TEACHABLE MEDICAL NEWS

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Can we really carry out vision tests with AR goggles and artificial intelligence app?

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On July 17, 2023

In nervous system, special senses

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. special senses chapter – location of retina, the third tunic of the eye
  2. special senses chapter – location and importance of macula lutea
  3. special senses chapter – the retina needs blood supply to bring oxygen and nutrients to the neurons of the retina
  4. special senses chapter – location of liquid-filled spaces inside the eye
  5. special senses chapter – the sensory cells called rods and cones of the retina detect light

The news item:  Recently the following news report appeared online:

 

Duncansville Eye Practice Using AR-Type Headset to Diagnose Major Eye Issues

A Duncansville eye practice is using a new augmented-reality device made by Florida-based company Heru to diagnose severe conditions in patients. This AR-like headset can detect serious eye diseases like Glaucoma in minutesand it’s being used right here in Blair County.

The report states that the HERU is a headset with goggles, and the equipment projects flashes of light in the visual field of the eye, and asks the test subject to respond when they see the light. Among other conditions, glaucoma can be diagnosed with the device.

So, Why Do I Care??  Deterioration of vision is a major threat to quality of life in an aging population. The most serious causes of vision loss are glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, affect over 13 million people in the US. Faster and easier to perform diagnostic process can ensure that people can get an early diagnosis, and more effective treatment. In addition to those two eye disorders the HERU device can diagnose 7 additional eye disorders, indicating the versatility of the device.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about what glaucoma is. This eye disorder develops because of the increased pressure inside the eye. The pressure is coming from the accumulation of aqueous humor in the front (anterior) cavity inside the eye. The increased pressure is then transferred to the vitreous humor of the posterior cavity.  The vitreous humor compresses the blood vessels on the surface of the retina, and that slows the flow of oxygen and nutrients to the light-sensing cells (rods and cones). Picture a garden hose with water flowing through it. If someone steps on the hose the water flow slows down. The same happens to blood vessels of the retina if they are compressed. Without enough oxygen and nutrients the rods and cones start dying, and they no longer detect light, and that leads to vision loss.

Second, let’s talk about what age-related macular degeneration is. This eye disorder develops when a small patch of the retina, the macula lutea, malfunctions. The cause of macular degeneration is

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How can a pharmaceutical such as Entresto treat heart failure?

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On June 26, 2023

In cardiovascular system

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. heart chapter – functional difference in the thickness of myocardium of atria and ventricle wall
  2. heart chapter – conduction system delivers nerve impulses to myocardium
  3. heart chapter — importance of stroke volume
  4. hemodynamics chapter – effects of angiotensin and ANP on blood pressure and volume

The news item:  Recently the following news report appeared:

Advancement in heart failure medication helping patients at MercyOne

There are some medical issues that are an easy fix and then there are some that are more complex, like heart failure. For those with early signs of heart failure, an advancement in medication is making all the difference for patients at MercyOne…

The article discusses the new drug Entresto that moderates symptoms in heart failure patients. The patient interviewed for this article had Guillain-Barre syndrome that caused severe heart arrhythmia.

So, Why Do I Care??  Heart failure indicates a malfunctioning of one of the most important organ in the body. Over 6 million people in the USA have heart failure, and it is listed as cause of 13% of all deaths.  Heart failure results in worsening quality of life because of the inability to hold a job, inability to participate in social activities and in family life.

Plain English, Please!!! First let’s talk about what heart failure is. Most important to understand here is that heart failure doesn’t mean that the heart stops working. Heart failure means that the heart can not pump enough blood to maintain normal functions of all organs. Heart failure may start with moderately decreased  ability and it may then progress to further loss of pumping to the point where life can not be maintained with very low level of pumping. Loss of pumping ability, the heart failure, may be the consequence of malfunctioning heart valves, arrhythmias (abnormal delivery of nerve impulses to the heart muscle), or the damage or thickening (hypertrophy) of the heart wall.

Second, let’s talk about why hypertrophy of the heart wall can lead to heart failure. While it is intuitive to picture why malfunctioning heart valves, or arrhythmias can cause heart failure, it is not that intuitive to see why thickening (hypertrophy) of the heart wall can be damaging. In most cases hypertrophy thickens

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Can we really diagnose concussion from a blood test?

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On May 29, 2023

In cardiovascular system, cellular basis of life, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 05292023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – intermediate filaments are part of the cytoskeleton
  2. nervous system chapter – neurons and astrocytes are cells of the nervous system
  3. brain chapter – meninges are protective coverings of the central nervous system
  4. cardiovascular system chapter – reabsorption during capillary exchange brings degraded proteins into blood circulation
  5. brain chapter – cerebrospinal fluid is absorbed into venous sinus

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared online:

https://www.nbc12.com/prnewswire/2023/03/07/abbott-receives-fda-clearance-first-commercially-available-lab-based-blood-test-help-evaluate-concussion/?outputType=amp

The article states that a new blood test is available for patients who are suspected to have suffered concussion because of an impact injury, and that this test may help to find the patients who might need a CT scan for further evaluation. The test works by analyzing two biomarkers.

