Archive for August, 2015

What is hypopituitarism?

Hypopituitarism (also called pituitary insufficiency) is a rare condition in which your pituitary gland doesnt make enough of certain hormones. Your body cant work properly when important glands, such as your thyroid gland and adrenal gland, dont get the hormones they need from your pituitary gland.

The pituitary gland is a pea-sized gland found at the base of your brain. It is called the master gland because it affects the action of many other important glands that produce their own hormones. The pituitary gland affects almost all parts of your body.

Hypopituitarism can develop very slowly, over several months or even over several years.

Hypopituitarism can be caused by

Sometimes, the cause is unknown.

Symptoms can include one or more of the following:

Your doctor will check your hormone levels with blood tests. You may have other tests, such as an MRI of your pituitary gland, to help find the cause of your hypopituitarism.

Treatment usually includes taking the hormones youre missing, sometimes for life. Your doctor also will teach you how to take extra cortisone (a hormone) when you are sick or under stress. If a tumor is causing your hypopituitarism, you might need surgery to remove it and/or possibly radiation treatment. If needed, you can take medicine for infertility.

You will need to get regular check-ups. Its wise to wear medical identification, such as a bracelet or pendant, which provides information about your condition in case of an emergency.

You can expect a normal life span, as long as you regularly take the medications recommended by your doctor.

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Hypopituitarism Symptoms and Treatment | Hormone Health ...

Keeping in tradition with the Us commitment to advance the fields of medicine and surgery, our physicians are focusing on regenerative medicine as the next frontier in treating cardiovascular disease. Researchers within the Cardiovascular Center estimate cell therapy will be FDA-approved within three years. The goal of this therapy is to give cells back to the heart in order for it to grow stronger, work harder, and function more like a younger heart. Currently, studies include the potentiality of injecting cardiac repair cells into patients hearts to improve function.

This is the first trial of its kind in the United States, providing heart patients who have limited or no other options with a viable treatment. Using some of the best imaging technology, researchers have been able to see improvements in patients within six months after injecting their own cells directly into the left ventricle of the heart during minimally invasive surgery.

To contact us, please use the contact number provided.

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Heart Stem Cell Therapy | University of Utah Health Care

It is astonishing how the cosmetic industry uses medical discoveries and put these formulas into skin cream jars.

In 2009 the American company Voss laboratories was the first that introduced stem cell active ingredients into a cosmetic product. Due to the fact that the company didnt reveal their secret ingredients, it created a worldwide rumor that the company might be using human stem cells.

The world started to question if this would be ethical and safe.

Coming from the medical stand point: with human stem cells you can actually build and rebuild human organs but also carcinogenic cell. For that reason it created great concerns.

Now days many trendsetting companies producing stem cell creams and serums that dont use human stem cells

Stem cells are a class of undifferentiated cells that are able to differentiate into specialized cell types

Adult or somatic stem cells exist throughout the body after embryonic development and are found inside of different types of tissue. These stem cells have been found in tissues such as the brain, bone marrow, blood, blood vessels, skeletal muscles, liver, and the Skin ( basal layer and fat layer) . They remain in a quiescent or non-dividing state for years until activated by disease or tissue injury.

Adult stem cells can divide ( copy) or self-renew indefinitely, enabling them to generate a range of cell types from the originating organ or even regenerates the entire original organ.

Plant Stem Cells benefits human skin.

Stem cells from a rare red grape variety provide the basis for Israel based company On-Macabim latest skin care ingredient.

This variety is one of the few red grapes that have red flesh and juice the majority have red skin but white flesh and juice which is due to the high quantity of anthocyanins in the fruit.

The anthocyanins, also present in the flesh, leading to higher antioxidant levels overall.

The technology was developed last year and allows to extract stem cells from the plant which can then be formulated into a cosmetic ingredient to help protect the stem cells in human skin.

To harvest the stem cells the company first induces a wound in the plant which causes the surrounding cells to dedifferentiate (turn back into stem cells) and form a wound healing tissue called a callus.

Once the wound has healed these cells can differentiate again and build new tissue

According to On-macabim, these plant stem cells contain components and epigenetic factors that can protect human skin stem cells form UV radiation, inflammation, oxidative stress, neutralize free radicals and reverse the effects of photoaging.

Stem cells are found in the epidermal layer of the skin and are involved in skin growth and regeneration. If they are harmed by UV radiation,

their power to regenerate will be jeopardized.

Grape stem cells have the ability to promote healthy skin proliferation.

Grape Stem Cells Counteract Negative

Effects of UV Radiation on

Skin Stem Cells

In an in-vitro study, skin stem cells were treated with and without

the Grape Stem Cells.

Some were exposed to UVA+UVB-light; others were unexposed.

CFE was determined in each case.

Results confirmed that cells treated with the Grape Stem Cells increased

the CFE of the skin stem cells. A 58% decrease in CFE was observed

when skin stem cells were exposed to UV radiation (control).

However, the presence of the Grape Stem Cells counteracted the negative effect of UV radiation on the cells as the CFE remained at the same level when exposed to the UV radiation.

Therefore, the Grape Stem Cells protect skin stem cells against UV stress.

Benefits of the Grape Stem Cell products

Regenerative, repair and rejuvenating properties

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Stem cell and skin care. | Esthetics Association Florida

A

Acellular vaccine: Listen [MP3] A vaccine containing partial cellular material as opposed to complete cells.

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS): A medical condition where the immune system cannot function properly and protect the body from disease. As a result, the body cannot defend itself against infections (like pneumonia). AIDS is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). This virus is spread through direct contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected individual. High risk activities include unprotected sexual intercourse and intravenous drug use (sharing needles). There is no cure for AIDS, however, research efforts are on-going to develop a vaccine.

Active immunity: The production of antibodies against a specific disease by the immune system. Active immunity can be acquired in two ways, either by contracting the disease or through vaccination. Active immunity is usually permanent, meaning an individual is protected from the disease for the duration of their lives.

Acute: Listen [MP3] A short-term, intense health effect.

Adjuvant: Listen [MP3] A substance (e.g. aluminum salt) that is added during production to increase the body's immune response to a vaccine.

Adverse events: Undesirable experiences occurring after immunization that may or may not be related to the vaccine.

Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP): A panel of 10 experts who make recommendations on the use of vaccines in the United States. The panel is advised on current issues by representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Health, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Medical Association and others. The recommendations of the ACIP guide immunization practice at the federal, state and local level.

Allergy: A condition in which the body has an exaggerated response to a substance (e.g. food or drug). Also known as hypersensitivity.

Anaphylaxis: Listen [MP3] An immediate and severe allergic reaction to a substance (e.g. food or drugs). Symptoms of anaphylaxis include breathing difficulties, loss of consciousness and a drop in blood pressure. This condition can be fatal and requires immediate medical attention.

Anthrax: Listen [MP3] An acute infectious disease caused by the spore-forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax most commonly occurs in hoofed mammals and can also infect humans.

Antibiotic: Listen [MP3] A substance that fights bacteria.

Antibody: Listen [MP3] A protein found in the blood that is produced in response to foreign substances (e.g. bacteria or viruses) invading the body. Antibodies protect the body from disease by binding to these organisms and destroying them.

Antigens: Listen [MP3] Foreign substances (e.g. bacteria or viruses) in the body that are capable of causing disease. The presence of antigens in the body triggers an immune response, usually the production of antibodies.

Antitoxin: Listen [MP3] Antibodies capable of destroying toxins generated by microorganisms including viruses and bacteria.

Antiviral: Literally "against-virus" -- any medicine capable of destroying or weakening a virus.

Arthralgia: Listen [MP3] Joint pain.

Arthritis: A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the joints which results in pain and difficulty moving.

Association: The degree to which the occurrence of two variables or events is linked. Association describes a situation where the likelihood of one event occurring depends on the presence of another event or variable. However, an association between two variables does not necessarily imply a cause and effect relationship. The term association and relationship are often used interchangeably. See causal and temporal association.

