DAVID GRANOVSKY

Archive for January 23rd, 2012|Daily archive page

Reuters Health Report – dsgrano@gmail.com – Jan 23, 2012

In ALL ARTICLES on January 23, 2012 at 10:45 am
Korean research, a first step toward Dr. Smartphone?
“We have confirmed that (touch screens) are able to recognize DNA molecules with nearly 100 percent accuracy just as large, conventional medical equipment can and we believe equal results are possible for proteins,” Park told Reuters TV.“There are proteins known in the medical world like the ones used to diagnose liver cancer, and we would be able to see the liver condition of the patient…”
SEOUL (Reuters) – Tired of long waits at the hospital for medical tests? If Korean researchers have their way, your smartphone could one day eliminate that — and perhaps even tell you that you have cancer. | Full Article
U.S. consumers tell insurers to cover experimental drugs

January 23, 2012 09:42 AM ET

If stem cell treatments in the US are experimental, perhaps insurance will one day cover therm…but don’t hold your breath!

NEW YORK (Reuters) – When your health insurance provider denies an experimental treatment or a high-cost drug, how much are you willing to pay for the care you believe you need? | Full Article
Anxiety, other disorders more common in autism
January 23, 2012 02:13 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Autism tends to go hand in hand with a variety of other mental and behavioral conditions in kids, suggests a new study that highlights the fuzzy nature of autism diagnoses themselves. | Full Article
Man dies of bird flu in southwest China: report
January 23, 2012 09:23 AM ET
BEIJING (Reuters) – A man in southwest China died of bird flu on Sunday after three days of intensive care treatment in hospital, the official Xinhua news agency quoted the Ministry of Health as saying. | Full Article
Fitting fitness inside the cubicle
January 23, 2012 06:29 AM ET
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Whether your office is in the business district or on the dining room table, sitting immobile for hours in front of a computer screen is at odds with the fit body. | Full Article

Reuters Health Report – dsgrano@gmail.com – Gmail.

WHAT IF GERTRUDE STEIN AND MR. ED HAD A STEM CELL BABY…

In VICTORIES & SUCCESS STORIES on January 23, 2012 at 4:01 am

Some articles are not only fascinating but they lend themselves so easily to have a little bit of fun with.  With apologies to both Gertrude Stein and Mr. Ed (and a richly deserved apology to the good Dr. Goodrich):

WHAT IF GERTRUDE STEIN AND MR. ED

LITERALLY HAD A STEM CELL BABY…

The following study researched the effectiveness of bone marrow stem cells taken from 2 different sites on horses – the hip bone (iliac crest) and the sternum.

In the end, there was very little difference between the results of stem cells taken from the two sites.  This information has extremely significant therapeutic relevance as doctors can now focus on other criteria for site selection; ease of extraction, quantity of  cells, proportion of cell types, etc.  Further, this study reinforces the idioms:

“A ROSE IS A ROSE IS A ROSE”

“A STEM CELL IS A STEM CELL IS A STEM CELL”

“A HORSE IS A HORSE, OF COURSE, OF COURSE”

“A HORSE STEM CELL IS A HORSE STEM CELL, OF COURSE, OF COURSE”

Apologies to Will Shakespeare for being odd man out at the dance.  Now to worry; you are gone but not forgotten.

“A stem cell by any other derivation site would smell just as sweet.”

(Four more equine stem cell articles below)

………………

Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Sources Compared (AAEP 2011)

Stem cell source site has been debated among researchers in recent years as stem cells have been gaining popularity in equine medicine. A research group at Colorado State University recently compared the use of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells from two sites on the horse’s body to determine which might be most effective for treating specific soft tissue injuries. Laurie Goodrich, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVS, presented results at the 2011 American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention, held Nov. 18-22 in San Antonio, Texas.

According to Goodrich, stem cells are particularly useful for treating tissues such as joints and tendons-these tissues lack regenerative capability due to a deficiency in local stem cell response. Stem cells have been derived from adipose tissue (fat) and bone-marrow. However, for tendon healing, bone marrow-derived cells yield better matrix and collagen production, she noted.

