Clozapine is restricted to treating schizophrenia in people who have not
responded to, or are intolerant of, other treatments, as it can cause rare, but
serious side effects. It is also used for treating psychotic illness in people
with Parkinson’s disease where other treatments have not worked.
The width of the therapeutic window determines the clinical
significance of the plasma level changes associated with smoking
and caffeine intake. Compared with olanzapine, clozapine has a
much narrower therapeutic window. Several of clozapine’s side effects
are dose related: plasma levels higher than 1,000 ng per milliliter
have been associated with toxicity, including seizure risk and severe
sedation. …
According to the NSF, this research is important because current imaging
technology, like an MRI or CT scan, do not have the spatial resolution needed to
view tiny structures and require additional external contrast agents to create a
viewable image. Xie’s technique is also a critical breakthrough because typical
fluorescent labels, like green fluorescent protein, which are used to observe
the activity of molecules, can disturb delicate biological pathways, especially
when the protein is bigger than the molecule it is illuminating. …
On March 9, President Obama lifted a federal ban on funding for embryonic stem
cell research. The lawsuit challenged the Obama administration’s decision,
seeking to reinstate the laws in place under former President George W. Bush.
The federal ban on embryonic stem cell funding was placed in 2001 and limited
federal agencies, like HHS or the NIH, from funding any new embryonic stem cell
lines. …