EDTA chelation therapy for cardiovascular disease: a systematic review

BACKGROUND: Numerous practitioners of both conventional and complementary and alternative medicine throughout North America and Europe claim that chelation therapy with EDTA is an effective means to both control and treat cardiovascular disease. These claims are controversial, and several randomized controlled trials have been completed dealing with this topic. To address this issue we conducted a systematic review to evaluate the best available evidence for the use of EDTA chelation therapy in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of 7 databases from inception to May 2005. Hand searches were conducted in review articles and in any of the trials found. Experts in the field were contacted and registries of clinical trials were searched for unpublished data. To be included in the final systematic review, the studies had to be randomized controlled clinical trials. RESULTS: A total of seven articles were found assessing EDTA chelation for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Two of these articles were subgroup analyses of one RCT that looked at different clinical outcomes. Of the remaining five studies, two smaller studies found a beneficial effect whereas the other three exhibited no benefit for cardiovascular disease from the use of EDTA chelation therapy. Adverse effects were rare but those of note included a few cases of hypocalcemia and a single case of increased creatinine in a patient on the EDTA intervention. CONCLUSION: The best available evidence does not support the therapeutic use of EDTA chelation therapy in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. Although not considered to be a highly invasive or harmful therapy, it is possible that the use of EDTA chelation therapy in lieu of proven therapy may result in causing indirect harm to the patient

Investigating Behaviour and Population Dynamics of Striped Marlin (Kajikia audax) from the Southwest Pacific Ocean with Satellite Tags

Behaviour and distribution of striped marlin within the southwest Pacific Ocean were investigated using electronic tagging data collected from 2005–2008. A continuous-time correlated random-walk Kalman filter was used to integrate double-tagging data exhibiting variable error structures into movement trajectories composed of regular time-steps. This state-space trajectory integration approach improved longitude and latitude error distributions by 38.5 km and 22.2 km respectively. Using these trajectories as inputs, a behavioural classification model was developed to infer when, and where, ‘transiting’ and ‘area-restricted’ (ARB) pseudo-behavioural states occurred. ARB tended to occur at shallower depths (108±49 m) than did transiting behaviours (127±57 m). A 16 day post-release period of diminished ARB activity suggests that patterns of behaviour were affected by the capture and/or tagging events, implying that tagged animals may exhibit atypical behaviour upon release. The striped marlin in this study dove deeper and spent greater time at ≥200 m depth than those in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean. As marlin reached tropical latitudes (20–21°S) they consistently reversed directions, increased swimming speed and shifted to transiting behaviour. Reversals in the tropics also coincided with increases in swimming depth, including increased time ≥250 m. Our research provides enhanced understanding of the behavioural ecology of striped marlin. This has implications for the effectiveness of spatially explicit population models and we demonstrate the need to consider geographic variation when standardizing CPUE by depth, and provide data to inform natural and recreational fishing mortality parameters

Metastatic canine mammary carcinomas can be identified by a gene expression profile that partly overlaps with human breast cancer profiles

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Similar to human breast cancer mammary tumors of the female dog are commonly associated with a fatal outcome due to the development of distant metastases. However, the molecular defects leading to metastasis are largely unknown and the value of canine mammary carcinoma as a model for human breast cancer is unclear. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression signatures associated with mammary tumor metastasis and asked for parallels with the human equivalent.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Messenger RNA expression profiles of twenty-seven lymph node metastasis positive or negative canine mammary carcinomas were established by microarray analysis. Differentially expressed genes were functionally characterized and associated with molecular pathways. The findings were also correlated with published data on human breast cancer.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Metastatic canine mammary carcinomas had 1,011 significantly differentially expressed genes when compared to non-metastatic carcinomas. Metastatic carcinomas had a significant up-regulation of genes associated with cell cycle regulation, matrix modulation, protein folding and proteasomal degradation whereas cell differentiation genes, growth factor pathway genes and regulators of actin organization were significantly down-regulated. Interestingly, 265 of the 1,011 differentially expressed canine genes are also related to human breast cancer and, vice versa, parts of a human prognostic gene signature were identified in the expression profiles of the metastatic canine tumors.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Metastatic canine mammary carcinomas can be discriminated from non-metastatic carcinomas by their gene expression profiles. More than one third of the differentially expressed genes are also described of relevance for human breast cancer. Many of the differentially expressed genes are linked to functions and pathways which appear to be relevant for the induction and maintenance of metastatic progression and may represent new therapeutic targets. Furthermore, dogs are in some aspects suitable as a translational model for human breast tumors in order to identify prognostic molecular signatures and potential therapeutic targets.</p

Population ecology of the sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) as an invasive species in the Laurentian Great Lakes and an imperiled species in Europe

The sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus (Linnaeus) is both an invasive non-native species in the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America and an imperiled species in much of its native range in North America and Europe. To compare and contrast how understanding of population ecology is useful for control programs in the Great Lakes and restoration programs in Europe, we review current understanding of the population ecology of the sea lamprey in its native and introduced range. Some attributes of sea lamprey population ecology are particularly useful for both control programs in the Great Lakes and restoration programs in the native range. First, traps within fish ladders are beneficial for removing sea lampreys in Great Lakes streams and passing sea lampreys in the native range. Second, attractants and repellants are suitable for luring sea lampreys into traps for control in the Great Lakes and guiding sea lamprey passage for conservation in the native range. Third, assessment methods used for targeting sea lamprey control in the Great Lakes are useful for targeting habitat protection in the native range. Last, assessment methods used to quantify numbers of all life stages of sea lampreys would be appropriate for measuring success of control in the Great Lakes and success of conservation in the native range

The immunopathology of canine vector-borne diseases

The canine vector-borne infectious diseases (CVBDs) are an emerging problem in veterinary medicine and the zoonotic potential of many of these agents is a significant consideration for human health. The successful diagnosis, treatment and prevention of these infections is dependent upon firm understanding of the underlying immunopathology of the diseases in which there are unique tripartite interactions between the microorganism, the vector and the host immune system. Although significant advances have been made in the areas of molecular speciation and the epidemiology of these infections and their vectors, basic knowledge of the pathology and immunology of the diseases has lagged behind. This review summarizes recent studies of the pathology and host immune response in the major CVBDs (leishmaniosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, hepatozoonosis, anaplasmosis, bartonellosis and borreliosis). The ultimate application of such immunological investigation is the development of effective vaccines. The current commercially available vaccines for canine leishmaniosis, babesiosis and borreliosis are reviewed

The emerging modern face of mood disorders: a didactic editorial with a detailed presentation of data and definitions

The present work represents a detailed description of our current understanding and knowledge of the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis and clinical manifestations of mood disorders, their comorbidity and overlap, and the effect of variables such as gender and age. This review article is largely based on the 'Mood disorders' chapter of the Wikibooks Textbook of Psychiatry http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Textbook_of_Psychiatry/Mood_Disorders

Detailed core and log analysis of a producing Viola dolomite well in Comanche County, Kansas

Master of ScienceDepartment of GeologyMatthew W. TottenThe Ordovician-aged Viola Limestone of southwestern Kansas is a developing carbonate resource play with significant accumulations of hydrocarbons. The Viola surface is an unconformity, and production comes from regions of preserved dolomite on paleo-topographic highs. Evaluation of a cored interval of the upper Viola recognized several distinct facies, which were examined in conjunction with detailed well log analysis and X-Ray Fluorescence analysis to recognize facies control on Viola production. Five major facies were determined by petrographic analysis and core examination, labeled cherty dolomite, intraclastic breccia, intraclastic rudstone, bioclastic grainstone, and muddy dolostone. The depositional environments of the facies were interpreted to be a shallow marine environment, ranging from low to high energy, with the cherty dolomite and muddy dolostone facies being classified as low energy, and intraclastic breccia, intraclastic rudstone, and bioclastic grainstone facies classified as high energy. The Viola formation has been divided into zones, based on well log signatures and are named the “A”, “B”, and “C” zones. The cherty dolomite is the only observed reservoir quality facies in the core, due to the “A” zone not being recovered from coring and comprises the majority of the “B” zone. The cherty dolomite has density porosity (DPHI) values up to 34% and only appears once in the cored section, with a thickness of roughly 8ft (2.4m). The “A” and “B” zones are the chief producers of the Viola Limestone in south-central Kansas. In the core of the study well, from Rich C #7 of the Herd field in Comanche County, Kansas, the “B” zone is capped by alternating thin beds of rudstone and breccia petrofacies, along with a thin layer of breccia near the bottom of the “B” zone. Muddy dolostone with thin layers of rudstone mainly comprise the area between the “B” and “C” zone and below the “C” zone. The “C” zone well log facies is non-productive, and consists mainly of muddy dolostone, with a thin layer of rudstone marking the top of the zone in the Rich C #7 core. An almost two-foot-thick layer of rudstone is located a couple feet below the top of the “C” zone. Wire-line log signatures differentiated the “A”, “B”, and “C” zones and cherty dolomite facies in Rich C #7 and correlate easily with other Viola-producing wells in south-central Kansas, like Herd 1. The productive well log facies can be identified from neutron porosity (NPHI), DPHI, and sonic log (DT) signatures and are discriminated by cross plots of NPHI, DPHI, and DT. The chemical data from the handheld XRF machine was able to partly discriminate well log facies and some described facies using specific elemental signatures and ratios. All of the well log facies and the cherty dolomite, rudstone, and muddy dolostone petrofacies were discriminated from plotting Si versus Al, Si/Al versus Ti, Si/Al versus Zr. The Zr vs Ti cross plot was only able to discriminate the “B” zone and cherty dolomite petrofacies. P-Wave velocity measurements exhibited correlations to the NPHI, DPHI, and sonic log values of Rich C #7. The “B” zone correlates exactly with the P-Wave velocities, with the cherty dolomite facies being discriminated by the velocities. This study illustrates the advantages of correlating depositional facies with reservoir quality and linking specific reservoir petrofacies with well log signatures, ultimately to create a greater understanding of the controls on reservoir quality to aid in predicting new areas of exploration