Small-screen smart phones will be able to project movies and pictures to enable sharing and better viewing.
NanoArt 2011 call to artists
The worldwide competition NanoArt 2011 is open to all artists 18 years and older. The online exhibition will open for public in April, 2011. Winners will be notified and published online on May 31, 2011.
Gold nanoparticles may enhance circulating tumor cell detection in blood
The detection of circulating tumor cells is an emerging technique that can allow oncologists to monitor patients with cancer for metastasis or to evaluate the progress of their treatment. The gold particles, which are embedded with dyes allowing their detection by laser spectroscopy, could enhance this technique's specificity by reducing the number of false positives.
Top UK Nanotechnology Companies Join Trade Mission to Tokyo
The Institute of Nanotechnology (IoN) will be in Tokyo next week at Nanotech 2011, the world's largest nanotechnology trade show, with 50,000 delegates expected. As part of the International NanoMicroClub (INMC), a Technology Strategy Board funded joint initiative between the IoN and the Nanotechnology KTN, Nanomission Japan 2011 is taking innovative UK companies to Tokyo with the purpose of supporting their entrance into global markets.
P2i Unveils Details of Commercial-scale Liquid Repellent Nanocoating Machine
Aridion, P2i's revolutionary liquid repellent nano-coating technology for consumer electronics, will soon be available to high-volume mobile handset manufacturers with the launch of the first high-capacity Aridion processing machine at Mobile World Congress.
ETH Zurich Choose Vistec EBPG5200 for New Nanotechnology Center
Vistec Lithography, Inc., a leading provider of advanced electron-beam lithography equipment today announced that it received an order from the ETH Zurich (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology), a world-renowned research university, for one of its Vistec EBPG5200 systems.
Cooperation Between Nanogate and GEA Air Treatment Launched Successfully With First Orders
New generation of filter systems currently at the development stage - great deal of interest in multifunctional, antibacterial solutions.
New nanomaterials are good news for next-generation electronic devices
In a new study, researchers from UCLA's Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science and from the materials division of Australia's University of Queensland show the promise of surface-conduction channels in topological insulator nanoribbons made of bismuth telluride and demonstrate that surface states in these nanoribbons are "tunable" - able to be turned on and off depending on the position of the Fermi level.
Nanotechnology could pave the way for hydrogen fuels
) EADS Innovation Works, the Group's corporate research arm, is working with university researchers to find a new solid state storage system for hydrogen. This technology would make it possible to use hydrogen as a clean alternative to traditional hydrocarbon-based fuels in aeroplane and car engines.
Coriell and OSU integrate GWAS into an EMR!
Ok, so enough with the acronyms.....
I am back and will be blogging more often again. So for those who still lurked around, tell the others that the Howard Stern of Genomics is back. I took a social networking holiday for a solid 2 months, plus the addition of having my practice change quite a bit after my USA Today and follow ups in the local papers.....
Today I want to announce that Coriell Personalized Medicine Collaborative and Ohio State University will be using data from an arm of the CPMC and OSU to integrate genetic risk data into the medical record.
Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't know of anyone else doing this exact same thing.
Ideally they will also continue to roll things in like PGx data. (I know this data will be coming soon)
By integrating things like Plavix response, you can make more gametime decisions easily.
I.E. Patient presents to the ED with a heart attack. Armed with prior knowledge about plavix nonresponder, you pick Effient.
What is so awesome about this arm is that Primary Care Physicians, Cardiologists AND patients will be participating and receiving results.....
They will be studying the behavior and knowledge of participants in the study, we have seen other data on this sort of thing, I wonder if we will see the same thing here.
For risk data? Probably. For PGx Data? Probably not.
Why? A plavix response in the medical record is a game changer.
3 Reasons
1. The clinician will be hit in the face with a "Plavix doesn't work here"
2. The physician may even find they are a nonresponder
3. There has got to be some hustling attorney out there, who will be lurking once they see the CPMC/OSU release. I am certain at least the physicians will be thinking so.....
You can read the Presser Here
The Sherpa Says: Study of clinical use and behaviors will be key to know how vital this data is and thus how tightly we should regulate its use in medical records i.e. 23andMe clinical BRCA testing! P.S. Like our new crest?
