Flu
Influenza, commonly known as the flu, is an infectious disease of birds and mammals caused by an RNA virus of the family Orthomyxoviridae, the influenza viruses. In people, common symptoms of influenza are fever, sore throat, muscle pains, severe headache, coughing, and weakness and fatigue.
New breast imaging BSGI effective in detection of breast cancersBreast-specific gamma imaging (BSGI) is effective in the detection of cancers not found on mammograms or by clinical exam, according to a study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Radiologists diagnose and treat self embedding disorder in teensMinimally invasive, image-guided treatment is a safe and precise method for removal of self-inflicted foreign objects from the body, according to the first report on "self-embedding disorder," or self-injury and self-inflicted foreign body insertion in adolescents.
Some breast cancers may regress naturallyBreast cancer rates increased significantly in four Norwegian counties after women there began undergoing mammography every two years, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Weight loss maintenance through telephone is effectiveFace-to-face and telephone follow-up sessions appear to be more effective in the maintenance of weight loss for women from rural communities compared with weight loss education alone, according to a report in the November 24 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Buggies influence parent-infant interactionA groundbreaking study being presented on 22nd November at the British Psychological Society Scotland's Annual Conference suggests the orientation of a baby's buggy impacts on mother-baby interaction, infant stress levels and ultimately child development.
Laura Bush's partnership for breast cancer awareness in PanamaThe University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center marked the beginning of a collaborative effort to eradicate breast cancer in Panama through the Partnership for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research of the Americas today at an event with Laura Bush, the First Lady of the United States, and Vivian Fernández de Torrijos, the First Lady of Panama.
Asthma risk more in children born in autumnChildren who are born four months before the peak of cold and flu season have a greater risk of developing childhood asthma than children born at any other time of year, according to new research from Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Psychotherapy improves survival for breast cancer patientsA new study finds that breast cancer patients who participate in intervention sessions focusing on improving mood, coping effectively, and altering health behaviors live longer than patients who do not receive such psychological support.
Yeast to identify drugs for Alzheimer's diseaseCSIRO scientists have developed a new system to screen for compounds that can inhibit one of the processes that takes place during the progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Marijuana reduces memory impairmentThe more research they do, the more evidence Ohio State University scientists find that specific elements of marijuana can be good for the aging brain by reducing inflammation there and possibly even stimulating the formation of new brain cells.
Primary care doctors shortage in USA survey released by The Physicians' Foundation depicts widespread frustration and concern among primary care physicians in US, which could lead to a dramatic decrease in practicing doctors in the near future.
Secret of sharp memory in old age revealedResearchers at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine wondered if the brains of the elderly with still laser sharp memory -- called "super aged" -- were somehow different than everyone else's.
Gardasil HPV vaccine prevented genital lesions in menGARDASIL [Human Papillomavirus Quadrivalent (Types 6, 11, 16, and 18) Vaccine, Recombinant], the cervical cancer vaccine from Merck & Co., Inc., prevented 90 percent of external genital lesions caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16 and 18 in a pivotal Phase III study in men aged 16 to 26.
Hannah Jones refused heart transplant surgeryA British girl 13 years old, suffering from leukemia, Hannah Jones decided to refuse to have a heart transplant for her heart condition - a hole in her heart.
Education level linked to Alzheimer's disease, dementiaIndividuals with higher education levels appear to score higher on cognitive tests despite having evidence of brain plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease.
Influenza Flu trends from Google.orgBy tracking the popularity of certain Google search queries, Google's engineers have discovered that they can accurately estimate the level of flu in each state, in near real time.
Calcium, vitamin D may not reduce breast cancer riskTaking calcium and vitamin D supplements does not reduce breast cancer incidence in postmenopausal women, according to data from a randomized, doubled-blind, placebo-controlled trial published online November 11 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Exercise protects against breast cancerNormal-weight women who carry out lots of vigorous exercise are approximately 30% less likely to develop breast cancer than those who don't exercise vigorously.
Chinese exercise Tai chi relieves knee painTai chi is effective in the treatment of pain and physical impairment in people with severe knee osteoarthritis, according to research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
Depressed pregnant women may have preterm deliveryDepressed pregnant women have twice the risk of preterm delivery than pregnant women with no symptoms of depression, according to a new study by the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research.
2 doses of flu vaccine needed against bird flu pandemicAn international study led by University of Leicester researchers has determined that vaccination will be the best way to protect people in the event of the next influenza pandemic – but that each person would need two doses.
Breast stem cell fate is regulated by notchA normal developmental protein that sometimes goes awry has been implicated in breast cancer. This discovery indicates the mechanism by which inappropriate expression of the Notch pathway may contribute to breast cancer.
12 diseases worsened by climate changeHealth experts from the Wildlife Conservation Society released a report that lists 12 pathogens that could spread into new regions as a result of climate change, with potential impacts to both human and wildlife health and global economies.
Anti inflammatory drugs linked with reduced breast cancer riskAnalysis of data from 38 studies that enrolled more than 2.7 million women – the largest of its kind – by researchers at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute, and the University of Santiago de Compostela reveals that regular use of Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a 12 per cent relative risk reduction in breast cancer compared to non-users.
