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Iterative model reconstruction: Improved image quality of low-tube-voltage prospective ECG-gated coronary CT angiography images at 256-slice CT.

June 4, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular and vascular imaging

Oda S, Weissman G, Vembar M, Weigold WG..
Eur J Radiol. 2014; Epub ahead of print():.

See on www.thepreparedminds.com

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Transient Ischemic Dilation of the Left Ventricle on SPECT: Correlation with Findings at Coronary CT Angiography

June 4, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular and vascular imaging

Transient ischemic dilation (TID) in the setting of abnormal stress–rest cardiac SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has been linked with increased cardiovascular risk.

See on jnm.snmjournals.org

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Risk of secondary cancers increased following radiation for prostate cancer

June 4, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular and vascular imaging

Among men treated for prostate cancer, those who received radiation therapy were more likely to develop bladder or rectal cancer, according to a new study from the University of Michigan…

See on www.medicalnewstoday.com

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Prognosis Related to Metastatic Burden Measured by 18F-Fluorocholine PET/CT in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

June 4, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular and vascular imaging

This study investigated the prognostic significance of metabolically active tumor volume (MATV) measurements applied to 18F-fluorocholine PET/CT in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

See on jnm.snmjournals.org

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Single nucleotide mutation in c-KIT ligand gene is responsible for blond hair trait

June 4, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

See on Scoop.it – Cardiovascular Disease: PHARMACO-THERAPY

HHMI researchers find that a single-letter change in the genetic code is enough to generate blond hair in humans.

 

Genomic surveys by other groups had revealed that the gene – Kit ligand – is indeed evolutionarily significant among humans. “The very same gene that we found controlling skin color in fish showed one of the strongest signatures of selection in different human populations around the world,” Kingsley says. His team went on to show that in humans, different versions of Kit ligand were associated with differences in skin color.

 

Furthermore, in both fish and humans, the genetic changes associated with pigmentation differences were distant from the DNA that encodes the Kit ligand protein, in regions of the genome where regulatory elements lie. “It looked like regulatory mutations in both fish and humans were changing pigment,” Kingsley says.

 

Kingsley’s subsequent stickleback studies have shown that when new traits evolve in different fish populations, changes in regulatory DNA are responsible about 85 percent of the time. Genome-wide association studies have linked many human traits to changes in regulatory DNA, as well. Tracking down specific regulatory elements in the vast expanse of the genome can be challenging, however.

 

“We have to be kind of choosy about which regulatory elements we decide to zoom in on,” Kingsley says. “We thought human hair color was at least as interesting as stickleback skin color.” So his team focused its efforts on a human pigmentation trait that has long attracted attention in history, art, and popular culture.

 

Kit ligand encodes a protein that aids the development of pigment-producing cells, so it made sense that changing its activity could affect hair or skin color. But the Kit ligand protein also plays a host of other roles throughout the body, influencing the behavior of blood stem cells, sperm or egg precursors, and neurons in the intestine. Kingsley wanted to know how alterations to the DNA surrounding this essential gene could drive changes in coloration without comprising Kit ligand’s other functions.

 

Catherine Guenther, an HHMI research specialist in Kingsley’s lab, began experiments to search for regulatory switches that might specifically control hair color. She snipped out segments of human DNA from the region implicated in previous blond genetic association studies, and linked each piece to a reporter gene that produces a telltale blue color when it is switched on. When she introduced these into mice, she found that one piece of DNA switched on gene activity only in developing hair follicles.

 

“When we found the hair follicle switch, we could then ask what’s different between blonds and brunettes in northern Europe,” Kingsley said. Examining the DNA in that regulatory segment, they found a single letter of genetic code that differed between individuals with different hair colors.

 

Their next step was to test each version’s effect on the activity of the Kit ligand gene. Their preliminary experiments, conducted in cultured cells, indicated that placing the gene under the control of the “blond” switch reduced its activity by about 20 percent, as compared to the “brunette” version of the switch. The change seemed slight, but Kingsley and Guenther suspected they had identified the critical point in the DNA sequence.

 

The scientists next engineered mice with a Kit ligand gene placed under the control of the brunette or the blond hair enhancer. Using technology developed by Liqun Luo, who is also an HHMI investigator at Stanford, they were able to ensure that each gene was inserted in precisely the same way, so that a pair of mice differed only by the single letter in the hair follicle switch—one carrying the ancestral version, the other carrying the blond version.

 

“Sure enough, when you look at them, that one base pair is enough to lighten the hair color of the animals, even though it is only a 20 percent difference in gene expression,” Kingsley says. “This is a good example of how fine-tuned regulatory differences may be to produce different traits. The genetic mechanism that controls blond hair doesn’t alter the biology of any other part of the body. It’s a good example of a trait that’s skin deep—and only skin deep.”

