ScienceDaily: Health & Medicine News

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• Mitochondrial deficits in children with autism confirmed
• Chemotherapy timing is key to success, research shows
• Ending the perfect storm: Protein key to beating flu pandemics
• IL-27 balances the immune response to influenza and reduces lung damage
• Army drug users twice as likely to use synthetic marijuana as regular marijuana
• GaitTrack app makes cellphone a medical monitor for heart, lung patients
• Pink prosthetic arm 'printed' for teen girl by university students
• Small mutation changes brain freeze to hot foot
• Universal neuromuscular training an inexpensive, effective way to reduce ACL injuries in athletes
• How immune cells use steroids
• Humans may benefit from new insights into polar bear's adaptation to high-fat diet
• Spurt of heart muscle cell division seen in mice well after birth: Implications for repair of congenital heart defects
• New technology using fluorescent proteins tracks cancer cells circulating in blood
• Antibiotic resistance genes are essentially everywhere
• What vigilant squid can teach us about the purpose of pain
• Anti-aging factor offers brain boost, too
• Radiotherapy: Novel lung cancer treatment meets with success
• Free radicals: What doesn't kill you may make you live longer
• Yeast study identifies novel longevity pathway
• Immune cells found to fuel colon cancer stem cells
• Important insights into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts
• Hepatitis C virus: How viral proteins interact in human cells
• If they know it's good for them, will they eat it?
• Luminescent nanocrystal tags enable rapid detection of multiple pathogens in a single test
• Easing depression among women with new care approach
• Common drug restores blood flow in deadly form of muscular dystrophy: Results from 10-patient case study
• Hybrid SPECT-CT greatly improves localization of gastrointestinal bleeding
• Gluten-free diet reduces risk of type 1 diabetes in mice
• Improving air quality in NYC would boost children's future earnings by increasing IQ
• Adults with autism virtually learn how to get the job
• Population screening for sudden cardiac death in young people: Feasible with basic program
• Urine test best detects alcohol use in liver transplant candidates, recipients
• Obesity drug failing patients due to lack of education about side-effects
• Spanish, Japanese centenarians reveal genetic key to longevity
• Elevating Brain Fluid Pressure Could Prevent Vision Loss
• Humans and their pet dogs: Shared cancers, shared hope
• One in 25 middle school children binge drinking, Canadian study finds
• Mouse study offers new clues to cognitive decline
• A lab in your pocket: Using CAD to load dozens of tests on a lab-on-a-chip
• Malaria severity not determined solely by parasite levels in blood
• Recent Ebola outbreak highlights need for better global response
• Scientists focus on role of ventilation in preventing tuberculosis transmission
• School-based gardening encourages healthier eating in children
• Mindfulness: Think before you eat and make healthier choices
• New residential activity course helps recovering Armed Forces personnel
• Labelling teens as overweight can be counterproductive
• Masculinity still viewed as tied to sexuality
• Food labels are important to dieters
• New study sheds light on survivors of the Black Death
• New tool to measure the speed of aging: Your handshake
• Overestimation of radiation exposure may keep women from critical screening
• Nonscreened patients with breast cancer need more treatment than screened patients
• Iterative reconstruction techniques reduce radiation dose for pediatric brain CT
• Image-guided peritoneal dialysis catheter placement significantly reduces complications
• Premature menopause, effects on later life cognition studied
• Multidimensional frailty score helps predict postoperative outcomes in older adults
• Glutamate imaging better than MR spectroscopy in first 3 hours after ischemic stroke
• CT-guided irreversible electroporation safe in unresectable pancreatic carcinoma
• Automated CT dose-tracking software effectively monitors dosage in a clinical setting

Mitochondrial deficits in children with autism confirmed Posted: 08 May 2014 02:23 PM PDT Children with autism experience deficits in a type of immune cell that protects the body from infection. Called granulocytes, the cells exhibit one-third the capacity to fight infection and protect the body from invasion compared with the same cells in children who are developing normally. The cells, which circulate in the bloodstream, are less able to deliver crucial infection-fighting oxidative responses to combat invading pathogens because of dysfunction in their tiny energy-generating organelles, the mitochondria.

Chemotherapy timing is key to success, research shows Posted: 08 May 2014 02:22 PM PDT Nanoparticles that stagger delivery of two drugs knock out aggressive tumors, new research shows. In studies with mice, the research team showed that this one-two punch, which relies on a nanoparticle that carries two drugs and releases them at different times, dramatically shrinks lung and breast tumors. "With a nanoparticle delivery platform that allows us to control the relative rates of release and the relative amounts of loading, we can put [two] systems together in a smart way that allows them to be as effective as possible," one researcher explains.

