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Biotechnology Industry News: Industry Center – Yahoo Finance

Posted: October 26, 2016 at 10:42 am

Latest News Wednesday, Oct 26, 2016 Former Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Company Executive Joins 22nd Century Business Wire - 52 minutes ago Pluristem Stock Soars 8% on $30M Chinese VC (PSTI) at Investopedia - 1 hour, 14 minutes ago Rexahn Pharmaceuticals Receives U.S. Patent for RX-21101: A Novel Nano-Polymer Conjugate of Docetaxel for the Targeted Treatment of Solid Tumors GlobeNewswire - 1 hour, 42 minutes ago Flex Pharma to Report Third Quarter 2016 Results on November 2, 2016 Business Wire - 1 hour, 42 minutes ago NEMUS Bioscience Announces $500,000 Preferred Stock Financing - 1 hour, 44 minutes ago Minerva Neurosciences Announces Positive Data From Six-Month Extension of Phase IIb Trial of MIN-101 Monotherapy in Schizophrenia Thomson Reuters ONE - 2 hours, 10 minutes ago OncoMed Pharmaceuticals to Report Financial Results for the Third Quarter on Tuesday, November 1, 2016 GlobeNewswire - 2 hours, 12 minutes ago Ultragenyx Announces First Patient Enrolled in Global Phase 3 Study of KRN23 in Pediatric Patients with X-Linked Hypophosphatemia (XLH) GlobeNewswire - 2 hours, 12 minutes ago Minerva Neurosciences Announces Positive Data From Six-Month Extension of Phase IIb Trial of MIN-101 Monotherapy in Schizophrenia GlobeNewswire - 2 hours, 12 minutes ago Medgenics to Host Conference Call to Announce Third Quarter 2016 Financial Results Marketwire - 2 hours, 12 minutes ago Acasti Pharma Builds Intellectual Property Portfolio with Newly Issued U.S. Patent for CaPre Marketwire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Xencor to Host Third Quarter 2016 Financial Results Webcast and Conference Call on November 2, 2016 PR Newswire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Paratek Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to Host R&D Day on November 17, 2016 GlobeNewswire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Inovio Pharmaceuticals to Report Third Quarter 2016 Financial Results November 9, 2016 GlobeNewswire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Aeterna Zentaris Completes Patient Recruitment for Confirmatory Phase 3 Trial of Macrilen Business Wire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Pieris Pharmaceuticals to Receive GLP Tox Milestone Payment in Daiichi Sankyo Collaboration Marketwire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Lion Biotechnologies Announces Presentations at Upcoming SITC 31st Annual Meeting Marketwire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago Ritter Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prices $5,000,000 Public Offering of Common Stock Marketwire - 2 hours, 42 minutes ago AstraZeneca Is Now a Competitive Threat to Tesaro in Ovarian Cancer Maintenance Therapy at TheStreet.com - Wed 7:40 am ET ARIAD Announces Publication of the Preclinical Profile of Brigatinib in the Journal Clinical Cancer Research Business Wire - Wed 7:35 am ET More Latest News...

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Biotechnology Industry News: Industry Center - Yahoo Finance

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1. What is agricultural biotechnology? – GreenFacts

Posted: October 26, 2016 at 10:42 am

Broadly speaking, biotechnology is any technique that uses living organisms or substances from these organisms to make or modify a product for a practical purpose (Box 2). Biotechnology can be applied to all classes of organism - from viruses and bacteria to plants and animals - and it is becoming a major feature of modern medicine, agriculture and industry. Modern agricultural biotechnology includes a range of tools that scientists employ to understand and manipulate the genetic make-up of organisms for use in the production or processing of agricultural products.

Some applications of biotechnology, such as fermentation and brewing, have been used for millennia. Other applications are newer but also well established. For example, micro-organisms have been used for decades as living factories for the production of life-saving antibiotics including penicillin, from the fungus Penicillium, and streptomycin from the bacterium Streptomyces. Modern detergents rely on enzymes produced via biotechnology, hard cheese production largely relies on rennet produced by biotech yeast and human insulin for diabetics is now produced using biotechnology.

Biotechnology is being used to address problems in all areas of agricultural production and processing. This includes plant breeding to raise and stabilize yields; to improve resistance to pests, diseases and abiotic stresses such as drought and cold; and to enhance the nutritional content of foods. Biotechnology is being used to develop low-cost disease-free planting materials for crops such as cassava, banana and potato and is creating new tools for the diagnosis and treatment of plant and animal diseases and for the measurement and conservation of genetic resources. Biotechnology is being used to speed up breeding programmes for plants, livestock and fish and to extend the range of traits that can be addressed. Animal feeds and feeding practices are being changed by biotechnology to improve animal nutrition and to reduce environmental waste. Biotechnology is used in disease diagnostics and for the production of vaccines against animal diseases.

Clearly, biotechnology is more than genetic engineering. Indeed, some of the least controversial aspects of agricultural biotechnology are potentially the most powerful and the most beneficial for the poor. Genomics, for example, is revolutionizing our understanding of the ways genes, cells, organisms and ecosystems function and is opening new horizons for marker-assisted breeding and genetic resource management. At the same time, genetic engineering is a very powerful tool whose role should be carefully evaluated. It is important to understand how biotechnology - particularly genetic engineering - complements and extends other approaches if sensible decisions are to be made about its use.

This chapter provides a brief description of current and emerging uses of biotechnology in crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry with a view to understanding the technologies themselves and the ways they complement and extend other approaches. It should be emphasized that the tools of biotechnology are just that: tools, not ends in themselves. As with any tool, they must be assessed within the context in which they are being used.

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Biotechnology Industry Salaries, Bonuses and Benefits …

Posted: October 26, 2016 at 10:42 am

What are some average salaries for jobs in the Biotechnology industry? These pages lists all of the job titles in the Biotechnology industry for which we have salary information. If you know the pay grade of the job you are searching for you can narrow down this list to only view Biotechnology industry jobs that pay less than $30K, $30K-$50K, $50K-$80K, $80K-$100K, or more than $100K. If you are unsure how much your Biotechnology industry job pays you can choose to either browse all Biotechnology industry salaries below or you can search all salaries.

Category: All Accounting Administrative, Support, and Clerical Advertising Aerospace and Defense Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing Architecture Arts and Entertainment Automotive Aviation and Airlines Banking Biotechnology Clergy Construction and Installation Consulting Services Customer Services Education Energy and Utilities Engineering Entry Level Environment Executive and Management Facilities, Maintenance, and Repair Financial Services Fire, Law Enforcement, and Security Food, Beverage, and Tobacco Government Graphic Arts Healthcare -- Administrative Healthcare -- Nursing Healthcare -- Practitioners Healthcare -- Technicians Hotel, Gaming, Leisure, and Travel Human Resources Insurance Internet and New Media IT -- All IT -- Computers, Hardware IT -- Computers, Software IT -- Executive, Consulting IT -- Manager IT -- Networking Legal Services Library Services Logistics Manufacturing Marketing Materials Management Media -- Broadcast Media -- Print Military Mining Non-Profit and Social Services Personal Care and Service Pharmaceuticals Planning Printing and Publishing Public Relations Purchasing Real Estate Restaurant and Food Services Retail/Wholesale Sales Science and Research Skilled and Trades Sports and Recreation Telecommunications Training Transportation and Warehousing

Industry: Aerospace & Defense Biotechnology Business Services Chemicals Construction Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit Energy & Utilities Financial Services Healthcare Hospitality & Leisure Insurance Internet Media MFG Durable MFG Nondurable Pharmaceuticals Retail & Wholesale Software & Networking Telecom Transportation

Income Level: All $100,000+ $80,000 - $100,000 $50,000 - $80,000 $30,000 - $50,000 $10,000 - $30,000

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Diabetes mellitus – Wikipedia

Posted: October 26, 2016 at 10:41 am

Diabetes mellitus (DM), commonly referred to as diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period.[2] Symptoms of high blood sugar include frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. If left untreated, diabetes can cause many complications.[3]Acute complications can include diabetic ketoacidosis, nonketotic hyperosmolar coma, or death.[4] Serious long-term complications include heart disease, stroke, chronic kidney failure, foot ulcers, and damage to the eyes.[3]

Diabetes is due to either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the cells of the body not responding properly to the insulin produced.[5] There are three main types of diabetes mellitus:

Prevention and treatment involve maintaining a healthy diet, regular physical exercise, a normal body weight, and avoiding use of tobacco. Control of blood pressure and maintaining proper foot care are important for people with the disease. Type 1 DM must be managed with insulin injections.[3] Type 2 DM may be treated with medications with or without insulin.[7] Insulin and some oral medications can cause low blood sugar.[8]Weight loss surgery in those with obesity is sometimes an effective measure in those with type 2 DM.[9] Gestational diabetes usually resolves after the birth of the baby.[10]

As of 2015[update], an estimated 415 million people had diabetes worldwide,[11] with type 2 DM making up about 90% of the cases.[12][13] This represents 8.3% of the adult population,[13] with equal rates in both women and men.[14] As of 2014[update], trends suggested the rate would continue to rise.[15] Diabetes at least doubles a person's risk of early death.[3] From 2012 to 2015, approximately 1.5 to 5.0 million deaths each year resulted from diabetes.[7][11] The global economic cost of diabetes in 2014 was estimated to be US$612 billion.[16] In the United States, diabetes cost $245 billion in 2012.[17]

The classic symptoms of untreated diabetes are weight loss, polyuria (increased urination), polydipsia (increased thirst), and polyphagia (increased hunger).[18] Symptoms may develop rapidly (weeks or months) in type1 DM, while they usually develop much more slowly and may be subtle or absent in type2 DM.

