Bone-Growing NanomaterialFor orthopaedic implants to be successful, bone must meld to the metal that these artificial hips, knees and shoulders are made of. A team of Brown University engineers, led by Thomas Webster, has discovered a new material that could significantly increase this success rate.
The secret: carbon nanotubes on anodized titanium. The team took titanium - the most popular implant material around - and chemically treated it and applied an........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/18/2007 5:11:17 AM)
Prolonged respiratory problems for oil spill clean-up volunteersWorkers and volunteers who helped in the clean-up effort after the 2002 Prestige oil spill off the Galician coast of Spain exhibit prolonged respiratory symptoms resulting from their exposure, say scientists from Spain in the first study to examine the long-term effects of such exposures on workers respiratory health.
The findings were published in the second issue for September of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/14/2007 5:14:10 AM)
Dermatologists identify North Texas leishmaniasis outbreakA team of dermatologists and dermatopathologists at UT Southwestern Medical Center has identified nine North Texas cases of an infectious skin disease common in South America, Mexico and in the Middle East, where it is sometimes referred to as a Baghdad boil.
Numerous cases of the disease, called leishmaniasis, have been reported in troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. But for the first time, cases of this dangerous infection are........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/14/2007 5:11:13 AM)
How To Isolate Stem Cells In Womb TissueResearchers in Australia have found a way of identifying probable stem cells in the lining of womens wombs. The finding opens up the possibility of using the stem cells for tissue engineering applications such as building up natural tissue to repair prolapsed pelvic floors. Pelvic floor prolapse is a common condition, affecting over 50% of women after childbirth; around one in ten women have surgery and a third of these women require repeated........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 9/12/2007 8:30:24 PM)
Genetic Link To HeightIt became clear nearly a century ago that a number of genes likely influence how tall a person grows, though little progress, if any, has followed in defining the myriad genes. Now an international research team brings light to this age-old question by pinpointing a genetic variant linked to human height -- the first consistent genetic link to be reported.
The findings, reported in the September 2 advance online edition of Nature Genetics,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/12/2007 6:09:36 PM)
Leveraging learning for artificial respirationMIT scientists have observed that the body's innate ability to adapt to recurring stimuli could be leveraged to design more effective and less costly artificial respirators. The new approach could minimize the need for the induced sedation or paralysis currently necessary for some patients on mechanical ventilation.
Nonassociative learning, or our innate ability to adapt to recurring stimuli, is the focus of work to be described in the........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 9/12/2007 6:05:09 PM)
Teaching Tools On Underage Alcohol UseEfforts to halt underage drinking often focus on peer pressure and the prevention of risky behaviors, but the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is undertaking a new federally funded project to give middle-school children a science-based understanding of what can happen to them if they use alcohol.
The three-year project, called The Science Inside Alcohol, will incorporate recent advances in neuroscience that have........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/6/2007 9:53:45 PM)
Annual flu shot cuts need for doctors' visitsChildren under the age of 5 who receive an annual flu shot have a greatly reduced risk of needing to see their doctor or be admitted to the hospital because of flu-related illness. A new study in the recent issue of Pediatrics that analyzes how a number of outpatient visits or hospitalizations might be prevented by childhood influenza immunization finds that vaccinating only half U.S. children could eliminate as a number of as 650,000 doctors........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 8:11:15 PM)
Teens Need to See Their Doctors More OftenDespite recommendations for annual preventive exams for adolescents, only 10 percent of teens have enough visits within 12 months to receive the recommended three shots needed for HPV vaccine. Ideally the three shots are delivered within six months, and only 1 percent of teens see their physicians that often.
"In order to be best protected against HPV, teens need all three shots before they are exposed to the virus," said Cynthia Rand, M.D.,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 8:04:36 PM)
Learning from Quebec's Prescription Drug PlanA new study published in The Milbank Quarterly finds many similarities between Canadian drug coverage and that of the United States, despite their publicized differences. Looking at Quebec's Prescription Drug Insurance Program and the United States' Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement and Modernization Act (MMA), the study suggests that the older Canadian plan may provide valuable insights for American decision-makers.
The study examines........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 7:41:50 PM)
Modeling Skin Cancer Skin cancer is the most prevalent form of human cancer in the United States, as per the Centers for Disease Control. But in order to more fully understand skin cancer in humans, researchers must use model organisms, such as mice, to study the disease in the laboratory.
