Vitamin D Could Repair Nerve Damage in Multiple Sclerosis

A protein activated by vitamin D could be involved in repairing damage to myelin in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), according to new research from the University of Cambridge. The study, published today in the Journal of Cell Biology, offers significant evidence that vitamin D could be a possible treatment for MS in the future.

Researchers, from the MS Society Cambridge Centre for Myelin Repair, identified that the ‘vitamin D receptor’ protein pairs with an existing protein, called the RXR gamma receptor, already known to be involved in the repair of myelin, the protective sheath surrounding nerve fibres.

By adding vitamin D to brain stem cells where the proteins were present, they found the production rate of oligodendrocytes (myelin making cells) increased by 80%. When they blocked the vitamin D receptor to stop it from working, the RXR gamma protein alone was unable to stimulate the production of oligodendrocytes.

Read more: Vitamin D Could Repair Nerve Damage in Multiple Sclerosis

Neuron with oligodendrocyte and myelin sheath (edited)

Source: scitechconnect/Andrew c

Neurodegenerative disease damage reversed in fruit flies

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's symptoms have been reversed in fruit flies following treatment with a drug-like chemical, says research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The discovery, which centers around the protection of brain cells, could be a turning point in the fight against neurodegenerative disease, say the authors.

Neurodegenerative diseases occur when groups of nerve cells in the brain die, making it difficult for a person to move and to think.

According to Claire Bale, of Parkinson's UK, the symptoms of Parkinson's tend not to appear until 70 percent of nerve cells in the brain have already been lost.

Unfortunately, current treatments are only able to tackle the symptoms of the condition - they cannot slow or stop the degeneration of these cells.

Read more: Neurodegenerative disease damage reversed in fruit flies

Scientists are making progressing in techniques to protect nerve cells.

Source: medicalnewstoday

New gene testing method can identify mutations, prioritize variants in breast and ovarian cancer genes

A research team led by an award-winning genomicist at Western University has developed a new method for identifying mutations and prioritizing variants in breast and ovarian cancer genes, which will not only reduce the number of possible variants for doctors to investigate, but also increase the number of patients that are properly diagnosed.

These potentially game-changing technologies, developed by Peter Rogan, PhD, students and his collaborators from Western's Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, reveal gene variants that were missed by conventional genetic testing.

Their method, described in BMC Medical Genomics, was first applied to 102 individuals at risk or with a diagnosis of inherited breast cancer. The team also studied 287 women with no known mutations for an article published in Human Mutation.

Rogan, Canada Research Chair in Genome Bioinformatics, says that 16 to 20 per cent of women in southwestern Ontario, who have their BRCA genes tested for breast and/or ovarian cancer risk, carry disease-causing gene variants that are well-understood by clinicians and genetic counselors. If a patient tests positive for an abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene and have never had breast cancer, there is a much higher-than-average risk of developing the deadly disease.

Read more: New gene testing method can identify mutations, prioritize variants in breast and ovarian cancer genes

Source: azonano

A novel device claims to be an 'off switch' for painful menstruation.

It’s estimated that nine out of 10 women suffer from period pain each month, and an unfortunate 10 percent of those will get it so bad, they could be incapacitated for up to three days. 

Other than using contraceptives to skip their period altogether (just like astronauts do), menstruating women have precious few options to beat this thing and get on with their lives. Some over-the-counter pain-killers and a strategically placed hot water bottle is about it.

But there’s another option behind secret door #3, and early reports are saying this thing actually works. Dubbed Livia, this new medical device claims to be an"off switch for menstrual pain".

Okay, so first thing’s first: how does this supposed 'miracle cure' actually work? 

As the Livia website explains, the device comes with two electrodes, which you need to place on the painful areas on your abdomen. Switch the device on, and these electrodes will start delivering imperceptible electric pulses to your nerves, which will settle the pain.

Read more: A novel device claims to be an 'off switch' for painful menstruation.

Source: sciencealert

Fasting no longer necessary before cholesterol test

For the first time, a team of international experts recommends that most people do not need to fast before having their cholesterol and triglyceride levels tested.

Fasting is a problem for many patients, they explain, and note the latest research shows that cholesterol and triglyceride levels are similar whether people fast or not.

The experts represent the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) and the European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) joint consensus initiative.

They refer to new research from Denmark, Canada, and the United States that included over 300,000 people and found it is not necessary to have an empty stomach to check cholesterol levels.

Apart from Denmark, all countries require that patients fast for at least 8 hours before checking their cholesterol and triglyceride levels - referred to as "lipid profile." In Denmark, non-fasting blood sampling has been in use since 2009.

Read more: Fasting no longer necessary before cholesterol test

Researchers say fasting before a cholesterol test is unnecessary.

Source: medicalnewstoday

We could be close enough to the stem cell revolution!

