New imaging technique could make brain tumor removal safer, more effective, study suggests

 

An illustration of a new technique using Optical Coherence Tomography that could help surgeons differentiate a human brain tumor, red, from surrounding noncancerous tissue, green. Credit: Carmen Kut, Jordina Rincon-Torroella, Xingde Li and Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa/Johns Hopkins Medicine Brain surgery is famously difficult for good reason: When removing a tumor, for example, neurosurgeons walk a tightrope as they try to take out as much of the cancer as possible while keeping crucial brain tissue intact -- and visually distinguishing the two is often impossible. Now Johns Hopkins researchers report they have developed an imaging technology that could provide surgeons with a color-coded map of a patient's brain showing which areas are and are not cancer. A summary of the research appears June 17 in Science Translational Medicine. "As a neurosurgeon, I'm in agony when I'm taking out a tumor. If I take out too little, the cancer could come back; too much, and the patient can be permanently disabled," says Alfredo Quinones-Hinojosa, M.D., a professor of neurosurgery, neuroscience and oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the clinical leader of the research team. "We think optical coherence tomography has strong potential for helping surgeons know exactly where to cut." First developed in the early 1990s for imaging the retina, optical coherence tomography (OCT) operates on the same echolocation principle used by bats and ultrasound scanners, but it uses light rather than sound waves, yielding a higher-resolution image than does ultrasound. One unique feature of OCT is that, unlike X-ray, CT scans or PET scans, it delivers no ionizing radiation to patients. For the past decade, research groups around the globe, including a group at Johns Hopkins led by Xingde Li, Ph.D., a professor of biomedical engineering, has been working to further develop and apply the technology to other organs beyond the relatively transparent eye. Carmen Kut, an M.D./Ph.D. student working in Li's lab, thought OCT might provide a solution to the problem of separating brain cancers from other tissue during surgery. Working with Li, Quinones-Hinojosa and other collaborators, Kut first built on the idea that cancers tend to be relatively dense, which affects how they scatter and reflect lightwaves. The team tried for three years to build their technique on this principle. Eventually, the researchers figured out that a second special property of brain cancer cells -- that they lack the so-called myelin sheaths that coat healthy brain cells -- had a greater effect on the OCT readings than did density. Once they had found the characteristic OCT "signature" of brain cancer, the team devised a computer algorithm to process OCT data and, nearly instantaneously, generate a color-coded map with cancer in red and healthy tissue in green. "We envision that the OCT would be aimed at the area being operated on, and the surgeon could look at a screen to get a continuously updated picture of where the cancer is -- and isn't," Li says. So far, says Kut, the team has tested the system on fresh human brain tissue removed during surgeries and in surgeries to remove brain tumors from mice. The researchers hope to begin clinical trials in patients this summer. If those trials are successful and the system goes to market, it will be a big step up from imaging technologies now available during surgeries, says Quinones-Hinojosa. "Ultrasound has a much lower resolution than OCT, and MRI scanners designed to be wheeled over a patient on the operating table cost several millions of dollars each -- and require an extra hour of operating room time to obtain a single image," he says. By comparison, the team anticipates that the cost of an OCT-based system would run in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The system can potentially be adapted to detect cancers in other parts of the body, Kut says. She is working on combining OCT with a different imaging technique that would detect blood vessels to help surgeons avoid cutting them. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Johns Hopkins Medicine. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: C. Kut, K. L. Chaichana, J. Xi, S. M. Raza, X. Ye, E. R. McVeigh, F. J. Rodriguez, A. Quinones-Hinojosa, X. Li. Detection of human brain cancer infiltration ex vivo and in vivo using quantitative optical coherence tomography. Science Translational Medicine, 2015; 7 (292): 292ra100 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3010611

Some common anti-nausea medications used post-operatively could increase patients' arrhythmia risk

 

