The American Diabetes Association®, the nation's leading voluntary health organization in the fight to Stop Diabetes®, praises Congress for reauthorizing the Special Diabetes Program. The renewal, which was part of the Medicare and Medicaid Extenders Act of 2010, will ensure the Special Diabetes Program for Indians (SDPI) and the Special Diabetes Programs for Type 1 Diabetes (SDP-Type1) continue through September 2013. The measure will provide $150 million in funding per year to each program. Nearly 24 million Americans are living with diabetes and another 57 million have prediabetes. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report stating that if current trends continue, one in three Americans will have diabetes by the year 2050. Diabetes is among the leading causes of death by disease in the United States. It is a leading cause of heart disease, stroke, blindness, kidney disease, and amputation.
SDPI provides prevention, education and treatment programs in Native American communities. American Indians and Alaska Natives have the highest age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes among all U.S. racial and ethnic groups, where diabetes is four to eight times more common than in the general population. Studies have demonstrated that SDPI's prevention and treatment efforts have contributed to significant reductions in diabetes complications in these targeted populations.
"We applaud the extension of the Special Diabetes Programs," said Gale Marshall, Chair, American Diabetes Association's Awakening the Spirit Native American initiative. "The Special Diabetes Program for Indians provides for more than 450 community-directed programs, allowing local tribes and health programs to set priorities that meet their needs, including prevention activities or treatment. Because of these education and treatment programs, the American Indian and Alaskan Native communities have stories of hope and progress in facing the battle against diabetes."
The Special Diabetes Programs for Type 1 Diabetes provides funding for groundbreaking type 1 diabetes research. Clinical research supported by this program has demonstrated tangible results -- from delaying the full onset of type 1 diabetes in newly diagnosed patients to gaining insight on the underlying causes of diabetes and halting or reversing costly complications such as diabetic eye disease.
"The Special Diabetes Programs for Type 1 Diabetes is a vital federal effort that is bringing us closer to a cure for this epidemic," said Janel Wright, National Chair, Advocacy Committee, American Diabetes Association. "This cost-effective program provides crucial funding for research and results in real advances for people living with type 1 diabetes."
суббота, 14 мая 2011 г.
$1.3 Million Grant For New Tests For Potential Obesity/Diabetes Treatment Awarded To Scripps Florida
The Scripps Research Institute has been awarded a $1.3 million grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to develop a series of tests at its Florida campus to help explore the potential of a protein that has emerged as a highly attractive target for the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes.
Patricia McDonald, an associate scientific director in the Translational Research Institute at Scripps Florida and an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Therapeutics, is the principal investigator for the three-year project funded by the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
"Because obesity and diabetes are two of the most serious health problems facing us, the need for novel treatments has never been greater," McDonald said. "Some recent studies in animal models have shown that activating the G protein-coupled receptor GPR119 improves glucose homeostasis or balance, while positively affecting both food intake and weight gain. This funding will help us design new assays that will explore the overall potential of GPR119 - and may one day lead to more effective treatments."
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most diverse protein family in the human genome. They transduce or convert extracellular stimuli including neurotransmitters, light, hormones, lipids, and peptides into intracellular signals through a number of signaling pathways. Approximately one third, and perhaps as many as half, of currently marketed drugs are designed to target these receptors.
GPR119 is expressed predominantly in the pancreas and gut of humans and rodents and in the rat brain. When activated, the receptor promotes secretion of a specific hormone, called Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), in the intestines, which in turn increases insulin secretion from the pancreas; both are key components in regulating the balance of glucose in the body. Although some modulators of GPR119 have been discovered, they do not necessarily mimic the receptor's natural ligand and have thus turned out to be mostly unsuitable for use in studying the receptor's biology and function.
"In terms of treating metabolic disease through modulation of GPCRs," McDonald said, "an obvious candidate such as the GLP-1 receptor has been a historically difficult target to track with small molecules, but GPR119 is much more amenable to modulation, plus it also regulates the GLP-1 axis, which is what makes it such a potentially valuable target in diabetes and obesity. We chose this particular receptor for those reasons - and the fact that it's being studied extensively by the pharmaceutical industry."
McDonald hopes that once the new assays are developed, and molecular probes created, the process will lead to the identification of small molecule compounds that can be used therapeutically. The probes themselves might even have potential in this regard.
"We'll be studying these probes to see if they have any drug-like properties, particularly if they show any significant activity against the GPR119 receptor," she said. "The obvious goal would be to improve a probe's therapeutic qualities - oral bioavailability, for example - while keeping its high level of activity, a process that can be a lot more difficult than it sounds."
Expanding Knowledge in the Field
With the human genome sequenced, science now has a good handle on just how many GPCRs exist - at least 1,000 or more. Of those, McDonald said, scientists have a good understanding of what approximately 200 of them actually do and what activates them; another 600 or so are involved in taste and smell. The remaining receptors are known as orphan receptors, whose function and natural ligands have yet to be discovered (also a receptor class that the McDonald lab is actively pursuing).