See on www.hhmi.org

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The growing importance of content curation

June 4, 2014 by sjwilliamspa

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Chest Pain: Cardiac MRI provides the Picture of MI

June 3, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

Chest Pain: Cardiac MRI provides the Picture of MI

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

 

DRK: Cardiac MRI can provide clear picture on chest pain

By Michael Reiter, AuntMinnieEurope.com contributing writer

June 3, 2014 — When patients arrive in an accident and emergency (A&E) department showing symptoms of a myocardial infarction, a catheter-based examination may be inconclusive, but nine times out of 10 MRI will lead to the correct diagnosis, according to a study presented at last week’s 95th congress of the German Society of Radiology (DRK).

Dr. Tilman Emrich

At the DRK, Dr. Tilman Emrich presented results from a study demonstrating that cardiac MRI enables high diagnostic confidence in cases of nondescript chest pain.

Consider this case, which is anything but uncommon: A patient admitted to the A&E unit suffers from nondescript chest pain, hinting at a myocardial infarction. Lab results may support this suspected diagnosis, showing elevated levels of the cardiac enzyme troponin. The cardiologist will carry out a catheterization, but will not find an acute lesion in any of the three coronary arteries or their main branches.

“A multitude of studies have shown that many patients with equivocal catheterization findings actually do suffer from a cardiac disease. In cases where echocardiography — incapable of showing scars or edemas — does not produce any clear results either, patients may be sent home again without any diagnosis,” said Dr. Tilman Emrich, from the Department of Diagnostic Radiology at Mainz University Hospital, adding that CT does not provide any additional information, but in such cases, cardiac MRI can help.

The major benefit of MRI is that it visualizes both the anatomy and the function of the heart in detail, and this makes it possible to detect conditions of the muscle as well as impaired wall motion and issues regarding oxygen supply or the pumping function. Emrich’s team used cardiac MRI to examine 125 patients presenting with chest pain, elevated levels of troponin, and uncertain catheterization results. A diagnosis was established based on results from the MRI examination. A diagnosis based on the consensus of experts, including radiologists and integrating the subsequent clinical progression, served as a reference.

Acute myocardial infarction

Acute myocardial infarction. General MRI features include regional wall motion abnormality, myocardial edema corresponding to regional wall motion abnormality, subendocardial to transmural late-enhancement (depending on infarct severity), and embolic infarction in side wall of left ventricle. All images courtesy of Dr. Tilman Emrich.

“Our study demonstrated that, even if catheterization results are equivocal, many conditions of the heart muscle were prevalent in these patients,” Emrich emphasized.

For 90% of these cases, cardiac MRI yielded the correct result, as was shown by a comparison with the reference diagnosis. Conditions associated with chest pain and elevated troponin levels include myocarditis, dilatative cardiomyopathy, Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and hypertensive heart disease. In some cases, a myocardial infarction was shown that had not been detected by catheterization.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also known as transient apical ballooning syndrome or stress cardiomyopathy. General MRI features include regional ventricular ballooning (apical, as in this case, and sometimes midventricular or basal), reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction, myocardial edema corresponding to regional wall motion abnormality (not shown), and absence of significant fibrosis/necrosis on late enhancement imaging (not shown).

“Cardiac MRI permits high diagnostic confidence,” Emrich summarized. “As a result of our study, we recommend that for all cases of nondescript chest pain with accompanying lab results hinting towards a myocardial infarction and with inconspicuous catheterization, cardiac MRI should be used. Patients will profit from a correct diagnosis and suitable subsequent therapy.”

Hypertensive heart disease

Hypertensive heart disease. General MRI features include concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricular (LV) myocardium, end-diastolic thickness of interventricular septum >13 mm, impaired systolic LV function, scattered zones of late enhancement, and sometimes (as in this case) diffuse edema pattern.

As for the prognosis, the primary endpoints are MACE (major adverse cardiac events: death, stroke, heart failure), recurrent hospitalization, and the de novo interventional procedure, he concluded.

