Biomedical Laboratory Science

Saturday, April 16, 2016

A Journal Editor's Tips to a Good Reviewer

Peer review is one of the foundations of science. To have research scrutinized, criticized, and evaluated by other experts in the field helps to make sure that a study is well-designed, appropriately analyzed, and well-documented. It helps to make sure that other scholars can readily understand, appreciate, and build upon that work.

Of course, peer review is not perfect. Flawed studies are published, and peer reviewers may miss critical problems or errors in particular studies. Reviewers often do not have the time, nor the inclination, to dig deeply into a study’s methods, or assumptions, or supporting materials, in order to find errors or flaws in a research paper.

Even though peer review is not perfect, as a journal editor I rely heavily on the evaluations and advice provided by peer reviewers. We spend a great deal of time trying to find the right reviewers for each and every paper that we put through the peer review process, and an equally large amount of time reading, evaluating, and putting into appropriate context the responses that we receive from our reviewers.

What is ironic, however, is that despite the importance of peer review in science, it’s not a skill that we typically directly address in our graduate programs, nor in our professional societies. I’m not aware of graduate seminars in “how to be a good peer reviewer”, nor are there materials easily available for scholars to reference when they are asked to undertake a particular peer review task for a journal.

Source: OUPblog

Parasitic worms help gut flora to prevent Crohn’s disease

The parasitic worms that lurk in some people’s intestines may be revolting, but they seem to forestall Crohn’s disease and other types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A new study might explain how, revealing that the worms enable beneficial microbes in the intestines to outcompete bacteria that promote inflammation. The results could lead to new ways of treating gut diseases by mimicking the effects of the parasites.

“It’s a beautifully done paper,” says immunologist Joel Weinstock of Tufts University in Boston, who wasn’t connected to the work. “It had not been previously shown that one of the mechanisms [of IBD] is through changes in the intestinal flora.”

In people with IBD, inflammation in the digestive tract results in symptoms such as diarrhea and bleeding and can sometimes lead to intestinal obstructions or other severe complications. Because parasitic worms, or helminths, can be harmful, they appear to be unlikely allies against these diseases. “They are called parasites for a reason,” says immunologist Ken Cadwell of the New York University School of Medicine in New York City, a co-author on the new study. However, IBD is rare in parts of the world where helminths are prevalent, and it is surging in more developed countries, where few people now carry the intestinal intruders. That difference suggests, researchers say, that they are protective.

Parasites like this whipworm might protect us from Crohn’s disease by altering our intestinal bacteria.

Source: CNRI/Science

Novel Genomic Analysis of Immune Cell Infiltration in Colorectal Cancer

The past several years have seen some exciting results for cancer immunotherapy. However, there remains a fundamental lack of understanding of immune system recognition in various cancers. Many large-scale sequencing efforts have added to our collective knowledge base, but too many of these studies have been deficient in comprehensive epidemiological and demographic information.

Now, researchers at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard report on their findings from a new study, which found that colorectal cancers festooned with tumor-related proteins called neoantigens were likely to be saturated with disease-fighting white blood cells, mainly lymphocytes.

Using several data sets from patients in two large health-tracking studies, the Nurses' Health Study and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, investigators performed whole-exome sequencing on colorectal tumor samples from 619 patients—itemizing each DNA base that specifies how cell proteins are to be constructed. This information was merged with data from tests of the immune system's response to the tumors and with patient clinical data, including length of survival.

Through whole-exome sequencing of colorectal tumors, researchers were able to identify additional driver

genes that correlate high neoantigen load with increased lymphocytic infiltration and improved survival.

Source: Giannakis et al., 2016, Cell Reports 15, 1–9

Friday, April 15, 2016

Immune cells self-healing brain after stroke

After a stroke, there is inflammation in the damaged part of the brain. Until now, the inflammation has been seen as a negative consequence that needs to be abolished as soon as possible. But, as it turns out, there are also some positive sides to the inflammation, and it can actually help the brain to self-repair.

"This is in total contrast to our previous beliefs", says Professor Zaal Kokaia from Lund University in Sweden.

Zaal Kokaia, together with Professor of Neurology Olle Lindvall, runs a research group at the Lund Stem Cell Center that, in collaboration with colleagues at the Weizmann Institute in Israel, is responsible for these findings. Hopefully, these new data will lead to new ways of treating stroke in the future. The study was recently published in the Journal of Neuroscience.

When stroke occurs, the nerve cells in the damaged area of the brain die, causing an inflammation that attracts cells from the immune system. Among them you find monocytes—a type of white blood cells produced in the bone marrow.

False-colored scanning electron micrograph of a blood clot. There are many red blood cells and

a single white blood cell held together in a meshwork of fibrin (brown).

Source: Anne Weston, LRI, CRUK, Wellcome Images

Lymphoma

Overview

Lymphoma is cancer that begins in cells of the lymph system. The lymph system is part of the immune system, which helps the body fight infection and disease. Because lymph tissue is found all through the body, lymphoma can begin almost anywhere.

The two main types of lymphoma are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). These can occur in both children and adults.

Most people with Hodgkin lymphoma have the classic type. With this type, there are large, abnormal lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the lymph nodes called Reed-Sternberg cells. Hodgkin lymphoma can usually be cured.

There are many different types of NHL that form from different types of white blood cells (B-cells, T-cells, NK cells). Most types of NHL form from B-cells. NHL may be indolent (slow-growing) or aggressive (fast-growing). The most common types of NHL in adults are diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, which is usually aggressive, and follicular lymphoma, which is usually indolent.

