Monthly Archives: February 2012

Laser targeting could help fight Parkinson's

Posted: Published on February 1st, 2012

SAN FRANCICSO (KGO) -- Innovative research at San Francisco's Gladstone Institutes could lead to a new treatment for fighting Parkinson's disease. Research using lasers is pointing the way to a new target for drugs. Dr. Anatol Kreitzer has spent years shedding new light on the neural pathways of Parkinson's disease. In fact, when ABC7 first met him, he was using lasers to coax the neurons into firing, allowing him to map them. "The first step was to identify which circuits are actually affected in Parkinson's disease, and that's what we did," he said. That laser mapping allowed him to move to the next logical step, looking for a way to interrupt the malfunctioning circuits that cause the symptoms of Parkinson's. After crunching data on hundreds of candidates, his team at San Francisco's Gladstone Institutes zeroed in on a tiny protein called RGS4. It regulates signaling in the part of the brain responsible for movement. "RGS4 becomes overactive in Parkinson's disease and it actually causes these circuits to become overactive as well," Kreitzer explained. But the team was also looking for a cause and effect. Scientists have long known that a drop in dopamine is associated with the onset of Parkinson's. … Continue reading →

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Dr. Ciuffreda Interview on Optometry/Binocular Vision – Video

Posted: Published on February 1st, 2012

23-12-2011 00:38 Full Article Here - optometrystudents.com http://www.Optomterystudents.com recently had the pleasure to speak to one of the world's experts in binocular vision, Dr. Kenneth Ciuffreda. Dr. Ciuffreda has spent ample time researching and working with patients with various complex visual dysfunctions, and has contributed many studies providing proper analysis and treatment for these patients including individuals with mild traumatic brain injury. Ready the full article here optometrystudents.com See the article here: Dr. Ciuffreda Interview on Optometry/Binocular Vision - Video … Continue reading →

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Catanduanes execs back lawmaker’s stem cell bill

Posted: Published on February 1st, 2012

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 ANGELES CITY -- The move of Representative Carmelo Lazatin (1st district, Pampanga) to establish a stem cell center in the Philippines has garnered the support of the Catanduanes Provincial Board. The measure (House Bill 5287) entitled “An Act Establishing Stem Cell Technology” seeks to establish a stem cell center in the Philippines that would strengthen research on the latest medical technology. Have something to report? Tell us in text, photos or videos. This latest technology is a “major breakthrough in combating deadly diseases,” said the Catanduanes Provincial Board, which recently passed a resolution in support of the bill. The resolution, a copy of which was forwarded to Lazatin’s office, was approved by acting Vice Governor Nel Asanza and Board Members Rafael Zuniega, Edwin Tanael, Shirley Abundo, Jose Romeo Francisco, Roger Pereyra, Marilyn Tatel and Lemuel Surtida. The Catanduanes Provincial Board said stem cell technology offers hope of effective treatment of malignant and non-malignant diseases such as cancer, heart attacks and other cardio-vascular anomalies. It said the establishment of a stem cell research and storage center in the country would be a great help to unfortunate Filipinos who cannot afford expensive treatment, as well as in promoting … Continue reading →

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