So, Why Do I Care??  Concussion happens frequently with over 2 million concussions occurring yearly in the USA. Whether it is from a car accident, from a fall, or from a collision at a sporting event, the consequence is impaired brain function. That comes with a price tag of over $40 billion per year medical cost and lost income in the USA.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what concussion is. An injury to the brain from a physical impact is called concussion. The symptoms can be a brief loss of consciousness followed by headache, memory impairment, loss of orientation, loss of cognitive functions, depression. The most dangerous aspects of concussion are the long-lasting effects.

Second, let’s talk about how the brain is injured by mechanical forces. While it is true that the meninges, the membrane-like covering of the brain, provide a moderate level of protection against sudden

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Can we attack breast cancer with a vaccine?

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On May 8, 2023

In endocrine system, lymphatic and immune system, reproductive system, tissues

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. tissues chapter – epithelial tissue lines the interior of lactiferous ducts
  2. female reproductive system chapter – location of lactiferous ducts in mammary gland
  3. endocrine system chapter – cells need hormone receptors to react to hormones
  4. immune system – the roles of T and B lymphocytes in immune response

The news item:  The following report appeared recently:

Potential breast cancer vaccine undergoing testing

The key protein for a potential vaccine that would treat breast cancer was found through “a matter of luck and tenacity.”

The article states that a key protein was found to serve in the making of a vaccine against breast cancer. This protein is made by breast cancer cells, but not by normal mammary glands.

So, Why Do I Care??  There is over 350,000 new breast cancer diagnosis each year in the US, and over 43,000 women die yearly from this cancer. There are several types of surgical and chemotherapeutical treatments after the diagnosis, however; preventative measures, such as vaccination, would be a great way to decrease the number of breast cancer diagnoses.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about what breast cancer is. Despite the name, breast cancer doesn’t mean that the entire breast turned into a mass of cancer cells. Breast cancer refers to the cancerous changes in the mammary gland. Most frequently cancer cells develop in the epithelial tissues of lobules (where milk is produced) and in the lining of lactiferous ducts.

Second, let’s talk about what is a triple negative breast cancer. The normal growth of the mammary gland during pregnancy is stimulated by the hormones estrogen and progesterone, and epidermal

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How could the lead contamination in blueberries harm us?

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On April 5, 2023

In cellular basis of life, endocrine system, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 04052023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. nervous system chapter – axons and synapses as structures of neurons
  2. nervous system chapter – transmission of a nerve impulse using a chemical synapse
  3. nervous system chapter – formation of myelin sheet along axons
  4. cellular basis of life chapter – zinc-finger proteins in gene regulation
  5. endocrine system chapter – protein kinases are important for cellular actions

The news item:  Recently this report appeared:

Freeze-dried blueberries recalled due to potential lead contamination

The voluntary recall covers packages of organic blueberries sold under the brand name Natierra, with expiration dates of December 2022 and January 2025.

The article states that long term exposure to lead in children may affect the central nervous system causing learning disabilities, developmental defects, and in adults causing damage to the nervous system and internal organs.

So, Why Do I Care??  Long term exposure to lead harms about 500,000 children in the USA alone. The consequences last for decades, and can not be undone. It is good to understand why the metal lead poses such severe consequences.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about how lead (Pb in the periodic table) gets into our bodies. Typically, lead comes into our bodies through eating lead-contaminated food or drinking water, because lead compounds are soluble in water. The heavy metal lead has similar chemical properties to the biologically important metal calcium. Because of that similarity the small intestine readily absorbs lead just as it absorbs calcium.

Second, let’s talk about what biological processes are harmed by lead. Once absorbed into the bloodstream the lead ions take the place of the calcium and zinc ions. Here are a few examples. A. Lead

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How does the antiviral drug Paxlovid fight the Sars-CoV-2 corona virus

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On March 16, 2023

In cellular basis of life, microbiology, respiratory system

TeachableMedicalNews article 03172023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. chemical basis of life chapter – proteins can be cut by hydrolysis using proteases
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – transmembrane proteins can serve as receptors
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – RNA is translated into proteins on ribosomes
  4. microbiology – lifecycle of RNA viruses

The news item:  Recently this news appeared online

 

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2022/jul/23/bidens-health-improving-after-second-day-paxlovid-/

The article states that President Biden received Paxlovid treatment after his diagnosis of COVID infection. The article doesn’t explain anything about Paxlovid itself.

