer cells that create tumors in the body. These particular stem cells can copy themselves and produce many more rapidly producing cancer cells. Scientists isolated a protein called DCLK1 found in some normal stem cells, but also primarily in the cancerous intestinal stem cells that produce rapid reproducing cells which lead to intestinal tumors. They conducted an experiment using the cells in the intestines of mice and a blue marker which they used to track the DCLK1 as the cells reproduced. Their goal was to find the origin of the rapid producing cancer cells which could possibly find a more effective therapy that has less of a chance of a reoccurring tumor than chemo. This is because chemo kills the rapidly producing cells, not the stem cells that they originate from.
Relevance:
This subject is related to cell reproduction and cancerous cells/tumors. It is also related to the scientific method. The scientists propose a question, which leads them to form a hypothesis, which in this case was: where do fast reproducing cancer cells come from? which leads to: well, they might come from stem cells. From there, scientists run an experiment and make a series of observations which was the blue dye experiment and observing where the blue dye marker showed up. After they come out with results, they are lead to asking another series of questions like: how can I eliminate the stem cells as a treatment?
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Report questions benefits of salt reduction
Saundra Young
CNN Health
14 May 2013
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/14/report-questions-benefits-of-salt-reduction/
summary:
For some time, health groups and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have advised Americans in general, as well as some specific groups, to limit their salt intake in their daily diets. On average, Americans eat 3400 mg of salt a day, a significantly higher amount than recommended, thanks to the abundance of sodium in most prepared foods. The current recommended amount of salt intake for one day is 2300 mg, although the American Heart Association suggests reducing this number even more, to 1500 mg a day. This is because high sodium intake is strongly associated with high blood pressure (hypertension), which in turn is associated with heart disease. However, the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) has recently released a report at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looking over studies from 2012 investigating direct connections between salt intake and detrimental health effects, like heart disease and death. These researchers found that while lowering salt intake below the recommended 2300 mg/day to 1500 mg/day can actually be harmful to a person's health, leading to heart attack or death, there is not enough evidence to clearly state that reducing salt intake actually increases or decreases chances of heart disease. While lowering salt levels from very high to moderate can be beneficial, reducing them to the point of some recommendations may be a bad idea. The IOM suggests that researchers should conduct more studies to clarify the effects of lower salt intake in all Americans.
connection:
This article connects to our study of nutrition, as we have learned about Americans' excessive salt intake compared to recommended levels, which can lead to negative health effects. We have also studied blood pressure and hypertension, which can injure the heart and blood vessels. The heart muscles may expand considerably, weakening and losing propulsive power. At the same time, the increased pressure on the arteries can cause tears, which speed up atherosclerosis, eventually causing potential heart attack.
CNN Health
14 May 2013
http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2013/05/14/report-questions-benefits-of-salt-reduction/
summary:
For some time, health groups and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have advised Americans in general, as well as some specific groups, to limit their salt intake in their daily diets. On average, Americans eat 3400 mg of salt a day, a significantly higher amount than recommended, thanks to the abundance of sodium in most prepared foods. The current recommended amount of salt intake for one day is 2300 mg, although the American Heart Association suggests reducing this number even more, to 1500 mg a day. This is because high sodium intake is strongly associated with high blood pressure (hypertension), which in turn is associated with heart disease. However, the independent Institute of Medicine (IOM) has recently released a report at the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, looking over studies from 2012 investigating direct connections between salt intake and detrimental health effects, like heart disease and death. These researchers found that while lowering salt intake below the recommended 2300 mg/day to 1500 mg/day can actually be harmful to a person's health, leading to heart attack or death, there is not enough evidence to clearly state that reducing salt intake actually increases or decreases chances of heart disease. While lowering salt levels from very high to moderate can be beneficial, reducing them to the point of some recommendations may be a bad idea. The IOM suggests that researchers should conduct more studies to clarify the effects of lower salt intake in all Americans.
connection:
This article connects to our study of nutrition, as we have learned about Americans' excessive salt intake compared to recommended levels, which can lead to negative health effects. We have also studied blood pressure and hypertension, which can injure the heart and blood vessels. The heart muscles may expand considerably, weakening and losing propulsive power. At the same time, the increased pressure on the arteries can cause tears, which speed up atherosclerosis, eventually causing potential heart attack.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
New Approach to Treatments for MS
Published May 17, 2013 by Science Daily
Summary
New
research done by scientists at UC Davis have found a new possible
approach in improving drugs to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating
diseases. MS is a disease in which the myelin sheath of neurons is
damaged, slowing the transmission of nerve signals. The scientists
identified a protein that could be targeted in designing drugs to treat
the disease. The protein is known as mitochondrial translocator protein
(TSPO) and is located on the outer surface of mitochondria. It was
previously known but not linked to MS. Scientists identified the protein
as a possible therapeutic target when mice with symptoms of MS were
treated with the anti-anxiety drug etifoxine, which interacts with TSPO.
