Care
Breast cancer risk more in women with tough timeHappiness and optimism may play a role against breast cancer while adverse life events can increase the risk of developing the disease - breast cancer, according to a study by Professor Ronit Peled, at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.
Alexander technique offers long-term relief for back painAlexander technique lessons in combination with an exercise programme offer long-term effective treatment for chronic back pain, according to a study published on BMJ.com.
Xenazine approved for treatment of chorea in Huntington's DiseaseThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Xenazine (tetrabenazine) for the treatment of chorea in people with Huntington's disease. Chorea is the jerky, involuntary movement that occurs in people with this disease.
India to develop HIV AIDS vaccine soonA second Phase I AIDS vaccine clinical trial in India was successfully completed, the Indian Council of Medical Research, the National AIDS Control Organization and the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative announced.
HIV people not tested for tuberculosisA mere 1% of people living with HIV/AIDS are reported to have been screened for TB, according to the most recent global data available from the World Health Organization. Health experts and activists at the International AIDS Conference are calling upon HIV/AIDS programs and international donors to ensure universal TB screening of every person who has tested positive for HIV.
Boys grow out of childhood asthmaBoys may be more apt than girls to have childhood asthma, but, when compared to girls, they are also more likely to grow out of it in adolescence and have a decreased incidence of asthma in the post-pubertal years. This indicates that there may be a buried mechanism in asthma development, according to a prospective study that analyzed airway responsiveness (AR) in more than 1,000 children with mild to moderate asthma over a period of about nine years.
Lung health action plan needed to control air pollutionThe National Illness Cost of Air Pollution (ICAP) study, released by the Canadian Medical Association, is clear evidence that action is required on air pollution and that a national strategy for lung health is needed now more than ever.
Refractive errors affect vision more in AmericansAbout half of U.S. adults age 20 and older have refractive errors, or eye problems that result in less than 20/20 vision, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
BIO welcomes advances in stem cell researchBiotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) President and CEO Jim Greenwood issued the following statement regarding the news that researchers at the Harvard Stem Cell Institute created 20 disease-specific stem cell lines thru the new induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) technique:
Prostate cancer screening for men over 75 not requiredThe U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), updating its 2002 report, now recommends against routine prostate cancer screening for men over the age of 75. More evidence is needed to determine if men under 75 could benefit from screening.
WHO's new HIV AIDS guideAt the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched a package of priority interventions designed to help low- and middle-income countries move towards universal access to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.
Parents will be told if their children are overweightIn UK, from September this year, parents of children who have been weighed and measured at school could automatically receive their child's results in a bid to get parents to be more aware about healthy lifestyles, and help their children achieve a healthy weight.
International AIDS Society updates treatment guidelines for HIV infectionAn evaluation of recent data has led to an update in the guidelines and recommendations for antiretroviral treatment of adult human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, according to an article in the August 6 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.
Living with a partner reduces Alzheimer's disease riskLiving with a spouse or a partner decreases the risk of developing Alzheimer's and other dementia diseases. This according to a study by Krister Håkansson, researcher in psychology at Växjö University and Karolinska Institutet, Sweden. The results were presented for the first time yesterday at the world's largest dementia conference.
Chromosomal changes increase schizophrenia riskPeople with schizophrenia (mental illness variously affecting behavior, thinking, and emotion) have an increased number of unusual chromosomal changes, particularly structural changes that have the potential to alter the function of the genes.
40% higher HIV infection estimate in USThe Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is expected soon to increase the estimate of new HIV infections in the United States by 40 percent. This highlights the need to make HIV testing a routine part of medical care and provide better funding to care for those who test positive, according to the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA).
California Governor Schwarzenegger signed Trans Fat BillCalifornia Governor signed AB 97 by Asm. Mendoza, which will phase out the use of trans fats in all CA restaurants beginning in 2010. Scientific evidence demonstrates a strong association between the consumption of artificial trans fat and the development of coronary heart disease and stroke.
More women opting for tattoo removalIndividuals who visit dermatology clinics for tattoo removal are more likely to be women than men, and may be motivated by the social stigma associated with tattoos and negative comments by others.
Breast self exam does not reduce breast cancer riskA review of recent studies says there is no evidence that the monthly breast self-exam to check for lumps or other changes that might signal breast cancer actually reduce breast cancer deaths.
Nut products during pregnancy increases asthma risk in childrenExpectant mothers who eat nuts or nut products like peanut butter daily during pregnancy increase their children's risk of developing asthma by more than 50 percent over women who rarely or never consume nut products during pregnancy, according to new research from the Netherlands.
Keeping a food diary doubles weight lossKeeping a food diary can double a person's weight loss according to a study from Kaiser Permanente's Center for Health Research. The findings, from one of the largest and longest running weight loss maintenance trials ever conducted, will be published in the August issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
Boxed warnings on fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugsThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requests boxed warnings on fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs. FDA seeks this to strengthen warnings concerning increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture.
SPOT-Light HER2 CISH kit approved for breast cancer patientsSPOT-Light HER2 CISH kit - a novel genetic test for determining whether patients with breast cancer are good candidates for treatment with the drug Herceptin (trastuzumab) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Miscarriage risk in pregnant rises when man is over 35Pregnancy rates decrease and miscarriages increase when a father is over 35 years of age, a scientist will tell the 24th annual conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Monday 7 July.
Difficulty sleeping increases during menopauseSleep difficulties, especially problems staying asleep, are relatively prevalent concerns among women going through the menopausal transition, revealed by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Malaria cases rising in UKOver the past 20 years, cases of imported falciparum malaria in the UK have significantly increased due to rise in the numbers of UK residents travelling to malaria endemic areas, combined with a failure to use prevention measures.
