Health Research: Nanotechnology advances could pave way for implantable artificial kidney ♦ Kitchen utensils can spread bacteria between foods

Research reveals main reasons why people go to work when ill High job demands, stress and job insecurity are among the main reasons why people go to work when they are ill, according to new British research. The study aims to improve understanding of the key causes of employees going to work when sick, known as presenteeism, and to help make managers more aware of the existence of the growing phenomenon, what triggers the behavior and what can be done to improve employees' health and productivity.

Racial disparities associated with living kidney donation assessed Increasing median income levels of transplant candidates' zip codes were associated with higher rates of living donation, but African American candidates living in the wealthiest neighborhoods had only slightly higher rates than rates seen among the lowest median income areas for Caucasians. African American  donors had higher rates of complications early after donation

Nanotechnology advances could pave way for implantable artificial kidney New advances in nanopore technology could lead to the development of a surgically implantable, artificial kidney.

Kitchen utensils can spread bacteria between foods Researchers have found that produce that contained bacteria would contaminate other produce items through the continued use of knives or graters -- the bacteria would latch on to the utensils commonly found in consumers' homes and spread. Unfortunately, many consumers are unaware utensils and other surfaces at home can contribute to the spread of bacteria, say the authors of a new report.

Health News:Shigella outbreak sickens 30: San Jose seafood restaurant shutdown ♦ Are cars nanotube factories on wheels ♦ Feds seize frozen crab products for potential listeria contamination

Shigella outbreak sickens 30: San Jose seafood restaurant shutdown  The Mariscos San Juan at 205 N. 4th Street in downtown San Jose was closed Oct. 18 after the Santa Clara County Public Health Department connected the seafood restaurant with an outbreak of Shigella that has sickened at least 30 people.

Feds seize frozen crab products for potential listeria contamination On Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2015, federal government officials seized approximately 5,000 cases of frozen, processed crab products manufactured by Rome Packing Company Inc. of East Providence, RI, because the crab meat is suspected to be contaminated with harmful bacteria. in a complaint unsealed today, the government alleged that Rome Packing,

Are cars nanotube factories on wheels? Scientists detect the presence of carbon nanotubes in cells extracted from the airways of Parisian children with asthma. Their results suggest nanotubes may be common components of airborne pollution and vehicles may be a source. Case report finds 'popcorn lung' in patient using e-cigarettes A case report has been presented of acute inhalation lung injury related to the use of e-cigarettes and a flavored e-cigarette liquid containing diacetyl. Nanotechnology inspires next-generation dental materials Have a cavity? Ask your dentist about filling it with a mixture of nanoparticles including silica and zirconia. These white fillings resemble teeth better than their metal alternatives and are less likely to come loose or fracture teeth. This is just the beginning argue scientists in a review of 'nanodentistry.' Next-generation dental materials incorporating nanotechnology aim to help teeth self-heal, rebuild enamel, and protect against bacterial infections.

Health News: Nanotechnology drug to control blindness ♦ Successful vaccination against Chlamydia infection ♦ New conductive ink for electronic apparel

New and innovative approach for successful vaccination against Chlamydia infections Chlamydiae are the most common, sexually transmitted, bacterial pathogens in the world. Every year around 100 million people contract Chlamydia infections, which are one of the main causes of female infertility and ectopic pregnancies and can also lead to blindness – especially in developing countries.An international research team discovered how to stimulate the immune response to Chlamydiae both efficiently and preventively

New nanotechnology drug to control blindness A innovative product in the form of droplets, reduces the cost of current medications. It is a nanotechnology product, which works with last generation liposomes particles, concentrated in droplets, which function as a conveyor that wraps proteins or antibody fragments and allow its passage into the eye. Once inside, it releases the drugs.

New conductive ink for electronic apparel Researchers have developed a new ink that can be printed on textiles in a single step to form highly conductive and stretchable connections. This new functional ink will enable electronic apparel such as sportswear and underwear incorporating sensing devices for measuring a range of biological indicators such as heart rate and muscle contraction.

Investigation examines bitter dispute over e-cigarettes in the public health community An investigation reveals how the controversial concept of 'harm reduction', embraced enthusiastically by the tobacco industry, has sharply divided the public health community when it comes to the discussion around e-cigarettes.

As smoking declines, more are likely to quit Smokeless tobacco and, more recently, e-cigarettes have been promoted as a harm reduction strategy for smokers who are “unable or unwilling to quit.” The strategy, embraced by both industry and some public health advocates, is based on the assumption that as smoking declines overall, only those who cannot quit will remain. A new study has found just the opposite.

