Saturday, 4 December 2010
Wednesday, 1 December 2010
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Saturday, 27 November 2010
Cell Division Animations
Animal Cell Division Video
the process of meiosis, the creation of gametes
Mitotic Spindle of Dividing Human Cell
Plant Cell Division
the process of meiosis, the creation of gametes
Mitotic Spindle of Dividing Human Cell
Plant Cell Division
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
Cell Communication Videos
Cell signaling and responses that take place throughout the body during the fight-or- flight response.
Cell to cell communication.
Signal Transduction.
intracellular signaling
G-Protein Coupled Receptors
Activation of Protein Kinase A by cAMP
Cell Signals: fibroblast cell as it responds to external signals.
Cell to cell communication.
Signal Transduction.
intracellular signaling
G-Protein Coupled Receptors
Activation of Protein Kinase A by cAMP
Cell Signals: fibroblast cell as it responds to external signals.
Protein Structure Videos
Protein Structure Overview
DNA Transcription and Protein Assembly
peptide bond structure
Protein folding simulation, from denatured to native state.
GCSF Protein Folding Illustration
hydrogen bonds rupture in failure of beta-sheet assembly.
Beta sheet Structure
Alpha Helix
DNA Transcription and Protein Assembly
peptide bond structure
Protein folding simulation, from denatured to native state.
GCSF Protein Folding Illustration
hydrogen bonds rupture in failure of beta-sheet assembly.
Beta sheet Structure
Alpha Helix
Molecular Biology Animations
Polymerase Chain Reaction Animation.
Molecular Biology of Translation.
RNA Splicing Animation: the process of removing introns after RNA transcription.
DNA Replication : replication fork and two DNA polymerases
Holliday Junction and Recombination.
Structure of Oligomeric Proteins.
Beta Sheet: Most common secondary structure in proteins
What is coiled-coil protein structure?
Alpha Helix is a
Molecular Biology of Translation.
RNA Splicing Animation: the process of removing introns after RNA transcription.
DNA Replication : replication fork and two DNA polymerases
Holliday Junction and Recombination.
Structure of Oligomeric Proteins.
Beta Sheet: Most common secondary structure in proteins
What is coiled-coil protein structure?
Alpha Helix is a
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Saturday, 20 November 2010
Friday, 19 November 2010
DNA Test Methods Videos
Introduction to DNA Test Methods
What Is Recombinant DNA Technology?
DNA Hybridisation Method.
Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation
The Polymerase Chain Reaction
DNA Sanger Sequencing
DNA Microarrays
Paternity DNA Testing
Ethical and Legal Issues of DNA testing
Nutrigenomic DNA Testing
DNA Evidence Used in Arson Cases
What Is Recombinant DNA Technology?
DNA Hybridisation Method.
Fluorescent In Situ Hybridisation
The Polymerase Chain Reaction
DNA Sanger Sequencing
DNA Microarrays
Paternity DNA Testing
Ethical and Legal Issues of DNA testing
Nutrigenomic DNA Testing
DNA Evidence Used in Arson Cases
Monday, 15 November 2010
Saturday, 13 November 2010
Friday, 12 November 2010
Thursday, 11 November 2010
Saturday, 6 November 2010
Friday, 5 November 2010
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Wednesday, 3 November 2010
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
Monday, 1 November 2010
Thursday, 28 October 2010
Some Useful Biology Links
Agriculture
Anatomy
Biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Biochemistry
Bioinformatics
Anatomy
Biochemistry
Molecular Biology
Biochemistry
Bioinformatics
Wednesday, 27 October 2010
Monday, 25 October 2010
Saturday, 23 October 2010
Thursday, 21 October 2010
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Monday, 18 October 2010
Sunday, 17 October 2010
Saturday, 16 October 2010
Friday, 15 October 2010
Thursday, 14 October 2010
Wednesday, 13 October 2010
Tuesday, 12 October 2010
Monday, 11 October 2010
Wednesday, 6 October 2010
Monday, 4 October 2010
Friday, 1 October 2010
Thursday, 30 September 2010
Wednesday, 29 September 2010
Tuesday, 28 September 2010
Thursday, 23 September 2010
Wednesday, 22 September 2010
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
Sunday, 12 September 2010
Brain Signals: Scientists Decode Words
Because the method needs much more improvement and involves placing electrodes on the brain, he expects it will be a few years before clinical trials on paralyzed people who cannot speak due to so-called “locked-in syndrome.”
The University of Utah research team placed grids of tiny microelectrodes over speech centers in the brain of a volunteer with severe epileptic seizures. The man already had a craniotomy – temporary partial skull removal – so doctors could place larger, conventional electrodes to locate the source of his seizures and surgically stop them.
Using the experimental microelectrodes, the scientists recorded brain signals as the patient repeatedly read each of 10 words that might be useful to a paralyzed person: yes, no, hot, cold, hungry, thirsty, hello, goodbye, more and less.
Later, they tried figuring out which brain signals represented each of the 10 words. When they compared any two brain signals – such as those generated when the man said the words “yes” and “no” – they were able to distinguish brain signals for each word 76 percent to 90 percent of the time.
When they examined all 10 brain signal patterns at once, they were able to pick out the correct word any one signal represented only 28 percent to 48 percent of the time – better than chance (which would have been 10 percent) but not good enough for a device to translate a paralyzed person’s thoughts into words spoken by a computer.
“This is proof of concept,” Greger says, “We’ve proven these signals can tell you what the person is saying well above chance. But we need to be able to do more words with more accuracy before it is something a patient really might find useful.”
People who eventually could benefit from a wireless device that converts thoughts into computer-spoken spoken words include those paralyzed by stroke, Lou Gehrig’s disease and trauma, Greger says. People who are now “locked in” often communicate with any movement they can make – blinking an eye or moving a hand slightly – to arduously pick letters or words from a list.
University of Utah colleagues who conducted the study with Greger included electrical engineers Spencer Kellis, a doctoral student, and Richard Brown, dean of the College of Engineering; and Paul House, an assistant professor of neurosurgery.
The study used a new kind of nonpenetrating microelectrode that sits on the brain without poking into it. These electrodes are known as microECoGs because they are a small version of the much larger electrodes used for electrocorticography, or ECoG, developed a half century ago.
For patients with severe epileptic seizures uncontrolled by medication, surgeons remove part of the skull and place a silicone mat containing ECoG electrodes over the brain for days to weeks while the cranium is held in place but not reattached. The button-sized ECoG electrodes don’t penetrate the brain but detect abnormal electrical activity and allow surgeons to locate and remove a small portion of the brain causing the seizures.
Last year, Greger and colleagues published a study showing the much smaller microECoG electrodes could “read” brain signals controlling arm movements. One of the epileptic patients involved in that study also volunteered for the new study.
Because the microelectrodes do not penetrate brain matter, they are considered safe to place on speech areas of the brain – something that cannot be done with penetrating electrodes that have been used in experimental devices to help paralyzed people control a computer cursor or an artificial arm.
EEG electrodes used on the skull to record brain waves are too big and record too many brain signals to be used easily for decoding speech signals from paralyzed people.
In the new study, the microelectrodes were used to detect weak electrical signals from the brain generated by a few thousand neurons or nerve cells.
Source: MEDICA.de; University of Utah
Wednesday, 25 August 2010
Flushing: Preventing Heart Problems While Keeping a Cool Head
The treatment of lipid metabolic disorders is one of the important measures used in the prevention of cardio-vascular disease. Cholesterol is the key molecule here and LDL cholesterol is the type of cholesterol most widely discussed in this context. This "bad" cholesterol is one of the most important risk factors for the emergence of cardio-vascular diseases. The higher the blood-plasma concentration of LDL cholesterol, the higher an individual's risk of suffering cardiac arrest or peripheral vascular disease. The opposite applies to the "good" HDL cholesterol: the higher the level of HDL cholesterol, the lower the risk of contracting these diseases. For this reason, the strategy of increasing HDL plasma concentration through medication has become more prevalent of late.
"The main problem with treatment using nicotinic acid – which has nothing to do with the nicotine in tobacco, by the way – is flushing," says Stefan Offermanns, Director of the Department of Pharmacology at the Max Planck Institute. "Just a short time after taking nicotinic acid, the patient experiences strong flushing of the face and upper body for up to one and a half hours. This is caused by the dilation of blood vessels in the skin." The flushing symptoms are completely harmless. However, patients often abandon the treatment on account of these symptoms.
Offermanns and his colleagues had already succeeded in identifying a specific receptor for nicotinic acid that conveys the desired effects of nicotinic acid. Tests on mice showed, however, that the receptor is also responsible for the nicotinic-acid-induced flushing reaction. "We have now succeeded in demonstrating that the receptor exists both in the main cells of the top layer of the skin or epidermis, which are called keratinocytes, and the immune cells, known as Langerhans cells, also found in the epidermis," reports Offermanns.
By studying mouse strains in which the receptor in either the Langerhans cells or keratinocytes is blocked, the researchers were able to show that the first phase of the flushing reaction is triggered by the activation of Langerhans cells. In contrast, the second and longer phase results from the activation of the keratinocytes. In both phases, different prostaglandins are formed. "The flushing phenomenon can be prevented by inhibiting prostaglandin formation or blocking the prostaglandin receptors in the skin, while the desired effects of the nicotinic acid on lipid metabolism remain unaffected."
Source:MEDICA.de
Molecular Imaging: Identification of High-risk Patients
A study finds that molecular imaging—a non-invasive imaging procedure—can identify high-risk patients with potentially life-threatening cardiovascular conditions and help physicians determine which patients are best suited for implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy.
"If the molecular imaging techniques are used for appropriate selection of ICD candidates, not only overuse but also underuse of ICD could be avoided and the assessment may be shown to be more cost-effective," said Doctor Kimio Nishisato, a physician in the cardiology division of Muroram City General Hospital, Muroram, Japan, and corresponding author for the study.
According to researchers from Sapporo University, Sapporo, Japan, the study shows that molecular imaging can play an important role in diagnosing and guiding the treatment strategy for arrhythmia, coronary artery disease and heart failure.
"This research holds significant potential for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of many common cardiovascular conditions," said Doctor Tomoaki Nakata, an associate professor at the Sapporo Medical University. "With molecular imaging, physicians can improve patient care by pinpointing the precise location of the disease in order to eliminate the need for invasive medical devices and unnecessary surgical techniques." Nakata adds that molecular imaging can also reduce unnecessary medical costs by better targeting treatment for each individual patient.
In this study, researchers hypothesized that both the impairment of myocardial perfusion and/or cell viability and cardiac sympathetic innervations are responsible for heart arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. However, there was no established reliable method, including a molecular imaging technique which is highly objective, reproducible and quantitative.
The researchers investigated prognostic implications of cardiac pre-synaptic sympathetic function quantified by cardiac MIBG activity and myocyte damage or viability quantified by cardiac tetrofosmin activity in patients treated with prophylactic use of ICD, by correlating with lethal arrhythmic events which would have been documented during a prospective follow-up. Based on these aspects, the study is the first to show the efficacies of the method for more accurate identification of patients at greater risk of lethal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD).
"Sudden cardiac death due to lethal arrhythmia represents an important health care problem in many developed countries," said Doctor Ichiro Matsunari, director of the clinical research department at the Medical & Pharmacological Research Center Foundation, Hakui, Japan. "While implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy is an effective option over anti-arrhythmic medications to prevent SCD, the balance of clinical benefits, efficacy and risks is still a matter of discussion."
Source:MEDICA.de
"If the molecular imaging techniques are used for appropriate selection of ICD candidates, not only overuse but also underuse of ICD could be avoided and the assessment may be shown to be more cost-effective," said Doctor Kimio Nishisato, a physician in the cardiology division of Muroram City General Hospital, Muroram, Japan, and corresponding author for the study.
According to researchers from Sapporo University, Sapporo, Japan, the study shows that molecular imaging can play an important role in diagnosing and guiding the treatment strategy for arrhythmia, coronary artery disease and heart failure.
"This research holds significant potential for the detection, diagnosis and treatment of many common cardiovascular conditions," said Doctor Tomoaki Nakata, an associate professor at the Sapporo Medical University. "With molecular imaging, physicians can improve patient care by pinpointing the precise location of the disease in order to eliminate the need for invasive medical devices and unnecessary surgical techniques." Nakata adds that molecular imaging can also reduce unnecessary medical costs by better targeting treatment for each individual patient.
In this study, researchers hypothesized that both the impairment of myocardial perfusion and/or cell viability and cardiac sympathetic innervations are responsible for heart arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. However, there was no established reliable method, including a molecular imaging technique which is highly objective, reproducible and quantitative.
The researchers investigated prognostic implications of cardiac pre-synaptic sympathetic function quantified by cardiac MIBG activity and myocyte damage or viability quantified by cardiac tetrofosmin activity in patients treated with prophylactic use of ICD, by correlating with lethal arrhythmic events which would have been documented during a prospective follow-up. Based on these aspects, the study is the first to show the efficacies of the method for more accurate identification of patients at greater risk of lethal arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death (SCD).
"Sudden cardiac death due to lethal arrhythmia represents an important health care problem in many developed countries," said Doctor Ichiro Matsunari, director of the clinical research department at the Medical & Pharmacological Research Center Foundation, Hakui, Japan. "While implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy is an effective option over anti-arrhythmic medications to prevent SCD, the balance of clinical benefits, efficacy and risks is still a matter of discussion."
Source:MEDICA.de
Friday, 21 May 2010
biomedical engineering web tv
the biomedical engineering web tv in few days with you.
Broadcasting live from here
Broadcasting live from here
Scientists in the US have succeeded in developing the first living cell to be controlled entirely by synthetic DNA.
The researchers constructed a bacterium's "genetic software" and transplanted it into a host cell.
The resulting microbe then looked and behaved like the species "dictated" by the synthetic DNA.
The advance, published in Science, has been hailed as a scientific landmark, but critics say there are dangers posed by synthetic organisms.
Some also suggest that the potential benefits of the technology have been over-stated.
But the researchers hope eventually to design bacterial cells that will produce medicines and fuels and even absorb greenhouse gases.
