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Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have developed a new way to parse and understand how special proteins called "master regulators" read the genome, and consequently turn genes on and off.
Writing in the October 13, 2013 Advance Online Publication of Nature, the scientists say their approach could make it quicker and easier to identify specific gene mutations associated with increased disease risk – an essential step toward developing future targeted treatments, preventions and cures for conditions ranging from diabetes to neurodegenerative disease.
(HealthDay)—A certain gene appears to increase risk for mental decline after heart surgery, a new study suggests.
Between 30 percent and 50 percent of heart surgery patients have a decrease in mental function after heart surgery, but it hasn't been known if this is a side effect of the surgery and anesthesia, or a progression of existing neurologic disease, the researchers said.
(Phys.org) —Researchers have developed a system that concentrates foodborne salmonella and other pathogens faster than conventional methods by using hollow thread-like fibers that filter out the cells, representing a potential new tool for speedier detection.
A brain region activated when people are asked to perform mathematical calculations in an experimental setting is similarly activated when they use numbers—or even imprecise quantitative terms, such as "more than"— in everyday conversation, according to a study by Stanford University School of Medicine scientists.
Using a novel method, the researchers collected the first solid evidence that the pattern of brain activity seen in someone performing a mathematical exercise under experimentally controlled conditions is very similar to that observed when the person engages in quantitative thought in the course of daily life.
BBC News - Tiny, wireless pacemaker due to be launched in EuropeA miniaturised, wireless pacemaker that can be inserted into the body without invasive surgery has been given approval for use in the European Union.
Developed by US start-up Nanostim, the device is designed to be implanted intravenously directly in the heart.
It is less than 10% of the size of a conventional pacemaker and uses a built-in battery.
Experts said it was an "exciting development" but at a very early stage.
The pacemaker has yet to receive full US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval.
Conventional pacemakers require a patient to be cut open and a pocket created in the body to house the pacemaker and associated wires.
Such wires are regarded as the component of pacemakers most likely to fail. The pocket created for the pacemaker is also liable to infection.
By contrast the Nanostim pacemaker is delivered via a catheter inserted through the femoral vein near the groin.
It has a built-in battery, smaller than an AAA battery, that lasts between nine and 13 years. Eliminating the need for wires lowers the risk of infection or malfunction and means that patients are not restricted in the amount of activity they do, the firm behind the device claims.
The procedure to fit the pacemaker typically lasts around half an hour. The device is designed to be easily retrievable so that the battery can be replaced.
Because the device is delivered intravenously, it also means patients will have no scarring.
Computer-controlled artificial leg offers a more natural gaitAlthough computer-controlled artificial legs have been around for a few years now, they generally still feature an ankle joint that only allows the foot to tilt along a toe-up/toe-down axis. That's fine for walking in a straight line, but what happens when users want to turn a corner, or walk over uneven terrain? Well, in some cases, they end up falling down. That's why researchers at Michigan Technological University are now developing a microprocessor-controlled leg with an ankle that also lets the foot roll from side to side.
Created by mechanical engineer Prof. Mo Rastgaar and PhD student Evandro Ficanha, the current version of the prosthesis incorporates pressure sensors on its bottom surface. These detect the manner in which the user is walking, and relay that information to a microprocessor. It responds instantaneously by adjusting the angle of the foot via the ankle joint, to facilitate a more stable, natural gait.
DNA analysis uncovers genetic errors behind 12 major cancers | Cutting Edge - CNET NewsScientists at Washington University in St. Louis say it may someday be possible to perform a single test to screen for a wide range of cancer types.
Thanks to recent advances in genome sequencing that allow scientists to analyze DNA faster and more affordably than ever before, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis say they have found that many types of cancer are driven by the same genetic mutations.
The scientists have been able to analyze 3,281 tumors to find 127 genes that repeatedly mutate in such a way as to drive the development of tumors in the body.
Previous genome studies have tended to home in on specific tumor types, but the work out of St. Louis, which appears this week in the journal Nature, is among the first to look at a wide range of what are sometimes seemingly unrelated tumor types. In fact, the thousands of tumors they analyzed included 12 major cancers: of the breast, uterus, bladder, kidney, ovary, lung, brain, blood, head and neck, and colon and rectum.
