Body

The vast majority of cancer deaths are due to metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from its primary site to other parts of the body. These metastatic cells tend to move more than their non-metastatic variants but this movement is poorly understood. Scientists are studying cancer cells intently with the hope they can learn to control the movements of the dangerous cells.

TORONTO—A new study shows that an alpha-particle emitting radiopeptide—radioactive material bound to a synthetic peptide, a component of protein—is effective for treating prostate cancer in mice, according to researchers at SNM's 56th Annual Meeting in Toronto. The results could eventually result in a significant breakthrough in prostate cancer treatment, especially for patients whose cancer recurs after the prostate is removed.

Montreal, June 15, 2009 – Recent epidemiological studies have revealed an increase in the frequency of genital malformations in male newborns (e.g., un-descended testes) and a decrease in male fertility.

The role played by the growing presence in our environment of contaminants that reduce male hormone action could explain this phenomenon.

CHICAGO—Possessing a greater purpose in life is associated with lower mortality rates among older adults according to a new study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center. The study, published in the June 15 issue of the journal, Psychosomatic Medicine, is available online at www.psychosomaticmedicine.org.

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) provide guidance to promote health and reduce risk of chronic diseases. However, what evidence is there that following the DGA optimizes health? Is this advice useful for individuals already in poor health? To study these questions, researchers at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University and Wake Forest University devised a statistical model that assessed adherence to the DGA and then related it to progression of atherosclerosis in women.

An online decision tool created in part by a graduate student at the University of California Irvine helps men diagnosed with prostate cancer sort through an intimidating flurry of possible treatments and customize treatment plans of their own, according to a study in the current issue of Interfaces, a journal of the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS®).

TORONTO—Combining high-definition positron emission tomography (PET) and "motion-frozen" technology provides enhanced cardiac images. The motion-frozen technology adds physiological details that were previously invisible to physicians, according to researchers at SNM's 56th Annual Meeting in Toronto. A new study of the combined technologies shows that the method provides exceptional PET image quality and can significantly change the diagnosis of patients with heart disease.

TORONTO—A major barrier to developing a hybrid positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance (MR) imaging system could be removed by using a novel approach for reconstructing data, according to researchers at SNM's 56th Annual Meeting in Toronto. Many researchers view fused PET/MR as an important next step in improving imaging capabilities and believe that PET/MR could become a viable alternative to hybrid PET/computed tomography (CT) systems.

TORONTO—A new study reveals that PET scans accurately detect infections in prosthetic knee joints more than 90 percent of the time, according to researchers at the SNM's 56th Annual Meeting. The findings could represent a significant breakthrough in the treatment of patients who undergo joint replacements. Joint replacements are prone to a number of complications following implantation.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (June 15, 2009) – A team of researchers led by Dr. Jayakrishna Ambati at the University of Kentucky has discovered a biological marker for neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the leading cause of blindness in older adults.

The marker, a receptor known as CCR3, shows strong potential as a means for both the early detection of the disease and for preventive treatment. The findings were reported in an article published online Sunday by the prestigious journal Nature.

With the H1N1 flu outbreak now elevated to pandemic level, a new article http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/rapidpdf/cmaj.090866 in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) reports that oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) and zanamivir (Relenza®) are relatively safe drugs for use in pregnant and breast-feeding women.

Pregnant women, especially those in the third trimester, are at high risk of serious complications from the H1N1 A influenza virus.

Westchester, Ill. –A study in the June 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine shows that the complaints of fatigue and tiredness in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) improved significantly with good adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, suggesting that - like the symptom of excessive daytime sleepiness - these complaints are important symptoms of OSA.

One of the mechanisms governing how our physical features and behavioural traits have evolved over centuries has been discovered by researchers at the University of Leeds.

Darwin proposed that such traits are passed from a parent to their offspring, with natural selection favouring those that give the greatest advantage for survival, but did not have a scientific explanation for this process.

Scientists from the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research in Braunschweig, Germany and the Medical School Hannover, Germany have succeeded in treating immune cells in a way that enables them to inhibit unwanted immune reactions such as organ rejection. Their results have now been published in the current issue of the scientific journal Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Amsterdam, 15 June 2009 - Elsevier announced today the publication of the May 2009 issue of Reproductive Health Matters, on the theme of task shifting. The issue describes innovative efforts to increase access to skilled reproductive health care, particularly in resource-poor settings.