Adequan is an injectable steroid that was developed very many years ago. Adequan’s main benefit is that it blocks destructive enzymes from causing more damage, encourages the repair of cartilage, and causes traumatic joint dysfunction to reverse. Although Adequan is popular with veterinarians for the treatment of animals, not many bodybuilders use it. Even though body builders didn’t find much use for Adequan, one mustn’t assume it didn’t gain popularity in sports where the athlete was more subject to a joint injury. The original purpose of Adequan was to prevent “use trauma” in the joints of horses caused by the day-in, day-out pounding of the their joints. It doesn’t come as a surprise, then, that many new steroid drugs have come into existence since the development of Adequan so many years ago. A more recent steroid that is available is called Aflutop. It seems to be taking over the market from Adequan.

The oral form for taking anabolic steroids, usually with a pill is, for the most part, the most widely-used method. Without a doubt, for the novice steroid user, it will be simpler to obtain the pills, and they will prove more popular to the newcomers. People who prefer to take their anabolic steroid by swallowing a pill must keep in mind that taking an anabolic steroid orally presents a better chance of having much more debilitating after-effects. Another reason taking anabolic steroids by pill is so popular is the fact that they enter the body quickly. If a user prefers an anabolic steroid that will leave their system rapidly, then the best choice is an oral anabolic steroid as compared to an injectable steroid. Still, at high levels of sports very often both oral and injection will be used. The transdermal patch is as excellent as how to get rid of cellulite naturally, so you must see excellent outcomes.

Another older anabolic steroid, that has been around for several decades, is Dianabol. D Bol is what this anabolic steroid is commonly called. Quite a few popular bodybuilders have gotten better results by combining testosterone with D Bol. With D Bol, you have the choice of taking the pill or getting a shot (injection). The health of your liver is something you must take into consideration if you want to take D Bol. It can cause liver problems. Increased hypertension (high blood pressure)can also result from the use of D Bol. From time to time, the recommendation on how much D Bol to take has varied. Many people decide to take the same dosage used by successful weight-lifters from days gone by. Is there any dosage that is safe for someone who is using it to enhance their athletic abilities? That is not a simple question to answer.

The development of the different types of steroids and the history of anabolic steroids themselves can be traced back into the early part of the 20th Century. It seems incredible, but if you read their history, you will find that ancient Greece has recorded accounts of steroids. All the same, continued underground research, nonetheless, increases and refines the information we have gathered throughout the years. That helps to account for the many different types of steroids each with specific actions in the body. Sometimes, after subjecting a newly developed steroid to clinical tests and even field tests, the hopes of the developers were dashed at the poor results obtained. Just like you’d wish to develop your acne scar removal products reviews organization together with the very best resources, the steroids need to be the best to get constructive outcomes for the body.

First examining your sleep setting is key to making positive changes in your sleeping patterns. By sleep environment we are of course discussing your bedroom. Blocking the light from entering your bedroom will help you enjoy a more restful slumber. Shift workers that are awake at night, but sleep during the day may experience problems with daylight. Getting too warm while sleeping is a common occurrence that may cause fitful sleep. You might find the sheets chilling when you first get into bed, but the effect is temporary.

It’s been shown that sleep disturbances may be related to certain prescription medications. Allergy medications or antidepressants often act like stimulants and can keep you from sleeping well. Having a candid discussion with a medical professional may prove effective in identifying medication related insomnia. Commonly sold drugs often contain stimulants like caffeine. You would be well served to educate yourself on what these products are comprised of. Each person experiences insomnia differently, and that must be taken into account. Your physician or pharmacist may be able to suggest some medications that do not contain stimulants.

If you are the type of person that finds it difficult to relax, you should make an effort to do so. People in modern civilizations no longer understand the importance of actively engaging in relaxation. United States citizens are among the most stressful populations in the world. Money is at the root of many people’s daily stress contributors. Stress can easily be lessened by engaging in moderate exercise. If your life is too hectic to set aside time for physical activity, then consider taking a short stroll after supper. You should actively try to seek out what may lie at the root of your sleep disturbances and work to remedy the cause.

It’s well known that a person’s daily routine can play a role in the cause of insomnia. Some of the more obvious contributing causes for insomnia may become readily apparent. Once you understand what may be the cause, you can better determine what treatment to engage in.