Free eBook - Teitz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry

A condensed, student-friendly version of Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry, this text uses a laboratory perspective to provide you with the chemistry fundamentals you need to work in a real-world, biomedical laboratory. Accurate chemical structures are included to explain the key chemical features of relevant molecules. Offering complete, accurate coverage of key topics in the field, it's everything that you expect from the Tietz name!

Key Features:

More than 500 illustrations and easy-to-read tables help you understand and remember key concepts.
Key words, learning objectives, and other student-friendly features reinforce important material.
Chapter review questions are included in an appendix to test your knowledge.
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In-depth, reader-friendly content is appropriate for MT/CLS and MLT/CLT students and may also be used by laboratory practitioners, pathology residents, and others.

Series: Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry

Hardcover: 976 pages

Publisher: Saunders; 6 edition (November 20, 2007)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 0721638651

ISBN-13: 978-0721638652

This eBook has been published by Comanche County Memorial Hospital School of Medical Technology

Download here: Tietz Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry

Source: Comanche County Memorial Hospital School of Medical Technology

Biomedical Laboratory Scientist Career: Salary, Requirements and Overview

Medical laboratory scientists require a significant amount of formal education. Learn about the degree, job duties, and certification to see if this is the right career for you.

Essential Information

Medical laboratory scientists, also known as medical laboratory technologists, conduct lab tests related to the detection and cure of diseases. They use complex medical equipment to analyze body fluids or tissue samples for bacterial infection, hormone levels, and other chemical components affecting human health. A bachelor's degree with a major in one of the life sciences can open the door to this career.

Required Education	Bachelor's degree
Other Requirements	Certification or licensure required in some states
Projected Job Growth (2012-2022)	22% for medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians*
Mean Annual Wage (2014)	$60,560 for medical and clinical laboratory technologists*

Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Salary of a Medical Laboratory Scientist

Wages for medical laboratory scientists vary based upon experience and job location. The mean annual salary earned by medical and clinical laboratory technologists was $60,560 as of May 2014, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov). Hospitals are the largest employer of medical and clinical laboratory technologists; those working in this environment earned an average salary of $61,600 annually in 2014. However, the highest paying industry, according to the BLS, is pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, paying an average salary of $71,910 as of May 2014. The BLS also states that the projected job outlook for medical and clinical laboratory technologists and technicians is 22% for the years 2012-2022.

Source: bls.gov

Can diabetes be cured?

What Causes Diabetes?

Scientists don’t know exactly what causes diabetes. They think that type 1 diabetes is a disease in which your immune system attacks your own cells as if they were foreign invaders. This is called an autoimmune disease. In type 1 diabetes, your immune system attacks your pancreas cells and destroys their ability to make insulin. Most scientists believe that an environmental factor, such as a virus, triggers this process in your body. Your genes play a role as well. Certain people are more prone to develop diabetes.

Likewise, health experts don’t fully understand what causes type 2 diabetes. They do know that it is closely linked to obesity and it tends to run in families. Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes but you can prevent it in many cases. If you have type 2 diabetes, you may be able to reverse or control high blood sugar through diet and exercise. However, you will always have diabetes and you will always need to manage it to prevent serious health problems.

Is There a Cure for Diabetes?

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are chronic, lifelong conditions. Currently, there is no permanent cure for either type. However, there is hope in research for a cure and in prevention. While you can’t prevent type 1 diabetes, you may be able to prevent type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly are all ways you can help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Can we really outgrow asthma?

If you're one of the 25 million Americans who have asthma, you probably want to know if you're always going to be living with it. If you're a parent of one of the 7 million U.S. children with asthma, you probably want to know if your child might outgrow it. The short answer: That depends. Here's why.

Can Children Outgrow Asthma?

About half of all children with asthma start having symptoms before age five. However, it's hard to diagnose asthma in a child under age five. That's because the lung function tests that are most important for making the diagnosis are too hard for a young child to perform.

If you have a child with asthma symptoms, there is about a 50% chance your child will outgrow the symptoms. But there's also a 25% chance those symptoms will come back once the child is an adult. This means the chance of your child permanently outgrowing asthma is about 25%.

Source: healthgrades

Thursday, April 14, 2016

DNA damage detected in patients after CT scanning.

Using new laboratory technology, scientists have shown that cellular damage is detectable in patients after CT scanning. In this study, researchers examined the effects on human cells of low-dose radiation from a wide range of cardiac and vascular CT scans. These imaging procedures are commonly used for a number of reasons, including management of patients suspected of having obstructive coronary artery disease, and for those with aortic stenosis, in preparation of transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Using new laboratory technology, scientists have shown that cellular damage is detectable in patients after CT scanning, according to a new study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.

"We now know that even exposure to small amounts of radiation from computed tomography scanning is associated with cellular damage," said Patricia Nguyen, MD, one of the lead authors of the study and an assistant professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford. "Whether or not this causes cancer or any negative effect to the patient is still not clear, but these results should encourage physicians toward adhering to dose reduction strategies."

Computed tomography (stock image). Along with the burgeoning use of advanced medical imaging
tests over the past decade have come rising public health concerns about possible links between low
dose radiation and cancer. The worry is that increased radiation exposure from such diagnostic
procedures as CT scans, which expose the body to low-dose X-ray beams, can damage DNA and
create mutations that spur cells to grow into tumors.

Source: Lilyana Vynogradova / Fotolia

Biomedical Laboratory Science