Body

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- An Ohio State University mathematician and his colleagues are finding ways to tell the difference between healthy cells and abnormal cells, such as cancer cells, based on the way the cells look and move.

They are creating mathematical equations that describe the shape and motion of single cells for laboratory analysis.

AURORA, Colo. (Jan. 25, 2011) – A new study led by researchers at the Children's Outcomes Research (COR) Program at The Children's Hospital and Colorado Health Outcomes Program (COHO) at the University of Colorado School of Medicine explores the barriers, facilitators and alternative approaches to providers sending reminder notices for immunization using a statewide immunization registry.

Radiation oncologists can enhance patient safety in their clinics by further developing a culture of safety in which all team members are alerted to the possibility of errors and can work together to maximize safety, according to an invited article in the inaugural issue of Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO), a new medical journal whose mission is to improve the quality of radiation oncology practice. PRO is an official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A study shows for the first time that the three most common chromosome changes seen in chronic lymphocytic leukemia disrupt a molecular network that includes several important genes and strongly influences the outcome of the disease.

WHAT:A team of U.S. and European researchers have found that a new vaccine strategy tested in mice provides stronger, more long-lasting protection from tuberculosis (TB) infection than the vaccine currently used in humans, known as BCG. Their findings were published online on January 23rd in the journal Nature Medicine.

Scientists studied the defences used by caterpillars that transform into large white butterflies, called Pieris brassicae. The insects regurgitate semi-digested cabbage leaves to make them smell and taste unpleasant to predators. The team found, however, that frequent use of this defence reduces the caterpillars' growth rate and the number of eggs they produce. It remains unclear why their defences affect them in this way, but the loss of nutrition from frequent regurgitation is thought to play a part.

Increased marginalization of students

The successful Swedish model of reducing the impact of students' different social, cultural and economic backgrounds on academic outcome is severely threatened after 20 years of educational reforms. This is the main point made by Docent (Reader) Girma Berhanu from the University of Gothenburg in International Journal of Special Education.

French researchers determined that infection with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impaired results of transplant surgery for liver cancer, with more HIV infected patients dropping off the transplantation wait list. The team found that overall survival and recurrence-free survival was not impacted following liver transplantation in patients with controlled HIV disease. Details of this single center study—the largest to date—are published in the February issue of Hepatology, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD).

In two recent studies, researchers have identified two functional variants in the inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) gene that protect patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) against anemia brought on by antiviral treatment. The ability to identify those patients protected against treatment-induced anemia will ensure completion of antiviral therapy and successful elimination of the virus. Full findings of these studies appear in the February issue of Hepatology, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Foregut duplication cyst of the stomach is rare. Foregut duplications may or may not communicate with the gastrointestinal tract, and are usually diagnosed at a young age. There have been relatively few case reports describing this entity. Adenocarcinoma has been reported in four cases of gastric duplication cyst, but not in cysts that have a ciliated epithelium. Controversy exists concerning the embryological origin of these anomalies.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression by mainly binding to the 3′-UTR of target mRNAs, leading to mRNA degradation or translation inhibition. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most lethal malignancies in China. Many studies have reported the miRNA expression profiles in Barrett's esophagus and esophageal adenocarcinoma. However, the pathobiological significance of aberrant miRNA expression in human ESCC has not been well documented.

Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is an epidemiologically important virus with a worldwide distribution and causes acute hepatitis in humans. Acute HAV superinfection causes severe liver disease, acute liver failure and even higher mortality rates in patients with underlying chronic liver disease (CLD). Numerous studies have identified CLD as a risk factor for fulminant hepatitis and death from acute HAV infection.

Acute diverticulitis is the most common complication of diverticular disease, and its clinical presentation varies from mild local inflammation to full-blown perforation. After resolution of an acute episode, the best management strategy is as yet undefined, due to the risk of further episodes and the risk associated with elective surgical resection.

Hemolysis is not uncommon during cardiovascular surgery, resulting in elevated circulating levels of cell-free oxyhemoglobin (FHb). The effect of hemolysis on intestinal microcirculation and gut wall integrity is unclear.

Low-dose acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) has been widely used for prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. Several studies have shown that mucosal breaks caused by taking low-dose ASA occurred not only in the upper gastrointestinal tract but also in the lower gastrointestinal tract. However the cause of small bowel injury is not clear. One of the mechanisms of drug-induced small bowel damage is decrease in blood flow.