Category Archives: Biological Sciences

Are HIV Medications a Thing of the Past?

Posted on February 4, 2013 by | 4 comments

Being diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is one of the most devastating things a person can hear.  This virus which breaks down a person’s immune system and eventually leads to acquired immune deficiency (AIDS) is still one of Earth’s incurable tragedies.  However, new research has come to light where gene therapy  may be used as an alternative to medications for patients with HIV.

HIV gains entry into the body by attaching to the surface proteins CCR5 and CXCR4 of a person’s immune cells, also known as T-cells.  The current medication treatment of HIV is called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) which is a mixture of pharmaceutical drugs.  HAART acts to prevent the spread of HIV in the body.   However,  researchers at the Stanford University of Medicine have found a way to halt further HIV infection in the body without requiring patients to take medications.

A model of HIV that was on display at the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in July of 2012. Image from Fickr user dctim1.

Many different gene therapy research approaches are being investigated, but Dr. Matthew Porteus and his team at Stanford made a unique adjustment to the other research.  The Stanford scientists utilized zinc finger nucleases in order to break open the CCR5 receptor protein’s DNA found on T-cells.  From there, they added three genes that are resistant to HIV in a process known as stacking.  Stacking the genes is what differs between the various teams of gene therapy research.  Faced with the resistant genes, HIV has less of a chance of entering the cell.  In order to test this, the scientists inserted either one, two or the three genes and then exposed the T-cells to HIV.  They found that the cells with the combination of the three genes were the most resistant.

Some people in the world actually have a resistance to HIV because of a mutation in their CCR5 receptors.  Thus, if this new gene therapy can mimic this resistance hopefully HIV will not be as daunting.  Below is a video displaying the research done at the University of Pennsylvania , which is similar to what is being done at the Stanford School of Medicine.  The video is from February of 2011.

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Although this research appears very promising, it is by no means perfect yet. There are certain problems that could arise including the cells not responding to the genes and breakages in the other areas possibly causing cancer or other problems.  This research is extremely new and still has a lot of work to be done before it is ready to be tested on the general public.

Brittany Maxwell

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

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Insulin – Spreading The Cure

Posted on February 3, 2013 by | 1 comment

Prior to the discovery of insulin, diabetes often resulted in fatalities. The disease is considered much less serious now that extractable insulin is well-established as an effective treatment for diabetes; however, it is important to analyze the historical methods in which the cure was globally implemented in case something similar occur. Imagine if a cure for cancer was discovered – I can picture the news making global headlines that very same day. But how would such groundbreaking news spread to the most isolated communities? Or would it at all? Who would have physical access to such a cure first? Using insulin as an example, I can deduce why it is too quickly assumed that such a cure would automatically reach everyone in the world with cancer.

Insulin As a Cure – Patients with type 1 diabetes can’t produce insulin by themselves, so insulin can be extracted from animals and injected into the patient to stabilize blood sugar levels (which if unstable could lead to toxic effects.) Insulin stops the catabolism of fat into energy by inhibiting the release of glucagon and removing excess glucose from the blood. The structure of insulin protein is shown below:

Insulin (click on images to view source)

The following is a short animated video about Insulin, Glucose and You:

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Discovery

Insulin was extracted from the pancreas by Frederick Banting and Charles Best in 1921 at the University of Toronto. They tested the anti-diabetic qualities of the pancreatic extract on a dog before their first human test subject, a 14 year-old boy, in 1922 – the results were “spectacular.” The two went around the diabetic ward of the Toronto General Hospital injecting comatose and dying children. “Before injecting their last comatose patients, the first started to awaken from their comas.”

 

How did the discovery spread globally?

Banting and his laboratory director John MacLeod received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery in 1923 and both immediately shared credit (and prize money) with other individuals involved including Best. This news made headlines all over the world.

A historical newspaper clipping during the time of the discovery of insulin.

