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New transplant method may allow kidney recipients to live life free of anti-rejection medication

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

ScienceDaily (Mar. 11, 2012) New ongoing research published March 7 in the journal Science Translational Medicine suggests organ transplant recipients may not require anti-rejection medication in the future thanks to the power of stem cells, which may prove to be able to be manipulated in mismatched kidney donor and recipient pairs to allow for successful transplantation without immunosuppressive drugs. Northwestern Medicine and University of Louisville researchers are partnering on a clinical trial to study the use of donor stem cell infusions that have been specially engineered to "trick" the recipients' immune system into thinking the donated organ is part of the patient's natural self, thus gradually eliminating or reducing the need for anti-rejection medication. "The preliminary results from this ongoing study are exciting and may have a major impact on organ transplantation in the future," said Joseph Leventhal, MD, PhD, transplant surgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and associate professor of surgery and director of kidney and pancreas transplantation at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. "With refinement, this approach may prove to be applicable to the majority of patients receiving the full spectrum of solid organ transplants." Leventhal authored the study along with Suzanne Ildstad, MD, director of the Institute … Continue reading →

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Heated debate over autism — Some worry definition change may cut services

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

Mason Schultz, 5, of Hanahan eats only brown food -- certain textures, shapes and tastes bother him. Since he was diagnosed by his pediatrician with autism last April, his mother, Patty Schultz, says she's struggled to find the assistance her family needs to help her and others communicate better with her son. His earlier diagnosis was a developmental delay because he didn't crawl or speak, but his doctor decided to test him for autism last year after noticing him walking on the tips of his toes. Photo by Grace Beahm Patty Schultz and her son, Mason, spend the afternoon on the playground. In 2011, 3,819 students in South Carolina were receiving special education and related services under the autism classification. In 2010, the number was 3,887, and in 2009, the number was 3,415. -- Source: Jay Ragley, director of the S.C. Department of Education Prior to the autism diagnosis, Schultz was referred to Babynet, a state early intervention system for infants and toddlers younger than 3 with developmental delays, which determined he was eligible for services such as occupational and speech therapy. Now he receives minimal therapy through his school, but his mother thinks it isn't enough. Read more: Heated … Continue reading →

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More children now living with 'life-limiting' conditions

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

Public release date: 12-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Paula Gould p.a.gould@leeds.ac.uk 44-113-343-8059 University of Leeds The number of children with conditions such as muscular dystrophy, neurodegenerative disorders or severe cerebral palsy who are surviving into adulthood has been underestimated, a new study shows. Research led from the University of Leeds, has shown that the number of children and young adults in England with a 'life limiting condition'* is far higher than had previously been thought and is increasing year on year. As numbers continue to rise, this will place a growing burden on paediatric palliative care providers and young adult services, particularly in deprived areas. The study, which is published in the journal Pediatrics, was a collaboration between the University of Leeds, Martin House Children's Hospice in Yorkshire, and the Children's Hospital, Cardiff. It was funded by the charity Together for Short Lives. Experts agree that children who are born with or contract an illness that can shorten their life, and who may not reach adulthood, should have access to specialist palliative care. This can make an enormous difference to the quality of their life and to that of their family members. Data on the use of … Continue reading →

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Behavioral therapy may help hot flashes:study

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

(Reuters) - A few sessions of behavioral therapy, even a "self-help" version, may help some women find relief from menopausal hot flashes, according to a British study. Researchers writing in the journal Menopause said that after six weeks of cognitive behavioral therapy, more than two-thirds of the women who underwent, through group sessions or self-help, had a "clinically significant" drop in problems related to hot flashes and night sweats. Hormone replacement therapy is considered the most effective treatment of hot flashes, but since hormones have been linked to increased risks of heart disease, blood clots and breast cancer, many women want alternative remedies. Some antidepressants have been found to cool hot flashes, but "natural products" -- such as black cohosh, soy and flaxseed -- have generally failed to meet the test of clinical trials. "These results suggest that cognitive behavioral therapy delivered in group or self-help format is an effective treatment option for women during the menopause transition and postmenopause with problematic hot flashes/night sweats," wrote senior researcher Myra Hunter, at King's College London. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a treatment option for problems ranging from depression to sleep problems to digestive disorders. It aims to change the unhealthy thinking patterns … Continue reading →

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Dublin team creates collagen and stem cell barrier against blindness

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

The Irish Times - Monday, March 12, 2012 MEDICAL RESEARCH:SOMETIMES research and innovation can transform lives. Work by Prof Fergal OBrien has the potential to do just that, helping to protect clear vision in patients with a particular eye disorder. Based at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, OBrien heads the tissue engineering research group in the department of anatomy. The focus of the work we do is the use of collagen-based biomaterials for tissue repair in combination with stem-cell therapies, he explains. Collagen is the main component of connective tissue and is the bodys most abundant protein. OBrien is using it as a base material in cartilage repair and also in bone regeneration and in cardiovascular applications. Because of this expertise, he was approached to develop a way to repair the cornea, the clear window of the eye. The cornea is protected by an essential outer layer of tissue called epithelial cells, and in some conditions this breaks down, something that over time can cause blindness. The eye produces limbal stem cells to repair damage to the epithelial layer, but if there are not enough as in limbal stem-cell deficiency disorders vision may degrade before repairs can occur. … Continue reading →