A rapid blood test to diagnose blood poisoning, or sepsis, at the hospital bedside could potentially save thousands of lives, say researchers.
Early studies at King's College London suggest the condition can be diagnosed in two hours using a simple blood test.
Current diagnostic methods take up to two days, which may delay treatment with life-saving antibiotics.
The condition - caused when the body's immune system overreacts to infection - causes 37,000 UK deaths each year.
In the study, published in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers identified a biomarker for diagnosing sepsis rapidly in blood samples.
It is based on detecting nucleotides specific to sepsis to rule out similar conditions that can mimic its symptoms.
A small study at a London hospital and a larger study in Sweden demonstrated that sepsis could be diagnosed within two hours, with an accuracy of 86%.
LOS ANGELES: Scientists have for the first time developed a blood test to determine if a person is suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), or another serious condition such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Researchers have conclusively identified a test for antibodies that form against a particular protein, vinculin, found in the guts of patients, many of whom suffered acute gastroenteritis at some point.
"This is a major breakthrough. It is the first test with a high specificity for IBS, likely based on a pathological mechanism of the disease," said Cedars-Sinai physician researcher Mark Pimentel, co-author of the study.
Steve Wynn: University on path to blindness cureLas Vegas casino tycoon Steve Wynn said Friday that he gave $25 million to support blindness research at the University of Iowa after becoming convinced that its scientists were leading the way in the search for a cure.
Wynn, 71, said that university researchers were "knocking on the door" of a discovery that was unthinkable when he was diagnosed with a rare eye defect when he was in his 20s. He said there was no hope then for individuals inflicted with diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa, which has slowly compromised Wynn's vision and causes nighttime blindness and a lack of peripheral vision.
Everyone grows older, but scientists don't really understand why. Now a UCLA study has uncovered a biological clock embedded in our genomes that may shed light on why our bodies age and how we can slow the process. Published in the Oct. 21 edition of Genome Biology, the findings could offer valuable insights into cancer and stem cell research.
While earlier clocks have been linked to saliva, hormones and telomeres, the new research is the first to identify an internal timepiece able to accurately gauge the age of diverse human organs, tissues and cell types. Unexpectedly, the clock also found that some parts of the anatomy, like a woman's breast tissue, age faster than the rest of the body.
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and IBM have announced that MD Anderson is using the IBM Watson cognitive computing system for its mission to eradicate cancer.
Following a year-long collaboration, IBM and MD Anderson showcased a prototype of MD Anderson’s Oncology Expert Advisor powered by IBM Watson at a news conference on October 18.
The organizations discussed their shared vision to leverage Watson’s cognitive computing power to help patients by enabling clinicians to uncover valuable insights from the cancer center’s rich patient and research databases.
Oncology Expert Advisor is designed to integrate the knowledge of MD Anderson’s clinicians and researchers, starting with the leukemia, and help MD Anderson clinicians develop, observe and fine-tune treatment plans for patients, while helping them recognize adverse events that may occur throughout the care continuum.
The cognitive-powered technology is also expected to help researchers advance novel discoveries.
IBM says a “new era of computing” has emerged, in which cognitive systems “understand” the context within users’ questions, uncover answers from Big Data, and improve in performance by continuously learning from experiences.
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At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Assistant Professor of Leukemia Dr. Courtney DiNardo uses IBM’s Watson cognitive system while consulting with patient Rich Ware, on October 18, 2013 (credit: Thomas Shea/IBM)
IBM’s Watson technology is expected to play a key role within APOLLO, a technology driven “adaptive learning environment” that MD Anderson is developing as part of its Moon Shots program. APOLLO enables iterative and continued learning between clinical care and research by creating an environment that streamlines and standardizes the longitudinal collection, ingestion and integration of patient’s medical and clinical history, laboratory data as well as research data into MD Anderson’s centralized patient data warehouse.
Once aggregated, this complex data is linked and made available for deep analyses by advanced analytics to extract novel insights that can lead to improved effectiveness of care and better patient outcomes.
One of the richest sources of valuable clinical insight trapped within this patient data is the unstructured medical and research notes, and test results, for each cancer patient Watson’s cognitive capability has been shown to be powerful tool to extract valuable insight from such complex data and Oncology Expert Advisor capability can generate a more comprehensive profile of each cancer patient.
