Biomedical Laboratory Science

Monday, April 18, 2016

Rapid Detection of Urinary Biomarkers with Novel Optical Device

A compact optical device has been developed that can rapidly and sensitively detect biomarkers in urine and has promise for developing simple point-of-care diagnostics of cancer and other diseases.

Micro ribonucleic acids (miRNAs) are a newly discovered class of short, about 19 to 24 nucleotides in length, fragments of noncoding RNAs that are useful biomarkers for diagnosing various diseases, including cardiac disease and some cancers. Since they are surprisingly well preserved in fluids such as urine and blood, their detection is well suited to a rapid, point-of-care method.

Bioengineers at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (Singapore) have devised a silicon photonic biosensor that can detect tiny changes in the phase of a light beam caused by hybridization between an immobilized DNA probe and target miRNAs in a sample. A laser beam travels through a waveguide, which splits into two arms: a sensing arm in which the light interacts with the sample and a reference arm.

Image: Schematic diagram of the MZI biosensor system for miRNA detection.

(a) TEM image of the cross section of a silicon nitride slot wave guide; SEM images of

(b) a strip-slot wave guide mode converter and (c) a silicon nitride grating coupler.

(d) Image of MZI biosensor platform

Source: Agency for Science, Technology and Research

Colorectal cancer

Colorectal cancer had a low incidence several decades ago. However, it has become a predominant cancer and now accounts for approximately 10% of cancer-related mortality in western countries. The ‘rise’ of colorectal cancer in developed countries can be attributed to the increasingly ageing population, unfavourable modern dietary habits and an increase in risk factors, such as smoking, low physical exercise and obesity. New treatments for primary and metastatic colorectal cancer have emerged, providing additional options for patients; these treatments include laparoscopic surgery for primary disease, more-aggressive resection of metastatic disease (such as liver and pulmonary metastases), radiotherapy for rectal cancer, and neoadjuvant and palliative chemotherapies. However, these new treatment options have had limited impact on cure rates and long-term survival. For these reasons, and the recognition that colorectal cancer is long preceded by a polypoid precursor, screening programmes have gained momentum. This Primer provides an overview of the current state of the art of knowledge on the epidemiology and mechanisms of colorectal cancer, as well as on diagnosis and treatment.

Introduction

We live in an era with improved worldwide average living standards and increased access to adequate health care that has considerably improved the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. These measures have had an effect on the average life expectancy in most regions of the world. However, although death rates from communicable diseases have improved globally as a result of these medical improvements, cancer-related mortality has increased by almost 40% over the past 40 years. A further 60% increase is expected in the next 15 years, with 13 million people estimated to die of cancer in 2030. The main causes of cancer-related mortality have also changed, attributable to alterations in disease incidence, the introduction of screening programmes and therapeutic improvements. Colorectal cancer was rather rare in 1950, but has become a predominant cancer in western countries, now accounting for approximately 10% of cancer-related mortality. Reasons explaining this increased incidence include an ageing population and the preponderance of poor dietary habits, smoking, low physical activity and obesity in western countries. The change in incidence is not only apparent in the rates of sporadic disease but also in some familial cancer syndromes. Indeed, given that the rates of Helicobacter pyloriinfection (a causative factor of gastric cancer) have fallen dramatically, colorectal cancer is now the predominant presentation of Lynch syndrome (a hereditary non-polyposis type of colorectal cancer), whereas carriers of this syndrome used to be predominantly affected by gastric cancer.

The 2016 NHRC Summit !!!

Nepal Health Research Council celebrated 25 glorious years of its establishment on 11th April, 2016. The Second National Summit of the Health and Population Scientists in Nepal was held on 11th-12th April, 2016 as a continuum and part of Silver Jubilee celebration with the theme of “Health and Population Research for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in Nepal”. Health and Population Scientists as a group contributed immensely to promote evidence informed decision making process and it has been instrumental to achieve many of the goals of MDGs. Annual gathering and provision of platform for the scientists were phenomenal in sustaining the MDG achievements and to encourage achieving SDGs as unfinished agendas of the MDGs in the health sector.