The team was led by Dr Craig Venter of the J Craig Venter Institute (JCVI) in Maryland and California.
Craig Venter defends the synthetic living cell
He and his colleagues had previously made a synthetic bacterial genome, and transplanted the genome of one bacterium into another.
Now, the scientists have put both methods together, to create what they call a "synthetic cell", although only its genome is truly synthetic.
Dr Venter likened the advance to making new software for the cell.
The researchers copied an existing bacterial genome. They sequenced its genetic code and then used "synthesis machines" to chemically construct a copy.
HOW A SYNTHETIC CELL
WAS CREATED
The scientists "decoded" the chromosome of an existing bacterial cell - using a computer to read each of the letters of genetic code.
BACK1 of 3NEXT
Dr Venter told BBC News: "We've now been able to take our synthetic chromosome and transplant it into a recipient cell - a different organism.
"As soon as this new software goes into the cell, the cell reads [it] and converts into the species specified in that genetic code."
The new bacteria replicated over a billion times, producing copies that contained and were controlled by the constructed, synthetic DNA.
"This is the first time any synthetic DNA has been in complete control of a cell," said Dr Venter.
'New industrial revolution'
Dr Venter and his colleagues hope eventually to design and build new bacteria that will perform useful functions.
"I think they're going to potentially create a new industrial revolution," he said.
"If we can really get cells to do the production that we want, they could help wean us off oil and reverse some of the damage to the environment by capturing carbon dioxide."
WATTS WHAT...
Continue reading the main story
Even some scientists worry we lack the means to weigh up the risks such novel organisms might represent, once set loose
Susan Watts
BBC Newsnight science editor
Read Susan Watts's thoughts
Send us your comments
Dr Venter and his colleagues are already collaborating with pharmaceutical and fuel companies to design and develop chromosomes for bacteria that would produce useful fuels and new vaccines.
But critics say that the potential benefits of synthetic organisms have been overstated.
Dr Helen Wallace from Genewatch UK, an organisation that monitors developments in genetic technologies, told BBC News that synthetic bacteria could be dangerous.
"If you release new organisms into the environment, you can do more harm than good," she said.
"By releasing them into areas of pollution, [with the aim of cleaning it up], you're actually releasing a new kind of pollution.
"We don't know how these organisms will behave in the environment."
Continue reading the main story
The risks are unparalleled, we need safety evaluation for this kind of radical research and protections from military or terrorist misuse
Julian Savulescu
Oxford University ethics professor
Profile: Craig Venter
Q&A: The meaning of synthetic life
Ethics concern over synthetic cell
Dr Wallace accused Dr Venter of playing down the potential drawbacks.
"He isn't God," she said, "he's actually being very human; trying to get money invested in his technology and avoid regulation that would restrict its use."
But Dr Venter said that he was "driving the discussions" about the regulations governing this relatively new scientific field and about the ethical implications of the work.
He said: "In 2003, when we made the first synthetic virus, it underwent an extensive ethical review that went all the way up to the level of the White House.
"And there have been extensive reviews including from the National Academy of Sciences, which has done a comprehensive report on this new field.
"We think these are important issues and we urge continued discussion that we want to take part in."
Ethical discussions
Dr Gos Micklem, a geneticist from the University of Cambridge, said that the advance was "undoubtedly a landmark" study.
But, he said, "there is already a wealth of simple, cheap, powerful and mature techniques for genetically engineering a range of organisms. Therefore, for the time being, this approach is unlikely to supplant existing methods for genetic engineering".
The ethical discussions surrounding the creation of synthetic or artificial life are set to continue.
Professor Julian Savulescu, from the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford, said the potential of this science was "in the far future, but real and significant".
"But the risks are also unparalleled," he continued. "We need new standards of safety evaluation for this kind of radical research and protections from military or terrorist misuse and abuse.
"These could be used in the future to make the most powerful bioweapons imaginable. The challenge is to eat the fruit without the worm."
The advance did not pose a danger in the form of bio-terrorism, Dr Venter said.
"That was reviewed extensively in the US in a report from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and a Washington defence think tank, indicating that there were very small new dangers from this.
"Most people are in agreement that there is a slight increase in the potential for harm. But there's an exponential increase in the potential benefit to society," he told BBC's Newsnight.
"The flu vaccine you'll get next year could be developed by these processes," he added.
Thursday, 20 May 2010
New Device Adapts to Brain’s Surface
In people with epilepsy, the device could be used to detect when seizures first begin, and deliver pulses to shut the seizures down. In people with spinal cord injuries, the technology has promise for reading complex signals in the brain that direct movement, and routing those signals to healthy muscles or prosthetic devices.
"The focus of our study was to make ultrathin arrays that conform to the complex shape of the brain, and limit the amount of tissue damage and inflammation," said Brian Litt, an author on the study. The new silk-based implants can hug the brain like shrink wrap, collapsing into its grooves and stretching over its rounded surfaces, according to the researchers. The study shows that the thin flexible implants can record brain activity more faithfully than thicker implants embedded with similar electronics.
The implants contain metal electrodes that are 500 microns thick, or about five times the thickness of a human hair. The absence of sharp electrodes and rigid surfaces should improve safety, with less damage to tissue. Also, the implants' ability to mold to the brain's surface could provide better stability; the brain sometimes shifts in the skull and the implant could move with it. Finally, by spreading across the brain, the implants have the potential to capture the activity of large networks of brain cells, Litt said.
Besides its flexibility, silk was chosen as the base material because it is durable enough to undergo patterning of thin metal traces for electrodes and other electronics. It can also be engineered to avoid inflammatory reactions, and to dissolve at controlled time points, from almost immediately after implantation to years later. The electrode arrays can be printed onto layers of polyimide (a type of plastic) and silk, which can then be positioned on the brain.
The researchers tested the ability of these implants in animals. By recording signals from the brain's visual center in response to visual stimulation, they found that the thin polyimide-silk arrays captured more robust signals compared to thicker implants.
MEDICA.de
"The focus of our study was to make ultrathin arrays that conform to the complex shape of the brain, and limit the amount of tissue damage and inflammation," said Brian Litt, an author on the study. The new silk-based implants can hug the brain like shrink wrap, collapsing into its grooves and stretching over its rounded surfaces, according to the researchers. The study shows that the thin flexible implants can record brain activity more faithfully than thicker implants embedded with similar electronics.
The implants contain metal electrodes that are 500 microns thick, or about five times the thickness of a human hair. The absence of sharp electrodes and rigid surfaces should improve safety, with less damage to tissue. Also, the implants' ability to mold to the brain's surface could provide better stability; the brain sometimes shifts in the skull and the implant could move with it. Finally, by spreading across the brain, the implants have the potential to capture the activity of large networks of brain cells, Litt said.
Besides its flexibility, silk was chosen as the base material because it is durable enough to undergo patterning of thin metal traces for electrodes and other electronics. It can also be engineered to avoid inflammatory reactions, and to dissolve at controlled time points, from almost immediately after implantation to years later. The electrode arrays can be printed onto layers of polyimide (a type of plastic) and silk, which can then be positioned on the brain.
