July
2008
THE HEALTH CENTRAL DAILY THURSDAY 24th JULY
Discovery of new anatomical path through which the brain and spleen communicate
The spleen, once thought to be an unnecessary bit of tissue, is now regarded as an organ where important information from the nervous reaches the immune system. Understanding this process could ultimately lead to treatments that target the spleen to send the right message when fighting human disease.
Mauricio Rosas-Ballina, MD, working with colleagues in the laboratory of Kevin J. Tracey, MD, figured out that macrophages in the spleen were making tumor necrosis factor, a powerful inflammation-producing molecule. When they stimulated the vagus nerve, a long nerve that goes from the base of the brain into thoracic and abdominal organs, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production in the spleen decreased. This study complements previous research performed in Dr. Tracey’s laboratory, which showed that stimulation of the vagus nerve increases survival in laboratory models of sepsis.
No doubt: sun causes melanomas
Professor Scott Menzies, director of the Sydney Melanoma Diagnostic Centre, argues that melanoma is far more common on body sites receiving more sun exposure and in people of races who tend to burn rather than tan. In the same article, Sam Shuster, a consultant dermatologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, argues that while sun exposure causes the most common forms of skin cancers, there is no conclusive evidence that ultraviolet radiation from the sun causes the rarer and more serious malignant melanoma.
New study finds working age adults with major chronic conditions grew 25 percent over 10 years
The number of working-age adults who reported having at least one of seven major chronic conditions grew 25 percent since 1997, to a total of nearly 58 million by 2006. Besides overall growth in the adult population, the increase over the period reflects rising rates of chronic disease prevalence among nonelderly adults. The research focused on nonelderly adults with chronic conditions because their greater health needs make them particularly sensitive to changes in the economy and the health care system. Studies have found that people with chronic conditions disproportionately account for three-quarters of all personal medical spending in the United States. As the nation struggles with unchecked health care costs, growth in the chronically ill population and the potential consequences of their unmet needs for care is cause for concern.
Tattoos - who gets rid of them and why
A team led by Myrna Armstrong of Texas Tech University visited tattoo removal clinics in Arizona, Colorado, Massachusetts and Texas to find out who was getting rid of their tattoos and why.
Tattoo removal is a miserable experience where repeated laser treatments are used to remove the ink and layers of skin are subjected to pulses of light from the laser to break up the tattoo pigment; it can be painful and a local anaesethic is sometimes used. Over several weeks the body’s scavenger cells remove the treated pigmented areas but more than one treatment is usually needed to remove all of the tattoo. Apparently about one-fourth of adults age 18 to 30 have a tattoo, and while the vast majority of individuals who are tattooed are pleased with their skin markings, the popularity and prevalence of tattoos often mean that dermatologists are increasingly hearing stories of regrets and requests for tattoo removal.
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