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Elizabeth Bundschuh

Proton Therapy: The Cancer Treatment of the Future - 0 views

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    Proton therapy in a painless, noninvasive type of radiation to treat malignant tumors. It has been used successfully in against a variety of tumors and has fewer side affects then conventional photon therapy. Both Photon and Proton therapies work in the same ways by destroying cancer cells and preventing them from dividing. Proton therapy penetrates less healthy tissue than photon therapy. That means that proton therapy has fewer side effects and a faster recovery. Proton therapy needs time to grow. Costs for therapy rooms are falling, but many insurances do not cover proton therapy and many medical professionals need to be educated about and trained to use proton therapy. Overall proton therapy is a quickly becoming a more efficient, better way to treat cancer.
Elizabeth Bundschuh

Introduction to Cancer Immunotherapy - 0 views

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    There is no "magic bullet" in the fight against cancer, but one step towards curing cancer is Immunotherapy. The generally accepted hypothesis is that the immune system is the best tool humans have for fighting disease. Immunotherapy is thought to be less toxic than current treatments, however it is rarely used by itself to treat cancer. There are limitations to the effectiveness of Immunotherapy; the normal immune system cannot sense tumor cells, the response from the immune system is not strong enough when the body does recognize tumor cells, and tumors can defend themselves. There are three types of Immunotherapy Passive, components of the immune system are engineered outside of the body to attack cancer cells; Active, stimulates the body's own immune system to fight cancer; and Combination, uses both passive and active activity. Passive Immunotherapy's use antibodies created outside of the body to provide immunity or help fight off a disease. One type of passive immunotherapy is Monoclonal antibody therapy (mAb), the most widely used form of immunotherapy. Active Immunotherapy work by stimulating the immune system to 'actively' respond to the disease. One type of active immunotherapy is Provenge, a therapeutic prostate cancer vaccine. Therapeutic cancer vaccines are given to patients with cancer to help stimulate the immune system to fight the cancer. Combination Therapy is still in clinical studies but is thought to have a greater potential than active or passive immunotherapy because it combines the activity of both therapies. Immunotherapy may not be the magic bullet to fighting cancer, but when used early and with other treatments it has proven effective.
Priya S.K.

Music Therapy for Health and Wellness | Psychology Today - 0 views

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    As a pharmacist, Catherine Ulbricht studied different types of music and its therapeutic effects. There are scientific evidences that support that music influences mood and helps with stress. 5 conditions for which music therapy has good evidence for are autism, dementia, depression, infant development, and sleep quality. However, music shouldn't be listened to at high volumes nor should be a sole treatment for dangerous medical/psychiatric conditions; therefore, safety should be taken into account.
Elizabeth Bundschuh

Medical advances hold promise for less-destructive cancer treatment by way of genetic m... - 0 views

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    If a mutation occurs in a person's genes it can cause cancer. The future of cancer therapy is identifying and targeting these mutations. A trial at the University of Florida, known as NSCABP-FC-7 takes the genetic fingerprint of a patients DNA and gives them a personalized treatment based on the information. The idea is to move away from the traditional cytotoxic treatment, and towards less toxic personalized medicine. However, the toxicity of cancer drugs is decreasing due to technology's increasing ability to target and destroy specific cells, and not healthy cells. Washington University St. Louis as well as other institutions have become part of the study. Overall, the future of cancer treatment lies in targeted therapies and personalized medicine.
Nicholas Scholz

The effects of the brain in reproduction - 1 views

  • Properly functioning FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) is needed to ensure fertility
  • Recently, the group of researchers at the University of Muenster (Germany) has analysed genetic variants in both the FSH gene and in the FSH receptor, which affect fertility in both males and females.
  • The group found that a distinct single nucleotide change in the DNA structure of FSHB gene (the FSH molecule has 2 subunits -- FSHB is the B subunit) caused significant effects in the functioning of the hormone in both men and women
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  • They found that males with the FSHB variation had significant drops in FSH levels and in testicular volume
  • However, the number of women with the combined variation so far studied was not high enough to draw significant conclusions.
  • We estimate that around 45% of infertile men would respond to FSH therapy
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    Reproduction is obviously a vital aspect of the human development. With a non-functioning fertility system future generations would be at a loss. Many problems could arise with infertility and ground-breaking research is finally being conducted. One of the important aspects of human reproduction is the use of hormones specifically FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone). This hormone is produced at the base of the brain stem and non-existing levels of FSH were recently associated with infertility. In order to regenerate these hormones a change has to be made in the FSHB subunit of the nucleotide. Infertility usually occurs after certain changes are made in the hormone levels and by redirecting the levels of hormones we may be able to alter the problems that arise during reproduction. It should also be noted that increases and decreases in the levels of FSH may have different effects depending on the gender of the patient. Current research estimates that the response of males to this therapy could positively effect nearly 45% of infertile men. Estimates could not be made for females as a result of insufficient research. 
Nicholas Scholz