The researchers tested the ability of these implants in animals. By recording signals from the brain's visual center in response to visual stimulation, they found that the thin polyimide-silk arrays captured more robust signals compared to thicker implants.
MEDICA.de
Smoking could protect against Parkinson
The link is not however 100% clear, as some smokers develop the illness nevertheless. The hypothesis is that there is a genetic predisposition that, in combination with environmental factors, can trigger the disease. Taking this as its starting point, a team from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN (USA) has carried out a study on a sample of 1228 subjects.
The researchers hypothesized that the variation may be due to pharmacogenetic effects and that nicotine might have neuroprotective properties for certain individuals.
“We asked the interviewees to tell us about their relationship with smoking and then compared this data with the presence or absence of variations in the gene CYP2A6, which encodes the enzyme responsible for metabolising nicotine”, says EURAC researcher Maurizio Facheris, neurologist at the Department of Neurology of Bozen/Bolzano Central Hospital and main author of the study.
From an analysis of the data, it emerges that the presence of a particular variant of the gene, when combined with smoking, considerably reduces the risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease. It remains to be clarified whether the protection against the disease is provided by the particular variant of gene CYP2A6 or by the presence of cotinine, the substance into which nicotine is transformed through the action of the gene. “If this second hypothesis is confirmed, producing a cotinine-based drug would be a means to reduce exposure to the disease”, explains Maurizio Facheris.
The study opens up interesting scenarios in the field of pharmacogenetics, a discipline that holds that variations in different patients’ response to pharmacological treatment depends on genetic factors. Under this view, analysing the patients’ DNA will allow us to predict their reaction to a particular drug and thus enable the development of personalised medicines.
The study was presented at Toronto on the occasion of the annual convention of the American Academy of Neurology, and was selected as among the top 5% of over 2,000 articles received. It was the first study of its kind to be presented.
MEDICA.de;
The researchers hypothesized that the variation may be due to pharmacogenetic effects and that nicotine might have neuroprotective properties for certain individuals.
“We asked the interviewees to tell us about their relationship with smoking and then compared this data with the presence or absence of variations in the gene CYP2A6, which encodes the enzyme responsible for metabolising nicotine”, says EURAC researcher Maurizio Facheris, neurologist at the Department of Neurology of Bozen/Bolzano Central Hospital and main author of the study.
From an analysis of the data, it emerges that the presence of a particular variant of the gene, when combined with smoking, considerably reduces the risk of contracting Parkinson’s disease. It remains to be clarified whether the protection against the disease is provided by the particular variant of gene CYP2A6 or by the presence of cotinine, the substance into which nicotine is transformed through the action of the gene. “If this second hypothesis is confirmed, producing a cotinine-based drug would be a means to reduce exposure to the disease”, explains Maurizio Facheris.
The study opens up interesting scenarios in the field of pharmacogenetics, a discipline that holds that variations in different patients’ response to pharmacological treatment depends on genetic factors. Under this view, analysing the patients’ DNA will allow us to predict their reaction to a particular drug and thus enable the development of personalised medicines.
The study was presented at Toronto on the occasion of the annual convention of the American Academy of Neurology, and was selected as among the top 5% of over 2,000 articles received. It was the first study of its kind to be presented.
MEDICA.de;
Wednesday, 31 March 2010
Infrared System Detects Fever
The ITDS detected fever in patients through split-second, non-contact skin temperature measurements. Fever is a primary symptom of seasonal influenza, H1N1, avian influenza, SARS and other infectious diseases.
Angela Hewlett and colleagues evaluated the ITDS during the height of the H1N1 pandemic from November 18, 2009 to January 9, 2010 to test the tool's viability in a practical clinical setting. The ITDS employs a thermal imaging camera to measure skin temperature by detecting and quantifying the infrared energy being emitted from the face. The ITDS temperature measurements were compared with standard temperature measurements for 566 patients, ages 15 days to 89 years old.
Infrared thermal detection systems have been used in several countries to screen for fever in travellers. Hewlett and her team wanted to utilize the technology as an infection control option in a clinical setting. "This technology allows clinicians to rapidly screen people for fever, so that incoming patients and visitors who may be ill can be identified quickly and reduce the danger of spreading diseases like influenza to other people in the hospital," said Hewlett.
During the study period, participating patients at the emergency department had their temperature measured by the ITDS and then by routine oral or rectal temperature measurements. Patients who were identified with fever were managed with routine protocols, including separation or surgical masks.
The ITDS proved to be an effective screening tool for identifying patients with fever across all age ranges and genders. While the ITDS had a high negative predictive value–correctly excluding most patients without fever–the machine also generated a high percentage of false positive results, measuring higher temperatures than routine temperature measurements. According to the study, if fever was not detected by the ITDS, then there was a 97 percent chance that there was no fever present. Further evaluation of the performance and utility of the device is needed.
Angela Hewlett and colleagues evaluated the ITDS during the height of the H1N1 pandemic from November 18, 2009 to January 9, 2010 to test the tool's viability in a practical clinical setting. The ITDS employs a thermal imaging camera to measure skin temperature by detecting and quantifying the infrared energy being emitted from the face. The ITDS temperature measurements were compared with standard temperature measurements for 566 patients, ages 15 days to 89 years old.
Infrared thermal detection systems have been used in several countries to screen for fever in travellers. Hewlett and her team wanted to utilize the technology as an infection control option in a clinical setting. "This technology allows clinicians to rapidly screen people for fever, so that incoming patients and visitors who may be ill can be identified quickly and reduce the danger of spreading diseases like influenza to other people in the hospital," said Hewlett.
During the study period, participating patients at the emergency department had their temperature measured by the ITDS and then by routine oral or rectal temperature measurements. Patients who were identified with fever were managed with routine protocols, including separation or surgical masks.
The ITDS proved to be an effective screening tool for identifying patients with fever across all age ranges and genders. While the ITDS had a high negative predictive value–correctly excluding most patients without fever–the machine also generated a high percentage of false positive results, measuring higher temperatures than routine temperature measurements. According to the study, if fever was not detected by the ITDS, then there was a 97 percent chance that there was no fever present. Further evaluation of the performance and utility of the device is needed.
T Cells: Surprise for Stroke Researchers
The blood vessels tend to be blocked by clotted blood. Dissolving these clots or stopping them from occurring in the first place is the primary objective in the treatment and prevention of strokes.
Consequently, the search for new and better therapies starts where the cause of the illness lies: with the blood coagulation that leads to the formation of clots. The Würzburg scientists were all the more astonished, then, when they made a discovery elsewhere - the T cells of the immune system also play a role in strokes. These are actually the cells responsible for combating pathogens.
What exactly did the researchers discover? Mice with no T cells due to a genetic defect suffer less severe strokes than their normal fellow mice. What is more, they develop fewer symptoms of neurological deficiencies, such as paralyses, after a stroke. This means that T cells have a negative effect on the progression of a stroke. This has been proven by the working groups of Guido Stoll, Christoph Kleinschnitz, and Heinz Wiendl from the university's Department of Neurology together with Bernhard Nieswandt from the Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine.