Asthma: A chronic medical condition where the bronchial tubes (in the lungs) become easily irritated. This leads to constriction of the airways resulting in wheezing, coughing, difficulty breathing and production of thick mucus. The cause of asthma is not yet known but environmental triggers, drugs, food allergies, exercise, infection and stress have all been implicated.

Asymptomatic infection: Listen [MP3] The presence of an infection without symptoms. Also known as inapparent or subclinical infection.

Attenuated vaccine: Listen [MP3] A vaccine in which live virus is weakened through chemical or physical processes in order to produce an immune response without causing the severe effects of the disease. Attenuated vaccines currently licensed in the United States include measles, mumps, rubella, polio, yellow fever and varicella. Also known as a live vaccine.

Autism: A chronic developmental disorder usually diagnosed between 18 and 30 months of age. Symptoms include problems with social interaction and communication as well as repetitive interests and activities. At this time, the cause of autism is not known although many experts believe it to be a genetically based disorder that occurs before birth.

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B cells: Small white blood cells that help the body defend itself against infection. These cells are produced in bone marrow and develop into plasma cells which produce antibodies. Also known as B lymphocytes.

Bacteria: Tiny one-celled organisms present throughout the environment that require a microscope to be seen. While not all bacteria are harmful, some cause disease. Examples of bacterial disease include diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae, and pneumococcal.

Bias: Flaws in the collection, analysis or interpretation of research data that lead to incorrect conclusions.

Biological plausibility: A causal association (or relationship between two factors) is consistent with existing medical knowledge.

Bone marrow: Soft tissue located within bones that produce all blood cells, including the ones that fight infection.

Booster shots: Additional doses of a vaccine needed periodically to "boost" the immune system. For example, the tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine which is recommended for adults every ten years.

Brachial neuritis: Listen [MP3] Inflammation of nerves in the arm causing muscle weakness and pain.

Breakthrough infection: Development of a disease despite a person's having responded to a vaccine.

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Causal association: Listen [MP3] The presence or absence of a variable (e.g. smoking) is responsible for an increase or decrease in another variable (e.g. cancer). A change in exposure leads to a change in the outcome of interest.

Chickenpox: See Varicella.

Chronic health condition: A health related state that lasts for a long period of time (e.g. cancer, asthma).

Combination vaccine: Two or more vaccines administered in a single dose in order to reduce the number of shots given. For example, the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.

Communicable: That which can be transmitted from one person or animal to another. Also known as infectious.

Crohn's disease: Listen [MP3] A chronic medical condition characterized by inflammation of the bowel. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and weight loss. The cause of Crohn's disease is not yet known, but genetic, dietary and infectious factors may play a part.

Community immunity: A situation in which a sufficient proportion of a population is immune to an infectious disease (through vaccination and/or prior illness) to make its spread from person to person unlikely. Even individuals not vaccinated (such as newborns and those with chronic illnesses) are offered some protection because the disease has little opportunity to spread within the community. Also known as herd immunity.

Conjugate vaccine: Listen [MP3] The joining together of two compounds (usually a protein and polysaccharide) to increase a vaccine's effectiveness.

Conjunctivitis: Listen [MP3] Inflammation of the mucous membranes surrounding the eye causing the area to become red and irritated. The membranes may be irritated because of exposure to heat, cold or chemicals. This condition is also caused by viruses, bacteria or allergies.

Contraindication: Listen [MP3] A condition in a recipient which is likely to result in a life-threatening problem if a vaccine were given.

Convulsion: See Seizure.

Crib or Cot Death: See Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

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Deltoid: Listen [MP3] A muscle in the upper arm where shots are usually given.

Demyelinating disorders: Listen [MP3] A medical condition where the myelin sheath is damaged. The myelin sheath surrounds nerves and is responsible for the transmission of impulses to the brain. Damage to the myelin sheath results in muscle weakness, poor coordination and possible paralysis. Examples of demyelinating disorders include Multiple Sclerosis (MS), optic neuritis, transverse neuritis and Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS).

Diabetes: A chronic health condition where the body is unable to produce insulin and properly breakdown sugar (glucose) in the blood. Symptoms include hunger, thirst, excessive urination, dehydration and weight loss. The treatment of diabetes requires daily insulin injections, proper nutrition and regular exercise. Complications can include heart disease, stroke, neuropathy, poor circulation leading to loss of limbs, hearing impairment, vision problems and death.

Diphtheria: Listen [MP3] A bacterial disease marked by the formation of a false membrane, especially in the throat, which can cause death.

Disease: Sickness, illness or loss of health.

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Efficacy rate: Listen [MP3] A measure used to describe how good a vaccine is at preventing disease.

Encephalitis: Listen [MP3] Inflammation of the brain caused by a virus. Encephalitis can result in permanent brain damage or death.

Encephalopathy: Listen [MP3] A general term describing brain dysfunction. Examples include encephalitis, meningitis, seizures and head trauma.

Epidemic: Listen [MP3] The occurrence of disease within a specific geographical area or population that is in excess of what is normally expected.

Endemic: Listen [MP3] The continual, low-level presence of disease in a community

Erythema Multiforme: Listen [MP3] A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the skin or mucous membranes (including the mouth, throat and eyes). Erthema Multiforme has been reported following infection. Symptoms persist anywhere from 2 days to 4 weeks and include skin lesions, blisters, itching, fatigue, joint pain and fever.

Etiology: Listen [MP3] The cause of.

Exposure: Contact with infectious agents (bacteria or viruses) in a manner that promotes transmission and increases the likelihood of disease.

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Febrile: Listen [MP3] Relating to fever; feverish.

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Guillain-Barre Syndrome (GBS): Listen [MP3] A rare neurological disease characterized by loss of reflexes and temporary paralysis. Symptoms include weakness, numbness, tingling and increased sensitivity that spreads over the body. Muscle paralysis starts in the feet and legs and moves upwards to the arms and hands. Sometimes paralysis can result in the respiratory muscles causing breathing difficulties. Symptoms usually appear over the course of one day and may continue to progress for 3 or 4 days up to 3 or 4 weeks. Recovery begins within 2-4 weeks after the progression stops. While most patients recover, approximately 15%-20% experience persistent symptoms. GBS is fatal in 5% of cases.

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Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib): Listen [MP3] A bacterial infection that may result in severe respiratory infections, including pneumonia, and other diseases such as meningitis.

Hepatitis A: A minor viral disease, that usually does not persist in the blood; transmitted through ingestion of contaminated food or water.

Hepatitis B: A viral disease transmitted by infected blood or blood products, or through unprotected sex with someone who is infected.

Hepatitis C: is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is found in the blood of persons who have the disease. HCV is spread by contact with the blood of an infected person.

Hepatitis D: is a defective virus that needs the hepatitis B virus to exist. Hepatitis D virus (HDV) is found in the blood of persons infected with the virus.

Hepatitis E: is a virus (HEV) transmitted in much the same way as hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis E, however, does not often occur in the United States.

Herd immunity: See Community immunity.

Herpes Zoster: A disease characterized by painful skin lesions that occur mainly on the trunk (back and stomach) of the body but which can also develop on the face and in the mouth. Complications include headache, vomiting, fever and meningitis. Recovery may take up to 5 weeks. Herpes Zoster is caused by the same virus that is responsible for chickenpox. Most people are exposed to this virus during childhood. After the primary infection (chickenpox), the virus becomes dormant, or inactivated. In some people the virus reactivates years, or even decades, later and causes herpes zoster. Also known as the shingles.

Hives: The eruption of red marks on the skin that are usually accompanied by itching. This condition can be caused by an allergy (e.g. to food or drugs), stress, infection or physical agents (e.g. heat or cold). Also known as uticaria.

Hypersensitivity: Listen [MP3] A condition in which the body has an exaggerated response to a substance (e.g. food or drug). Also known as an allergy.

Hyposensitivity: Listen [MP3] A condition in which the body has a weakened or delayed reaction to a substance.

