Latest science news in Health & Medicine
Immune cell activity linked to worsening COPD
A new study links chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with increased activity of cells that act as sentinels to activate the body's immune system. COPD affects more than 12 million Americans....
Steroid injections may slow diabetes-related eye disease
Injecting the corticosteroid triamcinolone into the eye may slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes that can cause vision loss and blindness, according to a new study.
Mastery of physical goals lessens disease-related depression and fatigue
Physical activity is known to reduce depression and fatigue in people struggling with chronic illness. A new study indicates that this effect stems from an individual's sense of mastery over...
New climate deal may have to wait
The Danish presidency at the Copenhagen summit says a deal may have to wait until 2010, as the US promises financial aid.
Psychotherapy offers obesity prevention for 'at risk' teenage girls
Scientists have piloted psychotherapy treatment to prevent excessive weight gain in teenager girls deemed "at risk" of obesity.
Toward a vaccine to improve immune system in newborns
As soon as babies are born, they are susceptible to diseases and infections, such as jaundice and e-coli. For up to a month, their immune systems aren't adequately developed to...
Targeting brain cancer cell metabolism may provide new treatment
Inhibiting fatty acid synthesis in brain cancer cells may offer a new option to treat about 50 percent of deadly glioblastomas that are driven by amplified signaling of the epidermal...
UCSF study finds routine HIV screening in community health centres boosts HIV testing
UCSF researchers have that found routinely offering rapid HIV tests to patients in community health centres can significantly increase the number of patients screened for HIV...
Biological catch-22 prevents induction of antibodies that block HIV
Scientists seeking to understand how to make an AIDS vaccine have found the cause of a major roadblock. It turns out that the immune system can indeed produce cells with...
Low cholesterol transfer protein activity associated with heart disease risk
Although seen as a potential heart disease therapy, raising high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels by inhibiting activity of a transfer protein may not be effective, a new study suggests. Scientists...
Septic shock: Nitric oxide beneficial after all
Scientists at VIB and Ghent University in Flanders, Belgium have found an unexpected ally for the treatment of septic shock, the major cause of death in intensive care units. By...
First immunological clue to why some H1N1 patients get very ill or die
An international team of Canadian and Spanish scientists have found the first potential immunological clue of why some people develop severe pneumonia when infected by the pandemic H1N1 virus...
Insomnia symptoms linked with medical complaints in young school-aged children
Significant associations exist between parent-reported insomnia symptoms and medical complaints of gastrointestinal regurgitation and headaches in young school-aged children, a new study shows.
More blood vessels in hormone-resistant prostate tumors
Patients with advanced prostate cancer are often treated with hormones, but when the tumors start growing again they have more and different blood vessels, reveals research from Sweden. This discovery...
Accelerated aging: Researchers identify traits of people with rare syndrome
Researchers have provided the most extensive account to date of the unique observable characteristics seen in patients with an extremely rare premature aging syndrome.
Gene identified as cause of some forms of intellectual disability
A gene involved in some forms of intellectual disability has been identified by scientists at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), as published this month in The American...
The global dynamics and spread of Hepatitis C virus 1a and 1b: A phylogeographical analysis
Research published this week in PLoS Medicine finds that the global spread of Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coincided with widespread use of transfused blood and with the expansion of intravenous...
Kidney disease patients benefit from surgery to prevent stroke
Physicians should be comfortable referring some patients with chronic kidney disease for effective stroke prevention surgery, according to a new study. The findings indicate that CKD patients gain a significant...
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association
Although physicians support the use of electronic health records, concerns about potential privacy breaches remain an issue, according to two research articles published in the January 2010 issue of the...
More about sex and relationships needed at gynecological visits
Visits to a gynaecologist or midwife are generally associated with different tests and/or prescriptions for contraceptives, but could offer so much more. Women, doctors and midwives are agreed that gynaecological...
FDA OK's generic version of Aricept
WASHINGTON, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced approval of a generic version of Aricept to treat dementia related to Alzheimer's disease.
Malaria funds appear to be paying off: WHO
Malaria cases appear to have been slashed by half in more than a third of countries battling the disease following a renewed push by the United Nations to eradicate the...
In rural areas, more women falling into health care gap
For Americans living in rural areas, obtaining and maintaining health care can be challenging. Aside from common barriers, including shortages of care providers and facilities, older women face additional challenges,...
A new target found for lymphoma therapy
BOSTON, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- U.S. cancer researchers say they've found a link between a common mutation that can lead to cancer and a distant gene regulator that enhances...
Gene links to mental illness
Researchers have discovered a gene linked with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, which could help catch them early.
Bargaining skills affect care
A recent study has found that how doctors market their patients to other departments has a strong effect on the quality of their care.
Three anticoagulant studies may change current medical practice
New research reveals that the practice of using the anticoagulants aspirin and heparin with the hope of preventing clots in placental blood vessels is ineffective for preventing unexplained, recurrent miscarriages....
For Bicyclists Needing a Boost, This Wheel May Help
It is not easy to reinvent the wheel, but researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are giving it their best shot.