"We want to look at developing assay environments that are more physiologically relevant to the disease state in question," she said, "to make them more akin to what's really going on in the whole animal. We hope that the in vitro pharmacology that we uncover in GPR119 will help bridge the gap between the limits of cell-based assays and in vivo studies. That's why this funding is so important to eventually find more effective treatments for diabetes and obesity."
In her work, McDonald collaborates with the medicinal chemists at Scripps Florida.
"When small molecule candidates demonstrate some sort of efficacy in our cell-based assays, we work very closely with the chemists to improve their efficacy," she said. "The chemists modify these molecules and then they cycle back to the biologists and our assays for further evaluation. It's a very symbiotic relationship."
Patricia McDonald, an associate scientific director in the Translational Research Institute at Scripps Florida and an assistant professor in the Department of Molecular Therapeutics, is the principal investigator for the three-year project funded by the NIH's National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).
"Because obesity and diabetes are two of the most serious health problems facing us, the need for novel treatments has never been greater," McDonald said. "Some recent studies in animal models have shown that activating the G protein-coupled receptor GPR119 improves glucose homeostasis or balance, while positively affecting both food intake and weight gain. This funding will help us design new assays that will explore the overall potential of GPR119 - and may one day lead to more effective treatments."
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest and most diverse protein family in the human genome. They transduce or convert extracellular stimuli including neurotransmitters, light, hormones, lipids, and peptides into intracellular signals through a number of signaling pathways. Approximately one third, and perhaps as many as half, of currently marketed drugs are designed to target these receptors.
GPR119 is expressed predominantly in the pancreas and gut of humans and rodents and in the rat brain. When activated, the receptor promotes secretion of a specific hormone, called Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1), in the intestines, which in turn increases insulin secretion from the pancreas; both are key components in regulating the balance of glucose in the body. Although some modulators of GPR119 have been discovered, they do not necessarily mimic the receptor's natural ligand and have thus turned out to be mostly unsuitable for use in studying the receptor's biology and function.
"In terms of treating metabolic disease through modulation of GPCRs," McDonald said, "an obvious candidate such as the GLP-1 receptor has been a historically difficult target to track with small molecules, but GPR119 is much more amenable to modulation, plus it also regulates the GLP-1 axis, which is what makes it such a potentially valuable target in diabetes and obesity. We chose this particular receptor for those reasons - and the fact that it's being studied extensively by the pharmaceutical industry."
McDonald hopes that once the new assays are developed, and molecular probes created, the process will lead to the identification of small molecule compounds that can be used therapeutically. The probes themselves might even have potential in this regard.
"We'll be studying these probes to see if they have any drug-like properties, particularly if they show any significant activity against the GPR119 receptor," she said. "The obvious goal would be to improve a probe's therapeutic qualities - oral bioavailability, for example - while keeping its high level of activity, a process that can be a lot more difficult than it sounds."
Expanding Knowledge in the Field
With the human genome sequenced, science now has a good handle on just how many GPCRs exist - at least 1,000 or more. Of those, McDonald said, scientists have a good understanding of what approximately 200 of them actually do and what activates them; another 600 or so are involved in taste and smell. The remaining receptors are known as orphan receptors, whose function and natural ligands have yet to be discovered (also a receptor class that the McDonald lab is actively pursuing).
"We want to look at developing assay environments that are more physiologically relevant to the disease state in question," she said, "to make them more akin to what's really going on in the whole animal. We hope that the in vitro pharmacology that we uncover in GPR119 will help bridge the gap between the limits of cell-based assays and in vivo studies. That's why this funding is so important to eventually find more effective treatments for diabetes and obesity."
In her work, McDonald collaborates with the medicinal chemists at Scripps Florida.
"When small molecule candidates demonstrate some sort of efficacy in our cell-based assays, we work very closely with the chemists to improve their efficacy," she said. "The chemists modify these molecules and then they cycle back to the biologists and our assays for further evaluation. It's a very symbiotic relationship."
ARKRAY USA Receives FDA Clearance On GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 Blood Glucose Monitoring System
ARKRAY USA, Inc. announced 510(k)
clearance on GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 Blood Glucose Monitoring System.
GLUCOCARD(TM) 01
This new, affordable system requires no coding, displays results in 7
seconds, and requires a tiny 0.3 microliter sample size. GLUCOCARD(TM) 01
is AST approved and has a 360-count test memory with time and date stamp.
It also features a large, easy-to-read display for better viewing of test
results. The GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 is distinguished by its leading edge design
and technology. Recent clinical data showed GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 to be highly
accurate.
"ARKRAY is excited to announce a new addition to our growing line of
GLUCOCARD(TM) blood glucose monitoring systems. The novel GLUCOCARD(TM) 01
system follows the GLUCOCARD(TM) brand image of sleek, compact, and
discreet. The GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 appearance is similar to leading cell phone
designs and unlike other glucose monitors on the market," said Jonathan
Chapman, President of ARKRAY USA, Inc. "We look forward to building off the
GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 technology and launching further systems later this year
that will utilize the identical test strip."
