Preliminary findings from a University of Florida study show there is little difference in the dose of general anesthesia needed to anesthetize patients in weightless or normal gravity environments. It’s a step forward, but just one of many hurdles researchers face in trying to establish proper medical protocols in space.
There is no known cure for multiple myeloma, so its diagnosis means high-dose chemotherapy followed by repeated treatments with each relapse of the cancer ? a watch and wait approach. A new approach of providing patients with continuous therapy to keep the cancer at bay was explored by a team of international researchers from France, Switzerland, and Belgium; their findings will be published in the November 15, 2006, issue of Blood, the official journal of the American Society of Hematology.
When a portion of a zebrafish’s heart is removed, the dynamic interplay between a mass of stem cells that forms in the wound and the protective cell layer that covers the wound spurs the regeneration of functional new heart tissue, Duke University Medical Center scientists have found.
New evidence to explain how a common tropical fish mends a broken heart may suggest methods for coaxing the damaged hearts of mammals to better heal, researchers report. The researchers found that the hearts of zebrafish harbor progenitor cells that spring into action to restore wounded heart muscle. Cells from a membrane layer that surrounds the heart, called the epicardium, follow suit, invading the wounded cardiac tissue and stimulating the growth of new blood vessels.
Genetic research over the past decade has linked Ashkenazi Jewish ethnicity to an increased risk for hereditary breast cancer, so much so that certain gene mutations have become known as “Jewish ancestral mutations.” But a new study released in the November 2006 issue of the American Journal of Public Health challenges this population-based approach, warning that disparities in access to care and other unintended consequences for specific ethic groups can result, and may have already occurred.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine shows that treatment for periodontal disease in pregnant women does not result in a lower rate of adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm birth and low birth weight. At the same time, the study showed that periodontal treatment during pregnancy is safe. The researchers recommend additional studies to assess the potential benefits of the treatment.
Infant abuse may be perpetuated between generations by changes in the brain induced by early experience, research shows. A research team found that when baby rhesus monkeys endured high rates of maternal rejection and mild abuse in their first month of life, their brains often produced less serotonin, a chemical that transmits impulses in the brain. Low levels of serotonin are associated with anxiety and depression and impulsive aggression in both humans and monkeys.
Dartmouth biologists are leading a research team that has learned where and how some plant seeds store iron, a valuable discovery for scientists working to improve the iron content of plants. This research helps address the worldwide issue of iron deficiency and malnutrition. Their findings were published online on Nov. 2 at ScienceExpress, the advance publication site for the journal Science.
Multiple organ failure is the main cause of death in intensive care units. A study published today in the journal Critical Care shows that the main risk factors for death in the intensive care unit are central nervous system failure and cardiovascular failure, and the most frequent cause of death is multiple organ failure. In the hospital, once patients have been discharged from the intensive care unit, the main causes of death are malignant tumours and exacerbation of cardiovascular disease.
A review of research has revealed striking similarities in the influences on young people’s sexual behavior across the world. The review of qualitative studies, published today in the Lancet, looked at 268 studies of the sexual behavior of under-25-year-olds from South Africa to Sweden. It reveals how, in all countries, social expectations of how men and women should behave frustrate campaigners’ efforts to encourage safer sex.