StemCell Therapy

Moles are very common, especially in people with fair skin. Moles are overgrowths of skin cells called melanocytes, but the genetic factors involved in their development are not well understood. Although moles, like tumors, are an overgrowth of cells, moles are almost always noncancerous (benign). Perhaps because most moles are benign, scientists have not studied them extensively, and not much is known about their genetics. Similar numbers of moles seem to occur on individuals of different generations of a family, so a tendency to develop moles seems to be inherited, but the inheritance pattern is not well understood.

Most moles occur on parts of the body that are exposed to the sun (ultraviolet radiation), and the number of moles an individual has may increase after extended time in the sun. Moles usually begin to occur in childhood. These moles are called acquired melanocytic nevi (and include the subtype epidermal nevus). It is common for new moles to appear during times when hormone levels change, such as adolescence and pregnancy. During an individuals lifetime, moles may change in appearance; hair may grow out of them, and they can change in size and shape, darken, fade, or disappear. Infants and the elderly tend to have the fewest moles.

Sometimes, moles are present at birth or develop during infancy. These moles, which are called congenital nevi, are almost always benign. Rarely, a very large mole, called a giant congenital melanocytic nevus, is present at birth. In rare cases, the most serious type of skin cancer (called melanoma) may develop in this type of mole.

Large, irregularly shaped and colored moles called dysplastic nevi or atypical moles can occur at any age. Although not common, they tend to be numerous, and they increase a persons risk of melanoma. Heredity contributes to the development of dysplastic nevi and to having a higher-than-average number of benign moles. Spending a lot of time in the sun can also increase the number of moles a person has. However, moles are often found on areas of the body that are not exposed, which suggests that factors other than ultraviolet radiation from the sun, perhaps hormones or other biologic processes, are involved in triggering the development of acquired melanocytic nevi and dysplastic nevi.

Although the genetics of melanoma has been widely studied, much less is known about genes involved in the development of benign moles. Variations in several genes, including FGFR3, PIK3CA, HRAS, and BRAF, are involved with benign moles. The most-studied of these is the BRAF gene. A mutation in BRAF leads to the production of an altered protein that causes melanocytes to aggregate into moles. This altered protein also triggers the production of a tumor-suppressor protein called p15 that stops moles from growing too big. In rare cases, BRAF mutations together with deletion of the CDKN2A gene causes a lack of p15, which creates the potential for mole cells to grow uncontrollably and become cancerous (malignant). The formation of cancer is increasingly likely when combined with environmental factors, such as cell damage caused by ultraviolet radiation exposure.

In susceptible individuals (those with fair skin, light hair, skin that burns instead of tans, a family history of melanoma, and genetic risk factors such as deletion of or mutations in the CDKN2A gene), ultraviolet radiation from repeated sun exposure can damage existing moles, increasing their risk of becoming malignant. Research has shown that individuals who have an abundance of moles are at an increased risk of melanoma. However, some people who are diagnosed with melanoma have few moles, and melanoma often develops in areas of the body that are not exposed to the sun. Researchers are working to identify additional susceptibility genes to better understand the genetics of moles and their relationship with cancer.

Plasmeijer EI, Nguyen TM, Olsen CM, Janda M, Soyer HP, Green AC. The natural history of common melanocytic nevi: a systematic review of longitudinal studies in the general population. J Invest Dermatol. 2017 Sep;137(9):2017-2018. doi: 10.1016/j.jid.2017.03.040. Epub 2017 May 18. PubMed: 28528913.

Roh MR, Eliades P, Gupta S, Tsao H. Genetics of melanocytic nevi. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res. 2015 Nov;28(6):661-72. doi: 10.1111/pcmr.12412. PubMed: 26300491. Free full-text available from PubMed Central: PMC4609613.

Silva JH1, S BC, Avila AL, Landman G, Duprat Neto JP. Atypical mole syndrome and dysplastic nevi: identification of populations at risk for developing melanoma - review article. Clinics (Sao Paulo). 2011;66(3):493-9. PubMed: 21552679. Free full-text available from PubMed Central: PMC3072014.

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We are continually exposed to organisms that are inhaled, swallowed or inhabit our skin and mucous membranes. Whether or not these organisms lead to disease is decided by the integrity of our bodys defense mechanisms, or immune system. When our immune system is working properly, we dont even notice it. But when we have an under- or over-active immune system, we are at a greater risk of developing infections and other health conditions.

If you are wondering how to boost your immune system, look no further these 10 antimicrobial, immune-stimulating and antiviral supplements and essential oils can be used at home to improve your health.

The immune system is an interactive network oforgans, cells and proteins that protect the body from viruses and bacteria or any foreign substances. The immune system works to neutralize and remove pathogens like bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi that enter the body, recognize and neutralize harmful substances from the environment, and fight against the bodys own cells that have changes due to an illness. (1)

The cells of the immune system originate in the bone marrow, then migrate to guard the peripheral tissues, circulating in the blood and in the specialized system of vessels called the lymphatic system.

When our immune system is working properly, we dont even notice it. Its when the performance of our immune system is compromised that we face illness. Underactivity of the immune system results in severe infections and tumors of immunodeficiency, while overactivity results in allergic and autoimmune diseases. (2)

For our bodys natural defenses to run smoothly, the immune system must be able to differentiate between self and non-self cells, organisms and substances. Non-self substances are called antigens, which includes the proteins on the surfaces of bacteria, fungi and viruses. When the cells of the immune system detect the presence of an antigen, the immune system recalls stored memories in order to quickly defend itself against known pathogens.

However, our own cells also have surface proteins, and its important that the immune system does not work against them. Normally, the immune system has already learned at an earlier stage to identify these cells proteins as self, but when it identifies its own body as non-self, this is called an autoimmune reaction. (3)

The amazing thing about the immune system is that its constantly adapting and learning so that the body can fight against bacteria or viruses that change over time. There are two parts of the immune system our innate immune system works as a general defense against pathogens and our adaptive immune system targets very specific pathogens that the body has already has contact with. These two immune systemscomplement each other in any reaction to a pathogen or harmful substance. (4)

Before learning exactly how to boost your immune system, first understand that most immune disorders result from either an excessive immune response or an autoimmune attack. Disorders of the immune system include:

Allergiesare a immune-mediated inflammatory response to normally harmless environmental substances known as allergens, which results in one or more allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis and food allergies. When the body overreacts to an allergen, such as dust, mold or pollen, it causes an immune reaction that leads to the development of allergy symptoms.

Allergies and asthma is a growing epidemic, affecting people of all ages, races, genders and socioeconomic statuses. In the U.S., it is estimated that more than 35 million people, mostly children, suffer from asthma symptoms. (5)An immune response to an allergic can be mild, from coughing and a runny nose, to a life-threatening reaction known as anaphylaxis. A person becomes allergic to a substance when the body develops antigens against it and has a reaction upon repeated exposure to that substance.

An immune deficiency disease is when the immune system is missing one or more of its parts, and it reacts too slowly to a threat. Immune deficiency diseases can be caused by medications or illness, or it may be a genetic disorder, which is called primary immunodeficiency. (6)

Some immune deficiency diseases include severe combined immune deficiency, common variable immune deficiency, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficient syndrome (HIV/AIDS), drug-induced immune deficiency and graft versus host syndrome. All of these conditions are due to a severe impairment of the immune system, which leads to infections that are sometimes life-threatening.

Autoimmune diseases cause your immune system to attack your own bodys cells and tissues in response to an unknown trigger. Autoimmune diseases have registered an alarming increase worldwide since the end of the Second World War, with more than 80 autoimmune disorders and increases in both the incidence and prevalence of these conditions. (7)

Fiftymillion Americans are living with an autoimmune disease today, and for many of them, its hard to get an accurate diagnosis right away. In fact, it often takes about five years to receive a diagnosis because autoimmune disease symptoms are so disparate and vague. Examples of autoimmune diseases include rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, psoriasis, Graves disease (overactive thyroid), Hashimotos disease (underactive thyroid) and vasculitis.

Treatment for autoimmune diseases typically focus on reducing the immune systems activity, but your first line of defense should be addressing leaky gut and removing foods and factors that damage the gut. Several studies have shown that increased intestinal permeability is associated with several autoimmune diseases, and it appears to be involved in disease pathogenesis. (8)

When searching for how to boost your immune system, look to these 10 herbs, supplements and essential oils.

