How Old Is Too Old?Average paternal age is increasing in the UK (and USA) Growing evidence shows that the offspring of older fathers have an increased risk of some birth defects, some cancers, including breast , prostate and nervous system and schizophrenia. The public health implications have not been widely anticipated or debated. In October, in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health , a paper was published, "Advanced Paternal age: How old is too........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/28/2006 8:01:51 PM)
Flu Can Bide Time In Icy Limbo Before Re-emergingIt sounds like a campy '50s horror movie ("It Came from the Ice!"), but a Bowling Green State University biologist believes it's a very real possibility. Dr. Scott Rogers is talking about the potential for long-dormant strains of influenza, packed in ice in remote global outposts, to be unleashed by melting and migratory birds.
"We've found viral RNA in the ice in Siberia, and it's along the major flight paths of migrating waterfowl," whose........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/28/2006 4:42:07 AM)
Prolonged Anthracycline Therapy Reduces Heart ProblemsStretching out a dose of chemotherapy over six or more hours may reduce the risk of heart problems caused by certain commonly used cancer drugs, according to a new review of recent research.
Anthracycline drugs like daunorubicin and doxorubicin are used to treat many types of solid tumors and blood cancers such as leukemias in adults and children.
Anthracycline therapy can be very successful at controlling cancer, but heart damage caused........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/23/2006 5:22:03 AM)
Side-effect-free chemotherapyTreating cancer with chemotherapy can be as destructive to healthy cells as it is to tumour cells, causing notorious, debilitating side effects. US researchers have now developed an enzyme with the potential to eliminate the extreme fatigue, sickness and hair loss that result from this cell damage and strike fear into the hearts of cancer patients.
The researchers, led by Zaver Bhujwalla from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, developed........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/22/2006 4:45:17 AM)
Women At Higher Risk Of PTSDMales experience more traumatic events on average than do females, yet females are more likely to meet diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), according to a review of 25 years of research reported in the recent issue of Psychological Bulletin, published by the American Psychological Association (APA).
The authors reviewed 290 studies conducted between 1980 and 2005 to determine who is more at risk for potentially........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/19/2006 9:22:32 PM)
Personality Traits And Heart DiseaseFrequent bouts of depression, anxiety, hostility and anger are known to increase a person's risk for developing coronary heart disease, but a combination of these "negative" personality traits may put people at especially serious risk, according to a study by researchers at Duke University Medical Center.
"The risk of developing coronary heart disease due to a combination of negative personality traits in people has never before been........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/16/2006 9:18:30 PM)
Implantable Device System For Blood Pressure ControlA device first implanted in the United States at the University of Rochester Medical Center as part of a clinical trial is showing a significant reduction in blood pressure in patients who suffer from severe high blood pressure and cannot control their condition with medications or changes in lifestyle.
Early findings were shared this week by University of Rochester Medical Center heart specialist John Bisognano, M.D., Ph.D., and........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/16/2006 4:30:58 AM)
ADHD And SmokingAre you easily forgetful, distracted, impulsive or fidgety? Do you find that smoking helps you alleviate these symptoms?
Columbia University Medical Center researchers are investigating whether these most common symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorders (ADHD) could be causing people to smoke. If that is the case, will treatment for ADHD combined with the standard treatment to help people quit smoking - the patch with counseling........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/15/2006 9:40:07 PM)
Vascular Targeting Agent Halts Bone MetastasisA novel vascular targeting agent completely prevented the development of bone tumors in 50 percent of the mice tested in a preclinical study, providing early evidence that it could treat, or thwart, growth of tumors in bone, a common destination for a number of cancers when they start to spread.
Researchers at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center reported in the journal Cancer Research that this "Trojan Horse" agent,........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/15/2006 4:52:43 AM)
Helping Children Resolve Past ConflictsWhen young children argue with their siblings, they are rarely counseled to address their conflicts after the fighting is over. Rather than encouraging children to forget past disagreements, it might be better for parents to use these quarrels to help their children develop useful skills in conflict resolution.
