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Study suggests changes in rotator cuff surgery rehabilitation needed

A new Hospital for Special Surgery study suggests that the current rehabilitation used for patients undergoing tendon-bone repairs such as rotator cuff repair may be partially to blame for the high rates of failed healing after surgery. Experiments in a rat model of this injury suggest that immobilizing the limb for four to six weeks after surgery, rather than quickly starting physical therapy, improves healing.

Mutation in gene IDH a possible target for AML treatment

Many patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) share a mutation in a gene called IDH. A University of Colorado Cancer Center study published this week in the journal Leukemia & Lymphoma shows that this IDH mutation may be the first domino in a chain that leads to a more aggressive form of the disease.

Scaled-back NBAF and NBAF as designed are options that could meet critical US lab needs

WASHINGTON — It is "imperative" that the U.S. build a large-animal biocontainment laboratory to protect animal and public health, says a new report by the National Research Council. Two options that could meet long-term needs include the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) facility as currently designed, or a scaled-back version tied to a distributed laboratory network.

New proteins to clear the airways in cystic fibrosis and COPD

Bethesda, MD—University of North Carolina scientists have uncovered a new strategy that may one day help people with cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder better clear the thick and sticky mucus that clogs their lungs and leads to life-threatening infections.

Salt cress genome yields new clues to salt tolerance

July 13, 2012, Shenzhen, China - An international team, led by Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Science, and BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, has completed the genomic sequence and analysis of salt cress (Thellungiella salsuginea), a wild salt-tolerant plant. The salt cress genome serves as a useful tool for exploring mechanisms of adaptive evolution and sheds new lights on understanding the genetic characteristics underlying plant abiotic stress tolerance. The study was published online in PNAS.

Want to lose weight? Keep a food journal, don't skip meals and avoid going out to lunch

SEATTLE – Women who want to lose weight should faithfully keep a food journal, and avoid skipping meals and eating in restaurants – especially at lunch – suggests new research from Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

Vitamin D deficiency and poorer lung function in asthmatic children treated with steroids

Vitamin D deficiency is associated with poorer lung function in asthmatic children treated with inhaled corticosteroids, according to a new study from researchers in Boston.

ACL reconstruction technique improves outcomes in pediatric patients

A new study demonstrates the superiority of a specific technique to perform anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in children. In recent years, the number of ACL surgeries in pediatric athletes has skyrocketed.

Childhood trauma linked to adult smoking for girls

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) can stay with us for life. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy explains how these events can be tied up with adult smoking patterns, especially for women, and suggests that treatment and strategies to stop smoking need to take into account the psychological effects of childhood trauma.

1 in 5 women with breast cancer has a reoperation after breast conserving surgery

Research: Reoperation rates after breast conserving surgery for breast cancer among women in England: retrospective study of hospital episode statistics

One in five women with breast cancer who opt for breast conserving surgery rather than a mastectomy have a reoperation, according to a national study published on bmj.com today. This information on the risk of reoperation should help women in making the decision about whether to undergo breast conserving surgery or mastectomy.

Many more elderly people could benefit from drugs to prevent heart disease

Research: Impact of age and sex on primary preventative treatment for cardiovascular disease in the West Midlands, UK: cross sectional study.

More patients aged 75 and over should be prescribed drugs to help lower their risk of cardiovascular disease, a study published today on bmj.com suggests.

The researchers argue that older people are being "largely ignored" by current guidance, yet as the population ages, greater use of these drugs could reduce disability and prolong healthy life expectancy.

Advertisers could target online audiences more efficiently with personality scale, MU study finds

COLUMBIA, Mo. ¬— Online advertising has become prevalent in the past five years, and social media sites, such as Facebook, have played a major role. Now, a study at the University of Missouri School of Journalism has developed a method that could help advertisers target online audiences easier by knowing their personality types.

Tannins in sorghum and benefits focus of university, USDA study

MANHATTAN, Kan. -- They might be called a blessing or a curse -- tannins, which are present in certain sorghums, contain health-promoting antioxidant properties, but also provide a bitter taste and decreased protein digestibility. To better understand tannins, their role in sorghum and how they can be altered to improve sorghum's use as food and feed, a team of scientists led by Kansas State University and U.S. Department of Agriculture researchers, has cloned the tannin gene in sorghum.

Large, medically important class of proteins starts to yield its secrets

LA JOLLA, CA – July 12, 2012 –Readers of the top-ranked scientific journals Science and Nature might have noticed a recent wave of articles, most recently in the July 13, 2012 issue of Science, with deep importance for biology and medicine. These papers, all published this year by collaborations headed by the Scripps Research Institute laboratory of Professor Raymond Stevens, illuminate a large and medically important family of proteins called G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs).

First ever videos of snow leopard mother and cubs in dens recorded in Mongolia

New York, NY – For the first time, the den sites of two female snow leopards and their cubs have been located in Mongolia's Tost Mountains, with the first known videos taken of a mother and cubs, located and recorded by scientists from Panthera, a wild cat conservation organization, and the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT).