Cystic Fibrosis Research May Benefit from New Sensing Tool
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Researchers are using an innovative, multi-functional sensing tool to investigate adenosine triposphate (ATP) release and its role in cystic fibrosis. The ATP study marks the first application of a novel sensing system developed by a research team led by Christine Kranz at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
This patented technology adds recessed micro- and nano-electrodes to the tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM), creating a single tool that can simultaneously monitor topography along with electrochemical activity at the cell surface.
Clinton urges investment in disaster early warning
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Former U.S. President Bill Clinton urged the world on Monday to invest in early warning systems to prevent the massive death and destruction seen in recent earthquakes, tsunamis and other natural disasters.
“Hazards are not disasters by definition. Hazards only become disasters when lives and livelihoods are swept away,” Clinton said in a statement before the start of the International Early Warning Conference in Bonn on Monday.
Scientists seek biotech answer to hunger
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As he pores over plant tissue and Petri dishes in a biotech seed lab in Johnston, Iowa, Luke Mehlo is half a world away from his home in South Africa.
Although the corn fields of Iowa bear little resemblance to the arid plains of Africa, the research center where Mehlo toils has become home to a unique joint venture that is merging African agricultural interests with U.S. money and technology.
The goal is to turn sorghum—a common U.S. row crop used in animal feed, cereals and industrial products—into a plant that can not only weather devastating drought but also yield a rich blend of vitamins and minerals. Researchers believe such a combination could help combat the hunger and malnutrition ravaging parts of Africa.
New glucose-monitoring system approved in US
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DexCom Inc. on Monday announced that U.S. regulators approved its glucose-monitoring system designed to diabetics manage their blood-sugar levels.
DexCom said its STS Continuous Glucose Monitoring System consists of a tiny wire-like sensor that is inserted by the patient just under the skin.
Uniting Africans to Save Women’s Lives from Postpartum Hemorrhage
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The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) in Africa is at crisis level. African women of reproductive age have the highest death risk from maternal causes in the world, with an average of 830 deaths per 100,000 live births. As it currently stands, the United Nations Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal mortality in Africa by 75 percent by 2015 is a far-reaching target. One proven effort to close the gap is to aggressively address one of the least-discussed but largest contributors to the high MMR. Severe bleeding after childbirth, also known as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH), is the most fatal complication, accounting for at least one-quarter of maternal deaths worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, PPH occurs in 10-15 women out of 100 giving birth in developing countries, and severe PPH that can lead to death occurs in two out of 100 women. In Africa, PPH contributes to an even higher proportion of maternal mortality. In a region where half of the women deliver without skilled providers, when PPH occurs, a great number of these women die, oftentimes leading to the death or neglect of their newborns as well.
“Maternal mortality is closely related to the accessibility of quality health care. There is an urgent need to address the overwhelming number of deaths due to PPH because most cases are preventable. We can save these women with simple PPH prevention and treatment techniques. Whether the woman gives birth in a facility with a skilled provider present or at home with a family member, we have proven methods to share in Africa that cover the range of birthing situations,” comments Dr. Koki Agarwal, Program Director, Access to Clinical and Community Maternal, Neonatal and Women’s Health Services (ACCESS).
Questions Over Accuracy of MRI in Diagnosing Multiple Sclerosis
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Accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis: systematic review BMJ Online First
The accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is not sufficient to rule in or rule out a diagnosis of MS with a high degree of certainty, finds a study published online by the BMJ today.
Noisy environment may raise heart attack risk
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Living or working in noisy surroundings may raise a person’s risk of suffering a heart attack, a new study suggests.
Researchers in Germany found that urban middle-aged adults who lived near high-traffic roads were 46 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack than those who lived in more peaceful neighborhoods.
Similarly, men whose jobs exposed them to high noise levels were about one-third more likely to have a heart attack than their peers in quieter workplaces.
Head injury may be major risk in sport fighting
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Blows to the head often leading to concussion may be the single most common ending to “no-holds-barred” sport fighting, according to a new study.
