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World Multiple Sclerosis Day - 05/29/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/05/2013] Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological disease. Its different manifestations cause progressive forms of disability that strongly vary in severity. More than two million people are affected worldwide. For their whole lifetime, they have to deal both with the disease itself and its effects, once it has emerged.World Multiple Sclerosis Day - 05/29/2013 - Read more
New Molecule as a Tumour Killer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/05/2013] Scientists from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and Lund University, Sweden, have bioengineered a novel molecule which has been proven to successfully kill tumour cells. New Molecule as a Tumour Killer - Read more
Results in Developing Oral Vaccin
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/05/2013] The University of Gothenburg Vaccine Research Institute (GUVAX) announces successful results in a placebo controlled phase I study of an oral, inactivated Escherichia coli diarrhea vaccine. Results in Developing Oral Vaccin - Read more
Leading Explanations for Whooping Cough's Resurgence
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/05/2013] Whooping cough has exploded in the United States and some other developed countries in recent decades, and many experts suspect ineffective childhood vaccines for the alarming resurgence. Leading Explanations for Whooping Cough's Resurgence - Read more
50 Percent Increase in ICU Admissions
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/05/2013] A study of the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services (SPHHS) researchers offers an in-depth look at hospitals nationwide and admissions to intensive care units (ICU). The study finds a sharp increase — nearly 50 percent — in ICU admissions coming from United States’ emergency departments. 50 Percent Increase in ICU Admissions - Read more
Tumor-activated Protein Promotes Cancer Spread
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/05/2013] Researchers at the University of California report that cancers physically alter cells in the lymphatic system – a network of vessels that transports and stores immune cells throughout the body – to promote the spread of disease, a process called metastasis. Tumor-activated Protein Promotes Cancer Spread - Read more
Tool Shows which Kids at Greatest Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/05/2013] Researchers at Michigan State University have identified a test that can determine which children with malaria are likely to develop cerebral malaria, a much more life-threatening form of the disease. Tool Shows which Kids at Greatest Risk - Read more
Cells Control Neuronal Connections
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/05/2013] Environment moulds behaviour - and not just that of people in society, but also at the microscopic level. This is because, for their function, neurons are dependent on the cell environment, the so-termed extracellular matrix. Cells Control Neuronal Connections - Read more
Stage for Policies to Address Health Risks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/05/2013] For the first time, researchers from institutions around the United States have conducted an identical series of toxicology tests evaluating lung-related health impacts associated with widely used engineered nanomaterials (ENMs). Stage for Policies to Address Health Risks - Read more
Toxic Metals Found in Lipstick
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/05/2013] Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley's School of Public Health tested 32 different lipsticks and lip glosses commonly found in drugstores and department stores. They detected lead, cadmium, chromium, aluminum and five other metals, some of which were found at levels that could raise potential health concerns. Toxic Metals Found in Lipstick - Read more
Persistent Pain Has a Neurobiological Basis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/05/2013] A new study led by University of North Carolina School of Medicine researchers is the first to identify a genetic risk factor for persistent pain after traumatic events such as motor vehicle collision and sexual assault. Persistent Pain Has a Neurobiological Basis - Read more
Potential Novel Treatment Found
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/05/2013] An experimental drug has shown promise in treating influenza, preventing lung injury and death from the virus in preclinical studies, according to University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers. The scientists found that a drug called Eritoran can protect mice from death after they have been infected with a lethal dose of influenza virus. Potential Novel Treatment Found - Read more
World Asthma Day - 05/07/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/05/2013] On May 7th, 2013, the World Asthma Day will take place under the motto „You Can Control Your Asthma“. It was initiated in 1998 by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). On this day, organizations and associations worldwide inform about the chronic respiratory disease and call on the affected persons to control it.World Asthma Day - 05/07/2013 - Read more
The Many Faces of the Bacterial Defense System
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/05/2013] Even bacteria have a kind of immune system they use to defend themselves against unwanted intruders – in their case, viruses. Scientists at the Helmholtz Center for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany, were now able to show that this defense system is much more diverse than previously thought and that it comes in multiple versions. The Many Faces of the Bacterial Defense System - Read more
84 Million People Were Uninsured
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/04/2013] Eighty-four million people ― nearly half of all working-age adults in the United States ―went without health insurance for a time last year or had out-of-pocket costs that were so high relative to their income they were considered underinsured, according to the Commonwealth Fund 2012 Biennial Health Insurance Survey. 84 Million People Were Uninsured - Read more
Atrophy Associated with Multiple Sclerosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/04/2013] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of atrophy in an important area of the brain are an accurate predictor of multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a new study. According to the researchers, these atrophy measurements offer an improvement over current methods for evaluating patients at risk for MS. Atrophy Associated with Multiple Sclerosis - Read more
New Drug Combination Therapy Developed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/04/2013] A new, pre-clinical study by researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center suggests that a novel drug combination could lead to profound leukemia cell death by disrupting the function of two major pro-survival proteins. New Drug Combination Therapy Developed - Read more
World Malaria Day - 04/25/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/04/2013] About 219 million people around the world suffer from malaria; nearly one million of them die from it annually. Almost 90 percent of the victims are children under 5 years of age. For this reason, each year at April 25th the progress in the fight against malaria is highlighted.World Malaria Day - 04/25/2013 - Read more
Cholera Mutations Could Lead to Severe Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/04/2013] The cholera strain that transferred to Haiti in 2010 has multiple toxin gene mutations that may account for the severity of disease and is evolving to be more like a 1800s version of cholera, reports a new Northwestern University study. Cholera Mutations Could Lead to Severe Disease - Read more
Training Gives Kids of Patients a Leg Up
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/04/2013] A simple in-home training program for caregivers can give children of AIDS patients a better shot at prosperity by improving their early-childhood development, according to a study led by a Michigan State University (MSU) researcher. Training Gives Kids of Patients a Leg Up - Read more
Global Burden Is Triple Current Estimates
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/04/2013] The global burden of dengue infection is more than triple current estimates from the World Health Organization, according to a multinational study. Global Burden Is Triple Current Estimates - Read more
World Health Day - 04/07/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/04/2013] The World Health Organization celebrates its founding April 7th in 1948 with the World Health Day. This day is dedicated to another current health topic each year. In 2013, the focus is on high blood pressure (hypertension).World Health Day - 04/07/2013 - Read more
Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/04/2013] A new system for isolating rare circulating tumor cells (CTCs) – living solid tumor cells found at low levels in the bloodstream – shows significant improvement over previously developed devices and does not require prior identification of tumor-specific target molecules. Capture of Circulating Tumor Cells - Read more
New Nerve Cells Formed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/03/2013] The field of cell therapy, which aims to form new cells in the body in order to cure disease, has taken another important step in the development towards new treatments. A new report from researchers at Lund University in Sweden shows that it is possible to re-programme other cells to become nerve cells, directly in the brain. New Nerve Cells Formed - Read more
Insulin Pumps Impact Quality of Life
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/03/2013] Being treated for diabetes with an insulin pump, an aid that is attached to the body to provide a continuous supply of insulin, has a strong impact on a person’s quality of life. The pump can be a lifeline, but also a bothersome shackle. This is shown in a unique long-term study performed at the Dalarna University, Sweden in collaboration with the Uppsala University and Umeå University. Insulin Pumps Impact Quality of Life - Read more
The Thalamus Moves into the Spotlight
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/03/2013] A growing body of research by multiple sclerosis (MS) investigators at the University at Buffalo (UB) and international partners is providing powerful new evidence that the brain’s gray matter reflects important changes in the disease that could allow clinicians to diagnose earlier and to better monitor and predict how the disease will progress. The Thalamus Moves into the Spotlight - Read more
Key Role to Reduce Deaths
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/03/2013] A report by World Health Organization and University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Nursing shows that nursing and midwifery can have major impact on lifestyles changes and health outcomes. Key Role to Reduce Deaths - Read more
Unexplained Pain by Tissue Damage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/03/2013] The cause of unexplained pain among metal-on-metal hip implant patients is more likely to be tissue damage than wear of the implant, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) researchers have found. Unexplained Pain by Tissue Damage - Read more
Parents Won’t Vaccinate Their Daughters
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/03/2013] A rising percentage of parents say they won’t have their teen daughters vaccinated to protect against the human papilloma virus, even though physicians are increasingly recommending adolescent vaccinations, a study by Mayo Clinic and others shows. Parents Won’t Vaccinate Their Daughters - Read more
Predicting Hotspots for Future Outbreaks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/03/2013] This year's unusually long and rocky flu season would be nothing compared to the pandemic that could occur if bird flu became highly contagious among humans, which is why researchers of the University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) and their colleagues are creating new ways to predict where an outbreak could emerge. Predicting Hotspots for Future Outbreaks - Read more
Potential Early Indicator Identified
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/03/2013] A guidance cue that helps kidneys form may also be a red flag that they are in danger, researchers of Georgia Regents University report. Potential Early Indicator Identified - Read more
World Kidney Day - 03/14/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/03/2013] World Kidney Day is celebrated the second thursday in march since 2006. It is intended to raise awareness for the importance of our kidneys to overall health. “Kidneys for Life – Stop Kidney Attack!” – this is the slogan 2013.World Kidney Day - 03/14/2013 - Read more
Laser Scalpel: Current Research Promises Gentle Surgery
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/03/2013] [Intro:] The Picosecond Infrared Laser (PIRL), which was developed at the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), is intended to precisely cut down to the cell when used as a laser scalpel. During surgery, it avoids injuries to nerves or blood vessels and barely leaves any scarring.Laser Scalpel: Current Research Promises Gentle Surgery - Read more
Mortality Near 1 Percent per Hour
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/03/2013] The belief among medical professionals in the 1950s that the mortality rate for type A acute aortic dissection during the initial 24 hours was one to two percent per hour appears to hold true in the contemporary era of treatment, based on a review of the large-scale IRAD registry of the American College of Cardiology (ACC) Scientific Sessions. Mortality Near 1 Percent per Hour - Read more
Surgical Robots: Development Sector with a Future
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/03/2013] These days, robot-assisted surgery is part of the daily routine in many operating rooms. High precision and gentle surgery speak in favor of robotic surgery. However, high costs not just for the equipment, but also for its maintenance argue against it. Nevertheless, this development sector has a promising future.Surgical Robots: Development Sector with a Future - Read more
UK Lags Behind Europe
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/03/2013] A new paper reveals that UK lags behind much of Europe on key measures of health: British people spend more time with chronic illness and disability than most Europeans. Young adults are hit hard by alcohol and drug use. UK Lags Behind Europe - Read more
Personalized Medicine Eliminates Need for Drug
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2013] Using genome-wide analysis, investigators at the University of Montreal have potentially eliminated a lifetime drug prescription that two children with a previously unknown type of adrenal insufficiency had been receiving for 14 years. Personalized Medicine Eliminates Need for Drug - Read more
New Understanding of Latent Tuberculosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/01/2013] Forsyth scientists have gained new insight on how Tuberculosis (TB) remains a global epidemic. Although drugs have been available for 50 years, TB still infects nearly 2.2 billion people worldwide and causes 1.7 million annual deaths. New Understanding of Latent Tuberculosis - Read more
World Cancer Day - 02/04/2013
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/01/2013] World Cancer Day 2013 will focus on Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration by the Union of International Cancer Control (UICC): Until 2020, public attitudes towards cancer will improve. Under the tagline "Cancer - Did You Know?" damaging myths and misconceptions about the disease will be dispelled this year.World Cancer Day - 02/04/2013 - Read more
Oxygen Chamber Can Boost Brain Repair
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/01/2013] Doctor Shai Efrati of Tel Aviv University has found a way to restore a significant amount of neurological function in brain tissue thought to be chronically damaged — even years after initial injury. Oxygen Chamber Can Boost Brain Repair - Read more
Black Patients Not Prescribed Diuretics Enough
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/01/2013] A research study of more than 600 black patients with uncontrolled hypertension found that less than half were prescribed a diuretic drug with proven benefit that costs just pennies a day, report researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College. Black Patients Not Prescribed Diuretics Enough - Read more
Key to Proper Cell Division
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/01/2013] Studies led by cell biologist Thomas Maresca at the University of Massachusetts Amherst are revealing new details about a molecular surveillance system that helps detect and correct errors in cell division that can lead to cell death or human diseases. Key to Proper Cell Division - Read more
New Findings on Mortality
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/01/2013] A new study from Lund University in Sweden and Stanford University in the United States shows that the average life expectancy of men and women with schizophrenia is 15 years and 12 years shorter respectively than for those who do not suffer from the disease. New Findings on Mortality - Read more
Identifying Trauma Patients at Risk of Death
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/01/2013] A simple, inexpensive blood test performed on trauma patients upon admission can help doctors easily identify patients at greatest risk of death, according to a new study by researchers at Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Identifying Trauma Patients at Risk of Death - Read more
Treatment Strategy Could Save 1 Billion Dollars
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/01/2013] Replacing the combination of brand-name, antiretroviral drugs currently recommended for control of HIV infection with soon-to-be-available generic medications could be saved 1 billion Dollars a year but may diminish the effectiveness of HIV treatment. Treatment Strategy Could Save 1 Billion Dollars - Read more
Weight Gain After a Knee Replacement Surgery
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/01/2013] Patients who undergo knee replacement surgery may be at risk of gaining more weight than their peers who have not had the surgery, according to a five-year study led by a Virginia Commonwealth University professor. Weight Gain After a Knee Replacement Surgery - Read more
Costs and Effectiveness of Therapies
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/01/2013] A study of researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), compares how the major types of prostate cancer treatments stack up to each other in terms of saving lives and cost effectiveness. Costs and Effectiveness of Therapies - Read more
Italian Immigrants Live Longer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/01/2013] Immigrants from Italy live longer than members of their host country. However, the risk of mortality is considerably higher for their offspring than their Swiss counterparts. More exposed to the influences of the host country, the second generation detaches itself from the healthy southern, as a study conducted by the University of Zurich’s Institute of Social and Preventative Medicine reveals. Italian Immigrants Live Longer - Read more
How Morphine Increases Pain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/01/2013] For individuals with agonizing pain, it is a cruel blow when the gold-standard medication actually causes more pain. Adults and children whose pain gets worse when treated with morphine may be closer to a solution, based on a research. How Morphine Increases Pain - Read more
Low Wages Linked with Hypertension
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/01/2013] Workers earning the lowest wages have a higher risk of hypertension than workers with the highest wages, according to new research from University of California Davis. Low Wages Linked with Hypertension - Read more
Heart Cells Become 'Biological Pacemakers'
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/12/2012] Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute researchers have reprogrammed ordinary heart cells to become exact replicas of highly specialized pacemaker cells by injecting a single gene (Tbx18) – a major step forward in the search for a biological therapy to correct erratic heartbeats. Heart Cells Become 'Biological Pacemakers' - Read more
Longevity Increases Not Benefitting Everybody
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/12/2012] Global lifespans have risen dramatically in the past 40 years, but the increased life expectancy is not benefitting everybody equally, say University of Toronto researchers. In particular, adult males from low- and middle-income countries are losing ground. Longevity Increases Not Benefitting Everybody - Read more
Massive Shifts in the World Health Landscape
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/12/2012] Globally, health advances present most people with a devastating irony: avoid premature death but live longer and sicker. That is one of the main findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD 2010). Massive Shifts in the World Health Landscape - Read more
One in Four Uses Social Media Daily
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/12/2012] A new survey shows that about one in four physicians uses social media daily or multiple times a day to scan or explore medical information, and 14 percent use social media each day to contribute new information, according to the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center. One in Four Uses Social Media Daily - Read more
Checklist Can Reduce Costly Complications
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/12/2012] As the nation grapples with surging health care costs, researchers have confirmed two simple cost-effective methods to reduce expensive postoperative complications — communications team training and a surgical checklist. Checklist Can Reduce Costly Complications - Read more
Drag-and-drop DNA
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/12/2012] Using a simple "drag-and-drop" computer interface and DNA self-assembly techniques, researchers have developed a new approach for drug development that could drastically reduce the time required to create and test medications. Drag-and-drop DNA - Read more
World-AIDS-Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/11/2012] UNAIDS, the AIDS-organization of the United Nations, reports a decline in new HIV infections by more than 50 percent. Yet AIDS is still a serious threat to people all over the world. For this reason, every year on the 1st of December, World AIDS Day takes place.World-AIDS-Day - Read more
50 Percent Drop in New HIV Infections
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/11/2012] A new World AIDS Day report: Results, by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), shows that unprecedented acceleration in the AIDS response is producing results for people. 50 Percent Drop in New HIV Infections - Read more
Replication Machinery of Viruses Described
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/11/2012] Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have made a major advance in understanding how flu viruses replicate within infected cells. Replication Machinery of Viruses Described - Read more
Step Forward in Regenerating and Repairing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/11/2012] A team of researchers from the Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), led by Doctor Frédéric Charron, recently uncovered a nerve cell’s internal clock, used during embryonic development. Step Forward in Regenerating and Repairing - Read more
New Test Could Improve Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/11/2012] A new rapid test for tuberculosis (TB) could substantially and cost-effectively reduce TB deaths and improve treatment in southern Africa — a region where both HIV and tuberculosis are common — according to a new study by Harvard School of Public researchers. New Test Could Improve Treatment - Read more
„We are very pleased with the fair. We had lots of visitors at our stand every day”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/11/2012] CompuGroup Medical is one of the biggest exhibitors on MEDICA from the field of medical IT. In this year again, they have presented their products and solutions at a shared stand in hall 15. In the concluding interview from the last fair day, Volker Hess, Head of Marketing & Communications CER of CompuGroup Medical, told MEDICA.de that he is very pleased with the way the trade fair has gone. „We are very pleased with the fair. We had lots of visitors at our stand every day” - Read more
When Helper Cells Become Harmful
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/11/2012] In case of strokes, the immune system contributes to the brain injury. Scientists of the Universities of Würzburg and Münster, Germany, now show for the first time in which way certain T helper cells are involved in the process. When Helper Cells Become Harmful - Read more
Options for Leaders to Reduce Costs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/11/2012] Alliance to Reduce Disparities in Diabetes calls for national decision makers to consider local experience in reducing disparities in diabetes as health reform implementation advances. Options for Leaders to Reduce Costs - Read more
Touch-sensitive Plastic Skin Heals Itself
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/11/2012] Professor Zhenan Bao and her team of he Stanford School of Engineering has succeeded in making the first material that can both sense subtle pressure and heal itself when torn or cut. Touch-sensitive Plastic Skin Heals Itself - Read more
Physicians Fail to Disclose Conflicts of Interest
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/11/2012] As the use of Twitter and other social media by physicians and patients rises, more and more physicians seem to forget to do what many consider crucial for building doctor-patient trust: disclose potential conflicts of interest. Physicians Fail to Disclose Conflicts of Interest - Read more
Collaboration for the Developing World
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/11/2012] The International Diagnostics Centre (IDC), a global research collaboration hub, at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) will to undertake innovative research on new diagnostic tests to diagnose patients faster, more accurately and cost effectively. Collaboration for the Developing World - Read more
Fewer Hospitalizations and Deaths
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/11/2012] Laws that end smoking at work and other public places result in significantly fewer hospitalizations for heart attacks, strokes, asthma and other respiratory conditions, a new analysis from the University of California at San Francisco (UCSF) has found. Fewer Hospitalizations and Deaths - Read more
Early Treatment Sparks Striking Brain Changes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2012] When given early treatment, children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) made significant improvements in behavior, communication, and most strikingly, brain function, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in a new study. Early Treatment Sparks Striking Brain Changes - Read more
Cancer Data in The "Cloud"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/11/2012] Storing music and photos on distant computers via "cloud" technology is nothing new. But Johns Hopkins researchers are now using this tactic to collect detailed information from thousands of cancer cell samples. Cancer Data in The "Cloud" - Read more
Increased Risk for Death from Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/11/2012] Measuring blood levels of high-sensitive C-reactive protein, an important marker of inflammation, in apparently cancer-free men could potentially help identify those at increased risk for death from cancer, in particular lung cancer, according to a research. Increased Risk for Death from Cancer - Read more
