Goodbye MS, Alzheimer's... You Won't Be Missed

Structure of a typical neuron. 

We are both lucky and unlucky to be alive today.

Lucky because literally everyday researchers throughout the world are making spectacular discoveries. Unlucky… well, you know… our political leaders and corporate CEOs are psychopaths.

Here’s today’s reason to be happy:

“Scientists have developed a compound that successfully promotes rebuilding of the protective sheath around nerve cells (myelin ) that is damaged in conditions such as multiple sclerosis.

"Damage to myelin is associated with MS, stroke, brain injuries, and certain forms of dementia such as Alzheimer's disease. In addition, delay in myelination can affect infants born prematurely, leading to brain damage or cerebral palsy."

Here’s the story…

New compound promotes healing of myelin in nervous system disorders, Oregon Health & Science University, Neuroscience / medicalxpress.com, 6 Sept 2019.

For the past decade, an international team of researchers led by OHSU has been working to develop a compound that neutralizes the hyaluronidase in the brains of patients with MS and other neurodegenerative diseases, thereby reviving the ability of progenitor cells to mature into myelin-producing oligodendrocytes.

The study published today describes a modified flavonoid—a class of chemicals found in fruits and vegetables—that does just that.

The compound, called S3, reverses the effect of HA in constraining the growth of oligodendrocytes and promotes functional remyelination in mice. Lead author Weiping Su, Ph.D., senior scientist in the Sherman lab, dedicated years of intensive research to make the discovery.

"It's not only showing that the myelin is coming back, but it's causing the axons to fire at a much higher speed," Sherman said. "That's exactly what you want functionally."

The next phase of research involves testing, and potentially refining, the compound in macaque monkeys who carry a naturally occurring version of MS called Japanese macaque encephalomyelitis. The condition, which causes clinical symptoms similar to multiple sclerosis in people, is the only spontaneously occurring MS-like disease in nonhuman primates in the world.

Please go here for more.

Glen Campbell - I'm Not Gonna Miss You - 2014



Glen Travis Campbell (April 22, 1936 – August 8, 2017) was an American singer, guitarist, songwriter, television host, and actor. He was best known for a series of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, and for hosting a music and comedy variety show called The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour on CBS television, from January 1969 until June 1972.[1] He released over 70 albums in a career that spanned five decades, selling over 45 million records worldwide, including twelve gold albums, four platinum albums, and one double-platinum album.In June 2011,

Campbell announced he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease six months earlier. He became a patient at an Alzheimer's long-term care and treatment facility in 2014. That same year Campbell was the subject of the documentary Glen Campbell: I'll Be Me, directed by longtime friend James Keach, which examined Campbell’s Alzheimer's diagnosis and how it affected his musical performances during his final tour across the United States with his family. The documentary received critical acclaim, being one of the rare films to achieve a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Campbell died in Nashville, Tennessee, on August 8, 2017, at the age of 81. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glen_Campbell)

Glen Campbell - Wichita Lineman - 1968

Regenerating Teeth and Skin

Gort... at work... saving Klaatu, The Day the Earth Stood Still, (1951)

For a multitude of reasons one of the best movies I saw during my childhood was the 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still. I liked the message, of course, and the mind boggling “ray” that Gort used to disintegrate weapons and a tank.

But, even more, I like the scene when Gort turns on some fantastic device and brings Klaatu back to life. That one stuck with me for all these years.

While we have yet to develop the “bring back from the dead” technology that revived Klaatu, we are making some advances.

For instance, PolarityTE’s recent announcement that they created a way to “fully regrow skin after third-degree burns”.

And,

About your root canals… they eventually will give you some trouble and your teeth will have to come out. Still, you may be among the lucky due to the researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (Portland, Oregon). They have develop a process to engineer artificial blood vessels which are used to help regenerate teeth, possibly changing the way root canal treatments will be done in the future.”

Here are the stories:

Humans may be able to regrow skin after severe burns

 “While reconstructive surgery techniques have improved greatly over the last decade or two, there's one goal that remains elusive: actual regrowth of human skin. But now, scientists may be one step closer: Yesterday, Salt Lake City-based biotech company Polarity TE, Inc. announced that they had 'regenerated full-thickness, organized skin and hair follicles in third degree burn wounds' in pigs."

As far as we know, this is the first time anyone's been able to fully regrow skin after third-degree burns. According to PolarityTE, the SkinTE technique works by taking a biopsy of the patient's non-damaged skin, though it's not exactly clear how the healthy skin is reintroduced into the wound. The (somewhat graphic) photos on their website show the progression of regeneration, eventually covering the entire wound with no scarring and regrowth of all layers of skin, including hair follicles.”

- more-

Humans may be able to regrow skin after severe burns, Swapna Krishna, www.engadget.com. 19 June 2017.

Study: Use of prefabricated blood vessels may revolutionize root canals

“While root canals are effective in saving a tooth that has become infected or decayed, this age-old procedure may cause teeth to become brittle and susceptible to fracture over time. Now researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland, Oregon, have developed a process by which they can engineer new blood vessels in teeth, creating better long-term outcomes for patients and clinicians.”

“Their findings published online today in the journal Scientific Reports.”

“More than 15 million root canals are conducted annually in the United States. The current procedure involves removing infected dental tissues and replacing them with synthetic biomaterials covered by a protective crown.”

-more-

Study: Use of prefabricated blood vessels may revolutionizeroot canals, Tracy Brawley, Oregon Health & Science University, 12 June 2017.