SOURCE

 

 

Posted in Acute Myocardial Infarction, Frontiers in Cardiology and Cardiovascular Disorders, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound | Leave a Comment »

An alternative approach to overcoming the apoptotic resistance of pancreatic cancer

June 3, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

An alternative approach to overcoming the apoptotic resistance of pancreatic cancer

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Use of herbal medicines and natural products: An alternative approach to overcoming the apoptotic resistance of pancreatic cancer

http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocel.2014.05.021
Get rights and content

Abstract

Pancreatic cancer has a poor prognosis with a 5-year survival rate of <5%. It does not respond well to either chemotherapy or radiotherapy, due partly to cancer cell apoptotic resistance (AR). AR has been attributed to certain genetic abnormalities or defects in apoptotic signaling pathways. In pancreatic cancer, significant mutations of K-ras and p53, constitutive activation of NFκB, over-expression of heat shock proteins (Hsp90, Hsp70), histone deacetylase (HDACs) and the activities of other proteins (COX-2, Nrf2 and bcl-2 family members) are closely linked with resistance to apoptosis and invasion. AR has also been associated with aberrant signaling of MAPK, PI3K–AKT, JAK/STAT, SHH, Notch, and Wnt/β-catenin pathways. Strategies targeting these signaling molecules and pathways provide an alternative for overcoming pancreatic cancer AR. The use of herbal medicines or natural products (HM/NPs) alone or in combination with conventional anti-cancer agents has been shown to produce beneficial effects through actions upon multiple molecular pathways involved in AR. The current standard first-line chemotherapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer are gemcitabine (Gem) or Gem-containing combinations; however, the efficacy is dissatisfied and this limitation is largely attributed to resistance to apoptosis. Meanwhile, emerging data have pointed to a combination of HM/NPs that may augment the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to Gem. Greater understanding of how these compounds affect the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis may propel development of HM/NPs as anti-cancer agents and/or adjuvant therapies forward.

In this review, we give a critical appraisal of the use of HM/NPs alone and in combination with anti-cancer drugs. We also discuss the potential regulatory mechanisms whereby AR is involved in these protective pathways.

Abbreviations

  • 5-FU, 5-fluorouracil;
  • AR, apoptotic resistance;
  • ASK1, apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1;
  • BD, brucine D;
  • COX-2, cyclooxygenase-2;
  • EGCG, epigallocatechin-3-gallate;
  • EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor;
  • EriB, eriocalyxin B;
  • ERK, extracellular signal-regulated kinase;
  • Gem, gemcitabine;
  • GnsRh2, ginsenoside Rh2;
  • GSK3β, glycogen synthase kinase 3β;
  • HDACs, histone deacetylase;
  • HDACIs, histone deacetylase inhibitors;
  • HM/NPs, herbal medicines and natural products;
  • Hsp, heat shock proteins;
  • IL, interleukin;
  • JAK,Janus-activated kinases;
  • JNK, Jun N-terminal kinase;
  • Keap, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein;
  • MAPKs,mitogen-activated protein kinases;
  • MMP-9, matrix metalloproteinase 9;
  • Nrf2, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2;
  • PI3K, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase;
  • ROS, reactive oxygen species;
  • SHH, Sonic hedgehog;
  • STAT, signal transducers and activators of transcription;
  • TRAIL, tumor necrosis factor-related-apoptosis-inducing-ligand;
  • VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor

Keywords

  • Brucein D;
  • Chinese medicine;
  • Eriocalyxin B;
  • Gemcitabine;
  • Reactive oxygen species
 
Corresponding author at: School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 609A, Lo Kwee-Seong Integrated Biomedical Sciences Building, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. Tel.: +852 3943 6879; fax: +852 2603 5123.

Copyright © 2014 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

 Corresponding author contact informationSOURCE
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1357272514001794

Posted in CANCER BIOLOGY & Innovations in Cancer Therapy, Personalized and Precision Medicine & Genomic Research | Leave a Comment »

Prof. Illana Gozes discovered Novel Protein Fragments that have proven Protective Properties for Cognitive Functioning

June 3, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

Prof. Illana Gozes discovered Novel Protein Fragments that have proven Protective Properties for Cognitive Functioning

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari PhD, RN

Novel Protein Fragments May Protect Against Alzheimer’s – DIscovery @ Tel Aviv School of Medicine

Tue, 13 May 2014
TAU RESEARCHER’S DISCOVERY CAN LEAD TO NEW DRUG CANDIDATES TO TREAT THE NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASE

The devastating loss of memory and consciousness in Alzheimer’s disease is caused by plaque accumulations and tangles in neurons, which kill brain cells. Alzheimer’s research has centered on trying to understand the pathology as well as the potential protective or regenerative properties of brain cells as an avenue for treating the widespread disease.

Now Prof. Illana Gozes, the incumbent of the Lily and Avraham Gildor Chair for the Investigation of Growth Factors and director of the Adams Super Center for Brain Studies at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine and a member of Tel Aviv University‘s Sagol School of Neuroscience, has discovered novel protein fragments that have proven protective properties for cognitive functioning.

In a study published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Prof. Gozes examined the protective effects of two newly discovered protein fragments in mice afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease-like symptoms. Her findings have the potential to serve as a pipeline for new drug candidates to treat the disease.