CeramTec: “Every 30 seconds a hip joint prosthesis by CeramTec is implanted”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/11/2012] High quality ceramic products play an increasingly important role in medical technology. From lithotripters about hip prosthesis up to anesthesia devices – Advanced Ceramic is used in a variety of medical equipments, but also in the human body.CeramTec: “Every 30 seconds a hip joint prosthesis by CeramTec is implanted” - Read more
Softening Arteries, Protecting The Heart
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/11/2012] Researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Wistar Institute, and The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia have discovered that the protein apolipoprotein E (apoE) plays a major role in maintaining arterial softness by suppressing production of the extracellular matrix, a network of connective tissue in the body. Softening Arteries, Protecting The Heart - Read more
Improving Medical Research Education
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/10/2012] Fostering and improving medical research education is crucial to biomedical research and clinical patient treatment, and as such it has been identified as the main challenge in every joint European Science Foundation (ESF) - European Research Medical Councils (EMRC) strategy report. Improving Medical Research Education - Read more
Feeling the Force of Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/10/2012] The research group of Professor Roderick Lim in collaboration with Doctor Cora-Ann Schönenberger from the University of Basel, reveal how the unique nanomechanical properties of breast cancer cells are fundamental to the process of metastasis. Feeling the Force of Cancer - Read more
Strategy for "Choosing Wisely"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/10/2012] Cutting the expenses associated with "low-value" medical tests and treatments – such as unnecessary imaging tests and antibiotics for viral infections that won't benefit from them – will require a multi-pronged plan targeting insurance companies, patients, and physicians, according to a study of the University of Pennsylvania. Strategy for "Choosing Wisely" - Read more
Electronic Devices Linked to Poor Sleep And Obesity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/10/2012] Children who bask in the nighttime glow of a TV or computer do not get enough rest and suffer from poor lifestyle habits, new research from the University of Alberta has shown. Electronic Devices Linked to Poor Sleep And Obesity - Read more
Blood Stem Cells Versus Bone Marrow
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/10/2012] Doctor Claudio Anasetti of the Department of Blood & Marrow Transplant at Moffitt Cancer Center, and colleagues from 47 research sites conducted a two-year clinical trial comparing two-year survival probabilities for patients transplanted with peripheral blood stem cells or bone marrow stem cells from unrelated donors. Blood Stem Cells Versus Bone Marrow - Read more
Eliminating Infectious Bacteria
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/10/2012] Researchers of the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) have improved the antimicrobial properties of medical textiles using an enzymatic pre-treatment combined with simultaneous deposition of nanoparticles and biopolymers under ultrasonic irradiation. Eliminating Infectious Bacteria - Read more
World Osteoporosis Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2012] World Osteoporosis Day was observed annually on 20 October, and launches a year-long campaign dedicated to raising global awareness of the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease.World Osteoporosis Day - Read more
Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/10/2012] A new study by the University of Colorado Denver reveals that today's adolescents are abusing prescription pain medications like vicodin, valium and oxycontin at a rate 40 percent higher than previous generations. Epidemic of Prescription Drug Abuse - Read more
Decline in Deaths for Most Men and Women
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/10/2012] Overall death rates due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection declined over time between 1993 and 2007 for most men and women by race/ethnicity and educational levels, with the largest absolute decreases for nonwhites, but rates remain high among blacks, according to a study. Decline in Deaths for Most Men and Women - Read more
Fast-tracked Drug Approvals Can Put Public at Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/10/2012] Drugs streamed into Health Canada's accelerated review process are more likely to be withdrawn from the market or earn a serious safety warning than those that undergo the standard review, according to a study of York University. Fast-tracked Drug Approvals Can Put Public at Risk - Read more
Superheroes Needed to Tackle Timebomb
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/10/2012] The research, an international collaboration from the Universities of Leeds, Alberta and Wisconsin, calls for government and policy makers to recognise the role that public health leaders can play in addressing these significant health challenges. Superheroes Needed to Tackle Timebomb - Read more
Rebuilding in The Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/10/2012] In patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, the brain is capable of compensating for certain disorders to some extent. How it does this has been examined in detail by medics from Würzburg University Hospital. Their findings may help to improve treatment. Rebuilding in The Brain - Read more
MRI Technique Could Reduce Biopsies
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/10/2012] Water diffusion measurements with MRI could decrease false-positive breast cancer results and reduce preventable biopsies, according to a new study. Researchers said the technique also could improve patient management by differentiating high-risk lesions requiring additional workup from other non-malignant subtypes. MRI Technique Could Reduce Biopsies - Read more
Should Aspirin Be Used to Prevent Cancer?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/10/2012] Aspirin, the everyday drug taken by countless people around the world to ward off pain and reduce their risk of developing heart disease, may have a new trick up its sleeve – preventing cancer. Should Aspirin Be Used to Prevent Cancer? - Read more
Messages Can Influence Infectious Disease Stigmas
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/10/2012] Crafting public health messages about a disease may create stigmas that influence how likely people are to endorse certain interventions, such as isolating infected persons, forcing treatment on them and mapping their location, according to a Penn State researcher. Messages Can Influence Infectious Disease Stigmas - Read more
Robots Uncover Stroke Disabilities
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/10/2012] When it comes to stroke rehabilitation, it takes a dedicated team to help a person regain as much independence as possible: physicians, nurses, physiotherapists and others. Now, a University of Calgary research team had added a robot to help identify and customize post-stroke therapy. Robots Uncover Stroke Disabilities - Read more
T-Systems: Making mobile medical rounds with Smartphones and tablets
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/10/2012] More and more hospital employees appreciate the potential of mobile working with Smartphones and tablets. Quick access to clinical data in day-to-day work life streamlines information search processes, can relieve physicians and supports the quality of medical care of patients. Deutsche (German)Telekom presents new solutions for healthcare. T-Systems: Making mobile medical rounds with Smartphones and tablets - Read more
Making Headway on Beta-blockers and Sleep
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/09/2012] Over 20 million people in the United States take beta-blockers. Many of these same people also have trouble sleeping. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) have found that melatonin supplementation significantly improved sleep in hypertensive patients taking beta-blockers. Making Headway on Beta-blockers and Sleep - Read more
Scientists Prevent Heart Failure in Mice
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/09/2012] Cardiac stress, for example a heart attack or high blood pressure, frequently leads to pathological heart growth and subsequently to heart failure. Two tiny RNA molecules play a key role in this detrimental development in mice, as researchers have now discovered. Scientists Prevent Heart Failure in Mice - Read more
Antibiotics Could Replace Surgery
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/09/2012] Although the standard approach to acute appendicitis is to remove the appendix, a study at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, reveals that treatment with antibiotics can be just as effective in many cases. Antibiotics Could Replace Surgery - Read more
How Immune Cells Defend Themselves Against HIV
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/09/2012] A team of scientists led by virologists Professor Oliver T. Fackler and Professor Oliver T. Keppler from Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany, have decoded a mechanism used by the human immune system to protect itself from HIV viruses. How Immune Cells Defend Themselves Against HIV - Read more
Exposing Cancer's Lethal Couriers
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/09/2012] Malignant cells that leave a primary tumor, travel the bloodstream and grow out of control in new locations cause the vast majority of cancer deaths. New nanotechnology developed at Case Western Reserve University detects these metastases in mouse models of breast cancer far earlier than current methods, a step toward earlier, life-saving diagnosis and treatment. Exposing Cancer's Lethal Couriers - Read more
Inner City and Suburbs Children Have Different Illnesses
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/09/2012] In a new study researchers from the University of Wisconsin in Madison investigated viral respiratory illnesses and their possible role in the development of asthma in urban versus suburban babies. Inner City and Suburbs Children Have Different Illnesses - Read more
Heart Health Starts Earlier than You Think
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/09/2012] On World Heart Day, 29th September, the World Heart Federation is calling for people – specifically mothers who are gatekeepers to the home – to take action now to protect their own heart health, as well as that of their children and families to safeguard future generations. Heart Health Starts Earlier than You Think - Read more
Pacific Islanders Have High Obesity and Smoking Rates
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/09/2012] In the first study to detail the health of Pacific Islanders living in the United States, University of Michigan researchers have found alarmingly high rates of obesity and smoking. Pacific Islanders Have High Obesity and Smoking Rates - Read more
“People take a reserved stance towards naturopathic procedures"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/09/2012] When people talk about fasting, they often mean caloric restriction in terms of a dietary regimen. Yet medically supervised fasting is so much more than this. Fasting has a positive effect on the human body in many different ways and could provide new perspectives for chronically sick people in the future. What mechanisms are behind all this – what is psychology and what is scientifically proven? “People take a reserved stance towards naturopathic procedures" - Read more
Dramatically Effective Against Strokes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/09/2012] Every two minutes someone in Germany suffers a stroke, yet there are hardly any effective treatments. Scientists from the University of Würzburg are now pursuing a new approach: inhibiting a blood protein seems to mitigate the negative consequences of strokes quite dramatically. Dramatically Effective Against Strokes - Read more
Economic Pressures Altering Disease Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/09/2012] The pressures of global trade may heighten disease incidence by dictating changes in land use. A boom in disease-carrying ticks and chiggers has followed the abandonment of rice cultivation in Taiwanese paddies, say ecologist Chi-Chien Kuo and colleagues, demonstrating the potential for global commodities pricing to drive the spread of infections. Economic Pressures Altering Disease Risk - Read more
Boosting Efficacy of Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/09/2012] Nanoparticles have shown great promise in the targeted delivery of drugs to cells, but researchers at the University of Georgia have refined the drug delivery process further by using nanoparticles to deliver drugs to a specific organelle within cells. Boosting Efficacy of Drugs - Read more
World Alzheimer’s Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/09/2012] Dementia diseases affect more and more people - there are currently about 35 million patients worldwide. By 2050 the number will rise to an estimated 115 million. In order to raise attention for the situation of Alzheimer's patients, every year on 21 September, the World Alzheimer's Day takes place.World Alzheimer’s Day - Read more
The Mystery of The Third Signal
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/09/2012] At least three protective mechanisms defend the lungs against erroneous attacks by the body's own immune system. This was discovered by the Immuneregulation research group of Professor Dunja Bruder at the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig, Germany. The Mystery of The Third Signal - Read more
The Dangers of Exposure to Light at Night
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/09/2012] A panel of world experts discussed “Light Pollution and its Ecophysiological Consequences” and shed light on the extent of the dangers and harm that night-time artificial lighting causes, emphasizing that it is the short wavelength illumination that we have come to know as “eco-friendly illumination” that is causing the most harm (primarily LED lighting). The Dangers of Exposure to Light at Night - Read more
Access to Care Differ by Parents' Immigrant Status
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/09/2012] Health is an important part of development, with links to how children do cognitively and academically, and it's a strong predictor of adult health and productivity. A new study of low-income families in the United States has found that children's health and access to health care services differ according to the immigrant status of their parents. Access to Care Differ by Parents' Immigrant Status - Read more
Gaps Between Eastern and Western Europe
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/08/2012] The EHRA White Book by the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) reports on the current status of arrhythmia treatments in the 54 member of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) countries and has been published every year since 2008. Gaps Between Eastern and Western Europe - Read more
Infections: African Antimalarial Research Bears First Fruit
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/08/2012] A recently discovered compound from the aminopyridine class, code named MMV390048, caused quite a stir at the Expert Scientific Advisory Committee (ESAC) of Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) meeting in Toulouse, France.Infections: African Antimalarial Research Bears First Fruit - Read more
Medical Exemptions from School Vaccination Requirements
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/08/2012] In states where medical exemptions from vaccination requirements for kindergarten students are easier to get, exemption rates are higher, potentially compromising herd immunity and posing a threat to children and others who truly should not be immunized because of underlying conditions, according to a study. Medical Exemptions from School Vaccination Requirements - Read more
WalkMate System for Improving the Quality of Life
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/08/2012] Tokyo Institut of Technology‘s researchers have developed an innovative, non-invasive therapeutic intervention that may improve the mobility, stability, and quality of life of Parkinson’s disease patients. WalkMate System for Improving the Quality of Life - Read more
New Scanner Halves Radiation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/08/2012] Current cancer examinations involve high levels of radiation. Based on the Big Bang research in CERN, particle physicists at University in Oslo have created a brand new technology that combines the PET and MR medical imaging technologies. This combination involves much less radiation than current technology. New Scanner Halves Radiation - Read more
Therapeutic Avenues for Parkinson's Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/08/2012] Body's own hormone shows promise in protecting dopamine, leading to possible treatments. Now, scientists at the University of Houston (UH) have discovered what may possibly be a key ingredient in the fight against Parkinson's disease. Therapeutic Avenues for Parkinson's Disease - Read more
Close Contact with Young People Has No Effect
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/08/2012] Researchers, doctors and patients tend to agree that during the high-risk period after an attempted suicide, the treatment of choice is close contact, follow-up and personal interaction in order to prevent a tragic repeat. Now, however, new research shows that this strategy does not work. Close Contact with Young People Has No Effect - Read more
Antibiotic Use in Infants Before 6 Months
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/08/2012] Treating very young infants with antibiotics may predispose them to being overweight in childhood, according to a study of more than 10,000 children by researchers at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine. Antibiotic Use in Infants Before 6 Months - Read more
Public Health Needs a Radical Shake Up
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/08/2012] Professor Gerard Hastings from the Institute for Social Marketing at the University of Stirling argues that marketing by multinational corporations "threatens our mental wellbeing, exacerbates inequalities, and encourages unsustainable consumption." Public Health Needs a Radical Shake Up - Read more
“Bruce Lee helps us to fight lung tumors”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/08/2012] In many movies, Bruce Lee fights against different villains with Asian fighting methods. Even though scientists at the GSI Helmholz Center for Heavy Ion Research (GSI Helmholzzentrum für Schwerionenforschung) use other techniques to fight lung cancer, they work at least as effectively as the 70’s movie icon with their thorax model “Bruce Lee”. “Bruce Lee helps us to fight lung tumors” - Read more
Secondhand Smoke Impairs Vital Cough Reflex
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/08/2012] New research from the Monell Center reveals that exposure to secondhand smoke decreases sensitivity to cough-eliciting respiratory irritants in otherwise healthy children and adolescents. Secondhand Smoke Impairs Vital Cough Reflex - Read more
Nanoscale Scaffolds and Stem Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/08/2012] Johns Hopkins tissue engineers have used tiny, artificial fibre scaffolds thousands of times smaller than a human hair to help coax stem cells into developing into cartilage, the shock-absorbing lining of elbows and knees that often wears thin from injury or age. Nanoscale Scaffolds and Stem Cells - Read more
An Artificial Retina Restores Normal Vision
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/08/2012] Two researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have deciphered a mouse's retina's neural code and coupled this information to a novel prosthetic device to restore sight to blind mice. The researchers say they have also cracked the code for a monkey retina and hope to quickly design and test a device that blind humans can use. An Artificial Retina Restores Normal Vision - Read more
Blocking Addiction of Heroin and Morphine
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/08/2012] In a major breakthrough, an international team of scientists has proven that addiction to morphine and heroin can be blocked, while at the same time increasing pain relief. Blocking Addiction of Heroin and Morphine - Read more
Acute Stress Alters Control of Gene Activity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/08/2012] Acute stress alters the methylation of the DNA and thus the activity of certain genes. This is reported by researchers at the Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany, together with colleagues from Basel, Trier and London for the first time. Acute Stress Alters Control of Gene Activity - Read more
New Method May Allow Personalized Clinical Trial
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/08/2012] An approach, developed by investigators at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, shows that erlotinib – a targeted therapy that acts on a growth factor receptor mutated in some lung, brain and other cancers – does not simply kill tumor cells as was previously assumed. New Method May Allow Personalized Clinical Trial - Read more
They Hurt Your Head but Not Your Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/08/2012] Migraines currently affect about 20 percent of the female population, and while these headaches are common, there are many unanswered questions surrounding this complex disease. According to new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), migraines are not associated with cognitive decline. They Hurt Your Head but Not Your Brain - Read more
Small Change, Major Effect
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/08/2012] Researchers from Munich and Naples have shown that minimal modification of a synthetic peptide with anti-HIV activity results in a new compound with more than two orders of magnitude higher binding affinity to the chemokine receptor CXCR4 and greatly improved anti-HIV activity. Small Change, Major Effect - Read more
New Method Unmasks Chronic Infections
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/08/2012] With the aid of tiny silicon tubes, scientists have been able for the first time to observe directly bacteria in chronic infections. Researchers can now see precisely how bacteria and the immune system interact in living tissue. New Method Unmasks Chronic Infections - Read more
Risk of Stroke from Cardiac Catheterizations
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/08/2012] When a patient undergoes a cardiac catheterization procedure such as a balloon angioplasty, there's a slight risk of a stroke or other neurological complications. While the risk is extremely small, neurologists nevertheless may expect to see catheterization-induced complications because so many procedures are performed, according to researchers of Loyola University. Risk of Stroke from Cardiac Catheterizations - Read more
White Blood Cells Mediate Insulin Resistance
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/08/2012] Researchers at the University of California, San Diego say neutrophils, an abundant type of white blood cell typically tasked with attacking bacteria and other foreign invaders, also plays an unexpected role in mediating insulin resistance – the central characteristic of type 2 diabetes, which afflicts an estimated 26 million Americans. White Blood Cells Mediate Insulin Resistance - Read more
Economic Development Does Not Eradicate Dysentry
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/08/2012] Researchers of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute have found that a bacterium that emerged centuries ago in Europe has now been spreading globally into countries undergoing rapid development and industrialization. Economic Development Does Not Eradicate Dysentry - Read more
New Approach to Treat Acute Failure
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/08/2012] Now the physicians of the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) Berlin, Germany, have developed a new treatment of liver failure approach based on a mouse model. In their current study the liver failure was reversed and the mice recovered completely. The researchers hope to soon be able to test their new approach in clinical trials. New Approach to Treat Acute Failure - Read more
Infants Have Higher Asthma Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/08/2012] In the United States, one in 10 children suffers from asthma. Researchers of the University of Cincinnati now report new evidence that exposure to three types of mold during infancy may have a direct link to asthma development during childhood. Infants Have Higher Asthma Risk - Read more
Tobacco Control Strategy is Delivering Results
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/08/2012] The International Tobacco Control Policy Evaluation Project (the ITC Project) launched a new report on the effectiveness of tobacco control policies in Uruguay. Tobacco Control Strategy is Delivering Results - Read more
Assistance for The Elderly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/08/2012] A team of EU-funded researchers has developed a robotic companion and intelligent home environment that could help elderly people live richer and more independent lives and reduce the burden placed on healthcare services. Assistance for The Elderly - Read more
Earning Potential for People with HIV
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/08/2012] In a first-of-its-kind health campaign in Uganda, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill show that adults with HIV who had less severe infections could work more hours per week, and their children were more likely to be enrolled in school. Earning Potential for People with HIV - Read more
Autoantibodies Damage Blood Vessels in The Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/08/2012] The presence of specific autoantibodies of the immune system is associated with blood vessel damage in the brain. These findings were made by researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) Berlin, Germany, in studies on a rat model. Autoantibodies Damage Blood Vessels in The Brain - Read more
Kidney Removal and Erectile Dysfunction
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/07/2012] Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have identified a link between patients who undergo total nephrectomy - complete kidney removal - and erectile dysfunction. Kidney Removal and Erectile Dysfunction - Read more
Safety Program Lowers Infections
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/07/2012] A surgical patient safety program that combines three components — accurate outcome measurement, support of hospital leadership, and engaged frontline providers — reduces surgical site infections (SSIs) by 33 per cent in patients who undergo colorectal procedures, according to a new study. Safety Program Lowers Infections - Read more
Higher Cancer Rates in Roofers
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/07/2012] A University of Colorado Cancer Centre study shows that roofers have higher PAH blood-levels after working a shift and that these high levels of PAHs are linked with increased rates of DNA damage, and potentially with higher cancer risk. Higher Cancer Rates in Roofers - Read more
World Hepatitis Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/07/2012] On 28 July 2012 was World Hepatitis Day. The topic of this year was: “This is hepatitis… It’s closer than you think.”World Hepatitis Day - Read more
How Malnutrition Leads to Inflamed Intestines
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/07/2012] Researchers at the Institute of Molecular Biotechnology in Vienna, Austria, have uncovered how malnutrition, affecting millions of people, leads to diarrhoea, inflamed intestines and immune system disorders. How Malnutrition Leads to Inflamed Intestines - Read more
