Monthly Archives: February 2016

Women Stronger than Men? – Studies show Women may have better flu defenses than Men

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Elondra Harr

Virtually everyone knows about the influenza (flu) virus. But not many people know, or even think about, which sex it seems to hit the hardest. For quite some time, many people have believed that men were actually “stronger” than women. But recently, studies have shown that women may actually be stronger than men in at least one category: Fighting the flu. International research teams have been studying what exactly might be helping women fight off this virus and what makes men more susceptible to getting the flu virus.

In the U.S, the flu season is usually at its worst during the months of January and February. But, it can actually start as early as October. After the flu virus has already infiltrated the body, the virus reacts the same way in both men and women.

During the first 24 to 48 hours, the flu virus gets into your system through the respiratory tract. That could be from breathing in someone’s cough or sneeze, or touching a surface contaminated with the flu virus and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes. You typically don’t have any symptoms during this time. After the virus makes its way in, it begins to replicate.

The next five days, your body’s immune cells are sent to the places in your body where the virus is replicating. These cells send out signaling molecules to tell the body to turn on its immune response. This is where women and men’s bodies seem to differ. Your body then rounds up an immune system response to attack the virus so it can’t infect other cells.

Eventually, in the last few days the flu virus begins to leave your system. The inflammation finally decreases.

Estrogen’s Effect on the Flu Virus

Studies are now showing that the female sex hormone, Estrogen, seems to be the reason women are more likely to be able to fight off the flu virus than men. At first, recent studies showed the estrogen hampers the replication of viruses including HIV, Ebola, and hepatitis. The estrogen lessens the infection’s severity and makes the infection less likely to spread to other people. But then, Sabra L. Klein, an associate professor in the Departments of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, decided to investigate whether or not estrogen might have the same effect on the flu virus.

She and the rest of her research team decided to collect nasal cells. Why nasal cells? Because typically the first cells in the body to get infected with the flu virus are in your nose. She collected nasal cells from both men and women volunteers. The researchers exposed bunches of these nasal cells to different types of estrogens including normal levels of naturally occurring estrogen, different types of selective estrogen receptor parts called SERMs, which are synthetic estrogen-like chemicals used for hormone replacement therapy and infertility treatments, or bisphenol A, an estrogen-like chemical that is found in many plastics. Then, they exposed the nasal cells to the influenza A virus, which is a variant strain of the flu virus.

The tests showed that the female cells the received all three of different types of estrogen, showed sign of a significantly less amount of flu virus replication – Nearly 1,000 times less than other cells that hadn’t been exposed to the estrogens. More research showed that the hormones that caused this effect actually act on the estrogen receptor Beta. With the male nasal cells they tested, it seemed that the nasal cells didn’t have any receptors for the estrogen hormones therefore they didn’t have the same protective effects as the female nasal cells.

When Klein and her research team looked for the reasoning behind estrogen’s protective effect again this virus, they discovered that flu viruses binding to Beta decreases the activity of more than 30 genes used in cell metabolism, slowing the metabolic rate of these cells and preventing them from creating new viral particles.

Men and Testosterone Levels

Well now we talked about the female hormone involved in flu defenses but what about male hormones? Studies are now showing that high levels of the male sex hormone, testosterone, can actually weaken men’s immune systems.

For reasons that have not yet been found out, men are more susceptible to bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections than women are, and men’s immune systems don’t respond as strongly to vaccinations against the flu and many other diseases. A new study may explain why this seems to be the case.

A multinational team consisting of researchers from Stanford University, France, and the University of North Carolina conducted an experiment taking blood from 54 women and 37 men, all from different age groups and studied a variety of immune system proteins and cells to detect gene expression. They then gave flu vaccinations to all of these volunteers and then checked them for any signs of changes. Men, as a group, responded less to the vaccine.

Thirty-three women and 10 men actually responded to the vaccine out of the 54 women and 37 men. Most of the male non-responders had high levels of testosterone. Men with lower testosterone levels showed to have roughly an equal amount of response to the flu vaccine as the women.

When the team finished the analysis of the genes, they discovered that men with high levels of testosterone had high activation levels of a multi-gene cluster that is involved with immune system regulation called Module 52. This high activation level of Module 52 correlates with reduced antibody levels post-vaccination. But, this only has an effect on men with higher levels of testosterone. Module 52 has no effect on the amount of antibodies produced in men with lower levels and women post-vaccination.

Additional analysis showed that testosterone actually reduces level of certain regulatory proteins that usually prevent Module 52 genes from activating. In other words, higher testosterone levels result in more Module 52 gene expression. Module 52 prevents antibodies from forming in men with high testosterone levels, causing their immune systems to be weak and in turn makes them more susceptible to getting the flu even after they get vaccinated.

So scientifically speaking, women are actually stronger! Their immune systems are stronger due to estrogen and the lack of Module 52 gene expression. Men are more susceptible to getting the flu virus, but especially men with higher levels of testosterone. Even though the odds may be stacked against you, there are some things you can do to help prevent yourself from getting the flu.

Preventing The Flu

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has formulated three steps that they believe will be beneficial to the prevention of the flu.

Step 1: Get the Flu vaccination.

The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccination as the first and most important step in protection again the flu virus. Even for males, some protection is better than no protection!

Step 2: Take everyday preventative actions to stop the spread of germs.

This includes: washing your hands often with soap and water, covering your nose and mouth when you sneeze, keeping your area clean, and while sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.

Step 3: Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.

Even if you believe they won’t work, it’s better to not risk getting worse and possibly spreading it to others by taking the medicine your doctor prescribes for the flu. The world will thank you!

Why Have A Pancreas?

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Why Have A Pancreas?