The results of their study showed that mice given the drug before
clinical signs of the disease then had less severe disease symptoms than
those that were not treated. At the peak of the severity of MS, mice
who were given the drug improved. The discovery of etifoxine’s
beneficial effects in treating MS suggests that drugs that
bind to TSPO may be able to help repair the myelin sheath, which is important
because current FDA-approved treatments do not do so.
Connection
This
connects to our study of the nervous system, since the disease affects
the myelin sheaths of neurons in the central nervous system. It also
relates to our study of homeostasis and the relationship between
structure and function; in MS, when the myelin sheath is damaged,
function is consequently disrupted because the transmission of nerve
signals is impaired.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Cancer Prevention with Green Tea
Christopher Wanjek
Published October 18, 2012
http://www.livescience.com/24099-green-tea-anti-cancer-secrets.html
Summary:
Although green tea has long been praised for its numerous health benefits, for the first time scientists have found a way it could prevent the spread of breast and prostrate cancers at a cellular level. Certain chemicals in green tea seem to hinder two proteins (growth factors) that increase tumor cell growth and migration. Katherine D. Crew, an assistant professor in epidemiology at Columbia University, leads the ongoing study, with 40 women with a type breast cancer unresponsive to hormone therapy. The scientists randomly gave patients either a placebo (a negative control for this experiment) or varying amounts of an extract containing the chemicals from green tea. After two months, the women taking green tea extracts had conspicuously lower levels of of the tumor growth factors. Dr. Crew suggests that the evening out of factor levels between the groups four months later was due to the patients losing track of their pills. She hopes that, during the process of this study, her team will be able to determine a recommended amount for green tea extract, with optimal therapeutic results. The study builds on findings from a similar, earlier study run with 26 men with prostrate cancer. A newer, separate study also found that drinking green tea seemed to reduce levels of tumor-related chemicals. However, these studies used extracted or pure green tea, and general supermarket teas will contain more sugar and added chemicals and be less effective.
Relevance:
This article relates to what we have learned about cancer and current treatments for it, as well as a bit of proteins. Cancer is caused by malignant tumors, which continuously grow, until cancerous cells start entering the bloodstream and traveling to other areas of the body. If green tea extracts are as effective in limiting tumor cell growth as these studies show them to be, it will prove some folk beliefs in the health benefits of green tea.
Published October 18, 2012
http://www.livescience.com/24099-green-tea-anti-cancer-secrets.html
Summary:
Although green tea has long been praised for its numerous health benefits, for the first time scientists have found a way it could prevent the spread of breast and prostrate cancers at a cellular level. Certain chemicals in green tea seem to hinder two proteins (growth factors) that increase tumor cell growth and migration. Katherine D. Crew, an assistant professor in epidemiology at Columbia University, leads the ongoing study, with 40 women with a type breast cancer unresponsive to hormone therapy. The scientists randomly gave patients either a placebo (a negative control for this experiment) or varying amounts of an extract containing the chemicals from green tea. After two months, the women taking green tea extracts had conspicuously lower levels of of the tumor growth factors. Dr. Crew suggests that the evening out of factor levels between the groups four months later was due to the patients losing track of their pills. She hopes that, during the process of this study, her team will be able to determine a recommended amount for green tea extract, with optimal therapeutic results. The study builds on findings from a similar, earlier study run with 26 men with prostrate cancer. A newer, separate study also found that drinking green tea seemed to reduce levels of tumor-related chemicals. However, these studies used extracted or pure green tea, and general supermarket teas will contain more sugar and added chemicals and be less effective.
Relevance:
This article relates to what we have learned about cancer and current treatments for it, as well as a bit of proteins. Cancer is caused by malignant tumors, which continuously grow, until cancerous cells start entering the bloodstream and traveling to other areas of the body. If green tea extracts are as effective in limiting tumor cell growth as these studies show them to be, it will prove some folk beliefs in the health benefits of green tea.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Heaven Is Real: A Doctor's Experience With the Afterlife
Eben Alexander, Neurosurgeon
Published October 8, 2012
During seven days in a coma, a neurosurgeon takes a trip to the afterlife.