About ARKRAY USA
ARKRAY has been a pioneer for nearly 50 years in the field of automated
analysis from laboratory and point-of-care systems to home use patient
self-testing systems. ARKRAY's primary focus throughout that time has been
diabetes, developing the world's first hand held blood glucose meter (late
1960s) and the world's first HbA1c analyzer (1982). ARKRAY is one of the
few diabetes testing companies in the US market today that undertakes
in-house each step of the development process to bring products to market.
ARKRAY is among the leading medical device companies noted for their
patent-based intellectual property by Patent Board (Wall Street Journal
6/17/08). Worldwide, ARKRAY is the 5th largest blood glucose meter
manufacturer.
ARKRAY USA
arkrayusa
clearance on GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 Blood Glucose Monitoring System.
GLUCOCARD(TM) 01
This new, affordable system requires no coding, displays results in 7
seconds, and requires a tiny 0.3 microliter sample size. GLUCOCARD(TM) 01
is AST approved and has a 360-count test memory with time and date stamp.
It also features a large, easy-to-read display for better viewing of test
results. The GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 is distinguished by its leading edge design
and technology. Recent clinical data showed GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 to be highly
accurate.
"ARKRAY is excited to announce a new addition to our growing line of
GLUCOCARD(TM) blood glucose monitoring systems. The novel GLUCOCARD(TM) 01
system follows the GLUCOCARD(TM) brand image of sleek, compact, and
discreet. The GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 appearance is similar to leading cell phone
designs and unlike other glucose monitors on the market," said Jonathan
Chapman, President of ARKRAY USA, Inc. "We look forward to building off the
GLUCOCARD(TM) 01 technology and launching further systems later this year
that will utilize the identical test strip."
About ARKRAY USA
ARKRAY has been a pioneer for nearly 50 years in the field of automated
analysis from laboratory and point-of-care systems to home use patient
self-testing systems. ARKRAY's primary focus throughout that time has been
diabetes, developing the world's first hand held blood glucose meter (late
1960s) and the world's first HbA1c analyzer (1982). ARKRAY is one of the
few diabetes testing companies in the US market today that undertakes
in-house each step of the development process to bring products to market.
ARKRAY is among the leading medical device companies noted for their
patent-based intellectual property by Patent Board (Wall Street Journal
6/17/08). Worldwide, ARKRAY is the 5th largest blood glucose meter
manufacturer.
ARKRAY USA
arkrayusa
Grow It, Make It, Fake It -- Diabetes Forecast Offers "Do It Yourself" Tips To Better Eating
These days the quest for good health is in full swing, and we all want to eat better, know what ingredients are in our foods -- and still have something in our wallets. The June issue of Diabetes Forecast , the consumer magazine of the American Diabetes Association, features a special food section with three do-it-yourself areas: grow it, make it and fake it. Complete with mouthwatering photos and recipes, this special section is sure to help you find new and delicious projects that you can call your own.
Grow it! Did you know that the best-tasting food can come straight from your yard -- or even your patio or balcony? Diabetes Forecast turns to backyard and urban gardening experts to provide you with the essential information for getting started. "Some people have such a big vision of what they want their garden to be," says Julie Thomson-Adolf, owner of the South Carolina company Garden Delights. "Start small so you don't get frustrated." From sun to soil and seeds to schedules, this feature -- complete with recipes for your garden-fresh return -- will inspire you to get your hands dirty!
Make it! What's the difference between homemade crackers and store-bought ones? A whole lot of syllables! Avoid the tongue-twisting ingredients listed on the packaging, and take control over what goes in the foods you eat. You can also make adjustments to fit your dietary needs and taste buds. Diabetes Forecast provides you with some simple recipes for homemade goods, including barbecue sauce, granola, crackers, nut butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut or whatever you prefer!), popsicles, and chicken, beef or fish stock. This also includes a bonus feature with steps for canning foods at home.
Fake it! Need to put together a meal that looks like a million bucks but only costs a few? Try these recipes out and turn your home into a four-star restaurant with little work involved.
- Four-Mushroom Salad: Summer brings a bounty of inexpensive mushroom varieties, which are delightfully showcased in this elegant medley.
- Shrimp-Stuffed Flounder: Fill and rolled, these fillets become a restaurant-worthy entr?©e -- except the price.
- Double-Strawberry Meringues: One of the great things about meringues is how impressive they can look but how easy they really are to make. Dress this one up with a swirl of whipped topping or a sprig of mint or basil.
With all the photos, recipes and tips in the June issue of Diabetes Forecast, making the changes necessary to take control of what you eat has never been easier.
This issue of Diabetes Forecast also includes an inspirational story about Malika Bey -- the mother of four children, an employee at three jobs, a person living with type 2 diabetes, and the captain of a team in the Philadelphia Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes event. "As a diabetic, sometimes you feel like you're the only one," she says. "But then [at Step Out] you realize, wow, look at everybody. It's nice to know you're part of something bigger than you feel."