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Immune globulin: Listen [MP3] A protein found in the blood that fights infection. Also known as gamma globulin.

Immune system: The complex system in the body responsible for fighting disease. Its primary function is to identify foreign substances in the body (bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites) and develop a defense against them. This defense is known as the immune response. It involves production of protein molecules called antibodies to eliminate foreign organisms that invade the body.

Immunity: Protection against a disease. There are two types of immunity, passive and active. Immunity is indicated by the presence of antibodies in the blood and can usually be determined with a laboratory test. See active and passive immunity.

Immunization: Listen [MP3] The process by which a person or animal becomes protected against a disease. This term is often used interchangeably with vaccination or inoculation.

Immunosupression: Listen [MP3] When the immune system is unable to protect the body from disease. This condition can be caused by disease (like HIV infection or cancer) or by certain drugs (like those used in chemotherapy). Individuals whose immune systems are compromised should not receive live, attenuated vaccines.

Inactivated vaccine: Listen [MP3] A vaccine made from viruses and bacteria that have been killed through physical or chemical processes. These killed organisms cannot cause disease.

Inapparent infection: The presence of infection without symptoms. Also known as subclinical or asymptomatic infection.

Incidence: The number of new disease cases reported in a population over a certain period of time.

Incubation period: The time from contact with infectious agents (bacteria or viruses) to onset of disease.

Infectious: Capable of spreading disease. Also known as communicable.

Infectious agents: Organisms capable of spreading disease (e.g. bacteria or viruses).

Inflammation: Redness, swelling, heat and pain resulting from injury to tissue (parts of the body underneath the skin). Also known as swelling.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD): A general term for any disease characterized by inflammation of the bowel. Examples include colitis and Crohn's disease. Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Influenza: A highly contagious viral infection characterized by sudden onset of fever, severe aches and pains, and inflammation of the mucous membrane.

Intussusception: Listen [MP3] A type of bowel blockage that happens when one portion of the bowel slides into the next, much like the pieces of a telescope; it is treated in a hospital and may require surgery.

Investigational vaccine: A vaccine that has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in clinical trials on humans. However, investigational vaccines are still in the testing and evaluation phase and are not licensed for use in the general public.

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Jaundice: Listen [MP3] Yellowing of the skin and eyes. This condition is often a symptom of hepatitis infection.

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Lesion: Listen [MP3] An abnormal change in the structure of an organ, due to injury or disease.

Live vaccine: A vaccine in which live virus is weakened (attenuated) through chemical or physical processes in order to produce an immune response without causing the severe effects of the disease. Attenuated vaccines currently licensed in the United States include measles, mumps, rubella, shingles (herpes zoster), varicella, and yellow fever. Also known as an attenuated vaccine.

Lupus: A disease characterized by inflammation of the connective tissue (which supports and connects all parts of the body). Chronic swelling of the connective tissue causes damage to the skin, joints, kidneys, nervous system and mucous membranes. The disease begins with fever, joint pain and fatigue. Additional symptoms continue to develop over the years including nausea, fatigue, weight loss, arthritis, headaches and epilepsy. Problems with heart, lung and kidney function may also result. This condition is diagnosed most frequently in young women but also occurs in children.

Lyme disease: A bacterial disease transmitted by infected ticks. Human beings may come into contact with infected ticks during outdoor activities (camping, hiking). Symptoms include fatigue, chills, fever, headache, joint and muscle pain, swollen lymph nodes and a skin rash (in a circular pattern). Long-term problems include arthritis, nervous system abnormalities, irregular heart rhythm and meningitis. Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics. A vaccine was available from 1998 to 2002.

See more here:
Vaccines: About/Terms/Glossary

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of the entire joint involving the cartilage, joint lining, ligaments, and underlying bone. The breakdown of these tissues eventually leads to pain and joint stiffness. The joints most commonly affected are the knees, hips, and those in the hands and spine. The specific causes of OA are unknown, but are believed to be a result of both mechanical and molecular events in the affected joint. Disease onset is gradual and usually begins after the age of 40. There is currently no cure for OA. Treatment for OA focuses on relieving symptoms and improving function, and can include a combination of patient education, physical therapy, weight control, use of medications, and eventually total joint replacement.

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CDC - Arthritis - Basics - Definition - Osteoarthritis

Arthritis (from Greek arthro-, joint + -itis, inflammation; plural: arthritides) is a form of joint disorder that involves inflammation of one or more joints.[1][2] There are over 100 different forms of arthritis.[3][4] The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis (degenerative joint disease), a result of trauma to the joint, infection of the joint, or age. Other arthritis forms are rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and related autoimmune diseases. Septic arthritis is caused by joint infection.

The major complaint by individuals who have arthritis is joint pain. Pain is often a constant and may be localized to the joint affected. The pain from arthritis is due to inflammation that occurs around the joint, damage to the joint from disease, daily wear and tear of joint, muscle strains caused by forceful movements against stiff painful joints and fatigue.

There are several diseases where joint pain is primary, and is considered the main feature. Generally when a person has "arthritis" it means that they have one of these diseases, which include:

Joint pain can also be a symptom of other diseases. In this case, the arthritis is considered to be secondary to the main disease; these include:

An undifferentiated arthritis is an arthritis that does not fit into well-known clinical disease categories, possibly being an early stage of a definite rheumatic disease.[5]

Pain, which can vary in severity, is a common symptom in virtually all types of arthritis. Other symptoms include swelling, joint stiffness and aching around the joint(s). Arthritic disorders like lupus and rheumatoid arthritis can affect other organs in the body, leading to a variety of symptoms.[7] Symptoms may include:

It is common in advanced arthritis for significant secondary changes to occur. For example, arthritic symptoms might make it difficult for a person to move around and/or exercise, which can lead to secondary effects, such as:

These changes, in addition to the primary symptoms, can have a huge impact on quality of life.

Arthritis is the most common cause of disability in the USA. More than 20 million individuals with arthritis have severe limitations in function on a daily basis.[8]Absenteeism and frequent visits to the physician are common in individuals who have arthritis. Arthritis can make it very difficult for individuals to be physically active and some become home bound.

It is estimated that the total cost of arthritis cases is close to $100 billion of which almost 50% is from lost earnings. Each year, arthritis results in nearly 1 million hospitalizations and close to 45 million outpatient visits to health care centers.[9]

See the original post:
Arthritis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Psoriasis (psoriasis vulgaris) is een chronische auto-immuunziekte, gekenmerkt door een versnelde deling (proliferatie) en verminderde rijping (differentiatie) van hoorncellen in de opperhuid. Omdat de cellen niet normaal uitrijpen is ook het afschilferen verstoord, waardoor lokaal sterke afschilfering van huidschubben op de aangedane plaatsen plaatsvindt. Hoewel psoriasis vooral tot uiting komt in de huid, is het niet primair een huidprobleem, maar een ontregeling van het immuunsysteem (auto-immuunziekte[1][2][3]).

Periodes van vermindering van de symptomen worden vaak afgewisseld met periodes waarin de ziekte verergert.[4] De aangedane huid van een psoriasispatint vernieuwt zich in 6 7 dagen; bij niet-patinten is dit 26 27 dagen. De structuur van de zich vernieuwende huidlagen wijkt echter belangrijk af van normaal.

Psoriasis is niet besmettelijk. Ongeveer 2% van de wereldbevolking heeft de aandoening, alleen bij Zuid-Amerikaanse Indianen is ze veel zeldzamer. De hoogste incidentie wordt gevonden in Scandinavi en Noord-Europa (3%). Vaak bestaat er bij personen met psoriasis een genetische aanleg voor het optreden van een versnelde huiddeling. Het onderzoek hiernaar richt zich vooral op loci op de chromosomen 17q, 4q, 1q, 6p21.3 en het Psors 1 gen.[5]

De naam psoriasis komt van het Griekse "psora", dat jeuk of huiduitslag betekent. De eerste duidelijke beschrijving van dit ziektebeeld dateert uit 1801.[6] Mannen en vrouwen worden even vaak door deze aandoening getroffen, en 75% van de patinten vertoont de eerste verschijnselen vr het 40e levensjaar.

