You are here: MEDICA Portal. Our Topics in 2009.
Topic of the Month March: Blood
Breakup of Physician Drug Company Relationship Cut Cost
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/05/2013] A new report suggests that improved health care and significant reductions in drug costs might be attained by breaking up the age-old relationship between physicians and drug company representatives who promote the newest, more costly and often unnecessary prescription drugs. Breakup of Physician Drug Company Relationship Cut Cost - 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
Scientists Map Drug-like Compounds
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/04/2013] Drug developers may have a new tool to search for more effective medications and new materials. It is a computer algorithm that can model and catalogue the entire set of lightweight, carbon-containing molecules that chemists could feasibly create in a lab. Scientists Map Drug-like Compounds - 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
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
Controlled and Targeted Release of Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/01/2013] Researchers have discovered a method that allows for the controlled release of an active agent on the basis of a magnetic nanovehicle. The research, conducted as part of the National Research Programme "Smart Materials", opens up new possibilities for the development of targeted treatments, which are more efficient and trigger fewer side effects. Controlled and Targeted Release of Drugs - 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
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
The Key to Medication Adherence
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/01/2013] Study shows patients who give their doctors high marks in communication more likely to fill prescriptions. The work suggests preparing doctors to be better communicators may help improve medication adherence and ultimately health outcomes. The Key to Medication Adherence - Read more
Costs of Bringing Research Into Care
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/01/2013] Genomic research is widely expected to transform medicine, but progress has been slower than expected. Critics argue that the genomics "promise" has been broken – and that money might be better spent elsewhere. Costs of Bringing Research Into Care - 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
Relapse Through Drug Shortage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/01/2013] A national drug shortage has been linked to a higher rate of relapse among children, teenagers and young adults with Hodgkin lymphoma enrolled in a national clinical trial, according to research led by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Relapse Through Drug Shortage - Read more
Complex Proteins Made in Algae
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/12/2012] Biologists have succeeded in genetically engineering algae to produce a complex and expensive human therapeutic drug used to treat cancer. This achievement opens the door for making proteins in larger quantities and much more cheaply than can now be made from mammalian cells. Complex Proteins Made in Algae - Read more
Risk from Bone Marrow Transplant Halved
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/12/2012] A new class of drugs reduced the risk of patients contracting a serious and often deadly side effect of lifesaving bone marrow transplant treatments, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. Risk from Bone Marrow Transplant Halved - 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
Chance for Diabetics to Scuba Dive
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[31/10/2012] A tiny needle in subcutaneous fat keeps track of glucose levels. The data are transmitted wirelessly to a monitor or directly to an insulin pump. An alarm then goes off if glucose levels are too high or low. Researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy have evaluated a method that can make it less risky for diabetics to scuba dive. Chance for Diabetics to Scuba Dive - 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
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
Antibiotic Resistance Is a Growing Concern
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/10/2012] As a result of concerns about antibiotic resistance, doctors in the United States are increasingly prescribing newer, more costly and more powerful antibiotics to treat urinary tract infections, one of the most common illnesses in women. Antibiotic Resistance Is a Growing Concern - 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
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
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
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
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
Biopsies May Overlook Esophagus Disease
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/09/2012] University of Utah engineers mapped white blood cells called eonsinophils and showed an existing diagnostic method may overlook an elusive digestive disorder that causes swelling in the esophagus and painful swallowing. Biopsies May Overlook Esophagus Disease - Read more
Biologic Therapies Not Associated with Cancer Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/09/2012] Biologic therapies developed in the last decade for rheumatoid arthritis are not associated with an increased risk of cancer when compared with traditional treatments for the condition, according to new research from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Biologic Therapies Not Associated with Cancer Risk - 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
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
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
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
Metal-peptide Complexes
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[11/07/2012] Researchers at the RUB and from Berkeley have used metal complexes to modify peptide hormones. They report for the first time on the three-dimensional structure of the resulting metal-peptide compounds. Metal-peptide Complexes - Read more
Recommendations of Federal Office of Public Health Reinforced
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/07/2012] Several clinical trials have looked at whether the number of hip fractures and the horrendous costs associated with them can be reduced by administering prophylactic vitamin D. The results have been inconsistent. Researchers working with Heike Bischoff-Ferrari from the Centre on Ageing and Mobility at Zurich University have now produced a new overview of the data. Recommendations of Federal Office of Public Health Reinforced - Read more
Patients on the wrong path