Several other signs and symptoms can mark the onset of diabetes although they are not specific to the disease. In addition to the known ones above, they include blurry vision, headache, fatigue, slow healing of cuts, and itchy skin. Prolonged high blood glucose can cause glucose absorption in the lens of the eye, which leads to changes in its shape, resulting in vision changes. A number of skin rashes that can occur in diabetes are collectively known as diabetic dermadromes.

Low blood sugar is common in persons with type 1 and type 2 DM. Most cases are mild and are not considered medical emergencies. Effects can range from feelings of unease, sweating, trembling, and increased appetite in mild cases to more serious issues such as confusion, changes in behavior such as aggressiveness, seizures, unconsciousness, and (rarely) permanent brain damage or death in severe cases.[19][20] Moderate hypoglycemia may easily be mistaken for drunkenness;[21] rapid breathing and sweating, cold, pale skin are characteristic of hypoglycemia but not definitive.[22] Mild to moderate cases are self-treated by eating or drinking something high in sugar. Severe cases can lead to unconsciousness and must be treated with intravenous glucose or injections with glucagon.

People (usually with type1 DM) may also experience episodes of diabetic ketoacidosis, a metabolic disturbance characterized by nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, the smell of acetone on the breath, deep breathing known as Kussmaul breathing, and in severe cases a decreased level of consciousness.[23]

A rare but equally severe possibility is hyperosmolar nonketotic state, which is more common in type2 DM and is mainly the result of dehydration.[23]

All forms of diabetes increase the risk of long-term complications. These typically develop after many years (1020), but may be the first symptom in those who have otherwise not received a diagnosis before that time.

The major long-term complications relate to damage to blood vessels. Diabetes doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease[24] and about 75% of deaths in diabetics are due to coronary artery disease.[25] Other "macrovascular" diseases are stroke, and peripheral vascular disease.

The primary complications of diabetes due to damage in small blood vessels include damage to the eyes, kidneys, and nerves.[26] Damage to the eyes, known as diabetic retinopathy, is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina of the eye, and can result in gradual vision loss and blindness.[26] Damage to the kidneys, known as diabetic nephropathy, can lead to tissue scarring, urine protein loss, and eventually chronic kidney disease, sometimes requiring dialysis or kidney transplant.[26] Damage to the nerves of the body, known as diabetic neuropathy, is the most common complication of diabetes.[26] The symptoms can include numbness, tingling, pain, and altered pain sensation, which can lead to damage to the skin. Diabetes-related foot problems (such as diabetic foot ulcers) may occur, and can be difficult to treat, occasionally requiring amputation. Additionally, proximal diabetic neuropathy causes painful muscle wasting and weakness.

There is a link between cognitive deficit and diabetes. Compared to those without diabetes, those with the disease have a 1.2 to 1.5-fold greater rate of decline in cognitive function.[27]

Diabetes mellitus is classified into four broad categories: type1, type2, gestational diabetes, and "other specific types".[5] The "other specific types" are a collection of a few dozen individual causes.[5] Diabetes is a more variable disease than once thought and people may have combinations of forms.[29] The term "diabetes", without qualification, usually refers to diabetes mellitus.

Type1 diabetes mellitus is characterized by loss of the insulin-producing beta cells of the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, leading to insulin deficiency. This type can be further classified as immune-mediated or idiopathic. The majority of type1 diabetes is of the immune-mediated nature, in which a T-cell-mediated autoimmune attack leads to the loss of beta cells and thus insulin.[30] It causes approximately 10% of diabetes mellitus cases in North America and Europe. Most affected people are otherwise healthy and of a healthy weight when onset occurs. Sensitivity and responsiveness to insulin are usually normal, especially in the early stages. Type1 diabetes can affect children or adults, but was traditionally termed "juvenile diabetes" because a majority of these diabetes cases were in children.

"Brittle" diabetes, also known as unstable diabetes or labile diabetes, is a term that was traditionally used to describe the dramatic and recurrent swings in glucose levels, often occurring for no apparent reason in insulin-dependent diabetes. This term, however, has no biologic basis and should not be used.[31] Still, type1 diabetes can be accompanied by irregular and unpredictable high blood sugar levels, frequently with ketosis, and sometimes with serious low blood sugar levels. Other complications include an impaired counterregulatory response to low blood sugar, infection, gastroparesis (which leads to erratic absorption of dietary carbohydrates), and endocrinopathies (e.g., Addison's disease).[31] These phenomena are believed to occur no more frequently than in 1% to 2% of persons with type1 diabetes.[32]

Type1 diabetes is partly inherited, with multiple genes, including certain HLA genotypes, known to influence the risk of diabetes. The increase of incidence of type 1 diabetes reflects the modern lifestyle.[33] In genetically susceptible people, the onset of diabetes can be triggered by one or more environmental factors,[34] such as a viral infection or diet. Several viruses have been implicated, but to date there is no stringent evidence to support this hypothesis in humans.[34][35] Among dietary factors, data suggest that gliadin (a protein present in gluten) may play a role in the development of type 1 diabetes, but the mechanism is not fully understood.[36][37]

Type2 DM is characterized by insulin resistance, which may be combined with relatively reduced insulin secretion.[5] The defective responsiveness of body tissues to insulin is believed to involve the insulin receptor. However, the specific defects are not known. Diabetes mellitus cases due to a known defect are classified separately. Type2 DM is the most common type of diabetes mellitus.

In the early stage of type2, the predominant abnormality is reduced insulin sensitivity. At this stage, high blood sugar can be reversed by a variety of measures and medications that improve insulin sensitivity or reduce the liver's glucose production.

Type2 DM is due primarily to lifestyle factors and genetics.[38] A number of lifestyle factors are known to be important to the development of type2 DM, including obesity (defined by a body mass index of greater than 30), lack of physical activity, poor diet, stress, and urbanization.[12] Excess body fat is associated with 30% of cases in those of Chinese and Japanese descent, 6080% of cases in those of European and African descent, and 100% of Pima Indians and Pacific Islanders.[5] Even those who are not obese often have a high waisthip ratio.[5]

Dietary factors also influence the risk of developing type2 DM. Consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks in excess is associated with an increased risk.[39][40] The type of fats in the diet is also important, with saturated fats and trans fatty acids increasing the risk and polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat decreasing the risk.[38] Eating lots of white rice also may increase the risk of diabetes.[41] A lack of exercise is believed to cause 7% of cases.[42]

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) resembles type2 DM in several respects, involving a combination of relatively inadequate insulin secretion and responsiveness. It occurs in about 210% of all pregnancies and may improve or disappear after delivery.[43] However, after pregnancy approximately 510% of women with gestational diabetes are found to have diabetes mellitus, most commonly type 2.[43] Gestational diabetes is fully treatable, but requires careful medical supervision throughout the pregnancy. Management may include dietary changes, blood glucose monitoring, and in some cases, insulin may be required.

Though it may be transient, untreated gestational diabetes can damage the health of the fetus or mother. Risks to the baby include macrosomia (high birth weight), congenital heart and central nervous system abnormalities, and skeletal muscle malformations. Increased levels of insulin in a fetus's blood may inhibit fetal surfactant production and cause respiratory distress syndrome. A high blood bilirubin level may result from red blood cell destruction. In severe cases, perinatal death may occur, most commonly as a result of poor placental perfusion due to vascular impairment. Labor induction may be indicated with decreased placental function. A Caesarean section may be performed if there is marked fetal distress or an increased risk of injury associated with macrosomia, such as shoulder dystocia.[citation needed]

Prediabetes indicates a condition that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of type2 DM. Many people destined to develop type2 DM spend many years in a state of prediabetes.

Latent autoimmune diabetes of adults (LADA) is a condition in which type1 DM develops in adults. Adults with LADA are frequently initially misdiagnosed as having type2 DM, based on age rather than etiology.

