Author: Eagle Biosciences

Pancreatic
cancer still continues to have a bleak prognosis despite many advances in
chemotherapy and surgical procedures .In
fact, pancreatic cancer has the worst survival rate of all cancers with only a
small percentage surviving over 5 years after diagnosis. Now, researchers at
the University of Missouri have discovered that a molecule that can used as a
communication system by bacteria can be manipulated to prevent cancer cells
from not only spreading but possibly killing them all together. Read more This
study demonstrated that using such a molecule to combat cancer decreases cell
viability, promotes apoptosis by activating caspases, and inhibits the wound
healing process. It shows amazing
promise for pancreatic cancer however, further research is needed in vivo. Read more

Funding
for pancreatic cancer has increased over the last several years yet it still
only gets one percent of research funding. How is this possible…one of the most
deadly cancers receives only ONE PERCENT of funding?!  Pancreatic cancer is severely underfunded
just like Alzheimer’s as we mentioned in one of our previous blogs, 10 Reasons to Keep with your Vitamin D Levels. We
chose to highlight this new pancreatic cancer research in this blog not only
because it is a significant step towards a cure but also because some folks
from Eagle Biosciences will be walking this weekend in the New England Pancreatic Research Walk in
support of the cause and to support a friend who has lost a loved one.

Lustgarten Foundation is
a private foundation created by Cablevision to
dedicate funding pancreatic research. Cablevision underwrites all of the
foundations costs so that 100% of every donation goes to this research. If you
want to donate to the Lustgarten Foundation Click here or
to donate to the personal cause that we walk for this weekend Click here.

Image from www.sciencedaily.com

A brand new device, a blood cleansing
machine developed by bioengineers at Harvard’s Wyss Institute has proven to be
effective in clearing the bloodstream of deadly pathogens.The device, also known as the “artificial spleen”
works by running whole blood through a single bio-spleen unit in vitro. It
utilizes protein-coated nanobeads and magnets to bind to sugar molecules on the
surfaces of over 90 different pathogens including bacteria, viruses and
fungi.  Read more 

This is fascinating research as this device may prove to
fulfill the insurmountable need of combating antibiotic resistant
pathogens. Ebola, watch out…with
continued progress in this research your days may be numbered!   Read more

image from new.softpedia.com

The utility of circulating LHCGR as a predictor of Down’s syndrome in early pregnancy

Abstract

Background
Previous studies showed that soluble LHCGR/hCG-sLHCGR concentrations in serum or plasma combined with PAPP-A and free βhCG significantly increased the sensitivity of Down’s syndrome screen at early pregnancy without altering the false positive rate. The goal of the present study was to further examine the role of sLHCGR forms as combinatorial markers and to investigate whether sLHCGR could serve as an independent biomarker for Down’s syndrome in first trimester pregnancy screens.

Methods
The PAPP-A, free βhCG, and hCG-sLHCGR concentrations together with nuchal translucency (NT) were measured in 40 Down’s and 300 control pregnancies. The sLHCGR concentration was analysed in 40 Down’s and 206 control pregnancies.

Results
The hCG-LHCGR in combination with PAPP-A and free βhCG increased the detection rate (DR) by 35% without altering the false positive rate (FPR). The sLHCGR: hCG-sLHCGR ratio alone detected 80% of Down’s pregnancies in first trimester screening, with a false positive rate of 0.5%.

Conclusions
While measurement of sLHCGR forms in combination with PAPP-A and free βhCG significantly increases the detection rate of Down’s syndrome at first trimester, the ratio of sLHCGR: hCG-sLHCGR acts as an independent marker with a detection rate that is significantly higher than the existing biochemical markers individually for prenatal first trimester screening of Down’s syndrome.

Keywords:
hCG Receptor; sLHCGR; hCG-LHCGR; ELISA; Down’s syndrome; Prenatal diagnosis; Screening test; Noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT); Early pregnancy

See full details at BioMed Central: 

https://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2393/14/197

Chromogranin ELISA CHR31-K01

Expiring (10/31/14)

Osteocalcin ELISA  OST31-K01

Expiring (11/30/14)

Vitamin B2 HPLC Assay VB231-H100

Expiring (11/22/14)

Everyone out there who contributed to supporting the ALS
Foundation should be patting themselves on the back. The awareness that you
created and the funding that you have provided the organization has led to $109.1
million in Ice Bucket Challenge donations! And this article is evidence of the
difference that these donations will continue to make towards working to
a cure. Examining the roles of two genes in a two separate cohorts of fruit
flies has led to interesting findings that may eventually help researchers
determine how to intervene. Read more

Nashua, NH: Eagle Biosciences announces the
product launch of a handful of robust kits including Free Beta HCG ELISA, PAPP-A ELISA, Calcitonin ELISA, Renin ELISA, and Troponin I ELISA. These assays were developed by Diametra in
Italy (www.diametra.com) and will be great additions to our steroid hormone,
bone metabolism, and oxidative stress lines respectively. Diametra develops and manufactures innovative
products in target diagnostic segments such as autoimmune diseases, fertility,
and a wide variety of other research areas. They pride themselves on the quality of their products and providing top-notch
service thus aligning well with Eagle Biosciences’ goals and philosophies.

Free Beta HCG ELISA and the PAPP-A ELISA are very
sensitive and specific assays that provide quick results within a couple of
hours. These analytes provide tremendous value to pregnancy and fertility
research as a whole in terms of predicting abnormal pregnancy/disease states. The
third product launched is the Calcitonin ELISA which utilizes simultaneous capture
of an antigen by two monoclonal antibodies that provide the kit with excellent
specificity with no interferences from other hormones.Calcitonin is useful in several research
areas and has particular importance in research/diagnosis of medullary thyroid
cancer and the study of the pathophysiology of calcium and bone metabolism. Renin ELISA and Troponin ELISA, the last two
kits in the new cohort of products from Diametra offer a wide dynamic range and
excellent sensitivity.Together they
will provide accurate and valuable results to researchers studying hypertension
and myocardial damage respectively.

“It is always our goal to provide quality
products that meet researchers’ needs and these products from Diametra do just
that.” said Dan Keefe, President of EagleBio. He continued, “These assays all serve a unique purpose in a variety of
emerging areas of research and they certainly will complement their respective
product lines well.”

Eagle will be offering promotional pricing for
the Free Beta HCG ELISA, PAPP-A ELISA, Calcitonin ELISA, Renin ELISA, and
Troponin ELISA within the next few months. These products are currently for
research use only. Check out the Eagle website www.EagleBio.com or call
866-411-8023 for full details.