Genetic test may refine PSA or it may not!
I am going to read this article for the seventh time and get back to you this week.
In case you missed it, the PR Firm hired by DeCode pumped out a presser (press release), which I refuse to link to directly.....which essentially said
"Analysis of Four SNPs, in Tandem With Genetic Risk Factors Detected by the deCODE ProstateCancer(TM) Test, Yields Substantial Improvement in Efficacy of PSA Screening"
OK, 4 SNPs tells us whose PSA value is a bad 2.8 vs. good 5.8?
Or at least that's what the Kari S. tells us
"This is straighforward genetics with direct clinical utility." -Kari S. (Yes they rushed the release out with the misspelling of "straightforward")
Ok, so tell me, how has this straightforward genetic test performed in a prospective analysis?
What do you mean you haven't done that yet? So how can we have you assert that there is direct clinical utility?
We can't. Maybe you meant STRAY FORWARD?
Secondly, this study was carried out on Caucasian men, leaving African Americans, who often have earlier and more aggressive prostate cancer out in the dark.......
But what really got my Ire was when respected Tweeters started parroting this presser.........
Here is some high heat for us genome critics, read the study and read the presser. If the presser hypes the study, we should tear it apart and present the true facts for all to see on the internet.
Read and analyze the study, not the presser. I know we are all busy these days, but we owe that to our readers and the public. Hell, that makes us even better than a whole host of journalists who seem to quote Kari as if his opinion is the final take.
The Sherpa Says: On seventh read I will have a take on what these "SNPs that strengthen the predictive power of PSA" really mean.
23andMe going infomercial style!
Dan Vorhaus points out the Plan B for 23andSerge!
Personally I love the irony of naming it "Plan B"
MSRP 499, but yours for the low, low price of 99 USD.
QVC, here we come!!!!
23andKari, what the 99 USD subsidy means for Personal Genomics
Yes, Yes.....
Everyones' little heart is a-twitter for the subisdized cost of 23andSerge, now to be known as 23andKari (will tell you why soon) a whopping 99 USD. Which I had been saying is the correct price point for about 2 years now.
Yes, finally, something other than a blimp and million dollar parties will actually pull out the lurkers.....
Here's my take. There was a company in a galaxy far far away, Iceland. That was the toast of the town in 2004. Why? They were collecting genomes for a grand experiment. They were going to discover fantastic links to disease and sell access to the highest bidder.
While they did produce some great Nature papers......what happened to DeCode?
I think we all know.
23andKari has now emerged. The front end.....happy shiny ancestry and disease links.....
I have forgotten to mention that the FDA still hasn't finished working on these companies, have I?
The back end? A database of genomes to cull for disease links to be sold at the highest bidder?
Sound familiar??
In case you forgot, Kari did this with Gulcher and went belly up.......
And BTW, who owns that genetic data now? Is it getting resold?
Also in case you forgot, this is a rock bottom version of Navigenics game...How's that working?
I think 23andKari will actually survive. Why? Huge megacorporation investment. That's why.
GOOG et.al. own 23andKari now. Your data? Wrong! Theirs. Now that they are being investigated for antitrust in the EU, they have to move quickly on this phase......
I have said it before and will again. Why sell Manhattan for bobbles and trinkets?
Because it's cheap, that's why........Hell. IMHO, 23andKari should be paying you for your genome.
The Sherpa Says: Democratization is about to go the way of Russia and it's oligarchs...
Respiragene Test and CT Screening for Lung Cancer?
I absolutely think it is beyond fantastic to be able to say to a patient "This is the drug for you"
Or, we need to screen for disease X because of Gene Y and your family history
But what I don't love is companies purporting the import of their special home brew test to do personalized medicine without any sort of data backing them up.
A news report and "AACR Feature" highlighted precisely that. A test with no data......
From the article:
Researchers administered a gene-based predisposition test that incorporates 20 genetic markers associated with smoking-related lung damage and propensity to lung cancer along with clinical factors including age, family history and diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to derive a risk score on a 1 to 12 scale with higher scores correlating with higher risk.
