Medical News

RSS

Worm study sheds light on how the human body ages

Microscopic worms used for scientific research are living longer despite cellular defects, a discovery that is shedding light on how the human body ages and how doctors could one day limit or reverse genetic mutations that cause inherited diseases, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study.

2 Oct 2007

Rapamycin and Gleevec reverses effects of portal hypertension in rats

A combined treatment with rapamycin and Gleevec might reverse the effects of portal hypertension in patients with chronic liver disease, according to the results of a new study on rats.

2 Oct 2007

Tree bark compound gambogic amide stimulates growth, survival of brain cells

Researchers have identified a compound in tree bark that mimics the chemical reactions of a naturally occurring molecule in the brain responsible for stimulating neuronal cell signaling.

2 Oct 2007

Channel 4 and Cancer Research UK launch online film competition for young people

Channel 4's 4Talent and Cancer Research UK launch BREATHE on Monday 1 October 2007 - a joint initiative to produce a series of short online films to encourage young smokers to quit and deter others from starting.

2 Oct 2007

Protein architectures provide window on the history of life

The present can tell you a lot about the past, but you need to know where to look.

2 Oct 2007

Caribbean health authorities promise to reduce healthcare-associated infections

Health authorities from the Caribbean say they will work to reduce healthcare-associated infections through a series of actions that include getting healthcare providers to improve hand hygiene.

2 Oct 2007

Types of sleep and risk of mortality

The first study to assess the stability of three aspects of sleep behavior in relation to long-term mortality finds an increased risk of mortality in short sleep, long sleep and frequent use of medications, according to a study published in the October 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

2 Oct 2007

Botched production of insulin molecule may lead to diabetes

Picture a pretzel factory production line, with conveyer belts carrying the dough, formed into unbaked pretzels, down to the oven to be cooked.

2 Oct 2007

Playing with toy blocks may improve language development in toddlers

Playing with toy blocks may lead to improved language development in middle- and low-income children, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

2 Oct 2007

Almost 30 percent of American children regularly take dietary supplements

More than 30 percent of American children age 18 and younger take some form of dietary supplement, most often multivitamins and multiminerals, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

2 Oct 2007

Alcohol and sleep restriction can affect young men's alertness and driving performance

Combining low-dose alcohol with moderate sleep restriction can have a significant adverse effect on young men's subjective alertness and performance behind the wheel, according to a study published in the October 1 issue of the journal SLEEP.

2 Oct 2007

New guidelines for treating low-back pain

The American College of Physicians (ACP) and the American Pain Society (APS) today released joint guidelines on diagnosing and treating low back pain.

2 Oct 2007

The role of working for pay on adolescent tobacco use

Fourteen to 18-year-old adolescents are at an increased risk to initiate smoking when they start to work, according to researchers from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

1 Oct 2007

Wilmot Cancer Center adds gastrointestinal, brain cancer experts

Three specialists in gastrointestinal and brain cancers recently joined the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center to meet the growing need in the Rochester and Upstate New York region.

1 Oct 2007

Nursing - the best job in the world!

As the University of Hertfordshire welcomed its new cohort of just under 300 nursing students, an academic at the School of Nursing and Midwifery deems that nursing is the best job in the world.

1 Oct 2007

Origin of the mammalian lymphatic vasculature

In the October 1 issue of G&D, Dr. Guillermo Oliver (St. Jude Children's Research Hospital) and colleagues present new evidence to resolve a century-old debate over the origin of the mammalian lymphatic vasculature.

1 Oct 2007

Best weight-loss plans for heart health

Over the past three decades, the rising obesity epidemic has been accompanied by a proliferation of weight-loss plans. However, as a new study by researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) reveals, these weight-loss plans vary significantly in their ability to positively affect heart health.

1 Oct 2007