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How can an anti-wrinkle treatment help patients suffering from an overactive bladder?

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On December 26, 2020

In microbiology, muscular system, nervous system, urinary system

TeachableMedicalNews article 12262020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. muscular tissue chapter – neurotransmitter release at the neuromuscular junction
  2. autonomic nervous system chapter –  parasympathetic division and its neurotransmitters
  3. urinary system chapter – role of detrusor muscle in emptying of the bladder
  4. microbiology – Clostridium botulinum and its toxin

The news item:  Recently an unusual report appeared about the anti-wrinkle treatment, Botox:

https://westnewsmagazine.com/2019/11/13/117802/beyond-wrinkles-botox-offers-effective-treatment-for-common-bladder-condition

The article states that people suffering from an overactive bladder may find help for their symptoms from twice-a-year Botox injection.

So, Why Do I Care??  There are about 50 million people in the US suffering from overactive bladder symptoms. While this affliction is not life threatening, everyday life, ability to hold down a job are disrupted by it. There are several medical interventions to help patients, so Botox is the latest to join the remedies.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about the mechanics of urination. For urination to happen the muscle (called detrusor) inside the wall of the urinary

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Why eating Listeria-contaminated food can be life threatening?

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On October 22, 2020

In cellular basis of life, digestive system, lymphatic and immune system, nervous system, reproductive system

TeachableMedicalNews article 10222020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – cytosol
  2. nervous system chapter – location of meninges
  3. immune system chapter – vasodilation during inflammation
  4. immune system chapter – emigration by white blood cells
  5. microbiology – Listeria monocytogenes biology

The news item:  Recently a Listeria outbreak was reported to have started from contaminated mushrooms:

Enoki mushrooms tied to listeria outbreak that killed four people and hospitalized 31, CDC says | CNN

Enoki mushrooms are linked to four deaths and 31 hospitalizations in what the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says was a multistate listeria outbreak that is now presumed to be over.

The article stated that Listeria outbreak is caused by a bacterium, and that the symptoms of infection are stiff neck, loss of balance, miscarriage, confusion and fever.

So, Why Do I Care??

Infection by Listeria bacterium is the third leading cause of food borne illness, and it is the most lethal food borne illness by killing about 15 – 20% of the infected individuals.  In the US each year about 1600 people get infected, and 260 die. The victims are the most vulnerable of society: elderly, pregnant women, and immunosuppressed people.

Plain English, Please!!!

First, let’s talk about what Listeria is. Listeria is a type of bacterium that infects human beings when they consume Listeria-contaminated food. The bacterium lives

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Could the electrical stimulation of the skin help pediatric ADHD sufferers?

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On September 16, 2020

In nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 09162020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. nervous system chapter – Na channel opening during nerve impulse
  2. nervous system chapter – neurotransmitters pass excitation from one neuron to another
  3. brain chapter – cranial nerves and their functions

The news item:  Recently a news article described a medical device to treat ADHD in children:

FDA signs off on first medical device for treating ADHD in children

As diagnosis rates of ADHD among children skyrocket, a new medical device for the treatment of ADHD could soon hit the market.

The article states that the device called Monarch eTNS is placed on the forehead to send electrical impulses to the brain through the trigeminal nerve.

So, Why Do I Care??  Over 7 million children and 8 million adults have ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder).  ADHD can severely disrupt learning, school activities, social interactions, and job performance, among others. While there are existing treatment options for people with ADHD, any new treatment with fewer side effects is welcome news.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about ADHD.  Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is a disorder of the nervous system.  Normally, small group of neurons in the brain actively keep behaviors like attention span, interactions with others, and executive function going.  When those groups of neurons have a lower

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What makes some hand sanitizers dangerously toxic?

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On August 28, 2020

In cellular basis of life, chemical basis of life, digestive system, metabolism, nervous system, Uncategorized

TeachableMedicalNews article 08282020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. chemical basis of life chapter – adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
  2. cellular basis of life chapter –sites of detoxification inside the cell
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – mitochondria as site of ATP production
  4. digestive system chapter – absorption through stomach mucosa
  5. metabolism chapter – electron transport chain as most efficient ATP producing process inside mitochondria
  6. special senses chapter – gross anatomy of optic nerve

The news item:  A recent news item described over a hundred hand sanitizer brands are being removed from store shelves because they may be dangerously toxic:

FDA says to avoid these 130 hand sanitizer products that may not work, or are toxic

Regulators say some of the products contain dangerous levels of methanol, which can lead to blindness, hospitalization and even death.

The article mentions that the toxic ingredient is methanol, and that it may cause blindness.

So, Why Do I Care??  Poisoning by methanol, also called wood alcohol, sickens over 20,000 people each year in the US.  These people may become blind in 24 hours, and suffer long-lasting damage to their kidneys and brain. The best prevention is not to consume methanol either by drinking or through contact with skin, such as through hand sanitizers.  So, taking hand sanitizers off the shelf is part of the prevention.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what methanol is. Methanol is chemically similar to ethanol, the alcohol in adult beverages. Methanol gets into hand sanitizers when the ethanol ingredient is contaminated with methanol. When ethanol is made by distilleries, sometimes inadvertently methanol is distilled into the product, so then it becomes part of the hand sanitizer.