Some cases of diabetes are caused by the body's tissue receptors not responding to insulin (even when insulin levels are normal, which is what separates it from type2 diabetes); this form is very uncommon. Genetic mutations (autosomal or mitochondrial) can lead to defects in beta cell function. Abnormal insulin action may also have been genetically determined in some cases. Any disease that causes extensive damage to the pancreas may lead to diabetes (for example, chronic pancreatitis and cystic fibrosis). Diseases associated with excessive secretion of insulin-antagonistic hormones can cause diabetes (which is typically resolved once the hormone excess is removed). Many drugs impair insulin secretion and some toxins damage pancreatic beta cells. The ICD-10 (1992) diagnostic entity, malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus (MRDM or MMDM, ICD-10 code E12), was deprecated by the World Health Organization when the current taxonomy was introduced in 1999.[44]

Other forms of diabetes mellitus include congenital diabetes, which is due to genetic defects of insulin secretion, cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, steroid diabetes induced by high doses of glucocorticoids, and several forms of monogenic diabetes.

"Type 3 diabetes" has been suggested as a term for Alzheimer's disease as the underlying processes may involve insulin resistance by the brain.[45]

The following is a comprehensive list of other causes of diabetes:[46]

Insulin is the principal hormone that regulates the uptake of glucose from the blood into most cells of the body, especially liver, muscle, and adipose tissue. Therefore, deficiency of insulin or the insensitivity of its receptors plays a central role in all forms of diabetes mellitus.[48]

The body obtains glucose from three main places: the intestinal absorption of food, the breakdown of glycogen, the storage form of glucose found in the liver, and gluconeogenesis, the generation of glucose from non-carbohydrate substrates in the body.[49] Insulin plays a critical role in balancing glucose levels in the body. Insulin can inhibit the breakdown of glycogen or the process of gluconeogenesis, it can stimulate the transport of glucose into fat and muscle cells, and it can stimulate the storage of glucose in the form of glycogen.[49]

Insulin is released into the blood by beta cells (-cells), found in the islets of Langerhans in the pancreas, in response to rising levels of blood glucose, typically after eating. Insulin is used by about two-thirds of the body's cells to absorb glucose from the blood for use as fuel, for conversion to other needed molecules, or for storage. Lower glucose levels result in decreased insulin release from the beta cells and in the breakdown of glycogen to glucose. This process is mainly controlled by the hormone glucagon, which acts in the opposite manner to insulin.[50]

If the amount of insulin available is insufficient, if cells respond poorly to the effects of insulin (insulin insensitivity or insulin resistance), or if the insulin itself is defective, then glucose will not be absorbed properly by the body cells that require it, and it will not be stored appropriately in the liver and muscles. The net effect is persistently high levels of blood glucose, poor protein synthesis, and other metabolic derangements, such as acidosis.[49]

When the glucose concentration in the blood remains high over time, the kidneys will reach a threshold of reabsorption, and glucose will be excreted in the urine (glycosuria).[51] This increases the osmotic pressure of the urine and inhibits reabsorption of water by the kidney, resulting in increased urine production (polyuria) and increased fluid loss. Lost blood volume will be replaced osmotically from water held in body cells and other body compartments, causing dehydration and increased thirst (polydipsia).[49]

Diabetes mellitus is characterized by recurrent or persistent high blood sugar, and is diagnosed by demonstrating any one of the following:[44]

A positive result, in the absence of unequivocal high blood sugar, should be confirmed by a repeat of any of the above methods on a different day. It is preferable to measure a fasting glucose level because of the ease of measurement and the considerable time commitment of formal glucose tolerance testing, which takes two hours to complete and offers no prognostic advantage over the fasting test.[55] According to the current definition, two fasting glucose measurements above 126mg/dl (7.0mmol/l) is considered diagnostic for diabetes mellitus.

Per the World Health Organization people with fasting glucose levels from 6.1 to 6.9mmol/l (110 to 125mg/dl) are considered to have impaired fasting glucose.[56] people with plasma glucose at or above 7.8mmol/l (140mg/dl), but not over 11.1mmol/l (200mg/dl), two hours after a 75g oral glucose load are considered to have impaired glucose tolerance. Of these two prediabetic states, the latter in particular is a major risk factor for progression to full-blown diabetes mellitus, as well as cardiovascular disease.[57] The American Diabetes Association since 2003 uses a slightly different range for impaired fasting glucose of 5.6 to 6.9mmol/l (100 to 125mg/dl).[58]

Glycated hemoglobin is better than fasting glucose for determining risks of cardiovascular disease and death from any cause.[59]

The rare disease diabetes insipidus has similar symptoms to diabetes mellitus, but without disturbances in the sugar metabolism (insipidus means "without taste" in Latin) and does not involve the same disease mechanisms. Diabetes is a part of the wider condition known as metabolic syndrome.

There is no known preventive measure for type1 diabetes.[3] Type2 diabetes which accounts for 85-90% of all cases can often be prevented or delayed by maintaining a normal body weight, engaging in physical exercise, and consuming a healthful diet.[3] Higher levels of physical activity reduce the risk of diabetes by 28%.[60] Dietary changes known to be effective in helping to prevent diabetes include maintaining a diet rich in whole grains and fiber, and choosing good fats, such as the polyunsaturated fats found in nuts, vegetable oils, and fish.[61] Limiting sugary beverages and eating less red meat and other sources of saturated fat can also help prevent diabetes.[61] Tobacco smoking is also associated with an increased risk of diabetes and its complications, so smoking cessation can be an important preventive measure as well.[62]

The relationship between type 2 diabetes and the main modifiable risk factors (excess weight, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use) is similar in all regions of the world. There is growing evidence that the underlying determinants of diabetes are a reflection of the major forces driving social, economic and cultural change: globalization, urbanization, population ageing, and the general health policy environment.[63]

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease, for which there is no known cure except in very specific situations.[64] Management concentrates on keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal, without causing low blood sugar. This can usually be accomplished with a healthy diet, exercise, weight loss, and use of appropriate medications (insulin in the case of type1 diabetes; oral medications, as well as possibly insulin, in type2 diabetes).

Learning about the disease and actively participating in the treatment is important, since complications are far less common and less severe in people who have well-managed blood sugar levels.[65][66] The goal of treatment is an HbA1C level of 6.5%, but should not be lower than that, and may be set higher.[67] Attention is also paid to other health problems that may accelerate the negative effects of diabetes. These include smoking, elevated cholesterol levels, obesity, high blood pressure, and lack of regular exercise.[67]Specialized footwear is widely used to reduce the risk of ulceration, or re-ulceration, in at-risk diabetic feet. Evidence for the efficacy of this remains equivocal, however.[68]

People with diabetes can benefit from education about the disease and treatment, good nutrition to achieve a normal body weight, and exercise, with the goal of keeping both short-term and long-term blood glucose levels within acceptable bounds. In addition, given the associated higher risks of cardiovascular disease, lifestyle modifications are recommended to control blood pressure.[69]

Medications used to treat diabetes do so by lowering blood sugar levels. There are a number of different classes of anti-diabetic medications. Some are available by mouth, such as metformin, while others are only available by injection such as GLP-1 agonists. Type1 diabetes can only be treated with insulin, typically with a combination of regular and NPH insulin, or synthetic insulin analogs.[citation needed]

Metformin is generally recommended as a first line treatment for type2 diabetes, as there is good evidence that it decreases mortality.[70] It works by decreasing the liver's production of glucose.[71] Several other groups of drugs, mostly given by mouth, may also decrease blood sugar in type II DM. These include agents that increase insulin release, agents that decrease absorption of sugar from the intestines, and agents that make the body more sensitive to insulin.[71] When insulin is used in type2 diabetes, a long-acting formulation is usually added initially, while continuing oral medications.[70] Doses of insulin are then increased to effect.[70][72]

Since cardiovascular disease is a serious complication associated with diabetes, some have recommended blood pressure levels below 130/80mmHg.[73] However, evidence supports less than or equal to somewhere between 140/90mmHg to 160/100mmHg; the only additional benefit found for blood pressure targets beneath this range was an isolated decrease in stroke risk, and this was accompanied by an increased risk of other serious adverse events.[74][75] A 2016 review found potential harm to treating lower than 140 mmHg.[76] Among medications that lower blood pressure, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) improve outcomes in those with DM while the similar medications angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) do not.[77]Aspirin is also recommended for people with cardiovascular problems, however routine use of aspirin has not been found to improve outcomes in uncomplicated diabetes.[78]

A pancreas transplant is occasionally considered for people with type1 diabetes who have severe complications of their disease, including end stage kidney disease requiring kidney transplantation.[79]

