First Ever Synthetic Windpipe Transplant

Surgeons in Sweden have carried out the world's first synthetic organ transplant.

Scientists in London created an artificial windpipe which was then coated in stem cells from the patient.

Crucially, the technique does not need a donor, and there is no risk of the organ being rejected. The surgeons stress a windpipe can also be made within days.

The 36-year-old cancer patient is doing well a month after the operation.

Professor Paolo Macchiarini from Spain led the pioneering surgery, which took place at the Karolinska University Hospital.

In an interview with the BBC, he said he now hopes to use the technique to treat a nine-month-old child in Korea who was born with a malformed windpipe or trachea.

Professor Macchiarini already has 10 other windpipe transplants under his belt - most notably the world's first tissue-engineered tracheal transplant in 2008 on 30-year-old Spanish woman Claudia Costillo - but all required a donor.

Indistinguishable

The key to the latest technique is modelling a structure or scaffold that is an exact replica of the patient's own windpipe, removing the need for a donor organ.

To do this he enlisted the help of UK experts were given 3D scans of the 36-year-old African patient, Andemariam Teklesenbet Beyene. The geology student currently lives in Iceland where he is studying for a PhD.

Using these images, the scientists at University College London were able to craft a perfect copy of Mr Beyene's trachea and two main bronchi out of glass.

They then coated this was then flown to Sweden and soaked in a solution of stem cells taken from the patient's bone marrow.

After two days, the millions of holes in the porous windpipe had been seeded with the patient' own tissue.

Dr Alex Seifalian and his team used this fragile structure to create a replacement for the patient, whose own windpipe was ravaged by an inoperable tumour.

Despite aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the cancer had grown to the size of a golf ball and was blocking his breathing. Without a transplant he would have died.

During a 12-hour operation Professor Macchiarini removed all of the tumour and the diseased windpipe and replaced it with the tailor-made replica.

The bone marrow cells and lining cells taken from his nose, which were also implanted during the operation, are able to divide and grow, turning the inert windpipe scaffold into an organ indistinguishable from a normal healthy one.

And, importantly, Mr Beyene's body will accept it as its own, meaning he will not need to take the strong anti-rejection drugs that other transplant patients have to.

Professor Macchiarini said this was the real breakthrough.

"Thanks to nanotechnology, this new branch of regenerative medicine, we are now able to produce a custom-made windpipe within two days or one week.

"This is a synthetic windpipe. The beauty of this is you can have it immediately. There is no delay. This technique does not rely on a human donation."

He said many other organs could be repaired or replaced in the same way.

A month on from his operation, Mr Beyene is still looking weak, but well.

Sitting up in his hospital bed, he said: "I was very scared, very scared about the operation. But it was live or die."

He says he is looking forward to getting back to Iceland to finish his studies and then returning to his home in Eritrea where he will be reunited with his wife and young family, and meet his new three-month-old child.

He says he is eternally grateful to the medical team that has saved his life.

Source: BBC News

First Ever Fully cured HIV-AIDS Patient - Timothy Ray Brown

Timothy Ray Brown, a resident of San Francisco Bay Area, is possibly the first ever person to be fully cured of the incurable HIV-AIDS disease, according to scientific journal Blood. Timothy Ray Brown was tested positive for HIV around 15 years ago when he was around the age of 30. He later found out that he was also diagnosed with Leukemia. When he was still in Germany in 2007, doctors used bone marrow stem cell transplant as a method of curing his Leukemia and neither HIV nor Leukemia has been traced on him since 2008.

"I quit taking my HIV medication the day that I got the transplant and haven’t had to take any since," said Brown, who is known as 'The Berlin Patient' in medical circles.

Brown received the stem cells from a person who is apparently immune to HIV, a character that only about 1 percent of Caucasians have. Dr. Jay Levi, a leading researcher in the field of HIV-AIDS at University ofCalifornia-San Franciso (UCSF), has called this a "functional cure."

"If you're able to take the white cells from someone and manipulate them so they're no longer infected, or infectable, no longer infectable by HIV, and those white cells become the whole immune system of that individual, you've got essentially a functional cure," said Levy.