Ok, new score with 20 markers, family history and age and clinical data....sounds reasonable. Has anyone else validated this tool????
Ahem. Crickets.....
“At scores of 6 or more … only 25 percent of otherwise eligible smokers would be screened but over half of lung cancers would potentially be detected, many in a treatable stage,” concluded Young and colleagues, who suggested that increasing the detection rate of lung cancer per number of patients screened could improve the cost-effectiveness of CT screening.
Ok, so did you get the jump? Did you catch it? "Who Suggested"
This guy who designed a genetic panel AND NEVER TESTED IT IN CONJUNCTION WITH CT CHEST SCREENING, is suggesting that using the test could increase the cost effectiveness of CT Screening, without one single solitary IOTA or shred of evidence of this.
This would be the same Dr. Young who found that genetic testing for a smoking cessation program likely doesn't have cost effectiveness or at best is uncertain.
Last year they were still researching this panel
Yet Respiragene is being held up as a great test!
One word that makes me suspicious is the word "Testamonials"
That word alone reminds me of the time I was bamboozled into going to multi level marketing events for proton pills and the like. You know, they all had lots of "Research" behind them.
Put simply, we do not know if gene screening PRIOR to CT Chest screening for lung cancer does any of the following things
1. Make CT Screening more cost effective
2. Personalizes medicine, targeting radiation to only those who need the test
3. Improves outcomes and detection rates of lung cancer.
That research is not available today. Nor will it be in one year.
My Advice, hold off on this one for now.
The Sherpa Says: Parroting an esteemed researchers OPINION as if it were scientific fact is a great way to get yourself in trouble and an even greater way to confuse the community! But it is the best way to get a test sold.
Memo to Men: To Live Longer, Take Better Care of Your Body
(HealthDay News) -- As a general rule, men take lousy care of their health.
They shrug off injuries. They hate going to the doctor for anything. They pay little heed to warning signs for major health issues.
And the results of all that manliness are evident in the statistics. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
One in five American men has heart disease.
One in three adult men in the United States has high blood pressure.
Three in four American men are overweight.
Men overall are less healthy and have a shorter life span than women, according to the Men's Health Network, a national nonprofit group that promotes healthy living for men. And more than half of all premature deaths among men are preventable.
"Men are leading in nine out of the top 10 causes of death," said Scott Williams, vice president of the network. "I feel like we're starting behind where health is concerned, compared to women."
The main way men can improve the length and quality of their lives, Williams said, is to start taking a personal interest in their health. Read more...
For One Man, It's All About Prevention and Wellness
(HealthDay News) -- Adam Dougherty is laying the groundwork for a long and healthy life.
Dougherty, 25, is a health policy analyst living in Los Angeles with a master's degree in public health from the University of Southern California. He's applying the lessons learned for his career to his own health. He's in pretty good shape, 5-feet-9 and 160 pounds, and he wants to maintain his shape and his health.
"Coming from my public-health background, I'm a really strong believer in prevention and wellness," Dougherty said.
That means keeping both the mind and the body healthy. "I really think physical health and mental health are important counterbalances for the stresses we endure during the week," he explained.
Part of Dougherty's wellness routine includes taking some time each day to do something that relaxes him. "I play guitar," he said. "That's a good way to decompress and detach and calm my nerves."
Dougherty also eats a balanced diet, eating complete meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But he's aware of total calorie intake, adding that a person needs to burn as many calories as they eat in a day if they hope to maintain their weight, and burn more and eat less for weight loss. Read more...
AyurGold for Healthy Blood
Sugar, high-fructose corn syrup and type II diabetes
NewsTarget.com
Sugar and refined carbohydrates are undeniably linked to diabetes. Researchers around the world have come to the conclusion that the consumption of refined sugar is detrimental to the health of people without diabetes and disastrous for those with it. Furthermore, excess sugar in the blood can cause the onset of type 2 diabetes. First, however, what exactly is diabetes?
