Health News

Risk of serious complications after immediate breast reconstruction with implants increased by obesity, smoking

Date: Dec-05-2013
New risk-scoring tool allows surgeons to better counsel and potentially change an operative plan for women at higher risk for implant failure after mastectomy, Journal of the American College of Surgeons study reports.New research findings published in the December issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons confirm that factors such as smoking and obesity increase the odds of early implant loss in women who undergo mastectomy and immediate breast reconstruction with implants.

Increased cancer risk signaled by protein in prostate biopsies

Date: Dec-05-2013
Researchers from Weill Cornell Medical College have shown that the presence of a particular protein in biopsied prostate tissue substantially increases the likelihood that cancer will develop in that organ. The discovery will likely help physicians decide how closely to monitor men potentially at risk for the cancer -- among the most confusing and controversial dilemmas in health care.Their findings, reported in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, are the first to quantify, in the setting of a clinical trial, the increased risk of prostate cancer development from the protein ERG.

Life-saving batteries that power implantable cardiac defibrillators

Date: Dec-05-2013
The engineering feat that enables a device to jolt a dangerously misbehaving heart back to its normal rhythm and save millions of lives is featured in a new video from the popular Prized Science series from the American Chemical Society (ACS). The video is available here.The 2013 series' final episode, titled Building Life-Saving Batteries, features renowned inventor Esther S. Takeuchi, Ph.D., this year's winner of the E. V. Murphree Award in Industrial and Engineering Chemistry.

Study results have important implications for HIV vaccine development

Date: Dec-05-2013
Infectious disease researchers have identified a novel mechanism wherein HIV-1 may facilitate its own transmission by usurping the antibody response directed against itself. These results have important implications for HIV vaccine development and for understanding the earliest events in HIV transmission.In a study appearing in PLoS Pathogens, Dr. Donald Forthal of UC Irvine and colleagues studied the mechanisms employed by the virus to cross genital tract tissue and establish infection.

Mixing energy drinks and alcohol poses a public health threat

Date: Dec-05-2013
Mixing energy drinks with alcohol is riskier than just drinking alcohol alone, according to a new study that examines the impact of a growing trend among young adults.Published in the current issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health, the study was conducted by Megan Patrick of the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research and Jennifer Maggs of Penn State University.

Breast cancer detection increased and recall rates reduced by DBT

Date: Dec-05-2013
Researchers have found that digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) led to reduced recall rates and an increase in cancer detection in a large breast cancer screening program. The results of this study were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).Digital mammography is the gold standard for breast cancer screening, but may yield suspicious findings that turn out not to be cancer. These false-positive findings are associated with a higher recall rate, or the rate at which women are called back for additional imaging or biopsy.

New survival mechanism found for stressed mitochondria

Date: Dec-05-2013
Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have discovered a natural mechanism that cells use to protect mitochondria, the tiny but essential "power plants" that provide chemical energy for cells throughout the body. Damage to mitochondria is thought to be a significant factor in common neurodegenerative disorders, cancer and even the aging process. The TSRI researchers' discovery could lead to new methods for protecting mitochondria from such damage, thereby improving human health.

TB vaccine holds promise for MS sufferers

Date: Dec-05-2013
A vaccine used to prevent tuberculosis in some parts of the world has been found to help prevent multiple sclerosis in people demonstrating early signs of the disease, according to a report published in Neurology.Multiple sclerosis (MS) is notoriously difficult to diagnose, and many physicians rule out every other possibility before confirming the diagnosis. The initial symptoms are generally vague, with feelings of numbness, vision problems or problems with balance most often reported.

3D mammography 'significantly increases breast cancer detection'

Date: Dec-05-2013
Regular mammograms are crucial in helping to prevent deaths as a result of breast cancer. But new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggests that 3D mammography is significantly more effective for breast cancer detection and leads to fewer patient recalls.The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).According to the American Cancer Society, around 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer will have been diagnosed in women throughout 2013.

Vitamin D 'reduces pain and depression' in type 2 diabetic women

Date: Dec-05-2013
Type 2 diabetes has long been linked to higher risk of depression in women, and previous research has associated both of these conditions with pain. But a new study suggests that vitamin D supplementation can reduce both depression and pain in women with type 2 diabetes.A team of researchers, led by Todd Doyle of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, presented their findings at a research conference at Loyola's Health Sciences Campus.