That's the conclusion of scientists at the Universities of Waterloo and Chicago, who asked 64 pairs of siblings ages 4 to 12 to try........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/14/2006 4:47:38 AM)
MRI Detects Heart Damage In Patients With SarcoidosisTo detect heart damage early in patients with the immune system disorder sarcoidosis, who are at elevated risk of dieing from heart problems, magnetic resonance imaging is twice as sensitive as conventional methods, according to a study by Duke University Medical Center cardiologists.
By using magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, to discover minute areas of heart damage before they grow larger, physicians may be able to take action to prevent........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/13/2006 8:15:57 AM)
Artificial Protein Shows Promise For Cancer Eye InjuryPotentially blinding blood vessel growth in the cornea resulting from eye injury or even surgery can be reduced by more than 50 percent with a new manmade protein, researchers say.
"We believe eventually we'll be able to use this protein to help patients in many situations where blood vessel formation is detrimental, including cancer, diabetic retinopathy and macular degeneration," says Dr. Balamurali K. Ambati, corneal specialist at the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/10/2006 5:10:13 AM)
How Genes Affect Antipsychotic Drug Response?Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy are attempting to discover how genes determine how well an antipsychotic medicine works in adults and children and the side effects it will cause.
Risperidone, a popular "atypical" antipsychotic medication, is used to treat mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Jeffrey Bishop, assistant professor of pharmacy practice, is examining the effects........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/10/2006 4:34:30 AM)
Gene Therapy Inhibits EpilepsyFor the first time, researchers have inhibited the development of epilepsy after a brain insult in animals. By using gene therapy to modify signaling pathways in the brain, neurology researchers found that they could significantly reduce the development of epileptic seizures in rats.
"We have shown that there is a window to intervene after a brain insult to reduce the risk that epilepsy will develop," said one of the lead researchers, Amy R.........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/8/2006 8:56:35 PM)
Why Do We Stick To Our Bad Habits?Why do we ignore public warnings and advertisements about the dangers of smoking, drinking alcohol, overeating, stressing out and otherwise persist in habits and behaviours that we know aren't good for us?
Because, says a University of Alberta researcher, we aren't getting at the underlying reasons of why we persist in bad habits or risky behaviour.
In two recent case studies asking people to rate the danger of various types of risks........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/7/2006 4:59:42 AM)
Most Ear Infections Host Both Bacteria And VirusesEar infections are among the most common diseases seen in pediatric practice. They have generally been considered bacterial diseases and are therefore usually treated with antibiotics. New research, published in the December 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases and currently available online, provides evidence that viruses are found in a great many ear infection cases and may complicate treatment.
The researchers used a variety of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/6/2006 7:54:29 PM)
Hospital Costs For Children With FluGoing into another flu season, a new study reports that hospitalizing children for influenza may cost up to three or four times the previously accepted estimates. Pediatric scientists from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia say their finding strengthens the economic justification for broadly vaccinating children against flu.
"We found the cost of influenza-related hospitalizations in children was about $13,000 each--in comparison to........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/6/2006 4:52:51 AM)
Smoking, Radiation And Prostate CancerSmoking has been found to contribute to poorer outcomes for people treated for many kinds of cancer and now, researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center have associated smoking and acute side-effects following radiation therapy for prostate cancer. The study was presented today at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology in Philadelphia.
Smoking is associated with an increased risk of........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/5/2006 9:11:55 PM)
Why Men With Prostate Cancer Avoid Radiation?Negative perceptions about radiation therapy can strongly influence a prostate cancer patient's choice to avoid external beam radiation therapy, even though studies have proven the treatment to be as safe and effective as other treatments for the disease, including surgery, according to a study presented November 5, 2006, at the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology's 48th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia.
"The study shows........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/5/2006 8:35:30 PM)
Strong Link Between Uric Acid And HypertensionNew research shows that higher levels of uric acid are strongly associated with high blood pressure in blacks, suggesting that a simple blood test could predict risk and that treatments to lower uric acid may be a novel way to reduce hypertension-related complications in this population.
"The novel angle of our study is that the association between uric acid and hypertension is much stronger in blacks, a group that disproportionately suffers........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/3/2006 4:45:21 AM)
|
|
Big Bias In Who Gets Screened For Breast CancerCertain women may miss out on routine tests that screen for early signs of breast cancer.