NAP time for Alzheimer’s

“Several years ago we discovered that NAP, a snippet of a p

rotein essential for brain formation, which later showed efficacy in Phase 2 clinical trials in mild cognitive impairment patients, a precursor to Alzheimer’s,” said Prof. Gozes. “Now, we’re investigating whether there are other novel NAP-like sequences in other proteins. This is the question that led us to our discovery.”

Prof. Gozes’ research focused on the microtubule network, a crucial part of cells in our bodies. Microtubules act as a transportation system within nerve cells, carrying essential proteins and enabling cell-to-cell communications. But in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s, this network breaks down, hindering motor abilities and cognitive function.

“NAP operates through the stabilization of microtubules — tubes within the cell which maintain cellular shape. They serve as ‘train tracks’ for movement of biological material,” said Prof. Gozes. “This is very important to nerve cells, because they have long processes and would otherwise collapse. In Alzheimer’s disease, these microtubules break down. The newly discovered protein fragments, just like NAP before them, work to protect microtubules, thereby protecting the cell.”

Down the tubes

In her new study, Prof. Gozes and her team looked at the subunit of the microtubule — the tubulin — and the protein TAU (tubulin-associated unit), important for assembly and maintenance of the microtubule. Abnormal TAU proteins form the tangles that contribute to Alzheimer’s; increased tangle accumulation is indicative of cognitive deterioration. Prof. Gozes decided to test both the tubulin and the TAU proteins for NAP-like sequences. After confirming NAP-like sequences in both tubulin subunits and in TAU, she tested the fragments in tissue cultures for nerve-cell protecting properties against amyloid peptides, the cause of plaque build up in Alzheimer patients’ brains.

“From the tissue culture, we moved to a 10-month-old transgenic mouse model with frontotemporal dementia-like characteristics, which exhibits TAU pathology and cognitive decline,” said Prof. Gozes. “We tested one compound — a tubulin fragment — and saw that it protected against cognitive deficits. When we looked at the ‘dementia’-afflicted brain, there was a reduction in the NAP parent protein, but upon treatment with the tubulin fragment, the protein was restored to normal levels.”

Prof. Gozes and her team also measured the brain-to-body mass ratio, an indicator of brain degeneration, and saw a significant decrease in the mouse model compared to normal mice. Following the introduction of the tubulin fragments, however, the mouse’s brain to body ratio returned to normal. “We clearly see here the protective effect of the treatment,” said Prof. Gozes. “We witnessed the restorative and protective effects of totally new protein fragments, derived from proteins critical to cell function, in tissue cultures and on animal models.”

 

SOURCE

http://www.aftau.org/newsroom?7d56804a-22df-4c4b-a09d-d1cacd9b1135

Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, Etiology | Leave a Comment »

Future of PET: Philips Customer Symposium at SNMMI, Hilton St. Louis, MO, Sunday, June 8th, 2014, 6pm-9pm

June 3, 2014 by 2012pharmaceutical

Future of PET: Philips Customer Symposium at SNMMI, Hilton St. Louis, MO, Sunday, June 8th, 2014, 6pm-9pm

Reporter: Aviva Lev-Ari, PhD, RN

Philips Customer Symposium at SNMMI
Sunday, June 8th, 2014, 6pm-9pm
Image 560x280
Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark
1 South Broadway, St. Louis, MO 63102
A remarkable story of breakthrough innovation will unfold in the Philips booth at SNMMI 2014. Please join us at the Philips Customer Symposium for an evening of discovery. We are pleased to host presentations from the following thought leaders:

The Latest Trends in Molecular Neuroimaging of Dementia – Amyloid and Beyond
Christopher Rowe, MD, FRACP 
Director, Department of Nuclear Medicine and Centre for PET, Austin Health 

New Trends in PET Imaging in Oncology
Ignasi Carrió, MD, FEBNM, FESC, FRCP
Professor of Nuclear Medicine, Autonomous University of Barcelona
Director, Nuclear Medicine Department, Hospital Sant Pau, Barcelona

Digital PET/CT – The New Frontier
Peter F. Faulhaber, MD 
Professor of Radiology, Case Western Reserve University
Director, Clinical PET, University Hospital Case Medical Center

Opening Remarks by Gene Saragnese, EVP and CEO Philips Imaging Systems

SOURCE

http://www.auntminnie.com/index.aspx?sec=eba&sub=eml&pag=dis&itemId=107535&wf=5977

Posted in Alzheimer's Disease, CANCER BIOLOGY & Innovations in Cancer Therapy, Medical Devices R&D Investment, Medical Imaging Technology, Image Processing/Computing, MRI, CT, Nuclear Medicine, Ultra Sound | Tagged | Leave a Comment »

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