Certain commonly prescribed anti-nausea medications given to patients during or after an operation could increase their risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, new research has found. Two studies published online in BMC Medicine suggest granisetron (a serotonin 5-Ht3 receptor antagonist, also known as an anti-nausea medication) used in combination with a steroid, dexamethasone, are effective in preventing nausea or vomiting (or both) in patients following surgery. But this combination could also increase patients' arrhythmia risk, the research revealed. Serotonin receptor antagonists are commonly used to reduce nausea and vomiting for patients during or after surgery. "Often after being under anesthesia, patients experience nausea and vomiting -- or both," said Dr. Andrea Tricco, lead author and a scientist in St. Michael's Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute. "Evidence suggests post-operative vomiting not only decreases patient satisfaction but can be detrimental. You could pull out your stitches or experience aspiration pneumonia, prolonging your hospital stay." "We were commissioned by Health Canada to examine which drugs are effective and safe," she said. "Our research aims to draw attention to medications that can make a difference -- and those that carry risks patients and clinicians should be mindful of." In 2011, Health Canada pulled dolasetron mesylate (more commonly known as Anzemet) from the market because it could cause a deadly and irregular heart rhythm. Dr. Tricco's results do not suggest that dolasetron increased the risk of arrhythmia in adults. The study turned up inconclusive findings related to the drug's effect on children, due to lack of data. The safest serotonin receptor antagonists with respect to arrhythmia were ondansetron plus dexamethasone, and dolasetron for patients of all ages, and ondansetron plus dexamethasone for children, the study found. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by St. Michael's Hospital. The original item was written by Melissa Di Costanzo. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Eating disorders experts weigh in on disorder -- two years after classification as a mental health condition

 

Jessie is a five-year-old girl who doesn't like foods with much texture or flavour. She prefers to eat foods that don't require lots of chewing, like soup, pasta, or oatmeal. Jessie has difficulty eating a range of foods and her mother struggles daily with getting her to consume the nutrients she needs to grow and thrive. Jessie is the smallest child in her class and has been severely underweight for two years. Jason is a 10-year-old boy who was not a picky eater at all, until he nearly choked on a hot dog eight months ago. The hot dog dislodged and he did not require medical attention immediately after the incident; however, since that day Jason has been reluctant to eat out of fear of choking. He refuses most foods most of the time, but occasionally accepts milk, yogurt and soft cheeses. He has not gained weight since the incident, and with puberty looming ahead, his parents are growing more concerned by the day. For years, doctors did not have the necessary tools to diagnose children like Jessie and Jason. Did they have "traditional" eating disorders like anorexia nervosa? No, because they did not have distorted body image or a desire to lose weight. In May 2013, a new category of eating disorder emerged in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition (DSM-5), a psychiatric classification and diagnostic tool used across North America. Now, two years later, a new commentary by experts from The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) reflects on the clinical impact of the diagnosis of Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID), and the work that remains in terms of treatments and improved outcomes. The commentary is published in the June 18 online edition of the Journal of Adolescent Health. The classification of ARFID expanded upon a previous diagnostic category of Feeding Disorder of Infancy or Early Childhood, which was rarely used or studied. ARFID is described as substantial restrictions or challenges with food intake, associated with weight loss or lack of expected weight gain in the context of significant physiological and/or psychosocial distress. Drs. Katzman and Norris have led or participated in a variety of studies on the diagnosis since its introduction and are planning future studies in the area as well. "ARFID is not just about picky eating -- it's a very challenging diagnostic category in the DSM-5," says coauthor Dr. Debra Katzman, a Staff Physician in the Eating Disorders program and Senior Associate Scientist at SickKids. "These kids have complexity, and this condition persists for long periods of time and requires treatment to address both the medical and psychosocial aspects of the condition. If left untreated, children and teens may be left with serious, long-term complications." In addition to the physiological impairments caused by the disorder, there are serious social implications, especially for teens, whose social interactions are often centred around food. "For those teens who are unable to go out to eat pizza with their friends, the condition can be socially limiting," says Katzman, who is also Professor of Paediatrics at the University of Toronto. "Parents have a significant role in identifying unhealthy patterns in their child," says coauthor Dr. Mark Norris, Adolescent Health Physician and Associate Professor of Paediatrics within the Department of Pediatrics at CHEO. "Concerned parents should talk to their child's paediatrician or family doctor early on, rather than letting the problem persist for months or even years." It is also critical, he explains, that clinicians on the front-lines and in eating disorders programs alike become more familiar with the diagnosis, so that the depth and range of eating difficulties among children, teens and adults can be further studied. In tandem, eating disorders specialists are working to assess outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Mark L. Norris, Debra K. Katzman. Change Is Never Easy, but It Is Possible: Reflections on Avoidant/Restrictive Food Intake Disorder Two Years After Its Introduction in the DSM-5. Journal of Adolescent Health, 2015; 57 (1): 8 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.04.021