Elderly women, women with publicly funded health insurance and women who don't go to an obstetrician and gynecologist for routine exams are all less likely than others to get a clinical breast exam and a recommendation for a mammogram.
"A physician's recommendation is why a number of women undergo screening in the first place," said Rajesh........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/28/2006 4:59:19 AM)
Second Cancer Risk For Stem Cell Transplant RecipientsHematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients face a significant long-term risk for developing a second cancer, particularly if they were older at the time of transplant or received stem cells from a female donor, according to a new study. Reported in the January 1, 2007 issue of CANCER (http://www.interscience.wiley.com/cancer-newsroom), a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study reveals that within 10 years of an........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/27/2006 4:52:46 AM)
Reversing Type 1 Diabetes In MiceNew data published in the Nov. 24 issue of Science provide further support for a protocol to reverse type 1 diabetes in mice and new evidence that adult precursor cells from the spleen can contribute to the regeneration of beta cells. In 2001 and 2003, researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) demonstrated the efficacy of a protocol to reverse of type 1 diabetes in diabetic mice. Three studies from other institutions published in........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/26/2006 7:14:18 AM)
New Year Without Putting On PoundsYour leftover Halloween candy is almost gone from your cupboards, and the holiday season with all its sweet temptations has begun.
However, all those holiday parties and office gatherings laden with scrumptious food and drink don't have to mean the end of your weight loss plan. It's still possible to enjoy the bounty and not feel deprived of your favorite holiday dishes, says Connie Diekman, director of University Nutrition at Washington........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/22/2006 4:22:14 AM)
Wnt Reactivates Dormant Limb Regeneration Chop off a salamander's leg and a brand new one will sprout in no time. But most animals have lost the ability to replace missing limbs. Now, a research team at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has been able to regenerate a wing in a chick embryo a species not known to be able to regrow limbs - suggesting that the potential for such regeneration exists innately in all vertebrates, including humans.
Their study, reported in the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/19/2006 9:30:53 PM)
Tooth Whiteners Do Not Cause CancerCommon tooth whitening products, which have been used by millions of people, are found to be safe and do not increase the risk of oral cancer when used as directed. This exhaustive review of the literature, including numerous unpublished clinical studies involving over 4,000 human subjects, appeared in an article by Dr. Ian Monroe entitled, " Use of Hydrogen Peroxide-Based Tooth Whitening Products and it Relationship to Oral Cancer," published........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/16/2006 9:40:41 PM)
Dieting Or ExerciseThose in their 50s and 60s who want to lose weight might consider heading to the cardio workout room instead of counting calories, suggests new research out this month.
Both those who dieted and those who exercised lost a significant amount of weight, as per findings from an NIH-funded study on whether a calorie-restriction diet can extend lifespan. However, while exercisers maintained their strength and muscle mass and increased aerobic........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/16/2006 7:12:37 PM)
No Link Found Between Viagra and HIV InfectionErectile dysfunction (ED) medications known as Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors have been used by millions of men as safe and effective management options associated with high rates of patient and partner satisfaction. Recent reports have appeared, however, that some individuals have misused this class of drug, combining them with narcotics such as methamphetamines. These reports further note that such individuals may be, in........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/15/2006 5:12:03 AM)
New Angioplasty Procedure More EffectiveOver the last several years angioplasty has exceeded coronary bypass surgery as the preferred way to treat coronary artery disease. The stents (narrow tubes inserted into the artery to facilitate blood flow) usually used in the procedure are less invasive than open-heart surgery and offer greater convenience to the patient and the ability to perform more complex procedures.
However, they are also more likely to lead to restenosis, a........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 11/15/2006 4:58:54 AM)
Vaccine And Colorectal CancerBritish researchers have developed a vaccine that stimulates colorectal cancer patients' immune systems to fight cancerous cells.