Er zijn verschillende typen psoriasis, waarvan het meest voorkomende (psoriasis vulgaris, ook wel psoriasis en plaque genoemd) de 'gewone psoriasis' is. Kenmerkend voor de meeste vormen van psoriasis zijn witte huidschilfers op rode plekken huid. Deze plekken worden ook wel plaques genoemd. Ze vertonen de volgende vier eigenschappen:

Ongeveer 20 procent van de patinten vertoont het fenomeen van Koebner. Door aspecifieke irritatie van de huid, ontwikkelen zich plaques op plaatsen waar dat eerder nog niet het geval was, bijvoorbeeld op de plaats waar een schram heeft gezeten of een brandwondje.

Veranderingen aan de nagels treden ook vaak op. De nagels van de handen in 50 procent, en de teennagels in 35 procent van de gevallen. Drie soorten veranderingen kunnen optreden:

In ongeveer 15% van de gevallen, treden naast huidafwijkingen ook gewrichtsklachten op, en ontwikkelt zich een seronegatieve polyartritis.[5]

Andere vormen van psoriasis zijn:

Arthritis psoriatica, is een chronische ontsteking van de gewrichten. De symptomen lijken deels op die van reuma, maar zijn niet exact dezelfde, en meestal zijn de huid- en nagelafwijkingen zoals die zich bij psoriasis voordoen aanwezig. Men kan zich afvragen of de symptomen wel een en dezelfde onderliggende etiologie hebben. Er zijn aanwijzingen dat het zou gaan om een zich elders dan in de huid manifesterende psoriasis, maar er zijn ook aanwijzingen dat het hier om een bijzondere vorm van artritis gaat.[9]

See more here:
Psoriasis - Wikipedia

August 5, 2015

The increasing national focus on personalized or 'precision' medicine is misguided, distracting from broader investments to reduce health inequities and address the social factors that affect population health, two leading public health scholars argue in the New England Journal of Medicine.

"There is now broad consensus that health differences between groups and within groups are not driven by clinical care, but by social-structural factors that shape our lives," write Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH, dean of the Boston University School of Public Health, and Ronald Bayer, PhD, professor of Sociomedical Sciences and co-director of the Center for the History and Ethics of Public Health at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. "Yet seemingly willfully blind to this evidence, the United States continues to spend its health dollars overwhelmingly on clinical care.

"It is therefore not surprising that even as we far outpace all other countries in spending on health, we have poorer health indicators than many countries, some of them far less wealthy than ours."

Bayer and Galea say that while investments in precision medicine may ultimately "open new vistas of science" and make contributions to "a narrow set of conditions that are primarily genetically determined," enthusiasm about the promise of this research is premature. Leaders of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have praised President Barack Obama's recent initiative to devote $215 million to personalized medicine, an emerging practice of medicine that uses an individual's genetic profile to guide decisions in regard to the diagnosis and treatment of disease.

"Without minimizing the possible gains to clinical care from greater realization of precision medicine's promise, we worry that an unstinting focus on precision medicine by trusted spokespeople for health is a mistakeand a distraction from the goal of producing a healthier population," they write.

Arguing that clinical intervention will not remedy pressing health problems that arise from environmental conditions and inequities in income and resources, they cite a 2013 report by the National Research Council and the Institute of Medicine that found Americans fared worse in terms of heart disease, birth outcomes, life expectancy and other indicators than their counterparts in other high-income countries. The report concluded that "decades of research have documented that health is determined by far more than health care."

They call for greater public investments in "broad, cross-sectional efforts" to minimize the socioeconomic and racial disparities in the U.S. that contribute to poor health.

Bayer and Galea say the NIH's most recent Estimates of Funding for Various Research, Condition and Disease Categories report shows that total support for research areas including the words 'gene,' 'genome' or 'genetic' was about 50 percent higher than funding for areas including the word 'prevention.' And investment in public health infrastructure, including local health departments, lags substantially behind that of other high-income countries.

In explaining why they felt compelled to speak out, Galea and Bayer said they are wary that that specialized medicine will push larger public health initiatives aside.

Excerpt from:
Enthusiasm for personalized medicine is premature ...

The two year curriculum includes course work, clinical rotations, and a research-based thesis. Students are afforded a wide range of clinical opportunities in prenatal, pediatric and adult settings as well as specialty clinics through our clinical rotation network. International rotations are encouraged.

In 1991 and 1998, the Program received rare Commendation for Excellence citations from the South Carolina Commission of Higher Education. The Program was awarded American Board of Genetic Counseling accreditation in 2000 and reaccreditation in 2006. Most recently, the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling re-accredited the Program for the maximum eight year period, 2014-2022.

We invite you to explore the University of South Carolina Genetic Counseling Program through this site. Please also visit the National Society of Genetic Counselors, the American Board of Genetic Counseling websites to learn more about the profession. Check out the latest U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition projections for genetic counselors. The future is bright for genetic counselors!

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Genetic Counseling Program - University of South Carolina ...

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Biotechnology Portal

Welcome to the Biotechnology portal. Biotechnology is a technology based on biology, especially when used in agriculture, food science, and medicine.

Of the many different definitions available, the one declared by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity is one of the broadest:

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Biotechnology subcategories:

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Agrobacterium tumefaciens is a species of bacteria that causes tumors (commonly known as 'galls' or 'crown galls') in dicots (Smith et al., 1907). This Gram-negative bacterium causes crown gall by inserting a small segment of DNA (known as the T-DNA, for 'transfer DNA') into the plant cell, which is incorporated at a semi-random location into the plant genome.

Agrobacterium is an alpha proteobacterium of the family Rhizobiaceae, which includes the nitrogen fixing legume symbionts. Unlike the nitrogen fixing symbionts, tumor producing Agrobacterium are parasitic and do not benefit the plant. The wide variety of plants affected by Agrobacterium makes it of great concern to the agriculture industry (Moore et al., 1997).

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I'm truly excited to be bringing you this information today about the miraculous healing abilities of aloe vera. First off, in case you don't know, let me emphasize that I don't sell aloe vera products of any kind, I haven't been paid to write this article, and I don't earn any commissions from the sale of any products mentioned here. I am, however, an enthusiastic supporter of natural medicine, and I personally grow and eat aloe vera plants in Tucson, Arizona.

In fact, my yard is an aloe farm, and each day before I make my superfood breakfast smoothie, I walk out to my yard, slice off an aloe vera leaf, thank the plant for granting me its healing medicine, then I fillet the leaf and drop the aloe vera gel into my blender. A few minutes later, I'm enjoying the most impressive medicinal herb that nature has ever created. (Click here to see the new PhotoTour showing step-by-step pictures of how to fillet aloe vera and remove the inner gel.)

When I say aloe vera is the most impressive medicinal herb invented by nature, I don't make that statement lightly. Of all the herbs I've ever studied -- and I've written thousands of articles on nutrition and disease prevention -- aloe vera is the most impressive herb of them all. (Garlic would be a close second.) There is nothing on this planet that offers the amazing variety of healing benefits granted by aloe vera. In a single plant, aloe vera offers potent, natural medicine that:

Halts the growth of cancer tumors. Lowers high cholesterol. Repairs "sludge blood" and reverses "sticky blood". Boosts the oxygenation of your blood. Eases inflammation and soothes arthritis pain. Protects the body from oxidative stress. Prevents kidney stones and protects the body from oxalates in coffee and tea. Alkalizes the body, helping to balance overly acidic dietary habits. Cures ulcers, IBS, Crohn's disease and other digestive disorders. Reduces high blood pressure natural, by treating the cause, not just the symptoms. Nourishes the body with minerals, vitamins, enzymes and glyconutrients. Accelerates healing from physical burns and radiation burns. Replaces dozens of first aid products, makes bandages and antibacterial sprays obsolete. Halts colon cancer, heals the intestines and lubricates the digestive tract. Ends constipation. Stabilizes blood sugar and reduces triglycerides in diabetics. Prevents and treats candida infections. Protects the kidneys from disease. Functions as nature's own "sports drink" for electrolyte balance, making common sports drinks obsolete. Boosts cardiovascular performance and physical endurance. Speeds recovery from injury or physical exertion. Hydrates the skin, accelerates skin repair.