Ending the perfect storm: Protein key to beating flu pandemics Posted: 08 May 2014 02:22 PM PDT A protein called SOCS4 has been shown to act as a handbrake on the immune system's runaway reaction to flu infection, providing a possible means of minimizing the impact of flu pandemics. Scientists have found that without SOCS4 the immune response to influenza infection is slowed and there is a vast increase in the number of damaging inflammatory molecules in the lungs. This flood of inflammatory molecules, known as a 'cytokine storm', is thought to contribute to flu-related deaths in humans.

IL-27 balances the immune response to influenza and reduces lung damage Posted: 08 May 2014 02:22 PM PDT Highly pathogenic (dangerous) influenza strains elicit a strong immune response which can lead to uncontrolled inflammation in the lung and potentially fatal lung injury. A new study demonstrates the importance of IL-27 for the control of immunopathology -- damage to the lung tissue caused by the immune system -- and the therapeutic potential of well-timed IL-27 application to treat life-threatening inflammation during lung infection.

Army drug users twice as likely to use synthetic marijuana as regular marijuana Posted: 08 May 2014 12:12 PM PDT Among a group of active-duty Army personnel who use illicit drugs, the most abused substance is synthetic marijuana, which is harder to detect than other drugs through standard drug tests, social work researchers have found. Synthetic marijuana, sometimes called "Spice," is made with shredded plant material coated with chemicals that are designed to mimic THC, the psychoactive compound found naturally in marijuana.

GaitTrack app makes cellphone a medical monitor for heart, lung patients Posted: 08 May 2014 11:18 AM PDT By simply carrying around their cellphones, patients who suffer from chronic disease could soon have an accurate health monitor that warns their doctors when their symptoms worsen. Unlike apps that merely count steps, this app uses eight motion parameters to perform a detailed analysis of a person's gait, or walking pattern, which can tell physicians much about the patient's cardiopulmonary, muscular and neurological health.

Pink prosthetic arm 'printed' for teen girl by university students Posted: 08 May 2014 11:17 AM PDT Thirteen-year-old Sydney Kendall had one request for the university students building her a robotic prosthetic arm: Make it pink. The students studying biomedical engineering then accomplished that and more. Using a 3-D printer, they created a robotic prosthetic arm out of bright-pink plastic. Total cost: $200, a fraction of the price of standard prosthetics, which start at $6,000.

Small mutation changes brain freeze to hot foot Posted: 08 May 2014 10:32 AM PDT A point mutation that alters one protein sufficiently to turn a cold-sensitive receptor into one that senses heat has been discovered by researchers. Understanding sensation and pain at this level could lead to more specific pain relievers that wouldn't affect the central nervous system, likely producing less severe side effects than existing medications.

Universal neuromuscular training an inexpensive, effective way to reduce ACL injuries in athletes Posted: 08 May 2014 10:31 AM PDT As participation in high-demand sports such as basketball and soccer has increased over the past decade, so has the number of anterior cruciate ligament injuries in teens and young. The ACL is a critical ligament that stabilizes the knee joint. An ACL injury, one of the most common sports injuries affecting approximately 200,000 Americans each year, often requires surgery and a lengthy period of rehabilitation.

How immune cells use steroids Posted: 08 May 2014 10:30 AM PDT Some immune cells turn themselves off by producing a steroid, researchers have found. The findings have implications for the study of cancers, autoimmune diseases and parasitic infections. "We were really surprised to see that these immune cells are producing a steroid. In cell culture, we see that the steroids play a part in regulating T cell proliferation," says the study's designer. "We had already seen that T-helper cells were producing steroids, but initially we were blind -- what was going on?"

Humans may benefit from new insights into polar bear's adaptation to high-fat diet Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT The polar bear diverged from the brown bear, or grizzly, as recently as several hundred thousand years ago, according to a genome comparison by American, Chinese and Danish researchers. They pinpointed genes that underwent extreme selection over time, specifically genes that deal with fat metabolism and apparently allowed the bear to adapt to a diet unusually high in fat. These genes could provide clues to help humans deal with health problems caused by high-fat diets.

Spurt of heart muscle cell division seen in mice well after birth: Implications for repair of congenital heart defects Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT The entire heart muscle in young children may be capable of regeneration. In young mice 15 days old, cardiac muscle cells undergo a precisely timed spurt of cell division lasting around a day. This previously unobserved phenomenon contradicts the long-held idea that cardiac muscle cells do not divide after the first few days of life.