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/07/2012] While many physicians immediately think of biomarkers, genetic fingerprinting and new possibilities for cancer treatments when they hear the key words personalized medicine, most patients view the issue differently. They rightly assume that means they receive a treatment that places them in the center – and not just their genes. Patients on the wrong path - Read more
Treating Vitamin D Deficiency May Improve Depression
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/06/2012] Women with moderate to severe depression had substantial improvement in their symptoms of depression after they received treatment for their vitamin D deficiency, a new study finds. Treating Vitamin D Deficiency May Improve Depression - Read more
Novel Drugs Offer New Route to Controlling
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/05/2012] Pursuing a relatively untapped route for regulating the immune system, an international team of researchers has designed and conducted initial tests on molecules that have the potential to treat diseases involving inflammation, such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, stroke and sepsis. Novel Drugs Offer New Route to Controlling - Read more
Early Biomarker Identified
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/05/2012] Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and Moores Cancer Centre have identified a new biomarker and therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer, an often-fatal disease for which there is currently no reliable method for early detection or therapeutic intervention. Early Biomarker Identified - Read more
Large-scale Simulation of Human Blood
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/05/2012] A team of biomedical engineers and haematologists at the University of Pennsylvania has made large-scale, patient-specific simulations of blood function under the flow conditions found in blood vessels, using robots to run hundreds of tests on human platelets responding to combinations of activating agents that cause clotting. Large-scale Simulation of Human Blood - 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
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
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
"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
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
New Type of Mutation Found
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[16/04/2012] Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered a new class of molecular mutation in various forms of breast cancer, a finding that may shed new light on development and growth of different types of breast tumours. Called fusion transcripts, the mutated forms of RNA may also provide a way to identify tumour subtypes and offer new strategies to treat them, investigators say. New Type of Mutation Found - Read more
ADHD Is Over-diagnosed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[04/04/2012] What experts and the public have already long suspected is now supported by representative data collected by researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB), Germany, and University of Basel: ADHD, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is over-diagnosed. ADHD Is Over-diagnosed - Read more
“The anatomical maturation of the lung makes a gas exchange possible after the 22nd week of pregnancy at the earliest“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/04/2012] In the event of a premature delivery, the lung of a newborn child is often not able to assume its function. One reason for this: it lacks a tenside called surfactant (surface active agent), that makes sure that the lungs don’t stick together during the breathing process. MEDICA.de spoke to Professor Peter Bartmann, Director of Neonatology at University Hospital Bonn, on how preemies can be helped. “The anatomical maturation of the lung makes a gas exchange possible after the 22nd week of pregnancy at the earliest“ - 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
Does the Brain 'Remember' Antidepressants?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/03/2012] While the relationship between prior treatment and the brain's response to subsequent treatment is unknown, a new study by University of California – Los Angeles researchers suggests that how the brain responds to antidepressant medication may be influenced by its remembering of past antidepressant exposure. Does the Brain 'Remember' Antidepressants? - 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
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
Discovery Could Reduce Side Effects
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/03/2012] A team of researchers at Duke University has determined the structure of a key molecule that can carry chemotherapy and anti-viral drugs into cells, which could help to create more effective drugs with fewer effects to healthy tissue. Discovery Could Reduce Side Effects - Read more
Antidepressant Shows Promise as Cancer Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/03/2012] A retinoid called all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) is used to treat a rare sub-type of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML); however, this drug has not been effective for the more common types. Doctor Arthur Zelent and colleagues at the ICR have been working to unlock the potential of retinoids to treat other patients with AML. They show that the key could be an antidepressant called tranylcypromine (TCP). Antidepressant Shows Promise as Cancer Treatment - Read more
Diabetes Drug Halts Atherosclerosis Progression
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/03/2012] Treatment with the common diabetes drug metformin appears to prevent progression of coronary atherosclerosis in patients infected with HIV, according to Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) researchers. Diabetes Drug Halts Atherosclerosis Progression - 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
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
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
”We can reduce the number of animal experiments“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/02/2012] Animal experiments are a part of everyday life in medical research, yet they have been the subject of criticism for decades. Even though scientists all over the world are searching for alternative methods, the complexity of physical processes in the human body however makes this very difficult. ”We can reduce the number of animal experiments“ - 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
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
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