Adult craze for human breast milk purchased online poses serious health risks

 

The recent craze for human breast milk amongst certain fitness communities, fetishists and chronic disease sufferers is ill advised say the authors of an editorial published by the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. There is a lucrative online market for adult buyers of human breast milk, with websites and forums describing it as a 'clean' super food that can lead to gains in the gym, and even help with erectile dysfunction and cancer. There are claims that it is more digestible and contains positive immune building properties. The authors, led by Dr Sarah Steele, of the Global Health and Policy Unit, Queen Mary University of London, write that these purported benefits do not stand up clinically and raw human milk purchased online or in an unpasteurised state poses many risks. "Nutritionally there is less protein in breast milk than other milks like cow's milk," said Dr Steele. She and her colleagues write that the benefits of breast milk are being found in the lab, not in drinking a bottle ordered online. "Potential buyers should be made aware that no scientific study evidences that direct adult consumption of human milk for medicinal properties offers anything more than a placebo effect, said Dr Steele. The authors warn that human milk is potentially very hazardous if used to replace a healthy balanced diet. Failure of women to sanitize properly when expressing milk, the failure to sterilize equipment properly, and the improper or prolonged storage and transportation of milk can expose consumers to bacterial food-borne illnesses like any other raw milk. The lack of pasteurisation and testing not only indicates a bacterial risk but also exposes consumers to a host of infectious diseases, including hepatitis, HIV and syphilis. "While many online mums claim they have been tested for viruses during pregnancy, many do not realise that serological screening needs to be undertaken regularly," said Dr Steele. "Sexual and other activities in the postpartum period may expose the woman expressing to viruses that they may unwittingly pass on to consumers of the milk." The authors call for health professionals and regulators to issue public guidance against the purchasing of human milk from Internet sources for adult as well as infant feeding. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by SAGE Publications. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: S. Steele, J. Foell, J. Martyn, A. Freitag. More than a lucrative liquid: the risks for adult consumers of human breast milk bought from the online market. Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, 2015; 108 (6): 208 DOI: 10.1177/0141076815588539

CulCharge puts a powerbank and charger on your keychain

 

CulCharge recharges mobile devices on the go Image Gallery (3 images) Our mobile devices running out of power is a constant worry, although portable chargers can help alleviate some of that anxiety. CulCharge, a new charger/powerbank still in its concept stage, is intended as an easy-to-carry option as it is small enough to slot onto a keychain. The device is only 2.1 inches (5.5 cm) long and weighs 38 g (1.3 oz). Created by a start-up based in Bratislava, Slovakia, the CulCharge PowerBank is equipped with a 1,000 mAh battery. This enables a pocket-friendly size, but won't go as far as larger powerbanks. For instance, it provides around 55 percent of a full charge on the iPhone 6 and 39 percent of a full charge on the Galaxy S6. The unit recharges via USB, and can be connected to a notebook/desktop computer and a mobile device at the same time. This brings us to the third prong in the device's 3-in-1 functionality. In addition to being a powerbank and a charger, the CulCharge also works as a data cable for syncing your computer and mobile device. The gadget has protruding plugs for charging smartphones, avoiding potentially pesky tangling cables. There is a Lightning model for compatible iPhones, while a microUSB model is aimed at Android/Windows/Blackberry devices equipped with microUSB ports. CulCharge's estimated working life is 500 recharge cycles. To take CulCharge Powerbank from project to product, the company is carrying out an Indiegogo campaign, which has already met its initial target by a comfortable margin, with a massive boost from Slovak Telekom (a branch of Deutsche Telekom). The telecom company made a pre-order of US$50,000 on the first day of campaign. Funding packages start at $49 for two units, with the retail price estimated at $70. Shipping is not included and the product will be delivered worldwide. CulCharge has introduced a 100 percent money back guarantee if the product does not meet expectations. Estimated delivery is December 2015. Source: CulCharge