Banting and Best made the patent available without charge and didn’t try to control the commercial production of insulin. This played a huge role in the rapid spread of insulin as a cure. Also, prior to insulin, a strict diet was the best way to increase life-expectancy of diabetics (American Diabetes Association 2012). Insulin surely allows diabetics a less restrictive lifestyle (another reason for the increased demand); unfortunately the dietary freedom has caused the percentage of the US population diagnosed with diabetes to increase since 1980 (Polonsky 2012).

There is very little analysis of the physical spread of insulin at its time of discovery. It was such a major discovery that improved and saved the lives of many, yet how it became this way has been taken for granted, all we remember is that it happened. It is popular belief that the cure was in such a high demand and was so dramatically effective that it would find its own way around the globe. I argue that this isn’t exactly the case  – many poorer countries in Africa still suffer fatalities from diabetes today because they lack access to insulin (Cohen 2011).

Grattin Cox

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science Communication, Science in the News

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A Man loses his colon in pursuit of acne-free skin?

Posted on February 2, 2013 by | 3 comments

Adult acne sufferer

Just how far are people willing to go for cosmetic enhancement? Apparently, very far, as a New Jersey man had to have his colon removed due to a severe inflammatory bowel disorder, which was caused by an anti-acne drug called Accutane. This raises the question of when personal responsibility is required, instead of relying on the expertise of pharmaceutical companies and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Accutane, manufactured by Roche

Acne affects 85% of people between the ages of 12 and 24 and can cause embarrassment and depression. Although acne may clear up – or at the very least diminish – by age 25, millions suffer from acne even into late adulthood. As a result, anti-acne drugs are a multi-billion dollar industry. Accutane, which is manufactured by Roche, is considered the miracle drug, as it can dramatically clear up acne. However, as with many prescription drugs, this comes with severe side effects including stomach pain, bone and muscle pain, persistent fever, depression, suicidal thoughts, and dry skin to name a few. For many years, the public has been divided on Accutane’s presence on the market; some heavily advocate against it due to the severe side effects, which can be permanent, but acne sufferers simply believe that Accutane is their only hope for clear skin.

Due to countless lawsuits similar to the man in New Jersey, who won a 25 million dollar verdict, the pharmaceutical company that manufactures the prescription drug has pulled the drug off the market in 12 countries, including the US. In other countries, they have quietly stopped marketing the drug. However, numerous generic forms of Accutane exist, going under the names of Amnesteem, Claravis and Sotret. As a result, this “miracle drug” is still circulating among acne sufferers, some who have faced devastating consequences, including miscarriages, psychosis, mental problems, hepatitis, night blindness, and even death. Where does personal responsibility take place in deciding to take such a dangerous drug? Why are pharmaceutical companies oblivious to such problems and knowingly continue to sell dangerous prescription drugs, where the side effects far outweigh the benefits?

This article, along with a similar article discussing the presence of generic Accutane drugs, is particularly intriguing, as both raises the question of when personal responsibilities are necessary in deciding to undergo extreme oral medication for cosmetic reasons. As well, the article warns us that the public must do extensive research, instead of heavily replying on the expertise of pharmaceutical companies. After reading this article, I began to wonder when I ever questioned the advice of a doctor regarding prescription drugs and their side effects. I myself was on this particular drug for a year due to severe acne and experienced plethora of side effects, including depression. The ironic thing is that I never questioned whether the benefits outweigh the negative side effects, being oblivious to the negative impact on my overall health and well-being. Now that I am no longer on this extreme drug, I have become wary of prescription drugs and have begun to ask whether the benefits of prescription drugs outweigh the negative side effects. I would like to end my blog with the video below; Dr.Neal, a licensed dermatologist, discusses the dangerous side effects and educates the public about whether Accutane is the right solution for acne sufferers.

