18 July 2014

CMAJ July 8 758-760. New treatments for metastatic melanoma TORONTO Anthony Joshua MBBS(NSW) PhD et al

Paper discussed
YERVOY ( Ipilimumab) Bristol-Myers Squibb given by IV drip once every 3 weeks for 4 doses.Cost: $120,000
ZELBORAF(Vemurafenib)Roche. Orally.960mg every 12 hours. $11,000/month for 6 months.= $66.000.

NOT PAID in ATLANTIC PROVINCES (New Brunswick,Nova Scotia & Prince Edward Island and TERRITORIES.(N.W.Territory, Nunavuk,Yukon)

(Comment: In Canada Geography could determine length of life. Patients can move to a more generous Province. QUEBEC is best. Logically Federal control of Medicine would remove this absurd situation).

11 July 2014

Harvard ProMed: SYPHILIS in SWEDEN

SYPHILIS - SWEDEN: RISING INCIDENCE, DECREASING CONDOM USE
**********************************************************
A ProMED-mail post

ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases

Date: Thu 10 Jul 2014
Source: The Swedish Wire [edited]

Swedish Radio News said the Scandinavian country saw a sharp uptick in
the number of cases of syphilis last year [2013], while new cases of
chlamydia and gonorrhea are showing signs of slowing down.

The agency reported 275 new cases of syphilis, an increase of 37
percent from 2012; half of which have taken place abroad.

"Changed sexual behavior has contributed to sexually transmitted
diseases becoming common. Studies show that condom use among young
people is quite low with new and casual partners," epidemiologist Inga
Velicko at the agency told Swedish Radio.

[Byline: Johan Nylander]

--
Communicated by:
ProMED-mail from HealthMap Alerts

[The increased incidence of syphilis in Sweden is similar to the
situation in the US and other countries (see prior ProMED-mail posts
below). In many countries, the increased incidence of syphilis is
occurring mainly among men who have sex with men (MSM), and has been
characterized by high rates of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
co-infection, high-risk sexual behavior, use of drugs such as
methamphetamines, use of Internet chat rooms to meet sex partners
(), and more
recently, use of smartphone applications like Grindr, a gay social
networking site. The news report above does not give more information
about the epidemiology of the rising incidence of syphilis in Sweden.

However, a Eurosurveillance article in 2008 reported that the spread
of syphilis in Sweden among MSM, particularly in the big cities, has
been a major contributor to an increase in cases in that country
(Velicko I, Arneborn M, Blaxhult A. Syphilis epidemiology in Sweden:
re-emergence since 2000 primarily due to spread among men who have sex
with men. Eurosurveill. 2008;13(50). Available online:
).
Estimated syphilis incidence among Swedish MSM was up to 28 times
higher than in the general Swedish male population. The most affected
age group among males was 25-44 years of age. The majority of
infections in men and women through heterosexual contacts were
acquired abroad, whereas the majority of infections attributed to sex
between men were acquired in Sweden. - Mod.ML

A HealthMap/ProMED-mail map can be accessed at:
.]

10 July 2014

UK DAILY MAIL: PHOTOSYNTHESIS :

Photosynthesis in action: Scientists capture moment plant converts energy

Team led by Arizona State University observes photosynthesis in action
They were able to take a freeze-frame of plant process that creates oxygen
They observed the molecular changes using X-ray flashes at a lab
This snapshot lasted just 30 quadrillionths of a second
And the research could be used to make artificial leaves, the so-called 'holy grail' of biochemistry

By Jonathan O'Callaghan

Published: 16:03 GMT, 10 July 2014 | Updated: 17:13 GMT, 10 July 2014

Scientists have announced they are closer than ever to the ‘holy grail’ of biochemistry: artificial photosynthesis.

By observing the first stage of the process in action, they say they’ve got a better understanding of how plans turn carbon dioxide into oxygen.