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Discovery could reduce chemo's side effects

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

Public release date: 11-Mar-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ] Contact: Mary Jane Gore mary.gore@duke.edu 919-660-1309 Duke University Medical Center DURHAM, N.C. A team of researchers at Duke University has determined the structure of a key molecule that can carry chemotherapy and anti-viral drugs into cells, which could help to create more effective drugs with fewer effects to healthy tissue. "Knowing the structure and properties of the transporter molecule may be the key to changing the way that some chemotherapies, for example, could work in the body to prevent tumor growth," said senior author Seok-Yong Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of biochemistry at Duke. The article was published in Nature online on March 11. The transporter molecule, called a concentrative nucleoside transporter, works by moving nucleosides, the building blocks of DNA and RNA, from the outside to the inside of cells. It also transports nucleoside-like chemo drugs through cell membranes. Once inside the cells, the nucleoside-like drugs are modified into nucleotides that are incorporated into DNA in ways that prevent tumor cells from dividing and functioning. "We discovered the structure of the transporter molecule, and now we believe it is possible to improve nucleoside drugs to be better recognized by a … Continue reading →

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A war on brain illness should be declared

Posted: Published on March 12th, 2012

From Monday's Globe and Mail Published Sunday, Mar. 11, 2012 7:30PM EDT A disorder in the brain affects not only the body but can rob a persons sense of identity. There are so many afflictions autism, Alzheimers and schizophrenia its no wonder some experts are calling for a War on Brain Illness the way Richard Nixon called for a War on Cancer. Brain disorders and disease in Ontario are estimated to cost $39-billion a year in health care, lost productivity and other social consequences. While there are no comparable national figures, research and treatment of brain illnesses are enormously important. Its timely, then, that the Ontario Brain Institute has launched its first three research projects, involving more than 80 researchers. Created in 2009, it recently announced therapies to diagnose and treat intractable epilepsy, better treatment for neurodevelopment disorders including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and integrating rehabilitation and video-game technology so that those with cerebral palsy can do therapy at home. The big vision is to transform society through knowledge of how the brain works and maximizing human potential, said Dr. Don Stuss, the institutes CEO. The OBI which received $15-million over three years, brings together researchers who work in different … Continue reading →

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Search for genetic clues to cruel lottery of drink-induced cirrhosis

Posted: Published on March 11th, 2012

"We hope this study could help us at least identify those at greatest risk of disease"... Professor Paul Haber. Photo: Nic Walker SCIENTISTS in Sydney will investigate why some heavy drinkers are more likely than others to suffer the potentially fatal long-term effects of alcohol. It will be a world-first study, as concern increases about the failure of public health campaigns to curb drinking rates. Up to 5000 people with alcohol-induced cirrhosis of the liver will be tested to try to identify genetic triggers of the disease. The $2.5 million international study is the largest undertaken into the deadly condition. A professor of addiction medicine at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Paul Haber, said funding for cirrhosis research was ''relatively neglected''. It is hoped the study will also show why some people develop the disease despite relatively moderate alcohol consumption, Professor Haber said. Advertisement: Story continues below ''People are drinking more for a number of reasons, and we hope this study could help us at least identify those at greatest risk of disease,'' he said. He compared cirrhosis to lung cancer, in that people were ''unlucky'' to develop either disease, despite the contribution of their own behaviour. The lead researcher, … Continue reading →

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Alan discusses his stem cell treatment by Dr Adelson for arthritis of the knees – Video

Posted: Published on March 11th, 2012

09-03-2012 13:28 Alan discusses his success using bone marrow and fat stem cells in his arthritis knees. He reports 80% improvement in his pain and activities. Dr Adelson has been performing stem cell procedures for orthopedic pain since February 2010 and has had hundreds of successes. Read more: Alan discusses his stem cell treatment by Dr Adelson for arthritis of the knees - Video … Continue reading →

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Blood pressure drug 'combats racism' as an unusual side-effect

Posted: Published on March 11th, 2012

By Claire Bates UPDATED: 07:07 EST, 10 March 2012 A common heart disease drug may have the unusual side-effect of combating racism, a new study suggests. Volunteers given the beta-blocker, used to lower heart rates, scored lower on a standard psychological test of 'implicit' racist attitudes. They appeared to be less racially prejudiced at a subconscious level than another group treated with a 'dummy' placebo pill. Unusual finding: A heart drug was found to have the unusual side-effect of reducing racist feeling in participants Scientists believe the discovery can be explained by the fact that racism is fundamentally founded on fear. Propranolol acts both on nerve circuits that govern automatic functions such as heart rate, and the part of the brain involved in fear and emotional responses. The drug is also used to treat anxiety and panic. Experimental psychologist Dr Sylvia Terbeck, from Oxford University, who led the study published in the journal Psychopharmacology, said: 'We wanted to study the neurobiology of prejudice. 'Our results offer new evidence about the processes in the brain that shape implicit racial bias. 'Implicit racial bias can occur even in people with a sincere belief in equality. Given the key role that such implicit … Continue reading →

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