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Artificial Womb

In a latest development, scientists have successfully observed development of mammal in an artificial womb. This development could help treat infertility in female.

Scientists at Nottingham uni conducted an experiment in which they used a bowl, made up of soft polymer, to grow an embryo of mouse. Experts of Cambridge Uni were asked to observed the development for 4 to 8 days.

First 4 days are believed to be crucial for development of embryo. Blastocyst is implanted in womb in order to fertilise a female egg which eventually triggers formation of embryo. It was not precisely known what exactly happens in 4 days as culturing fertilised female egg for more than fours days was difficult til now.
With the help of this experiment scientists come to know that two or more cells developed into bunch of advance embryonic cells and sent notifying signal to form head.

Dr Kevin, a lead researcher of the experiment, expects to know more unknown facts which can help develop new infertility treatment with 100% efficacy. This would also help various other treatment where generating new tissues is required. Dr Kevin is expert in tissue engineering.

An investigation recently published in the and conducted by researchers at Ireland's University College Dublin's Conway Institute found "clear metabolic differences" in the follicular fluid surrounding eggs that would lead to a successful pregnancy through IVF and those that would not.
Another group of scientist have spotted differences between follicular fluid which finally helps in gaining pregnancy following 'in vitro fertilisation' process and follicular fluid which does not help in pregnancy. The work of Dr Kevin Shakesheff and his team would help many such research experiments which involves IVF.

There are many female infertility drug treatment in market. Clomid is drug for female infertility treatment.

Efficacy of generics versus brand name drugs

Efficacy of generics versus brand name drugs is a bit more complicated than both of you let on.
To elaborate:
1. Yes, the active ingredient(s) is(are) chemically identical between brand name and generic drugs. We will assume that the manufacturer of the generic drug has done its job and synthesized the ingredients correctly, as well as established the correct purities and dosages.

2. The placebo effect is real, and the *perceived* stature of a brand-name drug may contribute to its greater efficacy in a given patient. That, of course, is not to say that the generic drug is actually less biologically active, but we cannot ignore non-pharmacological effects.

3. The delivery system CAN make a difference. For example, some drugs have a time-release formulation, or have other ingredients that may modify its bioavailability. These features of a drug are not necessarily captured in the chemical patent--and when a generic form is made, it is possible that differences in delivery system may have an impact on overall efficacy.

4. That said, a generic version is extremely, EXTREMELY unlikely to be ineffective compared to its brand-name version if the latter is found effective. If that were the case even for a small percentage of patients taking the drug, that would have very obvious and enormous consequences.

The active ingredient(s) in a generic medication MUST be identical to the brand and the pharmacokinetic characteristics MUST be comparable. Having said that it's not uncommon to see slight differences between a brand medication and its generics.

1. The brand name manufacturers have to go through some rigorous processes in order to gain FDA's approval. By rigorous processes, I mean conducting 3 mandatory sometimes large-scale RCTs to substantiate the drug's safety and efficacy. Compare this to a generic drug where these requirement are sometimes unnecessary.

2. The pharmacokinetics have to be comparable. This means that the generic pharmacokinetics characteristics have to be good enough to pass the threshold set by the FDA in order to be approved. And in most cases they are.

3. Individual variability is also a big factor to why most people respond differently to medications. Differences in genetic components, enzymes and drug interactions are sometimes excluded from these discussions.

4. Inactive ingredients like fillers used might also contribute to this slight differences. This could be in the form of slowing down the absorption rate,etc
From my experience, close 95-98% respond to generic but there's still 3-5% that don't.

Pistachio Linked With Obesity and Heart Disease

Pistachio is traditionally used in Indian cookery, for garnishing in savory and sweet dishes, for there typical flavor.  However they have health benefits which are not very well known. A research study has already proved that Pistachio helps treat erectile dysfunction.

Pistachios are cholesterol free and can be used to lower the cholesterol. They can also be used against high blood pressure and do have cardio protective ability. In order to maintain a good health and treating several disorders Pistachio can be helpful due to its bioactive constituents, fatty acid profile and nutrients properties. Also there are evidences that it can delay ageing, improve vision and prevent cancer.

There is 90% unsaturated fat in Pistachio and 55% MUFA – mono-saturated fatty acids, which are good for health. It is can reduce the bad and increase the good cholesterol levels. Reduction of heart disease and improvement in lipid profiles occur if Pistachios are included in the diet. In a STEP 1 National cholesterol Education program – NECP, when 45g-90g Pistachios were added per day in the diet it resulted in 9%-12% reduction in bad cholesterol.

When 90g were added to diet, there was an increase in good cholesterol in women.

If Pistachios are added to the diet it has good effect on the blood lipids and can protect coronary artery disease via Vasodialtion. Where in it stops the adhesion and aggregation of Platelet and protect us from Angina and Atherosclerosis.