According to Bruce Fife ND, "Diabetes is all about sugar -- the sugar in our bodies known as blood sugar or blood glucose. Every cell in our bodies must have a constant source of glucose in order to fuel metabolism. Our cells use glucose to power processes such as growth and repair. When we eat a meal the digestive system converts much of our food into glucose, which is released into the bloodstream. The hormone insulin, which is secreted by the pancreas gland, moves glucose from the blood and funnels it into the cells so it can be used as fuel. If the cells are unable to get adequate amounts of glucose, they can literally starve to death. As they do, tissues and organs begin to degenerate. This is what happens in diabetes."
Ayurtox for Body Detoxification
Interview with a Nutritarian: Mark
Emily Boller
Mark was experiencing the same physical symptoms and emotional fears that befall many middle-aged males; that of living in fear of an impending heart attack and leaving their children prematurely with no father to help raise them. Not only did Mark take control of his health destiny and get his health back, but became one of Dr. Fuhrman’s first Nutritional Education Trainers (NETs) to help others do the same! Welcome to Disease Proof, Mark.
What was your life like before discovering Dr. Fuhrman’s nutritarian eating-style?
I was overweight, but in denial. Being 6'3" and carrying around an extra 65 lbs. wasn't as noticeable on me as it would have been on someone that was a bit shorter. I was always playing sports when I was young, so it was hard for me to accept that I was overweight. I was on four prescription medications for asthma and a perpetual runny nose. I always over ate and consumed a deadly diet. Read more...
UA Chapter of Project Sunshine
Do you like spending time with children?
Are you looking to volunteer with an organization that supports a great cause?
Would you be interested in helping to bring a smile to a hospitalized child’s face?
If you answered yes to these questions,
PROJECT SUNSHINE would love to have you as a member!
Project Sunshine is a nonprofit, nationwide organization that provides free educational, recreational, and social programs to children facing medical challenges and their families.
The University of Arizona Chapter of Project Sunshine works closely with the Child Life Specialists at Diamond Children’s Medical Center to bring fun arts and craft activities to hospitalized children, their siblings, and their parents.
Our activities include:
Craft Parties, Book Buddies, Kids for Kids, Ben’s Bells, Craft Bag Assembling, and Fundraisers!
Come learn more about Project Sunshine at our New Member Meeting and Orientation:
Wednesday, February 9, 2011 7:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. (likely finishing earlier)in the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership (CSIL)- 4th Floor of the Student Union Memorial Center.
We will have Project Sunshine T-Shirts available for purchase at this meeting! Shirts are $3 each and you are required to wear the yellow Project Sunshine shirt at each event that you attend. For more information about the Project Sunshine Organization, please visit the national website at http://projectsunshine.org/.
Thank you and we hope to meet you at our meeting Wednesday, February 9th at 7:00 p.m.!
-Project Sunshine Coordinators, 2010-2011
P.S.- If you have any questions about the U of A Chapter of Project Sunshine, please feel free to email us at uaprojectsunshine@gmail.com
Vive Peru
Interested in doing something to help others this summer? (But want to gain invaluable experience and have fun while doing so?)
Apply to be a part of Vive Peru’s Summer 2011 Internship!
Applications are due March 4, 2011 at noon!
Information Sessions are currently scheduled for:
Thursday, February 10 at 4pm UA Honors College ROOM 219 J
Tuesday, February 15 at 2pm (location TBA)
Wednesday, February 16 at 6pm (location TBA)
Thursday, February 24 at 6pm (location TBA)
Internships available for Peru summer 2011:
Clinical Medicine
Teaching English
Teaching Music
Social Work
Vive Peru is a nonprofit organization pending 501(c)(3) status. We are dedicated to fostering an understanding of Latin American and Peruvian culture and providing much-needed aid to Peruvian communities.
We work to promote cultural understanding and implement innovative and self-sustainable programs in the areas of health, education, social work and engineering. Visit us on Facebook to get an idea of what you will experience while in Peru! See pictures, learn more about our volunteer programs, and find information about costs and applications at http://www.facebook.com/viveperu.
The application will be available starting Thursday, February 10 here: http://www.viveperu.org/.
Please email us with any questions at uofa@viveperu.org
Refer to our facebook page for the updated location for the last three informational sessions!!
Laura Moedano