Weight loss surgery in those with obesity and type two diabetes is often an effective measure.[80] Many are able to maintain normal blood sugar levels with little or no medications following surgery[81] and long-term mortality is decreased.[82] There however is some short-term mortality risk of less than 1% from the surgery.[83] The body mass index cutoffs for when surgery is appropriate are not yet clear.[82] It is recommended that this option be considered in those who are unable to get both their weight and blood sugar under control.[84]

In countries using a general practitioner system, such as the United Kingdom, care may take place mainly outside hospitals, with hospital-based specialist care used only in case of complications, difficult blood sugar control, or research projects. In other circumstances, general practitioners and specialists share care in a team approach. Home telehealth support can be an effective management technique.[85]

no data

7.5

7.515

1522.5

22.530

3037.5

37.545

4552.5

52.560

6067.5

67.575

7582.5

82.5

28-91

92-114

115-141

142-163

164-184

185-209

210-247

248-309

310-404

405-1879

As of 2016, 422 million people have diabetes worldwide,[86] up from an estimated 382 million people in 2013[13] and from 108 million in 1980.[86] Accounting for the shifting age structure of the global population, the prevalence of diabetes is 8.5% among adults, nearly double the rate of 4.7% in 1980.[86] Type2 makes up about 90% of the cases.[12][14] Some data indicate rates are roughly equal in women and men,[14] but male excess in diabetes has been found in many populations with higher type 2 incidence, possibly due to sex-related differences in insulin sensitivity, consequences of obesity and regional body fat deposition, and other contributing factors such as high blood pressure, tobacco smoking and alcohol intake.[87][88]

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that diabetes mellitus resulted in 1.5 million deaths in 2012, making it the 8th leading cause of death.[7][86] However another 2.2 million deaths worldwide were attributable to high blood glucose and the increased risks of cardiovascular disease and other associated complications (e.g. kidney failure), which often lead to premature death and are often listed as the underlying cause on death certificates rather than diabetes.[86][89] For example, in 2014, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) estimated that diabetes resulted in 4.9 million deaths worldwide,[15] using modelling to estimate the total amount of deaths that could be directly or indirectly attributed to diabetes.[16]

Diabetes mellitus occurs throughout the world but is more common (especially type 2) in more developed countries. The greatest increase in rates has however been seen in low- and middle-income countries,[86] where more than 80% of diabetic deaths occur.[90] The fastest prevalence increase is expected to occur in Asia and Africa, where most people with diabetes will probably live in 2030.[91] The increase in rates in developing countries follows the trend of urbanization and lifestyle changes, including increasingly sedentary lifestyles, less physically demanding work and the global nutrition transition, marked by increased intake of foods that are high energy-dense but nutrient-poor (often high in sugar and saturated fats, sometimes referred to as the "Western-style" diet).[86][91]

Diabetes was one of the first diseases described,[92] with an Egyptian manuscript from c. 1500 BCE mentioning "too great emptying of the urine".[93] The first described cases are believed to be of type1 diabetes.[93] Indian physicians around the same time identified the disease and classified it as madhumeha or "honey urine", noting the urine would attract ants.[93] The term "diabetes" or "to pass through" was first used in 230BCE by the Greek Apollonius of Memphis.[93] The disease was considered rare during the time of the Roman empire, with Galen commenting he had only seen two cases during his career.[93] This is possibly due to the diet and lifestyle of the ancients, or because the clinical symptoms were observed during the advanced stage of the disease. Galen named the disease "diarrhea of the urine" (diarrhea urinosa). The earliest surviving work with a detailed reference to diabetes is that of Aretaeus of Cappadocia (2nd or early 3rd century CE). He described the symptoms and the course of the disease, which he attributed to the moisture and coldness, reflecting the beliefs of the "Pneumatic School". He hypothesized a correlation of diabetes with other diseases and he discussed differential diagnosis from the snakebite which also provokes excessive thirst. His work remained unknown in the West until 1552, when the first Latin edition was published in Venice.[94]

Type1 and type2 diabetes were identified as separate conditions for the first time by the Indian physicians Sushruta and Charaka in 400-500CE with type1 associated with youth and type2 with being overweight.[93] The term "mellitus" or "from honey" was added by the Briton John Rolle in the late 1700s to separate the condition from diabetes insipidus, which is also associated with frequent urination.[93] Effective treatment was not developed until the early part of the 20th century, when Canadians Frederick Banting and Charles Herbert Best isolated and purified insulin in 1921 and 1922.[93] This was followed by the development of the long-acting insulin NPH in the 1940s.[93]

The word diabetes ( or ) comes from Latin diabts, which in turn comes from Ancient Greek (diabts) which literally means "a passer through; a siphon."[95]Ancient Greek physician Aretaeus of Cappadocia (fl. 1st century CE) used that word, with the intended meaning "excessive discharge of urine", as the name for the disease.[96][97] Ultimately, the word comes from Greek (diabainein), meaning "to pass through,"[95] which is composed of - (dia-), meaning "through" and (bainein), meaning "to go".[96] The word "diabetes" is first recorded in English, in the form diabete, in a medical text written around 1425.

The word mellitus ( or ) comes from the classical Latin word melltus, meaning "mellite"[98] (i.e. sweetened with honey;[98] honey-sweet[99]). The Latin word comes from mell-, which comes from mel, meaning "honey";[98][99] sweetness;[99] pleasant thing,[99] and the suffix -tus,[98] whose meaning is the same as that of the English suffix "-ite".[100] It was Thomas Willis who in 1675 added "mellitus" to the word "diabetes" as a designation for the disease, when he noticed the urine of a diabetic had a sweet taste (glycosuria). This sweet taste had been noticed in urine by the ancient Greeks, Chinese, Egyptians, Indians, and Persians.

The 1989 "St. Vincent Declaration"[101][102] was the result of international efforts to improve the care accorded to those with diabetes. Doing so is important not only in terms of quality of life and life expectancy but also economicallyexpenses due to diabetes have been shown to be a major drain on healthand productivity-related resources for healthcare systems and governments.

Several countries established more and less successful national diabetes programmes to improve treatment of the disease.[103]

People with diabetes who have neuropathic symptoms such as numbness or tingling in feet or hands are twice as likely to be unemployed as those without the symptoms.[104]

In 2010, diabetes-related emergency room (ER) visit rates in the United States were higher among people from the lowest income communities (526 per 10,000 population) than from the highest income communities (236 per 10,000 population). Approximately 9.4% of diabetes-related ER visits were for the uninsured.[105]

The term "type1 diabetes" has replaced several former terms, including childhood-onset diabetes, juvenile diabetes, and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Likewise, the term "type2 diabetes" has replaced several former terms, including adult-onset diabetes, obesity-related diabetes, and noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). Beyond these two types, there is no agreed-upon standard nomenclature.

Diabetes mellitus is also occasionally known as "sugar diabetes" to differentiate it from diabetes insipidus.[106]

In animals, diabetes is most commonly encountered in dogs and cats. Middle-aged animals are most commonly affected. Female dogs are twice as likely to be affected as males, while according to some sources, male cats are also more prone than females. In both species, all breeds may be affected, but some small dog breeds are particularly likely to develop diabetes, such as Miniature Poodles.[107] The symptoms may relate to fluid loss and polyuria, but the course may also be insidious. Diabetic animals are more prone to infections. The long-term complications recognised in humans are much rarer in animals. The principles of treatment (weight loss, oral antidiabetics, subcutaneous insulin) and management of emergencies (e.g. ketoacidosis) are similar to those in humans.[107]

Inhalable insulin has been developed.[108] The original products were withdrawn due to side effects.[108] Afrezza, under development by pharmaceuticals company MannKind Corporation, was approved by the FDA for general sale in June 2014.[109] An advantage to inhaled insulin is that it may be more convenient and easy to use.[110]

Transdermal insulin in the form of a cream has been developed and trials are being conducted on people with type 2 diabetes.[111][112]

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Molecular evolution – Wikipedia

Posted: October 23, 2016 at 11:42 pm

Molecular evolution is the process of change in the sequence composition of cellular molecules such as DNA, RNA, and proteins across generations. The field of molecular evolution uses principles of evolutionary biology and population genetics to explain patterns in these changes. Major topics in molecular evolution concern the rates and impacts of single nucleotide changes, neutral evolution vs. natural selection, origins of new genes, the genetic nature of complex traits, the genetic basis of speciation, evolution of development, and ways that evolutionary forces influence genomic and phenotypic changes.

The content and structure of a genome is the product of the molecular and population genetic forces which act upon that genome. Novel genetic variants will arise through mutation and will spread and be maintained in populations due to genetic drift or natural selection.

