#Artificial liver tested as potential therapy for patients with alcohol-related organ failurecedars-Sinai physicians and scientists are testing a novel human cell based bioartificial liver support system
for patients with acute liver failure often a fatal diagnosis. The quest for a device that can fill in for the function of the liver at least temporarily has been underway for decades.
A bioartificial liver also known as a BAL could potentially sustain patients with acute liver failure until their own livers self-repair said Steven D. Colquhoun MD the surgical director of liver transplantation at Cedars
and effectiveness of the ELADÂ bioartificial liver system which is designed by Vital Therapies Inc. the sponsor of the clinical trials.
The research at Cedars-Sinai involves patients with liver disease caused by acute alcoholic hepatitis a group with few therapeutic options.
The external organ support system is designed to perform critical functions of a normal liver including protein synthesis and the processing and cleaning of a patient's blood.
The filtered and treated blood is returned then to the patient through the central line. If successful a bioartificial liver could
not only allow time for a patient's own damaged organ to regenerate but also promote that regeneration.
In the case of chronic liver failure it also potentially could support some patients through the long wait for a liver transplant said Colquhoun.
The 3-pound organ that sits to the right of the stomach performs many functions including detoxification regulation of glucose levels and the making of vital proteins.
Liver failure can be caused by trauma such as an accident by viral infections overdosing on drugs--including some over-the-counter pain medications--and from alcohol abuse.
Patients with kidney disease can use dialysis and those with cardiac problems have ventricular assist devices
or artificial hearts available to support or replace vital organ functions. Liver failure patients and their doctors have long been frustrated by the critical need to provide the kind of lifesaving care kidney patients are afforded by dialysis.
This important investigation we are undertaking at Cedars-Sinai is a critical step in addressing the medical emergency presented by liver failure said Andrew S. Klein MD MBA director of the Comprehensive Transplant Center and the Esther
and Mark Schulman Chair in Surgery and Transplantation Medicine. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Cedars-Sinai Medical center.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length g
#Mown grass smell sends SOS for help in resisting insect attacksthe smell of cut grass in recent years has been identified as the plantâ##s way of signalling distress
but new research says the aroma also summons beneficial insects to the rescue. â#oewhen there is need for protection the plant signals the environment via the emission of volatile organic compounds which are recognized as a feeding queue for parasitic wasps to come to the plant that is being eaten
and lay eggs in the pest insectâ#said Dr. Michael Kolomiets Texas A&m Agrilife Research plant pathologist in College Station.
and humans he noted. â#oepeople take certain drugs such as aspirin to suppress the activity of these signals
because overproduction of these molecules may lead to headaches and pain and all sorts of disordersâ#Kolomiets said. â#oeitâ##s the same group of metabolites that are produced by the plants
biomass production of a forest plantation without altering its growth composition or the wood anatomy. These results have an important market value for the bioenergy sector
One of the lead authors Dr John Ingram said:''Weather has affected always food security particularly for many of the world's poorest people.
#Lymphatic fluid used for first time to detect bovine paratuberculosisparatuberculosis also known as Johne's disease is caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP.
Paratuberculosis mainly affects ruminants and causes treatment-resistant diarrhea and wasting among affected animals. The disease can cause considerable economic losses for commercial farms.
The animals produce less milk exhibit fertility problems and are more susceptible to other conditions such as udder inflammation.
The disease usually manifests two to three years after the initial infection. In some cases it can even take up to ten years before the disease becomes apparent.
During this time infected animals shed the bacteria putting the health of the entire herd at risk.
Lymphatic fluid suitable for early testingthe bacterium MAP enters the body via the intestine and is passed to the animal's macrophages.
First author Lorenz Khol of the Clinic for Ruminants at the Vetmeduni Vienna in cooperation with the College of Veterinary medicine at the University of Florida developed a possible alternative method for early diagnosis of the infection.
As the macrophages can be found in the lymphatic fluid first we believe that an infection can be diagnosed here substantially earlier
or milkthe scientists tested a total of 86 cows from different farms exhibiting symptoms of diarrhea and weight loss.