Many of echinaceas chemical constituents are powerful immune system stimulants that can provide significant therapeutic value. Research shows that one of the most significant echinacea benefits is its effects when used on recurring infections. A 2012 study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that echinacea showed maximal effects on recurrent infections, and preventive effects increased when participants used echinacea to prevent the common cold. (9)

A 2003 study conducted at the University of Wisconsin Medical School found that echinacea demonstrates significant immunomodulatory activities. After reviewing several dozen human experiments, including a number of blind randomized trials, researchers indicate that echinacea has several benefits, including immunostimulation, especially in the treatment of acute upper respiratory infection. (10)

The berries and flowers of the elder plant have been used as medicine for thousands of years. Even Hippocrates, the father of medicine, understood that this plant was key for how to boost your immune system. He used elderberry because of its wide array of health benefits, including its ability to fight colds, the flu, allergies and inflammation. Several studies indicate that elderberry has the power to boost the immune system, especially because it has proven to help treat the symptoms of the common cold and flu.

A study published in the Journal of International Medical Research found that when elderberry was used within the first 48 hours of onset of symptoms, the extract reduced the duration of the flu, with symptoms being relieved on an average of four days earlier. Plus, the use of rescue medication was significantly less in those receiving elderberry extract compared with placebo. (11)

Dating back to ancient times, silver was a popular remedy to stop the spread of diseases. Silver has historically and extensively been used as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent. Research published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine suggests that colloidal silver wasable to significantly inhibit the growth the bacteria grown under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. (12)

To experience colloidal silver benefits, it can be used in several ways. How toboost your immune system with this supplement? Simply take one drop of true colloidal silver with internally. It can also be applied to the skin to help heal wounds, sores and infections. Always keep in mind that it should not be used for more than 14 days in a row.

You may come across many warnings about colloidal silver causing an irreversible condition called argyria (when people turn blue); however, this is caused by the misuse of products that are not true colloidal silver, like ionic or silver protein. (13)

Because leaky gut is a major cause of food sensitivities, autoimmune disease and immune imbalance or a weakened immune system, its important to consume probiotic foods and supplements. Probiotics are good bacteria that help you digest nutrients that boost the detoxification of your colon and support your immune system.

Research published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition suggests that probiotic organisms may induce different cytokine responses. Supplementation of probiotics in infancy could help prevent immune-mediated diseases in childhood by improving the gut mucosal immune system and increasing the number of immunoglobulin cells and cytokine-producing cells in the intestines. (14)

Astragalusis a plant within the bean and legumes family that has a very long history as an immune system booster and disease fighter. Its root has been used as an adaptogen inTraditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. Although astragalus is one of the least studied immune-boosting herbs, there are some preclinical trials that show intriguing immune activity. (15)

A recent review published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that astragalus-based treatments have demonstrated significant improvementof the toxicity induced by drugs such as immunosuppressants and cancer chemotherapeutics. Researchers concluded that astragalus extract has a beneficial effect on the immune system, and it protects the body from gastrointestinal inflammation and cancers. (16)

Ayurvedic medicine has relied ongingers ability for how toboost yourimmune system before recorded history. Its believed that ginger helps to break down the accumulation of toxins in our organs due to its warming effects. Its also known to cleanse the lymphatic system, our network of tissues and organs that help rid the body of toxins, waste and other unwanted materials.

Ginger root and ginger essential oil can treat a wide range of diseases with its immunonutrition and anti-inflammatory responses. Research shows that ginger has antimicrobial potential, which helps in treating infectious diseases. Its also known for its ability to treat inflammatory disorders that are caused by infectious agents such as viruses, bacteria and parasites, as well as physical and chemical agents like heat, acid and cigarette smoke. (17)

7. Ginseng

The ginseng plant, belonging to the Panax genus, can help you to boost your immune system and fight infections. The roots, stems and leaves of ginseng have been used for maintaining immune homeostasis and enhancing resistance to illness or infection. Ginseng improves the performance of your immune system by regulating each type of immune cell, including macrophages, natural killer cells, dendritic cells, T cells and B cells. It also has antimicrobial compounds that work as a defense mechanism against bacterial and viral infections. (18)

A study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that ginseng extract successfully induced antigenspecific antibody responses when it was administered orally. Antibodies bind to antigens, such as toxins or viruses, and keep them from contacting and harming normal cells of the body. Because of ginsengs ability to play a role in antibody production, it helps the body to fight invading microorganisms or pathogenic antigens. (19)

Vitamin D can modulate the innate and adaptive immune responses and a vitamin D deficiency is associated with increased autoimmunity as well as an increased susceptibility to infection. Research shows that vitamin D works to maintain tolerance and promote protective immunity. There have been multiple cross-sectional studies that associate lower levels of vitamin D with increased infection. (20)

One study conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital included 19,000 participants, and it showed that individuals with lower vitamin D levels were more likely to report a recent upper respiratory tract infection than those with sufficient levels, even after adjusting for variables such as season, age, gender, body mass and race. (21) Sometimes addressing a nutritional deficiency is how to boost your immune system.

Myrrh is a resin, or sap-like substance, that is one of the most widely used essential oils in the world. Historically, myrrh was used to treat hay fever, clean and heal wounds and stop bleeding. Myrrh strengthens the immune system with its antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties. (22)

A 2012 study validated myrrhs enhanced antimicrobial efficacy when used in combination with frankincense oil against a selection of pathogens. Researchers concluded that myrrh oil has anti-infective properties and can help to boost your immune system. (23)

Oregano essential oil is known for its healing and immune-boosting properties. It fights infections naturally due to its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-parasite compounds. A 2016 study published in Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition found that the main compounds in oregano that are responsible for its antimicrobial activity include carvacrol and thymol. (24)

Several scientific studies found that oregano oil exhibited antibacterial activity againsta number of bacterial isolates and species, includingB. laterosporus andS. saprophyticus. (25)

I should also stress the importance of incorporating physical activity into your daily and weekly regimen to strengthen your immune system. A 2018 human study published in Aging Cell revealed that high levels of physical activity and exercise improve the immunosenescence (gradual deterioration of the immune system) in older adults aged 55 through 79, compared to those in the same age group who were physically inactive. The study also highlights that physical activity doesnt protect against all of the immunosenescence that occurs. However, the decrease in a persons immune system function and activity can be influenced by decreased physical activity in addition to age. (26)

In the quest for how to boost your immune system, proceed with some caution. If you are using these immune-boosting herbs and essential oils, remember that the products are extremely potent and should not be taken for more than two weeks at a time. Giving yourself a break in between long doses is important.

Also, if you are pregnant, be cautious when using essential oils and reach out to your health care provider before doing so. Any time you are using natural remedies like plant supplements, its a good idea to do it under the care of your doctor or nutritionist.

From the sound of it, you might think leaky gut only affects the digestive system,but in reality it can affect more. Because Leaky Gut is so common, and such an enigma,Im offering a free webinar on all things leaky gut.Click here to learn more about the webinar.

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How to Boost Your Immune System - draxe.com

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Whether you're stomping through the showers in your bare feet after gym class or touching the bathroom doorknob, you're being exposed to germs. Fortunately for most of us, the immune system is constantly on call to do battle with bugs that could put us out of commission.

The immune (pronounced: ih-MYOON) system, which is made up of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs, defends people against germs and microorganisms every day. In most cases, the immune system does a great job of keeping people healthy and preventing infections. But sometimes, problems with the immune system can lead to illness and infection.

The immune system is the body's defense against infectious organisms and other invaders. Through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade our systems and cause disease. The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that work together to protect the body.

The cells that are part of this defense system include white blood cells, also called leukocytes (pronounced: LOO-kuh-sytes). They come in two basic types (more on these below), which combine to seek out and destroy the organisms or substances that cause disease.

Leukocytes are produced and stored in many locations throughout the body, including the thymus, spleen, and bone marrow. For this reason, they are called the lymphoid (pronounced: LIM-foyd) organs. There are also clumps of lymphoid tissue throughout the body, primarily in the form of lymph nodes, that house the leukocytes.

The leukocytes circulate through the body between the organs and nodes by means of the lymphatic (pronounced: lim-FAT-ik) vessels. (You can think of the lymphatic vessels as a type of highway between the rest stops that are the lymphoid organs and lymph nodes.) Leukocytes can also circulate through the blood vessels. In this way, the immune system works in a coordinated manner to monitor the body for germs or substances that might cause problems.

There are two basic types of leukocytes:

A number of different cells are considered phagocytes. The most common type is the neutrophil (pronounced: NOO-truh-fil), which primarily fights bacteria. So when doctors are worried about a bacterial infection, sometimes they order a blood test to see if a patient has an increased number of neutrophils triggered by the infection. Other types of phagocytes have their own jobs to make sure that the body responds appropriately to a specific type of invader.

