The biomedical applications of these hormones as anti-tumor agents and to facilitate somatic cell reprogramming (the cells that form tissues) to stem cells are also being investigated.
Helps babies struggling to breathethe first clinical study of a low-cost neonatal breathing system created by Rice university bioengineering students demonstrated that the device increased the survival rate of newborns with severe respiratory illness from 44
The researchers found that premature infants with complications like sepsis very low birth weight and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) benefited most from the new technology.
Survival rates more than doubled for babies with RDS and more than tripled for babies in the other two categories after treatment with bubble CPAP.
respiratory distress syndrome 64 percent with bubble CPAP compared with 23 percent without; very low birth weight 65 percent with bubble CPAP compared with 15 percent without;
and sepsis 61 percent with bubble CPAP and zero without. The improvement that we saw for premature babies with respiratory distress syndrome mirrored the improvement that was seen in the United states
when CPAP was introduced first here said Rice's Rebecca Richards-Kortum the Stanley C. Moore Professor and chair of the Department of Bioengineering and director of both BTB and Rice 360â°.
and Dalesbred each showed a lower than average risk of infection to Maidi Visna a virus causing a slow-acting disease affecting millions of sheep worldwide with massive welfare and economic impacts.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system characterized by blood brain (BBB) permeability and demyelination a process in
and is with the exception of trauma the most frequent cause of neurological disability beginning in early to middle adulthood.
the same cells that die in MS lesions says Jennifer Linden of Weill Cornell Medical College who presented the research.
Epsilon toxin may be responsible for triggering MS. Epsilon toxin is produced by certain strains of Clostridium perfringens a spore-forming bacterium that is one of the most common causes of foodborne illness in the United states. The U s. Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention estimates that non-epsilon toxin producing C. perfringens strains cause nearly a million cases of foodborne illness each year.
They discovered that the toxin did target the brain cells associated with MS pathology. But that was not all they found.
and subpial cortical lesions exclusively observed in MS patients but not fully understood says Linden.
#DDT pesticide exposure linked to Alzheimers disease, study showsscientists have known for more than 40 years that the synthetic pesticide DDT is harmful to bird habitats and a threat to the environment.
since 1972 but still used as a pesticide in other countries--may also increase the risk and severity of Alzheimer's disease in some people particularly those over the age of 60.
when DDT breaks down were higher in the blood of late-onset Alzheimer's disease patients compared to those without the disease.
and livestock and to combat insect-borne diseases like malaria--was introduced as a pesticide during WWII.
Rutgers scientists--the first to link a specific chemical compound to Alzheimer's disease--believe that research into how DDT
and DDE may trigger neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's is crucial. I think these results demonstrate that more attention should be focused on potential environmental contributors
Our data may help identify those that are at risk for Alzheimer's disease and could potentially lead to earlier diagnosis and an improved outcome.
In the Rutgers study conducted in coordination with Emory University Alzheimer's disease Research Center and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical school's Alzheimer's disease Center 74 out of the 86 Alzheimer's patients involved
--whose average age was had 74 DDE blood levels almost four times higher than the 79 people in the control group who did not have Alzheimer's disease.
Patients with a version of Apoe gene (Apoe4) which greatly increases the risk of developing Alzheimer's
and high blood levels of DDE exhibited even more severe cognitive impairment than the patients without the risk gene.
Brain cell studies also found that DDT and DDE increased the amount of a protein associated with plaques believed to be a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease.
These sticky amyloid proteins--which may form in regions of the brain involved in memory learning
Although the exact cause of Alzheimer's disease--with five million Americans suffering now and millions more expected to fall prey with the graying of the Baby boom Generation--is known not scientists believe that late-onset Alzheimer's may be linked to a combination of genetic environmental and lifestyle factors.
Much of the research into Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases has mostly been centered on finding genetic connections Richardson says.
This study demonstrates that there are additional contributors to Alzheimer's disease that must be examined and that may help identify those at risk of developing Alzheimer's says Richardson.
It is important because when it comes to diagnosing and treating this and other neurodegenerative diseases the earlier someone is diagnosed the more options there may be available.