Health Research: Millions of smokers have undiagnosed lung disease ♦ How DNA protects itself from UV light ♦ Obesity: Small intestine contributes to chronic inflammation

Research team evolves CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases with novel properties Researchers found a way to expand the use and precision of the powerful gene-editing tools called CRISPR-Cas9 RNA-guided nucleases. The investigators describe evolved versions of the DNA-cutting Cas9 enzyme that are able to recognize a different range of nucleic acid sequences than is possible with the naturally occurring form of Cas9

Millions of smokers have undiagnosed lung disease More than half of long-term smokers and ex-smokers who are considered disease-free because they passed lung-function tests have respiratory-related impairments when more closely evaluated with lung imaging, walking and quality-of-life tests. Many of those people likely have the earliest stages of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Molecular sunscreen: How DNA protects itself from UV light Using X-rays, scientists measured the ultrafast response of DNA nucleobases to UV light. They found that the UV excited state in the nucleobase thymine decays rapidly, harmlessly dissipating the potentially destructive UV energy. The findings give new insight on how the nucleobases inside DNA protect themselves from light-induced damage.

Obesity: Small intestine contributes to chronic inflammation Obesity is caused by numerous and complex factors, some of which are as yet unsuspected. Scientists have now shown that severe obesity is accompanied by inflammation of the small intestine and enhanced immune response in that region.

Primed for medical nanotechnology? Soft core, hard shell Medical science is placing high hopes on nanoparticles that could be used as a vehicle for targeted drug delivery. Scientists have for the first time succeeded in assaying the stability of these particles and their distribution within the body. Their results show that a lot of research is still needed in this field

Cancer Research: Nanotechnology identifies brain tumor types ♦ Tumor surroundings are shown to affect progression ♦ Resistant breast cancer mechanism revealed

Nanotechnology identifies brain tumor types through MRI 'virtual biopsy' A tiny drug-delivery system has been invented that can identify cancer cell types in the brain through 'virtual biopsies' and then attack the molecular structure of the disease. The results could be used to deliver nano-scale drugs that can distinguish and fight tumor cells in the brain without resorting to surgery.

How DNA is organized in our cells A critical role for two proteins in chromatin structure has been uncovered by researchers. Their breakthrough helps explain how DNA is organized in our cells. This discovery could lead to a better understanding of what causes certain types of cancer, such as lymphoma.

Therapy-resistant breast cancer mechanism revealed A cluster of defined, non-coding RNAs are mechanistically involved in endocrine therapy resistance in human breast cancer cells. Furthermore, resveratrol, a kind of polyphenol, was found to repress these RNAs and inhibit the proliferative activity of breast cancer cells which had acquired resistance

Two new, very large classes of RNAs found to be linked to cancer biomark Two new classes of RNAs have been identified that are closely associated with a protein known to be a prognostic biomarker for breast cancer and could play a role in progression of prostate cancer.

Tumor surroundings are shown to affect progression of different cancer subtypes Our environment can have a major impact on how we develop, and it turns out it's no different for cancer cells. A team of researchers reports that two different mouse models of breast cancer progressed differently based on characteristics of the tumor microenvironment -- the area of tissue in which the tumor is embedded.

Children's Health: Students who started school later more likely to drop out ♦ Autistic and non-autistic brain differences ♦ Nanotechnology for transdermal drug delivery

Kindergarten and crime: Students who started school later more likely to drop out, commit crimes  Children who are older when they start kindergarten do well in the short term, academically and socially. But as teenagers, these old-for-grade students are more likely to drop out and commit serious crimes. Continue Reading

Autistic and non-autistic brain differences isolated for first time  The functional differences between autistic and non-autistic brains have been isolated for the first time, following the development of a new methodology for analysing MRI scans.Continue Reading

Latest in nanotechnology, transdermal drug delivery, to take on acne spot treatment Acne, a scourge of adolescence, may be about to meet its ultra high-tech match. By using a combination of ultrasound, gold-covered particles and lasers, researchers have developed a targeted therapy that could potentially lessen the frequency and intensity of breakouts. Continue Reading

Fewer multiple births could reduce autism risk in ART children The incidence of diagnosed autism was twice as high for assisted reproductive technology (ART) as non-ART births among the nearly 6 million children in a recent study, born in California from 1997 through 2007. Continue Reading.