Mutations are permanent, transmissible changes to the genetic material (DNA or RNA) of a cell or virus. Mutations result from errors in DNA replication during cell division and by exposure to radiation, chemicals, and other environmental stressors, or viruses and transposable elements. Most mutations that occur are single nucleotide polymorphisms which modify single bases of the DNA sequence, resulting in point mutations. Other types of mutations modify larger segments of DNA and can cause duplications, insertions, deletions, inversions, and translocations.

Most organisms display a strong bias in the types of mutations that occur with strong influence in GC-content. Transitions (A G or C T) are more common than transversions (purine (adenine or guanine)) pyrimidine (cytosine or thymine, or in RNA, uracil))[1] and are less likely to alter amino acid sequences of proteins.

Mutations are stochastic and typically occur randomly across genes. Mutation rates for single nucleotide sites for most organisms are very low, roughly 109 to 108 per site per generation, though some viruses have higher mutation rates on the order of 106 per site per generation. Among these mutations, some will be neutral or beneficial and will remain in the genome unless lost via genetic drift, and others will be detrimental and will be eliminated from the genome by natural selection.

Because mutations are extremely rare, they accumulate very slowly across generations. While the number of mutations which appears in any single generation may vary, over very long time periods they will appear to accumulate at a regular pace. Using the mutation rate per generation and the number of nucleotide differences between two sequences, divergence times can be estimated effectively via the molecular clock.

Recombination is a process that results in genetic exchange between chromosomes or chromosomal regions. Recombination counteracts physical linkage between adjacent genes, thereby reducing genetic hitchhiking. The resulting independent inheritance of genes results in more efficient selection, meaning that regions with higher recombination will harbor fewer detrimental mutations, more selectively favored variants, and fewer errors in replication and repair. Recombination can also generate particular types of mutations if chromosomes are misaligned.

Gene conversion is a type of recombination that is the product of DNA repair where nucleotide damage is corrected using an homologous genomic region as a template. Damaged bases are first excised, the damaged strand is then aligned with an undamaged homolog, and DNA synthesis repairs the excised region using the undamaged strand as a guide. Gene conversion is often responsible for homogenizing sequences of duplicate genes over long time periods, reducing nucleotide divergence.

Genetic drift is the change of allele frequencies from one generation to the next due to stochastic effects of random sampling in finite populations. Some existing variants have no effect on fitness and may increase or decrease in frequency simply due to chance. "Nearly neutral" variants whose selection coefficient is close to a threshold value of 1 / the effective population size will also be affected by chance as well as by selection and mutation. Many genomic features have been ascribed to accumulation of nearly neutral detrimental mutations as a result of small effective population sizes.[2] With a smaller effective population size, a larger variety of mutations will behave as if they are neutral due to inefficiency of selection.

Selection occurs when organisms with greater fitness, i.e. greater ability to survive or reproduce, are favored in subsequent generations, thereby increasing the instance of underlying genetic variants in a population. Selection can be the product of natural selection, artificial selection, or sexual selection. Natural selection is any selective process that occurs due to the fitness of an organism to its environment. In contrast sexual selection is a product of mate choice and can favor the spread of genetic variants which act counter to natural selection but increase desirability to the opposite sex or increase mating success. Artificial selection, also known as selective breeding, is imposed by an outside entity, typically humans, in order to increase the frequency of desired traits.

The principles of population genetics apply similarly to all types of selection, though in fact each may produce distinct effects due to clustering of genes with different functions in different parts of the genome, or due to different properties of genes in particular functional classes. For instance, sexual selection could be more likely to affect molecular evolution of the sex chromosomes due to clustering of sex specific genes on the X,Y,Z or W.

Selection can operate at the gene level at the expense of organismal fitness, resulting in a selective advantage for selfish genetic elements in spite of a host cost. Examples of such selfish elements include transposable elements, meiotic drivers, killer X chromosomes, selfish mitochondria, and self-propagating introns. (See Intragenomic conflict.)

Genome size is influenced by the amount of repetitive DNA as well as number of genes in an organism. The C-value paradox refers to the lack of correlation between organism 'complexity' and genome size. Explanations for the so-called paradox are two-fold. First, repetitive genetic elements can comprise large portions of the genome for many organisms, thereby inflating DNA content of the haploid genome. Secondly, the number of genes is not necessarily indicative of the number of developmental stages or tissue types in an organism. An organism with few developmental stages or tissue types may have large numbers of genes that influence non-developmental phenotypes, inflating gene content relative to developmental gene families.

Neutral explanations for genome size suggest that when population sizes are small, many mutations become nearly neutral. Hence, in small populations repetitive content and other 'junk' DNA can accumulate without placing the organism at a competitive disadvantage. There is little evidence to suggest that genome size is under strong widespread selection in multicellular eukaryotes. Genome size, independent of gene content, correlates poorly with most physiological traits and many eukaryotes, including mammals, harbor very large amounts of repetitive DNA.

However, birds likely have experienced strong selection for reduced genome size, in response to changing energetic needs for flight. Birds, unlike humans, produce nucleated red blood cells, and larger nuclei lead to lower levels of oxygen transport. Bird metabolism is far higher than that of mammals, due largely to flight, and oxygen needs are high. Hence, most birds have small, compact genomes with few repetitive elements. Indirect evidence suggests that non-avian theropod dinosaur ancestors of modern birds [3] also had reduced genome sizes, consistent with endothermy and high energetic needs for running speed. Many bacteria have also experienced selection for small genome size, as time of replication and energy consumption are so tightly correlated with fitness.

Transposable elements are self-replicating, selfish genetic elements which are capable of proliferating within host genomes. Many transposable elements are related to viruses, and share several proteins in common.

DNA transposons are cut and paste transposable elements which excise DNA and move it to alternate sections of the genome.

non-LTR retrotransposons

LTR retrotransposons

Helitrons

Alu elements comprise over 10% of the human genome. They are short non-autonomous repeat sequences.

The number of chromosomes in an organism's genome also does not necessarily correlate with the amount of DNA in its genome. The ant Myrmecia pilosula has only a single pair of chromosomes[4] whereas the Adders-tongue fern Ophioglossum reticulatum has up to 1260 chromosomes.[5]Cilliate genomes house each gene in individual chromosomes, resulting in a genome which is not physically linked. Reduced linkage through creation of additional chromosomes should effectively increase the efficiency of selection.

Changes in chromosome number can play a key role in speciation, as differing chromosome numbers can serve as a barrier to reproduction in hybrids. Human chromosome 2 was created from a fusion of two chimpanzee chromosomes and still contains central telomeres as well as a vestigial second centromere. Polyploidy, especially allopolyploidy, which occurs often in plants, can also result in reproductive incompatibilities with parental species. Agrodiatus blue butterflies have diverse chromosome numbers ranging from n=10 to n=134 and additionally have one of the highest rates of speciation identified to date.[6]

Different organisms house different numbers of genes within their genomes as well as different patterns in the distribution of genes throughout the genome. Some organisms, such as most bacteria, Drosophila, and Arabidopsis have particularly compact genomes with little repetitive content or non-coding DNA. Other organisms, like mammals or maize, have large amounts of repetitive DNA, long introns, and substantial spacing between different genes. The content and distribution of genes within the genome can influence the rate at which certain types of mutations occur and can influence the subsequent evolution of different species. Genes with longer introns are more likely to recombine due to increased physical distance over the coding sequence. As such, long introns may facilitate ectopic recombination, and result in higher rates of new gene formation.

In addition to the nuclear genome, endosymbiont organelles contain their own genetic material typically as circular plasmids. Mitochondrial and chloroplast DNA varies across taxa, but membrane-bound proteins, especially electron transport chain constituents are most often encoded in the organelle. Chloroplasts and mitochondria are maternally inherited in most species, as the organelles must pass through the egg. In a rare departure, some species of mussels are known to inherit mitochondria from father to son.

New genes arise from several different genetic mechanisms including gene duplication, de novo origination, retrotransposition, chimeric gene formation, recruitment of non-coding sequence, and gene truncation.

Gene duplication initially leads to redundancy. However, duplicated gene sequences can mutate to develop new functions or specialize so that the new gene performs a subset of the original ancestral functions. In addition to duplicating whole genes, sometimes only a domain or part of a protein is duplicated so that the resulting gene is an elongated version of the parental gene.

Retrotransposition creates new genes by copying mRNA to DNA and inserting it into the genome. Retrogenes often insert into new genomic locations, and often develop new expression patterns and functions.

Chimeric genes form when duplication, deletion, or incomplete retrotransposition combine portions of two different coding sequences to produce a novel gene sequence. Chimeras often cause regulatory changes and can shuffle protein domains to produce novel adaptive functions.

De novo origin. Novel genes can also arise from previously non-coding DNA.[7] For instance, Levine and colleagues reported the origin of five new genes in the D. melanogaster genome from noncoding DNA.[8][9] Similar de novo origin of genes has been also shown in other organisms such as yeast,[10] rice[11] and humans.[12] De novo genes may evolve from transcripts that are already expressed at low levels.[13] Mutation of a stop codon to a regular codon or a frameshift may cause an extended protein that includes a previously non-coding sequence.

