Stem Cell Treatments
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Every organ in the body is made up of cells that originated as stem cells, which are then differentiated (changed) into different forms.
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Archive for month: April, 2017
DNA Vaccine Protects Monkeys Against Zika Virus Infection
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Two doses of an investigational DNA vaccine protected 17 of 18 rhesus macaques from infection with the Zika virus in a recent study published in Science. In 6 monkeys that received a single injection at a low dose, subprotective levels of neutralizing antibodies were detected that resulted in breakthrough infections.
Advice for Safe Fish Consumption
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March 7, 2017
Along with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the FDA has issued final advice on safe fish consumption geared toward pregnant or breastfeeding women and young children.
Exercise During Pregnancy
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March 21, 2017
Historically, pregnant women were advised to refrain from exercise because of concerns about fetal risk. Simultaneously, they were advised to increase their caloric intake during pregnancy. However (in part because of these misguided recommendations), some of the weight gained during pregnancy was usually retained. Elevated maternal weight is associated with a higher birth weight of offspring and contributes to the intergenerational transmission of obesity.1 Consequently, pregnancy has evolved as a major contributor to the worldwide obesity epidemic and multiple related maternal and fetal comorbidities, some of which have potential lifelong consequences.
Cranberry for Prevention of Urinary Tract Infection?
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The daily ingestion of cranberry products—juice or capsules—has been promoted as a means to prevent recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI) since at least the first half of the last century.1 In that preantibiotic era, acidification of the urine was a recommended treatment for UTI. Initially, cranberry juice was explored as an approach to treating UTI following the observation that it could lower urine pH. This is attributed to formation of hippuric acid through metabolism of the quinic acid present in cranberry juice. Later studies reported that the concentration of hippuric acid in the urine was insufficient for an antibacterial effect unless very large volumes of cranberry juice were ingested. Subsequently, some lectins (proanthocyanidins) present in cranberries as well as blueberries were reported to inhibit binding of the type 1 P-fimbriae of Escherichia coli to uroepithelial cells, preventing bacterial adherence within the urinary tract. This proposed mechanism for a beneficial effect of cranberries has not yet been shown to have a role in human infection.2 Even though many clinical trials evaluating the use of cranberry products for prevention of UTI have been reported, results have been inconsistent and the efficacy, if any, remains unknown after almost 100 years.
Football’s Toll on Student Athletes
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On average, 3 high school or college football players die each year from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries that occur on the field. Most of the injuries happen during games rather than practice or conditioning sessions and result from tackling or being tackled, according to a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report study.
The way you laugh with someone tells a lot about your relationship.
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Alone at a gathering, you’re anxious to find people to talk to but not sure which way to turn. And then you hear it — a burst of laughter from the group to your left — and instinctively, you feel it’s safe to head their way. How do you make this snap judgment?
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