There are two kinds of lymphocytes: the B lymphocytes and the T lymphocytes. Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and either stay and mature there to become B cells or leave for the thymus gland, where they mature to become T cells.

B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have separate jobs to do: B lymphocytes are like the body's military intelligence system, seeking out their targets and sending defenses to lock onto them. T cells are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the intelligence system has identified. Here's how it works.

A foreign substance that invades the body is called an antigen (pronounced: AN-tih-jun). When an antigen is detected, several types of cells work together to recognize and respond to it. These cells trigger the B lymphocytes to produce antibodies (pronounced: AN-tye-bah-deez). Antibodies are specialized proteins that lock onto specific antigens. Antibodies and antigens fit together like a key and a lock.

Once the B lymphocytes recognize specific antigens, they develop a memory for the antigen and will produce antibodies the next time the antigen enters a person's body. That's why if someone gets sick with a certain disease, like chickenpox, that person typically doesn't get sick from it again.

This is also why we use immunizations to prevent certain diseases. The immunization introduces the body to the antigen in a way that doesn't make a person sick, but it does allow the body to produce antibodies that will then protect that person from future attack by the germ or substance that produces that particular disease.

Although antibodies can recognize an antigen and lock onto it, they are not capable of destroying it without help. That is the job of the T cells. The T cells are part of the system that destroys antigens that have been tagged by antibodies or cells that have been infected or somehow changed. (There are actually T cells that are called "killer cells.") T cells are also involved in helping signal other cells (like phagocytes) to do their jobs.

Antibodies can also neutralize toxins (poisonous or damaging substances) produced by different organisms. Lastly, antibodies can activate a group of proteins called complement that are also part of the immune system. Complement assists in killing bacteria, viruses, or infected cells.

All of these specialized cells and parts of the immune system offer the body protection against disease. This protection is called immunity.

Humans have three types of immunity innate, adaptive, and passive:

Everyone is born with innate (or natural) immunity, a type of general protection that humans have. Many of the germs that affect other species don't harm us. For example, the viruses that cause leukemia in cats or distemper in dogs don't affect humans. Innate immunity works both ways because some viruses that make humans ill such as the virus that causes HIV/AIDS don't make cats or dogs sick either.

Innate immunity also includes the external barriers of the body, like the skin and mucous membranes (like those that line the nose, throat, and gastrointestinal tract), which are our first line of defense in preventing diseases from entering the body. If this outer defensive wall is broken (like if you get a cut), the skin attempts to heal the break quickly and special immune cells on the skin attack invading germs.

We also have a second kind of protection called adaptive (or active) immunity. This type of immunity develops throughout our lives. Adaptive immunity involves the lymphocytes (as in the process described above) and develops as children and adults are exposed to diseases or immunized against diseases through vaccination.

Passive immunity is "borrowed" from another source and it lasts for a short time. For example, antibodies in a mother's breast milk provide an infant with temporary immunity to diseases that the mother has been exposed to. This can help protect the infant against infection during the early years of childhood.

Everyone's immune system is different. Some people never seem to get infections, whereas others seem to be sick all the time. As people get older, they usually become immune to more germs as the immune system comes into contact with more and more of them. That's why adults and teens tend to get fewer colds than kids their bodies have learned to recognize and immediately attack many of the viruses that cause colds.

Disorders of the immune system can be broken down into four main categories:

Immunodeficiencies (pronounced: ih-myoon-o-dih-FIH-shun-seez) happen when a part of the immune system is not present or is not working properly.

Sometimes a person is born with an immunodeficiency these are called primary immunodeficiencies. (Although primary immunodeficiencies are conditions that a person is born with, symptoms of the disorder sometimes may not show up until later in life.)

Immunodeficiencies also can be acquired through infection or produced by drugs. These are sometimes called secondary immunodeficiencies.

Immunodeficiencies can affect B lymphocytes, T lymphocytes, or phagocytes.The most common immunodeficiency disorder is IgA deficiency, in which the body doesn't produce enough of the antibody IgA, an immunoglobulin found primarily in the saliva and other body fluids that help guard the entrances to the body. People with IgA deficiency tend to have allergies or get more colds and other respiratory infections, but the condition is usually not severe.

Acquired (or secondary) immunodeficiencies usually develop after a person has a disease, although they can also be the result of malnutrition, burns, or other medical problems. Certain medicines also can cause problems with the functioning of the immune system.

Acquired (secondary) immunodeficiencies include:

Newborns can get HIV infection from their mothers while in the uterus, during the birth process, or during breastfeeding. Teens and adults can get HIV infection by having unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected person or from sharing contaminated needles for drugs, steroids, or tattoos.

In addition, people with autoimmune disorders or who have had organ transplants may need to take immunosuppressant medications. These medicines can also reduce the immune system's ability to fight infections and can cause secondary immunodeficiency.

In autoimmune disorders, the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's healthy organs and tissues as though they were foreign invaders.

Some autoimmune diseases include:

Allergic disorders happen when the immune system overreacts when exposued to antigens in the environment. The substances that provoke such attacks are called allergens. The immune response can cause symptoms such as swelling, watery eyes, and sneezing, and even a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis. Taking medications called antihistamines can relieve most symptoms.

Allergic disorders include:

Cancer happens when cells grow out of control. This can also happen with the cells of the immune system. Leukemia, which involves abnormal overgrowth of leukocytes, is the most common childhood cancer. Lymphoma involves the lymphoid tissues and is also one of the more common childhood cancers. With current medications most cases of both types of cancer in kids and teens are curable.

Although immune system disorders usually can't be prevented, you can help your immune system stay stronger and fight illnesses by staying informed about your condition and working closely with the doctor.

And if you're lucky enough to be healthy, you can help your immune system keep you that way by washing your hands often to avoid infection, eating right, getting plenty of exercise,and getting regular medical checkups.

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Immune System (for Teens) - KidsHealth

The immune system (or immunity) can be divided into two types - innate and adaptive immunity. This video has an immune system animation. The innate immune system consists of defenses against infection that are activated instantly as a pathogen attacks. Adaptive immunity (or acquired immunity) is a subsystem of the immune system that contains highly specialised systemic cells and processes that kill pathogens and prevent their growth in the body. Innate vs adaptive immunity: its important to realize that innate and adaptive immunity are different. Their differences are explained in the video in layman terms.

Our immune system is a fascinating entity, that functions in quite a unique and efficient manner. Comprising of various types of cells, it is prepared for any kind of breach in the fortress of our body, and is equipped to fight off a staggering number of intruders.In this video, we give you a brief overview of the immune system, and the basic types of cells involved, along with the function they carry out.

Each cell if the immune system carries out various roles, depending on the kind of threat the body is facing. However, they have certain basic roles which have been explained here.

References

https://ciiid.washington.edu/content/...http://www.biology.arizona.edu/immuno...http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Mo...https://med.uth.edu/pathology/files/2...

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Immune System: Innate and Adaptive Immunity Explained

By: Ian Murnaghan BSc (hons), MSc - Updated: 25 Sep 2019| *Discuss

With all the controversy surrounding stem cells you may have missed hearing about many of the benefits for the health and medical fields. You may not even be aware that stem cells already have many applications for treating disease. Their potential to treat even more diseases in the future means that scientists are working hard to learn about how stem cells function and how they can treat some of the more serious diseases affecting the world.

The potential to reverse diseases is also not a foreign one.

Heart Attack - For example, a patient who has suffered from a heart attack and sustained heart damage could have the damaged tissue replaced by healthy new muscle cells.

Parkinson's Disease - The destruction of brain cells in conditions such as Parkinson's disease can hopefully be reversed with the replacement of new, healthy and functioning brain cells.

Genetic Defects - Even more promising is the potential to address genetic defects that are present from birth by restoring function and health with the introduction of normal healthy cells that do not have these defects.

Scientists aim to locate and remove specific stem cells from a tissue and then trigger them to differentiate outside of the body before transplanting them back into the patient to replace damaged tissues. In burn victims, a very small piece of the skin can be progressively grown, allowing doctors to cover a burn that is often much larger than the original size of the skin piece.

The current benefits of stem cell usage are already well documented and it is expected that continued research will pave the way for new treatments. For those suffering from serious diseases, stem cells offer hope for effective treatment or perhaps even a reversal of the disease. Time will confirm the full success of stem cell therapies and continued research should teach us more about using stem cells to treat debilitating medical conditions.

Check out the features on stem cell therapy on this site for more information.

