Medicexchange: A Medical Imaging Resource

June 27, 2007 | by

The New England Journal of Medicine calls the development of body imaging one of the most important medical developments of the past 1,000 years [1]. Indeed, patient-specific information regarding disease diagnosis and progression is routinely obtained today using medical imaging.

Medicexchange is a medical imaging portal where you can find all the world’s leading medical imaging solutions in one place and offers a number of benefits for both radiology professionals and informed health consumers.

Highlight HEALTH Summer Survival Guide

June 23, 2007 | by

In the Northern hemisphere, summer officially starts on June 21. This day, also know as the summer solstice, has more daylight than any other day of the year because the sun reaches its greatest distance above the equator.

Summer is a great time to get outdoors and be active. However, along with the fun and sun, there are a number of irritations that we have to content with. Highlight HEALTH looks at how to survive this summer — from sunburn to poison ivy.

Tumor Suppressors and Oncogenes

June 6, 2007 | by

The cell cycle is a series of ordered events that occur in a cell between it’s initial formation and eventual duplication and division into two daughter cells. Cells in the human body normally reproduce up to ~50 times [1], doubling their number with each cell cycle. Stem cells provide a pool of dividing cells to replace those that have died.

Interphase, the period between cell divisions, is where most cells remain for at least 90% of the cell cycle. Interphase consists of three phases: G1 (for gap 1), S phase (for synthesis) and G2 (for gap 2). During G1, the cell undergoes rapid growth and metabolic activity, including production of RNA and synthesis of protein. For the cell to divide and produce an identical copy of itself, its genome must be duplicated. DNA replication occurs in S phase. During G2, cell growth continues and the cell prepares for division. Cell division or mitosis occurs in M phase.

In normal cells, during G1 there are specific genes that control the speed of the cell cycle. These genes, called tumor suppressors and oncogenes, are mutated (meaning damaged) in cancer cells and can result in uncontrolled reproduction. Additionally, unlike normal cells, cancer cells do not stop reproducing after ~50 divisions. Thus, a cancer is an uncontrolled proliferation of cells.

Quercetin

May 16, 2007 | by

Quercetin is a polyphenol, one of a number of water-soluble plant pigments called flavonoids (meaning class of plant secondary metabolites known for their antioxidant activity) that are largely responsible for the color of many flowers, fruits and vegetables. High concentrations of quercetin are found in apples, onions, tea and red wine [1]. Other sources of quercetin include olive oil, grapes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, dark cherries and dark berries such as blueberries, blackberries and bilberries. The average U.S. citizen eating a normal, healthy diet including fruits and vegetables consumes approximately 25-50 mg of quercetin/day. Quercetin and other flavonoids (also referred to as bioflavonoids) cannot be produced in the human body.

Alternative to Dichloroacetate

May 4, 2007 | by

It’s been three months since an article on dichloroacetate (DCA), the chemotherapeutic agent that selectively inhibits cancer cell growth in lung, breast and brain tumor cells grown in culture and lung tumors grown in immunocompromised rats, was published on Highlight HEALTH. Since then, thousands of people have read the article. Indeed, the blogosphere has been buzzing about DCA, unfortunately focusing on a conspiracy theory accusing big pharma of suppressing a cure for cancer instead of recognizing the study for what it is — a preliminary study in cell culture and rats that cannot be translated to humans without further research and clinical trials.