Malloy Aeronautics is developing its Hoverbike for the US Department of Defense

 

It looks more likely than ever that we'll see the Malloy Aeronautics Hoverbike take to the skies (Credit: Malloy Aeronautics) Image Gallery (4 images) You'll likely remember Malloy Aeronautics' ambitious quadcopter Hoverbike from when Gizmag caught up with its creators last year. Well, the company has been busy in the last 10 months, today announcing a partnership with a Maryland-based military research firm to develop the vehicle for the US Department of Defense. Gizmag caught up with the Hoverbike team at the 2015 Paris Air Show. Back in August 2014, we got up close and personal with Malloy Aeronautics' Hoverbike – a helicopter-like vehicle with electric motors driving four rotors – and were impressed with what we saw. The company recently conducted successful flight tests of the full-size electric vehicle, and development is full-steam ahead, though with a few big changes in the works. Gizmag was on the ground at the Paris Air Show, where the company was joined by Maryland Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford to announce a new partnership with the state's defense firm – Survice Engineering. The company will work together with the UK-based Malloy Aeronautics (which is opening a US office) on the development of Hoverbike technology for the US Department of Defense, with the goal of the vehicle operating as a new class of Tactical Reconnaissance Vehicle (TRV). Talking to Malloy Aeronautics and Survice, Gizmag learned that the Department of Defense is interested in moving development toward a gas-powered engine for the vehicle, allowing for long-haul flights and the ability to carry weightier payloads. According to Survice Engineering's Bruce Simon, those payloads, or "assets," might sometimes be equipment and supplies, but could also include a soldier in full kit, meaning it'll need to be able to handle anything up to 800 lb (363 kg) of weight. While the team is currently focusing on ironing out all the bugs before a human element is introduced, several options are being discussed when it comes to methods of control. These include the vehicle being piloted by an onboard soldier, with a drive-by-wire system being used. Discussions are also ongoing as to the best choice of physical controls, with options including motorcycle-like handlebars and Xbox-style gamepads. It's not currently clear whether pilots will require a license to control the craft, though this will likely hinge on whether it's being piloted remotely or not. While developing for the military will play a big role in the future of the technology, Malloy was keen to emphasize that there's still a lot of potential for the use of the tech in humanitarian applications. For example, multiple Hoverbikes could be loaded into troop carrier aircraft (the vehicle is designed to fold up for easier transport), dispatched to disaster zones and tasked with delivering vital supplies, or even autonomously removing people from danger. Looking forward, development of the Hoverbike will continue in both the UK and US. The vehicle has come a long way since we saw the first, dual rotor prototype back in 2011, and it's looking more likely than ever that we'll see the full-size vehicles in the sky sooner rather than later. For a look at the different stages of the Hoverbike project, including the recent flight tests, you can watch the video below. Source: Malloy Aeronautics

Avocado-derived molecule attacks leukemia at its roots

 