New technology using fluorescent proteins tracks cancer cells circulating in blood Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT After cancer spreads, finding and destroying malignant cells that circulate in the body is usually critical to patient survival. Now, researchers report that they have developed a new method that allows investigators to label and track single tumor cells circulating in the blood. This advance could help investigators develop a better understanding of cancer spread and how to stop it.

Antibiotic resistance genes are essentially everywhere Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT The largest metagenomic search for antibiotic resistance genes in the DNA sequences of microbial communities from around the globe has found that bacteria carrying those vexing genes turn up everywhere in nature that scientists look for them. The findings add to evidence showing just how common and abundant those resistance genes really are in natural environments.

What vigilant squid can teach us about the purpose of pain Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT Most of us have probably felt that lasting sense of anxiety or even pain after enduring some kind of accident or injury. Now, researchers have the first evidence in any animal that there may be a very good reason for that kind of heightened sensitivity. Squid that behave with extra vigilance after experiencing even a minor injury are more likely to live to see another day, according to a report.

Anti-aging factor offers brain boost, too Posted: 08 May 2014 09:13 AM PDT A variant of the gene KLOTHO is known for its anti-aging effects in people fortunate enough to carry one copy. Now researchers find that it also has benefits when it comes to brain function. The variant appears to lend beneficial cognitive effects by increasing overall levels of KLOTHO in the bloodstream and brain.

Radiotherapy: Novel lung cancer treatment meets with success Posted: 08 May 2014 09:12 AM PDT An old idea of retreating lung tumors with radiation is new again, especially with the technological advances seen in radiation oncology over the last decade. "One of the toughest challenges of lung cancer is what to do for patients when the cancer comes back in an area that's been treated previously with radiation treatment," said the lead author. "With some of the technological advances in radiation treatments that have occurred in the last five to 10 years, we're beginning to re-look at the issue and ask – can we target the radiation precisely enough and with a high enough dose to knock the cancer back?"

Free radicals: What doesn't kill you may make you live longer Posted: 08 May 2014 09:12 AM PDT What is the secret to aging more slowly and living longer? Not antioxidants, apparently. Many people believe that free radicals, the sometimes-toxic molecules produced by our bodies as we process oxygen, are the culprit behind aging. Yet a number of studies in recent years have produced evidence that the opposite may be true. A team of researchers discovered that free radicals -- also known as oxidants -- act on a molecular mechanism that, in other circumstances, tells a cell to kill itself.

Yeast study identifies novel longevity pathway Posted: 08 May 2014 09:12 AM PDT A new molecular circuit that controls longevity in yeast and more complex organisms has been identified by a study. Researchers also suggest a therapeutic intervention that could mimic the lifespan-enhancing effect of caloric restriction, no dietary restrictions necessary. The team looked for answers in the ISW2 protein, and found that its absence alters gene expression involved in DNA damage protection. Deletion of ISW2 increases the expression and activity of genes in DNA-damage repair pathways –- also seen in calorie restriction.

Immune cells found to fuel colon cancer stem cells Posted: 08 May 2014 09:12 AM PDT A subset of immune cells directly target colon cancers, rather than the immune system, giving the cells the aggressive properties of cancer stem cells, a new study finds. The researchers discovered that an epigenetic factor called DOT1L is regulated by IL-22, contributing to the cells developing stem cell properties. High levels of DOT1L in patient tumor samples were tied to shorter survival. The researchers suggest DOT1L may be a marker for colon cancer progression, and that this pathway could potentially be targeted in new colon cancer treatments.

Important insights into carcinoma-associated fibroblasts Posted: 08 May 2014 08:10 AM PDT Important new insights into the role carcinoma-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) play in tumor biology have been discovered by researchers. A number of recent studies have revealed CAFs to be a major contributor to tumor progression through a variety of mechanisms. Despite this information, the precise role CAFs play in augmenting the growth of tumors is still poorly understood.

Hepatitis C virus: How viral proteins interact in human cells Posted: 08 May 2014 08:09 AM PDT For the first time scientists have decrypted the interaction network of hepatitis C virus proteins in living human cells. Their findings will contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms behind inflammatory liver disease caused by hepatitis C viruses and open up new avenues for therapy development.

