familymednews.com
Our bodies are continuously concocting specific antibodies to thwart invaders like a virus or even pollen, and scientists have new information about how the essential production gets fired up and keeps up. It’s a key protective mechanism that the scientists want to better understand with the long-term goal of manipulating it to help keep us well, says Dr. Nagendra Singh, […]
Continue reading »
Today, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published the results of a pilot study for early detection of liver cancer in a cohort of HBV carriers at risk for developing the disease. This screening technology, known as HCCscreen, relies on detecting a combination of tumor-specific mutations in cell free DNA (cfDNA) and protein markers. This work was a […]
Continue reading »
(HealthDay)—An algorithm that can classify patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) into seven distinct groups based on patterns of swollen or painful joints in the body can help predict disease course, according to a study published online Feb. 26 in PLOS Medicine. Simon W.M. Eng, from the University of Toronto, and colleagues used unsupervised machine learning to uncover data-driven joint […]
Continue reading »
Microscopic particles in air pollution inhaled by pregnant women may damage fetal cardiovascular development, according to a study by Rutgers researchers. The study, published in the journal Cardiovascular Toxicology, found that early in the first trimester and late in the third trimester were critical windows during which pollutants most affect the mother’s and fetus’ cardiovascular systems. “These findings suggest that […]
Continue reading »
Each year there are nearly 11 million cases of typhoid, a disease that is spread through contaminated food, drink and water. Researchers at the University of Maryland School of Medicine are leading an international consortium that is studying the impact of a typhoid conjugate vaccine (TCV) in an effort to accelerate introduction of the vaccine in countries in sub-Saharan Africa […]
Continue reading »
Researchers on the path to finding a cure for spina bifida have identified specific elements in stem cell secretions as key to protecting neurons and ultimately reducing the lower-limb paralysis associated with the birth defect. Those elements are exosomes—vesicles that transfer molecules from cell to cell—and a small carbohydrate-binding protein known as galectin 1. The team will use the results […]
Continue reading »
People with both diabetes and uncontrolled high blood pressure who used a smartphone app to monitor their blood pressure remotely, get tips on healthful living and connect with a health coach saw significant declines in their blood pressure within six weeks, according to research being presented at the American College of Cardiology’s 68th Annual Scientific Session. At six weeks, study […]
Continue reading »
Celastrol’s potent anti-obesity effects were widely reported in 2015. Derived from the roots of the thunder god vine, the drug curbed food intake in obese mice by nearly 80 percent, producing up to a 45 percent weight loss. Celastrol increases the brain’s sensitivity to leptin, the hormone that signals we’ve had enough to eat, but until now, no one knew […]
Continue reading »
(HealthDay)—Higher intake of whole grains may be associated with a lower risk for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among U.S. adults, according to a study published online Feb. 21 in JAMA Oncology. Wanshui Yang, Ph.D., from Anhui Medical University in Hefei, China, and colleagues assessed the associations between whole grain and dietary fiber (cereal, fruit, and vegetable) intake and the risk for […]
Continue reading »
A nationwide consortium of researchers has identified the first genetic defect linked to biliary atresia, a mysterious liver disease that is the leading cause for liver transplantation in children. The results were published in the journal Hepatology. The causes of biliary atresia were unknown, so this is a major advance that will move the field of pediatric liver disease forward, […]
Continue reading »