Objectives of the Summit were:

To bring health and population scientists together to promote evidence informed decision-making process for optimal health and wellbeing of Nepalese people
To encourage health and population scientists and practitioners for responsible conduct of research on health and development
To discourse and find out the way forward on emerging health and population issues for strengthening national health system of Nepal for achieving SDGs

What’s new this year?

This year there were 27 thematic areas for oral and poster presentation in the Summit in order to have diversity in the scientific sessions and cater a wide group of audience.

Increase Vitamin Diet to Boost Your Immune System

Get more important vitamins on your plate

Want to fight off that illness that’s spreading around the office or your child’s school? Aside from practicing good hygiene, boosting your immune system is a great way to start.

Your diet plays a part in strengthening your immune system. Sadly, too many of us don’t eat enough of the fresh fruits, vegetables and other foods we need to keep ourselves healthy year-round. You can’t just eat an orange or grapefruit and expect one quick burst of vitamin C to prevent a cold. A truly healthy immune system depends on a balanced mix of vitamins and minerals over time, plus normal sleep patterns and a hefty dose of exercise.

With some exceptions, it’s best to get your vitamins and minerals from your food rather than in pill form. Here are some tips for getting the top vitamins your immune system needs to perform.

1. Vitamin C

You probably know about vitamin C’s connection to the immune system, but did you know you can get it from much more than just citrus fruits? Leafy green vegetables such as spinach and kale, bell peppers, brussels sprouts, strawberries and papaya are also excellent sources. In fact, vitamin C is in so many foods that most people may not need to take supplements unless a doctor advises it.

Source: health.clevelandclinic

Boosting Immunity With Fresh Vegetables

Change your lifestyle by adding immuneboosting vegetables into your diet. You all know the benefits of vegetables to your health. What’s more, they reduce your risk of diseases, like cancer and heart diseases.

So load your plate up with the following vegetables to help boost your immune system:

1. Mushrooms

Mushrooms has the ability to enhance the activity of natural killer T cells (NKT). NKTs remove and attack cells that are infected by viruses. They slow cancer or tumor growth, prevent DNA damage and tumors from acquiring a blood supply.

2. Asparagus

Asparagus has a natural diuretic ability that helps your body to flush out toxins. It contains glutathione, an antioxidant that can help lower your risk factor for cancer and heart diseases.

Asparagus is both anti-inflammatory and cleansing to the body. It’s useful for inflammatory conditions like irritable bowel syndrome and arthritis.

3. Carrots

Carrots are useful in preventing seasonal flu and colds. This is because they are rich in betacarotene that helps in boosting your immune system. It it best to eat raw carrots for the best immune system results. 4. Garlic Garlic has been used for years to fend off diseases. Studies have shown that people taking garlic supplements experienced few cold symptoms.

Source: exportersindia

Sunday, April 17, 2016

Roles for mesenchymal stem cells as medicinal signaling cells

Understanding the in vivo identity and function of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is vital to fully exploiting their therapeutic potential. New data are emerging that demonstrate previously undescribed roles of MSCs in vivo. Understanding the behavior of MSCs in vivo is crucial as recent results suggest these additional roles enable MSCs to function as medicinal signaling cells. This medicinal signaling activity is in addition to the contribution of MSCs to the maintenance of the stem cell niche and homeostasis.

There is increasing evidence that not all cells described as MSCs share the same properties. Most MSCs reside in a perivascular location and have some functionalities in common with those of the pericytes and adventitial cells located around the microvasculature and larger vessels, respectively.

Here we focus on the characteristics of MSCs that have been demonstrated to be similar to those of pericytes located around the microvasculature, defined as perivascular MSCs (pMSCs). Although we focus here on pMSCs, it is important to bear in mind that pericytes are found in many types of blood vessels, and that not all pericytes are thought to be MSCs.