Derek Song

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Online references:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotretinoin

http://www.naturalnews.com/028611_accutane_side_effects.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/037552_generic_Accutane_acne_drug_health_risks.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITQQx4ATu80[/youtube]

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

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FAST: The mnemonic that might one day save your life

Posted on January 30, 2013 by | 4 comments

A cerebrovascular accident (CVA), also known as a stroke, is a potentially life threatening medical condition if left unaware and untreated. However, if the patient suffering from a stroke receives immediate medical attention, there is a high chance of survival and the patient is more likely to have limited damage by the stroke. Studies have shown that most people with stroke symptoms are still not getting to the hospital fast enough. Therefore, it is crucial that the local emergency services are contacted immediately after a person displays symptoms that resembled that of a stroke. Imagine the situation where you are dining at a restaurant and a person seated next to you experience a stroke. How would you know if this person is indeed having a stroke and needs immediate medical attention?

Signs of stroke

A stroke can happen to anyone of any age and health conditions. It can also occur at anytime and anywhere, so knowing how to detect whether a person or even yourself is potentially having a stroke may prove to be useful in case of emergency. A stroke is caused by disrupted blood flow to part of the brain, causing extensive damage to brain cells. When supply of oxygen is cut off by the disrupted blood flow, the brain cells fail to perform like they usually do and causing stroke symptoms that present themselves in several ways:

1. Sudden numbless of the face, limbs, especially on one side of the body
2. Sudden confusion or troubles speaking or comprehending
3. Sudden trouble seeing in either or both eyes
4. Sudden difficulties walking, balancing or in coordination
5. Sudden head aches

A full list of signs of stroke

FAST, or the Face Arm Speech Test

The FAST mnemonic is developed by a group of physicians and paramedics as a way to detect potential stroke patients and to deliver immediate treatment to the patient as quickly as possible. The four parts of the FAST mnemonic are namely:

Facial Weakness – whether a person can smile without dropping of the mouth
Arm Weakness – whether a person can hold up both arm
Speech Difficulty – whether a person can speak or understand speak
Time to act

with the last part “Time to act” signifying how important it is that the suspected stroke patient be sent to the hospital immediately for diagnosis and treatment.

The time frame for treatment is approximately 3 hours starting from the onset of symptoms where a drug that dissolve blood clots may be effective to prevent further brain cells damage. Knowing how to detect for potential stroke signs will speed up the process that the patient gets to the hospital, and potentially saving precious lives.

Jonathan Lui

4 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences

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Limbal Rings: Do you have them?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by | 3 comments

I was brushing my teeth one night, when I, for some unknown reason, got fascinated with my eyes and their color. I’m sure everyone has had those private moments in front of the mirror where they have analyzed some aspect of themselves. As I leaned closer to the mirror, I noticed that I had this very dark ring around my iris (the colored part of my eye).  I had never paid attention to it before and I had no idea what it was, but I was so pleased with my discovery that I decided to research it further and find a name for what I had observed. The term that came up was “limbal ring”. At this point, I got very excited and decided I wanted to try to capture my limbal rings in a photo.  It took some work, and some very good lighting, but I managed to do it and this was the final result:

Upon further research, I discovered a study that was done at the University of California in Irvine that investigated if there was a correlation between the limbal ring and facial attractiveness.

They described that the thickness of the limbal ring lessens with age and sickness; therefore it is a good indicator of youth and health.

Participants of the study were seated in front of a screen which showed them two faces. These faces were identical except for the fact that one of the faces had the limbal rings edited out. The participants were then asked to choose the face they found more attractive.

These are two of the faces that were shown during the study:

Evolutionary Psychology Journal

Which face do you think is more attractive, the one on the left or the one on the right? 

Only light colored eyes were used for the faces because the limbal rings are more prominent in light colored eyes. All of the faces had a very neutral expression and there was a mix of male and female faces.

It was shown that both males and females significantly rated the faces with visible limbal rings as more attractive.

In the pictures above, both faces had the limbal ring present in the photo on the right and the limbal ring absent in the photo on the left. When these pictures were shown to participants of the study, there was a greater preference for the two faces on the right.

To me it appears that there may be somewhat of a subconscious attraction to eyes with this feature because many people also choose to buy contact lenses that stimulate the appearance of a prominent limbal ring.