Truly, there is nothing else that compares to the medicinal potential of aloe vera. And yet most people only know about the topical applications of aloe vera gel. They think it's only good for sunburns. In reality, aloe vera is useful for both external and internal use. In this article, I'll discuss both.

After a rain in the desert, you can actually watch the succulents swell to 130% their usual size as they take in water. During periods of drought, they slowly shrink back to normal as the excess water locked in their gel matrix is consumed.

It is these succulents we're interested in here, and it's only the inner gel that we're focused on, because this inner gel has medicinal properties you'd be surprised to learn. For starters, there's the fact that all succulents have self-repairing abilities. They don't simply store water in a giant internal "water tank" that leaks out if torn or punctured: Their internal gel repairs any cut or tear by automatically shrinking the wound and creating a new water-tight seal. This gel matrix is comprised of hundreds of different phytochemicals that not only store water and repair injury; they also grant notable medicinal effects to humans who consume them.

Until now, there was only one good way to get aloe vera gel: Grow it yourself. I've done that for years, and when I'm making a smoothie, I often cut a large aloe vera leaf out of my yard, slice off the thick green skin of the leaf, and drop the large gel piece into a blender. You can see how this works in the aloe vera PhotoTour. The piece of aloe vera gel you see in the last picture is what I ate.

The reason I'm writing about aloe vera now is because a company I know here in Arizona called Good Cause Wellness (www.GoodCauseWellness.com) has launched a line of low-temperature dried aloe vera & berry products that you can use as ingredients in any smoothie. It's the next best thing to growing your own fresh aloe vera leaves. It's a high-grade, pesticide-free, highly concentrated aloe vera gel powder (just the gel, not the leaf) available in two mixtures: Aloe Vera + Raspberry Powder and Aloe Vera + Blueberry Powder. This makes aloe vera gel available to everyone, not just those who live in the desert.

You see, until now, I've been a strong proponent of the health benefits of aloe vera, but I had no advice for teaching others how to take the product. The typical aloe vera liquids available in retail are very weak, and some contain almost no aloe vera juice whatsoever. Many are mixed with food thickeners to make them look like a gel, but most have been heated, destroying a significant portion of their healing effects. This new aloe vera gel powder is the best form of aloe vera I've seen yet, and it's in a convenient format that's perfect for using in your own smoothies.

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The aloe vera miracle: A natural medicine for cancer ...

Debra Torres says

September 10, 2012 at 2:13 pm

Wow. Its so amazing how just some small indications in mice can create a product that tempts people to actually buy it. I know that joint pain can really be a problem and inhibit movement. I have Psoriatic Arthritis and, when it flares up, it hurts. Thankfully, this form of arthritis pain jumps around and doesnt stay in one place forever. (My elbow is now pain free again.) Thanks for the research here, Joe. And, for all of the helpful links. Your blog is amazing.

Sharon says

September 11, 2012 at 8:55 am

Please review Protandim:)

Glen says

September 15, 2012 at 3:27 pm

Im a 50 year old male and have been using a low dose (~3-4mg/day) of Anatabloc since April (2012). It has helped reduce my eczema issues considerably but it hasnt cured anything. I still like it though and have recently increased to the recommended dose (6mg/day) to see if it makes any difference. Ive noticed no negative side effects, but have noticed an absence of swelling in my hands and feet at the end of the day.

Also noticed that I recover faster from aches and pain associated with activities like gardening etc. Also noticed that my finger joint pain (I have not been diagnosed with arthritis) is much less. I had my blood tested before taking Anatabloc and plan to see if there is any effect on the measurements at my next annual checkup.

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Anatabloc Anti-Inflammation Joint Supplement: Review of ...

Established in 1980, the Life Extension Foundation is a nonprofit organization, whose long-range goal is to radically extend the healthy human lifespan by discovering scientific methods to control aging and eradicate disease. One of the largest organizations of its kind in the world, the Life Extension Foundation has always been at the forefront of discovering new scientific breakthroughs for use in developing novel disease prevention and treatment protocols to improve the quality and length of human life. Through its private funding of research programs aimed at identifying and developing new therapies to slow and even reverse the aging process, the Life Extension Foundation seeks to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, such age-related killers as heart disease, stroke, cancer and Alzheimers disease.

The Life Extension Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose goal is to extend the healthy human lifespan by discovering scientific methods to control aging and eradicate disease. continue >>

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Companion Diagnostics are the Key to Personalized Medicine for Cancer

Personalized medicine -- also known as targeted medicine or precision medicine -- is a rapidly-evolving area of healthcare in which treatment for a medical condition such as cancer is tailored to the individual patient and his or her biology. There should be no one-size-fits-all approach to medicine. The goal of personalized medicine is to prescribe the right medicine to the right patient at the right time and avoid the trial-and-error treatment paradigm.

If, for example, a woman has ovarian cancer caused by a genetic mutation, personalized medicine may enable her to be treated with a chemotherapy shown to be effective in individuals with that specific mutation.1

Companion diagnostics are the medical tests that make personalized medicine possible. Designed to be paired with a specific drug, companion diagnostics help healthcare professionals determine which patients could be helped by that drug and which patients would not benefit, or could even be harmed.

Unlike other laboratory developed tests, companion diagnostic tests are reviewed and approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is the gold standard for ensuring safety, effectiveness and quality. FDA approval gives physicians confidence they are receiving the highest quality test result on a consistent basis.

BRACAnalysis CDx is an FDA-approved companion diagnostic that helps to identify women with advanced ovarian cancer with germline BRCA1/2 mutations who have completed three or more lines of chemotherapy and might benefit from treatment with Lynparza (olaparib).

Myriad myChoice HRD is a tumor tissue test that measures deficiencies in the DNA-repair mechanism of cancer cells and may help identify more of the cancer patients who are most likely to benefit from certain types of DNA-damaging chemotherapy agents.

Personalized medicine is the future of healthcare, not just for cancer, but for disease in general. Companion diagnostics will be critical tools that all physicians will need in their toolbox as healthcare moves forward. In addition to cancer, companion diagnostics hold promise in the treatment of other chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, other autoimmune disorders and diabetes.

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Personalized Medicine and Cancer Companion Diagnostics