Although the researchers this a "productive area to study," they warned people not to get too excited just yet, because it is not something that can be generalized.

"You don't want to go out and get a bone marrow transplant because transplants themselves carry a real risk of mortality," said Dr. Paul Volberding, another researcher at UCSF.

Volberding added, "one element of his treatment, and we don’t know which, apparently allowed the virus to be purged from his body."

Watch Timothy Brown discuss the miracle in the video below:

Source: IBTimes & CBS News

Coffee 'cuts prostate cancer risk' US study suggests

Coffee has been linked to a reduced risk of dying from prostate cancer in a study of nearly 50,000 US men.

Those who drank six or more cups a day were found to be 20% less likely to develop any form of the disease - which is the most common cancer in men.

They were also 60% less likely to develop an aggressive form which can spread to other parts of the body.

But charities say the evidence, reported in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, is still unclear.

They do not recommend that men take up coffee drinking in the hope of preventing prostate cancer.

Unknown compounds

The study looked at about 48,000 men in the US who work as health professionals.

Every four years between 1986 and 2006, they were asked to report their average daily intake of coffee.

During this 20-year period, 5,035 of the men were diagnosed with prostate cancer, including 642 fatal cases.

Prostate cancer

Each year about 37,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK

Some 10,000 die from the disease

Symptoms include problems passing urine but they may be mild or non-existent

No difference was seen between caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee, suggesting caffeine itself was not the cause.

But even relatively small amounts of coffee - one to three cups per day - were found to lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer by 30%.

The researchers think there may be unknown compounds in coffee that protect against the disease.

Lead researcher Dr Kathryn Wilson, from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, said: "At present we lack an understanding of risk factors that can be changed or controlled to lower the risk of lethal prostate cancer.

"If our findings are validated, coffee could represent one modifiable factor that may lower the risk of developing the most harmful form of prostate cancer."

Commenting on the study, Dr Helen Rippon of The Prostate Cancer Charity, said other studies had not shown the link and the research evidence was still unclear.

She added: "Although this study is a welcome addition to our knowledge, it is far from definitive and we would not recommend men who are not already habitual coffee drinkers to become so in the hope of preventing prostate cancer.

The data

Previous studies have shown no clear link between coffee and prostate cancer risk

Men who drank six or more cups of coffee per day had a slightly lower risk of any form of prostate cancer and a substantially lower risk of lethal prostate cancer compared with non-coffee drinkers, according to the researchers

Both caff and decaff were associated with similar risks

"Heavy caffeine intake is associated with other health problems and men with benign prostate problems might well make urinary symptoms worse."

Yinka Ebo, senior health information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "There's no need for men to start drinking gallons of coffee in an attempt to lower their prostate cancer risk.

"A number of other studies looking at coffee and prostate cancer have found that drinking coffee does not affect the risk of the disease, and this study only found a lower risk of advanced prostate cancer in men who drank more than six cups a day.

"We would need to see these results repeated in other large studies before we can be sure whether coffee consumption affects the risk of prostate cancer."

Source: BBC News

Is it Skin Cancer? 38 Photos that could Save your Life

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer, with more than 3.5 million cases affecting more than two million people each year, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. Early detection and treatment are key, which is why it's vital to pay attention to moles and other marks on your skin (and to see a dermatologist once a year for a skin exam). 

There are three main kinds of skin cancer: Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma, the most lethal form (shown at left). In addition, there are "precancers" called actinic keratoses, along with iffy moles (dysplastic nevi) that could be worrisome. Keep clicking as Dr. Michele Green, a skin cancer expert in New York City, walks us through photos showing the things you should be looking for. The images are graphic, but looking at them just might save your life, or that of someone you love.

Here's a hand with several actinic keratoses - all those red, scaly patches. These back-of-the-hand lesions are common in older golfers and others who spend a lot of time outdoors. Without treatment, actinic keratoses can turn into a form of cancer known as squamous cell carcinoma.

Sometimes it's hard to tell one kind of skin cancer (or precancerous lesion) from another. But this is a classic actinic keratosis - flat, pink and scaly. Yes, you might be able to pick this crusty lesion off with your fingers. But it would grow back. The right thing to do is see a dermatologist and have it removed. 