Medical Follow-up Is Less Than Optimal
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/07/2012] Follow-up exams for patients with celiac disease are often inadequate and highly variable, according to a new study of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA). Medical Follow-up Is Less Than Optimal - Read more
Half of Deaths Could Be Avoided with Regulation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/07/2012] Population level prevention produces greater impacts on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) than individualised approaches, according to the European Society of Cardiology (ESC). Half of Deaths Could Be Avoided with Regulation - Read more
New Lipid Screening Guidelines for Children
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/07/2012] Recent guidelines recommending cholesterol tests for children fail to weigh health benefits against potential harms and costs, according to three physician-researchers at University of California – San Francisco. New Lipid Screening Guidelines for Children - Read more
Chagas – a Neglected Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/07/2012] Chagas disease is a deadly tropical illness. It is passed to humans by insects and contaminated blood transfusions, and can also be passed from mother to embryo. Around the world, almost 10 million people are infected with the disease. Chagas – a Neglected Disease - Read more
Nerve Stimulation Can Help Reorganise Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/07/2012] University of Texas at Dallas researchers recently demonstrated how nerve stimulation paired with specific experiences, such as movements or sounds, can reorganise the brain. This technology could lead to new treatments for stroke, tinnitus, autism and other disorders. Nerve Stimulation Can Help Reorganise Brain - Read more
Botanical Compound Crucial to Healing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/07/2012] Building on previous work with the botanical abscisic acida, researchers in the Nutritional Immunology and Molecular Medicine Laboratory (NIMML) have discovered that abscisic acid has anti-inflammatory effects in the lungs as well as in the gut. Botanical Compound Crucial to Healing - Read more
Identifying Viruses on The Spot
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/07/2012] Dengue fever is a disease passed to humans by mosquitoes. Millions of people every year are infected worldwide, and around 4,000–5,000 of these cases will suffer severe complications or death. Dengue fever most commonly affects young people. Identifying Viruses on The Spot - Read more
Experimental Drug May Extend Therapeutic Window
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/07/2012] A team led by a physician-scientist at the University of Southern California (USC) has created an experimental drug that reduces brain damage and improves motor skills among stroke-afflicted rodents when given with federally approved clot-busting therapy. Experimental Drug May Extend Therapeutic Window - Read more
Increased Risk of Adult Heart Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/07/2012] Cedars-Sinai researchers have linked Kawasaki Disease, a serious childhood illness that causes inflammation of blood vessels throughout the body, with early-onset and accelerated atherosclerosis, a leading cause of heart disease in adults. Increased Risk of Adult Heart Disease - Read more
Reducing Mortality and Morbidity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/07/2012] Establishing a more stringent ozone standard in the United States would significantly reduce ozone-related premature mortality and morbidity, according to a new study. Reducing Mortality and Morbidity - Read more
Revised Geographic Adjustments to Improve Payments
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/07/2012] Changing the way that Medicare payments are adjusted to account for regional variations in the cost of providing care as recommended by a previous report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) would result in payment increases for some hospitals and practitioners and decreases for others. Revised Geographic Adjustments to Improve Payments - Read more
Cancer Drugs with Gene Targets
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/07/2012] A new study of NIH/National Cancer Institute details how a suite of web-based tools provides the research community with greatly improved capacity to compare data derived from large collections of genomic information against thousands of drugs. Cancer Drugs with Gene Targets - Read more
New Insights into the Parkinson’s Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/07/2012] Scientists at the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research and the University Hospital of Tübingen have –as leaders of a large, international joint study – demonstrated the significance of new genetic risk factors for Parkinson’s disease in different population groups. New Insights into the Parkinson’s Disease - Read more
Virus Throws a Wrench in The Immune System
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/07/2012] The cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a member of the herpes virus family. Although most people carry CMV for life, it hardly ever makes them sick. Researchers from the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and from the USA have now unveiled long term consequences of the on-going presence of CMV. Virus Throws a Wrench in The Immune System - Read more
Relieving Respiratory Distress
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/07/2012] If a person‘s windpipe is constricted, an operation in which the surgeon inserts a stent to enlarge the trachea is often the only way to relieve their respiratory distress. Relieving Respiratory Distress - Read more
“An overview for science and the public”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/07/2012] Every day, patients and test persons give blood or tissue samples. Every day this increases the material quantities and data volumes in biobanks. The German Biobank Registry (Das Deutsche Biobanken-Register) now gives scientists and the interested public an overall view of the national inventories. “An overview for science and the public” - Read more
Gene Mutation Lead to Enlarged Brain Size, Cancer, Autism, Epilepsy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/07/2012] A research team led by Seattle Children's Research Institute has discovered new gene mutations associated with markedly enlarged brain size, or megalencephaly. Mutations in three genes, AKT3, PIK3R2 and PIK3CA, were also found to be associated with a constellation of disorders including cancer, hydrocephalus, epilepsy, autism, vascular anomalies and skin growth disorders. Gene Mutation Lead to Enlarged Brain Size, Cancer, Autism, Epilepsy - Read more
"We can arrive considerably faster at the patient-specific mutations"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/07/2012] Some scientific problems cannot be solved by using simple means. They require a fast “superbrain“ to be able to process and draw conclusions from extremely complex data. Now scientists at the Charité in collaboration with the Hasso-Plattner-Institute have launched a high-performance computer that could become important for personalized medicine. "We can arrive considerably faster at the patient-specific mutations" - Read more
Biodegradable Artery Graft to Enhance Bypass Surgeries
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/06/2012] University of Pittsburgh’s cell-free, biodegradable artery graft results in a regenerated artery in 90 days, leaving behind no trace of synthetic graft materials in the body. Biodegradable Artery Graft to Enhance Bypass Surgeries - Read more
Blue Blood of the Emperor Scorpion X-rayed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/06/2012] Biologists from Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany, are the first to successfully crystallise the hemocyanin of the emperor scorpion to shed new light on the structure and active site of the giant oxygen transport protein. Blue Blood of the Emperor Scorpion X-rayed - Read more
Low Steroid Levels Linked to Increased Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/06/2012] Low levels of a naturally occurring steroid are associated with an increased risk of heart and blood-vessel disease in elderly men, a new study finds. Low Steroid Levels Linked to Increased Risk - Read more
Device Managed Effective Incontinence
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/06/2012] A device developed by Loyola University Health System (LUHS) researchers used to prevent incontinence in women who undergo a common pelvic-floor surgery reduces symptoms but increases side effects in these patients. Device Managed Effective Incontinence - Read more
Call for More Research
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/06/2012] When a neurologist and neurosurgeon believe deep brain stimulation may help a patient suffering from Parkinson’s disease they target either of two structures – the internal globus pallidus or the subthalamic nucleus – in an area of the brain that controls voluntary muscle movements. Call for More Research - Read more
Omega-3 Lowers Inflammation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/06/2012] New research shows that omega-3 fatty acid supplements can lower inflammation in healthy, but overweight, middle-aged and older adults, suggesting that regular use of these supplements could help protect against and treat certain illnesses. Omega-3 Lowers Inflammation - Read more
Cause of Pain in the Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/06/2012] Apply the ointment, light on, light off – that is how easy it is to cure various forms of non-melanoma skin cancer. However, the majority of patients suffer severe pain during the so-termed photodynamic therapy. Why the treatment can be so painful has now been uncovered. Cause of Pain in the Treatment - Read more
Time to Act on COPD
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/06/2012] The European COPD Coalition (ECC) is using the presence of a major international conference on lung health in Birmingham in England (COPD8) to call for lung testing to be a basic health right for all across Europe and better training for healthcare professionals. Time to Act on COPD - Read more
Psoriasis Increases Risk of Diabetes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/06/2012] Psoriasis is an independent risk for Type 2 Diabetes, according to a new study by researchers of the University of Pennsylvania, with the greatest risk seen in patients with severe psoriasis. Psoriasis Increases Risk of Diabetes - Read more
Protection Against Cardiovascular Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/06/2012] University of Minnesota Medical School researchers discovered an enzyme that, when found at high levels and alongside low levels of HDL (good cholesterol), can dramatically reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Protection Against Cardiovascular Disease - Read more
Virtual Colonoscopy Equals Standard
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/06/2012] Computed tomographic colonography (CTC), also known as virtual colonoscopy, administered without laxatives is as accurate as conventional colonoscopy in detecting clinically significant, potentially cancerous polyps, according to a study. Virtual Colonoscopy Equals Standard - Read more
Marker Distinguishes More-Aggressive Form
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/06/2012] People newly diagnosed with chronic leukaemia must often wait to learn if they have a faster- or slower-progressing form of the disease. This study identified a molecular marker that quickly helps to distinguish which form a patient has. The findings could enable patients with aggressive disease to start treatment sooner. Marker Distinguishes More-Aggressive Form - Read more
Development Stagnated for Twenty Years
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/06/2012] The development of body-powered prosthetic hands has stagnated for over twenty years. That is the main conclusion of a study by researchers from Delft University of Technology and the University of Groningen into this type of prosthesis. Development Stagnated for Twenty Years - Read more
Web-based Tool Helps Children with Asthma
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/06/2012] New study results from Seattle Children's Research Institute found that parents who used an interactive website to track their child's usage of asthma controller medications, improved compliance with asthma controller medication use. Web-based Tool Helps Children with Asthma - Read more
World Blood Donor Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/06/2012] On 14 June, countries worldwide celebrated World Blood Donor Day with events to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary unpaid blood donors for their life-saving gifts of blood. The theme of the 2012 World Blood Donor Day campaign, “Every blood donor is a hero” focuses on the idea that every one of us can become a hero by giving blood.World Blood Donor Day - Read more
How Infection Can Lead to Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/06/2012] One of the biggest risk factors for liver, colon or stomach cancer is chronic inflammation of those organs, often caused by viral or bacterial infections. A new study from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) offers the most comprehensive look yet at how such infections provoke tissues into becoming cancerous. How Infection Can Lead to Cancer - Read more
Protected From Diabetic Eye Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/06/2012] Researchers at Joslin Diabetes Centre have completed a study of 158 people who have lived with type 1 diabetes (T1D) for 50 years or more with eye examinations and have concluded that a high proportion of this unique group of patients developed little to no diabetic eye disease over time. Protected From Diabetic Eye Disease - Read more
Risk of Stroke for Normal-weight Adults
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/06/2012] Habitually sleeping less than six hours a night significantly increases the risk of stroke symptoms among middle-age to older adults who are of normal weight and at low risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study of 5,666 people followed for up to three years. Risk of Stroke for Normal-weight Adults - Read more
Synthetic Vaccine Effective in Killing Tumours
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/06/2012] Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Centre have developed and tested in mice a synthetic vaccine and found it effective in killing human papillomavirus-derived cancer, a virus linked to cervical cancers among others. Synthetic Vaccine Effective in Killing Tumours - Read more
City Kids Have More Food Allergies
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/06/2012] Children living in urban centres have a much higher prevalence of food allergies than those living in rural areas, according to a new study, which is the first to map children's food allergies by geographical location in the United States. City Kids Have More Food Allergies - Read more
Increased Mortality Risk Older People
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/06/2012] Older people with large waistlines have a higher mortality rate than those with a slim waistline. This was shown in a new study conducted by the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Increased Mortality Risk Older People - Read more
"There is an enormous automation in laboratory techniques"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/06/2012] The function of systems biology is to treat organs and biological organisms as a whole. In doing so, researchers among other things examine interactions and different aspects of the human cell. This still young discipline creates interfaces to biology, mathematics and physics to be able to understand regulatory processes for cells, tissues and organisms and thus get an integrated idea. "There is an enormous automation in laboratory techniques" - Read more
Air Pollution Linked to Chronic Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/06/2012] Air pollution, a serious danger to the environment, is also a major health risk, associated with respiratory infections, lung cancer and heart disease. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has concluded that not only does air pollution impact cardiac events such as heart attack and stroke, but it also causes repeated episodes over the long term. Air Pollution Linked to Chronic Disease - Read more
Cell Contents for Controlling Toxicity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/06/2012] New research into the cell-damaging effects of Huntington's disease suggests a potentially new approach for identifying possible therapeutic targets for treating the nerve-destroying disorder. Cell Contents for Controlling Toxicity - Read more
Hope for More Effective Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/06/2012] Research by an optometrist at the University of Houston (UH) supports the continued investigation of optical treatments that attempt to slow the progression of nearsightedness in children. Hope for More Effective Treatment - Read more
Worse Prognosis for Younger Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2012] Younger patients with colorectal cancer were more likely to present advanced stage tumours at diagnosis and metastasize much sooner, yet had better than or equal survival to patients 50 and older, according to a study led by Doctor Edith Mitchell of Thomas Jefferson University. Worse Prognosis for Younger Patients - Read more
”Interoperability is still not developed“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2012] Exchanging medical topics through digital media is rapidly on the rise. Health apps in particular, offer interested people and patients a medical overall service package: whether it is measuring vital signs, the prevention of falling in patients with Parkinson’s disease or providing recommendations for healthy eating. ”Interoperability is still not developed“ - Read more
Links Between Inflammation and Chronic Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/05/2012] A new Northwestern University study done in lowland Ecuador remarkably finds no evidence of chronic low-grade inflammation – associated with diseases of aging like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and dementia. Links Between Inflammation and Chronic Disease - Read more
World MS Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/05/2012] Multiple sclerosis (MS) is called the disease of 1,000 faces. For each patient the neurological disease is different. In addition, it is often diagnosed as such very late: Doctors in Germany diagnose the illness three to four years after onset of symptoms in most cases. World MS Day (WMSD) on 30th Mai, 2012 is the only global awareness raising campaign for Multiple Sclerosis (MS).World MS Day - Read more
Improving Diet and Physical Activity Behaviour
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/05/2012] A new study, supported in part by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health, suggests that a combination of mobile technology and remote coaching holds promise in encouraging healthier eating and physical activity behaviour in adults. The study focused on the best way to change multiple health behaviours. Improving Diet and Physical Activity Behaviour - Read more
"Personality Genes" May Help Account for Longevity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/05/2012] Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine have found that personality traits like being outgoing, optimistic, easygoing, and enjoying laughter as well as staying engaged in activities may also be part of the longevity genes mix. "Personality Genes" May Help Account for Longevity - Read more
Diet Increases Stroke Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/05/2012] Japanese-American men who did not eat foods rich in vitamin D had a higher risk of stroke later in life, according to results of a 34-year study of the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. Diet Increases Stroke Risk - Read more
New Technique Mimics the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/05/2012] A new technique that converts stem cells into brain cells has been developed by researchers at Lund University. The method is simpler, quicker and safer than previous research has shown and opens the doors to a shorter route to clinical cell transplants. New Technique Mimics the Brain - Read more
TB Test Promises to Be Cheap and Fast
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/05/2012] Biomedical engineers at University of California Davis have developed a microfluidic chip to test for latent tuberculosis. They hope the test will be cheaper, faster and more reliable than current testing for the disease. TB Test Promises to Be Cheap and Fast - Read more
Donor Aortic Graft Improves Reconstruction
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/05/2012] Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) surgeons have developed a new technique for reconstructing the larynx after surgery for advanced cancer. Donor Aortic Graft Improves Reconstruction - Read more
Infections: New Discoveries About Severe Malaria
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/05/2012] International researchers have uncovered new knowledge related to host-parasite interaction in severe malaria, concerning how malaria parasites are able to bind to cells in the brain and cause cerebral malaria – the most lethal form of the disease.Infections: New Discoveries About Severe Malaria - Read more
Rainbow of Light to Image Blood Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/05/2012] Blood tests convey vital medical information, but the sight of a needle often causes anxiety and results take time. A new device developed by a team of researchers in Israel, however, can reveal much the same information as a traditional blood test in real-time, simply by shining a light through the skin. Rainbow of Light to Image Blood Cells - Read more
To Dictate or Not to Dictate?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/05/2012] Could the quality of care you receive be affected by how your doctor takes notes? According to a new study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), doctors who dictated their patient notes appeared to have worse quality of care than those who used structured documentation. To Dictate or Not to Dictate? - Read more
“We can convert skin cells into nerve cells more efficiently”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/05/2012] Until now, curing neurological disorders has been a vision of the future. Scientists at the LIFE & BRAIN Centre in Bonn, Germany, however have come a bit closer to achieving this with a new procedure and are now able to convert skin cells into nerve cells. “We can convert skin cells into nerve cells more efficiently” - Read more
Hybrid Vaccine Can Prevent Recurrence
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/05/2012] A breast cancer vaccine already shown to elicit a powerful immune response in women with varying levels of HER2 expression has the ability to improve recurrence rates and is well tolerated in an adjuvant setting, according to new research from The University of Texas. Hybrid Vaccine Can Prevent Recurrence - Read more
Tiny Tool Can Play Big Role Against Tuberculosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/05/2012] A tiny filter could have a big impact around the world in the fight against tuberculosis. Using the traditional microscope-based diagnosis method as a starting point, University of Florida lung disease specialists have devised a way to detect more cases of the bacterial infection. Tiny Tool Can Play Big Role Against Tuberculosis - Read more
World Hypertension Day
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/05/2012] May the 17th 2012 was World Hypertension Day. Every year the World Hypertension League calls for this special campaign day in order to raise public awareness for hypertension and its health consequences.World Hypertension Day - Read more
Growth Regulator mTORC2 Linked to Diabetes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/05/2012] Scientists of the University of Basel show how inhibition of the protein mTOR signalling can impair carbohydrate metabolism and potentially lead to diabetes. Growth Regulator mTORC2 Linked to Diabetes - Read more
Powerful Function of Single Protein
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/05/2012] Scientists at Weill Cornell Medical College have discovered that the single protein – alpha 2 delta – exerts a spigot-like function, controlling the volume of neurotransmitters and other chemicals that flow between the synapses of brain neurons. Powerful Function of Single Protein - Read more
Retinal Prosthesis Could Better Restore Sight
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/05/2012] Using tiny solar-panel-like cells surgically placed underneath the retina, scientists at the Stanford University School of Medicine have devised a system that may someday restore sight to people who have lost vision because of certain types of degenerative eye diseases. Retinal Prosthesis Could Better Restore Sight - Read more
Direct-to-consumer Genetics Tests
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/05/2012] Patients see potential benefits from direct-to-consumer genetic testing, but are also concerned about how the test results will be used, and generally are unwilling to pay more than 10 or 20 Dollars for them, according to focus groups conducted by researchers at Loyola University Chicago. Direct-to-consumer Genetics Tests - Read more
Glial Cells Pass on Metabolites to Neurons
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/05/2012] Klaus Armin and his research group from the Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine in Göttingen, Germany, have now discovered possible mechanisms by which these glial cells in the brain can support their associated axons and keep them alive in the long term. Glial Cells Pass on Metabolites to Neurons - Read more
Blood Test Could Show Womens' Risks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/05/2012] Researchers at Warwick Medical School have discovered a way of identifying which women are most at risk of postnatal depression (PND) by checking for specific genetic variants. The findings could lead to the development of a simple, accurate blood test which checks for the likelihood of developing the condition. Blood Test Could Show Womens' Risks - Read more
Scarring Cells Revert to Inactive State as Liver Heals
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/05/2012] An international team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, show that significant numbers of myofibroblasts – cells that produce the fibrous scarring in chronic liver injury – revert to an inactive phenotype as the liver heals. Scarring Cells Revert to Inactive State as Liver Heals - Read more
Biomarkers Can Reveal Irritable Bowel Syndrome
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/05/2012] Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is hard to diagnose as well as treat, but researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy, at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered a way of confirming the disorder using stool samples. Biomarkers Can Reveal Irritable Bowel Syndrome - Read more
Low Testosterone Levels Could Raise Diabetes Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/05/2012] Scientists of the University of Edinburgh have found that low testosterone levels are linked to a resistance to insulin, the hormone that controls blood sugar levels. Low Testosterone Levels Could Raise Diabetes Risk - Read more
New Understanding of Alzheimer's Trigger
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/05/2012] A highly toxic beta-amyloid – a protein that exists in the brains of Alzheimer's disease victims – has been found to greatly increase the toxicity of other more common and less toxic beta-amyloids, serving as a possible "trigger" for the advent and development of Alzheimer's, researchers at the University of Virginia have discovered. New Understanding of Alzheimer's Trigger - Read more
Laugh for your health!