Artificial Pancreas

Ellen Davis

The Past

It was the summer and Susan just got back from sleep away camp. Camp was a weird experience for her this year. She felt thirsty all the time and didn’t have the energy to participate in her favorite activities. She came home and it was noted that Susan lost 13 pounds while at summer camp! She was taken to the doctor and was promptly diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at 12 years old.

It has been two years since Susan was diagnosed with Type 1. At first, I couldn’t believe it was true. But now after much time has passed, I understand that diabetes is not as rare as I thought. It is said that around 80 people per day are diagnosed with Type 1.

With numbers only growing, when will modern technology take the next big step in bettering the lives of diabetics?

The Present

Hormones have more control over your body than you think. This is especially apparent when it comes to diabetics, who have botched hormones. Diabetics do not have two of the most important hormones, insulin and glucagon. These hormones keep your blood-glucose level at a set point.

Dozen Donuts

Insulin is a hormone that allows glucose to enter cells and thereby decreases your blood sugar. This may seem negligible, but because of this function you can eat a dozen donuts without having blurred vision or numbness in your appendages.

Glucagon is a hormone that lets glucose leave the cell and thereby increases your blood sugar. This function is also vital because it gives you the ability to skip breakfast without passing out or falling into a coma.

Due to these hormonal challenges, diabetics must implement different treatments in order to live relatively normal lives. One of the newest treatments is the artificial pancreas (AP). The artificial pancreas is a bit of a misnomer. When you think artificial, you may picture a pancreas made up of actual human tissues; however, this artificial pancreas is completely mechanical.

According to the FDA, the artificial pancreas is composed of a continuous glucose monitor (CGM), an insulin pump, and a computer algorithm. The CGM and insulin pump are two devices that are commonly used to treat diabetes today.

The CGM continuously monitors a diabetic’s glucose level, while the insulin pump delivers the hormone insulin to the diabetic’s body. A diabetic will typically use a CGM to identify blood-sugar level. Based on the blood-sugar level, the diabetic will complete calculations to determine appropriate insulin dosage. Finally, the diabetic will press buttons on the insulin pump to deliver the insulin.

Insulin Pump

The artificial pancreas is different in that it combines both of these functions. According to the FDA article, an AP combines the CGM and pump together with an algorithm. This algorithm collects data from the CGM, then decides insulin dosage, and finally commands the insulin pump to deliver a correct insulin dosage. Thus, as the Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics article postulated, the AP “closes the loop” and creates a mechanical pancreas that can operate without human help.

Currently there are a handful of algorithm variations. The top algorithms appear to be Model Predictive Control (MPC) and Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID). These algorithms work differently and result in different levels of success.

Based on a paper in the Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology, it is understood that MPC is a model-based algorithm. Past and current blood-sugar-level data helps form this model, and from that model future insulin dosage can be predicted.

Because model-based algorithms become personalized to your body the longer you use them, they are generally a better product. In comparison, PID algorithms only predict insulin dosage based on current data.

While the model algorithm may seem like the best option, clinical trials of a variety of algorithms have occurred and all have boasted hopeful results. One study, called the “Safety auxiliary feedback element for the artificial pancreas in type 1 diabetes,” used a PID algorithm. The study was done on 10 virtual patients and its main focus was to test a safety auxiliary feedback element (SAFE).

SAFE is a system that ensures correct amount of insulin dosages are given. If an incorrect amount of insulin is given, this could lead to a hypoglycemic episode, which can result in a coma or death. While the study centers around SAFE, the study did use the PID algorithm and gave promising results. The number of hypoglycemic episodes was constrained and the length of these episodes was decreased by more than 50%.

Another study, “Clinical evaluation of an automated artificial pancreas using zone-model predictive control and health monitoring system,” used a model algorithm. The study included 12 patients with Type 1 Diabetes and it lasted 24 hours. The study also included some real life situations, like unannounced meals and exercise. The algorithm kept the blood glucose level between 70 and 180 for 80% of the study. However, after mealtime the blood glucose stayed in this range less than 70% of the time.

While improvement is clearly needed for implementation in real life, these results are optimistic. The artificial pancreas is the next big step.

The Future

While progress is being made, the “real world” is much different than the controlled bubble in which most of these artificial pancreas studies have been conducted. To truly improve the quality of life of diabetics, the artificial pancreas must handle unpredictable eating, exercise, and stress.

Susan’s current insulin and glucose regimen was not adequate in dealing with the influence exercise has over her blood sugar. Exercise caused her blood glucose levels to become unpredictable; they would descend from a high of 300 to a low of 70. These sporadic highs and lows were not ideal for team sports, which are only successful if everyone is pulling his or her weight. So, club soccer, which Susan had played for the last 7 years, disappeared from her life.

This story may seem a bit depressing, however my family is hopeful. The AP is currently undergoing outpatient studies. This means the AP is finally being tested in real life environments. One day, the AP may withstand the challenges of daily life and this could lead to Susan joining a team sport again.

 

Sources

Caudal, Arianne, Matt Mulroy, Wesley Wagers, Eran Atlas, and Eyal Dassau. “Closing the Loop.” Mary Ann Liebert. Mary Ann Liebert, 13 Feb. 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2016. http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/pdf/10.1089/dia.2015.1504

Teixeira, Rodrigo E., and Stephens Malin. “The Next Generation of Artificial Pancreas Control Algorithms.” NCBI. National Center for Biotechnology Information, Jan. 2008. Web. 9 Feb. 2016. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2769707/

“What Is the Pancreas? What Is an Artificial Pancreas Device System?” FDA U.S. Food and Drug Administration. U.S. Food and Drug Administration, n.d. Web. http://www.fda.gov/MedicalDevices/ProductsandMedicalProcedures/HomeHealthandConsumer/ConsumerProducts/ArtificialPancreas/ucm259548.htm

Double the Meat, Double the Trouble?

