A Laboratory for Empowerment

Though women earn 50 percent of degrees in science and engineering, they only represent 27 percent of the workforce in those fields. The UCSD Guardian investigates women’s representation in STEM at UCSD, as well as the steps the university is taking to increase their presence.

Seventy-seven cents to every man’s dollar. It’s a statistic often thrown around when discussing the oppression of women in the United States, but less often understood. The number does not come from comparing one male engineer’s salary to that of a female engineer’s. Instead, 77 cents to every one male-earned dollar is a statistic that compares the total income generated by men in the U.S. to the total income generated by American women. It’s a statistic that reveals that, on average, women are employed in lower-paying careers than men are. It’s not that female engineers are being paid 23 percent less than their male counterparts. It’s that there aren’t as many female engineers as male engineers to begin with; considering that, according to Payscale.com, the top 14 paying majors in the U.S. are in science, technology, engineering and math, this is a huge missed opportunity.

This is where STEM comes in. It’s a little acronym that represents a big conversation in today’s society. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, in 2011, women held nearly half the jobs in the U.S. economy, but filled less than a quarter of the country’s STEM-related positions. Although women today have far more opportunities in academia than in the past, there are still far more men occupying STEM-related jobs than women. According to a 2013 study compiled by the National Girls Collaborative Project, while women are earning 50 percent of bachelor’s degrees in science and engineering, only 27 percent of the science and engineering workforce is made up of women. With nearly half of science and engineering bachelor’s degrees going to women, one would expect women to be equally represented in the workforce, making these statistics surprising.

Read more: A Laboratory for Empowerment

Source: Illustration by Alex Liang

Simple At-Home Test Developed To Detect Blood Clots

Researchers have developed a simple paper-based screening method that can help patients with blood clotting disorders perform regular tests from the convenience of their homes.

The screening test created by researchers at the University of Cincinnati (UC) could be a game changer for patients with several life-threatening conditions, researchers said.

Patients with cardiovascular disease, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, congestive heart failure, kidney disease and others who are at risk for blood clotting are especially vulnerable when blood-thinning medication levels get too weak or too strong, they said.

This imbalance can quickly lead to ischemic (clotting) or hemorrhagic (bleeding) strokes if not detected in time.

"We have developed a blood screening device for patients on medications like Coumadin, warfarin or other blood thinners who need to monitor their blood-clotting levels on a regular basis," said Andrew Steckl, UC professor of electrical engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Read more: Simple At-Home Test Developed To Detect Blood Clots

The simple technology also help patients who have a known inherited blood clotting disorder detect
concerning levels early. (Representational Image)

Source: ndtv

Neurotensin, A Hormone Found In The Digestive Tract, May Play Role In Obesity By Aiding In Fat Absorption From Food

A hormone predominantly found in our guts may help us absorb fat from our diets and could contribute to the development of obesity under certain circumstances, according to a new study published Wednesday in Nature.

The researchers, primarily hailing from the University of Kentucky, conducted a series of experiments on lab mice, fruit flies, and humans that examined how the hormone, called neurotensin (NT), functions in the gut. Mice deficient in NT proved less able to absorb fat from food and they appeared to be protected from conditions like obesity, fatty liver, and insulin resistance that are associated with a high-fat diet. On the other hand, fruit flies engineered to produce NT accumulated more fat in their bodies than normal.

Aside from seeing a similar fat absorption effect in human gut cells, the researchers also analyzed data from an earlier, long-running population study of middle-aged adults and found that obese and insulin-resistant individuals were more likely to have high levels of a precursor hormone, Pro-NT, in their blood. Those who weren’t obese but had the highest levels of Pro-NT were more than twice as likely to eventually develop obesity than people with the lowest levels of Pro-NT.

Read more: Neurotensin, A Hormone Found In The Digestive Tract, May Play Role In Obesity By Aiding In Fat Absorption From Food

New research suggests that a hormone found in our gut may help us break down fats, like the kind in
butter, above, and possibly contribute to obesity

Source: Pixabay, Public Domain

Laboratory Medicine Consultants – Medical Lab Technician

In the declining reimbursements and slower lab results days we are all now facing it has become a great topic of interest for many physicians to talk about opening or starting their own medical laboratory. This is normally met with the next bump in the road which is what all does it take in order to open the laboratory.

Steps to finding a Medical Lab Technician

The first thing to do is to have a business plan. This is where the technical know how has to meet the logical part of the brain. When we look at many business plans that other consultants have put together we understand why they charge such ridiculous rates for them. No one can understand:

1. How to make it happen
2. How to make money once it is in place
3. What the next steps are to completing it
4. What options were not discussed prior to making the plan

Read more: Laboratory Medicine Consultants – Medical Lab Technician

Source: medicallab

Bunions: Facts, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Bunions can be described as a bony bump present at the base of the big toe joint.