However assessing disease resistance in young oilseed rape plants is difficult as there is a long period where the pathogen is not visible--it can infect plants
Plant disease epidemics are bad news for farmers. There has been a heavy reliance on fungicides to control disease
#Clinical trial studies vaccine targeting cancer stem cells in brain cancersan early-phase clinical trial of an experimental vaccine that targets cancer stem cells in patients with recurrent glioblastoma multiforme
Like normal stem cells cancer stem cells have the ability to self-renew and generate new cells
In theory if the cancer stem cells can be destroyed a tumor may not be able to sustain itself
but if the cancer originators are removed not or destroyed a tumor will continue to return despite the use of existing cancer-killing therapies.
The Phase I study which will enroll about 45 patients and last two years evaluates safety
The drug targets a protein CD133 found on cancer stem cells of some brain tumors and other cancers.
The cancer stem cell study is the latest evolution in Cedars-Sinai's history of dendritic cell vaccine research
Cedars-Sinai's brain cancer stem cell study is open to patients whose glioblastoma multiforme has returned following surgical removal.
when malnutrition is at stake. At least one question remains. It's not clear how the algae get into the sloth's stomach
#More relief options may be available for hay fever sufferersthere is more to seasonal allergies than a little congestion and sneezing.
and itch it may be a symptom of ragweed allergy. But more help might be on the way for some of the 23 million hay fever sufferers.
On Tuesday January 28 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will hold a public meeting of the Allergenic Products Advisory Committee.
and efficacy of oral tablets used to treat ragweed allergy symptoms. The committee is likely to approve these tablets which will mark great improvement in the fight against allergy said allergist Michael Foggs MD president of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Once the committee and then the FDA approve the tablets allergy sufferers will have another form of treatment available to them.
In December the same committee granted approval for grass allergy tablets. Assuming the committee also approves the ragweed allergy tablets the FDA will then have to approve both the grass
and ragweed tablets before they can be made available to allergy sufferers. Currently the best treatment for those with moderate-to-severe allergy symptoms is allergy shots also known as immunotherapy.
This treatment requires tiny injections of purified allergen extracts. A pill a day may seem more appealing than getting shots.
So why bother with allergy shots anymore? Allergy sufferers are typically allergic to more than one allergen said Dr. Foggs.
Allergy shots can be customized to provide relief to multiple allergens including tree grass weed mold house dust dander and mold while offering the assurance of more than 100 years of experience in causing remission not just symptom
relief in allergy. We think there may be pros and cons of these differing forms of treatments.
Board-certified allergists can help patients make good short-term and long-term choices. It is unknown whether the new allergy tablets will allow sufferers to eat ragweed relatives like avocado melons and some fruits like allergy shots permit.
We look forward to testing the limits of this new treatment said Dr. Foggs. Story Source:
The above story is provided based on materials by American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length h
#Sequence of water buffalo completedlal Teer Livestock Limited an associate of Lalteer Seed Ltd. the largest seed company in Bangladesh with strong hybrid research program
and BGI the world's largest genomics organization jointly announced today that they have completed the genome sequencing of water buffalo
and European-descendent populations in America and Australian that until very recently lactose intolerance was considered an abnormality deficiency or disease.
and therefore can be regarded as a model for humans who are overweight and at risk of diabetes.
and higher levels of fat in the liver said Karin Berger diabetes researcher at Lund University.
and diabetes by supplementing a more normal diet with berries said Karin Berger. However the Lund researchers do not recommend people start eating large quantities of lingonberry jam.
'Oomycetes are potent pathogens that can cause seeds and seedlings to rot and were responsible for the 1840s potato famine'said Professor Sarah Gurr formerly of Oxford university and now at the University of Exeter.'
and bats--are much more likely to succeed in the long run according to the U-M researchers who provide an overview of the recent Latin american coffee rust epidemic in a paper published online Jan 22 in the journal Bioscience.
The recent coffee rust epidemic damaged plantations from Mexico to Peru and applying fungicide is one of the main control methods promoted in the affected countries.
It's even possible that coffee rust will maintain its epidemic status indefinitely in the region though additional research would be required to determine
Without this enzyme consuming milk can lead to some unpleasant side effects like bloating cramps flatulence and diarrhea--a condition known as lactose intolerance.