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Maddie Parker

Dolly is a classic American name that holds with it the prestige of a first lady and the persona of a country signer. The lesser-known Dolly, however, is the name of the world’s most famous sheep. In 1997, she was the first mammal to be cloned successfully. Although the first mammal to be cloned was around two decades ago, the technology is still relatively new and scientists are continuously researching new techniques of cloning.

Due to the lack of general knowledge, there have been concerns raised about the safety of consuming cloned agriculture. The uneasiness sprouts from scientists and consumers, alike. These anxieties, for now however, can be put to rest. Multiple studies testing the composition of cloned animals versus naturally mating animals found no significant difference that could lead to severe health effects.

The first type of cloning used, such as in mammals like Dolly, is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which is when the cell nucleus from an adult cell is transferred into an unfertilized oocyte that has had its cell nucleus removed. The hybrid cell is then stimulated to divide by an electric shock. Finally, when it develops into a blastocyst and it is implanted in a surrogate mother. The more recently discovered type of cloning is embryonic cell nuclear transfer (ECNT). The methods are very similar, however, SCNT comes from adult cells where as ECNT is from embryos.

While these two methods have been successful, researchers still face issues with the efficiency of cloning and as well as the health of the cloned animals. Animals cloned by SCNT have higher rates of pregnancy loss, difficult parturition, and high post-natal mortality. Around 20% of the cloned animals die within the first twenty-four hours of their lives. Even though scientists are still struggling with the development process, sufficient research has shown that cloned animals are not harmful for human consumption.

A study published on Theriogenology: An International Journal of Animal Reproduction, investigated the composition of meat and milk in cloned cattle. The reason for looking into the composition of cloned cows further sprouted from the high prenatal death and the desire to investigate the necessity of regulation in the testing of cloned animal products.

An important evaluation of meat from cloned cattle was conducted on adult Japanese Black cattle derived from either embryonic or somatic nuclear transfer. To analyze the components, they used electrophoresis to separate the species. In the study, properties of meat samples were examined and it was shown for the first time the biochemical and biological characteristics of meat from cloned cattle were similar to that of non-cloned cattle. The only differences found by scientists were slight but significant enough to advance their research. The deviations caused a question of the safety of consuming these animal products.

Heyman, the head investigator, and his group of researchers then decided to test these variations of the nutritional value of cloned animal products using Wistar rats. Four groups of the Wistar rats were adapted to different regimens of cloned milk and meat and then fed for three weeks. Comparing the control group and the test groups, it was found there was no difference between the two rats. Rats are sensitive models, so the fact that they showed no biological and biochemical difference demonstrates that cloned products are not harmful to humans.

The United States Food and Drug Administration, or US FDA, conducted a study (The US FDA and animal cloning: Risk and regulatory approach) after various companies contacted them to discuss using cloned livestock for breeding stock. They FDA did not have regulations for cloned meat and thus decided to research the safety of the cloned products. Their research looked at the blood composition, carcass characteristics, proximates, and amount and distributions of amino acids, fatty acids and key vitamins and minerals for both clones and naturally mating cattle.

They concluded that cloned cattle produce the same hazards that naturally mating animals do. Furthermore, although many cloned animals have high prenatal issues, if a healthy animal is produced and grows into an adult then the products produce no significant hazards.

The FDA has therefore decided not to enforce any new regulations involving the testing of cloned meat. They have, however, agreed to stay up to date with new research on cloned animals and take precautions as necessary. As of now, they still have not approved cloned meat to be distributed legally into the commercial food market.

As discussed above, research supports the safety of consuming cloned animal products. In spite of this, the evidence has not convinced the human population. As a result, a study by Sawada Aizaki and K. Sato, was conducted to test the consumer’s attitudes before and after learning more about the cloning process and the limited health effects it poses. The study was issued to healthy, Japanese meat consumers who had cooked with beef in the last week. They took the survey before and after learning about the cloned meat. It was found that the consumers held the same attitude towards the cloned meat before and after being informed about it.

Although science proves that cloned meat posses no new threats compared to naturally mating meat, more research needs to be conducted on the topic. This is because there is still a lack of general knowledge not just among the common population but also among the researcher population. If significant research is conducted that produces consistent and reliable results, then cloned meat could be on the forefront of innovating our meat industry. Only time and further research will tell if double the meat really is double the trouble.

The One Eye Want

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Photo from Flickr Images

Blue eyes are frequently found in nationalities located near the Baltic sea in northern Europe, and uncommon in places in Asia. Photo from Flickr Images.

Sabrina Shah

Do you yourself have dark brown eyes? Have you ever wished to have vibrant-colored irises? Have you ever invested in colored contacts? Imagine being able to have the bright blue colored lenses you’ve always wanted, permanently. Only about 8 percent of the human population has blue eyes. What if you could be one of that 8 percent?

The idea of cosmetic eye color alteration procedures that was once only seen in sci-fi films and novels is now a reality. With the latest technology, labs in California and India are permanently changing people’s eye color with great rates of success and ease.

The initial discovery of the ability to change one’s eye color was a result of a scientific fluke. It started in 2007 when a glaucoma patient, a 56-year-old Caucasian man, was undergoing experimental treatments. After doctors used a laser procedure in hopes of curing the man’s glaucoma, they discovered his eyes had changed in hue to a bright blue color —an unexpected side effect.

Upon the realization that the eye color change did no damage to the man’s iris after long-term observation, and that it resulted in an aesthetic change, scientist started research and development to create a similar surgery to use for cosmetic purposes to offer to the general public.