This progressive bone disorder can be painful. The growth of a bunion arises from changes to the structure of the bone within the foot itself. These changes lead to the bones in the toes and feet not lining up properly.

The classic bunion bump is caused by the big toe pushing against the neighboring toe, which causes the joint to stick out.

Bunions do not only affect adults. Adolescents can also experience these bumps, which are referred to as adolescent bunions. This type of bunion is usually an inherited condition.

At times, bunions can occur near the base of the little toe instead of the big toe. These bunions are known as bunionettes or "tailor's bunion."

Read more: Bunions: Facts, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment

Bunions are bony bumps that often form at the base of the big toe.

Source: medicalnewstoday

Meiotic Mysteries

Understanding why so many human oocytes contain the wrong number of chromosomes

Meiosis in human females takes place over decades. At any point in this process, an incorrect number of chromosomes can be transferred to daughter cells, resulting in aneuploid gametes, the most common cause of miscarriage and the root of certain developmental disorders, such as Down syndrome.

In the Fetus

During gestation, primordial germ cells replicate their DNA and pair up homologous chromosomes for homologous recombination. Meiosis is then arrested until ovulation many years later.

In the Adult

Just before ovulation, the oocyte resumes meiosis, building a meiotic spindle of microtubules to segregate homologous chromosomes. Upon fertilization, the egg undergoes a second round of division, segregating sister chromatids.

Read more: Meiotic Mysteries

Source: 2016 MICA DURAN

Tools for Lung Cancer Research

Recent advances in lung cancer research suggest a personalized approach to diagnostics and therapeutics to reduce mortality

Due to its high rate of mortality, lung cancer is a prominent area of research for scientists. Lung cancer is a complex disease with many subtypes resulting from factors such as family history, lifestyle and occupation-with each subtype requiring different treatment regimens. Thus, developing therapeutics for this disease requires vast research efforts.

The specific subtypes of the cancer must be paired to successful treatments, which can then be matched to individual patients. The American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) has responded to this initiative for personalized medicine by creating new drug screening and diagnostic test development tools, such as tumor cell panels based on genetic alteration, primary cells, gene-edited isogenic cell lines and cell line derivatives.

"Over the years, we have expanded our portfolio into the most diverse and unique collection of cancer cells to include thousands of human and animal cancer cell lines representing the diversity of the disease," said Fang Tian, PhD, lead scientist at ATCC. "Our growing collection of lung cancer cell lines is now just shy of 100 lines.

Read more: Tools for Lung Cancer Research

Source: laboratory-manager.advanceweb

The brain dictionary!

Where exactly are the words in your head?

Scientists have created an interactive map showing which brain areas respond to hearing different words. The map reveals how language is spread throughout the cortex and across both hemispheres, showing groups of words clustered together by meaning. The beautiful interactive model allows us to explore the complex organization of the enormous dictionaries in our heads.

Explore the brain model for yourself here

Read the paper here

Video link: The brain dictionary!

Source: NatureVideo

Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease prevention

Vitamin D is a precursor of the steroid hormone calcitriol that is crucial for bone and mineral metabolism. Both the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in the general population and the identification of the vitamin D receptor in the heart and blood vessels raised interest in the potential cardiovascular effects of vitamin D. Experimental studies have demonstrated various cardiovascular protective actions of vitamin D, but vitamin D intoxication in animals is known to induce vascular calcification. In meta-analyses of epidemiological studies, vitamin D deficiency is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. Findings from Mendelian randomization studies and randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) do not indicate significant effects of a general vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes. Previous RCTs, however, were not adequately designed to address extra skeletal events, and did not focus on vitamin D-deficient individuals. Therefore, currently available evidence does not support cardiovascular benefits or harms of vitamin D supplementation with the commonly used doses, and whether vitamin D has cardiovascular effects in individuals with overt vitamin D deficiency remains to be evaluated. Here, we provide an update on clinical studies on vitamin D and cardiovascular risk, discuss ongoing vitamin D research, and consider the management of vitamin D deficiency from a cardiovascular health perspective.