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Can we relax an overactive bladder by enhancing the actions of the nervous system?

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On February 22, 2020

In nervous system, urinary system

TeachableMedicalNews article 02222020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. Autonomic nervous system chapter —  examples for sympathetic and parasympathetic activities
  2. Autonomic nervous system chapter —  neurotransmitters acetylcholine and norepinephrine and their receptors
  3. urinary system chapter – layers and tissues of the urinary bladder wall
  4. urinary system chapter – nerve pathways for the micturition reflex

The news item:  A recent news item informs us that a drug to treat overactive bladder is effective in men as well:

Men Get Overactive Bladder, Too

Don’t always blame the prostate.

 

The article mentions the symptoms of overactive bladder, the fact that men get this disorder as much as women, and that one treatment, Myrbetriq, is acting through  beta 3 adrenoceptor agonists.

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Can a steroid treatment combat postpartum depression?

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On February 8, 2020

In chemical basis of life, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 02072020

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. chemical basis of life chapter – lipids and steroids
  2. nervous system chapter – role of neurotransmitters in the life of a neuron
  3. nervous system chapter – effects of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters

The news item:  A new drug, called Zulresso, for the treatment of postpartum depression was in the news recently:

FDA approves first postpartum depression drug. It works quickly but costs more than $20K, report says

Brexanolone, sold as Zulresso, is delivered as a continuous IV infusion over 60 hours. It works quickly and costs $20,000 or more.

The article mentions symptoms and the frequency of postpartum depression.

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Can genetic information guide personalized timing of radiation therapy?

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On December 15, 2019

In cellular basis of life, integumentary system, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 12152019

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – cancer cell formation
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – DNA and membrane damage from radiation
  3. nervous system chapter – circadian rhythm directed by reticular formation and the hypothalamus
  4. integumentary system chapter – stem cells of epidermis in stratum basale

The news item:  This article describes promising research into minimizing radiation toxicity in cancer patients:

Use genetic data to predict the best time of day to give radiotherapy to breast cancer patients, say researchers

A new clinical study led by the University of Leicester and conducted in the HOPE clinical trials facility at Leicester’s Hospitals has revealed the pivotal role that changing the time of day that a patient receives radiotherapy could play in altering radiotherapy toxicity.

The article mentions PER3 and NOCT genes of circadian rhythm, and how they change skin biology, and the adverse response of skin to radiation therapy.

So, Why Do I Care??  Many types of cancers are treated with radiation therapy, bringing the total to over 3 million patients every year in the USA.  While radiation therapy is successful in reducing cancer growth, the treatment has several side effects, called radiation toxicity.  One of those side effects is the thickening and reddening of the skin.  Any approach that reduces the side effects of the treatment will increase the comfort and quality of life of millions of cancer patients.

Plain English, Please!!!

First, let’s talk about radiation therapy. The eradication of the cancer cells in cancer patients can be achieved by surgery, chemotherapy, and by radiation therapy.  The radiation is nothing else but invisible rays that are aimed at the body part that has the cancer; those rays kill the cancer cells by damaging their DNA and the cell membrane. As the radiation comes from a machine, those killer rays must pass through the skin in order to reach cancer inside the body.

Second, let’s talk about skin reaction to radiation.  No surprise that the very rays that destroy cancer cells also damage the skin as the rays are passing through it.  Think about how the rays from the Sun pass through the skin, and cause sunburn.  Cells in the actively growing layer of the skin are damaged most, and that layer has to regenerate to keep the skin functioning.  That regeneration is making the skin red, and thick, painful, cracked, and even bleeding.  This is worse than the dry and cracked skin you get in the winter time.

Third, let’s talk about circadian rhythm.  We feel sleepy at night, and wake up in the morning, because of the daily rhythm directed by our nervous system.  That daily rhythm is called the circadian rhythm.  As it turns out our skin regenerates better at certain times of the day, so the skin regeneration is also moving along a circadian rhythm.  People with specific version of the genes called Per3 and Noct have skin rhythms with better regeneration in the afternoon.  This means that for those patients, identified by genetic analysis, the radiation treatment scheduled for the afternoon will speed up the regeneration, and minimize skin damage.

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Can an injectable treatment reduce cluster headaches?

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On November 30, 2019

In cellular basis of life, lymphatic and immune system, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 11302019

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. Cellular basis of life chapter – receptors on cell membranes bind ligands
  2. general senses chapter – unconventional types of pain
  3. general senses chapter – pharmaceuticals of pain control
  4. immune system chapter – antibodies as pharmaceuticals

The news item:  A new injectable treatment for cluster headaches has recently been in the news:

Emgality Receives First FDA Approval for Treating Cluster Headache

US News is a recognized leader in college, grad school, hospital, mutual fund, and car rankings. Track elected officials, research health conditions, and find news you can use in politics, business, health, and education.