Under every brown eye is a blue eye. A Californian lab, STROMA, developed a technique of eye color change on this very idea. Scientists in this lab have created a non-invasive laser method that is pointed at a specific spot in the iris, the “sweet spot”, that causes gradual pigment-tissue degeneration over the course of a few weeks that eventually reveals the blue hue that is present under every brown eye.

This operation has occurred so far only in California and clinical trials have been done on 20 individuals in one eye each to see the success rates and possible long term side effects. So far the operation has yielded great success and no issues have come up however, one known flaw is that the procedure only works to turn brown eyes blue, and furthermore, the blue hue varies in shade depending on the individual’s own base blue eye pigment.

This surgery is not yet available to the general public however, the lab offers an application process to be a participant in their trials; participants are able to get the operation done in one eye and they must attend follow-up consultations to see the effectiveness and potential side effects of the surgery before the lab is able to release the procedure for public consumption.

A different technique in its trial stages is a permanent implantation of a colored lens over the iris. The procedure, so far, has only had one trial performed on a New Zealand woman; the surgery took place in a lab in India.

This procedure is invasive as it requires a physical cut and insertion of a lens over the iris however, it is more manipulable; surgeons are able to change any base eye color to any other desired eye color, much like colored contact lenses do. During the procedure, doctors implant a colored artificial lens over the person’s natural eye color. The color change is immediate much like colored contacts but without the hassle of having to remove the contacts on a nightly basis.

No negative side affects have been noted by the New Zealand participant thus far, and the surgery was successful in altering her brown eyes to her desired shade of bright teal blue. Further observation is being carried out in order to ensure the safety and permanence of the implants. Surgeons want to ensure that the lenses will not need to be replaced and that they do not have issues with movement within the eye, years after the procedure. This lab did not offer any opportunity to register as an experimental participant, and is only observing the one known participant so far. It is not yet offered on the market to the masses.

The implications of these two surgeries are potentially monumental.

The lens implantation surgery can be used for people who are afflicted with genetic diseases such as albinism, birth defects that cause a lack of iris pigmentation, and other individuals who lack color in their irises for unexplained biological reasons, since the surgery is able to change any one eye color to another. With the implantation method, people who lack pigment in the iris will be able to get any color lenses implanted over their own colorless lenses.

Both procedures, STROMA and lens implantation, can also be used on people who just do not like their dark eyes and want an everlasting eye color change. Imagine plastic surgery/body modification for the eye balls.

This new technology may be the very future of body modification for people around the world. Although it is not available in the market yet, once it is tried and tested by experimenters and health agencies, eye color alteration may become the next big obsession in first world nations that strive to attain physical beauty.

Since only about 8 percent of the population has blue eyes, colored eyes are vied for by people in places where blue eyes are uncommon, like Asia where the colored contacts industry is particularly booming. Marketing for these procedures will most likely take place in regions with high frequency of brown eyes (55 percent of the population of the world currently, has brown eyes). These procedures will likely decrease that statistic dramatically.

After these surgeries become established procedures, what body part do you think will be up for modification next?

What to expect when it’s unexpected

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PTB (10 days)

What survival looks like 10 days after a preterm birth. Photo taken by Andrew and Marnie Hodges on November 20, 2008.

Christopher Piccirillo

As a mother would know, giving birth is an extremely painful ordeal, but once her child has entered the world, and the mother holds him or her for the first time, all of the suffering and anguish seems to dissipate.  Unfortunately, this is not the case for all births.  Every year, more than 500,000 babies (roughly 1 in 8) are born prematurely in the US alone, and the complications that arise from these cases can result in sustained suffering for both the child and mother.

Preterm birth (PTB) is considered to be any birth occurring before 37 weeks of gestation; the time an infant develops in the womb is normally 40 weeks gestation.  PTB not only threatens an infant’s probability of survival, but is detrimental to his or her quality of life.  Many premature babies suffer from mental retardation and physical disabilities such as cerebral palsy.  In the occurrence of a PTB, doctors can only respond to the aftermath.  In high risk patients, however, preventative methods are more effective, as they address the root of the problem before it occurs.  The rationale behind PTB prevention is like spilt milk.  If you remember to put away the carton, the milk will not spill.

As obstetricians Flood and Malone discuss in their seminar, prevention of PTB can be organized into two major categories: primary and secondary prevention.  Primary prevention consists mainly of lifestyle habits that may reduce your risk of having a PTB, such as a balanced diet, while secondary prevention focuses on prolonging pregnancy in women who are at a higher risk of having a PTB.  Higher risk women include those who have had a PTB previously or are pregnant with multiples (i.e. more than one baby at once).  These patients are the focus of secondary prevention, patients like Nikki Fleming.

While working with one of her clients, social worker Nikki Fleming was overcome with what she can only describe as a “horrible pain.”  Moments later, she noticed a discharge of fluid.  She was confused and scared; it was January and her due date was in May.  It was at the hospital that every mother’s worst nightmare became a reality for Nikki: she was in labor and already 2 centimeters dilated.

In 2004, Nikki Fleming gave birth to her first child, Lauren, 3.5 months early.  Immediately, the newborn was rushed to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where doctors worked quickly to assist her underdeveloped lungs, hooking her up to ventilators.  It was probably in this setting, among the hubbub of emergency medicine, that Nikki first laid eyes on her baby, partially obscured by the myriad of tubes sustaining her fragile life.

Lauren remained in the NICU for 5 months.  This is almost the same amount of time she spent in her mother’s womb.  Today, she still suffers from asthma and has a learning impairment, problems common among those born prematurely.

