Health News

Bariatric surgery decreases risk of uterine cancer

Date: Mar-25-2014
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Center report that bariatric surgery resulting in dramatic weight loss in formerly severely obese women reduces the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer by 71 percent and as much as 81 percent if normal weight is maintained after surgery.Published in the April issue of Gynecologic Oncology, the official publication of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the findings indicate obesity may be a modifiable risk factor for endometrial cancer, and bariatric surgery a viable option for eligible patients.

New technique to make muscle cells from human stem cells

Date: Mar-25-2014
As stem cells continue their gradual transition from the lab to the clinic, a research group at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has discovered a new way to make large concentrations of skeletal muscle cells and muscle progenitors from human stem cells.The new method, described in the journal Stem Cells Translational Medicine, could be used to generate large numbers of muscle cells and muscle progenitors directly from human pluripotent stem cells. These stem cells, such as embryonic (ES) or induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, can be made into virtually any adult cell in the body.

Whites act more aggressively after they play as black avatars

Date: Mar-25-2014
What happens when white video game players see themselves as black characters in a violent game?A new study suggests some disturbing answers: It makes the white players act more aggressively after the game is over, have stronger explicit negative attitudes toward blacks and display stronger implicit attitudes linking blacks to weapons.These results are the first to link avatar race in violent video games to later aggression, said Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and professor of communication and psychology at The Ohio State University.

Adeno-associated virus serotype-5 delivery to the rat trigeminal ganglion

Date: Mar-25-2014
During the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, Lauren Roper, University of Texas - San Antonio / Health Science Center, San Antonio, presented research titled "Adeno-Associated Virus Serotype-5 Delivery to the Rat Trigeminal Ganglion.

Characteristics of lung cancers arising in germline EGFR T790M mutation carriers and relationship to smoking status

Date: Mar-25-2014
Two studies are providing new insight into germline epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M mutation in familial non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The findings suggest the need for tailored approaches for early detection and treatment, as well as for genetic testing to identify carriers."These studies now solidify the fact that routine clinical management of lung cancer now has to include the awareness of this inherited cancer syndrome," wrote David P. Carbone, MD, PhD, President-Elect of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC), in an editorial.

Nerve injury and regeneration in critical illness polyneuropathy and myopathy

Date: Mar-25-2014
Critical illness polyneuropathy and critical illness myopathy are frequent complications of severe illness that involve sensorimotor axons and skeletal muscles, respectively. Differentiating critical illness polyneuropathy from Guillain-Barré syndrome, especially the axonal variants, may be difficult on purely clinical grounds, as Guillain-Barré syndrome is known for its variable atypical manifestations. Prof.

Rat astrocytes reprogrammed into neurons

Date: Mar-25-2014
To date, it remains poorly understood whether astrocytes can be easily reprogrammed into neurons. Mash1 and Brn2 have been previously shown to cooperate to reprogram fibroblasts into neurons. Dr. Yongjun Wang and team from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China found that Brn2 was expressed in astrocytes from 2-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats, but Mash1 was not detectable. Thus, the researchers hypothesized that Mash1 alone could be used to reprogram astrocytes into neurons.

The safety, efficacy and value of water fluoridation in oral health care

Date: Mar-25-2014
During the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, a symposium titled "Water Fluoridation: Safety Efficacy and Value in Oral Health Care" took place. This symposium was chaired by Stephen H. Abrams, Cliffcrest Dental Office, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Community water fluoridation (CWF) and other fluoride modalities historically have been and remains the cornerstone for the prevention and control of dental caries.

Stem cells from the body's fatty folds may preserve and improve kidney function

Date: Mar-25-2014
A fatty fold of tissue within the abdomen that is a rich source of stem cells can help heal diseased kidneys when fused to the organs, according to a study conducted in rats. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) suggest that stem cells from within a chronic kidney disease patient's own abdomen could be used to preserve and possibly improve kidney function.Although adult stem cells have shown promise in treating experimental acute kidney diseases, it's unknown whether they might also alleviate chronic kidney diseases.

Enhancing detection of infectious disease biomarkers using shrink wrap

Date: Mar-25-2014
New technique uses wrinkles in metal-coated shrink wrap to boost biomarkers' signals a thousand-fold, paving the way for a low-cost, highly sensitive diagnostic deviceDetecting HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other deadly infectious diseases as early as possible helps to prevent their rapid spread and allows for more effective treatments. But current detection methods are cost-prohibitive in most areas of the world. Now a new nanotechnology method - employing common, everyday shrink wrap - may make highly sensitive, extremely low-cost diagnosis of infectious disease agents possible.