And ultimately it may be an important step to a future where artificial plants are created that are more efficient than their organic siblings.

Scientists have observed the water splitting process in plants that creates oxygen, known as photosystem II. The cycle, illustrated here, has four steps. The largest change is between steps S1 and S3, so this is the part the scientists 'zoomed in' on to capture their freeze-frame

The groundbreaking research published in Nature was carried out by an international team led by Arizona State University (ASU) scientists.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS IN A NUTHSELL

The process through which plants absorb light using chlorophyll to produce chemical energy in the form of oxygen, glucose and more is called photosynthesis.
During the process glucose is used by the plants to breathe or is converted into starch, while oxygen is released as a waste product – in turn giving us the air we need to breathe.
The rate of photosynthesis is altered by differing carbon dioxide levels and light intensity. If either is increased then the process will also increase, up to a limit.
Temperature also plays a part, with a higher temperature increasing the rate.
However if the temperature is too high, beyond 40C, the rate slows down.
Photosynthesis provides most of the energy necessary for life on Earth to exist.
But no way to artificially mimic the process has yet been created, leaving us dependent on plants to survive and thrive.

In the study they were able to observe the first snapshots of photosynthesis in action as it split water into protons, electrons and oxygen.

This is the process that maintains Earth’s oxygen atmosphere and ensures air is made up of the things we need to breathe it and survive.

More...

‘This study is the first step towards our ultimate goal of unraveling the secrets of water splitting and obtaining molecular movies of biomolecules,’ said Professor Petra Fromme, professor of chemistry and biochemistry at ASU and leader of the research team.

Photosynthesis is one of the fundamental processes of life on Earth.

The early Earth contained no oxygen and was only converted to the oxygen-rich atmosphere we have today 2.5 billion years ago by the ‘invention’ of the water splitting process that occurs in photosynthesis.

This water splitting process is known as photosystem II (PSII), which produces the oxygen we breathe and ultimately keeps us alive.

Revealing the mechanism of this process is essential for the development of artificial systems that mimic and surpass the efficiency of natural systems.

In the study they were able to observe the first snapshots of photosynthesis in action as it split water into protons, electrons and oxygen. This is the process that maintains Earth¿s oxygen atmosphere and ensures air is made up of the things we need to breathe it and survive

The development of an ‘artificial leaf’ is one of the major goals of the ASU Center for Bio-Inspired Solar Fuel Production, which was the main supporter of this study.

Director of the centre Professor Devens Gust explained that they are trying to find a way to turn water into oxygen gas, hydrogen ions and electrons just like plants do.

‘Photosynthetic organisms already know how to do this, and we need to know the details of how photosynthesis carries out the process using abundant manganese and calcium,’ he said.

‘Once the mechanism of photosynthetic water oxidation is understood, chemists can begin to design artificial photosynthetic catalysts that will allow them to produce useful fuels using sunlight.’

The team, led by Professor Fromme, used the world's most powerful X-ray flashlight at the US National Accelerator Laboratory to record still frames of the molecule complex PSII as it splits water into hydrogen and oxygen.

‘This is the very first scene of a molecular movie showing light-driven water splitting in photosystem II, the mechanism which makes all oxygen in the atmosphere,’ said Fromme.

Co-author Professor Henry Chapman from the Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron (Desy) added: ‘A deeper understanding of photosynthesis could, for instance, aid the development of better solar cells and might advance the quest for biochemistry's holy grail, artificial photosynthesis.’

The process through which plants absorb light using chlorophyll to produce chemical energy in the form of oxygen, glucose and more is called photosynthesis. Shown is a Cyanobacteria cell, which was an early form of plant life that converted the Earth's early atmosphere into a breathable one

To observe photosystem II in action, the team grew tiny nano-crystals of the photosystem II complex of bacteria that employ photosynthesis, cyanobacteria called Thermosynechococcus elongatus.

These crystals were illuminated with a visible laser to start the water splitting process, which is otherwise driven by sunlight.

