Archive for the ‘biotech/medical’ category: Page 2561
Apr 26, 2016
Low levels of vitamin D, methylation in black teens may increase cancer risk
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, health
Lesson in Vitamin D.
Low levels of vitamin D in black teens correlates with low activity of a major mechanism for controlling gene expression that may increase their risk of cancer and other disease, researchers report.
Their study measured vitamin D levels as well as levels of global DNA methylation in 454 healthy individuals age 14–18. In this group, 99 percent of the white teens had adequate vitamin D levels, 66 percent of the black teens were vitamin D-deficient and all the black teens had lower levels of methylation compared to their white peers, said Dr. Haidong Zhu, molecular geneticist at the Georgia Prevention Institute at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University.
Continue reading “Low levels of vitamin D, methylation in black teens may increase cancer risk” »
Apr 26, 2016
Sister offers warning about an increasing kind of cancer
Posted by Karen Hurst in category: biotech/medical
After today’s news from India about HPV; I did some research online about Cold Sores and HPV possible tie and came across the following article that seems to highlight a possible tie. Granted more research is needed; however, one doctor seems to believe there is a tie.
Sister Mary Ryan thought she had a simple, but painful, canker sore in her mouth that would not heal when she went to her dentist in 1998.
She was surprised to find out it was a cancerous tumor under her tongue, and even more surprised at how quickly it had developed.
Continue reading “Sister offers warning about an increasing kind of cancer” »
Apr 26, 2016
Researchers use light to battle cancer
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, neuroscience
BOSTON: In an intriguing approach to the fight against cancer, researchers for the first time have used light to prevent and reverse tumors using a technique called optogenetics to manipulate electrical signaling in cells.
Scientists at Tufts University performed optogenetics experiments on frogs, often used in basic research into cancer because of the biological similarities in their tumors to those in mammals, to test whether this method already used in brain and nervous system research could be applied to cancer.
“We call this whole research program cracking the bioelectric code,” said biologist Michael Levin, who heads the Tufts Center for Regenerative and Developmental Biology.
Apr 26, 2016
Kids’ cancer risk might be tied to where mom was born
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, genetics, health, neuroscience
Hmmm; I do know for many there is a set of genetic mutations that seem to sit dormat and eventually triggered by environment conditions.
(Reuters Health) — The risk of some childhood cancers might vary depending on where a child’s mother was born, a new study suggests.
For example, some brain and kidney cancers occurred less often in children whose Hispanic mothers were born outside the U.S. than in youngsters whose Hispanic or white mothers were born in the U.S., researchers found.
Continue reading “Kids’ cancer risk might be tied to where mom was born” »
Apr 26, 2016
New understanding of enzymes could help to develop new drugs to treat diseases from cancer to Alzheimer’s
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, neuroscience
University of Leicester. (2016, April 25). Researchers shed light on the role of inositol phosphate molecules in gene regulatory complexes. ScienceDaily. Retrieved April 26, 2016 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160425112511.htm
Apr 26, 2016
Hazelnut Chocolate Blini recipe
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, food, health
Fighting cancer with Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut.
A dessert recipe for Hazelnut Chocolate Blini that contains healthful ingredients that are also scrumptious!
Apr 26, 2016
New genomic classification approach strengthens early cancer trial design
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, genetics
Very promising.
The explosion of sequencing technologies such as next generation sequencing (NGS) means it is now possible to tailor individual cancer therapies based on patients’ genetic make-up and tumour molecular profiling. The challenge lies in determining which genetic alterations are important in driving disease, so called ‘actionable mutations’.
Sequencing the entire genome or even a limited region reveals large numbers of alterations. Most are harmless, normal changes that do not promote the transformation of a normal cell to a cancer cell. Being able to sort out which changes are drivers in a cancer is a significant, but critical challenge in being able to guide therapy in clinical trials.
Our scientists at AstraZeneca are taking a leading position, defining a genetic classification strategy for how patients can be characterised at the molecular level, integrating knowledge from the drug’s mechanism of action combined with disease biology to help guide cancer therapy in early stage exploratory clinical trials. The article published in the May 2016 issue of Nature Reviews Cancer describes approaches taken by external groups alongside our own efforts to tackle this problem.
Continue reading “New genomic classification approach strengthens early cancer trial design” »
Apr 26, 2016
Silent Cancer Therapeutic Market — Historical, Current and Projected industry size and Recent Industry Trends by 2015 — 2021
Posted by Karen Hurst in categories: biotech/medical, economics, government, health, life extension, neuroscience
Very eye opening: North America has the largest market for silent cancer therapeutic, followed by Europe.
Silent cancer refers to those types of cancer which are undiagnosed in early stages. This is due to asymptomatic nature of the disease which makes it difficult to identify the disease till it progresses to advanced stages. Major silent types of cancer include brain, cervix, esophagus, mouth and larynx, ovarian, pancreatic, kidney, and liver cancer. Some silent types of cancer such as ovarian cancer, esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer show symptoms in their early stages. Ovarian cancer occurs in epithelium or lining cells of the ovary. Major signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer include pain or cramps in the belly, nausea, abnormal vaginal bleeding, and bloating. Pancreatic cancer is one of the fastest growing types of cancer worldwide. Esophagus cancer is more common among the older population, compared to adults. This cancer is mainly treated by chemotherapy, surgery, and radiosurgery. Moreover, physicians also use combination therapy for the treatment of silent cancer. For instance, the combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy is very effective in the treatment of silent cancer.
Apr 26, 2016
‘Nobody wants our quilts until they need one’: Quilters provide comfort to 50,000 people with cancer
Posted by Karen Hurst in category: biotech/medical
A feel good story for this Tuesday at work to brighten up your day. Hope it brings a smile to everyone.
Combined, they took 77 years to make and cover an area 28 acres in size, slightly larger than Parliament Hill. They’re beautiful, comforting and hopeful, but at times tinged with sorrow.
This week, Betty Giffin will knock on the front door of a home in Ottawa. She’ll have with her a handmade quilt to give to the woman who lives there. The woman has cancer, as does everyone who receives one of the quilts from Giffin’s organization.