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/05/2012] May, the 06th 2012, was World Laughter Day. On this occasion thousands of people met in different cities across the world in order to laugh at that special day together. Laughter is not only fun - it's healthy too! According to a U.S. study, laughter boosts the distribution of health by releasing hormones. He who laughs a lot also has a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases. Laugh for your health! - Read more
Comorbidities Increase Risk of Mortality
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/05/2012] Comorbidities are common among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and a number of these comorbidities are independently associated with an increased mortality risk, according to a new study. Comorbidities Increase Risk of Mortality - Read more
US Spends Far More for Health Care Than 12 Industrialised Nations
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/05/2012] The United States spends more on health care than 12 other industrialised countries yet does not provide "notably superior" care, according to a new study from The Commonwealth Fund. US Spends Far More for Health Care Than 12 Industrialised Nations - Read more
Fish Oil Capsule May Provide Kidney-related Benefits
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/05/2012] Over the past decade, there has been a steady stream of information promoting the health benefits of fish oil capsules. According to Doctor Louise Moist, a Scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute, fish oil may also improve outcomes for kidney patients undergoing haemodialysis. Fish Oil Capsule May Provide Kidney-related Benefits - Read more
Strong Support for Once-Marginalised Theory
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/04/2012] University of California, San Diego (UCSD) scientists have used powerful computational tools and laboratory tests to discover new support for a once-marginalised theory about the underlying cause of Parkinson’s disease. Strong Support for Once-Marginalised Theory - Read more
Breastfeeding is not free
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/04/2012] Paediatricians often encourage new mothers to breastfeed their babies for at least the first six months of their infants' lives. Many breastfeeding proponents argue that breastfeeding has financial advantages over formula-feeding — breastfeeding is free, they say. But, according to a new study, it is patently untrue. Breastfeeding is not free - Read more
Pancreatic Tumours Depend on Oncogene Activity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/04/2012] Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have shown that advanced pancreatic cancers in mice cannot survive without continued expression of a mutant oncogene that "rewires" key metabolic pathways to fuel the cancer cells. Pancreatic Tumours Depend on Oncogene Activity - Read more
Outpatient Surgery Patients also at Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/04/2012] A University of Michigan Health System study examined who is having outpatient surgery in the United States today, and showed 1 in 84 highest-risk patients suffers a dangerous blood clot after surgery. Outpatient Surgery Patients also at Risk - Read more
Single-neuron Observations Mark Steps
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/04/2012] Studying a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, neuroscientists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM), Germany, have observed correlations between increases in both soluble and plaque-forming beta-amyloid – a protein implicated in the disease process – and dysfunctional developments on several levels: individual cortical neurons, neuronal circuits, sensory cognition, and behaviour. Single-neuron Observations Mark Steps - Read more
Breakthrough for Degenerative Vision Disorder
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/04/2012] A research team, led by Doctor John Guy of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami, has pioneered a novel technological treatment for Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON), an inherited genetic defect that causes rapid, permanent, and bilateral loss of vision in people of all ages, but primarily males ages 20-40. Breakthrough for Degenerative Vision Disorder - Read more
Wide Variation in Transfusion Use in Operating Rooms
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/04/2012] Citing the lack of clear guidelines for ordering blood transfusions during surgery, Johns Hopkins researchers say a new study confirms there is still wide variation in the use of transfusions and frequent use of transfused blood in patients who do not need it. Wide Variation in Transfusion Use in Operating Rooms - Read more
Regrow of Severely Damaged Nerves
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/04/2012] Engineers at the University of Sheffield have developed a method of assisting nerves damaged by traumatic accidents to repair naturally, which could improve the chances of restoring sensation and movement in injured limbs. Regrow of Severely Damaged Nerves - Read more
"Global interconnectedness makes uniform traceability systems necessary"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/04/2012] In order to design safety standards and traceability of medical devices more professionally in the future, international committees are currently working on a new identification system that could apply worldwide in the future. In doing so, products could be identified during their entire life cycle. "Global interconnectedness makes uniform traceability systems necessary" - Read more
19th Century Therapy May Help Patients Today
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/04/2012] In the 19th century, Jean-Martin Charcot, the celebrated neurologist, developed a “vibration chair,” to relieve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. Now, a group of neurological researchers at Rush University Medical Centre have replicated his work in a study to see if Charcot’s observation holds true against modern scientific testing. 19th Century Therapy May Help Patients Today - Read more
Brain-Machine Interface Moves a Paralysed Hand
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/04/2012] A new Northwestern Medicine brain-machine technology delivers messages from the brain directly to the muscles - bypassing the spinal cord - to enable voluntary and complex movement of a paralysed hand. The device could eventually be tested on, and perhaps aid, paralysed patients. Brain-Machine Interface Moves a Paralysed Hand - Read more
Kidney Stone Mystery Solved
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/04/2012] New research by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis provides evidence to explain why some people are more prone to develop the condition than others. Their discovery opens the door to finding effective drug treatments and a test that could assess a person's risk of kidney stones. Kidney Stone Mystery Solved - Read more
Positive Results in Trial for New Asthma Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/04/2012] Scientists from the University of Southampton and Synairgen can announce positive data from its Phase II clinical trial, into the effectiveness of the drug SNG001 – inhaled interferon beta – for asthma patients. Positive Results in Trial for New Asthma Treatment - Read more
Knee Injuries in Women Linked to Motion
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/04/2012] Women are more prone to knee injuries than men, and the findings of a new study of Oregon State University suggest this may involve more than just differences in muscular and skeletal structure – it shows that males and females also differ in the way they transmit the nerve impulses that control muscle force. Knee Injuries in Women Linked to Motion - Read more
New Trigger for Alternate Reproduction Pathway
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/04/2012] A research team led by Children’s National Medical Centre has identified a trigger that causes latent Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpes virus (KSHV) to rapidly replicate itself. KSHV causes Kaposi’s sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma, and other cancers that commonly affect immunocompromised patients, including those with AIDS. New Trigger for Alternate Reproduction Pathway - Read more
Blood Test Measuring Genetic Marker
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/04/2012] A Northwestern University scientist has developed the first blood test to diagnose major depression in teens, a breakthrough approach that allows an objective diagnosis by measuring a specific set of genetic markers found in a patient's blood. The current method of diagnosing depression is subjective. Blood Test Measuring Genetic Marker - Read more
Science of Sleep Disorders
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/04/2012] Sleep problems are more widely reported in women than men, and women are 1.4 times more likely to experience insomnia than men. To address the specifics of sex differences in sleep disorders, the Society for Women's Health Research (SWHR) hosted the congressional briefing, "Sleep Disorders and You: How challenges to sleep impact every aspect of your life". Science of Sleep Disorders - Read more
Cause of Fatty Deposits in the Hearts Settled
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/04/2012] The impaired substrate metabolism of diabetes patients is often expressed in an increase in fatty deposits in the cells of the heart muscle. Until now, the exact cause of this was unknown. Now, researchers at the Medical University Vienna have shown that high blood sugar in combination with high levels of insulin – not an influx of fats – results in such deposits within a few hours. Cause of Fatty Deposits in the Hearts Settled - Read more
Fibre Protects Against Cardiovascular Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/04/2012] Foods high in fibre provide good protection against cardiovascular disease, and the effect is particularly marked in women. This is shown in a new study from Lund University in Sweden. Fibre Protects Against Cardiovascular Disease - Read more
Unexpected Partnership Drives Immunity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/04/2012] New research of Harvard Medical School (HMS) challenges a well-established theory about antiviral immunity and may lead to a new understanding of the best way to help protect those exposed to potentially lethal viruses, such as rabies. Unexpected Partnership Drives Immunity - Read more
Web-based Tool Produces Accurate Diagnosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/04/2012] The process of diagnosing autism is complex, subjective, and often limited to only a segment of the population in need. With the recent rise in incidence to 1 in 88 children, the need for accurate and widely deployable methods for screening and diagnosis is substantial. Dennis Wall of the Centre for Biomedical Informatics at Harvard Medical School has been working to address this problem. Web-based Tool Produces Accurate Diagnosis - Read more
Sequencing Technology Decodes DNA Folding Pattern
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/04/2012] Using a powerful DNA sequencing methodology, researchers at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research have now investigated the three-dimensional structure of DNA folds in the nucleus of a chromosome. The findings provide scientists with a greater understanding about the basic principles of DNA folding and its role in gene regulation. Sequencing Technology Decodes DNA Folding Pattern - Read more
Patients with Diabetes Benefit from Higher Glucose Levels
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/04/2012] Lowering glucose levels for people with diabetes is normally critical to improving health outcomes. But for diabetes patients with heart failure, that might not always be the case, say University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers. A new study found that for advanced heart failure patients with diabetes, having higher blood glucose levels may actually help improve survival rates. Patients with Diabetes Benefit from Higher Glucose Levels - Read more
Marker for Early Detection of Lung Damage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/04/2012] Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a widespread disease. Around ninety per cent of cases are the result of smoking. Now a research team from the University Department of Surgery at MedUni Vienna has discovered a protein marker in the blood that can already indicate lung damage during the early stages of COPD, before a decrease in lung volume is detected by a pulmonary function test. Marker for Early Detection of Lung Damage - Read more
Risk of Suicide Immediately Following
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/04/2012] People who are diagnosed with cancer have a markedly increased risk of suicide and cardiovascular death during the period immediately after being given the diagnosis. This has been shown in a new study from Karolinska Institutet. Risk of Suicide Immediately Following - Read more
Infection Linked to Dangerous Blood Clots
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/04/2012] Older adults who get infections of any kind – such as urinary, skin, or respiratory tract infections – are nearly three times more likely to be hospitalised for a dangerous blood clot in their deep veins or lungs, University of Michigan Health System research shows. Infection Linked to Dangerous Blood Clots - Read more
Caloric Moderation Can Reverse Low Birth Weight and Obesity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/04/2012] Babies who are born small have a tendency to put on weight during childhood and adolescence if allowed free access to calories. However, a new animal model study at University of California Los Angeles found when small babies were placed on a diet of moderately regulated calories during infancy, the propensity of becoming obese decreased. Caloric Moderation Can Reverse Low Birth Weight and Obesity - Read more
Traumatic Stress Linked with Inflammation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/04/2012] Greater lifetime exposure to the stress of traumatic events was linked to higher levels of inflammation in a study of almost 1,000 patients with cardiovascular disease led by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Centre (SFVAMC) and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Traumatic Stress Linked with Inflammation - Read more
Walking Can Help Alleviate Fatigue
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/04/2012] Researchers have affirmed that pancreatic cancer patients can take a step-by-step approach to combat fatigue. A study reports that patients who underwent an operation as part of their cancer treatment and then started a regular walking regimen experienced less fatigue than cancer survivors who did not do the walking program. Walking Can Help Alleviate Fatigue - Read more
Children Have Lung Function Deficits as Neonates
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/04/2012] Children who develop asthma by age seven have deficits in lung function and increased bronchial responsiveness as neonates, a new study from researchers in Denmark suggests. Children Have Lung Function Deficits as Neonates - Read more
Dramatic Rise in Skin Cancer in Young Adults
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/04/2012] Even as the rates of some cancers are falling, Mayo Clinic is seeing an alarming trend: the rise of skin cancer, especially among people under 40. According to a study by Mayo Clinic researchers, the incidence of melanoma has escalated, and young women are the hardest hit. Dramatic Rise in Skin Cancer in Young Adults - Read more
Pneumonia as reflected in modern medicine
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/04/2012] Pneumonia is a classic among infectious diseases. Hippocrates already described an illness whose symptoms included coughing followed by pneumonia but today would more resemble an influenza virus. Sir William Osler, considered to be the father of modern medicine, characterized it as “Captain of the Men of Death“ at the start of the 20th century. And what about today? Pneumonia as reflected in modern medicine - Read more
Culprit Behind Unchecked Angiogenesis Identified
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/03/2012] Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Biomedicine were able to demonstrate that defective Notch signalling enables strong and deregulated vessel growth even when VEGF or VEGFR2 are inhibited. In this case, a different VEGF family receptor, VEGFR3, is strongly up regulated, promoting angiogenesis. Culprit Behind Unchecked Angiogenesis Identified - Read more
Paramedics Skilled in Identifying Strokes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/03/2012] Researchers of Loyola University Medical Centre examined the records of 5,300 patients who were brought to Loyola's emergency room by emergency medical services (EMS). Paramedics were able to identify stroke patients with a 99.3 per cent specificity. In diagnosing disease, a high specificity rate indicates there's a high probability the patient actually has the disease. Paramedics Skilled in Identifying Strokes - Read more
Hot on the Trail of Metabolic Diseases and Resistance to Antibiotics
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/03/2012] Proteins belonging to the large and important family of ABC transporters have been associated with metabolic diseases and can cause resistance to antibiotics. Biochemists from the University of Zurich have succeeded in determining the atomic structure of a new ABC transporter. The insights gained could give rise to new therapies to treat multi-resistant bacteria, cystic fibrosis or gout. Hot on the Trail of Metabolic Diseases and Resistance to Antibiotics - Read more
Unlikely Cause of Atherosclerosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/03/2012] A number of studies have shown that excess insulin circulating in the bloodstream is a major independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, a new study from Joslin Diabetes Centre finds that this condition, called hyperinsulinemia, is itself not a cause of atherosclerosis. Unlikely Cause of Atherosclerosis - Read more
BVMed Annual Report 2011/12
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/03/2012] The German Medical Technology Association BVMed advocates for a better coordination and promotion of advances in medical technology. "The comprehensive and coordinated cooperation of governmental departments must be further advanced”, states BVMed chairman Doctor Meinrad Lugan in the newly published Annual Report 2011/12. BVMed Annual Report 2011/12 - Read more
Growth Rates of Lung Cancers Found
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/03/2012] According to the latest report from the International Early Lung Cancer Action Program (I-ELCAP), lung cancers diagnosed in annual repeat rounds of CT screening are similar — both in volume doubling time and cell-type distribution — to those found in clinical practice. Growth Rates of Lung Cancers Found - Read more
Novel Pathway for T-cell Activation in Leprosy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/03/2012] University of California – Los Angeles researchers pinpointed a new mechanism that potently activates T-cells, the group of white blood cells that play a major role in fighting infections. The team specifically studied how dendritic cells, immune cells located at the site of infection, become more specialised to fight the leprosy pathogen known as Mycobacterium leprae. Novel Pathway for T-cell Activation in Leprosy - Read more
Body´s Bacteria Affect Intestinal Blood Vessel Formation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/03/2012] Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered a previously unknown mechanism which helps intestinal bacteria to affect the formation of blood vessels. The results may provide future treatments of intestinal diseases and obesity. Body´s Bacteria Affect Intestinal Blood Vessel Formation - Read more
Cancer Drugs Improves Bone Health
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/03/2012] Results from a phase III clinical trial evaluating a new treatment for breast cancer in post-menopausal women show that the combination of two cancer drugs, everolimus and exemestane, significantly improves bone strength and reduces the chances of cancer spreading, metastasising, in the bone. Cancer Drugs Improves Bone Health - Read more
Insight into Pregnancy-induced Hypertension
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/03/2012] Researchers of Cleveland Clinic have identified an enzyme linked to pregnancy-induced hypertension – also known as pre-eclampsia – a pregnancy complication characterised by high blood pressure and swelling due to fluid retention. The findings could be used to better screen for – and treat – this condition. Insight into Pregnancy-induced Hypertension - Read more
Insight into Treating Viral Stomach Flu
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/03/2012] Twenty million Americans get sick from norovirus each year according to data by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC). Often called vomiting illness, it can spread rapidly on cruise ships, and in dormitories and hospitals. Recent data from the CDC shows deaths from gastrointestinal infections have more than doubled and have become a particular threat to the elderly. Insight into Treating Viral Stomach Flu - Read more
Pain Relievers Could be Spiking Your Blood Pressure
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/03/2012] According to Professor Ehud Grossman of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine and the Sheba Medical Centre, many common over-the-counter and prescription medications are underlying causes of hypertension, which is a major risk factor for stroke, heart attack, and aneurisms. Pain Relievers Could be Spiking Your Blood Pressure - Read more
Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates High
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/03/2012] A study by University of Kentucky researchers showed that in Appalachia, colorectal cancer screening rates were higher in the population with multiple morbidities or diseases compared to those who had no morbidities at all. Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates High - Read more
Blueprint for New Drugs That Can Inhibit Hepatitis C Virus
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/03/2012] The molecule prompts the Hepatitis C’s viral RNA to open up a portion of its hinge-like structure and encapsulate the inhibitor like a perfectly fit glove. Chemists at the University of California, San Diego have produced the first high resolution structure of a molecule that when attached to the genetic material of the hepatitis C virus prevents it from reproducing. Blueprint for New Drugs That Can Inhibit Hepatitis C Virus - Read more
Bone Marrow Transplant Arrests Symptoms
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/03/2012] The Organisation Rett Syndrome Research Trust describes the results of using bone marrow transplant (BMT) to replace faulty immune system cells in models of Rett Syndrome. The procedure arrested many severe symptoms of the childhood disorder, including abnormal breathing and movement, and significantly extended the lifespan of Rett mouse models. Bone Marrow Transplant Arrests Symptoms - Read more
Air Emissions Near Fracking Sites May Impact Health
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/03/2012] In a new study, researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health have shown that air pollution caused by hydraulic fracturing or fracking may contribute to acute and chronic health problems for those living near natural gas drilling sites. Air Emissions Near Fracking Sites May Impact Health - Read more
Promise for Fatal Neurological Disorder in Kids
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/03/2012] Working in mice with the infantile form of Batten disease, a rare but fatal neurological disorder, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Kings College London have discovered dramatic improvements in life span and motor function by treating the animals with gene therapy and bone marrow transplants. Promise for Fatal Neurological Disorder in Kids - Read more
Loss of Appetite Deciphered in Brain Cell Circuit
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/03/2012] The meal is pushed way, untouched. Loss of appetite can be a fleeting queasiness or continue to the point of emaciation. While it's felt in the gut, more is going on inside the head. New findings are emerging about brain and body messaging pathways that lead to loss of appetite, and the systems in place to avoid starvation. Loss of Appetite Deciphered in Brain Cell Circuit - Read more
Progression of Gastrointestinal Tumours
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/03/2012] Gastrointestinal stroma tumours (GIST) are a very particular challenge for cancer research. For once the tumours, which are mostly located in the stomach, are relatively rare and hence are difficult to research. Progression of Gastrointestinal Tumours - Read more
Influence of Nanoparticles on Nutrient Absorption
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/03/2012] Nanoparticles are everywhere. From cosmetics and clothes, to soda and snacks. But as versatile as they are, nanoparticles also have a downside, say researchers at Binghamton University and Cornell University. These tiny particles, even in low doses, could have a big impact on our long-term health. Influence of Nanoparticles on Nutrient Absorption - Read more
Surgery After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/03/2012] Researchers at the Rothman Institute at Jefferson have shown that patients who receive surgery less than 24 hours after a traumatic cervical spine injury suffer less neural tissue destruction and improved clinical outcomes. Surgery After Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury - Read more
One in Four HIV Patients Do Not Stay in Care
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/03/2012] Only about 75 per cent of HIV/AIDS patients in the United States remain in care consistently, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The study of patients across the USA is the first to provide a comprehensive national estimate of HIV care retention and information about patients who are most likely to continue their treatment over time. One in Four HIV Patients Do Not Stay in Care - Read more
Depression Common Among Young Adults
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/03/2012] Given that almost 70 per cent of young adults with Asperger syndrome have suffered from depression, it is vital that psychiatric care staff are aware of this so that patients are given the right treatment, reveals research from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Depression Common Among Young Adults - Read more
Web-Based Support Helps Women with Breast Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/03/2012] Every day 18 Swedish women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Although there is a real need for support and information, many women struggle and get lost in the deluge of information. In a study of 227 women, researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have developed a web-based programme to guide patients all the way from diagnosis to rehabilitation. Web-Based Support Helps Women with Breast Cancer - Read more
Cocoa May Enhance Skeletal Muscle Function
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/03/2012] A small clinical trial led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine found that patients with advanced heart failure and type 2 diabetes showed improved mitochondrial structure after three months of treatment with epicatechin-enriched cocoa. Cocoa May Enhance Skeletal Muscle Function - Read more
Race and Neighborhood Status Linked with Chronic Pain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/03/2012] Living in a poor neighborhood was linked with worse chronic pain for young adults, according to a study by the University of Michigan Health System, but young black patients faced difficulties with pain management no matter where they lived. Race and Neighborhood Status Linked with Chronic Pain - Read more