For your industrial woodworking needs, Machinery Masters offers cnc wood routers and other solid wood working machines. When it’s time for remodeling your home consider siding Wichita KS and window installation Wichita from All Seasons Construction.

A new study, however, has found that not all viruses leave their ‘fingerprints’ in cancerous cells. The study, conducted by scientists at the University of Cambridge, provides evidence for the existence of ‘hit and run’ cancer viruses that can invade a cell, initiate cancer and then vanish without a trace.

The study, conducted in mice, found that a specific type of mouse herpesvirus was able to invade the host cell and cause oncogenic changes that triggered cancer yet; it left no signs of a viral infection in the cancerous cell.

“We are saying that herpes viruses could cause a lot more disease than you would guess if you limited your suspicion to just cancers that came out having the virus genome in them” said study researcher and author, Philip Stevenson, to LiveScience.

The findings further showed that vaccinating the mice against the herpesvirus tested, protected them from developing cancer. If this evidence holds true in humans, immunization against oncogenic herpesviruses can prove effective in the prevention of many more cancers.

Sources: Stevenson et al. (2010), Journal of General Virology; LiveScience.com; August 19, 2010; National Cancer Institute – HPV; ScienceDaily.com; August 19, 2010.

Author: Karla Robleto, Ph.D.

Presently, pharmacological therapy is the basis of treatment for schizophrenia and although great progress has been achieved in this area, drug treatment is only partially effective. Besides of the often debilitating side effects, cognitive, functional and neurobiological deficits still persist. Given the highly heritable component of schizophrenia, genetic research can be extremely valuable in paving the way for the discovery of new molecular targets that can lead to major advances in both prevention and treatment of this disorder.

One of the most promising genes, dysbindin (dystrobrevin binding protein 1), has been frequently reported to be linked with a number of the cognitive impairments present in schizophrenia.Also known as DTNBP1, has been found to have a significant role in synaptic transmission.

The association between dysbindin and schizophrenia has been replicated in several populations around the world. Notably, altered dysbindin expression has been widely reported to be associated with many of the cognitive deficits prominent in schizophrenia such as deficits in working memory and attention. Post-mortem studies further show a significant reduction of dysbindin mRNA and protein expression levels in both the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus; two of the brain areas typically affected in the disorder.

More recently, it has been reported that dysbindin is an important player in both glutamatergic transmission and cell protection processes which are mechanisms typically observed to be altered in schizophrenia , further pointing to the relevance of dysbindin in the psychopathology of the disorder. How these alterations affect synaptic transmission and contribute to cognitive impairments is an important question that still remains poorly understood.  This work can provide invaluable insight into specific molecular markers that contribute to some of the neural deficits observed in schizophrenia and can therefore provide more targeted treatments for the disorder.

Sources:  Straub et al., 2002; Schwab et al., 2003, Funke et al., 2004; Benson, et al., 2001., Donohoe et al., 2007.

Author: Karla Robleto, Ph.D.

In the first of these studies, a drug called abiraterone shrank tumors by 30% in one-fourth of 31 men whose prostate cancer did not respond to standard therapies and continued to grow. In 35% of the patients taking the experimental drug, their tumors stopped growing.

Standard PSA (prostate-specific antigen) measurements were able to give accurate indications of each response to the new treatment. PSA levels after 12 weeks of treatment with abiraterone lowered PSA levels by 50% or more in 71% of the patients. In two men, the PSA fell so dramatically, it was undetectable.

A leading medical authority at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles Radiation Oncology Department called abiraterone currently the most promising prostate cancer drug on the horizon. He explained that the new hormone therapy appears to be active in men not responsive to other hormone treatments.

Abiraterone works differently from other hormone treatments in wide use today. The new drug targets an enzyme called CYP17 that is needed to produce male hormones throughout the body. Current hormonal treatments can only prevent production of male hormones in the testes. Other parts of the body are still able to produce testosterone and related hormones called androgens that fuel the growth of prostate cancer.

The first study involved men who were initially treated surgically or medically to prevent testosterone production in the testes. None had received chemotherapy, sometimes administered when the cancer does not respond well to hormone therapy. Men in the study took abiraterone orally once a day and generally tolerated the drug without serious side effects.

In a second study, men who were given chemotherapy after their hormone treatment no longer worked showed similar encouraging results after taking the experimental drug. Cougar Biosciences is the manufacturer of abiraterone, and they funded this study.

