News
Cervical microbiome could be a diagnostic marker
Researchers find presence of “high-grade” precancerous lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) associated with “richness” of cervical bacteria.
Could bacteria residing in the cervix of women be useful in screening for cervical cancer? That’s what a study into the connection between human papillomavirus (HPV) infections and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) conducted by researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) and the Ocean Road Cancer Institute in Tanzania, seems to suggest.
To repeat or not to repeat: The great critical result debate
A critical clinical laboratory test result reflects either a life-threatening pathophysiological condition or one that might result in severe harm if not acted on immediately. CLIA regulation requires that laboratories “must immediately alert the individual or entity requesting the test and, if applicable, the individual responsible for using the test results when any test result indicates an imminently life-threatening condition, or panic or alert values.”
McMaster University researchers discover “kingpin” of human stem cells
The “ocean” of data expected to shift views on stem cells is so valuable it’s being made available to researchers all over the world. Hamilton researchers have discovered "kingpin" cells that orchestrate how surrounding stem cells develop and grow.
"These cells organize the entire culture and they are responsible for giving rise to every single cell," said Mick Bhatia, director of McMaster University's Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute.
Female blood donors at risk for iron deficiency anemia
Female blood donors demonstrated an increased risk for iron deficiency anemia compared with the general population, according to study results published in Transfusion.
Researchers observed the risk among both female adolescents and adults.
Researchers use gene editing with CRISPR to treat lethal lung diseases before birth
Using CRISPR gene editing, a team from Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and Penn Medicine have thwarted a lethal lung disease in an animal model in which a harmful mutation causes death within hours after birth. This proof-of-concept study, published today in Science Translational Medicine, showed that in utero editing could be a promising new approach for treating lung diseases before birth.
A medical app uses your smartphone’s camera to carry out lab tests at home
Millions of laboratory urine tests are carried out each year for pregnant women, patients at risk of kidney failure, and people who think they may have urinary tract infections. The tests are expensive and time consuming for patients and medical practitioners alike, involving a visit to a physician, a referral to a lab, and up to three days waiting for the results.
Healthy-io’s system means patients at risk for kidney failure don’t have to visit the clinic—and has boosted the number who take the vital tests, it was announced today.
Managing infectious risk in patients with hematologic malignancies
Infections are common in patients with hematologic malignancies and can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Risk for infection is directly linked to the neutropenia induced by intensive chemotherapeutic regimens. Additional risk factors include the use of indwelling devices, Ommaya reservoirs, urinary catheters, and disruption of mucosal barriers because of radiation- or chemotherapy-induced mucositis.
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