It is rich in Phystosterols and natural substance called antioxidants, which can delay ageing and fight disease that includes:

1) Carotenoids: Lutein and Zeaxanthin 2) Tocopherols: precursor for Vitamin E 3) Beta-carotene: precursor for vitamin A, 4) Flavanoids, 5) Selenium.

Carotenoids help to protect retina degeneration and preventing strokes and heart attacks. The cancer preventing antioxidants are Tocopherols, polyphenols, Selenium, dietary fiber and Lutein.

Pistachio is also good for potassium, fiber and protein. Like other nut trees it is rich in Arginine which is an amino acid and had heart disease preventing abilities. Neurotransmitter synthesis in the brain is done by the amino acid and hence helps in controlling the addictive vibes and depression.

A recent study also asserts that Pistachios can control the body sugar and prevent problems due to Diabetes.
It is also good in weight reduction cause OEA – Oleoylethanolamide, can make you feel less hungry. Also is nuts are used in addition with the low calorie diet it will have well and longer effect on the obese people when they are improving sensitivity over insulin. Hence Pistachio is nutrient food for weight losers.

Early Signs, Symptoms of Future Heart Attack

In order to keep safe our family members and our self, it is very important to know the signs of heart attack.

It can be dangerous if you don’t know the symptoms of heart attack. The people that never suspected a heart attack will wait for very long time to seek medical help when they experience it.

So if you are educated on the symptoms and signs you can help others.

All the people that have heart attack may not experience unbearable and sudden pain. Some attacks are unexpected and powerful, but most are slow and mild, that cause minimal pain.

As per David Brongo cardiologist, Nyack Hospital, Columbia Doctors of the Hudson Valley, the signs of heart attack are:

In the middle of the chest you feel discomfort, which stays for some minutes, or goes away and comes back.

1. Discomfort felt on both or one arm, neck, jaw, back OR stomach.
2. Breathing shortness and can be without or with chest pain.
3. Light headedness, cold sweats or nausea.

If you are experiencing this signs more, than there are more chances that you are getting a heart attack. Women as compared to men will experience more signs as jaw or back pain, breath shortness or vomits and nausea.

Heart Medications

Women may experience a heart attack without any chest pain. Hence the attack can be misinterpreted with acid reflux or flu which is less severe.

If you think that you are getting heart attack you must call the emergency helpline. In a heart attack situation every minute is important and so it is smart to call 911, if there are any signs related to heart attack.

Don’t drive yourself to the hospital, but please ask somebody to drive. Once you call 911 life saving treatment in the journey to emergency room can be started by medical emergency people.

It is very important to get the signs and not ignore chest pain. Getting an immediate treatment is like being alive or it can cost your life.

Astrocytes Identified as Depression Therapy

23rd Jan 2013, Tufts University’s neuroscience researchers, found that the Astrocytes, that is the star shape brain cell, can be helpful to improve the mood in patients who were depressed due to sleep deprivation. It was identified in vivo study that how this astrocytes controls a Neuro- Transmitter related to sleep. The researchers say that this finding can help in developing drug which is fast and effective to cure depression, especially in emergencies.

The drugs that are used to fight depression take weeks to show their effect. But sleep deprivation has proved in 60 percent patients immediately effective in most of depression disorders. However it is not long lasting and uncomfortable for patients.

The research was verified in 1970, that the sleep deprivation is effective against depression. Rapid eye sleep movement deprivation mainly. However the brain mechanism was that was underlying was not known.
We have known more about brains because of neurons, but glia is another cell which is ignored. Glia is thought historically as neurons support cell. Phil Haydon group, Tufts University School of Medicine, showed that Astrocytes, a type of Glia in animal model, affects the behavior.

Haydon group has previously found that astrocytes controls sleep deprivation response by the release of neutral-transmitters which controls the neurons. The sleep wake cycle is affected by this neuron regulation activity. Adenosine receptors in neurons are the one specifically acted. Adenosine is sleep inducing chemical.
The time that we are awake, Adenosine gets accumulated and the urge to sleep increases, this called as sleep pressure. Adenosine receptor antagonists are chemicals like caffeine and they keep us awake. But on the contrary adenosine receptor agonist will make you sleepy.

Dustin Hines, First author, Ph.D., post-doctoral fellow, department of neuroscience, Tufts University School of Medicine said that, in the study we gave 3 doses of adenosine receptor agonist was given to the mice in a night which was sleep deprivation equivalent. The mice were sleeping normally but the adenosine levels were not reduced sufficiently because of the sleep, this mimicked the sleep deprivation effect.  Just after 12 hours they found that the depressive symptoms were decreased in the mice and adenosine was increased in the brain, this was maintained for 48 hours.