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As one of the Best Orthopedic Surgeons in Beverly HIlls and Los Angeles CA, Dr. Raj provides the ultimate in state-of -the-art quality orthopedic care available and is always on the cutting edge of the latest surgical and nonsurgical technologies such as PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) injections, stem cell injections for tendonitis and arthritis, minimally invasive surgery and more. As an orthopedic surgeon Beverly Hills trusts and respects, Dr. Raj believes that an important part of recovery starts before treatment, with educating the patient and their family members on all treatment options, both surgical and non-surgical.

Dr. Raj is a Double Board Certified best Orthopedic Surgeon in Los Angeles, who has been in private practice for 10 years. In his short career and at a young age, he has been named as one of Americas Top Orthopedists, been featured on the Best of LA and has received numerous other accolades and awards as one of the Top & Best Orthopedic doctors in Los Angeles & Beverly Hills. At our orthopedic clinic in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles, Dr. Rajs obsession for perfection and his outstanding team has led to unparalleled surgical results and an impeccable reputation which has garnered the attention of the media seeking his expert opinion, also resulting in numerous guest appearances on radio and television.

As a top Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Raj uses the most advanced techniques and technologies available, to reduce hospitalization and speed recovery. This includes cutting edge techniques for rotator cuff repair, ACL reconstruction, knee replacement, meniscal repair, fracture treatment and much more. The goal of the top Los Angeles orthopedic surgeon is to return you to full activity in the least amount of time possible!

Dr. Raj and his team of orthopedic surgeons in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles CA provides a VIP, concierge personalized service for out of state and international patients to help you recover quicker. In addition, we have catered to many international patients encompassing VIP accommodations.Dr. Raj provides top & best orthopedic surgery in Beverly Hills & Los Angeles CA. Contact Dr. Raj and get back to your life!

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Liver cirrhosis treatment - Stem cells treatment clinic

Chronic liver disease is the fifth biggest killer in the world. When a serious damage occurs, the liver loses the ability to repair itself which becomes a life-threatening condition. The only treatment currently available is a liver transplant. Would regenerative medicine be able to help?

The liver is a multifunctional organ that plays a role in digestion, blood sugar control, blood clotting factors for healing, making amino acids, increasing red blood cell growth, fat and cholesterol transport and the removal of waste, especially toxic exposures and the metabolization of medications into their active ingredients.

Causes of Liver Disease:

Cirrhosis is a term that describes permanent scarring of the liver. Normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue that cannot perform healthy liver function.

Acute liver failure may be life threatening and at one time it was deemed non reversible; however, stem cell regeneration has proven most effective.

The majority of the liver (80 %) is made up of liver cells called hepatocytes. These cells have an average lifespan of 150 days, which means that the liver is constantly renewing itself under normal conditions. It is the only organ in the body that can easily replace damaged cells, but if enough cells are lost, the liver may not be able to meet the needs of the body that leads to liver failure.

The liver is a regenerative organ, but it is limited in this ability depending on the energy reserve needed to heal and the host of responsibilities that must be attended to daily regardless of this central organs ability to keep up the pace.

Liver disease can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. Associated complications include increased risk of bleeding and infection, malnutrition and weight loss, decreased cognitive function over time and an increased risk of cancer.

Reinforcing therapies can transfer us from a condition of day-to-day survival to ones in which we feel a better quality of life.

Treatment of liver options

Although the liver can be recovered, there are no warning signs it is failing until it is too late. Once the line is crossed between the chronic liver disease and the final stage or liver failure, there are fewer options. Up to now, there is no liver dialysis that can rehabilitate liver function in the way that kidney failure is treated. Transplantation is currently the only effective treatment for liver failure, but it has many drawbacks, including the risk of rejection, risks associated with surgery, and a shortage of donors. It is estimated that for every donor organ there are 30 patients on a waiting list, and many people die from end-stage liver disease waiting for a donor organ.

Although dozens of patients with acute liver failure have received hepatocyte transplants from cadaveric donors, with some improvement in liver function, the effects were short lived and there was no overall survival benefit. The major challenges with this approach shortage of cadaveric donors and immune suppression of patients are essentially the same as for whole organ transplants.

As far back as 2000, researchers showed that hepatocytes could grow in the body on non-liver cell sources. This phenomenon is called transdifferentiation. Today, we clinically use donated or autologous (from the patient) adipose tissue stem cells for treating liver disease. When introduced to the patients body, stem cells are transdifferentiating into hepatocytes as as well as producing soluble factors that promote regeneration and repair. There is also the possibility that the stem cells may be fusing with resident hepatocytes to direct their regeneration.

Mesenchymal stem cells are found throughout the adult body in tissues such as bone, muscle, cartilage and fat.

Mesenchymal stem cells are among the most multipotent stem cells that remain in our bodies after birth. This means that they are still able to make a variety of different cell types.

Many trials have shown that patients with liver cirrhosis have benefitted from autologous adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells. We have proven results reversing the effects of hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver damage due to chemo and other drug therapies.

In Swiss Medica Clinic we deliver treatment with proven results supported by the assistance of highly qualified professionals who realize the importance of personalized care, quality and confidence and that leads to top standards of treatment.

Swiss Medica Clinic is an excellent centre that offers patients the most innovative therapies. In principle in our medical centres we use the unique technology of application of autologous photo activated stem cells previously extracted from fat cells using mini liposuction. The highest standards of treatment and investigative research are upheld at all times.

The package include:

Optional additional therapy:

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Liver Cirrhosis Treatment with Stem Cells - Liver disease ...

Gene therapy is an experimental treatment technique that uses genes or genetic material to treat or prevent disease. Human clinical trials are underway to test potential gene therapies forhemophilia.

Hemophilia is a genetic bloodclotting disorder where patients do not make enough of the factors that allow blood to clot. Without these factors, patients cannot stop bleeding when they are injured. Patients with more severe forms of the disease can experience spontaneous bleeding around the joints.

Gene therapy for hemophilia involves using a modified virus (which does not cause disease) to introduce a copy of the gene that encodes for the clotting factor thats missing in patients. Following treatment with the virus, patients should begin producing their own clotting factor normally.

CRISPR/Cas9 is another strategy that could allow a patients body to produce their own blood clotting factor. It uses a piece of genetic material and an enzyme that acts like molecular scissors to repair the genetic fault that causes clotting factor deficiency.

AMT-060is a gene therapy being developed byUniQureto treathemophilia B. Early results from an ongoing two-cohort Phase 1/2, non-randomized, open-label, multi-center clinical trial(NCT02396342) which included 10 patients with severe or moderately severe hemophilia B demonstrated a clinically significant and sustained increase in factor IX activity, a substantial reduction in factor IX replacement therapy usage, and a complete cessation of spontaneous bleeding episodes.

AMT-061 is uniQures second gene therapy candidate for patients with hemophilia B. It is developed to deliver a variant of the F9 gene that encodes for clotting factor IX called FIX-Padua. This variant carries the instructions to make factor IX protein that is eight times more active than the normal protein. A harmless virus vector is used to direct the delivery of FIX-Padua to the patients body. Interim results of an ongoing Phase 2B study (NCT03489291) testing the safety and efficacy of AMT-061 in three patients with severe to moderately severe hemophilia B showed increased factor IX activity, reduced risk of bleeding, and no adverse events. A multicenter Phase 3 study (NCT03569891) evaluating the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of AMT-061 in hemophilia B patients is also underway.

FLT180ais a gene therapy being developed byFreeline.A Phase 1 clinical trial (NCT03369444) is currently recruiting patients with hemophilia B in the U.K. to testFLT180a. A second Phase 2/3 study (NCT03641703) is also recruiting participants in the same location to investigate the long-term safety and durability of factor IX activity in participants who have been treated with FLT180a gene therapy.

Sangamo Therapeutics is developing a genome editing therapy for hemophilia B called SB-FIX. A Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT02695160) is currently recruiting participants at several sites in the U.S. and the U.K.

Fidanacogene elaparvovec (SPK-9001) is a treatment for hemophilia B being developed in a partnership between Spark Therapeutics and Pfizer. This therapy is currently being investigated in a Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT02484092).

SPK-8011 is a gene therapy for hemophilia A being developed by Spark Therapeutics.Preliminary results from Phase 1/2 clinical trials (NCT03003533) indicated that all five participants in the first two dose cohorts have shown persistent, stable clotting factor levels in their blood.

Spark Therapeutics is developing another gene therapy called SPK-8016, which is designed to help hemophilia A patients who have developed inhibitors against their own clotting factors. Patients are currently being recruited for a Phase 1/2 clinical trial (NCT03734588) in the U.S. to determine the effective dosage of the treatment.

