Tag Archives: materials

Do spinal cord injuries cause subsequent brain damage?

The research, published recently in two articles, one in of the Journal of Neuroscience, the other in Cell Cycle, highlights the close links between spinal cord injury and loss of brain function, and suggests potential treatment to prevent such changes. “Animal studies have shown that traumatic brain injury, even mild repeated injuries, can result in progressive brain tissue damage and cognitive decline, as well as widespread brain inflammation. But little research has examined whether these problems occur after spinal cord injuries,” said UM SOM anesthesiology professor and noted neurobiologist Alan Faden, MD, who led the study. “Our studies the first to show that isolated SCI can cause progressive loss of brain cells in key brain regions,” said Faden. …

New imaging technique identifies receptors for targeted cancer therapy

“Protein overexpression is a hallmark of certain cancers and is used in clinical oncology to personalize treatment through tumor detection, molecular therapies, and therapeutic monitoring,” said lead author Kimberley S. Samkoe, assistant professor of Surgery at the Geisel School of Medicine and adjunct assistant professor at Thayer School of Engineering. “Protein expression is currently measured through a total protein analysis of tumor tissue. This new technique allows us to accurately determine the amount of protein receptors available for binding a drug without invasive biopsy.” The researchers developed a dual-tracer in vivo receptor concentration imaging (RCI) technique that involves the simultaneous injection of both a targeted and a non-targeted imaging agent. …

Interstitial lung disease is significant risk factor for lung inflammation

ILD is a group of diseases that cause scarring and stiffing of the tissue and space around the air sacs in the lungs, which results in diminished gas exchange. The incidence of ILD among lung cancer patients is higher than in the general population as tobacco smoking is a common risk factor for both. Some lung cancer patients with ILD may not be considered good candidates for surgical therapy. …

Practice makes perfect in cancer surgery — ScienceDaily

Using data provided by the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences (ICES) the investigators studied 2,802 patients who underwent the procedure between 1994 and 2008 in Ontario and found that higher volume hospital and surgeons were associated with less post-operative complications and better overall survival. “These results are intriguing and will undoubtedly lead to some controversy in their interpretation,” says Dr. …

Woman’s genes give clue for unique liver cancer treatment

“Using the information from the genetic makeup of our patient’s cancer, we were able to formulate a personalised treatment,” says Dr Arturo Loaiza-Bonilla of the University of Pennsylvania, lead author of the case report published in ecancermedicalscience. This is the first reported case of the use of personalised genomic information for the successful management of ICC, as well as the first use of combined dabrafenib and trametinib therapies to treat this condition…

Radiation a risk factor for brain tumors in young people, study finds

Researchers analyzed records of 35 patients who were diagnosed with meningiomas before age 30. Five had been exposed to ionizing radiation earlier in their lives. They include two patients who received radiation for leukemia at ages 5 and 6; one who received radiation at age 3 for a brain tumor known as a medulloblastoma; and one who received radiation for an earlier skull base tumor that appeared to be a meningioma. …