The June issue also includes information on other topics, including:
- Sweet Smarts: Watching blood glucose for health
- Double Duty: Treating diabetes and depression at the same time
- Joining Forces: An American Diabetes Association network attorney helps remove legal obstacles to good health
Diabetes Forecast has been America's leading diabetes magazine for more than 60 years, offering the latest news on diabetes research and treatment to provide information, inspiration and support to people with diabetes.
Source
American Diabetes Association
Grow it! Did you know that the best-tasting food can come straight from your yard -- or even your patio or balcony? Diabetes Forecast turns to backyard and urban gardening experts to provide you with the essential information for getting started. "Some people have such a big vision of what they want their garden to be," says Julie Thomson-Adolf, owner of the South Carolina company Garden Delights. "Start small so you don't get frustrated." From sun to soil and seeds to schedules, this feature -- complete with recipes for your garden-fresh return -- will inspire you to get your hands dirty!
Make it! What's the difference between homemade crackers and store-bought ones? A whole lot of syllables! Avoid the tongue-twisting ingredients listed on the packaging, and take control over what goes in the foods you eat. You can also make adjustments to fit your dietary needs and taste buds. Diabetes Forecast provides you with some simple recipes for homemade goods, including barbecue sauce, granola, crackers, nut butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut or whatever you prefer!), popsicles, and chicken, beef or fish stock. This also includes a bonus feature with steps for canning foods at home.
Fake it! Need to put together a meal that looks like a million bucks but only costs a few? Try these recipes out and turn your home into a four-star restaurant with little work involved.
- Four-Mushroom Salad: Summer brings a bounty of inexpensive mushroom varieties, which are delightfully showcased in this elegant medley.
- Shrimp-Stuffed Flounder: Fill and rolled, these fillets become a restaurant-worthy entr?©e -- except the price.
- Double-Strawberry Meringues: One of the great things about meringues is how impressive they can look but how easy they really are to make. Dress this one up with a swirl of whipped topping or a sprig of mint or basil.
With all the photos, recipes and tips in the June issue of Diabetes Forecast, making the changes necessary to take control of what you eat has never been easier.
This issue of Diabetes Forecast also includes an inspirational story about Malika Bey -- the mother of four children, an employee at three jobs, a person living with type 2 diabetes, and the captain of a team in the Philadelphia Step Out: Walk to Fight Diabetes event. "As a diabetic, sometimes you feel like you're the only one," she says. "But then [at Step Out] you realize, wow, look at everybody. It's nice to know you're part of something bigger than you feel."
The June issue also includes information on other topics, including:
- Sweet Smarts: Watching blood glucose for health
- Double Duty: Treating diabetes and depression at the same time
- Joining Forces: An American Diabetes Association network attorney helps remove legal obstacles to good health
Diabetes Forecast has been America's leading diabetes magazine for more than 60 years, offering the latest news on diabetes research and treatment to provide information, inspiration and support to people with diabetes.
Source
American Diabetes Association
American Diabetes Association Announces Tamara Darsow, PhD, As New Vice President, Research Programs
The American Diabetes Association announced that Tamara "Mara" Darsow, PhD, has been named the Association's Vice President of Research Programs. As a part of the Association's Scientific & Medical Division leadership team, Darsow will oversee the research grants programs and research committees, while also providing scientific support for the Association's Research Foundation.
Prior to accepting her position with the Association, Darsow was the Director of External Research Programs and Strategic Relation at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In this role she provided oversight of all Amylin external research programs as well as scientific support for Amylin marketing and medical affairs. Previous to her work at Amylin, Darsow was a Damon Runyon Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, where she developed and led an independent research program. Darsow has co-authored numerous publications and abstracts, many focusing on type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
"Mara's experience in clinical and basic research, medical communications, and grants program management make her uniquely qualified for her position," said David Kendall, MD, Chief Scientific & Medical Affairs Officer. "We look forward to her contributions towards the Association's research efforts."
In 2010, the American Diabetes Association made $34.1 million available to support the broad spectrum of diabetes research. This funding supported 338 awards at more than 125 leading research institutions in the United States, averaging more than five published papers per currently funded investigator. Over the years, the Association has invested more than $530 million in diabetes research and provided funding for more than 4,000 research projects.
Darsow holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of California at San Diego and a BS in Microbiology from Montana State University.
Prior to accepting her position with the Association, Darsow was the Director of External Research Programs and Strategic Relation at Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. In this role she provided oversight of all Amylin external research programs as well as scientific support for Amylin marketing and medical affairs. Previous to her work at Amylin, Darsow was a Damon Runyon Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, where she developed and led an independent research program. Darsow has co-authored numerous publications and abstracts, many focusing on type 1 and type 2 diabetes.
"Mara's experience in clinical and basic research, medical communications, and grants program management make her uniquely qualified for her position," said David Kendall, MD, Chief Scientific & Medical Affairs Officer. "We look forward to her contributions towards the Association's research efforts."