Valoctocogene roxaparvovec (BMN 270) is a gene therapy being developed by Biomarinto treat hemophilia A. The therapy is currently in Phase 1/2 clinical trials (NCT02576795).

SB-525is a gene therapybeingdeveloped bySangamo Therapeuticsto treathemophilia A. A Phase 1/2 clinical trial(NCT03061201) is currently recruiting about 20 adults with hemophilia A at sites across the U.S. to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacyof the treatment.

***

Hemophilia News Todayis strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.This contentis not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.

Emily holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Iowa and is currently a postdoctoral scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She graduated with a Masters in Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology and holds a Bachelors in Biology and Chemistry from the University of Central Arkansas.Emily is passionate about science communication, and, in her free time, writes and illustrates childrens stories.

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Gene Therapy - Hemophilia News Today

Hundreds of clinical trials are underway studying the technologys potential use in a wide range of genetic disorders, cancer and HIV/AIDS. There is some debate over whether or not the US already has approved its first gene therapy treatment.

In August 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a cancer therapya CAR-T treatment marketed as Kymriahthat uses a patients own T cells and is a variation of the gene therapy that is being developed to treat single-gene diseases. The T cells are extracted and genetically altered so that they have a new gene that codes for a protein, known as a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), that is a hybrid of two immune system proteins. One part guides the cells to the cancer cell targets and the other alerts the immune system. The cells, programmed to target and kill leukemia cells, are then injected back into the patient. Another CAR-T treatment, marketed as Yescarta, was approved for adults with aggressive forms of non-Hodgkins lymphoma in October 2017.

Some in the scientific community have pushed back against the idea of calling Kymriah or Yescarta true gene therapies, since they dont actually repair or replace a deficient gene. Instead, they say the most likely candidate to gain the first US approval is Luxturna, a one-time treatment that targets a rare, inherited form of blindness. A key committee of independent experts voted unanimously in October 2017 to recommend approval by the FDA for the treatment developed by Spark Therapeutics. The FDA is not bound by the panels decision, though the agency traditionally acts on its recommendations.

Hundreds of research studies (clinical trials) are underway to test gene therapies as treatments for genetic conditions, cancer and HIV/AIDS. ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the National Institutes of Health, provides easy access to information about clinical trials. There is also a list of gene therapy clinical trials that are accepting (or will accept) participants. Among the studies and research:

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Gene Therapy Archives | Genetic Literacy Project

A state in which the rate of mortality from senescence is stable or decreasing

Biological immortality (sometimes referred to as bio-indefinite mortality) is a state in which the rate of mortality from senescence is stable or decreasing, thus decoupling it from chronological age. Various unicellular and multicellular species, including some vertebrates, achieve this state either throughout their existence or after living long enough. A biologically immortal living being can still die from means other than senescence, such as through injury, disease, or lack of available resources.

This definition of immortality has been challenged in the Handbook of the Biology of Aging,[1] because the increase in rate of mortality as a function of chronological age may be negligible at extremely old ages, an idea referred to as the late-life mortality plateau. The rate of mortality may cease to increase in old age, but in most cases that rate is typically very high.[2]

The term is also used by biologists to describe cells that are not subject to the Hayflick limit on how many times they can divide.

Biologists chose the word "immortal" to designate cells that are not subject to the Hayflick limit, the point at which cells can no longer divide due to DNA damage or shortened telomeres. Prior to Leonard Hayflick's theory, Alexis Carrel hypothesized that all normal somatic cells were immortal.[3]

The term "immortalization" was first applied to cancer cells that expressed the telomere-lengthening enzyme telomerase, and thereby avoided apoptosisi.e. cell death caused by intracellular mechanisms. Among the most commonly used cell lines are HeLa and Jurkat, both of which are immortalized cancer cell lines. HeLa cells originated from a sample of cervical cancer taken from Henrietta Lacks in 1951.[4] These cells have been and still are widely used in biological research such as creation of the polio vaccine,[5] sex hormone steroid research,[6] and cell metabolism.[7] Normal stem cells and germ cells can also be said to be immortal (when humans refer to the cell line).[citation needed]

Immortal cell lines of cancer cells can be created by induction of oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor genes. One way to induce immortality is through viral-mediated induction of the large Tantigen,[8] commonly introduced through simian virus 40 (SV-40).[9]

According to the Animal Aging and Longevity Database, the list of organisms with negligible aging (along with estimated longevity in the wild) includes:[10]

In 2018, scientists working for Calico, a company owned by Alphabet, published a paper in the journal eLife which presents possible evidence that Heterocephalus glaber (Naked mole rat) do not face increased mortality risk due to aging.[11][12][13]

Many unicellular organisms age: as time passes, they divide more slowly and ultimately die. Asymmetrically dividing bacteria and yeast also age. However, symmetrically dividing bacteria and yeast can be biologically immortal under ideal growing conditions.[14] In these conditions, when a cell splits symmetrically to produce two daughter cells, the process of cell division can restore the cell to a youthful state. However, if the parent asymmetrically buds off a daughter only the daughter is reset to the youthful statethe parent isn't restored and will go on to age and die. In a similar manner stem cells and gametes can be regarded as "immortal".

Hydras are a genus of the Cnidaria phylum. All cnidarians can regenerate, allowing them to recover from injury and to reproduce asexually. Hydras are simple, freshwater animals possessing radial symmetry and no post-mitotic cells. All hydra cells continually divide.[citation needed] It has been suggested that hydras do not undergo senescence, and, as such, are biologically immortal. In a four-year study, 3 cohorts of hydra did not show an increase in mortality with age. It is possible that these animals live much longer, considering that they reach maturity in 5 to 10 days.[15] However, this does not explain how hydras are consequently able to maintain telomere lengths.

Turritopsis dohrnii, or Turritopsis nutricula, is a small (5 millimeters (0.20in)) species of jellyfish that uses transdifferentiation to replenish cells after sexual reproduction. This cycle can repeat indefinitely, potentially rendering it biologically immortal. This organism originated in the Caribbean sea, but has now spread around the world. Similar cases include hydrozoan Laodicea undulata[16] and scyphozoan Aurelia sp.1.[17]

Research suggests that lobsters may not slow down, weaken, or lose fertility with age, and that older lobsters may be more fertile than younger lobsters. This does not however make them immortal in the traditional sense, as they are significantly more likely to die at a shell moult the older they get (as detailed below).

Their longevity may be due to telomerase, an enzyme that repairs long repetitive sections of DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes, referred to as telomeres. Telomerase is expressed by most vertebrates during embryonic stages but is generally absent from adult stages of life.[18] However, unlike vertebrates, lobsters express telomerase as adults through most tissue, which has been suggested to be related to their longevity.[19][20][21] Contrary to popular belief, lobsters are not immortal. Lobsters grow by moulting which requires a lot of energy, and the larger the shell the more energy is required.[22] Eventually, the lobster will die from exhaustion during a moult. Older lobsters are also known to stop moulting, which means that the shell will eventually become damaged, infected, or fall apart and they die.[23] The European lobster has an average life span of 31 years for males and 54 years for females.

Planarian flatworms have both sexually and asexually reproducing types. Studies on genus Schmidtea mediterranea suggest these planarians appear to regenerate (i.e. heal) indefinitely, and asexual individuals have an "apparently limitless [telomere] regenerative capacity fueled by a population of highly proliferative adult stem cells". "Both asexual and sexual animals display age-related decline in telomere length; however, asexual animals are able to maintain telomere lengths somatically (i.e. during reproduction by fission or when regeneration is induced by amputation), whereas sexual animals restore telomeres by extension during sexual reproduction or during embryogenesis like other sexual species. Homeostatic telomerase activity observed in both asexual and sexual animals is not sufficient to maintain telomere length, whereas the increased activity in regenerating asexuals is sufficient to renew telomere length... "[24]

Lifespan: For sexually reproducing planaria: "the lifespan of individual planarian can be as long as 3 years, likely due to the ability of neoblasts to constantly replace aging cells". Whereas for asexually reproducing planaria: "individual animals in clonal lines of some planarian species replicating by fission have been maintained for over 15 years".[25]They are "literally immortal."[26]

Although the premise that biological aging can be halted or reversed by foreseeable technology remains controversial,[27] research into developing possible therapeutic interventions is underway.[28] Among the principal drivers of international collaboration in such research is the SENS Research Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates a number of what it claims are plausible research pathways that might lead to engineered negligible senescence in humans.[29][30]

In 2015, Elizabeth Parrish, CEO of BioViva, treated herself using gene therapy with the goal of not just halting, but reversing aging.[31] She has since reported feeling more energetic, and no obvious negative side effects have been noticed.[32]