If they know it's good for them, will they eat it? Posted: 08 May 2014 08:08 AM PDT One of the problems with getting kids to eat more healthful foods has been pinpointed by research: Children reject nourishing fare simply because they know it is good for them, and once they know that, they assume the food won't taste good. "Our study focused on very young children, and we should keep in mind that older children might rely less on taste when making food decisions due to higher self-control," said one author. "On the other hand, we all know teenagers who only eat six foods, so it could turn out that their thinking is similar to their younger counterparts."

Luminescent nanocrystal tags enable rapid detection of multiple pathogens in a single test Posted: 08 May 2014 07:04 AM PDT A research team using tunable luminescent nanocrystals as tags to advance medical and security imaging have successfully applied them to high-speed scanning technology and detected multiple viruses within minutes.

Easing depression among women with new care approach Posted: 08 May 2014 07:03 AM PDT Women who received collaborative care for depression at an obstetrics and gynecology clinic showed fewer symptoms after treatment than women receiving usual depression care in the same setting, research has found. In this model, the patient's physician, a mental health professional, and a depression manager work together with the patient. The collaborative approach comprises counseling, greater patient engagement, and more frequent followup than is typical of mental health care at specialty clinics.

Common drug restores blood flow in deadly form of muscular dystrophy: Results from 10-patient case study Posted: 08 May 2014 07:03 AM PDT Researchers have found that a commonly prescribed drug restores blood flow to oxygen-starved muscles of boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a genetic muscle-wasting disease that rarely is seen in girls but affects one in 3,500 male babies, profoundly shortening life expectancy. It is the most common fatal disease that affects children.

Hybrid SPECT-CT greatly improves localization of gastrointestinal bleeding Posted: 08 May 2014 07:03 AM PDT Planar 99mTc-labeled RBC scintigraphy is sensitive for detection of acute gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding but its accuracy for localization of a bleeding source is arguable, particularly in patients with complex GI anatomy from prior surgeries.

Gluten-free diet reduces risk of type 1 diabetes in mice Posted: 08 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT New experiments on mice show that mouse mothers can protect their pups from developing type 1 diabetes by eating a gluten-free diet. According to preliminary studies by researchers, the findings may apply to humans. "Preliminary tests show that a gluten-free diet in humans has a positive effect on children with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. We therefore hope that a gluten-free diet during pregnancy and lactation may be enough to protect high-risk children from developing diabetes later in life," said one investigator.

Improving air quality in NYC would boost children's future earnings by increasing IQ Posted: 08 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT Reducing air pollution in New York City would result in substantial economic gains for children as a result of increasing their IQs. The study is the first to estimate the costs of IQ loss associated with exposure to air pollution, and is based on prior research on prenatal exposure to air pollutants among low-income children.

Adults with autism virtually learn how to get the job Posted: 08 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT Adults with autism spectrum disorder, who may have trouble talking about themselves and interacting socially, don't always make good impressions in job interviews and have low employment rates. A new human simulation training program, now available to the public, helps adults with autism improve their job interview skills and confidence, reports a new study.

Population screening for sudden cardiac death in young people: Feasible with basic program Posted: 08 May 2014 06:58 AM PDT Despite fears over cost, the wide-scale screening of young people to detect risk of sudden cardiac death is feasible and cost effective, according to a study. More than 12,000 people aged between 14 and 35 were screened at a cost of £35 each; rates of subsequent referral for further investigation were low and considered of 'a relative low additional cost' to health services.

Urine test best detects alcohol use in liver transplant candidates, recipients Posted: 08 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT Urinary ethyl glucuronide (uEtG) accurately detects alcohol consumption in liver transplant candidates and recipients, researchers have confirmed. The study suggests that a combination of uEtG and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for alcohol consumption (AUDIT-c) are best in alerting doctors to alcohol consumption by patients undergoing evaluation for liver transplantation or who have received liver transplants.

Obesity drug failing patients due to lack of education about side-effects Posted: 08 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT Patients who gained weight 18 months after taking Orlistat attributed their weight-loss failure either to the side effects which have prevented them from sticking to the medication or felt that the medication simply had not worked. Orlistat is currently the only prescribed drug for obesity and functions by reducing the amount of fat absorbed from food eaten.

Spanish, Japanese centenarians reveal genetic key to longevity Posted: 08 May 2014 06:54 AM PDT The genes of 894 men and women over the age of one hundred in Spain and Japan have revealed that the secret to longevity, at least in southern Europe, lies in a variant on chromosome 9p21.3, which had already been associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease. Centenarians live at least fifteen years longer than the average person in the West. This exceptional longevity is partially genetic, and it appears that there are a number of gene variants that may hold the key to a healthy old age life.