I found the results of this experiment fascinating and am amazed at how such a small feature can greatly influence our perception of facial attraction.

Alright, go check out those limbal rings!

Dragana Savic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Uncategorized

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Prostate cancer screening harmful to men?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by | 1 comment

Would you be surprised to know that one in 7 men will develop prostate cancer during his lifetime? Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among Canadian men and, on average, 73 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every day. Imagine that you are just diagnosed with prostate cancer. Your life will flash before your eyes, and try to handle the verdict in the midst of the flashbacks. But don’t be scared yet, gentlemen. And let’s look at how prostate cancer is commonly tested and see if it is necessary as part of normal checkups.

Cancer
Image: http://healthydebate.ca/opinions/we-should-aggressively-screen-for-cancers-early-right

There are mainly two ways of testing for prostate cancer: PSA screening and digital rectal exam. PSA, also known as prostate specific antigen, is often used by doctors and healthcare practitioners to detect the presence of prostate tumor.  Because PSA level in the blood generally goes up with the presence of prostate tumors, it is generally thought that early detection can be achieved by PSA screening.

PSA testing no longer recommended
Image: http://alvinblin.blogspot.ca/2012/05/uspstf-recommends-against-psa-for.html

However, U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (PSTF) concluded that PSA screening for prostate cancer are unreliable and do not offer men any tangible benefit in lifespan or quality of life.  PSTF found that there are many more men who were injured by PSA tests than are helped by it. But, why?

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First of all, PSA blood levels can be increased by many other factors, meaning that the test has a high chance of producing false-positives.  Prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and even rigorous physical activity can contribute to the increase in PSA blood levels.  According to the ten years’ worth of comprehensive data on PSA screening, PSTF determined that, while at least 100 will receive false positives, only one in 1,000 men will derive any potential benefit.

A: increased diagnose of prostate cancer
B: minimal reduction in deaths by prostate cancer
Image: http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa0810696

Secondly, PSA screening has serious side effects, thus does more harm than good. According to the study, Mortality Results from a Randomized Prostate-Cancer Screening Trial: it was concluded that the rate of death from prostate cancer was very low and did not differ significantly between the two study groups with over 76000 men: one that had PSA screening for 6 years and the other that had usual care as the control. Why did the PSA screening test fail to reduce the death from prostate cancer? Despite the early detection of prostate cancer, PSA screening led to other medical complications such as infection, bleeding, clot formation, and urinary difficulties. Treatment-related complications, which are generally more serious, included infection, incontinence, impotence, and other disorders.

Most men develop prostate cancer if they live long enough. However, prostate cancers are very slow growing and usually do not kill the patient. Long before the prostate cancer becomes life-threatening, it is more likely that a man with prostate cancer generally dies of some other cause. It questions us whether PSA screening is really necessary for healthy men.  It is still a very controversial topic, but I cautiously  suggest avoiding PSA screening as part of normal checkups, and I recommend digital rectal examination which is sufficient to detect prostate cancer without any medical complication. PSA screening should be done on patients only when there is an enlarged prostate or other related symptoms.

Andy Byun

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Does Green Coffee Extract Really Change Your Life?

Posted on January 28, 2013 by | 2 comments

One day when I was on the phone with my cousin, she suggested that to take green coffee extract to lose weight. Since then, I was wondering what green coffee is and how it would help me to lose weight. So, I did some research. Green coffee is simply coffee bean that have not been roasted. Chlorogenic acid in those unroasted beans decreases the absorption of glucose by small intestine after eating a meal, and this seems to help in losing weight. The reason why the regular coffee doesn’t have the same effect as green coffee is that unfortunately, roasting process causes the loss of chlorogenic acid in coffee beans.

Green-Coffee-Bean

Green coffee extract is taken in capsules that aren’t that cheap. The average monthly supply costs 20 to 30 dollars.