Due to her history of PTB, Nikki now had a 25% higher chance of having a successive PTB.  So, when she realized that she was pregnant again in 2011, she became a high risk patient, eligible for secondary prevention techniques. Cervical cerclage is one such technique that has been around for decades.

This physically intuitive surgery involves the stitching of the cervix shut to prevent PTB.  The cervix is the passageway between the base of the uterus and the vagina through which an infant travels during birth.  It is made of cartilage and normally is closed during pregnancy to prevent the baby from emerging from the uterus underdeveloped.  However, in a PTB, the cervix is weak or abnormally short and does not function properly.  Thus, stitching the cervix closed has become a widely accepted method of secondary prevention since the 1950s.

This procedure however, is still not well understood.  Research demonstrates that the surgery is effective in high risk patients carrying a single child, but may encourage PTBs in patients carrying multiples.  As with all secondary prevention methods, cervical cerclage is known to work in some instances but not in others.

A less invasive method is the injection of progesterone, a hormone that is produced naturally in the body and stimulates the strengthening of the fetal membrane.  Unsurprisingly, the presence of progesterone decreases when women go into labor.  As a result, researchers developed a synthetic version of the hormone that would strengthen the fetal membrane of women at high risk of a PTB.  Such a treatment was prescribed to Nikki Fleming during her next pregnancy.

A synthetic progesterone-based hormone, 17P, had just been approved by the FDA that year when Nikki began her weekly injections and, though painful, proved to be successful, allowing her daughter, Erin, to be born one week shy of her due date.  Unfortunately, this new method is estimated to prevent only 10,000 PTBs annually, which is just 2% of PTBs in the US.  This is due to the fact that only certain types of high risk women are eligible for the treatment (e.g. woman pregnant with multiples are not eligible).  This is where doctors get creative.

Medicine, like many professions, is heavily dependent upon trial and error and trying to fit the right pieces together to complete the puzzle and solve the problem.  Such problem-solving requires “out of the box” thinking.  This was beautifully demonstrated by the research team who identified a new and more effective method of secondary prevention: a combination of both 17P injections and cervical cerclage.

Recent findings presented at the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) Annual Clinical Meeting of 2013 showed this coupling of treatments to be a more effective method of preventing PTBs in extremely high risk patients.  This discovery highlights the importance of innovative thinking in medical research.  Such creativity will result in many more infants, like Erin, who will be given the opportunity to enter the world whole, but not all research generates an effective PTB prevention technique.

Some experimental drugs are never approved by the FDA as insufficient evidence supports their effectiveness and, in the case of relaxin (a protein-based hormone), some evidence exists to the contrary.  Remember how medical research consists of trial and error?

Well, relaxin happens to be that error.  This naturally occurring hormone regulates internal bodily functions during pregnancy and according to its designer, Dennis Stewart, relaxin strengthens the cervical membrane in women.  However, a review of all relaxin experiments published by The Cochrane Library reveals that relaxin also has the potential to induce birth in some cases.  Due to these mixed findings, none of the proposed benefits can be proven.  Although not all research yields promising results, any attempt to provide these infants with a healthy start to life is worthwhile.

As a result of secondary prevention, Nikki has now successfully given birth to another child, her son Corbin, at 39 weeks.  After the deep, heartfelt anguish that she and her husband experienced when their first child was born, this new research into synthetic progesterone injection prevented such complications from reoccurring.  In this instance, the medical community successfully cared for the Flemings by identifying their need and developing a solution through whatever creative means necessary.

Nikki and her husband Densel have been chosen to be the 2011 ambassadors for March of Dimes, an organization devoted to the health of mothers and their babies.  As ambassadors, the Flemings travel around the nation, telling their story and raising awareness for PTB and the possible methods of treatment.  “We just hope through our travels that it gives people hope,” said Nikki, “We cry with families, we share with families [and] we talk about our experiences together,” and sometimes it is this small “injection” of hope that really is the best medicine.

References

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2013). 17P Plus Cerclage Decreases Preterm Labor Risk. Retrieved from http://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2013/17P-Plus-Cerclage-Decreases-Preterm-Labor-Risk

Bain E, Heatley E, Crowther CA, Hsu K, Wiley. 2013. Relaxin for preventing preterm birth (Review) The Cochrane Collaboration [Internet]. The Cochrane Collaboration [Internet]:1–12. Available from: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD010073.pub2/pdf

Flood K, Malone FD, Elsevier. 2011. Prevention of preterm birth Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine [Internet]. Seminars in Fetal and Neonatal Medicine [Internet] Volume 17:59–61. Available from: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1744165X11000898

Stewart DR. 2011. Method of preventing premature delivery United States Patent Application Publication [Internet]. United States Patent Application Publication [Internet] 17:1–7, 12. Available from: https://docs.google.com/viewer?url=patentimages.storage.googleapis.com/pdfs/US20110166070.pdf

TIME Magazine. (2011). Prolonging Pregnancy: New Drug Helps Prevent Premature Birth. Retrieved from http://healthland.time.com/2011/02/08/prolonging-pregnancy-new-drug-helps-prevent-premature-birth/

U.S. News & World Report. 14-11/14. What You Can Do to Prevent Premature Birth [Internet]. Available from: http://health.usnews.com/health-news/patient-advice/articles/2014/11/14/what-you-can-do-to-prevent-premature-birth

WSOC-TV. 08-04/11. Family Focus: Family Raises Awareness About Premature Birth [Internet]. Available from: http://m.wsoctv.com/news/news/family-focus-family-raises-awareness-about-prematu/nGyzT/

Medical Technology May Be Getting Way Too A-“head”

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Enjoy Furigay

Has medical technology become advanced enough to make fiction fact and dreams reality? Has medicine made enough developments to defy the almighty transcendent? With the possibility of a human head transplant being performed in the near future, there have been speculations of the creation of an “artificial” individual like the monster from Mary Shelley’s book, Frankenstein.