"The fact that T cells have such a damaging effect in the case of acute strokes came as a complete surprise to us," reports Christoph Kleinschnitz. The adverse effect can be traced back to two sub-groups of immune cells, the so-called CD4- and CD8-positive T helper cells. Further research is now needed to clarify how the T cells exercise their damaging effect.
The Würzburg researchers hope that their work will help improve stroke therapy for humans. If the findings can be transferred to people, it might be possible to devise new approaches by purposefully manipulating the T cells. It is conceivable, for example, that in the early stages of a stroke the harmful fraction of the T cells may be deactivated temporarily to thereby reduce the symptoms of deficiencies. "But further studies are needed before we reach that point," says neurologist Guido Stoll.
Source: MEDICA.de Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Consequently, the search for new and better therapies starts where the cause of the illness lies: with the blood coagulation that leads to the formation of clots. The Würzburg scientists were all the more astonished, then, when they made a discovery elsewhere - the T cells of the immune system also play a role in strokes. These are actually the cells responsible for combating pathogens.
What exactly did the researchers discover? Mice with no T cells due to a genetic defect suffer less severe strokes than their normal fellow mice. What is more, they develop fewer symptoms of neurological deficiencies, such as paralyses, after a stroke. This means that T cells have a negative effect on the progression of a stroke. This has been proven by the working groups of Guido Stoll, Christoph Kleinschnitz, and Heinz Wiendl from the university's Department of Neurology together with Bernhard Nieswandt from the Rudolf Virchow Center for Experimental Biomedicine.
"The fact that T cells have such a damaging effect in the case of acute strokes came as a complete surprise to us," reports Christoph Kleinschnitz. The adverse effect can be traced back to two sub-groups of immune cells, the so-called CD4- and CD8-positive T helper cells. Further research is now needed to clarify how the T cells exercise their damaging effect.
The Würzburg researchers hope that their work will help improve stroke therapy for humans. If the findings can be transferred to people, it might be possible to devise new approaches by purposefully manipulating the T cells. It is conceivable, for example, that in the early stages of a stroke the harmful fraction of the T cells may be deactivated temporarily to thereby reduce the symptoms of deficiencies. "But further studies are needed before we reach that point," says neurologist Guido Stoll.
Source: MEDICA.de Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg
Images Speed Decision Making
"The imaging exam report provides an important means of communication between the radiologist and the other physicians rendering care and is often the only form of communication between the radiologist and the referring physician," said researcher Veena R. Iyer. It has been suggested that providing the referring physician with selected images embedded in the text report over the web could improve and support the information contained in the report. "We undertook this study to measure the utility to the referring physician, of radiology reports with attached, relevant images of the abnormal findings," said Iyer.
Thirty-five cases referred for abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans were included in the study, which was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital. Referring physicians were asked to view a text-only report followed by the same report with pertinent embedded images. "In 32 of the 35 cases, the text-only report satisfactorily answered the clinical query. In these 32 cases, the report with the attached images helped in making a more confident management decision and reduced time in planning management. Attached images altered management in two cases," said Iyer.
"The results of our study indicate that although clinician's queries are satisfactorily answered by the current itemized report, providing additional images conveys useful information. It may enable the referring clinician to formulate response plans more rapidly and with increased confidence," she said.
"Providing referring clinicians with a selected subsample of relevant images attached to the report improves the radiologist's communication with them. Such a report has the ability to save the clinician's time, and possibly improve patient management," said Iyer.
Source: American College of Radiology / American Roentgen Ray Society
Thirty-five cases referred for abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans were included in the study, which was performed at Massachusetts General Hospital. Referring physicians were asked to view a text-only report followed by the same report with pertinent embedded images. "In 32 of the 35 cases, the text-only report satisfactorily answered the clinical query. In these 32 cases, the report with the attached images helped in making a more confident management decision and reduced time in planning management. Attached images altered management in two cases," said Iyer.
"The results of our study indicate that although clinician's queries are satisfactorily answered by the current itemized report, providing additional images conveys useful information. It may enable the referring clinician to formulate response plans more rapidly and with increased confidence," she said.
"Providing referring clinicians with a selected subsample of relevant images attached to the report improves the radiologist's communication with them. Such a report has the ability to save the clinician's time, and possibly improve patient management," said Iyer.
Source: American College of Radiology / American Roentgen Ray Society
Inappropriate CT and MRI Referrals
"Radiologists, hospitals, health plans, and policy makers have struggled with ways to improve the rate of appropriate utilization of imaging studies, particularly CT, MRI, and PET," said Robert L. Bree, lead author of the study. "Our study looked at a large group of CT and MRI examinations. Evidence-based appropriateness criteria developed by a radiology management company were used to determine if the examinations were appropriate," said Bree.
The study, performed at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, included medical records from 459 elective outpatient CT and MRI examinations from primary care physicians that were reviewed. "Of the 459 reviewed, 74 percent were considered appropriate and 26 percent were considered inappropriate. 58 percent of the appropriate studies were positive and affected subsequent management while only 24 percent of inappropriate studies were positive affecting management," said Bree. Examples of inappropriate examinations include brain CT for chronic headache, lumbar spine MR for acute back pain, and knee or shoulder MRI in patients with osteoarthritis.
"Our study shows that CT and MRI examinations ordered in the outpatient primary care setting are frequently not appropriate based on the application of a national radiology benefit management company's evidence-based guidelines. A high percentage of examinations not meeting appropriateness criteria and subsequently yielding negative results suggest a need for tools to help primary care physicians improve the quality of their imaging decision requests," said Bree.
Source : MEDICA.de / American College of Radiology / American Roentgen Ray Society
Wednesday, 24 March 2010
NEW LECTURE NOTES UPDATED
Sunday, 7 March 2010
Medidynamic - medica
Hello, everyone. We are an international medical device consulting firm
with headquarter locating in Seattle, United states and we have offices
in Beijing, China as well. Since our company establishment in 2002,
with our extensive distributor database nationwide in China territory
and excellent relationship with hospitals and medical regulation
authorities (SFDA), we have been successfully helping a large number of
international companies, in particular, orthopaedic and surgical
manufacturers in developing business in China, these companies are
generally from USA, Japan, Czech,Australia, France and Germany etc.
We
have been actively attending international medical exhibitions around
the world including Medica show held in Germany, AAOS(American academy
of orthopaedic surgeons) etc.
Here is our company profile below:
Introduction
China is recognized as one of the most important medical growth markets of
the 21st century, but succeeding in China can be difficult. These days,
Chinese consumer preferences, regulatory requirements, and disease profiles
are all changing rapidly. Business strategies that work well today may become
obsolete after just a few years. MediDynamic has the experience necessary to
help you excel in China.
MediDynamic
can assist medical companies in developing their China business and
marketingstrategies. Each strategy is tailored to the company's
specific goals and objectives.
MediDynamic can help those newly entering the Chinese medical market as well as those
interested in expanding their existing China operations.
MediDynamic
examines a wide range of issues, including: market demand; prospects
for growth,analysis of key partners/distributors, etc.