The research team compared bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) from the two most common extraction sites in the horse: the sternum (breastbone) and the ilium (hip). For BM-MSC therapy to be effective, Goodrich said two aspects are crucial: using large numbers of cells (roughly 5-10 million cells/centimeter in tendon and 5-10 million cells/joint) and implanting the cells early during the critical period between the inflammatory and fibroblastic phases of healing.

Goodrich discussed previously noted advantages and disadvantages for each site:

For the sternum:

  • Advantages
    • The bone marrow aspirate flows better into the syringe;
    • The amount of aspirate is not influenced by age of the horse; and
    • Cells are easier to collect.
  • Disadvantages:
    • The site is close to vital structures (heart, lungs); and
    • The collector must crouch under the horse.

For the ilium:

  • Advantages
    • Practitioner doesn’t have to crouch while obtaining cells; and
    • There’s no risk of jabbing the heart or lungs.
  • Disadvantages
    • It’s more difficult to get adequate cell volume;
    • The sample size is age-dependent; and
    • Ilial samples often result in unsuccessful culture.

Explore the power of the human-horse connection as you travel the emotional journey that veterinarians at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and owners embark on when a beloved horse becomes ill in Equine ER

Researchers and clinicians had also noticed that the cells from sternal samples appeared different from those in ilial bone marrow samples.

Goodrich’s study sought to provide clinicians with better information to guide selection site and on whether the health of the MSCs varied between separate samples or (fractions) of bone marrow drawn from a site at one time. Goodrich and her co-authors examined two sequential 5 mL samples from both sternal and ilial bone marrow aspirates of seven horses (they “plated” cells from the sample/grew them in culture, referred to as a “passage”). They found that:

  • The first fractions of both samples yielded the highest cell counts;
  • The cells of the first fraction were no healthier than those of the second;
  • The health of the sternal and ilial samples was the same;
  • By the second and third culture passages, cell morphologies were similar between the two sites; and
  • Aspirates greater than 5-10 mL produced insignificant increases to the nucleated cell count.
  • Goodrich noted the following limitations to the study:
  • A relatively small number of horses was used;
  • There was some variability in age and gender of the horses; and
  • They didn’t calculate the cell-doubling times, although the measurement of cell numbers at each passage was more relevant.

Goodrich’s team concluded that bone marrow aspiration site should depend on clinician preference, since the cells of one site do not appear to be superior to the other.

via The Horse | Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell Sources Compared (AAEP 2011).

OTHER EQUINE STEM CELL ARTICLES:

Lions and puppys and horseys, oh my! « The Stem Cell Blog

repairstemcell.wordpress.com/…/lions-and-puppys-and-horseys-oh-m…

Mar 7, 2009 – http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/horse-racing-horse-racing-samantha-miss-has-stem-cell-treatment/

ANIMALS + STEM CELLS « The Stem Cell Blog

repairstemcell.wordpress.com/animals-stem-cells/

http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/equine-clinic-is-full-service-care-for-hoofed-friends-thecaliforniancom-the-salinas-californian/

GERON GIVES UP on EMBRYONIC STEM CELLS! « The Stem Cell …

repairstemcell.wordpress.com/…/geron-gives-up-on-embryonic-stem-…

Nov 14, 2011 – If Embryonic treatments were a horse race, Geron would be the strongest ….. repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/18/jewish-law-articles-the-

KCBS – Stem Cell Research on Horses Holds Promise for Human …

repairstemcell.wordpress.com/…/kcbs-stem-cell-research-on-horses-h…

May 20, 2009 – http://repairstemcell.wordpress.com/2009/02/27/equine-clinic-is-full-service-care-for-hoofed-friends-thecaliforniancom-the-salinas-californian/

DO SOMETHING TODAY THAT YOUR FUTURE SELF WILL THANK YOU FOR.

In QUOTE OF THE DAY on January 23, 2012 at 4:00 am

What should I do today?

.

.

.

.

It kind of says it all, doesn’t it!

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 819 other followers