Source: NatureReviews

Hepatocellular carcinoma

Liver cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally and has an incidence of approximately 850,000 new cases per year. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents approximately 90% of all cases of primary liver cancer. The main risk factors for developing HCC are well known and include hepatitis B and C virus infection, alcohol intake and ingestion of the fungal metabolite aflatoxin B1.

Additional risk factors such as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis are also emerging. Advances in the understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of HCC have led to identification of critical driver mutations; however, the most prevalent of these are not yet druggable targets. The molecular classification of HCC is not established, and the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer staging classification is the main clinical algorithm for the stratification of patients according to prognosis and treatment allocation. Surveillance programmes enable the detection of early-stage tumours that are amenable to curative therapies — resection, liver transplantation or local ablation. At more developed stages, only chemoembolization (for intermediate HCC) and sorafenib (for advanced HCC) have shown survival benefits. There are major unmet needs in HCC management that might be addressed through the discovery of new therapies and their combinations for use in the adjuvant setting and for intermediate- and advanced-stage disease. Moreover, biomarkers for therapy stratification, patient-tailored strategies targeting driver mutations and/or activating signalling cascades, and validated measurements of quality of life are needed. Recent failures in the testing of systemic drugs for intermediate and advanced stages have indicated a need to refine trial designs and to define novel approaches.

Autistic people have higher gene mutations but lesser risk to cancer

While people with autism have more cancer-related gene mutations, they are at lower risk for developing the disease. This is the conclusion of a new study by researchers from the University of Iowa.

Autism is a developmental disorder characterized by problems with social interaction, communication and repetitive behaviors.

In the US, it is estimated that 1 in 68 children have autism, most of whom are boys.

Study leader Dr. Benjamin Darbro, of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine, notes that the finding of a genetic link between autism and cancer is not a new discovery; previous research has established that the conditions share risk genes.

Autism patients have more mutations in cancer-related genes, but they are at lower risk of developing
cancer than those without autism.

Source: medicalnewsto day

Gastritis: Facts, Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Gastritis is the inflammation of the stomach lining, which can have a multitude of causes.

The condition can be an acute (sudden onset, short-term) or chronic (persistent, long-term) issue that increases the risk of other conditions such as stomach ulcers, bleeding or cancer.

Facts about gastritis.

Gastritis can increase the risk of other gastrointestinal conditions such as stomach ulcers and cancer
People with gastritis typically report that their abdominal pain is located in the upper center of the abdomen
Gastritis can also cause pain in the upper left portion of the stomach radiating to the back
Pain caused by gastritis is often described as sharp, stabbing or burning
Treatment of gastritis depends on the factors that caused the illness along with whether the disease is acute or chronic.

Causes of gastritis

Gastritis occurs when the protective mucus lining of the stomach is weakened. When this happens, the digestive juices in the stomach can damage and inflame the walls of the stomach.

Gastritis occurs when the mucus lining of the stomach is weakened, enabling the digestive juices
to damage the stomach wall.

Source: steptohealth

Novel Use of Insulin-Producing Beta Cells

While not having love handles in the first place would probably be an ideal situation, scientists at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zurich have found an exciting new use for the cells that reside in the undesirable flabby tissue—creating pancreatic beta cells. The ETH researchers extracted stem cells from a 50-year-old test subject's fatty tissue and reprogrammed them into mature, insulin-producing beta cells.

The findings from this study were published recently in Nature Communications in an article entitled “A Programmable Synthetic Lineage-Control Network That Differentiates Human IPSCs into Glucose-Sensitive Insulin-Secreting Beta-Like Cells.”

The investigators added a highly complex synthetic network of genes to the stem cells to recreate precisely the key growth factors involved in this maturation process. Central to the process were the growth factors Ngn3, Pdx1, and MafA; the researchers found that concentrations of these factors change during the differentiation process.

The diagram shows the dynamics of the most important growth factors during differentiation of
human induced pluripotent stem cells to beta-like cells.

Source: ETH Zurich

Biomedical Laboratory Science