Health News

UF researcher sets age threshold for treatment of viral respiratory infection in preterm infants

Date: Jan-20-2014
A University of Florida researcher is the first to establish that 4 months old is the age threshold for preterm babies to receive preventive treatment for a common viral respiratory infection. Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is the most common cause of lower respiratory infection in children under 1 year old, and 25 to 40 percent of those infected will go on to develop bronchiolitis or pneumonia. There is no vaccine to prevent the virus, which spreads through coughing, sneezing and direct contact with infected persons.

New proposal for the better allocation of donated livers in transplants

Date: Jan-20-2014
Researchers at the University of Cordoba (Spain) have developed a system that measures compatibility between donors and the most serious receivers in liver transplants. This is a mathematical method that includes the experience of almost 1,500 donations registered in transplant units in Spain and the United Kingdom.The allocation criteria for organs in Spain -the worldwide transplant leader and example- are set according to territorial and clinical aspects that guarantee altruism in donations and equality of access.

Study uncovers role of Neuroligin-1 protein in Alzheimer's-related memory loss

Date: Jan-20-2014
Cleveland Clinic researchers have identified a protein in the brain that plays a critical role in the memory loss seen in Alzheimer's patients, according to a study to be published in the journal Nature Neuroscience and posted online nowy.The protein - Neuroligin-1 (NLGN1) - is known to be involved in memory formation; this is the first time it's been linked to amyloid-associated memory loss.In Alzheimer's disease, amyloid beta proteins accumulate in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and induce inflammation.

Steps leading to necrotizing fasciitis revealed, opening way to possible new treatments for bacterial infections

Date: Jan-20-2014
How does Streptococcus pyogenes, or Group A streptococcus (GAS) - a bacterial pathogen that can colonize humans without causing symptoms or can lead to mild infections - also cause life-threatening diseases such as necrotizing fasciitis (commonly known as flesh-eating disease) and streptococcal toxic shock syndrome?This mystery has intrigued many researchers in the field. Now, researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem's Faculty of Medicine have discovered how this bacterium turns deadly.

Fending off diabetes with ingredients in chocolate, tea and berries

Date: Jan-20-2014
Eating high levels of flavonoids including anthocyanins and other compounds (found in berries, tea, and chocolate) could offer protection from type 2 diabetes - according to research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and King's College London.Findings published in the Journal of Nutrition reveal that high intakes of these dietary compounds are associated with lower insulin resistance and better blood glucose regulation.

Mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to improve the overall condition of the knee joint

Date: Jan-20-2014
A single stem cell injection following meniscus knee surgery may provide pain relief and aid in meniscus regrowth, according to a novel study appearing in the January issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery(JBJS). More than one million knee arthroscopy procedures are performed each year in the U.S. primarily for the treatment of tears to the meniscus - the wedge-shaped pieces of cartilage that act as "shock absorbers" between the thighbone and shinbone in the knee joint.

'Molecular scaffolding' discovered that maintains skin structure and organisation

Date: Jan-20-2014
The human body is daily exposed to external assaults such as bacteria, ultraviolet light or chemical agents. Skin, the largest organ of the body, is the first line of defense against these agents. Skin performs this function thanks to the close connections established between its cells (e.g. adherens junctions). The loss of cell adhesion between these cells is related to inflammatory diseases and cancer, hence the special interest in this area of research over the past years.

Key mechanisms found to inhibit metastasis of deadly "triple negative" breast cancers

Date: Jan-20-2014
A team of researchers from the Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve School of Medicine have identified critical complex mechanisms involved in the metastasis of deadly "triple negative" breast cancers (TNBC). These tumors are extremely difficult to treat, frequently return after remission, and are the most aggressive form of breast cancer in women. The discovery of this critical interaction of mechanisms could be used to develop new life saving treatments to kill metastatic tumors in TNBC.

Potential treatment found for drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus

Date: Jan-20-2014
The novel avian H7N9 influenza virus has caused more than 130 human infections with 43 deaths in China. New research, conducted under the supervision of Kansas State University's Juergen Richt, is showing promise in helping to fight this deadly virus."Emergence of a novel drug-resistant H7N9 influenza virus: Evidence-based clinical potential of a natural IFN-alpha for infection control and treatment" is set to publish in an early online edition of January's Expert Review of Anti-infective Therapy journal.

Some warning labels can make products like cigarettes more appealing

Date: Jan-20-2014
Many products, like cigarettes and medications, are stamped with warning labels alerting consumers to their risks. Common sense suggests these warnings will encourage safer choices.But now Dr. Yael Steinhart of Tel Aviv University's Recanati Business School, along with Prof. Ziv Carmon of INSEAD in Singapore and Prof. Yaacov Trope of New York University, has shown that warning labels can actually have the opposite effect.