Reading can help obese kids lose weightIt's no secret that reading is beneficial. But can it help kids lose weight? In the first study to look at the impact of literature on obese adolescents, researchers at Duke Children's Hospital discovered that reading the right type of novel may make a difference.
$19 Million to M. D. Anderson for breast cancer researchThe University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has received nearly $19 million in grants from Susan G. Komen for the Cure® as part of that organization's new initiative to fast-track promising research to benefit breast cancer patients.
Mammograms read by computers will boost cancer detectionA computer can safely replace a medical expert in a revolutionary way of interpreting a breast X-ray – according to a Cancer Research UK funded study.
Kroger to invest $3 million for breast cancer awarenessThe Kroger Co.'s (NYSE: KR) family of stores, in partnership with key suppliers, has committed $3 million in donations for local breast cancer initiatives across the country to support National Breast Cancer Awareness month in October.
Brain pathway responsible for obesity discoveredUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison researchers, for the first time, have found a messaging system in the brain that directly affects food intake and body weight.
23andMe announces breast cancer initiative23andMe, Inc., the industry leader in personal genetics, announced that it is embarking on a world-wide effort to assemble the largest cohort of women whose lives have been impacted by breast cancer and to build an infrastructure, based on genetics, that will accelerate consumer-based research of the disease.
No increased risk of heart attacks in users of HRTIt's not what you take but the way that you take it that can produce different results in women who take hormone replacement therapy (HRT), according to new research on the association between HRT and heart attacks, published online in Europe's leading cardiology journal, the European Heart Journal.
Colon cancer's genetic link to obesityA new study reveals the first-ever genetic link between obesity and colon cancer risk, a finding that could lead to greater accuracy in testing for the disease, said a researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB).
Birth size is a marker of breast cancer susceptibilityBirth size, and in particular birth length, correlates with subsequent risk of breast cancer in adulthood, according to a new study published in PLoS Medicine by researchers at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
1 week radiation effective breast cancer treatmentAccelerated partial breast irradiation (APBI) using a type of radiation seed implants called balloon brachytherapy is as effective in keeping breast cancer from coming back as the standard external beam radiation treatment.
Acupuncture reduces side effects of breast cancer treatmentAcupuncture is as effective and longer-lasting in managing the common debilitating side effects of hot flashes, night sweats, and excessive sweating (vasomotor symptoms) associated with breast cancer treatment and has no treatment side effects compared to conventional drug therapy, according to a first-of-its-kind study presented September 24, 2008, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 50th Annual Meeting in Boston.
Stomach bacteria protect against type 1 diabetesIn a dramatic illustration of the potential for microbes to prevent disease, researchers at Yale University and the University of Chicago showed that mice exposed to common stomach bacteria were protected against the development of Type I diabetes.
Lumpectomy, radiation improve life in breast cancer patientsWomen with breast cancer who are treated with lumpectomy and radiation report a high level of overall quality of life several years after treatment that is comparable to a general sampling of the adult women U.S. population according to a survey conducted by physicians at Fox Chase Cancer Center.
Suppressing hunger hormone ghrelin as good as bariatric surgeryJohns Hopkins scientists report success in significantly suppressing levels of the "hunger hormone" ghrelin in pigs using a minimally invasive means of chemically vaporizing the main vessel carrying blood to the top section, or fundus, of the stomach.
Poor weight loss in some after gastric bypass surgeryIndividuals with diabetes and those whose stomach pouches are larger appear less likely to successfully lose weight after gastric bypass surgery, according to a report in the September issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Exercise reduces obesity risk in genetically predisposedIndividuals who have a genetic mutation associated with high body mass index (BMI) may be able to offset their increased risk for obesity through physical activity, according to a report in the September 8 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Gene may predict an individual's pair-bonding behaviorVariation in the gene for one of the receptors for the hormone vasopressin appears to be associated with how human males bond with their partners, according to an international team of researchers.
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.
Contraceptive pill influences partner choiceThe contraceptive pill may disrupt women's natural ability to choose a partner genetically dissimilar to themselves, research at the Universities of Liverpool and Newcastle has found.
Poor coordination in childhood linked to obesity in later lifePoor physical control and coordination in childhood are linked to an increased risk of obesity in later life, suggests a study published on BMJ.com today.
Breast cancer relapse risk low after 5 yearsBreast cancer survivors continue to have a substantial risk of disease recurrence after five years of systemic therapy, according to a study published in the August 12 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Some obese individuals appear healthy without heart riskSome obese individuals do not appear to have an increased risk for heart disease, while some normal-weight individuals experience a cluster of heart risks, according to two reports in the August 11/25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
PET scans useful to assess Alzheimer's diseaseA type of positron emission tomography (PET) scanning may be useful in a non-invasive assessment of the formation of Alzheimer's disease–related plaques in the brain, according to small study posted online today that will appear in the October 2008 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Gene found responsible for smoking habitAnyone who has ever tried smoking probably remembers that first cigarette vividly. For some, it brought a wave of nausea or a nasty coughing fit. For others, those first puffs also came with a rush of pleasure or "buzz."
Vitamin C injections slow tumor growthHigh-dose injections of vitamin C, also known as ascorbate or ascorbic acid, reduced tumor weight and growth rate by about 50 percent in mouse models of brain, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers, researchers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) report in the August 5, 2008, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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.