So, Why Do I Care??  At the time of writing this blog post the number of COVID infections numbered 765 million with 6.78 million deaths worldwide.  There is a small number of people (less than 1% of infections) who suffer serious health consequences, and even die because of this virus. Early intervention, such as the use of oral antiviral drugs is a promising way to prevent the development of serious illness.  The way Paxlovid acts may provide a template on how antiviral drugs may treat other virus-borne illnesses.

Plain English, Please!!!

First, let’s talk about why corona viruses can cause so much damage to our bodies. Corona viruses is an organism that can not multiply without a cell hosting it. In order to multiply, corona viruses hijack the RNA making and the protein-making capacities of the host cell.  Viral hijacking means that the host cell can not make RNA and proteins for the host’s own use, and the host cell dies as a consequence of the infection. Therefore, the main direct damage from corona virus infection is the killing of our own cells.

Second, let’s talk about how Sars-CoV-2 hijacks cells. Once a corona virus enters a living host cell, the long RNA of the virus snatches the ribosomes of the host cell, and is transcribed into a long, viral

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Can gene silencing relieve chronic pain?

By

On February 8, 2023

In cardiovascular system, cellular basis of life, nervous system

TeachableMedicalNews article 02082023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of gene mutation leading to protein malfunction
  3. cellular basis of life chapter – role of mRNA in protein synthesis
  4. nervous system chapter – pain receptor neurons detect chemicals of tissue damage
  5. blood chapter – the heme is the oxygen-binding part of hemoglobin

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared:

Gene silencing medicine transforms crippling pain

The NHS is set to fund innovative therapy that patients say has given them their lives back.

The article states that two sisters suffered tremendous pain from acute intermittent porphyria, and even opioid pain killers couldn’t block the pain. The article also states that the sisters received the injected givosiran drug which provided pain relief, and that the drug silences a gene, so buildup of a toxic protein is prevented.

So, Why Do I Care??  Constant, chronic pain prevents people from carrying on with their daily lives. Because traditional pain management approaches may not work on such patients, alternative pain relief methods are being explored. Porphyria is one of those disorders where pain relief may eventually come from the molecular understanding of the causation of pain. If the gene silencing approach is successful, it would be reasonable to explore it’s use for other disorders, and that might benefit many patients.

Plain English, Please!!!  First, let’s talk about what porphyria is. The heme part of hemoglobin is an organic chemical shaped as a large ring. That large ring is constructed by linking together small chemicals. That is similar to an assembly line that makes cars.  Each factory worker adds a piece to the half-finished car. The ring called heme is made on a molecular assembly line where the workers are enzymes. If one enzyme is missing (because of genetic mutations) the assembly line behind that worker keeps on humming, and partially completed ring pieces accumulate in the cell.  In the case of the disorder called porphyria the partially made ring is called amino levulinic acid (ALA). The sisters in the article suffer from such a genetic mutation, and ALA has accumulated in their bodies.

Second, let’s talk about why porphyria causes pain. The large amount of ALA spreads throughout the body of porphyria patients, and damages neurons, the liver, and the kidneys. The damaged cells leak

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Can a protein from pig skin restore vision to blind people?

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On January 15, 2023

In lymphatic and immune system, special senses, tissues

TeachableMedicalNews article 01152023

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. special senses chapter – tunics/layers of the eye
  2. special senses chapter – structure of the cornea
  3. tissues chapter – collagen is found in the extracellular matrix of many connective tissues
  4. immune system chapter – recognition of non-self antigens
  5. immune system chapter – role of lymphocytes for immune functions

The news item:  Recently this news item was online:

Eye implant made from pig protein restored sight in 14 blind people

Twenty people with diseased or damaged corneas saw improvements to their vision after receiving implants engineered out of protein from pigskin.

The article states that collagen from pig skin was helpful in restoring vision to people with the disorder called keratoconus, that this disease represents a bulging of the front of the eye, that about 50-200 from 100,000 people have this disease, and that the treatment includes injection of this collagen into the cornea.

So, Why Do I Care??  Our vision is the most precious sense, so, any loss of visual capacity has a major effect on our quality of life. The misshaped cornea causes loss of sharp vision.  As the article states keratoconus is a relatively rare disorder, nonetheless it is important to keep an account of any remedy that restores vision.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about what keratoconus is. At the front of the eyeball there is a transparent sheet called cornea. From the side it looks like a flat bubble. The cornea focuses light into the eye. In some people the cornea has a pointy shape like a small ice cream cone. This keratoconus condition prevents the focusing of light, so, blurred, cloudy vision is the result.