Company Profile
MediDynamic LLC is a medical device consulting firm with offices in the United
States and China. By focusing on providing outstanding service and value for
companies/manufactures who are interested in developing business in China,
we have grown to become one of the leading medical device regulatory and
marketing consultants with expertise in China SFDA registration, marketing
research, in-country distribution representation and many other areas. Major
services we are offering include:
1. Product registration:
The medical device market in China is worth about $7.5 billion. The regulator of medical
devices in China is the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), which handles
medical device product registration as well as many other regulatory issues.
From
year 2000, SFDA began to strengthen the supervision and administration
of medicaldevices. All imported medical devices in China (including
Class I medical devices) must be approved directly by SFDA, any
equipments or supplies without certificate will be prohibited to be
sold or used in China. This registration process is getting more and
more complicated since year 2003, it will take about one year period to
get it approved. This is a prerequisite condition needs to be fulfilled
in the whole promoting process. MediDynamic can act as your legal and
after sales agent in China. Our expertise will helpyou navigate the
Chinese regulatory system, achieve medical product registration, and
access the huge Chinese medical markets. We will help you register your
medical product in a cost-effective and timely way.
Through our office in Beijing, MediDynamic can help you obtain SFDA approval for your
medical device. Our specialists in Beijing work directly with the SFDA on regular basis,
coordinating the submission of regulatory documents, answering SFDA follow up
questions and providing insight on how to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape in
China.
Generally, we can help you with these China medical device regulatory issues:
· Determine device classification.
· Ascertain the best route to SFDA approval in China.
· Development of a Product Registration Standard.
· Develop clinical protocols and coordinate clinical trials, if required.
· Translate documents and labeling.
· Obtain the CCC Mark, if required.
· Prepare final submissions
· Handle incident reporting, SFDA inspections and device registration renewals.
Up to the present, we maintain 100% of success on completion of the complicated
registration procedure. Our qualified personnel well connected with SFDA will be able to
provide you with all the information about the regulations and provisions as well as the
step-by-step instructions including classification method, document list and pricing list
related to the registration process. We have been very successfully cooperating with
many famous manufacturers from United States and Japan as their registration agency in China.
2. Local channel sales and partnership setup (distributor identification):
As everyone knows, China is an enormous market with 1.3 billion people, over 300,000
hospitals and more than 161,000 medical distributors. The city of Beijing has 7,700
medical distributors and Shanghai has 5,700, respectively. In the rapidly expanding
Chinese
medical market, there are many local Chinese distributors ready to take
on your medical device, but not all of them are qualified or
trustworthy. To take full advantage of the Chinese economic boom and to
protect your intellectual property, it is vital to find the right
distributor.
Through assistance given by our office in Beijing, we can assist medical device
manufacturers with finding and analyzing medical distributors in China. Our experienced
marketing team has plenty of sources and channels to locate the matching candidates,
figuring out their actual sales strength and financial capabilities accurately and selecting
the best one. Clients will get the satisfied partner more efficiently and save the budget for sure.
Plus, we will be able to not only meet this requirement, but should give full assistance to
the operation process after the selecting task is done. Based on our past seven years
experience, we are familiar with all kinds of problems could be happened during each
stage of operations, we know the proper solution and ways to tackle them in order to
increase sales smoothly. This will ease both clients and its local partners to be able to
focus more energy on its core capabilities.
3. Market research and feasibility analysis:
China's medical market is one of great contrasts. While the countryside has rudimentary
healthcare, the major cities like Beijing and Shanghai have sophisticated facilities
approaching Western standards. Everywhere in China between these two extremes is
developing
at a very rapid pace too. The medical market in China is changing
greatly as it grows, making careful market research is a key to your
success there.
MediDynamic will give full assistance to clients to do market research on their core
product system. It will include:
a) Current market investigation report. This will give clients a comprehensive idea
of its product market status in China.
b) Feasibility analysis for entering into China step by step. It contains information
such as:
i. Feasibility methodology for marketing and selling promoted system in China.
ii. Selection of Distributors and management
iii. Fixation of product price in China market
iv. What sales volume should be identified in the first three years
v. How to furnish the sales target through first level and second level
distributors, etc
vi. Product registration and logistic issues in China
vii. Much more
4. Innovative products selection:
As the golden bridge between western world and China, resellers from China now have
opportunities
to know more overseas innovative technology through us. Our Seattle
team is playing the major role in locating the cutting edge product
line in the world for our clients in China. This will help them
partnering with technology based companies that features innovative
products and produce more effective outcomes at lower costs.
Please
feel free to contact us, we welcome any inquiries from you and our
sales specialist will get back to you as soon as possible.
Sales specialist: Shawn Liu
Contact information:
Phone number: Either +86 13718364590 (China)
Or +61 (0)430277436 (Australia)
Email address: shawn.liu@medidynamic.cn
Website: www.medidynamic.com
Thursday, 25 February 2010
Biomedical Engineering - Regulating Anaesthesia via Computer
Researchers have developed a technique for automatically controlling anaesthesia during surgical operations. The new system detects the hypnotic state of the patient at all times and supplies the appropriate dose of anaesthetic.
Biomedical Engineering - Miniature Ultrasound Device
The sleek blue-and-white device created by biomedical engineering graduate student George K. Lewis slips into a pocket and sends ultrasound waves deep into muscles via a coin-sized polystyrene pad. This is the transducer, which converts electrical energy into ultrasound.
Since first publishing research about his pocket-sized devices in 2007, Lewis has continued to improve them, making them smaller and more efficient. To give the systems medical legitimacy, Lewis has prepared the first clinical trial. The study will focus on osteoarthritis patients to determine whether the devices can significantly reduce joint pain.
Ultrasound is often used to relieve muscle and joint pain but requires patients to receive treatments in doctors’ and physical therapists’ offices. Lewis’ mini-machine would allow people to receive such treatment at home and work. Even though medications are the primary way to treat pain in older patients, with age comes increased risk of complications. Therefore, there is a “great need” to support research into non-drug therapies for pain, the researchers say.
Since first publishing research about his pocket-sized devices in 2007, Lewis has continued to improve them, making them smaller and more efficient. To give the systems medical legitimacy, Lewis has prepared the first clinical trial. The study will focus on osteoarthritis patients to determine whether the devices can significantly reduce joint pain.
Ultrasound is often used to relieve muscle and joint pain but requires patients to receive treatments in doctors’ and physical therapists’ offices. Lewis’ mini-machine would allow people to receive such treatment at home and work. Even though medications are the primary way to treat pain in older patients, with age comes increased risk of complications. Therefore, there is a “great need” to support research into non-drug therapies for pain, the researchers say.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
what does the hospital biomedical engineer do?
success in any job depends highly on job description. it is an important step in the planning of staffing in any facility, but in a hospital setting it is critical to have a clear understanding of what needs to be done, who to report to, who reports to you, & where authority starts and ends.
Normally hospital biomedical/clinical engineers have the following tasks:
1- keeping an updated record of ALL the medical equipment: type, model, serial number, date of purchase, status & location.
2- keeping an updated file with all the manufacturers contact details
3- performing routine maintenance as per manufacturers recommendations AND skill level
4- making sure proper maintenance contracts with agents are issued for specialized equipment
5- following up the agents work
6- contacting the suitable companies when any equipment needs servicing, following up with the users, purchasing dept, management & the company until the equipment is back in use, assigned to storage for spare parts or dispensed.