By identifying and weighing data-driven connections between the attributes in a patient’s profile and the knowledge corpus of published medical literature, guidelines in Watson, Oncology Expert Advisor can provide evidence-based treatment and management options that are personalized to that patient, to aid the physician’s treatment and care decisions. These options can include not only standard approved therapies, but also appropriate investigational protocols.
“The system was built with the understanding that what we know today will not be enough for many patients. Therefore, our cancer patients will be automatically matched to appropriate clinical trials by the Oncology Expert Advisor. Based on evidence as well as experiences, our physicians can offer our patients a better chance to battle their cancers by participating in clinical trials on novel therapies.”
Oncology Expert Advisor is expected to help physicians improve the future care of cancer patients by enabling comparison of patients based on a new range of data-driven attributes, previously unavailable for analysis. For example, MD Anderson’s clinical care and research teams can compare groups of patients to identify those patients who responded differently to therapies and discover attributes that may account for their differences. This analysis will then inform the generation of testable hypotheses to help researchers and clinicians to advance cancer care continually.
Two years after IBM Watson’s triumph on the television quiz show Jeopardy!, Watson has evolved from a first-of-a-kind status, to a commercial cognitive computing system. Watson has gained a 240 percent improvement in system performance, and a reduction of 75 percent in the physical requirements needed to run the system which can now operate from a single Power 750 server with Linux and from a cloud computing environment, according to IBM.
BBC News - Baldness treatment a 'step closer'Scientists say they have moved a step closer to banishing bald spots and reversing receding hairlines after human hair was grown in the laboratory.
A joint UK and US team was able to create new hairs from tissue samples.
Far more research is needed, but the group said its technique had the "potential to transform" the treatment of hair loss.
The study results were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
A pioneering operation to improve the function of failing hearts while they are still beating has taken place in the UK for the first time.
Patients with heart failure struggle to pump blood around the body and mild exercise can leave them breathless.
Surgeons used a form of "cardiac sewing" to remove scar tissue and reduce the size of the heart so it pumps more efficiently.
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) have devised a hair restoration method that can generate new human hair growth, rather than simply redistribute hair from one part of the scalp to another. The approach could significantly expand the use of hair transplantation to women with hair loss, who tend to have insufficient donor hair, as well as to men in early stages of baldness. The study was published today in the online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
"About 90 percent of women with hair loss are not strong candidates for hair transplantation surgery because of insufficient donor hair," said co-study leader Angela M. Christiano, PhD, the Richard and Mildred Rhodebeck Professor of Dermatology and professor of genetics & development. "This method offers the possibility of inducing large numbers of hair follicles or rejuvenating existing hair follicles, starting with cells grown from just a few hundred donor hairs. It could make hair transplantation available to individuals with a limited number of follicles, including those with female-pattern hair loss, scarring alopecia, and hair loss due to burns."
According to Dr. Christiano, such patients gain little benefit from existing hair-loss medications, which tend to slow the rate of hair loss but usually do not stimulate robust new hair growth.
Team demonstrates efficient method for converting fat cells to liver cellsIn a feat of modern-day alchemy with huge potential for regenerative medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine scientists have developed a fast, efficient way to turn cells extracted from routine liposuction into liver cells.
The advance is described in a study to be published Oct. 21 in Cell Transplantation.
The scientists performed their experiments in mice, but the adipose stem cells they used came from human liposuction aspirates and became human, liver-like cells that flourished inside the mice's bodies. This method is distinct from those producing liver cells from embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. Although iPS and embryonic stem cells are pluripotent—they can, in principle, differentiate into every cell type—they carry a palpable risk of forming tumors. However, the cells produced using this new technique, which involves no intermediate pluripotent phase, show no signs of being tumorogenic.
Doctors at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital have carried out a pioneering bone-marrow transplant technique.
They say the method should help with donor shortages since it does not require a perfect cell match.
Mohammed Ahmed, who is nearly five years old, was among the first three children in the world to try out the new treatment.
He has severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome and had been waiting for a suitable donor for years.
Mohammed, who lives in Milton Keynes, was referred to Great Ormond Street Hospital when he was a year old.