In 2010, the American Diabetes Association made $34.1 million available to support the broad spectrum of diabetes research. This funding supported 338 awards at more than 125 leading research institutions in the United States, averaging more than five published papers per currently funded investigator. Over the years, the Association has invested more than $530 million in diabetes research and provided funding for more than 4,000 research projects.
Darsow holds a PhD in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of California at San Diego and a BS in Microbiology from Montana State University.
News From The American Chemical Society, May 13, 2009
Advance in detecting melamine-adulterated food
Researchers in Indiana are reporting an advance toward faster, more sensitive tests for detecting melamine, the substance that killed at least 6 children and sickened 300,000 children in China who drank milk and infant formula adulterated with the substance. The improved tests may ease global concerns about food safety, the researchers say. Their report is scheduled for the May 27 issue of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
In the new study, Lisa Mauer and colleagues note that tests already exist for melamine, which is widely used in plastics. Certain food manufacturers, however, have added melamine to food products marketed for humans and domestic pets to boost apparent protein content. Conventional tests, however, tend to be too slow, insensitive, and too complex for large-scale food screening applications. Researchers say that better detection tests are needed, particularly in the wake of new U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines limiting melamine in dairy products to 1 part per million (ppm) or less.
The scientists describe a trio of promising detection methods based on near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy, analytical techniques that identify a substance based on its chemical fingerprint when exposed to specific kinds of light. In laboratory studies, the scientists used these tests to screen infant formula spiked with different concentrations of melamine. They found that these methods accurately detected the substance at levels as low as 1 ppm, meeting the new FDA detection guidelines. The techniques take as little as 5 minutes to detect melamine and are relatively simple to use, requiring little or no sample preparation.
ARTICLE: "Melamine Detection in Infant Formula Powder Using Near- and Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy"
CONTACT:
Lisa J. Mauer, Ph.D.
Department of Food Science
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Ind. 47907
Cloud computing brings cost of protein research down-to-earth
The amazingly powerful computers at Amazon - where online customers order books, CDs, and other products - are giving scientists an inexpensive tool to crunch massive amounts of data being generated by efforts to understand proteins. Termed proteomics, the large-scale study of all the proteins in an organism, promises new ways of diagnosing and treating hundreds of diseases. In a report scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research, scientists describe the development of free tools using Amazon's "cloud computing" service that can help shoulder scientists' data crunching needs with its brawny network of computers.
In the report, Brian D. Halligan and colleagues note that a major challenge in proteomics research involves obtaining and maintaining the costly computational infrastructure required for analysis of data. "Cloud computing," using a large network of computers to tackle one complex task, may make this mountain of data easier to manage.
The researchers describe development of a new approach to proteomics data analysis called ViPDAC (virtual proteomics data analysis cluster) that uses Amazon Web Service's inexpensive "cloud computing" service. It allows people to rent processing time on Amazon's powerful servers. The study describes one data analysis that took less than 6 days with ViPDAC, but would have required 140 days on a desktop computer. "For researchers currently without access to large computer resources, this greatly increases the options to analyze their data. They can now undertake more complex analyses or try different approaches that were simply not feasible for them before," the report states.
ARTICLE: "Low Cost, Scalable Proteomics Data Analysis Using Amazon's Cloud Computing Services and Open Source Search Algorithms"
CONTACT:
Brian D. Halligan, Ph.D
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisc. 53226
Solving the mystery of how plants survive near Chernobyl
Twenty-two years after the Chernobyl nuclear power station accident in the Ukraine - the worst in history - scientists are reporting insights into the mystery of how plants have managed to adapt and survive in the radioactive soil near Chernobyl. Their research is the first to probe how production of key proteins in plants changes in response to the radioactive environment, according to the report. It is scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication.
Martin Hajduch and colleagues note in the new study that plants growing in the Chernobyl area following the April 26, 1986 disaster somehow adapted to the radioactive environment and thrived. But until now, nobody knew what biochemical changes in the plants accounted for this miracle and enabled plants to adapt.
The researchers found that soybean plant seeds exposed to radiation produced different amounts and types of protein than seeds from unexposed plants. The proteins protected the seeds from radio-contaminated environment. Interestingly, plants from contaminated fields produced one-third more of a protective protein called betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase - the same protein known to protect human blood from radiation damage.
ARTICLE: "Proteomic Analysis of Mature Soybean Seeds from the Chernobyl Area Suggest Plant Adaptation to the Contaminated Environment"
CONTACT:
Martin Hajduch, Ph.D.
Department of Reproduction and Developmental Biology
Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Slovak Republic
New insights into the mystery of "high risk platelets" from diabetic donors
Amid emerging concerns that blood platelets donated for transfusion by individuals with Type 2 diabetes may be unsafe, scientists are reporting the first detailed identification and analysis of a group of abnormal proteins in platelets from diabetic donors. The study could lead to screening tests to detect and monitor these so-called "high risk platelets," the researchers say. Their study is scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication. About 18 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes, and the disease is spreading with the epidemic of obesity.