These animals had developed various diseases or a reduced performance that made it necessary to remove the animals from the farm.
The fact that there is no treatment for this disease makes comprehensive early diagnosis especially important Khol explains.
Then rhizobial infection of the roots triggers the production of certain peptides in the roots
The study by an international team of researchers led by Dr Adriana Vergã s of UNSW Australia
and Dr Fiona Tomas of the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies in Spain is published in the Journal of Ecology.
or absent says Dr Vergã s. The regions with abundant rabbitfish had become rocky barrens.
and another species that removes the youngest algal recruits preventing them from making a forest says Dr Vergã s. This research highlights the need to work out how the interactions between different species will change in a warming ocean.
We can only speculate on the reasons for the disparities says co-author Jennifer Black a food nutrition and health professor in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems.
Dr Graham Askew from the University's School of Biomedical sciences filmed five Indian peacocks taking off using two high-speed video cameras to try to work out
and leopards in their natural environment Dr Askew said. He filmed the take-offs of birds carrying full plumage in 3d
To his surprise Dr Askew found there was no significant difference. Dr Askew observed the position of each bird's centre of mass their wing motions
and the movement of the train in take off and then calculated the amount of power used by the birds to accelerate
and so not finding a detectable effect was a bit surprising Dr Askew said. These birds do not seem to be making quite the sacrifices to look attractive we thought they were.
Dr Askew also looked at how much drag the train created during take off by mounting a detached train in a wind tunnel.
Dr Askew pointed out that the feathers might adversely affect flight stability and the birds'ability to run.
and improve diet quality continued Dr. Rolls. For example I will feel more full after eating 100 calories of strawberries
and Barry Popkin Phd published today in the American Journal of Preventive medicine. The study unveils a new unprecedented system for tracking trends in consumer-packaged goods
responding to this demand is a win-win for both corporations and public health. In January 2014 Dr. Smith commended the industry for following through on its pledge following its initial announcement.
Efforts to reduce obesity cannot succeed without the engagement of the many industries that have the power to positively impact the health of billions of people he said.
According to the authors the pledge is just the first step to evaluate the impact of the industry on obesity
and more needs to be done to continue to have a positive impact on the epidemic.
Measuring marshesto make their measurements the team visited marshes in all three stages of health.
By now this species of slug can be encountered almost worldwide explains Dr. Heike Reise curator at the malacology section of the Senckenberg Museum of Natural history in GÃ rlitz
Together with her colleague from GÃ rlitz Dr. John M. C. Hutchinson and a colleague from the United states Department of agriculture (USDA-APHIS) the scientist has studied the distribution of these mollusks
The new work by Rice chemist James Tour and his colleagues could keep glass surfaces from windshields to skyscrapers free of ice
or plant growing regulators to protect their crops against pests and diseases. But used in a wrong way pesticides can pose a risk to humans and the surrounding environment.
Dr Daniel Greenwood from QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation with support from the Queensland Academy of Sport Centre of Excellence for Applied Sport Science Research has studied the run-ups of elite
Dr Greenwood said this was a breakthrough finding and was being used to better train Queensland Academy of Sport athletes prior to competition.
and also Olympic long jump medalist Mitchel Watt and Olympic champion hurdler Sally Pearson since 2010 as well as a host of world junior track and field athletes Dr Greenwood said.
Dr Greenwood used specialised analysis methods to show when there was no vertical reference point in view athletes made about 80 per cent of their adjustments to running behaviour in the final stages of their run-up compared to just 40 per cent
Dr Greenwood said athletes were also being trained to embrace a changing environment where movement is part of the competition.
Small serving beneficial, large not necessarya daily small serve of dairy food may reduce the risk of heart disease or stroke even in communities where such foods have not traditionally formed part of the diet.
A study of nearly 4000 Taiwanese led by Emeritus Professor Mark Wahlqvist from Monash University's Department of Epidemiology
and Preventive medicine and the Monash Asia Institute considered the role increased consumption of dairy foods had played in the country's gains in health and longevity.