This raised, scaly patch is an actinic keratosis. It's been marked with ink - in preparation for its removal

.

The red patch on the ear might not look like much, but it's actually an actinic keratosis. These lesions typically feel rough and sometimes bleed. Actinic keratoses tend to occur on areas of skin that get a lot of sun exposure, including the ears, face, scalp, as well as the backs of the hands and the neck.

The ears are another spot where actinic keratoses like these are apt to show up.

This could be an actinic keratosis or squamous cell carcinoma. In general, the prognosis is good for people with squamous cell carcinoma. But a squamous cell carcinoma that develops on the lips or another mucous membrane is more likely to spread (metastasize) - and in rare instances metastatic squamous cell carcinoma proves deadly.

Dr. Green says these white, crusty actinic keratoses look a bit unusual. But like all actinic keratoses, they can turn cancerous. 

This is a classic basal cell carcinoma - the least dangerous form of skin cancer. Note the red color and the almost pearlescent look. These cancers seldom metastasize but can grow larger - and so should be removed. To minimize scarring and disfigurement, a basal cell carcinoma on the face should generally be taken off with a specialized form of surgery called Mohs. Elsewhere on the body, the lesions are often simply burned off.

This basal cell carcinoma has turned into a bloody, oozy mess. Be suspicious of any lesion that bleeds and doesn't heal, Dr. Green says. 

Another basal cell carcinoma - note the pearlescent look. For lesions like this, it's generally best to use Mohs surgery to minimizes scarring and prevent disfigurement. Mohs can usually be performed on an outpatient basis.

Some basal cell carcinomas, like this one, have a raised border.

This basal cell carcinoma of the eyelid is another candidate for Mohs surgery. Skin cancers are common on the face because it gets so much sun exposure over the years. 

Here's a basal cell carcinoma that looks like a scar. Atypical lesions like these can be tricky to diagnose. When she sees a lesion like this, Dr. Green says she typically asks the patient if it's the aftermath of some wound. If not, odds are it's got to come off.

Dermatologists take a close look at pigmented lesions like this one because in rare instances they turn out to be melanoma - the most dangerous kind of skin cancer. But the raised lesion shown here is actually a basal cell carcinoma.

This isn't skin cancer but a dysplastic nevus (mole). Lesions that resemble this dysplatic (the word means the cells look irregular under the microscope) lesion are generally benign. But if you have a lot of them, you may be more likely to develop skin cancer.

Another dysplastic nevus. Note the irregular border and the different shades of color. Those can be signs of melanoma - but not in this case.

Asymmetry is another worrisome sign - that is, when one half of the lesion doesn't look like the other. This happens to be a dysplastic nevus, but asymmetry is also a hallmark of melanoma.

This flat, speckled lesion is a dysplastic nevus.

This close-up shot shows another dysplastic nevus, though the dark color is more typical of a melatoma. "This would scare me," says Dr. Green.

Here is the most worrisome kind of skin cancer: Melanoma. Note the color - it's dark, almost black. The irregular, scalloped border seen in this lesion is another hallmark of melanoma. Over time, melanomas grow and thicken. The thicker the lesion, the worse the prognosis. This one should have been removed long ago.

 

This melanoma has the very dark coloration and the varied (variegated) color. In addition, it's highly asymmetrical. 

Here's a black-and-blue nail, right? Not hardly. It's a melanoma of the nailbed, and lesions like this can be deadly.

This is a very large melanoma on the scalp. It takes awhile for a melanoma to grow this big. For some reason, people sometimes put off going to the doctor even when they suspect they have a problem. In other cases, melanomas are allowed to grow big because they develop on a hard-to-see part of the body.

Melanoma of the face is very common.

This melanoma is fairly advanced - as evidenced by the raised portion. As melanomas grow and thicken, they become harder to treat successfully.

Though much more common in fair-skinned people, skin cancer affects blacks and other racial/ethnic groups too. Here's a melanoma on dark skin.