Treatments and Medications Used for Patients with MS - 0 views

  • Corticosteroids are mainly used to reduce the inflammation that spikes during a relapse
  • Beta interferons. These types of drugs — such as Avonex, Betaseron, Extavia and Rebif — appear to slow the progress of multiple sclerosis, reduce the number of attacks and lessen the severity of attacks
  • (Copaxone). This medication may reduce the number of MS attacks
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  • (Tysabri). This medication may reduce the number of MS attacks by interfering with the movement of potentially damaging immune cells from your bloodstream to your brain and spinal cord.
  • Teriflunomide (Aubagio). This oral medication reduces attacks and lesions in people with MS.
  • Medications such as amantadine may help reduce fatigue due to multiple sclerosis.
  • Dalfampridine (Ampyra). This oral medication may improve walking speed in some people. The major side effect is seizures.
  • Muscle relaxants. If you have multiple sclerosis, you may experience painful or uncontrollable muscle stiffness or spasms, particularly in your legs. Muscle relaxants such as baclofen (Lioresal) and tizanidine (Zanaflex) may improve muscle spasticity
  • A physical or occupational therapist can teach you stretching and strengthening exercises and show you how to use devices that can make it easier to perform daily tasks.
  • For example, stem cell transplantation is being studied. In a stem cell transplant, doctors inject healthy stem cells into your body to replace diseased stem cells.
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    Though MS obviously has no cure there are plenty of procedures and medications that can be used to lessen the effects of the disease. Treating specific attacks reduces the damage to the myelin sheath. Two methods for controlling the attacks are plasma exchanges and corticosteroids. Another way to control the effects of MS is by slowing the progression of the disease. There are many different drugs that slow the rate of relapses some of which include Beta Interferons, Copaxone, Gilenya, and Tysabri. In addition to these medications, other strategies can be used to treat the symptoms, which include physical therapy and muscle relaxants. 
Elizabeth Bundschuh

Profile Somatic Genotyping Study - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute - 0 views

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    Scientists at the Brigham and Women's Hospital as well as scientists at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute have been compiling and analyzing DNA from patients with tumors. The study using a program known as OncoMap, scanned for known mutations. In a new phase of the study, the program OncoPanel, is designed to recognize new mutations as well as previously known mutations. The goal of this study is to help locate these mutations which then could allow scientists to develop new forms of target therapy to combat cancer.
Elizabeth Bundschuh

Researchers identify genetic mutation for rare cancer | University of Michigan Comprehe... - 0 views

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    A woman with a solitary fibrous cancer, the cancer is only seen a couple hundred times a year, was enrolled MI-ONCOSEQ which led to the discovery of the mutation that causes this cancer. Researchers at University of Michigan ran the tumors genome and identified a mutations. The mutation was unusual, a fusion between two genes, NAB2 and STAT6. Normally mutation are identified because of the they are seen over and over again. However, in this woman's case, there were no known mutations, so scientists looked at what had changed. Then 51 other samples of solitary fibrous tumors were tested for the mutation; all of them tested positive for the mutation. The NAB2-STAT6 fusion may prove hard to treat with target therapy, but scientists may be able to disrupt its growth cycle which leads to this fusion. More research still needs to be done to determine ways in which the knowledge of this mutations can be applied, but for now it is a great start at tackling these rare tumors.
aburbridge017

New gene discovered that stops the spread of deadly cancer - Salk Institute - News Release - 0 views

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    Lung cancer is able to metastasize quickly. Many lung cancer patients are missing an anti-cancer gene called LKB1. It was recently discovered that LKB1 is important because it sends instructions to a gene called DIXDC1, which keeps the cells in their place. The cancer either deletes LKB1 or takes control of DIXDC1. Scientists also found out that they were able to slow the spread of the cancer by reactivating DIXDC1. This means that patients missing either of these two genes would gain better results from newer therapies which focus on focal adhesion enzymes. 
Priya S.K.

Music decreases perceived pain for kids in pediatric ER - 1 views

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    Being the leader of the research team at the University of Alberta, Lisa Hartling experiments with how music affects levels of pain. The team conducted with 42 children in the pediatric ER: half given music to listen to while getting an IV, the rest given no music. Hartling reports that there were less pain after the procedure for the kids that had listened to music than the kids that had not. She hopes to continue this research, testing with different types of music or other distractions to help lower pain during medical procedures.
Nicholas Scholz

Parkinsons DIsease - NIH - 0 views

  • Parkinson's disease (PD) belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders, which are the result of the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells
  • symptoms of PD are tremor, or trembling in hands
  • bradykinesia, or slowness of movemen
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  • As these symptoms become more pronounced, patients may have difficulty walking, talking, or completing other simple tasks
  • difficulty in swallowing
  • At present, there is no cure for PD
  • and progressive
  • A therapy called deep brain stimulation (DBS) has now been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
  • In some cases, surgery may be appropriate if the disease doesn't respond to drugs
  • movements called dyskinesias that are a common side effect of levodopa
  • PD is both chronic
  • Usually, patients are given levodopa
  • No one can predict which symptoms will affect an individual patient, and the intensity of the symptoms also varies from person to person.
  • PD research in laboratories at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • Scientists looking for the cause of PD
  • develop new protective drugs that can delay, prevent, or reverse the disease.
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    This article pertains to the neurological disorder, Parkinson's Disease (PD). PD is known to reduce motor system function due to the loss of dopamine-producing brain cells. Most symptoms related to PD include tremors, trembling, and slowness of movement (bradykinesia). As the disease progresses these tremors begin to effect daily activities like chewing and speaking. Unfortunately there is no cure for Parkinson's Disease. The most common treatment for PD is the use of medications such as levodopa. Due to complications with current medications other treatments like deep brain stimulation and surgery are commonly used. Parkinson's Disease is both chronic and progressive. Tremors and other symptoms will occur for long periods of time and possibly grow worse. Patients with PD experience varying symptoms and intensities. Current research being done in response to Parkinson's is being conducted at the National Institute of Health (NIH) and elsewhere. Current topics of research include discovering the cause of PD, and the development of protective drugs needed to delay, prevent, and even reverse the disease.
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