Broken hand puts Henson out of action for up to six weeks

Gavin Henson has broken a bone in his left hand, and will not play rugby for between four and six weeks. He suffered the injury during the Ospreys' victory over Harlequins in the EDF Energy Cup last weekend. Henson fractured his fourth metacarpal and has been fitted with a cast. While he will be able to continue training, he will not be considered for selection until the injury has healed naturally.

Henson suffered the injury in the 64th minute of the match, when he drove into a ruck. "It appears that an opposition boot accidentally came into contact with his hand and Gavin can clearly be seen holding his left hand as he gets back to his feet," confirmed an Ospreys statement.

"Gavin was able to complete the game, albeit in some pain, and he was checked out immediately after the final whistle by our medical team who diagnosed a suspected fracture of the fourth metacarpal in his left hand. We then secured the earliest available appointment at the Vale Clinic for him to undergo an x-ray on Monday, where our initial fears were confirmed.

"Understandably, Gavin was keen not to rule himself out and wanted to have as much time as possible to prove his fitness ahead of the weekend, but having received the opinion of a second specialist, he has accepted that he has to allow the bone healing to occur naturally. He has now had his left hand set in a lightweight cast and, whilst he will be able to continue with his fitness training, it is expected that he will be unavailable for selection for a period of four to six weeks whilst the bone heals."

Ospreys' director of rugby, Kevin Hopkins, remarked: "Both Gavin and our medical staff have worked hard in an effort to get him on the pitch against Ulster this coming Friday, but in the end we have decided that Gavin's long term well being is best served by him getting the hand properly sorted over the next few weeks. This disappointment has however been softened by the timely return of James Hook, Ian Gough and Filo Tiatia to the squad for the important double header with Ulster."

Full article: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/rugbyunion/story/0,,2223168,00.html

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Breaking News: Fulmer: Karl's bone broken

KNOXVILLE — Tennessee senior linebacker Ryan Karl appears to have a broken bone in his elbow, according to UT coach Phillip Fulmer.

Karl was injured in the second half Saturday in the Vols' 21-14 SEC Championship loss to LSU.

"Ryan they think, and we'll know more tomorrow with an MRI and C.A.T. scan, seems to have a chip off his elbow with some injury as well," Fulmer said. "We won't know for sure until tomorrow."

Another Vol also appears to have suffered a broken bone in the contest. Nevin McKenzie, a safety/linebacker, is believed to have a fracture in his ankle.

"Nevin has a fracture, small fracture, and again a C.A.T . scan will confirm what we're dealing with," Fulmer said.

Source: http://www.thedailytimes.com/article/20071202/SPORTS/71202026

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Giants' Ward suffers broken bone in leg

Running back rushed for career-high 154 yards in victory over Bears

NEW YORK - Derrick Ward's career day evidently ended in devastating disappointment.

Ward suffered a fractured left fibula in the New York Giants' 21-16 victory over the Chicago Bears, according to a report early Monday morning on the New York Daily News' web site.

According to a report, Ward will undergo an MRI on Monday.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22082377/

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Human stem cells mend broken skull

BROKEN skulls can be repaired using cells from human embryos, scientists have shown.

Researchers were able to plug holes in the skulls of mice by transplanting the stem cells, which grew into new bone tissue.

Although at an early stage, the experiment indicated one way that human embryonic stem cells, or cells like them, might be used in practical treatments.

These stem cells are immature mother cells found in early embryos which are said to be "pluripotent" - having the potential to develop into any part of the body, barring eggs and sperm.

Scientists believe they could prove invaluable for research and may also be used to treat a range of diseases.

Replacement tissue could be grown to repair brains damaged by Parkinson's disease, patch up the pancreas to halt type 1 diabetes, or fix ailing hearts.

But destroying human embryos to extract stem cells is ethically unacceptable to many people. Recently scientists in the US and Japan succeeded in transforming ordinary skin cells into cells with the same characteristics. Ultimately it may be possible to use them for similar treatments. The latest research, at Johns Hopkins University, in Baltimore, showed it was possible using these stem cells to repair "critical-size" skull defects which would not normally heal on their own.

Scientists grew the stem cells in the laboratory, and from them derived mesenchymal precursor cells, a more developed cell type capable of giving rise to fat, cartilage, bone and muscle. These were then "seeded" into tiny three-dimensional "scaffolds" and grafted into the mouse skulls.

The scaffolds were made of a biodegradable plastic-like material and a gritty mineral called hydroxyapatite. It was hydroxapatite that directed the cells towards becoming the "intramembraneous" tissue that makes up the skull, jaw and collar bone.

When the mineral was absent, they transformed into cartilage. Under normal conditions, cartilage becomes the "endochondral" tissue found in the "long" bones of the limbs and rib cage.

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/human-stem-cells-mend-broken-skull/2007/12/02/1196530481909.html

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