Meniscal Transplant in Patients Age 50 and Under Relieves Pain, Delays Additional Surgery Aug. 5, 2015 Most patients younger than age 50 with a torn or severely damaged meniscus experienced reduced pain and improved knee function following transplant surgery, according to a study. However, many ... read more Romantic Kissing Is Not the Norm in Most Cultures Aug. 5, 2015 For generations, passionate kisses immortalized in movies, songs and the arts have served as a thermometer of romantic affection. But current research has found that not only is romantic kissing not ... read more Reserach Team Gets the Beat, Develops Method of Quantifying Ciliary Movement Aug. 5, 2015 Researchers have figured out how to objectively quantify the beating action of cilia, the tiny, hair-like projections on cells that line nasal passages, the lungs and almost every other body tissue, ... read more Computer Algorithm Can Forecast Patients' Deadly Sepsis Aug. 5, 2015 A new computer-based method correctly predicts septic shock in 85 percent of cases, without increasing the false positive rate from screening methods that are common ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 Cancer researchers already know of some oncogenes and other factors that promote the development of colon cancers, but they don't yet have the full picture of how these cancers originate and ... read more New Medical Research Reporting Requirements May Lead to Fewer Positive Outcomes Aug. 5, 2015 The adoption of new transparent reporting standards may have contributed to a significant reduction in the percentage of studies reporting positive research findings among large-budget clinical ... read more Surveys Reveal Trends in Global Consumption of Sugary Beverages, Fruit Juices and Milk Aug. 5, 2015 A team led by researchers has estimated global intakes of sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, and milk across 187 countries. Variation was identified by age, sex and region, with implications ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 Scientists have, for the first time, found further evidence of how the differentiation of pluripotent cells is tied to and controlled by the cell cycle clock. This deeper understanding of how cells ... read more Scientists Solve Structure of Important Protein for Tumor Growth Aug. 5, 2015 Scientists have used a highly specialized X-ray crystallography technique to solve the protein structure of hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs), important regulators of a tumors response to low ... read more Endoscopes Still Contaminated After Cleaning, Study Shows Aug. 5, 2015 Potentially harmful bacteria can survive on endoscopes used to examine the interior of the digestive tract, despite a multi-step cleaning and disinfecting process, according to a ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 A custom flow perfusion bioreactor has been used by researchers to show the value of testing cancer samples in realistic environments. By placing cancer cells in a three-dimensional scaffold and ... read more Online Tool Enables Public to Track 'Tip-of-the Tongue' States, Speech Errors Aug. 5, 2015 Researchers have produced a web-based tool allowing everyday people to engage in 'citizen science' by recording speech errors, something that is difficult to capture in the lab ... read more Long-Term Followup of Type of Bariatric Surgery Finds Regain of Weight, Decrease in Diabetes Remission Aug. 5, 2015 While undergoing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy induced weight loss and improvements in obesity-related disorders, long-term followup shows significant weight regain and a decrease in remission ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 Women who have gastric bypass surgery to lose weight should keep a close eye on their alcohol consumption, according to a study. The researchers found that changes in how alcohol is metabolized after ... read more Picking Up the Phone to Improve Mental Health in Seniors Aug. 5, 2015 Therapy provided via telephone for older adults in rural areas is effective in treating anxiety disorder, a new study has demonstrated. Experts write that the health-care system lacks the capacity to ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 Researchers have released new guidelines to make MakerSpaces more accessible to people with disabilities, as these communal spaces with soldering irons, 3-D printers, sewing machines and other ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 Intra-abdominal fat cells may contribute to the development and progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), according to a ... read more Aug. 5, 2015 Lax state vaccination laws contribute to lower immunization rates and increased outbreaks of preventable diseaseslike whooping cough and measlesaccording to a new ... read more Consuming Highly Refined Carbohydrates Increases Risk of Depression Aug. 5, 2015 A diet high in refined carbohydrates may lead to an increased risk for new-onset depression in postmenopausal women, according to a study. The study looked at the dietary glycemic index, glycemic ... read more Cancer Markers May Be Present Early During Human Development Aug. 5, 2015 Researchers have uncovered a link between the genomes of cells originating in the neural crest and development of tumors -- a discovery that could lead to new ways to diagnose and treat ... read more

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Find your glossary term by first letter:

a form of complementary and alternative medicine that involves inserting thin needles thorugh the skin at specific points on the body to control pain and other symptoms.

a form of complementary and alternative medicine that involves inserting thin needles thorugh the skin at specific points on the body to control pain and other symptoms.

written instructions letting others know the type of care you want if you are seriously ill or dying. These include a living will and health care power of attorney.

written instructions letting others know the type of care you want if you are seriously ill or dying. These include a living will and health care power of attorney.

disorders that involve an immune response in the body. Allergies are reactions to allergens such as plant pollen, other grasses and weeds, certain foods, rubber latex, insect bites, or certain drugs.

tiny glands in the breast that produce milk.

a brain disease that cripples the brain's nerve cells over time and destroys memory and learning. It usually starts in late middle age or old age and gets worse over time. Symptoms include loss of memory, confusion, problems in thinking, and changes in language, behavior, and personality.

clear, slightly yellowish liquid that surrounds the unborn baby (fetus) during pregnancy. It is contained in the amniotic sac.

when the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin (the substance in the blood that carries oxygen to organs) becomes reduced, causing fatigue that can be severe.

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Genetic engineering is the process of removing a gene from one organism and putting it into another. Often, the removed genes are put into bacteria or yeast cells so that scientists can study the gene or the protein it produces more easily. Sometimes, genes are put into a plant or an animal.

One of the first genetic engineering advances involved the hormone insulin. Diabetes, a medical condition that affects millions of people, prevents the body from producing enough insulin necessary for cells to properly absorb sugar. Diabetics used to be treated with supplementary insulin isolated from pigs or cows. Although this insulin is very similar to human insulin, it is not identical. Bovine insulin is antigenic in humans. Antibodies produced against it would gradually destroy its efficacy.

Scientists got around the problem by putting the gene for human insulin into bacteria. The bacteria's cellular machinery, which is identical to the cellular machinery of all living things, "reads" the gene, and turns it into a protein-human insulin-through a process called translation.

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Interactives . DNA . Genetic Engineering

Osteoarthritis (OA) also known as degenerative arthritis, degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthrosis, is a type of joint disease that results from breakdown of joint cartilage and underlying bone.[1] The most common symptoms are joint pain and stiffness. Initially, symptoms may occur only following exercise, but over time may become constant. Other symptoms may include joint swelling, decreased range of motion, and when the back is affected weakness or numbness of the arms and legs. The most commonly involved joints are those near the ends of the fingers, at the base of the thumb, neck, lower back, knees, and hips. Joints on one side of the body are often more affected than those on the other. Usually the problems come on over years. It can affect work and normal daily activities. Unlike other types of arthritis, only the joints are typically affected.[2]

Causes include previous joint injury, abnormal joint or limb development, and inherited factors. Risk is greater in those who are overweight, have one leg of a different length, and have jobs that result in high levels of joint stress.[2][3] Osteoarthritis is believed to be caused by mechanical stress on the joint and low grade inflammatory processes.[4] It develops as cartilage is lost with eventually the underlying bone becoming affected.[2] As pain may make it difficult to exercise, muscle loss may occur.[3][5] Diagnosis is typically based on signs and symptom with medical imaging and other tests occasionally used to either support or rule out other problems. Unlike in rheumatoid arthritis, which is primarily an inflammatory condition, the joints do not typically become hot or red.[2]

Treatment includes exercise, efforts to decrease joint stress, support groups, and pain medications. Efforts to decrease joint stress include resting, the use of a cane, and braces. Weight loss may help in those who are overweight. Pain medications may include paracetamol (acetaminophen). If this does not work NSAIDs such as naproxen may be used but these medications are associated with greater side effects. Opioids if used are generally only recommended short term due to the risk of addiction.[2] If pain interferes with normal life despite other treatments, joint replacement surgery may help. An artificial joint, however, only lasts a limited amount of time.[3] Outcomes for most people with osteoarthritis are good.[2]

OA is the most common form of arthritis with disease of the knee and hip affecting about 3.8% of people as of 2010.[2][6] Among those over 60 years old about 10% of males and 18% of females are affected.[3] It is the cause of about 2% of years lived with disability.[6] In Australia about 1.9 million people are affected,[7] and in the United States about 27 million people are affected.[2] Before 45 years of age it is more common in men, while after 45 years of age it is more common in women. It becomes more common in both sexes as people become older.[2]

The main symptom is pain, causing loss of ability and often stiffness. "Pain" is generally described as a sharp ache or a burning sensation in the associated muscles and tendons. OA can cause a crackling noise (called "crepitus") when the affected joint is moved or touched and people may experience muscle spasms and contractions in the tendons. Occasionally, the joints may also be filled with fluid.[8] Some people report increased pain associated with cold temperature, high humidity, and/or a drop in barometric pressure, but studies have had mixed results.[9]

OA commonly affects the hands, feet, spine, and the large weight bearing joints, such as the hips and knees, although in theory, any joint in the body can be affected. As OA progresses, the affected joints appear larger, are stiff and painful, and usually feel better with gentle use but worse with excessive or prolonged use, thus distinguishing it from rheumatoid arthritis.