Cause of Lung Injury
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/03/2012] While some scientists report engineering a super virulent strain of the H5N1 influenza virus, which could potentially wipe out a significant percentage of the human population, another group of researchers from the United Kingdom now reports a discovery that may one day help mitigate the deadly effects of all flu strains. Cause of Lung Injury - Read more
Protein Identified that Can Lengthen Our Life
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/03/2012] Cells use various methods to break down and recycle worn-out components – autophagy is one of them. Karin Håberg of the Umeå University, Sweden, shows that the protein SNX18 is required for cells to be able to perform autophagy. Protein Identified that Can Lengthen Our Life - Read more
Tomorrow’s Laboratory Technology
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/03/2012] Biomedical laboratories have to be safe, ergonomic and flexible. At the same time, labs need to be able to deal with a high throughput of samples while reliably documenting each step in the testing process. Fraunhofer researchers are working to fully automate the processing of samples in tomorrow’s laboratories. Tomorrow’s Laboratory Technology - Read more
View on Causal Mechanism in ALS
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/03/2012] In a study Munich-based researchers refute a widely accepted hypothesis about a causative step in neurodegenerative conditions. These results deal specifically with animal models of human amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, aka Lou Gehrig's disease) but also raise questions for research on other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's or Huntington's disease. View on Causal Mechanism in ALS - Read more
Hyperactivity in Brain May Explain Multiple Symptoms
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/02/2012] University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) researchers have shown for the first time that people with depression have increased connections among most brain areas. Indeed, their brains are widely hyper connected. The report sheds new light on the brain dysfunction that causes depression and its wide array of symptoms. Hyperactivity in Brain May Explain Multiple Symptoms - Read more
How to Rescue the Immune System
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/02/2012] In a study Loyola researchers report on a promising new technique that potentially could turn immune system killer T cells into more effective weapons against infections and possibly cancer. How to Rescue the Immune System - Read more
Statins Linked with Lower Depression Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/02/2012] Patients with heart disease who took cholesterol-lowering statins were significantly less likely to develop depression than those who did not, in a study by Doctor Mary Whooley of the San Francisco VA Medical Centre and the University of California, San Francisco. Statins Linked with Lower Depression Risk - Read more
Damaged Myelin Not the Trigger
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/02/2012] Damaged myelin in the brain and spinal cord does not cause the autoimmune disease Multiple sclerosis (MS), neuroimmunologists from the University of Zurich have now demonstrated in collaboration with researchers from Berlin, Leipzig, Mainz and Munich. Damaged Myelin Not the Trigger - Read more
Math Can Save Tylenol Overdose Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/02/2012] University of Utah mathematicians developed a set of calculus equations to make it easier for doctors to save Tylenol overdose patients by quickly estimating how much painkiller they took, when they consumed it and whether they will require a liver transplant to survive. Math Can Save Tylenol Overdose Patients - Read more
Genome Sequencing Finds Unknown Cause of Epilepsy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/02/2012] Only 10 years ago, deciphering the genetic information from one individual in a matter of weeks to find a certain disease-causing genetic mutation would have been written off as science fiction. Now researchers of the University of Arizona applied Next Generation Genome Sequencing to decipher the entire DNA from a patient who had died from sudden unexplained epileptic death. Genome Sequencing Finds Unknown Cause of Epilepsy - Read more
Injectable Gel Could Repair Tissue
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/02/2012] University of California, San Diego researchers have developed a new injectable hydrogel that could be an effective and safe treatment for tissue damage caused by heart attacks. Injectable Gel Could Repair Tissue - Read more
Breast Cancer in 40-49 Year-Olds Has Better Prognosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/02/2012] Based on a study of nearly 2,000 breast cancer patients, researchers at the Swedish Cancer Institute in Seattle say that, in women between the ages of 40 and 49, breast cancers detected by mammography have a better prognosis. Breast Cancer in 40-49 Year-Olds Has Better Prognosis - Read more
Virtual Colonoscopy Effective Screening Tool
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/02/2012] Computed tomography (CT) colonography can be used as a primary screening tool for colorectal cancer in adults over the age of 65, according to a new study. Some previous medical studies have found no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy of CT colonography, also known as "virtual colonoscopy," and traditional optical colonoscopy. Virtual Colonoscopy Effective Screening Tool - Read more
A Win for Both Patients and Payers
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/02/2012] Nearly 1 in 10 children have asthma, according to government statistics, and in low-income parts of Boston, nearly 16 per cent of children are affected. A program called the Community Asthma Initiative (CAI), developed and implemented in 2005 by clinicians at Children's Hospital Boston, demonstrates the potential to dramatically reduce hospitalisation and emergency department visits for asthma. A Win for Both Patients and Payers - Read more
Cognitive Rehabilitation Improves Brain Performance
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/02/2012] In a new study functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) shows that cognitive rehabilitation changes brain function and improves cognitive performance in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS). Cognitive Rehabilitation Improves Brain Performance - Read more
Babies' Colic Linked to Mothers' Migraines
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/02/2012] A study of mothers and their young babies by neurologists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) has shown that mothers who suffer migraine headaches are more than twice as likely to have babies with colic as mothers without a history of migraines. Babies' Colic Linked to Mothers' Migraines - Read more
Faulty Fat Sensor Implicated
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/02/2012] Defects in a protein that functions as a dietary fat sensor may be a cause of obesity and liver disease, according to a study led by researchers at Imperial College London. The findings highlight a promising target for new drugs to treat obesity and metabolic disorders. Faulty Fat Sensor Implicated - Read more
Brain-Imaging Differences in Infants who Develop Autism
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/02/2012] A new study led by the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill found significant differences in brain development starting at age 6 months in high-risk infants who later develop autism, compared to high-risk infants who did not develop autism. Brain-Imaging Differences in Infants who Develop Autism - Read more
Fever Control Using External Cooling Reduces Mortality
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/02/2012] Fever control using external cooling in sedated patients with septic shock is safe and decreases vasopressor requirements and early mortality, according to a new study from researchers in France. Fever Control Using External Cooling Reduces Mortality - Read more
Cellular Aging Increases Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/02/2012] Researchers have long speculated that the shortening of telomeres increases the risk of heart attack and early death. Now a large-scale population study in Denmark involving nearly 20,000 people shows that there is in fact a direct link, and has also given physicians a future way to test the actual cellular health of a person. Cellular Aging Increases Risk - Read more
Pancreatic Hormone Linked with Severe Heart Disease in Obese
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/02/2012] Severe heart damage in people who are obese and diabetic is linked with a pancreatic hormone called amylin, University of California Davis researchers have found. In the failing hearts of patients who were obese and diabetic, the scientists discovered strings of proteins, small fibres and plaques made of amylin, the hormone that produces the feeling of being full after eating. Pancreatic Hormone Linked with Severe Heart Disease in Obese - Read more
Taking Depression to Heart
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/02/2012] Mental state can play a crucial role in physical health — medical professionals have long known about the connection between anxiety and the immune system, for example. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University have found that mental health can also interfere with the heart. Taking Depression to Heart - Read more
Vulnerable to Anti-Angiogenic Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/02/2012] Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have identified a subtype of ovarian cancer able to build its own blood vessels, suggesting that such tumours might be especially susceptible to "anti-angiogenic" drugs that block blood vessel formation. Vulnerable to Anti-Angiogenic Drugs - Read more
Antibodies to Intracellular Cancer Antigens Enhance Immunity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/02/2012] An international team of scientists in Japan, Switzerland, and the United States has confirmed that combining chemotherapy and immunotherapy in cancer treatment enhances the immune system's ability to find and eliminate cancer cells, even when the cancer-associated proteins targeted by the immune system are hidden behind the cancer cell membrane. Antibodies to Intracellular Cancer Antigens Enhance Immunity - Read more
New Software Key for Personalised Medicine
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/02/2012] DNA Sequencing technologies provide massive amounts of data that are not easily processed and translated by scientists. That is why Georgia Tech has created a new data analysis algorithm that quickly transforms complex RNA sequence data into usable content for biologists and clinicians. New Software Key for Personalised Medicine - Read more
Protein Protects Cells from HIV Infection
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/02/2012] A novel discovery by researchers at New York University Langone Medical Centre and colleagues reveals a mechanism by which the immune system tries to halt the spread of HIV. Harnessing this mechanism may open up new paths for therapeutic research aimed at slowing the virus' progression to AIDS. Protein Protects Cells from HIV Infection - Read more
Sleep Breathing Machine Shows Benefits
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/02/2012] Children's Hospital of Philadelphia researchers find improvements in sleep, attention, quality of life: Children and adolescents with obstructive sleep apnea had substantial improvements in attention, anxiety and quality of life after treatment with positive airway pressure (PAP) — a nighttime therapy in which a machine delivers a stream of air through a mask into the nose. Sleep Breathing Machine Shows Benefits - Read more
Tell Me How You Are – and I Know How Long You Will Live
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/02/2012] The way people rate their health determines their probability of survival in the following decades. Researchers from the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine at the University of Zurich demonstrate that for ratings ranging from “excellent”, “good”, “fair” and “poor” to “very poor”, the risk of mortality increases steadily. Tell Me How You Are – and I Know How Long You Will Live - Read more
Lower Risk for Additional Atypical Femur Fracture
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/02/2012] While the risk for suffering an atypical femur fracture while taking bisphosphonates is still very small – just 1 in 1,000 patients after six years of treatment – research of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) found that discontinuing bisphosphonate use following an atypical femur fracture can significantly lower the risk for a subsequent atypical fracture. Lower Risk for Additional Atypical Femur Fracture - Read more
Treatment of Tuberculosis Can Be Guided by Patients' Genetics
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/02/2012] A gene that influences the inflammatory response to infection may also predict the effectiveness of drug treatment for a deadly form of tuberculosis. That shows a study of an international collaboration between researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle, Duke University, Harvard University, the Oxford University Clinical Research Unit in Vietnam and Kings College London. Treatment of Tuberculosis Can Be Guided by Patients' Genetics - Read more
New Procedure Bests Standard of Care for Fixing Damaged Cartilage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/02/2012] A new study has demonstrated that a procedure wherein healthy cartilage is transplanted to fix an area of damaged cartilage (osteoarticular cartilage transplantation or OATS procedure) is superior to the standard of care for repairing cartilage defects. New Procedure Bests Standard of Care for Fixing Damaged Cartilage - Read more
Sound Rather than Sight Can Activate ‘Seeing’ for the Blind
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/02/2012] Scientists at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have tapped onto the visual cortex of the congenitally blind by using sensory substitution devices (SSDs), enabling the blind in effect to “see” and even describe objects. Sound Rather than Sight Can Activate ‘Seeing’ for the Blind - Read more
Obesity Surgery Cuts Heart Attacks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/02/2012] Obese patients, who undergo bariatric surgery run a 30 per cent lower risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, reveal researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, who believe that the priorities for bariatric surgery need to be revised. Obesity Surgery Cuts Heart Attacks - Read more
Diabetes Rates Vary Widely in Developing Countries
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/02/2012] Rates of diabetes vary widely across developing countries worldwide, according to a new analysis led by Doctor Longjian Liu of Drexel University’s School of Public Health. Diabetes Rates Vary Widely in Developing Countries - Read more
Positive Parenting During Early Childhood May Prevent Obesity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/02/2012] Programs that support parents during their child's early years hold promise for obesity prevention, according to a new study of New York University. Positive Parenting During Early Childhood May Prevent Obesity - Read more
Breastfeeding is Good for the lungs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/02/2012] Breastfeeding is associated with improved lung function at school age, particularly in children of asthmatic mothers, according to a new study from researchers in Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Breastfeeding is Good for the lungs - Read more
Small Molecules at the Cell’s Membrane Enable Cell Movement
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/02/2012] Cell biologists at Johns Hopkins have identified key steps in how certain molecules alter a cell’s skeletal shape and drive the cell’s movement. Results of their research have implications for figuring out what triggers the metastatic spread of cancer cells and wound-healing. Small Molecules at the Cell’s Membrane Enable Cell Movement - Read more
Recognising the Early Stages of Alzheimer‘s Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2012] Diagnosing advanced Alzheimer‘s nowadays is no longer difficult. And yet, to detect the so-called “progressive neurodegenerative brain disease with memory loss as the leading symptom“ early on, basic diagnostic methods are not sufficient. Recognising the Early Stages of Alzheimer‘s Disease - Read more
Training Has Biological Impact on Aging Process
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/01/2012] Age-related delays in neural timing are not inevitable and can be avoided or offset with musical training, according to a new study from Northwestern University. The study is the first to provide biological evidence that lifelong musical experience has an impact on the aging process. Training Has Biological Impact on Aging Process - Read more
Leukaemia Cells Are “Bad to the Bone”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/01/2012] University of Rochester Medical Centre researchers have discovered new links between leukaemia cells and cells involved in bone formation, offering a fresh perspective on how the blood cancer progresses and raising the possibility that therapies for bone disorders could help in the treatment of leukaemia. Leukaemia Cells Are “Bad to the Bone” - Read more
Radiation Therapy Improves Patients' Quality of Life
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/01/2012] Patients with head and neck cancers who have been treated with newer, more sophisticated radiation therapy technology enjoy a better quality of life than those treated with older radiation therapy equipment, a study by UC Davis researchers has found. Radiation Therapy Improves Patients' Quality of Life - Read more
Brachytherapy Reduced Death Rates in High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/01/2012] Brachytherapy for high-risk prostate cancers patients has historically been considered a less effective modality, but a new study from radiation oncologists at the Kimmel Cancer Centre at Jefferson suggests otherwise. Brachytherapy Reduced Death Rates in High-Risk Prostate Cancer Patients - Read more
Traffic-Related Air Pollution
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/01/2012] A research team led by University of Massachusetts Amherst with colleagues in California and Switzerland have revised the cost burden sharply upward for childhood asthma and for the first time include the number of cases attributable to air pollution, in a study. Traffic-Related Air Pollution - Read more
Drug Kills Cancerous T-Cells While Sparing Normal Immunity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/01/2012] Leukemic cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (L-CTCL) is a leukaemia arising from T-cells, a type of white blood cell. This cancer can involve the skin and other organs, and patients often die within three years. Researchers of Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) report a new study that low-dose Campath not only treats patients with L-CTCL but does so without increasing their risk of infections. Drug Kills Cancerous T-Cells While Sparing Normal Immunity - Read more
High Fructose Consumption May Put at Cardiovascular Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/01/2012] Evidence of cardiovascular disease and diabetes risk is present in the blood of adolescents who consume a lot of fructose, a scenario that worsens in the face of excess belly fat, researchers of Georgia Health Sciences University report. High Fructose Consumption May Put at Cardiovascular Risk - Read more
Biochip Measures Glucose in Saliva, Not Blood
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/01/2012] Engineers at Brown University have designed a biological device that can measure glucose concentrations in human saliva. The technique could eliminate the need for diabetics to draw blood to check their glucose levels. Biochip Measures Glucose in Saliva, Not Blood - Read more
Entry Point for Hepatitis C Infection Identified
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/01/2012] A molecule embedded in the membrane of human liver cells that aids in cholesterol absorption also allows the entry of hepatitis C virus, the first step in hepatitis C infection, according to research at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Entry Point for Hepatitis C Infection Identified - Read more
Lower Risk of Nerve Damage in Prostate Cancer Surgeries
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/01/2012] Preoperative MRI helps surgeons make more informed decisions about nerve-sparing procedures in men with prostate cancer, according to a new study of the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA). Lower Risk of Nerve Damage in Prostate Cancer Surgeries - Read more
Rare Disease and Mechanism of Hypertension
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/01/2012] Analysing all the genes of dozens of people suffering from a rare form of hypertension, Yale University researchers have discovered a new mechanism that regulates the blood pressure of all humans. Rare Disease and Mechanism of Hypertension - Read more
ECMO as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/01/2012] Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support in awake, non-intubated patients may be an effective strategy for bridging patients to lung transplantation, according to a new study of the Hannover Medical School in Hannover, Germany. ECMO as a Bridge to Lung Transplantation - Read more
New Understanding of Chronic Pain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/01/2012] Millions of people worldwide suffer from a type of chronic pain called neuropathic pain, which is triggered by nerve damage. Precisely how this pain persists has been a mystery, and current treatments are largely ineffective. But a team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute, using a new approach known as metabolomics, has now discovered a major clue: dimethylsphingosine (DMS). New Understanding of Chronic Pain - Read more
Google Seek Answers for Autism
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/01/2012] Researchers at the University of Utah have created a program that helps kids with autism focus on building their skills and utilising an aptitude for visual-spatial thinking, computers and other electronic media. Google Seek Answers for Autism - Read more
Why Do Smells Make Some People Sick
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/01/2012] Do you get a headache from the perfume of the lady next to you at the table? Do cleaning solutions at work make your nose itch? If you have symptoms prompted by everyday smells, it does not necessarily mean you are allergic but rather that you suffer from chemical intolerance. According to a scientist at Umea University this hypersensitivity can be the result of an inability to get used to smells. Why Do Smells Make Some People Sick - Read more
Anti-Malaria Drug Synthesised with Oxygen and Light
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/01/2012] It will be possible to provide medication for the 225 million malaria patients in developing countries at an affordable price. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam have developed a very simple process for the synthesis of artemisinin, the active ingredient that pharmaceutical companies could only obtain from plants up to now. Anti-Malaria Drug Synthesised with Oxygen and Light - Read more
Headphone-Distracted Pedestrians face Death
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/01/2012] Listen up, pedestrians wearing headphones. Can you hear the trains or cars around you? Many probably cannot, especially young adult males. Serious injuries to pedestrians listening to headphones have more than tripled in six years, according to new research from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Medical Centre in Baltimore. Headphone-Distracted Pedestrians face Death - Read more
"Exergames" May Provide Cognitive Benefit
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/01/2012] Virtual reality-enhanced exercise, or "exergames," combining physical exercise with computer-simulated environments and interactive videogame features, can yield a greater cognitive benefit for older adults than traditional exercise alone, according to a new study. "Exergames" May Provide Cognitive Benefit - Read more
Where Categories Live in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/01/2012] Hundreds of times during a baseball game, the home plate umpire must instantaneously categorise a fast-moving pitch as a ball or a strike. In new research from the University of Chicago, scientists have pinpointed an area in the brain where these kinds of visual categories are encoded. Where Categories Live in the Brain - Read more
How Immune Cells Destroy Cancer Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/01/2012] Doctor Kathleen Anders and Professor Thomas Blankenstein of the Max Delbrück Centre (MDC) Berlin-Buch and researchers of the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope Cancer Centre in Duarte, California, USA showed that drug-based cancer treatment and adoptive T cell therapy are both highly effective against large tumours. How Immune Cells Destroy Cancer Cells - Read more
Novel Way to Prevent Drug-Induced Liver Injury
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/01/2012] Rutgers University and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have developed a novel strategy to protect the liver from drug-induced injury and improve associated drug safety. Novel Way to Prevent Drug-Induced Liver Injury - Read more
Educating About Heart Attacks Could Save Lives
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/01/2012] Heart attacks in women go largely unrecognised 30 to 55 per cent of the time and those who miss the warning signs and fail or delay getting help, run the risk of death or grave disability. But researchers at Binghamton University and SUNY Upstate Medical University have developed an educational program they believe will shorten the time to treatment and ultimately, save lives. Educating About Heart Attacks Could Save Lives - Read more
Hospitalisation Following Drowning-Related Incidents
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/01/2012] Fewer children required hospitalisation following a drowning incident over the last two decades, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Centre for Injury Research and Policy. Hospitalisation Following Drowning-Related Incidents - Read more
Diet Rich in Slowly Digested Carbs Reduces Markers of Inflammation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/01/2012] Among overweight and obese adults, a diet rich in slowly digested carbohydrates, such as whole grains, legumes and other high-fibre foods, significantly reduces markers of inflammation associated with chronic disease, according to a new study by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre. Diet Rich in Slowly Digested Carbs Reduces Markers of Inflammation - Read more
Novel Approach to View Inner Workings of Viruses
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/01/2012] Since the discovery of the microscope, scientists have tried to visualise smaller and smaller structures to provide insights into the inner workings of human cells, bacteria and viruses. Now, researchers at the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) have developed a new way to see structures within viruses that were not clearly seen before. Novel Approach to View Inner Workings of Viruses - Read more
High Rates of Disability and Health Care
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/01/2012] Older patients with cirrhosis have significant functional disability, require twice the amount of informal care giving, and contribute added strain on the health care system, according to University of Michigan research. Given the increase in obesity and aging of those with hepatitis C (HCV), researchers expect the prevalence of cirrhosis to climb among older Americans. High Rates of Disability and Health Care - Read more