7- keeping a maintenance log of ALL medical equipment, updated daily
8- keeping an original/ copy of service & operating manuals for all medical equipment
9- drafting a maintenance plan for All medical equipment & diligently following it
10- keeping a working stock of most needed spare parts, with proper warehousing methodology.
11- training hospital staff on proper use for equipment, or arranging for the manufacturer's authorized agent to give that training regularly
12- checking the safety of the site & that the users are following safety recommendations
13- continuously communicating with other staff members to be better able to assess their various needs
14- working with other staff in drafting proper specifications for new equipment purchases, following up tendering, bidding, purchasing through to acceptance, installation, testing & staff training.
15- closely monitoring the new equipment & being aware of warranty periods
16- presenting the state of affairs, accomplishments, goals & challenges to the board of directors on a regular basis
17- ensuring that the biomedical dept is assigned a proper budget for optimal operation
This is frequently the sum of the jobs performed in the biomedical engineering dept. where about 2-5 biomedical engineers engineers can be working together, one of them is boss, alongside the HVAC technician, electrician, plumber, & carpenter.
In some hospitals however one biomedical engineer runs the whole show, & technicians are called in when needed !
words of caution:
1- DO NOT attempt to fix an equipment you are not well trained to service.
2- the hospital setting can harbor a lot of hostility & aggressiveness from the upper ranks, good communication & a low profile at the beginning is a big plus!
3- nobody is asking the biomedical engineer to fix everything himself, but he needs to get it fixed promptly through manufacturer's agents or give a good reason why he hasn't.
4- doctors, nurses, technicians & managers all speak a different language, it is best to be clear & precise.
5- do not be afraid to ask a question ( don't be pushy too!) and you might repeat what you understood from someone to check that you both mean the same thing.
6- read a lot about the way hospitals work, trends, new equipment, latest standards & recommendations. this field changes rapidly & it is critical to keep up.
7- safety comes first, before acceptance from other staff: some equipment is back in operation immediately when a valve was removed not replaced, the staff is happy but that is so wrong! .. and before popularity among managers: the engineer who doesn't spend much is liked by his superiors, but the equipment suffer & people actually die!
8- preventive maintenance is not a luxury, it is necessary & it keeps the equipment in good working condition for a long time
9- the hospital is a high risk environment. the risk is much less when you know what you are up to, equipment you handle can have fatal biological or chemical agents on them! .. personal safety should always be a priority
10- the biomedical engineer in the hospital is not the star of the show, doctors are. but it is the only place to understand biomedical engineering. & there are many unspoken rules within that setting .. may be we can address this issue next ...
Normally hospital biomedical/clinical engineers have the following tasks:
1- keeping an updated record of ALL the medical equipment: type, model, serial number, date of purchase, status & location.
2- keeping an updated file with all the manufacturers contact details
3- performing routine maintenance as per manufacturers recommendations AND skill level
4- making sure proper maintenance contracts with agents are issued for specialized equipment
5- following up the agents work
6- contacting the suitable companies when any equipment needs servicing, following up with the users, purchasing dept, management & the company until the equipment is back in use, assigned to storage for spare parts or dispensed.
7- keeping a maintenance log of ALL medical equipment, updated daily
8- keeping an original/ copy of service & operating manuals for all medical equipment
9- drafting a maintenance plan for All medical equipment & diligently following it
10- keeping a working stock of most needed spare parts, with proper warehousing methodology.
11- training hospital staff on proper use for equipment, or arranging for the manufacturer's authorized agent to give that training regularly
12- checking the safety of the site & that the users are following safety recommendations
13- continuously communicating with other staff members to be better able to assess their various needs
14- working with other staff in drafting proper specifications for new equipment purchases, following up tendering, bidding, purchasing through to acceptance, installation, testing & staff training.
15- closely monitoring the new equipment & being aware of warranty periods
16- presenting the state of affairs, accomplishments, goals & challenges to the board of directors on a regular basis
17- ensuring that the biomedical dept is assigned a proper budget for optimal operation
This is frequently the sum of the jobs performed in the biomedical engineering dept. where about 2-5 biomedical engineers engineers can be working together, one of them is boss, alongside the HVAC technician, electrician, plumber, & carpenter.
In some hospitals however one biomedical engineer runs the whole show, & technicians are called in when needed !
words of caution:
1- DO NOT attempt to fix an equipment you are not well trained to service.
2- the hospital setting can harbor a lot of hostility & aggressiveness from the upper ranks, good communication & a low profile at the beginning is a big plus!
3- nobody is asking the biomedical engineer to fix everything himself, but he needs to get it fixed promptly through manufacturer's agents or give a good reason why he hasn't.
4- doctors, nurses, technicians & managers all speak a different language, it is best to be clear & precise.
5- do not be afraid to ask a question ( don't be pushy too!) and you might repeat what you understood from someone to check that you both mean the same thing.
6- read a lot about the way hospitals work, trends, new equipment, latest standards & recommendations. this field changes rapidly & it is critical to keep up.
7- safety comes first, before acceptance from other staff: some equipment is back in operation immediately when a valve was removed not replaced, the staff is happy but that is so wrong! .. and before popularity among managers: the engineer who doesn't spend much is liked by his superiors, but the equipment suffer & people actually die!
8- preventive maintenance is not a luxury, it is necessary & it keeps the equipment in good working condition for a long time
9- the hospital is a high risk environment. the risk is much less when you know what you are up to, equipment you handle can have fatal biological or chemical agents on them! .. personal safety should always be a priority
10- the biomedical engineer in the hospital is not the star of the show, doctors are. but it is the only place to understand biomedical engineering. & there are many unspoken rules within that setting .. may be we can address this issue next ...
Pancreatic Cancer: Soft Drink Consumption
Mark Pereira, senior author on the study, said people who consume soft drinks on a regular basis, defined as primarily carbonated sugar-sweetened beverages, tend to have a poor behavioural profile overall. However, the effect of these drinks on pancreatic cancer may be unique. "The high levels of sugar in soft drinks may be increasing the level of insulin in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth," said Pereira.
For the current study, Pereira and colleagues followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years. During that time, there were 140 pancreatic cancer cases. Those who consumed two or more soft drinks per week (averaging five per week) had an 87 percent increased risk compared with individuals who did not. No association was seen between fruit juice consumption and pancreatic cancer.
Pereira said that these results from Singapore are likely applicable to the United States. "Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent health care. Favourite pastimes are eating and shopping, so the findings should apply to other western countries," said Pereira.
Susan Mayne, associate director of the Yale Cancer Center, said these study results are intriguing but have some key limitations that should be considered in any interpretation. "Although this study found a risk, the finding was based on a relatively small number of cases and it remains unclear whether it is a causal association or not. Soft drink consumption in Singapore was associated with several other adverse health behaviours such as smoking and red meat intake, which we can't accurately control for," said Mayne.
Pereira points out that the findings are biologically plausible, held up in non-smokers, remained similar after taking other dietary habits into account and are consistent with findings in Caucasian populations.