"Cancer patients suffer significantly from fatigue syndrome"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/01/2012] Debilitating fatigue has probably encountered everybody once in a lifetime. In this mood one tries to find innocuous reasons for this mental state: the weather, the season or a sleepless night. However, chronic fatigue, the fatigue syndrome, is a pathological condition that one should take quite seriously. "Cancer patients suffer significantly from fatigue syndrome" - 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
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
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
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
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
Research Suggests New Way to Ensure Effectiveness
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/12/2011] A UT Southwestern Medical Center study using a sophisticated "glass mouse" research model has found that multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) is more likely caused in patients by speedy drug metabolism rather than inconsistent doses, as is widely believed. Research Suggests New Way to Ensure Effectiveness - Read more
Understanding Drug Receptor Targets
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/12/2011] Half the drugs used today target a single class of proteins – and now scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center have identified an important molecular player critical to the proper workings of those proteins critical to our health. Understanding Drug Receptor Targets - Read more
Ion Channel Makes African Naked Mole-Rat Insensitive to Acid-Induced Pain
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/12/2011] Researchers of the Max Delbrück Center (MDC) Berlin-Buch have found out why the African naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), one of the world’s most unusual mammals, feels no pain when exposed to acid. Ion Channel Makes African Naked Mole-Rat Insensitive to Acid-Induced Pain - 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
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
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
Cobblestones Fool Innate Immunity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/11/2011] Coating the surface of an implant such as a new hip or pacemaker with nanosized metallic particles reduces the risk of rejection, and researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, can now explain why: they fool the innate immune system. Cobblestones Fool Innate Immunity - 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
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
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
Ultrathin Flexible Brain Implant Offers Unique Look at Seizures
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/11/2011] Researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health have developed a flexible brain implant that could one day be used to treat epileptic seizures. In animal studies, the researchers used the device – a type of electrode array that conforms to the brain's surface – to take an unprecedented look at the brain activity underlying seizures. Ultrathin Flexible Brain Implant Offers Unique Look at Seizures - 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
Depression and Chronic Stress Accelerates Aging
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/11/2011] People with recurrent depressions or those exposed to chronic stress exhibits shorter telomeres in white blood cells. This is shown by a research team at Umeå University (Sweden) in a coming issue of Biological Psychiatry. Depression and Chronic Stress Accelerates Aging - 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
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
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
Many Patients Get Drugs with Opposing Effects
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/10/2011] You wouldn’t break your car while stepping on the gas - or wash down a sleeping pill with espresso. Yet many people taking common Alzheimer’s disease medications - cholinesterase inhibitors - are given medications with anticholinergic properties, which oppose their effects. Group Health Research Institute scientists investigated how often that happens. Many Patients Get Drugs with Opposing Effects - Read more
Probability of Metastasis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[25/10/2011] Researchers from Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah have discovered a new way to model human breast cancer that could lead to new tools for predicting which breast cancers will spread and new ways to test drugs that may stop its spread. Probability of Metastasis - 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
Innovative Technology Improves Care and Reduces Costs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[06/10/2011] The use of long-distance video and data hook-ups to link remote community hospitals with stroke neurologists in large centres provides the same level of care as having everyone in the same room, according to a new study of Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada. Innovative Technology Improves Care and Reduces Costs - Read more
A Shot of Cortisone Stops Traumatic Stress
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[05/10/2011] As soldiers return home from tours in Afghanistan and Iraq, America must cope with the toll that war takes on mental health. But the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is becoming increasingly expensive, and promises to escalate as yet another generation of veterans tries to heal its psychological wounds. A Shot of Cortisone Stops Traumatic Stress - Read more
Single Dose of Hallucinogen May Create Lasting Personality Change
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/09/2011] A single high dose of the hallucinogen psilocybin, the active ingredient in so-called "magic mushrooms," was enough to bring about a measureable personality change lasting at least a year in nearly 60 per cent of the 51 participants in a new study, according to the Johns Hopkins researchers who conducted it. Single Dose of Hallucinogen May Create Lasting Personality Change - Read more
Prescribed Stimulant Use for ADHD Continues to Rise Steadily
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/09/2011] The prescribed use of stimulant medications to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) rose slowly but steadily from 1996 to 2008, according to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Prescribed Stimulant Use for ADHD Continues to Rise Steadily - 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
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
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
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
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
Hiring Index jumps 17.6 Percent in the Second Quarter with Research and Development Spending on the Rise