Stenting for Stroke Prevention Becoming Safer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/01/2012] Placing a stent in a key artery in the neck is safer than ever in patients ineligible for the standard surgical treatment of carotid artery disease, according to a new study of University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Stenting for Stroke Prevention Becoming Safer - Read more
Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Linked to Hospital's Decorative Fountain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/01/2012] A 2010 outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Wisconsin has been linked to a decorative fountain in a hospital lobby, according to a study of the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America. Legionnaires' Disease Outbreak Linked to Hospital's Decorative Fountain - Read more
New Strategy to Deliver Chemotherapy to Cancer Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/01/2012] Honing chemotherapy delivery to cancer cells is a challenge for many researchers. Getting the cancer cells to take the chemotherapy "bait" is a greater challenge. But perhaps such a challenge has not been met with greater success than by the nanotechnology research team of Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH). New Strategy to Deliver Chemotherapy to Cancer Cells - Read more
Alzheimer’s damage occurs early
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/01/2012] The first changes in the brain of a person with Alzheimer’s disease can be observed as much as ten years in advance – ten years before the person in question has become so ill that he or she can be diagnosed with the disease. This is what a new study from Lund University in Sweden has found. Alzheimer’s damage occurs early - Read more
Unique Protein Organisation in Arteries
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/01/2012] Human arteries stiffen as a person ages. This stiffening is a factor in cardiovascular disease because it contributes to the circulatory complications in disorders such as high blood pressure and diabetes. University of Missouri researchers have now used advanced 3-D microscopic imaging technology to identify and monitor the proteins involved in this stiffening process. Unique Protein Organisation in Arteries - Read more
Controlling Blood Pressure is Crucial, but Not Urgent
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/01/2012] A new study of University of Chicago suggests that middle-aged adults recently diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension have time to try to learn how to control their high blood pressure without medications, but not too much time. Controlling Blood Pressure is Crucial, but Not Urgent - Read more
New Test Spots Early Signs of Inherited Metabolic Disorders
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/01/2012] A team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, have developed a simple, reliable test for identifying biomarkers for mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS), a group of inherited metabolic disorders that are currently diagnosed in patients only after symptoms have become serious and the damage possibly irreversible. New Test Spots Early Signs of Inherited Metabolic Disorders - Read more
Proton Therapy an Effective Treatment?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/01/2012] Proton therapy, a type of external beam radiation therapy, is a safe and effective treatment for prostate cancer, according to two new American studies. Proton Therapy an Effective Treatment? - Read more
Statins May Increase Risk of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/01/2012] Use of statins may influence susceptibility to or the progression of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in smokers, according to a new study of Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. Statins May Increase Risk of Interstitial Lung Abnormalities - Read more
Benefits of Statin Therapy May Extend Beyond Lowering Lipids
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/01/2012] A study led by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, has identified a molecular pathway that leads to this abnormal blood clotting and turned it off using a popular class of cholesterol-lowering drugs, statins. Benefits of Statin Therapy May Extend Beyond Lowering Lipids - Read more
New Gene that Regulates Body Weight
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/01/2012] Abraham Kovoor of the University of Rhode Island's College of Pharmacy was studying a brain protein, called RGS9 2, that he had previously related to the involuntary, random and repetitive body movements that are side effects of drugs used to treat Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. New Gene that Regulates Body Weight - Read more
Fewer Animal Experiments Thanks to Nanosensors
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/01/2012] Experiments on animals have been the subject of criticism for decades. The number of tests involving laboratory animals has in fact gone up. Now, researchers of the Fraunhofer Research Institution for Modular Solid State Technologies EMFT in Munich, Germany have found an alternative approach: they hope sensor nanoparticles will reduce the need for animal testing. Fewer Animal Experiments Thanks to Nanosensors - Read more
Novel Compound to Halt Virus Replication
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/01/2012] Scientists of Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified a novel compound that inhibits viruses from replicating. The findings could lead to the development of highly targeted compounds to block the replication of poxviruses, such as the emerging infectious disease Monkey pox. Novel Compound to Halt Virus Replication - Read more
Hepatitis C Virus Hijacks Liver MicroRNA
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/01/2012] Scientists at the University of North Carolina, working with colleagues from the University of Colorado, have shown for the first time how a small RNA molecule that regulates gene expression in human liver cells has been hijacked by the hepatitis C virus to ensure its own survival – helping medical scientists understand why a new antiviral drug appears to be effective against the virus. Hepatitis C Virus Hijacks Liver MicroRNA - Read more
Outside Temperatures, Sun Exposure and Gender May Trigger Glaucoma
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/01/2012] When it comes to whether or not you will develop exfoliation syndrome (ES) – an eye condition that is a leading cause of secondary open-angle glaucoma and increased risk of cataract as well as cataract surgery complications – age, gender and where you live does matter, according to a study of Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary. Outside Temperatures, Sun Exposure and Gender May Trigger Glaucoma - Read more
Practicing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Helps
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/01/2012] Previous research reports as many as 50 per cent of breast cancer survivors are depressed. Now, University of Missouri researchers say a meditation technique can help breast cancer survivors improve their emotional and physical well-being. Practicing Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Helps - Read more
“Our findings are especially interesting for cancer research”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/01/2012] Today, genome analyses can take up to 30 days. A new database technology is meant to help in analyzing and evaluating vast amounts of medical data in real-time. Doctor Matthieu-P. Schapranow from the Hasso Plattner Institute for Software Systems Engineering (HPI) explains how in-memory technology works and how it benefits personalized medicine. “Our findings are especially interesting for cancer research” - Read more
Study Links Quality of Mother-toddler Relationship to Teen Obesity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/12/2011] The quality of the emotional relationship between a mother and her young child could affect the potential for that child to be obese during adolescence, a new study by Ohio State University suggests. Study Links Quality of Mother-toddler Relationship to Teen Obesity - Read more
Mediterranean Diet Gives Longer Life
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/12/2011] A Mediterranean diet with large amounts of vegetables and fish gives a longer life. This is the unanimous result of four studies to be published by the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg. Mediterranean Diet Gives Longer Life - Read more
Malaria Patients Vulnerable to Deadly Infection
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/12/2011] The link between malaria and salmonella infections has been explained for the first time, opening the way to more effective treatments. Malaria Patients Vulnerable to Deadly Infection - Read more
Link Between Pulmonary Inflammation, Diesel Exhaust, House Dust
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/12/2011] A study conducted by researchers at Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) has found that diesel exhaust particulates (DEP) and house dust extract (HDE) causes pulmonary inflammation that aggravates asthma. Link Between Pulmonary Inflammation, Diesel Exhaust, House Dust - Read more
Cholesterol-Lowering Medication Accelerates Depletion of Plaque in Arteries
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/12/2011] In a new study, NYU Langone Medical Centre researchers have discovered how cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins promote the breakdown of plaque in the arteries. The findings support a large clinical study that recently showed patients taking high-doses of the cholesterol-lowering medications not only reduced their cholesterol levels but also reduced the amount of plaque in their arteries. Cholesterol-Lowering Medication Accelerates Depletion of Plaque in Arteries - Read more
Measurements Towards Earlier Diagnosis in Alzheimer's Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/12/2011] European PredictAD project, lead by Principal Scientist Jyrki Lötjönen from VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, has developed a decision support tool for objective diagnostics of Alzheimer's disease. Measurements Towards Earlier Diagnosis in Alzheimer's Disease - Read more
Protection Against Early Stages of Atherosclerosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/12/2011] Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have identified for the first time the A2b adenosine receptor (A2bAR) as a possible new therapeutic target against atherosclerosis resulting from a diet high in fat and cholesterol. The findings may have significant public health implications. Protection Against Early Stages of Atherosclerosis - Read more
Role of Proteins in the Cell Environment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/12/2011] How astrocytes, certain cells of the nervous system, are generated was largely unknown up to now. Researchers of Ruhr-Universität Bochum (Germany) have now investigated what influence the cell environment, known as the extracellular matrix, has on this process. Role of Proteins in the Cell Environment - Read more
Early Success Against Hereditary Bleeding Disorder
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/12/2011] Symptoms improved significantly in adults with the bleeding disorder haemophilia B following a single treatment with gene therapy developed by researchers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and demonstrated to be safe in a clinical trial conducted at the University College London (UCL) in the United Kingdom. Early Success Against Hereditary Bleeding Disorder - Read more
New Disinfection Technique
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/12/2011] A Queen’s University infectious disease expert has collaborated in the development of a disinfection system that may change the way hospital rooms all over the world are cleaned as well as stop bed bug outbreaks in hotels and apartments. New Disinfection Technique - Read more
New Approach to Management of Overeating
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/12/2011] Current methods to treat overeating in youth focus on therapies that restrict what kids may eat, requiring them to track their food intake and engage in intensive exercise. But for most children, such behavioural therapy techniques do not work long term, according to Doctor Kerri Boutelle from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. New Approach to Management of Overeating - Read more
Stopping Dangerous Cell Regrowth Reduces Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/12/2011] Like Yin and Yang, the two proteins have opposite effects in the walls of blood vessels. AIF-1 stimulates undesirable formation of new cells after a vascular injury, and IRT-1 has the opposite effect. It is the latter, IRT-1, that researcher of Lund University in Sweden and Temple University in the USA want to use to stop a dangerous development in the artery. Stopping Dangerous Cell Regrowth Reduces Risk - Read more
Unconventional Approach to Control HIV Epidemics
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/12/2011] Because PrEP is based on the same drugs used to treat HIV-infected individuals, the big public health fear is that the dual use of these drugs will lead to skyrocketing levels of drug resistance. But in a new study, researchers of University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) say the exact opposite is likely to happen. Unconventional Approach to Control HIV Epidemics - Read more
How Brain Corrects Bumps to Body
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/12/2011] Researchers of the Queen’s University have identified the area of the brain that controls our ability to correct our movement after we have been hit or bumped — a finding that may have implications for understanding why subjects with stroke often have severe difficulties moving. How Brain Corrects Bumps to Body - Read more
Video Game Players Advancing Genetic Research
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/12/2011] Thousands of video game players have helped significantly advance our understanding of the genetic basis of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer over the past year. They are the users of a web-based video game developed by Doctor Jérôme Waldispuhl of the McGill School of Computer Science. Video Game Players Advancing Genetic Research - Read more
Exercise for Breast Cancer Survivors
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/12/2011] Lymphedema, a chronic swelling condition common in breast cancer survivors, affects three million people in the United States. In the past, most people believed that exercise might induce or worsen lymphedema. After reviewing the literature, University of Missouri researchers say the benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for breast cancer survivors and patients with lymphedema. Exercise for Breast Cancer Survivors - Read more
3-D Printer to Make Bone-Like Material
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/12/2011] Washington State University researchers have used a 3D printer to create a bone-like material and structure that can be used in orthopaedic procedures, dental work, and to deliver medicine for treating osteoporosis. Paired with actual bone, it acts as a scaffold for new bone to grow on and ultimately dissolves with no apparent ill effects. 3-D Printer to Make Bone-Like Material - Read more
Recognising Blood Poisoning Quickly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/12/2011] Is the patient suffering from blood poisoning? To answer this question, the doctor draws a blood sample and sends it to a central laboratory for testing. In future, physicians will be able to analyse blood there and then and have the results within twenty minutes. This is made possible by a biochip, developed by scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Physical Measurement Techniques IPM. Recognising Blood Poisoning Quickly - Read more
Everolimus Prolongs Progression-Free Survival
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2011] Combination treatment with everolimus, an inhibitor of the mammalian target rapamycin (mTOR), and octreotide has shown to improve progression-free survival for patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumours and a history of carcinoid syndrome, according to researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre. Everolimus Prolongs Progression-Free Survival - Read more
Use of Opioid Painkillers Has More than Doubled
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2011] Across United States outpatient clinics between 1997 and 2008, opioid prescriptions for chronic abdominal pain more than doubled, according to a new study of the American Gastroenterological Association. Use of Opioid Painkillers Has More than Doubled - Read more
“The goal is to help the affected person in solving problems“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2011] In the mornings you are always right and in the afternoons you have time off – this prejudice about teachers is always quoted when teachers describe the struggles of their jobs. And yet it’s this profession in particular that’s acutely threatened by stress-related diseases such as burnout for instance. “The goal is to help the affected person in solving problems“ - Read more
Fighting Fat with Fat
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/11/2011] Coordinated by the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ), a European research consortium is searching for ways to use brown fat tissue for combating widespread diseases such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Fighting Fat with Fat - Read more
Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Reducing Risk of Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/11/2011] An inexpensive drug that treats Type-2 diabetes has been shown to prevent a number of natural and man-made chemicals from stimulating the growth of breast cancer cells, according to a study by a Michigan State University researcher. Diabetes Drug Shows Promise in Reducing Risk of Cancer - Read more
Integrated 3-D Imaging Facilitates Human Face Transplantation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/11/2011] By combining conventional medical imaging with some of the same 3-D modelling techniques used in Hollywood blockbusters, researchers of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Centre (UPMC) are offering new hope to victims of serious facial injuries. Integrated 3-D Imaging Facilitates Human Face Transplantation - Read more
Researchers Decode a Puzzling Movement Disorder
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/11/2011] Neurodegenerative diseases represent one of the greatest challenges of our aging society. However, investigation into these diseases is made particularly difficult due to the limited availability of human brain tissue. Scientists from the Life and Brain Research Centre and Neurology Clinic of Bonn University (Germany) have now taken a roundabout path. Researchers Decode a Puzzling Movement Disorder - Read more
Better Dealing with Osteoarthritis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/11/2011] A step towards better understanding of the biological mechanism involved in the onset of osteoarthritis (OA), which affects millions of people around the world, has been shown in research carried out at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and in the United States. Better Dealing with Osteoarthritis - Read more
Sharp Decrease in Deaths from Sudden Cardiac Arrest
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/11/2011] Only a few decades ago, sudden cardiac arrest was a death sentence. Today, a victim of sudden cardiac arrest is saved roughly once every six hours in Sweden, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, reviewing all cases of sudden cardiac arrest over a 30-year period. Sharp Decrease in Deaths from Sudden Cardiac Arrest - Read more
Improved Method of Electrical Stimulation Could Help Treat
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/11/2011] Earlier this fall, a plastic surgery research team at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre (BIDMC) found a new method of nerve stimulation that reduces the device's electrical threshold by 40 per cent, compared with traditional FES therapy. The findings could help researchers develop a safer, more efficient functional electrical stimulation (FES) therapy with fewer side effects. Improved Method of Electrical Stimulation Could Help Treat - Read more
Substance in Cancer Medicine Could Prevent Heart Attacks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/11/2011] A substance in medicines for cancer and epilepsy could also prevent heart attacks, according to researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, who have been using it to stimulate the body’s own defence system against blood clots. Substance in Cancer Medicine Could Prevent Heart Attacks - Read more
Hiring Index Reverses Growth Trend
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/11/2011] Global challenges in the general markets seem to have impacted hiring in the life sciences and health care sectors as the ZRG Partners GLSI index posted a 17.3 per cent decrease in overall hiring for the third quarter. Hiring Index Reverses Growth Trend - Read more
New Class of Drugs for the Reversible Inhibition of Proteasomes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/11/2011] As the “recycling plant” of the cell, the proteasome regulates vitally important functions. Cancer cells, in particular, are very sensitive because they need the proteasome for their uncontrolled growth. Biochemists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) have now identified the lead structure of a new class of drugs that attacks the proteasome in an unusual way. New Class of Drugs for the Reversible Inhibition of Proteasomes - Read more
Probiotic Protects Intestine from Radiation Injury
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/11/2011] Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have shown that taking a probiotic before radiation therapy can protect the intestine from damage — at least in mice. The new study suggests that taking a probiotic also may help cancer patients avoid intestinal injury, a common problem in those receiving radiation therapy for abdominal cancers. Probiotic Protects Intestine from Radiation Injury - Read more
Protection from Severe Malaria Explained
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/11/2011] Why do people with a hereditary mutation of the red blood pigment haemoglobin (as is the case with sickle-cell anaemia prevalent in Africa) not contract severe malaria? Scientists in the group headed by Professor Michael Lanzer of the Department of Infectious Diseases at Heidelberg University Hospital (Germany) have now solved this mystery. Protection from Severe Malaria Explained - Read more
Parkinsonian Worms May Hold the Key to Identifying Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/11/2011] Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have devised a simple test, using dopamine-deficient worms, for identifying drugs that may help people with Parkinson's disease. The worms are able to evaluate as many as 1,000 potential drugs a year. The researchers have received federal funding that could increase that to one million drug tests a year. Parkinsonian Worms May Hold the Key to Identifying Drugs - Read more
Cangrelor Provides Effective Maintenance of Platelet Inhibition
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/11/2011] Data from the BRIDGE clinical trial demonstrate that intravenous use of the drug cangrelor was effective at maintaining platelet inhibition in patients on thienopyridines who required bypass surgery. Trial results were presented at the Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) scientific symposium. Cangrelor Provides Effective Maintenance of Platelet Inhibition - Read more
MEDICA 2011 + COMPAMED 2011 Start with a Record Number of Participants
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/11/2011] In the week ahead, from 16 - 19 November 2011, the attention of health and medical care professionals from around the world will once again focus on Düsseldorf, as the world's largest medical trade fair, MEDICA 2011, World Forum for Medicine, and COMPAMED 2011, High tech solutions for medical technology, the leading trade fair for the suppliers market in medical manufacturing, get underway. MEDICA 2011 + COMPAMED 2011 Start with a Record Number of Participants - Read more
Brain Plays Role in Regulating Blood Sugar
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/11/2011] Researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have demonstrated for the first time that the brain is a key player in regulating glucose metabolism in humans. The findings suggest that drugs targeting the brain and central nervous system could be a novel approach to treating diabetes. Brain Plays Role in Regulating Blood Sugar - Read more
Experimental Drug Suppresses Rebound in Liver Transplant Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/11/2011] A human monoclonal antibody developed of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) given to patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection undergoing liver transplantation significantly suppressed the virus for at least a week after transplant and delayed the time to viral rebound. Experimental Drug Suppresses Rebound in Liver Transplant Patients - Read more
Polio Still a Threat to Public Health
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/11/2011] Health professionals and researchers across the globe believe they are on the verge of eradicating polio, a devastating virus which can lead to paralysis and death. Despite successful eradication in most countries, there are still four countries where the virus is considered endemic — and many more in which the virus still lurks. Polio Still a Threat to Public Health - Read more
Stroke Prevention Clinics Reduce 1-Year Mortality Rates
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/11/2011] Research led by Doctor Vladimir Hachinski of The University of Western Ontario reveals just how important it is for patients to be referred to a stroke prevention clinic following either a mild stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA). The study showed a 26 per cent reduction in one-year mortality rates among those referred to a stroke prevention clinic. Stroke Prevention Clinics Reduce 1-Year Mortality Rates - Read more
Increased Risk of Schizophrenia in Heavy Methamphetamine Users
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/11/2011] In a study, scientists from Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) found evidence that heavy methamphetamine users might have a higher risk of developing schizophrenia. This finding was based on a large study comparing the risk among methamphetamine users not only to a group that did not use drugs, but also to heavy users of other drugs. Increased Risk of Schizophrenia in Heavy Methamphetamine Users - Read more
Metabolic Protein Plays Unexpected Role
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/11/2011] The embryonic enzyme pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) has a well-established role in metabolism and is highly expressed in human cancers. Now, a team led by researchers at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Centre reports that PKM2 has important non-metabolic functions in cancer formation. Metabolic Protein Plays Unexpected Role - Read more
Nano-Technology Makes Medicine Greener
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/11/2011] Researchers at the University of Copenhagen are behind the development of a new method that will make it possible to develop drugs faster and greener. This will lead to cheaper medicine for consumers. Nano-Technology Makes Medicine Greener - Read more
Body Weight, Sleep-disordered Breathing and Cognition Linked