In smaller joints, such as at the fingers, hard bony enlargements, called Heberden's nodes (on the distal interphalangeal joints) and/or Bouchard's nodes (on the proximal interphalangeal joints), may form, and though they are not necessarily painful, they do limit the movement of the fingers significantly. OA at the toes leads to the formation of bunions, rendering them red or swollen. Some people notice these physical changes before they experience any pain.

OA is the most common cause of a joint effusion of the knee.[10]

Damage from mechanical stress with insufficient self repair by joints is believed to be the primary cause of osteoarthritis.[11] Sources of this stress may include misalignments of bones caused by congenital or pathogenic causes; mechanical injury; excess body weight; loss of strength in the muscles supporting a joint; and impairment of peripheral nerves, leading to sudden or uncoordinated movements.[11] However exercise, including running in the absence of injury, has not been found to increase the risk.[12] Nor has cracking one's knuckles been found to play a role.[13]

A number of studies have shown that there is a greater prevalence of the disease among siblings and especially identical twins, indicating a hereditary basis.[14] Although a single factor is not generally sufficient to cause the disease, about half of the variation in susceptibility has been assigned to genetic factors.[15]

Read more:
Osteoarthritis - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Back pain is a very common complaint. According to the Mayo Clinic, approximately 80% of all Americans will have low back pain at least once in their lives.

Back pain is a common reason for absence from work and doctor visits. Although back pain may be painful and uncomfortable, it is not usually serious.

Even though back pain can affect people of any age, it is significantly more common among adults aged between 35 and 55 years. Experts say that back pain is associated with the way our bones, muscles and ligaments in our backs work together.

Pain in the lower back may be linked to the bony lumbar spine, discs between the vertebrae, ligaments around the spine and discs, spinal cord and nerves, lower back muscles, abdomen and pelvic internal organs, and the skin around the lumbar area. Pain in the upper back may be due to disorders of the aorta, tumors in the chest, and spine inflammation.

You will also see introductions at the end of some sections to any recent developments that have been covered by MNT's news stories. Also, look out for links to information about related conditions.

A risk factor is something which increases the likelihood of developing a condition or disease. For example, obesity significantly raises the risk of developing diabetes type 2. Therefore, obesity is a risk factor for diabetes type 2.

The following factors are linked to a higher risk of developing low back pain:

The main symptom of back pain is, as the name suggests, an ache or pain anywhere on the back, and sometimes all the way down to the buttocks and legs. In most cases signs and symptoms clear up on their own within a short period.

If any of the following signs or symptoms accompanies a back pain your should see your doctor:

Strain - the most common causes of back pain are:

Originally posted here:
Back Pain: Causes, Symptoms and Treatments - Medical News ...

Whilst transplantation often remains the only effective treatment for acute kidney disease, a new study from Kyoto University points to a future where renal progenitor cells derived from iPSCs could be transplanted into affected kidneys to combat these debilitating conditions.

In recent years, a popular avenue of investigation for treating kidney disease and damage has been transplantation of renal progenitor cells (RPCs), which can develop into the variety of cells required for organ repair. One problem with this line of study has been growing the number of RPCs required for effective treatment. This investigation, lead by Professor Kenji Osafune and published in Stem Cells Translational Medicine, shows iPSCs can be expanded and differentiated into RPCs at high enough levels to make them a strong candidate for the therapy.

One issue outstanding with this potential therapy is the difficulty associated with transplanting the RPCs directly into kidney parenchyma, with few studies managing to introduce sufficient cell numbers. The kidney is a very solid organ, which makes it very difficult to bring enough number of cells upon transplantation, Osafune explained.

To circumvent this problem, the team transplanted RPCs derived from iPSCs into the kidney subcapsule at the kidney surface. These cells never integrated into the host organ, but the mice receiving the treatment showed better recovery from their acute kidney injury nevertheless. Compared to control experiments, introduction of RPCs was concomitant with reduced necrosis and fibrosis of the damaged kidneys. Osafune has suggested that these improvements may be due to the RPCs expressing two known renal progenitor marker proteins, Osr1 and Six2, which have not been tested together until now.

As the cells did not integrate into the host kidney, another mode of action must have caused the benefits observed. The study concluded that paracrine secretions of renal protective factors from the RPCs caused the improvements seen in the treated mice. As kidney fibrosis marks progression towards chronic disease, Osafune hinted the paracrine secretions could be utilised as a preventative therapy for other diseases, or give clues for drug discovery. There is no medication for acute kidney injury. If we can identify the paracrine factor, maybe it will lead to a drug.

Sources: Toyohara T, Mae SU, Sueta SU et al. Cell Therapy Using Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Renal Progenitors Ameliorates Acute Kidney Injury In Mice. Stem Cells Translational Medicine. doi: 10.5966/sctm.2014-0219

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Potential use of iPS cells to combat acute kidney disease ...

Posted on: Friday, July 31, 2015 by Nicola Robas

We are a step closer to being able to prevent some types of inherited deafness thanks to ground breaking research showing that gene therapy has been successfully used in mice to restore hearing. Nicola Robas from our Biomedical Research team tells us more.

The instructions for how our bodies develop and function are contained in our genes. We each have small variations in our genetic instructions but most of the time these differences do not alter how a gene functions. However, sometimes the differences can stop a gene from working properly. If this occurs in a gene needed for hearing it can lead to deafness (known as genetic or inherited deafness). So far scientists have identified over 100 genes that can cause genetic hearing loss. While our ability to diagnose genetic hearing loss has vastly improved, the current treatments remain limited to hearing aids and cochlear implants. These devices can be very effective at improving hearing but they cannot help everyone with inherited deafness, and they do not fix the root cause of the hearing loss.

Researchers have been looking at one particular type of inherited hearing loss caused by changes in a gene called TMC1. The protein produced by the TMC1 gene forms part of the machinery in the sound-sensing hair cells of the inner ear that converts mechanical sound waves into electrical signals that are then sent to the brain, allowing us to perceive sound. If TMC1 is not working correctly, then sound signals cannot be sent from the ear to the brain, leading to a hearing loss. In people, changes in TMC1 can cause 2 forms of deafness. In the most common form of TMC1-related deafness, children become profoundly deaf from a very young age, usually around two years old. The second causes children to go deaf gradually from about the age of 10 to 15.

Gene therapy to replace a faulty gene with a normally functioning copy has the potential to prevent certain types of genetic deafness. New research, led by scientists at Harvard Medical School, has shown in mice, that gene therapy can restore the hearing of animals with a faulty TMC1 gene. A virus engineered to produce a healthy copy of this gene was injected into the cochlea of mice in which TMC1 wasnt working correctly (thereby acting as an experimental model of the human form of deafness).

25 days after the injection the mice showed a partial recovery of hearing. The mice went from having a profound hearing loss to a point where, if they were people, they would benefit from a hearing aid. The researchers think that only a partial recovery was seen because the virus delivering the gene was not able to reach all the cells it needed to. There are two types of sound-sensing hair cells in the ear - inner hair cells that activate the auditory nerves carrying sound signals to the brain, and outer hair cells that amplify sound vibrations allowing people to hear really quiet sounds. TMC1 is needed by both cell types, but the virus was only able to get into and rescue the inner hair cells.

At least half of all childhood deafness is inherited and we know there are more than 100 different genes that can cause deafness. If shown to work in people, then this gene therapy has the potential to cure one specific type of genetic deafness (TMC1-related deafness). TMC1 accounts for around 6% of genetic deafness so, if this approach is successful, it will only have a direct benefit for a small number of families. However, more people could benefit in the future as the same technology could be adapted to treat other types of inherited deafness just delivering a healthy copy of a different gene. The only problem is that many forms of inherited deafness affect the ear before birth so in these cases, a childs ear would need to be treated during pregnancy which, with the technology and surgical techniques available today, would be very difficult. So for now, gene therapy to replace faulty genes is likely to be limited to treating progressive forms of inherited deafness that start after birth.

At the moment, this gene therapy is not yet ready to be tested in people. More work still needs to be done in the laboratory to refine the techniques, improve the way the virus delivers the healthy gene, understand how long the effect lasts for, and gather enough data to deem the approach safe and effective. If all goes well, the researchers hope to begin clinical trials in people in 5 years.

