Health Research: Antibacterial plastic: Plastic plus egg whites ♦ Harmless bacteria helpful against meningococcal outbreaks ♦ Painful knee and hand osteoarthritis

Black patients more likely to be readmitted after hip, knee replacement surgery  A new study found that black and Hispanic patients were 62 and 50 percent, respectively, more likely to be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after total joint replacement surgery

Harmless bacteria may be helpful against meningococcal outbreaks  Nasal drops of harmless bacteria can inhibit a related bug that sometimes causes meningococcal disease, according to new findings. The study -- conducted among college students, a group at higher risk for this often serious illness -- suggests a new approach that could help suppress outbreaks of the disease,

Recycling histones through transcription  Cells reuse a part of the histones which are used to pack DNA, according to research conducted on yeast cells. However, researchers say that it is likely that similar mechanisms are important for human beings as well.

Recipe for antibacterial plastic: Plastic plus egg whites  Bioplastics made from protein sources such as albumin and whey have shown significant antibacterial properties, findings that could eventually lead to their use in plastics used in medical applications such as wound healing dressings, sutures, catheter tubes and drug delivery, according to a recent study.

Is painful knee and hand osteoarthritis in women associated with excess mortality?  Researchers present a study that compares mortality rates of women with painful knee and hand osteoarthritis with the mortality of unaffected women from the same community; demonstrates higher risk of early death in the group with painful knee osteoarthritis.