(x)

Many attempts at artificial transplants of organs such as the skin, liver, and heart have been successful. For example, a revolutionary medical event occurred when Patrick Hardison, a 41 year old firefighter who suffered from severe burns, was able to receive a full face transplant surgery in August 2015.

Figure 1. The progression of Patrick Hardison’s face after the surgery.

Therefore, why can’t a head transplant become viable with the rapidly evolving technology of the modern era?

Surprisingly, a head transplant was already performed by a group of neurosurgeons led by Dr. Robert White in the 1970s. The team was able to transplant the head of a living rhesus monkey into the body of a beheaded rhesus monkey through rapid stitching of both entities. However, this experiment could only loosely be called a success.

Figure 2. The head of the rhesus monkey during the surgery.

When it awoke after the surgery, the head had expressions of great pain, confusion, and anxiety. With the disconnection of the spinal nerve fibers, the monkey could only react to stimuli, smell, hear, taste, and see. However, it was not able to digest the food it was given and was paralyzed from the neck down. After eight days in this dismal state, the body’s immune system rejected the transplant and the monkey met its end.

In conclusion, Frankenstein’s monster could not have a pet monkey.

Despite the warning of not repeating a head transplant from Dr. Jerry Silver, a neurologist who participated in Dr. White’s surgery, an Italian neuroscientist from the Turin Advanced Neuromodulation Group named Dr. Sergio Canavero plans to perform a human head transplant in December 2017, which is only about two years away.

Figure 3. Dr. Canavero in his TED Talk.

Canavero believes in Dr. White’s statement that “…with the significant improvements in surgical techniques and postoperative management … it is possible to consider adapting the head-transplant technique to humans.” This modern day Dr. Frankenstein has outlined a possible procedure called HEAVEN-GEMINI that will allow for the connection of the donor’s and recipient’s spinal cords.

The head anastomosis venture, or HEAVEN-GEMINI, is a complex surgical procedure that involves the cooling and cutting of both the recipient’s and donor’s spinal cords in a way that would allow anastomosis to occur. To spare you of the confusing and complex medical terminology Canavero uses in his outline, I will summarize the procedure here:

Anastomosis is simply “a surgical connection between two structures,” which in this case, are the brain and the spine. This would allow for minimal tissue damage and nerve fusion that was not a component of Dr. White’s rhesus monkey surgery. Grey matter interneuronal networks, or in other words, the networks in the spine that relay information to the body, are kept functional during and after surgery with low level electrical stimulation.

(x)

To keep the body healthy, different types of support such as anesthesiologic and thermal will be given to both the donor and recipient during the surgery. Canavero outlines the procedures to be followed post-surgery, also.

After the surgery, the individual must remain sedated in a cervical collar under intensive care for maximum recovery. When the individual wakes up, measures need to be taken in order for him or her to get used to the new body and establish their identity. The healthcare team responsible for the individual must maintain a positive relationship with him or her to ensure intellectual and emotional growth and help during times of stress and anxiety that can be related to the procedure, recovery, and/or the new body. We wouldn’t want the individual to be in an unstable emotional state like Frankenstein’s monster, right?

The concept of HEAVEN-GEMINI does seem viable. Canavero explains in elaborate detail the steps of procedure and the conditions that have to be met for the surgery to be successful. This shows that he is knowledgeable about this topic and the medical field overall. Theoretically, the surgery will allow the patient to function normally due to the connection between the spinal cord and brain instead of being immobile and unable to eat like the rhesus monkey in Dr. White’s experiment. In addition to that statement, the recipient may be able to live a prolonged life, instead of just a few days. Furthermore, this procedure doesn’t use the elementary technology of Dr. White’s time. Canavero will use cutting-edge technology to fuse the head and body together, instead of just rapidly stitching them together.

This seems like a medical miracle, right? Cut off some heads, put ‘em in some bodies, and save the day! (Or solve paralysis, at least.)

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It’s not false that this procedure would create great leaps in the medical field. Other than paralysis, this gives amputees the chance to regain their lost body parts and “brain dead” or beheaded victims a second chance at life. Additionally, it could lead to the creation of a superior human. However, a miracle does come with complications.

First, let’s delve into the moral and philosophical issues of this medical wonder. He or she consists of two entities: the donor (body) and the recipient (head). Would the person be one of the two, both, or have a new identity all together? Once the identity issue has been solved, there is the question of how he or she will be treated morally, legally, and socially. Essentially, the patient is a “new being” with this being the first known successful head transplant for any entity. Will the patient follow societal norms or will a new set of rules be made specifically for that individual? The major moral concern of this procedure is the fact that we may be violating God’s will. By performing this experiment, are we trying to exceed the limits a transcendent has put on us? If we are, would this spell doom for humanity?

In addition to these ethical and philosophical questions, many medical doctors and scientists have been skeptical about this procedure. Dr. Thomas Cochrane, a director of neuroethics at Harvard Medical School stated that it will be impossible for Canavero to gather enough evidence to go through with the surgery and that there is no guarantee that the recipient will have a better lifestyle post-surgery. Dr. Michael DeGeorgia, a neurologist at University Hospitals Case Medical Center argues that head transplants may be feasible in the far future, but in decades, not in two years with medical technology as it is now.

Will Frankenstein’s monster be able to have a friend since it couldn’t have a pet?

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In my opinion, hopefully not. (Sorry.) There have been numerous amounts of science fiction movies that emphasize that this is a dangerous idea. I don’t want to deal with the extinction or endangerment of humanity with the creation of a superior being, either.