For several decades,[33] researchers have also pursued various forms of suspended animation as a means by which to indefinitely extend mammalian lifespan. Some scientists have voiced support[34] for the feasibility of the cryopreservation of humans, known as cryonics. Cryonics is predicated on the concept that some people considered clinically dead by today's medicolegal standards are not actually dead according to information-theoretic death and can, in principle, be resuscitated given sufficient technological advances.[35] The goal of current cryonics procedures is tissue vitrification, a technique first used to reversibly cryopreserve a viable whole organ in 2005.[36][37]

Similar proposals involving suspended animation include chemical brain preservation. The non-profit Brain Preservation Foundation offers a cash prize valued at over $100,000 for demonstrations of techniques that would allow for high-fidelity, long-term storage of a mammalian brain.[38]

In 2016, scientists at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging and the Mayo Clinic employed genetic and pharmacological approaches to ablate pro-aging senescent cells, extending healthy lifespan of mice by over 25%. The startup Unity Biotechnology is further developing this strategy in human clinical trials.[39]

In early 2017, Harvard scientists headed by biologist David Sinclair announced they have tested a metabolic precursor that increases NAD+ levels in mice and have successfully reversed the cellular aging process and can protect the DNA from future damage. "The old mouse and young mouse cells are indistinguishable", David was quoted. Human trials are to begin shortly in what the team expect is 6 months at Brigham and Women's Hospital, in Boston.[40]

To achieve the more limited goal of halting the increase in mortality rate with age, a solution must be found to the fact that any intervention to remove senescent cells that creates competition among cells will increase age-related mortality from cancer.[41]

In 2012 in Russia, and then in the United States, Israel, and the Netherlands, pro-immortality transhumanist political parties were launched.[42] They aim to provide political support to anti-aging and radical life extension research and technologies and want to ensure the fastest possibleand at the same time, the least disruptivesocietal transition to radical life extension, life without aging, and ultimately, immortality. They aim to make it possible to provide access to such technologies to the majority of people alive today.[43]

Future advances in nanomedicine could give rise to life extension through the repair of many processes thought to be responsible for aging. K. Eric Drexler, one of the founders of nanotechnology, postulated cell repair devices, including ones operating within cells and utilizing as yet hypothetical molecular machines, in his 1986 book Engines of Creation. Raymond Kurzweil, a futurist and transhumanist, stated in his book The Singularity Is Near that he believes that advanced medical nanorobotics could completely remedy the effects of aging by 2030.[44] According to Richard Feynman, it was his former graduate student and collaborator Albert Hibbs who originally suggested to him in around 1959 the idea of a medical use for Feynman's theoretical micromachines (see biological machine). Hibbs suggested that certain repair machines might one day be reduced in size to the point that it would, in theory, be possible to (as Feynman put it) "swallow the doctor". The idea was incorporated into Feynman's 1959 essay There's Plenty of Room at the Bottom.[45]

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Biological immortality - Wikipedia

References

Heldin CH, et al. A human osteosarcoma cell line secretes a growth factor structurally related to a homodimer of PDGF A-chains. Nature 319: 511-514, 1986. PubMed: 3456080

Ponten J, Saksela E. Two established in vitro cell lines from human mesenchymal tumours. Int. J. Cancer 2: 434-447, 1967. PubMed: 6081590

Raile K, et al. Human osteosarcoma (U-2 OS) cells express both insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptors and insulin-like growth factor-II/mannose-6- phosphate (IGF-II/M6P) receptors and synthesize IGF-II: autocrine growth stimulation by IGF-II via the IGF-I receptor. J. Cell. Physiol. 159: 531-541, 1994. PubMed: 8188767

Landers JE, et al. Translational enhancement of mdm2 oncogene expression in human tumor cells containing a stabilized wild-type p53 protein. Cancer Res. 57: 3562-3568, 1997. PubMed: 9270029

Moradpour D, et al. Characterization of cell lines allowing titghtly regulated expression of heapatitis C virus core protein. Virology 222: 51-63, 1996. PubMed: 8806487

Ponten J, Saksela E. Two established in vitro cell lines from human mesenchymal tumours. Int. J. Cancer 2: 434-447, 1967. PubMed: 6081590

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U-2 OS ATCC HTB-96 Homo sapiens bone osteosarcoma

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep. 4, 2019--Magenta Therapeutics (NASDAQ: MGTA), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel medicines to bring the curative power of stem cell transplant to more patients, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Regenerative Medicine Advance Therapy (RMAT) designation for MGTA-456, a one-time cell therapy for the treatment of multiple inherited metabolic disorders.

This RMAT designation was based on the encouraging clinical data we have presented thus far, and it is an important milestone that recognizes the transformative, life-saving potential of MGTA-456 for children suffering from inherited metabolic disorders, said John Davis, M.D., M.P.H., Chief Medical Officer, Magenta. We look forward to collaborating closely with the FDA as we seek to rapidly advance MGTA-456 through the ongoing Phase 2 study and into potential pivotal studies in 2020.

MGTA-456 is a cell therapy designed to halt the progress of inherited metabolic disorders by providing a high dose of stem cells that regenerate a well-matched new immune system in the patient. Magenta is developing MGTA-456 as a medicine for multiple diseases. The company is currently studying MGTA-456 in a Phase 2 clinical trial in patients older than 6 months of age with Hurler syndrome, cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy (cALD), metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) or globoid cell leukodystrophy (GLD) at four centers of excellence: Cincinnati Childrens Hospital, Duke University, Emory University and the University of Minnesota.

Previously presented results from the first five evaluable patients treated in the study followed to 6 months showed rapid and persistent signs of disease benefit, which are not consistently seen with other investigational therapies in these diseases:

Established under the 21st Century Cures Act, RMAT designation is a dedicated program designed to expedite the development and approval processes for promising pipeline products, including cell therapies. An investigational drug is eligible for RMAT designation if it is intended to treat, modify, reverse, or cure a serious or life-threatening disease; and preliminary clinical evidence indicates that the therapy has the potential to address unmet medical needs for that disease. Advantages of the RMAT designation include all the benefits of the fast track and breakthrough therapy designation programs, including early interactions with FDA that may be used to discuss potential surrogate or intermediate endpoints to support accelerated approval.

About Magenta TherapeuticsHeadquartered in Cambridge, Mass., Magenta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel medicines for patients with autoimmune diseases, blood cancers and genetic diseases. By creating a platform focused on critical areas of unmet need, Magenta Therapeutics is pioneering an integrated approach to allow more patients to receive one-time, curative therapies by making the process more effective, safer and easier.

Forward-Looking StatementThis press release may contain forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. The use of words such as may, will, could, should, expects, intends, plans, anticipates, believes, estimates, predicts, projects, seeks, endeavor, potential, continue or the negative of such words or other similar expressions can be used to identify forward-looking statements. The express or implied forward-looking statements included in this press release are only predictions and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions, including, without limitation: uncertainties inherent in clinical studies and in the availability and timing of data from ongoing clinical studies; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial; whether results from preclinical studies or earlier clinical studies will be predictive of the results of future trials; the expected timing of submissions for regulatory approval or review by governmental authorities, including review under accelerated approval processes; orphan drug designation eligibility; regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products; and other risks set forth under the caption Risk Factors in Magentas Registration Statement on Form S-1, as updated by Magentas most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of these risks, uncertainties and assumptions, the forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this press release may not occur and actual results could differ materially and adversely from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Although Magenta believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, it cannot guarantee that the future results, levels of activity, performance or events and circumstances reflected in the forward-looking statements will be achieved or occur. Moreover, except as required by law, neither Magenta nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of the forward-looking statements included in this press release. Any forward-looking statement included in this press release speaks only as of the date on which it was made. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190904005511/en/

Source: Magenta Therapeutics

Magenta Therapeutics:Manisha Pai, Vice President, Communications & Investor Relations617-510-9193mpai@magentatx.com

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Magenta Therapeutics Announces FDA Regenerative Medicine ...

An applicant must successfully complete requirements of both theUW-Madison Graduate Schooland the Master of Genetic Counselor Studies program (MCGS) to be considered a qualified applicant.

Most applicants have a balanced set of experiences, clear communication skills and strong letters of recommendations as well as high academic achievement. Strong applicantsdemonstrate an insightful process towardtheir career development and a high level of maturity.

Applicants must have a bachelor's degree. Although a specific major is not required, most applicants have a degree in a biological science (e.g. biology, genetics, biochemistry).

