Links for 6/13/07 [my NetNewsWire tabs]

Some links about Alzheimer’s:

• The Evilutionary Biologist: Is There Anything Phages Cannot Do?

  Bacteriophages break up beta-amyloid plaques? Take a look…

• Newly discovered antibody may be body’s natural defense against Alzheimer’s
  

  “Since beta amyloid oligomers are much less abundant in the body than the single-molecule variety, the relatively high amount of oligomer-specific antibody found in human blood suggests that the immune system recognizes these aggregates to be a particularly noxious threat.”

• Alzheimer’s disease to quadruple worldwide by 2050

  We better get crackin’…

• Also see the post about dimebon at The Chem Blog (linked later in this post in the “drugs” section).

Continuing the stem cell buzz:

• Human stem cells treat Parkinson’s in monkeys – health – 11 June 2007 – New Scientist
• Sandwalk: The Ethics of Stem Cell Research
• Sandwalk: Reprogramming Somatic Cells
• denialism blog: Reprogramming adult cells into embryonic stem cells

Some nice drug posts:

• Rimonabant, Out In the Light. In the Pipeline:
  

  “It’s the first antagonist targeting the cannabinoid CB-1 receptor, and at one point it looked like it was going to make people lose their excess weight, shed their addictions, and for all I know refinance their mortgages.”

• The Chem Blog » Dimebon can cure Great Grandma!
  

  “A startup in San Fran has discovered and announced that this simple indole compound can treat Alzheimer’s with a significant advantage over placebos.”

• Gabapentin Shown Effective for Fibromyalgia Pain
  

  “Although gabapentin has little, if any, effect on acute pain, it has shown a robust effect on pain caused by a heightened response to stimuli related to inflammation or nerve injury in animal models of chronic pain syndromes. Researchers have suspected that it might have the same effect in people with fibromyalgia. The new research, published in the April 2007 edition of Arthritis & Rheumatism, indicates the suspicions were correct.”

• BioWizard – 16S ribosomal RNA methylation: emerging resistance mechanism against aminoglycosides.
• Researchers shed light on mechanism of action used by anti-cancer drug

Miscellaneous:

• A Shocking Idea: Nerves Might Run on Sound, Not Electricity

  Wow. There’s a fringe theory. I’m not holding my breath.

• A selection of quotes from Aldo Leopold « Laelaps

  I’m really going to have to check this book out. Thanks Laelaps!

• Pharyngula: Religion—our maelstrom of ignorance

  Ugh! Just LOOK at the trend! Could the culprit be any more obvious?!

• Atheist Self: The Natural World
  

  “My nature was the product of several billion years of refinement. It has matured, like a fine wine. It is mysterious and wonderful because I don’t assume that it happened for a reason, or at the hand of a master designer. Because I don’t assume that human beings have lived on this planet but for a fraction of a percent of its existance.”

  “The only way to truly appreciate the grandeur and splendour of the universe is by not taking it for granted. By explaining away our existence in just a few of pages in Genesis, we are making up answers to questions that deserve a lot more attention. A lot more … reverence.”

• Jim Plagakis » Pay for our knowledge and experience?
  

  “There has been discussion about getting paid for our [pharmacists] knowledge and experience. OTC counseling comes to mind. Medical advice too. We are the point person of triage for the entire stack. How many people without money come to the pharmacist to see if they REALLY NEED TO SEE THE DOCTOR? I say a lot. If they don’t have money, most will come see you. Where else can you get the kind of attention we give for nothing?”

• BioWizard – Randomized Trial of Acupuncture to Lower Blood Pressure.

  What the heck? Acupuncture works?! Ok, the results ARE statistically significant, but are they clinically significant? Barely. The researchers are 95% confident that acupuncture will lower your systolic BP between 3.5 and 9.2 mm Hg and your diastolic BP between 1.6 and 5.8 mm Hg. Significant? Maybe as a last resort…

• Daily Kos: Getting “Tough” on Maliki

  Didn’t we always know that we were there for oil?

~ by jryanstevens on June 13, 2007.