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[07/09/2011] The ZRG Global Life Science Hiring Index posted a surprising jump in Q2 hiring, logging a 17.6 percent increase from Q1. The Index now stands at 90.9, a 34 percent increase from average 2010 hiring levels. Hiring Index jumps 17.6 Percent in the Second Quarter with Research and Development Spending on the Rise - 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
Medical Science and Technology against hospital-acquired Infections
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2011] Time and again it sweeps through the media and we hear of serious diseases, like for instance MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus), which attack patients in hospitals. Needless to say these diseases happen, but they have long ago come to the forefront of hygiene experts, who fight with a vengeance to prevent essentially “man-made” infections in clinics and hospital facilities. Medical Science and Technology against hospital-acquired Infections - Read more
New Way to Target Shape-shifting Proteins
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2011] A molecule which can stop the formation of long protein strands, known as amyloid fibrils, that cause joint pain in kidney dialysis patients has been identified by researchers at the University of Leeds. New Way to Target Shape-shifting Proteins - 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
“We hope it will soon be included in the list of covered services by health insurance companies“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/08/2011] Patients, who suffer from hypertension despite undergoing drug therapy, according to a study that was conducted with the participation of the Department of Nephrology and the Institute for Radiology at the University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany, may benefit from renal nerve ablation, a catheter-based denervation of renal nerves. “We hope it will soon be included in the list of covered services by health insurance companies“ - 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
A Wise Man’s Treatment for Arthritis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/06/2011] The answer to treating painful arthritis could lie in an age old herbal remedy - frankincense, according to Cardiff University scientists. A Wise Man’s Treatment for Arthritis - 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
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
Breast Cancer Resistance to Herceptin
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/03/2011] Breast cancer tumours take numerous paths to resist the targeted drug Herceptin, but a single roadblock at a crucial crossroads may restore a tumour’s vulnerability to treatment, scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report. Breast Cancer Resistance to Herceptin - Read more
Tanning Bed Exposure Can Be Deadly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/03/2011] Tanning bed exposure can produce more than some tanners may bargain for, especially when they self-diagnose and use the radiation to treat skin eruptions, according to research conducted by the Indiana University School of Medicine Department of Dermatology. Tanning Bed Exposure Can Be Deadly - Read more
Breakthrough to Prevent Heart Failure and Increase Survival Rates
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/02/2011] A breakthrough by scientists at Queen's University Belfast could help reduce heart failure in cancer patients around the world, and ultimately increase survival rates. Breakthrough to Prevent Heart Failure and Increase Survival Rates - Read more
Stapling Peptides Could Spur Development of Cancer Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/02/2011] Researchers at the University at Buffalo have devised two new ways of "stapling" peptide helices to prevent these medically important molecules from losing their shape and degrading in the presence of enzymes. Stapling Peptides Could Spur Development of Cancer Drugs - Read more
Malaria Medication May Help Against Frontotemporal Dementia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/02/2011] Scientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) and the Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich have found a promising approach for a possible treatment of so-called frontotemporal dementia, an Alzheimer-like form of dementia. Malaria Medication May Help Against Frontotemporal Dementia - Read more
“It Is Not Very Well Known”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2011] A dry mouth, the feeling of sand in the eyes, fatigue - almost everyone has had one of these symptoms before. But even if all symptoms occur together, almost no one thinks of the possibility that a disease with the awkward name Sjögren's Syndrome could be behind it. “It Is Not Very Well Known” - Read more
Hope to Those with Skin and Heart Problems
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/01/2011] A University of Manchester scientist has revealed the mechanism that binds skin cells tightly together, which he believes will lead to new treatments for painful and debilitating skin diseases and also lethal heart defects. Hope to Those with Skin and Heart Problems - 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
“At first there is the experimental research“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[03/01/2011] For centuries many different types of remedies to soothe the suffering and pain of people have been known. Nonetheless, the search for pain free, reversible anesthesia took a while. Not until the 19th century was the first progressive anesthesia possible and paved the way for modern surgery. “At first there is the experimental research“ - Read more
Stem Cells Turned into Complex, Functioning Intestinal Tissue
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[13/12/2010] For the first time, scientists have created functioning human intestinal tissue in the laboratory from pluripotent stem cells. Stem Cells Turned into Complex, Functioning Intestinal Tissue - Read more
Increasing Drug Resistance and Ability to Spread
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/12/2010] Two new studies raise public health concerns about increasing antiviral resistance among certain influenza viruses, their ability to spread, and a lack of alternative antiviral treatment options. Increasing Drug Resistance and Ability to Spread - Read more
Parasitic worms in the service of science
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2010] The hygiene-conscious European typically cringes at the mention of intestinal parasites. After all, at best these icky little creatures might show up in anecdotes from (great-) grandparents, when they talk about the war. Yet this is quite possibly a hasty conviction, since scientists assume that parasites hold the key to effective allergy treatments. Parasitic worms in the service of science - Read more
High Rate of Restless Legs Syndrome in Adults with Fibromyalgia
