Fatty liver disease treatable? Fatty liver is the most common disease of the liver. Around one in four adults in Germany suffers – sometimes without even knowing it. Because the liver disease caused long as there are no direct complaints. Despite the high prevalence in the population, there is no…
Safety evaluation of conditionally immortalized cells for renal replacement therapy
A research team assessed the safety of conditionally immortalized proximal tubule epithelial cells for bioartificial kidney application, by using in vitro assays and athymic nude rats. They demonstrate that these cells do not possess key properties of oncogenically transformed cells, including anchorage-independent growth, lack of contact inhibition and apoptosis-resistance. Taken…
One-two punch drug combination offers hope for pancreatic cancer therapy
Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute have identified a combination of two anti-cancer compounds that shrank pancreatic tumors in mice—supporting the immediate evaluation of the drugs in a clinical trial. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved versions of the compounds are used today to treat certain leukemias and…
Phage therapy shows promise for alcoholic liver disease
Bacteriophages (phages) are viruses that specifically destroy bacteria. In the early 20th century, researchers experimented with phages as a potential method for treating bacterial infections. But then antibiotics emerged and phages fell out of favor. With the rise of antibiotic-resistant infections, however, researchers have renewed their interest in phage therapy….
Behavioral therapy for insomnia shows benefit for children with autism and their parents
Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and affects up to 80% of children with ASD. Several studies report a strong link between insomnia and the severity of ASD-related symptoms, including social impairment, communication difficulties and anxiety. Insomnia’s impact on children with ASD…
Pippa Middleton Describes Son Arthur's 'Calming' Osteopathic Therapy
Pippa Middleton isn’t afraid to try new things with her 12-month-old son, Arthur — including a “popular alternative therapy for newborns.” The little one has been seeing a cranial osteopath since he was 7 months old, the socialite, 36, shared in her Waitrose Weekend column this month. “[It’s for babies] who…
Chair yoga more effective than music therapy in older adults with advanced dementia
As dementia progresses, the ability to participate in exercise programs declines. Sticking to a program also becomes challenging because of impaired cognition, mobility issues or risk of falls and fractures—some exercise regimens are just too complicated or physically demanding. Although studies have shown the benefits of physical activity on dementia,…
CAR T-cell therapy may be harnessed to treat heart disease
CAR T-cell therapy, a rapidly emerging form of immunotherapy using patients’ own cells to treat certain types of cancers, may be a viable treatment option for another life-threatening condition: heart disease. In a first-of-its-kind study, published today in Nature, researchers at Penn Medicine used genetically modified T cells to target…
The merits of physical therapy
(HealthDay)—You suffered an injury that has sidelined you from exercise, but you dodged a bullet—your doctor has said that you don’t need surgery. Instead, he or she prescribes physical therapy, most likely to start after a rest period to give any inflammation time to subside. At that point, you’re probably…
Intensive blood pressure therapy not beneficial in nursing home residents
Long-term nursing home residents with hypertension do not experience significant benefits from more intensive antihypertensive treatment, according to a study published online July 22 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. Kenneth S. Boockvar, M.D., from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City, and…
Researchers discover therapy to treat drug-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia accounts for one in five adult leukemias, and is the most common pediatric cancer in the United States. While new immune therapies have helped improve survival rates, some patients are unresponsive to existing treatment regimens. In addition, drug-related toxicities and drug resistance are rampant for these patients,…