Cancer and cardiovascular disease are the leading causes of death among Taiwanese. When Professor Wahlqvist's study began in 1993 there was little apparent concern about dairy foods in contrast to a current belief that they may be harmful to health
and in particular raise the risk of cancer. The study showed such fears to be unfounded. We observed that increased dairy consumption meant lower risks of mortality from cardiovascular disease especially stroke
but found no significant association with the risk of cancer Professor Wahlqvist said. Milk and other dairy foods are recognised as providing a broad spectrum of nutrients essential for human health.
According to the study findings people only need to eat small amounts to gain the benefits.
A little is beneficial and a lot is unnecessary Professor Wahlqvist said. Those who ate no dairy had higher blood pressure higher body mass index and greater body fatness generally than other groups.
But Taiwanese who included dairy food in their diet only three to seven times a week were more likely to survive than those who ate none.
The study which was published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition also involved researchers from the National Health Research Institutes and National Defence Medical Centre in Taiwan.
and negative--on the health and functioning of their host plants he said. For example while some bacteria on leaves cause disease others may protect the plant against pathogens or produce hormones that increase plant growth rates.
In the animal microbiome the researchers noted studies comparing large numbers of species have shown that host diet--for example herbivory
Ultimately we hope that understanding the factors that explain variation in bacterial abundances across host species will help us better manage biological diversity in forests and the health and function of forest ecosystems.
and minerals good for bones but new research has shown that dairy consumption may also have beneficial effects on metabolic health
and can reduce risk of metabolic diseases such as obesity and type 2 diabetes. Curious about these impacts researchers from CHU de Quã bec Research center and Laval University studied the dairy-eating habits of healthy French-canadians
'and monitored how dairy consumption may have an effect on their overall metabolic health. They published their findings today in the journal Applied Physiology Nutrition and Metabolism.
This fatty acid has been shown recently to have health-promoting effects. In this study that trans-palmitoleic acid level was related to lower blood pressure in men and women and to lower body weight in men.
This study adds to a growing body of literature demonstrating a lack of detrimental health effects with higher dairy intake.
Dr. Iwona Rudkowska a research scientist at the Endocrinology and Nephrology Department at the CHU de Quã bec Research center and assistant professor at Laval University says additional well-designed intervention
studies are needed to ascertain the effects of increased dairy consumption on metabolic health in healthy
and species diagnosis to satisfy the rules of the Code. This study demonstrates that the whole procedure from unknown mushrooms to names can be done rapidly--we did this in under a week
but if push came to shove it could be done in a day said Dr Dentinger.
As Dr Dentinger put it our results demonstrate just how ubiquitous unknown fungal diversity is--it can literally be found right under our noses.
#Consumption of high-fat dairy products associated with lower risk of developing diabetesnew research presented at this year's annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) in Vienna Austria shows that people with the highest
or more portions per day) have a 23%lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those with the lowest consumption (1 or less per day).
The research is by Dr Ulrika Ericson Lund University Diabetes Center Malmã Sweden and colleagues.
and insulin sensitivity and may therefore have a crucial role in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2d).
Nevertheless several epidemiological studies have indicated that a high intake of dairy products may be protective. Subsequently the importance of dietary fat content and food sources of fat remains to be clarified.
The study included 26 930 individuals (60%women) aged 45-74 years from the population-based Malmã Diet and Cancer cohort.
Modelling was used to estimate hazard ratios (HR) of diabetes incidence in quintiles of energy adjusted dietary intakes.
%)was associated with a 15%reduction in risk of developing type 2 diabetes. High-fat fermented milk*consumption also reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 20
%when comparing the highest consumers (180ml/day the top 10%of consumers) with the non-consumers (60%of participants).
In contrast to these findings there was no association found between intakes of low-fat dairy products and risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
but the increased risk was higher for lower fat meats (increased risk of type 2 diabetes for high fat meats 9%for low fat 24%)both referring to the risk
Dr Ericson says: Our observations may contribute to clarifying previous findings regarding dietary fats and their food sources in relation to T2d.