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2010] A new study found that adults with fibromyalgia had a much higher prevalence and risk of restless legs syndrome than healthy controls. The study suggests that treating RLS may improve sleep and quality of life in people with fibromyalgia. High Rate of Restless Legs Syndrome in Adults with Fibromyalgia - Read more
Low Beta Blocker Dose Can Put Heart Patients at Risk
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2010] Beta blockers have been proven to increase patients' survival prospects following a heart attack by decreasing the cardiac workload and oxygen demand on the heart. In a new study a Northwestern Medicine cardiologist found the majority of patients are frequently not receiving a large enough dose of these drugs, which can put their recovery into peril. Low Beta Blocker Dose Can Put Heart Patients at Risk - Read more
No Difference in Drugs for Macular Degeneration
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/10/2010] Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have conducted a study that failed to show a difference in efficacy between bevacizumab and ranibizumab for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). No Difference in Drugs for Macular Degeneration - Read more
Cooking ingredient Could Provide Recipe For Fight Against Cancer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/09/2010] Scientists at the University of Leicester are pioneering the use of a common curry cooking ingredient to target cancer cells. Cooking ingredient Could Provide Recipe For Fight Against Cancer - Read more
Increasing Number of Celiac Cases, Particularly In The Elderly
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/09/2010] Working to solve the puzzle of when people develop celiac disease has led researchers from the University of Maryland School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research to some surprising findings. Increasing Number of Celiac Cases, Particularly In The Elderly - Read more
Fractures in Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[27/09/2010] Preliminary findings from an upcoming report by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) show alarming projections and reveal the poor state of post-fracture care in the Russian Federation and many other countries in the region. Fractures in Russia, Central Asia and Eastern Europe - Read more
Safe for Stroke Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/09/2010] An antibiotic appears to be a safe treatment for stroke and a good companion therapy for tPA, the clot buster that is currently the only FDA-approved drug therapy, researchers report. Safe for Stroke Patients - Read more
“Strep Can Be Found All Over the World“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/09/2010] They cannot be seen with the naked eye and yet we are surrounded by them every day: Germs like strep can make us sick – urinary tract infections, tonsillitis or meningitis – and without antibiotics you can often not tackle them. Scientists have tried for many years to find effective vaccines against these germs. “Strep Can Be Found All Over the World“ - Read more
Weather Affects Multiple Sclerosis Activity
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2010] A study conducted by Scientists at the Brigham and Women's Hospital shows that the severity of multiple sclerosis may change with the change of seasons. Weather Affects Multiple Sclerosis Activity - 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
Weight-Loss Surgery Frees Most Obese Diabetics of Insulin
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/08/2010] Results of a large national study show that nearly three-quarters of obese patients with type 2 diabetes who undergo weight-loss surgery are able to stop insulin and other antidiabetes drugs within six months. Weight-Loss Surgery Frees Most Obese Diabetics of Insulin - Read more
Computer Program Predicts MRSA's Next Move
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/07/2010] Researchers at Duke University Medical Center are using computers to identify how one strain of dangerous bacteria might mutate in the same way a champion chess player tries to anticipate an opponent's strategies. Computer Program Predicts MRSA's Next Move - Read more
Preventing Heart Problems While Keeping a Cool Head
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[29/07/2010] Cholesterol influences our health. Conventional treatment attempts to reduce the level of "bad" cholestero. The opposite approach, increasing the concentration of "good" cholesterol using nicotinic acid, has proven unpopular among patients. Preventing Heart Problems While Keeping a Cool Head - Read more
“The Body of Experts Needs to Close Ranks“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/07/2010] It’s the “I” rather than the “we” that’s most important in personalised medicine. After all, new methods should offer an individually targeted treatment for patients. Many developments however are still in their infancy. Several players are cavorting in the subject, but what is the central theme here and where are knowledge and new research results being exchanged? “The Body of Experts Needs to Close Ranks“ - Read more
Sirtuin1 May Boost Memory
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/07/2010] The same molecular mechanism that increases life span through calorie restriction may help boost memory and brainpower, researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory report. Sirtuin1 May Boost Memory - Read more
Jasmine as Valium Substitute
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/07/2010] Researchers discover unexpected effect of scents. The effect is comparable to potent psychotropic drugs. Instead of a sleeping pill or a mood enhancer, a nose full of jasmine from Gardenia jasminoides could also help. Jasmine as Valium Substitute - Read more
Possible Benefits Must Be Weighed Against Risks
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/06/2010] In an analysis from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) trial, results show that the benefits of intensive therapy need to be balanced against the increase in total and cardiovascular disease-related death, increased weight gain, and high risk for severe low blood sugar. Possible Benefits Must Be Weighed Against Risks - Read more
Statins Associated
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[28/06/2010] Men who use statins to lower their cholesterol are 30 percent less likely to see their prostate cancer come back after surgery compared to men who do not use the drugs, according to researchers at Duke University Medical Center. Researchers also found that higher doses of the drugs were associated with lower risk of recurrence. Statins Associated - Read more
Insight Into Cells Could Lead to New Approach