Key points

• The vitamin D receptor (VDR) and enzymes for vitamin D metabolism are expressed throughout the cardiovascular system
• VDR and 1α-hydroxylase knockout mice have hypertension with myocardial hypertrophy and increased activity of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system
• The molecular effects of VDR activation indicate various anti-atherosclerotic and protective effects on the heart and on common cardiovascular risk factors
• Observational studies have shown that low 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels are associated with an adverse cardiovascular risk profile and significantly increased risk of cardiovascular events
• Mendelian randomization studies and randomized clinical trials have not shown significant effects of vitamin D on cardiovascular events, but these trials were not designed to investigate cardiovascular outcomes in vitamin D-deficient individuals
• Vitamin D supplementation is currently not indicated for the purpose of cardiovascular disease prevention, but treatment of vitamin D deficiency is critical for skeletal health

Introduction

The critical involvement of vitamin D in bone and mineral metabolism is historically known. The identification of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) in almost all human organs including the heart and the blood vessels, and observations that individuals deficient in vitamin D are at increased risk of various extraskeletal diseases, stimulated research on the role of vitamin D for overall and cardiovascular health. In this Review, we summarize the existing knowledge on the effects of vitamin D on cardiovascular diseases and associated risk factors, with a particular focus on meta-analyses of large, epidemiological studies and randomized, controlled trials (RCTs). First, we provide a short summary of vitamin D metabolism and current vitamin D guidelines, a historical perspective on vitamin D and cardiovascular diseases, and a brief overview on the mechanistic effects of VDR activation on cardiovascular risk factors, the blood vessels, and the heart. The principal aspect of this Review is an update on observational studies, Mendelian randomization studies, and RCTs on vitamin D and cardiovascular risk. Finally, we outline and discuss ongoing vitamin D research, including large RCTs, and present our conclusions on how to deal with the management of vitamin D deficiency from a public health and cardiovascular health perspective.

Read more: Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease prevention

Figure 1: Human metabolism of vitamin D.

Download in PDF

Source: NatureReviewsCardiology

Vitamin D and cardiovascular disease prevention

Gallstones: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology and Management.

Gallstones grow inside the gallbladder or biliary tract. These stones can be asymptomatic or symptomatic; only gallstones with symptoms or complications are defined as gallstone disease. Based on their composition, gallstones are classified into cholesterol gallstones, which represent the predominant entity, and bilirubin (‘pigment’) stones. Black pigment stones can be caused by chronic hemolysis; brown pigment stones typically develop in obstructed and infected bile ducts. For treatment, localization of the gallstones in the biliary tract is more relevant than composition. Overall, up to 20% of adults develop gallstones and >20% of those develop symptoms or complications. Risk factors for gallstones are female sex, age, pregnancy, physical inactivity, obesity and over nutrition. Factors involved in metabolic syndrome increase the risk of developing gallstones and form the basis of primary prevention by lifestyle changes. Common mutations in the hepatic cholesterol transporter ABCG8 confer most of the genetic risk of developing gallstones, which accounts for ∼25% of the total risk. Diagnosis is mainly based on clinical symptoms, abdominal ultrasonography and liver biochemistry tests. Symptoms often precede the onset of the three common and potentially life-threatening complications of gallstones (acute cholecystitis, acute cholangitis and biliary pancreatitis). Although our knowledge on the genetics and pathophysiology of gallstones has expanded recently, current treatment algorithms remain predominantly invasive and are based on surgery. Hence, our future efforts should focus on novel preventive strategies to overcome the onset of gallstones in at-risk patients in particular, but also in the population in general.

Introduction

Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are masses in the gallbladder or biliary tract that are caused by abnormally high levels of either cholesterol or bilirubin (a breakdown product of heme) in bile (Fig. 1). Gallstones are common (∼10–20% of the global adult population), and >20% of people with gallstones will develop symptoms in their lifetime (including biliary colic or infections), usually in adulthood. Gallstone disease is defined by the occurrence of symptoms or complications caused by gallstones in the gallbladder and/or the bile ducts. From a clinical perspective and in treatment algorithms, those with asymptomatic stones are not generally classified as having gallstone disease. Gallstone disease is among the gastrointestinal conditions associated with the highest socioeconomic costs.

Read more: Gallstones: Epidemiology, Pathophysiology and Management.

Figure 1: Classification of gallstones.

PrimeView Poster:

Gallstones are masses in the gallbladder or biliary tract. 10–20% of adults will develop gallstones in their lifetime, and >20% of those will develop symptoms or complications. This Primer by Lammert et al. focuses on the formation of gallstones, summarizes the current principles of treatment of the stones and their potential complications and envisions future approaches for this widespread disease. And this PrimeView focuses on the most common risk factors, which include genetics, ethnicity, sex, age, drugs, parasites, over nutrition and pregnancy.

Frank Lammert, Kurinchi Gurusamy, Cynthia W. Ko,Juan-Francisco Miquel, Nahum Méndez-Sánchez, Piero Portincasa, Karel J. van Erpecum, Cees J. van Laarhoven& David Q.-H. Wang

View poster: Gallstone Poster (high-resolution PDF (1.30 MB))

Source: NatureReviewsDiseasePrimers