Elevating Brain Fluid Pressure Could Prevent Vision Loss Posted: 08 May 2014 06:52 AM PDT Scientists have found that pressure from the fluid surrounding the brain plays a role in maintaining proper eye function, opening a new direction for treating glaucoma — the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Humans and their pet dogs: Shared cancers, shared hope Posted: 08 May 2014 06:52 AM PDT Scientists have developed an extensive cytogenetics "toolbox" designed to provide the necessary means to identify key cytogenetic signatures in numerous canine cancers.

One in 25 middle school children binge drinking, Canadian study finds Posted: 08 May 2014 06:52 AM PDT Four percent of Canadians aged 12 to 14 years old had consumed five or more drinks on at least one occasion in the preceding year, according to a new study. The findings also indicated that the odds of binge drinking were twice as high among youth with three or more chronic conditions.

Mouse study offers new clues to cognitive decline Posted: 08 May 2014 05:43 AM PDT Certain types of brain cells may be "picky eaters," seeming to prefer one specific energy source over others, new research shows. The finding has implications for understanding the cognitive decline seen in aging and degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and multiple sclerosis. Studying mice, the scientists showed that a specific energy source called NAD is important in cells responsible for maintaining the overall structure of the brain and for performing complex cognitive functions. NAD (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide) is a molecule that harvests energy from nutrients in food and converts it into a form cells can use.

A lab in your pocket: Using CAD to load dozens of tests on a lab-on-a-chip Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT Labs-on-a-chip hold huge promise for reducing the cost of medical diagnostics while expanding access to health care. Now scientists have developed software that would make them even more powerful: by enabling dozens of tests on a single biochip.

Malaria severity not determined solely by parasite levels in blood Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT Although malaria kills some 600,000 African children each year, most cases of the mosquito-borne parasitic disease in children are mild. Repeated infection does generate some immunity, and episodes of severe malaria are unusual once a child reaches age 5. However, the relative contributions of such factors as the level of malaria-causing parasites in a person's blood -- parasite density -- to disease severity and to development of protective immunity are not well understood.

Recent Ebola outbreak highlights need for better global response Posted: 07 May 2014 06:23 PM PDT The need for scientists to make their data available to colleagues in real-time to improve the public health response to outbreaks has been highlighted by one expert. He cites past responses to influenza and SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) outbreaks as successful examples of global information sharing.

Scientists focus on role of ventilation in preventing tuberculosis transmission Posted: 07 May 2014 06:22 PM PDT Scientists studying the role of room ventilation in tuberculosis transmission found that students in Cape Town, South Africa, spend almost 60 percent of their day in poorly ventilated rooms, at risk of transmission.

School-based gardening encourages healthier eating in children Posted: 07 May 2014 06:17 PM PDT School-based gardening schemes can increase the amount of fruit and vegetables school children eat. Forty-six children aged between nine and ten years old took part in a twelve week school-based project to create a garden. As well as building the garden the children also had lessons devoted to cooking, plants and growth (in science) and writing (in literacy). The results showed that children who took part in the school-based gardening project ate 26 per cent more fruit and vegetables.

Mindfulness: Think before you eat and make healthier choices Posted: 07 May 2014 06:16 PM PDT Making individuals more aware of their eating behaviour (mindfulness) can lead to healthier choices and help prevent emotional eating. The link between food consumption and psychological wellbeing seems more complex than the direct relationship of hunger and eating, one of the researchers said.

New residential activity course helps recovering Armed Forces personnel Posted: 07 May 2014 06:16 PM PDT Participating in a new five day course involving adaptive sport and adventurous training significantly improved the mental wellbeing of in-service wounded, sick and injured UK Armed Forces personnel.

Labelling teens as overweight can be counterproductive Posted: 07 May 2014 06:16 PM PDT Ensuring teenagers know exactly how overweight they are encourages them to adopt a healthier lifestyle, but in practice many fail to follow this through. These are the findings of a new study. The relationship between weight perception, body change intention and behaviour was analysed.

Masculinity still viewed as tied to sexuality Posted: 07 May 2014 06:16 PM PDT We are still inclined to regard heterosexual men as more masculine than homosexual men and single men as more competent than married men. Researchers asked 158 participants to evaluate a fictional man. His description was varied so that he was sometimes heterosexual and sometimes homosexual, and sometimes single and sometimes married; other facts about him stayed the same. The researchers found that the man was evaluated as most manly when he was both heterosexual and married.