This months release of Cold Spring Harbor Protocols (www.cshprotocols.org) includes free access to a protocol for generating mice with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), one of........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 7:05:29 PM)
Interferon Melanoma An Immune CellsA new study shows that an important drug used in the therapy of cancerous melanoma has little effect on the melanoma cells themselves. Instead, it activates immune-system cells to fight the disease.
The drug, called interferon alpha (IFNa), is used to clean up microscopic tumor cells that may remain in the body following surgery for the disease. It is the only drug approved for this purpose.
Scientists say that these findings underscore........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 9/3/2007 12:50:35 PM)
FDA to study if those ads really workSometimes you just can't make this stuff u
The FDA is proposing to conduct a study called "Experimental Evaluation of the Impact of Distraction on Consumer Understanding of Risk and Benefit Information in DTC [Direct-to-Consumer] Prescription Drug Broadcast Advertising." Rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it
Bonus points to anyone who already knows what that means. Give up? As Broadcasting and Cable wrote, it studies........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/2/2007 7:50:31 AM)
Nurses Connecting With Other NursesNurseConnect and Nurse Linkup are two online social networking sites that let nurses connect. This is a great way for nurses all over the world to share experiences and share knowledge. After all, when knowledge is shared we all benefit
Nurses can also gain information about potential job openings, which cities are the best cities for nurses to work and live in. When you join you'll be able to do the rating and reviewing.........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/1/2007 6:18:42 AM)
Newly-licensed Rn Work Attitudes And IntentionsNew York, NY (August 29, 2007) A study, reported in the recent issue of the American Journal of Nursing (AJN), provides new insight into the work experiences of newly-licensed RNs that may help reduce the turnover rate of hospital nurses. The national study is the first to explore attitudes and experiences among newly-licensed RNs (those who received their first or basic RN license by passing the NCLEX) in their first 18 months of employment.........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/29/2007 9:54:57 PM)
Facial Transplantation May Be a Safer OptionScientists in Cincinnati and Louisville report that immunosuppressive risks linked to facial transplantation may be lower than thought, possibly making the procedure a safer option for people who have suffered severe facial injuries.
Prior data on the immunosuppression risks involved in facial transplantation were misleading, as per Rita Alloway, PharmD, and Steve Woodle, MD, of the University of Cincinnati (UC), and a University of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/28/2007 8:52:46 PM)
High-risk behaviors could lead to HIV epidemicIn a report that is among the first to describe the prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis B and C viruses in Afghanistan, a researcher from the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) School of Medicine voiced concerns that increasing injection drug use and accompanying high-risk behavior could lead to an HIV epidemic in Afghanistan.
Our findings suggest that interventions to reduce high-risk behaviors among injection drug users are urgently........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/28/2007 8:44:58 PM)
Secret Of Bone's StrengthResearchers and engineers are eager to understand the secret behind bone's lightweight toughness so they can mimic it in the design of new materials, but experimental studies have revealed many different strength mechanisms at different scales of focus, rather than a single theory.
New research from MIT appearing in the July 25 issue of Nanotechnology reveals for the first time the role of bone's atomistic structure in a toughening mechanism........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 8/27/2007 9:22:59 PM)
How Transcription Factor Controls Gene Expression?The Conaway Lab - led by Joan Conaway, Ph.D., and Ron Conaway, Ph.D., Investigators - has published findings that shed light on the role of the much-studied transcription factor YY1 in gene expression. Yong Cai, Ph.D., Research Specialist I, and Jingji Jin, Ph.D., Senior Research Associate, are the paper's coequal first authors.
The paper, "YY1 functions with INO80 to activate transcription," was posted to the Web site of Nature........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/27/2007 9:06:54 PM)
SciFoo lives on in Second Life (27 August)I’ve already written about the SciFoo lives on session in Second Life on the Second Nature island. I’m a co-organizer of the next session (Medicine and web 2.0) with already written about the SciFoo lives on session. I’ll present a short slideshow about medical blogs/wikis/search engines/virtual educational opportunities, etc. I’ve also invited several famous medical sites and communities. Some have accepted my........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/26/2007 5:29:18 PM)
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Gene determines whether male body odor smells pleasantTo a number of, urine smells like urine and vanilla smells like vanilla. But androstenone, a derivative of testosterone that is a potent ingredient in male body odor, can smell like either - depending on your genes. While a number of people perceive a foul odor from androstenone, commonly that of stale urine or strong sweat, others find the scent sweet and pleasant. Still others cannot smell it at all.
