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Engaged employees are good, but don't count on commitment

CLEMSON — The notion that highly engaged workers will continue to work tirelessly for organizations despite diminishing resources often isn't true, according to Clemson University psychology professor Thomas Britt.

Influenza pandemic planning needed to assure adequate care for pregnant women and newborns

PITTSBURGH, May 13 – Pregnant women and newborns are at greatest risk in a flu epidemic, but more planning must be done to ensure that they receive priority treatment should an outbreak occur, according to a University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and University of Pittsburgh study. The findings, published online in Emerging Health Threats Journal, raise concerns about the ability of hospitals to adequately treat this vulnerable population, particularly in light of the current H1N1 flu outbreak.

miR-196a promotes the metastases of tumors

MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules of 20-25 nucleotides length, regulating gene expression by inhibition of transcription or translation of proteins. High levels of miR-196a, a microRNA suppressing the expression of specific homebox genes that are of high relevance for the development of human embryo, activated oncogenic pathways inside human tumor cells and induced tumor cell dissemination. miR-196a increased the chemosensitivity towards platin derivatives such as cisplatin and oxaliplatin and might be a useful biomarker.

Farnesoid X receptor regulates cystathionase

The expression and activity of Cystathionase is reduced in rodent models of liver injury, leading to hyper-homocysteinemia and impaired generation of hydrogen sulphide, two factors that contribute to endothelial dysfunction and increased intrahepatic resistance.

p90RSK: A new therapeutic target for liver fibrosis?

Cirrhosis is a world wide, bad prognosis liver disease and characterized by excessive collagen deposition and liver function damage. In our previous work, p90RSK is observed significantly up-regulated in association with elevated collagen type I levels in rat liver fibrosis. But detail mechanism of this phenomenon is still unknown.

Hyperferritinemia is another surrogate marker of advanced liver disease

High serum ferritin, being a hallmark of hereditary hemochromatosis , is frequently found in chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease patients . A study in Italy has investigated the link between ferritin and steatosis in a non-obese cohort of non-alcoholic patients. In southern European populations, high ferritin levels, after exclusion of diagnosis of HH, represent a risk factor for steatosis and clinical relevance, being associated with low platelet count.

Chronic diarrhea unresponsive to conventional medication: Are you taking lansoprazole?

Lansoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor which powerfully suppresses gastric acid production and is widely prescribed for chronic use in gastroesophageal reflux disease. Lansoprazole uncommonly causes chronic watery diarrhea unresponsive to conventional medication as a symptom of collagenous colitis. This association has recently been reported and is not widely known. Correct diagnosis and treatment without this knowledge is impossible. Discontinuation of lansoprazole results in the prompt resolution of diarrhea.

NPs-NPR-B/pGC-cGMP signal pathway is involved in diabetic gastroparesis

The natriuretic peptide (NP) receptor type B (NPR-B) gene was expressed in gastric smooth muscles of normal and diabetic rats and the expression was increased in diabetic rats. These results suggest that natriuretic peptide-dependent pGC-cGMP signal is up-regulated and it may contribute to diabetic gastroparesis in STZ-induced diabetic rat.

DNA analysis reveals the prime stock of Indonesian cattle

DNA analysis shows that Indonesian zebu cattle have a unique origin with banteng (Bos javanicus) as part of their ancestry.

Throughout the world, cattle inhabit a range of climatically diverse environments: common taurine cattle, for example, are kept in temperate zones, zebus in hot, dry climates and yaks at the high altitudes of Tibet. A report published by the online, open-access, peer-reviewed journal PLoS ONE shows that another bovine species, the banteng, also made a genetic contribution to the ancestry of Indonesian cattle.

Improving education may cut smoking in youth

Although low socio-economic status is associated with an increased liability to smoke, performing well at school can mitigate this effect. A new study, published in BioMed Central's open access International Journal for Equity in Health, has shown that high-achieving schoolchildren, even those from poor backgrounds, are less likely to smoke.

Bacteria create aquatic superbugs in waste treatment plants

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---For bacteria in wastewater treatment plants, the stars align perfectly to create a hedonistic mating ground for antibiotic-resistant superbugs eventually discharged into streams and lakes.

In the first known study of its kind, Chuanwu Xi of the University of Michigan School of Public Health and his team sampled water containing the bacteria Acinetobacter at five sites in and near Ann Arbor's wastewater treatment plant.

Climate change driving Michigan mammals north

ANN ARBOR, Mich.---Some Michigan mammal species are rapidly expanding their ranges northward, apparently in response to climate change, a new study shows. In the process, these historically southern species are replacing their northern counterparts.

The finding, by researchers at the University of Michigan, Michigan State University and Ohio's Miami University, appears in the June issue of the journal Global Change Biology.

Women diagnosed with precancerous CIN at risk for cervical cancer

Long-term risks of invasive cancer and recurrence of severe cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) are higher among women previously treated for CIN, compared with those with no CIN diagnosis, according to data from a large, retrospective cohort study published in the May 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Low and high levels of hormone in men with heart failure associated with increased risk of death

Men with systolic chronic heart failure who have low or high levels of estradiol, a form of the hormone estrogen, have an increased risk of death compared with men with moderate levels of this hormone, according to a study in the May 13 issue of JAMA.

Estrogens have numerous biological effects in men and have a complex effect on the normal cardiovascular system, including cardioprotective effects, which may explain the link between low estradiol concentrations and an increased risk of cardiovascular events in men, according to background information in the article.

Aspirin appears to help lower risk of stroke for patients with peripheral artery disease

An analysis of previous studies indicates that among patients with peripheral artery disease, aspirin use is associated with a statistically nonsignificant decrease in the risk of a group of combined cardiovascular events (nonfatal heart attack, nonfatal stroke, and cardiovascular death), but is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of one of these events, nonfatal stroke, although the findings may be limited by the lack of a large study population, according to an article in the May 13 issue of JAMA.