By controlling the astrocytes we could mimic the sleep deprivation effects on symptoms like depression, which can give an improved behavior faster and longer time.

For developing and researching an anti-depressant drug, to understand the astrocytic signal and adenosine role, is vital. The drugs based on this research help can provide fast relief in psychiatric emergency and chronic depression symptoms elevated for longer span, as quoted by Naomi Rosenberg, Ph.D., Dean and Vice Dean for, Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University School of Medicine respectively. The next course of action of the team would be to check if there are any other receptors and that too can affect.

Dapagliflozin: FDA Wants More Data for Approval

A drug treatment for Cyctic Fibrosis was approved by FDA. The drug was developed after a gene responsible for causing Cycstic Fibrosis was found. The identification of gene has been acomplished after almost 22 years.

Vertex is producer of the drug named as Kalydeco. Cystic fibrosis is caused because of defective gene responsible for decoding a protein known as Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Regulator. It is found that the gene is behind 4% cases of cystic fibrosis.

Approval of Kalydeco is believed to be of great significance as all other available treatments in market are only capable to treat symptoms of disease. A press note has been published by USA FDA regarding the approval.

The treatment is approved for patients of age above six and with confirmed G551D mutation. Vertex is quite please as approval came earlier than expected.

Considering rareness of the disease, producer company is contemplating to initiate programs to make the drug available at affordable cost or may be for free. Current estimation of drug cost is $294,000 per year which is near to the cost of other treatment for same disease.

Kalydeco is expected to generate millions of dollars in US market alone. There are 200,000 patients of Cystic Fibrosis in USA.

Recent amendment in FDA approval policy is the reason that the drug was approved with priority in review.
Clinical trial included 213 patients with G551D defect. The pill was administered twice a day in all participants. During trial Kalydeco showed some side effects such as stomachache, headache, infection in respiratory system and diarrhea.

Cystic Fibrosis is serious disease as it decreases life of patients because of thick mucus accumulated in digest tract and lungs. Patient suffering from CF lives upto 36-38 years.

Gel Treatment to Heal Damaged Heart Cells

Scientists at University of California has conducted a trial on a unique gel which would help to heal damaged heart tissues. The gel is hydrogel and can be injected directly to damaged part.

The gel is in trial and may seek FDA approval soon. It is prepared from tissues known as connective tissues. Connective tissue is one of the four basic types of tissue. The tissues used in gel are derived from Decellularized Ventricular Extracellular Matrix of heart. Derived tissues are then transformed into powder by freezing and drying. The powder along with special liquid, is then used to inject in heart.

Formation of new cells is initiated by connective tissues when the liquid consolidates and becomes partly solid. The overall process triggers formation of new cells at the injected area without disturbing functionalityies of heart. This eventually results in replacement of damaged cells with new cells. Apart from healing, the hydrogel also generates signals to stop further damage of the cells.

Other materials, used to heal damaged cells of heart, experimented on mice are suppose to be delivered by syringe or needle. But, none of them were suitable for delivery through catheter as most of the material blocked catheter because of rapid consolidation.

Scientists found, during experiment on rats, the gel very feasible as it was easily accepted by body at body temperature. Unlike other treatment hydrogel did not show side effects such as abnormal heart beats. That way the hydrogel has been concluded as safer.

Dr Karen Christman is one of the authors involved in trial.

The trial result has been demonstrated in Journal of the American Cardiology.

Weight Loss Surgery Helps Avoid Heart Disease in Youngsters

Level of good cholesterol bettered in teens than in adults. Found in a clinical study.
A new study revealed that teen that underwent gastric bypass surgery (Roux-en-Y) had healthier heart condition than adults with same surgery. Cardiac risk factors were seen lower in youngsters than in adults.
Roux-en Y is a type of gastric bypass surgery. New route is created near bowel so that food can bypass small intestine. This way it reduces capacity of stomach.

The study included evaluation of heart health of total 132 patients who had had laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass in 2004 and 2010. Of them, 99 were adults and 33 were teens of age between 14-18 years. The study was due to represent at Digestive Disease Week conference in Chicago.

The researchers of bariatric surgery department at Stanford University reported hypertension, high cholesterol level and breathing problem during sleep (known as sleep apnea) in almost 66 patients before surgery.

All the patients were examined one year after the surgery. Level of cholesterol, homocysteine and triglycerides had improved in both teens and adults. Level of homocysteine is used to determine risk of cardiovascular events.

However, checkup concluded more improvement in young patients. Level of high density lipoprotein was higher than level in adults. More surprisingly developing insulin resistance lowered by 400% within the time of one year.

The study clearly indicated that having done gastric bypass surgery can be good for obese teens. More and more evidence on what triggers heart diseases are coming to the fore. Dedicated efforts must be made before it is too late to act.