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/06/2010] A surprising discovery about the complex make-up of our cells could lead to the development of new types of medicines, a study suggests. Insight Into Cells Could Lead to New Approach - Read more
Studying Cells in 3-D
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/06/2010] Showing movies in 3-D has produced a box-office bonanza in recent months. Could viewing cell behaviour in three dimensions lead to important advances in cancer research? Studying Cells in 3-D - Read more
The Importance of Insulin Delivery Devices
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/06/2010] The growing use of insulin delivery devices such as pens and pumps may help individuals with diabetes optimize blood glucose control and minimize their risk for chronic health problems associated with diabetes. The Importance of Insulin Delivery Devices - Read more
Cancer does not stand a chance – the promise of Immunotherapy
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/06/2010] Reduced to its essence, cancer can be described this way: Several body cells degenerate and begin an uncontrolled growth inside the body. If this was a virus, our immune system would kick into high gear to fight the threat. Cancer does not stand a chance – the promise of Immunotherapy - Read more
Drug test offers hope for Hepatitis C patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/05/2010] People with hepatitis C (an infectious disease affecting the liver) are being offered hope by a new screening system that helps target drugs to individual patients. Drug test offers hope for Hepatitis C patients - Read more
Traits Associated with Drug Disorders
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/05/2010] Researchers have identified clinical characteristics associated with prescription drug use disorder (PDUD) in primary care patients with chronic pain. Traits Associated with Drug Disorders - Read more
High-Fat a No-No For Asthma Patients
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/05/2010] People with asthma may be well-advised to avoid high-fat meals: individuals with asthma who consumed a high-fat meal showed increased airway inflammation just hours after the binge, according to a new study. High-Fat a No-No For Asthma Patients - Read more
“A Genetic Test for Your Graduation Present“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/05/2010] Individual, goal oriented and without any side effects – this is how more and more patients should be treated in the future. Treatments according to the key-lock principle already partially exist today. MEDICA.de talked to Ivar Roots from the Charité Institute for Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology about cancer, genes and an unusual present. “A Genetic Test for Your Graduation Present“ - Read more
Beta-Blockers Help Reduce Metastasis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[08/04/2010] Researchers found out that treatment with beta-blockers can help reduce the spread of cancer in patients with breast tumours. Beta-Blockers Help Reduce Metastasis - Read more
"A Better Quota Than Rehabilitation for Back Pain"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/04/2010] It’s a physician’s dream: Individualized therapy. Every patient receives the drug that works best for him. At least as far as treatment for alcohol addiction is concerned, researchers have come closer to customized medicine. MEDICA.de spoke to Karl Mann, President of the German Society for Addiction Research and Addiction Treatment about two types of alcoholics and the chances of getting healthy. "A Better Quota Than Rehabilitation for Back Pain" - Read more
Potential Realized, Danger Not Averted
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/04/2010] Higher, faster, farther. It’s not just athletes who occasionally give their performance a little kick, but also students and professionals. They want to improve their concentration with pills, which are actually intended for sick people - and possibly become addicted. Potential Realized, Danger Not Averted - Read more
Good Guidance Impacts Effectiveness of Treatment
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/03/2010] Researchers have come to the conclusion that the percentage of successfully treated patients with chronic conditions could increase with optimum guidance. Good Guidance Impacts Effectiveness of Treatment - Read more
Big Brother Is Integrated
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/03/2010] In former times, folded cartons were sufficient: pills were packed in boxes and given to the patient. This has not complied with modern standards for a long time. Medicine packaging is advancing and Smart Labels are all the rage: they are able to assure product quality as well as to protect against drug fakers.
Big Brother Is Integrated - Read more
Insight into Failing Heart Cells
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/02/2010] Researchers have been able to see how heart failure affects the surface of an individual heart muscle cell in minute detail, using a new nanoscale scanning technique. Insight into Failing Heart Cells - Read more
Regulating Anaesthesia via Computer
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/02/2010] Researchers have developed a technique for automatically controlling anaesthesia during surgical operations. The new system detects the hypnotic state of the patient at all times and supplies the appropriate dose of anaesthetic. Regulating Anaesthesia via Computer - Read more
More Americans Make Use of Prescription Drugs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/02/2010] More people are buying prescription drugs to treat digestive conditions, as the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports. More Americans Make Use of Prescription Drugs - Read more
Special Gloves Help Understand Arthritis
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[10/02/2010] A pair of arthritis simulation gloves, which reproduce the reduction in functional capacity experienced by persons with arthritis, helps better understand how arthritis affects a person's ability to grasp, pinch, turn, lift and twist objects. Special Gloves Help Understand Arthritis - Read more
Tracing Mutations that Lead to Drug Resistance
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/02/2010] Chemists and statisticians have developed a new way to trace mutations in HIV that lead to drug resistance. Tracing Mutations that Lead to Drug Resistance - Read more
"It Is Essential That a New Leader Is Really Neutral"
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/02/2010] It was briefly mentioned in the coalition agreement, now it is out in the open: the Institute for Quality and Economy in the Health System (IQWIG) is losing its infamous leader Peter Sawicki. MEDICA.de talked with health economist Juergen Wasem about the relevance of this decision for the future of the IQWIG and the successor of this position.