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/11/2011] Researchers at the University of Chicago have found important new relationships between obesity, sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and cognitive processing among elementary school children. Body Weight, Sleep-disordered Breathing and Cognition Linked - Read more
Low Vitamin D Common in Spine Surgery Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/11/2011] A new study indicates that many patients undergoing spine surgery have low levels of vitamin D, which may delay their recovery. In the study of 313 patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery, orthopaedic surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that more than half had inadequate levels of vitamin D, including one-fourth who were more severely deficient. Low Vitamin D Common in Spine Surgery Patients - Read more
Poorer Countries Have Worse Stroke Outcomes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/11/2011] People living in poor countries or countries that spend proportionately less on health-care are about 30 per cent more likely to have a stroke, a new study shows. They are also more likely to die from a stroke within 30 days, have a stroke at a younger age or have a hemorrhagic stroke – a more severe type caused by a burst blood vessel bleeding in or near the brain. Poorer Countries Have Worse Stroke Outcomes - Read more
“Junk DNA” May Give Rise to Evolutionary Innovation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/11/2011] The vast majority of the human genome consists of DNA without any apparent function, so-called “junk DNA”. A study of Heidelberg University's Centre for Organismal Studies now highlights this “dark matter” of the genome as a resource for evolutionary novelty. “Junk DNA” May Give Rise to Evolutionary Innovation - Read more
New Top-Down Strategy of Identifying Proteins
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/10/2011] The human genome has been mapped. Now, it's on to proteins, a much more daunting task. There are 20,300 genes, but there are millions of distinct protein molecules in our bodies. Many of these hold keys to understanding disease and targeting treatment. A team led by Northwestern University has developed a new "top-down" method that can separate and identify thousands of protein molecules quickly. New Top-Down Strategy of Identifying Proteins - Read more
Strides Toward Drug Therapy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/10/2011] Scientists at University of California, Santa Barbara have discovered that patients with an inherited kidney disease may be helped by a drug that is currently available for other uses. Strides Toward Drug Therapy - Read more
First Evidence That Anal Cancer Is Preventable
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/10/2011] An international clinical trial led by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco indicates that a vaccine to prevent anal cancer is safe and effective. Though anal cancer is less common than other forms of the disease in the United States, the number of cases has increased in recent years, and is particularly common among men who have sex with men and HIV-infected individuals. First Evidence That Anal Cancer Is Preventable - Read more
New Pathway Critical to Heart Arrhythmia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/10/2011] University of Maryland School of Medicine researchers have uncovered a previously unknown molecular pathway that is critical to understanding cardiac arrhythmia and other heart muscle problems. Understanding the basic science of heart and muscle function could open the door to new treatments. New Pathway Critical to Heart Arrhythmia - Read more
World’s Largest Study Targeting Foot Ulcers
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/10/2011] What’s crucial for a diabetic’s foot sore to heal is that the ulcer is superficial, blood circulation is normal, and the person has had diabetes for short time. This is shown in the world’s largest diabetes study regarding foot ulcers, which have been carried out by the researcher Magdalena Annersten Gershater at Malmö University in Sweden. World’s Largest Study Targeting Foot Ulcers - Read more
Diet May Be Risk Factors for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/10/2011] Body weight in young adulthood and diet appeared to be associated with the risk for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. "The causes of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) are poorly understood, and unfortunately, we do not know very much about specific ways to prevent or lower the risk for this disease," said Doctor Kimberly Bertrand of the Harvard School of Public Health. Diet May Be Risk Factors for Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma - Read more
Autistic Brains Develop More Slowly Than Healthy Brains
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/10/2011] Researchers at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) have found a possible explanation for why autistic children act and think differently than their peers. For the first time, they've shown that the connections between brain regions that are important for language and social skills grow much more slowly in boys with autism than in non-autistic children. Autistic Brains Develop More Slowly Than Healthy Brains - Read more
“You must not underestimate the capability of these viruses“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/10/2011] Tropical diseases used to appear almost exclusively in remote countries – hence the name. The mosquito bite was annoying, but nevertheless harmless in European regions. But the flying pests keep spreading and spreading. And they carry tiny, but dangerous pathogens. Scientists now found out that these viruses are now settling down in Europe. They are called Sindbis, Batai or Usutu. “You must not underestimate the capability of these viruses“ - Read more
Early Detection and Immediate Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/10/2011] A blood test can help to assess whether a pregnant woman who suffers from pregnancy-induced hypertension, so-called preeclampsia, is at risk for an imminent delivery. This knowledge can be used to determine the due date as well as avoid complications for mother and child. This report scientists at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Early Detection and Immediate Treatment - Read more
Early HIV Treatment Increases Survival in Patients with Tuberculosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/10/2011] Timing is everything when treating patients with both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB). Starting HIV therapy in such patients within two weeks of TB treatment, rather than two months as is the current practice, increases survival by 33 per cent, according to a large-scale clinical trial in Cambodia led by researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. Early HIV Treatment Increases Survival in Patients with Tuberculosis - Read more
Why Is Steroid Treatment Ineffective for COPD?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/10/2011] A new study led by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, found why corticosteroids do not work well for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients and how additional treatment with sulforaphane - an ingredient of broccoli and other vegetables - can improve the effectiveness of corticosteroids. Why Is Steroid Treatment Ineffective for COPD? - Read more
Drug Tracked in Tissue
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2011] When a new drug is developed, the manufacturer must be able to show that it reaches its intended goal in the body’s tissue, and only that goal. Such studies could be made easier with a new method now established at Lund University in Sweden. Drug Tracked in Tissue - Read more
Gene Therapy Without a Needle
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2011] For the first time, researchers of Ohio State University have found a way to inject a precise dose of a gene therapy agent directly into a single living cell without a needle. The technique uses electricity to “shoot” bits of therapeutic bio molecules through a tiny channel and into a cell in a fraction of a second. Gene Therapy Without a Needle - Read more
Same Gene Has Opposite Effects
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/10/2011] Researchers at Cleveland Clinic have discovered that a gene – known as an androgen receptor (AR) – is found in both prostate and breast cancers yet has opposite effects on these diseases. Same Gene Has Opposite Effects - Read more
One in Six Mobile Phones Is Contaminated with Faecal Bacteria
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/10/2011] One in six mobile phones in Britain is contaminated with faecal matter, according to new research released ahead of Global Handwashing Day. Experts say the most likely reason for the potentially harmful bacteria festering on so many gadgets is people failing to wash their hands properly with soap after going to the toilet. One in Six Mobile Phones Is Contaminated with Faecal Bacteria - Read more
Older Beta Cells Act Young Again
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/10/2011] Now, long-time by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International (JDRF)-funded researchers at Stanford University have identified a pathway responsible for the age-related decline, and have shown that they can tweak it to get older beta cells to act young again - and start dividing. Older Beta Cells Act Young Again - Read more
Aging's Effect on the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/10/2011] Research by biologists at the University of York and Hull York Medical School has revealed important new information about the way the brain is affected by age. Working with scientists at the Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Plymouth, they have studied responses to stress in synapses - neuronal connections. Aging's Effect on the Brain - Read more
Earlier Circumcision May Be Effective Intervention
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/10/2011] According to Doctor Anna R. Giuliano, program leader in cancer epidemiology at Moffitt Cancer Centre in Tampa, and colleagues in the Netherlands, earlier circumcision of males in South Africa may be a positive step in slowing the spread of both human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the human papillomavirus (HPV). Earlier Circumcision May Be Effective Intervention - Read more
Lack of Sleep Affects Brain Synapses
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/10/2011] An ongoing lack of sleep during adolescence could lead to more than dragging, foggy teens, a University of Wisconsin-Madison study suggests. Researchers have found that short-term sleep restriction in adolescent mice prevented the balanced growth and depletion of brain synapses, connections between nerve cells where communication occurs. Lack of Sleep Affects Brain Synapses - Read more
Dioxin-like Chemical Messenger Makes Brain Tumours More Aggressive
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/10/2011] A research alliance of Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Centre (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ), jointly with colleagues of the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, have discovered a new metabolic pathway which makes malignant brain tumours (gliomas) more aggressive and weakens patients’ immune systems. Dioxin-like Chemical Messenger Makes Brain Tumours More Aggressive - Read more
Circadian Clock May Impact Organ Transplant Success
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/10/2011] Health care providers assess blood and tissue type as well as organ size and health to enhance transplant success. New research indicates that checklist might also need to include the circadian clock. Circadian Clock May Impact Organ Transplant Success - Read more
How Viruses Find Their Way Into the Cell Nucleus
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/10/2011] Adenoviruses cause respiratory diseases and are more dangerous for humans than previously assumed. They manipulate gatekeeper molecules and infiltrate the cell nucleus with the aid of the host cell. A team of researchers have succeeded in demonstrating this mechanism in detail for the first time. How Viruses Find Their Way Into the Cell Nucleus - Read more
Dyslexia Isn’t a Matter of IQ
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/09/2011] Historically, the label has been assigned to kids who are bright, even verbally articulate, but who struggle with reading—in short, whose high intelligence quotient (IQ) mismatch their low reading scores. When children are not as bright, however, their reading troubles have been chalked up to their general intellectual limitations. Dyslexia Isn’t a Matter of IQ - Read more
Tracing an Elusive Killer Parasite in Peru
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/09/2011] Doctor Michael Levy of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, along with other collaborators from Penn and Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia in Peru, are in the trenches combining tried-and-true epidemiological approaches with new statistical methods to learn more about the course of a dangerous, contagious disease epidemic. Tracing an Elusive Killer Parasite in Peru - Read more
Therapy via Internet Yields Good Results
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/09/2011] Treatment via the Internet enables many more patients to get help with their depression. This has been established by the psychologist Fredrik Holländare, who has studied the effects of Internet-based CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) both on ongoing depression and for preventing relapses. Therapy via Internet Yields Good Results - Read more
Alzheimer's Disease Rises During Day and Falls with Sleep
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/09/2011] A marker for Alzheimer's disease rises and falls in the spinal fluid in a daily pattern that echoes the sleep cycle, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis have found. The pattern is strongest in healthy young people and reinforces a link between increased Alzheimer's risk and inadequate sleep that had been discovered in animal models. Alzheimer's Disease Rises During Day and Falls with Sleep - Read more
Couples Counseling Improves Sexual Intimacy After Prostate Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/09/2011] Prostate cancer survivors and their partners experience improved sexual satisfaction and function after couples counseling, according to research at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Researchers revealed both Internet-based sexual counseling and traditional sex therapy are equally effective in improving sexual outcomes. Couples on a waiting list for counseling did not improve. Couples Counseling Improves Sexual Intimacy After Prostate Treatment - Read more
Risk of Comorbidities for COPD Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/09/2011] A new study has shown that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or people with reduced lung function are at a serious risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Risk of Comorbidities for COPD Patients - Read more
Genetic Factors Behind High Blood Pressure
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/09/2011] High blood pressure is a well-known risk factor for heart disease. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have participated in an international study of 200,000 Europeans which has identified 16 new genetic variations that affect blood pressure. The discovery is an important step towards better diagnostics and treatment. Genetic Factors Behind High Blood Pressure - Read more
Why Carbon Nanotubes Spell Trouble for Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/09/2011] It's been long known that asbestos spells trouble for human cells. But scientists had been unable to understand why cells would be interested in asbestos fibers and other materials at the nanoscale that are too long to be fully ingested. Now a group of researchers at Brown University explains what happens. Why Carbon Nanotubes Spell Trouble for Cells - Read more
Catching a Breath – Wirelessly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/09/2011] University of Utah engineers who built wireless networks that see through walls now are aiming the technology at a new goal: noninvasively measuring the breathing of surgery patients, adults with sleep apnoea and babies at risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Catching a Breath – Wirelessly - Read more
New Combination Treatment for Prostate Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/09/2011] Scientists at Queen’s University Belfast have pioneered a new combination treatment for prostate cancer. The treatment, which has been successful in phase one of trials, will now be tested for efficacy in a second phase. New Combination Treatment for Prostate Cancer - Read more
“It is an investment in our economic development“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/09/2011] Prevention is the best medicine, according to the proverb. To internalise this wisdom into as many people as possible is the most important goal of the health prevention. With a view to rising illnesses such as diabetes, mental disorders or adiposity, it is becoming more and more important. “It is an investment in our economic development“ - Read more
"Faces of Dementia"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/09/2011] The theme for World Alzheimer's Day 2011 is 'Faces of dementia'. In much different materials and activities Alzheimer's Disease International (ADI) and Alzheimer associations across the world will focus on the many issues surrounding the 'Faces of dementia'. "Faces of Dementia" - Read more
Common Treatments Can Lead to Resistance
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/09/2011] Overexposure to antibiotics has long been a concern in the medical community – most specifically the development of antibiotic resistant infections as a result of repeated use. According to a study, ophthalmologic antibiotics promote antimicrobial resistance too, prompting a call from Vanderbilt Eye Institute physicians to be more judicial in the administration of certain classes of antibiotics. Common Treatments Can Lead to Resistance - Read more
People Born After World War II Are More Likely to Binge Drink
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/09/2011] Researchers at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health looked generational and gender differences in alcohol consumption, alcohol disorders, and mortality. Findings indicate that people born after World War II are more likely to binge drink and develop alcohol use disorders. People Born After World War II Are More Likely to Binge Drink - Read more
Breakthrough Opens New Avenues for Hepatitis C Vaccine
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/09/2011] Hopes for an effective vaccine and treatment against the potentially fatal hepatitis C virus (HCV) have received a major boost following the discovery of two 'Achilles' heels' within the virus. A team of medical researchers from the University of New South Wales (UNSW) studied individuals at high risk of HCV infection, including a number identified within a few weeks of the onset of infection. Breakthrough Opens New Avenues for Hepatitis C Vaccine - Read more
Separating a Cancer Prevention Drug from Heart Disease Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/09/2011] Several clinical studies have shown that taking the anti-inflammatory drug celecoxib can reduce the risk of developing polyps that lead to colon cancers, at the cost of increasing the risk of heart disease. Researchers at Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University have identified a way that celecoxib pushes cancer cells into suicide, separately from its known effects. Separating a Cancer Prevention Drug from Heart Disease Risk - Read more
Polonium Poisoning Case Sheds Light on Infection Control Practices
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/09/2011] A new study uses a famous case of international intrigue and murder to shed new light on the risks health care workers face while treating patients with radiation poisoning. Polonium Poisoning Case Sheds Light on Infection Control Practices - Read more
Breast Cancer Patients with BRCA Gene Diagnosed Earlier
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/09/2011] Women with a deleterious gene mutation are diagnosed with breast cancer almost eight years earlier than relatives of the previous generation who also had the disease and/or ovarian cancer, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Breast Cancer Patients with BRCA Gene Diagnosed Earlier - Read more
New Strategy to Fight AIDS and Other Diseases
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/09/2011] Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a genome-based immunization strategy to fight feline AIDS and illuminate ways to combat human HIV/AIDS and other diseases. The goal is to create cats with intrinsic immunity to the feline AIDS virus. New Strategy to Fight AIDS and Other Diseases - Read more
Hormone That Predicts Premature Death
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/09/2011] Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that high levels of a specific hormone can predict which kidney patients will develop heart problems, require dialysis or die prematurely. Hormone That Predicts Premature Death - Read more
New 'Bouncer' Molecule Halts Rheumatoid Arthritis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/09/2011] Researchers at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have discovered why the immune cells of people with rheumatoid arthritis become hyperactive and attack the joints and bones. The immune cells have lost their bouncer, the burly protein that keeps them in line the same way a bouncer in a nightclub controls rowdy patrons. New 'Bouncer' Molecule Halts Rheumatoid Arthritis - Read more
Aerobic Exercise May Reduce the Risk of Dementia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/09/2011] Any exercise that gets the heart pumping may reduce the risk of dementia and slow the condition's progression once it starts, reported a Mayo Clinic study. Researchers examined the role of aerobic exercise in preserving cognitive abilities and concluded that it should not be overlooked as an important therapy against dementia. Aerobic Exercise May Reduce the Risk of Dementia - Read more
"There is no specific treatment"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/09/2011] Many years ago in Chernobyl, now Fukushima (Japan) - when it comes to nuclear accidents, human lives are in danger. Not only in the moment of the accident, but for many years later. Because the disease-causing rays have a life-long effect on our health and can be the cause of cancer even in the following generation. "There is no specific treatment" - Read more
Cheap Drugs Could Save Thousands of Lives
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/09/2011] A major new international study involving researchers from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg and Sahlgrenska University Hospital has revealed that aspirin, statins, beta blockers and ACE inhibitors are prescribed far too infrequently. Cheap Drugs Could Save Thousands of Lives - Read more
New Polymer Research
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/09/2011] A protective delivery vehicle that shuttles friendly bacteria safely through the stomach to the intestines could provide a major boost for the probiotics industry. The new technology could also be used for the delivery of certain drugs and even increase calcium absorption, according to research at the University of York. New Polymer Research - Read more
Researchers Found Mechanism That Can Help Design Future Therapies
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/09/2011] An international team of researchers has found a group of mutations involved in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL), and showed that certain drugs, already in clinical use to treat other diseases, can eliminate the cells carrying these mutations. Researchers Found Mechanism That Can Help Design Future Therapies - Read more
"You can learn a lot in many different areas from each other"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2011] To be able to fight resistant hospital bacteria effectively and for the long term, it is getting more and more important to collaborate throughout Europe and internationally with different stakeholders of medical facilities. Now one European project is making this its primary goal. The German-Dutch collaboration is meant to strengthen patient safety and protection against infections. "You can learn a lot in many different areas from each other" - Read more
Huge Gaps in Use of Simple, Cheap and Proven Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2011] A global study in 17 countries led by McMaster University researchers has found too few patients are using drugs proven to give significant benefits in warding off a heart attack or stroke. Huge Gaps in Use of Simple, Cheap and Proven Drugs - Read more
Why HIV Infection Rates Are On the Rise
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/08/2011] A new study in Israel reveals that the number of new HIV cases diagnosed each year in the last decade saw a startling increase of almost 500 percent compared to the previous decade, and similar trends have been reported in a number of other developed nations, including the U.S. Why HIV Infection Rates Are On the Rise - Read more
Improvement of Drugs and Other Compounds
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/08/2011] Scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have devised a much easier technique for performing a chemical modification used widely in the synthesis of drugs and other products. Improvement of Drugs and Other Compounds - Read more
New Role for Protein in Hearing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/08/2011] A protein involved in sound sensing in the inner ear may also play a role in transmitting sound information to the brain; the protein - harmonin - is mutated in Usher syndrome, one of the most common forms of deaf-blindness in humans. New Role for Protein in Hearing - Read more
IMRT Improves Outcomes in Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/08/2011] In a subtype of the disease called extranodal lymphoma, tumors arise in non-lymphoid organs, such as the tongue and tonsils. Patients with extranodal lymphoma of the head and neck often undergo radiation therapy, but this treatment frequently damages the salivary glands and causes dry mouth, which can lead to problems with eating, speaking and swallowing. IMRT Improves Outcomes in Patients - Read more
Recovery of the Hand Functions of Stroke Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/08/2011] Scientists have developed a hand robotic training device to recover the hand functions of stroke patients. Recovery of the Hand Functions of Stroke Patients - Read more
Safety Checks Could Reduce Radiotherapy Errors
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/08/2011] A combination of several well-known safety procedures could greatly reduce patient-harming errors in the use of radiation to treat cancer, according to a new study led by Johns Hopkins researchers. Safety Checks Could Reduce Radiotherapy Errors - Read more
Dementia: An underestimated problem
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/08/2011] Dementia is a disorder caused by malfunctions in brain performance, from which in Germany alone approximately 1.2 million people are suffering from. Since dementia mostly appears in the third phase in one’s life and the number of affected people is increasing constantly, all industrial nations are facing entirely new challenges.Dementia: An underestimated problem - Read more
“In 30 countries of the world there is no equipment at all for treatment“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/08/2011] Whether it’s India, Japan or France – Cancer doesn’t care about country borders. According to the World Health Organization, until 2030 the annual death toll will be 17 million. This means the number would more than double. Increasing tobacco consumption in developing nations plays a primary role in this case. “In 30 countries of the world there is no equipment at all for treatment“ - Read more
