A SCIENTIST'S 20-YEAR UNFINISHED JOURNEY TO TREAT HBV MAY OPEN THE DOOR TO A NEW CLASS OF FLEXIBLE VACCINESWhile preparing a lecture in biochemistry and virology for his graduate students at the University of Alberta in the early 1980s, Dr. Lorne Tyrrell ran across a study just published in the medical journal, Cell. The research by William Mason and Jesse Summers, entitled "Replication of Hepatitis B," discussed their study of the hepatitis B virus in infected duck liver.After studying their duck model theory, Tyrrell speculated if the hepatitis B virus (HBV) might be susceptible to antiviral agents, and consulted with a colleague, who specialized in nucleoside chemistry. Both medical professors...

The Eomix Newsletter: July 2006 ( The above title may sound funny but with the advent of microarray technology it is entirely possible for your doctor to ask you a question like this. Namely, any array-based diagnostic test that determines a multi-component disease signature is inherently generating a statistical statement. For example: The test results demonstrate with 90% confidence that your chances to have Disease X are 75% as detected by the marker-pattern, which is up to 85% sensitive and specific to Disease X. The above statement may sound unintelligible and make no medical sense but if you compare the process behind this hypothetical machine-generated statement to traditional clinical...

Imagine an army of Peter Schmeichel's? Unlocking the genetic code has led scientists to unravel the secrets of sports performance in the competitive athlete. Back in the Early 90's the U.S. Department of Energy and the Natural Institutes of Health unlocked the 25,000 genes that make us human. It was only a matter of time until sports scientists began to use our unique DNA to enhance the performance of individual athletes and international sporting teams. Nutrigenomics sprang from the idea that with the help of DNA, sports scientists are now able to see what glitches are inherent in an athletes genetic makeup, and therefore able to counteract these deficiencies with natural foods. Cool concept...

Gas Prices and the Impact of Inflation Year Item Price Rate of Inflation 03/80 Gasoline (per gallon) 1.252 03/05 Gasoline (per gallon) 2.065 2.02% 03/80 Bread, white, per lb 0.502 03/05 Bread, white, per lb 1.002 2.80% 03/80 Consumer Price Index 80.10 03/05 Consumer Price Index 193.30 3.59% Source: U.S. Department of Labor - Bureau of Labor Statistics ( What is Inflation? Inflation is an indication of the rising cost of goods and services in the economy. For example, a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline was 1.252 in March of 1980. Comparatively, that same gallon was priced at 2.065 in March of 2005. Therefore, over the last 25 years, the cost of a gallon...

It is strongly recommended by the state of Utah's department of human resources that individuals have prepared documents that carefully set out what their wishes are in case of a terminal illness, or if they are unable to decide their own decisions. These documents are called advance directives; they consist of a Utah Living Will form and a Utah Power of Attorney for Health Care Form. Your living will is your written instructions that explain your personal wishes regarding the kind of health care you will receive in case of a terminal illness, or if you can no longer communicate those decisions yourself. It is recommended that your wishes be as specific as possible. In your living will you will need...

While teen pregnancy is everyone's worry, there is good news. The phenomenon is on the decline, according to a 2003 study and its recent follow up. The United States non-profit organization, called the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy, commissioned these studies as part of its 2006 mission to reduce pregnancies by teens by a third by the year 2015. What these researchers found is that while teen pregnancy is still high it is already on the decline. The U.S. rate of teen pregnancy went down 36 percent from 1990 to 2002, according to a study by the research firm Guttmacher Institute. In a subsequent study of teen pregnancy between 1991 and 2004 there was yet another one third decline. This...

Ask almost any attorney which employee is most valuable and you'll often get the same answer: the paralegal. The name says it all. "Para" comes from the root meaning "alongside" and "legal" means "lawyer." Together they describe someone who has legal knowledge and works directly alongside a lawyer, but is not formally trained as an attorney. Having someone who possesses specialized skills and can offer assistance in a meaningful way is of vital importance to law firms as well as corporate legal teams, government agencies and others. That may be why job demand is expected to rise. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Employment is projected to grow much faster...

An online nutrition education is needed by those who are constantly feeling tired, stressed out and listless. These are a few signs that you could be lacking in proper nutrition. Those who always eat fast food should definitely be concerned about getting proper nutrition. If you find that the only thing you have eaten is a donut and coffee, you will definitely be feeling the physical effects of a lack of nutrition. Do you suffer from a lack of mental clarity, weakness and irritability? These are all signs that you have not given your body enough healthy food to eat. Do you or your children indulge in high calorie diets on a regular basis? Then you should easily notice the effects of over nutrition...

Parenting success in rearing children or being a parent is the most neglected area of training in the whole wide world. If you have a child or going to have one, it will be your task to rear, teach and lead that child for about twenty years. So, rearing a child is most definitely a career for all parents, apart from the professional career path you have to follow for financial survival. If you have more than one child, you may need to be in the career of being a parent, for a period of 30 or 40 years, depending on how far apart your children are borne. The question is: how can you achieve parenting success as a parent? Rearing children is the most common and universal career on mother earth for most...