What’s your opinion? Would you want a second chance at life or do you think Canavero lost his head?

Figure 4. This picture shows a happy Dr. Canavero.

The One Eye Want

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Sabrina Shah

Boyd

ENGL-105i

4 February 2016

Dear Ms. Boyd

According to your agency’s website, you are actively seeking an article regarding new scientific technology so I’m pleased to introduce my article “The One Eye Want”.

Do you yourself have dark brown eyes? Have you ever wished to have vibrant-colored irises? Have you ever invested in colored contacts? Imagine being able to have the bright blue colored lenses you’ve always wanted, permanently.

The idea of cosmetic eye color alteration procedures that were once only seen in sci-fi films and novels is now a reality. With the latest technology, labs in California and India are permanently changing people’s eye color with great rates of success and ease. My article is an informative piece regarding the new eye color alteration surgeries; it goes on to give in-depth descriptions of two different procedures in eye color-changing technology, the tests and trials that have been recorded for both surgeries, and real world implications of the procedure to everyday people.

The article will include a brief narrative of how scientists initially became interested in eye color alteration. The discovery of the ability to change one’s eye color was found when a glaucoma patient was undergoing experimental treatments. After scientists and doctors used a laser in hopes of curing the man’s glaucoma, they discovered his eyes changing in hue to a bright blue color— an unexpected side effect. Upon the realization that the eye color change did no damage to the man’s iris, and resulted in an aesthetic change, scientist started research and development to create a similar surgery to use for cosmetic purposes.

Under every brown eye is a blue eye. This is the basis of the idea a Californian lab developed its own technique on to attempt cosmetic eye color change.  They have created a non-invasive laser method that is pointed at a specific spot in the iris, the “sweet spot”, that causes gradual pigmented tissue degeneration over the course of a few weeks that eventually reveals the blue hue that is present under every brown eye. This operation has occurred so far in California and clinical trials have been done on 20 individuals in one eye each to see the success rates and possible long term side effects. So far the operation has yielded great success and no issues have come up however, one known flaw is that the procedure only works to turn brown eyes blue, and the blue hue varies in shade depending on the individual’s own base blue eye pigment.

A second technique in its trial stages is a permanent implantation of a colored lens over the iris. This has so far only had one trial performed on a New Zealand woman; the surgery took place in a lab in India. No negative side affects have been noted by the participant thus far, and the surgery was successful in altering her brown eyes to her desired shade of bright teal blue. This surgery, unlike the previously mentioned one, can change any person with any eye color to any other desired color.

The implications of these two surgeries are monumental. They can be used for people who are afflicted with genetic diseases such as albinism, birth defects, and people who lack color in their irises, for medical purposes. They can also be used on people who just do not like their dark eyes and want an everlasting eye color change. Imagine plastic surgery/body modification for the eye balls.

If you and your audience would be interested in learning even more about the exciting future of eye color alteration surgery I hope you will consider featuring “The One Eye Want” in your magazine.

Thank you for your time and consideration,

Sabrina Shah

3D printing Query Letter

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TaVon Cates

Sarah Boyd

English 105i

 

The Next Big Thing in Medicine: 3D Printing.

Dear Sarah Boyd,

My name is TaVon Cates and I am a biology major at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. I am doing research on a relatively new scientific innovation that I am sure your readers would love to hear about. I know that your brand is always looking for the next big thing, so no need to look any further because 3D printing to save lives is it. Many know that 3D printing has been around for years, now they’re bringing an old invention and putting it into new uses. 3D printing can be thought of like printing in layers to build a 3D object.

World renowned doctors are everyday understanding more and more about a newly found technology in the medical world that will save many lives. 3D printing in the use of transplants in the operating room. There have been many advancements in this field, especially within the last 2-3 years. There have already been a number of life-saving procedures done thanks to this technology. Many lives have been changed and many people grateful to be alive and performing everyday functions due to 3D Printing.

3D printing have helped create artificial bone structures such as a pelvis for a man who lost over half of his in his battle with cancer. 3D printing helped this man to walk again, something that the majority of people take for granted. A number of other structures have been created thanks to 3D printing such as kidneys, thyroids, stomach structures, and a number of other organs. Although there are still studies going on with this procedure, things seem promising for the future of the medical field and 3D printing.

This new technology is sure to change lives, much like the ones mentioned above. And it will continue to change lives over the years as the technology becomes more and more advanced. Soon, I’m sure with the technology, 3D printed hearts will be able to fully function and operate efficiently. 3D printed models of hearts have already been made with great precision in replicating an actual human heart. It is just a matter of time before we are able to implant a 3D model of just about any structure in the body.

As you can tell, 3D printing is the next big thing in medical technology. It is a subject that is being researched worldwide. There have already been successful organ transplants with 3D organs into live animals. The next step is full implants into humans, so the world should be hearing about this in the near future. Things to look forward in the actual article will be more specifics such as case studies on mice and the transplants they were able to do with them. A heartwarming article about how 3D printing help save a toddler’s life and many more ways 3D printing is going to change the world. Thank you for your time in reviewing my topic.

Sincerely,

TaVon R. Cates

“Double the Meat, Double the Trouble?”

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Maddie Parker
515 Hinton James Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
madspar@live.unc.edu

February 6th, 2016

Dear Ms. Sarah Boyd,

My name is Maddie Parker and I am a first-year student at the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill. I am currently a chemistry BS major. I am seeking representation for my article, “Double the Meat, Double the Trouble?,” to be published in your distinguished article, Science. The article explores multiple research studies as well as background information on cloned agricultural meat, such as cows. It aims to answer consumer questions of the science behind cloning as the well as the safety of consumption. I believe “Double the Meat, Double the Trouble?” would be an excellent addition to your journal.