This would have caused the usual lactose intolerance symptoms such as diarrhea. Diarrhea in in healthy people is not usually life-threatening
but in severely malnourished individuals it certainly can be. So famine could have led to episodes of very strong natural selection favoring lactase persistence.
#Pathogenic plant virus jumps to honeybees, may explain bee population declinea viral pathogen that typically infects plants has been found in honeybees
whether this plant-infecting virus could also cause systemic infection in the bees says Yan Ping Chen from the U s. Department of agriculture's Agricultural research service (ARS) laboratory in Beltsville Maryland an author on the study.
and that the infection becomes widespread in their bodies says lead author Ji Lian Li at the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Science in Beijing.
One consequence of such high replication rates are populations of RNA VIRUSES thought to exist as quasispecies clouds of genetically related variants that appear to work together to determine the pathology of their hosts.
and reemerging infectious diseases explain these researchers. Toxic viral cocktails appear to have a strong link with honey bee Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) a mysterious malady that abruptly wiped out entire hives across the United states
and was reported first in 2006. Israel Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV) Acute Bee Paralysis Virus (ABPV) Chronic Paralysis Virus (CPV) Kashmir Bee Virus (KBV) Deformed Wing
Bee Virus (DWV) Black Queen Cell Virus (BQCV) and Sacbrood Virus (SBV) are known other causes of honeybee viral disease.
Bee populations with high levels of multiple viral infections began failing in late fall and perished before February these researchers report.
and supports the view that viral infections have a significant negative impact on colony survival these researchers conclude.
and chocolate) could offer protection from type 2 diabetes--according to research from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and King's college London.
when chronic is associated with diabetes obesity cardiovascular disease and cancer. Prof Aedin Cassidy from UEA's Norwich Medical school led the research.
This is one of the first large-scale human studies to look at how these powerful bioactive compounds might reduce the risk of diabetes.
Laboratory studies have shown these types of foods might modulate blood glucose regulation--affecting the risk of type 2 diabetes.
Insulin resistance a hallmark of type 2 diabetes was assessed using an equation that considered both fasting insulin and glucose levels.
High insulin resistance is associated with Type 2 diabetes so what we are seeing is that people who eat foods rich in these two compounds--such as berries herbs red grapes wine-are less likely to develop the disease.
--which is associated with many of today's most pressing health concerns including diabetes obesity cardiovascular disease and cancer.
What we don't yet know is exactly how much of these compounds are necessary to potentially reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes she added.
so we should be cautious until we test them properly in randomised trials and in people developing early diabetes.
#Secondhand smoke exposure increases odds of hospital asthma readmission for childrena new study shows that exposure to secondhand smoke at home
or in the car dramatically increases the odds of children being readmitted to the hospital within a year of being admitted for asthma.
The study is part of the Greater Cincinnati Asthma Risks Study which seeks to understand the causes of hospital readmission particularly for low income and minority children.
Certainly there could be a financial incentive for insurance companies to help caregivers quit smoking rather than pay the downstream costs of a future asthma readmission.
and Genomics (UPM-INIA) and led by Araceli DÃ az Perales has studied the allergy to peach the most common food allergy and the Pru p 3 protein.
All can be good candidates for the usage of specific immunotherapy for peach allergy and also can be used as a vaccine.
Nowadays allergy affects over 25%of the population of developed countries. Currently the treatment of food allergy consists of avoiding the intake of the food causing the allergy.
However the possibility of cross-reactivity (reaction to related food) might be ineffective. The specific immunotherapy is the only treatment to prevent more severe signs of allergy progression.
Immunotherapy consists of the intake of growing doses of allergen extracts in affected patients. However the use of this extract could induce anaphylactic reactions
The most common food allergy in Spain and the Mediterranean areas is the peach allergy
The current treatment of this allergy consists of avoiding peach consumption neither fresh nor processed peaches (juices jam.
As an alternative this allergy research has defined the regions of this allergenic protein that is involved in the antibody binding and the stimulation of the immune system cells.
and they were used in a research with patient allergic to peach in order to confirm its capacity as immune system stimulation.