Everyone knows about the existence and importance of DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid) and more recently the worlds most respected and eminent nuclear physicists have used string theory to explain the quantum mechanics of sub-atomic scale. The Aklan Kahan of ancient Aklan proposed the mechanics of string theory over 10,000 years; when they spoke of universal strings that hold us and the universe together. The Aklan Kahan, the Monkey Lords of Aklan, held that all matter in the universe is connected by energy strings, that the most distant star in the galaxy is connected by energy strings to every atom on the Earth and in your body and mind. - The string theories of monkeyism, first proposed by the Aklan...

The complexities of a changing medical field in technology, advanced information, and facing a growing leadership role among nurses has increased the need for a degree of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing among registered nurses (RN to BSN). This higher level of education takes commitment and dedication and in the following article, we will outline how to achieve these goals. Advancing your nursing degree - The difference between RN and BSN Beginning a career in nursing for those who desire an abbreviated education will get an associate's degree (AD) which usually involves 2-3 years of schooling. A nurse may also follow a diploma program, usually through a hospital, that is also 2-3 years in length...

When starting college the need for finance is almost always unavoidable. There are many sources of finance; however, the most popular are Government Grants and loans since they come with lower interest rates and longer repayment programs than private loans. The US Department of Education The US Department of Education concentrates almost all government aid for those who need finance to go to college. This department is known for being extremely precise and strict with its proceedings on loan application. You'll need to be prepared and have all the information prior to applying for a loan. Otherwise you'll be searching around for forms, and trying to collect all the documentation that you need over...

Location of the Pancreas Insulin is a hormone. And like many hormones, insulin is a protein. Insulin is secreted by groups of cells within the pancreas called islet cells. The pancreas is an organ that sits behind the stomach and has many functions in addition to insulin production. The pancreas also produces digestive enzymes and other hormones (detailed on another page). Carbohydrates (or sugars) are absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream after a meal. Insulin is then secreted by the pancreas in response to this detected increase in blood sugar. Most cells of the body have insulin receptors which bind the insulin which is in the circulation. When a cell has insulin attached to its...

I would like to describe why I am optimistic about the future of medicine in general and anti-aging medicine in particular. My optimism is due to the growing popularity and effectiveness of energetic approaches to medicine. Western biomedicine has held back in looking at life from the energetic perspective because the predominant focus has been on chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology. From my perspective, chemistry is one of many successful approaches to life and health. Energy medicine is filling in many of the previously unexplored or unknown areas in the puzzle of life and healing, and thereby increasing our understandings of how to help patients live longer and happier lives. Recent medical...

Research reveals three important facts: 1) The Internet is one of the most important sources of information. 2) The trustworthiness of the Internet is declining. 3) Customers will come back to your site if they trust it. In the face of a declining trust in the Internet, there's definitely value in creating a website which can be trusted by your visitors. But how do you do it? That's what this article is all about. But first, the research... According to a recent major study, "Ten Years, Ten Trends", conducted by the Center for the Digital Future ( a leading authority on the impact of the Internet, the Internet is still seen as one of the most important sources of information, but people are placing...

Everyone has cancerous cells in our bodies. We depend on the immune system of our bodies to destroy these renegade cells before they get out of control and spread, leading to the development of cancer. That is why it is important to keep our immune system strong. A diet high in fruits and vegetables provides a good supply of phytonutrient critical to enhance immunity and also provide many of the important vitamins and minerals to keep our immune systems working properly. Laughter and feeling good are important to keep the immune system functioning well. Science has now found that every cell in the body has a receptor for the substances produced when we are happy. Every cell is therefore influenced...

A current main concern about online degrees is whether an online degree from an accredited college or university is seen by potential employers as a lesser degree than one that is earned in the traditional classroom. Certain professions, such as entry-level MBAs, still consider online graduates as second-tier to traditional classroom graduates because the ones doing the hiring all obtained their degrees from traditional schools and have questions and concerns about the quality of online degrees. Graduates from the first Internet law school, Concord Law School, will likely have fewer options to practice law because the American Bar Association will not accredit the university. As a result, those...

The recent terror plot by British nationals involving chemical explosives and transatlantic flights has increased awareness of homeland security after a relatively calm period marked by little terrorist activity aimed at the U.S. and Great Britain. With the heightened awareness comes a new emphasis on filling homeland security related positions across local, state and federal agencies as well as airlines and other corporations. New security measures have necessitated a hiring drive for many companies related to the travel industry, which has been affected the most. In New York and Washington D.C., where funding for homeland security has dropped based on recent changes to the criteria on which the...

1977: The Age of biotechnology arrives with somatostatin - a human growth hormone-releasing inhibitory factor, the first human protein manufactured in bacteria by Genentech, Inc. A synthetic, recombinant gene was used to clone a protein for the first time. 1978: Genentech, Inc. and The City of Hope National Medical Center announce the successful laboratory production of human insulin using recombinant DNA technology. Hutchinson and Edgell show it is possible to introduce specific mutations at specific sites in a DNA molecule. 1979: Sir Walter Bodmer suggests a way of using DNA technology to find gene markers to show up specific genetic diseases and their carriers. John Baxter reports cloning the...