Meat intake was associated with increased risk of developing diabetes regardless of fat content. She adds:
Our findings suggest that in contrast to animal fats in general fats specific to dairy products may have a role in prevention of type 2 diabetes.
and gut microbes influence processes from digestion to disease resistance. Despite the fact that tropical forests are the most biodiverse terrestrial ecosystems on the planet more is known about bellybutton bacteria than bacteria on trees in the tropics.
Bacteria in tropical forests may also play a vital role protecting leaves against pathogens and even affecting the ability of forests to respond to climate change.
Just as people are realizing that microbes carried by humans can have an influence on a person's health--positive
or negative--we hope to discover what bacteria on tree leaves can tell us about the health of a forest said S. Joseph Wright a Smithsonian scientist
Our laboratory has ongoing research with the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service into remote-reporting Internet-based technologies
#Mystery of cereal grain defense explainedcrop scientists at Washington state University have explained how genes in the barley plant turn on defenses against aging and stressors like drought heat and disease.
and become more tolerant of stress including attack by common diseases like mildew and spot blotch.
Like a watchful sentry JA takes action at the first sign of plant distress producing proteins that prepare the plant to combat excess heat lack of water or attack by disease organisms.
Rustgi said it was a surprise to discover that the JIP60 genes are connected also to boron sensitivity and disease resistance in cereal grains.
and making them more resistant to diseases drought and temperature stress he said. This can be done without genetic engineering.
The findings are important for grain farmers around the world. This year was said a good example Rustgi.
It actually affected the long-term grain yield by causing injury to the plants. In India and Pakistan he said that very hot temperatures--up to about 135 degrees Fahrenheit--cause heat injury to wheat barley and rice.
It is a problem for farmers who have small plots and are very poor. Any hit causes a significant loss of income.
The discovery clears the way for breeders to develop wheat varieties with the disease -and pest-resistance traits of other grasses using a legion of genetic tools that can reduce crop losses
The fungus is considered the world's most economically damaging wheat pathogen costing U s. farmers alone some $500 million in lost productivity in 2012.
Wildlife researchers and conservation practitioners in Nepal can keep a framework of coupled human and natural systems built for use in China in their back pocket as a useful starting point.
and consumption of calorie-dense snack foods reports a study in the September issue of Psychosomatic Medicine:
Journal of Biobehavioral Medicine the official journal of the American Psychosomatic Society. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins a part of Wolters Kluwer Health.
After stimulation of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) young women experience increased cravings for high-calorie snacks
or preserving DLPFC function may help to prevent obesity and related diseases. In conditions such as type 2 diabetes where healthy dietary habits are essential for effective disease control Interventions focused on enhancing DLPFC activity through aerobic exercise
or other means may result in increased dietary self-control and subsequently improve disease management Dr Hall
and coauthors add. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Wolters Kluwer Health:
Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference e
#Rolling neat nanotube fibers: Acid-free approach leads to strong conductive carbon threadsthe very idea of fibers made of carbon nanotubes is neat
The single-walled carbon nanotubes in new fibers created at Rice line up like a fistful of uncooked spaghetti through a process designed by chemist Angel Martã and his colleagues.
Left to their own devices carbon nanotubes form clumps that are perfectly wrong for turning into the kind of strong conductive fibers needed for projects ranging from nanoscale electronics to macro-scale power grids Earlier research at Rice by chemist
#Manuka honey does not decrease pain of radiation-induced esophagitis for lung cancer patientspatient-reported data indicates that
when Manuka honey is prescribed for esophagitis pain during radiation therapy (RT) it is not more effective than standard medical care according to research presented today at the American Society for Radiation Oncology's (ASTRO's) 56th Annual Meeting.
and causes discomfort is a common and temporary side effect experienced by the majority of lung cancer patients undergoing RT.
so that patients'do not forgo eating maintaining patients'positive nutritional status is vital during cancer treatment.
This study assessed the use of Manuka honey a honey from New zealand that is a standardized medical grade honey.
The randomized phase II trial enrolled 163 lung cancer patients at 13 cancer centers who were undergoing concurrent chemotherapy and RT.
Of the study group â0 percent of the patients had received 60 Gy of RT to the espophagus (V60.