Second, let’s talk about the injection into the cornea. While the cornea is a very thin sheet of tissue, it is possible to inject materials into the sheet.  Because the cornea is flexible, injection of the proper amount

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Can we relieve migraine pain by changing neurotransmitter balance in the brain?

By

On December 26, 2022

In nervous system, somatic senses, tissues

TeachableMedicalNews article 12262022

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. nervous tissue chapter – conduction of nerve impulses by axons of neurons
  2. nervous tissue chapter – starting a new nerve impulse by neurotransmitters
  3. brain chapter – anatomical location of thalamus and postcentral gyrus
  4. brain chapter – anatomy and function of trigeminal nerve, cranial nerve V
  5. somatic senses chapter – nerve impulse pathway from pain receptors (nociceptors)

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared online:

New migraine medication given the green light

Migraine sufferers are excited when a new anti-migraine option is available. In this case, it’s medicine called Reyvow.

The article states that migraine is a neurological disorder that causes recurring pain, sensitivity to light, and nausea. Migraine affects 30 million people worldwide, and it is the leading cause of disability. While there are approved medications to treat migraine, this new option, called Reyvow, can be taken by people who have heart disease, high blood pressure, or a history of stroke. The article also states that Reyvow activates the (5-HT) 1F receptors that increase serotonin neurotransmitters and inhibit pain pathways.

So, Why Do I Care??  According to the American Migraine Foundation over 10 million adults in the US suffer from migraine, causing each year over $11 billion economic loss from lost workdays and lost productivity.  Because existing migraine treatment do not work for all patients, new treatments are welcome, because they widen the circle of patients who can be effectively treated.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s talk about how migraine occurs. This disorder is characterized by sudden onset feeling (perception) of headache pain, sensitivity to light, or nausea. These symptoms appear suddenly and repeatedly, and can distract and disable people from carrying out daily functions. At first it was thought that abnormal dilation (widening) of blood vessels of the brain caused it, but recently migraine has been linked to the malfunctioning of our nervous system.  According to that during migraine the neurons that make up the pain pathways create unwanted nerve impulses.

Second, let’s talk about what pain pathways are. In our nervous system the word “pathway” means a bundle of axons that carry and deliver nerve impulses to their destination. The pain-carrying nerve

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Can we really make human proteins for medical treatments in lettuce plants?

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On December 10, 2022

In cellular basis of life, endocrine system, skeletal system

TeachableMedicalNews article TMN12112022

Teachable moment in classrooms:

  1. cellular basis of life chapter – concept of one gene, one protein
  2. cellular basis of life chapter – protein synthesis on ribosomes
  3. skeletal system chapter – actions of osteoblasts and osteoclasts in living bones
  4. skeletal system chapter – osteons and trabeculae provide structural strength to bones
  5. endocrine system chapter – actions of PTH made by parathyroid gland

The news item:  Recently the following report appeared in cyberspace:

Humans on Mars may feast on gene-edited salad to stop bones breaking

Genetically modified salad could be crucial to keeping the bones of humans on Mars healthy.

The article states that a human gene was added to lettuce, and that the human protein, parathyroid hormone (PTH), will fight the osteoporosis that astronauts develop in space. Astronauts lose 1.5% of bone mass from weight-bearing bones, and the expectation is the PTH made by the lettuce will prevent bone loss on a trip to Mars that may last for over a year.

So, Why Do I Care??  Osteoporosis, as stated in the article, weakens bones, but not only in astronauts. Over 10 million people in the US alone has osteoporosis that makes fractures more likely. PTH is currently administered through injections, so, if we could demonstrate that eating PTH-enriched lettuce, then treatment of osteoporosis may become easier.

Plain English, Please!!! First, let’s summarize what osteoporosis is, and how astronauts taking PTH can fight it (this was explored in detail in TMN article 11272022). The microscopic structural reinforcement structures (osteons and trabeculae) in our bones erode, gets degraded in the disorder called osteoporosis.  Imagine a tall building or a bridge; columns or pillars are the elements of structural reinforcement in them. A corrosion of those pillars and columns weakens the building, and may cause their collapse. Astronauts in space don’t have the force of gravity to stimulate bone building, so bone loss, osteoporosis develops. PTH, when administered in short bursts, stimulates osteoblasts, and increases bone formation, and that could prevent bone loss in astronauts. Although astronauts could inject themselves with PTH, however, for long spaceflights they would have to carry lots of PTH doses. It would be better if they could produce PTH during the flight itself.  Making human PTH inside a food item would create a continuous supply of PTH.

Second, let’s talk about what is entailed with the genetic engineering of the lettuce. In general, we do genetic engineering when we are adding a new gene or inactivating an existing gene in an organism.

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