Friday, February 6, 2015

2/6/15 Health News:Drug-resistant bacteria lurk in subway ♦ Stress hormone levels affect fetal growth ♦ Probiotic helps treat diabetes ♦ Blood transfusions increase risk of pneumonia

Drug-resistant bacteria lurk in subway stations, high school students discover
Forget commuters and rats, New York City's subway system is crowded with microbes. After spending her vacation swabbing benches and turnstiles beneath the city, high school students found bacteria impervious to two major antibiotics. Continue Reading
Mother's stress hormone levels may affect fetal growth and long term health of child
Increased levels of stress hormones can lead pregnant mice to overeat, but affect growth of the fetus and, potentially, the long term health of the offspring, according to a new study Continue Reading
Probiotic helps treat diabetes in rats, could lead to human remedy
Researchers have engineered a strain of lactobacillus, a human probiotic common in the gut, to secrete a Glucagon-like peptide. They then administered it orally to diabetic rats for 90 days and found the rats receiving the engineered probiotic had up to 30 percent lower high blood glucose, a hallmark of diabetes. Continue Reading
Blood transfusions during heart surgery increase risk of pneumonia
Patients who receive red blood cell transfusions during coronary artery bypass grafting surgery are at an increased risk of developing pneumonia, "Patients should receive red blood cell transfusions based on clinical need," an investigator noted.." Continue Reading
New protein detonates 'invincible' bacteria from within
The epidemic of 'superbugs,' bacteria resistant to antibiotics, knows no borders -- presenting a clear and present danger around the globe. Now a groundbreaking discovery may strengthen efforts by the medical community to fight this looming superbug pandemic. By sequencing the DNA of bacteria resistant to viral toxins, researchers identified novel proteins capable of stymieing growth in treacherous antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Continue Reading

No comments:

Post a Comment