David Springer and colleagues point out in the new study that thousands of patients receive potentially lifesaving transfusions of platelets each year to treat bleeding from trauma and for a wide range of medical conditions. Scientists have known that abnormal platelets in the blood of diabetics may predispose these individuals to heart disease. It led to concern that platelets from these individuals stored for transfusion may be less effective and even unsafe. However, scientists know little about how diabetic platelets differ from those of healthy people.
The new study identified 122 proteins that differed in the platelets of individuals with diabetes compared to the platelets of non-diabetics. They also found that freshly collected platelets from diabetics show almost as many abnormal changes (more than 100) in protein content as healthy donor platelets stored for up to 5 days. These findings could lead to new tests for detecting and monitoring abnormal platelets to improve the outcome of blood transfusions from both diabetic and healthy individuals, the researchers say.
ARTICLE: "Platelet Proteome Changes Associated with Diabetes and during Platelet Storage for Transfusion"
CONTACT:
David Springer, Ph.D.
Biological Sciences Division
Pacific Northwest national Laboratory
Richland, Wash. 99352
Revealing a surprising link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease
Blindness, heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney failure are not the only complications facing the nation's estimated 24 million people with diabetes. Although not widely known, those with the disease face up to double the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) than non-diabetics, according to an article scheduled for the May 18 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine.
C&EN senior editor Sophie Rovner explains in the article that people with diabetes tend to have a higher risk of getting AD, and possibly get it at an earlier age, than the general population. Five million people in the United States have Alzheimer's, a brain disorder that causes severe memory loss. Diabetes results from the body's inability to produce or use insulin. Newer research now suggests that insulin is critical for healthy nerve cells in the brain. As the hormone declines in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, so does their memory.
Some research even suggests that diabetes and Alzheimer's are part of the same disease process that affects different parts of the body and that Alzheimer's may be considered "Type 3" diabetes. If so, then doctors might treat Alzheimer's in the same way as diabetes, which includes giving patients insulin or other medications - including so-called "insulin sensitizing" drugs - the article states.
ARTICLE: "Alzheimer's Scary Link To Diabetes"
Researchers in Indiana are reporting an advance toward faster, more sensitive tests for detecting melamine, the substance that killed at least 6 children and sickened 300,000 children in China who drank milk and infant formula adulterated with the substance. The improved tests may ease global concerns about food safety, the researchers say. Their report is scheduled for the May 27 issue of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication.
In the new study, Lisa Mauer and colleagues note that tests already exist for melamine, which is widely used in plastics. Certain food manufacturers, however, have added melamine to food products marketed for humans and domestic pets to boost apparent protein content. Conventional tests, however, tend to be too slow, insensitive, and too complex for large-scale food screening applications. Researchers say that better detection tests are needed, particularly in the wake of new U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) guidelines limiting melamine in dairy products to 1 part per million (ppm) or less.
The scientists describe a trio of promising detection methods based on near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy, analytical techniques that identify a substance based on its chemical fingerprint when exposed to specific kinds of light. In laboratory studies, the scientists used these tests to screen infant formula spiked with different concentrations of melamine. They found that these methods accurately detected the substance at levels as low as 1 ppm, meeting the new FDA detection guidelines. The techniques take as little as 5 minutes to detect melamine and are relatively simple to use, requiring little or no sample preparation.
ARTICLE: "Melamine Detection in Infant Formula Powder Using Near- and Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy"
CONTACT:
Lisa J. Mauer, Ph.D.
Department of Food Science
Purdue University
West Lafayette, Ind. 47907
Cloud computing brings cost of protein research down-to-earth
The amazingly powerful computers at Amazon - where online customers order books, CDs, and other products - are giving scientists an inexpensive tool to crunch massive amounts of data being generated by efforts to understand proteins. Termed proteomics, the large-scale study of all the proteins in an organism, promises new ways of diagnosing and treating hundreds of diseases. In a report scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS' monthly Journal of Proteome Research, scientists describe the development of free tools using Amazon's "cloud computing" service that can help shoulder scientists' data crunching needs with its brawny network of computers.
In the report, Brian D. Halligan and colleagues note that a major challenge in proteomics research involves obtaining and maintaining the costly computational infrastructure required for analysis of data. "Cloud computing," using a large network of computers to tackle one complex task, may make this mountain of data easier to manage.
The researchers describe development of a new approach to proteomics data analysis called ViPDAC (virtual proteomics data analysis cluster) that uses Amazon Web Service's inexpensive "cloud computing" service. It allows people to rent processing time on Amazon's powerful servers. The study describes one data analysis that took less than 6 days with ViPDAC, but would have required 140 days on a desktop computer. "For researchers currently without access to large computer resources, this greatly increases the options to analyze their data. They can now undertake more complex analyses or try different approaches that were simply not feasible for them before," the report states.