Molecular systematics is the product of the traditional fields of systematics and molecular genetics. It uses DNA, RNA, or protein sequences to resolve questions in systematics, i.e. about their correct scientific classification or taxonomy from the point of view of evolutionary biology.

Molecular systematics has been made possible by the availability of techniques for DNA sequencing, which allow the determination of the exact sequence of nucleotides or bases in either DNA or RNA. At present it is still a long and expensive process to sequence the entire genome of an organism, and this has been done for only a few species. However, it is quite feasible to determine the sequence of a defined area of a particular chromosome. Typical molecular systematic analyses require the sequencing of around 1000 base pairs.

Depending on the relative importance assigned to the various forces of evolution, three perspectives provide evolutionary explanations for molecular evolution.[14]

Selectionist hypotheses argue that selection is the driving force of molecular evolution. While acknowledging that many mutations are neutral, selectionists attribute changes in the frequencies of neutral alleles to linkage disequilibrium with other loci that are under selection, rather than to random genetic drift.[15] Biases in codon usage are usually explained with reference to the ability of even weak selection to shape molecular evolution.[16]

Neutralist hypotheses emphasize the importance of mutation, purifying selection, and random genetic drift.[17] The introduction of the neutral theory by Kimura,[18] quickly followed by King and Jukes' own findings,[19] led to a fierce debate about the relevance of neodarwinism at the molecular level. The Neutral theory of molecular evolution proposes that most mutations in DNA are at locations not important to function or fitness. These neutral changes drift towards fixation within a population. Positive changes will be very rare, and so will not greatly contribute to DNA polymorphisms.[20] Deleterious mutations will also not contribute very much to DNA diversity because they negatively affect fitness and so will not stay in the gene pool for long.[21] This theory provides a framework for the molecular clock.[20] The fate of neutral mutations are governed by genetic drift, and contribute to both nucleotide polymorphism and fixed differences between species.[22][23]

In the strictest sense, the neutral theory is not accurate.[24] Subtle changes in DNA very often have effects, but sometimes these effects are too small for natural selection to act on.[24] Even synonymous mutations are not necessarily neutral [24] because there is not a uniform amount of each codon. The nearly neutral theory expanded the neutralist perspective, suggesting that several mutations are nearly neutral, which means both random drift and natural selection is relevant to their dynamics.[24] The main difference between the neutral theory and nearly neutral theory is that the latter focuses on weak selection, not strictly neutral.[21]

Mutationists hypotheses emphasize random drift and biases in mutation patterns.[25] Sueoka was the first to propose a modern mutationist view. He proposed that the variation in GC content was not the result of positive selection, but a consequence of the GC mutational pressure.[26]

Protein evolution describes the changes over time in protein shape, function, and composition. Through quantitative analysis and experimentation, scientists have strived to understand the rate and causes of protein evolution. Using the amino acid sequences of hemoglobin and cytochrome c from multiple species, scientists were able to derive estimations of protein evolution rates. What they found was that the rates were not the same among proteins.[21] Each protein has its own rate, and that rate is constant across phylogenies (i.e., hemoglobin does not evolve at the same rate as cytochrome c, but hemoglobins from humans, mice, etc. do have comparable rates of evolution.). Not all regions within a protein mutate at the same rate; functionally important areas mutate more slowly and amino acid substitutions involving similar amino acids occurs more often than dissimilar substitutions.[21] Overall, the level of polymorphisms in proteins seems to be fairly constant. Several species (including humans, fruit flies, and mice) have similar levels of protein polymorphism.[20]

Protein evolution is inescapably tied to changes and selection of DNA polymorphisms and mutations because protein sequences change in response to alterations in the DNA sequence. Amino acid sequences and nucleic acid sequences do not mutate at the same rate. Due to the degenerate nature of DNA, bases can change without affecting the amino acid sequence. For example, there are six codons that code for leucine. Thus, despite the difference in mutation rates, it is essential to incorporate nucleic acid evolution into the discussion of protein evolution. At the end of the 1960s, two groups of scientistsKimura (1968) and King and Jukes (1969)-- independently proposed that a majority of the evolutionary changes observed in proteins were neutral.[20][21] Since then, the neutral theory has been expanded upon and debated.[21]

There are sometimes discordances between molecular and morphological evolution, which are reflected in molecular and morphological systematic studies, especially of bacteria, archaea and eukaryotic microbes. These discordances can be categorized as two types: (i) one morphology, multiple lineages (e.g. morphological convergence, cryptic species) and (ii) one lineage, multiple morphologies (e.g. phenotypic plasticity, multiple life-cycle stages). Neutral evolution possibly could explain the incongruences in some cases.[27]

The Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution publishes the journals "Molecular Biology and Evolution" and "Genome Biology and Evolution" and holds an annual international meeting. Other journals dedicated to molecular evolution include Journal of Molecular Evolution and Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. Research in molecular evolution is also published in journals of genetics, molecular biology, genomics, systematics, and evolutionary biology.

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Bone Marrow or Stem Cell Transplant – New Hampshire

Posted: October 23, 2016 at 11:41 pm

What is a bone marrow or stem cell transplant?

A bone marrow transplant (BMT) or peripheral blood stem cell transplant (PBSCT) is a treatment for some types of cancer and bone marrow problems. Bone marrow is spongy tissue in the center of many bones. It makes red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets. Red blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs and bring the oxygen to the rest of the body. White blood cells fight infections. Platelets are necessary for blood to clot.

Stem cells are young blood cells in the bone marrow that can become red blood cells, white blood cells, or platelets. Most bone marrow stem cells are in the marrow, but some are in the bloodstream. Blood in the human newborn umbilical cord also contains stem cells. Stem cells can be obtained from any of these sources for use in transplants.

A bone marrow or stem cell transplant may be done to:

A common reason for the use of stem cell transplants in cancer treatment is to make it possible for you to have very high doses of chemotherapy or total-body radiation therapy. These treatments destroy cancer cells throughout the body, but they also destroy normal bone marrow and stem cells. A stem cell transplant right after high-dose chemotherapy and radiation helps your body have healthy bone marrow again. The transplanted cells go to the bone marrow and become the new stem cells, replacing the stem cells that were destroyed by treatment. Your body can then make the blood cells you need.

Stem cell transplants are most often used in the treatment of 3 types of cancer: leukemia, myeloma, and lymphoma. Stem cell transplants are also used to treat other cancers, such as testicular cancer. Researchers are studying stem cell transplants to see if they will help with other diseases.

Follow all of the instructions provided by your healthcare provider. If you need to take a medicine before donating stem cells, take the medicine exactly as prescribed. If you are to have general anesthesia for the collection of bone marrow cells, eat a light meal, such as soup or salad, the night before the procedure. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight and the morning before the procedure. Do not even drink coffee, tea, or water.

Plan for your care and recovery after the procedure, especially if you are to have general anesthesia. Arrange to have someone take you home and stay with you for a while after the procedure. Allow for time to rest. Try to find people to help you with your daily duties for 24 hours after the procedure

First the bone marrow or stem cells must be collected, which is called harvesting. You may be able to donate your own bone marrow or stem cells; in this case, you are your own donor. Or someone else may donate cells that you will then receive as a transplant.

If you are going to use your own marrow as a transplant, the marrow is harvested before you have chemotherapy or radiation treatment. The marrow is usually collected from the hipbones with a needle. This is done under regional or general anesthesia at the hospital. A regional anesthetic numbs part of your body, preventing you from feeling pain while you remain awake. A general anesthetic puts you to sleep and prevents you from feeling pain while some of the marrow is removed. The procedure for harvesting the marrow takes about an hour.

Stem cells may be harvested from the blood rather than the hipbone. This is called a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. The stem cells can be collected from a donor or from your own blood before you have chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Before the stem cells are collected from your blood, you may be given medicine for a few days to stimulate the production and release of stem cells from the marrow into the bloodstream. This increases the number of stem cells that can be harvested from the blood. The blood is obtained through a large vein in your arm or through a tube placed in a vein in your neck, chest, or groin. The blood goes through a machine that removes the stem cells. The blood is then returned to the donor and the stem cells that were removed from the blood are stored. The collection of the stem cells from the blood takes about 4 to 6 hours. It can be done at an outpatient clinic. Stem cells can be frozen until they are needed.

When it is time for the transplant, the bone marrow or stem cells are given through a vein (IV), like a blood transfusion. The transplant takes 1 to 5 hours.

After you donate bone marrow, the area where the marrow was taken out may feel stiff or sore for a few days, and you may feel tired. Within a few weeks, your body will replace the donated marrow. Some people are back to their usual routine within 2 or 3 days, but others may need 3 to 4 weeks to fully recover their strength.