Stem cell therapy has been in use for many years, but with only limited reach. As such the oft bandied stem cell revolution has still yet to arrive. Steve Buckwell and Chris Coe explain why this is set to change and why now is the perfect time for its potential to be achieved. 

The stem cell revolution as it’s often referred to is now already in its third decade. But like the paper free office, is it just one of those envisaged futures that never seem to really happen? Embryonic stem cells were first isolated 18 years ago, but stem cell therapies have been slowed by high production costs, batch-to-batch variability and limited seed material. But we still believe the revolution will kick off some time in the second half of this decade. This is why.

Firstly the early ethical issues have, in many cases been overcome, with adult stem cells showing promise in the clinic but not requiring the embryo exploitation and destruction that made embryonic stem cell research so controversial in the years after 1998. Secondly, there is now substantial mid-stage clinical evidence that stem cells work in areas of unmet medical need, much of which has only become evident in the last five years.

There are various stem cell products in development that work allogeneically, meaning that the patient receives stem cells sourced from someone else’s body. As a general rule, allogeneic therapies are quite cost effective because they have the potential to be ‘off-the-shelf’, whereas autologous therapies (use of the patient’s own cells) can be considerably more expensive.

Read more: We could be close enough to the stem cell revolution!

Source: labnews

Novel test can detect any virus

Scientists have designed a test that can detect not only any known virus type and subtype but also virus outbreaks.

A research team led by the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis (WUSTL) condensed nearly 1 billion base pairs of viral DNA sequences to create a test that they call ViroCap.

“With this test, you don’t have to know what you’re looking for. It casts a broad net and can efficiently detect viruses that are present at very low levels. We think the test will be especially useful in situations where a diagnosis remains elusive after standard testing or in situations in which the cause of a disease outbreak is unknown,” said research associate Professor Gregory Storch.

To develop the test, the researchers targeted unique stretches of DNA or RNA from every known group of viruses that infects vertebrates – including 2 million unique stretches of genetic material. The stretches of material were used as probes which can pluck out viruses from a sample and find a genetic match. The matched viral material was then analyzed by high-throughput genetic sequencing.

Read more: Novel test can detect any virus

New test can detect any virus that infects vertebrates

Source: labnews

Insights on the Growing Fingerprint Challenge

Although some fingerprint analysis is new, the concept—using fingerprints for identification—started centuries ago.

The Future of Identifying People Will Require More Than One Method

Standing in the immigration line at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi, India, I watch person after person be fingerprinted. First, you put your left four fingers on a digital pad, then your right four, and finally both thumbs at once. If all goes smoothly, the Indian government collects all ten fingerprints for everyone entering the country. It’s not as easy as it sounds, even from the start. More than one person is asked to try again and again. So obtaining a print can be as difficult as analyzing one.

Although some fingerprint analysis is new, the concept— using fingerprints for identification—started centuries ago. Thousands of years ago in Babylon, a fingerprint served as a signature of sorts on business papers. Finally, in 1880, British surgeon Henry Faulds described using fingerprints to identify people; he gets credit for the first use of this technology of lifting a print from an alcohol bottle.

Read more: Insights on the Growing Fingerprint Challenge

Source: labmanager

Next Generation Blood Separation Technology

A next-generation blood separation technology that is designed to enhance sample quality, improve laboratory efficiency and reduce laboratory turnaround time has received the Conformité Européenne (CE) marking. 

The tube is a single-use, plastic evacuated tube used to collect, separate, transport and process venous blood specimens to obtain high-quality plasma for in vitro diagnostic use and the tube has a revolutionary separator technology, providing a cleaner plasma sample with less cellular contamination, meaning the sample is more stable and allows a longer window to conduct testing when compared to existing blood separation tubes. 

BD Barricor tubes (BD, Becton, Dickinson and Company, Franklin Lakes, NJ, USA) are optimized to deliver a high quality plasma sample by reducing cellular content (versus plasma gel tubes), as a result of the mechanical separator remaining open throughout the centrifugation cycle.

Read more: Next Generation Blood Separation Technology

BD vacutainer separation tubes for blood specimens

Source: Becton, Dickinson, and Company

Heart Attack Patients Are Getting Younger and More Obese.

Young people tend to feel invincible to danger, but they're not, especially when it comes to their heart health. One of the most common misconceptions about heart health is that older people are the only ones who need to worry. 

Patients who suffer from the most severe and deadly type of heart attack, STEMI, are getting younger and more obese, according to Dr. Samir Kapadia, professor of medicine and section head for interventional cardiology at Cleveland Clinic.

"On the whole, the medical community has done an outstanding job of improving treatments for heart disease, but this study shows that we have to do better on the prevention side," said Kapadia in a statement. "When people come for routine checkups, it is critical to stress the importance of reducing risk factors through weight reduction, eating a healthy diet, and being physically active." He presented his research at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

Read more: Heart Attack Patients Are Getting Younger and More Obese.

Video link: Younger obese people are at risk of getting heart attacks!

Source: HealthDay