The market for this notion of weight lost has been growing since DR. OZ show has been suggested the medical of green coffee extract in September. Does this really work and at what cost? To prove the effectiveness of green coffee extract on weight lost, DR. Mehmet OZ conducted an experiment on 100 volunteer women and found out that those individuals who took the green coffee extract on average have lost 2 pounds in two weeks. Another double blind study by specialists at the University of Scranton shows significant weight lost in 16 overweight individuals who lost an average of 17 pounds in 22 weeks without altering their calories intake and life style.

Green Coffee Bean Extract for Weight Loss on The Doctors TV Episode

This extraordinary effect of green coffee extract has not been able to hide from the sharp eyes of critics. Even though the results of these two studies have been published widely, experts are concerned over the validity of the result since this have been tested only on small group of people. DR. Arya Sharma, a professor of medicine and chair of obesity research and management at the University of Alberta, said “Clearly there’s nothing magical about it.”  Many critics believe that it is impossible to lose weight without any alteration in daily calories intake, and the weight lost during this studies might be the effect of   monitored diet plan offered as part of these studies.

Study done by Igho Onakpoy and his colleges confirms the short-term effectiveness of green coffee extract on weight loss but it also suggested that the significance of green coffee extract is too small between those who took the green coffee extract capsule and those who took the placebo version of it.

As we know obesity is one of major problems in our modern world, and as time goes by, there would be more increase in average weight of human population. In my opinion, taking green coffee extract is not a bad idea if  it would at least mentally encourage one to loss weight and be healthier.

As a result, many of us would like to believe that green coffee extract is the best thing that science has found to answer our hopes for losing weight so fast, but there are still some controversies about it; thus, we have to wait and see what it would happen in the future of green coffee extract.

Simin Yahyavi

2 Comments

Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News, Uncategorized

Knees: A New Form Of Identification?

Posted on January 27, 2013 by | 2 comments

Computer scientist Lior Shamir of Lawrence Technological University will be publishing his idea of using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to scan people’s knees as a form of identification in the International Journal of Biometrics. After scanning the person’s legs, the bone structure of their knees will be matched to a biometric record for identity confirmation; the software capable of this was developed by Shamir. During initial tests, Shamir found that of 2,686 people tested, his software could recognize 93% of the individuals by their knee scan.

Image By John Rensten (corbisimages.com)

Shamir is targeting his software for moving lineups of people. This way office buildings and airports can quickly identify and register the people as they walk past the MRI system. This software could not be used to replace identification such as a passport. Instead it is to be used along with other forms of biometric identification, such as fingerprints or iris scans. Although these other forms of biometric identification can be deceived by wearing coloured contact lenses or making fingerprints unrecognizable by sanding them down, altering one’s bone structure would be more difficult to do without record. I think that this may seem like an inconvenience to people when going to work or travelling, but overall it would be in everyone’s best interest as it has the potential to prevent identity fraud.

“There is a distinct problem with the implementation of MRI scanning in a security setting in that MRI scanners are very large machines that take a long time to acquire an image of even a small body part such as the kneecap” the researchers admit. Although these seem like major issues, technological advances will ensure that smaller , faster MRI systems are developed.

Image By Todd Gipstein (corbisimages.com)

One of the main problems that people associate with idea of an MRI scan is radiation. Fortunately MRI scans do not have the risk of ionizing radiation that X-rays so infamously have, so there in no health risk involved. This simple scan also would not raise any privacy issues, such as with tetrahertz scanners which are used in order to ‘view’ under the scanned person’s clothing as a security measure.

Despite some skepticism from the public, Shamir believes that his new software will be worthwhile once people realize how much more secure their identity would be from fraud for the small inconvenience of walking past the scanner on their way through security.

 

Kathleen Leask

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News

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A Top Scientific Discovery: Would You Want To Know Your Baby’s Genetics?

Posted on January 22, 2013 by | 1 comment

Genome Sequencing For Fetuses

Can you imagine being able to know more than just the gender of your baby before it is even born? You may soon be able to learn personality and physical traits of your unborn baby!