"It Is Essential That a New Leader Is Really Neutral" - Read more
How Medications Affect Learning and Attention
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[22/01/2010] A new brain-based computational model is helping to understand how Parkinson's disease and dopamine medications – used to treat motor symptoms caused by the disease – can affect learning and attention. How Medications Affect Learning and Attention - Read more
Activating Enzyme Instead of Blocking Protein
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/01/2010] Researchers have determined how a "chemical chaperone" does its job in the body, which could lead to a new class of drugs to help reduce the muscle damage caused by heart attacks. Activating Enzyme Instead of Blocking Protein - Read more
Insulin Analogues Hardly Tested
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[23/12/2009] Trials provide no proof of additional benefit of rapid-acting insulin analogues for children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes. Insulin Analogues Hardly Tested - Read more
No Easy Access in U.S. or U.K.
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[18/12/2009] Cancer patients in both the United States and the United Kingdom face challenges in gaining access to expensive treatments, according to new research. No Easy Access in U.S. or U.K. - Read more
Interface to Save Lives
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/12/2009] A drug information interface system has been shown to help in dealing with visual and motor impairments, which can make sorting, holding and indentifying pills a challenge as we age. Interface to Save Lives - Read more
Nanoprobes Hit Targets in Tumours
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[17/12/2009] Tiny nanoprobes have shown to be effective in delivering cancer drugs more directly to tumour cells and research has shown that the nanoprobes are getting the drugs to right cellular compartments. Nanoprobes Hit Targets in Tumours - Read more
In Hopeful Anticipation
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/12/2009] At Christman, wishes come true. The children are convinced: one only has to believe strong enough. The power of imagination is indeed strong – it can even cure diseases and ease pain. Thanks to the placebo effect that – if taken seriously – requires changes in the health care system.
In Hopeful Anticipation - Read more
Early Delivery from Using Psychiatric Medication
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[30/10/2009] The odds triple for premature child delivery pregnant women with a history of depression who used psychiatric medication, according to a new study. Early Delivery from Using Psychiatric Medication - Read more
Blocking Folic Acid Doubles Risk of Malformations
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[19/10/2009] A new study warns that taking medications that reduce or block the actions of folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy increase the risk that the growing baby will develop abnormalities. Blocking Folic Acid Doubles Risk of Malformations - Read more
„A State Between Almost Awake and Deep Sleep“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/09/2009] Very often, when a famous person falls very ill, it is this term that circulates in the media: Ariel Sharon or Felipe Massa, for example, have both been put into an artificial coma trying to save their lives. However, many people do not really know what this kind of coma is - including scientists. „A State Between Almost Awake and Deep Sleep“ - Read more
“Health Insurance Companies Are Frozen because of Additional Fees like a Deer Caught in Headlights”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[21/08/2009] The highly controversial health fund was established on January first. Seven months later experts believe that the fund will show a deficit of about four billion euros by the end of the year. “Health Insurance Companies Are Frozen because of Additional Fees like a Deer Caught in Headlights” - Read more
Drug-Dispensing Contact Lenses Developed
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[14/08/2009] Researchers have developed special contact lenses that can gradually dispense a constant amount of medication to the eye, at adjustable rates. Drug-Dispensing Contact Lenses Developed - Read more
Method Predicts which Tumors Will Respond to Drug
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[12/08/2009] Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), have uncovered a new way to scan brain tumors and predict which ones will be shrunk by the drug Avastin - before the patient ever starts treatment. Method Predicts which Tumors Will Respond to Drug - Read more
Increase in Cardiovascular Medication Costs
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/07/2009] The number of prescriptions in Canada for cardiovascular medications has been increasing over the past decade, with a 200 percent increase in costs, a new study found. Increase in Cardiovascular Medication Costs - Read more
New Fluorescent Silicon Particles Discovered
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/07/2009] Researchers have developed a new synthesis method, which has led them to the discovery of fluorescent silicon nanoparticles and may ultimately help track the uptake of drugs by the body's cells. New Fluorescent Silicon Particles Discovered - Read more
The Slight Difference (Part 1)
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/07/2009] by Wiebke Heiss/MEDICA.de
In everyday life people keep being concerned with the apparently big difference between men and women. However, only slowly sex and gender start being of great importance in medicine bringing advantages for all patients – male or female. The Slight Difference (Part 1) - Read more
Pills instead of a Beating
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/07/2009] If a child continuously disrupts classes, always fidgets and annoys everybody, the diagnosis ADHD will be obvious in the eyes of many doctors. The reason of the disease is still unknown. Although it is also unclear how Ritalin works, a lot of little patients are medicated with this drug. Pills instead of a Beating - Read more
What Stirs Up The Kid?
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/07/2009] If a child continuously disrupts class, always fidgets and annoys everybody, the diagnosis ADHD will be obvious in the eyes of many doctors. The reason of the disease is still unknown. Although it is also unclear how Ritalin works, a lot of little patients are medicated with this drug.