More must be done to increase organ donorsUK doctors expressed their disappointment that the UK lags far behind other European countries in the level of organ donation, and called on UK governments to do more to increase awareness about the importance of this issue.
RFID may pose hazards to medical equipmentsThe use of radio frequency identification devices RFID appears to have the potential to cause critical care medical equipment to malfunction. Electromagnetic interference from these identification devices pose hazards to critical care medical equipments in hospitals and nursing homes.
Invest in a future without dementia, Alzheimer's diseaseAlzheimer's Australia released a report 'Australian Dementia Research' that recommends annual funding for dementia research be increased three-fold to $36 million in response to the growing economic and social impact of the dementia epidemic.
Traffic pollution raises childhood allergiesTraffic pollution may increase risk of allergies in children. In a German study, researchers have confirmed that they found a link between traffic pollution and childhood allergies.
Avoid raw red tomatoes in New Mexico, TexasThe Food and Drug Administration is alerting consumers in New Mexico and Texas that a salmonellosis outbreak appears to be linked to consumption of certain types of raw red tomatoes and products containing raw red tomatoes.
Antibacterial wipes may spread bacteriaAntimicrobial-containing wipes currently used to decontaminate surfaces in hospitals can spread pathogens after first use, revealed by researchers at the Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff University, Wales, UK.
New drug labels better for pregnant & nursing mothersNew drug labeling system would provide better information about any prescription drug to pregnant women and nursing mothers as FDA proposes new rule to provide updated information on the use of prescription drugs and biological products during pregnancy and breast-feeding.
High blood pressure patients advised to use home monitorsPeople with hypertension should routinely monitor their blood pressure at home to help manage the disease, according to a new joint scientific statement from the American Heart Association, American Society of Hypertension and the Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses' Association.
Parents use cough medicines on under 2s despite the warningsMore than 40% of parents have used cough medicine for children younger than two – even though it is not recommended, nor proven effective for children in this age group, an Australia-first study has found.
Mothers less likely to vaccinate daughters against HPVU.S. mothers report they are less likely to vaccinate daughters under age 13 against human papillomavirus virus (HPV), even though the vaccine is recommended for girls at age 11 and 12, it's incumbent upon the healthcare community to work to improve mom's acceptance of the vaccination for younger daughters, say researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center who conducted the study.
Asthma in obese more severeObesity can worsen the impact of asthma and may also increase its severity, according to new University of Otago research.
Women more likely to ignore heart attack warningsMany women under age 55 aren't seeking timely treatment for heart attack because they expect the warning signs and their reaction to follow a Hollywood script - tightening in the chest, shortness of breath, clutching the chest while dropping to one knee.
21% children not fully protected against vaccine-preventable diseasesThe U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) launched National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) last week.
Monitoring AIDS treatment by physical signs is effectiveWhen millions of HIV-infected people in poor countries began receiving advanced drug therapies, critics worried that patient care would suffer because few high-tech laboratories were available to guide treatments. But according to a study being published in The Lancet, these concerns are as yet unfounded.
Contaminated heparin not given to New Zealand patientsNew Zealanders who were given the intravenous medication, heparin, can be reassured contaminated products found overseas have not been supplied to the New Zealand market, reported by Medsafe, New Zealand.
Preterm babies could benefit from skin-to-skin cuddlingPreterm babies, born between 28 and 31 weeks, could benefit from skin-to-skin cuddling with their mother before and during painful procedures such as a heel lance, reported in a recent study.
Brain and genes to improve anxiety treatmentRight now, about half of all people who take medicine for an anxiety disorder don't get much help from it. And doctors have no definitive way to predict who will, and who won't, benefit from each anti-anxiety prescription they write.
Cholesterol and blood pressure control may reverse atherosclerosisAggressively lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels below current targets in adults with type 2 diabetes may help to prevent – and possibly reverse – hardening of the arteries, according to new research supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health. Hardening of the arteries, also known as atherosclerosis, is the number one cause of heart disease and can lead to heart attack, stroke, and death.
Gene variant CHI3L1 increases risk of asthmaA tiny variation in a gene known as CHI3L1 increases susceptibility to asthma, bronchial hyperresponsiveness and decline in lung function, researchers report early online in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Cancer stem cells created with genes techniqueWith a bit of genetic trickery, researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have turned normal skin cells into cancer stem cells, a step that will make these naturally rare cells easier to study.
New blood pressure drug telmisartan has fewer side effectsA major Canadian-led global study has found that a new blood pressure medication is effective in reducing cardiovascular death, with fewer side effects than the current standard of care. The study found a new drug telmisartan is as effective as the popular drug ramipril in reducing cardiovascular death in high risk patients and it has fewer side effects.
Prasugrel cuts risk of stent-related clotsThe investigational antiplatelet drug prasugrel plus aspirin produced a marked and highly statistically significant reduction in the risk of coronary stent thrombosis (ST) - a major concern for physicians and patients with potentially fatal consequences - in patients who received a stent as compared to standard therapy with clopidogrel (Plavix) plus aspirin, according to a stent analysis from the head-to-head TRITON-TIMI 38 trial.
VereFlu portable lab-on-chip for detection of bird fluFollowing the success of the evaluation trials conducted at the prestigious National University Hospital of Singapore, Veredus Laboratories and STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM) announced the commercial availability of VereFlu, a portable lab-on-chip application for rapid detection of all major influenza types at the point of need.
Foreign PG medical qualifications recognized in IndiaThe Indian Government, exercising powers conferred upon it by the provisions of the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956, has recognized Post Graduate medical qualifications being awarded in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and United States of America, with the condition that these degrees should be recognized in the respective country for enrolment of medical practitioners in the concerned specialties.