Smoking in front of your kids may increase their risk of heart disease as adults  Kids exposed to their parents' smoking had a higher risk of developing clogged arteries in adulthood. Researchers stressed that parents should not smoke if they want to provide the best long-term cardiovascular health for their children Continue Reading

Cancer Research: Nanotechnology shows accurate prostate cancer screening ♦ New colon cancer culprit ♦ When cancer cells stop acting like cancer + more

Nanotechnology shows promise for more accurate prostate cancer screening  A study in the emerging field of nanocytology could one day help men make better decisions about whether or not to undergo aggressive prostate cancer treatments. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test was once the recommended screening tool for detecting prostate cancer, but there is now disagreement over the use of this test because it can't predict which men with elevated PSA levels will actually develop an aggressive form of the disease Continue Reading

New colon cancer culprit found by vet researchers  Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, and its numbers are on the rise, This growth comes despite scientists' ever-increasing knowledge of the genetic mutations that initiate and drive this disease. Now researchers has found evidence of a new culprit in the disease, a protein called MSI2.Continue Reading

Cancer researchers identify new function in an old acquaintance  Cells have two different programs to safeguard them from developing cancer. One of them is senescence. It puts cancer cells into a permanent sleep. Now researchers have discovered that an enzyme known to be active in breast cancer blocks this protection program and boosts tumor growth. They succeeded in blocking this enzyme in mice with breast cancer,stopping tumor growth.Continue Reading

When cancer cells stop acting like cancer  Cancer cells crowded tightly together suddenly surrender their desire to spread, and this change of heart is related to a cellular pathway that controls organ size, scientists have found. "What we really need in cancer treatment is a way to stop cancer from growing in the organ it has spread to, and we have discovered a mechanism that seems to do that," Continue Reading

Cancer Research: Tackling 'untreatable/ brain tumors ♦ Decline in smoking rates may increase lung cancer mortality ♦ New prostate cancer treatment ♦ Improved radiation therapy for cancer

Nanotechnology and genetic interference may tackle 'untreatable/ brain tumors There are no effective available treatments for sufferers of Glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and devastating form of brain tumor. Now a study may offer hope to the tens of thousands diagnosed with gliomas every year, using a nanomedical treatment first engineered to tackle ovarian cancer tumors. Continue Reading

Decline in smoking rates may increase lung cancer mortality due to inadequate screening guidelines A decline in smoking rates may mean that many people who could have benefited from early detection of lung cancer are dying because they don’t qualify for low-dose CT scans. Continue Reading

New target for prostate cancer treatment  A promising new therapeutic target for prostate cancer has been found by researchers, offering evidence that a newly discovered member of a family of cell surface proteins called G-protein coupled receptors promotes prostate cancer cell growth. Continue Reading

'DNA spellchecker' means that genes aren't all equally likely to mutate  A study that examined 17 million mutations in the genomes of 650 cancer patients concludes that large differences in mutation rates across the human genome are caused by the DNA repair machinery. 'DNA spellchecker' is preferentially directed towards more important parts of chromosomes that contain key genes. The study illustrates how data from medical sequencing projects can answer basic questions about how cells work.Continue Reading

Effect improves radiation therapy for patients with cancer The complex parts of the blue light known as the Cherenkov Effect can be measured and used in dosimetry to make therapies safer and more effective, scientists report. Continue Reading

1/13/15 Health News AMINO ACID CURTAILS E. COLI O157 ♦ Nanotechnology guides cancer surgery ♦ FDA label likely prevents use of metformin

RESEARCH: AMINO ACID AFFECTS E. COLI O157 BEHAVIOR

New research suggests that an amino acid is what affects the behavior of E. coli O157. A University of Glasgow team analyzed the genome sequence of 1,500 strains of E. coli to see how the genes of the pathogen respond to different concentrations of D-Serine, an amino acid produced in the brain, where it plays... Continue Reading

Glowing' new nanotechnology guides cancer surgery, also kills remaining malignant cells

A new way to selectively insert compounds into cancer cells has been developed by scientists -- a system that will help surgeons identify malignant tissues and then, in combination with phototherapy, kill any remaining cancer cells after a tumor is removed. Ultimately, it could make cancer surgery far more effective. Continue Reading

Ouch! When teeth and hands connect, bites may be beastly

Hand injuries are frequently caused by human and animal bites, prompting as many as 330,000 emergency department visits in the United States each year. A literature review outlines the potential complications of human and animal bites to the hand, the importance of early injury assessment, and the use of antibiotic and other treatment methods to avoid infection, permanent disability, and amputation. Continue Reading

Overly conservative FDA label likely prevents use of metformin in many type 2 diabetics, experts say

Many patients with type 2 diabetes in the United States may be discouraged from taking metformin--a proven, oral diabetes medicine--because the U.S. Food and Drug Administration inappropriately labels the drug unsafe for some patients also suffering from kidney problems, researchers report  Continue Reading