What Stirs Up The Kid? - Read more
The Controversial Prick (Part 1)
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/05/2009] by Wiebke Heiss/MEDICA.de
The opinions regarding vaccinations are very different: They cover a wide spectrum reaching from people totally opposing vaccines to those advocating it in any situation. However, who is right? A guideline could be true to the motto: As much as necessary, as little as possible. The Controversial Prick (Part 1) - Read more
Warnings Skipped By Consumers
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[02/04/2009] Medicine packages barrage consumers with information. Marketing claims and brand names still overshadow critical fine print on non-prescription medications, researchers found. Warnings Skipped By Consumers - Read more
Across The Rumour Mill
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/04/2009] There are many myths surrounding pain killers. For instance „One Aspirin daily is healthy“ or „Morphia is addictive“ are two rumours that persist – both in the physicians and the patients mind. Across The Rumour Mill - Read more
Licorice May Block Effectiveness of Drug
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[26/03/2009] Chemists in Taiwan are reporting that an ingredient in licorice appears to block the absorption of cyclosporine, a drug used by transplant patients to prevent organ rejection. Licorice May Block Effectiveness of Drug - Read more
Pills Instead of Injection
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/03/2009] Heparin injections to prevent thrombosis have proven after surgery. But the syringe gets competition – from pills. Pills Instead of Injection - Read more
“Packaging for Seniors Will Be a High Priority Topic for the Future”
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[24/02/2009] By the year 2030 more than one third of the German population will be 60 years old or older. The demand for drugs increases with age but packaging is often unsuitable for use by the elderly. “Packaging for Seniors Will Be a High Priority Topic for the Future” - Read more
„More Americans Died Than In The Vietnam War“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[09/02/2009] Even though negative study results are as important as positive ones for researchers and physicians, they are published much less frequently. It is the patients who bear the partly serious consequences. „More Americans Died Than In The Vietnam War“ - Read more
An Overview of the Health Care Reform
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/01/2009] Long before the introduction on 1 January 2009, a great many critical voices occurred in regard of the German health fund which is the principal item of the health care reform that came into effect in 2007. The consequences the reform has for insured people and which areas of the whole reform package is already valid – an overview. An Overview of the Health Care Reform - Read more
„Many People Are Losing“
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/01/2009] Everybody being insured through compulsory health insurance in Germany now pay the same fee regardless which services are being offered or which ones the clients make use of. This is supposed to be a kind of public solidarity – claims the Federal Ministry of Health. Critics are not so sure about this. „Many People Are Losing“ - Read more
Molecules, Technique and Therapies (Part 1)
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/11/2008] by Wiebke Heiss / MEDICA.de
Detergents, plants resistant to bugs, drugs - chemistry, physics, biology – in the country, at sea or in the air. Biotechnology is everywhere since it is one of the most interdisciplinary branches of research – and helps medicine to combat diseases formerly known as not being treatable. Molecules, Technique and Therapies (Part 1) - Read more
Molecules, Technique and Therapies (Part 2)
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[15/11/2008] by Wiebke Heiss / MEDICA.de Molecules, Technique and Therapies (Part 2) - Read more
Playing a Trick on the Immune System
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[01/10/2008] After receiving a new organ patients have to take drugs for the rest of their lives in order to prevent rejection of the foreign tissue. A new procedure developed by researchers from Kiel, Germany, reduces the intake of immunosuppressants and sometimes even makes the drugs almost unnecessary. Playing a Trick on the Immune System - Read more
Drug Can Prevent Kidney Damage
( Source: MEDICA.de )
[20/02/2008] As more and more Americans undergo CT scans and other medical imaging scans involving intense X-rays, a new study suggests that many of them should take a pre-scan drug that could protect their kidneys from damage. Drug Can Prevent Kidney Damage - Read more
DIMDI: More Full-Text Databases for Literature Searches
( Exhibitor name: DIMDI - Deutsches Institut für Med. Dokumentation und Information )
[22/09/2005] Two new literature databases with online full-texts now broaden the database offer of the German Institute of Medical Documentation and Information: What’s more, the full-texts of an additional 60...DIMDI: More Full-Text Databases for Literature Searches - Read more
Invitation to the 6th Health Technology Assessment Symposium
( Exhibitor name: DIMDI - Deutsches Institut für Med. Dokumentation und Information )
[22/09/2005] The 6thGerman HTA symposium is focussing on the subject of "Biomedical Sciences and Health Technology Assessment“. Experts and users from all over the world are presenting and discussing their...Invitation to the 6th Health Technology Assessment Symposium - Read more
World's first electronic antibiotic at MEDICA
( Exhibitor name: WalesTrade International Welsh Assembly Government )
[19/11/2004] The world's first electronic antibiotic, which treats bacterial, fungal and viral infections on skin and teeth - including the ‘superbug' MRSA - goes on...World's first electronic antibiotic at MEDICA - Read more
Heightened Drug Discovery Efforts
( Source: Frost & Sullivan )
[15/07/2002] Heightened Drug Discovery Efforts - Read more