New research from Rockefeller........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/17/2007 5:08:39 AM)
Brain tumors need treatment with multiple 'targeted' drugsResearchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that several, rather than just one, cell-growth switches are simultaneously overactive in many brain tumors and other solid tumors, explaining why treatment with just a single "targeted" switch-blocking drug often yields disappointing results.
The laboratory finding argues for quickly moving to clinical trials that combine three or more such targeted drugs for such cancers to shut down........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 9/14/2007 5:23:23 AM)
Doctors may need support to cope with patient deathDoctors could benefit from support to help them cope with the trauma of patient death, says a psychology expert speaking at the Death, dying & disposal conference organised by the University of Bath today.
In a preliminary study, Dr Elaine Kasket from London Metropolitan University carried out detailed interviews with eight US physicians about their experiences of death. Half of those she spoke to wept as they recounted stories of traumatic........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/12/2007 8:34:35 PM)
Breakthrough For Early Cancer DiagnosisEarly detection of disease is often critical to how successful therapy can be. Therefore, the development of new methods of diagnosis is a hot research field, where every small step is of great importance. In an article in the latest issue of Molecular & Cellular Proteomics, Uppsala University scientists describe a technique that the journal regards as particularly interesting.
Proteins build up the bodys cells and tissues, and our........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 9/12/2007 8:25:01 PM)
Mathematics might save you a trip to the ERSince the days of Hippocrates, people have known that certain illnesses come and go with the seasons. More recently, scientists have learned that these cyclic recurrences of disease, known as seasonality, are often correlation to the weather. In order to accurately predict when outbreaks of disease will occur, and how a number of people will be effected, Elena Naumova, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Public Heath and Family........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/12/2007 8:15:35 PM)
Prescription labels geared toward pharmaciesThe labels on most prescription drug containers highlight the pharmacys name or logo rather than instructions on how to take the medication, reports a new study in the September 10 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
The Institute of Medicine estimates that 1.5 million medicine errors occur each year in the United States and poor labeling is one cause of the mistakes. While the Food and Drug Administration has some standards on what........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/11/2007 11:42:38 PM)
Embryonic Stem Cells Thrive When ShakenEmbryos spend much of their time in the womb bobbing along with a mother's movement, and, surprisingly enough, new research from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University suggests that embryonic stem cells may develop much better under similarly shaky conditions.
Georgia Tech and Emory scientists discovered that moderate and controlled physical movement of embryonic stem cells in fluid environments, similar to shaking that........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/10/2007 10:11:05 PM)
How antibodies fight HIVBy furthering researchers understanding of the molecular mechanisms that separate the minority of successful HIV antibodies from the majority of ineffective antibodies, the work may have implications for future attempts to design an HIV vaccine.
The study was published on September 6, 2007, in the journal Nature.
This study is part of the effort to understand how protection against HIV occurs, says Dennis Burton, a professor at The........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/6/2007 9:49:19 PM)
A type of antioxidant may not be as safe as once thoughtCertain preparations taken to enhance athletic performance or stave off disease contain an anti-oxidant that could cause harm. As per new research at the University of Virginia Health System, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an anti-oxidant usually used in nutritional and body-building supplements, can form a red blood cell-derived molecule that makes blood vessels think they are not getting enough oxygen. This leads to pulmonary arterial high blood........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 7:43:12 PM)
Laser Blasts Viruses In BloodA father-son research team working from separate laboratory benches across the country has discovered a new use for lasers - zapping viruses out of blood. The technique, which holds promise for disinfecting blood for transfusions, uses a low-power laser beam with a pulse lasting just fractions of a second.
Johns Hopkins University student Shaw-Wei David Tsen says it was during a stroll in the park with his father that the idea was born. ........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 7:36:45 PM)
Low level of neuronal receptor linked to Alzheimer's diseaseResults of a new study indicate a strong link between the loss of the neuronal receptor LR11and onset of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), often a harbinger of Alzheimer's disease.
LR11, like all receptors, selectively receives and binds specific substances. Scientists found reduced levels of LR11, also known as sorLA or SORL1, in the brain tissue of people diagnosed with MCI. In addition, the findings show that levels of LR11 in the brain........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 9/4/2007 7:21:26 PM)
Warning Signs Of Pregnancy DangerWarnings signs such as increased stress could indicate that pregnancy-induced hypertension is reaching life-threatening levels, found Temple University researcher Kathleen Black, DNSc, RNC, the author of a study in the September/recent issue of the Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, & Neonatal Nursing.
The condition is variable and can change quickly. We need to be aware of symptoms changing from mild to worse. A higher number of symptoms........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 9/3/2007 12:53:46 PM)
What Doctors Should All Home Based Business Owners Visit Often?I know that you know as a freelancer or a home based business owner yourself that your chosen career may not be as healthy as you thought it was. There are a wide variety of health problems that can stem from our long stay in front of the computer or simply from staying secluded in our home offices the whole day. To get rid or to avoid these health problems, here is a list of types of doctors we all should meet regularly:
Chiropractor - for........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 9/1/2007 6:30:40 AM)
Gene signature spells poor outcomeOther than visually inspecting the disease, doctors have no genetic blueprint to classify melanomas, a lethal form of skin cancer. Tumors generally are ranked by how deeply the growth has invaded underlying skin tissue. The deeper it burrows into the skin, the more lethal the cancer, but some patients defy the odds and survive with thick tumors or die from thin ones. Two melanoma patients with cancers of the same invasion depth and........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/30/2007 9:21:45 PM)
Nanotechnology To Fight E. ColiSingle-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can kill bacteria like the common pathogen E. coli by severely damaging their cell walls, as per a recent report from Yale scientists in the American Chemical Society (ACS) journal Langmuir.
We began the study out of concerns for the possible toxicity of nanotubes in aquatic environments and their presence in the food chain, said Menachem Elimelech, professor and chair of chemical and environmental........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/30/2007 9:19:52 PM)
Genetic-screening Guidelines For Cancer DrugNot everyone needs a genetic test before taking the cancer drug irinotecan, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should modify its prescription guidelines to say so, as per scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Irinotecan, also known by its brand name Camptosar, is used mainly as a second-line therapy for colorectal cancer. The FDA recommends screening patients for a gene that could make them more susceptible to........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 8/28/2007 9:01:45 PM)
Methamphetamine and HIV transmissionNew findings that one in 20 North Carolina men who have sex with men (MSM) reported using crystal methamphetamine during the prior month suggests increased risk for spreading HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STD), as per scientists from Wake Forest University School of Medicine and his colleagues.
The rate of methamphetamine use among 1,189 MSM was 30 times higher than levels published in the general U.S. population over the same........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 8/27/2007 9:44:55 PM)
Cancer fighter may help ICU patientsHSP 90 inhibitors, which are finding favor in fighting cancer, may also help battle overwhelming infection in intensive care patients, scientists say.
Studies in an animal model of sepsis, a major cause of ICU patient death, indicate HSP 90 inhibitors help degrade proteins perpetuating inflammation, says Dr. John D. Catravas, director of the Medical College of Georgia Vascular Biology Center.
Results include restored lung function,........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 8/27/2007 9:20:34 PM)
New Molecule To Explain Circadian ClockThe internal clock in living beings that regulates sleeping and waking patterns -- commonly called the circadian clock -- has often befuddled researchers due to its mysterious time delays. Molecular interactions that regulate the circadian clock happen within milliseconds, yet the body clock resets about every 24 hours. What, then, stretches the expression of the clock over such a relatively long period?.
Cornell scientists have contributed........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/27/2007 8:19:29 PM)
NEJM: Image ChallengeThe New England Journal of Medicine is a pioneer in the field of web 2.0 and medicine among other medical journals. On its beta page, the site mentions several great features. Here are some examples
Google Gadget
NEJM Full-Screen Video Playe
NEJM Full-Screen Video Playe
Most popular at NEJM.org: list of the most blogged/cited article
What I’ve recently come across is the NEJM Full-Screen Video Player........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 8/26/2007 5:29:27 PM)
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