In a clinical trial of 67 patients, researchers at the University of Nottingham observed that when the vaccines were administered before and after surgery to remove cancerous tumors, they helped stimulated immune cell production in up to 70 percent of patients. These results are published in the November 15 issue........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/15/2006 4:32:31 AM)
Vaccine Shows Promise Against Breast CancerA diagnosis of breast cancer has taken on a new meaning in the past 10 years, as research has produced a host of new therapies and detection techniques, significantly improving long-term survival for women who have been fighting the disease. To build on these successes, researchers are now harnessing what they have learned about treating breast cancer and applying it to possible methods of prevention to reduce the total incidence of the........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/13/2006 8:01:02 AM)
Bariatric Surgery Complications In Some HospitalsIn-hospital bariatric surgery complication rates vary dramatically among the nation's hospitals, according to a study released recently by HealthGrades, the leading healthcare ratings company. The study of 86,520 bariatric-surgery procedures performed over the years 2002 through 2004 finds that a typical patient receiving the procedure in a five-star rated hospital would have, on average, a 66 percent lower chance of developing one or more........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/13/2006 7:40:59 AM)
Antioxidant Therapies And Radiation TreatmentCancer patients can get the vital nutritional benefits from taking antioxidants without the risk of interfering with radiation treatment, according to research findings being presented this weekend at the Society of Integrative Oncology's Third International Conference in Boston. The Society for Integrative Oncology is a non-profit organization of oncologists and other health professionals studying and integrating effective complementary........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/10/2006 4:38:03 AM)
Muscle Protein Drives Prostate CancerResearchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have for the first time implicated the muscle protein myosin VI in the development of prostate cancer and its spread.
In a series of lab studies with human prostate cancer cells, the Hopkins scientists were surprised to find overproduction of myosin VI in both prostate tumor cells and precancerous lesions. When the scientists genetically altered the cells to "silence" myosin VI, they........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/8/2006 9:08:46 PM)
Enzyme To Treat Diabetic Kidney DiseaseNorthwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine researchers have found that an enzyme called ACE2 may hold the potential to treat diabetic kidney disease, the most common form of kidney disease.
In the laboratory, researchers led by Daniel Batlle, professor of medicine in the Feinberg School, chief of the nephrology/hypertension division and staff nephrologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, have found low levels of the ACE2 enzyme in........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/7/2006 7:10:27 PM)
Missing Link In Sudden Cardiac DeathAn electrical imbalance caused by a malfunctioning gene triggers a potentially fatal heart rhythm disorder, according to researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and Texas Children's Hospital in Houston.
Findings are reported in the Nov. 21 print edition of the journal Circulation, a publication of the American Heart Association. The journal has posted the findings online.
Electrical impulses originate in the top of the heart's........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/7/2006 4:16:51 AM)
Children's Belly Fat Increases More Than 65 PercentAbdominal obesity increased more than 65 percent among boys and almost 70 percent among girls between 1988 and 2004. The finding of growing girth is significant because abdominal obesity has emerged as a better predictor of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes risk than the more usually used Body Mass Index, a weight to height ratio that can sometimes be misleading.
As the first nationally representative study to document the increase........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/6/2006 4:33:25 AM)
IMRT versus 3D CRT for prostate cancerNew research findings show men have fewer long-term gastrointestinal side effects with intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) than with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3D CRT) for prostate cancer treatment, despite the higher doses of radiation used in the IMRT group. These and other data, including long-term genitourinary side effects, were presented today at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Therapeutic........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 11/5/2006 8:57:51 PM)
Heart Catheters Do Not Benefit PatientsDoctors should probably stop using pulmonary artery catheters because they do not benefit patients, say doctors from Australia in this week's BMJ.
The pulmonary artery catheter was invented in 1968. It enabled bedside monitoring in critically ill patients by measuring heart output and capillary pressure in the lungs and became widely used in intensive care units.
But reports of serious complications soon appeared and arguments for and........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/3/2006 4:59:18 AM)
Common Antacids To Fight GingivitisChemicals commonly used to treat heartburn also display fighting power against the oral bacteria linked with gum disease, according to researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Gteborg University in Sweden.
A study published in November's Archives of Oral Biology explores how the active ingredients in popular antacids could help fend off gingivitis. If the work holds up in subsequent studies in people, the compounds could........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 11/2/2006 8:58:04 PM)
|