The pink area next to this melanoma on dark skin may be the result of what Dr. Green calls "regression" - the body has fought back at the lesion, shrinking it a bit. But the body can't cope with a lesion like this. It needs to come off. Yesterday.

This blackish lesion is a melanoma. But melanomas can also look reddish, or even bluish.

This melanoma has been growing for years. Lesions this extensive generally cannot be successfully treated - which is why early removal is so essential.

Here's a bluish-black melanoma. Sometimes melanomas start out as one color and slowly change.

Melanomas on the foot are rare but sometimes deadly - because people may mistake them for warts, delaying treatment by a doctor.

A melanoma this thick is almost certain to prove lethal.

This nodular lesion is a squamous cell carcinoma. These lesions are seldom fatal but can be disfiguring.

Here's a squamous cell carcinoma of the nail.

Squamous cell carcinoma on the back of the hand.

Just a scab? No, this is a squamous cell carcinoma. Because skin cancers often extend deeper into tissue that is readily apparent, the surgery required to remove this lesion is likely to be very extensive - and potentially disfiguring. Better to have it removed before it gets so big.

Removal of a squmous cell carcinoma on the nose, like the one shown here, is another that could prove disfiguring.
Source: CBS News

Facts on Spring Allergies in America & Tips to fight against it

If you are sneezing and itching your eyes this spring allergy season, you are not alone. 2011 is shaping up to be the worst year for allergy sufferers on record.

More than 35 million American suffer from pollen allergies, according to the FDA . Every year, the United States spends $21 billion on health costs related to allergies.

A study published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA searched for the cause of a trend towards longer allergy seasons.

Researchers found that a delayed first frost of the fall season and a lengthening of the frost-free season combined with increasing levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have contributed to a longer allergy season. Longer pollen seasons increase human exposure, the duration of symptoms and severity of symptoms.

"Studies have found that not only do [plants] create more pollen, it's more potent," said Dr. Stanley Fineman, president-elect of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology and a practicing physician in Atlanta.

So what can you do if you are one of the millions of Americans who suffer from pollen allergies every year? Fineman gave ABC News five helpful tips:

5 Tips for Avoiding Allergies

Get tested to find out exactly to what you are allergic.

Consult your physician about possible treatments such as allergy shots and medication.

Wash your hair and clothes regularly to get rid of pollen.

If you have pets, groom them regularly because they can bring pollen indoors.

Stay indoors as much as possible during pollen season to minimize your exposure.

Thankfully, science has been steadily improving the ability to combat pollen allergy symptoms.

"We can [now] pinpoint what triggers symptoms with specific testing, where in the past it was much more generalized," said Fineman. "Now, it's much more specific and accurate and sensitive. ... Treatments are more targeted and allergy shots are much more effective because we know better dosages."

Source & Read More: ABC News

Few Facts about Foods to Boost the Immune System

Foods that Fight Illness

It takes more than an apple a day to keep the doctor away. It turns out that eating some pretty surprising nutrients will help keep your immune system on guard.

You can ensure your body and immunity run smoothly by rounding out your plate with plenty of colorful servings of fruits and veggies, plus 8 to 10 glasses of water a day, at the very least. The following ingredients can add extra flu-fighting punch to your winter meal plan.

1. Yogurt

Probiotics, or the "live active cultures" found in yogurt, are healthy bacteria that keep the gut and intestinal tract free of disease-causing germs. Although they're available in supplement form, a study from the University of Vienna in Austria found that a daily 7-ounce dose of yogurt was just as effective in boosting immunity as popping pills. In an 80-day Swedish study of 181 factory employees, those who drank a daily supplement of Lactobacillus reuteri—a specific probiotic that appears to stimulate white blood cells—took 33% fewer sick days than those given a placebo. Any yogurt with a Live and Active Cultures seal contains some beneficial bugs, but Stonyfield Farm is the only US brand that contains this specific strain.

Your optimal dose: Two 6-ounce servings a day.

2. Oats and Barley

 These grains contain beta-glucan, a type of fiber with antimicrobial and antioxidant capabilities more potent than echinacea, reports a Norwegian study. When animals eat this compound, they're less likely to contract influenza, herpes, even anthrax; in humans, it boosts immunity, speeds wound healing, and may help antibiotics work better.