Also it maintained its ability to stimulate immune system cells (lymphocytes) of the patients allergic to peach during the in vitro trials.
and Pru p 3. 03) could be good candidates for the usage of specific immunotherapy for allergy to peach.
although it would be required further trials of these two molecules with animal to verify its effectiveness in the treatment for allergy to peach.
and could inform the development of tailored microbiota transplants to improve intestinal health after antibiotic use or illness.
and is less resistant to pathogens and pests. â#oefor a long time cotton breeders have been trying to develop upland cotton with the fiber qualities of barbadense cottonâ#Pepper said. â#oeglobally everybodyâ##s trying to do it.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena Germany have now found that ants also keep harmful leaf pathogens in check.
Study results indicate that symbiotic bacteria colonizing the ants inhibit pathogen growth on the leaves.
whether the tiny bodyguards also provide protection against microbial pathogens. They compared the leaves of acacia plants
and microbial pathogens than did the leaves that had mutualistic ants. The presence of the right symbiotic partner seemed to have a positive effect on the plant's health.
Analysis of the surfaces of the leaves revealed that the number of plant pathogens as well as of necrotic plant tissues increased considerably
which regulates defense against pathogens. Detailed analysis of the bacterial composition on the surfaces of the leaves suggested that the presence of mutualistic ants changed the bacterial populations and reduced harmful pathogens.
Although far less pronounced this effect could also be observed in parasitic ants. How antimicrobial protection is transferred from ants to plant is still unclear.
and parasitic ants and tested the effect of the extracts on the growth of bacterial pathogens in the lab. Plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae was sensitive to the application of leg extracts of both ant species
but are notoriously hard to diagnose because of their similarity to other syndromes. In collaboration with Neil Havis of Scotland's Rural College Professor Brown came up with a simple new method of scoring Ramularia in field trials:
Cattle fatigue syndrome may be caused by many factors such as summer heat and exertion prior to harvest.
and psychologically ill than are straight youth. We need to be careful when we do our research that our sexual-minority participants are representative of the gay youth population
what he calls cattle fatigue syndrome. This isn't a new phenomenon Thomson said. We've seen this in other species. The swine industry 15 to 20 years ago discovered pig fatigue syndrome.
It occurred about the time they started feeding beta-agonists at a very high level to pigs.
and they don't have any clinical signs of injury besides that they don't move Thomson said.
They were able to recreate the same syndrome that we're now seeing in some cattle Thomson said.
what cattle fatigue syndrome is said Thomson but the reason more research must be done is that like the NANI pigs the syndrome has shown up in cattle that were fed a beta-agonist
and cattle that were fed not a beta-agonist. In our research when we've looked at cattle that are stressed not
when we have seen the issues with this fatigue cattle syndrome at packing facilities it's during the summer months
#How fiber prevents diabetes, obesityscientists have known for the past twenty years that a fiber-rich diet protects the organism against obesity
and diabetes but the mechanisms involved have eluded so far them. A French-Swedish team including researchers from CNRS Inserm
They will give rise to new dietary recommendations to prevent diabetes and obesity. Most sweet fruit and many vegetables such as salsify cabbage or beans are rich in so-called fermentable fibers.
and are less likely to develop diabetes than animals fed a fiber-free diet. Nevertheless the mechanism behind this effect has remained until now a mystery.
In response the brain triggers a range of protective effects against diabetes and obesity: the sensation of hunger fades energy expenditure at rest is enhanced
and were protected also against the development of diabetes thanks to significantly increased sensitivity to insulin.
these mice became fat and developed diabetes like those fed a fiber-free diet. It is therefore the production of glucose by the intestine from propionate and butyrate that is behind the positive effects of fermentable fibers on the organism.
or treating diabetes and obesity. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by CNRS (DÃ lã gation Paris Michel-Ange.
and wounding each other while the elephants themselves fought still better putting forth their whole strength
#Resolve to fight cancer: More than ever before, we know how to reduce some riskin 1971 President Nixon funded research to wage a war on cancer a long battle that we're still fighting today.
While the last 40 years haven't brought us a cure we have made some meaningful progress in developing tools
and knowledge to take a bite out of our cancer risk. Mark Varvares M d. director of the Saint louis University Cancer Center suggests that lifestyle changes
and screening tools that have been proven to reduce our cancer risk and to catch cancer early can make a real impact across the span of our lifetime.
There are some aspects of our cancer risk that are outside of our control said Varvares who is also a SLUCARE otolaryngologist.