Authors also delivered word of caution that surgery should only be considered when obesity pose life threatening conditions and patient fail to respond exercise along with weight loss medicines such as generic Acomplia or Alli.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation For Treating Depression

Psychiatrist usually recommends not taking mental disorders lightly. Disorders such as depression should be treated or it may result in severe form.

Depression can ruin one’s life as depressed person cannot concentrate on work or study, feel sorrow, worried without valid reason to worry and no lost interest in activities.

Severe or chronic depression is something one cannot get rid of easily. Depression is like diabetes, patient just can’t drop sugar level by just following steps given in book. Depression requires proper drug treatment along with psychotherapy.

Dr James Barbee, a psychiatrist in New Orleans, is using new method to treat depression. The method is called TMS ot Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation.

In this therapy, magnetostatic fields of particular intensity or frequency are aimed at prefrontal cortex for 37mins. Prefrontal cortex is part of brain located on left hand side. Dysfunction of that area of brain causes depression, proven in research study. Targeting this area of brain brings changes mood.

This new therapy is proof that depression is not problem of personality, but, is a dysfunction of part of the brain.

Brain image taken after the therapy showed remarkable changes in brain. The part of brain, which regulates concentration; decision and emotions, reported to be more active than before the therapy.

Barbee says at times he’ll ask patients if they’re feeling any better, and they don’t notice a difference.
Relatives found patient jollier and more expressive. Dr Barbee has said he would periodically ask patients whether they feel better and signs of improvement.

Dr Barbee, keeping outcome of therapy in mind, compares new treatment to powerful anti depressant drug, Prozac. depression drugs

Half of the total number of patients who received this therapy from Dr Barbee have experinced significant improvement.

Obesity Raises Odds Of Acne in Teenagers

A non medical study found that for teen age overweight girls chances double to have acne than girls with normal weight. The study was conducted in teenagers of Norway. But that same is not applicable to boys.
The study collected data of pimples, regular diet and weight from youngsters of age 18 to 19. This means connection between weight gain and acne develops in last stage of teen age. 18-19 is last stage of puberty and age at which puberty start is 11.

Examination of BMI (Body Mass Index) showed that 10th of girls and 15% of the boys were found to be obese. Although, more boys were overweight, acne was less as compare to girls.

Nineteen obese girls out of 100 said to have developed severe acne in last couple of week of their puberty. 13 girls with normal weight developed acne.

Along with weight information, researchers also took other factors into consideration such as stress, diet and smoking. Checking all the factors to acne development, extra weight was found to be more influential for acne break out.

14 of 100 boys had acne regardless of their BMI. blood pressure drugs and ed

According to experts 10%-20% teens develop acne. Studies in past have attributed acne break out to emotional and social issues normally faced by every teenagers.

The rate at which youngsters becoming overweight, and impact of being obese or having acne on social life, promoted Norwegian researchers to inspect link between. Stated in Archives of Dermatology.
According to Dr Nanette Silverberg physiological factors of obesity well describe the result of the study. Dr. Silverberg happens to be director of pediatric and adolescent dermatology department at St. Luke's and also a clinical professor at University of Columbia.

Obesity has been held responsible for causing hypertension, diabetes medicine and heart disease. That is the reason Dr Silverberg believes that diabetes, hormonal changes and hypertension could be an influential factor for acne.

Ovaries Transplantation: Menopause and Pregnancy At Your Wish

Women would be able to have pregnancy even after menopause and whenever they want. Ovaries transplantation would help women to get pregnant after menopause.

Three cases of ovaries transplantations have been remarkably successful. Three women who had ovaries transplantation gave birth to 7 babies naturally.

The transplantation is believed to be major breakthrough in human reproduction. It will give flexibility to a woman about when she wants to get pregnant, just like fertility pill.

In first case of the three cases, reproductive tissues of a woman were stored and planted in same woman later. In two cases ovaries were tranplanted. Ovaries were taken from identical twin to avoid any possible rejection.

The technology not only provides flexibility on time of pregnancy but added an option for women to prevent menopause and delay pregnancy. Ovaries are believed to remain effective till seven years.

Stinne Holm Bergholt was diagnosed bone cancer and was recommended to undergo chemotherapy. Since chemotherapy severely damages fertility, ovaries of Stinne was taken off before cacner treatment. The ovaries were then transplanted back into her.

Chemotherapy leaves patients with severe side effects. It can significantly change patients’ lives after treatment, specially in women.

Dr Sherman Silber of Infertility Centre of St Louis, Missouri is the author of the research study. Result of the study has been online at Reproductive Biomedicine Online. A plan is being mulled over by British authorities to offer women (in their twenties) to store and freez their ovaries to be used on later date.