If you donated stem cells from your blood, you may have some side effects from the medicine used to stimulate the release of stem cells from the marrow into the bloodstream. Possible side effects include fever, bone and muscle aches, headaches, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and trouble sleeping. These side effects generally go away in 2 to 3 days after the last dose of the medicine.

When you are given a transplant, the stem cells will travel to the bone marrow inside your bones. The cells will begin to make new, healthy blood cells in 2 to 4 weeks. Until the stem cells start to produce new blood cells, you will have a higher risk for infection and bleeding. You may also have a reaction to the transplanted cells if they are not your own. During this time, precautions are taken to prevent infections until your bone marrow can produce enough white blood cells. You may be given platelets to prevent or control any bleeding and antibiotics to prevent or treat infection. You may also be given transfusions of red blood cells to treat severe anemia.

After the transplant, you will have frequent blood tests to see how well your bone marrow is making new blood cells. You may also have a test called bone marrow aspiration, which is the removal of a small sample of bone marrow through a needle for examination under a microscope. This helps your provider see how well your bone marrow is producing new cells and platelets.

Although your body will start making new blood cells in 2 to 4 weeks, it will take much longer for your immune system to completely recover. It could take up to several months if your own stem cells are used and 1 to 2 years if the stem cells were donated by someone else.

When used as a part of the treatment for cancer or other diseases, a stem cell transplant makes it possible for you to receive very high doses of chemotherapy or radiation therapy. The transplant can restore your ability to make new, healthy blood cells and to fight disease.

When you donate bone marrow, there are usually no serious risks other than the risks of the general or regional anesthesia used during the procedure. You should discuss the risks of anesthesia with your healthcare provider. There is no risk from anesthesia when stem cells are harvested from the blood because anesthesia is not needed.

When you receive a stem cell transplant:

You should ask your healthcare provider how these risks apply to you.

Call your provider right away if:

For more information about bone marrow transplants, contact:

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIA File hemo3503.htm Release 13/2010

2010 RelayHealth and/or its All rights reserved.

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CFR-Trilateral pedophile Jeffrey Epsteins corporate …

Posted: October 22, 2016 at 6:44 pm

Jeffrey Epstein is currently infamous for his conviction for soliciting a fourteen-year-old girl for prostitution and for allegedly orchestrating underage sex slave orgies at his private Virgin Island mansion, where he purportedly pimped out underage girls to elite political figures such as Prince Andrew, Alan Dershowitz, and probably Bill Clinton as well (he also traveled to Thailand in 2001 with Prince Andrew, probably to indulge in the countrys rampant child sex trade).

But before these sex scandals were the highlight of Epsteins celebrity, he was better known not just for his financial prowess, but also for his extensive funding of biotechnological and evolutionary science. With his bankster riches, he founded the Jeffrey Epstein VI Foundation which established Harvard Universitys Program for Evolutionary Dynamics.

Epstein, a former CFR and Trilateral Commission Member, also sat on the board of Harvards Mind, Brain, and Behavior Committee. He has furthermore been actively involved in . . . the Theoretical Biology Initiative at the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton, the Quantum Gravity Program at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Santa Fe Institute, which is a transdisciplinary research community that expands the boundaries of scientific understanding . . . to discover, comprehend, and communicate the common fundamental principles in complex physical, computational, biological, and social systems.

The scope of Epsteins various science projects spans research into genetics, neuroscience, robotics, computer science, and artificial intelligence (AI). Altogether, the convergence of these science subfields comprises an interdisciplinary science known as transhumanism: the artificial perfection of human evolution through humankinds merger with technology. In fact, Epstein partners with Humanity+, a major transhumanism interest group.

Transhumanists believe that technologically upgrading humankind into a singularity will bring about a utopia in which poor health, the ravages of old age and even death itself will all be things of the past. In fact, eminent transhumanist Ray Kurzweil, chief of engineering at Google, believes that he will become godlike as a result of the singularity.

But the truth is that transhumanism is merely a more high-tech revision of eugenics conceptualized by eugenicist and UNESCO Director-General Julian Huxley. And when corporate philanthropists like pedophile Epsteinas well as Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Peter Thiel, and Google executives such as Eric Schmidt and Larry Pageare the major bankrollers behind these transhumanism projects, the whole enterprise seems ominously reminiscent of the corporate-philanthropic funding of American and Nazi eugenics.

In America, Charles Davenports eugenics research at Cold Spring Harbor was bankrolled by elite financiers, such as the Harriman family, as well as robber barons and their nonprofit foundations such as the Rockefeller Foundation and the Carnegie Institute of Washington. Davenport collaborated with Nazi eugenicists who were likewise funded by the Rockefeller Foundation. In the end, these Rockefeller-funded eugenics programs contributed to the forced sterilization of over 60,000 Americans and the macabre human experimentation and genocide of the Nazi concentration camps. (This sinister collusion is thoroughly documented in War Against the Weak by award-winning investigative journalist Edwin Black).

If history has shown us that these are the sordid bioethics that result from corporate-funded biosocial science, shouldnt we be weary of the transhumanism projects of neo-robber barons like Epstein, Gates, Zuckerberg, Thiel, and the Google gang?

It should be noted that Epstein once sat on the board of Rockefeller University. At the same time, the Rockefeller Foundationwhich has continued to finance Cold Spring Harbor programs as recently as 2010also funds the Santa Fe Institute and the New York Academy of Sciences, both of which Epstein has been actively involved in.

The Rockefeller Foundation also funds the Malthusian-eugenic Population Council, which transhumanist Bill Gates likewise finances in carrying on the population reduction activism of his father, William H. Gates Sr.

And in 2013, the Rockefeller Foundation funded a transhumanistic white paper titled Dreaming the Future of Health for the Next 100 Years, which explores [r]e-engineering of humans into separate and unequal forms through genetic engineering or mixed human-robots.

So, considering that transhumanismthe outgrowth of eugenicsis being steered not only by twenty-first-century robber barons, but by corporatist monopoly men who are connected to the very transhumanist Rockefeller Foundation which funded Nazi eugenics, I suspect that transhumanist technology will not upgrade the common person. Rather, it will only be disseminated to the public in such a wayas Stanford University Professor Paul Saffo predictsthat converts social class hierarchies into bio(techno)logical hierarchies by artificially evolving the One Percent into a species separate from the unfit working poor, which will be downgraded as a slave class.

In his 1932 eugenic-engineering dystopia, Brave New World, Aldous Huxley (Julians brother) depicts how biotechnology, drugs, and psychological conditioning would in the future be used to establish a Scientific Caste System ruled by a global scientific dictatorship. But Huxley was not warning us with his novel. As historian Joanne Woiak demonstrates in her journal article entitled Designing a Brave New World: Eugenics, Politics, and Fiction, Aldous brave new world can . . . be understood as a serious design for social reform (105). In a 1932 essay, titled Science and Civilization, Huxley promoted his eugenic caste system: in a scientific civilization society must be organized on a caste basis. The rulers and their advisory experts will be a kind of Brahmins controlling, in virtue of a special and mysterious knowledge, vast hordes of the intellectual equivalents of Sudras and Untouchables (153-154).

With the aforementioned digital robber barons driving the burgeoning age of transhumanist neo-eugenics, I fear that Huxleys Scientific Caste System may become a reality. And with Epstein behind the wheel, the new GMO Sudras will likely consist of not only unskilled labor slaves, but also child sex slaves wholike the preadolescents in Brave New Worldwill be brainwashed with Elementary Sex Education, which will inculcate them with a smash monogamy sexuality that will serve the elite World Controllers.

References

Huxley, Aldous. Science and Civilization. Aldous Huxley: Complete Essays. Eds. Robert S. Baker and James Sexton. Vol. III. Chicago: Ivan R. Dee, 2000. 148-155. Print. 4 vols.

John Klyczek has an MA in English and is a college English instructor, concentrating on the history of global eugenics and Aldous Huxleys dystopian novel, Brave New World.

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Transhumanism – Transhumanismo

Posted: October 22, 2016 at 6:44 pm

-Alguien Quiere Ser Androide? - El Cerebro Puede Sobrevivir a La Muerte del Cuerpo

- Biological Immortality and You

- Cerebros y Mentes Digitales - A La Vuelta de La Esquina

- Chemtrails, Transmutacin Gentica y Transhumanidad

- CYBORG

- Cyborg America - Inside the Strange New World of Basement Body Hackers

- Cyborg Brain/Machine Interface is Now Reality

- DARPA - Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency - Main File

- Depopulation of A Planet - Thinning Out The Useless Eaters - An Unspoken NWO Agenda

- El Movimiento Singularidad, la Inmortalidad y Quitando el 'Fantasma' de La Mquina

- El Programa Inmortalidad 2045' del Transhumanismo Amenaza La Integridad de La Humanidad

- El Reino de Las Mquinas - La Separacin de los Mundos 1

- Ethical Assessment of Implantable Brain Chips

- Ethical Issues in Human Enhancement

- Futurist Claims Technology Causing Humans to 'Evolve' Into a New Species

- 'Genetically Modified Micro Humans' to be 'Farmed' for Drug Testing by 2017 - Mad Science

- Google versus Muerte - El Combate del Siglo?