The average GPA of admitted students is 3.5. In following the Graduate Schools requirements for admission, a minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work)ora master's degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 is required. If a student has an undergraduate GPA less than 3.0, coursework completed after graduation demonstrating a higher GPA will be considered.

An applicant must complete courses in biochemistry, statistics and advanced genetics. An appropriate biochemistry course generally requires prerequisites that include at least one semester of chemistry and organic chemistry. Advanced genetic courses are typically designed for life science majors (e.g. biology, genetics, or molecular and cell biology majors). Generally, only having one introductory genetics course intended for non-science majors is not sufficient. We encourage students to take as many relevant genetics and biology courses as possible to strengthen their application. All required courses should be taken prior to applying as it is difficult to evaluate courses in progress at the time of application.

Completion of the GRE is required. This exam is used as a marker of likelihood of academic success. There is no specific cutoff value; a brochure (pdf)created by the Association of Genetic Counseling Program Directors includes average GRE scores of applicants. The Subject GRE is not required.

As per the requirements of the Graduate School, "Every applicant whose native language is not English, or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English, must provide an English proficiency test score." Given that the profession of genetic counseling is highly dependent on excellent communication skills, applicants must have a high degree of fluency in verbal and written communication. Strong candidates have TOEFL scores approaching 110 (iBT). TOEFL scores less than 100 (iBT) will not be considered for admission.

Observation of a genetic counselor(s) is a good method to learn more about the profession. This process is to help one identify if the field of genetic counseling is a good fit with one's personal and career goals. Recognizing that this clinical experience is not always possible, interviewing genetic counselors is a reasonable option. Simulated genetic counseling sessions are available on theNational Society of Genetic Counselors website as an additional resource to supplement other exposure. Please list such experience in your resume/CV.

Given the nature of this profession, having experience in advocacy or counseling is of significant value. Such experience helps one appreciate and develop interpersonal communication skills, have a better understanding of the patient or person's experience, and to have a better understanding of the healthcare system or other public service system. Applicants typically have experiences from many different settings including: Planned Parenthood, domestic abuse shelters, crisis hotlines, peer counseling, homeless shelters, hospice care, or working with individuals with physical disabilities or intellectual impairment.

Three letters of recommendation are required that demonstrate ones academic, professional and advocacy strengths.

As noted on theNational Society of Genetic Counselors website, applicants often engage in various types of experiences outside of the typical classroom. Experiences should aid intheir decision to pursue a career in genetic counseling. Most applicants have held various types of jobs, completed research or laboratory work, or volunteered with various organizations such as Special Olympics.

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Admission Requirements | Genetic Counseling Program

Most of the time, genetic testing is done through healthcare providers such as physicians, nurse practitioners, and genetic counselors. Healthcare providers determine which test is needed, order the test from a laboratory, collect and send the DNA sample, interpret the test results, and share the results with the patient. Often, a health insurance company covers part or all of the cost of testing.

Direct-to-consumer genetic testing is different: these genetic tests are marketed directly to customers via television, print advertisements, or the Internet, and the tests can be bought online or in stores. Customers send the company a DNA sample and receive their results directly from a secure website or in a written report. Direct-to-consumer genetic testing provides people access to their genetic information without necessarily involving a healthcare provider or health insurance company in the process.

Dozens of companies currently offer direct-to-consumer genetic tests for a variety of purposes. The most popular tests use genetic variations to make predictions about health, provide information about common traits, and offer clues about a persons ancestry. The number of companies providing direct-to-consumer genetic testing is growing, along with the range of health conditions and traits covered by these tests. Because there is currently little regulation of direct-to-consumer genetic testing services, it is important to assess the quality of available services before pursuing any testing.

Other names for direct-to-consumer genetic testing include DTC genetic testing, direct-access genetic testing, at-home genetic testing, and home DNA testing. Ancestry testing (also called genealogy testing) is also considered a form of direct-to-consumer genetic testing.

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What is direct-to-consumer genetic testing? - Genetics ...

"Etiologies" and "etiologic" redirect here. For other uses, see etiology.

Cause, also known as etiology () and aetiology, is the reason or origination of something.[1]

The word is derived from the Greek , aitiologia, "giving a reason for" (, aitia, "cause"; and -, -logia).[2]

In medicine, the term refers to the causes of diseases or pathologies.[3] Where no etiology can be ascertained, the disorder is said to be idiopathic.Traditional accounts of the causes of disease may point to the "evil eye".[4]The Ancient Roman scholar Marcus Terentius Varro put forward early ideas about microorganisms in a 1st-century BC book titled On Agriculture.[5]

Medieval thinking on the etiology of disease showed the influence of Galen and of Hippocrates.[6] Medieval European doctors generally held the view that disease was related to the air and adopted a miasmatic approach to disease etiology.[7]

Etiological discovery in medicine has a history in Robert Koch's demonstration that the tubercle bacillus (Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex) causes the disease tuberculosis, Bacillus anthracis causes anthrax, and Vibrio cholerae causes cholera. This line of thinking and evidence is summarized in Koch's postulates. But proof of causation in infectious diseases is limited to individual cases that provide experimental evidence of etiology.

In epidemiology, several lines of evidence together are required to infer causation. Sir Austin Bradford-Hill demonstrated a causal relationship between smoking and lung cancer, and summarized the line of reasoning in the epidemiological criteria for causation. Dr. Al Evans, a US epidemiologist, synthesized his predecessors' ideas in proposing the Unified Concept of Causation.

Further thinking in epidemiology was required to distinguish causation from association or statistical correlation. Events may occur together simply due to chance, bias or confounding, instead of one event being caused by the other. It is also important to know which event is the cause. Careful sampling and measurement are more important than sophisticated statistical analysis to determine causation. Experimental evidence involving interventions (providing or removing the supposed cause) gives the most compelling evidence of etiology.

Related to this, sometimes several symptoms always appear together, or more often than what could be expected, though it is known that one cannot cause the other. These situations are called syndromes, and normally it is assumed that an underlying condition must exist that explains all the symptoms.

Other times there is not a single cause for a disease, but instead a chain of causation from an initial trigger to the development of the clinical disease. An etiological agent of disease may require an independent co-factor, and be subject to a promoter (increases expression) to cause disease. An example of all the above, which was recognized late, is that peptic ulcer disease may be induced by stress, requires the presence of acid secretion in the stomach, and has primary etiology in Helicobacter pylori infection. Many chronic diseases of unknown cause may be studied in this framework to explain multiple epidemiological associations or risk factors which may or may not be causally related, and to seek the actual etiology.

Some diseases, such as diabetes or hepatitis, are syndromically defined by their signs and symptoms, but include different conditions with different etiologies. These are called heterogeneous conditions.

Conversely, a single etiology, such as Epstein-Barr virus, may in different circumstances produce different diseases such as mononucleosis, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, or Burkitt's lymphoma.

An endotype is a subtype of a condition, which is defined by a distinct functional or pathobiological mechanism. This is distinct from a phenotype, which is any observable characteristic or trait of a disease, such as morphology, development, biochemical or physiological properties, or behavior, without any implication of a mechanism. It is envisaged that patients with a specific endotype present themselves within phenotypic clusters of diseases.

One example is asthma, which is considered to be a syndrome, consisting of a series of endotypes.[8] This is related to the concept of disease entity.

Other example could be AIDS, where an HIV infection can produce several clinical stages. AIDS is defined as the clinical stage IV of the HIV infection.[9]

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Cause (medicine) - Wikipedia

Baud O, Cormier-Daire V, Lyonnet S, Desjardins L, Turleau C, Doz F. Dysmorphic phenotype and neurological impairment in 22 retinoblastoma patients with constitutional cytogenetic 13q deletion. Clin Genet. 1999 Jun;55(6):478-82.

Corson TW, Gallie BL. One hit, two hits, three hits, more? Genomic changes in the development of retinoblastoma. Genes Chromosomes Cancer. 2007 Jul;46(7):617-34. Review.

De Falco G, Giordano A. pRb2/p130: a new candidate for retinoblastoma tumor formation. Oncogene. 2006 Aug 28;25(38):5333-40. Review.

Ewens KG, Bhatti TR, Moran KA, Richards-Yutz J, Shields CL, Eagle RC, Ganguly A. Phosphorylation of pRb: mechanism for RB pathway inactivation in MYCN-amplified retinoblastoma. Cancer Med. 2017 Mar;6(3):619-630. doi: 10.1002/cam4.1010. Epub 2017 Feb 17.