The article mentions the similarity of the pain of cluster headaches to that of migraines, and the approval of the drug Emgality (galcanazumab).

So, Why Do I Care??

About 1 million people suffer from a debilitating disorder, cluster headaches, in the USA.  While there are several therapeutic approaches to cluster headaches, but their effectiveness varies, and many of those treatments have unpleasant side effects.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about cluster headache.  Cluster headache a quick onset and intensely painful type of headache.  That pain makes patients disfunctional, and many cases the pain wakes them up at night, and, so, that is why this disorder is so debilitating.  The headaches happen during a particular time of the day, because these headaches are linked to the body’s own internal clock.

Second, let’s talk about pain, this warning signal of our nervous system.  We sense pain when tissue damage triggers nerve impulses in the nerve cells of the damaged body area, and those neurons conduct the nerve impulse to the brain

Third, let’s talk about this new treatment for cluster headache.  Because cluster headache is not the result of tissue damage, common pain killers don’t work well on cluster headache pain.  Many years of research identified a chemical that trigger cluster headache pain; that chemical is called calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP).  Cluster headaches happen when CGRP reaches receptors on neurons in the brain.   So, how can you block the action of that peptide?  Imagine a football game where the defensive tackle wraps his arms around the running back to keep him out of the end zone.  The drug mentioned in the article, galcanezumab, acts like a defensive tackle wrapping arms around the running back CGRP, and keeping it away from receptors on neurons in the brain.  The defensive tackle, galcanezumab, can target CGRP only, because galcanezumab is a modified antibody, a protein made by immune system cells to specifically target invaders in the body. As antibodies are proteins, they can not be taken orally, but have to be injected.

Can electrical stimulation to your throat cure sleep apnea?

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On November 27, 2019

In muscular system, nervous system, respiratory system

TeachableMedicalNews article 11272019

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. respiratory system chapter – anatomy of upper airways
  2. nervous system chapter – organs innervated by cranial nerve XII (hypoglossal)
  3. skeletal muscle chapter – electric excitation of skeletal muscles lead to contraction (excitation-contraction coupling)

 The news item: Recently, several articles appeared about an electrical device called Inspire:

Sleep apnea patient finds rest with implant device: “It saved my life”

An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, putting them at greater risk for diabetes, heart disease, stroke and memory loss

The articles mention that the device treats sleep apnea, and that the device sends electrical impulses to the throat muscles.

So, Why Do I Care??  Sleep apnea, or more precisely, obstructive sleep apnea, is a sleep disorder that affects about 22 million people in the US.  Those people are not just losing sleep, but are at higher risk for several cardiovascular diseases, and for daytime sleepiness.  While not every patient is a good candidate for the Inspire device, the patients with the device show significant improvement in sleep quality and time.

Plain English, Please!!!     So, let’s talk about sleep apnea first.  Apnea is a brief closure of the airways where the closure stops air from getting into the lungs.  The lower portion of our airways have solid cartilage framework (trachea, bronchi), so narrowing rarely occurs; it is always open, like a steel pipe.  However, in the upper airways (mouth, soft palate) we have muscles that surround those airways, and the inappropriate relaxation of the muscles can lead to closure of the upper airway; imagine putting on a sock: it’s easy when we open it up with our fingers, but it’s harder to put our toes through it when the sock is collapsed on the floor.

Second, let’s talk about throat muscles.  While we do have muscles in the throat (anatomically called pharynx), in the soft palate, and in the tongue, surprisingly, the muscles in the tongue are the culprit in narrowing of the airways during sleep. The task of the Inspire device is to contract the muscles inside our tongue.

Third, let’s talk about muscle contraction.  How come those muscles of the upper airways stop working when we’re asleep?  That happens, because muscles need an instruction, a nerve signal, to work, to contract.  When we’re asleep, our brain is no longer sending nerve signals to the tongue muscles, so the muscles relax, and may obstruct the upper airways.  It follows then that during our sleep we could reopen the closed airways by sending a signal to the muscles of the tongue.  Because most of the tongue muscles get their nerve signal through a nerve called cranial nerve XII, it makes sense that the wire of the Inspire device sends electrical impulses to cranial nerve XII.  In turn, those nerve impulses will make the tongue muscles to contract, and keep the airways open.

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Is putting a filter into our large blood vessels a good idea?

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On November 15, 2019

In cardiovascular system, nervous system, respiratory system

TeachableMedicalNews article 11152019

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. blood chapter – blood clot formation
  2. blood vessel chapter – direction of blood flow in veins
  3. heart chapter – pulmonary circulation
  4. respiratory system chapter – blood flow to alveoli for gas exchange

The news item: The medical device called “IVC filter” was in the consumer safety news recently:

IVC Filter Lawsuit | 2020 Updates and Settlements

If you experienced side effects from an IVC filter, you may be eligible for compensation. Get a free case review today at ConsumerSafety.org.

The article provided updates regarding lawsuits targeting the IVC filter. The article mentioned the purpose of the device which is to remove unwanted blood clots, and that the device as placed in the inferior vena cava.

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