News about October 2018

Exercise Is A Part Of Palliative Care For Cancer Patients

While most oncologists would agree that exercise is important for people with cancer, generic guidelines for this population do not address the high need for personalized exercises. They recently shared with The Lancet Oncology journal a clinical tool that he and his colleagues at Princess Margaret Hospital developed to respond to the high demand for exercise services by oncology patients and clinicians.

Clinical Trials: Genomic Effects of a New Cancer Treatment

A twist on the molecular mechanism of how a new cancer drug works could aid in better identifying the best treatments for patients for an array of cancers. The team identified over 500 sites in DNA that require an enzyme called ATR checkpoint kinase to not break when they are replicated. The finding is described in Molecular Cell in a study led by Eric J. Brown. 

Treating Trauma Patients In Emergency Room

Emergency management of trauma practically begins prior to the arrival of the patient to the emergency room (ER). The emergency medical service (EMS) providers inform the emergency department about the mechanism of trauma and update them regarding the vital sign values, suspected injuries and first aid treatments provided to the patient. The emergency team is activated and the concerned specialties involved in the management of polytrauma patients are informed beforehand.

Four Virus Serotypes, Dengue Fever Vaccine Delivered with Nanotechnology Targets All

The latest in a series of studies led by the Aravinda de Silva Lab at the UNC School of Medicine shows continued promise in a dengue virus vaccine delivered using nanoparticle technology.

New Targets to Inhibit Pulmonary Fibrosis Uncovered

In a study out this week in Science Translational Medicine, an international team led by researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center sheds new light on the cause of pulmonary fibrosis and demonstrates a way to impede the disease in mice. The study results imply that certain drugs already at market might be able to be repurposed to inhibit or halt this major respiratory disease.

Cancer-Fighting Drug Headed to International Space Station

SpaceX is targeting June 29 as the launch date for its next cargo resupply mission to the International Space Station. At 5:41 a.m. EST (0941 GMT), a previously used Dragon cargo ship will lift off from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, ferrying a fresh batch of research experiments and supplies to the orbital outpost. 

This flight will mark the 12th launch this year for SpaceX and its 15th overall cargo resupply mission. In a media teleconference on June 11, NASA provided a preview of the research payloads expected to be delivered to the station later this month.

Second Cholera Vaccine Drive in Yemen as Cases Surge, WHO

The World Health Organization said it was helping Yemeni authorities with a second round of vaccination against cholera in three hard-hit districts, as cases surged across the war-ravaged country.

Gender Based Skin Differences Drive Treatment Choices

Should men and women be treated with the same facial products in the same way? A literature review by an international group of physicians shows that the physiological skin parameters of hydration, transepidermal water loss, sebum, microcirculation, pigmentation, and thickness differ among men and women suggesting that treatment choices should differ as well.

Understanding the physiological, chemical, and biophysical characteristics of the skin help us develop a proper approach for the management of skin diseases,” wrote the authors of a review that focuses on sex differences of skin. The study was published in the International Journal of Women's Dermatology.

Infection Outbreak: DNA Sequencing and Patient Data used to Halt Symptoms

Clinical and research teams at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH) NHS Foundation Trust, using infection prevention and control best practice, whole genome sequencing and electronic patient data, have halted an outbreak of a potentially deadly fungal pathogen after detecting that multi-use patient equipment was responsible. The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Emergency Department Visits by Children With Congenital Heart Disease

Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) presenting to the emergency department have increased rates of inpatient admission and mortality and higher emergency department charges than those without CHD. The study was published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

Rapid Test for Diagnosing Tuberculosis in People with HIV Developed

An international team that includes Rutgers scientists has made significant progress in developing a urine diagnostic test that can quickly, easily and inexpensively identify tuberculosis infection in people also infected with HIV.

TB is the leading infectious disease killer in the world and the most common cause of death for people living with HIV, although most TB deaths can be prevented with early diagnosis and treatment. The findings were announced at the September 26, 2018, United Nations meeting on TB.