Patients were assigned to three groups based upon treatment for esophagitis--56 patients in Arm 1 received standard supportive care;
53 patients in Arm 2 received 10 ml of Manuka honey orally four times per day;
and 54 patients in Arm 3 received one lozenge consisting of 10 ml of dehydrated Manuka honey four times per day.
After four weeks of RT treatment with and without Manuka honey patients were asked to assess their pain during swallowing using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) scale with a zero indicating no pain a five indicating moderate pain and a 10
in levels of pain reported by patients within the three groups (mean change scores of 2. 7 2. 1 and 2. 1 respectively;
Arm 3). Additionally researchers evaluated secondary endpoints such as the trend of the patients'pain over time opiod use adverse events weight loss quality of life dysphagia
so that patients can continue eating their normal diet said lead study author Lawrence Berk MD chief of radiation oncology Morsani School of medicine at the University of South Florida Tampa.
Currently honey cannot be recommended for every patient to use for esophagitis pain relief. However it is safe and inexpensive
so if patients want to try it there is probably little harm. Patients with diabetes should be cautious with honey
because it does have a high sugar load. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length l
#Identifying a better message strategy for dissuading smokers: Add the positivewhich is more likely to convince a smoker to quit?
cigarettes cause cancer beneath the image of an open mouth with a cancerous lesion and rotten teeth or the same image with the words Warning:
Quitting smoking reduces the risk of cancer? The answer depends on how confident you are in your ability to quit according to a study led by researchers at Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and published in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
The research which involved 740 participants and Three d. C. area institutions suggests that a mix of messages might work best to help convince some of the 45 million smokers in the U s. to give up the habit says the study's lead investigator Darren Mays Phd MPH a Georgetown Lombardi
population scientist who specializes in behavioral cancer prevention. The study found that gain-framed messages--those that stressed the benefits in quitting such as quitting smoking reduces the risk of death due to tobacco--were more effective for smokers who believed quitting would be Hard on the other hand loss-framed messages--the ones
and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate tobacco products and required new pictorial labels for cigarette packs.
Leveraging policies such as graphic warnings for cigarette packs to help smokers quit is critical to improve public health outcomes.
The above story is provided based on materials by Georgetown University Medical center. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
#Bluetongue disease overwintering mystery solvedthe bluetongue virus which causes a serious disease that costs the cattle
By conducting this epidemiological study on a commercial dairy farm in Northern California we were able to demonstrate that the virus overwinters in female midges that had fed on an infected animal during the previous season said lead author Christie Mayo a veterinarian
and we hope for eventually developing controls for the disease said co-author James Maclachlan a UC Davis veterinary professor and viral disease expert.
About bluetonguebluetongue disease first identified during the 1800s in southern Africa is transmitted by the Culicoides biting midge a tiny gnat sometimes referred to as a no-seeum.
The disease mostly sickens sheep but also infects cattle and goats as well as deer and other wild ruminants.
The disease does not pose a threat to human health. The name bluetongue derives from the swollen lips and tongue of affected sheep
which may turn blue in the late stages of the disease. The virus that causes bluetongue was isolated first
There was no sign of infection in the dairy cattle being studied. The researchers concluded that those long-lived female midges had been infected with the bluetongue virus during the previous warm-weather season.
#Environmental costs, health risks, and benefits of fracking examineda strange thing happened on the way to dealing with climate change:
and gas drilling with potential health threats arising from increases in volatile organic compounds and air toxics.
Gas and chemicals from humanmade fractures thousands of meters underground very rarely seep upward to drinking-water aquifers the study says.
Cases of groundwater contamination have been debated hotly but the new study finds that the overwhelming evidence suggests it has happened albeit not commonly.
Is the methane contamination observed in drinking water a precursor to other toxins--arsenic various salts radioactive radium
Injection of wastewater deep underground presents its own problems the study finds. The practice occasionally has caused earthquakes strong enough to be felt by human beings
For example the direct impact on the health of nearby residents is virtually unknown. Almost no comprehensive research has been done on health effects said Jackson
but decisions about drilling--both approvals and bans on fracking-are made all the time based on assumptions about health risks.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Stanford university. The original article was written by Mark Golden.
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