Wednesday, March 3, 2010

RJA #7a: Evaluation of Sources

Periodical


Nature Reviews Neuroscience

Neural Stem Cell Therapy for Neurological Disease: Dreams and Reality

Ferdinando Rossi & Elena Cattaneo

Volume 3

Pages 401-401

May 2002

http://0-www.nature.com.skyline.cudenver.edu/nrn/journal/v3/n5/fig_tab/nrn809_F1.html


This article is a well-written review about how difficult stem cell replacement therapy is, especially when dealing with neural transplantation. It examines just what is required from stem cells to be able to produce beneficial effects when treating diseases such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease. Much of the information focuses on the fact that what may divide in a laboratory may not, once transplanted, actually be incorporated into the recipient tissue. This article goes into detail with images and explanations regarding just how the cells need to be able to cope with specific pathological conditions that are presented by different neurodegenerative diseases. This article gives the reader a good scientific understanding of stem cell application and why it is such a important issue for medical research today.


Website


Stem Cell Therapies

http://www.stemcelltherapies.org/index.htm


This website is a very good source for information concerning stem cell research and therapy. The website is a part of the Steenblock Research Institute. The founder of the Institute, Dr. David Steenblock, is a pioneer in safe, natural and effective treatments, including the use of stem cells from a person’s own bone marrow as well as from umbilical cord blood. It reviews areas concerning what stem cells are, stem cell safety, therapy benefits, treatable conditions, and stem cell research. Links are offered for more detailed information on each of these topics, as well as good basic information and images.


Book


Stem Cell and Gene-Based Therapy, Frontiers in Regenerative Medicine

Alexander Battler, MD, FACC, FESC and Jonathan Leor, MD, FACC, FESC

Springer Books, 2006

http://0-www.springerlink.com.skyline.cudenver.edu/content/u18625/


I am really excited to use this book as part of my research on stem cell therapy. In it a variety of researchers discuss the aspects of cell- and gene-based therapy. There are four major topics covered in this book. The first is, new types of cell therapies and stem cell based therapy for angiogenesis, and cardiac repair. The second is the cell-therapy approaches in neurological areas such as Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke. The third area that is explored involves research done on the development of cell-based systems for cartilage and bone repair, bladder repair, and kidney regeneration. The fourth area involves important work in the eye, specifically, optic nerve regeneration, retinal repair, and ocular surface regeneration. There is additional research examined dealing with cord blood transplantation for various blood disorders and also important areas of research involving skin regeneration and wound healing.


Reference Article


Digital Universe, Stem Cell Overview

Bernard Haisch, August 2008

http://www.digitaluniverse.net/stemcell/articles/view/132838/


The Digital Universe reference article of Bernard Haisch is a good basic overview of stem cells. It begins with a description of what stem cells are, the different types of stem cells and how they can work as a repair system for the body by replenishing specialized cells with characteristics consistent with cells of various tissues. The article contents deal with the different types of stem cells being tested today, mainly, embryonic and adult stem cells. It also addresses the belief that stem cell therapy has the potential to dramatically change the treatment of human disease. It also touches on the controversy surrounding embryonic stem cell research. This reference guide has several links and additional information that will aid me in my research and it is a good basic beginning to answering my research questions.

7 comments:

  1. I was wondering if there was any information the Christopher Reeves gathered to help your research.

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  2. It sounds like your periodical article will help you simplify all that science talk so that anyone can understand what you are saying. From the sounds of it, you found some good sources to help you.

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  3. Hi,
    I enjoyed the Stem Cell Therapies website I was able learn a little from it. I am glad that we have a different government view on the matter. Perhaps now science can advance a bit quicker.

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  4. Carol, I feel like your Evaluation of Sources is very thorough. You always do a great job on all assignments, especially this one! "Thorough" is the best discription of your post.

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  5. Carol,

    I thought you were very thorough on your evaluation. I would consider to looks at different viewpoints as much as possible considering this is such a controversial topic.

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  6. You seem to know what you are doing the information is very helpful for your topic. You do good and go into alot of detail on your RJA assignments, keep it up and can't wait to read your end of the year picture.

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  7. I totally agree with your statement on the book you chose. I believe it will be a great source of information on stem cell therapies since it covers 4 different areas on the topic. I think covering multiple areas shows that an author knows their topic extremely well and this makes it an extremely valuable source. I also looked over your other sources and they appear to be excellent as well so I think you are off to a great start.

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