Researchers have begun enrolling men in a larger and longer study. Patients will be randomly assigned to abiraterone or a placebo (sugar pill). If results continue to be promising, the company will apply to the FDA for approval of the drug. Unfortunately, these studies and the approval process can take several years.

In the U.S., prostate cancer was diagnosed in over 180,000 men and 28,000 men died of the disease in 2008. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S.

Source: WebMD Health News; 3/1/09 written by Charlene Laino and reviewed by Louise Chang, M.D. blog article by Anna Dabney

 Four years later, 54 women receiving zoledronic acid and 83 who didn’t get the bone drug had a recurrence, a new cancer in the second breast, or a spreading of cancer to the bone. The question is, shouldn’t all women on hormonal therapy for breast cancer receive Zometa or a similar bone drug? Before prescribing these drugs as standard therapy, researchers plan to examine results from two other large studies now nearing completion. Women taking hormonal therapy are blocking estrogen production, which in turn can cause thinning of bones. Why not add the bone-building drugs to their anti-cancer therapies?

 Cancer cells are known to interact with a type of bone cell called osteoclasts, whose role is to break down bone. Breast cancer cells sometimes migrate to the bones and stimulate osteoclasts, which in turn stimulate cancer cells. It’s a vicious cycle. But what if the cycle can be interrupted?

 Drugs used to treat the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis have been shown to stop osteoclasts from releasing substances that cause bone loss. As osteoclasts stop working, they die. Other studies of bisphosphonates to prevent osteoporosis have shown in lab studies that they might have other anticancer effects. Bisphosphonates affected the ability of cancer cells to stick to surrounding tissue, to invade and grow in numbers. One of the new study’s lead researchers believes that bisphosphonates could squelch the cells that migrate to the bones and hide in marrow, thus affecting the ability of breast cancer to recur.

 Researchers are also investigating whether bisphosphonates could treat cancer that has already metastasized to bone. After determining that they could, zoledronic acid and other bisphosphonates were approved for women with bone metastasis. These therapies were shown in one study to prevent further spread of cancer in bones. Zometa is approved only for bone complications of cancer and is not an official drug for osteoporosis. There is a rare but quite serious side effect, osteonecrosis of the jaw, which has been seen with bisphosphonate use. No instances have been seen in study participants, however.

 Studies are still in progress to investigate whether these bone drugs used in high doses to treat cancer can prevent breast cancer from initially spreading. Results have been mixed. In research now ongoing, there is hope that zoledronic acid could add a benefit to existing breast cancer therapy to the same degree as the magnitude from chemo or hormonal therapy alone. Scientists and physicians are waiting for data from other studies. Clinical trials may have the answers in the near future.

 Source:  Gina Kolata; New York Times; Feb. 11, 2009

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/health/research/12bone.html?th&emc=th

blog article by Anna Dabney

Findings were published in the January issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. A transplant surgeon from the University Maryland, not involved in the research, greeted the news with enthusiasm. He called this study “a confirmation that living donation is a safe thing.”

Most former donors tested in this study showed good kidney function and enjoyed an excellent quality of life. Researchers attributed their good, long-term outcomes to the rigorous screening criteria originally used to pick donors. Those who elected to give a kidney were required to be healthy and have no kidney problems, high blood pressure or diabetes. The last two factors are main causes of kidney disease.

Kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from blood. Patients with kidney failure have only two options:  dialysis or a kidney transplant. The national waiting list is long, with more than 78,000 waiting for a donor with the right matching characteristics. Today, with the rising incidence of obesity and diabetes, the need for donor kidneys has climbed dramatically.

Researchers recognize the sacrifice made by kidney donors. Their generosity of spirit will not go unrewarded if at some time in the future the kidney donor needs a transplant. Those individuals would be given priority on the waiting list.

Study donors were primarily white and younger than the donors of decades later. Results found in this group may not apply to populations donating a kidney today. The main value of this reassuring study is its large size and duration. Living donation has increased in recent years as more people have become willing donors and newer surgical techniques have shortened recovery time. In 2007, nearly 17,000 kidneys transplanted in the U.S. came from living donors.