A discovery in 2012 was made by researchers at the University of Washington when the successful sequencing of a complete fetal genome was made. This sequencing is unlike any previous techniques because it does not pose any risks to the baby. The technique is noninvasive and can create a genome sequence of the developing fetus from as early as the first trimester.

Fetus. source: flickr.com

Today’s common prenatal genetic tests include amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling. These tests require a needle inserted into the amniotic sac to test for certain genetic diseases and chromosomal abnormalities. They are invasive and pose a 2% risk of miscarriage.

The newly discovered technique is possible because there is circulating cell-free DNA. A portion of which, in a pregnant woman’s blood, is derived from the fetus. This can be isolated and further sequenced. The test requires a sample of blood from the mother and blood or saliva from the father. Once the parents’ genomes are determined, one can determine which DNA comes from the fetus.

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 The main benefit is early medical warnings that were previously unknown. Importantly, scientists are interested in identifying conditions that can be treated before birth.  Is there a limit though to how much genetic information parents should know?

 Not all genetic irregularities are expressed. Whole genome mapping merely predicts the possibility of disease. Consequently, parents could be living in fear or even abort the baby that may never actually have the disease appear.

 In just five years time this testing could be clinically available. I think this topic is so interesting and controversial, and the future debates on this topic will be fascinating.

By Ashley Dolman

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Issues in Science, Science in the News

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Manly Meats: Why Vegetables Just Don’t Cut It

Posted on January 21, 2013 by | 1 comment

Ludwig Andreas Feuerbach once said “Der Mensch ist, was er ißt”; “you are what you eat”. But what does meat eating have to do anything with manliness? According to a recent study at UBC, Matthew Ruby and Steven Heine polled 273 local individuals and concluded that although vegetarians were considered more virtuous and moral, meat eaters were seen 16% more masculine than their vegan counterparts. But wait a sec, where is this all coming from?

Meat eaters are percieved more masculine. Photo credit: Shuttershock http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/17/meat-men-masculinity_n_1524224.html

The Journal of Consumer Research attempted to unravel the reasonings behind this phenomenon. Interestingly enough, out of all the gender assigning languages, they found 23 associating the male gender to the word meat. They also found that in Western culture, manliness correlated with meat intake, especially “meatier” cuts like steak.  Even advertisements today capitalize on such social values; that manly men must be on a “Guy-et“, or are “Meatatarians“.

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This meat association to manliness may be a reflection of historically macho activities like hunting, but today’s society largely agrees a pure carnivorous diet is an absurdity for any human being. But contrary to common belief, people who only eat meat exist, and such a diet may have its roots earlier than you might think. Vilhjalmur Stefansson, a Canadian ethnologist, reaccounts his all-meat diet during his arctic exploration. In his article published in Harper’s Monthly Magazine, January 1930 Edition, he explained a typical Inuit diet in detail, including the different types of meats he ate, from basic fish, to penguins and seals. Of the decade he spent with the Inuits, nine of the years composed of a pure carnivorous diet, with no signs of major health problems throughout the entire endeavor. It was also concluded from his observations that Inuits did not show any signs of diabetes, heart disease, cancer, or obesity, albeit their lack of vegetables in their diet.

                  An Inuit meal of raw fish. Photo Credit: Arctic Photo                http://www.arcticphoto.co.uk/gallery2/arctic/peoples/inuitcan/ba0929-08.htm

But before you consider to purge yourself of vegetables and eat like an Inuit, it should be noted that this kind of high fat, high meat diet that Stefansson followed reflects on the extreme living conditions during the process. Even North American versions of exclusive meat diets, like one from the Livestrong Foundation, consider the additive effect of animal fat ontop of the caloric contents of starches and carbohydrates from other food groups, and suggest to consider low fat meats, like fish and turkey or leaner cuts of beef like top sirloin, or round roasts. Heck, if I had the option, I would whole-heartedly try a pure meat diet and live like the Inuits, if I were manlier and could handle the cold frosts of the Artic, or had triple the grocery budget to switch meats for veggies.

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Posted in Biological Sciences, Science in the News