“So far different countries have responded quite differently to the psychosocial needs of immigrants“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/08/2011] Those who leave their home country to live in another one always take a part of their own culture with them – even in a global community that appears more and more linked to us. But how much does our native country still affect us in foreign lands and how do we handle it if professional or everyday situations lead us to feeling stressed out? “So far different countries have responded quite differently to the psychosocial needs of immigrants“ - Read more
Unprotected Sex Between HIV-Infected Men
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/07/2011] Sexual transmission of hepatitis C virus, HCV, is considered rare. But a new study by researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, provides substantial evidence that men with HIV who have sex with other men, MSM, are at increased risk for contracting HCV through sex. Unprotected Sex Between HIV-Infected Men - Read more
Outbreak Linked to Nasal Spray
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/07/2011] Infection control researchers investigating a rare bacterial outbreak of Burholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) identified contaminated nasal spray as the root cause of the infections, leading to a national recall of the product. Outbreak Linked to Nasal Spray - Read more
Making Blood-Sucking Deadly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/07/2011] Mosquitoes die soon after a blood meal if certain protein components are experimentally disrupted, a team of biochemists at the University of Arizona has discovered. Making Blood-Sucking Deadly - Read more
Protection Against Aging
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/07/2011] Researchers from the Universities of Bonn and Mainz have discovered a mechanism that seems to protect the brain from aging. In experiments with mice, they switched off the cannabinoid-1 receptor. As a consequence, the animals showed signs of degeneration – as seen in people with dementia - much faster. Protection Against Aging - Read more
HIV Medications Prevent HIV Infection
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/07/2011] An international study led by the University of Washington's International Clinical Research Center has demonstrated that individuals at high risk for HIV infection who took a daily tablet containing an HIV medication experienced significantly fewer HIV infections than those who received a placebo pill. HIV Medications Prevent HIV Infection - Read more
“There is a worldwide advance”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/07/2011] Despite continuing technological and pharmacological advances, physicians are still faced with several medical mysteries. Oftentimes however there is no time to intensely devote to the research for innovative possible solutions of modern diseases. “There is a worldwide advance” - Read more
How Cavity-causing Microbes Invade Heart
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/06/2011] Scientists have discovered the tool that bacteria normally found in our mouths use to invade heart tissue, causing a dangerous and sometimes lethal infection of the heart known as endocarditis. How Cavity-causing Microbes Invade Heart - Read more
Aim to Reduce the Spread of HIV For Men
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/06/2011] New public health recommendations from WHO and partners aim to help policymakers and doctors scale-up access to treatment and prevention services for HIV and sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men and transgender people. These are the first global public health guidelines to focus on these specific population groups. Aim to Reduce the Spread of HIV For Men - Read more
Life Expectancy in Most US Counties Falls Behind
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/06/2011] The most current county-level analysis finds large disparities nationwide; women fare worse than men, and people in Appalachia, the Deep South, and Northern Texas live the shortest lives. Life Expectancy in Most US Counties Falls Behind - Read more
Fall in Cases of Meningitis A in Africa After Vaccine Introduction
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/06/2011] Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger report the lowest number of confirmed meningitis A cases ever recorded during an epidemic season this year following the successful introduction of a new vaccine that could eliminate the primary cause of the deadly disease from Africa's meningitis belt, announced the Meningitis Vaccine Project (MVP) today. Fall in Cases of Meningitis A in Africa After Vaccine Introduction - Read more
BPA Accumulates More Rapidly Within The Body Than Thought
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/06/2011] A new University of Missouri study shows that the exposure to the controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) through diet has been underestimated by previous lab tests. BPA Accumulates More Rapidly Within The Body Than Thought - Read more
"We do not know what happens locally at the heart"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/05/2011] When the heart literally breaks and a relationship is ending, it’s usually a painful experience for the people involved. Similar experiences, though they are less attributed to lovesickness, but rather to a traumatic shock, the death of a beloved person or extreme stress are the ingredients for a life-threatening cocktail. "We do not know what happens locally at the heart" - Read more
Pigs Susceptible To Virulent Ebolavirus Can Transmit The Virus To Other Animals
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/05/2011] Canadian investigators have shown that a species of ebolavirus from Zaire that is highly virulent in humans can replicate in pigs, cause disease, and be transmitted to animals previously unexposed to the virus. Pigs Susceptible To Virulent Ebolavirus Can Transmit The Virus To Other Animals - Read more
Law Will Insure Nearly All Uninsured Women by 2014
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/05/2011] The new health reform law will expand health insurance coverage to nearly all uninsured women and will make health care more affordable for millions of women through premium subsidies beginning in 2014 and new rules. Some of them, already in place, will protect women from high costs, according to a Commonwealth Fund report. Law Will Insure Nearly All Uninsured Women by 2014 - Read more
Smokers Undergo the Same Changes as Patients with COPD
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/05/2011] 'Healthy' smokers experience changes in the gene expression of their lungs similar to that suffered by smokers who have developed Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Smokers Undergo the Same Changes as Patients with COPD - Read more
Minimising Effects of Colitis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/05/2011] DNA from Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacteria, minimizes the effects of colitis in mice, according to a new study by University of Michigan Medical School scientists. Minimising Effects of Colitis - Read more
Analysis Predicts Increased Fatalities from Heat Waves
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/05/2011] Global climate change is anticipated to bring more extreme weather phenomena such as heat waves that could impact human health in the coming decades. Analysis Predicts Increased Fatalities from Heat Waves - Read more
“Sadly, humanity will fall by the wayside“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/04/2011] Rural exodus is not just a well-known German problem, but happens all over the world. In the foreseeable future, this development will have a negative impact on the rural infrastructure and with it also on medical care. The fact remains: Many physicians prefer the city and a country atmosphere doesn’t do much for them. “Sadly, humanity will fall by the wayside“ - Read more
New Target for Developing Effective Anti-depressants
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/04/2011] For the first time in a human model, scientists have discovered how anti-depressants make new brain cells. This means that researchers can now develop better and more efficient drugs to combat depression. New Target for Developing Effective Anti-depressants - Read more
Scores Predict Breast Cancer Outcomes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/04/2011] Breast cancer survivors with poor physical health scores had an elevated risk of poorer cancer outcomes, including recurrence and death, according to the results of an observational study. Scores Predict Breast Cancer Outcomes - Read more
Lithium in Drinking Water in Andean Villages
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/04/2011] Lithium is an element used in batteries and also for medication, as an established and common treatment for bipolar disorder. Swedish researchers have now found that women in four mountain villages in Argentinean Andes Mountains ingest so much lithium via the groundwater that this could affect thyroid function, causing so-called hypothyroidism. Lithium in Drinking Water in Andean Villages - Read more
Vitamin D Levels Linked With Health of Blood Vessels
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/04/2011] A lack of vitamin D, even in generally healthy people, is linked with stiffer arteries and an inability of blood vessels to relax, research from the Emory/Georgia Tech Predictive Health Institute has found. Vitamin D Levels Linked With Health of Blood Vessels - Read more
Prevention Is Better Than Cure for Zoonotic Diseases
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/03/2011] The risk of contracting zoonotic diseases that pass from animals to humans appears to be on the increase in the UK, but encouraging countryside users to take simple precautions to protect themselves is the best response, according to research undertaken by the UK research councils’ Rural Economy and Land Use Programme. Prevention Is Better Than Cure for Zoonotic Diseases - Read more
“Optimum conditions require sufficient and qualified personnel“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/03/2011] Many hospital stays go smoothly. Then suddenly complications arise and the patient experiences strange symptoms. The problem is well-known: often this is due to an infection with dangerous, antibiotic-resistant bacteria. A frequent cause is lack of hygiene. Thousands of patients all over the world contract these so-called nosocomial infections. How can this development be stopped? “Optimum conditions require sufficient and qualified personnel“ - Read more
Maybe New and Improved Vaccines
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/03/2011] Alum is an adjuvant (immune booster) used in many common vaccines, and researchers from the University of Calgary's Faculty of Medicine have now discovered how it works. The new findings will help the medical community produce more effective vaccines and may open the doors for creating new vaccines for diseases such as HIV or tuberculosis. Maybe New and Improved Vaccines - Read more
Prevalence and Severity of Bipolar Disorder Worldwide
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/03/2011] Despite international variation in prevalence rates of bipolar spectrum disorder, the severity and associated disorders are similar and treatment needs are often unmet, especially in low-income countries, according to a report. Prevalence and Severity of Bipolar Disorder Worldwide - Read more
Protein May Help the Virus's Resurgence
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/02/2011] New research enhances the current knowledge of how human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1), which causes AIDS, controls the cell cycle of cells that it infects. The new findings may shed light on how the virus reactivates after entering a dormant state, called latency. Protein May Help the Virus's Resurgence - Read more
Eating Berries May Lower Risk of Developing Parkinson's Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/02/2011] New research shows men and women who regularly eat berries may have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease, while men may also further lower their risk by regularly eating apples, oranges and other sources rich in dietary components called flavonoids. Eating Berries May Lower Risk of Developing Parkinson's Disease - Read more
Problems with Mitochondria
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/02/2011] For the last several years, neurologists have been probing a connection between Parkinson's disease and problems with mitochondria, the miniature power plants of the cell. Problems with Mitochondria - Read more
Prevention of Metastasis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/02/2011] Tumor cells have several routes that enable them to move from the primary tumor to distant tissues, a process called metastasis. It is metastasis of the primary tumor that kills most cancer patients. Prevention of Metastasis - Read more
Tackle Complications of Childhood Cancer Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/02/2011] An increasing number of children survive cancer. However, many of them pay a high price. The harsh treatment can lead to hormone imbalances that affect sexual and physical development. Others are affected by infertility, cardiovascular or kidney problems or reduced cognitive function. Tackle Complications of Childhood Cancer Treatment - Read more
Understanding Cause of Lupus
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2011] Potentially impacting future diagnosis and treatment of lupus, an immune illness affecting more than 5 million people worldwide, researchers lhaveuncovered where the breakdown in the body's lymphocyte molecular regulatory machinery is occurring. Understanding Cause of Lupus - Read more
No Risk to Cognitive Function
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/01/2011] Recent work has used MRI to study the brains of migraine sufferers and has shown that a higher proportion of these patients exhibit lesions of the brain microvessels than the rest of the population. No Risk to Cognitive Function - Read more
Genetic Variety Causing AIDS
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/01/2011] Identifying the time of HIV infection, researchers have identified a simple method to establish when a patient contracted the virus causing . The time of infection can be of importance for the treatment of the illness and it contributes to the understanding of the course of the epidemic. Genetic Variety Causing AIDS - Read more
Possible New Treatment for Severe 2009 H1N1 Infection
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/01/2011] Convalescent plasma therapy—using plasma from patients who have recovered from an infection to treat those with the same infection—has been used to treat multiple diseases. However, the efficacy of this treatment in patients with severe 2009 H1N1 influenza is unknown. A new study suggests that convalescent plasma may reduce the death rate in patients severely ill with this type of influenza. Possible New Treatment for Severe 2009 H1N1 Infection - Read more
Sex, Race, and Geography Influence Health
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/01/2011] Women, nonwhites, and people in the southern United States who were newly infected with HIV and followed for an average of four years experienced greater HIV/AIDS-related morbidity compared to men and people of other races living in other regions of the country. Sex, Race, and Geography Influence Health - Read more
Blood Pressure-lowering Medications Reduce Risks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/01/2011] Early treatment with blood pressure-lowering medications provides a long-term benefit of reducing the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. Blood Pressure-lowering Medications Reduce Risks - Read more
Detecting Alzheimer’s Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/01/2011] Scientists have developed a novel technology that is able to detect the presence of immune molecules specific to Alzheimer’s disease in patients’ blood samples. While still preliminary, the findings offer clear proof that this breakthrough technology could be used in the development of biomarkers for a range of human diseases. Detecting Alzheimer’s Disease - Read more
Early Detection of Breast Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/01/2011] Using a new, powerful method for rapidly screening molecules associated with disease, proteomics expert Joshua LaBaer and colleagues from ASU's Biodesign Institute have identified a broad panel of 28 early predictors, or biomarkers, that may one day aid in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Early Detection of Breast Cancer - Read more
Possible Interventions for Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/01/2011] Significant implications in the treatment and intervention of cancer and obesity has been revealed by University of Houston (UH) biochemist Doctor Jan-Åke Gustafsson. Possible Interventions for Cancer - Read more
Measles Viral Protein Movement
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/01/2011] Researchers have shown that proteins on the surface of a cell twist a viral protein into position, allowing the virus to start infection and cause disease, all in a movement as graceful as a ballroom dance. Measles Viral Protein Movement - Read more
Increased Lung Cancer Risk Among Tuberculosis Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/01/2011] China Medical University study shows higher incidence of cancer in those who have had tuberculosis. Increased Lung Cancer Risk Among Tuberculosis Patients - Read more
A New Vaccine Strategy?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/12/2010] There is no efficient vaccine against malaria, although nasal and oral vaccination seems to be the most promising and suitable solution in countries where the parasite Plasmodium, which causes the disease, is rife. A New Vaccine Strategy? - Read more
Fats And Carbohydrates Shorten Life Expectancy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/12/2010] A team of scientists now showed that a lifelong diet with fat and carbohydrates reduced the life expectancy of mice by 33 percent. By contrast, high fat feeding with a high protein but low in carbohydrates reduced the life expectancy of rodents simply by seven percent. Fats And Carbohydrates Shorten Life Expectancy - Read more
More Time Sick Than A Decade Ago
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/12/2010] Increased life expectancy in the United States has not been accompanied by more years of perfect health. More Time Sick Than A Decade Ago - Read more
Perinatal Bisphenol-A Exposure May Affect Fertility
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/12/2010] Exposure to a ubiquitous environmental chemical during pregnancy may impair reproductive capacity of female offspring, according to a study. Perinatal Bisphenol-A Exposure May Affect Fertility - Read more
Potential New Strategy for Treating HIV
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2010] Scientists at Gladstone Institute of Virology and Immunology have solved a long-standing mystery about HIV infection—namely how HIV promotes the death of CD4 T cells. Potential New Strategy for Treating HIV - Read more
“A targeted switch off of only the disease-enhancing memory cells would be desirable“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2010] As the core of the adaptive immune system, our memory assumes a central function. The human immune system recognizes a myriad of exogenous agents and scans new pathogens after they invade the body. Subsequently, our immunological memory will remember these pathogens, identify them faster and effectively destroy them. “A targeted switch off of only the disease-enhancing memory cells would be desirable“ - Read more
MEDICA 2010: Balance report - Absolutely healthy in Düsseldorf
( Source: MEDICA-TradeFair.com )
[23/11/2010] Probably the most valuable thing we have remains our health, and that is also why sales can be generated on the topic of health. Very aware of this, representatives of the “getting healthy and staying healthy” industry traveled to Düsseldorf to the MEDICA, the world's largest medicine trade fair. MEDICA 2010: Balance report - Absolutely healthy in Düsseldorf - Read more
Paracetamol Use in Pregnancy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/11/2010] Evidence suggesting that the risk of childhood asthma associated with prenatal paracetamol exposure may depend on antioxidant genes in the mother has been found by a team of UK scientists. Paracetamol Use in Pregnancy - Read more
Time Takes Its Toll
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/11/2010] We all know that living a stressful lifestyle can take its toll, making us age faster and making us more susceptible to the cold going around the office. Time Takes Its Toll - Read more
First Battle Won With Antibodies
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/11/2010] Bacteria that are resistant to antibodies pose a threat, particularly to people who are sick or feeble. In the search for new drugs, scientists from the University of Würzburg have made a breakthrough. First Battle Won With Antibodies - Read more
Research Begins to Bite
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/10/2010] Scientists have pin-pointed the 72 molecular switches that control the three key stages in the life cycle of the malaria parasite and have discovered that over a third of these switches can be disrupted in some way. Research Begins to Bite - Read more
Contribution to Health Disparities in Kidney Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/09/2010] Processed and fast foods enriched with phosphorus additives may play a role in health disparities in chronic kidney disease. Contribution to Health Disparities in Kidney Disease - Read more
'Jailbreak' Bacteria Can Trigger Heart Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/09/2010] Plaque-causing bacteria can jailbreak from the mouth into the bloodstream and increase your risk of heart attack says a scientist at the Society for General Microbiology's autumn meeting in Nottingham. 'Jailbreak' Bacteria Can Trigger Heart Disease - Read more
HIV Virus Hides in the Brain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/08/2010] Studies of the spinal fluid of patients given anti-HIV drugs have resulted in new findings suggesting that the brain can act as a hiding place for the HIV virus. HIV Virus Hides in the Brain - Read more
Steer a Wheelchair by Sniffing
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/07/2010] Weizmann Institute neurobiologists and electrical engineers have invented a new technology that lets the severely disabled communicate or steer a wheelchair by sniffing. Steer a Wheelchair by Sniffing - Read more
Employers Took Many Measures to Protect Employees
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/06/2010] In response to the H1N1 flu, most employees at U.S. businesses say their company took measures to protect them from illness, such as encouraging sick employees to stay home, according to a national poll of employees by researchers from the Harvard Opinion Research Program at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH). Employers Took Many Measures to Protect Employees - Read more
False Positive Worse Than Truly Ill
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/05/2010] HIV-infected patients who are falsely diagnosed as having tuberculosis (TB) have higher rates of mortality than those who are correctly diagnosed with the disease, according to a new study. False Positive Worse Than Truly Ill - Read more
Dramatic Increase in China by 2030
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/05/2010] Annual heart disease and stroke rates in China will rise by up to 73 percent by 2030, given an aging population and other increased risk factors, according to research. Dramatic Increase in China by 2030 - Read more
Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Against Malaria
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/05/2010] Mosquitoes transmit infectious diseases to millions of people every year, including malaria. New research reveals that mosquito genetic engineering may turn the transmitter into a natural 'flying vaccinator'. Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes Against Malaria - Read more
3-in-1 Detection of Parasitic Diseases
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/03/2010] A new three-in-one test to diagnose a trio of parasitic diseases – namely Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis, and "sleeping sickness" or African trypanosomiasis - is passing preliminary tests, scientists reported. 3-in-1 Detection of Parasitic Diseases - Read more
Infrared System Detects Fever
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/03/2010] Researchers found an infrared thermal detection system (ITDS) to be a fast and effective fever screening tool in clinical settings during the H1N1 influenza pandemic. Infrared System Detects Fever - Read more
"Creativity Is Essential When Working In Troubled Regions"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/02/2010] Civil wars, floods or an earthquake like the recent one in Haiti – Catastrophes like these demand a lot of hard work from doctors. Surgeries are performed in piece work under poor hygienic conditions while missing anaesthetics and drugs. "Creativity Is Essential When Working In Troubled Regions" - Read more
Reducing Stillbirths By Up to One Million?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/02/2010] New findings in a study show that training birth attendants in essential newborn-care techniques reduced stillbirths by more than 30 percent - and potentially could save as many as one million lives worldwide each year. Reducing Stillbirths By Up to One Million? - Read more
New Vaccine to Prevent Tuberculosis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2010] Investigators have reported results of a clinical trial showing that a new vaccine against tuberculosis is effective in preventing tuberculosis (TB) in people with HIV infection. New Vaccine to Prevent Tuberculosis - Read more
Making Parasites Destruct Themselves
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/01/2010] In an article, scientists are reporting their successful attempt at determining the structure of an enzyme essential to the survival of the protozoan parasites that cause sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis. Making Parasites Destruct Themselves - Read more
New Method for Testing Holds Promise
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/07/2009] A new technique that detects the HIV virus early and monitors its development without requiring refrigeration may make AIDS testing more accessible in sub-Saharan Africa. New Method for Testing Holds Promise - Read more
Job Programs Protect Public Health
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/07/2009] A rapid rise in unemployment can be linked to an increase in suicides, homicides, and alcohol abuse, but job programs can successfully mitigate these rates, according to a new study. Job Programs Protect Public Health - Read more
Unprecedented Private Giving
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/06/2009] Well-heeled donors, private corporations and average citizens sending money to their favorite charities are changing the landscape of global health funding, according to a new study. Unprecedented Private Giving - Read more
"With Protective Masks and Gloves"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2009] Lots of people think plague belongs to the Middle Ages. In industrial countries the epidemic plague is nearly forgotten, but for many people in developing countries the disease is daily routine.
"With Protective Masks and Gloves" - Read more
„In Long Years of Detail Work“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2009] Just as Don Quixote tilts at windmills, so do countries, health organisations, epidemiologists and physicians fight against tiny disease agents. The noble aim: eradicating the pathogens and making them sink into oblivion. They succeed only in the rarest of cases. „In Long Years of Detail Work“ - Read more
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