A molecule found in avocado has shown promise as a potential drug to treat a form of leukemia (Credit: Light Imaging/University of Waterloo) Brimming with nutrients, antiooxidants and healthy fats, avocado – otherwise known as nature's butter – carries a multitude of health benefits inside its coarse, leathery skin. But new research is now pointing to what could be its most valuable secret yet. A Canadian scientist has discovered a lipid in avocado that could prove key to battling leukemia by attacking the deadly disease at its core, namely the highly resilient stem cells that drive the disease and make treating it such a difficult task. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a type of cancer where blood stem cells evolve into abnormal blood cells, rather than the healthy cells the body would normally produce. These then build up in the bone marrow and crowd out the healthy cells, leading to infection and often death. Professor Paul Spagnuolo from Canada's University of Waterloo believes that the disease can be best combated at its core. He managed to identify a compound in avocado, called Avocatin B, which is precise in its targeting of the leukemia stem cells, and can be applied without causing peripheral damage to the surrounding cells. "The stem cell is really the cell that drives the disease," says Spagnuolo. "The stem cell is largely responsible for the disease developing and it’s the reason why so many patients with leukemia relapse. We’ve performed many rounds of testing to determine how this new drug works at a molecular level and confirmed that it targets stem cells selectively, leaving healthy cells unharmed." Spagnuolo's work is still in its very early stages and he estimates Avocatin B-inspired leukemia medication to be years away from approval for human use. But he says it could one day greatly improve the quality of life and life expectancy for those suffering from AML. At present he is carrying out experiments with a view to preparing a drug for Phase I clinical trials. The research was published in the journal Cancer Research. Source: University of Waterloo

Isso me irrita

 

Nada me irrita mais do que ler em uma publicação algo como “Diabetes affects millions of americans every year”..   Bem, não existe apenas estadunidenses no mundo, (o GENTÍLICO referente aos Estados Unidos é “Estadunidenses” ou em inglês “the Staters” ou se quiserem,  “the US people, the US residents, the US citizens”, e não “Americans”) ou seja, não existe apenas um país nas Américas, os Estados Unidos.   Um importante website como por exemplo o Science Daily, presumo que não irá publicar algo dirigido apenas à eles, porque o alcance da internet como todos sabem é GLOBAL, e uma doença como o diabetes atinge o mundo todo. Sempre que topo com isso eu retiro essa anormalidade.  Estamos todos no mesmo barco.  Se um site quer que apenas os estadunidenses tomem conhecimento de um artigo, basta usar uma criptografia que seja decodificada apenas pelos residentes dos Estados Unidos, e assim o resto do mundo não tomará conhecimento.  Como isso não é possível, convém lembrar que todos dependem uns dos outros, em todos os sentidos.  A Internet é uma entidade GLOBAL, não pertence apenas aos Estados Unidos. Já existe o equívoco de usar “americans” para o povo estadunidense. Tampouco existe o termo “North americans” designando exclusivamente os habitantes da terra do Tio Sam. Eles são óbviamente “Norte-Americanos”, porém há mais países na América do Norte.      Dizer que o diabetes afeta milhões de americanos todos os anos tem um duplo sentido. Na verdade ele afeta centenas de milhões de pessoas no mundo todo, e não apenas pessoas residentes nos “States” Fica aqui registrada a minha indignação. Divulgue-se e cumpra-se de acordo com as normas éticas vigentes na Web. JS Melo

'Crosstalk' gives clues to diabetes

 