For the current study, Pereira and colleagues followed 60,524 men and women in the Singapore Chinese Health Study for 14 years. During that time, there were 140 pancreatic cancer cases. Those who consumed two or more soft drinks per week (averaging five per week) had an 87 percent increased risk compared with individuals who did not. No association was seen between fruit juice consumption and pancreatic cancer.
Pereira said that these results from Singapore are likely applicable to the United States. "Singapore is a wealthy country with excellent health care. Favourite pastimes are eating and shopping, so the findings should apply to other western countries," said Pereira.
Susan Mayne, associate director of the Yale Cancer Center, said these study results are intriguing but have some key limitations that should be considered in any interpretation. "Although this study found a risk, the finding was based on a relatively small number of cases and it remains unclear whether it is a causal association or not. Soft drink consumption in Singapore was associated with several other adverse health behaviours such as smoking and red meat intake, which we can't accurately control for," said Mayne.
Pereira points out that the findings are biologically plausible, held up in non-smokers, remained similar after taking other dietary habits into account and are consistent with findings in Caucasian populations.
Influenza: Face Masks and Hand Hygiene Can Help Limit Spread
In an influenza pandemic, vaccination may not be initially available, and antiviral prescribing may be limited, which is why scientists need to understand how effective other measures are in preventing influenza.
For the study, researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, led by Allison E. Aiello, recruited more than 1,400 college students living in university residence halls during the 2006-2007 influenza season. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: those who wore face masks, those who wore masks and used alcohol-based hand sanitizer, or a control group who received no intervention. Students were monitored for influenza-like symptoms for six weeks. All participants viewed a basic hand hygiene instructional video. Subjects in the hand hygiene and mask group were given an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and written instructions regarding proper face mask and hand sanitizer use. Those in the mask group received written instructions on face mask use only. The students began using the measures just after laboratory confirmation of influenza on the University of Michigan campus had been made.
The investigators observed significant reductions in the incidence of influenza-like symptoms starting after three weeks in the hand sanitizer/mask group and in the mask group compared with the control group. In the hand sanitizer/mask group, Aiello and researchers found a reduction of influenza-like symptoms ranging from 35 to 51 percent when compared with the control group. The incidence of symptoms between the hand sanitizer/mask group and the mask-only group were not statistically different, suggesting that the use of hand sanitizer did not substantially contribute to reducing symptoms.
The findings "have implications for guidelines and recommendations for mask use in the community setting," the authors wrote. Mask use during this study was proven to have a protective effect even when worn moderately during the day. Additionally, the use of face masks and hand hygiene may reduce respiratory illnesses in community settings and lessen the impact of the H1N1 pandemic, the authors noted.
For the study, researchers from the University of Michigan School of Public Health, led by Allison E. Aiello, recruited more than 1,400 college students living in university residence halls during the 2006-2007 influenza season. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: those who wore face masks, those who wore masks and used alcohol-based hand sanitizer, or a control group who received no intervention. Students were monitored for influenza-like symptoms for six weeks. All participants viewed a basic hand hygiene instructional video. Subjects in the hand hygiene and mask group were given an alcohol-based hand sanitizer and written instructions regarding proper face mask and hand sanitizer use. Those in the mask group received written instructions on face mask use only. The students began using the measures just after laboratory confirmation of influenza on the University of Michigan campus had been made.
The investigators observed significant reductions in the incidence of influenza-like symptoms starting after three weeks in the hand sanitizer/mask group and in the mask group compared with the control group. In the hand sanitizer/mask group, Aiello and researchers found a reduction of influenza-like symptoms ranging from 35 to 51 percent when compared with the control group. The incidence of symptoms between the hand sanitizer/mask group and the mask-only group were not statistically different, suggesting that the use of hand sanitizer did not substantially contribute to reducing symptoms.
The findings "have implications for guidelines and recommendations for mask use in the community setting," the authors wrote. Mask use during this study was proven to have a protective effect even when worn moderately during the day. Additionally, the use of face masks and hand hygiene may reduce respiratory illnesses in community settings and lessen the impact of the H1N1 pandemic, the authors noted.
Wednesday, 10 February 2010
1st Annual Conference of the ISETT-WH
Dr. Togas Tulandi, internationally renowned and award winning Reproductive and Endoscopic Surgeon, is inviting you to attend the 1st Annual Conference of the International Society for Emerging Technologies and Treatment in Women's Health (ISETT-WH).
Exciting new topics!
Video Technology
Robotic Surgery / Minimally Invasive Surgery
Uterine Fibroids
Women's Health
Endometriosis
and much more...
For complete information, please visit:
www.isettwh.org
| Start Time: | Sunday, 02 May 2010 at 15:00 |
| End Time: | Wednesday, 05 May 2010 at 00:00 |
| Location: | Hyatt Regency Hotel 4, Complexe Desjardins Montreal, QC |
Tuesday, 9 February 2010
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projections for Biomedical Engineering
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projections for Biomedical Engineering related positions has increased dramatically from the 2006-2016 predictions for 2008-2018. They predict a 72% increase over 10 years. This represents an average increase of approximately 1500 jobs becoming available per year. These jobs are expected to come from new positions (averaging about 1,160 per year) and replacement needs ( averaging about 340 per year ) created by attrition. As good as it sounds B.S. Biomedical Engineering graduates are still being created at a over double the rate of the predicted increase. The number of B.S. Biomedical Engineers graduating in 2008 was 3,360. Since healthcare industry jobs typically require higher degrees and/ or three to five years of experience there will still be a bottleneck unless Biomedical Engineering Programs ramp up their internships and co-op opportunities. Students considering a Biomedical Engineering degree are strongly urged to ask for hard documentation of a programs plans and success rate at getting graduates jobs. Graduation rate details can be seen by following the link below.
Biomedical engineer - job
Biomedical engineer jobs combine traditional engineering skills with medical expertise to save lives.Biomedical engineering jobs combine biology and medicine with engineering, often focusing on the development of man-made systems used within the body–such as the artificial heart. Many biomedical engineering careers revolve around research, most notably the attempt to find mechanical solutions for patients coping with strenuous physical ailments. Where Biomedical Engineers Work
Biomedical engineering jobs can mostly be found in manufacturing industries; 38 percent of all jobs are in pharmaceutical and medicine production, including the construction and distribution of medical instruments and supplies. Biomedical engineering jobs can be found in: • universities
• hospitals
• medical and educational research facilities
• government regulatory agencies
What Are Biomedical Engineering Job Specialties?
Some of the fields biomedical engineers can choose to specialize in include:
• Bio-instrumentation — developing devices used in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.
• Bio-materials — working with living tissues and artificial materials to
design implants. • Bio-mechanics — studying motion, flow, and transport as traditional
mechanics relate to bodily systems in relation to biological problems.
The Job Outlook for Biomedical Engineers
The job outlook for biomedical engineering is expected to increase much faster than average through the year 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Between the aging baby boomer population and the need for increased healthcare in the areas of computer-assisted surgery and joint replacement, the market for biomedical engineering jobs should remain high, though competition for jobs should remain high as well. According to the BLS, there were an estimated 9,700 biomedical engineering jobs in the United States in 2006, paying a median annual salary of approximately $68,000. A degree in biomedical engineering is definitely an excellent way to begin a career in this exciting and revolutionary field.
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