Source:  original article by Stephanie Nano, Associated Press; San Francisco Chronicle and Oakland Tribune on January 29, 2009. (blog article by Anna Dabney)

The potential new treatment that Kanzius envisioned was featured on CBS’ “Sixty Minutes” (April 13, 2008). In theory, it involves gold or carbon nanoparticles injected into the bloodstream or into a cancerous tumor. These metallic-laced nanoparticles, already FDA-approved, attract radio waves. Once the diseased cells are properly targeted, radio waves would heat them to an optimal temperature to eradicate them. The idea is to destroy cancer cells, leaving healthy cells undamaged. Nanoparticles are so tiny that trillions of them can be contained in a test tube. The chief problem is finding a delivery system in which the nanoparticles would bind only to cancer cells.

How did a man without a medical degree or credentials as a lab scientist come up with a revolutionary idea to treat cancer? Diagnosed with liver cancer six years ago, John Kanzius had endured thirty-six rounds of chemotherapy. During his treatments at a renowned cancer center, he was touched by the faces of young cancer patients, children with teddy bears, fighting for their lives. It was then that he vowed to try to find a better way to fight cancer.

One sleepless night, the retired radio and TV executive envisioned using radio waves to treat cancer. In his childhood, he had built radio sets. He understood that radio waves could harmlessly pass through a living organism but were attracted by metal. Once his primitive tests showed promise, the senior citizen built radio-wave equipment and conducted experiments in his garage. He invested $200,000 of his own money to build prototypes of his radio frequency (RF) equipment. Support and funding for his efforts have since materialized from many sources. His Kanzius RF Machines are now selectively placed in laboratories at the University of Pittsburgh and at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.

At MD Anderson, Dr. Steven Curley, a surgical oncologist, began to work closely with Kanzius on his invention.  Dr. Curley believes the potential treatment to be the most exciting new development he has seen in twenty years of working in oncology. Like an “ultimate weed killer” able to kill weeds without harming grass, the treatment is designed to destroy only the cancer cells. The ability to eliminate solid tumors injected with gold nanoparticles has already been demonstrated in rats and rabbits. The ultimate goal is to be able to target microscopic cancer cells that have circulated throughout the body. Curing metastatic cancers would not be possible without such a selective delivery system. If a way is found to precisely target and destroy only cancer cells, then the potential to cure many types of cancers is tremendous – and with no pain and distress.

John Kanzius is working with the Lee Memorial Health System in southwest Florida to coordinate tentative clinical trials after approval is granted. He hopes to live to see his dream realized some three or four years down the road.

Sources:  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanzius machine; http://60minutes.yahoo.com/segment/159/the_kanzius_machine  

 

 

 

For relaxation, I took three special trips. I attended my high school reunion out of state, celebrated my birthday with my grown children, and took a cruise to Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. I’m now back and looking forward to again summarizing the latest trends in healthcare, as I see them. I encourage comments or questions from my readers.

 

Colonoscopy is recommended for persons 50 and over, but most don’t get them unless they are symptomatic. Instead, a sigmoidoscopy may be offered which checks only the lower bowel or intestine by inserting a flexible tube. Perhaps the most unpleasant part of any technique to explore the colon for polyps is drinking laxatives or using enemas to purge the bowel before the procedure.

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and is largely avoidable by detecting and removing small polyps before they grow and become cancerous. Each year about 52,000 Americans die of the disease.

The latest study compared two groups of approximately 3,000 persons in each group. One group received traditional colonoscopy and the second one the virtual procedure. Approximately the same number of advanced polyps were found in each group (123 compared to 121).

With virtual colonography, a CT scanner takes a series of X-rays of the colon and creates a computerized 3-D image. A small tube is inserted in the rectum to inflate the colon for better viewing. There is no sedation or recovery time. If polyps are seen, they cannot be removed using this technique. Any significant polyps are then removed the same day using a traditional colonoscopy.

In traditional colonoscopy, a gastroenterologist uses a flexible, thin tube and snakes it through the large intestines. Any polyps spotted are removed in the process. There is a tiny risk of a perforated colon using the traditional procedure, and prompt surgical repair is needed.

The virtual colonoscopy avoids sedation and the risk of colon perforation, but the patient is exposed to radiation. In addition, small, benign polyps cannot be removed. They must be watched and will need to be removed if they grow significantly or become malignant.

If colon cancer screening guidelines are changed as is expected, virtual colonoscopy may be covered by insurance companies in the future. The less invasive procedure may encourage more patients to get checked when they should. Usually, intervals of ten years between examinations are recommended if no polyps are found.

Source:  MSNBC