=============================================================== == == == ----------- ALS INTEREST GROUP ----------- == == ALS Digest (#75, 21 December 1993) == == == == This e-mail list has been set up to serve the world-wide == == ALS community. That is, ALS patients, ALS researchers, == == ALS support/discussion groups, ALS clinics, etc. Others == == are welcome (and invited) to join. Currently there are == == 180+ subscribers. == == == == To subscribe, to unsubscribe, to contribute notes, == == etc. to ALS Digest, please send e-mail to: == == bro@huey.met.fsu.edu (Bob Broedel) == == == == All interested people may "broadcast" messages to == == ALS Digest (not a peer reviewed journal, and not edited == == by an MD) subscribers by sending to: == == als@huey.met.fsu.edu == == == == Bob Broedel; P.O. Box 20049; Tallahassee, FL 32316 USA == =============================================================== (1) ===== branched-chain amino acids ========== (a)------- Date : 17 Dec 1993 15:51:29 -0500 (EST) >From : ROSEN@HELIX.MGH.HARVARD.EDU Subject: Re: ALSD#74 ALS-ON-LINE I saw the item about branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) and thought it important to communicate what I know. There were two presentations on the use of BCAAs as a therapy for ALS at the Italian ALS meeting in September, 1992. The Italian study, which involved 126 patients, was stopped due to excess mortality in the BCAA-receiving group. I recall that the Japanese study was stopped for the same reason. The conclusion was that BCAAs were doing more harm than good. If anyone is interested in BCAAs as a therapy, they should make an effort to get a detailed report on these studies. Dan Rosen (b)------- X-Mailer: America Online Mailer Sender : "jackn74940" Subject : Re: ALS & BCAAs This sounds contradictory to findings noted by Dr Plaitakis and reported Dec '92 in Newsday by staff writer Jamie Talan Nassau and Suffolk edition.."BCCA .. These naturally occuring substances activate glial cells, which act like a pump to remove glutamate outside the cell. Two studies on a total of 112 patients suggest that the amino acids slowed the progression of muscle weakness by about 50%, said DR Andreas Plaitakis, Professor of neurology at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Manhattan" I agree with the post to look further into the studies before trying and want to hear all sides before making a judgement. Jack Norton (2) ===== re: IGF-1 ========== Date : Thu, 16 Dec 93 17:00:32 EST >From : Nancy Martin Subject: Re: ALSD#73 ALS-ON-LINE In response to inquiry from Mike Doliton regarding IGF-1, there is a study under way at the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT. My father was diagnosed with ALS approximately a year ago, and is currently being treated there, although he is not included in the above named study. I found out about this at an ALS support group meeting earlier this week. Perhaps you could contact a Dr. Kevin Felice at the Health Center, and he might be able to answer some of your questions. Good Luck! nolog (3) ===== resources ========== ------------------------------------------------------------------- Date : Mon, 20 Dec 1993 22:29:12 -0500 (EST) >From : Sheryl Cormicle Subject: ANNOUNCING! the Neuroscience Internet Resource Guide ------------------------------------------------------------------- =================================================== NEUROSCIENCES INTERNET RESOURCE GUIDE =================================================== December 1993, version 1.0 Compiled by Steve Bonario and Sheryl Cormicle nirg@umich.edu School of Information and Library Studies, University of Michigan --------------------------------------------------- After considerable effort and plenty of invaluable input and advice from the Internet's neuroscience community, we are happy to announce the availability of The Neurosciences Internet Resource Guide, version 1.0. This document aims to be a guide to existing, free, Internet-accessible resources helpful to neuroscientists of all stripes. We are pleased and proud to present the first fruits of our labor, a snapshot of what we found on the Internet between September and December of 1993. This is not a static document -- we expect it to change and you can help change it. Let us know what we missed . HOW TO GET IT ------------- An **ASCII text version** (86K) is available in the Clearinghouse of Subject-Oriented Internet Resource Guides as follows: anonymous FTP: host: una.hh.lib.umich.edu path: /inetdirsstacks file: neurosci:cormbonario gopher: via U. Minnesota list of gophers menu: North America/USA/Michigan/Clearinghouse.../ All Guides/Neurosciences WWW: gopher://una.hh.lib.umich.edu/00/inetdirsstacks/ neurosci:cormbonario We are also creating a **hypertext version** of the guide intended for viewing using Mosaic, the World Wide Web browser from NCSA. This version is under construction, but accessible. Check it out and give us feedback! The URL is: http://http2.sils.umich.edu/Public/nirg/nirg1.html QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? nirg@umich.edu (4) ===== don't judge a journal by its title ========== Date : Fri, 17 Dec 1993 13:25:32 MST Sender : Medical Libraries Discussion List >From : lea starr Subject: OJCCT Some time ago I enquired of this list for experience and feedback on using the Online Journal of Current Clinical Trials. Thank you to everyone who responded. Most libraries that subscribe had had very few requests for article. Several people pointed out that there have been few clinical trials actually publiched and that much of the material is editorial or a rehash of MMWR material. Some pointed out that the journal still suffers from technical imperfections. It is difficult to actually view articels and it is not free text searchable. Others indicated that the system was very slow especially under GUIDION to view the journal and that it may be cheaper to request reprints. Reprints are not cheap either but at the current request rate they are still cheaper than having a subscription which then has a price to view. As a result of the response and our own experience we will cancel OJCCT until it improves or we have sufficient demand. == end of als 75 ==