(HealthDay)—Obese people who follow a low-fat weight-loss plan could tack extra years onto their life, a new review of medical evidence suggests. Such diets appear to help decrease overall risk of early death by 18 percent in people with obesity, amounting to six fewer deaths for every 1,000 people, researchers concluded. “Weight loss by cutting calories with diets low...
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Getting enough sleep may help skin wounds heal faster
Getting more sleep may help wound healing, and a nutrition supplement may also help, according to a new study. The paper, published ahead of print in the Journal of Applied Physiology, was chosen as an APSselect article for November. Physical and emotional stress and poor nutrition have been found to weaken the immune system. Previous...
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Brothers with rare terminal muscle disorder fear their future after the FDA denies the drug that keeps them walking
Elliot Johnson, 14, and Henry, 11, both suffer from Duchenne muscular dystrophy It is a rare form of the disease that causes muscle weakness, eventually leading to complete loss of mobility with a mortality rate of around 25 The brothers have been part of a clinical trial with a drug that has shown profound improvements and...
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Study reveals new mechanism used by cancer cells to disarm attacking immune cells
A new study by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) identifies a substance released by pancreatic cancer cells that protects them from attack by immune cells called macrophages. The study found that the substance, called Gdf-15, might be required for the...
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Decongestant ‘highly effective’ at starving cancer cells
Cancer cells. Cancer researchers seeking non-toxic alternatives to harmful chemotherapy are reporting a highly significant result for a humble cold remedy. N-Acetyl cysteine (NAC) is routinely used as a dietary supplement and as a decongestant given to children to ward off a cold. Now, clinical trials in the US indicate the cheap, over-the-counter drug,...
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Mixing energy drinks with alcohol may make dangerous cocktail
Mixing caffeine-loaded energy drinks and booze could be a recipe for trouble, according to a new study that says the popular party duo ups the odds someone will get hurt. Researchers in Canada analyzed results of 13 prior studies. Most reported a higher rate of injuries when alcohol was paired with an energy drink like...
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Clinical trial suggests new cell therapy for relapsed leukemia patients
A Wright’s stained bone marrow aspirate smear from a patient with precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A significant proportion of children and young adults with treatment-resistant B-cell leukemia who participated in a small study achieved remission with the help of a new form of gene therapy, according to researchers at the Stanford University School...
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Pancreatic cancer is often deadly. But recent discoveries are starting to unravel its mysteries — and raise hope
Pancreatic cancer cellsANNE WESTON/WELLCOME IMAGES Pancreatic cancer is deadly: It’s difficult to detect and bedeviling to treat. Just 20 percent of patients survive a year after diagnosis. Less than 10 percent make it to the five-year mark. But recent discoveries — both in the lab and in patients — are raising hope. They’re still early stage....
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UVA researchers discover a new target for ‘triple-negative’ breast cancer
So-called “triple-negative” breast cancer is a particularly aggressive and difficult-to-treat form. It accounts for only about 10 percent of breast cancer cases, but is responsible for about 25 percent of breast cancer fatalities. Triple-negative breast cancer earns its name because, unlike other breast cancer subtypes, its cells test negative for estrogen and progesterone receptors, as...
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A Primer on Concepts and Applications of Proteomics in Neuroscience
The enormous complexity of the central nervous system has impeded its systemic exploration for decades but powerful “omic” technologies are now pushing forward the frontiers of neuroscience research at an increasing pace. This Primer reviews the most recent progress in mass spectrometry (MS)-based proteomics, focusing on the analysis of whole proteomes, protein-based interactions, and post-translational...