The researchers used double light flashes to trigger the transition and, with the short and intenses X-ray laser flashes, were able to monitor how the molecular structure changed in the process.

This provided just enough time to freeze-frame the water splitting process for 30 quadrillionths of a second.

But that was enough to glean the snapshot of the process in action - and now they’ll be hoping to take the research further and see the rest of the photosynthesis process.

05 July 2014

SWITZERLAND:: VASCULAR DYSFUNCTION in CHILDREN CONCEIVED by Assisted reproductive technologies.

Review article: Medical intelligence | Published 25 June 2014, doi:10.4414/smw.2014.13973
Cite this as: Swiss Med Wkly. 2014;144:w13973

Vascular dysfunction in children conceived by assisted reproductive technologies: underlying mechanisms and future implications

Stefano F. Rimoldi^a, Claudio Sartori^b, Emrush Rexhaj^a, David Cerny^a, Robert von Arx^a, Rodrigo Soria^a, Marc Germond^c, Yves Allemann^a, Urs Scherrer^a,d

^a Department of Cardiology and Clinical Research, Inselspital, University Hospital, Bern, Switzerland
^b Botnar Centre for Extreme Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Lausanne
^c Centre de Procréation Médicalement Assistée, Lausanne, Switzerland
^d Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile

Summary

Epidemiological studies in humans have demonstrated a relationship between pathological events during fetal development and increased cardiovascular risk later in life and have led to the so called “Fetal programming of cardiovascular disease hypothesis”. The recent observation of generalised vascular dysfunction in young apparently healthy children conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ART) provides a novel and potentially very important example of this hypothesis. This review summarises recent data in ART children demonstrating premature subclinical atherosclerosis in the systemic circulation and pulmonary vascular dysfunction predisposing to exaggerated hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. These problems appear to be related to the ART procedure per se. Studies in ART mice demonstrating premature vascular aging and arterial hypertension further demonstrate the potential of ART to increase cardiovascular risk and have allowed to unravel epigenetic alterations of the eNOS gene as an underpinning mechanism. The roughly 25% shortening of the life span in ART mice challenged with a western style high-fat-diet demonstrates the potential importance of these alterations for the long-term outcome. Given the young age of the ART population, data on cardiovascular endpoints will not be available before 20 to 30 years from now. However, already now cohort studies of the ART population are needed to early detect cardiovascular alterations with the aim to prevent or at least optimally treat cardiovascular complications. Finally, a debate needs to be engaged on the future of ART and the consequences of its exponential growth for public health.

Key words: in vitro fertilization; endothelium; epigenetic; eNOS; arterial hypertension; pulmonary hypertension; preeclampsia

30 June 2014

ROCHE: AUTOMATED URINE TESTING & MICROSCOPY

Inbox

01:07 (6 hours ago)

Roche launches fully automated urine testing analyzer for enhanced result reliability and staff safety

Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today the launch of cobas 6500, a fully automated urine testing system that consists of two modular analyzers combining urine strip testing and digital urinary microscopy. The system tests for 23 parameters to help diagnose diseases such as urinary tract infection, kidney disease, and diabetes. The cobas 6500 offers the highest throughput on the market, ensures high-quality results and increases laboratory productivity significantly, while reducing manual steps and contamination risks for laboratory staff.

“At the moment, many manual steps are still required for urine analysis. With the cobas 6500 we can offer fully automated urine testing to laboratories, processing more than one thousand urine samples per day, which is significantly more than what can be done today,” said Roland Diggelmann, COO of Roche Diagnostics. “Building on our 50 years of experience in urine analysis, Roche Diagnostics is now entering digital microscopy for urine testing, bringing even higher-quality solutions to the laboratories. This enables laboratories to generate faster and more reliable results for the benefit of people’s health.”

The system will be available in in Europe, the Asia Pacific region, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America. Roche is also planning to submit an application for the approval of the cobas 6500 in the United States.