Food labels are important to dieters Posted: 07 May 2014 06:16 PM PDT Dieters are more likely to read and understand food labels than people who aren't dieting. Some 255 participants completed questionnaires on their mood, wellbeing, how they controlled what they ate and their food shopping habits. The participants were made up of 140 who were non-dieters and 115 who were members of a slimming group.

New study sheds light on survivors of the Black Death Posted: 07 May 2014 06:14 PM PDT A new study suggests that people who survived the medieval mass-killing plague known as the Black Death lived significantly longer and were healthier than people who lived before the epidemic struck in 1347. These findings have important implications for understanding emerging diseases and how they impact the health of individuals and populations of people.

New tool to measure the speed of aging: Your handshake Posted: 07 May 2014 06:14 PM PDT A strong handshake can say a lot about a person: it can indicate power, confidence, health, or aggression. Now scientists say that the strength of a person's grasp may also be one of the most useful ways to measure people's true age.

Overestimation of radiation exposure may keep women from critical screening Posted: 07 May 2014 01:52 PM PDT Misinformation and misunderstanding about the risks associated with ionizing radiation create heightened public concern and fear, and may result in avoidance of screening mammography that can detect early cancers. The authors conclude that medical personnel should make concerted effort to accurately inform women of the risks and benefits of mammography—specifically highlighting the low dose of mammographic ionizing radiation—and provide objective facts to ensure that women make informed decisions about screening.

Nonscreened patients with breast cancer need more treatment than screened patients Posted: 07 May 2014 01:52 PM PDT Screening 40- to 49-year-old women for breast cancer has additional benefits beyond the proven decrease in mortality rate. Patients screened with mammography are statistically less likely to undergo chemotherapy, avoiding the associated toxic morbidities. Screening mammography also helps identify a subset of patients at increased risk of breast cancer by diagnosing high-risk lesions.

Iterative reconstruction techniques reduce radiation dose for pediatric brain CT Posted: 07 May 2014 01:52 PM PDT Estimated radiation doses are substantially lower for pediatric CT exams of the brain that used an adaptive statistical iterative reconstruction technique (ASIR) compared to those that did not use ASIR.

Image-guided peritoneal dialysis catheter placement significantly reduces complications Posted: 07 May 2014 01:51 PM PDT Patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis catheter placement via fluoroscopy and ultrasound-guidance experienced significantly fewer complications at 1 year post-insertion than did patients whose catheters were placed laparoscopically. The image-guided insertion technique may allow for expeditious catheter placement in late-referred patients with end-stage renal disease, thus facilitating urgent-start peritoneal dialysis and avoiding the need for temporary vascular-access catheters.

Premature menopause, effects on later life cognition studied Posted: 07 May 2014 01:51 PM PDT Premature menopause is associated with long-term negative effects on cognitive function, suggests a new study. The average age of menopause is around 50 years in the Western World. Premature menopause refers to menopause at or before 40 years of age, this could be due to a bilateral ovariectomy, (surgically induced menopause)or non-surgical loss of ovarian function (sometimes referred to as 'natural' menopause).

Multidimensional frailty score helps predict postoperative outcomes in older adults Posted: 07 May 2014 01:51 PM PDT A multidimensional frailty score may help predict postoperative outcomes in older adults. A multidimensional frailty score composed of items including dependence in activities of daily living, dementia and malnutrition appeared to help predict longer hospital stay, greater risk of death or need for discharge to a nursing facility in elderly patients after surgery.

Glutamate imaging better than MR spectroscopy in first 3 hours after ischemic stroke Posted: 07 May 2014 12:16 PM PDT Glutamate imaging reveals ischemic lesions in the first 3 hours after stroke that are not distinguishable in T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging. The finding has the potential to speed diagnosis -- and, therefore, treatment -- in the critical first hours after a stroke.

CT-guided irreversible electroporation safe in unresectable pancreatic carcinoma Posted: 07 May 2014 12:16 PM PDT A small group of patients with locally advanced unresectable pancreatic carcinoma suffered no major ill effects -- pancreatitis or fistula formation -- after undergoing percutaneous CT-guided irreversible electroporation.

Automated CT dose-tracking software effectively monitors dosage in a clinical setting Posted: 07 May 2014 12:15 PM PDT For commonly ordered abdominal CT exams, iterative reconstruction techniques enabled approximately 50 percent radiation dose reduction compared to the national averages.

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