Personalized medicine is coming. What does that mean? It means that our genes will determine what type of medical treatment we get. We know, in any disease, that some people respond favorably to therapy while others do not. We assume that this is partially due to our genes. Some studies have shown correlations between the genes that a patient has and their response to specific medications. One example is new study that will look at the interaction between a patient's genes and treatment with the blood thinning drug, warfarin. Over two million Americans that are at risk of stroke currently take this drug to prevent blood clotting. The problem is that patients all need different amounts to keep their...

In today's competitive and growing business environment, information is an increasingly valuable, but costly organizational asset. The volume of information is growing very rapidly in most organizations and the need to protect and manage information also continues to increase. Organizations are seeking to minimize risk, reduce costs, and increase flexibility by aligning IT investments according to information value and business needs. With information on demand, business can respond with flexibility and speed to customer requirements and market opportunity. Getting there involves three aspects: · Infrastructure Simplification (IS): Simplification of the underlying IT infrastructure and its...

Organic Food Information: The Benefits Oh how the world has changed over the last 50 years, not all of it has been good. As you are looking for organic food information you have obviously become aware that a better alternative exists and you are taking a critical look at the source and production practices of the companies entrusted with producing the worlds food supplies. The purpose of organic food information is to give you an understanding of what is going into your food. You will see that there are many benefits to organic food that you didn't know before. The basis behind knowing about organic food information is the fact that farmers are resorting to using a lethal cocktail of artificial...

#6 It's Interactive Chinese Medicine students learn about how every aspect of our lives (from bowel movements to emotions) relate to one another. We learn to relate to every kind of person. Patients Can Push Your Buttons Patients sometimes push our buttons, and this give us the opportunity to interact with ourselves. This is not always easy. We don't always like what we find! But if you commit to growth through interaction, helping, and self-examination, you can deactivate your buttons, grow past your limits, and increase your usefulness to others. More specifically: * Some students may realize they came to medicine for a selfish reason and decide to put helping others first. * Some students find...

Although there are many different kinds of hernia, when people speak about a hernia,they are most likely to be referring to an abdominal hernia. About five million Americans have an abdominal hernia, according to statistics provided by the National Center for Health Statistics. An abdominal hernia occurs when either fatty tissue or an organ in the abdomen protrudes through a weak point or tear in the muscles or tissues around it. The protrusion can be labeled either as reducible, which means it can be pushed back into the abdominal cavity and seem to disappear, or non-reducible, which means it cannot be pushed back into the abdominal cavity. The American Medical Association says that when a non...

Whether you're looking to start a new career or are just starting off in the working world, truck driving careers are a rewarding choice-and will be for years to come. We are a nation of consumers, and our economy depends on the timely movement and delivery of goods to various points all over the country. Whether it's automobiles from manufacturing plants to local dealers, or imported goods from our sea ports to internal distribution centers, the trucking industry has become the piston in the engine of commerce in the United States. Forecast Bright for Truck Driving Careers With most truck drivers averaging $40,000 a year in straight salary, it's no wonder that trucking is such an attractive field...

Why choose virtual classroom? Web based learning cannot rival conventional classroom training for some very obvious reasons. Since it is mostly delivered through asynchronous communication methods, it provides thin scope for interaction among the learners as well as between the learner and the instructor. It lacks the depth that an instant face to face dialogue can provide, because synchronous mode of learning is devoid of instant responses and interaction. In turn, it limits the comprehension of the student, thus reducing his interest in learning. On the other hand, a virtual classroom rids web based training of such maladies. It is essentially a cyber classroom, where the instructor and the...

DNA is a nucleic acid that contains genetic information used in the development and functioning of living organisms. The purpose of DNA molecules is to store information. DNA is like a set of blueprints, since it contains the instructions needed to construct other components of cells, such as proteins and RNA molecules. The segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes. They are involved in regulating the use of this genetic information. DNA is a long polymer of simple units called nucleotides, with a backbone made of sugars and phosphate atoms joined by ester bonds. Attached to each sugar is one of four types of molecules called...

At one time or another, we will all experience the loss of someone we love. Dealing with that death is difficult because we are not only dealing with our own emotions, but with those of family and friends whose sorrow may be even more painful than our own. You may also have the responsibility to act as executor for the decedent's estate if you are a spouse, a son or daughter. While it may be practical to say that everyone needs to make a will, put their 'final arrangements' in writing and leave instructions for the heirs, I'm sure it wouldn't surprise us to learn that many people do not take this sensible approach. Consequently, after they die, their family members and friends proceed in a state of...

An overview of the insurance industry, and the various career options available. Jobs in the insurance sector are not just about sales, though sales form a major part. Jobs in this industry can be as rewarding as that in any other sector, and contrary to common impression, there are a wide variety of openings available, requiring disparate sets of skills, ranging from good arithmetic or statistics to good communication. Those employed in this field need to be flexible and adaptive and be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment. According to the Industry overview provided by Insurance Information Institute, "The U.S. insurance industry, which is made up of property/casualty and life/health...