About urine analysis (urinalysis)

Urinalysis has been an important diagnostic tool for more than hundred years. Urine remains a key indicator of many diseases such as urinary tract infection, kidney disease and diabetes. Urinalysis can reveal serious damage that is asymptomatic in early stages yet treatable when identified in time. The urine test strip is a key diagnostic tool that yields quick and reliable information on pathological changes in the urine. Its diagnostic significance lies primarily in first-line diagnosis, screening during routine or preventive examinations, and treatment monitoring.

About cobas 6500
The cobas 6500 consists of two modular analyzers: The urine test strip analysis module quickly tests for the risk of diseases such as kidney disease and urinary tract infection. The second module replaces the manual steps involved in urine microscopy and allows for fully automated quantification and classification of urine particles such as blood cells by digital microscopy. The unit significantly speeds up the microscopy process with as many as 116 test samples per hour, while eliminating variability of test results, driving standardization. For flexible use, the two modules can be operated separately or together as a single platform.

17 June 2014

DAILY MAIL: Cambridge Medical student : "Miss England"

By Naomi Greenaway

Published: 10:01 GMT, 17 June 2014

Brains and beauty is quite the enviable package, and now one 24-year-old student has proven she has both in droves.

Last night, Carina Tyrrell, who is in her fifth year of medicine at Murray, Edwards College, Cambridge, beat 60 other contestants to take the title of Miss England.

Next, the 24-year-old Miss Cambridgeshire, who only finished her university exams last week, will compete in Miss World.

+22

Carina Tyrrell, 24, was crowned Miss England in Torquay, Devon last night

08 June 2014

USA ProMED: Oregon increase SYPHILIS & GONORRHOEA.

PRO/EDR> Syphilis & gonococcal dis. - USA (04): (OR) rising incidence, MSM, HIV coinfect.

Inbox

promed@promedmail.org

19:35 (1 hour ago)

to promed-post, promed-edr-post

SYPHILIS AND GONOCOCCAL DISEASE - USA (04): (OREGON) RISING INCIDENCE,
MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN, HIV COINFECTION
******************************

***********************************************************************************
A ProMED-mail post
<http://www.promedmail.org>
ProMED-mail is a program of the
International Society for Infectious Diseases
<http://www.isid.org>

Date: Fri 6 Jun 2014
Source: The Body [edited]
<http://www.thebody.com/content/74578/syphilis-gonorrhea-on-the-rise-in-oregon.html>

The Statesman Journal reported that Oregon's syphilis and gonorrhea
rates have increased dramatically in recent years. Syphilis prevalence
recently tied high numbers from more than 2 decades ago and is now
twice the national average. Gonorrhea rates saw a sharp 18-percent
increase between 2012 and 2013. Dr. Sean Schafer, a medical
epidemiologist with the Oregon Health Authority, thinks the numbers
are distressing. "We haven't seen numbers like this since the late
1980s, early 1990s. And this year [2014] is looking like another bad
year," he said.

When syphilis is in its early stage of infection, it is the most
contagious. The 1st symptoms of syphilis, a sore then a rash, often go
undetected and a person can transmit the disease easily to another
person. There was nearly a 25-percent increase of early syphilis cases
between 2012 and 2013, from 312 to 404. This year [2014] has already
seen 2 cases of congenital syphilis in infants, causing one death.

Schafer reports that 96 percent of 2013 syphilis cases were in men,
with 77 percent of them among men who have sex with men. More than 50
percent were coinfected with HIV. 77 percent of 2013 gonorrhea cases
were also among men. Gonorrhea often has no symptoms and is
unknowingly transmitted to other partners. HIV-infected gay men often
choose HIV-positive partners to avoid using condoms, but they still
can transmit STDs. Schafer recommends that all gay men and women
younger than 24 should get a syphilis and gonorrhea test every year.
Both STDs are easily treated with antibiotics if detected early.