His condition - a weak immune system - makes him more susceptible to infections than most, and a bone marrow transplant is the only known treatment.
While Mohammed was on the transplant waiting list, he became extremely sick with swine flu.
At that time, his doctors decided Mohammed's only real hope was to have a mismatched bone-marrow transplant, with his father acting as the donor.
Mohammed's dad, Jamil, agreed to give the experimental therapy a go.
Before giving his donation, Jamil was first vaccinated against swine flu so that his own bone-marrow cells would know how to fight the infection.
Mohammed's doctors then modified these donated immune cells, called "T-cells", in the lab to engineer a safety switch - a self-destruct message that could be activated if Mohammed's body should start to reject them once transplanted.
Ditto data system bridges glucose monitors, smartphones | Cutting Edge - CNET NewsBiomedtrics' ditto Glucose Data System transmits blood glucose data from several glucometers to Android mobile devices.
Let's face it: traditional glucose monitors require their share of work. Even diabetics who are diligent about monitoring their glucose levels have to then go to the trouble of either plugging the meters into a computer to upload the readings or tracking them manually.
So Pleasanton, Calif.-based Biomedtrics has come up with what it calls the ditto Glucose Data System to bridge the gap between glucose monitors and smartphones and thus make glucose tracking a little easier. The system comprises a Bluetooth device, an electronic logbook app, and a secure Web site -- called mydittolife -- on which to store and track data. Users can also share the information with their physician, family, caregivers, etc.
The device is available on Amazon for $129, while the logbook app is available at the Google Play store for free. Compatible FDA-approved glucose monitors include Bayer CONTOUR, FreeStyle, GLUCOCARD, and OneTouch Profile. (The full list is here.)
Light as medicine? Researchers reveal how specific wavelengths of light can healMultiple sclerosis (MS) causes progressive paralysis by destroying nerve cells and the spinal cord. It interrupts vision, balance and even thinking.
On a suggestion from a colleague, Jeri-Anne Lyons decided to test how the disease responded to a radical therapy – exposure to a certain wavelength of light called near-infrared (NIR).
"Never in a million years did I think it would help," says Lyons, an associate professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM), who studies the role of the immune response in MS.
But it did. In rodent models, early MS-like symptoms were treated with exposure to NIR light for a week, alternating with a week of no light. The clinical condition of the mice improved.
Professor Janis Eells, who shared the idea with Lyons, had the same initial reaction after she used NIR therapy on rats to treat blindness caused by poisoning, a condition thought to be permanent. Repeating experiments again and again, she found that certain doses of NIR light allowed lab animals to regain their sight.
Scientists have known for years that certain wavelengths of light in certain doses can heal, but they are only now uncovering exactly how it works, thanks in large part to three UWM faculty researchers, including Chukuka S. Enwemeka, dean of UWM's College of Health Sciences who is internationally known for his work in phototherapy.
I've only suffered through a bad bout of food poisoning once, and, without going into details, I spent one evening of my life knowing I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemies. Apparently I'm lucky, since one in six Americans (or 48 million people) get foodborne illnesses every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And of the 128,000 who end up hospitalized, 3,000 die.
While 3,000 is a tiny fraction of the 48 million who get sick, better sensors and sensing systems could reduce that number even further. So doctoral student Yating Chai of Auburn University has been working with a team of engineers on a new approach to detecting pathogenic bacteria -- including salmonella and listeria -- in real time.
Unlike traditional methods, which require 48 to 72 hours and involve taking a sample of food, getting the sample to grow, and testing the growth, the Auburn system employs something called a magnetoelastic biosensor. The sensor, which has been studied for several years now, is based on a wireless acoustic wave sensor platform, which is a fancy way of saying that it vibrates at a very specific resonance. When a bacterium attaches itself to the sensor, the change in mass causes the sensor's resonant frequency to change accordingly.
"Now you can put the sensor on the surface of, say, a watermelon," Chin explains. "[In the past], to measure it you'd have to put the whole watermelon inside the coil. Now...you can have this detector waved over the watermelon."
The researchers have filed a patent for their biosensing system. While it's too early to say what it would cost or when it will be market-ready, Chin calls the real-time detector a "major advancement."
