Body

Some 80,000 people in Germany suffer from multiple sclerosis – their immune system attacks and destroys healthy nerve tissue. Researchers at the Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg have succeeded in vaccinating mice with specially treated, autologous immune cells and preventing them from developing encephalitis, which is similar to multiple sclerosis in humans.

Work-related fatigue is a common complaint encountered by the occupational physician in the industrialized societies. Most past investigations of work-related fatigue focused on age, subjective discomforts, social-economical factors or on work styles. However, the association between work-related fatigue and general objective health measures, such as liver function tests, metabolic syndrome components (waist circumference, blood pressure, sugar and lipids profile) or hematology test results are yet to be declared among the modern workplaces in Taiwan.

Retrorectal cystic hamartoma (hindgut cyst) is a rare developmental lesion arising from the vestiges of the embryonic hind gut. Other developmental cysts can occur in retrorectal space. Anal gland cysts can develop near the anal sphincter. All these cysts are similar to retrorectal cystic hamartoma and their exact diagnosis depends on the histopathological examination including immunohistochemical profile. Retrorectal cysts are asymptomatic in 50% of the cases and the lesion is an incidental finding.

Researchers at North Wyke Research, and Lancaster and Exeter universities, have come up with an advice system to help farmers recycle manure safely and avoid polluting watercourses.

Organisms such as E coli may be present in animal manure and can pose a serious threat to human health. Irrigated crops are sometimes contaminated, shellfisheries can be vulnerable and bathing waters may be under threat, with subsequent effects for tourism.

Reston, Va.—With the most recent release of data from the National Oncologic PET Registry (NOPR), researchers may have reached the moment of critical mass by confirming the effectiveness of positron emission tomography (PET) in the monitoring of tumor activity across a wide range of cancers.

A new methodology developed by a researcher of the University of Granada will permit to determine the toxicological effects caused in animals which have been exposed to organochlorate pollutants and lead analysing their bones. This work has studied the effects of lead toxicity in the long term in wild birds populations, determining how this heavy metal causes bone weakening and fracture, provoking therefore a fall in the individual survival of the affected species.

Of all the current imaging techniques, portable ultrasound has shown the greatest promise in meeting the needs in developing countries such as Ghana because it is transportable, relatively inexpensive and has a wide range of applications. This conclusion is based on a study to be published in the December 2008 issue of the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine.

MADISON -- Plastics are everywhere in our modern world, largely due to properties that render the materials tough and durable, but lightweight and easily workable. One of their most useful qualities, however - the ability to bend rather than break when put under stress - is also one of the most puzzling.

Haemorrhoids are considered one of the most frequent diseases of the anal region with high prevalence (nearly 50% of proctological visits in a colorectal unit), involving any age and affecting both sexes. Numerous modalities and techniques have been developed to treat symptomatic hemorrhoids ranging from simple dietary measures and bowel habit regulation, through a number of non-operative procedures, to different techniques of excision of diseased analCushions. The vast amount of treatment options means none are close to perfection.

The disease diabetes mellitus is characterized by abnormally high plasma glucose concentrations. Chronic hyperglycemia and the associated metabolic abnormalities are responsible for many disease complications, including damage to the blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nervous system. A research team led by Professor Zanoni from the State University of Maringá in Brasil investigate he effect of ascorbic acid (AA) dietary supplementation on myenteric neurons and epithelial cell proliferation of the jejunum of adult rats with chronic diabetes mellitus.

Liver biopsy (LB) was considered to be the best method to evaluate the severity of fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis. Over time, it was demonstrated that LB is not really a "gold standard" because of its intra- and interobserver variability, the sampling variability and, last, but not least, the fact that it is an invasive method, with morbidity and mortality greater than zero.

Non-cardiac chest pain remains a widespread symptom especially in western countries with a significant economic burden. Patients with chest pain and abnormal electrocardiographic (ECG) but normal coronary angiogram (i.e. exclusion of coronary heart disease) is termed Cardiac syndrome X (CSX) and represents a specific subform of non-cardiac chest pain. While etiology of non-cardiac chest pain has been studied in several projects, it is unclear in what extent CSX is based on disorders of the upper gastrointestinal disorder (GI) tract.

Chronic pancreatitis (CP) is a chronic clinical disorder characterized by irreversible damage to the pancreas, the development of histologic evidence of inflammation and fibrosis, and eventually the destruction and permanent loss of exocrine and endocrine tissue. Imaging or function tests may not reveal early CP, and the results of these tests do not necessarily correlate with each other.

Multiple lymphomatous polyposis (MLP) is an unusual form mantle cell lymphoma characterized by polyps throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a malignancy associated with retrovirus, human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Although it is well-known that ATLL cells infiltrate into systemic organs including gastrointestinal (GI) tract, colonic involvement has not been fully documented.

Olympic Games organisers are being warned to make key decisions now about the long-term use of the 2012 stadium - or face costs that will spiral out of control.