Oral Drug Gains Steam as On-Demand Option for Hereditary Angioedema Attacks
WASHINGTON — The investigational oral drug sebetralstat provided on-demand relief during tissue swelling attacks from hereditary angioedema (HAE), a phase III study showed. Following self-administration, time to the beginning of symptom relief was reduced from a median 6.7 hours with placebo to 1.6 hours with a 300-mg dose of the plasma kallikrein inhibitor (P<0.0001) and […]
DOJ Goes After PA for Amniotic Fluid Injections
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has turned its attention to birth tissue products, charging a Texas-based physician assistant with healthcare fraud for allegedly injecting patients with amniotic fluid in a “dubious attempt at pain management,” announced the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas. Ray Anthony Shoulders, PA, allegedly submitted $788,000 in fraudulent claims […]
Daylight hours impact opioid receptor levels in brown fat
When the season turns darker and colder, animals’ brown fat starts to grow. The tissue produces heat efficiently and rapidly, and regulates appetite. Brown fat is also present in people. In a new study conducted at the Turku PET Centre, Finland, researchers observed that shorter daylight hours impact the opioid receptor signalling in the brown […]
Study Leaves Transvaginal Mesh Controversy at Impasse
Transvaginal mesh proved noninferior to native tissue repair for vaginal prolapse but missed the superiority target in an FDA-mandated, postmarket, prospective parallel-cohort study. The 36-month composite treatment success rates were 89.3% with mesh repair and 80.2% with native tissue repair, falling within the prespecified 12% margin for noninferiority but not achieving superiority. However, mesh demonstrated […]
Energy-burning brown fat less active in boys with obesity
A study at McMaster University has found that brown adipose tissue (BAT) is less active in boys with obesity compared to boys with a normal body mass index (BMI). Senior author Katherine Morrison said that BAT, also known as brown fat, helps the body burn regular fat and is activated by cold, but her research […]
Well-functioning fat may be the key to fewer old-age ailments
Fat tissue plays an important role in human health. However, our fat tissue loses function as we age, which can lead to type 2 diabetes, obesity, cancer and other ailments. High levels of lifelong exercise seem to counteract this deterioration. This, according to research at the University of Copenhagen, where biologists studied the link between […]
Complex three-dimensional kidney tissue generated in the lab from the scratch
A research team based in Kumamoto University (Japan) has created complex 3D kidney tissue in the lab solely from cultured mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. These organoids could lead the way to better kidney research and, eventually, artificial kidneys for human transplant. By focusing on an often-overlooked tissue type of organoid generation research, a type […]
Mechanism that helps immune cells to invade tissues
To fight infections and heal injuries, immune cells need to enter tissue. They also need to invade tumors to fight them from within. Scientists have now discovered how immune cells protect their sensitive insides as they squeeze between tissue cells. The team lays the foundation for identifying new targets in cancer treatment. Knowing, when exactly […]
Power of stem cells harnessed to create cartilage tissue
Researchers at the University of Southampton have invented a new way to generate human cartilage tissue from stem cells. The technique could pave the way for the development of a much-needed new treatment for people with cartilage damage. Cartilage acts as a shock absorber in joints, but it is susceptible to damage through daily wear-and-tear, […]
MIND diet linked to better cognitive performance: Study finds diet may contribute to cognitive resilience in the elderly
Aging takes a toll on the body and on the mind. For example, the tissue of aging human brains sometimes develops abnormal clumps of proteins that are the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. How can you protect your brain from these effects? Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have found that older adults may benefit from […]