The sport—known variously as mixed martial arts fighting, cage fighting and ultimate fighting—is basically a blend of martial arts, wrestling and street fighting. Competitions are banned in some U.S. states, but others allow them, and pay-per-view TV has brought matches to a wide audience.
Critics call the sport barbaric, as fighters try to knock each other out with punches, elbow strikes, choke holds and body throws, to name a few maneuvers. Defenders say no-holds-barred fighting is as legitimate as other combat sports, with one argument being that boxing is more likely to cause serious head trauma.
Drawing-induced epilepsy reported
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Artists beware. In the journal Neurology this month, doctors report a case of reflex epilepsy triggered by the experience of drawing.
At presentation, the 19-year-old student had experienced short-lasting twitches in both arms shortly before losing consciousness and exhibiting seizure-type activity for two minutes. He was working on a drawing assignment at the time symptoms began.
The patient reported previous episodes of twitching of the arms and “special sensations” while drawing but not while engaged in any other activities.
Scotland to go smoke-free to shake “sick man” tag
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Scotland on Sunday becomes the first part of Britain to ban smoking in pubs, restaurants and workplaces, aiming to tackle the poor public health record that has earned it the nickname “sick man of Europe”.
Officials say the blanket ban on lighting up in enclosed public spaces, inspired by similar measures in Ireland and other countries in the past few years, will eventually stop some 1,000 deaths a year from passive smoking.
Atopy Can Cause Adult-onset Asthma
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New research shows that hereditary predisposition to develop asthma (atopy) is a determining factor in new cases on adult-onset asthma and that avoiding allergens may help prevent adults from developing asthma.
“Are atopy and specific IgE to mites and molds important for adult asthma?” is available in the March 2006 issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (JACI), and online at http://www.jacionline.org. The JACI is the peer-reviewed journal of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).
Mexico ministry denies bird flu found at US border
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Mexico’s agriculture ministry denied rumors in U.S. commodities markets on Thursday that a case of H5N1 bird flu had been found near the U.S. border.
“We are free of highly-pathogenic bird flu,” Jose Angel del Valle, the ministry’s animal health director, told Reuters.
Children who are open to experimenting with herbal products may be more open to trying illicit drugs
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Adolescents who have ever used herbal products are six times more likely to have tried cocaine and almost 15 times more likely to have used anabolic steroids than teens who have never used herbal products, according to a University of Rochester Medical Center study to be published March 23 in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
More than a quarter of the Monroe County high school students in the sample reported having ever used herbal remedies and of those, the heaviest herbal users were more likely to use illicit drugs. Teen responders decided for themselves what would be considered “herbal or other natural products, either to make you feel better, or to help you perform better at sports or school,” as asked in the survey. Herbal remedies could include products from dietary supplements such as vitamins or St. John’s wort to natural performance enhancers, such as creatine.
Fish enzymes and gelatine may be the new treatment for psoriasis and eczema
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A new skin cream has shown promising results in the treatment of psoriasis and eczema. The cream contains fish enzymes and gelatine and is under development by researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim and the University of Bergen, Norway.
An important ingredient in the product is the enzyme zonase, which is found in fish eggs. The enzyme can break down dead skin cells without harming living cells. Used in the treatment of psoriasis, this cream helps to dead skin to flake off, while stimulating the growth of new cells.
But enzymes need water to function as they should. With typical creams, the moisture evapourates a short time after application to the skin. The challenge for manufacturers is to find a new and better method to bind water to the cream. Dr. Ingvild Haug is a specialist in fish collagen (gelatine)
Younger breast cancer patients at increase risk
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Women under 45 years old diagnosed with early breast cancer have a higher risk of dying from the disease than older patients, scientists said on Thursday.
“The younger the woman, the poorer the chance of survival,” said Dr. Vincent Vinh-Hung, of University Hospital in Brussels.
Breast is the most common cancer in women, with more than one million new cases detected worldwide each year. Most are in women over 50—the disease is much less common in young women.