ARTICLE: "Low Cost, Scalable Proteomics Data Analysis Using Amazon's Cloud Computing Services and Open Source Search Algorithms"
CONTACT:
Brian D. Halligan, Ph.D
Medical College of Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisc. 53226
Solving the mystery of how plants survive near Chernobyl
Twenty-two years after the Chernobyl nuclear power station accident in the Ukraine - the worst in history - scientists are reporting insights into the mystery of how plants have managed to adapt and survive in the radioactive soil near Chernobyl. Their research is the first to probe how production of key proteins in plants changes in response to the radioactive environment, according to the report. It is scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication.
Martin Hajduch and colleagues note in the new study that plants growing in the Chernobyl area following the April 26, 1986 disaster somehow adapted to the radioactive environment and thrived. But until now, nobody knew what biochemical changes in the plants accounted for this miracle and enabled plants to adapt.
The researchers found that soybean plant seeds exposed to radiation produced different amounts and types of protein than seeds from unexposed plants. The proteins protected the seeds from radio-contaminated environment. Interestingly, plants from contaminated fields produced one-third more of a protective protein called betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase - the same protein known to protect human blood from radiation damage.
ARTICLE: "Proteomic Analysis of Mature Soybean Seeds from the Chernobyl Area Suggest Plant Adaptation to the Contaminated Environment"
CONTACT:
Martin Hajduch, Ph.D.
Department of Reproduction and Developmental Biology
Institute of Plant Genetics and Biotechnology
Slovak Academy of Sciences
Slovak Republic
New insights into the mystery of "high risk platelets" from diabetic donors
Amid emerging concerns that blood platelets donated for transfusion by individuals with Type 2 diabetes may be unsafe, scientists are reporting the first detailed identification and analysis of a group of abnormal proteins in platelets from diabetic donors. The study could lead to screening tests to detect and monitor these so-called "high risk platelets," the researchers say. Their study is scheduled for the June 5 issue of ACS' Journal of Proteome Research, a monthly publication. About 18 million people in the United States have Type 2 diabetes, and the disease is spreading with the epidemic of obesity.
David Springer and colleagues point out in the new study that thousands of patients receive potentially lifesaving transfusions of platelets each year to treat bleeding from trauma and for a wide range of medical conditions. Scientists have known that abnormal platelets in the blood of diabetics may predispose these individuals to heart disease. It led to concern that platelets from these individuals stored for transfusion may be less effective and even unsafe. However, scientists know little about how diabetic platelets differ from those of healthy people.
The new study identified 122 proteins that differed in the platelets of individuals with diabetes compared to the platelets of non-diabetics. They also found that freshly collected platelets from diabetics show almost as many abnormal changes (more than 100) in protein content as healthy donor platelets stored for up to 5 days. These findings could lead to new tests for detecting and monitoring abnormal platelets to improve the outcome of blood transfusions from both diabetic and healthy individuals, the researchers say.
ARTICLE: "Platelet Proteome Changes Associated with Diabetes and during Platelet Storage for Transfusion"
CONTACT:
David Springer, Ph.D.
Biological Sciences Division
Pacific Northwest national Laboratory
Richland, Wash. 99352
Revealing a surprising link between diabetes and Alzheimer's disease
Blindness, heart disease, nerve damage, and kidney failure are not the only complications facing the nation's estimated 24 million people with diabetes. Although not widely known, those with the disease face up to double the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease (AD) than non-diabetics, according to an article scheduled for the May 18 issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine.
C&EN senior editor Sophie Rovner explains in the article that people with diabetes tend to have a higher risk of getting AD, and possibly get it at an earlier age, than the general population. Five million people in the United States have Alzheimer's, a brain disorder that causes severe memory loss. Diabetes results from the body's inability to produce or use insulin. Newer research now suggests that insulin is critical for healthy nerve cells in the brain. As the hormone declines in the brains of people with Alzheimer's, so does their memory.
Some research even suggests that diabetes and Alzheimer's are part of the same disease process that affects different parts of the body and that Alzheimer's may be considered "Type 3" diabetes. If so, then doctors might treat Alzheimer's in the same way as diabetes, which includes giving patients insulin or other medications - including so-called "insulin sensitizing" drugs - the article states.
ARTICLE: "Alzheimer's Scary Link To Diabetes"
Protein Crucial In Diabetes May Be Central Player In Other Diseases Too
Studying a protein already known to play an important role in type 2 diabetes and cancer, genomics researchers have discovered that it may have an even broader role in disease, particularly in other metabolic disorders and heart disease. In finding unsuspected links to other disease-related genes, the scientists may have identified future targets for drug treatments.
The paper appeared online July 17 in the British journal Diabetologia.
"This protein could be a central player in many different diseases and traits," said study leader Struan F.A. Grant, Ph.D., a geneticist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a faculty member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The current finding builds on Grant's 2006 discovery, now widely replicated, that a gene called TCF7L2 is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes results either when the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or when the body's insulin-processing cells develop resistance to insulin, causing blood sugar to rise to unhealthy levels.