Sugar levels are managed by interactions between cells of the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. The hormone urocortin (green) is produced and stored in the same cells as insulin in the islets. Cells that make glucagon, which works to raise blood sugar, are stained red. Credit: Mark Huising, UC Davis Sometimes, listening in on a conversation can tell you a lot. For Mark Huising, an assistant professor in the Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior at the UC Davis College of Biological Sciences, that crosstalk is between the cells that control your body's response to sugar, and understanding the conversation can help us understand, and perhaps ultimately treat, diabetes. Huising's lab has now identified a key part of the conversation going on between cells in the pancreas. A hormone called urocortin 3, they found, is released at the same time as insulin and acts to damp down insulin production. A paper describing the work appears online on June 15 in the journal Nature Medicine. "It's a beautiful system," Huising said. "It turns out that there is a lot of crosstalk going on in the islets to balance insulin and glucagon secretion. The negative feedback that urocortin 3 provides is necessary to tightly control blood sugar levels at all times." Both forms of the disease -- type 1, "juvenile" or "insulin-dependent" diabetes, and type 2 or "adult-onset" diabetes -- occur when the body fails to regulate the level of sugar properly. Diabetes is tied to structures called the Islets of Langerhans in the pancreas. Within the islets, beta cells make insulin. Increasing blood sugar stimulates insulin production, which causes the body's cells to pull sugar out of circulation. The islets also house alpha cells, which make another hormone, glucagon, which acts on the liver to release more glucose into the bloodstream. An islet of Langerhans with urocortin stained green in beta cells. Glucagon-making cells are stained red. Credit: Mark Huising. An islet of Langerhans with urocortin stained green in beta cells. Glucagon-making cells are stained red. Credit: Mark Huising. Urocortin 3 was originally identified as a hormone that is related to the signal in our brain that kick-starts our stress response. Instead, urocortin 3 is produced by islet beta cells and stored and released alongside insulin. In a series of experiments, Huising's group showed that urocortin 3 causes another cell type in the islets, delta cells, to release somatostatin, which turns down insulin production and acts as a natural brake on the release of insulin. Urocortin 3 is reduced in laboratory animal models of diabetes and in beta cells from diabetic patients. Without urocortin 3, islets produce more insulin, but at the same time lose control over how much insulin they release. By understanding how different cells and systems communicate to regulate blood sugar, Huising hopes to get a better understanding of what happens when this regulation goes wrong, leading to the different forms diabetes. Eventually this approach could lead to new ways to treat or prevent the disease. Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by University of California - Davis. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. Journal Reference: Talitha van der Meulen, Cynthia J Donaldson, Elena Cáceres, Anna E Hunter, Christopher Cowing-Zitron, Lynley D Pound, Michael W Adams, Andreas Zembrzycki, Kevin L Grove, Mark O Huising. Urocortin3 mediates somatostatin-dependent negative feedback control of insulin secretion. Nature Medicine, 2015; DOI: 10.1038/nm.3872

Graphene quantum dot LEDs

 

A schematic illustration of the preparation method of highly efficient GQDs (left) and an image of GQDs dispersed in water (right). Credit: KAIST The first graphene quantum dot light-emitting diodes (GQD-LEDs), fabricated by using high-quantum-yield graphene quantum dots through graphite intercalation compounds, exhibit luminance in excess of 1,000 cd/m2. Graphene is a 2D carbon nanomaterial with many fascinating properties that can enable to creation of next-generation electronics. However, it is known that graphene is not applicable to optical devices due to its lack of an electronic band gap. On the other hand, graphene quantum dots (GQDs), which are merely a few nanometers large in the lateral dimension, are shown to emit light upon excitation in the visible spectral range. The GQDs have attracted a great deal of attention as a next-generation luminescent material for their outstanding properties: tunable luminescence, superior photostability, low toxicity, and chemical resistance. Recently, Prof. Seokwoo Jeon (Material Science and Engineering), Prof. Yong-Hoon Cho (Physics), and Prof. Seunghyup Yoo (Electrical Engineering) have succeeded in developing LEDs based on graphene quantum dots. Highly pure GQDs were synthesized by an environmentally-friendly method designed by Prof. Jeon's group, their light-emitting mechanisms were carefully studied by Prof. Cho's group with their transient spectroscopic technique, and finally Prof. Yoo's group brought their OLED expertise to create GQD-based LEDs. The GQDs with high luminance tunability and efficiency were synthesized by a route based on graphite intercalation compounds (GICs). The proposed method is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and scalable, as it allows direct fabrication of GQDs using water without surfactant or chemical solvent. GQDs were then used as emitters in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) in order to identify the GQD's key optical properties. After carefully designing the layer configuration so that electron and hole injection could be balanced, the constructed GQD LEDs exhibited luminance of 1,000 cd/m2, which is well over the typical brightness levels of the portable displays used in smartphones. Considering how thin GQDs are, a foldable paper-like display could soon become a reality. The present work, for the first time, demonstrated that GQDs can be applied to optical devices by fabricating GQD-based LEDs with meaningful brightness. Although, the efficiency of GQD-based LEDs is currently less than those of conventional LEDs, they are expected to improve in the near future with an optimized material process and device structure. This research was published as a cover article in Advanced Optical Materials (Vol.2, 1016-1023 (2014)). Story Source: The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.