Your optimal dose: At least one in your three daily servings of whole grains.

3. Garlic

 This potent onion relative contains the active ingredient allicin, which fights infection and bacteria. British researchers gave 146 people either a placebo or a garlic extract for 12 weeks; the garlic takers were two-thirds less likely to catch a cold. Other studies suggest that garlic lovers who chow more than six cloves a week have a 30% lower rate of colorectal cancer and a 50% lower rate of stomach cancer.

Your optimal dose: Two raw cloves a day and add crushed garlic to your cooking several times a week.

4. Tea

 People who drank 5 cups a day of black tea for 2 weeks had 10 times more virus-fighting interferon in their blood than others who drank a placebo hot drink, in a Harvard study. The amino acid that's responsible for this immune boost, L-theanine, is abundant in both black and green tea—decaf versions have it, too.

Your optimal dose: Several cups daily. To get up to five times more antioxidants from your tea bags, bob them up and down while you brew.

5. Chicken Soup

 When University of Nebraska researchers tested 13 brands, they found that all but one (chicken-flavored ramen noodles) blocked the migration of inflammatory white cells-an important finding, because cold symptoms are a response to the cells' accumulation in the bronchial tubes. The amino acid cysteine, released from chicken during cooking, chemically resembles the bronchitis drug acetylcysteine, which may explain the results. The soup's salty broth keeps mucus thin the same way cough medicines do. Added spices, such as garlic and onions, can increase soup's immune-boosting power.


Your optimal dose: Have a bowl when feeling crummy.

6. Fish 

 Selenium, plentiful in shellfish such as oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams, helps white blood cells produce cytokines-proteins that help clear flu viruses out of the body. Salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting lungs from colds and respiratory infections.

Your optimal dose: Two servings a week (unless you're pregnant or planning to be).

7. Beef

 Zinc deficiency is one of the most common nutritional shortfalls among American adults, especially for vegetarians and those who've cut back on beef, a prime source of this immunity-bolstering mineral. And that's unfortunate, because even mild zinc deficiency can increase your risk of infection. Zinc in your diet is very important for the development of white blood cells, the intrepid immune system cells that recognize and destroy invading bacteria, viruses, and assorted other bad guys, says William Boisvert, PhD, an expert in nutrition and immunity at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA.


Your optimal dose: A 3-oz serving of lean beef provides about 30 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for zinc. That's often enough to make the difference between deficient and sufficient. Not a beef person? Try zinc-rich oysters, fortified cereals, pork, poultry, yogurt, or milk.

8. Sweet Potatoes

 You may not think of skin as part of your immune system. But this crucial organ, covering an impressive 16 square feet, serves as a first-line fortress against bacteria, viruses, and other undesirables. To stay strong and healthy, your skin needs vitamin A. "Vitamin A plays a major role in the production of connective tissue, a key component of skin," explains Prevention advisor David Katz, MD, director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in Derby, CT. One of the best ways to get vitamin A into your diet is from foods containing beta-carotene (like sweet potatoes), which your body turns into vitamin A.

Your optimal dose: A half-cup serving, which delivers only 170 calories but 40 percent of the DV of vitamin A as beta-carotene. They're so good; you might want to save them for dessert! Think orange when looking for other foods rich in beta-carotene: carrots, squash, pumpkin, and cantaloupe.

9. Mushrooms

For centuries, people around the world have turned to mushrooms for a healthy immune system. Contemporary researchers now know why. "Studies show that mushrooms increase the production and activity of white blood cells, making them more aggressive. This is a good thing when you have an infection," says Douglas Schar, DipPhyt, MCPP, MNIMH, director of the Institute of Herbal Medicine in Washington, DC.

Your optimal dose: Shiitake, maitake, and reishi mushrooms appear to pack the biggest immunity punch; experts recommend at least ¼ ounce to an ounce a few times a day for maximum immune benefits. Add a handful to pasta sauce, or saute with a little oil and add to eggs.

Source and Read More: Organic Gardening