The TCF7L2 gene carries the code for a transcription factor--also called TCF7L2--a protein that binds to genes and regulates their activity. Exactly how this protein acts to affect diabetes is still unknown. However, Grant noted that there is great scientific interest in identifying which genes the transcription factor regulates. "It may be more feasible to develop drugs aimed at proteins encoded by specific gene classes regulated by TCF7L2 that are more amenable to targeted interventions, rather than aiming at a more ubiquitous transcription factor," he said.
Because variants in the TCF7L2 gene are also associated with risk for different cancers, including colorectal cancers, there was even greater reason to learn details of its biological activity. "Our goal," said Grant, "was to simply uncover the repertoire of genes that this transcription factor controls."
Collaborating with investigators at the University of Pennsylvania, Grant used a technique called ChIP-sequencing, which locates and compiles the DNA sequences of genes to which proteins bind. "This uses the latest-generation sequencing technology that has only recently become feasible, allowing investigators to rapidly sequence at the scale of whole genomes," said Grant. In human cell lines, this ChIP approach identified and mapped DNA sequences of TCF7L2 binding sites at over 1,000 gene locations.
"What was unexpected and striking about our results was that this transcription factor binds to a large number of gene locations already implicated in disease from previous GWAS research," said Grant. In the last five years, GWAS, or genome-wide association studies, have proven to be highly successful in scouring the genome to locate gene sites associated with particular diseases.
"We found an over-representation of genes associated with metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, but also with cardiovascular disorders, such as coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis," Grant added. "We expect to follow up these initial observations with functional research to investigate how these genes operate in these diseases, and whether these genes may become candidates for better therapies. For now, our work suggests that this transcription factor may be a central node in a network of genes associated not only with type 2 diabetes, but also exerting its influence much further in contributing to other genetic diseases."
A grant from the Ethel Brown Foerderer Fund for Excellence from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia supported this study, with added support from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disorders, the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders, and the University of Pennsylvania Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center. Grant's co-authors were Klaus H. Kaestner, Ph.D., Jonathan Schug, Ph.D., and Mingyao Li, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania; and Jianhua Zhao, Ph.D., of Children's Hospital.
"Disease-associated loci are significantly over-represented among genes bound by transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) in vivo," Diabetologia, published online July 17, 2010. doi: 10.1007/s00125-010-1852-3
The paper appeared online July 17 in the British journal Diabetologia.
"This protein could be a central player in many different diseases and traits," said study leader Struan F.A. Grant, Ph.D., a geneticist at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a faculty member of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. The current finding builds on Grant's 2006 discovery, now widely replicated, that a gene called TCF7L2 is strongly linked to type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes results either when the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or when the body's insulin-processing cells develop resistance to insulin, causing blood sugar to rise to unhealthy levels.
The TCF7L2 gene carries the code for a transcription factor--also called TCF7L2--a protein that binds to genes and regulates their activity. Exactly how this protein acts to affect diabetes is still unknown. However, Grant noted that there is great scientific interest in identifying which genes the transcription factor regulates. "It may be more feasible to develop drugs aimed at proteins encoded by specific gene classes regulated by TCF7L2 that are more amenable to targeted interventions, rather than aiming at a more ubiquitous transcription factor," he said.
Because variants in the TCF7L2 gene are also associated with risk for different cancers, including colorectal cancers, there was even greater reason to learn details of its biological activity. "Our goal," said Grant, "was to simply uncover the repertoire of genes that this transcription factor controls."
Collaborating with investigators at the University of Pennsylvania, Grant used a technique called ChIP-sequencing, which locates and compiles the DNA sequences of genes to which proteins bind. "This uses the latest-generation sequencing technology that has only recently become feasible, allowing investigators to rapidly sequence at the scale of whole genomes," said Grant. In human cell lines, this ChIP approach identified and mapped DNA sequences of TCF7L2 binding sites at over 1,000 gene locations.
"What was unexpected and striking about our results was that this transcription factor binds to a large number of gene locations already implicated in disease from previous GWAS research," said Grant. In the last five years, GWAS, or genome-wide association studies, have proven to be highly successful in scouring the genome to locate gene sites associated with particular diseases.
"We found an over-representation of genes associated with metabolic disorders, such as diabetes, but also with cardiovascular disorders, such as coronary artery disease and atherosclerosis," Grant added. "We expect to follow up these initial observations with functional research to investigate how these genes operate in these diseases, and whether these genes may become candidates for better therapies. For now, our work suggests that this transcription factor may be a central node in a network of genes associated not only with type 2 diabetes, but also exerting its influence much further in contributing to other genetic diseases."
A grant from the Ethel Brown Foerderer Fund for Excellence from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia supported this study, with added support from the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Disorders, the Penn Center for Musculoskeletal Disorders, and the University of Pennsylvania Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center. Grant's co-authors were Klaus H. Kaestner, Ph.D., Jonathan Schug, Ph.D., and Mingyao Li, Ph.D., of the University of Pennsylvania; and Jianhua Zhao, Ph.D., of Children's Hospital.
"Disease-associated loci are significantly over-represented among genes bound by transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) in vivo," Diabetologia, published online July 17, 2010. doi: 10.1007/s00125-010-1852-3
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