- Hacking The Human Brain Furthers The Advent of Super Soldiers

- How 'Smart Dust' Could Spy on Your Brain

- Humans Fully Outsourced to Robots by 2045?

- Immortality Transhumanism Program 2045 Threatens Humanitys Integrity

- Intelligent Neural Dust Embedded in The Brain Could Be The Ultimate Brain-Computer Interface

- Is The Transhumanist Movement a Threat to Our Survival?

- Kurzweil and Google Working Together to Develop Technology for Immortality

- La Agenda de Vacunacin - Transhumanismo Implcito

Espaol

- La Fantasa del Transhumanismo es un Fracaso para la Humanidad

Espaol

- La Inmortalidad Digital

- La Trampa del Transhumanismo - Porqu el Hackeo Biolgico Encadena la Conciencia al Mundo Material

- Literal Smart Dust Opens Brain-Computer Pathway to "Spy on Your Brain"

- Merely Human? Thats So Yesterday

- Merging Man and Machine - Singularity vs. Humanity

- Mind-Blowing Benefits of Merging Human Brains and Computers - Hitler Would Have Loved The Singularity

- Nano-Bots, Mind Control and Trans-Humanism - The Future of Consciousness?

- Neo-Humanity - Transhumanism Will Merge Man With Machine

- Neural Dust - An Ultrasonic, Low Power Solution for Chronic BrainMachine Interfaces

- Pentagon Looks to Breed Immortal 'Synthetic Organisms' - Molecular Kill-Switch Included

Espaol

- Por La Senda del Transhumanismo

Espaol

- Revelacin de los Objetivos Transhumanistas de la Elite

- Russian Scientist Says Immortality Possible for Wealthy Elite by 2045

- Scientist Says Immortality Only 20 Years Away

- Signs of a Transhuman Future - The New Technologies that Will Change Human Civilization as We Know It

- Superhuman Powers and Life Extension Technologies will Allow Us to Become Like God - Transhumanists

- 'Super Soldier' - Genetically Modified Humans Won't Need Food, Sleep

- Teilhard de Chardin and Transhumanism

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- Tecnologas Trans-Humanas - Anticuerpos Plsticos, Impresin de rganos

- The Coming Technological Singularity - How to Survive in The Post-Human Era

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-Te Gustara Ser como 'Dios'? - Transhumanismo

- The Anatomy of Cyborg Man - Overcoming the Mechanistic Mind

- The Ethics of Transhumanism and The Return of Eugenics

- The Evolution of The Humanoid Robot

- The Human Avatar Programs by NASA & DARPA

- The Looming Future of GMO Technology - Transhumanism, Biocrops, and More

- The Machine Kingdom

- The Singularity - Main File

- The Singularity Movement, Immortality, and Removing the Ghost in The Machine

- The Transhumanism Fantasy is a Failure for Humanity

- The Transhumanism Trap - Why Biohacking Chains Consciousness to the Material World

- The Vaccination Agenda - Implicit Transhumanism

- Top Transhumanism CEO Says Artificial Intelligence Singularity Will Go Very Badly For Humans

- TransEvolution - The Age of Human Deconstruction

- (Trans)humanism and Biopolitics

- Transhumanism Advances With The Creation of GM Babies

- Transhumanist Bankers Plan Robotic Future

- Transhumanism - From MK-Ultra to Google

- Transhumanism - Is a Future Where Men Have Merged With Machines Inevitable?

Espaol

- Transhumanismo - Desde el MK-Ultra hasta Google

Espaol

- Transhumanismo - La Agenda Antihumana del Culto a la 'Singularidad'

- Transhumanism - The Anti-Human Agenda of the 'Singularity' Cult

- Transhumanism - The New Face of Eugenics

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Transhumanism - Transhumanismo

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What is Integrative Medicine? – Andrew Weil, M.D.

Posted: October 22, 2016 at 6:43 pm

Andrew Weil, M.D., is the worlds leading proponent of alternative medicine, right?

Wrong.

Although this is how the popular media often portrays him, Dr. Weil is actually the worlds leading proponent of integrative medicine, a philosophy that is considerably different from a blanket endorsement of alternative medicine. To fully understand Dr. Weils advice presented in his Web sites, bestselling books and lectures, and reflected in the daily practice of thousands of physicians worldwide its important to grasp what integrative medicine is, and is not.

The first step is mastering some basic terms.

Using synthetic drugs and surgery to treat health conditions was known just a few decades ago as, simply, medicine. Today, this system is increasingly being termed conventional medicine. This is the kind of medicine most Americans still encounter in hospitals and clinics. Often both expensive and invasive, it is also very good at some things; for example, handling emergency conditions such as massive injury or a life-threatening stroke. Dr. Weil is unstinting in his appreciation for conventional medicines strengths. If I were hit by a bus, he says, Id want to be taken immediately to a high-tech emergency room. Some conventional medicine is scientifically validated, some is not.

Any therapy that is typically excluded by conventional medicine, and that patients use instead of conventional medicine, is known as alternative medicine. Its a catch-all term that includes hundreds of old and new practices ranging from acupuncture to homeopathy to iridology. Generally alternative therapies are closer to nature, cheaper and less invasive than conventional therapies, although there are exceptions. Some alternative therapies are scientifically validated, some are not. An alternative medicine practice that is used in conjunction with a conventional one is known as a complementary medicine. Example: using ginger syrup to prevent nausea during chemotherapy. Together, complementary and alternative medicines are often referred to by the acronym CAM.

Enter integrative medicine. As defined by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine at the National Institutes of Health, integrative medicine combines mainstream medical therapies and CAM therapies for which there is some high-quality scientific evidence of safety and effectiveness.

In other words, integrative medicine cherry picks the very best, scientifically validated therapies from both conventional and CAM systems. In his New York Times review of Dr. Weils latest book, Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, Abraham Verghese, M.D., summed up this orientation well, stating that Dr. Weil, doesnt seem wedded to a particular dogma, Western or Eastern, only to the get-the-patient-better philosophy.

So this is a basic definition of integrative medicine. What follows is the complete one, which serves to guide both Dr. Weils work and that of integrative medicine physicians and teachers around the world:

Integrative medicine is healing-oriented medicine that takes account of the whole person (body, mind, and spirit), including all aspects of lifestyle. It emphasizes the therapeutic relationship and makes use of all appropriate therapies, both conventional and alternative.

The principles of integrative medicine:

By Brad Lemley DrWeil.com News

Originally posted here:
What is Integrative Medicine? - Andrew Weil, M.D.

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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) – WebMD

Posted: October 22, 2016 at 6:43 pm

If youre looking for relief from menopause symptoms, knowing the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can help you decide whether its right for you.

HRT (also known as hormone therapy, menopausal hormone therapy, and estrogen replacement therapy) uses female hormones -- estrogen and progesterone -- to treat common symptoms of menopause and aging. Doctors can prescribe it during or after menopause.

After your period stops, your hormone levels fall, causing uncomfortable symptoms like hot flashes and vaginal dryness, and sometimes conditions like osteoporosis. HRT replaces hormones your body no longer makes. Its the most effective treatment for menopause symptoms.

You might think of pregnancy when you think of estrogen. In women of child-bearing age, it gets the uterus ready to receive a fertilized egg. It has other roles, too -- it controls how your body uses calcium, which strengthens bones, and raises good cholesterol in the blood.

If you still have your uterus, taking estrogen without progesterone raises your risk for cancer of the endometrium, the lining of the uterus. Since the cells from the endometrium arent leaving your body during your period any more, they may build up in your uterus and lead to cancer. Progesterone lowers that risk by thinning the lining.

Once you know the hormones that make up HRT, think about which type of HRT you should get:

Estrogen Therapy: Doctors generally suggest a low dose of estrogen for women who have had a hysterectomy, the surgery to remove the uterus. Estrogen comes in different forms. The daily pill and patch are the most popular, but the hormone also is available in a vaginal ring, gel, or spray.

Estrogen/Progesterone/Progestin Hormone Therapy: This is often called combination therapy, since it combines doses of estrogen and progestin, the synthetic form of progesterone. Its meant for women who still have their uterus.

The biggest debate about HRT is whether its risks outweigh its benefits.

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Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) - WebMD

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