This research was published in the journal Science Translational Medicine

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New gene therapy research to treat genetic deafness ...

We're passionate about helping people combat the world's hardest-to-treat diseases. So we constantly challenge ourselves to expand our scientific expertise, increase our technological understanding, and pursue our passion. To us, science is personal. Read Our Vision

Dietmar Berger discusses the role of the HER2 receptor in metastatic breast cancer.

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Genentech Cancer Genome Project scientists have identified ERBB3 somatic mutations in human cancers. Learn more and read our publication in Cancer Cell.

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Scientists know that the work theyre doing has a profound impact on peoples lives. In this video they talk about increasing the rate of success by turning failures into learning opportunities.

Chris Bowden explains the RAS-RAF pathway, an important and evolving area of cancer research.

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Genetics

Background:

Homunculus in Sperm One question that has always intrigued us humans is Where did we come from? Long ago, Hippocrates and Aristotle proposed the idea of what they called pangenes, which they thought were tiny pieces of body parts. They thought that pangenes came together to make up the homunculus, a tiny pre-formed human that people thought grew into a baby. In the 1600s, the development of the microscope brought the discovery of eggs and sperm. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, using a primitive microscope, thought he saw the homunculus curled up in a sperm cell. His followers believed that the homunculus was in the sperm, the father planted his seed, and the mother just incubated and nourished the homunculus so it grew into a baby. On the other hand, Regnier de Graaf and his followers thought that they saw the homunculus in the egg, and the presence of semen just somehow stimulated its growth. In the 1800s, a very novel, radical idea arose: both parents contribute to the new baby, but people (even Darwin, as he proposed his theory) still believed that these contributions were in the form of pangenes.

Modern genetics traces its beginnings to Gregor Mendel, an Austrian monk, who grew peas in a monastery garden. Mendel was unique among biologists of his time because he sought quantifiable data, and actually counted the results of his crosses. He published his findings in 1865, but at that time, people didnt know about mitosis and meiosis, so his conclusions seemed unbelievable, and his work was ignored until it was rediscovered in 1900 by a couple of botanists who were doing research on something else. Peas are an ideal organism for this type of research because they are easy to grow and it is easy to control mating.

We will be looking at the sorts of genetic crosses Mendel did, but first, it is necessary to introduce some terminology:

Monohybrid Cross and Probabilities:

A monohybrid cross is a genetic cross where only one gene/trait is being studied. P stands for the parental generation, while F1 and F2 stand for the first filial generation (the children) and second filial generation (the grandchildren). Each parent can give one chromosome of each pair, therefore one allele for each trait, to the offspring. Thus, when figuring out what kind(s) of gametes an individual can produce, it is necessary to choose one of the two alleles for each gene (which presents no problem if they are the same).

Purple Pea Flower White Pea Flower For example, a true-breeding purple-flowered plant (the dominant allele for this gene) would have the genotype PP, and be able to make gametes with either P or P alleles. A true-breeding white-flowered plant (the recessive allele for this gene) would have the genotype pp, and be able to make gametes with either p or p alleles. Note that both of these parent plants would be homozygous. If one gamete from each of these parents got together to form a new plant, that plant would receive a P allele from one parent and a p allele from the other parent, thus all of the F1 generation will be genotype Pp, they will be heterozygous, and since purple is dominant, they will look purple. What if two individuals from the F1 generation are crossed with each other (PpPp)? Since gametes contain one allele for each gene under consideration, each of these individuals could contribute either a P or a p in his/her gametes. Each of these gametes from each parent could pair with each from the other, thus yielding a number of possible combinations for the offspring. We need a way, then, to predict what the possible offspring might be. Actually, there are two ways of doing this. The first is to do a Punnett square (named after Reginald Crandall Punnett). The possible eggs from the female are listed down the left side, and there is one row for each possible egg. The possible sperm from the male are listed across the top, and there is one column for each possible sperm. The boxes at the intersections of these rows and columns show the possible offspring resulting from that sperm fertilizing that egg. The Punnett square from this cross would look like this:

Note that the chance of having a gamete with a P allele is and the chance of a gamete with a p allele is , so the chance of an egg with P and a sperm with P getting together to form an offspring that is PP is =, just like the probabilities involved tossing coins. Thus, the possible offspring include: PP, ( Pp + pP, which are the same (Pp), since P is dominant over p), so = Pp, and pp.

Another way to calculate this is to use a branching, tree diagram:

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Genetics - biology

A new method for delivering stem cells to damaged heart muscle has shown early promise in treating severe heart failure, researchers report.

In a preliminary study, they found the tactic was safe and feasible for the 48 heart failure patients they treated. And after a year, the patients showed a modest improvement in the heart's pumping ability, on average.

It's not clear yet whether those improvements could be meaningful, said lead researcher Dr. Amit Patel, director of cardiovascular regenerative medicine at the University of Utah.

He said larger clinical trials are underway to see whether the approach could be an option for advanced heart failure.

Other experts stressed the bigger picture: Researchers have long studied stem cells as a potential therapy for heart failure -- with limited success so far.

"There's been a lot of promise, but not much of a clinical benefit yet," said Dr. Lee Goldberg, who specializes in treating heart failure at the University of Pennsylvania.

Researchers are still sorting through complicated questions, including how to best get stem cells to damaged heart muscle, said Goldberg, who was not involved in the new study.

What's "novel" in this research, he said, is the technique Patel's team used to deliver stem cells to the heart. They took stem cells from patients' bone marrow and infused them into the heart through a large vein called the coronary sinus.

Patel agreed that the technique is the advance.

"Most other techniques have infused stem cells through the arteries," Patel explained. One obstacle, he said, is that people with heart failure generally have hardened, narrowed coronary arteries, and the infused stem cells "don't always go to where they should."

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Stem Cells Show Promise in Heart Failure Treatment

SAN DIEGO, July 28 (UPI) -- A new drug aimed at dormant cancer stem cells that hide in the hypoxic zones of bone marrow, where most drugs can't reach, is currently entering 5 Phase II clinical trials after it was shown to make blood cancer treatment more effective.

Researchers in a Phase I clinical trial, the results of which are published in The Lancet Haematology, found that the drug vismodegib was effective against three types of blood cancer -- refractory or resistant myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and myelofibrosis.

Vismodegib inhibits the Hedgehog signaling pathway, which is essential to both vertebrate embryonic development and has been implicated in the development of some cancers. The drug, trade name Erivedge, is already approved in the U.S. and Europe for treatment of metastatic or locally advanced basal cell carcinoma.

"Our hope is that this drug will enable more effective treatment to begin earlier and that with earlier intervention, we can alter the course of disease and remove the need for, or improve the chances of success with, bone marrow transplantation," said Dr. Catriona Jamieson, chief of the Division of Regenerative Medicine in the School of Medicine at the University of California San Diego, in a press release. "It's all about reducing the burden of disease by intervening early."

Preclinical research showed the drug could "coax" dormant cancer stem cells in hypoxic zones to begin differentiating and enter the bloodstream, where they can be attacked by the chemotherapy and the immune system.

In the study, researchers treated 47 adults with blood and marrow cancers with with the drug in 28-day cycles. Treatment cycles were continued with escalating doses until a participant experienced adverse effects with no improvement in their condition. The participants who did not have adverse reactions or serious side effects continued to receive treatment cycles of the drug.

Serious adverse effects were seen in only 3 of the participants, though 60 percent of the group experienced treatment-related problems. Nearly half the people in the study saw positive clinical activity as a result of treatment with vismedogib, the researchers said, and 5 Phase II clinical trials are being scheduled for the drug for use with blood cancer.

"This drug gets that unwanted house guests to leave and never come back," Jamieson said. "It's a significant step forward in treating people with refractory or resistant myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome and myelofibrosis. It's a bonus that the drug can be administered as easily as an aspirin, in a single, daily oral tablet."

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