Archives for December 2007

The Best of Highlight HEALTH 2007 – The Year in Review

December 31, 2007 | by

As 2007 comes to a close, I would like to thank you for your readership. Just over one year ago, I launched two websites, Highlight HEALTH and the Highlight HEALTH Web Directory. Here at Highlight HEALTH, my goal was to write about biomedical research I found interesting and to make it easier for people to understand research findings, empowering them to have more productive discussions with their physicians and to make informed decisions about healthcare. The Highlight HEALTH Web Directory is my endeavor to catalog and make available health-related websites I find to be informative and useful. More recently, I’ve also started writing about Web 2.0 in Health, Fitness and Medicine, and plan to publish a series of review articles on a number of health-focused social networks.

This past month, I started the Highlight HEALTH Network, an aggregation of content from both sites to allow readers to keep up with the latest articles on Highlight HEALTH and the newest additions to the Highlight HEALTH Web Directory, all from a single source.

The Highlight HEALTH Network RSS Dashboard Widget

December 26, 2007 | by

To celebrate the one-year anniversary of Highlight HEALTH, I’m pleased to announce the release of the Highlight HEALTH Network RSS Dashboard Widget, which provides one-click access to the latest posts on the Highlight HEALTH Network. The widget is designed for use on the Apple Dashboard.

The Highlight HEALTH Network

December 23, 2007 | by

Just in time for the holidays, Highlight HEALTH and the Highlight HEALTH Web Directory now offer an aggregated news feed.

The Highlight HEALTH Network is currently an aggregation of content from two news feeds:

  • Highlight HEALTH
  • The Highlight HEALTH Web Directory: New Additions
UPDATE: February 5th, 2008

The Highlight HEALTH Network now includes a third source:
Highlight HEALTH 2.0

The Genetics of Panic Disorder

December 19, 2007 | by

A study published earlier this year in the American Journal of Medical Genetics suggests that lymphoblast gene expression may be used to identify biomarkers for panic disorder. Researchers at the University of Iowa evaluated gene expression profiles in lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) cultured from patients with and without panic disorder and found specific disorder- and sex-related differences [1]. A blood test for panic disorder and other mental health conditions based on the study results is being developed. However, a commercial diagnostic test may be premature as the study results are far from conclusive.

DNA Amplification by Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

December 12, 2007 | by

What does the diagnosis of hereditary diseases, the detection and diagnosis of infectious diseases, personalized DNA sequencing, DNA cloning, genetic functional analysis, genetic fingerprinting and DNA-based phylogeny have in common?

The all employ a widely used molecular technique called polymerase chain reaction or PCR.

The idea was conceived by Kary Mullis in the early 1980s and was first described, albeit briefly, in an article investigating the mutation that causes sickle cell anemia [1]. The details of the method and its uses were discussed in greater detail over the next two years [2-3]. PCR revolutionized molecular genetics by allowing rapid duplication and analysis of DNA.