Summary:
While a neurosurgeon was in a coma, he experienced a trip to the afterlife. Doctor Eben Alexander has been a neurosurgeon for the past 25 years. During that time, he has become a firm believer in the theory of evolution, rather than the idea of creationism (Adam and Eve). He had come to accept that he did not know where the beginning cells came from, and that he did not know all that was out there. Dr. Alexander considered himself a christian, but he never accepted the theory involving God. A powerful being that is known to many through faith. That all changed, though, after he fell into a coma and experienced what he is now calling a trip to the afterlife. He describes his journey to the afterlife which included great beings that were flying - but not butterflies or birds - and making a noise of pure happiness, a woman who was kind and reassuring, and "an inky darkness that was also brimming with light". All of these descriptions were used to emphasize the peace and joy he felt in this new place he believes was the afterlife. While there are many skeptics - he does not hold it against people - he tries to persuade them, not to accuse them of inferior knowledge. He explains in detail about his cortex was completely shut down, rather than just being unconscious. With his cortex having been shut down while he was in a coma (for seven days), there is no concrete answer of how he could have imagined this journey from a scientist's perspective.
Connection to Honors Biology:
During the first weeks of school, we discussed in class the difference of science versus pseudoscience. However, this article has most likely made many people who have also been believers of the theory of evolution, question their beliefs. If this article had been written by someone who had not worked in a science related field for twenty five years, it most likely would not have gotten so much publicity. Dr. Alexander's field comes along with many stereotypes, including brains and skill. People tend to trust and respect a doctor's opinion because they usually approach a situation from a "logical" perspective. Yet this article not only completely contradicts this stereotype, but also gives an understandable, step by step process of the way Dr. Alexander came to the conclusion he did. In this case, people would have to use their own opinions and beliefs to define Dr. Alexander's findings as either science or pseudoscience.
First Windpipe Transplant a Success: Could Lead to Other Breakthroughs
http://www.ivanhoe.com/science/story/2010/01/665a.html
Published January 2010
Ivanhoe Broadcast News and American Institute of Physics
Summary: Claudia Castillo has two kids and was unable to even play with them due to the tuberculosis she had preventing her from breathing freely. Dr. Paolo Macchiarini fixed her problem with the first ever windpipe transplant. This took place at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Macchiarini was able to repair the windpipe with Castillo's on stem cells. First, he took a donor windpipe and cleaned all the cells off of it and then he took stem cells from Castillo's bone marrow and added them to the donor windpipe. To stop further growth of the donor windpipe, it was placed into the Clinic's bioreactor for 4 days. Castillo noticed a difference right away and she currently does not have to take any medication to assist in the healing process.
Connection: This amazing breakthrough relates to our unit on cells. Also, it is a great example of Mr. Mathieu's lecture on stem cells. A donor's stem cells have to closely match up with the recipients stem cells or the body will reject the organ. Since the cells were washed off the organ and Castillo's cells were added to it, the transplant worked seemlessly. This is very similiar to the case Mr. Mathieu told the class about when one identicle sibling had a problem with a kidney and his identicle twin donated a kidney to him. The reason the transplant worked was due to their similarity in stem cells because they were related.
http://www.ivanhoe.com/science/story/2010/01/665a.html
Published January 2010
Ivanhoe Broadcast News and American Institute of Physics
Summary: Claudia Castillo has two kids and was unable to even play with them due to the tuberculosis she had preventing her from breathing freely. Dr. Paolo Macchiarini fixed her problem with the first ever windpipe transplant. This took place at the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Macchiarini was able to repair the windpipe with Castillo's on stem cells. First, he took a donor windpipe and cleaned all the cells off of it and then he took stem cells from Castillo's bone marrow and added them to the donor windpipe. To stop further growth of the donor windpipe, it was placed into the Clinic's bioreactor for 4 days. Castillo noticed a difference right away and she currently does not have to take any medication to assist in the healing process.
Connection: This amazing breakthrough relates to our unit on cells. Also, it is a great example of Mr. Mathieu's lecture on stem cells. A donor's stem cells have to closely match up with the recipients stem cells or the body will reject the organ. Since the cells were washed off the organ and Castillo's cells were added to it, the transplant worked seemlessly. This is very similiar to the case Mr. Mathieu told the class about when one identicle sibling had a problem with a kidney and his identicle twin donated a kidney to him. The reason the transplant worked was due to their similarity in stem cells because they were related.
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