Lohmann DR, Gallie BL. Retinoblastoma. 2000 Jul 18 [updated 2015 Nov 19]. In: Pagon RA, Adam MP, Ardinger HH, Wallace SE, Amemiya A, Bean LJH, Bird TD, Ledbetter N, Mefford HC, Smith RJH, Stephens K, editors. GeneReviews [Internet]. Seattle (WA): University of Washington, Seattle; 1993-2017. Available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1452/

Madhavan J, Ganesh A, Kumaramanickavel G. Retinoblastoma: from disease to discovery. Ophthalmic Res. 2008;40(5):221-6. doi: 10.1159/000128578. Epub 2008 Apr 29. Review.

Mallipatna A, Marino M, Singh AD. Genetics of Retinoblastoma. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2016 Jul-Aug;5(4):260-4. doi: 10.1097/APO.0000000000000219. Review.

Poulaki V, Mukai S. Retinoblastoma: genetics and pathology. Int Ophthalmol Clin. 2009 Winter;49(1):155-64. doi: 10.1097/IIO.0b013e3181924bc2. Review.

Rushlow DE, Mol BM, Kennett JY, Yee S, Pajovic S, Thriault BL, Prigoda-Lee NL, Spencer C, Dimaras H, Corson TW, Pang R, Massey C, Godbout R, Jiang Z, Zacksenhaus E, Paton K, Moll AC, Houdayer C, Raizis A, Halliday W, Lam WL, Boutros PC, Lohmann D, Dorsman JC, Gallie BL. Characterisation of retinoblastomas without RB1 mutations: genomic, gene expression, and clinical studies. Lancet Oncol. 2013 Apr;14(4):327-34. doi: 10.1016/S1470-2045(13)70045-7. Epub 2013 Mar 13.

Schefler AC, Abramson DH. Retinoblastoma: what is new in 2007-2008. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2008 Nov;19(6):526-34. doi: 10.1097/ICU.0b013e328312975b. Review.

Sippel KC, Fraioli RE, Smith GD, Schalkoff ME, Sutherland J, Gallie BL, Dryja TP. Frequency of somatic and germ-line mosaicism in retinoblastoma: implications for genetic counseling. Am J Hum Genet. 1998 Mar;62(3):610-9.

Soliman SE, Dimaras H, Khetan V, Gardiner JA, Chan HS, Hon E, Gallie BL. Prenatal versus Postnatal Screening for Familial Retinoblastoma. Ophthalmology. 2016 Dec;123(12):2610-2617. doi: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2016.08.027. Epub 2016 Oct 3.

Soliman SE, Racher H, Zhang C, MacDonald H, Gallie BL. Genetics and Molecular Diagnostics in Retinoblastoma--An Update. Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila). 2017 Mar-Apr;6(2):197-207. doi: 10.22608/APO.201711.

See more here:
Retinoblastoma - Genetics Home Reference - NIH

Your car's timing belt is responsible for maintaining the precision that's crucial to your engine's functions. Essentially, it coordinates the rotations of the camshaft and crankshaft so the engine's valves and pistons move in sync. The expected lifespan of your timing belt is specific to your car and engine configuration, usually between 60,000 and 100,000 miles. (You can check your owner's manual or look online for your car's service schedule.)

The manufacturer's recommended intervals are a safe guideline; you probably won't need to replace your belt any earlier [source: Allen]. However, if you're approaching your service interval and have doubts about the belt's condition, you might as well get it replaced a little early. It'll be less expensive than waiting until after the belt breaks.

Why is it important to replace the timing belt on such a strict schedule? The belt is a synthetic rubber strap that contains fiber strands for strength. It has teeth to prevent slipping, which fit into the grooves on the end of the camshaft and crankshaft. It's a simple part for such an important function, and when it snaps, things get a lot more complicated. Unlike many car parts that gradually lose function as they wear out, a timing belt simply fails. Whether the belt breaks or a couple of teeth strip, the end result is the same. One minute, your car will be running perfectly; the next minute, it won't. You're in trouble if your car has an "interference engine," in which the valves are in the path of the pistons. If the camshaft or crankshaft moves independently in an interference engine, there will be at least one valve/piston collision. The fragile valves will bend, and you'll be faced with a costly repair.

It's easy to check the belt for signs of premature wear -- just locate it in the engine bay (usually under a plastic or metal shield that should be easy to remove) and check it for drying, fraying and discoloration.

The belt itself is inexpensive, probably costing less than $20 at an auto parts store. Your mechanic will probably charge several hundred dollars (or more) for a belt replacement service, though. Those hours spent dismantling and reassembling the engine bay add up quickly.

You can replace the timing belt yourself if you have access to the necessary equipment. In some cars, it's a straightforward procedure -- remove the engine covers and shrouds, line up the camshaft and crankshaft, slip off the old belt, and slip on the new one. Sometimes, though, it's a lot more complicated. For example, the timing belt might loop through a motor mount, in which case the mount would need to be removed to access the belt. You'd need an engine hoist or stand to safely remove and replace the mount [source: Juran].

Keep in mind that an error in this job, such as improperly turning the engine by hand or failing to coordinate the shafts, will cause the same damage as a snapped belt. Make sure you understand the procedure before getting started.

Need more help with the do-it-yourself approach? The next section will point you in the right direction.

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How long do timing belts last? | HowStuffWorks

Windshield wiper blades don't get the respect they deserve. They remove rain, snow and sometimes even ice and dirt from the windshield of your car and they do it quickly and smoothly, at the push of a button. They endure extremes of temperature, from sub-zero winter weather to scorching desert sunshine. They may have to operate for hours at a time. And yet they're made out of thin, flexible rubber -- not exactly the sort of material that can take this kind of abuse indefinitely.

This makes windshield wiper blades one of the hardest working -- yet least durable -- parts of your car. Over time, they'll crack, become misshapen or lose their flexibility. And don't think that just because you live in a sunny dry climate without much rain -- Southern California, for instance -- that your wiper blades will last longer. In fact, the heat and lack of moisture can damage the blades even if you never turn them on. Similarly, extremely cold weather can make the blades stiff and easily fractured.

Most experts say that wiper blades need to be changed every six to 12 months, though this depends both on weather conditions and on what the blades are made out of. Ordinary rubber blades have the shortest lifespan, halogen-hardened rubber blades last a bit longer, and silicone blades have the longest lifetimes of all, perhaps exceeding a year even under intense use. Of course they also cost more than ordinary rubber blades.

You'll know when your wiper blades need to be replaced because you'll see streaking as they wipe the moisture from the windshield or even large gaps where no water is being removed. They may start making squeaking or chattering sounds (though this can also happen if you run the wipers when the windshield is mostly dry). If left unchanged for too long, the material of the blade can shred and break loose from the arm. This can actually cause damage to your windshield, as the metal or hard plastic of the arm scrapes across the glass. You don't want this to happen.

Fortunately, you won't necessarily have to replace the entire blade assembly. Most blade arms will accept rubber refills, giving you the option of replacing only the part that's damaged. However, blade arms can become bent over time, so make sure that the refill is all that you need to replace in order to fix the problem.

For more information about windshield wiper blades and other related topics, follow the links below.

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How long do windshield wiper blades last? | HowStuffWorks

Integrative Doctor Summary: An Integrative Doctor combines the latest advancements of conventional medicine with complimentary alternative approaches to promote wellness of the body, mind, heart, and spirit. An Integrative Doctor focuses on a more holistic approach to relieve pain, reduce stress, find alternatives to prescription medicines, or simply improve an individual's quality of life. An Integrative Doctor will typically offer individualized treatment plans based on a patients' needs. Some of the therapies an Integrative Doctor may incorporate throughout treatment include nutritional supplements, acupuncture, naturopathic medicine, clinical nutrition, massage, and energy healing. Integrative Doctors treat a wide array of ailments and illnesses and offer integrative, holistic care that is designed to treat the person, not just the disease.

Integrative Doctor FAQs: What is an Integrative Doctor?An Integrative Doctor is a doctor who combines conventional medicine with alternative medicine.

What is Conventional Medicine?Conventional Medicine is the system that physicians use to treat diseases. It is one of the practices of an Integrative Doctor.

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How do I find an Integrative Doctor in my city and state?The Wellness.com directory will help you locate an Integrative Doctor in your state. Select Integrative Doctor from the professionals menu and select the state that you are looking to locate an Integrative Doctor in. After you have located your state, find the city that you will need an Integrative Doctor in. Select the state and city and you will see a list of Integrative Doctors in your city and state.

Integrative Doctor Related Terms: holistic, wellness, integrative doctor, alternative medicine, conventional medicine, herbal remedies

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Integrative Doctor in your area - wellness.com