Dolly is a classic American name that holds with it the prestige of a first lady and the persona of a country signer. The less heard of Dolly, however, is the name of the world’s most famous sheep. In 1997, she was the first mammal to be cloned successfully. Although the first mammal to be cloned was around two decades ago, the technology is still relatively new and scientists are continuously researching new techniques of cloning. Due to the lack of general knowledge, there have been concerns raised about the safety of consuming cloned agriculture. The uneasiness sprouts from scientists and consumers, alike. These anxieties, for now however, can be put to rest. Multiple studies testing the composition of cloned animals versus naturally mating animals found no significant difference that could lead to severe health effects.

The first type of cloning used, such as in mammals like Dolly, is somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) which is when the cell nucleus from an adult cell is transferred into an unfertilized oocyte (developing egg cell) that has had its cell nucleus removed. The hybrid cell is then stimulated to divide by an electric shock, and when it develops into a blastocyst (early cell of embryo) and it is implanted in a surrogate mother. The more recently discovered type is embryonic cell nuclear transfer (ECNT). The methods are very similar, however, SCNT comes from adult cells where as ECNT is from embryos. While these two methods have been successful, researchers still face issues with the efficiency of cloning and as well as the health of the cloned animals. Although scientists are still struggling with the development process, sufficient research has shown the cloned animals are not harmful for human consumption.

For the rest of the article, I will elaborate on the research done on the effects of consuming cloned animals. The first study comes from the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), which is a part of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It investigates the cloned meat in comparison to naturally mating meat. In another study, they tested the effects of cloned meat on Warstar Rats. For both experiments, they test the composition of the animals (specifically cows) including the milk, meat, and blood. Both experiments conclude to say that cloned meat has the same effects as consuming naturally mating meat. Next, I will discuss the FDA’s decision regarding regulation of cloned meat in commercial agriculture. In correspondence with the FDA’s regulations, I will discuss the views of consumers on eating cloned meat. I have a research study conducted in Japan that asked the views of eating cloned meat before and after learning about the process and the minimal health risks. It was found that there is still a large resistance to eating cloned meat. After summarizing the main facts, I will discuss a call for action to further investigate the health effects and the techniques of cloning to be done before the meat is distributed into commercial agriculture.

Thank you for your time and I hope you consider this article for your journal, Science.

Sincerely,

Maddie Parker

Natto Query Letter

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Sonya Chung
495 Paul Hardin Dr
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
schung14@email.unc.edu
February 7, 2016

Dear Ms. Sarah Boyd,

I am currently a student, very interested in food and nutrition, at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Recently, I have been writing an article about a relatively unknown yet very nutritious food, natto, and would love for my article to be a part of your distinguished journal.

Two East-Asian countries, Korea and Japan, have entered an aging era, and the number of seniors (aged above 65 years) has been rising dramatically. According to the UN, it only took Japan 24 years and will only take Korea 18 years for their senior populations to double, while it took France 115 years and America 71 years. As Korea and Japan are rapidly becoming “super-aged” societies, researchers have been investigating the people’s diet and found that various forms of fermented soybeans are often consumed with rice. “Sticky, Stinky Natto Stretches Lifespan” will delve into natto’s biological and nutritional benefits that may potentially lead to longevity.

Natto, covered in white mucous sap, is a Japanese traditional fermented soybean product that has a soft texture and an unpleasant wet-sock-like smell (to be extreme); Korea’s cheong-gook-jang is basically the same product with different names. But because more information is available with the name “natto”, the article will be referring to natto more than cheonggookjang. Natto contains high contents of fiber, various vitamins, minerals, and isoflavone, which is to be discussed later in the article more thoroughly.

Once soybeans are soaked in water, boiled, and fermented, sensory characteristics of natto are improved, undesirable contents are eliminated, and some nutritional properties are enhanced. Natto is very unusual in that, just as the sensory properties change, soy proteins, biological inhibitors, and bacterial enzymes break into easily digestible compounds when fermented. This decomposition allows more nutrients to be absorbed by the body, whereas unfermented soybeans do not grant as much absorption. Moreover, the fermenting process actually increases the total amount of protein, and findings say that this phenomenon is due to the increase of microorganisms, the synthesis of enzymes, and the rearrangements of pre-existing compositions.

The high levels of vitamin K and isoflavone, specifically, account for natto’s standing as a functional food and dietary supplement. Natto contains hundreds times as much vitamin K, a producer of protein and bones, than other foods. Ikeda’s report (2006) on the association of eating natto and bone mineral density (BMD) on 944 healthy Japanese women will be cited in the article; this research depicts the positive relationship between daily natto intake and BMD. Isoflavone, on the other hand, acts as a blood clot preventer, a blood clot dissolver, and a substitute for female hormone; isoflavone, in addition to reducing DNA damage, further prevents the activities of low-density lipoprotein (also known as the “bad” cholesterol) and free radicals (molecules responsible for aging and cell damage). Furthermore, following a concise explanation of what oxidation is will be the discussion of the antioxidative activities of natto and their effects on health.

Since food of such high-nutrition only has a very short shelf-life due to the secretion of ammonia, a hazardous compound, after time, food companies have been continuously attempting to change the form of natto into dry powder; this way, natto will sell as more acceptable and accessible, especially as the unpleasant odor is reduced when dried. Even though the direct impact of natto on lengthening one’s lifespan may not be crystal-clear, the overall nutritional content may lead to a healthier diet and body over time.

I hope this gives you a taste of what my article will be like. It would be a great honor to share this article with the million readers of your journal.

Thank you so much for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Sonya Chung