But we also know that there are things we can do that can significantly decrease our risk of getting cancer.
I urge people to take advantage of these advances. This information and these screening opportunities weren't always available to our parents and grandparents.
Healthy choices and preventive screenings won't totally erase cancer but they can reduce our risk in a really meaningful way.
They offer us the chance to change the course of the future if we take advantage of them.
According to the American Cancer Society More than half of all cancer deaths could be prevented by making healthy choices like not smoking staying at a healthy weight eating right keeping active
and screening tools can over the course of your lifetime significantly reduce your risk of cancer.#
when it comes to the connection between lung cancer and smoking. Smoking causes the vast majority of lung cancer deaths in the U s. The silver lining of this well-established cause-and-effect is that it makes lung cancer one of the most preventable forms of cancer.
The data is clear: stop smoking and you will reduce your lung cancer risk. TAKE ACTION:
SLU Cancer Center offers free eight-week smoking cessation classes four times throughout the year. Personalized smoking cessation consultations are also available.#
#2: Eat a healthy diet. Obesity is a risk factor for many cancers including esophagus pancreas colorectal and breast cancers.
Besides eating well to maintain a healthy weight foods like fruits vegetables and whole grains are linked to reduced cancer risk.
Limiting red meats and processed meats can lower your risk of colorectal cancer. Many specific foods like leafy green vegetables
or blueberries have been shown to have specific anticancer actions. TAKE ACTION: Eat vegetables fruits whole grains
Staying active has many health benefits including lowering your risk of developing cancer. Studies show that physical activity lowers risk of colon and breast cancer.
There also appear to be links between exercise and reduced prostate lung and endometrial cancer risks.
TAKE ACTION: If you'd like to start an exercise program here are two places to begin:
and specifically can raise certain types of cancer risk. For women even a few drinks a week may increase breast cancer risk.
Even overuse of mouthwash which contains alcohol Varvares says has been linked to mouth cancer. TAKE ACTION:
Take a realistic look at your alcohol consumption and consider whether it falls within the recommended range:
As many as one in five Americans will develop skin cancer during their lifetime. Sunscreen which blocks dangerous rays from the sun is your best bet to avoid skin cancer.
Dermatologists recommend applying sunscreen every couple of hours if you'll be outside. Avoid tanning beds altogether as evidence suggests high incidence of skin cancer for users.
Saint louis University research has even found links between driving and increased skin cancer with drivers in the U s. developing more skin cancer on the left side of their faces due to exposure while in the car.
TAKE ACTION: Wear sunscreen every day and skip the tanning bed.##6: Screen. Though you may not look forward to them preventive screenings offer some of medicine's best methods for catching cancer before it becomes deadly.
Colonoscopy pap smears and mammography for example are some of the most powerful lifesaving tools doctors have at their disposal.
For motivation read a cancer screening success story.##7 Vaccinate. The HPV vaccine has a clear record of lowering cervical cancer rates in women
and is now being recommended for boys as well as girls because it shows promise in preventing head and neck cancer too.
TAKE ACTION: Take advantage of a vaccine that can prevent cancer. The HPV vaccination is recommended for girls and boys at age 11 or 12 years.#
#8: Consider Genetic counseling. For those with a family history of certain cancers information about our genes can offer choices in dealing with our genetic destiny.
A woman who carries the BRCA breast cancer gene for example who has watched families members die at an early age may choose preventive mastectomy rather than risk extremely high odds of developing the same illness.
For other cancers such as colorectal cancer the presence of a gene may signal the need for increased vigilance with more frequent screenings to catch any abnormality early.
Genetic screening took center stage last year as actress Angelina jolie shared her decision to have a preventive mastectomy in response to her own genetic risk.
Genetic counselor at SLU Cancer Center Suzanne Mahon says that In deciding whether or not to have the screening patients should ask'Is this something
If I know I am at high genetic risk of developing cancer am I going to do something with this information?'
'Genetic counseling and testing can clarify your risk of cancer. If you underestimate your risk you might not have the information you need to make good decisions about prevention and early detection.
rather it's an option for those with family history of certain cancers. If you have a strong history of cancer in your family discuss with your physician
whether you could benefit from more knowledge about your genetic risk. Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Saint louis University Medical center.
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